Identities of crash victims released
Arkansas State Police say the two-vehicle crash Wednesday east of the Henderson Fire Station on U.S. Hwy. 62/412 claimed the lives of 64-year-old Philip Woods of Jonesboro and 65-year-old Jimmy Lowe of Kennett, Missouri.
According to Corporal Jay Bryan in the report released Thursday, the crash occurred at 2:25 Wednesday afternoon. The head-on collision occurred when Woods’ vehicle traveling east crossed into the westbound lane and struck the Lowe vehicle head-on.
A passenger in the Woods vehicle, an unidentfied minor, was taken by air ambulance to Cox South in Springfield for treatment.
The report indicates the weather was clear at the time of the accident, and the road condition was dry.
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Missouri man held on rape charge
An Oregon County, Missouri man who was in the process of moving to Mountain Home is being held in the Baxter County Detention Center on a charge of rape with bond set at $250,000.
Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery says 38-year-old Joshua ONeal Chambers was booked into the jail at approximately 11:30 Friday morning after being extradited from Oregon County.
Sheriff Montgomery says on May 10th his office received a report that a minor female had been raped by Chambers who is a relative of the victim. The report stated that Chambers drove the victim to a location in the Midway area, forced her to undress and then forcibly raped her.
On May 18th, Chambers was arrested by the Oregon County, Missouri Sheriffs Office on theft charges. A hold was placed on him for Baxter County. That same day, Baxter County Sheriffs Investigator Scott Thrasher traveled to Oregon County and interviewed Chambers. During the interview Chambers admitted to picking up the victim and traveling to a residence and having intercourse with the minor child. An affidavit was prepared and a warrant of arrest was issued for Chambers and sent to Missouri authorities.
Chambers is set for an appearance in Baxter County Circuit Court on July 6th.
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Izard County drug sweep nets several more arrests
The Izard County Sheriff’s Department has had a busy week, netting several more felony drug arrests. The department has been working with members of the 16th Judicial Drug Task Force, Arkansas State Police Arkansas Game and Fish, Arkansas Department of Correction and the Independence County Sheriff’s Office.
Chief Deputy Earnie Blackley says deputies initiated a traffic stop Sunday at State Highway Five and 56 on a blue van with a tail light out. The driver of the vehicle, 49-year-old Bobby Gray of Oxford, was arrested for a suspended drivers license. The passenger of the vehicle, 50-year-old Russell Blevins of Violet Hill, was arrested on a warrant out of Fulton County.
After the arrests a K9 search was performed on the vehicle and 13 grams of crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine, along with drug paraphernalia, was located. Both Gray and Blevins were transported to the Izard County Detention Center and placed on a CID hold pending formal charges. They were ultimately charged with possession of controlled substance with purpose to deliver methamphetamine and two possession of drug paraphernalia charges. The are being held on a $25,000 bond.
On Friday 60-year-old Ronnie James Staggs of Pineville was arrested at his residence. Staggs was charged with three felony counts of delivery of methamphetamine along with a proximity-enhanced felony. Staggs is incarcerated in the Izard County Detention Center in lieu of two $50,000 bonds.
At the time Staggs was arrested at his residence officers located a small amount of crystalline substance which was later identified as methamphetamine. A search warrant was obtained for the residence and four more additional drug related charges were filed including possession of methamphetamine with purpose to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia,maintaining a drug premise, and use or possession of a prohibited weapon, a sawed off shotgun. He was also charged with felony simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms. Bond on the new charges was set at $50,000.00.
Last Wednesday, a search warrant was also executed on Sherman Gayle Horners residence in Horseshoe Bend.H orner was charged with two felony counts of delivery of methamphetamine, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a drug premises, possession of controlled substance with purpose to deliver, and unlawful use of a communication device. Horner was incarcerated in the Izard County Detention Center in lieu of a $25,000 bond.
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Local group protests Senate Health Bill at Boozman headquarters
A small group of protestors gathered outside local Senator John Boozman’s office Monday in opposition to the proposed Senate bill to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act. The protest comes amidst recent reports from the Congressional Budget Office (C.B.O.) which say the bill, H.R. 1628 the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, would reduce federal deficits by $321 billion while increase the amount of uninsured by 22 million. The Senate originally created a self-imposed deadline to vote on the bill this week before their July Fourth break. Tuesday afternoon the vote was delayed without giving a specified date.
Pamela Westerman was a part of the protest and is a facilitator of Indivisible Ozarks, North Central Arkansas, which she describes as as a local, nonpartisan, grassroots citizen advocacy group. She says one of the main reasons for the protest is to encourage more discussion over the bill before being passed due to the amount of people potentially affected.
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According to the C.B.O. report, by 2026 an estimated 49 million people would be uninsured, compared with 28 million without insurance by then under current law.
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Westerman goes on to say she is concerned about veterans, seniors and those living in rural areas across the Twin Lakes who rely on Medicaid.
Multiple media sources say Senators Boozman and Tom Cotton haven’t taken an official position on the bill.
To view the complete C.B.O. report go to https://www.cbo.gov.
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$500,000 gift highlights BRMC’s acute rehab million dollar campaign
A $500,000 donation from Baxter Regional Medical Center’s Auxiliary higlighted the kickoff of a million dollar campaign to remodel the local medical facility’s acute inpatient rehabilittion unit. The announcement came Wednesday and with other pledges to be announced later brings the total dollars committed to the project to $800,000.
Ron Peterson, Baxter Regional Medical Center’s President and Chief Executive Officer, told the crowd filling the rehabilitation unit the average patient stay in that area of the hospital is 16 days. The average stay elsewhere in the hospital is three days.
The rehab unit provides individualized and flexible treatment programs for patients who have been disabled by injury or illness. Treatment in the unit addresses physical or medical problems, difficulties with activities of daily living and unique problems related to feeding, communicating, concentration and self-care.
The acute inpatient rehabilitation unit opened over 20 years ago and has not had an upgrade since a remodel in 1999.
Among those who have benefitted from the services provided through the rehab unit is Jeff Quick of Mountain Home who is serving as the campaign champion. Quick’s comments to the crowd drew the loudest and most sustained applause after he spoke about the care he received following his life threatening illness just over a year ago.
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Quick’s comments at the campaign event took place just a few feet outside the door of the room where he spent two weeks in the unit just over a year ago. He says it was being home that made all the difference in his recovery.
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Quick says he was not aware of the rehab unit until his illness.
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Quick represents approximately 400 patients who are treated in that area of the hospital annually.
While the donation from BRMC’s Auxiliary and other pledges are significant milestones in the campaign, hospital officials say other naming opportunities are available. They include $50,000 for the dining and recreation area, $20,000 for the extended stay apartment, a new addition to the unit, and 12 of the 22 patient rooms at $15,000 each. These levels may be pledged over a five-year period.
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