Circus Lady Billies continue comes winning streak to town 1B 1C ADVANCE-MONTICELLONIAN 75¢ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2017 SERVING DREW COUNTY SINCE 1870 MAYOR TUCKER RESIGNS Action part of plea agreement in lawsuit City council tabs over 2016 tampering, abuse charges former mayor BY ASHLEY FOREMAN The A and P Commission did not to serve as interim [email protected] authorize the transaction and did not give Tucker permission to au- BY ASHLEY FOREMAN After months of speculation, thorize. [email protected] Monticello Mayor Zack Tucker has Tucker deposited the funds into resigned due to his actions in 2015 the Arkansas Forest Festival ac- In a special called meeting of the with the misuse of city funds and count without the approval of the Monticello City Council last night, the creating of a fi ctitious invoice. Monticello Economic Develop- the council voted David Anderson Offi cial charges were brought ment Commission. to be Interim Mayor of the city. against Tucker in September Tucker and his legal counsel met This vote comes after Zack Tucker fi led an offi cial letter of res- 2016—one count of tampering in court in November of last year, ignation yesterday after his pre-tri- with public record (a felony) and where Judge Bynum Gibson set a al at the Drew County Courthouse. one count of abuse of offi ce (a pre-trial date for Tuesday and a trial Resigning as Mayor was a stipula- misdemeanor). Tenth Judicial Dis- date for Feb. 21. Gibson gave strict tion in Tucker’s plea deal with the trict Prosecuting Attorney Thom- instructions that if Tucker want- State of Arkansas (see accompany- as Deen accused Tucker of these ed to plea out, he needed to reach ing story). crimes on or about April 3, 2015 an agreement with the state by the Anderson, 70, was nominated after a formal investigation was pre-trial date. by Alderwoman Claudia Hartness complete. “If this case goes to court in Feb- and the seconded by Alderman Joe According to the investigative ruary, you will not have the option Meeks. With all council members summary, Tucker created a fraud- to strike a plea deal,” Gibson said present except for Beverly Hudson, ulent invoice in the amount of at the time. the vote passed with fi ve members $22,500 from the Monticello Eco- In court on Tuesday, Tucker and voting for Anderson. nomic Development Fund of Mon- his attorney, Hani Hashem, stood Aldermen Al Peer and Cedric ticello for engineering services before Gibson requesting an ex- Leonard—who nominated and provided by ETC Engineering on tension. After signifi cant negoti- seconded Joe Rogers as a mayoral the Convention Center project in ations with the state, Tucker was candidate—voted against Ander- Monticello. No services were pro- given two plea options. One option son. vided on that project by ETC engi- called for Tucker to resign as may- The former mayor (2003-06) is neering. or, plead guilty to minor crimes and a lifelong Monticello resident and The check to pay the $22,500 pay the full amount of restitution a U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam vet- was remitted from the Advertising immediately. The second choice Ashley Foreman/Advance-Monticellonian and Promotion Commission Fund TUCKER FIRST OF MANY DISCUSSIONS Interim Mayor David Anderson (right) talks about his appointment with council INTERIM and it was authorized by Tucker. See Page 6A members at Tuesday night’s special called meting after Zack Tucker’s resignation. See Page 6A Monticello school board votes to switch from blocks to periods BY HAROLD COGGINS that of all the school districts in Arkansas, Curt Preston, John Scott McClendon and learned and build on it next week.” constraint, but I’ll say in the last couple [email protected] only Monticello and Vilonia remain on Dr. Michael Fakouri—were present for the After much discussion and the nearly of days, I’ve had more and more teachers a four-by-four block schedule—and the vote. Board Vice President Keith Wells and hour-long presentation from teachers and come to me and say they believe its the best Change is hard—especially when some- Vilonia School District has modifed its new board member Wil Maxwell were ab- principals, as well as Lanehart, McClen- thing for the kids, too.” thing has been in place for a while, all schedule somewhat. sent. don asked the MSD superintendent if she Kevin Hancock, principal at MMS, con- agreed. “We started last year evaluating block The main selling point, Lanehart and believed this was the right thing to do. Her curred. With that said, however, the Monticello scheduling and looking at the pros and the many presenters of the change told the three-word answer—“Yes, I do”—seemed “Do I feel it’s best for kids?” Hancock School Board voted unanimously to switch cons, looking at things and putting things board, is that students would have the op- to convince the board members present that asked in response to a question from Mc- from a four-by-four block schedule to a together,” Lanehart said as she began her portunity to study the same subjects every changing the way students learn was worth Clendon. “Yes, I do. I’ve told my teachers seven-period daily schedule for Monti- presentation. “The fi rst thing I’ll tell you day as opposed to the current block sched- it. the same thing. Are there a lot of concerns? cello High School and Monticello Middle is that not every teacher wants to leave ule, where subjects are not taught daily. MHS Principal Judy Holoway con- Absolutely. I think I have some mixed School students at its regularly scheduled block scheduling—however, most of our “In order for them to have continuous fi rmed that idea. emotions from my staff members as far meeting Tuesday night at the MSD Admin- teachers have expressed that they know learning, they need to meet every day,” “I had a faculty member ask me the oth- as making that change but I think overall istration Building. we’ve got some problems, some things that Lanehart said of the students in the Mon- er day for my opinion and I said then in teachers would say kids need those (core) The change in class scheduling, MSD are not working and they’re willing to do ticello School District. “It’s just not devel- my heart of hearts, I know this is best for subjects every day.” Superintendent Sandra Lanehart told the whatever it takes to help to kids succeed in opmentally appropriate for middle school the kids,” Holoway told the board. “And I Lanehart admitted there might be some board, will take place in August for the at a high level.” kids to think I’ll have math two days this believe that. Everybody is going to have to 2017-18 school year. Lanehart pointed out Only three board members—President week, then I’m going to retain what I work together because we’re under a time See SWITCH Page 6A DCSD board recognizes HONORING A WORLD-RENOWNED LEADER Record watch top students for January BY ASHLEY FOREMAN 13-0 [email protected] In a regularly scheduled meeting, the Drew Cen- tral School Board met to discuss the middle school students of the month, the high school Beta Club and approval of used school bus bids. Teachers in the middle school select two stu- dents from each grade each month to be honored as the students of the month. These students are honored at the school board meeting and are put in the running for student of the year chosen by Principal Patti Smith in May. This months honored students are Daniel Chang, Paige King, Allanah Jones, Austin West, Austin Cruce, Mallory Her- man, Kaden Walters and Lindsey White. The high school Beta Club gave a presentation to the board on leadership and service activities. Club President Christopher Chambers introduced the club’s officers—Jake Harris, Vice-President, April Vincent, Treasurer, and Rachel Shirey, Sec- The University of Arkansas at Monticello men’s basketball retary. The club sponsor is Latanza Atkins. Top photo by Ashley Foreman/ team continues to add to its Harris talked to the board and audience about Advance-Monticellonian record-breaking start to the the history of the national Beta Club and the brief Right photo by Harold Coggins/ 2016-17 season. history at Drew Central. The club was established Advance-Monticellonian With a win in their fi nal on the DC campus in 2014, starting with 38 mem- game last year, the Boll Wee- NEVER FORGET Monday was Dr. bers. vils are on a 14-game winning Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Each year since, the club has grown substantial- streak. Monticellonians remembered Dr. NEXT UP: at Ouachita ly and has been recognized by the national board King in several ways. ABOVE: A Baptist University, 7:30 p.m. each year as a school of distinction. packed crowd participates in the Thursday. Beta Club members must perform a minimum of offi cial celebration Monday night 25 hours of community service to remain in active at Morning Star Missionary Baptist status. Drew Central members participated in local Church. RIGHT: A Saturday morn- activities like the Special Olympics, the Color Run ing march in Dr. King’s memory was INDEX Opinion ..............4A and Relay for Life. begun on the downtown square and Calendar ............2A Religion .............3B This Fall, 29 new members were inducted to the ended at Holmes Chapel Presbyte- Classifi eds ........ 5C Sports ............... 1C club. rian Church with a special service.