Of the people, By the people, For the people
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William Brecheen
TUESDAY, January 8, 2019 / Vol. 5 Issue 2 / 75 cents
Do you solemnly swear … Circuit Judge H.G. Foster swears in Lucas Emberton (left photo) as the new sheriff of Van Buren County, and Dale James as county judge. The ceremony took place Jan. 1, 2019.
Back on patrol in Damascus Jan. 1, 2019, marked a new beginning in Damascus. The sanctions imposed on the town, which was found to be a speed trap in 2016, are over and police can again patrol Highways 65 and 124. A town is considered an illegal speed
trap when its revenues from traffic fines and traffic-related citations exceeds 30 percent of the town’s total expenses less capital expenses and debt service in the previous year. Damascus filed several court challenges to the ruling, but to
no avail. City attorney Beau Wilcox said the town is now free to resume patrolling duties. But, he said, it will not conduct itself they way it did before the sanctions. The sanctions were handed down by Cody Hiland, who was
then the 20th Judicial District prosecutor. He has since become a federal prosecutor, and the term to which he was elected ended Dec. 31, 2018. The town at one time had eight full- and part-time officers. It currently has one fulltime and one part-time
officer. During the 19 months that Damascus could not write tickets, deputies from Van Buren and Faulkner counties and State Police officers patrolled the highways. People already are taking to Facebook to air grievances, old and new, against the de-
partment. Some are complaining that anyone driving through the town after midnight should be prepared to be pulled over. The Damascus mayor could not be reached for comment by press time.
Clinton budget approved The 2019 budget for the city of Clinton features some ups and downs. The administration and City Council budget proposal came in at $628,440; last year’s was $641,390. The budget for the Fire Department was increased by $17,000 from $103,253 in 2018 to $120,669 in 2019. The Fire Department lost several thousand dollars when the city was ordered to remove a fee for the department from water bills, and the department lost a special election to increase city sales taxes by a quarter of a cent. The city also included in its budget $2,000 for the Van Buren County Historical Society, whose funding from the county was eliminated this year; and $3,000 for the Clinton Senior Center, which had its funding cut 10 percent by the county. It will now receive $36,000 from the city. To see a copy of the entire budget, visit City Hall. The budget was unanimously approved last month.
Up a tree – A little squirrel scurries to safety up a tree as several dogs wait to see what he does next.
(Photos by Robert R. Gaut)
Man accused of making threats A self-proclaimed “Sovereign” citizen with a record of attacking police officers has been charged with felony terroristic threatening, according to court documents. Jonathan T. Pinney, 33, moved onto an undeveloped lot on Pine Knot Road in Fairfield Bay around Dec. 3, 2018, and erected a tent. About 10 days later, he was advised he was in violation of a city ordinance and the property was posted with the violation notice on Dec. 12 and a certified letter sent to Pinney’s last known address, according to the report. Meanwhile, Pinney was in Little Rock with
car troubles and didn’t return to Fairfield Bay until Dec. 28, the report states. An officer told Pinney that he was in violation of the law and warned to vacate within three days. Pinney responded that it was his property and officials could not tell him what he could do. The document states that Pinney then went on a rant on Facebook, threatening anyone who set foot on his property. He also posted threats about planting booby traps and electrocution, the report states. Fairfield Bay police stated in the affidavit that Pinney was sentenced to four years in prison for aggravat-
Pinney ed battery on a police officer, and in 2008 he was convicted for the same charge and received a six-month sentence. In 2010, he was convicted of aggravated battery on a government official and was sentenced to four years. Pinney, the report states, does not believe U.S. law applies to him.
Fill ‘er up – Gas prices currently are $1.78 a gallon in Clinton. The average gas price in Arkansas is $1.88.