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ACLE No. 6
March 4, 2021
Huckabee Sanders to run for OBU awarded $20,000 for research Governor of Arkansas
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders is looking to follow in the footsteps of her father and run for Governor of the state of Arkansas. Juliann Reaper Oracle: CE Reporter As of Jan. 25, Arkansas Republican Communications Consultant Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced that she is running to be the next Governor of Arkansas. Nov. 8, 2022 is the current date set for the general election. She will be competing with the current lieutenant governor and the attorney general both of which
have already won statewide races. However, one of her competitors has already backed out of the race. Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin decided not to run against her, running for attorney general instead. Sanders was born on Aug. 13, 1982, in Hope, AR, and raised here in Arkansas. She shows an apparent love of the state.
“Arkansas is God’s country, the natural state.” Sanders said. “You haven’t lived until you float the clear, free flowing waters of the Buffalo River through the Ozark Mountains, or watch the sunrise on a duck hunt in flooded green timber.” She graduated from Little Rock Central High School and then from Ouachita Baptist University. Sarah was a political science major with a minor
in communications. As a senior at OBU, Sanders was the president of the Student Senate. She started following her father into politics a long time before she decided to run for governor. In his 1992 campaign for United States Senate and his subsequent successful campaigns for governor, Sanders helped with her father’s campaigns. Graduating from college in 2004, her involvement in presidential politics began when she served as field coordinator in Ohio for President George W. Bush’s re-election campaign. She was also the national political director for Governor Huckabee’s presidential campaign in 2008. Then in 2016, Sanders served as her father’s campaign manager. The same year she joined Donald Trump’s campaign as a senior adviser. Upon his election, she transferred to a role on the white house communications staff. On July 21, 2017, Scaramucci promoted Huckabee Sanders to the position of press secretary. Almost two years later, on Jun. 13, 2019, President Trump announced that Sanders would be stepping down at the end of the month to return to the great state of Arkansas. According to CNN, Sanders had told multiple people that she was seriously considering running at that time. As for what her plans are after she gets elected. She tells us in her announcement video that she will be standing by law enforcement and the smaller businesses. She has already started to do this with her 30 day fund she and her husband established. The 30 day fund is forgivable loans of up to $3000 to help bridge the gap for small businesses until they receive help from the government or their product or service is once again in demand.
A former editor on the evolution of secular humanism over a lifetime James A. Haught Editor Emeritus of The Charleston Gazette I’ll be 90 on my next birthday. My long life is sinking, shrinking, slip-sliding away. My wife is worse: bedfast, under Hospice care. Soon, our world will end, not with a bang but a whimper. Looking back over nine decades, I’m proud and pleased because secular humanism – the progressive struggle to make life better for everyone – won hundreds of victories during my time. When I came of age in the 1950s, fundamentalist taboos ruled America. Gay sex was a felony, and homosexuals hid in the closet. It was a crime for stores to open on the Sabbath. It was illegal to look at something like a Playboy magazine or sexy R-rated movie – or even read about sex. Blacks were confined to ghettos, not allowed into white-only restaurants, hotels, clubs, pools, schools, careers or neighborhoods. Interracial marriage was illegal. Schools had governmentmandated prayers, and biology classes didn’t mention evolution. Buying a cocktail or lottery ticket was a crime. Birth control was illegal in some states. Desperate girls couldn’t end pregnancies, except via back-alley butchers. Unwed couples couldn’t share a bedroom. Other Puritanism was locked into law. Now, all those born-again strictures have been wiped out, one after another. Human
rights and personal freedoms snowballed. Society changed so radically that it’s hard to remember the old “thou shalt nots.” The secular humanist crusade, a never-ending effort to help humanity, began its modern upsurge three centuries ago in The Enlightenment. Rebel thinkers began challenging the divine right of kings, the supremacy of the church, privileges of aristocrats, and other despotism. They envisioned democracy, personal equality, human rights, free speech and a social safety net. At the start of the 20th century, Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Party sought many reforms. And women fought bravely for the right to vote. Then, during my lifetime, wave after wave of betterment occurred. Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal passed Social Security pensions for retirees, gave unions a right to organize, provided unemployment compensation for the jobless and workers compensation for those injured at work, banned child labor, set a 40-hour work week and a minimum wage, created food stamps and welfare for the poor, launched massive public works to make jobs, created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to protect bank depositors, and much more. The U.S. Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren transformed America: outlawing racially segregated schools, outlawing government-en-
forced school prayer, striking down state laws against birth control and mixed marriage, protecting poor defendants against police abuses, mandating “one person, one vote” equality in districts to stop sparse rural conservatives from dominating legislatures. The Warren Court gave couples privacy in the bedroom – which set the stage for a later ruling that let women and girls end pregnancies. Other subsequent decisions decriminalized gay sex, gave homosexuals a right to marry, and made gays safer from cruel discrimination. Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society leaped forward with Medicare, Medicaid, the Job Corps, Head Start, public radio and television, consumer protection, pollution curbs, senior citizen meals, the National Trails System, and 200 other improvements. Four major laws guaranteed racial equality. Meanwhile, the historic civil rights movement made America honor its pledge that “all men are created equal.” Birth control pills freed women from endless pregnancy and triggered the sexual revolution against bluenose church taboos. Women’s liberation weakened male domination. Gays gained legal equality through historic breakthroughs. The youth rebellion of the 1960s still has repercussions. A 1987 high court ruling forbade public schools to teach “creationism.” Other progressive advances included marijuana legalization in many
states, and the beginning of “right to die with dignity” laws. Finally, the collapse of the idiotic Trump era and the disintegration of supernatural religion in western democracies are more victories for secular humanism. Decade after decade, progressive reformers defeated bigoted religion and right-wing political resistance to wipe out hidebound strictures. Barely noticed, humanist advances helped billions. War between nations has virtually ceased in the past half-century. In the 1800s, life expectancy averaged 35 years because of high childhood deaths, but now it’s near 80. Literacy and education have soared. Each day, 200,000 more people rise above rock-bottom $2-per-day poverty. Each day, 300,000 more gain access to electricity and clean water for the first time. Famines have almost vanished. Progressive values keep climbing. We existentialists see the chaotic carnival of life – all the absurdities and blatant charlatans (Trump, for example). Sometimes we want to embrace Macbeth’s bitter lament that life is a pointless farce, a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. But I know that’s only part of the truth. The marvelous rise of secular humanism in a single lifetime – greatly improving life for all – paints a much-brighter hope for humanity. Let’s keep striving for more advances.
Photo courtesy of OBU.
Dr. Sharon Hamilton, pictured, was awarded $20,000 in funding by the IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence for a lyophilizer freeze-dryer.
Madison Cresswell Ouachita Baptist Ouachita Baptist University’s Dr. Sharon Hamilton, assistant professor of chemistry, has been awarded $20,000 in funding by Arkansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) to purchase a lyophilizer freeze-dryer, an instrument used to remove aqueous solvents in industry and research. The instrument will be used to enhance both course-based undergraduate research and independent research projects in Ouachita’s Patterson School of Natural Sciences as well as Henderson State University’s Ellis College of Arts and Sciences. “Having freeze drying equipment provides students with expanded laboratory experiences not typically available to undergraduates at private liberal arts schools,” Hamilton said. “The lyophilizer will be used to expand laboratory procedures for chemistry and biology classes offered at Ouachita and Henderson State University. “It should be noted that since lyophilizing is a common technique used to remove aqueous solvents in industry and research, exposure to this instrument would better prepare our students for equipment they will encounter in their future careers,” she added. “Dr. Hamilton’s grant, like many of the other grants faculty have been awarded in the past, is an indicator of our faculty’s desire to provide an education beyond the classroom,” said Dr. Tim Knight, dean of the
Patterson School. “The INBRE grant that Dr. Hamilton has secured also provides funding to aid our Patterson Summer Research Program, increasing the opportunities for Ouachita students to participate in significant research,” he added. Hamilton applied for the grant proposal in collaboration with Ouachita’s Dr. Sara Hubbard, associate professor of chemistry and holder of the Nell I. Mondy Chair of Chemistry; Dr. Ruth Plymale, associate professor of biology and holder of the J.D. Patterson Chair of Biology; Dr. Christin Pruett, associate professor of biology; and Dr. Nathan Reyna, associate professor of biology, all of whom contributed ideas for research and classroom projects using the instrument. Henderson State University’s Dr. Matt Breece, assistant professor of biochemistry, and Dr. Martin Campbell, professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry, also contributed to the proposal. “A lot of the faculty have a use for this instrument, and I anticipate that it will allow us to enhance biomedical research at Ouachita and Henderson as well as projects within both universities’ teaching laboratories,” Hamilton said. Hamilton, specifically, is planning to develop new organic chemistry labs that utilize the instrument, including experiments extracting compounds from native Arkansas plants. “We would use the lyophilizer to isolate these compounds, which we could then give to students in cell and molecular biology to test on various cell types, including cancerous cell lines,” she said. Hamilton, who joined the Ouachita faculty in 2018, also recently was awarded $297,000 in funding over the next two and a half years by INBRE to support her research of incorporating proteins into novel modern wound dressings. In 2019, she received an Arkansas INBRE Summer Research Grant and an Arkansas Space Consortium Research Infrastructure Grant to support her development of a variety of synthetic polymers that mimic biopolymers found in the human body. Hamilton earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University in 2004 and her Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in 2009.
Mitchell Ford GAC Golfer of the Week
Photo courtesy of HSUSports.com
Henderson State University’s Mitchell Ford was named the GAC Golfer of the Week. RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Henderson State senior Mitchell Ford was named Great American Conference Golfer of the Week on Wednesday following his first career win at the Rattler Invitational. Ford, from Little Rock, Arkansas and Catholic High School, shot rounds of 70, 69 and 68 to finish 9-under par for the 54-hole tournament
and win the individual medalist honors by three strokes. He had an event-high 16 birdies in two days — six of which came during the final round of play. Ford led all players by shooting 6-under par on Par 4 holes. The GAC weekly award is the first of Ford’s career at Henderson State and the first by a Reddie men’s golfer since Oct. 23, 2019.
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Thursday, March 4, 2021
PPP loans’ impact on Arkansas businesses Asa Hutchinson AR Governor
Today I’d like to talk about the federal Payroll Protection Plan or PPP, which has kept many Arkansas companies alive during the pandemic. Congress passed the CARES Act to help Americans navigate the pandemic. PPP was one of the programs Congress authorized to assist businesses with loans. The Small Business Administration (SBA) distributes the loans through local banks. Little Rock business owners such as Vikita Eason and Chris and Samantha Tanner say that without the loan program, they may not have survived. Vikita was able to pay the two employees of her boutique, and she assisted the three stylists in her salon by eliminating the rent for their booth. Vikita’s landlords have allowed her to pay rent as she can and didn’t raise the rent when she renewed her three-year lease.
The Tanners own three restaurants and employ about 130 people. Mr. Tanner said that “restaurants got pounded,” and the PPP loans allowed many to keep their doors open. The SBA lent $3.3 billion to more than 42,000 Arkansas businesses and nonprofits, which saved more than 375,000 jobs. A second round of lending opened in January and closes on March 31. On Monday, President Biden announced his administration has established a two-week window that opened Wednesday; during this period, only businesses with fewer than 20 employees can apply for the forgivable loans. The SBA has also implemented a loan-forgiveness program that erases the PPP debt for businesses that followed all the guidelines and spent the money for payroll, mortgage, rent, and other eligible expenses. The SBA has forgiven nineteen percent of the loans. Senator Jonathan Dis-
mang has introduced a bill that would exempt a forgiven PPP loan from state income tax. The Department of Finance says this would cut the state’s general revenue by about $33 million this year and $179 million next year. The House is considering the bill, which has broad support. If the General Assembly passes it, I will sign it into law, and this will provide needed relief for those who have received the PPP loans. In Arkansas, the pandemic has been another opportunity for Arkansans to help one another. As usual, many Arkansans have shown their humanity. Bankers have helped struggling business owners, and business people have assisted their employees. In the midst of the losses, Arkansans have found new ways to reach out to those in need. Arkansans have lavished compassion on one another, grace upon grace as together we hope for the end of this pandemic.
The COVID-19 Burden Bill Bruce Westerman AR Representative
This week, the United States took another step toward plunging itself deeper into debt unnecessarily after the House of Representatives passed the Democrats massive $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill— all this while $1 trillion of the previous relief bill remains unspent. I was reminded this week how vital disaster relief is when states like Arkansas and Texas are still recovering from a serious water
crisis. When the U.S. spends recklessly, like in this COVID-19 relief package, we bankrupt our nation and minimize our ability to recover quickly from disasters when funds are needed. Eventually, we will have to pay the piper. Our children and our grandchildren will have to repay what Washington spends today. The COVID-19 relief package has a significant price tag that should not be dismissed. What’s most concerning is that virtually none of the funds provided will actually go toward CO-
VID relief. Only 9% of the funds in this COVID-19 relief package will go toward public health and only 1% will further vaccine distribution. Hidden in this “COVID relief” bill is an allocation of PPP funds to Planned Parenthood and $112 million to Speaker Pelosi’s Silicon Valley Tunnel, just to name a few. These ridiculous line items have nothing to do with COVID-19 relief. The best stimulus plan Congress could devise is to reopen our economy and return to work.
Badger Blast for March 1 Arkadelphia Public Schools
Whew...what a couple of weeks. We appreciate your flexibility as we continue to navigate through a strange school year dealing with Covid-19 concerns and then deal with the biggest winter weather episode in our area in years! We hope your students were able to enjoy the snow while it was here, but we sure were glad to see them back in our classes last week. As we begin March, we just want to thank you for your support of our faculty, staff and students during this strange year. We appreciate all of the gestures of support from our community. We know this has been a different school year that brings different challenges. Thank you for entrusting us
with your students. As we mentioned in this space earlier, our enrollment is up this year and we hope that more students will join us. Please check out the rest of this week’s Badger Blast to see what else is going on around our district including information on School Choice and Kindergarten Round-up for our newest Badgers who will join us at Perritt in the fall! Congratulations to the Badger basketball team for defeating Fountain Lake 49-41 Saturday night to win the 4A-7 District Championship. The Badgers will be the 1-seed from the conference in this week’s 4A South Regional Tournament in Star City. Arkadelphia High School Students recently competed in the Annual Air Force Association’s Thirteenth Na-
tional Youth Cyber Defense Competition. The competition puts teams of high school and middle school students in the position of newly hired IT professionals tasked with managing the network of a small company. The school lunch menus are located on the official APSD App (available in the App Store and on Google Play). As a reminder, school lunches are free for all students through the end of the school year thanks to a USDA grant. You can keep up with events and other information at all of the APS campuses by several social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. These locations are also a great place to see pictures of events that take place throughout the year.
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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. >>> <<< First United Methodist Church - Arkadelphia will hold their Annual Fat Tuesday Fundraiser on Wednesday, March 17th (re-scheduled due to Winter Storm). A meal of Gumbo, Jambalaya, Red Beans & Rice, Bread, Salad and Dessert will be available for $10 per meal, drivethrough only. Line up along 8th St to Barkman St. Do not stop on Pine and back traffic. Proceeds benefit the Food Pantry and Arms Around Arkadelphia. Cash or check accepted. Tickets now available through the church office or at the time of the event. >>> <<< The Henderson State University Fine Art Department is proud to present Dancers of Derision by our graduating BFA studio candidate Miss Samantha Cox. Samantha Cox came to Henderson State University in 2017 from Texarkana, Texas. While enrolled at Henderson State University, she has studied under the tutelage of David Warren and Margo Duval. Dancers of Derision is a culmination of these studies’ printmaking and mixed media. According to Samantha Cox, “My work expresses the battle between anxiety and overcoming that battle through my use of narrative within my work.” The student gallery is located on the second floor of the Henderson State University’s Huie Library and the exhibit will be open for public view from February 28th through March 8th. >>> <<< 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. 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.
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Thursday, March 4, 2021
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Continuing COVID-19 tracking by Arkansas Dept. of Health Bobbie Johnston
According to the Arkansas Department of Health Administration in its COVID-19 update, there are a total of 68,385 probable cases in the state as of March 5. In reference to ADH’s graph, there are a total of 322,415 cases with 312,758 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. 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
Three killed, child abducted Arkansas State Police Public Affairs Office
The Arkansas State Police is leading a homicide investigation involving the deaths of three Madison County residents and the abduction of a child from the home where the killings occurred. Late yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, February 23rd) the Madison County Sheriff’s Department made a request for Arkansas State Police Special Agents to conduct the investigation. Sheriff’s deputies were contacted about 5 PM by an individual reporting three people were dead inside a residence at 3487 County Road 6041, southwest of Huntsville. The homicide victims were identified as Tami Lynn Chenoweth, 51, James Stanley McGhee, 59, and Cheyene Chenoweth, 26. Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division Special Agents called to the crime scene were able to begin developing leads in the case, prompting a statewide search for two particular vehicles known to have been at the residence earlier in the day and possibly driven away from the crime scene by the killer. Information was also developed identifying a child believed to have been at the home who was abducted by the killer or a woman had also been at the crime scene. State troopers assigned to the Arkansas State Police Highway Patrol Division found one of the vehicles
abandoned in Faulkner County along Interstate 40 near Mayflower. Troopers secured the truck and transported it to state police headquarters where special agents began searching for evidence associated with the Madison County homicides and child abduction. At 10:10 PM Highway Patrol Division troopers spotted a van matching the description of the second crime scene vehicle traveling westbound along Interstate 30 near Benton. As state troopers initiated a traffic stop, a passenger in the van exited the vehicle armed with a rifle and began verbally provoking the troopers who had made the traffic stop. Simultaneously other troopers moved-in from behind the gunman and were able to arrest Hunter Chenoweth, 22, of DeQueen. The driver of the van stopped by state police was a 25 year-old DeQueen woman. Also in the van was the abducted infant, less than one year-old. The child was unharmed and later released to Department of Human Services. The female driver has been questioned by state police and released. Chenoweth is being held at the Saline County Detention Center while the homicide investigation continues today. Formal charges associated with the homicides will be determined by the Madison County prosecuting attorney.
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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.
Bobbie Jean (McGriff) Johnston, age 83, of Hot Springs, passed away February 11, 2021. She was born November 27, 1937 to C. Leo McGriff and Verna (McCollum) McGriff in Fordyce. She is preceded in death by her father, C. Leo McGriff; mother, Verna (McCollum) McGriff Barlow; husband, Bob Johnston; son, Mark McGriff Johnston; and constant companion of the last eleven years, Sarah Beth. Bobbie Jean married George Robert “Bob” Johnston on December 20, 1958 and they were married for 40 years until he passed in 1998. She loved her family and friends who remember her as funny, kind, generous and a true Southern Lady. Bobbie Jean was a world class shopper and enjoyed decorating her house for each holiday and season change. She learned to play Bridge in college and never stopped playing with friends and online. Bobbie Jean is survived by her son, Gregory Scott
Johnston of Arkadelphia; cousins: Catherine Wood Moseley, Mary Ruth Wood Glass, Barbara McCollum Weatherly all of Fordyce, Kay McGriff Talley of Conway, Frances Caldwell Magie of Lavon, TX, Glen Caldwell of Monroe, LA, Charlie McCollum of Chicago, IL, Raye Ann Southall of Bryant, AR, James B. Southall of Carlsbad, CA, and Jean Brooks of Hot Springs; friends: Robin and David Oliver, Sheila Knight, Martha Rice, Mary Ann Kimberlin, and Aurica Platon all of Hot Springs. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches, Inc., PO Box 3964, Batesville, AR 72503-3964. The family will have a private service and burial will be at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens in Arkadelphia. Arrangements under the direction of RugglesWilcox Funeral Home, 517 Clay St, Arkadelphia, AR 71923. www.ruggleswilcox. com
Obituaries
Month of February Jimmy Norman
Lorena Kennedy
Lorena Joan “Jo” Roediger Kennedy was born June 27, 1926, to Pearl Agnes Reid Roediger and Harvey Edwin Roediger, near Junction City, Kansas. She died February 2, 2021, at her current residence in Arkadelphia, AR. Lorena attended Brookside School, a two-room schoolhouse on the Kansas prairie during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. She moved into Junction City to attend high school and lived with various family and friends so that she could work and attend school. She graduated in 1943 from Junction City High School. Lorena married Earl Craig Kennedy in the early morning hours of August 3, 1945, after riding the train from Junction City, Kansas to Fort Benning, Georgia, where Craig was stationed. After the military, they made their home in Columbia, Missouri, while Craig attended the University of Missouri. Lorena sold Reader’s Digest magazines and books to support them and Craig’s brother, Elmo, who was living with them. After Craig’s graduation, Lorena and Craig lived in several southern cities while Craig pursued a career in the welding supply business. In the late 60’s Lorena joined Craig at Red Ball Oxygen Co. in Shreveport, LA, to help him run the office of their newly acquired business. For the next thirty plus years, Lorena used her life lessons of hard work and discipline to help Red Ball Oxygen grow into the successful business that it is today. Lorena shared the success of her hard work by financially supporting numerous relatives and friends in their educational
endeavors. She was also a generous philanthropist and supported many community organizations and churches. Lorena was predeceased by her parents, her husband Earl Craig Kennedy, and her son, Gary M. Kennedy. She is survived by her daughter Judith K. Storer and husband Craig, her son Larry E. Kennedy and wife Christine, and her daughterin-law Lydia Kennedy. Also surviving her are her grandchildren Sarah K. Nelson and husband Danny, Alex Kennedy and wife Elizabeth, Claire Kennedy, Amelia K. Craft and husband Spencer, Quinn Kennedy, James Storer, and step-grandsons Aaron Storer and wife Mandy and Andrew Storer and wife Lily. Lorena is also survived by her brother Norvan Roediger and wife Barbara; her sisters-in-law Jean K. Russell, Betty K. Sewell, and Nancy K. Moore; her brother-in-law Berry and his wife Amy; and numerous great grandchildren, cousins, nieces, and nephews. The family would like to thank Lorena’s caregivers Eva Aguilar and Penny Medley for their dedicated care. Lorena was much loved and will be missed greatly. A celebration of Lorena’s life will be held in June in Arkadelphia, AR. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials be made to the 3rd Street Baptist Church, 224 Crawford St., Arkadelphia, AR 71923, or St. Mark’s Cathedral, 908 Rutherford St., Shreveport, LA 71104 or a charity of the donor’s choice. Arrangements by Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home, 517 Clay St, Arkadelphia, AR 71923. Condolences to the family may be made at www. ruggleswilcox.com.
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Jimmy Dean “Jim” Norman, Sr., age 83, of Midway, passed from this life on February 20, 2021 at home. He was born on January 18, 1938 in Lynn, to the late James Don and Bessie Smith Norman. Jim is also preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Dorothy “Dottie” Louise (Bradshaw) Norman. Jim was a graduate of Little Rock Central High School. He was a retired electrician from IBEW Local 295. Jim was a talented musician who enjoyed playing and singing country and gospel music. When Jim said his wedding vows “for sickness and health” he lived those vows the last 18 years of Dottie’s life. In 2003 she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and the way he cared for the love of his life has taught his family the true meaning of love. He is now joyously reunited with Dottie in Heaven in perfect bodies with no sickness or sadness. Jimmy is survived by his sons, Leslie Nelson (Candy) of Springdale, William Nelson of Ramsay, MN, Jimmy Norman, JR (Amy), of Midway, and Michael Norman
O
of Friendship; daughters, Gina Parish (David) of Midway, and Vickie Cooper (Bruce) of Little Rock; grandchildren, Timothy Nelson (Shannon) of MN, Brent Barrett of Little Rock, Cody Parish (Darcy) of Midway, Justin Norman (Tara) of Lafayette, LA, Christopher Nelson (Heather) of Springdale, Jodi Wise (CJ) of Friendship, Cortney Bryant (Joseph) of Midway, Alex Nelson (Randi) of Fayetteville, Spencer Nelson (Faith) of Farmington, Mason Norman (Alexis) of Donaldson, and Gracie Norman of Midway; 21 greatgrandchildren; brothers, Thad Norman of Rose Bud, David Norman (Dean) of Little Rock; sisters, Anita Lackey (Tommy) of Little Rock, Becky Hannah of Little Rock; and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation will be from 1:00 – 2:00 PM, Wednesday February 24, 2021 at Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home, 517 Clay Street, Arkadelphia. Funeral will follow at 2:00 PM at the funeral home. Burial will be at Neighbors Cemetery. Online Guestbook: www. ruggleswilcox.com
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Thursday, March 4, 2021
Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist week of March 1 college sports update
Photo courtesy of OBU Tigers.
Eden Crow’s buzzer-beater helped the OBU Tigers Women’s Basketball team to take down SAU this past week. HSU Sports and OBU Tigers
Henderson Sweeps SNU with Sunday RunRule Win Henderson State struck in a big way early and in a big way late on Sunday afternoon to run-rule Southern Nazarene 15-2 and sweep its opening GAC series of the year. Eight different players had hits in the win, including freshmen Kaden Argenbright and Alec Lewis, who each led the team with three. Seven Reddies (5-1, 3-0) drove in runs on the afternoon and five of them had two RBI or more. Joe Myers had a team-high four on a walk-off grand slam in the seventh. Spencer Taack earned his first win of the year on the mound for HSU. Taack pitched five innings and allowed 11 hits but just two earned runs. Cade Tucker and Blake Patterson each pitched perfect innings of relief out of the bullpen for Henderson. It was a short outing on Sunday for SNU starter Brett Rexroad, who was chased by the Reddies after giving up five runs on six hits in just 0.2 innings. The big inning — headlined for HSU by a two-run homer from Danny Mitchell Jr. — erased some early SNU momentum after it had taken a 1-0 lead. The Reddies tacked on two more runs in the second on an RBI single from Lewis to go in front 7-1. SNU got one back in the third, but that ended the scoring from both sides for the next five innings. The Crimson Storm missed an opportunity to get back into the game and stranded four runners in the fourth and fifth. Henderson’s bats came alive again in the bottom of the seventh. The Reddies plated eight runs on four
hits and three walks — four of which came off the bat of Myers, who launched a grand slam over the right field wall with two outs in the frame to end the game for HSU. HSU racked up 13 hits and five walks in the win and struck out just three times. In the series, the Reddies scored 45 runs on 43 hits and out-scored SNU 45-6. The Reddies return to action next Friday when they host UAM at 6 p.m. in the series opener at Clyde Berry Field. Reddies Slug Their Way Past SNU, Clinch Series Henderson State tagged Southern Nazarene for 30 runs on 30 hits across 14 innings of play on Saturday and clinched the series with the Crimson Storm by taking both halves of the doubleheader at Feland Field. The Reddies (4-1, 2-0) launched six home runs in the two games and racked up 14 extra-base hits on their way to a 2-0 start in the GAC. HSU will go for the sweep of Southern Nazarene tomorrow at 1 p.m. GAME 1: Henderson State 14, Southern Nazarene 1 The Reddies struck early and often in the series opener and used a seven-run third inning to run away from SNU for a 14-1 win in seven innings. Kaden Argenbright had three hits to lead HSU at the plate, while Joe Myers, Cade Tucker, Alec Lewis, Bryson Haskins and Logan Cowart all had two. Tucker had a team-high four RBIs and to headline a group of six different players who had at least one run driven in. Austin Cross earned his first win of the season by pitching five innings and allowing no runs on just five hits. Cross struck out six bat-
ters and walked just one on the afternoon. Henderson put two runs on the board in the first inning, and then used a home run from Haskins and a double from Argenbright in the second to plate three more. With a 5-0 lead, the Reddies unloaded in the third frame. HSU scored seven runs on seven hits in the inning — the largest of which was a three-run bomb from Tucker with two outs — to seize a commanding 12-0 advantage. A two-run double from Myers extended the lead to 14-0 in the fourth and SNU managed just two hits in the last three innings as the Reddies closed it out early. The Reddies struck out just seven times in 34 total at-bats and chased Crimson Storm starter Patrick Hine after just two innings where he allowed nine runs on eight hits. GAME TWO: Henderson State 16, Southern Nazarene 3 It was more of the same from Henderson State in game two of Saturday’s doubleheader, as the Reddies recorded 15 hits and put up a crooked number in six different innings to slam SNU 16-3. Eleven different players recorded hits in the seven-inning contest, while 12 scored runs and eight drove runs in. Danny Mitchell Jr. had four RBI on his two hits — a double and a home run — while Tucker and Myers each had a home run and three RBI to their credit. Matthew Baker got the win on the mound after pitching five innings and allowing just one earned run on two hits. Brayden Bebee started the contest for HSU and struck out four batters in two innings of work. Much like the first contest of the day, Henderson struck
early with two runs in the first on a two-RBI single by Tucker. After a scoreless second, the Reddies never failed to score less than two runs in any frame for the remainder of the game. Two home runs in the third helped extend the lead to 5-0 and after SNU got on the board in the top of the fourth, five more runs on five hits in the bottom half pushed the advantage to 9-1. Another two bombs from Lewis and Myers highlighted a five-run fifth inning and put the game away. Freshman Corbin Tsistinas, who got the first hit of his career in the opening game, had the first RBI of his career in the sixth inning of the second contest, while pitcher Blake Patterson got the first hit of his five-year college career on a pinch-hit opportunity late. HSU Clinches 2-Seed With Win Over UAM Henderson State (7-6, 7-5) locked up the 2-seed in next week’s Great American Conference Tournament after defeating Arkansas-Monticello, 68-51. Coming with the 2-seed is a first-round bye as HSU will host the winner of Southern Nazarene vs. Oklahoma Baptist Wednesday, Mar. 3 at 5:30 p.m. Defense was the big story for the Reddies Saturday afternoon. After the first period, HSU held UAM to less than 16 points in each of the next three quarters. The Blossoms only shot 27.9% from the field (19-68) and 7.1% from beyond-the-arc (2-28). Maci Mains and Ashley Farrar spear-headed the offensive effort as Mains put in a team-high 17 points followed by Farrar with 14 points along with 10 rebounds for a double-double in the triumph. Karrington Whaley gave HSU three
High school student athletes shovel snow across Arkadelphia Donovan Lee Sports Editor
Snow is not something you see regularly during the winters of Arkansas. The occasion only occurs every few years and is usually in the solidified form, icing the roads and leaving power out and water pipes frozen. This year, the town or Arkadelphia received a heaping amount of the winter wonderland component. For many, this stranded them in their homes for over a week, but for the Badgers’ football team, it sparked a friendly competition that would benefit both the student-athletes and the community as a whole. The snowfall began on
Valentine’s Day, which fell on a Sunday in 2021. By Monday night, Arkadelphia was frozen, both figuratively and literally. On Feb. 18, Stockton Mallett, who serves as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the Badgers football program, issued a challenge to the student-athletes during the snowstorm. In a competition between the offense and defense, players would go out in their community, shovel snow out of their neighbors’ driveways, and post the picture with the team’s Twitter page tagged. “The challenge came from a conversation that I was having with my wife right
after I had shoveled one of my neighbors’ driveways,” said Mallett. “We talked about how many people were in similar situations in the Arkadelphia community and how much a simple act of service could help someone out.” Coach Mallett said that that premise behind the activity was “a way to show the community that we are there to support even outside of football season.” After talking it over with Badgers head coach Trey Shucker, the offensive coordinator said that even if just a single driveway was cleared, he would still count the challenge as successful. By the end of the competi-
tion, more than 20 acts of kindness were displayed by Badgers football players. The offense’s team prevailed in the challenge, with their reward being ice cream sandwiches and a shortened workout. “The amount of support that the Arkadelphia School District receives from the community all year around astonishes me,” said Mallett, “so I hope that seeing the efforts that these studentathletes and coaches put into the public service challenge speaks volumes about the type of individuals that are roaming the halls every single day.”
blocks to go with her eight points and 13 rebounds. Henderson took a while to get going as it only saw four field goals and eight turnovers in the first quarter. The Reddies did convert 5 points from the free throw line. After the first 10 minutes, Arkansas-Monticello led 19-15. An and-1 from Farrar minutes into the second quarter led to a 7-0 run for HSU to retake the lead. The Reddies kept building its lead until they saw their biggest lead up to that point of the first half at 32-23 with 1:30 remaining in half. The Reddies put up four more points to UAM’s three to go into the locker room with the 36-26 advantage. Defense in the second quarter was stout for HSU, holding UAM to only seven points to Henderson’s 21. At the halfway mark, Farrar led the way with 10 points with Mains coming through with nine. At the 7:51 mark of the third period, Lani Snowden hit a three to tie Aungelique Sledge for 4th all-time in made 3-pointers. Snowden will have an opportunity to officially move squarely into 4th place in HSU’s first conference tournament game on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Henderson began to build its lead in the third, as HSU outscored UAM 17-10 in the third to head into the final period up 53-36. The Reddies left no doubt throughout the fourth as HSU built its largest lead shortly into the final quarter, 57-38. Both squads wound up trading baskets the rest of the way as a 15-15 fourth quarter led to a Henderson victory, 68-51. Tigers Hold On To Defeat Arkansas Tech In Round One THE RUNDOWN Ouachita Baptist men’s basketball defeated Arkansas Tech 70-69 Monday night in the opening round of the Great American Conference Tournament. The Wonder Boys had two possessions trailing by just one point in the final 30 seconds of the game, but the Tigers held on for the victory. Ouachita led for the final 9:32 of the game, building a lead as large as eight points. The Wonder Boys chipped away, but Marvin WillimasDunn and Ma’Darius Hobson combined for 15 points during that span to keep their team in the lead. Kendarious Smith led all scorers with 17 points on the night. Hobson’s eight assists were a game-high. THREE THINGS TO KNOW - Ouachita advances to take on Oklahoma Baptist in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on Wednesday night at 7:30 - The Tigers forced 19 turnovers, 11 of which came in the second half. Nine of their 12 points off turnovers came after halftime - The Tigers improved to 9-6 all-time in GAC Tournament games BY THE NUMBERS 4 - Williams-Dunn shot 4-4 from beyond the arc, tying a personal best in threes made and setting a career high with 13 points .520 - Ouachita shot 13-25 (.520) from beyond the arc Monday 21 - The Wonder Boys attempted 21 free throws, compared to just seven for the Tigers Crow’s Buzzer-Beater Sinks Southern Arkansas Crow’s buzzer-beater capped off a final 62 seconds that saw three lead changes. Kailen Wright’s larceny and layup with 1:02 left in
regulation put the Tigers in front before the Muleriders answered with a layup of their own with 40 seconds to play. Ray Osborn’s missed jumper with two seconds on the clock went out of bounds off a Mulerider, setting up Crow’s heroics. Ouachita trailed by two after the first quarter but battled back for a halftime tie. The Tigers outscored SAU by five in the third but needed all 600 seconds of the fourth to emerge with the win. THREE THINGS TO KNOW - Ouachita will travel to Weatherford, Oklahoma, on Wednesday to take on Southwestern Oklahoma State, the GAC West Division’s No. 1 seed - Crow’s 27 points on the game were one shy of her career high. - Monday’s win was Ouachita’s first in a GAC Tournament game since 2012 BY THE NUMBERS .765 - Crow made 13 of 17 field goal attempts for a season-best .765 shooting percentage 7 - Ouachita grabbed seven offensive rebounds in the second half 14 - Ray Osborn’s 14 points were a career-high 5 - Crow’s five steals were the most by a Tiger in a GAC Tournament game 5 - Miller’s five assists tied a Ouachita GAC Tournament record NEXT UP The Tigers head to Weatherford, Oklahoma, to take on Southwestern Oklahoma State in the GAC Tournament Quarterfinals Tigers Bombard Crimson Storm In 3-1 Win THE RUNDOWN The Ouachita Baptist women’s soccer team recorded 28 shots in a 3-1 victory over Southern Nazarene at Arkadelphia High School on Monday. Jamie Fowler, Hanna Thompson, and Ashlyn Heckman provided the goals for the Tigers. Fowler opened the scoring in the 10th minute, finding the back of the net with an assist from Heckman. Thompson’s goal came just over two minutes later, as she was in an opportunistic spot near the right side of the goal to punch one home with an assist from Fowler. The Crimson Storm found a goal in the 16th minute, taking advantage of a turnover by the Tiger back line. Ouachita was able to limit SNU’s scoring chances the rest of the way, as seven of the Crimson Storm’s nine shot attempts came in the first half. Heckman provided an insurance goal for the Tigers in the 73rd minute, finding the top left corner of the goal from the right side of the box with an assist from Mia Paladini. The Tigers’ 28 shots were a season-high. Junior Madelyn Filla made her season debut in goal, allowing one goal on five shots on goal. MATCH NOTES Ouachita’s 28 shots were its most in a game since taking 32 against Northwestern Oklahoma State on October 1, 2016 Filla, who had been on the Tiger roster in 2018 and 2019, was added to the Tigers’s 2020-21 roster on Monday morning Thompson’s goal was the first of her career UP NEXT The Tigers hit the road for the first time on Sunday, taking on Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, Oklahoma