cyan magenta yellow Black DC falls in season Attention all prognosticators: opener Professor Pigskin makes ’18 debut 1C 6C ADVANCE-MONTICELLONIAN 75¢ WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018 SERVING DREW COUNTY SINCE 1870 Local school districts receive boosts Dollar General grant DCSD introduces given to Monticello new resource offi cer BY ASHLEY FOREMAN BY ASHLEY FOREMAN [email protected] [email protected] Tuesday, the Dollar Gener- Thanks to the Drew County al Literacy Foundation awarded Sheriff’s Offi ce and the Drew more than $59,000 in youth lit- County Quorum Court, the Drew eracy grants to Arkansas schools Central School District hired and nonprofi t organizations. The more than just new teachers for Monticello School District re- the 2018-19 school year. ceived $1,500 in grant funding A School Resource Offi cer, that will be used to purchase sup- Darren McAdoo, was added to plies for dyslexia intervention the staff after approval from Dis- classes. Stephanie Brown, district trict Superintendent Billy Wil- grant writer, and Carrie West, liams and Drew County Sheriff dyslexia therapist, said they both Mark Gober on Monday. are excited to have received this “This is a good time for Drew grant. Central schools,” Gober said. These youth literacy grants will “There is comfort in knowing that provide funding to teachers, li- the students, faculty, staff and braries and literacy organizations visitors will have a full-time sher- to support a successful academic iff’s deputy as a school resource year. offi cer on campus throughout the “The Dollar General Liter- day. acy Foundation is proud to be “Mr. Williams and I discussed an ardent supporter of schools, this position about a year ago, it libraries and nonprofi t literacy is good to have this actually in organizations,” Dollar Gener- place now to provide a presence al Chief Executive Offi cer Todd and a safe environment. The Vasos said. “Dollar General’s Drew County Quorum Court and mission is Serving Others, and the Drew Central School Board this commitment comes to life should be thanked for allowing through Dollar General Literacy us to see that the school resource Foundation grants that will im- offi cer is in place on the campus. pact thousands of students across Offi cer Darren McAdoo—“Offi - the country. Since its inception 25 Photos by Ashley Foreman/Advance-Monticellonian cer Mac”—will be an asset to our years ago, the Dollar General Lit- MUCH-NEEDED ADDITIONS This week, the local school districts announced major moves that will assist students, teachers and administration at both community. He has been in law eracy Foundation has partnered Monticello and Drew Central. Left: Carrie West, dyslexia therapist (left), and Stephanie Brown, district grant writer, are the driving forces behind a $1,500 enforcement for fi ve years. with thousands of organizations grant the Monticello School District received from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Right: Drew County Sheriff ’s Deputy Darren McAdoo (center) “His position will promote focused on advancing the goals was introduced as the Drew Central School District’s School Resource Offi cer. With “Offi cer Mac” are DCSD Superintendent Billy Williams (left) and Drew County Sheriff Mark Gober. See DCSD Page 6A See MSD Page 6A Concert association welcomes opportunities BY ASHLEY FOREMAN Southeast Arkansas had the opportunity to with the vision of exposing the children of [email protected] witness several performances at no charge. Southeast Arkansas to professional perform- “We are in full swing at SEARK prepar- ing arts performances in the schools that few Serving students in Drew, Ashley, Brad- ing for the upcoming season,” Lori Ramsey, would otherwise ever experience,” Susan ley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha and Lincoln President of SEARK Concert Association, Akin, SEARK Concert Association treasur- counties with its Schools Majoring in the said. “We are very excited about the shows er, explained. “The program has expanded in Arts by the Numbers program, the Southeast we are able to bring to the local schools and the last five years from serving five grade Arkansas Concert Association provides high to the public this year. There really is some- levels in four counties (K-5 in Drew, Lin- quality arts experiences to every student in thing for everyone to view and be involved coln, Desha and Bradley counties) to now the seven counties at no cost to the school in.” serving all grade levels (K-12) in seven or student. For the past 40 years, the SEARK Concert counties of Southeast Arkansas, including Within these seven counties, 17 school Association has been in collaboration with now Chicot, Cleveland and Ashley. This will Ashley Foreman/Advance-Monticellonian districts are exposed to performing arts such the University of Arkansas at Monticello by be our third year providing full program- CARRYING ON THE TRADITION Another school year beginning means as theater, dance, music and much more. In hosting the performances on the campus. another year of serving students for the SEARK Concert Association. the 2017-18 school year, 16,702 students in “The SMARTS program was founded See SMARTS Page 6A Precautions can reduce risks, MIRACLE LEAGUE COMPLEX MOVING ALONG City, county announce impacts of crop residue burns holiday closings BY FRED MILLER from people and communities,” U of A System Division of Agriculture he said. The city of Monticello Arkansas Voluntary Smoke and Drew County offi ces FAYETTEVILLE—Autumn Management Guidelines for will both be closed on Mon- in Arkansas farm country is Row Crop Burning, available day in observance of Labor marked by turning leaves, mi- from the Arkansas Agriculture Day. grating waterfowl and columns Department, contains recom- Monticello’s transfer sta- of smoke on the horizon. mendations and helps farmers tion will also be closed. Crop burning is helpful for develop a plan for safe and ef- Monday’s trash route will managing residue left after har- fective crop burning, Hardke run next Wednesday (Sept. vest, said Jarrod Hardke, ex- said. 5). tension rice agronomist for the The publication was devel- County-wide, not only the University of Arkansas System oped by a smoke management will the offi ces be closed but Division of Agriculture. Fire task force that included the Di- the landfi ll and road depart- helps eliminate insect pests, vision of Agriculture, the Ar- ment will also not be in op- weeds and diseases, and speeds kansas Agriculture Department, eration Monday. field preparation for the next the Arkansas Rice Research and No country trash will be growing season. Promotion Board, the Soybean pickup up Monday. Those Counter-intuitively, burning Promotion Board, Arkansas with Monday pickups will can help farmers reduce their Department of Environmental have their trash picked up on carbon footprint by permit- Quality, the Agriculture Council Tuesday. ting no-till or reduced-till field of Arkansas and Arkansas Farm The schedule for the re- preparation in the spring, reduc- Bureau. mainder of the week is: ing fuel use and potential soil The information was adapt- Tuesday’s trash route will erosion. ed from the Arkansas Forestry be run next Wednesday; Smoke from crop burning, Commission’s Arkansas Volun- Wednesday’s route will be however, can cause hazards tary Smoke Management Guide- run on Thursday, Sept. 6; when it moves across roads and linesfor forest management. “We Photo courtesy of Ronny Williams and Thursday’s route will be run on Friday, Sept. 7. highways. It can also have neg- adapted the recommendations PHASE II AHEAD OF SCHEDULE The Miracle League of Southeast Arkansas playground equipment has arrived ative effects on air quality and for row crop burning,” Hardke at the “Field of Dreams” at the Monticello Sports Complex. Workers are busy constructing that equipment and the pose risks to human health. said. playground should be operational well in advance of the start of the Miracle League’s second season on Saturday, Hardke said a little planning The booklet also includes the Sept. 22, according to ML Vice President Ronny Williams. For more information about the Miracle League, to regis- and a few precautions can reduce phone number for the Arkansas ter children and adults to participate or to make a donation, contact ML President Karen Connelley in one of three INDEX Opinion ..............4A those impacts. “Take weather Agriculture Department’s Dis- ways: by telephone at 870-723-4921, via email at [email protected] or by mail at The Miracle League of Calendar ............2A Religion .............3B and wind direction into account Southeast Arkansas, P.O. Box 680, Monticello 71657. All Southeast Arkansas residents are encouraged to either Classifi eds ........ 7C See BURNS Page 6A Sports ............... 1C and try to keep the smoke away play, be a volunteer or be a contributor. Obituaries ..........8A Weddings ..........1B OUR 147TH YEAR $34.00 ADVANCE-MONTICELLONIAN NUMBER 35 • 46 PAGES Subscribe Today! QHZVVSRUWVFODVVLÀHGV SHU<HDU 870.367.5325 LQVLGHWKH]LSFRGHDUHD ZZZP\PRQWLFHOORQHZVQHW 2A | Wednesday, August 29, 2018 NEWS Advance-Monticellonian | mymonticellonews.net | 870-367-5325 COMMUNITY CALENDAR GOING ON NOW Market in the Park Educator of the Week Market in the Park will be open each Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the downtown mini-park next to the Drew County Detention Center. For more information, contact the Monticello/Drew County Chamber of Commerce at Editor’s note: The Ad- 870-367-6741. vance-Monticellonian will high- BELINDA FERRELL, DREW CENTRAL Drew County Museum light one educator from Drew The Drew County Museum will be open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 Central, Monticello and the Uni- p.m. For special events or for more information, contact Connie Mullis at versity of Arkansas at Monticello 870-367-2431 or Tommy Gray at 870-367-2401. each week, in an attempt to help Support for local schools readers and citizens of Monticel- Show support for local schools by purchasing a school mascot yard sign lo and Drew County better get for only $20.