Deadline For Absentee Ballots

According to Cindy Osborn, County Election Board Secretary, now is the time to apply for absentee ballots for the upcoming Sallisaw School Board Election.

The County Election Board can accept applications for absentee ballots until 5 p.m. August 7.  Osborn said there is at least two mail transactions that  must be made.  One is that the County Election Board must mail
the ballots to the voter and the voter must return the voted ballots by mail.  She urges voters to apply early.

Absentee ballot application forms are available at the County Election Board office located at 110 E. Creek
Sallisaw, OK 74955

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Sallisaw NOW Coalition Hosting Run

Saturday, August 17 the Sallisaw NOW Coalition will be hosting a Back to School Color Run.  The run will start at 8a.m. at People, Inc.  Entry fee is $25 and all proceeds will go to help the family of Emerson Meredith.  Emerson is a two year old girl who was diagnosed with  high risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia 
back on June 17.

Shirts for the event will be available for all runners that sign up before August 7.  Please mail or bring entry to Sharon Day - 205 JT Stites - Sallisaw, OK  74955 

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Fire Crews Respond to Springdale Fire

Earlier this week in Springdale, multiple ambulance and fire crews responded to a fire at Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies located at 914 N. Jefferson. Captain David Kissinger with the fire department said three workers at the facility were first taken to  Northwest Medical Center in Springdale with burn injuries. One was released and two, in critical condition, were flown by helicopter to a Missouri burn rehabilitation center, where one died from injuries. According to Assistant Fire Chief Kevin McDonald,  the fire started in a mixer during production. He also said the dust, associated with that type of process, resulted in some type of a flash fire that engulfed the three workers.

Sallisaw NOW Coalition Hosts Meeting

Coming up July 29th ,  there will be a Town Hall Meeting hosted by Sallisaw NOW Coalition. It is being held at People, Inc. Conference Center at 6 p.m.  The meeting will be addressing the issues and prevention tactics related to teen pregnancy. A light dinner and chances to win door prizes will be provided.

 

Muldrow Mans Tractor Stolen

Ed Lawson, of Muldrow, has had his 2012 John Deere 5093 4x4 tractor & baler stolen. Lawson said the thief had to drive the tractor off the property, located about 1 mile from the Maple Cemetery, because there's no way to get a big trailer in to load it onto. Sequoyah County Sheriff's office is investigating the theft.

Sallisaw Graduate Appointed as Special District Judge

Jenna Henshaw McBee, an attorney from Poteau, was recently appointed as the Special District Judge for Leflore and Latimer counties. She graduated from Sallisaw High School and is the daughter of A.J. Henshaw, a retired Sequoyah County Judge. Jenna, her husband, Matthew, and their son, Ethan reside in Poteau.

Phone Calls Suspected to be Scammer

Mulberry Mayor Gary Baxter is calling phone calls received by at least two people in the Mulberry-Alma area as suspicious. The caller, a person with an "East Indian" accent, made calls to two home phone numbers, one of which was that of an elderly person. According to a media release from the Mayor's office, the suspected scammer advised the residents that they were verifying information for a Medicare card change. The caller had the person's correct Medicare number, which they would ask the resident to verify along with other information such as address, bank, and bank account. They would then tell the person that they'll be issued a new card number, along with all the verified details. However, when the resident asked for the caller's phone number, they hung up.  Anyone receiving similar calls are advised by authorities to not answer any questions and contact their local law enforcement  immediately. You also should be aware of any calls that show up as unknown, blocked,  or private.

Gag-Order set in Machete-Killings Case

A Fort Smith attorney is looking to put a gag order on a highly publicized, upcoming murder trial. Aaron Kinsey is accused of killing two men with a machete near downtown Fort Smith on June 26th. It is indicated by court documents that Kinsey's attorney, Teri Chambers, wants all parties involved to not say anything to anyone outside the case. According to Prosecuting Attorney, Daniel Shue, a gag order is a common expression for what is called in the law, a prior restraint. Chambers wrote in her documents that this case has been the subject of widespread media coverage. Families involved in the case said they want a fair trial.

Fort Smith Citizens to Meet With Steering Panel

Two days of public forums will be hosted by a committee of Fort Smith policy shapers, later this month. The forums have been titled "Issues & Aspirations". According to Times Record, the meetings make up a first series of forums in which residents can collaborate with a 28 member steering committee with the task of updating the city's 11 year old Comprehensive Plan. The forums will be held July 29th and 30th . On July 29th, it will beheld at Creekmore Park Community Center, 3301 S. M Street at 11:30 am. The forum on July 30th will be held at 5:30 pm at the Fort Smith Senior Activity Center at 2700 Cavanaugh Road.

Man Shoots Arrows at Officers

Terry Fulfer, 26 of Siloam Springs, was arrested over the weekend after he shot 2 arrows at police and then set his house on fire. At approximately 6:30 pm Saturday, officers responded to Fulfer's residence on the 1500 block of Hefton Court after receiving a report that an armed man was threatening his family. According to police, a man identified as Fulfer, was armed with a sword and bow & arrows and was building for fortification in the back yard of the residence. Fulfer released an arrow and started a fire in the back of the residence when police tried to speak with him. When he shot another arrow, officers used a next door neighbor's backyard to clear a privacy fence. According to the neighbor, police got a the man under control, everyone was safe and firemen could finally get to the fire.

Robbery at Blue Ribbon Grooming

A clerk at the Blue Ribbon Grooming in Fort Smith, called police last weekend saying that a young, white man demanded money from the cash register and threatened her with a knife. The suspect had been in a couple of times that morning asking for water and to use the phone, according to the clerk. The alleged robbery happened the third time he came in. The suspect grabbed the business' phone and threw it on the floor, after getting the money from the register. Authorities were able to identify a 17 year old boy as the suspect, during the investigation. The boy was then interviewed and arrested for aggravated robbery. He was also connected to a July 2nd commercial burglary at the Apple Market on North 6th. According to police, the teen is being held in the Sebastian County Detention Center on those charges, along with a warrant for Theft of Property out of Crawford County.

Couple Arrested After Meth Found in Vehicle

Christopher Holt, 34, and his wife Danna, of Scearcy were arrested after Johnson County deputies found a quarter of a pound of methamphetamine in their vehicle. Holt was stopped by deputies on interstate 40 for a traffic violation. He gave them permission to search his vehicle. The county's K-9, Egan, alerted on the console and a speaker, according to the sheriff's office. Baggies of Meth were found inside the speaker box. Also in the vehicle, deputies found marijuana, syringes, and other items of drug paraphernalia. The value of the suspected methamphetamine is between $10,000 and $12,000. The couple was taken to the Johnson County Detention Center. A court date has been set for September 6th in Johnson County Circuit Court.

School Staff Allowed Guns Next Semester

Beginning at the start of the fall semester, Clarksville Public Schools will allow teachers, administrators, and janitors to carry concealed weapons on campus, on a voluntary basis. Each person has gone through extensive training and a certification program through Arkansas State Police, announced superintendent David Hopkins. The district will not say how many employees will be carrying weapons, nor will they identify employees that are in the program. Employees participating in the program are required to purchase their own weapon, a 9mm pistol. However, they will receive a one time stipend from the district to pay for the gun. All participants are volunteers.

Woman Mugged While Walking

A teenager has been arrested by Fayetteville Police on suspicion of strangling and robbing a woman on Scull Creek Trail over the weekend. The victim said she was walking on the trail at about 5:35 pm when she was grabbed from behind, around her neck. The attacker took her cell phone, sunglasses, and a credit card. She then went to the North Street Mini Mart and called police. According to Sargent Craig Stout of the Fayetteville Police Department, they were able to quickly track a suspect down on Bernice Drive. The 16 year old suspect matched the description given by the victim. He had the items on him belonging to the victim. Sargent Stout said the juvenile was arrested and booked into the Washington County Juvenile Detention Center. Stout also said the woman sustained some scratches and scrapes, but required no further medical attention after being looked at by paramedics at the scene.

Man Arrested for Hit and Run

Maurice Deshaun Evans, 22, has been arrested in connection with a hit & run on Monday, July 1st in Fayetteville. Evans was arrested on suspicion of leaving the scene of an injury accident, driving with a suspended license, and not having insurance. He has been booked into the Washington County Detention Center. He is awaiting a bond hearing. After receiving a tip Tuesday regarding a vehicle matching the description, officers responded to the location on West End Avenue. They noticed the damage to the front of the vehicle, registered to Evans. He consented to a search of his vehicle. Evans gave police n alibi for the time of the hit & run, which detectives were ale to disprove. They arrested Evans the next day. He said he didn't stop because he knew he'd go to jail for killing a man. The victim, Gary Todd O'Neil, 52,  is at Mercy hospital in Springfield, Missouri with brain and spinal injuries.

Body Found in Creek Identified

The body of a man found in Sallisaw Creek last month, has been identified as Timothy Wade of Sequoyah County. According to KHBS, sheriff Ron Lockhart said that Ward had been reported missing on July 2nd. The body was recovered June 27th and investigators believe it had been in the creek for at least a week. sheriff Lockhart said investigators are working to determine how Ward ended up at the creek. According to family members, there's no way he could've made it there by himself due to the fact Ward was disabled. The Sheriff's Department said Ward hd no shoes or identification when his body was recovered. The Sequoyah County Sheriff's Department are looking for persons of interest last seen with Ward before he went missing.

Trial Underway for Stabbing

Trial got underway Monday, July 1st,  for Jacob Holly from Rogers. Holly is accused of stabbing to death Chris Kelley and injuring Kelley's son last summer. According to authorities, last July Holly was near the White River bridge on the Arkansas Hwy 74, when he flagged down an off duty police officer and told him he stabbed two people attempting to drown him. Holly has pleaded not guilty to charges, which include charges of second degree murder and first degree battery.

Arizona Wildfire Claims the lives of 19 Firefighters

19 members of an elite firefighter squad were killed in an Arizona wildfire Sunday, June 30th. The squad set up barriers to try and stop the destructive spreading fire, however the inferno was too much. They were fighting the Yarnell Hill fire, which is North West of Phoenix. This has been the deadliest blaze in more than 35 years for firefighters. Dan Prescott, Fire Chief, said they lost their whole crew and that they were 19 of the finest people you'd ever meet. According to authorities, lightning was what sparked the fire. it had scorched more than 6,000 acres and destroyed more than 100 structures by Sunday night. The wildfire also forced evacuations in Peoples Valley and Yarnell. No civilian injuries were reported.

Judge Says No Fine For Hobby Lobby Until Verdict is Decided.

The Oklahoma City based Christian Craft company Hobby Lobby will not be subject to pay a daily fine of 1.3 million dollars until the court case against them is decided. Late last week the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals said the company was not required to pay the exorbitant fine of over $1,000,000  per day prior to the court decision. The case is scheduled for July 19th. The case was brought by the United States Government when Hobby Lobby decided not to provide the government mandated birth control option to its employees within their company health care plan. The company stated that due to their religious beliefs  the mandate would violate principles. The company has long held to a strong Christian background throughout the United States on Sundays. The case will go to court on July 19th.

Inmate Garden Continues to Save County Money

A vegetable garden continues to save money for county government. The garden is ran by Franklin County Sheriff's Department and is maintained by county inmates. It is located by the Arkansas River Bridge in Franklin County. Inmates work the garden and according to the County Sheriff Anthony Boen, the garden was planted to help defray the jail's food budget while replacing some meals with fresh vegetables. The sheriff says any surplus will be canned and frozen by inmates for winter use. The land for the garden was donated to the Sheriff's department and a private donation from a couple paid for the seeds and plants.

Arkansas Looking for New State Troopers

Arkansas state troopers are looking for applicants to become new troopers. Those applicants who are interested are asked to submit applications and medical assessment waivers by August 31st. Testing will begin in September. The recruit class has been set for January of 2014. The number of applicants expected for the class is not yet known and depends on the availability of state funding. Starting salary for state troopers begins at 34 thousand dollars and is raised to 36 thousand upon graduation. New troopers receive a ten percent salary increase per year for the first seven years with the state. For more information or minimum qualifications you can call the recruiting hotline at 800-340-4255.