Law and Order in the Ozarks (Part XVI): Second meth lab seized

I wrote a few weeks ago that a meth lab had been seized in Newton County, and now the latest issue of the Newton County Times reports that another has been seized. The headline in the January 15, 2009, issue of the paper reads, "Two in custody awaiting filing of drug and firearms charges." The story reports that two men were arrested near the residence of one of them in the community of Piercetown, where sheriff's officers found a methamphetamine lab and chemicals. The two will face not only drug charges, but also charges of simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms. The arrests reportedly stem from a joint investigation by several agencies in addition to the Sheriff's Office. These include the Arkansas State Police, the 14th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the Arkansas Dept of Community Corrections and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

The second part of the same top story reports on the arrest of two men who are charged with "robbery, theft, residential burglary and third degree battery." The charges stem from 2008 events near the community of low gap where one of the defendants allegedly struck the victim with a piece of firewood and then took $500 from his residence.

A final story about crime on the front page shows a picture of a dead bull elk with the caption "Bull elk illegally killed." The caption further details the location where the "6 x 6 bull elk" was killed, noting it was the fourth to be killed in this particular field. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who killed the elk.

Other non-crime front page headlines include:

• Free mammogram through Health Resource Center. Funding for this service is from Susan G. Komen for the Cure and is targeted at those without insurance to cover mammorgrams.
  
• Jasper building project advances as does need. This story is about a new multi-purpose building being constructed as part of the Jasper school.
• Contract let to repair flood damage on 7. This is about repair of a section of state highway 7, in the southern part of the county, which was damaged in spring 2008 storms. The state of this highway is of great concern to county residents because it is a road many of them travel on their job commutes to Pope County and because it is also a road over which many tourists travel into the county.