By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Bob Mathias, a two-time Olympic Gold Medal Decathlon winner, a former U.S. Congressman and a veteran, will be the guest speaker at the fourth annual Veteran's Day Program in Forrest City.
The program, hosted by the Forrest City School District, will be held at Mustang Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 11, beginning at 10 a.m. The program is open to the public.
A press release from the school district states that the annual program is held "in a spirit of genuine gratitude and heartfelt recognition."
Mathias, best-known for his athletic accomplishments, was the youngest-ever winner of an Olympic track and field event, and also earned the 1948 Sullivan Award as the nation's top amateur athlete. He was awarded the honor while a member of the Marine Corps. He also served in the U.S. Congress from California.
During the program, four new inductees will be named to the St. Francis County Wall of Honor, reserved for distinguished St. Francis County veterans. They are Robert Smalley, Winston Brown, Charles McGowan and Woodie L. Waldrep.
In addition, honorary high school diplomas will be presented to veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam who missed out on getting their diplomas by serving their country. According to St. Francis County's veterans service officer, Henry Haven, several had applied to receive their diplomas by Thursday, and more are expected, because the deadline has been extended to Monday, Nov. 10. Anyone wishing more information may call Tammy Siler at 870-633-1485.
In addition, all U.S. veterans have traditionally been recognized during the program.
"The purpose of this event is to show our gratitude and respect for heir service and to celebrate the meaning of their lives and personal contributions to our nation's history," the release states. "The Forrest City School District truly believes our veterans possess a treasure of wisdom and experience, and many have stood in the line of enemy fire for our freedom. The veterans of St. Francis County have earned our recognition and respect, and we hope these events will convey this spirit."
Locally, the inaugural Veterans Day program was the first official meeting held in Mustang Arena after the arena's completion. It has been held in Mustang Arena ever since.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A farm chemical designed to control pests in cotton fields is also being used to kill animals in Palestine.
Palestine Police Chief Todd Baggett estimated 15 to 20 suspicious animal deaths in that city last month. "You add in the cats, possums and other stuff, and there's no telling how many have died."
An analysis of stomach contents of one dog that died in that city was sent to the Arkansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory of the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission to be reviewed. That report shows the specimen contained aldicarb, which is a highly toxic carbamate soil insecticide.
The chemical is used with cotton crops and is a controlled insecticide, meaning the use of it is regulated. Because it is regulated, people purchasing the chemical are required to complete two sets of paperwork, according to St. Francis County Co-Op Manager Ronnie Carey. "The paperwork tells everyone who bought the chemical.
"A person buying this chemical has to have a registered state plant board number that we take down to document the sale, the sale date and the amount of chemical they are purchasing," Carey said. "The only crop in this part of the world the farmers use it on is cotton."
However, Carey added that the use of the chemical has declined over the past few years because most cotton seeds are "already treated in the bag. The sales (of the chemical) this year are far less than they would have been even a year ago. Two years back and further, that's all we used," he said. Originally, the chemical would have been planted three to four inches below the soil's surface when the cotton was planted.
"Most of what we sell today is in a self-contained enclosed system so you never have to touch it because it is highly toxic. They (farmers) just take it and lock it onto a planter," Carey said.
People who use the chemical are at danger as well. Carey recalled a story of a local farm crew that was taking a watermelon break on the back of a pickup truck near the chemical a few years ago, and the wind blew the chemical onto the watermelon, eventually making the entire crew sick. "This stuff is highly toxic," Carey said.
Apparently, aldicarb is commonly used to kill animals. "In this area, most of the time when we're dealing with sudden death of animals, we usually find aldicarb," said Dr. Konnie Plumlee with the ALPC. "Aldicarb usually causes a very rapid death and will kill anyone or anything that eats it."
But, like most poisons, the amount used, combined with the victim's weight, whether it be an animal or human, is a factor in how quickly death occurs. Some of the warning signs for aldicarb poisoning include vomiting, salivating and diarrhea.
"People handling the chemical are at danger as well unless they're using rubber gloves," Carey said. "But, probably the person doing this is ignorant to start with. If they're not using rubber gloves, and they're getting this on their skin, it will build up in their system in a short period of time" causing them to become very sick.
The chemical comes in a small pellet form, and those pellets can easily be combined with hamburger meat, which is what police believe was being used to kill the animals in Palestine. Baggett said officers have walked through residential neighborhoods in that city searching for the deadly combination.
"We're trying to find out what it is because you never know when a little kid will be out playing and stick a finger in the poison and then stick that finger in his mouth," Baggett said.
St. Francis County Sheriff's Department Chief Investigator Glenn Ramsey said samples taken from other animals have been sent for analysis to the State Crime Lab, but those tests have not yet been completed.
There have been no new cases of strange animal deaths in Palestine
during the past week, Baggett said.
The Forrest City School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Madison Elementary School.
Board members will hear a salary proposal and discuss the sale of bonds.
Under new business, the board will appoint an interim board member to temporarily replace Gordon McCoy who has been called to active duty with the National Guard.
Other meetings scheduled for Monday include two committees of the St. Francis County Quorum Court. The Q.C.'s personnel committee will meet at 5 p.m., followed by a meeting of the Q.C.'s budget committee at 6 p.m. Both meetings will be held at the courthouse.
Three area city councils are scheduled to meet on Monday. The Widener City Council meets at 6 p.m., and the Madison and Hughes city councils will each meet at 7 p.m. The meetings will be held in each city's city hall.
At 6:30 p.m., the Delta Regional Airport Authority is scheduled to meet at the Colt Community Center.
All meetings are open to the public.