By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
Mayor Larry Bryant attended the Forrest City Advertising and Promotion Commission meeting held earlier this week to discuss a proposal by the A and P to have a role in the way decisions are made concerning the Forrest City Civic Center.
The topic was presented to Bryant by Mark Turner, who acted as chairman due to the absence of chair Kem Merrell. Turner gave his opinion on the reasoning behind the proposal for more A and P involvement in the center.
"Our thought was that if we were more hands-on with the civic center, we could help relieve some of the headaches that your office goes through," said Turner. "That is why we suggested that we take over the civic center to increase the revenues and improve the marketing of the center."
Bryant stated that he and the A and P both want the civic center to improve. "We are on the same page as far as someone to market the civic center. The center is our biggest attraction here. I will be straight with you, we don't market Forrest City worth a crap. I would like to be more involved with the A and P. Ideally, I would like the Forrest City Civic Center Commission and the A&P to be interwoven and that they make suggestions to the city council. After the caterer situation is resolved we can work on that.
"We need to sell Forrest City on Interstates 55 and 40 to make folks want to come to Forrest City," continued Bryant. "We need to sell our businesses and do whatever we need to do to have people come and spend the night here. You will get no fight from me (in your efforts). My point is that we need to get people in and we need to market the city. All of us have ideas and we need to put those ideas on the table."
Member Matt Townsend then spoke. "I would like to have a meeting where the A and P, civic center and city council all sit down and talk about the center." While no date was set, Bryant did not voice opposition to the proposal.
"Everyone has a role (in the operation of the center)," commented Bryant. "If you come up with a plan to market the center, as long as it includes the Civic Center Commission, I welcome it."
In other business, Wyndell Robertson, president of May Memphis, Inc. and director of the Mightymite Triathlon told the commission members that the annual event may be in jeopardy.
"Village Creek State Park is doing construction at the point of the swim start (at Lake Dunn)," said Robertson. "I spoke to Mike Brawner (with VCSP) and he said that we could not use the boat dock or the beach to start the swim. I also asked about placing a buoy at the other side of the lake were we end the race each year. That way they can swim out to it and then come back, He said 'no' to that too. I'm looking for other venues for us to have the swim portion of the race. If you have any ideas about another venue, please let me know."
Hicky Lake was mentioned as an alternative as were local rivers. It was asked of Robertson if the race could take place without the swim portion. "There are events called 'Biathlons' that have two events instead of three," commented Robertson. "Those events don't generally draw a good turn out."
Robertson then requested that the members contact Brawner about the use of Lake Dunn. "I think if someone from the city could speak to him and let him know that this is a viable event it would help. One problem I see is that if we relocate the swim portion to another location this year, then Village Creek may come back next year and tell us to keep holding it at that location instead of Lake Dunn." The members agreed to speak to VCSP to find out if a compromise could be reached.
Lastly, the commission voted to fund advertising for the Crowley's
Ridge Saddle Club and Lions Club annual Charity Rodeo up to $5,000
provided receipts were given.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco is being challenged in his bid for a third consecutive term by former Quorum Court Justice Author B. Witherspoon. Cisco has served for over 19 years as St. Francis County Judge. In 2002, Witherspoon was unsuccessful in an attempt to unseat Cisco. The two candidates recently answered a series of questions regarding the position. The questions and answers are as follows:
1. In your opinion, what services need improvements?
Cisco: "We're going to continue to work to improve county roads. The condition of county roads are the number one priority for most people. We've added gravel and done quite a bit of work to improve a number of roads throughout the county and will continue to do so. We will also continue to use our state aid funding to pave roads throughout the county. It's a long a continuous process, but we're going to just keep on going.
We're also going to continue with the maintenance programs we have implemented at the courthouse. We will be adding more parking because it never seems that we have enough and we will also be adding more storage space."
Witherspoon: "That's a really good question. I feel we need more communication between the judge's office and the public. We also need to increase the communication between the road department and the people of St. Francis County. I feel that the community needs to hear from the county judge on more issues and that there needs to be more communication."
2. What do you think is the most urgent issue facing counties today, St. Francis County in particular?
Witherspoon: "The most urgent issue facing the county today would have to be improving maintenance of the courthouse and county roads. I don't feel we've been prepared to make the repairs needed at the courthouse or on the county roads. We need to better prepare ourselves for the unforeseen things that happen. More preven-tative main-tenance is needed and I would have money in reserve so that when problems happen they can be fixed."
Cisco: "Counties across the state are facing a loss of revenue due to cutbacks from the state. Trying to recover these types of funds without raising taxes is the most urgent issue for counties including here in St. Francis County. If we can keep our taxes low and continue to work to try to attract industry then we may be able to boost our economy which will help the county recover revenue."
3. How do you plan to work on economic development in St. Francis County?
Cisco: "Right now we're working on several different things that may bring new jobs into St. Francis County. We're continuing our work to make the truck mall idea happen and we have received quite a bit of interest from parties across the country on it. We're also working with officials in Cross County to make the golf course project at Village Creek a reality. With that project several things may come about including a possible retirement community in that area. We just want to make sure that we're making contact with the business community to try to get as much interest in St. Francis County as possible."
Witherspoon: "I think that we need to work together and that an organization needs to be created so that we can get the input of every community on what needs to be done in St. Francis County. I would work to communitize the community so that we would have a group of people who would address the problems in each of those communities. I would work inside and outside of Forrest City with all of the people of the county to see what needs to be done."
4. Why are you the best candidate for the job?
Witherspoon: "I feel that I would be more concerned with the needs of the people of St. Francis County. I feel that I would be better at listening to the problems of the people and making sure that efforts are made to fix there problems. I would be there not for just certain people, but for everyone in the county to try to make sure that their issues are taken care of."
Cisco: "I think that my experience and the contacts that I've made over the years are the biggest factor in why I'm the best candidate. With the county in need of jobs, the contacts that I have been able to make with people across the nation have given me good working relationships both across the state and all over the country. Those types of relationships come when you have over 20-years of experience doing a job."
Palestine-Wheatley High School has announced its Valedictorian and Salutatorian for the Class of 2004. Megan Jumper was named Valedictorian and Angela Jarrett was named Salutatorian respectively.
Jumper plans to attend Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas and major in Psychology. Jumper has ministered in mission in both Mexico and Peru, and was a participant of the Heartwalk. She is an active member of her youth group at the First Assembly of God in West Memphis.
While at PWHS, Jumper served as president of the senior class, vice president of the Beta Club, a member of the Student Council and member of the Parliamentary Procedure Team.
Jumper is the daughter of Kenny and Reneé Jumper of Palestine and the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Homer Jumper, and Wilma Mathews and the late Oscar Mathews.
Jarrett plans to attend East Arkansas Community College in the fall and is undecided on her major. During her high school career, She was a member of the Beta Club, Student Council and served as a fire marshall for three years.
Jarrett is the daughter of Jerry and Vicky Jarrett of Palestine.
A lawsuit has been filed by the estate of a woman killed in a May 2 accident on Interstate 40 in St. Francis County, naming a truck driver, the company for which he was driving and the driver of the vehicle in which the woman was riding as defendants.
On May 2, Kerry Lynn Patton, 24, of Mablevale, was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by Joshua Plemmons, 25, of Little Rock. Plemmons was driving west on I-40. According to the suit, near the 264 mile marker, Plemmons attempted to pass an unknown tractor-trailer on the right shoulder of the road., and then attempted to get back onto the roadway.
It is alleged that Michael G. Buteau Jr., who was driving another tractor-trailer as an employee of Classic Carriers Inc., veered all the way from the left lane into the right lane and onto the shoulder, forcing Plemmons onto the grass on the north side of I-40.
Plemmons lost control of the vehicle, which crossed two lanes of westbound traffic, then crossed the median into eastbound traffic, where it came under the rear tandem of an oncoming trailer. The impact tore the vehicle in half, and Patton was ejected and killed.
The lawsuit claims that Buteau, among other things, failed to maintain a proper lookout, was driving recklessly and was guilty of manslaughter and showing indifference to human life or an intent to seriously harm.
The lawsuit claims that Plemmons, among other things, was negligent for making an illegal pass and failing to maintain proper control of his vehicle.
The lawsuit does not specify an amount being asked.
Students that attend Forrest City School System schools will be off on Friday, May 14. Classes will resume normal scheduling on Monday, May 17.
East Arkansas Community College will hold its 2004 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 15, 2004 at 11:00 a.m. at the Forrest City Civic Center located in Forrest City, Arkansas. One hundred, sixty nine area students will be graduating. Students who will be receiving degrees during the ceremony are expected to arrive by 10:15 a.m. The public is cordially invited to attend.
As of this morning, 547 St. Francis County citizens took advantage of early voting at the SFCounty Clerk's office in the courthouse.
The times for early voting are Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. There will also be early voting on Saturday from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. The last day for early voting will be Monday, May 17. The primary election will be held Tuesday, May 18.