By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
More than 100 employees of a plant in Colt could lose their jobs after officials with RBX Industries Inc., announced that the facility would be one of three factories to close in April.
According to a press release from RBX, the Colt facility, an operation in Bedford, Va., and a third in Tallapoosa, Ga., will begin the phase-down process to close beginning April 2, and ending April 16. According to the release, the decision to terminate those operations was "related to continued financial losses associated with those locations driven by overcapacity in the rubber industry and continued weakness in the general manufacturing economy."
Harry Schickling, vice president of administration with RBX, said the Colt facility is the largest of the three scheduled to close, with approximately 142 employees. The closings are anticipated to affect in the neighborhood of 250 total employees. While RBX is planning to close its doors, some employees may not lose their jobs due to attempts to sell the businesses and transfers being available to other locations.
"One of the reasons we can't really pinpoint the number of jobs that will be lost is due to on-going attempts to sell the facilities. In addition to that, some employees will be needed to do things at other facilities that will remain in operation," Schickling said.
According to St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco, the newness of the Colt operation and the method of production used at the plant could be selling points for the facility.
"We were notified by officials yesterday, and we're hoping that the Colt plant can be sold so that some of the employees can retain their jobs. That plant is fairly new by industry standards, and their use of microwaves for production will hopefully be selling points to get someone else in here," Cisco said.
RBX also owns factories in Conover, N.C., South Holland, Ill., and Buchanan, Virginia.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Airport Commission of the Forrest City Municipal Airport had no business on which to vote Monday night, so the members present briefly discussed some airport-related subjects, including a possible lighted sign for the airport entrance and a recent article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette over which commission chairman Bill Hays expressed concern.
"Among other things, it kind of misrepresented us in a way, because it said we had a 3,800-foot runway and 10 gliders," said Hays.
The runway, according to the 2003 Airport Master Plan, is 3,014 feet and there haven't been any gliders since the Memphis Soaring Society ended its association with the airport, more than a year ago.
"If we're going to be quoted, it needs to be facts," said Hays.
On the subject of the sign, Hays said someone local is interested in making a presentation to the commission, and he expects that person to attend a meeting in the near future.
On another subject, Hays expressed concern over a questionnaire which has been sent out by the Delta Regional Airport Authority. A regional airport, if ever built, would replace the airports at Wynne and Forrest City.
"Either Dr. (John) Kerr (chairman of the commission) or Garver Engineers (hired to perform a feasibility study) apparently is making a lot of contacts with airports to see if the people would use them."
Hays said he was concerned over the wording of one part of the questionnaire, which states the survey is being done "in order to forecast the number of based aircrafts at a proposed new Regional Airport between Forrest City and Wynne to replace existing Wynne and Forrest City airports."
He said that wording implied that a site had already been selected.
"There has never been a decision made where this new airport is going to be located," said Hays.
"We know, though, pretty well," said commission member Vester Wroten.
"Not necessarily," said Hays.
"Yes, we do," said Wroten. "It's going to be where the money is."
Hays also said that the questionnaire states the regional airport would have a runway length of more than 5,000 feet.
"That's never been decided," Hays, who is also a member of the regional board, said. "I don't know who's putting this out...Anyway, this information is being put out to the flying public."
The questionnaire asks respondents to send the completed forms back to Garver Engineers.
"It just seems strange to me that they would be putting down that site location has been made, or certainly indicating a site location has been made, and a specific length of the runway, because that has not happened," said Hays. "It says very clearly here, between Wynne and Forrest City...This is not a regional airport meeting, but it does concern me, because we're supposedly not being real factual with what's going on."
"But you're a member of it, aren't you?" asked Wroten.
"Yes but I don't know we've made any kind of decisions."
Hays also reported that he had been in contact with Tevis Pappas, the man who will install the new parts in the airports non-directional beacon. He said he was promised that Pappas would do the job this week, nor next week at the latest.
It was also reported that a hangar has been rented at the airport.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
Several people were arrested on drug charges Monday night during back-to-back raids conducted by the Forrest City Police Department.
Police first raided a home on Franklin Street before focusing their attention on a Beech Grove residence where they found a five-year-old child in the midst of alleged drug activity. Both raids were part of police investigations into illegal drug sales.
About 8 p.m., officers served a search warrant on the Larry and Mattie Stacy residence at 104 E. Franklin St., and found .8 grams of crack cocaine with an estimated $80 street value and 1.7 grams of marijuana valued at about $15.
Anthony McDonald, 37, 945 Victor, Forrest City, who was visiting at the Stacy home at the time of the raid, was also found in possession of a bag of crack cocaine.
Mattie Stacy is charged with possession of marijuana and Larry Stacy is charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. The Stacys were charged and released with court dates, according to a FCPD press release.
McDonald is charged with possession with intent to deliver near certain facilities and resisting arrest. He is being held without bond in the St. Francis County Jail on felony drug charges, and is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in St. Francis County District Court.
Officers then directed their attention to the Larry Henshaw residence at 422 Laughrun Dr., where they arrested two men and removed a child from the home. The child was given to its biological mother because of what police referred to as a "dangerous environment" in which the child was living, according to police. According to the press release, police will notify the Arkansas Department of Human Services as to the findings of the investigation, and DHS will determine the future residence of the child.
The owner of the house, Henshaw, 54, was found in possession of two bags of methamphetamine. Another occupant of the residence, Dewey Emerson, 36, was found in possession of 10 bags of methamphetamine, a bag of marijuana and a marijuana cigarette.
The marijuana had an estimated weight of 13.4 grams, about $100 in value, and the methamphetamine weighed an estimated 8.8 grams and was valued at $900.
A third subject in the house during the raid was not charged, and a fourth occupant of the home was not present when the warrant was executed, police reported.
Henshaw is charged with possession with intent to deliver near certain facilities and endangering the welfare of a minor child.
Emerson, who is currently out of jail on another drug charge, is now 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. He is also being held on warrants on misdemeanor charges from White County.
Both men are being held without bond in the St. Francis County Jail and scheduled to be arraigned in district court Wednesday afternoon.
Police said other evidence collected from this residence may lead to more arrests in the case.
In addition, the FCPD has initiated abatement actions on both residences.
The Criminal Nuisance Abatement program uses civil lawsuits to attempt to remove criminals from their homes by declaring them as a "nuisance" to the city. Under the program, civil lawsuits are filed against criminals for selling drugs and conducting other criminal activities. Suits can also be filed against owners of rental properties for allowing criminals to continue conducting illegal activities after they have been notified.
Lonnie Floyd was one of many people reappointed and appointed to several state boards and commissions by Gov. Mike Huckabee recently.
Floyd was been reappointed to the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee for the 1st Judicial District. Floyd, the owner of Floyd Printing Co. in Forrest City, was reappointed to the committee and will serve until Jan. 14, 2008.