By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A Forrest City man died Thursday night in a one-vehicle accident on Newcastle Road, only minutes after the car he was driving was reported stolen from a store on South Washington.
Wallace Edward Alexander, 19, of 501 Martin Luther King Drive in Forrest City, was killed in the accident.
About 9:30 p.m., the Forrest City Police Department received a call that a vehicle had been stolen from Leake's Kwik Shop at 1328 South Washington in Forrest City.
Brittney Woodson, 16, of 924 Brookside, reported that she was inside the store shopping. She said she left the engine running in the 2003 Chevrolet Malibu she was driving.
Woodson reported that she had been in the store only a couple of minutes when an unidentified man entered the store and told her that someone had driven out of the parking lot in her car. The police were then notified.
About 9:46 p.m., the FCPD was notified of a one-vehicle accident near the intersection of Newcastle Road (Arkansas Highway 284) and Kittle Road. The vehicle was found upside down, about 130 feet from where it apparently left the road.
According to the investigation of the accident, the vehicle, which was the same Chevrolet Malibu reported stolen earlier, was headed north on Newcastle, when it failed to negotiate a curve near the intersection of Newcastle and Kittle.
The vehicle left the roadway and traveled about 102 feet, where it struck a tree. It then traveled 31 feet, striking a telephone junction box, and after striking the junction box, the vehicle flipped upside down and slid to its final resting spot.
The driver of the car, later identified as Alexander, was extracted from the wreckage by the Forrest City Fire Department, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the police report, the accident is still under investigation.
The vehicle was owned by Ethel Woodson of Forrest City. The estimated damage to the car was $15,000.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
If all goes as planned, the Forrest City Municipal Sports Complex could see the completion of a new addition as soon as December, according to Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant.
Bryant said early plans are calling for work to begin on the city's multi-million dollar multi-purpose center this summer. "We have an architect in place, and hopefully we can get the dirt work started by June 1. If we do and we get good weather, then we could see the project completed by the end of fall, and at the latest by the spring of 2005," Bryant said.
No exact location has been determined for the building, but Bryant said that he would like to see it placed close to the senior center.
"Right now, we haven't decided on a location for the multi-purpose building, but I'm leaning more towards placing it close to the senior center. If we have it closer to the driveway (the north entrance to the complex) then it will cut down on some of the parking out there, and we need as much parking as we can get. If it's closer to the senior center, then it will allow the seniors easier access to the facility and it will also give us a more centralized location and allow for more expansion on the other property," Bryant said.
The future expansion Bryant referred to could be the addition of a running track, practice fields and a walking track that would flow around the rear of the property. Bryant said that the additional walking area would provide a safer route for walkers who currently use the facility.
"If we put the building near the north parking lot, then not only are we going to cut into our parking, we'll also cut into the area that could be used for additional practice fields and a possible joint venture with the school district to build a track facility that could be used by the school and the city. I would also like to see us build another walking track out there which would go around the back end of the property and take our people out of the flow of traffic like they are now," Bryant said.
According to Bryant, plans for the multi-purpose facility will not include an indoor swimming pool, but the building will be constructed to provide for future expansion.
Work at one of the city's five neighborhood parks is also going well Bryant said. "We've started working over at Southside on the pool, and it is progressing. We're still working on getting the walking track for the park and have to interview on a grant to build the walking track next month," he said.
Bryant also said that the city has begun its annual battle with mosquitos through the larvicide program.
"We've already started putting out our larvicide tablets to try to keep mosquitos down as much as possible," he said.
Bryant said that part of the fight against the pests will include the elimination of some ditches through the installation of pipes. "We're planning to install drainage pipes in some locations throughout the city so that we can eliminate some of the standing water that mosquitos breed in," he said.
The city is also working with the Arkansas Department of Human Services by giving employment to three of the department's clients. According to Bryant, the city is working along with DHS on a program which will employee three individuals for a three-month period with possible full-time employment available after the probationary period. If the program is successful, the cost of the additional employees will be offset with DHS paying 65-percent of the salary for the employees and the city paying the remainder.
Incumbent Sam Armstrong has announced his bid for reelection to the St. Francis County Quorum Court, District 4.
Armstrong has lived in St. Francis County in the Parrott Community on SFC 311 (Barrow Hill Road) since 1971. He is employed by the Forrest City Water Utility and is also the plumbing inspector for Colt and the portion of St. Francis County served by the Forrest City Water Utility. He and his wife, Judy, have one son, Dewayne, and two granddaughters, all of Forrest City. He is a member of Village Creek Missionary Baptist Church.
Armstrong is a member of the Arkansas Plumbing Association, the Arkansas Association of Counties and the Arkansas Waterworks and Water Environment Association. He is currently serving on the Quorum Court's Personnel Committee and the Building and Courthouse Improvement Committee.
"I appreciate all of the cooperation and support from you, the people of District 4," Armstrong said. "I believe that I have made every effort to represent everyone equally. I will continue to listen to your suggestions and work to accomplish our community goals of paved roads, better law enforcement and fair taxes.
"This will be my fourth term as your representative, and I will continue to work with the members of the Quorum Court and all elected officials for what is best for our district and to help bring the county into sound financial condition," he continued. "I want to thank you for your past support and I ask for your vote in the upcoming primary election to be held May 18, 2004."
The Forrest City City Council will have a busy agenda when it meets in regular session Tuesday, March 2 at 7 p.m. at city hall.
One of the top items will be an ordinance amending the 2004 budget, including raises recommended by a committee at the last meeting.
Also, an ordinance will be introduced to adjust fees for fighting out of town fires and making out of town rescue runs.
Another ordinance of interest will seek to abolish the Civic Center Commission. There will be a related discussion on the existing Civic Center contract with Jim Hitchcock.
Among the other items will be bid openings for a new air conditioning system at the Civic Center, a generator for the Civic Center, a knuckle boom truck for the Solid Waste Department and a sign for the Civic Center.