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Two People Killed in Saturday Night Accident
(Updated) A two vehicle collision three miles east of Hamburg on Saturday night, October 16, led to the deaths of two people and four more people suffered injuries. According to the Arkansas State Police, Whitney Temple, 17, of 528 South Lee Street, Hamburg, and Harry Wayne Allison, 60, of 2738 Highway 8 East, Hamburg, died in the accident. Those injured included Bradley Gee, 31, of 108 Mulberry, Hamburg, Bon Bergeron, 16, of 170 Highway 52 West; Kraig Bowden, 16, of 161 Ashley Road 35, Hamburg; and Joy Nicole Johns, 17, of 504 East Savage, Hamburg. A preliminary report by Arkansas State Trooper Brad Gilkey indicated that Temple was driving a 2004 Mazda west bound on Arkansas Highway 8 about three miles from Hamburg when she lost control while negotiating a curve. Her vehicle then slid sideways and into the path of a 1993 Nissan which Gee was driving. Bergeron, Bowden and Johns were passengers in the Temple vehicle while Allison was a passenger in the Gee vehicle.
Ashley County Coroner pronounced Temple and Allison dead at the scene shortly after 11 p.m. The trooper's report indicated that the accident happened at 10:15. All of the injured were transported to the Ashley County Medical Center. Bowden and Gee were later transferred to Little Rock while Johns underwent surgery in Crossett. Bergeron's injuries were not believed to be serious, and he was released from the hospital on Monday. Johns remained in the Ashley County Medical Center with a broken shoulder and pelvis. Gee underwent surgery on Sunday at the University Hospital in Little Rock for two broken legs and a broken hand. As of Monday, Bowden remained in the Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock. According to the preliminary report, no one in either of the vehicles was wearing a seat belt. Trooper Gilkey said Sunday afternoon that after the collision, both vehicles ended up off the roadway in the on opposite sides of the road. He said that careless driving was the major contributing factor in the accident. Miss Temple, a senior at Hamburg High School, was the second member of this year's senior class to die in an automobile accident. Marci Rankin of Fountain Hill, who was also to be a member of the senior class, died in an accident on August 14, the week before school began. Hamburg High School students observed a moment of silence in her memory on Monday morning. Hamburg Fire Chief Danny Rial said that the Hamburg Fire Department responded to the call, using extrication equipment to help remove the victims from the vehicles. Two People Killed in Saturday Night Accident (Updated) A two vehicle collision three miles east of Hamburg on Saturday night, October 16, led to the deaths of two people and four more people suffered injuries. West Nile Human Case Reported in Ashley County The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) reported Thursday, October 14, that a human case of West Nile Virus has been discovered in Ashley County. New cases were also reported in Mississippi and Pulaski counties. That brings the total of human cases in Arkansas to 22. Justices Decide to Ask for Extension of Jail Tax In the regular meeting on Tuesday, October 12, members of the Ashley County Quorum Court voted unanimously to ask the citizens of Ashley County to approve a special election for a new bond issue to provide additional funds to construct a new county jail. The proposal will not involve any new taxes; instead, it will provide additional funds by refunding and extending the repayment period for the bonds. Board Reorganizes, Hears Cheerleader Report The Hamburg School Board, in its October meeting on Tuesday, October 12, reorganized for the new year and heard a report from the committee which has been studying the cheerleader selection process. Board members selected the same slate of officers for the new year including Paul Keith, president; Sam Evans, vice president; and Joan Oldham, secretary. New Board Member Questions Test Results The new member of the Crossett School Board on Monday night, October 11, questioned students' test results and the way stipends to teachers are paid. Doug Thurman, who defeated incumbent board member Todd Freeman for the position in September, also voted against the re-election of Robert Cornelius as board president. Cornelius was re-elected 4-1.
Tim Sivils joined the Arkansas National Guard during his junior year at Hamburg High School in 1989 because he wanted to go places. He wonders about that decision sometimes, but does not second guess about being in Iraq. After 7.77 inches of rainfall fell in Hamburg from Friday, October 8, though Sunday, October 10, Ashley County Judge Jan Lauhon on Tuesday, October 12, lifted the ban on outdoor burning in the county.
CAMP JOSEPH T. ROBINSON - (Second update) Memorial services for Crosset native Sgt. Russell L. Collier will be held at the Eagle Heights Baptist Church located at 703 East Walters Ave., in Harrison, on Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 10 a.m. Burial services will follow at the Springfield National Cemetery located at 1702 East Seminole St. in Springfield, Mo. ‘Science Project' Evolves Into New Business to Cultivate Pacific White Shrimp Three years ago, Jackson Currie of Wilmot termed his efforts to grow Pacific White Shrimp in Ashley County waters on his Small Fry Fish Farm outside Wilmot a "science project." Last year, his efforts continued on the same basis, but this year, that "science project" has developed into a new business and a potential area of new economic development for Southeast Arkansas. School Uniform Lawsuit Dropped A motion filed in Ashley County Circuit Court will drop the school uniform lawsuit against the Crossett School District if signed by Judge Robert Vittitow. Hamburg Council Decides to Replace Street Lights The Hamburg City Council during its regular meeting on Monday night, September 27, approved a plan to gradually replace the existing street lights with new high pressure sodium lights which are much brighter than the existing street lights. Historic Preservation Officials Survey Cafe, Dipping Vats This past Thursday, three representatives of the Arkansas Department of Heritage were in Ashley County to survey historic properties for possible inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. A Portland man was fatally injured in a one-vehicle accident Thursday, September 23. The Chicot County Sheriff's Office identified the victim as Gaylon Vestal, 24, 100 Highway 278 East, Portland. Thurman Wins in Landslide; Hamburg Voters Approve Increase in Fountain Hill Taxes (Updated) With only one contested board seat on the ballot in Ashley County for the annual school election on Tuesday, September 21, Doug Thurman utilized an extremely heavy absentee vote to win a five year term on the Crossett School Board. Hamburg Board Approves Free Lunches, Reorganization Plan The Hamburg School Board in its regular meeting on Monday, September 20, took steps to reorganize the board for the school elections next year and made a major change in the school nutrition program. And, the board is also exploring the possibility of a canopy to be erected over the band area at Campbell Field.
The Arkansas State Historical Society is to visit the old Crossett Cafe Thursday, September 23, to see if it qualifies for inclusion on the state's register of historic buildings. If the building does not qualify, it will quite possibly be torn down as part of the city's property condemnation process. Justices Approve Construction Management for New, Smaller Jail The members of the Ashley County Quorum Court on Tuesday, September 14, approved hiring Ideal Construction to manage the building of a new county jail. The new jail is to have a capacity of 84 prisoners, down from the 120 originally planned, and, in addition, the construction of new offices for the sheriff's department will be an alternative to the main bid. That alternative means that the sheriff's department offices will be built only if money is available after bids are received for the jail structure itself. Leave Sheriff's Offices at Courthouse, Jail Committee Suggests The Jail Committee of the Ashley County Quorum Court decided during a special meeting on Friday afternoon, September 10, to recommend to the full quorum court that the county use construction management to build the new county jail, with an alternative to leave the sheriff's department offices in the courthouse rather than moving them to the new jail. County Investigating Shooting Death of Horses The Ashley County Sheriff's Office is investigating the shooting of two horses, found dead in a pasture near Crossett. Judge Refuses School Uniform Injunction Circuit Judge Jerry Mazzanti refused on Tuesday, September 7, to grant a temporary injunction to allow three students to wear regular clothes rather than school uniforms to Daniel Intermediate School in Crossett. The injunction would have allowed the students to wear regular clothes to school until the trial of a lawsuit filed by their parents can be heard. Former School Employee Facing Theft, Computer Fraud Charges (Updated) A former employee of Noble Elementary School in Hamburg faces 14 charges of second degree forgery and one count each of computer fraud and theft of property following her arrest Friday, August 27. Lawmaker to pay $300 in Accident Fatal to Three Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Council Hears Request to Support Day Care Center During a short regular meeting on Monday night, August 23, the Hamburg City Council heard a series of reports, but none of the business presented required action by the aldermen. Jail Committee Looks at Alternatives to Reduce Cost of New Facility The jail committee of the Ashley County Quorum Court on Tuesday, August 17, examined revised plans for the new jail and discussed alternatives, including construction management, to reduce the costs of the new facility. Justices Adopt New Ordinance for Landfill Machine The members of the Ashley County Quorum Court thought that they had solved the problem of obtaining a compactor for the Ashley County Landfill during the regular meeting on Monday, August 9. However, they were back in session during a special meeting on Tuesday, August 17, to again deal with the problem. A Hamburg solider was among seven who were pinned with the award of the Purple Heart recently at a short ceremony in their honor at Forward Operating Base"Gunslinger" in Baghdad, Iraq. Hamburg Board Gets Test Reports, Approves Disability Plan The Hamburg School Board, which welcomed two Fountain Hill members in July, met at the Fountain Hill campus for the first time on Monday night, August 16, for the regular meeting. Crossett Council Consents to Change in Ambulance Rule A month after franchising the Crossett Fire Department Paramedic Ambulance Service, giving it exclusive coverage of the city, including Ashley County Medical Center, the Crossett City Council on Monday, August 16, consented to changing the way hospital transfers are made. County Still $1 Million Short on Jail; Garbage Piles Up at Landfill after Compactor Fails Ashley County is still about $1 million short of the amount needed to build a new jail, Justice Bill Gilbert, the chairman of the jail committee, told the Ashley County Quorum Court during its regular meeting on Monday, August 9. The meeting was held a day earlier than usual because the convention of the Association of Arkansas Counties is being held this week. Filling Period Closes for Municipal Elections Municipal elections in Ashley County will be held in the general election, scheduled for November 2. The presidential election will also be on the ballot. All local elections in the county will be for municipal offices with the exception of White Township constable, which includes a write-in candidate. Two incumbents in county offices are on the ballot, but both are unopposed. Hospital Administrator Asks Crossett to Rescind Ordinance Limiting Ambulance Services Russ Sword, administrator of the Ashley County Medical Center, in a July 27 letter to Mayor Scott McCormick asked the city to rescind the ordinance prohibiting any ambulance service other than the city one picking up patients in Crossett without the approval of the fire chief. \
The various taxing units in Ashley County received some good news this past week with the presentation of a $74,869 check from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The payment is the annual refuge revenue sharing check. Bond Set for Bank Robbery Suspect A West Crossett man is in the Crossett jail on a charge of aggravated robbery in connection with the Tuesday, July 27, armed robbery of Community Bank. Police Chief Tommy Sturgeon identified the man as Ray Hollis, 46, of no specific address in West Crossett. Counterfeit Bills Passed in Hamburg, North Crossett Authorities say counterfeit bills hit Hamburg Tuesday and Wednesday, July 27-28, and one was passed at a store in North Crossett. Gary Morgans Ashley County Farm Family of the Year The Gary Dean Morgan family of Portland is the Ashley County Farm Family of the Year. Gary and his wife, Kristie (Kris) Henry Morgan, live at 214 Highway 160 East, just west of Portland Elementary School. They have two children, William Bradley Morgan, 27, of Little Rock, and Kara E. Morgan, 21, of Monroe, LA.
The Hamburg City Council continued its beautification project by condemning five buildings as nuisances during the regular meeting on Monday night, July 26. In addition, the council members heard an update on ambulance service in the city and also adopted a change in the regulations for the use of fireworks. County Judge Declares Disaster as Result Of Weekend Flooding Ashley County Judge Jan Lauhon issued an emergency disaster proclamation July 21 as a result of flooding on July 16-17.
During his visit to the Crossett operations on July 22, Lee Thomas, Georgia-Pacific president and chief operating officer, awarded Jeff Tyler, a Georgia-Pacific Crossett Paper employee, with the Owen Cheatham Life Saving Award. Thomas thanked Jeff for his quick thinking and his willingness to help is fellow worker. "Jeff sets an excellent example for us all" he said.
The Hamburg School Board, in its regular meeting on Monday night, July 19, welcomed two new members. The who are Deborah Daniels and Mike Harville, selected by the Fountain Hill board to serve on the interim board after the union of the two districts on July 1.
The Crossett City Council granted a franchise to the Crossett Fire Department Paramedic Ambulance Service Monday night, July 19, giving the ambulance service the exclusive rights to calls within the city limits, including transfers from Beverly Health Care of Crossett and Ashley County Medical Center. Montrose Celebrates Centennial of Incorporation The city of Montrose held a special celebration on Saturday, July 10, the hundredth anniversary of the town's incorporation. The city sponsored three hours of events, entertainment and a program at the city park just west of the railroad tracks. Ledger's Web Site Best in State Three of Past Four Years For the third time in the past four years, the electronic edition of the Ashley County Ledger at ashleycountyledger.com is the best electronic weekly in the state. The latest award came in the Arkansas Press Association's 2004 Better Newspaper Contest. |
Most Americans Don't See Good Done in Iraq, Hamburg Guardsman Says
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