By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
The third phase of the federal prison compound in Forrest City may not open for another year, but work is continuing behind the scenes to make sure the medium-security facility is ready to accept inmates when prison officials get the green light.
Gregory Thompson, who served as acting warden in the absence of Warden Cole Jeter, told members of the Federal Correctional Institution-Forrest City's community relations board during a Thursday luncheon that because the facility's completion coincides with annual budget battles in Washington, the third phase may have to begin operating under a continuing resolution. Jeter was unable to attend the meeting due to his being injured in an automobile accident earlier this week. Thompson said Jeter is expected to make a full recovery.
According to Thompson, the medium-security complex is about 99.8 percent complete at this time, and is expected to be turned over to prison officials on Oct. 23. "They're doing some electrical testing right now and kind of fine-tuning the place. All of the contractors are tying in to each other's work.
"Information coming from the central office is that we will be operating under a continuing resolution for the first quarter. We're encouraged by the information we've been getting from the central office that a warden will be named after Oct. 1."
The newest facility is expected to employ about 300 additional people, and prison officials are organizing job fairs for anyone interested in applying for work there. Because some current employees are expected to transfer from the minimum and low facilities to the new medium-security prison, positions will be available at all three locations.
"There is a nine-month activation plan for each FCI," Thompson said. "We'll be in the hiring process before the first inmate comes in. The first phase will move toward the hiring of the executive staff. We look at having inmates at the end of the summer next year."
The third prison phase is not the only thing going on at the compound. A new warehouse and freezer facility were recently completed, and contract negotiations are expected to begin in October for the expansion of the training center and the construction of a firing range.
The warehouse facility will be used to house office furniture being made in the prison's Unicor plant where inmates work for wages ranging from 23 cents to $1.15 per hour. "This is a non-mandatory source of money for the inmates, and overtime work is volunteer," said Jim Lee FCI-FC Associate Warden, Industries. "These jobs give inmates the skills and abilities they need to reenter the community."
The Unicor facility at the new medium-security prison will "mirror" the operations in the factory currently operating in the low-security facility, Lee said. Unicor products are sold to government agencies.
According to Lee, projected sales from the office furniture production for the past fiscal year was estimated at $8 million, but $10.6 million in sales were actually recorded. A total of $729,000 in salaries were paid to the 440 Unicor employees. Lee said the inmates use this money to pay court fines, victim restitution, child support, etc. Lee also said Unicor bought $470,000 in raw materials this past year, and of that total, $390,000 were purchased within a 100-mile radius of Forrest City.
A similar office furniture facility was recently closed in California, and Lee said some of that equipment is being moved to the Forrest City site. The Forrest City Unicor site serves government agencies east of the Mississippi, while those west of the river are served by the Texarkana, Texas FCI.
Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant asked Thompson how the city could best prepare for the opening of the third phase.
Thompson urged Bryant to keep the information on the city updated and make the community attractive to families moving to the area. "Families move to areas that best meet their needs," he said. "You should prepare the city for expansion because you're going to have a lot of people coming to this area."
Wynne is one of the two cities considered finalists for a new auto parts manufacturing plant that will employ 350 workers, a source familiar with the negotiations says.
Peru, Ill.-based Eakas Corp. will decide in the next several months between Wynne and Brownsville, Tenn., as the site for its new plant, the source told The Associated Press on Thursday on condition of anonymity.
Wynne is about 15 miles north of Forrest City. Brownsville is located 55 miles northeast of Memphis.
The plant would manufacture rearview mirrors, door handles and other component parts.
Both Bill Thomas, economic development chief for Cross County, and Brownsville Mayor Webb Banks confirmed their areas were finalists for an auto parts plant, but neither would identify the company scouting for locations.
Thomas did say the plant would supply auto assembly plants around the country.
Thomas said the firm wants to start production for 2005 model automobiles.
Eakas officials were not available for comment Thursday, and officials with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development also wouldn't confirm the company's plans.
''We can't confirm or deny'' any projects that have not been finalized, spokeswoman Molly Sudderth said.
Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, speaking in Gatlinburg during a state tourism conference Thursday, said he knows an auto parts plant is considering Brownsville, but said ''it would not be intelligent for me to speak about it.''
Banks said he and other local officials accompanied ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber on a recent trip to Illinois, where they pitched Brownsville to officials with a company he would not name.
''We had a presentation of all of our benefits (for locating here). We combined the whole package together, and the commissioner gave a presentation,'' Banks said.
The company's Japanese parent company will make the final selection, Banks said.
Eakas produces interior and exterior auto parts and employs about 300 in Illinois, according to the company's Web site. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sakae Riken Kogyo Co. of Japan.
A video conference for health professionals on the topic of diabetes will be held at the Southeast Regional Health Office in Forrest City.
The conference is sponsored by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Rural Hospital program and the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH). According to Karen Sagaskey, a Registered Dietitian with the AHD, the course is designed to improve care given to patients with diabetes.
"The course is for health professionals that help people with diabetes," said Sagaskey. "Continuing education credits will be available for physicians, nurses, pharmacists and dietitians who attend. The conference and credits will be free."
The conference will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. and on Wednesday, Oct. 8, from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. The SRH office is located on Dawson street. For more information or to reserve a seat, contact the SRH office at 870-633-6812.
A Texas man arrested in Forrest City for public intoxication will be sent back to Texas to face more serious charges.
Robert Cole Davis, 49, of Texarkana, Texas, was arrested Thursday night on a charge of drinking in public. He was later found to be wanted in Cass County, Texas, on a felony warrant for intoxicated assault with a motor vehicle.
A Forrest City man has been arrested for allegedly failing to comply with the Arkansas law requiring sex offender registration.
Kuanta Deon Temple, 26, was arrested Thursday.
According to the report from the Forrest City Police Department, Temple is a registered level 3 (high) sex offender. He allegedly provided false information on a change of address form to the police department, claiming residence on Martin Luther King Drive when he moved from another location. A follow-up investigation by the FCPD Criminal Investigation Division showed that Temple was not living where he claimed.
Temple was arrested at Apartment 157 on Rice Street, the residence of Tanesha Bohannon. The location put Temple in violation of Arkansas Code 12-12-913, which restricts level 3 and 4 sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of public or private elementary or secondary schools, or a day care facility.
Violation of the sex offender registration law is a Class D felony. Temple's bond was set at $15,000.