MonticelloLive

We had a close call Friday with the near ice storm!  I hope that is as close as we get to one.  Sheilla and I were scheduled to attend the Arkansas Delta Byways annual awards banquet in Wynne so we braved the roads around Pine Bluff Friday afternoon to make it.  From Star City to near Stuttgart the freezing rain really fell.  I had to stop to de-ice the windshield wipers.  After Stuttgart everything was clear.  We were the only ones from southeast Arkansas to attend. We were given a quart of milk and a loaf of bread as a special award because they didn’t think we’d had time to pick ours up!  How clever of someone to think of that on the spur of the moment! 
     Last Monday was the Martin Luther King holiday so the courthouse and road department were closed.  Monday evening we attended the MLK celebration services at Revival Center Church over on South Pine Street.  A large crowd was there and got a pleasant surprise!  Congressman Mike Ross unexpectedly attended! 
     Tuesday began at the courthouse checking the heat and then to the shop as usual.  Then I moved a truck from Collins to the shop. 
     I also checked Old Hwy 65 (Tillar to Winchester) and Panther Break Road where the guys were working on a pipe before returning to the office. 
     The rest of Tuesday was filled with office tasks, calls and visitors. 
     Wednesday began as usual before I made a trip to check out Longview Road.  Office work completed the morning.
     From 11:30 to 2:30 I attended the Drew Memorial Hospital Board meeting that consisted chiefly of reports.  Office work and calls finished the day.
     After I checked the courthouse heat Thursday I helped deliver trucks from Barkada/Hwy 133 junction to Plantersville Road.  Office work filled the rest of the morning. 
     Thursday afternoon I checked Panther Break Road again as well as Bullock Hdqts Road and Grace Loop.  Then it was back to the office for the calls and visitors.  
     Friday began at the courthouse and shop.  Then I helped move a truck from Barkada/133 to the shop while I looked at the roads.  We soon determined it was too “bad” to grade roads. 
     Returning to the courthouse I learned that the electricity and the heat had been/were still off.  There was no power for work or heat and the ladies were freezing.  Since bad weather conditions seemed to be developing and we had no idea when power would return, I closed the courthouse and let the ladies go home.
     I checked roads until I decided if we were going to Wynne, we’d better leave! I’ve already told about the unfavorable weather conditions, but we made the trip safely.
     Now I’ll share why we undertook the trip.  The Arkansas Delta Byways organization was holding its annual awards banquet.  Selma’s Rosenwald School was a finalist for the Bootstrap Award; we went to represent that group. 
     I am pleased to tell you that they received 1st runner-up for the award!  I believe they’d have won had they had any relation to tourism!  Arkansas Delta Byways is primarily a tourist/ promotional group.  We were pleased to accept the award for the community center folks at Selma.
     The road department took the MLK holiday last Monday.  On Tuesday Barkada Road, Wilmar Loop, Carter Road, Gardner Road, South Allis Road and Sanderlin Road were graded.  Roads on other routes were checked after the weekend showers. 
     Jones Loop and Prairie Chapel Road were bushhogged.
     Some grader blades were changed and maintenance work was done at the shop. 
     SB2 was hauled to the shop. 
     Wednesday saw grader operators checking routes for trouble like clogged pipes and cleaning them. 
     More SB2 was hauled.
     Longview Road, Ben Loveless Road and Smith Road were bushhogged. 
     Ladelle Road, Lone Sassafras Road, Beulah Road, Lacy – New Hope Road, Green Hill – New Hope Road and Old Warren Road were patched. 
     On Thursday Florence Road, Mount Tabor Road, Brixie Road, Shultz Lane, Ken Lane, Ganderville Road, Tara Lane, Old Warren Road, Dickson Road and Stafford Road were bladed.
     Blue rock was spread on Dave Knight Road. A tree was moved out of the road on Hwy 133.
     Ozment Bluff Road, Ozment Bluff Landing Road, Ras Pace Road, Mhoon Road and Lambert Road were bushhogged.
     SB2 was hauled. 
     Two pipes were installed on Midway Route; one on Panther Break Road and one on Grace Road.
     Old Hwy 133, Wilson Lane, Campground Loop Road, Plantersville Road, West Mount Zion Road, Pleasant Springs Road, Florence Road and Jose Chapel Road were patched.   
     Friday Selma Collins Road and Boston Road were graded before the weather got ugly.
     Several ditches were drained.
     A 36 x 30 pipe was installed on Sid Caperton Road.
     Pumpkin Center Road, Green Hill - New Hope Road and Green Hill Road were bushhogged.
     Maintenance and cleanup work was done at the shop.  Although the crews were readied, the ice storm gratefully didn’t materialize this time.  Let’s hope this holds true the rest of the winter!
     Have a great week!!