Resident News Network

“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

Lifestyle

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2:47 pm

“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

By Sheri Hopkins, Lifestyle Contributor

Hello everyone! Beautiful weather we are having. We spring forward this weekend, don’t forget or you will be late for church, and everyone will turn around and stare at you when you come in. They stare at me anyway because I’m always trying to open some Lifesavers, gum or candy. Justin Weaver and Jacob used to give me and the other Sheri dirty looks for being loud and shush us all the time.

I am 60 years old and I’ve been driving legal and illegally since I was 15 or 16 and I had something happen to me that has never happened. I was headed to Oklahoma to get my taxes done. It was raining, but not hard enough that I had to use my wipers. I had just passed PJs Store in Monroe and all of a sudden, my driver’s side wiper flew off my car and who knows where it went, out to the wild blue yonder. I mean why does crazy stuff happen to me all the time. There was a truck trying to pass me, so I’m assuming it hit his truck. Serves him right for passing an old lady. Sooo, I thought well, I’ve got to make it to Poteau to an auto parts store and get new blades. It’s raining and I’m like Eddie Rabbit driving my life away on a wing and a prayer trying to make it to Poteau. I made it and the nicest guys took care of me and got me some new wipers and away I went. Driving crazy like my kids say I drive. I lost my Texas Toast at Blue Ember from somewhere from the counter to the table. Jacob says I’m wild, slinging around and such. When we got up to leave it was under the table! How did that happen? See what I mean? I’m like a bull in a China shop, I guess. If y’all see a wiper blade on the side of the road in Oklahoma, it’s probably mine. If you see some Texas Toast lying under a table at Blue Ember, then you know I have been there!

Y’all have a blessed week and check your wiper blades on your vehicles.

This week’s recipe is a mounds brownie. Make sure you have a tall glass of milk when you decide to make these.

MOUNDS BROWNIES
1 family size brownie mix (I use the chocolate fudge)
5 1/3 cups shredded coconut
14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 can of chocolate frosting (I use chocolate fudge)
Heat oven to 350 and make brownies according to package directions in a 9×13 pan. I always use parchment paper in my pan. Let the brownies cool completed. In a bowl combine coconut, sweetened condensed milk and powdered sugar until all the ingredients are incorporated well. Spread over the brownie. Place the can of frosting (with the foil off) in your microwave for 10 seconds and pour the frosting over the coconut mixture. Let it cool and enjoy. I would keep this in the fridge. If you like Almond Joy, you could always put almonds on top or chop up and sprinkle on top. Enjoy, and it will be rich!

High Speed Chase Ends in Deadly Crash

Tammy Teague

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9:05 am

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A high-speed chase left one dead and another injured on Friday, March 8. According to the Arkansas State Police, the crash happened at 5:18 p.m.

Kelvin Willis, 32 of Alma, was traveling northbound in a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe on U.S. Highway 71 near Highway 45 at a high rate of speed. Willis then exited the roadway to the left, colliding with a pole at the intersection of Highway 71 and Highway 45.

Willis was pronounced dead at the scene. One of the passengers, Braxton Cole, 30 of Fort Smith, was transported to the hospital with injuries.

According to Greenwood Police Chief Brad Hobbs, the high-speed chase began when one of his officers attempted to make a traffic stop.

“On the evening of Friday, March 8, our officers intercepted a stolen vehicle. A traffic stop was attempted. However, the driver of the vehicle fled at high speeds. As the pursuit was being transferred to the Arkansas State Police, the driver of the vehicle left the roadway and struck a utility pole at Hwy. 71 and Hwy. 45 and then collided with a second vehicle. The fleeing driver was pronounced deceased at the scene. There were two passengers in the vehicle with one being an infant. The infant was not injured. The Arkansas State Police is investigating the vehicle crash. Our department will conduct an internal pursuit review.”

3-PEAT!!!!!!!

Ross Fujibayashi

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1:45 am

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Lady Bulldogs defeat Vilonia for their 8th state title.

The Lady Bulldogs pulled off one of the most incredible seasons in school history and capped it with winning their third State Championship in a row. In front of a rowdy crowd of 2,944 at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs, Seniors Anna Trusty, Brooklyn Woolsey, and Carley Sexton capped their careers at Greenwood High School avenging an earlier season loss to the Vilonia Eagles. The win gives Clay Reeves his 11th State Title including 3 that were won in Greenland.

Greenwood finished their season 28-4 overall with a 12-1 league record in 5A-West play. The state title is the 63rd in school history after Cheer, Cross Country and Football won theirs in the first half of the year. It marks the programs 8th state title, In a season that saw Coach Reeves win his 800th game and Anna Trusty become the All-time leading scorer for the Lady Bulldogs. Junior Izzy Smith and Sophomore Kylah Pearcy were integral parts of the Greenwood scoring machine throughout the season.

The real strength of the Lady Bulldog team came from the players rotated in. Seniors Mckenzie Thomas and Kaci Dedmon, Juniors Jenna Honkala, Pate Jones, Piper Pitts, Keelie Dolan, Halie Key, Hailey Spearman and Alissa Gray. Sophomores Journey Clements, Ashlin Rose, Trinity Spicer, Addison Bridges, Honor Zuress, and Eva Booth. The unsung heroes of the Lady Bulldogs were Assistant Coach, Ryan Lensing and Managers Julian Oliver, Fallen Van Lare, and Joslyn McBride.

Greenwood would strike first with a three-point basket from Senior Brooklyn Woolsey at the 7:47 mark. Vilonia got on to the board after a free throw from Sidni Middleton. Greenwood Junior Izzy Smith and Vilonia’s Lexi Heston traded baskets before Greenwood went on a 6-0 with baskets from Woolsey, Anna Trusty, and Kylah Pearcy. It pushed the Lady Bulldog lead to 8 with five minutes left in the 1st period. Vilonia pulled within 2 one last time on a Brooklyn Burnham 3-point basket with 4:14 in the first. From there it was all Lady Bulldogs as they out ran the Lady Eagles to a 27-15 1st period score. Brooklyn Woolsey led Greenwood with 11 points, Kylah Pearcy had 6 points, Anna Trusty and Izzy Smith both had 5 points. Vilonia had 4 turnovers that Greenwood converted to 9 points.

The 2nd period saw a closer game between the two State Championship hopefuls, although the closest the Lady Eagles would get to Greenwood is by 11 points. It was back and forth between the two teams as they traded points. The Lady Bulldogs shot 63.6% from the field, but were one for four from the three point line. It was enough to extend the lead to 44-29 as the halftime buzzer sounded. Kylah Pearcy led the scoring with 6 points, Izzy Smith added 5 points to her total. Seniors Carley Sexton, Brooklyn Woolsey, and Anna Trusty each had 2 points.

Vilonia came out of the half with a 6-0 run on Greenwood’s defense getting them within 9 of the Lady Bulldogs. It would the two minutes three seconds into the half before Greenwood put points on the board from a Kylah Pearcy layup inside the paint. Greenwood held Vilonia to shots from the foul line before going on another 6-0 run with scores from Anna Trusty and 3-point basket from Brooklyn Woolsey. Greenwood extended their lead to as much as 19-points in the 3rd, with a period ending score of 61-43. Pearcy capped the 3rd with a 2-point basket at the buzzer. Brooklyn Woolsey had 8 points, followed by Pearcy with 6 points, and Trusty with 3 points.

Starting the 4th, Vilonia began chipping away at the Lady Bulldogs cutting the Greenwood lead to 14, and that would be the closest they would get. Greenwood would have two 7-0 runs in the fourth period pushing their lead to 26 points. Kylah Pearcy would go out of the game with 5 fouls, bringing in Junior Jenna Honkala. Senior starters Woolsey, Sexton, and Trusty would leave the court one last time to a standing ovation from the Greenwood crowd. Carly Sexton and Anna Trusty scored their last points as Lady Bulldogs in the 4th period as well. Senior McKenzie Thomas scored the points for Greenwood putting the score 77-51. Anna Trusty had 8 points, Carley Sexton had 4 points, Izzy Smith and McKenzie Thomas had 2 points each.

Greenwood Lady Bulldogs win the 2024 Class 5A Girls State Championship. Senior Anna Trusty was the State Championship game MVP.

“I thought our players came to play. They played great. They played a really good first half.” Coach Clay Reeves said after the win “Probably the first time I’ve ever went in at halftime and said ‘Ya’ll played a good first half.’ haha”

“Great kids to coach, they always work hard. They’re always there. They put up with me coaching them” Coach Reeves said with a laugh.

Greenwood bussed down 150 students to cheer on the Lady Bulldogs to their third Championship in a row. Senior Brooklyn Woolsey commented on the support, “It means a lot to us, the atmosphere is great. I think that really helps us play.”

The Lady Bulldogs have made it to the State Championship game four times of the last five, only missing out in the 2020-2021 season losing in the Quarterfinals to eventual State Champion Jonesboro. Which also was Anna Trusty’s Freshman year, and something she reflected on in the post-game press conference. “It’s been awesome. Lots of people go through out their high school career without even going to one. To be able to go for three is awesome.”

Paris Softball Opens Conference Play This Week

Networks

Resident News Network

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5:24 pm

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Paris Softball Opens Conference Play This Week

PARIS- Coach Jonathan Vire’s Paris softball team entered this season wanting to see an uptick in their play on the field to mark improvement from last year’s rebuilding season. And although the win / loss record may not appear to show progress, the actual play on the field and the competitiveness the Lady Eagles have shown against good competition does indicate progress.

Paris officially opened the 2024 season with a road game at Dover. Paris was in the game until the last inning when Dover got a base hit to score the go ahead, walk-off win for the Lady Pirates.

The Lady Eagles then traveled to Lavaca to play a very good Lady Arrows team. Lavaca, who is stacked with great pitching and a tremendous infield, scored a game-shortened 12-1 win over Paris. The Lady Eagles, who were competitive in the first two innings of the game, committed a series of errors that produced scoring opportunities for Lavaca, and the game was never in doubt from that point. Paris played the game at Lavaca without outfielder Annabelle Perry.

The Lady Eagles have turned their attention to conference play with the first game being played at Two Rivers. At publication time for this story, Paris was scheduled to play Two Rivers and Booneville during the week of March 12-14. Due to spring break, Paris will not play the week of March 18-22. After the break, the Lady Eagles will resume play on March 25 at Waldron.

Stay with RNN Sports this spring for Lady Eagles softball coverage in the RNN Logan / Franklin County newspaper, as well as on our website at residentnewsnetwork.com

Can You Save too Much for a Rainy Day?

Business

Tammy Teague

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5:10 pm

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“Save for a rainy day” is an old piece of advice — and a good one. But is it possible to save too much?

To begin with, what defines a “rainy day” in terms of financial needs? It could be any number of things: a temporary loss of employment, a major home or car repair, a large medical bill, and so on.

If you did not have the money readily available to pay for these types of expenses, you might be forced to dip into your IRA, 401(k) or other retirement accounts, incurring taxes and possible penalties, as well as lowering the amount of money you’d have available for retirement. And that’s why it’s a good idea to build an emergency fund containing up to six months’worth of total expenses, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account that’s separate from the accounts you use for your daily spending needs.

An emergency fund is valuable, but many people may be overfunding it. And while this isn’t the biggest financial mistake one can make, it could result in some missed opportunities.

For one thing, when you keep money in a low-risk account, you can generally count on your principal being protected, which means the money will be there for you when you need it—but the flip side is that this money likely won’t grow very much, if at all. And if you’re going to achieve your long-term goals, such as a comfortable retirement, you need your investment portfolio to provide you with significant growth potential within the context of your individual risk tolerance. So, any excess dollars kept in your rainy-day fund might be used to help fuel some growth-oriented investments.

You could also use these dollars to help diversify your investment portfolio. If you only owned one type of investment, your portfolio could take a big hit if a market downturn affected just that asset class. But by owning a mix of stocks, bonds, government securities and other investments, you can help reduce the impact of market volatility. (Keep in mind, though, that diversification, by itself, can’t protect against all losses.)

Still, before deciding on what to do with extra money you might have in your emergency fund, how will you know if you indeed have too much? Up to six months’ worth of totalexpenses may be adequate for most people — but everyone’s life is different. For example, if you have reason to believe your employment — or that of your spouse — may be in jeopardy in the near future, or if you anticipate the need for some renovations to your home, but not for a year or so, you might want more than six months of expenses tucked away in your emergency fund. Also, once you’re retired, you may well want to keep a year’s worth of expenses in the fund. If you need cash, you don’t want to be forced to sell investments when their price may be down, especially since you have less time for them to recover.

Ultimately, when thinking about how much to keep in your emergency fund, review your situation carefully and weigh as many variables as you can. And if you do decide your rainy-day fund is abundant, use any “overflow” in a way that can help you keep moving toward your financial goals.

This article is provided by Jeffrey O’Neal, Financial Advisor

Edward Jones

20 N Express St, Paris, AR 72855

479-963-1321

jeffrey.o’neal@edwardjones.com

edwardjones.com/jeffrey-o’neal

Edward Jones, Member SIPC

RNN Celebrates the 100th Weekly Edition of the RNN Logan / Franklin County Newspaper

Resident News Network

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5:07 pm

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PARIS– It’s hard to believe…the time has flown by. But this week, RNN celebrates the 100th weekly edition of the RNN Logan / Franklin County newspaper. Wow, has the time flown by!

The Logan / Franklin County newspaper became the third print newspaper published by Resident News Network in 2022. Since that time, RNN has been proud to bring our local readers a trusted news source of local news and sports. Unlike many of our competitors, our stories are locally focused and are not nationally or internet sourced.

RNN’s three print publications that cover western Arkansas, Greenwood, and Logan and Franklin counties has increased our company footprint from as far south as Waldron to as far north as northwest Arkansas and the University of Arkansas. Eastward, our footprint has expanded to Greenwood, and all communities moving east along state highway 22.

All of us at RNN are proud to bring you weekly, local coverage, filling a gap in coverage that has been ignored by other publications. We believe that is what our readers want, and we work hard every day to deliver a product that our readers feel has been ignored by other publications.

We owe our success to you our readers and subscribers, and our sense of obligation is to you. Thank you for your readership and patronage, and we look forward to serving you in the next 100 editions of our popular weekly publication!

2024 Preferential Primary Unofficial Results

Networks

Tammy Teague

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11:44 am

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2024 Preferential Primary Unofficial Results

SEBASTIAN COUNTY:

SCOTT COUNTY:

UNOFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS FOR SCOTT COUNTY AR
26/26 PRECINCTS REPORTING
VOTER TURNOUT
Ballots Cast 1,276
Registered Voters 4,672

US PRESIDENT – DEM VOTES
Armando “Mando” Perez-Serrato 0
Frankie Lozada 0
Marianne Williamson 9
Joseph R. Biden, Jr 75
Dean Phillips 4
Stephen P. Lyons 2

US PRESIDENT – REP VOTES
Nikki Haley 115
Asa Hutchinson 18
Doug Burgum 1
Chris Christie 1
Donald J. Trump 1,022
Ryan L. Binkley 1
Ron DeSantis 4
Vivek Ramaswamy 2
David Stuckenberg 2

STATE SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE POSITION 1 VOTES
Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Karen Baker 395
Jay Martin 202
Supreme Court Justice Rhonda Wood 195
Supreme Court Justice Barbara Womack Webb 318

STATE SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE POSITION 2 VOTES
Judge Carlton D. Jones 409
State Supreme Court Justice Courtney Hudson 683

LOGAN COUNTY:

FRANKLIN COUNTY:

Mansfield, Huntington Women Arrested on Commercial Burglary, Criminal Mischief and Theft of Property Charges

News

Tammy Teague

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5:33 pm

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Mansfield, Huntington Women Arrested on Commercial Burglary, Criminal Mischief and Theft of Property Charges

On June of 2023, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a break-in at the Cahinnio Girl Scout Camp near Ione in the southwestern part of Logan County.

Several items, including a large sump pump and hose and three chainsaws, were stolen. There was also damage to the property. Cameras captured two people forcing their way into one of the sheds and carrying out items, but at the time, the LCSO were unable to identify them.

In January of 2024, Logan County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Sgt. Stacy Wieburg (who was not with the department when this call was received last June) reviewed the photos and identified the female suspect in this case as Stephanie Elmore from Huntington. Lt. Mark Walker and Investigator Chris Langston investigated the case and learned that Melissa Williams, of Mansfield, was the other person in the photos from the break-in.

Both of the females were interviewed, and warrants were issued for their arrests. In February, Melissa Williams and Stephanie Elmore were arrested and transported to the Logan County Detention Center on charges of Commercial Burglary, Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, and Theft of Property.

Obituary: Doice Gene Preston (1939 – 2024)

Obituaries

Tammy Teague

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12:05 pm

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Obituary: Doice Gene Preston (1939 – 2024)

Doice Gene Preston of Waldron, Arkansas went to be with his Lord and Savior, Friday, March 1, 2024 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Doice was born March 25, 1939 in Jones Creek, Arkansas to William Hearld and Wilma Lee (Maxwell) Preston. Doice was a member of the Waldron 1st Assembly of God Church.

Doice love spending time with his family and friends. He was a creative story teller and was passionate in sharing his life stories. Doice enjoyed being around horses and spending time with his little dog, Tj. Doice had a vast range of job skills from driving an ambulance, running heavy equipment, being a maintenance man, Plummer, Carpentry and truck driving. He also thought he was Fred from Sanford & Sons and would help anyone that was needing help. Doice was a man of God. He will be missed by his family, friends and all that knew him.

Doice leaves behind to cherish his memory his son, David Preston and wife Dorothy of Waldron, Arkansas; step-son, Adam Sloniker of Waldron, Arkansas and step-daughter, Dawn Taylor of Idaho. Grandpa will forever remain in the hearts of an abundance of grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Doice was preceded in death by his wife, Marsha Preston and his parents: William and Wilma Preston.

A private family memorial will be held at a later date. Arrangements and cremation are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home & Crematory in Waldron, Arkansas.

Timepiece: Signs of Spring

Featured

Tammy Teague

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7:22 pm

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By Dr. Curtis Varnell

Spring had arrived, the first sign being the daffodil emerging from the still cold Earth and raising its golden crown to capture warmth from a still distant Sun. My treasure hunting friend was ecstatic. Driving down old roads and forgotten lanes, he could easily spot the location of old home places by the dozens of daffodils that dotted the byways. On just one trip last week, he was able to locate a mercury dime, several ancient pennies, and a number of rusted knives. As he explained, every abandoned and deserted old home site is revealed each spring as the daffodils burst forth. Seeing the tremendous number of plants that arrive each spring, one wonders how a non-native plant became such a prevalent part of our landscape.

The daffodil (also called the jonquil or Narcissus) is a flower that originated in Spain and Portugal but has the ability to grow in many environments. The ancient Romans believed that that the flowers brought good luck and were also medicinal. They carried the bulbs with them as the conquered most of Europe and Asia and would plant them in memory of loved ones or comrades that had fallen in battle. In this manner, some of the earliest plants arrived in Britain where enterprising individuals saw the opportunity to raise them in large gardens and sale them to the public. They became extremely popular in the 13^th-16^thcentury and bulbs were commonly sold to people establishing flower gardens. The bulbs are easily stored and shipped so, when colonists came to America, they brought the flower along.

Check the plantations of Washington, Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson and a profusion of daffodils can be found in each flower garden. As American as apple pie, several of the variations of the original bulbs carried by the Roman legionaries are found across the United States.

As colonists pushed west, they took their favorite plants with them. My ancestors came first to Carolina, moved to Tennessee, and eventually to Arkansas. Each time they moved, along came the Crape Myrtle, the yellow forsythia, and the ever present daffodil. All three grew in profusion around my grandmother’s home. Each time she moved, she took “cuttings” from her plants and began her garden anew. My wife and I recently travelled back to the old home place and transplanted some of her plants to our new home- a piece of our family history that stretched generations back into our past.

For years, Americans have suffered through the cold and snow of winter waiting for the season to change. Nothing connotes the renewal of spring as dramatically as a field of daffodils swaying with the warm spring breeze.

Years ago, the poet William Wordsworth described that anticipation as he “wandered lonely as a cloud, floating on high o’er vale and hills….and saw a host, of golden daffodils.” A trip through the Ozarks in the spring exposes those old home places; place where adults once toiled, kids once played, and the daffodils still grow. Like him, when I see them emerge, “Then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils.”

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RESIDENT NEWS NETWORK