Governor Mike Beebe declares a state of emergency before a
major arctic blast takes over the entire state. The Governor isn't the only one taking action, so is the city of Conway. With single digit temperatures in the forecast the city is providing a warm place to sleep for anyone who needs one.
Most nights when Wayne Sweeten can't afford a motel room he just cuddles up in a ball and sleeps outside. He's been homeless off and on for a while now and says nights outside in the cold can be brutal. With no homeless shelter that takes people in for the night, the city had to come up with a plan to make sure those like sweeten are safe. They're turning a conference room at the McGee sports complex into a shelter during these frigid temps.
"[The shelter is] not just [for] homeless folks, we're talking about people who may not be able to heat their homes for whatever reason, gas has been turned off or electricity," says Jack Bell, Assistant to the Mayor of Conway.
Along with a warm bed they can get a hot meal provided by local churches. Police officers are getting the word out to those they know will be out in the cold.
The McGee Center details:
- Located at 3800 College Avenue
- Opens at 6:00 pm Wednesday night
- It will be open as long as needed
You can get information on the shelter by asking any police officer or stopping in at a fire station.
