By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Several topics were discussed during Thursday's meeting of the East Arkansas Community College Board of Trustee, including updates on remodeling and enrollment, and the latest technological classroom tools at the school.
EACC President Dr. Coy Grace invited board members to tour Classroom Building One, which has been renovated and is now back in use, although there are still some minor details to be fixed. Grace said the building still has the old furniture in it, but new furniture has been added.
Grace also said the covering for the walkway at the rear of the campus is almost finished. Upcoming projects include a remodeling of Classroom Building Three, a courtyard and a new parking lot.
On the subject of technology, Becca Whitehead gave a demonstration of the new multi-media stations which are currently in several classrooms and, it is hoped, will one day be in all classrooms.
The station, which is on wheels and is about as wide as a large desk and somewhat taller, has a flat screen monitor and can be operated as a "smart board," with a remote, or with the traditional keyboard and mouse. Anything done on the monitor can be projected with good clarity onto a larger screen. Another feature is a gadget called an "elmo," which is a projector that does not require transparencies. It can project a sharp image of anything that can be placed on it.
Catherine Coleman, vice president for student affairs, gave an enrollment update. Enrollment for the current semester is almost over. As of 4 p.m. Thursday, it stood at 1,363. Last year at the same time the enrollment was 1,357.
Grace commented on the school's recognition as one of the fastest growing in the country in its size category. However, he said that would be difficult to repeat. The school is still growing he said, but may not grow at the same clip.
He also noted that the Community Education Department, which offers non-credit courses, served 2,038 people in 2003.
In other action, the board approved a slate of officers for the year, unchanged from last year. Officers include Steve Hollowell as chair, Dale Morris as vice chair, Ann Hudson as secretary and Rausch Hodges as treasurer.
The board also approved several new hires, including: Debra Feagin as Youth Service coordinator (part time); Susanne Hendrix as a business instructor (temporary full time); Brian Davis as a math instructor (temporary full time); and Judy Brock as receptionist/switchboard operator.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
Little was accomplished Thursday morning to move forward with a proposed 27-hole championship golf course and lodge at Village Creek State Park.
The project was discussed briefly during a meeting of the State Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. The group met yesterday at the Brinkley Convention Center.
Commissioners were updated on lease negotiations between State Parks and the Wellington Group. Several items in the lease are being questioned by State Parks officials, requiring meetings to be set between them and the Wellington group to work out the details. A subcommittee of the group that met in Brinkley said they plan to hold several meetings before the February meeting in hopes of having the lease ready for approval then. Site work can begin immediately after the lease is approved.
The Village Creek project will be built in Cross and St. Francis counties. The golf course will predominately be located in Cross County, but the lodge and supporting facilities are planned for the St. Francis County portion of the park.
Late last year, the St. Francis County Quorum Court established
a public facilities board that would enable the Wellington Group
to take advantage of tax incentives through low-interest bonds
offered by SFC because of its placement in a federal enterprise
zone. In order for Wellington to get the tax breaks, the lodge,
resort and restaurant would have to be in SFC, and the taxes from
these establishments would be returned to SFC.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Officials with the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department are investigating whether charges should be filed against the residents of property near Widener where a 36-year-old Caldwell man was severely burned last week after a methamphetamine lab explosion.
According to Narcotics Investigator Gene Wingo who also serves on the multi-county Drug Task Force, officials have not decided whether charges will be filed in connection with the incident which eventually claimed the life of Larry Henley Jr.
The incident occurred at a shed on property near Highway 70 East close to Widener. "The homeowner has a solid alibi because he was out on his truck working at the time of the incident, so we know there won't be any charges filed against him. His son was at home at the time of the accident, but said that he didn't know that Mr. Henley was using the shed. We're still investigating whether further charges will be filed and at this time I don't know," Wingo said.
According to a police report filed with the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department on Monday, Jan. 5, the department was notified at about 10:30 p.m. of a shed fire on the property located on Highway 70 East at Widener. Deputies arriving at the scene found a severely-burned Henley, accompanied by the Alvie Weeks, standing in the middle of the highway. Henley reportedly told a deputy he was cooking methamphetamine when the accident occurred.
Henley was airlifted to the Med Center in Memphis where he died two days later from second- and third-degree burns to over 70 percent of his body.
"I just wish that people would understand that this stuff not only is harmful to your body, but it's just so dangerous to try to make. This is the fourth incident that we've had in this area alone in the last two months," said Wingo.
According to Wingo, there have been instances of meth labs exploding in Cross, Monroe and Phillips counties also since late November.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
Monday, Feb. 2, is not only Ground Hog Day, but at Forrest City Junior High School, it is also an opportunity for eighth and ninth graders to "shadow" local people in the business community.
The purpose is to help the teenagers get an idea as to what they might want to do after school and how to get there.
"We've been doing the program for about seven or eight years," said Chaney Murray, who founded the event and coordinates it with Joan DiGaetano. Both are teachers at FCJHS. "It started as a mentor program. Our school pulled out of the mentor program, and we continued it with Shadow Day.
"The kids get out, and they get to learn about the businesses, what they do and the education they need to get there," continued Murray. "It is a teaching experience. Some of the businesses have been so nice, they call us and tell us how many children they can take. We have five teams at the school, and we choose the students who will participate from those five teams and student organizations. These students are not just from the GT (Gifted and Talented) or Special Services, they are a variety of students."
DiGaetano discussed what they hope the program will do for their students. "We want them to understand how different having a job is (from school). We also want to help broaden the children's view of what they can get out and do."
Murray then talked about the different businesses and places of work that support the Shadow Day program.
"The kids get so excited about the program. We go to the St. Francis County Courthouse, the Times-Herald newspaper, doctors offices and lawyers offices. The courthouse always treats the kids so well, and that is always a popular place. We choose what students go where and the kids know is upfront. Everybody says they want to be a lawyer or a doctor, but we can't send them all to one place. We try and match where the students go through their interests and what we feel will interest them."
One student, ninth grader Kenny Norman, took part in the program last year and was very pleased with the person he was shadowing. "Last year, I got to shadow the mayor (Larry Bryant). I learned about what he had to do to become mayor and what his duties are. I really enjoyed when he took me around sightseeing."
Another student, eighth grader Anna Horton, talked about shadowing DiGaetano this past fall. "I shadowed her in the on-campus shadow day. That was in October. Mrs. DiGaetano is the Special Services teacher. I liked seeing the different jobs that she does." Horton stated that she felt after her shadowing of DiGaetano that teaching was an option for her future career.
Both Murray and DiGaetano said they want to encourage businesses to participate in this year's Shadow Day. Businesses must provide lunch for the student, and while many businesses pick up and drop off their shadow students, it is not required because transportation is provided by buses.
Anyone wanting to participate in the Shadow Day may contact either Murray or DiGaetano at 633-0451.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Members of the Boys and Girls Club Steering Committee of St. Francis County met Thursday, and were updated on several issues concerning the formation of the new organization.
In an organizational meeting held at the In-Service Classroom at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City, members of the steering committee discussed several items including the formation of a board of directors. Earl Anthes, who serves on the budget and finance committee as well as the governance committee, said the board of directors will contain 15 to 35 members with the optimal number of 25 for the board.
"Our bylaws call for a 25-member board, but it will probably have between 15 and 35 members from the community. At least five of those members should be youth, and we're looking to get members from several aspects of the community to serve on the board," said committee president Uzziah Duncan.
"We want people from several different skill levels to be on the board so that we can get their input on how best to serve the children of St. Francis County," Duncan said.
Board members also discussed several options for a location of the club, including the proposed multipurpose facility, which is to be located at the Forrest City Municipal Sports Complex. Another option discussed was the possibility of using a building south of Forrest City, which was the planned home of the Child Support Enforcement Unit. According to facility committee member James Chatters, preliminary discussions on the building have been held with the owner of the building.
"Right now, the building is still in litigation, so there's nothing that can be done with it. He told me that everything would be out of litigation in March, and that further talks could commence then with whoever the owner will be. The building will fit our size requirements. It was planned to be a state office, so it should also fit any safety specifications," Chatters said.
Parents and students should soon receive surveys from the club questioning what activities they would like to see. The forms will be distributed at local schools and will include a section for parents as well as a section for the students.
Just as most people are getting their lives back to normal after the holiday season King Disposal has announced the schedule for adjusted trash pickup for next week, due to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday.
St. Francis County residents who normally have Monday pickup will need to take their garbage containers to the curb on Tuesday of next week. All other days will remain on their normal schedule. Forrest Citians, however, will have an adjusted schedule which will see Monday's customers picked up on Tuesday; Tuesday customers backed up to Wednesday; Wednesday pushed back a day to Thursday, and Thursday and Friday clients emptied on Friday.
Other closings on Monday will include all federal and state government offices, joined by the St. Francis County Courthouse and Forrest City City Hall. The Forrest City Post Office will be closed for business on Monday, but the doors to the lobby will open at 8 a.m. after closing Saturday afternoon and Sunday for repairs to the lobby floor.
In addition, students in the three school districts in St. Francis County will not be in class on Monday. Classes will resume at the normal times on Tuesday.
Several items were stolen from a shop on County Road 717, it was reported to the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department Thursday.
Scott Plunkett of 4144 SFC 717 reported that his house had been broken into but nothing seemed to be missing from the house. However, from the shop several items had been taken, including two Honda All Terrain Vehicles.
In addition, a gun safe in the shop had been broken into. Taken were shotguns, rifles including a muzzle-loader, scopes, handguns and other items.
A California man was arrested when cocaine was discovered in his car after a routine traffic stop.
According to the report by the Arkansas State Police, a vehicle driven by Pedro Sanchez Contreras, 25, of Kerman, Calif., was stopped for a traffic violation. During a search of the vehicle, 11.7 ounces of cocaine were allegedly discovered in a false compartment.
Contreras was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.