With the fear of terrorism growing since the 9-11 attacks, the four bridges carrying traffic two and from Arkansas across the Mississippi River are considered possible prime targets.
According to an Associated Press report, Arkansas will install cameras on bridges connecting the state to Mississippi. These are the U.S. 49 bridge at Helena, and the U.S. 82 bridge at Greenville, Miss., near Lake Village.
Meanwhile, Tennessee officials plan to install cameras on the two bridges between Memphis and West Memphis. These are the Interstate 40 bridge and the I-55 bridge.
Cameras on the Arkansas-Mississippi bridges should be operating within six months. However, cameras for the two Arkansas-Tennessee bridges probably won't be in place before late 2005 or early 2006, according to a spokesperson for the Tennessee Transportation Department.
All four bridges are among about 1,000 spans nationwide which have been designated strategic crossings. While the cameras may not prevent terrorist attacks, it is believed they will help officials respond more quickly to terrorism or vandalism.
The surveillance cameras will cost about $50,000 per bridge.
''If one of those (bridges) would fall into the river, it would not only halt vehicle traffic, but block river traffic as well,'' said Ralph Hall, assistant chief engineer for operations at the state Highway and Transportation Department.
Some steps have already been taken to make the bridges easier to monitor, Hall said, with brush cleared away from supporting piers and access reduced to the underside of the bridges.
There are nearly 60,000 highway bridges in the United States. Landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge to the list of strategic crossings. The California Department of Transportation installed surveillance cameras and other electronic detection equipment on the Golden Gate Bridge, along with other bridges and tunnels, shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
While the 9-11 attacks targeted buildings, threats have been made against bridges, tunnels and other highway infrastructure in various parts of the country.
Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security warned that terrorists may be planning to crash cargo planes from overseas into targets in the United States. Potential threats include nuclear power plants, bridges and dams.
Police officers investigating a tip that drugs were being made in a residential neighborhood arrested one man and confiscated several illegal items Wednesday night.
According to the report at the Forrest City Police Department, officers following up on a call from a concerned citizen that someone was cooking illegal drugs in a residence on Walsh Street found numerous articles used in the manufacture of crystal methamphetamine.
Officers arriving at the home of Michael Jeremy Duffel, 30, 1212 Walsh St., Forrest City, about 10 p.m., reported the front doors of the home were open and a strong odor of chemicals was coming from the house along with heavy smoke, according to the police report. Police reported they knocked on the door, but when no one answered, they entered the home for safety concerns to make sure the house was not on fire. They encountered Duffel in the kitchen.
Duffel reportedly told police everything was OK, and that he had burned something on the stove.
However, police observed several suspicious items on the kitchen stove and in the microwave in addition to the strong odor, before contacting officers with the FCPD's Criminal Investigation Division.
After securing the home, Duffel allowed detectives to search his home where they found several items used to manufacture crystal meth, including two HCL generators, coffee filters, lithium batteries and chemicals such as ephedrine and ammonia nitrate.
The kitchen stove and microwave were being used to cook the drugs, and a lab was also set up in the bathroom, police reported.
Over one gram of crystal meth was found drying under a lamp in the living room, according to the report.
Duffel is charged with manufacturing a controlled substance near a certain facility, possession with intent to manufacture (ephedrine and others), possession of a controlled substance with intent near certain facilities and possession of anhydrous ammonia in an unlawful container.
Duffel's home is located 1,000 feet from Forrest City High School.
The annual Angel Tree project, sponsored by the Forrest City Junior Auxiliary with the cooperation of the St. Francis County Museum, is ready to roll for another year, providing needy kids and families with some Christmas cheer.
Phyllis Findley is this year's Angel Tree chairperson, and Donna Sugg is vice chair.
"We set up an actual Christmas tree at the St. Francis County Museum," said Findley. "And we place our Angels and Angel Cards on the tree."
The Angel Cards contain the age and sizes (clothes, coats, shoes, socks, underwear, pajamas, etc.) of a child who has been referred to the Junior Auxiliary by teachers throughout St. Francis County.
"They see these children daily, and it's obvious to them who might need help," said Findley.
The drive begins Monday, Dec. 1. Anyone wanting to participate may pick up an Angel Card at the museum. All gifts must be wrapped and returned to the museum by Friday, Dec. 5, at noon.
When a person brings the wrapped gift in, he or she will be allowed to pick a hand-made "angel" off the tree.
Donations of cash are also being accepted. These are used to help make up Christmas baskets for the families of the children on the Angel Tree. Monetary gifts also help purchase toys.
"Every child has a huge bag of gifts when the distribution takes place," said Findley. "We focus on clothes, but we always make sure they have a toy."
A different Angel is used every year, and some people may have collected every one.
Anyone wishing to make a monetary gift or get more information may come by the St. Francis County Museum, at 419 Front Street (corner of Front and Izard), or send a check to Forrest City Junior Auxiliary, Post Office Box 1340, Forrest City, Ark. 72335. Gifts are tax deductible.
There will be Junior Auxiliary representatives on duty at the Angel Tree from 10:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. each day. This year, the group is serving 108 children, which includes 34 families.
Village Creek State Park will host a horse ride to benefit needy children in the area this month.
On Saturday, Dec. 6, the VCSP staff is asking riders to pitch in and help to collect new toys for disadvantaged children in the area. On that day, there will be no trail fee to ride at VCSP, but the staff asks that each rider bring a new, unwrapped toy with a value of $10 or more.
Check-in for the ride will begin at 8 a.m. in the north campground and go throughout the day. In case of rain, the ride will be moved to Saturday, Dec. 13. If you do not ride or cannot make the ride and would like to donate anyway, bring or mail the toy to the park. To ride, you must have negative Coggins papers for each horse, copies will not be accepted.
For more information about this event, call the Village Creek State Park at 870-238-9406.
A Caldwell man on parole was arrested on several charges after allegedly trying to break into the BP Station in Caldwell.
Larry Cadwell, 51, was reportedly noticed breaking glass on the north side of the gas station by a Forrest City Police Officer. According to the report, the officer used his canine partner to track Cadwell to a wooded area behind the station.
A check on Cadwell revealed that he was on parole, and he was taken to the St. Francis County Jail. He is charged with commercial burglary, terroristic threatening, parole violation, possession of a firearm by a certain person, over possession of ephedrine and possession of burglary tools.
The firearm and ephedrine charges stemmed from a search conducted at Cadwell's house after his arrest. A loaded 22 rifle and six boxes of Sudafed were found at the home, according to the police report.