Northeast Arkansas communities receive development grants

JONESBORO — The Arkansas Economic Development Commission has awarded $4,753,478 million in Community Development Block Grant to 30 Arkansas cities and counties.

The grants were awarded under the General Assistance set-aside, part of Arkansas’ $18.86 million 2021 formula grant allocation, which is designed to provide communities the opportunity to apply for a variety of nonhousing public- facility and public-infrastructure projects.

These funds originate from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

An additional $2,424,095 was awarded to nine cities and counties throughout the state from the CDBG-CV set-aside, a $26.4 million supplemental program to assist in local governmentlevel recovery, prevention and preparation efforts relating to the coronavirus.

The CDBG-CV funding was allocated to the State by HUD as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

General Assistance projects for Northeast Arkansas include:

• Ash Flat, Sharp County, Ash Flat Street Overlay Project, $244,317;

• Etowah, Mississippi County, Etowah Wastewater Treatment Plant Project, $300,000;

• Evening Shade, Sharp County, Evening Shade Water Line Project, $237,508.

CDBG-CV projects in the area include:

• Blytheville, Mississippi County, Blytheville Homeless Shelter Project, $275,000;

• Jackson County, Jackson County Homeless Shelter Project, $156,825;

• Paragould. Greene County, Paragould Homeless Shelter Project, $281,500.

To be eligible for CDBG funds through both of these programs, communities must have a population of less than 50,000 and at least 51 percent of the persons benefitting from the project must be of low- to moderate-income, or the project must meet another CDBG national objective, prevention of slum or blight, or meet an urgent need.

CDBG-CV projects must have a direct tie-back to COVID-19, and meet an unmet need toward the recovery, prevention, and preparation efforts relating to the coronavirus. All Arkansas cities and counties are eligible for the grant program with the exception of 13 entitlement cities that receive CDBG funds directly from HUD. ***

Man arrested in Dumas car show shooting that killed 1, wounded 26

DUMAS — Arkansas authorities on Wednesday arrested a 22-year-old man in a shooting at a car show that killed one person and left 26 wounded.

Arkansas State Police said it arrested Brandon Deandra Knight, of Jacksonville, who has been charged with first-degree battery and aggravated assault. Knight was taken into custody as he was being released from a Dumas hospital Wednesday morning, police said.

He was being held at the Dumas city jail and will have a first appearance in court Thursday. It was unclear whether he had an attorney.

Police did not elaborate on Knight’s involvement in Saturday night’s shooting and said their investigation remains active.

Knight is the first person arrested in the shooting in Dumas, a city of about 4,000 southeast of Little Rock. The car show is part of a community event held each spring called Hood-Nic, which is short for neighborhood picnic.

Police on Sunday said the shooting was the result of a gunfight between two people.

Knight’s arrest comes two days after Arkansas State Police asked witnesses to come forward and announced a phone line was reserved for anyone with information that

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would help identify suspects.

Knight and Cameron Shaffer, the 23-year-old killed in the gunfire, are both from Jacksonville.

The Hood-Nic event, which helps raise funds for scholarships and school supplies, also included a bonfire, a basketball tournament,

musical performances, a teen party and a balloon release. ***

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities has opened its annual request for proposals encouraging Arkansas entities to apply to receive grant funding for their developmental disability inclusion projects.

Arkansas-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, public educational institutions, and local and state agencies are encouraged to submit their proposals by April 13 at 11:59 p.m.

“These proposals enable the Council to supply much-needed funding to Arkansas-based organizations implementing projects to promote DD inclusion,” Jon Taylor, executive director of the council said in the press release. “Having an abundance of support from organizations of all kinds across the state is exactly what will help bolster the independence and productivity of Arkansans with DD.”

The Council will award a total of $500,000 to a minimum of three project activities to begin on July 1, that address the following goals and objectives: People with DD and their families will be active in advocacy activities that improve their lives, the lives of others and the service system.

People with DD and their families will have improved access to community support and services.

The Council will support projects to improve the competitive, integrated employment of Arkansans with developmental disabilities.

“Supplying resources to organizations in Arkansas is a large component of our mission to promote the integration, inclusion and independence of Arkansans with DD,” Assiah Lewellen, deputy director of the council said. “If you are a business who is passionate about providing resources, programs or other services for individuals with DD, we encourage you to submit your application today.”

Additionally, applicants must be able to demonstrate the following minimum criteria: Display a working knowledge of the issues that affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families.

Have experience working with and/or advocating on behalf of people with IDD.

Show a history of conducting education in the activity area identified in the application. Exhibit a functional and operational alignment with the mission and values of the Council.

The Council strongly encourages applications from organizations that are located in rural or urban poverty areas, organizations that employ staff with IDDs in an integrated setting, and/or organizations that represent linguistic or cultural minorities.

The deadline to submit written questions is 4:30 p.m. April 7.

Interested parties can learn more or submit an application by visiting bit.ly/GCDDFunding22.

***

Convicted killer given life without parole by jury

WHITE COUNTY — Maddison Clevenger’s family and friends had to wait late into the night Friday to learn whether the man convicted earlier that day of killing the Searcy 23-year-old in May 2020 would be given the death penalty.

When the jury in White County Circuit Court delivered its decision at nearly 11 p.m., it was life without parole for Hunter Dean Bishop, 28, of Searcy. On Monday morning, Bishop’s attorney filed a motion for the court to find him “indigent for purposes of appeal and appoint counsel,” saying he cannot afford counsel or to pay any fees and previously had been found indigent by the court.

Throughout the day Friday, whether it was waiting for the jury to announce that it had found Bishop guilty of shooting Clevenger in her home on Horton Street or to deliver his sentence, her family and friends paced and lingered at the courthouse at the tail end of the week-long trial of Bishop for capital murder.

“It’s a waiting game,” Clevenger’s father, Jason said, from the hall outside the courtroom that morning, the second day of deliberations by the jury.

At 3:43 p.m., that verdict came in.

“We have a verdict,” a bailiff announced to alert people in the lobby and outside the courthouse doors who then quickly filed into the courtroom.

Three family members of Bishop’s were present, sitting behind him for the first time since the trial began.

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“I have received a message … the jury has a verdict,” Judge Mark Pate said.

Faint, muffled crying was then heard from Clevenger’s siblings, sitting opposite of Bishop’s family.

“All rise,” said the bailiff, ushering in the 12 jurors— one of whom was crying while making her way to a jury seat.

“Before we begin,” Pate sternly said, “there can be no outbursts, no comments or yells [from the families].”

Six to seven armed bailiffs then assumed their positions in the courtroom, lining the isles and perimeter of the room.

“Hand the verdict form to the bailiff,” Pate told the jury. Form in-hand, he then read, “We, the jury, find Hunter Dean Bishop guilty of capital murder…” Cries of relief erupted from Clevenger’s family and friends. Their joyful sounds, however, quickly turned to grievous sobs.

Clevenger’s father, who sat with his wife and children, maintained his composure, with little expression during

Bishop also was composed during the guilty verdict, showing no visible reaction.

A 15-minute recess followed, when friends and family consoled one another with long embraces and affectionate pats on the back.

“When one of the jurors came out crying, I knew [the verdict] …,” one woman said to another.

Victim impact statements were expected to follow, in order to help guide the jury in their final phase of the trial – sentencing for Bishop, to decide whether he would live or die. They chose life.

White County Sheriff Philip Miller, who was present for the verdict, said that in his 21 years of law enforcement in White County, he recalls around 20 murder trials, but only one which “secured a death penalty,” Jack Harold Jones in 1996.

“They [the state of Arkansas] also carried out executions around four years ago,” Miller said, referring to Jones, who raped and murdered 34-year-old Mary Phillips in Bald Knob, and three individuals being put to death after having sat death row for many years.

Having witnessed those executions, Miller said “I hate to say it was a letdown, [but] putting myself in the place of those victims’ families, through the lens of remembering those crime scenes … it’s hard to say they [the victims’ families] really felt justice.”

“They [those being executed] laid there, perfectly still, calm, and got to say whatever they wanted to say, and just went to sleep,” he said. “Through the lens of the family, it’s hard to say this is really justice for the crimes they committed against their loved ones.”

When asked his thoughts on Pate’s pre-trial decision to omit Bishop’s criminal record of having previously shot a person during an armed robbery, Miller said “it’s not fair, but the criminal justice system in a trial setting is different.” He said it would be better “for the jury to be able to see the full picture of the case, but can’t [understandably] due to court procedure or laws that have prevailed.”

At the time of her murder, May 15, 2020, around 3 a.m. Clevenger was just 10 days away from her 24th birthday. She died from a single gunshot wound to the back of her head and was found laying in her bed that morning, by her father, co-worker and first responders, after she failed to arrive for her shift as a paramedic.

“Her dream was to be a flight nurse … and was attending nursing school,” her father said during his testimony earlier in the trial.

Clevenger’s stepmother, Andrea Clevenger, was overheard also sharing fond memories of “Maddie” during a court recess, saying that she had called Clevenger on the phone one day and Clevenger answered, excitedly telling her “I can’t talk right now – I just saved someone’s life!”

Arkansas Crime Lab ballistic testing of the shell casing recovered at the scene of her murder showed that her life was taken by a bullet, which exited Clevenger’s cheek, that came from her very own “Tiffany-blue” Glock, which she purchased four days prior.

The same gun was recovered by police the afternoon of the murder, from Bishop’s car during a traffic stop.

Bishop told police that his friend, Clevenger, must have forgotten her gun in his vehicle after practice shooting together two days prior. A possible motive for Bishop was entertained earlier in the trial, when the jury heard testimony from his friend, Hannah, who told them that Bishop wanted her to get him a gun in December 2019.

According to the prosecution, Hannah said he told her that he “wouldn’t kill her, but was gonna kill someone.“ Hannah did not get him a gun.

Still photographs from security footage of Bishop and Clevenger shopping for a gun together in May 2020 were displayed during the trial. “She seemed excited, but not nearly as excited as him.” 17th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Becky Reed McCoy said, directing focus to the defendant’s smile in the security footage as he held the gun.

Clevenger could be seen speaking with the shop owner, while Bishop held and aimed the gun with both hands and then maneuvered the slide over the chamber.

During the traffic stop on the afternoon of the murder, body camera footage showed Bishop wearing an appendix holster for the gun and having gun oil in his back seat, neither of which were said to have been purchased by Clevenger, but thought to be bought by Bishop for his new, Tiffany-blue gun.

The prosecutors closed their case Thursday the same way they opened it— by describing Clevenger’s character, reading a plaque that hung above her bed that said, “Always pray to have eyes to see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses faith in God.”