White river journal, july 16, 2015

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75¢

u l P

? o t

Pluto rizons Ho New

Saturn

Neptune

Earth Mars

Jupiter

Uranus

Above: New Horizons’ Full Trajectory - Pluto Flyby Left: NASA artist’s conception of Pluto before the New Horizons spacecraft arrived there (after a 9 1/2 year, $728 million, 3.11 billion mile trip) this Tuesday, July 14 at 6:49 am CDT More information - Pgs 2,13,14

1 SECTION - 14 PAGES V OLUME 108 (49TH WEEK OF YEAR 108 - 5,632 WEEKS TOTAL)

ACTIVITIES CALENDAR FRI., JULY 17, 6-8 PM City of Des Arc Aerial Mosquito Spraying SUN., JULY 19, 7 AM Fellowship Breakfast Gospel Mission Church MON., JULY 20, 12 NOON Chamber of Commerce F & M Bank MON., JULY 20, 6 PM 2016 Steamboat Days Membership Drive T.J.’s Kountry Kitchen MON., JULY 20, 9 AM Plea Day Hearings DeValls Bluff TUES., JULY 21, 9 AM Plea Day Hearings Des Arc Courthouse TUES., JULY 21, 7 PM Des Arc City Council Meet, City Hall WED., JULY 22, 10:30 A.M. Alzheimers Support Group Lower White River Museum SAT., JULY 24, 6 PM “Matchmaker Mary” showing at theatre DeValls Bluff SUN, JULY 26, 6 PM Fellowship Worship Methodist Church MON., JULY 27, 7:30 A.M. Cross Country Practice DAHS Gymnasium MON., JULY 27, 8AM-3PM DAHS Senior registration; Picture appointment times sent by letter

“A F REE P RESS AND A F REE P EOPLE - A N U NBEATABLE T EAM ” D ES A RC , A RKANSAS (C OUNTY S EAT ) P RAIRIE C OUNTY

P UB L I 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 THUR SDAY, JUL Y 16, 2015

Voters approve 1 mill increase for County libraries at DeValls Bluff, Hazen, Des Arc On a very hot Special Election Tuesday, the one mill tax increase for county libraries passed by a total vote of 349-189. Chairman Beth Rogers of Hazen expressed that the Library Board “would like to thank the voters of Prairie County for showing their support in our millage election. The outcome of the special election clearly shows that they value their public libraries and are keenly aware of how important they are to the growth of our communities”. A first priority of the library board will be to reopen the DeValls Bluff branch as soon as possible. There are several matters that must be addressed, as well as reinstalling the computers. Since the 2015 budget did not allow for the operation of the DeValls Bluff Library, budgetary concerns will have to be addressed in regard to staffing, materials, utilities, etc. However, the board hopes to have some sort of service available in the very near

future. Once the library begins to receive the full benefits from the millage increase, it is expected that the DeValls Bluff Library will return to the same level of operation as before it was closed on December 31, 2014. With the Lonoke County Library scheduled to dissolve itself from its Regional affiliation with Prairie County on Dec 31, 2015, Chairman Rogers said “that even with the millage passage, there will be new unknown expenses related to Prairie County’s losing access to various Lonoke Library functions on Dec. 31.” Both Rogers and Judge Mike Skarda estimate that annual revenue from the new one-mill tax will be between $90,000-$100,000, of which only 90% will be budgeted for the County library system. Chairman Rogers also advised that the January 2015 reduction in hours at the Des Arc Library (from five to four days) will return to five days soon as possible.

TOWN

DES DEVALLS HICKORY TOTAL % OF HAZEN ULM VOTERS VOTERS PLAINS ARC BLUFF

FOR

119

81

125

16

8

349 64.87%

AGAINST

77

45

49

9

9

189 35.13%

VOTING RESULTS, per County Clerk

538

100%

New property evaluations, Library vote subjects of July 7 Quorum Court meeting The July Quorum Court meeting was held a week early, July 7, because of the Library Millage Election on July 14. Justice Lawrence Holloway presided over the meeting in Judge Mike Skarda’s absence. Other JPs in attendance included Doyle Sullins, Ulm; Buddy Sims and Eddie Ciganek, Hazen; Ronnie Eans, Northside Community; Matthew Sterling and Bobby Willeford, DeValls Bluff; and Mary Roe, Des Arc. Other officials present were County Clerk Vanessa Peters and Prosecuting Atty Tim Isaac. Visitors included representatives of Arkansas CAMA Technology, Rob Kinard, Kelly Beaty and Tom Scott. Beaty reminded the Court that Arkansas law requires Prairie County to reappraise property values every 5 years. - and advised that the reappraisal is now complete and has been sent to the State.

He said that notices showing new property values would be sent out July 15 to only those property owners who have an evaluation increase. Those whose values decreased or stayed the same will not receive notices. Anyone having questions or wishing to appeal their new evaluations should call the ACT office at 870-998-1333, not the County Assessor’s office. The deadline to appeal the value is August 17, 2015. Beaty further encouraged everyone to visit their website, www.actDataScout.com to find information on their property and reappraisal. Regional Library Director Deborah Moore and Prairie County Library Mgr., April Highfill were also present to encourage the Justices to help get voters out for the Library millage election July 14.

SLOW DAY AT THE POLLS: It was a slow day at the polls Tuesday for these election poll workers J. D. Babb, Richard Minton, Janice Reidhar, Janet Turnage and Jennifer Mills. This was at the polls in Des Arc located at the American Ag VOTING IS EASY: Johnnie Elam punched a button and her Building. Only 196 votes on the Library Tax issue were cast here from all of White River, Calhoun and Des Arc townships vote was cast - at the Des Arc polls Tuesday.

LIVING COLOR

1. Would you like to see photos on interior pages in instead of black & white? And see them up much closer & clearer? 2. Would you like to know you can read WRJ each Thursday ... without having to wait days or weeks to receive in the mail?

It’s so easy! If you’re a paid-up subscriber and have internet access on computer, tablet or smart phone; just contact the Journal for FREE access to our online version. Above image shows miniature front pages each representing complete issues for last four weeks only. But now online, you will find today’s July 16, 2015 paper, plus the 16 previous issues dating back to March 26, 2015.

RECIVING PAPER LATE? See Report Cards Page 2

Photo courtesy of Joyce McNeil and H.K. Garth

DAHS Student Council, 1963-64 in front of old Elementary Building: Seated from left: Bonnie Reidhar, Freda Jenkins. Carolyn Vance, Carol Stallings, Deloris Butler, Carolyn Nichols, Ramona Carlock, Dixie Eans, Pat Provance. Standing: Louise Bone, Sissy Bell, June DeVorak, Russell Ewing, Gale Stewart, James Brown, Lorene Bone, Faye Minton

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 . . . Patricia Everman, DeValls Bluff, Ar & Howard Harris, Stuttgart, AR Contact Us: Email: wrjnews1@centurytel.net

Mail: PO Box 1051, Des Arc, Ar 72040

Tel: 870-256-4254


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