Monticello Live

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Leading Stories about City and County Government :
In January, the city’s new property clean-up ordinance was passed by the City Council.
20 properties were condemned, in October.
In December, the first property demolition began.

May elections brought changes to Monticello and Drew County. Allen Maxwell was elected Mayor of Monticello. 2 new Quorum Court members and a new City Council member will also take office in January.

After a 4 candidate race, Sheilla Lampkin defeated Ross Bolding in a June run-off election for State Representative, District 10.    Lampkin then defeated Weldon Wynn of Star City in the November election.

In November, Drew County voters approved a tax for a new library

Jo Ann Trotter tried twice to run for City Council, but was declared ineligible both times.

In July, the City Council voted to build a new fire station on the Whaley Property, and then met the next day, and reversed their decision. Here is more on the issue.

The Quorum Court finally ended the controversy over the JP’s insurance being paid for with county funds, by voting to cancel the benefit.

The City Council agreed it was time to make improvements to the City Square. Actually, not everyone agreed on that issue.

2010 at Drew Memorial Hospital.

Drew Memorial Hospital has begun it’s modernization project, that has been discussed for years.

The Southeast Arkansas Health Foundation presented Drew Memorial Hospital, with a check for $100,000 toward the purchase of a new digital mammography machine,which is being installed this week.

In November, Drew Memorial Hospital won it’s second consecutive “Governor’s Quality Award.”

In other news,

In April, Ward Rabb made an emergency landing in an airplane on HWY 425 North.

In April, the Ridgeway Hotel Project’s loan and financing agreement was signed, and the remodeling process soon began, here are some photo of the ongoing improvements.

Also in April, a jury sentenced a Monticello area man to serve 21 years in prison, after he had been living at his girlfriend’s residence, which was located within 2000 feet of a children’s daycare, without registering as a Sex Offender in Drew County .  In June, he and his girlfriend were arrested in Colorado, after a two-month search for the couple.

In May, ArMOM’s Free Dental Clinic provided 1,254 Patients, 3001 Extractions, $760,000 in free dental treatment

On Memorial Day, J. D. Calhoun, a local businessman lost his life in a tractor accident.

In early June , MHS assistant football coach Greg Tiner replace Van Paschal as Head Coach of the Billies, and  All-Way Stop Signs were installed on the Square.

Also in June, Antwon Clifton, age 16 of Wilmar, died several days after drowning at Lake Monticello.

Rodney Scales, age 36 of Dermott, was sentenced to 84 years in prison on drug charges following his arrest after a 90 MPH car chase in Drew County.

In July, Mainline Health Systems open an income based clinic in Monticello.  Here’s a tour of the Mainline facility.

James and Rene Knowles were chosen as the 2010 Drew County Farm Family of the Year

Also in July, Duane Gonder, age 25, accepted a guilty plea for the murder of his brother, Marcus Gonder in July, 2009.

In August, Andy Frasure, age 34 and Terri Frasure, age 33, plead guilty and were sentenced for manufacturing methamphetamine twice in two months. They were also arrested in June.

Also in August, Jennifer Irene Bates was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the DWI Driving Death in September 2008 of Dustin “Rooster’ Ferguson. Bates suffered life-changing injuries in the wreck, which caused mixed feelings about the court case.

A September wreck with a loaded chip truck caused the death of a Florida man.

The Drew County Fair had more events this year, following last year’s tornado damage.

The fairgrounds, destroyed by a tornado last year, saw the new roof on the Education Building blown off, again, in October.

In October, the Sadie Johnson Community Center was destroyed by fire.

The annual Rhythm & Roots Festival was moved to October.

Also in October, Monticello Chiropractor Dr. Ryan Collins was named Arkansas Chiropractor of the Decade.

Former MHS choir director Michael Binns, Sr. was arrested and charged with the rape of 2 former students.

In late November, a Monticello 19 year old was killed in a car crash on East Jackson St.

2 weeks later, a 22 year old Monticello lady was severely injured by an 18 year old Crossett man, charged with DWI and leaving the scene.

During December,  7 church break-ins were reported to Monticello Police.

On December 27, a 74 year old Monticello man lost his life in a house fire, just across the Lincoln County line.

Another local family lost a loved one, when 23 year old Amber Abney lost her life in a car crash near Star City. 

Click here for a look back at 2009.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 1st, 2011 at 7:10 am and is filed under Site. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.