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Jack Lewis
TUESDAY, June 14, 2016 / Vol. 2 Issue 22 / 75 cents
Quorum Court gets earful over weight limits Van Buren County residents packed the Quorum Court meeting room at the Courthouse Annex in Clinton on Thursday night to make clear their concerns over a new ordinance that would allow the county judge to place weight limits on county roads. Glyen Jackson, a lifelong county resident, was first at the microphone, and he told the justices of the peace that avoiding the roads that the county judge had said trucks would not be allowed to use would add so much to the cost of hauling hay that it almost would not be worth it. "This would affect my operation and raise my costs," Jackson said. "I could be stopped, pulled over and ticketed for trying to make an honest liv-
ing for my family." Speaker after speaker echoed Jackson's statements, none more strongly than trucker Ray Berry who said of putting Crowell Mountain Road off limits to trucks, "It ain't gonna happen." "I'm going to use that road," Berry said. "It's plumb ridiculous what you're trying to do." Jonathan Jackson of Jackson's Farm Services said one of his rigs would be overweight. He said he still would use the roads because "I'm not going from Crabtree to Clinton to Scotland." At its May meeting, the Quorum Court unanimously approved Ordinance 2016-20 that would allow the county judge to set weight limits on county roads. County Judge Roger Hooper said
More than 50 people packed the Quorum Court meeting room at the Courthouse Annex Thursday evening to discuss weight limits on county roads. the roads he had in mind to close to truck traffic were Crowell Mountain, Lo-Gap and Linn Creek. Only one speaker was in favor of weight limits, saying logging trucks were messing up the roads. After listening patiently to the speakers, the justices of
the peace were given a chance to respond. James Reed pointed out that he had not been at the May meeting when the ordinance was passed, and he said, "We've stepped on toes and caused controversy." He said he would vote to repeal the ordinance.
Dale James summed it up best for the JPs: "Sometimes we think we're doing the right thing ... we thought we were protecting our roads." But, he said, the JPs realize the ordinance was too broadly written. He said he would vote at the next meeting to
repeal the ordinance. The other JPs also said they would vote for the ordinance's repeal. Dell Holt was not at the public meeting. Hooper said he would appoint a committee to study the issue. "We heard you," he told the crowd.
Charges filed against Damascus man
Sunshine on the water -- It was a lazy day recently at Archey Fork and the Bluffton nature preserve. (Photo by Robert Snyder)
Free boating class scheduled There will be a free boater education class from 12:30-6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 19, 2016, at the downtown Clinton Fire Department. The class is required for anyone born after December 31, 1985, before they may legally operate a motor boat or personal water craft. For more information contact Jay Hagans at (501) 5922472. Happy Father's Day
See Pages 8-9
Notes Tuesday is Flag Day
June 14 is Flag Day in the United States. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on that day in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. The United States Army also celebrates the Army birthday on this date; Congress adopted "the American continental army" after reaching a consensus position in the Committee of the Whole on June 14, 1775. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, Nation-
al Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress. Flag Day is not an official federal holiday. The week of June 14 is designated as "National Flag Week." During National Flag Week, the president will issue a proclamation urging U.S. citizens to fly the American flag for the duration of that week.
Council meeting reset
The Clinton City Council meeting was canceled last week when there was not a quorum present. The meeting was rescheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 13, which is after press time for The Voice. The council is still working on proposals for increasing
A Damascus man is facing three felony charges and two misdemeanors after police received a report that he was driving repeatedly around a place of business in Clinton. About 11 p.m. Sunday, June 5, Clinton Police responded to a call from the Exxon station that a white Dodge pickup was driving around the building over and over. When Clinton Police Officer Eric Koonce approached the truck, he observed the driver, a white male, reaching for a knife, according to a police report. "I drew my weapon and strongly ad-
vised him not to touch the knife," Koonce wrote in the report. "I ordered him to exit the vehicle with his hands out where I could see them." Koonce said he saw a second knife in the seat where the driver had been sitting and the suspect also said he had a knife on him. When Koonce asked why he had so many knives, the man replied that he was being followed by five cars, the police report states. A search of the vehicle also turned up a glass pipe, a loaded .20 gauge shotgun, a .22 rifle,
scales, and what appeared to be methamphetamine, according to the report. Daniel Andre Flowers, 55, was charged with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, a Class Y felony; possession of a controlled substance (meth), a Class C felony; possession of drug paraphernalia (meth), a Class D felony; misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia; and carrying a weapon, a Class A misdemeanor. The evidence and the case have been turned over to the 20th Judicial District Drug Task Force.
revenue for the water department. Also, Mayor Richard McCormac said the deadline for applicants for the position of police chief is July 5. So far, he has received almost a dozen resumes, he said. Police Chief Toney Parish recently announced his retirement. He has been police chief for 19 years.
July 4th
The Voice of Van Buren County will be a day late arriving in your mailboxes next month because July 4 falls on a Monday and post offices will be closed. The Voice will have regular deadlines the week before, but the office will be closed in observance of the Fourth.
This poster from 1917 commemorates the 140th Flag Day.