White river journal, feb 18, 2016

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AHTD I-40 REST AREA Enlargement: Section of I-40 Bridge over White River, above

“A FREE P RESS

1 SE CTION - 16 PAG ES V OLUME /Y EAR 109, WEEK 28 (5,663 TOTAL WEEKS)

AND A

FREE P EOPLE - A N UNBEATABLE TEAM ”

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

D ES A RC , A RKANSAS (C OUNTY S EAT ) P RAIRIE C OUNTY

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

Existing I-40 White River Bridge and Rest Area in Prairie County (Interstate approaches to new 6-lane bridge not shown)

Google Maps

AHTD scrubbs $77.5 M contract to replace I-40 White River Bridge;

New 6-lane bridge project to be rebid Low bidder late submitting documents - owes state $3.89 M

Early Voting began Tuesday Ronald Holcomb, left, was the first early voter on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the voting precinct located in the Des Arc courthouse. At right are Jennifer Mills, Poll Worker, and Rebecca Hayley, Deputy Circuit Clerk. Early voting in the March 1 primary election will continue at the courthouse in Des Arc and DeValls Bluff until noon Monday, Feb. 29 at 5 p.m. Hours are 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Polls will open at the 19 locations in the county at 7:30 a. m. Tuesday, March 1. The deadline to register to vote for the Primary Run-off (if there should be one) is Feb. 22, 2016. The deadline for Absentee Voters to return their Absentee Ballot Application by mail, email or fax is Feb. 23, 2016.

ACTIVITIES CALENDAR

Council approves pay raises for city employees

THURS., FEB. 18, 12 NOON Chamber of Commerce F & M Bank THURS., FEB. 18, 5:30 PM Eagles vs Augusta Pal-Wheatley /Dist. Tmt.

City employees will see a slight increase in their next pay envelope after the council members approved a pay raise of 38 cents per hours for full time employees other than police personnel. They will receive a pay raise as suggested on paperwork turned in by Police Chief Rick Parson. Police Chief Parson reported seven traffic citations had been issued; 19 criminal charges were filed that included eight misdemeanors and 11 felonies. He also advised that the

SAT., FEB. 20, 8 AM Concealed Weapon Carry Class Old Armory, Hazen

SAT., FEB. 20, 5:30 PM Wild Game Supper First Baptist Church

SAT., FEB. 20, 9 AM PeeWee Basketball High School Gym

SUN., FEB. 21, 7 AM Men’s Fellowship Breakfast Family Worship Center

SUN., FEB. 21, 11 AM

new police cars were only waiting for decals. His department has worked out a deal with Fleet Safety to get camera systems for the cars that come with two body cams. He also said he was able to get two extra body cams thrown in so all officers in the department would have one. Mayor Jim Garth commended the department for quick work in catching those guilty of recent burglaries. Parson said, “I want to praise the other officers for putting in See COUNCIL Page 16

Bathhouse

Fundraiser for Gabi Berry to attend Conference in DC American Ag Building

MON., FEB. 22, 7 PM School Board Supt’s Office

MON., FEB. 22, 7 PM Des Arc Baseball meeting Des Arc Fire Station

SAT., FEB. 27, 4:30 PM Eagle Archery Team At Maumelle

MON., FEB. 29, 5 PM Early Primary Voting Ends

SUN., MAR. 6, 3 PM Melody Hart Concert Judson Memorial Baptist

Pgs. 3 & 9

Ruby Anderson, 68, Barling Sara Campbell, 80, Beebe Kenneth Engelkes, 84, Stuttgart Leonora Franzen, 91, Stuttgart Carl Garrich, 97, Carlisle Wanda Gray, 85, N. Little Rock Sylvia Hill, 70, Sherwood Roger Lea, 64, Judsonia Lorraine Overturf, Des Arc Darrell Rogers, 89, Searcy Eulis Turner, 84, Augusta Virginia Wallace, 94, Harrison

Bros. had not submitted the required documentation for the “Involvement of businesses owned by members of minority groups” on time as required by the bid specifications. The project had a goal of 8% minority-business paticipation. Additionally, AHTD requested the company remit $3,882,974.14, representing 5% of the contract award amount. (This is similar to earnest money when buying a home.) The Highway Commission had authorized replacing the 48-year-old bridge after the May 2011 flood covered the east approaches to the bridge for several days, but there were additional reasons other than the flooding for their decision. The project also includes replacing two bridges over the Cache River with ones a foot higher. Straessle, advised that the department will rebid the project soon as possible, “after re-evaluating how to make it more attractive to potential bidders”.

I-40 White River Bridge approach - May 5, 2011 Flooding

I-40 White River Rest Area closed; Over next two years, $4.8 million will transform area into “Arkansas Tourist Information Center at White River”

Railroad Trestle over 3rd Street

Obituaries

Per the Journal’s exclusive interview Wednesday with Danny Straessle, spokesman for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department; the existing I-40 White River Bridge in Prairie County is to be replaced with a new six-lane bridge. The existing bridge will remain open while the new single-bridge-structure with 3 lanes each direction is constructed adjacent to its north side. The interstate itself will stay 4-lanes; the approaches will curve north to align with the new bridge. Last week, the AHTD canceled the already-awarded $77.5 million contract to replace the bridge. All bids submitted for the project on January 13, including that of the low bidder, Johnson Bros. Corp., a Southland company of Roanoke, Tx. were rejected, even though the other bids were much higher - as much as a reportedy 134% higher. The reason given by AHTD for cancelling the low bid was because Johnson

Reginald Raymond Miller Above photo was cropped from 6-column photo atop last week’s front page (Feb. 11). Both show the Bathhouse and railroad trestle on 3rd St, as well as the above unidentified gentlemen.

The White River Rest Area, located between the cities of Hazen and Fredonia on Interstate 40 at mile-marker 198, will undergo a complete transformation into an Arkansas Tourist Information Center. The work will require closure of the rest area for more than a year, according to Arkansas State Highway and Transportation (AHTD) officials. Both eastbound and westbound facilities were closed at 7:00 a.m. yesterday, Feb. 17, and will remain closed for the duration of the project. Weather permitting; the Arkansas Tourist Information Center at White River will open late-2017. Motorists should plan to use alternate facilities until the project is completed. Transformation of the White River Rest Area will include demolition of the existing restrooms and construction of larger buildings to accommodate a greater number of restroom facilities that meet the lat-

est Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, are more family friendly, and feature baby changing stations. Unlike the Department’s Welcome Centers, the new Tourist Information Centers will be unmanned, equipped instead with self-service kiosks that feature the AHTD’s highly successful travel and construction information site, IDriveArkansas.com. Additional kiosks will provide weather conditions and forecasts as well as information about local amenities to include attractions, dining, lodging, and more. Limited public Wi-Fi access will also be made available. The White River Rest Area was originally constructed in 1972. Crow Paving of Morrilton was awarded the contract in January 2016 for transforming it into an Arkansas Tourist Information Center with a bid of $4.8 million.

Ashley (Miller) Billingsley of Des Arc says the man standing in the street is her great-grandfather, Reginald Raymond Miller, who was a switch operator for the railroad at the time (circa mid-1930’s). His occupation probably explains why the photo was taken where it was, showing the railroad trestle behind him. Ashley’s parents were Paul & Debbie Miller and her grandfather was Lester Raymond Miller, Reginald’s son. Ed. Note: It is so rare and seldom that the Journal receives timely feedback on old published photographs, we wanted to thank Ashley and promptly share her identification with readers.

Artist’s generic rendering of a new Tourist Information Center (see Pg 2 for Floor Plan)

The J ournal w elc omes y our input (c omments , s ugges tions , pers onal new s , photos , etc ) New Journal Subscribers this week: Bertha Byrd, Hazen; Tommy & Terry Strabala, Stuttgart; Steven Hoover, Carlisle; Mattie Nenninger, Des Arc Contact Us: Email: wrjnews1@centurytel.net

Mail: PO Box 1051, Des Arc, Ar 72040

Tel: 870-256-4254


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White river journal, feb 18, 2016 by charles walls - Issuu