By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The polls opened as scheduled at 7:30 this morning for the Primary election in St. Francis County with only a few problems.
SFC Election Coordinator Judy Armstrong said although there were a few missteps, most polling locations were reporting "smooth sailing" by mid-morning.
Armstrong said that while there were some issues in Hughes and a problem in one of the Forrest City wards, for the most part everything was going well.
"It's been a busy morning, and I've been on the telephone all morning, but we really haven't had as many problems as I was anticipating," Armstrong said.
For some voters there has been some confusion in regards to names that did not appear on some area ballots in the race for the House of Representatives District 51 between Rujay Burke and David Dunn, and in the race for the First Judicial District judgeship currently held by L.T. Simes III. Simes is opposed by Chuck Halbert.
According to Armstrong, the absence of the races on some ballots is because of district lines that outline where elections in each race should be held.
"Even though Judge Simes presides over the entire county, I actually don't get to vote for him," Armstrong said.
"His judicial subdivision doesn't include many of the outlying areas and only one entire ward in Forrest City includes his race. All of Ward 1 votes in that race, but then just portions of Wards 2, 3 and 4 are included," she said.
According to Armstrong, the subdivision was designed to insure racial equality for that district. She also said that there are more than 20 different ballot styles for this election.
Due to some ballot printing problems, early voting began almost a week late, but that apparently didn't hamper turnout. More than 1,300 people had already cast early ballots when the process ended Monday afternoon.
Polls will close this evening at 7:30.
Early voting for the May primary ended at 6 p.m. Monday, and over 1,300 St. Francis County voters cast their ballots.
According to the St. Francis County Clerk's office this morning, 1,338 voters took advantage of early voting. Voting at polls began at 7:30 this morning and will continue until 7:30 tonight.
Full election coverage and results will be published in Wednesday's Times-Herald.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Public Library Board heard about the plans for the Summer Reading Program during the group's monthly meeting Monday afternoon.
Sarah Jumper, co-director of the FCPL, told board members of some of the events planned for area children throughout the summer months. "The sign up for our Summer Reading Program will be from (Tuesday) June 1, through (Saturday) June 5, for children who are in kindergarten through fourth grade. Our programs will be held each Tuesday through June 29 at 3 p.m. We will have a magic show, campfire story time and a book fair for the first two weeks.
"Another program is the Museum of Discovery," continued Jumper. "That program will be every Thursday at 12:30 p.m. for children ages seven through 14. A lady comes from the museum in Little Rock and talks to them about science each day. It is a good program."
Jumper then questioned the board about funding for the Museum of Discovery program. "In years past, we had special funding for the program, but not this year," said Jumper. "It might sound like a lot, but we pay them $100 per visit. The program lasts for six weeks and we pay the $600. I was thinking that we could take it out of the programming fund. That would leave us with $400 in that account."
Board member Brad Beavers stated that he felt it was a good program as well. "We need to promote the programs more," stated Beavers. "We really need to promote it in the schools before they get out for summer and in the paper."
The board agreed to allow the funding for the Museum of Discovery
to come from the programming fund.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
One of the two men involved in an accident that claimed the life of a Mablevale woman earlier this month has been charged with manslaughter.
Michael G. Buteau Jr., 27, Greenville, Ohio, was arrested Monday for manslaughter in the death of Kerry Lynn Patton, 24. Patton was killed on Sunday, May 2 in an accident that occurred near the I-40, 264 mile marker.
Buteau was the driver of a tractor-trailer which allegedly forced the vehicle, in which Patton was a passenger, into the grass after it was traveling on the shoulder. This allegedly caused the westbound vehicle, driven by Joshua Plemmons, 25, Little Rock, to cross two lanes of westbound traffic, the median and into eastbound traffic where it was hit by an oncoming tractor-trailer.
Both Buteau and Plemmons were named as defendants in a lawsuit filed last week by the estate of Patton.
Buteau was bound over to circuit court Monday afternoon on the manslaughter charge and was released on his own recognizance.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
As voters cast their ballots today in the Arkansas primaries, seven alderman races have developed in Forrest City.
Forrest City positions are independent, and the filing period for independent municipal candidates ended Monday. These elections will be on the November ballot.
Only one Forrest City alderman, Brent Ponder, is unchallenged in November. He represents Ward 3, Position 2. All the other council positions are challenged.
For Ward 1, Position 1, incumbent Roy Hancock is being challenged by Henry Peacock.
For Ward 1, Position 2, the incumbent, Cecil Twillie, will face a challenge from Clifton Avant.
The race for Ward 2, Position 1, will put the incumbent, Mary Jeffers, against George Wise.
For the Ward 2, Position 2 seat, incumbent Louise Fields is being challenged by Glenn B. Ford.
Steve Hollowell, the incumbent for Ward 3, Position 1, faces a challenge from Danny Capps.
For Ward 4, Position 1, Roger Breeding is the incumbent, and is being challenged by Bobby Woodard.
The Ward 4, Position 2 seat will see a contest between incumbent John Gadberry and Chris Oswalt.
The Forrest City City Council will meet in regular session tonight at 7 o'clock at city hall.
Along with the mayor's veto of an ordinance regarding a new building for the humane society, agenda items include a request to rezone property on Izard Street, and an ordinance to set hours for the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Other items of discussion include a written policy on use of the Sports Complex, and ordinances to wave bidding requirements for gasoline and the sale of an aerial truck.
The Widener Police Department cleared $683 during the recent Widener Day celebration, Widener City Council members were told Monday night.
"That wasn't bad, considering it rained all day long," said Mayor Dot Halford. "If it hadn't rained, there's no telling how many people would have come."
Halford also reported that recent tests showed that the city's sewer ponds are in good shape.
Council member Ronnie Barnett told the group he had been approached by some citizens about the shape of South Jefferson Street. He said it is dusty, and full of pot holes.
Council member Versie Pitts agreed, and added, "Most or all of our side streets need some kind of repair."
There was also some concern expressed over litter and junk in some yards. While one particular home was the focus of most of the discussion, the owners of several pieces of property have been warned.
City Attorney Marshall Wright said he would look into drawing up a new ordinance that would make it easier for the city to force people to clean up their property.
The council also discussed health insurance with the Municipal League.
The St. Francis County Food Pantry will celebrate its 22nd anniversary with an open house Friday, May 21, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Refreshments will be served.
A lawsuit was filed recently in St. Francis County Circuit Court over the death of a man who died in a van accident on Interstate 40 in 2001.
According to the lawsuit, in the early morning hours of May 12, 2001, Brandon Davis was a passenger in a van which had been rented by the Alpha Phi Theta Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. The van was transporting a number fraternity members back to Conway after an outing to Memphis.
The lawsuit states that the driver, Adrian Smith, fell asleep at the wheel, causing the accident. The accident took place about one mile west of the 233 mile marker on I-40.
Smith, the fraternity, St. Paul Fire and Marine Life Insurance Co., and unnamed "John Doe" insurance companies are named as defendants.
The lawsuit, filed by the estate of Davis, claims that Smith and the fraternity were negligent.
The lawsuit does not seek a specific amount, but asks for damages, including for mental anguish, conscious pain and suffering, burial expenses and wrongful death.