Of the people, By the people, For the people
Home of subscribers
Richard Charles
TUESDAY, September 25, 2018 / Vol. 4 Issue 39 / 75 cents
Judge reports on drug program
(From left) Sponsor Kelly Leonard, Skyler Bradford, Flossie Glinski, Raine Andrade and Daylan Smith.
South Side Beta Club wins honors Five South SideBee Branch students competed in either the junior or senior high levels at the state Beta Club convention held in Hot Springs. Skyler Bradford won first place (junior high level) in Agricul-
ture. Reign Andrade won second place in English (senior high level). Daylan Smith received third place in Social Studies (senior high level) and earned the honor to compete
at the National Beta Club Convention in Savannah, Georgia. Flossie Glinski won first place in Digital Art (senior high level) and 10th place in Digital Art at the National Convention.
Circuit Judge H.G. Foster presented an update on his “not a drug court” to the Van Buren County Quorum Court last week. Foster reminded the justices of the peace that Van Buren County did not receive any grant money to develop a drug court, but he looked at components of it to “sort of make our own.” He said there are 12 participants in the program. One of them is currently in a Regional Punishment Facility, but he said that is not bad news. He said it was the participant’s choice to go into RPF, where the length of sentence depends on the person’s success, instead of serving a prison sentence that likely would have been shorter. Foster said he believes all 12 participants will be successful. Eventually, their criminal records can be
sealed. Also at the meeting, County Judge Roger Hooper reported progress on county roads. He said 4.5 miles of chip and seal have been completed on Baker Lake Road; 1.3 miles was completed on Rex Road; and improvements and repairs were made to Pole Ranch Road. Hooper said he has spoken with Gov. Asa Hutchinson and that Van Buren County has been declared a disaster area after last month’s rainfall and flooding. The state will reimburse the county for 35 percent of damages. Animal Control Officer Tim Pike said he picked up 34 dogs in the county and answered 77 calls total in August. Jail administrator Tracy Sutterfield said there are currently 62 inmates in pods, which
is 10 to 12 over capacity. She said there are 14 females in a four-person pod. There are seven jailers, she said. Neither Sheriff Randy Gurley nor his chief deputy, Max Young, was at the meeting to provide an oral report. After much discussion it was decided to table an ordinance to require each department head to inventory items in their office. The ordinance was introduced by Brian Tatum who said he wasn’t pointing fingers but noted that the sheriff’s office inventory lists one computer. “The problem is this,” Tatum said, “Each officer has a pistole, a vest, a taser; none of it is on inventory.” He continued, “How can I be a good steward of taxpayer money when I don’t know what we have?”
Suspect injured in fight with police A Perry man being held at Ozark Health Medical Center for an evaluation was injured during a fight with law enforcement officers after he fled the hospital. Donald Jason Lewis, 27, used the chair of a 16-year-old employee in the admissions office as a springboard to go over a desk and out of the building on Sept. 15, according to an arrest affidavit. The young employee was kicked in the shoulder and face during the escape and was slightly injured. A Clinton police officer searching for Lewis was told by a motorist that the man was near the Doctors Building. The officer reported that when he found the suspect, Lewis put up his hands as if he was surrendering, then instead began running south on Highway 65. The officer chased Lewis, shouting at him to stop running and get down, the report states. Lewis struck a construction barrel, slowing him down, and the officer was able to tackle the suspect, taking him to the ground. The fight began and a Van Buren County deputy arrived
Lewis as back up. The deputy reported that Lewis punched him in the mouth and began to reach for the deputy’s sidearm, according to the affidavit. The deputy struck Lewis twice in the face to make him release his hold on the firearm, according to the report. As the struggle ended, officers saw that Lewis had lacerations above and below his left eye and called for an ambulance. During treatment, the suspect spat blood and saliva on the EMT and the officer, according to the report. As a Clinton Police Department investigator photographed Lewis’ injuries, the suspect stated that he wanted to die, according to the
report. Because of that, Lewis was transported to UAMS by ambulance, the report states. Lewis is being charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, a Class D felony; battery-third degree, assault-third degree and fleeing, all misdemeanors. A probation and parole home visit ended in the arrest of a Clinton man on Sept. 18, 2018. A search of the residence on Buckeye Lane turned up a methamphetamine smoking device, digital scale, marijuana smoking device, marijuana grinder and small plastic zip bags with what appeared to be methamphetamine residue, according to the affidavit for arrest. Brian C. Duncan, 46, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class D felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor. A probation and parole home visit resulted in two arrests on Sept. 18, 2018. A search of a residence on Graddy Road,
Shirley, turned up less than 2 grams of suspected methamphetamine, smoking pipes, digital scales; a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, and a firearm under the bed, according to an arrest affidavit. Michael Lee Perry, 31, of Shirley has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, Class D felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class D felony; misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance; and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $5,000. Arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 25, 2018, in Van Buren County Circuit Court. Patricia Lynn Knollenberg, 55, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class D felony; possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class D felony; possession of firearms by certain persons, a Class D felony; misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance; and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Clinton 48, Harding Academy 27
Senior Yellow Jacket Sky Davidson rumbles down the field Friday night against Harding Academy. More Football Fever, Pages 6-7. (Photo by Robert R. Gaut)
School Board hears reports
These South Side-Bee Branch Elementary students enjoyed an afternoon at the Van Buren County Fair on Friday. The fair ended on a wet note Saturday.
The Clinton School Board heard reports from principals and the superintendent at its meeting last Monday. Dr. Joe Fisher reported that enrollment at Clinton schools for the 2018-19 year is 1,352 students. He also said Assistant State Superintendent Monitoring begins this week. Sheila Whitlow will meet with the district leadership team to work on the implementation of Professional Learning
Communities and student mentoring. Elementary Principal April Hagans discussed the completion of the first installment of the MAP assessment. Response to Intervention meetings with staff have begun in order to monitor student progress. Representatives from Arch Ford visited classrooms to observe the implementation of Grade Level Reading and provide feedback from the program, Ha-
gans said. Junior High Principal Michael Wells presented information regarding T.E.A.M. Teach, Empower, Affirm, Mentor - which at this point has students reviewing and understanding their ACT Aspire and MAP scores. The Arkansas Department of Education Student Support Division will visit the junior high campus to observe the program, Wells said.