Pulse THE POLK COUNTY
FREE WEEKLY 1168 Hwy 71 S Mena, AR 71953 479.243.9600
July 27, 2022
Your DAILY News Sources: KENA 104.1 FM & MyPulseNews.com
Burn Ban still in effect after storm
INSIDE:
By Ethan Nahté
Burn Ban Reminder
Page 7
Recent rumors and discussions on social media have been bandied about by Polk County residents regarding the possibility of a major hotel chain coming to Mena.
Rick Chrisman, a partner in Revitalize Mena, said, “An agreement to purchase property next to the old school building on Mena Street has been signed. That is to the north of the school.” An excerpt from a 20-page proj-
EPSCoR - Arkansas Ranks First
Page 11
A portion of the parking area and property beside the old high school damaged by the 2009 tornado may be the future home of a new hotel in Mena. (Trey Youngdahl/Pulse)
Mena School Lunch Prices
Page 22
See HOTEL continued on page 2
Relief possible
By Ethan Nahté Thunder and lightning rolled in with some much-needed rain last Wednesday, bringing approximately 1.5 inches of precipitation during a long, steady rain. Not only did it aid in reducing the high temperatures, but it was enough to help soak the soil. Despite the rain, the following days returned to extreme heat and the western part of the state officially remained under a high wildfire danger notice. Polk County Judge Brandon Ellison posted on Facebook: “Very thankful for the beneficial rain yesterday, but there just wasn’t enough county-wide to remove the burn ban. The immediate forecast calls for more hot and dry conditions. I believe the responsible decision is to wait for more precipitation and for vegetation to green up. Our firefighters have been on fires every day the last 2 weeks. We certainly don’t want to make it worse. I appreciate your patience.” Beginning the last week of July, this is currently the third hottest July on record for average monthly temperature, tied with July 1998 at 87 degrees for the mean average. 1954 is ranked second and 1980 is ranked first at 88.9 degrees. Late week rains are predicted. It
See RAIN continued on page 12
2 News
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse Mena school sports begins
July 27, 2022
HOTEL state Darren Robertson and Purcontinued from page 1 pose Lodging are pursuing an Inect summary from Revitalize Mena terContinental Hotel Groups (IHG) states, “Welcome to an unheralded franchise in the premiere mixed-use part of the Ouachita Mountains in development in the town. Greg Nabholz, owner of Nabwestern Arkansas that is a mecca for four wheelers, motorcycle en- holz Properties Corporation, is the thusiasts, and mountain bikers. In consultant for the project, working fact, it is about to become a national for Revitalize Mena. Part of that work involved recruitattraction for serious mountain biking a hotel to fill a lodging need and ers. And [an IHG property] at Basecamp Mena will be the first signifi- complement “…redeveloping the cant lodging facility to capture this former historic former Mena High School into a one of kind destination spectacular demand.” Chrisman said, “To clarify, the with office, retail, apartments, event A&P and the City are developing center integrated with a planned Inthe trails at Ward Lake. A&P is not novation Hub. With the [IHG facilidirectly involved with the develop- ty], bike trails that terminate on the property, and other amenities, this ment of the school.” Chrisman explained that in 2017, project will be a destination for not he and John Vacca helped form a only Mena, but the entire region…” group of volunteers known as Re- according to the project summary. Chrisman said, “There are some vitalize Mena. They worked with the property owner to purchase and contingencies involved so it’s not a develop the school building into the done deal but encouraging. It will multi-use facility called Base Camp likely be August or later before we’ll have confirmation.” Mena. The project summary goes on to
By Ethan Nahté
The Mena volleyball team made their way to Branson, Missouri, the past weekend to the Licking Volleyball Team Camp. The junior high, junior and senior varsity teams will spend most of the week playing against other teams. The camp hosts school teams for volleyball and both boys and girls
basketball. The Licking Summer Camp has been in operation since 1993. The Mena football camp begins Monday, August 1. Where there’s football, there’s marching band. The band schoolowned instrument checkout occurred Monday. Both the drumline and color guard camps began Tuesday.
Members of the Mena volleyball teams on the bus and headed for Branson to compete at the Licking Volleyball Team Camp.
394-1938
TIRES • BRAKES • CUSTOM EXHAUST • SHOCKS & STRUTS
Winter Hours: Mon - Fri 8 am - 5 pm
1500 Hwy 71 South, Mena
Owners: Stacy & Julie Nash
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Letters 3
July 27, 2022
Radio - Print - Web 1168 Hwy 71S Mena, AR 71953 Phone: 479-243-9600 Fax: 479-243-9603 Email: news@mypulsenews.com
KENA 104.1 - KQOR 105.3 MyPulseNews.com
Our Team: Ashley Moore - General Manager Ethan Nahté - Production Manager/Editor Patrick Massey - Contributing Reporter John Russell - Graphic Design Curt Teasdale - Programmer / On-Air Personality Trey Youngdahl - Reporter / Photographer Photographer// Morning Personality Jackye Pruitt - Senior Account Executive Jodi Croft - Account Executive Ariel Varner - Receptionist/On-Air Personality Distribution & Insertion Staff: Dan & Linda Deramus, Jason Sharp, Edward Werkhoven 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.
Letter to the Editor: It is sickening to see the senseless murders resulting from the daily shootings in our country that show no regard for the sanctity of life. After each one is the predictable call for gun control and blaming the gun rather than the shooter. Sadly, warning signs are often missed that may have stopped these killers. I have said this before, but it bears repeating… in order to answer a question you must first understand the question. The question is not what tool we use to kill each other but rather why are we killing to begin with. I think the next pertinent question is how to deal with the killers who commit these atrocities. My personal feelings are that we have become too soft on crime. There have been several stories of big city liberal prosecutors, where there is either no or lax punishment, and crime flourishes. Those forgotten are the victims. There is so much focus in protecting the rights of criminals that the rights of the victim are forgotten. Fight back and hurt your assailant and you become the criminal. There was once a time when the punishment fit the crime. An eye for an eye, if you will. I am an advocate for the death penalty for certain crimes and there are those that are against it. Fair enough. The argument is that it is not a deterrent. That may be true, but it does cut down on REPEAT offenders. I read about the pain suffered before a convicted killer succumbed to a lethal injection, but no mention of the pain and suffering that person inflicted on their victims and their families. The most recent horrific shooting of innocent children in Uvalde, Texas, should be dealt with quickly, after a fair trial. In this case there is no doubt of the crime or who committed it. If the punishment is to fit this crime, stand him up and tie him to a post with no blindfold so he can see the last thing his victims saw. Then let the firing squad do their duty. Barbaric, yes. Deserved, for sure. Have the families of those massacred, if they choose, present to watch and perhaps have some sense of justice and closure. At some point in time, we must stand up and say enough is enough. Coddling those among us that have no value for human life is not working. Rehabilitation is ineffective for these murderous monsters, and we should come to accept that reality. Some broken things cannot be fixed. Sadly, we are letting emotion get in the way of problem solving and have years of ineffective responses that have failed to stop any of these atrocities. Law abiding citizens are not the problem. Trying to restrict their rights is not the solution. Doing the same thing over and again expecting different results is the insane part. Thank you for a forum to express my thoughts. With respect and kindest regards, Ronald Goss, Retired, Mena
To the editor: Does the Pulse report news?? Not all news gets reported though. What about the fact that Polk County is under a BURN BAN ? I feel that the Pulse should make that front page news while the burn ban is in effect!! My husband is a volunteer fireman and he got called out to a fire on West Boundary where 3 guys were roasting hot dogs in a outdoor fire pit. One guy said he didn’t know there was a burn ban, one guy just walked away, the 3rd guy put the fire out after my husband said he’s have to call the sheriff if the fire wasn’t put out. So why hasn’t the Pulse reported this? Why doesn’t the radio station broadcast this info more often? My husband listens to the radio some & heard it announced once. Other volunteer firemen/women have also been called out about fires. Also, anyone with any common sense should know that it’s VERY dry! But guess there are lots of people that don’t have common sense. Just giving my opinion. Thank-you, Donna Lay, Mena (Sure this won’t get published though)
Editor’s Response July 5, two hours before the Burn Ban went into effect, I posted the court order for the burn ban on both of our Facebook pages. The post was made within minutes of receiving the notice. Unfortunately, it was received over three hours after we had gone to press. It was also read on the news that afternoon, and according to our on-air talent, it has been read during both of Curt Teasedale’s news programs every day. Granted, I should’ve mentioned it in the following week’s paper. My apologies for the oversight. Still, I have been posting news briefs from either the U.S. Forest Service or the Arkansas Department. of Agriculture almost weekly, generally within the hour after receiving the information. The July 20 edition also contained a frontpage story about wildfire danger from the U.S. Forest Service. Somewhat related, the July 6 issue had a story of a house fire. A paragraph mentions that no one was observed burning outside near the house. Does that directly state or imply a burn ban? No. Is the ban still in effect despite last week’s storm? Yes. But, as your letter mentions, one would hope that such articles, plus the various posts of wildfires popping up online on a daily basis from Polk County residents, would get the point across to anyone with common sense. Who’s to say that the three men roasting hot dogs listen to either KENA or KQOR, or read the Pulse? Or that they do not watch other news outlets, which have mentioned that 67 of 75 of the
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. Letters will be restricted to 500 words. Any letters longer than 500 words will require purchase of advertising space. 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
counties in Arkansas are under a burn ban? There are times when I have more news than I can fit into each issue. There are also times that we may be unaware of a story because we have not been contacted. Although I cannot answer for the entire office staff, I am definitely someone who is fire-safety aware and prefer controlled burns over wildfires to improve and enrich the healthy conservation of land, water and wildlife. I have included the actual court order in this issue of the paper (page 7) so there will hopefully be no questions on the information presented to Pulse Multi-Media. I’ll then wait to see if I receive angry responses by folks claiming their right to burn, brushhog, or play with matches is being impeded or prohibited.
4 Politics
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
July 27, 2022
Sen. Boozman Presented Golden Plow Award
Bureau’s policy positions. LITTLE ROCK - After two “Sen. John Boozman is a previous attempts were champion for agriculture,” foiled by winter weathsaid Hillman, who nomer earlier this year, U.S. inated Boozman for the Senator John Boozman of Golden Plow. “Our nation’s Arkansas was presented farmers and ranchers could Friday with the Golden not be better served than Plow Award at Arkansas we are with John Boozman Farm Bureau’s mid-sumleading agriculture policy mer Officers & Leaders efforts in the U.S. Senate. conference in Rogers. The He epitomizes the spirit of Golden Plow is the highest the Golden Plow Award. honor presented to a sitting “The Senator’s best attrimember of Congress by the bute is his ability to find American Farm Bureau. consensus. He will always Boozman is just the third stand for what he believes, Arkansan to earn the Gold- (l-r) Rich Hillman, president of Arkansas Farm Bureau, U.S. Senator though part of being a en Plow, following Sen. Da- John Boozman (R-AR) and Zippy Duvall, president of American Farm vid Pryor (1989) and Sen. Bureau Federation. (Photo courtesy of Arkansas Farm Bureau) leader is putting aside the small stuff and working for Blanche Lincoln (2008). estry Committee. He is in his second American Farm Bureau President Zip- term as senator after five terms in the the common good. He is the epitome py Duvall and ArFB President Rich U.S. House of Representatives The sen- of a statesman and has always repreHillman presented the award. ator is a 10-time Friend of Farm Bu- sented Arkansas farmers’ and ranchers’ Boozman is ranking member of the reau, which is awarded to members of interests with tenacity and the highest Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and For- Congress who have supported Farm integrity.”
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
JAMES 479.234.6244 ERIC 479.243.5549 GENERAL CONTRACTORS RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL
WWW.GLENNAIRECONSTRUCTION.COM
FROM CONCEPT TO CREATION WE’LL BRING IT HOME!
2022 National Park Foundation Reauthorization Act
WASHINGTON – Tuesday, July 19, the U.S. House of Representatives passed several Republican bills, including H.R. 7693, the National Park Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2022, introduced by House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.). “I’m so pleased to see these bipartisan efforts passing the House and making their way to the Senate,” Westerman said. “By reauthorizing the National Park Foundation, we will reduce deferred maintenance at our national parks, advance public-private partnerships, and address pressing issues like park overcrowding by incentivizing innovative private-sector solutions. We’ve already seen this work in action at iconic sites like Yellowstone, making everyone’s experience at our national parks more enjoyable. This legislation and others that moved forward today will advance our shared goals of scientific conservation and shared stewardship of our resources. I’m honored to stand for these priorities and look forward to seeing them signed into law.”
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Politics 5
July 27, 2022
From the
State House of Representatives
ers, are also exempt. It is estimated that the avIn the 2021 Regular Seserage family will spend more sion, we passed Act 944, than $600 per child on backwhich amended the sales to-school shopping this year. tax holiday to include elecThis time of year can bring tronics. Examples include a a financial burden to many calculator, desktop comfamilies across Arkansas. John Maddox puter, cell phone, e-reader, That is why we want to recomputer mouse, laptop, mind you about the upcoming Arkansas Sales Tax holiday. monitor, printer, keyboard, and tabThis year, the event will begin at lets. It does not include video game 12:01 am on Saturday, August 6th, systems or televisions. Statewide, and will continue until 11:59 pm on Act 944 is estimated to save Arkansans an additional $650,000 in taxes Sunday, August 7th. Act 757 of 2011 provides for a a year. Online purchases for the specisales tax holiday in Arkansas during the first weekend of August each fied items will be tax-free as long as year. A sales tax holiday is a tem- the transaction processes between porary period when state and local 12:01 a.m. on the 6th and 11:59 p.m. sales taxes are not collected or paid on the 7th and the items are shipped on the purchase of certain products. to an Arkansas address. The sales tax holiday was created Clothing less than $100 per item is exempt during the weekend, as well to help Arkansas families. We hope as clothing accessories less than $50 you take advantage of this opportuper item. Clothing accessories in- nity. We have posted the entire list clude handbags, cosmetics, jewelry, of tax-exempt items and answers to umbrellas, and more. Most school frequently asked questions at www. supplies, including book bags, bind- arkansashouse.org. ers, paper, crayons, pencils, and rul-
Contact Your Legislators! John Maddox
John.Maddox@ arkansashouse.org 520 Church Avenue Mena, AR 71953 Call: (479) 394-6060
Larry Teague
Larry.Teague@senate.ar.gov P.O. Box 903 Nashville, AR 71852 (870) 845-5303
John Boozman
1120 Garrison Ave. Suite 2B Fort Smith, AR 72901 Phone: (479) 573-0189 Fax: (479) 575-0553
Bruce Westerman 101 Reserve St. Suite 200 Hot Springs, AR 71901 Phone: (501) 609-9796 Fax: (501) 609-9887
From the
State Senate puter equipment was addEvery year the sales tax ed to the list of tax exempt holiday is the first weekend items. in August. This year it will be Laptops, desktops, tablets, Saturday, August 6, and Sunprinters, keyboards, calculaday, August 7. tors, cell phones, e-readers Consumers will not have to and monitors are exempt pay sales tax on any articles of clothing that cost less than Larry Teague from the sales tax. However, video games, stereos and $100. The exempted items intelevisions are not included. clude not only ordinary clothing Arkansas families will save an essuch as pants, shirts, dresses and timated $2.6 million on purchases shoes. Also free from sales tax are of electronic and computer equipbathing suits, baby blankets, unment. derwear, raincoats, uniforms, hats The sales tax exemption applies and caps, aprons, neckties, scarves to single articles, and is not based and steel-toes boots. on the overall cost of everything Diapers, even disposal diapers, you buy. For example, you can buy are included on the list of exempt three shirts $25 each and a pair of items. pants for $50 and you will not be Accessories are also on the list of charged the sales tax, even though exempted items, as long as they cost the total is $125. Because each item less than $50. The list of articles is is less than $100, the exemption is extensive, and includes handbags applied. and purses, sunglasses, jewelry, However, if you buy a pair of hair notions, wallets, watches and shoes for $120, you will have to pay wigs. the sales tax on the full amount of More than 65 categories of costhe purchase. metics are exempt from the sales Essentially, there is no limit on tax, such as mascara, many types the number of exempt items you of hair products, fingernail polish can purchase, as long as each item and fingernail remover, bath salts, costs less than $100 for clothes or artificial eyelashes, perfume and $50 for accessories. stretch mark cream. There is no price limit on elecSchool supplies will be exempt tronics and computer equipment, from the sales tax. Officially the nor is there one on school supplies. first weekend of August is called the The exemption applies to all sales sales tax holiday, but many people taxes, not just state sales taxes. That refer to it as the “Back to School” means exempt items are free of all sales tax holiday. That’s because the city, county and local sales taxes. legislature intentionally scheduled All retailers have to participate. it for early August, to benefit famArticles cannot be separated in orilies with children going to school. der to lower their price under the School supplies include pens, $100 and $50 thresholds. Men’s pencils and paper as well as art supsuits and pairs of shoes, which norplies. mally are sold as one unit, cannot Thanks to Act 944 of 2021, apbe split into separate purchases. proved by the legislature earlier this year, certain electronic and com-
6 Obituaries
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
July 27, 2022
Sarah Joann DeLisle Crider
Sarah Joann DeLisle Crider, age 85, of Mena, Arkansas, passed away peacefully the afternoon of June 20th, 2022, surrounded by family and special friends which cared for her at the Green House Cottages. Joann was born in Dallas, Texas, on April 4th, 1937. Joann was adopted by her loving parents Ralph Burdett DeLisle and Lennie Grace DeLisle of Lewisville, Texas. Her birth mother was Zenobia Moore. Joann lived a very interesting and complex life, the kind that movies are made about, she was a strong woman, a survivor, and as beautiful as an ac-
tress. Joann met Bill, her husband of 48 years, while working at LTV in Ft. Worth, Texas; they married and moved to Mena in 1969. Together they were blessed with eight children, in an “Eight is Enough” kind of way, and many grand & great-grandchildren. Joann loved her children and was the most wonderful grandmother. In Mena, Joann worked in retail management, was a business owner of Crider’s Crafts, Antiques, & Ceramics—she taught ceramic classes at her shop. Joann was mostly known for her gift as an artist, she loved to craft and could paint just about anything. She especially loved painting big cats, so much that she adopted one at Turpentine Creek, a wildlife refuge in northern Arkansas. Joann was a member of the Ouachita Arts & Craft Guild and Chair for the Mountain Fest Event
Complete Up-to-Date Obituaries at
MYPULSENEWS.COM
at Queen Wilhelmina State Park for several years. Joann loved her pets as much as she loved her children, from horses to cats to her beloved dogs—she was an animal lover. Among some of her other gifts, she was an amazing cook and baker. Her chocolate and coconut cream pies, Italian Cream cake & her Red Velvet cake were to die for, and she loved baking for those that were special to her. Family game nights were some of the most remembered, she always had the most fun and loved to beat Bill. Joann loved to camp, she & Bill spent many miles on the road to Lake Tawakoni in Texas and many other campgrounds. Joann was of the Baptist faith and a member at Salem Baptist Church. Joann was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Belvin “Bill” Crider; a sister, Georgette; a daughter, Mary Owens; and a grandson, Shane Owens. Joann is survived by her daughters, Brenda Ladd of Ft. Worth, TX; Patsy Abbott and husband, Vernon of Covington, TX; Twyla Millican and husband, Anthony of Grand Prairie, TX; son, Rodger Crider & wife, Cyndie of Mena, AR; daughter, Dee Matejek and husband Tom of Mena, AR and her daughters, Julia Conley and husband Bob of Clifton, TX; and Susan Rice and husband, Roger of Ft. Worth, TX. Also, her grandchildren: Chris Owens, Pete Lopez, Marcus Lopez, Toni Shanks, Joe O’Hearn, Collen O’Hearn, Phillip McMellon, Daniel McMellon, Alex Crider, Tyler Crider, Breanna Crider, Adam Matejek, Ryan Matejek, Megann Rowe, Leah Anderson, Paul Putman, Eric Owens, Cathy Rice, and Peggy Hoyler and many great-grandchildren. Her brothers,
Geary Don Moore of San Leon, TX; Ronny Moore of Hico, TX; and Randy Moore of NW Arkansas. The children would especially like to thank Josephine Baldwin, who cared for our mother the last two years she was at home – Josie, you are like family to us; and all the staff at the Green House Cottages of Homewood, Cottage #6 & Dr. Henderson. A memorial service will be held at Beasley Wood Funeral Home, August 6th, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.
There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart. ~Mahatma Gandhi e
Obituariesd
RADIO ONLY FREE
Read a minimum of one time; more than once if time allows.
PRINT/PULSE WEBSITE 15¢ per word (18¢ for color) Supplied Photo is included at no extra charge.
e
DEADLINE: MONDAY NO LATER THAN 1:00 PM If turned in past deadline, can still be read on the radio week of; if paid Obit, can still run Online week of; print version will run on the following week.
PROOF OF DEATH IS REQUIRED
Contact info for crematorium or funeral home will suffice. Cash, check, or debit card accepted. 5% processing fee added for Debit/Credit. NEWS@MYPULSENEWS.COM (479) 243-9600 OFFICE:1168 Hwy 71 S., Mena, AR MAIL: P.O. Box 1450, Mena, AR 71953
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
July 27, 2022
News 7
Arkansas Department of Agriculture increases Wildfire Danger Risk Level Designations for all 75 counties LITTLE ROCK, AR (July 14) – With hot, dry conditions throughout the state, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division has increased the wildfire danger risk level designations for all 75 counties over the past two weeks. Twelve counties in Northwest Arkansas were raised to the “high” risk level, and the remaining counties were rated as being at a “moderate” risk for wildfire danger. Additionally, 53 counties have been placed under a burn ban by local county judges. “These 90-to-100-degree days with little or no rain have led to extremely dry conditions across the entire state,” said State Forester Joe Fox. “We are seeing an increase in the number of wildfires and their intensity, and that’s a trend that will continue until we see significant rainfall statewide.” The Forestry Division maintains a county-by-county Wildfire Danger map with four risk levels: low, moderate, high, and extreme. Risk levels are determined by drought status and long-term weather forecasts and are defined by how easily fires can start and how hard they are to contain. The Wildfire Danger map can be found at bit.ly/ARWildFireRisk. The risk level definitions are: •
•
•
Low: Fuels do not ignite easily. Weather conditions will lead to slow, easy to control fires. Moderate: Fire can start from accidental causes. May not become serious, but caution should be taken. High: Fires ignite easily and spread quickly. Unattend-
•
ed brush fires and campfires are likely to escape. Fires may become serious if not attacked early. Extreme: Fires start quickly, spread furiously, and burn intensely. Every fire started has the potential to become large. Expect extreme, erratic behavior.
In addition to heightened risk levels, 53 Arkansas counties have been placed under a burn ban by local county judges. [Eds. 67 counties are under a burn ban as of July 20.] Burn bans primarily prohibit activities that involve an open flame. This includes fireworks, campfires, trash burning, open flame grilling, and prescribed or controlled burns. Robert Murphy, Director of Emergency Services for the Forestry Division, recommends taking additional precautions when driving or operating machinery. “It’s important to remain cautious when driving through or working in dry grass,” Murphy said. “Trucks, ATVs, hay balers, and other vehicles can easily start fires by causing sparks over dry grass.” The Forestry Division is asking those who see fires to report them by calling 1-800-468-8834 and to avoid flying drones in the area. When drones are present, those fighting the fires are unable to perform detection flights or fly single engine airtankers (SEATs) to drop water. Find a county burn ban map at bit. ly/ARBurnBan. To learn more about burn bans in your county, find your local official’s contact information at arcounties.org/counties/.
Despite storm, Polk County under high wildfire danger
Used by permission from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture During High Wildfire Danger, Remember • Wildfire Danger is usually highest during Arkansas’s two primary wildfire seasons: February-April and August-October. • Call the Forestry Division Dispatch Center to report wildfires: 1-800-4688834. Report emergencies: 911. • During dry conditions - for forest, grassland, or agricultural burns - it is highly discouraged to burn when the wind exceeds 5 mph. Intense, out-ofcontrol wildfires can happen quickly. • Avoid throwing cigarettes from vehicles; or from porches or tents at deer camps and campsites. • Be watchful of machinery and equipment causing sparks and igniting the grass or pasture land. • While hunting, make sure that any sparks caused by firing a gun are quickly stomped out or put out with water. When vegetation is dry; sparks may create flames quickly. • Transporting equipment? Make sure you are not dragging chains as you drive. Chains can create sparks, which transfer flames to multiple locations at once. Keep a watchful eye in your rear view mirrors.
8 News
July 27, 2022
Federal Grand Jury indicts two men arrested after deaths of 53 migrants By Patrick Massey
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – A federal grand jury has handed down indictments against two men whose actions reportedly led to the deaths of 53 migrants last month, including a man from southwest Arkansas. The San Antonio, Texas-based grand jury indicted 46-year-old Homero Zamorano, Jr., and Christian Martinez, 28, on counts of transporting and conspiring to transport migrants illegally resulting in death; and transporting and conspiring to transport migrants illegally resulting in serious injury. Both Martinez and Zamorano are listed as residents of Pasadena, Texas, in court records. Prosecutors allege the two men are responsible for the deaths of 53 migrants and the serious injury of 14 more when they abandoned a tractor-trailer carrying the group last month. The truck was abandoned just outside of San Antonio in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. First responders said the victims were killed by dehydration and heatstroke. Zamorano is alleged to have driven the truck while author-
ities claim Martinez organized the human smuggling operation. A statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office claims Zamorano was hiding in a nearby bush and pretending to be one of the victims when authorities arrived on scene. The victims included residents of Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Authorities say the group had entered the U.S. illegally. A Homeland Security spokesperson called the case the “deadliest smuggling tragedy of its type.” One of the victims was identified as 55-year-old Juan Valeriano Domitilo of Wickes. Domitilo reportedly resided in southwest Arkansas for over two decades and was attempting to return home after visiting family in Mexico. Mexican consulate officials confirmed his death to family members on July 1. He leaves behind a wife, three children and four grandchildren. Zamorano and Martinez, as well as two other suspects, remain in federal custody without bond. Upon conviction, both could face sentences of life in prison or the death penalty.
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
COVID-19 funds provide needed relief to Arkansas homeowners
Little Rock, July 18, 2022 - Arkansas resident Jimmy M. was infected with COVID-19 the first week of January 2020, before most people knew about the disease. Like millions of people across the country, COVID-19 affected many areas of Jimmy’s life, including his finances. But thanks to the Arkansas Homeowner Assistance Fund, he received the help he needed to pay his mortgage. “Since I first came down with Covid, it has been a battle that many times, I just knew I would lose,” he said in an email. “Your help has changed my world, and my wife’s and my little grandson’s life. I will never be able to show my gratitude for this blessing.” Since the Arkansas HAF Program was approved by the U.S. Treasury in January 2022, more than 955 Arkansas residents have received help paying their mortgages that were past due because of COVID-19. So far, administrators of the program have disbursed $9,652,637 to people in need. “Residents throughout the state have received assistance through the Arkansas HAF Program,” said Mark Conine, president of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority. “The pandemic took a huge financial, mental and emotional toll on people everywhere, but this program has helped ease some of the financial strain.” Another grant recipient said money from Arkansas HAF prevented foreclosure on her home. “I am beyond thankful for this assis-
tance,” the recipient said in an email. “COVID-19 has definitely impacted my life, from losing my grandmother and uncle, to becoming unemployed with no source of income to provide for my 3-year-old son and myself.” “Just to know that I am not in the process of foreclosure is a HUGE burden lifted, and I cannot express how much I greatly appreciate the state of Arkansas and you for all the help in getting my mortgage caught up during this difficult time.” Residents who qualify can still apply for funds. To be considered eligible for assistance, homeowners must have a total annual household income at or below 150 percent of the Area Median Income or 100 percent of the United States Median Income, whichever is greater. The property must be located within the state of Arkansas and be occupied by the homeowner as their primary residence. Grants from Arkansas HAF are meant to prevent delinquent mortgages, defaults, foreclosures and loss of utilities. Program participants must show they experienced financial hardship after January 21, 2020 (Includes a hardship that began before January 21, 2020, but continued after that date), as well as be past due on two or more consecutive mortgage or utility payments. Hardships include job loss, income reduction or increased costs due to healthcare or the need to care for a family member. For more information and to apply, go to ArkansasHAF.com.
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
July 27, 2022
Power to Care powers life for hundreds of elderly and disabled customers
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – We Power Life is more than just a slogan at Entergy Arkansas, it’s part and parcel of the commitment to keeping the power flowing for the company’s most vulnerable customers through The Power to Care. The program received donations of $581,928 in 2021, which in turn helped more than 1,200 senior citizens and customers with disabilities keep their lights on. Funded by donations and Entergy shareholders, the program provides emergency bill payment assistance for elderly and disabled customers, who are typically on a fixed income and therefore more greatly impacted by utility costs. Customer contributions to the program are tax-deductible and matched by Entergy shareholders up to $1 million annually, and employee contributions are matched dollar-for-dollar with no cap – doubling the impact. “Our focus on helping the most vulnerable is rooted in the reality of the communities we serve, because 25% of the three million residential customers across all Entergy service areas live in poverty,” said
Liz Brister, manager of low-income customer initiatives and financial assistance. For more than 20 years, partner agencies have helped Entergy identify and distribute The Power to Care funding to customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In 2021, The Power to Care provided $3.1 million in assistance to more than 9,000 customers across the company’s four-state territory. “Our commitment to our customers in need will never waver,” Brister said, “and 100% of the donations go directly to support the program. Because no one should have to choose between food or medicine or electricity, we will continue to partner with local agencies to provide opportunities for customers to access resources to pay their bills and gain financial comfort.” Donations can be made to the program online or through the MyEntergy app. For more information on how to get assistance or to contribute to the program, visit The Power to Care webpage and entergy-arkansas.com for a list of The Power to Care community partners.
News 9
Boozman, Heinrich introduce legislation eliminating penalty to travel for VA care
WASHINGTON–– U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member and Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee responsible for Department of Veterans Affairs funding, introduced legislation to repeal the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) copayment requirement for veterans traveling to medical appointments. “Veterans in rural areas with limited access to specialty care and VA facilities are disproportionately impacted by this policy. We must correct this inequity,” Boozman said. “I appreciate the guidance of Arkansas veterans who have shared with me their concerns about this unnecessary cost to receiving the health care they earned. I urge the Senate to remove this penalty for veterans.” “Veterans who live in rural areas shouldn’t be tasked with paying a travel deductible when heading to their medical appointments,” said Heinrich. “That’s why I’m proud to join Senator Boozman in this bipartisan effort to eliminate this
financial hurdle and make it easier for all veterans to access the health care benefits and services that they have earned. The Boozman-Heinrich bill eliminates the cost veterans pay when seeking VA-approved medical care. Under the VA’s Travel Beneficiary Program, eligible veterans and caregivers are reimbursed for mileage and other travel expenses incurred while traveling to and from their homes to VA-approved health appointments. Deductibles are automatically withheld from the claim prior to disbursement. In Fiscal Year 2021 veterans paid the VA over $29 million to travel for approved health care.
10 Faith By Richie Lawry
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
July 27, 2022
The morning was hot as the radiant heat of summer permeated my shop. The temperature was already in the 90s and sweat ran down my face. The unusual heat wave with unending 100-degree days was wearing me out. As I wiped the sweat out of my eyes, the phone rang for what seemed like the hundredth time today. “Richie’s,” I said, and the voice on the other end of the line asked about a windshield and back glass for their car. I took down the information and scheduled a time to put the glass in their Ford Crown Victoria. When the customer brought the car in, I started by cleaning out the broken glass and preparing to install the back window. I placed the new back window on a stand, ready to prep it for installation. As I looked at the glass, it didn’t look correct. Sure enough, when we held the new glass up to the opening in the car, it wasn’t nearly tall enough. “What is going on,” I wondered. When I checked out the part number of the new glass, I discovered that I had ordered the wrong year model. I tried to order the correct glass from my supplier and found that they didn’t have one at the Little Rock warehouse. I wasn’t surprised, as I often must order glass from out of state. But as I checked each warehouse I could order from, I found that no one had the glass. I searched online and could not find a new back glass for the Crown Victoria anywhere. I started searching for a used back glass. I found a wrecking yard in Fort Smith that showed one online, but when I called them, they said they didn’t have one. Next, I called a company in Moffat, Oklahoma. They had one, but the owner said he was having trouble finding any help, and there was no one to remove the glass from the car. The closest place I could locate the glass I needed was in North Little Rock. The only problem was that I would have to drive there to pick it up. I cleared my schedule for Friday morning and left my house before 5 to be at the wrecking yard when they opened at 8. They
An Arkie’s Faith
The Crown Victoria incident
The back glass became a trial of patience and maturity.
had promised me they would have the glass out. But after driving three hours, I arrived and found that they had not removed the glass the day before. I had to wait almost an hour. I was frustrated as I drove back to Mena. I had jobs scheduled, and now I would be an hour late getting back to work. But my frustration level went through the roof when I made it back to the shop and found that they had given me the wrong glass. What was I going to do now? I had spent seven hours and driven 300 miles using $50 worth of gas. And now I had to make another call to the customer and tell them that I wasn’t sure when I would be able to complete the job. Almost a week later, I finally got the correct glass and delivered the Grand Victoria to the customer. When you are in business, there will always be days when things go
(Photo by Richie Lawry)
wrong. There will be days that cost you money instead of making money. In the past, I had become very agitated when stuff like that happened. But I discovered that being upset didn’t change anything except that it made me unhappy. Frequently, I let my circumstances determine my attitude. But I now realize I can choose my attitude towards circumstances instead of allowing circumstances to control my attitude. We often think that our situation controls our emotional responses. When we experience adverse circumstances, we believe we have no choice but to react to them. We become upset and unhappy. Any other response seems impossible. But we can choose not to get upset by circumstances that usually would have aggravated us. To succeed, we must remember that we have a choice and be deliberate about our reactions.
Joke of the Week:
As I matured, I realized that I never change my circumstances by getting upset. I only make myself unhappy and often spread that unhappiness to the people around me. Being happy is a choice. We choose every day whether or not to let our day’s worries, problems, and circumstances get us down. If we decide that we will be happy no matter the circumstances, we will enjoy life more. In Philippians 4:11 (NIV), Paul said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” The fundamental thought here is that Paul learned, and we can also learn that being content does not mean that you have no hopes or desires; it means being willing to let God teach you no matter what your circumstances are at the moment. Happiness and contentment do not come from things. Once we accept the truth that trouble is inevitable, it’s not such a shock when trials do come. They may catch us off guard, but when we know they are a part of life, they lose much of their power to make us unhappy. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) gives us more insight into how we can be content and happy. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Gentle Reader, would you characterize yourself as content? Or do you feel you could be content if only one or two things were changed? How many of us have convinced ourselves that we would be satisfied if only we had a bit more money, a little less stress, or a better relationship? But Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled],” John 14:27 (AMPC). When difficult circumstances come our way, we should say, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 NKJV)
The Harvard meteorological department spent several months studying rainbows and determining how much they weigh. They found that rainbows are pretty light.
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
Pulse
July 27, 2022
News 11
Arkansas ranks first among EPSCoR states in National Science Foundation I-Corps Program From Arkansas Dept. of Commerce Little Rock, Ark. (July 18, 2022) - Recent data from the National Science Foundation (NSF) shows that Arkansas now ranks No. 1 in the number of national I-Corps teams among the 28 states and U.S. territories, including Guam, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, eligible for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) funding. Previously, Arkansas was ranked No. 16, climbing 15 positions to the No. 1 spot in the past two years. Among EPSCoR-eligible states, Arkansas now has nearly twice as many teams as No. 2 ranked Alabama and is ranked No. 15 among all states, regardless of EPSCoR funding. This ranking is up from No. 43 in recent years and surpasses states such as Colorado, Arizona and Virginia. NSF launched the Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program in 2011 to leverage investments in basic and applied research for increased economic and societal impact. I-Corps is unique among other federal training programs due to its focus on increasing the nation’s economic competitiveness, commercialization of federally
supported technologies, and enhancement of partnerships between academia and industry. Awards are issued to teams of participants that include an academic researcher and an industry mentor, who
teams is due in large part to a strategic collaboration with the Arkansas NSF EPSCoR central office at the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), and the University of Arkansas. In 2020, collaborators from the two organizations joined forces to increase team formation, grow the pool of industry mentors, and pursue as many awards as possible. “We are thrilled to see this news and acknowledgement from NSF,” said Jennifer Fowler, Director of Arkansas NSF EPSCoR. “It is rewarding to see the quick results from this collaboration, which is an Researching nanoscale materials for use in medical treatments. important piece of a (Photo courtesy of National Science Foundation) larger statewide initiative to supercharge the undergo intensive months-long training innovation ecosystem of Arkansas.” around the basic concept of discovery. EPSCoR launched decades ago to adThe recent, rapid increase in the number dress the stark disparity in federal research of national I-Corps awards to Arkansas investments across the U.S. In FY20, NSF
EPSCoR invested a combined $192 million in the 28 states and territories that are eligible for the program. An additional combined $983 million went to EPSCoR jurisdictions through other NSF programs. Together, that equals just 13% of NSF’s FY20 budget $8.8 billion for more than half the country. In comparison, the same portion of that year’s budget – 13 percent - went just two states, California ($686 million) and Massachusetts ($443 million). To date, the 40 NSF National I-Corps teams from Arkansas have produced 22 startup companies, participated in more than 4,000 industry engagement meetings, created 74 new jobs, and received $5.1 million in follow-on capital. Campuses producing these teams include the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, UA Little Rock, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Plans are underway to expand the collaboration to other academic institutions in the state. To learn more about this effort or how you can help, contact Weston Waldo at Waldo@uark.edu.
12 News
July 27, 2022
STORM continued from page 1
A Bradford pear limb snapped during Wednesday’s storm, which brought (Ethan Nahté/Pulse) nearly 1 5 inches of much-needed rain. will take a while to emerge from the through Saturday with a potential for drought. If the predicted pattern holds. thunderstorms. The amount of rainPolk County has a 20% chance of pre- fall may be between 1 and 2.5 inches. cipitation on Wednesday and increas- Temperatures should drop back down ing to 50% by Thursday and continuing to the mid and high 80s this weekend.
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Rock Rock Till You Drop
The band L.A. Roxx played a hot set on a scorching night in downtown Mena on Saturday for the Music on Main event. The five-piece glam rock band is an arena rock tribute band, covering many popular tunes by a variety of ‘80s rock bands.
(Photos by Cody Gee)
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
July 27, 2022
Outdoors 13
Northwest Arkansas Land Trust receives land donation for northwest Arkansas’ first grassland bird sanctuary
Washington County, AR - The Northwest Arkansas Land Trust (NWALT) announced July 18 the donation of 25 acres along Wildcat Creek, near Tontitown, from Mrs. Betty Hinshaw to create a one-of-a-kind nature preserve dedicated to the conservation of grassland birds. The Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary will open to the public in Fall, 2022. “Mrs. Betty and the Hinshaw family have been stewards of their land for 60 years and we are honored they have entrusted us with protecting and stewarding a piece of it for the future,” said Pam Nelson, NWALT Director of Land Protection. In honor of Mrs. Hinshaw’s commitment to bird conservation, the sanctuary has been named after her. Birds that depend on open grasslands are the fastest declining birds in North America. Since 1970, an estimated 3 billion birds have been lost from the overall population, mostly because their habitats have been destroyed. In Northwest Arkansas, 13 of the 42 birds listed as “species of greatest conservation need,” must have grasslands for food, shelter, and nesting. Some of these species live within this new conservation area.
American goldfinches
(Ethan Nahté/Pulse)
Bunting, American Goldfinch, Cooper’s Hawk, Redtailed Hawk, and Eastern Bluebird. “I can’t overstate the importance of what Mrs. Betty has done by donating this land to the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust. Not only has she Betty Hinshaw addresses the crowd at the June 2 land preserved a piece dedication. (Photo courtesy of the Rev. Andrew Thompson) of her family lega“Like most people, I want to leave cy, but she has also preserved a piece something behind that means someof our natural legacy,” said Marson thing,” said Mrs. Hinshaw, who reNance, NWALT Director of Land cently celebrated her 97th birthday. Stewardship and Research. “We hope Partnering with the Land Trust gave that public access will open the door her and her family the opportunity to for educational opportunities and fosdo that. “I’m just happy our feathered ter the next generation of conservafriends will find a safe place to nest because of the responsibility the Land Trust has taken on.” The Northwest Arkansas Land Trust will restore the 25-acre tract to its native grassland with local species of tallgrasses and prairie wildflowers. A dedicated pollinator habitat will provide forage for birds while native shrub thickets will offer nesting areas and cover. Along with birds, the sanctuary will conserve and support hundreds of plant and animal species that depend on this kind of habitat. There will be a small parking area and a mile-long public trail to allow for quiet pedestrian access and birding opportunities for the community. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 70 bird species have been documented within a one-mile radius of the Betty Hinshaw Bird Sanctuary. Some of the birds expected to be observed within the sanctuary and nearby pond include Bald Eagle, Mississippi Kite, Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher, Indigo
tionists here in Northwest Arkansas.” About Northwest Arkansas Land Trust The Northwest Arkansas Land Trust is a local, non-governmental, accredited, non-profit organization, dedicated to enhancing the quality of life through the permanent protection of land. By holding and managing donated land and providing conservation easement services, the Land Trust protects water quality, local farms, wildlife habitats, and places for outdoor recreation while enhancing the quality of life for today and future generations. The service area of the Land Trust includes 13 counties in Northwest Arkansas, with a core focus on Benton, Carroll, Madison, and Washington counties. For more information, visit the land trust’s website at www.nwalandtrust.org.
14 Community
Pulse
July 27, 2022
Cooperative Extension Service Hosts Community Coffee The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service will be hosting a Community Coffee Tuesday, August 2, 2022, from 10 a.m. until noon at the Extension Education Building (211 De Queen St., Mena). Master Gardeners, 4-Her’s, and Extension Homemaker Club members will be there to answer questions about their volunteer organizations.
THE POLK COUNTY
At approximately 10:30 a.m., the Polk County Extension Staff will be reviewing the accomplishments of the FY 2021 program year and sharing the goals for FY 2022. They will also be taking suggestions for the upcoming FY 2023 program year that may be offered to the citizens of Polk County. This event is open to the public.
Master Gardeners welcome new members Submitted by Judy Petty
bers, Bill and Susan Raby. We will have a new class this fall The Polk County Master Garden- and look forward to welcoming ers celebrated the yearly Annuals to more new members. Keep an eye on Perennials conference to welcome the Polk County Arkansas Master our newest Master Gardener mem- Gardeners Facebook page.
(l-r) Patsy Drager, Fran Hadaway, Becky Thornton, LaRayne Risenhoover, Judy Petty, Bill Raby, Susan Raby, Betty Smith, LaDonna VanWolf, Joe VanWolf, Debbie Thompson, Ann Glenn.
(Photo courtesy of PCMG)
Around Town The Disabled American Veterans and Auxiliary will have their monthly meeting Thursday, August 4, at Veterans Park in Acorn. Potluck begins at 6 p.m. Meeting will follow. The Cossatot Senior Center in Wickes has re-opened. All meals and activities have reverted to their original schedules. If you need to make delivery arrangements or changes call (870) 385-2373. Inside Sale to benefit hospice foundation, Thursday-Friday, July 28-29, 602 Dequeen Street, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Baked items & plants. Multi-family sell with multi-items Friday, 3 -4 p.m. there will be clothes and items for $5/bag.
First Christian Church – Mena, 1010 Port Arthur, July 2529. 6 – 8 p.m. It’s all about Jesus. Come and see, it’ll be fun. The Mena/Polk County Senior Center will have The Gator and Friends band performing in Mena every Thursday, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. The Center will also start having an exercise class on Mondays and Thursdays, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Contact Trena Looney with questions, (479) 394-5459. The regularly scheduled meeting of the Mena Hospital Commission will be held Thursday, July 28 at 5:30 p.m. in the MRHS Board Room.
The Polk County Growth & Advancement Committee meets every Wednesday at 5 p.m. at The Ouachitas located at 821 Mena Street. All interested community members are invited to attend.
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.
Narcotics Anonymous meet at 7 p.m., Monday; at 7 p.m., Thursday; at 7 p.m. Friday; and at 6 p.m. Saturday at the old bus barn at the Crossing Church. For information call Erica at (479) 216-7249.
Reynolds Gardner Community Men’s Breakfast every Tuesday, First United Methodist Church, Mena, 8:00 a.m. (full breakfast for small donation). All men from the community are invited to attend.
Free summer lunch program for all ages, every Tuesday through August 16 at Janssen Park pavilion from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Sponsored by Mena Presbyterian Church.
Alcoholics Anonymous meet at 8 p.m. Fridays at the First United Methodist Church, 9th & Port Arthur. Discussion/Book Study for information call (479) 243-0297.
The Food Pantry at the Mena Seventh Day Adventist Church is open every first and third Monday of each month, 4pm - 6pm, located at Fair Grounds Road. For more information, call 479-437-4018.
The First United Methodist Church in Mena is doing a project to help the Humane Society of the Ouachitas. If you would like to help with “The Dog and Cat Days of Summer” project, drop off a bag or two of dry dog or cat food at the church, Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. before August 7th.
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 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. 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. Vacation Bible School for ages 4 – 12 at the
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. Homesteading Today – A public monthly forum for sharing growing, canning, animal husbandry and prepping for the future. All ages welcome. First Monday of each month at the Farmhouse Store, 819 Mena Street, 5:30 p.m. 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 POLK COUNTY
Pulse
July 27, 2022
Community 15
‘Monty Python’s Edukational Show’ opens July 29 Submitted by Julie Ulmer
Come see lumberjacks and other famous Monty Python characters in skits recreated live and on-screen July 29-31 and August 5-7. Reserved seating is available now online at OLTMENA.COM. Easy to purchase and quick entry to shows. All tickets are $10, season tickets accepted. Friday and Saturday per-
formances are at 7:30 p.m., Sundays are at 2:30 p.m. The play is directed by Jered Baird. [Eds. This article was actually meant to be an advance review of a dress rehearsal. The journalist was unable attend due to being exposed to COVID-19 and chose to take precautions, not wanting to potentially make the cast or crew ill.]
Ashlee Casey was the fourth winner of The Dog Days of Summer Cool Down 2022 giveaway promotion. Casey signed up at TJ’s Convenience Store. She won a 4-pack of tickets to Magic Springs Theme & Water Park. See our ad below for details for your chance to win. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)
(Photo courtesy of OLT)
16 Outdoors By Don Cost One cool spring day, I watched my honeybees forage for pollen and nectar for making honey. As I watched them, I thought back about all that I have learned over the many years of my life as a beekeeper. Bees work and labor all their life and there are many obstacles that each bee encounters in their brief life span of three to five weeks. In that brief time, they forage many challenging flights every day during the busy days of their nectar gathering year. A bee’s life starts with a little egg laid by her mother in a single cell of wax made by other bees. She will hatch out in about three weeks and her task will begin. After she hatches out, she goes immediately to work creating other cells for the queen bee to lay eggs in. Next, she will help feed and transport nectar to the other cells in the honeycomb. After a week or so she will become a forager to find and transport nectar and pollen back to the hive. She is very busy during the nectar flow. She will not stop to rest and she will literally fly her wings to a frazzle. She eventually will not be able to fly and then she will die a short three to five weeks later. However, if it is winter when the bee is no longer able to fly, she will live longer. The old queen will gather up to half of the worker
THE POLK COUNTY
July 27, 2022
The life of a honeybee
bees (up to 20,000) and leave the hive to start a new place to call home. That home could be a hollow tree, old barn or, sometimes, a house. Before she leaves the hive, she makes sure that hive will survive by laying some special queen cells. Then, those cells will hatch out a new queen. When a regular hive of bees are at their peak, it will have up to 60,000 bees. When the new queen hatches out, she will mate with up to 20 drones. Sometimes, the queen bee can encounter many obstacles when she fly’s
back to her hive. She can encounter birds, hornets, snake doctors, and many other things that can make her flight dangerous. If
(Ethan Nahté/Pulse)
Pulse her flight is successful, then she will immediately lay 1,000 to 2,000 eggs a day. She will continue to do this until the hive is full and strong. Then, she starts all over again gathering pollen and nectar. Every day, there are many things that threaten the survival of a hive. Those things can include: mites, webworms, pesticides and pathogens to name a few. However, honeybees have survived for millions of years and their honey is so sweet. Honey is used by hospitals for bum victims as well as a medicine to treat cuts and bruises. It is also a good source of antioxidants and a home remedy for a sore throat and coughs. Honey also contains anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. In this area, I have found about one out of four hives produce an excess amount of honey that I can use to eat and to give jars of honey to others. Beehives will produce two to three gallons of strand honey per year. Statistics show that up to 70% of the food that you eat are created by the honeybees that pollinate the flowers. Those flowers produce nectar which in tum helps them to make honey. So, the next time you swat at or kill a honeybee, just think about all the blessings that they bring. The world would not be same without them and their honey. Life is definitely sweeter with bees in many ways.
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Puzzles 17
July 27, 2022
07.27.22
07.27.22
ANSWERS FROM PUZZLES ON 07.20.22
A Humane Society of the Ouachitas PET OF THE WEEK
Hi, My name is Dexter. I am 3 years old and weigh about 30 lbs. I am a Beagle mix. I am a sweet and shy boy. I warm up quickly but have some trust issues. I am good with other dogs, and good with people. I have not been tested with cats or kids. I love to run, so definitely need a home with a fenced yard. I have been neutered and am ready to go home! I would like to meet you, come to the shelter to adopt me today. My adoption fee is $ 80.00. Dexter is currently under medical treatment that can be continued in his new home. All animals at HSO are current on their vaccinations and will be spayed/neutered prior to adoption. If not already spayed/neutered, there may be a short delay between when you select this pet and when they are ready to go home.
HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE OUACHITAS TUES. THROUGH SAT. 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M. 368 POLK 50, MENA, AR 479 3945682 WWW.HSOMENA.ORG
18 Classifieds - SERVICES -
- YARD SALE -
Mobile lawnmower repair and repair flats. Minimum, $20 service call. For details, call Bill Duff (479) 216-5204. T0727
Moving - Garage Sale, 124 State Rd. 980 (Airport Road, A-Frame house), August 2nd & 3rd, 8 a.m. - noon. Household, men’s tennis shoes, lots of DVDs, furniture, china, vases, pictures, red hutch, some favorites have to go, guitars, musical instruments, lots of neat stuff. T0727
Land Management, Tree Service, RC Customz can handle your construction needs, mulching and more. Military discounts available. Insured. Call (479) 216-2976 for Free estimate. T0831
Tree services, storm cleanup, stump grinding. Signs and light replacement. Give RC Customz a call at (479) 216-2976 for Free estimate. T0831
Mena Shuttle - Ground transportation to AR and TX airports. Doctor and emergency appointments. Also, light deliveries. (870) 490-1191 T0817
Pulse
July 27, 2022
CLASSIFIEDS
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. T0727
THE POLK COUNTY
Inside Sale to benefit hospice foundation, Thursday-Friday, July 28-29, 602 Dequeen Street, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Baked items & plants. Multi-family sell with multi-items Friday, 3 -4 p.m. $5/bag. T0727 Estate Sale, 505 Black Dr, Mena, Friday and Saturday, July 29-30, 8-???. Clothes for women and babies, kitchen items, Christmas items, home décor and baby items. T0727 Multi-Family garage sale. Tons of clothes, baby items, home décor, kitchen items, crafting needs, knick-knacks, tools and more! Two weekends in a row, July 30 & 31 and August 6 & 7, 7 a.m. - ???, 1139 Crescent Drive, Mena T0803
Polk County Births Mena Regional Health System JULY 15, 2022 TO JULY 22, 2022 Kristen & Wayne Everhart of Mena, Arkansas are the proud parents of a baby boy born July 19th Kashlynn Shaw & Johnathon Gonzalez of De Queen, Arkansas are the proud parents of a baby girl born July 19th Diana Thomas & Scott Miner of Waldron, Arkansas are the proud parents of a baby girl born July 19th Tiny Shores & Josh Neer of Cove, Arkansas are the proud parents of a baby girl born July 19th
- FOR RENT 1 BR, 2 BR & 3 BR Houses for rent in Mena. Call (479) 243-5292 or (479) 2164039 T0727
WHEN NEWS MATTERS, WE’RE HERE TO KEEP YOU INFORMED. MyP U L S E NEWS.COM
Expanded EBT program aims to help families cover summer meals
By Patrick Massey
LITTLE ROCK - The state has received federal approval to provide food benefits for the summer months to eligible children, the Arkansas Department of Human Services and Arkansas Department of Education announced Thursday. For children to qualify for this temporary nutrition benefit, known as Summer Pandemic EBT, they only need to meet one of two requirements: Receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year or, if under the age of six, they must live in a household receiving SNAP benefits. If a student is not yet approved, a family member has until July 29 to submit a 2021-22 meal application to their children’s school district. If approved, the benefits will only apply to the Summer P-EBT program. Families of eligible children typically receive $391 per child for the summer, according to a news release. Benefits are loaded onto a debit-style card that can be used to purchase food. For more information, visit ar.gov/pebt.
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
July 27, 2022
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 July 18, 2022 John Robertson, 47 of Mena was arrested on a Felony Probation Violation Warrant. July 19, 2022 Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 70 near Cherry Hill in reference to a physical assault. Information has been forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorney for further consideration. Landon James, 27 of Watson, OK was arrested on warrants out of McCurtain County. Deputies responded to a walk-in complainant in reference to a breakin and stolen property. July 20, 2022 Mark Blehm, 29 of Mena was arrested on a charge of 3rd Degree Domestic Battery. Brandon Rose, 24 of Mena was arrested on a charge of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle. Deputies responded to a report of a violation of an Order of Protection. July 21, 2022 No reports. July 22, 2022 Deputies were dispatched to an incident on Hwy 71 South leading to the arrest of Marc Baker, 41 of Hot
Springs National Park on charges of 1st Degree Terroristic Threatening and Resisting Arrest. Deputies responded to a report of a stolen cell phone from a business near Hatfield. Jake Miller, 21 of Cove was arrested on a charge of Public Intoxication. July 23, 2022 A traffic stop on Hwy 71 South resulted in the arrest of Kasie Wright, 24 of DeQueen on charges of Driving While Intoxicated, Careless and Prohibited Driving and Speeding. Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 482 near Vandervoort in reference to a physical altercation leading to the arrest of Marc Baker, 41 of Hot Springs National Park on charges of 3rd Degree Domestic Battery and Resisting Arrest.
MENA POLICE REPORTS July 17 A report of criminal trespass was taken at Cruizzers. Jennifer Collins, 46, was charged with theft at Walmart. A report of battery and fleeing was taken at Walmart. Michael Wing, 39, was charged with Domestic Battery after a disturbance call on 9th Street. Larney Moore, 35, was charged with Possession of Marijuana during an accident investigation on Highway 71. A report of battery was taken at a residence on Carder Avenue. July 18 Cheryl Smith, 32, was served with a warrant at a residence on Dickson Road. James Wright, 42, was served with a warrant at the police department. July 19 Robert Everly, 56, was charged with Sexual Indecency of a Child at a residence on Dequeen Street. A report of sexual indecency of a
Police 19 child was taken after receiving information from Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division. Brandon Rose, 24, was charged with DWI and Driving with Suspended License after an accident at the Walmart parking lot. Jamie May, 40, was served with a warrant at the county jail. July 20 A report of harassment was taken at Peachtree Assisted Living. Heather Hilderbrand-Judd, 47, was served with four warrants at the county jail. Tyler Cornelius, 28, was served with a warrant at the county jail. July 21 A report of criminal mischief was taken at a residence on Hickory Avenue. A report of fraud was taken at a residence on Reeves Avenue. July 22 Clay Breeden, 43, and Jennifer Breeden, 30, were both charged with Disorderly Conduct after a disturbance call to a residence on 7th Street. July 23 A report of theft was taken from a person at 71 Diesel.
July 24, 2022 Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 65 near Opal in reference to a death. Deputies responded to a report of a violation of an order of protection leading to the arrest of Danny Hunt, 60 of Mena. Polk County Sheriff ’s Office worked 0 vehicle accidents this week. Polk County Detention Center Jail Population: 21 Incarcerated Inmates, with 10 Inmates currently on Deputy Sonja Stueart was sworn in, Monday, July 25, at 8:15 a.m. “Sonja the Waiting List for a State Facility. has worked as a 911 dispatcher for the last 12 years and has done a great job for us,” according to Polk County Sheriff Scott Sawyer. “Sonja will be the newest member of our SRO team for the Mena School District.
20 Humor
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
July 27, 2022
OUR ADVERTISERS VALUE YOUR FEEDBACK!
LET THEM KNOW
YOU FOUND THEIR AD IN THE PAGES OF THE
POLK COUNTY PULSE
Hogspore News
Mumford Pickens is getting too political By Clet Litter as told to Bob Simpson I reckon we might have to stop Mumford Pickens from posting his comments. He’s getting a little too political. This ain’t good for him. If the guvernment notices him, they’re gonna come snooping around, and that won’t be easy on a producer of fine untaxed whiskey. It’s not good for the town folk neither, cause we’ll have to go back to sipping the expensive guvernment sponsored hooch. So, this could be Mumford Pickens final comment for a while till we figure out a loophole for the tax problem. Mumford says, “This country has a syndrome called No Attention to the Deficit Problem.” Here’s a conversation recorded at Ouachita River Correctional Unit between two cellmates. Fish is asking for advice from Lifer about whether to take a plea deal offered by the district attorney. Lifer points up toward the ceiling, “You gotta ask the big guy.” Fish asks, “Like the warden?” “No, even higher.” Fish says, “You’re saying that I should ask the governor?” Lifer shakes his head no. He points up. “You don’t mean … you think I oughta ask the very president of these United States for a suggestion?” Lifer points up again. “Ok, now I understand, you want I should talk to Bill Gates.” Lifer says, “Yes.” Old Man Grimely at the barbershop told Tony, “All my grandchildren grew up and moved away. I’ve got three grandchildren … that I know of.” It got a right sizable
laugh. That joke ain’t suitable for at least half of the town folk. It’s more of a barbershop thing. Jimmy Suspenders was feeling a might depressed. He said, “My wife, Sara, isn’t spending any time with me anymore. She’s always outside working in the garden or chatting with the pool boy.” I sez, “Don’t worry. She’s probably glad to finally be able to get out of the house after the cold winter we had. Sara will come around.” “Yeah. I just wish she wouldn’t chat up the pool boy so much.” “Jimmy, I didn’t realize you put in a pool. It’s okay if you didn’t invite me over. I have my own pond with a lot of shade trees. The hogs like it too, cause they can get out of the sun and I don’t have to keep putting sunscreen lotion on em. The bacon tasted like Aloe. So, I’m okay at my house to enjoy a fresh swim. I don’t need your place to cool off and relax.” Jimmy apologized, “That’s not why you haven’t been invited to swim. The reason I’m so concerned with Sara is that we have a pool boy, but we don’t have a pool.” Here’s Morton Trubletoof’s take on a recent discovery, “I found an onion in my shorts pocket. It musta been a Bermuda onion.” If you thought the last one was bad. This is worse. “My name is Sweater. My sister is Doily. Grand pappy’s name is Al B. Darn. Mamma’s sister was Aunt Purl. We’re a real close-knit family.” “What’s your mamma’s name?” “Shawl.” Contact at Bobsimpson1947@yahoo. com. You know you wanna.
July 27, 2022 Education 21 Pulse New school year tips from a Shop smart and spend less this foot and ankle surgeon THE POLK COUNTY
(StatePoint) Kids’ feet grow and change quickly, which means you’ll likely be shoe shopping this back-to-school season. As you head to the store, consider these tips and insights from the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS).
Find the right fit “Your child’s feet can grow up to two sizes in six months, so you need to account for rapid growth when buying shoes,” says Dr. Michael Coyer, DPM, FACFAS, a foot and ankle surgeon and Fellow Member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Dr. Coyer cautions against the temptation to buy oversized shoes though, as they can cause the foot to slide forward, putting excessive pressure on the toes. “A good fit is about a finger’s width from the end of the shoe to the tip of the big toe,” he says. On the other hand, don’t wait too long to replace tight shoes. Tight shoes can cause blisters, corns and calluses on toes, blisters on the back of the heels and ingrown nails, which can become infected. If you notice signs of infection such as pain, redness or fluid draining from the area, schedule an appointment with a foot and ankle surgeon, who can perform a simple, safe in-office procedure to remove the affected area of the nail. Replace worn-out shoes Because shoes lose shock absorption over time, wearing worn-out shoes can elevate the risk for heel pain, Achilles tendonitis and even ankle sprains and stress fractures. “Inspect old shoes and replace any that lack sufficient cushioning and arch support, or have excessive wear to the bottom or around the edges of the sole,” says Dr. Coyer. “When shopping, don’t assume a new pair will offer
proper support. Check to see that the toe box is wide enough and the shoe doesn’t bend in the middle of the sole.”
Protect young athletes “Every new season, we see an increase in ankle injuries among young athletes,” says Dr. Coyer. Help prevent sports-related injuries by equipping your child with proper footwear this fall. Start each sports season with new shoes and always buy the right shoe for the sport. You can also protect young athletes by never allowing them to play through foot pain. Foot pain isn’t normal and if it lasts for more than a few days and interferes with normal activities, seek medical attention. Consider other factors Children with flat feet need shoes with a wide toe box, maximum arch support and shock absorption. The best shoes for flat feet are stiff-soled, lace-up shoes that have enough depth for an orthotic insert, if necessary. “A common persisting myth is that children will ‘grow out of ’ foot problems. But foot problems developed in childhood can become more serious if left unaddressed,” says Dr. Coyer. “One of the most important steps you can take to prevent pediatric foot issues is by taking time during the back-toschool season to buy footwear that fits well and offers good support. Further, having your child evaluated by a foot and ankle surgeon member of ACFAS at the first sign of trouble can help reduce the likelihood of worsening problems and help keep your child active.” For more back-to-school tips, information on foot and ankle health, and to find a foot and ankle surgeon near you, visit FootHealthFacts.org, the patient education website for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.
back-to-school season
(Statepoint) As summer nights shorten and the school year approaches, you may be looking for ways to reduce the stress and costs of back-to-school preparations and ease into a new routine. Thankfully, the experts at Dollar General are offering families suggestions for an easy and affordable return to classes. School Supplies Start by separating and categorizing students’ supplies lists and compare to items that may be left over from the previous school year. To pick up needs in one easy stop, visit a local Dollar General to purchase school supplies that are colorful and cost-effective, with over 100 back-toschool items priced at $1 or less. School and classroom essentials may include notebooks, coloring supplies, backpacks, a reusable water bottle and more. Additionally, a variety of hand sanitizers starting at $1 can be easily placed into lunchboxes, desks, pencil cases or given to school staff to help stop the spread of germs. For teachers who want to save big in 2022, sign up for a DG account and get verified for 30% off qualified items on up to four shopping trips through September 9, 2022. Additionally customers can save $3 on qualifying $15 or more supply purchases in the stationery, cleaning and paper, and houseware categories through September 9, 2022. All offers are available through DG Digital Coupons online and in the DG App, where customers can load coupons and rewards on an easy-to-use platform and redeem them at checkout. Healthier Eating Back-to-school also means after school activities such as clubs and athletics. While juggling practices, rehearsals and club meetings, consider packing healthier snacks to support a busy schedule. Meal prep can also be helpful on busy days, and Dollar General’s DG Easy Meals provides access to simple recipes with affordable ingredients to make breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner easy and stressfree. Entrees like Pecan-Crusted Salmon or Buffalo Chicken Pizza can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer until ready to eat. Dollar General also
offers Better For You recipes that provide healthier meal options featuring ingredients available at DG stores. Organization Necessities As the school year begins and schedules fill up, some find it harder to stay organized. Use a customizable planner or calendar to remind you of pick-up times, parent-teacher conferences and other important appointments. These tools are also great for high school or college students managing a new class schedule. Write out chores on a dry erase board, which can be secured to the side of the fridge, to keep track of daily duties. Finally, if your surfaces tend to collect clutter, a large canvas storage container can be a great way to keep items together for a quick cleanup. With these back-to-school tips and tricks, you can send students of all ages to their classes prepared with everything on the list, all while saving time and money in the process.
22 Education
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
July 27, 2022
Mena schools see changes in lunch prices and policies
The Mena School Board held their July meeting on Tuesday, July 19, at the district administration building. Dr. Lee Smith began the meeting with his superintendent’s report. He informed the board that bids are being accepted for the construction of outdoor pavilions at each campus and he anticipates that construction will begin in August or early September. Smith then informed the board that the federal government allowed schools to offer free meals to all students during the pandemic, but Congress did not extend this benefit for 2022/2023. Families that are eligible for free or reduced-price meals must apply to receive them, and all other students must pay full price for their meals. Due to the increased cost of food the state has also recommended increasing price. There will be a 10-cent increase for students. Making breakfast $1.80 and lunch $2.85. Adults will see an increase of 30 cents. The good news is that students at Louise Durham and Holly Harshman will eat breakfast free. Parents are encouraged to fill out the free lunch form found on the school website whether you think you qualify or not. Students who qualify receive additional benefits such as fee waivers for the ACT test and additional opportunities for financial aid for college or vocational training. Assistant Superintendent Bridget Buckley then gave a presentation on the
upcoming “One District, One Book” program. The Mena School District will be engaging our entire community to participate in a shared reading experience. One District One Book is a reading program that involves students and families in grades pre-K-12. The event is scheduled to begin on September 6. The school board unanimously approved the program and asked full participation of staff members, community members, students and parents. Next on the agenda was the annual report to the public. Smith noted that the district is now required to post the report online by August 1. Since all the information is not available until later in the year, an incomplete report will be available at first with a complete report to follow at a later date. Mr. Danny Minton, district maintenance supervisor, updated progress on projects. He stated that the new agriculture science barn has been completed. Paving at Bob Carver Bearcat Stadium should begin next week. Stripping and waxing of the floors at LDE, HHE and MMS is nearing completion. The crew doing the tile stripping and concrete polishing project at MHS are expected to begin on August 8. Heating and air conditioning improvements continue across the district and drainage issues at MMS are being addressed. Dr. Smith then proposed an update to the recruitment and retention plan. The update would reflect that it is a
three-year plan with an emphasis on high school students choosing teaching as a career. The update was approved. The board was also reminded of the district registered volunteer and visitor policies. With the increase of people who will be back on campus and with a renewed emphasis on security Dr. Smith felt like now was the time to ensure that these policies are understood. Registered volunteers are those who work with students in unsupervised settings doing things like tutoring or coaching. Registered volunteers must be properly vetted by the district and have state police and FBI background checks. Visitors on campus do not have to have background checks because in most cases they serve on a short-term basis and are supervised by licensed staff members. Visitors may come on campus to read to a class or help serve holiday meals in the cafeteria. The policies are available on the school website under State Required Information, Section 6, policy numbers 6.4 and 6.5. Vehicle and bus insurance was next on the agenda and only one bid was received. The board approved the bid of $19,064.60 by Farm Bureau Insurance. The board then approved the 2022/2023 petty cash for each campus in the amount of $200. The administrators at each school then presented the board with changes to the student handbook. Most of which were simple clarification and language changes. Notably at MMS were changes to the dress code and the drug screening policy. As well as changes in student make-up work that would allow them to check out chrome books to complete that work. Plus, a new policy dealing with students trading, buying or selling personal items on campus. Mena High School had the most changes. Including new graduation requirements beginning with the class of 2026. They will be the first class at MHS that will be required to have one credit of computer science to graduate. Changes
to summer school include extending it to three weeks with a maximum of 84 hours of instruction. This will allow students to earn their full grade from summer school as opposed to factoring in their grades from the regular school year. The student council and the student executive council suggested a new emphasis on the dress code and added consequences. Changes were made on the device use policy to mirror the policies on the other Mena campuses. A new exemption policy for semester exams was also added to the handbook that would allow students with certain grades and number of absences to forego final exams if they choose to. Finally, in the extracurricular handbook, a levels of infraction and levels of discipline section was added. The board approved all the changes. The handbooks will be available to read on the school website at a later date. The board then approved the Act 1120 Report. This requires a school district board of directors to review and approve by a written resolution an increase in salary of five percent (5%) or more for a school district employee. Dr. Smith then asked the board to allow him the flexibility to adjust reimbursement rates for employees in light of increased gas prices and to other expenses. The board took it one step further by suggesting that the district follow the General Services Administration table for reimbursements. Smith agreed and the change passed with little discussion. In Personnel, the board accepted the resignation of Mathew Sandifer. Restructured the contract of Kristi Wilson from 200 days to 190 days. New hires included: • Brooke Maechler – LPN at MMS • Rose Branch – Bus Driver • Trevor Humphry – Head Baseball, Assistant Football as well as HHE and MMS Teacher • Jennifer Philpot – Behavior Support Paraprofessional LDE
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
July 27, 2022
Lyle recognized as Master Adviser at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference
San Diego, CA (July 2022) – Family, Career and Community Leaders of America’s (FCCLA) largest National Leadership Conference with more than 8,000 attendees was held in San Diego, California, June 29 - July 3. Mindy Lyle from Acorn High School was recognized as a Master Adviser amongst 34 fellow 2022 Master Adviser recipients awarded nationwide. FCCLA’s Master Adviser national award recognizes advisers who have successfully advised an affiliated chapter for a minimum of three years, continuously promote FCCLA and FCS education, operate an integrated chapter with a balanced program of work, facilitate youth-centered activities, and continue to integrate new ideas and FCCLA happenings. Thanks to the guidance and support of FCCLA Master Advisers, members are able to excel in competitive events, serve in leadership roles, gain real world skills through FCS education, and positively impact families, careers, and communities. FCCLA Master Advisers are essential in motivating and mentoring members to reach their highest potential. “Master Advisers deserve to be rec-
preciative the Board of Directors, National Staff, FCCLA members, and supporters are to have these advisers lead FCCLA chapters.”
Mindy Lyle (right) recognized as a Master Adviser at FCCLA conference. (Submitted photo)
ognized for their accomplishments and continuing efforts to FCCLA and FCS education,” said Sandy Spavone, executive director of FCCLA. “To honor these advisers only shows a small piece of how ap-
About FCCLA Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a dynamic and effective national student organization that helps young men and women become leaders and address important personal, family, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education. FCCLA has over 178,000 members and more than 4,500 chapters from 50 state associations, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. FCCLA: The Ultimate Leadership Experience is unique among youth organizations because its programs are planned and run by members, and it’s the only career and technical in-school student organization with a central focus on careers that support families. Participation in national FCCLA programs and chapter activities helps members become strong leaders in their families, careers, and communities.
Education 23 UA Little Rock Announces Spring 2022 Graduates LITTLE ROCK, AR (07/21/2022)— The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announces its spring 2022 graduates. About 1,075 degrees were awarded for the spring 2022 semester. Local students who graduated from UA Little Rock include: • Aarol Broyles of Wickes, who earned a Doctor of Education in Educational Administration. • Beverly Siegfried of Mena, who earned a Master of Social Work in Social Work. With about 9,000 students and 100 programs, UA Little Rock offers learning, research, service, social and career opportunities that can only be found at a metropolitan university located in Arkansas’s capital city.
24
July 27, 2022
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse