drive through Hazen Methodist Church
a ticket. Proceeds will help fund HHS Honors Banquet.
Tuesday February 7 Prairie County Master Gardeners meeting Prairie County Fair Grounds 12:00 p.m.
Thursday February 9 DeValls Bluff City Council meeting 6:00 p.m. City Hall
Monday February 13 Hazen Methodist Church Blood Drive 3:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
events are brought to you by the Hazen Chamber of Commerce and the
The Des Arc City Council held it’s first 2023 meeting on January 25th.
Attending the meeting were Mayor Roger Scott, Recorder/Treasurer Janice Huffstickler and Council Members Jodie Mayher, Nicole Fisher, Gail King, Judy Burnett, Keith Knupp and Doug Estes.
New Mayor Roger Scott began the meeting by stating that the council has been extremely busy with numerous work meetings to prepare for the new year. One of the main topics of discussion was Animal Control.
Council Member Doug Estes asked if the city has an Animal Control Officer to which Mayor Scott replied “we are working on it.”
Council Member Judy Burnett asked if there is an ordinance for abused and neglected animals and if it is being enforced.
Council Member Gail King replied that her understanding is that if such a case is reported or an officer sees it, any officer has the right to enter the owner’s property to address it. If the owners are not home, the animal can be
removed and a notice left concerning the situation, she said. Estes said “we need to make sure that the Animal Control Officer understands that ordinance, as well as all the city ordinances and regulations.”
King stated “There are also classes the officer can take, and Amy Patterson now has her 501C non-profit status and is more than happy to help any way she can.” Mayor Scott said that a lot of work needs to be done, like securing a big enough property to have a proper shelter. He said that everyone needs to work together to fix the problem.
Scott asked Paul Guess, who was in the audience, what ideas he might have on the matter to which Guess replied, “I think the first thing is public awareness and maybe having Amy Patterson come to the next meeting to make suggestions.”
King said animal control seems to be a county-wide problem. She suggested that Des Arc meet with the other cities in the county and the county judge to consider a joint venture for a county shelter and
animal control officers.
Mayor Scott stated that he will speak to Amy Patterson about attending a work meeting and the possibility of a public meeting to get started on a solution.
King reported the city has applied for several grants to update the city’s water system, and according to the Central Arkansas Planning and Development Commission, Des Arc should be eligible for several. King also reported that there is a big problem with updating the natural gas system, but so far no solutions have been found. She said that Des Arc is one of only 11 cities that still has it’s own gas system, and because of that there just aren’t any funds or grants available. Judy Burnett said that everyone she has talked to agrees that there just isn’t any funding available.
Mayor Scott gave an update on the building located at 1408 Lee Street. He said that the person who built it cannot be located and he does not own the property it is built on. It has been determined that the building is in violation of city codes and should not have been
The annual Slovak Heritage Day will be on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish Hall in Slovak. Organizers are excited to announce that GLOBAL SLOVAKIA based in Bratislava, Slovakia is sending a film crew to do a documentary on Slovak, Arkansas.
This is a very exciting time for the Slovak community, its families, and the Grand Prairie. Anyone who has Slovak
descendants and would like to bring pictures or any kind of memorabilia to display is greatly encouraged to do so. The activities will begin in the Parish Hall at 1:00 p.m. to allow everyone to mingle and look at exhibits.
Father Shaun Wesley will celebrate Mass at 4:00 p.m. to honor the church’s patron saints, Cyril and Methodius. Global Slovakia will give a presentation at 5:00 p.m. followed by a
Mayank Patel, of Hazen, was named a fall 2022 Presidential Scholar at the University of Central Arkansas. Patel was among nearly 1,200 students named as a UCA Presidential Scholar.
To qualify to be named a Presidential Scholar in a given semester, a student must earn a 4.0
12 hours of undergraduate degree credit with no incomplete grades. Those named to UCA’s Dean’s List were Chandler Saul of De Valls Bluff and Chase Wiggins of Hazen.
The University of Central Arkansas congratulates more than 1,400 students who were named to the fall 2022 Dean's List.
potluck meal featuring tradional Slovak foods at 5:30 p.m. Music and dancing will follow the meal.
Everyone is invited to bring a potluck dish and join in on the festivities. For more information contact Mary Ann Hill at 870-830-8097, Paula Hooks at 870-674-4694 or any parish member.
permitted. Scott said he hopes that it can be torn down in the spring.
Scott also said that he would like to have the Chamber of Commerce, Baseball Association, Senior Citizens’ Center ,and Des Arc Industrial Development Commission start providing financial statements to the council for the part of the city sales tax that they receive.
A motion was passed to accept the 2023 Budget Ordinance. A motion was passed to remove James Garth, Melinda Richards and Gary Burnett from all accounts and safety deposit boxes at Farmers and Merchants Bank and to add Roger Scott, Judy Burnett, Janice Huffstickler, and Carly Fisher. A motion was passed to close the Lakeside Pavilion and old court
accounts with zero balances. Another motion was passed to lease a new copier for the comptroller’s office from Modern Image Systems at a monthly cost of $67.70.
Council Member Doug Estes reported that several people have asked if anything can be done to get better internet and technology services in Des Arc. King replied that she and three other council members, the mayor, a Chamber of Commerce officer, and Paul Guess had attended a meeting with the Arkansas Economic Commission and Central Arkansas Planning and Development Commission concerning these issues. They will be bringing a report to the February council meeting.
Beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Patsy Sue
Bone Cox passed at the age of 81 into eternal life
on January
2, 2023, with her family at her bedside. Patsy was born to Martin Luther Bone, Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Owens Bone on October 28, 1941, in Tracy City, Tennessee. Patsy is preceded in death by her parents and siblings
Mary Eva Bone, Charles Wesley Bone, Bobby Bone, Martin Luther Bone, Jr., and Ruth Ellen Keel, and an unnamed infant brother.
Patsy is survived by her husband of 22 years, Stephen Wayne Cox, three daughters, Susan Lisko and husband
Frankie of Slovak, Arkansas, Karen
McKinney and husband
Kevin of Little Rock, Arkansas, Debi White and husband Steve of Huntersville, North Carolina, two bonusdaughters, Tammy Smartt and husband
James of Monteagle, Tennessee, Jennifer
O’Neal and husband
Mike of Pelham, Tennessee. Patsy was also blessed with 10 grandchildren, Josh
Lisko and wife Jill, Paige Weaver and husband Wade, Jacob Lisko and fiancée Anna Hamilton, Taylor McKinney and fiancée Tyler Compton, Bailey McKinney, Matthew White, Connor White, Libby White, Joseph
White, Anna White; 6 bonus-grandchildren, Holly McBee and husband John, Melissa Smartt, Laura Williams and husband Michael, Alli O’Neal, MaKayla O’Neal, and Layton O’Neal; 5 great-grandchildren, Ethan Lisko, Peyton Lisko, Addie Weaver, Charlotte Weaver, and Arlie Lisko; 4 bonus-greatgrandchildren, Brantley McBee, Zane McBee, Colt Williams, and Case Williams; and her devoted sister, Janice Ogelvie and husband Milton, numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and her dearest friend Faye Ricketts.
Patsy worked a variety of jobs over the years, from working as a waitress at the Claramont and Sewanee Inn, to becoming a teacher’s aide in Ripley, Tennessee, to finally finding her true calling as a social worker for Arkansas and Tennessee where she worked with the foster care system and trained many families. After her retirement from Tennessee's DHS, she worked parttime at the University of the South's Fowler Center for several years.
Patsy was a member of Saint James Episcopal Church where she was on the altar guild, a chalice bearer, and many positions over the years. Patsy loved to make wildflower arrangements and was known to stop along the side of the road to pick wildflowers on a whim.
Patsy enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, working the Crypto Quote, arts and crafts, walking, and spending time with her sister, Jan and dearest friend, Faye. But she enjoyed nothing more than being a mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother. In her own words, she was “the luckiest woman in the world” to have such a big, loving family—who in turn were equally blessed to have her.
The Funeral Service was held 11 A.M.
Saturday, January 7, 2023 at St. James Episcopal Church, 898 Midway Road, Sewanee, Tennessee with Rev. David T. Goodpaster officiating and joining him, Bro. Jason Rice. Burial followed at Monteagle Cemetery. A visitation with the family was held Friday, at Cumberland Funeral Home in Monteagle, Tennessee from 5-8 P.M.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Memory of Patsy Cox to St. James Episcopal Church for the Midway/St. James Community Playground, PO Box 336, Sewanee, TN 37375. Additionally, donations are welcomed in her
memory to Monteagle
First Baptist Church, PO Box 574, Monteagle, TN 37356.
Online condolences and memories can be shared with the family at www.cumberlandfuneralhome.net
Arrangements by Cumberland Funeral Home, 207 Mabee Avenue, Monteagle, TN 37356.
Charles B. Westbrook III, 85 years old, of Searcy, Arkansas, passed away on January 26th 2023 in Searcy, Arkansas. Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday January 30th, 2023 at Charity Baptist Church in Ward, Arkansas.
Charles was born in Beebe, Arkansas to Charles B. Westbrook II and Thelma Bradford Westbrook on August 17, 1937. He went to school at Hazen, Arkansas prior to serving in the Army.
Charles worked a variety of jobs during his lifetime, though being a cattleman was his most fulfilling.
He was an avid gun collector and gifted marksman. Charles was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Billy Ray, Harry, and James Westbrook.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Strayhorn Westbrook; Daughters, Donna (Darren) Bednar of El Paso, Traci Spurlock of Rose Bud, and Kelli (Kirk) Robertson of Rose Bud; Stepsons, Mike Strayhorn of West Memphis, and Mickie (Holly) Strayhorn of Marion; Sisters, Martha Melkovitz of Keo, and Nancy Hurst of St. Louis, Missouri; Grandchildren, Michelle Moore, Jesse (Kristin) Moore, Eric (Melissa) Camp, Samantha (Tyler) Mercer, Palmer Spurlock, Blake (Tara) Robertson, Adam (Kassie) Robertson, Cole Robertson, Shelby (Preston) Gracey, Kelsey Strayhorn, Harley Katherine Strayhorn, Cole Strayhorn, and Cooper Strayhorn; and sixteen great grandchildren.
Honorary Pallbearers were Mike Strayhorn, Mickey Strayhorn, Kirk Robertson, Blake Robertson, Adam Robertson, Cole Robertson, Eric Camp, Palmer Spurlock, Tyler Mercer, Jesse Moore, Cole Strayhorn, Cooper Strayhorn, and Preston Gracey.
The family of Charles wishes to extend our sincere thanks to his Hospice Team for the exceptional care and love shown to him.
The Grand Prairie Fesitval of the Arts Photography winners for 2023 have been announced. A reception for the winners will be held on Tuesday, January 31 from 5:006:30 p.m. The award winners are:
ARCHITECTURE
First Place Melissa Abernathy, Second Place Brian Cormack, Third Place Richard Davies, and Honorable Mention Monica Petter.
BLACK and WHITE First Place Kenneth Terry, Second Place Melissa Abernathy, Third Place Chris Lee, and Honorable Mention
Brian Cormack.
LIFE ON THE GRAND PRAIRIE
First Place Chris Lee, Second Place Monica Petter, Third Place Richard Davies, and Honorable Mention Kenneth Terry.
NATURE/LANDSCAPE
First Place Chris Lee, Second Place Richard Davies, Third Place Kenneth Terry, and Honorable Mention Monica Petter.
PEOPLE
First Place Melissa Abernathy, Second Place Richard Davies, and, Third Place
Jennifer Price. STILL LIFE First Place Jennifer Price, Second Place Melissa Abernathy, Third Place Chris Lee, and Honorable Mention Monica Petter.
YOUTH
First Place Connor Henry, Second Place Alyssa Tiner, Third Place Alyssa Tiner, and Honorable Mention Connor Henry.
BEST OF SHOW Brevard Law
The works will be exhibited between January 26th and February 23rd.
Superintendent Sherrell told the Des Arc School Board that the state has notified the district that the current contract with “School Eats” will have to be terminated. Sherrell said that Des Arc and eleven other schools that have a contract with a “fixed rate” clause cannot be approved. According to the state, the cost of food for “School Eats” varies from month to month due to rebates, discounts, and other savings on the food purchased. Sherrell said that he, “School Eats” representatives, and other superintendents affected have talked to attorneys and the state to find out how the contracts can suddenly be invalid when the state had approved the contracts as written. He said that teachers, administrators, cafeteria workers, and students are all very satisfied with the service. At this time, he said, there is no other choice except to terminate the contract for the remainder of school year. The
As of Friday, January 20th, 2023, the Prairie County Sheriff's Department (PCSD) has 42 individuals' felony and/or misdemeanor charges at the Prairie County Detention Center, located in Des Arc.
On Friday January 20th Evan Bryant was arrested Breaking or Entering and Theft of Property.
For more information on current incarcerated inmates in Prairie County and other detention centers across the state visit www.vinelink.com.
Slovak Lutheran Cemetery Donations:
Upkeep: Jeanie Shimek
Ross Chlapecka
Steve & Allyson
Chlapecka
Reta Chlapecka
Nancy Chlapecka
In memory of Steve Chlapecka, Jr: Mr & Mrs Billy Booth
Box 224, Hazen, AR 72064.
To report an incident or to give information on ongoing cases call (870) 256-4137, which is answered 24 hours a
board approved termi-
nating the contract.
Sherrell reported that the current enrollment for Pre-K through 12th grade is 625. He also reported that eight school choice requests have been received for the 2023-2024 school year.
The board approved a motion to hire Rachel Davenport as a longterm sub for kindergarten. Davenport has been teaching kindergarten, but she has a final exam to pass before she can be certified as a teacher. As soon as she has passed the exam she will be rehired as a teacher. In other business, the board approved renewing the school board/educators legal liability policy at a cost of $7,390, and approved renewing the facilities consortium contract with Aliza Jones for $5,400.
A motion was approved to remove two ovens, located in the Family and Consumer Science classroom, from the inventory list because two new ovens have been purchased through a Perkins Grant. A
decision was not made for disposal of the old ovens.
Changes to policies that were approved include deleting the Covid Emergency Leave policy, refusing to accept any school choice request dated before January 1st with the exception of military families. Visitors at the schools during school hours will no longer be allowed to use cell phones/electronic devices anywhere that students are not allowed to use them.
Attending the meeting were Superintendent Dr. Marc Sherrell, High School Principal B. J. Paschal, Elementary Principal Cheryl Holland and board members Drew Widener, Brent Calhoun, Charlie Brown, Johnny Reidhar, Jordan Smith, Billy Hinson and T.J. English. Superintendent Sherrell closed the meeting by stating that January is National School Board recognition month and thanked the members for their service and all the work they do for the school district.
day, seven days of the week. Residents can also email the sheriff.
Grand Prairie Chapter
Daughters of the American Revolution recognized the 2023
DAR Good Citizen Award winners at the Saturday, January 28th meeting held in the First Christian Church in Stuttgart. Six outstanding high school seniors each received a certificate, a pin, and a check for $100 in recog-
nition of their achievement. The students were chosen by school officials based on scholarship, leadership, and school and community service.
In addition, each applicant had to submit an essay on the meaning of good citizenship. Hailey Zornes from DeWitt High School was selected by a panel of judges to be Grand Prairie chapter’s representative
in the state competition. Congratulations to all these fine students. And thanks to DAR Good Citizen Chair Cheryl Vickers for her work in coordinating this recognition. Local students pictured are Lane Harper of Hazen High School, Belle White of Carlisle High School, and Gabi Berry of Des Arc High School.
Hazen High School and Junior High School have chosen this year’s Who’s Who students. They are:
Mr. and Miss HHS:
Luke King and Layton
Rogers
Class Favorites
Seniors: Collin Kee and Kelcie Dorathy
Juniors: Colton
Holloway and Jordyn
Besancon
Sophomores: Landen
Adkins and Kendall
Sisemore
Best Role Models:
Luke King and Austyn
Booth
Best Driver: Collin
Kee
Worst Driver: Faith Johnson
Most Likely to Go to Harvard: Lane Harper and Austyn Booth
Biggest Glow Up:
Grayson Lott and Shanerika Roland
Most Likely to Get a Tattoo and Regret It: Gabe Mayo and Jordyn
Besancon
Most Likely to Be on TV: Braylan Anderson and Layton Rogers
Life of the Party:
Kolton Tosh and Mattie
Perry
Mr. and Miss HJH: Bubba Barnhill and Sophie Raper
Class Favorites
9th Grade: Kasyn Weems and Sophie
Raper
8th Grade: Jase Arnett
and Jalynn Thomas
7th Grade: Reece Cash and Makaela Guenther
Most Likely to Fall
Asleep in Class: Tony Jenkins and Jasmine
Smith
Loudest: Remington
Fegley
Quietest: Leigha Raney
Best Playlist: Jaxon
Craig and London Smith
Best Gamer: JJ Pinkney and Makaela
Guenther
Most Likely to Correct the Teacher: Michael Bowman and Maci Sickel
Most Involved: Bubba Barnhill and Maci Sickel
Club chose as the president's project Operation Smile, at the regular meeting Thursday, January 26, at Nick's in Carlisle. Items will be sent for use in clinics for children with cleft lips and/or pallets in third world countries. The items will be sent in April.
Five members attended. Chris Weems, president, presided and gave the lesson on Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking.
The Club meeting began with current events.
Rita Farris, secretary, read the minutes from the last meeting.
Rosetta Van Houten treasurer, gave the financial report and collected the dues. Because of Covid, the Club year started later again this year.
The State Convention was announced for the first weekend in May.
The president asked for volunteers to go with her. The annual GFWC Convention will be June 10-12 in Louisville, KY,
Registration is open now. In her lesson on Domestic Violence, the president said cases are down, and it is believed that it's due to the prison sentences. Due to the number of displaced persons, Human Trafficking is up. She said we can help by supporting shelters for the homeless and learning signs of victims, The next meeting will be Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the Cozy Kitchen in Lonoke with Libby Hutson, hostess and lesson leader.
House members has entered the third week of the 2023 Regular Session.
In the second week, several bills passed the House and are now making their way to the Senate.
On Wednesday, the House passed HB1018. This bill will allow members of municipal fire department bomb squads to carry weapons while responding to bomb threats.
The House also passed HB1086. This bill amends the law concerning parking privileges for a person with a disabled veteran special license plate. It states vehicles with a disabled
veteran special license plate can have access to disabled parking spaces if the vehicle also displays a special certificate issued by the Office of Motor Vehicle.
On Thursday, the House passed HB1023. This bill states that all US flags and Arkansas flags purchased by a public entity with public funds shall be made and manufactured in the United States.
The House passed HB1024. This bill removes the requirement to collect a tax on prepared food and hotel purchases for cities seeking to create an entertainment district.
The House also passed
HB1028. This bill replaces the term “child pornography” with the term “child sexual abuse material” in Arkansas code. This is the term used by several states and by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Close to 170 bills have been filed in the House so far. More than 70 bills have been filed in the Senate. We will continue to update you on developments throughout the session. You can watch all committee meetings and House floor proceedings at arkansashouse.org
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. –
Entergy Arkansas is staging crews, equipment and supplies in areas of the state likely to be the hardest hit in the coming days based on a forecast for sleet, freezing rain, and ice accumulations. In the event of power outages, the local workforce consisting of scouts, vegetation crews, linemen and more is prepared to begin restoration as quickly as they can safely do so. Additional resources from other mutual assistance energy companies have also been requested. Extra weight on power lines caused by ice can cause them to fall or stretch, possibly causing power interruptions.
While Entergy Arkansas manages growth of trees and bushes near electrical equipment, one half-inch of ice can increase the weight of a tree limb as much as 30 times, causing even smaller limbs to bend or snap, falling onto power lines and causing an outage.
Additionally, wet and icy roads can make travel hazardous for crews. In the event of power outages, crews will begin assessing damages, then repairing equipment and restoring power as quickly as it is safe to do so.
Customers should prepare now
It’s important to be prepared at your home or business for freezing weather and possible power outages with a basic emergency supply kit, along with a family emergency plan. Act now to winterize your home or business with some simple steps like insulating water pipes, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and ensuring fire extinguishers are ready for use.
Arkansas was plunged into sub-freezing temperatures the last two winters at about this same time, causing scattered power outages. Entergy continually reviews its
data and processes and indentifies ways to be more prepared for prolonged freezes.
Each of the company’s power plants has a customized plan to support fleetwide winter preparedness efforts, including:
•Insulating critical equipment using improved methods and materials to protect them from lower temperatures.
•Insulating all piping, with the potential for standing water during normal operation, to prevent freezing.
•Designing and building permanent windbreaks or enclosures to protect pumps and other critical equipment.
•Exploring the use of wireless instrument line monitoring systems to monitor temperatures of critical equipment.
*Other efforts to prepare and maintain critical systems and infrastructure across the grid in advance of colder temperatures also included:
*Inspecting and testing equipment that can be impacted by extreme cold such as gas-filled circuit breakers.
*Ensuring the readiness of assets that provide electric service to critical gas infrastructure and other points of delivery that are vital to support generation reliability and resiliency.
*Inspecting and maintaining substations and transmission lines that are critical to Bulk Electric System reliability.
Stay informed in several ways
An important part of weathering a severe storm includes staying informed before, during and after an event. To stay current on our preparations and restoration efforts:
•Download the Entergy app here. Customers can use the app to report outages or check on the status of power at their
There are many stages in the process of convicting criminals and sentencing them to prison. Senate Bill 2, the “Truth in Sentencing and Parole Reform Act of 2023,” will change many of them.
Currently SB 2 is a shell bill, which means it consists only of the title. That’s because the co-sponsors are still gathering ideas from people in the many areas of law enforcement that will be affected.
through good behavior; it would not be guaranteed merely by serving a portion of their sentence. The bill would create incentives for inmates to complete rehabilitation programs. One challenge the sponsors must address is that about 1,700 inmates are being held in county jails in an average month while they wait for available space to open in a state prison unit.
consider proposals to add prison space. The question is how many more beds to build, and how many of the new beds will be for violent and dangerous offenders.
home or business.
•Sign up for text messages about storm and restoration efforts by texting REG to 36778.
•Follow Entergy Arkansas on social media, as it plays an important role in keeping customers informed. Search for @EntergyArk on Facebook and Twitter.
•The Entergy Storm Center website has storm safety, preparation and restoration information that is updated throughout the day.
Safety after the storm
•Restoration in extremely cold conditions may take a little longer, as energizing homes requires a different and methodical process. Rather than simply energizing an entire power line all at once, we must bring customers back online one section at a time to avoid damage to our system thereby worsening the situation.
•In the event power is lost at your home, customers are advised to turn off breakers to major appliances to prevent a spike in demand when power is restored. Turn them back on one at a time when your home is ready to receive power.
•Also, keep refrigerator doors closed but open cabinets that house water pipes. In doing so, food is less likely to spoil, and pipes are less likely to freeze and burst.
•If you choose to use a generator, be sure to follow all manufacturer’s guidelines for safe usage.
Stay away from downed lines
Remember, one-half inch of ice can add 500 pounds of weight on power lines, as well as tree limbs which could then fall onto power lines and people. It’s safest to avoid the area near ice-laden power lines and tree limbs; however, if you see downed or low-hanging lines, stay away, and call 1-8009OUTAGE to report them.
National Plan for Vacation Day is January 31, and the the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism is reminding Arkansans that now is the time to plan for vacation.
Studies show that just planning for a trip boosts morale, reduces stress and prevents burnout. National Plan for Vacation Day is a chance to turn that excitement into a vacation reality.
“By planning ahead now, Arkansans can start feeling the joy of looking forward to their next adventure in The Natural State,” said
Travis Napper, director of Arkansas Tourism.
“With so many opportunities within Arkansas, the travel possibilities are endless.”
National Plan for Vacation Day occurs on the last Tuesday in January each year, encouraging Americans to plan their vacation days for the whole year at the start of the year. The idea is simple –taking a trip all starts with a plan.
According to U.S. Travel, nearly half of American households don’t take this simple step and lose out on their time off and the health and emotional
Stakeholders include county sheriffs and police departments, prosecutors, judges, wardens, prison security officers, parole and probation officers, transition programs, victims’ rights advocates, defense attorneys, drug courts, specialty courts, drug treatment programs and alcohol abuse programs.
The reforms will cost money, so SB 2 will have a ripple effect on the other spending categories in state government.
Last year many elected officials listed stronger law enforcement as one of their campaign issues.
In an interview, the Senate sponsor said that a major focus of the bill would be to protect people from repeat violent offenders who are released from prison on parole, sometimes after serving as little as a sixth of their sentence.
Under SB 2 inmates would have to earn their parole eligibility
County jails don’t have the funds or resources for the programs that state prisons can offer, such as treatment for drug abuse and job training. Thus, while inmates are serving time in in a county jail they are not preparing for a productive life after their release.
The measure will lengthen sentences and tighten parole provisions because violent offenders are getting out too soon, the sponsor said. Some inmates don’t participate in job training and drug rehab programs. A strong incentive to participate would be to make it a requirement in order to become eligible for parole.
The legislature will
At the end of 2022 the Department of Correction had more than 17,000 inmates in its jurisdiction. That is an increase of about 3,000 more inmates since 10 years ago, and an increase of about 5,000 inmates since 20 years ago.
In fiscal year 2010 the legislature appropriated $338 million from the state’s general revenue fund to the Correction Department for operating state prisons. Last fiscal year the appropriation was $494 million.
The Senate co-sponsor of SB 2 said that garnering a consensus in support of the bill would depend on its total cost. It probably will be a couple of weeks before the details are finalized. When that happens, the bill will be amended. It will no longer be a shell bill with just a title, but will be “a fairly large piece of legislation.”
benefits it brings.
Using vacation days to travel can improve the economy, create jobs and has a positive impact on health and overall wellbeing. In fact, if Americans used all their time off to travel, our economy could see a boost of $151.5 billion in travel spending and an additional 2 million U.S. jobs, says U.S. Travel.
For Arkansas trip itineraries, planning tools and more, visit www.arkansas.com.
To order the 2023 Arkansas Travel Guide, go to www.arkansas.com/publications.
Gaylon Hale
1307 W. 22nd, Stuttgart Feb. 1-2-3-4
9 to 3
Our largest sale ever; 6500 sq ft home including Aileen Brasko large water color ; mahogany Chippendale secretary/bookcase; Persian 10 x 14 Tabriz rug with hand knotted fringe; Queen Anne mahogany dining table with 8 chairs; ball and claw foot mahogany dining table with 6 chairs; large mahogany dinging cabinet; mahogany corner cabinet; exceptional gold mirrors; large mahogany artist easel; 4 mahogany buffets; Art Nouveau fountain on tall pedestal; oil paintings; prints; king br set; twin beds; pr. Queen Anne contemporary table desks; Nutone wall clock doorbell; grandmother floor clock; contemporary student style lamp; dressers and chests; several curio cabinets; ball & claw organ stool; marble top brass credenza table; 9’ bookcase; other bookcases; books; large metal bakers rack; outdoor patio furniture; Franciscan “Ajlpine Meadow” china set; 2
sets German china; vintage green wicker hamper; several white wicker pieces; saloon doors; pr. turned fern stands; pr. folding metal bar stools; library table; tall bath cabinet with louvered doors; nice lamps; park benches; Victorian 5’ bench for king size bed; stereo systems; metal art; bifold screens; armoires; Zettie Jones hummingbird print; Queen Anne walnut round coffee table; white metal coffee table; table cloths; pr yellow sofas; occasional chairs; 5 vintage metal kitchen stools; metal white vintage standing bird cage; mirrored faux windows with shutters; Soft Strider exerciser; white fridge with ice maker; wicker porch chairs; tea carts; Fouton; yellow painted TV armoire; pr. Danish chairs; step stools; taupe corduroy sofa; chrome egg shaped coffee percolators; party clutch bags; Christmas Santa’s and ornaments; Flow blue; 2 sets German dishes; tool shed and much more. Please do not block neighbors drive ways. All sales final. Cash or checks with proper I.D.
The Carlisle Bison beat Des Arc and Hazen last week to improve to 10-13 overall and 7-5 in the 2A6 conference.
The Bison are currently on a four-game winning streak. Carlisle is currently in third place in the conference standings behind Marianna and Barton.
Carlisle beat Hazen 7041 on Tuesday.
The Bison led 22-8 after one quarter and 38-18 at halftime.
The Bison continued the run in the third quarter, outscoring the Hornets 22-16 to lead 60-34 heading into the fourth quarter.
David Hayes led the Bison with 36 points. He hit eight three-pointers in the victory. Kaidon Clingmon had 25 points.
Lawson Petrus had three. Scoring two each were
Joseph Cook, Braxton Cooney and Devin Cooney.
Justin Schlenker led Hazen with 16 points.
Cameron Johnson had 11.
Josh Dawson had eight.
The Des Arc Lady Eagles stayed perfect in league play with a 57-29 win over the Carlisle Lady Bison on Friday night.
Des Arc is 8-0 in the 2A-6 conference standings. McCrory is in second play at 6-2. Carlisle is third at 6-4.
The game was marred by the ejection of three players following a fracas with 1:30 left in the second quarter.
Carlisle’s Addison Bartley and Mariah Phillips and Des Arc’s Bella Flanagan were ejected by game officials and will serve a onegame suspension this week.
Des Arc led 18-9 after one quarter. Six different Lady Eagles scored in the first quarter. Gabi Berry scored six points.
The Lady Eagles outscored the Lady Bison 28-12 in the second quarter to lead 4621 at halftime.
Berry led Des Arc with 14 points. Makenzie Williams had 10. Harleigh Holloway had eight. Shyanne Bell and Calleigh Skarda had five points each. Alaina Fields had four. Scoring three each were Flanagan, Terryana Daniel and Kaydence Chevalier. Jyllian Smith had two.
Laken Golden led Carlisle with nine points. Bradley had eight. Paige Chadwick had four. Scoring three each were Paige Lee and Haven McElyea. Phillips added two. The game featured a combined 46 personal fouls and 66 attempted free throws. Des Arc made 18 of 32 attempts while Carlisle made 13 of 34.
Kolton Tosh scored four.
Diego Sasaki had two.
On Friday, the Bison avenged an earlier loss to Des Arc by beating the
Eagles 63-34. Carlisle jumped out to a 20-6 lead after one quarter.
The Eagles outscored the Bison 14-12 in the second quarter to make the score 32-20 at halftime.
The Bison took control in the second half, outscoring Des Arc 16-6 in the third quarter and 15-8 in the fourth quarter.
Hayes led the Bison with 24 points. Clingmon had 20. Isaiah Powell had seven. Braxton Cooney had six. Cook scored five.
Devin Cooney had three.
Jonah Winkowski led
Des Arc with 10 points. Scoring five each were Hayden Brown and Cache Flanagan had five points each. Daviyon Bell had four. Scoring three each were Landon Dobbins and Mason Hogue. Trevion Reed had two.
“This past week, we were able to shoot the ball well as a team due to better ball movement, which led to good shots,” Carlisle coach Jason Stewart said. “We have two tough games this week, starting with Barton. We hope to keep growing as a team.”
After falling to the Carlisle Bison earlier in the week, the Hazen Hornets lost to Clarendon 61-42 in a non-conference game on Thursday night.
Hazen followed that with a 62-27 loss to Marianna on Friday night.
With the loss, Hazen drops to 1-10 on the season with its’s only win coming against Palestine-Wheatley on
Jan. 17. Hazen scored five points in the first quarter, 14 points in the second quarter, three in the third quarter and five win the fourth quarter.
Three different Hazen players scored six points each, including Cameron Johnson, Justin Schlenker and Brance Williams. Kolton Tosh had four. Josh Dawson scored three. Diego Sasaki had two.
