The News

While schools across Arkansas are officially shut down through April 17, that doesn’t mean the people who operate the schools are slowing down. Schools have stepped up to provide resources for parents, and most importantly for some, they’ve also stepped up to provide food...

The March Meeting of the Salem City Council was conducted at the conference room of the Salem City Hall on Thursday, March 26. All council members participated. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Daniel Busch. In the first order of business, Mayor Busch read a letter of resignation from Recorder-Treasurer Jeremy Stone, who had served in the job since the end of June 2019. ...

Salem resident Ann Kish has been using her spare time to organize sewers and donation cycles for local hospitals, in the recent preparation for shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For healthcare facilities across the nation, the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has, at times, been alarming not only for those on the front lines working in healthcare, but for those in their care as well as their families...

On March 14, Southfork River Therapy and Living, in Salem, announced no visitors would be allowed at the facility. “All visitors, nonessential staff and vendors will no longer be allowed to enter the facility until further notice. Staff and residents who do come into the facility will continue to be screened for illness and possible contact with the COVID-19 virus. ...

News of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been worldwide. Missouri and Arkansas have patients who have tested positive for the virus. Throughout this issue you will find a number of press releases detailing the postponement, cancellations, etc. ...

Viola City Council met Monday, March 9. Present at the meeting were: Mayor Jackie Estes; Councilmen Dennis Haber, Robert Lash, Vearl Downum; Water Supt. Joel Huett; Bookkeeper Sarah Huett and several citizens. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Estes...

Fulton County Sheriff Al Roork released the following statement on Tuesday, March 17. “As a precaution to COVID-19, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office is suspending all inmate visits from family and friends. There will be no visits from attorneys or clergy. ...

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Arkansas schools were required to close, effective Tuesday, March 17. Shortly after the announcement was made, Salem School District made an announcement of its own. Superintendent Wayne Guiltner issued a statement regarding meals for students. ...

Izard County Quorum Court was held on Tuesday, March 3, at 5:30 p.m., with Izard County Judge Eric Smith presiding and all justices in attendance. Izard County Clerk Shelly Downing read the minutes from the February meeting. With no corrections or clarifications, Rich Emmens made a motion to pass the minutes with unanimous approval...

Making appropriations, hearing a county resident’s concerns regarding law enforcement and beginning to research solutions for a ground floor courtroom were actions taken at the Fulton County Quorum Court meeting held Monday, March 9. Members of the court voted to make a $120,000 bond payment for the jail. ...

Bob Mitchum Sports Reporter The Mammoth Spring Bears finished the season with 24 wins. They were defeated by Concord on Thursday, March 5, 59-40. Alex Mero finished the game with 12 points. The Mammoth Spring Lady Bears ended the basketball season with a record of 25-10...

Izard County Quorum Court was held on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m., with all justices present with the exception of Justin Sanders. The minutes were read by Izard County Clerk Shelly Downing, and approved with one minor correction through a motion by John David Miller and Willie Moser. ...

Fulton County Quorum Court met Monday, Feb. 10 with newly appointed Judge Jim Bicker leading the regular monthly meeting. Once previous minutes and the treasurer’s report were approved, court members discussed three different resolutions. All resolutions were adopted and approved...

Viola School Board voted to implement a four-day week schedule for the 2020-2021 school year at its monthly meeting held Wednesday, Jan. 29. The vote came after months of research, discussion and most recently, two public meetings where parents and residents gathered to ask questions and receive more information about the schedule change...

The students of the Salem High School BETA Club have been racking up good deeds around the community as they have completed hundreds of hours of community service. According to Kim Smith-Harber, one of the BETA Club advisors for Salem High School, the BETA Club is one of the most active in the area. Ted Kerley is also a BETA Club advisor...

The Izard County Board of Election Commissioners urges everyone to vote in the March 3, 2020 Primary Election. During the past couple of elections, there have been some concerns about the long lines that have been associated with the voting process. ...

Fulton County Quorum Court held a special called meeting Friday, Jan. 31 at 8 a.m., with the purpose “to consider the resolution to declare a vacancy in the office of Fulton County Judge, and to address and fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.” Though state law prohibited former judge Jim Kendrick from serving once convicted of a felony crime, Kendrick turned over all county equipment and a resignation letter on Thursday, Jan. 30. The letter issued by Kendrick stated the following:...

It was a tense morning for law enforcement in Izard County Jan. 30 after deputies with the Izard County Sheriff’s Department attempted to serve warrants on a man residing on Whispering Pines Road and were greeted by gun fire. According to a release from the Izard County Sheriff’s Department, at 8:45 a.m. deputies traveled to the residence of Sherman Edward Shetler, 54, of Oxford, with intent to arrest the man who was wanted in Missouri for rape and drug related charges...

It was yet another day in court for Rebecca O’Donnell, the woman in custody for the alleged murder of former senator Linda Collins, Jan. 29, at the Randolph County Courthouse in Pocahontas. O’Donnell entered a plea of not guilty, to charges filed against her earlier this month before Judge John Fogleman...

Fulton County Judge Jim Kendrick was found guilty of theft of property, a class D felony, by a jury of Fulton County residents on Thursday, Jan. 23. He was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $10,000. The trial for Kendrick, who was represented by Gray Dellinger, began Wednesday, Jan. 22. The Honorable Judge Tim Weaver presided over the case. Prosecuting Attorney of the 16th Judicial District, Eric Hance, prepared and presented the case for the state...

Viola School District is contemplating switching to four-day weeks. The school board has been talking about the possibility for several months and two public meetings were held Tuesday, Jan. 21 to receive public input. Superintendent John May opened up the meetings with various information regarding four-day weeks. ...

The Salem Chamber of Commerce met Wednesday, Jan. 22 to discuss upcoming events in 2020. The most recent event nearing is something going on nationwide. If you are an HGTV lover, you might be familiar with the show, Home Town, set in Laurel, Miss. The stars of the show, married couple Ben and Erin Napier, will be visiting a small town in need of a makeover...

The Salem High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) Shooting Sports team and the Salem Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program (AYSSP) received a large donation from the former South Fork River Regulators, a gun club which has since disbanded, but was active in Fulton County for many years...

The Salem City Council held its January meeting on Thursday, Jan. 23 at the Salem City Hall. The minutes from the December 2019 meeting were considered and approved. The financial report was tabled until the February meeting. The three department heads (police department, fire department and public works) presented the monthly reports for the departments...

The Izard County Quorum Court held their regular meeting Jan. 16 during which a vacancy for the position of sheriff was declared. Following the declaration, those interested in the position spoke to the court. Ultimately, the court voted to appoint Jack Yancey to the position...

Viola City Council met Monday, Jan. 13. Present at the meeting were: Mayor Jackie Estes, Councilmen Dennis Haber, Jerry Allen, Robert Lash, Vearl Downum, Water Supt Joel Huett, Bookkeeper Sarah Huett and 12 citizens. The city council meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Estes...

All deputies of Fulton County Sheriff’s Office are now equipped with bulletproof vests, thanks to a $1,400 donation from Gerald Stellar with Stellar Construction Company. Though the tax implementation for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office has helped tremendously, the department still doesn’t have a surplus of funds. “We don’t always have the safety equipment that we need. Now every deputy has a vest,” said Fulton County Sheriff Al Roork...

Thieves have stolen the old school bell that hung at the top of the steps at the historic Old Main Schoolhouse in Salem. The bell was discovered missing by Friends of Old Main Board of Directors member Ron Plumlee while checking on maintenance at the old schoolhouse...

Fulton County Quorum Court met for the first meeting of 2020 on Monday, Jan. 13. A Gepp resident presented concerns about Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s decision to allow refugees in the State of Arkansas. The resident expressed her concerns and asked, “Can we stop that and how? What can I do to help?”...

A Salem business was the victim of burglary the weekend before Christmas. Hillbilly Manufacturing filed a report with the Salem Police Department following a break-in to their facility. Two welders were stolen with an accumulative value of approximately $8,000...

Fulton County resident Ron Hutchins, 58, has been charged with 50 counts of distributing, possessing or viewing of matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child. On Dec. 26, 2019, six counts of the same charge were filed following an incident on Dec. ...

Approximately 3,000 residents in Izard County will travel to the polls at the newly designated locations after a decision by the Izard County Election Commission. Those residing in Calico Rock – city and rural, Claiborne, Dolph and Pineville - city and rural will now vote at Bran New Church; those residing in Franklin – city and rural, Myron, Violet Hill and Wiseman will vote at the Franklin Community Building; those in GID and Guion – city and rural will vote at the Guion Fire Department; Horseshoe Bend - city and rural residents will vote at the Horseshoe Bend Music Theater; Brockwell, Newburg and Oxford City in Brockwell will vote at the Izard County Senior Center; Big Spring, Lafferty and Mt. ...

Two felony and two misdemeanor charges have been filed against Rebecca Lynn O’Donnell in Jackson County, where she is currently being held for the murder of Pocahontas resident and former senator Linda Collins. On Jan. 14, a probable cause affidavit stated O’Donnell is being charged with two counts of solicitation to commit capital murder (class A felony) and two counts of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence (class A misdemeanor)...

Mammoth Spring Council held their regular monthly meeting on Monday, Jan. 6. The December meeting minutes were approved before moving onto discussing fire department signs that are being prepared. The council then moved onto discuss city welcome signs. Mayor Charles Vaughn stated it will be spring before they will be worked on and would like for Larry Hollis to work on them...

A longtime City of Salem staple, the SkyVue Shopping Center, was destroyed by fire on Sunday, Jan. 5. Skyvue Shopping Center is owned by local businesswoman Renee Clay-Circle, who said every unit was rented, except for two. Balance 30, TNT Gymnastics, La Casa De La Fiesta, H & R Block, Ozark Scanning Services and possibly more – are the businesses who call SkyVue home. As of now, H & R Block is the only business open and not damaged by the fire...

The Izard County community, and surrounding areas, are mourning the loss of Izard County Sheriff Earnie Blackley, who died Jan. 4 at his home in Sage. Blackley was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer last summer, and was laid to rest Wednesday, Jan. 8, just two days before his birthday when he would have turned 59 years old...

As the second of week of 2020 passes by, enjoy reading the top local news stories from July to December, 2019. July There was a noticeable difference at the start of the Salem City Council – after almost 27 years, Recorder/Treasurer Pam Bryant resigned and Jeremy Stone was appointed to fill the remainder of the term...