By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A new bridge -- or even two -- across the Mississippi River between Tennessee and Arkansas are still a long way from happening, if indeed they do happen.
That was the word from Randy Ort, spokesman for the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.
One possible crossing could be in the Osceola area. The other, which could directly affect this area, would connect U.S. Highway 61 in Tennessee with U.S. Highway 79 in Arkansas.
"It's very broad," said Ort, talking about the possible projects, and speaking specifically of the U.S. 79 project. "(Several years ago) Congress appropriated $500,000 for a study to look at whether we need to improve the Highway 79 corridor from Pine Bluff to Memphis, including the possibility of a new river crossing."
He said the study is not complete, although it has been determined that U.S. 79 does not need to be upgraded to interstate standards.
"It (U.S. 79) does run parallel to I-40, and there would be some improvements made to Highway 79," he said. "The study has said a new river crossing would be beneficial."
He said the planning is extremely preliminary at this time.
"Its purpose is not to find a location, but to look at the conceptual idea and determine if it would be feasible," Ort said. "I think the conclusion will be that yes, a new river crossing, somewhere south of the current river crossings, is something that needs further exploration."
If that is indeed determined, more funding will be sought, and the next study, concerning the environment, would be much more detailed.
"The Mississippi River is very environmentally sensitive," Ort said. "You can't just cross it anywhere you want. So there would have to be some alternative routes. We're still some years away from that."
He said the river crossings between Memphis and West Memphis are extremely busy.
"You look at West Memphis and Memphis, and you've got two bridges," he said. "Hundreds of thousands of vehicles cross those two bridges. I live in Little Rock, and there are six bridges connecting Little Rock and North Little Rock, and we still complain about the traffic.
"I can see where additional crossings would benefit the area, but they are all in the early planning stages."
The northern bridge, if it comes about, would connect I-55 to I-69 north of Memphis in Mississippi County and would be the center of the planned Osceola Toll Parkway.
The southern bridge, affecting this area, would support both vehicle and railroad traffic. At this time, the possible area is south of the two Memphis bridges and north of Tunica.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Members of the Palestine-Wheatley School Board approved over $140,000 in Qualified Zone Academy Bonds Monday during the group's monthly meeting.
Earlier this year, the district applied for $300,000 in QZAB loans, according to Bob Coleman with Raney and Beardsley of Little Rock. District officials learned recently that they had been approved for $141,000 in loans, which will go toward building renovations, air conditioning repairs and the purchase of a new school bus.
Coleman also told board members that the bonds had been purchased by Bank of America on Oct. 8, at zero interest. The district will pay the loan back at just over $9,000 annually for 14 years, and the funding must be spent within the next three years.
"This is a very good program for school districts, and you are just one of several districts across the state that applied for the loan. It's a low-interest loan, and in your case, a no interest loan. It will help the district financially. Plus, at the end of your 14-year term, the district will actually receive about $15,000 back via a rebate," Coleman said.
In other business, PWSD Superintendent John Manning told board members that the district was operating with approximately $100,000 less in finances for October than it did in September, and close to $200,000 less than at the same point last year.
"We're still doing fine financially, but we knew that we were going to be working with about $11,000 less per month than we did last year. We also had an $80,000 payment for last month that we didn't have at the same time last year. As far as our taxes go, we haven't found out what we're going to be getting for this year, but if we get what we're projecting, we'll get a boost by the end of the year," Manning said.
The $80,000 payment was made to the Forrest City School District as a part of a settlement over students living in the FCSD, but attending classes in the PWSD.
A change in board officers also occurred last night as the board held its annual election of officers. Rodney Hicks, who served as vice-president of the board for the 2002-2003 school year, will now take over as board president while Dow Lee, who is serving in his first term on the board was elected to the vice-president spot. Bill Ray, who was the 2002-2003 board president retained an office, and was elected as the new board secretary.
Board members also agreed to change the time of monthly board
meetings to 6 p.m.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
Daylight Saving Time will end on Sunday, meaning clocks will be pushed back one hour. Area firemen also say the day is an excellent opportunity for residents to change batteries in smoke detectors.
The Forrest City Fire Department will participate in the 16th year of the Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery program. According to a press release, the program was founded in 1987 by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the Energizer battery company. Each year the FCFD, and over 5,400 other fire departments in communities nationwide, urges people to change the batteries in their smoke detectors when they change their clocks to or from Daylight Saving Time.
"We are trying to get people on a schedule so that they don't have to worry about changing the batteries," said Dan Curtner, FCFD Chief. "We promote this every year, and feel that changing the batteries and checking them on a regular schedule helps with safety. It gives people a day that they know they need to change batteries, and that helps them remember to do it."
According to the press release, approximately 1,000 children under the age of 20 die annually in house fires. The release also shows that while 94 percent of American homes have at least one some detector, 20 percent of those do not have a functioning detector due to worn or missing batteries; that means nearly 19 million homes are a risk even with the detectors.
Chief Ernie Mitchell, president of the IAFC, discussed maintenance of smoke alarms. "The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. when most families are sleeping. Smoke alarm maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce home fire deaths. Children and senior citizens are most at risk, and a working smoke alarm can give you the extra seconds you need to get out safely."
E. H. Pryor held off two-time Professor Pigskin winner Joyce Pounders last week to take home the $50 cash prize.
When all of the entries had been tallied, Pryor and Pounders were tied with three misses each and the contest came down to the tie-breaker game between Forrest City and Blytheville.
Pryor edged Pounders by getting within nine points of guessing the correct score of the game.
Pounders won the Pigskin prize in Week 2 and 6.
This week's Pigskin games are listed in today's Times-Herald.
An interactive program entitled "Keys to Safety" will be presented Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30, at the Forrest City High School lecture room.
Topics will include abduction prevention, basic safety concepts, Internet safety, telephone safety and after school safety. The program will be led by Rachel Elise, with the Arkansas Attorney General's Office.