By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
With cooperative weather, this year's Colt Pioneer Days was much more successful than last year's.
Many people were showing up with lawn chairs and setting up in the shade at the historic William Stone House to listen to live music and enjoy near-perfect weather. Concessions did a brisk business on beans and cornbread, hamburgers and hot dogs.
"We're having a terrific day," said Walter Meals, one of the organizers, on Saturday. "We've had big crowds since early this morning. And we had good crowds Friday night."
Gospel singing was featured Friday.
"There were good crowds, good sounds. The mosquitoes munched a bit around 7 p.m. but it was a good night," said Meals.
Last year, Meals agreed, rain caused big problems for the mostly-outdoor event.
"It was like Hurricane Frances about 9:15 last year," he said. "But this time it's fantastic. We've got some who have stayed with us all day today and then we have some who rotate in and out. And we really appreciate the Sheriff's Department coming and fingerprinting children."
Wayne McPhink, curator of exhibits at the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, was also at the festival.
"I just brought some small stuff with me," he said. "A few autographed drumsticks and autographed harmonicas -- here's one by Charlie Muscle White.
"And we've got one guitar on display, and the question is, who's autograph is not on it?" he continued. "We've got BB King and lots of other famous blues players."
He was also giving out material for this year's King Biscuit Blues Festival, which will be held Oct. 7, 8 and 9 in Helena.
Colt Pioneer days are held every year to raise funds for the preservation of the William Stone House, one of the oldest structures in St. Francis County.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The annual Freedom Fund Banquet was held Saturday at the Forrest City Civic Center, as part of the 59th annual convention of the Arkansas NAACP State Conference.
The guest speaker was Dr. Joye M. Carter, a forensic pathologist, author, publisher and lecturer from Memphis.
In introducing Carter, Dale Charles, president of the State Conference, described her as "One who remembers her roots deep in the community," and someone "who has the knowledge to be in a position to do a job few people want, and do it right."
She began by reading a poem she wrote, entitled "The Woman in Charge."
Then she said, "The theme, I was told, is, 'The Race is On.' So I've come to ask, what are we racing for?"
She gave numerous examples of racing, from racing in one's car "(and risking being stopped by the police -- one of the worst things a person of color can do?") to racing for wealth and possessions or racing to turn on the television ("and let the media tell us how we feel about ourselves?").
"Are we racing to achieve equality, but forgetting about accountability and responsibility," she said in another part of her speech. "Are we racing to insure the rights of those who are black Americans? As a veteran of the first Gulf War, I can tell you, we are qualified to lay down lives for this country. But we won't be guaranteed the right to vote past 2007 (According to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., certain provisions of the Voting Rights act will expire in 2007, such as provisions for federal clearance of voting changes, special provisions for monitoring of elections and provisions for bilingual voting materials. The NAACP is campaigning to have those provisions renewed.)
She reminded the audience of a U.S. women's relay team which was disqualified because it couldn't pass the baton.
"They weren't working together. They couldn't pass the baton," she said. She called for people of color to work together. "We have to be in it to win...Let's not forget, the race is on, and we need to get to the finish line together."
Carter is the author of two books, "My Spirit Within" and "I Speak For the Dead." Both were available at the banquet.
In one of the more solemn moments of the evening, candles were lit in memory of Arkansans who have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"We thought it would be very fitting to take time out from our banquet to pay homage to these soldiers," said Charles.
Frank Shaw, as host chapter president, was presented a plaque of appreciation. Attorney Jimmy L. Wilson was the recipient of the President's Award, as "one who has truly labored in the vineyards for civil rights." Wilson was one of the attorneys in the Lake View school case.
A Forrest City police officer was injured Friday during an altercation with a subject who was recently placed on probation for previous crimes.
Earnest Moore, 37, 717 Lewis St., Forrest City, was charged Sunday at the St. Francis County Jail with second-degree battery, two counts of fleeing and two counts of resisting arrest following a weekend of events surrounding his arrest.
According to police records, Moore was sentenced in St. Francis County Circuit Court on Aug. 30 to two separate five-year probation terms for previous crimes. He pled guilty to two criminal cases which involved burglaries at four locations. He was released from the St. Francis County Jail the next day, after the necessary paperwork was filed for the probation sentences.
However, on Sept. 5, police began questioning Moore in a recent commercial burglary, and on Wednesday, Sept. 8, a criminal investigator with the FCPD attempted to arrest Moore on the commercial burglary charge and subsequent probation violation, but the suspect fled from police.
On Friday morning, FCPD Officer Charles Carden approached Moore while he was walking near Scott Street and attempted to arrest him, but while Carden was trying to handcuff Moore, the suspect attempted to break free, which resulted in both men falling to the ground in a scuffle, during which Carden suffered a broken finger and Moore fled.
Officer William Sparkmon caught Moore on Saturday after he observed the subject sitting outside a residence on South Division Street. When Moore saw Sparkmon, he reportedly started running, but Sparkmon was able to catch him and take him into custody.
In connection with the burglary at a local business, Moore is charged with commercial burglary, probation violation and fleeing. In connection with the incident in which the police officer was injured, Moore is charged with second-degree battery, two counts of resisting arrest and two counts of fleeing.
According to information provided by the FCPD, Moore has a "vast criminal history." In the past, according to his criminal history, in states other than Arkansas, Moore has been arrested for 15 separate burglaries. In Arkansas, he has been arrested for eight burglaries.
He is scheduled to be arraigned in St. Francis County District Court on Wednesday.
A weekend theft spree ended Sunday in Wheatley after the Dallas, Texas suspect robbed a truckstop near Interstate 40.
The St. Francis County Sheriff's Department reported the Mapco Express at Wheatley was robbed just after 8 a.m. by a suspect wielding a box cutter. SFCSD Chief Investigator Glenn Ramsey said the suspect entered the store about 8:13 a.m. and demanded money from a customer before turning his attention to the cashier. After forcing her to open the cash register, the suspect removed $300 and fled to his 1998 Dodge pickup.
The Wheatley Police Department had been notified of the robbery, and an officer was approaching the business when the suspect was leaving in his pickup. A chase followed onto the eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 to about the 226 mile marker before the suspect crossed the median and headed west on I-40 back to the Wheatley exit where he exited before getting back onto the interstate, driving west in the eastbound lanes. The suspect then abandoned his truck near a wooded area to the south of the interstate and fled into the woods.
Ramsey said officers were assisted by Arkansas State Police Troop D, the Monroe County Sheriff's Department and Arkansas Game and Fish to secure a perimeter near the woods while they notified the K-9 unit based at the Arkansas Department of Corrections in Brickeys.
According to Ramsey, the suspect, Jesus Baltazar Medina, 23, of Dallas, Texas, was taken into custody about 11:15 a.m., a short time after the dogs arrived at the scene.
Medina is charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, theft by receiving over $2,500, theft of property under $500, felony fleeing and reckless driving. He is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.
The truck Medina abandoned had been stolen on Saturday from a residence in Texarkana, Ark.
The St. Francs County Fair gets under way today, with exhibits and a midway in full swing.
The Main Exhibit building will be open until 9 p.m., but the Horticulture and Livestock buildings will be closed.
Beginning at 5 p.m., admission will be $1 for children up to 12 years of age, and $1 for those age 55 and older. Admission will be $2 for all others. Armbands will be sold on the midway for $12. Wrestling will take place at 8 p.m.
A full schedule of public meetings is on tap tonight and tomorrow throughout St. Francis County.
Beginning this evening, the Forrest City Civic Center Commission will meet at 5 p.m. at the Civic Center. At 6 p.m., the Forrest City Airport Commission will meet at the airport.
The Madison and Hughes city councils will each meet at 7 tonight at each city's city hall.
On Tuesday, the Forrest City Advertising and Promotions Commission will meet at 2 p.m. at the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce office.
Three committees of the St. Francis County Quorum Court are scheduled to meet Tuesday evening. Beginning at 5 p.m., the courthouse building committee will meet, followed by a meeting of the solid waste committee at 5:30 p.m., and the budget committee at 6 p.m. Those meetings will be held in the quorum court room at the courthouse.
The Palestine and Caldwell city councils will each meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at each city's city council. Also, the Hughes School Board will meet at 7 p.m. at the school.
The St. Francis County Election Commission will meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, at the courthouse to test the computer chip in the voting tabulator. The testing is in preparation for the November General Election.
The testing will be performed in the election commission's office near the breezeway at the courthouse.
Early vote totals have eclipsed the 300 mark, according to numbers provided by the election officials conducting the polling location at the St. Francis County Clerk's office.
There were 319 SFC residents that had cast an early ballot as of this morning. This early voting period is for various school board positions that are contested throughout the county. Early voting is being held in the vault at the SFC Clerk's office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, until Monday, Sept. 20.
A Forrest City man was arrested on three charges, including attempted rape, stemming from an incident that took place last week.
According to a report on file at the Forrest City Police Department, Casey Bradley, 21, 2340 West Broadway, was a passenger in a vehicle Friday morning when police arrested him.
The St. Francis County Sheriff's Department had warrants on Bradley from an incident that occurred on the night of Wednesday, Sept. 8. Deputies reported Bradley attempted to rape a local woman, beat her with a pistol and has made threats to both her and her family. Bradley is charged with attempted rape, terroristic threatening and first-degree battery.