Kindergarten Honor Roll:
Erin Clark, Nova Connor, Carter Duarte, Waylon Elmore, Rhiatt Escalanta, Ava McCutcheon,
Lynnex Marion, Athena McDonald, Lynnlee O’Bar, Sonny Oxford, Abbigail Prater, Jasper Schaefer,
Jason Silva, Conor Smith, Minka Sterling, Jaspar Webster
First Semester Honor Roll:
Leah Boyster, Erin Clark, Nova Connor, Kaelyna Cook, Waylon Elmore, Aaron Fry, Lynnex
Marion, Ava McCutcheon, Lynnlee O’Bar, Sonny Oxford, Abbigail Prater, Veda Purifoy, Jasper
Schaefer, Harper Shrum, Jason Silva, Minka Sterling
Kindergarten Principal’s List:
Noah Baker, Hudson Bond, Leah Boyster, Kaelyna Cook, Raelyn Dooley, Aaron Fry, Jude
Garrison, River Hamilton, Saylor Hamilton, Hope Harris, Drayden Hartman, Monica Herrera-Vidana, Logan Howell, Evan McBride, Myles McCaslin, Adrianne McCool, Rhett Moore, Cecilia Newman, Josie Nichols, Annagrace Overton, Lynnden Reano, Jaylie Richmond, Harper Shrum, Talon Shrum, Ocie Walden, Case Walls, Camrie Witt
First Semester Principal’s List:
Noah Baker, Hudson Bond, Raelyn Dooley, Jude Garrison, River Hamilton, Saylor Hamilton,
Hope Harris, Drayden Hartman, Monica Herrera-Vidana, Logan Howell, Evan McBride, Myles
McCastin, Adrianne McCool, Athena McDonald, Rhett Moore, Cecilia Newman, Josie Nichols,
Annagrace Overton, Lynnden Reano, Jaylie Richmond, Talon Shrum, Conor Smith, Ocie Walden,
Case Walls, Camrie Witt
First Grade Honor Roll:
Edward Biazo, Jessica Boyd, Kylie Brown, Jimmy Case, Jani Cowan, Penelope Dang,
Matthew Francis, Emilee Freeman, Castyn Hancox, Avery Hensley, Deklan Highsmith, Aurora King-
Drew, Emerson Krigbaum, Kimber Kuettle, Emily Langford, Logan Leland, Leena Little, Zayne
Morrison, Finn Moss, Lucas Pennington, Colten Ronzzo, McKenzie Tole
First Semester Honor Roll:
Edward Biazo, Ava Bowman, Jessica Boyd, Kylie Brown, Tucker Brumbelow, Jimmy Case,
Matthew Francis, Emilee Freeman, Maci Grissom, Avery Hensley, Deklan Highsmith, Aurora King-
Drew, Emerson Krigbaum, Kimber Kuettle, Logan Leland, Leena Little, Zayne Morrison, Savannah
Morton, Finn Moss, Lucas Pennington, Colten Ronzzo, Griffin Safranek, McKenzie Tole
First Grade Principal’s List:
Redwater Stick, Jessie Swearingen
First Semester Principal’s List:
Jani Cowan, Penelope Dang, Lawson Gitthens, Castyn Hancox, Lainey Hattabaugh, Hadley Heydenreich, Emily Langford, Addison Mize, Zoey Nguyen, Redwater Stick, Jessie Swearingen Second Grade Honor Roll:
Stella Adams, Damien Brown, Trynadee Bryen, Sierra Clark, Eli Clay, Dakota Coplin, Hansel, Liam Helms, Wyatt Howard, Paislee Huddleston, Samuel Jordan, Mylah McNeill, Cayse Milligan, Gabriella Moore, Della Newman, Ellie Polk, Aurora Sylva
First Semester Honor Roll: Stella Adams, Damien Brown, Sierra Clark, Eli Clay, Addison Deeds, Aiden Elmore, Marleigh Fuerst, Sawyer Godwin, Emily Griffin, Piper Hall, Chase Hansel, Roque Hattabaugh, Liam Helms, Wyatt Howard, Samuel Jordan, Cambrie Mason, Mylah McNeill, Gabriella Moore, Della Newman, Ellie Polk, Emmalee Pollard, Brentley Richmond, Tyler Smith
Second Grade Principal’s List: Aurora Alvarez, Mason Dickinson, Cambrie Mason, Jayce Reed, Wade Roper, Aiden Whittaker, Deacon Wilson
First Semester Principal’s List: Aurora Alvarez, Trynadee Bryen, Dakota Coplin, Mason Dickinson, Jayce Reed, Wade Roper, Aiden Whittaker, Deacon Wilson
Third Grade Honor Roll:
Presley Adams, Rayleigh Bascue, Charlotte Booker, Karleigh Boswell, Noah Branche, Ezekiel Buckley, Jazmyn C’deBaca, Paizlee Coe, Kylor Cox, Skylar Deer, Jerra Dewitt, Journey Elmore, Makayla Eubanks, Tobias Fuerst, Lane Gitthens, Coda Griffin, Hadley Guillory, Ainsley Hawkins, Divina Hunt, Edmund Krause, Amerie Marcotte, Elijah McCutcheon, Toby Meyers, Asher Moore, Sarah Morton, Emery Newman, Skye Pruitt, Elaina Robinson, Beau Shaver, Ethan Shipley, Ava Silvey, Jayden Soares, Hugh Strozier, Colten Williams, Temperance Wingate, Easton Winters, Natalie Young
First Semester Honor Roll:
Presley Adams, Rayleigh Bascue, Charlotte Booker, Noah Branche, Ezekiel Buckley, Paizlee Coe, Kylor Cox, Skylar Deer, Jerra Dewitt, Journey Elmore, Makayla Eubanks, Maddie Francis, Tobias Fuerst, Lane Gitthens, Coda Griffin, Hadley Guillory, Legend Handlang, Ainsley Hawkins, Divina Hunt, Edmund Krause, Amerie Marcotte, Corbin Mason, Elijah McCutcheon, Toby Meyers, Asher Moore, Sarah Morton, Emery Newman, Ethan Nguyen, Skye Pruitt, Elaina Robinson, Beau Shaver, Ava Silvey, Jayden Soares, Hugh Strozier, Colten Williams, Temperance Wingate, Easton Winters, Natalie Young
Third Grade Principal’s List:
Lincoln Bozant, Roslyn Himes, Augustus Krigbaum, Ethan Nguyen, Adalynn Pennington
First Semester Principal’s List:
Karleigh Boswell, Lincoln Bozant, Roslyn Himes, Augustus Krigbaum, Adalynn Pennington
Fourth Grade Honor Roll:
Paige Bryan, Lilinette Cormier, Parker Davis, Jaxon Dickinson, Nora Godwin, Madalyn Hope, Kenzlea Jenkins, Oliver Jones, Woodrow Krigbaum, Haley Plowman, Hailie Prater, Delani Purifoy, Jessica Risner, Kyren Ross, Jo-Hanna Russell, Rebel Sanders, Jayden Schaefer, Wyatt Shelton, Hayden Smith, Jaymes Tynan, Luke Wingate, April Wright, Erik Wright
First Semester Honor Roll:
Paige Bryan, Lilinette Cormier, Parker Davis, Jaxon Dickinson, Nora Godwin, Jed Guinn, Bricen Harp, Madalyn Hope, Genesis Huff, Kenzlea Jenkins, Oliver Jones, Woodrow Krigbaum, Kyren Ross, Rebel Sanders, Jayden Schaefer, Wyatt Shelton, Hayden Smith, Ashlynn Thompson, Jaymes Tynan, Luke Wingate, April Wright, Erik Wright
Fourth Grade Principal’s List:
Ryleigh Andrews, Alexis Bates, Ella Brown, Emma Carlton, Racyn Clopton, Coraline Cook, Hunter Elmore, Aiyanna Gordon, Peyton Grissom, Braylee Hamilton, Montana Hattabaugh, Layton Heydenreich, Alexandria Howell, Matthew Hudcovic, Kamryn Jackson, Brooklynn Johnson, Harper Jolley, Riley Kelley, Tyler Lawrence, Anniegayle Minden, Gabriella Morgan, Kinsley Norton, Brody Schefe, Ethan Trinh, Ashlynn Uselton, Skyla Webb
First Semester Principal’s List:
Ryleigh Andrews, Alexis Bates, Ella Brown, Emma Carlton, Racyn Clopton, Coraline Cook, Hunter Elmore, Aiyanna Gordon, Peyton Grissom, Braylee Hamilton, Montana Hattabaugh, Layton Heydenreich, Alexandria Howell, Matthew Hudcovic, Kamryn Jackson, Brooklynn Johnson, Harper Jolley, Delani Purifoy, Jessica Risner, Brody Schefe, Ethan Trinh, Ashlynn Uselton, Skyla Webb
MES 2nd Quarter/1st Semester Honor Roll & Principal’s List
Arrest Reports 1/5
Arresting agency – Greenwood Police Department:
Montana Blake Pearson of Poteau, OK was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on January 8 at 2:29 a.m. and remains at the SCADC with legally sufficient bond. Pearson was charged with Domestic Battering in the Third Degree – Pregnant (Purposely).
Arresting agency – Logan County Sheriff’s Department:
Keisha Jones, 32 of Booneville, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on January 6 at 2:33 p.m. Jones was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of firearm by certain persons.
Aiden Jones, 21, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on January 6 at 5:42 p.m. Jones was charged with hold for other agency.
Robert Williams, 36 of Booneville, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on January 6 at 6:07 p.m. Williams was charged with body attachment.
Kaleb Carter, 23 of Greenwood, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on January 8 at 2:35 p.m. Carter was charged with contempt of court.
Bruce McGahey, 39 of Paris, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on January 8 at 4:30 p.m. McGahey was charged with aggravated assault on a family or household member, and domestic battering in the third degree.
Anthony Green, 30 of Magazine, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on January 8 at 8:01 p.m. Green was charged with body attachment.
Amber Tharp, 42 of Clinton, AR, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on January 9 at 1:14 a.m. Tharp was charged with possession of methamphetamine, heroin, or cocaine with the purpose to deliver, and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Arresting agency – Franklin County Sheriff’s Department:
Clifton Davis, 63 of Altus, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on January 9 at 11:38 a.m. Davis was charged with failure to appear on unclassified misdemeanor (FTA).
Roxi Anne Pardue, 34 of Altus, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on January 8 at 8:26 p.m. Pardue was charged with possession od drug paraphernalia meth/cocaine, and refusal to submit to arrest.
Michelle Dawn Nelke, 52 of Fort Smith, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on January 7 at 3:44 p.m. Nelke was charged with failure to appear on unclassified misdemeanor (FTA).
Dustin Lee Rowbotham, 46 of Hagarville, AR, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on January 7 at 1:11 p.m. Rowbotham was charged with failure to appear on class C felony.
Robert Warden, 40 of Charleston, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on January 6 at 7:38 p.m. Warden was charged with domestic battering – 2nd degree / physical injury.
Jordan Hayden McIlroy, 38 of Ozark, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on January 6 at 10:25 a.m. McIlroy was charged with possession of SCH I or II GT 2GM but LT 10GM.
**The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts.**
White Bluff-Rye Hill’s Seiter Recognized with Community Award
White Bluff Rye Hill’s Dale Seiter was honored during their regular fire meeting held on Monday evening, January 13, at 6 p.m. Seiter, who serves as the President / Fire Marshal at White Bluff- Rye Hill VFD, was named the 2024 recipient of the Resident News Media award.
“We are here to honor Dale Seiter, and I say we, because each of us are a reflection of this community. The community that he serves and has served faithfully so many years. Moreover, that he has worked diligently to ensure that the department’s efforts are a positive reflection through events such as the “Santa Run”, school safety programs and countless others. Additionally, the comradery fostered within the department encouraging participation, training, recruitment and retention. He is to be commended for fostering other departments and assistance aiding others with grant writing. Dale, your service and example has raised the bar for future generations of community minded leaders and volunteers. This is also a historic presentation for us, as this is the first time this award has been presented to a member in the fire service. We recognize and praise the efforts you put forth to ensure community awareness, as well as your dedication and partnership with us at Resident News. For that we say thank you and are honored to recognize you this evening with Resident News’ media award.” – Tammy Moore Teague, Editor/Publisher Resident News
Seiter received the award alongside members of the department, friends and family, Sebastian County Judge Steve Hotz, Sebastian County Emergency Management Director Travis Cooper, and Sebastian County Emergency Management Deputy Director Will Sappington.
“It is vital members of the community like Seiter be recognized for everything they do,” added Teague. They are the ones serving humbly and selflessly, never seeking self-recognition while building others up. That, in my opinion, is the definition of servitude and solid leadership.”
RNN appreciates the kind, warm hospitality of the department and its members. A special thanks to Hackett fire training officer, Todd Johnson, and White Bluff-Rye Hill Chief Mark Condren for their efforts in arranging the ceremony.
“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor
By Sheri Hopkins
Hello everyone! I hope everyone survived the great snowstorm of 2025 and got your milk and bread before the snow hit. I don’t know about eggs; they are so high. I am thinking of getting a bank loan to buy a few dozen. The snow sure was beautiful. I made snow ice-cream for me and the boys; we really enjoyed it. I bet I gained 10 pounds in two days. All I done was cook and mess and gom as my mom used to say. By the time you read this everything should be back to normal.
On January 1, I had to get sworn in for another four-year term as city councilman or woman. It was a privilege for my nephew, the honorable Judge Michael Wagoner, to swear me in. I knew that it would not go down without an incident. I knew something funny would happen. I don’t know how he manages to make it through the courtroom without laughing out loud.
There was three of us being sworn in that day: Beverly Lyons, James Steele and myself. So, we all lined up and Michael was going to swear us all in at once. He starts quoting the oath, I solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas and the City of Mansfield…He is just rattling this off so fast and, in my mind, I am thinking I can’t repeat all that, he will have to do it in sections. When he gets finished, I said there is no way I can remember all that, you are going to have to slow down and let me repeat it. I have this wild look on my face, and everyone is laughing, and he says, “all you have to say is I do, like you were getting married. You don’t have to repeat it.” Whew, that was a relief, we all got a good laugh, and we got sworn in again the correct way.
It brought back memories of the Andy Griffith episode where Barney was swearing in the town drunk, Otis Campbell, Barney has him raise his right hand and repeat after him. “I will be alert at all times, I will at all times act like a deputy and look like a deputy.” Otis repeated all this and then Barney says, “I will at no time while wearing this uniform take a drink.” Otis won’t repeat that. He says again, “I will at all times try to look like a deputy and act like a deputy.” That is a funny episode. They don’t make shows like that anymore. I felt like Otis except I am not the town drunk.
This week’s recipe is Cherry Cake. My mom used to love cherry ice-cream. She would by vanilla and buy a little jar of maraschino cherries and pour some of the juice and cherries on her ice cream.
MARASCHINO CHERRY CAKE
For the cake:
3 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
1 box of vanilla cake mix (I am going to try the almond cake mix next time)
16 maraschino cherries cut into quarters (I just put in my chopper)
Bake in a 9×13 pan sprayed with cooking spray according to the box directions. It may take a little longer, you will know when it is done.
Icing:
1 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/3 cup softened butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
Mix this till smooth and creamy. You can add more powdered sugar or cherry juice to get it to the consistency you prefer. Enjoy and have a blessed week.
Cabin Fever
By Cassie Coben
The last couple of days, Scott County has been blessed with more snow than we have seen in a long time.
But after all the fun of snowball fights, making snowmen and eating snow ice cream, staying inside out of the mess can be challenging. Some people can develop mild symptoms of cabin fever, including depression, restlessness, boredom and irritability.
What can you do to combat some of these symptoms?
First of all, remember these are normal feelings and it’s ok to feel them! You can actually make yourself feel worse by thinking it’s your fault for not handling things better.
Turn up the music and dance! Play some happy upbeat tunes as loud as possible and move. Make up some of your own dance moves. Sing along. It doesn’t matter one bit if you can’t sing or dance. Just moving around will help.
Color. Stock up on coloring books and crayons, markers, pens or colored pencils. Draw your own pages to color. If you don’t have all that, no problem! All you need is some paper and a pen or pencil to draw some squiggly lines to color in!
Write. Write some letters or start a journal. You don’t have to send them or keep up with the journal. The point is to just keep busy.
Read. Spend the day with a favorite book. Get lost in the story.
Call. You can bet there are others that are feeling isolated. Call them. No need to spend more than a few minutes on the phone to do a lot of good for the other person and yourself.
Be still. Take this time to just be still and silent. Every day is so filled with noise and distractions. Stop and enjoy the down time.
Be thankful. We are all so blessed. It’s always a good thing to remember that and to acknowledge our blessings.
Disclaimer: I’m no medical professional. These are just some things that have helped me during some down times.
Sleep in Heavenly Peace – Greenwood Chapter
Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) is a 501(c)3 national non-profit whose mission is to end child bedlessness and ensure that “No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in our Town!®” There are a total of seven chapters in Arkansas, one of them right here in Greenwood.
HISTORY
Luke and Heidi Mickelson founded SHP in 2012 in Twin Falls, Idaho. Around Christmastime, Mickelson had heard of children who were sleeping on the floor. He constructed beds and delivered them to the family. It became a yearly tradition. It wasn’t long before others wanted to do the same thing in their communities. Currently, there are over 300 Chapters Nationwide. Over 100,000 beds have been built.
LOCAL
Among the seven chapters in the State of Arkansas, Greenwood’s Sleep in Heavenly Peace. The chapter is spearheaded by Ken and Kim Fletcher.
“November 16 was our first build, we got 16 beds built,” shared Kim Fletcher. “It took us a few weeks to get all the bedding donations. As of today, we have delivered six beds for three different families, ages 3-17. We have another delivery that will take place after Christmas.”
Fletcher added that they have beds available and encourage anyone with a child in need of a bed to apply. “Our goal is for No Kid to Sleep on The Floor in our town.”
The couple stated they want to be able to expand and add zip codes to the program soon. They also encourage others to start a new chapter in their own community. “We will hopefully be able to expand and add zip codes soon. Also, we hope to encourage other people to start new Chapters in their community…Lowes gives every new chapter a startup fund for all the tools that are required. Lumber One and Yeagers have donated lumber and other supplies needed. Cheap Sleep in Fort Smith donated mattresses. Greater Fort Smith National Home Builders had a bedding drive and donated money as well.” Fletcher recognized that groups of friends and neighbors have helped with building the carts and jigs needed to have a build. Those friends also showed up to help build beds and do deliveries. “We post updates, pictures and scheduled builds on our Facebook page – Sleep in Heavenly Peace-AR, Greenwood. The bed builds are broken down into simple steps, anyone can help. We put the most experienced on the saws cutting each board, then we have a sanding station where every board is sanded. Then it goes to the drill press/drill station, followed by the assembly of headboards/slats and branding with SHP, which the kids love to help do. The last step is dipping all the boards in a solution of vinegar and steel wool, which helps deter pest… During training, which we did in Salt Lake City, a speaker said that by the time a child gets his bed, up to 100 pair of hands could have touched that bed. A combination of sawmills, mattress manufacturers, and volunteers during builds and deliveries.”
GET INVOLVED
There are 5266 kids in the US waiting on you to help them sleep tonight. How can you help? You can find out more about this national organization at Home – Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Locally, you can visit Sleep in Heavenly Peace – AR, Greenwood.
Requests for beds are done through the website https://shpbeds.org/apply/. There, you can enter the address with zip code, and it routes the request to the Greenwood Chapter. The local chapter receives an email. The Fletchers then reach out to the family for information verification.
All children deserve a safe, comfortable place to lay their heads. Thank you to the Fletchers, and to the many volunteers and donors who help make this a possibility in our community!
Brush up on winter weather and wildlife
By Randy Zellers
The good news is that native wildlife are highly adaptable to a random winter storm if they have the right habitat nearby. Reptiles and amphibians have already found burrows and shallow pools to ride out the winter. Songbirds can easily relocate to more habitable areas and make the best of a temporary situation. Cottontail rabbits and other mammals make the best use of brush and other low-lying cover. But there are a few things landowners can do to give them a little boost during heavy snowfalls and icy conditions.
During harsh weather, wildlife are always going to benefit best from those yards that look a little less manicured. Rough weed edges and randomly placed piles of branches may be unattractive to a greenskeeper or neighborhood association watchdog, but they’re heaven on Earth to local wildlife. If your homeowner’s association is agreeable, give a little thought to making a brushpile or two.
If feasible, make several brushpiles, and you’ll have rapid rewards in the form of songbirds and other wildlife making use of the debris in your backyard or in a corner of your rural property.
With a bit of creativity, the brushpile can be a yard or garden feature, fronted or ringed, perhaps, with a planting of flowers. It can also be tucked away in a corner of the yard, drawing attention only from wildlife. Place the brushpile near a fencerow or border to the nearby woods. This offers an extra benefit to give to other food and cover.
The instructions for a great wildlife brushpile are pretty simple. Pile up some brush. It doesn’t have to be any particular shape or size, although a few piles the size of a wheelbarrow are much more beneficial to various animals than one huge pile. But even a simple pile of sticks will offer some cover from the cold and predators. Anchor the brushpile around a stump or log. If these aren’t available, lay two or three bigger pieces on the ground then work the limbs, sticks and twigs around and on top of these. This way, there will be some space down low for small creatures to move around and hide.
If you haven’t yet delivered your Christmas tree to one of the AGFC’s Habitat for the Holidays dropoff locations, maybe you can drag it to the corner of your yard to be a temporary brushpile during the upcoming storm, then deliver it to one of the dropoff locations for fish habitat by the end of January.
Once spring arrives, you can even make your brushpile a feature of a flowerbed or yard. Plant some favorites around the pile. The main thing to keep in mind is to keep any plantings around your brushpile native. Not only do native plants require less maintenance, most produce seeds and fruit that native wildlife depend upon. The following link can offer some help in choosing native species: www.agfc.com/education/native-gardening.
If you don’t have many native plants around right now, a few supplemental food sources can help, especially with songbirds.
“Black oil sunflower seeds are the best all around seed to put out for songbirds,” Allison Fowler, Assistant Chief of Wildlife Management for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said. “If you have house finches or goldfinches around, nyjer seed is also a good food for them. Suet feeders are very popular with a lot of birds, especially woodpeckers.”
Fowler says a heavy snow last year was particularly tough on bluebirds who were not able to find their preferred foods (insects and berries) for almost a week.
“A lot of commercial suet blocks contain berries, cracked seeds and mealworms that the bluebirds and other insect-focused species can use,” Fowler said. “They lack stout seed-cracking beaks so they can make good use of these alternative food sources.”
Another option is to make your own suet for the birds. Here’s an article that walks you through one of the best family snow-day activities to enjoy between snowball fights and sledding: www.agfc.com/news/simple-recipe-to-share-with-your-feathered-friends.
Timepiece: Grapette Soda
By Dr. Curtis Varnell
Early in the morning, cars are lined up in the drive-throughs at the Sonic, McDonalds, and Wendy’s. Regardless of weather, huge plastic cups of soda pop are passed out the window to busy customers headed off to a day of work. In the U.S., sales have exploded with the average American consuming 51.5 gallons of the various beverages each year. Brands and flavors of all kinds exist, but the commonality is a bubbling concoction of water, carbon-dioxide, flavoring, and lots and lots of sweeteners.
Growing up, it was a treat to go to the local store and pull a cold bottle out of the freezing water. At a cost of ten cents, it was a rare occasion to consume more than one per week. Pulling the metal cap off the bottle, enclosed gasses exited rapidly causing an explosion of sound, resulting in the name soda “pop.” The ground in front of most stores were littered with thousands of metal bottle caps, the bright colors and names demonstrating the great variety of choices available.
Nearly every town of any size had a bottling company turning out bottles of the various brands. Loaded in wooden cases, the soda would be distributed and sold to stores throughout the region. Wishing to get into the business in the early 1930’s, a local former lumberman by the name of Benjamin T. Fooks bought an old bottling company in Camden, Arkansas. In the middle of the depression, it was so difficult to sell the product that Fooks took to the road and sold “Fooks Flavors” out of his car to customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. He quickly discovered that grape flavor was his best seller and began concentrating on developing a special tasting grape drink. Eventually, he purchased the Grapette name from a small business in Chicago for the price of $500 and began producing his distinctive flavored soda from his factory in Camden. The product was an immediate success. Grapette had a distinctive flavor and Fooks was innovative enough to show off its dark purple color in a clear, distinctive 6-oz bottle. He also realized that the product had an international appeal, especially in Central and Latin America. Eventually, international sales became so tremendous that Grapette International was established as a separate entity in nearly Malvern, Arkansas.
The company expanded rapidly and became one of the best-known soda brands in America. At peak production, it included 300 bottling companies in 38 states with headquarters in Camden. Always innovative, Fooks expanded sales by introducing orangette and Mr. Cola. Mr. Cola was the first 16 oz. soda in the U.S. and greatly increased sales. He also began selling the syrup in decorative bottles shaped like animals and figurines. Those distinctive bottles became collectors’ items and are now sold for hundreds of dollars each on e-bay. Grapette’s add “thirsty or not” became a national slogan.
Along the way, he picked up some impressive supporters. Governor and later president Bill Clinton who was said to enjoy a large bottle of the soda along with a large chili-cheese burger and fries. Along the way, Walmart founder Sam Walton developed a taste for the drink.
In the late 1960’s, Fooks sold his rights to Grapette and the company name to a conglomerate with eventual ownership ending in the hands of Monarch Beverage Company. Monarch already owned and manufacture NuGrape soda so they retired the name and company even though the brand still was sold internationally.
In the late 1980’s, Grapette International chairman Brooks Rice met with Sam Walton. Walton informed him, “I want Grapette in my stores.” Rice informed him that he could not, at that time, provide him with the Grapette brand name but would do so eventually. He was able to provide him with the recipe and Walmart began marketing the soda as Sam’s choice. Several years later, after Walton’s death, Rice was able to fulfill his promise and purchased the right to again use the Grapette title. Grapette and Orangette, once one of the biggest Arkansas exports has gone full circle and became an exclusive property of Arkansas biggest export, Walmart International. Grapette is still produced in Arkansas and the headquarters is still in Camden, Arkansas.
State Capitol Week in Review From Senator Terry Rice
LITTLE ROCK – The timing could not have been better for the good news Arkansas just received.
A $17 million federal grant to improve maternal health care was formally announced a few days before the beginning of the 2025 legislative session.
Improving maternal health care is high on the legislature’s list of priorities for the session, which convenes on Monday, January 13. There is no definite ending date. However, based on the length of recent legislative sessions it will probably last until April.
The governor appointed a Strategic Committee for Maternal Health last year and one of its recommendations was to pursue the federal grant. As the governor said, “healthy moms means healthy babies.”
The grant will be implemented by the state Human Services Department, whose secretary said that it would help transform how Arkansas approaches maternal health. The department will lead the project, and will be joined by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
According to the grant application, the rate of maternal mortality in Arkansas is the highest in the country and double the national average. On average, the health of newborn infants is “considerably worse than the rest of the U.S.” when premature births, infant deaths and low birthweight babies are counted.
There are several reasons for the state’s low ranking, according to the grant application. Arkansas is rural and there are many areas where obstetrician and delivery services are not easily available. Of the 75 counties in Arkansas, 73 are classified as fully or partially under-served, and 45 counties are classified as maternal care deserts due to their lack of hospitals that offer obstetrical services. Arkansas is a poor state and Medicaid pays for 58 percentage of births.
Some of the grant money will go toward educating providers, such as physicians and health clinics, about the potential benefits of working with doulas, midwives and community health workers.
Arkansas currently has only 33 licensed midwives, so some of the grant money will be used to address that shortage. For example, UAMS is developing a new master’s program for registered nurses to become certified nurse midwives.
Another goal is to create new categories in Medicaid so that doulas and community health workers can be reimbursed for helping with pregnancies and deliveries.
Another suggested change to Medicaid policy is described as “presumptive eligibility.” That means state officials would presume that a pregnant woman is eligible for Medicaid once she becomes pregnant, so that she is not discouraged from getting pre-natal because she feels that she could not afford it.
Some of the money will pay for new technology that will be used specifically to help pregnant women obtain better access to health care.
Some of the funding will pay for an effort to redesign the Medicaid reimbursement system. This effort will create incentives for providers whose patients have healthier outcomes.
In 2023 the legislature approved Act 316 that directs physicians and providers to screen new mothers for depression or other mental health issues, within six weeks of giving birth. Some of the grant funding will go toward improving and expanding those mental health screenings.
Obituary: Sam Dale Callahan (1942-2025)
Sam Dale Callahan of Waldron, Arkansas passed from this life Wednesday, January 8, 2025 in Waldron, Arkansas. Sam was born March 3, 1942 to Sam Eugene Callahan and Johnnie Mae Callahan in Booneville, Arkanas. Sam was 82 years old. He was a member of Haw Creek Baptist Church in Waldron, Arkansas.
When Sam was a young man, he served in the United States Army during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was during his time stationed at Fort Chaffee that he met his wife Meredith Sue Campbell. They married and made their home in Waldron. Sam went to work for Arkansas Valley Electric and later retired after 40 years of dedicated service. When Sam wasn’t working for the REA he had a lucrative side hustle of scraping out copper. It was hard work and it took a little while but it was something he enjoyed and he was able to continue for many years after retirement. Sam looked forward to his weekly card games with his friends and the occasional trip to the casino.
Sam is survived by one son, Sam Lynn Callahan and wife Melissa of Waldron, Arkansas. Sam will forever remain in the hearts of his two grandchildren: Chris and Brittney Callahan of Washington and Mackinzie Callahan (Ty Goff) of Conway, Arkansas and great grandchildren: Dominic Shores, Hadley Shores, Brantley Callahan, LilyAnne Callahan, Jettson Callahan and bonus great granddaughter, Haven Shores. Sam is also survived by one brother in law John Ray Williams and wife Sharon, close cousin Nancy Davis of Missouri. He will be missed by all that knew him and the many whose lives he impacted including a host of extended family, friends and loved ones.
Sam was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Sue Callahan, parents Sam Eugene Callahan and Johnnie Mae (Speer) Callahan and two sisters: Mary Callahan and Kathleen Minden, one granddaughter Suzannah Callahan Shores, brother in law Charles Minden and one niece Patricia Minden.
Sam’s life celebration will be 2:00 pm, Sunday, January 12, 2025 at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron, Arkansas with Bro. Todd VanDeWiele and Rev. Jeff Wilkinson officiating. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
Sam’s visitation will be from 12:00 to 2:00 pm, Sunday, January 12, 2025 at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel.
Honorary pallbearers will be present and former co-workers of Arkansas Valley Electric Co. and his card playing buddies.
You may leave words of comfort and remembrance for Sam’s family by visiting: www.heritagememorialfh.com.