By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
While Arkansas' fifth and ninth grade students on average scored at or above the national average on a recent exam, local students did not fare as well.
However, it was pointed out that students in Forrest City scored at about the same level as other schools in St. Francis County.
"We did not do as well as the state did," said Phyllis Russell, who handles testing for the Forrest City School District. She was talking about the results of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, which was given in the spring of this year.
"But, I think we did about what the other schools did in this Delta Region," she continued. "And of course, we're always looking to have better scores."
She said next year there were going to be "focus teachers" who will work with students in grades kindergarten through eight. "We feel this will make a big difference in test scores," she said.
She added that this was the first time the students had taken this particular test, and pointed to dramatic improvements in several areas of the Arkansas Benchmark Exam. The Benchmark Exam, and not the Iowa test, carries the threat of state sanctions.
The scores on the Iowa test were listed in national percentiles, with 50 being the norm.
According to the Iowa test, the state averages were as follows:
In the fifth grade, scores for reading comprehension were in the 57th percentile, math concepts and estimation were in the 55th percentile and math problem-solving and data interpretation was in the 55th percentile.
In the ninth grade, scores for reading comprehension were at the 50th percentile, and mathematics and problem solving were at the 52nd percentile.
Locally, Forrest City fifth graders scored in the 36th percentile on reading comprehension, the 31st percentile on math concepts and estimation and the 33rd percentile on problem solving and data interpretation. Ninth graders scored at the 34th percentile on reading comprehension, and the 35th percentile on concepts and problem solving.
In Hughes, fifth graders scored at the 33rd percentile in reading comprehension and the 24th percentile in both math divisions. Hughes ninth graders scored at the 37th percentile in reading comprehension and 40th percentile in concepts and problem solving.
In the Palestine-Wheatley school district, fifth graders scored in the 42nd percentile for reading comprehension, the 27th percentile for math concepts and estimation and the 30th percentile for problem solving and data interpretation. Ninth graders in the P-W district scored in the 29th percentile on reading comprehension and the 33rd percentile on concepts and problem solving.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The West Helena Landfill could be back within compliance as early as October, West Helena officials said Thursday during a board meeting of the East Arkansas Regional Solid Waste Management District.
West Helena Mayor Johnny Weaver, along with City Attorney André Valley, updated the members of the five-county board consisting of county judges and mayors from throughout the district. According to Weaver, a considerable amount of work has been done at the landfill, including improving of the roads. Weaver told the board that the work has allowed waste disposal companies better conditions under which to work.
"There has been a lot of reconstruction at the site, and we've made some improvements to the road. I hope that the drivers are satisfied with the conditions. For awhile, as you all know, the tonnage we were receiving was way down. That is starting to pick back up," Weaver said.
While the drivers may be using the site more often, Weaver also said that due to overall lower volumes of tonnage, the city might be requesting a rate increase in the near future.
"The tonnage that we're receiving overall is still down. In order for us to continue with the repairs and in order for us to keep the roads in good condition, we're going to have to seek an increase. I haven't done all of my homework yet, so I can't give you all a figure as to what we will be requesting, but I did want to let you know that the request will be coming soon," he said.
According to Valley, state-ordered corrective actions at the facility have been progressing well and could be completed as early as October, which he said would put the landfill a year ahead of state requirements.
"If we can continue at the pace that has been set, by October we should have completed all of the necessary corrective actions required by the state," Valley said.
Officials with Eaton-Moery Environmental Services, the company that operates the West Helena Landfill, said that repairs to the eastern slope on one of the cells at the landfill have been completed, and work on the western slope should be completed by the end of the summer.
Weaver also commented briefly on the status of unpaid fees at the landfill. "We were having some problems with unpaid fees, but the majority of the carriers have caught up on their payments and are in good standing. We have one carrier right now that is still outstanding, but we're working with them to get everything current," Weaver told the board.
Officials with the EARSWMD also informed West Helena officials that a certificate of need for the landfill has been deemed administratively compliant.
In other business, Stacy Murry with EARSWMD told board members that he would attempt to get information on the disposal of yard waste such as grass clippings and limbs after Wynne Mayor Paul Nichols questioned what cities are to do with the waste which cannot be disposed of in the landfill.
Board members agreed to hold the next meeting of the Solid Waste District in August in West Helena so that board members can inspect the landfill.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
East Arkansas Community College will be the setting for a pair of continuing education courses later this year for area 911 dispatchers. The only question now is how many dispatchers will attend.
St. Francis County 911 coordinator Linda Thweatt said officials with the Forrest City Police Department and the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department have said they will make dispatchers available for the two-day courses.
"Eddie (FCPD Lt. Eddie Adamson) has told me that he will have dispatchers available for the course. As a matter of fact, he wanted the course to be held here in Forrest City. There were some questions from the county over the cost of the course, but I assured them that the 911 fund would cover the costs, and now I've been told that the sheriff's department will have dispatchers there. We just don't know what type of response we'll get from outside of the county," Thweatt said.
Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant told Thweatt and 911 Committee members Thursday that he would assist in trying to get the enrollment up.
"I understand that you're sending the information out over the teletype, but sometimes that information doesn't necessarily make it to the mayor's desk, and that's where the buck stops. If I know the information, then I can talk to other area mayor's that use 911 services and let them know what you all are doing and they can also be involved," Bryant said.
In other business, Thweatt told committee members that she will soon be studying the success of the 911 program in Phillips County. According to Thweatt, Phillips County officials are implementing a system which will centralize the 911 system into one office which will dispatch for municipal and county calls.
"I'm going to be watching how that develops closely, because I feel that is what is needed here in St. Francis County. It would cut our costs because we wouldn't have to pay for two systems and upgrades to two different systems, and it would give us one central location to work from," she said.
Thweatt also updated committee members on work to map all of the county's 911 roads. According to Thweatt, she recently attended a pair of classes in Little Rock on the mapping system and also spent a day getting topographical maps of St. Francis County. Thweatt said that the Global Positioning System would be a great asset to the county.
Forrest City Bank Chairman John R. Stipe announced today that Dwight L. Rutland has been named as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Lending Officer of the bank and will assume his duties July 1.
Rutland, a seasoned independent community banker, brings knowledge and expertise of all areas of banking, having served most recently as President and Director of the First National Bank of Lucedale, Miss.
He is a graduate of Mississippi State University and the Graduate School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. He also has completed banking courses through financial associations AIB and BAI.
Stipe stated Rutland has been active in civic, community, and professional organizations in Mississippi and says he looks forward to living and working in the Forrest City area. Rutland and his wife, Melissa, have three children.
Stipe stated, "Mr. Rutland is a proven leader in the banking industry, is community-minded, and will be a valuable asset to the bank, helping the bank to grow, serving its customers and meeting the financial needs of the community. We invite community members to stop by to meet and get acquainted with Mr. Rutland after he comes on board in July."
A Forrest City man was robbed while taking money from an ATM machine Thursday night.
David Ursery, 33, 635 Dangeau, reported to the Forrest City Police Department just after 9 p.m. that he had been robbed at gunpoint.
According to the police report, Ursery was taking money from an ATM machine at the First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas branch on North Izard when he was approached by the suspect. Ursery said the man was carrying a small caliber handgun and demanded that Ursery give him the $35 he had just retrieved from the machine.
Police describe the suspect as a black male wearing a white
shirt, black pants and white tennis shoes.
The organizers of a Wellness Center near Colt are hoping a $169,925 Rural Business Enterprise Grant will help make the services they offer even better.
Connie Moore, pastor of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Colt, is also executive director of Insite Ministries, a non-profit community development corporation, which is developing the Wellness Center and has applied for the grant.
"What we're trying to do, and hoping to do, is to focus on the constant cry of obesity," said Moore. "And we're working on a program -- not necessarily diet, but exercise and weight loss and bringing down blood pressure and fighting diabetes. God gave us a vision to create a Wellness Center."
He said the center would serve all ages, from children to the elderly.
"We'll do aerobics, chair aerobics, exercises," he said. "We'll do weight lifting, and we have a program to monitor eating habits."
Moore said a grand opening is planned for July 10 at the Wellness Center location, across Highway 306 from the church.
"It's a metal building that used to be a soap factory," said Moore. "We're trying to get it renovated. The grant will enhance it, but we're going to have the program anyway. We're getting things together and building the program and getting people in line."
The grant request is on record with the East Arkansas Planning and Development District, located at 2905 King Street in Jonesboro. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1403, Jonesboro, Ark. 72403. The phone number is 870-932-3957.
The St. Francis County Democratic Central Committee is scheduled
to meet at 6 p.m. Monday, June 28, at the courthouse.