County Looks to Lease the Cherry Hill Community Center Building (View Video Here)

March 23, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

The county commission is on the verge of striking a deal with the owner of a local business to lease the old Cherry Hill Community Center building which is no longer in use by the county.

County Commission looks to lease the Cherry Hill Community Center Building from dwayne page on Vimeo.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, County Mayor Tim Stribling informed the commission that the owner of JBeez Watercraft near Silver Point on Highway 56 wants to lease the Cherry Hill Community Center building for five years at $500 per month with a five year renewal option.

Although the commissioners have signaled their support of the move they want to see the deal in writing and voted have the county mayor direct the county attorney to prepare a lease for them to vote on next month.

Seventh District Commissioner Bruce Malone made that motion and it received a second by Second District Commissioner Myron Rhody. The vote was unanimous.

Before the vote County Mayor Stribling outlined terms of the lease to be drawn up as recommended by the county public works committee.

“I was approached by the JBEEZ and Canoe the Caney business that is next door to the Cherry Hill Community Center about renting it. Up until about two or three  years ago the Cherry Hill Community Center was a voting precinct but it is no longer  a voting precinct. The community hasn’t been active with that community center for quite a while,” said County Mayor Stribling.

“The owner of JBEEZ, Jason Carver and I had some conversations and he would like to rent the community center for five years at $500 per month with a five year renewable option. He would do all renovations inside. The bathrooms and kitchen will have to be redone. He would like to do it as an extension of his business and possibly put in a restaurant and serve barbeque and whatever else. The county would be responsible like most leases for the roof, walls, and floors. It had a new roof put on it through insurance about three or four years ago. In the lease we (county) would basically say that the tenant would rent for $500 a month for five years with possibly a five year renewable option. You could increase the rent at that time. We would be responsible for the roof and the outside structure of the building while the tenant would be responsible for any kind of repairs on the inside of the building, the parking lot, utilities, mowing the lawn, and general upkeep,” said County Mayor Stribling.

March 23, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

A man is facing charges of kidnapping and aggravated assault after entering the Walker Drive apartment of his estranged wife and holding the woman there against her will.

18 year old Zachary Preston Ambrose of Oliver Springs is under a $63,000 bond on charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault, evading arrest, and violating an order of protection. He is scheduled for a court appearance on the charges April 22.

The arrest warrants by the Smithville Police Department state that Ambrose entered the apartment of Shelby Rice Ambrose on Tuesday, March 16 and then took the woman’s car keys and cell phone to keep her from leaving for work. Ambrose then allegedly tried to choke the woman and he hit her in the face. After telling him she wanted to go see her grandpa, Ambrose insisted on accompanying her and sat in the back seat of the car as she drove away. According to the woman Ambrose again tried to choke her as a show of force to make sure she was driving to her grandpa’s house. After being notified of the incident, police met Mrs. Ambrose in the parking lot of her apartment home and found her to be quite distraught and crying. Mr. Ambrose was found hiding in the back seat of Mrs. Ambrose’s car. After police handcuffed Mr. Ambrose he tried to run away but was caught by Patrolman Andy Snow. Police also learned that Ambrose was still under an active order of protection from October 19, 2020 to keep away from this woman.

March 23, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

A man is facing a child abuse or neglect charge after he and his five year old daughter were found camped out under a bridge in rising creek water on a cold rainy night last week at Dry Creek and Pea Ridge Road.

34 year old Nicholas Ray Reeder of Pea Ridge Road, Smithville is under a $5,000 bond and his court date is May 6.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Thursday, March 18 Reeder knowingly endangered the life and physical well being of his child by driving his Nissan Rogue off the roadway at Dry Creek and Pea Ridge Road into a creek bed where it got stuck during heavy rain and creek flooding.

According to Sheriff Ray and the deputy who was called to the scene, a passerby spotted Reeder’s Nissan Rogue under the bridge in the creek between 1 and 2 a.m. on Thursday March 18. No one was in the vehicle but Reeder and the child were outside under the bridge.

Although Reeder has a home nearby where he and his daughter reside, Reeder told the officer that he arrived at the bridge with the child earlier in the day with the intention of staying the night even though it was cold and raining and the creek waters were rising. After setting up camp under the bridge, Reeder and the child left to get some groceries and other supplies but returned later to the creek where Reeder’s Nissan Rogue got stuck.

Due to the rising creek water and safety hazards, the deputy told Reeder that he and the child would have to leave. Although he was initially reluctant to go and vowed to return to the bridge later, Reeder allowed the officer to transport him and the child back to their home.

Reeder was later arrested and the Department of Children Services was notified. The child is now in the care of a family member.

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