Stories from Wednesday, May 26, 2004

BERRYVILLE ---- The city council approved giving Mayor Tim McKinney the power to negotiate a new contract for engineering services with USI Arkansas Inc. of Springdale. The issue is one of the most important facing the city, as it is hoped that USI Arkansas can bring the city's wastewater treatment plant into state compliance regarding phosphorous levels in Osage Creek that have been found to be high at some locations downstream from the plant...

Working with funds from a donation from Wayne and Janet Clark of Berryville, members of the Youth Advisory Council (YAC) of the Carroll County Community Foundation (CCCF) presented more than $5,000 in grants to various groups last Tuesday evening. YAC members Claire Allison, Tyler Squires and Noah Cantele of Berryville, Trey Kerby, William Carmona and Gail Browning of Green Forest presented the grants to group representatives during the evening program in Eureka Springs' Harmon Park...

We were all appalled at the disgusting photos of American servicemen and women treating Iraqi prisoners in ways we would not want our own sons and daughters treated, were they prisoners of war. The "do unto others" yardstick carries a heavy responsibility -- one which we assumed extended to those in the military and how they should behave...

AGNES LENORA (HATCHER) JOHNSON, a resident of Eureka Springs, was born July 11, 1914, in Eureka Springs, a daughter of Benjamin Harrison and Beulah (Ammons) Evans. She died Thursday, May 20, 2004, in Eureka Springs at the age of 89. Mrs. Johnson was a homemaker and was a cook at the Crescent Hotel. She was a member of the Church of God Holiness in Berryville...

HERBERT THOMASON, a resident of Berryville, was born Oct. 27, 1928, in Denver, Ark., a son of Clifford and Thelma (Collins) Thomason. He died Friday, May 7, 2004, in Berryville at the age of 75. Mr. Thomason was a veteran, having served with the U.S. Army during Korean conflict. He was a member of the Southern Heights Baptist Church and the Gideon's International. Until his retirement, he worked as a museum curator...

In another marathon session Monday evening, the Eureka Springs City Council upheld the denial of a conditional use permit (CUP) for an apartment building on Spring St., heard a request for a resolution to keep the Beaver Bridge in place and in use, rediscussed the fine points in three ordinances, and spent almost an hour niggling over who should sign the city's checks...

The Eureka Springs School Board is delaying the start of construction of a lunch room addition to the north building at Eureka Springs High School and putting on a new roof because no one bid to do the work. Architect Larry Troillett told the school board Thursday evening "We did not get one bid on the project. I talked with two or three local people who seemed interested, and a dozen others, but no one submitted a bid."...

Should the Western Carroll County Ambulance District (WCCAD) get back into the ambulance-ownership business? That was one of the topics of discussion at its monthly meeting May 14. The First Responders Alliance brought a request to WCCAD in March for a new or used ambulance for First Responders in the Grassy Knob, Inspiration Point, and Beaver areas to use on calls to carry equipment too bulky for private automobiles...

The Holiday Island Suburban Improvement District (HISID) Board of Commissioners declined to vote on renewing the five-year lease with Marina Concessions, LLC, aka. Allan and Brenda Krier, at its business meeting Monday. District Manager Kevin Crosson came back to the board after last week's work session with a few changes to the contract...