By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Students and teachers in the Forrest City School District will use four days at the end of the school year to make up days missed in February due to winter weather.
Members of the Forrest City School District's board of directors approved the move Monday night after Nevada Banks, with the district's personnel policy committee, proposed extending the school year on a recommendation from the committee.
According to Banks, committee members considered several options including one which would have shortened this week's spring break by two days and eliminated in-service days which were held last Thursday and Friday. According to Banks that recommendation failed because of time constraints.
Forrest City Superintendent Lee Vent also recommended extending the school year. The last day for students will be Monday, June 2, with teacher curriculum days which were scheduled for May 16 and May 29 being rescheduled for Tuesday, June 3, and Wednesday, June 4. Graduation for high school seniors will remain on Friday, May 16.
In other business, construction on the Forrest City Junior High School currently stands at 80 percent complete, but according to contractor Gary Kennedy, portions of the facility will not be ready when the 2003/2004 school year begins. Kennedy told board members last night that wet weather this winter has forced delays in pouring concrete for the auditorium, band hall and choir room, and that will make it difficult to complete those areas by August.
"We're a little behind, and it's because of the rain that we've had this winter, but the north wing of the building is complete, and there has even been some work adding the lockers in that wing. The east wing is almost at the same level, and soon we hope to see them start moving stuff in. Our focus has been on the classrooms, the administration offices and the walkway to the cafeteria so that we can make sure those areas are complete when school starts. We may have to use some temporary barricades inside and outside to keep students out of the construction areas, but otherwise the building will be ready to go," Kennedy said.
Vent also told board members that the project had reached a critical point and that student safety may force the district to continue using temporary buildings on the high school campus and at the Old Stewart building to house students until the new facility is complete.
"We're really almost at critical mass, and I'm keeping a day-to-day check on the progress. A decision has to be made by July 1, as to whether we continue renting the temporary buildings that we have been using, or if we move into the new facility before it is completed. I just go back to the fact that we moved the students out of the building during demolition because we wanted to ensure their safety, and now the situation is reversed where the majority of the building is complete but construction is ongoing. I just don't know how comfortable I'd feel with 700 inquiring minds wandering around near a construction site," Vent said.
Board members also agreed to form a committee which will establish rental rules and regulations for both Mustang Arena and the new FCJHS Auditorium.
The board accepted the resignations of Lincoln Middle School math teacher David Scott and FCJHS child nutrition specialist Mary Davenport. They also accepted a recommendation from Vent to hire Kristen Casbeer as a first grade teacher at Central Elementary.
Bonds were set at $50,000 each Monday afternoon for two men charged in the weekend murder of a Forrest City woman.
Scott Allen Wright, 32, and Juston Busby, 23, were arraigned Monday afternoon in St. Francis County District Court.
According to court records, Wright posted a $50,000 property bond Monday morning, prior to his court appearance. Busby's bond was posted Monday night, according to officials at the St. Francis County Jail.
The men are each charged with first-degree murder and first-degree battery stemming from the death of Tonya Baker, 25. Baker died from injuries she received when Busby allegedly backed into her with his 2003 Ford pickup, pushing her into her family's van where she was pinned until emergency personnel arrived. Busby also allegedly struck Baker's brother, Jason Taylor, 28, as he was backing up, causing injuries to Taylor's leg and arm.
According to police reports, Wright was allegedly directing Busby as he was backing up his truck.
In other court action Monday, a $250,000 bond was affirmed for Tommy Martez Barber, 19, of 401 Buford St., Forrest City, on two counts of attempted murder and possession of firearms by a certain person. Circuit Judge Harvey Yates set Barber's bond just after his arrest Friday.
Barber was arrested for his alleged involvement in an early-morning shooting at 930 E. Garland Street where Markita Williamson, 18, 930 E. Garland, and Derick Humphrey, 23, of 105 Gregory, were injured. Williamson was treated and released for her injuries. Humphrey remains hospitalized at the Med in Memphis in serious condition.
Deputy Prosecutor Chris Morledge said Barber's bond was set higher than the bonds for Wright and Busby because Barber is considered a flight risk based on his past felony convictions. "He has been arrested before and fled," Morledge said.
In addition to Barber, Benson Buchanan, 20, 108 Midway, Forrest City, was also arrested in connection with the case. He is charged with possession of a firearm by a certain person, and was bound over to circuit court on a $25,000 bond.
Detectives with the Forrest City Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division today reported a third suspect is being sought in the attack, and they are also seeking leads in the shooting of a Forrest City bail bondsman Thursday night.
According to FCPD Det. Sgt. John Riggins, officers are still investigating the Thursday shooting of James Mayo, 31, at the office of Moye Bail Bonding located at 622 S. Washington Street. On Friday, it was originally reported that the incident occurred at Manuel Bail Bonds.
According to the report, a driver pulled into the parking lot of the Forrest City Police Department screaming that someone had been shot at the bail bonding office. Officers later found Mayo in the building. According to Riggins, Mayo is recovering at the Med in Memphis.
A California man, apparently looking for someone to share his high with, found more than he bargained for when he offered marijuana to a fully-uniformed Forrest City police officer.
The officer, who was on his way to work Sunday morning, helped state police arrest the man on drug charges.
Arkansas State Police reported FCPD Officer Ricky Baxter was driving westbound on Interstate 40 on his way to work about 10 a.m. when Donald Steven Atwood, 20, pulled his 1994 Pontiac Firebird next to Baxter's car and started yelling out the window at him. Atwood, of Riverside, Calif., was reportedly waiving a plastic baggie with marijuana in it out the window, allegedly asking Baxter if he wanted to pull over and "smoke dope."
State police reported Baxter was wearing his full police uniform, but because the windows in his vehicle were tinted, Atwood could not see inside Baxter's car.
When Baxter pulled over with Atwood, he radioed state police and kept the suspect at bay until a trooper arrived. The trooper reported that as he approached Atwood's car, he could see the baggie with marijuana inside it in plain view in the passenger seat.
A further search of Atwood's vehicle revealed drug paraphernalia along with an aluminum can containing more marijuana and a small amount of crystal methamphetamine.
Atwood is charged with driving while intoxicated, drugs; misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony possession of a controlled substance. A $5,000 cash bond was set for Atwood Monday afternoon in St. Francis County District Court.
A Colt man was killed in an apparent logging accident Friday morning in Phillips County.
The body of William Norman Like, 47, of Colt, was found by family members in an area where he had been working just south of Marvell on County Road 125 just after 11 a.m., according to a report from the Phillips County Sheriff's Department. Like was working about 200 yards into the heavily-wooded area where it is believed a tree he was cutting fell backwards, striking him in the head.
According to the police report, a large chainsaw was found at the scene, but was apparently not involved in the accident. "It appeared that while cutting the tree, it may have kicked back, striking the victim in the head, causing the injury and death," the deputy reported.
Like had served as pastor of the House of Prayer Pentecostal Church in Colt for the past 17 years. His body was sent to the State Crime Lab in Little Rock to determine the exact cause of death.
A reward is being offered for information leading to the solving of a rash of break-ins of coin operated machines in recent weeks.
According to Forrest City Crime Stoppers, soft drink machines along Washington Street, and one at Northside Liquor, have been broken into, causing thousands of dollars of damage to the machines.
The suspects are forcing open the doors and taking cash from the machines. These incidents have been occurring during the early morning hours -- between midnight and 4 a.m.
Anyone with information concerning these break-ins is asked to call Forrest City Crime Stoppers, at (870) 261-1449.
All callers remain confidential, according to Crime Stoppers. No name has to be given. Crime Stoppers pays up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects involved in crimes.