Vol. 2, No. 33
Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020
Petition to refund athletic fee started at Henderson State University after Fall sports postponed Julie Young Dispatch Reporter
A student-led petition regarding the Henderson State University athletic fee is making the rounds on the popular petition website Change.org. Tyler Draper, a senior at Henderson, created “HSU Refund Athletic Fee” on September 4. The online description details the reasoning behind the reimbursement request for this fall semester’s athletic fee. “The Great American Conference canceled 2020 Fall Sports. Students at Henderson State University were still charged an Athletic Fee at $19.75 per credit hour. That is $237 for a full-time student at 12 hours. Henderson State is the school with a heart and cares for its students. During a National Pandemic, Students can not afford to pay for non-existent athletics.” Tyler Draper, a member of Henderson Young Democrats and Sigma Tau Gamma, felt compelled to create the petition not just for himself but for fellow students. “Students have felt betrayed during a National Pandemic. We’re being charged more for Athletics per credit hour than the hourly state minimum wage,” Draper said. The current minimum wage in Arkansas is $10. After the creation of the
petition and subsequent sharing to Facebook, the Henderson State University Facebook page reached out to comment on the post. “University fees cover expenses for the entirety of the
academic year and are not limited to activities in one semester. We are not aware of any plans to refund fees.” The petition has been updated to reflect this development. Despite the unofficial
social media response, the petition is addressed to Brad Patterson, Henderson’s Vice President of Student Affairs and Student Success. “Dr. Patterson was civil and reached out to explain
the reasoning for the fee,” Draper said. Tina Hall, the Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Henderson, has also provided reasoning behind
Photo courtesy of Change.org. Tyler Draper, a student at Henderson State, started a petition to refund the athletic fee that students have paid because Fall sports have been postponed.
whether or not the school will issue a refund. “Even though the Great American Conference has suspended games through December 31, Henderson’s 400 plus student-athletes continue to prepare for a return to competition,” said Hall. “Fees support year-round operations of the university, and athletic activities and preparation have continued despite the suspension of games.” While students push for a refund to the athletic fee — one which costs some students upwards of $400 a semester — Hall vouches for the affordability of the school. “Affordability is an important factor that we consider when preparing the university’s annual budget. Henderson State University has the second-lowest total cost for student fees as compared with the other ten public universities in Arkansas for 2020-2021,” Hall said. “We will continue to work to balance operational costs while maintaining a tuition and fee structure that remains competitive in our state and region.” With an original goal of ninety-nine signatures by the end of the first day, Draper’s petition has garnered 609 signatures and counting. The goal is now set for 1,000. “I just hope the school with a heart will be the school with a brain and do what’s right,” Draper said.
The Delf improv team to perform live this week in Arkansas Hall after months of performing virtually
Photo courtesy of Rae Lynn Dinger. From left to right: Kelly Stiles, Sarah Miller, Ethan Schmidt, Kailey Osborne, Josh Wiseman, Cody Crank, and Hannah Mims are all members of the Delf Improv team.
This Fri., the Delf Improv
team is performing live from Arkansas Hall Studio Theatre—and in person. Since their formation
ARKADELPHIA, AR – The 2021 edition of Arkadelphia Life and the DeGray Lake Adventure Guide will be combined into one publication, according to the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance & Area Chamber of Commerce. The new publication is expected to be distributed in the first quarter of 2021, prior to the annual meeting of the Alliance. “The relocation guide is an essential part of the Chamber’s mission. This annual publication serves as a way-finding guide for students, new residents and visitors to Arkadelphia and
Clark County,” said Shelley Loe, Executive Vice President of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance & Area Chamber of Commerce. The magazine-styled guide’s purpose is to highlight the quality of life in Arkadelphia. It features the two prestigious universities, local public school districts, essential living information, dining, shopping, attractions and a list of the community’s annual events. Loe stated,“For the past several years the DeGray Lake Adventure Guide has served as a visitors recreation guide to the area.
Rae Lynn Dinger Dispatch Reporter
in January and their first performance in April, Delf Improv has done all of their improvisations through
classic quarantine means like Facebook Live and Discord due to Covid-19 restrictions. However, this coming Friday, the team will finally get to do their first in-person show, and couldn’t be more excited. “Doing improv in front of a live crowd has such a different feel,” said Ethan Schmidt, one of the team’s members, “I once remember a guy from my high school’s improv team saying that improv helps him stay sane, and I agree with him, especially now.” For Ethan, the creation of an improv team was part of the reason he chose to attend Henderson over other colleges. The idea of forming a team where one had never been drew him and other like-minded individuals in to the idea. Delf Improv is made up of seven members, all Henderson students who enjoy performing, and have been eager to do an in-person show. In Ethan’s case, it helps him take a moment to breathe. “Improv helps me slow down and focus on one
small thing at a time,” he said, juggling the demands of being busy with theatre, his position on radio station staff, and being apart of the team, “I guess that’s why this whole thing is special to me. On top of that, life is in a new reality due to Covid and impending economic troubles, so I think one of the things that we’re learning about is choosing to still have fun in tough times.” As for safety precautions taken to avoid spread of Covid-19, the performance will be socially distanced to the best of their ability. The team members will be spread six feet apart in marked off sections, but still act as if they’re next to each other. Masks will be worn, and as for the audience, there will be signs telling which seats are available. The team will be doing a Harold style performance, considered a signature style of long-form improv that is used by many sitcoms, such as “Seinfeld” or “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” The format is a bundle of scenes that play off a single sugges-
tion, usually given by the audience. Delf Improv has tentative plans for another in-person show in October, but due to most plans being up in the air because Covid-19, it is still in the early stages of being planned. However, Ethan doesn’t let that get him down too much, saying, “I think one of the greatest things I’ve learned form doing improv is to choose to have fun when everything is starting to spiral around you out of control.”
The story titled “The Virus Center Stage” mistakenly contained a duplicate story last week. Lance Brownfield’s original story can be found on hsuoracle. com and issuu.com
Annual publications Arkadelphia Life and Clark County Adventure to merge into one come 2021
Photo courtesy of Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance. In 2021, the Arkadelphia Life and Clark County Adventure guide will combine into one publication.
However, since our tourism business is so critical to the area economy, we chose to
combine visitor activity suggestions with new resident information to create an
all-in-one resource guide.” The new community resource guide will include several new sections with special pricing to make it affordable for any business. Now that the two resource guides have merged, the new publication will reach more visitors and residents and potentially lead to more local revenue. According to Leah Hasley, President of the Arkadelphia Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, “we depend on the support of our advertisers to help underwrite the cost of this important publication. It’s a real win-win situation.
We get a first-class publication, and our members receive an opportunity to promote their services to visitor and newcomers to the area.” Arkadelphia Life is in its sixth year of publication and is produced by The Diamond Agency. The project is supported by more than 60 local advertisers and sponsors. For more information on the publication, contact Shelley Loe at (870) 246-5542 or Don Hale, publisher of Arkadelphia Life, at (870) 862-1010 or don@diamondagency.com.
2 News
Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020
Arkadelphia Dispatch
Westerman remembering the Sept. 11 tragedy Bruce Westerman AR Representative
The world as we knew it forever changed on September 11, 2001. I’ll never forget the collective shock and grief all Americans felt watching the live footage from New York City, Washington D.C. and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Nineteen years later, we still take time to pause and remember the innocent lives lost that day. I’ve also been thinking of all those who immedi-
ately sprang into action and signed up to defend our country and volunteered to help the cities recover. People like Joe, a firefighter from Hot Springs who went to New York City to help with rescue efforts. People like my wife’s nephew Roger, a Marine who deployed to Iraq and made the ultimate sacrifice. People like my friend John, who quit his job in engineering after 9/11 and signed up for the Secret Service. These and so many others are American
heroes who answered the call to serve. We will never forget the memories of those who lost their lives, and we will always defend this country against enemies who threaten our freedoms. I remember that on 9/11, there were no Republicans or Democrats. We were only Americans, resolved to stand together in unity and look forward to the future. I hope the same can be said of us today. May God bless America.
Southeast Arkansas’s Newest Success Story Asa Hutchinson AR Governor
LITTLE ROCK – Today I’d like to share a story about the business success of a family that also is an economic development success for southeast Arkansas. The story begins with a fifteen-year-old Guatemalan who immigrated to the United States in 1999. For six months, Vigler Mazariegos harvested fruit and vegetables in South Florida, supporting himself and sending money home to his parents in Guatemala. In 2000, he moved to Georgia to work for a poultry processing company, where he met Delmis. They have been married for nearly twenty years and have a son and four daughters. After four years at the poultry plant, Vigler left to help Delmis’s father start a used-car dealership. A year after that, he took a job driving a forklift for a company that manufactured cargo trailers. This is where Vigler dreamed of starting his own company, and in the years since, he has built a business that has changed his life and improved life for dozens of his employees. In 2004, he and a partner founded a company to build cargo trailers. Then in
2012, he and Delmis started their own company. Vigler designed the sheet-metal trailers, and he and two employees built them. Delmis finished them out, from silicone to sanding to final inspection. They named the company Cynergy Cargo, and they employ about a hundred people. They have built over 37,000 trailers in the eight years since they built their first one. When they decided to expand their business beyond Georgia at the start of 2020, they contacted Katherine Andrews, a project manager at Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Crossett was one of the cities Katherine suggested they consider. The rest is Crossett economic development history and future. On September 3, I joined Vigler, Delmis, their plant managers Luis Mejia and his wife, Cynthia Rodriguez, and leaders from Arkansas Economic Development to cut the ribbon at Cynergy Cargo. This is a community partnership at many levels. Cynergy will be able to hire many well-trained graduates from the University of Arkansas at Monticello’s College of Technology. Cyn-
ergy is a family-focused business with values that are a great fit for Crossett and Southeast Arkansas. Cynergy was the first company to announce plans to expand in Arkansas after the pandemic drifted into the United States. Within two years, the company will employ 70 fulltime employees that will include carpenters, welders, and electricians. Howard Beaty Jr., president of the Crossett Economic Development Foundation Board, put it well on the day of the grand opening. He said: “In the middle of a global pandemic, Cynergy Cargo lifted the spirits in our community.” Crossett’s new Mayor Crystal Marshall spoke for many when she said this is a win for Crossett, Ashley County, and all of southeast Arkansas. As the grandopening ceremony ended, I had the honor of driving the final screw into the first Cynergy trailer to come off the new line in Crossett. In the years ahead, I am certain that many more cargo trailers will roll off the line at Cynergy Cargo. This is a great addition to Crossett and Southeast Arkansas and a wonderful immigrant success story.
Changes in broadband capability in Arkansas LITTLE ROCK – Before this year, the legislature had already laid the groundwork for expansions of broadband capability in education and health care. In response to the changing needs of schools and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, legislators have accelerated the pace of projects that expand broadband access in rural Arkansas and in small towns. Thanks in large part to funding in the federal CARES Act, state officials have been able to beef up wireless capacity throughout Arkansas. CARES is an acronym that stands for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. It was approved by Congress and signed by the president in March to offset the financial impact caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Arkansas is to receive about $1.25 billion in total from the act, which made possible funding of $25 million for broadband. That amount was increased in August by $100 million. As a result of legislative action last week, more businesses, such as electric cooperatives, now are eligible to participate in the Arkansas Rural Connect program. Already, internet service providers, such as telephone companies, could join the program. The legislative action made the rules of the program more flexible in another important category – the population threshold needed for eligibility. Previously, a community had to have at least 500 people in order to qualify for a grant, but many isolated communities had difficulty reaching that threshold. After the
legislative rules change, they can now apply for a grant. The rules change was approved by the Legislative Council’s Executive Subcommittee and implemented by the state Commerce Department. The benefits of the change are numerous. All companies with the capability can now work with local governments to expand Internet access within their boundaries. Municipalities that own their own utility service are also included. More rural communities qualify for the grants. Expanding access to broadband allows telemedicine, distance learning and working from home. The goal of the Arkansas Rural Connect program is to help areas that lack Internet, and areas where Internet service is unreliably slow and inconsistent. The legislature had already laid the foundation for expansion of Internet services across Arkansas
with the passage of Act 198 of 2019. It revised the complex regulatory process governing telecommunications, to allow more entities to become Internet providers. The Arkansas Rural Connect program is just one of several state efforts to expand Internet access. The state Education Department is spending $10 million to buy 20,000 devices that create “hot spots.” In addition, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is administering a $2 million grant program for rural communities to expand Internet. It helps them pay for the costs of applying for grants, which can be considerable. Government aid is available for areas that lack Internet service, but in order to demonstrate a lack of service the community has to conduct an accurate survey. Very few small towns have budgeted money for conducting surveys.
Upcoming Events >>> <<< The Spring Hazardous Household Waste event that was scheduled for last Sat. was cancelled as a result of COVID-19 precautions. The Southwest Regional Solid Waste Management District will continue with the Fall Household Hazardous Waste event on Oct. 17. The Southwest Regional Solid Waste Management District is the planning board that oversees solid waste management for Clark, Garland, and Hot Spring Counties. Ongoing >>> <<< Alcoholics Anonymous hosts two meetings a week in Arkadelphia. The meetings are open to anyone interested in AA’s program of recovery. The Arkadelphia Group meets at 7 p.m. every Tues. in the Sturgis Building at North 9 and Caddo Streets. For more information on the Arkadelphia Group Meetings, call 870-403-3001. The U-Turn Group meets at 7 p.m. every Thurs. on the front, upper level of Park Hill Baptist Church, 3163 Hollywood Road. For information on that group’s meetings, call 870-2302975 or 870-260-9277. >>> <<< Through the summer the Arkadelphia Arts Center will have original art on display created by members of the Caddo River Art Guild. The window exhibits will vary through the weeks so check back often. The artists’ name and contact information are displayed next to each piece. For more information about the Arkadelphia Arts Center and the Caddo River Art Guild find their pages on Facebook or visit CaddoRiverArtGuild.com or CCAHC.org. >>> <<< Celebrations Fine Wine and Spirits will be having their monthly wine tasting the first Tuesday of every month from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. >>> <<< With Late ‘til 8, local businesses stay open to 8:00 pm so that customers can shop and also win door prizes! this is a monthly event that happens every first Thursday of every month. >>> <<< El Ranchito mexican restaurant in Arkadelphia is now serving alcohol along with their food. Come for taco Tuesday and happy hour and you can get tacos for $1 and margaritas for $2. >>> <<< Al-Anon meetings, designed to help family and friends affected by alcohol, are held three days a week in the Arkadelphia area: - Tues. at 7 p.m., Sturgis Building, corner of 9 and Caddo. 870-403-2019 - Thurs. at 6:30 p.m., Park Hill Baptist Church. 870-403-2019
Arkadelphia Dispatch
Ouachita’s Elrod Center to hold Fall Tiger Serve Day Sept. 26 Michaelyn Ferrell Ouachita Baptist University
Ouachita Baptist University’s Elrod Center for Family and Community will host Tiger Serve Day on Saturday, Sept. 26, encouraging Ouachita students, faculty and staff to serve the Arkadelphia community even amid a global pandemic. The Elrod Center is continuing its semi-annual event as it has every fall for the past 23 years, with “Back to the Streets” as the theme for the 2020-2021 academic year. “The idea of the Elrod Center is to highlight service,” said Ian Cosh, vice president for community
and international relations. “We should have an impact on the community we’re a part of.” Due to public health concerns, members of the Tiger Serve Day Leadership Team carefully formulated a plan to take precautions concerning COVID-19 that meet Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) and Ouachita’s Health Monitoring and Action Team (HMAT) guidelines, particularly by preventing close contact among students and those they will be serving. In previous years, participants were assigned a project working closely with individuals. This year, the
Elrod Center has organized a city-wide cleanup that gives students the opportunity to directly serve their city. With the theme “Back to the Streets,” project areas will include parks, school grounds and neighborhood trash pickup, as well as painting and lake cleanup. “This will be a great opportunity for our students, faculty and staff to give back to the city that offers them so much,” said Judy Duvall, associate director of the Elrod Center. The Tiger Serve Day Leadership Team began meeting six weeks before the event to begin preparations. The student group
works tirelessly to publicize, recruit volunteers, create teams and prepare tools for the event. The team has also been working with Arkadelphia city officials to assemble jobs for volunteers. “It is so special to see the community being served so well,” said Ali Chapman, a senior business administration/management & marketing double major from Bentonville, Ark., and member of the Tiger Serve Day Leadership Team. “I look forward to it every single year because it warms my heart to see students serving with such humility.”
Arkadelphia student named to the Summer 2020 Chancellor’s List at Univ. of AR at LR LITTLE ROCK, AR (09/14/2020)-- Camille Jones, of Arkadelphia, AR, has been named to the summer 2020 Chancellor’s List at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. UA Little Rock recognizes superior academic performance at the end of each semester. To be named to the UA Little Rock Chancellor’s List, a student must have completed at least nine credit hours with a 3.9 GPA. With about 10,000 students and 100 programs, UA Little Rock offers learning, research, service, social and career opportunities that can only be found at a metropolitan university located in Arkansas’ capital city.
News 3
Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020
Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas at Little Rock and captured by Ben Krain. The historic Cooper Fountain at UALR.
Continuing Arkansas COVID-19 case update from Arkansas Department of Health
Good weather and proclamations Sherry Kelley Gurdon Mayor
This weather is great. The mornings are refreshing and it has been mostly dry. What a blessing. Former KARK reporter Tyler Thomason reached out to me requesting a proclamation for his grandmother’s 80th birthday. Barbara Pauline Thomason grew up on Airport Road and graduated from Gurdon High School in 1958. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Gurdon and the Gurdon Municipal Airport is named after her father, Marcus Lowe. Barbara visits Gurdon regularly and has many friends here. Therefore, this Friday, Sep-
tember 18, is Barbara Pauline Thomason Day in the City of Gurdon. Thank you to the City of Prescott and Mayor Terry Oliver for assisting us last week. We appreciate the spirit of cooperation that we have with our neighbors. Gurdon Football is keeping the town talking. The Gurdon Go-Devils have performed very well on the field and we are proud of them, the cheerleaders, band, coaches and fans. We have some nice, well behaved and housetrained dogs at the Gurdon Animal Shelter. Please give me a call at 406-1396 if you are interested in meeting them.
Obituary
Ray H. Wilcox Ray H. Wilcox, age 96 of Arkadelphia, formerly of Paragould, AR, died Sunday, September 6, 2020. He was born on a small farm in the Alexander Community near Paragould December 23, 1923, the son of James Edgar and Mary Frances Jones Wilcox. He was a retired farmer and during winter months a talented cabinet maker and carpenter. He was a member of Alexander Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and church treasurer for many years. After moving to Arkadelphia to be near his son and daughter-in-law, he attended and enjoyed the church family at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Arkadelphia. Ray was an U. S. Army veteran of World War II. Ray grew up in hard times and learned very early that honesty, integrity, and a good work ethic were far more important than the material things life had to offer. His generation believed a handshake and your word were as good as any contract. He was a quiet man that enjoyed simple things in life, hunting, fishing, dominoes, fish fries with
family and friends and just being outside were things that made him happy. His kind heart and sense of humor made all that knew him love him. We will miss him greatly. He was preceded in death by his wife of 72 years, who died July 24th of this year, Wava Jean McMillon Wilcox, and two brothers, Jim and Warren. Survivors include one son, Mike Wilcox and his wife Rebecca of Arkadelphia; one granddaughter, Lynli Carlin of Little Rock; two great grandsons Oliver and Julian Carlin; sisterin-law Sammy Kay Burton of Paragould; three step grandchildren, Michael Lawson, Michelle Brock and Megan Evans; a host of nieces and nephews and too many friends to count. The family thanks the staff at The Plaza for their loving care for Ray. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, there is no formal visitation and burial will be private. Memorials may be made to Mt. Zion Baptist Church, P.O. Box 398, Arkadelphia, AR 71923.
Arkadelphia Dispatch
AR. Department of Health
According to the Arkansas Department of Health Administration in its COVID-19 update, a total of 992 deaths have occurred in the state as of Sept. 15. In reference to ADH’s graph, there are a total of 70,627 cases with 1,178 probable and 63,601 recovered. The counties are colored by light to dark in terms of density of cases. The Dispatch will post an updated version of this
graph weekly according to what is available from the Department of Health and state officials. As the cases continue to rise, more and more states are reverting back to more strict quarantine and social distance rules. Masks are nearly universally required to enter most businesses. They are available in most grocery and convenience stores. Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced in early August that contact sports
are expected to continue as planned in the fall. Football players may only practice in helmets, however. Schools have begun opening at both collegiate and pre-collegiate levels. They have many guidelines
in place that were recommended by the ADH. People are encouraged to continue social distancing and staying at least six feet away from others. Testing is widely available in most cities.
Editor: Pete Tubbs Online Editor: Harley Whisenhunt Crimes Reporter: Ayanna Williams Sports Reporter: Hannah Hodge University Correspondant: Julia Young Staff Reporter: Lance Brownfield Staff Reporter: Philis Woods Staff Reporter: Rae Lynn Dinger Contributing Reporter: Kelly Stiles arkadelphiadispatch@gmail.com 870-230-5221 Calls will be returned. The Arkadelphia Dispatch is published weekly by Nashville Leader, Inc., 119 N. Main, Nashville, AR 71852.
4 News
Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020
Arkadelphia Dispatch
Arkadelphia Badgers Arkansas Razorbacks Football update schedule update
ARKADELPHIAThe Arkadelphia Badgers (Arkadelphia, AR) football edged the visiting Greenbrier Panthers (Greenbrier, AR), 35-28 in Friday’s nonleague bout. In their next game, the Badgers face the Nashville Scrappers (Nashville, AR) in a 4A Region 7 bout, on Friday, September 25. Arka-
delphia will attempt to move on its 3-0 season record. The Panthers (1-2) will now prepare for their test against Morrilton (Morrilton, AR). The Devil Dogs go into the 5A West test with a 0-2 record. In their last test, Morrilton was edged by Wynne (Wynne, AR), 20-19, in a non-league test. There are seven games
left in the season which in order are as follows: Nashville on Sept. 25, Robinson on Oct. 2, Fountain Lake on Oct. 9, Harmony Grove on Oct. 16, Ashdown on Oct. 23, Bauxite on Oct. 30, and Malvern on Nov. 6. The complete schedule can be found below along with an updated ranking of the top 15 AR teams.
While the Arkansas Razorback season has not yet officially begun, there is much hype and anticipation for the upcoming games. Below is an updated schedule of the team’s upcoming games.
This week in Reddie sports
Volleyball Sweeps Montevallo to Continue Hot Start | Sept. 15, 2007 Behind 29 set assists from Rachel Norton and 20 digs from Bethany Wright, Henderson State rolls past Montevallo 3-0 to improve to 10-2 on the year. The Reddies limit the Falcons to a .015 attacking percentage in the win. A balanced offensive game plan sees four different players finish with seven or more kills for HSU. Football Hammers Arkansas Tech in GAC Opener, 73-34 | Sept.
15, 2012 The Reddies score 56 first half points, including 34 in the second quarter alone, and cruise to a 73-34 win on the road at Arkansas Tech in the first conference game for both teams. HSU scores on the first play of the contest thanks to a 92-yard kickoff return score from Israel Valentin and jumps out to a 29-0 lead in the game’s first 20 minutes. Henderson leads by 36 at the half and racks up 581 yards of total offense in the win. Henderson Rallies
Past Newman 3-1 at Carr Racop Invitational | Sept. 15, 2017 After dropping the first set, the Reddies win threestraight — including a pivotal 29-27 victory in the fourth frame — to defeat Newman 3-1 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Courtney Bolf finishes with 19 kills to lead HSU while freshman Delaney Price racks up 23 digs. Reddies Extend Winning Streak to 12 Games, Sweep Mid-America Christian | Sept. 15, 2018 | Henderson dominates Mid-America Christian and never lets the Evangels break the 20-point mark in a 3-0 victory at the Duke Wells Center. The win improves HSU to 13-2 on the year, which matches the best start for the program since 1993, and also extends the Reddies’ winning streak to 12 matches.