Pulse THE POLK COUNTY
FREE WEEKLY 1168 Hwy. 71 S Mena, AR 71953 479.243.9600
October 11, 2023
Your DAILY News Sources: KENA 104.1 FM & MyPulseNews.com
Ulmer at UARM Tuesday morning
INSIDE:
Annular Eclipse Presentation
Page 2
The 11th annual Wheel A’Mena Tour to the Top attracted approximately 55 riders. The morning began in the low ‘40s and was a bit breezy, but turned into a nice day with clear skies for the cyclists as they rode one of three routes: 30, 50 or 70 miles. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)
Second Annual Jeep Jam
Page 13
HAL Fundraiser Success
Page 4
A reminder that in a partnership with Quality of Life, UARM will offer the following program on the UARM campus on Oct. 17, at 10 a.m. with Travis Ulmer, 1999 Mena High School graduate and Chief Creative Officer at Cannonball advertising out of St. Louis, as a guest speaker. Ulmer will speak about his Arkansas roots and how it shaped his career. In case you didn’t know, his creative work has received five EMMYs across branded documentary and brand campaign categories. To get familiar with his work, check out the documentary “Laila: The Next Season” about a girl with a rare immune disease and her connection with the St. Louis Blues NHL team, or the hockey documentary “The Road through Warroad,” a hockeytown with an astounding number of NHL players, Olympians and Division I hockey players out of a town of less than 2,000 inhabitants. The program is made possible in part by a grant from the Division of Arkansas Heritage, funded by your 1/8 cent conservation tax, Amendment 75.
2 News
By Ethan Nahté
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
October 11, 2023
Annular eclipse should be visible Saturday
On a projector screen at the front of the Spencer Lecture Hall and on a television screen off to one side, the presentation entitled Eclipse 101, complete with an image of an eclipse, took up a lot of space along the walls. Yet, what dominated the attention of most attendees was the animated man with a sense of humor and relaxed mien gesturing between screens and a lighted model of the Earth, sun and moon that emulated how various types of eclipses work. Chemistry and physical science instructor Gaumani Gyanwali, Ph.D., presented information about the upcoming eclipse that will cross North America to a nearly packed lecture hall on the UARM campus Oct. 6. The ages ranged from young children to seniors and included quite a few students from Mena, Acorn, Oden, and Cossatot schools who are part of the UARM Career Center.
NASA approved solar eclipse viewing glasses provided by STAR Net before a model of the Earth, moon and sun for the Eclipse 101 presentation. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)
Ouachita Mountains Regional Library (OMRL) received NASA approved solar eclipse viewing glasses from STAR Net, and in conjunction with UARM’s Lifelong Learning, OMRL was helping residents prepare for the annular eclipse happening on Saturday, Oct. 14. Dr. G, as most of the staff and students call Gyanwali, discussed and demonstrated the difference between the various types of lunar and solar eclipses: partial, annular, penumbral and total. Dr. G felt the turnout for the program was great. “Everyone was enthusiastic about what they wanted to learn and see in the coming days. It was great participation by everyone. I got question from the audience, too. I got to interact with several of the questions. It was a diverse age group. There were small kids, young people and older people.” The annular eclipse begins in Oregon at 9:13 a.m. PDT and ends in Texas at 12:03 p.m. CDT. It will be visible in in western Arkansas between 11:57 a.m. and 1:32 p.m. Also known as a ring of fire eclipse, an annular solar eclipse happens when the moon is at or near its farthest point from Earth. Because the moon is farther away than it is during a total solar eclipse, the moon appears smaller and doesn’t block out the entire sun when it passes in front of our star. Instead, the moon leaves a bright ring of sun visible at the eclipse’s peak, creating the ring of fire effect. It will not have the same impact as April’s total eclipse but is expected to have approximately 65-70% coverage in Polk County. Since the sun is never completely blocked by the moon during an annular eclipse, it is not safe to look at the sun without specialized eye protection. Therefore, everyone in attendance received solar eclipse viewing glasses courtesy of STAR Net. “The backside of the human eye has the retina that’s very light sensitive. This
is how the retina works: When the light comes in, the pupil will let the light in for a little bit of time. That’s when it gets the image of the outside, when it is bright – it fixes the amount of light that goes in. The pupil will not be aware of the situation that the bright light is coming from somewhere at that instant of time. The pupil takes time to get dilated or contract. The reflex of the pupil is so low that it will not take care of the intense light that is coming instantly to fall into the retina, and it will probably damage that because the pupil will not know when to stop. Like the negative of the camera [film] it’s exactly like that and will be damaged in a very short time by high-intensity light. That’s the main reason we need to be protecting our eyes.”
With the exception of the brief moment of totality during a total eclipse, not an annular eclipse, it is never safe to directly look at the sun without proper eye protection. Regular sunglasses are
See ECLIPSE continued on page 9
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
October 11, 2023
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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.
Recently, I saw a headline that said what is going on in many of our bastions of so-called “higher learning.” The headline said that 673 professors at the University of North Carolina signed a letter opposing courses on the founding of America and the U.S. Constitution. This kind of prejudice and hostility to history is almost universal on the college campuses of America. We have abandoned our roots, and we have established an environment that is opposed to the free sharing and discussing of ideas. America’s universities used to be places in which people could disagree and discuss their disagreements, but now they have become factories of inculcation that repudiate disagreement and discussion. Our universities are ruled by legalism dressed up as scholarship. I have been a college professor for 50 years. I loved disagreement and discussion in my classes. When divisive questions arose, it gave all of us-student and faculty alike-opportunities to learn and to teach. When students asked questions that were against what was being taught, these questioned fostered more insight and clarity. “Agreeing to disagree agreeably” is part of the growth of the mind. We were encouraged to chase down all the rabbit trails that happened to come up. We had no “set pattern of absolutes.” There are absolutes, but each person has to arrive at them by their own reasoning, rather than forcing cookie-cutter ideology down students’ throats. Today Marxist professors can force their ideas on unsuspecting students; they mock and show contempt for any disagreement. Today humanist professors dom-
Letters 3
Want to share your opinion? inate classrooms of students, humiliating those who disagree, and refusing to brook any questioning of their ideologies. Students who enter college with vast ignorance and many questions are forced into the strictures of a professor’s philosophy, without any chance of open debate or discussion. Here is an example: Professor Phillip E. Johnson, a professor of law at Berkeley University, wrote a book on the logic of evolution (Darwin on Trial and other books). As he studied the writers of evolutionism, he said, “Something about the Darwinists’ rhetorical style made me think they had something to hide.” As a law professor, he knew how liars thought and spoke. The scientific community did not ignore this.· But his professor colleagues never read the book; rather they attacked and condemned him and tried to drive him from the university. Because his book showed the lie of what many of them believed-and did so in a purely logical way-their faith in evolutionism caused them to revolt strongly against him. But he retained the title “professor” to his death. A festschrift in honor of Johnson was written, entitled Darwin’s Nemesis. What can we do to change this legalism in our universities? I have no idea. The only thing I can think of is the Intelligent Design (Michael Behe and others) movement gaining momentum. I only wish these professors would rethink their aprioris, re-examine their own think-
The Polk County Pulse welcomes letters to the Editor addressing any topic of interest to our readers. To be published, letters must not contain obscene or libelous language. Letters do not reflect the viewpoints or opinions of Pulse Multi-Media. 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.
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ing-and try to determine why they think as they do. Going back fifty years, universities were clearing houses of information, discussion, debate, and dissention. Today there is no chance of dissention, no chance of any real discussion. Orwell’s “thought-control police” run the universities of America! Dr. Mark Berrier, Mena
4 News
October 11, 2023
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Herbert A. Littleton Memorial fundraiser is successful
By Ethan Nahté
The Herbert A. Littleton Detachment No. 1261 Marine Corps League (MCL) assembled for their monthly meeting at the American Legion on Sept. 16. Following roll call, commandant Ed Anderson was invited to speak first to talk of the success the MCL had in raising funds for Littleton’s plaque. “You know, I remember thinking that Herbert A. Littleton’s from Mena — Medal of Honor — and he’s represented at the Medal of Honor Memorial. And I just wanted Mena, Polk County, to take care of HAL’s plaque. Since he’s our native son. So, we set out to raise funds for Herbert’s plaque, and if there is anything left it would go to the commission and construction of the other memorials. “We were really pleased. At first, we set a goal of $2,500. And then we raised it. And something I want to hint at, there were two things. One was Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, [Injury Lawyers] in Little Rock. They found us because we had created a Facebook GoFundMe page. That’s how channel 11 found out about us. Because it just doesn’t go out on Facebook. It’s actually categorized in the family/emergency/funeral veteran-related items, etc., and then different organizations monitor it, and then if they see something that’s interesting, and that’s what happened was channel
s and - d ol l ar check,” Anderson said. “We went to Little Rock. Paul and John were there. We kind of started off with a thousand dollars right off the bat. “Long story short, locally (L-R) Jim Scott, Marine Corps League; Bill Lawson, Marine Corps we’ve raised League; John Smallwood, Medal of Honor Commission; Paul $2,510. AddGarrett, Medal of Honor Commission; Ed Anderson, Marine Corps League. (Submitted photo) ing the thou11 saw and thought it was an interestsand dollars ing story that a local small town would is a sum of $3,510. Right now, I’d like be trying to raise funds for their na- to present this cashier’s check tive son for his plaque. They contacted to the representatives from the Rainwater, Holt & Sexton.” Medal of Honor Commission, The law firm donated $1,000 to- Paul and John.” ward the replacement of the plaque on Garrett said, “This check KTHV 11’s “Saluting Heroes” that hon- for Herbert A. Littleton will ors local heroes each month. Reporter be matched by the Sydney S. Rolly Hoyt of KTHV 11 did a segment McMath Detachment out of in June after he visited Mena on June Little Rock. If any of you other 21 to speak with Anderson in front of detachments feel moved, we’re the Polk County Court House where still a few thousand dollars there is a memorial marker for HAL. away from our goal to comThe following day, Anderson, along plete this project. The goal with Paul Garrett and John Smallwood number is $120, 000 and we’re of the Sydney S. McMath Detachment at about $106,000-$107,000. We’ll be [No. 532] Marine Corps League of just north of $10,000 short when we Little Rock, traveled to Little Rock to match this check. accept the check from the law firm, as well as to visit the Medal of Honor Me- Certificate of Appreciation and morial. Hoyt included those visits in plaque the original segment that aired in June. “Our guest is Erica Watts,” Anderson Hoyt also included an update in said. “She’s with Pulse Multi-Media.” August about the local Marine Corps Providing some background, AnderLeague raising enough funds for HAL’s son explained, “I’m the past coordinaplaque. The update was included at the tor for Toys for Tots. This fundraiser end of the Saluting Heroes segment on wasn’t my first effort in the community KTHV 11 following a story on Garland to raise funds for different items. Man, County’s Memorial. all I’ve got to do is go into The Pulse “We were able to receive that thou-
and someone is there. That’s extremely helpful and now we have Erica. We want to welcome her if she’ll come up. “We have a certificate of appreciation to Pulse Multi-Media. Thank you for your coverage of our plaque replacement project for Medal of Honor recipient Herbert A. Littleton.” Anderson invited Larry Wakefield, Commandant of the Marine Corps League Department of Arkansas to present Watts with a token of gratitude. Wakefield said, “Thank you very much for your service and helping us because PR is really what makes or breaks almost everything that we do. All the coverage that we can get, we appreciate it.” Anderson also read the engraving of a plaque that was presented at a later
time to Pulse Multi-Media editor and production manager Ethan Nahté. Wakefield said, “It’s always a good time to see a presentation like that. It’s a lot of work. We’re happy to be the beneficiary of that.” Anderson said afterwards, “When I first heard about the damage at the Memorial, I told the Medal of Honor Commission that Mena/Polk County would take care of Herbert A. Littleton’s plaque replacement. I want to thank all of the individuals and businesses that helped us achieve our goal.”
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Politics 5
October 11, 2023
From the
State House of Representatives
Domestic violence is often In the 2023 Regular Session, shrouded in silence and stigthe General Assembly passed ACT 849. This act adds aggrama. It transcends age, gender, vated assault on a family memrace, socioeconomic status, ber or household member to and geography. October is past conduct that qualifies a Domestic Violence Awareness person as a repeat offender for Month. This time of awareness purposes of domestic battering stands as a call to action and a promise of support for those John Maddox in the first degree and domestic battering in the second degree. affected. In the 2021 Regular Session, the Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, General Assembly passed ACT 800, the sexual assault, and/or other abusive Arkansas Phoenix Act. This act amends behavior as part of a systematic pattern the statute of limitations for offenses of power and control perpetrated by involving domestic violence and proone intimate partner against another. It vides for training to be given to law enincludes physical violence, sexual vio- forcement officers on additional topics that arise in which domestic violence is lence, threats, and emotional abuse. The statistics surrounding domestic suspected. Legislators will continue to review violence are staggering. In Arkansas, 40.8% of women and 34.8% of men our laws regarding domestic violence experience intimate partner physical in future legislative sessions. Domestic violence is preventable. By violence, intimate partner sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking raising awareness and providing education, we can work towards changing in their lifetimes. Nationwide, local domestic violence societal norms and behaviors that perhotlines receive approximately 19,159 petuate violence. If you or someone you know is imcalls a day, an average of approximately pacted by domestic violence, visit www. 13 calls every minute. The Arkansas General Assembly con- laurascard.ar.gov to find resources near sistently reviews legislation designed to you. prevent domestic abuse, hold abusers accountable, and support victims.
Contact Your Legislators!
John Maddox
John Boozman
john.maddox@ arkansashouse.org 520 Church Avenue Mena, AR 71953 Call: 479-394-6060
1120 Garrison Ave. Suite 2B Fort Smith, AR 72901 Phone: (479) 573-0189 Fax: (479) 575-0553
Terry Rice
Bruce Westerman
Terry.Rice@senate.ar.gov P.O. Box 2195 Waldron, AR 72958 479-637-3100
101 Reserve St. Suite 200 Hot Springs, AR 71901 Phone: (501) 609-9796 Fax: (501) 609-9887
From the
State Senate
The state Department of created earlier this year. Education has released its The number of schools getannual school report cards, ting a D has gone up over the which allow parents to evalpast year from 232 to 252, acuate how well their children cording to information preare being taught and whethsented to senators on the Eder they are learning at grade ucation Committee. level. The number of schools that Terry Rice The school report cards earned a C is almost the same provide a wealth of data and create an as last year, going up slightly from 414 effective system of accountability for to 416. public education. The Education Secretary told legSoon after the report cards were islators that new data available this released, the state Secretary of Educa- year allowed him to identify teachers tion appeared before legislators on the whose students are improving beyond Joint Senate and House Committees the usual measure of academic growth on Education to explain the compo- that is to be expected from one year nents of Arkansas’s school account- to the next. He then identified 28 of ability system. those successful teachers who work in He opened his remarks by saying failing schools. that he has heard from some educaHe asked them to discuss their tors who question the advisability strategies with Department officials, of using letter grades. However, he who are analyzing the characteristics said he’s a strong believer in grading that set them apart from less successschools from an A to an F because ful teachers. people are familiar with letter grades Visiting their classrooms he witand understand them. nessed methods that should not surThe data that includes school report prise any successful teacher, he said. cards can be found by searching the They teach “from bell to bell” and Internet for “My School Info.” The thus don’t waste valuable class time secretary later closed his remarks by on non-essential activities. They have saying Arkansas officials are study- high expectations of every student ing web sites in other states looking and they keep them all engaged. No for ways to improve ours and make it student had on earphones and none more user friendly. He conceded that had their heads on their desk. sometimes educators tend to express The Department also identified inthemselves with “jargon” that they can dividual schools that showed the most understand but ordinary people can- continuous improvement in various not. indicators of student achievement. Most schools, 72.4 percent, earned Called Schools on the Move Toward the same letter grade as in 2022. Of Excellence, they’re spread out in all the 1,020 schools that were awarded a parts of the state and not concentrated letter grade 76 earned an A, compared in prosperous areas. to 77 last year. Academic improvement ought to Last year 92 schools failed and were continue because the legislature apgiven an F grade, and that number proved the LEARNS Act earlier this improved to 77 schools this year. The year. It enhances literacy programs for importance for Arkansas families is elementary students. LEARNS stands that students who attended a failing for literacy, empowerment, accountschool last year are now eligible for fi- ability, readiness, networking and nancial help through Education Free- safety. dom Accounts, which the legislature
6 Obituaries
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
October 11, 2023
Karla “Faye” Geiger
It is with rejoicing that we announce the passing of Karla “Faye” Geiger, better known as Faye, who peacefully left us on October 6, 2023, to be with the Lord. Born on August 20, 1932, Faye spent life as a beacon of love, generosity, and adaptability. Her resilient faith and flexibility were legendary, and her talents and strength were a source of inspiration to all who knew her. Faye was a devout Christian who lived according to scripture, sharing vital lessons of love, faith, resilience, generosity and adaptability in her witness for Jesus. Her life was a testament of her unwavering faith, setting a rare example of true Christian values, and living according to them at every turn. Faye’s legacy is characterized by her remarkable influence in the Baptist community. For many years, she was the voice of reason and guidance, effectively keeping the Baptist ministers in her life aligned with their calling. She embraced an adventurous spirit, which served her well since she was destined to move many times in her life; being married to a career Navy officer being stationed in various places over his 22-year career. Moving wasn’t a stranger to her even before marrying, her father was a Baptist minister who served in many churches throughout her childhood. Upon retiring, Faye and her husband became missionaries serving first in the state of Alaska; then internationally in Aman, Jordan, and Ghana, Africa, and then later returned to the United States to serve
as Home Missionaries in the Baptist Association serving the Midwest section from Texas to Canada; in the process also using the Bible to teach English as a second language to Mexican and Russian immigrants. This unique experience enriched her life tremendously and allowed her to touch many more lives in her path as she loved and served God’s people. She was a member of the Cherry Hill Baptist Church where she served as Sunday School superintendent where she kept up with all the church records and was part of the WMU. Amongst her numerous leisure interest, Faye was a talented pianist, a collector of family pictures and she had a passion for journaling; doing so every day since she was a small child. She is preceded in death by her parents; Karl Stonewall and Della Faye Clark McClendon; her loving husband, Robert Geiger; brother, Lewis McClendon; sister, Ruth Fite and granddaughter, Alicia Geiger. She is survived by her three sons and daughters-in law; Grant and Judy Geiger of Yocana, Arkansas, Lewis and Charlotte Geiger of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and John Geiger of Jasper, Georgia; five grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren and a host of other family and friends. We invite all who knew and loved Faye to join us in celebrating her life and legacy at her funeral service on Monday, October 9, 2023, at 2:00 PM, at Cherry Hill Baptist Church with Brother Jerry Taylor presiding. Interment to follow at the Cherry Hill Cemetery. As we come to terms with her loss, let’s remember Faye’s life not as a loss, but as a precious gift that made a profound impact on us all. Arrangements are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home, Mena, Arkansas.
Shirley Ann Frost Shirley Ann Frost, age 75, of Mena, Arkansas, passed away Thursday, September 28, 2023, in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She was born on January 14, 1948, in Bailey, Texas, and was married to Ronald Dean Frost. She was a certified nurses assistant but had many passions including reading, gardening, playing cards and decorating. Shirley’s biggest joy was spending time with her family especially, shopping with her Aunt Margie. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and a friend and mother figure to many. She will be greatly missed. She is survived by her husband, Ronald Frost; sons, Kenneth Frost (Martha) and Chad Frost; daughters, Ronda Frost, Kelly McCartney (Jeff), Petra McCleskey, Priscilla Strother (Stacy) and Kayla Davis (John); grandchildren, Ashley Hogan (Brison), Joshua Estel (Morgan), Brenden Estel (Tarra), Samantha Hurst, Alyssa Hunter (Zack), Blake Strother (Megan), Brock Strother, McKenzie Strother, Jaelyn Frost, Logan Frost, Zachary Frost, and Rebecca Frost; many great-grandchildren; her aunt, Margie Barker, and her niece, Shannon Ruiz. She was preceded in death by her mother, Margaret Stiles, a son, Dion Frost, a brother, Ronnie Downing and three sisters, Debra, Terry and Carolyn Downing. Mrs. Frost was sent for cremation under the direction of the Beasley Wood Funeral Home. A memorial
service will be held Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in the Beasley Wood Chapel with Brother Stacy Strother officiating.
Joyce Marie Hughes
Joyce Marie Hughes, age 89, passed away Sunday, October 1, 2023, in New Braunfels, Texas. She was born September 28, 1934, in Mena, Arkansas, to the late James and Idabel Crawford. Joyce was a devoted Mother, Wife, Sister, and friend to many. Even in her later years, she would brighten any room with her smile and happy nature. Everyone who met Joyce came away adoring her sense of humor and delightful attitude toward life. The majority of her career was spent as an expediter for Lyondel Petroleum in Houston, Texas. She loved to visit her family in Mena and raised a son who fondly remembers her love and support. Mrs. Hughes is preceded in death by her loving husband, Bobby F. Hughes; sister, Claireen Crawford; mother, Idabel Crawford; and by her father, James Crawford. She is survived by her son, William B. Hughes; granddaughter, Elizabeth Joyce Hughes; and by her brothers, Terry Crawford, and Steve Crawford. Online obituary and guestbook at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Obituaries 7
October 11, 2023
Randolph Allen Cannon
Randolph Allen Cannon, 70, of Brinkley, Arkansas, passed away on Sunday, October 1, 2023, at the Forest City Medical Center in Forest City, Arkansas. He was born on October 16, 1952, to Harmon Randolph and Irene Mary Cannon in Roseburg, Oregon. Randy was a man who found joy in the simplest things and shared his happiness with everyone around him. Randy was known to be a lover of a variety of music and a fan of Western movies. His love for Moonpies was legendary, always bringing a smile to the faces of everyone he shared them with. Randy’s favorite hobbies included raising chickens, fishing, duck hunting, and gardening. He was never one to shy away from getting his hands dirty, always tinkering and building things. His favorite vacation spot was on the Little Red River staying at a cabin with all his family. In his interactions with others, Randy exuded an indomitable spirit of happiness and outgoing warmth. His compassionate, selfless nature was immediately evident, and he was always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone or any organization that needed it. This led to his legacy of kindness, honesty, and understanding, which will always be remembered by his loved ones and the school systems in which he worked over the years. Randy was especially fond of his children and grandchildren, considering them his greatest accomplishments. He made it a point to attend all their school events and games, creating precious memories and demon-
strating his unwavering support. His pride in his work was also infectious, inspiring teachers and staff at all the schools he ever worked at. He believed there were no “bad” children, but they were just lacking something in their life. Randy cared very much and always tried to understand and help all the school kids he could. In passing, Randy Cannon leaves behind a legacy of love, generosity, and boundless spirit. His kind heart, jovial personality, and enduring lessons of kindness, honesty, and compassion will be remembered by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. Randy was preceded in death by his parents. Randy is survived by his loving wife of 23 years, Pam Cannon of Brinkley; four sons and daughters-in-law, Kyle and Gretchen Cannon of Hatfield, Mark and Luci Cannon of Mena, and Matt and Hillary Cannon of Watson, Oklahoma, and Adam and Stella Musgrave of Little Rock; two daughters and son-in-law, Christy and David Henry of Prairie Grove, and Stacey Musgrave of Mena; twelve grandchildren, Carson, Cason, and Caroline Cannon of Hatfield, Hunter, and Annie Cannon of Mena; Olivia, Cadie, and Avery Cannon of Mena, Kaylee, Alex, Nicole, and Emma Henry of Prairie Grove; and a soon to be great-grandchild; one brother and sister-in-law, Rodney and Shirley Cannon of Mountain Valley; two sisters, Karen Sexton of Fort Smith, Tina Coplen of Arkadelphia; his motherin-law, Louise Price of Grannis; his school family from over the years; several nephews and nieces and a host of other relatives and friends. A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at 2:00 PM at the Christ Community Fel-
lowship Church in Mena, Arkansas, with Brother Bobby Blasingame officiating. Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena, Arkansas.
Frances Joann Pierce
Frances Joann Pierce, age 90, of Vandervoort, Arkansas, peacefully passed Saturday, October 7, 2023, at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was born on Sunday, May 28, 1933, to Corbit Francis and Nettie Ann Ralls Randall in Vandervoort, Arkansas. Frances Joann was a dedicated member of the First Baptist Church in Vandervoort, where she passionately attended services and participated in various ministries of the church. After becoming a Christian, Frances Joann faithfully read her Bible cover to cover each year, finishing for the 45th time this past September. Frances Joann was a woman who truly loved God and had a deep desire for others to have a personal relationship with God. Her personality, so deeply rooted in faithfulness, served as an inspiration to all who knew her. Throughout her life, Frances Joann took great pride in quilting, growing and canning food, and tending to her immaculate garden, flowers, yard, farm, and rock collection. Today we remember Frances Joann for the wisdom she imparted, for the kindness she showed, and for the remarkable legacy she leaves behind. Frances Joann’s favorite Bible verse was 2 Corinthians 5:17. Frances Joann is now in the loving embrace of the God she loved and
served so faithfully. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all those she touched, and her lessons will guide us as we strive to follow in her footsteps. Frances Joann is proceeded in death by her parents, Corbit Francis and Nettie Ann Ralls Randall; her husband, Frank Lloyd Pierce; and five siblings. Frances Joann is survived by her three loving daughters, Sheila Pierce of Vandervoort, Arkansas, Sally Kesterson and husband, Ricky of Grannis, Arkansas, and Selinda Salem and husband, Mike of Fayetteville, Arkansas; one brother, Coy Randall of Vandervoort, Arkansas; one sister, Margie Harper of Lone Star, Texas; seven grandchildren, Joshua Canada and wife, Daniela, Matthew Nelson and wife, Kelli, Jennifer Hill and husband, Jason, Shannon McDonald and husband, Mark, Andrea Toupin and husband, Justin, Micah Mansilla and husband, Hernan, and Erin Truax and husband Travis; thirteen beautiful great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, along with a host of nieces, nephews, and friends. No services are planned at this time with cremation arrangements are entrusted to the Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena. The family asks in lieu of flowers for donations to be sent to Vandervoort First Baptist Church for purchase of Bibles. Online Guestbook: bowserffh.com
Fling but a stone, the giant dies.
~ Matthew Green, poet
8 Halloween
October 11, 2023
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
October 11, 2023
News 9
ECLIPSE graph the eclipse, beyond the safety of According to the handout during Dr. continued from page 2 one’s eyesight, there is also the safety of G’s presentation, which differs slightly
not safe for looking directly at the sun. In April 2024, there will be less than 4:28 in western Arkansas.
the camera. “Most of the camera lenses do not tolerate the high-intensity light. It could damage the camera.” Once again, a filter would be a wise precaution.
Telescopes and cameras During the presentation, Dr. G showed an image of telescopes. The science club Other presentations is hoping to use the telescopes for the In the same partnership with OMRL total eclipse. and UARM, NASA certified ambassa“Dr. Timmerman, who was here as dor Kathy Rusert did presentations at an instructor, had those telescopes and the area’s public schools for lower elehe wanted us to use them. These are mentary and at Montgomery County the sophisticated ones. These are huge, Library. She did presentations at Louthey have all the necessary equipment ise Durham, Holly Harshman, Acorn, and accessories needed. These would Oden, and Cossatot River Primary. be more scientific than if you order Montgomery County Library and from somewhere — maybe Amazon or Polk County Library are branches of the Walmart — [most] would be smaller Ouachita Mountains Regional Library. and I could not guarantee they would be To prepare for western Arkansas’ toverified scientifically.” tal eclipse on Apr. 8, 2024, OMRL and There are necessary precautions the UARM’s Lifelong Learning will hold when looking at the eclipse through a additional presentations in the spring. telescope. “They would need the solar Watch for details in the coming months. filter before they are able to view anything through the telescope. Telescopes Viewing alternatives are not for seeing the sun or any bright If you do not have solar eclipse glasses lights. They are only for the nighttime or plan on making a pinhole projector sky: stars, maybe the galaxies, the moon from household items such as a cereal or planets. You can see those easily. or shoe box, and other miscellaneous “For the sun, the telescope has lens- items (see “How to Make a Box Pines it concentrates the light through the hole Projector” on the NASA Goddard lenses so the eyes could be damaged. YouTube page) for the Oct. 14 eclipse, You have to be careful and should put you have another option. NASA will the verified solar filter on them. You can’t just buy a solar filter and take a risk. It has to be verified.” Verified filters for solar eclipse glasses are ISO 123122, which supersede earlier national and regional standards. There is at present no international standard for optical solar filters, but the ISO-12312-2 should be safe for use with optics as long as the user closely Kathy Rusert doing one of several eclipse presentations. (Photo submitted by UARM) follows the instructions. The science club is not thinking of having a feed from the telescopes host live coverage starting at 11:30 a.m. to a video screen or recording device, EDT. live on NASA Television, the agenbut Dr. G said it is a possibility. The club cy’s website, and the NASA app. NASA will mainly be observing the eclipse just also will stream the broadcast live on its as a hobby and something fun. Facebook, X, and YouTube social media For those people wanting to photo- accounts.
from the information previously mentioned, the partial eclipse should begin at approximately 10:26 a.m. CDT, reach its maximum of 71% coverage, known as its annularity, around 11:55 a.m. and lasts between one to five minutes. The eclipse will be fully over by 1:30 p.m. for western Arkansas. At press time on Tuesday morning, the weather forecast for the annular eclipse reveals it will be somewhere probably in the low-to-mid-60s, a few clouds early on with a 20% chance of rain, then becoming mostly sunny. The United States will not experience another total solar eclipse until Aug. 23, 2044. To find out more about the annular eclipse, visit https://solarsystem.nasa. gov/eclipses/2023/oct-14-annular/ where-when/. To find out more about the total eclipse, visit https://solarsystem.nasa. gov/eclipses/2024/apr-8-total/overview/ or https://visitmena.com/events/ solar-eclipse-festival/.
Sun photos taken within seconds of one another without a filter (top) and with a verified NASA filter (bottom). (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)
10 News
October 11, 2023
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Brinley Blake to compete at Arkansas State Fair By Ethan Nahté Brinley Blake competed in the 2023 AR/OK State Fair Pageant in Fort Smith on Sept. 23. Blake, a senior at Mena High School who carries a 4.2 GPA, won the Arkansas NW Region Fair Queen. Blake said, “The pageant in Fort Smith for my NW Region Fair Queen title was an opportunity of a lifetime, competing against multiple other girls for the chance to compete for state scholarships and a new title that would make a huge impact for not only me, but our little county.” The title qualifies her to compete in the Arkansas State Fair Queen competition in Little Rock for 2023. She competes Tuesday
Oct. 17, for the opportunity to move forward to the final competition on Saturday, Oct. 21. Although, she and other contestants can advance another way with the participation of the public, who has the ability to vote for their favorite contestant. Voting is now open and one lucky contestant from the Fair Queen division will advance each night to the Top 4 by being the Audience Favorite. The winner is not announced. Votes can be made by using the PayPal link https://www.paypal. com/paypalme/arstatefair. Monies raised from the votes goes toward scholarships. If someone places a vote, for example, please add the contestant’s name, Brinley Blake, and her ti-
the state fair in Little Rock except for the pageant. Blake will also be accompanied by her princess, Drexley Beck. She is the daughter of Andrew and Kayla Beck of Hatfield. Blake paid for Beck’s expenses. It will give Beck an opportunity to get into pageant practices and a young experience with fair queens. She will also attend a princess party with Blake at the Arkansas State Fair. Blake also models for boutiques, works at Myers Cruizzers Drive-In in Mena, coaches and referees soccer games, and does a lot of volunteer work in the community. She is the daughter of Matt Blake Brinley Blake, Arkansas NW Region Fair Queen and Kayla Weaver. tle. Arkansas NW Region Fair Queen. Votes are $1 each, with a minimum $5. Contestants added as county/district/ regional winners are announced. Blake discovered on Saturday she won’t be able to compete this year in the Miss Polk County Pageant, stating she can’t hold two titles. They would eliminate her from competing in State on Oct. 17. The Little Rock explained it being a “bigger,” more prominent, title than just winning Miss Polk CounDrexley Beck will accompany Blake to the Arty. Polk County is part of kansas State Fair as her princess.
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
By Richie Lawry
I recently received a phone call from Vicky Warren. A mutual friend gave her my phone number and told her we might have mutual interests. Vicky has a passion for missions, and I have a passion for writing about my experiences using spiritual principles. As we talked, she told me she was the CEO of a parachurch organization, MissionNext. MissionNext is a church mobilization organization that connects ministry leaders and missionaries to service opportunities in over 200 countries. Vicky’s passion for missions was evident as we visited. Her particular passion is for the unreached areas of the world. She takes the gospel commission very seriously. “Go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have taught you, and I will be with you always, even until the end of this age.” Matthew 28:19,20 (NCV) Vicky made me aware of some things that I had never realized before. A large portion of the world has no Christian presence at all. Twenty-nine percent of the world, just over one out of every four people on this planet, live in areas where they have never heard of Jesus. They have no chance of hearing the good news of Jesus Christ because they have no access to the gospel: no Bibles in their language and no churches or believers nearby who might tell them about Jesus. Like most Christians, I thought we were doing a pretty good job of spreading the gospel. To be presented with evidence that shows we have so much room for improvement was disheartening. On the YouTube channel Radical, I watched a video titled “The Great Imbalance.” There, I learned that there are 7.75 billion people in our world,
October 11, 2023
An Arkie’s Faith The Great Imbalance
and over 3 million are unreached, meaning they have zero access to the gospel. Most will be born, live, and die without hearing about Jesus. In its simplest terms, The Great Commission is the command of Jesus to reach “all of the world.” But we are not getting close to that goal. The video I watched broke down the numbers of what they called the great imbalance. Accomplishing any task requires determination, a plan, and resources. But here is where the imbalance comes into play. Across the world, hundreds of millions of Bible-believing Christians want to fulfill the Great Commission. They donate hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars to their churches. Last year, over $40 billion were allocated to missions. 400,000 Christian people are working as missionaries. It seems like Christians are doing their part to help fulfill the command of Jesus to make followers worldwide. But on closer inspection of the statistics, we find a great imbalance. Of those billions of dollars given to missions, only a tiny portion, around 1%, is used for unreached people groups, and only 3% of missionaries take the
gospel to unreached people worldwide. This is the great imbalance. Twenty-nine percent of the world, just over 1 out of every 4 people on this planet, live in areas where they have never heard of Jesus. And Christians use just 1% of their mission donations in these areas. I’m reminded of the story of Jonah, where God gave him a message. “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” Jonah 1:2 (NLT) But instead of following God’s command, “Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.” Jonah 1:3 (NLT) We know how Jonah tried to get out of doing what God had told him to do. But have we ever acted like Jonah? Jesus has told us to get up and go. Where are you going? Are you on the road to Nineveh or on a voyage to Tarshish? We have been given a message to spread worldwide but failed.
Joke of the Week:
My Bluetooth speaker wasn’t connecting to my phone. I got mad and threw it into the pool. It’s syncing now.
Faith 11 We have passed judgment on many of the people groups of the world. We say, “They don’t deserve the love of God; they don’t deserve my time because they are no good.” When we decide that certain people groups aren’t worthy of our time, aren’t worthy of the good news of salvation, we are boarding a boat for Tarshish. We don’t want to travel to Nineveh and give the good news because we are worried that God might save the people we don’t like. That was a factor in Jonah’s decision to board the voyage to Tarshish. In Revelation 7:9 (NASB), God reveals the grand finale of human history. When humanity’s struggle finally ends, God will fill His eternal Kingdom with “a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues.” God is preparing for an uncountable multitude of worshippers from every nation, tribe, and language. We must not merely wait for this to happen. God asks for us to work with Him to bring it to pass. Jesus commands us to “go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all people.” Mark 16:15 (GNT) How can you and I go into the world and preach the gospel “to every nation, tribe and people, no matter what language they speak?” Revelation 14:6 (NIRV) What can we do from a small town in western Arkansas? God has a job for each one of us, and He provides the means for us to accomplish it. Gentle Reader, what will you do when God asks you to get up and go? Do you take the Gospel Commission as a personal command? Are you looking forward to hearing, “Well done, good and faithful servant?” Matthew 25:23 (NKJV) Then we must “go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all people.” Mark 16:15 (GNT) Let’s help correct the great imbalance. Replacing windshields in Polk County for over 40 years. Give Richie a call at 479-394-9938 Located at 3008 Hwy 71 South
12 News
October 11, 2023
Rusert promoted to loan officer for Union Bank Submitted by LeAnn Dilbeck Mena, ARK (Oct. 2, 2023) — Union Bank President Kevin Williams has announced the promotion of Samantha Rusert to loan officer for Union Bank. Rusert brings with her 15 years of banking experience, seven, of which, have been serving Union Bank customers. Rusert is a Mena native and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Capella University. She and her husband, Dusty, have two children, Shelby and Cody, who both attend Ouachita River School District at the Acorn Campus. In her spare time, Rusert enjoys hiking, photography, vacationing at the beaches in Alabama, but most of all, spending time with her family. Samantha has been serving as an integral part of the loan operations department, explained Williams. Most recently, she has been the project manager on an integrated new platform that will allow customers to apply
and complete loan applications online. “Many of our customers will remember Samantha when she served as a loan assistant in the lobby. She has pursued every opportunity for professional development and it is with great pride for her hard work that we move her into this new role. Her familiar face is a welcomed addition to our team of lenders,” said Williams. Rusert began taking customers last week. She joins a team of five other experienced lenders as a consumer lender at the main bank on Hwy 71 in Mena. Serving customers has always been a highlight for her in her various roles at Union Bank. She added, “I am excited to be a familiar face out in the lobby again and am grateful for the opportunity to serve our customers in this new role.”
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
EPA announces approval of Arkansas state Certification of Pesticide Applicator plan
DALLAS, TEXAS (September 28, 2023) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing stronger standards for individuals who use Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) in the state of Arkansas. The current state plan has been revised to meet or exceed the improved safety requirements in the 2017 Certification of Pesticide Applicators Final Rule (CPA). “Misuse or disregard of pesticide safety standards can impact vulnerable populations; therefore, it is imperative that we keep improving and maintaining pesticide safety requirements,” said Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “With this approval, EPA is taking critical steps to reduce exposure to the environment and to safeguard human health.” There are over 20,000 pesticide applicators in Arkansas certified to use RUPs and over 30,000 farm workers who may work around RUPs. Applicators, the public, and the environment are at risk from exposure to mishandled or misapplied RUPs. The revised State Certification Plans are intended to enhance and improve the competency of certified RUP applicators and persons working under their direct supervision (noncertified applicators). EPA expects that improving the competency of certified and noncertified applicators will help ensure that RUPs are used according to their labeling and will reduce pesticide exposure and illness among applicators, farm workers, the public, rural communities, and children, as well as preventing unreasonable adverse effects to the environment. EPA understands the importance and dangers of RUPs; therefore, it has verified that this State Plan meets or exceeds the updated and more stringent federal regulations. The revisions of this plan incorporate long-standing requests and environmental justice concerns from communities, including improved training for people ap-
plying RUPs under direct supervision, protection of minors, and additional training for certain high-risk classes of pesticides. Major areas of improvement under the CPA: • New categories: A certificate is now required for aerial, fumigation, and predator control RUPs. These highrisk pesticides now require specific training due to the difficulty of application without causing severe harm by off-target exposure. • Minimum age: Applicators must be 18 to apply RUPs (with limited age exemption (16) for some uses on family farms by noncertified applicators under the direct supervision of a certified applicator). • Noncertified applicator qualifications: Those applying RUPs under direct supervision of a certified applicator must receive training in a manner they can understand. Applicators must verify training records for those working under their supervision prior to applying RUPs. • Recertification: Certifications are valid for a maximum of five years. Previously, no federal limit. This plan has met the CPA’s minimum requirements and has tailored the programs to their state’s needs. The program changes will be implemented over time, according to the plan’s implementation schedule. Of the 56 proposed plan revisions submitted by state and territory certifying authorities, 51 have been approved. The regulatory deadline for approving revised certification plans is Nov. 4. EPA continues to collaborate with certifying authorities to resolve the Agency’s comments on the remaining plans. For more information on pesticide and EPA’s certification process, please view our dedicated webpage. Connect with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 on Facebook, Twitter, or visit our homepage. EPA.gov/.
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse *
os by Phot Nahté n Etha ept by * exc ine Jasm tt Prui
October 11, 2023
Jeep Jam 13 2nd Annual Ouachita Mountains Jeep Jam
14 Environment
Mena fall clean-up
The City of Mena’s 20th Annual Fall Clean-Up is scheduled to begin on Monday, Oct. 16. Please place items at curb side prior to Oct. 16 to insure they will be collected. Only yard waste items will be picked up (tree limbs, shrubs, leaves, grass, etc.). It is required that smaller items, such as small limbs, gum balls, and leaves, be placed in garbage bags. Pick-up will begin in the Northwest part of the city and follow the same routes as Southern Disposal across the city.
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
October 11, 2023
Volunteers needed to help keep Hatfield beautiful Volunteers are needed to participate in Hatfield’s fall community improvement event Oct. 14 from 8 a.m. to noon. The cleanup is being held in conjunction with the Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup in Arkansas (GAmC), the annual fall statewide litter-pickup campaign promoted by Keep Arkansas Beautiful (KAB). “So much can be accomplished when we work together to keep Hatfield beautiful,” said Mayor Linda Denton, local coordinator of this year’s cleanup. “Litter can leave a negative impact on our community for years to come. By participating in this year’s Great American Cleanup in Arkansas, local residents can help make Hatfield a vibrant community.” Everyone in Hatfield is encouraged to participate in this year’s community improvement effort.
Civic and service organizations, church and youth groups, school groups and clubs, scouts, individuals, families, neighborhoods, and businesses can organize cleanup teams and pitch in. Vo l u n t e e r s should meet at the Park pavilion located at 218 Port Arthur Ave. in Hatfield at 8 a.m. to register and pick up garbage bags, gloves, safety vests and instructions about what areas are to be cleaned up. The first 50 volunteers will also get a free T-shirt. A hot dog lunch will be provided at noon when the event is over. Thanks in advance for your help! KAB deadline The Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission has announced the deadline to participate in this year’s Great Arkansas Cleanup is Oct. 31. Arkansans are encouraged to join their local cleanup efforts in the final call for volunteers. Cleanup groups and events can be found at http://bit.ly/KABevent. “With a few weeks left in our fall cleanup season, now is the time to create or join a local cleanup,” said Colbie Jones, director of Keep Arkansas Beautiful. “Our goal is for Arkansans from every county to participate once again and get involved in their own community.” Every year, Keep Arkansas Beautiful recruits thousands of Arkansans to participate in the Great Arkansas Cleanup.
(Ethan Nahté/Pulse)
To date, 69 counties have registered for the 2023 Go Clean Challenge which challenges all 75 Arkansas counties to host at least one cleanup during the campaign. Arkansas met this goal for the first time in 2022. “Our volunteers are the driving force behind this initiative, and we are so grateful for all of the counties who have participated in cleanups thus far,” said Robyn Taylor, volunteer program manager for Keep Arkansas Beautiful. “With just a few weeks left, we want to encourage Arkansans in all 75 counties to join local efforts to preserve and beautify our state.” Keep Arkansas Beautiful invites individuals and groups in the remaining counties to turn their county green by organizing a litter cleanup at https://bit. ly/KABSignUp. For those organizing local cleanup groups, Keep Arkansas Beautiful has free print-ready promotional materials and cleanup supplies available on a first-come first-serve basis. Resources, including disposable gloves, cotton gloves and fluorescent safety vests, can be found at http://bit.ly/KABClean.
October 11, 2023 Community 15 Pulse Ouachita Missions Conference Santas 4 Seniors applications are open THE POLK COUNTY
Submitted by Candace Riner
Do you want to learn more about God’s heart for the nations and what it means to be missional when you are not a missionary?
If that is you, make plans to attend the Ouachita Missions Conference on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 13-14, at Grace Bible Church in Mena, Arkansas. You will hear speakers from Wycliffe Bible Translators, Avant Ministries, The Jesus Film, World Missions Today, Cru, World Team, Gospel for Asia, Christian Motorcycle Association (CMA) and Perspectives USA. The purpose of the conference is to build awareness of the current state of global missions. You can also learn how to build an understanding of each
believer’s role, practices, and disciplines as a world Christian. Jeff Lewis, the keynote speaker for the conference has been mobilizing and discipling people for three decades with Pioneers, having planted two churches; co-founded the Passion Conference, and authored “God’s Heart for Nations and Calling: A Scriptural Journey.” The conference begins at 6 p.m. on Friday and ends at 9 p.m. Lewis will be speaking during the Friday evening event. On Saturday, the conference begins at 9 a.m. and will conclude at 5 p.m. Each mission organization representative will host breakout sessions from 10:4511:45 a.m. and 2:153:15 p.m. The conference is designed to be a teaching weekend as teaching builds upon the previous session. The free two-day conference is open to the community. Adults as well as teenagers are encouraged to attend. Registration for the event is required as lunch is provided. The first 50 registered receive a gift bag with great books and more! To register online, visit the Grace Bible Church Facebook page at www. facebook.com/GBCMena call 479394-4092. Grace Bible Church is located at 1911 Hwy. 71 North. Childcare is available. You can make a $5 (optional) donation to CMA when you register.
It won’t be long before Christmas is here, meaning organizations are already preparing to meet tight deadlines. The Santas 4 Seniors program is open to low-income Senior Citizens, ages 65 and older who have no family support. The main focus of this program sponsored by Polk County 4-H/EHC/ Master Gardeners is to provide low-income senior citizens with a special gift this Christmas. Applications are available at the Polk County Extension Office, 211 Dequeen St., Mena, Arkansas, Cossatot Senior
Center and the Mena-Polk County Senior Center. Not all applications will be selected. Application Deadline is Nov. 13. Santas will be on the tree Nov. 13 and ready for adoption. Please bring presents to the Polk County Extension Office unwrapped in a gift bag no later than Dec. 8 by noon. Deliveries to our special Seniors will be made on Dec. 11 and 12. For more information, contact the Polk County Extension Office at 211 Dequeen St. or by phone at 479-3946018.
(Ethan Nahté/Pulse)
16 Community
October 11, 2023
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Around Town Celebration of Life luncheon for the late Earl Westbrook Jr. at The Elks Lodge in Mena, 2 p.m., Oct. 14. We would love to see everyone and hear some of the stories you’d like to share. Come as you are.
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.
The Happiness Extension Homemakers Club will meet at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at the Hatfield City Hall. You are invited to attend.
The Back Country Extension Homemakers Club meets the second Friday of each month at 1 p.m. at the UA Extension’s Education Building, 211 DeQueen St., Mena. We are a service organization affiliated with UA’s Division of Agriculture with a mission to have fun and learn new things while enriching our community and creating a more contented family life. We believe the greatest force that molds character comes from the home. Come join new friends and old as we together grow. For more info, contact Ginger at Gingerkm@protonmail.com.
Dallas Valley Rural Volunteer Fire Department members, firefighters and board of directors of the would like to take this opportunity to extend an invitation to join us for our Annual Business Meeting and dinner, which will be held at the fire station on Old Airport Rd. (aka 229 Polk Rd 52), Saturday, Oct. 14, starting at 5 p.m. There will be a donation boot available for any non-members who wish to attend. Please join us if you can. Narcotics Anonymous meet at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, noon - 1 p.m. on Wednesday, 7 p.m. on Thursday, 7 p.m. on Friday, and 6 p.m. on Saturday at the old bus barn at The Crossing church. For information call Erica at (479) 2345289 or Candice at (501) 356-8300. Come play Pickleball! Open play Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8:30 a.m., Aubrey D. Tapley Park, 2562 U.S. Hwy. 71, Mena. Bring your own equipment and come have fun. All levels are welcome. Unsure or interested? Come watch before purchasing equipment. GriefShare at The Crossing in Mena meets every Thursday from 6-8 p.m. for anyone in the community who is grieving the loss of a loved one.
Jam session every Tuesday night, 6-9 p.m. at Shady Mountain Events, 428 Hwy. 375 East, Mena. No charge, everyone is welcome. All genres of music. Bring your own instrument, come watch or dance. Call (479) 234-7174 with questions. First Presbyterian Church will be presenting a series on the Book of Revelation in its Adult Sunday School class on Sunday mornings beginning at 9:45. Earl Harrell will be the presenter and will focus on the titles of Jesus as revealed in the Book of Revelation. The public is invited to attend. Classes will be in the Helen Barham Room at the church, 904 Church Avenue, Mena. The Ouachita Beekeepers Association is now meeting on the second Thursday of the month, 7 p.m. in the Education Building of the UA Extension Office, 211 DeQueen St., Mena. Come early and
enjoy refreshments and bee talk with other beekeepers.
8:30-9:30 a.m., for free coffee and conversation.
GriefShare at First Presbyterian Church Mena meets every Thursday from 10 a.m.-noon for anyone in the community who is grieving the loss of a loved one.
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.
The Hatfield Branch Library is open every Tuesday and Friday from noon-4 p.m. The library is located at 121 Cemetery Rd. (old Agri building) in Hatfield.
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 Cove Branch Library is open Monday and Thursday from noon-5 p.m. The Library is located next to Cove Town Hall at 5568 Hwy. 71 S.
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.
The Mena/Polk County Senior Center will have The Gator and Friends band performing in Mena every Thursday, 10:30-11:30 a.m. The Center has an exercise class on Mondays and Thursdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Contact Trena Looney with questions, (479) 394-5459. Bluegrass Jam Session is open to musicians and fans alike. Bring your instruments for an unplugged session to the Daisy Room (behind Janssen’s Avenue Florist & Gifts) the first and third Thursdays of each month, starting at 6:30 p.m. Free event. Some snacks are provided. The Cossatot Senior Center in Wickes has meals and activities for seniors.The hours are 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Tuesday-Friday. If you need to make delivery arrangements or changes call (870) 3852373. Christ’s Church of Cove, 5234 Hwy. 71 S, Cove gathers every Tuesday,
Reynolds Gardner Community Men’s Breakfast every Tuesday, First United Methodist Church, Mena, 8 a.m. (full breakfast for small donation). All men from the community are invited to attend. Alcoholics Anonymous meet at 7 p.m. Fridays at the First United Methodist Church, Ninth Street and Port Arthur. Discussion/Book Study for information call (479) 243-0297. It’s easy to have your event listed in Around Town, which will be read on radio stations KENA and KQOR daily. Simply send your Around Town announcement to news@mypulsenews.com or call (479) 243-9600 and let us know about your event! To have it in the Polk County Pulse newspaper, we need to know by FIVE on FRIDAY. We look forward to continuing to serve the community!
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Puzzles 17
October 11, 2023
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ANSWERS FROM PUZZLES ON 10.04.23
A ADOPTION FEE REDUCED! $100 FOR BOTH!
18 Classifieds
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
October 11, 2023
- CLASSIFIEDS - SERVICES -
- FOR SALE -
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. T1025
For Sale 2017 250cc dirt bike Japanese made, only 95 miles on it, like new. $1,000. Call Bill Duff (479) 216-5204 T1004
Carter’s Excavating - Licensed Contractor: Heavy and light dozer work, heavy excavation, soft ground to rock excavation, heavy off-road hauling, road design and construction 50 years in trade, 40 years in area. Subsidiary of RCI Construction (479) 394-9227 T1025
60-plus 1.5 liter reusable clean green glass wine bottles w/screw caps. Labels removed. A little dusty on outside. $1.00 per bottle or $.75 cents per bottle if you take all. (479) 394-8009 T1011
Tree services, forestry mulching, storm cleanup, stump grinding. Signs and light replacement. Give RC Customz a call at (479) 216-2976 for Free estimate. T1101 Carter’s Excavating - Licensed Contractor: Roads, bridges, house pads, building pads, basements, land clearing, small lots to large tracks, ponds, stream crossings, farm roads, building demolition, site planning & prep. 50 years in trade, 40 years in area. Subsidiary of RCI Construction. (479) 394-9227 T1025
- YARD SALE 4 Sisters fall sale. New location-1824 Oaklawn Dr., Mena. Namebrand men and women’s clothing, comforter sets, linens, home décor, glassware, cookware, clothes steamer, carpet shampooer, Christmas lights and décor. Oct. 13 -14. T1011
Brodix, Inc. is accepting applications for an experienced CNC Machine Operator. Applications may be picked up at the Brodix office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available. Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment. T1025
- FOR RENT -
Apartment For Rent - appliances and utilities furnished. (479) 234-1492 T1025
Construction, steel buildings, welding, pads, ponds, and roads. Military discounts. Insured. Give RC Customz a call for free estimates at (479) 216-2976. T1101
For sale - AKC English Bulldog puppy, female, standard colors, and ready for their nw home. Facebook Arklatex Bulldogs to see this beauty. Call 870-642-3104 for more information. TFN
$$$$$
F.M. Dix Foundry is accepting applications for general labor positions. Applications may be picked up at the office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available. Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment. T1025
Sale - 205 Morrow, Saturday. Yard ornaments, chimes, 2 chimineas, flower pots, fabric $1/yard, books, household, Christmas, S&P collection, bells. T1011
Handyman Service - Electrical and plumbing. prefer small jobs. For more details, call Bill Duff (479) 216-5204. T1011
Mena Shuttle - Ground transportation to AR and TX airports. Doctor and emergency appointments. Also, light deliveries. (870) 490-1191 T1025
- HELP WANTED -
- PETS FOR SALE -
Brodix, Inc. is accepting applications for a technical/phone sales position. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, answering technical inquiries, providing product information and recommendations, troubleshooting with potential and current customers, and processing orders in a fast-paced office setting. Parts, automotive, and computer experience would be helpful. Applications may be picked up at the Brodix office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available. Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment. T1025 Brodix, Inc. is accepting applications for general labor positions. Applications may be picked up at the Brodix office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available. Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment T1025
POSITION OPEN THE POLK COUNTY PULSE IS LOOKING FOR THEIR NEXT
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE ARE YOU SELF-MOTIVATED, PERSONABLE, AND PROFESSIONAL? CAN YOU WORK WITH A TEAM IN A FAST-PACED ENVIRONMENT? SUBMIT YOUR RESUME TO NEWS@MYPULSENEWS.COM NO CALLS PLEASE Ouachita Broadcasting is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Classifieds 19
October 11, 2023
- CLASSIFIEDS - LEGAL NOTICE -
First Wheels for Walkers event
By Ethan Nahté
Dequeen St., across from the Old Armory and behind Rich Mountain There will be a benefit motorcycle Electric Co-op. ride for Elite Hospice on Saturday, Riders will hit the road at 10:30 ARVEST BANK PLAINTIFF Oct. 14, dubbed Wheel for Walkers. a.m., making a loop from Elite Hosvs. No. 57CV-23-95 ALICIA VILLALPANDO; ANGEL VILLALPANDO DEFENDANTS Riders will meet at 9:30 a.m. at 602 pice through Cove and past Vandervoort, traveling past Cossatot River WARNING ORDER State Park, on to Glenwood, back to Norman, past Big Fork and Board TO THE DEFENDANTS: ALICIA VILLALPANDO AND ANGEL VILLALPANDO Camp to return to Mena. On July 24, 2023, a complaint was filed against you by ARVEST BANK in the Circuit Cost is $10 per rider or $15 per Court of Polk County, Arkansas, for the purpose of foreclosing on real property in the principal amount of $44,517.71, together with accrued interest, attorneys` fees, costs and couple. There will also be a raffle.All late charges, if any. The above-mentioned real property is described as follows: proceeds go to assist Elite Hospice A part of the NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 19, Township 2 South, Range 30 West, patients and their families. Polk County, Arkansas, described as follows: Commencing at the NE corner of the NE For more information contact To1/4 of the SW 1/4; thence South 0 degrees 59 minutes 54 seconds West 525.00 feet along nya Blevins LSW at tonya.blevins@ the forty line to the Point of Beginning; thence North 89 degrees 24 minutes 00 seconds West 104.00 feet; thence South 0 degrees 59 minutes 54 seconds West 169.74 feet; thence lhcgroup.com or call 479-394-1134. IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF POLK COUNTY, ARKANSAS CIVIL DIVISION
South 87 degrees 04 minutes 06 seconds East 104.06 feet along the North right of way of Hope Avenue; thence North 0 degrees 59 minutes 54 seconds East 173.97 feet along the forty line to the Point of Beginning and containing 0.4103 acres. Also known as Lot 8 of the Harold Berg Subdivision. Subject to Protective Covenants as set out in Polk County Miscellaneous Book 90, pages 454. Subject to any public utility and roadway easements and city zoning ordinances as may now exist. The property is more commonly known 813 Hope Circle, Mena, AR 71953. You are hereby warned to appear and defend by filing an answer or other responsive pleading with the Court within thirty (30) days from the date of the first publication of By Patrick Massey this Warning Order. Your failure to file a written answer within thirty (30) days may result in a default judgKING – The Cossatot Arts and ment being entered against you for the relief sought in the complaint. WITNESS my hand and seal as Clerk of the Circuit Court of Polk County, Arkansas on Crafts Association will present the this __________ day of _______________, _______. 51st annual King Arts and Crafts Polk County Circuit Clerk Festival this weekend. The festival includes the always popular King By:___________________ Art Show as well as a number of Deputy Clerk
King Arts and Crafts Festival this weekend
Respectfully Submitted, MACKIE WOLF ZIENTZ & MANN, P. C. Redding Building 1701 Centerview Drive, Suite 207 Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 218-8111 By:
______________________________ Michael Tackett (2018110)
Attorneys for Plaintiff
other activities. This year the King Art Show celebrates its 51st year of providing the public with the opportunity to enjoy artwork from local and regional artists. The show will feature art and photography from area artists of all ages in a number of categories. The show will be open to the public on Oct. 13-14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and for a final day on Oct. 15 from 12:30-4 p.m. This year’s festi-
val will also include food vendors, an art sale, craft vendors, a craft contest and live music. The King Arts and Crafts Festival will be held at the historic King School House located at 102 King School Road near Gillham, Arkansas. Organizers invite anyone interested in becoming a sponsor for this year’s art show to call Nancy Youngblood at (479) 216-1537. The Cossatot Arts and Crafts Association’s art show in King is one of the region’s top art shows and annually draws in hundreds of artists and art lovers. For more information, visit www. cossatotartsandcrafts.com or visit the Cossatot Arts and Crafts Association on Facebook.
20 Police
October 2, 2023 No reports. October 3, 2023 Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 19 near Cove in reference to vandalism. Leslie Gillaspy, 45, of Wickes was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant. Deborah Ervin, 47, of Cove was arrested by an officer with the Grannis Police Department on charges of DWI, Fleeing in a Vehicle, Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident, Possession of a Schedule IV or V Controlled Substance, Driving on a Suspended Driver’s License, No Proof of Insurance, and Obstructing Governmental Operations. Lepeter McDole, 36, of Texarkana was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant. October 4, 2023 Jaden Fussell, 21, of Mena was booked on a Drug Court Sanction. October 5, 2023 Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 19 near Cove in reference to a harassment complaint. Information has been forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorney for further consideration. Angela Williams, 41, of Mena was arrested on a Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Warrant.
Pulse
October 11, 2023
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
THE POLK COUNTY
October 6, 2023 Anthony Tolleson, 33, of Norman was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant. John Smith, 52, of Mena was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant. Randy Byrd, 35, of Jessieville was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant and a Probation Violation Warrant. October 7, 2023 Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 414 near Hatfield in refernece to a theft. Travis Winger, 34, of DeQueen was arrested on a charge of Possession of a Schedule I or II Controlled Substance. October 8, 2023 Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Hwy 88 E near Mena in referene to a dispute. Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Treasure Lane near Acorn in reference to an unattended death. Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Stevenson Drive near Wickes in reference to a physical domestic disturbance leading to the arrest of Tammi Page, 46, of Wickes on a charge of Aggravated Assault on a Family or Household Member. Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Dogwood Springs Lane near Acorn in refernce to an out of control juvenile. Polk County Sheriff ’s Office worked 0 vehicle accidents this week.
MENA POLICE REPORTS October 1 A report of stalking, criminal trespass, and harassment was taken from a walk-in complainant. October 2 No reports. October 3 Christopher Brown, 48, was served with a warrant at the county jail. Steven Huber, 40, was served with warrants at the county jail. Lenard Bennett, 34, was charged with Assault on a Family or Household Member after a disturbance call to a residence on Jolie Way. October 4 A report of theft was taken from Walmart. Dare Garrison, 29, was charged with Possession of Marijuana, Driving on Suspended License, No Vehicle License, No Liability Insurance, and Served with warrants after a traffic stop on Bert Street. A report of a burglary was taken at a residence on Locust Street. Elena Hendershot, 40, was charged with Criminal Trespass, Two Counts of Breaking or Entering, Residential Burglary, and Furnishing Prohibited Articles. Tyse Lambert, 35, was charged with Criminal Trespass, Two Counts of Breaking or Entering, and Residential Burglary. October 5 Caleb Clausen, 23, was served with warrants after contact on Highway 8 East.
A report of theft was taken from a walk-in complainant. October 6 A death investigation report was taken at a residence on Andrys Avenue. October 7 Aaron Conner, 24, was charged with Theft at Walmart.
December trial scheduled for Quinn By Patrick Massey
A Dierks woman accused of stealing thousands of dollars from her school’s booster club is scheduled to return to court next month. Kaci Quinn, 40, appeared in the Howard County Circuit Court before Judge Tom Cooper last week. During her hearing, Quinn’s attorney requested a continuance to allow her to hire another attorney. The court granted the continuance and set a pre-trial date of Dec. 6 and a trial date of Dec. 12. The court also ordered Quinn to be back in court on Nov. 15 with her attorney. Quinn has been charged with one count of fraudulent use of a credit card or debit card and one count of theft of property. Quinn is accused of embezzling funds from the Dierks Booster Club while serving as the club treasurer from January 2022 until January 2023. The missing funds were discovered in January and an investigation was initiated by a special agent with the Arkansas State Police. According to the affidavit, booster club funds were being transferred to the personal account of Kaci Quinn. Those funds were allegedly used to pay Quinn’s personal credit card bills. Investigators also accuse Quinn of using stolen funds to purchase personal items from Amazon, Walmart, Sam’s Club and other department stores. Some of the items reportedly purchased were baby formula, baby clothing and beer. In all, investigators reported finding approximately $52,000 in missing funds from the Dierks Booster Club.
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
October 11, 2023
Sports 21
New AGFC regulations and CWD testing Submitted by AGFC
Basketball
10/16 - Acorn @ Umpire 10/17 - Acorn vs. Kirby
Basketball
10/16 - Umpire vs. Acorn
Volleyball
10/12 - CRSD @ Nevada
Cross Country
10/17 - Mena @ Waldron Tri-County
Football
10/13 - Mena @ Malvern
Volleyball
10/12 - Mena vs. Bauxite 10/14 - Mena @ Malvern Jr. High District Tournament 10/17 - Mena vs. Fountain Lake
Football
10/13 - Mount Ida @ Murfreesboro
Cross Country
10/13 - UARM @ Mississippi College Fall Festival
Soccer
10/11 - UARM vs. Northern Oklahoma College - Enid 10/15 - UARM @ Seminole State College (women)
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Director Austin Booth gave Commissioners the first reading of two regulations changes concerning Arkansas hunting and fishing licenses at a special virtual meeting held Thursday, Oct. 5. The first regulation change proposed was an extension to the recently passed Resident Natural State Lifetime Combination License and Permit available to Arkansas residents aged 10 and under. The license, which gives its recipients the privileges associated with a Resident Combination Sportsman’s License and Permit, Arkansas state duck stamp and Arkansas trout stamp for life, is available for $500. Initially, 500 of these licenses were to be sold per fiscal year, but the regulation change proposed today would increase that cap to 1,000 licenses available for purchase each fiscal year. The second regulation change proposed at Thursday’s meeting would create a 30-day Nonresident WMA Waterfowl Permit for a $200 fee. Nonresident hunters may purchase this new 30-day permit or one or more of the existing 5-day permits. The 30-day permit will be valid for all available dates (first nine days of regular duck season; Dec. 27 through Jan. 5; and Jan. 21-31). The permit also offers a cost savings to nonresident waterfowl hunters who intend to hunt on WMAs during all of these days. These regulations will be available for public comment for the next 30 days before being voted on in a special Commission meeting scheduled in October. Comments may be provided via email at askagfc@agfc.ar.gov/. CWD testing With cooler weather on the horizon and archery deer season underway, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission wants to remind all hunters to help monitor chronic wasting disease in the state by using one of the AGFC’s free CWD testing locations.
All resident hunters who submit a sample for testing also will be entered into a special drawing at the close of the 2023-24 hunting season for one of two Resident Sportsman’s Lifetime Combination Licenses and Permits (valued at $1,000). The most popular method for hunters to have their deer tested is through the AGFC’s system of drop-off containers throughout the state. “We have at least one container location in every county, and multiple locations in many counties near the areas where CWD has been found.” AJ Riggs, wildlife health biologist for the AGFC, said. To use a drop-off container, bring the deer’s head with 4 to 6 inches of the neck attached and any antlers removed, and place it in one of the provided plastic bags with your name and contact information on the card provided. The AGFC will collect these samples and have them analyzed. Testing results should be available within two to three weeks. Anyone who submits a positive sample will be notified via phone as soon as the results come back. The other free option to get your deer tested for CWD is to take it to one of the AGFC’s network of participating taxidermists, who will pull a sample for you. Most taxidermists should pull a sample from any deer submitted to them, even if you are not using their service to preserve your deer.
(Ethan Nahté/Pulse)
All testing locations are available at www.agfc.com/cwd. Some of the locations have changed from last year, so hunters are encouraged to look ahead of time and find a sample location closest to their hunting area and note hours of operation. Area testing locations include the USFS Mena/Oden Ranger District Office in Mena and the Farmers Association in Dierks. CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects members of the deer/elk family (cervids). It was first described in 1967 in Colorado and since has spread to 26 states, Canada, South Korea, Finland and Norway. It was discovered in February 2016 near Pruitt and has since been found in 18 Arkansas counties. Infected animals will not show signs of disease for a long period of time, but late in the disease process, they will be thin and may demonstrate weakness, abnormal behavior, excessive thirst, or drooling. Animals generally die soon after the onset of these signs.
22 Education
October 11, 2023
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
Broyles discusses Umpire closure recommendations By Patrick Massey WICKES - The Cossatot River School Board is scheduled to meet this week to decide the future of its Umpire K-12 campus. The meeting will take place Thursday, Oct. 12, at the Cossatot River Primary School cafeteria. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. and is open to the public. Superintendent Tyler Broyles said the recommendation to close the campus is due to enrollment that has consistently dropped over the past few years, making the campus unable to financially sustain itself. “It’s very much a tough decision to have to make,” Broyles said. “Many years ago, when the Umpire campus consolidated with what was the Wickes School District, it was labeled as an isolated campus. They were able to keep their identity and have to be able to sustain themselves. The campus was told then, if it ever reaches a point where it cannot sustain itself, the district would have to look at closure. As we’ve gone through the next 20 years, isolated campuses have become fewer and fewer. A few years ago, we had a meeting with the Umpire
(Umpire school photo from CRSD website) community and expressed to them that enrollment was at an alarming low. Unfortunately, the community there has just not put their kids in the Umpire schools. That’s a decision that I respect, but the fact is, many students in that community are no longer going to Umpire.” The decline in enrollment, Broyles said, has meant less revenue for the campus. In addition, he said higher expenses are forcing the district to subsidize the negative operating balance at the Umpire campus. “Enrollment is what funds the school,” Broyles said. “We made that known to the community a few years ago and empowered them to go out and get some of those students back. We’re just seeing enrollment not increase and now we’re at a point where the district as a whole is having to subsidize the Umpire
campus a great deal, close to halfa-million dollars last year. Sadly, it’s reached a point where we have to do what’s in the best interest of the district and recommend closure. After the last two years we’ve done everything we could.” Broyles also addressed concerns from the community that funds that could prop up the Umpire campus were instead being allocated to the district’s new football and volleyball programs. That, said Broyles, is not the case. “One of those false narratives that’s going around is that the district is closing Umpire to fund its new sports programs,” Broyles said. “That could not be further from the truth. Football and volleyball at Cossatot River is in the best interest of our district. We have to advocate for all of our students. Bringing more opportunities to kids when you can do so is never a bad idea. These programs exist even while Umpire [remains open] and would exist whether the Umpire campus was closed or not closed. Football and volleyball have nothing to do with the Umpire issue. We approached both of those programs as fiscally conservative as we possibly could.” Broyles said no loss of jobs or
teaching positions are expected if the recommendation is in favor of closing the campus. All staff members at Umpire would be offered positions throughout the rest of the district. Any overage in staff would be addressed by attrition. “That’s why it’s so crucial to act now, because right now the district is in a position where we can afford to offer the Umpire teachers a job,” Broyles said. “Some might ask, ‘How will that save you?’ It’s a process called attrition. When staff members leave, we just won’t replace them because we’ll have extra from Umpire. Historically that tends to happen within a year. Districts that have done this in the past usually by this time the next year they’re having to hire teachers.” In addition, Umpire territory would remain a part of the Cossatot River School District. Umpire students who wish to attend another district would go through school choice or a legal board transfer. A Cossatot River school bus would continue to pick up students in the Umpire area. The district is welcoming community members to attend the board meeting to make their voices heard before the school board votes on the recommendation. District officials stress there are rules that must be followed to have your name placed on the agenda to speak. Details can be found by visiting the website at www.cossatot. us and clicking on the “More” tab. Community members can also call 870-385-7101 for assistance.
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
October 11, 2023
Education 23
AFBF and AHFTH support Acorn Mena Middle School wins Red Ribbon Grant Submitted by Mark Hobson drug prevention to the youth of Schools’ Backpack Program Arkansas. There is a program deSubmitted by Tammy L. Young
Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation (AFBF) and Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry (AHFTH) donated snack sticks for the Acorn Schools’ Backpack Program on Oct. 4. Through a collaborative partnership, the AFBF and AHFTH organization support schools’ backpack
programs through the wild game snack sticks program. This program provides protein in the form of shelf-stable meat snack sticks to schools to combat food insecurity in Arkansas. Acorn Schools would like to extend our appreciation to AFBF and AHFTH organization for providing the donation to support the Backpack Program.
Mena Middle School was awarded the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association Red Ribbon Grant. Since 2017 the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association (ASA) has presented Red Ribbon Grants to schools in the state of Arkansas. Our sheriffs have had the honor in presenting these funds to their county schools to help promote a drug free com-
signed for K-third, fourth-sixth, seventh-eighth and ninth-12th. If your school or organization is interested in having the team do a program in your area please contact the Association. With the help of your sheriff, the ASA strives to reach out and help the youth in our great state make the right choice to Just Say No!
(L-R) Polk County Farm Bureau Agency Manager Tony Hooper, Acorn High School Dean of Students Keith Willsey, Acorn Elementary School Dean of Students Scott Bohlman and Executive Director of Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry Ronnie Ritter. (Photo courtesy of ORSD)
Lyle named ACTE 2024 National Award Finalist
Submitted by Tammy L. Young
Congratulations to Mindy Lyle, Acorn High School family & consumer sciences teacher and FCCLA advisor being named one of four finalists for the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) National Award category for New Teacher of the Year. The ACTE Awards Gala will be held in November 2023 to recognize the best CTE educators in the country. ACTE is the nation’s largest not-for-profit association committed to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers. ACTE represents the community of CTE professionals, including educators, administrators, researchers, school counselors, guidance and career development professionals and others at all levels of
(L-R) Polk Co. Sheriff Scott Sawyer, Mena Middle School Counselor Leilani Rose, Behavioral Interventionist Ashlyn Watts and Mena Middle School Principal Todd Coogan. (Photo courtesy of Mena Public Schools) munity. Red Ribbon Week will be Oct. 23-31. The mission of the drug program is to provide children, K-12, with the information they need to live the best drug free life as possible. The ASA aim to provide skills that education. ACTE is committed to excellence in lead to better decision making and providing advocacy, public awareness a healthier life. and access to resources, professional deThe ASA Staff runs programs velopment and leadership opportunities. throughout the school year to teach
24
October 11, 2023
THE POLK COUNTY
Pulse
