Wednesday April 9-13 Living Waters Gospel Church Tent Revival Living Waters Gospel Church Des Arc
Thursday April 10
De Valls Bluff City Council meeting City Hall
6:00 p.m.
Friday April 11
Historical tour of the Kocourek Building Noon
Sunday April 13 Palm Sunday
Monday
rain, go away... A marathon flooding event with historic rainfall blew through this past weekend (April 3-6) from the Ozarks into the Mid-South, Middle Mississippi Valley, and Lower Ohio Valley. Flash and river flooding across these areas had the potential to become catastrophic and life-threatening. Several clusters of severe storms passed from central Texas across Arkansas and into the lower Ohio Valley. The greatest threat for tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds was the area across western Arkansas into southeast Missouri, including the potential for strong to intense tornadoes according to the US National Weather Service. Due to the forecasted heavy rainfall over the 4 days, some roads in the county became impassable or washed out.t
According to Entergy, the electricity was out for 3,159 of the 6,768 tracked meters (46.68%) in Prairie County, including all of Hazen, on Wednesday, April 2 from 6:00 p.m. until Thursday mid-afternoon. As of Monday morning, 920 out of 6,771 tracked meters (13.59%) were still without power in Prairie County according to Entergy. (David Hardke photo. More photos are on page 4.)
Powell named DA Program Coordinator
It is with great pleasure that the Des Arc Chamber of Commerce announces that Steve Powell has accepted the Program Coordinator position effective immediately. Steve has been a leader in the broadcast industry for over 30 years and is one of the most decorated broadcasters in Arkansas history with stories having appeared on CNN, NBC and ABC network newscasts.
Steve brings a broad network of contacts, deep understanding and rich history of developing relationships all over the state of Arkansas and beyond that will prove crucial to building the riverfront park. Also important to note is that he has a very strategic mindset that will help build Des Arc as the Gateway to Outdoor Recreation in the Arkansas Delta. Steve will continue his role as co-host of Good Morning Arkansas at
KATV Channel 7. He and his wife, Amanda, have two sons, Charlie and Cooper. Charlie is a freshman at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and Cooper is a junior at Cabot High School.
Please join us in welcoming Steve to Des Arc! You’re invited to a meet and greet with Steve this coming Monday, April 7, at 6:00pm at the First United Methodist Church Family Life Center.
(Photo credit: KATV Channel 7)
Des Arc Eagle Eye Archery team places 2nd in competition
The Des Arc Eagle Eye Archery Team placed 2nd in the state middle school archery tournament held in Hot Springs on March 7th with a team score of 3,229. The Eagle Eyes received an impressive trophy, and each archer received an individual medal.
The team has placed 1st in every one of the State Qualifying Tournaments that they participated in and consequently got a bid to attend the State Tournament.
A total of 52 middle school teams participat-
ed in the NASP tournaments in Arkansas this year.
The Eagle Eye team consists of 22 archersi in grades 6th-8th. These archers tried out in October along with about 40 other students. They immediately began practices and spent a lot of extra time learning and improving their skills. We are so proud of these kids and all that they have accomplished. All of their hard work and dedication definitely paid off!
Front row L to R: Zachary Payne, Andi Tallent, Harper Meek,
Breelynd Brown, Rylee Moody, Annie Kearby, Bentley Reitz, Paisley Ethridge. 2nd Row L to R; Mike Madar, Knox Eans, Emersyn Estes, Lilly Bethell, Emmee McDonald, Roper Thornton, Sara Brown, Coach Paul Dickson. Back Row: Coach Francine Dickson, Noah Hudson, Talyn Tallent, Cason Thornton, Annabelle Hollis, Lily Edwards. Not pictured are: Mollee McDonald, Lukas White and Kanaan Widener.
225-680 Serving all of Prairie County and the Grand Prairie Wednesday, April 9,
Steve Powell
Bison, Lady Bison get wins last week
By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor
The Carlisle Bison bounced back from an 11-0 loss to PalestineWheatley to beat Episcopal 13-8 last Tuesday.
The Bison are now 11-4 on the season. Carlisle trailed 5-3 after three innings. The Bison scored four in the top of the fifth to take the lead. They added one in the sixth and five in the seventh.
Tyler Thrift led the Bison with three runs scored. Ty Tanksley, Jonathan Pickard and Kolton Bartley each scored twice. Also scoring were Michael
S
By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor
Allie Banks is the new Des Arc Lady Eagles basketball coach.
Banks was recently hired by the Des Arc School Board to replace Zakk Knoerr, who resigned after one season, guiding the Lady Eagles to the first round of the regional tournament.
Banks, who is originally from Beebe and a 2016 graduate of Rose Bud High School, is coming to Des Arc after one year at Smackover High School.
Banks graduated college from Central Baptist College in Conway and received her master’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas, also in Conway. She was a volunteer assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas at Monticello for a year, then became an assis-
Spingola, Baylor Hauk, Lane Bowlan and Bentley Parker. Hauk, Bowlan and Parker each had two hits.
Carlisle pitchers of Pickard, Spingola and Hauk combined to strike out 11 Episcopal batters. In softball, Carlisle won three games last week.
The Lady Bison beat Palestine-Wheatley 17-6 on Monday then swept a conference doubleheader from Barton on Tuesday, winning 15-0 and 14-0.
In the win over P-W, Carlisle’s Allie Mooney, Ardrianna Motton, Kierston Taylor and
Chloe Smith each scored two runs.
Tessa Sanders got the win, pitching four innings. She struck out three. In the first game against Barton, Jessa Wiles scored three times to lead the Lady Bison. Mooney, Mace Motton and Makinnley Cook each scored twice.
Madeleine Elder threw a three-inning no-hitter. She struck out nine. In the second game, Adrianna Motton scored three runs. Sanders and Taylor scored two runs each.
Smith three a fourinning no hitter, striking out eight.
tant at Mississippi College for a year and three years at Hendrix College in Conway before taking her first high school coaching position at Smackover.
“For me, being close to home and being close to family is super important,” Banks said. “I will say that I have loved Smackover. The community, the players, the parents, my administration … I cannot say enough good things about Smackover. I’m so thankful for my year there. “Des Arc is a great community. Previously, in summer ball, I’ve coached kids from Des Arc, and just having some people who are super close to me from Des Arc, it helps to have that. And being 30 minutes from home, that is just the icing on the cake.”
Des Arc athletic director Brandon Barbaree said the school is excited to have Banks come aboard.
Online subscriptions are $20.00 yearly or you can get a combo rate of $45.00 for in-county plus online, or $50.00 for out-of-county plus online, or $55.00 out-of-state.
“We are excited about Coach Banks after a couple of years as a college assistant and as the head coach at Smackover High School,” he said. “She brings energy and experience that can impact our program. We look forward to what she will bring to the Lady Eagle basketball teams.”
Banks said her teams will always play hard.
“The biggest thing for me is that when you play Des Arc, you’re going to know you played Des Arc,” Banks said. “Our teams are going to play hard.”
Banks said her teams will be aggressive on defense.
“Offensively, I’m really big on getting to the basket,” she said. “The biggest thing is being able to push the ball. I was us to be quick and play downhill, the lets get back and play defense.”
E agles,
Lady E agles
b eat H a z en on t h e dia m ond
By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor
Des Arc’s baseball and softball teams swept Hazen last week.
In baseball, the Eagles won 12-4. In softball, the Lady Eagles won 100. In baseball, Hazen led 1-0 after two innings. The Eagles scored five runs in the bottom of the third. Hazen came back with two runs in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to 5-3.
Des Arc scored three in the fourth, two in the fifth and two in the
sixth before Hazen scored a single run in the top to the seventh.
Hudson Goodman led the Eagles at the plate, going 2 for 3 with three runs scored and four RBIs. Both his hits were doubles.
Walker Harris was 3 for 4 with three runs scored. Ben Kearby had three RBIs.
Pitchers Oakley Davenport, Cole Eldridge and Kearby combined to stoke out nine Hazen batters.
In softball, Des Arc scored three in the third, four in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth.
Emma Buckner, Kaylee McDonald and Greenleigh Sterling each scored twice. McDonald was 3 for 3 with a homer and four RBIs. Grace Knight also hit a homer.
McDonald pitched a perfect game, striking out 15.
Brance Williams, Noah Adkins, Ethan Lisko and Eli Weems each scored runs for the Hornets.
Junior high students from Hazen and Carlisle participated in at Beebe's junior high track meet on Tuesday, April 1, at Beebe's stadium. (Pictures courtesy of Keith Weber Photos of Jacksonville.)
Heavy rain and high winds sweep over the Grand Prairie
Here are some more photos of the rain storm devastation that hit the Grand Prairie area last week. Major roads, including Highway 70 were still underwater and closed on Monday when the paper went to print. It is said that Hazen got approximately a foot of rain during the four day period. Thanks to Jade Bunnell and Debbye Harrison for the additional pictures.
AR Extension Service suggests using natural Easter egg dyes
By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture
LITTLE ROCK —
Dyeing and decorating eggs is a longstanding part of Easter celebrations for many families, but for people concerned about egg prices and food allergies, Cooperative Extension Service experts suggest giving natural dyes and dyeable plastic eggs a try this year.
NATURE'S DYES — Cooperative Extension Service experts recommend giving natural dyes, including those made from turmeric, beets or red cabbage, a try for Easter decorating this year. (Pixabay file art.)
Angie Freel, Howard County extension family and consumer sciences agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said high egg prices due to highly pathogenic avian influenza may have
If you remember, the House and Senate passed Senate Bill 227 that ensured that governing bodies, such as School Boards, City Councils and Quorum Courts, could not meet in secret to deliberate and decide the People’s business outside of a Public Meeting.
Senator Allen Clark and Representative Mary Bentley came behind SB227 with
some families reconsidering using real eggs for Easter decorating.
“Many people may be wondering if it’s worth the current investment to dye ‘real’ eggs for Easter this year, at nearly $6 to $7 per dozen at some stores,” Freel said.
“Fortunately, there is an alternative to using real eggs to dye.
Dyeable plastic Easter eggs are available online for $1 to $3 per dozen and may even be available at local discount stores.”
Plastic dyeable eggs often come with a dyeing kit and instructions for use. In addition to being cost-effective, using plastic eggs also eliminates the food safety element that comes with using real eggs.
“With a plastic egg, if it’s been hidden outside and you don’t find it for a few weeks, you won’t have a terrible smell,” Freel said. “And if you do choose to use real eggs for dyeing, do not
SB376 which if passed will allow these Governing bodies to meet and deliberate along with deciding our business in secret without the public ever evening knowing it. Further it will allow Governing body members to segregate other members form the deliberation and decision on the People’s business. In short it was filed to Kill everything the
eat them if they have been out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. If the temperature is above 90 degrees, leave them out no longer than one hour.
“Realistically, it’s not a very safe option on the chance someone eats an egg that has been out of the refrigerator for more than two hours,” Freel said. “There is also a risk of bacterial contamination while dying the eggs.”
Natural dyes
Freel said families may also want to consider using natural ingredients to create dyes for their eggs.
“If people choose not to use natural dyes, the artificial ingredients used to make some dyes could produce an allergic reaction in some people,” Freel said. “Some food dyes have been banned, but people might use one kit for several years before using it up.”
Natural dyes also allow families to exper-
People gained in Transparency by passing SB227. SB376 is scheduled to run Wednesday in the House State Agencies Committee. The Committee meeting will convene at 10am in Room 151.
If you can please show up to the meeting and sign up to speak against SB376. Committee Chair Representative Jimmy Gazaway has
iment with many different colors, and Freel said the natural dyes produce deeper, richer colors.
“Using natural dyes on your eggs gives them a subtle yet gorgeous color, and the longer you leave them in the dye, the darker they become,” Freel said.
“You may want to experiment with color variations by combining one or more of the dyes and leaving them in the refrigerator overnight in the dye bath to darken the color.
“You can add designs to the eggs by wetting and sticking small leaves and flowers to the egg, wrapping them tightly in a strip of pantyhose and securing the top with a string or rubber band before submerging in the dye,” Freel said. “And once the eggs are dyed and dried, I like to rub the eggs with a coat of vegetable oil for a beautiful sheen.”
Freel said families should use the following
proven that he will allow every citizen who signs up to speak fully their will.
Also please call and text the Committee members to tell them to vote NO to SB376. The Legislature has taken enough of our Freedoms this session… .No matter your political leanings let’s all stand together and Fight for our Rights to know.
method to dye real or plastic eggs with natural ingredients:
Combine one quart of water with two teaspoons of vinegar, doubling or tripling this recipe as necessary. Submerge either hardboiled eggs or your dyeable plastic eggs. You can even hard boil the real eggs in the dye for a brighter outcome.
Bring the water to a boil, then add your natural ingredients: Red onion skins create an orange/red color
Turmeric creates a bright yellow color
Beets create a pink color with white eggs or maroon color with brown eggs
Red cabbage creates a blue color
White onion skins or leftover coffee create a tan color
The heat from boiling helps to release the color from the item into the water, and the vinegar helps the dye adhere to the egg. If using real eggs, boil the eggs as usual, then add the vinegar and dye item after boiling, although doing it all at once speeds up the process.
For more information on eggs, substitutions in cooking, or natural egg dyes, visit the Life Skills and Wellness Resources page on the Cooperative Extension Service Website. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
M & W Designs in Hazen holds grand opening
Despite the inclement weather, M&W Designs of Hazen, owned by Megan Anderson, held its Grand Opening open house on Saturday, April 5, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
The store features nine vendors who offer soaps, painted decorator wood designs, honey and beeswax products, stainless steel travel mugs that can be personalized, goats milk products, baby and women’s clothing, toys, and custom t-shirts.
The store is open from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays. It is located on the corner of Hazen Avenue and East Front Street, across from Gazebo Park.
