Monticello Live

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Towards the end of the meeting, there was one item that provoked a discussion worthy of attention.

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Several years ago, the church I was attending had a visiting preacher, who preached like he knew exactly what all was going on in my life at that time.

That preacher was Bro. Larry Wilkerson.  Bro. Larry is now pastor of Ladelle Baptist Church, a “country church” that averages around 75-80 people attending on Sunday mornings.  One of Bro. Larry’s friends was at lunch with us, and described the church as “country people and potluck meals, that make you feel at home.”

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FROM THE CHIEFʼS DESK

The holiday season should be a time of great joy as we share gifts and good times with our families and friends. Unfortunately, it can be a time when our joy is robbed as gifts are stolen from both homes and automobiles. Please read the following “Holiday Safety Tips” and share them with your family and friends.
While Shopping:
*Keep purchases in sight. Combine into one bag as often as possible. Keep a good grip on your treasures.
*Be aware of your surroundings. If someone is following or watching you call a security guard.
*Make frequent trips to the car with purchases. PUT ITEMS IN THE TRUNK, not in the floor or seat where prying eyes can see them. Keep your vehicle locked at all times. Though it is inconvenient, park in a new location after each trip to the car. Park in well-lit, heavily used areas if shopping at night.
*Do not leave packages or purses on the floor while eating. Put packages on table.
*Try not to carry a purse, but if you must, keep it in front of you and close to your body. Keys should not be carried in your purse. In case of a purse snatching the thief will have your address and keys to your home. Keep your keys, money, or credit card in your pocket if it is possible.
*Never carry large amounts of money and do not display the cash you carry. Use credit cards or checks whenever possible. Make sure that only one credit slip is printed with your charge card and tear up any carbons used in the transaction.
Holiday Traveling:
*Ask a neighbor to watch your home while you are away, and to pick up mail and newspapers.
*Set an automatic timer to activate your lights and other appliances to give your home an occupied look.
*Be sure your home is locked and that the shades, blinds, and draperies are in their normal position.
*Do not leave notes outside to indicate that you are away from home.
Home for the Holidays:
*Do not leave the trunk or doors open when unloading the car.
*Keep your doors and deadbolts locked at all times, even when someone is at home.
*Never let a stranger into your home.
*Do not stack presents around the tree in full view of the window.
*Place boxes for new items such as computers, televisions, or video equipment in garbage bags for pick-up. Do not advertise your loot!
Merry Christmas and the very best of wishes for the New Year from the Monticello Police Department!

Selma Rosenwald School by Sheilla Lampkin

In the past year or so the Drew County Museum was contacted as to the location of Drew County’s “Rosenwald School”. Since none of our museum commission members had any knowledge about such a place, a fascinating search began which led to the discovery of the Rosenwald educational project and the knowledge that Drew County did indeed have an old school building of great national significance resting quietly down one of our rural byways. The search was an interesting and informative one, especially dear to my heart since it involved schools and education.

First, let’s go back in history and explore the name “Rosenwald” and its effects on American education.

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The Monticello City Council met for the second night in a row to listen to budget requests.  Monday night organizations were the topic, Tuesday night city departments were on the agenda.

Including the police, fire, warehouse, solid waste, water, and parks & recreation departments.

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The next portion of the budget meeting dealt with the Parks and Recreation dept.  The following discussion included funding for the Jordan Park pool project.

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The final segment of the Budget meeting dealt with city street repairs.  The main need was widening ………….

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The Monticello City Council held a meeting to serve as an oppurtunity for organizations to request funding for the upcoming yearly budget.

The program included requests from the Boys & Girls Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and the MEDC.

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The Drew County Quorum Court met in it’s regular session Monday night.

Items discussed included………

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Bennie Carol Wade, long time choral director at Drew Central High School, was recently honored by the Central Arkansas Choral Directors’ Association as their Junior High Choral Director of the Year for 2007.The award is based on her outstanding work at Dunbar Middle School in the Little Rock School District. Since coming to Dunbar in January, 2006, she has taken the Combined Choir to three festivals where they have received only Superior Ratings and Division I plaques.

At last spring’s Central Region Festival, the Dunbar Choir had the highest scores of the 70 junior and senior high groups attending the three-day festival.

The Dunbar Choir has also excelled at All Region auditions in 2006 and 2007, placing 24 and 29 students in the choirs, respectively, although only having 7th and 8th graders at Dunbar while the All Region Choir includes 7th, 8th, and 9th grades.

Mrs. Wade now resides in Little Rock where she is also the pianist for Conway’s First Baptist Church.

Tuesday night, after the election results were posted on MonticelloLive, everyone went home, and all of the election work was done.  Well except for the County Clerks office.  Most of the Clerks work involves tasks that most people do not realize. (more…)

Thanksgiving morning, MonticelloLive will be running a Special Article, about Selma’s Historic Rosenwald School.

This award winning report was written by Mrs. Sheilla Lampkin a few years ago, but is extremely interesting, especially to History buffs, here in Drew County.

Check back Thanksgiving Day, to learn more about the rich history of Drew County.

At Thursday night’s city council meeting, Finance Director Kimberly Fletcher’s report brought out several major accomplishments that our city has achieved.

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With  all precincts reporting, the current votes counted were….

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Most Monticello residents know Truman Hamilton from when he owned the radio stations.  Others remember when he managed the Magic Mart store, but there’s more to know about Truman than where he used to work.

Truman has just accepted the position of executive director of the Monticello Economic Development Commission. 

I think the job is in good hands.

MEDC’s director, Derrill Pierce, is stepping down because of health reason, but is helping it’s new director during the transition. 

Truman has just been in the office a few days, but the first thing that I noticed about his desk, was that his Bible was on it.  That’s a sign of leadership.

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Mrs. Beverly Lobitz has been a member of UAM’s Music faculty for 35 years.  So many times, when someone has the same career, they just do their job.  That’s not the case with Mrs. Lobitz.

David Johnston, who’s daughter, Dailyn, is a first year piano student of Mrs. Lobitz, considers her to be “an outstanding piano teacher.  Dailyn is already reading sheet music, and can sing and play at the same time.”

Johnston added, ”She is a very sweet person who allows parents to sit in on lessons with their children. Seeing her work with kids the way she does, shows that she is a very patient and talented teacher.  She always seems eager to share her love of music.” 

Beverly Lobitz grew up in Manhattan, Kansas.  She earned her Bachelor of Music degree at Kansas State University, and then completed her Masters of Science in Voice degree, at Emporia (Kansas) State University.

Mrs. Annette Hall, her colleague in the Division of Music since 1972, considers Mrs. Lobitz to be “a multi-talented musician, dedicated teacher, and exemplary role model for students.”

Mrs. Hall added, “She has the heart of a teacher.” 

Mrs. Lobitz has taught piano and voice, both in school settings and privately, since college.  She has been a member of UAM’s Music Department for 35 years. 

Betty Matthews told me last week, how helpful Mrs. Lobitz was when she taught Ms. Matthews daughter, Laura.  “Personal involvement” makes a world of difference.”

Larry Lobitz, retired, is Mrs. Beverly’s husband, and has preached for many years.  Together, they serve at Lakeside Presbyterian Church, in Lake Village.  Mr. Larry leads the choir, and Mrs. Beverly has played the organ for 11 years.

Their son, Brice is a construction contractor in New Orleans, and his wife, Becky (formerly Becky Jacobs, of Monticello), is an electrical engineer with Shell Oil.  They spend many weekends working with church projects there, such as missions, and construction for people with special needs.

Mrs. Lobitz has 2 grandchildren, Colton and Tyler.

Mrs. Lobitz says she doesn’t watch very much television, but does enjoy an occasional “Extreme Home Makeover”, when someone does something helpful to improve someone else’s life.

Mrs. Lobitz considers music, “a vocation, and a hobby”, and has taught hundreds of students in private lessons, where she can make the most of “one on one” contact, in teaching.

She explained her ambitions with this phrase, “My goal is to see students succeed, not just in music, but in life.”

It seems that Mrs. Beverly Lobitz has reached her goal; many, many, times.  Including with me.

I became a voice student of Beverly Lobitz in 1982, when i started at UAM.  3 years later, while living and working in Dumas, but just a few hours short of graduation.  Mrs. Lobitz kept in touch with me by sending messages by my church’s pianist (also a student of hers), encouraging me to finish.  Mrs. Lobitz kept saying, “When you’ve got that degree, you’ll be so glad to have achieved that goal in life.”  25 years later, I see that she was right.  The fact that Mrs. Lobitz never gave up, has really made a difference, as it does to so many other students, that she still calls “My Kids”.

Thanks, Beverly Lobitz, for sharing your One Monticello Life.

Click here to read the article from UAM’s “The Voice”.

MonticelloLive.com had over 2000 pageviews last week, according to onestat.com.

This is the highest number of readers to the website, since June.

Thanks for “spreading the word” about MonticelloLive.com, Monticello’s community website.