75¢
Oasis Helping Hands gives out food. (See p. 6.)
Volume 120 Number 7 - USPS 225-680
Serving all of Prairie County and the Grand Prairie
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
Entergy responding to outages from winter storm Community Calendar of Events
Wednesday February 17 Ash Wednesday Thursday February 18 City of Hazen City Council meeting Hazen Community Center 6:00 p.m. Monday February 22 Hazen School Board meeting 6:00 p.m. High School Library
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Approximately 1,600 customers remained without power Sunday evening after about 7,000 were disrupted earlier in the day as winter weather blew across the state. Forecasts call for even more extreme temperatures, sleet, and snow this week, with an unprecedented demand for electricity likely. “The current load forecasts are approaching an all-time winter peak, even greater than those experienced during the polar vortex of January 2019,” said Michael Considine, vice president of customer service. “This high demand for electricity poses unique obstacles when crews work to restore electricity when the power goes out.” Colder than normal temperatures during the early morning and overnight hours can prompt a large number of customers to increase the heat used in their homes and therefore the demand, company officials said, which can cause voltage variations and repeated power disruptions. If customers lose electricity, they can help with restore times by turning off major appliances and heating units. Once power is restored, customers should gradually power on appliances and heating systems to prevent a high level of instantaneous demand. Entergy Arkansas also has procedures it must follow to prevent further damage to weather-ravaged equipment, which can affect when in the process a customer will be restored.
“Rather than simply energizing an entire power line all at once,” Considine said, “we must bring customers back online one section at a time to avoid damage to our system and possibly cause additional outages.” The extremely cold temperatures for the service area are raising the potential for generation and transmission challenges for Entergy’s operating companies and its neighboring utilities.“We ask you to be particularly mindful of your energy use during this extreme cold to help reduce the strain on the electric system by practicing safe energy conservation efforts,” Considine said. Some ways customers can help us manage through this period: ·Lower the central thermostat to 68 degrees or lower if possible. ·Open blinds and draperies to let in warmth from the sun during the daytime. ·Delay laundry, washing dishes, bathing and other non-essential uses of electricity until this appeal for conservation has ended. ·Wash clothes with cold water, cook foods at the lowest possible setting and refrain from opening the oven door while baking. ·Don’t allow warmed air to escape from the home. To stay up to date on outages and restoration: ·Download the Entergy app for Apple or Android operating systems at Entergy.com/app. ·Register for addressspecific alerts by texting REG to 36778.
Department (VFD) to purchase equipment was the main order of business on the Prairie County Quorum Court’s agenda at their February 9 meeting. All of the justices were present at the meeting. The Oak Prairie VFD has raised $15,000 through “community cash and/or in-kind donations to be applied to the project as a local match,” according to the resolution. No funds from the county toward the project will be used. The majority of the remainder of the meeting was taken up with questions about court procedures and the management of the Prairie County Food Bank brought up by Republican members of the court. Justice Rick Stallings asked for corrections to the minutes be made before approving them, asking that it be noted that he opposed a vote to approve the previous month’s minutes and that he would like to see the names of
concerned about bonuses” to “He wanted clarification about bonuses.” Stallings also expressed concern that the county might be audited by the legislature for the Prairie County Food Bank account. “If you have the money, we have no oversight,” Stallings said. Judge Mike Skarda told Stallings that the food bank was now a nonprofit organization and funds to it no longer go through the county. “There are no funds coming into the county,” Justice Bobby Willeford said. County Attorney Abram Skarda told the court that he had not gotten a report about it, but that he would look into it. Stallings closed by saying,” I want to make sure it is being done correctly,” Stallings said. There was also some question about the gravel hauling services purchased by the county. Judge Skarda said that hauling gravel is exempt from bidding by
Hazen Utilities Manager Phillip Foot clearing roads after the heavy snow fall. Customers will need an account number and ZIP code. Once registered,
text OUT to 36778 to report an outage. ·Visit “View Outages”
page at EntergyStormCenter.co m.
Hazen Council votes to allow off-duty policemen to take other employment The Hazen City Council met in a special meeting on Monday, February 8, to pass an ordinance establishing guidelines for members of the Hazen Police Department to be employed in work outside of their duties as officers. The police department asked the city to consider allowing officers to provide security services for the work being done on the Interstate 40 bridge. That work must have law enforcement officers present to protect the workers on the project, and the Arkansas State Police cannot supply the officers necessary. Without police present on the site, the work cannot continue. The Parsons-Mahan Joint Venture, which is doing the work, requested the city’s help. Police Chief Bradley
Taylor told the council that his officers had taken a work-zone safety class in preparation for the work. The officers would not be allowed to work for the highway company during their city work hours. They would only warn of the upcoming road work from a quarter mile away, and the officers would be off of the road. After consulting the Arkansas Municipal League, the city put together Ordinance 499 that establishes guidelines for members of the police department to perform “occupational duties outside the employment.” The ordinance (which can be seen in this week’s paper) states that any officer considering additional or outside employment must first request, in writing to
the Chief of Police, to do so, and those requests must then be submitted to the mayor for final approval. Those officers must abide by all city and police department policies and the laws of the state and federal government even while off-duty and also must follow all rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the employing company. The work may not interfere with the officers’ duties as city policemen. The outside employment by officers must be contracted through the city, and officers will be paid $30 an hour. The company will be charged $20 an hour for the use of the city’s police vehicle. The council voted to approve both the ordinance and the new city policy unanimously, and the meeting adjourned.
were told that was only done because the county had been told by Sandra Patterson of the Office of Emergency Management that there might be a perceived conflict of interest in that instance. Justice Lynn Hatcher asked if the gravel haulers had insurance. “They must have it,” Skarda said.
Calhoun, had purchased one, and that the county had bought one for the Oak Prairie VFD since he has been the judge. The ownership of the Tollville tanker is still in question. In the judge’s report, Skarda said that the county road department had been grading roads when possible, and he
courtroom on February 17. The bids will be opened by the architects for the project, and Historic Preservation rules must apply on all work. A roll call vote was taken to end the meeting at Judge Skarda’s request.
Thursday February 25 Commodities distribution Drive-through Hazen United Methodist Quorum Court passes resolution to apply for Oak Prairie grant Church The passage of a reso- the members who are state statute. “We do get The county ownership gave a COVID report on lution that would allow for and against any bids, though,” he said. A of tanker trucks used by the county. He also said 10:00 a.m.- the county judge to measure voted upon by resolution had been local volunteer fire that 12 contractors had apply for an Arkansas voice vote be listed in passed by the court in departments was also attended a pre-bid meetnoon. Rural Community the minutes. He also 2018-2019 to allow a brought up. Judge ing for repairs to the (ARCG) on behalf asked that wording in specific person to pro- Skarda said that the two county courthouses. Please wear Grant of the Oak Prairie the past minutes be vide services to the county under a previous Bids will be taken for Volunteer Fire changed from “He was county, but the justices county judge, Butch the work on the Des Arc masks. Tuesday February 23 DeValls Bluff City Council meeting 6:00 p.m.
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.
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