C o n t i n u i n g To P r o u d l y S e r v e C a r r o l l C o u n t y S i n c e 1 8 3 1 $1.00
Thursday, September 12, 2019
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Little facing 15 charges in Minard’s death By NANCY SCHAAR FPS Correspondent
FPS Photo / Nancy Schaar
Matthew Little (left), seated next to Chief Probation Officer Byron Fairclough, waits for bond to be set by Carroll County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Repella II Thursday, Sept. 5. Little is facing 15 charges, including three counts of involuntary manslaughter, in the death of 14-year-old Jonathan Minard.
Carroll County Sheriff Dale Williams and Carroll County Prosecutor Steve Barnett announced the arrest of Matthew H. Little for the death of 14 year old Jonathan Minard during a press conference Sept. 4. Barnett began the conference by stating that a grand jury had issued a secret indictment for Matthew Herbert Little, 30. A secret indictment is “one that is not made public until it is served,” according to Barnett. There were 15 counts charged against Little by the grand jury. Little is charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter. These are all first degree felonies. He is charged with two counts of corrupting another with drugs. He is charged with a fourth count of involuntary manslaughter, permitting drug abuse, endangering children, permitting drug abuse, reckless homicide, tampering with evidence, corrupting another with drugs,
possession of heroin, gross abuse of a corpse, falsification, and failure to report the knowledge of a death. “It is inappropriate for me to make any comments because he is innocent until proven guilty,” said Barnett. Barnett did explain that the charges are a result of Little providing the drug Fentanyl to the 14-year-old Minard. The grand jury agreed that Little should be charged with tampering with evidence by concealing the body of Minard and disposing of the body. Little’s vehicle was seized due to its use during a felony. The three felony counts can bring 3 to 11 years each; second degree felonies can bring 2 to 8 years each, third degree felonies can bring 9 months to 36 months, fourth degree felonies can bring 6 to 18 months, fifth degree felonies can bring 6 to 12 months and the misdemeanor charge can bring six months in jail, according to Barnett. The involuntary manslaughter charges are defined as the person did
Bond set at $10 million By GEORGETTE HUFF FPS Contributor
During a brief bond hearing on Thursday, Sept. 5, Carroll County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael V. Repella set bond for Matthew H. Little at $10 million, cash, as requested by Prosecutor Steven Barnett. Little was arrested on the afternoon of Sept. 4, hours after a grand jury returned a secret indictment on 15 charges, including four felony counts of involuntary manslaughter, stemming from the death of 14-year-old Jonathan Minard in April 2019. Barnett stated the high bond amount
See LITTLE, PG. 2
See BOND, PG. 2
Encino Energy rep gives update to commissioners By NANCY SCHAAR FPS Correspondent
FPS Photo / Kimberly Lewis
Check it out...
Johnson volunteers on Carroll County library’s bookmobile U.S. Congressman Bill Johnson spent some time Sept. 4 checking out Carroll County District Library’s bookmobile. Johnson joined bookmobile driver and librarian David Garrett (seen second from right) as the bookmobile made its first stop at Carroll Hills Industries on 1182 Roswell Road, just east of Carrollton. Johnson greeted the clients and assisted them as selected books and videos. Johnson (at right) checks out Marie Dehmart’s (second from left) book on Scottish cats, a shout-out to her native Scotland, while Linda Palmer (left) waits her turn with an armload of books about states. Carroll Hills Industries Chief Executive Officer Edgar Bar-
nett knows the clients appreciate the bookmobile’s stop at the facility. “When we were on High Street, several of them would walk to the library to get books,” he explained, noting he appreciated the library’s willingness to add them to the schedule. Johnson has pledged to volunteer in all of the 18 counties he represents in 2019. While at Carroll Hills Industries, Johnson received a tour of the facility from Barnett, who showed the facility’s paper shredding area, its gardens, its craft area and its new T-shirt printing area. Carroll Hills Industries offers adults with developmental disabilities an opportunity to be gainfully employed.
Do you fear Friday the 13th? By NANCY SCHAAR FPS Correspondent
Are you afraid of the number 13? Are you afraid of Friday the 13th? If you are, you are not alone. Millions of people worldwide share that feeling with you. Fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. People afraid of Fridays are called friggaphobiacs. But if you are afraid of the combinations of Friday and the 13th, which just happens to be this Friday, you suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia. I hope they never use that in a spelling bee! The notion of a bad Friday goes back to Biblical times where it is believed Eve tempted Adam on a Friday, the great flood started on a Friday, the Temple of Solomon fell on a Friday and Jesus was crucified on a Friday. It is usual for the economy to slow down on Friday the 13th. Operators of cruise ships have held the departure times until 12:01 a.m. to make sure they don’t start off on the 13th. Many buildings do not have a 13th floor.
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Superstitious remedies for the unlucky day? You can whistle while passing a graveyard, but if you’re that superstitious you probably won’t go near a graveyard anyway. My grandfather always said to wink at white horses. One of the old tricks was to never stir coffee with a knife, but who does that anyway? Make sure you don’t open an umbrella indoors, but I never do that because it just splashes rain everywhere. One of
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the recommendations from the 1950s was to never pick up a safety pin on the sidewalk on the 13th. Has anyone every picked up a safety pin on a sidewalk? Studies have proven that the number of admissions to hospitals increase due to accidents on Friday the 13th. An expert on the malady said it is the most common superstition in the United States. Few weddings are planned for that day and many people won’t eat out on that day. The number 13 held special significance in early Egyptian civilization. One theory is that the number 13 is related to goddess-worshiping cultures in prehistoric times. The Vikings are said to have never let 13 people sit down to dinner. A frequent reference for the dinner number goes back to the Last Supper with Jesus and his disciples. In old Rome, Friday’s were execution days. So this Friday, walk under a ladder, spill salt, befriend a black cat, break a mirror or two and make sure you enjoy the full moon Friday night! And then you can hope for a better day on Saturday.
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Jackie Stewart, a representative for Encino Energy provided sources and phone numbers for residents if they have any questions regarding their oil and gas royalties. Stewart said she has learned that people have questions about their royalties and don’t know where to find answers. So she has developed a landowner’s newsletter that is sent to over 6,000 residents who receive more than $100 in royalties from their company. “People want more information, better communications. We have overhauled our website and are trying to answer those questions,” said Stewart. Stewart said Encino is local and have their warehouse in Carrollton. She said it takes time to look at the individual leases when they are called with questions. But we find the answers and get back to the caller. “We are still drilling. We are doing several more wells this year. I will call you back as soon as I can,” said Stewart. Stewart then introduced Seth Wehr. Seth answers many of those phone calls with questions because he is from this area and still lives here. Wehr is the staff
landman. Stewart was pleased to have donated funds to the sheriff’s department in order to help purchase a drone for the department. Stewart also said that Encino offers free training for volunteer fire departments if any in the county is interested in that training. If anyone has any questions regarding their lease or their oil and gas royalty incomes, please call Encino at 866-6780551. In other matters, Carroll County Clerk of Courts Bill Wohlwend came to commissioners with objections from him and others about video recording in the courthouse building. “Some people are walking into public offices and filming. Gentlemen, we need to stop video in the courthouse. Someone needs to address this,” said Wohlwend. “Our security should not be compromised. We need to secure this issue with the sheriff,” said Commissioner Bob Wirkner. Wohlwend continued to say that there needs to be a statement not allowing video in the offices. Commissioner Jeff
See ENCINO, PG. 3
Sept. 21 Band Extravaganza features seven area bands
The annual Carrollton High School Warrior Marching Band’s Extravaganza will be held Saturday, Sept. 21, at Community Field on SR 332, just south of Carrollton. The show will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will feature the following bands: Clay-
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mont, Field, Malvern, Manchester, Sandy Valley, West Branch and Carrollton. Tickets are $5 per person and may be purchased from any band member, at the CHS band office or at the gate the night of the show.
sports pg. 7