By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute has received full accreditation from the Council on Occupational Education (COE) for the maximum time allowed by the organization.
CRTI President Burl Lieblong told members of the school's board Thursday afternoon that the accreditation has been approved for six years. "We've been talking about the COE accreditation. The key thing is that we have received a letter from Harry Bowman, the executive director of the COE, notifying us of our full accreditation. The longest term they offer for accreditation is six years, and that is what we received."
Officials with the COE spent several days at the CRTI campus last summer where they reviewed a list of 10 standards that each campus must meet before receiving accreditation. The 10 standards include: Institutional mission and objectives, educational programs, program and institutional outcomes, strategic planning, learning resources, physical resources, financial resources, human resources, organizational structure and student services and activities.
The COE, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., gives accreditation to over 1,200 schools across the country and in Puerto Rico. CRTI was one of 120 schools visited by a COE team last year.
In other business, students in the commercial truck driving class at Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute will notice a tuition increase this summer. At the request of Lieblong, the board approved a $100 increase for students in the truck driving course, raising the current rate of $450 to $550 effective July 1. The cost of the course does not cover the cost of a required drug test.
Lieblong explained his request, "We have had the rate at $450 since the beginning of the program," said Lieblong. "I proposed that the rate be increased to $550. The price of diesel fuel is up, and we need to ensure good equipment for the students in the program. We do offer a payment plan for students in the course that allows them to pay the tuition by the middle of the course. I don't think that the extra $100 will prevent anyone from coming to the class."
Lieblong also discussed he possibility of expanding the truck driving course in the future. "Right now we can have six to eight students in the course at one time," said Lieblong. "We have had more interest in the program because of the layoffs at some of the area plants. We could double our class size if we hired another instructor. We have one instructor now and two trucks."
Board members also learned of an educational grant the school recently received.
"The IMACA (International Mobile Air Conditioning Association) Educational Foundation has given us a grant of $14,646.53 to our Automotive Service Technology program," Lieblong said. A press release shows the grant is made available to training institutions for tuition-endowed training in automotive air conditioning and for institutions to purchase mobile air conditioning training equipment.
Before adjourning, Lieblong reminded board members of a meeting that will be held on the CRTI campus in April to help smaller school districts come into compliance with new state legislation.
"We are holding this meeting on Thursday, April 1, at 3:30 p.m., for school district superintendents from about a 35-to 45-mile radius of the campus. We will invite them to tour our facilities and have supper afterwards. The purpose is to let them know we are here to help them offer the five job-specific programs that they are now required to provide.
Some of the larger districts might not have a problem providing the courses, but the smaller ones Hughes or Palestine-Wheatley might. This also offers the students a chance to get a jump on their vocational training," Lieblong said.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The Colt City Council agreed to double the salary of its mayor Thursday during the group's monthly meeting.
The council unanimously voted to increase Mayor Virgil Keeler's salary to $400 per month due to Keeler's increased availability with the closing of RBX industries. The pay increase will be temporary until such time as Keeler finds full-time employment. Keeler also agreed to waive a state constitutional law prohibiting the council from reducing a mayor's salary, allowing his pay to revert back to $200 per month once he returns to work.
In other business, the council agreed to allow a resident to place a second mobile home on one lot and granted him a variance allowing him just over a month to remove a single-wide mobile home currently on the property.
According to City Manager Bobby Clarkson, the resident was seeking the variance so that he could move into a double-wide mobile home. Clarkson said that the resident has plans to sell the other building in order to come into compliance with the ordinance. Council members granted the variance and gave the homeowner until April 8, to move the structure.
Council members also tabled a request to zone an area as commercial until the property owner Roger Davidson can provide a legal description of the property to the council.
Davidson was seeking to have an area, which would fall into a residential zone, rezoned so that he could sell the property to a mowing service. Under advisement from City Attorney Steve Routon, the council chose to table the matter until Davidson could provide them with exact measurements for the area he was seeking to sell.
The body of a Forrest City man was found inside a back room at his home as firemen worked to extinguish a blaze there Thursday night.
The Forrest City Fire Department was called to the Ivory McKnight residence at 322 C St., about 7:15 p.m. Firefighters trying to extinguish the blaze inside the home found the body inside a back room on the southeast corner of the structure.
The Forrest City Police Department identified the victim as McKnight, 45.
Officers with the FCPD's Criminal Investigation Unit were called to the scene, but at this time foul play is not suspected in McKnight's death, according to police and fire officials.
The victim's body was taken to the morgue at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City. Fire Chief Dan Curtner said the body will be reviewed by the county's medical examiner who will determine whether or not it should be sent to the State Crime Lab. "We don't suspect anything on it," Curtner said. "From the way we're looking at it, it looks like it was accidental. There were no utilities hooked up at all at the residence."
Firemen are still trying to determine the origin of the fire.
A 26-year old Forrest City man surrendered to police Thursday on charges related to a drug raid earlier this month in Beech Grove.
According to press release from the Forrest City Police Department, Christopher Traylor, 26, 422 Laughrun Dr., surrendered to police yesterday on charges of possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering the welfare of a minor child. Traylor is being charged under the state's habitual offender law which could increase any fines or confinement periods.
On Feb. 2, officers arrested Larry Henshaw, 54, also of 422 Laughrun Dr. and Dewey Emerson, 36, also of the residence. Henshaw is facing charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver near certain facilities and endangering the welfare of a minor child, while Emerson, who is currently out of jail on another drug charge, was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver near certain facilities, possession of a controlled substance, marijuana and endangering the welfare of a minor child.
Traylor was released on his own recognizance to his attorney and father and is scheduled to appear in St. Francis County District Court on Thursday, Feb. 26, according to court records.