Monticello Live

By Bentley Brodnax, 8th grade student at MMS

Monticello Middle School teacher Jennifer Touchstone has been selected to be one of the regional finalists for the 2008-09 Arkansas Teacher of the Year. (more…)

Dr. Ron Sitton, assistant professor of journalism at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, has been appointed to the Education Committee of the Arkansas Press Association. (more…)

Drew Central’s Devin Horn, winner of the Drew County Fair’s Talent Show in the Variety Category, won the Arkansas State Fair’s District Competition earlier this week, and returned with the other district winners for Saturday night’s competition, where he was selected as the best in the statewide variety category.

Devin, shown here with his State Fair Trophy and prize money envelope, performed Billy Currington’s “I got a feeling”.

Congratulation, Devin!

Miss Drew County, Drew Higginbotham, is competing for Arkansas State Fair Queen tonight at the Little Rock Fairgrounds.

Drew competed Thursday evening at regionals and won a spot to compete for the finals held tonight.

Good luck Drew and represent Drew County well.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazzette held an unofficial, un scientific poll of the “Best College Quarterback in Arkansas”, which ended yesterday.Â

UAM’s Scott Buisson was voted “the best” with 37%, with the nearest 2 vote-getters receiving 30% & 29%.

Here’s the site, no registering, just vote and click Buisson’s name and hit vote.

Mike Layfield, Drew Memorial Hospital’s new CEO came on staff this week, and is currently spending most of his time getting to know the hospital staff at Drew Memorial.

Layfield, shown here with Vonda Russell at a “Meet & Greet” held in the hospital cafeteria Wednesday morning, wants to meet with all employees and physicians personally, and he seems to be making a positive impression on all.

Layfield told MonticelloLive, “I’m impressed with community’s interest and support of our hospital.”  “We are all partners in healthcare and health education: the hospital, the doctors, the Health Dept., and home health.” (more…)

 

The Arkansas  Airport Operator’s Association has announced that Monticello’s Ellis Field has been chosen as the Arkansas Airport of the Year by their organization.

 

Monticello was chosen as the top airport, over Arkansas’ 90 other airports, for the successful completion of six projects, among other accomplishments.

Most Monticello residents don’t realize how much the local airport is used by local industries. Currently there are 26 air-crafts based out of the Monticello facility.  An estimated 25 flights come and go from Ellis Field each week, and the day that MonticelloLive interviewed airport manager James Barnett, there were an estimated 15 flights in that singe day.

The airport has received a plaque recoginzing the honor, along with a proclamation and letter from the Arkansas Department of Aeronautics, describing the reasons that the honor was granted to the local field.

Monticello’s Airport began in 1947, and has been located in the same location since that time.

Goals for next year include studying possible approaches for the field, and completing the chain link fence, in order to prevent deer from entering the runway.

According to Arkansas State Police reports, David Parker of Monticello was pronounced dead at the scene of a tractor trailer-car accident at the intersection of HWY 65 and HWY 388 in Lincoln.  The intersection is better described as the turn-off that leads to the Dept. of Corrections for Cummins & Varner units. (more…)