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Base closings saga tiresome harmful to area businessesTodd Day suspended one year stepfather tells mediaFranklin students exercise creative writing skillsServing all the communities of Mississippi CountyCopyright 1991...... » » « a / ik» . o*r a nzn. i. ,* a . *i irt i r\rs iBlytheville, Ark./16ID pui)/0^-44Dl m rarK newspaper voi.yo iw, a/4 uwruyw w^uiwiiMpm iw, irri35lt;Printed on recycled paperBlytheville man jailed for batteryBLYTHEVILLE — Tommy Lee Fowler, 25, of Blytheville, was arraigned in municipal court on charges of battery second degree.It is alleged that on Jan. 20 he struck George Woodard of Blytheville in the head.Bond was set at $5,000.Police officers struck, injuredBLYTHEVILLE - Clarence Williams, 23, of Blytheville, was arraigned on charges of battery second degree.It is alleged that on April 9 he struck two police officers causing them to suffer cuts, bruises and abrasions.The incident occurred when officers were attempting to arrest the suspect following an altercation at 629 S. Lake Street.One of the officers was injured and required treatment at the Baptist Memorial Hosptial-Blytheville.Woman chargedwith murderBLYTHEVILLE - Cynthia Rudd, 22, of Blytheville was arraigned in municipal court today for the first degree murder of Sandra Jenkins, 27, of Blytheville.Jenkins was shot in the back with a small caliber handgun at 2:15 a.m. Tuesday at 10th and Central, according to the Blytheville Police Department.She died a short time later.Prosecutors said in court that a verbal disagreement between Rudd’s sister and the victim lead to a physical altercation shortly before the shooting occured.Jenkins reportedly broke free and went to her car. Rudd reportedly said that she believed Jenkins was trying to get a weapon from the glove box; however, police were unable to find a weapon of any type at the crime scene.Witnesses said Rudd shot Jenkins, and Rudd reportedly said she was unaware that Jenkins was dead when Rudd left the scene.Bond was set at $50,000 and the case was transferred to Circuit Court. Rudd was transported to Mississippi County Detention Center in Luxora.weatherBy The Associated Press Today: Sunny and mild. High in the lower 70s. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.Tonight: Fair and cold. Low in the upper 40s. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.InsideWomen’s News..................Page 7Editorial...........................Page 2Sports.............................Page 8-9riasslfiml Ads............Paees b2-b3Obituaries.......................Page 10Kids Page..........................Page 6Ann Landers....................Page b2Bible Way Church has recently placed an ad in theClassifiedsofCourier News to sell an Antique Piano. They received good Results.ANTIQUE PIANO, 2nd Picmo * 150. 2013, Postor.By DEB COOPER CN Associate EditorBLYTHEVILLE - The fate of Eaker Air Force Base will be announced at a Pentagon news conference set for Thursday at 1 p.m. EDT.According to Air Force officials in Washington, D.C., Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney will release his recommedations for domestic base closing at that time.While Pentagon officials would not devulge the names of the bases on the list, the Wednesday edition of the Commercial Appeal reported that the Kiplinger Washington Letter, without attribution, said that Eaker was on a “hit list,” and reported that many of the bases listed by Cheney in 1990 as candidates for study for possible closure were once again on the list.As of press time, no Arkansas legislative representatives in Washington had received notification of Eaker's inclusion on the list. Base officials also said they had received no notification of the bases on Cheney’s list.Eaker barely escaped closure last year due to Congressional intervention. As part of the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 1991, Congress enacted Title XXIX, also calledthe Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act.This legislation created a single authority for closing bases that would come from a special base closure/alignment commission with a multi-step process.The purpose of the independent commission is to provide a fair process that will result in the timely closure and realignment of military installations inside the United States.Commissioners will takeCheney’s recommendations and use the criteria set forth in the legislation and review the recommendations. By July 1, the commission will send to President Bush a report containing the findings and conclusions based on a review and anaylsis of the recommendations.In making the recommendations, the commission may make changes in any of the recommendations made by the secretary if the commission determines that the secretary deviated substainal-ly from the force structure plan, which will also be released at the news conference.The president will have until July 15 to approve or disapprove of the entire list. If it is approved, the president will transmit a copy of the recommendations to Congress.If it is disapproved, in whole or in part, the president must give his reasons for disapproval.The commission will send a revised list of recommendations for the actions to the president by Aug. 15. If the president accepts the list, it will be forwarded to Congress.However, if the list is not approved a second time, the process is terminated and no bases will be closed.Elected officials say they are more comfortable with this process of selecting bases for closure since politics is taken out of the decision making. Last year, 90 percent of the bases listed for study for closure were located in Democratic Congressional districts.Eaker has a $177 million annual economic impact in a 50 mile radius of the region and employs some 3,100 civlian and military personnel.3y MARK BIVENS CN Managing EditorBLYTHEVILLE - Blytheville Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Jerry Bohannon said he’d been flooded with telephone calls from the media this week concerning the possible closing of Eaker Air Force Base, and didn’t hestitate to admit the routine is getting tiresome.With the base possibly being named as a candidate for closure either today or Thursday, Bohannon said the mood of the area residents seems different from other years when the base was mentioned for closure. The general feeling seems most want to know it will either close or stay open — no more teasing.“We don’t want the base to close,” Bohannon said. “We want it to stay open. It does good, does well, for the community. But if that decision is out there (to close the base) we want it to be (announced) quickly. The feeling in the community is, we want a decision one way or the other so wer*nn mrtVAAn frnm thAfA ”Bohannon said most of the questions he has fielded center on what the economic impact would be in the area if the base closed.“It’s rehashed,” Bohannon said of the typical question. “It’s the same thing as it was six months ago. If they would just read what they wrote then. Why is it always the only time Blytheville (is known for having) has an air force base is when it (possibly) is closing? After a while, you say ‘enough’. There’s more to Blytheville than the air force base. Blytheville has moved well, has had some success and hopes for future success. The Blytheville community feels good about itself and we have some opportunities in front of us.”Bohannon said if the base is going to close, the best thing for Blytheville would be for that to happen quick.“We don’t know who (what industry) might be out there,” Bohannon said of finding an occupant for the base, should it close. “We know there are severalnlonw lAnlrtnlt;t fririHHAcStudents support basketballBy MARK BIVENS CN Managing EditorBLYTHEVILLE - With still approximately 250 to 300 ques-tionaires still out, a survey conducted last week at Mississippi County Community College shows that a majority of the students enrolled at the school say they would pay an additional $1.50 per semester hour for an athletic fee to maintain basketball at MCCC.Robin Meyers, Business and Industry Resource Center Coordinator at MCCC, said approximately 975 responses have been counted and 51.6-percent of thosehave said they would pay the increase in tuition.Meyers said when the survey is completed the results will be reported to the MCCC president (Dr. John Sullins) and the board.Asked whether the survey would have an impact on any decision to either terminate or maintain the program, Sullins said, “I’m not going to say. It’s a part of all the things I’m lookingat.”Sullins said no decision has been made on the program’s future and a complete review hadn’t been finished..lt;■ ■ADULT HEALTH MAINTENANCE — Dr. Michelina Fato-Morter (left) is pictured with patient Wanda Delong during the weekly clinic foradults which is held on Friday mornings from 8 a.m. until noon.Fridayslucky day for arearesidents without insuranceBy TAMMIE HOWELL CN Staff WriterBLYTHEVILLE - The Mississippi County Health Department is a forerunner in adult health carein Arkansas.Every Friday from 8 a.m. until noon they hold an Adult Health Care Maintenance clinic to service adults, most of whom are working but do not have health insurance.“We’ve always worked diligently to meet the needs of young people and the elderly,” said Cheryl Warriner, administrator. “However, adults are often missed by the health care system. ’ ’The Adult Health Care program is approaching it’s first year anniversary in May.Dr. Michelina Fato-Morter, intern with the 97th Strategic Hospital at Eaker Air Force Base, who specializes in internal medicine, came up with the idea for the adult clinic and the administration at the County Health Department met her idea with great enthusiasm.Cecilia Mittman, Clinic Nursing Coordinator, said that in less than a year they have seen almost 200 patients in first time visits with the total visits being over 300 withreturning patients included.The patients are tested for a wide variety of problems at the clinic, that might go unchecked otherwise, because of the expense.They provide screenings forbreast cancer, high cholesterol, anemia, dibeties, colon cancer, hypertension and many other problems often occurring in adults.Patients with more complicatedSrobiems are referred to thelonroe Clinic in Memphis, said Fato-Morter, and they will base their fees on the patient’s ability to pay.Fato-Morter, Warriner, and Mittman ail stressed their appreciation for the support they have received toward the program. Baptist Memorial Hospital, Eaker Air Force Base, Dr. John Williams, Dr. Ron Smith, Searle Drug Company, Dr. M.J. Osborne, the Lions Club and many others have donated equipment and supplies to service the Adult Health Clinic.Because the clinic doesn’t charge fees, these donations make the clinic possible. Medical supplies, services and financial assistance are still needed to better service more people from Mississippi County, said the ladies.Mary Walker-Dyer, reprc sentative of the Searle Drug Con pany, has been a great help sai Fato-Morter. “They have a ‘Plt; tients in Need Program’ whicprovides all medications that themanufacture, free to those p; tients who can’t afford them,” si said. “It’s the only program lib this and if it weren’t for Searle, v, couldn’thave this program.”The reason the need for con munity support is so great, sai Warriner, is that since this is th only adult care program i Arkansas “we don’t get a lot lt;funds from the State Health Dlt; partment.”Not only did Warriner prais those in the community who hav assisted with the program, but sh also spoke very highly of Fatlt; Morter’s work in the program.“There are very few inter nz physicians who donate thi amount of time, to help others, Warriner said. “And she come here on her day off from her dutie at Eaker.”The clinic is handled on an ap pointment only basis. For mor information about the clinic o concerning support for the clinilt; contact Cheryl Warriner o Cecilia Mittman at 763-7064.Gosnell Council tackles cable woesBy JILL GEHNER CN Staff WriterGOSNELL - The Gosnell pity Council is going to try to do something about the growing unrest citizens have toward the local cable service.Last night several Gosnell residents came before the council asking for help in getting the problems corrected with their cable service.Residents said that after calling the service number they were given, none of the problems had been solved, and they weren’t given satisfactory answers to theirquestions.After a good deal of discussion, the council voted to circulate a petition asking the Tri X executives in Denver, loio. to come andmeet with the city in an effort to get the problems resolved. A committee of citizens was formed to work with this problem.The council said that de-regulation of the cable industry reallyhas taken all control away from the cities in working with the cable industry.The council also passed a number of ordinances concerning the enforcement of laws in the city of Gosnell. One has to do with careless and imprudent driving. Police Chief George Cook said in the past they would cite drivers with reckless driving. When this was done, insurance companies would raise the rates of the driver.Cook said that the department never intended for this to be such astrict punishment, but rather most of the citations were issued to young drivers as a warning. The ordinance passed by the council draws a line between careless and imprudent driving and reckless driving.The council turned down a request by Junior Mason to have the sewer easement on land he recently purchased waived. Mason purchased the land, without the knowledge of theeasement, and when the building inspector came out to issue a permit for building, he was told he could not put a building on the site because of the easement.The council also heard a request by the residents of Doris Lane asking that the street be made aiiiruugh siieei. The council seni.the request to the planning commission for their recommendations.The final action taken was to waive the bid process for the pur-Pugh UCA boundWILSON - Erica Elisabeth Pugh, a senior at Rivercrest High School, has accepted a four-year academic scholarship to the University of Central Arkansas beginning with the 1991-92 school year. The scholarship will be for full tuition.Miss Pugh is the daughter of Jimmie and Barbara Pugh of Luxora. She is vice president of the Senior Class •chase of a new vehicle for thlt; Street and Sewer Department foi a new position created. The salary for the new position is $4.50 pei hour and the vehicle is a 1981 Dodge.Mayor Dick Reams encouragec people to attend the Gosnell Higt School Community Quiz Bow Tournament on April 25 at 7 p.m in the high school auditorium Admission to the event is $1, anc the money will be used by the Gosnell High School Quiz Bow team for traveling expenses t( their tournaments.Courier News Poll@lt;o€laty d aueOfmDo you think Eaker Air Force Base should be closed?to fuvUicifuUeCall between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. at 763-4461.tyebteulaM \ quUumShould the government take ar active role in getting a bridge ovei the railroad tracks in Blytheville?YES 85-percentNO 15-percent50 responses
Newspaper Details
Blytheville Courier News
Blytheville, Arkansas, US
Wed, Apr 10, 1991
Page 20
Full Page
Clipped by
University O.
AR, USA 27 Feb 2020
Other Publications Near Blytheville, Arkansas
Blytheville Army Air Corps News
Blytheville Courier News
