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JPs Approve Bonus for County Employees All of the Ashley County employees will receive a $500 bonus in their June checks after the members of the Ashley County Quorum Court approved the payment during the regular meeting on Tuesday, April 8. While the budget committee had discussed payments of the bonuses to elected officials, excluding quorum court members, elected officials were not in the motion approved Tuesday afternoon. Funds for the payments will come from recording or commission fees or from unfilled positions. The county will withhold FICA payments, but employees will have to pay taxes on the bonus when they file their tax returns. Justice Frank Rawls, acting on behalf of the budget committee, made the recommendation. The justices also approved an additional half-time employee for the Hamburg District Court. Justice Rawls said that the case load for the Hamburg court has more than tripled in the last three years. Sheriff David Johnson said that Hamburg has a daytime court while the Crossett District Court meets at night so deputies prefer using the Hamburg court. He also noted that three Arkansas State Troopers and a state police criminal investigator are now stationed in the county, as well as other troopers from Chicot County, all of whom use the courts. He said that in order to spread the case load, he may have some deputies write tickets for the Crossett court and others to write them for the Hamburg court. In the only other action item, the justices approved a resolution authorizing the county judge to apply for and the treasurer to provide payments from a $10,000 grant. The county and the Ashley County Fair Association are applying for the funds to pay part of the cost of a new 30x60 metal exhibit building at the fairgrounds. The funds, if approved, will come from the Arkansas Rural Development Commission. Justice Rawls noted that the budget committee met to review revenues and expenditures for the first three months of the year. He noted that Ashley County Treasurer Flora Mae Byrd said that revenues look good. All county departments are within their budget, he said, except for the election commission which is waiting to be reimbursed. He commended the county officials for looking out for their budgets. In other business, the sheriff reported that he is looking for ways to increase revenues for the Ashley County Jail. He said he has filed an application to keep federal prisoners in the local jail. In addition, he has talked to Bradley County about holding prisoners in Hamburg. The sheriff noted that in 2006, the county received $217,000, which only dropped by $16,000 in 2007 even though Pine Bluff has built a new jail. When the new county jail opened in Hamburg, the county kept a substantial number of prisoners for Pine Bluff or Jefferson County. The monthly hospital report noted that for the first five months of the hospital's fiscal year, utilization is up over the same period last year in all areas except for two fewer newborn surgeries and 36 fewer surgeries. In addition, revenues are up by about $700,000 from last year. While utilization and revenues are up, expenses are also upn by $801,000. The increases in expenses are due to the new Inspiration and wound care programs as well as increased costs of supplies, in particular drugs and cardiac pacemakers. The report noted that costs will continue to rise with oil prices because most medical supplies are petroleum based. Through five months of this fiscal year, the hospital has provided $207,510 in indigent care and wrote off another $846,529 in bad debts. The hospital has 198 full time equivalent employees as of February 28 and, through five months, expended $3.67 million in salaries along with an additional $654,669 in employee benefits. Justice Carl Vorhease did not attend the meeting. The next regular meeting is planned for Tuesday, May 13, at 2:30 p.m. in the courthouse.
Greg Johnson, who has worn the purple and white of the Hamburg Lions for the past nine years, will return to his native maroon and white as a coach for the Crossett Eagles under new head coach Todd Ledford. In addition, Crossett Superintendent of Schools Janice Warren narrowly survived a motion for immediate termination.
It's almost Armadillo time in Hamburg. The Hamburg Area Chamber of Commerce invites everyone to the 38th annual Armadillo Festival to be held in downtown Hamburg from Friday, May 2, to Sunday, May 4. Hamburg Board Approves Bids for Electrical Work, Lights for Campbell Field The Hamburg School Board, after a special meeting at noon on Thursday, April 10, is now only one bid away from approving bids for all of the renovation and new construction projects for the athletic facilities at Hamburg High School. JPs Approve Bonus for County Employees All of the Ashley County employees will receive a $500 bonus in their June checks after the members of the Ashley County Quorum Court approved the payment during the regular meeting on Tuesday, April 8. While the budget committee had discussed payments of the bonuses to elected officials, excluding quorum court members, elected officials were not in the motion approved Tuesday afternoon. Eight Under Consideration as Lion Head Coach The application period for head coach of the Hamburg Lions closed at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 11, with several changes from the previous list of applicants. Hamburg Superintendent of Schools Keith Alexander has been interviewing some of the applicants. Jackson Speaker for Hamburg Schools Foundation Banquet Those attending the banquet of the Hamburg Schools Foundation on Thursday night, April 3, heard an entertaining and inspiring presentation from Keith Jackson, a former NFL football player and now the founder and leader of P. A. R. K., (Positive Attitudes Reaching Kids), a program in Little Rock for at-risk children. Nine File Applications for Post as Lion Head Coach Hamburg Superintendent of Schools Keith Alexander said Monday afternoon that he has received nine applications for the position as head coach of the Hamburg Lions. Crime Lab Says Blakely Died of Neck Stab Wounds The Arkansas State Crime Lab's preliminary report on a Montrose man confirmed the Chicot County Coroner's unofficial cause of death as multiple stab wounds.
With all members present, the Crossett School Board expelled two Norman Junior High School students on the recommendation of Superintendent Janice Warren and approved a bid for the installation of a security camera system at the junior high school during a special called meeting on Monday, March 31.
On April 2, at Fort Rucker Alabama, Celia A. Davis pinned silver Army aviator wings on her son, Captain Patrick Hawkins' chest. Over the past sixteen months, Patrick has been at the home of Army aviation at Fort Rucker learning to fly helicopters. The Army's rigorous flight school program consisted of cunker water survival training, S.E.R.E training (Survive Evade Resist Escape), and rotary wing helicopter training. All aviators go through this training before receiving their wings and going to their respective units to perform combat operations in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan or supporting operations at home in the United States.
The Hamburg First Methodist Church is celebrating is sesquicentennial this year. Noble Bookkeeper Facing Felony Charges of Tampering With Public Record & Theft An information prepared by Tenth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Deen on Friday, March 25, charges a Hamburg School District bookkeeper with tampering with a public record and theft of entrusted property. Guardsmen in Kuwait for Final Training Before Move to Iraq KUWAIT-The march to Iraq continues for the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, however, these soldiers find themselves yet one step closer as they've reached their staging area at a military outpost here in the dessert. While the brigade will continue to move forward into its permanent duty locations in Iraq over the next couple weeks, training is priority here; priority, however, is taking a backseat to the sandstorms that have plagued these soldiers the past two days. Crossett’s Council Again Delays Final Decision on Animal Law After several months of debate concerning changes to the animal control committee's proposal, the Crossett City Council again delayed adopting an animal control ordinance Monday, March 24. Instead, aldermen agreed that the animal control committee, Chief of Police Tommy Sturgeon and Jeff Harrison, public works director, meet prior to the next council meeting to review the existing ordinance and the committee's proposal to make sure the next draft before the council covers all areas of concern. Crossett Sets Public Hearing On Issuance of Bonds For Upgrades to Water System The Crossett City Council adopted a water extension resolution setting a date for a public hearing for 4 p.m. on April 7 in the community room at the Crossett Public Library during its regular meeting on Monday, March 24. Hamburg Council Gives Some Raises, Approves Request to Close Square for TractorFest The Hamburg City Council, in its regular meeting on Monday night, March 24, approved raises for about five employees while delaying a decision on raises or bonuses for other employees. City of Hamburg, Portland Methodist Church Get Preservation Grants Mike Beebe announced this past week that the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, has awarded $308,377 in grants through its Certified Local Government Grant, Historic Preservation Restoration Grant and Main Street Model Business Grant programs, including two for projects in Ashley County.
Tickets are now on sale for the Hamburg Schools Foundation banquet, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, in the Hamburg Junior High School cafeteria. Hamburg Chamber To Sponsor Circus Next Tuesday Culpepper & Merriweather Circus, sponsored by the Hamburg Area Chamber of Commerce, will preform in Hamburg during two showings on Tuesday, April 1, at the Ashley County Fairgrounds at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Biofuels Conference Thursday in Monticello The Arkansas Biofuels Conference will be held on Thursday, March 27, at 1 p.m. in the UAM Fine Arts Center Auditorium in Monticello, and is open to the public. Hearings Set in Carpenter, Johnson Murder Cases Circuit Judge Don Glover presided over a variety of hearings Monday, March 17, including hearings for two men accused of capital murder in Ashley County Circuit Court. Justices Delay Decision on Funds for Fairgrounds Building The regular meeting of the Ashley County Quorum Court on Tuesday, March 11, was a routine one with no action items on the agenda. Delta Regional Authority Sets Meetings on Multimodal Transportation The Delta Regional Authority has scheduled a second round of public meetings to discuss multimodal transportation in the region. Crossett Board Hires Teachers, Approves Calendar The Crossett School Board met Monday, March 10, with all members except Doug Thurman present. Actions taken by board members included the approval of three personnel changes, re-hiring of a number of certified positions, adopting the school calendar and secondary textbooks for the 2008-2009 year, and postponing further discussions on 2008-2009 raises until the April board meeting. Hamburg Board Affirms Superintendent in Replacing Coach After meeting for about an hour in executive session Friday afternoon, March 14, the Hamburg School Board affirmed the decision of Superintendent Keith Alexander to replace Greg Johnson as the head football coach and athletic director for the Hamburg Lions. Hamburg Chooses Cheerleaders for Next Year The Hamburg School District held cheerleader tryouts for the 2008-2009 school year on Friday afternoon, March 14. Body of Missing Montrose Man Found at Eudora (Third Update) The search for a missing Ashley County man ended around 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, in Chicot County when search and rescue teams found the body of Lumous Blakely, 31, of Montrose in a ditch west of the former Eudora High School off Highway 8. According to Ashley County Sheriff David Johnson, the Chicot County coroner was notified and is in the process of contacting the state medical examiner to conduct an autopsy. Crossett Voters Approve Economic Development Tax In a special election on Tuesday, March 11, voters in the city of Crossett approved a one-fourth percent sales tax for economic development by a margin of 340 to 148. The tax is a continuation of a tax presently on the books. Hamburg Board Approves, Rejects Bids, Hires Next Year’s Teachers In its regular meeting on Monday night, March 10, moved one week ahead because of spring break next week, the Hamburg School Board accepted one bid for the new athletic facilities while rejecting another. The board also made one change in construction plans and hired teachers for the next school year. Contested Races for Sheriff, JP Seat Head Primary Ballot in Ashley County The filing period for the May primary election closed at noon on Monday, March 10, and there will be two contested local races on the ballot. Schools Foundation Awards Grants The Hamburg Schools Foundation, Inc., recently awarded five grants totaling $4,300. The foundation's purpose is to help in funding worthwhile educational projects and equipment not covered by the school district's normal operating funds. Hamburg School to Dismiss Early on Friday Students in the Hamburg School District will be dismissed early on Friday, March 7, due to the winter weather warning affecting the area. Shutdown at GP Plywood Mill to Continue There was continued bad news on the status of the Georgia-Pacific plywood mill in Crossett on Monday, March 3, as well as one bright spot in the bad news. Hamburg Board Looks for Ways to Cut Costs of Athletic Facilities The Hamburg School Board, in a special meeting on Thursday, February 28, approved bids for five of seven bid packages for the new athletic facilities, while postponing final consideration of the other two areas. Wilmot Gets Weather Warning Funds Washington - U.S. Representative Mike Ross (AR-04) along with Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor announced Thursday that the town of Wilmot will receive a $27,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development program. These funds will be used to purchase an early warning system for severe weather to serve Wilmot and the surrounding area. Crossett Voters to Decide Fate of Development Tax Tuesday Voters in the city of Crossett will decide next Tuesday, March 11, whether or not to extend the existing one-fourth percent sales and use tax to fund economic development programs. A local woman, Mendy M. Cheramie, 33, of 280 Ashley Road 471, Hamburg, died as a result of a one vehicle accident on Tuesday, February 26. High Fuel Prices Bringing More People to Food Pantry Higher fuel costs have affected some Ashley County residents in ways other than requiring them to pay more at the pump and to pay higher utility bills. Hamburg Helping Hands Food Pantry Director Mary Williams explained recently that while fuel costs have increased, working extra hours to make ends meet is not an option for a percentage of elderly residents collecting social security. During January, according to Williams, the pantry aided 114 families. Hamburg Council Hears Chamber Director, Reports on Applications for Grants A report on the activities of the Hamburg Area Chamber of Commerce took the majority of the 30 minute regular meeting of the Hamburg City Council on Monday night, February 25. Hearing on New Trial on Defense Motion Set for March 10 A hearing on a motion for a new trial in the capital murder conviction of Kenneth Ray Osburn is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Monday, March 10, in Ashley County Circuit Court. Crossett Council Again Postpones Animal Ordinance The Crossett City Council with all alderman present on Monday night, February 18, discussed adopting changes to the city's animal control ordinance, removed a decade old lien, heard two presentations and approved three resolutions. 150 Year Old Markers Stolen, But Now Back at Hamburg Cemetery About a century and a half after two infants died and were buried in the Hamburg Cemetery and an estimated decade and a half after their markers disappeared, the markers have now been returned to Hamburg.
The Hamburg School Board on Monday night, February 18, lost one board member and gained another during its regular meeting, held in Wilmot. Hamburg Facilities Bids Well Over Budget The Hamburg School District got some unwelcome news on Valentines Day when the district opened bids for the new athletic facilitiesn the bids were $200,000 over the projected budget, even without a bid on the electrical work.
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Greg Johnson to Take Off Purple, Don Maroon and White; Warren Survives Firing Motion
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