Monticello Live

Head of the Class Childcare & Learning Center of Monticello held it’s annual pre-school graduation ceremonies on Thursday, May 21st at the Holmes Chapel Christian Family Center. A crowd of nearly 400 people gathered to support the Center’s 31 graduates from the Class of 2009 .

The students performed numerous skills, activities and routines learned during the school-year, as well as a number of special presentations.

Prior to the ceremonies, the audience was treated to a special power-point presentation that featured students, staff and a host of community friends.

Owners Shay & Sherrie Gillespie presented plaques to Head of the Class employees Alonda R. Gordon and Seneca Gulley, recognizing them as 2009 Staff -Members – of – the -Year.

Photos provided by Van Dee Photography

GRADUATES OF 2009  include: (more…)

The driver of this 18 wheeler, loaded with landscaping stones, was pronounced dead at the scene, following an accident around 2:30 Friday morning, where the loaded truck drove into Lake Chicot, from HWY 82 East, near Lake Village. (more…)

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Around 1 o’clock, Saturday morning, Drew County deputies were called to the intersection of HWY 83 north and Rose Hill Cut Off road.

A black Dodge 1500 pick-up had run through the stop sign, while headed east, crossed the highway, and ran through the ditch, and a fence row.

Upon coming to a stop, it appears that the driver made a U-turn in the cattle pasture, and re-crossed the fence line.

This seems to be when the truck struck a nearby home’s gas meter, ripping it from the 2 inch natural gas line, which was then left to fill the air around the vehicle. (more…)

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Drew Central students and teachers are hosting a reception in honor of Mr. Dennis Thurman.

Thurman has dedicated forty years to the lives of thousands of students. He has had a tremendous impact on many students and teachers.

The reception will be held in the red -brick building on the Drew Central campus, on May 31, 2009 from 2 p.m-4p.m. (more…)

Monticello Police officers waited tables and delivered meals at a local restaurant, Thursday evening, and raised over $600 in tips, which will go to help fund Special Olympics.

Monticello’s Huddle House, owned and operated by Earl Freeland, a former Crossett police officer, was a popular, and safe, place to enjoy a meal, delivered by Monticello”s finest.

Lt. Steven Stain is shown here with a different type of ticket book, as he takes a family’s order,

 

while Cpt. Eddy Deaton was delivering silverware to diners.

 

and Sgt. Carlos Garcia heads out to take an order, as auxiliary officer Steve Hood refills a soda.

Patrolmen Ray Singleton and Jeff Jackson manned the outside tent,

and officers Mike Sharpe and Lee Fleming prepare tables for the next customers.

Drew County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Michel, along with MPD’s Gerald Clarke, shown here serving drinks, also took part in the event. (more…)

Oh no, Look who’s Fifty.

Connie Horn celebrates her birthday, and thanks to an annonymus family member for the photo.

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This photo was taken around 6 p.m.,  Sunday, on South Hyatt Street, near the old high school, by Amanda Killingsworth.

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These comments were made by Drew Memorial Hospital Board President Jim Searcy, and DMH Administrator Mike Layfield at the end of Wednesday’s DMH board of directors meeting, before the meeting was adjourned.

The comments were made in reference to members of the quorum court’s discusssion about dividing the upcoming vote on the renewal of the 1 cent road tax, to support proposed hospital construction and/or improvements.

Searcy’s comments included the phrases, “The hospital hasn’t asked for any taxes,” “we really don’t need it,” and “ask that they just give us a chance to take care of our own business.”

“DMH CEO Layfield added, “Our focus is cut and dried.  We have a phase and approach to renovate the hospital; and we’ll use our own revenues, if we can, to finance this.  We’re not asking for any sales taxes.” (more…)

Dozens of Monticello residents attended Tuesday night’s Town Hall Meeting, sponsored by Ward/District 1 Elected Officials; city council members Sherrie Gillespie and Al Peer, quorum court member  Orlandao Jones, and Monticello school board member Cedric Leonard.  Chris Allen served as moderator for the event. (more…)

Shown here is a 78 pound catfish caught by George Donaldson.

He caught the fish Tuesday on the Mississipi River.

First I would like to say that I realize I’m no longer an elected official and I’m not trying to step back into that spot.

I do however pay taxes and still have a voice. I know that when I was the district 9 representative that the people not only wanted better roads but supported the road tax by voting it in.

No-one has the right to try to take this decision away. If it is taken away the people will decide to not vote in back in. Building good road bases and hard surfacing cost alot of money. It also cost alot of money to keep them up after they are built. I’m afraid some do not realize that. (more…)

I disagree that the one cent road tax should be split.Mr. Echols and Mr. Jones do not know the problems we are having with the roads because neither of these QC members go out and ride the roads to see the progress that the county road department are making because of the one cent sales tax that are already in place.

We have some of the best county roads in Southeastern Arkansas. I am the transportation director at Drew Central Schools. I am going to give you some facts. Drew Central transportation department has an annual budget of over $300,000. (more…)

I would like to expand on my letter of May 8th regarding the renewal of the 1 cent sales tax for county roads. The questions I raised deserve some additional attention especially regarding “a” plan or “the” plan for county roads.

When the State Highway Department requested in 1992 a fuel tax increase to fund a program to provide four lane highways to all towns of 5,000 or more they had a map illustrating which towns, which roads, and a projected schedule of completion. Although the plan was stretched out because of revenue shortfalls, one could look at the plan at any time and see where they were with each project; what had been accomplished and what remained to do. If we don’t have such a plan for our county roads, we need one. (more…)

If you’ve noticed in all the letters to the editor, nobody questions the progress the county road department has made with the use of our one-cent road tax. This tax is partially paid by our neighboring counties, as their residents love shopping in Monticello.

We’re providing jobs and getting our roads fixed, partially with other counties’ money. I hope we can get our most highly-traveled roads paved in the next few years. You may not know that we have over 600 miles of county roads that have to be maintained. The primary users are farmers and the county’s leading industry: timber production. (more…)

First my thoughts are that I am so Thankful to live in country where we can have healthy debates without fear of retaliation from the “Powers That Be” as opposed to some countries like Iraq before the fall Sadam where he executed those who disagreed with him. With a new administration in the White House, our president has called for a more transparent government which causes me to reflect on what’s happening here locally. (more…)

Approximately 80 people were present at the Memorial Day Ceremony held at the Drew County Courthouse, Monday morning, sponsored by the local VFW, DAV, and American Legion posts.

Judge Damon Lampkin was the featured speaker.  Others on the program included Glenn Kellebrew, Rev. Rex Williams, Tommy King, Bill Moore, Lamar Butler, and Megan Brewer (who played Taps on the bugle).

This flag, which is on display in the Chamber of Commerce, flew over the U. S. Capitol.

This Flag was dedicated at the VFW / American Legion building in April.

This Flag was posted by the color guard at UAM’s Centennial Celebration, in early April.

The Monticello Adult Education Center honored the 2009 GED recipients with a graduation ceremony, Thursday, May 21, 2009 in the Monticello Middle School auditorium.

The guest speaker for the evening was Mrs. Cheryl Scott, Regional Support Specialist for UALR School of Social Work at MidSouth Training Academy. (more…)

At a recent MEDC meeting, state representative Allen Maxwell presented a power point presentation about a trip the he had been a part, that researched the effects and practices of mining lignite, at the Sabine Lignite Mine and H. W. Pirkey Power Plant, near Hallsville, TX.

The trip was made to learn about lignite mining, because there are 9 billion tons of lignite in Arkansas, including most of Drew, Bradley, Cleveland, Ashley, and Jefferson Counties.

Lignite is a “finger-tip sized’ chunky substance, that would eventually turn into coal.  Mining is done in 1000 acre tracts, and is the “cheapest electricity in Texas.:”

There are unresolved issues about it the owners of “surface rights” also own “mineral rights” to the same properties.

Lignite mining in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas have reportedly been successful, economicly and environmentally.

The photos below include pictures of fields that have been reclaimed at 3-5 and 15 year stages.

 

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New boating regulations will take effect this summer, including a change in current law that will raise the minimum age for operating a motorized water craft from 14 to 16.

Act 693 of 2009 is known as “Rachel’s Law,” in memory of Rachel Rutherford, a 15-year-old who was killed while riding a personal watercraft on Lake Hamilton in 2007. (more…)

 

 

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At the March school board meeting, MIS EAST students were present, and presented a video presentation to the board. 

At an assembly, held on Thursday, Superintendant Bobby Harper, along with school board members Lee Busby, Hani Hashem, and Chuch Dearman, presented the check to the school, represented by the EAST students, who presented the video program, for $16,000, to fund the paved surface for the area.   The markings will be done by the students.

6th grade students were invited back to MIS after the “peaceful playground” is in place, since they also contributed to the “change for a change” fundraising project, which helped beding this project

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The City of Monticell has announced that the May 21 meeting has been cancelled.  There was nothing on the agenda that required any action.

The June meeting has been rescheduled for June 4, instead of the regular June 18 date, due to the Municipal League Meeting.  It had been set to take place on June 11, but was rescheduled due to conflicts.

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Senior Pictures for the 2010 graduating class of Monticello High School will be on Thursday and Friday, May 28th and 29th at Second Baptist Church (across the street from the student parking lot). Appointment cards will be handed out during 3rd block on Thursday, May 21st. If you are not exempt from your semester tests and you are scheduled during one of your tests, DO NOT MISS YOUR TESTS TO TAKE YOUR PICTURES. (more…)

A Drew County jury sentenced a Monticello man to 2 weeks in jail oncharges of terroristic threatening, in regards to threats made to 2 office workers at a local apartment complex, after his mother was notified that she must move out of the facility. (more…)

The Monticello Police Dept. sent an officer to Springfield, MO, Friday, to pick up the man who inplicated with a fire inside of Monticello’s  Super 8 Motel, in late September.

He is now in jail in Monticello, charged with arson, on a $100,000 bond. (more…)