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April 22, 2015

THE POLK COUNTY

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Janssen Park’s Mother Goose & Her Sentinels

Leach Loses Appeal to Arkansas Supreme Court

BY MELANIE BUCK An appeal made to the Arkansas Supreme Court by Raymond D. Leach, has been dismissed based on the findings of Associate Justices, Josephine Hart and Paul Danielson, that the appellant’s motions are moot. Leach is currently serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole in the Arkansas Department of Corrections for the CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Mena City Council Approves Completion of Downtown Streetscape Project

BY MELANIE BUCK Rick Chrisman, local downtown business owner, addressed Mena’s City Council during their April meeting last Tuesday regarding continued delays on the completion of the streetscape project along Mena Street.

Some years ago, the project began to replace the sidewalks of CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Dept. of Education Releases School Performance Report Guarded by her two very protective sentinels, Janssen Park’s Mother Goose is patiently keeping her eggs nestled and whether there is a golden egg in the batch is yet to be seen. Until then, frequent guests of the park are enjoying the countdown to the big hatch.

[PHOTO BY LEANN DILBECK]

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BY MELANIE BUCK The Arkansas Department of Education has released their School Performance Report for 2014 and several of Polk County’s schools have passed with flying colors. Acorn High School scored the highest of the County’s schools, with 282 points and letter grade “A.” Holly Harshman and Louise Durham Elementary schools also received “A’s” with 273 points each.

Van-Cove and Wickes Elementary both just missed the “A” mark CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

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Page 2

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

The Polk County Pulse & MyPulseNews.com are publications of D&L Publishing Co. locally owned & operated by David & LeAnn Dilbeck.

editor

A NOTE FROM THE

“Shock and awe” seems to have grown beyond a military strategy to its own dominating way of life in our culture. From what is classified as entertainment, to the news, to debates, to defiant children, it seems the more outrageous and “in your face” it can be is not only tolerated, it’s encouraged. And with today’s technology, it’s easier than ever for almost anybody to gain a big enough voice to not only spark debate but to launch their own personal crusade against whomever or whatever they feel oppressed by.

But what isn’t tolerated, is the conservative response. Those who utilize “shock and awe” aren’t interested in compromise. They are “wired for output only” as I would say and not interested in a two-way conversation. So whenever anyone dares to speak out to support their own personal convictions due to their own faith or, Heaven forbid, morality, they are instantly dubbed “small-minded, threatened by progress, discriminatory” and even in some extreme cases, “uneducated” just simply for being conservative.

Toddlers who aren’t getting their way, or are told “no,” may sometimes choose to act out in rebellion as a manner to get what they want. They will throw themselves down to the floor kicking and screaming in an Oscar worthy tantrum. But, when they are met with a “shock and awe” butt busting, in time, they become conditioned to learn to express themselves differently.

The line of what is considered to be acceptable seems to have, I hope only temporarily, shifted to accommodate the extremist and rather than challenging them, it’s challenging those who have the audacity to speak out for the same principles this great Nation was founded on.

And it doesn’t matter where you live, it’s finding a way to infiltrate your home one way or the other. It headlines the evening news a majority of the time and it’s getting more and more challenging for families to even watch a television program together. There is no suspense anymore, it’s all laid out right in front of you and leaves no room for imagination or even interpretation anymore.

I’m not a “shock and awe” personality. I’m soft-spoken in nature so I’m perplexed how we gain the upper hand on this new wave that I don’t believe to be a majority but just a highly vocal minority. The very people and activists that are screaming for tolerance are not interested in tolerance at all. They, in fact, mirror the toddler not getting their way. Our radars need to be going off loudly for those who seek to divide and attempt to manipulate all that we know to be right and true to now be “dated” and not “progressive.” ROMANS 16:17 - I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

I strongly believe in tolerance and respecting differing opinions but it should not come at a price of compromising founding principles that have built a country that, while it may have its issues, is still one of the most sought out places in which to live.

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Page 3

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

School Performance Report

WE DO

Rich Mountain Community College Relay for Life Team has announced their annual 3-Person Scramble Fundraiser. This will be the 5th year for the event and raises an average of $1,000 per event.

The Scramble will be Saturday, May 2, at the Ouachita Country Club, just off of Hwy. 88 East, in Mena, beginning at 1 p.m. The entry fee for each team is $150 and mulligans will cost $5 per person; greens fee and cart are included in the entry fee. Prizes for closest to pin, longest drive, and 1st place of each flight will be awarded.

Event organizer Brandon Burk said, “All proceeds will go to benefit the American Cancer Society. So, come out and have some fun while supporting a great cause.”

For more information regarding the event, contact Brandon Burk at 479-2161036 or bburk@rmcc.edu.

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with 269 and 267 points, respectively, and finished with a “B” grade. Acorn Elementary received 260 points and Mena High School scored 241 points, rounding out the County’s “B” ratings. Mena Middle School received a “C” mark with 215 points and Cossatot River High School received the County’s only “D” mark with 202 points.

In 2013, the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 696 to clarify the public school rating system on annual report cards for parents. Each year the Arkansas Department of Education pulls data from all public schools in the state and ranks them, although it has been difficult, at best, for parents to understand the ranking system.

With the passage of Act 696 of 2013, beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, parents can now see the report card grade of their child’s school on a scale of A, B, C, D, or F. The A-F grading scale is a widely accepted way to identify how well a student is performing in school, especially on tests and assignments, so it is only natural that the state chose this way to rank public schools in a quickly identifiable way for parents. The letter grades represent the following categories: A=270-300 points, exemplary; B=240-269, achieving; C=210-239, needs improvement; D=180-209, needs improvement focus; F=less than 180 points, needs improvement priority.

Although not all data is included in these particular grades, it does give an overall average and it helps parents and the public better understand how well a school is performing.

The grading scale represents how well students are performing in math and literacy on statewide tests such as the Benchmark and End of Course exams; whether schools are meeting yearly student performance goals and showing improvement or expected growth for all students; whether schools are meeting graduation goals for all students and at-risk groups; and whether the school has an achievement gap and if that gap is sizable.

The State Department of Education said some of the things not included in the grading system are, it does not measure how well an individual student or teacher is doing; it does not take into consideration other things the school may be doing well, such as meeting students’ nutrition and health needs or how well students are performing in other subject areas.

The Department of Education encourages parents to become aware of how well schools are performing in the community; talk with teachers and school officials about how to help the school; volunteer at school and engage in areas that need improvement; and ensure your children have excellent attendance, complete all assignments, and are engaged in learning.

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(CONT. FROM FRONT PAGE)

NEWS

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Page 4

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

NEWS

Polk County Celebrates Earth Day, Today & Everyday, Through Recycling Programs

BY MELANIE BUCK Earth Day, like many other days of the same capacity, was founded by one man with a thought that turned into a mission. Upset by the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, Gaylord Nelson, a then U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, acted on his thoughts and was “inspired by the student anti-war movement” of the 1960’s. He realized that if he could combine the anti-war energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda and Earth Day 1970 was born.

On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies.

Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife, suddenly realized they shared common values.

According to www.earthday.org, “Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers and farmers, tycoons and labor leaders. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.” “It was a gamble,” Gaylord recalled, “but it worked.”

Earth Day was revived in 1990 when the event stretched globally, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage.

Earth Day 1990 gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It also prompted President Bill Clinton to award Senator Nelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1995, the highest honor given to civilians in the United States, for his role as Earth Day founder.

“Earth Day broadens the base of support for environmental programs, rekindles public commitment and builds community activism around the world through a broad

range of events and activities. Earth Day is the largest civic event in the world, celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a billion people participate in our campaigns every year,” said Earth Day organizers.

Polk County has many groups and businesses that do their part in helping everyday become Earth Day by way of recycling. Mena Walmart Manager Scott Brown said that recycling is something that is close to his heart and they do what they can to keep the environment clean. Besides the bins kept in the foyers for customers to bring their plastic bags for recycle, Brown said, “We also recycle all of our alumnium cans and plastic bottles that we use in the store in break rooms, and empty pharmacy bottles.”

Walmart actually has a baler on site that flattens the products and bales them up for easy transport. “Sometimes we have one bale a day or more. It mashes flat, wraps it up, and a company comes around every two weeks to pick them up. We also do cardboard bales and sandwich bales which are plastic and aluminum mixed.” Walmart also accepts printer cartridges in the Electronics Department, batteries at the service desk, and used automotive batteries and used motor oil at the Tire Center. They also repurpose old tires. Brown said there are actually Walmart parking lots made out of used tires. Walmart takes shredded tires and mixes them with a compound to make parking lots.

“We utilize a lot of material. We use a lot of plastic and cardboard and the more we can keep out of a landfill, the better. Broken eggs and dairy products go into a bin and a compost company comes and picks that up. I think people would be surprised. Compared to 20 years ago when I started, everything went into the trashcan. The company realized how much was going into landfills and wondered what they could do about it,” explained Brown. He also explained that their paperwork is shredded and recycled.

“Kathy Russert at Acorn a few years ago wanted to teach her kids to recycle and she called me and asked what she could do. We worked it out and I told her if you can raise a certain amount of pounds of plastic sacks, we’ll donate. I think we donated $500. We try to work with the community,” said Brown.

Shelby Vaughn, President of RMCC Science Club said their club is working hard to encourage recycling and to promote environmental consciousness. “We accept bottles, cans, and paper. We are in charge of picking up receptacles on campus and emptying them into the containers provided by PCDC and they pick them up weekly,” said Vaughn. This is a new program for the club and they

hope to add more items to their recycling program in the future.

Polk County Developmental Center, or PCDC as most know it, is the name that comes to mind when it comes to recycling in Polk County. For decades, the Center has encouraged, promoted, and changed lives with their recycling program.

Carla White, WAC Supervisor at PCDC, said they provide cardboard pick-up services for approximately 150 local businesses and they recycle many different types of material including cardboard, aluminum cans, #1 and #2 plastic bottles, junk mail, white paper, magazines, clothing, and household items. “Our recycled material, so far for this year is over 635,000 pounds,” said White. She added, “PCDC’s recycling program helps businesses with reducing the cost of trash expenses. It helps with less

waste going to the landfills and it reminds our community to think about REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE.” The money that PCDC receives from recycling is produced from the sales of the recycled materials that are sold. “All monies brought in from recycling are kept locally and helps provide services for children and adults with disabilities,” White said. Overall, PCDC employs over 60 people, with the help of the recycling program.

There are many ways that you can choose to participate in Earth Day on April 22, but even better, participate everyday by changing your habits, learning to repurpose what you can, and recycle what you can’t. If you would like to learn more about how you can help, visit www.earthday. org “To build a better future, we all must commit to protect our environment year-round.”

•••

April 22, 2015

THE POLK COUNTY PULSE

Page 5

NEWS

Page 6

NEWS

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

Celebrate Arbor Day with a Free Tree... or Three Grasso to give away 100 oaks

BY MELANIE BUCK According to the National Arbor Day website, on January 4, 1872, journalist J. Sterling Morton first proposed a tree-planting holiday to the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture to be called “Arbor Day.” The date was set for April 10, 1872 and prizes were offered to counties and individuals for planting the largest number of trees on that day. It was estimated that more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day. Morton and his wife were considered lovers of nature and he often promoted “agricultural information and his enthusiasm for trees to an equally enthusiastic audience,” in his newspaper columns and editorials.

In honor of Arbor Day, one local woman, Rae Grasso, will be doing her part. Grasso will be at Walmart on Friday, April 24, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. to give away 100 Nutall Oak trees, up to three trees per person.

Grasso has been a member of the National Arbor Day Foundation for over 15 years.

“Without trees, we wouldn’t have oxygen to breath. They stabilize the earth so that we don’t have as many landslides, but most important is the oxygen for us because they clear the air for us to breathe,” said Grasso.

On that first Arbor Day in 1872, thousands of school children planted trees and marched to the Nebraska Opera House afterwords to celebrate. At that meeting, Morton said, “To say that it was a complete success but faintly expresses it. A celebration of this kind results in good to all, and is worthy of imitation by every school in the state.”

Like Grasso, and so many before her, celebrate Arbor Day this Friday, April 24. Do the world some good and plant a tree, or two.

As Grasso put it, “Everyone should get out there and plant some trees.”

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Storage building has concrete floor and sheet rock walls. R.V. pole barn.

Most of it is cleared ready for the garden on the 1.77 acres REDUCED $49,900

Anne Evans, author of Through the Eyes of a Child, will speak at Cove Branch Library Saturday, April 25th, at 2:30 p.m. Through the Eyes of a Child tells the story of Anne Evans whose parents married a total of seventeen times, leaving her neglected and abandoned for days at a time.

At the age of eight, Anne was caregiver to her two younger sisters and suffered physical abuse. Anne was again abandoned when five months pregnant. She lived with drug and alcohol addiction, and as a prisoner in her own house. She suffered the suicide of her husband leaving her with two young children to raise alone.

All who read Through the Eyes of a Child will understand that God is love and that He is not a respecter of persons, as He says in His word (Acts 10:34). Get your copy of the book signed

by Anne at Cove Branch Library on Saturday.

Come, meet the author and hear her inspiring story of the grace of God. Cove Library is located inside Cove City Hall on Hwy. 71 South, Cove.

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BY WOODS! Drive down 11.65 acres of woods to the 3 bedroom, 2 bath manufactured home. Close to Acorn on a paved road, Beautiful kitchen cabinets and buffet in dining area. Open concept. The master suite is awesome with garden tub, shower, double sinks and walk-in closet and built in drawers to the ceiling. Large deck on the front to enjoy the wild life and small deck on the back. 12 x 20 storage bldg. Permanently set on 8' cement runners. $90,000

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Page 7

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

Leach

(CONT. FROM FRONT PAGE)

NEWS

July 17, 2009 murder of Christopher Casey.

Leach was found guilty of capital murder in Polk County Circuit Court in June 2011. After losing one appeal, he is now appealing a second time, claiming that there was insufficient evidence and ineffective counsel on several issues.

During the original trial, Tyler Prine told jurors that he was riding in a pickup truck with Casey and Leach.

He testified that Casey was driving, Leach was in the passenger seat, and Prine himself, was in the middle. As Casey turned onto Prine Lane in Cove, Prine said Leach lunged from the seat across Prine and began to assault Casey. As Prine attempted to separate the two, he discovered that Leach had a knife, and fled the vehicle.

In a statement to police following the murder, Prine stated that Leach then moved out of the vehicle from the passenger door and Prine asked Leach what he had done, to which Leach responded, “I killed him; I thought you wanted me to!”

Leach maintains his innocence and says he has no memory of the incident and that he was so incoherent that Prine could have convinced him to stab Casey. He also claims that Prine was driving. All three were found to be intoxicated at the time of the incident.

In his appeal, Leach claimed, “Counsel failed to procure the attendance at trial of witnesses who were material to the defense and who could have testified to threats made by Tyler Prine against the victim and to threats made by Prine to the potential witnesses to prevent them from testifying.” However, the Supreme Court found that Leach “did not demonstrate that there was a witness who could have provided admissible evidence…”

Leach also claimed that, “Prine was the one who was angry at the victim; it was Prine who was driving, and the forensic evidence showed that it would have been practically impossible for appellant to inflict the wounds to the victim; Prine had the key to the tool box where the knife was found; Prine committed perjury concerning where certain pills were obtained; Prine may have given appellant the pills that impaired his thinking or maybe spiked his drink and then Prine killed the victim. Appellant further stated in the petition that, even if he did in fact kill the victim, he would not have done so if Prine had not supplied the drugs that affected him so adversely. He argued that, under the circumstances that suggest Prine was culpable, counsel was ineffective for not asking that the jury be instructed on accomplice liability.” The Courts found that Leach, “did not show that establishing that Prine was an accomplice to capital murder would impact the outcome of appellant’s case.”

Eagles Boosters Host Donkey Basketball The Cossatot River High School Athletics/Ag

Boosters held a fundraiser Donkey Basketball

game Saturday night in the Hatfield Gym. Event organizer Shanea Floyd said they had over 600

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School Choice Deadline is May 1st!

Applications may be picked up at any of our campuses or the administration office. 870-385-7101

Page 8

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

NEWS

Downtown Streetscape Project

Mena Street with decorative pavers as part of the Downtown Streetscape Project. However, as Mayor George McKee put it, “we’ve had 3 onehundred year floods and an ice storm” which have caused delays with completing the project, along with FEMA taking almost five years to release the funding. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the project was approved to begin advertising for bids for the construction of those

sidewalks.

Rick Chrisman, owner of American Artisans on Mena Street, spoke at the meeting on behalf of several business owners and organizations from the downtown area regarding their efforts to draw tourism to the region. Chrisman explained that the business owners have been inspired by a revitalization study that ARCO (Arkansas Regional Coalition of the Ouachitas) conducted. “The creative organizations and businesses downtown have been working hard to create events to draw tourism to downtown to improve the area,” said Chrisman. He gave examples of events that encourage growth in tourism. The Rod Run,

bicycle riding events, marathon events, Lum and Abner, and six events in the fall including Downtown Trick or Treat, Chamber Fall Festival, CMA Changing of the Colors, OLT productions, Mena Art Gallery’s National Painting Competition, and the Ouachita Arts Festival. Chrisman pointed out to City Council that all of those events occur in the downtown area and “it’s important to us to see this improve down here.”

According to Chrisman, there have been two main issues along the way that they feel have hindered their efforts somewhat.

“One has been that Queen Wilhelmina has been closed down, which will solve itself soon. The other is the long overdue streetscape project and we’re glad to see you approve to advertise for bids on that,” said Chrisman. “It’s encouraging that the City is going to go along with an investment on that project as the other business have down here in their efforts.”

Chrisman expressed that although the business owners are glad that the old sidewalks will be replaced to match the rest of the street, there is concern over how long construction could take and how it might impact their businesses and events. “This is an opportunity for us to shine and improve things down here. Downtown businesses and organizations support and encourage the Mayor and Council to move forward on the Streetscape Project. However, in the

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process, we need to be considerate in the scheduling of the project in a manner that least impacts local businesses and visitors that come to see our products, services, and special events. It’s going to be a major disruption when you start to work on the streets,” said Chrisman.

During discussion of the project, Mayor McKee said it would be, “at best a hindrance” to business owners and consumers alike, but the work has to be done and the City will consider how and when they complete the project that has the least impact. “We will work with the contractor and try to work out a plan. I don’t know what that plan will be, but we will do our best,” said Mayor McKee. ARCO Chair Gar Eisele said, “We want it bad enough that we will make it work.”

Other items discussed previous to Chrisman’s presentation were: reviewing and accepting bids for projects and the reappointment of positions.

Department heads each gave reports of their respective areas of expertise, beginning with Airport Manager Will Robbins.

Robbins reported that steps to complete the Master Plan, required by the Federal Aviation Administration, are coming along and it is expected to be complete by September.

Fire Chief John Puckett said that Mena Fire Department responded to 3 structure

fires and 1 car fire last month, among other miscellaneous incidents. Police Chief Brandon Martin reported that officers worked twenty-four accidents last month and made fifty arrests. The Street Department head Roy Harris said they are continuing to haul loads daily for the City-wide Spring Cleanup program so there are no totals to report as of yet. However, Mayor George McKee has asked that citizens stop throwing leaves in ditches. He said that with all the rain, it clogs up the drainage system and causes worse flooding.

In addition to approving advertising for bids regarding the Downtown Streetscape Project, the Council announced that Cossatot Builders, Inc., won the bid for the construction of a restroom/storage facility at Tapley Park near the soccer fields with the low bid of $133,500. The Council also approved the transfer of reserve funds for incidental repairs to the baseball/softball concession and restroom facility and to assist with construction of a second restroom at Tapley Park.

Tim Masters was appointed to the Mena Depot Commission to complete the unexpired term of Gar Eisele. The remainder of the three-year term will expire on March 4, 2017. LeAnn Dilbeck and Steve Mosley were re-appointed to their positions on the Depot Commission with their three-year terms set to expire on March 4, 2018.

Mena Water Utilities Experiences Violation

BY MELANIE BUCK A Total Coliform Rule has been violated by Mena Water Utilities, however, Department Manager Charles Pitman says consumers should not be worried and the problem has been fixed. The Total Coliform Rule is part of the Safe Drinking Water Act and when a violation occurs, letters must be sent to all consumers reporting the violation. This is the first time that Mena Water Utilities has had a violation of this rule.

“It doesn’t mean that the water is unsafe to drink. It means that something organic was detected in the water,” said Pitman. “Even though the chlorine was high enough to kill whatever was in the water, it hadn’t completely dissolved it,” he added.

Pitman explained that the sample that showed the violation was from a line that only has a couple of services, so it was an isolated event, but letters are still required to be sent to everyone on the system. Pitman also said that even though Freedom Water and Acorn Water consumers were not affected, they still must receive a letter because they are on a ‘consecutive system’ with Mena Water Utilities.

“We had the water tested above the sample site and it passed. We replaced a leaking valve that was close enough to the sample site that with pressure changes, a bug could have crawled into the line and been pulled down into the sample,” he explained.

Drinking water standards are set and regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and has determined that the presence of total coliforms can be

a possible health concern. Coliforms are bacteria that are always present in the digestive tracts of animals, including humans, and are found in their wastes. They are also found in plant and soil material. Your immune system can determine whether or not you could become ill from coliform contamination. People become accustomed to the natural bacteria in their water while their guests may have some discomfort or diarrhea after drinking your water. Immune deficient people may become ill under circumstances where people with ‘normal’ immune systems would not. According to the EPA, more than 9,000 Total Coliform Rules violations occurred each year from 2000 through 2004.

Coliforms can be found in municipal water systems as well as private well systems and testing for the bacteria often is encouraged. According to Cliff Treyens, Director of Public Awareness, National Ground Water Association who wrote a paper on coliforms in private wells, “Most coliforms are harmless residents of soil and will not make people sick.” He also said, “If you have unsafe levels of coliform bacteria, obtain an alternative source of drinking and cooking water until the problem is solved. Cleaning the well may remove the bacteria, and the water can certainly be made safe using a home treatment system.”

If you have questions regarding Mena Water Utilities violation, contact them at 479-394-2671 for Mena, 479-394-7500 for Freedom Water, and 479-394-1025 for Acorn Water. You can also contact the Department of Health, Engineering Section, at 501-661-2623.

April 22, 2015

THE POLK COUNTY PULSE

Page 9

More than a school, we are a family.

Ouachita River School District...A place to belong!

• Excellent test scores • RMCC courses tuition free for Acorn & Oden students • New Middle School for 6th - 8th grade students • AP courses • Family environment • Small and safe environment • Two full-time police officers • Nationally recognized archery program • State champion athletics • Expanding band and choir classes • Technology • New rodeo team • Varsity Baseball • New bass fishing team • Wellness clinic on campus • Tobacco free campus • After school tutoring program

School Choice Deadline is May 1st!

Applications can be picked up at the central office on Acorn Campus (143 Polk 96) and turned in by May 1st.

479-394-2348

Page 10

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

NEWS

ARCO Continues Branding Initiative

BY LEANN DILBECK A branding initiative launched by the Arkansas Regional Coalition of the Ouachitas (ARCO) in August of 2014, is continuing to develop. A meeting was held by ARCO members and invited guests of the community at RMCC’s Ouachita Center on Monday as ARCO solicited the guidance of Martin Thoma of Thoma Thoma, a strategic marketing firm based in Little Rock that specializes in community driven branding.

The Arkansas Coalition of the Ouachitas announced their new branding initiative called “One More Day” with the hope of extending tourists’ stay while in the region. “The purpose of the branding initiative is to develop a brand – a common theme and graphic that can be used to market the many things to see and do in the ARCO region (Montgomery, Polk, and Scott Counties),” states Gar Eisele, ARCO Chair. “We want to encourage visitors to stay one more day in the region.”

This initiative is sponsored by the Partners for a Vibrant Sustainable Future, a collaboration between the Arkansas Coalition of the Ouachitas, Rich Mountain Community College, and the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

“Thousands of people visit the ARCO region each year, and they often are not aware of the many things to see and do in each of the three ARCO counties,” states Carla Vaught, ARCO Board Member and Polk County Extension Agent. “Based on the 2013 Arkansas Tourism Annual Report, if we can entice them to stay one more day in the region, this would increase travel and tourism by 31% - an increase in travel and tourism expenditures in the region by $16.5 million. This would support our travel and tourism businesses, increase jobs, and increase local government tax revenues.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Rejuvenation Begins at Camp High Point

OBITUARIES

BY MELANIE BUCK There will be a workday at Camp High Point, just outside of Mena, this Saturday, April 25, beginning at 10 a.m.

This is the first workday for volunteers that are trying to rejuvenate the camp in preparation for a summer camp to be held from June 7-17.

Julie Reeves, a volunteer from Dallas, said that volunteers from all over the state, Little Rock, Texarkana, and out of state, are “converging to get Camp High Point back

Lavada Kay Richardson

Lavada Kay Richardson, age 63, of Wickes, Arkansas passed away Saturday, April 18, 2015 in Texarkana.

She was born December 9, 1951 in Quitaque, Texas to the late English Woodrow Baker and the late Alma Hazel Cornelius Baker.

She was married to Jimmy Richardson for many happy years and was a waitress and homemaker by profession.

Lavada was a very loving, caring, kind-hearted person.

She gave even when she didn’t have to give and she helped everyone in her community that needed it.

She donated her paintings to most of the benefits that were given in her community and attended each one. She just wanted to help everyone she could, cause she felt that’s what God wanted her to do. She helped her older sister and Mother start the Western Arkansas Arts & Crafts Association, aka WAACA. Lavada always set up a stand at the Vandervoort 4th of July Picnic. She sold t-shirts, cotton candy, and sometimes snow cones. Lavada didn’t like little children to do without so she gave away more cotton candy than she sold. Any time a child came by her stand and the parents didn’t have

to being a residential camp for Girl Scouts” after being closed for four years.

Camp High Point is now under the direction of the Diamonds Council out of Little Rock. Diamonds oversees all camps in the state and said it wasn’t in the budget for summer camps this year so the volunteers are trying to revive it. “We want to make it happen,” said Reeves.

Sue Snowden, of Lyndon, Texas, is heading up the project and will be at the camp on Saturday to lead the

the money to buy the cotton candy she said “that’s ok, you can have some anyways.” She loved children, and she carried Smartees candies around in her pocket and her purse. She would give them to all the little kids she saw.

Lavada enjoyed doing Genealogy and traced her family back quite a ways. She loved reading, especially her Bible, painting, soap making, flowers, and plants. She loved the outdoors, period.

Lavada loved the Lord and tried her best to live her life according to His Will. She loved always and said she could never have gotten her boys raised without the Ten Commandments. She loved country music and dancing. But most of all she loved her boys, Jimmie, and her family.

She was a loving and kind wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend to all who knew her. She will be dearly missed by all.

She is survived by husband, Jimmie Richardson of Wickes, Arkansas; sons, Greg Moon and wife DeLana of Wilburton, Oklahoma, Shane Moon and wife Michelle of Yelm, Washington; step-daughter, Angela Richardson and David; grandchildren, Kelbie, Kaila, Paxton, Tori and Tyler Moon; two special girls, Rachael Lyles and Ceirrah Baily; brothers and sisters, Anita and Dale Blair of Wickes, Arkansas, Kathy and Randy Kosier of Gulfport, Mississippi, Larry and Joan Baker of Mena, Arkansas, Freddie and Diane Baker of Vandervoort, Arkansas, Carla and Steve Wolcott of DeQueen, Arkansas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, English Woodrow and Alma Hazel Baker; siblings, Lora Mae Barrick, Franklin D. Baker, English Calvin Baker, and Gwinn Marvella Roan.

Funeral service will be Wednesday, April 22, 2015, 10:00 a.m., at the Nazarene Church

group. If you would like more information, you can visit their Facebook page, We’re Out at Camp High Point, or come out on Saturday and bring a sack lunch.

Volunteers from the Mena area are much needed and would be more than welcome to assist in the project.

There is another workday being scheduled tentatively for May 9. Keep watching in the Pulse for the confirmed time and date.

in Cove, Arkansas with Brother Donnie Jewell officiating. Interment will follow in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Cove, under the direction of Beasley Wood Funeral Home of Mena.

Family and friends visitation was Tuesday, April 21, 2015, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Beasley Wood.

Pallbearers will be Steve Wolcott, Freddie Baker, DeWayne Baker, Cecil Roan, Clay Davis, and Christopher Page.

Richard Allen fielder Richard Allen Fielder, age 72, of Mena, Arkansas, passed away at the Mena Regional Health System on Friday, April 17, 2015.

He was born October 27, 1942 in Flint, Michigan where he was raised by his loving parents, Troy and Maggie Fielder. He was a house painter by trade, but his passion was his family, whom he always had a smile and a kind word for. He loved his children and his grandchildren and his greatest pleasure was spending the day fishing with the family. Richard was member of the Church of God of Prophecy and was a resident of Rich Mountain Nursing and Rehabilitation and previously a long-term resident of Peachtree Assisted Living. He was a loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and a friend to all who knew him.

He is survived by daughters, Cynthia Crider and husband Rodger of Mena, Arkansas, Glo-

ria May of Mena, Arkansas, Meshelle Friend of Mena, Arkansas; son, Richard Dale Fielder and wife Kelly of Mena, Arkansas; grandchildren, Alex and Tyler Crider of Mena, Arkansas, Shane Venters of Mena, Arkansas, Devin and Chase Fielder of Mena, Arkansas, Amy May of Mena, Arkansas; great-grandchildren, Breanna, Lilly, Zane, Aria, Samantha, and Ashlynn Crider.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Virginia Wirebrough and Harold Kniver; and the parents who raised him, Troy and Maggie Fielder; a brother, Elmer Kniver; and a son-inlaw, Teddy Friend.

Memorial services were Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Church of God of Prophecy with Sister Debbie Skaggs officiating.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Beasley-Wood Funeral Home.

Honorary pallbearers were Gary Cooke, Jason Neer, Chris Cooke, Aaron Smith, Glenn McLellan and Devin Ward.

BILL MONROE FREDERICK Bill Monroe Frederick, age 66, of Hatfield, Arkansas passed away Sunday, April 12, 2015 in Hatfield.

He was born March 20, 1949 in Harrison, Arkansas to the late Floyd Frederick and the late Opal Keithley Frederick. He was married to the late Darlene Sue Robinson Frederick and was in the building/construction business. Bill was a creative ‘Jack of all trades,” loved to visit with people, and truly loved his grandchildren. He was a loving and kind father, grandfather, CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Page 11

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication great-grandfather, brother, and friend to all who knew him. He will be missed by all.

He is survived by children, Floyd Frederick and fiancé, Corey, of Hatfield, Arkansas, Billie Arthur and husband Frank of Hatfield, Arkansas; grandchildren, Samantha Frederick of Lubbock, Texas, William Frederick of Hatfield, Arkansas, Gabriel Jasso of Dallas, Texas, Tara Frederick of Dallas, Texas, Teri Frederick of Dallas, Texas; great-grandchildren, Nevaeh Bishop of Lubbock, Texas, Marissa Bishop of Lubbock, Texas; brother, Eddie Frederick of Wickes, Arkansas; sisters, Willa D. Holliday of Nunley, Arkansas, Pam Hicks of Wickes, Arkansas, Maxine Rose of DeQueen, Arkansas.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Darlene Sue Frederick, and multiple siblings.

Memorial services were Thursday, April 16, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at Beasley Wood Chapel with Brother Larry Stricklin officiating under the direction of the Beasley Wood Funeral Home of Mena.

CHARLES VENABLE

Charles Venable, age 76 of Mena, Arkansas passed away Tuesday, April 14, 2015 in Mena.

He was born February 21, 1939 in Grapevine, Texas to Icie and Richard Venable. After his father passed in 1944, Charlie moved to Acorn with his family where his mother remarried Roy Terwilliger. At the age of 18, he entered the Navy and was stationed in Newfoundland and served on the USS Forrestal. He met Patsy Wright of Mena in June 1961 and they married August 30, 1963 and had two sons, Charles Russell “Rus” and Travis. Charlie worked at US Motors for 36 years and retired in 2001 as an inspector.

Charlie enjoyed fishing, reading, and learning about American history. He was known for his storytelling, sharp wit and sense of humor. He also enjoyed the beautiful natural surroundings of his home near Lake Wilhelmina.

He is survived by wife: Patsy Venable of Mena, Arkansas; son, Travis Venable of Little Rock, Arkansas; sisters, Hazel Gray and Helen Egger, Annie Faye Miner and husband Jimmie; brothers, JV Venable and wife Ruth Ann, and Gene Venable; numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his son Rus; brothers, Arthur, Junior, and Billy; and a sister, Eddie Ree. Funeral services were Saturday, April 18, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Mena with Brother Tom Frase officiating. Interment followed in Mt. Gilead Cemetery under the direction of the Beasley Wood Funeral Home.

Visitation was Friday evening, April 17th from 5:00-7:00 p.m at Beasley Wood Chapel.

Pallbearers were Johnny Miner, Gary Miner, Steve Miner, Chris Moody, Cory Thompson and Rodney Grenier.

Honorary pallbearers were Danny Miner, Ronnie Hawthorne, Matt Moody, Dillon Buchanan, and the Acorn Class of 1957.

MARYELLEN GIBBONS MaryEllen Gibbons, age 53, of Hatfield, Arkansas died Saturday, January 24, 2015 at her home. She was born on Tuesday, April 18, 1961 to James Patrick and Ellen Frances Fitzpatrick Gibbons in Flushing, New York.

MaryEllen loved her family and spending all the time she could with her children and grandchildren. She was very proud of the great young men that they had become. She was a member of the Catholic Faith. She enjoyed bowling, tennis, and playing horseshoes. MaryEllen worked 12 years at Rich Mountain Nursing and Rehab in Mena, where she worked in the kitchen. She enjoyed taking care of her clients, as she called them. MaryEllen was a loving mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, and will be missed by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

MaryEllen is survived by her two sons and daughters-in-law, Christopher and Casey Gibbons of Delight, and Brendan and Violet Gibbons of Mena; one brother and sister, Jimmy Gibbons and Eileen Stastny both of Simi Valley, California; two grandsons, Gage Gibbons of Delight and James Gibbons of Mena; and a host of other relatives and friends.

A time of rememberance will be Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 3:00 P.M. at the Northside Church of Christ in Mena.

The family would like to also mention that there will be a reception following the service for fellowship.

Online Guestbook: www.bowserffh.com

BETTIE JEAN PIPKIN FRETZ Bettie Jean Pipkin Fretz, age 79, of Hatfield, died Monday, April 13, 2015 at her home. She was born on Thursday, October 17, 1935 to B.E. “Bud” and Bessie Melissa Little Gilbert in Page, Oklahoma.

Bettie loved life and enjoyed the outdoors; working in her flowerbeds and helping anyone in need. She loved her family and spending time with her grandchildren and her pets. Bettie worked over 35 years at U.S. Motors and was very proud of her career there. She won many awards over the years and was proud to have been able to work there for so many years. She was active in the Hot Rod Club, Mena Cruizzers, Hatfield School Supper Club, and the Audubon Society. Bettie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend and will be missed by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Richard Gilbert; sister, Joyce Gilbert; and one grandson, Patrick Raines.

Bettie is survived by her husband, Don Fretz of Hatfield; four sons and daughters-in-law, Robert and Pamela Pipkin of Mena and Thomas and Vicki Pipkin of Mena, Mark and Tanya Fretz of Mena and Teddy and Sue Fretz of Mena; two daughters and sons-in-law, Mary and Steve Raines of Valley Center, Kansas and Elizabeth and Russell Hoffman of Mena; four brothers, David Gilbert, Neil Gilbert, Mark Gilbert, and Roger Gilbert all of Mena; three sisters, Sue Stewart of Mena, Martha Gurnick of North Carolina, and Andre Gilbert of Greenwood, Arkansas; eighteen grandchildren; twenty-one great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends.

A time of remembrance was Saturday, April 18, 2015 from 1-3 P.M. at the Bowser Family Funeral Home Chapel in Mena. Cremation services have been entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Humane Society of the Ouachitas, P.O. Box 845, Mena, Arkansas 71953.

Online Guestbook: www.bowserffh.com

BUSTER L. “PIZZA” TOLLESON Buster L. “Pizza” Tolleson, age 63, of Mena, AR passed away on Sunday at UAMS in Little Rock, AR. He was born on December 22, 1951 to the late Theodore Roosevelt Tolleson and Wilma Jewell Himes Tolleson in Mena, AR. He was a mechanic by trade. Some of his other jobs included painting and body work, furniture and woodwork with family, logging, a member of the Board Camp volunteer fire fighters, and other odd jobs.

His hobbies included grilling, camping, fishing, antique car enthusiast, auctions, any kind of mechanic work, and he loved joking around with family and friends.

He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Kristy Rochelle Tolleson; parents, Ted and Wilma Tolleson; brothers David Tolleson, Theodore Tolleson, and Elmer Tolleson; sisters, Betty Hackney, Jewell Taylor, Olivia Crabtree, and Helen Rumbaugh.

He was loved and will be missed by all who were blessed to know him.

He is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Joyce Crawford Tolleson of Mena, AR; daughters, Rachel and husband Daniel Alaniz of Horatio, AR, Dana and Mark Kincaid of Mena, AR; son Teddy Tolleson of Mena, AR; grandchildren, Elizabeth and husband Josh Wahls of Hot Springs, AR, Zephrey Harvey of Mena, AR, Elijah Alaniz of Horatio, Arkansas, Brandon Harvey of Mena, Arkansas, Emilee Harvey of Mena, Arkansas, LaKoda Alaniz of Horatio, Arkansas; sisters, Johnnie Lou and husband Tommy Thomas of Oklahoma City, OK, Polly Morgan of Poteau, OK, Alta Rath of Poteau, OK, Jani and husband Nick Webster of Wylie, TX; brother, Anthony and wife Rhonda Tolleson of Poteau, OK; very

special friend, Tommy and wife Tammy Lee of Mena, AR. Services were held Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 2:00 pm at Church of God of Prophecy in Mena, AR. Visitation was Saturday from 10-12 am at Beasley Wood Funeral Home.

Interment followed at Mt. Gilead Cemetery at Rocky. Officiated by Rev. Debbie Skaggs.

Pallbearers were Danny Alaniz, Elijah Alaniz, Teddy Tolleson, Mark Kincaid, Tommy Lee, Will Rios, Zephrey Harvey, and Ernie Cunningham.

Honorary pallbearers were Adam Tolleson, Brandon Harvey, and Anthony Tolleson.

In lieu of flowers, a benefit account has been set up at the Union Bank of Mena for Buster Tolleson.

OBITUARIES

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

COY JUANITA BELL BUCK

Coy Juanita Bell Buck passed away April 13, 2015 in DeQueen, Arkansas.

Coy was born in San Antonio, Texas on November 19, 1976 to the late Wayne Bell and Emma Bell. At a very young age the family moved to the Wickes area, and that’s where home was.

Coy was employed at the bookstore on the CCCUA campus in DeQueen. She was raised in the Baptist faith. Coy loved to fish and spend time outdoors, even if it was just sitting on your porch talking. Her smile was as bright as the sun and her laugh could brighten anyone’s day. Coy was a wonderful, caring daughter who helped her parents, always. So many are saddened by her passing.

Coy is survived by children, Miguel Wayne Loredo, Stephanie Rose Loredo, Kaytlin Paige Loredo, Enrique Evaristo Loredo; mother, Emma Rose Turnbough Bell of Wickes, Arkansas; husband, Anthony Buck of Wickes, Arkansas; stepchildren, Roger Dale Buck and Samantha Dawn Buck of Ohio; brothers and sisters, Delbert Wayne Bell and wife Kathy of Spokane, Washington, Todd William Bell of Spokane, Washington, Robert Anthony Bell of Moses Lake, Washington, Jacob Lester Shaw of Arkansas, Cloy Sherrouse (her twin sister) and husband Carlton, Emily Suzanne Bell, Mary Ellen Bell, Chance Bowline, all of Wickes; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Preston Wayne Bell; maternal grandparents, Albert Lester and Elizabeth Alameda Turnbough; and paternal grandmother, Coy Juanita Bell.

Coy Juanita Bell Buck, age 38, She lived and laughed and loved and left.

Memorial service was Saturday, April 18, 2015, 2:00 p.m. at Hatton Baptist Church with Brother Don Youngblood officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of the Beasley Wood Funeral Home of Mena.

Page 12

AT THE CAPITOL

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

Grades Given to Public Schools

BY STATE SENATOR LARRY TEAGUE LITTLE ROCK – Individual public schools received a letter grade, from A to F, on school report cards issued by the state Education Department. The legislature mandated the letter grades in Act 696 of 2013 to make the school report cards easier for parents to understand.

Among other things, the report cards indicate how well individual schools are teaching mathematics and literacy, based on students’ scores on standardized tests. For high schools, the grades take into account graduation rates.

For all schools, the grades also take into account large achievement gaps indicating that at-risk groups are falling behind the student body as a whole.

Of the 1,052 public schools in Arkansas, 162 received an A, 322 received a B, 365 received a C, 160 received a D and 43 received an F. Narrowing academic achievement gaps has long been a priority for Arkansas educators, and its importance is shown by how much it counts toward an individual school’s letter grade. For example, if 93 percent of a school’s student body scores well on standardized tests it can still receive a relatively low grade if the remaining 7 percent score poorly.

With this in mind, the Education Department reminds parents that school report cards are not a measure of how well an individual student or an individual teacher is doing. Also keep in mind that grades do not necessarily reflect how well the school is doing in other subject areas besides math and literacy. Nor do grades reflect how well school personnel take care of students’ nutrition and health needs.

A school that receives an A is one where students score well on statewide tests and meet performance goals. Groups of students such as African-Americans, whites, Spanish-speaking and special needs students are meeting progress goals.

In schools that receive a D or an F, most students do not score at the proficient level on standardized tests. In schools that receive a C, some groups may not meet performance goals, resulting in an achievement gap.

The goal of letter grades is not simply to make school report cards easier for parents to understand, but also to encourage parents to become more involved in their children’s school work.

It is hoped that parents talk more with teachers and school officials, that they volunteer for school activities and that they make sure their children do homework, attend classes and complete assignments.

School report cards are listed on the state Education Department’s web site. The letter grades are only a small part of a school’s overall performance evaluation. Report cards include total enrollment, information about how many teachers are licensed and in what degree levels they have earned, per pupil expenditures, retention rates, graduation rates, expulsions, demographic statistics and specifics on test scores.

The letter grades do not entail any penalty or reward for individual schools. The formula for arriving at letter grades was developed by the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville’s Office of Innovation for Education and the Education Department, with input from administrators, teachers and foundations.

The formula accounts for the number of students from low income families, who generally do not do as well academically as students from middle and upper income households.

Fight the Fast Growing Drug Problem by Disposing of Prescription Drugs

BY U.S. Senator John Boozman Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug problem in the country.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classified prescription drug abuse as an epidemic. The agency estimates that at least 44 people in the U.S. die from an overdose of prescription drugs each day and even more become addicted.

As a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee I’m working with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to create a connected network of VA pharmacies to protect against potential abuse and correct the practice of overprescribing pain medication. VA created an environment of dependency on opioids and other medications, leading to addiction and in some cases – death. In 2013, VA launched the Opioid Safety Initiative (OSI) to reform its prescription culture. We have seen success with this program, but unfortunately the problem continues.

Drug take-back programs are an important tool to breaking the cycle of addiction for our veterans and all prescription drug abusers. That’s why my colleagues and I pushed the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to establish drug takeback programs in coordination with the Department of Defense (DoD) and VA. DEA recently update its regulations and expanded prescription drug disposal programs to allow pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and others to serve as drop-off sites to collect unused or unwanted prescription drugs.

These types of programs are working right here in Arkansas.

After responding to incidents that occurred as a result of teenage prescription drug abuse, the Benton Police Department created the ‘take back box’ so citizens had a safe place to dispose of unused and unneeded prescription drugs.

Efforts to tackle prescription drug abuse in this population were ramped up after 2007 data from the Office of National Drug Control Policy showed that Arkansas teens were the most likely to abuse prescription drugs than any others nationwide. In 2010, a statewide effort was launched to collect prescription drugs as part of a larger initiative to decrease teen abuse.

It continues to be a challenge in the Natural State, but programs like Arkansas Take Back are a making a big difference by decreasing the availability of prescription drugs. Since 2010, more than 62 tons of unneeded medications have been collected as part of Arkansas Take Back. Saturday, April 25 marks the 10th statewide event. More than 130 collection sites across the state will take old and unneeded prescription drugs.

Arkansas Take Back is a coordinated effort between law enforcement agencies around the state and community organizations to educate Arkansas about the dangers of prescription drugs.

Prescription drug abuse is a widespread problem that impacts all ages and populations of Americans. We have a responsibility to get expired and unwanted prescription drugs out of our homes to prevent pills from getting in the hands of abusers.

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Page 13

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

OPINION

What Part of “Stop! Police!” Don’t You Understand?

BY MICHEAL REISIG When I was a young man I seem to remember police being respected, and by and large, liked. But if you got into a bad situation, and you heard the words, “Stop!

Police!” You stopped. Because they were the law and they had the right to detain you by whatever fashion they felt necessary in order to protect their communities. And you know what? I don’t remember anyone having a problem with that, except the criminals.

But that was before “Political Correctness,” the doctrine fostered by the delusional and the illogical, and promoted by a gutless lapdog media, which advocates the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a piece of dog dookie by the clean end…

Nowadays, criminals seem to have a hearing problem, or perhaps a perception problem. Today, if you watch almost any cop show on television (heck, if you just watch the news), you realize that “Stop! Police!” doesn’t mean dog dookie. Nobody listens… because they know in this politically incorrect world, that the money is on them getting away, in one fashion or another. And the police realize that they are almost better off to just let the criminal get away than to shoot someone.

What we have here is a carnival of illegality that perpetuates itself based on the premise that law enforcement is doing their job as long as they don’t have any questionable altercations with anyone. When the premise should be “What part of ‘Stop! Police!’ don’t you understand?”

And therein lies another interesting aspect of this new America. While there is statistical proof that one race in this country perpetuates criminality greater than any other, the evidence of this is becoming harder and harder to find. Thanks to former Attorney General Eric Holder, and President Obama, records of criminal activity regarding individuals perpetuating criminal activity are losing definition. Crimes committed in America are no longer being stored at a national level under individual genres such as Asian-American, Hispanic, African-American, or White. They are now being listed under “White” or “Non-White.”

This safely eclipses any evidence that might indicate one race is predominant in criminal activity in the “non-white” group. Furthermore, this discourages accurate police work in the larger metropolitan communities, because, heck, what’s the point if it’s all scrambled together at the end? But all this is really secondary to the glaring fact that police everywhere are gradually being intimidated by minorities whose voice is rising above common sense and law and order. In time, this intimidation on one hand, and the deliberate obliteration of records that define perpetrators on the other, creates a new politically correct image that has nothing to do with accuracy or truth.

America had soon better decide which is most important – The unity of a nation managed by irrefutable, colorblind laws, or political correctness, which portrays the individual as greater than the whole, and culture above code or country.

The views and opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the Dear Editor, views and opinions of the ownership and staff of The Polk County Pulse. Michael Reisig is a freelance writer and published author whose works are reproduced throughI had thought that the question of whether we wanted to bear an additional sales tax in order out the globe. to pay for a new jail had been answered in the last election. Evidently, Sheriff Godfrey does not intend to take ‘no’ for an answer. He has called for town meetings so that he can impress upon us the need for an updated jail system, but I believe that he has missed the point. Speaking for myself and probably for the other voters as well, it is not the jail that we voted against. It’s the proposed tax increase.

In reasonable amounts, sales tax is necessary for our local governments to function, but if tax increases become the answer, to every problem that faces a community, they soon find themselves, as we have, bearing a grievous burden. Excessive sales and use tax can do long term harm that far outweighs the short term good it brings. It has been shown to stifle commerce as people go elsewhere to buy big ticket items, and contribute to unemployment as businesses are starved out and new ones are unwilling to come here. Anything that hurts the health of our local economy is going to impact the standard of living of every one of us.

Sales taxes tend to sneak up on us. They are laid upon us gently, generally only a fraction of a cent at a time, and instead of paying them all at once like other taxes, they are collected all year long, every time we make a transaction. It’s no surprise that they have now become one of our largest tax burdens. A Polk County resident fortunate enough to earn a national average wage of around $27,000 will owe $1890 in Arkansas income tax, but can expect to pay $2636 in sales and use taxes on what is left. And there are no deductions or refunds to soften the blow.

Our state ranks 45th in the nation and our county is 71st in our state, in terms of average income. Yet Polk County residents live under one of the highest combined sales and use tax in the nation. Sales and use tax is especially hard on the poorest of us, as it hits every dollar we spend. It’s not only the physical goods we buy, it’s thereon our electric, telephone and other utility bills.

Those who see a sales and use tax increase as a opportunity for Polk County are simply not counting the whole cost. It’s not just a penny. The upcoming town meetings should be used, not as an appeal to our emotions by showing us a need, but as reasonable discussion to find an alternate solution. We’ll not find an easy answer, but we must try to find one that we can afford.

Mark Anglin, Board Camp Letters to the Editor Policy - The Polk County Pulse reserves all rights to reject submissions. Anonymous letters are not permitted. All letters to the editor must be signed, include author’s town of residence, and be free of the threat of libel. Letters must be 300 words or less. We prefer they stay in the bounds of sensibility and good taste. We reserve the right to authenticate letters before publishing.

Page 14

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

NEWS

ARCO

(CONCLUSION FROM PAGE 10)

According to Thoma [PICTURED RIGHT], “There is perhaps nothing stronger than a community that is unified, energized, and empowered.” Thoma facilitated the meeting using helpful research from online surveys that were completed from participants in the region last Fall and asked participants, “Cast your vision 3-5 years. For you to be absolutely delighted with the progress of the ARCO region, what has to have happened?” Thoma will use the feedback from Monday’s meeting to assist ARCO in crafting a marketing platform that will generate a brand desire powerful enough to drive tourism, increase tax revenue and transform ARCO from a good region into a great one.

As he explained during the meeting, “Why does branding work? It’s mental real estate.

Community branding is a ‘promise.’”

Thoma’s pledge is to utilize their brand marketing expertise to uncover what makes a city, town, or destination special.

Eisele explained that Thoma has a history of success. “Creating a brand for the region – a logo and slogan that expresses who we are and what we have to offer, is the first step in this process. If we are successful in encouraging our visitors to stay ‘one more day,’ we will all benefit,” Eisele concluded.

NRCS Announces Application Deadline for Financial Assistance to Restore & Improve Forest Health

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., April 15, 2015 - Forest landowners in 29 counties in western Arkansas have until May 15, 2015, to apply for financial assistance for the voluntary installation of forest land conservation practices to help restore, maintain and enhance more open woodland.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and United States Forest Service (FS) announced a multi-year partnership in 2014 to improve the health and resiliency of forest ecosystems across the nation.

The Western Arkansas Woodland Restoration project aims to double the conservation activity on private lands and on the Ozark-St. Francis and Ouachita National Forests.

“Both of these agencies have the same goal – improving the health of our forest lands,” Mike Sullivan, NRCS state conservationist said. “The project has two components that will restore and improve forest land. The NRCS portion will provide voluntary, incentive-based assistance to private landowners, while the Forest Service portion will focus on Forest Service lands.”

Key conservation practices include forest stand improvement, prescribed burning, firebreaks, tree and shrub planting and forage and biomass planting. All trees, 1102 Crestwood Circle shrubs and grass planted through the program must be native.

“As with all NRCS programs, participation is completely voluntary,” Sullivan said.

Mena, AR 71953 “This project incorporates the same practices at an accelerated pace that landowners have been voluntarily implementing for years.”

Additional information about the project, an area map and conservation practices, N O T I C E are available at www.ar.nrcs.usda.gov. To apply, visit your local NRCS office. In Life & Health Insurance Polk and Montgomery Counties, please contact NRCS at (479)394-1782 x3 or at 508 7th Street in Mena to apply.

Annuities

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I’m certified & licensed with several companies, and I can get you the BEST PRICE! Call: LaDon Copelin CLU, ChFC, CFP® 3015 Hwy. 71 S, Mena • 479-394-5570 AR License #15429 - OK License #40117342

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April 22, 2015

THE POLK COUNTY PULSE

Page 15

Page 16

FAMILY

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

POLK COUNTY BIRTHS

Welcome Baby Titan

AT MENA REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM

Ty Venable and Jordan Reuter are the proud parents of a baby boy named Titan Jaxon Venable born February 24th, 2015 at 2:03 pm. He weighed 9 lbs 2 oz and was 22 in long. Proud sibling is Timrie Venable. Grandparents are Tim & Tammy Venable and Van & Lea Rigby.

Alicia Lowrie and Jason Parkin, of Hatfield, are the proud parents of a baby boy, born on April 15th.

Ashlie Dixon, of Mena, is the proud mother of a baby girl, born on April 16th.

#LOL

Public Restroom Chat Leaving Washington D.C. for Richmond, I decided to make a stop at one of those rest areas on the side of the road. I went into the washroom.

The first stall was taken so I went to the second stall. I’d just sat down when I heard a voice from the next stall... Hi there, how’s it going?”

Now I’m not the type to strike up conversations with strangers in washrooms on the side of the road. I didn’t know what to say, but finally I said, “...Not bad...”

Then the voice said, “So, what are you doing?”

I thought that was kind of weird, but I said, “Well, I’m just going to the bathroom, then I’m going back home...”

The voice interrupted, “Look, I’m going to have to call you back. Every time I ask you a question, this goober in the next stall keeps answering me!”

Gift Registry Holly Lewis Alyssa Hunt & Christopher Cassell & Wesley Seals 6/1/15 4/25/15 Lizbeth Lopez Hailee Graves & Leland M. Wiederhoeft & Kyle Rutherford 6/6/15 5/2/15 Leigha Smith Brittney Miner & Damon Newman & Jeff Battenfield 6/6/15 5/9/15 Deianeira Oliver & Matt Wise Kelly Anderson 6/13/15 & Peter Gandy 5/16/15 Natalie Rose & Jake Ledbetter Tara Lynn Warrington 6/20/15 & Ethan Garrett Davis Ashley Philpot 5/23/15 & Colby Kennedy Taylor Cheyenne Smith 6/20/15 & Caleb Sebo Jordan Deramus 5/23/15 & Jordon McDaniel Brigetta Super 6/27/15 & Kylan Rakestraw Darian Kinsey 5/24/15 & Brett Shockley Manda Ham 7/18/15 & Kyle Jewell Emily Herod 5/30/15 & Logan McCourtney 7/25/15

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CUTEST PET PIC Maggie

This is Maggie. Her parents are Slade and Angela Cunningham.

Please share your favorite photo of your pet.

You may drop it off or mail it to: The Polk County Pulse | 1168 Hwy 71 S, Mena, AR 71953 or email: classifieds@polkcountypulse.com

This week’s Cutest Pet Pic made possible by your friends at:

April 22 , 2015

THE POLK COUNTY PULSE

Page 17

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Page 18

CITIZEN

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

Rae Lankford - With Kids Forever in Her Heart

BY JACLYN ROSE Rae Lankford felt the Lord calling her to work with children over forty years ago, when she and her husband, Mitch, began teaching children’s church at Holly Creek Baptist Church in Dierks, Arkansas. The group went from ten children to eighty-five and Lankford knew this would be her life’s work.

Lankford grew up in central Arkansas and graduated from White Hall High School in Pine Bluff. She then went on to Henderson State University on a voice scholarship, where she met and married Mitch, 44 years ago. “Mitch and I believe in putting God first, family second, and ourselves last. I’m hoping we’ll be together 44 more years,” said Lankford with a smile.

The couple has two daughters, Tiffny and Candice. “Tiffny has a doctorate in Physical Therapy and is in the process of adopting two foster children, along with the two children they already have. Candice has a Master’s in Speech Therapy and is the Clinical Supervisor for all Speech Pathologists at the University of Central Arkansas, and is the mother of two little boys,” explained Lankford.

After discovering that children were her passion, Lankford moved to Mena and took a job with Head Start as a home visitor. She later became the director of the center, where she stayed for 15 years. In 1998, Kid’s 1st, Incorporated, was established and many Polk County children have passed through their doors over the next 17 years. In 2000, Kid’s 1st became a 3-Star Quality Center, and in 2004, became part of the ABC Program, which Lankford believes is the best in the state of Arkansas.

Lankford is quick to give God all the glory for her success as a preschool teacher. “God worked it all out. I always thought God gave me this purpose in life, to love children, and He also gave me the abilities and talents I needed to do it. He also gave me the means. I not only love the children, I love their families; being a part of each family gave me a greater blessing than I could have ever given them. I never tried to make a difference based on race or ability instead, I loved them all the same. To share the love of God and have them love me back has been just wonderful. I did Children’s Chapel at Dallas Avenue Baptist Church for many years and lots and lots of musicals with the children. I wanted them to have a love for learning and music,” explained Lankford.

After 17 years of serving the families of Polk County, Kid’s 1st will close on May 15, 2015 and Lankford will retire. “Many of our children have graduated and gone on to college, some have married and have children of their own that we have in class now. I think the thing I’m going to miss the most is giving lipstick kisses,” said Lankford with a smile. “I hope to spend more time with my grandkids and my husband and I want to travel to Ecuador and have an adventure in our old age. I have never imagined a life without little kids. When I was young and singing everywhere, I wanted to be an evangelis2642 Hwy. 71 N. tic singer, I just didn’t realize it would be with little kids. Without my family’s support I Mena, AR 71953 wouldn’t have been able to do it. And I give my staff a lot of credit.”

(479) 243-9494 “I love the people and their willingness to help others in Polk County. I think this is a very giving community. My husband and I also liked Polk County because it is a smaller Open Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. community with a smaller school that is so wonderful. I think the proof of that is in my two Sat. 8 a.m.-Noon We sell the best and work on the rest! daughters and what they have accomplished because of the school and community they were brought up in,” Lankford said.

“I

hope to spend more time with my grandkids and my husband and I want to travel to Ecuador and have an adventure in our old age.”

April 22, 2015

THE POLK COUNTY PULSE

Page 19

Page 20

April 22, 2015

CALENDAR

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

– meeting at Saint Agnes Church Parish Hall. * 7:00 p.m. –Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting – ABC Club across from Chopping Block, 1159 Highway 71 S. For information call 394-7396 or 2164606.

Friday 4/24 * 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. – The Writer’s Guild will meet in the classroom at the Mena Art Gallery, 607 Mena Street.

Admission is free. * 7:00 p.m. – Narcotics Anonymous Meeting – 812 Hwy 71 South, Mena. * 8:00 p.m. – Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the ABC Club across from Chopping Block, 1159 Hwy 71 South, Mena, For information call 397-4396 or 216-4606.

Saturday 4/25 * 2:30 p.m. – Author Anne Evans presents Through the Eyes of a Child book signing, Cove Branch Library. * 6:00 p.m. PCVO Bingo at American Legion Building, Hwy 71 N., Acorn. * 8:00 p.m. – Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the ABC Club across from Chopping Block, 1159 Hwy 71 S. Mena. For info call 394-7396 or 216-4606.

Sunday 4/26 * 6:30 p.m. –Narcotics Anonymous meeting at Saint Agnes Church Parish Hall.

Monday 4/27 * 6:00 – 8:0 p.m. – Jr OLT auditions for Charlotte’s Web. * 5:00 p.m. – Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) –Hatfield City Hall, For more information call 870389-6678. * 6:00 p.m. – PCVO Bingo, American Legion Building, Hwy 71 N., Acorn. * 6:00 p.m. – FREE Weightloss Warriors – First National Bank across from Depot. For information call 437-3560.6:00 pm. * 6:00 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous

Meeting, 812 Hwy 71 S., Mena. * 6:30 p.m. – Boy Scouts of America Troop 92 meets at First United Methodist Church. Everyone is welcome to attend. * 7:00 p.m. – Home Front Warriors CMA Chapter 377 monthly meeting at Lime Tree Restaurant. * 7:00 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous – 12 +12 Study at ABC Club across from Chopping Block, 1159 Hwy 71 S., Mena. For information call 3947396 or 216-4606.

Tuesday 4/28 * 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Jr OLT auditions for Charlotte’s Web. * 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Polk County Family Mission will be open in the 9th Street Ministries building. * 11: 00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. “Art Day”, Mena Art Gallery, 607 Mena Street.

Bring your current project and join other artist working in the classroom at the gallery. * 11:00 – 2:00 p.m. – FREE Delicious Lunch at Vegetarian Soup Kitchen, Mena Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 149 Polk Rd. 43 (Fairground Road), Mena. 479-3947404. Take-out is available. All are welcome! * 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. Son Lighters in Action Card Shop, 3671 Hwy 8 West.

For more information call 216-0719. * 6:00 p.m. – Narcotics Anonymous Meeting, 812 Hwy 71 S, Mena. * 8:00 p.m. – Alcoholics Anonymous, First United Methodist Church, 9th Street & Port Arthur.

For information call 479-234-2887 or 479-234-3043.

Wednesday 4/29 * 6:00 p.m. – Narcotics Anonymous Meeting, 812 Hwy 71S, Mena. * 7:00 – Alcoholics Anonymous, Book Study, ABC Club across from Chopping Block, 1159 Hwy 71 S., Mena. For information call 394-7396 or 216-4606

Mena Head Start is taking applications for FALL enrollment for preschool children 3-5 and Early Head Start Children, birth – 3. The program is free to those who qualify.

For an application, come by Mena Head Start at 606 Pine Avenue, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday. For more information, call 479-437-3733.

MSH 40 Year Club to meet this Memorial Day, May 23 from 2 to 5 p.m. followed by a fish fry. For more information go to www. mhs40yearclub.org or call Russell Blackburn at 479-234-3238.

Every Monday 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Learn American Sign Language for free. Cove Branch Library with teacher Casey Kelley.

Every Thursday 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Learn to knit or crochet with teachers Patricia Ruskauff and Mollie Thomas, Cove Branch Library.

PCDC/Jumpstart can now administer the Ages and Stage Developmental Assessments.

This assessment measures your child’s milestones and is available for ages 2 months through 60 months. If you are interested in having your child assessed, please contact Sally or Carolyn at 479-394-7572.

Double Elimination Call of Duty Advanced Warfare Tournament, May 2nd, $5 per person; 13 & under $2.50. 100% proceeds go to Relay for Life. 11:00 a.m. – 5:00p.m.

KOPS Thrift Store, 901 Mena Street. For more information, call Nick at 749-216-8961.

Saturday, May 2, 10:00 a.m. & Sunday, May 3rd, 2:00 p.m. Co-Ed Softball Tournament, Aubrey Tapley Ballpark. Benefiting Relay for Life.

For more information, email menagaming@live. com or call Tyler Lane at 479-216-7119.

Check out our online calendar of events at

MyPulseNews.com

BEATS

Thursday 4/23 * 11:30 a.m. - Widow’s Luncheon, Dallas Avenue Baptist Church Connection’s Café. Please call the church office at 3942697 for reservations. * 11:30 –Rotary Club of Polk County /Mena meets at Papa’s Mexican Café. Contact Lisa Martin at 2163383 or Charles Pitman at 216 for more info. * 12:00 – 3:00 p.

– Son Lighters In Action Card Shop, 3671 Hwy 8 West. For more information, call 216-0719. * 5:30 P.m. – Weight Watchers –meet at Dallas Avenue Baptist Church Family Life Center. Call 479-234-2297 for more information. * 6:30 p.m. – Narcotics Anonymous

Weekly Publication

Page 21

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

Quality Construction Paul Headings • 479-234-7553

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Bruce Erickson, Owner

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by jaclyn rose When Burt Nichols broke his smart phone, he was distraught to learn that he had to travel to DeQueen, Hot Springs, or Fort Smith to have it repaired. On his way back, he began developing an idea to open a smart phone and tablet repair store in Polk County. Burt enlisted the help of his son, Brian Nichols, who has always been interested in electronics, and on March 23, 2015, OMG! Smartphone and Tablet Repair opened at 713 Mena Street.

“When coming up with a name, I started thinking of the first thing you say when you drop your phone in the toilet or see it bouncing down the road behind you, and that’s ‘OMG!’” explained Burt with a laugh.

Burt was raised in Cove but graduated from Mena High School.

He then went on to attend college in Arkadelphia and began a career with Wal-Mart for 15 years, moving his family 9 times and eventually managing the local Mena Wal-Mart. “My dad passed away and we moved back to Mena and I began managing JW Manufacturing in Mineral Springs for seven years. I felt it was time to slow down so I worked in construction and did some electrical and plumbing, stuff I enjoyed for several years. I have been out of customer service since 2003 and I missed it. It’s nice to be back in something that involves customer service and even nicer to be doing it for myself and my family,” explained Burt.

811 4th Street, Mena Brian graduated from Mena High School in 2007 and 479-385-2136 or 479-385-1085 Mon.-Fri. 8:30 am - 5 pm • Sat. 8:30 am - 1 pm joined the Army, where he served in active duty for the next three years, including a year in South Korea. He is married to his wife, Katie, and they have two children, Kaelyn and Jaxon.

While Burt was working on the store front location, Brian went to Dallas to gain his technician certification and OMG! has the ability to work on any kind of smart phone or tablet. They can repair water damage, cracked screens, “Serving your families with digitizers, they can replace the charging port or work on the camera and do circuit board repair. They are able Dignity & Care for over 80 years” to replace just about any component. OMG! also carries a small variety of phone and screen covers and will Selected Funeral & Life Insurance Agent Member of the National Funeral buy and sell some used phones. “We don’t want to get too much into buying and selling phones, but for sure Directors Assoc. if you have one that you don’t want, bring it by and let us look at it,” explained Burt.

611 Janssen, Mena, AR OMG! Smart Phone and Tablet Repair is open Monday through Friday from 10 am until 6 pm, and they will (479) 394-1310 make some deliveries within the city limits, if their customers’ work schedule will not allow them to come to the store during hours of operation. You can reach them by calling 479.216.7822 or by looking on their facebook page, www. facebook.com/omgsmartphoneandtablet.

“I love the people in Polk County. It’s my hometown and it will always be home,” said Burt. “I like the small town feel of Polk County. I have lived in Hot Springs and Bentonville and nothing beats the people here. Some of the teachers at the school that taught my dad and me are teaching my daughter and that is too good to turn loose of. I think there is more compassion here also, maybe because everyone knows everyone Like us on Facebook! else, but it’s a great place to raise a family,” added Brian.

“I like the small town feel of Polk County... I think there is more compassion here also, maybe because everyone knows everyone else, but it’s a great place to raise a family.”

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THE POLK COUNTY PULSE

April 22, 2015

ATTENTION Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles . . .

Congratulate your graduate in the Pulse’s Special

FULL COLOR Section saluting these students and their accomplishments!

Publication Date: May 13 Information & payment Must be Received NO LATER THAN MONDAY, MAY 4

Salute Your 2015 Graduate in the CALL TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW!

Polk County Pulse 479-243-9600 Stop by 1168 Hwy 71 South, Mena or email to ads@polkcountypulse.com

Congr atu Rache lations Class ol Buck We are f 2015 so p of you roud !

Love, Your F amily

EXAM PLE Public Notice

The Mena Water Utilities, who supplies water to Acorn Rural Water Association and Freedom Rural Water Association, is a public water system subject to regulation under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Those regulations require the notification of customers whenever a violation occurs, and is the basis for this notice. This water system failed to meet the maximum contaminant level for total coliform in January 2015.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets drinking water standards and has determined that the presence of total coliforms is a possible health concern. Coliforms are bacteria that are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially harmful, bacteria may be present. Coliforms were found in more samples than allowed and this was a warning of potential problems. Under this standard, no more than 5 percent of the samples collected during a month can contain these bacteria, except that systems collecting fewer than 40 samples per month that have one total coliform positive sample per month are not violating the standard. Drinking water, which meets this standard, is usually not associated with a health risk from disease causing bacteria and should be considered safe.

Failure to meet the total coliform standard does not mean that the water is unsafe or that alternate sources of water should be used. The water system has replaced a leaking/malfunctioning valve on the small dead-end line that the sample was taken from.

Mena, Acorn, and Freedom Water systems have had no other total coliform positive results from any other sample sites in their distribution systems.

Should you have any questions concerning this notice, contact the water system at 479-394-2671 (Mena), 479-394-1025 (Acorn), or 479-394-7500 (Freedom) or the Engineering Section of the Department of Health at 501-661-2623.

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

April 22, 2015

THE POLK COUNTY PULSE

Page 23

HOME IMPROVEMENT Will Your Home Withstand Storm Season?

Six Tips to Help You Prepare

(StatePoint) Year after year, Americans from Tornado Alley to the Gulf Coast to the metropolises of the Eastern Seaboard witness storms that cause millions in damage and loss of life. However, no matter where you live, or what type of extreme weather you may face, there are things you can do to protect your home and family from the worst.

“When it comes to resilient design planning, the most important thing to remember is that it doesn’t have to break the bank. A few quick and easy adjustments can keep you safe,” says Greg Beste, member of the American Institute of Architects Disaster Assistance Committee and Project Management Director, IVI Assessment Services, a CBRE Company.

Beste offers some storm season advice: • Document your home -- before disaster strikes. Grab your smartphone and take photos of your home now, inside and out, covering the foundation and all interior and exterior spaces. At best, you’ll have a nice keepsake; at worst, a visual documentation that can be used for an insurance claim in case of disaster. You can also share the images with your insurance company right away, to add to their files for future reference.

• Be an expert on your house. How old is your home? What type of framing does it have? When was the roof last repaired or replaced? These are questions you should know the answers to, as they will dictate what design changes should be made.

• Make fixes easy, inexpensive and relevant. For example, are high winds a major worry where you live?

Add an extra layer of protection by swapping out the shingles on your roof for a heavier material, or secure the roof sheathing with a more wind-resistant nailing pattern, using an extra box or two of nails. Know where your home is weakest; those spots are the first places to shore up in defense.

• Communicate your building goals. If you’re working with an architect to build or retrofit your home, make sure that he or she understands the importance of resiliency. Even more importantly, your contractor should feel comfortable executing LICENSED RESIDENTIAL these goals. Communication at every step AND COMMERCIAL is the key.

CONTRACTOR • Safe rooms are not a cause for panic.

A safe room doesn’t have to be high-tech.

With the right design and construction, your mud room, laundry area or even a powder room can be a safe haven in case of disaster.

• Design beyond code. Building codes are the minimum standard and in many NEW CONSTRUCTION, ADDITIONS, AND cases, have not been updated to reflect REMODELING FROM DESIGN the current reality. If you live in a particuTO COMPLETION. larly vulnerable area, an architect can adCONCRETE, DECORATIVE CONCRETE, vise on additional measures to take -- for PATIO COVERS, CARPORTS, SHADE instance, in coastal areas, building a foot STRUCTURES, RETAINING WALLS, higher than the minimum flood zone would RV COVERS. indicate is recommended. Resources like WE CAN DO IT ALL www.architectfinder.aia.org can help you LIKE US ON FACEBOOK connect with the information and individuWWW.GLENNAIRECONSTRUCTION.COM als you need.

INFO@GLENNAIRECONSTRUCTION.COM Don’t just wonder if you’ve done enough JAMES EARL TURNER (479) 234-6244 to prepare for storm season. Take action ERIC TURNER (479) 243-5549 to keep your home and family safe.

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No job’s too small or too large!

Page 24

SCHOOL

April 22, 2015

CRHS Music Department to Present Kings & Queens of Music

The Cossatot River High School Music Dept will present their spring concert, Kings and Queens of Music, on Thursday, May 7, 2015. It will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Holbert Auditorium in Wickes, AR. Featured in the concert will be 7th and 8th grade bands, CRHS Sr. Band, 7th grade choir, 8th grade choir, and high school choirs, Cantabile and Noteworthy.

Songs for the performance include many top hits by Michael Jackson, Elton John, Johnny Cash, Elvis, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Dolly Parton, among many other Kings and Queens of music.

End of the year choir & band awards will also be given and senior band and choir members will be recognized.

The band is under the direction of Timothy Walston and the choir is under the direction of Susan Brewer.

MMS 6th Grade Students Raise Money for St. Jude

Mena Middle School 6th grade students recently participated in the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Math-A-Thon and raised $1,359.00 for the cause.

Check out our School News tab on MyPulseNews.com

Weekly Publication

Mena Public School’s Breakfast Monday 4/27 Breakfast pizza, sliced pears, juice, milk Tuesday 4/28 Cereal, toast, diced peaches, juice, milk Wednesday 4/29 Super donut, sausage link, applesauce, juice, milk Thursday 4/30 Maple burst pancake, banana, juice, milk Friday 5/01 French toast sticks, grapes, juice, milk Mena Public School’s Lunch Monday 4/27 Main: Mini corndogs, french fires, baby carrots, mixed fruit, Rice Krispy bar, milk; Choice: Hamburger, french fries, baby carrots, mixed fruit, Rice Krispy bar, milk Tuesday 4/28 Main: Chicken nuggets, rice pilaf, winter blend vegetables, wheat roll, peaches, milk; Choice: Chicken stir fry, rice pilaf, winter blend vegetables, wheat roll, peaches, milk Wednesday 4/29 Main: Beef and cheese nachos, refried beans, celery, cucumbers, cinnamon roll, orange smiles, milk; No Choice Line Thursday 4/30 Main: Baked ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, angel biscuits, strawberries, milk; Choice: Chili dog, french fires, green beans, strawberries, milk Friday 5/01 Main: Chicken patty, macaroni and cheese, broccoli and carrots, wheat roll, fruit, milk; No Choice Line Acorn School’s Breakfast Monday 4/27 Poptart, breakfast bar, fruit, juice, milk Tuesday 4/28 Breakfast pizza, fruit, juice, milk Wednesday 4/29 Cereal, fruit, juice, milk Thursday 4/30 Breakfast bagel, fruit, juice, milk Friday 5/01 Super bun, fruit, juice, milk Acorn School’s Lunch Monday 4/27 Corn dog, baked beans, french fires, tropical fruit, milk Tuesday 4/28 Beef fingers, mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots, roll, peaches, milk Wednesday 4/29 Chili, cheese, veggies strips, cinnamon roll, crackers, milk Thursday 4/30 Chicken and noodles, broccoli, tossed salad, roll, pears, milk Friday 5/01 Hamburger, oven french fries, lettuce, tomato, rice krispy treat, assorted fresh fruit, milk Cossatot River School’s Breakfast Monday 4/27 Mini donuts, applesauce, orange juice, milk Tuesday 4/28 Sausage biscuit, craisins, apple juice, milk Wednesday 4/29 Poptart, apple wedges, cherry juice, milk Thursday 4/30 Breakfast bagel, pineapple, orange juice, milk Friday 5/01 Super donut, orange wedges, apple juice, milk Cossatot River School’s Lunch Monday 4/27 Pizza, tossed salad w/ dressing, peaches, marshmallow treat, milk Tuesday 4/28 Turkey wrap, lettuce, tomato, potato wedges, ranch beans, mandarin oranges, milk Wednesday 4/29 Baked chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, fruit cocktail, roll, milk Thursday 4/30 Burrito w/ cheese, tossed salad w/ dressing, pears, cake, milk Friday 5/01 Beef nachos, lettuce, tomato, salsa, pinto beans, strawberries, milk

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Page 25

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

Mena FFA Forestry Team

Trevor Voisin – Mena FFA Forestry Team

SUBMITTED BY SHARON WALSTON The annual Rich Mountain/ Cossatot Conservation District Forestry and Land Judging Contests were held on April 8th 2015 at the Cossatot Reefs in Gillham.

There were a total of 37 teams with several individual contestants competing.

Volunteers from the Army Corp of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service, AR Forestry Commission, Sevier County Cooperative Extension Service, Natural Resources Conservation Services, Farm Service Agency, Conservation Districts and numerous individuals helped these Districts to hold this event.

The Overall Forestry Contest winning team was Taylor FFA Team #2. The Polk County Forestry winning team was Mena FFA with Trevor Voisin of Mena FFA being the High Point Individual from Polk County. Overall Land Contest winning team was Two Rivers FFA and the Polk County Land winning team was Cossatot River FFA with the High Point individual being Nick Ross from the Cossatot River FFA.

Cossatot River FFA Land Team

SCHOOL

Polk County Among Winners at Forestry & Land Contest

Nick Ross Cossatot River FFA Land Team

Ouachita River School District Annouces Make-Up Days Ouachita River School District School Board met on Monday, April 20, 2015, to discuss the make-up days on Acorn Campus due to the inclement weather. They voted to make up the days on May 26 - May 29. The school day will start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 3:45 p.m. This will allow them to make up the four and a half days that were missed due to snow and ice.

Page 26

SPORTS

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

Ladycats Rout Lady Badgers, 15-1

BY norm betz The Mena Ladycats hosted Arkadelphia in a 4A-7 Conference game, but sent the Lady Badgers home early, after just five innings. The Ladycats mustered 13 hits in four innings on the way to a 15-1 victory. Junior pitcher Jordan Ward was outstanding as she held the Lady Badgers to just one hit, allowed one earned run, struck out eight, and walked two.

Ward made quick work of Arkadelphia in the top of the first, throwing 14 pitches, striking out a pair, and producing a ground out to junior Kenzi Spurgin.

Senior Bailey Bunch led the bottom of the first off with a single and later scored the only run for Mena, on an RBI single by junior Kristen Kesterson. Mena led 1-0 at the end of the first inning.

Ward sent the Lady Badgers back to the dugout in order, striking out all three batters she faced in the top of the second inning.

Sophomore Lexi Brooks doubled to left field to start things off in the bottom of the inning. Junior Daryan Torix reached on an error, Brooks was able to score, and Torix trotted into second on the throwing error. Junior Madi Brotherton walked, while Torix was able to move up to third on a passed ball. Ward was hit by a pitch and sophomore Kensie Sawyer entered the game as a courtesy runner for Ward. Spurgin hit a RBI double, Kesterson followed with a fielder-choice, and Spurgin was able to score on a passed ball. Mena led to 5-0 after the second inning.

Arkadelphia’s first runner reached on a hit by pitch and the second reached via a walk. Ward picked off the runner at second with a quick throw to Kesterson. The Lady Badgers picked up their first and only hit of the contest when Ashlyn Taylor hit an RBI double to left field. Ward closed out the top of the third with her seventh strike out through three innings.

Brooks led off the bottom of the inning with a blast to left field that cleared the fence, increasing the Ladycats’ lead to 6-1. Torix singled and was driven home on a Ward RBI single to center field. The Ladycats led 7-1 after three.

Ward struck out the first batter, while the second popped up to Spurgin at third. The top of the fourth ended on a ground out to Spurgin.

Smelling blood in the water, the Ladycats went for the kill, plating eight runs in the bottom of the fourth. Junior Macy Brotherton was the fourth straight lead-off batter to reach for Mena as she drew a six pitch walk. Senior Jami Miller entered the game as a courtesy runner for Brotherton. Brooks hit an RBI triple for her third extra base hit in as many at-bats. Torix quickly drove Brooks home with an RBI single. Madi Brotherton reached on a walk, Ward followed with a fielders-choice, and Sawyer entered as her courtesy runner. Bunch hit a RBI single to center field, pushing Mena’s 10th run across the dish. Spurgin kept things going with a two RBI double to right field, while Kesterson drilled a homer to left field, picking up three more RBI’s and closing out the Ladycats’ scoring. Mena led 15-1 after four innings.

Kesterson threw out the first two Lady Badgers in the top of the fifth on back-to-back grounders. Bunch scooped up a ground ball and tossed it over to Madi Brotherton for the BY norm betz final out of the contest. It was fitting that the Ladycats scored 15 runs to win the game and The Mena Ladycats continued to roll as they defeated Dardanelle, 11-1, in six innings. move to 15-3 overall on the season and 4-0 in conference play.

Sophomore hurler Lexi Brooks picked up the win as she tossed six innings, giving up one run on four hits, walking four batters, and striking out six. Junior Daryan Torix led the Ladycats’ bats, picking up four RBI’s on three extra base hits.

Brooks struck out the side on 14 pitches, and the Ladycats went down in order as well in the bottom of the first, on a pop-up, ground out, and a strike out.

Dardanelle took the early 1-0 lead on a pair of hits in the top of the second. Senior Lexi Hansard picked up the first hit of the game for the Ladycats in the bottom of the second on a double to center field. Brooks walked and was replaced on first by sophomore courtesy runner Kensie Sawyer. Hansard stole third and Torix cleared the bases with a two RBI double to left field. Mena led 2-1 after the second inning.

Brooks sent the Lady Sand Lizards back to the dugout in order with a pair of ground outs to senior Bailey Bunch and a line out to junior Kenzi Spurgin. The Ladycats were only able to muster one run in the bottom of the inning, despite the fact that Mena had the bases loaded with one out. Brooks helped her own cause as she singled to left field to push junior Kristen Kesterson across the plate. Mena led 3-1 after three innings of play.

Each team picked up one hit in the fourth inning. Spurgin picked up the only hit for

Ladycats Run-Rule Lady Lizards

CONT. ON PAGE 27

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Page 27

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

(CONT. FROM PAGE 26)

Mena, on a single to left field. The Ladycats led 3-1 after the completion of the fourth.

Dardanelle had two batters reach in the top of the fifth, one via a walk, and the other on a single up the middle. Mena went down in order on a line out and a pair of fly outs. Ladycats held on to a 3-1 lead at the end of the fifth.

The Lady Sand Lizards put their first batter on first with a gift walk by Brooks.Torix caught a fly ball in center for the first out in the top of the sixth inning. After the walk, Brooks’ teammates had her back, as Bunch ended the Dardanelle at-bat, turning a double play on a pop-up and a quick throw to Madi Brotherton at first base.

Keeping the momentum going, Mena turned out the lights on Dardanelle as they scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to run-rule the Lady Sand Lizards, 11-1. Torix started off the inning with a triple and, three pitches later, scored on a RBI single by Madi Brotherton. After freshman Alicia Barrett was caught stealing second, Ward singled to right field. Bunch stroked one over the right field wall for a two-run homer to put the Ladycats up 6-1. Spurgin kept things going with a double to center field, followed by a walk to Kesterson. Macy Brotherton was hit by a pitch, and sophomore Riley Schnell entered the game as a courtesy runner for Brotherton.

Hansard reached on an error and Spurgin and Kesterson were able to score on the play, to give Mena an 8-1 lead. Brooks singled to left field to load the bases for the Ladycats with one out. Torix knocked a pair home with an RBI double to left field. Junior Jordan Ward ended the contest with an RBI single to right field. The game ended once the 10th run crossed the plate, giving Mena an 11-1 victory over non-conference Dardanelle.

Ladycats Secure 5-0 Conference Win in Eight Innings

SPORTS

Ladycats vs. Lady Lizards

BY NORM BETZ The Mena Ladycats traveled to Nashville to face the rival Lady Scrappers, and returned home with an eight inning, 5-0 conference victory. With the win, the Ladycats remain perfect in 4A-7 Conference play with a 5-0 conference record and improve to 17-3 overall on the season.

Ladycats’ junior pitcher Jordan Ward pitched a great game, giving up three hits, walking two batters and striking out 14 of the 27 batters she faced. Ward was extremely efficient throwing 79 strikes out of 109 total pitches, with an average of 14 pitches per inning. Ward was able to get eight batters out on three or less pitches and didn’t allow a leadoff batter to reach first throughout the eight-inning performance. Five innings saw the first two Lady Scrappers go down in order, while three innings featured all three Lady Scrappers returning to the dugout in order.

Each team had one batter reach first base in the first inning, both via a walk.

Sophomore Lexi Brooks reached on an error to leadoff the second inning, while junior Daryan Torix reached on a bunt single. The top half of the inning ended when junior Madi Brotherton grounded out to second base and Brooks was thrown out at home for a double play. Nashville went down in order in the second with a strike out, a ground out to Madi Brotherton, and a pop-up to junior Kristen Kesterson.

Ward, senior Bailey Bunch, and junior Kenzi Spurgin all flew out in the top of the third for the Ladycats. Ward struck out the side in the bottom of the inning, to keep goose eggs on the board through three innings.

Kesterson led off the fourth with a fly out to second base, while junior Macy Brotherton hit a single to center field for Mena’s second hit of the game. Senior Jami Miller entered the game as a courtesy runner but was thrown out stealing second. The top of the fourth ended with senior Lexi Hansard swinging at the third strike. Ward walked one, but struck out three to end the scoreless fourth inning.

Brooks led off the fifth with a hard ground ball right up the middle, and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Torix, but the inning ended on a strike out and a line out to second base. Nashville’s leadoff batter grounded out to Ward, while the next batter reached on a bunt single. Ward ended the inning with a pair of swinging strikeouts. The score remained 0-0 after five innings.

Spurgin reached on a single to left field in the top of the sixth, but was stranded after a pair of fly outs. The Lady Scrappers went down in order on a pair of fly outs and a strikeout.

Hansard, Brooks, and Torix all flew out in the top of the seventh, each to a different out fielder. Ward started off the bottom of the inning with a strike out, but then gave up a single to center field. The inning ended with a fly out to Bunch and a line out to Spurgin.

The end of regulation play still featured a 0-0 score.

Torix was placed on second base to start the extra inning, and then Madi Brotherton sacrificed Torix to third on the second pitch. Ward flew out to right field but it was deep enough for Torix to tag up and score the first run of the game. After not scoring a run through seven innings, the Ladycats plated all five runs in the top of the eighth inning with two outs. Feeling the momentum after getting a run, Bunch singled to right field, followed by a double by Spurgin. Kesterson hit an RBI single to center field, scoring Bunch.

Spurgin also scored, while Kesterson was knocked home by a two-out double by Macy Brotherton. Miller entered as a courtesy runner and later scored after Hansard singled to center field to give the Ladycats a 5-0 lead headed to the bottom of the eighth inning.

Nashville also had a Lady Scrapper placed on second base to start the bottom of the inning. Ward struck out the first batter looking, on three pitches. The next batter flew out to Spurgin. The third batter Ward faced singled up the middle moving the runner to third base with two outs. Ward secured the 4A-7 Conference win with a three-pitch strike out.

Mena won the contest 5-0 in eight innings.

Page 28

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

Moments From American History “...the shot heard ‘round the world”

HISTORY

BY JEFF OLSON April 19th is considered by many to be “Patriot’s Day.” This day in 2015 commemorates the 240th anniversary of the beginning of hostilities in America’s War of Independence.

On April 18, 1775, 700 British troops left Boston with orders to seize any colonial weapons they could find. By dawn on the morning of the 19th, an advance force of nearly 250 soldiers, commanded by Major John Pitcairn, had reached Lexington where 77 American minutemen were waiting for them on the Village Green. Captain John Parker told the Patriots, “Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here!” The British commander ordered the Americans to lay down their weapons. He then cried, “You damn rebels, disperse!” After the outnumbered colonists began to do so, someone in their ranks fired a shot but nobody knew who. Shortly thereafter, there were eight dead and ten wounded American patriots. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in his famous poem “Concord Hymn” (1837), America had “fired the shot heard ‘round the world,” and the American War of Independence was underway.

The British army was able to press forward to Concord, where they searched for supplies only to come up empty handed. While the British were searching, the American militia was able to regroup. They met the enemy at the North Bridge in Concord and this time was successful in driving the British back. As more American reinforcements arrived, they forced the British army south to Boston, and the militias blockaded the narrow land accesses to Charlestown and Boston. After hearing news of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Samuel Adams, Father of the on’t fire unless fired American Revolution, is noted to have said, “What a glorious morning is this!” upon, but if they mean to have Some in 2015 may not realize but the struggle for (keeping) inwar, let it begin here!” it,dependence continues. Today our primary threat is not some foreign power trying to invade American soil. If it were, our victory might be more assured.

Our most serious danger may be found within our borders and within ourselves: those in America who have lost or never established his/her connection with our nation’s founding principles and documents and with our forefathers and patriots who bequeathed to us a republic where individual freedom, liberty of conscience and personal responsibility were co-existent and the bulwark of our civil/social order. This must be revived. Otherwise, no shot will need to be fired for our liberty and way of life to be surrendered because of ignorance, apathy and moral decline - and the ideology reflected in the decisions of those who are trying to either destroy or fundamentally transform the United States of America. To once again quote Samuel Adams, “A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy.”

“D

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IN THE NEWS One Year Ago LOCAL

1. Latest Numbers Released for Polk County Enrollees in Private Option 2. Boydstun Brings Hillbilly Circus to OLT 3. Tickets Going Fast for CASA’s Signature Kentucky Derby Event

NATIONAL

1. President Obama Picks W. Neil Eggleston as New White House Counsel 2. Federal Plans That Forgive Student Debt Skyrocket 3. U.S. Drones and Yemeni Forces Kill Qaeda-Linked Fighters, Officials Say

Page 29

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

BY Judy Thompson You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown opened to enthusiastic reviews at the Ouachita Little Theatre this past weekend. The production will conclude this weekend with performances at 7:30 on April 24 – 25 and 2:30 on April 26.

Regular admission is $10 with students and seniors 60 and over paying $8.

The show is best described as an average day in the life of Charlie Brown, but is made up of little moments picked from all of the days of Charlie Brown, from Valentine’s Day to the baseball season, from wild optimism to utter despair, all mixed in with the lives of his friends (both human and non-human) and strung together on the string of a single day.

OLT once again is partnering with American Artisans to present a “Girls’ Night Out” on Saturday, April 25. Tickets are available at Arvest Bank and includes reserved seats for Charlie Brown and a light dinner at American Artisans. Serving begins at 5:30 PM. The meal will consist of smoked turkey salad on a croissant roll with broccoli/cauliflower salad and a mini mandarin orange pie. Water, tea, and coffee are included. Ticket cost is $20/$18.

Since You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is such wholesome entertainment, children are encouraged to attend. Because of this, the Sunday matinee will be Family Day with a child admitted free with each paying adult. In addition, there is no charge for a child three and under who sits in an adult’s lap.

Cast for this musical includes Brandy, Chris and Bailey Benner; Paulette and Zane Sherrer; Kelsey Wiggins; and Brandon Zacarias. Director is Judy Kropp and Assistant Director is Scott O’Rear. For further information, call 243-0186.

All performances are open to the general public.

2015 High School Show Award Winners by barbara m. tobias Mena Art Gallery’s 2015 High School art competition produced some outstanding work. Here is a list of the winners: Best of Show: Heather Jackson Portrait Caddo Hills High School Graphite: 1st Place: Tori Rudman - Andrew Garfield, Mena. 2nd Place: Kasee Moua - Hmung Instrument, Waldron. 3rd Place: Amberlin Piles My Deer, Waldron. Honorable Mention: Danielle Randolph - Memory Soup, Waldron.

Oil, Watercolor, Acrylics, Pastels, Colored Pencil: 1st Place: Bonnie Skipper Skies, Mena. 2nd Place: Cherish Robertson - Bird, Acorn. 3rd Place: Charissa Shelly - Rosenquist Inspired, Acorn. Honorable Mention: Heather Jackson - Teamwork, Caddo Hills.

Three Dimensional: 1st Place: Cheyenne Hand - Necklace & Earrings, Penn Foster. 2nd Place: Amy Parkhurst - Enchanted Forest, Waldron. 3rd Place: Lucie Allard and Lara Xavier - Tinkerbell’s House, Acorn. Honorable Mention: Cody Anderson - Christmas Float, Acorn.

Pen and Ink: 1st Place: Madison Riddle Butterfly & Flower, Waldron. 2nd Place: Danielle Randolph - Sittin’ Pretty, Waldron.

3rd Place: Cheyenne Hand - Wild Buffalo, Penn Foster. Honorable Mention: Dannie Corbin - Flower, Waldron.

Mixed Media: 1st Place: Griselda Rubio - Self-Portrait, Caddo Hills. 2nd Place: Amy Parkhurst - Samuel & Atari, Waldron. 3rd Place: Makhalee Rose Color Fusion, Waldron. Honorable Mention: Terrick Hulvey - Marilynn, Caddo Hills.

The show will remain on display at Mena Art Gallery, 607 Mena Street, through Saturday, April 25, during regular gallery hours: 11 am to 2 pm Tuesdays and 10 am to 3 pm Wednesdays through Saturdays.

HOME & GARDEN

Lunch, Dinner, Supper, or Tea?

“RAN” WORDS: BOOMERANG • BRANCH • BRAND • CRANE • DRANK • ENTRANCE • FRANTIC • GRANITE • GRANOLA • GRANT • IGNORANT • IMMIGRANT • INSURANCE • IRAN • MEMBRANE • ORANGE • PIRANHA • PRANCE • PRANK • RANCH • RANDOM • SPRANG • STRANGE • TRANQUIL • TRANSPARENT • TYRANNY • URANIUM • VAGRANT • VERANDA • WRANGLE

ARTS

Charlie Brown Continues & Includes Special Performances

by kim hughes, extension office agent, fcs A few days ago, a friend and I were discussing the terms used for meals eaten around noon and later in the evening.

That being an interesting southern topic, I decided to do a little research and see what I could find.

It seems it depends where you grew up and what term the locals used. The expressions do relate to the time of day that you eat the meal and the type of food and the size of the meal.

That’s why it can get confusing.

First of all is breakfast. This is the simplest; it’s the first meal of the day in the morning, meaning “break the fast” of your overnight sleep. In the middle of the day, you might have lunch or dinner. Lunch sounds more informal or more typical, particularly for people who are working.

In the evening, you might have dinner or supper. People who have a quick lunch in the middle of the day will say they have dinner in the evening.

A supper is usually a light meal and is probably after a larger dinner has been had in the middle of the day.

Confused? Well most people see a dinner as a more complete meal.

Lunch and supper are both light kinds of meal. Dinner is the main meal of the day, served either in the evening or at midday. So whether you use lunch/dinner or dinner/supper is heavily determined by when your culture traditionally has its largest meal.

It’s quite common to hear dinner as the noontime meal and supper as the evening meal in many areas of the American south, regardless of which meal is larger. (My friend would agree with this!)

Two more words you could add to your list are brunch and tea. Brunch is a mixture of breakfast and lunch, and people usually have brunch as a replacement for both lunch and breakfast. Brunch is usually had at about 11:00 am.

And the final word is tea. Now of course this is a drink, like tea and coffee, but it can also be a light evening meal. High tea is often a misnomer; in Britain it tends to be on the heavier side. In America, we often offer tea with fancy pastries and cakes for high tea.

Page 30

POLICE

April 22, 2015 The following information was received from Polk County law enforcement agencies.

The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts. Individuals charged and whose names appear in this column may submit documentation to us at a later date that the charges have been dismissed or that they have been found innocent and we will include that information in this space in a timely manner.

Mena Police Department April 12, 2015 No criminal reports filed.

April 13, 2015 No criminal reports filed.

April 14, 2015 A local woman reported that a sewing machine that she inherited from her mother had been stolen. Case pending.

Micah Steffler, 29, of DeQueen was charged with violation of an order of protection.

A local woman reported that her boyfriend had been abusive to her. She later recanted her statement and does not wish to pursue any charges.

April 15, 2015 Report was taken of an incident on a school bus regarding a vague, non-specific threat by a student. School officials handled the incident.

April 16, 2015 Arthur Stanley Walsh, 56, of Mena was served an outstanding warrant from the city of Mena for third degree battery.

Jason Dee Ross, 33, of Mena was arrested on two outstanding warrants for failure-to-pay fines and court costs. The warrants were from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Report was taken of a gas-skip at a local convenience store. Case is pending.

Daymon Alexander Crider, 24, of Mena was charged with assault and residential burglary.

April 17, 2015 Ronald Leo Bates, 28, of Mena was arrested on an outstanding warrant from Polk County.

A local woman reported that she has been receiving harassing telephone calls from an unknown individual. Case is pending.

A local woman reported that someone had approached her regarding doing repairs to her roof. The man requested payment in advance, and she complied. This is apparently a scam, and the case is being investigated.

April 18, 2015 Amanda Jane Reynolds, 34, of Mena was arrested and charged with public intoxication after a call to a local apartment complex.

A local woman reported that she left her wallet at a local convenience store near the gas pumps. When she returned, the wallet was gone. Case is pending interview of suspects seen on video surveillance.

Officers completed an additional four reports and worked four accidents.

Polk County Sheriff’s Department April 13, 2015 Report from the Polk County Detention Center of the discovery of illegal contraband.

Information has been provided to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for further consideration.

Arrested was Charles L. Houser, 58, of Wickes, on Warrants for three counts of Failure to Comply with a Court Order.

Weekly Publication Arrested was Kimberly J. Smith, 54, of Mena, on a Warrant for Bond Revocation.

Report of a domestic disturbance on Polk 414 near Hatfield led to the arrest of Jesse A. Cheshire, 49, of Mena, on a Charge of Disorderly Conduct.

Arrested was Timothy S. Woods, 39, of Mena, on a Charge of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle.

April 14, 2015 Arrested was Clifford K. Thompson III, 55, of Mena, on Warrants for Probation Violation, Violation of Suspended Imposition of Sentence and Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration Requirements.

Report from an Oklahoma man of his 15year-old daughter receiving a tattoo while at a residence in Polk County. Information has been provided to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for further consideration.

Arrested was Joseph D. Gonyea III, 25, of Mena, on LeFlore County, Oklahoma Warrants.

Arrested was Joshua A. Heifner, 34, of Vandervoort, on a Sevier County Warrant.

Arrested was D. W. Summit, 43, of Mena, on Warrants for two counts of Violation of the Arkansas Hot Check Law. Arrested by an officer with the Grannis Police Department was Sergio Gayosso, 28, of Wickes, on a Warrant for Failure to Appear.

April 15, 2015 Report of ongoing problems with a 13-yearold Mena male led to the youth being issued a Juvenile Citation for Harassment. The juvenile was released to the custody of a parent/guardian.

Report from walk-in complainant of the loss of a wallet. Complainant was advised to cancel all credit cards and checks.

April 16, 2015 Arrested was Chandie L. Bottomley, 24, of Mena, on a Warrant for Failure to Comply with a Court Order.

Arrested was Howard W. Blume, 20, of Mena, on a Warrant for a to Comply with a Court Order.

Reports of threats being made by an individual toward others led to the arrest of Donnie R. Dollarhyde, 41, of Mena, on a Charge of Disorderly Conduct.

Arrested was Jerry D. Edwards, 44, of Mena, on a Warrant for Failure to Comply with a Court Order.

Report of a disturbance in the Polk County Detention Center led to the arrest of Adam Green, 22, of Mena, on a Charge of Battery 2nd Degree. Also arrested was Robert H. Williams II, 39, of Mena, on a Charge of Battery 3rd Degree.

Arrested was James Ralph, 40, of Mena, on a Warrant for Failure to Appear.

Report from complainant on Polk 23 near Cove of the theft of a cell phone, valued at $240.00. Investigation continues.

Arrested by a trooper with the Arkansas State Police was William J. Hanselman, 57, of Mena, on Charges of DWI and Careless/Prohibited Driving.

Arrested was Jeffery D. Parnell, 54, of Mena, on Warrants for two counts of Failure to Appear.

April 17, 2015 Report of behavior problems with a 15-yearold Mena male led to the youth being issued a Juvenile Citation for Disorderly Conduct. The juvenile was released to the custody of a parent/guardian.

Report of a domestic disturbance on Medcalf

Lane near the Yocana community led to the arrest of Justin L. Wray, 33, of Mena, on a Charge of Domestic Battery 3rd Degree.

Traffic stop on Highway 375 West near Mena led to a Citation for Driving with a Suspended Driver’s License being issued to Christopher L. Chesser, 29, of Vandervoort.

Report from complainant on Polk 29 near Hatfield of the theft of electronics, fishing supplies and tools, all valued at $475.00. Investigation continues.

Report from complainant on Highway 270 near the Acorn community of the theft of a mailbox, valued at $50.00. Investigation continues.

Report of the theft of personal items valued at $20.00 led to a 15-year-old Mena female being issued a Juvenile Citation for Theft of Property. The juvenile was released to the custody of a parent/guardian.

Report of an accident on Highway 246 West near Hatfield led to the arrest of Oscar Ramirez, 44, of Cove, on Charges of DWI, Driving with a Suspended Driver’s License, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, No Liability Insurance, No License Plates and Refusal to Submit.

April 18, 2015 Report of a disturbance on Polk 18 near Vandervoort. Information has been provided to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for further consideration.

Report from complainant on Gold Lane near the Potter community of a break-in to a shed and theft of tools, all valued at $19,020.00.

Investigation continues.

Report from complainants on Polk 71, Polk 185 and Cody Lane in the Ink community of the theft and vandalism to three mailboxes, totaling damages at $120.00. Investigation continues.

April 19, 2015 Traffic stop on Highway 71 South led to the arrest of Billy J. Sanchey, 55, of Mena, on Charges of DWI and Careless/Prohibited Driving.

Report of a disturbance on Highway 375 East near Mena led to the arrest of Vincent L. Rudman, 51, of Mena, on a Charge of DWI. Also arrested was Tracy L. Rudman, 48, of Mena, on a Charge of Disorderly Conduct.

Additionally arrested was Michelle E. Brockway, 48, of Mena, on a Charge of Disorderly Conduct, and Lisa C. Loyd, 55, of Mena, on a Charge of Disorderly Conduct.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office worked one vehicle accident this week.

Polk County Detention Center Jail Population: 25 Incarcerated Inmates; 17 Inmates currently on the Waiting List for a State Facility, of which 6 are currently out of jail on a monitoring system.

Page 31

April 22, 2015

Weekly Publication

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Dan’s Cash-N-Gun. 100 Hwy 71 S at 1st Street, Mena. 479TFN 394-5515.

New 4 wheel electric scooter with battery 4/22 and charger. Call 394-3416

Yard Mowing, week eating, bush hogging, handyman services, power washing. Have own equipment and tools. Call

4/15 479-216-5204

General Service on Ford Tractors & New Holland Equipment Vermeer Balers/Kuhn Mowers Bush-Hog Cutters & Mowers

Oil Changes & Scheduled Maintenance on most equipment Round Baler Belts Relaced/Welding Call for Appointment

479-234-1396 Winter Hours: 9 am - 3 pm Pick up and Delivery on most equipment

5/27

J & N Dozer - Trackhoe, Backhoe, Dumptruck, Ponds, Pads, Clearing, Roads, Hauling. Rich Top Soil, Fill Dirt, Shale, Gravel. Dozer Operator Randy Egger, over 30 years experience. We appreciate your Business! Call 479-234-1357.

TFN

Rocky Service Center

Tires Repaired Automotive/AG New Tires Available

Scott’s Lawn Care – Small, Medium and Large properties. Reasonable rates and Friendly service. 394-7599 or 234-3707.

5/13

For Sale – Tomato, Squash, Cucumbers, Raspberry plants. Call 394-1296, 216-4489 or come by 216 Finks Street, off Hwy 8 West.

4/29

Garage/Hangar Sale, Friday April 24 & Sat. April 25, Mena Airport, 121 Airport Lane, Hangar 8.

(Hwy 8E, right turn onto AR 980 Road, left turn @ East Gate Aviation Complex). Household items, exercise equipment & DVDs, tools, garden tools & equipment, Ladies Clothes & Shoes (size 6.5).

1980 El Camino – restored, $12,950 obo. 1996 Newmar 38 ft. RV 49,700 miles $14,000 obo. Rain or shine 479-243-6814.

4/22 Immediate Positions Available at Mena Manor, Part Time RN Position, Part Time Dietary Aid. Must apply in person. 100 9th Street, Mena.

4/29

ATTN: All Plant Lovers MC MG Annual Plant sale is Sat., April 25 at the Mt. Ida Heritage Museum. 8 – 1 p.m.

4/22

CLASSIFIEDS

UP TO 20 WORDS - $4 PER WEEK, $0.25 EACH ADDITIONAL WORD • BORDER $1

In Memory Mike Barber, my first cousin, he was a great guy. I am glad he called me, the last few months of his life, Sandra Wagner.

4/22 Lawn Mowing, Landscaping and landscape maintenance.

Reasonable rates. Free estimates. Call 479-234-1468

4/29

For Sale: 1400 Vivian Street, Mena, 3 BR/2bath, 2 car garage, 1787 sq. ft. living, vaulted great room open to dining and kitchen w/breakfast bar, Jacuzzi tub and large walk in closet in master. Built 2007, 1.72 acre lot looks onto Lee McMillian park/pool, partially wooded w/privacy fence along back of property. All electric energy efficient, central heat and A/C, paint, carpet and tile in new condition. All newer appliances: glass top range, dishwasher, microwave and refrigerator included. Covered front and back porches, lush landscaping. 10x16 storage building with electric, water, and built in cabinets/countertop. Home is exceptional and a great location! $162,900. Login to view photos on www.zillow.com. Call 479-719-1022 for inquiries or appointment between 8a.m. to 8p.m. No owner financing, nor realtors, please.

4/22 Daniel’s Carpentry and Painting. Home repair and painting. Small to medium jobs. Also lawn and garden work.

5/6 Call 870-334-2068 Moving Sale – Lots of treasures. Thursday, Friday, Saturday April 22, 23. 24. 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 805 Kimberly Drive, Mena. .

4/22

Public Announcement From Mena Public Schools: Holly Harshman Elementary and Mena Middle School are applying for a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant. The grant would allow the schools to provide many opportunities for the students that include: before and after school care, homework help, targeted tutoring, enrichment for grade level and advanced students, fun activities and club participation, and Saturday Field Trips, all free to students and parents.

Students will be doing surveys at school, parents’ surveys are being sent home. Parents may pick up a survey in the office if your child does not get home with theirs. The community is also asked to complete a survey. Community members may come by the school offices to pick up a survey or call the school and request one and we will get it to you.These surveys need to be completed by May 1. Holly Harshman Elementary and Mena Middle School are excited about this opportunity and to get your opinion.

4/22

Page 32

THE POLK COUNTY PULSE

April 22, 2015

April Showers BRING A entry hevrolet

2013 Chevy Impala 75 Months @ 3.99 with $1,000 down - $13,679

41K Miles

1-800-649-9929

2013 Chevy Malibu

84 Months @ 3.99 with $1,000 down - $17,979

23K Miles

2014 Chevy Cruze 84 Months @ 3.99 with $1,000 - $16,479

Gentry Price:

Gentry Price:

Per Month W.A.C.

Per Month W.A.C.

84 Month @ 3.99 with $1,000 down - $20,779

Gentry Price:

23K Miles

2014 Chevy Captiva 84 Months @ 3.99 with $1,000 down - $19,979

$258.93

2014 Nissan Maxima

2012 Nissan Frontier

Gentry Price:

$279.39 Per Month W.A.C.

25K Miles

Gentry Price:

$269.84 Per Month W.A.C. 84 Months @ 3.99 with $1,000 down - $21,479

14K Miles

$211.18

$163.70 2014 Buick Verano

29K Miles

$231.64 Per Month W.A.C.

$191.05 Per Month W.A.C. 84 Months @ 3.99 with $1,000 down - $12,999

801 West Collin Raye Dr., • De Queen, AR

Gentry Price:

Gentry Price:

2013 Chevy Sonic

www.GentryChevyInc.com

Per Month W.A.C.

84 Months @ 3.99 with $1,000 down - $21,995 Gentry Price:

$286.43 Per Month W.A.C.

59K Miles