Monticello Live

Lottery sales for Drew County totaled $195,567.50 for the month of November, 2011. This puts Drew County’s year to date sales total at $2,510,530. Lottery sales go directly to fund Arkansas Lottery Scholarships.

According to Chancellor Jack Lassiter, 740 of UAM’s fall students received Arkansas Lottery Scholarships. Lassiter stated during the regular MEDC meeting that there was no way to tell how many of those students may have enrolled in UAM without the scholarships, but it was a benefit to them to “help line their pockets.”

Lassiter added that UAM residence halls were at full capacity, and the state lottery funds were likely used by many for off-campus housing.

Arkansas Lottery Scholarships can be granted for up to $5,000 per year, meaning a student could receive as much as $20,000 by the time they earn their bachelor’s degree

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Congressman Mike Ross, featured speaker, and several other public officials break ground on the Arkansas portion of the proposed Interstate 69, east of Monticello in Drew County. Ross, who helped secure federal support for the project in Arkansas, said the interstate is expected to bring many much-needed jobs to south Arkansas and provide an economic boost for the entire region.

When complete, I-69 will span over 2,700 miles from the Canadian border in Michigan to the Mexican border in Texas running through southeastern Arkansas.  

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Drew County will again be divided, when it comes to representation in the State House of Representatives, following a 2-1 vote on new state re-apportionment map.

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The choice of redistricting maps made by the Arkansas Board of Apportionment is now official and I have a new representative district and a new number. My new district is Number 9 and will cover roughly the eastern two-thirds of Drew County and much of the central portion of Ashley County.

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The Arkansas Board of Apportionment has created the final proposals for new Arkansas State House and State Senate districts redrawn to equalize population after the 2010 census.

The board is composed of three elected officials; Gov. Mike Beebe and Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, both Democrats, and Secretary of State Mark Martin, a Republican. They will vote on the proposals on Friday, July 29. Aug. 1 is the deadline by which final maps must be filed with the Secretary of State.

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Arkansas L Governor Mark Darr was in Monticello, recently, meeting with local community leaders about important issues that affect southeast Arkansas.

Lt. Gov. Darr made time for a brief interview with MonticelloLive, where he mentioned the benefits he sees that lignite exploration could bring to this section of the state, where he sees it bringing jobs back ot our area, along with "$ 1/4 billion impact, if we can get it off of the ground.”

The 2011 Arkansas State Highway Map is now available from the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD), according to AHTD Director Dan Flowers.

The maps may be obtained, at no charge, at any of the Highway Department’s District Headquarters and at all Arkansas Welcome Centers. They are also available at the AHTD Central Office at 10324 Interstate 30 in Little Rock, by phone at 501-569-2444 or online at www.arkansashighways.com. To request one by mail, the address is AHTD, Map Sales Section, P.O. Box 2261, Little Rock, AR 72203. (more…)

The Arkansas state legislature recessed in Little Rock this morning after finally coming to an agreement on the new congressional redistricting plan.

After considering multiple plans and maps over the past few weeks, the Senate and the House both agreed to this plan Tuesday, and officially passed it Wednesday morning.

The new plan, as shown above, will leave Drew County, in the 4th Congressional District, which is currently represented by Congressman Mike Ross.

Matthew Frost, a 6th grader at Monticello Middle School, had the opportunity to serve as a Page last week for the 88th General Assembly.

During this time, he had the opportunity to visit, and work with Senator Jeffress, as well as Governor Beebe.

Matthew is the son of Josh and Angie Frost, and the grandson of Denise Frost, of Monticello and Kristin Turner of Las Vegas, NV.

Arkansas Senate Bill SB82, , sponsored by Senator Jimmy Jeffress and co-sponsored by Rep.Sheilla Lampkin was unanimously approved by the House Committee on City, County and Local Affairs of 88th General Assembly, Wednesday.

Thursday, it was passed by the house with an 87-7 margin.

It will now be sent to the Governor for his signature.

When it completes this process, we will be voting for separate candidates for those two offices in 2012, to take office in 2013. (more…)

The center span of the old Greenville Bridge over the Mississippi was lowered to a barge on Tuesday afternoon as part of the demolition of the structure.  Courtesy of AshleyCountyLedger.com.

A history of the Greenville Bridge is posted below

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Since many of you have expressed interest in my legislative orientation “adventures”, I thought I’d share more with you.

At the Orientation sessions held the week of December 6-10, newly-elected legislators were strongly urged to begin attending meetings of our assigned committees to learn those committee’s current issues and discover what is happening. I have been committed to doing just that this month so as to be as prepared, and as “good”, a legislator as possible. (more…)

Around 2:30, Saturday afternoon, a forest fire was reported in the southern part of Drew County.

For several hours, the fire was moving north on two separate fronts, and south, with another fire wall, centered around Gates/Mainline Road, between the south section of Midway Route and Collins Line Road, about 15-20 miles from Monticello.

Local fire departments were standing by area deer camps and watch for road crossings, while 2 planes were dropping water, another plane guiding the firefighters, and 9 fire-plows were also working to extinguish the blazes.

Around 7:30, Saturday night,  it was estimated the the fire was 50% contained, and that the planes and plows would be able to contain and control the remaining fire; and at 9 pm Arkansas Forestry Commission crews reported that the fire had been contained. (more…)

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…)

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The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department held a Public Hearing Tuesday evening at the Sadie Johnson Community Center, to allow public input, as well as answer some questions about the proposed plans for a bypass of Monticello for the future I-69.

Approximately 90 area residents attended the informational meeting, to ask questions about their land, houses, and community.  I was able to go through the process of question and answers with a couple who are losing their home of 12 years to the new roadway, as they visited with one of the approximately 9 AHTD representatives who were present for the forum, representing different departments of the AHTD.

The official name of the “Monticello Bypass” is known as “job 020471″, and will begin near the “dead man’s curve” area of HWY 278 East, and continue to it’s end, on HWY 425 South, near the Drew Central Bus Shop.

AHTD brought to the meeting 3 16 foot long maps, showing in great detail the exact area, down to storage sheds, that will be directly affected by the construction.

Interchanges will be built at the 278 East and HWY 425 connection points, as well as it’s crossing with HWY 35 South/HWY 35 East.

3 overpasses will be built where the new roadway comes into the Old Deane Road, Old Troy Road, and Midway Route areas of construction.

The 8.6 mile project will also be raised over the crossing of the Arkansas Midland Railroad.

The project could begin as early as acquiring properties with the next year, and beginning the bid process for construction in the Fall of 2010.  The project will begin as a 2 lane highway, and will be expanded into a 4 lane divided roadway in the future. (more…)

The Monticello-Drew County Chamber of Commerce held it’a annual awards banquet Tuesday night.

The keynote speaker for the event was Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe.

Gov. Beebe recognized many of the state legislators present, and mention many of the specific local projects that they had been helpful in causing to take place here in southeast Arkansas.

He also emphasized the possibility of the area becoming “the Silicone Valley of Bio-Fuels”, by entering the Cellulosic Gasoline.

Governor Beebe discussed how important this corner of the state is to the overall well-being of the state, and commented that “what is good for one area in the state, is good for the entire state.”

Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe was the guest speaker at a conference at the Drew Central Auditorium Tuesday afternoon.

The Governor answered questions from students.  Topics included education, taxes, and algebra. 

Beebe told the students, “Roughly 70% of all general revenue tax dollars goes to fund some form of education.”

Other noteworthy statements he made included, “We’re not just competing with our neighbors anymore, we’re competing with the rest of the world,” and “Southeast Arkansas has suffered a significant loss over the last 20 years, because of loss of jobs, mechanization, and the need for less labor.”

Gov. Beebe also told the group about, ”An opportunity to go into a new type of industry, Cellusic Gasoline.  Cellusic gasoline is made from tree tops, tree stumps, and rice straw.”  

The Governor said that the technology is out there, and that currently the process is underway to make this process financially feasible, “Putting money into the pockets of Arkansas farmers and timber people, instead of into the pockets of OPEC countries.”