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Lloyd Eoff
TUESDAY, February 2, 2016 / Vol. 2 Issue 5 / 75 cents
U.S. Highway 65 in Clinton after the Feb. 5, 2008, EF-4 tornado was unrecognizable to residents eight years ago this week. Today's scene (right photo, by Robert Snyder) bears little resemblance to the pre-tornado landscape. More photos, Page 16
A Time to Remember: 2008 Tornado Eight years ago this week, Feb. 5, 2008, was a day we will never forget in Van Buren County. We lost homes, businesses, cars, pets, irreplaceable keepsakes. And we lost three precious lives. For weeks people turned up to help, local folks, of course, and also strangers from all over the nation came to put on a pair of gloves and pitch in. Eight years lat-
er, the Warren Wellness Center bears testament to our determination to rebuild even better than before. But across the street from the office sits a concrete slab where the Rivertrail boat factory used to be. The city bought the lot. There has been some talk as to what to do with it, but so far, nothing. This year we are getting a new library, a new "big box" store, maybe another fast-food restau-
rant if rumors are on target. But we are still recovering. And some things will never be the same, like the landscape coming north down the hill on U.S. Highway 65 into Clinton. You aren't supposed to be able to see the mountains to the east. One resident has pointed out a tree that looks like a finger pointing to the heavens, an appropriate symbol, he thinks.
As the anniversary approaches, it's time to be grateful and thankful and reflect. And it's time to remember those heroes with chain saws and bottles of water who were right there cleaning up, helping out, helping the healing begin day after day, week after week. The eighth annual Emergency Responders Dinner is set for 5:30-9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6,
2016, at the Clinton High School Cafeteria. There will be free chili, hot dogs, hamburgers, drinks and dessert for everybody. It's organized, as always, by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The venue was changed this year from the Senior Center because of plans to honor firefighters who have been on the voluntary job for 20 years or more. There are more than 50 of them. Fifty peo-
Shelter sets low-cost adoption event
Clinton man sentenced in child exploitation A Clinton man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges. Nicholas DeRose, 44, was sentenced to federal prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor by a Parent, according to the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. On August 2, 2013, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents located a photo-sharing profile named “dadof2dau” sharing child pornography images of a minor female. The images included hidden camera images of the minor female in the bathroom and images taken of her genitals while she was sleeping, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office. HSI agents then determined that the IP address belonging to the user of “dadof2dau” returned to Nicholas DeRose of Clinton, Arkansas. HSI Special Agents obtained a search warrant for DeRose’s residence on January 27, 2014. According to the news release, DeRose admitted that he sent and received im-
ages containing child pornography; that he was the person who took photographs of the minor female located in the “dadof2dau” photo-sharing account; and that he took pictures of the minor off and on for one year. DeRose told HSI agents he hid a camera in the minor’s bathroom and bedroom in order to capture images of the minor in various stages of undress. DeRose was indicted on June 4, 2014, in a two count Indictment charging him with sexual exploitation of a child by a parent and distribution of child pornography. On July 10, 2015, DeRose pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child by a parent. There is no parole in the federal system. When DeRose is released upon completion of his 20-year sentence, he will serve 10 years of supervised release. Conditions of his supervised release include registering as a sex offender and no contact with minors under the age of 18. See DeRose on page 2
ple who brave freezing temperatures or 100-degree weather to fight fires at the homes of friends -- or strangers -- at any time of the day or night; who spend their weekends and evenings training; who fry fish a few times a year to try and raise funds for new equipment to protect their neighborhoods and yours. Fifty of them. At least 20 years. Yeah, that's Van Buren County.
This house on Sam Street in Shirley was consumed by fire Friday.
Fires destroy 2 homes
Two houses in the county were destroyed in fires last week. On Thursday, a mobile home on Burnt Ridge Road burned. Burnt Ridge Fire Chief Jerry Pico said the address of the home was 309 Burnt Ridge Road. He said a passer-by called in the fire and the department was paged out at 2:56 a.m., arriving at the scene at
3:01 a.m. Thursday. The occupant of the double-wide mobile home was out of town and there were no injuries, Pico said. Also responding to the fire were Fairfield Bay and Choctaw fire departments. At the scene were three engines, four tanker trucks, 17 firefighters from the three departments and one junior firefighter from Burnt Ridge. The fire was un-
der control, or no longer spreading, by 5:30 a.m. Burnt Ridge remained on scene until around 9 a.m. Friday, a house fire left little standing at 117 Sam Street, Shirley. The house was owned by Stacy Eoff. Cause of the fire is undetermined. Departments responding to the blaze included Shirley, Fairfield Bay, Burnt Ridge and Choctaw.
Van Buren County Animal Control is planning a special adoption event this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 6-7, adoption fees for cats and dogs has been reduced to $15 per animal. The first six people to adopt a pet will receive a goody bag full of helpful and fun items for their new pet. Chocolate roses also will be give away. The facility has been closed lately because of kennel cough among the puppies, according to a sign on its door, but that has now been taken care of. The shelter is located on Tester Street, just off of U.S. Highway 65 behind Simmons bank. Because of budget cuts, the shelter plans to turn to fundraising and has started a gofundme.com drive to raise money for donations to fence the shelter grounds and make exercise runs for the dogs. For more information about the adoption event, the shelter's needs and opportunities to volunteer, call 745-2121.