Monticello Live

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Around 9 am, this morning, the Monticello Fire Dept. responded to their second house fire of the day.

A home on Pinecrest Dr. received heavy fire damage in the kitchen and dining area, and severe smoke damage throughout the rest of the home.

One of the residents was gone when the blaze started.  The other occupant was able to use her walker to safely escape the blaze, and was transported to Drew Memorial by MASI, due to previously existing conditions.

The fire reportedly re-kindled early in the afternoon, with MFD being paged out again..

In continuation of this miniseries on the histories of the nine Extension Homemakers Clubs in Drew County, this week we offer a look into one of the county’s younger clubs – the Night Owls EHC.

Although the club is “newer” than some clubs, it still has a long and successful history. This club began in November 1973 as the Western Pines EHC since all its original thirteen members lived in the Western Pines subdivision of Monticello.

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MonticelloLive.com’s Friday court photo and story about an NFL player’s Drew County DWI charge earned national attention. Phone calls came in from Detroit to Houston.  Google shows the story was picked up and carried on sites from Oakland to Chicago to New York.  The story was also covered by ESPN.   

Recently, MLive coverage of a DWI 3, 4, & 5 case earned a “bottom crawl” from CNN’s Headline News Channel.

In January, CNN networks contacted MLive’s Joe Burgess about use of the “Bear & Deer” video.  He quickly granted them permission.

Aside from the national attention the local website has drawn, Burgess considers the “Business of the Year” award, presented last December by the Monticello – Drew County Chamber of Commerce, the businesss’ highest honor.

“Monticello’s Daily News” is expected to reach 3 million pageviews in 2012.

 11 year old Madelin Moore recently donated 10 inches of hair to Locks of Love.

 Dawn Marter, owner and stylist of West Ave. Salon, also took part in the good deed,

Corey Williams, the starting defensive tackle for the NFL Detroit Lions , was in Monticello, Wednesday, facing a DWI charge in Monticello’s District Court.

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Around noon, Wednesday, the Monticello Fire Dept. was called to Bio-Wood, a sister company of Maxwell Hardwood Flooring, to a report of a fire in a dust and shavings  silo, and  attached elevator.

Firefighters battled the heat and the height, as they climbed to the top of the silo, to open the vents, to extinguish the blaze.

The fire is believed to have started with a bearing in a motor, and was contained to the silo and elevator areas.

MFD was called back to the silo, around 3 pm, and where on the site for around 2 more hours, battling flair-ups.

An estimated 75 acres of forest land were burned in a wild fire, Thursday afternoon.

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With last week being a “slow news week”, MLive had the opportunity to follow up on some of the recent business growth, expansion, and movement around Monticello.

Over the next few days, MLive will spotlight local business success stories.  Although some start-ups have fallen by the wayside, Monticello still provides an environment where local merchants and service providers can succeed.

Recently, Michael Pomeroy of Clarksville, TN, a former Drew County resident, and Dan Coston of Fayetteville, also a native Monticellonian, worked together to create a one-of- a kind painting, which the Museum has been fortunate to receive. Pomeroy’s dad, Ed, who recently passed away, and he had a couple of old photos of the Monticello POW Chapel that was once located near the present-day fairgrounds.

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A local driver was convicted of his third DWI, last week, for events that occurred on August 26, of last year.

Around 8:30 that evening, State Trooper had a safety checkpoint set up near the intersection of Jose Chapel Road and Florence Road.  As they were checking vehicles, they saw a vehicle come to an abrupt stop, 1/4-1/2 mile up the road, and turn in at a cemetery.

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This week we will continue our little historic look at the Extension Homemakers Clubs in Drew County to recognize the 100th anniversary of this wonderful service organization in Arkansas and Drew County. Chronological order is fuzzy in some cases, but the Southside Club is generally acknowledged as the oldest surviving club.

SOUTHSIDE EXTENSION HOMEMAKERS CLUB

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A local parolee, was arrested by police in Jackson, Mississippi.

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Monticello’s Advertising and Promotion Commission met Monday at the MEDC office, planning to look at the Convention Center Planning budget for the remainder of 2012, but  that was postponed until next month.

New business included:

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During their re-scheduled Parks Committee meeting, Monday night, the group heard a request from Curtis Merrill and Hope Bragg to turn approximately 4.5 acres of the W. C. Whaley property into a nature trail park area.

The city’s fire station will be built on the southwest corner of the lot.  The request will turn the remaining portion of the city land into a park.  Earlier discussed uses of the land were for a pool, police station / court complex, or convention center.

Grants are planned on being requested to cover the cost.

This topic will likely be on Thursday night’s City Council agenda.

More details about the drowning death of a 6 year-old Wilmar boy in Lake Monticello, Wednesdayhave become available. (more…)

Tuesday is Election Day.  Ms the final day for Early Voting.

Over the past several weeks, MLive’s Mandy Moss has interviewed the Democratic candidates for County Judge, Sheriff, and County Collector.

This week’s “election edition” will re-post those interviews for a final “meet the candidates” opportunity for MLive reades.

“I was born and raised here in Monticello by my parents Robert and Peggy Harris. They still live in the house I was raised in.”

Bobby Harris has spent his entire life in Drew County, and this is where he has chosen to raise his large, close-knit, family. He says he learned how to have strong family values by his own experiences growing up.

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Jim Glennon was born and raised in Possum Valley by parents James and Glenda Glennon. “I have three sisters and a brother that are still living. My baby sister died when she was six of spinal meningitis. I was 9 or 10 when she died. It was one of those situations where you ask God, “Why didn’t you take me instead of my baby sister?”

Growing up, there was little time for the Glennon children to find trouble to get into. Working as a family was top priority, and living out in the country meant that if you wanted entertainment, you created it for yourself.

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Mark Gober is well known in Monticello for being Sheriff since 2005, but few may know what brought him to this point in life.

Growing up, Sheriff Gober said that his family often moved every year due to his father’s career in the ARMY. It was a move to Alaska that put him on a path right back to Drew County.

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Monticello native Ronnie Adcock has held several jobs over his lifetime. From gravel trains to pawn shops and a wrecker service, he hopes to add Drew County Sheriff to his resume this year.

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“I really thought I was done that day, and even though this person was very irate and taking it out on me, I still managed to get my job done correctly and it didn’t sway me from getting things done in the office.”

Cheri Norris grew up the oldest of three siblings, and said she had a great time doing family activities like roller skating, having picnics, and playing at the lake. At the age of five she moved from Southeast Arkansas up to Michigan with her mom, Betty Maloney.

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UAM Graduation Processional, 1st Session from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

UAM Graduation Processional, 2nd Session from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

UAM Graduation, Presentaton of Diplomas, 1st Session from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

UAM Graduation, Presentaton of Diplomas, 2nd Session from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

UAM Graduation, Welcome Statements from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

UAM Graduation, Distinguished Alumnus, Reginald Glover from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

UAM Graduation, Provost David Ray Honored from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

UAM Graduation Recessional, 1st Session from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

UAM Graduation Recessional, 2nd Session from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

MLive’s Mandy Moss sat down and visited with all 3 county collector candidates, this week.

Now you can join in on their conversations, as all 3 are featured in this week’s triple edition of One Monticello Life.

The photo above was taken at their Barkada Community Candidates Forum.

“I was born and raised on same property we’re living on now. This 180 acres of land has never been bought or sold, it was homesteaded by my family. It goes back to my Great Great Granddaddy. I’m the 5th generation farming this land.” – Thad Mitchell

Thad and Nikki Mitchell, along with their six year old son, Colton, have settled on the family land to continue with the farming tradition and raise their family. This year, they have been selected as Farm Family of the Year for Drew County.

Thad and Nikki’s farming business largely consists of raising Bermuda grass for hay, along with some Alfalfa, and producing eggs for Tyson Foods.

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MonticelloLive’s video coverage was mentioned twice during the city council meeting, once by a Parks Commissioner and once by the mayor.

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MonticelloLive has an Eater tradition of honoring Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for us by featuring a special One Monticello Life, written by a local pastor, on Easter Sunday, each year.  This year we present ONE EXTRA-ORDINARY LIFE by Larry Doggett, of Fountain of Life Christian Center, the speaker at tonight’s Community Easter Service.

The extra-ordinary life that I write about today is about a man called, Jesus, who is also known as the Son of God, and also, Christ–the anointed One of God, and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Growing up in the Bible belt, I have heard about Jesus all of my life. There are many things that I could share and here are some from A through Z about this extra-ordinary life of Jesus.

The life of Jesus is extra-ordinary for His:
Authenticity. Jesus is Emanuel, God with us. Matthew 1:23
Behavior. Jesus was and is sinless, the living Son of God. 1-Peter 2:21-25
Creation & Cause Jesus is the creator of all things and the abundant life giver. Colossians 1:16, John 10:10
Death: Jesus said that no man would take His life for He gave it for us. John 10:11,15-18
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The Supreme Court of Arkansas denied a petition from a Drew County man convicted of capital murder and agravated robbery to reinvest jurisdiction in the trial court to consider a petition for writ of error Coram Nobis, last week.

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At Monday night’s Farm Bureau board meeting, where county judge and county sheriff candidates addressed the group, Ronnie Adcock announced that as of 3:30 pm, this afternoon (Tuesday), he would be out of the towing and tire business.

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“I worked as a vet for two months in Lake Charles, LA. I hated it, and was convinced I didn’t want to be a vet. “– Dr. Rocky Lindsey

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