To speak .
INDEX Feature Events Opinion Obits COVID Update Sports Arkadelphian
No. 5
Vol. 3
1 2 2 3 3 4 4
September 16, 2021
Oracle partners with The Arkadelphian news website Lance Brownfield Editor-in-Chief
If you’ve seen a black Prius around town with “The Arkadelphian” written on the side, it doesn’t belong to the city. It belongs to Joel Phelps, Editor-in-Chief of “The Arkadelphian.” “The Arkadelphian” is a news website, with (quite a fitting name) founded and run by Phelps. Phelps used to work as a reporter for the Daily Siftings Herald and was Editor-in-Chief of the Oracle student newspaper during his
time at Henderson. Phelps started the site earlier this year after realizing the need for consistent coverage of the city and county. Since starting this news organization, Phelps has created Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts for the budding site. While the bulk of the reporting falls on Phelps’ shoulders, he also employs a few stringers and freelance journalists from the two universities and the community. "This partnership combines content
from up-and-coming journalists with an experienced community journalist to provide Arkadelphia and surrounding towns the news that matters to them," Phelps said. We at the Oracle are glad to see more coverage of the city and have decided to partner with “The Arkadelphian.” As his publication does not print, we plan on sharing a selection of his stories in our print edition every week as well as working with him to share pictures and other story assets for efficient news gathering.
This partnership will not only be beneficial to “The Arkadelphian'' and “The Oracle,” but also to the news consumer here in Clark County. "As publisher of 'The Arkadelphian,' I'm excited to partner with
'The Oracle,' said Phelps. "This partnership wil reach two audiences: Those who seek their unbiased information in a printed newspaper and those who consume that same quality journalism in a digital format."
We look forward to working with “The Arkadelphian” and Phelps as he builds his audience and coverage of the name’s sake of his news site.
Huckabee-Sanders and Rutledge face off at HSU Donovan Lee Sports Reporter
Thursday, Sept. 9, HSU was the host campus for the Clark County Republican Committee’s Lincoln Day Dinner. Their special guest speakers, two familiar names to Arkansans, came to address the organization ahead of what could be an eventful campaign season. A r k a n s a s gubernatorial candidates Sarah Huckabee-Sanders and Leslie Rutledge visited Arkadelphia and spoke at the evening dinner event hosted by the Republican Committee. Head of the county’s political group, Stephen Silberkraus, introduced both candidates as they spoke to those in attendance. The evening began with a welcome and prayer that was a segue into dinner. The speaking engagement was preceded by the Pledge of Allegiance, the singing of the national anthem, a video presentation of a poem about the American flag, and an auction of trips and memorabilia, and the committee’s annual awards to their politicians. Former White House press secretary and current gubernatorial candidate, HuckabeeSanders took to the podium first. With fifteen minutes, she addressed the recurring theme of her being the daughter of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and how she has embraced the label. HuckabeeSanders said, “He is one of the best people I’ve ever known.” HuckabeeSanders spoke on her summers growing up in Arkadelphia, working on Capitol Hill under former President Donald Trump— something she is very proud of— and her motivation for wanting to govern the Natural State. “There’s no person who has been challenged or criticized as much as I have and been able
to come out stronger on the other side.” The candidate went on to say that she is “tired of watching Arkansas competing at the bottom,” and that being governor “is not a responsibility I take lightly… I relish it.” Also running for the highest position in the state, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge made an appearance at the event to sway the voters in her favor. Rutledge described herself as a “Christian, Pro-Life, gun carrying, conservative Momma,” and that those qualities will make her “a better governor.” Rutledge emphasized how she has been a trailblazer for women politicians in the state and how she “is pretty good at breaking the glass ceiling” in politics. She listed her accolades
state government has on the table and her thoughts and opinions on them. She touched on her support for Second Amendment laws, her stance on Critical Race Theory (CRT), gender laws for youth in the state, and tort reform, along with other topics of concern. The attorney general spoke on the current state of the federal government and how she has devoted time to flipping the government majority back to Republicans. “I’m the only one running with seven years experience behind a desk making decisions for Arkansas,” said Rutledge, who was elected to office in 2014. In regards to Huckabee-Sanders, Rutledge mentioned their relationship and family history. “[Sarah and I] have been friends
Photo by Donovan Lee
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge and Sarah HuckabeeSanders squared off at the Clark County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner at Henderson Thursday, Sept. 9.
and laws she has contributed to enacting since beginning her tenure in her current position, as well as contrasting HuckabeeSanders’ position of Arkansas being last by naming some categories that Arkansas is the leader in. Rutledge’s platform emphasis: “Make Arkansas First.” Rutledge wasted no time addressing the controversial issues the
for a long time. Her daddy was my first contributor to my campaign back in 2014.” The state politician closed out the speaking engagement by stating: “The next Governor of Arkansas will be a Republican, and the next Governor of Arkansas will be a woman,” and that regardless of the outcome of the election, “I will never stop fighting for the future of the great
Photo courtesy of The Arkadelphian
The Arkadelphian is a local news website started by Joel Phelps, who formerly worked as a reporter at the Daily Siftings Herrald and as Editor-in-Chief of The Oracle student paper.
Remembering September 11 Emily Henderson Contributing Reporter
Another average Tuesday morning on September 11, 2001, turned into something no one would forget. Around 8:45 a.m. LTC Tommie Campbell received a call from his wife. At the time, Campbell was responsible for putting together a large general officer conference at Camp Robinson. “My wife never calls me at work,” Campbell said, “I thought maybe it was just a drone or something accidental.” As he turned on the television, the second tower was struck. He asked his wife if this was a replay of what happened. His wife responded with "no," as the plane crashed. President George W. Bush soon shut down all flights, but Campbell knew Senior Colonel General Shinseki was in the auditorium and would need to return to Washington. Shinseki was on the only plane that flew out of Arkansas that day. Campbell was stationed in Little Rock at the time. After the attack, he explained that the rubble was being searched through, and his wife did not leave the house for a couple of days. It made moving supplies and everyday tasks for the military difficult. “Life as we knew it then had come to halt, there was a lot of unknown,” he said. Like most, Campbell and the other men were fearful of what was to come. However, the men knew they were “defending the
American way of life” and had to be prepared for anything they were called to do. Two days after the attack, Campbell had been scheduled to fly to Washington D.C. in nearly the same spot the Pentagon was hit, but the flight was canceled due to the strike on New York. He explains that had it not been for a conference he was supposed to attend, it is likely he would have been there considering his constant presence at the Pentagon. Even today, 20 years later, Campbell remembers the uncertainty and fear he felt. The attack changed the many ways he lived his everyday life. “It made me much more hypervigilant.” He explains he is more
cautious of his surroundings. At restaurants, he faces the door, and in his office, he had the bushes cut so he could view the parking lot from the window. While he is not necessarily looking for the “bad” or “worst that could happen,” he simply wants to stay alert, to be more prepared. After serving our country for 23 years, Campbell retired in October of 2002. Since then, he has spent eight years in a classroom and seven years as a principal. Campbell is currently the project director at Veterans Upward Bound. He has a positive outlook on life: to give and not expect anything in return and help anyone and everyone. “Just don’t take anything for granted.”
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Info from Weather.com
FRI - Sep 17 partly cloudy
SAT - Sep 18 partly cloudy
SUN - Sep 19 partly cloudy
MON - Sep 20 partly cloudy
TUE - Sep 21
isolated thunderstorms
WED - Sep 22
THU - Sep 23 partly cloudy
AM thunderstorms
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2 News
Lt. Governor Griffin memorializes the twentieth anniversary of 9/11 Phoebe Darley Contributing Reporter LITTLE ROCK – Lt. Governor Tim Griffin issued the following statement on the twentieth anniversary of September 11: "Two decades have passed since radical Islamic terrorists cowardly attacked our country and killed almost 3,000 Americans in an attempt
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Thursday, September 16, 2021
to instill fear in our nation. Instead, the world saw the resolve of a nation built on the strength and heroism of the American people. We must never forget the fearless service of first responders who ran into the buildings, the images of rescue workers carrying victims from the rubble, and the sacrifice of service members who fight the war on terror
across the globe to protect our security. Looking into the eyes of my children as they learn about this tragedy, I am reminded of the importance of teaching future generations about that horrific day and the strength we found in being unified in the days that followed. May God continue to bless our extraordinary and exceptional nation!"
HSU senior already in the work force
image: Freepik.com
Fall Events Upcoming Events September 15-18 Clark County Fair September 22 Motorcycle Cannonball October 5-16 The Henderson State University Fine Art Department is proud to present Behind The Face by our graduating BSE candidate Mrs. Emily Blaylock. Emily Blaylock came to Henderson State University in 2018 from Malvern Arkansas. While enrolled at HSU, she has studied under the tutelage of Aaron Calvert, David Warren, and Kelsey Malone. Behind The Face is a culmination of these studies in ceramics and sculpture. According to Emily Blaylock, “My series, Behind The Face, asks the question of what truly is behind everyone’s faces.” The student gallery is located on the second floor of the Henderson State University Huie Library and the exhibit will be open for public view from Oct 5th through Oct 16th.
Photo by Phoebe Darley
Henderson Senior Keely Wells landed an internship that led to a job in Sheridan after posting that she was looking for a job on Facebook.
Phoebe Darley Contributing Reporter In four short months, Henderson State University seniors will be receiving their diplomas if they are graduating in December. The final semester of seniors’ college career is an important one. This is the semester students do their internships, finetune their resumes, and for some, they already have jobs lined up after graduation. But some are already working jobs in their chosen fields. Keely Wells is a senior Business Administration and Accounting major at Henderson State University and is a part of the small number of students who are working in their chosen field before graduation. Wells works at Grove &
Company CPAs as a staff accountant in Sheridan, Arkansas. On a daily basis, Wells does “monthly bookkeeping, weekly payroll, sales tax payments, estimated payments, input tax information for tax returns, and answers client emails.” Wells found this position when she was actually looking for her senior internship, “I actually posted on facebook that I was looking for an accounting position somewhere for an internship. My now boss commented and gave me an interview. I was hired and they offered me a full time position in July after I had interned for a couple of months.” Wells works full days on Tuesday and Friday and half days on Wednesday. “My
boss is very understanding of me still being in school and let’s me do schoolwork while I am at work. I have deadlines on all of my work duties, just like my school work, and as long as everything gets done, I am fine.” Wells was very shocked when she was offered the full time position when she was only looking for an internship, “I now have a full time job doing what I love and I have not even received my diploma yet.” After she receives her diploma in December, Wells will still hold the same position at the company but will be focusing mainly on tax returns since it will be closer to tax season as a full time accountant.
Personal liberty is the American way Bruce Westerman AR Representative President Biden announced drastic new COVID-19 restrictions last week that will affect 100 million Americans. According to his Executive Order, he has directed the Department of Labor to issue a regulation that would require all businesses with over 100 employees to mandate employee vaccinations or provide weekly proof of a negative test result. One must admit, the timing of this vaccine crackdown is suspicious. The FDA fully approved the COVID-19 vaccine weeks ago, but only now, after his Administration is mired in criticism, does he issue such a divisive edict that, as President Biden said himself, “has nothing to do with freedom.” President Biden has
shown his hand, revealing a desperate attempt to divert attention from his Administration’s failures in Afghanistan, the southern border, rising crime, and skyrocketing inflation. This rule will not help ease vaccine hesitancy, but further divide Americans against one another and fuel distrust of the government. While I have been vaccinated and I believe that it is safe, I fully support the ability to choose what is best for each person. There is a laundry list of pressing issues that President Biden and Democrat leadership in D.C. should be much more concerned with than imposing more mandates on private enterprise. Republicans have advocated for addressing these issues, but have been totally ignored. For example, there are still
an unknown number of Americans stranded in Afghanistan. Instead of voting on a bill that would require President Biden to rescue these citizens like Republicans requested, we were called back to DC by Speaker Pelosi to vote on a $3.5 trillion spending bill that will only further inflation and raise taxes. Instead of investigating the decisions that led to this catastrophe, the President would rather tell business owners how to run their workplaces--something they all know how to do without the government’s “assistance.” Once published, this regulation will face lawsuits challenging its constitutionality, and while time will tell the outcome. I remain firmly opposed to such an egregious government overreach into the lives and livelihoods of Americans.
For More information regarding Library hours, please visit http://library.hsu.edu or contact the Fine Art Department at (870)-230-5036.
Recurring ♦♦♦ Friday Night Magic The Gathering - Atlas Gaming ♦♦♦ Alcoholics Anonymous hosts two meetings a week in Arkadelphia. The meetings are open to anyone interested in AA’s program of recovery. The Arkadelphia Group meets at 7 p.m. every Tues. in the Sturgis Building at North 9 and Caddo Streets. For more information on the Arkadelphia Group Meetings, call 870-403-3001. The U-Turn Group meets at 7 p.m. every Thurs. on the front, upper level of Park Hill Baptist Church, 3163 Hollywood Road. For information on that group’s meetings, call 870-230-2975 or 870-260-9277. ♦♦♦ With Late ‘til 8, local businesses stay open to 8:00 pm so that customers can shop and also win door prizes! this is a monthly event that happens every first Thursday of every month. ♦♦♦ Pediatrics Plus is excited to announce that our brand new facility is now open. Our new facility is located at 702 Hickory Street. The new facility offers includes a Developmental Preschool and Therapy Services that include: ABA, Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapy. In addition, our brand new, state-of-the-art facilities include a House Next Door suite which offers a homey feel for children learning daily living activities like cooking, feeding therapy, making the bed, getting dressed, and more! Other features of the new facility include a new playground, gross motor gym, high stimulation and low stimulation gyms, and a library! Enroll Now to get a spot in our new location! ♦♦♦ 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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Peggy Vaiz Kershaw 5/20/48 - 9/10/21 Peggy Vaiz Kershaw, age 73, of Arkadelphia, passed from this life on Friday, September 10, 2021 at Baptist Medical Center in Arkadelphia. She was born on May 20, 1948 in San Fernando, CA, the daughter of the late Pete and Rosie Orozco Vaiz. In addition to her parents, Peggy was Deborah Lynn Ellis 3/19/70 - 9/9/21 Deborah Lynn Ellis, age 51, of Gurdon, passed from this life on Thursday, September 9, 2021, at Baptist Health Medical Center in North Little Rock. She was born on March 19, 1970, in Seagraves, TX, the daughter of the late Delton Dewayne and Mary Jane Sheffield Gray. Deborah was of the Juanita Reed 2/1/39 - 8/13/21 The beautiful and bubbly spirit of Juanita Reed came to an end on Friday, August 13, 2021, at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, AR. She was in her 82nd season of a joyful life. Juanita was born February 1, 1939, in Sparkman, AR the daughter of Nazree Browning and Hattie Jones. She met and married William Reed, Sr. at an early age and together they raised two sons. She was a member of Piney Grove AME church in
Thursday, September 16, 2021
Obituaries preceded in death by her husband, Doug Kershaw, one brother, Billy Vaiz and three sisters, Sally Vaiz, Jennie Enriquez and Josie Ortega. Peggy is survived by her daughter, Tammy Lynn Morales of Texas City, TX, her brother Richard Vaiz (Connie) of Las Vegas, NV, her sister, Helen Vaiz Gutierrez of Whittier, CA, eight grandchildren,
Monica Tapia of Hot Springs, Jessica Cortez of Arkadelphia, Veronica Hicks (Michael) of Dallas, TX, Christina McClure (Colton) of Arkadelphia, Randy Trujillo of Palmdale, CA, Denean Trujillo of Las Vegas, NV and Alexia and Jazmine Anaya of Texas City, TX and nine greatgrandchildren.
Pentecostal faith. She enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Timothy Dewayne Gray. Deborah is survived by her husband, Guy Ellis of Gurdon, two sons, Guy Blake Ellis Jr (Marissa) of Gurdon, Nicholas Dewayne Ellis of Gurdon, two daughters, Sumer Dawn Ellis (Marty Hurd) of Sanger,
TX, Zoey "Baby G" Ellis of Gurdon, two sisters, Marcy Kimbrell (James) and Tammy Gonzales (Willey) all of Sanger, TX, eleven grandchildren, Brinley, Ethan, Emma, Weston, Maddie, Braxton, Kynlea, Leah, Clayton, Hawkins and Thorin. The family will host a memorial service at 2:00 PM on Sunday, September 12, 2021, at Cornerstone Pentecostal Church of
God in Gurdon with Bro Chris Williams officiating.
Arkadelphia where she was a faithful member and enjoyed serving the Lord. Juanita was a fashionable, glamourous woman who enjoyed looking good with makeup, the latest fashions, jewelry, and her favorite perfume, Red Door every time she stepped out of the house. She enjoyed living life to the fullest fellowshipping with family, friends, and talking on the telephone. She was a people person who loved her family and being in the lives of children. She retired from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia
after many years of dedicated service as a custodian. Later on in life, she went back to OBU where she became a foster grandparent until her final days. Those welcoming her in heaven include her parents, Nazree Browning and Hattie Jones; husband, William L. Reed, Sr.; one son, Terry Reed; one brother, Jerry Browning, and one granddaughter, Nikita Reed. Those left to cherish her memories are her son, William J. (Gwendolyn) Reed, of Arkadelphia;
four brothers, Bennie (Gweneva) Jones, and Ronnie Browning, both of Arkadelphia, Robert (Delores) Browning, of St. Louis, MO, Larry (Pamela) Browning, of Clinton, MD, and Nazree (Jacqueline) Browning, of Detroit, MI; one granddaughter, Kristen (Joseph) Newborn; one great-grandson, Kameron Reese; two greatgranddaughters, Jasmine and Jaleyah Newborn, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, many friends, and her piney Grove AME Church family.
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HOW TO REACH YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Arkadelphia Mayor Scott Byrd 700 Clay Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-6745 Arkadelphia Treasurer Shacresha Wilson (870) 246-9864 shacresha.wilson@ arkadelphia.gov Prosecuting Attorney Dan Turner 414 Court Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-9868 dan.turner@ClarkAR.us
Arkansas Department of Health COVID-19 update
Clark County Judge Troy Tucker 401 Clay Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-5847 Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson 406 South 5th Street Arkadelphia, AR 71923 (870) 246-8859 Governor Asa Hutchinson 250 State Capital Bldg. Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 682-2345
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge 323 Center Street, Suite 200 Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 682-2007 State Senator Alan Clark P.O. Box 211 Lonsdale, AR 72087 (501) 844-6800 Congressman Bruce Westerman 130 Cannon House Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-3772 U.S. Senator Tom Cotton B33 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-3772 U.S. Senator John Boozman 1 Russell Courtyard Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-4843
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4 Sports
UPCOMING EVENTS
9/24 AHS football vs. Nashville (conference) 10/01 AHS football @ Robinson (conference) 10/08 AHS football vs. Fountain Lake (conference) 10/15 AHS football @ Haskell Harmony Grove (conference)
Thursday, September 16, 2021
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Big night for the Knights
Aaron Weatherford Contributing Reporter
The Centerpoint Knights have begun the 2021 season on an absolute tear. They have defeated their first two opponents with a total score of 84 and allowing only 14, including a week zero shutout. Experts and surrounding media outlets thought this week would be their first road test, and it was for a half. Haskell Harmony Grove was a conference opponent to Centerpoint from 2010 (Inaugural Season) to 2017. Each year, these teams battled for what seemed like the five or four seed in their conference. Leading up to Harmony Grove’s move to Class 4A, 2016 and 2017 were years where both programs fought for the 3 spot. Things have changed
since then and Centerpoint has gotten much better compared to the Cardinals. That showed in last week's game on Friday night. As previously mentioned, the first half was a battle for whoever had the ball the longest. Harmony Grove made an 11-play drive down the field and ended up putting the first points on the board including a PAT, making it 7-0. The Knights wasted no time as it only took them four plays before running back Jace Clark scored from 15 yards out. The Knights PAT was good and it would be tied 7-7 at the end of the first quarter. The slow and methodical run-first offense of Harmony Grove continued to pay off as they drove down the field, keeping the explosive Knights offense on the sideline.
A Cardinals wing back buried himself behind his offensive lineman into the endzone for the score. The PAT again was good, giving the Cardinals a 14-7 lead midway through the second quarter. With 4:10 remaining in the second quarter, Centerpoint answered as quarterback Josh Lawson tossed a great pass to the corner of the end zone where classmate and receiver Kaden Owens was waiting for the touchdown. PAT was good, tying the ball game at 14-14 going into halftime. Right out of the gate, Centerpoint took the ball right down the field before an injury occured where paramedics had to be called unfortunately. The scene took over 20 minutes before the injured Cardinal player was transported to the hospital. It is currently
10/22 AHS football vs. Ashdown (conference) 10/01 AHS football @ Robinson (conference)
Arkadelphia Badgers 1-2 0-0 21-22 8-2 38-27 2020
vs. Current record Current conference 2019 game score 2020 record playoff record last playoff appearance
unknown of the players conditions at this time. “First off I hope the young man is okay,” said Head Coach Cary Rogers. “There’s always a gut wrenching feeling when I see stuff like that happen. But we told our kids to stay focused and get a breather for a little bit.” Following the situation, the Knights scored two plays later when Clark found the end zone again, this time from only two yards away. PAT was good, giving Centerpoint their first lead of the game at 21-14. Turnovers would end up being the demise of Harmony Grove, as they fumbled twice and even let an onside kick get recovered by Centerpoint. The Knights would make Harmony Grove pay for their mistakes, scoring on all three recoveries. Harmony Grove would add on another score late in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to take down the Knights, as Centerpoint took home a 41-20 victory.
Lawson threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns in the win. Owens led the Knights in reception yards with 110 and also had a touchdown. Clark had a big night, carrying the ball 14 times for 124 yards and three touchdowns. “That was the toughest game we have had so far this year,” said Rogers. “We struggled to keep the ball in the first half, only having the ball for three possessions the whole half, I believe. I was really pleased with the way the kids came out of halftime, especially when we recovered that onside kick. It changed our whole attitude.” Centerpoint gets some rest coming up in week three with what Coach Rogers is calling a “much needed bye week”. The Knights will be back in action Friday, Sept. 24 as they travel to deep south Arkansas to take on the Fouke Panthers.
Nashville Scrappers 2-1 0-0 22-21 9-3 87-34 2020
Photo by Aaron Weatherford
Centerpoint senior wideout C.J Fox attempts a tough catch over a Harmony Grove defender.
www.arkadelphian.com
Man dies after BArkadelphia: Dog park had ruff start, accidental shooting but more funding will make it paws-ible Joel Phelps The Arkadelphian An Arkadelphia man died Sunday after an accidental shooting at his residence. The victim was 68-year-old David Allan Smith, who succumbed to a gunshot wound Sunday morning at the Baptist Health Medical CenterArkadelphia emergency room. Authorities are treating the shooting as an accident. According to a report filed at the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Smith’s wife dialed 911 at about 9:05 a.m. to report her husband had been accidentally shot in the chest. Paramedics and deputies responded to the Smith residence at 101 Nunn Dr., off of Central Road, where they observed the husband lying on the floor, conscious and speaking to his wife as well as the medics administering care. “It was a tragic accident and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.” Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson
After placing the call, Smith’s wife Nancy explained to the 911 dispatcher that she dropped the loaded handgun as she was handing it to her husband, causing the gun to fire and strike him in the chest. Smith was transported by ambulance to BHMC-A. The responding deputy, as well as Sgt. Rick Loy, criminal investigator, secured the scene and photographed the handgun. The pistol, ammunition and a spent shell casing that was in the chamber were collected as evidence. Police then traveled to the emergency room, and a short time later hospital staff informed them Smith had been pronounced dead. Sheriff Jason Watson said Monday morning that his office is treating the shooting as an accident, and offered condolences to the family. “I just want to say it was a tragic accident and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. David was always willing to help me in difficult times and I will truly miss him.
Joel Phelps The Arkadelphian Fundraising efforts are ongoing for a project city leaders hope will fulfill a need for Arkadelphia pet owners. With $44,000 already pledged, the Barkadelphia Dog Park needs another $26,000 before construction begins one of of two sites picked for the park. When the 2019 Leadership Clark County Class VII chose a dog park as its project, the location offered was an unused softball field in Feaster Park, situated north of Twin Rivers Drive and between North 26th Street and the softball field that is still in use. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the group had $65,000 pledged, but a top donor withdrew his $30,000 gift because of the damage the pandemic caused his business, said Lisa Jaskey, the LCC participant in charge of fundraising. But for Jaskey and her husband David, it’s a park they weren’t giving up on.
Out of the ashes of the pandemic rose another opportunity, when City Manager Gary Brinkley identified a second site. Located at 15th and Mill Creek Drive, the preferred site is on land owned by Henderson State University. While the Board of Trustees has agreed to sell the property, Jaskey said, an appraisal of the property is needed before the university can sell. Jaskey has applied for a number of grants. If those grants are secured, the vision can become a reality. Jaskey submitted her vision to Gyms for Dogs, a firm that designs and builds dog parks. The vision includes an array of amenities typical of other city dog parks, including a 6-foothigh chainlink fence surrounding both the small- and largebreed dog areas (each with a double-gated entrance), agility equipment like a bridge climb and jump hurdles, separate water faucets for dogs and their owners, cleanup stations and garbage
bins. Janskey added that the city manager also wants to add an asphalt walking path lining the outer perimeter of the park. Once that second location is secured and the overall goal of $70,000 is met, the city can take over funding and construction can begin — at the preferred site, the group hopes — on the 250,000 square-foot park. Once the funding and final design blueprints are submitted, ownership and maintenance of the park will be passed on to the city. “This gives [Parks & Rec] anothe r park where they can plan activities related to dogs, such as obedience demonstrations, s p o r t i n g d o g demonstrations, and obedience training classes,” Jaskey said, adding that a dog park would greatly benefit the Humane Society of Clark County as well. “Their volunteers will now have a place they can bring dogs regularly — not just out walking them, but giving them socialization skills” to
better increase their chance for adoption. College students and senior citizens, too, will have a place to let their dogs exercise without the confinement of a leash. “A surprising number of [college students] have therapy or comfort dogs with them on campus,” she said. “Instead of keeping [their dogs] confined to a dorm room, they can run and play in a large area. And this dog park is right at their backyard.” Jaskey added: “Elderly people now can take their dogs here to get more exercise than what their owners can provide.” To date, the largest donor to Barkadelphia has been attorney Taylor King, whose Golden Retriever is commonly seen on his law firm’s advertisements. In addition to the Jaskeys, other donors include local veterinarian Drs. Rob Rucker and wife Gari. Jaskey hopes to have all the funds secured and a groundbreaking this fall, with completion of the park by early 2022.