By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
If you are looking to vote early, don't look in St. Francis County today because the wait continues for the beginning of early voting.
In what may be the latest start since early voting began, election officials were still unsure as to when ballots would arrive. According to St. Francis County Election Coordinator Judy Armstrong, efforts to finalize and complete the ballots have been ongoing this week. Armstrong attributed the problems to a difference in the style of ballot needed in St. Francis County and the computer program the company uses.
In a story in the Times-Herald on Tuesday, St. Francis County Election Commissioner Bettye Proctor said part of the problem was attributed to computer problems and possibly a virus affecting the system at Election Systems & Software, the county's ballot provider. This morning, Proctor asserted that she never mentioned a virus and provided an e-mail from an individual with ES&S which mentions possible computer problems.
"I am giving you a heads up on the finalization of this set of proofs. I was in all weekend trying to use the files we had created on another co-workers PC since mine has gone completely when I encountered the error I described to you earlier this weekend..." said the e-mail to Armstrong.
In a message Wednesday, Megan McCormack with ES&S said that efforts were being made to find out what was happening with the ballots and also said that any rumors of a computer virus were unfounded.
"I'm tracking down what information I can find regarding the ballots, but I can say that we were not infected by any computer viruses. Computer viruses have absolutely nothing to do with any delay of printing of the ballots or anything along those lines. It's never been the case, and I'm not sure where that came from. We have been working closely with the county to draft and complete the ballots as quickly as possible. There was a delay in receiving information from the county to develop the drafts of the ballots, but since we received the information, we've been working as quickly as possible to get them finalized and completed," McCormack said.
According to Armstrong, the final draft of the ballots were approved late yesterday and printing had begun.
"It was the fourth draft of the ballots, but it was approved yesterday. It's my understanding that the ballots are being printed as we speak. They're supposed to contact me and let me know when the ballots will be on their way," Armstrong said.
Officials with ES&S could not be reached for comment this morning.
The Primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, May 18.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The Crowley's Ridge Developmental Council (CRDC) is joining with local law enforcement agencies to provide a fun time for children and teach them a little about drug awareness in the process.
Youth Drug Awareness Day is set for Saturday, May 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Caldwell Park, for children and their parents. According to CRDC Family Services Specialist Angela Wilburn, the council chose this event for its community action project.
"May is our Community Action Month at the council, and we chose to do this (educating children about drugs) as our project," said Wilburn. "We want the children to know to 'just say no,' but we want to help them understand why they should say no to drugs. The Forrest City Police Department, St. Francis County Sheriff's Department and the Arkansas State Police are all scheduled to attend and provide information to the children about the dangers of drugs. We are also scheduled to have the K-9 officer from Cross County come and visit the children."
While Wilburn stated that the purpose is to educate, she added that fun activities are planned by the CRDC for the children as well.
"We will have games and refreshments for the children," continued Wilburn. "There will be face painting, volleyball and other games for them on Saturday. The Girls Scouts of the Crowley's Ridge Council will be on hand to supervise the games and activities. Also, there will be fun things like coloring books and activity books handed out at the event."
Wilburn said all children in St. Francis County are invited to the event. "We are targeting children between the ages of three and 14, but we invite everyone to come out and have a good time with us on Saturday and learn about the dangers of drugs," she said.
For more information about the Youth Drug Awareness Day, contact Wilburn at 870-630-0193.
The guest speaker has been named for this year's teacher retirement banquet, sponsored by the Forrest City Education Association. The event is scheduled for Friday, May 7, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Forrest City Civic Center.
Katherine Wright Knight, the 2002 recipient of the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, will be the guest speaker.
Knight is an English teacher at Parkview Arts/Science Magnet High School in Little Rock, where she has worked for the past 23 years. Her assignments have included 10th grade pre-Advanced Placement English, African-American Literature and Remedial English, a course she team-taught with a mathematics instructor. In November 2001, Knight became one of the first teachers in the state to receive National Board Certification in Adolescent/Young Adult English Language Arts.
Knight also mentors student teachers from four institutions of higher education, and has worked for numerous policy-making organizations, including the Arkansas Language Arts Framework committee, Arkansas Writing Project, Arkansas ACT Council and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Since 1982, she has represented the local education associations in court actions concerning the desegregation of the Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Pulaski County school districts. She was elected AEA secretary-treasurer in 2002, and previously served as president of the Little Rock Classroom Teachers Association, chairperson of the AEA Instruction and Professional Development Committee, and delegate to the state and national representative assemblies. She was the 2002 Little Rock School District Teacher of the Year.
For more information on the banquet, contact Nevada Banks at 633-0310 or any building representative in the Forrest City School District.
A Grobmyer Circle resident told police he was robbed at gunpoint inside his home in the early morning hours on Tuesday.
James Jones Jr., 58, of 378 Grobmyer Circle, Apt. 32, Forrest City, reported to police about 7:45 a.m. that he had been robbed by three black males earlier that day.
According to the police report, Jones said the suspects entered his home about 2 a.m., placed a sawed-off shotgun to his head and told him to give them his money. Jones said the suspects took his watch, tobacco products and about $250 in cash.
Police said Jones apparently was intoxicated at the time of the robbery and did not report it to police until later in the morning at which time he was reported to still be intoxicated.
The investigation is continuing.
A Marianna man visiting his girlfriend in Forrest City Wednesday night had his car stolen after he lent it to a friend.
The Forrest City Police Department reported Rodrick Holmes, 46, of Marianna, loaned his 1994 Cadillac Seville to Calvin Anderson, also of Marianna. Holmes told police Anderson had asked to borrow his vehicle about 9:45 to go to the car wash at 203 W. Broadway.
A short time later, Holmes told police that a subject wearing a mask walked up behind Anderson at the car wash, placed a gun to his head and told him to move away from the vehicle.
The suspect, a black male standing about five-feet, nine-inches tall, drove away in the vehicle described as blue in color with a white vinyl top. The car is valued at about $8,000.