By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The First Judicial District Drug Task Force hosted the Arkansas State Drug Director Keith Rutledge at their monthly meeting on Wednesday morning. Rutledge covered many topics and took questions about drug problems in Eastern Arkansas.
Rutledge began by praising an effort in St. Francis County to help clear the court dockets of minor drug violations.
"It is my understanding that (District) Judge (Ben) Story has set up a drug court in St. Francis County," said Rutledge. "I am a big fan of the drug courts. It clears out many of the drug cases and drug-related cases from the docket. These people who are selected for the drug court program are not the violent offenders. They are not the ones that are cooking the meth, but the guys hanging out while others cook it. They have hung out with the wrong people and have been sucked into that lifestyle and need help.
"In the drug court, these people are watched. They are drug tested two or three times a week and required to attend meetings for their addictions. One story about the court I personally witnessed was in Pensicola, Fla.
"A drug court judge had a group of people in the program in his courtroom. A woman was called up and the judge asked her where her records were from her substance abuse meetings. She said they were in her car. She returned later with the records. The Judge looked at her and said, 'These look forged to me,' and he told her to sit in the jury box. Those sitting in the jury box were going to jail. Then a man was called up. He told the judge that he couldn't go through being drug tested all the time and just couldn't go to the substance abuse meetings. The man said he would rather go to jail. The Judge told him he was going to jail. The drug court judges can determine who gets into the program and if they can be helped."
Rutledge then addressed the methamphetamine problems in the first district area. "Marijuana is the biggest problem across the state, but meth is starting to come close. A few years ago, meth was more of a problem in North and Northwest Arkansas, but now it is here in Eastern Arkansas. As soon as the state legislature decides what it wants to do with the schools, they need to address this. I know it is a big problem (the education problems being discussed in Little Rock), but right now if you are not talking to state senators or representatives about education, they don't want to hear it. I want to talk to the Governor (Mike Huckabee) and the legislators about what we need to deal with this meth problem in Arkansas."
District Judge L.T. Simes asked Rutledge about a problem that the judges have had in trying Drug Task Force cases.
"We have had a problem with getting results from tests from the state crime lab," commented Simes. "This causes a public opinion problem. A guy gets arrested for drugs, its in the paper, he posts bond and is out on the street. Then they come before us for trial and we don't have test results back."
Rutledge stated that, "I can't really answer that question. I know the crime lab is backlogged. I think the key problem is that not only do they do drug tests, but they deal with guns and bodies."
Prosecutor Fletcher Long echoed Simes. "I understand that the people at the crime lab are working, but sometimes they act like they want us to plead our cases to lessen their work load. If we have a guy that is not going to plead guilty and we can't prove he had drugs because we don't have a lab sheet, they won't plead. The crime lab works under the assumption that just because someone is guilty, they will plead guilty."
According to Rutledge, the crime lab should not take that under consideration. "They shouldn't even think about that. They should just do their job. I can certainly bring this to the attention of the state and see what can be done."
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City School District is hoping that soon lunchtime will be just as educational and life-changing as any other time in a student's day, and help is asked of professionals from elected officials to fire fighters and policemen to reach that goal.
The Lunch Buddy program is an idea that FCSD Child Nutrition Director Evelyn Rayford-Brown hopes will give children a positive role model outside of their family and get them thinking about their future. She also hopes it will put focus on the district's lunch program.
"About five years ago, Stewart Elementary School had a similar program to Lunch Buddies," said Rayford-Brown. "We are asking professionals, blue collar and white collar, to spend one lunch a week with their buddy. The purpose is to connect a student to someone who is successful outside of their family. The mentors act as sort of a big brother or big sister to them. One of our main purposes with our program is to match up students, especially young boys, who don't have fathers. We are looking for men to come in, bond with them and give them a strong, successful male role model. We are looking for both females and males for role models, and we are looking for mentors for girls as well, but our emphasis is on the young boys with no father figures. Girls are in need of father figures as well, but they have their mothers and it seems that boys really need a strong male presence in their lives." She added that one list from a school had nothing but boys recommended for the program.
Rayford-Brown talked about the benefits the program provides. "We want our mentors to be role models for where education can take you in life. Sometimes, it is not all about playing ball. At sometime, you can think about being a doctor or lawyer. The time they spend with their mentor can stay with them and shape them. It can give them a little bit of awareness of what is out there- it can broaden their awareness of their future," she said.
The program was set to begin Thursday, but according to Rayford-Brown, there is a problem.
"We have not had any responses to our program yet," commented Rayford-Brown. "We have set Jan. 15 as our start date, but there is no real cutoff date. It is a year round program. I'd like to encourage anyone who is interested in the development of these students and that have a love for children to volunteer."
According to Rayford-Brown, there are some rules. You must commit to meet with the student the school has paired you with once a week for lunch. Lunch dates will need to be confirmed with the school prior to the visit. Lunch Buddies are visitors at the school, so they need to sign in at the office upon arrival and pick up a visitor's tag. Buddies must pay for their own lunch in the school's cafeteria and cannot bring in outside food. Also, you cannot buddy with your own child.
Those interested in the Lunch Buddies program may contact Rayford-Brown at her office in the school administration building at 836 North Division. There is a short form to fill out for the program. Potential buddies can also contact her by calling 870-633-5668 or mailing her at 845 North Rosser, Forrest City, AR 72335.
A local store was robbed Wednesday night by two men who fled on foot.
According to the police report, two men entered the Dollar General Store at 1800 South Washington at about 7:20 p.m. and demanded money. They allegedly punched the clerk and held a gun to her neck while the cash register was emptied.
One witness called the police department from the store's office. Another witness ran out of the store and then walked around behind the store, from where he watched the two men run toward Bray Street.
Descriptions were given to police by the witnesses. There was also a video recorder in operation at the time of the robbery. An undetermined amount of cash was taken. Police are investigating.
The Board of Trustees of East Arkansas Commnity College will meet in regular session tonight, Jan. 15, in the board room at 7 p.m.
Some agenda items include a presentation on technology, a report from the board's nominating committee, and updates on construction and remodeling projects around campus. There will also be a report from the EACC Foundation.
There will also be a report on new hires.