Arkansas’ Severe Weather Awareness Week

The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Little Rock is pleased to announce that the week of Feb.26March 4 has been designated as Arkansas’ Severe Weather Awareness Week.

This annual event is aimed at increasing public awareness about the dangers of severe weather and encouraging people to take steps to protect themselves and their property.

During the week-long event, the National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Office in Little Rock will be covering various aspects of thunderstorm hazards that can cause property damage or place people in danger. Each day will focus on a different topic, including:

• Sunday, Feb. 26, Introduction to Severe Weather Awareness Week

• Monday, Feb. 27, Flooding

• Tuesday, Feb. 28, Lightning

• Wednesday, March 1, Tornadoes

• Thursday, March 2, Severe Thunderstorms

• Friday, March 3, Watches and Warnings

• Saturday, March 4, Storm Reports

“We are excited to bring back Arkansas’ Severe Weather Awareness Week for the 2023 season,” said Dennis Cavanaugh, Warning Coordination Meteorologist from the NWS Office in Little Rock. “Our goal is to educate and inform the public about the dangers of severe weather and to encourage them to take the necessary steps to prepare and protect themselves and their property.”

The NWS Forecast Office in Little Rock will be providing daily updates and tips on their website and social media channels throughout the week. For more information on Arkansas’ Severe Weather Awareness Week and how to prepare for severe weather, please visit the NWS Office in Little Rock website at www.weather.gov/ LZK/ or follow them on social media @NWSLittleRock on Facebook and Twitter.

In the 7th week of the 2023 Regular Session, House members voted on a number of bills impacting employment, education, and elections.

This week, the House passed HB1430. This bill reduces the maximum potential unemployment compensation benefits from 4 months to 3 months. This bill also reduces unemployment insurance tax rates for employers.

The House also passed HB1401. This bill reduces the time an able-bodied adult may receive cash assistance from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The bill limits the assistance from 24 months to 12 months.

In addition, the House passed HB1410. This bill eliminates the state’s requirement that children under 16 years of age have to obtain permission from the Division of Labor in order to be employed.

Regarding elections, the House passed the following pieces of legislation:

HB1419-This bill amends the procedure for the filing of a ballot initiative and referendum petition by requiring that signatures are gathered from at least 50 counties. Currently, signatures are required from 15 counties.

HB1320-This bill would require the Attorney General to review the ballot title for an initiative petition or referendum petition before circulation.

SB247-This bill allows an absentee ballot to be issued to any person who is prevented from voting due to observance of a religious discipline or religious holiday during the entire 12 hours that the polls are open on election day.

1404-This bill outlines security procedures for county election commissioners in the event that equipment and materials from one polling site need to be transferred to another polling site during the early voting period.

HB1407-This bill states that the Secretary of State shall ensure the security and accuracy of the statewide voter registration list. It directs the Secretary of State’s office to cooperate with other states and jurisdictions to compare registered voters, identify voters whose addresses have changed, and prevent registration in more than one state.

HB1423-This bill establishes procedures for the recount of ballots.

The following education bills also passed the House this week:

HB1336. This bill creates an agricultural education pilot program in public elementary schools.

HB1337. This bill classifies a building or space used for public early childhood education as an academic facility under the Arkansas Public School Academic Facilities Funding Act. It also classifies a safe room for students as an academic facility.

HB1329. This bill creates a means by which public school students may substitute comparable elective coursework in career and technical education for required core academic classes.

The legislation outlining the Governor’s education initiative, SB294, passed the Senate this week and is now making its way to the House. We will post updates on that legislation including schedules for when the bill will be heard in the House Education Committee on our website www.arkansashouse.org

John Boozman

1120 Garrison Ave. Suite 2B Fort Smith, AR 72901 Phone: (479) 573-0189

The Senate has approved legislation that makes the single largest investment in public education in Arkansas history.

Senate Bill 294, the governor’s education package, has 144 pages and 25 Senate co-sponsors.

The bill would raise the minimum salary for teachers from $36,000 to $50,000, and all teachers would receive a raise of at least $2,000.

It will add 120 literacy coaches to work across the state, and for children who struggle with learning to read it will provide grants of $500 to pay for tutors. Students will have to meet third grade reading standards to advance to the fourth grade.

The bill provides teachers with up to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave. Teachers who excel can qualify for bonuses of $10,000. It also repeals the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act and the salary schedule that mandates teacher salaries depending on their years of experience and credentials.

Teachers with degrees from certified higher education institutions will qualify for more loan forgiveness programs.

School safety measures will be expanded under SB 294, which will provide training for school resource officers, and enhance training in crisis response and mental health.

The cap on school transfers from district to district will be repealed, but if the receiving district is already filled to capacity it could deny a proposed transfer. Local school officials could contract with an open enrollment charter school to take over failing school campuses.

Beginning in 2024-2025, high schools will offer a career-readiness pathway, to prepare students with job skills. It will be an alternative to academic curricula for students who choose to pursue a college degree.

Students will have to complete 75 hours of community service in order to graduate from high school.

A provision in SB 294 creates Education Freedom Accounts, which parents can draw on to pay tuition at private and parochial schools or to pay the expenses of home schooling. The state will put into the accounts an amount equal to 90 percent of per pupil foundation funding, which is $7,413 this year.

Schools will be prohibited from indoctrinating students with theories that conflict with the principle of equality under the law. An example in SB 294 of a prohibited ideology is critical race theory (CRT).

The Senate also approved SB 81, which gives parents more options to have offensive material removed from local libraries and school libraries. After making an objection to the librarian and if necessary making an appeal to the library board, parents would be able to appeal to the county Quorum Court or City Council. Both are composed of people elected by voters.

SB 81 removes the current exemption that protects librarians from criminal prosecution. If librarians knowingly maintain material that is deemed obscene, they could be prosecuted.

The Senate also passed SB 254 to eliminate write-in candidacies in state elections. Senators approved SB 199 to allow more medical malpractice lawsuits against physicians who perform gender transformation procedures on children. It allows lawsuits up to 15 years after the minor turns 18. For most medical malpractice suits the limit is two years after the injury.

Obituaries

Emma Jane

Emma Jane Lee, 88, of Mena, passed away on February 24, 2023, in Waldron. She was born in Highland, Cherry Hill, Arkansas, to Sidney and Inez Egger Curry. She was united in marriage to Walter F. (Jim) Lee in 1952.

Jane worked in the manufacturing field at Renova, Cowden, and Teague Leather in Mena. She was an Army wife, and as a result, lived in several states, as well as Germany. She loved to read, crochet, and watch Gunsmoke. Her greatest love was her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. She was a Christian and a member of the Nazarene Church.

She is survived by her daughters, Jeannine (Mark) Gilbert of Mena, Judy Clingan of Smyrna, Delaware; her son, Jim (Naneha) Lee of Mena; six grandchildren, Tony, Alex, Brandi, Josh, Adrienne, and Jimmy; eleven great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren; and numerous other family and friends.

Jane was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brother, Wayne Curry; sister, Elizabeth (Beth) Cox; and son-in-law, Colin Clingan.

Graveside service will be held 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at Corinth Cemetery, Highway 88 East, Mena, with Brother Kenney Posey officiating under the direction of Beasley Wood Funeral Home. Visitation will be general.

Online obituary and guestbook at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

Joyce was a very sweet, kind and loving woman. She got along with people very well and she was a devoted and loving wife to her husband, Hugh. Joyce was very talented at many different crafts, but Christmas was most often her crafting focus. She was a member of the AEHC and was the superintendent of food preservation products at the County Fair every year that she was able. Joyce was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend and will be missed by all who knew her.

She is preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Charles Wiggins and John Wiggins.

Joyce is survived by her loving husband of 42 years, Hugh Butler of Mena; her sister, Cindi Ariaza of Trinity, Texas; three stepsons, Donald Butler of Spring Branch, Texas, Greg Butler of Sealy, Texas, and Michael Butler of Hawaii; one stepdaughter, Tanya Rhodd of Conroe, Texas; several nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 10:00 AM at the Mena Church of God in Mena, Arkansas, with Brother Mark Lyle officiating. Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena, Arkansas.

Online guestbook: bowserffh.com

Jantra Jane Oswald

Mrs. Jantra of Berg, New York; sister, Shirley Lang of Mena, Arkansas; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Jane Oswald, age 57, passed away Wednesday, February 22, 2023, in Mena, Arkansas. She was born February 20, 1966, in Bangkok, Thailand, to Samarn Choosakul and Sombut (Saekow) Ashley.

Cremation services for Mrs. Oswald are entrusted to Beasley-Wood Funeral Home. There will be a memorial service held at a later date.

Online obituary and guestbook at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

Jon Anna Walsworth Calleton

Jon Anna Walsworth Calleton, 80, of Mena, AR, passed away on Monday, February 20, 2023, after a long and courageous fight with cancer. She was surrounded by her husband and children.

Jon was born April 9, 1942, to Tina Brownlee Walsworth and John Alvin Walsworth in Springhill, LA. After Jon graduated from Springhill High School in 1960 she went on to study Medical Technology at Northeast Louisiana State College in Monroe, LA. Jon completed a year-long internship at St. Francis Hospital in Monroe, LA. After completing college, she began work as a Registered Medical Technologist. Her career began at Springhill Hospital in Springhill, LA. She worked as a Med Tech for 46 years, with her last job being at Mena Regional Medical Center, where she worked for 26 years.

ed riding her lawn mower.

Jon was preceded in death by her parents, her mother-in-law Dorothy Calleton, her Aunt Lorraine and Uncle Joe LaFreniere, her brother-in-law Ron Corbell, sister-in-law Elizabeth Calleton, and nephew Brian Corbell.

She is survived by her husband Richard Calleton, her daughter Kelly and son-inlaw David and grandchildren Spencer and Ava Healy, her son Jed and daughter-in-law Juliet and granddaughter Natalie Calleton, her sister Karen Corbell and niece and nephew Kim Corbell and Ron Corbell, her brother-in-law Ted Calleton sister-in-law Kathy and nephew Jay, niece Susan Germundson and husband Kurt and their children Eric and Rachel, niece Pam Calleton, and nephew Chris Calleton and his wife Jennifer and their children Kylie, Cade, and Keira

Jon will be remembered by her family as a loving and supportive wife, mother and grandmother and to her community as one of the most generous, hardworking and involved volunteers. Her love and light were warm and beautiful — she will be missed for the time and smiles she gave so freely. She was the personification of grace, kindness, and love.

Joyce Marie Butler, age 75, of Mena, Arkansas, passed away Sunday, February 26, 2023, at her home. She was born on Wednesday, March 12, 1947, to J.G. Wiggins and Mary Watson Wiggins in Corrigan, Texas.

Jantra was a college graduate of the University of Washington. She worked as the Director of U.S. operations for Circle K. She loved music, dancing, and singing. She devoted a lot of time to preforming traditional Thai dancing.

Mrs. Oswald is preceded in death by her father, Samarn Choosakul. She is survived by her husband, Brian H. Oswald; mother, Sombut Ashley; stepfathers, Wayne Berg and Greg Ashley; brothers, Joe Choosakul of Seattle, Washington, Kay Choosakul of Sanford, North Carolina, and John Paul

In 1960, Jon met Richard Calleton at the public tennis courts in Springhill, LA. During their marriage, they lived in Baton Rouge, LA, Warwick, NY, Guadalajara, Mexico, various places in Arkansas, Shreveport, LA, Hot Springs, AR, and finally landing in Mena in 1984. Jon and Richard went on to have 2 children- Kelly Renee Calleton Healy and Jonathan Edward Dewey Calleton (Jed).

Jon spent her free time quilting with friends (Quilt & Chat), gardening, traveling to go fly fishing with her husband and son, reading, PEO, attending community college, and traveling to see her grandchildren and the world. Jon was a Master Gardener for many years and helped with gardening projects around town — the most visible the Courthouse. She loved taking care of her own yard as well, which includ-

A memorial service will be held at Beasley-Wood Funeral Home on March 27th at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, it was Jon’s wish that donations be sent to the Humane Society of the Ouachitas, https://hsomena. org/site/donate/ — as Jon was a huge dog lover and had too many to count dog rescues throughout her life.

Online obituary at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

The family and friends of Charlotte Jo Coburn would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to all the friends, neighbors and healthcare workers who lovingly cared for Jo in her time of illness.

Your prayers and kind gestures of food and flowers will never be forgotten.

Many Thanks-Douglas Coburn, Stephen, Jane, Clay and Erma Coburn, Bill and Becky Bell, and Patti Jones

May God bless all