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Sandy McDonald
TUESDAY, October 25, 2016 / Vol. 2 Issue 40 / 75 cents
Judge touts drug court at meeting
A group re-enacts the Mormon Pioneer’s nine-mile trek on a recent weekend.
Re-enactors make trek along river
Photos & Story by Renee Carr
The old M&NA trail from the Shirley railroad bridge to Lydalisk low-water bridge near Meadowcreek provided the perfect setting for a recent re-enactment of the Mormon Pioneer’s See Trek on page8
Halloween events Scare on the Square is set for Monday, Oct. 31, in downtown Clinton. Admission is free. There will be trick or treating for kids, a costume contest and a spooky hayride. The scary, safe family fun starts at 5 p.m.
The Van Buren County Rescue Squad is haunting a house, a business really, the old Two-State building on Highway 65 South in Choctaw near the Hickory House. Last chance to see if they
can scare you is this weekend and on Halloween night, Friday, Saturday and Monday, doors open at 6 p.m. Those with small children can ask for a toned-down version when purchasing tickets. The Pee Dee Baptist Church presents
Pumpkin Bash 2016 Wednesday, Oct. 26, from 6-8 p.m. There will be games, crafts, treats and prizes for the fall celebration. Free popcorn, snow cones and candy. Everyone is welcome whether or not you are dressed in costume.
Residents of Ozark Health Nursing & Rehab traveled to Heber Springs recently for the Senior Olympics. Story, Page 5.
A judge shared his views of drug court with the Van Buren County Quorum Court at its meeting last week. Third Division Circuit Judge Charles E. Clawson told the justices of the peace Thursday that told the justices of the peace that drug court in Faulkner County has “had mostly success stories,” with only 12 percent recidivism. He said those chosen to take part in the program can be first-time offenders or even on probation. They are closely monitored throughout the four stages of the program, which generally lasts 18-24 months, and if they successfully complete the program, their records are sealed. He said the the cost for the program is far less than the cost to imprison an inmate for a year. Clawson said a drug court for Van Buren and Searcy counties is in the works, but needs approval of the state Supreme Court. He urged everyone to get in touch with their state representatives and ask them to support drug court. The judge said the Quorum Court needs to budget in $8,500 for the court. Clawson said one person who completed the Faulkner County program and now has his record sealed is in law school; another was able to get their CPA license back and a third her nursing license. Just before the meeting adjourned, JP Randy Story brought up the need for drug court again and the need to provide some funds for it. He said it was time to look at the “drain” that the animal shelter is on the county. The city of Clinton, he said, is not holding up its end of funding for the shelter and the county should reconsid-
Should county keep funding shelter?
A justice of the peace raised the issue of funding for Van Buren County Animal Control at Thursday’s meeting. Randy Story called the shelter a “drain” and said the county should reconsider funding it. What do you think? Should the county keep funding the shelter as a public service or is it an unnecessary expenditure? Let your representative know what you think. Find their phone numbers at vanburencountyar. com under Government / County officials.
er how it’s spending its money. The county contributes about $100,000 per year to the animal shelter; the city of Clinton contributes $20,000. Also at the meeting, the Quorum Court heard results from the latest legislative audit. Three departments were found out of compliance on an issue. Those were the county judge’s office, the sheriff’s office and the library. The judge’s office had failed to take bids on a matter concerning filters. Hospital Board of Governors Chairman Donnie Collins said the situation was an emergency and that he thought the limit on which bids had to be taken had been increased to $50,000. It is $20,000. The sheriff’s office was a mix-up on job duties involving stamping receipts for fines. The point will soon be moot as the responsibility of accepting fines and fees is being moved to circuit and district courts. The library had failed to make copies of backs of checks in some of its paperwork.
Woman files complaint, says county damaged property A Saline County woman has formally filed a lawsuit against Van Buren County and the county judge, claiming her property was damaged as a result of trespass by county employees. Judy Smoke, formerly of Van Buren County, contends that North For-
ty Road in Shirley is a private road, not a public road. She says the road has never been taken into the county road system nor has the county exercised its right of eminent domain. She says that around May 6, 2016, county employees trespassed on her property and cut
down marketable timber, tore down two existing fences and converted the timber, wire and posts. The complaint says the fence removal was done at the direction of separate defendant Roger Hooper, who is the chief executor of the county and its direct authority over the
road maintenance crew. Smoke, through her attorney Kent Tester, is asking for a declatory judgment setting out the rights of the parties, awarding the plaintiff damages and attorney fees and enjoining the defendant from entering her lands. In his response,
filed Oct. 17, 2016, an attorney for Hooper, Jason Owens of Rainwater, Holt and Sexton law firm, states that “a road crew went to a public road (which serves 6-7 landowners) referred to as “North Forty Road” and cleared overhanging intrusive branches and veg-
etation that were interfering or potentially interfering with the clear passage of the roadway.” The response denies all other allegations in the complaint and asks for a trial by jury on all genuine questions of material fact. No trial date has been set.