News from August 12, 2004 issue


Hargis attorney says 'it's not over'
Crittenden County School Board Chairman Bill Asbridge said Tuesday after a 30-minute closed-door session that the school system will take no action regarding suspended Superintendent Fredericka Hargis.
"The school board attorney has advised us that Ms. Hargis' action has terminated her contract with the Crittenden County Board of Education," Asbridge said in a prepared statement.

He would not discuss the matter further, but school attorney Zac Greenwell explained the matter to some degree. He said that because Hargis has already taken a job with the Jefferson County School System in Louisville without consent of the local board of education, that she in essence terminated her contract here.

"There will be no procedural due process hearing," Greenwell said.
Hargis' attorney, Charlie Ricketts of Louisville, said Wednesday morning in a phone conversation that this issue "is not over, with an emphasis on not."

Ricketts said Hargis was "canned" and that "denotes garbage can, which is exactly what she's got."

Hargis was suspended in February after running over the foot of a woman in a Marion beauty shop parking lot after an alleged confrontation. Hargis accepted a misdemeanor Alford plea, two weeks ago as part of a plea agreement in the criminal case. She was first charged with a felony. The local school board has contended since Hargis' suspension last winter that it would hold a hearing to determine whether to fire the superintendent once the criminal matter was complete.

However, based on Hargis' taking another job, the local board doesn't appear now to think a hearing is necessary.

Hargis' attorney said she took another job because she had "to get on with her life, pay her bills and had to eat."

He said the local school board erred in suspending her and that the matter will be settled in court.

"They know what they've done and are now simply trying to gloss it over with a poorly crafted excuse. But that dog won't hunt," Rickets added.

Greenwell said that he continues to have an open dialogue with Hargis' attorney, but would not say whether the school board has discussed or negotiated any type of financial settlement. Hargis had more than four years left on her contract when she was suspended last winter.

All Greenwell would say on the matter is "I am in communication with her attorney about any legal issues that may be remaining."
Ricketts also declined to comment about any possible settlement or discussions in that regard.

Sheriff investigating nursery heist
Crittenden County Sheriff Wayne Agent is gathering clues from two daytime burglaries at Flowers Forever, a nursery on U.S. 60 East at Repton.

On July 14 during the morning hours, someone made off from the nursery, which was unattended at the time, with $528 worth of plants, shrubs and flowers.

Owner Ron Padget provided the sheriff with a detailed list of the items missing, which include various quantities of white pompus, rose bushes, wintergreen plants, hostas, crepe myrtles and lilac bushes. The burglars stole 42 plants, apparently pulling into the nursery, loading up then leaving.

The sheriff said the same thing happened again Sunday evening or Monday morning with burglars getting away with 30 plants. This time, the plants were of different varieties than in the first burglary.

Black-eyed Susans, burning bushes, holly bushes and nandina were among those taken this week.

Sheriff Agent says he is not absolutely certain whether the burglaries are connected, but speculates that they are.

Anyone with information about these or other crimes can call the Crittenden County TipLine at 965-3000 and receive up to a $1,000 reward. Callers may remain anonymous.

Rescue squad involved in boat mishap
A boating mishap involving the local rescue squad could have turned disastrous if not for some quick action during a recent Ohio River outing.
Five members of the Crittenden County Rescue Squad were testing a new motor on its 1982 Larsen Trihull fiberglass boat recently when the craft hit an underwater obstruction, tearing a hole in the hull.

The boat was manned by Billy Arflack, Larry Brown and Steve Hooks. They quickly steered the boat to shore and were rescued by another boat following along behind them that included Crittenden squad chief Donnie Arflack and Orman Hunt.

No one was injured, but the boat was a total loss. It will be sold along with the trailer via sealed bids.

The rescue squad filed an insurance claim and has ordered a new G3 18-foot aluminum V-bottom from Collyer Outboard.