By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Four Lee County residents, including a baby, were killed Thursday night in a head-on collision on Highway 79 near Marianna in Lee County.
According to a report from Arkansas State Police Troop D in Forrest City, the accident occurred at around 10:30 p.m., three miles west of Marianna when a 1993 Pontiac driven by 15-year old Clark Sims, of Marianna, traveling westbound on Hwy. 79, collided with a 1995 Chevrolet driven by Maurice Blocker, 25, also of Marianna.
State police said the accident was still under investigation this morning and it remained undetermined which vehicle had crossed the center line of the two-lane highway. The vehicle with the three dead was westbound and Blocker's vehicle was eastbound, the report said.
The impact of the accident killed both drivers, along with Lasherrian Sims, 23, of Marianna and her son, 11-month-old Gevaneighia Williams, according to state police.
Two other children, the twin brother of Gevaneighia Williams, Ghevyunn Williams, and their sister, 5-year-old Giavohnighia Sims, were injured in the wreck.
Both children were transported to Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis where Williams is listed in stable condition and Sims is in the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.
No one involved in the crash was listed on the report as having worn a seat belt.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
Cats and dogs are dying at an alarming rate in Palestine, and local authorities are trying to determine why.
St. Francis County Chief Criminal Investigator Glenn Ramsey said he has received numerous reports this week from Palestine residents reporting their animals dying. Ramsey said the causes of death have yet to be determined, but remnants of hamburger meat that could possible be laced with a deadly chemical have been found in the areas where the pets have died.
According to Ramsey, the animals being targeted are pets, and not stray animals.
"The people who are calling in are reporting their house dogs dying," Ramsey said. The animals began dying on Sunday, and reports have continued to pour in at the sheriff's department throughout the week. "There have been 10 to 12 dogs and cats reportedly killed this week. One lady also reported some squirrels dead on her house."
Ramsey said in several incidents, pet owners have reportedly found what appears to be hamburger meat on the ground near where their pets are found dead. "It could possibly be laced with some type of poison. A sample of that is being sent to the crime lab for analysis."
Jeff Smith reported on Tuesday that one of his two dogs had been killed. According to the report, Smith had two Dalmatian dogs, one female and one male. He said the male dog was outside because it had gotten sick, and it was found dead a short time later. Smith said the female dog was also sick, but he was advised by a poison control center in Memphis to pour peroxide down the dog's throat, which he did and the dog lived.
Jennifer Douglas, who had a dachshund house pet, said she let her dog out to use the bathroom about 5:30 Thursday evening, and when the dog didn't return a short time later, she found the pet dead behind a neighbor's house.
Douglas said there were no visible signs on the eight-year-old pet as to why it died, but said she was aware that several animals in the city had died during the past week. According to Douglas, a sign has been posted at a local convenience store warning pet owners to use caution, and to notify police if anyone knows of a pet being poisoned.
Ramsey said some pet owners have had autopsies performed on their pets to determine the cause of death, but the results of those are not yet known.
Anyone with information regarding the poisonings is asked to call Ramsey at 633-2611. "The person(s) responsible for this will be prosecuted for cruelty to animals," Ramsey said.
Palestine Mayor Willetta Carroll could not be reached for comment.
Two major events are scheduled to take place this Saturday in St. Francis County.
The East Arkansas American Heart Walk will be held Saturday at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Forrest City. The walk will begin at 9 a.m., with registration beginning at 8 a.m. The purpose of the Heart Walk is to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease, the nation's number one killer. A secondary purpose is to promote walking as a healthy lifestyle (walking 30 minutes, three times a week, helps lower the risk of a heart attack or stroke).
Hundreds of walkers are expected. Participants who walk in honor or memory of a victim or survivor of heart disease or stroke will receive special Heart Hero signs. These will be given to walkers to wear on their backs during the event, with a place to write the Hero's name. Survivors will also be given red caps to wear during the event. Thank-you items will be given to participants based on dollars raised. There will be refreshments and children's activities following the Walk.
To register, call Mary Beasley or Pam Rawls at 870-931-3070. For more information, call Tiffany Billingsley at Baptist Memorial Hospital, 870-261-0000.
Another event will be the second annual L'Anguille River Festival to be held in Palestine. With activities from 8 a.m. until midnight, including arm wrestling, a pet parade, arts and crafts, live entertainment, food and much more. The festival will be held in the area of city hall.
For more information, call the Palestine City Hall at 870-581-2166 or 870-581-2489.
Lincoln Middle School has been awarded a large grant from the Arkansas Department of Education.
The $85,000 Enhancing Education Through Technology grant was presented to Lincoln Middle School Principal Marshall James, in a ceremony at the state Capitol recently. Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller presented the award.
The project for which the grant application was made is to improve student achievement at the school (grades 6 and 7) in literacy and mathematics. Another goal is to increase communication between parents, teachers, students and administrators.
The grant will fund hardware and software purchase as well as professional development.
According to a press release, funding will be used to put into place software developed by Renaissance Learning, publishers of the nationally recognized "Accelerated Reading and Accelerated Math." In addition, there will be an addition of CPS or Classroom Performance Systems, providing instant "on demand" feedback to teachers to their questions. There will also be a web-based reporting system for principals and district administrators, providing daily and weekly feedback on student progress.
Other software Orchard software, and Draftbuilder software, designed for writing improvement.
The funds will also go for a communications component, called TeacherWeb. This will allow teachers to have their own websites, which in turn can be accessed by teachers and students.
The website will contain announcements, lesson plans, links to Internet resources, uploaded grades and progress reports, as well as e-mail directly to the teacher. Other features will increase communications between school and home.
Some of the funding will also be used to provide teachers and administrators with the training necessary to implement and maintain the program successfully.
Forrest City was one of 32 school districts to receive grants.
The Forrest City Planning Commission will meet on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 4 p.m. in Forrest City City Hall. Three items of new business are on the agenda for the members consideration.
The Counseling Services of Eastern Arkansas, located at 4451 North Washington is requesting a 20 foot variance from the 25 foot required to place a sign. Paul Gunn is requesting final plat approval of the East Oak Subdivision Phase II, located on Highway 70 East.
Lastly, Jean Sales is requesting a preliminary plat approval of property located on Highway 1 North.
The Village Creek State Park will hold a Halloween Party on Friday, Oct. 31, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Halloween cartoons and treats will be presented in the visitor center auditorium and you can meet some of the park's resident ghouls and goblins. Costumes are optional and there will be a costume contest for children.
The fee is $2 per person for the event. For more information, call VCSP at 238-9406. The park is located about 15 miles north of Forrest City.