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PC Fair pictures on p. 6.
Volume 120 Number 39 - USPS 225-680
Serving all of Prairie County and the Grand Prairie
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Community Calendar of Events Tuesday September 28 Prairie County Health Unit Drive thru Flu Clinic Hazen Methodist Church (East side of Fellowship Hall) 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Hazen High School Alumni Meeting Hazen Methodist Church 6:00 p.m. Friday October 1 Hornets vs Magnet Cove Hornet Field 7:00 p.m. Des Arc Eagles vs Mount Ida Mt Ida Field 7:00 p.m. Carlisle Bison vs Fordyce Fordyce Field 7:00 p.m. Saturday October 2 Prairie County Master Gardeners Pumpkin Sale Hazen City Park East (across from the Community Center) Monday October 11 Columbus Day City & County offices will be closed. Biscoe EHC Meeting First Baptist Church in Biscoe 10:30 a.m.
Community events brought to you by Hazen Chamber of Commerce
Harvest is in full swing on the Grand Prairie. Many thanks to Mason Sickel who provided this picture of farmers working hard.
Hazen School Board lifts mask requirement The Hazen School District is no longer requiring students and staff to wear masks to protect against COVID 19. After hearing from two concerned citizens, a parent - Lance Schulz and Doctor Stephanie Patyk, the Hazen School Board voted to lift the requirement for students and staff to wear masks when on the campus and when they are unable to be socially distanced at Hazen Public Schools. The vote was split with Mason Sickel, Roben Cohen, and Darlene Connors voting against mandating masks and Vicki Skarda, Sandra Penn, and Freddie Rogers voting for the
mask mandate. Board President Ritchie Ingle broke the tie voting to lift the mandate. Also present at the meeting were Principals Tiffany Glover and Mark Price, Superintendent Donnie Booth, and Administrative Assistant Cindy Ciganek. Schulz, who addressed the board first, has two children in the school district and works in the medical field, told the board that masks are dirty and don’t protect children from the COVID-19 virus. He said that children have a natural immunity to the virus, and making them wear masks decreases their oxygen
intake and their ability to concentrate. The masks also increase psychological problems and are dehumanizing. “Masks are medical devices,” he said. He also stated that he had not seen studies in favor of masking. He told the board that parents should make the decision to mask for their own children, not the school district. Dr. Patyk then stood up and introduced herself as a family practice physician who takes care of the community of Hazen. She told the board that there is cure for COVID-19 and that the vaccine is not available for elementary children who need pro-
tection from getting the virus. She said that inperson learning is important for children, and that if a student is masked when around someone tests positive for the virus there would be no need for the student to quarantine. She said that all students over two years of age should wear masks. “I do it for myself and my family,” she said. Patyk said that due to mask wearing, there were no flu cases in the area last year. She stated that studies show that a person wearing a mask has a 50% chance of being protected against the virus, with cotton masks providing 40%
protection. Patyk closed by saying that masks are an inconvenience for children, but so are car seats and sunscreen. We still make our children use both of those things. Superintendent Booth told the board that he put an online anonymous survey on the district’s website about the masks. He presented the results that showed students, parents, community members, and district employees would rather have optional masking rather than mandated masking. Two-thirds of the respondents preferred that the use of masks be optional. (See Hazen Schools on p. 3)
City of Carlisle employees to get bonuses Resolution 342, which designates how federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds will be spent, was passed by the Carlisle City Council at its regular meeting held on September 21. Present were Council Members Anne Anderson, Todd Turner, Larry Flynn, Jon Plafcan, and Kevin Kegley along with Mayor Ray Glover, Administrative Assistant Angelia James, and City Attorney Mike Stuart. The resolution will allow the city to spend an estimated $27,989 on COVID mitigation and prevention, including giving city employees a one-time bonus as a retention tool and providing money for a vaccination incentive to city employees. Full-time employees who worked for the city during 2020 will receive $1000, and regular part-time employees will receive $750. Employees that have left full-time status for part-time status, but worked during the pandemic will receive $500, and any employees hired after May 30, 2021 will receive $250. Employees who have gotten the COVID vaccine and those who get the vaccine by a certain date will get an
additional $500. “We’re going to take care of our people,” Mayor Glover said. The resolution passed unanimously. The city has received over $400,000 in ARP funds so far and will have $130,000 left after the bonuses are paid. The city expects to receive the other half of the ARP funding next July. The council also passed Ordinance 332 and Resolution 341 to allow the city to obtain financing for the construction of a new airport entrance road. Resolution 342 and Ordinance 341 passage was needed which will allow the city to borrow funds to build an entrance road to the Carlisle Municipal Airport. The documentation provided by the city will allow the Bank of England, from which the funds will be received, to get tax exempt interest. Parks Director Ronnie Ashmore reported that peewee football begins next week. Thirty three children have signed up for the program. He also reported that there are broken lights at the city’s tennis court that need to be repaired. He said that the city needs to purchase
LED lights. “If we fix it, we don’t want to just patch it,” he said. The court is presently being used by the newly formed high school tennis team, and they would like to be able to practice after dark. The lights have not been used for several years, and since the school would also like to use the gym for practice when it rains, the city would charge the school for the use of the gym and for the use of the lights on the tennis court. Ashmore said that his department would need to schedule when the school could use the facilities and that he would find out how much it will cost to fix the lights. Kegley presented a slide show to the council showing where standing water within the city was creating a mosquito problem. Durkee Street and 8th Street are major problems, according to Kegley
and Robert Barnes, who could not attend the meeting but who helped research the problem areas. During the report of the Water, Sewer, and Streets Department, the issue of the city’s gravel storage was addressed. The city had received a request to increase rent payments on each of the three plots that the city is using to $70 per month equalling $210 per month. This will cost the city $2520 per year. The council decided to agree to Sumner’s amount for one year, and will try to find suitable land to purchase for storing the gravel in the meantime. The council was told that Randy Phillips was willing to buy the 1000 meters that the city recently replaced for $1 apiece. The council agreed to that amount. They were also told that the city needs to find an
electrical inspector. Inspectors receive around $350 per month to be on call. An inspector will be needed for regular projects and for the new FFA barn that the high school is building. There is also a light pole down at the interstate, and the department will get a price on what it will cost to get it fixed. High grass at the interstate overpass is also a problem. Police Chief Eric Franks reported that his department needs to hire a new dispatcher/jailer to replace the one who is quitting. He said that the two new policemen are presently taking classes at the police academy and would finish those soon. He also asked that the council pass a pay shift differential for people working the night shift. He suggested that night pay (See Carlisle Council on p. 2.)
City of Hazen Halloween drive through sign-up and the Please call F&M Bank (255-3042) or The Grand Prairie Herald (255-4538) to list events.
The City of Hazen will sponsor a drive through Halloween Trick or Treat event this year on Saturday, October 30, in City Park East across from the Community Center. The city is asking for
organizations and churches to join in the celebration. If you would like to participate in the event, you need to sign up with the city by October 26th by calling the city hall at 870-255-4522.
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