75¢
Football season begins on the Prairie. (See stories on p. 6.)
Volume 120 Number 35 - USPS 225-680
Community Calendar of Events Friday September 3 Hornets vs Cross County Hornet Field 7:00 p.m. Eagles vs McCrory McCrory Field 7:00 p.m. Bisons vs Bigelow Bigelow Field 7:00 p.m. Monday September 6 Labor Day Local and County Offices and schools will be closed Thursday September 9 DeValls Bluff City Council Meeting City Hall 6:00 p.m. Saturday September 11 Prairie County Fair Queen DeValls Bluff Community Center 1:00 p.m. Tuesday September 14 Quorum Court Meeting 6:00 p.m. Thursday September 16 Hazen City Council Meeting 6:00 p.m. City Hall Saturday September 18 Prairie County Fair Parade 5:30 p.m. Line up at Old Acco Building 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.
Serving all of Prairie County and the Grand Prairie
Wednesday, September 1, 2021
Pauschert inducted into Hall of Fame By Debbye Harrison Tommy Joe Pauschert of Carlisle was recently inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in Florence, KY. He was one of the five member Class of 2020 whose induction was re-scheduled due to the COVID pandemic. The ceremony included a tribute to T. J’s accomplishments, presentation of the plaque showing his “10-4” racing car and a speech given by “The Arkansas Traveler” himself T. J. Pauschert. The room was filled with racing fans from across the country and old friends that were eager to get re-acquainted. Some of T. J.’s career awards include induction into the Oklahoma and Missouri Dirt Track Halls of Fame, in 1978 state championships in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi and the Southeastern Winter Nationals in Volusia Co, Florida. In 1985 he ran a good portion of
NDRA’s final tour and finished third. He was Rookie of the Year in 1988 for the USAC Late Model trail. Tommy started racing when he was 17, and there were dirt track races in most towns in Arkansas. For example, tracks were found in Des Arc, White County Speedway Garner, I-30 Speedway, Benton and Redfield. None of these tracks were required to
be standardized. They had different lengths from one-quarter mile to a mile and could be flat or banked. It really tested the skill of the driver. Although dirt track racing was found across most of the country, it was centered mainly in the South particularly Georgia and Alabama. He saw it all. After getting started with help from his dad
Carl and brother Carl Lee, T. J. and Wayne Brooks took racing to the professional level. It was still a very different sport from what we know today. Racers “back then” were one big family and helped one another. The fierce competition they engaged in on the track was left there. Many times they traveled the same circuit and shared parts, tools and experi-
ence. There was no “Hollywood” behind those wheels. After 21 years of racing and making friendships that were more like family, Tommy Joe decided to retire. In 1991 he sold his equipment and returned home to manage his trucking business leaving one family to go back to the other. Unknowingly however, The Hall of Fame Induction brought the two families together. Phone calls started coming from around the country. The “family” wanted him to know how proud they were, and many were there in person to give him a hug.
DA School seeks district superintendent By Lisa Mills
At the August 23rd school board meeting, Dr. Keith Williams of McPherson Jacobson Executive Recruitment and Development addressed the board on beginning the process to hire a permanent Superintendent. Dr. Williams stated that the position will be opened to applicants soon. The first step for the board was to create the criteria for the position. They came up with the 14 most important points they desired for the new superintendent to possess. The next step will be to form three focus groups by midSeptember. The focus groups will include administration teachers, students and classified staff. Next will be a community meeting and online survey. At the September 27th board meeting the board will review the information from the focus groups, the community meeting, and the online survey. The last day to accept applications will be October 19th. Once the applications have been received, Dr. Williams and his col-
Interim Superintendent Marc Sherrill will be replaced by a permanent school district superintendent when his contract expires on June 30th. leagues will review the applicants and will choose finalists for the board to interview based upon all the compiled information from the desired criteria, the focus groups, the community meeting and the survey. There will be a special executive board meeting in November for board members to review applications from the finalists and choose which applicants to interview. After the interviews are complet-
ed, the board hopes to be able to choose a superintendent by the end of November. The new superintendent will begin working at the district on July 1, 2022 to prepare for the 2022-2023 school year. Present at the meeting were Interim Superintendent Dr. Marc Sherrell, High School Principal Michael Strothers, Elementary Principal Cheryl Holland, and District Treasurer
Natasha Richards. Board members attending were Johnny Reidhar, Sylvester Holloway, Stewart Morton, Jordan Smith and Drew Widener. Board member Charlie Brown joined the meeting by phone. The board then turned to personnel matters hiring Retha Allred as a cafeteria worker substitute and Michelle Harris as a long-term high school substitute. B.J. Paschal was chosen to be the district’s Covid contact person. A motion was approved to pay a $2,000 stipend to District Treasurer Natasha Richards to attend board meetings as a consultant. The board approved the transfer of $600,000 from the general fund to the building fund. A motion was approved to sell two non-running school busses (1999 and 2004 Bluebirds) at public auction, with the auction date to be announced. A motion was approved to accept a bid from Buckner Construction for $140,000 to remodel the superintendent’s house and approved a motion to accept a bid
from R and T Welding for $21,400 to remodel the coach’s house. The board also approved a motion to seek quotes to replace the HVAC system at the Agri Building and bids to replace the Elementary School cafeteria tables. The board approved making repairs to the high school gym to stop water leaks. The Roberts/McNutt company has estimated that the repairs will cost the district $17,715. The 2021-2022 Arkansas School Board Association Model Policies were approved. The state required 20212022 District Re-entry Plan and District Support Plan were also approved. The Annual Report to the Public has been set for October 25th at 6:30 pm. Dr. Sherill told the board that the current district enrollment is 605. Dr. Sherrill reported current Covid status for the district as follows: Pre-K has 0 cases and 0 q u a r a n t i n e d . Elementary has 9 cases and 20 quarantined, High School has 2 cases and 11 quarantined.
Covid-19 vaccine clinic at Hazen Dollar General Baptist Health Community Outreach will travel to Hazen, to offer free first doses of the Pfizer vaccine as part of a two-dose clinic. The clinic will be held at at Dollar General, 749 Hwy. 63 North in Hazen from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. (Second-doses will be administered Saturday, Sept. 24, at the same location from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Please bring proof of identification when you arrive for your vaccination.
Participants will receive a $50 gift card. By taking action and getting the vaccine, you are not only protecting yourself from serious illness, but also helping to protect your family, friends, coworkers and fellow residents. To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine as well as vaccination clinics that Baptist Health has set up throughout the state, v i s i t BaptistHealthCovidVacc ine.com.
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