- IZARD COUNTY SHERIFF EARNIE BLACKLY REPORTS AS A RESULT OF AN INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE AT A RESIDENCE IN SAGE THURSDAY, WHERE A 17-YEAR-OLD MALE WAS SHOT, A WARRANT FOR 19 YEAR OLD JONATHAN CHRISTIAN TORRES OF MELBOURNE, WAS ISSUED OUT OF THE IZARD COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT, CHARGING HIM WITH BATTERY 1ST DEGREE, A CLASS "B" FELONY. ON OCTOBER 20 AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 P.M., INFORMATION LED DEPUTIES WITH THE IZARD COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE ARKANSAS STATE POLICE TO A RESIDENCE IN MOUNT PLEASANT. TORRES WAS LOCATED AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WITHOUT INCIDENT. TORRES IS BEING HELD WITH NO BOND AND A COURT DATE OF OCTOBER 23 IN THE IZARD COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT. A CLASS "B" FELONY CARRIES A PRISON SENTENCE OF FIVE TO TWENTY YEARS.
- ASH FLAT CHIEF OF POLICE ANTHONY WILES SUBMITTED HIS RESIGNATION AT THE RECENT MEETING OF THE ASH FLAT CITY COUNCIL FOLLOWING HIS REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT… WILES HAS SERVED AS CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE PAST 11 YEARS AND CITED SEEKING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE HIS LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER AS HIS REASON FOR RESIGNING… A SIGN PERMIT FOR THE NEW COFFEE SHOP IN ASH FLAT WAS APPROVED AND ALDERMEN DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF APPROACHING THE COUNTY ABOUT WIDENING COURT STREET AND ARNHART STREET FROM THE CHURCH TO HIGHWAY 354… MAYOR LARRY FOWLER AGREED TO CONTACT SHARP COUNTY JUDGE GENE MOORE ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THEN ADVISED THE CITY RECEIVED TWO BIDS FOR THE SIDEWALK REPAIR WITH THE LOWEST BIDDER AWARDED THE PROJECT AT $2,400.00…. RECORDER TREASURER CHARLOTTE GOODWIN ADVISED THE COUNCIL THERE WAS AN ORDINANCE THE CITY WOULD NEED TO REVIEW FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER IN REGARDS TO PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEDURES.. GRAYCEN BIGGER THEN ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL REGARDING SOME NEW ARKANSAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDING AVAILABLE TO CITIES AND COUNTIES IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000.00 FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS IN PUBLICLY OWNED BUILDINGS… BIGGER ADVISED THERE IS NO MATCH REQUIRED AND NO INCOME REQUIREMENTS AND THE TURN AROUND IS ABOUT ONE MONTH.. THE FUNDING IS AN EXTENSION OF GENERAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS AND IS BEING AWARDED ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS.. BIGGER AGREED TO MEET WITH MAYOR LARRY FOWLER TO DISCUSS THE OPPORTUNITY IN MORE DETAIL.. IN FINAL BUSINESS THE ASH FLAT LIBRARY PRESENTED THEIR MONTHLY REPORT ADDING THE LIBRARY WOULD HOLD THIER HAUNTED HOUSE OCTOBER 30 AND 31 FROM 5 TIL 7 EACH EVENING AND IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO TO ASSIST AT THE EVENT..
- IN AN UNUSUAL TURN OF EVENTS FOLLOWING A TRAFFIC STOP IN IZARD COUNTY EARLIER THIS MONTH, AFTER THE SUSPECT HAD EXITED HIS VEHICLE AND AS HIS CRIMINAL RECORD WAS BEING CONFIRMED, HE FLED ON FOOT AND RETURNED TO HIS CAR, RESULTING IN A HIGH-SPEED PURSUIT. HIS ALLEGED ACTIONS, ILLEGAL DRUGS FOUND IN HIS POSSESSION AND HIS CRIMINAL RECORD WOULD LEAD TO HIS ARREST AND A $100,000 BOND. ACCORDING TO THE PROBABLE CAUSE AFFIDAVIT, A TRAFFIC STOP WAS INITIATED ON 42-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER RAY DAY OF MARCELLA, AN UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY IN STONE COUNTY. THE STOP FOLLOWED OFFICERS FROM THE IZARD COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE RECEIVING INFORMATION OF A POSSIBLE ILLEGAL DRUG TRANSACTION AT A GROCERY STORE IN CALICO ROCK. WHEN THE TRAFFIC STOP WAS ATTEMPTED, DAY ALLEGEDLY CONTINUED ON UNTIL HIS VEHICLE CROSSED THE COUNTY LINE, BEFORE PULLING OVER. DAY WAS DESCRIBED AS VERY NERVOUS, SWEATING PROFUSELY, AVOIDING EYE CONTACT AND WITH HIS PANTS UNZIPPED. AN IZARD COUNTY DEPUTY RETURNED TO HIS VEHICLE TO CONFIRM DAY HAD A SEARCH WAIVER ON FILE. DAY WOULD DISPUTE THE SEARCH WAIVER, LEADING AN ARKANSAS STATE POLICE TROOPER ASSISTING WITH THE STOP TO RETURN TO HIS VEHICLE FOR CONFIRMATION. AS THE TROOPER GOT INTO HIS VEHICLE, DAY IS ALLEGED TO HAVE FLED FROM THE DEPUTY ON FOOT, RETURNED TO HIS CAR AND LEFT THE SCENE. THE TROOPER PURSUED DAY’S VEHICLE SOUTHBOUND ON STATE HIGHWAY 5, REACHING SPEEDS OF UP TO 87 MILES PER HOUR, WHILE CROSSING THE WHITE AND CENTER LINES MULTIPLE TIMES. A FIRST ATTEMPT TO STOP THE FLEEING VEHICLE WITH A PRECISION IMMOBILIZATION TECHNIQUE OR PIT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, WHEN DAY APPLIED HIS BRAKES, GREATLY REDUCING HIS SPEED. AFTER ACCELERATING AGAIN, A SECOND PIT WAS SUCCESSFUL, WITH DAY’S VEHICLE COMING TO REST IN A DITCH. SEVERAL SYRINGE CAPS WERE ALLEGEDLY LOCATED IN DAY’S POCKET, AS WELL AS A BALL OF BLACK TAPE WITH CLEAR PLASTIC STUCK TO IT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF HIS VEHICLE. IT IS BELIEVED AFTER THE TROOPER REPORTED HAVING SEEN AN ITEM TOSSED FROM THE FLEEING VEHICLE, DAY THREW SOMETHING OUT THE CAR WINDOW. A BAGGIE CONTAINING A CRYSTALLINE SUBSTANCE WEIGHING APPROXIMATELY 26 GRAMS AND FIELD TESTING POSITIVE FOR METHAMPHETAMINE WAS FOUND ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. DAY HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH A FELONY COUNT OF POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, METHAMPHETAMINE/COCAINE, AND A MISDEMEANOR COUNT OF FLEEING. HE IS ALSO CHARGED AS A HABITUAL OFFENDER, HAVING BEEN CONVICTED OF FOUR OR MORE FELONIES.
- BACK IN SEPTEMBER, CITY LEADERS IN BATESVILLE ASKED RESIDENTS TO IMAGINE THEY WON THE LOTTERY... HOW WOULD THEY USE THAT MONEY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE BATESVILLE AREA. MORE THAN 200 RESIDENTS RESPONDED AND THE RESULTS ARE IN… 90 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS WANTED TO SEE THE BATESVILLE RIVERFRONT DEVELOPED.. 70 PERCENT WANTED IN AN INCREASE IN LIVE MUSIC FOR ENTERTAINMENT.. 65 PERCENT WANT A PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY WALKING BRIDGE.. 55 PERCENT WANTED THE UNPLEASANT ODOR FROM THE CHICKEN PROCESSING PLANTS ADDRESSED, 55 PERCENT WANTED ADDITIONAL RESTAURANTS AND COMPLETION OF THE PEDESTRIAN TRAIL.… 45 PERCENT WANTED TO PURCHASE ALCOHOL. BATESVILLE TOURISM DIRECTOR, KYLE CRISTOPHER SAYS NOW THAT THE AREA'S NEEDS HAVE BEEN ASSESSED, ITS TIME FOR CITY LEADERS TO SEE HOW CAN ADDRESS THE PRIORITIES DESIGNATED BY THE PUBLIC.
- A WOMEN'S HEALTH EVENT WILL BE HELD TUESDAY FROM 4 TIL 7 AT THE BATESVILLE COMMUNITY CENTER.. THE EVENT WILL INCLUDE FREE SCREENINGS FOR BALANCE TESTING, BLOOD PRESSURE, BODY MASS INDEX, BONE DENSITY, CHOLESTEROL, GLUCOSE, ENT SCREENING, THYROID, SKIN CANCER AND ULTRASOUND AORTA SCREENINGS.. SEVERAL EDUCATIONAL BOOTHS WILL BE SET UP AS WELL AND FLU SHOTS WILL BE AVAILABLE... DOOR PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED… THERE IS NO CHARGE TO ATTEND...
- THE HARDY TIMELY CLUB'S NINTH ANNUAL HOLIDAY MARKETPLACE IS SATURDAY (OCT 26) FROM 9 TIL 3 AT THE A.L. HUTSON CENTER ON THE FOUR LANE IN HIGHLAND… DEBBIE KAMPS TELLS HOMETOWN NEWS THE MARKETPLACE IS FULL OF LOCAL ARTISANS, IN FACT, EVERY BOOTH SPACE HAS BEEN SOLD… IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MARKETPLACE, MEMBERS OF THE TIMELY CLUB INVITE YOU TO SUPPORT THEIR FUNDRAISER FOR NEW BEGINNINGS PREGNANCY HELP CENTER... PHOTOGRAPHER CLARK SANDERS WILL BE DOING STUDIO PORTRAITS WITH PROCEEDS GOING TO NEW BEGINNINGS.. THE MARKETPLACE CAFE WILL BE OPEN, 9 TIL 3 THIS SATURDAY AT THE A.L. HUTSON CENTER....
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