Gardening Master Gardeners annual plant sale

By Ethan Nahté

lific in the springtime. You can check for buds by combing your hands through the foliage.

Get rid of pests

Certain spring pests should be treated for in the colder months. Latimer is especially wary of fire ants, as they’re one of the most active lawn pests in spring. Treating them early will minimize their activity and mitigate potential problems they cause when the weather warms up. “I can promise you they are going to be everywhere in warm weather, so treat them now,” he says.

Get those leaves up

Latimer knows that leaf blowing or raking is time-consuming, but he says that getting fallen leaves off the ground is essential. Not only are leaves on your lawn an eyesore, but they can also keep a lot of excess moisture from winter rain, snow and ice stuck in your soil. This creates the potential for root rot, active pests and germinating weeds.

Latimer offers more insights in “4 Tips to Prep Your Backyard for Spring,” a recent video from Exmark. To watch the video, visit Backyard Life, which is part of a unique multimedia destination with a focus on helping homeowners make the most of outdoor spaces. There you can also download additional tips and view other Exmark videos.

There’s no time like the present to plan for the future. With these great tips in mind, it’s time to brave the brisk weather and get your lawn and garden prepped for spring.

The Polk County Master Gardener Annual Plant

Sale will be at the Polk County Fairgrounds, 8 a.m. –noon, Saturday, May 13. Presented by the Polk County Master Gardeners and the U of A Division of Agriculture Research & Extension office.

A word of advice, there should be enough plants to last through the entire four-hour event, but many of the popular plants go fast. The early bird gets the worm. People bring carts and wagons to load their plants out to their vehicles.

There will be Master Gardeners on hand who can answer many of your planting and growing questions.

For more information contact Lena Day at 317-225-8666.

Help Keep Arkansas Beautiful on Earth Day

By Ethan Nahté

Saturday, Apr. 22, is Earth Day, and there are at least two events to Keep Arkansas Beautiful.

Human Rights Mena will be picking up litter from 8 to 10 a.m. at Mena Lake. They request volunteers meet by the fireworks stand. Please bring your own supplies such

Harrison new eSports head coach

as bags, gloves, grippers, etc.

The second, which we mentioned in last week’s paper, is the clean-up at Queen Wilhelmina State Park. Meet at the Wonder House at 8:45 a.m. to register and pick up garbage bags, gloves, and a free t-shirt.

Be sure to wear close-toed shoes, sunblock, bug spray and bring plenty of drinking water for gathering litter.

Submitted by Ilana Burk

The University of Arkansas Rich Mountain (UARM) is proud to announce the addition of Jack Harrison as the new eSports head coach. Harrison is a native son having spent most of his public school years as a Mena Bearcat. He now returns to establish eSports here at UARM.

While attending Henderson State University, Jack helped establish the eSports program in 2018. HSU was the first Arkansas college to offer scholarships for eSports. Jack led and coached the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team from 2018 through 2019. Harrison graduated cum laude from Henderson State in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in psychology.

In 2021 Harrison became the assistant director of eSports at Capitol Technology University in Laurel, Maryland. He started with an empty room and in a year and a half he had a 25-person facility and a Rocket League team that finished in the top 4 of their division within the National Association of Collegiate Esports Varsity Plus League.

When asked what coming back to Mena and beginning at UARM meant to him, he stated, “For me this is coming back home. I am really glad to be back in the area and build the framework for something that I could never have dreamed of six years ago.”

UARM Chancellor Phillip Wilson commented “I am thrilled with the addition of Jack. There is a lot of work to do to make UARM the destination for Arkansas eSports competition, but I know that Jack is up to the task. I never dreamed that eSports would take off competitively as it has. I guess we can no longer be frustrated with our children sitting at home playing video games! We will now have scholarship eSports athletes just as we do with our traditional sports and that very much excites me.”

Students who are interested in joining the first UARM eSports team should visit bit.ly/EsportsRecruit.

Around Town

Ladies Fashion Show and Light Lunch honoring Military Women and Women in American History. All ladies welcome, Saturday, Apr. 29. Begins at 11 a.m. at the First Assembly of God Church, Hwy. 8 West (just past Louise Durham Elementary School). RSVP (479) 394-8001.

The next Van-Cove High School Alumni Meeting is April 20 at the Alumni Building at 156 School Street in Cove, 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome!

Applications for lifeguard positions at McMillan Pool may be picked up at City Hall, 520 Mena Street, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

2800 Craftsy meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m., 2800 Jerry Lee Dr., Mena. Free to all who are interested in crafting. (501) 617-7261. Visit 2800 Craftsy on Facebookgroups.

Narcotics Anonymous meet at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, noon - 1 p.m. on Wednesday, 7 p.m. on Thursday, 7 p.m. on Friday, and 6 p.m. on Saturday at the old bus barn at the Crossing Church. For information call Erica at (479) 234-5289 or Candice at (501) 356-8300.

The Polk County Housing Authority has Rental Vouchers available. They are also in need of Applicants and Landlords. Contact them at 509 S. Morrow, Mena, (479) 394-1565 or polkarhousing.com

First Presbyterian Church will be presenting a study, “The Evolution of the Bible”, in its Adult Sunday School Class on Sunday mornings beginning at 9:45. The class will be conducted by Earl Harrell. Anyone with an interest in this study is invited to attend. Classes will be at the church in the parlor, 904 Church Ave., Mena.

GriefShare continues to meet every Thursday from 10 a.m.-noon at First Presbyterian Church Mena for anyone in the community who is grieving the loss of a loved one.

The Hatfield Branch Library is open every Tuesday and Friday from noon - 4 p.m. The library is located at 121 Cemetery Rd. (old Agri building) in Hatfield.

The Cove Branch Library is open Monday and Thursday from noon - 5 p.m. The Library is located next to Cove Town Hall at 5568 Hwy. 71 S.

The Mena/Polk County Senior Center will have The Gator and Friends band performing in Mena every Thursday, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

The Center has an exercise class on Mondays and Thursdays, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Contact Trena Looney with questions, (479) 394-5459.

The Cossatot Senior Center in Wickes has meals and activities for seniors. If you need to make delivery arrangements or changes call (870) 385-2373.

Humane Society of the Ouachitas monthly meeting is Apr. 20, 5:30 p.m. at La Villa in Mena.

The VFW Service Day is May 6 at the American Legion in Veteran’s Park. Open to the public. Begins at 2 p.m. They will be making care packages to send to guards being deployed and need volunteers. Also, if you’d like to donate items for the packages, contact Linda Johnson at (956) 241-2633 to see what items are still needed.

Hatfield First Baptist Church “Shepherd’s Closet” Open Wednesdays, 10 a.m. - noon. Large selection of good, used clothing & a limited supply of non-perishable food items. Free to anyone in need.

Alcoholics Anonymous meet at The Crossing Church, 3 p.m., Sundays; at 5 p.m., Tuesdays; and at 8 p.m. Saturdays at the old bus barn. For information call (479) 2348366 or (479) 216-3786.

The Food Pantry at the Mena Seventh Day Adventist Church is open every first and third Monday of each month, 4 6 p.m., located at Fair Grounds Road. For more information, call (479) 437-4018.

American Legion meets every 2nd Tuesday at the Legion Hall in Acorn. Potluck at 6 p.m., meeting follows. Come play Bingo, Saturdays and Mondays, starts at 6 p.m., doors open at 4 p.m.

Reynolds Gardner Community Men’s Breakfast every Tuesday, First United Methodist Church, Mena, 8 a.m. (full breakfast for small donation). All men from the community are invited to attend.

Alcoholics Anonymous meet at 7 p.m. Fridays at the First United Methodist Church, Ninth Street and Port Arthur. Discussion/Book Study for information call (479) 243-0297.

Bluegrass Jam Session is open to musicians and fans alike. Bring your instruments for an unplugged session to the Daisy Room (behind Janssen’s Avenue Florist & Gifts) the first and third Thursdays of each month, starting at 6:30 p.m. Free event. Some snacks are provided.

It’s easy to have your event listed in Around Town, which will be read on radio stations KENA and KQOR daily. Simply send your Around Town announcement to news@mypulsenews.com or call (479) 243-9600 and let us know about your event! To have it in the Polk County Pulse newspaper, we need to know by FIVE on FRIDAY. We look forward to continuing to serve the community!

OLT auditions for ‘The Fantasticks’

Submitted by Julie Ulmer

On the heels of “Little Shop of Horrors” this spring, Ouachita Little Theatre is producing another summer musical. “The Fantasticks,” music by Harvey Schmidt with book and lyrics by Tom Jones, is a 1960’s musical that has retained its popularity through the decades. The plot revolves around two neighboring fathers who hope to “trick” their children into falling in love by pretending to be in a feud with each other.

April Renée Burt, who has been a theater student at Southeast Missouri University, will be directing. She has been a driving force behind getting this show together from across state lines, although her plans include a transfer to Southern Arkansas University in the fall. But this summer, she will most certainly be busy directing her first play for OLT.

Burt announces her auditions for this show. They will be held on May 15 and 16 from 6 - 8 p.m. at the theatre, 610 Mena St. Callbacks will be May 17 from 6 – 9 p.m. Performances will run July 28, 29, and 30, and Aug. 4, 5, and 6.

These are open auditions. Participants will be asked to prepare 16-32 bars a cappella or with a track provided by the auditioner. They will also be reading a monologue from the script.

The cast of characters will consist of eight roles. People from ages 1570 years are encouraged to audition. If you would like detailed information about the roles, please go to the website at oltmena.com.

Library and court house statues get the Van Wolf treatment

Polk County Master Gardeners are thankful to Joe and LaDonna Van Wolf who volunteered their time and talents to refurbish the children’s statues in front of the Polk County Library and the Polk County Courthouse. Joe with the help of his wife, Ladonna, has years of experience restoring and creating metal sculptures. This is another example of how important volunteers are to our community.