Of the people, By the people, For the people
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David and Chris Lower
TUESDAY, September 15, 2020 / Vol. 6 Issue 37 / 75 cents
Police chief calling it quits Clinton is looking for a new police chief. Current chief, John Willoughby, announced his retirement at Thursday’s City Council meeting. Willoughby noted that he had been in law enforcement for 20 years. He said he just completed a 14 day quarantine and it was time to call it quits. His final day as police chief will be Oct. 21 and Mayor Richard McCormac said the search for a new chief will begin this week. “There comes a time when you just have to hang it up,” an
emotional Willoughby told the council. “I appreciate ya’ll letting me be chief here in the city where I grew up,” he said. In other police business, Willoughby said the department had 143 extra patrols, assisting other agencies five times, including in a car chase. The officers issued 103 citations and four warrants. — The Water Department’s Will Hinchey, who was finishing up a quarantine Thursday, sent in his report. He said chemical costs for the month were 13 cents
per 1,000 gallons for a total of $10.169.70. Water loss was 29 percent for Clinton, $13.87 for Burnt Ridge. Hinchey’s report said that work will begin Sept. 30 on changing out water meters. He said customers should expect to be without water for 5 to 15 minutes while work is done on their meter. M&E will be doing to work set to begin in Dennard and move south. The projects projected completion date is March 29, 2021. — No one showed up from animal control
but Deputy Tim Pike sent a report stating that he had 10 calls in the city and picked up two dogs and one cat. — Fire Chief DL Webb said his department is currently testing fire hydrants. He said the ladder truck has been repaired and that there have been several gas leaks. Scare on the Square is up in the air, he said. He is looking at different options on how to celebrate Halloween. — From the Zoning Department, Tim Clark said the Zoning Commission had recommended approval for rezoning a strip of
land on Highway 65 to commercial 1. Part of the land has already been rezoned and the council unanimously approved rezoning the rest of it for a total of 5.44 acres. Also, Clark said, plans are being made to build an office facility on a strip of land in front of Eoff’s Feed Store on Highway 65. He also said work is progressing on a new hangar at the airport. The council heard second readings on two ordinances - one to require posting a bond before cutting into streets, the oth-
John Willoughby told the council it’s time to “hang it up.” (Photo by Warren Johnson)
er on the nuisance ordinance. A first reading was given on an ordinance to leave the millage rate at 2.9 percent.
Deaton to address JPs
Ozark Health CEO David Deaton is on the agenda to address the Van Buren County Quorum Court at its meeting Thursday evening at the Courthouse Annex. The meeting begins at 6 p.m.
Office dedication Gov. Asa Hutchinson and first lady Susan Hutchinson were in Clinton on Monday for the dedication of the new Children’s Alliance office at the Courthouse Annex.
Vote
Where to vote • Clinton Library • First Baptist Church in Fairfield Bay • Dennard Volunteer Fire Department • Bee Branch Volunteer Fire Department • Polls open at 7:30 a.m. - Close at 7:30 p.m. on Election Day
(Photo courtesy of Warren Johnson)
3 facing drug charges The driver and a passenger are facing drug charges after a traffic stop by Clinton police Sept. 1, 2020, on Highway 65 South and James Street. A search of the car turned up a scale with crystalline residue, syringes and five small bags with a crystal-like substance in them. A search of the female passenger at the Van Buren County Jail found Xanax and hydrocodone pain pills in her bra, according to an affidavit for arrest. Darcey Lovell, 29, of Scotland has been charged with furnishing prohibited articles at the jail, a Class B felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The driver of the
vehicle, Robert Lewis Warren, 30, of Hattieville has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class D felony, possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class D felony, and use or possession of paraphernalia to manufacture meth/cocaine, a Class B felony. After finding syringes and a substance believed to be meth at his Bee Branch home on Sept. 11, Joshua Ward, 39. has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, a Class D felony, possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture, a Class B felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class D felony.
The annual Alread Poker Run was held Saturday, Sept. 12. For more photos, see Page 11. (Photo by Warren Johnson)
Coronavirus By the numbers - Sep. 13 Arkansas
Van Buren County
• New cases: 508 • Total cases: 69,050 • Hospitalized: 373 • Deaths: 976 (up 12 Sept. 13) • Active cases: 5,916 • Recoveries: 62,243
• Total cumulative cases: 157 • Active confirmed cases: 24 • Deaths: 2
Governor ends daily briefings Gov. Asa Hutchinson went out on a high note, so to speak. He announced last week that he was suspending his daily Covid-19 briefings in favor of once a week updates. On Friday, Sept. 11, the final day of his daily briefing, Arkansas saw more than 1,100 new cases reported. Hutchinson continues to say there is no need to scale back
on openings of bars, colleges and schools. In Van Buren County, the Clinton Seventh-dy Adventist Church, 125 Skyhill Drive, 1 mile north of Clinton on Highway 65, food boxes will be dispersed from noon until 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16. Stay in your vehicle, wait in line and pull up under the awning in front of the church to receive your free food bags.