75¢
Hazen Elementary students’ field trips (See p. 8)
Volume 118 Number 36 - USPS 225-680
Community Events Calendar Wednesday October 18 Friendship Luncheon DeValls Bluff Methodist Church 11:30am- 2:00pm Thursday October 19 GFWC Elsie McCain Club Meeting 6:00 p.m. Murry’s Restaurant Hazen Book Club/Recipe Swap 11:00am - 1:00pm Hazen Public Library Junior High Hornets VS Des Arc Eagles 7:00pm Hornet Field Senior High Hornets VS Des Arc Eagles 7:00pm Eagle Fields
Prairie County, Arkansas
Quorum Court holds monthly meeting by Lisa Mills The Prairie County Quorum Court discussed the loss of General Improvement Funds (GIFs) at their regular monthly meeting held on October 10th. In attendance were County Judge Mike Skarda, County Clerk Gaylon Hale, Attorney Tim Isaac and Justices Gary King, Doyle Sullins, Lawrence Holloway, Ronnie Eans, Mary Roe, Eddie Ciganek, Dennis Tipton and Bobby Willeford. Judge Mike Skarda told the aldermen that the law suit regarding the Arkansas Legislature's unconstitutional distribution of General Improvement Funds (GIF) money brought by former state Rep. Mike Wilson of Jacksonville to stop lawmakers from funneling millions of dollars in state surplus money to local pet projects will not only affect Prairie County. The court ruling will affect communities and organizations all over the state as well. Skarda said that he had
met with Butch Calhoun, Library is really moving Jim Garth, and the along. "Everything looks C e n t r a l Arkansas Planning and Development Commission (CAPDD) to discuss the matter. "Since 2013 almost $40 million has been given in grants, so (the ruling) could be a terrible strain on rural cities, especially the Fire Departments," Skarda said. Judge Skarda also reported that leases have been renewed on two trucks. 2. The county Rose Marie Knupp gives Judge Mike rural Fire Departments yearly flu shot. are meeting tonight to discuss the new great and I really hope it radio system and the will be open by the end of Police Departments and the year." Road Department will Justice Holloway reportalso be meeting soon to ed that the budget comdiscuss the new system. mittee is in the process of 3. 4. Work on the new working on new codes for
LITTLE ROCK, AR Sara Toll of Hazen was among more than 200 freshman students selected for the Chancellor's Leadership Corps at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The competitive scholarship awards up to $8,000 per year, up to $32,000 for four years. It is awarded to entering freshmen who are Arkansas residents with at least a 3.0 cumulative high school grade
Local businesses asked to take over planting of pots the location of their business. Those who have pots in front of their businesses but are unable or unwilling to plant and maintain them can ask that they be removed by contacting a member of the Hazen Chamber of Commerce or a Hazen Master Gardener. The choice of what to plant will be left up to the business or group that adopts that pot. The Master Gardeners suggest that plantings for this fall be mums, ornamental cabbage and kale, pansies, and snapdragons. These plants will usually live until a hard freeze. The Chamber and the Master Gardeners bought and planted these pots in order to beautify the city of Hazen. They are thankful to all of the businesses that are willing to take over the planting and maintenance of them.
Community events brought to you by
Local officers honored by AG
and the
Please call F&M Bank, 255-3042 to list events.
"Catastrophic Leave" Policy for county employees. The policy allows employees to donate unused leave time to a "bank" to be donated to employees who face an event causing them to use all their leave time but need to be off for a longer period. The budget committee will be responsible for maintaining the leave bank records of donations and distributions and approving any catastrophic leave. 3. To implement a policy concerning distribution of fines collections stating that each city's court clerk send all money collected for fines to the county collector who then distributes it. (It has always been done this way but auditor requires a resolution be on file. 4. To approve the Road Department's lease renewal of a road grater from Rick's Caterpillar in Little Rock. The new 2017 grater will be leased for 36 months at a cost of $1,612 per month.
point average. The CLC Program provides scholars an opportunity for campus and community involvement. It is a comprehensive program designed to develop and enhance the skills necessary for leadership positions at UA Little Rock and beyond. CLC scholars complete 15 hours of service learning during fall and spring semesters and live on campus with peers
Monday October 23 Community Harvest Meal 6:00 p.m. Celebration of Harvest Service 7:00 p.m. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Tollville
Hazen Chamber of Commerce
all department payments made that include interest. This is required by the auditor. He said he hopes the new budget will be ready soon. Judge Skarda stated that he hopes the new budget can include a $500 raise for all county employees. A motion was approved to appropriate $30,000 from the general fund to the Sherriff's Department. At t o r n e y Tim Isaac Skarda his p r e s e n t e d four resolutions which were approved. 1. To implement policy concerning county employees transferring employment from one department to another. 2. To implement a
Sara Toll selected as U of A scholar
The Hazen Chamber of Commerce and the Prairie County Master Gardeners are asking business owners, schools, clubs, and church members to assume the planting and maintenance of the Hornet Flower Pots. The cost of the plantings to the Chamber has been around $500 per season, and many of the plants have not been able to thrive due to the inconsistent watering and fertilizing of them. Since the pots that have been taken over and planted by local businesses have done better overall, the Chamber is asking businesses and other groups to “adopt a pot” and personally take charge of buying and maintaining the plants for it throughout the year. The Chamber and the Master Gardeners suggest that business owners adopt the pot closest to
Thursday October 26 Commidities at Hazen Methodist Church 10:30am-12:30pm
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Arkansas State Trooper Chris Aaron and Prairie County Sheriff Rick Hickman have been named Law Enforcement Officers of the Year by the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office. Aaron was selected Law Officer of the Year for both Arkansas County and for the Southeast Region for helping to save the life of an accidental shooting victim in Almyra. Hickman was named
Prairie County’s Law Officer of the Year. The two were honored along with other officers from around the state on Tuesday, October 3, at the Attorney General’s annual Law Enforcement Summit and Luncheon held at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock. Nominations in each county are made by county sheriffs, police chiefs, county judges, mayors, and other law enforcement agencies.
A vintage Sunbonnet Sue quilt was donated to the Hazen Public Library by Pam Orlicek Johnson in memory of her grandparents, George and Frances Orlicek. The quilt was made by members of the Hazen community for Angeline Maley Stepanik as a wedding gift in 1922.
DVB City Council approves purchase of fire dept. radios The DeValls Bluff City Council voted unanimously last Thursday night to pay $750 toward the cost of a new repeater and to purchase 10 radios for the city’s Fire Department during their monthly meeting held on October 12th in the DVB City Hall. Present for the meeting were Mayor Kenny Anderson, Treasurer/Recorder Shante' Matthews and council members Richard Henry, Marie Flanagan, Alice Metcalf, Bill Arnold and Wanda Atkins. Fire Chief Doyne
Martin told the council that he had attended a meeting with the Prairie County Fire Association where the new radio communication system was discussed. Martin said that each of Prairie County’s fire departments will be required to pay $750 toward the cost of updated repeaters as well as buy their own radios. According to Martin, a few of the fire department’s radios are compatible with the new system and will not have to be replaced, but a majority of the 17 radios presently
used by his department are not compatible. He also said that radios will not be put in vehicles, so only hand-held units will be purchased. The money for the system and the radios will be taken out of the Fire Department’s account. Martin said that the new system will be operational by November 1st. He also reported that in the month of September there were 9 first responder calls, 5 public assist calls, 1 grass fire and 2 meetings.
77°
79°
80°
82°
79°
50°
52°
58°
62°
60°
10%
0%
0%
0%
80%