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Wayne Lowrance
TUESDAY, September 20, 2016 / Vol. 2 Issue 35 / 75 cents
Shirley to "go pink" in October
A fair time had by all
The Van Buren County Fair ended its 79th run Saturday. Pharoah's Fury proved to be one of the most popular rides on the Midway this year. (Above photo by Drew Tucker)
Haddi Hulse (left) with her goat Sparkles was one of the winners at the Livestock Show at this year's fair. With Haddi is her friend, Hallie Holland. More fair photos, Pages 19-20.
The city of Shirley will go pink next month. At its meeting last week, the City Council proclaimed Oct. 7, 2016, "Go Pink for the Cure Day" to help bring awareness to the importance of mammography. Also at the meeting: * Concerning the city’s nuisance ordinance and what properties should be chosen first, Mayor Johnny Sowell stated that after speaking with the city attorney at the August meeting, he didn’t think the city needed to pursue any properties at this time. * The council voted to spend $1,150 to repair the roof of the big pavilion. Sowell said the roof will be metal to save costs. * The council directed the city treasurer to transfer $750 from the Street to the General Fund because earlier work by McEntire Construction was not for the Cottrell Trail clean-
up, but for cleaning up rights-of-way on three roads. * Councilwoman Lisa Hackett questioned why the building/construction of the road around the river/park was paid as a street expense when it was not a street. Sowell stated he had talked to the Highway Department about paving it as a branch off Simpkins Road, and they might do it next year. * The council decided to ask Petit Jean Electric to perform an analysis to find out why electrical bills at the Community Center are so high. Monthly bills in the summer run $600 to $900, and in the winter, $400 to $500, the council was told. * Sowell said he is waiting for a breakdown on costs to run each Senior Center and how much each city pays toward the cost. He said the director of the Aging Program should have the figures for him by the October meeting.
Governor picks 3 to hear case A Clinton native has been appointed a special associate justice of the state Supreme Court in the same case another Clinton native has disqualified herself from. Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced that District Judge Susan Weaver will hear CV-15-861 SEECO, Inc., et al. v. Carver L. Holden et al. She replaces Justice Rhonda Wood, who has disqualified herself from the case. In the same case, Christopher Carnahan of Conway was
appointed special associate justice to hear the case in place of Justice Karen Baker, who has disqualified herself. Baker is also from Clinton. Carnahan is a former 20th Judicial District deputy prosecutor and worked on many cases in Van Buren County. A third special associate justice also was appointed in the case. Amanda Hurst of Van Buren was appointed to replace Justice Paul Danielson, who has disqualified himself.
Damages sign-up set The Van Buren County Farm Service Agency has been approved to hold a signup for the Emergency Conservation Program for damage that occurred from a tornado in December 2015, and from high winds/tornado in March 2016. The storms caused severe damage in some areas in Van Buren County. Farms and ranches
suffering severe damage may be eligible for assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program administered by the Farm Service Agency if the damage: -- Will be so costly to rehabilitate that federal assistance is or will be needed to return the land to productive agriculSee Damages on page 13
Police search a car late Thursday night after the passenger fled on foot during a traffic stop. (Photo by Joel French/for The Voice)
Man flees after traffic stop For the second time in a week, a passenger has fled law enforcement officers after a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 65. Each time, the path of the pursuit went through downtown Clinton. And each time, the runner was caught. About 11:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, a Clinton Police officer stopped a four-door Chevrolet that he said was driving left of center on Highway 65B before it turned onto Highway 65. The car pulled over in front of the Flash Market, the report states, and the
officer said the passenger in the front seat was ducking. He said he asked for identification from the two passengers. One of them gave him her ID, but the man in the front seat said he had lost his, according to the report. He told the officer his name was Matthew Lewis, the report states. When the officer went back to his patrol car to check out the IDs, the male passenger took off running, the report states, despite the officer's "very loud clear instructions to not run." The officer radioed for help and re-
mained with the two people he had detained. Shortly after, a Van Buren County sheriff's deputy caught the suspect near the Arkansas Telephone Co. downtown. During a pat down, the deputy found a syringe and a metal pipe with suspected marijuana in it, according to the report. The subject was identified as James W. Moss 3rd, 28, of Damascus. He is being charged with felony possession of drug paraphernalia, felony furnishing prohibited articles to a deten-
Moss tion facility, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor criminal impersonation, and misdemeanor fleeing on foot, according to a news release See Moss on page 13