Vol. 2, No. 26
Thursday, July 23, 2020
Arkadelphian to compete in Ouachita faculty team gets grant Motocross Championship
Photos Courtesy of Kelly Howerton Pictured above and below: Hope Howerton, formerly of Rockwall, TX, will compete in the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Amatuer National Motocross Championship from Aug. 3 - 8.
By Kelly Howerton Arkadelphia Resident Hope Howerton, a resident of Arkadelphia, recently qualified to compete in the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch, to take place Aug. 3-8 in Hurricane Mills, TN. This will be Hope’s 4th time to compete at the ranch. She is the only participant from Arkansas that will be competing in her class and she will compete against girls from all over the world. Hope’s family moved from Rockwall, Texas to Arkadelphia in 2019 and she is the great-granddaughter of longtime Arkadelphia residents, the late John Bland and Bobbie Bland. In addition to motocross rac-
ing, Hope attends Arkadelphia High School where she is a member of the volleyball team, varsity cheerleader and an Arkadelphia Badger Scholar recipient. According to MXSPORTS, “Loretta Lynn’s Ranch is more than a destination; it’s also home to country music legend Loretta Lynn and her family. Motocross families can witness the historical landmark through the many tourism options offered at the Ranch.” Along with the anticipated races, other events that will take place during the Championship are karaoke, a Loretta Lynn Kennel Club Dog Show, a talent show, multiple chapel services, a movie night, and a country music festival featuring several artists.
FSA County Committee nominations due Aug. 3 USDA Farm Production and Conservation Little Rock, Arkansas, July 15, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farmers and ranchers that they have until Aug. 3, 2020, to nominate eligible candidates to serve on local FSA county committees. Agricultural producers who participate or cooperate in an FSA program, including the current Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee. Individuals may nominate themselves or others as a candidate.
CED Carlee Helms, Executive Director for FSA in Clark County, Arkansas, said each year an election is held in a Local Administrative Area (LAA) where a committee member’s threeyear term is expiring. For 2020, an election will be held in LAA 1, which includes Alpine, Amity, Hollywood, Palestine, Okolona, Dobyville and Boswell communities. “The Aug. 3 deadline is quickly approaching,” said CED Helms. “If you know of a great candidate or want to nominate yourself to serve on your local county committee, contact your FSA office before the deadline to submit the nomination
form. I especially encourage the nomination of beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as women and minorities. This is your opportunity to have a say in how federal programs are delivered in your county.” Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. The committees are made of three to 11 members and typically meet once a month. Members serve three-year terms. Producers serving on FSA county committees play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of the agency. To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee,
a person must participate or cooperate in an agency administered program and reside in the LAA where the election is being held. A complete list of eligibility requirements, more information and nomination forms are available at fsa. usda.gov/elections. To be considered, a producer must sign an FSA669A nomination form. All nomination forms for the 2020 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA county office by Aug. 3, 2020. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters beginning Nov. 2, 2020.
Aug. 8 Clark County Clinton Day Dinner cancelled By Zach Bledsoe Chair, Clinton Day Dinner With a keen awareness of COVID-19 health concerns, we regret to announce that the 25th Annual Democratic Party of Clark County Clinton Day Dinner, scheduled for Saturday, August 8, has been cancelled. The Clark County Democratic Committee made this decision out of great concern for the health of members and guests, as well as a desire to put the safety of others first. Plans are already underway for the 2021 Silver Anniver-
sary Dinner. For 24 years, the Clinton Day Dinner has been a successful stable event in Arkansas Democratic politics. Candidates for local, state, and national elected offices have attended the Clinton Day Dinner which is always an excellent political campaign and networking opportunity. Funds raised have allowed the Committee to assist Democratic candidates and generated funds to pay operating expenses associated for the local headquarters building. This year, the Clark County
Committee is working for the re-election of State Senator, Bruce Maloch, who serves part of Clark County, and William Hanson, candidate for Fourth Congressional District Representative. The Committee is committed to helping all Democratic candidates with our time, energy, and funds. Many Committee members who purchased a table and tickets in previous years have generously pledged to donate the price of a table or tickets to help the Committee continue working for candidates and to
maintain the headquarters building. The Committee is asking any previous table or ticket sponsor, to please consider a donation for those purposes. A table would have been $320.00; half-table, $160.00 and one ticket $40.00. The past support and attendance at the dinners are the reasons for past success and any amount donated will be appreciated. Donations can be sent to The Democratic Party of Clark County, PO Box 436, Arkadelphia, AR 71923.
ARKADELPHIA, Ark.— A team of Ouachita Baptist University faculty members has been selected as a recipient of the Accelerating Disability Inclusion Community-Based Micro-Grant by the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability’s (NCHPAD) Inclusion: Community MicroGrant Program. Ouachita is one of seven communitybased organizations from around the country to be awarded the micro-grant. According to the NCHPAD website, recipients of the program’s Accelerating Disability Inclusion Community-Based Micro-Grant are charged with creating or advancing disability inclusion efforts – in programs, policy, systems or environments – through an innovative, community-based project. Ouachita’s faculty team plans to use the NCHPAD Community Health Inclusion Index assessment tool to identify accessible walking areas in Arkadelphia neighborhoods; develop an app that maps these neighborhoods, streets and other routes in the community; and create a video to train Arkadelphia residents about accessibility and inclusion. Group Living, Inc. and Pediatrics Plus of Arkadelphia also will aid the team in identifying target neighborhoods based on residence of persons with disabilities, community connectivity and safety of active transport. “The purpose of this is increase overall inclusion of persons with disabilities in community events and neighborhood engagement and improve the ability of persons with disabilities to be physically active in their own communities,” said Dr. Amber Chelette, assistant professor of kinesiology & leisure studies. “We will build bridges to alleviate attitudinal barriers as well as point out physical barriers to inclusion of persons with disabilities and educate those in attendance on how they can personally contribute to the goal of removing barriers to inclusion for persons with disabilities.” The team of Ouachita faculty members includes Chelette; Hallie Clark, instructor of kinesiology & leisure studies; and Dr. Allyson Phillips, assistant professor of psychology. All three have a special interest and expertise in the field of disability and health. Chelette teaches an Adapted Kinesiology Course at Ouachita, which instructs students how to lead recreation, exercise and sport activities for persons with disabilities and chronic health conditions, and she leads a group exercise program at Group Living, an organization that serves adults with developmental disabilities in Arkadelphia. Phillips conducts research within the disability community regarding Down syndrome and is an advocate for Ouachita students who have autism spectrum disorders. Clark, a new member to the Ouachita faculty this fall, recently earned her Master of Science degree in exercise science from the University of Arkansas with
an emphasis in adapted physical activity. “There is a lot of stigma and misunderstanding regarding disabilities, and we want to help break down those barriers,” Phillips said. “Our long-term hopes for Arkadelphia are to see individuals with disabilities involved in all aspects of community life, developing relationships with their neighbors and having opportunities for work and recreational activities. We hope to see true inclusion in Arkadelphia!” The team also will be assisted by Tyrese Allen, a senior biology and psychology double major from Savannah, Ga., and Geoff Hartley, a 2019 communications & media/film studies graduate from Rockwall, Texas. “It is meaningful when faculty members from different departments combine efforts to address a problem in the world around us,” said Dr. Jeff Root, dean of Ouachita’s Huckabee School of Education as well as its School of Humanities. “Dr. Chelette is highly regarded as an expert in physical activity and health, as well as a strong proponent of disability inclusion. Paired with Dr. Phillips, also an expert in this field, the two have put together an outstanding team. I am excited about how they will involve students in an important effort to have a positive and lasting impact on individuals and families in Arkadelphia.” Founded in 1999, NCHPAD is a national resource and practice center that empowers communities, organizations and individuals to create livable places, healthy people and sustainable inclusion. The organization’s Inclusion: Community Micro-Grant Program recognizes and aims to support and grow existing community efforts that promote inclusive health for people with disabilities, specifically to improve physical activity, nutrition or healthy weight management. “I was inspired to apply for the NCHPAD grant after making some personal observations while trick-ortreating last fall,” Chelette said. “I was pushing a stroller with my toddler around a popular trick-or-treating neighborhood in Arkadelphia with a group of friends. To say it was challenging is an understatement.” Chelette noted incomplete sidewalks, no curb cuts, several obstructed pathways with misplaced mailboxes and landscaping, as well as homes with multiple steps leading from the street to the front door. “Myself and my toddler waited on the street while his sister and other kids participated in the event,” she continued. “I thought: If I feel left out when I could realistically dump the stroller, how do kids or parents who use wheelchairs feel this time of year? This prompted some meaningful conversations with my colleagues, and we ultimately decided to pursue funding to increase awareness and accessibility in our community.”