This photo of Lake Monticello at sunset  was submitted by a MonticelloLive.com reader.

Thank you for sharing that sunset with the rest of us.

Vandalism has taken place in our local Monticello parks again over recent weeks, as shown by the photos above.

The top left shows (inside of the circles) where a loud speaker was taken from the ball field at Jordan Park. City workers discovered the speaker missing Monday morning when they arrived at work.

The top center pic shows where the “men” and “women” signs were removed from the new restrooms at McCloy Park, last week.

The bottom row of photos show where the pavilion at Lake Monticello’s table were “re-arranged” with litter scattered around the receptacles on both ends of the lake earlier this month.

Between the closing times of Western Sizzlin’ and Pizza Hut and when employees arrived at work Monday morning vandals forcefully entered both local restaurants in apparent efforts to get money.

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Several Monticello area musicians have been making “Music News” lately.

CashboX, recently featured on the cover of Cashbox Magazine, were featured KATV Channel 7’s “Good Morning Arkansas” program, Friday.

Also, “Roots Country” True County Music Chart, based on internet radio airplay, includes Monticello’s Brison Reed at #10, and Shay Hood at both #14 and #20, with her 2 latest releases.

Around 5:30, Friday morning, a Drew County Sheriff’s deputy and SEEMS ambulance responded to a home on HWY 83 North, in response to the report of a man accidentally shooting himself in the shoulder with a rifle.

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Robert Jackson, of North Bailey St., was arrested by Monticello Police, Thursday evening around 10 pm, and charged with DWI 5, driving with a suspended license, and fleeing.

Jackson was seen by a police officer, whom he refused to stop for, until he’d made several turns, and driven across a yard to get to his residence, as he allegedly made several turns without a signal and ignored a couple of stop signs.

Judge Bynum Gibson set Jackson’s bond at $20,000

According to reports from the Arkansas State Police, the reason for the May 19 crash of a log truck, where the driver was air-lifted from the site near Enon Baptist Church, was that the log truck first collided with a utility trailer that came loose from a passing vehicle, causing the driver to lose control.

After hitting the utility trailer, the loaded big rig swerved right, then left (into a bridge railing), across a deep ditch, into a line of trees, where the tractor-trailer came to a stop. with the load of logs crushing the cab.

According to Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Deen, Jimmy Shrum stated that he initially did not realize that he had lost his trailer.  He did go to the sheriff’s office and ultimately did return to the scene of the accident to provide the needed information.   Based on that information, the state declines to pursue felony prosecution. The misdemeanor charge filed in district court remains (more…)

According to reports, at 10:39, Sunday night, Monticello Police Dispatch received a 911 call from the Sonic drive-in, reporting an armed robbery where the manager and an employee were confronted by an unidentified black male, wearing a black hoodie and other dark clothing, carrying a gun.

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Ramien Collins was on trial, Wednesday, on 2nd degree battery charges, for the alleged beating of Mario Gilbert on October 8, after Gilbert had entered Collins’ parents home with a “sawed off shotgun”, forcing 3 men outside the residence to go into the Florence Road home with him.    (more…)

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Local rock band, CashboX  has reached two significant milestones in the music industry.

Their song, “Iron Mountain Train (acoustic)” has moved to #1! 

Also, CashboX is on the cover of Cashbox Magazine (no relation to the band) this week!

Congratulations to Monticello’s own, Cashbox.

Wikipedia describes a sand-boil as, “effect caused by a difference in pressure on two sides of a levee or dike, most likely during a flood.”  This can cause a “piping ” effect.

There are currently 4 sand-boils in Chicot County, with the largest one being located near the Old Greenville Bridge (shown here).

Authorities are using sandbags to form a bordered body of water around it.  The water level of a sand-boil will go higher than the level of the river.  Sandbags can be added to make it taller.  If needed a large barrel, pipe, or culvert can be used. to keep the sand-boils from causing any damage.

Around 4 pm, Tuesday afternoon, the driver a a Chevy Tahoe lost control of his vehicle, causing it to crash into a Buick Sentry, which was parked in the driveway of a residence at the corner of East Jackson and South Conley.

The Buick was then pushed into the corner of the home by the momentum of the Tahoe.

Monticello Police, assisted by the Arkansas State Police and Drew County Sheriff’s Dept. investigated the accident scene.  No one was injured.

Witnesess told police that the lady who lives there was sitting on the front porch in one of the two chairs there, reading her Bible, when the porch was hit by the vehicle.  She was not touched, but the other chair on the porch was thrown across the yard.

Myron Briggs, age 36,  was charged with drinking in public and failure to maintain control of a vehicle.   The vehicle he was driving reportedly did have insurance.

Triple A Towing and Rod’s Wrecker removed the vehicles.

Monticello Police Department patrolman Kenny Cox was recognized Thursday by the Monticello Lions Club as the “Officer of the Year” for the second consecutive year.

Cox, a native of Dumas, was raised in law enforcement, and has served five years as an officer.  He began his career in Crossett, and has served the past three years as an MPD patrolman.

Police Chief Robert Rosegrant and Lt. Carlos Garcia presented the award to Cox, and explained the criteria for earning the award is based on a point system.  Points are awarded for DWI, drug, and felony arrest, and also take into account the number of accident and incident reports done.   “Going above and beyond the call of duty” is also taken into consideration.

Rosegrant and Garcia both thanked the members of the Lions Club for their continued support of the Monticello Police Department and its officers.

Monticello Fire Dept., along with 3 other fires, Sunday, were called to the site of a fire at Curry’s Pest Control, on N. Hyatt Street.

The building, along with the 3 pick-up trucks inside received major damage.  One of the truck was backed out of the building, after the fire was brought under control.

A strong chemical smell could be detected for several hundred yards away from the burning structure.

A possible cause of the fire, currently being considered, is a nearby brush/leaf fire.

Top photo courtesy of Robert Crawford.

Toni Womack, of Hot Springs, visited Monticello, Friday.

This is one of the photos she sent of Lake Monticello to MonticelloLive to share with everyone.

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A candlelight vigil was held Wednesday night at UAM’s Weevil Pond for Katlin Lidge.  Katlin was a member of the Kappa Eta chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. fraternity, and was planning to graduate in May.

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Peter Harvey is shown leaving the Drew County Courthouse after an earlier hearing for the Crossett Capitol Murder of Donna Woodberry, and the armed robbery of a First National Bank branch..

According to AshleyCountyLedger.com, 10th Judicial District Circuit Judge Sam Pope sentenced a Louisiana man to the maximum sentence for six felony counts in connection with the July 1, 2010, kidnaping and murder of Donna Woodberry and subsequent armed robbery of the North Crossett branch of First National Bank of Crossett in Ashley County Circuit Court Thursday afternoon.

For the full story, see AshleyCountyLedger.com

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In Drew County Circuit Court last week, a former Monticello Elementary teacher accepted a guilty plea on the list of charges against her, as well as having her probation revoked on some of the earlier charges.

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According to Sheriff Mark Gober, on Friday, February 18th, the Drew County Sheriff’s Department conducted a search warrant at 430 East Oakland Street located at the corner of East Oakland and Conley Street. Members of Monticello Police Department assisted in the search of the residence. When officers arrived, there were two suspects standing in the driveway and another two sitting in a car under the carport.

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Members of Monticello’s 20 for the Future and MEDC are in Washington D.C., today. meeting with Congressman Mike Ross, Senator Mark Pryor, and Senator John Boozman.

The group includes Bennie Ryburn, Jack Lassiter of UAM, Scott Kuttenkuler of UAM, Michael Layfield (DMH CEO), Mayor Allen Maxwell, Tommy Maxwell of Maxwell Hardwood Flooring, Mike and Susan Akin,  Nita McDanie (MEDC Director), and David McDaniel of Maxwell Hardwood Flooring

Proposed funding needs to be addressed on the trip include projects for UAM, the city of Monticello,  Drew Memorial Hospital, The Ridgeway Hotel, and I-69 and I-530 construction, and the Yellow Bend Port.

Here are the specific requests for support and/or funding. (more…)

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The 2010 Monticello Billies, who returned only 3 starters from their State Championshiop team, and still made it into the 2nd round of the playoffs, were recognized at the annual Billie Booster Banquet, Monday night.

Here is a list of the individuals award winners;

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ComputerGuys Snowcam

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The Computer Guys are located next to the Fire Dept. on Church Street, next to the railroad tracks.

Thanks to our dedicated readers, MonticelloLive is proud to announce MLive has had over 2 million pageviews in the past 12 months according to OneStat.com.

2,038,518 times in the past 12 months, readers have clicked on MonticelloLive.com to keep up-to-date with news and information about their city, county, schools, weather, court system and other items of local interest.

Our appreciation goes out to our readers for their dedication; and to our sponsors for making MonticelloLive possible.

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During the “Mayor’s Report” at the City Council meeting, Mayor Allen Maxwell told the council an architect and an engineer will be here Friday to determine what will have to be done to repair the City Hall, MEDC, Fire Dept. and Police Dept. structures.

Maxwell said his goal is to get it to where “this entire building doesn’t leak”.  He specifically mentioned the leaks and falling ceiling tiles in the police dept., which have pans and buckets scattered around to catch the water.  He described the drippings as “tobacco juice” that has accumulated over the years.

Maxwell also updated the council on his work assembling a new parks commission and planning commission, and asked voluteers to contact him.

He also outlined his recent meetings with city  dept. heards.

Drug Task Force agents and Monticello Police arrested two Fordyce men on felony drug charges according to Lt. Jason Akers.

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At Thursday night’s City Council meeting Mayor Allen Maxwell informed the council about financial issues faced by the city’s water department.

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In Drew County Circuit Court, last week, a 51 year old Monticello area man pled guilty to multiple charges of “2nd degree sexual assault” against 3 female victims, under the age of 14.

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