|
Looking Back at the Top News Stories from 2007 The new year of 2007 began with local officials taking the oaths of office for their various positions. Circuit Judge Sam Pope administered the oaths to all county officials as well as several mayors and other city officials. In Crossett, District Judge Billy Hubbell administered the oaths to city officials there. In January, the Fountain Hill City Council voted for the third time to abolish the municipal police department. Mayor Ralph Hollis, who left office January 1, vetoed the first two council actions. At the same time, Russell Harris, who had been the Fountain Hill police chief, filed suit to collect $2,500 he said that the city owed him. In regard to the same issue, Harris had been serving as the school resource officer at the Ashley-Drew Learning Academy, with his salary paid by the participating schools. With the elimination of the police department, Harris went on the payroll of the Ashley County Sheriff's Department with the participating schools still paying his salary. Hamburg Police Department officers charged Joseph McCoy, 20, with two felony counts of sexual indecency with a minor. Crossett's Chamber of Commerce banquet featured The Platters. Awards presented included Scott and Debbie Kinard, business of the year; Frankie Tanksley, volunteer of the year; and Wilburn Austin on behalf of the Wiggins Cabin group, Crossett Spirit Award. A second spirit award went to the Navy Junior ROTC, accepted by Chief Jimmy Brewer. Other awards included the Crossett Ambassador Award, Crossett Riding Club; outstanding board member, Dan Austin; outgoing president, India Holt; and Project Graduation chairs, Debbie Walsh and Cheryl Rabalais. NFL official and dairy operator Walt Coleman was the speaker for the Hamburg Area Chamber of Commerce banquet. New officers and directors included Kristie Akers, secretary-treasurer; Shannon Shaver, vice president; Gene Barnes, president; and board members Kim Johns, Brad Gee and Melissa Carpenter. In awards presented during the Hamburg banquet, Hillary Bayer was named the woman of the year and David Moyers was the man of the year. The Ashley County Ledger was the business of the year. The Fred LaGrone Lifetime Achievement Award went, posthumously, to former Ashley County Judge W. T. Higginbotham. The chamber also presented a new award, volunteer of the year, to Dillon Deason. The J. L. and Ruby Nell McCain family was recognized as the Ashley County Farm Family of the Year during the banquet. Plum Creek Timber donated $2,500 to the city of Hamburg to help preserve the Crossroads Fire Tower. Crossett's city council voted in January to demolish the Greenview Café, a structure which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Hamburg School Board adopted a series of long-range building priorities during its January meeting. The top items were new science labs and equipment at the high school, a new metal roof for the high school, renovating the track and athletic facilities, adding classrooms at Portland and a physical education building at Wilmot. Georgia-Pacific and members of IAM Local 1362 agreed to a new four year contract in January. In late January, a flu-like illness played havoc with attendance in the Hamburg School District. February The jail committee of the Ashley County Quorum Court in February recommended that the county add new inmate tables and better lighting on the grounds of the new jail. Hamburg High School student Kyle Oden was recognized for possibly saving the life of a fellow student who had choked while eating lunch in the school cafeteria on Thursday, February 1. Oden performed the Heimlich maneuver on her and cleared the food from the girl's throat. The flu-like illness which hit the Hamburg schools in late January continued into February. On Thursday, February 8, the district had 232 students absent, about twelve percent of the total enrollment, and so the district dismissed classes on Friday. The long weekend failed to curtail the illness, and the following Monday, 242 students were out that morning, and that number increased to 272 that afternoon. By the afternoon of Thursday, February 14, the district had about 380 students out, but the long weekend for President's Day helped, and after that peak, the numbers gradually dropped to normal levels. Hernan Mondragon, a sixth grader at Portland Elementary, won the Ashley County Spelling Bee on Saturday, February 10, with Jessica Forrest, an Allbritton sixth grader, placing second. The Parkdale Baptist Church was approved for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, the nation's official list of nationally important buildings and sites. At Ram Fab in Crossett, an $800,000 expansion neared completion in February. The expansion included a new 8,000 square foot building and the purchase of a 10,000 square foot warehouse. The company planned to add about 25 new jobs when the expansion was completed. An apparent kidnaping which took place in North Little Rock ended in Ashley County on February 4. According to Arkansass State Police investigator Rick McKelvey, a Ward woman said that after she stopped near McCain Mall in North Little Rock, a man jumped into her car and forced her to drive to Ashley County. The woman then escaped when the man told her to stop on Ashley Road 30, about one-half mile from Highway 8 and three miles east of Parkdale. An area resident saw the woman on the side of the road and notified authorities. At its February meeting, the Hamburg School Board hired Kent Broughton as the new junior high school principal. About 300 employees of the Georgia-Pacific plywood mill in Crossett were notified on February 19 to go back to work on March 1. The number one mill had been closed since early in December because of inadequate wood supplies and operating costs. The Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade donated $10,000 to the Hamburg Fire Department on February 15 with the money designated for the purchase of self contained breathing units. The City of Crossett began considering higher rates for garbage collection. Mayor Scott McCormick told the council in February that old waste collections cost the city over $100,000 more than the fees took in during 2006. On Saturday, February 24, tornadoes came to Southeast Arkansas with Dumas suffering major damage. About 30 to 35 people were injured in Dumas. While Ashley County had minimal damage, Union County also had substantial damage in the area of Strong. A group of citizens asked the Hamburg City Council to ban farm animals in the city limits, including goats, cows, mules and horses. Wayne Branton of Wilmot was named the Arkansas Fish Farmer of the Year by the Catfish Farmers of America. Judge Don Glover sentenced Gregory Gillis of Montrose to 70 years in prison in connection with Gillis' participation in an armed robbery of the Portland branch of Home Bank of Arkansas in May, 2006. Ashley County deputies and Arkansas State Police officers seized 50 pounds of marijuana in two incidents. One arrest resulted from a traffic stop on Highway 82 in Crossett in which three people were arrested, and the second incident involved marijuana found in a house in Crossett. March A blowout on a tire on an 18 wheeler resulted in a number of fires which burned about 120 acres of Plum Creek and private timber lands in the Pine Hill community along Highway 133. About 15 forestry department employees and six plows, along with firefighters from North Crossett, Hamburg, Milo, Fountain Hill, West Crossett and Berlin fought the series of fires. The forestry crews also used two air tankers which made five drops of water and fire retardant chemicals. The Hamburg Lions qualified for the state basketball championship finals, played in the Summit Arena in Hot Springs. The Lions lost to the Huntsville Eagles by four, 65-61. The Lions ended the season with a record of 30-4. One of the Huntsville coaches was Mitch Myrick, who had formerly coached in Hamburg. Crossett police were investigating an armed robbery of the Minit Shop on Highway 82 while Ashley County deputies looked for the person responsible for a drive by shooting at a house on Circle Drive in North Crossett. No one was injured in the shooting. Matthew Bardin, 19, was later arrested at a trailer park in North Crossett and was charged with unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle and four counts of aggravated assault. At its March meeting, the Hamburg School Board set the stage for requesting a millage increase in the September school elections. In that session, the board adopted a major building program which would require the issuance of bonds to finance. The Crossett School Board expelled a ninth grader for the remainder of the year for possessing drugs or alcohol on school property for the third time. The board also named a committee of parents and staff members to make long term recommendations for the building needs of the district. Ashley County Sheriff David Johnson utilized some of the vacant land around the new county jail to plant a pea patch, watermelons and cantaloupes. The farm operation, tended by volunteer prisoners, was used to supplement the diets of those held in the jail. The Parkdale Fire Department was in the process of preparing specifications for a new custom built pumper truck after winning approval for a $237,500 grant through the federal Department of Homeland Security. The truck was to replace a 1964 model truck which the city had bought used. A Hamburg man, Roy Edmond Adcock, was found dead at a camp site on Lake Wilson near Portland. The Ashley County Sheriff's Department said that foul play was not suspected in the death. The Hamburg City Council, which a month earlier had heard a proposal to ban all farm animals in the city, faced a crowd of about 30 peoplen almost all opposed to the proposaln during the March city council meeting. Those expressing concern were all horse owners with the exception of one goat owner. Seth Sturgeon, 16, of Crossett gobbled his way to his second state high school turkey calling title in Fort Smith. His prizes included a new Bombadier four wheeler. A Montrose man, John Allgood, 22, died in a single vehicle accident in Hamburg after he was ejected from the pickup he was driving. He was driving eastward on Parker Street when he apparently lost control and the truck then hit a culvert, resulting in his ejection. Two Crossett businesses, Ram Fab and Pinnacle Biofuels, benefitted from Arkansas Development Finance Authority bonds. The funds for Ram Fab were to purchase equipment and build a new warehouse. The Pinnace Biofuels funds were to be used to help in constructing a building and acquiring equipment for the plant to manufacture biofuels. April The Crossett Airport Commission took bids for improvements to the Z. M. "Jack" Stell Airport. The project included the replacement of outdated landing light indicators as well as drainage improvements and the removal of obstructions at the airport. On Monday, April 9, the Arkansas National Guard announced that the 39th Infantry Brigade, of which the Crossett guard unit is a part, was on alert for another deployment to Iraq. Interim figures released by the U. S. Census Bureau indicated that for the years from the census in 2000 to July 1, 2006, Ashley County had more births than deaths. The overall population of the county, however, continued to decline from the 2000 figures because of migration to other areas. The April 1, 2000, population of Ashley County was 24,209. The estimates released in April indicated that as of July 1, 2006, the county population had dropped to 22,843, a decrease of 1,366 people or 5.6 percent of the 2000 population. Of 13 counties in the Southeast Arkansas area, Cleveland County was the only one to show a gain in population from the 2000 census figures. The greatest declines were in Dallas County, losing 9.3 percent of its 2000 population; Desha County, losing 7.6 percent of its population; and Chicot County, losing 8.5 percent of its population in a little over six years. Hamburg native Mona Arnold McBride survived a three mile trip inside a tornado near Yazoo City, Mississippi, after her Jeep Cherokee was swept up in a storm and carried three miles before it was deposited in a cornfield. Her only injury was a bad bruise to her shoulder. The Hamburg High School Quiz Bowl won the state championship, defeating Pocahontas 245 to 180, in the state finals on Sunday, April 22. Team members included Jacob Dorman, Jay Porter, Quentin Gayfield, Josh Lovett, Trayvin Ross, Kelly Zeigler, Drew Foote, M. J. Sartin, Korey Johnson and Chantel Moseby. Ashley County Judge Emory Austin stated his opposition to a proposal which would have allowed loggers to load their trucks on county roads. Plum Creek Timber requested the change in the county's policy. The county judge said that at a test site where trucks had loaded in the road, the county had to spend around $10,000 to repair damage. Members of the quorum court tabled the request, and it was not brought back up at later meetings. Norman Hill, financial advisor for the Crossett School District, told the board that the loss of student enrollment portends problems for the district in the future. Hill said that a study indicated that the Crossett district had lost 1,000 students since 1983 when the enrollment was over 3,000. As of April, the district's enrollment was 2,094. After two months of discussion, the Hamburg City Council adopted an animal control ordinance. Under the new law, residents can legally have horses, but they must meet specific guidelines and the animals must be kept in fenced enclosures. After months of debate, a contractor for the city of Crossett demolished the Greenview Café after attempts to raise money to rehabilitate the structure failed. The café was named to the National Register of Historic Places in January, 2005, for its significance to the African-American population of Crossett. High winds on the morning of April 25 left damage at the J. L. McCain farm between Parkdale and Wilmot. Wayne Davis, 47, of Crossett, formerly of Hamburg, died in an industrial accident in Mississippi. Lowdes County Coroner Greg Merchant said that Davis was working in a lift truck at the Sever-Corr steel mill under construction about twelve miles west of Columbus when a piece of 12-inch pipe rolled off an I-beam and hit him. May The armadillos came to Hamburg for the annual Armadillo Festival the first weekend in May. Claire and Jared Brooks and Hunter McLemore had the heaviest and only entries in the armadillo weigh in this year. A 17 year old male took a plastic gun to the strip center near the Crossett Wal Mart, and after someone saw the gun and thought it was real, about 15 law enforcement officers converged on the stores and evacuated them. No charges were filed. Two Hamburg men died in two crashes in two days in Drew County. On Friday, May 3, James Jerome Holt, 21, of Hamburg was killed when his Ford Explorer crossed the center line of Highway 425 and hit a southbound 2005 Freightliner. On Thursday afternoon, May 3, Craig Bailey, 43, of Hamburg died after he lost control of his Ford Explorer and the vehicle hit a driveway and overturned. Bailey was ejected from the vehicle. Montrose held its second annual Heritage Festival on Saturday, May 12. Local officers assisted in the search for the suspect in a triple slaying in Dermott. The search centered around the Cutoff Creek area, just north of Ashley County and ended when the suspect, John Paul "Bo" Young, 41, apparently shot himself. Members of the Ashley County Quorum Court approved plans to installed a pitched roof on the Ashley County Courthouse and the annex building after years of fighting problems with leaks. They also began consideration of an ordinance to alleviate problems of rubbish, garbage, stagnant water and other health hazards in rural areas. The proposal allowed the county to clean a person's property and then assess the cost on the landowner's tax bill. Charlie "T-Bone" Blake of Pine Bluff, a driver for Fairfield Trucking of Hamburg, was named the Arkansas Truck Driver of the Year. Fairfield won the top safety award for its category during the annual convention of the Arkansas Trucking Association. On Monday, May 28, the flag of U. S. Army veteran Robin "Sandy" Hill was raised over the Ashley County Veterans' Memorial on the courthouse lawn. The flag of Rufus Quinton Couey was retired during the ceremony. Crossett District Judge Billy Hubbell delayed a decision in the conflict between former Fountain Hill Police Chief Russell Harris and the town. Harris claimed that the town owned him $2,500 in back salary. Hamburg and Crossett high students were given safe post-graduation events with the Project Graduation activities at each of the schools. At the Hamburg High School graduation, Josh Lovett and Jay Porter were the top graduates, both graduating with highest honors. High honors graduates included Jacob Dorman, Leigh Rutledge and M. J. Sartin. Mackenzie Beard, William Hughes, Kyle Knight, Brook Moffatt, Patricia Nelms, Cole Rice and Zack Wood graduated with honors. At Crossett High School, the top two graduates were Lauren Alyssa Babb and Mason Kyle Thomas. Crossett's other honor graduates included Brooke Lane Davis, Elizabeth Grace Gouner, Julianne Elizabeth Grant, Megan Danille Grassi, Brittany Ann Hagood, Caleb Riordan and Sydney Alison Johnson. During the graduation ceremony, Hamburg Superintendent of Schools Keith Alexander announced that Hamburg's graduates had accepted over $720,000 in scholarships. Abraham Shaw, Jr., 46, of Crossett, an inmate in the Delta Regional Unit of the Arkansas Department of Correction, died while in custody. There was no evidence of foul play. The Hamburg School Board on May 21 formally voted to ask the voters to increase the local tax rate from 31.0 mills to 34.5 mills to finance new construction and renovation projects. J. R. Grubb of Hamburg won $30,000 in the FLW Wal-Mart Open bass tournament on Beaver Lake near Rodgers. His five bass weighed 11 pounds, 13 ounces. The Crossett School Board voted to give full time teachers bonuses of $1,000 before the end of the school year. Kay Walter, Ph. D., a graduate of Hamburg High School and assist professor of English at the University of Arkansas-Monticello, shared her expertise with the Hamburg High Advanced Placement classes in literature and composition through a series of visits to the local classrooms. Hamburg School District teachers of the year included, by school, Noble, Cindy Cossey; Allbritton, Nina Stahley; high school, Sheila Sartin; Wilmot, Juana Scott; and Portland, Michelle Sanders. Sanders was named the district teacher of the year. June Scott Smith and Monk Anderson, both of Farmerville, LA, won the Crossett Chamber of Commerce Buddy Bass Tournament the first weekend in June, earning $2,000 for their effort. The big bass pot of $870 went to John Phillips of Hamburg and Justin Gray of Crossett. A. B. Chapman, a Colorado lawyer, former legislator and businessman, who died in September, 2006, is providing a legacy to Hamburg and Crossett high schools. His will directed that a portion of his estate, valued at about $1.2 million, be evenly divided between the two districts with the money to be used to provide endowments for "worth and needy" Crossett and Hamburg graduates. Chapman was born in Hamburg in 1913 and graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law before moving to Colorado. Jeff Senn, the Hamburg High School principal for only one year, left the district to take the same post at Mayflower High School. Senn came to Hamburg from Crossett from the Daniel Middle School where he had been principal. A week after the resignation, the board named Donald Rosen as the interim principal for this year. Darlene Todd, who represented the Wilmot area on the Hamburg School Board, resigned in June. The board named Joyce Block, Todd's mother, to replace her on the board until the September school election. The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and the city of Hamburg sponsored a meeting, which attracted very little interest, in regard to establishing a historic district in the downtown area. The City of Portland got a new fire truck as a result of a FEMA grant which paid most of the cost of the $218,000 pumper. The truck replaced a 1978 model pumper. The Hale Family Partnership of Portland, consisting of Marilyn Hale, Janice Brooks, Missy and Jimmy Hicks and Steve and Ann Brooks was selected as the Ashley County Farm Family of the Year for 2007. Four years after the Hamburg Leisure Lodge nursing home closed, the Delta Family Health and Fitness Center opened in the old nursing home building. The new business is a residential treatment center for boys and girls ages 11-17. Parkdale Mayor Glenda Wells named Evora Parker to a seat on the Parkdale City Council, replacing Carlton Vines who had died earlier in the year. Local citizens had a chance to express their opinion about a connector route from Wilmar in Drew County to meet with Interstate 20 in Louisiana during a meeting in Crossett on June 25. While support for the highway appeared unanimous, the meeting did not provide any answers for those seeking a definite route or construction timetable. On Tuesday morning, June 26, the University of Arkansas-College of Technology- Crossett held a groundbreaking for a new classroom and laboratory building. Other changes included the addition of a bookstore and a new entrance on the west side of the building in addition to renovation of existing labs. One result of the renovation and additions was a new program on hospitality to begin in the fall. The Parkdale United Methodist Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. July The Hamburg Area Chamber of Commerce announced that it had completed all requirements for certification as an Arkansas Community of Excellence. The city of Hamburg and the heir to former Hamburg Water Department manager Ed White squared off over ownership of maps which Ron White was alleged to have inherited from his father. The city alleged that the maps should have been returned to the city when the elder White retired. Justin Dailey Carpenter, 32, of Portland was charged with capital murder in the July 4 beating death of his wife, Jennifer, 21. She was found in a vehicle which was stuck in a field off Ashley Road 58 out from Montrose. Tenth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Deen said that he will seek the death penalty on the capital murder charge. The annual state report on the Benchmark exams had some good news and some not so good for local school districts with some scores up and some down. The results of the Benchmark exams are used to determine whether or not a school will be designated as in school improvement by the state. Interim figures for the populations of cities, released by the Census Bureau in July, indicated that the population of area towns and cities was declining, just as reports earlier in the year indicated that the county's population was dropping. On July 19, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the U. S. Department of Agriculture to pay Farmers Bank of Hamburg for the first two phases of its three loans to the defunct Hermitage Tomato Cooperative. The Eighth Circuit's opinion reversed the district court's ruling that the bank had not sufficiently serviced two loans to the cooperative. The bank in 1998 and 1999 gave the cooperative nine loans in three phases, with the grand total about $9.6 million. After the cooperative defaulted, the bank sought payment from the USDA, which had guaranteed the loans. While upholding the district court's ruling in regard to the third phase of the loans, the appeals court noted that the USDA "had failed to meet its own regulations and its contractual obligation." The appeals court's decision said in part, "This case is remanded to the district court with instructions to remand to the Agency for further proceedings consistent with this opinion." Based on 90 percent coverage of the first two phases, the bank should be able to recover about $2.7 million, not including any interest which may have accrued in the almost ten year since the loans. Ashley County had two accidental deaths in two days. On Wednesday afternoon, July 18, Bryain Tyrell Haynes, 23, of 1981 Highway 425 South, Hamburg, drowned while swimming in Booker's Pond south of Hamburg and behind the Triple T Hunting Club at 191 Ashley Road 191. Haynes could not swim and, apparently got in water over his head and panicked. On Thursday afternoon, July 19 Jimmy Lee Raley of 206 Wilson Street in Crossett died when he was driving a three-wheeler at a high rate of speed and failed to negotiate a curve. The three-wheeler went off the road and struck a tree on a woods road just off the Flat Creek Cemetery Road at Fountain Hill. Residents of the North Cherry area in Hamburg were vocal in their opposition to a proposed child care center for disabled children on North Cherry. First Step, which also has locations in Fordyce, Hot Springs, Malvern, Glenwood and Sparkman, proposed the center. The Hamburg Planning Commission postponed their decision for a week, and then voted to allow the use. By that time, however, First Step had already secured another location on South Main. Hamburg's Noble Elementary principal, Tracy Streeter, was selected as the JP Associates Elementary Principal of the Year while attending a conference in Atlanta, GA. During an update meeting for the Boeuf-Tensas Drainage District board and members in McGehee, Ann Cash said, "I believe the twenty-first century will be the century of water." The organization is working to offset future shortages of water for agricultural and other uses through planning, including the addition of water recovery systems, on-farm irrigation sources, and possibly by diverting water from the Arkansas River to serve the Southeast Arkansas region. Project manager Paul Eagles of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers said that it will take "a couple of years" to complete the study which is now underway. James G. Spruell, 36, of Hamburg died in a one vehicle accident in Bastrop, LA, on July 27 when he failed to negotiate a curve in his Ford pickup. August An Ashley County Circuit Court jury sentenced a former volunteer fireman to three years of probation for unlawful burning. The fireman, Mark Anthony Zintel, 23, of Crossett was convicted in connection with a series of fires blamed on arson. Zintel had been a volunteer with the Unity-Frost Prairie Fire Department. Construction was continuing on the Pinnacle Biofuels plant in the Crossett Industrial Park. The plant will use materials such as soybean oil, chicken fat, cotton seed oil and palm oil in various blends to produce biodiesel. Production is expected in begin during the first two weeks in February. The Arkansas Department of Education announced the results of the annual Benchmark exams. The Allbritton Elementary School, which was in the third year of school improvement, made the required adequate yearly progress. The Hamburg Junior High remained on probation, and the high school was put on alert status. Noble, Portland and Wilmot all made the requirements for adequate yearly progress. Repairs were completed to the water control structure at Lake Wilson outside Portland after the part of the dam collapsed in mid-July. The collapse, based on natural deterioration, caused water levels to drop from five to six feet, with water from the 150 acre lake draining into Bayou Bartholomew. The hospital committee of the Ashley County Quorum Court decided to recommend to the full court that the county call a special election to consider a one-fourth percent sales tax to be used for maintenance of the building and equipment replacement for the Ashley County Medical Center. The Hamburg School District got some good news when first day enrollment on August 20 was up by 44 from the previous year. On Monday, August 20, Ashley County Judge Emory Austin announced a burn ban for the county due to continuing dry conditions. The Arkansas National Guard confirmed in August that about 75 members of the Crossett unit would be activated for deployment to the war on Iraq. The unit had been on alert for possible activation since April. The announcement said that they were to report for training in October. Some members of the unit had been sent to Iraq in September, 2004, and some had also served in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2000. Work began to install a new pitched roof on the Ashley County Courthouse. The building had been afflicted with leaks in the flat roof for years. On Wednesday, August 29, Arkansas Game and Fish officials converged on a fish pond in the Promise Land area. They captured an alligator seven feet and one inch long which weighed about 115 to 120 pounds. The gator was relocated to an undisclosed area. The burn ban which had been announced on August 20 was lifted on August 31. September Julie Morton became the new Miss Ashley County in a pageant September 1 which featured five girls. The pageant had been postponed a week for lack of interest and entries. Allen Ray Hollins, 38, of Hamburg, formerly of Crossett, died when his motorcycle collided with the side of another vehicle in Crossett on Thursday, September 8. Hollins apparently crossed the center line to hit the other vehicle. Senator Blanche Lincoln came to Hamburg to visit with local constituents at the Catfish Inn in Hamburg on Friday, September 12. After the Labor Day holiday, the Hamburg School District's enrollment continued upward, with an increase of 85 over the previous year while the Crossett School District's enrollment was down by 100 from a year earlier. George L. Tolefree, 40, of Crossett on September 5 pleaded guilty to a charge of raping a juvenile and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The City of Hamburg received a $91,000 grant to assist in adding a sidewalk down South Cherry from the downtown area to the high school and junior high campuses. At its September meeting, the Ashley County Quorum Court postponed for a month a proposal to require rural property owners to remove garbage, rubbish and unsightly or unhealthy items from their land. The proposal also set a procedure by which the county could clean a property owner's land, and if the bill was not paid, it would be added to tax bills. Hamburg School District voters elected three board members and approved an increase in the millage rate in the annual school elections in September. Hamburg board members elected were Joan Oldham, four years; Joyce Block, one year; and Mike Harville, four years. Hamburg voters approved an increase of 4.5 mills in the local school tax to bring the total rate to 35.5 mills. The increase will be used to fund new construction projects including new bleachers on the home side at Campbell Field, the rebuilding of the high school track, new lights, restrooms and a new field house at the field, a new roof and four new science labs and classrooms at the high school, new classrooms in Portland and a new physical education facility in Wilmot. In the Crossett School District, voters elected Raymond Blair over Bruce Warren, the incumbent, for a five year term on the school board. An Ashley County Circuit Court jury sentenced brothers Michael L. Anderson, 22, and Myron N. Anderson, Jr., 28, to 110 years each in prison. The jury convicted the two of multiple counts of terroristic acts in connection with a dispute at a birthday party in Crossett on November 28, 2006. During that affray, seven people were shot, but none fatally. Former Crossett and Wilmot police officer Percelle Freeman, Jr., 43, was charged with first degree battery and committing a terroristic act following a "road rage" incident in which a Crossett man, Corey Nalls, 38, was shot, but not fatally. The arrest came after a three hour standoff at Freeman's residence. Circuit Judge Sam Pope approved an order moving the capital murder trial of Kenneth Osburn of Wolfe Project from Desha County to Ashley County. Osburn is charged in the death of Casey Crowder, 17, a senior at Watson Chapel High School, who was abducted after she ran out of gas near the Dumas city limits on August 27. Crowder's body was found about a week after she disappeared. The order set the case to begin on January 10 and the continuing the next week. Ron White, son of former Hamburg Water Department manager Ed White, testified in a hearing that he had destroyed maps of the Hamburg water system which had been in possession of his father. The city had sought control of the maps, alleging that they should have been delivered to the city. The Hamburg City Council decided to move the old caboose from its resting site on North Cherry, across the street from where the Hamburg depot had stood, to Norman Park. The Arkansas Court of Appeals ruled in an Ashley County case in which Wendell Steele was charged with the battery of Daniel Farmer. What made the case interesting was that the fight had taken place in and along the Saline River, and in his appeal, Steele argued that the fight had taken place in Bradley rather than Ashley County. The court ruled, however, that the conviction was proper regardless of in which county the fight had taken place, or even if it had taken place in the river between the counties. The city of Hamburg was selected to participate in the Winrock International training program for non-profit improvements. The program includes four workshops across the state to aid small organizations in obtaining funding as well as strategic planning for future success. Crossett track standout Aaron Harris was named to the UAPB Sports Hall of Fame. Hamburg native S. Allen Wilcoxon, Ed. D., was selected for the Bear Bryant Endowed Chair in the College of Education at the University of Alabama. The Crossett auditorium and the Crossett municipal building were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. October On Sunday, October 7, the city of Montrose opened a library and museum in the old city hall building at 307 East Second Street. Stevi Perry was named as the Hamburg High School homecoming queen and Alicia Matheney was named the Crossett High queen. The Hamburg City Council approved starting on the first phase of a sidewalk project as well as approving new rest rooms at Norman Park. Work was underway at the Ashley County Museum to replace damaged boards and to restore the balcony on the two story structure. In Portland, the city council decided to make Fir Street one way during certain hours to reduce traffic congestion around the school. The Hamburg School Board named Cecil "Pete" Hollis to serve out the term of his wife, Sharon, after her death. The board also approved the sale of bonds to finance construction projects during its October meeting. Thousands of monarch butterflies returned to a field about ten miles east of Wilmot during the second week in October. The monarchs were on their way to wintering grounds in the mountains of Mexico. The Ashley County Quorum Court called a special election forDecember 11 in which voters were asked to consider increasing the local sales tax by one-fourth percent to finance maintenance of the Ashley County Medical Center building and to provide funds to update the hospital's equipment. Robert Stone was elected as president of the Crossett School Board when the board reorganized after the school elections. The Arkansas Forestry Association announced that Rob Jones of Fountain Hill was the organization's Arkansas Logger of the Year. The Hamburg Police Department charged a Hamburg man who was serving time in the Arkansas Department of Corrections Varner unit with rape and aggravated robbery. The Southeast Arkansas Education Cooperative said that enrollment in ten of the 13 school districts it represents. Hamburg, Cleveland County and Hermitage were the only three districts which had enrollment gains. Overall, the 13 districts lost 401 students in one year, including a loss of 107 in Lake Village/Eudora, 99 in Dumas and 87 in Crossett. Ashley County's farmers were in the middle of the harvest season, and even though there were record yields in some areas, the high input costs for diesel and fertilizer in particular meant that the year as a whole was less than stellar. Georgia Pacific announced October 29 that one of the Crossett plywood mills would close until at least February, 2008, because of market conditions. About 300 workers were laid off as a result of the decision. The closure of one plywood mill happened for the second time in two years after the company shut down a mill in late 2006, restarting production at the facility in early 2007. The Crossett firm of U. S. Dunnage, LLC, was selected for the Arkansas Small Business Hall of Fame and was recognized during a ceremony at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. Hamburg High School, which had been placed on alert as a result of Benchmark test scores, successfully appealed the alert status in literacy. The school is one of very few in South Arkansas not in any kind of state mandated school improvement. November Governor Mike Beebe recognized Hamburg Junior High and 13 other middle schools and high schools during a reception at the governor's mansion on Friday, November 2. The recognition came as a result of identification of high performing schools by the National Office for Research, Measurement and Evaluation Systems and the organization Just for Kids. Senior citizen centers in Hamburg, Crossett and Wilmot received $10,000 checks from the state's general improvement funds. A committee of parents and school officials in Crossett recommended closing the Daniel Intermediate and North Crossett school building as part of the district's long term facilities plan. On November 12, local citizens observed Veterans Day at the Ashley County Veterans Memorial on the courthouse lawn. The flag of Henry Austin was raised to replace the flag of Robin "Sandy" Hill, which had flown above the memorial since May. The Ashley County Quorum Court approved the annual tax levy ordinance in its November meeting. The only change from the 2007 tax rate was in the Hamburg School District where voters had approved a 4.5 mill increase. The cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in 2007 was up to $39.13 for a family of ten, an increase of about $5 over the cost of the same meal in 2006, according to an Arkansas Farm Bureau survey of prices in several areas of the state. The increase was due in large part to increased costs of transportation because of high diesel and gasoline costs. During the November meeting of the Ashley County Quorum Court, County Judge Emory Austin presented plaques of appreciation to Irene Reed and Dorothy Young, widows of former quorum court members Nathaniel "Beby" Reed and Jim Young. Both died in September. The Arkansas Supreme Court upheld the 1994 murder conviction of Larry Rayford, who was convicted of the murder of Christopher Bailey, also known as Jay Smith. Bailey's body was found in a ditch along Highway 189 outside Fountain Hill. Rayford had argued he should have had a new trial because Sam Pope, who was prosecutor, later became judge and signed an order that reduced to writing findings made by an earlier judge. Hamburg Police Department officers arrested four juveniles on narcotics charges after they were found to have illegal prescription medicines in their possession. On Monday, November 26, Kyle Oden received a Red Cross Arkansas Hero Good Samatarian Youth Award in Little Rock for coming to the rescue of a classmate who was choking earlier in the year. Joyce Livingston, 69, of Hamburg died after an accident in which she hit a power pole on North Main in Hamburg. The Hamburg City Council approved a bonus of $800 for each city employee. The Crossett City Council, which had been considering increases in garbage collection rates for several months, heard various proposals by Crossett Mayor Scott McCormick for higher rates at its November meeting. The council decided to postpone a final decision. December Christmas came to Montrose on Saturday, December 1, with the annual parade and the lighting of the city. A reception at the Prairie County Club on December 2 honored Dorothy Higginbotham, who was moving from Hamburg to Houston, for her many years of involvement in the community and as founder and leader of the Hamburg High School Honors Scholarship Fund. Stevi Perry was crowned Miss Arkansas Teen USA in a pageant held in Bentonville. The annual Portland School Auction set a record for the amount raised with over $17,000 raised this year to help in funding programs not included in the normal school budget. The Crossett School Board approved closing the Daniel and North Crossett buildings as part of the district's long term facilities plans. The Hamburg Garden Club held its annual Christmas tour of homes on Sunday, December 2. The tour included the homes of Jeff and Deanna Foster and Danny and Vicky Rial in Promise Land and Mike and Terri Riley on North Cherry in Hamburg. First Baptist Church of Hamburg held an open house at its new family life center on Sunday afternoon, December 2. The center is located just east of the sanctuary of the church. A reception at the Prairie County Club on Sunday afternoon, December 2, honored Dorothy Higginbotham for her contributions to the Hamburg School District and the people of Hamburg. The founder and former president of the Hamburg High School Honors Scholarship Fund, she moved to Texas in December to be near her daughter. In its first ranking of high schools in the United States, U. S. News and World Report gave Hamburg High School a bronze rating. No Arkansas school had a gold rating and only two, Dardanelle and Valley View, had silver ratings. Hamburg was one of 38 Arkansas high schools to get the bronze rating, but was the only one in Southeast Arkansas. The rating means that Hamburg ranked in the top nine percent of over 18,000 high schools across the nation included in the magazine's survey. Samuel Green and Scott Young took their seats on the Ashley County Quorum Court, replacing Nathaniel "Beby" Reed and Jim Young, respectively, for the December meeting. The Arkansas Court of Appeals affirmed the bank robbery conviction of Wilson J. McCrackin, 27. McCrackin was the get-away driver in the August 19, 2005, armed robbery of the Delta Trust and Bank branch in Wilmot. SouthArk EMS and the Ashley County Medical Center agreed to a revised system where the Hamburg based ambulance service would share in more transfer calls. In the past, almost all of the transfer calls went to the Crossett Fire Department ambulance service. On Tuesday, December 11, about 12 percent of the county's voters took part in an election to consider a new one-quarter percent sales tax to provide for maintenance of the Ashley County Medical Center buildings and to provide funds to purchase new equipment. The proposal failed by 17 votes, but Jerry Selby, chairman of the hospital board, predicted that the proposal may be revived for a new vote in the future. Ashley County deputies and the Arkansas State Police investigated a fire which destroyed a home under construction at 117 Ashley Road 192 outside Hamburg. The authorities believe that the fire may have been due to arson because there was no power to the house, owned by Jacqueline Bryant of Crossett. The Christmas season came to Hamburg and Crossett on Thursday and Friday, December 6 and 7, with parades in each of the cities in addition to other events. The North Main Baptist Church's float won first in the Hamburg parade, and the float by Lighthouse Christian School won first in the Crossett parade. A psychiatrist at the Ashley County Medical Center, Paul Jay Loop, 46, was fired and then immediately arrested on drug charges. He was charged with possession of crack cocaine. The Arkansas State Medical Board then revoked his license. A juvenile was charged with assault on an officer after hitting Deputy Russell Harris while Harris attempted to arrest the juvenile at the Ashley County Learning Academy in Fountain Hill. Attorney General Dustin McDaniel announced the settlement of a lawsuit against nine firms, including CrossetCash.Net, which required the stores to close and to post $1 million to pay claims by customers. McDaniel alleged that the firms, which sold "Internet contracts," were really payday lenders that violated the regulations on such loans. The attorney general said that interest rates in the operation exceeded 500 percent. The Ashley County Quorum Court approved a budget for 2008 which did not include any raises. The Crossett School Board approved a long range building plan which includes closing the Daniel Intermediate School and the North Crossett Primary School. Miss Arkansas Katie Bailey visited the Noble and Allbritton elementary schools in Hamburg on Friday, December 14. The Hamburg School Board approved a payment of $1,000 to certified staff members in its December meeting, with that amount to be added to the salary schedule for the next school year. Classified personnel received the same amount, but the addition is not to be added to the salary scale. Tenth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Deen charged a Crossett man, James L. Johnson, 45, with capital murder in connection with the death of a 17 month old male in Crossett. The child was taken to the Ashley County Medical Center on Friday, December 14, and later transferred to the Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock where he died. Deen stated he would seek the death penalty in the case because of the aggravating circumstances in the death. An autopsy by the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory concluded the death was due to blunt force injuries to the child's head. As the year ended, the Crossett School Board was in the process of finding a replacement for head coach and athletic director Teodis Ingram. The board expects to hire a new coach at the January board meeting. Among those who interviewed for the position was Greg Johnson, head coach and athletic director for the Hamburg Lions. The Crossett City Council called a special election for March 11, 2008, in which voters will consider the renewal of a one-fourth percent sales tax for economic development. Steffen Hern Lain, 25, of Norway came through Ashley County on a walk across the nation to raise funds for cancer research. Workers from Patterson Moving completed the move of the caboose from North Cherry to the Norman Park where it was placed on tracks laid by B&F Martin of Hamburg Hamburg's city council adopted a proposed budget during its December meeting, but left the formal reading of the budget ordinance for the January, 2008, meeting. Hamburg Police officers charged a local man, Floyd Herron, on two counts of rape involving two minor girls. Officers arrested Herron, 50, of 200 East Foote St., Hamburg, Wednesday, December 26, at his residence. According to police, the incident allegedly occurred between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday, December 26, when Herron entered a residence where the minors were alone. Police became involved when one of the victim's mother contacted the department at 2:50 p.m. On Friday, December 28, the Ashley County Quorum Court met to adopt a budget cleanup ordinance for the year. On Sunday, December 30, Margaret Chappel, 81, of Hamburg died in a house fire in her residence at 521 South Gardner. Arkansas State Trooper Rick McKelvey, the investigator, ruled that the fire was due to electrical problems in the home. Sunday Morning Fire Fatal to Hamburg Woman A Hamburg woman, identified by police as Margaret Chappel, 81, of 521 South Gardner, died in a fire at her residence on Sunday morning, December 30, Hamburg Police Chief Breedlove said. The fire was reported at 6:55 a.m.
Hambuirg Man Charged with Rape Hamburg Police Officer David Oliver arrested a Hamburg man last week on two counts of rape involving two minor girls. Looking Back at the Top News Stories from 2007 The new year of 2007 began with local officials taking the oaths of office for their various positions. Circuit Judge Sam Pope administered the oaths to all county officials as well as several mayors and other city officials. In Crossett, District Judge Billy Hubbell administered the oaths to city officials there. Crossett Seeking Suspects In Friday Shooting of Two A Friday night shooting ended with two Crossett residents seeking medical treatment at Ashley County Medical Center and Crossett Police Officers conducting an active investigation into the identity of the shooter. Montrose Officer's Patrol Car and Personal Vehicle Shot Ashley County Sheriff’s Deputies are conducting an investigation into the identity of the person or persons that shot a Montrose part-time police officer's patrol car while patrolling the city and later shot his personal vehicle multiple times while parked outside city hall on Oak Street, Montrose. FDA Warns About Potential for Botulism in Canned Green Beans The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers about a potential Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) contamination of canned cut green beans manufactured by New Era Canning Company, New Era, Mich., and labeled as "GFS Fancy Blue Lake Cut Green Beans." C. botulinum is the bacterium that causes botulism. Crossett Voters to Decide Fate of Development Tax on March 11 The Crossett Economic Development Foundation, a nonprofit organization, is seeking the support of voters to continue the levy of a one-fourth of one percent sales and use tax in a special election on March 11, 2008. Hamburg Council Approves Budget In a short meeting on Tuesday night, December 18, the Hamburg City Council approved the budget for the coming year. However, the formal reading of the budget ordinance will not be until the January meeting. Crossett Council Adopts Election, Tax Ordinances; Debates Vicious Dogs Additions to the city's animal ordinance, proposed garbage rates, and the approval of two city ordinances were the focus of Crossett City Council's meeting on Monday, December 17.
Roddy Parker of Hamburg witnessed the unbreakable bonds of brotherly love Friday, December 14, when he stopped and offered a ride to a stranger, Steffen Hem Lain, 25, of Norway, walking east on Highway 82. Ten Apply for Crossett High Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Ten people have submitted applications for the position of head football coach and athletic director in the Crossett School District, according to a list provided by Superintendent Janice Warren. Teodis Ingram, who holds the position, has resigned from the position for next year. Crossett Man Charged with Capital Murder in Death of 17 Month Old A Crossett man is being held in the Ashley County Jail in Hamburg without bond on a potential charge of capital murder in connection with the death of a 17 month old male infant over the weekend, Crossett Police Chief Tommy Sturgeon said Monday afternoon. Crossett Board Votes to Close Buildings Crossett School Board members voted unanimously Monday, December 10, to close two of the district's six buildings, Daniel Intermediate and North Crossett Primary, with administrators assigning grade placement in the remaining buildings.
Miss Arkansas 2007, Katie Bailey, spoke to students at Allbritton and Noble Elementary Friday, December 14, on school violence prevention and awareness, making good choices, and the importance of education. Justices Approve Budget for New Year Members of the Ashley County Quorum Court on Tuesday, December 11, approved a county budget for the coming year, a budget which in may cases is below the amounts approved for the current year. The budget does not include any raises for county employees this year. Psychiatrist Arrested for Drugs Falsified Records Ashley County Quorum Court members received an update of the circumstances that led to the hiring, termination and arrest of a former Ashley County Medical Center psychiatrist employed two weeks at the facility's Generations unit. Hospital Tax Loses by 17 Votes The Ashley County Medical Center's proposal to levy an additional one-fourth percent sales tax for maintenance of the hospital building and to finance new equipment lost by a margin of 17 votes in a special election on Tuesday, December 11. The proposal received a total of 748 favorable votes as compared to 765 that voted against it in the complete but unofficial results. Arson Suspected in Fire that Destroys Home Under Construction The Arkansas State Police and the Ashley County Sheriff's Department are conducting an investigation into the cause of a residential fire at 117 Ashley Road 292 last week. They are treating the fire, about three miles east of Hamburg, as possibly due to arson. AG Announces Settlement with Nine Internet Stores, Including Local One On Monday, December 10, Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel announced the resolution of nine lawsuits against companies and individuals which offered "instant cash rebates" to ostensibly promote the sale of Internet access contracts. Included in the settlement was a Crossett business.
Norman Junior High Teacher John Way in Crossett is one of 250 Arkansas teachers who have achieved national board certification in 2007.
Jessie Clark was the guest speaker at the first Crossett High School Parent Teacher Organization meeting held Thursday, November 29, beginning at 6:30. The rally was a effort put together by countless teachers, staff and volunteers which produced a great turnout by the community. There were close to 600 total in attendance, including 176 students, 232 parents, 61 staff members and other supporters. U. S. News & World Report Ranks HHS in Top Nine Percent in U. S. Hamburg High School earned a bronze rating in the U. S. News and World Report's news analysis of America's Best High Schools. No Arkansas schools earned gold ratings and only two, Dardanelle and Valley View, earned silver ratings. Green, Young Get Quorum Court Seats When the Ashley County Quorum Court gathers on Tuesday, December 11, for its regular meeting, it will have two new members. Governor Mike Beebe named two men to vacant positions on the county legislative body this past week.
On Friday, November 30, Georgia-Pacific presented a $20,000 check to the North Crossett Volunteer Fire Department. Georgia-Pacific has chosen the North Crossett Fire Department as one of its 2007 Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade grant winners. Georgia-Pacific has selected winners in 12 communities from more than 300 communities where it has facilities in the United States. LITTLE ROCK - The American Red Cross of Greater Arkansas recognized real life saving heroes during the Arkansas Heroes luncheon on Monday, November 19, at the Wally Allen Ballroom, Statehouse Convention Center, in Little Rock. This was the fifth celebration for this honor. Hamburg Council Approves Bonuses Even though the City of Hamburg's employees have not had a raise for three years, they will receive a Christmas bonus as a result of the council's actions on Monday night, November 26, during the regular council meeting. Accident Proves Fatal to Hamburg Woman A Hamburg woman, Joyce Livingston, 69, died in a Pine Bluff hospital Saturday, apparently from injuries she suffered in an accident in Hamburg on Wednesday, November 21. Crossett Postpones Sewer Rate Rise Proposed increases in garbage rates were the focus at Crossett's City Council meeting held Monday night, November 19. Supreme Court Affirms Ruling in 1992 Ashley County Murder Case The Arkansas Supreme Court recently affirmed an Ashley County trial court ruling which denied the appellant's petition for a new trial on the grounds of judicial misconduct. Justices Approve Tax Levy, Two Other Ordinances The regular meeting of the Ashley County Quorum Court on Tuesday, November 13, was a short and routine one. The justices approved the annual tax levy ordinance and two more ordinances and heard a series of reports.
The Hamburg School Board will vote during its next regular meeting on Monday, December 17, on one of two proposals for long term facilities plans. Hamburg Superintendent of Schools Keith Alexander presented the proposals to the board during the regular meeting on Monday night, November 12. CPD Offering Reward for Arrest of Vandals The Crossett Police Department is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the individual/individuals involved in the vandalism of vehicles parked at the Crossett Senior High School Band Room and at the Crossett football field house during an away game on Friday, November 1. Hamburg Wins Appeal on Literacy Alert Hamburg School District Superintendent Keith Alexander was notified this past week that the appeal to change the alert status for literacy at the high school had been approved. The appeal was submitted by Carol Moyers, district literacy coach, and Marilyn Chambers, special programs director, in August when the initial reports were received.
Gov. Mike Beebe and Arkansas Education Commissioner Dr. Ken James honored 14 outstanding Arkansas middle and junior high schools, including Hamburg Junior High, at a luncheon Friday hosted at the Arkansas Governor's Mansion. All 14 schools were identified as higher performing schools by Just for the Kids in Arkansas (JFTK) and The National Office for Research, Measurement and Evaluation Systems at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (NORMES).
Nine businesses from throughout the state have been inducted into the Arkansas Small Business Hall of Fame and were formally recognized in a 6 p.m. ceremony Oct. 30 at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. G-P Closes One Plywood Mill; 300 Employees Are Laid Off “A challenged local wood basin and a current market conditions have made it necessary to reduce operations at our Crossett plywood mills. We have idled the number one mill and continue to operate the second plywood mill. As a result, based on seniority, approximately 300 employees have been laid off,” stated Teresa Walsh, Georgia-Pacific public affairs manager. Enrollment Declines in Ten of 13 School Districts in Cooperative Area The enrollment in ten of the 13 school districts in the Southeast Arkansas Education Cooperative's service area has declined by 401 students over the past year, according to an e-mail from Norman Hill of the cooperative. The cooperative serves 13 districts in the region. Most of Work Completed on New Roof for Courthouse With the largest part of construction complete on the courthouse roof, Ashley County Judge Emory Austin discussed upcoming repairs to the ceiling on the second floor and gave an update on the construction progress Monday morning. During construction, Austin said leaks continued as workers with Dunn Construction installed the new hipped roof, but that the majority of damage was minor and anticipated.
The Arkansas Forestry Association (AFA) named Rob Jones of R.D. Jones Logging in Fountain Hill as the AFA Logger of the Year. Hamburg Board Picks Pete Hollis, Approves Sale of Building Bonds The Hamburg School Board has a new member as a result of the regular meeting on Monday night, October 15. The board selected Cecil "Pete" Hollis to fill the seat left vacant by the death of his wife, Sharon Hollis. He will serve until the school elections next September. Hamburg Council Gets Updates on Street Work, Water Map Dispute The regular meeting of the Hamburg City Council on Monday night, October 15, was a quite routine one with very few agenda items. Crossett Council Gets Update on West Crossett Lawsuit An update on the pending lawsuit filed by seven West Crossett residents against Georgia-Pacific Corporation and the city of Crossett was discussed during Crossett's City Council Monday night, October 15. Justices Call Tax Election, Approve Refuse Cleanup and Jail Ordinances The Ashley County Quorum Court, in its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 11, approved four new ordinances, including one calling a special election for December 11 and a new county law requiring rural property owners to clean and remove debris and garbage from their property. Stone Takes Over as President of Crossett Board With all members present, including newly elected board member Raymond Blair, officers were elected during the Crossett School Board's regular meeting on Monday, October 8. The new officers are Robert Stone, president; Robert Cornelius, vice-president; Doug Thurman, secretary; and Janice Warren as ex-officio secretary. Portland Council Makes Fir One Way for One Hour Each School Day Parents and guardians will soon notice a change in their afternoon routine when picking their children up from Portland Elementary. The Portland City Council recently approved a new ordinance declaring Fir Street to be one way between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Arkansas Court of Appeals ruled this past week that Ashley County was the proper venue for the trial of a man who was convicted of battery in connection with a fight along or in the Saline River on August 21, 2005.
Citizens of Montrose and surrounding areas will soon have access to a library/museum housed in the former city hall at 307 E. Second St., according to Montrose Mayor Larry Coulter. Slated for an open house 2- 4 p.m. Sunday, October 7, Coulter said to his knowledge this will be the city's first public library. Hamburg Selected for Winrock Training Program The City of Hamburg was recently accepted as one of the newest participants of Winrock International's Nonprofit Improvement Program. Through this program, city representatives will receive invaluable information on federal, state and private funding opportunities. Council Decides to Move Caboose to Park The caboose which has been on North Cherry Street for several years will soon be moved to the Norman Park, the Hamburg City Council decided on Monday night, September 24. Jurors Sentence Brothers to 110 Years Each in Shootings An Ashley County Circuit Court jury convicted and sentenced two brothers tried as accomplices on multiple counts of terroristic acts to 110 years in prison in a trial which concluded on Wednesday, September 19, before Circuit Judge Don Glover. Desha County Capital Case Moved to Ashley County For Trial During January Tenth Judicial District Circuit Judge Sam Pope has reserved seven days on his calendar in January for a capital murder trial involving a Desha County man charged in the death of a Pine Bluff teen. Crossett Council Focuses on Vandalism, Pathways Vandalism of street signs and UAM Career Pathways, an educational initiative offered at the UAM College of Technology-Crossett, were discussed at Crossett's city council meeting held Monday, September 17. The meeting started with all members except Wilburn Austin and Robert Freeman. Hospital Administrator Gets Earful of Questions, Comments, but No Approval of Tax Election Ashley County Hospital Administrator Russ Sword appeared before the Ashley County Quorum Court on Tuesday, September 11, to request the quorum court to call an election for an one-fourth percent sales tax to help in maintenance costs for the facility. Not only did he not get exactly what he wanted, but he also heard from several people who are dissatisfied with the service they received at the facility.
(Updated) Justin Dailey Carpenter, 32, of 1743A Portland Road, Portland, is now in the Ashley County Jail in Hamburg, being held without bond on a charge of capital murder. Ledger Web Site Passes 1,000,000 Visitors for 2006 Some time during the night hours of December 19-20, the one millionth person for the year visited the Ashley County Ledger's electronic edition at ashleycountyledger.com. The year just closed was the first time for the electronic Ledger to pass a million visitors in one year. Photo Galleries Now On-Line at Ledger Web Site Effective on Friday morning, October 21, the electronic edition of the Ashley County Ledger has a new feature, a series of photo galleries. Ledger's Web Site Wins Another Award During the 2006 annual convention of the Arkansas Press Assocation in Hot Springs the weekend of June 22, the Ashley County Ledger's electronic edition was recognized as the third best weekly electronic edition in the state.
|
No More Busy Signals and Much Faster Downloads Available Immediately!
Home | Local News | Sports/Outdoors | Opinions | School News | Obits
Classifieds |Public Notices | Calendar | Entertainment | Health
National News | Town Hall | Weather | Stock Market
Business Dir. | School Dir. | Church Dir. | Ashley Co. History
Archive Search |
About Us | Subscribe | Email Us | Guest Book
Copyright Ashley County Ledger. All rights reserved.