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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2011
The
Daily Citizen
TheDailyCitizen.com
Serving Searcy and White County, Ark., since 1854
KENSETT ELEMENTARY EARNS HIGH HONOR FIRST ROUND OF PLAYOFFS IN THE BOOKS A national organization has listed Kensett Elementary as one of the higher performing schools. — PAGE 3A
Turn to sports to see how our local high school teams fared in playoff action Friday. — PAGE 1B
Report reveals OEM details Coordinator says she charged county accounts accidentally
theft investigation claims that a Lowe’s card for which she applied to purchase personal home improvement items was put in the county’s name by a Jenkins Lowe’s employee and not her.
BY JACOB BROWER jbrower@thedailyctizen.com
A county department director who was the subject of a criminal
Tamara Jenkins, coordinator of the White County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), told the Arkansas State Police during questioning on Sept. 26 that she had applied for a personal Lowe’s card in late 2009 or early 2010 for home improvements, but a store employee instead reactivated the county’s account that had been dormant since March 29, 2009. Jenkins said that she did not realize what had happened, but the
billing address had been changed from the OEM office at 411 North Spruce St. to Jenkins’ home address in north Searcy during the monthly billing cycle that ended April 2, 2010. State police say their investigation did not produce any credit applications through Lowe’s using Jenkins’ Social Security number. Information contained in the Please see JENKINS | 2A
MCRAE ELEMENTARY HONORS VETS
Drug seizure When: Friday Where: Towed vehicles What: Nine pounds of marijuana, nine ounces of cocaine, 2.5 pounds of suspected methamphetamine
Drugs discovered in seized vehicles
BY MOLLY M. FLEMING On Friday morning, traffic was blocked on Spring Street for about an hour in order for the county to pause and remember those who served their country. The annual Veterans Day Ceremony was held during the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of the year. A crowd of nearly 50 people gathered on the east side of the White County Courthouse, with many of those attending sporting hats that told what branch they once served with. Larry Robinson of the White County Veterans Office was the Please see CEREMONY | 3A
Surprise dedication honors HU senior VP
Please see DRUGS | 3A
State schools don't meet achievement requirements
Event was presented on behalf of David, Donnie House
Associated Press
Marisa Lytle/mlytle@thedailycitzen.com
Addison Coker, a kindergartner at McRae Elementary School, hugs her father, 1st Sgt. Troy Coker of the C&C 2nd 153rd Infantry Addison escorted her father during the school's Veterans Day parade on Friday.
the parade,” Stafford said. “We believe our students need to know about the sacrifices these veterans have made.” In preparation for the event, teachers sent home notes with the students informing parents that their children could
A dedication ceremony was held at Harding University this week to for the newly refurbished J.E. and L.E. Mabee business building and the Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration. A surprise dedication was presented Thursday on behalf of David and Donnie House, who gave a pace-setting gift towards the Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration. Their gift went to honor Floyd Daniel, senior vice presi-
Please see MCRAE | 2A
Please see DEDICATION | 2A
Students, veterans parade around the school BY MARISA LYTLE mlytle@thedailycitizen.com
Children, parents, teachers and visitors waved flags and cheered as local veterans walked along the sidewalks of the McRae Elementary in Searcy Friday, each accompanied by the student who invited him or her to participate in the festivities.
WEATHER Today: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s. South winds 15 to 20 mph Vol. 157, No. 272 ©2011 The Daily Citizen
White County honors veterans mfleming@thedailycitizen.com
The Central Arkansas Drug Task Force and the White County Sheriff’s Department found more than $140,000 worth of drugs in two seized vehicles on Friday; yet no arrests have been made. The CADTF and the sheriff’s office executed a search warrant on two vehicles that had been towed due to a property owner’s request, according to a press release from the task force. CADTF Investigators were familiar
Please see TESTS | 2A
The White County Veterans Office hosted its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday on the east side of the courthouse. White County Judge Michael Lincoln was the guest speaker. An estimated 50 people attended the ceremony.
Singer brings veterans to their feet during medley
More than $140,000 worth of drugs found
LITTLE ROCK — Nearly 45 percent of Arkansas' 1,071 public schools haven't met minimum achievement requirements on state exams for at least two years, a new report finds. According to the report released by the Arkansas Department of Education on Thursday, 480 schools must take steps to raise student scores, including providing tutors, offering school transfers and changing faculties, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported in Friday's editions. Sixty fewer schools didn't meet the requirements last year. The total includes 35 of the Lit-
Veterans Ceremony
According to McRae first grade teacher Kristin Stafford, the parade came at the end of a week spent teaching students who veterans are and why it is important to honor them. “We spent the week before the parade talking about veterans, reading books, doing projects and making flags for
INDEX NATION & STATE, 2A OPINIONS, 4A LIFESTYLES, 5A CALENDAR/OBITUARIES, 6A SPORTS, 1B CLASSIFIEDS, 5B
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The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless. JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU 18th Century French philospher and writer
Contact us: 3000 E. Race, Searcy, AR 72143, (Phone) 501-268-8621, (Fax) 501-268-6277
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