NEWS HEADLINES FOR 1218-14

AFTER SIGNIFICANT REVIEW, DARDANELLE CITY COUNCIL VOTED WEDNESDAY TO APPROVE A 2015 BUDGET, SET AT APPROXIMATELY 4.606-MILLION DOLLARS.  MAYOR CAROLYN McGEE SAID THIS WAS A POSITIVE VOTE FOR THE CITY OF DARDANELLE, ITS EMPLOYEES AND RESIDENTS. McGEE SAID DEPARTMENT HEADS AND BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS REALIZED EARLY ON, THAT EXPENDATURES LAST YEAR ON THE CITY'S NEW SOFTBALL FIELDS, AND OBLIGATIONS IN THAT AREA, WOULD MAKE 2015 A CHALLENGING BUDGET YEAR. ONE OTHER FACET OF THIS BUDGET, ACCORDING TO McGEE, IS THAT IT KEEPS DARDANELLE WITHIN THE PERAMETERS, TO PERMIT A 10.68-PERCENT RESERVE, FOR EMERGENCY NEEDS, IF NECESSARY IN THE FUTURE.

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ATKINS FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED EARLY THIS (Thurs.) MORNING TO A TRANSFORMER FIRE, IN THE 800 BLOCK OF NORTH CHURCH STREET.  UNITS WERE RESPONDED JUST BEFORE 2 A/M TO THE FIRE, THAT ALSO RESULTED IN A POWER OUTAGE IN THE AREA.  ENTERGY CREWS QUICKLY RESPONDED, IN AN EFFORT TO REPLACE THE TRANSFORMER AND RESTORE SERVICE.  FIREFIGHTERS WERE ON-SCENE UNTIL JUST AFTER 3 A/M.  NO INJURIES RESULTED.

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CLARKSVILLE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TOOK TIME DURING THEIR DECEMBER SESSION THIS WEEK TO RECOGNIZE FIVE DISTRICT TEACHERS, WHO'VE RECENTLY OBTAINED THEIR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION.  SUPERINTENDANT DR. DAVID HOPKINS AND THE BOARD SALUTED DR. JEFF BLACKARD, KRISTI NEWMAN, JENNIFER KOCH(COOK), MANDY WATKINS AND LESLIE MORI.  IN OTHER MATTERS, THE BOARD WAS UPDATED BY CURRICULEN COORDINATOR KARA CHRISMAN ON NUW STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MANDATES FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.  AN INCREASED LINE OF CREDIT FOR THE DISTRICT, THROUGH ARVEST BANK WAS ALSO APPROVED BY THE BOARD.

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NEWS HEADLINES FOR 1216-14

HUMPHERY FUNERAL SERVICE PERSONNEL ARE PLANNING A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, LATER THIS WEEK, TO REVIEW PLANS FOR A PROPOSED CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM FACILITY, NORTH OF RUSSELLVILLE  A FRIDAY SESSION IS SET FOR 2 P/M, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF CITY HALL, TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSAL.  SITE FOR THE FACILITY IS JUST WEST OF THE CENTER VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON CENTER VALLEY ROAD, BUT, RECENT PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS OF THE PLAN, MOVED THE CREMATORIUM FARTHER WEST, FROM THE PROPERTY LINE OF THE SCHOOL FACILITY.  ALL INTERESTED PARTIES ARE URGED TO MAKE THEIR PLANS TO ATTEND THIS HEARING, AND EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS OR CONCERNS.

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OFFICIALS WITH THE POPE COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD HAVE CANCELLED THEIR DECEMBER SESSION.  THE BOARD'S NEXT MEETING WILL BE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21st.  THAT AFTERNOON MEETING WILL BE AT 4 P/M, IN THEIR HERITAGE HALL FACILITY.

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THE HOLIDAY CONCERT SEASON IS UNDERWAY, AND MANY AREA SCHOOLS ARE PARTICIPATING. TONIGHT (Tues.), THE RUSSELLVILLE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL HOLIDAY BAND CONCERT IS SET FOR 7 P/M, IN THE CENTER OF THE ARTS.

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A NEW SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY IS ON THE WAY FOR BROADCAST JOURNALISM STUDENTS AT ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY. THE TELEVISION BROADCASTERS OF ARKANSAS WILL SPONSOR AN ANNUAL $2,500 SCHOLARSHIP FOR AN ACADEMICALLY QUALIFIED ARKANSAS TECH BROADCAST JOURNALISM STUDENT BEGINNING IN FALL 2015. ANTHONY CATON, HEAD OF THE ARKANSAS TECH DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM AND DIRECTOR OF BROADCASTING SAID THE UNIVERSITY IS MOST APPRECIATIVE TO JEANIE REED AND THE TELEVISION BROADCASTERS OF ARKANSAS BOARD FOR THEIR GENEROSITY IN PROVIDING THIS SCHOLARSHIP TO A WORTHY ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY BROADCAST JOURNALISM STUDENT.

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THE TWO RIVERS MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL BE ONE OF THE LATEST AREA DISTRICT SCHOOLS HOLDING THEIR ANNUAL SPELLING BEE TODAY(Tues.). THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT THESE STUDENTS AND EVENT ORGANIZERS DURING THE COMPETITION, TO GET UNDERWAY AT 8:15 A/M.  THOSE ADVANCING WILL SOON BE INVOLVED IN COUNTYWIDE COMPETITION.

 

TWO RUSSELLVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WILL HOLD THEIR ANNUAL SPELLING BEE COMPETITION, LATER THIS WEEK.  CENTER VALLEY'S SPELLING BEE IS SET FOR THURSDAY MORNING AT 9:30, WHILE DWIGHT ELEMENTARY HAS THEIR EVENT SET FOR THAT AFTERNOON AT 1 P/M.  PARENTS AND PATRONS ARE REMINDED ABOUT THESE UPCOMING EVENTS.

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NEWS HEADLINES FOR 1215-14

RUSSELLVILLE POLICE AND FIRE AND POPE COUNTY AMBULANCE PERSONNEL RAN MONDAY MORNING ON AN ACCIDENT AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 7 AND CENTER VALLEY ROAD.  AUTHORITIES WERE INITIALLY RESPONDED TO AN ENTRAPMENT ACCIDENT, BUT, THOSE IN THE VEHICLE, WHICH HAD OVERTURNED, WERE OUT AND UNINJURED, UPON THEIR ARRIVAL.  THAT ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 6:30 THIS (Mon.) MORNING.

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CROW MOUNTAIN AND RUSSELLVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT UNITS WERE RESPONDED SUNDAY EVENING TO A GRASS FIRE IN THE DODSON LANE AREA.  AUTHORITIES SAY UNITS WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE ABOUT 7:30 P/M, REMAINING THERE APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR, BRINGING THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL.  AT ONE TIME, THE BLAZE COVERED SOME TWO TO THREE ACRES AND WAS THREATENING A STRUCTURE, WHEN UNITS ARRIVED.

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MONDAY'S MEETING AGENDA INCLUDES... THE CLARKSVILLE SCHOOL BOARD, WITH A 6 P/M SESSION IN THE HIGH SCHOOL MEDIA CENTER.  TO BE REVIEWED, SEVERAL POLICY MATTERS, CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION FOR ARVEST PURCHACE CARDS, A NUMBER OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, AND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. 

 

THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ARKANSAS NUCLEAR PLANNING AND RESPONSE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL BE TUESDAY AT 10 A/M, IN THE POPE COUNTY QUORUM COURT CHAMBERS.  AN RECAP OF THE 2014 EMERGENCY RESPONSE EXERCISE AND UPDATE ON CONTINUING ACTIVITIES WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE MEETING, WHICH IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

 

ALSO TUESDAY, THE DECEMBER SESSION OF THE RUSSELLVILLE SCHOOL BOARD IS SET, WITH BUDGET, BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS AND POLICY COMMITTEE MEETINGS SCHEDULED FOR 6:15.  A MEETING OF THE FULL BOARD WILL BEGIN AT 7 P/M, IN THE DISTRICT'S ADMINSTRATION OFFICE.

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