By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A local bank was robbed at gunpoint during the lunch hour Wednesday.
The Forrest City Police Department received a call about 12:05 p.m., that a robbery was in progress at the First National Bank of Wynne, Forrest City Branch at 810 N. Washington. Officers responding to the scene were met by employees who stated that a black male subject had walked into the business and demanded money from a teller.
According to FCPD Criminal Investigation Division Sgt. John Riggins, after the three employees and one customer were removed from the bank, officers searched the facility for evidence and the suspect, whom they believe ran out the bank's front door and fled north on foot to an alley that runs behind the bank and several businesses along North Washington to St. Francis Street. Riggins said bank employees and employees in businesses north of the bank were interviewed and the area was searched for the suspect.
Riggins said several coins were among the items stolen in the robbery. According to Riggins, the coins included 15 $1 coins and 31 quarters. "Anyone knowing a person using a large amount of these types of coins to make purchases is encouraged to contact police," Riggins said.
The suspect is described as a black male between the ages of 25 and 35 with short hair. The suspect was wearing dark baggy pants, a dark shirt and a green windbreaker. He is about six feet tall and weighs between 175 and 200 pounds, according to police.
Officials with the Federal Bureau of Investigation office in West Memphis are assisting the FCPD in the investigation.
Police are asking anyone with information on the robbery to call Forrest City Crime Stoppers at 261-1499. All calls will remain confidential.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Checks reflecting a retroactive pay increase to all employees of Forrest City should be going out early next week, according to City Clerk Marie Todd.
"I hope to have those out by the first part of next week," said Todd. "That is my plan."
She said the checks reflecting the retroactive raises would be separate from regular paychecks.
"Since we're looking at four months of retro pay, I'm looking at doing them separately from the regular payroll," she said.
The retroactive checks should also include any holiday or overtime pay, she said.
The pay increases are going into effect because the city council earlier this week overrode a veto by Mayor Larry Bryant of an amended 2004 budget.
Bryant had originally proposed an across-the-board 3 percent pay increase for all employees, except for a few, whom Bryant said were not being paid what they were worth and would get raises larger than 3 percent.
This prompted a debate with the city council. Some council members believed the entire salary structure should be reviewed, to bring the pay scales for Forrest City into line with other towns of similar size.
Bryant disagreed with the council members' assessment of the situation, saying that other towns, even towns of the same size, may have different economic bases than Forrest City. He said that would make it all but impossible to compare salaries.
Nonetheless, a parity committee was formed of council members, and the members began an extensive study of the pay of other similarly-sized towns.
The committee's full recommendations were not ready by the end of January, when a budget, by law, had to be adopted. At that time, the council simply adopted the budget figures of the previous year (2003), with the understanding that the budget could be amended once the parity committee had finished its work.
The ordinance for the amended budget, reflecting the wishes of the parity committee, was read in three regular council meetings and finally adopted by the city council on April 6.
On April 12, saying, "It is a very difficult decision," Bryant vetoed the budget. He cited economic conditions.
The city council overrode Bryant's veto of the amended budget at the regular meeting held this past Tuesday.
From the beginnings of the parity committee's deliberations, it was understood that any pay increases adopted would be retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Residents across the state may soon be able to benefit from the creation of a small town business development center in this area if members of the East Arkansas Enterprise Community Executive Committee gets their wish.
Executive Committee members voted this week to appropriate $20,000 to an effort to build a business development center after a recommendation from committee member Charlene Sykes.
"This is something that is needed not only for this area, but for the state. We're currently working to build a development center in the EAEC Census Tract that would be of a benefit not only to residents in this area, but statewide," said Sykes.
No indication was given as to which county the center would be located in at Tuesday's meeting. The EAEC Census Contract is comprised of a portion of Lee and Monroe counties, along with a portion of St. Francis County, excluding the Forrest City area, and a portion of Cross County.
The committee also presented Cross County Judge Billy Lee with a check for $12,500 to assist with a metal crusher project.
In other business, committee members were updated on the EAEC's Youth Initiative, the Breathe Easy program and Health Outreach program. According to Youth Initiative and Breathe Easy Coordinator Arlene Freeman, both programs are continuing to work well. Freeman also highlighted some of the recent activities of the two programs.
"I'm sure you're all aware that we recently had a balloon release for Kick-Butts day and it was really a success. We had several schools involved throughout the EC and the participation was great. We even had a woman in Jackson, Tenn., who found several of the balloons in her yard call to tell us what a good thing we are doing. We just hope to keep up the good work," said Freeman.
Freeman also told commission members that there will be a Youth and Stamp Out Smoking Rally on Friday, April 30, at 6 p.m. at the Forrest City Civic Center beginning at 6 p.m.
According to Health Outreach Coordinator Delores Woods, efforts to increase cancer awareness in the area have also been going well.
"We recently had a prostate screening and we had over 20 men come out to receive examinations. That doesn't seem like a big number but when dealing with men it is. We've had a good response to a mammogram program and we're continuing with it and we're really getting the word out about the benefits of the examinations," Woods said.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A pair of Forrest City Police Officers are under investigation after an allegation that the officers allowed one man to be assaulted by another.
According to a report filed with the FCPD this morning, Charles Howard, 48, of Forrest City, told officers that he was working on a vehicle on Haywood Street about 8 p.m. Wednesday when a subject threatened him with a shovel. According to the report, Howard ran to a relative's home and reported the incident to the police department. Officer Brandon Neilson responded to the call.
Neilson reportedly escorted Howard back to the Haywood Street location and upon arrival, Officer Morris McNutt arrived on the scene.
According to the report, the entire incident stemmed from an allegation by Prentice Wright, 31, 1638 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, Forrest City, that Howard had broken into his home last week. According to Howard's complaint, McNutt told Howard that he needed to "tell the man what he wants to know" or at that time McNutt would let Wright have him.
The incident reportedly then took a turn for the worse when Howard alleged that the officers allowed Wright to throw him to the ground where he hit him several times and beat him into a ditch. According to the report, officers then told Wright to let Howard go, at which time Howard went to another residence on South Powell Street and called the FCPD again and filed another report with Sgt. Travis Hill. According to the report, Hill transported Howard to the Police Department where he allowed him to file a complaint against the officers as well as a complaint against Wright. According to Forrest City Police Chief Clarence McNeary, an internal investigation into the incident began this morning.
"As it stands right now, the investigation is under way. It is a complaint, and we are following up on it to find out if there is any validity to it. We will take appropriate action once the investigation is completed. We have procedures established to deal with complaints, and those will be followed," said McNeary.
A special meeting of the Forrest City Airport Commission has tentatively been set for Monday, April 26 at 6 p.m. at the airport.
The purpose of the meeting will be to reconsider a vote against giving part of the airport's entitlement money to the Delta Regional Airport Authority. The Forrest City City Council passed a resolution at its last meeting asking the airport commission to reconsider.
Customers of the Caldwell Water System may soon see an increase in water rates after council members heard first reading of an ordinance Tuesday to increase the minimum monthly rate and price per unit rate for water.
Caldwell Mayor Gary Hughes told councilmen the rate hike is necessary in order for the city to prepare for repairs that may soon be necessary for the system.
"We're getting to a place where we're going to see a need for major repairs to our system soon, and our savings just aren't going to cover the costs of the repairs. We have not had a rate increase in over 20 years, so I think we've done pretty well," Hughes said.
According to the ordinance, the minimum bill for customers will increase to $9.50 from $8.05, and the price per unit will increase from $1.00 per ppu to $1.15. Council members will hear a second reading of the proposed ordinance at their next monthly meeting.
Hughes also updated council members on the proposed closing of Caldwell Elementary. "It doesn't appear as though we're going to be able to keep it open. Every proposal submitted at the last school board meeting called for the closing of the school. None of us want to see the school closed, but really it's out of our hands."
"This situation, as it stands now, is different than the one we faced 15 years ago when they wanted to close the school to build one central school in Forrest City," Hughes said.
Hughes also said that he is anxious to see what the school district plans to do with the building once it is no longer being used.
"We don't want to see a building boarded up in our community because there's nothing worse than driving into a place and seeing a big building boarded up," Hughes said.
In other business, Hughes told council members that he was still attempting to get information in regards to possible road work on a pair of private roads inside the city limits. According to Hughes, he is still seeking prices for gravel for repairs to Woods and Ross Roads between Evans and Meeks Roads.