JANUARY 2, 2019
9
Weekly Publication
Acorn Track and Field Members Presented Championship Rings
The Acorn Sr. Boys have had a lot of success in the 4 x 800 Meter Relay. Acorn set the Class A State Record in 1998 in 8:38.1 and it is still the Class A Record. Throughout the years Acorn has been at the top or in the top 5 in this relay. Acorn won the 4 x 800 when it was first introduced to the state format. The Acorn girls have also been very successful in the 4 x 800. Acorn boys and girls have finished as high as 4th in the prestigious Meet of Champions. Last year, they finished 4th, and only 7A schools out paced Acorn. On the state level Acorn has established itself as force in both cross-country and track. In 2018, the Acorn High School senior boys’ 4 x 800 relay team continued this tradition by winning the 1A State Championship with a time of 9:03.90 on May 2, 2018. During the 2018 season, the Acorn Tigers won most of the local track meets in the 4 x 800. They also went into the State Meet with the best time. Sophomore Brady Lyle who ran a strong leg to put Acorn near the lead paced acorn on the first leg. Another Sophomore Matthew Chaney blasted the first 300 and took the lead. He extended his lead and handed off to Freshman Brady Hair who did not let the moment control him. He paced himself and gave the lead to Senior Cross Hughes. Although a runner from Decatur quickly challenged Hughes, he defended his lead and then slowly stretched it out, lapping some teams and finishing with a comfortable lead for the state win. The team 4 x 800 meter team was presented state championship rings on August 3 by Nidec The rings were presented to the team by Mark Kinder, the plant manager and Michelle Smedley, the Cost Control Manager. Pictured left to right: Michelle Smedley, Matt Chaney, Brady Hair, Brady Lyle and Mark Kinder.
Lum and Abner Festival in Running for State Award The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism has announced their Henry Awards finalists, and Mena’s popular Lum and Abner Festival has made the final three for The Grand Old Classic Special Event Award. The Henry Awards honor Henri de Tonti, the man historians consider to be among the first “Arkansas Travelers”. The 2019 Henry Awards winners will be revealed at the 45th Annual Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism to be held in Hot Springs February 24th - 26th. The awards ceremony will take place during the Governor’s Banquet on Tuesday, February 26th. The Grand Old Classic Special Event Award is presented annually
to a festival, fair, or other celebration that has “stood the test of time” and has become an established example to follow. The 41st annual Lum and Abner Festival was held back during the first weekend in June, 2018. The event is presented annually by the Mena Advertising and Promotion Commission. The Festival always draws between 7,500 and 10,000 visitors each year. The legendary Lum and Abner radio show was an American network radio comedy program, created by Chester Lauck (who played Columbus “Lum” Edwards) and Norris Goff (Abner Peabody), aired originally from 1931 to 1954. These radio treasures still air weekday evenings on KENA-FM 104.1.
