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A T T E N T I O N S U B S CR I B E R S - S e e P g 1 5
1 SECTION - 16 PAGES V OLUME /Y EAR # 108 - W EEK # 40 ( 5 623 R D 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 TH URSD AY, MAY 14, 2015
“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
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ACTIVITIES CALENDAR
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MON., MAY 18, 9 AM Plea Day Hearings DeValls Bluff Courthouse
Susan DeVorak Commencement Speaker
MON.,MAY 18, 2:30-6:30 Red Cross Blood Dive First Baptist Church
TUES., MAY 19, 9 AM Plea Day Hearings Des Arc Courthouse
TUESDAY, MAY 19, 9 AM Kindergarten Graduation Elementary Cafetorium
TUES., MAY 19, 7 PM Des Arc City Council Meets; City Hall
WED., MAY 20, 11-2
SUN., MAY 24, 6 PM Fellowship worship
MON., MAY 25, 7 PM School Board Meets Supt’s Office
Fifty-three Des Arc High School seniors will be graduating as the Class of 2015 in commencement excercises on Friday, May 15. at 8:00 p.m. The graduation ceremonies, starting at 8:00 p.m., will be held at Eagle Field, weather permitting. In case of inclement weather, the ceremonies will be moved to the high school gymnasium. The class members have invited Susan DeVorak, a former English teacher at Des Arc High School, to be the commencement speaker. DeVorak, is currently teaching English at the Vilonia High School. She has three children, Luke, Natalie, and Brock. During her five year tenure at Des Arc High School, she also taught journalism and was sponsor of the school’s publication “The Eagle.” Dr. Melvin York, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Des Arc, will deliver the Baccalaureate address. Kirby Michelle Smith is valedicorian; Abigail Leighanne “Abbie” York is salutatorian. Thirteen other members of this class are Honor Graduates. Their biographies appear below: The Class of 2015 has selected the White Star Gazer Lily as their Class Flower. Class Song is “Find Your Wings” by Mark Harris and the Class Motto is “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. ?
MON., MAY 18, 12 NOON
Kindergarten Testing at Elementary school
Dr. Melvin York Baccalaureate Speaker
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They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31. Class President is Victoria “Tori” Mellas. Escorts are Jade Bell, Colt Covington, Brooke Kellar and Noah Kennedy. Ushers are Drelon Hunter and Kallie Roberts. ?
Biographies: Kirby Michelle Smith is the daughter of Tony and Penny Smith of Des Arc. She is a member of the National Honor Society (2 years); Beta Club (4 years); Gifted and Talented (6 years) and has also been a member of FTA for five years, FCA for six years and Track and Field for 6 years where she was selected as High Point Athlete in several meets. Kirby received the McKendree (Illinois) Presidential Scholarship and Leadership Award. She also received the Track and Field Athletic Scholarship and will begin her studies there in the fall semester. Her advice for undergraduates is, “Do not try to please everybody. There is no way you can please everbody or get everyone to agree with you. Don’t spend any effort trying to please others who will never like you. It is a huge waste of time.”
GRADUATES - continued on Page 10
Kirby Michelle Smith Valedictorian
Abigail Leighanne York Salutatorian
First baptist to purchase Des arc Library for $45,000 bid
Kids Day Saturday at local museum
New tornado/storm sirens for Des Arc
Loyd Bush, 66, Des Arc Charles T. Dickson, 77, Stuttgart Samuel Harris, 94, Stuttgart Ruby Reves, 82, Lincoln Evelyn Whittaker, 84, Batesville Gail Young, 77, Carlisle
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Quorum Court approves special election July 14, 2015 to increase library tax from 1 to 2 mills
In its regular monthly increasing the annual tax meeting Tuesday night, for maintaining and operMay 12, the Prairie County ating the three public Quorum Court considered county libraries from one and unanimously ap- (1.0) to Two (2.0) mills on Join Lower White River proved Resolution #2015-1 the dollar of assessed valuMuseum State Park in Des submitting the question of ation of all real and perArc, in partnership with the National Park Trust, in celebrating Kids to Parks Day this Saturday, May 16, at 2 p.m. with a free program. Enjoy a little bit of yesteryear as you learn historic games and spend some time outdoors! Lower White River Museum State Park is also commemorating Arkansas Heritage Month with a free program titled “Shelling on the White River” on Saturday, May 23, at 2 p.m. The theme for this year’s Heritage Month, sponsored by the Department of Arkansas Heritage, is From the Delta to the Hills: Different Landscapes, a Common Heritage. For more information, contact Monica Smith, Museum Program Assistant at Lower White River Museum State Park, 2009 Main Street, Des Arc, AR 72040. Phone (870) 256-3711 Fax (870) 256-9202. E-mail: monica.f.smith@arkansas.g ov. The Lower White River Museum State Park is one This week, a crew from Sentry Siren of Oklahoma were in of 52 state parks adminis- Des Arc installing two new tornado sirens to replace the tered by the State Parks Di- three existing ones. Seen above is one of the sirens being vision of the Arkansas De- installed at 15th and Main, view looking north. The other partment of Parks and one is located at 4th and Curran. According to the city’s spokesman, Jerry Greenwood, the new sirens will produce Tourism. twice the volume of the old sirens the city has depended upon for a number of years. Greenwood said, “This means b i t u a r i e s the warning sound will carry for 1 1/3 miles in every direction. Greenwood advises that the sirens will be tested once P g. 3 a week probably on Saturdays by remote control from the county jail. They also come with backup batteries to ensure Diane Barberi, 47, Stuttgart dependable service. The cost of the two sirens, purchased Ronald Bullard from Sentry Siren was $41,000, partially funded by a grant.
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Kirby Smith, Abigail York are top Honor Graduates
Des Arc Baseball Summer Program begins
MAY 20-22
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Sixth Grade Graduation Elementary Cafetorium
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Susan DeVorak, Dr. Melvin York featured speakers
Des Arc High Graduation Eagle Field or if raining in gymnasium
THURS., MAY 21, 6 PM
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FRI., MAY 15, 8 PM
Friendship Club DeValls Bluff
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Fifty-three graduates in Class of 2015
DAHS Academic Banquet Elementary Cafetorium
Lions Club Meet Methodist Church
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DAHS Graduates - See Pgs 8 & 9
THURS., MAY 14, 6 PM
SAT., MAY 16
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sonal property subject to taxation within the county. The resolution states that “the duly constituted Prairie County Library Board has determined that the curent level of funding is inadequate to provide the facilities and perform the services necessary to maintain and grow the public library system”. Addressing Court mem-
bers about the County Library status and specific needs were Deborah Moore, Lonoke/Prairie County Regional Director, and Beth Rogers, board member from Hazen. They recounted that this small millage increase would not only allow reopening the DeValls Bluff Library - but would adequately “sustain” all three libraries into the
future. In other business, Judge Mike Skarda announced that although 3 bids for the purchase of the existing Des Arc Library on Curran St. had been sought; only one bid of $45,000 was received - that from the First Baptist Church of Des Arc. See QUORUM COURT - Pg 16
County Sheriff officers to don body cameras
At the Quorum Court meeting Tuesday night, in the absence of Prairie County Sheriff Gary Burnett, Chief Deputy Bill Duerson explains to members and guests the newly received body cameras that officers will be wearing on all future calls, including traffic stops. The cameras, worn on the chest, record both standard (18 hours) and high definition video (8 hours) plus still photos. Seven cameras and a 2 terabyte hard drive were purchased pursuant to the April 8 approval by the Court for a total of $3,313. The six officers who will be issued a camera next week include Sheriff Burnett, deputies Bill Duerson, James Medlin, Elmer Graham, Tim Ridings and Seth Carruth. (The seventh camera will serve as a backup.) The cameras default to “stand-by” mode until the record button is pushed. Official policy will be wear the cameras at all times when on duty, to record every interaction encountered, and to download all recorded data weekly to the hard drive. The data, which will be available as evidence in prosecutions, is secured from any type of officer tampering. viewing or copying.
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