By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
While the price tag for the Hughes and Palestine-Wheatley school districts to improve their physical facilities isn't nearly as high as the $25 million projected for Forrest City, they too were put on notice by a report released earlier this week.
A special task force turned over the Arkansas Statewide Educational Facilities Assessment to the state Legislature's Joint Committee on Educational Facilities on Tuesday.
The Hughes district, according to the report, needs to spend just over $3.5 million on its buildings. The report also says that Palestine-Wheatley needs to spend over $4.4 million.
The bill for the entire state was projected at $4.5 billion.
A breakdown on individual buildings within each school district is expected soon.
The task force began meeting in July of 2003 to study issues arising from the Lake View decision. The purpose of the task force was to "address the condition and adequacy of public school facilities, and the equipment ant technology to provide an adequate and substantially equal education," according to the written report.
The task force was to recommend what constitutes an adequate school facility, including all necessary components. One finding was that more than half of Arkansas' public school buildings were built prior to 1964 "and do not optimize current educational program requirements, technology requirements, nor meet operational efficiency opportunities. Since it is impossible for local districts to develop consensus facilities standards for the state, the court has mandated that the General Assembly develop and maintain...standards that must apply to school facilities across the state in every district."
In spite of the high costs mentioned, the report further states that those costs could possibly be reduced. "Depending on the appropriate solution for individual buildings, schools or school districts, the program that is ultimately established for new construction, renovation and building replacements could significantly reduce the scope of work with corresponding reduction on overall costs," the report states. "Significant changes in state law and policies including approval of more efficient methods of project delivery, could achieve additional reduction in costs."
The report also states that declining enrollment might help to negate some growth costs. And while the task force's mandate did not include school consolidation, and no consolidations are recommended in the report, the report does state that "Obviously, if consolidation occurred at a facility, school, or district level, improved utilization factors could be achieved and facility repair...and even growth costs cold be substantially less."
The report does not address how any of these improvements are to be funded.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A state forecast of a small winter wheat crop is being seen in St. Francis County.
The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service recently forecast a 40-year low in winter wheat production in the state.
In the meantime, reports of soybean rust are being followed and there is local concern.
Mitch Crow, Extension agent in St. Francis County, said that trend of lower wheat production was being followed here.
"It sure is," he said, and added that there seems to be two reasons.
"I think the producers are looking at the price of wheat, and it doesn't give them an incentive to plant wheat," Crow said. "And then there's the rain. The last month or so, rain has been a factor. Very few acres have been planted.
"There are some who planted back real early, before it started raining, when it was dry. I know there were a few farmers over toward the Crittenden County line who got some wheat planted, but they planted really early. I'd say 90 percent of our guys just didn't have the incentive to plant wheat."
He said another factor was how well the early Group 3 soybeans did for farmers this past year.
"We had some tremendous yields," Crow said. "Some guys got some early booking for August delivery."
The early beans are planted in March and April. Winter wheat is harvested in June and July.
On a related matter, Crow said soybean rust, which was reported in Arkansas late in November, still has not been found in St. Francis County. However, there is still concern.
"We're having a growers' meeting Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. at Catfish Island (in Caldwell). Jim Coker, a plant pathologist, will be talking about soybean rust."
Soybean rust is a defoliating fungus, that prevents proper plant development and reduces crop yields. It was reported in November by the Associated Press, that the fungus was confirmed in fields in Crittenden County, near West Memphis.
Cases have also been confirmed in Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and Alabama.
Soybean rust has been spreading from its origins in Australia for more than 30 years.
The rust hurts yields, but doesn't taint the soybeans themselves. The fungus is wind-borne. Experiments are underway with fungicides.
It was reported today that the state's congressional delegation is requesting $715,000 in emergency funds to deal with the threat of soybean rust, also called Asian soybean rust.
"The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" will be celebrated Friday, when the Forrest City Christmas parade will roll with that as its theme.
For spectators, the parade will roll promptly at 7 p.m. For participants, float judging will take place in the parking lot of Forrest City Junior High school at 6 p.m.
First, second and third place trophies will be awarded to floats in the church, civic group, novelty and school categories. First, second and third place trophies will also be awarded to floats in the industrial/commercial category, in both large and small divisions.
Lula Clay, long-time volunteer at the St. Francis County Food Pantry, is this year's parade marshal. People are being urged to bring canned goods to the parade, to donate to the Food Pantry. There will be someone in the parade to pick up the food safely. People should not venture onto the parade route.
There is still a rule in effect that no candy will be thrown during the parade.
The parade will leave the FCJH parking lot on the Victoria Street side. For that reason, all participants are being asked to enter the parking lot from the Graham Street side, to prevent a traffic jam.
After exiting the parking lot onto Victoria, the parade will make a right turn onto Division, and then a left turn onto Arkansas.
The parade will then make a right turn onto Washington (Ark. Highway 1), and proceed down Washington to Hill Street, where it will turn right, and then make another right onto Rosser. The parade will then proceed up Rosser, to disperse at the Union Planters parking lot.
The parade lineup is as follows:
1. FCHS ROTC Color Guard
2. Merry Christmas Banner-FC Middle School Cheerleaders
3. Grand Marshal- Mrs. Lula Clay, St. Francis County Food Pantry
4. FCHS Cheerleaders
5. SFC Sheriff Dave Parkman
6. SFC Assessor Craig Jones
7. SFC Treasurer Ann Harbin
8. Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant
9. Forrest City Police Chief Clarence McNeary
10. Forrest City Police Dept. Mobile Command Truck
11. Forrest City Fire Chief Dan Curtner
12. Forrest City Fire Department
13. First Baptist Church (float)
14. Good Hope Baptist Church (float)
15. New Prospect Missionary Baptist Church (float and marching group)
16. Wynne Southside Missionary Baptist Church (float)
17. Landmark Baptist Church (float)
18. Palestine First Baptist Church (float)
19. Caldwell Fire Department
20. Rhonda's Twirlers
21. Daisy Girl Scouts
22. Delta Shrine Motor Patrol
23. Greater Mt. Olive Outreach Ministries
24. Black Belt Academy
25. Advance America
26. Colt Fire Department
27. Highway One Auto Sales (float)
28. First National Bank of Forrest City (float)
29. Manley Printing (float)
30. CRDC Forrest City Head Start #2 (float)
31. Boy Scout Troop #202 (float)
32. Forrest City Kiwanis Cub Scout Pack # 224 (float)
33. FCJH Marching Band (line up on Victoria St.)
34. March of Dimes Ambassadors
35. Jayla Beale-Miss United Christian 2004
36. Lauren Miller-Wee Miss SFC Fair
37. Whitney Lucas-Tiny Miss SFC Fair
38. Natalie Turner-Little Miss SFC Fair
39. Cara McCollum-Jr. Miss SFC Fair
40. Lindsey Renigar-Sr. Miss SFC Fair
41. Shiesha Rucker-Miss SFC Fair
42. Morgan Butler-Little Miss Cotton
43. Summer Maxwell-Miss Cotton
44. Jordyn Cole-Calvary Christian School pageant winner
45. Chelsea Clarkson-Calvary Christian School Junior Miss
46. Lauren Cofield-Calvary Christian School pageant winner
47. Kourtney Harris-Calvary Christian School pageant winner
48. Megan Best-Calvary Christian School pageant winner
49. Kaylee Doyle-Star Spangled Darling State Queen
50. Presley Doyle-Star Spangled Darling State Queen
51. Charlie Huckaba-1957 Chevy
52. William Witcher-1958 Ford
53. Donald Blankenship-1966 Mustang
54. Donald Blankenship-1951 Pontiac
55. Donald Blankenship-1966 Jaguar
56. Donald Blankenship-1955 Ford
57. Albert Lewis-1969 Ford
58. Richard Jackson, Jr.-1977 Ford Maverick
59. William Jenkins-classic car
60. Chelch Reagan-1972 Volkswagen
61. Jerald Burns-1953 Buick
62. Jerald Burns-1946 Ford Truck
63. Danny Capps-1967 GTO
64. James Fryer-1952 Jeep
65. James Fryer-1974 Nova SS
66. James Fryer-1949 Cub
67. Fred Paige-1974 Ford Maverick
68. Sonny Leake-1935 Ford
69. Jesse McCoy-1957 Chevy
70. Troy Hicks-1933 Ford
71. Dave Parkman-1964 Chevy Impala
72. Brett Hartman-antique tractor
73. Leroy Ward-antique tractor
74. Kennedy Racing
75. Billy Allen-1979 Ford F100
76. Billy Allen-1979 Chevy Caprice Classic
77. Bill Allen-"Mustang" Tahoe
78. FCHS "Pride of Eastern Arkansas" Marching Band (line up on Victoria St)
79. Mike Lawyer's State Farm Insurance Good NeighBear
80. Loomis Fargo Armored Truck
81. White Motor Company
82. Mid-America International Truck
83. First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas Armored Truck
84. South 40 Riders (horses)
85. Bill Rhea (horses)
86. Iovry Dilliard (horses)
87. Santa Claus on the Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute Float
A pickup stolen in Memphis Tuesday turned up in St. Francis County Wednesday, missing several items.
The sheriff's department was notified Wednesday, Dec. 1, at about 9:30 p.m. of an abandoned pickup truck on County Road 854. After talking to the person who called in the report, it was determined the pickup had been left on the road some time between 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
The steering column on the truck was damaged. In addition, the motor, transmission, sets and drive shaft were missing.
The vehicle identification number identified the truck as one reported stolen by Maurice Hunter of Memphis on Tuesday, Nov. 30.
The body of a man found Wednesday will probably be sent to the state crime lab for autopsy, even though no foul play was evident, because he was found in an abandoned house.
Forrest City police were notified Wednesday that there was a dead person in an abandoned house on West Broadway. According to police, the house is known to be frequented by homeless people.
The man was not immediately identified. One officer said it was difficult to say how long he had been dead, because of the cold weather over the last few days.