Commission upholds cop’s firing

Alberson claimed wrongful termination and says he is not done fighting for his job.

After five hours of listening to testimony and another hour in executive session Tuesday, the Jacksonville Civil Service Commission voted 3-2 to uphold the firing of police Sgt. John Alberson. Alberson asked for the hearing because he felt he was wrongly terminated in December and wanted his job back. Even though the commission sided with the police department, Alberson said […]

Arrests made in arson of school

Three youngsters, and a fourth is still wanted, believed started the blaze.

Three juveniles were arrested for arson and a fourth is wanted for the fire last week that destroyed the 75-year-old Jacksonville Elementary School building at 108 S. Oak St. According to the incident report, Jacksonville Fire Marshal Capt. Mike Williams determined the fire was started by someone burning newspapers in a trash can. A witness saw two juveniles exit the […]

Police Reports – February 29, 2020

Cabot • Steven Vincent, 38, of 501 Warren St., Apt A was arrested on Feb. 19 on drug charges. Police made a traffic stop at 10:58 p.m. at the intersection of Pond and Spence streets on a Toyota truck with no license plate. Vincent was driving on a suspended license and had felony warrants out of Cabot and Pulaski County. […]

Obituaries – February 29, 2020

Janice Sabbs Janice E. Sabbs, 57, of Jacksonville passed from this life Feb. 26. She was born in Pocahontas (Randolph County) on March 7, 1962, to the late James E. and Vonia Mae Barrentine. She had a passion for caring for her beloved cats, but most of all she loved spending time with her family. She was also preceded in […]

New service station to replace old Excel

The Cabot Planning Com-mission on Tuesday approved the preliminary plat and site plan to redevelop the former Excel Ford dealership site at the West Main Street and Dakota Drive intersection. The old dealership building will be torn down. Plans are for the 3.6-acre parcel of land to have a 5,600-square- foot service station along the frontage. Behind the service station […]

Fired cop stays fired

FREE

The Jacksonville Civil Service Commission on Tuesday night narrowly upheld the police department’s firing of Sgt. John Alberson. After a six-hour hearing, at nearly midnight, the commission voted 3-2, siding with the police department. He had been with the JPD for 21 years before he was terminated on New Year’s Eve after telling his superiors he had filed grant requests […]

Defending champion NLR wins at Benton

Six different pitchers combined to pitch a seven-inning, two-hit shutout in North Little Rock’s unofficial baseball season opener Monday at Benton. The Charging Wildcats got just four base hits, but eight walks and one Benton error aided the defending 6A-state champion’s cause. With one out, North Little Rock got three of those eight walks in a row in the top […]

Badgers defeat Jackrabbits in exhibition game

Beebe and Lonoke got baseball underway with a benefit game on Thursday.

The Beebe Bad-gers and Lonoke Jackrabbits unofficially opened the baseball season on Thursday at the Lonoke Ballpark, and it was the Beebe Badgers that took away a 5-3 win in the benefit exhibition game. Both teams played a lot of guys and pitched a lot of guys, and the bats were largely as cold as the conditions were. Beebe got […]

20200229

Jacksonville girls earn top seed

Lady Titans repeat winners of 5A-Central Conference after wins on Tuesday and Thursday.

Jacksonville has been on top of the league standings all season, and wrapped up at least a share of the 5A-Central Conference championship with its 59-27 win over Maumelle on Tuesday, but they needed to beat Hall on Thursday to secure the No. 1 seed in the state tournament. After what has become a somewhat routine slow start, a barrage […]