By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Members of the St. Francis County Transportation Committee met informally Tuesday to discuss several issues in a retreat on the campus of East Arkansas Community College.
The focus of the meeting, according to SFC Transportation Mall project coordinator Frederick Freeman, was to allow for better communication among members of the committee and to bring all committee members up to speed on the progress on the project.
"We're working to embark on something that hasn't been done to this scale in the United States. There are some private truck malls that are sizable, but never has there been a public/private enterprise of this size. There has been an increasing trend over the last 10 years towards public/private partnerships, and this will be one in its biggest sense," said Freeman.
"We've got to be able to clearly communicate with each other and with our outside sources because we can't do this by ourselves. We must have outside help for this to be successful, and that's already been shown by the assistance that the East Arkansas Enterprise Community has given us," he said.
According to Freeman, one of the primary focuses for commissioners and those working on the project will be compiling a master plan. When asked if the lack of a master plan had slowed the project to date, Freeman said that it hadn't because there were no applications with entities that required a master plan as of yet.
Board members also questioned the progress of the group toward the selection of a site for the proposed 200-acre truck mall. According to project engineer Dennis Sorrell, with Sorrels Consulting Engineers LLC of West Memphis, five sites along the Interstate 40 corridor from Widener, east to Shearerville, have the strongest interest currently.
"In selecting a site, we have several factors that we have to consider from environmental to wetlands to the actual location and accessibility," Sorrell said.
According to Sorrell and Freeman, the number of sites could be narrowed down over the coming weeks as members of project staff meet with Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department officials on the project.
While plans for the 200-acre site call for exclusivity for companies that build inside the park, according to Bobby May, a consultant on the project, the future for the area selected could be bright.
"We really envision almost a new city being built in the area around the transportation mall. While whoever is selected will be exclusive at our site, we're hoping to see other companies coming in to work in the area, thus bringing more jobs and more opportunities for growth," May said.
The mall is projected to employ over 400 people once completed.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
Thanksgiving is one of the heaviest-traveled holidays of the year, and troopers with Arkansas State Police Troop D will be out in force to ensure a safe holiday for motorists.
Lieutenant Tommy Wicker of Troop D talked about the efforts that will be in place this weekend. "This holiday period began officially at midnight Tuesday," said Wicker. "It will run through Sunday at midnight.
"Like any other holiday, we will be conducting sobriety checkpoints and will have intensive patrols on the highways. The checkpoints will be in high traffic areas and two-lane highways in the area," Wicker said.
Another program that will also be enforced this holiday weekend, according to Wicker, will be "Click It or Ticket."
"We began this "Click It or Ticket" drive on the 17th of November, and it will run until Nov. 30. That program is going to be enforced throughout the state this weekend and until the session is over. Seat belts will be one of the things we will be looking for at the checkpoints. We want people to use their seat belts, buckle up their children and use child safety seats."
Wicker offered some tips for travelers that may become impatient due to delays caused by the large amount of traffic that might occur.
"We have had a problem with road rage in the area. People get mad and lose their patience because of traffic. Be patient, you will get there," Wicker said.
Construction, especially for those traveling east towards Memphis, will also be a concern.
"Our worst area on construction in the Troop D area is in West Memphis. Also, if you are going into Memphis, I would suggest taking the new bridge. Construction is causing delays on the old bridge," Wicker said.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Members of the Forrest City Housing Authority board approved a measure Tuesday night which will pay over $15,000 in bonuses to employees for "work well done" in 2003.
By a unanimous margin, the three-member board approved the one-time, $1,200 bonuses for the 13 employees at the FCHA.
"These employees did a great job for the year, and they I feel that they should be rewarded for the work that they did. In February, we laid off four people, and those 13 that remained really picked up the slack and did a good job," said Gazzola Vaccaro, board chairman.
In other business, FCHA director Janet Duncan told board members that the information for the FCHA's annual survey had been completed. According to Duncan, this year's score more than likely won't be as high as last year's 95, in part due to the current construction at the Turner Circle housing unit.
"It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but when they graded our physical facilities, Turner Circle failed because the units that were under construction did not pass inspection. There's no way that they could have been used because they were being torn down or worked on so that will drop our score a little," Duncan said.
In other areas, Duncan said the development will either equal or be better than they were last year. "What was amazing is that we reduced our staff in February, but increased the speed at which we get units ready for new occupants. What the government measures is time from key to key, when one resident turns their key in as they're moving and the next resident gets their key. After laying off four people, we reduced the time that it took to get that done because the people that remained just worked really hard and got the job done," said Duncan.
Duncan also said that the financial score should remain near the rate it was last year.
Board members also held elections for the positions of board chairman and vice chairman, re-electing Gazzola Vaccaro as chair and Warren Faupel as vice-chair.
The Forrest City High School Choir is one of close to 60 choirs and dance groups that are scheduled to perform during the holiday season, beginning with the first week of December.
The annual holiday festivities at the Arkansas State Capitol begin next week.
According to a press release from Secretary of State Charlie Daniels' office, the FCHS Choir will perform at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1. The students will perform a selection of Christmas carols.
Choirs and dance groups from schools and churches around Arkansas traditionally perform every year at the Capitol during the holiday season at the invitation of the Secretary of State. Other area schools performing will include McCrory High School on Dec. 1, at 11 a.m.; on Dec. 4, Marion Intermediate School will perform at 11 a.m. and Nettleton Elementary Honor Choir from Jonesboro will sing at 11:30 a.m.
Once again, free Thanksgiving dinners will be served at several area churches, sponsored by the St. Francis County Food Pantry.
Those who missed Wednesday dinners at Lane Chapel C.M.E., Madison Light, New Light, Prosperity M.B. and the Church of God in Christ on Whitaker Road can still get dinner Thursday at First Baptist Church at the corner of Cross and Grant and at Salem Baptist Church.
Dinner will begin at 11 a.m.
While the overwhelming majority of people who come to the Rumble on the Ridge only want to enjoy some top-flight high school basketball, the Forrest City Police Department is going to be on the lookout for those few who might want to cause trouble.
"Security will be a concern," Chief Clarence McNeary said in a press release. "There have been minor incidents of unruly behavior and disorderly conduct in the past. This year, the Forrest City Police Department will give special attention to those who would disrupt any faced of the games, and the overall atmosphere attached to it."
McNeary also had a special request for those attending the Rumble.
"Following the events, as well as any event which attracts large crowds, we encourage all pedestrians, when leaving, if no sidewalks are provided, to walk on the edge of the pavement facing traffic, to insure an orderly flow of vehicles," he said. "Walking in the middle of the roadway and blocking the roadway is dangerous and against city ordinances. Students should remember this also, when going to and leaving school for the day. Impeding vehicular traffic will not be tolerated."
McNeary continued, "The Forrest City Police Department solicits the public's cooperation to make this an incident-free holiday weekend."
He said anyone causing a disturbance will be ejected and/or arrested.
McNeary went on to say that the FCPD is updating its efforts to prevent disorderly conduct at the Municipal Sports Complex during softball season.
"We want all events in Forrest City to be free from unwarranted behavior by those who would detract from a pleasant family-oriented experience."