Mayor Zack Tucker signed a proclamation ordering the Flag of the City of Monticello to be placed at half-staff in memory of Melisa Barnett who passed away Sunday.

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Idong Okon, a junior student-athlete for the University of Arkansas at Monticello football team, passed away on Sunday, December 6 at midnight after suffering a fatal asthma attack.

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Paul Quinton (PQ) Gardner, a businessman, former educator, World War II veteran, and lifelong resident of Drew County, age 91 died September 15, 2015, at his home in Monticello, Arkansas.

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Everyone has their individual “precious memories” of their father, including me.

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Monticello and Drew County lost a dear friend and longtime resident this past Saturday. In fact he was the kind of man who symbolized the spirit of our people. That humble, kind, generous, loving man was Tommy Matthews. Many of you will remember him as the principal of W. C. Whaley Elementary School on North Main for 23 years.

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Gone but certainly not forgotten, I miss you so much Mama!! I know you are safe in the arms of the Lord but there is still such a hole in my heart.

Forever and Always, Jennifer, Randy, Heath and Cassidy

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

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

Mrs. Betty, as an employee of Guesthouse and Greystone Manor, touched many lives. 

She was a friend of the residents in that facility, and an important part of the families of those residents.

Like many other people in the caretaking field, Mrs. Betty never new how many people’s lives she touched.

David Bawcom, age 38 of the Greenhill community passed away January 1.

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Some local flags, like the large flag at HWY 425 and 278, are being flown at half staff, in memory of Friday’s school shooting in Newtown, CT, that took the lives of 20 children and 6 adults.

Dewayne Graham, best known for his “7 on your Side” series from 1989-1999, passed away last week.

When someone is a part of our everyday activities, like the folks on the 6:00 news, we often just refer to by their first names, like we know them personally.  Dewayne Graham did that well.  He always took up for the little guy, and usually helped the “good guys” get their money back, and then saw the “bad guys” get run out of town.

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A memorial fund has been set up at Commercial Bank in memory of Brian Savage.

Memorial contributions to this fund are being requested in lieu of flowers by his family.

Wednesday morning, around 6:50 am, there was a car crash on HWY 4 near Arkansas City, where both drivers lost their lives.

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Gone, but not Forgotten

Today is the 3rd anniversary of the death of my Daddy, Charles R. Marter, Sr.

November 1st, 1947 – August 17th, 2009

Remembering and Loving you Always, Jennifer

Judge Randall L. Williams, 86, of Little Rock, passed away at home on December 14, 2010, due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. 

Judge Williams practiced law in Monticello from 1950-l960, serving in several official capacities such as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Municipal Judge, and State Representative.

He was Monticello’s 1st Municipal Judge, beginning in 1957.

Laron Meeks, a former Drew County Sheriff, firefighter, and retired educator, passed from this life during the early morning hours, Saturday.

Our sympathies go out to Mrs. Jane and their family.

Soon after the terrorists crashed the planes into the Twin Towers in New York City, and most Americans realized that we were not as safe as we all thought we were, country singer Alan Jackson released a song that summed up how a lot of people felt, and how they reacted.

The song asked, “Where were you?” on that September 11 morning, 2001.

As we stop and remember where we were that September morning, let’s also remember the Americans that lost their lives that day, and the families that were left behind.

Everyone is welcome to join in, and remember where you were, and what you did that morning,

Tuesday, Veronica Wells, along with her family and a friend, went to the site where her daughter and grandchildren were killed on July 14, 2007, on HWY 425 North, near Pine Bluff.   The family cut grass, and removed the old flowers that marked the location where 5 family members lost their lives in a collision with a tractor trailer, 2 years ago.

A new cross was placed with all the names on it.

A special thank you goes to Mr. Cornelious Branch, Mr. Darrell McDaniel, and Rev. Melvin Foster for the construction of the everlasting cross.

Ms. Will asks that as you are traveling HWY 425 N., approximately 4 miles south of Pine Bluff, take a look to your left at the piece of art and remember her daughter, Ketria, and grandchildren, Kiyah, Kayla, Keshon, and Kaleb.

After many fund raisers, enough money was raised to purchase the monument for Sgt Larry D. Smith of the Monticello Police Department.

His monument was set on December 23, 2008 which was Larry’s 51st Birthday.

There is no way his Police Department family could ever express our appreciation to everyone that helped from purchasing a ticket to making a donation and or physically helping during each fund raiser that we had, therefore those of you that did help please know we appreciate each and everyone of you. Larry very much deserved this beautiful monument.

We also would like to give a special thank you to Lyle & Kim Welch & all employees of Southeast Emergency Ambulance Service for everything you did to help make this possible. Larry is and forever will be missed but will Never be forgotten.

We Love you Larry. 1902 10-7 10-42 God Speed.

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Soon after the terrorists crashed the planes into the Twin Towers in New York City, and most Americans realized that we were not as safe as we all thought we were, country singer Alan Jackson released a song that summed up how a lot of people felt, and how they reacted.

The song asked, “where were you” on that September 11 morning, 2001.

Everyone is welcome to join in, and remember where you were, and what you did that morning, seven years ago.