Monticello Live

43 Veterans Attending Memorial Service

MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

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A small child’s life was saved Saturday afternoon around 1:30, at the Super 8 Motel swimming pool, thanks to the quick thinking and actions of a father and daughter (the Rose family) of Colorado. (more…)

U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, Friday announced that the Drew Memorial Hospital will receive a $12 million Recovery Act loan to construct a replacement bed patient wing and a new allied health building.

“This funding will help the Drew Memorial Hospital continue to provide quality care to the community and surrounding areas. I am pleased that, through my role as Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman, I was able to help secure these funds,” Lincoln said.

“Approval of this loan will allow us to kick off the first phase of the modernization of Drew Memorial Hospital. This project will help us to better provide the highest quality health care services to everyone in Drew County and the surrounding areas,” Drew County Hospital CEO Michael Layfield said.

These projects will provide for fully accessible and modern rooms for area residents. They will also expand health services and education and training opportunities for the public and health care professionals. (more…)

MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

The weekend’s two day free dental clinic, sponsored by ArMOM (Arkansas Mission of Mercy) has come to an end, with a lasting benefit to 1,254 south Arkansas residents.

Dr. Terry Fiddler, director of the program, told MonticelloLive that 3,001 teeth were extracted from patients, and thousand’s of fillings were done.

The value of the services that were provided for free would have cost, $760,000, if they had to be paid for.

125 dentist and 798 volunteers made the event possible.

Comments from patients included, “Thank you so much, I couldn’t afford to have this done,” “This is such a  blessing,” and “This will make my life so much better, I’ll be able to eat regular food again.”

Thanks to everyone that made this event possible; dentists, volunteers, UAM, and the other businesses that provided products and services. (more…)

You can save most website as "shortcuts" or "icons" on your desktop by placing you mouse over a blank portion of the site, right clicking on it, and selecting "create shortcut". Your computer will ask you if you want to, and just click yes. The icon will be there for "one click" access in the future. You can also use that method to go directly to specific pages of websites, such as "classifieds" or "UAM Sports" on MLive, or any page on other sites, to save you wasting time just "passing through" useless pages.

Here is a list of local websites that you may want to keep handy.

MonticelloLive.com

City of Monticello

Drew County Sheriff’s Dept.

MEDC

Chamber of Commerce

UAM

Monticello Schools

Drew Central Schools

Drew Memorial Hospital

Hope Place Pregnancy & Family Center

Workforce Training Center

Social Security Local Office Info.

Local Veteran’s Office Info.

AA Winners Group

Alanon

CASA

Drew County Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc.

Commercial Bank

Union Bank

Ryburn Automotive Superstore

Lucky’s

Monticello Airport Weather Conditions

County Assessor’s Records

Drew County Conservation District

CashboX

The Computer Guys

Tiner Computer Services

Monticello Bass Club

Options, Inc the emergency crisis intervention agency in Monticello for victims of domestic and sexual violence offers group support Thursdays 3pm-4pm and empowerment counseling by appointment for victims of domestic and sexual violence.

Legal advocacy (assistance with filing of Orders of Protection), Court Advocacy (support in court), and referral to other available community resources that are available is also provided. All services are free and all matters are strictly confidential. For more information or assistance call 870-460-0684 or crisis hotline after 5 pm at 870-367-3488, or come by the business office 110 N. Main, during hours 9am -5pm. Offices are also located in Crossett and Dumas for residents of Ashley and Desha County residents.

Volunteers are needed please contact business office for more information at 870-460-0684. Website: www.safeportinastorm.com

Sheriff Mark Gober, who was re-elected Congatulates State Rep. Allen Maxwell, Monticello's Next Mayor.

Drew County Voters Elect New Mayor, New Alderman, 2 New JP’s, & Same Sheriff

Unofficial vote totals from Drew County’s Tuesday election, with all precincts reporting, except Lacey.  Information in Lacey’s computerized voting machine could not be retrieved Tuesday night, and will be added Wednesday. (more…)

MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Behind sophomore pitcher Kayla Jackson’s two wins in the circle, including her third no-hitter of the season, the 23rd-ranked University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team beat the 12th-ranked Alabama-Huntsville Chargers twice on Monday to advance to this weekend’s NCAA South Super-Region Tournament against host Valdosta State. (more…)

As I was working on a story lead, Monday, I began to realize just how many businesses in town are opening, expanding, and moving, and how many construction projects are going on, this week.

As MEDC president Bennie Ryburn III has said several times at meetings, “Monticello’s economy has continued to be strong, and has benefited from a large business/retail and service providers” (including medical, educational, state and local governmental services providers).

Today MonticelloLive will feature several businesses and projects that you may, or may not be aware of, that show that Monticello is the “hub of Southeast Arkansas.”

Check back later in the day, to see more business growth stories, as they are added.

Linda Booker Insurance celebrated the grand opening of their new office facility, last Friday. Special guests were Pastor Alan Womack, former pastor of the First Assembly of God Church in Monticello, Bro. Buddy Lemons, a lifelong Monticello pastor, and several business and community leaders.  The celebration included a blessing of the business by Pastor Alan Womack and Bro. Buddy Lemons and a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Chamber of Commerce.  (more…)

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From MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

From MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

State Senator Jimmy Jeffress and State Representative Allen Maxwell recently presented Options Director Brenda Nobles with a check for $10,000.00. Jeffress, Maxwell and Drew County Judge Damon Lampkin helped procure the funds through a Rural Services grant.

Options, Inc is an organization located in Monticello that provides emergency shelter and supportive services to victims of domestic and sexual violence. Options, Inc has a long and strong history of providing services to victims since 1989. Options, Inc is a certified shelter has met all the guidelines and standards required by the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence to be a certified shelter in the State of Arkansas for 2010. (more…)

A clerk from E-Z Mart North, a convenience store in Monticello, was robbed, as she was making a business deposit Sunday morning, around 6:30.

The robbery took place near the intersection of Church and Trotter Streets.

An investigation by the Monticello Police Dept. and the Arkansas State Police  is in progress, and anyone who may have any information about the case is asked to contact MPD by calling 367-3411.

Phoenix Renewable Energy, based out of Hot Springs, received a “cease and desist” letter from the Arkansas Securities Dept., for inducing investors to put up around $1.4 million, to be converted to stock in the German Stock Market. 

A press release from the state also stated that over $330,000 had been paid out to Phoenix’s development director, Stephen Walker, and CEO Sam Anderson.

Phoenix Renewable Energy is the company that held their ceremonial ground breaking in Camden 9 months ago, but has done little else, there.  They were also discussed at an Intermodal Facility meeting last year, as having contacted several other southeast Arkansas communities, about the possibility of expanding in this area, along with their $180 million Camden facility.

Locations toured in hopes of adding a large employer like Phoenix promised to be, included Monticello, Warren, and Rison, among others.

The “cease and desist” order doesn’t close the company, but certainly limits the availability of funds for a potential start-up.

This story has been covered by KTHV channel 11 and Arkansas Democrat, among others, but didn’t include the local references, except for Camden.

Phoenix Renewable is not affiliated with either of the other two bio-mass, bio-fuel entities that are also interested in expansion into the Monticello area.

Allen Sharpe is the new men’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Sharpe was introduced at press conferences in Monticello and Little Rock on Tuesday by UAM Athletics Director Chris Ratcliff. Sharpe is the 14th men’s basketball coach in school history and the son of former UAM Coach Gary Sharpe, who coached the Boll Weevils from 1985-91. (more…)

Rep. Allen Maxwell

Mayor Joe Rogers

Videos below from Monday night’s Political Forum at Pilgrim’s Rest AME Church, featuring mayoral candiate Allen Maxwell and Mayor Joe Rogers.

MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

Sheilla Lampkin

Jason Gavin

Ross Bolding

Rita Shepherd

Videos below are from Monday night’s political forum featuring the four candidates for the State Representative race for District 10.

MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

Recognize your graduating senior by purchasing a “Senior Salute” ad on MonticelloLive.com

Senior Salutes are available for only $30 for 1 week, or $50 for 2 weeks.

With a Senior Salute, you can include your graduate’s photo, name, school, and a short not of congratulations

Call Joe at 367-0000, or e-mail joe@MonticelloLive.com.

This photo is of Karson Grant, flying her kite on a perfect day in May.

The photo was taken by her mother, Tyanna Grant, and sent to MonticelloLive.com by her aunt, Ashley Myers.

Article taken from DMH Newsletter, by DMH CEO Mike Layfield.—

Mother’s Day celebrations take place all around the world, although at different times. The feelings are the same no matter where in the world it is that you may celebrate Mother’s Day.

Children and their husbands love to celebrate Mother’s Day with their Mother’s (or mother of their children), showering them with love or remembering them with love. (more…)

A local National Day of Prayer Observance was held Thursday, around noon, on the front lawn of the Drew County Courthouse.

Around 70 people attended the event, as a series of prayers were lifted, asking God for his guidance over our country, state, and local leaders, schools, national security, military, law enforcement, justice system, churches, and people enduring hardships.

Since 2007, this presctiption assistance program, involving Drew HEALTH, has saved over $518,000 for local residents.

Here are the program details: (more…)

U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and U.S. Representative Mike Ross have announced that the Southeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority, made up of the Cities of Monticello and Warren, and Drew and Bradley Counties, will receive a $1.9 million grant from the Economic Development Administration under the U.S. Department of Commerce to construct water and sewer infrastructure for a new industrial park outside Monticello. 

The funds will be used to construct water and sewer infrastructure for the new industrial park, which will support new and expanding industries. The project is expected to create 40 jobs and leverage $5 million in private investment. (more…)