Polk County Pulse - August 23, 2023

INSIDE:

Keep the Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run rolling

By Jamie Hammack

1975 — that was the year Saturday Night Live first premiered on NBC. “Jaws” was in the theaters and disco was popular. Well, 2 out of 3 isn’t bad. But something else began in 1975 that is still going strong today — The Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run. The late Mark Campbell founded the Rod Run 48 years ago, and while Mr. Campbell and his once world-famous hot rod and street rod business, Street & Performance, are no longer with us, his legacy lives on with the event he began here in Mena.

These days the Rod Run falls under the purview of The Mena/Polk County Chamber of Commerce. Putting such an event on takes lots of effort and

Polk County Broadband

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Bearcats Battling Leopards

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See ROD RUN continued on pages 10

Lights! Games! Action! – Time for the fair

By Ethan Nahté

It’s that time of year for cotton candy, wild rides, games of chance or checking out the livestock, crafts, produce, photography and other entries at the Polk County Fair.

The Fair will be open to the public beginning Wednesday, Aug. 30 and continues through Saturday, Sept. 2

According to the Polk County Fair Catalog, gate admission is free for ages

1 and under, and $5 for ages 12 and over. Senior citizens 60-plus get free entry on Thursday, Aug. 31. With the gate admission you can visit all of the displays, livestock, play the games (that each have a cost).

Advance carnival armband sales are available at Arvest Bank, Chambers Bank, Diamond Bank, First Financial Bank, Kess’s Corner and all three branches of Union Bank of Mena. Purchase armbands in advance for $20

each or at the fair for $25 each. The armbands are for the rides. You will not need to purchase an armband if you are not going to ride the rides.

The armbands are good for one carnival session. There is one session on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There are two sessions on Saturday.

For more details, keep up with the Polk County Fair at facebook.com/PCFRA/ .

See more FAIR continued on page 16

The 48th Annual Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run will have rat rods, hot rods, classics such as this 1952 Pontiac hardtop, and possibly motorcycles and bicycles. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

VBS offers children SCUBA lessons

By Ethan Nahté

Although July may have had several rainy days leading up to August, the approximate 5 inches was not enough to require a boat, much less a submarine. Despite that, First Presbyterian Church of Mena held their SCUBA event the week of Aug. 7-11. The church hosted their vacation Bible school (VBS) from 9 a.m.-noon and this year’s theme was SCUBA — Super Cool Undersea Bible Adventures.

From the sanctuary to the hallways to the fellowship hall, spaces were converted to oceans with assorted sea life everywhere. The sanctuary was even complete with a yellow submarine and a Davy Jones charac-ter who rose from the sea amidst rumblings and bubbles to deliver the treasure chest containing the treasure of the Bible verse for the day.

Each morning, VBS director Judy Thompson and pastor Bill Seitz would go over the Bible point for the day, re-

ceive the treasure chest and then read the Bible story for the day.

In addition, there was a skit each day with Seitz and some ‘doggie characters’ named Scuba Dooba Doo and Cutie Poota Poo, followed by music.

For the entire day, activities from crafts to interaction Bible adventures to snacks would incorporate the theme of the Bible story. For instance, when the story was about Jonah not obeying God then being eaten by a big fish, the kids saw a 20-foot-long fish. They were escorted inside the fish where Annette Hays told the story in almost total darkness with varying sound effects.

There were also daily craft classes, snacks the children put together, songs and other activities. Teens from the church’s LIFT Youth Group assisted as well as several adults helping with the activities and food, not to mention the assortment of costumed characters.

Thompson said, “Even though First Presbyterian has a small membership,

[I] felt SCUBA was a great success according to all of the kids. A combination of prayer, scripture, music and fun helps to bring children closer to Christ while enjoying themselves.”

After the week’s activities, nearly 20

children put on a program for the parents and family Friday afternoon. A few of the costumed characters were part of the program, as was Seitz and Thompson. The children sang and read Bible verses to the audience, there were bubbles coming up from behind a whale and the waves as Davy Jones emerged from the sea with his treasure chest, a yellow submarine with port windows cut out made for a great prop and photo op. As a matter of fact, “Yellow Submarine” and “Octopus’s Garden”, both sung by Ringo Starr when he was with The Beatles, were a part of the show as the audience watched a presentation of the children’s activities throughout the week via a combination of photos and videos.

As the audience watched the video, Seitz quietly spoke to The Pulse about how much fun the children had and how receptive they were to the lessons. Seitz also grabbed an acoustic guitar and was joined by a Roman centurion on a second guitar as they led the youth in a couple of songs, including a spirit competition. The girls were definitely much louder than the boys.

Each child also received a colorful certificate before the show was over.

Thompson added, “It does take a church in its entirety to host a successful vacation Bible school.”

Children at the First Presbyterian Church of Mena perform one of a few songs for the audience at vacation Bible school. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

1168 Hwy 71S

Mena, AR 71953

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To the editor,

The new school year is starting, and with it comes a scary tradition. That tradition is parents agreeing to allow schools and teachers, to post pictures of their children, along with their name, classroom or teacher, likes & dislikes, future dreams, pets, etc. on Facebook. These Facebook posts contain every piece of information a child kidnapper/trafficker could want. And unlike just being printed in a local paper, these pictures go around the world and onto an unknown number of phones, tablets, computers. There is a common misconception that people must be “approved,” or have a child in the school district to join a school’s FB page, but that isn’t true; “anyone” can follow a school/school district Facebook page. It’s incredibly easy to see these children, and to figure out which ones would be the easiest to take. Even a private picture shared online to a specific group of friends can be downloaded, and then shared again and again. Parental control of online pictures are lost as soon as the “post” or “send” button is clicked.

Lastly, when it comes to kids, it isn’t just the online photos that can create harmful situations. Apps, and online access in general, can create issues, and as parents, you “definitely” need to check them out “before” allowing your children access.

Parents, please protect your children!!!! Please “stop” letting everyone blast your precious children’s pictures!! And stop allowing your children to have access to every popular app.

Mary Meier, Mena

Want to share your opinion?

Sleazy bar entertainment should never be used as entertainment at an American rodeo! But it was!

Saturday, Aug. 12, our Mena rodeo’s clown acted out a very vulgar performance wo the audience, which included several hundred children.

He started by bringing out a folded chair, opened it and set it down in the middle of the arena.

Then he went over and picked up a large, old-fashioned camera and tripod, taking it to a position about 50 feet from the front of the chair. Once it was set up for a photo, he turned, walked over to the audience, and put out his hand toward a woman who promptly put her hand in his.

Then he led her to the chair for her to sit down on. He promptly then turned and proceeded to the camera.

As he was lifting the cloth cover so as to put his face up to the lens to focus and take the picture… the woman was struggling to get seated properly — being dressed in a skirt.

Looking through the camera lens, and finishing the focus on the subject (the woman seated on the chair) he threw his head back and up, falling backward to the ground yelling, “O.M.G.”

The announcer yelled, “What’s wrong?”

The clown promptly yelled out that the camera had focused on her crack, because she had left her skirt up by her knees and her legs were open, exposing her privates.

He picked himself up off the ground, ran to her end and proceeded to tuck her skirt around her

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. Letters do not reflect the viewpoints or opinions of Pulse Multi-Media.

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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

legs as to cover up her private area. Then returned to camera.

Then the whole scene was repeated, him yelling out, “I just saw her crack.”

What next Mena? Are we so desperate for entertainment that we expose our children to such trash?

Concerned for our Polk County children, June Wise, Mena

Politics

The latest census figures show 17.8% of our state’s population is over the age of 65. Nationwide, the population ages 65 and over grew nearly five times faster than the total population over the 100 years from 1920 to 2020.

August 21 is National Senior Citizens Day. It’s an opportunity to show our appreciation for their dedication, accomplishments, and services they give throughout their lives.

The Arkansas General Assembly has worked to pass legislation to empower people to choose how they live as they age. This year, we passed laws to lower taxes, strengthen our rural hospitals, and increase awareness and services available to those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

In the 2023 Regular Session, we also worked to eliminate the red tape for seniors still in the workforce. Act 73 creates a lifetime certificate of license for contractors who have reached the age of 65 and have been licensed as a contractor for at least 12 years.

Protecting our seniors involves safeguarding them from abuse and exploitation. We did that with Act 783. This created the Vulnerable Person

Protection Act. It defines a vulnerable person as anyone over the age of 69 or an individual who is in an inpatient facility. It makes the abuse of a vulnerable person a Class B felony if it causes serious injury or death and a Class D felony for non-serious injuries.

In addition, we passed Act 70, Act 335, and Act 682. Act 70 requires home caregivers to have a specific number of hours in dementia training. Act 335 sets minimum training requirements for staff members who are employed by an assisted living facility that includes persons with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Act 682 creates the position of dementia services coordinator with the Department of Human Services.

National Senior Citizens Day serves as a call to action to ensure our seniors are treated with the respect and care they deserve. As we continue to find ways to improve their lives in the state, let us all take the time this week to increase our interaction with our elders. Their stories can inspire and their guidance can lead to a more thoughtful and compassionate society.

During the 2023 session the Arkansas legislature enacted a lengthy list of new laws to strengthen the integrity of the elections.

Act 620 grants more power to the state Board of Election Commissioners to detect and prevent voter fraud. The board has been conducting an audit after each general election, and Act 620 requires an audit after primary elections also. The new law sets up a review of elections every two years for the board to investigate any indications of wrongdoing, primarily in absentee voting and voter registration.

Act 620 makes it a felony to forge someone’s signature on applications for voter registration or for absentee ballots.

Act 444 outlines the rights of poll watchers, to ensure access to all parts of the election process. Poll watchers must complete an online training course, set up by the state board of Election Commissioners.

The main goal of Act 444 is to make sure that poll watchers have uniform and fair access to all stages of the voting process. For example, they’re to be allowed within three to six feet of the check-in area.

Poll watchers may bring a list of eligible voters and may challenge a ballot by speaking to an election official. However, they may not interfere with anyone’s ability to vote, either by harassment, intimidation or coercion. They must wear name tags and may not wear political badges promoting a candidate or an issue.

Bruce Westerman 101 Reserve St. Suite 200 Hot Springs, AR 71901

Phone: (501) 609-9796

Fax: (501) 609-9887

Act 441 requires the Secretary of State to use multiple strategies to ensure the integrity of voter registration lists.

One strategy is to compare our lists with those in other states, to prevent

a person from registering and voting in more than one state. Another strategy is to make full use of the Social Security Administration’s file of people who have died.

The Secretary of State’s office will develop an address verification process. The office will report annually to the legislative Joint Performance Review Committee on the accuracy of voter registration records.

Act 353 prohibits county election officials from using a drop box for the collection of absentee ballots. Unless absentee ballots are sent through the mail, they must be delivered into the hands of someone in the physical office of the county clerk.

Act 320 also tightens the rules governing absentee ballots. It requires anyone who goes to the county clerk to drop off absentee ballots for another person to present a photo ID. Anyone who helps a voter fill out an application for an absentee ballot must provide his or her name, address and signature on the application.

Act 320 prohibits county clerks from distributing unsolicited absentee ballots or applications to potential voters. County clerks may make the applications generally available online or in their office.

Act 141 creates a new criteria to allow a voter to use an absentee ballot. If you are prevented from voting in person due to an observance of your religious discipline or due to a religious holiday, you will be eligible to vote absentee.

Act 462 changes the laws governing the creation of new political parties. It requires 10,000 signatures to establish a new political party ballot. The threshold had been 3 percent of the total votes cast in the most recent race or governor.

John Maddox Terry Rice

Mae

“Elizabeth” Denny

Mae “Elizabeth” Denny, age 90, of Morocco, Indiana, passed away Wednesday, August 16, 2023, in Brook, Indiana. She was born on Tuesday, August 30, 1932, to James Norman Hamilton and Cleo Thompson Hamilton in Sumrall, Mississippi.

Elizabeth was a member at the First Baptist Church of Mena where she was recognized as a prayer warrior, often leading her community in prayer and guiding them through faith. Her unwavering faith and trust in the Lord were examples to all. She loved to sing in the choir, attend Sunday School classes and play the harmonica for people.

A co-valedictorian of her high school class in 1950, Elizabeth showed early on her commitment to hard work and diligence and was also a member of the BETA Club. She worked for General Mills in the Quality Control Department for over 17 years in West Chicago, Illinois. Elizabeth was also an active member of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary. She strongly believed in the importance of fellowship and community service.

She enjoyed listening to Gospel and Classical music. Her other hobbies included traveling and gardening, both of which she found spiritually enriching. Elizabeth was a staunch advocate of cancer research, having witnessed the devastating effects the disease can have on loved ones. Her life was a testament to the

golden rule, treating others as she wished to be treated.

Elizabeth loved her two cats, Tebow and Tiger dearly. Her husband, the late Horace, was the love of her life, and their relationship was a source of great happiness for her. However, most important to Elizabeth was her relationship with the Lord and her family, whom she loved unconditionally. Her faith, wisdom, and loving spirit will be missed but never forgotten.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband, Horace Denny; three brothers, Charles Hamilton, Fredrick Hamilton, and Ray Hamilton; and one sister, Frances Jordon.

Elizabeth is survived by her son, Terrell Hebert of Germany; one daughter, Rebecca Gaylord of Morocco, Indiana; five grandchildren, Sarah Jacobsen, Jacob Lowery, Christopher Hebert, Jared Estes, and Jordon Estes; two great-grandchildren, Ava Jerman and Jackson Estes; her favorite niece, Gloria Hester; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, August 25, 2023, at 2:00 PM at the First Baptist Church in Mena, Arkansas, with Brother Ron Tilley and Brother Jim Tennery officiating. Interment will follow the service at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Mena, Arkansas under the direction of Bowser Family Funeral Home. A visitation will be held on Thursday, August 24, 2023, at the Bowser Family Funeral Home Chapel in Mena, Arkansas, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church Bereavement Fund.

Online guestbook: bowserffh.com

Bobby Frank Hughes

Mr. Bobby Frank Hughes, age 90, passed away Thursday, August 10, 2023, at New Braunfels, Texas. He was born June 29, 1933, in Mena, Arkansas, to Belulah Hughes and William A. Hughes.

Bobby was a devoted husband and father, who was also a trusted support for his community, friends and family. He served in the Army, Airforce and Army Reserves. He lived in Houston, Texas, where he was a skilled machinist for Texaco. He enjoyed a lovely social life in the mid-century suburbs, where he built treehouses, go-karts and mo-

torbikes for his thankful son.

Mr. Hughes is survived by his wife, Joyce M. Hughes; son, William B. Hughes; granddaughter, Elizabeth J. Hughes; sisters, Gail Ora Engh, Gwen Dola Williams; nieces, Sherry Williams Hula, Natalie Williams Griffin; nephews, Greg Mitchell, and Jeff Mitchell.

He is preceded in death by his brother, Raymond Hughes, and by his sisters, Helen Bettencourt and Kate Wear.

Graveside services for Mr. Hughes will be held Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at the Pinecrest Memorial Park in Mena, Arkansas. Brother Brian Richardson will be officiating, under the direction of Beasley-Wood Funeral Home.

Betty Sue Weatherford

Betty Sue Weatherford, age 91, of Mena, Arkansas, passed away Sunday, August 20, 2023, in Mena, Arkansas. She was born on Wednesday, July 13, 1932, to Ira Coffman and Ludie Bell Davis in Hopper, Arkansas.

Betty was of the Church of Christ faith, where she found great peace and fellowship. Her faith was an important part of her life and offered guidance and solace during difficult times. Betty enjoyed listening to old Country music. She nurtured a love for the simple pleasures in life, such as the company of animals and the tranquility of fishing. An accomplished crocket quilter, her beautiful creations warmed many homes and hearts. Betty also made sock monkeys for many that she loved, and was very talented at any craft she attempted. She found peace planting garden flower beds in her yard. Her passion for these activities was contagious, inspiring those around her to appreciate the beauty of life’s simple moments.

Above all, Betty was renowned for her warm spirit and life lessons. She believed in spreading love and being good to others. Anchored in her conviction of doing what is right, she became a guiding light to many. One of her proudest moments was winning the Senior Fishing Derby at Lum and Abner. However, the jewel in Betty’s life was undoubtedly her two adopted daughters. These girls were the apple of her eye, and she cherished every moment she

spent with them. Her love for her daughters was deep and unyielding, embodying the essence of motherhood. Betty’s life was a testament to her kindness, resilience, and unwavering faith. Her friends and family will deeply miss her spirited laughter, comforting presence, and the wisdom she shared.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband, Clyde Weatherford; three brothers, Troy Coffman, Eugene Coffman, and Bobby Coffman; and three sisters, Retha Golden, Frances Thweatt, and Lucille Coffman.

Betty is survived by her two daughters and son-in-law, Margie McAnally of Arkadelphia, and Karen and Steve Slagle of New Walla, Oklahoma; one sister, Ila Betie of Shreveport, Louisiana; six grandchildren, Tara Chapell of New Walla, Oklahoma, Brian Slagle of New Walla, Oklahoma, Cole McAnally of Arkadelphia, Parker McAnally of Arkadelphia, Shelby McAnally of Arkadelphia, and Carson McAnally of Arkadelphia; three great-grandchildren; numerous nephews and nieces and a host of other relatives and friends.

A graveside service will be held on Thursday, August 24, 2023, at 10:00 AM at the Hopper Cemetery in Caddo Gap, Arkansas, with Brother Robbie Loudermilk officiating under the direction of Bowser Family Funeral Home.

Online guestbook: bowserffh.com

Don Wayne Brown

Don Wayne Brown, age 67, passed away August 2, 2023, at home with the Elite Hospice. Thanks, God, for the help. He was born February 25, 1956, to Jimmie Monroe Brown and Clemmie Arvuile Grandberry in Reeves County, Texas.

Don was known as a house painter. He took pride in his work. He worked for Dewayne Morgan.

Don is preceded in death by his parents, Jimmie Monroe Brown and Clemmie Arvuile Grandberry, and son Don Wayne Brown.

He is survived by Sheila M. Schumacher and sister Sheila Roberts, sister Carolyn Gilliam and John Gilliam, uncle Rex Brown and lots of cousins, nieces and a grandchild.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 26 at 1:00 p.m. at Freewill Baptist Church, 411 Petros Ave., Mena. Brother Donnie Jewell will be officiating.

James J. Brett

Mr. James J. Brett, age 82, passed away, Thursday, August 17, 2023, in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was born November 22, 1940, to the late James Brett and Mary (Jones) Brett, in Duckett, Arkansas.

Mr. Brett was an engineer by profession, working for General Telephone, and continuing to do contracting work for phone companies, after his retirement. James was a proud veteran of the United States Air Force, and a Mason. James was an outdoorsman at heart, he enjoyed deer hunting, fishing, basketball, farming, and travelling. Mr. Brett also had his private pilot license and enjoyed flying his plane.

James is preceded in death by his parents, James Brett and Mary (Jones) Brett, and by his sister, Betty Gentry.

He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Wanda (Wilkins) Brett; daughter, Angela Brett of Little Rock, Arkansas; sons, James Brett and wife Nicole, of Wickes, Arkansas, Jason Brett and wife Kari, of St. Michael, Minnesota; grandchildren, James Brett, Madelynn Brett, Cameron Brett, Drew Brett; sister, Christine Pinson of Langley, Arkansas; and by his aunt, Margaret Brett.

Services for Mr. James Brett will be held, Monday, August 21, 2023, at the Beasley-Wood Chapel in Mena, Arkansas, at 10:00 a.m. Brother Scott Ray will be officiating under the direction of Beasley-Wood Funeral Home. Interment will follow at the Duckett Cemetery in Wickes, Arkansas. There will be a scheduled visitation held, Sunday, August 20, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Beasley-Wood Funeral Home.

Pallbearers are Johnny Barrett, Allen Lowery, Tim Smedley, Brett Gentry, Bob Pinson, and Chief Bush.

Honorary Pallbearers are the members of the Mason Lodge #548 of Wickes, Arkansas.

The Mena/Polk County Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed Skin Deep Medical Spa to the Chamber membership with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Skin Deep offers a wide variety of products/procedures designed to make you look and feel young. Check them out at www.arkskindeep.com/ .

They are located at 400 Port Arthur Ave., in Mena. They can be reached at 479-234-3161.

Grannis citizens approve first-ever sales tax-deductible

By Patrick Massey

GRANNIS – Grannis voters cast their support for the city’s first-ever sales tax during a vote held on Tuesday, Aug. 8.

In all, 60 people cast their ballots during the sales tax election – 37 for and 23 against. The measure was approved and will mark the first time the City of Grannis has ever implemented a sales tax.

The one-cent sales tax will be levied on the sale of goods and services within the city limits of Grannis.

Grannis Mayor Dwight Billings said the additional revenue will help the city maintain the 17

miles of roads for which Grannis is responsible.

“That’s a lot of roads for a community our size and as everyone knows, fixing them isn’t cheap these days,” Billings said. “This sales tax is really going to help us tackle some of the road issues we’re having.”

Billings added that he is thankful to all the Grannis citizens who came out to vote during the election and support the new sales tax.

“The city can’t be more appreciative to those folks for coming out and voting in support of this measure,” Billings said. “This is going to be a good thing for our community.”

(Photo courtesy of the Chamber of Commerce)

By Richie Lawry

In June 2022, an obituary was published in Bay City, Michigan: “Lonzo F. Green of Gladwin, Michigan passed away on June 17, 2022. He was born on August 14, 1928, to Frank and Melverta Green in Cherry Valley, Arkansas. He was a member of Good Shepherd Church and the Michigan Bluegrass Hall of Fame. He enjoyed attending church, Preaching, playing music, and spending time with family. He was active with Wilma Caraview, often attending church together, visiting friends, and playing music together.”

At the end of his life, Lonzo wasn’t known outside his friends, family, and community, but that wasn’t the case when he was young. Frank and Melverta Green raised Lonzo in a Christian home and paired him with his younger brother, Forrest, to sing at churches and revivals throughout Arkansas. He worked in the fields with his family and was always close to the land and the rich musical heritage of his neighbors.

In 1951, Lonzo and his wife Maxine moved to Flint, Michigan, with other members of the Green family. Lonzo, Maxine, his brother Forrest, and Forrest’s wife Margie sang gospel music throughout Michigan as The Green Family. They also had a one-hour radio program on WMRP in Flint, Michigan. At that time, Forrest met businessman Rudy Kotelas who believed in his music and sponsored his first record in Nashville, Tennessee.

After getting their start in Nashville, Forrest recorded “Rain Must Be Teardrops” and “Day for Leaving” on Ranger Records, which made the national charts! At that time, these were Michigan’s No. 1 selling country records! The success of his records led Forrest to perform on the Grand Ole Opry and shows through-out the United States and Canada. When Forrest began touring nationally, Lonzo decided that life on the road wasn’t for him. Although Forrest Green spent his life performing and running a recording studio and record label, Lonzo faded into obscurity.

An Arkie’s Faith The wrong side of the tracks

Lonzo had grown up in poverty and felt compassion for the boy. To appease Jimmy’s parents, they would stay outside. When they met, it was evident to Lonzo that this quiet, dark-haired boy was embarrassed and felt out of place in this upper-class neighborhood. The boy’s guitar was old, cheap, and hung around his neck with just a piece of string. After Lonzo showed the shy teenager how to tune his guitar, he offered to teach him some songs. The boy was so surprised and happy that Lonzo would spend two hours playing and singing with him.

When it was time for supper, Lonzo told the boy goodbye, never to see him again. The boy crossed the tracks back to his side of town. The young boy never got to go inside the upscale home and would never see Lonzo again, but he left with a beautiful memory.

sit on the floor’ — well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?”

John Wesley said, “We should be rigorous in judging ourselves and gracious in judging others.” Too much of today’s Christianity is focused on judging others. Many people seem to be looking for reasons to hate those different from them. But Jesus said, “Do to others as you would like them to do to you. If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!” Luke 6:31-33 (NLT)

I

I heard about Lonzo on Paul Harvey’s radio broadcast, The Rest of the Story. While Lonzo was playing in the band with his brother, and the group had gained regional notoriety, he visited relatives in Tennessee. His nephew Jimmy was excited when his famous Uncle Lonzo stayed at their house. Jimmy came to school the next day, telling all his friends about his Uncle Lonzo Green, who had recorded in Nashville. One friend wanted to meet Lonzo. Jimmy’s friend had gotten an old guitar and wanted to learn how to play but did not know how to tune it. He wanted to come to Jimmy’s house and have Lonzo tune his guitar and show him some chords. When Jimmy asked his parents if his friend could come to see Uncle Lonzo, they said, “No, he is white trash and not welcome in our home.”

When Uncle Lonzo found out, he told Jimmy he would meet his friend.

Paul Harvey ended the story by saying, “It is a sad tale until you realize the boy went on to star in 33 mo-tion pictures and sell millions of records. That boy would never be unwelcome again. His name was Elvis Presley. And now you know the rest of the story.” The white trash from the wrong side of the tracks, who wasn’t allowed in the upper-class home, became known as the King of Rock and Roll.

As I heard the story of Lonzo and Elvis, I thought about a passage found in James 2:1-4 (NLT) “My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, ‘You can stand over there, or else

Joke of the Week:

And then Jesus made his teaching even more straightforward. “Love your enemies! Do good to them…Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:35-37 (NLT)

Gentle Reader, no human being is entirely free of prejudice or discrimination. It’s part of our selfish na-ture to prefer those of our kind, whatever that represents to us. Discrimination wrongly judges a person based only on external factors or personal preference.

“Remember that the Lord draws no distinction between Jew and non-Jew — He is Lord over all things, and He pours out His treasures on all who invoke His name.” Romans 10:12 (VOICE)

Instead of judging others, ask God to give you the ability to love. “Do not owe people anything, except always owe love to each other, because the person who loves others has obeyed all the law.” Romans 13:8 (NCV)

(Eds. Elvis died 46 years ago, Aug. 16, 1977)

have started a dating website for chickens. It’s not my regular job; I still install windshields. I am just doing it to help make hens meet.

Lonzo Green once spent two hours teaching a future star how to tune his guitar and play some chords.

The Ouachitas now offers beverages in a can

By Ethan Nahté

It’s been approximately four months since the first retailers in Polk County began offering packaged beer and wine. Currently there have been 19 alcohol permits issued. One of those was a temporary beer permit for serving at the Polk County Rodeo. Seven others are for private clubs and restaurants such as Mena Elks Lodge No. 781, Ouachita Country Club, and a handful of restaurants in Mena that have had permits prior to last November’s election.

The other 11 permits are for various stores and gas stations throughout Polk County, including Wickes, Cove and Hatfield. According to Arkansas Beverage Control, there are seven more awaiting permits, including Walmart.

Many locations carry craft beers and wines created here in Arkansas from all over the state. As many know, The Ouachitas has several of these beers on tap, as well as their own brews.

Now, the restaurant and brewery is not only packaging some of their own beers, but al-so a souped-up coffee togo as of Aug. 18.

Derek Campbell, owner of The Ouachitas, said, “As we opened the brewery, we knew it would be a long time and we thought it would be even further off from today’s date that we’d have some product in cans. This past

year, after successfully having the county go to ‘wet’ status, we decided it would be really important for us to try and move beer in cans sooner rather than later.

“This spring, we started looking into different equipment. We’ve been working on that for several months at this point. We finally got our canning equipment and our canning line in earlier this month. We went through all of our training with it and packaged some beer over the past couple of days, and we have it today.”

Campbell has two full-time brewers, Traven Bayne and Tim Mosely. “Those guys, along with the help of myself and my father, make up the whole brew and packaging team at this point. We’ve decided to can off four of the different beers that we brew here.”

Carney Man, Madd Ox, and Clara are currently available. Dead to Me should hit the shelf sometime around the end of August or beginning of September.

Everything the restaurant/brewery al-

ready does falls within the rights of the permit they already hold, according to Campbell. The Ouachitas can self-distribute to local grocery stores or retailers, but they will use distributers to move the product across the state and even into a few Oklahoma counties.

“It’s difficult to cross state lines as a brewer. You have to not only register all of your products in your home state, but then you have to register all of the product and the packaging it’s available in, in that state as well.” They’re already in a casino in Pocola and will be in the Chili’s in Poteau.

The four beers were chosen to appeal to the biggest audience they could manage. “We want to have something available for any person, any palate, any walk of life.”

For those who may wonder, although both glass and aluminum are fully recyclable, cans are more versatile when it comes to places to drink. Many pools, rivers, and venues prefer the safety of

aluminum compared to the possibility of a broken bottle. It’s also more practical for a smaller brewery when it comes to availability, production and costs. There is also the new Nitro Coffee that has been launched at the same time but is sold individually. “We take our coffee that we roast here and we brew a huge batch of cold-brew coffee, run it through our canning line and dose it with liquid nitrogen, which creates a really great beverage. It’s really silky, smooth and very delicious,” Campbell proudly said as customers came in to buy some of the new canned products.

The Ouachitas canning brewery.

(Photo courtesy of The Ouachitas)

(Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

ROD RUN

continued from page 1 planning. Melanie Wade, executive director of the Chamber, has a small and dedicated team which work most of the year to make sure the Rod Run goes off without a hitch. Without them we would have no Rod Run. And that would mean less revenue for local businesses.

The Rod Run is a special event for car lovers. Most car shows are held in an indoor arena, convention center or a bland parking lot somewhere. Here we have a car show with upwards of 200 vehicles or more held in two beautiful locations. First, on Mena Street on Friday evening and then beginning the next morning at 2,400 feet in the sky next to the lodge atop Rich Mountain. The Rod Run is a unique experience, and the different styles of cars, trucks and other vehicles are the true stars. Not too long ago if you went to a car show every ride there was in top notch shape. Perfect paint. An engine you could eat a meal off of. Not a speck of dirt anywhere.

That has changed and it’s for the better. And that’s thanks to the popularity of the guys from the internet and television show “Roadkill.” David Frieburger and Mike Finnegan take beaters and junk cars and get them running. None of the cars are in great shape even after they initially work on them.

Their formula of taking junk cars and making them run has made “Roadkill” the most influential car program of the

last decade.

So, what does this mean? What am I getting at? I’m getting at this: If you own an older vehicle it doesn’t have to be in perfect condition to be shown. Get your rusty bucket of bolts out there and let people see it! Does your classic car or truck have a few dents? Doesn’t matter. Enter it in the Rod Run. Hot Rodders love to see rides in any condition because we love talking about cars!

Now let’s take a minute to call out people who have classic cars and trucks, but do not enter them in the Rod Run. C’mon people. Some of you have multiple classics and they are never shown. I’ve even seen locals driving around town on Rod Run weekend in their classic, but not enter it. Let’s show the people who drive their cars hundreds of miles to be here that we live up to the reputation we have earned nationwide as a hot rod community.

So, no matter the condition of your classic, get it out of the garage! Enter it and let’s keep the Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run going strong!

Street closures during the Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run

Friday, Aug. 25, 4–10 p.m., Mena Street from Sherwood to Port Arthur, Maple Street and Janssen Avenue on each side of Mena Street, and Sherwood from Mena Street to Dequeen Street will be closed. The parking lot next to Ouachita Little Theater, as well as the alleyways at American Artisans, OMG and Mike’s Home Specialties will also be closed.

Saturday, Aug. 26, 4-11 p.m. on the opposite end of Mena Street, from Coast to Coast to Mena Fire Station No. 2; and on Martin Street, Gillham Street and Oak Street between Dequeen to Mena streets.

(Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

Reflections from History and Faith: Nancy Green — In remembrance

By Jeff Olson

I was so very blessed as a child in many ways. Actually… more ways than I even remember now. Some ways, though, I can still remember quite distinctly. One of those was my mother’s cooking and a part of that was her pancakes. She usually made those from scratch, but sometimes not.

When not, she would use a pancake mix, though it wasn’t nearly as good as those she made from scratch. Of course, the pancake syrup was always storebought, but we had our favorite of that as well.

I still enjoy pancakes every now and again, especially covered in butter and syrup. I have sometimes wondered whatever happened to those old familiar boxes and bottles with a smiling face of a lady on them. I don’t see the face on the store shelves anymore, but I still see the product. Until just recently, I never thought much about it, but for some reason that face came to mind as I was enjoying a breakfast of pancakes. I decided to take a journey back in time and find out whose face it was looking at me all those years at the breakfast table.

Come to find out, that lady was born into slavery in 1834 in Mount Sterling, Kentucky. Her name was Nancy Green, and she was a Black storyteller, cook and missionary.

After the Civil War, she moved to a deeply divided Chicago, becoming a strong voice at Olivet Baptist Church, the city’s oldest Black congregation. This church was well known for its work to protect those who had escaped slavery, who arrived in Chicago because there were many slave catchers in Chicago still pursuing people who were of African descent.

In 1888, newspaper editor Chris Rutt and his business partner Charles Underwood purchased the Pearl Milling Company, with the idea of perfecting a recipe for a self-rising, premixed pancake flour.

According to M. M. Manring, author of “Slave in a Box: The Strange Career of Aunt Jemima,” Rutt and Underwood had much difficulty in branding it. In St. Joseph, Missouri, Rutt happened upon a performance of “Old Aunt Jemima,” a popular minstrel song written by Black musician Billy Kersands in 1875. The song features a mammy, a racial stereotype of

the Black female caretaker figure devoted to her white family. This image of Southern hospitality inspired Rutt with an idea to use this image for promoting his product. Rutt and Underwood were unable to sell their new Aunt Jemima breakfast product. They had no distribution network and little understanding of the advertising business. The partners eventually sold their company and the recipe to R.T. Davis, owner of R.T. Davis Milling Company, the largest flour mill in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Davis, having worked in the flour industry for decades, was able to invest the necessary capital in improving the Aunt Jemima recipe, plus he also knew how to successfully market the product. He decided to promote Aunt Jemima pancake mix by creating Aunt Jemima in person. After merging his company with the Pearl Milling Company in 1890, Davis sent a casting call for a gregarious, theatrical Black woman who could cook the pancake mix at big demonstrations. In 1890, Nancy Green, a 59-year-old servant for a Chicago judge, was hired for the role. She became the first and most influential Aunt Jemima.

Dressed as Aunt Jemima, Green appeared at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago beside the “world’s largest flour barrel” (24 feet high), where she operated a pancake-cooking display, sang songs, and told romanticized stories about the Old South. Her exhibition booth drew so many people that special security personnel were assigned to keep the crowds moving.

She appeared at fairs, festivals, flea markets, food shows, and local grocery stores with her arrival heralded by large billboards featuring the caption, “I’se in town, honey.” Green’s engaging personality and talent as a cook for the Walker family, whose children grew up to become Chicago Circuit Judge Charles M. Walker and Dr. Samuel Walker, helped establish a successful promotion of the product.

Columbian Exposition officials proclaimed Nancy Green “Pancake Queen” and she received a medal and certificate from the Expo officials. She was signed to a lifetime contract and traveled on promotional tours all over the United States.

As a result of Nancy’s promotional work, flour sales greatly increased, and the image of pancakes changed immensely. Until she promoted the Aunt Jemima

Self-Rising Pancake Flour Mix, the flour business had been strictly seasonal, with most sales occurring in the winter. People began purchasing and using pancake flour all year around and pancakes evolved from being a strictly breakfast menu item into standard lunch, dinner and late supper fare as well. This huge success was a tribute to Green’s gifts and talents. Her personality was warm and appealing, and her showmanship was exceptional.

Other ladies would model Aunt Jemima over the next 120 years. Green’s personification of Aunt Jemima and the character’s mythology built by advertising executives earned Davis, and later the Quaker Oats Company, great profit. However, there is no evidence that Green ever saw any of that revenue.

In 1910, at age 76, Green was still working as a residential housekeeper, according to the census. Not many people were aware of her role as Aunt Jemima. Green lived with nieces and nephews in Chicago into her old age. She died 100 years ago in August 1923 at age 89, when a car driven by pharmacist Dr. H. S. Seymour collided with a laundry truck and “hurtled” onto the sidewalk where Green was standing.

At the time of her death, she was living with her great-nephew and his wife. She was buried in a pauper’s grave near a wall in the northeast quadrant of Chicago’s Oak Woods Cemetery. Her grave was unmarked and unknown until 2015. Sherry Williams, founder of the Bronzeville Historical Society, spent 15 years uncovering Green’s resting place. Williams received approval from a distant relative of Green’s (Marcus Hayes, Green’s great-greatgreat-nephew) to place a headstone.

Williams reached out to Quaker Oats about whether they would support a monument for Green’s grave. Their corporate response was that Nancy Green and Aunt Jemima aren’t the same — that Aunt Jemima is a fictitious character. The headstone was placed on Sept. 5, 2020.

The R.T. Davis Milling Company was renamed the Aunt Jemima Milling Company in 1913. In 1925, the Quaker Oats Company entered into a contract to purchase the Aunt Jemima brand. For almost a century after Nancy Green’s death, some version of Aunt Jemima’s image would remain on the pancake mix boxes and syrup bottle.

When PepsiCo acquired the Quaker Oats Company and the Aunt Jemima

brand in 2001, the company said the brand had “the goal of representing loving moms from diverse backgrounds who want the best for their families.”

Quaker Oats announced in June 2020 that it would remove Aunt Jemima’s image. Along with this, there was also a changing of the brand name. This was decided on the premise that the image was “based on a racial stereotype.” In February 2021, Quaker Oats announced the pancake mix and other products would be renamed “Pearl Milling Company,” an homage to the original mill built in 1888.

The new name and logo began appearing on packages in June 2021. However, there is a small Aunt Jemima label on the pancake mix box and the syrup bottle reminding us of Green’s legacy and days gone by when there was a smiling lady on the label.

In the days and years to come when we sit down to enjoy that stack of pancakes doused in syrup, regardless of the source, I hope we will remember Nancy Green and her role in the history of the pancake and especially its rise to prominence as a staple of the American family table.

A.B. Frost’s portrait of Nancy Green as Aunt Jemima circa 1890s.

Community Polk County Broadband Initiative meeting

By Ethan Nahté

The members of the Polk County Broadband Initiative (PCBI) met the morning of Aug. 17 at the Polk County Extension Education Building. This was the group’s second meeting. In the July 17 meeting, they discussed the purpose of the committee to boost public support, involve stakeholders for selecting internet service providers (ISPs), identifying resources, determine priorities and grant applications.

At that meeting, Polk County Judge Brandon Ellison said that 98% of Polk County citizens are either unserved or underserved according to the new standards for internet, which is a speed of 100:20 Mbps — 100 being megabits

BROADBAND

continued from page 14

Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run Blood Drive will be taking place 1:30-6 p.m., Friday, Aug. 25. Find the OBI Bloodmobile parked by the train station. Each donor receives a vintage Life is Better T-shirt and one free entry to Magic Springs. Go to obi.org

Kayla Thomas was our final winner of the family four-pack of Magic Springs Theme and Water Park tickets. Her name was selected from our eight sponsors. Thomas signed up for the contest at Jordan Tire in Hatfield. (Ariel Varner/Pulse)

The Polk County Housing Authority will be closed Monday, Sept. 4th in observance of Labor Day.

The Back Country Extension Homemakers Club meets the second Friday of each month at 1 p.m. at the UA Extension’s Education Building, 211 DeQueen St., Mena. We are a service organization affiliated with UA’s Division of Agriculture with a mission to have fun and learn new things while enriching our community and creating a more contented family life. We believe the greatest force that molds character comes from the home. Come join new friends and old as we together grow. For more info, contact Ginger at Gingerkm@protonmail.com.

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 First United Methodist Church of Mena will be collecting dry cat and dog food for the Humane Society of the Ouachitas, a no-kill animal shelter, during the month of August.

If you’d like to donate to this wonderful organization, bring the food to the church, 501 Ninth St., across from Janssen Park, Monday-Thursday between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or bring it on Sunday at 10 a.m. and stay for church. Everyone is welcome.

Come play Pickleball! Open play Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8:30

Around Town

a.m., Aubrey D. Tapley Park - 2562 U.S. Hwy 71, Mena.

Bring your own equipment and come have fun. All levels are welcome. Unsure or interested? Come watch before purchasing equipment.

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.

The Ouachita Beekeepers Association is now meeting on the second Thursday of the month, 7 p.m. in the Education Building of the UA Extension Office, 211 DeQueen St., Mena. Come early and enjoy refreshments and bee talk with other beekeepers.

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.

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.

Free meal and a message at Living Word, 171 W. Johnson, Hatfield, Wednesdays @ 6 p.m.

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.

Christ’s Church of Cove, 5234 Hwy. 71 S, Cove gathers every Tuesday, 8:30-9:30 a.m., for free coffee and conversation.

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) 234-8366 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.

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!

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.

POLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S LOG

August 14, 2023

Aramis Candelaria, 21, of Hatfield was arrested by an officer with Probation Parole on a Warrant for Absconding.

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 62 near Board Camp in reference to a physical domestic disturbance. Information has been forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorney for further consideration.

August 15, 2023

Kathy Harper, 43, of Mena was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant.

August 16, 2023

A disturbance on Roach Avenue near Mena led to the arrest of Ronald Rogers, 46, of Mena on a charge of 3rd Degree Domestic Battery.

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 71 near Mena in reference to a disturbance.

Darin Lewis, 56, of Lowell was arrested on a warrant for Nonsupport.

Robert Lanham, 31, of Mena was arrested on a warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Carter Creek Lane near Mena in reference to a Physical Domestic Disturbance.

August 17, 2023

Deputies responded to a report of a land dispute.

Deputies responded to a walk-in complainant in reference to vehicle damage.

Deputies were dispatched to an area on Polk 67 near Mena in reference to

a welfare check. Information has been forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorney for further consideration.

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Hwy 71 S near Cove in reference to a person being threatened. Information has been forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorney for further consideration.

Deputies responded to a walk-in complainant in reference to a vehicle being damaged at a residence on Hwy 71 North near Mena.

Humberto Delgado, 43, of Grannis was arrested by an officer with the Grannis Police Department on a charge of 3rd Degree Domestic Battery.

August 18, 2023

Phillip Gobellan, 53, of Mena was arrested by an officer with the Arkansas State Police to be held for another agency.

Deputies responded to a walk-in complainant in reference to an altercation leading to the arrest of Annie Lance, 37, of Mena on a charge of 3rd Degree Domestic Battery. Information has been forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorney for further consideration.

Claro Perez, 54, of Waldron was arrested on a charge of Public Intoxication.

August 19, 2023

Deputies responded to a residence on Polk 75 near Mena in reference to an altercation. Also leading to the arrest of Braxton Kyle, 19, of Mena on a charge of Disorderly Conduct.

Meagan Czarnetzki, 29, of Mena was arrested on a charge of Public Intoxication.

August 20, 2023

Deputies responded to a walk-in complainant in reference to the unauthorized use of a vehicle.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office worked 2 vehicle accidents this week.

Polk County Detention Center Jail

Population: 41 Incarcerated Inmates with 9 Inmates currently on the Waiting List for a State Facility.

MENA POLICE REPORTS

August 13

A report of possession of controlled substance was taken at the Executive Inn.

A report of theft was taken at a residence on Jannsen Avenue.

Christopher Brown, 48, and Emily Holden, 23, were both charged with Theft of Property at Walmart.

August 14

A report of child neglect was taken at a residence on Meadow Brook Drive.

August 15

A death investigation report was taken at a residence on Gann Street.

A report of forgery was taken at EZ Mart.

Deborah Ervin, 47, was charged with DWI, Driving on Suspended License and served with a warrant after a traffic stop on Highway 71.

A report of possession of stolen property was taken from a walk-in complainant.

August 16

Donn Stewart, 57, was charged with Public Intoxication, Disorderly Conduct, and served with a warrant after a disturbance at Murphy USA.

William Parsons, 27, was served with two warrants after a disturbance call on Morrow Street.

August 17 No report

Augusts 18 No report

August 19

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continued from page 12

Leonel Lozano, 38, was charged with DWI, Possession of Open Container Containing Alcohol in a Motor Vehicle, No Drivers License, No Vehicle Insurance and No Vehicle Registration after a traffic stop on Highway 71. per second download speed and 20 for upload. By U.S. standards, 100 Mbps is fast internet speed, but it is not the fastest you can get. The 100:20 is what is currently available for grant funding.

In quorum court meetings earlier this year, Ellison had broached the subject, encouraging residents to participate in the statewide survey. The Arkansas State Broadband Office (ASBO) had an online Digital Skills and Opportunity Survey as part of the state’s larger planning process to address Arkansas’ digital skills gap and to better understand the various segments of the state’s population to affording and using highspeed internet.

Ellison encourages residents to participate in ASBO surveys. In a letter he submitted on July 3, he expressed that Polk County has a need for better internet connections with broader coverage. Although his office has been working on the problem for a few years, he’s hoping to have an opportunity to incentivize the right ISPs to compete for service in our area.

Ellison and the PCBI are hoping to make internet available and affordable to everyone in the county, regardless of how far out someone may live. One of the things discussed at last Thursday’s meeting was improving the local survey specific to Polk County. Once PCBI is happy with the result, that survey will be available online and in The Pulse.

The survey should take no longer than a minute or two to fill out. The purpose is to provide documentation that Polk County is way underserved with broadband coverage and to develop a plan to secure part of the $1 billion-plus funding coming to Arkansas from the federal government.

Classifieds

- CLASSIFIEDS -

SERVICES -

Wendell’s Tree Service - Tree Removal and Trimming. Experienced and fully insured for ALL your tree-trimming needs. Call (479) 394-0227 or (479) 216-4328. T0823

Carter’s Excavating - Licensed Contractor: Heavy and light dozer work, heavy excavation, soft ground to rock excavation, heavy off-road hauling, road design and construction 50 years in trade, 40 years in area. Subsidiary of RCI Construction (479) 394-9227

T0906

Tree services, forestry mulching, storm cleanup, stump grinding. Signs and light replacement. Give RC Customz a call at (479) 216-2976 for Free estimate. T0830

Carter’s Excavating - Licensed Contractor: Roads, bridges, house pads, building pads, basements, land clearing, small lots to large tracks, ponds, stream crossings, farm roads, building demolition, site planning & prep.

50 years in trade, 40 years in area. Subsidiary of RCI Construction. (479) 394-9227

T0906

Mobile lawnmower repair and repair flats. Minimum, $20 service call. For details, call Bill Duff (479) 216-5204. T0823

Construction, steel buildings, welding, pads, ponds, and roads. Military discounts. Insured. Give RC Customz a call for free estimates at (479) 216-2976. T0830

Mena Shuttle - Ground transportation to AR and TX airports. Doctor and emergency appointments. Also, light deliveries. (870) 490-1191 T0823

- PETS FOR SALE -

- HELP WANTED -

F.M. Dix Foundry is accepting applications for general labor positions. Applications may be picked up at the office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available.

Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment.

T0830

Brodix, Inc. is accepting applications for an experienced CNC Machine Operator. Applications may be picked up at the Brodix office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available.

Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment.

T0830

Brodix, Inc. is accepting applications for a technical/phone sales position. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, answering technical inquiries, providing product information and recommendations, troubleshooting with potential and current customers, and processing orders in a fast-paced office setting.

Parts, automotive, and computer experience would be helpful.

Applications may be picked up at the Brodix office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available.

Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment.

T0830

Brodix, Inc. is accepting applications for general labor positions. Applications may be picked up at the Brodix office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available.

Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment

T0830

Polk County Fair news

It’s time to think about the fair: Use the right entrance

Submitted by Kathy Hagler

Anyone entering items in the fair this year is being asked to use the “Exhibitor’s Entrance” located at the south end of the fairgrounds off Rodeo Drive.

From Mena, traveling on 71 South, about a half mile past Fairgrounds Road, turn left on Griffith Park Drive (next to Bowser Funeral Home), turn left on Rodeo Drive. Continue past the dead-end sign, the Exhibitor Entrance is on the right.

This is for everyone’s general safety while the carnival sets up Monday and Tuesday. The carnival will open to the public on Wednesday, Aug. 30. For a complete list of times, please check the Polk County Fair Catalog. See you at the fair!

Show off your plants, flowers and crops at the 2023 fair!

Submitted by Lena Day, Polk County Master Gardener

Are you a gardener? Are there fantastic plants, fruits, or vegetables in your garden? Do you love to show off your flowering plants, flower bouquets/arrangements? As a home grower you may have vegetable, fruits, and some of you collect eggs or take care of beehives for honey.

Bring your harvests, plants, flowers and more to the Polk County Fairground Education Building. You may win a ribbon and prize money.

Entries for the Education Building will be accepted 1-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29 for plotted plants and crops.

From 7:30-10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30, single cut flowers, flower arrangements and crops can be entered. The building will be closed at noon to the public and the judging will start at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

Adult, junior and youth divisions can enter in each of the departments: horticulture, farm crops, and fruit and vegetable crops. For the horticulture competition, the Polk County Master Gardeners will award the “Best in Show” winner, and a winner for each of three sections within horticulture.

All crops, flowers, plants and vegetables must be produced, grown or arranged in Polk County by the exhibitor, disease and pest free. If you have more than one entry per class, only one will be judged. The others will be entered as “Not For Judging, NFJ.” You may enter exhibitions in as many classes as you wish.

You must furnish container. Attractive containers are desirable in flower arrangements and in some of the potted plants classes, (e.g., dish garden, driftwood planting, English trough garden, garden art planting, and terrarium). Containers are considered as part of the entry for judging purpose.

For a complete listing of all classes and rules, consult the Polk County Fair catalog. You may find them available at feed stores, banks, the Extension Service and other businesses.

Starting Thursday, Aug. 31, all exhibit entries will be on display from 2 p.m. Exhibits close at 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 8 p.m. on Saturday.

For sale - AKC English Bulldog puppies. Black-tri, and standard colors all in the same litter, and ready for their new home. Facebook Arklatex Bulldogs to see these beauties. Call 870-642-3104 for more information. TFN

Mena school facilities getting improvements

Submitted by Mark Hobson

The Mena School Board met for their regular August meeting on Tuesday at the district administration building.

The meeting began with the superintendent Lee Smith’s report. Smith informed the board that the district’s construction manager Petry Construction has completed the pre-bid walk-thru on the new indoor activity center. Bids are expected to be opened on or about Thursday, Aug. 24.

Smith then shared the most recent ACT Aspire results. He stated that the district as a whole saw a 6% decline in scores overall but was still above the state average in every area. Smith was pleased to announce that beginning this year Mena would be using the new assessment system called ATLAS. A sentiment that was echoed by the principals from each campus who were in attendance.

The board quickly approved the next two items on the agenda. Including the 2022-2023 inventory and the 2023-2024 handbook for the Polk County Virtual Academy. No changes were made in the PCVA handbook from last year.

Next the board approved a revised 2023-2024 non-licensed salary schedule that included a modified

bus schedule and a new position for a mental health therapist.

Smith updated the board on a pair of projects: The new six-foot security fence at Louise Durham Elementary is 98% complete. He also asked the board to approve the purchase of two new compressors for air conditioning units in the Performing Arts Center at a cost of $17,696. The board approved.

The board also approved the financial reports. Smith said revenue outpaced expenditures by $158,000 in June.

Finally, in personnel, the board accepted the retirement of bus driver Beverly Huber.

Board-approved restructuring:

• Peggy Foster from bus driver to bus aide.

• Rebecca Sprague from full-time bus driver to morning route only.

• James Foster from a “C” bus route to route 21.

• Alexander Fulgencio from a “C” bus route to route 7.

Board-approved hiring:

• Cecily Wilson as paraprofessional Pre-K at LDE

• Alana Mrugala as mental health therapist.

Bearcats to battle Leopards in home opener

By Jay Bunyard

The first football game ever played in Mena was on Nov. 23, 1912. De Queen was the opponent, and MHS prevailed with a 20-6 victory. To put the history of this rivalry into proper perspective, 1912 was the year that the Titanic sank. The game was played at the Polk County Fairgrounds, which at that time was located on nine acres, where now Union Bank, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Diamond Bank are among the businesses located. It was at Pickering Avenue and U.S. Highway 71. Teams had to play games near the Kansas City Southern railway for travel purposes, since roads were practically non-existent in 1912.

Since that initial contest back in 1912, Mena and De Queen have battled 85 other times on the gridiron. The Aug. 25 renewal of this old rivalry will be the 87th meeting between the two schools at 8 p.m. in Mena.

De Queen leads the all-time series with 51 wins. Mena has 30 victories. There have been five ties over the past 12 decades.

The two schools have played annually since 1948. Mena and De Queen on the gridiron was a Thanksgiving Day tradition in the late 1940’s through most of the 1950’s.

Beginning in 1960, the two schools opened the season for one another. That tradition ended in 1998, when the Leopards moved into the Bearcats conference. The season-open-

ing tradition resumed in 2010 as again, the Bearcats and Leopards are non-conference opponents.

Last year at Leopard Stadium in De Queen, the Bearcats pulled out a thrilling 16-14 victory on a 22-yard field goal by Jair Hernandez as time expired. After the Leopards had tak-

Bearcats work to correct issues following scrimmage

The Mena Bearcats had their 2023 fall scrimmage at Mansfield on Tuesday, Aug. 15. Coach Bentley stated, “It was a tough night overall for us. Defense played well, but not very disciplined… we have to clean those things up or it will hurt us quickly.

“We could not get into any kind of rhythm on offense. Anything that could go wrong, seemed to go wrong. Our staff has identified points of emphasis to work and correct these issues and, thankfully, it’s something that I know our kids will attack head on and get better from.

en a 14-13 lead with only 49 seconds to play, quarterback Gabe Corcoran moved the Bearcats 55 yards in six plays to set up the winning kick. On the night, Corcoran completed 10 of 18 for 161 yards and a touchdown. Colby Davis led the tackle charts for Mena with eight stops.

The last time the Bearcats and Leopards squared off in Mena to open the 2021 season, Mena throttled the Leopards 42-7. The Bearcats scored with four seconds to play in the first half on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Austin Rose to Blake Brown to take a 15-0 lead and all the momentum into the locker room at intermission. The Bearcats outscored the Leopards 21-0 in the third quarter to pull away.

Despite the fact De Queen leads the all-time series, the Bearcats have won nine of the last 13 meetings between these two, including the last six in a row.

“No one wins or loses a scrimmage, but we can sure learn from it. There is nothing that we cannot fix, which is encouraging. This football team has a great chance to be explosive on offense and defense. I have full confidence we will see growth from this scrimmage.”

The Bearcats open regular season play at 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25, at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium against the De Queen Leopards.

“This is an important game for both communities, two long-time rivals. We love the fact that we get to open up the season at home. De Queen always plays tough, physical football. For us to be successful we have to be the most physical team on the field... limit mistakes, play disci-plined defense and find our footing offensively. Our kids are more than capable of all of these things, and I’m excited for them. We have a lot more work to put in before Friday. We look forward to a great crown Friday night.”

NHTSA and Arkansas law enforcement remind drivers: Drive sober or get pulled over

During the Labor Day holiday period, including the end of summertime and the busy holiday weekend, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be working alongside law enforcement in Arkansas to decrease impaired driving. From Aug. 18 - Sept. 4, Arkansas law enforcement will be participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement campaign.

During this time, you’ll see officers working together to take drunk drivers off the roads in support of law enforcement’s dedication to protecting the lives of residents in their communities. No matter how you plan to celebrate the end of summer this year, make sure you plan to do it safely.

For this year’s campaign, the National Park Service (NPS), and NHTSA Region 7, which includes Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, are again partnering to emphasize the importance of driving sober and saving lives on America’s roadways in and around our region’s National and State Parks.

There will be an increased presence of state and local law enforcement officers along with NPS rangers during this campaign, whose expanded efforts to protect against impaired driving will be conducted in a fair and eq-

uitable way. Campaign activities will be highlighted by NHTSA at a press conference in St. Louis, Missouri at the Gateway Arch on Aug. 25. Law enforcement officers in all regions will be participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign throughout the Labor Day weekend.

According to NHTSA, 13,384 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2021 — that’s one person every 39 minutes. On average, more than 11,000 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes each year from 2017 to 2021. This is why Arkansas law enforcement officers are working together with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal; it’s a matter of life and death. As you head out to festivities during the end of summer and Labor Day weekend, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

“We want our community members to understand that it’s our first priority to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to plan ahead if they know they’ll be out drinking,” said Colonel Mike Hagar, Arkansas Public Safety Secretary, and the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “In addition to enforcement, the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is an awareness effort to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal and it

takes lives. Let’s make this a partnership between law enforcement and drivers− help us protect the community and put an end to this senseless behavior,” he said.

the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes over the Labor Day holiday period in 2021, 48% of those drivers were drunk, with BACs of .08 or higher.

No one should mix drinking and driving, and no one is immune to the effects of drinking. If you find yourself drunk and stranded with your vehicle, give your keys to a sober driver who can safely drive you home. Remind your friends to never get into a vehicle with a drunk driver. If you have a friend who is about to drive after drinking, take away their keys and help them get home safely.

Most importantly: Always have a plan before you head out for the evening. If you wait until after you’ve been drinking to figure out how to get from one place to the next, you will already be too impaired to make the right choice.

During the 2021 Labor Day holiday period (6:00 p.m. Sept. 3 to 5:59 a.m. Sept. 7), there were 531 traffic fatalities nationwide. Of these 531 fatalities, 41% (216) involved a drunk driver, and more than a quarter (27%) involved drivers who were driving with a BAC almost twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC). Among drivers between

So remember, this Labor Day weekend and all year long: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. It could save your life.

For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/ risky-driving/drunk-driving or call the Arkansas Highway Safety Office at 501- 618-8136. For more on Arkansas’ ongoing Toward Zero Deaths campaign to eliminate preventable traffic fatalities, visit www.TZDArkansas.org