White river journal, jan 7, 2015

Page 1

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1 SECTION - 14 PAGES V OLUME /Y EAR 109, WEEK 22 (5,657 TOTAL WEEKS)

ACTIVITIES CALENDAR THURS., JAN. 7 Report Cards go out for Des Arc Schools

FRI,, JAN. 8, 6 PM Turkey Federation Banquet Hazen Armory

FRI., JAN. 8, 4:00 PM Senior Class Chili Supper for Sarah Jobe Memorial High School Cafeteria

SAT., JAN. 9, 3 & 6 PM Movie “War Room” Community Center DeValls Bluff

MON. JAN. 11, 3:30 PM PALS (Parent Advisory) Elem. Cafetorium

MON., JAN. 11, 6:30 P.M. Band Booster meeting High School Band Room

TUES., JAN. 12, 6 PM Quorum Court Meets Courthouse Annex In Des Arc

TUES., JAN 12, 12 NOON Lions Club Methodist Church

MON., JAN. 18 Des Arc Schools Dismissed for Martin Luther King Day

TUES., JAN. 19, 7 PM Des Arc City Council meets in Council Chambers at Des Arc City Hall

Commissioners meet Friday to pick poll workers The Prairie County Election Commission will meet at 12 noon on Friday, Jan. 8, at the AAM nuilding in Des Arc for the purpose of selecting poll workers for the March 1,2016 Presidental Primary Election, set a date for poll workers training session and other business. Members of the Election Commission and their contact phone number below: Rita Dobson, chairperson 501 516 7264 Stan Ferguson 501 516 6156 Harvey Joe Sanner 501 516 7000

Highway project to require I-40 lane closure Maintenance work on Interstate 40 will require closing a section of eastbound I-40 between mile markers 197 and 200. The inside eastbound lanes will be closed beginning Thursday, January 7 through Friday, January 8, from 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., weather permitting.

Obituaries Pgs. 3 & 4

H. Myrl Caskey, 99, Texas Charles Davis, 80, Cotton Plant Kirk Files, 74, Brinkley Fannie Flynn, 91, Carlisle Elsie Hallum, 81, Little Rock Gerald Keel, 45, Arkadelphia Jerry McNeill, 74, Beebe Dena Peterson, 53, Springfield Marian Raney, 85, Beebe Patti Sims, 76, Hazen John Spurlock, 44, Tennessee Linda Stacks, 59, Searcy Brinda Weatherley, 63, DV Bluff H.W. Wofford, 64, Stuttgart

“A FREE P RESS

AND A

FREE P EOPLE - A N UNBEATABLE TEAM ”

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

P U B LI S H E D E A C H T H U R S D A Y S I N C E 1 9 0 7 TH URSD AY, JANUAR Y 7, 2016

White River reaches 31.49 ft. Monday, 9th highest crest ever It has been less than five years since the record-breaking flood of May 2011, which damaged or destroyed over 200 homes in Des Arc and surrounding areas. And although 2016 came in with a short-lived inconvenience including some minor damage; it was only a scary deja vu of the earlier event ... and hardly comparable. However, for folks who rebuilt their homes on stilts or berms after 2011, it was certainly an affirmation of their having done a very worthwhile thing. After having been above the 24 ft flood stage for several weeks, the White River at Des Arc surprised many locals Saturday morning with its ominous encroachment over streets, into yards and around some mobile homes. The National Weather Service had forecast only 28.80’ for Jan. 3 (see ‘Weather/River’, WRJ Dec 31 issue). However, the river continued its rise until reaching a historical 9th highest level Monday morning, Jan 4, when it reached 31.49’ at 12:00 midnight and again at 2:00 am. By 7:00 am, at 31.48’, the river began a slow and steady fall. By 1:00 pm yesterday, Jan 6, it had dropped to 30.60’. To put this week’s crest into perspective, the ten previous historic crests at Des Arc are shown below. At about 8’ below the 39.43 crest of 2011, and 2.3’ below the two of 2008, this week’s crest will go on record as the 9th highest.

(1) 39.43 ft - May 7, 2011 (2) 37.35 ft - Feb. 2, 1949 (3) 35.60 ft - Apr. 3, 1945 Additional (4) 34.20 ft - Apr. 28, 1973 (5) 33.78 ft - Apr. 17, 2008 flood photos (6) 33.74 ft - Mar 26, 2008 Pgs 2, 9, 14 (7) 32.05 ft - Dec 10, 1982 (8) 31.60 ft - April 3, 1975 (9) 31.49 ft - Jan 4, 2016 (10) 30.34 ft - Feb 21, 1989 (11) 28.90 ft - Dec 28, 2009 (previously 10th highest)

Flooding closed 3rd St. adjacent to new County Jail - view north toward Walking Trail, Sunday afternoon

Phyllis Worley is candidate for District Court Judge Phyllis Worley, a resident of White County for more than 40 years, announces today her intention to run for District Court Judge, Division Two, in White and Prairie Counties. Beginning in 2017, White and Prairie Counties will be joined as District 23, and both counties will vote on the candidates to fill the District Court seats in both counties. The preferential primary for this non-partisan race will be March 1, 2016. District Court judges oversee misdemeanor offenses, traffic violations, small claims and civil suits of less than $25,000.00. Worley has been engaged in the practice of law in Searcy for 25 years, as well as serving as Public Defender in White and Prairie Counties. “As judge, I will decide cases on the facts and evidence. I will listen to both sides and make a decision based on the law. I will treat everyone fairly and with respect. If I did not think I could make some positive changes to the Court, I would not be running. I believe sentencing should be consistent throughout the district courts in the county, and will work closely with Judge Pate to make sentencing more uniform throughout White County. In Prairie County, I will continue the legacy established by Judge Robert Abney of Des Arc and Judge Jim Rhodes of DeValls Bluff conducting their courts in a fair and

impartial manner and continuing their common sense approach to sentencing.” Phyllis and husband for 43 years, Tom, have two adult sons, Brad a Registered Nurse at the McClelland VA Hospital in Little Rock and Brent, a solution architect with Acxiom in Conway. Brad is married to Sara and has two sons, Brandon, 18 and Hudson, 4. Brent is married to April and has three daughters, Brooklyn, 10, Tori, 8, and Savannah 6. Phyllis holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Administration from UCA and JD from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock School of Law. She was licensed to practice in August, 1988. She worked in Little Rock until March, 1990, when she opened her law practice in Searcy. Phyllis Worley has served as the President of the White County Bar Association, President of the Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Worley was appointed to the Arkansas Sentencing Commission and currently serves on the Arkansas Professional Bail Bond Licensing Board. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches and Jacob’s Place. In 199697 she was named Who’s Who in American Law. The Worleys are active members of First Assembly of God Church in Searcy, where Phyllis serves as Sunday School Treasurer.

Home of Dennis & Brenda Sears located between Person Rd and Spring Lake - looking west

Jeff Treadwell’s camper on Hwy 323, just south of the new temporary bridge, was surrounded by water Sunday afternoon. Jeff tries to care for several outdoor cats, one of which managed to swim to the safety of the camper. In spite of his having had recent shoulder surgery, that arm in a sling, and scheduled for cancer evaluation today, Jan 7, Jeff had to wade thru water waste deep to get to the highway and assistance from his uncle, Leon Treadwell, Sunday morning.

Fraudulant land leasing for deer hunting results in one arrest Prairie County Sheriff Gary Burnett received a call on Saturday, January 2, from a citizen of Prairie County stating that someone was advertising the use of his farm land on social media for a deer hunting lease. These advertisements were found on local swap shop pages on

Facebook and other pages similar to it, according to the land owner.. “So far, there are 11 victims, that we know of, who paid money to lease Morton Farms land for deer hunting. We believe the use of this land was advertised as early as July, 2015 and went up until the last

week of December, 2015”, said Sheriff Burnett. Arrested was Hayden G. Newton, who was being held in the Woodruff County Jail on a Theft of Property charge. This is a Class D Felony and carries a $75,000.00 bond.

The Prairie County Sheriff’s office asks that you contact the office in Des Arc if you or someone you know has paid money to the suspect for a deer lease on Morton Farms located on Letchworth Road, south of Des Arc. Call the office at 870-256-4137.

T he J ournal w elc omes your input (c omments , s ugges tions , pers onal new s , photos , etc )

New/Renewed Journal Subscribers . . Contact Us: Email: wrjnews1@centurytel.net

Eldon Mushrush, Alma, AR

& Patsy Marshal Kerley, Peck, KS

Mail: PO Box 1051, Des Arc, Ar 72040

Tel: 870-256-4254


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White river journal, jan 7, 2015 by charles walls - Issuu