By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A 24-year-old Colt man was sentenced to 10 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections Thursday for the shooting of a nine-year-old boy last summer.
First Judicial District Judge Harvey Yates sentenced Steven C. Drummond of Colt to the 10-year prison term after Drummond plead guilty to one charge of first-degree battery in connection with the shooting.
Bobby Dilks, who was nine at the time, was shot in his stomach and spent several days in LeBonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis.
According to a report from the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department, on June 26 of last year, at around 10:30 p.m., Drummond fired a shot from a .12 gauge shotgun into the home of Kenneth and Tina Dilks, 6307 Highway 306 West, in the Pine Tree area near Colt. Deputies reported an argument between Mrs. Dilks and Drummond earlier in the day may have instigated the shooting.
Drummond, who lived across the street from the Dilks' home, told police that he fired a shot into the air; however, the bullet from Drummond's gun was found inside the dining room of the Dilks' home after it struck the child.
At the time of his arrest, Drummond was charged with committing a terroristic act, which is a Class Y felony and the Class B battery charge was added later. Yates also sentenced Drummond to a five-year suspended imposition of sentence, which will be served following his release from the ADC.
Also this week, Gary Lay, 26, 402 Buford St., Forrest City, was sentenced to five years in the ADC on three charges. Lay was sentenced to five years on each charge of commercial burglary and two counts of theft of property. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Lay was sentenced after a five-year suspended sentence he received on charges of residential burglary and theft of property over $500 was revoked.
The Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual banquet next Tuesday, May 20, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15 per person. Corporate tables are available for $200.
Jim Pickens, director of the Arkansas Department of Economic Development, will be the guest speaker.
Also featured will be the St. Francis County Farm Family, the Jarrett family. In addition, new board members will be introduced and outgoing board members recognized.
Pickens, a native of Jonesboro, has been director of the ADED since June of 2001. He had served as interim director since February of that year. He served several positions with Arkansas Power and Light Co., now Entergy, including vice president of public affairs in Little Rock and director of state governmental and external affairs in Little Rock general offices.
Dr. Coy Grace, new Chamber president, will be giving an outline of Chamber activities. There will also be a Power Point presentation on the Chamber's past year.
The banquet is usually held earlier in the year, but according to Mary Beth Doler of the Chamber, this year there was a problem with when the speaker could come and when the Civic Center would be available.
A Forrest City man was stabbed with a box cutter Thursday afternoon while reportedly trying to retrieve a radio that was thrown from his car by an angry ex-girlfriend.
The Forrest City Police Department reported Andre Hancock, 26, 7555 Hwy. 1, Forrest City, was stabbed several times in his leg and arm with a box cutter just after noon. The incident occurred on Mann Street, police reported.
Hancock told police he was visiting a friend at 408 W. Sharp St., when his ex-girlfriend Louise Adams came to the residence and started an argument with him. Hancock said after the argument, Adams jumped into his car and drove to Mann Street where she allegedly threw his car radio out of the window. Hancock said when he tried to retrieve the radio, Adams pulled a box cutter out and started cutting him with it. A second suspect was also reportedly in the car and allegedly attempted to stab him as well; however, Hancock only signed an affidavit for the arrest of Adams.
Hancock was treated and released at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest
City.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The St. Francis County Election Commission is hoping a check was sent on time for them to get a chip to use in the vote counting machine for the Palestine-Wheatley Schools' special election.
If the chip doesn't arrive in time, votes will have to be hand-counted.
"The main discussion at a Thursday meeting was the money that didn't get paid, and why nobody had been told," said Election Commission Chairman Joe Young. "We were a little bit angry about it. It was a bad situation. We thought it had already been paid, and we still don't know why it wasn't."
It was reported Wednesday that the check in question, for more than $17,000 to Election Systems and Software, had not been mailed as of Tuesday. The ballots were used in last year's May Primary.
The question came up during a meeting of the county's Budget Committee. There were disagreements over why the check had not been mailed. The check was written on May 1. The disagreements revolved around finger-pointing between County Treasurer Ann Harbin and some other office holders.
This morning, Young said the county's credit had been cut off because the check had not been sent.
"It's hurting us, because of what's going on in the courthouse," he said.
According to Young, because of the missig check, the company had refused to send the chip needed for the vote counting machine. He said Election Commission members didn't know what the problem was until it came out at the budget meeting.
"If we don't get that chip, we're going to have to hand count the election," said Young.
He said that since this is a special election involving only one school district, hand counting won't be as big a problem as it would be for a general election.
"We'd have to have extra people to do it," said Young.
He said he believes there is a good chance that the chip will arrive on time, now that the check has been sent.
County Clerk Elizabeth Smith confirmed again this morning that
she had sent the check by overnight mail.
Allicia Antionette Adams
Jessie Adams
Candace Nicole Agnew
Jimmy Aldridge Jr.
Gerald Alexander
Charles Louis Allen Jr.
Nadia Mashanda Alston
Kamisha Anderson
Keuna Bianca Anderson
Nastassia Lanette Anderson
Renita Lanise Armstrong
William Dshaw Applewhite
Corey Ashcraft
Anthony L. Atwater
Pamrun Atwater
Brandon Barrett
Alvin Travis Barton Jr.
Anthony Bean
Latasha Marie Bell
Sarah Louise Bennett
Timothy M. Birdwell
Doretha Black
Tammara Reneka Bobo
Akissi Naomi Nicole Brooks
Bryant Derale Brown
Brittney Elizabeth Bruce
Shana Marie Burgess
Derek Allen Burnside
Herman Butler Jr.
Jeremy Byers
Aleshia Nicole Carr
Nicholas Chapman
Bonnie Claire Chism
Michael Lee Cody
Candace Ona Cole
Joshua David Coleman
Lauren McCain Collier
Nartoya Renee Collins
Thomas Copeland
Dominic Martina Cottrell
Christopher Douglas Crawford
Latoya Moneik Daniel
Nicki Nicole Daniels
Anthony Omar Davis
Princeton Sentell Davis
Brandon Maurice Dedner
Steven M. Denton
Travis Antonio Dobbins
Allison Lorease Dunlaney
Marchetta De'Koda Earvin
Austin Easley
Daniel Lamond Echols
Latrina Rose Edwards
Kerry Orlando Evans
Kenwarren Caprice Ferrell
Crystal Marteena Fleming
Daniel Wayne Flowers
Katrina Nichelle Floyd
Brandon E. Frye
Kristen Ann Fryer
Robert G. Gatewood Jr.
Emanuel G. Griffin
Erika Michelle Haggans
Precious Shnay Haggins
Anthony Maurice Hall
Brittney Nicole Hall
Rebecca Lee Hall
Kimberly Ann Hamilton
Kelton V. Hamlin
Olivia Harmon
Chelsea Nicole Harris
Salena Rachelle Haynes
Fallon Louise Heath
Daniel Hill
Alisha Hilliard
Derick Hilliard
Kendon Jerrell Hines
Mark Jarrell Hines
Chantal Renee Holmes
Joesph Denishio Holmes
Kimberly Nicole Hoots
Sarah Katherine Hudson
Marquis Hunter
Joshua Brandon Hutcherson
Stephanie Lynn Ingraham
James Jackson Jr.
Rheamonia Monae Jackson
Sharhonda Antoinette Jackson
Devan Michelle Jennings
Leslie Ann Jennings
Stephanie Dianne Johnson
Latrina Yvette Jones
Lesley Latoya Jones
Tony Jones Jr.
Tralana Jones
Josh Keeler
Marshall Wayne Kennedy
Izzer Antonio Key
Josephus Jerrell King Jr.
Candice Monique Kirklin
William Bernhart Kurrelmeyer
Sabrina Laird
April Lenette Lawrence
Dominique Nicole Leak
Sheena Moneek Lee
Patrick Demeco Lindsey
John Lockett
Mary Lauren Loeb
Camela Catrice Long
Jessica Robin Long
Cassandra Rena Lynch
Morgan Crystal Malone
William Mathes Jr.
Michael Keith May
Keisha Nicole McCoy
Jessica Nichole McDaniel
Tyeshia Diambuer McDaniel
Teresa Ann McDonald
Tramaine McDonald
Bonnie Lashay McDuffey
Antonio B. McEwen
Justin Rene McKissick
Marcus Eugene McKnight
Devin Marrell McLaurin
Lash Nikita McNutt
Alexis McShan
James DeMario Millbrooks
Jason Aubrett Miller
George A. Moore Jr.
Marcus O. Moore
Shundrika A. Morrow
Valarie Nichole Morrow
Natalie Ann Nelson
Richard Lee Newborn Jr.
Shannon Elizabeth Nicks
J. Adrian Normand
Curtis Tyler Northcutt
Jody Lynn Parker
Tenitsha Lasha Parker
Antonio Dejuan Patillo
Kanetra Pendleton
Gregory Perkins
Sharon Perkins
Racquel Nicole Phillips
James Pipkin
Joel Portwood
Glendora Mae Pulley
Caronica Shantreia Randle
Leslie Kay Ratton
Dustin Ray Reeves
Rustin Lynn Reeves
Amanda Beth Renigar
Lutisha Robinson
Thomas Roebuck
Christopher Deon Rogers
Sharecka Mashell Rogers
Monica Yvette Rolfe
Ira Nathaniel Rountree
Kolandra Deshun Rucker
Tristan Courtney Russell
Justin Travis Scott
Porshia Patrice Scruggs
Deron Seawood
Michelle Denise Shivers
Shantay Fryer-Sims
Pinnah L. Sisk
Nicholas Sinclair Smith
Todd Alan Steinmetz
Katrina Danielle Stevens
Daron Quintin Stewart
Kajuan L. Stokes
Davita Sherrell Summerville
Kameron Dan Yeale Tabron
Kendria Sherece Taylor
Jonathan Steven Thomas
Quentin Marquis Thomas
Angela Labelle Tilson
Antaun Artez Tiswell
Ebony Deshay Towner
Jennifer Marie Treat
Alisha Maria Trevino
Marcus Matthew Turner
Annette Marie Ugbaja
Jake Henly Wade
Eugeneia Equilla Walker
Jeaneen Washington Walker
Jerry Lee Walker Jr.
William Washington
Justin Michael Watlington
Talela L. White
Dominick Vishun Whiteside
Haley Diane Widby
Angela Lynette Williams
Kimberly Nicole Williams
Laronna Lynette Williams
Marcus Terrell Williams
Terri Nicole Williams
Travis J. Williams
Joyce Marie Wilson
Melody Nicole Wilson
Deondra Woodard
Claudia Renee Wright
Kimyoda Kanice Wright
Terry Shundra Wynn
With possible inclement weather in the forecast, tonight's Forrest City High School graduation at Sam Smith Stadium may be affected.
According to a school spokesperson, if it isn't raining at 6 p.m., plans call to go ahead with the scheduled ceremonies at 7 p.m. If it is raining tonight, the graduation will be held Saturday at 7 p.m.
A 14-year-old Forrest City girl told police Wednesday evening that she was raped on her way to school that morning.
The St. Francis County Sheriff's Department reports the teenager had reportedly missed her bus for school and was supposed to get a ride with Justin Woods, 19, of Colt.
According to the police report, instead of taking her to school, Woods allegedly drove her to a friend's house in Crow Creek near Madison where the rape reportedly occurred.
Woods was arrested late Thursday night after he turned himself in at the St. Francis County Jail. Deputies had been to Woods' residence earlier in the day. His bond is set at $35,000.
The Forrest City City Council is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, at city hall.
Councilmen will open bids for a thermal imaging camera for the fire department and for an engineering design for Southside swimming pool.
The council will hear first reading of an ordinance regarding the regional airport, and second reading of an ordinance to rezone land at 727 E. Garland from residential to commercial.