By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
An informal Career Expo will be held Thursday, April 3, at Mustang Arena, sponsored by the Education Committee of the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce.
"The purpose of the Expo is to inform 11th and 12th graders from St. Francis County of potential career and training opportunities," said Dr. Alice Barnes, deputy superintendent of the Forrest City School District, who chairs the committee. "It is also to promote area businesses and industry."
There will be two sessions. A morning session will be held from 8:30 until 10:30, and the afternoon session will be from 1 until 3.
The Expo will also be open to the general public between 10:30 a.m. and noon.
Each exhibitor will have a booth, and will meet with 10 to 15 students at a time for 15-minute sessions. Students will be asked to sign up for "career clusters," to get a better idea of which exhibitors they may want to visit.
"We're requesting that exhibitors be prepared to discuss salary or hourly wages, benefits, and education or training required for current and future job or career opportunities" in that field, Barnes explained.
About 60 invitations have been sent out to St. Francis County businesses, and replies have started coming in.
Jan Haven, vice president for Academic Affairs at East Arkansas Community College, said the Expo can give students information which they might not be able to get elsewhere.
"The education community believes the Expo will positively impact our students and community," Haven said. "It will demonstrate the power of education, and will offer hope and the idea that students have the power to shape their own destiny. The National Association for Partners in Education has reliable evidence that students benefit when there is interaction with the business community. These interactions can inspire students to finish high school and seek post secondary training or education."
The entire program is depending on donations.
"We are operating on a zero budget," said Barnes, who added that some local businesses are helping.
Anyone who needs more information may call the Chamber at 633-1651; Barnes at 633-1485; or Haven at 633-4480, extension 329.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Several people were sentenced to five years in prison in circuit court action this week at the St. Francis County Courthouse.
Altovise Swift, 28, of 1847 Williams Street, Forrest City, was given 15 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections with credit for time served, for aggravated robbery and kidnapping.
Travis Kimble, 26, 1947 Williams St., Forrest City, was sentenced to five years in prison to run concurrent with a sentence on three charges of first-degree battery and first-degree domestic battery involving a July 13 arrest last year.
Kimble was arrested again in August for commercial burglary, two counts of breaking or entering and theft over $500 and theft under $500. He was sentenced to three years suspended imposition of sentence on these charges after his release from ADC.
James E. Tracy, 26, 2250 Fletcher Rd., Forrest City, was given five years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections with five years suspended sentence from date of release sentenced, on charges of driving while intoxicated on drugs and possession of a controlled substance, Other traffic charges were dismissed.
Jason Daniel Sims, 25, of 617 Whiteoak Drive, Forrest City, was sentenced to five years with credit for time served, and five years probation from his release, for thefts, breaking or entering six cars, numerous counts of residential burglary, and theft over $500.
Lydia Gonzales Bruno, 53, of Mercedes, Texas, was sentenced to three years with credit for time served, for possession of a controlled substance.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
With the month of March comes March Madness as any basketball fan can tell you, but what that fan might not know is that Forrest City will share in the "madness" this March courtesy of the Calvary Christian School, Inc. and Northwest Airlines.
On Friday, March 14, four charity exhibition basketballs games will be held at the Eagle Gym on the campus of Calvary Christian High School featuring the Northwest Airlines team vs. the Southwest Airlines team at 8 p.m. A team fielded by the Forrest City Correctional Institution will play a team from both the Forrest City Fire and Police Departments will also compete in the benefit for the school's building fund. The game involving local players will tip off at 6 p.m.
The Northwest Basketball Team is part of the Northwest Airlines Adopt-A-School program that has raised over $285,000 for Memphis area schools, according to its website.
Suzanne Hess, Supervisory Principal of CCS, says the school was approached with the fundraising idea.
"This is a blessing I didn't know was coming," said Hess of the event. "I received a phone call from Jim Jamieson, the owner of the Northwest team. He had heard about our building fund and asked us if we would like to setup a tournament to benefit it. He told us he thought that he could get the Southwest team to agree to play them here too."
Jamieson, of Memphis, explained a little about his team, who they play, and what those attending the games might see.
"Our team, Northwest, and Southwest compete in the World Airline Championships against teams from airlines all over the world," began Jamieson. "Every airline around the world has at least one team that competes. It's global, we play Air France, Chinese and Japanese airlines, among others, in competition for the championship along with the other major airlines in the U.S. In addition to our tournament games and charity games, we play at colleges from Florida to California and every where in-between."
According to Jamieson, Northwest has been very successful in their travels. The team has finished second in the World Airlines Championship Tournament for the past three years and four times since 1992.
"We'd like to pack the gym that Friday," Jamieson said. "You'll see four teams that are going for it. We have beaten Southwest the last two times we have faced them, but they were very close games. It's like watching an Arkansas and Old Miss game. Also, on our team is the son of David 'Truck' Gaines, Darryl Gaines. Darryl's father played with the Harlem Globetrotters. All and all, it should be a great show." And as for our local teams, Jamieson says that with the Correctional team and the Police/Fire team it will be about bragging rights. "
Two games will take place after the initial contests pitting the winners of each game and losers of each game against each other. A slam dunk contest and a three-point shooting contest will be held. Several items, including t-shirts and other memorabilia, will be given away, sold or auctioned, all to benefit the school.
Tickets for the event are $5 for student admission and $8 for general admission. Tickets are available at the Calvary Christian School Elementary office. Contact the school at 633-5333 for more information.
An established used car dealership in the Eastern Arkansas area will open its newest lot soon in Forrest City.
Jackson's Used Cars has been serving the area since the 1950's, and will now bring their services to 204 Deaderick Road.
"We opened our first location in Hughes in 1955," said Kevin Thomas, owner of the business. "Our other locations in Colt, Wynne, West Memphis and Memphis followed afterward. We have wanted to open a location in Forrest City for four or five years now, but could never find the right spot. In my opinion, the location on Deaderick is one of the best locations we could have."
Thomas says the services offered at the other five lots will also be available at the Forrest City location, but the new store will offer some new services as well.
"We are going to handle the usual used cars and trucks that we offer at other lots and offer rental cars. But, at this new lot, we will sell new ATVs and scooters," added Thomas. "We hope to be open on Monday, March 10, at 8 a.m. We are finishing some last minute touches to the building, and we are hoping to have about 50 cars on the lot.
"We invite all of our old and new customers to come and visit us at our new location. We will hold a grand opening soon with door prizes, so be looking for that." Thomas also commented that once the back lot of the business is finished, the lot will hold a total of 100 vehicles.