75¢
HHS students “Get Real.” (See page 6.)
Volume 121 Number 12 - USPS 225-680
Serving all of Prairie County and the Grand Prairie
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Carlisle Council informed Community of buildings’ destruction
Calendar of Events
Monday March 21-25 Spring Break for all School Districts Wednesday March 23 Spring Break Candy Hunt Hazen Public Library Ages 0 - Pre-K 11:00 a.m. Kindergarten to 2nd - 2:00 a.m. Pre-register by calling 870-255-3570 Thursday March 24 Food Distribution Hazen Methodist Church Drive Through 10:00 a.m.12:00 p.m. Monday April 4 Biscoe City Council Meeting Tuesday April 5 Master Gardeners clean-up day at the Fairgrounds 11:30 a.m. Tuesday April 12 Prairie County Quorum Court meets in Des Arc Courthouse Annex 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.
By Debbye Harrison Mayor Ray Glover announced to the Carlisle City Council that most of the buildings on the west end of Main Street are due to be torn down since many of them have their roofs collapsing at its March 15 meeting. Council members Jon Plafcan, Mike Walker, Anne Anderson, Larry Flynn present. Kevin Kegley and Todd Turner were absent. Glover said that the Merle Norman and Fred’s buildings are going to be demolished by Randy Phillips and the owner will give him the property in exchange. Sitting next to the Winrock Building, which is in good shape, is a small building belonging to the city. This building was at one time the office for the Carlisle Independent. When the newspaper moved, Cone
and Betty Magie gave it to the city. The Council tabled the motion to have this building torn down until an inspection for asbestos could be completed and future plans for the use of the property could be secured. Baseball season begins April 2. There are 140 students signed up. The first home game is April 11. Mike Stuart reported on the continued effort to settle the insurance claim for the fire truck hit by an 18 wheeler on the interstate. The cost of repairing the damages have been extremely slow in being estimated. Meanwhile, the price for a new or good used truck continue to rise. During this time the Carlisle Fire Department has had to rely on assistance from the Lonoke Fire Department for fires that exceed their current equipment.
Sanders campaigns in Des Arc On March 17, a campaign fundraiser for Republican candidate for Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders was held at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Darrell (Dare) Saul III in Des Arc. Approximately 90 people attended. Sanders and her husband took time to greet the guests and
gave a speech about her plans for Arkansas if elected Governor. Finger foods were provided by Lanan Lisko catering.
Hazen School board tables four-day school week After a brief statement by Hazen School Board President Vicki Skarda in which she asked that the board table the vote on going to a four-day school week until more research could be done. The vote for the change was on the agenda for that night, but the board eventually agreed to wait until January of 2023 to decide on the issue. The meeting was held in the high school gymnasium on Monday, March 14, with all members present. Skarda said that the
school needed to be “run like a business”, but she added “we need to do a lot more discussion” about the fourday week. Mason Sickel agreed, saying, “Each student needs to vote on it.” Sickel said that he had spoken with people at the school in England and that although the England administration was happy with a four-day week, parents and students were not as enthusiastic. Debbie Carlyle said that she would “go by what my zone wants.” Skarda told the board that “Janan Sickel has
put tons and tons of work into this,” and thanked her for her effort. Superintendent Donnie Boothe informed the board that the district had been re-zoned by the Arkansas Secretary of State so that the school would be in compliance with the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. This has resulted in the loss of two of the zones, from seven to five, but Boothe said that the two board members who would lose their seats would be made “at large” members of
the board and retain their positions. All of the board members will have to campaign for their positions this coming November, according to Boothe. A resolution approving the re-zoning was passed by the board. A map of the new zones is not presently available, but it will be published in this paper when the school receives it. Boothe presented copies of the school calendar for 2022-23 which the teachers voted on and which was proposed by the Personnel Policies
Committee. The board voted to approve it. Boothe also recommended that the regular school bus route driver pay be increased by $5.00 per trip effective March 1, 2022. The increase will only continue until the last student day of this school year, and Boothe told the board that his office is working on finding ways to get the cost of driving under control. Boothe said that the number of bus routes had been reduced to five. The recommendation was passed. (Continued on p. 4)
Stuttgart Baptist Health Medical Center designated 2022 top hospital STUTTGART, Ark. – Baptist Health Medical Center-Stuttgart announced it has been recognized as a 2022 Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, this annual recognition program honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™. “We are honored to be recognized by The Chartis Center for Rural Health for our commitment to quality patient care,” said Kevin Storey, president of Baptist Health Medical CenterStuttgart. “Ultimately, we do not seek to earn awards, but it is nice to be recognized for the efforts our team puts forth in caring for our patients every day.” “Despite unprecedented adversity rural providers continue to display resiliency and a steadfast commitment
to their communities,” said Michael Topchik, national leader with The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “Honoring the Top 100 is one of the highpoints of our year. We are delighted to recognize the exceptional performance and innovation of this year’s recipients, particularly in light of the extraordinary challenges facing America’s rural health safety net.” Over the course of the last 12 years, the INDEX has established itself as the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital p e r f o r m a n c e . Leveraging publicly available data, the INDEX is trusted by rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints, hospital associations and state offices of rural health across the country to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations and finance.
New Postmaster... Ross A. Sisson is now serving Carlisle as its new Postmaster. He has been with the United States Postal Service for seven years.
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Page 2 - The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Phyllis Ann Edge Phyllis Ann Edge, 71, of Hazen, went to be with the Lord on March 14, 2022. She was B o r n February 6, 1951, the daughter of Tommy and Mary (Kelly) Edge in Hazen. Phyllis worked at Remington Arms for thirty seven years and she loved music, loved to read, and work puzzles. She was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by two sisters, Carolyn (Earl) Peeples and Sara (Dale) Perry, and one brother, Mark Edge; nieces and nephews, Matt (Wendy) Perry, Ray (Amy) Peeples, Will (Caroline) Peeples, Sara Peeples, Emily (Scott) White, and Mary Helen (Ben) Holman; great nieces and nephews, Kade, Mary Katherine, Mattie, and Kami Perry, Emma White, Ada, Mary Wyn, and Ray Peeples, Francis and Anna Reed Holman, Greer, Margaret and Sara Mack Peeples. Visitation was from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M., Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at Westbrook Funeral Home in Hazen. The funeral service was at 2:00 P.M., Thursday, March 17, 2022 in the pavilion at Center Point Cemetery. The family wishes to thank and send their appreciation to the staff at Arkansas Hospice and Chambers Nursing Home for the wonderful care provided. Memorials in Phyllis’s memory may be made to
Arkansas Press Association Member 2020
The
Grand Prairie Herald (USPS) 225-680 The Grand Prairie Herald is an independent publication that has served Prairie County since December, 1901. It is published weekly by
Herald Publishing Company P.O. Box 370 111 Hwy 70 E Hazen, Arkansas 72064 Ph. 870-255-4538 Email: heraldpublishing@gmail.com
Subscription Rates In Prairie County $20.00/year In Arkansas $25.00/year Out of State $30.00/year Periodicals Postage paid at Hazen, Arkansas 72064 POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Grand Prairie Herald P.O.Box 370 Hazen, Arkansas 72064 Managing Editor/Publisher Roxanne Bradow Circulation/Accounts Trudy Johnson Sports Editor Mark Buffalo Photographer Ruth Corley
the Center Point Cemetery. Arrangements by Westbrook Funeral Home of Hazen.
Alvin B. Reaves Alvin B. Reaves, 80, went to be with the Lord March 14, 2022. He was b o r n October 13, 1941 to Robert J. Reaves and Lilie Mae Jackson. He is preceded in death by his parents Robert and Lilie Reaves; son Alvin Reaves Jr; eight brothers; six sisters; and one grandson Jonathan. He is survived by his wife Florence Reaves; sons Don Reaves, Ronnie (Angela) Reaves, Lonnie (Martha) Reaves; grandchildren Wesley (Krista) Reaves, Hilary (Kevin) Reynolds, Josh Reaves, Ashley Reaves, Chelsea Reaves, Mica Reaves, Brandon Reaves, Chasity Reaves, Savannah Reaves, Alvin (Savannah) Reaves, Alli Reaves, Megan Reaves, Brandy Reaves, Lily Reaves, Katelyn Reaves, April Reaves, DJ Reaves, James Reaves, Chris (Holly) Reaves, Kevin Reaves; over twenty great-grandchildren; sister Rachel Proctor of Tichnor, AR; and many other friends and family who miss him dearly. Alvin attended Morris Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. He was an avid gardener, hunter, and fisherman. He loved helping everyone. A visitation was held at Center Point Missionary Baptist Church on Center Point Road in Hazen, AR at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 19, 2022. A funeral service followed at 11 a.m. He was laid to rest at Center Point Cemetery. Arrangements were entrusted to A Natural State Funeral Service. 2620 West Main Street, Jacksonville, Arkansas, 72076.
Charlotte Ann Hula Roth Charlotte Ann Hula Roth was a resident of Stuttgart, Arkansas from 1954 to 2020 and departed this life on March 14, 2022, from t h e Wo o d r u f f County Health Center of McCrory, Arkansas at the age of 85. She was born in Prairie County, Arkansas on October 7, 1936, and was raised around the Hazen, DeValls Bluff area. Ms. Charlotte was the daughter of the late Charles Wesley Hula, Sr. and Anna Katherine Plafcan Hula. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Albert Wendell Roth; and one brother, Charles “Chuck” Hula Jr. Ms. Charlotte is survived by two daughters, Stephanie Stamey and husband Jeff of Thomasville, North Carolina and Patti Fields of McCrory, Arkansas; one sister, Betty Jones of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; one sis-
ter-in-law, Betty Hula of Fayetteville, Arkansas; five grandchildren, Natascha Johnson of Asheboro, North Carolina, Curtis Christian and wife Justina of Mocksville, North Carolina, Dixie Mayfield of Lexington, North Carolina, Seth Fields and wife Amalie of Paragould, Arkansas, Matthew Fields and wife Caley of McCrory, Arkansas; fourteen great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and many friends. Graveside services were held on Saturday, March 19 beginning at 12 noon at the Lone Tree Cemetery of Stuttgart with Rev. Thomas Bormann, officiating, and ThompsonWilson Funeral Home of McCrory was in charge of the services.
John Alvin Burling John Alvin Burling, 85, of Cabot, passed away Wednesday, March 9, 2022. He was born July 21, 1936 in Kingman, Kansas to the late John and Edith Godfrey Burling. Mr. Burling proudly served his country for twenty years in the United States Navy. He taught trades such as HVAC and welding at Searcy VoTech and also worked for the VA as Master Electrical Engineer for the three VA hospitals. Mr. Burling was also a home builder. He enjoyed helping people whether he knew them or not and was a very charitable man. Mr. Burling loved to fish and joke around, but his greatest love and joy came from his family. He was a wonderful family man. Mr. Burling served as a deacon at Original Church of God in Des Arc. In addition to his parents, Mr. Burling was preceded in death by his siblings, Ervin Burling, Mary Snow, Violet Ele and Inas Burling. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Florence Burling; children, Jody (Jimmy) Massie, Ginger (Don) Cheatham, Tamara (Steve) Collins and Connie Buchanan; eight grandchildren; eighteen great-grandchildren, as well as many extended family members and friends. Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, March 14, 2022 at Gospel Mission in Des Arc with interment following at Johnson’s Chapel Cemetery. Visitation began at 1:00 p.m. prior to the service. Arrangements by Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home, 501-843-5816. Please sign our online guestbook for the Burling family at www.moorescabotfuneralhome.com.
Parthena Lamon OwensBroadaway On March 10, 2022, Parthena Lamon Owens-Broadaway, loving mother and grandmother, passed away at the age of 88. Parthena was born on November 29, 1933 to Clyde and Lila (Petty) Brigham. On July 9, 1948 she married Charles E. Owens. They raised 1 daughter, Rebecca and two sons, Jackie and Vernon during their 47 years of marriage. After Charles’ death, she married James T. Broadaway. They spent 16 happy years together. She was the first woman hired at Remington where she worked for several years. She loved people and was a caregiver to many around the community. She spent many years babysitting and being a homemaker. She enjoyed yard sales and visiting with people. She had a love for all her grandchildren and lived by the motto “It’s better to laugh than cry”. She spent a lot of time gardening, baking, and planting flowers. She enjoyed playing canasta, pinochle and aggravation with family members. She had a reputation of always winning when she played aggravation (no mercy when you played her and her partner).
Pluma Odene Brand Pluma Odene Brandt, age 102, died peacefully on March 11, 2022. She was born in Carlisle, AR on Dec. 29, 1919, to the late Opal and Al Oliver. She was a homemaker and a charter member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Carlisle. Odene was preceded in death by her husband John Henry, son Edward, daughter Cheryl Prince, and sister Faye Tarter. She is survived by daughter Barbara Kilgore; son-inlaw Royce Prince; daughter-in-law Venus Brandt; grandchildren Allison Wingfield, John Kilgore Jr., John Prince, Brandt Prince, Royce Anne Henley, Kelli Moore, LoraLee Tefteller, John Brandt, and Amy Stricklin; nieces Judi Jones and Lana Tollett; 24 greatgrandchildren, and several great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held on Friday, March 18, 2022, at Immanuel Baptist Church in Carlisle at 1:00 p.m. Visitation was held from 12:00-1:00 p.m. prior to the service. Burial was in the at Carlisle Cemetery.Arrangements by Westbrook Funeral Home of Hazen.
Eddleman retires from Carlisle BOE After 39 years in the agriculture finance business, Mary Eddleman of Carlisle is retiring. Mary has been in the industry since 1983 where she was employed at Production Credit Association (Ag Heritage) at the DeWitt location and later at the Stuttgart location. She was employed there for 9 ½ years. In 1992, she went to work for First National Bank in Stuttgart (after several name changes, now known as BancorpSouth). In 1997, she was promoted to Vice President and relocated to Carlisle to work at the branch there. In 2010, she was hired by The Bank of England as Loan Officer/Vice President at the Carlisle Branch. “I would like to thank Robert M. Koch for taking a chance on hiring me at PCA all of those years ago. He also gave me the opportunity to make the move to FNB in Stuttgart and trained me how to be a loan offi-
cer. He is a great mentor and an even better man. I was so fortunate to have had his guidance throughout a lot of my career. I would also like to acknowledge that God has blessed me in so many ways by allowing me the opportunities and friendships that have come my way.” Mary has enjoyed working with her customers and is proud to call Carlisle home. She attends church at First United Methodist Church of Carlisle and is active in the Carlisle Bison Booster Club and serves on the Governor’s Criminal Detention Facilities Review Commission. She has previously served on the Board of Directors of Central Arkansas CASA Mary and her husband, Lew look forward to traveling after retirement and especially spending more time in NW Arkansas to be with her children and grandchildren.
New Books and DVD’s BOOKS Steal- James Patterson Sierra Six- Mark Greaney Afraid- Lisa Jackson All the Pretty PeopleBarbara Freethy The Girl and the Midnight Murder- A J Rivers The Girl and the Silent Night- A J Rivers The Wine Makers- Jan Moran The Perfumer- Jan Moran The Paris ApartmentLucy Foley Nothing to Lose- J A Jance Calder Grit- Janet Dailey Cruising through Midlife- Addison Moore The Accomplice- Lisa Lutz The Darkest PlacePhilip Margolin The Herons Cry- Ann Cleeves Stillwater Island- Greg Olsen This is how I LiedHeather Gudenkauf Phantom GameChristine Feehan The Night Shift- Alex Finlay The Starless CrownJames Rollins The Evening and the Morning- Ken Follett Never- Ken Follett Reckless Girls- Rachel Hawkins Killer View- Roy Johansen
Along the Rio GrandeTracie Peterson (Christian) On a Night like ThisBarbara Freethy Falling for a StrangerBarbara Freethy Between Now and Forever- Barbara Freethy So This is Love- Barbara Freethy Don't Look Now- Mary Burton Run Rose Run- James Patterson Caramel Pecan Roll Murder- JoAnne Fluke Ava James and the Forgotten Bones- A J Rivers Ava James and the Ivy Grove- A J Rivers A Beacon of LightLinda Byler (Christian) Shadow Reel- C J Box The Chase- Candice Fox Hight Stakes- Danielle Steel DVD’s The Legend of LA LLorona Deadlock King Richard Shattered Silent Night The 355 The Hating Game Yellowstone season 4 Stargirl seasons 1 & 2 Supergirl season 6 Fortress Run and Gun The Pilot A Journey for Jordan Matrix Resurrections National Champions Redeeming Love
Page 3 - The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Hazen City Council finalizes city water tank contract
HHS Quiz Bowl finishes first... The HHS Quiz Bowl team earned 1st place at the regional tournament. Lane Harper also received honors for All Tournament Play
The Hazen City Council met on Thursday, March 17, to see the final contracts with Utility Service Company, Inc. to provide maintenance on the city’s two water tanks. The city has agreed to pay $50,000 for each tank in the first year. A check for the first $50,000 that was issued in December, 2021, has been on hold until a final contract could be agreed upon. An additional $50,000 will be paid upon completion of the 2022 maintenance. All of the council members were present, along with Mayor David H a r d k e , Recorder/Treasurer David Hoover, Fire Chief Seth Skarda, and Utilities Department Manager Chad Swaim. According to Hardke’s water tank maintenance report, the city will pay $23,485 for maintenance on the 105 East Adams St. tank and $23,113 for the tank at North Elm St. and East Industrial St. every year for the 2nd through the 7th years of the contract for $46,598 annually. The cost will be paid in installments of $3,883.16 plus sales tax of $427.14 for a total of $4,310.30 each month. On year 8, the cost will go down to $30,333 plus sales tax which will equal a monthly payment of $2,805.81. Each anniversary thereafter, the annual fee will be adjusted to reflect the current cost of service, with the adjustment to the fee limited to a maximum of 5% annually. The replacement of the mixing systems in the tanks and standard repairs needed for maintenance will be covered by the contract, and the tanks will be inspected annually. Every other year the tanks will be drained, cleaned, and disinfected. Attorney Keith Rhodes reviewed the contract and approved it. Hardke reported that a pre-construction meeting had been held with Redstone, the company that will be doing repair work at the Hazen Municipal Airport. The work should begin in April and end on May 27th. A $350 penalty will be levied on the company for every day after that date. Two streets in Hazen
This portion of Madison Street is one of the two areas that are to be repaired. have significant damage and will have to be repaired, according to Hardke. Pipe was replaced on those streets approximately two years ago, and they are now collapsing. He has contacted McClelland Engineering to prepare specifications for the jobs and probable costs for the repairs. The city will take bids for the repairs, and although the city expects to receive money from the State of Arkansas in 2023 or 2024, Hardke said, “I don’t want to wait one or two years” to do the work. The damaged sections of street are on Madison and on South Charles, both near the Hazen baseball fields, and it is estimated that it will cost over $79,000 to repair them. Swaim reported that his department had about finished the cleanup after the ice storm, and his workers have been repairing gas and water leaks. Skarda reported that his department had responded to one first responder call, two structure fires, two grass fires, two 18wheeler fires, and had burned down the 11-70 building. The council was given the library budget report for August 2021 through January 2022. There was no police report. Hardke told the council that Aristotle had started installing fiber to houses and that there
had been some complaints about the use of Country Club Road by a proposed project north of the Exxon station at I40. He assured the council that Country Club Road would not be used by the business. There will be a 150 yard buffer from the road, he said. Larry Anthony expressed concern for the Hazen Schools, and told the council that his daughter, who works for a four-day school, loves it. She called it a “win,win,win”. “This would be an opportunity to come up with a little extra money,” he said and added “Hazen needs a school.” Hardke brought up the problems of jobs and housing in the area. Tim Juola asked that signs be put up at the new baseball building. Students have been parking on the road, and there was a danger of people stepping out into the road from between the cars. Hardke said that additional parking is planned, but in the meantime, the city will attend to the problem. At the end of the meeting, Rick Wiggins told the council that he will be moving next month and can no longer serve on the council. “I’ve been dreading this,” he said. “I’m going to definitely miss it.” He told them that he would be happy to help the city in any way possible.
Bank of England wants to congratulate Mary Eddleman on her years of service to the bank and the community. We wish her a wonderful retirement. We would like to invite the community and customers to a meet and greet with refreshment at the Carlisle Banking Center on March 28, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
Page 4 - The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Quilt Society shares creative antiques Des Arc City Council The Grand Prairie Quilt Society met March 9, 2022 for their Sit 'n Sew at the First Christian Church Fellowship Hall, in Stuttgart with ten members present and one guest. Marsha offered the "Thought for the Day, ...on trying a new pattern ..."One stitch, two stitch, three stitch, four, looks pretty good,
held June 2-5,2022 at Cross Heirs Retreat Center in Humphrey. Currently there are 8 signed up. Registration is still open. A Memorial for Billy Cotten was given to the Sharing Food Pantry in DeWitt. The Hope of the Delta center in Stuttgart is nearing completion with painting still to be done
hears solar options By Lisa Mills
Heirloom stuffed animals from Kay's collection...the little bear was made by her Great-Grandmother. Grandmother for him tinues to be a favorite when he was a child. place for everyone to She wants to make it find that special item. into a quilt and asked Betty Gillette also the group for advice in brought a box of fabric finishing it. remnants for the group Ann had photos on her to look through. camera on a wall hangAfter the meeting ing and table runner everyone settled down to she finished recently. visiting, sewing, and Kay showed 3 stuffed just enjoying being animals from her collec- together. tion. Her treasure is a Winnie asked for help small bear that was in putting together her
Maeola's baby bibs she made for Hope of the Delta in Stuttgart. let's do some more. Five stitch, six stitch, seven stitch, eight, Wow, that looks great!" The February minutes and treasurer's report were given. A letter was read from Arkansas C h i l d r e n ' s Hospital.."Thank you for giving your time and talent through the gift of handmade items that you recently donated to Arkansas Children's. Our patients receive compassionate care every day thanks to donors like you...Your handmade donations make it possible for Arkansas Children's to feel more like home for our patients and their families... Because of you, children are better today and will be healthier tomorrow. " Glenda asked for a report on the Country Quilt Camp VIII to be
in some rooms. Members were encouraged to continue to make baby items for the center. The Civic Project for 2022 was discussed. Shelley made a motion that we make pillows for Children's Hospital, Maeola 2nd , motion carried. Several different small sizes are needed, in colorful prints and patterns. Shelley mentioned that older children also are patients, so remember them when picking out fabric. Members were reminded to bring beans to the church for the ICCM Food Bank. Show and Share: Maeola had several baby bibs she made for Delta and also a Wildlife quilt top. Jeanie showed an heirloom quilt top made by her husband's Gr-Gr-
Jeanie with her husband's gr-gr-grandmother's quilt top. made by her Gr-GrGrandmother. Glenda had several items for the Christmas Shoeboxes: dresses, shorts, book bags, and ditty bags. She also had several baby quilts for Delta. Marsha had several cute Easter ornaments she made at craft club. The treasure table con-
quilt blocks. It was an interesting puzzle and Lou Anna and Glenda and Maeola tried to help her figure it out. Lunch was a merry time and we also enjoyed sampling several boxes of Girl Scout cookies. The next meeting will be April 13, 2022 at the church at 10:00 a.m.
The two Solar Energy companies that the city of Des Arc is considering presented additional information at the March 15th City Council meeting. Bill Halter from Scenic Hill Solar provided the council with documents to show how much they predict the city can save based on their evaluation of the past 12 months’ Entergy bills, as well as their plans for the solar plant. Caleb Snuggs from Seal Solar, who is building a solar plant for Dare Saul, provided the council with information on the difference between the city buying solar power from Saul vs having Scenic Hill build a plant for the city. Dare Saul addressed the council stating that he wants the city to do what they feel is best for the city, and he is simply providing an option for the city to buy local. Present for the meeting were Mayor Jim G a r t h , Recorder/Treasurer Janice Huffstickler and council members Gary Burnett, Ray McVay, AnnaBeth Fisher, Gail King, Jodie Mayher and Nicole Fisher. The council passed a resolution for the destruction of city documents from 2004 to 2014. Sealed bids for mowing were opened and read by Mayor Garth. Bids for the water tanks and pumping stations came from Jessie Tackett for
Tri-County Farmers and GreenPoint Hazen School (Continued from p. 1) Ag combine retail operations Tri-County Farmers Association (Tri-County) and GreenPoint Ag Holdings, LLC (GreenPoint Ag) have completed the transaction to combine their operations. The combination includes all operations of Tri-County Farmers Association and GreenPoint Ag. The combined businesses will operate as GreenPoint Ag with 114 retail and wholesale agronomy locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas, servicing 11 major crops across 28 million acres. The combined GreenPoint Ag is a top 7 wholesale and retail agronomy company with over $1 billion in sales that employs over 1000. Tri-County Farmers Association is a farmer-
owned cooperative with seven retail locations in eastcentral Arkansas, servicing its growers with seed, crop protection, crop nutrition, custom application and crop consulting. They also provide petroleum distribution which includes propane. GreenPoint Ag Holdings, LLC is a joint venture between Tennessee Farmers Cooperative (TFC), Alabama Farmers Cooperative (AFC), WinField United, Tipton Farmers Cooperative, Farmers, Inc, and TriCounty Farmers Association, which formed in 2020, and employs over 1000. GreenPoint Ag services member cooperatives, farms and rural business owners with crop nutrients, crop protection products, seed and seed treatment, pro products, field scouting, custom application, and a full
array of agronomy and ag technology services. It operates 114 agronomy wholesale and retail locations, generating over $1B in sales, across Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas with headquarters in Decatur, Alabama. Tri-County Farmers Association was founded in 1956 and operates as a full service farmer-owned cooperative, offering seed, seed treatments, crop protection, crop nutrition, custom application, crop consulting for selected agronomic crops, and high quality forms of petroleum energy. TriCounty Farmers Association is located in Brinkley, AR and employs 150 across eastcentral Arkansas, generating over $100 million in sales.
In other business, the board voted to approve the bids from Quill Corporation, John R. Greene, School Specialty, and Staples to purchase school office supplies; approved a contract with Clearly Speaking LLC to provide speech-language and occupational therapy in the district; and agreed to pay $20,777 to the Arkansas School Board Association for workers’ compensation coverage for the 2022-23 school year. The board also approved the transfer of a student to the Stuttgart School District. Elementary Principal Tiffany Glover reported that the old playground equipment had been taken down so that new equipment could be installed. She also said that an expert on “bullying prevention” would
$470 per month and Randy Barnard for $1,850 per month. A motion was passed to accept the bid from Jessie Tackett. The Riverfront Park bids came from Richards Lawn and Mowing Service for $$300 per mowing and Randy Barnard for $850 per month. A motion was passed to accept the bid from Richards. Committee members for 2022 were appointed. They are: Police Department - Gary Burnett and Ray McVay, Gas - Gail King and Anna Beth Fisher, Water and Sewer Jodie Mayher and Gail King, Finance - Ray McVay and Gary Burnett, Street - Jodie Mayher and Nicole Fisher, Ambulance Gary Burnett and Nicole Fisher, Cemetery Anna Beth Fisher and Gary Burnett, Fire Department: - Anna Beth Fisher and Nicole Fisher, Animal Control: - Gail King and Anna Beth Fisher, Parks and Recreation Jodie Mayher and Ray McVay, Senior Citizens Center: - Ray McVay and Jodie Mayher, Sanitation -Nicole Fisher and Gail King, Wage and Salary -Jodie Mayher, Gail King and Nicole Fisher, Community Awareness and Clean Up - Anna Beth Fisher, Gary Burnett and Gail King, and Grant Writing Gail King and Anna Beth Fisher. Citizens are asked to contact council members on these committees for any concerns they may have.
Board ________
be coming to her school. High School Principal Mark Price reported that the sophomores had raised approximately $14,000 at their auction. He also stated that the high school is now fully accredited. When asked about this, he said that the non-accreditation had been due to a “paperwork issue”. The high school has planned an active shooter drill, and two FFA students had won awards at a recent contest in Stuttgart. He also said
that the hydroponic system that was installed has been planted, as have the garden beds north of the greenhouse. Boothe said that the trees by the greenhouse had been cut down and that the ACT test will be given after Spring Break. His recommendation to hire the certified staff for the 2022-23 school year was approved, and the resignation of elementary teacher, Casondra Sims, was accepted.
Page 5 - The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, March 23, 2022
THE CITY OF DES ARC IS HIRING FOR A COURT CLERK POSITION. THIS POSITION OFFERS HOURLY PAY WITH BENEFITS. IT REQUIRES CLERICAL WORK, DATA ENTRY, AND COLLECTING PAYMENTS. MUST HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA
OR EQUIVALENT, KNOWLEDGE OF COMPUTERS, AND BE ABLE TO MEET AND DEAL WITH THE PUBLIC. APPLICATIONS MAY BE PICKED UP AT CITY HALL AT 107 S 3RD STREET IN DES ARC. CALL (870) 256-4316 FOR MORE INFORMATION.
SERVICES
The Des Arc School District is seeking a Facilities/Transportation Director. Must have a high school diploma or GED. Must have a CDL Class B with passenger/school bus endorsement. Experience in diesel engine repair and maintenance, tire inspection, and basic knowledge of electrical,
plumbing, and structural repair is preferred. This is a supervisory position. Applications can be found on the district website under E m p l o y m e n t Opportunities. Please send completed applications to Dr. Marc Sherrell at sherrellm@desarcschools.org.
CDL DRIVERS NEEDED
Local hauling. Home every night. Weekly pay. Call T J Pauschert Trucking at 870552-9400.
Bowman Plumbing Serving the Entire Grand Prairie Adam Bowman, MP 6142 Repair - Remodel New Construction Dependable Service Free Estimates Family Owned and Operated Call: (870) 256-5230
Heating, Air Conditioning, Electrical Keith Knupp 501.516.8285 knuppinc@hotmail.com
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Page 6 - The Grand Prairie Herald - Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Extension helps Hazen High students get “real deal” experiences By Amy Tallent Juniors and Seniors at Hazen High School participated in “Get Real, Here’s the Deal” on Tuesday March 15th. The event was put on by Extension Agents at the Prairie County Extension Service. During this event students were assigned a family situation and a job before traveling to 12 reality stations where they make “payments” from their monthly budget. The 12 reality stations included: Basic Nutrition, Child Care, Banking, E d u c a t i o n , Entertainment, Housing, Hygiene & Household Products, I n s u r a n c e , Transportation, Utility Connections, Citizens in Actions
(Your vote at work), and It Could Happen (Surprise! You need a new car battery, etc.). The youth were encouraged to make wise financial lifestyle choices similar to those that adults face each month. During the initial lesson and simulation students gain knowledge about personal financial management, skills in check writing, debit card usage, online banking and balancing a transaction register. The students became aware of the taxes and other deductions taken from their gross income to make the net deposit. The simulation puts financial decision making into perspective allowing students to have a better idea
of what to expect in the future. To provide even more insight every booth was hosted by local community members. Blake Beckwith from Prairie County Farm Bureau, D3 Auto Sales, Prairie County JP Gary King, Sarah Brown from Bancorp South, Chief Taylor from Hazen PD, Paul and Mitzi Osborne, and Janis Toll. We appreciate all of you! Also, a big thank you to Grand Prairie Veterinary Services for the donation of food and drinks. For more information about programs offered by the Prairie County Extension Service contact our office at 870-998-2614 or follow us on Facebook “UADA Prairie County”. Prairie County Extension Agent-Staff Chair, Amy Tallent shows a student her purchasing options for Hygiene and Household Products.
Blake Beckwith from Prairie County Farm Bureau helps a student calculate her payments for Home and Car insurance.
Prairie County Extension Agent, Emilee Moody starts the day by teaching a Financial Management lesson and explaining how the Get Real simulation will work.”
Bison baseball in full swing By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor The Carlisle Bison baseball team opened conference play with a 10-0 win over Barton on Thursday at Rockefeller Park. Carlisle scored two runs in the first inning, three in the second, two in the fourth and three in the fifth. Carlisle’s Holden Jones was 2 for 2 to lead the Bison. He scored 2 runs. David Hayes had the Bison’s other hit. He also scored 2 runs. Jonathan Pickard scored twice for the Bison. Also scoring were Noah Seidenschwarz, Nick Webb, Dalton Ward, and Eli Roberts. Ward pitched 3 innings, allowing only 2 hits while striking out 8. Jones pitched 1 2/3 innings, striking out 3. Carlisle beats Lincoln 14-1 on Friday. The Bison scored four runs in the first, one in the second, six in the third, and three in the fourth to get the win. The Bison had 9 hits. Jones and Seidenschwarz had 2 apiece. Also getting hits were Pickard, Zach Busick, Ward, Hayes and Webb. Pickard led the Bison with 3 runs scored. Jones, Busick, Seidenschwarz, and Webb scored 2 runs each. Also scoring was Ward. Jones got the win, striking out 8 in four innings of work. Carlisle lost to Subiaco Academy 9-3 on Saturday. Carlisle scored single runs in the third, fifth and seventh innings.
The Carlisle Bison infield gets ready to start an inning against Subiaco Academy on Saturday. (Submitted) Roberts led the Bison with 2 runs scored. Pickard scored once. “It was a real fun trip for our guys to experience,” Carlisle coach Steven Tew said. “At Lincoln, we had to play through some rough conditions. I think it was probably one of the top 5 coldest games I’ve ever been part of. It was low temperatures, windy, misting rain — just not ideal for baseball, but our kids didn’t let it affect them.” Tew said Jones pitched well in spite of the weather conditions. “Offensively, we got some big hits and really ran the bases well using the conditions to our advantage, including 5 steals by freshman Jonathan Pickard,” Tew said. At Subiaco, Tew said it was also a good experience.
“We got up early for the kids to walk around the grounds and take in all the scenery,” he said. “Subiaco is a very tal-
ented team. They definitely do not make very many mistakes defensively, their entire lineup are tough outs.”
EAST team wins award... The Des Arc High School EAST team came out on top when their booth won the Judges’ Choice Award at a recent competition. This is the first year of the EAST program at DAHS. (DAHS photo.)