Vol. 2, No. 51
Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020
Alcoa sells plant to waste treatment giant From Special Reports
PITTSBURGH — Alcoa Corp., a global leader in bauxite, alumina, and aluminum products, has agreed to sell its longtime Gum Springs waste treatment facility, to Veolia ES Technical Solutions in a transaction expected to close in the first quarter of 2020. Alcoa will receive $200 million in cash at closing for the sale of Elemental Environmental Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alcoa Corporation
that owns the 1,300-acre hazardous waste treatment business in Gum Springs. An additional $50 million will be paid to Alcoa if certain post-closing conditions are satisfied. The sale is subject to regulatory approval and routine closing conditions. Last October, Alcoa announced its intention to pursue sales of non-core assets over the next 12 to 18 months with the goal of generating between $500 million to $1 billion in cash.
“This planned transaction shows our commitment to execute on our strategy and the sale of non-core assets, which we announced in the third-quarter of 2019,” said Alcoa President and Chief Executive Officer Roy Harvey. “We also congratulate our employees for the work they have done to improve this business and the scope of its services.” The Gum Springs facility employs about 70 people and
specializes in several environmental management processes, including the use of two permitted hazardous waste incinerators and a landfill. Veiolia indicated it would expand the amount and types of hazardous waste handled by the Gum Springs plant. Although there are Alcoa signs at the plant, there are also reminders of its beginning as part of Reynolds Metals, which Alcoa merged with in 2000.
The Reynolds plant began production of aluminum in February 1954 and continued aluminum production until it closed in June 1984. The plant reopened in recent years to process spent pot liner for the North American smelter industry, and the transaction includes a multi-year agreement to continue those services for Alcoa. Veolia is a French transnaSee Alcoa • Page 4
2 sentenced to 8 years in Exxon robbery By Bill Sutley Dispatch Editor
The two suspects in an April armed robbery of a local Exxon convenience store were both sentenced to eight years in prison Tuesday in Clark County Circuit Court. Jason Deloach, 22, and Larissa Johnson, 19, both of Hope, each pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery charges, and Johnson also pleaded guilty to a tampering with evidence charge. They each could have been sentenced to 10 to 40 years or life without the plea agreement reached between Prosecuting Attorney Dan Turner and court-appointed defense attorneys. An affidavit filed by Arkadelphia Police Investigator Don Cleek revealed in detail how the two were identified and captured within two days after the robbery. The affidavit describes the male robber as brandishing a black handgun “similar to a Beretta M9” while wearing a blue hoodie with “Kansas City lettering on the front and wearing a white mask. The robber asked the clerk on duty then, about 10:44 p.m., to give him money. When the clerk pulled a black plastic cash register drawer containing money onto the counter, the robber fled on foot down Bill Suitley/Dispatch photos Professional Park Drive. Two participants in the Jan. 1 First Day 5K Fun Run/Walk/Hike organized by the DeGray Lake State Video surveillance Park celebrate their near-completion of the trek over pavement and trails near the park’s lodge. About obtained from one of the 130 participated in the non-competitive race that started at 2:20 p.m. in a nod to the new year. More businesses there showed a photos, Page 3. dark-colored Ford Focus circling the area prior to the time of the robbery and picking up the suspect after the robbery. Cleek noted in his affidavit that the Ford passage of Act 464 in early 2019,” priorities. From Special Reports Focus was missing a hub“We are delighted to partner with cap from the front driver’s AMITY — The Centerpoint School says Dan Breshears, Centerpoint superintendent. “Scenic Hill Solar dem- Centerpoint School District on this District and Scenic Hill Solar have side. onstrated the greatest ability to meet powerful investment in renewable partnered to build a solar power On April 29, officers our needs and deliver savings to the energy,” said Bill Halter, CEO of plant to provide electricity to the found a maroon Ford Fodistrict. We are excited to collaboScenic Hill Solar. “We commend Su- cus in the east parking lot district that serves nearly 1,000 sturate on the solar development that perintendent Dan Breshears and the of Henderson State Univerdents in Clark, Garland, Hot Spring both provides a model of responsible Centerpoint School Board for moving sity’s Newberry dorm, and and Pike counties. citizenship for our students, and forward with vision and commitment its hubcap was missing The new 1.04-megawatt solar to provide renewable electricity, power plant will produce 100 percent allows us to focus resources on the from the front driver’s side. educational needs of Centerpoint reduce total taxpayer spending on renewable energy for Centerpoint Police determined the car students.” electricity and position the district School District’s operations, a Scenic was registered to Deloach, Experts expect the solar power as a sustainability leader through the who was an HSU student Hill Solar spokesman said. plant will save the school district construction of this power plant. This living in room 704 of New“The Centerpoint School District over $40,000 each year that can has been investigating the opportuberry, where police found See Solar • Page 4 be dedicated toward other district nity to deploy solar power since the him. He was told he was
Centerpoint schools going solar
being taken into custody as part of an investigation of a separate incident. On April 30, a witness came to Arkadelphia Police headquarters, admitting that she had been present in the Ford Focus that night and that it had been driven by Johnson, who was staying at an apartment on Country Club Road in Arkadelphia. During an interview, she admitted to being the driver of the Ford Focus, and she admitted to also knowing Deloach was going to rob the store. She also mentioned the Kansas City Hoodie and a piece of cloth DeLoah had used as a mask. She said they were still in a trash bag at the apartments. The hoodie and piece of cloth and remains of a white T-shirt were found. But Johnson had disposed of the cash drawer in another Dumpster, and it couldn’t be found.That resulted in the evidence-tampering charge. In court Tuesday, DeLoach mentioned that the handgun he waved was actually a BB gun. Turner, in presenting the plea agreement to Circuit Judge Blake Batson, said he had made the owner of the Exxon, Randy Dixon, aware of the planned sentence, and he approved the offer. Technically, Johnson faces a harsher sentence as a result of the second charge. She got a six-year sentence on that charge, but Turner agreed that it could be served simultaneously with the eightyear aggravated robbery sentence. In an unrelated case, accused murderer William Pennino of Amity made a brief appearance in court Tuesday with his court-appointed attorney, Louis Lloyd of Malvern, to have his pre-trial hearing pushed to March 3 and his jury trial pushed to the week of March 16. He and two other suspects, Dartanya Stapleton and Brock Henthorn, are accused of murder for the grisly slaying of John Ratton, 58, of Amity in January 2019.
124 growing marijuana plants found in Amity home From Special Reports
An Amity man caught with 124 plants growing in his home appeared in Clark County Circuit Court Tuesday, mainly to have his next court dates set for February. Brandon Childers, 49, of 4163 Highway 84, Amith, faces charges of manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms. He was arrested Dec. 11 on drug and gun charges after authorities showed up at his home at about noon to serve a search
warrant. Officers tried to make contact with the resident, according to a law enforcement affiavit filed in. After announc-
ing their presence several times, police entered the house and found it empty. During the search, officers reportedly found two bedrooms that were being used to grow suspected marijuana plants. Police found 99 suspected plants in one room and 25 in the other room. The affidavit states the plants were in soil or water and were being grown under lights. In the kitchen, officers found suspected marijuana in six jars, five bags and a square container. Police also found, in what appeared to be the master bedroom, a jar of suspected marijuana, a rifle with
a scope, a revolver with six rounds and a loaded 9mm pistol. Authorities said Childers arrived on an all-terrain vehicle while officers were searching the home. He was carrying a rifle with a scope. Childers reportedly came into the home and helped officers open a locked safe in the back bedroom. Officers found five guns inside the safe and five muzzleloader rifles in the bedroom. As he was being placed under arrest, Childers admitted owning the items inside his home, the affidavit states.