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See Page 4 Volume 117 Number 2 - USPS 225-680
Community Events Calendar Thursday January 12 DeValls Bluff City Council Meeting 6:00p.m. DeValls Bluff City Hall Hazen Lodge Meeting 7:30p.m. Lodge Hall
Monday January 16 DeValls Bluff City Council Meeting 6:00p.m. DeValls Bluff City Hall NO SCHOOL for the observance of Martin Luther King Day
Tuesday January 17 UCA Representative to talk to High School Seniors 10:30a.m. - 11:15a.m. Mrs. Caviness’ Room High School
Hazen/DeValls Bluff, Prairie County, Arkansas
New faces bring in the new year at the Prairie County Courthouse The official meeting place for the Prairie County Quorum Court at the Prairie County Courthouse Annex was crowded Tuesday January 3, 2017 at 10:00 AM. Nearly all officials were on hand to be sworn in for their upcoming two-year terms. Prairie County Sheriff Rick Hickman was an exception because he was sworn in at midnight December 31. His staff members in the Collector’s office were on hand Tuesday. There were several Justices of the Peace, Constables, the incumbent County Assessor, Jeannie Lott and staff, incumbent Judge Mike Skarda and a newly elected Treasurer; Tamara Forrester Dabney and the newly elected Circuit/County Clerk; Gaylon Hale and her staff members. Judge Skarda issued the oath to Clerk Hale and she then administered the same oath to all other officials. The oath might not have read exactly like this but what took place was pretty close; “I solemnly swear that I will uphold whatever I’m supposed to uphold and
go to work immediately”. Because, shortly after the upraised hands were lowered, the Judge was back in his office, the Sheriff was on duty at the courthouse as was the Assessor and both the Clerk and the Treasurer were seen behind their desks tending to business. Photos can document the transformation that took place before lunch time and one could tell by the huge number of well wishers present to observe the process and by the number of photos snapped that this was an emotional event for many and the sincere offers of congratulations and good luck were heard often. Elections can bring both joy and disappointment and time will tell how Prairie County government will fare in the future but on this first day; for the new members of the team, there seemed to be ample energy and optimism in the air and a desire to work with other officials in harmony for the good of all. Hopefully this positive spirit will live long past today. It was encouraging to see so many prairie county citizens there to
Wednesday January 18
Hazen City Council Meeting 6 - 7 p.m.
Monday January 23 Hazen School Board meeting in the high school library 6 p.m.
Tuesday January 24 Book Club / Recipe Swap 12:00p.m.-1:00p.m. Hazen Public Library Adult bingo at the Hazen Public Library 11:00 - 12:00 a.m.
Thursday January 26 PC Democratic Women Meeting at Murry’s
Community events brought to you by Hazen Chamber of Commerce
and the Please call F&M Bank, 255-3042 to list events.
Newly sworn in Treasurer Tamara Dabney Forrester answered phones and took care of business during her first official day as Treasurer for Prairie County.
Avoid penalties by enrolling in AR health marketplace this month
DeValls Bluff Bingo 11:30a.m. - 12:30p.m.
Thursday January 19
observe the culmination of the election cycle that began for many in the middle of 2015. The candidates all had a long campaign that required a lot of time, money and energy and I do hope that everyone can appreciate their participation regardless of what party label they ran under or what the outcome at the polls reflected. Congratulations are in order for all who made the commitment to place their name on a ballot. Submitted by Harvey Joe Sanner on behalf of the Prairie County Democratic Committee.
Newly sworn in Circuit/County Clerk Gaylon Hale swears in other newly elected officials on January 3rd at the Prairie County Courthouse Annex.
Prairie County Master Gardeners Club Meeting 6:00p.m. BancorpSouth
Friendship Luncheon 11:30a.m. DeValls Bluff Methodist Church
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Circuit/County Clerk Gaylon Hale took a break from a busy day and many phone calls for a photo.
Registrations and sponsorships still available for AR Rice meeting The Arkansas Rice Council and Arkansas Rice Farmers will hold their annual meeting and trade show Friday, January 27, at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart. Amanda Mathis, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Partnership coordinator, will talk about federal resources that might be new to farmers, and a panel of Arkansas farmers will discuss the inner workings and opportunities of carbon credits. The event will include an industry trade show and conclude with a free catfish lunch for registered attendees, sponsored by Prudential Agricultural Investments. U.S. Congressman Rick Crawford, Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward and USA Rice President and CEO Betsy Ward will all be in attendance for the event, which will focus on providing growers with tools and resources that could positively affect their bottom line. "The Arkansas Rice Annual Meeting will pro-
vide an annual update to our farmers, while also equipping them with additional resources as they prepare for the next growing season," Arkansas Rice Federation Executive Director Ben Noble said. Events include a panel to discuss carbon credit and a workshop on conservation planning and NRCS financial assistance programs. There will also be a trade show and special presentations. Arkansas is the largest rice-growing state in the nation, producing nearly 9 billion pounds annually. This year, Arkansas family farmers will produce over 50 percent of the nation's rice for the first time in history. Arkansas rice farmers and millers contribute over $6 billion each year to the state's economy and employ over 25,000 Arkansans. If you are interested in attending or sponsoring this year's meeting, register online at www.arkansasrice.org/an nualmeeting/ or call 501.375.1100. The event is sponsored in part by presenting sponsor Greenway Equipment.
Open enrollment for the state’s My Arkansas Insurance individual health insurance marketplace is still underway but ends on January 31. Arkansans who do not have health insurance may face substantial federally mandated penalties on 2017 tax returns. “People must understand that health insurance coverage is not an option, according to current federal law,” said Cheryl Gardner, executive director of the Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace. “The good news is there is still time for Arkansans to get coverage and avoid paying a penalty that could be as much as $695 per person.” Individual plans are available at myARinsurance.com through January 31,
2017. Plans include standard benefits such as inpatient care, outpatient services, prescription drugs, and preventative care and screenings. There are a variety of options to fit household budgets and financial assistance is available. Most importantly, there are no lifetime limits and no restrictions for preexisting conditions. And, financial help is available to help pay for the cost of insurance. To begin exploring appropriate plans and to enroll, go to myARinsurance.com. Agents, brokers and other licensed experts are located in almost every community in Arkansas to provide assistance, and a hotline is staffed by trained professionals, and is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7
p.m. The number is 1844-355-3262. The My Arkansas Insurance Individual Marketplace is a partnership with the federal enrollment system, using the Healthcare.gov platform. However, the program is managed in Arkansas. Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace (AHIM) was created to manage and implement a state-based health insurance exchange in Arkansas in accordance with state and federal law. AHIM was established by the 89th Arkansas General Assembly 2013 Regular Session by ACT 1500 and is a nonprofit public benefit corporation. My Arkansas Insurance is the state-based exchange established and managed by AHIM.
5-D Day Weather Forecast For Hazen, AR Wednesday Thursday
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