RISON - Contested races on this year's primary ballot are few, but two races for justice of the peace on the nine-member Cleveland County Quorum Court will be determined this Tuesday, March 5, when voters head to the polls for the Republican primary election.The contested justice races include District 7 between the incumbent Bruce Brown of Pansy, and challenger Donald Mull of Herbine; and District 8 between Jeffery Smith of the Rison area and Corey Keaton of the Macedonia community. Current District 8 Justice Johnie Brewster of the Macedonia community chose not to seek re-election.Since no other candidates filed for either position, the Republican primary winners will take over on Jan. 1.Each candidate was asked to give their background and list three issue they think are important to the county. Here is a look at their responses in alphabetical order for both races: District 7District 7 roughly includes the area between Hwy. 114 and Hwy. 35 South that is east of Big Creek. The Cleveland-Lincoln county line serves as the eastern boundary. It includes part of the Calmer community as well as the Rowell, Pansy and Herbine communities.This will be the second time for Bruce Brown and Donald Mull to run for the position. Brown won the 2022 election by three votes. Brown, of the Pansy community, is in his 15th year on the quorum court. He and his wife of 53 years, Kay, are the parents of two sons, a daughter and six grandchildren.He served in the Navy, the Navy Reserves, the Army Reserve and the Arkansas National Guard for 40 years. He retired as a First Sergeant, serving in Vietnam and Desert Storm.After retiring as a lineman and service technicians for ATT/ Southwestern Bell, he started Bruce Brown Phone Service, which is still in operation. He has been in the telecommunications business for 23 years.Brown is also an active member of the Grace Cowboy Church at Warren, where he serves...
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