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John Bensuk
TUESDAY, September 27, 2016 / Vol. 2 Issue 36 / 75 cents
SALC getting ready for holidays
The new library in Damascus has been opened since June 2.
Check it out in Damascus Clinton isn't the only town that has a new library. The Damascus branch of the Van Buren County Library system officially opened on June 2. "It is absolutely great," says librarian Karen Martin. "I have about three times the space I had at the other building." The new space is 1,800 square feet, she says, and visitor numbers have increased, too. "We are seeing more people who have just realized that Damascus has a library," Martin says. "We were able to have our summer
reading program in the new building and we had a great attendance for that." She says a main attraction is the children's area where "the books are more accessible to the kiddos." The children, she said, read more than 1,200 books this summer. "Come in and check out our new facility because we have a lot to offer," including four public computers with wifi, a children's computer, audio books and DVDs, Martin says. Library hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
It’s that time again! The students and staff of the Shirley Alternative Learning Center (SALC) are getting ready for their annual holiday food boxes. Every year during both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, SALC works hard to purchase, pack and provide food boxes for families in the community who are in need of a little help to make the holidays a more enjoyable time. Throughout the year, food boxes are put together with a wide variety of canned goods and other non-perishable foods. These boxes are then donated to area families. In years past, the Shirley Food Pantry only provided food boxes to families with children who attended Shirley School District. However, as times got harder, the food pantry was able to expand its shelves a bit and provide to others in the community as well. Some may be single parents who have younger children not yet in school. Some may be elderly individuals who just need a little
The Shirley Food Pantry provides meals for families that need a little help. help making it through the month. Regardless of the situation, Shirley Food Pantry does its best to help take care of this need. During Thanksgiving and Christmas, SALC staff, in conjunction with the teachers and administration of Shirley School, puts together a list of children and families in the district who are good candidates to receive holiday food boxes. SALC staff will then contact the head of the household offering the service of the
food pantry. Once the calls are made and the boxes confirmed, it is time to go shopping. With the help of donations made by individuals, churches, and other organizations, SALC is able to place big food orders and purchase all the food needed to fill the boxes. Not only will families get a regular food box like the ones given out all year, they will also receive a Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner box that has all the fixings for a family feast complete
with pumpkin pie and a turkey or ham. Last year alone, SALC sent out approximately 120 boxes during each holiday. Anyone wishing to make a donation of either money or food to help the Shirley Food Pantry is welcome to contact Angie Williams at the Shirley Alternative Learning Center, (501) 7234907, e-mail angie. williams@shirley.k12. ar.us or mail donations to 201 Blue Devil Drive, Shirley, AR 72153.
Hickman gets 40 years Jerry L. Hickman pleaded guilty last week to charges from a 2014 accident that left two men dead. Hickman, 41, of Bee Branch, was driving a logging truck through road construction in Clinton on June 2, 2014, when the wreck occurred. According to authorities, Hickman had been using methamphetamine that day and was free on probation for meth possession at the time. Last week in Van Buren County Circuit Court, Hickman entered a negotiated plea of guilty to two counts of negligent homicide, 10 counts of first-degree felony battery and six counts of second-degree fel-
Hickman ony battery. According to a toxicology report the methamphetamine content in Hickman's blood at the time of the crash was 0.54. Judge H.G. Foster sentenced Hickman to two 20-year sentences to be served consecutively, the maximum sentence. He also ordered Hickman to pay $15,525 in restitution to Mobley Contractors in Morrilton.
Two men died and more than a dozen others were injured when the truck overturned and spilled logs that struck the workers on the Archey Creek bridge. Those killed were Ricardo Trochez, 40, of Atkins and Hubert Keith Moore, 51, of Chester. The bridge has been named in their memory. The owner of the log truck, Don Allen Pearson, has faced his own legal problems since the crash. He was among those charged in Operation Ice Storm in September 2014. He was sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine in November 2015.
Jackets pound the Pirates The Clinton Yellow Jackets burst on the scene and never looked
back in Friday night's conference opener in Greenland. Football Fever, Pages 8-9. (Photo by Abi Leonard)
Notes Hunter's Ed class
Car vs. motorcycle
A collision between a car and a motorcycle occurred about 4:40 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, near the Exxon station in downtown Clinton. One of the people involved in the accident was taken by ambulance to Ozark Health Medical Center. No other details were available. (Photo by Robert Snyder/for The Voice)
A Hunter's Education class has been scheduled for 8 a.m.6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, at the downtown Clinton Fire Department. The free class is mandatory for anyone born after Dec. 31, 1968, who wants to hunt in Arkansas. For more information or to register call Jay Hagans at (501) 592-2472. You can also register online at HunterEd. com.
It's official
Timothy Barnes has retained the Zone 5 seat on the Clinton School Board. The term is for five years. According to officials results, Barnes received 62 votes to 42 votes for challenger Justin Bintliff. The school millage vote was 98 for, 75 against. The total tax is 36.8 mills. In the South Side School District, the school millage vote was 1 for, 4 against. The total tax is 38.6 mills. In the Shirley School District, the
millage vote was 13 for, 9 against. The total tax is 35.5 mills.
Flu shots
The flu vaccine will be offered at the Van Buren County Health Unit, 526 Quality Drive, Clinton, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 28. Bring your drivers license and insurance card. Your insurance will be charged if it covers the vaccine, but there will be no charge to the public. For more information call 745-2485.