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Myrdene Fogle
TUESDAY, July 9, 2019 / Vol. 5 Issue 28 / 75 cents
Watts
Shirley man dies in crash
A rainbow graces the sky over Alread on Sunday evening.
An 83-year-old Shirley man was killed Wednesday afternoon in a one-vehicle accident on Highway 16 in Pope County. Conrad Watts was driving a 2015 Dodge Ram west of the old Highway 27 intersection when he failed to negotiate a curve, according to a report from the Arkansas State Police. The truck left the road and struck a tree, the report states. Barbara Watts, 84, also of Clinton, was injured in the crash and taken to Baptist Hospital. No further information about her condition was available. The accident occurred about 3:54 p.m. Road conditions at the time of the accident were dry and the weather was clear, according to the report. (Photo by Robert R. Gaut)
Informants’ buys lead to arrests of 7 Confidential informants under the supervision of the 20th Judicial Drug Task Force have been used to make several drug buys in Van Buren County resulting in at least seven arrests. The informant was used to purchase methamphetamine on Dec. 19, 2018. The informant paid $550 to Andrew Jacob Henderson, 24, of Clinton, according to the arrest affidavit. He was charged June 25 with delivery of methamphetamine or cocaine, a Class Y felony. A confidential informant also was used to make three separate purchases of suspected methamphetamine on Feb. 27, March 12 and March 25, according to an arrest affidavit. Timothy Booher, 36, of Clinton has been charged with three counts of delivery of methamphetamine or cocaine, a Class B felony. Also arrested after the use of a confidential informant were: - Shayn Williams,
31, of Leslie. The informant reportedly made two separate buys of $120 each on March 20 and April 12, according to the report. Williams has been charged with two counts of delivery of meth, a Class B felony. - Kevin Stits, 30, of Clinton was charged with one count of delivery of meth after the informant paid $180 in exchange for the 3.5 grams of the drug on March 7, according to the report. - Jane Wilberta Henegar, 68, of Clinton was charged with one count of delivery of methamphetamine after the informant paid $150 in exchange for the drug on March 7, according to the arrest affidavit. - Joshua Brightwell, 31, of Fairfield Bay faces two counts of delivery of methamphetamine after a confidential informant’s separate buys on April 15 of 28 grams for $450, and on April 16, 14 grams for $250, according to an arrest affidavit. - A confidential in-
formant allegedly made four purchases of meth from Crystal Speer, 38, of Scotland. The buys were: March 12, 2.5 grams for $160; March 13, 2.5 grams for $160; March 14, 2.5 grams for $160; and June 17, 1 gram, $60, according to the affidavit for arrest.
Jobless rate
Tense moments
cent of adults in the county smoke, 38 percent are obese, 30 percent are physically inactive, 25 percent of driving deaths are related to alcohol; and there were 52 teen births. These are just a few of the health statistics from the latest County Health Rankings and Roadmaps presented at the June meeting of the Van Buren County Wellness Committee.
The unemployment rate in Van Buren County is currently tying a 30-year low at 4 percent. Van Buren County has a lot of property that has been designated within the Federal Opportunity Zone, and County Judge Dale James says several businesses are currently considering Van Buren County as a home.
High winds on Greers Ferry Lake Saturday evening caused some panic when a pontoon capsized by Fairfield Bay Marine. Boats ran for cover as the winds got nasty, but everyone came out OK and the fireworks show went on.
Health news
Low birth weights in Van Buren County are 8 percent; 20 per-
Search warrant
A warrant was executed by a DEA agent, Clinton Police and Van Buren County sheriff’s deputies on June 25 at a home in Clinton. During the course of the search, numerous items of drug paraphernalia were discovered, including glass smoking devices, suspected methamphetamine residue, syringes, a green vegetable substance, and syringes. Arrested were: Ralph Thornburg Jr., 61, of Clinton, charged with possession of paraphernalia to manufacture, etc., meth/cocaine, a Class B felony; possession of drug parapher-
Shirley faces the same charges as well as fleeing, a Class D felony, and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
Thornburg
Nicholson
nalia, a Class D felony; and possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance, both misdemeanors. Vanda Nicholson, 37, of Clinton, charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class D felony. Norma Kay Cathey, 60, of Clinton, charged with two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, Class D felonies.
Chase ends in arrests
A father and son from Shirley have been charged with theft of property after a highspeed chase on July 3. Kyle Jordan Rollins, 24, was a passenger in a Toyota Tundra driven by his father, Leslie Rollins, according to a report from the sheriff’s office. When Deputy Mar-
Cathey
tin Clifford tried to stop the vehicle, a chase ensued reaching speeds up to 120 mph. After crossing the center line, Leslie Rollins stopped the vehicle in a pasture near the intersection of Holly Mountain Road and Biechler Road, according to the report. Both men had active warrants and were taken into custody. On the way to jail, Kyle Rollins told a deputy he took two cars and was sorry, the report states. Leslie Rollins acknowledged in an interview at the jail that he took a Dodge Dakota and a Buick off property on Highway 110, the report states. Kyle Rollins has been charged with theft of property greater than $1,000, a Class D felony, and criminal trespass and littering, both misdemeanors. Leslie Rollins, 48, of
Back behind bars
Ten months after his release from federal custody, a Clinton man is behind bars again. Cyrus Dowell was stopped by Deputy Martin Clifford on Highway 336 West in Clinton on June 28. No reason for the stop was given in the arrest affidavit. Deputy Ethan Ward and his K-9 partner showed up at the scene after Dowell declined to let deputies search his vehicle, saying he would rather just go home. The dog alerted to the presence of narcotics, according to the report. Deputies discovered about 1 gram of suspected methamphetamine between the passenger’s seat and console, according to the report. Dowell has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine or cocaine.
The Alread Fireworks extravaganza was held Saturday, July 6. Word is that this has become the Fourth of July show not to miss in Van Buren County. (Photo by Robert R. Gaut) More photos, Page 3