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John Pack
TUESDAY, March 5, 2019 / Vol. 5 Issue 10 / 75 cents
New CEO for Petit Jean Electric Michael Kirkland of Lebanon, Missouri, has been selected as the new chief executive officer/general manager of Petit Jean Electric Cooperative, according to Donnie Collins, president of the Petit Jean Electric Cooperative board of directors. Kirkland’s 17-year electric cooperative career has been with Laclede Electric Cooperative where he most recently served as the manager of operations. In this role, he directed the day-to-day opera-
tions, safety programs, lineman training, vehicle and facilities maintenance, outage management and dispatch areas of the cooperative. “I look forward to working with the board of directors, employees and members to continue the positive path that Petit Jean Electric has followed for many years,” Kirkland said. “We will continue to work to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve.”
Armed man arrested A 64-year-old Shirley man has been charged with four counts of aggravated assault after an encounter with the sheriff and three deputies. The incident began Feb. 14 when the wife of Billy Rolen reported that her husband told her he was ready to die and was going to drive to the sheriff’s office and provoke a deputy into killing him, according to an affidavit for arrest. Deputies were unable to locate Rolen that night, but the next day Sheriff Lucas Emberton and Chief Deputy Randy Churches talked with him and were told he would come to the office if he needed to sign any paperwork, but if deputies came to his residence it would “be bad and he would not go alive,” according to the document. Later that day, a judge issued an order of protection against Rolen and he was called to come to the sheriff’s office, the document states. Rolen said he was stuck in a field on River Road and that he would die that night, the affidavit states. Emberton, Churches and two other deputies went to the field fearing Rolen was going to harm himself, the document states. They located Rolen, who had a knife in each hand and begin walking toward them with his hands raised, the document states. With guns drawn, the law officers ordered Rolen to drop the weapons, which he ignored, the report states. Emberton talked him into putting down the knives, the report states. Rolen looked at one deputy and said, “you will die,” the report states. He also said the prosecuting attorney would die for issuing an order of protection, which he said he would not abide by, according to the affidavit. The report states there was a strong odor of intoxicants on Rolen and on the ride to jail, he stated multiple times that he would make deputies kill him. Rolen has been charged with four counts of aggravated assault, a Class D felony, with the sheriff and deputies listed as the victims. Plea and arraignment for Rolen is set for March 18, 2019, in Van Buren County Circuit Court.
He has a bachelor’s degree from Drury State and a Master’s in Business Administration from Missouri State University. Kirkland is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps where he held the rank of sergeant. He and his wife, Angie, have four daughters. Kirkland replaces Bill Conine, who is retiring after serving as the CEO and general manager of Petit Jean Electric for approximately 10 years. “The board of Pe-
tit Jean Electric appreciates the dedicated leadership that Bill has provided for the cooperative and wish him the best in his pending retirement,” Collins said. “Michael is well-suited to be our CEO and general manager and we look forward to working with him in serving our members.” Conine said, “Thank you to the board of directors and employees of Petit Jean Electric for allowing me to lead the day-to-day operations of the cooperative. It
has been an honor and privilege to serve the members of Petit Jean Electric.” Petit Jean Electric serves all of Van Buren County, parts of Searcy County south of the Buffalo River and parts of seven other north central Arkansas counties. Petit Jean Electric has approximately 20,000 connections spread across more than 3,585 miles of distribution lines. The cooperative has 65 employees and offices in Clinton and Marshall.
Michael Kirkland has been in the electric cooperative business for 17 years.
School resource officer fired Sheriff cites lag in paperwork
Goodbye Skeeter The Voice is sad to report the death of Skeeter the office cat. He appears to have died in his sleep overnight Thursday. It is thought he was about 17 years old. Skeeter had been with The Voice staff for many years and was well-known across the county. Skeeter’s early years were often tough as he made his way through the wild outdoors and several different
homes. But once he found his way to the Voice staff, it was obvious that office life was for him. The gentle cat rarely met a person he didn’t like and he had a way of making people feel special. Many folks would stop by the office just to see Skeeter. Others first question as they entered the door was, “Where’s Skeeter?” Skeeter brought joy to many people. He will be missed.
School Resource Officer and longtime deputy David Hess has been fired from the Van Buren County sheriff’s office. Sheriff Lucas Emberton said last week that Hess was fired Feb. 25. He said the Clinton Public School District was without a resource officer for only 24 hours. Emberton said the reason for Hess’s termination was basically that Hess did not complete his paperwork in a timely fashion. Emberton said the job of the school resource officer is quite simply “kids’ safety,”
and it is his responsibility to put the right person in that job. For now, Deputy Wesley Potts is acting as school resource officer. Potts held the position for four days in 2017 before resigning. Before that, the position was vacant for several months, and a lawsuit against the school and the city of Clinton, filed by Steve Bradley, an earlier school resource officer, is currently in federal court. Emberton said he met with Superintendent Joe Fisher and then with a member of the Clinton School Board before deciding
to place Potts in the position. He said for the remainder of the contract between the school and the sheriff’s office, the county will not charge the school and will use a county vehicle. The contract is up at the end of June. Emberton said he will periodically meet with the School Board member to make sure everything is going smoothly. Resources officers at the other county schools are Clayton Borecky at Shirley and David Merriott at South Side.
Clinton principal dismissed
Jack has joined the Van Buren County sheriff’s office.
Sheriff’s office gets K-9 The Van Buren County sheriff’s office has a new addition named Jack, a 4-year-old German shepherd. Jack was donated to the sheriff’s office by the 20th Judicial District. But school for Jack and his handler, which starts March 25, will cost $2,500. The sheriff’s office is asking the public for donations to help put Jack on the streets. The department just picked up its second drug dog last Thursday and will also need $2,500 for its train-
ing in April or May, according to Sheriff Lucas Emberton. It is Emberton’s goal to have a three dog K-9 unit. Anyone who would like to contribute to training for the dogs and handlers may take donations by the sheriff’s office or mail them to P.O. Box 451, Clinton, AR 72031. The Clinton Police Department also is trying to raise funds to purchase a drug-sniffing dog. The department says it needs $15,000.
The Clinton School Board has terminated the employment of High School Principal Kayln Evans. Evans, who was in her third year as principal, had been suspended earlier this year. The School Board held an executive session of almost three and a half hours on Feb. 25. When the board ended the executive session board member Lacey Standridge made a motion to find the superintendent’s allegation against Evans to be true; Angela Alexander seconded the motion. The vote was 6-1. The minutes from the meeting do not specify what that allegation was. Board member Timothy Barnes made a motion to accept Superintendent Joe Fisher’s recommendation to terminate Evans’ contract effective Feb. 25, 2019; Brent Treadaway seconded the motion. The vote was 6-1. The minutes did not state who cast the opposing vote. School Board members are Angela Alexander, Timothy Barnes, Jay Hagans, Lacey Standridge, Brent Treadaway, D.L. Webb and board President Sherrin Richardson.
Snow on the daffodils - Dennard saw its fourth snowfall of the season Sunday. Daffodils struggled through the arctic cold that followed. There were reports of light snow and sleet throughout Van Buren County on Sunday. (Photo by Jeff Burgess)