By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
The teenage driver of a car hit by a train Monday morning in Palestine has died.
Angela Pate, 16, died at the Med Center in Memphis, a hospital spokesperson said this morning.
Pate and her brother, Billy Pate Jr., 9, were on their way to classes on the campuses in Palestine when the accident occurred just before 7:40 a.m. Pate was a 10th grader at the high school, and Billy Jr., is in the fourth grade at the elementary campus in Palestine.
School officials said a sibling of the two was already enroute to the junior high campus in Wheatley when the accident occurred.
Both victims were airlifted from the accident scene. Angela was taken to the Med Center, and Billy was taken to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis. Le Bonheur officials said the boy was listed in "extremely critical" condition this morning.
PWSD Superintendent Jimmy Allen said the district has four counselors stationed at the high school to help students on an "as-needed basis."
Palestine police reported Pate was driving south on Highway 261 when the westbound Union Pacific train struck her 1996 Chevrolet. According to police, Pate's vehicle is believed to have been stopped due to traffic on the tracks, and when she attempted to cross the tracks, her car was struck by the train. The train's engineer told police when the driver saw the train, she punched the accelerator, causing the train to strike the doors of her car.
The crossing does not have arms that descend when a train is about to pass, only flashing lights. The last accident in which a car was struck by a train at the same crossing was in 1997.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A former Madison police officer has been rehired in spite of a unanimous city council vote to override his hiring at the February meeting of the Madison City Council.
Officer Jerry Donaldson, who formerly served as assistant police chief in Madison, has been rehired by Madison Mayor James Brooks to work on a part-time basis. A decision by the council at the February meeting to override Donaldson's hiring was vetoed by Brooks who cited his powers provided by Arkansas statute.
"The city council has legislative powers, and is here to write the laws for our city, but my job is to be the chief executive officer for the city, and I have to make decisions that I feel are in the best interests of our city," Brooks said.
Council members could have thrown out Brooks' veto with a two-thirds vote, but a motion to override the veto by alderman Annie Winfrey died due to the lack of a second.
Although Arkansas law doesn't specifically discuss this subject, Don Zimmerman, an attorney with the Arkansas Municipal League, said this morning that the mayor was within is rights to veto the council's decision.
"It's my opinion that he was within his powers to veto the decision of the council, even though their vote was unanimous. The mayor has the authority to hire and fire department heads, and I think this situation would be covered under that statute. If the council so wished, they could come back and with a two-thirds majority vote, and override his decision, which would then enforce their previous decision," Zimmerman said.
In other business, council members unanimously voted to increase the hours of Madison Street Department employees to 40 hours per week. Last month it was announced that six city employees, two street department employees, two secretaries and two police officers, had all been reduced to 32-hour work weeks.
"When we put the budget together and came up with that 3 percent pay cut, I thought it was decided then that all city employees would have 40 hours per week, guaranteed. Then we come in here last month and find out that some of the employees were cut to four days per week. I understand that times may get slow for some of the employees, but there's always something for the street department to do, so I think those men need to be at 40 hours per week," said Winfrey.
Council members voted unanimously to approve the increase for street department employees, but did not increase the hours for other personnel.
Arkansas State Police made another drug bust on Monday the third time this month that a large quantity of illegal drugs have been seized in St. Francis County.
Two Arizona women were arrested on drug charges Monday morning after their 1994 Ford van was stopped for speeding near the 244 eastbound mile marker.
According to arrest records, the trooper stopped the van, driven by Dulce Maria Nubes, 23, about 9:30 a.m. The trooper reported that while Nubes was searching for her driver's license and vehicle information, he noticed the rear hatch on the van appeared heavy. After receiving consent to search the vehicle, the trooper found 150 pounds of marijuana hidden inside the rear compartment.
Nubes, 23, of Tucson, is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, no driver's license and speeding. A passenger, Asalia Guadalupe Alvarez-Soto, 20, also of Tucson, is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
The marijuana has an estimated street value of $150,000.
On Sunday, state police confiscated two kilos of cocaine, valued at $200,000, during a traffic stop that occurred on the parking lot of a Forrest City restaurant, and on Tuesday, March 4, state police found 150 pounds of marijuana, also valued at $150,000, hidden inside a vehicle driven by a California man during a traffic stop on I-40.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Another customer may soon be lost by garbage collector B&B Disposal, after Monday night's meeting of the Widener City Council.
The council also, by a 3-2 vote, reversed an earlier decision and agreed to allow alcoholic beverages in the town's civic center.
During the discussion of B&B Disposal, it was stated that there have been numerous complaints about garbage not being picked up. St. Francis County recently terminated its contract with B&B. Widener has its own contract with the firm.
"I have made umpteen phone calls to them," said Mayor Dot Halford.
Council member Versie Pitts said there have been many complaints about garbage not being picked up.
"They're not getting everybody's garbage," she said. "Maybe we ought to fire them. We're paying them all this money and everything, and they're not doing their job."
Halford said, "I think I may have to go up there (Jonesboro) and sit on their doorstep until I can talk to one of the owners. I have left messages for them to call me, I've left my cell phone number, gave them this number, and cannot get them to call me back. The only thing I know to do is go up there and camp out, and tell them, 'You know, I think we're going to fire you all and go with somebody else.'"
The council got into the discussion about the alcohol policy at the center through the insistence of the city attorney, Marshall Wright.
In a meeting Nov. 11, the council had initially voted to ban alcohol at the center. At the Dec. 9 meeting, Halford had reported that there had been some complaints over the alcohol ban. On Jan. 13, the small room where the council meets was almost overflowing with people who wanted to speak either for or against the ban on alcohol. No action was taken at that time, although some council members said they had second thoughts about the ban. The subject did not come up during the February meeting.
At Monday's meeting, Wright told the council they needed to come to some sort of conclusion, so he could finish drawing up the rules for the center as well as the agreement which people who want to rent the center will be asked to sign.
"I have drafted a rental agreement for the center," said Wright. "I cannot finish it until you make a decision as to which way you want to go."
He said it wasn't his position to advocate one way or the other.
"My position is to tell you I can't do anything. I can't finish a rental agreement and give a proper contract for someone to enter into, until I get an answer," he said.
A lengthy discussion followed, in which pros and cons of allowing alcohol at the center were discussed.
During the discussion, Halford said she had questioned people who handle similar centers. She said she was told it is easier to monitor alcohol use than it is to try banning it altogether.
However, Pitts admitted, "No matter how you vote, you're not going to please everybody."
A citizen, Larry White, reminded the council that they had already voted once to not allow alcohol.
The council took two votes. The first was to repeal the council's original ban on alcohol. The vote was 3-2 in favor of repeal. Voting yes were Pitts, Carl Winters and Felicia Watson. Voting no were Ronnie Burnett and Brenda White.
The council then voted on whether or not to allow alcoholic beverages at the center. Again the vote was 3-2, with the same people voting the same way.
On another matter, Widener Day was discussed briefly. The date will be May 3.
Halford said there will be senior citizens bingo, live music and food. She said there may be fewer children's games this time. She also said volunteers are needed.
Two men were sentenced to state prison during recent circuit court proceedings at the St. Francis County Courthouse.
Billy Ray Allen, 28, of Widener was sentenced to nine years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections on charges he distributed crack cocaine. He also received a five-year suspended imposition of sentence.
Willie Lee Cameron, 37, of Jennette, in Crittenden County, was sentenced to five years during court action for theft of property over $2,500.
A Forrest City High School student was arrested Monday on charges that he acted improperly toward a girl on the junior high campus last week.
Patrick Lindsey, 18, 420 W. Buford St., is charged with sexual indecency with a child following an incident reported to police last week by the mother of a 14-year-old girl.
The alleged incident took place on the campus of Forrest City Junior High School on March 4, and was reported by the girl's mother on March 5.
According to police, Lindsey allegedly made a sexually suggestive remark to the girl. When the girl tried to leave, Lindsey allegedly grabbed her by the arm and made her turn around, when he allegedly exposed himself to her.
Lindsey was arrested and charged with sexual indecency with a child, a Class D felony. Bond is set at $2,500.
Two city councils are scheduled to meet tonight in St. Francis County. The Palestine and Caldwell city councils will meet at 7 p.m. at each city's city hall.
Also on tap for tonight are two meetings at the St. Francis County Courthouse. The Quorum Court's personnel committee meets at 5 p.m., followed by a budget committee meeting at 6 p.m.