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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2011

The

Daily Citizen TheDailyCitizen.com

Serving Searcy and White County, Ark., since 1854

LLIONS AIM TO FIX ISSUES AT PARAGOULD OFFICERS TAKE PART IN NATIONAL CAMPAIGN S Searcy has a chance to put a win in the books in Paragould today before tourney play. — PAGE 1B P

Searcy police have teamed up with the highway safety office to take part in a safe driving campaign. — PAGE 3A

Searcy board supports north route

Perfect gift Who: American Red Cross What: Is sponsoring a program called Perfect Gift Why: To promote blood donations When: During the holiday season

Panel passes resolution favoring northern bypass route

Locals can give ‘Perfect Gift’

BY MOLLY M. FLEMING mfleming@thedailycitizen.com

The Arkansas Highway Commission has yet to name a route

for the 36/67 Connector Route, but the Searcy School District knows where it wants the route to go.

The school board approved a resolution on Wednesday during its regular meeting to encourage the highway commission to choose the Covington Road route, known as the northern route.

As stated in the resolution, “The administration and board

of directors of the Searcy Special School District are concerned that the construction of the north bypass loop along Collins Road or Holmes Road could cause significant disruption of access to Searcy High School and increased safety risk to students.

“The board of directors of the Searcy Special School District

Searcy School Board ■ Approved resolution to support northern bypass route ■ Discussed expansion plan to junior high ■ Solicited bids for new school bus

Please see BYPASS | 2A

HARDING STUDENTS GET READY FOR BREAK

Red Cross seeks blood donations during the holidays

BY MARISA LYTLE mlytle@thedailycitizen.com

The season of giving manifests itself in wrapped presents and in many presents that are un-wrappable, such as hugs, smiles and good deeds.

One present that does not come in a box or bag is what the American Red Cross is calling the “Perfect Gift” — the gift of blood.

“Blood donations are historically slow during the holidays,” said Alan Gibson, communications manager for the Greater Ozarks-Arkansas Blood Region of the American Red Cross.

“Every two seconds someone needs blood. Whether it is for a routine surgery, emergency Please see GIFT | 2A Marisa Lytle/mlytle@thedailycitizen.com

Freshmen dietetics majors Carly Truloch and Lisi Padilla study for their family and consumer science final in the Heritage lobby at Harding University. HU students finish finals today and are heading home for Christmas break.

Death row “Claude (Money) deserves a lot of credit on this. We are inmate’s very fortunate to get this grant.” sentence overturned Bradford city council weighing its options for sewer Arthur Dunn

Mayor of Bradford

BY JEANNIE NUSS Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Supreme Court reversed a death row inmate’s sentence Thursday because of what the justices called a breakdown in the appellate process.

The state’s highest court also reopened the direct appeal of Frank Williams, who was sentenced to die for the 1992 shooting death of a farmer in southern Arkansas.

Associate Justice Paul E. Danielson wrote that the court decided to send the case back for new sentencing not because of “the specific arguments of Williams, but because there was indeed a breakdown in the appellate process ...”

Williams’ attorneys argued earlier this month that his case deserves another look, in part because they say his previous attorneys weren’t effective. An assistant attorney general disagreed.

Please see INMATE | 2A

Police department to get new cruiser

BY M. A. WEBB Special to The Daily Citizen

BRADFORD — The city of Bradford may regulate private sewer laterals because of a recent decision by the city council.

Engineer Micheal Clayton offered the council two options for regulating private sewer laterals.

According to a handout that was distributed to the council, the sewer lateral is a pipe that connects a home plumbing system to the city’s sewer main and is considered the responsibility of the property owner.

“Most cities don’t have a good grasp on regulating private surfaces,” Clayton stated at Monday’s council meeting.

WEATHER Today: Mostly cloudy. Rain likely. Highs in the mid 40s.

Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

Vol. 157, No. 301 ©2011 The Daily Citizen

The first option submitted

by Clayton imposed a $30 per month penalty on property owners for who opted not to repair or replace their defective private sewer laterals.

The second option submitted

by Clayton stated that a written letter and pictures from the smoke testing would be sent to the property owner and the property owner would obtain a no cost permit from the city within 90-days to repair the defective sewer.

According to Clayton, failure to comply with the first notice will result in a second notice that would require the property owner to obtain a permit from the city within 30-days to repair the defective sewer. A third and final notice will be sent to the property owner by first class mail and certified letter and the property owner will be required to obtain a permit from the city within 30 days to repair the

Bradford City Council Next meeting: 7 p.m.

Jan. 9 Where: Bradford City Hall sewer, Clayton stated. Failure to comply will result in the suspension of water service, he said.

Clayton recommended that the city be divided into four areas with the railroad and Main Street acting as barriers when the city began the process of regulating the private sewer laterals.

Mayor Arthur Dunn told council members that they needed to chose one of the options for the city attorney to review and added that he liked the second option. Dunn suggested that the option be amended to include a provision that allowed the property

INDEX NATION & STATE, 2A OPINIONS, 4A LIFESTYLES, 5A CALENDAR/OBITUARIES, 6A SPORTS, 1B CLASSIFIEDS, 5B

“

owners who could not come into compliance within the time frame to petition the city council for more time. The council unanimously decided to proceed with the second option and include the provision recommended by Dunn.

The vote also included the division of the city into four areas.

In other business, Police Chief Claude Money reported to the city council that the police department had received notification and had been award $26,000 in grant money into order to purchase a police cruiser. According to Dunn, Money had written the grant application and been awarded the money from a Justice Department grant.

“Claude deserves a lot of credit on this,” Dunn praised, “We are very fortunate to get this grant.”

Please see BRADFORD | 2A

One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.

HELEN KELLER

Contact us: 3000 E. Race, Searcy, AR 72143, (Phone) 501-268-8621, (Fax) 501-268-6277

”

Page 2A • Friday, December 16, 2011

The Daily Citizen

FROM PAGE ONE Unemployment claims at lowest in 31⁄2 years Threshold met for $750 million rice deal

BY CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON — The job market is healthier than at any time since the end of the Great Recession.

The number of people filing for unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest since May 2008, a sign that the waves of corporate layoffs that have defined the past few years are all but over.

“This is unexpectedly great news,” said Ian Shepherdson, an economist at High Frequency Economics.

It will take an additional step — robust hiring, not just the end of layoffs — to bring the 8.6 percent unemployment rate down significantly. Experts say that won’t happen until businesses are more confident about customer demand. And the European debt crisis could still cause damage here.

But the report on unemployment claims Thursday was the latest to suggest that the economy, two and a half slow years after the official end of the recession, may finally be picking up momentum.

The nation added 100,000 or more jobs every month from July through November, the first five-month streak since 2006. And the economy, which was barely growing when the year started, has picked up speed each quarter.

More small businesses plan to hire than at any time in three years, a trade group said this week. And another private-sector survey found more companies are planning to add workers than at any time since 2008.

The number of people applying for unemployment benefits came in at 366,000, down from 385,000 the week before.

That moves the figure

closer to its pre-recession range of roughly 280,000 to 350,000.

The last time claims were so low, the nation was six months into the recession but didn’t know it yet. The unemployment rate was 5.4 percent — a level almost hard to imagine these days. Unemployment has been above 8 percent for almost three years.

That spring of 2008, Bear Stearns, an investment house that predated the Depression, had been hobbled by its investment in subprime mortgages and was sold near collapse to JPMorgan Chase for a paltry $10 a share.

The worst was yet to come. Lehman Brothers collapsed that September.

Credit froze, investors panicked and the stock market plunged. Businesses began slashing millions of jobs. Unemployment claims peaked at 659,000 in March

2009.

Unemployment claims are a measure of the pace of layoffs, and they have declined steadily for three months.

But that’s just part of the picture. Business aren’t hiring with gusto.

Unemployment fell 0.4 percentage points last month, but about half the decline was because people gave up looking for work and were no longer counted as unemployed.

“One of the features of this recovery is that hiring is exceptionally weak,” said Jeremy Lawson, senior U.S. economist at BNP Paribas.

And weaker-than-usual hiring doesn’t necessarily show up in unemployment claims. Many employers cut staffs to the bone during the recession. If they worry that business will grow weakly next year, they may hold off on layoffs — but not hire, either.

GIFT: Red Cross hosting blood drives in Searcy throughout December CONTINUED FROM 1A

or accident or to aid in the treatment of cancer or another disease, the need for blood is constant, and there is no man-made substitute.

It is only available when caring people give.”

Almost any adult can give this gift that saves lives. Blood donors must be at least 17 years of age, weigh 110 pounds or more and be in generally good health.

The American Red Cross Blood Center located at 1120 S. Main Street in Searcy is open every Tuesday and Friday from noon to 6 p.m.

According to the Red Cross, all blood types are needed to maintain

a sufficient blood supply, especially type O negative. Type O negative, the universal blood type, is always in high demand because it can be transfused to patients with any blood type, especially in emergency situations.

“It’s the season of giving,” said Erschelle Newsome, CEO of the Greater Ozarks-Arkansas Blood Region, “and there’s one gift that won’t cost you a penny, but means the world to a patient in need. By donating blood, you can give someone an opportunity to spend another holiday with their loved ones.”

The Perfect Gift campaign, explained Gibson, is the Red Cross’s way of reaching out to commu-

nities during this special time of year when giving is on people’s hearts and minds.

“This is a call to action for those who are willing to share the Perfect Gift,” Gibson said. “All donors will receive — while supplies last — a long-sleeve Perfect Gift T-shirt to remember their effort to help someone during this special time.”

Following is a list of upcoming blood drives in the local area: • American Red Cross Blood Center RSMO, located at 1120 S. Main Street in Searcy: Today; Tuesday; Friday, Dec. 23; Tuesday, Dec. 27; Friday, Dec. 30; Tuesday, Jan. 3, and Tuesday, Jan. 6 — all from noon to 6 p.m.

• Walmart, located at 3509 E. Race Avenue in Searcy: Saturday from 2-5 p.m.

• Harps Food Store, located at 2525 W. Beebe Capps Expressway in Searcy: Sunday from 1-5 p.m.

• Oakdale Nursing and Rehab, located at 101 Cynthia Street in Judsonia: Thursday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• First Security Bank: Thursday, Jan. 5, from 1-6 p.m.

To make a blood donation appointment or for more information about Perfect Gift, people may call 1-800-REDCROSS or visit the organization’s website at www. redcrossblood.org/perfectgift.

BY JEANNIE NUSS Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK — Rice growers met a threshold to move forward with a $750 million settlement over genetically modified rice, the company blamed for the problem said Thursday.

Bayer CropScience had agreed to the settlement this summer, five years after the company inadvertently introduced a strain of genetically altered long-grain rice into the U.S. market. As part of the settlement, Bayer set a threshold of 85 percent of rice acreage involved and could have opted out of the deal if enough farmers didn’t sign up.

“Although Bayer CropScience believes it acted responsibly in the handling of its biotech rice, the company considered it important to resolve

the litigation so that it can move forward focused on its fundamental mission of providing innovative solutions to modern agriculture,” spokesman Greg Coffey said in a statement.

Farmers in Arkansas — where about half of the nation’s rice is produced — as well as Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas, suffered economic losses after the German conglomerate developed an experimental strain of rice called LibertyLink to withstand its Liberty herbicide. Federal regulators had not yet approved it for human consumption when trace amounts were found mixed with conventional rice seed in storage bins.

No human health problems have been associated with the contamination, but that wasn’t known at the time.

BRADFORD: Next meeting Jan. 9 CONTINUED FROM 1A

Money also reported that the police department had generated $3,828 in revenue during the month of November. According to Money, there were 85 calls in the city, 104 traffic stops, 27 citations issued, 100 security checks, and 118 warnings issued during the month.

Fire Chief Dennis Whitener stated that the fire department had responded to two structure fires, one grass fire and had conducted two drills. Whitener said that the first responders had responding to a total of 15 calls. Whitener stated that at the

fire department’s Josh Jones was named rookie of the year. Whitener also stated that Shane Blevens was named firefighter of the year and Bill Fies was named first responder of the year.

Water Department Superintendent Billy Burruss presented the water report to the council and stated that the water department had pumped 2.1 million gallons of water during November and the department had fixed several leaks.

The next meeting of the Bradford City council will be 7 p.m. Jan. 9.

The council meets the second Monday of each month at the Bradford City Hall.

INMATE: IQ, lack of mitigating circumstances on paper lead to reversal of sentence in 1992 murder CONTINUED FROM 1A

In Thursday’s opinion, Danielson wrote that the jury had erred in filling out a form in Williams’ case. At least on paper, the jury said there wasn’t evidence of mitigating circumstances — the kinds of events or conditions that juries consider in deciding punishment. But, during court proceedings, the

jury had heard testimony from a counselor who said Williams grew up in a dysfunctional family.

“Additionally, evidence was presented that he was functioning with a low I.Q., understanding things in society about as well as a nine or ten year old,” Danielson wrote.

So, the Supreme Court concluded that the jury “sentenced Williams to

death solely based on the aggravating circumstance, which is reversible error,” Danielson wrote in the unanimous decision from the seven-member court. Associate Justice Donald Corbin didn’t participate in the opinion; Special Justice Steven Quattlebaum joined in his place.

Thursday’s decision marks the second time in

as many weeks that the state Supreme Court has reversed a death sentence.

Last week, the court overturned another death row inmate’s sentence and conviction because of juror misconduct. One juror dozed off and another juror tweeted during court proceedings for Erickson Dimas-Martinez, so the justices sent his case back for a new trial.

Dimas-Martinez was sent to death row for robbing and shooting a teenager after a party in northwest Arkansas in 2006.

Prosecutors said DimasMartinez held 17-yearold Derrick Jefferson at gunpoint and demanded his money before he shot him.

Williams was sentenced to death for the 1992 shooting death of Lafay-

ette County farmer Clyde Spence. Prosecutors said Williams shot Spence with a .25-caliber pistol after Spence fired him.

Williams’ attorney, Deborah Czuba, declined to talk about his case Thursday. A spokesman for Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said his office is weighing its options and that it respects the court’s decision.

BYPASS: School district looking at expanding junior high cafeteria to prepare for middle school students

wishes to express its desire for the construction of any state highway project to take a northerly route around the city of Searcy and not to utilize Collins Road or Holmes Road, and to minimize interference with current school traffic and access to Searcy High School, and provide for the safety of students, faculty, and patrons in accessing the school from the north...”

The board approved the resolution unanimously.

In other action items, the board gave a second look to a zoning plan for school board elections, with the final approval to come at the

January meeting.

The board also approved a bid solicitation exemption for purchase of a school bus that was totaled recently in an accident. No students were injured. The exemption will allow the school district to not have to go through the bidding process of finding the best price available because of the sudden need for the bus.

In other business of the board, Assistant Superintendent Calvin Estes discussed the district’s facilities master plan. He said the district is looking at expanding the cafeteria at the junior high in order to get ready for the middle school students. He said

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in order to expand that cafeteria, two of the classrooms would have to be shut down, which would add to the already existing need for additional classrooms.

Estes said school officials have talked to contractors about the classroom building and about expanding the cafeteria; but nothing has been made official yet.

Superintendent Diane Barrett told the board about their upcoming

panel discussion with the Searcy Leadership Institute on Jan. 10. The board will also have a work session on Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m.

The board meets the

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Corrections The Daily Citizen corrects factual errors promptly and courteously. If you have a correction or clarification, please call Editor Jacob Brower at (501) 2688621 or e-mail him at jbrower@thedailycitizen.com.

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