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Local/Regional News

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• Infant Attacked By Dog
• A two-year old child was attacked by a neighbor’s dog Tuesday in Colt. The child’s five-year old sister was attacked by the same dog approximately two weeks ago.
  
  Marjorie Vansandt told the St. Francis County Sheriff’s Office that the dog attacked her son while he was playing near the fence that separates her property from the Johnny Neal Property.
  
  In Tuesday’s incident, Neal’s dog reportedly bit the child on the hand and attempted to drag him under the fence. The dog let go of the boy when the Vansandt’s own dog intervened.  The boy was taken to Forrest City Medical Center for severe lacerations to the hand. The dog was picked up by Colt Animal Control Officer George Cochran and is currently being held for observation.  The sheriff’s office says the previous attack was not as severe; the five-year old girl escaped with only minor scratches.
  
  The investigation is continuing; no charges have been filed in the case.
  
  
• SFC EMS Disaster Training
• St. Francis County Emergency Management officials met with various agencies today (Thursday) in preparation for next month’s disaster training exercise.  Local Emergency Management Coordinator Shane Dallas has more details:
  
  (mp3 audio)
  
  The St. Francis County Office of Emergency Management is also spearheading a new program to train the public on practical emergency procedures.   Shane Dallas would like to remind everyone about this weekend’s training session for potential instructors:
  
  (mp3 audio)
  
  To register for this weekend’s training, call Shane Dallas at 261-1764 and leave your name and phone number, or e-mail him at Shanedallas@cablelynx.com.
  
  
• Car Abandoned And Burned
• An abandoned car was wrecked and on fire on a St. Francis County road southeast of Forrest City early this morning (Thursday).   A county sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to the accident scene on SFC Road 735 around 1:30 this morning.
  
  At the scene, the officer found a burned vehicle that appeared to have hit a tree after leaving the roadway at SFC 735 and 731.   Officials have not been able to identify the owner; the vehicle had no license plate, but may be a Crown Victoria based on its markings.
  
  
• Postage Goes Up Next Week
• The price of a first-class stamp is going up next week.  Acting Forrest City Postmaster Gerald Newsome has details:
  
  (mp3 audio)
  
  Newsome would also like to remind everyone that “forever stamps” can be purchased at 41 cents before the increase on Monday, May 12th, and will still be good for…..well, forever.
  
  Again, the price of a first-class stamp will increase from 41 to 42 cents starting on Monday, May 12th.
  
  
• Probation Denied WM Police Officers
• Prosecutors have denied probation for a second time for two Arkansas police officers involved in a fatal shooting in Memphis. The officers, from West Memphis, are accused of reckless homicide in the death of a woman who was killed in 2004 when police fired into a car they had chased into Memphis.
  
  A Memphis judge ordered prosecutors to offer the officers a form of probation called pretrial diversion, but an appeals court later gave the state more leeway in making such a decision.  Prosecutors say a further review of the incident led to the denial of diversion for two of the three officers involved in the shooting. If a judge upholds that decision, officers Tony Galtelli and John Gardner could still face prosecution in the death of 44-year-old Kelly Anne Allen.
  
  
• Rice Touted As Alternative Fuel
• Arkansas is still working to develop its place in the alternative fuels market, but Agriculture Secretary Richard Bell said Wednesday the state is well-positioned to use rice husks to generate ethanol.
  
  One hitch is the $60 million to $70 million cost of building a facility to convert the rice waste to energy, though the nation's leading rice producer does have plenty of husks.  Bell, who left as chief executive of Stuttgart-based Riceland Foods Inc. in 2004 and in 2005 became the state's first agriculture secretary, said rice husks could be a source of ethanol production in Arkansas.
  
  A number of biodiesel companies are operating in Arkansas, but the rising price of soybeans has driven up the cost of converting soy oil to biodiesel.  Bell said it costs $4.29 in feedstock to make a gallon of soydiesel. The pump price of diesel was $4.24 per gallon on Wednesday, according to the AAA.
  
  Cellulosic ethanol produced from rice hulls would cost 43 cents per gallon in raw material, factoring the hulls at $40 per ton.  A ton of rice hulls yields 92 gallons of ethanol.  The hulls are used in the poultry industry in chicken houses, but Bell said there would be enough hulls to go around for poultry and energy producers.
  
  Despite criticism in which high food prices are being attributed to the expansion of biofuels, ethanol production is climbing. Congress has set the requirement of the nation producing 9 billion gallons of corn ethanol this year and has granted a 51-cent per gallon tax credit. Criticism has been growing that food should not be used to produce energy, and members of Congress have said they should take another look at its ethanol program.
  
  
• Possible Severe Weather Saturday
• Our weather is going to stay very active for the next week or so with possible severe weather beginning Saturday afternoon.
  
  A weak cold front across the mid-south today will keep our skies mostly cloudy, and we could see a few showers and even an isolated thunderstorm, especially this afternoon.  There is a slight risk of severe weather, mainly in the form of high winds and hail.  The front will gradually move south and temporarily end the rain threat late tonight.
  
  A more dangerous weather situation will begin Saturday as that same front moves back north as a warm front.  At the same time a cold front will begin pushing through from the plains.  By Saturday afternoon, very unstable air and high shear forces will allow supercell development.  All forms of severe weather, including tornadoes, will be possible, especially late Saturday afternoon and evening.  Stay advised of severe weather advisories that may be required.
  
  The cold front will finally push all rain out of the area very late Saturday night.  Cloudy skies will clear out by Sunday afternoon, and we’ll have very northwest winds with gusts near 30 miles per hour.  Monday should be pleasant will sunny conditions and temperatures a few degrees below normal.
  
  Computer models now disagree on the long-range forecast, but it appears another strong storm system could move into the region by next Tuesday night or Wednesday.  This would mean more rain and possible severe weather by the middle of next week.
  
  
• Funeral Notices
• Funeral services for Paula Riffey Baker, age 61 of Wheatley, are Friday (5/9) at 1:00pm at the First United Methodist Church in Wheatley with burial in Johnston Cemetery.  Bob Neal & Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  Visitation is Thursday from 5-7pm at the funeral home.
  
  Funeral services for Emma Jean Banks, age 54 of Forrest City, are Friday (5/9) at 1:00pm at the Prosperity M. B. Church with burial in Castille Cemetery.  Clay Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  Visitation is Thursday from 2-5pm at the funeral home.
  
  Funeral services for Marlin Reeves, age 67 of Palestine and New Salem, are Saturday (5/10) at 10:00am at the Moro Pentecostal Church with burial in the Salem Cemetery.  Bob Neal & Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  Visitation is Friday from 6-8pm at the funeral home.
  
  Funeral services for Owen Sisk, age 71 of Forrest City, will be Saturday (5/10) at 11:00am at the Church of the Living Gog with burial in Forrest City Cemetery.  Woodhouse Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.  Visitation is Friday from 12-5pm at the Woodhouse Chapel.
  
  Funeral services for Robbie Busby Hobbs, age 79 of Virginia and formerly of Caldwell, are Saturday (5/10) at 2:00pm in the chapel of Stevens Funeral Home with burial in Forrest Park Cemetery.  Visitation is Friday from 6-8pm at the funeral home.
  
  Funeral services for Charlie L. Norman, age 78 of Forrest City, are Saturday (5/10) at 2:00pm at United Christian M.B. Church with burial in Castille Cemetery.  Woodhouse Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.  Visitation is Friday from 12-5pm at Woodhouse.
  
  

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