Vol. 2, No. 19
Thursday, May 28, 2020
ainy day assistance considered for HSU
is atch hoto
a e e ray near addo alley is o en or all o your watery needs as r ansas and the rest o the nation in re o ening during the corona irus andemic
W here ( and if ) to v acation By P ete T u b b s Interim E ditor in Chief Summer is supposed to be a relief. It’s supposed to be a time where kids are overjoyed to be out of school and to play with friends. It’s supposed to be a time when families can be together. Of course, this being the hellish year of 2020, nothing is as it was, and that includes summer. The world is terrified, rightfully so, but that hasn’t stopped some places reopening. That means some families will be taking advantage of this fact and going on vacation. No one knows at this point if the worst is behind or ahead of us. If one decides
to take their family on vacation, that’s their choice, and no one can fault them for it. We all want things to be normal again, and what is more normal and enjoyable than a family vacation? Although some places remain closed, there are many options for fun away from home. Popular theme parks Disneyland and Disney World in California and Florida, respectively, remain closed until further notice. A popular park that is much closer to home, however, will open very soon. Magic Springs and Crystal Falls will officially reopen its gates on June 1. Its guidelines and precautions
include “re-doubled, rigorous sanitizing protocols and social distancing efforts, as we follow the guidance of state health agencies for 30% of capacity within the Theme Park and 50% of capacity within the Water Park,” according to their website. A more natural staple to summer fun is America’s beaches. While some remain closed, it may be surprising to learn just how many are open. Most of Florida’s beaches are open for business. While crowds of more than ten people are frowned upon, there are certainly sandy shores abound for traveling families. For more leisure beach
seekers, Gulf Shores, AL has been a sanctuary for decades. As of Thurs. April 30, all of their beaches are open as well. Right down the coast from Gulf Shores is Orange Beach, and while that city is certainly adhering to CDC guidelines, their beaches are no longer closed either. While Arkansas doesn’t have an ocean, it does have many lakes that can be better than seas if used properly, and most of them are open. If your family has a boat or can successfully rent one, the open water is a great place for fun and relaxation with family and friends (socially distanced, of course) during the hot weather. While most lakes are
open for recreation and fun, many campgrounds and marinas are closed or heavily shuddered. Be sure to check the website to whatever lake you plan to visit before making definite plans. While it is ultimately up to parents when deciding whether to brave the new world we live in today, it’s important to remember to socially distance, wash you and your kids’ hands, and wear facemarks when at all possible. The world has changed, and our ideas about run and recreation have to change along with it. Enjoy your summer, have fun, and be careful.
By P ete T u b b s Interim editor in chief The Arkansas Legislative Council recommended approval for $825,000 in assistance to Henderson State University from the state’s rainy day fund. A legislative subcommittee will take up the recommendation for final approval today or tomorrow, according to an e-mail sent to HSU’s faculty and staff by acting president Elaine Kneebone. If the assistance is approved, Henderson will not need to proceed with furloughs for 12-month staff as planned. The assistance isn’t free, however. According to that same e-mail, “any improvement in state revenue appropriations through the end of the fiscal year will be repaid by Henderson.” Although this is good news, Henderson State still expects its state funding for the next fiscal year to be reduced by $1-2 million, and furloughs are still possible for the month of July onward. The Arkadelphia Dispatch will continue to report on this developing story.
heerleaders selected at r adel hia
The Arkadelphia High School cheerleaders for 2020-21 have been announced. The group includes the following: Blaise Batson, Bailey Boyles, Kennedy Campbell, Audrey Cordero, Anna Derby, Taylor Echols, Kyla Elgas, Avery Garner, Kirstin Hall, Hope Howerton, Caitlyn McGough, Madison Morris, Hannah Moss, Reyna Rogers, Gracie Simpson, Emily Talley, Haedyn Taylor and Sarah Vidal
urdon ity all recei es Coronav iru s u p date f or cou nty, state old ress rom news a er By Sherry K elley ayor o urdon Thanks to a grant from the Cabe Foundation, the Gurdon City Hall is the new home of an antique Chandler and Price Letter Press from the old Gurdon Times newspaper. This hardworking beauty was a very popular choice for printers in the 1800's and 1900's. The press is aesthetically pleasing, featuring a big wheel and treadle. The doors at the Gurdon Business Center were too narrow, so we moved it through the double doors at the Gurdon Municipal Building. It looks fantastic in the entryway of City Hall. Thank you to Mike McKenzie for the loan of a pallet jack. Our city workers also used a forklift and roller system. Now we are cleaning it up and have plans to mount issues of the Gurdon Times on the wall behind the press. A spotlight on the machine, a coat of contrasting paint on the wall, a plaque describing the history of the Gurdon Times and other signage will complete the display. Thank you to Anita Cabe and the late Norman Montgomery. It is quite the thing. My mom, Mary has begun
cleaning the soot and decades of dirt off of the press. If you have an old copy of the Gurdon Times suitable for framing that you would like to donate please let me know at 870-406-1396. There is a new purple facade on Main Street. Everyone says that they like the shade of purple on the large 11 x 60 facade above the former Bill's Dollar Store. The next step for this project is a gold sign with the Gurdon Public School's "G" and some outdoor lights. I am surprised and grateful that the first phase of the revamp is completed. This project was a challenge. Last Thurs. I had an interesting go with our bucket truck. There are power lines Clark County in front of the facade and 3 active it was pretty scary. Learncases ing the ins and outs of the paint sprayer was a bit of an ordeal. Thank you to Amy Woods for her expertise. The next morning we braced the awning from below so that I could stand on it while painting. The rain prohibited any further progress until Mon. I reached as high r ansas e artment o ealth as I could on Mon. and then here are three acti e cases o in lar ounty as o this morning, according to the r ansas e artment o on Tues. we used a forklift to ealth he county has re orted total ositi e cases, with reco ered here ha e been negati e tests in the finish. I'll begin working on county o deaths ha e been re orted r ansas has re orted , total cases here are , acti e cases in the the sign next week. state, with , reco eries and deaths through mid morning See G u rdon
age
2 New s
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Cancel ‘ Up load’ By P ete T u b b s Interim E ditor in Chief Greg Daniels is a man of many talents. Producer and show runner of “Parks and Recreation,” “The U.S. Office, and King of the Hill, Daniels knows how to make a successful television series. While he’s set to reunite with star Steve Carrell this week with Netflix’s Space Force,” Daniels made a foray into Amazon territory earlier this month with pload. The high-concept show follows a man who has his entire persona uploaded to a digital heaven upon his untimely death. The comedy/drama stars Robbie Amell as Nathan Brown, the aforementioned dead dude in a computer. Co-stars include Andy Allo as Nora, his human caretaker, and Allegra Edwards as Ingrid, his still alive girlfriend. There’s a lot going on in this series and the universe around it. In pload, digital heavens are basically the future version of a cellular data plan for the afterlife. The rich are sent to fancy heavens and the poor are relegated bargain brand afterlives. Seeing as Nathan’s girlfriend is heir to loads of money, he finds himself in Lakeview, which is in the upper echelon of after death living environments. A lot of the fun of the show is seeing him interact with the programming around him.
Nothing is what it seems in Lakeview. There are glitches, cheats, and redheaded ai’s abound, not to mention the “torrent” that acts as a sort of suicide option if one wants to erase oneself. There are also many interesting characters that the audience meets through Nathan. Kevin Bigley plays Nathan’s newfound friend Luke. Luke is mostly used for comedic effect, but Bigley plays it well enough that Luke’s schtick doesn’t wear thin. One of the most interesting tenants in Lakeview is Rhys Slack’s Dylan. Dylan died six years ago when he was twelve, but his parents haven’t updated his programming, so he is essentially an eighteen year old in a twelve year old’s body. While the show uses this scenario to mine some heartfelt drama, Dylan mostly exists to be a one-joke potty-mouth in the vein of the kids from “Good Boys,” and herein lies the main problem of pload. The show cannot decide if it’s a comedy or a drama or a thriller or horror. It has elements of all of these, but it doesn’t commit firmly to any. It’s lightly funny most of the time, but then there will be a scene of jarring emotional heft followed by an extremely gory death. It’s all very confusing and muddled in its storytelling. Nora is Nathan’s watcher.
She is a low-level employee at Lakeview who watches Nathan’s life unfold on a computer screen and helps him successfully maneuver through life after death. Over the course of the first ten episodes, a romance develops between the two. Nathan has to decide whether or not to follow his newfound interest Nora, or stick with Ingrid, who is bankrolling his existence in Lakeview. This is the most interesting part of the show, and if pload focused mainly on this, it would be a resounding success. When plots like this get undercut with murder conspiracies, character disappearances that are never mentioned again, gigantic plot-holes, dropped story threads, and uneven characterization, it’s hard to care for anything or anyone onscreen. It’s frustrating to find oneself deep into a truly interesting moment in the show just to have something goofy or strange to come along and ruin the forward momentum. pload had a lot of promise. Appealing stars, a proven show-runner, and a premise with a lot of mineable goods. In the end, though, this Amazon show comes off as a pale and unsuccessful imitation of very similar works like “The Good Place,” “Defending Your Life,” and “Downsizing.” If I were you, I’d go watch those instead.
K eep up w ith your community ev ery w eek.
A rkadelp hia D isp atch
Arkadelphia Dispatch
Up com ing E v ents Second Baptist Church in Amity w ill host the Nashvi lle-based Bobby Bow en F amily Band in Concert, offering old and new Christian country favo rites, at 1 1 a.m. Sun., May 3 1 at the church, 1 1 9 E lm St., Amity. Tickets to the concert are free, but the church is asking interested persons to reserve a seat vi a E ve ntbrite; search for the band’s name. V isit https: //w w w .bobbybow en.com/ for more information on the group. > > > < < < r adel hia ands had lanned to host its first e er attress ale F undraiser from 1 0 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., April 1 8 at AHS, 4 01 High School Road, but that’s been postponed to Aug. 1 . The fundraising sale w ill feature brands such as Simmons, Beautyrest, and more, w ith on-site mattresses priced up to 5 0% below retail. > > > < < < Mena plans to stage its 4 5 Annual Q ueen W ilhelmina Rod Run from Aug. 28-29 as street rods and hot rods descend on the tow n. The tw oday eve nt features a street dance and three chances for entrants to put their cars through their paces. F or more information, vi sit https: //w w w . q ueenw ilhelminarodrun.com/. > > > < < < The Spring Haza rdous Household W aste eve nt that w as scheduled for last Sat. w as cancelled as a result of COV ID-1 9 precautions. The Southw est Regional Solid W aste Management District w ill continue w ith the F all Household Haza rdous W aste eve nt on Oct. 1 7 . The Southw est Regional Solid W aste Management District is the planning board that ove rsees solid w aste management for Clark, Garland, and Hot Spring Counties. In previ ous years, the district has hosted tw o annual Household Haza rdous W aste eve nts to offer citize ns of each county the opportunity to dispose of haza rdous w aste that sanitation departments cannot pick up as part of routine trash pick-up. E xp ect more details closer to the eve nt. O ngoing Alcoholics Anonymous hosts tw o meetings a w eek in Arkadelphia. The meetings are open to anyone interested in AA’s program of recovery. The Arkadelphia Group meets at 7 p.m. eve ry Tues. in the Sturgis Building at North 9 and Caddo Streets. F or more information on the Arkadelphia Group Meetings, call 87 0-4 03 -3 001 . The U-Turn Group meets at 7 p.m. eve ry Thurs. on the front, upper leve l of P ark Hill Baptist Church, 3 1 6 3 Hollyw ood Road. F or information on that group’s meetings, call 87 0-23 0-29 7 5 or 87 0-26 0-9 27 7 . > > > < < < Al-Anon meetings, designed to help family and friends affected by alcohol, are held three days a w eek in the Arkadelphia area: - Tues. at 7 p.m., Sturgis Building, corner of 9 and Caddo. 87 0-4 03 -201 9 - Thurs. at 6 : 3 0 p.m., P ark Hill Baptist Church. 87 0-4 03 -201 9 - F ri. at noon, Clark County L ibrary, 6 09 Caddo St., side door.
Arkadelphia Dispatch
Thursday, May 28, 2020
OBU recogniz es academic achiev ements By Rachel Moreno Ouachita Baptist University recently recognized students for outstanding academic, leadership and civic achievements during the 2019-2020 academic year with its annual Academic Awards honors. In lieu of its annual banquet held each spring, Ouachita recognized students online through social media posts and videos. Dr. Stan Poole, Ouachita’s vice president for academic affairs, as well as deans and department chairs from Ouachita’s academic schools prepared videos to personally recognize and congratulate students. The award videos can be viewed online at obu.edu/virtualacademicawards. Maggie Donnell, a senior social justice studies and psychology double major from Rogers, Ark., was awarded Ouachita’s highest academic honors as the university’s Overall Academic Achiever. Donnell also earned top academic achiever in the Sutton School of Social Sciences and was recognized as a Carl Goodson Honors Program Blue Ribbon Finisher. Ouachita’s Senior Outstanding Man is Caleb Byrd, a communications & media/ integrated communications, political science and Spanish triple major from Little Rock, Ark. Ouachita’s Senior Outstanding Woman is Addy Goodman, a communications & media/communications studies and political science double major from Arkadelphia, Ark. The Senior Outstanding Man and Woman are selected by Ouachita’s faculty and staff. Goodman also was recognized as a Carl Goodson Honors Program Blue Ribbon Finisher. Other top academic achievers in each school include: Hickingbotham School of Business – Katie Camp, a senior accounting and finance double major from Plano, Texas Pruet School of Christian Studies – Seigen Nichols, a senior Christian studies/ Christian ministry and business administration/entrepreneurship double major from Forest Hill, La. Huckabee School of Education – Savannah Hart, a senior kinesiology & leisure studies/ pre-professional studies major from Hartman, Ark. School of Fine Arts – Lesley Howard, a senior studio art and psychology double major from Lavon, Texas School of Humanities – Abby Morse, a senior English major from Georgetown, Texas Patterson School of Natural Sciences – Sheldon McCown, a senior biology major from Nacogdoches, Texas The Mrs. J.R. Grant Endowed Awards for freshman and senior female students were given to Vanessa Vives and Madison Burch. Vives is an elementary education major from Bogota, Colombia, and Burch is a Christian studies/Christian ministry major from Benton, La. The Mrs. Betty Oliver Grant Endowed Awards for sophomore and junior female students went to Kristen Holeyfield and Stephany uintero. Holeyfield is a biology major
from Searcy, Ark., and uintero is an accounting and finance double major from Arkadelphia, Ark. The Rotary Club ServiceAbove-Self Award was presented to Johnathan Miles, a physics major from Arkadelphia, Ark. Individuals honored by the Carl Goodson Honors Program and Ouachita’s seven academic schools include: CARL GOODSON HONORS PROGRAM Ben Elrod Scholar: João Rodrigues Carl Goodson Scholar: Kayla Churchwell Honors Council Scholar: Hannah Perkins and Tray Armstrong Blue Ribbon Finishers: Hayden Bowman, Shelby Bradley, Olivia Brown, Callie Anna Dunlap, Margaret Donnell, Tucker Douglass, Savannah Edwards, Hannah Gallagher, Addy Goodman, Megan Harris, Lesley Howard, Kathryn Knight, Abby Leal, Ruthie Lenards, Sheldon McCown, Emily McGee, Mattie Mae Motl, Abigail Morse, Sara Neumann, Emily Pankiewicz, Rylee Roberts, Brooke Sanderford, Claire Seale, Catherine Shirley, Rachel Smith, Savannah Stacks, Ashly Stracener, Allison Studdard, Selby Tucker, Meagan Woodard, Paige Wright and Cammie York. Most Valuable Professors: Dr. Nancy Hardman, the Edna and Freda Linn Professor of Communication Sciences and Pre-Medical Studies; Dr. Blake Johnson, assistant professor of biology; and Dr. Amy Sonheim, professor of English. HICKINGBOTHAM SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Lera Kelly Outstanding Senior in Business Administration Award: Seigen Nichols, Jacob Shelton Margaret Wright Outstanding Senior in Accounting Award: Thomas Worley Eddie Ary Outstanding Senior in Finance Award: Michael Ward Johnny Heflin Excellence in Leadership & Academics Award: Selby Tucker Outstanding Business Scholar Athlete: Madison Brittain, Brandon Matros PRUET SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN STUDIES Outstanding Student in Biblical Studies: Cody Cagle Outstanding Student in Christian Ministries: Seigen Nichols Outstanding Student in Christian Missions: Elise Nelson Don Harbuck Award for Excellence in Philosophy: Tucker Douglass Preben Vang Award for Christian Theological Studies: Taylor Fielder Outstanding Student in Community and Family Services: Kara DeLaune Elementary Hebrew Award: Felicity Johnson Robert Stagg New Testament Greek Award: Kinnon Dodson HUCKABEE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Alice Searcy Award: Hope Waid Outstanding Current Education Sophomores: Vanessa Vives (Elementary), Erin Strautman (Secondary), Lexi Huse (K-12) Sylvia Gates Webb Award:
Read the Arkadelphia Dispatch.
Breanna Parker Maude Wright Memorial Award: Brittany Burr Phi Delta Kappa Teachers in Training: Lexis Miller (Elementary), Caroline Sweet (Secondary), Emma Pitts (K12) Charles Chambliss Distinguished Educator Award: Natalie Jackson, Rachel Patterson Bob Gravett Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Teaching Award: Hunter Groom Tona Wright Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Fitness Award: Allie Freeman Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Recreation and Sports Administration Award: Jackson Nichols Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Pre-Professional Studies Award: Garrett Pearson, Savannah Hart SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS Francie Phelan Outstanding Senior – Graphic Design: Abby Leal Francie Phelan Outstanding Senior – Studio Art: Lesley Howard Raybon-Berry Outstanding Freshman Visual Arts Major: Saba Esho, Elizabeth Hill Russell Shad Memorial Art Award for Outstanding Junior: Maddie Bayer, Jenna Whitlow Theatre Arts Outstanding Student Award – Freshman: LilyKay Feimster Theatre Arts Outstanding Student Award – Junior: Danielle Hall Alpha Psi Omega Senior Award: Dylan Blackwood, Emily Johnson Alpha Psi Omega Outstanding Service: Meagan Woodard Sigma Alpha Iota College Honor Award: Paige Bagley Sigma Alpha Iota Scholarship Award: Paige Bagley The Presser Scholar: Holli Barger Rachel Fuller Scholarship: Karlee Sanders James Harrison Scholarship: Allan Schroeder Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Art: Tehya Hinkson Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Instrumental: Cross Brandon Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Piano: Anna Weyenberg Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Theatre: Kinsey Potts Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Voice: Karlee Sanders SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES Outstanding Senior English Major: Abby Morse, Daryn McMinn Outstanding Junior Louise Searcy Bennett Scholarship Award: Emily Koonce Outstanding Sophomore Herman Sandford Scholarship Award: Cora Saddler Outstanding Freshman in English: Austin Crook The Sharpest Speer Award: Paige Write Outstanding Freshman Spanish Major: Hannah Rossell Outstanding Sophomore Spanish Major: Cora Saddler Outstanding Junior Spanish Major: Kara DeLaune Outstanding Senior Spanish Major: Ashlynn Walton El Tigre Award: Aubrey Rogers Outstanding Student in Latin: Tucker Douglass
Outstanding Student in German: Anna Weyenberg Bill & Vera Downs Outstanding Sophomore Mass Communications Student Award: Matthew Branch Matt Turner Outstanding Junior Mass Communications Major Award: Madeline Martin William D. Downs Outstanding Mass Communications Graduate Award: Ethan Dial, Josh Salim Roy Buckelew Outstanding Speech Major Award: Stone Boshears Publicat ions Aw ard s : Brooke Woessner (Ouachitonian), Ethan Dial (Signal), Justin Trostle and Danielle Sourber (Photo Lab), Ashton Spence (Video Production) PATTERSON SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES Outstanding Freshman Biology Award: Dylan Clayton Richard H. Brown Biology Award: Cade Haynie Outstanding Senior in Biology Award: Sheldon McCown, Michael Neathery Outstanding Dietetics & Nutrition Award: Kimberly Reid Freshman Chemistry Award: Marly Welborn, Jade Dorman Ethel & Nell Mondy and E.A. Provine Scholar: Kayla Churchwell Outstanding Graduate in Chemistry: Alex Podguzov Harvey Research Award: Tiffany Koba Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior – Mathematics Education: Ashlynn Walton Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior – Physics: Jake Morris Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior – Computer Science: Caleb Webb Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence – Mathematics and Computer Science: Caleb Harmon, Sarah Freeze Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence – Math Education: Katie Harmon Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence – Physics: Maddie Young Mathematics Ambassador Award: Betsy Patterson Compassionate Scientist Award: Brooke Sanderford W.H. SUTTON SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES Everett Slavens Award to Outstanding Sophomore: Brianna Taylor Lavell Cole Award to Outstanding Future Teacher: Hannah Bridge Fran Coulter Award to Outstanding Junior: Tucker Douglass R.C. Daily Award to Outstanding Senior: Zach Kelley Phi Alpha Theta Award for Outstanding Research Paper: Nicholas Herrington Bob Riley Outstanding Graduate in Political Science Award: Selby Tucker Psychology Faculty Award: Josie Collins, Victoria Martin Zeitgeist Award: Lila Buchanan, Stephanie McCown Weldon Vogt Outstanding Psychology Senior Award: Justin McGee, Leslie Howard Outstanding Junior Sociology Award: Holly Ritchie Outstanding Graduating Senior Sociology Award: Naya Young Justice Seeker: Jamie Bunting
P lan Continued from page 1
Thank you to my husband Bill for his help. There is more to come with the aid of the grant money from The Ross Foundation. Last Fri. was fun. I met a new friend, Seth Kreves. Seth has seen the Gurdon Light several times and he's seen the Crossett Light also. His latest Gurdon Light sighting was on a Sat. in March of this year. We went down the trail and marked exactly where he was when he saw the light and we marked where the light appeared to be when he saw it.
New s 3 I learned a lot about the light from Seth. He compared the Gurdon Light to the one in Crossett saying that both lights move up and down the trail when white. However, the Gurdon Light changes colors to yellow, red and orange and then it moves side to side across the trail. He and street department worker Tony Inscore shared stories of sightings and they were very similar. More formal markers of sightings will be added. If you see the light let me know so that we may mark your location. If it ever dries up we will complete the dirt work on the parking area and plan fun events. I will keep you posted.
Another morning before w ork By Braden Carm an Spring weather in Arkansas can be crazy. As I pulled into Falk Plumbing Supply’s parking lot to meet the crew, it was 42 degrees outside with a projected high of 74. I stepped out of the truck and felt the cold morning air. The other four guys I work with were already gathered around the truck. As I walked up they greet me with friendly pushes and shoves. “We want 120 foot of three inch and 80 foot of two,” Jaye, Laser Plumbing’s most experienced employee, said in his phone while finishing up our order. The rest of us began to load the PVC on the box trailer like ants carrying pieces of dirt in a single file line. After a while, one of the Falk employees wheeled out boxes containing all of the supplies we had ordered for the day ahead. There were three cardboard boxes in all different sizes. Somehow, the mid-sized one weighed substantially more than the other two. Finally, we were all loaded up. Jaye, Lucas and I were in the Dodge dually work truck with Toyo all-terrain tires, and the other two guys were in the beat-up Chevy that looks like something from Antique Roadshow.
Once we left the parking lot, it seemed just like a normal day of work. No worldwide pandemic going on. Just work. “The light’s green. GO!” Jaye yelled at the red Nissan Maxima in front of us. The person mustn’t have realized the light had turned green. They sat there banging their head to what sounded like loud hums and bass drops from our truck. When Jaye honked the horn, they hit the gas like someone out of a “Fast and Furious” movie and almost rear-ended the car ahead of them. The rest of the ride was like every other day. It wasn’t even eight a.m., yet and I dozed off in my seat. That’s when I woke up, feeling like something was on my nose. I looked and saw Lucas out of the corner of my eye trying to sit back without me noticing. I pulled the sun visor down so I could look in the mirror I could already hear Lucas snickering and In the mirror I saw a squiggly line drawn on my nose. Luckily I find a wipe in the glove box in front of my knees and wiped the mark off as we pulled into a dirt lot where another day of work was about to begin.
Associate band director at HSU
Henderson State University has hired Dontay Douglas as the new associate director of bands. Douglas is active as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for festivals across the Southeast and has presented at state and regional conferences. Douglas is noted for his drill designs, and last season wrote for 10 high schools in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Texas, as well as Eastern Michigan University, Florida A&M, and the Miami Dolphins Marching band. A native of Miami, Florida, Douglas recently completed
a Master of Music degree in wind band conducting at Florida Atlantic University where he served as graduate assistant with the athletic and concert Bands. He taught and assisted in the operations of the FAU band program, including conducting the FAU Wind Ensemble. Douglas earned a Bachelor of Science in music (percussion), cum laude, from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida. His previous teaching experiences include work in the South Florida region at Palm Beach Lakes and McArthur High Schools.
Arkadelphia Dispatch Editor: P ete Tubbs arkadelphiadispatch@ gmail.com 87 0-23 0-5 221 The Arkadelphia Dispatch is published w eekly by Nashv ille L eader, Inc., 1 1 9 N. Main, Nashv ille, AR 7 1 85 2.
4 Sports
Thursday, May 28, 2020
HSU softball coach resigns
Courtesy photo/BRIAN BOATRIGHT
Fishing tournaments continue, albeit with social distancing, during the usually busy fishing season.
Tournament ‘a great day’
By Brian Bagwell As I pull into the fish hatchery boat ramp on Lake Hamilton, it is very clear that people are social distancing. The lot, normally scattered with groups of fishermen discussing their strategies for the day is eerily quiet. It is still dark as I back the boat into the water. Thunder crashes and lightning streaks across the sky. Through the darkness of the dimly lit parking lot, I can see others putting on their rain gear. I pull my own gear out of the box and notice immediately the odor of mildew from the dampness created in the tight storage space. It is almost time to begin and the pungent scent of outboard motors starting fill my nose. As dawn breaks, and the skies begin to lighten, the rain begins to fall. Lightning is now striking all around so I navigate the boat to the highway 7 bridge to seek shelter. A group of ducks have joined me and quack back and forth as they paddle around. Sitting alone waiting for the storm to pass, my mind is in overdrive planning my next move. Half an hour has passed; the storm is gone but light
Arkadelphia Dispatch
rain lingers. Squirrels are now playing in the low overhanging branches that stretch out over the water. I flip a worm under an old wooden boat dock that is completely covered in leaves and moss, my line tightens and I land my first fish of the day. A young boy waves at me through the window of his home as I continue to troll down the bank. The smell of bacon suddenly fills my nose and I see a family enjoying their covered outdoor kitchen. The rain has stopped and the sounds of automobiles crossing the bridge in the distance remind me of a drum cadence. Clack, clack, click, over and over, one after another. An elderly gentleman still wearing his drab olive green house coat, lifts his coffee cup in the air and hollers “good morning,” I wave back and return his salutation. As I maneuver the boat into the back of a long pocket, I immediately see flowers blooming along the shore line and the sweet smell of honeysuckle takes over the air. Spring is in full bloom. The trees begin to sway in the light wind as if they
are dancing. As fish began breaking the surface of the water, I manage to catch another one. Towards the back of the pocket I see another boat so I start up and idle away. Now partly cloudy and 58 degrees the day has turned out to be very productive. With five fish now in the live well, it is time to make my way back to the ramp. Cruising at 60 mph across the lake, I disrupt a group of geese. They appear to be running on water before finally taking flight just in time to avoid collision with the front of my boat. Boat on the trailer and fish in the bag I wait for my name to be called. The tournament director is using a karaoke machine as a loud speaker to summon us in. I approach the weigh-in, receive my results and make my way down the ramp to release today’s catch. The area smells of fish and murky water. Back at the truck I am informed that I mustered a fourth place finish. Not the finish I had hoped for, but I was still pleased. Being outdoors, doing what I love, made for a great day.
“As I pull into the fish hatchery boat ramp on Lake Hamilton, it is very clear that people are social distancing. The lot, normally scattered with groups of fishermen discussing their strategies for the day, is eerily quiet.”
HSU Media Release Henderson State Athletics has announced that head softball coach Beth Jackson has resigned and that associate head coach David Martinez will be promoted to the head coaching position effective Tuesday night. Jackson, who has led the program since 2009, will become the new head softball coach at Gurdon High School, where her husband Kyle has been the front man for the Go-Devils football program since 2014. "Beth Jackson has been the face of Henderson State softball for over a decade and I want to personally thank her for her hard work and dedication to not only the softball program but to Reddie Athletics as a whole," athletic director Shawn Jones said. "Her radiant positivity and spirit shined through in her teams and in her interactions with players, fellow coaches and peers. We are excited for Beth and her family as they begin an exciting new professional chapter." In her 12 years at Henderson, Jackson became the school's all-time leader in wins with 311, coached 39 all-conference players and had two earn All-American honors. The pinnacle of her career came in 2015 when she guided the Reddies to a 43-15 record and the program's first ever Great American Conference title. "Today is a bittersweet moment for me and my family," Jackson said. "We are incredibly excited to begin this new journey together at Gurdon High School, but saying goodbye to Henderson State and the Reddie community is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Not only did we accomplish great things on the diamond in my 12 years here, but we made so many memories and lifelong friendships as well. Henderson State truly is a special place. I will always cherish my time in Arkadelphia and the Reddies will forever hold a piece of my heart." With Jackson's resignation, Martinez, who has been with Jackson since 2018 and was promoted to associate head coach entering this season, will become the program's sixth head coach since its inception in 1999. "I am thrilled for David, his wife Kelci, who has been a star for our institution in
Coach Beth Jackson the admissions department, and their new son DJ, as they now get the opportunity to direct the softball program at a university that I know means so much to them," Jones said. "David's experience and acumen has him fully prepared for this role. He has earned his chance to be a head coach and I am excited to see him display the vision and passion that I know will bring Reddie softball tremendous future success." Before joining the Reddies' staff in 2018, Martinez spent the 2017 season as an assistant coach at Conference USA member Southern Miss and the eight years prior to that as an assistant coach at DII Delta State of the Gulf South Conference. In his time with the Lady Statesmen, Martinez helped lead DSU to its first-ever NFCA Top-25 ranking in 2016 and its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014. At Delta, Martinez coached 19 different players who earned All-GSC honors, nine All-South Region selections and a GSC Freshman of the Year recipient. Preceding his entrance into full-time coaching, Martinez served as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, Sul Ross State University, in 2008, where he earned his Master's degree in Physical Education. As an undergraduate, Martinez
was a baseball player for the NCAA Division III school and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Sports Medicine in 2003 before enjoying a playing career in the Mexican Professional Baseball League, as well as other leagues around the United States. "I am incredibly humbled and honored to be named the next head coach at Henderson State," Martinez said. "I want to thank Shawn, president Kneebone and the administration for giving me this incredible opportunity, coach Jackson who brought me to Henderson and gave me the chance to work alongside her, as well as all the coaches I've worked with in my career that helped prepare me for this moment. I have known Beth for over a decade and fulfilled a dream of both of ours when she hired me in 2018 as her assistant. The Jackson family will always be a part of this program and I look forward to continuing and expanding upon the traditions that Beth built here at Henderson. Finally, I am extremely grateful for the support of the Reddie community that has welcomed my family with open arms the last three years. I promise that this program will make you proud of what we accomplish both on and off the field."