3-way race official for MH mayor as filing period opens
A three-way race officially developed for mayor of Mountain Home Friday on the opening day of the filing period for those seeking to run as independent candidates for municipal-level offices during the November general election.
The three candidates, Hillrey Adams, Dave Almond and Nancy Osmon, had previously announced their intentions to seek the seat being vacated by Mayor Joe Dillard, who announced in February he would not be seeking re-election.
Others filing in Mountain Home for city council seats were incumbents Jennifer Baker and Eva Frame, along with Jim Bodenhamer and James Whalen.
Three incumbent mayors filed for re-election, Dennis Behling in Lakeview, Tim Mayfield in Salesville, and Eugene Hubka in Briarcliff.
In Cotter, McGeorge “Mac” Caradine and Schuyler Brower filed for city council.
In Bull Shoals, Jim Traylor filed for Ward 3, Position 2 and Richard Belt filed for alderman for the Ward 2, Position 1 seat.
In Flippin, incumbent Gerald Marberry filed for the mayor’s position.
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Lone Rock man drowns in White River
A Baxter County man has drowned in the White River. Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery says the body of 64-year-old Edwin Evans of Lone Rock was recovered from the river Wednesday night.
The sheriff’s office was notified about 6:00 Wednesday night about a possible drowning between Buffalo City and Riley’s Resort. The caller reported a man wearing a life jacket was face down in the water, possibly hung up on a log or submerged tree limb.
Witnesses say they first saw the man in his boat about 9:00 Wednesday morning and he continued fishing in the same area all day. The last time witnesses saw the man was Wednesday afternoon around 4:00. Personnel from Riley’s Resort went out about 6:00 to check on the man, found his body in the water and called 911.
After emergency personnel arrived on the scene, a sheriff’s office diver was able to recover the man’s body. The body has been sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner’s Office in Little Rock for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Assisting the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office were the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Buford Area Fire Departent and members of the public.
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Federal charges will not be pursued against NPS rangers in fatal shooting
Federal charges will not be pursued against two National Park Service rangers involved in a fatal shooting in the Buffalo National River near Yellville in 2017. Duane “Dak” Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, says there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal charges against the two rangers involved in the shooting on August 20th, 2017 of 34-year-old Jonathan Bolger of Branson.
Kees said the U.S. Attorneys Office and the National Park Service conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included interviews of civilian and law enforcement witnesses, as well as a review of photographs, diagrams, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, video surveillance footage, the autopsy report, and reports from the National Park Service and the Arkansas State Police.
The U.S. Attorneys Office reviewed this case due to the concurrent jurisdiction between the state and federal governments that exists over the property located within the Buffalo National River.
According to the evidence, two rangers were conducting a routine patrol of a campground located in the Buffalo National River. As the rangers were conducting the patrol in the Spring Creek Campground in the Lower District of Buffalo National River park, at approximately 1:34 am, a man confronted them by shining a flashlight in their direction.
The evidence shows the rangers clearly identified themselves to the man, later determined to be Bolger, but also noticed he was pointing a handgun in their direction. The rangers directed him to put the handgun down multiple times. The evidence then shows Bolger refused their commands and made a sudden threatening move, at which time one of the rangers shot Bolger with his service handgun.
The rangers immediately called emergency medical technicians to the scene and began performing CPR on Bolger, but they were unable to revive him. Emergency medical technicians arrived and declared Bolger dead on the scene.
The evidence also shows a Umarex air pistol was recovered from near Bolgers body at the scene of the shooting. A medical examiner from the Arkansas State Crime lab determined Bolgers cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds.
Kees says after a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the rangers used excessive force or violated federal laws under the circumstances.
The U.S. Attorneys Office reviewed this case to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude either of the rangers violated any federal or state laws that may be prosecuted in federal court due to the concurrent jurisdiction exercised in the Buffalo National River.
To prove such violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary. Kees says proving willfulness is a heavy burden. Prosecutors must not only prove the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids. Kees says a conclusion that there is insufficient evidence is not meant to suggest anything further about what evidence, if any, exists.
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MC jailer charged with furnishing prohibited articles to inmates
A former Marion County Detention Center jailer, 32-year-old Rickey Morgan of Harrison, has been charged with two felony counts of furnishing prohibited articles to inmates.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed Friday morning, for several months the Marion County Sheriff’s Office has been receiving information from several unrelated individuals alleging Morgan was introducing contraband into the county jail.
The reports were similar, noting someone could be contacted to drop off items with money and place it in a black Ford Taurus belonging to Morgan. Morgan would then allegedly keep the money and deliver the item to the inmate that ordered it. It was also reported Morgan would allow inmates to use his personal cellphone to make these transactions.
On July 18th, a sheriff’s criminal investigator advised Morgan an order had been placed and would be delivered to his vehicle that evening. That evening, an undercover cop placed a can of tobacco along with $50 in Morgan’s vehicle. A short time later, the sheriff’s department security cameras show Morgan walking to his car and retrieving the money and tobacco from his car. He placed the money in his pocket and the tobacco in his leg cargo pocket. He then returned to the jail.
About five minutes later, a camera shows Morgan walk to a cell, reach into his cargo pocket, pull out an item and hand it into the pass through on the cell door.
The following morning just before 5:00, Morgan was brought into the department’s interview room and advised of his Miranda rights prior to questioning.
He allegedly admitted allowing inmates to use his cellphone, saying the jail administrator would not allow them to make extra calls, and he felt sorry for them. He also allegedly admitted to bringing contraband into the jail for money.
Online jail records indicate Morgan was booked into the detention center shortly before 9:30 Thursday night and released about 30 minutes later after posting a $1,000 bond. He is set to appear in Marion County Circuit court later this month.
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Talk of tariffs delays construction start of new Hospice offices
Talk of tariffs in Washington has made its way to Mountain Home, leading to a delay in the start of construction of a new two-story administration building for Hospice of the Ozarks.
Director Greg Wood says groundbreaking for the new facility was held on May 30th, with an expectation construction would begin the following week. When work did not begin as expected, Wood says Hospice officials reached out to their general contractor and architects.
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Wood says he and the board of directors went back to the drawing board.
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Wood says the revamped building will be the same size as originally planned, with a price tag of about $3.5 million. The cost could increase up to $500,000 depending on the amount of rock located in the site preparation.
He says they are still looking at a 10-month time frame for completion.
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Wood told KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot news in February the stage was set for the new building about 15 to 20 years ago with some large gifts and donations. He says while the gifts and donations from several years ago will cover construction costs, opportunities remain for the community to become involved with the new facility.
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