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Recap of the 2019 football season. (See p. 6.)
Volume 119 Number 15 - USPS 225-680
Community Events Calendar Prairie County District Court Hazen Department Court proceedings are postponed until May 1, 2020. The Hazen School District has begun to deliver “Grab and Go” meals again. Thursday April 23 The regular monthly food distribution will be held at the Hazen First United Methodist Church by drive-through only from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Masks and social distancing requested. Monday April 27 Hazen School Board Meeting at 6:00 p.m. Des Arc High School is rescheduling graduation and prom for sometime mid-June to mid-July. The governor has asked that Arkansans practice physical distancing and stay home if feeling sick. When you are out and about, wear a mask and gloves to keep yourself and others safe.
Serving all of Prairie County and the Grand Prairie
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Hazen City Council prohibits firing of guns in city limits An ordinance to prohibit the discharge of firearms in the city limits of Hazen was the only new business on the Hazen City Council agenda at the regular monthly meeting held on Thursday, April 16, in the Community Center. Ordinance 497, passed by the council unanimously, states that the only dedicated firing range is the one used by the Hazen Police Department. It also makes it a misdemeanor to fire off an air gun of any kind, like BB guns, within the city limits with a fine of $5 to $500. Parents are responsible for the actions of their children. Before passing the new ordinance, ordinance 297, a previous ordinance that allowed shooting ranges within the city, was rescinded. The new ordinance is printed in this week’s Herald. City Utilities Manager Phillip Foot told the councilmembers that a city disaster plan has been written. The plan centers the disaster activity at the Police Department, which has a generator that can be used if there is no electricity available. The Hazen football field will be the main staging area, with a secondary
Work on the bridge over Hurricane Creek at the northwest corner of Hazen High School began last week. staging area at the municipal airport. The plan includes a chain of command, a list of each department’s available resources, phone numbers of essential people, and a checklist of what each department needs to do if an emergency exists. “All the department heads are aware of where the staging areas are and what to do,” Foot said. Councilman Dallas Taylor asked when the tornado warning alarm was set off. Police Chief Bradley Taylor said that the siren is used when a tornado warning has been announced for the county. The police chief also said
that the siren is connected to the tornado shelters at the elementary school, which unlock when the alarm is sounded. There is also a shelter on the southside of the Hazen Senior Center which can hold approximately 20 people. When discussing the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor David Hardke said, “For the most part, everyone is staying in.” There was some discussion about having a citywide curfew for minors during the day, but the council decided against the idea. “It’s really a bad enough burden for kids not being in school,”
Carlisle School Board meets on Zoom By Debbye Harrison The Carlisle School Board made history when their April 13 meeting was held via Zoom. This allowed all Board Members to be at home and still be able to communicate with the others. This was done in order to keep the government’s restrictions concerning the Covid 19 Pandemic. A week’s worth of breakfasts and lunches are being delivered by school personnel to all students’ whose parents requested this service. A school bus with a Carlisle staff member drives to the homes and the children receive the food. The Third Nine Weeks Pa r e n t / Te a c h e r Conference was scheduled at the beginning of the Coronavirus confusion; therefore, these conferences were held by phone. Each student’s parents were called by one of their teachers. Along with the student’s progress, parents reported on their need for a keyboard device, internet service and/or desire to have meals delivered. Since students’ physical participation in school has ended, the schools have had to be creative with teaching methods. The State Department of Education had earlier
instituted a plan called Alternative Method of Instruction (AMI) which allowed schools to send home prepared assignments in case school was missed for something like a snow day. When those assignments were used up, it became obvious that the rest of the school year would be conducted that way. In order to complete these lessons, students must have internet connection and a device such as a computer or I-Pad that has a keyboard. To further insure success, wifi hot spots have been strategically placed to enhance computer usage. In addition to lessons, these devices allow students to digitally conference with the teacher once a week along with an Administrator. This will allow the school to monitor the student’s educational progress along with their emotional wellbeing. B. J. Greene, High School Principal, reported outstanding success on the recent ACT given to all juniors. Issy Blair scored 33 out of a possible 36, and Bailey Crump scored 30. Alyssa Butler won First Place in the FFA competition at the Soybean Science Challenge. Her first place win earned her
$1,000. Prom has tentatively been rescheduled for May 22. Possibilities for Senior and Sixth Grade Graduations are also being discussed. Nothing can be planned definitely due to the uncertainties brought on by the Covid 19 Pandemic. Special recognition was given to the Senior baseball, softball and track team members. These athletes were denied their senior seasons. On April 14, the lights were turned on at the baseball and softball fields. The athletes gathered for pictures and recognition. The baseball team, coached by Steve Tew, had seven seniors and was ranked number one in the 2A Division of State. The softball team, coached by Sara Tew, had two seniors. Isaac Monroe, who won the State Championship in Pole Vault in 2019, was denied his opportunity to defend that championship since all high school spring sports were canceled. In personnel matters, Pammy Schafer retired after teaching 32 years, and Allison Grace Allen has been hired as band director.
Bradley Taylor said. “We don’t need to do anything right now as long as they are being socially distant.” He went on to say that the police had been dealing with some people who would not self-quarantine after being around a known carrier of the COVID virus. Foot announced that the bridge by the school had been delivered and was being installed. Parker Construction, who is installing the new bridge, will destroy the old bridge for a cost of $1000, and will stabilize the creek bank and seed it to prevent erosion. (Continued on p. 3)
Riceland implements plan to deal with virus Riceland Foods confirmed one Riceland team member has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently home under quarantine. Riceland’s COVID-19 action plan has been implemented at the Stuttgart Rice Division, where the team member worked. All team members, who were in close proximity, have been informed and sent home for quarantine. The affected work area is undergoing a deep cleaning and sanitation process to disinfect the area. No rice or oil products were impacted. Riceland President and CEO Danny Kennedy said keeping the company’s employees safe and healthy is the ultimate priority during this time. “The team has worked cross functionally to take the necessary steps to keep our employees healthy as this virus continues to sweep across the U.S.,” said Kennedy. “As a food manufacturing company, we know how important it is to keep our employees safe so we can continue to serve our customers and consumers during this time of need.” Riceland Foods, Inc. is part of the critical food supply infrastructure, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, and the cooperative has a special responsibility to maintain a normal work schedule to produce oil and rice products to feed families across Arkansas and the nation. Riceland has taken extraordinary measures to protect team members and the supply chains that are critical to the farmerowned cooperative’s mission of producing the highest quality oil and rice products in the world. Employees have been instructed to follow the Centers of Disease Control procedures for protecting themselves and their families from COVID-19. Riceland identified key staff within the organiza-
tion that must be protected to ensure normal operations. These key staff members have been assigned to work in different Riceland locations, locally and around the state, to minimize the risk of multiple infections in key business units. Riceland facilities are only open for Riceland team members until further notice. Team members have been instructed not to come to work if they have fever or other symptoms of COVID-19. To maintain normal operations in key business units, flexible work schedules have been implemented to help team members caring for children who are home from school, and Riceland is working with vendors to ensure critical supplies have been secured. According to an article on April 16, 2020, the FDA released information on how there is no evidence of COVID-19 transmission through human or animal food or food packaging. “We want to reassure consumers that there is currently no evidence of human or animal food or food packaging being associated with transmission of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. This particular coronavirus causes respiratory illness and is spread from person-to-person, unlike foodborne gastrointestinal or GI viruses, such as norovirus and hepatitis A that often make people ill through contaminated food.” The cooking process required for the consumption of Riceland oil and rice products eliminates the possibility of virus transfer. The extended time for products to move through the distribution network from packaging to placement on grocery store shelves greatly minimizes the chance of virus transfer from packaging material.
Governor Hutchinson announces appointments 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.
LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson today announced the following appointments: Judge Mark Pate of Searcy will replace Judge Robert Edwards as the Circuit Judge of the Seventeenth Judicial District, Division 2. The appointment begins May 1, 2020, and expires December 31, 2020. Judge-elect Eric Kennedy of Des Arc has been appointed as the State District Court Judge of the TwentyThird District, Division 1. He replaces Judge Mark Pate. The appointment begins on May 1, 2020,
and expires December 31, 2020. Donald Morton, Jr. of Des Arc has been reappointed to the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board. His appointment will expire on June 30, 2021. Scott Bray of Alexander will replace Butch Calhoun of Des Arc on the Boll Weevil Eradication Committee. His appointment expires July 1, 2020. Blake Swears of Carlisle has been reappointed to the Arkansas Wheat Promotion Board. His appointment expires June 30, 2021.
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