Monticello Live

Robin Hood, son of Mack and Nola Hood, has lived in Drew County for almost all of his life. He was raised with 3 sisters and 3 brothers and said that having so many siblings made growing up a lot of fun, and described them as a very close family.

“We were very family oriented. My family was very loving and very Christian oriented. My mother was very spiritual and she was the spiritual head of our family. We always went to church; it was the focus of our lives.”

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“I didn’t come into this job thinking it would turn into an elected position one day.”

Tonya Loveless was born in Jonesboro, AR and raised here in Monticello by parents Van and Karen Brown, along with her four siblings.

“My family was awesome. We did a lot of camping, fishing, and hunting. I think I was on a deer stand before I was bigger than my rifle. We loved water skiing and boating and having so many siblings made everything fun… I had a pretty good life.” “My grandparents were great, they were here in Monticello. (Albert and Willie Mae Hobbs, and Jim and Toni Holcomb – they were a big part of my life. I was rotten because they treated me so great.” “Willie Mae is my last living grandparent.”

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Monticello Elementary is seeing record numbers with its upcoming Kindergarten class for the 2012-2013 school year. According to Principal Tish Thomas, the numbers rose from 170 students last year, to 223 for this year.

The large increase of students led to two major issues for the school: too few teachers and not enough classrooms.

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The City Council voted unanimously to amend Ordinance 756 of the City of Monticello to assess fines associated with repeat nuisance property owners.

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During the airport report to the City Council, Benji Ryburn told the Council that people landing in heavy and fast moving aircraft are complaining of a dip and a hump on the runway. He stated that he “made some calls and asked for additional funds…and got confirmation that FAA will provide additional funds, up to $141,794, to do work to the runway.”

The money comes from a 100% grant so the City will not be required to provide any funding. The Council voted to apply for the grant and bid out the project.

The Monticello City Council passed a resolution authorizing the acceptance of a bid by Toter, Inc for the purchase of 3,000 rollout trash carts. The bid by Toter was the low bid and came in at $134,700.00.

The City will purchase one can per residence, and a second can may be purchased by an individual for $55-$60.

Trash pickups will be moved to once a week, per ward, once the new cans are in place.

According to Superintendent Mike Johnston of Drew Central School District,at their recent meeting,  the demolition of the red brick building is 56% complete. He said that all walls and windows have been removed, plus the brick is down on about half of it.

Bricks are being cleaned and stacked for future use and salvageable wood will be taken, refurbished, and used to make furniture.

UAM Chancellor Jack Lassiter gave an updated Community Center Planning Committee status to the Advertising and Promotion Commission, Monday night.

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Jim Searcy was reappointment to the Drew Memorial Hospital Board during the Quorum Court meeting Monday night. Judge Damon Lampkin said, “He’s a real asset to the board,” and the Court unanimously voted yes to reappointing him for a seven year term.

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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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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“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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Mark Gober is well known in Monticello for being Sheriff since 2005, but few may know what brought him to this point in life.

Growing up, Sheriff Gober said that his family often moved every year due to his father’s career in the ARMY. It was a move to Alaska that put him on a path right back to Drew County.

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Monticello native Ronnie Adcock has held several jobs over his lifetime. From gravel trains to pawn shops and a wrecker service, he hopes to add Drew County Sheriff to his resume this year.

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“I really thought I was done that day, and even though this person was very irate and taking it out on me, I still managed to get my job done correctly and it didn’t sway me from getting things done in the office.”

Cheri Norris grew up the oldest of three siblings, and said she had a great time doing family activities like roller skating, having picnics, and playing at the lake. At the age of five she moved from Southeast Arkansas up to Michigan with her mom, Betty Maloney.

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The Monticello City Council voted unanimously to grant Monticello School’s Superintendent Bobby Harper’s request for $25,000 of additional funding towards the boot camp program, which is a punitive program for students that serves as an alternative for expulsion.

Superintendent Harper told the Council that when the program began it was a joint effort between the County, City, Drew Central School District, and Monticello School District. The County quickly withdrew from helping with funding, and now Drew Central District has had to withdraw as well due to their fiscal distress status. This leaves only Monticello District and the City left to provide money to keep the program going.

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The City Council was presented with a lease agreement for P.F. Mays & Associates, LLC for the proposed private school at Jordan Park during their regular meeting Thursday evening. Mayor Allen Maxwell reported that he had investigated what a reasonable lease would be on the Jordan Park property and, “What we got back was $300-$500 per month. I want the council to consider that because we don’t have to charge that much. I think we need to write what the City is going to charge on a monthly or annual basis… We came up with a number of $500 a year.”

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“I was born and raised on same property we’re living on now. This 180 acres of land has never been bought or sold, it was homesteaded by my family. It goes back to my Great Great Granddaddy. I’m the 5th generation farming this land.” – Thad Mitchell

Thad and Nikki Mitchell, along with their six year old son, Colton, have settled on the family land to continue with the farming tradition and raise their family. This year, they have been selected as Farm Family of the Year for Drew County.

Thad and Nikki’s farming business largely consists of raising Bermuda grass for hay, along with some Alfalfa, and producing eggs for Tyson Foods.

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The City Council voted unanimously to allow Mayor Allen Maxwell to begin advertising for bids for the fire station to be built at the W.C. Whaley lot.

The Council also voted to combine CD’s and budgeted items that have not, or will not be used this year, in order to fund the deficit in the Sadie Johnson Building Fund.

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Circuit Judge Sam Pope reversed Warren School Board’s decision to terminate a teacher, Former Warren High School JROTC instructor Col. Robert Avery, saying that the board “was not a fair and impartial tribune in its decision making in this case.”

Col. Robert Avery was charged with first-degree sexual assault in 2009 when a 16 year old female alleged he assaulted her at his residence. Avery was found not guilty by a Drew County jury in October of 2010. His position at Warren High School was terminated.

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“I worked as a vet for two months in Lake Charles, LA. I hated it, and was convinced I didn’t want to be a vet. “– Dr. Rocky Lindsey

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– “I went down to Grand Central Station and got pizza for me and DiGiovanni, and we went to the elevator. I was dressed in my urban attire… and these two suits walked up and they looked at us and then backed out and left. It was weird because you could tell they were scared of us because of what we were wearing. I think they thought I was going to rob them. “ – Andrew (LilDru) Bentz

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City Attorney Whit Barton told the Council that he had received correspondence from a Little Rock attorney representing the Babe Ruth League on March 2, 2012, in regards to issues surrounding a contract with the City.

The issue then came up that the title of Commission for Parks and Recreation was not within the statute for how a Commission should be established, and Attorney Barton instructed the Council on ways to amend the issue, such as forming a Parks and Recreation Committee instead.

Barton stated that being a committee means the positions held are elected and told the Council, “Nobody’s making you do anything.”” But, the ordinance is not in compliance with the statute.”

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From Leamington, Ontario, Canada all the way to Southeast Arkansas has been quite the journey for Ryan Copico. Ryan’s life began in Canada, where he was born on January 12, 1976. His parents are Ruben and Rowena Copico, originally from the Philippines.

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Parks and Recreation Commission Chairperson Karen Connelley gave several updates during their monthly meeting Thursday evening.

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“When you’re working with special needs, they’re giving you the best they’ve got. When you think of everyday people, you’ve got people that aren’t giving their best, they know they’re not, and they’re okay with it.” – Karen Caldwell

"AJ Huffman joined the Caldwell's team at the 2011 Polar Plunge.

On June 25, 1967 in Heidelberg, Germany, Morris and Gertrud Donham welcomed their youngest child into the world. As they counted her ten fingers and ten toes, they likely wondered what her future would hold. What would she do with her life? What impact would this child have on the people she encountered? Today, citizens of Monticello, AR are thankful for the daughter they raised and the blessings she has spent her life pouring out to others.

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This week’s One Monticello Life story features a member of our community that has been mentioned to MLive as a good candidate for recognition more times than any other. She is well known throughout the entire city, yet she isn’t a politician, doctor, lawyer, or in the public spotlight at all.

MLive recently received an email from a local business leader saying, “I went through the Taco Bell drive-thru today and realized that for a very long time, I have heard this sweet little voice take my order, and how nice she always is, and I took the time to thank her for a job well done.

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Gasps of surprise went around the table as Quorum Court members began reading a sheet of paper Judge Damon Lampkin passed to each of them. It was his letter to the Court expressing his decision to retire after serving this final year as Drew County Judge.

In an emotional statement to the Court, and the public, Judge Lampkin said that he would be 71 years old if he ran again next year, and it was time for him to put his health first. He then read his letter to the audience which said…..

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Chief of Police Eddy Deaton addressed the City Council Thursday evening on warrant issues the department is having due to mix-ups in District Court. He told the Council that over the past few years people were being arrested on warrants for fines that they had already paid.

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Eddy Deaton has a new title at the Monticello Police Department as of January 2012… Chief Deaton. He takes his future goals for the department very seriously.

 “I want to make the Monticello Police Department one of the best departments in the state. I want the officers to have the most updated training and equipment out there. I want to see all law enforcement agencies working together to accomplish a common goal of professional enforcement of the law, and community involvement, to aid in preventing and stopping crime.”

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