By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
St. Francis County voters will go to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to shift some of Forrest City's solid waste money to industrial recruitment.
Polls will open at 7:30 a.m. and remain open until 7:30 p.m. Early voting will stop at the end of regular business hours in the county clerk's office today.
At issue is Forrest City's share of a countywide sales tax for solid waste. The Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce has requested that $125,000 of the solid waste money be transferred each year for four years, making a total of $500,000. The money would be used for industrial recruitment and to hire a recruiter.
Although only Forrest City is affected, the entire county has to vote on the move because the solid waste tax is a countywide tax.
A light turnout is expected.
Voters may cast their ballots at the following locations:
Hughes City/Country, Precincts 1-1,1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4, 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4 -- Hughes Community Center.
Rawlison, Precincts 5-1, 5-2 -- Hughes Community Center.
Heth-Blackfish, Precincts 6-2 7-1, 7-2, 7-3 -- Hughes Community Center.
Widener, Precincts 9-1, 9-2, 10-1 -- Madison Community Center.
Round Pond-Moseley, 11-1, 11-2, 13-1, 13-2 -- Madison Community Center.
Madison, Precincts 14-1, 14-2, 14-3, 14-4, 14-5, 15-1, 15-2, 15-3, 15-4 -- Madison Community Center.
Bonair-Tuni, Precincts 16-1, 17-1, 17-2, 17-3 -- Forrest City Civic Center.
Parrot-Newcastle, Precincts 18-1, 19-1 -- Forrest City Civic Center.
Colt, Precincts 20-1, 21-1 -- Colt Community Center.
Caldwell, Precincts 22-1, 23-1 -- Colt Community Center.
Courthouse East and West, Precincts 24-1, 25-1, 25-2, 25-3, 25-4, 26-1 -- Forrest City Civic Center.
Pine Tree, Precincts 27-1, 27-2, 27-4 -- Colt Community Center.
Pine Tree, Precinct 27-3 -- Twin Assembly Fellowship Hall.
Palestine City/Country, Precincts 28-1, 29-1, 29-2, 29-3, 30-1, 30-2, 30-3, 30-4, 31-1, 31-2, 31-3 -- Twin Assembly Fellowship Hall.
Goodwin, Precincts 32-1, 32-2, 32-3 -- Twin Assembly Fellowship Hall.
Wheatley City/Country, Precincts 33-1, 33-2, 34-1, 34-2, 34-3 -- Twin Assembly Fellowship Hall.
Forrest City Ward 1, Precincts 35-1, 35-2, 36-1, 37-1, 38-1, 58-1 -- Forrest City Civic Center.
Forrest City Ward 2, Precincts 39-1, 41-1, 43-1, 45-1, 47-1, 50-3 -- Forrest City Civic Center.
Forrest City Ward 3, Precincts 49-1, 50-2, 50-4, 51-1, 52-1, 52-2, 53-1, 53-2, 55-2 -- Forrest City Civic Center.
Forrest City Ward 4, Precincts 54-1, 55-3, 56-1, 56-2, 57-1,
57-2, 60-1, 65-1, 66-1, 66-2 -- Forrest City Civic Center.
Early voting numbers are nearing 200 with today being the last day to cast an early vote.
As of this morning, 177 early votes had been recorded by the St. Francis County Clerk's office. Today is the last day to take advantage of early voting for the special election. Voting today will end at 4:30 p.m.
Voters will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Forrest City to use a portion of its solid waste tax revenue for industrial recruitment and to hire an executive director. The $125,000 would be given to the Chamber for four years, making a total of $500,000.
While the entire county will vote on this measure, only funds from Forrest City's portion of the tax will be used, and there will not be a tax increase.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The St. Francis County Indigent Care Board recently made its fifth and final installment of a $1 million agreement between the board and St. Francis County.
Last week, committee members voted to approve the $200,000 payment after St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco submitted a letter to the board allocating $30,000 to pay for indigent care in St. Francis County.
In other business, board members formed a committee to discuss ways of investing in funds to the board.
Board members heard from John Crawford with Crawford Investment of Atlanta, Ga. Crawford explained a variety of ways that the board could invest their funds to increase the amount of interest earned. A committee consisting of Dr. Morgan Collins, Ed Chauvin, Brenda May and board attorney Brad Beavers, will discuss the option of taking on CIS or possible ways to invest the funds through the board.
Board members also authorized $11,975.64 in funding to be dispersed to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City and approved more than $47,000 in indigent payments.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
St. Francis County had the state's ninth-highest unemployment in June, at 11.5 percent.
That percentage, according to Arkansas Workforce Labor Marked Information, is up from 10.3 percent in May, and also slightly up from the 11.2 percent recorded in June of 2003.
According to the figures, during June, St. Francis County had a civilian labor force of 12,975, with 11,475 working and 1,500 not working.
Unemployment in surrounding counties was as follows: Cross, 12.6 percent; Crittenden, 9.2 percent; Lee, 12.1 percent, Phillips, 12.1 percent and Woodruff, 13.1 percent. Thirteen counties had unemployment of 10 percent or higher.
Mississippi County, with 15.2 percent unemployment, had the highest jobless rate in the state. Benton County had the lowest unemployment, at 2.7 percent. Thirteen counties had unemployment of 5 percent or lower.
Fifty-five counties posted lower unemployment rates in June than last year, while 16 posted higher rates.
The state's unemployment fell one-tenth of a percentage point from May to June, from 5.8 to 5.7 percent.
A Suburban loaded full of people headed to a church event in Marianna crashed just south of Wheatley Sunday afternoon.
Arkansas State Police Troop D Corporal Kelvin Stewart said Neva J. Martin, 33, of Little Rock, was traveling south on Highway 78 in her 1994 Chevrolet Suburban, near the St. Francis and Lee county line, when the accident occurred about 3:30 p.m.
Stewart said Martin told him she was attempting to pass a vehicle, which traveled into her lane, causing her to lose control of her vehicle. The vehicle traveled an estimated 150 feet before striking a tree, according to Stewart.
Stewart said Martin, along with the eight passengers, who ranged in age from 5 to 30, were injured and transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City with minor injuries.
Although Stewart said the vehicle was not designated as a church bus, Martin told him she is a Marianna native, and the group was traveling to a church event in Marianna.
Another filing has been submitted to the St. Francis County Clerk's office for a position on the Widener City Council.
Arvin Billingsley has filed for the position of Clerk/Recorder on that city council. Those filing in Widener are allowed to file as either an independent or a Democrat.
Those who are seeking city council positions in Caldwell, Madison, Hughes, Colt and Palestine must file by noon on Wednesday, Aug. 4, at the St. Francis County Clerk's office. The deadline those wishing to serve on any of the area's school boards is Monday, Aug. 9, at 4:30 p.m.
The Forrest City Police Department will be sponsoring the National Night Out on Tuesday, from 7 to 10 p.m.
The night out program will be the 21st sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and is designed to heighten crime and drug awareness, strengthen police and community partnerships and to let criminals know that neighborhoods are organized and fight back.
Local residents are asked to spend from 7 to 10 p.m. outdoors tomorrow night and spend time with their neighbors and police, who will be traveling through town speaking to residents.
Lieutenant Eddie Adamson of the FCPD also wants anyone who is interested in setting up block parties or other community events to contact him at 633-3434.