The News

Odds are, if you traveled along US Hwy. 62/412 on Thursday, Aug. 15, you were aware of a motor vehicle accident which claimed the life of one, and had traffic slowed to a standstill for several hours. Sam Kirkland, 23, of Caufield, Mo., was traveling east on Hwy. ...

A recently confirmed case of hepatitis A may leave the public with questions. Awareness and knowing how to prevent the virus are key in remaining healthy and hepatitis A free. According to Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), the agency is responding to a hepatitis A outbreak in northeast Arkansas. “Since February 2018, 399 cases have been reported as part of this outbreak,” said information found on ADH’s website...

Izard County resident Hannah Brown has spent the last several weeks working on her fundraising campaign for the Autism Speaks Walk, slated for Oct. 19. “I am on the spectrum and I am trying to beat my goal from last year. It is to raise money for awareness for autism,” Brown said...

As the result of an investigation which began in June, Fulton County Judge Jim Kendrick was charged with theft of property, a class D felony. Earlier this summer, Fulton County Sheriff Al Roork received a complaint from a taxpayer involving Judge Kendrick using county resources to make repairs to his personal driveway. ...

Fulton County Sheriff Al Roork was heard on a local radio station across the county and surrounding areas on Wednesday, Aug. 7, warning individuals responsible for the senseless and criminal acts committed at the Mammoth Spring Fire Department. The night of Monday, Aug. ...

Results of a four month remodel at Mammoth Spring State Park Welcome Center were revealed at a special ribbon cutting ceremony held on Thursday, Aug.1. “Arkansas State Parks recently completed a major welcome center restroom renovation at Mammoth Spring State Park. Roughly $60,000 was spent on the project that began in early April and was completed July 31. This project was possible because of the 1/8 cent conservation tax that helps to fund improvements to Arkansas State Parks...

Arraignment for Rebecca O’Donnell, the suspect in custody for the murder of Linda Collins, was held before Judge David Goodson at the Randolph County Courthouse in Pocahontas July 30 during which Third Judicial Prosecuting Attorney Henry Boyce announced he intends to seek the death penalty if O’Donnell is found guilty of capital murder...

National Immunization Awareness Month is an annual observance held in August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages, Linda Inmon, Extension specialist for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), said. It is also a good time to make sure children receive their vaccinations before the school year...

Tony Martin is known to many as a familiar friendly face at Town and Country in Salem. His ability to put a smile on a person’s face with a joke or one of his beautifully told stories are a couple of things he is known for. Now, you can add sunflower farmer to that list...

The Salem City Council met on Thursday, July 25, at the Salem City Hall. Mayor Daniel Busch called the meeting to order with a quorum present. Mayor Busch presented the financial report which was reviewed and approved. A comment was made that the financials looked “pretty good”...

The 100th Fulton County Fair was one for the books! July 22-27 was a week full of busy activities, contests, having fun with family and reminiscing on the fairs held in Fulton County over the years. Fulton County Fair is known to be one of the best county fairs in the area. ...

The Highland School District will hold a special election Aug. 13 with two issues being placed before the voters who reside within the district. The first issue will be to retain five mills currently being paid which will come to an end in 2023. The second will be to request an additional four mills to be used for new construction and repairs to many of the school’s facilities...

Arkansas-based Crow-Burlingame – one of the largest Bumper-to-Bumper affiliates in the country and a leader in the replacement auto parts industry – celebrates 100-years in business. From its humble beginnings on Little Rock’s West Fourth Street where friends William Robert Crow and J.G. Burlingame opened their first location back in 1919, the company has grown into the third largest privately-owned automotive parts distribution business in the United States...

It’s the first day of school. The bus pulls up to Highland Middle School. The doors on the bus open. Kids from 11 to 14 years of age are eagerly waiting for their turn to exit and begin their new semester of school. Many of these kids are sporting brand new clothes, a fresh pair of kicks, new backpacks filled with mechanical pencils and fancy notebooks. They have their hair fixed just so, they are almost teenagers after all, and their looks are important to them at this age...

It was a somber day in Stone County and surrounding communities, Thursday, July 18. Mike Stephen, a 20 year law enforcement veteran, Army veteran and Pineville Fire Chief, was killed in an officer involved shooting. According to Arkansas State Police Public Information Specialist Bill Sadler, Stephen responded to a call which was received around 8 a.m., on Flag Road, nearly 20 miles outside of Mountain View. ...

July 8 – 14 According to Sheriff Earnie Blackley: On July 8, David Miller age 30, of Cherokee Village, was arrested by Deputy JJ Thomas for Driving with Suspended License and was transported to Izard County Detention Center. Miller posted a bond of $385. Miller is scheduled to appear in the Izard County District Court on Aug. 8...

On July 9, Baxter County Sheriff’s Deputies were involved in a high speed pursuit of a stolen Chevy Silverado truck into Fulton County.The stolen truck was abandoned at Pickren Hall Road at the intersection of Enterprise Road at around 6:50 a.m. A manhunt began at this point. ...

A large crowd gathered at Ozarka College in Melbourne July 11 for the Lady Bearkatz 2019 State Championship Ring Ceremony. The event opened with a few words from Sandra Taylor, former teacher, counselor and graduate of Melbourne High School. “I am a proud retired teacher of 35 years, a Melbourne graduate of 1975 and a proud member of the 1973 [girls basketball] team and we got to enjoy this [when we won] and got to be a small part,” Taylor said. ...

Art is timeless. It is powerful and can change the way people think just by simply viewing the work of others. It may not be the Trevi Fountain, but when Rilee Morgan was given an assignment earlier this year to complete an art project, what he would ultimately create, has the ability to be just as impactful...

After 100 years of fairs, the Fulton County Fair is still going strong. The 2019 fair season, July 20-27, marks a huge milestone for Fulton County. Many activities throughout the week will be geared toward honoring 100 year milestones and individuals in the community. Volunteer Joann Lowrie spent a lot of time organizing photos, newspaper clippings, and other memorabilia, on poster boards to represent each era. Look for the large display in the Exhibition Building during fair week...

Country music superstars Mark Chesnutt and group Shenandoah will perform at this year’s Cave City Watermelon Festival; Shenandoah on Friday, July 26, at 8 p.m. on the Bank of Cave City Main Stage and Chesnutt on Saturday, July 27, at 8:30 p.m. on the Bank of Cave City Main Stage...

Mammoth Spring Chamber of Commerce recently held their regular monthly meeting at their newest member’s business, Stateline Franks Hot Dog Stand in Mammoth Spring. Dan Grant discussed the 126th Old Soldiers Reunion, the carnival company arrived and was preparing for the upcoming event and began Monday, July 15. Posters were not yet received for the event at the time of the meeting...

It has been almost one year since Fulton County Sheriff Al Roork expressed his concerns of his deputies’ salary to the Fulton County Quorum Court. Roork made waves throughout the state with his presentation at the August 2018 meeting – waves that led to a special election for a countywide tax to benefit Fulton County Sheriff’s Office...

Early Tuesday (July 9) morning, residents of the Pickren Hall/Enterprise community near Viola were urged to remove all keys from their vehicles (and ATVs), lock up their houses and stay inside, as a man who led deputies on a high speed chase had abandoned the vehicle and was on foot...

Although the trial ultimately ended in a mistrial after a hung jury was dismissed by Circuit Judge Harold Erwin, July 2 started the second day of trial for Cherokee Village Police Officer Josh Trivitt, as the second round of state’s witnesses were called, beginning with recently reinstated Ash Flat Police Officer Colton Wilson...

On July 7, Jimmy L. Novak, a man walking across the country to raise awareness for veteran suicide, made a pit stop at the Spring River Draft House in Hardy. On March 22, Novak began his journey leaving from Dupont, Wash. with the goal to walk 22 miles a day to symbolize one mile for each veteran who will take their own life...

Fulton County Hospital has been recognized by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) as an Arkansas Stroke Ready Hospital (ArSRH). “With stroke, every second counts. Each hour of delay in stroke treatment ages the brain close to four years and increases the chances of permanent disability,” said Appathurai Balamurugan, MD, DrPH, State Chronic Disease Director and Medical Director for the ADH Chronic Disease Branch. ...

Sharon Kibe, a Bexar resident, has identified a need in the area and is working to fill the void. Diapers for Babies in Need is starting out small, but Kibe hopes to see it grow and become Fulton County-wide. The first phase of her project will take place in Viola, with the help of Pharmacy Barn and Dollar General. “Right now we are starting in the Viola area and Bruce at Dollar General will deliver diapers, if purchased in the store, to Pharmacy Barn,” explained Kibe...

It’s that time of year again…time for the annual award-winning Old Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Air Force Reunion sponsored by VFW Post 7831 in Mammoth Spring. The reunion will be held Tuesday, July 16 through Saturday, July 20 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the reunion grounds near the baseball field in Mammoth Spring State Park. The fun family-friendly event will feature carnival rides, games, prizes, food, bingo and much more each evening...

There was a noticeable difference at the start of the Salem City Council meeting held Thursday, June 27. After almost 27 years, when George Herbert Walker Bush was in the White House, there was a new person sitting at the table in the City of Salem Recorder/Treasurer’s seat...

Hosea Rhoades was born the son of Abner S. Rhoades and Julia A. Leu Rhoades on January 12, 1922 in Couch, Mo. and departed this life on June 26, 2019 at Shady Oaks Healthcare in Thayer, Mo. at the age of 97 years. He was united in marriage on July 5, 1945 to Anna Marie Moreland in Salem, Ark. Anna was a beautiful Christian girl who he met at a large tent revival that was held on the Add Smith farm east of Couch...

Following jury selection early on the morning of July 1 at the Sharp County Courthouse in Ash Flat, Cherokee Village Officer Josh Trivitt entered the courtroom of Circuit Judge Harold Erwin to stand trial for the injuries he allegedly inflicted on Ash Flat resident Randall Veazie in November of 2016...

Over the course of the past two weeks, Sharp County has seen an increase in motor vehicle accidents and fatalities. The most recent series of accidents which resulted in injury or death started June 19 at approximately 8:30 a.m. and resulted in the death of Johnny and Linda Carter, of Harrison...

Fulton County Water Authority users will see a $2 base-rate increase to their first 1,000 gallons of water used beginning July 1. This increase will raise the base rate from $23.50 to $25.50 for residential meters and from $25.50 to $27.50 on 1-inch commercial and 1-inch farm meters. The base rate for 2-inch commercial and 2-inch farm meters will increase from $36 to $38 for the first 1,000 gallons. These increases will be reflected on the August statements...

During the heavy rain and high and winds on Saturday, June 22, two officers from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office were involved in two separate vehicle accidents. Deputy Casey Brazeale was traveling east of the Fulton/Baxter County line when she lost control of her vehicle due to the slick roads and flipped multiple times. Brazeale was reported to have been on her way to a domestic call between Hardy and Mammoth Spring a campground...

SALEM The City of Salem and Salem Chamber of Commerce will host the annual 4th of July in the Park celebration at the Salem City Park on Thursday, July 4. Activities begin at 5 p.m. and admission to the park is free. All activities will be held near the east side pavilion, however; the fireworks can be enjoyed from the east and south sides of the lake. ...

Within the first six months of his administration, Fulton County Judge Jim Kendrick is facing controversial matters and an investigation. Fulton County Sheriff Al Roork recently received a complaint from a taxpayer involving Judge Kendrick. Sheriff Roork said due to him being an elected official in the county, it was a conflict of interest, therefore he could not lead an investigation. ...

This time of the year is when most people dedicate time and work into the gravesite of loved ones who have died. Many churches and cemetery associations will host work days or decoration days prior to the Memorial Day weekend, when the fruits of the labor are enjoyed by many as they pay their respects...

Fulton County Quorum Court met Monday, June 10 for its regular monthly meeting. Once minutes from previous meeting and financial reports (treasurer and clerk) were reviewed and approved, committee reports were given from the five committees which met prior the quorum court meeting...

Camp Fit and Fun has been a summer program sponsored by the Fulton County Extension Office for 14 years now. “I thought it would be fun and is a different way to teach health lessons,” said MaLinda Coffman, who created the concept behind Camp Fit and Fun...

Bo and Whitney Lord, along with their three children: Johnathan, Jacob and Jacey, are the the 2019 Izard County Farm Family. They have an Evening Shade address, but are close to the Myron community. The 165-acre farm operation began when Whitney purchased 10-acres when she was 16-years-old. ...

Justin and Rachel Luther, along with their children: Addison (11) and Tucker (5), have been selected with the distinguished title of the 2019 Fulton County Farm Family. The Luther family is the fourth generation of Luthers to operate the farm and the third generation to be given farm family recognition. ...

As Arkansans continue to recover from the recent historic flooding, some businesses may try to take advantage of consumers by raising prices beyond legal limits. Arkansas’s price-gouging law prohibits businesses from charging more than 10 percent above the pre-disaster price of goods or services...

Following the recent news announced that Izard County Sheriff Earnie Blackley has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, it didn’t take the community long to rally and begin planning a fundraiser to help defray medical expenses. Blackley has served the people of Izard County as a law enforcement officer for more than 20 years, serving as the chief deputy from 1999 until January of this year, at which time he began his elected role as sheriff...

In the 1970’s, a group of musicians from Arkansas received international attention for their unique style of rock music, so much so, the band Black Oak Arkansas had 10 charting albums released in less than a decade. Despite the group’s fame, fortune and rise to the top of rock and roll, one member of the band, Harvey Jett, was left feeling like there was more to life than just fame and fortune...

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) formally recognized nine hospitals for excellence in stroke care performance June 7 at the Clinton Presidential Center. The ADH awards are based on hospital performance as documented in the Arkansas Stroke Registry between July 2017 and June 2018. ...