Of the people,
Home of subscriber Gary Linn
By the people, For the people
TUESDAY, January 12, 2016 / Vol. 2 Issue 2 / 75 cents
Funeral home wars Roller sues former employee
Re-imagining the possibilities South Side-Bee Branch School hosted guest speaker Richard Hight, an international speaker who inspires audiences to re-imagine possibilities and discover their creative processes. He encouraged the students -- kindergarten through 12th grade -- to expand their creativity, and the message was shared through an interactive visual display of art. Hight resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has traveled the world and has shared his messages with millions of people. He has appeared on CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX networks, and his artwork is placed in museums and over 50 universities across the country.
Denver Roller, Inc. took a former employee to court last week, asking for a preliminary injunction to keep it from being "irreparably harmed." On July 23, 2015, Roller fired 19-year employee Joe Tsosie, who is also the Van Buren County coroner. Eleven days later, on Aug. 4, 2015, Tsosie received a "cease and desist letter" from his former employer, and on Nov. 13, 2015, a "verified complaint" was filed against Tsosie by Denver Roller, Citizens Fidelity Insurance Co., and Roller employee Elizabeth
Hess. In her testimony Jan. 6, 2016, before Circuit Judge Mike Murphy, Hess, the office manager for Roller-McNutt Funeral Home in Clinton said Tsosie was "always making jokes, picking at me, yelling at me." She said when she was working at Roller-McNutt's booth at the county fair last September, Tsosie threw an ink pen at her one night and hit her the next, leaving her ear hurting and red. She said she was later told by her employers to file a police report on the incident. When his turn
came to testify, Tsosie said everything Hess described was "horseplay," and they had always engaged in it. He said Hess didn't complain about it over the years. Roller's complaint also alleges that Tsosie has taken advantage of his role as coroner to try to sway families to take their business to Roller's competitor, Clinton Funeral Service. Tsosie swore he never did so in his official role and that anybody who says he did is lying. He said apart See Wars on Page 5
(Funeral director explains prepaid policies and consumer's choices / Page 5)
Man reported missing is back A man reported missing by his landlady is safe, according to the Clinton Police Department. Steven Allen Hussman, 32, of Clinton was reported missing on Dec. 30, 2015, after he had not been seen in more than two weeks. The Police Department said Hussman's landlady said he called her on Jan. 5, 2016, and said everything was fine. She said Hussman told her he had been out of state and had not meant to worry
anyone. In another missing persons case, this one dating to last summer, there still has been no word on the fate of Amando Salinas Jr., 42. He was reportedly last seen at a residence on Highway 9 just outside of Clinton on July 9, 2015, according to the Van Buren County sheriff's office. Salinas' family is offering a $4,000 reward in the case. Anyone with information should call the sheriff's office at 7452112.
The new Van Buren County Library is almost ready to open its doors.
Librarian offers update on transition To our patrons and community:
The Van Buren County Library is starting the process of transitioning to the new building. The following will happen in the next few weeks: On January 18, 2016, the Van Buren County Library will close its doors of normal operations for at least six weeks. Hold request: You may request items online at FCL.org. We will open to the
public on Wednesday mornings for waiting list pickup only 9 a.m. to noon at the 119 Shake Rag Road location or you may pick these items up at any of our branch locations. Book returns: You may return your books and other items in the book drops at VBC Library, Damascus, Faulkner or any of our other Regional Libraries (Twin Groves, Greenbrier, Mayflower, and
Vilonia). You may also call any of the branches if you require a renewal. Please keep in mind that any items you have checked out could be on a hold status and cannot be renewed. Computer Services are available at the Damascus Library We apologize for the inconvenience to you our patrons, and community. We believe libraries are an
important part of any community and we love providing this service. Weather or set-up permitting, we hope to resume operation by March 1, 2016. (See information on branch libraries, Page 5) Thank you for your patience and we look forward to servicing you in our new home. Sincerely, Karla Fultz VBC Library Administrator
Mobile Vet unit to be in town The Mobile Vet Center will be in Clinton on Tuesday, Jan. 12, according to County Veterans service coordinator James Beavers. The unit, from the Little Rock Vet Center, resembles a super-sized recreational vehicle. It is 38 feet long and takes up five parking spaces. The mission of the Readjustment Counseling Services is to provide information to veterans in far-reaching ru-
ral areas on services the center has to offer. Those include individual and group counseling, military sexual trauma counseling, bereavement counseling, marital and family counseling, referrals, and substance abuse information and referral. The unit will be in Clinton from 10 a.m.2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12, at the Walmart parking lot in Highway 65 South.
County gets new public defender Conway attorney Angela Byrd is handling public defender duties in Van Buren County, according to the Circuit Court clerk. Byrd replaces Clinton attorney Ralph Blagg who left the position at the
end of 2015. Byrd was a former deputy prosecuting attorney and ran unsuccessfully for a circuit judgeship in 2014. During the 2014 campaign, Byrd's candidacy was challenged because her
law license had been suspended for failure to pay bar dues. A Supreme Court rule requires an administrative suspension of a lawyer who fails to pay state license fees on time. Pulaski Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen ruled the au-
tomatic suspensions were unconstitutional because they denied attorneys the right to challenge. H.G. Foster faced the same predicament during his campaign that year for a different seat in the 20th Judicial District. Foster
won the seat and will hear many of Byrd's cases in Van Buren County. Judge David Clark defeated Byrd in the Division 4 race. Byrd is married to Karl Byrd, a former Faulkner County sheriff.
Byrd