White river journal, mar 10, 2016

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“A FREE P RESS

1 SECTION - 14 PAGES V OLUME /Y EAR 109, WEEK 31 (5,666 TOTAL WEEKS)

AND A

FREE P EOPLE - A N U NBEATABLE 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 THU RSD AY, MAR CH 10, 2016

View of Des Arc looking southeast from Courthouse (date unknown)

ACTIVITIES CALENDAR THURS., MAR. 10, 12 NOON Chamber of Commerce Monthly Meeting FRI. & SAT., MAR. 11-12 Lady Eagles Travel to Midland Tmt. FRI., MAR. 11, 5-8 PM Family Fun Night Des Arc Ele. School SAT., MAR. 12, 6 PM Movie at DeValls Bluff Community Center

MON., MAR. 14, 9 AM Plea Day Hearings DeValls Bluff Courthouse TUES., MAR. 14, 6 PM PC Master Gardeners BancorpSouth, Hazen TUES., MAR. 15, 9 AM Plea day Hearings Des Arc Courthouse TUES., MAR. 15, 1 PM DAHS Class of ‘59 At Sno-White DairyBar TUES., MAR. 15, 7 PM Des Arc City Council Meeting, City Hall WED., MAR. 16, 11-2 Friendship Club DeValls Bluff WED., MAR. 16, 10:30 AM Alzheimer Meting Lower White River Museum Des Arc SATURDAY, MARCH 19 First Day of Spring SAT., MAR.19 11:30 AM-2 PM Community Easter Egg hunt Behind Nursing HomeWeather forced Date Change MON.-FRI., MAR. 21-25 Spring Break for Des Arc Schools SAT., MAR. 26, 5 PM Arkansas Heritage Wild Game Supper DeValls Bluff Gymnasium SUNDAY MARCH 27 Easter Sunday Special Church Services MON, MARCH 28, 7 PM Des Arc School Board Superintendent’s office TUES., MAR. 29, 7 PM Des Arc Baseball Draft Softball/Baseball Draw for Practice Times FRI. & SAT.,APR. 1-2, 8:30 AM Eagle Eye Archery Team State Competition \Hot Springs Convention Ctr SUN., APRIL 3, 2 PM Sand Hill Cemetery Assn. At Sand Hill Baptist Church TUES., APRIL 5, 6 PM Chamber of Commerce Appreciation Banquet Elementary School

Obituaries Pgs. 3

Charlene Crafton, 90,Jacksonville Linda Davis, 66, White Hall John Lacy, 73, Lonoke Thomas Neeley, 65, Des Arc Sharon Pemberton,66, Mayflower Robert Wagner, 77, Bryant Lora Weatherly, 95, Roe Maxine Weems, 95, Hazen Ethan Wylie, 36, Humphrey

18 out-of-county towns get “next-day” delivery USPS awarded “B-” (See Page 13)

Photo courtesy of Rick Branham

Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday, March 13 at 12:14 CST Primary nominees Set clocks forward 1 hr Sat. night Not to be left in the dark by our European counterparts, to face opponents Ben Franklin was only kidding when he suggested the U.S. officially adopted Daylight Saving Time for the first time during WWI, and again during World War II. 232 years ago that towns should employ the use But it was not without controversy, even in General Election of church bells or cannon blasts, if necthen. By the end of WWI, city

essary, to wake citizens at sunrise so they could take full advantage of sunlight – a thrifty alternative to pricy candle power. More than two centuries later, the joke's still on us. Daylight Saving Time is no longer just an amusing idea; it's taken hold with a vengeance. Twice a year we're forced to adjust our sleep habits, synchronizing our biological and digital clocks in order to squeeze more sunlight into our waking hours. Meanwhile, sleep researchers insist we should be cutting back on our waking hours if we really want to live long and prosper. Germany was right on time, however, adopting it in 1916 to conserve energy and resources during World War I. That launched a daylight-saving domino effect in countries around Europe. Britain was finally shamed into adopting the policy three weeks after Germany.

dwellers learned to love daylight saving. But country folk, still in tune with nature's clock, became disgruntled once they realized they'd actually have to rise before the sun if they were to get their goods on outbound trains that, under daylight saving, left town an hour earlier. Rural people bombarded Congress with requests to repeal Daylight Saving Time. When Congress voted to repeal daylight-saving legislation, President Wilson vetoed it. And when Congress voted a second time to repeal it, Wilson vetoed, again. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 went into effect as of 2007, extending Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. by three-to-four weeks in the spring and one week in the fall. Either way, looks like daylight-saving time is here to stay.

Quorum Court’s agenda includes approving car sales, setting salary, hearing request for road repair It took Prairie County Quorum Court members less than an hour to take care of business at its regular monthly meeting Tuesday night, March 8. Held at the Courthouse Annex in Des Arc, Prairie County Judge Mike Skarda presided following the regular preliminaries including prayer by Justice Mary Sue Roe and Pledge of Allegiance led by Judge Skarda. Sheriff Gary Burnett reported the anticipated sale of two vehicles by his department. A 2011 Chevy Tahoe and a 2010 Chevy Tahoe will be sold to the Cotton Plant Police Department. The 2011 Chevy Tahoe will be sold for $5,000.00 that will be paid for on the date of sale. The 2010 Chevy Tahoe will be paid for in four payments with $1,750.00 down and $583.33 for the first two installments and $583.34 for the final installment, for a total of $3,500.00. The title to the 2010 Chevy Tahoe will be turned over on

completion of payment. The sale of these two vehicles will be “As Is – No Warranty”, according to Sheriff Burnett. It was agreed that money from the car sales would be put into the department’s machinery and equipment fund. The sales were unanimously approved by the court. The sheriff’s deparment recently purchased two new vehicles. Commenting on the sale, Prairie County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tim Isaac noted that since the transfer was being done from a county to county/municipality, it was not required to post it in newspapers prior to the sale. Tommy Castleberry of DeValls Bluff spoke to the court members about the bad condition of a county road at the end of Hwy. 302 East, known as the Loomis Landing Road and asked that the county make repairs. He advised that 23

State’s leaders urge use of U.S. rice in hunger programs Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward has sent a letter to US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, urging the use of Arkansas rice in its Food for Peace Program and other world hungry programs. He writes: “Rice, being the most consumed commodity in the world, plays a very important role as a staple food for more than half of the world’s population. “U.S. rice has historically been a part of the USDA food aid assistance programs.

“Arkansans take great pride in producing a safe and nutritions commodity that helps to alleviate hunger and providing to those in need around the world. “The US produced a rice crop in 2015 resulting in significant stocks currently available. This paves the way for the United States to provide grearter assistance in an economical fashion, through food relief programs to those in need around he world.” The letter was signed by Governor Asa Hutchinson.

families live along the road. The road which was chip sealed some eight years ago is deteriorating, Castleberry told the court. Judge Skarda advised that the work is not budgeted this year but will be looked into by the Court and addressed at a later date. Castleberry said, “I will return this fall and discuss this again.” Following a discussion regarding the salary to be paid to the recently appointed Prairie County County/Circuit Clerk Rebecca Hayley, it was unanimously decided that the salary would remain at the previously budgeted yearly clerk’s salary which was $37,703.00. On Page 12 in this newspaper, you may read a financial statement for the year ending December 31, 2015 prepared by the office of the Prairie County Clerk.The statement shows a budget of $4,064,531.35.

Three nominees elected in last week’s primary election, will have opposition in the November General Election, according to Election Commission Chairman Rita Dobson. Rick Hickman, Democrat, of Hazen, elected in the March 1 primary, will face Republican Bruce Sutton of Des Arc in November. Republican Rhonda Cheshier, of Des Arc, elected to the office of Prairie County Circuit & County Clerk in the primary, will be opposed by Deputy Clerk Gaylon Hale, Democrat, of DeValls Bluff in the General Election. Tamara Dabney, Democrat, who won her bid for election to the office of Prairie County Treasurer, will be opposed by Donna McIntosh, Republican, in November.

These races for county constitutional officers will be on the November 8, General Election ballot, according to Prairie County Election Commissioners. October 10, 2016 is the deadline to apply to register in the November 8 election. Prairie County Election Commissioners Rita Dobson, chairman, Harvey Joe Sanner and Stan Ferguson, all of Des Arc, will meet Friday, March 11, for the purpose of certifying the March 1 2016 Presidential and Preferential Primary Election returns. No changes in the unofficial returns are anticipated, according to the election commissioners. The meeting will be held in the clerk’s office at the courthouse in Des Arc.

Arkansas Heritage Run/Family Walk at DeValls Bluff Formerly the Ft Lincoln 5K/2K, the Arnold Family Foundation is excited to announce its 1st Annual Arkansas Heritage 5K Run/2K Walk to be held on Saturday, March 26. The start time is 8 am with registration at 7-7:45, located behind Breaktime in DeValls Bluff. The event will begin and end at the Rail Trail, the

new walking trail. The 5K entry fee is just $25 for each runner and each will receive a Tshirt. The entry fee for the Family 2K Walk will be $10 each, Tshirt not included. Please contact the DeValls Community Center at 870-998-2012 or 870-5817202 to receive your entry form

New business opens in local downtown area Mimi’s Chicken Coope, a place to buy just about anything “chicken” has opened on Main Street in downtown Des Arc. The new business is located between the Kountry Kitchen and Garth Funeral Home. They are advertising chicken tenders, chicken nuggets and chicken wings along with potatoes, onions and other grocery items. The business is open Monday thru Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and operated by Janet Keith.

MISS ARKANSAS HERITAGE CROWNED: Megan Stock of Hazen was crowned Miss Arkansas Heritage in a pageant held Saturday, March 5, at the DeValls Bluff Community Center. She was crowned by the 2015 Miss Fort Lincoln, AnnaLisa Meredith. The pageant name was changed this year by the sponsor, the Arnold Foundation. See other winners on Page 14.

The J our nal welc omes y our input ( com ments , s uggesti ons, pers onal news , photos, etc ) New Journal Subscribers this week: Betty Hulsey, Searcy, Ar / Jo Long, Cabot, AR / John Reidhar, Des Arc, AR Contact Us: Email: wrjnews1@centurytel.net

Mail: PO Box 1051, Des Arc, Ar 72040

Tel: 870-256-4254


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