August 1997

Missing St. Mary's 17-year-old spotted in North Little Rock Date: 08/05/97 Category: NEW Page: 3B JIM BROOKS, ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE A Little Rock girl reported missing a week ago was sighted Monday night in North Little Rock, a police spokesman said. Little Rock police Lt. John Martin said that police are following several leads after being told that Ashley Olivia Morton, 17, a senior-to-be at Little Rock's Mount St. Mary Academy, had been spotted. The girl's aunt called police about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, about five hours after a neighbor saw Morton walk into her home at 1417 S. Peyton St. and walk back out. The sighting Monday night was the first since she disappeared. Little Rock philanthropist Jennings Osborne put up a $10,000 reward for information leading to the honor student's whereabouts. Monday morning, classmates, parents, teachers and church members attended a Mass at Good Counsel Catholic Church for the student. A liturgy was read and prayers were offered for her safe return. Mount St. Mary Assistant Principal Carolyn Chalmers said Morton was elected a senior class offcer and was a member of TRUTH, a Rotary Club program that fights youth drug abuse. Last year, Morton was a member of the Rockettes, the school's drill team, but she quit so she could work two jobs to earn her tuition and help put money aside for college. "This is an exceptional kid," Chalmers said. Morton is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds. A police report filed after the girl was reported missing said she had been involved in an automobile accident the day she disappeared, but the Little Rock Police Department had no report of an accident involving Morton. Anyone with information about Morton's whereabouts can call Little Rock police at 3714617.

Men who cook Cooking for a cause -scholarships Date: 08/10/97 Category: HIGH PROFILE Page: 3D Phyllis D. Brandon Caption: Photos Breezy Osborne serves Maurice Duhart Dr. Alonzo Williams, Alma Williams and Erma Glasco Davis of Hot Springs Village The choices ranged from Charles Donaldson's gourmet deviled eggs to Chip Murphy's Oyster Stewpendous as "Men Who Cook for a Cause," lined up to dish out their specialties Aug. 1 in Governor's Hall at the Statehouse Convention Center. The evening, with its $40 tickets, raised money for the National Dunbar Perpetuity Fund, which gives college scholarships to students in the Little Rock area. The 200 guests also filled trays with barbecued ribs cooked by Jennings Osborne, the star of the evening, and served by wife Mitzi and daughter Breezy. The Osbornes also offered bottles of hot sauce, barbecue sauce and water bearing their own specially designed labels. Men Who Cooked included Rep. Michael Booker, Bill Hamilton, Fred Johnson, Michael Lewis, Jesse Mason Jr., James McCarther, Ronnie Nichols,Richard Davis, Dale Charles, Walter Loyd, James Zeigler and Dr. Alonzo Williams, Xavier Heard and Bill Worthen provided the sweet finish with dessert at the end of the line. The evening featured music by the Alonzo Smith Trio. Alma Williams was event chairman and Erma Glasco Davis of Hot Springs Village is president of the National Dunbar Alumni Association. Among those sampling the cooking were Betty and UALR Chancellor Charles Hathaway, Debbie Milam and Rep. Vic Snyder, Mary and Jim Wohlleb, Maurice Duhart, Pauline Porter, Wanda Hamilton and Sandra Smith.

Little Rock youth found safe at shelter in Nashville Date: 08/31/97 Category: NEWS Page: 4B MARK WALLER, ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE Police found Ashley Olivia Morton, 17, in Nashville, Tenn. Thursday. Morton, of Little Rock, a Mount St. Mary Academy honor student, had been missing since July 29. Little Rock police drove to Nashville Friday to pick up Morton, whom Nashville police discovered at a women's shelter, said Lt. Jim Edwards of the Little Rock Police Department. Edwards said Little Rock police had been working with Nashville police to locate Morton after receiving leads about her. Edwards said Morton had found a job at a warehouse in Nashville . Morton will be 18 in six weeks, he said. Classmates, parents, teachers and church members have attended Masses for Morton, praying for her safe return. Signs bearing her image have been posted around the city. Little Rock philanthropist Jennings Osborne offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to her safe return. Morton lived with her aunt, two sisters, a grandmother and a nephew, said Carolyn Chalmers, assistant principal at the academy. Morton's aunt, Evette Brady, said Saturday that it hasn't been determined yet whether anyone will receive the reward money. "But she's home," Brady said. "That's the most important thing. She's been safe and taken care of. Our prayers were answered." Classes at the academy began Aug. 20, Chalmers said Saturday. Morton is on the school's roster as being a senior, she said. Morton has been a class offcer for three years. She had been elected a senior class officer and was a member of TRUTH, a Rotary Club program that fights youth drug abuse. Last year, Morton was a member of the Rockettes, the school's drill team, but she quit so she could work two jobs to earn her tuition and help put money aside for college.

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