William “Dub” Himes of Waldron, Arkansas passed from this life, Thursday, October 31, 2024 at his home surrounded by his loving family. Dub was born April 29, 1949 to James W. Himes and Evelyn (Cheesman) Himes. He was 75 years old.
As a young man, Dub married the love of his life, Judith. Together they conquered everything life threw at them. From hard times to good times, they shared a never ending love that was an example for all to see. Dub was a hard worker with many trades under his belt. Everything from panning for gold to working for Tyson Foods, Dub was very instrumental in bringing willow furniture to this part of Arkansas. As talented as Dub was, his favorite hobbies were anything fishing and simply being outdoors. With all that being said, Dub was happiest when he had a lap full of grandchildren or great grandchildren. He loved spending time with the littles, creating precious memories, sharing his wisdom, and leaving a legacy of heartfelt admiration.
Dub leaves behind to cherish his memory, his devoted wife of 55 years, Judith of the home and his children: William Himes Jr. of Waldron, Arkansas, Barbara Curtis and husband Jody of Parks, Arkansas, Bradley Himes and wife Trinity of Waldron, Arkansas, James Himes and wife Felica of Mansfield, Arkansas, April Himes of Ft. Smith, Arkansas, Tashina Helton of Waldron, Arkansas and William Himes III of Waldron, Arkansas. Papa will forever remain in the hearts of his grandchildren:Paul Curtis, Tawni Curtis and great grandchildren:Kimberly, Kylee and Austin Helton, Ruger, and Jessie Curtis all of Waldron and Dalylah, Zariah, Jacelyn, Asher and Remington Himes from Mansfield. Dub is also survived by his brothers Howard Himes and Verney Himes.
Dub was preceded in death by his parents: James and Evelyn and siblings: Thomas Himes, Lonnie Himes, Wanda Hitchcock and Erline Brown.
Dub’s visitation will be Sunday, November 3, 2024 from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron, Arkansas.
Honorary pallbearers will be James Himes, Junior Himes, Brad Himes, Austin Helton, Paul Curtis and Howard Himes.
A memorial celebration of life will be held at a later date. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
It took just 12 seconds, on the game clock, for the Greenwood Bulldogs to let the rest of the area know they were ready to play and honor fallen teammate Isaiah Arrington. “You know, it was almost like we had someone pushing us through there.” Head Coach Chris Young said after the 70-28 win over Fort Smith Southside. “I’ll tell you what, I’m not sure we didn’t play with 12 men on that first play.”
Greenwood opened the game with Senior Grant Karnes taking the opening kickoff in for a Touchdown to put the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with the Hudson Meeker point-after. On the ensuing kick-off, Southside bobbled the pitch back to the returner and Senior Zach Edwards pounced on the ball, giving the ball back to Greenwood. On the first offensive play, Greenwood came out in a missing man formation and took a knee for a delay of game penalty to honor Senior wide receiver Isaiah Arrington. Who tragically lost his life in house fire, with his mother Wendy Medrano, and sister Vivian Medrano. Southside declined the penalty and a few plays later, Junior Kane Archer found classmate Champ Davis for Archer’s first of eight passing touchdowns on the night. Bulldogs on top 14-0 with just 11:16 left in the first quarter.
The Mavericks’ next drive ended in a punt. Junior Wesley Raggio ran to the left side to get in for Greenwood’s third score of the night. Hudson Meeker’s kick was good pushing the Greenwood lead to 21-0 with 9:18 left in the first. The Southside drive was left to a punt after tackles for a loss by Seniors Paul Brixey and Mark Garretson. Kane Archer found Champ Davis for their second touchdown with 6:07 left in the first on the next drive. Southside would start driving the field on the Greenwood defense when Senior Zach Zitsmann intercepted the Maverick pass. Kane Archer would find classmate Cooper Bland in the middle of the field for the touchdown. After the Wyatt Edwards snap, Blaze McDaniel hold, Hudson Meeker kick, the Bulldogs were now in Sportsmanship rule territory 35-0. Southside got a deep pass down their right side to put them in scoring position. They scored on a run with 0:01 left in the 1st. 35-7. The long kickoff return and hit by Champ Davis ran the rest of the time off the clock.
Opening the second quarter, Kane Archer found Champ Davis again, this time Davis provided the highlight of a one-handed bobbled catch in the end zone. The Mavericks’ next drive ended with a punt. Kane Archer found his third different receiver in Junior Benton Hossley for a touchdown at the 6:58 mark left in the half. 56-7. Southside turned it over on downs on their next drive in Greenwood territory. A deep pass to Senior Grant Karnes and a long run by Junior Cooper Goodwin, set up an Archer to Scott Holland touchdown. The point after pushed the score 63-7 with 2:50 left in the half. The Mavericks find the end zone on a pass with 1:01 left in the half. 63-14. Greenwood’s next drive was punctuated by a Southside player being ejected and Kane Archer breaking the school record for touchdowns in a game and tying the state record for touchdowns in half. Kane found Senior Grant Karnes in the end zone for his eighth touchdown on the night with 0:01 left in the half. It broke the former Bulldog and Razorback Tyler Wilson’s school record of 7 and tied former Pulaski Academy Bruin Thomas Thrash’s state halftime record of 8.
The second half Sophomore Thomas Newcity intercepted Southside after classmate Griffin Mourton came up with a sack on a previous play. Southside scored twice more in the second half to push the score to 70-28. Greenwood ran out the clock in the fourth quarter to finish the game.
“We feed off of each other, we knew tonight could go one of two ways.” Head Coach Chris Young said, “It could be like this, where we played awesome. Or we knew it could be a tough night.”
“We have a lot of tough times still ahead of us.” Coach Young said, “We are going to continue to celebrate the things he brought to this program. Celebrate the lessons that he taught us. The memories he gave us. He was an amazing young man and he had a huge impact not only on our football team, our school. We’re missing him.”
“I was a lot more happy about the smiles I saw on the sideline and the hugging. It’s been a tough few days, so today was a good one for us.” Coach Young said.
The Bulldogs are at home next week against Mountain Home for Senior night, which undoubtedly be another emotional game for Greenwood. With a Shiloh Christian loss to Lake Hamilton, it puts the 8-1 Bombers in a position to play spoiler to the Bulldogs. A Mountain Home win puts them with a shot to steal the number 1 seed away from Greenwood going into the playoffs. The Bombers defense will be tested as this Greenwood Bulldog team has a possibility to finish scoring 743 points. It will place Greenwood sixth in the state record book, but just the third school not named Pulaski Academy or Shiloh Christian on the list. Joining the 2003 Junction City Dragons and the 2008 Fountain Lake Cobras. Kickoff is slated for 7 P.M.
Since Wednesday morning, the support the Greenwood Community and the School District has been shown is nothing short of incredible.
Social media posts from area schools sending their condolences and support have been coming in from all over the River Valley and Northwest Arkansas. On Friday, four local teams came to serve a pre-game meal that was provided by Sho Bo’s Kitchen. Norris Service and Construction alongside the VFW in Greenwood gathered the money to provide the meal for the team before their game against Fort Smith Southside. The teams that participated in the meal were Fort Smith Southside, Hackett, Lavaca, and Mansfield.
The four schools have ties to the Greenwood Bulldogs, Fort Smith Southside has a few former Mavericks on the Greenwood roster. Hackett, Lavaca, and Mansfield have players and a coach that were a part of the Greenwood Pittbulls and Bulldogs program at one time. Several of those being Mansfield running back Daniel Burton, Lavaca Wide Receiver Keaton Whisenhunt and Head Coach Nick Stovall, and Hackett Wide Receiver Nick Bass.
“It’s sign you know communities pull together when there’s a tragedy. We’re very appreciative of all the local communities.” Head Coach Chris Young said following the meal. “It’s just an indication that it is a lot bigger than game. We all care about each other and lending a hand through tough times right now.”
Fort Smith Southside Honored the families of the Wendy Medrano, Isaiah Arrington, and Vivian Medrano with several tributes before and during Friday nights game. The Spirit Squads for Greenwood and Southside released balloons to honor Vivian’s sixth birthday which was Friday. Both teams came together in the middle of the field for a moment of silence for those lost in the Wednesday morning fire. All proceeds from the Southside Southern Belles portion of the 50/50 raffle were donated to the families. Coincidentally, a Greenwood fan won the 50/50 and elected to donate their portion as well.
Across the state several teams held moments of silence before their games as well. The Rogers Mounties, who have players that played travel football with Isaiah Arrington, held a moment of silence. The Purple Dogs of Fayetteville carried out a “G” flag on their run out.
These are never easy to write, frankly I tried to write this Wednesday night after the Prayer Vigil. Maybe, it was fate that I couldn’t log in as the emotions were raw. But for myself, Wednesday night is exactly what I needed mentally.
I first met Isaiah Arrington when he was a 4th grader. I was intermittently helping coach on my sons Pittbulls team when other coaches could not make it. Several kids on our team had siblings on the grade above so we would scrimmage each other. They had the kids I write about weekly in the game recaps, Grant Karnes, Cash Archer, Kaylor Jasna, Isaiah Arrington and others. Both of our teams were close. When they moved up to Junior High that is when you got to see the beginnings of what Isaiah was going to become. Fast, sure handed, just hard working and wanting to get better. If Grant Karnes ripped a long touchdown, the next possession Isaiah was going to get one too. Then their freshman year happened and my opinion of Isaiah just being a great athlete changed.
My oldest son had come home and was telling us he was getting bullied. He is on the spectrum, but he wanted to progress, to be in regular classes. But one kid….. I posted it on Facebook not aa a complaint about the district or anything like that. Just a different angle, a let’s teach our kids to do better. It grabbed the attention of Isaiah and Cash Archer. At the Freshman game that night, they both came up to me separately and said, “We found out who it was and he will not be bullying Charlie any more.” They were right. Ever since that kid never said another word. It was the fact they stood up for him that I was taken back. This is not just a kid that plays football, but a kid that stands up for others. Isaiah made all the photographers and videographers, no matter who we were, feel like superstars. Saturday morning Instagram messages of “What pics did you get?” or “Do you have video of that one play.” I’ll miss those.
It was hard to go to an event that the football moms participated in and not see Wendy Medrano. Always there to decorate the locker room. Helping get something ready for the boys. Just whatever it took. She was a proud mom of all her kids, whether it was Emory doing something in college to Vivian looking adorable in a photo. There was always a story she had to tell. I drive by the House Collective that she owned and there was always something interesting she had acquired.
Then there is Vivian Medrano. I started working with her dad Tony Medrano in 2020 when our company expanded during AVECC’s rural fiber boom. She was the center of his world. When Isaiah played travel ball with us in Kansas City, there was that little girl following his every move. She would come out to our company functions and not have a care in the world. I’ll miss the stories from her dad when he swings by my office to catch up on what our kids are doing.
As I walked to the field Wednesday, it made everything real. The In Loving Memory on the scoreboard brought tears to my eyes. Seeing the hurt in everyone’s face made the pain that much more. But. We stood together as a community, with the family, with the team, with the friends. We became one.
A Celebration of Life Service for Wendy Medrano, Isaiah Arrington, and Vivian Medrano will be held Tuesday, November 5th at 11 A.M. in the H.B Stewart Arena on the Greenwood High School Campus.
Hello everyone! Halloween was a huge success at my house. I had so many trick or treaters, I lost count. I loved seeing all the kids, they were so cute. I had all the family and a few friends over. I made a huge pot of chili, crock pot full of cheese dip and Jacob smoked some pork, and it was delicious. For dessert, I made peach cobbler (no peaches from Georgia thanks to Larry Wagoner) Two kinds of strawberry cookies, kisses cookies, two batches of brownies and lunch lady peanut butter bars. I was worn smooth out last night. It was worth it though!
I was driving to Fort Smith the other day and I heard an advertisement for cameras for your home. I am listening to the lady that is giving her spill and said, “I have these cameras in my home so I can keep an eye on my children when I am not home.” I’m thinking, what a good idea. I might need one of those to watch my chihuahua, JR, while I am at work. She keeps talking and she says, “we are thinking about getting some and putting them in my parent’s home so we can keep an eye on them also.”
Hmmm…well the wheel in my mind starts turning and I am thinking, I don’t know about that. Then it hits me, Jacob Hopkins could be looking at me this very moment. I am looking around for something he could have a camera hid in. He already calls me “Oldilocks.” He may have cameras watching me. So, just in case he has, I had to make some faces and act crazy just to see if he was watching me. I think that putting cameras in your parent’s home could be a little scary, no telling what they would see at my house. I talk to my dog, and myself. He will put me away if he watches me. Enough about that, who am I kidding he wouldn’t pay for a camera, he is a tightwad. Remember, he wants me to find a cemetery closer to him, so he won’t have to drive so far when I die.
Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. The time sure does fly by, seems like the older you are, the faster it goes.
This week’s recipe is a cinnamon roll apple crisp. I love anything apple. This is the perfect time of year for apple desserts. Did I ever tell y’all that my Granny Morgan always, and I mean every evening after supper, peeled an apple and ate it. That’s one of the memories I have of her. Of course, us kids, always wanted some of it.
CINNAMON ROLL APPLE CRISP 1 12.4 oz. package of refrigerated cinnamon roll dough with icing 1 cup rolled oats (Quick Oats work fine) 1 cup of brown sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup margarine (softened) 8 Granny Smith apples (peeled and sliced) 1/4 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the cinnamon rolls onto a work surface to desired thickness, big enough to fit into a 9×13 baking dish or you can just flatten them in the bottom of the pan with your hands. Mix oats, brown sugar, flour, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Then add margarine until crumbly (it’s easier with a fork). Spread apples over cinnamon roll crust. Mix the white sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon together in a bowl and sprinkle over the apples. Top with the oat mixture. Bake in a preheated oven until the apples are tender (about 40-50 minutes) depending on your oven. Place the icing that came with the cinnamon rolls in the microwave for a few seconds and drizzle it over the apple crisp while still warm. I would add a few crushed pecans sprinkled on top before baking if you like nuts. Have a wonderful week, we are so blessed folks.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders announced on Thursday afternoon that the state had purchased land in Franklin County to build a new prison. The 815-acre property was purchased in Charleston Thursday for $2.950 million.
“I promised the people of Arkansas we would address our state’s prison bed shortage and today, I’m announcing the first major investment in our state’s prison capacity since my dad was governor,” Sanders said. “This new facility will help end our failed system of catch-and-early-release and protect our communities by keeping violent offenders off our streets. For Charleston, Franklin County, and the River Valley, it will offer hundreds of permanent, recession-proof jobs and millions of dollars in investment.”
Sanders boasted that the prison will bring 800 jobs to the area with an average salary of $46,000. Sanders failed to disclose the number of beds the planned prison will have. Additionally, the total cost of the construction of the facility was not known.
(RNN photo / Ronni Tate Young)
“A new prison providing significant additional prison capacity for the State is critical for the implementation of the Protect Act, which will make all Arkansans safer,” stated Attorney General Tim Griffin. “Our county jails are filled with felons who should be in state prisons. This means we can’t jail those who commit misdemeanors, and the misdemeanor offenders know it. I appreciate the leadership of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the General Assembly in prioritizing the safety of Arkansans. Without more prison space the Protect Act is made inconsequential. Today, thanks to the Governor and legislators, Arkansas took a giant step toward safer streets and more peaceful communities.”
The purchase and plans came as a shock to area residents, local and state officials. District 26 Senator Gary Stubblefield was said to have been unaware of the plans up until the announcement was made. “As of press time, Stubblefield had yet to make a statement regarding the governor’s announcement. “This wasn’t done right,” shared Stubblefield. “We are the most important branch of state government because we bring it to the people…that failed to happen here…” Stubblefield noted in an interview on Friday that although he serves on the subcommittee that oversees the penal system, he was never notified.
Franklin County Judge Rickey Bowman issued a statement on Thursday evening, announcing a town hall meeting at the Charleston High School auditorium on Thursday, November 7 at 6 p.m. “I have been in contact with the Governor’s office multiple times today. I was able to get them to schedule a town hall meeting in Charleston next week. This individual should be able to address any questions and concerns. I’m looking forward to obtaining more information on the State Penitentiary myself. I hope this will give our concerned citizens a platform to be heard.”
Charleston Mayor Mike Baumgartner also issued a statement: “I want to personally address the recent announcement regarding the construction of a state prison 7.5 miles north of Charleston. The only information I was provided was that it will be a 3,000-bed facility and employ 800 people, with an average salary of nearly $50,000 per year. Just like all of you, I was taken by surprise, and I share your concerns regarding safety, and the impact this will have on our community…As your mayor, I’m committed to gathering the facts and ensuring the most positive outcome possible for our town. I’ll be working closely with state and local officials to stay up to date and advocate for our needs and priorities. I assure you I am committed to pushing for measures that prioritize community safety and the preservation of the high quality of life we are accustomed to here in Charleston.”
Sander’s announcement was met by mixed reaction from area residents, many opposing the idea. “This is generational land, and these residents live in a secluded area because they want it that way,” shared Charleston resident Ronni Tate Young. “They didn’t give anyone a choice, and no one was given any information.”
Lifelong resident and vested community member, Shannon Sosebee McChristian submitted the following letter to the governor’s office: Dear Governor Sanders, You will probably never read this or know who I am…regardless of the reassurance your office gives that you read and listen to your citizens- and yet today you turned the lives upside down of so many lives of people you have never even met. The prison you announced will be a platform you no doubt will shout loudly from- jobs, money, booming economy- I can only imagine the dreams and promises that have been fed to you by your advisors. Important people in your life. Let me take just one minute of your valuable time to tell you about the important people in MY life- my parents- they have worked for sixty plus years- blood, sweat and tears- sacrificing things that you probably take for granted every day- to leave our family a legacy on Millcreek Mountain. A legacy you reduced to ashes in one day. Not only will our property values be nothing now, but more importantly, our lifelong sanctuary is gone. It brings tears to my eyes just writing those words. My Dad is 82 years old. He’s spent his life quietly. I’m sure you’ve never heard his name. Raising a family, working in all kinds of weather, attending church faithfully, contributing to the community around him, and supporting the political party YOU represent. All the while he worked daylight to dark to slowly add small parcels, one at a time, of land until he’s finally built a good-sized spread. We’ve heard all our lives about the value of it. We’ve been raised to respect it. Four generations of my family live on Millcreek Mountain. We eat the food we grow. We leave the land better than we found it. It’s a living thing. A thing we love. My parents, my brother, my kids, my grandchildren. Yesterday, it was all our dream. Our destiny. Our inheritance. A beautiful sanctuary. A place of safety and security for our grandchildren. The place we gather to love each other. Today you took that away, with a simple and quick political and financial decision. We aren’t politicians. But we’ve served in the military, served in public offices, owned businesses, worked, prayed, rejoiced and suffered- all on Millcreek Mountain. Just simple hardworking people building something together. One thing our family hasn’t had the need for is a prison. But looks like one is about to become the center of our lives. No matter what we want or need. That is what you took from us. Our dream. Our goals. My Dad’s lifelong work. Our Home. And we never even had a voice in the decision. Is this still America? I wish I could have walked the land with you, or maybe ridden it on horseback, talked to you woman to woman, told you about growing up there. I wish I could have heard your side of the story. I wish we could have discussed the pros and cons. Shouldn’t that be the way it works when we are the people most affected? I wish you could have met my dad. He is something special. He doesn’t deserve this. Do you have parents? A home? Grandchildren? Maybe you can put yourself in my shoes for just one moment of your busy day. We haven’t slept. We haven’t eaten. We are literally sick. And helpless in the face of a decision from someone we never even knew and yet, somehow, trusted. We have been betrayed in the biggest way I’ve ever imagined in my fifty-five years here on earth. I personally know of so many properties that are truly remote. Some already state owned. Properties that would be so much more appropriate and not next to people’s homes. You didn’t do your homework. Now you will live with that every day. I hope you think about us me when you lay down at night, when you gather during the holidays with your family, when you are alone. Because I’m not going away. I know the need for prisons. I know the issues you face. But it could have been done in such a different way. I’m afraid you have created thousands of enemies here without even knowing what you have done. You should have asked us. You should have used your manners. You should have done it the country way. You should have understood. This is our home. Our community is a sacred place. Invaded. Of course we want to fight. We weren’t given a chance. You will hide behind the money, the job, the advisors, the self-importance. And I am just an unimportant stranger that you will never have to bother with. You are too isolated to have to talk to real people these days. You get to skip the hard parts. But still, I wanted you to know that you destroyed real people today. A real family who believed in God, Country, Family and yes, even still to a certain degree, our government. My grandchildren will now grow up surrounded by prison land. They won’t get to build forts in the woods, camp on the mountain or be turned loose all day to daydream on a horse. Don’t be mistaken. Don’t be convinced otherwise by your advisors. Because THAT is what you took from us. I listened to you today saying you were protecting us by keeping criminals off the street. The irony is that we haven’t had many criminals around. Now we certainly will. Right next door. It’s all gone. But I am not. And I will voice this until I am dead. I will pray for your soul as I work on the bitterness in my own. And I am including a photo or our family on Millcreek Mountain. Real live hurting people with no answers, no hope, and no help from the people we elected and trusted. Sincerely, Shannon Sosebee McChristian
A petition of those citizens against the planned state prison has been set up at change.org. No further plans have been released about a timeline for the project, however the Board of Corrections must approve the plan before construction can begin.
RNN will be in attendance at next week’s meeting and bring you further details regarding this developing story.
Single parent students across the state can now apply for a Spring 2025 Scholarship of up to $1,600 from the nonprofit Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund(ASPSF).
To apply, single parents can go to aspsf.org/applynow and fill out an online form with supporting documentation by Dec. 1.
If awarded, single parents directly receive the financial aid. They can use it to pay for daily household expenses — like child care, groceries, and gas — while going to school. Additionally, ASPSF staff and volunteers provide mentoring, resources, and professional development.
“This scholarship is making my dreams come true of becoming a special education teacher,” said Fall 2024 Recipient Megan Thiesse who is working on a bachelor’s degree at Arkansas State University. “This program is living proof that single parents can make it. With the right support and the right guidance, anything is possible!”
Megan Thiesse, pictured with her 4-year-old son, has received a scholarship from Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund since the Fall 2023 semester. Thanks to the support, she graduated with her associate degree this summer and now is working on her bachelor’s. She plans to eventually get a master’s degree and become a special education director. (Photo Courtesy ASPSF)
ASPSF accepts scholarship applications three times a year from single parents who are working toward skilled-trade certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor’s degrees that lead to professional careers with family-supporting wages.
Recipients must have a GED or high school diploma but have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree. They must also have a 2.0 GPA and earn medium to low income. A full list of ASPSF’s eligibility guidelines is here: aspsf.org/eligibility.
These scholarships for single parents are made possible thanks to generous donors, organizations, schools, businesses, and foundationswho believe in the incredible power of education. Thanks to community support, ASPSF awarded over 800 scholarships totaling $1.1 million this year.
For more information, contact ASPSF Communications Director Jen Para at [email protected] or 501-550-6304.
About Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund: For more than 30 years, Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund has worked to create stronger, more educated, and more self-sufficient families. Through scholarships and services, ASPSF opens doors for low-income single parents, helping them pursue education, secure employment, and transform the future for their families. With the help of volunteers and community support, ASPSF creates multigenerational change, transforming lives for both single parents and their children. For information about scholarships, volunteer opportunities, and ways to give, visit www.aspsf.org.
Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund Fall 2024 recipients from East Arkansas accept their scholarship awards at a ceremony hosted Oct. 2 at Phillips Community College in Helena. (Photo Courtesy ASPSF)
Direct care nurses who work at long-term facilities operated by the state are eligible for a bonus of $5,000. Newly hired nurses are also eligible for bonuses, but the $5,000 would be paid in installments over several months.
The goal is to reduce the state’s use of “travelling” nurses, who are hired through agencies temporarily. Last fiscal year the state paid for about 173,000 hours of contract nursing.
The state Department of Human Services operates the State Hospital in Little Rock for people with mental illness. It also operates the Arkansas Health Center formerly known as the Benton Services Center, a psychiatric nursing home for the elderly and people with disabilities.
The department also operates five Human Development Centers for people with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities. They are in Arkadelphia, Booneville, Bradley County, Conway and Jonesboro.
Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses will be eligible for bonuses, but certified nurse assistants will not.
The department proposed the bonuses, which were approved by the Personnel Subcommittee of the Legislative Council. The joint Committees on Public Health, Welfare and Labor also reviewed details of the bonus program before it took effect on November 1.
Legislators and DHS officials acknowledged that one-time bonuses would not be an adequate long-term fix for staffing shortages. Higher salaries for nurses at state facilities will be addressed during the 2025 regular session, when legislators consider a new state employee pay plan. The session begins in January.
The state’s top personnel director told lawmakers that nurses’ salaries would be a priority in the pay plan.
In Fiscal Year 2024, which ended on June 30, the state paid contract nurses $4.8 million to work about 70,000 hours at the State Hospital. The state paid $3.2 million for 50,000 hours of nursing at the Arkansas Health Center and $3.24 million for 53,000 hours at human development centers. However, the center at Booneville did not require the use of any contract nurses. In comparison, the cost of bonuses to full-time nurses will total $1.26 million, department officials said.
Legislators have heard from family members of clients at the human development centers about the use of contract nurses. No legislator voiced concerns about the quality of care provided by travelling nurses, but several said that full-time nurses could get to know better the long-term needs of clients. Thus, permanent nurses could provide better care simply by providing continuity of care.
In trying to make salaries of full-time state nurses competitive with travelling nurses, the department doesn’t have to match salaries dollar for dollar. That’s because the state doesn’t have to pay for fringe benefits for travelling nurses. The value of fringe benefits provides an additional 30 to 32 percent to the compensation paid to state nurses, a department official said.
The fringe benefits brings state nurse salaries closer to a competitive level. Recently, the department re-hired seven nurses who had gone to work for contract nursing agencies.
State facilities will probably continue to rely on contract nurses, if at reduced levels, in order to maintain staffing levels. Long-term care facilities must have available a certain number of nurses per client, to be licensed and to qualify for federal funding.
For much of Arkansas’s early history, roads were abysmal. Travelers’ found roads that consisted of no more than wagon tracks through the forests and marshes. Tree stumps, cut just below what was thought to be the height of wagon axles, dotted the roadways. During the rainy season, the roads became impassible quagmires of mud and swollen streams provided obstacles that the hardiest of travelers found impossible to traverse. The steamboat, an oft forgotten part of our past, became the most important means of transportation for the state.
Everyone remembers studying the miraculous invention of the steamboat by Robert Fulton in 1807 but few realize how rapidly this mode of travel became of importance to the U.S. expansion to the west. Within years, steamboats plied the Ohio and Mississippi River, carrying every imaginable good to the frontier. Arkansas towns along the Mississippi were a part of that trade. In 1820, the Comet made stops at Arkansas Post on its way to New Orleans. Two years later, the Eagle steamed by Little Rock on its way up the Arkansas River to Dwight Mission near present day Russellville. Later that year, the Robert Thompson was able to steam all the way to the Arkansas border at Fort Smith.
The original steamboat, as developed by Fulton, required too much depth of water to navigate on most of the rivers in Arkansas. Henry Shreve, more famous for clearing the Red River of the its raft of fallen timber, engineered a boat with such shallow draft it was said to be able to traverse water less than a foot and a half deep. The typical Arkansas steamboat was long and narrow, not much different than a keel boat with an engine. The hull of the boat was virtually flat and contained little or no cargo. Decks or cabins were stacked above the hull with the first deck containing the engines and boilers. Looking little like the romantic boats depicted in history, cargo was stacked on the main deck. The passengers’ cabin and a kitchen was on deck two, and the pilot’s quarters sat above that. Many of the boats had hulls wrapped with iron bands which helped to hold the boat together when it encountered snags or rocks. The average life-span for an Arkansas river boat was five years.
Smaller versions of the steamboat steamed up the Ouachita, the Black, and even the Buffalo River but most could operate only a few months during the high-water stages. The Arkansas River could not be traversed above Dardanelle for a big portion of the year. Journals from the Trail of Tears years of the 1830’s describe passengers debarked from boats west of Conway and forced to walk for miles along the riverbank until sand-bars and rapids were traversed. Rivers constantly changed course, sand bars developed, and tree snags often blocked passage. In 1874, the Trader travelled far up the river to Batesville. Realizing the water was too shallow to proceed, the pilot turned his boat downstream and tied up to a tree for the night. The river dropped even more during the night and he found himself fifteen feet from the water line the next morning. His boat remained stranded for thirteen months before the river flow became great enough to travel again. Even more dangerous than the physical hazards were the steam explosions that could occur when the boilers became encrusted with mud and erupted, destroying the boat and many of its passengers. The Sultana explosion of 1865 is said to have killed more than 1,500 men returning from Civil War prison camps. The river boat captains that could avoid these hazards were revered. Mark Twain, a famous steamboat captain himself, stated “a pilot has to know the river with such absolute certainty that he could steer by reading the picture in his head rather than the one before his eyes.”
Steamboats opened up Arkansas to the world. The whistle of the steamboat as it approached shore was an anticipated event and everyone in the community would stand and await the boat’s arrival. The boats provided the means for farmers to deliver cotton, corn, wheat, and livestock to outside markets. Steamboats, running on regular schedules, delivered passengers, mail, and luxury goods such as piano’s, fancy dinnerware, and furniture to those wealthy enough to purchase the goods. For more than seventy-five years, the steamboat was the driving force behind the economic and cultural growth of the state. After the Civil War, railroads boomed and, just as quickly as they arrived, the steamboat disappeared. The paddles no longer turn, the whistles sound no more, and the days of the steamboats are part of a forgotten past.
November ushers in the official holiday shopping season, and Arvest Bank is sharing tips to help shoppers get the most out of their shopping budgets.
The National Retail Federation expects 2024 holiday spending to grow between 2.5% and 3.5%from last year, which equates to nearly $989 billion in expected holiday spending. At the same time, a recent holiday spending report from NerdWallet shows that 28% of holiday shoppers who used credit cards last year are still paying off those purchases.
“It’s easy to find yourself using a credit card more during the holidays, especially if you’re wanting to take advantage of a rewards program or additional discounts,” said Jeannette Pham, Sales Coordinator with Arvest Bank – Fort Smith Region. “Whether you’re using cash or a credit card, creating a budget is key to not overspending and could reduce additional stress during the holiday season.”
Pham shares these tips to help shoppers spend wisely.
Create a Budget Per Person While you may create an overall budget for gifts, plan out who you’re buying gifts for and set a budget for each person. For example, you might get your parents a large, joint gift but buy separate, smaller gifts for friends or siblings.
Start Shopping Early to Find Deals With shipping delays and other issues, there’s no time like the present to start choosing and buying holiday gifts. Some retail companies offer premium subscriptions that give you access to fast, free shipping along with special deals and early access to sales. Many retailers also offer sales leading up to Black Friday and the holidays, so keep an eye out for and take advantage of those sales.
Compare Prices Before Making a Final Purchase If you’ve started early, then you have time to compare prices before you make the purchase. Many online retailers have price comparison apps to help you find the best deals. Google also allows you to track the price of items over time. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for a price match.
Take a Break if You Start Browsing for Yourself When seeking out deals, it can be tempting to find something you want for yourself. Remember to stick to your list. If you feel tempted to add something for yourself to your cart, take a break from shopping, whether it’s stepping out of the store, setting your phone or tablet down or closing your laptop.
Stay Alert for Fraud Avoid fraud by monitoring your purchases frequently, only using secure websites when shopping online and setting up alerts so you know when purchases are made using your credit or debit card. Many financial institutions offer fraud protection programs. At Arvest, we offer ID Protect with certain account types for an added layer of protection. Using a credit card instead of your debit card can also be a good way to protect your bank accounts during your holiday shopping.
Keep an Eye on Your Credit Card Spending If you’re using a credit card along with money from your checking or savings account, don’t forget to include it as part of your spending budget. Here are some other credit card tips to consider: ● Use a separate credit card outside of your normal card and set an alert to notify you when you hit a certain balance.● Consider budgeting to pay off your credit card balance so you avoid paying interest.● Make payments on time to avoid late fees and keep any introductory rates.
It’s Not Too Early to Plan for 2025 You might want to start planning for 2025 now. Setting up a recurring, automatic transfer from your checking account to your savings account is one of the easiest ways to do this. You can also set the transfer amount and frequency (monthly, weekly, or per pay period).
