Monticello Live

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Editor’s note:    There will be a reception held in honor of the Noble family, Sunday, June 21st,  from 7pm – 9pm, at the BCM on the UAM campus.   All friends are invited to attend this come and go style reception. 
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Next month brings big change for one Monticello family. The Nobles, Jeff, Carolyn and their children Sam and Adelyn, will be moving to Blacksburg, Virginia where Jeff will become pastor of Northstar Church.  

The family has called Monticello home for 15 years, beginning in 1995 after graduating from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.  His role began his influence in the community when he began serving as a campus minister at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry at UAM. In 2003, after 8 years, Jeff resigned from his position and embarked on a new calling as pastor and church planter. He started Journey Church which has continued to grow. As a bivocational church planter, he also started a business, Noble Design and then in 2006 this website, MonticelloLive.com. Read the rest of this entry »

It was meant to be a reunion of sorts. Jeff and Carolyn Noble, with their children Sam and Adelyn flew to Alaska on March 19 to visit former Monticello residents Mike and Kristy Hales and children Abby and Lilly. The Hales are members of Journey Church, where Jeff is lead pastor, having moved to Alaska in 2007 to serve at a Christian radio ministry as volunteers.  Read the rest of this entry »

Eight local girls auditioned and were selected for the Arkansas Ballet’s 2008 performance of the Nutcracker at Robinson Center Music Hall this weekend. From left to right, back row: Summer Chase, Madison Chase, Adelyn Noble, Anna Dixon, Katherine Dixon; front: Caroline Atwell, Mary Beth Wigley, and Anna Beth Atwell. This is the second year in the performance for Adelyn Noble.

Tickets may be purchased online at the Arkansas Ballet website.

A local pastor is part of a unique collaboration via the internet, involving 237 marketing professionals who blog from 29 states throughout the U.S. and from 14 other nations from Australia to the Ukraine. Jeff Noble, of Monticello, joined online with other bloggers to write The Age of Conversation 2, a book that is being published this month. All proceeds from sales of the book, available in hardcover and softcover editions, as well as a downloadable e-book, will be donated to Variety, the international children’s charity.

Jeff is the founding pastor at Journey Church and is also the founder of MonticelloLive.com and owner of Noble Design. He writes a blog called Notes from the Trail.

The book has an unusual story behind it, involving online connections between people around the world who have never met each other. Read the rest of this entry »

MonticelloLive.com’s Joe Burgess was the first speaker at Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Homes Guest Speaker Series.

The program is outlined in the article below. Read the rest of this entry »

At Monticello Middle School, two female students related to school officials earlier this afternoon that they had seen “a guy” walking near the school with what looked like a gun in his hand. Officials immediately contacted local law enforcement, and with their help began a thorough search of the buildings in the school district.

The lockdown comes just a week after an incident at Drew Central Schools was determined to be a “childish prank.” Last month, a University of Arkansas at Monticello employee was arrested after making threatening comments and spitting on law enforcement officials.

The high school office related that everyone is “ok,” and that after a thorough search of the school, no weapons had been found. The students who reported seeing the individual were interviewed thoroughly and assisted officials by providing a description of the individual.

While police did find an individual meeting that description, no weapons were found, and the lockdown was lifted before school was dismissed. Officials will continue looking into the incident to ensure the safety of the students.

According to Assistant Superintendant Tommy Tyler, the principals of the schools had just completed a revision of the district’s crisis plan last week, and it allowed all officials to proceed smoothly through today’s incident.

“We were not going to take it lightly. The police responded great. We’re thankful,” said Tyler.

Two people were left homeless after a house fire broke out in the Green Hill Community. The flames began around 9:00 pm on Tuesday and with the aid of both the Greenhill Volunteer Fire Department and the Wilmar Fire Department, the flames were extinguished nearly 2 hours later.

There were no reported enjuries, even the family dog whose location was unknown until over an hour after the fire was extinguished escaped without a scratch. Nothing remained for the homeowner, David Bawcom and daughter Brittany but a few charred remnants of what used to be their home. David and Brittany plan to stay with family until plans can be made to replace their home.

A few of the many things that must be replaced: bed sheets, pillows, mattresses, furniture, linens, clothes, and basics such as paper towels, toiletries, cleaning supplies, vacuum cleaner, etc.

If you would like to help this family by donating any of these items, or if you would prefer to make a monetary contribution you may do so by clicking the button below:

or your contribution can be left with David’s grandparents, Billy and Merle Hickam, in the Greenhill community, or if more convenient, you may also leave any contribution with Chris McCall at 147 S. Chester St (directly behind the Court House) in Monticello. McCall can be reached at 870-367-1313.

This swarm of bees was seen Sunday morning in the North Park shopping center, on a shrub just outside Alltel Telephone.

MonticelloLive recently received a copy of a letter which was sent to Camden schools warning of a new form of crystal methamphetamine being manufactured, apparently to sell to children. From as far away as California and Nevada, and as close as Texas and Missouri, strawberry flavored crystal meth, known as “Strawberry Quick” has been finding its way into the hands of young people.

According to a recent USA Today report, crystal meth use has been on the decrease in recent years, and dealers and manufacturers have had to resort to new tactics in order to market the drug. Because methamphetamine is commonly white or brownish and bitter-tasting, the pink color and sweet taste make it more appealing to younger children, authorities say. Meth cooks have also been known to manufacture the drug in flavors such as cola and chocolate.

In a report aired on San Francisco television earlier this year, Dr. Alex Stalcup, a drug counseling expert, warns about a newer and more alarming danger associated with the drug. Whereas long-term addiction has been the biggest problem for meth users in the past, the new danger posed by flavored meth is overdose. Since dealers will often claim that it is a milder form of the drug, or not even meth at all, new users are prone to ingest potentially fatal doses.

According to an item from a Missouri TV news report, it hasnÂ’t taken long for this latest threat to spread to this part of the country. Parents and teachers are urged to educate themselves and talk to their children about the dangers associated with drugs.

Entergy Arkansas has announced that it will be disconnecting power to the Dumas area for several hours on Saturday. Entergy officials state that they will disconnect power to the Dumas area from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. on Saturday to install a bypass switch that will allow electricity to flow from other sources in case of another storm or a mechanical failure.

A strong tornado damaged a substation that powers the city of Dumas on February 24, also injuring 37 people. Over 2800 residents in the Dumas area were without power for several days until a mobile sub-station could be made operational.

According to officials with the Chicot County Sheriff’s Office, a Monticello man drowned this morning while fishing on Lake Chicot. According to sources inside the Sheriff’s Department at approximately 8:30 a.m. Charles F. Davis, age 80, of Monticello was fishing in a small boat when winds from an inbound thunderstorm capsized the boat. Witnesses saw Davis enter the water but were unable to assist.

Saturday was cold and dreary, but a promise is a promise, and when the men and women of ABATE (Arkansas Bikers Aiming Toward Education) District 18 and ABBA (Arkansas Baptist Bikers Association) Kingdom Riders promised the kids at the Arkansas Baptist Children’s Home they’d be on campus to cook out and give motorcycle rides, they weren’t about to disappoint.

The folks from ABATE District 18 have been making runs to the Baptist Home semiannually for years. They make their annual Toy Run at Christmas (Christmas 2006 was their 6th), where they throw a big party and give gifts to all the children. Every spring they do a cookout. Weather permitting, they give motorcycle rides around the campus at each visit.

Chapter president Dennis Ellis, and V.P Todd Grubbs both say that the highlight of the day is seeing the kids having a good time and getting to ride them on the back of their bikes. This trip was special for one rider in particular: Terry Jackson, a founding member of District 18. He will be leaving the area to return to work for his former employer, traveling around the southeast U.S. The District 18 members consider themselves to be a big family and lament the loss of any member. In a show of appreciation and affection for both the children at the Home and for his fellow ABATE members, Mr. Jackson bought and donated all the food for Saturday’s cookout.

Helen Wesson, who serves as ABATE state treasurer, District 18 board representative and newsletter editor, explained the goals and ideals of the organization. Among them:

• Political education
• Motorcyclist rights
• Monitoring of laws and bills that affect riders statewide, and keeping members and citizens informed
• Eradication of negative stereotypes of motorcyclists and motorcycle organizations

ABATE is also heavily involved in charity causes throughout the state of Arkansas, including raising money in order to do the Toy Run and their spring trip to the Baptist Home. They also participate in charity events sponsored by other groups and organizations, including the upcoming Teddy Bear Run in Crossett, where motorcyclists will deliver stuffed animals to the sheriff’s department. Sheriff’s officers in turn will give them to children affected by incidents such as drug busts and car wrecks. ABATE District 18 will be having a bike show at Rough and Ready Days on May 12, which will help them raise funds for their civic and charitable efforts.

Joining ABATE at the Baptist Children’s Home this past Saturday was the Kingdom Riders chapter of Arkansas Baptist Bikers Association (ABBA). ABBA was formed approximately 3 years ago as a ministry outreach of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, and is partly funded by the Dixie Jackson offering for state missions.

The Kingdom Riders chapter, which covers southeast Arkansas, was chartered in September, 2006 at the annual meeting of the Bartholomew Baptist Association, held in Monticello. Shelby and Martha Huffman, Kingdom Riders president and secretary, stated that the ministry has experienced remarkable growth – from a founding membership of 12, to a current membership of 180. They exist to foster Christian outreach within the motorcycle community, and many ABBA members are also ABATE members. In fact, Shelby Huffman is chaplain for ABATE District 18, and Todd Grubbs and his wife Tinetha are ABATE officers and members of ABBA. Huffman said that the best part of the day at the Baptist Home was seeing the kids smile and have fun riding.

In addition to ministering at the Arkansas State Motorcycle Rally in Hot Springs, and the Bikes, Blues and BBQ Rally in Fayetteville, among other events, the Kingdom Riders will also have a presence at Rough and Ready Days, setting up right alongside the ABATE bike show.

Pictures from the Kingdom Riders web photo album. 

One Monticello resident is dead, and two others are injured after a one-vehicle accident in Drew County yesterday.

According to a report by the Arkansas State Police the accident occurred at 12:48 p.m. on Midway Route in Drew County. The report states that a 1999 Mercury Sable driven by Don Simpson, age 18, of Monticello was traveling north on Midway Route at a high rate of speed. The driver lost control after over-compensating for a curve, and the vehicle left the roadway and overturned multiple times. All three passengers were then ejected from the vehicle.

Also injured in the accident were Steven Piper, age 34 and Austin Piper, age 4, both of Monticello. According to the State Police report Simpson was pronounced dead at the scene by a Drew County coroner. The other passengers were transported to Drew Memorial Hospital and Austin Piper was later transferred to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. The report states that no seatbelts or child restraints were in use by any of the occupants. According to officials at the Arkansas State Police, toxicology tests results are pending.

In another large media sale, Monticello radio stations KHBM, KGPQ, and KXSA owned by Community Radio Network were purchased recently by Pines Broadcasting Inc., owned by Jimmy and Gwen Sledge. The sales prices of the stations was $1.05 million, according to the broadcastingcable.com site. In a letter to advertisers and businesses, Jimmy Sledge stated, “We have retained all of the employees at the stations, and we appreciate your patience during this time of transition of ownership.”

Pines Broadcasting announced that it plans to provide more local news, weather, and sports, as well as offering six different music formats to listen to on the stations.

Country roots run deep around here, especially in the lives of some Monticellonians. Shannon Carter is no exception. Although the show’s producers aren’t allowing much information to be released at this time, he is soon to be featured on a new docu-reality series on Country Music Television.

CMT gave MonticelloLive this information:

BORN COUNTRY (eight, one-hour episode series; June premiere) — Each episode of this docu-reality series follows the parallel lives of three people who have country roots in common. From karaoke queens to over-the-top country weddings and die-hard “Dukes of Hazzard” fans, BORN COUNTRY highlights the best and bizarre in country culture. BORN COUNTRY is executive produced by Lauren Lazin (“MTV True Life”).

His sister-in-law, Rachel Carter, says, “The entire family is incredibly excited for Shannon. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and we know he’s going to do an excellent job in representing our community and have a great deal of fun in the process.”

Monticello will be waiting and watching to see where the show takes Shannon. We wish him the best.

Photo by Matt Terry

Four local ladies traveled to Tunica, Mississippi this past weekend (March 30-April 1) for the World Barrel Racing Production Classic Equine Race for the Cash III. Their winnings, (left to right in the photo) are:

• Kim Eubanks placed first in the 6D competition, and won $1000 and a Martin trophy saddle.
• Lisa Kilcrease placed sixth in the 4D competition, and won $500 and a trophy bronc halter.
• Melinda Loveless placed third in the 2D competition, and won $900 and a World Barrel Racing trophy jacket.

Also competing was Deanna Duncan.

Submitted by Shelley Smith 

It has been confirmed by MonticelloLive that Community Communications Company, better known as Cablevision, has been acquired by former general manager Bill Copeland.  Discussions have already begun on upgrades and the addition of new services.

Cablevision provides cable television to 27 South Arkansas communities and both cable television and high-speed Internet services in Monticello. Cablevision was founded in 1973 and was owned by the late Paul Q. Gardner, Jr. until his death in June 2006. His widow, Donna Gardner and sons, Chad Gardner and Paul (Chip) Q. Gardner III, assumed control of the company at that time.  Community Communications Company still remains the largest independently owned cable company in Arkansas.

An official press release has been promised by the new management, and MonticelloLive will publish it as soon as it’s released.

On Saturday night, March 24, Faith Reed, two-year old daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Chris Reed of Rison, AR, died after drowning. Her death is the result of an accident on a Polaris Ranger four-wheeled ATV. The accident occurred at Monticello Speedway in a resevoir used for watering the dirt track.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Drew County Sheriff’s Department.

Other News Sources:

• Log Cabin Democrat story (Conway)

Monticello leaders of Twenty for the Future had a busy morning today as they met with four different congressional leaders in the span of four hours.

While Representative Marion Barry was unable to meet due to scheduling conflicts, the group from Monticello met with his chief of staff as well as with Congressmen Mike Ross, John Boozman, and Vic Snyder.

Bennie Ryburn III was the spokesman for the group in all meetings today as he shared Twenty’s eight-point priority list. The group received a positive welcome from the delegation, and the congressmen pledged their support in many of the projects.

Representative Mike Ross said, “It’s a done deal, as far as I’m concerned,” in reference to the need for a north-south connector from Highway 278 to Jordan Drive to alleviate traffic around the hospital and schools.

Representative John Boozman said, “We’ll help you in any way we can.”

Members of the Congressional delegation and their staff remarked consistently what a positive impact the Monticello group is able to make by having such a large group of concerned civic, business and educational leaders present to advocate the needs of the community.

MonticelloLive is proud to present you with the podcast from the group’s meeting with Representative Mike Ross today:

Pictures of Tuesday’s Washington activities can be found here.

The National Weather Service in Little Rock has confirmed that the tornado that touched down in the northern part of Drew County on Saturday was of F2 intensity. An F2 tornado is defined as a significant tornado with sustained winds of 113 to 157 miles per hour. 25 percent of tornadoes reported in the United States yearly fall within this category.

Crews from the National Weather Service were on the scene in Drew County on Monday to survey the damage and confirm whether the damage sustained was characteristic of a tornado or high velocity straight line winds. A tornado track was discovered that had a path length of 15 miles stretching from 4.5 miles north of Monticello to 3.5 miles southeast of Garrett Bridge in Lincoln county.

To put the scale of an F2 tornado in perspective, the tornado that struck Dumas Arkansas on Saturday has been classified as an F3 Tornado. National Weather Service officials stated on Monday that the people of Drew County are very “lucky.” The tornado struck a mostly rural area of the county damaging only a few homes and outlying buildings.

The tornado tracks in Drew and Desha County were eerily similar to the February 24, 2001 tornado outbreak.

After being devastated by one and possibly two tornadoes on Saturday, Dumas sought to begin the long cleanup and restoration process Sunday. Members of at least half a dozen churches and other organizations from Monticello headed to Dumas Sunday morning to lend their encouragement, tools, and labor to the relief effort.

More pictures of the Dumas tornado destruction and relief effort here. (If you have pictures that you’d like to submit, please do so at jeff [at] monticellolive.com.

Early reports coming out of Dumas indicate that a tornado touched down and left a path of destruction through the community. Volunteers from the Monticello Fire Department and other organizations left Monticello shortly after the line of severe weather passed through Drew County to lend assistance. Unconfirmed reports are that there many have been some fatalities in Dumas. Dumas is located in Desha County and has a population of 5238, as of the 2000 census.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR…
WESTERN DREW COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

* UNTIL 415 PM CST

* AT 342 PM CST…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 8 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF WILMAR…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR…
WILMAR AROUND 350 PM CST…
LAKE MONTICELLO AND MONTICELLO AROUND 355 PM CST… Read the rest of this entry »

Officer George Strain returned home Friday after several weeks in recovery at the hospital in Little Rock. He was run over by a patron of the Chocolate Factory as police were attempting to control a disturbance there on January 29.

Members of the police department, Mayor Joe Rogers, and Ricky Calhoun worked over the weekend to build a ramp leading into his home in order for his walker and wheelchair to be able to be more accessible.

Photos courtesy of Susan Hollinger. More photos found at ML’s Flickr account.

Residents and passersby on Main Street first noticed the missing playground equipment at W.C. Whaley three weeks ago. Speculation began as to what was taking place. Large trees and shrubs, in addition to the dilapidated walkway in the rear of the building were cut or torn down. The property looks surprisingly bare these days, and one is able to see more clearly the broken windows and doors that reveal the excessive vandalism that’s taken place since Monticello bought the school from the school district in fall of 2001 for $140,000.

Now Mayor Joe Rogers has a plan for the site. He sees a new city complex/community center on the site, including city offices, gymnasium, indoor pool, walking tracks, basketball courts, and meeting rooms for organizations. The Monticello Economic Development Commission and the Chamber of Commerce offices would be moved to the new location, as well as the fire department. Funding would come from a proposed bond issue. The bond issue also includes funding for renovations of the jail, court room, and other city facilities.

MonticelloLive tried to contact the mayor several times for an interview but calls were not returned. However, the Monticello Advance carried the story in this week’s addition regarding Roger’s plans after attending a Twenty for the Future meeting in which Rogers shared his presentation.

While still in the vision stages, the plans are quite extensive. Rogers compares the desired facility to one that he has seen in Sherwood, Arkansas and says that Monticello needs such a complex as well. Estimates for the facility are in the $5-6 million range. It’s unclear if this includes the estimated $120,000 cost of removing asbestos from the site. He hopes to fund the project by using one-half cent of a new 15-year, one-cent city sales tax that could be presented to voters as early as June. The current one-cent city sales tax is a ten-year tax and would have on the ballot for renewal in September, having last been approved by voters in 1997. The new tax, if approved, would go into effect in January 2008, after the current expires.

Rogers hopes to use one-half cent of the one-cent tax for a proposed $9 million bond issue in order to build the facility and complete other projects relatively soon after the sales tax is approved.

Related Posts:

• W.C. Whaley: glorious past, uncertain future

The Monticello Police Department responded to calls at approximately 1:30 a.m. Monday at Connelley and Gaines where initial reports indicated fights had broken out at the Chocolate Factory.

During officers’ attempts to bring order, Monticello police officer George Strain proceeded to the street to apprehend one of those involved in the fights, Christopher Smith, 18. While on the street, they were both hit by a car driven by McGehee resident Keshia Daniels’, 26, as she left the location.

Officer Strain incurred significant injuries and after being initially treated at Drew Memorial Hospital was transferred to Jefferson Regional Hospital in Pine Bluff. His injuries are not listed as life threatening. Smith was also hit and suffered a severely broken leg. He was transferred to the University of Arkansas Medical Center in Little Rock for treatment.

Daniels was arrested in McGehee an hour later for the hit and run.

The Monticello City Council met last night with a long list of topics to tackle, including the city pool issue. After much discussion, the Council voted unanimously to continue the repairs and replacement of the liner with contractor Kenny Johnson for a new contract price of $268,083. The original contract was for $242,585 but Mr. Johnson reported that once the project began it was discovered that “the pool is sub-standard construction-wise”. His concern is having to warranty the job for a year, wanting to be confident in the work he’s done. At $268,083 Mitch Rose, the engineer representing the city from McClellan Engineering, projects 5-10 more years use with the current restoration. At this cost, the liner will be replaced with upgraded material, some pipes will be replaced, the diving board will be repaired, a working drainage system will be installed, and the pool lights will be checked and replaced if needed. Alderwoman Sherrie Gillespie asked why the city keeps pumping so much money into the upkeep and maintenance of the old city pool, but was told that this is the first major renovation in the life of the pool, since 1993.

Another major decision reached on the initiation of new Mayor Joe Rogers was his proposal to abolish the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission. Extensive discussion followed this proposal. Rogers responded to Tim Chase’s statement that the city office was taking on more responsibility than they’ve ever had before by saying, “I take full responsibility, 100%”.

As part of this responsibility, Rogers proposed that the city’s Parks and Recreations Commission be done away with, leaving him in control of this area with an advisory board. The Parks Commission has been in place since 1998, serving the community by completing projects such as park improvements, a new baseball complex, a sports complex, among other things. Nevertheless, the Council voted 6-1 with Tim Chase opposing, to grant the disbanding of the Commission.

Just before the meeting adjourned, Parks and Recreation Commission chairman Steve Hartness was given the opportunity to speak. He wanted to voice his concern over the issue and let it be known that the Commission had worked diligently within the boundaries established for them, and that he didn’t understand the decision.

Hartness stated, “Everything we have done has been upfront. I have come to you for two years with budgets and laid it on the line for the city council to approve or disapprove. We’ve accomplished a lot in the past five years. I’m proud of what we’ve done. I’m a little disappointed tonight. I wasn’t considered important enough to even know about this except through the grapevine.”

The mayor argued that he had left a message with Hartness’s wife but Hartness reiterated that he had been contacted at work and on his cell phone on other occasions but wasn’t about the meeting and what was proposed to happen to the commission.

Hartness continued, “There were things in the paper that skirted right on the verge of us being irresponsible with tax money. I hope you don’t think that. I’m not understanding what the difference is in a 15-member advisory board and a parks commission. I’m not understanding how it’s different, other than you’ve got eight more voices or opinions. If something needed done, it’s gotten done.”

He concluded, “I wish ya’ll the best and I’ve enjoyed working with you guys.”

Appreciation for the commission was expressed by Alderwoman Beverly Hudson who said, “I’d like to say they’ve done a tremendous job, and I think that we should thank them for the many hours. I certainly have had no complaints. I think the mayor just wants to take us in a different direction, and we should give him the opportunity.”

Another issue that stirred discussion was the proposal to grant Rogers the ability to approve up to $20,000 in city expenditures without engaging in a competitive bidding process. The previous limit was $10,000. The council also approved that initiative, by a vote of 6-1, with Chase voting against.

Rogers gave his first State of the City address, reading from a prepared manuscript. In it, he stated, “…where others have found persistent problems; let us discover new opportunities.”

Listen to the full meeting on the MonticelloLive-provided podcast here.
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MonticelloLive is proud to provide you with an audio podcast of Thursday night’s, January 18, Monticello City Council meeting:

Results of the meeting included:

• Mayor Joe Rogers proposed the abolishment of the Monticello Parks and Recreation Commission. Motion passed, 6-1, with Alderman Tim Chase voted against it.
• Robert Rosegrant was approved as Roger’s selection for Chief of Police.
• $262,000 of pool renovations were approved after lengthy discussion. Vote for approving renovations was 6-1, with Alderwoman Sherrie Gillespie voting against.
• A proposal granted the mayor increased authority to approve up to $20,000 in expenditures without accepting competitive bidding was approved by at vote of 6-1, with Chase voting against. The former expenditure level was $10,000.
• Contractual services to the following organizations were granted for the 2007 year: Monticello Boys and Girls’ Club, Monticello-Drew County Chamber of Commerce, and the Monticello Economic Development Commission.
• The city accepted a contract with Garver Engineers for airport layout drawing in preparation for the airport’s capital improvement plan.
• Mayor Rogers delivered his State of the City address.

A full story about the meeting will be posted Friday.

With a vote of 5-2, the Drew County Quorum Court denied the request put to them by the Drew County Memorial Hospital Board to place a referendum on the ballot as early as March 2007.

The Pine Bluff Commercial has the full story here.