April 3, 2024 edition

Volume

Community Calendar of Events

Tuesday April 2

Master Gardeners’ meeting

noon PC Fairgrounds

Friday April 5

Hazen High Jr./Sr. Prom

Monday April 8

Carlisle School Board meeting 6:00 p.m.

EHC meeting

First Baptist Church Biscoe 10:30 a.m.

Monday April 8

Solar Eclipse No school

Tuesday April 9

Caregiver Support Group Hazen Senior Center 10:00 a.m.

Quorum Court meeting 6:00 p.m.

Thursday April 11

DeValls Bluff City Council meeting 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday April 16

Carlisle City Council meeting 6:00 p.m.

Thursday April 18

Hazen City Council meeting 6:00 p.m.

Community events brought to you by Hazen Chamber of Commerce and the

Des Arc School Board told of increasing enrollment

By Lisa Mills Correspondent

The Des Arc School Board met on March 25 with all board members, Principals and Superintendent present. Superintendent Marc Sherrell reported that the current enrollment for Pre-K through 12th grade is 663. This includes six new students who enrolled this week. There are currently four School Choice applications for the 2024-2025 school year. School Choice applications must be received by May 1st.

Superintendent Sherrell told the board that the district is only two buses short of having enough to cover every route and have a trip bus. He said a used bus costs $100,000 and that a new one with a warranty is $125,175.00.

The board approved a motion to purchase a new bus.

Elementary Principal Cheryl Holland reported the results for the ATLAS fall and spring Science interim exams.

All grades in 3rd-6th grade scored above the state average on both exams. The same

grades took the writing portion of the actual ATLAS test on March 7 with no results yet, and students will take the final tests for math, reading, and science on April 22-26.

High School Principal

B.J. Paschal reported that he has reminded teachers that the ATLAS tests will be given on April 23-25 and that they need to be focusing on preparation, though he understands how difficult it is with everyone in “end of the year mode.” Paschal said that 38 students are ready to

graduate on May 10th and that he is very proud of them. A motion was approved to accept the resignation of cafeteria worker Sheila Rogers. After returning from an executive session, a motion was approved to accept the submitted certified and classified employee lists, renewing their contracts for the 2024-2025 school year.

Student athletic insurance was renewed for $14,794.00 with no changes in premium or coverage.

Sherrell reported that all audits were complete

with good reports on all of them.

Upcoming dates for

DAHS are: March 26CTE Showcase, April 13 - Prom, April 29Academic Banquet, May 3 - Seniors’ last day, May 5 - Band Spring concert, May 6 - Athletic Banquet, May 7 - Band Banquet, May 10Graduation.

Upcoming dates for

DAES are: May 14:

Kindergarten Graduation, May 166th Grade Graduation, May 17 - Academic Awards Assembly.

DeValls Bluff accepts water plant project bid

Current high school juniors graduating in 2025 are eligible to apply for and win up to $17,500 in scholarship funding towards higher education. Arkansas Rice's "Rice Reps" is a five month program to help educate students about the rice industry while equipping them to act as advocates in their communities and on social media. Once accepted into the program, Reps actively participate in activities from May through September designed to teach students about rice farming and the importance of the Arkansas rice industry at home and abroad. They are also asked to attend four different exclusive, on-site experiences during the pro-

gram to better understand the reach of rice in Arkansas.

The goal of the Rice Reps program is to encourage interest in rice promotion and to publicize the importance of the Arkansas rice industry to the state's economy. The program seeks to educate both male and female students across the state of Arkansas with the tools and knowledge to advocate for the Arkansas rice industry. Participants will also receive an inside look on the production of rice during the growing season. Students must be in the graduating class of 2025 to apply.

For more information, visit our website orcontact Becky Campbell at becky@campbellward.co

m.

123

13 - USPS 225-680 Serving all of Prairie County and the Grand Prairie Wednesday, April 3, 2024

The total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, has captured the attention of Arkansans and visitors alike. The path of totality will stretch over 100 miles across The Natural State, extending from the southwest to the northeast. In some locations, lucky observers will experience over four minutes of total darkness. It is expected that 53 of Arkansas' 75 counties will fall within the path of totality, including

major cities like Little Rock, Hot Springs, Texarkana, Conway, and Jonesboro.

With the potential to mark the largest tourism event in state history, Arkansas agencies are leaving no stone unturned in their preparations. The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) has strategically scheduled a "construction holiday" from April 4 to April 9, ensuring smooth travel with no lane closures or active construction zones. Collaborating closely with the trucking industry, ARDOT aims to minimize the presence of oversized trucks on the roads, enhancing safety for all travelers.

Meanwhile, the Arkansas Department of Education is harnessing the eclipse as a teachable moment, integrating it into science lessons and distributing one million eclipse glasses to libraries statewide. This proac-

tive approach not only fosters scientific curiosity but also promotes safe viewing practices among students and the general public.

In the realm of healthcare, the Arkansas Department of Health stands vigilant, leveraging its trauma communication system to swiftly address any emergencies. Collaborating closely with hospitals and first responders, the agency is working to ensure prompt access to medical facilities, should the need arise.

Emphasizing the paramount importance of eye safety, the department underscores the necessity of approved solar viewing glasses, cautioning against direct sun-gazing without proper protection.

As anticipation mounts, Arkansans are encouraged to prepare themselves with essential supplies, including water, food, medications, and first aid kits, in readiness for potential service delays.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. –Entergy Arkansas’ lowcost power generation portfolio, along with lower gas prices last year, has allowed the company to decrease customer bills beginning with the April billing cycle.

An average residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month will see a decrease of $10.01 in their total bills – a 7.49% decrease. Commercial and industrial customers could see anywhere from a 1.6% to 17.7% decrease, depending on their customer usage profile.

“Although our rates are consistently lower than the regional and national average, we continue to keep affordability for our customers at the forefront of our decisions,” said Ventrell Thompson, vice president of customer service.

“The total decrease customers see on their bills will vary based on their individual energy usage but comes at a time when our customers need bill relief and will extend during the upcoming hot summer months.”

The decrease was prompted by a lower fuel rate, known as the Energy Cost Recovery Rider, which is adjusted and passed on to customers. The redetermined ECR rate will decrease from $0.01883 per kWh to $0.00882 per

kWh – the lowest it has been in more than a decade.

Each year, the fuel rate adjusts either up or down, depending on changes in the cost of fuel used by Entergy Arkansas to generate electricity and wholesale prices paid for additional electricity. The new rate is effective until March 2025, unless an interim adjustment is needed. It is reflected in the “Fuel and Purchased Cost” line item on monthly bills.

“Because we have a diverse fuel mix that includes nuclear, natural gas, coal, solar and hydropower, we are able to produce electricity at the lowest cost possible,” said William Cunningham, director of resource planning. “In fact, our consistently low rates help make our state an attractive place for new and existing businesses to grow and expand.”

More than 71% of our total energy production in 2023 came from clean nuclear energy, while natural gas powered about 15% of our total

energy production in 2023. In addition to Entergy Arkansas’ three solar facilities currently in operation – Stuttgart, Chicot and Searcy –another 530 megawatts of new solar generation will be coming online this year – Walnut Bend (100 MW), West Memphis (180 MW) and Driver Solar (250 MW).

Construction of another 400 MW of solar expected to be completed next year.

The new ECR rate includes recovery of cost shifting from Entergy Arkansas net-metering customers. In this year’s ECR calculations, Entergy Arkansas included $8.9 million in costs, which are being shifted to all customers because of private netmetering installations. Notably, these costs are only a portion of the overall costs that have been shifted to other customers as a result of net-metering.

For more information about how Entergy generates electricity, visit entergy.com/operations/generation.

From Senator Ronald Caldwell

LITTLE ROCK –

Several state agencies are preparing for increased traffic from out-of-state tourists who will drive to Arkansas on Monday, April 8, to view the solar eclipse. They’re planning for traffic disruptions even in parts of the state that will not experience the full effect of the eclipse.

For example, southeast Arkansas is not in the path of totality but highway officials expect the impact on traffic to be “significant” on Highways 65, 165, 82 and 425 because so many visitors will be headed to Pine Bluff, Little Rock and locations along the path of totality in central Arkansas.

Likewise, in the extreme corner of northwest Arkansas there will be significant impacts on traffic on Highways 412, 59, 62 and the Pig Trail, Highway 23.

Highway 65 from the Missouri border to Conway will have “very high” traffic levels, according to a Transportation Department analysis. So will Interstate 49 from Fayetteville to Alma, and Interstate 40 from Alma to Little Rock.

All the major highways in central, northeast and southwest Arkansas will have at least a “significant” amount of higher traffic volumes.

Along Interstate 40 from Alma to Mulberry there will be “extreme traffic” increases. Also,

along Highway 65 from Conway to Greenbriar will see “extreme traffic” increases.

The Transportation Department has an 18page planning document on its website that includes a highway map. Highways are color-coded to indicate the expected level of disruption.

On roads with even a “significant” impact, which is the lowest level, motorists can expect the volume of traffic to meet or modestly exceed capacity. That’s tolerable unless a wreck or other type of incident occurs, then conditions quickly worsen. Local authorities may get overwhelmed because they will bear the brunt of maintaining traffic flows, because state resources will be prioritized in routes where traffic is very high or extreme.

Along routes with “very high” volumes traffic will be well above exceed capacity for several hours, so any wreck or incident will quickly make conditions much worse. Roads with “extreme” traffic increases will be bottlenecks that may require authorities to detour traffic.

The Transportation Department is working with the Arkansas Truckers Association to encourage 18-wheelers and oversize loads to stay off the highways before, during and after the eclipse. However, staying off the roads

will be a voluntary decision and there will be no penalties for truckers who operate during the eclipse.

The Department will encourage contractors to limit lane closings from April 5 through April 9.

Based on data collected during past eclipses, the Department anticipates that 80 percent of visitors will leave immediately after the eclipse passes over. This further strains the smooth flow of traffic.

The eclipse will create a shadow almost 118 miles wide that will enter southwest Arkansas, near DeQueen, at 1:46 p.m. on Monday, April 8. The center of the shadow will leave Arkansas about 2 p.m. in the northeast corner, near Pocahontas.

If you are in the central portion of its path, the eclipse will cause darkness for about four minutes. Remember, it’s not safe to look directly at the sun without special eye protection.

Transportation officials and the police are preparing for as many as 1.5 million out-ofstate visitors to drive into Arkansas. In addition, about 500,000 Arkansas residents are expected to drive toward the path of totality from the northwest corner and from southeast Arkansas, which are not in the path of the eclipse.

Six stress reduction tips for Alzheimer caregivers

(New York-April 1, 2024)— Stress doesn’t just affect your mood—it can have long-term health impacts as well if you don’t take steps to manage it constructively. For individuals who face the stressful task of caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia-related illness, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is offering six stress reduction tips for caregivers as part of National Stress Awareness Month (April).

“Family caregivers often find it challenging to make time for themselves, but being proactive about addressing caregiver stress and self-care is not selfish; it’s essential and it benefits both the caregiver and the person for whom they are caring,” said Jennifer Reeder, LCSW, AFA’s Director of Educational and Social Services. “Failing to manage stress increases the risks of caregiver burnout, depression, and many other mental and physical health issues. Caregivers need to take care of themselves so they can provide the best possible care for their loved ones.”

Family caregivers of

people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias are at greater risk for anxiety, depression, and poorer quality of life than caregivers of people with other conditions, and provide care for a longer duration of time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

AFA offers these six stress reduction tips for family caregivers: Be adaptable and positive. Your attitude influences stress levels for both you and the person you’re caring for. If you can “go with the flow,” and avoid fighting the current, that will help you both stay relaxed— conversely, becoming aggravated or agitated will increase the chances that your person will as well. Focus on how to adjust to the situation in a constructive way.

Deal with what you can control. Some things are totally out of your control. What is in your power to control is how you respond and react to these outside factors.

Concentrating on finding solutions can help make the problem itself a little less stressful.

Set realistic goals and go slow. Everything cannot be resolved at once,

Lady Eagles edge out Lady Hornets in county softball battle

By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor

Des Arc and Hazen split the softball and baseball conference games last week. Des Arc won the softball game 5-2 while Hazen won the baseball game 2-1. The softball game was scoreless until the top of the third when Des Arc scored four times. The Lady Eagles added to their lead in the top of the fourth, leading 5-0. Hazen scored single runs in the bottom of

nor does it need to be. Don’t hold yourself to unrealistic expectations. Prioritize, set practical goals, do your best to achieve them, and take things one day at a time.

Mind your health.

Inadequate rest, poor diet, and lack of exercise can all exacerbate stress (and cause other health problems as well). As best you can, make it a priority to get sleep, eat right, drink plenty of water and find ways to be active. You cannot provide quality care to a loved one if you don’t take care of yourself.

Clear and refresh your mind. Exercise, yoga, meditating, listening to music or even taking a few deep breaths can all help relax the mind and reduce stress. Find something that works for you and do it regularly!

Share your feelings.

Disconnecting from your support structure and staying bottled-up increases stress. Whether it’s with a loved one, trusted friend or a professional, don’t be reluctant to talk about your stress, because that can actually help relieve it! AFA’s Helpline has licensed social workers available for caregivers seven days to provide support or even just listen.

AFA’s Helpline, staffed entirely by licensed social workers who are specifically trained in dementia care, can provide additional information and support for families. The Helpline is available seven days a week by phone (866-2328484), text message (646-586-5283), and web chat (www.alzfdn.org).

the fifth and sixth innings.

Emma Buckner led Des Arc with two runs scored. Also scoring were Reagan Kittler, Kymber Buckner and Kyra Hughes. Ryleigh Cook and Austyn Booth both scored for Hazen.

Kylie McDonald struck out 17 Hazen batters while giving up only five hits in seven innings of work.

Booth struck out eight Hazen batters in seven innings of work.

Des Arc led 1-0 after the fourth inning. Hazen tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Scoring was Sam Clayton.

Pardon had two hits to lead the Hornets.

Pardon pitched 7 2/3 innings but did not get the win. He struck out 10. Jase Arnett got the win, retiring the only batter he faced in the eighth.

In baseball, Hazen scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to get the win. Hunter Pardon scored on a single by Brance Williams to win the game.

Bison split two conference games last week

By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor

The Carlisle Bison baseball team picked up a win Friday, beating England 11-1. That came three days after a 2-0 loss to PalestineWheatley. In the win over England, Carlisle scored five in the first, one in the second, one in the fifth and four in the sixth to end the game after six innings. England’s lone run came in the top of the fourth.

Carlisle’s starting pitcher Holden Jones gave up one run and two hits in four innings of work. He struck out nine while walking three. Dalton Ward pitched the last two innings, giving up no hits, but he did walk four batters. He struck out three.

Taylor Thrift led the Bison with three runs scored. He was 2 for 3 at the plate. Ward and Bentley Parker each scored two runs. Also scoring were Jones, Eli Roberts, Jonathan Pickard and Lane Bowlan. In the loss to PalestineWheatley, the Bison out-hit the Patriots 7-4, but the Patriots scored two runs in the bottom of the third. The Bison left 11 runners on base and had runners on every inning but the sixth. Pickard led the Bison with two hits. Also getting hits were Jones, Thrift, Parker, Bowlan and Gavin Davis. Jones, Ward and Pickard combined for eight strikeouts.

Lady Bison keep on rolling with two wins over P-W

By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor

The Carlisle Lady Bison improved to 6-0 in the 2A-6 conference with wins over Palestine-Wheatley and England last week. With the wins, Carlisle is now 13-4 on the season. In the win over Palestine-Wheatley, Carlisle pitcher Carson Mealler threw a two-hit shutout. She gave up two singles while striking out five. She did not allow a base on balls in seven innings.

Carlisle scored two runs in the second, third, and fourth innings then three more in the sixth.

Adisun Golden and Kylie Childers each scored two runs. Also scoring were Laken Golden, Libby McIntyre, Jess Wiles, Kiersten Taylor and Angie Petrus.

Carlisle banged out 13 hits in the victory. Wiles, Anna Stovesand, and Adisun Golden had two hits apiece.

McIntyre was 2 for 2 with four RBIs and three runs scored. She had a double and a home run.

Laken Golden also scored three times. Also scoring runs were Wiles, Stovesand, Childers and Petrus.

Mealler struck out seven in five innings of work.

McIntyre had a double, while Laken Golden and Childers had three hits each. In the win over England, Carlisle scored two in the first, four in the second, three in the third and two in the fourth.

The Hazen Lady Hornets fell to the Des Arc Lady Eagles in a county shootout. (Ruth Corley photo.)

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Second thoughts can be dangerous to my health ...

by Dr. James L. Snyder

Many things in life can be rather dangerous. For me, the most dangerous things in my life are thoughts. I thought about this one day, and by the end of the day, I was in deep trouble. Thoughts have a way of doing that with me. My New Year’s resolution one year was to have one thought per day. After the first week, I ran out of thoughts. This year, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I will be married 53 years. During that time, I discovered how vital just one thought can be.

If anybody thinks a lot, it is The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She has everything thought through before I have a chance to even know what it is. Like most women, she is an expert in multitasking. That means it takes a lot of thought to do all those things simultaneously. She does it quite well. She often says how many headaches she has during the day, and if I could put several thoughts together, I might tell her that those headaches are a result of all that thinking she

does during the day. But, on second thought, I better just leave that one alone.

Over the years, I have tried to focus on thinking, but I haven’t gotten very far. This may be why I don’t have any headaches during the week. From my point of view, that’s one benefit that I relish every day.

I was once relaxing in my easy chair and staring at the ceiling.

Looking at me, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage said, “Me thinkest thou ponderous too much.”

Once, while we were driving along the highway, she was driving, and I was staring out the window. She took one quick look at me, and said, “What are you thinking about?”

Looking back at her, I responded, “You’re not really thinking that I’m doing any thinking, are you? That’s way above my pay scale.”

Of course, she laughed, and I laughed along with her, but sometimes the truth is the truth.

One of her favorite phrases along this line is, “Do you have any second thoughts on that?”

Recently we were remodeling our house

and adding a room that would be my office upon retiring. I had some really great ideas, at least I thought so, and I shared them with her. When I was done with my presentation, she looked at me and said, “Do you want to give that a second thought?”

It was enough for me to give her the first thought, let alone come up with a second thought. But by that time, I was all thoughtout.

Then she gave me a whole list of her thoughts about the project and she did it so fast I couldn’t keep up with it and I had no idea what she was talking about. I was almost ready to say, “Do you want to give them a second thought?” I knew if I did that, her second thought may not be what I want it to be; if you know what I mean. Over the years, we have become a wonderful team. I call it the T&N team. What that means is that she Thinks, and I cannot Nod my head in agreement. I’m sure I didn’t think that through, but I must confess it sure does work. It has produced almost 53 years of marital bliss.

After 53 years of being “thought-free,” my life is quite remarkable. I’ve had very few headaches because there is nothing up there to ache.

Sometimes, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage will ask me about a particular problem and ask, “What do you think about that problem?”

After 53 years of the T&N team experience, I simply shoot back, “I’m not sure. What do you think about it, and what should we do?”

And when I say that, I can sit back and listen to all the good advice and nod my head at the appropriate places, and at the end, we both are smiling. No thought on my part involved. The best thought I have ever had, and where I harbor no second thoughts, is when I asked The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage to marry me. I’m not sure what her thought process was then, but I can assure you there were no second thoughts on my side of the aisle. I can sit back and remember a lot of the things I did in the past. Of course, at my age, my memory is not up to par,

but at least there’s a little bit left. There were a few times when I thought about something and then had second thoughts, and it was the second thought that got me into trouble. I have learned that I need to gather all the information before exercising my first thought. If I have everything before me, then I can proceed to the next step in making a decision based on my thought process. I remembered a special verse of scripture that encouraged me in this regard.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). This is where I need to surrender all my thoughts to God and obey His Word. Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, FL with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Telephone 1-352-216-3025, e-mail jamessnyder51@gmail.co m, website www.jamessnyderministries.com.

5:30 PM

Holy Hour & Confessions 6:05 PM

Friday (except First Friday) Mass 8:30AM

Saturday Mass in English 5:00 PM

United Methodist Church of DeValls Bluff Highway 70 West,

Bluff AR.

Pastor Chris Wright

Sunday Morning Worship: 9 AM

Friendship Lunch: 3rd

Wed. of Month, 11:30 AM

First Baptist Church of DeValls Bluff

Pastor Bobby Powers P. O. Box 358 Highway 70 West, DeValls Bluff, AR.

Phone (870) 998 - 7118

Sunday School: 9:45 AM

Morning Worship: 11 AM

Evening Worship: 5 PM

Wednesday Evening: 7 PM

Mount Olive MB

Rev. Tony Haskins

Sunday School: 9:30AM

Worship Service: 11 AM

Peppers Lake Church of Christ

Sunday-Bible Study: 10 AM Worship: 11 AM Evening Service: 6 PM Wednesday - Bible Study: 7 PM

Union Chapel FreeWill

Pastor Darrell Foster

Sunday School: 9:30 AM

Worship Service: 11 AM

Sts.

Circuit Court seeking part-time Court Security Officer. Duties are securing the Courtroom, which includes controlling civilians and prisoners, in the Courtroom, setting the Courtroom up for Court, and assisting in Jury Orientation. Due to strict routine of the position, retirement from a City, County, State of Federal position is preferred.

Please send resume to 301 North Center, PMB# 9, Lonoke, AR 72086.

To Whom it May Concern. A 2021 Chevy Trailblazer VIN# KL79MTSL4MB181180

The above mentioned vehicle was towed to our lot on March 25, , 2024 per request of Prairie County Sheriff’s Department, and was towed to storage lot of 1111 Highway 70 West in Hazen. The initial fee due is $250.00, and additionally The storage fee due is $50.00 per day and continues to accumulate daily. The administrative fees due are $150.00 for the processing of the lien, the processing of a stolen vehicle report by our Police Department and the processing of certified letters sent to the owner and lien holder (if any) via mail. The above amounts do not reflect the 11% tax that is due upon releasing the vehicle. Tower storage & administrative costs are

possession of this vehicle, you must appear during normal business hours, Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, and provide proof of ownership and pay all associated charges. Please contact us immediately at 870-255-3305 if you wish to pick up the above-mentioned vehicle.

Rick Wiggins, Owner Rick’s Automotive and Wrecker Service.

accuring daily as legal liability of the owner, Rick’s Automotive & Wrecker Service claims first priority lien on the said vehicle and its contents for all such charges. The vehicle and its contents will be dismantled, destroyed, or sold at public sale to the highest bidder if not claimed within 45 days and constitutes a waiver by the owner and the lien holder of all right, title, and interest in the vehicle.

To take possession of this vehicle, you must appear during normal business hours, Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, and provide proof of ownership and pay all associated charges. Please contact us immediately at 870-255-3305 if you wish to pick up the above-mentioned vehicle.

Rick Wiggins, Owner Rick’s Automotive and Wrecker Service.

Easter eggs, Easter eggs everywhere you look

The Hazen High School FCCLA sponsored a citywide Easter egg hunt on Saturday, March 30, in downtown Hazen around the gazebo. The HHS Art Club had an egg dyeing station for the kids in attendance. The Easter Bunny even made an appearance, despite his busy schedule.

That afternoon the Hazen First United Methodist Church held an Easter egg hunt followed by a chicken strip meal prepared by Troy Young and Farmers Express.