By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Some people can, some people can't.
Anyone who has ever tried unsuccessfully to make chicken and dumplings would attest to the truth of that statement. However, there are some -- and they should know -- who would say there's no big mystery involved.
"It's not an art. But it does take practice," says Betty Keysacker, one of several women who cooked up their individual pots of the mouth-watering concoction to be sold this past Saturday.
Obviously, to one who likes (or loves) chicken and dumplings, these folks have had practice -- plenty of practice. And practice makes about as perfect as one can get.
The occasion was the annual Chicken and Dumpling Day fund raiser to benefit the William Stone House in Colt.
Along with the main course, there was also slaw, a roll, dessert and drink for $5, with proceeds going to help maintain the house, one of the oldest in the area.
According to Louise DeWitt, another of the cooks, the ladies each sort of do their own thing when making chicken and dumplings.
"We don't all use the same recipe," she says. "We all use our own."
And perish the thought that all the different batches might get dumped together.
"Oh, no," says DeWitt. "We serve one pot until it's empty, and then we switch to another."
The implication is that everyone does a pretty good job of making chicken and dumplings -- it's that practice thing again.
"Well, nobody's complained, not yet," says DeWitt, to general laughter around the kitchen. "We hope nobody does."
None of the ladies seem worried that there will be complaints. Past success can be a great confidence builder, and these women know they can cook.
However, there is a surprise. It comes from Keysacker, who admits to a dark secret -- although she can whip up a mean batch of chicken and dumplings, she actually doesn't care much for the dish.
"You see, I don't really like them," she says. "But everybody says they like the way I make them, so I cook them anyway. I guess I'm just picky, myself."
Just how someone can make something so good, without liking it herself, she doesn't go into. But there still aren't any complaints from the customers.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A rash of incidents -- from attempted break-ins to break-ins to criminal mischief -- kept officers of the Forrest City Police Department busy over the weekend. There were also some arrests made.
A commercial burglary was reported Friday, at Hicky and Collins, 415 E. Cross. A window was broken. Taken were a Dell laptop computer and $60 in cash. A computer was also damaged.
Also on Friday, D.F. Williamson of 1806 Lindauer reported that a vehicle had been broken into at Audy's Used Cars, 909 W. Broadway. A window was broken, and a radio and antenna had been stolen.
An attempted commercial burglary was reported Friday at Johnny Gray's service station, 1027 N. Washington. Damage was done to a door and window, but apparently no one got inside.
On Friday, Latonya Peten of 206 E. Laney reported she was in the Coconut Lounge on West Broadway, and came out to find a window in her car had been broken. Taken were a purse, a CD player and CD case.
It was reported on Friday that five windows at Forrest City High School had been shot with a BB gun.
Also on Friday, the St. Francis County Housing Authority reported that two windows had been shot with a BB gun.
Betty Dillard of 625 Izard reported Friday that a truck window belonging to her son had been broken out. Nothing was reported stolen.
On Saturday, Perline Boyd of 1931 Crawford reported that all the windows and security doors had been broken in her house. Once inside, the perpetrators had also knocked holes in the wall. Three lawnmowers were also taken from apartments in the area.
Also on Saturday, Terry Vienna of 1120 Dillard reported that a business at 501 Rich Street had been broken into, and all the windows of a Freightliner truck had been broken out.
On Sunday, it was reported by Seth McKissick of 532 Trenton that a radio, a DVD player and other items had been stolen from his truck while he was working at Wendy's.
Continuing on Sunday, Jonathan Phillips of 2413 Hwy. 334, Forrest City, reported that a radio-CD player, speakers and CD's were stolen from his vehicle. A window had been broken out of the vehicle. The break-in occurred on SFC 606.
On Monday morning it was reported that the Housing Authority had been struck again. This time a vehicle had the back window damaged by a BB gun.
There were also some incidents reported outside Forrest City.
On Sunday, Delvin McDaniel of Marianna reported that his car, which had been parked in front of Stan's Pad, had been stolen.
Also on Sunday, it was reported that the Caldwell BP station had been broken into and damage done to a cash register and window.
The weekend was not without arrests, and some stolen items were recovered.
On Monday morning, a 17-year-old Forrest City juvenile was arrested after officers responded to an alarm at 625 Irving.
Also on Monday, officers responded to an alarm at Oscar's at
520 E. Broadway. Arrested were Donald Wayne Brown, 24, of 520
E. Broadway, Forrest City, and Earnest Moore, 27, of 717 Lewis,
Forrest City. Both are charged with commercial burglary and breaking
and entering for the incident at Oscar's. With the cooperation
of one of the suspects, officers also recovered some items which
had been stolen earliler from a vehicle belonging to Forrest City
Plumbing. As a result, extra charges of commercial burglary and
breaking or entering were added.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A Friday afternoon accident sent a Palestine man to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City after his truck overturned at the bottom of Big Eddie Hill on St. Francis County Road 433.
According to a report from the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department, the two-vehicle accident occurred on SFC 433, after a grain truck owned by the St. Francis County Farmers Co-Op and driven by Larry Ballard, age 26, overturned at the bottom of Big Eddie Hill. According to the report, Ballard was traveling east on SFC 442 when his brakes malfunctioned in a curve. Ballard lost control of the vehicle and the truck overturned.
Donald L. Thigpen was injured when he lost control of his truck, also owned by the SFC Co-Op, while following Ballard. According to the report, Thigpen attempted to stop, but his brakes also malfunctioned causing the truck to turn onto its side. Thigpen was transported to BMH-FC where he was treated and released.
A Forrest City High School student was arrested on a drug charge Friday morning after he returned to classes following a trip off campus.
According to a report at the Forrest City Police Department, the school's security guard and a principal observed the student returning to campus just after 10 a.m., and noticed his clothing smelled of marijuana. The student reportedly refused to be searched.
After taking the student to the office, the school resource officer was called in and asked the student if he was "holding," to which the student replied "yes." The student reached into his pants pocket and handed the officer a baggie containing about 11.7 grams of marijuana, according to the report.
The 15-year-old from Widener is charged with possession of a controlled substance, marijuana.
The teen was scheduled to meet with a juvenile intake officer this morning.
A state police trooper seized 70 pounds of marijuana during a routine traffic stop Friday morning on Interstate 40 near Forrest City.
According to an arrest report, a 1993 GMC driven by Alfredo Nunez-Macias, 25, of Indianapolis, Ind., was stopped for speeding near the 232 eastbound mile marker about 11:30 a.m. Nunez-Macias gave the trooper consent to search his vehicle where the trooper found two metal boxes in the gas tank containing the drugs.
Nunez-Macias is charged with possession with intent and endangering the welfare of a minor, second degree. He was scheduled to appear in St. Francis County District Court this afternoon.
Counterfeit bills have resurfaced in Forrest City.
The Forrest City Police Department reported fake money was used to pay for services at two local businesses in the past few days.
On Thursday, an employee with Murphy U.S.A. reported a fake $10 bill was used to pay for gasoline just after 2 p.m.
Late Sunday night, three occupants of a vehicle at the Taco Bell drive-thru attempted to use a $20 counterfeit bill to pay for food.
The employee told police three black males were at the drive-thru window and attempted to pay for their food with a $20 bill. The employee told police she knew the bill was counterfeit, and when the driver of the car saw her looking at the money, he drove away.
The bills are being forwarded to the U.S. Secret Service office in Little Rock.