Of the people, By the people, For the people
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Jennetta Hogue
TUESDAY, September 13, 2016 / Vol. 2 Issue 34 / 75 cents
Variety of cases crowds courtroom
Showing their colors -- Many in the crowd at Friday night's game between Clinton and Berryville wore red, white and blue in remembrance of the terrorist attacks on the United States 15 years ago. We will never forget. (Photo by Abi Leonard)
Man, 71, arrested on drug charges A 71-year-old Scotland man faces drug charges after a month-long undercover investigation. According to court documents, a confidential informant bought 1 gram of suspected methamphetamine on three separate occasions in August from Larry D. Medlock. The confidential informant made each of the $100 purchases at Medlock's residence on Highway 95 West, according to the court papers. The 20th Judicial Drug Crime Task Force assisted by the Van Buren County sheriff's office executed a search warrant at the Medlock residence on Sept. 8, 2016. Agents conducting the search of the house and shop building found three glass smoking devices, several plastic bags, some with the
corners cut off, two digital scales and pay/owe sheets, according to the documents. In Medlock's pocket, agents located 11 pre-packaged corner bags with a white crystal-like substance inside and one larger bag with a white crystal-like substance inside, according to the court documents. During an interview with a task force agent, Medlock stated he has sold about 1 ounce of meth a week for two or three months, according to the court papers. He said the money he made from selling the drugs was used to buy more meth for himself to ease his back pain, the document states. Medlock has been charged with delivery of methamphetamine, a Class C felony; felony pos-
It was standing room only Friday in Van Buren County Circuit Court. Judge H.G. Foster heard cases ranging from the commitment to a mental hospital of a woman who testified she hates Arkansas and its "winding roads," and just wants to go back to Kansas, to more run of the mill drug proceedings. Foster granted four orders of protection, denied one, dismissed another,
and continued one until Oct. 21. In two of the cases, neither party was present for the hearing. In some of the criminal cases: - Sarah Pine, 31, rejected a plea offer from the prosecutor's office and requested a jury trial on charges of maintaining drug premises, a Class C felony, and delivery of meth-cocaine, a See Court on page 8
Runaway lands in Clinton A frightened boy ran away from his home in Fort Smith and ended up in Clinton last Wednesday. The 12-year-old told Clinton Police that he had become involved in an incident in which a cell phone had been stolen and that he feared he was going to be killed by a gang.
The boy, who lives with his grandmother, said he had walked and hitched rides to get away. The youth knocked on a door in the Walnut Grove area Wednesday, asking how far he was from town, according to the homeowner. The homeowner called neighbors
who picked the boy up and took him to Taco Bell in Clinton. A Clinton Police officer transported the child to the Van Buren County Detention Center and called his grandmother. The grandmother drove to Clinton to pick up the young runaway.
Passenger flees trooper Medlock session of methamphetamine with purpose to deliver; felony use or possession of paraphernalia to manufacture, etc.; felony possession of drug paraphernalia to ingest, inhale, etc.; and failure to keep record-maintaining drug premises, a Class C felony. Medlock is scheduled for plea and arraignment in Van Buren County Circuit Court on Sept. 26.
There was some excitement in downtown Clinton Friday afternoon as law enforcement officers chased a man who bailed out of a vehicle during a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 65. An Arkansas State trooper made the stop and the passenger jumped out and ran, heading through the parking lot of the Citgo gasoline station and into the downtown area. He was seen heading toward the lumber store and cemetery when officers lost sight of
him. They reportedly were about to call off the search when the suspect was spotted again, this time outside an apartment on School Hill. Officers apprehended the suspect who was hiding under some shrubs outside the apartment about 4:15 p.m. The suspect was identified as Michael Mills, 31, of Clinton who was wanted for failure to appear. He had been charged in July with theft by receiving and was due in court on Aug. 22. According to
court documents, a 2012 white Ford Super Duty 350 truck had been stolen on July 20. Mills called police and said he had the truck but had not stolen it, according to the documents. He later told police he had bought the truck for $3,000 but would not say who he had bought it from, telling police to just take him to jail, according to the court papers. The Blue Book value of the truck was reported to be $22,000$25,000. Mills had been free on $2,500 bond.
August 2016 Municipal Levy Receipts with 2015 Comparison 2016
2015
Clinton
$88,307
$86,020
Damascus
$6,507
$13,786
Fairfield Bay
$36,171
$31,772
Shirley
$2,052
$2,917
August 2016 Municipal/County Levy Receipts with 2015 Comparison 2016
2015
Van Buren County
$169,724
$278,308
Clinton
$15,077
$24,722
Damascus
$1,449
$2,375
Fairfield Bay
$12,487
$20,475
Shirley
$1,686
$2,765
Figures from the Arkansas Municipal League
Backing the Blue Clinton Officer Scott Solomon was greeted Sunday, Sept. 4, by a group of motorcycle riders who stopped by the police station to show their support for
law enforcement. The riders, mostly from the Fayetteville area, stopped at police stations along the way to North Little Rock. Robert Gaut and his dog Corky joined the
riders in Clinton. Proceeds from the ride will go to help families of fallen police officers in Arkansas. (Photo by Robert Gaut)