White river journal, april 30, 2015

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1 SECTION - 16 PAGES V OLUME /Y EAR # 108 - W EEK # 38 ( 5 621 S T W EEK )

P U B L IS HE D E A C H T H U R S D A Y S I N C E 1 9 0 7

“A FREE P RESS AND A FREE P EOPLE - A N U NBEATABLE TEAM ” D ES A RC , A RKANSAS (C OUNTY S EAT ) P RAIRIE C OUNTY

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015 Photo courtesy of Rick Branham

Des Arc circa 1904 - Looking southwest from Courthouse

Two story building in foreground was Farmers & Merchants Bank located at 3rd & Main; columns on east side mark entrance to Merchants Hotel on second floor. A fenced vacant lot across street from the bank (bottom left) is where the Sparks building, constructed in 1924, still thrives and is occupied by several businesses.

Tucker dog team assists local officers in apprehension of burglary suspects

ACTIVITIES CALENDAR

On Friday, April 24, the Prairie County Sheriff’s Department responded to a burglary in progress on Hwy. 38 west of Des Arc, according to Chief Deputy Bill Duerson. Upon arriving at the scene, Prairie County deputies found that suspectts had left but had gained entrance into a residence. A neighbor witness advised deputies that two black males in a white Ford Crown Victoria that had been backed into the driveway. Area law enforcement officers were notified and were able to locate the suspect vehicle. Upon first contact, the suspects fled in the vehicle and a pursuit followedr The pursuit traveled from Hwy. 86, across New Bethel Road into Lonoke County. The pursuit ended at the westbound I-40 onramp at Carlisle where the suspect vehicle wrecked. The suspects were attempting to enter I-40. The driver of the vehicle who was apprehended at the accident scene was identified as Reginald McCarter of Little Rock. A pas-

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 11-1 Lions Club Lunch Riverfront Park Area

FRI., MAY 1, 7:30 PM Community Prayer Service Rhodes Park DeValls Bluff

SAT., MAY 2, ALL DAY Fort Lincoln Freedom Fest DeValls Bluff

SAT., MAY 2, 9AM - 2PM Free Mammograms Fort Lincoln Fest DeValls Bluff

SUN., MAY 3, 11 AM Decoration Day Walter’s Chapel Cemetery

SUN., MAY 3, 11 AM Decoration Day Johnson Chapel Louise Bone Ross, Speaker

SUN., MAY 3, 3 PM DAHS Spring Band Concert Elementary Cafetorium

WED-FRI, MAY 6-8 DAES Fifth graders at Space Camp

SAT., MAY 9 8AM Des Arc Schools in Session for snow makeup day Field Day for Elementary

MON., MAY 18, 9 AM Plea Day Hearings DeValls Bluff Courthouse

TUES., MAY 19, 9 AM Plea Day Hearings Des Arc Courthouse

senger identified as Cody Edwads also of Little Rock fled on foot. The Arkansas Department of Correction’s track dog unit was dispatched to search the area. After a very brief search by the tracking team, Edwards was apprehnded in a neighborhood on the east side of Carlisle. Both suspects were transported back to the Prairie County jail in Des Arc to await a probable cause hearing on April 25. Officers reported that several pieces of family heirloom jewelry were taken from the residence along with a few watches. They were spooked by the alarm system that had been installed at the residence. Deputy Duerson said, “This is a perfect example of people watching out for their neighbors. Had the witness not known that the suspects’ vehicle did not belong there and not called 911, we would not have been able to get the jump on them. All area law enCounty Sheriff’s Department, Hazen and Carlisle police and Lonoke County Sheriff’s Department were

“We’re looking for pies,” says MPCF chairman

TUESDAY, MAY 19, 9 AM Kindergarten Graduation Elementary Cafetorium

MAY 20-22 Kindergarten Testing at Elementary School

THURS., MAY 7, 12 NOON National Day of Prayer Courthouse Lawn Ministerial Alliance, Sponsor

TUES., MAY 12 6:00 P.M. DAHS Athletic Banquet Elementary Cafetorium Don Campbell, speaker

Harvey Joe Sanner, Moving Prairie County Forward chairman, was soliciting “pie cooks this week. “We are going to have a pie booth Saturday, May 2, at Trees can do the CRAZIEST things! the Ft. Lincoln Freedom This old magnolia tree on the Nichols, Orsi, DAHS proper- Fest as a fund-raiser.” ty between 7th & 8th on Main has a large limb which has He asked that anyone grown into the opposite trunk. Thanks to Jerry Greenwood willing to make a pie for calling the Journal’s attention to it. should contact Janice Huff-

stickler, 870-256-5223 or him at 501-516-7000 and advise. Sanner said, “We hope to raise some funds for the organization along with getting some publicity. Sanner will be emceeing some of the activities at the Ft Lincoln Freedom Fest.

School Board in called meeting

THURS., MAY 14 6:00 P.M. DAHS Academic Banquet Elementary Cafetorium

THURS., MAY 21, 6 PM Sixth Grade Graduation Elementary Cafetorium

ObITuArIES P g. 3

Fred Amos, 62, Stuttgart Harry Buffalo, 71, Cabot Jane Cunningham, 71, Des Arc Nancy Hayes, 80, Stuttgart Robert Shores, 82, Beebe Travis Tedford, 86, Conway Gertrude Weaver, 116, Camden

The Des Arc School Board met in a called meeting Wednesday evening. According to High School Principal Nick Hill, the purpose of the meeting was discuss new hirings. Several teachers, along with Supt. Rick Burns will be retiring at the end of this school year. Announced teacher retirements include Diane Tate Brumley, Angela Dohm RE-ENACTMENT: This re-enactment was held at last year’s Ft. Lincoln Freedom Fest. and Brenda Wlilliams. The The Fifth Annual Freedom Fest is being held this Saturday, May 2, at DeValls Buff. See teachers have all spent their advertisement 16 with listing of the many activities planned for the event on Page 16. The teaching years in the Des Arnold Foundation is sponsoring this event as well as other events throughout the year in Arc Schools an effort to promote the City of DeValls Bluff and its history

on their “A” game. Everyone was where they needed to be at the right time.” Deputy Duerson continued, “We could not have had a better outcome, thanks to a person’s love for their community and dedication to its protection.” Chief Deputy Duerson expressed his special thanks to the Arkansas Department of Correction ir dog team for their assistance. He said, “Their professionalism and expertise is greatly appreciated.”llllll

Distribution of City Sales Tax Revenue The municipal levy of sales and use in cities for March, 2015 reports to the state is as follows: Des Arc ....................$ 17,724.82 Augusta .........................24,343.16 Bald Knob .....................45,957.61 Beebe............................111,236.98 Brinkley..................97,311.51 Cabot............................629,739.26 Carlisle ...........................45,154.12 Clarendon ................. 44,561.49 Cotton Plant ....................1,608.84 DeValls Bluff..................13,651.02 DeWitt..........................181,638.62 England..........................63,229.86 Gillett..............................10,395.50 Hazen ............................ 52,743.51 Holly Grove......................5,392.44 Lonoke .........................129,353.76 McCrory.........................18,433.33 North Little Rock.....1,276,281.19 Searcy...........................726,372.74 Stuttgart .......................549,103.28 Ward...............................16,492.41 Municipal sales and use tax is based on retail sales and local tax. It is reported to and compiled each month by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Des Arc ‘s sales tax is one cent on each dollar you spend locally. Hazen and DeValls Bluff collect a slightly higher city sales tax. Sales Tax revenue was down in several cities from the month of February. The sales tax revenue as shown here reflects the buying volume from local merchants which is reflected in sales tax reports. For the same period in 2014, Des Arc’s tax revenue was $16,862.57, DeValls Bluff, $13,145.51 and Hazen, $52,158.70. The new county tax approved by the voters in Prairie County went into effect in April, 2014. The new tax added .5% to the current 8.5 % in the local area. The local tax rate is 9%. Des Arc collects 1 Percent; DeValls Bluff, 3 Percent, and Hazen collects 3 Percent.

NOTICE to SUBSCRIBERS Will the nex t two issues of the White River Journal be YOUR LAST ? Those whose subscriptions expired before January 1, 2015, will no longer receive the Journal after May 7 (1 week from today, April 30).

For your newspaper to continue uninterrupted, cash or check payments must be received by May 12, 2015 (and be sufficient to cover both in-arrears and in-advance)

Your expiration date is shown on mailing label at top of this page as six digits, thusly: 00/00/00 (day, month, year) Lock in these current annual rates: $15 in Prairie County; $25 out of county; $30 out of state (2 year discounts: $29, $48 and $55 respectively) NOTES: a. NO additional statements, other than this Notice, will be mailed. b. The Journal has begun testing a new method of mailing the paper, which is providing promise of next day (Friday) delivery for most of those living outside Prairie County (and within the state). c. The Journal has been receiving feedback from readers on an “ONLINE” version of the paper over the past five weeks, and will continue testing this - for subscribers who might consider receiving their paper online (to participate, contact Journal). If you can identify anything in the ‘1904’ photo of Des Arc above, please contact the Journal to share your knowledge with others. Thanks!

T he J ournal w elc omes y our input (c omments , sugges tions , per sonal new s , photos , et c)

New/Renewed Journal Subscribers . . Janie Hudson Rogers, Cabot, AR Contact Us: Email: wrjnews1@centurytel.net

&

Joseph & Kendra Willeford, Hazen, AR

Mail: PO Box 1051, Des Arc, Ar 72040

Tel: 870-256-4254


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