Stories from Friday, June 17, 2016

Carroll County lost one of its most dedicated advocates for the health and safety of children this week. Dr. Merlin Leach, the founder of the Merlin Foundation, died on Wednesday, June 15. He was 71. Leach founded the Merlin Foundation with his wife, Anita Engert, in 1993 as a way to provide assistance to victims of child abuse, rape and domestic violence in the Ozark Mountain region of Northwest Arkansas. ...

The Berryville Bobcats hosted a three-day football camp this week, with 35 kids in grades 3-7 participating. There were also a number of high school players who assisted with the camp. Coach Austin Winters said he felt like things went well and that the kids had an enjoyable time...

RUTH L. MILLER, a resident of Green Forest, Arkansas, was born January 18, 1931 in Grandview, Arkansas, a daughter of Durward Raymond and Goldie Ethyl (Warren) Edmondson. She departed this life Thursday, June 16, 2016 in Berryville, Arkansas at the age of 85 years...

The Berryville junior trap shooting team won a first-place trophy at the state championship in Jacksonville on June 3. The Bobcats outshot Bald Knob in the championship match by one bird. The team consisted of Cale Heithold, Chris Lehr, Austin Woods, Trenton Hutchison and Anthony McClellan...

At Tuesday night's school board meeting, the Berryville School Board announced that Brent Compton will replace John McClellan as the school district's athletic director. Compton will continue to serve as golf coach and boys basketball coach at Berryville High School...

The Good Shepherd Humane Society will hold its monthly board meeting at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 22, in the downstairs conference room at the Grand Central Hotel on South Main Street. The organization welcomes input from the community, and all are encouraged to attend and hear about the changes currently taking place at the shelter...

Garrett, Aleksei, Landon, Melody and Marlea Kate invite everyone to join them in celebrating their grandparents' golden wedding anniversary. Ralph and Marian Smith wed on June 18, 1966. They will be honored at a drop-in from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at Kings River Church on Highway 221 north of Berryville. The family asks guests not to bring gifts, noting that their presence will be gift enough. (Submitted photo)

The Berryville Community Center is offering a free class covering map reading, compass reading and global positioning system (GPS) reading. Carroll County Special Operations Rescue Team member Jennifer Feltmann will instruct the class. The course is designed for novice hikers and nature lovers who wish to be able to navigate safely in the woods while exploring their natural surroundings. ...

Two Eureka Springs residents have been arrested in connection with the manufacture of methamphetamine. A press release from the Carroll County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) says that 50-year-old Darryl Birchfield and 52-year-old Laura Green were arrested on individual felony charges of manufacture of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia Friday afternoon...

Nick Samac has been promoted once again. Eureka Springs Mayor Butch Berry announced Monday that Samac has been named interim fire chief for the Eureka Springs Fire Department. Berry said Samac will take over for fire chief Randy Ates, who recently accepted a position with the Holiday Island Fire Department. Ates' last day at the Eureka Springs Fire Department was Tuesday...

The Eureka Springs City Council approved two ordinances regarding the sale of White Street Fire Station on Monday. Ordinances 2241 and 2242 were approved on a first reading and then on second and third readings by title only. City attorney Tim Weaver explained that the ordinances will allow the city to move land around to allow White Street Fire Station to be sold as one piece of property...

Eureka Springs alderwoman Joyce Zeller died on Monday. She was 84. Zeller served on the council for many years and intended to continue running for her seat. At a book signing Sunday afternoon, Zeller said she had heard rumors she would be leaving the council once her term was up...

Gerald "Jerry" Dupy was as attentive to the people around him as he was to the stories he wrote and edited. Dupy, who was an editor for Carroll County Newspapers (CCN) for 12 years, died Wednesday, June 15, in Urbanette. He was 70. Dupy's coworkers said they remember his kind nature and diligent work ethic...

Green Forest students can soon walk safely to school rather than rely solely on bus routes. On Tuesday morning, the Green Forest City Council voted unanimously to accept a bid of $106,186 from Kirk's Excavation to complete the Safe Routes to School Program...

Opera in the Ozarks will kick off its summer season on Friday, June 17, with a performance of Mozart's 'Don Giovanni." Showtime is 7:30 p.m. at the Eureka Springs mountainside venue Inspiration Point. The season will run through Friday, July 15, featuring 22 fully staged and costumed performances. Of the performances, 19 will take place at Inspiration Point, and three will be held at Bentonville's Arend Arts Center...

An army of Texans invaded Green Forest this week and brought construction tools with them. The Central Texas Conference Youth in Mission (CTCYM) project, an annual mission run by the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, came to Green Forest with about 80 youth and 20 chaperones on Sunday, June 12. ...

The Berryville School Board voted to create the position of school improvement specialist on Monday night. Superintendent Owen Powell said the new position will oversee curriculum for the district, working with the math and literacy facilitators to align curriculum for kindergarten through 12th grade and guiding principals in curriculum and instruction decisions. The school improvement specialist, he said, will have an 11-month contract and be on a teacher pay scale...