Inmate missing from Lee County
The Lee County sheriff’s office and Arkansas Department of Correction are searching for a prison inmate who walked away from a work assignment at the Lee County courthouse in Marianna on Christmas Eve, a department spokesman said Tuesday.
Charles Sanders, 25, who was serving time for convictions on charges including aggravated robbery, burglary, drug possession and first-degree battery, was last seen at the courthouse between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., Correction Department spokesman George Brewer said.
Since then, “everybody’s been running down leads” on Sanders’ whereabouts, Brewer said.
Sanders was sentenced in Pulaski County to 18 years in prison in 2006, Brewer said. In August, he was transferred to the Lee County jail under Act 309 of 1983, which allows state prison inmates to work under the supervision of county sheriffs.
The jail, which adjoins the East Arkansas Regional Unit near Brickeys, is operated by the Correction Department under an agreement with the sheriff’s office. Lee County inmates assigned to the Act 309 program work at the courthouse or other locations under the supervision of the sheriff’s office, Brewer said.
Lee County Sheriff Jack Oxner didn’t return a call seeking comment Tuesday.
- ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Michigan declines to extradite man
Federal marshals arrested a man on Michigan’s list of most-wanted sex offenders Dec. 21 in Little Rock, but he was set free after Michigan declined to extradite him, officials said.
Marshals arrested Clarence William McWatters, 41, in a house across the street from Hall High School on a Michigan State Police warrant accusing McWatters of failing to register as a sex offender.
McWatters waived fighting extradition to Michigan.
But he walked free Tuesday after Michigan officials sent a fax they would not extradite McWatters from Arkansas. Michigan officials asked Pulaski County jail officials to “please notify” McWatters that he still had a valid warrant for his arrest in Michigan.
The Michigan undersheriff who contacted Arkansas officials did not respond to a request for comment.
Convicted in 1991 of firstdegree sexual conduct with injury, McWatters failed to register as a sex offender in Michigan in March 2006 and in April and November 2009.
Pulaski County sheriff’s office spokesman Lt. Cody Burk said there was no choice but to release McWatters because he faced no charges other than the one in the Michigan warrant. Burk said the jail staff asked Mc-Watters to register as a sex offender in Arkansas if he planned to stay in the state.
- ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Center names new director
Ozark Folkways Heritage Center in Winslow has named Rebecca Buchanan as its new executive director, the center announced Tuesday.
Buchanan comes to the center from Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale, where she worked as volunteer services coordinator. She also has workedas preschool director at Sequoyah Children’s Garden in Fayetteville and as education and research director at Fayetteville’s Ozark Research Center.
Buchanan replaces longtime volunteer director Connie Wright, who retired earlier this month.
Ozark Folkways is a nonprofit center, art guild and gift shop dedicated to the preservation, instruction and development of Ozark regional arts and crafts.
- ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Tribe rejects tobacco compact
OKMULGEE, Okla. - The Muscogee (Creek) National Council struck down a measure Tuesday that would have allowed the tribe’s principal chief to sign a tobacco compact with the state.
Principal Chief A.D. Ellis said he had hoped that the measure would pass to put an end to five years of struggle between the state and tribe over the issue.
The measure would have required that the tribe give up its tobacco wholesale company, a provision Ellis said he didn’t like.
The tribe previously struck down several compact deals the state offered and is one of only two tribes in the state that does not have a tobacco compact.
The other tribe, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe, is likely to sign on once the change is complete, said state Treasurer Scott Meacham.
The name-brand cigarettes sold at the tribe’s smoke shops now mostly bear uncompacted stamps, which have a higher tax rate than compacted stamps, with no money rebated to the Creek Nation.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
New rules sought for dog breeders
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.
- Several animal groups are urging Missouri voters to adopt new rules for dog breeders that cap the number of dogs, require rest periods after breeding and establish care requirements.
Under the proposal, dog breeders could only have 50 breeding dogs and would be required to feed animals daily, provide annual veterinary care and not breed animals more than twice every 18 months.
The rules would apply to people with at least 10 dogs for breeding. Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and face up to 15 days in jail and a $300 fine.
The Missouri secretary of state’s office has approved a ballot summary for two initiative petitions involving dog breeding. That means supporters can begin collecting signatures for the 2010 ballot. They need about 100,000 signatures by May 2.
The dog breeding ballot measure is backed by Missourians for the Protection of Dogs - a coalition comprised of the Humane Society of Missouri, Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and The Humane Society of the United States.
Critics said Monday they plan to challenge the petition in court and contend the proposal could harm dogs by creating the same set of rules without considering differences between breeds.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 10 on 12/31/2009