By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
To mow or not to mow? The question might seem a simple one, but it gets complicated when one starts talking about state property -- in particular, the state property which surrounds the Interstate 40 cloverleaf at Forrest City.
Some people are complaining that the cloverleaf and other exchanges look overgrown, and the state and city are not in agreement on what needs to be done about it.
The state's side is simply that there are a certain number of times a year when mowing takes place, and that's it.
"Our current mowing policy is to mow the interstate and interchange areas three times a year," said Ray Woodruff, district engineer with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department. The work is contracted.
"The first mowing is somewhere between April 20 and Memorial Day," he said. "The second mowing is during the month of July. And the third mowing is done between Oct. 1 and Thanksgiving. That's the way it's done statewide."
He said there are towns which do some mowing themselves, and receive permits from the state to do that.
"We just issued Forrest City a permit within the last week," he said.
The city -- in particular Mayor Larry Bryant -- see it differently. While Bryant agreed that the city had received a permit to mow, he said he doubted the city would do it, because the state's next mowing date is so close.
"Why would we use taxpayers' money to cut an area that they're going to cut anyway?" he said.
According to Bryant, the city actually went out and did some cutting before the permit was issued.
Surprisingly, the city and the state do agree on one area.
"We can't cut it like a golf course," said Bryant.
Woodruff said much the same thing, stating that some of the problem is in the eye of the beholder.
"It's one of those things. It's what you think looks good," he said. "If you're one of those people who like nature you might want things to look more natural. If you are one of those people who keep your yard perfectly mowed, you might want that golf course look. In that case, what you have (on the interstate) doesn't look nice to you."
Bryant said that to him, it comes down to money.
"We get into a thing of what comes first," he said. "Do we take care of Forrest City property first, or do we take care of state property first? Do we spend taxpayer money there before we spend it here?"
Bryant said the city already mows along the railroad rights of way, and also cuts around sidewalks on state highways, which he said are on state right of way.
As for the interstate, he said he would like the city to get some special consideration because it is one of the few places in the state outside of Little Rock that has a cloverleaf.
In the meantime, he said people should take a look at other towns."If they drive down I-40 from West Memphis to Little Rock, they will see the same conditions," he said. "What's fair for the goose is fair for the gander, but we've always taken it upon ourselves to do some cutting along the interstate."
He continued, "It will never look the way some people want. If some of these high power people who make all these accusations, if they'd get together, maybe they could call their highway commissioners and get some special consideration -- or at least get on the same page and not be nay-sayers."
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A math program in its fourth year in the Forrest City School District may be causing confusion for some parents.
Parents looking for math textbooks, for the most part, won't be seeing any, according to FCSD Deputy Superintendent of Schools Dr. Alice Barnes. According to Barnes, the Math Investigations program, which is currently used in the FCSD, uses workbooks and modules for instruction instead of textbooks.
"Many parents think that this is a new program, but we've been using Math Investigations in the district for the past four years. Each student receives a workbook or module, and each year new modules are introduced. This is a program that has been heavily researched and found to be successful in preparing students," Barnes said.
According to Forrest Hills Elementary Principal Betty Beasley, the program also helps prepare students for the annual Benchmark test.
"Investigations prepares the students for more real life situations where they will use math. It's more thinking than the traditional math that you or I grew up doing, and it asks the students to solve problems, more than just to figure up answers. The Investigations program is also geared toward questions that are more in line with the Benchmark, and it helps prepare the students for the exam," Beasley said.
Barnes also answered questions over concerns at Lincoln Middle School and Forrest City Junior High School. In the past, students at LMS have received both a take home textbook and a classroom textbook for some courses. According to Barnes, the use of some books for home, with a separate book for class, has led to a misunderstanding for some parents.
"We've tried to provide a set of textbooks for home and a set of books for classrooms, but we've only been able to do that in some classes. We provide books for every child, and our goal is to one day provide a complete set for home and a complete set for the class," said Barnes.
According to LMS sixth grade principal Estella Shackleford, the cost of new textbooks also affects the availability of two sets.
"We have used that system in the past, and in some classes we're still providing a textbook for class and one for home, but with the costs of new books, we can't do that in every class," said Shackleford.
Through moves and expansion, some students at Forrest City Junior High School had to wait for assignment books in the school's science program, but according to FCJHS principal Billy Ferguson, textbooks for most students are now available.
"We're still waiting on some of our textbooks for our typing class, but otherwise everyone is set. We had a little wait on some of our science material, but that was due to being separated for two years and moving into a new building and some expansion. We were short on some of those books, but for the most part we're in really good shape," said Ferguson.
According to Ferguson, the science program at FCJHS is similar to the Connected Math and Math Investigations programs in the primary use of workbooks instead of textbooks.
Parents wanting to assist their students with homework may utilize the district's Homework Hotline at 261-1896 or 261-1897. If those phone numbers are busy, assistance can be reached at 261-1827 or 261-1859.
A city police officer on his way to assist another officer in an accident investigation was involved in an accident on North Washington Street in Forrest City Wednesday night.
The Forrest City Police Department reported a 1998 Ford patrol car driven by Morris McNutt, 33, of Forrest City, received an estimated $5,000 damage in the wreck when it was struck by a 1994 Toyota pickup turning left onto North Washington from Barrow Hill Road. The truck, which was reported totaled in the accident, was driven by Fannie Blaine, 57, of Colt.
An ambulance was called to the scene, but neither driver required medical treatment, although McNutt complained of pain in his head.
McNutt reported he was traveling north in the inside lane when he saw the pickup attempting to pull onto Washington. He said he hit his brakes, but was unable to stop, so instead, he accelerated and moved into the turning lane in an attempt to avoid the collision, but was struck by the pickup.
Two witnesses told police that McNutt was traveling north at
a high rate of speed without his emergency lights on when the
accident occurred.
Today's edition of the Times-Herald includes the annual salute to the rice industry, and to Amanda Ramsey, Miss St. Francis County Rice of 2003.
The rice section was made possible by the following sponsors:
Arkansas Distributing, A/C Services Inc., the Antique Rose Flowers and Gifts, APEX Communications, Arkansas Concrete, Baptist Memorial Hospital, Dr. T.J. Beasley, Bennett Tractor Parts, Bonanza Family Restaurant and Brothers Implement Co. Inc.
Calvary Christian Book Store, Capital Financial Service Group, Catfish Island, Central Arkansas Turbines Inc., Chez Weenie, Clark Oil Company Inc., Classic Flowers, Colvin's Country Carpets, Creative framing and Crestpark Retirement Inns.
Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute, Debbie's Flowers, Entergy, Express Dry Cleaners and Laundry, Family Shoe Box, Farm Credit Midsouth, Faulk Battery Warehouse, First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas, First National Bank of Wynne and Food Giant.
Forrest City/St. Francis County Abstract Co. Inc., Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce, Forrest City Bank, Game Day Sportswear, Dr. Larry Giffin, DDS, Gray's Service Center, Hair Force One Barber Shop, Hardwick Well Supply Inc., Hess Shoes and His and Hers Hair Salon.
Holiday Inn and Denny's, Imboden Family Dentistry, Jackson Used Cars, the Lower Deck Gift Shop, Machen Ford and Chrysler, McDonald's, Mike's Family Foods, Howard Miller Insurance, National Carpet One and O'Reilly Auto Parts.
Ole Sawmill Cafe, Ole South Family Restaurant, Pearson Insurance, Producers Rice Mill Inc., Racer's Ag Service, Riceland Foods-Wheatley, St. Francis County Coop, St. Francis County Elected Officials and St. Francis County Farm Bureau.
Sonic, Stevens Funeral Home, Stough Enterprises, Superior Vending Company, Times-Herald Printing and Office Supply Co. Inc., Martha Wilson Realty and Woodruff Electric Cooperative Corp.