Oracle CE February 25, 2021

Vol. 1

O

ACLE No. 5

Feb. 25, 2021

Owens Corning to further expand manufacturing in Fort Smith creating significant job growth

FORT SMITH, Ark. – Governor Asa Hutchinson and the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce welcome news of Owens Corning’s investment to build a new 550,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on 56 acres, adjacent to its current property in Fort Smith.

Owens Corning is a global building and industrial materials leader. The company will retain its current 79 full-time employees at its Fort Smith facility and hire an additional five employees. The new site is expected to start production mid-2023. The current site will

be retired after the new facility begins operation.

“Owens Corning appreciates the support provided by Governor Hutchinson, the Fort Smith Board of Directors, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce throughout the planning process,” said Marcio Sandri, president of the composites business at Owens Corning. “We’re proud to have been part of the Fort Smith community for more than three decades and we look forward to future growth. With this new state-of-the-art facility, Owens

Corning is investing in the future of Fort Smith and our business.”

Owens Corning’s Fort Smith plant began production in 1984. The current plant produces mat for roofing shingles and other nonwoven products.

The new plant will also produce roofing mat and add capacity to its network to service growing demand for a number of building material applications.

“It is always a good day in Arkansas when one of our companies increases its investment in our communities and our economy,” Gov. Hutchinson said. “Owens Corning is a well-

respected company, globally and here in Arkansas, and I am confident of their success in the future.”

Based in Toledo, Ohio, Owens Corning has been a Fortune 500® company for 66 consecutive years. The company is a recognized leader on environmental, social, and governance issues and has been honored with awards and top rankings from several external organizations, including 3BL (#1 on the 100 Best Corporate Citizens list), CDP (“A List” for both climate and water), the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (industry leader for the

Building Products Group), and Ethisphere Institute (One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies).

Secretary of Commerce and Executive Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) Mike Preston said, “Owens Corning is a valued member of the Fort Smith business community, and homeowners across the state have trusted the company’s products for decades. I’m pleased that Owens Corning continues to have confidence in our state.”

“The Owens Corning expansion is a perfect example of

the partnership between the Arkansas Department of Commerce, Chamber, and the City of Fort Smith and how we work together toward one unified goal,” said Tim Allen, president and CEO of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“The focus with this project was economic development and job retention/creation. Owens Corning has a great reputation in the region and having them recognize our resources and top-notch workforce is one of the strongest endorsements possible. Thank you to Owens Corning for their continued investment in our community.”

Rosemary Adams Department to host Faculty Biennial this week in Moses-Provine Hall through the 26th Madison Cresswell Ouachita Baptist University

of the variety of disciplines

Ouachita Baptist Univer-

our department and students,”

sity’s Rosemary Adams Depart-

Zimny said. “It also fosters

ment of Visual Arts is hosting

growth among us as faculty as

its Visual Arts Faculty Biennial

we learn about each other’s ar-

Exhibit in the Rosemary Gos-

eas and incorporate them into

sett Adams Gallery, located in

the classroom.

and skillsets that we bring to

Moses-Provine Hall, through

“Putting your work on pub-

Friday, Feb. 26. The exhibit fea-

lic display can be a little daunt-

tures the work of the Ouachita’s

ing at times,” Zimny added,

visual arts faculty members and

“but it’s an important experi-

is free and open to the public.

ence for artists and designers,

Faculty members featured

whether you’re a student, pro-

in the exhibit include: Donnie

fessor or professional.”

Copeland, chair of the Depart-

“I hope visitors will take the

ment of Visual Arts and profes-

time to read faculty statements,

sor of visual arts; Kara Gunter,

look closely at the works and

adjunct instructor of visual

enjoy the show,” said Copeland.

arts; Cary Roberson, associate

Ouachita’s Rosemary Gos-

professor of visual arts; Ferris

sett Adams Gallery hours are

Williams, associate professor of visual arts; and René Zimny, assistant professor of visual arts.

“Putting on the Faculty Biennial Exhibit is important for us as faculty to involve

Photo courtesy of Ouachita Baptist University.

Rosemary Adams Department of Visual Arts will host the Visual Arts Biennial Exhibit in the Rosemary Adams Gallery through Friday, Feb. 26. ourselves in our creative work

said. “Our students need to see

A variety of media are in-

graphic design, paintings, il-

and to communicate to our

their professors at work, prac-

cluded in the exhibit, including

students and the community

ticing the very things we ask so

animation and motion graph-

“I think the diversity in our

about that work,” Copeland

often of them.”

ics, photography, studio work,

work is a great representation

lustration and sculpture.

Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, contact Donnie Copeland at copelandd@obu.edu or (870) 245-5559.

Former Reddie Bishop Robert G. Rudolph Jr. to join ASU System Board of Trustees to “give back” Kelly Currington HSU Oracle EIC Former Reddie, Bishop Robert G. Rudolph Jr., was appointed on Feb. 4 by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to join the recently expanded Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees. Upon Henderson State University’s merge into the ASU School System, Rudolph and fellow Reddie Steve Eddington of Benton are to provide perspectives that represent their alma mater as well as the system as a whole.

“In this position, I will make it my duty to give back to so many who have supported and encouraged me over the years,” Rudolph said.

Rudolph received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Henderson in

1990. During this time, he served as student body president, which later aided his work in government.

“I was blessed to develop a great relationship with Dr. Charles Dunn, who at that time was the president of Henderson and one of my professors,” Rudolph said. “He really helped to mentor me in the study of government.”

Rudolph has over 30 years of experience working within the government. He served as a clerk for the Arkansas General Assembly, a congressional aide, and a special assistant to the Governor of Arkansas. Rudolph has even participated in the White House Roundtable of African American Faith Leaders.

“Our campus employee and student makeup is diverse, so

administration degree from the University of Texas at El Paso.

He currently resides in Bryant with his wife Michelle Parham Rudolph who he has been married to since 2003.

“Service must be first and foremost,” Rudolph said. “We are not to be served, but to be instruments of service to the world.”

His Excellency has 33 years of pastoral experience. Rudolph is currently the Adjutant Photo courtesy of HSU. General of the Church of God in Bishop Robert G. Rudolph will Christ, Inc., and Jurisdictional join the ASU BoT. Bishop of the St. Maarten Reit’s appropriate that the Board heboth Ecclesiastical Jurisdicof Trustees be reflective of our tion. constituents,” Rudolph said.

“Quite frankly, it was not The Bishop is a recipient something that I pursued,” Ruof an honorary Doctorate of dolph said. “Presiding Bishop Divinity. This year, Rudolph Charles E. Blake prayerfully will receive a master of public thought that my consecration

to the Office of Bishop would allow me greater authority to assist him.”

Bishop Rudolph serves as Chief Minister of Protocol for the Church of God in Christ and assists the Presiding Bishop in directing the National Adjutancy. He was assigned as a Jurisdictional Bishop to “provide executive and spiritual leadership to countries and ministries in the eastern Caribbean.”

Additionally, Rudolph has assisted in the consecration of Bishops and has been given the distinct honor of announcing the apostolic procession at ceremonies across the country and the world. Rudolph was elected president of the historic 2014 Episcopal Class by his peers, which was the largest class of Bishops to be consecrated at

one time in the history of the church.

“Public service is important to me,” Rudolph said. “I’m very humbled and grateful for the opportunity Governor Hutchinson has given me to serve my alma mater and the entire ASU System.”

His Excellency believes that his pastoral experience will provide a unique perspective for helping students of Henderson and the entire ASU System.

“It’s been a tough year and half of challenges, but I’m excited about the future of Henderson, as well as the ASU System,” Rudolph said. “I’m confident our best days are ahead.”

2 News

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021

Hutchinson on the rare weather of Feb. 2021 Asa Hutchinson AR Governor

We still have many days left in February, and already this is the third snowiest month in Little Rock since we started keeping records in the 1800s. And it is one of the most severe snowstorms statewide as well.

The snow and cold temperatures forced utility companies to employ rolling power outages to reduce the strain on our energy system around the state, and as a result, thousands of homes and businesses lost electricity for a limited amount of time. In addition, low pressure in a supply line cut off natural gas service to 2,300 residents of Pea Ridge, which left many of them without heat.

This record-breaking storm illustrates the degree to which states depend upon each other in a natural crisis, whether it’s an event such as the historic flood of 2019 or a bone-chilling winter storm such as this one. Arkansas was one of more than a dozen states that has endured several days of subfreezing temperatures, and all of this put pressure on energy supplies across the region.

In an effort to reduce the load on the grid before the rolling outages, Entergy, SWEPCO, and other power companies encouraged customers to use only the lights necessary, to set thermostats at sixty-five degrees to sixty-eight degrees, and to delay laundry, dishwashing, and baths until the weather relented.

Peter Main, a spokesman for Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), noted in a newspaper interview that energy doesn’t come just from “the power plant next door.”

He said, “What we do in Arkansas helps other states, and what folks do in North Dakota helps Arkansas. It’s a matter of small adjustments by each individual.”

How bad was this storm?

Gurdon had the most snow in Arkansas with twenty-one inches. Fayetteville set a record with a low temperature of twenty degrees below zero. Little Rock’s fifteeninch snowfall tied a record from 1918, but the capital city’s low temperature of one-degree below zero wasn’t the coldest ever. Fort Smith’s low of eight-degrees below is its seventh coldest recorded temperature.

The weather has kept many of our road crews away from home for the entire week, and we are grateful for their service. The crew in Maumelle has been working in two shifts and sleeping in the city’s bunk house. Power company linemen have been tromping through snowy woods and climbing ice-covered poles to repair lines. Our police officers have been rescuing drivers and working dozens of accidents at great risk.

As disruptive as this storm has been, it also produced beautiful sights and sounds that we don’t often enjoy in Arkansas. There is something special about the beauty of snow-covered hills and trees. The paved streets have been empty; the traffic is on hills all over the state, and we see our kids – the young ones and the adult ones as well – slide down hills on red Flexible Flyers and brown cardboard boxes.

This rare winter storm soon will be history, and I know it has caused a hardship for many, but I hope that it has produced some warm memories as well.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, joined by multiple state and local law enforcement agencies, continue to piece together today a series of incidents that ended last night when a Lonoke police officer was shot and wounded.

The Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division is leading the investigation as it relates to the officer involved shooting at 1834 Arkansas Highway 31 in Lonoke and a second crime scene south of Lonoke where a fugitive wanted in at least two states was wounded and later died.

At approximately 8 PM (Saturday, February 20, 2021) two Lonoke police officers on patrol duty recognized a Dodge sport utility vehicle parked at the McDonald’s restaurant near Interstate 40. It appeared to be a vehicle used in connection with a North Carolina child abduction case.

The officers exited their patrol car and approached the suspect vehicle. The officers could see two people inside the SUV and ordered the driver to get out of the vehicle. The driver, later identified as William Robert Ice, 38, of Jackson Center, Pennsylvania, complied with the orders, but as he

exited, aimed a gun at one of the officers and began shooting, critically wounding the officer.

The second Lonoke officer, who was uninjured, returned gunfire as Ice reentered the vehicle and fled.

An Arkansas State Trooper already in the area heard police radio communications reporting an officer down and spotted the suspect vehicle leaving the McDonald’s parking lot.

The trooper pursued the vehicle through Lonoke, south along Arkansas Highway 31, and onto Raprich Road, where it became disabled in a snowbank.

A 14-year-old female passenger fled from the vehicle and was secured by a state trooper. Inside the SUV, the trooper found Ice critically injured from what preliminarily appears to be a selfinflicted gunshot wound.

Working with sheriff’s deputies in Davidson County, North Carolina and Special Agents with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Special Agents of the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division were able to identify the 14-year-old passenger as the victim in a child abduction case.

Ice, who died at a Little Rock hospital earlier today, was also wanted by Penn-

sylvania law enforcement authorities in connection with other child predator cases. His body has been submitted to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory to determine the manner and cause of death.

The wounded Lonoke police officer is reported to be in stable condition at a Little Rock hospital.

Questions relating to the identity of the Lonoke officers and their administrative status should be directed to the Lonoke Police Department.

Inquiries that may relate to the out of child predator cases should be directed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Davidson County (North Carolina) Sheriff’s Department, and Pennsylvania State Police.

Arkansas State Police Special Agents are preparing an investigative file that will be turned-over to the Lonoke County prosecuting attorney who will decide if the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer was consistent with Arkansas laws.

The agents will continue to assist other law enforcement agencies in connection with cases that may involve Ice and the abduction of the 14 year-old victim who will be returned to North Carolina later today.

Arkansas’s Great River Road receives All-American Road Designation AR Tourism

The Arkansas section of the Great River Road, which is part of a national scenic byway that runs 3,000 miles from Minnesota to Louisiana, has been designated an “All-American Road” by the Federal Highway Administration.

Arkansas’s section of the Great River Road is comprised of 10 counties located in the Arkansas Delta: Mississippi, Crittenden, St. Francis, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, Arkansas, Desha, Drew and Chicot.

To receive an All-American Road designation, a road must possess multiple intrinsic qualities that are nationally significant and have one-of-a-kind features that do not exist elsewhere.

The road or highway must also be considered a “destination unto itself.” That is, the road must provide an exceptional traveling experience so recognized by travelers that they would make a drive along the highway a primary reason for their trip. These roads are considered the very best of America’s National Scenic Byways. In 2020, 63 nomination applications were submitted. Forty-nine

byways in 28 states were designated, including 34 National Scenic Byways and 15 All-American Roads.

“It’s an honor for Arkansas’s Great River Road to be named an All-American Road by the Federal Highway Administration,” said Arkansas Parks, Heritage and Tourism Secretary Stacy Hurst. “It is truly a destination highway. Along the way, visitors can experience everything from quaint small towns to plantations to world-class biking trails. We invite everyone to explore it and see how the mighty Mississippi has shaped Arkansas and its people.”

“The Great River Road tells the story of America’s history,” said Kim Williams, director of Arkansas’s Great River Road. “From large cities to small river towns, through historical sites and interpretive centers, the Great River Road lays out the history of our native people and immigrant communities, the river industry and transportation, agriculture and so much more. This designation is a wonderful testament to the importance and historical significance of Arkansas’s Delta region.”

The Mississippi Riv-

Oracle: CE

Upcoming Events Upcoming Events Disaster Response Training for National Park College students &

2020 graduates is free and available for sign up now. Go to EventBrite. com for more details. >>> <<< The Iron Mountain Legend trail run is held on the epic trails of Iron Mountain in the DeGray Lake State Park area. With 10K, 25K and 42K options...there is something for all types. Post-race food and drink, plus a unique finisher medal will make it a day to remember. The start/finish line will be the Iron Mountain Lodge & Marina on DeGray Lake. On course aid stations with lots of tasty treats to keep fueled for a day in the Ouachita Mountains. It will take place on March 13.

Ongoing >>> <<< Alcoholics Anonymous hosts two meetings a week in Arkadelphia.

ASP investigating shooting, agencies look into abduction Arkansas State Police Public Affairs Office

er Parkway Commission (MRPC), a non-profit organization founded to preserve and improve the resources, viability and amenities of the Mississippi River Valley, hopes the All-American status will bring new attention to the Great River Road.

Created in 1938 and stretching for 3,000 miles through and beside 10 states, the Great River Road National Scenic Byway is the longest such designated roadway and one of the oldest. Travelers planning a journey along the road can order a free 10-state Great River Road map, which shows the Great River Road’s route through all 10 states and highlights the interpretive centers along the way. Another helpful resource is the Drive the Great River Road app, available for free on Apple and Android devices. Travelers can plot their route along the Great River Road and find scenic overlooks, agritourism attractions, interpretive centers and more. For more detailed information, visit www.experiencemississippiriver.com. You can also find The Great River Road on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

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. >>> <<< H& R Block has a new location at 2749 Pine St in Arkadelphia, AR! Visit their new office today to put their expertise to work on your refund. >>> <<< The Arkadelphia Arts Center directors are looking forward to the day when we can open the doors to the public. Meanwhile, enjoy our rotating exhibits that may be seen through the window and glass door.

Contact information is listed on identification cards near 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. >>> <<< 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! >>> <<< 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.

Oracle:CE

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021

Page 3

“Lovers: Winners” to be Owens Corning performed this week at HSU to expand ARKADELPHIA, Ark. -

Joe, two 17-year-olds who are

Smith of Cabot; and Lucy Speer

costume designer. The stage

Henderson State University

to be married in three weeks

of Little Rock. The play is under

manager is Robert Chase Dunn

Theatre will present three per-

because Mag is pregnant. While

the direction of Hannah Mims

of Rudy.

formances of Lovers: Winners

they study and dream at the top

of Foulke. Lighting design is by

Even though admission

on Feb. 25, 26, and 27 begin-

of Ardnageeha hill, two com-

Douglas Gilpin, William Hen-

is free, all seats are reserved.

ning at 7:30 p.m. in Arkansas

mentators reveal the mysteri-

shaw designed the costumes,

Patrons will be seated six

Hall Auditorium. A question

ous circumstances that follow

and sound design is by Claudia

feet apart and must remain

and answer session with the

their afternoon study session.

Beach.

masked. The Henderson The-

director will follow the opening

The cast of Lovers: Winners

Student designers include:

atre Box Office in Arkansas Hall

includes: Camden Dalie Keech

Eric Cox of Texarkana, Texas,

is now open for advance ticket

Lovers: Winners, by Brian

of Conway; Ethan Schmidt of

scenic design; and Natalie

reservations from 1-4 p.m.

Frie, is the story of Mag and

St. Louis, Missouri; Jessica

Gray of Hot Springs, assistant

performance.

“The Thing About Winter Storms” by

Blanton Matthews

Continuing COVID-19 tracking

by Arkansas Dept. of Health

FORT SMITH, Ark. – Governor Asa Hutchinson and the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce welcome news of Owens Corning’s investment to build a new 550,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on 56 acres, adjacent to its current property in Fort Smith.

Owens Corning is a global building and industrial materials leader. The company will retain its current 79 full-time employees at its Fort Smith facility and hire an additional five employees. The new site is expected to start production mid-2023. The current site will be retired after the new facility begins operation.

“Owens Corning appreciates the support provided by Governor Hutchinson, the Fort Smith Board of Directors, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce throughout the planning process,” said Marcio Sandri, president of the composites business at Owens Corning. “We’re proud to have been part of the Fort Smith community for more than three decades and we look forward to future growth. With this new state-of-the-art facility, Owens Corning is investing in the future of Fort Smith and our business.”

Owens Corning’s Fort Smith plant began production in 1984. The current plant produces mat for roofing shingles and other nonwoven products.

The new plant will also produce roofing mat and add capacity to its network to service growing demand for a number of building material applications.

“It is always a good day in Arkansas when one of our companies increases its investment in our communities and our economy,” Gov. Hutchinson said. “Owens Corning is a wellrespected company, globally

O

and here in Arkansas, and I am confident of their success in the future.”

Based in Toledo, Ohio, Owens Corning has been a Fortune 500® company for 66 consecutive years. The company is a recognized leader on environmental, social, and governance issues and has been honored with awards and top rankings from several external organizations, including 3BL (#1 on the 100 Best Corporate Citizens list), CDP (“A List” for both climate and water), the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (industry leader for the Building Products Group), and Ethisphere Institute (One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies).

Secretary of Commerce and Executive Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) Mike Preston said, “Owens Corning is a valued member of the Fort Smith business community, and homeowners across the state have trusted the company’s products for decades. I’m pleased that Owens Corning continues to have confidence in our state.”

“The Owens Corning expansion is a perfect example of the partnership between the Arkansas Department of Commerce, Chamber, and the City of Fort Smith and how we work together toward one unified goal,” said Tim Allen, president and CEO of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“The focus with this project was economic development and job retention/creation. Owens Corning has a great reputation in the region and having them recognize our resources and top-notch workforce is one of the strongest endorsements possible. Thank you to Owens Corning for their continued investment in our community.”

ACLE

Editor in Chief: Pete Tubbs

Ads Manager: Harley Whisenhunt

Oracle Editor: Kelly Currington Sports Editor: Donovan Lee

Staff Reporter: Lance Brownfield

Staff Reporter: Caroline Derby Adviser: Steve Listopad

oracle@hsu.edu

870-230-5221 1100 Henderson Street, Arkadelphia, AR - 71923 Calls will be returned.

Mailed subscriptions now offered -$60 for 6 months -$100 a year Arkansas Department of Health

According to the Arkansas Department of Health Administration in its COVID-19 update, there are a total of 65,912 probable cases in the state as of Feb. 25. In reference to ADH’s graph, there are a total of 315,759 cases with 305,470 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.

Crites & Tackett Tree Service

Tree removal, trimming, topping and stump removal.

Free estimates, worker’s comp, and liability insurance.

501-337-1565 or 501-337-9094

Masks are nearly universally required to enter most businesses. They are available in most grocery and convenience stores.

Sports are in full swing, with the basketball season currently underway. That’s not to say that there aren’t precautions, however, as games are being cancelled left and right to coincide with regulations.

With Joe Biden as the new President of the United States and vaccines being given to those that meet the needed qualifications, things are changing week by week.

People are encouraged to continue social distancing and staying at least six feet away from others. Testing is widely available in most cities.

All views and opinions are those of Oracle writers and editors and they do not represent the beliefs of Henderson State University. The Oracle: CE is printed by the Nashville Leader in Nashville, AR*

4 News

Oracle: CE

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021

Ouachita Sports Digital Network airs first broadcasts from new production trailer

Photo by Levi Dade.

Blythe Epp, a sophomore communications & media/film studies major and member of OSDN from Aurora, Neb., films a Ouachita men’s basketball game on January 23. January marked OSDN’s first sports broadcast with the new production trailer and following a 10-month pause of NCAA Division II athletic events due to COVID-19.

Abby Turner OBU Sports

A team of nine Ouachita Baptist University students in the Ouachita Sports Digital Network (OSDN) recorded and produced their first series of broadcasts the weekend of Jan. 2324 from a new production trailer, providing coverage of Tiger swimming and basketball events to fans after a 10-month pause on Ouachita and overall NCAA Division II athletic events due to COVID-19.

OSDN launched in 2020 in response to growth and interest in the sports media emphasis within Ouachita’s communications & media major, and as a way to give students hands-on, immersive experience while still in school. This semester, the OSDN team includes about 30 students who are interested in sports broadcasting.

Chris Babb, instructor of communications and director of Ouachita’s sports media productions, directs

students in their first broadcast the weekend of Jan. 23-24. Photo by Jeff Root.

“We have three or four who want to do play-by-play work, we have some who want to get behind the camera, and we have some who enjoy the directing side of things,” said Chris Babb, instructor of communications and director of Ouachita’s sports media productions.

“We try to spread people out to do different jobs, to stretch them and help them learn.”

The new production trailer, made possible by a generous donation to the program, requires more jobs for students interested in various roles and allows the OSDN team to cover more than one Tiger sporting event at a time – an important feature during a busy sports season. Fourteen of Ouachita’s 15 sports teams will participate in intercollegiate competition this semester after many seasons were canceled or delayed over the past year

due to the pandemic.

“The equipment in the trailer allows us to do more as far as practice for the students,” Babb said. “It opens up a bunch of different jobs and is more of a true broadcast that they might work on after they graduate.”

For Matthew Branch, a senior communications & media/sports media major from Bauxite, Ark., the new equipment has given OSDN students the opportunity to “focus more on the production itself and have more time to prepare and learn.”

“It makes me feel like we are doing what the pros do, albeit on a smaller scale,” Branch said. “Having the trailer makes it feel real to me, like we are truly a sports network and can put together the best broadcasts in the region, and in the conference.”

“We are thankful our donor sees the potential and the value in what we’re doing,” said Dr. Jeff Root, dean of the School of Humanities and Huckabee

Photo by Jeff Root.

Chris Babb, instructor of communications and director of Ouachita’s sports media productions, directs students in their first broadcast the weekend of Jan. 23-24.

School of Education. “They recognized the talent among the students and wanted to be a part of it.”

The trailer “has made it possible for us to enhance the kind and quality of equipment we are working with, and it makes a world of difference with the students,” Root added.

OSDN currently has 63 events scheduled to broadcast and covering almost a dozen Ouachita teams this semester.

“Especially this spring with a lot of sports going and parents who can’t make all of the events to watch their sons and daughters play, the trailer gives us a second

set of equipment where we can broadcast simultaneously,” Babb said. “It takes more students, but we’ve got students who are willing to work and value the experience.”

The Tigers started fast, leading 22-18 after the first quarter and building a lead as large as 15 in the second.

Henderson State battled back and regained the lead in the third, but Lauren Wright’s three-pointer with 1:06 left in the quarter put her team back on top.

The fourth quarter saw three ties and eight lead changes, with Ouachita taking the lead for good with 24 seconds remaining as Maija

Gertsone sank a pair of free throws.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW - Crow passed Leslie Whitten to take over 10th place in total rebounds in Tiger history. Crow finished the game with 496 career rebounds.

- Crow’s double-double was the 10th of her career - Freshman Dai Brown made her collegiate debut Monday

BY THE NUMBERS .867 - The Tigers made 13 of 15 (.867) free throws in the second half, including an 8-8 performance from the line in the fourth 3 - Crow and Miller each recorded three assists to lead the team .400 - Ouachita went 4-10 from distance Monday, marking the third straight game it had made at least 40 percent of its three-pointers

Tigers hang on to take down Henderson State in intense Monday night Battle of the Ravine THE RUNDOWN Ouachita Baptist women’s basketball picked up its second straight win Monday night, outlasting Henderson State 69-66 at the Duke Wells Center. Makayla Miller led the Tigers with 19 points, and defending Great American Conference Player of the Week Eden Crow recorded her second straight double-double with 17 points and a career-hightying 16 rebounds.

Photo courtesy of OBU Tigers.

Sophomore guard Makayla Miller led the Tigers with 19 points which helped lead to a victory over the HSU Reddies.