THE DISTRICT 16 STATE SENATE SEAT ELECTION IS JUST DAYS AWAY, AND EARLY VOTING IS CONTINUING. REPUBLICIAN CANDIDATES STAN BERRY AND GREG STANDRIDGE ARE VYING FOR THE SEAT. LATE IN THE DAY FRIDAY, POPE COUNTY REPORTED A TOTAL OF 1681 VOTES, 105 BALLOTS CAST IN NEWTON COUNTY, 27 IN VAN BUREN COUNTY, 9 IN BOONE COUNTY AND TWO IN CARROLL COUNTY. DISTRICT 16 INVOLVES ALL OF POPE AND NEWTON COUNTIES, AND A PORTION OF VAN BUREN, BOONE AND CARROLL COUNTY ARE SERVED BY DISTRICT 16. NO DEMOCRATS FILED FOR THE SEAT.
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CLARKSVILLE'S FORMER LONG TIME POLICE CHEIF SAYS HE WILL APPEAL HIS RECENT FIRING BY NEW CITY MAYOR MARK SIMPSON. GREG DONALDSON, POLICE CHEIF FOR THE PAST 8 YEARS AND A 27-YEAR LAW ENFORCEMENT VETERAN, WAS DISMISSED BY MAYOR SIMPSON ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. DONALDSON SAYS HE WASN'T GIVEN A REASON FOR THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE MAYOR, AND FILED AN APPEAL ON THURSDAY, REQUESTING A HEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL. INDICATIONS ARE THAT COULD OCCUR AS SOON AS MONDAY. KEVIN WEATHERS, A MEMBER OF THE CLARKSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS INTERIM CHEIF, ACCORDING TO CITY OFFICIALS.
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CLARKSVILLE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE APPROVED THE PURCHACE OF JUST LESS THAN 3-ACRES OF LAND ON CLARK ROAD, TO BE USED AS THE NEW HOME FOR THE DISTRICT'S MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT. DURING A CALLED SESSION OF THE BOARD ON THURSDAY, ITS MEMBERS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZING A 305,705-DOLLAR LEASE PURCHACE AGREEMENT, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES FUNDING FOR BUILDING REMODELING AND RENOVATIONS OF AN ON-SITE STRUCTURE. THAT TRACT OF PROPERTY IS 2.83 ACRES AND INCLUDES A 5-THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT METAL BUILDING. PURCHACE PRICE FOR THE PROPERTY ALONE WAS 130-THOUSAND DOLLARS. DISTRICT ADMINSTRATORS SAY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE DISTRICT'S BUS DEPOT AND NOW HOUSED IN THE SAME FACILITY.
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ATKINS, POTTSVILLE AND PEA RIDGE FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE DISPATCHED TO A STRUCTURE FIRE IN THE STARK ROAD AREA. UNITS WERE RESPONDED ABOUT 10:30 P/M THURSDAY, WITH FLAMES SHOWING UPON THEIR ARRIVAL. AUTHORITIES SAY THE STRUCTURE WAS A TOTAL LOSS, BUT. LUCKILY, NO INJURIES RESULTED. FIREFIGHTERS REMAINED ON SCENE FOR JUST OVER AN HOUR AND A HALF.
RUSSELLVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS DISPATCHED TO REPORTED FIRE AT A RESIDENCE IN THE SOUTH JOPLIN LOOP AREA ABOUT 2 A/M FRIDAY MORNING. INDICATIONS ARE THE INCIDENT INVOLVED SMOKE IN A HEATING UNIT. NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED.
IN YELL COUNTY, BELLEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS DISPATCHED TO A FARM EQUIPMENT FIRE. THE INCIDENT, JUST AFTER 2:30 P/M THURSDAY AFTERNOON, WAS LOCATED ON OLD BOONEVILLE ROAD. UNITS WERE ON SCENE FOR JUST OVER 30-MINUTES. NO INDICATION IS AVAILABLE AS TO THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE, BUT, AUTHORITIES SAY NO INJURIES OCCURRED.
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