Of the people, By the people, For the people
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Jim Berry
TUESDAY, July 21, 2020 / Vol. 6 Issue 29 / 75 cents
Fairfield Bay mayor resigns Fairfield Bay Mayor Paul Wellenberger announced Thursday that he is resigning. “It’s the right time,” Wellenberger said at the end of a Town Hall meeting. The retired engineer relocated from Indiana. He became mayor in 2001. At the Town Hall, he outlined some accom-
plishments he has overseen as mayor. Those included rescuing the local paper; saving the senior center, which parted ways with the Van Buren County Aging Program when it was announced the kitchen would close; keeping the bowling alley open; saving the animal shelter, which
now receives $2,500 per month to keep operations open; and improvements to the conference center. There used to be nothing to do in Fairfield Bay, Wellenberger said, but now it is “alive and vibrant.” Wellenberger said the city used to watch as others received awards and recog-
nition but now they have gotten so many they are out of display space. He said they have received more than $10 million in private investment for the city. But now, he said, it’s time to go. His wife has been battling a serious illness and he wants to spend more time with her.
An emotional Wellenberger concluded his walk by saying, “God’s given me extra time to be with Cindy and I don’t want to waste it.” His resignation takes effect Aug. 31 and the City Council will appoint a replacement to finish out his term.
Wellenberger
Resident: Why does hospital need $1 million a year?
Photo from Facebook
Jail and pies for dough Events held at Walmart over the weekend raised about $2,600 for Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Those events included pies in the face and some time in jail for Clinton Mayor Ricard McCormac (top photo) and County Judge Dale James.
Toward the end of Thursday’s Van Buren County Quorum Court meeting, resident Jonathan Jackson had some comments. Noting that Ozark Health Medical Center is seeking a halfcent sales tax, which already failed in March, he asks what they need the money for. He said he has looked at their figures for maintenance and can’t see where they would need $1 million. Jackson asked for better communication from the agency. Justice of the peace Brian Tatum agreed with that assessment, saying the hospital needs to hold open forums. To gets voters to approve the tax this November, County Dale James said the “burden” is on the hospital.
2 killed in crash Two people were killed Sunday in a two-car accident on Highway 65 North. Christy Scott, 42, of Hammond, Louisi-
Photos courtesy of Warren Johnson
Coronavirus Governor issues face mask order
911 not for mask violations
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has issued an order requiring face masks be worn in public throughout the state. Hutchinson had resisted a statewide mask mandate and opposed issuing a stay-at-home order earlier in the pandemic, but Thursday he signed the order requiring masks when social distancing isn’t possible in the hopes of slowing the disease’s rapid increase. The order took effect July 20. Hutchinson said the state’s rising cases, hospitalizations and deaths show that more needs to be done to combat the virus’ spread. He al-
To the residents of Van Buren County: First, I would like to thank all the residents of Van Buren County for the outstanding job that you are doing in curtailing this Covid-19 virus. Our numbers continue to stay low on active cases. Good Job continue to do as you are as it is working! In response to numerous phone calls from the citizens regarding Governor Hutchinson’s executive order mandating face coverings in public, I am issuing this statement from the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office: For the purpose of clarification: 911 for emergen-
so said adults needs to set the right example for the state’s schoolchildren, many of whom will be required to wear masks when in-person classes resume next month. “This whole fight against Covid-19 is likely to get harder and not easier, and we have to meet the challenge together. Everyone must do their part,” Hutchinson said. “This is a way to enlist the support of everyone in this fight.” Hutchinson’s decision comes one day after Walmart said it See Mask on page 4
cies only. Reporting mask violations does not fall into this category and we ask that you not use 911 to report any violations of the governor’s executive order. Private businesses have always had the ability to make, or not make, rules in their privately owned businesses, and ask for the assistance of law enforcement to remove patrons who don’t follow their store rules. This has not changed, and neither has our willingness to assist them if they call for help with an emergency issue. I have full trust that the residents and business owners of our great county will
On another topic, Tatum quizzed Sheriff Lucas Emberton on food for prisoners. He said he has been hearing about the jail food. Emberton, who has been accused of using food as punishment, said the jail feeds the prisoners 2,300-2,700 per day, as required by state guidelines. He said the budget did not include beef prices increasing from $2 per pound to $8 per pound. Food that had been donated before Covid-19 struck, such as from Tyson, is no longer coming in, he said. The sheriff said they try to stretch the higher priced items before going back to beans and cornbread. He said a typical day’s menu includes oatmeal, toast and milk for breakfast; bologna, chips,
bread, cookies and tea for lunch; and beans, cornbread, rice and cookies for supper if the meals are not supplemented by donations. He said the jail is open to donations to help feed the inmates. On another subject, Emberton said the numbers for the criminal investigative division are staying solid, and he encouraged the public to call the sheriff’s office with information on criminal activities if they know something. Also at the meeting, JP Nickie Brown said though there was an ordinance in the packets about a one-fourth cent sales tax for the library, she had not agreed to sponsor it. There is a $330,000 payment
ana and a minor passenger in her car were killed, according to a report from the Arkansas State Police. A second minor in the 2015 Toyota and a minor in the 2016 Chevrolet were injured, the report states.
The Chevrolet crossed the center line and struck the Toyota on the left side, the report states. The weather was clear and the road conditions were dry, the report states.
By the numbers/ July 18 Arkansas • 771 new cases reported • 32,533 total cases • 6,884 active cases • 464 hospitalized • 357 deaths • 3,600 cases, 38 new deaths in past week continue to use common sense and good judgement to be safe. The men and women of the Van Buren County sheriff’s office, and myself, will continue to base agency decisions on what is in the best interest of our community. Sheriff Lucas Emberton
See Hospital on page 4
$225,000 grant awarded SolaRid AR, a Clinton-based program to help farmers manage agricultural pests, has received a $225,000 grant through the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research. Donald Richardson is managing member of SolaRid AR and project principal investigator. An estimated 37% of all crops produced in the U.S. each year are destroyed by agricultural pests