By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Over 175 people filled the Henley Room at the Forrest City Civic Center Friday night celebrating the 26th Annual NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet to hear from several area financial specialists.
According to St. Francis County NAACP Chapter President Frank Shaw, Friday's festivities appeared to be well received.
"I really think that everything really went well. Our attendance was exceedingly well, and the speakers were really informative," said Shaw.
A panel of four speakers addressed the packed audience on issues ranging from establishing and maintaining credit to small business ownership. John Stipe with Forrest City Bank spoke in detail about the need for good credit in today's financial world.
"My father told me when I was a boy that a man's name had to be his bond. Credit cards have made that increasingly difficult for many people. While I believe in the use of a credit card, I don't think that people need more than one. It is important in today's times to have a credit card, if only for emergency use. A good line of credit is important in many areas, and we have to make sure that we begin this by teaching our children the importance of good credit," Stipe said.
Joining Stipe on the panel were Asika Muhammed, a commercial loan officer with Enterprise Corporation of the Delta; Steve Horton with First National Bank of Wynne and King Casbeer with Union Planter's Bank.
"I really think that the panel was well received by the audience and not only was the information beneficial to us, but also to the banking community because it gave us an opportunity to put them on notice," said Shaw.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A man with a violent criminal background kept police at bay for almost three hours Saturday night before surrendering his hostage and then himself during a failed robbery attempt.
The situation began about 7:30 p.m., when two masked gunmen attempted to rob a brother and sister who had just arrived at their North Division home after leaving work at their business, Unique Fashions, on North Rosser Street.
According to the Forrest City Police Department, when Chong Ing, owner of the business, and her brother, Sang Ing, arrived home, she went inside the house where her seven-year-old daughter and her babysitter were, while her brother remained outside. While outside the home, Sang Ing was approached by two black males wearing masks over their faces and armed with weapons, police reported.
The suspects reportedly forced the brother into the home where they demanded money from him, Chong Ing and the babysitter, and repeatedly threatened to kill them. Police said Chong Ing told the suspects she did not have any money in her home, but instead the money was located in a safe at her business. The suspects allegedly took money from Chong Ing's purse and Sang Ing's wallet before restraining the brother and the babysitter with duct tape.
According to the police report, the suspects apparently knew the store was equipped with an alarm system, and began questioning Chong Ing about the alarms. Police said one suspect threatened the babysitter, saying, "If the woman loves her daughter, she will get the money from the store," and threatened to kill Chong Ing and her daughter if the police arrived at the store before they left.
The gunmen then forced Chong Ing and the child into the family's van and drove them to the business where one suspect, Christopher Adrian Jones, 26, 113 E. Davis St., removed some of the duct tape from Chong Ing's hands and forced her at gunpoint to open the safe, from which he took an undetermined amount of money.
The child remained inside the van with the second suspect. However, before police began arriving, the second suspect fled the van, leaving the child alone where she was found a short time later by a FCPD officer who took her to police headquarters where she was met by her babysitter. The child was not reported injured in the incident.
Duch said Sang Ing and the babysitter were able to break free from the duct tape and were on their way to notify police when they saw blue lights from patrol units outside the store. Four city blocks were barricaded while officers negotiated with the suspect.
According to FCPD Criminal Investigation Division Lt. Dwight Duch, police received an anonymous tip that the robbery was occurring at the store, and officers were dispatched to the scene. As Jones was leading Ing back outside to the van, he realized police had surrounded the building, so he pulled the victim back into the store and held a gun to her head, police reported.
After determining the suspect's name, police located his father, Billy Ray, who is also a constable, and had him drive to the scene where he, Jones' girlfriend, FCPD Chief Clarence McNeary and Sheriff Dave Parkman began negotiations with the suspect, while he was holding the gun to Ing's head, to secure the victim's safe release.
About 45 minutes later, at 9:45 p.m., Ing emerged from the store, obviously shaken and in search of her family members who were waiting unharmed at the police department. "Injuries to the victims appear to be minor at this time," Duch said, adding that most of the injuries are the direct result of the duct tape that was used to tie them up.
Jones emerged from the business about 30 minutes later, and surrendered his weapon and himself to police, Duch said. Jones is being held in the St. Francis County Jail on numerous charges. As of press time, he is charged with three counts of aggravated robbery, four counts of kidnapping, four counts of aggravated assault, residential burglary, auto theft and possession of firearms by certain persons. He also has a failure to comply charge from St. Francis County District Court on a previous arrest.
Duch said Jones has several violent felony convictions from 1994 out of Jonesboro.
Police are still searching for the second suspect. According to Duch, Forrest City Crime Stoppers is offering a reward up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the second subject who fled the scene. All calls will remain anonymous. Callers may call 870-261-1499 to reach Crime Stoppers.
Duch also expressed his appreciation to the person who notified
police of the robbery, as well as the surrounding agencies that
assisted in the hostage situation.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Drug court has opened in St. Francis County, and the judge said one person has been approved for the program.
"We've approved one applicant," said Judge Ben Story Friday. He acts as drug court judge in addition to his other duties. "He went through the process and will start his treatment program."
Story, who said he didn't want to use the person's name, said the person fit the profile of someone who could benefit from going through drug court.
"I spoke with him at length, and I was encouraged by the things he had written and the things he said to us," Story continued. "And I was encouraged that he will do well, that the drug court program can benefit him and consequently he will return to be a viable part of the community."
The drug court concept is a fairly new one in St. Francis County. It is part of a pilot program that is being tried in about 25 locations around the state.
The object of the drug court program is to help non-violent offenders in changing their lifestyle, which in turn is supposed to help protect the public from crime and also reduce the jail and prison population.
Violent offenders are not allowed in the program. Often the offender will be a person facing a revocation hearing for a suspended sentence. If a team made up of the judge, prosecutor, probation officer and others believes the offender would benefit more from drug court than the state prison system, the person is given a chance. Successful completion of the course means dropping of charges.
The drug court program is intensive, and can last about 15 months, according to Story. It includes regular meetings with the judge and other officers, along with random drug testing.
The Forrest City Water Commission will meet Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the Water Utility office.
Agenda items include a discussion of pickup trucks and a backhoe, and also a discussion of a disconnection for non-payment.
The Forrest City City Council will meet Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at the city hall.
Business items include an ordinance to waive competitive bidding for the sale of a Caterpillar scraper.
The council will also set real and personal millage rates for next year.
Also on the agenda is a request to change the Christmas holiday schedule.