TRI-LAKES AREA — Read below for news snippets from around the Tri-Lakes area.
CLARK COUNTY
One candidate seeks Ward 3 post
ARKADELPHIA — One candidate has expressed interest in filling the Arkadelphia Board of Directors’ Ward 3 post.
According to the office of City Manager Jimmy Bolt, Bradley Godwin of Richmond Street has written a letter of interest concerning the position to City Clerk Rendi Currey. The deadline for submitting letters of interest is Thursday, Sept. 30.
The position became vacant following the resignation of DeeDee Baldwin, who resigned her position Sept. 2, citing a “division” among board members.
Baldwin was the third director to resign this year from the seven-member board. Whoever is named to the post by the other members of the board will serve until the term is over on the last day of 2012.
GARLAND COUNTY
Dispute over Hot Springs National Park name goes on
HOT SPRINGS — In the U.S. Department of the Interior’s latest challenge to the Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission’s use of the phrase “Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas” on its logo, the department no longer called the use of the logo “fraud and deception.”
The Interior Department’s latest filings before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board were made in August, asking for the board to cancel the trademark because the wording is “geographically descriptive.”
The department documents submitted also expressed concern that the commission began using the logo to advertise services that were not “approved, endorsed or associated with the National Park Service.”
The advertising commission said its members do not dispute that the words “Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas” are “primarily geographically descriptive,” but argue that the federal government has not claimed the exclusive right to use the words in a long time, according to documents submitted Sept. 10 by the commission in response to the federal claim.
Danger of fires continue in county
HOT SPRINGS — According to the Arkansas Forestry Commission, the risk of wildfire in Garland County is high after it assisted local departments in fighting small fires over the weekend.
Jerry Lambert, public affairs specialist for the Forestry Commission, said the weather report showed that Garland County had one of its lowest relative-humidity days of the year on Monday.
From a fire standpoint, “it is not a good thing,” Lambert said.
The Forestry Commission fought a couple of small wildfires in Garland County from the air over the weekend and urged caution, even though a burn ban has not been issued by the county.
Much of Arkansas is at risk for wildfires, according to the Forestry Commission. Commission personnel have responded to 1,373 fires in 2010, with 176 fire responses recorded so far in September, Lambert said.
HOT SPRING COUNTY
Jailer fired after escape
MALVERN — A jailer for Hot Spring County has been dismissed following an investigation into the escape of an Arkansas Department of Correction prisoner from the Hot Spring County Jail on Aug. 25.
The Hot Spring County Sheriff’s Office released a Sept. 17 letter saying Chief Jailer Richard Tolleson was dismissed because of “policy violations.”
In a statement signed by Tolleson, he said that following a trip to court in Malvern, he left Rodney Adkins with two trustees at the jail transportation dock while another inmate was placed in the jail. Tolleson said he was then told by one of the trustees that Adkins had escaped. Adkins was later recaptured and faces new charges.
Saline County CASA director arrested
BENTON — The director of the Court Appointed Special Advocates for Saline County has been arrested and charged with embezzling funds meant for the organization and operating an illegal gambling house, according to the Saline County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Bruce Pennington said CASA Director Jackie Perkins and Tammy McLain, who resides at the same Little Rock address as Perkins, were arrested Sept. 13. Their arrests were announced Sept. 16 because of the continuing investigation.
CASA trains volunteers to aid children who have been placed under the protection of the Department of Human Services by the courts. The volunteers are advocates for the children before the court and with their foster families.
The sheriff said the women were allegedly operating illegal gambling as a charity bingo game. The women were released on signature bonds.