One juvenile was hospitalized and another has been charged with battery after an incident on school property involving alleged gang activity.
According to the police report, the incident took place on the south end of the field west of Sam Smith Stadium, near the bus pick up at about 3:20 p.m. It was called in by a witness.
According to the victim, 17-year-old Antonio Hurd of Palestine, the perpetrator, a 15-year-old Forrest City juvenile, had been talking "gang talk" to him. He stated that he was an active member of the "Crips."
He claimed that he tried to walk away from a confrontation, and was attacked from behind.
The other juvenile, who stated that he is a member of the "Bloods," was arrested shortly after. He claimed that Hurd had bumped into him in the school hallway and didn't say "excuse me."
The juvenile also stated that other students had been "boosting the fight all day."
Hurd was transported to the emergency room at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City. The police report stated that he had several lacerations to his face, mouth and nose. Several stitches were required.
In addition, preliminary X-rays showed that the orbital bone in Hurd's right eye was broken. Also, both cheek bones may have been broken and he suffered possible fractures to his nose.
According to the police report, Hurd was then taken to the Med in Memphis for further evaluation. No information was available on his condition.
The alleged assailant was processed as a juvenile and released. He was given a conference date pending further investigation.
The gang allegations are a cause for concern, according to Michael Long, resource officer with the school district. However, he added it was not clear whether the allegations were true or not in this particular case.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Long said, concerning whether the incident was actually gang-related.
"They say they're affiliated with gangs, and there are so-called 'youth organizations' and they call themselves the Crips and Bloods and the Black Gangster Disciples. We do have some youthful gang activity around Forrest City."
There were no comments from school officials on the incident.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
Hughes residents may soon be paying extra money on their water bills to help the city fight mosquitos.
The new charge was discussed during a Hughes City Council meeting earlier this week.
Mayor Donnie Mooney suggested the charge, stating that other cities in the area have begun charging for spraying to offset the cost of the equipment, supplies and manpower.
"Right now, all of the money for the mosquito spraying is coming out of the general fund of the city," said Mooney. "We are not recovering any of that money back. I suggest that we add a $1.50 charge to the water bills to pay for spraying for mosquitos.
"The price for this is going up each year," said Mooney. "Hopefully people won't complain too much about an extra $1.50 a month. In this past year, we've spent $20,000 on spraying, but we had several problems with the sprayer and spent money to repair it. In 2003, it was $13,000, and in 2002, it was $10,000. All of the towns around us are doing this to try and recover some of the money they are spending on this. We have 600 water customers. It will end up costing the customers an extra $18 a year for the charge, and when you add it up, it would be about $11,000 that we would get to use for the spraying. I don't think this next year will be as much as this year, but that money would help in the costs."
Councilman Malcom Curne agreed. "I don't have a problem with it," Curne said. "Most of us would spend that $18 on two cans of Off during the summer." The council agreed that the charge was necessary and will discuss amending the city's water ordinance to reflect the charge next month.
The topic of house stripping was discussed by the council. According to several alderman, there is a growing problem with criminals removing whole windows and doors from residences in Hughes.
"They are taking the window, and the windowsill," said White. "They are taking the whole door off of some places, frame and all. It's happening at abandoned houses and in the day light."
Hughes Police Chief Jimmy Latham echoed White's concerns. "I know that it is a problem. There was one house on Cowan Street where someone took the kitchen sink. We are working on the problem the best we can."
Latham also discussed the city's problem with stray dogs. "Another issue we are facing is the amount of stray dogs roaming around. I know that the city has an ordinance for vicious dogs, but I'm asking you what, if anything, we can do to remove some of these dogs from the city. I'm afraid that a child might get bit."
City attorney Jerry Roberts told councilmen that while the city does have an ordinance, there is no place to store the dogs or anyone to catch them.
In other topics, council members voted unanimously to approve
Christmas bonuses for city employees and the issue of an increase
in city water rates was tabled until the January meeting.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The Palestine City Council voted Tuesday to raise water rates to match those proposed by the Forrest City Water Utility. The council declared an emergency and held three readings of an ordinance to change the rates.
"This ordinance increases the water rates to keep up with the Forrest City rate which is about to increase," said Mayor Willetta Carroll. "It will bring the per unit rate up to $1 from 77 cents for customers using minimum water. Since Forrest City is doing this, he have to go up (the Palestine Water Utility purchases water and water services from FCWU)." The council unanimously voted to adopt the ordinance after its third reading.
According to information provided by the Palestine Water Utility, the rates inside the city limits will rise from $2.88 to $3.11 for the first 300 cubic feet of water used, from $2.16 to $2.39 for up to 600 cubic feet, from $1,43 to $1.66 for up to 900 cubic feet and from $1.15 to $1.38 for 1,000 cubic feet and above.
Rural rates will increase from $2.88 to $3.75 for the first 300 cubic feet of water used, from $2.16 to $2.81 for up to 600 cubic feet, from $1.43 to $1.86 for up to 900 cubic feet and from $1.15 to $1.50 for 1,000 cubic feet and above.
Council members also voted to increase sewer rates for rural users.
Sewer services for rural customers will go up from $8.75 for 0 to 200 cubic feet of usage to $10 minimum. For the next 300 cubic feet, the rate will increase from $1.50 to $2.50, from $1 to $2 for the next 300 cubic feet. Each additional 300 cubic feet used will cost $1.75.
The last rate that will go up is the delinquent service fee for both town and rural services. The current rate of $25 will increase to $35. All rates will take effect as of Jan. 1, 2005.
In closing, members unanimously approved amending the 2004 budget to purchase a police vehicle.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The Executive Director of Arkansans for Education Reform Foundation (AERF) spoke to the Forrest City Rotary Club this week about the need for improving education in Arkansas, and what his organization is trying to do to accomplish that end.
"Our foundation works to improve the quality of education in the state," said Luke Gordy at the regular Rotary meeting Tuesday. "And a big part of that is getting business more involved in the public education system. In 1983, there was a national study done called 'Nation at Risk.' The study showed that students in the United States were not competing with international students, that American students were behind students from other countries in some academic areas."
He continued, "Back in the 1980s, businesses were involved in trying to improve education in this country more than they are now. For whatever reason, businesses are less engaged in improving education than they were. We are making an effort to get more support from businesses, to have them partner with the education system, especially in the Delta."
He said improvements need to be made immediately.
"This is not something that is happening just down the road, it is happening now," said Gordy. "Arkansas communities are losing population and wealth. Fifty-two percent of Arkansas children age 19 and under are living in poverty. This cannot continue to happen."
Gordy then spoke of past efforts in the past to reform education.
"Today, there is not a lot of progress nationally compared to 1983," said Gordy. "Arkansas has made much progress, but more needs to be done. A group from Stanford University has done a study and they found that there has been a great change in resource gaps but achievement gaps have not changed. What that means is that we are throwing more money at the problems and we are not getting results."
According to Gordy, more accountability is needed.
"We need clear goals for our schools. We need to actually measure students' progress throughout the year. We have to look at each student and see whether they are performing or not. If they are not, we have to get them help," he said.
"We should have some system in place to pay the teachers whose students are doing better more. If you do a better job, you should get paid more, that just makes good business sense. If a teacher wants to teach in the Delta from a more successful school in another part of the state, they should get paid more to come here.
Gordy concluded by giving some more examples of changes the AERF is suggesting for Arkansas public schools.
"We need to compare our school to those in other states," he said. "We are a smaller state and we should compare ourselves to states about the same size, not New York, but smaller states. In Florida, they have a rating system, one through five, for their schools. One is the best and five is the worst. We are suggesting that Arkansas have a rating system for its schools, A through F. It is easier to tell if a school is doing well if they have an A rating than if they have a one rating."
For more information about the Arkansans for Education Reform
Foundation, visit their website at www.educatearkansas.com
On Friday, Dec. 17, at 1:45 p.m., the Forrest City Junior High School will honor its 2005 Arkansas Teacher of the Year, Pam England.
Billy Ferguson, principal of FCJHS will preside at a special event in the parking lot of the school.
Immediately following, a reception will be held honoring England where refreshments will be served in the Cafeteria of FCJHS. The entire community is invited to the event to meet England and show their support.
The Delta Regional Airport Authority will meet tonight at the Colt Civic Center from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The primary item on the agenda for the meeting will be first discussion of potential sites for the proposed regional airport. Engineers with Garver Engineering are expected to present as many as 15 potential sites which will be narrowed down to six to eight locations in the coming months.