MMS off ers greenhouse Austin, Russell to represent as learning Monticello at Meet of Champs experience 1B 1C ADVANCE-MONTICELLONIAN 75¢ WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2018 SERVING DREW COUNTY SINCE 1870 Camp Monticello is LET THE DECISIONS BEGIN included on 2018 list of endangered places BY HAROLD COGGINS 1942 and consisted of three com- [email protected] pounds for enlisted men, two com- pounds for offi cers, a hospital, gar- Camp Monticello, an Italian rison echelon and other facilities. prisoner-of-war camp during The camp was surrounded by World War II located along Ar- barbed-wire fences and guard kansas Highway 35 southeast of towers. After the British captured Monticello, has been included on much of the Italian high command the 2018 Most Endangered Places at Tobruk and elsewhere in North list by Preserve Arkansas, the only Africa, Italian POWs, the vast ma- statewide nonprofi t organization jority of them offi cers, began to ar- focused on preserving Arkansas’s rive at Camp Monticello in 1943, architectural and cultural resourc- spending their time working, play- es. ing sports, attending Mass, pre- The annual list, which began in paring Italian meals, learning and 1999, was announced last Friday creating art. by Preserve Arkansas Executive The camp was closed in 1945 Director Rachel Patton. To quali- at the conclusion of World War fy, the historic properties must be II, and prisoners were eventually threatened by deterioration, ne- returned to Italy. The camp prop- glect, insuffi cient resources, insen- erty was declared surplus and pur- sitive public policy or inappropri- chased by Arkansas A&M College, ate development. now the University of Arkansas at “Preserve Arkansas puts out a Monticello. Since the 1940s, the call for nominations for the Most college has used much of the for- Endangered Places list early each mer camp for teaching livestock spring, and anyone may nominate a and forest management. UAM still property for consideration,” Patton owns much of the property, with Ashley Foreman/Advance-Monticellonian explained. “Nominations are con- the Monticello Economic Devel- GETTING THINGS READY Drew County Clerk Lyna Gulledge (left) and poll worker Vickie Eggleston make sure the voting machines are work- sidered by a selection committee opment Commission owning the ing properly Monday at the Drew County Courthouse. Early voting offi cially began that day at 8 a.m. in Drew County. At the end of the day chaired by a member of Preserve remainder. Tuesday, according to Gulledge, 148 people had taken advantage of this service. The Primary Election is Tuesday, May 22 and early voting Arkansas’s board of directors and Both UAM Chancellor Kar- will continue through Monday, May 21. This year, Drew County registered voters have the option to cast their early ballot sat the courthouse or also consisting of an Arkansas his- la Hughes and MEDC Executive at the Ethel Hawkins Family Life Center of Holmes Chapel Presbyterian Church, 527 East McCloy Avenue. Times voters can cast ballots are torian, an architect, a representative Director Nita McDaniel said they from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The polls will close for early voting at 5 p.m. on May 21. of the Arkansas Historic Preserva- would have statements on Camp tion Program and an at-large mem- Monticello’s inclusion on the en- ber of Preserve Arkansas. dangered placed list after they have “They evaluate the nominations studied it further. Keep up with this based on the degree of a property’s developing story in future issues of PTF events are gearing up for next month signifi cance and the imminence of the Advance-Monticellonian. the threat to the property. The Most The involvement by UAM and 2, to be announced at the award ceremony. Also, Endangered list is not meant to be the MEDC led Preserve Arkansas Special to the Advance there will be food and drinks along with music at an indictment of property owners; to declare Camp Monticello as the fi nish line. Tthe course is very well marked rather, it is meant to raise aware- “one of the best preserved POW It’s about time for the 62nd annual Bradley and safe for all ages. ness of the importance of Arkan- camps in the U.S.” at Friday’s an- County Pink Tomato Festival. The festivities, as Entry forms may be picked up at Union Bank, sas’s historic places, to help fi nd nouncement. always, will be held on the second full weekend Bradley County Chamber of Commerce or you ways to preserve these places, and “Because the Camp Monticello in June—which this year is June 8-9. This year’s may sign up online at: www.runsignup.com/ to prioritize preservation needs in property has been used for UAM’s Friday entertainment headliner will be the Bel- Race/AR/Warren/PinkTomato5K. Arkansas.” forestry program,” Patton said, “it lamy Brothers, and Saturday’s headliner will be Twelve properties from around actually retains several site fea- Mark Chestnutt. • The 2018 Little Miss Pink Tomato competi- The Natural State were nominat- tures from the camp, and we would In preparation for the festival, several events tion will also be held on June 9. The popular Lit- ed this year and the 2018 list has like to see those preserved. Extant are already being planned for all residents of tle Miss Pink Tomato Pageant has been a part of a “wide variety of places,” Patton site features include asphalt roads, Southeast Arkansas. Among those are the steak the Pink Tomato Festival since 1959. said during the organization’s an- building and guard tower founda- cookoff, the 5K run/walk and the Little Pink To- Contestants must be 4 or 5 years of age on June nouncement in Little Rock. The tions, the ruins of a chapel built by mato pageant. 1 and reside in Ashley, Bradley, Cleveland, Cal- • The 2018 Bradley County Pink Tomato Fes- houn, Dallas, Drew, Lincoln or Union County. overall list totals 135 properties. POWs, an 80-foot brick chimney 5K Run/Walk, sponsored by Emrich & Scroggins Of that number, 21 have been de- from the hospital as well as the tival Steak Cookoff is scheduled for June 9 in The 2018 Little Miss Pink Tomato Pageant is downtown Warren. Entry fees for the cookoff are LLP will also be held on June 9. scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on June 9 at the Warren stroyed, 39 saved and 75 still en- boilers, water well pumps and a The 5K Walk and 5K Run will start on Cedar dangered in some way, according massive waste water tank. $150; entry fees for the appetizer are $25. Cultural Center on John Scobey Drive. Cooking team spaces will be 10 feet by 15 Street, west of First State Bank at 7:30 a.m., with Participants in the pageant will rehearse at the to Patton. “In addition, I believe that two of registration beginning at 6:15 a.m. in First State “The properties still listed as en- the old quartermaster’s warehouses feet. The PTF Cookoff is sanctioned by the Steak Cultural Center at 9 a.m. on June 8 and they will Cookoff Association. First place will be award- Bank parking lot. Registration fee is $25 per per- ride on the contestant fl oat in the Pink Tomato dangered—and that includes this are still standing, albeit covered in son through June 8 and $30 per person on the year’s list—may have made prog- newer metal siding, and in use on ed $1,500; second place $500; third place $400; Festival Parade at 10 a.m. on June 9. fourth place $300, fi fth place $200; and sixth day of the race. Each runner will receive a T-shirt Entry forms and instruction sheets are avail- ress since their initial listing, but the (Drew County) fairgrounds. A while supplies. we don’t record it as ‘saved’ unless plan for the interpretation of Camp through 10th places will receive $100. able at the Bradley County Chamber or they can Teams will set up from 8-10:00 a.m. and a Awards will be given for overall male and fe- be downloaded at www.pinktomatofestival.com/ a complete rehabilitation has been Monticello is needed to prevent male Walk winners and for overall male and fe- these resources from being de- cook’s meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Appetizers forms. completed, or until the resource has male Run winner. First- second- and third-place been put back into active use,” Pat- stroyed. will be turned in from 1-1:15 p.m., steaks will be For more information on any of the three medals will be given for winning Walkers and ton said Friday. “The site is important to World turned in from 3-3:30 p.m. and awards will be an- events, contact the Bradley County Pink Tomato Runners in the following age groups: 12 and un- Camp Monticello was one of War II history on the home front nounced at 5 p.m. Festival at 870-226-5225. For the 5K Run/Walk, four main camps and 30 branch and would dovetail nicely with To register for the competition, go to: www. der, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 and 60 race chairman Randy Rawls can also be contact- camps in Arkansas that interned the Japanese-American Intern- steakcookoffs.com. A limited number of steak and over. All children 12 and under will receive a ed at 870-226-2035, and for the Little Miss Pink enemy prisoners during the war.