Oracle CE August 05, 2021 by Reddie Media

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INDEX Events Opinion COVID Update Sports

No. 13

Vol. 2

2 3 3 4

August 05, 2021

Talking a lot about the Taco Lot Fiesta Blanton Matthews Staff Reporter

A short stretch of Main Street was closed Friday, July 30 for the Arkadelphia Taco Lot Fiesta. The festivities were held in and around the parking lot by the mural on the Group Living building that used to be the Honeycomb restaurant, and stretched across to Town Hall. Meals of two street tacos, chips and salsa were available to anyone who purchased tickets in advance, and everyone who did not was encouraged to order food to-go from downtown restaurants and bring it back to the lot. The Friday night event ran from 6:00-9:30 PM. It was a hot summer evening, but that did not stop anyone from having a good time. Once the sun went down of course, it became a lot more comfortable. Live music was performed by Jacob Flores, who sang and played guitar and keyboard. Flores was born in Texas, but mostly

grew up in Hot Springs and attended Henderson. He was particularly familiar with Main Street. “The nastiest bike accident I was ever in was right here,” said Flores to the taco-munching crowd in the lot. “I was in fifth grade.” Other events included a queso dip contest, judged by a panel in two categories: spiciest dip and overall best, both being awarded to Twin Rivers Architecture Group. An audience choice award was also presented by attendees who arrived and ate within the first hour of the event, and the Sexton Law Firm won that award. Across the street at town hall was a cornhole tournament hosted by the A-Town Baggerz cornhole team. The event, which was spearheaded by the Arkadelphia Area Alliance & Chamber of Commerce, was a smashing success at getting the community downtown and enjoying the local businesses, arts and cuisine.

Photo by Blanton Matthews

Hot Springs musician Jacob Flores takes the stage at the first ever Taco Lot Fiesta in downtown Arkadelphia.

Local COVID-19 vaccination clinics Tierra McCraney Staff Reporter

Arkansas has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the United States, at a staggering 37% of the state being fully vaccinated as of August 2 (according to Becker’s Hospital Review). As of August 1, The Arkansas Department of Health has recorded that the total active cases increased by 948 cases, bringing the total up to 19,738 active cases. With the new Delta variant making its way across the country, medical professionals encourage Americans to consider the COVID-19 vaccine. The Arkansas Department of Health maintains a list of COVID-19 Vaccination Sites at www.healthy. arkansas.gov. For more information on COVID-19 and the vaccine, visit cdc.gov.

Below is a list of vaccination clinics that are available to Arkadelphia and surrounding communities: • Walmart Pharmacy in Arkadelphia offers the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines through appointment only. Appointments are made through walmart.com. • Baptist Health Medical Center, located on Twin Rivers Drive in Arkadelphia, has vaccination clinics every Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, or call 1-888-BAPTIST to schedule an appointment. • Clark County Health Unit on 605 South 10th Street in Arkadelphia offers the COVID vaccine through appointment only. Call 870-246-4471 to schedule an appointment. The hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each weekday. • Walgreens in Arkadelphia accepts walk-ins for the COVID vaccines while supplies last. • CHI St. Vincent in Hot Springs offers the Pfizer vaccine for ages 12 and up at the hospital clinic. To schedule an appointment, call 501-622-6556 or fill out an online form. • The Hot Springs School District is holding a vaccination in coordination with CHI St. Vincent at the Welcome Center (702 Main Street) on August 11 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Arkadelphia Alliance and Area Chamber of Commerce

Baptist Health Medical Center in Arkadelphia unveiled a new helipad Wednesday, July 28. It has already been used to rescue up to three patients in a single day. Courtesy of APSD School Nurse News Info from Weather.com

FRI - Aug 06 partly cloudy

SAT - Aug 07 mostly sunny

SUN - Aug 08 mostly sunny

MON - Aug 09 partly cloudy

TUE - Aug 10 partly cloudy

WED - Aug 11

THU - Aug 12

mostly sunny

92o 69

94o 72

96o 74

96o 73

96o 72

96o 71

Precipitation: 24% Wind: SSW 5 mph Humidity: 68%

Precipitation: 23% Wind: SSW 8 mph Humidity: 71%

Precipitation: 7% Wind: SSW 9 mph Humidity: 67%

Precipitation: 6% Wind: SSW 9 mph Humidity: 65%

Precipitation: 7% Wind: SW 7 mph Humidity: 64%

Precipitation: 7% Wind: SW 7 mph Humidity: 63%

Precipitation: 21% Wind: WSW 7 mph Humidity: 61%

2 News

Thursday, August 05, 2021

A helping hand cleaner Lance Brownfield Editor-in-Chief

Brenda Driggers, an administrative specialist at Henderson, is expecting a semi truck load full of bottled hand cleaner and she is planning to give it all away for free. The shipment of 68 thousand bottles (28 pallets) will be delivered to Cattlemen’s Livestock in Glenwood soon, although the exact date and t ime are not y e t known. She hopes to give away the hand cleaner to schools, clinics, businesses, churches and anyone in need. Giving away truckloads of goods is nothing new to her as she has partnered with organizations such as Celebrating Teachers, Mercy Chefs, the Farmers to Family Food Box Program and

she is also currently taking donations for a back-to-school backpack program. For $10, she can give a backpack full of supplies to a student heading back to school. “The food program was such a blessing,” Driggers said. “Can you imagine 1152 boxes of food and milk every week?” Through the Farmers to Family Program, she was able to give away that much food weekly to local people at the Cattlemen’s Livestock. “We gave this away every Wednesday, for several months,” Driggers said. “The program ended and I’m hoping another one will replace it. The same source out of Tulsa asked me if I wanted to receive the semi load of soap to give away and I said ‘yes, of course!’”

The program was created under the Trump Administration and was funded as part of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). It was ended April 30 by the newly appointed head of the USDA, Tom Vilsack. It paid the producers and farmers to produce the food and the distributors to deliver the food to the American people free of charge. The program didn’t require recipients to show any private information to qualify, such as Social Security Numbers or Drivers’ Licenses. T h e B i d e n Administration has not announced any plans to replace the program although the effects from COVID-19 can still be felt in many parts of the country.

My weekend at the border Bruce Westerman AR Representative Last weekend I had the opportunity to lead a trip to McCallen, Texas, with several other Congress members to see for ourselves the results of the immigration crisis at our southern border. What we witnessed was shocking. In my position as Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee, in which we oversee nearly all federal lands, I initially went to see the environmental impact of the thousands of people flooding the area. While we did see significant environmental degradation and pollution, the human cost of the emergency was much worse. The make-shift facility we visited encounters roughly 4,000 migrants per day, and has seen migrants from 151 countries. Border Patrol agents were completely overwhelmed, spending every second of

their time processing those who surrender themselves to the agents. Completely outnumbered, the agents do not have the capacity to stop the cartels that have created a multibillion-dollar human trafficking operation. Border Patrol told me stories of 12 and 13-yearold girls who arrived crying inconsolably because they had just been raped. They told me stories of a 7-yearold child who reported that while traveling by train, he witnessed smugglers become irritated with some of the children and simply throw them off the moving train. When traveling by boat, smugglers avoid arrest by throwing children, infants, or the elderly into the water so that agents are launched into a rescue mission and the smugglers can escape. These cartels are evil, and they must be stopped. Customs and Border Patrol desperately need support. They

are understaffed and drastically outnumbered. Texas is creating a barrier to help direct the migrants through a limited number of access points so they can more easily control the stream of migrants and catch human and drug traffickers. I believe such a measure should be implemented across our entire border. We also need a more effective legal immigration system based on merit and the needs of the American economy so that we can stop the flow of illegal migrants. So many of these immigrants are looking for a better life away from the violence of the cartels and the abject poverty of their homelands, and I am grateful that we have a nation that is so attractive to others, but we cannot allow lawlessness to overwhelm our borders where drug smuggling and human trafficking go unchecked.

“Dog Days of Summer” exhibit Rita Earles Arkadelphia Arts Center The Arkadelphia Arts Center in downtown Arkadelphia has opened to the public after having been closed due to the COVID pandemic since March 2020. The exhibit, “Dog Days of Summer” is a coll e ct ion of d og themed art and objects. Cats are also included in this fun exhibit. There are paintings, photography, fiber art, prints, and curios that appeal to art lovers and pet lovers alike. There is no fee to view the show but the Caddo River Art Guild, who run the arts center, is hosting a drive for the Humane Society of Clark County, and asking visitors to bring Purina dog and cat food, which will be taken to the humane society at the exhibition’s conclusion. Other items needed include Tidy Cat loose litter, paper towels, bleach, and laundry soap. “Although we continued to have small w indow exhibits for the last 16 months, it’s great to be open to the public again,” stated Rita Earles, guild board member. During the COVID shutdown the center had rotating exhibits that

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Events Upcoming Events August 7 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Arkadelphia Bands are bringing back their fundraiser mattress sale in the AHS Cafeteria Saturday, August 7. August 13 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. BadgerFest and Meet the Badgers is your opportunity to meet the young men and women representing Arkadelphia in the fall. The Badger Pride marching band, AHS JROTC, Goza and AHS spirit squads and 8th through 12th grade fall sports teams will all be introduced to Badger fans.

Recurring Dog Days of Summer July 20 - August 26 (TWR 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.) Now showing at the Arkadelphia Arts Center, “Dog Days of Summer,” a collection of dog themed art and objects. Cat art is also included in this fun exhibit. Some of the proceeds from sales will go to the Humane Society of Clark County. Visitors may bring Purina dog and cat food to the center during this show, which will then be donated to the humane society at the exhibit’s conclusion. Other items needed at the shelter include bleach, cat litter, laundry soap, and old towels. Tue, Wed, Thur. (870-245-7982) ♦♦♦ Friday Night Magic The Gathering - Atlas Gaming ♦♦♦ 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 870-230-2975 or 870-260-9277. ♦♦♦ 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. ♦♦♦ Pediatrics Plus is excited to announce that our brand new facility is now open. Our new facility is located at 702 Hickory Street. The new facility offers includes a Developmental Preschool and Therapy Services that include: ABA, Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapy. In addition, our brand new, state-of-the-art facilities include a House Next Door suite which offers a homey feel for children learning daily living activities like cooking, feeding therapy, making the bed, getting dressed, and more! Other features of the new facility include a new playground, gross motor gym, high stimulation and low stimulation gyms, and a library! Enroll Now to get a spot in our new location! ♦♦♦

Photo courtesy of Arkadelphia Arts Center

could be viewed through the windows including art by members of the Caddo River Art Guild, quilts by the Clark County Quilters Guild, posters from the Black History Month exhibits through the years, Holiday Show, Winter Wreaths, and Handmade Baskets.

“Dog Days of Summer” runs July 20th through August 26th. Arkadelphia Arts Center hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10:00 to 4:00. For more information go to the Arkadelphia Arts Center Facebook page or call 870-245-7982.

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; Fri. at noon, Clark County Library, 609 Caddo St., side door. 512-750-2292.

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Thursday, August 05, 2021

News 3

“Space Jam: A New Legacy” gets a box office slam dunk Jaylon McEwen Staff Reporter Basketball fans waited all summer for the sequel to the cinematic classic “Space Jam.” 17-time NBA All-Star Lebron James played the lead role this time around which generated mixed reviews given the whole

“G.O.A.T” (Greatest Of All Time) dispute between fans over him and Michael Jordan. However, it seems James came out on top this time around when looking at the numbers. The film takes a totally different approach than its 1996 predecessor by taking its lead athlete

into an entirely different situation. Rather than players getting their talent stolen by aliens, their likeness and abilities are instead used in a video game format inside of a “Cyber World.” Another key difference that should be noted is the stakes in which the stars play. The story

Photo courtesy of warnerbros.com

mostly has Lebron’s son’s freedom being at risk rather than the constant mention of his own. “Space Jam: A New Legacy” took a hard hit from critics upon its release. Reviewers were not pleased after viewing the film and voiced their opinions as so. Rotten Tomatoes had the movie scored at an overall grade of 27 percent while Metacritic gave it a score of 37 percent and IMDb had it rated as a 4.4/10. However, despite such low scores amongst critics “Space Jam: A New Legacy” still managed to land a slam dunk in the box office. The film had a total budget of 150 million dollars and currently has accumulated 203.1 million dollars at the box office giving it a revenue gain. For those that may have missed the theatrical run, “Space Jam: A New Legacy” is still available for viewing on HBO Max through August 16.

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HOW TO REACH YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Arkadelphia Mayor Scott Byrd 700 Clay Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-6745 Arkadelphia Treasurer Shacresha Wilson (870) 246-9864 shacresha.wilson@ arkadelphia.gov Prosecuting Attorney Dan Turner 414 Court Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-9868 dan.turner@ClarkAR.us Clark County Judge Troy Tucker 401 Clay Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-5847 Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson 406 South 5th Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-8859 Governor Asa Hutchinson 250 State Capital Bldg. Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 682-2345

Comic by Blanton Matthews

Arkansas Department of Health COVID-19 update

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge 323 Center Street, Suite 200 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 682-2007 State Senator Alan Clark P.O. Box 211 Lonsdale, AR 72087 (501) 844-6800 Congressman Bruce Westerman 130 Cannon House Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-3772 U.S. Senator Tom Cotton B33 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-3772 U.S. Senator John Boozman 1 Russell Courtyard Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-4843

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Editor in Chief: Lance Brownfield General Manager: Keyuna Thrower Oracle Editor: Kaela McKim Sports Editor: Donovan Lee Staff Reporters: Phoebe Darley, Blanton Matthews, Tierra McCraney, Juliann Reaper, Aaron Weatherford, Jaylon McKewen, Madison Hardcastle, Haven Hughes Adviser: Steve Listopad

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4 Sports

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thursday, August 05, 2021

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GAC announces 2020-21 All-Academic David Salley HSU Sports

The Great American Conference announced on Monday its 2020-21 AllAcademic honorees, with 126 athletes representing Ouachita Baptist University among those recognized. The 126 Tigers consist

of 26 football players, 11 men’s soccer players, nine volleyball players, 10 members of the women’s cross country team, 10 women’s soccer players, six women’s basketball players, 15 baseball players, 17 softball players, five

men’s tennis players, four women’s tennis players, and 12 members of the women’s track and field team. Ouachita’s 126 AllAcademic honorees represents the fourth-most of any school in the GAC.

The 17 Tiger softball players honored were the secondmost among GAC softball teams, and the Tigers were second among women’s cross-country teams with 10 selections. Ouachita football’s 26 All-Academic selections were fourth-most among gridiron squads.

Henderson places 74 on Academic All-GAC Team Courtlin Haygarth HSU Sports

8/2 - 8/6 AHS football Fall camp

8/9 - 8/13 AHS football Fall camp

8/16 AHS football benefit game vs. Lake Hamilton

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Henderson State women’s volleyball team earned the 2020-21 United State Marine Corps and the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award in spite of the Covid19-stricken season. The award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors volleyball teams that maintain a year-long gradepoint average of 3.30 on a 4.0 scale or 4.10 on a 5.0 scale. The Reddies were one of 1,275 collegiate and high school teams across the all divisions to be named as recipients. “Even though teams might not have played during their usual season or may not have

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HSU takes 74th places in Academic All-GAC team.

McDaniel said. “Our goal since I have been here has always been to get a 3.3 team GPA and we’ve been able to do that for the past two seasons now. Hoping we can do it again for the

third year in a row, but it takes that effort and that focus on academics to make that happen.” The 2021 season begins for Henderson State with an exhibition match

Photo courtesy of HSU Sports

against Central Baptist on August 28 inside the Duke Wells Center before the Reddies’ home opener on Tuesday, Sept. 7 against Christian Brothers.

Baseball earns ABCA Academic Excellence Award Courtlin Haygarth HSU Sports

8/27 AHS football vs. Camden Fairview (non-conference)

competed at all during the past year, coaches still found ways to lead their players to academic excellence,” said AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer in a release sent out yesterday. “This is a testament to the important role volleyball coaches play in their players success both on and off the court.” Continued success in the classroom has been the trend under head coach Phil McDaniel, as 2019-20 saw HSU receive the AVCA Team Academic Award for the first time in program history, with this now being the second recognition. “First and foremost, it shows all the dedication and hard work of all our players and coaches to get us to this point,”

The Arkadelphia Football team had one of the better ends to a summer than most other high school football teams. Last Thursday, the Badgers travelled over to Prescott for a team camp that included some really talented competition. Prescott of course was the host and has a chance to play in a state championship this fall. Conference member Ashdown was also in attendance and could be a conference title contender. Class 5A members Hope and Camden Fairview were present as well. Arkadelphia actually faces Camden Fairview in week zero for their first game of the season. Class 2A power Mount Ida fought fiercely with only 20 players. The Badgers were easily the best team in attendance. No one wanted anything to do with All-State running back Jaishon Davis. Senior Braylon Bailey impressed coaches also when he ran exits to the sides of the field and showed off his speed.

We got better today,” Coach Trey Schucker told his players. “It always helps with the competition of this level. Most of these teams we played against were at least state title contenders or a step below.” Once the unbearable heat started to set in, the camp was then called and the teams went back to their respective towns. The Badgers spent Thursday evening enjoying some bonding time at the Arkadelphia Aquatic Park. Friday morning, Head Coach Trey Schucker and his staff took their team on what they call “Badger Serve Day.” The players and even coaches made a trip over to the “Percy and Donna Malone Child Safety Center” to give their building a maintenance job. Players were seen painting the front side walls white. Teammates

also helped cut down and weedeat limbs that needed to be moved. On the inside, players sorted through old toys and removed anything that could be considered trash to help make room for new toys and appliances. Saturday was a day that senior football players and others won’t soon forget. The team took a Dad’s/ Role Models retreat day out away from society to connect and have some time with their loved ones. Some activities included Wiffle Ball, a blindfold activity where trust was involved, and many other activities. Arkadelphia continues their trek to week zero as they have begun fall practice this week. The Badgers will be hosting their annual “Badgerfest” Friday August 13 where all athletes from eighth to 12th grades will be introduced. Photo courtesy of Robin Leguin

Photo by Bobby Evins

The Badger Football team poses in front of the Child Safety Center in Arkadelphia.

Team Harrington won overall at the Willie Tate Tournament Classic Friday, July 23. Over $7,000 was raised at the event with 19 teams participating. At the event, over 150 meals were served. Team Harrington won a cash payout, while the winners of “Closest to the pin” won a round of golf for two or four at Pleasant Valley Country Club, Hot Springs Country Club and Glenwood Country Club with cart included.

Thomas hires former players to fill 2021-22 staff David Salley HSU Sports ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Henderson State head women’s basketball coach Jill Thomas has announced the hiring Christina Harvey and Hailey Estes to her 2021-22 staff. Harvey and Estes each played for Thomas during their collegiate careers. “I am beyond thrilled to be reunited with two women I was fortunate to coach,” Thomas said. “Christina and Hailey have each been a part of the family-first environment I have built into our program and are true examples of the lifelong relationships I strive to build within our teams beyond graduation.” Harvey, who joins the staff as an assistant coach, was a standout player for Thomas at Pfeiffer University in North Carolina, where

she was a three-year team captain and a First Team All-Conference Carolinas honoree. As a senior, Harvey was No. 11 nationally in field goal percentage (55%) and pulled down 112 offensive rebounds in 32 games. She coached most recently as an assistant at NCAA DII Young Harris University of the Peach Belt Conference. “I am extremely thankful for this opportunity to coach at Henderson State University and to work with Coach Thomas,” Harvey said. “As a former player of hers, I am excited to now have the chance to coach with and learn from her on the other side of things. I have been able to be a part of and see firsthand the culture and tradition of excellence coach Thomas has built with her programs; the success her teams have achieved on and off the

court over her career is truly remarkable. I am very honored to be joining the Henderson State community and this women’s basketball program. I am excited to get started and to be able to work with these amazing student-athletes and staff. Go Reddies!” Estes, who will serve as the Reddies graduate assistant coach, was a four-year starter for Henderson from 2016-20 and is the school’s alltime leader in rebounds (987). During her career, Estes was a two-time All-GAC selection and was the school’s NCAA Woman of the Year nominee in 2020. “I am incredibly excited for the opportunity to be the graduate assistant at Henderson State University and learn from coach Thomas,” Estes said. “Coach Thomas helped mold me into one of the best players I could

Photo courtesy of HSU Sports

Former HSU Women’s basketball players Christina Harvey and Hailey Estes have been hired to fill 2021-22 staff.

be and an even better person. I am thrilled to have this chance to learn from her and grow my knowledge of basketball from a coaching standpoint. As a former player here, I know the standards she holds for our program and the work

ethic she expects day in and day out. I couldn’t think of a better person to learn under or a better place to do it. I am thankful for the opportunity presented to me and know that this is where my heart is. I have the same passion about this sport and this program

as coach Thomas and I’m ready to create more memories here with this terrific staff. Henderson, I’m coming home and I couldn’t be happier!” The Reddies’ 2021-22 season tips off on Nov. 12 when Henderson faces Missouri Southern in the GAC/MIAA Challenge.