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(Year in Review on the front page and p. 6)
Volume 118 Number 47 - USPS 225-680
Community Events Calendar Thursday January 4 Classes resume at Hazen School District Friday January 5 Hornet Basketball VS Lisa Academy Hornet Gym 4:30 p.m. JG, JB, SG, SB Monday January 8 Hazen Chapter # 5 OES Meeting 6:15 p.m.-7:15 p.m. BanCorpSouth Tuesday January 9 Quorum Court Meeting Annex Building Des Arc 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Thursday January 11 DeValls Bluff City Council Meeting 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. City Hall GFWC Elsie McCain Club Meeting 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Murry’s Restaurant Thursday January 15 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Prairie County, Arkansas
2017 is an eventful year on the Prairie January Thirty-five Arkansas 4H State Record Book winners were among the nearly 900 youth who gathered in Atlanta for the annual National 4-H Congress, a premier leadership event for Senior 4H’ers. Gaylon Hale is sworn in as the new Circuit/County Clerk and Tamara Forrester is sworn in as the new Treasurer for Prairie County. Rick Hickman begins the year as Prairie County Sheriff.
February Hazen Elementary students celebrate 100 days of school by releasing balloons. Hazen High School’s FFA attended the AR Greenhand/National 360 Conference in Hot Springs. Prairie County 4-H members attend a meet-
ing at the state capitol. HHS holds senior night honoring seniors Kyren Mills, Quinton Bnds, Kayla Robinson, Shania McGee, Jeremiah Brewer, and Michael Pargo. The Junior High Quizbowl Team played in the district Quizbowl tournament at the White County Central School District. Josh Johnson, Rachel Chaney, and Carmen Weddle all receive degrees from the U of A.
County 4--H O-Rama is held at the Hazen Community Center. Bill Arnold and Larry Gershner are chosen to be inducted into the DeValls Bluff Hall of Fame at the the very first annual banquet for the event held on March 22 at the DVB gym.
Local students make a trip to Scotland and Ireland during spring break.
April The HHS Quizbowl team placed 4th in the state Quizbowl tournament held at UALR. Abbi Ross and Maverick
Aycock are chosen Queen and King of the annual Junior-Senior prom held in the Hazen Community Center. The Prairie County Master Gardeners host their “Gardening on the Prairie” event at the Hazen Methodist Church. The First Pentecostal Church of Prairie County opens their YOUcenter. Hazen Elementary stu-
March FFA day is held at the Hazen School District. Terri Taylor-Rollins received the Art Teacher of the Year Award at the National Art Educators’ Association convention in New York, NY. A body was found by the Prairie County Sheriff’s Dept. at a farm in the county. The HHS Sophomore Auction raised over $14,000. The HHS Senior High Quizbowl team places 2nd
Community events brought to you by Hazen Chamber of Commerce and the
Please call F&M Bank (255-3042) or The Grand Prairie Herald (255-4538) to list events.
in the regional tournament held at UALR. Hazen Elementary School and Hazen High School were named “High Performing Schools” by the U of A Office for Education Policy. The annual Prairie
St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in their annual Math-A-Thon fundraiser.
May The Lady Hornets softball team win 10 games in a row and claim the conference tournament crown in McCrory sending them the the 2A-2 regional tournament as a #1 seed. Heavy rains cause flooding in Prairie County and the surrounding area. The Hazen City Council votes to sell property south of the Super 8 Motel just south of I-40 to Paul and Courtney Adams. The Hazen Special Olympics Team competes at Harding University in Searcy. The Biscoe EHC holds its annual Spring Council Meeting at the Prairie County Historical Museum, installing Mitzi Osbourne as the 20172019 council president. Brayden Williams, Jenna Ronquest, Brianna Thompson, and Madison Sickel are chosen to attend Arkansas Girls’ State. Cayden Glover and Logan Dulaney were chosen to attend Boys’ State. The Lady Hornet softball team end their season with a 2-1 loss to Poyen in the first round of the state playoffs. The Des Arc Recess Racers team from the Des
Arc School District won first place in the Arkansas “Walk Across America” competition by logging in a collective
dents, parents, and sponsors attended Ocean Camp in Biloxi, MS. HHS senior Nick McKee wins 1st place in photography at the Arkansas Skills USA competition held in Hot Springs. Austin Hill is named
Thursday January 16 Master Gardeners’ meeting 6:00p.m. - 7p.m. Hazen Library Book Club/Recipe Swap Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
59,622 minutes. The team members were Dena Rooks, Jamie Eans, Mary Bryan, Barbara Hourston, Molly Calhoun, Justin Lucy, Beth Hill, Francine Dickson, Billie Ford, and Pam Brock. The HHS Class of 2017 graduates 42 students.
Alexandra Burroughs is the Valedictorian and Brittney Hubbard is the Salutatorian. The Honor Graduates were Abbi Ross, Payton Fought, Abby Rounsavall, Morgan Carroll, Faith Young, Leah Miller, and Aimee Lease. The HHS Athletic Department honored stu-
dent athletes at its annual Athletic Banquet. The guest speaker for the evening was Barry Lunney, Sr., and Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame inductee. The Hazen Chamber of Commerce holds its annu-
Superintendent of the Hazen School District retires after three years in the position. The Hazen Pre-K holds its graduation ceremony in the HHS gymnasium.
June The HHS Art Department receives a $4480 grant from CenturyLink. Hazen Elementary School receives a $3000 STEM award from the Arkansas STEM Coalition and the Finley STEM Center at Harding University for science equipment for students in the 4th through 6th grades. Brianna Thompson is named the Arkansas Girls’ State Governor at
the 75th annual Girls’ State convention held at Harding University. The City of Hazen opens its new splash pad to the public.
al Memorial Day recognition ceremony in the Hazen City Park. Nanette Belford,
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Delta Caucus welcomes Caldwell as co-c chair of DRA WASHINGTON, DC-The Delta Grassroots Caucus commended the US Senate's confirmation of Chris Caldwell as Federal Co-Chairman of the Delta Regional Authority as another step in the bright future of this agency serving the eight-state Greater Delta Region." "Chris Caldwell of Little Rock is a seventh-generation Arkansan who served for many years for Sen. John Boozman (RAR), a stalwart leader in the Senate for the Delta regional issues, so this is a great day for the DRA, said Lee Powell, Caucus Director. "President Trump has made two excellent
appointments to the DRA in Chris Caldwell and Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau, Missouri as Alternate Federal CoChairman, and we are glad the Senate unanimously confirmed Chris today," Powell said. Harvey Joe Sanner, senior Delta Caucus adviser from Des Arc said "The Delta Caucus partners have known Chris Caldwell for many years and we look forward to working with him for many years to come." "The appointments of Chris Caldwell and Peter Kinder have received unanimously favorable reviews from both parties and people all across the region," Powell said.
Caldwell served before his confirmation as director of special projects for Sen. Boozman. He was campaign manager for Boozman's 2016 re-election, political director for the Senator's 2010 campaign, and also served on several other campaigns, including Gov. Mike Huckabee's 2008 Presidential bid. Caldwell earlier held various roles in the private sector and is a graduate of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas. Contacts for the Delta Caucus are Director Lee Powell (202) 360-6347 or Harvey Joe Sanner, Des Arc, AR (501) 516-7000
the overall Arkansas State Weight Lifting Champion in the 123 lb. weight class at the state competition in Alma. Hazen High School students raise $6354.50 for
2017 Angel Tree campaign successful Angel Tree is officially over with the last gifts picked up on December 21. Cards with the names of children who might not have presents otherwise are placed on Christmas trees in local businesses every year, giving local residents the opportunity to play the role of Santa Claus by choosing “angels” to bless with gifts at Christmas time. This year, merchants and individuals helped a total of 72 children in Prairie
County to have a Merry Christmas. According to Kelly Chapman, County Administrator of the Prairie County Department of Human Services (DHS), “It was awesome and every act of kindness/donation was very much appreciated.” Landa Minton started the Angel Tree Project for children during the 1997 Christmas season. The DHS office now oversees the campaign every year,
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