$100 Winners of Photo / News Tip Contest
October 1st, 2012 by Joe Burgess
Each month, MonticelloLive rewards the reader who calls in the best news tip, or submits the best photo, with a $100 prize.
In October 2012, the video of a Wilmar car fire being put out was taken by Sheena Tucker, who also helped the family (who lost their car and groceries, that day). A couple of Barkada Fire Dept. members were passing by, saw the fire, and put it out; keeping it from reaching the victim’s home. That video earned Sheena $100, and our thanks for sharing it with MLive readers.
In September, 2012, a suspect from AMERICAS MOST WANTED was arrested in Monticello. The person who told MLive about the “truthful rumor” donated their $100 to Immanuel Baptist Church’s food pantry.
- Juanita Webb is shown here with her “pet” alligator, which showed up in their family pond. As the gator continued to grow, in August, the family contacted the AG&F, who re-located it to a safer area.
Juanita’s son, David, is shown with the $100 prize for sharing the photo with MLive readers. The family donated their prize money to PAWS to help support their shelter for homeless pets.
A 75 acre forest wildfire in July, battled by several local fire depts. and the Arkansas Forestry Commission, included an AFC helicopter dipping water from a local farm pond to fight the fire. Karen Kolb-Spencer won $100 for sending that photo to MLive to share with our readers.
A MLive news story about a DWI 3, 4, & 5 was picked up and carried by CNN Headline News in June.
On May 16, there was a fatal car wreck in Wilmar, as the vehicle was fleeing from Bradley Couny Law Enforcement. The prize money for this tip was donated to “Feed the Kids,” thanks to the caller
The person who reported the incident to MLive donated their prize money to purchase school supplies for area children.
Last Easter, BrookLynn White attended 2 local Easter egg hunts. At both of them, she helped a fellow hunter, who had his broken arm in a cast.
BrookLynn’s kind act impressed the boy’s mom, and she told MLive about BrookLynn’s good deed.
- BrookLynn used her money to buy dog food for PAWS and other charities.
On March 16, 3 Youths from Saline County Stole a Truck from an Elderly Drew County Man, & Left Him Bleeding in the Road. A Multi-agency Manhunt Followed,, including ADC Dogs, an ASP Helicopter, and all area Law Enforcement. The 3 were captured latere that Evening.
Susan Jasay took this video, which she shared with MLive. It is our most-watched-video, having s been played over 6,700 times.CNN even requested we give them permissin to use it, which we did.
Susan Jasay donated her $100 February prize money to Feed The Kids, represented here by Allison Collins.
To celebrate his January birthday, Trae Milburn asked family and friends to donate dog food for a local rescue, instead of gifts for himself.
Jay Dyson surprised his girlfriend when he proposed to her at the Monticello Christmas Parade, in from of the cheering crowd of onlookers. Because Jay called MLive to help make the arrangements for the event, we surprised him when we told him that he had won the $100 December photo/news tip prize
Submitted news tips and photos come from a wide variety of subjects.
In November, one of the most popular subjects was Billie Football.
Laura McNeese earned $100 for sharing her Billies photos with MLive, and MLive readers.
One of October’s most talked about stories was the “Hit & Run Trash Truck”.
A city worker, visiting an apartment at 3 am, backed into a vehicle, and left the scene. When the car’s owner got “run around’ from the City, she called MonticelloLive to bring attention to the incident. It did.
Susan Pruitt earned $100 for making that phone call to MonticelloLive.com.
September’s best news tip told MLive about a bridge support, on it’s way to Texas, that fell over on HWY 277. When it was re-loaeded a couple of days later, it fell over again, and was cut up for scrap metal, since it was warped.
The person who called MLive about the incident donated their $100 to Immanuel Baptist Church’s food pantry. Michael Bone accepted the donation.
In the category of “not your everyday activity”, in August, an 18-wheeler hauling “used chicken litter” caught on fire. The driver, unaware of the blaze, was pulled over by MPD, near Jordan Park.
Carol Moore took the photo, and earned a $100 prize, which she donated to “Feed the Kids.” Probably the “most unusual” monthly winner, the photo included a police chase, a fire, and a big-rig with big troubles; regardless of the contenns of the trailer.
Karliegh Hoskins is shown holding the $100 prize for July. Karleigh’s mom sent MLive a photo of her, giving her recently cut long hair to “locks of love” to help some little child who cannot grow hair.
The news tip for the month of June reported the drowning of a Missouri youth in Lake Monticello. The person who placed the call didn’t want to benefit, due to the nature of the event, and donated their $100 award to “Feed the Kids”, which provides food and other items to local children in need.
The May Prize Winning Submission was the video of the Drew County Alligator Capture. The person who sent the video to MLive donated their $100 prize to the Samantha Sawyer Fund for a young girl, who has recently fallen under huge medical bills. There is a fund set up at Simmons Bank, for public donations. The video has been played over 1,750 times. The winner of the $100 "Best Tip" prize was a member of the 911 LifeSavers Relay for Life Team, who donated their prize money to the Relay for Life fundraiser for their team.
The April winning suggestion was a t-shirt designed for MonticelloLive that was entered in a contest sponsored by "Words on a Shirt’. Those shirts will likely be produced sometime in the furture.
Connie McKiever, of the Monticello Kiwanis Club is shown here holding the $100 prize from March. Someone told MonticelloLive.com about the “bedroom make-over” that the Kiwanis Club did for a local family. That person donated their prize money to the Kiwanis for their generous effort.
Here’s the article that earned the $100 prize.
Karen and Jason Caldwell are shown holding their $100 February prize for suggesting MLive cover the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics. Videos of the event have been played over 1,100 times. They donated the prize money to Special Olympics.
MonticelloLive on Vimeo.
The $100 winnining photo for January was sent in during our snow day.
Jaci Oxner is shown holding the $100 she won for sending in the winning photo.
The winning December news tip reported a DWI crash on HWY 425 South, where a local graduating college student was severely injured by an 18 year old driver from Crossett.
The caller donated their $100 prize to the Monticello Youth Soccer Association.
These 2 photos from Lake Monticello were taken by Alicia Watkins, and sent in to MonticelloLive..
The top news tip for October was when the roof was again blown off of a building at the fairgrounds.
This photo of a forest fire that burned 1185 acres was the winning reader contribution for the month of September. The sender wishes to remain annonumous, and donated the $100 prize to the Outreach Food Pantry, of Immanuel Baptist Church.
Pastor Larry Wilkerson, of Immanuel Baptist, is shown with the $100 donation to the churchs’s Outreach Food Pantry.
August’s winning photo/news tip came from Mark Cater. His submitted photo shows lightning reaching the ground during a Saturday night storm. Mark is shown here with his $100 reward for sending the lightning photo ot MonticelloLive.com
The July winner, wishes to remain anonymous, but donated their $100 to a worthy cause, after their tip about the liquor license for a Winchester Road had been approved by the ABC Board. Shown here with the $100 check is Robin Caldwell, Director of HopePlace Monticello, a crisis pregnancy center striving to make a difference in Southeast Arkansas.
Barbara Newton won the June $100 top prize for her news tip about an update in the MHS coaching change.
Andrew Bentz & Ashley Myers spilt the $100 prize for May for the best photo / news tip subbmission to MonticelloLive.
Andrew’s winning entry was an edited photo of the fountain at the square.
Ashley’s photo was of her niece, entitled "Karson & the kite."
April’s prize winning news tip was about an airplane that landed on HWY 425 North.
The person providing the news tip wishes to remain annonymus, but donated their winnings to the local chapter of the Euraka Lodge, represented by Damon Lampkin.
March’s prize winner was the caller who reported the 18-wheeler, who had run into the ditch on Old Dermott Road, and was charged with DWI.
Pat Fisher is shown here with the $100 prize, for providing March’s leading news tip. Photos are also considered for the monthly $100 prize..
February’s winning phone call was about the car that drove into Western Sizzlin. Three customers were injured. Police and the rescue team responded.
The winning caller wishes to remain anonymous, but donated the $100 to the Second Baptist Youth Program.
January’s best submission was selected and the $100 prize was awarded to Brittany Adcock.
Brittany put us in contact with the owner of a residence that was struck by falling New Year’s Eve bullets, after he told about the events in her business, soon afterwards.
An unusual photo was taken around noon, one December Friday, showing a southbound car in the northbound lane of HWY 425 at it’s intersection with HWY 278.
That photo was worth $100 to Beth Davis, December’s winner, who quickly took the photo, while waiting in the turning lane, amazed at what she saw.
November’s winning news tip was called in around midnight, after the pick-up truck shut down E. Gaines Street, and caused major damage to several businesses for several days, and knocked over the power pole that held up the Main Street traffic light.
The winner declined the prize money, but chose to donate it to the work that Mandy Moss is doing with dogs from the pound, with medical treatment, and spay and neutering.
October best news tip was about the helicopter “blow drying” Hyatt Field before a Billies Game.
The tip came from a Billies fan, who contributed their prize money to Second Baptist’s youth fund.
Derek White was the August 2009 winner of the $100 monthly prize for this photo, which he took from a doorway, of a traffic stop on North Hyatt Street, following a police chase, after 2 Dumas juvenilles shot a stop sign near City Park, and was being followed by the mayor, until police stopped the vehicle.
The best news tip for the month of July was about a break-in on HWY 425. The person who provided this news tip, wishes to remain annonymus, but wanted to donate their $100 to the Youth Group of Second Baptist Church.
The person who provided June’s best news tip or photo to MonticelloLive didn’t want to bring any attention to themselves, but instead passed their $100 earnings on to Oak Grove Assemblyof God Church.
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