The winter storm which rolled over Arkansas left more ice than snow in the immediate Forrest City area, although as much as seven inches of the white stuff was reported elsewhere.
No one answered the phone at the city garage this morning, but there was plenty of action on the scanner, indicating that city employees were out trying to make intersections and some stretches of road safer.
At the Forrest City Police Department, a spokesperson said the streets were still slick this morning.
"Some of the intersections are sanded down, but it's still slick out there," he said.
He added that people seem to be driving sensibly, because there hasn't been a rash of fender-benders.
At Troop D headquarters of the Arkansas State Police, it was reported that there had been no major accidents in the troop area, but a lot of telephone calls.
"There are a bunch of people running off the road, but no fatals," a spokesperson said. "People calling in for road conditions -- that's what's killing us."
There is a number -- 501-618-8112 -- which people needing to travel can call to find out conditions, but many people apparently are not using it.
"We would hope people would learn that by now," said the spokesperson. "It's been steady going. Nine out of 10 calls are 'How is the Interstate?' We just tell them it's icy."
He said that as of this morning, the top safe speed on the interstate was about 30 miles per hour.
Around the state, the storm that dumped up to seven inches of snow snarled traffic, canceled airline flights, downed power lines and delighted children in much of Arkansas.
Many businesses shut down early Wednesday afternoon, and many offices sent workers home at midday. The result in the Little Rock area was traffic slowed to a few miles an hour on city streets and even interstate highways, as motorists negotiated the snow-covered pavement carefully.
A motorist was killed in an accident on sleet-slickened Interstate 30 near Arkadelphia.
The National Weather Service reported that Mount Ida, in Montgomery County west of Hot Springs, got the most snow, 7 inches. Newport reported 5 inches on the ground, and towns from Deer in Newton County to Mountain Home to Hot Springs recorded 4 inches.
The official total recorded for Little Rock -- at the weather service office in North Little Rock -- was 2.5 inches, while 2.7 inches was reported at Little Rock National Airport.
Jasper and Arkadelphia got 2 inches, and Harrison got a half-inch.
In Little Rock, federal offices closed shortly after noon and many state offices followed suit shortly thereafter. The result was a traffic nightmare, said Randy Ort, spokesman for the state Highway and Transportation Department.
''We got slammed,'' Ort said.
Lt. C.P. Thomas of the Little Rock Police Department compared the traffic snarls to what occurred during a storm on Jan. 27, 2000, that put 8 inches of snow on the ground in central Arkansas. Little Rock police units started putting chains on their patrol cars about noon.
Some flights were canceled and others delayed at the Little Rock airport, the state's largest. Deborah Schwartz, executive director, said two of the airport's three runways were closed Wednesday afternoon.
In Little Rock, school children already out for the holidays frolicked in the snow -- not caring that the Christmas-week snow was costing them the benefit of snow days built into many school calendars.
''They'll take snow anytime they can get it, and they want a white Christmas,'' said Kathy House, principal of the Christ the King Catholic School in Little Rock.
Officials of two cell-phone service providers, Alltel Corp. and Cingular Wireless, said congestion that jammed their circuits Wednesday stemmed from the storm.
Alltel spokesman Andrew Moreau said the congestion resulted when many companies and government offices sent their workers home early because of the snow. He said many more people than usual were trying to make calls on their cell phones at the same time. Cingular spokesman Frank Merriman agreed -- too many people were trying to make calls at once.
Scattered power failures were also reported. Entergy Corp. spokesman Dan Daugherty said about 1,500 customers in the Blytheville-Marion area were without power for a time on Wednesday.
Daugherty said wind was a bigger problem than the snow in northeast Arkansas, with the gusts snapping 25 utility poles in the region.
Other outages were reported at Gillette, where about 600 customers were without electricity, and in Magnolia, where about 230 lost power.
With temperatures not expected to rise above freezing until Saturday, many Arkansans can expect to rise on Christmas day to a snow-covered landscape.
John Robinson, severe weather coordinator for the weather service office at North Little Rock, said sunshine was expected Thursday, and that could melt some of the snow, but most should remain in place into the weekend.
In the 120 years that the National Weather Service has kept snowfall records at Little Rock or North Little Rock, there has been snow on the ground for Christmas only eight times before, most recently in 1990.
In many areas, winter is a season of bitter cold and numbing wetness. The Forrest City Area Humane Society has issued the following tips, from the National Humane Society's Web page, for the care of pets during winter weather.
"It looks like we'll be getting some harsh conditions pretty soon, and this might do some good for people who are unaware of proper pet care," a press release said. "Help your pets remain happy and healthy during the colder months by following these simple guidelines."
1. Don't leave dogs outdoors when the temperature drops. Most dogs, and all cats, are safer indoors, except when taken out for exercise. Regardless of the season, short-haired, very young, or old dogs and all cats should never be left outside without supervision. Short-coated dogs may feel more comfortable wearing a sweater during walks.
2. No matter what the temperature, wind-chill can threaten a pet's life. A dog or cat is happiest and healthiest when kept indoors. If your dog is an outdoor dog, however, he or she must be protected by a dry, draft-free doghouse that is large enough to allow the dog to sit and lie down comfortably, but small enough to hold in his/her body heat. The floor should be raised a few inches off the ground and covered with cedar shavings or straw. The house should be turned to face away from the wind, and the doorway should be covered with waterproof burlap or heavy plastic.
3. Pets who spend a lot of time outdoors need more food in the winter. This is because keeping warm depletes energy. Routinely check your pet's water dish to make certain the water is fresh and unfrozen. Use plastic food and water bowls rather than metal; when the temperature is low, your pet's tongue can stick and freeze to metal.
4. Warm engines in parked cars attract cats and small wildlife, who may crawl up under the hood. To avoid injuring any hidden animals, bang on your car's hood to scare them away before starting your engine.
5. The salt and other chemicals used to melt snow and ice can irritate the pads of your pet's feet. Wipe their feet with a damp towel before your pet licks them and irritates his or her mouth.
6. Antifreeze is a deadly poison, but it has a sweet taste that may attract animals and children. Wipe up spills and store antifreeze (and all household chemicals) out of reach. Better yet, use antifreeze-coolant made with propylene glycol; if swallowed in small amounts, it will not hurt pets, wildlife, or your family.
Probably the best prescription for winter's woes is to keep your dog or cat inside with you and your family. The happiest dogs are those who are taken out frequently for walks and exercise but kept inside the rest of the time.
Dogs and cats are social animals who crave human companionship. Your animal companions deserve to live indoors with you and your family.
St. Francis County residents will once again have a chance to trim down while taking part in a friendly competition in the annual Slimathon, sponsored by Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City.
Tiffany Billingsley, marketing director of BMH-FC, spoke about the event. "A recent community assessment showed that 71 percent of St. Francis County residents are either overweight or obese and one out of every three report no physical activity on a regular basis," said Billingsley. "As a health care organization, Baptist works to safeguard the health of our patients and community, so we are once again sponsoring the St. Francis County Slimathon. The program is structured as an enjoyable way to encourage our community to take steps to improve their own health and fitness, while engaging in a little healthy competition."
According to Billingsley, the event will kick off on Tuesday, Jan. 18, with the initial weigh-in being held from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the hospital in the education room. The weigh-out will be at the same location on Tuesday, March 15, from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
"The goal of the Slimathon is to promote optimal health and nutritional status among St. Francis County residents," Billingsley stated. "We encourage weight loss through a balanced low-calorie diet and increased energy expenditure. It is recommended that participants have a daily exercise plan and keep a food diary.
"The weight lost during the event will be computed by percentage rather than by total pounds lost in order to keep the competition fair to all involved. Results of the contest will be announced after Wednesday, March 16. Teams should consist of four to 10 people and descriptive names are encouraged. Each team member must pay $10. The total amount of the money collected during the event will be divided equally among the winning team members."
Billingsley also provided a list of rules for the event. No one can be a member of more than one team. A picture ID is required at the weigh-in and weigh-out and all information will be held confidential. All participants must weigh in and out during the scheduled dates and times, no exceptions will be made. Pregnant women can not participate. Minors must have parental consent to participate.
Billingsley also encourages participants to have a daily exercise plan and keep a food diary and for teams to take a picture before and after the events. There will be optional weigh-ins each Tuesday during the Slimathon between the hours of 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and again from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
"Feel free to call my office with any questions at 870-261-0006," added Billingsley. "We look forward to seeing you at the weigh-in."
The Times-Herald offices will be closed on Friday, Dec. 24, for the Christmas holiday, which falls on Saturday. The newspaper will resume its normal operations on Monday, Dec. 27.
In addition, the offices will also be closed next Friday, Dec.
31, for the New Year's holiday, which also falls on a Saturday.
The Forrest City Water Commission met briefly on Tuesday and heard from manager Jim Beazley that the proposed rate increases were still being considered by the Forrest City City Council.
Beazley told commissioners the city council is still considering the ordinance that proposes an increase in water rates.
Two Forrest Citians are facing drug charges after arrests Tuesday in Grobmyer Circle.
According to a report from the Forrest City Police Department, Jerome Lawson, 24, 347 Grobmyer Circle, Forrest City, and Stephanie Heard, 22, of the same address, were arrested on charges of possession of a counterfeit controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia by a Forrest City Police Officer after Heard called police for help getting into her apartment.
According to the report, Heard called the police department
after locking herself out of the apartment. When Forrest City
Police Officer Billy Andrews entered the apartment, he reportedly
found Lawson, who he thought had an outstanding warrant. While
attempting to confirm the warrant, Andrews noticed that Heard
was attempting to clean something from the table. Upon further
inspection he found a torn clear plastic sandwich bags and a white
rock substance which appeared to be cocaine. The substance later
failed to test positive for cocaine. Andrews also found a pipe
used for smoking marijuana.
A car was apparently stolen and set on fire Tuesday evening.
A Forrest City police officer and the Forrest City Fire Department was dispatched to 288 D Street in regards to the fire.
They found a white Oldsmobile Cutlass burning. After the fire was extinguished, the fire department stated that an accelerant had been used to start the fire in the car's interior.
The owner of the vehicle, Kanessha Wilson of 1421 N. Division #108, reported the car was stolen. She said the keys to her car were taken from her apartment about a month ago during a burglary.