Polk County Pulse March 10, 2021 by The Pulse

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March 10, 2021

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AP Commission: It’s Happening

INSIDE:

SPRING SPORTS SCHEDULES

Lum & Abner Festival planning underway By Jeri Pearson

Pages 12- 13

Discovering the Depot

Page 22

Photo by Samantha Machlear The Tigers played aggressively during the Regional Tournament. See more tournament news on page 2.

Acorn Basketball Makes Noise By Samantha Macheler

Polk County Watch

Page 24

Last week was the District Basketball Tournament. Our Sr. Girls played on Wednesday vs. Magazine and won 6744. Madi Ellis scored highpoint with 17 and also went 5-5 on the free-throw line. Halli Holland came close in sec-

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ond with 16 points and eight defensive rebounds, and Ashlynn not far behind with 15 points. In the first round, the Sr. Boys faced JC Westside, defeating them 71-42. In the second round of district, the boys faced off Lavaca. This was an excellent matchup because they

See BASKETBALL page 2

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After a year of canceled events, festivals and sports, the Mena Advertising and Promotion Commission is moving forward with business as near to normal as possible. Planning for the Lum and Abner Festival is underway and an extension for vendor applications was approved by the commission for March 31. Commissioner James Earl Turner and interim Marketing Director Marissa Johnson said they hope to attract quality vendors to the festival. Johnson said most vendors paid the vendor fee last year, but the canceled 2020 event may have left some vendors unsure if the festival will happen this year. However, with the anticipation of the state removing additional requirements to holding large events, the commission continues to plan for the event to be held. In addition to the festival, spring sports at Aubrey Tapley Park are underway with more sign-ups than in previous years. In addition to spring sports, Tapley

See COMMISSION page 3

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2 News

THE POLK COUNTY

Pulse

March 10, 2021

Scores at a glance 4-A South Star City Mena Ladycats - 55 vs Crosset Ladyeagles - 30 (March 3 10 AM) Mena Ladycats 40 vs Watson Chapel Lady Wildcats - 38 (March 5 10 AM) Mena Ladycats - 34 vs Star City Ladydogs - 65 (March 6 4 PM) 2nd Place finish 3-A Region 1 Bergman Cossatot River Eagles - 44 vs Westfork Tigers - 47 (March 3 4 PM) Did not place 2-A West Magazine Acorn Ladytigers 64 vs Yellville-Summit Panthers - 56 (March 3 10 AM) Acorn Ladytigers - 58 vs Flippin Lady Bobcats - 69 (March 5 10 AM) Acorn Ladytigers 44 vs Mansfield Tigers - 51 (March 6 10 AM) 4th Place finish Acorn Tigers - 90 vs Arkansas Arts Academy Diamonds 53 (March 4 7 PM) Acorn Tigers - 42 vs Lavaca Golden Arrows - 56 (March 5 7 PM) Acorn Tigers - 46 vs Mansfield Tigers 28 (March 6 1 PM) 3rd Place finish

BASKETBALL Continued from 1 Photo by Trey Youngdahl Mena Ladycats gather at Union Bank Center during the district play-offs against Arkadelphia..

Teams battle in regional tournaments

Ladycats finish 2nd, head to state By Loki DeWitt It was a big week in Polk County high school basketball as four teams representing the area entered into tournament play in an attempt to stake their claim to a Regional Championship for their school. It all started at 10 AM on March 3 in Star City as the Mena Ladycats took on the Crosset Lady Eagles in the opening round of the 4-A South tournament. The Ladycats seized the lead over their opponents early and never let it go as they continued their path of dominance closing out the one-sided affair with a score of 55-30. March 5 began with Mena once again looking to continue their roll as they faced off with the Watson Chapel Lady Wildcats. While Mena had been dominant in the majority of their previous game, they found themselves put to the test by the Lady Wildcats who kept the score close throughout the entire game. Though their opponents were persistent, the Ladycats were not going to let a chance at the regional finals slip through their fingers and pressed back even harder. The Ladycats’ persistence paid off as they punched their ticket to the championship round with a close final score of 40-38. March 6 saw the Mena Ladycats striving to take home a regional championship to go along with their conference one. Stand-

ing in their was the team that represented the school that was playing host to the regional tournament action, the Star City Ladydogs. While they played with skill and determination, the Ladycats quickly found themselves in a position that they were not used to, and were playing from behind in an attempt to overcome a massive lead mounted by the other team. It had been some time since the Ladycats had found themselves in such a spot, but they still pressed on in a strong showing of desire and heart as they attempted to gain footing in their title bid. Despite all their effort, the lead the Ladydogs had amassed proved to be just too large to overcome before the final buzzer sounded, leaving the Ladycats heading home with a second-place tournament finish with a final score of 34-65.

Cossatot Lady Eagles

The Cossatot Lady Eagles hit the court in Bergman to take on the West Fork Lady Tigers as they sought to stake their claim to the 3-A Region 1 title. The game was very physical and saw both teams give their all in a back and forth encounter that saw the lead change several times. Despite the skill and grit that the Lady Eagles showed on the court they, unfortunately, saw their title hopes cut short in a fight to the finish that ended in a 47-44 defeat that finished their season.

had split 1-1 with each other earlier in the year. It was a hard-fought battle, but the Acorn Tigers came out on top with a score of 51-48. For the boy's season, they have shot 52%. Brady Hair leads the team with four charges taken. Braylan Bohlman leads the team in rebounds with 210, while Damian Bohlman leads the team in free throw percentage with 81% on the year. They average a total of 62.2 points per game. The boys have had an excellent year so far. These wins for the Tigers meant both our girls and boys were sitting in the District Finals, both teams facing the Mansfield Tigers. The girls split 1-1 with Mansfield earlier in the year, so they knew the game would be challenging. Ashlynn Bissell scored the team's highpoint with 21 points going 7-8 on the free-throw line. Kaylee Tedder trailed close in second with 18 points, shooting a 73% field goal percentage. Many have agreed that was one of Kaylee's best games all year! The girls pulled out the hard-fought game with a score of 67-60. The boys fought hard in the finals but couldn't pull it out. They were tied until the last second when someone threw up a buzzer-beater, and it went in. The final score was 5154. It didn't roll the boy's way, but we are incredibly proud of them. The Girls Placed 4th in the Regional Tournament, and the Boys placed 3rd. The boys and girls both advanced to the State Tournament next week at Melbourne, Arkansas. The Lady Tigers play Tuesday the 9th at 10 a.m. The Boys play Wednesday the 10th at 1 p.m. Good luck, Tigers and Coach Jackson, and Ledbetter.

THE POLK COUNTY

Pulse

March 10, 2021

Radio - Print - Web CITY OF MENA ANNOUNCES SPRING CLEAN-UP 1168 Hwy 71S Mena, AR 71953 Phone: 479-243-9600 Fax: 479-243-9603 Email: news@mypulsenews.com

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Ashley Smith- General Manager Jeri Pearson - Editor Tori Stockton - Production Manager John Russell - Graphic Design Trey Youngdahl- Digital Producer Curt Teasdale - Programmer/ On-Air Personality Jim Pinson - Morning Personality Justin Richmond - Receptionist Jackye Pruitt - Senior Account Executive Brooke Rose - Account Executive Distribution & Insertion Staff Dan & Linda Deramus, Jason Sharp, Ryan Lewis & Zane Steele The Polk County Pulse is the area’s premiere and fastest growing news publication. The Polk County Pulse is FREE and published weekly on Wednesdays, with a distribution of 8,000 and an estimated readership of 10,000. MyPulseNews.com has hundreds of visitors daily and KENA and KQOR have thousands of listeners hourly. POLICY: The publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertisement at any time. All property rights, including any copyright interest, in any advertisement produced by Pulse Multi-Media and/or The Polk County Pulse using art work and/or typography furnished or arranged by Pulse Multi-Media and/or The Polk County Pulse shall be the property of Pulse Multi-Media and/or The Polk County Pulse. No such advertisement or any part thereof may be reproduced without the prior written consent of Pulse Multi-Media and The Polk County Pulse. POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS: Advertisements of a political nature must be prepaid and must also include the name of the entity paying for the advertisement. If an entity other than the candidate the advertisement is endorsing is paying for the ad, a statement must be signed by the candidate verifying the candidate has seen and approved the advertisement.

The City of Mena Annual Spring Clean-Up is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, March 16, 2021. City trucks will pick up items you want to dispose of at no charge. This Clean-up service is free for residences within the City limits of Mena only. Please follow the below listed regulations to ensure that the pick-up runs smoothly. Materials will not be picked up unless they are placed at the curb-side and separated. Street Department personnel can not go onto private property to assist in moving items. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SEPARATE ANY ITEMS THAT YOU WANT TO KEEP AWAY FROM THOSE THAT ARE TO BE DISCARDED (such as trash cans) The following items cannot be picked up: concrete, brick, rocks, dirt, shingles, batteries, and construction debris. Please separate your items to be discarded into 5 distinct piles as follows: 1. Furniture--couches, chairs, televisions, window frames, etc. 2. Household trash--paper items, etc. (Please place trash cans, that you wish to keep, to one side so that they will not be disposed of inadvertently) 3. Metal material--hot water heaters, stoves, appliances, etc. 4. Yard waste--tree limbs, shrubs, grass, etc. 5. Tires Note - it is required that all yard debris, such as small limbs, gum balls, and leaves, be placed in garbage bags. The Mena Street Department will begin pick up in the Northwest part of the city and work their way across town following the same routes as Southern Disposal. Trucks will run 1 to 3 days after the day of your normal trash pick-up. The response to this Clean-Up is usually overwhelming, so please be patient if the trucks are running somewhat behind the posted schedule; however, each route will only be covered one time. It is not necessary to call City Hall in order to receive this service.

COMMISSION continued from 1 will soon see the addition of at least one volleyball court thanks to a grant sought after and secured by Mena Mayor Seth Smith. The thousand dollar grant was accepted by the commission, which also approved spending up to a thousand dollars for a second court if the pricing works out. It was noted at the meeting that Pasha Watson, who was serving as the AP’s Marketing Director in conjunction with the contract between the Mena Polk County Chamber of Commerce and the AP, had resigned.

“The Chamber of Commerce values our relationship with the Advertising & Promotion Commission. The decision by the two organizations years ago was not based on any one person but a shared mission and services,” the chamber board said in a statement. “Our commitment to serving the chamber members and providing the services in the A&P contract does not waiver in the event of personnel changes. The board is actively seeking qualified applicants and plans to continue the work of the Chamber and the A&P seamlessly.”

Editorial 3

Want to share your opinion? The Polk County Pulse welcomes letters to the Editor addressing any topic of interest to our readers. To be published, letters must not contain obscene or libelous language. The letter must include a signature to be considered for publication. Signatures will NOT be held out by request. The following contact information is required when the letter is submitted: NAME, AGE, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER. Letters are published at the discretion of the Editor and Publisher. Letters may be submitted by e-mail to news@mypulsenews.com; mailed to P.O. Box 1450, Mena, AR 71953 or dropped off at 1168 Hwy. 71 South, Mena, AR. A drop-box is provided by the front door for after hour convenience.

TO SUBMIT: NEWS ITEMS / ANNOUNCEMENTS / LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / SPORTS UPDATES / CALENDAR ITEMS / CLASSIFIED ADS Email NEWS@MYPULSENEWS.COM

4 State News

Pulse State House of Representatives

March 10, 2021

From the

State Senate

Both chambers of the legstate troopers, from 30 to 28 islature have approved a bill years of service. that prohibits abortions, exAlso in the package is SB cept if necessary to save the 346 to add audiovisual memother’s life in a medical dia to the list of documenemergency. tation that law enforcement Several legislators said they agencies maintain in crimihad concerns about the bill nal investigations. because it does not have an Other criminal investigaLarry Teauge exception for rape or incest. tion documents include lab reSenate Bill 6 passed in the Senate ports, arrest records, search warrants by a 27-to-7 vote and in the House of and incident reports. The bill outlines Representatives by a 76-to-19 vote. how many years those documents It authorizes penalties of up to 10 must be retained, which depends on years in prison and a fine of up to the severity of the crime. $100,000 for people who are convicted SB 346 would allow law enforceor performing or attempting to per- ment agencies to charge reasonable form an abortion. It specifically does fees for the costs of copying audiovinot authorize any criminal charges sual media and electronic records, for against any pregnant woman in the example to comply with a request for death of her unborn child. public records under the state freeAlso, SB 6 does not prohibit the dom of information act. sale or use of prescription drugs, conReasonable fees could include pertraceptive measures or chemicals as sonnel time needed to reproduce the long as they are administered before documents. the pregnancy has been determined Some advocates for transparency in through conventional medical testing. government have expressed concern In other news, the governor signed that approval of SB 346 might encourSB 24, known as the “Stand Your age other government entities, apart Ground” bill. It is Act 250 of 2021. from law enforcement agencies, to It removes the previous requirement charge for personnel time when comin state law that people had to retreat plying with FOI requests. from a confrontation if they could do The House has passed several bills so safely. prompted by the coronavirus panUnder Act 250, a person is not re- demic. HB 1488 would allow employquired to retreat before using deadly ees to file a workers’ compensation force if he or she is legally at the loca- claim if they can prove they contracted tion where the confrontation occurs, the Covid-19 virus in their workplace. and has a reasonable belief that the It would expire in two years. other person is threatening his or her The House also passed HB 1521 life with death or serious physical in- to provide immunity from civil lawjury. suits for health care providers when A group of about 35 legislators they diagnose and treat patients with formed the “Back the Blue” caucus to Covid-19. Their immunity would be support bills strengthening law en- similar to that of emergency respondforcement. One measure in the pack- ers. age is SB 300 to prohibit parole for HB 1061, called the “No Patient Left certain repeat offenders who use a Alone” act, would create procedures firearm to commit a felony. for allowing people to visit family in Another measure is HB 1343 to hospitals and nursing homes during lower the threshold for retirement for the pandemic.

THE POLK COUNTY

As we wind down the 8th week of the contact information. 2021 Regular Session, HB1457-This bill creates “Paisley’s more than 270 bills have Law”. It allows parents of a stillborn been signed into law. child to claim an income tax credit in Next week, the House the amount of $500. State Agencies and GovHB1488-This bill allows employees to ernmental Affairs Comfile a Workers’ Compensation Claim for mittee will begin hearing COVID-19 if the employee can prove proposals for constithey contracted the virus at their place John Maddox tutional amendments. of employment. According to Joint Rules, the House and HB1407-This bill modifies the method Senate can each recommend one amend- of calculation of the stabilization tax and ment, but it must be approved by a ma- caps the tax at .2% for 2022. jority in both chambers. A 2/3 vote is HB1409-This bill caps the taxable wage required by both chambers to introduce base for employers at $10,000 for 2022. a third proposed constitutional amendHB1433-This bill outlines transportament. tion funding for the 2020-2021 school This week, the House passed more year for districts that need more than the than 50 bills, including the following: foundation funding provided to all pubHB1061-This bill creates the No Pa- lic schools. tient Left Alone Act. The bill outlines HB1464-This bill adds a provision to visitation rights for hospital patients, the Arkansas Code that allows parents to including children, patients with dis- challenge instructional material, events, abilities, hospice care, long-term care pa- or activities in public schools. tients, and members of the clergy. HB1389-This bill creates the Arkansas SB6-This bill would ban abortions ex- Foresters for the Future Scholarship Procept those performed to protect the life gram. This scholarship will be funded by and health of the mother. the State Forestry Fund. HB1568-This bill creates a legislative SB287-This bill expands eligibility for study on the possible use of election the Governor’s Scholars Program and the technology to increase transparency and Arkansas High Technology Scholarship security. Program to migrants from the Compact SB137-This bill states that a local gov- of Free Association Islands (Marshallese) ernment shall not adopt any ordinance and to an individual or child of a person or policy that would prohibit a custom- who holds a Federal Form I-766 Employer’s right to purchase, use, connect, or re- ment Authorization Document (work connect to a utility service. permit). HB1437-This bill concerns “Publish HB1462-This bill allows state-supportfor Pay websites” or privately-owned ed two-year and four-year institutions websites that request a fee to remove a of higher education to designate a staff booking photograph from the website. member as a homeless and foster student The bill states the person responsible liaison. for removing the booking photograph There will be some changes to comfrom the website shall remove the picture mittee schedules beginning next week within five business days of receipt of a to accommodate hearing bills and prowritten request and not require payment posed amendments. You can find updatof a fee for removing the booking photo- ed schedules and links to live streams on graph. It also states the website must post our website www.arkansashouse.org.

THE POLK COUNTY

Pulse

Obituaries 5

March 10, 2021

Roberta Marlene Ashman

Roberta Marlene Ashman of Mena, AR passed away peacefully on March 1, 2021 surrounded by her children and grandchildren. She was surrounded by her loved ones when she passed into His arms from ours. Marlene was born on April 26, 1940 in Mobeetie, TX. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband John, parents Roy and Eunice (Robinson) Howard, and sisters Dorothy Gay Howard and Barbara Geraldine Howard Kishiyama. Marlene was a force of nature to all those who knew her. She was funny, kind, empathetic, charitable, and loyal. She placed her family above all else. Throughout her marriage to John, a sailor in the United States Navy, it fell to her to be both mother and father to her three children due to some of his long sea deployments. They would have been celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary on the 18 th of this month. She was a strong and determined woman and her selflessness and love of family served as an example of how life should be lived. She was wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. Marlene lived a life of service. Throughout her life she volunteered as softball coach, Little League coach, PTA member, Girl Scout leader, Boy Scout Den Mother, Naval Ombudsman, and was a member of the James K. Polk chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Marlene was diagnosed with lung cancer in June 2020. She was treated at Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa, FL from July to October 2020. She returned to Mena in October 2020. In late February the cancer began to spread aggressively. Her health failed quickly in the last four days of her life and the family was called to come see her. She is survived by her children Joseph Ashman (Carrie), Jeffrey Ashman (Connie), Amy King (Brian), and Michelle Kasper (Bill). She leaves behind nine grandchildren: Kristin, Jacob, Ashley, Casey, Kayla, Emily, Nicholas, Catherine Grace, and Joseph as well as two great grandchildren, Rourke and Annie. Marlene will be remembered as Mom, Momma, MA, Omi, and Deanie. She was so much more than the cancer that took her life....

Doyle Dean Beck

Mr. Doyle Dean Beck, age 82, of Mena, Arkansas passed away Sunday, March 7, 2021at his home surrounded by his loved ones. Mr. Beck was born on February 26, 1939 in Mena, Arkansas to the late Elvis Doyle Beck and the late Clara Williams Beck. After high school Doyle went to the United States Navy and spent his adult life serving his country until retirement. Doyle loved to be outside hunting, fishing, and playing golf. Mr. Beck is survived by his wife of 60 years, Lorene Johnson Beck of Mena; two sons, Steven D. Beck and wife Shirley and Gregory W. Beck, Grandchildren; Christopher Beck and wife Mershon, Shane Beck and wife Coleen, Sarah Beck, Loren Macagni and husband Chris, and Cheryl Beck, eight great-grandchildren; one sister, Barbara Magnino, five sisters-in-law; 3 brothers-in-law and their spouses which he loved as his own, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Doyle was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Elvis Beck, Jr.,

and Bill Rucker. Mr. Beck was sent for cremation under the direction of Beasley Wood Funeral Home in Mena. There are no services scheduled at this time. Online obituary at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

Autry Gene Dilbeck

Autry Gene Dilbeck, age 77, passed away March 2, 2021 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was born to the late Aubrey and Clyda Dilbeck on November 5, 1943 in Opal, Arkansas. Autry enjoyed fishing, playing dominoes and cards. In his professional life he was a Mena City Police Officer for many years. He served our country as a member of the National Guard. He is survived by his wife, Fairy Dilbeck; son, Chris Dilbeck and wife Kimberly of Mena, Arkansas; daughters, Beatrice Watkins and husband Dwayne of Mena, Arkansas, Sheri France and husband Todd of Pocola, Oklahoma, Lisa Meador and husband Owen of Keokuk, Iowa; grandchildren, Adam, Christian, Clayton, Justin, Lyndie, Desiree and husband Tony, Ericka and husband Brandon, Colton, Angela, Brandon, Audrey and husband Jermiah, Tiffany, Athena, and Kerry; ten great grandchildren; sister Lorene Armstrong of Texas; a host of nieces, nephews, and friends. Autry is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Deloise Egger, and Barbara Abbot; brother, Darrel Dilbeck. Graveside service will be Saturday, March 6, 2021 at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Big Fork, Arkansas at 4:00 p.m. with Colton Watkins officiating. Interment to follow under the direction of the Beasley-Wood Funeral Home. Pallbearers are Chris Dilbeck, Adam Dilbeck, Clayton Dilbeck, Gage Henry, Dwayne Watkins, and Justin Drager. Online obituary at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

Quentin Bradley Justice

Quentin Bradley “Brad” Justice was born on June 27, 1938 in Winding Gulf, West Virginia, at the home of his parents, Glenn Emmitt Justice and Fern Louis Brown Justice. He passed away at his home on March 3, 2021. Brad served in the United States Marine Corp as an instructor of communications from 1956 to 1960 on active duty and completed his service commitment in the reserves. Brad was a carpenter by trade, building and remodeling homes, including building two homes for him and his loving wife Genie. Brad and Genie were united in marriage on May 21, 1971. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, golfer and outdoorsman. He was a charter member of the Ouachita Bowmen Club, an archery club established in Mena in the mid 1970’s. In his retirement years he made custom made recurve and long bows, that received rave reviews from professional archers. He became an excellent classic guitar instrumentalist having played most of his adult life and taking self taught correspondence courses. Many of his long time friendships were formed by playing music in the Mena area. He also played at the Mountain Home Music Festival, competing in the classical guitar category. He built several guitars during his lifetime. In the later years of his life, Brad began painting landscapes which were displayed at the Polk County Library and the Polk County Fair. Brad loved his family and the home he and Genie built over almost 50 years together. Brad loved his church family, the Church of Christ which meets on Mena Street. Mr. Justice was preceded in death by

Justice Obituary Continued on Page 6

6 Obituaries Justice Obituary Continued

his parents and his brother-in-law, Joe Venable. Mr. Justice is survived by his wife of almost 50 years, Genie “Bonner” Justice of Hatfield; his sister, Rosetta Jean Venable of Brevard, NC; his four children, son, Bradley Justice and wife, Paula of Springdale; son, Jerry Justice and wife, Peggy of Newport Beach, CA; daughter, Suzon Hansen and husband, Ric of Chandler, AZ; and son, Andy Justice and wife, Shiela of Punta Gorda, FL. Six grandchildren, Timothy Justice of Mena; Daniel Justice and wife, Cynthia of St. Joe, AR; Matthew Justice and wife, Janie of Orange, TX; Isabella Hansen of Chandler, AZ; Nicholas Justice and Charleigh Justice of Punta Gorda, FL. Four great grandchildren, Hailey DeMatteo and Christopher DeMatteo of St. Joe, AR; and Xavier Justice and Merrick Justice of Orange, TX. And a host of In-Laws, nieces and nephews and many friends. A celebration of his life will be held on April 10, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. at the Bowser Family Funeral Home Chapel in Mena. Cremation services are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena. Online Guestbook: bowserffh.com

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March 10, 2021

James Edward Long, Sr.

James Edward Long Sr., age 67, of Mena, Arkansas died on Sunday, February 28, 2021 at the VA Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was born on Wednesday, January 6, 1954 in Hartville, Missouri to John Alton Long and Florence (Pruitt) Long. James was a spiritual man who was ordained in the early 1970’s. He proudly served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. He worked for many years as a truck driver under the handle “Blue Beard”, and later went on to work at U.S. Motors. James also volunteered at the Potter Rural Fire Department. Growing up his dad had a catfish farm, and his joy of fishing carried on throughout his life. He loved the outdoors, especially deer hunting. James liked Western movies and television shows as well as country music. His family was very important to him and he never failed in providing them a good home. James was a loving father, brother, grandfather, uncle and friend and will be missed by all who knew him. He is preceded in death by his parents; and one sister, Opal Joy. James is survived by four sons and daughters in law, James and Misty Long of Denton, Texas, Robert and Becky Long of Bolivar, Missouri, John Henry William Long of Hatfield, and Jacob Long of Hatfield; one daughter and son in law, Delta and Adam Gunn of Mena; one brother, David Long; ten grandchildren; several nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. at the Grace Bible Baptist Church in Mena, Arkansas with Dr. Lamar Austin officiating. Cremation services are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena, Arkansas. Online Guestbook: bowserffh.com

Charles Mowdy Mr. Charles Mowdy, age 82, passed away February 26, 2021 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He was born on October 26, 1938 in Hatfield, Arkansas to the late L.B. and Mary Ellen Mowdy. Charles was a simple man but also very complex. Friends would say he was a gentleman and a scholar. He was known for his dry sense of humor and always helping in a time of need. Charles spent his career as a teacher at Smithville High School for 22 years and Watson School for a year. Since “retiring”, he continued ranching and farming. He enjoyed time in the garden and fishing with Myra. He is survived by his wife, Myra Mowdy; brothers, Kenny Mowdy and wife Ronna, Douglas Mowdy and wife Polly; sister Marjorie Mowdy Cunningham; and several nieces, and nephews. Charles is preceded in death by his parents. Funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 6, 2021 in the Smithville High School Gymnasium at Smithville, Oklahoma with Brother Cody McDaniel officiating. Interment will follow in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Hatfield, Arkansas under the direction of the Beasley-Wood Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 5:30-7:30 pm on Thursday, March 4, 2021 in the Beasley-Wood Chapel. Online obituary at beasleywood funeralhome.com

Complete Up-to-Date Obituaries at

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Pulse Pamela Dian Nance Duprez

Pamela Dian Nance Duprez was born March 20, 1948 in Bay Town, Texas. Pam passed February 23, 2021 in Casper Wy. Pam was a resident of Glendo, WY formerly from Mena, Arkansas, Colorado City, CO and Houston, Texas. Pam attended the University of Texas and was a member Alpha Omicron PI sorority. Pam loved to sing, work at The Son Lighters card shop, and enjoyed hosting her Friday afternoon card games at her Red Roof ranch home with her friends. She was a member of the Polk County Cattleman Assoc. Pam is survived by husband Bill of 20 years. Brother Frank Nance and wife Mary, nieces Emily Rostad husband Clarence, Linsey Sefovic husband Justin, 5 great nephews all of Windsor, Co. Extended family Scott Cooper and wife Ann, children Eleanor, Coeta and Hollis of Pueblo West, Co. A memorial service is planned for a later date in Glendo, Wy. Donations may be made to Glendo Volunteer Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 404, Glendo, WY. 82213 in Pam’s name.

THE POLK COUNTY

Pulse

Reflections of Faith and History: Another Look at Slavery By Jeff Olsen

America has been in a culture war for some time and in 2021 we are seeing it continue and even accelerate at an alarming rate. A part of this involves our nation’s history and within this the subject of slavery has been at the forefront. This week I would like to provide another look at slavery which I hope will provide some clarity and perspective for those narratives which fail to include some very important aspects. Today, some believe and are taught that America’s founding was actually in 1619, the year when slaves were first brought to our shores, rather than in 1776 when America declared her independence from Great Britain. This could lead some to conclude that the American founding is defined primarily by slavery rather than by freedom. However, this is not consistent with neither the beliefs of most of our founders nor the scope and depth of history. Most people today believe slavery to be wrong, and would likely go a step further and say that it is evil. However, just because it was not always thought of as such doesn’t justify the ignoring of lessons learned, battles fought, and lives dedicated and lost to the eradication of its evil as an institution. Why? Because this long and painful journey was at its core a reflection of the human condition - that humanity is inherently imperfect, and only through humility and recognition and acceptance of transcendent truth beyond ourselves can we see the way through the evil that lurks within every human heart. “In the course of human events,” human beings are called to learn from their own mistakes and failures, to incrementally develop a design for the institutions of liberty rooted in truth and experience. Had any one of us lived more than 300 years ago, it is likely that we would have seen little or nothing wrong with slavery. Why 300 years, and why are there still those in 2021 who not only are indiffer-

History 7

March 10, 2021

ent about it but in fact make a living through slavery of various forms? If aliens came to earth for a visit to America today, and they started with learning history, news, and current events according to some of our media and institutions of higher learning, their first impression might be that slavery began in America or perhaps that she was among the first countries to host the institution of slavery. But let’s take a closer look. First, slavery’s origins go back thousands of years before the American founding and certainly before 1619. Second – slavery at its core is not a racist institution. Slaves and slave owners were often of the same race. For instance, blacks were not enslaved because they were black, but because they were available at the time. For centuries before the first black slave was brought to the Western Hemisphere, whites enslave other whites, Asians enslaved other Asians, Africans enslaved other Africans and so on. So, those who define or typify slavery as if it were only the enslavement of blacks by whites either do not know or ignore how widespread this institution was and still is. Actually, more whites were brought as slaves to North Africa than blacks brought as slaves to the 13 colonies or to the United States. White slaves were still being bought and sold in the Ottoman Empire decades after blacks were freed in the United States. According to a recent National Geographic article, there are an estimated 46 million men, women, and children in the world who are enslaved. This includes human trafficking, forced labor, debt bondage, forced or service marriage, and the sale and exploitation of children. There are more slaves today than were seized from Africa in four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Where is the outrage on this? The silence is deafening... Throughout human history the institution of slavery has been more the rule than the exception.

See HISTORY page 8

PUBLIC NOTICE Public School Choice in Arkansas allows students to attend a public school in a district other than the one in which they reside. The applications must be made by May 1, 2021, to qualify for provisions under the Arkansas Public School Choice Act of 2013. Pursuant to standards adopted by a nonresident district may reserve the right to accept or reject applicants based on capacity of programs, class, grade level or school building. Likewise, a nonresident district’s standards may provide for rejection of an applicant based upon the submission of false or misleading information to the above listed request for information when that information directly impacts the legal qualifications of an applicant to transfer pursuant to the School Choice Act. However, a nonresident district’s standards shall not include an applicant’s previous academic achievement, athletic or other extracurricular ability, handicapping conditions, English proficiency level, or previous disciplinary proceedings, except than an expulsion from another district may be included pursuant to Ark. Code Ann 618510 Priority will be given to applicants with siblings attending the district. The nonresident district shall accept credits toward graduation that were awarded by another district and award a diploma to a nonresident district’s graduation requirements. Applications postmarked or delivered to the Superintendent of Schools no later than May 1 for a child to be able to enroll for the fall semester. Transfers shall be granted on a nondiscriminatory basis. Students who have been accepted and enrolled in previous years do not have to reapply as approved transfers remain valid for as long as the student attends public school. The following districts comply with this public school announcement: Ashdown, Caddo Hills, Cossatot River, DeQueen, Dierks, Foreman, Horatio, Mena, Mineral Springs, Mount Ida, Nashville and Ouachita River.

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Simpson

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8 News

HISTORY continued from page 7

So, what happened around 300 years ago? What was it about America that somehow brought about the eventual eradication of slavery as an institution when in most other parts of the world people saw nothing wrong with it. As a matter of fact, just about nowhere in the world was slavery a controversial issue until the eighteenth century and then it was an issue only in Western Civilization and in particular a young America. Among those who became strong opponents of slavery were George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, but no such staunch opposition could be found among leaders of other countries of the time. Yes, these men were slave owners but they were also men of their times who had inherited slaves and drew their anti-slavery convictions from not only first-hand knowledge and experience but most importantly and deeply from their firm belief that slavery was morally wrong. George Washington wished for “a plan adopted for the abolition of it” and by the end of his life freed all the slaves in his family estate. Other men of our founding held similar beliefs including, but not limited to, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Rush, John Adams, Thomas Paine, James Otis, James Madison, Richard Bassett and John Jay. Our founding generation grew up during what is known as the Great Awakening, a religious revival which rejuvenated personal spiritual growth and corporate church life contributing to greater biblical morality and cultural norms. This Judeo/Christian moral ethos became the lens through which slavery came to be viewed and the foundation upon which its demise as an institution had its beginning in America. Perhaps the most notable expression of this ultimate demise is found in the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson’s phrase that “all men are created equal...” is often met today with claims of hypocrisy, but in the original draft one of the grievances he listed included a scathing condemnation of slavery. However, it was removed at the insistence of certain slave-holding delegates. Inscribed in marble at Jefferson’s memorial in Washington, D.C. is his reference to the injustice of slavery: “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” Jefferson also wished to free his slaves, but unlike Washington was unable to do so because of subsequent Virginia laws that imposed steep and prohibitive financial burdens on emancipators. As Jefferson lamented to an abolitionist minister, “the laws do not permit us to turn them loose.” In understanding the maxim that politics is the art of the possible, and as a matter of practical politics, it is important to remember that no durable union could have been formed without compromise at the Constitutional Convention. While the Constitution accommodated pro-slavery delegates, it did not sanction slavery in the states where it existed. There was also a provision that forbade any restriction of the slave trade for 20 years after ratification. The Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of

March 10, 2021 1807 was enacted on March 2, 1807 and took effect on January 1, 1808, the earliest date permitted by the U.S. Constitution. The Northwest Ordinance, a pre-constitutional law passed to govern the western territories, explicitly banned slavery from those territories and from any states that might be created thereof. The question is sometimes asked: Why did we make a declaration of equality in 1776 and not subsequently use the Constitution to declare slavery illegal in 1787? First – the established constitutional principle of consent as the basis of all political legitimacy needed to be followed from the outset for confirmation and precedent. Second – to provide a safeguard or check against any future movement toward or return to tyranny where decisions on slavery or any other national concern might be by decree or edict and not through constitutional process. As Abraham Lincoln expressed it: “to declare the right, so that enforcement of it might follow as fast as circumstances should permit.” Lincoln understood that time (in view of the founders) was created by God, for the unfolding of human liberty, for human emancipation. History is a record of this, wrought with progress and decline, measured by God’s permanent standards as learned from and tested by long and sometimes painful and costly circumstances and experience. This is why we must not erase or revise our history. We must learn from it! While no nation, including America, has never perfectly lived up to the universal truths of equality, liberty, justice, and government by consent, no nation prior to America has ever so boldly and unequivocally stated those truths as the formal basis of its philosophy and politics and none has strived harder or done more to achieve them. The foundation of our Republic planted the seeds of dissolution of the institution of slavery in America. Those seeds germinated over time, spurring a growth in common moral sensibilities and cultural norms which gave the political and legal processes legitimacy and authority to create and work through our founding documents towards a nation characterized by: individual freedom, liberty of conscience, equality before God and truth and justice before the law. This has been America’s trajectory for most of 245 years, and it still can be if more of us in America choose it to be so and then act on it accordingly. As Samuel Adams admonishes us: “The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men.” James Russell Lowe was once asked by Francois Guizot, the French historian and diplomat, “How long will the American Republic endure?” Lowell replied: “As long as the ideas of the men who founded it continue dominant.”

THE POLK COUNTY

Pulse

Holly Harshman set to receive shade trees from playground program

Holly Harshman Elementary School was one of 15 schools chosen to receive trees through the Shade Trees on Playgrounds (S.T.O.P.) program. The S.T.O.P program was organized in 2004 by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division to lower adult skin cancer risk by reducing childhood exposure to direct sunlight where children play, like school playgrounds. A tree planting ceremony was held at the school on January 12th. Five trees, one tulip poplar, one pin oak, one chinquapin oak, one white oak and one Shumard oak were planted on the school playground. “The STOP program combines hands-on, outdoor experiences with classroom curriculum about the importance of trees and how to care for trees,” says Urban & Community Forestry Program Coordinator, Kristine Kimbro. “We hope this program not only improves the health of Arkansas students, but also leaves a lasting impression about the value of forests and how to be good stewards of our natural resources.” Schools are invited to submit S.T.O.P. applications annually. To qualify, participating schools must lack shade, participate in a S.T.O.P. workshop (virtually as needed), agree to use Forestry Division-provided curriculum to emphasize the importance of trees and forestry in Arkansas, hold a tree-planting ceremony, and agree to long-term maintenance of the planted shade trees. Forestry Division personnel assist with the transport and planting of the trees. Trees for each campus are chosen by local Forestry Division staff to fit the unique region and conditions of each playground and are purchased from local nurseries and suppliers.

THE POLK COUNTY

Pulse

Outdoors 9

March 10, 2021

OUACHITA BUSHCRAFT AND SURVIVAL

ESTABLISHING A BASE-CAMP By Steven E Stillwell

When I hear the old saying, HOME IS WHERE YOU HANG YOUR HAT, I visualize a place of warmth, comfort, and security. Just because you’re staying in the woods doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice all of your creature comforts. One of the first things a person needs to determine is how long they’re going to stay? A short excursion isn’t as complicated as a month, so a quick lean-to with a tarp would probably suffice for a couple of days, but certain luxuries become an important factor when you’re staying for extended periods. IT’S TIME FOR A HISTORY AND PSYCHOLOGY LESSON. Base-camps have been used for centuries by our ancestors to establish homesteads, for prospecting, hunting, fishing, scouting and military operations. I’m going to share a psychological secret of mine that will enable you to stay put for a long time. Try thinking of your encampment as a home away from home, because it’s hard to get homesick when you’re already home. I do this all of the time, and it works. When it’s time to pack-out, I leave with a feeling of satisfaction knowing that I’ve conquered every obstacle and I’ve accomplished my mission, whatever that might be! LOOK FOR NATURAL RESOURCES. In order to have a long-term, sus-

tainable camp, you need a fresh water source, level ground, and plenty of timber. Desert and arctic regions require different strategies, but fortunately, we live in an area that’s brimming with natural resources, and that’s why I live here! When choosing a place to setup, avoid areas that are prone to flooding, dead, widow-maker trees with dangerous over-hanging limbs, and places where gusting winds can wreak havoc. There’s nothing worse than a storm front destroying your camp in the middle of the night, especially when it’s accompanied by rain and hail. Wisdom and proper planning are essential, because survival is paramount. TURKEY SEASON IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. My last outing entailed scouting for a new place to turkey hunt, and a primitive base-camp will factor into this equation for the Spring Season opener. My good friends’ Morris McCann and Liston Haseman Jr. accompanied me on this journey, and we found a safe and comfortable spot hidden deep in the forest. This was also the perfect place to practice some of our Bushcrafting skills, so we decided to stay for a couple of days. 40 yards to the east of our level campsite was a beautiful flowing creek, plenty of downed timber, pitch-pine, and all of the remaining trees were healthy! This place had everything we were looking for plus, lots of rocks for a fantastic fire-pit. GOOD PARTNERS ALWAYS WORK TOGETHER. Teamwork is important if you intend on surviving and thriving in the wilderness, so split up

and designate certain tasks to perform. You can make a few improvements each day and, in a short time, they’ll begin to make a difference. Adding extra stones to your fire ring, fortifying your shelter, making tripods, clotheslines, a latrine and building furniture are a few of the amenities that’ll make your living area more comfortable. It’s even possible to

build a primitive oven, if you find the right configuration of rocks and you stack them correctly, so use your imagination. If you enjoy networking with other outdoor enthusiasts, we invite you to join our Facebook page, OUACHITA BUSHCRAFT AND SURVIVAL. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.

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10 Faith

By Richie Lawry

THE POLK COUNTY

March 10, 2021

An Arkie’s Faith: Ed’s Calling

My favorite place in Arkansas is the Buffalo River area. The Buffalo River starts in the Boston Mountains and flows in an easterly direction. Along the river are multi-colored bluffs of eroded sandstone, limestone, and dolomite, with some towering to heights over 400 feet. In 1972, Congress named the Buffalo River as the country’s first national river. It is one of the few remaining free-flowing rivers in the lower forty-eight states. The Flood Control Act of 1938 included the Buffalo River in its plans for dams on the White River. The threat of a dam on the Buffalo worried Arkansas conservation groups and those who used the river for recreation. Decades of political maneuverings, including a canoe trip on the Buffalo by Supreme Court Justice Douglas, came to a head in December 1965, when Governor Orval Faubus said he could not support a dam on the Buffalo River. Naming the River a National River put an end to the controversy. In 2017, The Buffalo River National Park Service brought Still on the Hill, an Arkansas folk duo, to the Ouachita Little Theater. I had heard them in concert once before and made plans to attend. They sang songs from their Still a River CD. The songs told the stories of well-known landmarks along the Buffalo River, such as Bee Bluff, Sam’s Throne, Tyler Bend, Granny Henderson’s cabin, and the zinc mine at Rush Creek. I loved the music, but one part of the concert made an impression on me. Kelly Mulhollan picked up the strangest guitar I have ever seen and began telling Ed Stilley’s story. The guitar looked rough and homemade. With its butterfly shape and the words “True Faith, True Light, Have Faith in God” inscribed on the body, the guitar didn’t seem real. I was fascinated as Kelly told the story of his friendship with Ed. He first met Ed in 1995. His wife, Donna, was visiting friends who had been Ed’s neighbors and had received a guitar from Ed. Donna knew her folk-art-loving husband would appreciate the strange piece. “She ran home to me and said, ‘You’ve got to see this to believe it,’” He continued, “from the very start, we both felt like we had stumbled into one of the great folk artists of our time,” The Mulhollans de-

veloped a beautiful friendship with Ed, spending a lot of time with him. As he strummed a few chords on the strange guitar, Kelly said, “Ed gave me this wonderful instrument in 2004. It was among the last instruments he built. Its proportions are undeniably dramatic, and it’s a fine-sounding instrument as well. I have been using it for years in live performances.” Ed’s story is remarkable. The Still on the Hill website tells it this way. In 1979, he led a simple life as a farmer and singer of religious hymns in Hogscald Hollow, a tiny Ozark community south of Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Life was filled with hard work and making do for Ed, his wife Eliza, and their five children, who lived simply, as if the second half of the twentieth century had never happened. But one day, Ed’s life was permanently altered. While plowing his field, he became convinced he was having a heart attack. Ed stopped his work and lay down on the ground. Staring at the sky, he saw himself as a large tortoise struggling to swim across a river. On his back were five small tortoises—his children—clinging to him for survival. And then, as he lay there in the freshly plowed dirt, Ed received a vision from God, telling him that he would be restored

Pulse

to health if he would agree to do one thing: make musical instruments and give them to children. And so he did. Beginning with a few simple hand tools, Ed worked tirelessly for twenty-five years to create over two hundred instruments, each a crazy quilt of heavy, rough-sawn wood scraps joined with found objects. A rusty door hinge, a steak bone, a stack of dimes, springs, saw blades, pot lids, metal pipes, glass bottles, aerosol cans—Ed used anything he could to build a working guitar, fiddle, or dulcimer. On each instrument, Ed inscribed, “True Faith, True Light, Have Faith in God.” As a craftsman using only basic woodworking tools, a fertile imagination, and materials available to him from the forests of the Ozark Mountains, Ed Stilley made hundreds of guitars that he gave away to neighbors and children. When an interviewer asked Ed why he never signed his guitars, he replied, “because I done it for the glory of God. I never done it in my name. I wasn’t smart enough to make ’em and I shore wasn’t gonna put my name on ’em. I had some people try to get me to and I said you just get yourself a piece of paper and put my name on that. I said, “I’m gonna tell you why.” I said, “Now whenever God tells you to do something, He wants you to do it exactly like He gave the order.” The calling that Ed felt reminds me of a verse found in 1 Corinthians 7:17 (NIV) “Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.” And the Apostle Peter tells us, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) Gentle Reader, sometimes we may feel that God calls only pastors. In Christian circles, the word “calling” feels like a name saved only for special people and those paid to do ministry. But God calls every one of us. Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NLT) Our first calling is to be near Jesus. When we are, everything else begins to fall into place. What is God calling you to do today? It may not be building handmade guitars, but He has a calling for you. Ask Him what he wants you to do.

Joke of the Week:

Dad, are we pyromaniacs? Yes, we arson.

Replacing windshields in Polk County for forty years. Give Richie a call at 479-394-9938 Located at 3008 Hwy 71 South

THE POLK COUNTY

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Humor 11

March 10, 2021

Hogspore News: A Murder on the Phone

By Clet Litter from the Ozarks Old Man Grimely got to reminiscing about his childhood. “We didn’t have cell phones in my day. Everybody talked to each other face to face. It was a true free person-to-person chat. The kids only had tin cans with a tight string between two houses. Later, we would add another house and get party strings. We tugged our phone line for can-waiting. There was worthy reception cept when a flock of crows settled on the string for the night.” I corrected him, “A flock of crows is called a Murder.” He looked like he was pondering a murder of his own. If he had killed me right then, it mighta been ruled just caws. He come back with, “Well, why can’t you let the other patrons over at the library use the thesaurus some time?” I couldn’t come up with more corrections, cept for something better than "patron," but I didn’t wanna make Grimely mad again. He kept going, “The only cell phones were the ones in prison. They were available only once a year on Mother’s Day. There was one more cell phone inside that special room in Tucker, Arkansas. It was a direct line to the governor’s office. Course, I don’t really know that for sure. It’s only what I heard from the older boys.” Morton Trubletoof said, “I bought a used 40-foot recreational vehicle. It’s a project to work on an hour after supper every night.”

I sez, “That’s gonna be nice when you finish it. You and Portia can do some camping or fishing overnight, maybe even take a few months to go see America.” He says, “Oh no Clet, that’s not what happening with this gal. I’m gonna paint her yellow and convert her into a school bus.” I was over to Smartins Grocery Store buying stuff that Punkin won’t buy when she goes shopping for staples: tater chips, dip, cookies, Cap’n Crunch cereal, strawberry soda, and cans of sardines, which I have to dispatch out in the barn. It ain’t fair that I gotta pay for the butternut ice cream for my wife, so she won’t have folks seeing her buy it herself. Lots of shoppers was busy reading the ingredients labels on packages. They were doing that cause they’re careful about how they eat. I’m careful about how I eat, and I hardly ever cut myself with my knife or spill gravy on my overalls. I seen Jimmy Suspenders at the magazine rack. I thought he was sneaking a look at the article on duck blind building in the edition of Today’s Young Hunter. Turns out, he was looking for the magazine’s list of ingredients. Mumford Pickens says, “You’re never poor when you’re happy.” Preacher says, “You’re never poor when you give to the church.” Punkin says, “You’re poor most of the time, but I still love you … most of the time.” I sez, “I’m never poor … unless Punkin is not happy.

You can contact Clet Litter at bobsimpson1947@yahoo.com.

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THE POLK COUNTY

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March 10, 2021

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March 10, 2021

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