Monticello Live

More details about the drowning death of a 6 year-old Wilmar boy in Lake Monticello, Wednesdayhave become available. (more…)

Tyler Harrison and Parker Palsa

Two 2012 high school graduates have been selected to receive Environmental and Spatial Technology (EAST) scholarships to attend the University of Arkansas at Monticello next fall.

The recipients are Parker Palsa, a graduate of Monticello High School and the daughter of Eddie and Tommie Palsa; and Tyler Harrison, a graduate of Star City High School and the son of Brenda Harrison.

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This blue Toyota Highlander was hit while parked in the Ameca parking lot around noon, Wednesday. 

Red paint appears to have been transfered from the vehicle that left the scene (may have been pulling a trailer).

If you have information, please contact the Monticello Police at 367-3411.

Tuesday, in the Drew County Circuit Court, the 3 juveniles, charged as adults for the attempted capital murder of a local man, and the theft of his truck and gun, all appeared before Circuit Judge Sam Pope.

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Two black males carrying shotguns assaulted a middle-aged man at his residence, as he got out of his truck, recently.

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SalineRiverChronicle.com reports that Warren Police and the Bradley County Sheriff’s Department had been collaborating to solve a series of burglaries and thefts over a two week period. Some of the stolen items were recovered. The items had been sold. Law enforcement had gained information which caused them to develop a convicted felon from Monticello, as a suspect in the burglaries.

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Triple the fun!
Happy 3rd Birthday Reagan, Rihanna and Ryan.
We Love You! Comanda (mom) and Camille (aunt)

The local veteran’s organizations, as part of their annual Memorial Day program, recognized 4 local first responders for the service to Monticello and Drew County.

Officer of the Year awards were presented to Billy Barnett of the Monticello Fire Dept.,  Matt Outlaw of the Arkansas State Police, and Danny Chisom of the Monticello Police Dept.  Ben Michel of the Drew County Sheriff’s office was also honored, Ben’s plaque was accepted by Chief Deputy Robin Hood.

Drew County has recently lost two more of its members from that generation of soldiers known as the “greatest generation”, because of their sacrifice during the WWII years.

Since today is Memorial Day, we will show respect and pay tribute to five great Americans and Monticellonians, as we reflect on my interviews with them for the Veterans Oral History Project when I asked them to share with me memories of their WWII service.

It takes many support people to operate an Army – or a Navy. This story tells about one man who filled a special need in the service of his country while readying the seamen to fulfill their duties.

David Olen Cockrell was drafted and entered the US Navy on June 3, 1943. He recalled that he may have decided to enter the Navy because he had had a favored cousin, Oscar Miles, who had died on the USS Arizona when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

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This information was shared during interviews as part of the Veterans’ Oral History Project through the Library of Congress. 

Charles Jackson’s military service began when he graduated from Henderson State Teachers College in 1942 and was invited by a group of naval officials visiting the graduates to enlist in a naval officer’s training program. He began this program in the fall at Northwestern University in Chicago and received his commission as a lieutenant in the spring of 1943.

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Let’s remember the very secret WWII mission of the late Dr. Roy Grizzell.

Dr. Roy Grizzell had a long and varied career in the military that began before WWII started. In the winter of 1940 he was sent to Fort Bragg, N.C. as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry. He was assigned as Range Officer and Supply Officer on the post, thus beginning his career with the Military Police.

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I couldn’t possibly have a Memorial Day tribute without mentioning my dear friend, T. Robie Scott. I didn’t have the pleasure of his personal acquaintance for long, but I consider our friendship a highlight and miss his counsel and support. He was an intensely strong-willed patriot, a devoted family man and a fervent supporter of our country. Robie Scott was one of a kind – the kind America needs more of today.

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According to Sheriff Mark Gober,  a subject on the Drew County Sheriff’s Department Most Wanted list was arrested in Jacksonville, Florida on a warrant for a parole violation out of Drew County.

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Friday afternoon around 5 o’clock the Monticello Fire Dept. responded to Turtle Creek Apartments on N. Slemmons St. to the report  of an apt. fire on the bottom level.

The blaze seems to have been started by something on the stove, and fire damage was confimed to the kitchen area.

A 28-year-old Dermott resident has been arrested for the arson fire at Dermott’s Fred’s discount store.  Twelve area fire departments battled the blaze for two days last weekend during the annual Dermott Crawfish Festival.

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Good luck, Laurel Ashley Beal,

 when competing for Miss Teen Arkansas this weekend!!!

We love you!!

Your family and friends

A couple of Monticello Youth have set up a produce stand on South Main Street.

It’s called “2 Boys & a Truck..Patch”.

They also put out a sign honoring our Veteran’s.

Tuesday, a Drew County Circuit Court jury had found a defendant guilty of manufacturing marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.  As the convicted defendant (representing himself as his own attourney) addressed the jury during the sentencing portion of the trial, he called them “Brain-washed Socialist Cowards” (not a good decision).

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Happy Third Birthday!

Peyton Myers

Son of Grant & Kelly (Sowell) Myers

The Drew County Collector’s run-off will be between Tonya Loveless (1186 votes) and Josh Frost (1153 votes), as that race will be narrowed down, as Cherri Norris’ 621 votes are divided.  The June 12 winner will then face Republican candidate Andrea Huskey in November.

In the bid for State Senate District 26, Gregg Reep, of Warren, won four of seven counties (Bradley, Drew, Cleveland, Desha) but fell short by 99 votes to Eddie Cheatham who carried only two counties (Ashley and Chicot). Cheatham, of Crossett, garnered 4156 votes, while Reep had 4057 votes cast for him. Johnnie Bolin, also from Ashley County, came in third with 3243 total votes. Cheatham and Reep will meet again in a runoff election which will be held in three weeks. The winner of this election will face Republic opponent Mike Akin of Monticello in November.

Gene Jeffress and Q. Byrum Hurst will also meet in a run-off election for the Democratic nominee for 4th District Congressman. The winner of this run-off election will face Republic Tom Cotton who won the Republican nomination for candidate for 4th District Congressman.

Regional vote totals provided by SalineRiverChronicle.com

Around 10:30, this morning, a jailer notified Sheriff Mark Gober about the odor of gas in the County Detention Facility.

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Robin Hood won the Democratic Primary. He will now face Republican Jessie Griffin and independent Robert Akin in November.

All precinct votes have come in and the unofficial numbers show two new faces will be added to Monticello’s City Council in 2013.

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All ballot boxes have been counted.

Here are the final, unofficial vote totals:

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On May 4th – 6th , Rebecca Moss and Morgan Nall, attended the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar in Bentonville, Ar. The 10th grade Drew Central Students were selected because of the outstanding leadership potential they demonstrated in school and community activities, as well as their academic achievements. The girls participated in numerous activities while at the seminar reinforcing their social responsibilities and encouraging their leadership and critical thinking skills.

This statement is from a source that wished to remain anonymous, and their sentiment has been shared by many MLive readers over the past several months.

Mayor Maxwell presented these failing water pipes to the City Council, last October.

Add to this the report from last September’s City Council meeting where Mayor Maxwell said, “The water line problems below Maple and Speer Streets, where galvanized water lines run under the street, and constantly have to be repaired. Overlaying these two streets will soon have to be patched, whenever the next leak occurs…” Mayor Maxwell told the council that these lines need to be replaced, instead of making repairs to the lines and the streets, over and over. “The water lines need to be moved to the side of the streets, then do the overlay.”

The city has recently received easements from the property owners, and ordered pipe to begin this project. This means we’ve got “shovel ready” needs, and money being spent elsewhere.

Questions have been raised concerning all aspects of the water fund budget, including where the money is going that’s transferred from it, if it is legal for it to be transferred at all, and if replacing water pipes is just a falsely given reason to raise rates further.

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Monticello Fire & Rescue was paged out to extricate the driver of this westbound Chevy pick-up out of the vehicle, around 5:30, Monday morning.

Marks at the scene show the vehicle left the roadway on the north side of the highway, crossed the ditch, and collided with a concrete embankment, near the I-530 intersection.

Drew County Sheriff;s deputies worked the crash, Affordable Wrecker towed the Chevy, and MASI transported the driver to DMH, where he was then helicoptered to UAMS in Little Rock

Tuesday is Election Day.  Ms the final day for Early Voting.

Over the past several weeks, MLive’s Mandy Moss has interviewed the Democratic candidates for County Judge, Sheriff, and County Collector.

This week’s “election edition” will re-post those interviews for a final “meet the candidates” opportunity for MLive reades.

“I was born and raised here in Monticello by my parents Robert and Peggy Harris. They still live in the house I was raised in.”

Bobby Harris has spent his entire life in Drew County, and this is where he has chosen to raise his large, close-knit, family. He says he learned how to have strong family values by his own experiences growing up.

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Jim Glennon was born and raised in Possum Valley by parents James and Glenda Glennon. “I have three sisters and a brother that are still living. My baby sister died when she was six of spinal meningitis. I was 9 or 10 when she died. It was one of those situations where you ask God, “Why didn’t you take me instead of my baby sister?”

Growing up, there was little time for the Glennon children to find trouble to get into. Working as a family was top priority, and living out in the country meant that if you wanted entertainment, you created it for yourself.

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