Other Days: July 2, 2025

10  YEARS  AGOJULY  8,  2015Cleveland County Judge Gary Spears said he will ask the state to declare Cleveland County a disaster area following heavy downpours of rain over the Independence Day weekend that caused heavy damage to roads in the southern part of the county. Spears said that he had received reports of anywhere from 5 to 8 inches of rain falling in some parts of the county from last Friday through Sunday.Local investigators believe a break-in at the Rison Pharmacy early Tuesday morning may be related to a break-in at a pharmacy in Star City on the same morning. Two suspects entered the pharmacy at 300 Pine Street in Rison by breaking out the glass front door of the building. Both suspects were wearing masks and gloves, and took some medications from the business. No one had been arrested as of Tuesday afternoon involving the break-in. Security video of both break-ins here and at Star City revealed that the same suspects were likely involved in the crimes. It was the second break-in at the Rison Pharmacy this year.Cleveland County Judge Gary Spears said this week that he hopes the county's improving financial health can continue through the rest of the year so the county will be in a better position to address some additional expenses the county will likely be facing, including needed extra money for the county jail, the clerk's office and the Cooperative Extension office. County Treasurer Jack Hopson reports that the balance in county general is $137,000 better off at the end of June, 2015, than it was at the same time last year.During Monday night's meeting of the county Quorum Court, a question by County Clerk Jimmy Cummings led to a discussion about the role of county officials performing same-sex weddings. On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 that homosexual couples could not be denied the opportunity to marry. Three Justices of the Peace said they have n...