By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Special Olympics kids, as well as students who don't participate in Special Olympics, teamed up today at Mustang Arena for the annual Unified Sports Day.
According to Joey Astin, Area Special Olympics coordinator, students from Forrest Hills Elementary, Forrest City Junior High and Forrest City High School participated in the morning-long event.
"Each of the Special Olympians are partnered with a non-Special Olympic student, called a Unified Partner," said Astin. "They all have a Unified Partner."
Each Special Olympian and Unified Partner took part in four events -- the standing long jump, basketball relay, running relay and volleyball volley.
The purpose of Unified Sports Day is twofold, according to Astin.
"First, we want to mainstream our Special Athletes, and get them to participate in a sport with a regular athlete," said Astin. "They both get something from this. Our Special Olympians get exposure and the interest of our regular students. And the benefit to the regular students is that they see, perhaps, that their lives are a little bit better than others.
"And they're helping others," he continued. "This is important, particularly at a young age. We've got some elementary kids up here."
After all the events, there was a medal-awarding ceremony.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
An ordinance aimed at reducing the number of false alarms local police are responding to will soon be enforced, meaning local business owners and residents could be fined.
In early April, the Forrest City City Council amended a current ordinance to classify penalties for repeated false security alarms, and the Forrest City Police Department will begin enforcing the new law beginning this month.
FCPD Lt. Eddie Adamson said during April, the department could have billed business owners and residents for about 100 false alarms that were responded to by officers. But, because April was the first month for the new ordinance, those fines will be waived. The FCPD will begin enforcing them this month, and those bills will be mailed on June 1.
According to the city ordinance, there is no charge for "one to three false alarms per calendar month or six alarms per calendar year." The law continues, however, that after the second false alarm, a written notice "shall be given to the owner or operator of the building" in which the alarm is installed.
False alarms include errors, mistakes or malfunctions in an alarm that cause the FCPD to respond to the call, according to Adamson.
After the fourth false alarm in a month, or the seventh false alarm in one year, a penalty at the rate of $25 per false alarm will be charged.
All money collected as a result of these violations will be used to fund communications upgrades for the FCPD.
Additionally, the original city ordinance states intentionally activating any alarm system when no emergency exists or intentionally testing any alarm system without notifying the FCPD or Forrest City Fire Department, will result in a fine of no less than $100.
Adamson said the ordinance is an effort to reduce the amount of time that officers spend going to the same facilities that have faulty alarms.
"Some places we have gone to 20 some-odd times on false alarm calls," said Adamson. "In 2003, we had 1,481 false alarm calls. Many of those calls are repeat calls to certain businesses, homes and other buildings. We have had 99 false alarm calls just in the month of April.
"These calls take away from the police officers' patrol duties," continued Adamson. "They have to go to a business where we have had repeat false alarms calls because we respond to all alarms."
Another subject is the failure to pay the fines.
According to the original ordinance, failure to pay fines within 30 days of the fine being levied can result in the alarm being removed from the dispatch panel if the FCPD Chief or the Forrest City Fire Department Chief decides to do so. "It is their right to do so 15 days after a letter of notification is sent to the owner stating that the alarm will be removed," Adamson said.
Adamson added that the FCPD wants people to be aware of the charges so that they can correct any problems with their alarms to avoid alarms being taken off the dispatch.
"We want everyone with an alarm to check it and make sure
that it is in working order. For business owners, we want them
to train their employees on how the alarm at their business works
to prevent alarms that go off in error. Ideally, we would like
everyone to make sure that their alarms are functioning properly.
We are asking for their help in preventing false alarms that use
officers' time and prevent fines for themselves."
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A continuing problem with one of St. Francis County's four garbage dump sites is forcing a temporary location change after the Tuni community trash bin was set on fire for the fourth time in recent months.
According to St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco, the bin, which was placed in the community to assist citizens with garbage disposal, will be moved for the time being to the St. Francis County Shop to attempt to curb the damage that has been occurring at the location.
"This is the fourth time we've had this bin catch fire, and we just have to do something about it. I hate to have to move it, but it's necessary because this is a situation that is costly to the county's garbage collector," Cisco said.
According to Cisco, there are several contributing factors to the costs involved with repairing the bins.
"When a bin like that catches fire, the only way to get the fire out is to let it burn itself out. You can call in the fire department to monitor the fire, but they can't put any water in the bin because then you can't drain it and that would cause other problems. Once one of these is on fire, the heat from all of the combustible material in them causes the paint to melt and causes the steel to buckle. Getting one of these repainted and repaired costs Joe (Joe King of King Disposal) a lot of money," Cisco said.
Northeast Arkansas Recycling Company manager J.D. Sharp said several different factors could be involved in the fires.
"We don't know why the fires are starting. There are people that go out and go through the bins looking for things that might be useful and some of them may be smoking and drop a cigarette in or you may have someone just flip a lit cigarette in, and with the materials in the bins, it doesn't take much to get them started. You also could have some people who are just vandalizing the bins. We've got people watching them, but they can't watch the bins all of the time," Sharp said.
While the Tuni bin is the one being relocated, Sharp and Cisco both agreed that there are other problem issues at the county bins. According to Sharp, contractors have been using the bins to dispose of materials that the contractors are responsible for.
"We have a problem at our Goodwin site, and really we've had the same problem at all of the sites. Contractors will come in and put the material that they have left over in the bins and they're not supposed to. That causes the county's costs for dumping to go up because we have to have the bins emptied more often. The contractors are actually supposed to take care of getting their stuff dumped themselves," Sharp said.
In 2002, the county permanently removed a bin at a location
in Caldwell for misuse. While the county has area constables patrolling
the locations, county officials also ask for any assistance possible
from citizens. To report individuals vandalizing or misusing county
garbage bins call NEARCO at 630-0357.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
An ordinance concerning the hours in which alcoholic beverages can be sold in Forrest City is meant to strengthen an existing law, Mayor Larry Bryant said this morning.
The city council meets tonight, and one of the agenda items is "an ordinance to set hours to sell, serve or permit consumption of beer, wine or alcoholic beverages."
Bryant said it is an amendment to an existing law.
"It's trying to tighten it up," said Bryant. "The police department is trying to get a handle on some problems that have festered over the years -- trying to be proactive rather than reactive."
He mentioned a shooting at a club which took place early one morning.
"We feel those places should be closed a lot earlier. Three o'clock is too late, or I should say, too early in the morning."
Bryant continued, "Most of all, it's a way to alleviate the danger of someone getting maimed or murdered. This is a preventive measure. This is not directed at any particular individual or group."
Several other items are on tonight's agenda, including second reading of an ordinance to authorize construction of a shelter for the Forrest City Area Humane Society.
Also on the agenda are a written policy regarding the use of the Municipal Sports Complex and a definition of a landscape buffer between residential and commercial property.
There is also a request to rezone some property on Izard from residential to commercial, and a request for a variance to build an enclosed garage on St. Andrews.
Other items include the Maroon and Gold reunion, the Communities
of Opportunities, and further discussion of the Civic Center caterer.
Three people filed Monday as independents for positions in Wheatley.
David Lee filed for the Pos. 4 seat on the city council, and James J. Smith filed for the Pos. 5 seat.
Melvina Hickman filed for the position of treasurer/recorder.
The independent filing period ends on May 17.