No. 16
Vol. 1
May 6, 2021
Queens of the Greens Donovan Lee Sports Editor HOT SPRINGS— With the conference title on the line and an automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals, Henderson State women’s golf took part in the GAC tournament, hosted by the Hot Springs Country Club. Day one for the Reddies presented challenges early on, with HSU trailing the leaders by nine strokes as a team just halfway through the first eighteen holes. Freshman golfer Karen Lee propelled Henderson back within reach of the top spot, shooting one-under 71 through 36 holes. Lee’s scores for day one helped the Reddies into second place ahead of day two and put Lee in a tie for first place individually with Katie Whitfield, a golfer representing tournament leaders Arkansas Tech. ATU entered the tournament as the defending champs for six consecutive years. With a chance at championship hardware on the line, HSU geared up for the second day of action. After getting a glimpse of the lead on day one, they returned to the coveted top spot in round one of day two, leading by four strokes at one point nine holes in. However, keeping things interesting was ATU, who regained their lead by the same margin as HSU led by. The Golden Suns held that lead going into the final round of the tournament. The final eighteen holes would not be enough to determine a definitive winner. The two front-running teams of the event, HSU and ATU, needed playoff holes to decide a conference champ.
A first-ever instance in GAC history, the playoffs began with another standstill as both teams completed the par-3 15th hole in par-4. Lee completed a huge birdie putt for Henderson on the second hole of the playoff, along with par putts from Gracie Blount and Allie Bianchi, whose putt clinched the victory for
HSU. With Lee and Bianchi tied for the tournament at 7-over 223, giving them fourth-place finishes. Both players were named to the AllTournament team after their performances on the green. Four Reddies finished inside the Top10 individually for the tournament, and a fifth
Reddies golfer placed in the Top-15. HSU punched their ticket to the NCAA Central Regional, which took place May 3-5 in St. Joseph, Missouri. This is their eighth berth in the NCAA Regional tournament.
Photo by Jessica Cullins
An anonymous art exhibit left clay face masks scattered across Henderson’s campus last week to raise awareness of the littering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo courtesy of hsusports.com
Hot off their GAC Championship title, The Reddies went to St. Joseph, Missouri where they competed in the NCAA Central Regionals.
Photo courtesy of hsusports.com
Henderson’s women’s golf team were crowned 2021 GAC Champions qualifying them for the NCAA Central Regionals.
Photo by Jessica Cullins
Several clay face masks were found around the campus of Henderson last week. Each mask was painted and enscribed with a message about littering.
Education: EU vs. US Lance Brownfield Editor-in-chief
If you’re a student from another state, or if you’ve considered attending a university far off, then you know about out-of-state tuition. While some colleges like Henderson will waive the higher price for nearby states, residents from most states have to pay $320 per credit hour as opposed to the $240 for in-state students. Take UCLA for example. In-state tuition is $13,240, while out-of-state comes in at a whopping $42,994. That’s over triple the cost. Even with a higher cost, California residents can save money by attending college in states like Arkansas. Do we have to accept this practice, though? While there are some agreements between states in different regions, these come with restrictions. For students in the south, their desired program must not be offered in their home state to qualify for in-state prices. Even so, it can be difficult to attend a university across state lines without paying extra. So, why can a student from Italy study in France for the same price as a French citizen? How come a person from Hungary can attend a university in Belgium and pay the same exact bill as a local? These are different countries and yet, their education system is more interconnected than the 50 states of
our one nation. In countries like The Netherlands, you can sign up for classes at any university in the nation on one single website. Imagine if the U.S. had a website to sign up for classes no matter where you live. Citizens of the European Union (EU) are free to travel across what is known as the “Schengen Area.” The 27 nations that make up the union have many agreements that make life, trade and travel much easier on the continent. One such agreement is that an EU citizen studying in another EU country “cannot be required to pay higher course fees.” I believe that America should get with the program. European nations regularly place at the top of the list of most educated countries. In countries like Finland and Norway, it is normal for high schoolers to graduate knowing four or five languages. In many European countries, students have the option to get more specific knowledge of their career field before the age of 18. Instead of taking another math course, they could learn a trade if they know what they want to do with their life. It is sad that a student in Nebraska might have to worry about how to pay for their degree because studying marine biology requires a school by the coast. Whereas our European counterparts need only to worry about learning the local language of the school of their choice. Instead of eeking out ev-
ery bit of profit, we should be more concerned with what goes on in the classroom. The world needs innovation. America needs to compete globally. Many Americans have sought out their education at institutions in Europe because they are cheaper and comparable to the schools back home. At select universities in Germany, students from around the world are able to pursue a higher education for free. There are certain requirements, however, like reaching the B-2 level of German. America could do so much better with our education. We do not have to learn a second language to move across North America. That means that we could focus on learning the material and not the culture shock. If linguistics is your desired field, moving to the Southwest, Maine or Louisiana could be an option for in-depth studies without going abroad. Instead of student loan debt, the students of this country could graduate with the knowledge to enter their career field and a greater respect for the 50 states. Arkansas, like most states, sees about 90% enrollment from out-of-state. Why don’t we incentivize more students seeking to fly the nest to come to our state? Arkansas could lead the way by getting rid of outof-state tuition altogether. The education you get isn’t any better just because you pay more for it. The reason that out-ofstate tuition costs so much
more is because the students do not pay taxes to the state that the university is located. One way to look at it is that in-state students have a lower bill because they’ve been paying taxes that pay for the schools the entire time they’ve been a resident of the state. So, in a way it’s like the out-of-state student is making up for taxes they never paid to a state they never lived in. To me this seems unfair. Shouldn’t they get a break on the taxes in their home state since they aren’t attending the universities there? Well, they don’t and they certainly don’t get a refund for all they’ve paid in. This issue borders on taxation without representation. If the student only goes back home during the summers, they still pay a full year’s worth of taxes to their home state. In Europe, education is seen as a right and not a privilege. The citizens pay the taxes to keep the institutions open for everyone, not just the people who live nearby. I suggest we start thinking about this prospect. As the world and our country gets smaller and smaller, we need to consider becoming more connected and stronger in our education. We’re being left behind in many ways by Europe’s education system. Traveling and seeing America is an important part of many young people’s Photo by Lance Brownfield educational journey. We The European Union is made up of 27 countries, yet in some need to foster this growth ways their education system is more integrated than ours in and exploration. America.
2 News
Thursday, May 6, 2021
OBU Media Recognized by ACMA and CSPA Abby Turner OBU Media
Ouachita Baptist University communications & media students have received five national Gold Circle Awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) for the Ouachitonian yearbook and 39 state awards for the Ouachitonian, Signal newspaper and Ouachita Sports Digital Network from the Arkansas College Media Association (ACMA) as the spring 2021 semester comes to a close. The national awards were announced last week by CSPA, located in New York City, with Certificates of Merit awarded to Ouachita students Ben Swanger for sports feature writing, Caroline Johnson for organization writing and Brooke Woessner for theme and concept, division page design and people spread with mug photos. Only eight universities in the country received CSPA awards, and Ouachita was smallest university represented in the group of winners for students’ work on the Ouachitonian. The 39 statewide ACMA awards, announced virtually earlier this month, included three General Excellence awards: Ben Swanger was named Yearbook Editor of the Year for his work on the 2021 Ouachitonian, the 2020 Ouachitonian yearbook received second place and Caity Hatchett was named the second place winner for Newspaper Editor of the Year.
Swanger is a senior communications & media/ sports media major from Forney, Texas; Johnson is a junior communications & media and political science double major from Springdale, Ark.; Woessner is a 2020 communications & media/strategic communications and Christian studies/Christian ministries graduate from Fayetteville, Ark.; Hatchett is a senior communications & media/ sports media and history double major from Keithville. “I am excited for the staff members who won national recognition from CSPA. I am proud that we can compete against large universities across the country,” said Dr. Deborah Root, advisor for the Ouachitonian and chair of Ouachita’s Rogers Department of Communications. “It says a lot about the quality of our program and our students. “I’m so happy for Ben Swanger and Caity Hatchett and their editor awards, as well,” Root continued. “These two have committed four years to their publications, and they are very deserving of this recognition.” “I have put in countless hours of work this school year to document the COVID-19 school year and receiving this award just proves that my work is not going unnoticed,” Swanger said. “I am proud to represent Ouachita in such an awesome way.” “The communications department really set me up
for success for the future,” he added. “Being a leader in a newsroom is invaluable experience, and I will always carry this wisdom with me into my professional career.” “Receiving recognition for the hard work that I put into planning and finalizing each print edition and all of the late nights I spent in the newsroom is definitely something I’ll treasure forever,” Hatchett said. The 2020 edition of the Ouachitonian that received second place in General Excellence was edited by Woessner. Woessner also was recognized with 14 individual awards. “Over half of the 2020 Ouachitonian was finished remotely, and it was a challenge when students were completing the spring semester on Zoom, and trying to secure interviews and search for photos from home,” Root said. In total, the Ouachitonian yearbook received 27 awards and the Signal – print and online – received seven awards. In the television division, the Ouachita Sports Digital Network received two awards in sports reporting for their show “Roar Rundown.” “I’m excited for the Ouachita Sports Digital Network,” Root said. “In its first year of existence, the OSDN team won first place in Sports Reporting.” “I’m so proud of our students and their work and dedication in all our campus media,” Root added.
Oracle: CE
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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. >>> <<<
ACMA Ouachitonian staff awards include:
The Arkadelphia Arts Center directors are looking forward to the day
1st place, Sports Writing – Ben Swanger 1st place, Organization Layout – Brooke Woessner and Emily Barton, a junior psychology and social justice studies major from Hallsville, Texas 1st place, Endsheets – Brooke Woessner 1st place, Portrait Layout – Brooke Woessner
when we can open the doors to the public. Meanwhile, enjoy our rotat-
ACMA Signal staff awards include:
For more information about the Arkadelphia Arts Center and the Caddo
1st place, News Photo – Abby Blankenship, a junior communications & media/strategic communications major from Little Rock, Ark. 1st place, Sports Photo – Caity Hatchett
ing exhibits that may be seen through the window and glass door. Contact information is listed on identification cards near each piece.
River Art Guild find their pages on Facebook or visit CaddoRiverArtGuild.com or CCAHC.org. >>> <<<
ACMA “Roar Rundown” staff awards include: 1st place, Sports Reporting – Izzy Baughn, a sophomore communications & media and political science double major from Jonesboro, Ark.; Caity Hatchett; and Elizabeth Steely, a senior communications & media/multimedia journalism major from Conway, Ark.
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. >>> <<<
Arkansas EPSCoR seeking scientific research project ideas for DART Seed Grant Program LITTLE ROCK– The Arkansas National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research’s (NSF EPSCoR) current Track-1 project, “Data Analytics that are Robust and Trusted (DART): From Smart Curation to Socially Aware Decision Making” is soliciting research proposals for seed funding. The funds are a result of a $20 million grant awarded in June 2020 for five years. The State of Arkansas is matching the grant with an additional $4 million. The DART Seed Grant Program invites scientists throughout Arkansas to identify emerging or transformative areas of research in alignment with DART
scientific focus and support one or more of the DART goals, but does not overlap current DART projects. This identified research should strengthen ties to Arkansas business; enhance the state’s talent pool by expanding or leveraging research collaborations; or provide unique educational or training opportunities. “This project is spread across more than a dozen four-year and two-year Arkansas colleges and universities and involves more than 60 university researchers,” said Steve Stanley, the statewide program director for Arkansas NSF EPSCoR. “This seed grant program is a great opportunity for faculty in Arkansas who are not currently participating
in DART to collaborate with the Arkansas NSF EPSCoR team on cutting-edge research in data analytics and machine learning.” Successful proposals will align with, but not overlap with, work being conducted in the project’s six components. A letter of support from an existing DART participant is required. The project proposal and a list of current participants can be provided to applicants on request. Proposals may be submitted by individuals holding appointments in research or teaching positions at Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) within the State of Arkansas.
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, May 6, 2021
Arkansas State Trooper Named National Trooper of the Year Arkansas State Police
Arkansas State Trooper James O. Ray has been named by the American Association of State Troopers as the Trooper of the Year – 2021, recognizing him for his selfless act of bravery that saved the lives of motorists traveling through western Arkansas along Interstate 40 last year. Trooper Ray, 24, of Franklin County, is a three year veteran of the Arkansas State Police Highway Patrol Division, assigned to the Highway Patrol Division, Troop H, headquartered at Fort Smith.
The heroic actions by Trooper Ray while pursuing a fleeing driver prevented a catastrophic collision between the suspect and innocent motorists. On December 4, 2020, at 10:37 AM, Officer Matt Young of the Arkansas Highway Police had stopped to check the welfare of a driver parked along I-40 near Ozark. The side windows on the vehicle were spray painted black preventing Officer Young from seeing through anything other than the driver’s window. Officer Young called Trooper Ray to assist with the unusual
encounter. When Trooper Ray arrived, he and Officer Young began to approach the vehicle at which time the driver pulled the vehicle onto the interstate and sped away. During the ensuing pursuit, the suspect fled at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour and passed several vehicles on the shoulder as he drove erratically. When given the opportunity to safely end the pursuit, Trooper Ray performed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) on the fleeing suspect vehicle which was forced into a clockwise rotation
into the westbound lanes. Unfortunately, the suspect was able to regain control of his vehicle and began driving eastbound in the westbound lanes, posing an extreme danger to other motorists who were now meeting the fleeing suspect head-on. The suspect traveled a short distance before he crossed the median and began traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes. Trooper Ray, realizing he was running out of options to stop an extremely dangerous driver, drove west in the westbound lanes to get ahead of the fleeing driver who continued west-
bound in the eastbound lanes. Trooper Ray was able to get ahead of the fleeing driver and crossed the median into the eastbound lanes, facing the direction he knew the suspect vehicle was traveling. Using quick judgment, Trooper Ray stopped eastbound traffic, and began slowly driving eastbound as the suspect vehicle approached him traveling westbound. Troper Ray knew that the next unit to be in a position on the eastbound side of the interstate was miles behind him. Trooper Ray aimed his
Page 3
vehicle at the oncoming suspect and waited. He timed it perfectly, as suspect was passing in front of him, Trooper Ray accelerated quickly and crashed his vehicle into the front left corner of the suspect vehicle. This action forced the suspect vehicle into the median and disabled both vehicles. Trooper Ray was able to safely place the suspect into custody, and miraculously, neither he nor the suspect had any major injuries. Trooper Ray will be formally recognized in a national award ceremony later this year.
Arkansas Department of Health COVID-19 Update
Photo by Lance Brownfield
The Clark County Humane Society will be open all summer adopting out cute faces such as this one. The shelter is located at 627 Walnut Street in Arkadelphia.
Arkansas Department of Health
According to the Arkansas Department of Health Administration in its COVID-19 update, there are a total of 72,930 probable cases in
the state as of April 19. In reference to ADH’s graph, there are a total of 333,166 cases. There have been 273,962 individuals partially immunzed and 760,781 fully immunized. The counties are col-
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ored 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 CO-
VID 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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Editor in Chief: Lance Brownfield Ads Manager: Harley Whisenhunt Oracle Editor: Kaela McKim Sports Editor: Donovan Lee Staff Reporters: Phoebe Darley, Blanton Matthews, Tierra McCraney, Juliann Reaper, Aaron Weatherford, Jaylon McKewen, Madison Hardcastle, Haven Hughes Adviser: Steve Listopad
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870-230-5221 1100 Henderson Street, Arkadelphia, AR - 71923 Calls will be returned. Mailed subscriptions now offered -$60 for 6 months -$100 a year 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 Sports
Thursday, May 6, 2021
Oracle: CE
Bisons Stampede Reddies’ Title Hopes Donovan Lee Sports Editor
BENTONVILLE— The ladies of Reddies Tennis packed their gear and headed to northwest Arkansas to compete in the 2021 edition of the GAC tournament. Coming off a sweep of Oklahoma Baptist, the five-seed HSU met four-seed SAU in the quarterfinal round. For the third time this season, the Reddies and Muleriders battled it out on the clay. With the series split at one game apiece, it was only right that the one for all the marbles be in the conference tournament. The defending champion Muleriders were blindsided by the remarkable play of Henderson State and were eliminated from title
contention in a 4-0 defeat. After collecting their first postseason win in four years and their second one in the GAC era, HSU advanced to face the top-seeded Harding Bisons, who entered the postseason undefeated against conference foes and holding a 5-2 victory over the Reddies during the regular season. Because the matches are only played up to the point when a team clinches the win, the duo of Franny Nyarko and Mulan Kamoe were unable to get the Reddies on the board before the Bisons claimed four wins in the match over HSU, ending the Reddies season at the quarterfinal round. Despite the defeat, the doubles duo of Nyarko/
Kamoe, along with Georjema Row, were named to the All-GAC teams for 2021. Kamoe is the fourth Reddie in four years to be named to All-GAC First Team. Both Nyarko and Row were selected as members of the Second Team after their performances this season. The Reddies finished the season with a 5-7 record, going 2-4 in conference play, and winning their first playoff match since 2017. After 28 years, HSU Tennis head coach and cross country coach Brenda Joiner announced her retirement from the Reddie Athletics program. She served in the program for 28 years. Plans to commemorate her career are being discussed and planned for this Fall.
Photo courtesy of Reddie Athletics.
The Reddies tennis team defeats Harding Bisons Friday, April 23. The 4-0 semifinal loss kicked the team out of the running for the championship.
OBU’s Hope Waid Named GAC Player of the Week OBU Sports
Ouachita Baptist shortstop Hope Waid has been named Great American Conference Player of the Week, as announced by the conference today. Waid went 7-11 with five stolen bases and four runs scored in the Tigers’ three-game series against Southern Nazarene. The sophomore from Fort Worth, Texas, did her job in the leadoff spot, reaching base eight times in 12 plate appearances as the Tigers took two of three games from
the Crimson Storm at Sully Anderson Field. Waid was 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts over the weekend and finished the series with as many runs scored as outs made at the plate (four). Waid is the third Tiger to earn GAC Player of the Week honors, joining Sloane Precure (3/8) and Madison Miller (4/26). Waid and the Tigers have locked up the No. 6 seed in the Great American Conference Tournament, which is scheduled for May 14-15 in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Photo courtesy of OBUTigers.com.
OBU’s Hope Waid was named the player of the week by the Great American Conference in softball.