By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Windows of Forrest City businesses are still being shot out by a vandal or vandals, in a rash of pellet-gun or BB-gun shootings which began over the weekend, and Forrest City Crime Stoppers has issued a call for help in solving the crimes.
Four more businesses have reported having windows shot out, in addition to the five instances reported on Sunday.
On Monday morning, it was reported that the Colony Shop at 1501 N. Washington had two windows shot out. On Monday afternoon, Dearing Body/Cycle Shop at 1055 S. Washington reported a display window shot out.
On Wednesday evening, about 9:30, Taco Bell at 2055 N. Washington reported a window shot out. It was the second time Taco Bell has been victimized. At about the same time, it was reported that the Dollar Tree, at 201 Deaderick #400, had its front glass shot out.
Five businesses reported having windows shot out within a short space of time Sunday afternoon. These included: Ridout Lumber Co,. 1823 W. Broadway; Parker Furniture, 206 N. Washington; Staton's Furniture, 942 N. Washington; Taco Bell, 2055 N. Washington; and Payless Shoesource, 2212 N. Washington. Dixie Furniture, 2040 N. Washington, also reported damage to a door on Saturday, and officers said the door appeared to have been shot.
According to the Forrest City Police Department, anyone having
information on any of these incidents is asked to contact Crime
Stoppers. The number is 261-1499. Crime Stoppers pays up to $1,000
for confidential information leading to the arrest and conviction
the person or persons involved in a crime.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The St. Francis County Hometown Health Network has a new website to help the residents it serves find answers to their health questions by tapping into resources locally, statewide and nationally.
Melissa Ward, Hometown Health Improvement Leader for SFC, talked about how the site came about, and the advantages the new website will offer both the network and the people it serves.
"This is our first website," said Ward. "A member at one of our first meetings said that we should have a resource directory for the network. In the past, those directories would be published in book. We thought maybe that putting the directory on a website would help us keep the information updated better than a book.
"An advantage that the network hopes to see is better communication between medical service providers. If a doctor in the network has a patient that needs a specific service, then they can go to the directory and find that service for them and get in contact with that service provider. If the office or location does not have Internet access, the doctor can call me and I will print them a copy of the information they request," Ward said.
"The advantage to the general public is that the site can be used as a resource to access health information on their own. They can find out about doctors and services in the local area, statewide or nationally. The national resources help not only find specialists out of state, but can help find services at reduced or no charge," Ward continued.
"An example is the World Class Motor Specialists, a company in Colorado that repairs motors. They will rebuild motors for electric wheelchairs, electric beds and sit-up chairs for free under extreme circumstances. Before, services like this might not be known in St. Francis County since the service is offered so far away. We have several companies and foundations that we list in the directory that offer services and will even come to you."
Ward also stated that she wants to encourage people to make use of the website and to contact the Hometown Health Network with any comments about the site.
The site can be accessed at www.sfchealthnetwork.org. For more
information, contact Ward at 870-633-1340.
With schools dismissing for vacation earlier this week, one of Forrest City's annual rites of summer will get started Monday at Christ Church School.
The annual City Pride Program will begin on June 9, lasting until July 18, at Christ Church School according to a press release from Forrest City City Hall.
"This program will give kids something to do during the summer so that they're not just sitting around the house or out getting into trouble," said Glynis Lewis with the mayor's office.
This summer, the program, which is for children between the ages of six and 18, is being broken down into a series of clinics with the first being a tennis clinic which will begin Monday. During the six week program, children will also be involved in clinics covering track and field; martial arts; baseball; basketball and swimming.
The clinic will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily and
breakfast and lunch will be served. Next week's clinic will teach
the proper grip and use of a tennis racquet and skills associated
with tennis. For more information call city hall at 633-1315 or
633-3667.
Some fire departments in St. Francis County will receive some help from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management's (ADEM) Fire Protection Services Fund (FPSF) Act 833, collected from a 1/2 of one percent tax on fire insurance premiums in the state.
The county as a whole received $102,614.88 of a statewide total of over $7 million distributed to rural fire departments throughout the state.
Cities that will be awarded the funding are: Madison, $19,355.98; Palestine, $17,314.65; Wheatley, $14,253.14 and Forrest City, $51,691.11.
This is the second news of a substantial amount of funding that the Forrest City Fire Department has received in less than a month.
It was reported last month that ADEM gave the department $152,494.15 for the purchase of hazmat equipment. According to the FCFD Chief Dan Curtner, those funds were provided by the Office of Homeland Security through the ADEM. Curtner also talked about the plans for the state money.
"We receive this money each year," said Curtner. "We use it to buy equipment from small things to new hoses. We also use it to pay for training and supplement the cost of the department to the city."
Village Creek State Park will offer children an opportunity to learn about pioneers, Native Americans and the natural world this summer through Adventure Day Camps.
The three day events will feature educational programs, crafts, games, storytelling, horseback riding and other recreational activities. Each day will start at 8 a.m. at the park's Visitor Center where parents drop of their children. Pick-up time will be 4 p.m. each day.
The camps will be offered twice from ages 10 to 12, once from Wednesday, June 25 through Friday, June 27, and again from Wednesday, July 23 through Friday, July 25. Camp for children ages nine to 11 will be held on Wednesday, July 9 through Friday, July 11.
A fee of $65 will be required and includes all meals, snacks, instructors, materials and use of equipment. You must pre-register by the Friday before the program that the child will attend. For more information, call Village Creek State Park at 870-238-9406.
One major project made up the bulk of building permits issued in Forrest City during May, according to figures issued from the mayor's office.
In all, the projects are valued at $428,049, bringing the year-to-date total to $2,171,308.99.
Kenco Construction got a permit for the remodeling of Classroom Building 1 at East Arkansas Community College, valued at $347,500. Alltel Communications got a permit for a $25,000 new building at 505 Dillard. The Burger Barn at 1331 S. Washington is building a deck valued at $1,500.
The rest of the permits were for non-commercial work, including two remodeling jobs, two roof repair jobs, a repair project and siding.