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Barnett & Ruth Bruce
TUESDAY, February 12, 2019 / Vol. 5 Issue 7 / 75 cents
Clinton teen wins scholarship John’s Crazy Socks has announced that Garret Nichols, 19, of Clinton, Arkansas, has won the “Autism Can Do” Scholarship. John’s Crazy Socks created the scholarship as part of its Giving Back Program and its mission to show what people can do when given a chance. Upon hearing that
he won the scholarship, Nichols said he was overcome with joy. “I’m so happy right now. I had a lot of hope and good vibes.” He will use the scholarship to attend Inclusion Films School, a program in California that teaches filmmaking to people with developmental disabilities. Nichols has already attended the
Joey Travolta Summer Film Camp to hone his skills. John Cronin, a young man with Down Syndrome who founded John’s Crazy Socks with his dad, says, “We are excited for Garrett that he won this scholarship. His dream is to attend film school and make movies and this scholarship will help
him make that dream come true.” The John’s Crazy Socks ”Autism Can Do” Scholarship presents a $3,000 scholarship to a person on the autism spectrum in the United States to use at a college or trade school. To win the scholarship, Nichols submitted a personal statement and designed
a sock. His winning sock design depicted circuit boards and computers borne from his work with technology. The inspiration for his sock design came from a story Garrett heard as a child about alleged Time Traveler, John Titor, and how he traveled back to 1975 to retrieve an IBM 5100 computer.
Nichols
Investigators: Gun threat unfounded A report of a threat of violence at Shirley schools appears to have no basis in fact, according to the Van Buren County sheriff’s office. On Jan. 30, 2019, Shirley School Resource Officer Clayton Borecky was contacted by a parent who had concerns about the possibility that a juvenile had plans to take a weapon to school. The parent stated that their child told them another child on the school bus said he would take a gun to school and take care of.a problem. Borecky reported the accusation to the criminal investigation office and an investigation ensued. Investigators interviewed the two students and advised their
Storm damage
Trying something new - Students at the Shirley Head Start enjoy learning about new fruits and vegetables during the Pick a Better Snack program. They are tasting bell peppers, cucumbers, oranges, and frozen mango. For more about healthy eating habits, contact County Extension Agent Torrie Caston at 745-7117 or at tcaston@uaex.edu.
Stormy weather late last week caused a little wind damage and left more than 200 people in the dark for a time. Insurance adjusters were busy as some folks reported shingles blown off roofs. Petit Jean Electric reported about 250 customers were without service for part of the day Friday. The utility said those affected were in Clinton, Scotland, Shirley and Alread. Power
Love At Twilight by Freeda Baker Nichols
In the early glow of the quiet morning when the weight of yesterday grows lighter, and the heart sings like a bird on a spring morning, Deanna rushes to meet her husband. In the sunlight, in all its brilliance, she arrives to the comfort and the shelter of his arms. Deanna awakens from the dream. The sun filters through almost bare limbs, spreading its warmth upon the smooth sycamore tree. No, she
would never again feel Conrad’s embrace. His airplane had crashed half a world away from their home in Hampton, Virginia. The big plane, exploding on take-off, disintegrated in a ball of flame, taking with it Deanna’s entire world. She survived the shock of instant widowhood, but she would never again think of the Solomon Islands without feeling a stab through her heart. She and Conrad had planned to celebrate their anniversary later that year in those islands. Instead,
he had died there. Still sleepy, Deanna makes her way to the window and opens the blinds to another cool morning, with the March wind stirring the sycamore leaves. She thinks of Mitchell Merrick as she has each day since they met a few months ago. Why does she think of him? She’s not in love with him and never will be, yet she’s fascinated by him. He’s returning to Hampton this evening and she agreed to meet him at the airport. In her youth,
Deanna had many suitors. That period of her life had been exciting and full of carefree, happy moments that still existed in memories she could recall as quickly as the snap of her fingers. One such memory was of Hayden. He had volunteered for the Air Force, attended Officers’ Training School then went into pilot training. He came home on leave just out of cadets, and DeanSee Love on page 14
parents to keep them home the next day as the inquiry continued. With the cooperation of school officials, students who rode the same bus were interviewed by investigators. None of those students overheard any threat and some said the student in question sat quietly on the bus listening to headphones and texting, according to a news release. While some students reported witnessing some “horseplay” with yelling and hitting, that did not involve the accused student. The investigators found no active threat toward the school, students or staff, the report states.
was restored to everyone by 1:40 p.m.
Puppy mills
According to data from a website called bailingoutbenji.com, Van Buren County has five puppy mills that produce between 200 and 500 puppies a year. A puppy mill, sometimes known as a puppy farm, is defined as a type of commercial dog breeding facility focused on making money over the well-being of the animals.