NEWS HEADLINES FOR 1014-14
YELL COUNTY QUORUM COURT MEMBERS ADDRESSED SEVERAL IMPORTANT ISSUES, DURING THEIR OCTOBER SESSION ON MONDAY. COURT MEMBERS GAVE THEIR SUPPORT TO A COMPLETED VERSION OF THE COUNTY'S PROPOSED HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN. YELL COUNTY JUDGE MARK THONE APPROVAL OF THIS PROPOSAL HAS SEVERAL IMPORTANT BENEFITS, INCLUDING FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL SYSTEM SAFEROOM. THONE SAID SEVERAL SCHOOLS WITHIN THE COUNTY HAVE OR ARE CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTING SAFE-ROOMS, BUT, HAVE DONE SO AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE. DARDANELLE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ALSO RECENTLY GAVE THEIR SUPPORT TO THE MITIGATION PROPOSAL. IN OTHER MATTERS... THE COURT ALSO ESTABLISHED AN OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE ACCOUNT FOR THE .25-PERCENT TAX FUNDS, BEING SET ASIDE FOR THE NEW DETENTION FACILITY, SOON TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. J.P. WERE INFORMED THE ADDITIONAL ACCOUNT IS A REQUIREMENT, SEPERATING THE EARMARKED FUNDS FROM COUNTY GENERAL FUNDS. THAT REVENUE WILL ONLY BE USED FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE NEW FACILITY, WHEN COMPLETED.
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YELL COUNTY JUSTICES OF THE PEACE, COUNTY JUDGE MARK THONE AND MANY OTHERS WERE ON HAND FOR MONDAY EVENING'S GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONIES FOR THE NEW COUNTY DETENTION CENTER FACILITY IN DANVILLE. YELL COUNTY VOTERS APPROVED A ONE-CENT SALES TAX EARLIER THIS YEAR TO FUND THE ESTIMATED 7-MILLION DOLLAR FACILITY. SHERIFF'S CHEIF DEPUTY JOHN FOSTER REPRESENTED SHERIFF BILL GILKEY AT MONDAY'S EVENT, AND SAID THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD A BETTER YELL COUNTY. THE NEW FACILITY WILL INITIALLY CONTAIN 75 BEDS, BUT, IS DESIGNED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION, IF NEEDED. INDICATIONS ARE CONSTRUCTION TIME ON THE FACILITY, SET TO REPLACE THE CURRENT DETENTION UNITS IN DANVILLE AND DARDANELLE, WILL BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 18-TO-24 MONTHS. BOTH THOSE CURRENT UNITS HAVE STRUGGLED FOR SOMETIME TO MEET STATE DETENTION FACILITY GUIDELINES, BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE AND LACK OF AVAILABLE PRISONER SPACE.
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The National Weather Service has confirmed that two tornadoes struck Arkansas as a powerful storm system crossed the state and others. A tornado struck near Ashdown, where a man was killed when his home was destroyed. The second twister struck near England, about 30 miles southeast of Little Rock.
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BOND HAS BEEN SET AT 10-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A 24-YEAR OLD WHITE MALE SUSPECT, ARRESTED BY DOVER POLICE ON BREAKING AND ENTERING, THEFT, FRAUD AND FORGERY CHARGES. THE SUSPECT, IDENTIFIED AS BYRON LEE, APPEARED ON MONDAY BEFORE POPE COUNTY DISTRICT JUDGE DON BOURNE. JUDGE BOURNE FOUND PROBABLE CAUSE TO HOLD THE SUSPECT OVER FOR A NOVEMBER 17th PLEA AND ARRAIGNMENT HEARING IN POPE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT.
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THE MORRILTON CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE FIRST READING OF A NEW ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE THAT COMBINES A NUMBER OF OLD ORDINANCES INTO ONE. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE EXEMPTION TO ALLOW CERTAIN HOMES TO HOUSE MORE THAN THREE DOGS AT A TIME, NOR DOES IT CHANGE MUCH OF THE CURRENT LAW. ONE CHANGE IN THE ORDINANCE PROHIBITS THE POSSESSION OF CERTAIN WILD ANIMALS, PRIMATES AND VENOMOUS REPTILES. IN OTHER MATTERS... ALDERMEN ON MONDAY APPROVED A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO ACCOUNT FOR THE RECEIPT OF A 15-THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND A 30-THOUSAND DOLLAR RECYCLING GRANT FOR THE LANDFILL.
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