T-H hosting forum for mayoral candidates

The Times-Herald will host a forum next week featuring the candidates for Forrest City mayor.

The forum will be held at the Forrest City Civic Center, beginning at 5:30 p.m., on Thursday, Oct. 6.

Seven people are in the running for the four-year position, currently held by Mayor Cedric Williams.

Williams is facing challenges from Evetta Whitby, Christy Gross and Larry Bryant, along with council members Chris Oswalt, Louise Fields and Jason Evansingston.

The candidates, with the exception of Evansingston, have been contacted by the TimesHerald and confirmed their intent to participate in the forum.

The newspaper has made several attempts to contact Evansingston via phone calls, emails and text, but received no response yet as to whether or not he will attend the forum.

Miles Kimble will serve as the forum’s moderator. Each candidate will have only a few minutes to answer questions from the Times-Herald and the public.

“We plan to ask our questions, of course, but we also hope Forrest City residents will send us questions they would like for these candidates to answer,” said Times-Herald Publisher Tamara Johnson. “Our hope is that this forum will provide the public with insight on each of these candidates before voters head to the polls to make the best decision for Forrest City.”

The Times-Herald encourages anyone with questions they would like to have asked at the forum to email them to publisher@thnews.com before Wednesday, Oct. 5. The candidates will not see the questions in advance.

Early voting in this year’s general election begins Monday, Oct. 24. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Katie West • Times-Herald Forrest City Planning Commissioner Glenda Wade, left, and Forrest City City Clerk Derene Cochran discuss how they would decorate a single-family dwelling. Members of the planning commission and other city officials visited the micro-dwelling that is set up at the Stuart Springs Trailer Park while it is being renovated.