Monticello Live

Click here for the story from SalineRiverChronicle.com.

U.S. Representative Mike Ross and U.S. Senators Mark Pryor and John Boozman have announced the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department will receive a $2,721,435 federal grant to rehabilitate and improve 40 miles of railroad track along the Warren Branch of the Arkansas Midland Railroad, a short line railroad located in southeastern Arkansas. The grant will help fund improvements to tracks in Bradley, Chicot and Drew counties.

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700 employees to be laid off.

Paper and Chemical Operations Not Affected.

Click here for the full story from AshleyCountyLedger.com

SeaArk Marine, a Monticello industry for 52 years, announced Tuesday that they plan to discontinue most of their plant operations at the end of 2011.

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Story revised from MagnoliaReporter.com.

The United States Postal Service said that 179 post offices in Arkansas are among 3,653 locations that will be reviewed for possible closure.

Winchester’s Post Office is on that list, as are Banks, Jersey, New Edinburg, Yorktown, Pickens, Montrose, and Parkdale.

CLICK HERE to see the complete list of Arkansas post offices that will be studied.

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While most businesses in town were still closed Tuesday morning, not only was City Drug open, but business owner Mike McKeown was out in the ice and snow, delivering prescription to his customers.

Now, that’s customer service.

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.

MonticelloLive recently spoke with Bill Horton, CEO of the DFI group, w conshich is contructing the Bio-Diesel plant at Jerome, and asked him about the progress of construction of the proposed faclity, which will possibly employ up to 250.  (more…)

This photo shows Monticello people eating a Monticello meal at Ray’s, who is having Monticello’s LA Graphics install a new lighted sign for them.

LA Graphics advertises with MonticelloLive, who took this picture on the way to Monticello Exxon.

That’s 5 levels of “Shopping Monticello First.”

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Sheilla Lampkin, shown here accepting her plaque, accompanied by her husband, Judge Damon Lampkin.  As UAM Chancellor Jack Lassiter and Governor Mike Beebe listen to her comments.

Pastor Al Womack, of First Assembly of God Church is shown here with his award.  Pastor Al was at the event for the invocation, and did not know he was going to receive the honor.