By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Many Forrest Citians watched in wonder and others took shelter Monday as tornado sirens blared warning citizens as three cold-air funnel clouds hovered over the city.
According to the National Weather Service in Memphis, a cold air funnel cloud is a funnel cloud or on rare occasions, a small, relatively weak tornado that can develop from a shower or thunderstorm when the air aloft is unusually cold. According to an NWS representative, Monday's weather is just another chapter in the strange weather encountered in this area during May.
"The cold air funnel clouds are normally weak winds a lot closer to dust devils than to tornados. Normally, the clouds don't touch down and don't cause any damage, but we did have a report of a tree being knocked over, but the way this month is going who knows," the NWS rep said.
Whether the funnel clouds were harmless or not, the Forrest City Police Department responded by sounding the tornado sirens and warning the schools of the possible danger. According to Lt. Eddie Adamson with the FCPD, the decision was made to warn citizens due to the appearance of the funnel clouds.
"We didn't have a warning from the weather service before we sounded the alarms, but when our officers and county deputies called in sightings of funnel clouds we thought that it was best that we sound the alarms and contact the school district. There was no way that our officers could know the difference between those funnel clouds and tornadoes and they acted accordingly," Adamson said.
Many in the area were busy Monday with clean up efforts after storms rolled through Eastern Arkansas over the weekend leaving some areas with flood damage and places such as Harrisburg picking up after a tornado touched down.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
After more than a month of searching for a replacement for retiring district superintendent Jimmy Allen, members of the Palestine-Wheatley School District voted last night to hire former Forrest City School District Deputy Superintendent John Manning as the new top man.
Manning, who currently serves as superintendent of the Armorel School District, was selected Monday night because he fit the needs of the district according to school board president Bill Ray.
"I am honored that the Palestine-Wheatley School District has called on me to take the postion with their school district. I feel confident that the board selected a very good group of candidates and the fact that I was chosen is a great honor to me and I look forward to working with the board for the progress of the district," Manning said this morning.
"Our board was able to settle on Mr. Manning and we're really looking forward to working with him. He fits the needs of our school district and our board and we were impressed in our interview with him. We feel that he was the best candidate for the job and the entire board was able to agree that he was best to keep our district moving forward," Ray said.
In other business, board members accepted the resignation of long time school district secretary Eva McGraw. Board members also agreed to a move recommended by Allen to give district employee Carl Sparkman the added duty of collecting time cards from classified personnel at all the district's campuses. According to Allen, the new responsibility will include a yearly stipend and a vehicle to be used for travel between the Wheatley and Palestine campuses. A pair of employees in the district will also have their duties shifted as the school board agreed to recommendations from Allen to hire current junior high science teacher Chris Kennon as the new junior high football coach and baseball coach and to move Sherry Kennedy into the superintendent's office as a secretary.
Following the meeting, Allen said that students in the PWSD will have to attend school for an extra-half a day, after officials with the Arkansas Department of Education notified the district of a violation that put the school with too few days of class attendance. According to Allen, a verbal reprimand was handed to the district, after a teacher notified the ADE of a half-day the district used for a funeral earlier in the year. Classes in the district will end on Thursday, June 5.
With Monday's meeting possibly being Allen's final school board meeting at Palestine-Wheatley, he thanked board members and those in attendance for his five years with the district.
"It's been a really good ride and I'm appreciative of the work that we've been able to do in this district during my time here. The school board and the community have been great to work with and I've been fortunate to have them. I've had no complaints with our local media, because both the newspaper and the radio have been very fair and easy to work with," Allen said.
When asked if his retirement would be an extended one, Allen said that his retirement from a superintendent's post was final, but he might have a future as a counselor or coach as he joins his family in South Arkansas.
"I spent many years coaching in South Arkansas and know
a lot of people down that way, so there has been some contact,
even though I'm not looking for anything. I've never been without
a job on July 1, and that will be a strange feeling for me, but
I really expect something to come along either as a counselor
or a coach," he said.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Library Board made its decision Monday on who will provide a new website for the institution. Last month, the board decided to have James Sterling, the library's computer technical advisor, present the members this month with whom he thought would best suit the needs of the staff and visitors. Sterling's decision was between webpage designers Hank Flanagin, and Rhonda and Jeff Fogg.
"I've looked at examples of both companies work," said Sterling. "Both are nice, but I think the Fogg's sites are more what we need for the library." The board took Sterling's advice and decided to go with Rhonda and Jeff Fogg for a one-year contract.
In other news, Carolyn Ashcraft, coordinator of extension services for the Arkansas State Library Association, was present and talked about the Patriot Act passed by the United States Congress and how it will effect libraries across the country.
"The Patriot Act gives federal agencies like the FBI and CIA more freedom to confiscate public-use computers and records of books checked out by anyone. This came about because some of the terrorists that were involved in 9-11 used public-use computers in their communication about the attacks. I can see their side of the issue, but I see the other side as well.
"The American Library Association is contesting some of
the language in the act. The way the act reads now, library workers
are required to give these agencies any records that are requested
by one of the agencies without question. They cannot alert the
media or even the board if they have had a request for information.
They can take computers out of the building and examine them under
the act. Many libraries have stopped keeping records after a book
is returned on individuals. They are also throwing away sign-in
sheets for computer use. We are not against the act, we just feel
that some of the language should be changed for the protection
and privacy of the visitors to libraries."
For the second year, the Great Rush Road Rally will give St. Francis County residents an opportunity to learn about the history in their own backyard and win prizes. Laura Mazzanti director of the SFC Museum talked about the event, that will be held Saturday, May 31, and the original idea behind the Rally.
"Dr. J.O. Rush, whose home houses the museum, was a car enthusiast," said Mazzanti. "He founded the Arkansas Automobile Club in 1912 and was the club's first president. He owned one of the first automobiles in the county and even had car headlights for porch lights on his home at one time. The Rally is in honor of him and his love for cars.
"The Rally is like a scavenger hunt of historic places in the county. Participants will be given a tour of the museum from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. At that time, clues will be handed out for the sites. After the tours, the Rally begins. They have two hours to find as many of the sites that they can. At each site, a volunteer will give them a card that proves they were there. Each site to be found is in some way represented in the museum and all are in the county. Many of the sites are found here in Forrest City, but others are in other cities like Hughes and Wheatley. Everything they need to find the sites will be given to them, but in the form of riddles.
The word "rally" brings to mind a race, but according to Mazzanti, that is not the case with this rally. "It is less about speed and more about brain power. It is not a timed race and those you speed through it are more likely to miss sites. The person with the most sites found is the winner, not the fastest to finish." Mazzanti also said that are participants are asked to obey all traffic laws.
According to Mazzanti, prizes will be awarded to the team (she suggests teams of at least two; one to drive and one to navigate towards sites) that has visited the most sites and for vehicles in different categories.
Those interested in participating in the rally or volunteering should contact the St. Francis County Museum at 261-1744. A registration fee of $10 per vehicle is required. Winners will be announced at a barbecue held at Oscar's following the event.