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Waldron School Board Holds Special Meeting

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12:16 pm

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Waldron School Board Holds Special Meeting

MINUTES

WALDRON SCHOOL BOARD SPECIAL MEETING

SEPTEMBER 24, 2024

5:30 P.M.

A special board meeting of the Waldron School Board was held in the Central Office Building, Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. Board members present were Clay Woodall, Angela Hunsucker, Konnor McKay, Stan Cottrell and Mac Davis. Others present were Superintendent Daniel Fielding and Lisa Allen.

President Clay Woodall called the meeting to order at 5:38 p.m.

A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Mac Davis to approve the 2024-25 Budget. Motion carried 5-0.

A motion was made by Mac Davis and seconded by Angela Hunsucker to approve the contract with Dye Industries Insurance Consulting. Motion carried 4-0.

A motion was made by Stan Cottrell and seconded by Angela Hunsucker to adjourn. Motion carried 4-0.

Meeting adjourned at 6:34 p.m.

Arrest Reports 9/15

Police Reports

Tammy Teague

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9:43 am

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Arresting agency – Greenwood Police Department:
Zachary Wayne Brock of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 21 at 8:26 p.m. and remains at the SCADC with bond. Brock was charged with Domestic Battering in the Third Degree – Purposely.

Ronnie Alexandera Gillispie of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 15 at 1:08 a.m. and transferred to an outside agency on September 17 at 1:33 p.m. Gillispie was charged with Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor and Assist Outside Agency-Misd.

Sandra Lynn Olsen of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 21 at 8:11 a.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Olsen was charged with Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor, and Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).

Daniel Ray Peugh of Magazine was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 18 at 12:51 a.m. and transferred to an outside agency on September 18 at 10:40 a.m. Peugh was charged with Assist Outside Agency-Felony.

Michael David Rush of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 20 at 3:07 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Rush was charged with two counts of Domestic Battering in the Third Degree – Purposely, Domestic Battering in the Second Degree, Endangering the Welfare of a Minor in the Third Degree.

Arresting agency – Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office:
Patti Ann Daniels of Lavaca was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 18 at 9 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond September 18 at 11:07 p.m. Daniels was charged with Fraudulent Insurance Acts.

Lisa Lee Holloman of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 17 at 7:50 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond September 17 at 11:28 p.m. Holloman was charged with Driving While Intoxicated 1st Offense.

Anthony Neal Marrone of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 19 at 8:04 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond September 19 at 10:41 p.m. Marrone was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Ingest Meth/Cocaine.

Arresting agency – Arkansas State Police Troop H:
Billy Robert Thompson of Mansfield was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 20 at 4:14 p.m. and remains at the SCADC with bond. Thompson was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance – Schedule I/II Felony <2g, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Ingest Meth/Cocaine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Store or Conceal – Meth/Cocaine.

Arresting agency – Fort Smith Police Department:
Bruce Olen Wheeler, Third of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 16 at 12:42 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Wheeler was charged with Drug Court Sanctions, Petition to Revoke – Felony, Fleeing -On Foot-Misd., Obstructing Governmental Operations-info., ADC Commitment Hold.

Taylor Raee Wheeler of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 16 at 12:44 p.m. and released on cash bond September 16 at 3:39 p.m. Wheeler was charged with Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).

Arresting agency – Logan County Sheriff’s Office:
Christopher Palmer, 18 of Jonesville, LA, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 16 at 12:36 p.m. Palmer was charged with traveling for the purpose of an unlawful sex act with a minor, sexual indecency with a child.

Terry Johnson, 49 of Dardanelle, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 17 at 10:33 a.m. Johnson was charged with contempt of court.

Kristie Robinson, 51 of Atkins, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 17 at 11:33 a.m. Robinson was charged with forgery in the second degree, criminal impersonation in the second degree, and two counts of hot check law violation.

Ronnie Gillispie, 41 of Greenwood, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 17 at 2:37 p.m. Gillispie was charged with failure to appear and contempt of court.

Joseph Horn, 20 of Delaware was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 17 at 8:19 p.m. Horn was charged with assault on family or household member in the third degree.

Javier Aguilar, 24 of Fort Smith, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 19 at 5:05 p.m. Aguilar was charged with driving while driver’s license cancelled, suspended or revoked, obstructing governmental operations, and hold for other agency.

Kenneth Whorton, 43, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 20 at 5:15 p.m. Whorton was charged with theft by receiving.

Gina Herrera, 47, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 20 at 10:10 p.m. Herrera was charged with domestic battering in the third degree.

Steven Graham, 62 of Paris, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 21 at 12:30 a.m. Graham was charged with failure to appear.

Salvador Aviles, 34 of Paris, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 21 at 8:40 p.m. Aviles was charged with domestic battering in the third degree.

Justus Lee, 24 of Paris, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 21 at 9:47 a.m. Lee was charged with driving while intoxicated, criminal mischief in the second degree.

Arresting agency – Franklin County Sheriff’s Office:
Jeffrey Aaron Privett, 32 of Ozark, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on September 21 at 8:23 p.m. Privett was charged with absconding and white warrant.

Jerry Wayne Scallions, 55 of Charleston, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on September 20 at 11:30 a.m. Scallions was charged with driving while license suspended, reckless driving, fleeing by vehicle – extreme indifference to human life.

Latisha Pearl Medley, 38 of Van Buren, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on September 19 at 3:19 p.m. Medley was charged with failure to appear on unclassified misdemeanor (FTA).

Joshua Lee Featherston, 42 of Charleston, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on September 19 at 2:04 p.m. Featherston was charged with absconding / white warrant.

Steve Ray Watkins, 40 of Mulberry, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on September 19 at 10:33 a.m. Watkins was sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

Christy Earlynn Smith, 44 of Dover, was booked into the Franklin County Detention Center on September 17 at 1:54 p.m. Smith was charged with failure to appear on unclassified misdemeanor (FTA).

**The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts.**

Who’s Who In The 3A-1 After Non-Conference Play

Sports

Adam Hecox

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12:36 pm

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Who’s Who In The 3A-1 After Non-Conference Play

The 3A-1 has been dominant for years now. Holding six State Championships dating back to 2010 and back-to-back titles the past two years. Tack that on with the 2023 3A Coach of the Year, 3A Defensive Player of the Year, and 3A Offensive Player of the Year awards the 3A-1 earned last season and it is safe to say that the 3A-1 isn’t a mere powderpuff conference in the 3A. But that was last season. So, when it comes to the state as a whole in the 3A, how will the 3A-1 stack up in 2024? This year’s non-conference schedule put that to the test and gave fans an idea of what’s to come in the 3A-1 once conference play starts next week. While non-conference play can be considered a three game tune up compared to the Southeastern Conference like 3A-1 schedule, it still sets the stage for some hype when looking at the conference schedules.

Charleston versus Ozark / Photo courtesy of Ronni Young

Most everyone statewide saw Booneville as a serious contender coming into the 2024 season. A contender yes, but after the Bearcats graduated a hefty number of seniors this past spring, some folks figured Booneville would be rebuilding for a State Championship later on down the road. Instead, Booneville proved in their non-conference play that they are now ready to load up for a trip to War Memorial Stadium. Booneville faced a stiff non-conference slate consisting of Poteau Oklahoma, Ozark out of the 4A, and neighbors Paris. The result was a thrashing of each opponent leading to a combined score of 80-33. That put the Bearcats’ ground-and-pound offense and stiff defense averaging a 27-10 victory on the scoreboard for each game. The defending State Champions aren’t back per se, they never left.

Mansfield versus Lamar / Photo courtesy of Joey Bolin

Charleston and Mansfield were the top two contenders to challenge the State Champions Bearcats for the 3A-1 title in preseason polls. Both had impressive showings in 2023 with Charleston coming in as the 3A-1 Runner-Up and Mansfield making it to the State Playoff Semifinals, but both also stumbled a little bit in their 2024 non-conference schedules. Charleston faced off against Pottsville in their first game and lost by just three points (38-35) then took on their Franklin County rivals, Ozark, and fell by a mere point (34-35). A combined loss of four points in two games against a pair of high-powered 4A teams isn’t horrible, but a loss is still a loss. The Tigers then faced Heavener Oklahoma and made up for their narrow losses by walloping the Wolves with a 55-0 final score. Charleston led the 3A-1 in points scored in non-conference play racking up 124 points while allowing just 73 points in their three-game stretch.

Charleston versus Pottsville / Photo courtesy of Ronni Young

Mansfield faired the same as Charleston record-wise but didn’t put up the same kind of numbers. The Tigers struggled offensively in their non-conference schedule putting up 84 points in three games. While that puts them in the Top 5 in the conference in points scored, it’s not a mirrored image of their 2023 success. A lot of that can be attributed to the beefing up of their schedule that was made for the 2024 season. Gone were the 2A and small 3A games, instead the Tigers saw two 4A teams and one of the state’s up-and-coming 3A teams on the schedule this season. Mansfield hit the road twice in non-conference play falling to 3A State contender Bismarck 35-31 and were edged out at Lamar with a 13-12 final score. The Tigers did keep their Battle of Scott County streak alive by defeating Waldron at home with a 41-8 final, but finishing non-conference play with a 1-2 record is not what any team likes to see. Both Charleston and Mansfield seem to still be the top contenders for challenging Booneville for the 3A-1 crown, but they’ll have to get past their narrow loss habit and then each other on Friday, October 4^th to begin to solidify that hope.

Mansfield versus Waldron / Photo courtesy of Jonathan Irvin

Hopes of contending in the 3A-1 are one thing, doing so on the non-conference scoreboard is another. The Hackett Hornets and Greenland Pirates are the current top two teams behind Boonville when it comes to their record in non-conference play. Both teams finished their slates with an impressive 2-1 record while posting an amazing 188 combined points along the way. Greenland placed themselves back into contention by facing off against three 4A teams in non-conference play as they stepped up against Lincoln, Berryville, and Green Forest while Hackett climbed the ladder by taking on 2A Mountainburg, 3A Danville, and 4A Gentry. Call it impressive or not, coming out of non-conference play with a 2-1 record and the only loss coming to 4A State Playoff contenders shows quite the improvement for the Pirates who finished last in the 3A-1 last season and is a boost for a Hackett team that struggled late in the 2023 season. The early 2024 success is something for each program to build on. Both Hackett and Greenland get their first shot at laying bricks for their building against some stiff competition to start 3A-1 play on September 27^th as the Hornets head to Mansfield for their first conference game and Greenland faces off against Lavaca.

Cedarville versus JC Westside / Photo courtesy of Malinda Mizell

The Lavaca Golden Arrows started off their non-conference schedule slowly but picked up the pace as the games went by to finish out 1-2. A single-score loss to Dover out of the 4A and a high-scoring fall against Paris started Lavaca with an early 0-2 deficit. But when the chips were down and Oklahoma’s Roland Rangers came to town, the Golden Arrows bowed up and earned their first win of the season with a 21-14 victory. Now Lavaca has to look ahead to the 3A-1 conference schedule where they hope to break the trend of being hot early in the season and then turning ice cold come the end of conference play. With the 2024 restructuring of the 3A-1 conference schedule, the Golden Arrows could have a good shot at staying hot all season long. Both Cedarville and West Fork round out the 3A-1 non-conference ranks with rough stats and performances. Cedarville lined up three 2A programs in hopes of growing some momentum going into conference play, but the end results were subpar. The Pirates defeated Magazine 14-0 in their first game but spiraled downhill losing to Mountainburg and JC Westside with a combined score of 86-36. Without that momentum they had hoped for in non-conference play, Cedarville may be in for a tough season as they start conference play against Booneville on September 27^th. The West Fork Tigers didn’t fare any better in non-conference play going 0-3 against the likes of Green Forest, Lincoln, and Huntsville. While these two programs may have struggled in their non-conference games, they still have the underdog mentality on their side and could create some lofty upsets going through the 2024 3A-1 schedule.

Now that non-conference play is over and the regular season is set in the 3A-1 for this Friday, it looks to be Booneville and then everyone else. This isn’t uncommon either as Boonville has been a dominant force for years since dropping from the 4A into the 3A. There are some programs in the 3A-1 though that have stepped up in the past to challenge the Bearcats and may do so again this season. Charleston has a long history of 3A State Championships and has defeated Booneville for both State titles and conference titles in the past. In fact, the Tigers had a rough start in non-conference play in 2022 before cleaning house en route to the State Championship. Mansfield was a nobody that came out of nowhere last season when they put Charleston on the ropes in one heck of a game and then knocked off two number-one seeds in the Playoffs before falling in the State semifinals. Hackett and Greenland are on the rise with their high-powered offenses and Lavaca has found some footing to push forward. No coach opens up their full playbook in non-conference play so the non-conference scores and records can be looked at as a sign of things to come or as just warmups that don’t count. Either way, the 3A-1 is going to be good again this season. Yes, Booneville will still be favored in almost every game in the 3A-1, but there could be some stiff competition right behind them that could sneak up and surprise some folks this year.

State Capitol Week in Review from Senator Terry Rice

News

Tammy Teague

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10:29 pm

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State Capitol Week in Review from Senator Terry Rice

LITTLE ROCK – Most of the universities in Arkansas reported increases in enrollment for the fall semester.

The state’s funding formula for higher education no longer emphasizes enrollment, due to passage of Act 148 of 2017. It changed the focus of state funding to a model based on productivity. One measure is retention of students and graduation rates. Another factor is the university’s mission, and how much it emphasizes research.

For their official count of students, universities take a snapshot on the 11^th day of class. At the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, enrollment continued to increase for the fourth consecutive year, going up 4.6 percent more than enrollment during the fall of 2023.

Total enrollment was a record 22,600 students. Of those, 28.859 are undergraduates and 16,519 are from Arkansas.

Arkansas State University at Jonesboro also set enrollment records this fall. On the 11^th day of the semester enrollment was 16,687 students, which is 12 percent higher than last year.

The graduate school at ASU is the largest in Arkansas. Its enrollment increased by 9 percent, to 5,741students. Of the overall student population, 72 percent are from Arkansas.

ASU operates a campus in Mexico with 961 students. Although their degrees are considered to be from ASU, the university doesn’t request state funding to subsidize their educations, according to an ASU spokesman.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock reported enrollment of 5,434 undergraduates, up 3.7 percent from a year ago. However, the number of graduate students declined from 1,535 to 1,479 to make the overall increase about two percent.

The University of Central Arkansas at Conway reported a strong increase in enrollment, thanks in large part to a surge in its freshman class this year. Overall enrollment is 10,123 students, up 3.4 percent from 2023. This year’s incoming freshman class, with 2,183 students, is up 26 percent over last year.

Arkansas Tech at Russellville reported mixed results on the 11^th day of class. Its campus at Ozark had an increase of 7.4 percent over last year, to 2,115 students. On the other hand its main campus at Russellville saw a decreased headcount of 9,062 compared to 9,487 last year. University officials attributed the decrease to a change in scholarship procedures that were necessary to keep the program within budget.

Southern Arkansas University at Magnolia also reported a decrease in enrollment of eight percent, to 4,733 students, from last years’ record enrollment of 5,126.

SAU officials expected the decline, based on lower birth rates that resulted in lower numbers of high school graduates within the region. Also, the university saw a drop in international students because of unpredictable visa approvals. On the bright side, applications for business degrees and in the education department are both up dramatically.

The University of Arkansas at Monticello reported an increase of 92 students, from 2761 last year to 2853 this year.

Henderson State in Arkadelphia reported enrollment of 2,061 students, a decrease of 3.5 percent from last fall.

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff reported an overall decrease on two percent, top 2,049 students. Enrollment at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith remained virtually unchanged from last year. UAFS has 5,512 students, just two fewer than last year.

Single-Vehicle Crash Kills One, Injures Another in Rural Franklin County

Tammy Teague

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4:33 pm

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Single-Vehicle Crash Kills One, Injures Another in Rural Franklin County

A single-vehicle crash in rural Franklin County claimed the life of one and injured another on Saturday, September 14. The crash occurred at 2 a.m. on State Highway 23, south of Quail Road.

According to the report from the Arkansas State Police, Eric Sigler, 40 of Ratcliff, was traveling south on Arkansas Highway 23, north of Etna, AR when he crossed the center line and traveled into the northbound lane. The vehicle, a 1988 Chevrolet Camero, overturned and both the driver and passenger, Kayla Knight, 24 of Branch, were ejected.

Knight was transported to Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith with injuries. Sigler was transported to UAMS but was pronounced dead. According to the ASP, the next of kin had been notified.

“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

Featured

Tammy Teague

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1:39 pm

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“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

By Sheri Hopkins, Lifestyle Contributor

Hello everyone! Hope you are enjoying this weather. My precious Aunt Pat Sehorn passed away yesterday. She was a special lady and loved by so many. We sure had a lot of fun together. She could make the best coconut pie and orange slice cake. She was a wonderful cook. She loved reading my weekly article.

She also called me Dr. Hopkins because I could always diagnose people when they told me their ailments. Most people don’t know this about me, and I love to try to diagnose people. When I go to the doctor, I always like to tell them what I think is wrong with me. A lot of the times I am right.

My cousin and I were laughing about going to a Mexican restaurant with my aunt. She never knew what to order and most of the time didn’t like what she would get. I would try to help her and this particular time she had made up her mind she wasn’t budging on it. They bring our food out and we have one plate, and she had three plates. The look on her face was priceless. Me and my cousin looked at each other and busted up laughing. It was always fun going to the Mexican restaurant with her. Good times and lots of good memories.

My son called me the other day, he hardly ever calls me, and he says, “good thing I am not dead, because you wouldn’t know because you never call me.” Those are the exact words I say to him when I haven’t heard from him in a while. I said, “same to you, how would you know if I was dead or not?” He responded with “I saw you singing on your church live feed, so I know you are alive.” He got me there. Remember folks, this is the son, one and only son, that I was in 14 hours of labor with and when I was talking to him about my funeral and burial he asked, “mom is there a cemetery that you could be buried at that is closer, because the one where Nanny is buried (where I will be buried) is really too far.” I mean, I would hate to inconvenience him for one day. I guess I better start finding one that is closer to Van Buren where he lives.

Before I got off on this pig trail, we were talking and he reminded me of when I was a substitute teacher. He then says, “they actually had you teaching algebra?” He acts like I have not a lick of sense. When I taught algebra, I was there in the class and I asked the kids in my loud voice, “who has the highest grade in the class?” A shy young girl named Ciera Cotner raised her hand, and I told the whole class, “ok, kids if y’all have any questions just go ask Ciera, she will help you.” There is more than one way to skin a cat. I might also say all the kids loved me as a substitute.

Sticking with our fall theme, this is a chicken pot pie noodle skillet. It would be good on a nice, fall evening.

CHICKEN POT PIE NOODLE SKILLET
10 oz. egg noodles
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic (I used minced garlic and just guess at it)
1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken cut into cubes or shredded
Cook noodles Al Dente. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic. Cook for about three minutes until the onions are soft. Stir in the flour until combined. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, bring to a boil, reduce and simmer about five minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened (about five minutes). Add the peas and carrots till warm. Drain the pasta and add to the skillet along with the chicken. If you have other seasonings, you want to add feel free. You may need to add a little more chicken broth. Use your best judgement.

Timepiece: Miles from Civilization

Featured

Tammy Teague

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11:33 am

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By Dr. Curtis Varnell

We were miles from civilization, traveling on four-wheelers to the far east end of Rich Mountain in Logan County, Arkansas. Dr. Wilson, a friend and visiting professor from Texas A/M university, wanted to visit the stone carvings that I had discovered some time previously. Reaching the end of the trail, we exited the vehicles and began to descend the steep incline to the bench below. The sun, a blazing marshmallow moments before, began to sink into oblivion in the west and the night creatures began their nightly orchestra. Tree frogs, katy-did, cicada’s, and myriad other insects joined the mournful sounds of a hoot owl. Dr. Wilson looked startled. tracing his flashlight around in the darkness. “This would be a scary experience for people from my home, he stated, It’s so noisy.” I had never noticed, it was just the sound of growing up in Arkansas.

Recently, thinking of that event, my mind drifted to the various sounds that defined Arkansas and our history and culture. Three blasts on the huge curling goat horn echo through the cattail and cottonwood trees that line the bank at the intersection of Vache Grass creek and the Arkansas River. Local Indian tribes, alerted by the sound, drifted to the landing and awaited the arrival of French fur traders. In the late 16^th century, a brisk trade existed between the two groups with the French trading beads, metal utensils, and gunpowder for hides and meat that would be delivered down-river to New Orleans. Fast forward to Christmas of 1817 at Belle Point one would hear the bite of the ax and the thunder of falling trees as Major William Bradford and his small band constructed the first Fort Smith.

Horrible, bitter sounds echoed across Arkansas in the 1860’s. A border state, the Civil War caused some of the most uncivil acts as neighbors and families fought over the issues of slavery and states rights. Cannons bellowed, throwing shot and gusts of dense smoke across battlefields at Pea Ridge, West-Helena, and Prairie Groove. The rebel cry and the sounds of angry men dying for a lost cause filled the air as the two sides clashed on the battlefield. Even more terrible were the wailing of the widows and children caught up in the burning, looting, and destruction of their way of life.

The span between the ending of the war and 1900 was the golden age of the railroad. The metallic ring of iron on iron echoed across Arkansas as rail was laid and spikes driven. Steam engines bellowed into town, ringing the bell and tooting the train whistle to alert inhabitants that a new age of travel had arrived. Not many years later, the automobile arrived with much the same fanfare and the sounds of the car horn and traffic followed soon after.

In the 1950’s and 60’s, Arkansas voiced the same sounds of protest that was shaking our country. Social protests at Little Rock Central changed the face of education in Arkansas and the nation and student voices joined the national protest against the Vietnam War.

Arkansas defined itself as the natural state, made so by our many waterways. No sound is more peaceful than the tinkling of water as it tumbles over the rocks in our many streams. In the 1960’s, the thunderous and powerful sound of falling water running through the gates of the many dams constructed as a part of the McClellan-Kerr navigation system created electrical power and recreational lakes across the state. Not so pleasant, beginning in the mid-1970’s was the huge shrill warning sirens set up by Arkansas Nuclear One as we came of the nuclear age. The last century has brought big changes to the state. Arkansas is not without its urban areas and the sounds associated with it. Pulaski County and the Fayetteville/Springdale, Bentonville area buzz with the roar of traffic as big sixteen-wheelers and thousands of cars pass travel down the interstate.

The sounds of Arkansas; there are so many that express who we are as a people and state. The soothing sounds of Johnny Cash or Glenn Campbell as they sing, the roar of fans as they call the hogs, the half-time programs of the U/A Pine Bluff marching band, the bugle of the elk at Ponca- these are the sounds that make up our state and who we are.

An Essential EMS Service

Tammy Teague

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11:17 am

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When you dial 911 in a health emergency, you expect an ambulance to arrive and provide aid. In fact, we depend on the EMS service to help in times of our greatest need. However, Arkansas, like many other states, do not deem EMS as an essential service.

What is an essential service?

Currently, 13 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws designating or allowing local governments to deem EMS as an essential service, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Those include Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. At least two states, Massachusetts and New York, have pending legislation.

Current State of Arkansas Representative for District 47, Dr. Lee Johnson, called attention to the issue at a recent OSHA meeting with local fire departments. “We tried to get legislation last session, but we fell short,” stated Johnson. “EMS should be under the same umbrella as fire and police…as an essential service.”

One of the primary funding challenges is that health care reimbursements—particularly from Medicare or Medicaid—do not cover the total cost of providing EMS care. EMS billing systems and the federal government need to adapt to allow for funding parity between EMS systems and hospitals.
While EMS does an inherently different job, stabilizing and emergent medical care remains the same regardless of where it is delivered.
EMS may have begun as a transport-based industry, but modern EMS providers are much more than merely stabilizers on the way to transport. With community paramedicine programs being developed, agencies providing care approaching ICU levels in the field, and scopes of practice advancing nationwide, it is important for insurance agencies to recognize that itemized billing needs to apply to EMS services, too.
EMS is not just a ride to the hospital – it is a multi-faceted healthcare industry that intersects with public safety and brings emergency care to the patient.
With EMS providing care in an inherently imperfect environment, it is important to allow for adequate reimbursement and funding to allow EMS providers to continue to do their job and serve their communities.¹

A documentary film chronicling the EMS system and shedding light on the realities of its collapse:
Honorable But Broken: EMS In Crisis | EMS Documentary Film
is garnering attention with a goal to recognize and address the issues on a state and federal level.

It simply is not enough to deem EMS as essential. EMS must be supported in the same manner in regard to recruitment and retention. As revealed in the documentary, most in the field work multiple jobs, which leaves little time at home with their families. Additionally, that there are EMS professionals who are on section 8 housing and food stamps. These are the people who are taking care of us as a society, day in and day out, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, yet somehow are not receiving the same pay and benefits that others in the healthcare field do.

“We are the end of the line…When people are dying, or they are in a time of great need, we are there,” shared Education Director at Southwest EMS Corporate and University of Arkansas EMT Instructor, Ryan Shane Rowe.

It’s past time for change, and ultimately that change falls to our elected officials. “When it boils down to it, what is the life of the person you are trying to save worth…and that is for the politicians to decide.” (Honorable But Broken: EMS In Crisis | EMS Documentary Film)

For change to take place, advocacy is needed. You can contact your elected officials by visiting Elected Officials – Arkansas.gov and encourage them to act on legislation to deem EMS an essential service.

¹Davies, J. (2024, April 29). Breaking down EMS Reimbursement. EMS Aware. Retrieved September 18, 2024, from https://www.emsaware.org/articlesforthepublic/insurance

Obituary: Patsy Sehorn (1941-2024)

Networks

Tammy Teague

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11:10 am

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Patsy Ann Sehorn of Waldron, Arkansas, reached her ultimate goal in life, to sit at the feet of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and worship Him face to face while singing the Holy of Holies as Heaven is her reward. Patsy “Pat” Sehorn was born April 24th, 1941, and passed from this life to her home on high on September 17th, 2024 at the age of 83 years old.

Mimi Pat deeply and abundantly loved and cherished her family. She voiced it very clearly to her family, that her life was built according to the plan Jesus Christ had for her. So, she made it her personal mission in life to minister to family and friends and “live out loud” a Christ-like example by bringing her loved ones closer to God. Patsy’s “Walk with The Lord” has woven a beautiful tapestry, enjoyed by many generations, stitched with kindness, dedication, humility, servitude, faithfulness and a genuine love and concern for others. Her presence brought a warm peace and inner joy that was felt by everyone around her. Her words were gentle and encouraging. God gave her many gifts and talents, in which she willingly and honorably used, to glorify Him.

Patsy served in her church in many capacities. But her greatest joy in service came from teaching Sunday School. She absolutely loved teaching others about Christ and answering questions according to God’s Word. She had a gift with children and was often caught with a lap-full of little ones as she lovingly told them stories from the Bible. Her love for children carried over to her professional life perfectly because Patsy was a beloved child care provider and “adopted Mimi” to the children at her daycare. After many years of loving and helping raise children in daycare, Patsy got the opportunity to be a homemaker and indulge in the beautiful simplicity of home and family. And years later, for “one last rodeo,” she spent her last 5 years (before retirement) working at Waldron High School as a janitor and (once again) an adopted Mimi to the kids in her reach. She never hesitated to share the love of Christ with others. And sometimes she shared her love of football too.

As a big fan of pro football, especially the Kansas City Chiefs, Patsy loved watching teams play and cheered the Chiefs to victory this year in Superbowl 2024. Another passion of Patsy’s was cooking. She made everything with such love, loaded with lots of butter and everything that’s bad for us, and prepared some incredible country home-cooked meals and dishes for her family. Her homemade rolls are legendary and her pies are heavenly. She always took great pride in serving her family Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners. It was just one of the ways her love poured out over her dearest family.

Her family. Patsy’s greatest joy. Her whole world was her dearest son Nicky Sehorn, her “Baby Boy” even though he stands at 6’2” these days… He will always be her baby boy. Her love for her son was evident in everything she said and did and she treasured being his mother. And Debbie Sehorn, as Patsy called her “My Daughter” -Patsy said she molded Debbie into just the daughter she wanted and can get her to do just about anything, especially for fun. Their bond was a beautiful match.

Patsy had one grandson, the light of her life, Derrek Sehorn. Mimi Pat always said Derrek had favor on him from the Lord and his accomplishments in life would be many and edifying to Christ. These two had a very special connection. She cared for him when he was young and now that he is a man, he cared for her with the utmost love and respect. Throughout life, they have protected one another physically and spiritually.

Mimi Pat was eternally blessed again when Derrek brought Rachael, his wife, into the family. Lovingly calling her “My Rachael” Mimi Pat came into Rachael’s life when she was seeking a mentor to teach her biblical truths and characteristics of a Godly wife. Mimi Pat welcomed Rachael to the family with open arms and instantly became “the calm to the storms of life” to her newfound and beloved granddaughter.

Derrek and Rachael later added two little blue-eyed bundles of joy to the Sehorn Family. Mimi Pat was blessed with two adorable and very active great-grandsons, Tyler and Camden. She called Tyler “Ty Bob” and Camden was “her Cam.” The arrival of her two great grandsons rejuvenated the whole Sehorn family and brought a whole new chapter of happiness for Mimi Pat. The boys were her pride and joy and she loved spoiling them with love, food, adventure and all the things that make Mimis SO GRAND! You could say, when the great-grandsons came… She put them right up at the top of the Love List.

From her son Nicky, to her grandson Derek, to her great-grandsons Tyler and Camden, Patsy Sehorn lived a life in Christ and was a beautiful example to all three generations below her. Her legacy will continue in the lives of these good, Godly men; whom she poured her life’s ministry into so that they might (also) experience eternal life in heaven someday with her.

Patsy is survived by one son, Nicky Sehorn of Waldron, Arkansas – one grandson, Derrek (wife Rachael) Sehorn of Waldron, Arkansas – two great grandsons, Tyler & Camden Sehorn of Waldron, Arkansas. She is also survived by one sister-in-law, Shirley Jones of Magazine, Arkansas. Others left to cherish her precious memory are a host of many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and her much-loved church family at Packsaddle Community Church.

Patsy was preceded in death by her husband CL “Nick” Sehorn – her parents, Logan and Nancy (Mercer) Jones – Two brothers, Jack (wife Royce) Jones and Bob Jones – two sisters, Lou (husband Melvin) Scantling and Jane (husband Howard) Wagoner.

Patsy’s graveside celebration of life will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, September 20, 2024 at the Sehorn Cemetery near Waldron, Arkansas with Rev. Jeff Wilkinson officiating. Interment will follow.

Obituary: Jeania Brown (1946-2024)

Obituaries

Tammy Teague

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12:23 pm

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Jeania Vae Brown was born to Eugene and Melda Vae Walker of Ozark, Arkansas, on October 12, 1946. Jeania grew up feeding chickens, milking cows, and being the oldest of four siblings. Jeania’s dad taught her to drive a tractor and bale hay long before she learned to drive a car, and a family friend down the road taught her to play the piano. Jeania attended Ozark public schools where she was an excellent student and often played piano accompaniment for fellow students in band competitions. Jeania attended the First Baptist Church of Ozark where she was active in ministry and played piano for Sunday services. In 1961, Jeania was selected by Ozark’s newspaper, The Spectator, for their first annual Americanism Award after her freshman year in high school. After graduation, Jeania attended college at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in medical technology.

As a child growing up in Ozark, Jeania and her siblings were taken to Sunday School at First Baptist by their mother where they learned about the Bible and God’s love for them. When Jeania was 10 years old, she attended Vacation Bible School at First Baptist, and it was during that week that she understood that Jesus had come to save her through His death and resurrection. She asked Jesus to forgive her, and she committed herself to follow Him all the days of her life – she never looked back.

During a visit back to Ozark while in college, Jeania played piano for a revival service at Ozark First Baptist where she persuaded a class friend of hers, Larry Brown, to come with her, and he came and also made the decision to commit his life to following Jesus. Their friendship grew into love, and they were married on December 27, 1969. After a honeymoon at Petit Jean State Park, Larry and Jeania lived in Memphis, Tennessee, while Larry finished his dental degree. During this time Jeania worked as a medical technologist at Methodist Hospital. After Larry’s graduation, the couple moved to Danville, Virginia, where Larry practiced dentistry and Jeania taught science in the Danville public school system. In these locations, Larry and Jeania were active in church and ministry, and they developed many friendships that survive to this day.

In 1972, Larry and Jeania moved back to Arkansas to be closer to family where they bought a dental practice in Mansfield. Jeania worked alongside Larry in the dental practice as dental assistant, receptionist, and office manager. Larry and Jeania attended the First Baptist Church of Mansfield where Jeania played the piano for services and taught children’s Sunday School, Children’s Church, and Discipleship Training classes. Jeania also led a ministry for widow ladies in the church, and she also served on the Sebastian County Library Board.

Larry and Jeania have two sons. Matthew was born in 1973 and Marcus in 1977. Jeania was always a very loving mother who would do anything for her children. On one occasion, at the urging of her sons, she even hiked with them up the side of Poteau Mountain and back down! Her parenting focus, however, was always on making sure that her sons attended church, knew God’s Word, and knew the importance of following Jesus like she did.

After Matthew and Marcus moved out of the house for college and families of their own, Larry and Jeania became very active in ministry and mission trips with Fellowship Baptist Church in Witcherville, Arkansas. Jeania taught Children’s Church on Sundays and helped in the church’s AWANA Bible program for kids on Wednesday nights. Larry and Jeania also participated in many mission trips and sports camps around the country and the world. Jeania’s driving passion was in telling kids about the love of Jesus and how they can know and follow Him – just as she learned as a 10 year old back in VBS in Ozark. Jeania told countless numbers of children about Jesus, and she cherished each opportunity to share His Good News and love with them. Just this past summer, Jeania had participated in four mission trip sports camps where many kids and teens heard about Jesus and committed their lives to Him.

Jeania’s life long desire was that each person she met would know that the Bible is true, that Jesus loves them, that we are all sinners in need of rescue, and that “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9), so that you also will have Heaven awaiting when your earthly body wears out. Our Lord granted Jeania the privilege of seeing hundreds of young people come to faith in Jesus over her lifetime. She had also just very recently talked with her youngest grandchild, Faith, who has also given her life to Jesus and is planning to be baptized in October.

Jeania moved to Heaven from her sleep at her home in the early morning of Tuesday, September 17, 2024, after having seen and talked with many friends and family during her brief hospital stay the weekend before. Jeania is preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Melda Vae Walker; her brother, Russell Walker; her brother-in-law, Alfred Williams; and her aunts, uncles, and some cousins. Jeania is survived by her husband of 54 years, Larry Brown; her sons, Matthew Brown and his wife, Joyce, and Marcus Brown and his wife, Amy; her grandchildren, Elliana, Nathan, Sarah, Mikayla, Peter, Xander, and Faith; her sister, Jackie Hill, and Jackie’s husband, Bill, and their children, Mistie and Joshua; her sister, Mary Williams, and Mary’s husband, Paul; her brother Russell’s wife, Vonda Walker, and their children, Andrea, Bethany, Caleb, and Daniel; and many relatives on Larry’s side of the family.

Visitation will be held at Fellowship Baptist Church in Witcherville, Arkansas, at 1pm on Saturday, September 21, followed by the funeral service at the church at 2pm. Interment will be at Coop Prairie Cemetery in Mansfield, Arkansas, following the funeral service. Donations in Jeania’s memory can be made to the Lottie Moon Foreign Missions Offering through Fellowship Baptist Church.

Arrangements are under the direction of Martin Funeral & Cremation – Mansfield.

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