Marion County Judge Jason Stumph spoke with KTLO’s Heather Loftis on the KTLO FM noon news to give an update on Marion County following the flooding Wednesday morning.
TRANSCRIPTION:
Loftis:
We’ll start off first with Marion County Judge Jason Stumph. Judge, thank you for joining us.
Judge Stumph:
Yeah, thank you for having me.
Loftis:
Give us the latest from Marion County.
Judge Stumph:
All but 8060 we have open back up. Some are just on one lanes right now and they’re going to be in rough conditions for a while.
I asked for patience on that why our road crew tends to those but 8060 will be permanently closed between CCC to through traffic to 178 for a for the time being and going in the future until that bridge is fixed.
Loftis:
We have a video on KTLO.com that shows the portion of that bridge that has washed away.
Judge Stumph:
Yeah, there’s about a 15 foot gap there now, and everything’s barricaded off, but we’ll start the process with FEMA and the state as we move forward replacing that bridge, but it’ll be closed for a while, so just find alternate routes around, and please, as the water retracts, if you see damaged debris, call the road shop, call the judge’s office, we’ll get somebody out there, and we’ll keep moving those things out of the way.
Loftis:
You’ve already declared an emergency and spoken with FEMA this morning.
Judge Stumph:
Yes, I declared at 4:30 once I found out about the bridge and what was going on on Berry Street and what was going on in Flippin as well down there on 3rd and the houses being moved and people being actually saved by the Marion County Swift Water Rescue and being rescued.
So, I made that call this morning to the state of Arkansas.
Loftis:
How many, how many rescues did you make this morning?
Judge Stumph:
I don’t have a count, but I believe it was in the teens that we got out of houses, but as of right now zero injuries that I know of that have been reported to me and everybody is accounted for at noon.
Loftis:
And you do have shelters set up for those that have been displaced by this morning’s flooding?
Judge Stumph:
Yes, we-again, Creekside Nursing Home has all been moved to the fairgrounds. Which we used to, or usually use as a place for Red Cross to set up, but we cannot right now with the nursing home being there.
So, Mayor Hogan and Flippin has got permission from the superintendent of the Flippin schools to use their storm shelter for the time being. And also will be able to use that for an overnight stay. Should we need that? We haven’t had anybody come forward yet. But again, as the water retracts and we get to get into more places, we might have some people that need that help.
And we also have been offered by Pastor Vince Daniel at the Real Life Church to be able to use the REACH Center should we need to as well.
Loftis:
We’re going to be speaking with Tobias Pugsley of Baxter Health on an update with Creekside right after our interview with you, sir. But I mean, there’s going to be a lot of debris, a lot of damage.
And I know that in the city of Yellville, Mayor Shawn Lane already talked about dumpsters being set up so people can remove some of the debris.
Judge Stumph:
Yes. I spoke with Mayor Lane this morning and a wasteman was going to put a dumpster right next to my office and any of the shop owners in that area that have debris to get rid of, instead of them making multiple trips back and forth, it’d just be easier to put it in one container. And you mentioned debris out on the roads. As you know, less than a month and a half ago, we had an EF3 tornado come through Marion County, and a lot of timber was in the dry creek beds.
That timber is flowing now. It’s going to wash out roads. Again, I ask the citizens, when they see that, they see that dam getting set up that’s going to be against my road, call it in, and we will get out there and get that debris removed.
Loftis:
You were adamant this morning asking people to stay off the roads in Marion County.
I mean, if individuals can get out of their house and go about their business now, are you okay with that, sir?
Judge Stumph:
Yes, everything is passable right now. I mean, low water crossings on the valley on a mountain that you have around your house on a gravel road. I would still show some caution on that.
But anything paved right now going through the city is good to go. Just find a route around MC 8060 for the near future.
Loftis:
All right, sir. We sure appreciate your time and sure appreciate the work of all the, the fine officials from Marion County helping everyone this morning. Thank you, sir.
Judge Stumph:
Thank you very much.
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