Of the people, By the people, For the people
Welcome 2017!
TUESDAY, January 3, 2017 / Vol. 3 Issue 1 / 75 cents Fire destroys home This residence on Highway 95 West, known as the old Davenport house, was destroyed by fire last Tuesday morning. Walnut Grove Fire Chief Royce Johnson said the house was fully involved when the department arrived at the scene around 4:30 a.m. Dec. 28. Responding to the call were the Walnut Grove Fire Department with three trucks, and the Scotland Fire Department with a tanker. No one was injured in the fire, Johnson said. The house was believed to have been built in the late 1950s.
Months of quarrels in Shirley fuel resignations After months of emotions running high over finances, historic buildings and tradition, the Shirley mayor has apparently resigned. Declaring that he would not work with "dishonest" people, according to the minutes of the Dec. 21 City Council meeting, Mayor Johnny Sowell said he was quitting as of Dec. 31, 2016. He said other elected officials were doing things behind his back and he wasn't going to be a part of it anymore, according to the minutes. However, by press time, he had not yet submitted that notification in writing, and until he does, says City Clerk Melissa Worthing, he is still mayor. Also saying during the meeting that he would resign was Councilman Brad Brown. Brown said the problems started when last June's Homecoming celebration was moved across the road to a spot by the river, according to the minutes. Many people,
some of them elderly, said they did not or could not walk across the field to the new spot and that it was more convenient to keep it on the streets where it has been for years. Brown said it was an experiment and wasn't meant to be a permanent move. Worthing said Friday afternoon she had not received Brown's letter of resignation either. Two councilwomen told the Voice that holding a special election would probably be cost prohibitive for the town. The council will most likely choose replacements for the mayor and alderman. Sowell said at the meeting that he was notified by First Service Bank that it had received a letter signed by Worthing, Councilwomen Margaret Earnhart and Lisa Hackett and Councilwoman-Elect Ginny Kimmons-Stone regarding a loan. It reads, in part, according to the minutes: “The City of Shirley is preparing to
Taking the oath
Circuit Judge Charles E. Clawson swears in Van Buren County Clerk Pam Bradford for a new term in office. Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, was swearing-in day for all elected officials in the county. (Photo from Facebook)
The purchase of the historic bank building in downtown Shirley has stirred debate in the past months. take a loan from your bank to purchase several old buildings in the downtown area. While it is agreed by all that the buildings are worth being salvaged and put to use – the council must consider its budget which is very lean. At this point in time, all surplus funds have been depleted and the city must rely on its annual income. Thus far, the council has yet to be informed as to the cost of this venture. We do not know the principal amount will be, what the interest rate will be, the length of the
loan and most importantly how much the monthly payments will be. This last point is of utmost importance. For the council to be fiscally responsible to its citizens, we must know this information. Transparency is sorely lacking, all negotiations with First Service have been kept in the dark from the council. There have been no discussions by the council as to the use of the buildings or the cost of repairs and maintenance. In the past, when securing loans for the city, the clerk has been asked for
paperwork and financial information. Thus far, the clerk has not received any such requests, except for the 2015 Bi-annual Audit, which does not reflect today's situation. Prior to approving or disapproving this loan, we, the undersigned ask that all information is conveyed to the council and that there is a review of the city’s finances, so we can better judge our situation.” Sowell stated that everything in the letter was false and that the council had been discussing the purchase for a year. He said the
Injured officer OK
ton and pulled him out of the vehicle. He had the driver on the ground putting him in handcuffs when the vehicle rolled over Murdock's foot, the report states. Deputy Randy Ward got the pickup stopped, and the driver, identified as Michael Chwalinski of Little Rock, was taken to the hospital to treat a cut on his forehead. Murdock said the driver of the Chevrolet stated that he had followed the pickup from Scotland and that the driver had gone into the ditch multiple times. He said he was concerned someone was going to get hurt. Chwalinski was charged with felony DWI.
Trees please
Clinton Police Officer Jay Murdock was back at work last week following a few days of doctor-ordered bed rest after getting his foot run over while making an arrest. Murdock wrote in his report that a Dodge pickup led him on a low-speed chase on Highway 65, refusing to stop even after the officer turned on his siren. A blue Chevrolet got in front of the Ram truck, forcing it to stop, and Murdock approached with his gun drawn, ordering the driver of the Dodge to get out of the vehicle. The driver refused to unlock the door, and Murdock states that he broke the glass with his ba-
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has a new job for those leftover Christmas trees - as fish habitat. The AGFC has drop-off locations across the state, including at Choctaw Recreation area, to let your old Christmas tree have a second life as underwater cover. Just be sure to remove all decorations first. Jason Olive, AGFC assistant chief of fisheries, says the small spaces and dense cover offered by fresh Christmas trees make excellent nursery habitat for small fish. "In ponds where we've sunk Christmas trees, we've seen in-
payments on the fiveyear loan would be $975.61 a month with a 3.5 percent interest rate. The loan is for $48,000. Sowell said this was not the only letter sent without his knowledge. He said he had discovered in talking with the Legislative Audit office that they had sent a letter about procedural changes for the Water Department. Worthing said the letter had arrived and that she had responded to it, according to the minutes. She said it was her job to respond to any findings listed in the agreed-upon procedures report with how the issue would be taken care of in the future. Sowell stated that he “has not ever signed off on anything” to do with the Water Department issue. At the council's next meeting, Jan. 9, 2017, it will have a new look as Deborah Kerrigan replaces Randy Murray and Kimmons-Stone replaces Kevin Jones.
creased growth in smaller fish," said Olive. "Young bass, crappie and bream and baitfish all benefit from the cover, and larger gamefish will be attracted to the smaller fish." Anglers are welcome to remove trees from drop-off locations to create their own fish attractors. Olive suggests using parachute cord and cinder blocks to weight the trees down.
Good read
Be sure and check out a gripping story by longtime Game Warden Don Pennington, who reminds us that things aren’t always what they seem - Page 6.