Monticello Live

The “Dead Man’s Curve” area was the scene of another serious motor vehicle accident, Friday morning, around 3 o’clock.

According to reports from the scene, the driver of this eastbound   Volkswagon Jetta crossed the center line, into the path of the oncoming westbound Plymoth Voyager, causing a head-on collision.

Both drivers had to be removed from their vehicles by Monticello Fire & Rescue, assisted by Drew County Sheriff Deputies.

SEEMS responded to aid the driver of the Voyager, and called for Air-Evac, an emergency helicopter transport, that has performed a training session with local emergency workers, but this is believed to be first “on scene” emergency pick-up in Drew County.

The victim was air-lifted to UAMS in Little Rock by chopper, from where it had landed, on the blocked off center line of HWY 278 East.

The driver of the Jetta was transported by MASI to Drew Memorial.

Triple A transported the Volkswagon, and J.A. Goad Towing removed the mini-van..

Please tell all your friends, fans, and family who live too far away to get to the Billie game to turn their internet to www.livestream.com/gobillies

We are attempting to broadcast the game over a the internet tonight. This is a new thing for us but we are trying so if you have family elsewhere…tell them to log on to www.livestream.com/gobillies

The stream should begin shortly before game time.

Kick-Off is at 7:30. tonight

 Clean up continues near Main St. and Gaines St. intersection, as shown in these photos, after Sunday night’s midnight crash, which closed the intersection overnight, and limited use of East Gaines St.

Here’s the informtion on the crash, with photos from Sunday night. 

Gaines Street opens with 2 lanes of traffic and a 4-way stop sign.

The driver of this Dodge truck reportedly fell asleep, before the crash.

Traffic light from Main & Gaines, waiting on inspection.

Light pole on northeast corner of Main & Gaines, leaning over blocked roadway

Clearview Glass staff replacing Barber Shop window.

AT&T crews re-installing phone lines.

"Barber Shop Row" after clean up.

The power pole that was laying across the street has been replaced, in front of lawyer's office.

Bo Evans, age 12, harvested this 8 point, while hunting with his dad this weekend in Drew County.

Around 8 o’clock Monday morning, AHTD personnel took over the damaged section of East Gaines Street from Main Street to Gabbert Street, and opened that area to small vehicle traffic.

Large trucks will still be detoured back to HWY 425, to travel north to Rose Hill Cut-Off Road, and then turn either north to Dumas, or south to Dermott, McGehee, southbound destinations.

The daylight photos show the damage down by last nights wreck, which is described below.

A wreck just before midnight, Sunday night, shut down traffic on East Gaines Street, from Main Street, to Gabbert Street, as well as taking the two stop lights on the square out of service

A Dodge Truck, apparently veered into the light pole, which hold the traffic light, then continued down East Gaines Street, knocking another power pole to the ground, completely blocking the street.

Some businesses also received minor damage.

E. Shelton to S. Gabbert Street is a good detour route on the south side of the square, and N. Main to Trotter, Jefferson, or Oakland can serve as detours from the north.

Monticello Police and city crews responded to the scene, as did Entergy, to restore power.

SEEMS transfered the driver to Drew Memorial, while Tommy’s Wrecker removed the Dodge.

Around 11 o’clock, Monday morning, as an attorney and his client were likely discussing their case before leaving the courthouse parking lot, the client reached into the back seat of the attorney’s pick-up truck to get a box.

When he moved the box, a 243 rifle, reportedly, accidentally fired, sending it’s bullet out the back passenger side of the attorney’s truck, and into the tailgate of the Drew County Environmental Enforcement vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee, parked next to the north entrance of the courthouse.  Witnesses said that there were several rifles in the back of the vehicle. (more…)

 As the topic turned to tax related issues, Gay Griffith asked the County Attorney Cliff Gibson for a clarification as to what limits would bind the use of the “1400″ account, which is a sales tax fund, that can have multiple designated purposes.   Basically, Gibson responded the court can set it’s own purpose for the money in that fund, as long as it’s done in a public forum, once a year.

Next, Arlene Russell asked to come before the court and discuss her feelings on the possible increase of millage taxes. Russell is reluctant to support the tax increase due to the fact that the county is not “hurting” for money. She feels that the county is likely going to be getting more money. She also mentioned that the Quorum Court should be paying for their own healthcare benefits.

“We pay for our own, and I don’t see how you can in good conscience take it out of the general fund,” stated Russell.

 After several comments from the Quorum Court about the ad velorum (millage) tax issue, they voted to leave the tax on property at the same rate that it has been set at since 1983, which is 1.8%.

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Tom Martin, Chipper Jones, Michael Murphy, Adam LaRoche, Jeremy Payne, Mitchell Murphy, Ryan Langerhans, Andrew Brannon, Willie Robertson, Matt Duff, and Tyler Chambers

CashboX, a local southern rock band, recently got the opportunity to perform for some “big time” stars. CashboX is made up of singer Andrew Brannon, from Monticello, guitarist Tyler Chambers, from Monticello, drummer Michael Murphy from Dermott, and Bassist Jeremy Payne from Lake Village. The band recently recorded the theme songs for the Duckmen 13: Fear the Beard, already out on DVD, and the Buck Commander 3: “The Bigs,” due out next year. The Duck Commander, a reality show about the Robertson family, airs weekly on The Outdoor Channel.

Michael Murphy, Tyler Chambers, Jason Aldean, Jeremy Payne, and Andrew Brannon.

 Because of CashboX’s success with the theme songs, Willie Robertson, star of the Buck Commander DVD series and Duck Commander DVD series and Duck Commander reality show series, sent the band and their families to the ranch of Major League Baseball player Adam LaRoche in Fort Scott, Kansas, where they played a concert for the Buck Commanders themselves. The Buck Commanders present were: Chipper Jones,3rd base for the Atlanta Braves; Adam LaRoche, 1st base for the Atlanta Braves; Matt Duff, a former St. Louis Cardinal pitcher; Tom Martin, a former New York Mets pitcher; Ryan Langerhans, outfielder for Seattle Mariners; and Willie Robertson. (more…)

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According to Lt. Jason Akers of the Tenth Drug Task Force, task force agents arrested a Monticello man after executing a search warrant at his Monticello apartment. (more…)

The city council met Tuesday night for several special committee meetings. The first meeting was for the Fire Department Committee. The council met to discuss locations for a new fire department. Fire Chief Steven Faulkner presented the committee with maps and drawings of possible locations for the new fire department, and what the mile and a half response time area would be for those locations.

Alderman Tim Chase stated that he believed that if the council was going to build a new fire department, they needed to renovate and maintain the central location, and build a fourth one in another location. Alderman Beverly Hudson stated that while that would be ideal, it would cost more money to do that.

The committee decided to meet again in December to discuss the future location of the fire department.

The Street Committee was the second meeting of the night. The first item of business was a list of specifications that the city engineer and the mayor had written to help the council decide which roads to adopt and which roads not to adopt. The specifications state how wide each lane must be, how thick the asphalt or concrete has to be, etc. They also had a letter typed in which the developer decides if he will follow the specifications and plan to dedicate the road to the city. The committee decided to take the specifications to the council.

The group also discussed whether or not to accept sub-standard sub-division streets into the city, which would add a tremendous amount a maintenance costs to bring them up to city standards. It seems that many streets put in place by developers and contractors did not meet accepted quality guidelines.  The city only had verbal agreements in the past with developers, which is what led to the discussion about the list of specifications. 

Members of the council agreed in principal to do so, but will take further action at the next council meeting.

For the second consecutive, Monticello’s First Assembly of God church was the location where Drew County residents went to get free flu shots, last Friday. 

The event started at 7 a.m., with the added difficulty of working by the light of car headlights shining the windows, because electricity wasn’t restored to the area until around 10:30, after storms the night before.

This year, a total of 1562 shots were given: 1426 were for the seasonal flu; 136 were for the H1N1 strain, which was available only for priority risk residents (as designated by the state) such as expectant mothers.

Last year over 1600 shots were given, but this year, workers used all of the available vaccine before 3 o’clock.

Karen Brown, administrator of the local health unit, seemed pleased with the days results, and complimented the 50 staff and volunteers, who made the event possible.

This photo, taken of Lake Monticello, by Paul Francis, was the $100 prize winner for the month of September, in the monthly contest on MonticelloLive for the best news tip or photo submitted.

Call in your news tips to 367-0000, and e-mail your photo submissions to joe@MonticelloLive.com,