Award-Winning Monticello Intermediate School students in the EAST program were recognized at Tuesday night’s School Board meeting and presented an over-view of their projects and awards to the Board.

Eight fourth and fifth grade students along with their teacher, Crystal Grimes, attended the National EAST Conference in Hot Springs, where they presented their project before a panel of judges, and won two national awards.

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Around 3:30 Tuesday afternoon, a distressed 22 year old man ran from the DHS parking lot, across HWY 425, and into Popeye’s restaurant.

The upset man ran behind the counter, and began throwing food and containers, before the Monticello Police Dept. and SEEMS arrived, assisted by Arkansas State Police and Sheriff Mark Gober, who were quickly able to bring the man under control, and get him into appropriate medical care.

Drew Central Superintendent Mike Johnston attended an Arkansas Dept. of Eduction meeting in Little Rock, Monday, where it was confirmed that the Drew Central school district had been removed from the “fiscal distress list”.

When a district works to prove their fiscal viability to ADE, the process usually takes two years.  Drew Central is the only Arkansas district to accomplish this designation in one year, during this cycle.

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The Arkansas Baptist News, a statewide publication of the State Baptist Convention, has named Amy Brunson, as Monticello, as their 2013 “Arkansas Mother of the Year’.

Brunson is a teacher at Monticello High School and a member of Second Baptist Church.

Click here to read their full story.

Monticello native David Leonard, along with the male members of All Sons and Daughters, recently led a worship service at the MBSF at UAM.

The group began forming in 2009, where they worship at Journey Church in Franklin, Tennessee.  Leslie Jordan of the group was not able to attend, so this was a unique event, even before you consider the personal ties that David has with Monticello.

The center was filled to capacity with students, alumni, and others who enjoyed the time of worship.

Click here for the All Sons and Daughters website.

Recently, an 18 year old Monticello youth was arrested twice in one evening.

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According to Sheriff Mark Gober, deputies arrested a 16 year old male, who is now in juvenile custody.

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After a lengthy “trial ownership”, the city of Monticello has accepted the Mt. Zion Water Association as part of the city’s water dept.

Monticello schools are continuing to work toward adding a school resource officer to their staff.  The topic was thoroughly discussed at their March boad meeting.

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Ryeli Ashcraft celebrated her 3rd birthday on May 4.

She went to see Disney on Ice with her family and friends, followed by a “Princess Party”.

Her parents are Richard Ashcraft & DeVonda Harvey of Monticello; Siblings are Greyson Ashcraft, Alexis, Rebekah & Jensen Harvey.Grandparents are Louise Ashcraft of Moro, Carolyn & Glen Lawson of Hamburg

The Drew County Historical Society is hosting a special viewing of the AETN program Bayou Bartholomew on Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 2:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Forest Resources Conference Center, Room A102. Chuck Dovish of AETN and Curtis Merrell of the Bayou Bartholomew Alliance will be on hand to answer questions about the program. Two years in the making, the one-hour documentary on the world’s longest bayou, was supported by the efforts of local researchers, the Drew County Archives and the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

Happy late birthday

To A. C. Simpson,

from the District Court Staff

At Tuesday night’s called Monticello School Board meeting, the board voted 4-0 in favor of hiring Jim Lucas as the principal for Monticello High School.

Mr. Lucas was hired as interim principal, last year, and will now become the ongoing MHS principal.

After years of operating on a “handshake agreement”, the county and city will now support the local museum by means of a services contract, like other local organizers receive, for the educational and historic service that the museum provides to county residents, schools, and organizations.

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Former police dispatcher and jail matron, Debbie Rausch, passed away Wednesday.

Ms. Rausch served law enforcement agencies in Hamburg, Crossett, and Monticello.

Dr. Jason Cater’s Family has been named the 2013 Farm Family of the Year by the Drew County Farm Family Committee.

Story courtesy of Chance Wright, of The Advance

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According to Lt. Jason Akers of the Tenth Drug Task Force, a 52 year old Monticello man was arrested by Drug Task Force Agents last week, and faces felony narcotics charges after what Agents suspect to be methamphetamine was located inside his vehicle on a traffic stop.

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On Wednesday evening, April 10, around 6 pm, Monticello Police received a call from a local woman, reporting that she had been threatened by four suspects from Dumas on a local church parking lot.  One of them allegedly pointed a handgun at her, through her vehicle window.

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Around 1 pm, the driver of a southbound Pontiac GTO was attempting to turn east, from HWY 425 onto HAY 278, when turned in from of a Volkswagen Passat , which was northbound.

SEEMS transported both driver to Drew Memorial Hospital.

Monticello Police worked the accident. 

Reliable Towing and C&L Wrecker removed the vehicles.