Neighbors voice concerns about former hospital site if land is sold for housing
SHATTERED GLASS, BARRICADED DOORS. One entrance to the old Howard Memorial Hospital building shows evidence of vandals.
The ‘old’ hospital may come down, but a new problem has come up.
A group of about 25 citizens, mostly homeowners in the Greenwood Addition neighborhood located adjacent to the former campus of Howard Memorial Hospital, met Thursday night to voice concerns about could happen to the property if the county sells it.
The crumbling post-WWII hospital has been vacant and deteriorating for nearly four years, and the county has been unsuccessful in finding anyone to take it. At the April meeting of the quorum court, Realtor Kirk Bell told the JPs that a Texas firm might be interested in acquiring the building and 15 acres, with an eye toward salvaging materials from the building and then selling the real estate. At the time, Bell told the court that the most likely future for the property would be in modest, individual housing units.
The Greenwood Addition is mostly fairly-expensive brick homes on large lots, and the frequent fear expressed at the Thursday evening meeting was the development of low income housing and lowering of existing property values. Older homes in the addition were built in the mid-1960s.
The informal meeting was opened by organizer Charles Sharp who said that he was a homeowner in the neighborhood and “I‘m very proud of it.”
Mayor Billy Ray Jones told the group that the property is zoned R-1 which is limited to single-family residences.
The group was told that one of the possible alternatives is if the county is able to get enough funds through State Sen. Larry Teague and State Rep. Nate Steel to assist with the asbestos abatement of the old buildings, expected to be about $350,000. If that happened, the county might be able to pay the remaining cost of abatement, then recycle or salvage materials, and finally dispose of the property or hold on to it any way it chooses.
After a discussion of about 45 minutes, organizer Connie Milum suggested that the group attend the May 21 meeting of the quorum court to express concerns.
Among those in attendance, Thursday night, were Mayor Jones, and JP Brent Pinkerton who lives in the neighborhood and represents the district on the quorum court. Pinkerton pointed out that county residents of Umpire and Tollette were more concerned with the county’s liability of the old building than in the property values of one Nashville neighborhood.
“Nashville Leader” co-publisher Louie Graves, also a resident of the neighborhood, was in attendance and reported for the newspaper.
Pleas heard; sentences given in Howard County
Three not guilty pleas were taken, and two defendants who had previously pleaded guilty returned for formal sentencing, last Wednesday, in the regular day for criminal court, here.
On the bench was Judge Tom Cooper.
Back for formal pronouncement of their sentences were Shaundell Scott and Lawrence Swift, Jr.
Scott, 33, black male, 822 Hempstead Road 14, Washington, had earlier pleaded guilty to class D felony possession of marijuana with purpose of delivery, and misdemeanor charges of DWI and refusal to take breathalyzer. His sentence was four years in the Arkansas Department of Correction on the felony charge, and one day in the county jail on the misdemeanors. He was defended by the public defender.
Swift, 24, black male, 327 E. Hill, Nashville, received a sentence of 10 years in the ADC with four years suspended. He had earlier pleaded guilty to a class B felony charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
One defendant, Sharlotte M. Carrigan, 24, black female, 1304 S. 4th, Hope, was found fit to proceed following a mental evaluation. She is charged with class C felony accomplice to theft of property. Pretrial motions will be heard Dec. 4.
A not guilty plea was given by Martin J. Alexander, 50, white male, 1142 Parsons Road, Newhope, charged with class D felony tampering with physical evidence. He will be represented by Public Defender Aaron Brasel. His bond was set at $2,500 and his trial date was set for Aug. 20.
Robert Joseph Howard, 19, white male, 121 JB Steel Drive, Nashville, pleaded not guilty to a class B felony charge of residential burglary, along with a misdemeanor charge of theft of property. His bond was reduced to $10,000 and pretrial motions will be heard July 31.
Claudia Marin Bautista, 42, Hispanic female, pleaded not guilty to a class B felony charge of first degree forgery. Her bond was set at $5,000 and the court noted that she would need an interpreter.
One request for a continuance was granted.
Drug court ordered for Murfreesboro offender
One of the people arrested earlier this year in connection with burglaries and drug activity in Pike County was approved Monday for Pike County Drug Court.
Bethany Noelle Horn, 32, of Murfreesboro pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and theft by receiving were deemed “nolle prosse” (not to be pursued) by prosecutors.
Horn was ordered to complete the requirements of drug court and failure to do so will result in a mandatory five-year sentence in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. She was also fined $1,500 plus related court costs.
Horn was arrested in February at her home in Murfreesboro along with Brandon Stevens, 37, and Clavin L. Stewart, 45, of Caddo Gap. A search of the home resulted in the recovery of “several thousand of dollars of suspected stolen property” and methamphetamine.
2 arrested on ‘meth’ charges
A 64-year-old Malvern man and a 35-year-old Kirby woman are facing felony drug charges following an ongoing investigation into drug activity in Pike County.
Arrested on May 2 were Billy N. Fee of Malvern and Valarie Babbitt of Kirby. They are to be charged with possession of methamphetamine or cocaine with the purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Pike County Detective Clark Kinzler said the two suspects were arrested by Pike County Sheriff Charlie Caldwell and his deputies on May 2 at a Pike County motel. Kinzler said the sheriff, along with Chief Deputy Jerry Lowery and Sgt. David Shelby, went to a local motel to conduct a “knock and talk.” At one room, Fee and Babbitt reportedly answered the door and the officers could smell a “strong chemical odor coming from inside the room.”
When Fee agreed to step outside the room, he was asked to consent to a “pat down” and agreed. Shelby located a plastic bag in his front pocket that contained a “crystalized-like substance” believed to be methamphetamine. Fee also gave consent to search the motel room and his vehicle.
Fee reportedly told officers he had some more methamphetamine underneath the blanket on the bed. Sheriff Caldwell turned the blanket back and found a black bag containing more of the suspected drug as well as a set of digital scales, a syringe and several plastic bags. Also in the bag was a nickel coin, which Kinzler said is commonly used for the calibration of scales.
The report also noted that “on the table inside a snack cake box was a metal spoon that had a crystalized rock lying on it.” A sock was also found lying on the table which contained another syringe filled with suspected methamphetamine.
During the search of Fee’s vehicle, more of the suspected drug was located “in plain view in the driver’s seat.”
Kinzler said the total weight of all the seized substances was approximately 17 grams.
Fee and Babbitt made first appearances Monday in Pike County Circuit. Babbitt’s bond was set at $50,000 and Fee’s was set at $75,000. Public defender LaJeana Jones was appointed as the two’s counsel and they were ordered to return to court on May 13.
Scrapperettes finish third in regional tourney
Leader photo/JOHN R. SCHIRMER
GOING TO STATE. The Nashville Scrapperettes will enter the state Class 4A tournament Thursday against Ashdown. The Scrapperettes finished third in the 4A South regional Monday afternoon at Monticello.
Scrapperettes third in state track meet
By John R. Schirmer
Leader staff
HEBER SPRINGS – Crossett rolled up more points than the next four teams combined Thursday night to win the state Class 4A track meet at Heber Springs.
The Lady Eagles amassed 189 points, followed by Heber Springs in second place with 62 points. The Nashville Scrapperettes were third with 44, Ashdown fourth with 41 and Monticello fifth with 31.5.
The meet snapped Nashville’s 6-year state championship run in Class 4A.
Results for the Scrapperettes include the following:
100-m dash – Kassidy Snowden sixth, 13.39.
200-m dash – Snowden sixth, 27.23.
4 x 100-m relay – Nashville fourth, 51.80.
4 x 400-m relay – Nashville fourth, 4:31.18.
4 x 800-m relay – Nashville second, 10:58.13.
High jump – Showden third, 4-10.
Pole vault – Sara Hosey and Maddie Horton tied for fourth, 7-6.
Long jump – Snowden eighth, 16-2.
Triple jump – Snowden fourth, 34-0.
Discus – Lacie Grace third, 95-7.
Scrappers finish second at state 4A track meet
By John R. Schirmer
Leader staff
HEBER SPRINGS – The Nashville Scrappers brought home the runner-up trophy from the state Class 4A track meet Thursday night at Heber Springs High School.
Host team Heber Springs won the state championship with 116 points. The Scrappers were second with 67, followed by Dollarway with 61, Lakeside Lakeview 42 and Valley View 38 round out the top 5.
Results for the Scrappers include the following:
200-m dash – Ja-Karee Gaines second, 22.72.
400-m dash – Jose Camacho seventh, 54.74.
800-m run – Eric Perez sixth, 2:08.14.
1600-m run – Perez seventh, 4:49.06; Jerrad Jones ninth, 4:49.55.
3200-m run – Perez fourth, 10:48.27.
110-m hurdles – La’Michael Pettway seventh, 16.16.
300-m hurdles – Pettway seventh, 42:57.
4 x 800-m relay – Nashville sixth, 8:55.97.
Triple jump – Jacoby Lampkin sixth,m 41-3 3/4; Pettway eighth, 41-1.
Shot put – Jalen Whitmore first, 49-1; Rashon Lee second, 47-2 3/4; Jose Camacho fourth, 45-9 3/4.
Lady Rattlers win state track title
Leader photo/JOHN BALCH
2-A STATE TRACK CHAMPIONS. The Murfreesboro High School Lady Rattler track team won the 2-A State Track Meet last Wednesday. Team members include (front) Hanah Kennedy, Aubree Gauldin, Brittany Stinson, Kyra May, Josie Kinnu, Ellyn Walls, Olivia Turley, Brooke White, Hayley Hale, Jesslynn Cross, Carlie Buck, Carley Smithson, Tori Davis; (back) Annah Dixon, Christa Goodwin, Amy Jackson, Jynsen Smith, Kelsey Higginbottom, Reagan Grubbs, Ryann Grubbs, Leigha Gills, Anna Gatliff, Loren Gills, Lexie Baxter, Haley Kennedy, Dee Saldana and Coach Si Hornbeck.
The Murfreesboro High School Lady Rattler track team topped the field at the recent Class 2-A State Track Meet to bring home its third state title in the last four years.
The Lady Rattlers were led at the Forth Smith meet by senior Leigha Gills, who placed first in the long jump with an 18’4.50” effort and first in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:32.89. Gills also placed second in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:00.90, third in the 100 meter high hurdles (17.49 seconds), and third in the 100 meter dash (12.95 seconds).
Gills’ little sister, freshman Loren Gills, also contributed to the state win by placing first in the 1600 meter run with a time of 5:52.41 and also finished second behind her sister in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:37.24.
The Lady Rattler 4×800 meter relay team won with a time of 11:11.15 minutes. Team members include Anna Gatliff, Loren Gills, Ryann Grubbs and Hayley Hale. The 4×400 meter relay team placed second at the meet with a time of 4:32.15. Team members include Grubbs, Loren Gills, Ashline Garza and Jynsen Smith.
Also adding to the state total was Dee Saldana, who finished second in the shot put with a throw of 32’6”. Grubbs also tied for third in the high jump with a jump of 4’10” and Kelsey Higginbottom placed 8th in the pole vault with a vault of 6’0”.
The first-place finishers in the state meet will continue the season on Saturday, May 11 when they compete in the Meet of Champs at Lake Hamilton. Leigha Gills, Grubbs and Garza are also scheduled to compete in the Heptathlon event to be held May 15-16 at Fayetteville, according to Coach Si Hornbeck.
Last week’s win was the senior team members’ third state title under Coach Si Hornbeck. This year’s seniors are Leigha Gills, Gatliff, Aubree Gauldin and Krista Goodwin.
“This group of seniors was my first group of seventh-graders,” Hornbeck said. “They’re very special to me, no doubt about it.”
The Lady Rattlers earned a spot at the state meet by winning the 2-A West District Track Meet held at Mineral Springs.
The team’s district meet results included:
100 meter dash – Leigha Gills, 1st, 12.99; Jynsen Smith, 7th, 14.8; Ashline Garza, 14th, 14.64; Olivia Turley, 16th, 15.12
200 meter dash – Jynsen Smith, 6th, 29.92; Garza, 9th, 30.64; Brittany Stinson, 13th, 32.11; Olivia Turley, 15th, 32.44
400 meter dash – Leigha Gills, 1st, 1:01.28; Lexie Baxter, 10th, 1:13.62; Brooke White, 1:17.83
800 meter run – Loren Gills, 1st, 2:48.57; Hayley Hale, 2nd, 2:52.09; Reagan Grubbs, 4th, 3:08.02; Ellyn Walls, 5th, 3:23.40
1600 meter run – Loren Gills, 1st, 6:25.89; Hayley Hale, 2nd, 6:43.68; Kyra May, 3rd, 7:00.12; Carlie Buck, 10th, 9:55.66
3200 meter run – May, 1st, 15:39.75; Kristie Ackley, 4th, 16:31.92
100 meter high hurdles – Leigha Gills, 2nd, 17.56; Olivia Turley, 6th, 19.39
300 meter high hurdles – Ryann Grubbs, 4th, 54.33; Kelsey Higginbottom, 9th, 1:00.49
4×100 meter relay – Murfreesboro, 3rd, 53.93
4×400 meter relay – Murfreesboro, 5th, 501.25
High jump – Ryann Grubbs, tie for 3rd, 4’6”
Long jump – Leigha Gills, 2nd, 15’9.5”
Triple jump – Leigha Gills, 4th, 32’2.5”; Olivia Turley, 12th, 28’11”; Ryann Grubbs, 18th, 26’7”
Pole vault – Kelsey Higginbottom, 2nd, 6’; Josie Kinnu, 4th, 5’
Discus – Haley Kennedy, 8th, 71’9”
Shot put – Dee Saldana, 1st, 31’2.5”; Annah Dixon, 5th, 27’7”; Krista Goodwin, 9th, 26’8”
The MHS Lady Rattler track team roster includes:
Hanah Kennedy, Aubree Gauldin, Brittany Stinson, Kyra May, Josie Kinnu, Ellyn Walls, Olivia Turley, Brooke White, Hayley Hale, Jesslynn Cross, Carlie Buck, Carley Smithson, Tori Davis; (back) Annah Dixon, Christa Goodwin, Amy Jackson, Jynsen Smith, Kelsey Higginbottom, Reagan Grubbs, Ryann Grubbs, Leigha Gills, Anna Gatliff, Loren Gills, Lexie Baxter, Haley Kennedy and Dee Saldana.
Outlaws advance to state tournament
Leader photo/JOHN BALCH
REGIONAL ACTION AT DIERKS. Dierks Outlaw first baseman Austin Walston and second baseman Tyler Narens on the field during the South Regional Tournament held at Dierks.
Update: The Dierks Outlaws beat Hector 3-2 in the first round of the Class 2-A baseball tournament at Parkers Chapel Thursday night. The Outlaws were scheduled to play Palestine-Wheatley Friday at 7:30 p.m
After edging their way through the 2-A South Regional Tournament bracket, the Dierks Outlaws ran out of firepower Monday in the championship game against the Parkers Chapel Trojans and had to settle for second place following a 13-3 loss.
The Outlaws will advance to the 2-A State Tournament Thursday, May 9 at 2:30. Parkers Chapel will host the state tournament but the game will be played at Junction City High School, according to the bracket issued by the Arkansas Activities Association.
The Outlaws made it to the regional championship game by winning 3-2 over Rison on Friday and 1-0 over Woodlawn on Saturday.
Adam Bradshaw went the distance Friday evening on the mound for Dierks, registering 10 strikeouts. All of the Outlaws’ runs came in the second inning. The inning started off with a single by Remington Jester, followed by a walk by Calan Tipton and a bunt by Tyler Narens to load the bases. McLane Moore delivered a single to plate the first run and then Alex Sharp drew another walk that moved another run home. Bradshaw capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
An Outlaw throwing error and a couple of Rison singles plated two runs in the top-half of the sixth inning.
Saturday’s game against Woodlawn ended in dramatic fashion as both teams were scoreless going into the bottom half of the seventh inning. Moore and Bradshaw both were on base with one out after they drew walks. Coach Jarrod Fannin made the call to bring in left-hander Caleb Dunn to pinch hit. Dunn poked a single past the Woodlawn first baseman and into right field and a sliding Moore beat the throw to the plate to give the Outlaws the 1-0 win.
Andrew Sirmon went the distance for Dierks against Woodlawn and registered eight strikeouts.
Monday, the Outlaws jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the PC Trojans in the first inning, but the Trojans matched the score in their half of the inning. In the third inning, the Trojans sent 11 hitters to the plate and scored five more runs and ran Outlaw pitcher Alex Sharp off the mound to be replaced by Remington Jester.
The Outlaws’ final run of the game came in the fourth inning after Moore drew a walk with the bases loaded.
Second-game hero Dunn went on in relief for Dierks in the fourth inning and was able to keep the score at 7-3 going into PC’s half of the fifth inning. A walk, single and two Outlaw errors plated three more Trojan runs before freshman Tyler Kesterston was called to the mound. Kesterston gave up the two hits and three RBIs that ended the game, 13-3, under the 10-run rule.
Piano on a Peak: Brit weightlifters exhibit a tall sense of humor
ANIMAL CRACKERS.
My first official sighing of a Mississippi kite, last Thursday. This bird was headed into the top of a tall oak tree, and my hope is that it has a nest there. Since then I have had several kite sightings. Neat birds.
I have not laid eyes on it, but I think I have heard the song of one of those beautiful summer tanagers which come to the neighborhood each … summer. Sorry, I couldn’t think of another word for summer.
The tanager and the kite arrived just in time for a cold snap.
And Mark Pack, who has become an expert blue bunting watcher, says his impression is that their numbers are down significantly this season.
Braving the chill, Saturday afternoon late, my company and I were out on the patio. I showed off by making some pronouncemenht about all of the birds were singing so joyously.
Then, sudden silence.
And an eagle glided low overhead. Low? It was surely no higher than 100 feet up. Even after it passed from sight the other birds never resumed singing. That eagle was so close I could tell it had bad breath. It was a golden eagle — no white on its tailfeathers or head.
I don’t want to whine too soon, but does it seem like flies are already bad?
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THE GOOD EARTH.
It gives us cabbage which keeps us from getting goiters, as you may remember from an older M-C-R column. At the time I said that eating sauerkraut was the only way to get enough iodine to keep goiters away. Of course that statement was wrong. You can get iodine naturally from eating cabbage in any form, I guess, including slaw or Albert Motta’s Mexican cabbage dish which was served last Friday at the opening of the Farmers Market in Nashville.
Delish! I sneaked behind the building so that no one could see me licking my plate.
The Good Earth also gives us honeysuckle which is now blooming and leaving its wonderful scent. I once tried to show my granddaughter how to pull the thingy through the base of a honeysuckle bloom and lick that one clear drop of nectar. It seems to me that the white blooms gave more nectar than the yellow ones. Or, is it the other way around?
Granddaughter is a city girl who has no idea what honeysuckle is.
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS. On Monday, May 20, Nashville police will conduct a ‘Click it or Ticket Day.”
They’ll pull you over just to see if you’re belted in properly, and they’ll also be looking for children who are not in proper restraints.
You WILL get a ticket if you’re not doin’ right. Officers aren’t necessarily wanting to give you a ticket, they want to raise awareness for seatbelts.
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THE TALLEST MOUNTAIN in the United Kingdom isn’t really all that tall — Mt. Ben Nevis is slightly higher than 4,400. Recently some Brits went up the peak and were busily re-arranging a big stack of stones that some unconsiderate, unidentified person(s) had left in a pile.
When they dug down aways they got a real surprise. There was a piano. A real, lifesize piano.
No one knows who left it there (possibly at the end of a ‘jam’ session?) but there was a foodwrapper which said “Use before Dec. 1986.” Oh, those Brits and their sense of humor.
Who lugged it up 4,400-ft. anyway?
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WHAT’S IN A NAME?
A publication named “Social Psychological and Personality Science” has done a study about the most popular names being given these days. One of the most popular last year was Mason, and the publication noted that it is a tradesman name, and other tradesman names include Cooper, Tanner, Carter and Mortician. Just joking on the last. I know what Coopers and Tanners are, but what is a Carter?
Another popular name for male babies these days is Noah, although the name also appears in the Old Testament as a woman’s name. I’ve never heard of a woman named Noah.
According to the publication, William has always been a popular name to give to baby boys. But its popularity is dropping rapidly and it may soon fall out of the top 10.
Baloney! Now, there’s a good name for a baby boy. If you had twins you could call them Bologna and Salami. The Deli boys. Sorry, I must be thinking about food.
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PUNS AND ADULT TRUTHS from my piano friend at Fellowship:
“Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.”
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HE SAID: “As a child my family’s menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it.” Buddey Hackett, comic
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SHE SAID: “It is all right for the lion and the lamb to lie down together if they are both asleep, but if one of them begins to get active, it is dangerous.” Crystal Eastman, lawyer
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SWEET DREAMS, Baby
Obituary: Tommy Charles Roesing
Tommy Charles Roesing
Tommy Charles Roesing, 78, of Nashville, passed away on Friday, May 3, 2013 in Nashville. He was born on July 22, 1934.
Tommy was a member of the Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church.
Tommy was well-known in this world leaving his kindhearted-God loving impression on everyone. He shared his musical talent touching people’s hearts and souls.
He was married to first wife, Florene and they raised their daughter, Deb. After Florene’s death he married Gwen and was a loving father and grandfather to all.
Survivors include: his wife, Gwen of Nashville; his children, Deb Erwin of Nashville, Terri Lea Worthington and husband,Gerry of Nashville, Jacque Diane Tollett and husband, Charles of Mineral Springs, Gene Edwards of Little Rock, Gary Edwards and wife, Sally of Nashville; eight grandchildren, Drake Staggs, Chad Staggs, Gracie Hooper, Chelsie Nolen, Justin Edwards, Jason Edwards, Bradly Burnett, and Michael Paul Edwards; and four great grandchildren. Many other relatives and friends mourn his passing.
Graveside services were at 2 p.m., Sunday, May 5, 2013 at Bluff Springs Cemetery in Mineral Springs with Brother Vic Chapman officiating.
You may send an online sympathy message at latimerfumeralhome.com.
Obituary: Bobby Neal Henderson
Bobby Neal “Bob” Henderson, 72, of Hope, Ark., died Thursday, May 2, 2013.
He was born May 27, 1940, in Mineral Springs, Ark., to the late Delmar and Dessie Mae Taylor Henderson. He was a member of First Assembly of God Church in Hope.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Della Buck.
Survivors include: his wife of 44 years, Carolyn Henderson; two sons, Jerry Richard Henderson of Hope, and Charles Wesley Henderson and wife, Laura, of Texarkana, Ark.; a daughter, Sherry D. Howard and husband, Chris, of Hope; two brothers, Delmar Henderson, Jr., and Edward Henderson of Mineral Springs; a sister, Jeanine Coleman, of Mishiwaka, Ind.; also grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Visitation was 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 3, at Brazzel/Oakcrest Funeral Home in Hope.
Funeral service was 2 p.m., Saturday, May 4, at A Place of Meeting Church in Perrytown, Ark., with Bro. Nathaniel Crane officiating. Burial followed at Huckabee Cemetery in Hope. Arrangements by Brazzel/Oakcrest The Funeral Home of Hope.
Online Guestbook: brazzelfuneralhomes.com.
Obituary: Mary Elizabeth Cannon
Mary Elizabeth Cannon, 83, of Nashville, died Thursday, May 2, 2013 in Nashville.
She was born Aug. 24, 1929 in Shreveport, La., the daughter of the late Roy and Minnie (Henson) Kilpatrick.
She was preceded in death by two sisters, Josephine Thornton and Jeanette Huckaby.
Survivors include: her children, Janis Lee Stinson of Springhill, La., John Wayne Stinson and wife, Linda, of Nashville, JL Stinson of Nashville, Roy Gene Stinson and wife, Juanita, of Nashville, Penny Stinson of Springhill, La., Liz K. Sigman and husband, Tony, of Murfreesboro, Mary Hughes and husband, Phillip, of Bismarck, and Melissa Goessman and husband, Gary, of Springhill, La.; a sister, Louise Tippens; also grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were Monday, May 6, 2013 at 2 p.m. in Unity Cemetery with Latimer Funeral Home of Nashville officiating.
You may send an online sympathy message at latimerfuneralhome.com.
Obituary: Daniel Corey Stone
Daniel Corey Stone, 24 of Murfreesboro, Ark., passed away on April 30, 2013 in San Diego, Calif.
He was born on Dec. 30, 1988 in Arkadelphia, Ark., to David and Selina Stone.
Daniel was an avid outdoorsman and athlete.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Dallas and Fannie Stone; and a half brother Jesse Stone, all from Delight.
Survivors include his mother and step-father, Selina and Mark Russell of Murfreesboro, Ark.; his father David Stone from Delight, Ark.; maternal grandparents, Cliff and Janice Womack of Murfreesboro, Ark.; a sister, Courtney Stone of Murfreesboro, Ark.; a brother, Dusty Stone of Murfreesboro, Ark.; nephew and niece, Layne and Addie Cox of Murfreesboro, Ark.; three aunts, Starla Womack of Texarkana, Ark., Vicky Ivy and husband, Harley of Arkadelphia, and Carolyn Kuykendall of Hot Springs, Ark., along with numerous family and friends and his dog, Maggie.
Services will be on Thursday, May 9, 2013 at 11 a.m. at the Pleasant Home Church of Christ in Murfreesboro with Steve Kelley officiating with burial in Pleasant Home Cemetery under the direction of Latimer Funeral Home, Murfreesboro.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Pleasant Home Cemetery fund.
You may send an online sympathy message at latimerfuneralhome.com.
Delight man charged in shooting death of brother
When Deputies of the Pike County Sheriff’s Office arrived they found the victim, David Dowdle, 53, of Delight, lying in the living room floor of the residence, with apparent injuries due to the presence of a large amount of blood on and around him on the floor and unresponsive.
Pike County Detective Sergeant Clark Kinzler then notified Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigator Neal Thomas, Sheriff Charlie Caldwell, Chief Deputy Jerry Lowery, Deputy Prosecutor Jana Bradford, and Prosecutor Bryan Chesshir of the incident. The Pike County Coroner was notified and the victim was later pronounced dead at the scene.
The task force of Pike County Deputies, Arkansas State Police, and South Central Drug Task Force obtained permission from the owner to enter the residence and retrieve the victim’s body and weapon from the scene. The weapon, a .22 LR revolver pistol, was found lying on the living room floor just inside the doorway.
Following the retrieval of the victim’s body the crime scene was sealed and guarded pending a search warrant. At 6:00 on the morning of April 30, Pike County Circuit Judge Charles Yeargan signed a search warrant to enter the crime scene and executed this search warrant at 8:00 a.m. on April 30.
Investigators observed numerous blood stains on the couch located along the west wall of the living room and on the floor where the victim had been lying. Along the floor between the couch and the victim’s final location, Investigators observed a blood stain that appeared to be “drag marks.” This stain began at the couch on the west wall and continued along the floor until it came to an end at the location where the victim’s body was found lying.
Investigators interviewed Danny W. Dowdle, 46, of Delight on April 30 at the Pike County Sheriff’s Office. He stated that he shot the victim after an argument had occurred. He stated that he shot him in the head and he intended to kill him when he shot him. The suspect then stated that he then dragged the victim’s body across the floor to the location where it was found upon the arrival of emergency personnel.
On Wednesday May 1, the suspect Danny Dowdle, who is the younger brother of the victim, was transported to the Howard County Court House where he made a first appeared before Judge Tom Cooper. Prosecuting Chesshir presented on behalf of the State of Arkansas, probable cause information for a warrantless arrest of the suspect was introduced. Judge Cooper found that probable cause existed for the arrest and detention of the suspect for the charge of Murder and a bond of $100,000.00 was set.
Alleged sexual assault among incidents under investigation at local ‘mud bog’ event
The Hempstead County Sheriff’s Department is investigating several incident that happened at the Hillarosa Mud Bog in Blevins, including the alleged sexual assault of a 17-year-old female.
On April 27, Deputy Steven Dunham was dispatched to 6252 Highway 29 North (Hillarosa ATV Park) in reference to a medical emergency. Upon arrival he spoke with the father of a juvenile female who told the deputy his daughter had been drugged.
The father stated that his daughter had been missing for about four hours and he was not able to get in touch with her by phone or find her. The girl eventually showed up with a male juvenile at approximately 11:30 p.m.. The male told the juvenile’s father he had found his daughter earlier and she had appeared to be intoxicated, according to a press release from the Hempstead Sheriff’s Department.
Deputy Dunham asked the female if she remembered what happened and she said she was at the Hillarosa concert and listening to music with her friends when she was offered a beer. The girl drank the beer and later asked the male if he would take her back to her camper so she could go to sleep. The male friend agreed to but reportedly drove her down some four-wheeler trails and parked in the wooded area. The male allegedly made sexual advances toward her girl, who stated that she told the male to stop and that his advances were unwelcome.
The female told Deputy Dunham that the male started driving her back to her camper. The victim began to doze off and said when she woke up the male was taking her shirt off. After dozing off again, she woke up to find the male was assaulting her. The female said she told the male again to stop and he complied. The juvenile said the next thing she remembers was lying in the back of the ambulance.
The juvenile was transported to Wadley Regional Medical Hospital in Hope Arkansas. She was later transported to Arkansas Children’s Hospital to have a sexual assault examination.
Other incidents under investigation at the ATV event include:
A stolen four-wheeler and trailer, reported by Brent Westbrook of Benton. Westbrook said he had seen a black Dodge truck drive off with the items but was unable to get a license plate number.
An ATV accident that hurt Danny Cotton, 37, and Anita Cotton, 36, of Baunita. Anita Cotton was transported by helicopter ambulance to a Texarkana hospital while her husband was transported by ground ambulance to the same hospital.
A stolen four-wheeler, reported by Isaiah Kaufman of Paducah, Ky. Kaufman had borrowed the ATV from a friend in Hope.
A stolen four-wheeler, reported by Walter Meeks of Conway.
An ATV accident that injured Tony Frazier, 21, of Malvern. Frazier told authorities he was he was riding the ATV when he was struck by another four-wheeler drive who was rising a wheelie. Frazier was transported by helicopter ambulance to a Hot Spings hospital.
Mineral Springs Saratoga district works to comply with state regulations
The Mineral Springs Saratoga School District is between the proverbial rock and hard place.
In a called session, Wednesday afternoon, the district reviewed audit findings and made some adjustments to the budget as required by the State Department of Education.
In addition to reviewing shortcomings pointed out by a state audit, the board approved a $124,000 reimbursement for improper payments from the federal Title 1 program.
The district has been informed that recently approved contract extensions for teachers and administrators were not valid until approved by the SDE.
Before the called session, Wednesday, interim Supt. Bill Blackwood said that current teacher contracts would expire May 1. He included himself in that category, acknowledging that his contract would expire at the end of the school year. Asked if he would return as interim superintendent, he answered “no.”
The board has interviewed candidates to succeed Max Adcock as superintendent, but Blackwood said that a new superintendent could not be hired until the SDE gives its approval.
The board also reportedly gave its pre-approval for future adjustments to the district’s budget to be made by the SDE, which is controlling the district because it is on fiscally distressed status.
Blackwood told “The Leader” that there were other schools in Arkansas facing the same problem as Mineral Springs. He said they might have had good financial reserves several years ago, but those reserves had gradually been eroded to the point that districts were now in distress.
He predicted some tough times for the MSS district, but said, “It can be done.”
Blackwood was hired this year as interim superintendent after the board put then-superintendent Adcock on paid leave.
Teachers whose contracts are not renewed by May 1 are free to sign contracts elsewhere. Blackwood said that it was possible some MS teachers might look elsewhere. “A good teacher can always find a job,” he said, adding that some undoubtedly were loyal to the district and the community.
The board was called back for a special session, Friday afternoon. Before the meeting, Blackwood told the media that although ‘personnel’ was listed on the agenda, he had been informed by the SDE’s attorney that the district still could not take any action on teacher contracts. He said that the board would retire to executive session to discuss staffing the schools.
On Monday he confirmed that no action had been taken at the Friday meeting.
No Peaches Here: Hubby’s shopping habits exposed by cook contest
SIXTEEN BELOVED COOKS from our community prepared peach dishes, Friday, for a chamber of commerce ‘coffee’ which promoted the coming Peach Blossom Festival.
The public was invited to come to the coffee, taste the dishes and vote on their favorites. It’s a heavy responsibility, but somebody’s got to do it. Also, by making a choice you might have made a lifelong enemy. But enough of that negative stuff.
Some of the cooks prepared more than one dish. How’s that for community spirit?
I have my suspicions that at least some of the cooks got just a bit competitive, judging from what I overheard some of them whispering while 20 or 30 rumbling tummies were anxiously circling the chamber’s table of aromatic peach goodies.
This whole story would have been much simpler if only our famous southwest Arkansas peaches were already ripe. But, alas, locally-grown peaches are still several weeks away, weather permitting.
That left only canned or frozen peaches available to our competitive cooks. Or, they could have gotten some of those clever cardboard peaches from California, but nobody in their right mind would use those in a cooking contest which they actually wanted to win. But far be it from me to get things stirred up with California peach-growers.
One lady chef — I hesitate to identify her, but I will give you a hint that her given name begins with O and ends in A, and she is on the chamber board. Her husband knows something about builders supplies even if he doesn’t know the first thing about how many ounces of frozen peaches are needed to produce a prizewinner cobbler. I’d tell you more but I don’t want to give away their identities.
But, to get back to this peachy piece of investigative journalism — Ouida Terrell sent hubby Ray to the grocery store with instructions to get her some frozen peaches for the contest cooking. Ray knew better than to come home without enough peaches, so he naturally — and I have this on good authority — bought every bag of frozen peaches at Walmart and Brookshire’s. Each and every one.
Ouida may or may not have needed most of one whole bag to prepare her peach dish, but she got 18.
What I overheard was that some of the other contestants reportedly had to make 125-mile round trips just to get a few measly peaches for their own dishes. The inconvenience may or may not have made them just a teeeny bit grumpy.
Heck, Ouida is a good sport and would surely have given free bags of peaches to her competition if she had only been aware of the shortage in Nashville created by a guy named Ray.
Yeah, and thank goodness for home freezers.
The good news is that Ouida has enough remaining bags of frozen peaches to get her through the next eight or nine or seventeen years of chamber of commerce peach dish contests.
The bad news is that the chamber directors would not let me enter my more-or-less famous peach dacquiri in the contest. It’s just as well. I would have had to use canned peaches.
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THE GOOD EARTH.
I am dreading writing thank-you notes to everyone who has azalea bushes in their yards. The postage alone should make the lettercarrier paychecks for several weeks, despite all of the troubles in the Postal Service.
But I am really appreciative of all the color we’ve had this spring from your azaleas. Some of them dropped their last petals weeks ago. Some are still in full blooming vigor. It has been a great display!
Any day, now, the privet hedges will give off their strong but sweet smell.
A friend of mine says it smells like the end of school.
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ALL THIS TALK about food flung another craving on me, Saturday. I mentioned to The Navigator that sometime soon we needed to make a return trip for Sunday Brunch at Ralph and Kacoo’s Seafood joint in Shreveport.
“Can’t go before tomorrow,” she said. She is a miser with words!
So at 10:15 next morning we headed south. Whoever said you could drive to Shreveport in 90 minutes must’ve been driving like a bat out of Helena-West Helena. I can’t make it in less than 2.5 hours. Of course, I do follow the speed limits carefully when I’m anywhere near Bradley and Lewisville because of my healthy respect for blue lights.
Even so, we were ordering at Ralph and Kacoo’s before 12:30. We went for the salads — she preferring crawfish, while I had my taste buds set on a shrimp-avacado dish. The meals would’ve fit any diet IF that durn waitress hadn’t kept bringing baskets of fresh hushpuppies.
Back on the road, we argued over who’d drive and who’d nap. I naturally lost. We were back in town before 4.
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PUNS AND ADULT TRUTHS from my piano friend at Fellowship:
“Why do you have to ‘put your two cents in ‘… but it’s only a ‘penny for your thoughts’? Where’s that extra penny going?”
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HE SAID: “To an engineer, good enough means perfect. With an artist, there’s no such thing as perfect.” Alexander Calder, sculptor
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SHE SAID: “A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or a headache.” Catherine the Great, empress of Russia
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SWEET DREAMS, Baby
Obituary: Wallace Franklin Corley
Wallace Franklin Corley, 80, of Russellville, Ark., went home to be with his Lord, Thursday, April 11, 2013. The son of William and Ola Mae Corley, he was born Oct. 5, 1932 in Louann, Ark.
He married Marian Alice Cardin, on June 21, 1951 at Malvern, Ark., and was a farmer and oilman. He was a member of the 1st Baptist Church in Dover and was one of the original founders and officers of the Contract Poultry Grower’s Association. He was a dedicated and exuberant tinkerer who was always looking for improvements in his surroundings. Out of this passion came his oil truck design which is the global standard in the petroleum industry. He was also passionate about politics, political debate, community outreach and philanthropy. He enjoyed fishing, fish frying, and traveling with Marian around the U.S. and Canada with a brief stop in Mexico. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother; and sister.
Survivors include his loving wife of 61 years, Marian Alice Corley of Russellville; two sons, William Roderick Corley of Conway and Jeffrey Quinten Corley and wife, Jill of Bryant; chosen daughter, Terry Melson Castleberry of Heber Springs; four grandchildren; two great grandchildren; two sisters, Mildred Perry of Houston, Texas, and Myrna Gathright of Smackover; four brothers, Henry Corley, Mervyn Corley, David Corley, all of Smackover and Gary Corley of El Dorado; and numerous extend family.
Life Celebration Service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 13, 2013 at Dover First Baptist Church. Dr. Jeff Paxton officiated. Arrangements were under the direction of Humphrey Funeral Service. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Dover Building Fund, 149 SR 164 E, Dover, AR 72837, or a Christian Charity of your choosing. Internet obituary and on-line guest book are available at www.humphreyfuneral.com.
