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Anthony Nelson Almeyda
TUESDAY, September 17, 2019 / Vol. 5 Issue 38 / 75 cents
County worker faces child porn charges
Jackets 48, Eagles 6 - No. 15 Ryan Jones intercepts a pass and goes on to score a touchdown.
(Photo by Lora Hinchey)
Fisher vestigation was begun in August and Fisher used an IP address, which was routed to the Internet at his father’s home in Shirley, to downSee Charges on page 3
Water rate hike gets 1st approval
Quake shakes county
A 3.7 earthquake south southeast of Gassville, 14 miles from Mountain Home in Baxter County, jarred residents at 1:42 a.m. Sept. 12. Several in Van Buren County reported feeling the tremor, including some in Dennard, Fairfield Bay, the Highway 110 area, Choctaw and other places in the county. The area is considered part of the New Madrid seismic zone, most famously known for earthquakes in 1811-1812 estimated from 7.57.9 on the Richter scale. Those quakes allegedly caused the the Mississippi River to flow backward, according to reports. Over 4,000 earthquakes have been recorded in the New Madrid zone since 1974.
The 911 coordinator for Van Buren County has been arrested on child pornography charges. According to an affidavit for arrest, Taylor L. Fisher told authorities he has been engaging in this behavior for 15 years. Fisher, 36, of Clinton was arrested at 9 a.m. Thursday by special agents with the Arkansas State Police and U.S. Homeland Security. He was arrested while at his job at the Courthouse Annex. The court documents indicate an in-
A self-guided art tour is planned for October in and around Clinton. Works such as Ozark Topography, a sculpture by Ed Pennebaker, can be seen on the tour. Story, more photos, Page 14. (Photo by Joyce Hartmann)
The Clinton City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance that will raise water rates by 5 percent every year for the next five years beginning in October 2020. Currently, the Water Department is running a $600,000 budget deficit. The higher rates will let the department break even as well as cover two bond issues, according to Manager Will Hinchey. Under the new rates, deposits will double for new customer, from $50 to $100. Deposits for businesses will increase from $100 to $150. Monday, Sept. 30, was set for a public hearing on the rate increases. The meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. at the airport meeting room. Hinchey also told councilors that water loss for Clinton and
Dennard the previous month was 36 percent. He did not have an accurate reading for Burnt Ridge. Chemical costs were 20 cents per 1,000 gallons. Also at the meeting, Parks Manager Charles Wilson made a pitch to allow camping in the City Park. His plan would use the city’s 9 acres on the river for primitive camping. There would be no electricity or running water and campers would have to pitch tents or use small RVs. Wilson said there would be room for 70 to 100 sites. The cost would be $10 per night with a three-night limit. He said there will be a locked box there and campers will be on the honor system to pay. Wilson said there would be no cost to the city for the plan. He said he has al-
Sales tax report
Democrat closes office The Van Buren County
Democrat no longer has an office in the county. Editor Alex Kienlein announced Thursday night at the Clinton City Council meeting that the office was closing the next day, a cost-cutting measure by new owner Paxton Media Group of Paducah, Kentucky. Kienlen stated that there will still be a weekly paper printed and he will continue being editor/reporter. His office will be in Conway. The Democrat began publication in Clinton in 1909. The paper closed in 1933 becoming a casualty of The Great Depression. Afterward, the paper reopened and was a staple for news and information in this area for decades. Jay and Patsy Jackson were at the helm of the Democrat from 1951-1997. Since 1997, the paper has not been locally owned and has changed hands at least four times.
ready had a lot of interest and asked the council for a motion to go forward. He got that unanimously. City attorney Chad Brown will work on an ordinance for October’s meeting; currently camping is banned in the park. In other news, Police Chief John Willoughby warned folks to lock their cars. He said there have been several reports of vehicles being rummaged through and items stolen recently, including a gun and some credit cards. He said officers will increase patrols at night to deter the culprits. Zoning officer Phillip Ellis said plans to build a cell tower were granted a non-conforming permit at a public hearing last week. He said the hearing concerned only one tower, not a second one requested near the hospital.
Fair booth - The Clinton chapter of the Maria Van Buren Daughters of the American Revolution will have a booth at the county fair to commemorate Constitution Week. It is celebrated annually during the week of September 1723. The fair opens on Sept. 16.
Clinton’s sales tax brought in $104,733 for the month of August. That figures is up from $94,784.75 a year ago. Fairfield Bay brought in $42,242.49 this August, compared to $43,346 a year earlier. Damascus received $11,824.93, an increase from $9,775 a year earlier. Shirley’s sales tax money was $2,919.95 for August, compared to $2,527.47 in 2018. The county sales tax generated $362,695.80 in August 2019, up from $325,832.47 a year ago. Clinton’s part of that money was $32,218.16, an increase from 2018’s $29,032.43. Damascus received $3,095.52, an increase from $2,789.43 a year ago. Fairfield Bay’s take was $26,683.38, up from $24,044.93, a year ago. And Shirley received $3,603.18, an increase from $3,246.90 in 2018. Figures are from the Municipal League’s September isse of City and Town magazine.