NEWS HEADLINES FOR 0214-15

..Winter Storm Watch in effect from Sunday evening through

Monday afternoon...

 

The National Weather Service in Little Rock has issued a Winter

Storm Watch...which is in effect from Sunday evening through

Monday afternoon.

 

Snow...sleet...and ice accumulations will occur across

  the state with snow and sleet most likely across the

  north...snow...sleet and freezing rain across central

  Arkansas...and sleet and freezing rain across southern Arkansas.

 

THIS REMINDER... MANY LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF PRESIDENTS' DAY. COURTHOUSES IN POPE, YELL, JOHNSON, CONWAY, LOGAN AND PERRY COUNTIES WILL ALSO BE CLOSED. DARDANELLE CITY HALL WILL ONE OF THE OFFICES OPEN ON MONDAY, AND OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL OBSERVE REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS.                                                                                                                                      ##

 

ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY ALUMNUS JAMES BIBLER WILL BE ONE OF THOSE SELECTED FOR INDUCTION INTO THE ARKANSAS AGRICULTURE HALL OF FAME IN EARLY MARCH. BIBLER AND FOUR OTHER 2015 INDUCTEES WILL BE HONORED DURING A LUNCHEON, FRIDAY, MARCH 6, AT EMBASSY SUITES HOTEL IN LITTLE ROCK.  BIBLER WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARKANSAS TECH HALL OF DISTINCTION, IN 2011.

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THE ARKANSAS GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S JOINT COMMITTEE ON ENERGY HAS SENT A LETTER TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OPPOSING THE PLAINS AND EASTERN CLEAN LINE ENERGY'S APPLICATION TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE A TRANSMISSION LINE THROUGH SEVERAL COUNTIES IN ARKANSAS.  THE PROPOSED ROUTE WOULD TAKE THE LINE THROUGH THE NORTHERN PART OF CONWAY COUNTY WITH A CONVERTER STATION TO POSSIBLY BE LOCATED IN CONWAY OR POPE COUNTY.

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FOLLOWING PASSAGE OF THE KEYSTONE X-L PIPELINE APPROVAL ACT, ARKANSAS' CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION IS CALLING ON PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA TO SUPPORT THE BILL.  SPEAKING ON THE HOUSE FLOOR WEDNESDAY, SECOND DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN FRENCH HILL URGED THE PRESIDENT TO REMOVE HIS VETO THREAT AND SIGN THE BILL INTO LAW. IF APPROVED, HILL SAYS THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE THOUSANDS MORE JOBS AND CONTRIBUTE OVER THREE-POINT-FOUR BILLION DOLLARS TO THE NATION'S ECONOMY. 

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NEWS HEADLINES FOR 0213-15

A winter storm possibly packing snow, sleet and ice could pelt parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas beginning this weekend. The National Weather Service says the storm could set up on Saturday with a dry, cold front that will peak for the area late Sunday into Tuesday. Forecasters say the worst of storm would mostly affect northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas, and that any accumulations of snow, sleet and ice could be significant.

ARKANSAS STATE POLICE SAY A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT IN JOHNSON COUNTY, EARLIER IN THE WEEK, HAS NOW RESULTED IN A FATALITY.  REPORTS INDICATED THAT 22-YEAR OLD JAMES DAVIS OF RUSSELLVILLE, DIED WEDNESDAY AS A RESULT OF INJURIES SUSTAINED IN THE ACCIDENT.  THAT ROLLOVER ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE INTERSECTION OF U.S. HIGHWAYS 64 AND 359 IN LAMAR.  REPORTS INDICATE THAT DAVIS WAS EASTBOUND ON HIGHWAY 64, WHICHE HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE, AND LEFT THE ROADWAY  THE VICTIM WAS TAKEN TO ST. VINCENT'S INFIRMARY IN LITTLE ROCK FOR TREATMENT, WHERE HE LATER DIED.

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RUSSELLVILLE POLICE AND POPE COUNTY AMBULANCE PERSONNEL WORKED A TWO VEHICLE PERSONAL INJURY ACCIDENT, DURING THE NOON-HOUR, AT THE INTERSECTION OF EAST MAIN AND KNOXVILLE AVENUE. A CAR AND SPORT UTILITY WAGON WERE INVOLVED, WITH THE DRIVER OF THE WAGON TAKEN TO ST. MARY'S REGIONAL MED-CENTER WITH UNDETERMINED INJURIES.

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NO INJURIES RESULTED FROM AN EARLY FRIDAY MORNING FIRE AT J AND W ALUMINUM COMPANY IN RUSSELLVILLE.  FIREFIGHTERS WERE DISPATCHED TO THAT TYLER ROAD LOCATION, JUST BEFORE 4 A/M, AND REMAINED ON SCENE UNTIL ABOUT 5:45, BATTLING A FIRE IN ONE OF THEIR MILL FACILITIES.  NO DAMAGE ESTIMATES ARE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

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NEWS HEADLINES FOR 0210-15

ITS RUN-OFF ELECTION DAY FOR THE DISTRICT 16 STATE SENATE RACE, AND TWO REPUBLICIAN CANDIDATES STAN BERRY AND GREG STANDRIDGE AND STAN BERRY WILL VYE FOR THAT SEAT. JUST OVER 44-HUNDRED VOTES WERE CAST IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION, AND INDICATIONS WERE TURNOUT MIGHT BE LIGHT FOR THE RUN-OFF. BUT, AS OF THE END OF EARLY VOTING ON MONDAY, POPE COUNTY HAD RECORDED A TOTAL OF 2110 VOTES, NEWTON COUNTY-161,  VAN BUREN COUNTY-38, BOONE COUNTY-12, AND CARROLL COUNTY-TWO. DISTRICT 16 INVOLVES ALL OF POPE AND NEWTON COUNTIES, AND A PORTION OF VAN BUREN, BOONE AND CARROLL COUNTY ARE ALSO SERVED BY DISTRICT 16.  HEAR YOUR VOTES COUNT THIS (TUES.) EVENING, ON RIVER VALLEY RADIO.

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YELL COUNTY QUORUM COURT MEMBERS APPROVED TWO APPROPRIATION ORDINANCES DURING A SHORT FEBRUARY SESSION ON MONDAY NIGHT.  JUSTICES GRANTED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2013 BUDGET, INCREASING THE COUNTY GENERAL BY JUST OF 94-THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND MAKING AMENDMENTS TO THE COUNTY ROAD AND JUVINILE DETENTION CENTER AND SEVERAL OTHER BUDGETS.  ALSO APPROVED, WAS AN APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2015 COUNTY BUDGET, WITH A DECREASE OF JUST OVER 7-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE COUNTY ROAD FUND. 

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IN HIS INAUGURAL STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS MONDAY NIGHT, MAYOR ALLEN LIPSMEYER TOLD THE CITIZENS THAT HE LOVES HIS NEW JOB LEADING THE CITY OF MORRILTON AND THAT HIS FIRST MONTH IN OFFICE HAS BEEN GREAT.  LIPSMEYER WENT ON TO COMMEND THE WORK OF ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS, PARTICULARLY NOTING THE PROGRESS BEING MADE AT THE MORRILTON ANIMAL CONTROL SHELTER. THE MAYOR ADDED THAT MORRILTON HAS MOMENTUM ON ITS SIDE AND THAT WE MUST EMBRACE AND FOSTER THIS CHANGE AND NOT SLOW DOWN. 

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ARKANSAS STATE POLICE, POPE COUNTY SHERIFF'S AUTHORITIES AND OTHER EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL WERE RESPONDED JUST BEFORE THE NOON-HOUR MONDAY, TO AN ENTRAPMENT ACCIDENT IN THE 17-THOUSAND BLOCK OF HIGHWAY 7 NORTH. POPE COUNTY EMS AND RESCUE, DOVER ERT'S AND MARTIN TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE ALSO CALLED TO THE SCENE.  AUTHORITIES SAY AN UNIDENTIFIED VICTIM WAS EXTRICATED FROM THE ACCIDENT ABOUT 12:48 P/M MONDAY, AND TRANSPORTED TO ST. MARY'S REGIONAL MED-CENTER WITH UNDETERMINED INJURIES.  FURTHER DETAILS ON THE ACCIDENT REMAIN SKETCHY AT THIS TIME.

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ONE PERSON WAS ALSO INJURED IN A TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENT, NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF EAST SECOND STREET AND KNOXVILLE AVENUE IN RUSSELLVILLE ABOUT 11:45 A/M MONDAY.  RUSSELLVILLE POLICE AND POPE COUNTY AMBULANCE PERSONNEL WERE RESPONDED TO THE SCENE, WITH AN UNIDENTIFIED VICTIM TRANSPORTED TO ST. MARY'S REGIONAL MED-CENTER WITH UNDETERMINED INJURIES.

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THE SOUTH CONWAY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS APPROVED A CONTRACT RENEWAL FOR ALL DISTRICT-LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS.  THE ACTION TAKEN DURING MONDAY'S REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING.  SUPERINTENDENT SHAWN HALBROOK'S CONTRACT WAS RENEWED LAST MONTH. 

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NEWS HEADLINES FOR 0209-15

TODAY (MON.) IS THE FINAL DAY FOR EARLY VOTING IN THE DISTRICT 16 STATE SENATE RUN-OFF.  REPUBLICIAN CANDIDATES GREG STANDRIDGE AND STAN BERRY ARE VYING FOR THE SEAT. LATE IN THE DAY ON FRIDAY, POPE COUNTY REPORTED A TOTAL OF 1681 VOTES, 105 BALLOTS CAST IN NEWTON COUNTY, 27 EARLY AND 17 ABSENTEE IN VAN BUREN COUNTY, 9 EARLY AND 3 ABSENTEE 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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WHILE DISCUSSION OF THE MATTER WAS NOT ON THE AGENDA FRIDAY, AN APPEAL BY FORMER CLARKSVILLE POLICE CHIEF GREG DONALDSON OF HIS RECENT DISMISSAL, IS BELIEVED TO BE PENDING FOR TONIGHT'S (MON.) FEBRUARY CITY COUNCIL SESSION. DONALDSON WAS FIRED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON BY NEW MAYOR MARK SIMPSON. MONDAY'S MEETING IS SET FOR 6 P/M, IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF CITY HALL.

 

OTHER MONDAY MEETINGS INCLUDE... LAMAR SCHOOL BOARD AT 5:30, CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, RECOGNITION OF STUDENTS OF THE MONTH AND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT TO BE REVIEWED BY THE ATKINS SCHOOL BOARD, DURING A 6 P/M SESSION, IN THEIR ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.  MORRILTON MAYOR ALLEN LIPSMEYER IS SCHEDULED TO GIVE HIS INAUGURAL STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS DURING TONIGHT'S (MONDAY'S) REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING OF THE MORRILTON CITY COUNCIL.  THE SOUTH CONWAY COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD WILL CONSIDER CONTRACT RENEWALS FOR DISTRICT-LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS AMONG A NUMBER OF PERSONNEL MATTERS DURING THAT GROUP'S REGULAR MONTHLY SESSION TONIGHT (MONDAY). BOTH THOSE MEETING SARE SET FOR 6 P/M. HECTOR CITY COUNCIL AT 6 P/M. A SHORT AGENDA OF ITEMS WILL COME BEFORE THE YELL COUNTY QUORUM COURT, WITH THAT MEETING AT 6:30 IN THE DANVILLE COURTS FACILITY.  DARDANELLE SCHOOL BOARD AND OLA CITY COUNCIL AT 7 P/M, IN THEIR RESPECTIVE LOCATIONS. EACH OF THESE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

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