By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Forrest City recently completed all of the required elements to be certified for the Arkansas Community of Excellence (ACE) program.
A letter of notification was sent to Mayor Larry Bryant and the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce.
Tiffany Billingsley, who acted as the community coordinator for the local project, said receiving the ACE designation is something that can help Forrest City economically.
"It basically shows that we have put together plans and are interested in moving our community forward and preparing ourselves for any development, any industry, any kind of jobs that come this way.
"Companies will look at us and see that we have gone through this planning process, and we will continue to do it. This is not a one-time thing. We will continue to certify each year. Potential industries will say, 'Hey, this is an ACE community.'"
Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Win Rockefeller will preside over the certification ceremony at the upcoming Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet. Chamber personnel are currently working with the Lt. Governor's office to schedule a date for the banquet.
"They've been working on it with the Lieutenant Governor's office for some time," said Billingsley. "We were actually presented for certification back in October and were notified in December. But we've been working on that since October. They were really impressed with what we did."
The ACE process was initiated in Forrest City on Jan. 23, 2003, at a special community forum held at the Civic Center. The community was invited to share their thoughts on the city's strengths and weaknesses. The community forum also gave attendees the opportunity to vote on what ACE components they valued as most important to Forrest City's future success.
Following the forum, committees were set up to begin developing plans for each of the 10 components. The chosen components were Manufacturing and Development, Housing, Community Beautification, Leadership, Education, Health Care, Commercial Development, Tourism, Workforce Development and Established Business and Industry.
The Arkansas Community of Excellence (ACE) program is the cornerstone of the state's economic development partnerships with local communities. It is a proven, effective tool used by communities in self-analysis, organization and goal setting. ACE helps communities of all sizes prepare for economic growth and community development in order to improve the area's overall quality of life. To date, 76 Arkansas communities, including two counties and two regional partnerships, have achieved ACE certification.
The ACE process focuses on planning. By helping communities recognize their assets and challenges, analyze alternatives, develop a plan and implement it, ACE enables communities to recognize opportunities and pursue businesses that offers economic prosperity, the release stated. ACE also encourages communities to partner with other towns and state agencies to attain goals.
David K. Dunn has been hired as executive director of the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce.
Dunn served in that capacity from 1995-1999 before leaving for the private business sector. He was also elected to the State House of Representatives in May of 2004.
Contacted this morning, Dunn said he is excited about returning to the job.
"I came before and we played what I consider a pretty good role in industrial development," said Dunn. "I really feel like we have a lot of opportunities."
He continued, "The Chamber's primary goal has been job creation and retention. Obviously, we will not turn our backs on any community development, but we feel like our main area is jobs, and making sure the companies we have here are taken care of and nurtured, and we hope, expanded.
"And we also want to make sure we create a pro-business environment so companies can feel they can come to our whole area and have good business," Dunn added.
He said the passage of Amendment 2 in the general election, which allows the Legislature to issue economic development bonds, will be a great help.
With a focus on industrial recruitment, Dunn will assume the duties as director on Jan. 3.
He has worked for the Arkansas Department of Economic Development and is a past-president of the Arkansas Economic Developers. He has been involved with the Southern Industrial Development Council, the Community Development Society, the American Economic Development Council and the Arkansas Chamber of Commerce Executives.
"We couldn't have found a better person for the Executive Director's position," said Board President Randy Pearson. "David did a great job when he was at the Chamber before, and I know he will do an outstanding job now. We look forward to a long and productive relationship with David."
Dunn and his wife Lorri have four children, Sunni, Ross, Jack and Susie.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Rosalond Hughes has a hobby. So do a lot of people.
However, like many people whose hobby is making things, she realized that things might start stacking up.
It's a problem for many who have hobbies: What to do with the things that hobby produces?
Hughes followed her heart and realized that if one is a caring enough person, the answer is to give them away.
That's just what Hughes decided to do with her creations -- colorful, soft, warm afghans.
She has decided that it was a nice problem to have.
"I've been making afghans a long time, and I didn't really know what to do with them," she says. "And well, I like helping people, so I decided to do some charity work."
Hughes, 44, and a native of Forrest City, says she has lived here all her life. She recently decided that one way to give back to her home town community was to donate her afghans to people who need them. Mainly, she's interested in targeting nursing home residents and children in foster care.
In an age when many people are out for anything they can get, Hughes stands out for emphasizing that the afghans are not for sale.
"I am not selling these," she says. "These are to be given as gifts. It's just something I decided I wanted to do."
Not only that, but she is not just offering to give her creations to friends, but to total strangers. It is also something she plans on doing year-round, not just during the holidays.
Anyone who knows of someone who could make use of one of Hughes' afghans may call her at 633-4954.
One thing folks will have to realize is, these afghans take time. They are not mass produced -- they are made by hand, one at a time. Hughes says they are both knitted and crocheted.
"I plan on donating at least two a month," she says. "That's because it's going to take me a while to make them up, but that's what I plan on doing."
But like many things which are made slowly and carefully, each afghan will be loaded with love.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Planning Commission approved two variances for the new Southern Furniture location at 4000 North Washington Tuesday afternoon.
Glenn Patterson, the owner of the business, and Dave Hodges, the architect for the project, requested a 20-foot front setback variance from the required 25 feet for a sign, and a variance from the required 92 parking spaces.
Hodges explained the request to commissioners, beginning with the parking spaces.
"There are some hardships that the site presents for the building to have the 92 spaces that are required by the city for the size of the building," said Hodges. "There is a ditch that cuts across the property that creates problems with the parking lot. There is a grade change in the land that causes problems as well."
According to Hodges, information provided to the commission on the original request had been scaled back further. "We were requesting to have 47 parking spaces instead of 92, but we had problems fitting that amount in. We have worked in 32 spaces. The letter of notification that we sent out to the surrounding landowners did have the correct amount of spaces on it. Of the spaces, two will be handicapped spaces. The amount of spaces also does not include the dock area."
There was a short discussion about moving the handicapped spaces for better access to the building. Both Hodges and Patterson agreed to look at where the spaces could be moved.
"The building will have 15,000 square feet of showroom space and 5,000 square feet of warehouse space," continued Hodges. "According to the city ordinance, that would mean we are required to have 76 parking spaces for the showroom and 16 parking spaces for the warehouse. The showroom will have displays that will take up much of the space inside the building. I believe that 32 spaces will accommodate the business."
Chairman Danny Capps also added that Patterson owns much of the surrounding land on which the building is sitting. "It is not like he is land-locked there. He can build more spaces later if they are needed."
In regards to the sign variance, Hodges stated that they did not have a picture of the sign, but the same sign faces from the old location would be used on a double pole. Hodges also added that he felt that the sign would still sit back further than some signs for other buildings in the same area.
Both variances were approved unanimously by the commission. The matter will now be presented to the Forrest City City Council for final approval.
This year's St. Francis County Slimathon will kick off with a Fitness Fair on Tuesday, Jan. 18, at Baptist Memorial Hospital - Forrest City in the education classroom located on the first floor.
The Fitness Fair will feature representatives from area fitness centers and health organizations. Nutritional information will also be available to all participants, and door prizes will be given throughout the day.
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.
"The annual Slimathon is just one way Baptist works to safeguard the health of our patients and community," a press release stated. "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."
The initial weigh in on Jan. 18 will be from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Weigh-out will be at the same location on Tuesday, March 15, from 7 a.m, to 5:30 p.m.
For more information call 261-0006.
Optional weekly weigh-ins will be on Tuesdays, beginning on Jan. 25, between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and 3 to 5:30 p.m. Participants are urged to weigh each week near the same time with the same amount of clothing to get a more accurate account of weight loss. Participants may or may not choose to wear shoes during weigh-ins, but that choice must remain consistent throughout the competition.
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 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 money collected during the event will be divided equally among the winning team members.
According to the press release, the goal of the Slimathon is to promote optimal health and nutritional status among St. Francis County residents.
"We encourage weight loss through a balanced low-calorie diet and increased energy expenditure," the release stated. "It is recommended that participants have a daily exercise plan and keep a food diary."
With the New Year's Day holiday falling on a Saturday, city and county offices will be closed on Friday.
Both the Forrest City City Hall and the St. Francis County Courthouse will be closed on Friday, Dec. 31. Normal business hours will resume on Monday, Jan. 3, for both the city and county offices.
Additionally, the Times-Herald will not be published on Friday. The Times-Herald offices will reopen at 8 a.m. on Monday.
The local board of the Emergency Food and Shelter program will meet Thursday, Jan. 6, to distribute funds recently made available to St. Francis County.
The county will receive $25,033. The meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the quorum court room at the county courthouse.
The funds are to be used for area services that help with food and shelter for families in St. Francis County who need the services. Agencies that received the funding in 2004 were the St. Francis County C.A.R.E. Center, the St. Francis County Food Pantry and the American Legion Goodfellows.
Members of the local board include representatives from the county judge's office, mayor's office, churches, organizations, agencies and citizens.
The Forrest City City Council is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. Thursday at city hall.
The purpose of the meeting is for councilmen to consider the city's 2005 budget.
The meeting is open to the public.