September 15

Page 1

50¢

Wednesday, september 15, 2010

The

Daily Citizen www.thedailycitizen.com

Serving Searcy and White County, Ark., since 1854

Bulldogs ready for ground game Panel: air Controller at fault in Crash The Bald Knob football team is preparing for the Heber Springs ground attack. — Page 1B

work-related death

Employee: Jerrell Cockrell, 76, Lowe’s Home Improvement Died: Monday night Found: Near ladder Body: Sent to state medical examiner

Worker dies after apparent fall

Lowe’s employee found by customer, coroner says by Warren Watkins The Daily Citizen An employee of a local business died after an apparent fall. Jerrell Cockrell, 76, died Monday, according to White County Coroner David Powell, after being found unconscious at Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse, 400 E. Evans. “Indications are he had fallen from a 10-foot ladder,” Powell said. “A customer found him lying in the floor and alerted store personnel, who called 911.” A report on file with the

Searcy Police Department shows that at about 9:35 p.m. Powell requested that an officer respond to the hospital, saying NorthStar EMS had transported Cockrell to the White County Medical Center. At the time of the report there was no one from Lowe’s available to speak to, patrolman Steve Hacker reported. Powell said that, given the circumstances, Cockrell’s body was sent to the state medical examiner’s office in Little Rock for an autopsy. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Roller-Daniel Funeral Home, Powell said. A Lowe’s manager had no comment on the incident when contacted by The Daily Citizen Tuesday afternoon.

A federal safety panel said a midair collision last year was caused by an air controller’s errors. — Page 2a

City’s trails recognized Governor’s council says system is ‘outstanding’

by Warren Watkins warren@thedailycitizen.com Searcy has received recognition for a park facility that enhances its citizens health. Searcy’s bike trail, also used for joggers and walkers, has been recognized by the Arkansas Governor’s Council on Fitness. Dr. Blair Dean, chair of the

Bike/walking trail

West end: Ella Street near Searcy High School Southeast end: Searcy Sports Complex

council, listed Searcy’s trails as one of the 2010 recipients of the Leadership Fitness Awards. “We salute this year’s recipients for exemplifying the mission of the Arkansas Governor’s Council on Fitness which is to encourage the citi-

zens of Arkansas to participate in more activity in health and fitness activities and help them live healthier, happier and more productive lives,” Dean said. Recipients are nominated by their peers, coworkers, themselves and/or companies. News of the award was shared with the members of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board at their regular monthly meeting Tuesday. CoNTINuED oN PagE 3a

Double trouble

Olivia Hawkins, child and family advocate at the White County Children’s Safety Center, stands with a painting by Tanya Leckie, a local artist. Leckie’s artwork and that of many other local artists will be for sale at Thursday evening’s Art to Heart event. Luke Jones/ljones@thedailycitizen.com

Art to Heart event will be held Thursday

Artwork sold to aid abused children by Luke Jones ljones@thedailycitizen.com A local nonprofit is holding an art show Thursday to benefit abused children. The show, Art to Heart, is hosted by the White County Children’s Safety Center and also took place last year and the year before. It features a wide array of art from White County and Arkansas artists, all for sale, and all proceeds going towards the center.

art to heart

What: Fundraiser for White County Children’s Safety Center When: Thursday, 6-8 p.m. Where: Robbins-Sanford grand Hall Cost: $25 per ticket

“We were looking for something not being done in Searcy,” said Robin Connell, executive director of the center. “We just wanted to do something different.” CoNTINuED oN PagE 3a

WEATHER

Today: Sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Tonight: Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 80s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Vol. 156, No. 221 ©2010 The Daily Citizen

A two-headed Western Diamondback rattlesnake buzzes loudly as its owner, Fred Lally, displays it for onlookers Tuesday morning at the office of The Daily Citizen. Lally, of West Fork, has the unusual reptile on display at the White County Fair this week along with 12 other living unusual creatures. The four-foot, six-pound snake captured just after its birth five years ago in Itasca, Texas, eats out of both mouths, consuming road kill — mostly squirrels — Lally butchers for it. Warren Watkins/warren@thedailycitizen.com

Trial on hold as ex-policeman gets mental evaluation by Warren Watkins warren@thedailycitizen.com The trial of a former school resource officer charged with sexual assault, scheduled for Tuesday, has been indefinitely postponed while he receives a mental evaluation from the state hospital. Hamilton Riley, 48, at the time the school resource officer for Ahlf Junior High School, was arrested in the bedroom of a 16-year-old girl at 1 a.m. Feb. 23 and charged with first-degree

criminal sexual conduct. Riley resigned from the Searcy Police Department the same day. Special agents of the Arkansas State Police Criminal Division took Riley was taken into custody, according to Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler, after information had been developed by the detectives that caused them to believe an unlawful relationship had occurred between Riley and the teenager. Sadler, who said the child was not

INDEX NATION & STATE, 2A OPINIONS, 4A LIFESTYLES, 5A CALENDAR/OBITUARIES, 6A SPORTS, 1B CLASSIFIEDS, 5B

present in the bedroom when Riley entered, declined to name the victim, saying Arkansas law prohibits the release of any information that may directly or indirectly identify the victim of a sex crime. Riley, who was freed on a $100,000 bond, faces six to 30 years in prison and up to a $15,000 fine. White County Prosecutor Chris Raff said the charge of sexual assault was supported by Riley’s position of trust CoNTINuED oN PagE 2a

Poetry is plucking at the heartstrings, and making music with them. Dennis Gabor

Hungarian scientist, 1900-1979

Contact us: 3000 E. Race, Searcy, AR 72143, (Phone) 501-268-8621, (Fax) 501-268-6277


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