The Lawrence County Quorum Court is taking a second look at hosting a proposed state prison. This after last week’s meeting where the Quorum Court voted 5-4 against applying for the $100 million dollar facility that could bring with it at least 500 jobs. The Sun Newspaper reports a flurry of outrage from angry citizens is what is bringing the issue back for consideration. While the five justices that voted against the maximum security prison cited safety concerns, County Judge Dale Freeman tells the Sun his phone has been flooded with calls of people who are upset the Quorum Court voted against the facility. Those citizens say they want the economic benefits that could come with a new state prison, such as the possibility that big businesses could be attracted to the county. Freeman says he has called a special meeting for tonight at 7 p.m. at the Lawrence County Courthouse to revisit the issue. Justices are expected to vote again on the prison issue tonight. If the county changes its decision, the county will then apply with the state for the new state prison. Freeman says he has 400-acres ready for the facility and he says Walnut Ridge would be a perfect location for such a facility, due to its airports and two colleges in town. Communities have been given until October 24 to submit paperwork if they want to host the new facility.
Johnathan Reaves is the News Director for KASU Public Radio. As part of an Air Force Family, he moved to Arkansas from Minot, North Dakota in 1986. He was first bitten by the radio bug after he graduated from Gosnell High School in 1992. While working on his undergraduate degree, he worked at KOSE, a small 1,000 watt AM commercial station in Osceola, Arkansas. Upon graduation from Arkansas State University in 1996 with a degree in Radio-Television Broadcast News, he decided that he wanted to stay in radio news. He moved to Stuttgart, Arkansas and worked for East Arkansas Broadcasters as news director and was there for 16 years.