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Rich Beam
TUESDAY, January 23, 2018 / Vol. 4 Issue 4 / 75 cents
Council works on new rules The Clinton City Council entered executive session for the stated reason of “discipline” at its meeting that was held last Tuesday. After a few minutes, Police Chief John Willoughby was called in to the meeting. When they came out, the mayor announced no action was taken. However, in his closing statements, Mayor Richard McCormac said the counSee Council on page 5
JPs hire Morgan in SWN lawsuit
Thanks for the music – Van Buren County Judge Roger Hooper issues a proclamation Thursday in appreciation of Sid King who brought radio to Clinton in 1977. With them is Judy King who brought a dance studio to town. And, for good measure, the couple also has run the local cinema for many years.
If Southwestern wins its lawsuit against Van Buren County it will affect real estate values, Assessor Trina Jones told the Quorum Court Thursday. The three county schools would lose a combined $1.8 million and the county stands to lose millions. she said. Justice of the Peace Todd Burgess said he was conflicted. He didn’t want to see the county and schools lose money, but if SWN were to
win the lawsuit, that would benefit individual royalty owners. His rural constituents have felt all along that the tax was unfair, he said. Burgess represents Shirley on the Quorum Court. Burgess also said he felt the attorney picked by the county to handle the suit, Eddie Morgan, had a conflict because he is a royalty owner. County attorney See Court on page 5
‘No action’ in board’s executive session
Nunley
Nunley: This term is final one Van Buren County Collector Lisa Nunley announced last week she will not seek re-election for a 13th term. Nunley took office in 1995 and was the first elected collector in Van Buren County after the sheriff and collectors offices were separated. Her term ends Dec. 31, 2018. While in office Nunley served on the Arkansas Collector’s Association Continuing Education Board, Secretary/Treasurer of the Arkansas Collectors’ Association board of directors and is now serving on that board as first vice president. In the community she served as treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce and is serving as treasurer of the Van Buren County 4-H Foundation. “Politics was never a place I thought I would ever find myself,” Nunley states. “It has truly been my honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Van Buren County. I would like to thank everyone for their support over the years and for this great experience that was given me. A big thank you goes to my staff for their hard work and dedication. I could not have done this job without them. Thank you, Van Buren County!”
Two days after a public meeting was held to discuss the Jan. 10 lockdown, the Clinton School Board met in executive session to evaluate Superintendent Andrew Vining. After 2 hours and 20 minutes, most of that time without Vining present, the board emerged to say it had taken no action. That meant that the board did not succumb to the calls of many parents in the community who wanted to see him fired, but it also meant there was no contract extension this time for the superintendent who has been at Clinton for three years. Last January, Vining was given a contract extension and $2,000 bo-
nus in addition to his $106,000 per year salary. His contract expires in June 2020. Also at the School Board meeting, School Resource Officer David Hess said he is putting together a committee to work on new emergency protocol at the school. The committee will include parent Casey Branscum. Vining said procedure is now in place to send texts to staff and the community when needed. He said he has put Audra Stewart in charge of that communication. At Monday’s meeting, the officials who handled the incident in which a See Board on page 5
(From left) Police Chief John Willoughby, Superintendent Andrew Vining, Mayor Richard McCormac (front), Deputy David Hess and Sheriff Randy Gurley take questions from the audience at the Jan. 15 public meeting.
Woman fights deputy, flees his car, report says A Scotland woman tussled with a deputy then escaped from the back of his vehicle when he left her alone, according to an arrest affidavit. The Van Buren County deputy was sent to a Scotland home to help DHS workers take custody of some children on Jan. 12, 2018. Leann Garner, 37, asked to hug the children good-bye then refused to get out of the DHS caseworker’s car, according to the affidavit for arrest. When the deputy tried to place handcuffs on Garner she spun away and said she was not going to be arrested and was not going to jail, the affidavit states. Garner spun around and struck the deputy on the left side of his face with her fist, the report states. The two tussled on the ground before the deputy was final-
ly able to get the cuffs on Garner, the report states. The deputy returned to the house to talk with the DHS worker, then returned to his vehicle. He said he asked Garner some questions and got no response. After he had driven a short distance, he turned on his interior light and saw that Garner was not there, the report states. He could not find Garner. She was later detained. The report does not say whether she turned herself in or was later found. Garner has been charged with escape-third degree, a Class C felony, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, assault-second degree, and obstructing governmental operations, all misdemeanors. Bond was set at $10,000. Garner’s plea and arraignment
Delapaz
Garner
Bennett
is set for Feb. 16 in Van Buren County Circuit Court.
ed felon. A search of his home found two more firearms. He has been charged with possession of firearm by certain persons, a Class D felony. He will be in court Feb. 6, 2018, for plea and arraignment.
taken the truck and his son said the man might be on Dodd Mountain Road. A sheriff’s lieutenant went down the road and noticed first a man on foot matching the suspect’s description then met the truck he was looking for being driven by a female, according to court documents. The female driver told them her boyfriend, Basiel Bennett Jr., had stolen the truck after an argument. Bennett has been charged with theft by receiving, a Class D felony.
A Shirley man has been charged with a felony after his vehicle was stopped Jan. 12 on Dodd Mountain. Adam Delapaz, 39, was parked in the middle of the road, then seen backing up in the traffic lane by a Drug Task Force agent, according to an arrest affidavit. After he was stopped, the agent said he found a handgun behind the passenger’s seat. Delapaz is a convict-
A 37-year-old Texas man who has been staying on Highway 110 is accused of stealing a neighbor’s pickup. The neighbor called the sheriff’s office to report his truck stolen on Jan. 11. The neighbor told police who he thought had