On Tuesday, Dec. 9, representatives from across the Delta will be in Forrest City for the annual East Arkansas Enterprise Community public meeting.
According to a press release from the EAEC, this year's event will feature Sybil Jordan-Hampton, president of the Winthrop Rockefellor Foundation. The theme for the event is "Collaboration, Partnerships and Trust = Empowered Communities". The meeting will highlight activities from 2003 and focus on projects for the future.
"This meeting is really to let the public know where the EAEC has come from and where we're going in the future," said EAEC consultant Dr. Robert Cole.
"It will also give us the opportunity to give the public information on what the EAEC has been doing over the past year while also giving them a forum to question us on what we're trying to do down the road," Cole said.
Since 1997 the EAEC has approved 62 projects using $2.8 million in EAEC funding to leverage $23 million from grant funding entities. According to the release, those funds are being used throughout Eastern Arkansas to fund entrepreneurship through the EAEC's small business loan fund, youth groups through the EAEC Youth Consortium, health projects and the organization's "Breathe Easy" program which works to stop smoking.
Registration and display set-up for the annual meeting will be held from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. with the annual board meeting following from 9:30 to 10:30 and the public meeting beginning at 11 a.m.
The EAEC incorporates four counties, St. Francis, excluding Forrest City; a portion of Wynne in Cross County; Lee; and Monroe.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
Tuition will increase at Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute next fall for the first time in seven years.
The increase, which was approved at a recent CRTI board meeting, was necessary, according to CRTI President Burl Lieblong.
"We have a shortfall in state funding, and we don't charge any lab fees for our courses," said Lieblong. "We haven't raised the tuition since 1996. The cost of lab equipment has risen in the past seven years, and that is the reason for the increase."
According to information provided by Lieblong, in 1996 the CRTI Board of Directors was given the authority to set the tuition per credit hour. The last increase took place at that time, when the school raised the tuition to $30 per credit hour. The new rate, that was passed unanimously by the CRTI board, is $35. Lieblong also stated that the tuition was below any other technical institute in the state and will remain as such.
"Other technical institutions have raised their tuition in the past two years," said Lieblong. "They (other schools) were already at $35 per credit hour, and now they are at $40 per hour."
Lieblong also said that the increase would not affect most students. "Eighty percent of our students are covered by financial assistance, so the increase won't really affect them."
The increase will begin with the start of the fall 2004 semester at CRTI. The board approved the increase so that the 2004-2005 edition of the school catalog would have the increase included.
A former police officer was arrested Friday on a Missouri warrant while attempting to attend a basketball game at Forrest City High School.
According to the police report, officers in the student parking lot recognized Kitrell Wynne, 36, of 730 Hodges, as someone wanted on a warrant from Missouri for possession of a controlled substance, a Class C felony and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, a Class B felony.
Wynne reportedly went into Mustang Arena, and then was seen leaving the arena and coming down the steps as the officers approached. Wynne allegedly began running when he saw the officers, and stopped after a foot pursuit of about 100 yards. A .32 automatic pistol was found in Wynne's vehicle.
Wynne worked as a police officer with the Forrest City Police Department from May 1995 until February 1997, according to records at city hall.
A spokesperson with the Marianna Mayor's Office said Wynne was employed as a police officer in that city until earlier this month when he was terminated. Marianna Police Chief James Tucker was unavailable for comment on Wynne's dismissal.
Details surrounding Wynne's arrest in Missouri were unavailable at press time.
The FCPD has been in contact with officers in St. Genevieve
County in Missouri, where the warrant was issued. Police records
indicate Missouri officials plan to extradite Wynne.
Many government offices will observe special holiday schedules with Thanksgiving being this Thursday.
The Forrest City City Hall and St. Francis County Courthouse will both be closed Thursday and Friday.
Schools in the Forrest City and Palestine-Wheatley school districts will dismiss students at their regular times Tuesday, and be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Hughes schools will dismiss students at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, and be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
The St. Francis County Museum will be closed on Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 27) and be open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The special hours are to accommodate out-of-town visitors expected to be in Forrest City for the annual Rumble on the Ridge basketball tournament.
The offices of the Times-Herald will be closed Thursday, and reopen Friday.
A few meetings are planned for this week in Forrest City.
The Forrest City Civic Center Commission will hold its quarterly meeting at 5 this evening at the civic center, and the Forrest City City Council will hold a budget planning session at 6 tonight at city hall.
The St. Francis County Transportation Committee will host a retreat Tuesday morning on the East Arkansas Community College campus in Forrest City. The committee will meet from 9 a.m. until noon.
Also on Tuesday, the Forrest City Housing Authority is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. at the FCHA headquarters in the Rice and Mann area.
The Forrest City Planning Commission normally meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month, but that meeting, scheduled for tomorrow, has been canceled, according to officials at city hall.
A man and woman were arrested Friday after allegedly trying to hide some marijuana under an infant in a child car seat.
According to the report from the Arkansas State Police, a car was pulled over for speeding on U.S. Highway 70 near Hicks Station. The officer reported a strong odor of marijuana.
A search revealed a marijuana cigarette under a two-year-old in a car seat. The child was not buckled into the seat, according to the report.
Arrested were Jerumel Depreist Berry, 27, of 1027 S. Rosser, Apt. 4, Forrest City, and Celia E. McRae, 18, of 135 Poplar, Forrest City.
Berry was charged with speeding, DWI on drugs, no child restraint, no proof of insurance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of an instrument of crime and endangering the welfare of a minor. McRae was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of an instrument of crime and endangering the welfare of a minor.
Christmas at the William Stone House, sponsored by the Colt Community Development Corp., will be held Friday, Dec. 5, through Saturday, Dec. 13 at the house in Colt.
Hours will be from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturdays. There will also be a special visit from Santa on Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Pictures will be available for a small fee.
There will be jams, jellies, baked goods, homemade items and the Children's Shopping Room (kids only!). Consignment items are being accepted. For more information call 870-633-7688.
All proceeds will go toward the upkeep and restoration of the historic William Stone House.