Committee discusses handling violations of cemetery policy

By Randy Moll randym@nwanews.com

GENTRY ó The cityís cemetery committee met Thursday to discuss possible solutions to violations of the policy for the Gentry Cemetery. - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

City may join NWA Regional Mobility Authority

By Randy Moll randym@nwanews.com

GENTRY ó As a city of the first class, Gentry has been given the opportunity to join the Northwest Arkansas Regional Mobility Authority and have representation on the new government entityís board of directors. - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Show brings out classics

By Randy Moll randym@nwanews.com

GENTRY ó More cars than ever graced the circle walk in Gentryís city park for the annual car show on the Fourth of July. - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

School district finishes year in black and red

By Randy Moll randym@nwanews.com

GENTRY ó The school district finished its fiscal year in the black and in the red, depending on who is looking at the books. Dr. Randy Barrett, superintendent of Gentry Schools, told school board members the district finished the year (on June 30) with an ending balance of $1,309,980.34. After the districtís $1.25 million loan is deducted from the balance, the district finished out the year with a balance of $59,980.34. In an e-mail message sent to school board members Friday, Barrett said, ìThe way Legislative Audit looks at us, we will end up with (Funds 1000-6000 ) an ending balance of $1,309,980.34. The way we would normally look at it, - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Courier-Journal wins APA awards

From Staff Reports

LITTLE ROCK ó The Gentry Courier-Journal received a number of awards at the Arkansas Press Association convention Saturday. The newspaper was judged on the basis of its editorial content ó including articles, columns, photographs and page design ó and compared to other small weekly papers across the state. The Courier-Journal received firstplace awards in the following categories : - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Highfill responds to uncertain economy

By Randy Moll randym@nwanews.com

HIGHFILL ó With sales-tax revenue beginning to fall off, the town of Highfill will be cutting back on expenditures in an attempt to retire debt. - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Gentry considers Decatur annexation

By Randy Moll randym@nwanews.com

GENTRY ó A forced annexation of the Decatur School District into a neighboring district yet this summer was not viewed by the Gentry School Board as beneficial for students. When the Arkansas State Board of Education makes its decision July 31 regarding annexing Decatur Schools into a contingent district, there would be little time for students or staff to prepare. Gentry teachers return to prepare for classes August 7, and Decatur students would have only about two weeks before classes are set to begin. The Decatur School District was categorized as in fiscal distress by the state board on Monday. The state board, at its Monday meeting, also declined to force the Greenland School District to annex into a neighboring district. Greenlandís school board relinquished its authority to the state in order to keep the district open. In regard to the Arkansas Department of Education recommendation that Decaturís school district be annexed into a contingent school district, the state board could do nothing but leave t - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Decatur pet owners urged to follow city’s ordinances

By Janelle Jessen janellej@nwanews.com

DECATUR ó Police chief Terry Luker wants to make sure pet owners in Decatur are aware of city ordinances and take preventative measures before their animals get into trouble. - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Norman completes NACA academy

By Randy Moll randym@nwanews.com

GENTRY ó Warren ìBudî Norman, the cityís animal control officer, recently graduated from the National Animal Control Association Training Academy in Little Rock. - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Students plan fundraisers to save Decatur’s schools

By Janelle Jessen janellej@nwanews.com

DECATUR ó Students, with the help of parents and community members, are working hard to help raise the money needed to keep Decatur schools open. - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Police Beat

By Keith Smith Gentry Police Chief

Welcome Readers, Today I had several topics to cover, sort of an ìinformational buffet,î if you will. However, something new came to me this morning and I felt it to be an important law enforcement issue. I saw in the Northwest Section of the Democrat-Gazette, where two examples of ìquestionable hiresî were covered. I certainly feel for the agencies involved, and I also understand the position they are in with respect to their employee. Having read the article in question, I felt a need to expand on the topic and perhaps shed some light on how hiring police officers takes place and even make a suggestion or two. Background checks on prospective ìnew hiresî are routinely conducted any time an agency in Arkansas plans to hire a new police officer. I have heard and have been monitoring certain recent events surrounding a few officers from both area and distant police agencies. According to news articles I have read, and having some knowledge of how other local agencies process prospective new hires, background c - Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Herndon concert tickets being sold by merchants

By Randy Moll randym@nwanews.com

GENTRY ó The Main Street Gentry Chamber of Commerce has announced that a Ty Herndon concert will be a featured event at the Oct. 11 Fall Festival. - Wednesday, July 16, 2008