INDEX Events Opinion Comics COVID Update Sports
No. 4
Vol. 2
June 03, 2021
The Republic of Arkadelphia
Photo Courtesy of The Republic of Arkadelphia
Among the several micronations in Arkansas is one that shares a name with the city of Arkadelphia.
Lance Brownfield Editor-in-Chief Arkadelphia was founded July 29, 2020 and has a population of six people including Prime Minister Joseph Hackely. Not the Arkadelphia that you and I know, but the micronation of the same name. The Republic of Arkadelphia, located in central
Arkansas, is comprised of three cities. The capital city of Edwin is surrounded by the Little Rock suburb of Sherwood, while Liam and Fort Sharp are both 30 to 45 minutes away. Founded as just one city, the two enclaves of Fort Sharp and Liam were added the next day. The republic also claims one overseas territory on the West Coast
of Ireland called Móinéar Fianna. “I decided to start the nation because I didn’t like the state flag of Arkansas,” said Hackely “Later it was due to political differences.” According to its Microwiki, the republic is a member of the Association of Ozark Micronations (AOMN) and the Multinational Association of the Americas. Other
member states of AOMN include Ethosia, Alexsandriya, the Hellenic Empire of Cimburn and the now defunct Socialist Republic of Ozark. The micronation’s government is a parliamentary representative democracy complete with a military and foreign relations to other micronations around the globe. Although there is currently no weaponry among the three branches, Arkadelphia has an Army, Navy and Air Force. “We do give international aid to the United States,” said the republic’s wiki. “Or as they call it, ‘taxes’” To check all the boxes, the Republic of Arkadelphia boasts a motto, an anthem and three official languages — English, Spanish and Irish, although only one “citizen” speaks more than English. The fledgling republic also has a national park and recently made a Twitter poll to ask if they should create an archive or a newspaper. Making an archive won with 56.3% of the 16 votes, which is for the best as they might have
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ended up naming their newspaper the Daily Siftings Herald or the Dispatch or something. “If you wish to visit and are worried you won’t be able to pay, don’t,” tweeted the micronation. “We are open to all currencies and on top of that we don’t have anything to sell really as our economy is a work in progress.” Originally named Blakelytown, John Hemphill settled the city of Arkadelphia in 1809. 30 years later, the city adopted its current name in 1839. The origin of the name has been lost to time, along with the exact reason for choosing it. “It literally translates to a place in Arkansas,” said Hackley “And yes I knew about the city, I have visited a couple times.” Perhaps one day there will be diplomatic relationships between Arkadelphia and Arkadelphia, (the city and the republic) but for now the Republic of Arkadelphia is focusing on building relationships with other micronations.
“Breaking Bad” Case Set for Trial Lance Brownfield Editor-in-Chief Two ex-Henderson chemistry professors are set for trial in July. Terry Bateman and Bradley Rowland were arrested in 2019 for manufacturing methamphetamine in the university labs at Reynolds Science Center. Because of the coronavirus, the courts have been shut down for 15 months. With so many cases on backlog and the decision by the Supreme Court to allow retrials again, the case could be delayed even further. Bateman and Rowland plead not guilty to all charges in February of 2020 before the pandemic hit the pause button. Even with the possible delays, the case is expected to reach trial before the end of the year. Check back for updates as the story develops.
Train Station Still Chugging Along Blanton Matthews Staff Reporter More than a century ago, Arkadelphia’s own train station opened on fifth street, connecting the little city to major metropolitan areas across the United States. Shortly after its opening in 1917, the world was plagued by the Spanish Flu pandemic. Schools, churches, and businesses closed, people wore masks and kept distant from each other, and of course public transportation was limited. It was a new world, not unlike the world we are in today. 104 years and several outbreaks later, the Arkadelphia station is reopening to its full schedule after a year of a more staggered schedule to lessen the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The station sits on the
Texas Eagle route, which spans from Chicago, IL to San Antonio, TX, where it connects with the Sunset Limited route between Los Angeles, CA and New Orleans, LA. Prior to the pandemic, trains arrived daily, one in each direction, but under pandemic restrictions northbound and southbound trains alternated six days a week, and did not come at all on Thursdays. In 2019, the Arkadelphia station serviced 1,389 passengers, per Amtrak statistics, steadily hovering around 1,300-1,400 for the last few years. While the 2020 annual report has yet to be released at time of writing, it is almost certain that the passenger count was significantly lower than years prior. The station has survived global pandemics, corporate mergers, natural disasters, and kept on chugging. Fittingly, it has also housed
Photo by Blanton Matthews
The train station in Arkadelphia was finished just as the Spanish Influenza pandemic broke out over a hundred years ago.
collections of the Clark County Historical Society since 2003. This collection includes a train caboose from the Missouri Pacific Lines, the original line the
station was part of before its acquisition by Union Pacific. The station was added to the US National Registry of Historic Places on June 11, 1992.
Trains once again arrive twice a day every day around 4:20 AM and 10:02 PM. The station is at 758 South Fifth Street. The historical museum is still
closed from the pandemic, its reopening has yet to be announced.
Photos by Lance Brownfield
Two traveling street musicians stopped in Arkadelphia on Monday, May 31. The couple from New Orleans were performing at a local gas station to earn some gas money. The duo live out of their van playing roadside shows all over the country. Both musicians are multi-instrumentalists and selfproclaimed “hippies.”
From Weather.com
FRI - June 04 scattered thunderstorm
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SUN - June 06 partly cloudy
MON - June 07 partly cloudy
TUE - June 08 mostly cloudy
WED - June 09
THU - June 10
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scattered thunderstorms
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Precipitation: 24% Wind: ESE 3 mph Humidity: 76%
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Precipitation: 45% Wind: SSE 7mph Humidity: 87%
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2 News
Thursday, June 03, 2021
Getting Across the COVID Finish Line Asa Hutchinson AR Governor LITTLE ROCK – The state’s emergency health declaration ends this Sunday, and today I’d like to encourage Arkansans to remember that although the emergency has passed, we are still in a pandemic. We have plenty of reasons to be optimistic, though. Our hospitalizations are down. The General Assembly enacted into law my emergency orders that allowed telemedicine and liability protection. Now every Arkansan 12 and older has access to vaccines, and the vaccine is the best way to manage COVID. But these encouraging signs and the end of the emergency declaration do not change the fact that COVID-19 is still in our community. The public health concerns remain, and we must continue to take it seriously. Throughout the pandemic, I have worked closely with my team at the Arkansas Department of Health as we decided the best course of action. After consulting Health Secretary Dr. José Romero and his experts, I am confident that ending the declara-
tion is the correct action. Arkansans have demonstrated they will do the right thing, so we can safely move from an emergency response to the day-by-day management of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control reports that 50 percent of adult Arkansans have at least one shot. That is good, but we must do better. And we hope to have seventy-percent of all Arkansans to be vaccinated. We all know that vaccinations are our way out of the pandemic, and that is why I am supporting a program of incentives to help move Arkansas across the finish line. On Tuesday, I announced the state will purchase fifty-thousand Arkansas Scholarship Lottery scratch-off tickets and fifty-thousand gift certificates for hunting and fishing licenses from Arkansas Game and Fish. Starting this week, everyone who receives a vaccination will get the choice of a lottery ticket or the Game and Fish certificate. If we hand out all of those, we’ll purchase more if this proves successful to motivate more people to get a shot. In addition for Memorial Day weekend, the Department of Health is part-
nering with Arkansas State Parks to stage vaccination clinics at three of our state parks – DeGray Lake, Mississippi River, and Petit Jean. The name of everyone who receives a shot at one of these clinics will be entered into a drawing for two nights of free lodging at any of our state parks. Last week, I announced that employees of the state’s executive branch agencies who receive the vaccination will receive a one-hundred-dollar bonus. We want employees to be immunized so they can be safe. But we also want to create a safe environment for those who must come into a state office, whether it’s to get a driver’s license or register a business. Memorial Day is the time we officially set aside to honor the memory of those who have given their life in service to the United States. Memorial Day also is the unofficial start of summer. This year, Memorial Day also marks the end of the COVID-19 emergency for Arkansans. We are making progress against the pandemic. Normal life is in sight, and that’s something to be thankful for this Memorial Day.
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Events Upcoming Events June 3 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Performing LIVE on the stage, The Rodney Block Collective, Thursday, June 3rd, 2021 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at 7th and Main Street. June 8 Voting on local economic development funding and moving Clark County forward. July 23 9 a.m. Willie Tate Golf Tournament Classic June 24 9 p.m. Arkadelphia Rec Center Drive-In Movie Nights (Movie title) July 15 9 p.m. Arkadelphia Rec Center Drive-In Movie Nights (Movie title) July 23 9 a.m. Willie Tate Golf Tournament Classic August 5 8:30 p.m. Arkadelphia Rec Center Drive-In Movie Nights (Movie title)
Recurring Friday Night Magic The Gathering - Atlas Gaming ♦♦♦
Photo by Lance Brownfield
The Community Family Enrichment Center hosts a drive through food pantry from 10 a.m. to noon every Tuesday. According to Director Patricia Wright, they feed between 100 and 175 families every week as partners with the Arkansas Food Bank. The organization also provides assistance with utilities through the CARES Act Grant.
NAACP & Concerned Citizens Group Call Community Meeting
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. ♦♦♦ 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. 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. ♦♦♦
Photo by Blanton Matthews
The Clark County NAACP and the Concerned Citizens Group are hosting a community meeting Wednesday, June 2 at Gennesaret Baptist Church in Arkadelphia. The reason for the get-together is to discuss the upcoming tax vote on Tuesday, June 8. Free hamburgers and hot dogs will be served at the event. For more information, contact Doug Nelson at (870) 403-3760 or Henry Wilson at (870) 403-8238.
Cruella Back on The Silver Screen Jaylon McEwen Staff Reporter Fans of the classic Disney film “101 Dalmatians,” are in for a treat this week with the latest installment of the famous franchise. The reboot of notorious villain Cruella de Vil sees her as the leading role of her very own film. The film follows the life of young fashion designer Estella (Emma Stone) trying to rise her way through the ranks of the fashion world. Fans finally get to witness the origin story
of de Vil frame by frame. Disney made sure to pick a star-studded cast to go along with Emma Stones leading character. Notable faces include, Emma Thompson (“Nanny McPhee”, “Sense and Sensibility”), Emily Beecham (“Into the Badlands”, “Little Joe”), Mark Strong (“Kingsman franchise”, “Shazam!”) and Kirby Howell-Baptiste (“Killing Eve”, “Why Women Kill”.) This also marks Craig Gillespie’s sixth film in the director’s chair.
Cruella has received generally positive reviews so far from fans and managed to earn 72 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was announced back in 2013 but did not begin filming until August of 2019. Filming wrapped up in November 2019. It was originally scheduled to be released December 23, 2020 but it was delayed until May 28 2021. For those that missed the May 28 release date, select theaters are still showing the film and streaming on Disney Plus is available for $29.99.
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.
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Thursday, June 03, 2021
Freedom Comes With a Price Bruce Westerman AR Representative
This year’s Memorial Day was special for many Americans as our nation begins to return to normal, with many joining in-person gatherings with family and friends for the first time in over a year. As we celebrate the holiday weekend with cookouts, sunshine, and good food, let’s take a moment to count our many blessings because of the sacrifices of others. Freedom has always come with a high price, and it is our privilege to remember the men and women who died in service so that we may continue to enjoy our freedom.
One such man is Harold “Gene” Sellers, an Arkansan who was one of the first men to die on D-Day. He parachuted behind enemy lines, and his sacrifice allowed other Americans to storm the beaches of Normandy. Mr. Sellers was a high school football and basketball star and attended the University of Arkansas on a football scholarship. Before he could complete his first year of college, Mr. Sellers dropped out to enlist in the U.S. Army and joined the 101st Airborne. On D-Day, he was one of the paratroopers to parachute behind enemy lines the night before the Normandy invasion. As he landed, Mr. Sellers
was attacked and killed by a group of Nazi soldiers. He was one of 4,413 service men to give their lives for freedom that day. Mr. Sellers was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star posthumously. I was honored to visit his grave in the American Cemetery in Normandy and was inspired by his story. His sacrifice, along with thousands of men who gave their lives that day, are the reason why the Allies were able to free France from Nazi control. We can never repay men like Mr. Sellers, but we can remember their lives and honor their sacrifice by passing their stories down to future generations.
Page 3
State Police CID Probing Suspected Washington County Homicide AR State Police The Arkansas State Police are investigating a suspected homicide that has claimed the life of a Washington County woman. The body of Amber Dunigan, 36, was discovered Friday,
May 28th inside a parked vehicle alongside Arkansas Highway 16, not far from her home in the Wedington Woods community, west of Fayetteville. Special Agents of the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division
were called to the crime scene shortly before 10 PM. Dunigan’s body has been transported to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory where a manner and cause of death, as well as an approximate time of death will be determined.
HOW TO REACH YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Arkadelphia Mayor Scott Byrd 700 Clay Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-6745
Governor Asa Hutchinson 250 State Capital Bldg. Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 682-2345
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
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
Comic by Blanton Matthews
Arkansas Department of Health COVID-19 Update
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Send an ad with payment addressed to “Oracle” to 1100 Henderson Street Box 7693. Tell us how often the ad should run. Deadline for ads: For ad changes, to cancel ads; tell us by Thursday. The week before publication. No extra charge for bold or caps. Phone number and full name are one word. Cost: 25¢/word “$7/photo.” Call Reddie Media Group (RMG) at 870230-5220 or rmg@hsu.edu for a detailed rate card or any other questions. Ask us about our duration packages.
Arkansas Department of Health
According to the Arkansas Department of Health Administration in its COVID-19 update, there are a total of 74,684 probable
cases in the state as of April 19. In reference to ADH’s graph, there are a total of 341,381 cases. There have been 238,902 individuals partially immunzed and 903,606 fully immunized.
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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. Vaccines are now available for a limited amount of people. Baptist Health in Arkadelphia has been supplying shots for weeks for selected employees across town. Golf, softball, women’s volleyball, and basketball are in full swing, so sports teams are
keeping an eye on COVID guidelines. 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.
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4 Sports
UPCOMING EVENTS
6/7 - 8/5 Coak Matthews HSU Red Wave - Learn to Swim
6/8 AHS football 7 on 7 @ Benton
6/8 AHS football team camp @ OBU
6/9 - 6/10 9 a.m. - noon Tigers in Training Volleyball Camp
Thursday, June 03, 2021
6/18 - 6/19 AHS football 7 on 7 @ Pulaski Academy
6/24 AHS football team camp @ Pulaski Academy
David Salley HSU Sports WARRENSBURG, Mo. — A magical 2021 season came to a close for Henderson State on Sunday afternoon as the Reddies fell to No. 3 seed Minnesota State 7-4 in the semifinal round of the NCAA Central Regional. The loss ends the year for GAC Champion HSU, who finishes with a 27-19 record and as one of the last four teams standing in a stacked Central Region. The Reddies faced the top three seeds at the regional tournament, all of whom were ranked inside the Top-15 nationally, and battled three starting pitchers who were a combined 26-1 on the year. Henderson, the No. 6 seed, led for the majority of the game against the No. 13 team in the country, Minnesota State. The Reddies took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI double from Kaden Argenbright, then extended their advantage
to 3-0 in the second inning on a two-run single from Alec Lewis. The Mavericks got two runs back in the bottom half of the third to cut their deficit to 3-2, but at that point, both pitchers settled in. MSU’s Brendan Knoll, who gave up five straight hits in the third, proceeded to sit the next 14 Reddie batters down in order, while HSU freshman Ethan Perry, who entered in the fourth, kept Minnesota State off the board for the next four innings. The contest turned for HSU in the eighth. Clinging to a 3-2 lead, Henderson got back-to-back hits from Argenbright and Lewis to put runners on the corners with no one out. The Mavericks escaped, however, as their All-American reliever Hunter Even left two stranded to keep the score intact. Minnesota State capitalized on the momentum in the bottom half and used four hits, including a threerun home run, to plate five runs and seize a 7-3 lead.
Photo courtesy of HSUsports.com
The Reddies’ remarkable season has come to a close after losing the NCAA Central Regional semifinals.
Down to their final three outs, Henderson refused to go away quietly in the top of the ninth. HSU got a solo home run from Danny Mitchell Jr. to make it 7-4, then got back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases with two outs. With a chance to pull off another furious comeback, the Reddies saw a full-count strike call go against them, which ended the game for MSU. Argenbright had three
hits and two doubles to lead HSU at the plate, while Lewis finished with two hits and two RBIs. Joe Myers recorded two hits in his final game for the Reddies, which was the 195th of his career. Perry took the loss despite a terrific performance where he threw four innings, struck out four, and allowed just two runs on four hits. Brayden Bebee entered
briefly for Henderson in the eighth, which marked his third appearance in three games at the Central Regional. Originally picked seventh in the 2021 GAC Preseason Poll, the Reddies won the program’s first conference title in 39 years this spring and earned the school’s second-ever berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Oliveira Named All-American Ouachita Baptist junior Francisco Oliveira has been named an ITA All-American for the 2020-21 season, as announced by the ITA today. Oliveira finishes the season with the No. 17 ranking among Division II
singles players, cementing his All-American status. He and Santiago Kearney earned the No. 24 doubles ranking in the country as well. “I know that I speak for the entire team when I say we are extremely proud and happy for Chico and Santi,” head coach Craig
Ward said. “It’s been many years since we have had guys finish that high in both singles and doubles. Chico’s ranking makes him an All-American. The last time we had a guy do that was 2015. It’s well deserved and couldn’t be happier for both of them and the team.”
Oliveira finished the spring with a 12-3 singles record, playing mostly at Line 1. He adds All-America honors to a laundry list of accolades that includes AllMIAA nods at both singles and doubles, a UTR/ITA National Player of the Week award, and an MIAA Player of the Week selection.
Season highlights for the Porto, Portugal, native include a win over then-No. 32 Dani Ortiz of Harding on February 28 and a win over fellow All-American Chris Bulus of West Alabama. As a team, the Tigers ended the season at No. 36 in the final ITA rankings.
Badgers Look to be a Force in Class 4A Next Fall Aaron Weatherford Staff Reporter
7/13 AHS football team camp @ Pulaski Academy
7/20 AHS football team camp @ Lake Hamilton
7/29 AHS football team camp @ Prescott
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
8/27 AHS football vs. Camden Fairview (non-conference)
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HSU’s Historic Season Ends at Central Regional
OBU Tigers
6/15 - 6/16 10 a.m. - noon, 1 - 3 p.m. Tigers Jr. High Elite Volleyball Camp
Photo by Trey Schucker
The Badgers will begin their 2021 season with a non-conference game against 5A Camden Fairview
Arkadelphia Badger football has been nothing but successful for the past four years. The Badgers went back to back, winning state titles in 2017 and 2018. Last year, Trey Schucker took the reins of head coach after former coach J.R Eldgridge left for North Little Rock. Normally when a team introduces a new head coach, they tend to struggle in that first year. This was not the case with the Badger Program. The Badgers last fall went 8-2 and made a trip to the third round of the playoffs. Despite Covid being a problem midway through the season, Coach Schucker’s team was not fazed by the virus. “I thought that our players, coaches, and fans responded positively through the Covid year,” Schucker said. “Everybody knew there would be limitations and restrictions going into the season. I think everybody did well adjusting to keep everybody safe and be as successful as possible as a team,” Arkadelphia goes into the summer looking for a guy to fill some big shoes. The Badgers are losing an All-State quarterback and the Farm Bureau Award winner, Braeden Thomas to graduation. Thomas also committed to OBU this past spring. He amassed 4,400 yards and scored 45 touchdowns in his career at Arkadelphia. “You can’t replace Braeden Thomas’s ath-
leticism,” Schucker said. “He is one of the most athletic players I’ve ever coached and just a great young man in general. Our QB position was a high priority in regards to development this spring,” The past two seasons since winning a title in 2018, Arkadelphia has fallen in the third round each year. In 2019, the Badgers played in the rain and mud losing by one point to Crossett. Then last year, Arkadelphia went on the road to face Warren where the Lumberjacks avenged their 2017 title and 2018 playoff losses, beating Arkadelphia 35-20. “I think one of the biggest things to learn from last year is the ability to overcome adversity,” Schucker said. “On the field and off the field things will not always go your way and you might have to adjust what is ‘normal’ to find the best way to be successful.” This will be Coach Schucker’s second season with the Badgers. After winning a title at Class 6A Searcy in 2019 as the offensive coordinator, Schucker has gotten into the groove of being the “head ball coach”. “The transition from coordinator to head coach was smooth,” Shucker said. “The biggest difference I would say is just the behind the scenes processes that you don’t get to do as a coordinator like scheduling and hiring. It was a fun transition,” Arkadelphia will begin the 2021 season at Badger Stadium Friday, August 27 as they host Class 5A Camden Fairview.