Monticello Live

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Firefighters have been battling a 100-200 acre wildfire south of Lacey for several hours, this afternoon.

It is believed to have stared around Ponderosa Trail, and has since reached  Wilmar Tram Road, and other nearby access roads.

The Forestry Commission has 5 plows and 2 planes, battling the fire, working to control it.

Photos courtesy of MLive readers

Bennie Ryburn III took these photos of the I-69 construcion sites, over the weekend from his plane, and offered to share them with MLive readers.

The Monticello parks commission met Thursday night at City Hall.

Among several items on the agenda, the monument honoring Albert William for his work on the early baseball fields and other features of Jordan Park were discussed. 

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For the second year, the Monticello Parks and Recreation Committee will soon be asking for information from the leagues and organizations that use Monticello parks and facilities.

The questionnaires asks for information about the season, boards, participants, needs, and goals.

The parks committee appointed some liaisons to work with leagues, and will conclude the liaison process at next month meeting.

Happy Birthday to the Williams twins, who turn 15, today.

Happy Birthday to Moesha and Iesha Williams,

From your family and friends.

Teresa Fleming is celebrating her 18th B-Day, today.

Happy Birthday from Mom, Dad , Sissy ,and Nana we love you.

This week’s column is the eighth in a series about the history of the present Extension Homemakers Clubs operating in Drew County. This week we’ll take a quick look at the Plantogo Club in northwestern Drew County.

In the early 1960s there were two separate EHC clubs in the northwestern part of Drew County. They were known as the Plantersville EHC Club and the Montongo EHC Club. During those years the two groups decided to merge and the new and larger club became the Plantogo Club. Their primary purpose was to educate housewives in new ways to do their jobs as wives and mothers.

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Happy 40th Birthday, Karen Spencer

Best wishes from you family and friends.

Around a year ago, the photo for the MLive Sunday Bulletin changed.  It may not have been noticed by many readers, but there was a reason behind it.

When you operate a public medium (like MLive) there’s a certain amount of your personal life that you have to include; but there is also a limit.

Although only very close friends (and folks who read local church bulletin prayer lists) knew it, Sue (my wife) had a severe heart attack just over a year ago, spending two weeks in Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock.  After a double-bypass and a “valve job”, she was released, to come home and continue recovery.

MonticelloLive was posted twice every day, as usual, from the hospital, since “business MUST go on.”  (My Iphone and BMC wi-fi were awesome.) 

But when your nights are spent on a waiting room couch, and you don’t know if they’ll even be able do perform surgery, there are few sources of comfort to be found.  But there was one place I found……

The photo change took place so that every Sunday, I would go back to that same place of comfort I used for those two long weeks.  The Prayer Chapel at Baptist Medical Center. 

I hope that you can see the light and love of my Saviour, Jesus Christ, shining through, like I did then, and still do today.

The Drew County Historical Society want to thank all the participants in the “Roast and Toast” of Dr. Jack Lassiter on August 3rd.

The fundraiser was a big success, and all of the proceeds will be used for the maintenance and operation of the Drew County Museum and Archives.

Those who helped in any way to make this a success are truly appreciated: the merchants and individuals who donated auction items, the attendees, the roasters and toasters, and our emcee and auctioneer, Desha County Judge Mark McElroy.

We especially want to thank Dr. Lassiter for being such a great sport. It was a wonderful evening, and we are grateful to everyone who worked and participated to make the night one of fun and an outcome for a better future for the Museum and Archives.

The Little Rock Vet Center is pleased to announce that Vet Center services will be brought delivered to Monticello and the surrounding area  to Veterans and their families and others eligible for services, and family survivors of Service members killed in action.

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This photo was taken on HWY 278, as combine was loading farm trailer.

Cole is the son of Josh & Janell Harris and little brother of Katie Harris.

Grandparents are David & Jayne Taylor, Gene & Karen Webb and Jim & Sue Harris.

Great-grand parents are Gloria Taylor, Bertha Bolin, Douglas Sullivan and Dorothy Richardson.

We love you!!

Happy 1st Birthday, Jorden Rayford,

Love Grandma, Mom and Auntie Pooh

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Several strong thunderstorms rolled across Drew County, last night, with strong winds, heavy rains, and dangerous lightning.

The first storm came through around 8:20, another around 11 pm, with 2 more storm systems (one near Florence and another near Lake Monticello) around midnight.

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Tuesday afternoon, around 1 pm, the Monticello Fire Dept. was called to the scene of a house fire in the 200 block of West College Street.

MPD & DCSO blocked traffic on the busy street, while firefighters limited the damage from the flames to a dining room / hutch area.  However, smoke caused damage throughout the residence.

No one was home when the fire began.

Senator John Boozman toured UAM’s agriculture dept., Thursday morning, as a part of his district-wide agri tour.

Boozman and his staff, along with UAM agri-business faculty visited various sites that are a part of UAM programs.

After the tour Senator Boozman led a brief meeting with those attending, where a wide range of topics were covered, including the Farm Bill, student loans, the drought’s effect on farming, future use of natural gas, and Heirloom tomatos.

One important aspect of UAM’s agri program is that “Most of UAM’s 100 ag majors are from this area, and want to remain in this area” after they graduate.

4:30 Wednesday was the deadline for supporters of the proposed alcohol sales issue to turn in their petition to the Drew County Clerk, in order to get the “wet vote” on the November ballot.

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Happy 8th birthday Jordan.

(His birthday was Wednesday) 

Jordan is the son of Tim and Jennifer Nichols.

We love you, son.

A 19 year old Drew County man remains in jail, following his Sunday arrest for the assaulting his 67 year old grandmother, at her home.

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Tuesday morning, around 9 am, there was a 4 vehicle collision, on HWY 425 near Lacey.

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A Baxter County man received a $400,000 bond, Monday, from District Judge Ken Harper for his role in the arrival of 1/4 pound of methamphetamine in Southeast Arkansas.

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 Click here to read the Arkansas Business article about 9 Southeast Arkansas banks working together in difficult economic times.

The Arkansas Forestry Commission battled a 179 acre woods fire, just south of Drew County, on Berea road in Ashley County.

AFC brought in 6 dozers and a spotter plane to battle the blaze, with the help of 3 local fire depts.

The dozer photo is courtesy of AshleyCountyLedger.com.

The smoke photo is from a MLive reader who saw several fire and emergency vehicles turning onto Goose Hollow Road, from HWY 425 South.

Click here for MonticelloLive.com’s Community Calendar.

1st Friday Singing on the Square from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

Click here.

The fire at this mobile home, located on Vincent Lane, of off HWY 425 North, was reported to the Monticello Fire Dept. around 8:20, Saturday morning.

Firefighters and trucks responded, but the residence was a total loss.

Happy 4th birthday to Lukas Nichols.

Lukas is the son of Tim and Jennifer Nichols.

We love you, son.