March honors DC’s Junior Pirates win Dr. King Union Bank tournament 1B 1C ADVANCE-MONTICELLONIAN 75¢ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2019 SERVING DREW COUNTY SINCE 1870 Chase delivers fi rst RARE COSMIC EVENT ‘State of the City’ addess to council By the Advance staff Street may not be the best choice. He said he New Monticello had not had any people Mayor Paige Chase contact him that sup- presided over her first ported the change but council meeting as had several contacts mayor Tuesday night that did not support it. and gave the State of “I don’t see the pur- the City address. In the Paige Chase pose of this (referring address, Chase thanked to a committee) when former Mayor David Anderson we as a council have discussed and the council for leaving the this for the last three months,” city in sound financial shape. Leonard said. She also thanked the city em- The mayor will appoint a com- ployees and citizen volunteers. mittee that will study the issue Chase pointed to several suc- and report back to the full coun- cessful projects that were com- cil. The resolution would desig- pleted in 2018. nate the street as Dr. Martin Lu- New Aldermen Mike Wigley ther King Avenue. If approved, and Jonathan Schell also attend the dedication would have only their first council meeting serv- put signage on the route—not ing as part of the group. Wigley change the U.S. Postal Service was elected to serve Ward 4, mailing address for any address Position 2 and Schell is serving on that street. Ward 4, Position 1. The council approved resolu- The council voted to re- tions to approve 2019 contracts fer a resolution to dedicate with the Monticello Economic U.S. Highway 278 and Gaines Development Industrial Devel- Street—within the city limits— opment Commission, Inc. in to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the amount of $275,000 and the Avenue to a committee. The vote Boys and Girls Club of Drew Photo courtesy of Allen Singer to refer the issue was 6-2 with County for $47,000. The MEDC SUPER BLOOD WOLF MOON Earlier this week, sky-watchers in Monticello and Drew County had a front-row seat to what many only see Aldermen Al Peer and Cedric agreement is to provide econom- once in their lifetimes: three lunar phenomena converging to give rise to what some are calling a “super blood wolf moon.” According to na- Leonard voting against sending ic development and related ser- tionalgeographic.com, during totality, the full moon did not disappear entirely but instead turned a rusty shade of red, earning it the moniker the matter to committee. The vices for the city; the Boys and “blood moon.” This lunar eclipse happened to coincide with the wolf moon, the traditional name for the January full moon. What’s more, the council was to vote on the mat- Girls club is to provide youth moon will be unusually close to Earth and so will be slightly bigger and brighter, making it a so-called “supermoon.” These two factors make ter as an emergency resolution activities. it look 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than it normally does, according to Space.com. In a lunar eclipse, which for thousands of that would have put it into effect Also approved was a resolu- years have garnered both awe and fear, Earth casts a shadow on the moon. This doesn’t happen every time the moon makes its monthly trek, immediately. tion to declare Shirley Laven- though; the moon’s orbit is tilted, so it usually glides above or below Earth’s cone-shaped shadow. Alderman Craig McRae said that he had concerns that Gaines See COUNCIL Page 3A Local PEO group Miracle League receives two prestigious awards enjoys anniversary Special to the Advance By the Advance staff On Monday, Philanthrop- At Tuesday’s Monticello City ic Educational Organization Council meeting, the Miracle celebrated the 150th birth- League of Southeast Arkansas was day of International Chap- recognized for having won the ter of the PEO Sisterhood. Trendsetter Award from Arkansas Chapter AB in Monticello Business magazine for cities from joined the other 230,000 cur- 5,000 to 20,000 in polulation—the rent members of PEO from only organization south of Little nearly 6,000 chapters across Rock to be mentioned. the United States and Cana- The Trendsetter City program is da in celebrating the historic designed to honor cities which are milestone. leaders in innovative programs and “The PEO members in initiatives for improvement and Monticello stand on the growth. Being a Trendsetter City is shoulders of the generations an honor that speaks to the commit- of PEO sisters who came ment by city leadership and its citi- before us,” Susan Musick, zens, and creates a great economic president of the Monticello development selling point. chapter, said. “They were The program recognizes city lead dedicated to the mission of programs established to improve women supporting women, the wellness of city employees and/ just as we are today. And it is or its citizens. It can include but is a cause that will continue to not limited to creation of walkable be relevant for the next 150 space, community gardens, devel- years.” opment of parks, etc. Chapter AB has been The competition is divided into a part of the Monticello three population categories to al- community since it was low cities to compete with other organized in March 1946. cities of comparable size. The other The proceeds from events population categories are cities less throughout the year go di- than 5,000 population and more rectly to support women’s than 20,000. education. The Miracle League and the city Since its inception in also took home the Don A. Zim- Tom White/Advance-Monticellonian 1869, the nonprofi t organi- merman Pinnacle Award from Ar- TRENDSETTER Miracle League of Southeast Arkansas President Karen Connelley (center) and members of the ML Board of Directors display both the zation has helped more than kansas Business. Trendsetter Awards and the Pennacle Award from Arkansas Business magazine at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. 105,000 women pursue edu- cational goals by providing more than $321 million in grants, scholarships, awards Local church food pantry receives AHRA Serving Up Solutions grant money and loans and the stew- ardship of Cottey College. Through membership, the Special to the Advance than 4,000 people in Drew County who “As House chair of the Arkansas Legisla- annual hunger relief event, Serving Up Solu- PEO Sisterhood has brought struggle to keep food on their tables,” State tive Hunger Caucus, I am committed to in- tions, are invited to nominate a pantry in together nearly a half a LITTLE ROCK—Earlier this month, Im- Rep. LeAnne Burch said of the announce- creasing access to nutritious food for people their district for this annual grant award. The million women in the Unit- manuel Baptist Church, 939 Barkada Road, ment. “This grant will help the Immanuel in my district and around the state who are in AHRA has hosted this dinner since 2007 and received a $500 grant from the Arkansas Baptist Church food pantry continue their need. I am grateful to the Alliance for being has distributed more than $142,700 to food See PEO Page 3A Hunger Relief Alliance. good work in providing food to those in need an important partner in this effort.” banks and pantries across the state because “This food pantry is a blessing to the more in our community. Legislators participating in the Alliance’s of it. INDEX Opinion ..............4A Calendar ............2A Religion .............3B EXTRA! Classifi eds ........ 7C Sports ............... 1C ROVING REPORTERS Obituaries ..........8A Weddings ..........1B EXTRA! OUR 148TH YEAR ;OPZ`LHYTLTILYZVM[OL(K]HUJL4VU[PJLSSVUPHUZ[HќHYTLK NUMBER 4 • 22 PAGES with their smartphone cameras, will be out about town looking for interesting subjects. WILL YOU BE NEXT? 2A | Wednesday, January 23, 2019 NEWS Advance-Monticellonian | mymonticellonews.net | 870-367-5325 COMMUNITY CALENDAR GOING ON NOW Drew Central Baseball Booster Club THE ROVING The Drew Central Baseball Booster Club is selling barbecue sandwich plates, prepared by State Farm Insurance agent Chris Bryant, for $10. The menu will be a BBQ sandwich, slaw, potato salad and a dessert. Plates will be ready at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 1. For more information or to place an order, contact any Drew Central baseball player or head coach Clark Wilmoth. Wilmoth’s email address is [email protected]. LIHEAP applications The Southeast Arkansas Community Action Corporation is taking applica- REPORTERS tions for Fiscal Year 2019 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program winter regular program. The applications will remain open until funds are depleted. The program is designed to assist low-income households with home energy related emergency situations. The following information is needed to determine eligibility: 1) Proof of total monthly household income Look who we found this week! for the month prior to submitting application; 2) All household members’ birthdates, social security numbers and applicant’s identifi cation; and 3) DINNER IS SERVED Proof of an electric or gas bill—or other energy related statement—for regu- lar assistance. Applications will be taken from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1-2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday (offi ces are closed on Friday). For more information, contact either Andrea Crowder, Drew County SEACAC rep- resentative, at 870-460-0842 or SEACAC Central Offi ce LIHEAP Program Director Carolyn Davis at 870-226-2668, extension 307. Crowder’s offi ce is located in the Monticello Department of Human Services building, 444 U.S.