Resident News Network

Eagles Host Centerpoint on Senior Night

Networks

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2:53 am

PARIS- Paris will host the Knights on Senior Night this Friday at Eagles Stadium. The conference 3A-4 matchup will be crucial to the fates of both teams’ playoff hopes. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The Eagles lost at Centerpoint a season ago by the score of 42-7. Since that time, the Knights have been a bit of a mystery.

Centerpoint was predicted to finish as the conference’s three seed behind Glen Rose and Bismarck. But the Knights started the season on a rocky note, dropping their 2023 season opener at Hackett by the score of 53-6. Since that week, the Knights have lost to Mena (17-16) and Bigelow (40-8). Centerpoint has wins against Two Rivers (40-6), Danville (42-21), and an upset at Magnet Cove (41-40) on October 6. At press time, the Knights were preparing to host Jessieville in a critical 3A-4 conference matchup.

Also at press time, Paris was preparing to take the field at Two Rivers for a must-win conference game if the Eagles were to have any chance of making the playoffs. The Centerpoint win complicated the playoff scenario for Paris, and now, Paris will face another must-win game at home on Senior Night against Centerpoint. Paris must have a head-to-head win over Centerpoint, as well as wins over Two Rivers and Danville to qualify for the playoffs. The Eagles have one regular season road trip remaining at Magnet Cove, and after Centerpoint’s upset on October 6, a win a Magnet Cove no longer seems to be as much of a long shot as it might have seemed a month ago. But regardless of the combination of wins, Paris must defeat Centerpoint to qualify for the playoffs. If Paris finishes in a tie with Centerpoint for the fifth seed, the winner of the head-to-head game between the two schools will get the playoff nod.

Centerpoint was 9-1 in the regular season a year ago with their only loss of the regular season being to Glen Rose. The Knights defeated Lavaca in the first round of the state playoffs by the score of 48-22 and then lost in the second round at Charleston by the score of 42-6.

The Knights have had to replace a lot of key seniors from last year’s roster but have an experienced junior quarterback in Drew Diggs and experienced and talented receivers, led by junior Bryce Harless. Harless had 17 receptions for 419 yards and three touchdowns last season. Undoubtedly, Centerpoint will test the Paris secondary with their passing game on Friday.

Fall sports seniors, as well as band seniors, will be honored in a pregame Senior Night ceremony this Friday. Fans will want to arrive early for Friday’s game to get a seat before the ceremony begins.

RNN Sports will be at the stadium on Friday to bring you all of the action in pictures. Watch for action photos from the game on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports next week. You will also want to watch for our post-game story on this game on our website at residentnewsnetwork.com on Saturday.

And…as always…we will see you at the stadium!

Charleston Hosts Booneville in the Game of the Year in Conference 3A-1

Networks

Jim Best

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2:44 am

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Charleston Hosts Booneville in the Game of the Year in Conference 3A-1

CHARLESTON- THE game. Booneville vs. Charleston. That is all you have to know.

On Friday, two of the most storied high school football programs in Arkansas will meet in a conference showdown that will likely determine the conference championship and a number one seed in the state playoffs.

At press time, both schools had important road games that had to be played before this Friday’s big showdown. Booneville was preparing to make the trip to Scott County to play a big road game at Mansfield, and the Charleston Tigers were on the road to play a very dangerous Hackett Hornets team that is capable of scoring a lot of points. A loss by either team would only amplify the need to win this Friday in a head-to-head contest. A win by either team combined with a win this week would all but crown this season’s conference champion.

The Booneville Bearcats, a state finalist a year ago, have had this date circled on their calendars since December 10, 2022. On that date, Charleston defeated Booneville for the second time that season, this time in the state championship game at War Memorial Stadium. The Bearcats have key players returning, such as their all-everything running back and linebacker, Dax Goff, and make no question that he and the other upperclassmen on the team are focused on returning the favor to Charleston this season.

The Charleston Tigers graduated big numbers along with a lot experienced talent from their team a year ago. Charleston took their lumps early in the season, playing Class 4A schools in the non-conference portion of their schedule. Since the resumption of 3A conference play this season, Charleston is undefeated going into their game with Hackett.

Bearcats running back Dax Goff has now eclipsed 4,000 yards rushing in his illustrious career at Booneville. He will go down as one of, if not the greatest running back in Bearcats history. And folks, considering the great runners in the history of the program, that is saying something.

A year ago, Goff rushed for 2,323 yards on 156 carries and scored 29 touchdowns. What makes his stats even more impressive is the fact that he did not play in two games last season.

Defensively, the Charleston Tigers gave up a meager 8.9 points per game on average; well below the second place West Fork Tigers who gave up 21.6. But this year’s team is young, and last year’s stats cannot translate to this year’s game. Charleston coach Ricky May is known for his defenses, and the success of Charleston in this year’s game will rest heavily on the Tigers’ defense. That will be a tall order against the vaunted Booneville rushing attack.

Picked by many media outlets to win the 3A-1 conference, the Booneville Bearcats had a record of 8-2 in the regular season in 2022. Their only loses in the regular season were to Harding Academy and Charleston.

As the number two seed from the conference in the state playoffs, Booneville played once at home in a 42-14 first round win over Junction City, and then played on the road for three weeks at Smackover, Osceola, and Melbourne. The Cats played at Little Rock on December 10 in the state championship game. So, playing on the road will not phase the experienced Bearcats on Friday.

As of October 6, the Booneville Bearcats were 4-2 on the current season. Booneville has wins over Ozark, Hackett, West Fork, and Greenland. The Bearcats’ losses were again to Harding Academy and Camden Fairview. Booneville was facing a big road test at Mansfield on October 13 against one of their former coaches who is now coaching the Mansfield Tigers, Whit Overton.

The Charleston Tigers, Class 3A state champions from a year ago, graduated a lot of talent from that roster and have been reloading in 2023 with a young, talented sophomore class at the core of its roster.

On the current season, Charleston has victories over Greenland, Cedarville, and Mansfield. The Tigers opened the season with non-conference losses against Elkins, Ozark, and Nashville. Charleston is adjusting to injuries to key positions and faced a big road test at Hackett on October 13.

Tiger senior defensive lineman Hunter Little will lead the Charleston defensive effort against the Booneville rushing attack. Little was the second-leading tackler in the conference a season ago with 114 credited to him. The Charleston defense will have to keep the Tigers in the game late for them to have a chance to win. Little was second in tackles behind the league-leading tackler, Dax Goff of Booneville.

Offensively, senior Reese Merechka is a talented, multi-purpose player who contributes heavily on both offense and in the Tigers’ secondary. Merechka will be a key factor in Friday’s game. Merechka led the conference a year ago in receiving with 819 yards on 58 receptions. Merechka caught 11 touchdown passes.

As they say, this is the type of game that in any given year is going to be heated and highly competitive between both teams, regardless of records. But in a year where the eventual conference championship may be at stake as it seems to be this year, that will only intensify this great rivalry.

Kickoff at Alumni Field in Charleston is set for 7 p.m. Fans from both schools will want to arrive at the stadium early to secure a seat for this epic showdown.

RNN Sports photographer Ronni Tate Young will be on the field Friday to bring you all of the action in pictures!

Good luck to both teams in what has all the earmarks to be a high school football classic!

Timepiece: King Cotton

Featured

Tammy Teague

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1:42 am

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By Dr. Curtis Varnell

Driving from Pine Bluff to Eudora, one quickly can observe that fall has officially began. The sides of many of the highways look as if a snowstorm has arrived; cotton fibers blown from the trailers cover the roadside. Cotton pickers churn through nearby fields, quickly cleaning the stalks and storing the cotton in vast containers until it can be processed at the gins. Cotton production is still a big industry in the state with Arkansas currently ranking fourth in cotton and cottonseed production. In 2014, 820,000 bales of cotton were produced on 335,000 acres of plowed land. Still a big part of our economy, it ranks nowhere in comparison to its importance during the early history of our state.

Cotton has been a staple of Arkansas agriculture for more than two hundred years. First grown in 1803, by the 1830’s it was the most important crop the state produced. An ugly part of our early history, slavery was used to clear the fields and provided the necessary hard labor required to make a crop. After the Civil War, sharecroppers received from 25-50% of a crop for producing cotton on 40-acre plots owned by large landowners. Small shacks and cotton towns dotted the landscape; inhabited by poor whites and former slaves who struggled to make ends meet.

Beginning with my grandparents, my family were involved in the cotton industry. Many of the mountain people raised upland cotton on small fields and hollows in the Ouachita Mountains. Production was generally poor and not enough to support the large families of the time period. As a result, many became migrant farmers who travelled to the delta for work. My grandfather and his friends would often plant their crop and leave one family member to work the fields they owned. The remainder of the family traveled to the delta to work the cotton fields. Many of the migrants did not have available transportation. As a result, the property owner would send out a notice telling people when he would be in the area. A large flat-bed truck was then sent to pick up workers. One spring, my grandfather had a cow that had just calved. Not wanting to leave the cow, he persuaded his employer to load the cow onto the back of the truck with the family for the drive to the fields in Lonoke county. That was surely a sight as they traveled down the highway and through Little Rock with a half-dozen teen boys, my grandparents, and a jersey cow.

My grandmother was a champion cotton picker. Pulling a loose sack hung about her shoulders and picking rapidly with both hands, she could out-pick any two of us. Cotton picking contest were held in many towns to determine who could pick the most cotton in a ten-hour day. I am not sure grandma every tried that but my money would have been on her.

Picking cotton is only a small part of the job. In the spring the cotton had to be planted in long straight rows, sometimes a mile in length. My father was good at driving a tractor and laying off straight rows so that was his spring job. On Saturdays, he was allowed to take the tractor, hook on a trailer, and the workers in the cotton camp would climb aboard for a ride into England, Arkansas for a day of relaxation, shopping, or watching a movie.

After the cotton came up, it had to be thinned and then weeded. By 1960, the going rates for chopping the cotton was $1 dollar an hour for a ten-hour day. Fifty dollars a week was considered a good salary for the time period. In the late 1940’s, my granddad made enough extra over necessities that he had enough extra money to buy a length of sheet iron each week. Saving them up over the summer, he was able to buy enough to take home in the fall and cover the leaking wooden shakes that covered their home.

In the fall, cotton gins processed the cotton. A large vacuum sucked the cotton from the trailer, carded the cotton from the seed, and then pressed it into large bales. My father, always a hard worker and mechanical, could operate nearly any machine in the gin but they generally had him placing the metal belts around the huge bales of cotton and rolling them off the press, ready for distributing to the cotton merchants in Memphis.

By the 1950’s, cotton pickers and machinery eliminated the need for large number of laborers. My parents started migrating North to Illinois and working in the canneries during the summer. Towns in the Delta began to decline in size and importance and some of the cotton plantations switched to soy bean and rice but cotton still remains a part of our legacy and an important contributor to our economy.

AGFC Shooting Sports Division aims for more opportunities

Outdoors

Tammy Teague

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1:33 am

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AGFC Shooting Sports Division aims for more opportunities

Jim Harris Managing Editor Arkansas Wildlife Magazine

Growing recreational shooting sports is the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s target in the coming years under Director Austin Booth, and much is underway to make that come to fruition.

Booth expanded the AGFC’s focus on recreational shooting sports with the creation of a Shooting Sports Division in July, headed up by Chief Grant Tomlin. The AGFC’s Youth Shooting Sports and Archery in the Schools programs, which are within the Shooting Sports Division, were previously part of the agency’s Education Division.

Tomlin said, “Recreational shooting is one of the fastest growing outdoors recreational activities in the country. Recreational shooters, whether they know it or not, are among the biggest contributors to the conservation dollar in the country. Somebody goes out and buys a gun, they may or may not be a hunter, but even if they aren’t they are still contributing to conservation because of the federal excise tax on the guns and ammunition they are buying.”

The move to create a separate Shooting Sports Division “lets us focus solely on the mission of creating new recreational shooting opportunities, improvement on the existing facilities and programs that we have, and lets us focus more on recruiting new people into the sport and the recreational opportunities,” Tomlin said.

In September’s monthly Commission meeting, Booth was authorized by the commissioners to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the city of Clarksville and the University of Ozarks to construct a new shooting sports complex that would be open to the public and complement the university’s growing collegiate shooting sports program. The AGFC hopes to provide up to $2 million in matching funds to help the university construct a proposed $12 million facility.

Meanwhile, existing ranges have been improved and new complexes have opened, and AGFC officials envision that as more money becomes available, more shooting sports facilities could open throughout the state.

The Jack Cox Scatter Creek Shooting Range near Paragould reopened this summer after $175,000 was spent on an assortment of repairs. The unmanned range only requires that shooters of pistols and rifles bring their own targets. The range offers up to 200 yards of distance for practicing rifle or pistol shooting, and what better time to home in that rifle with modern gun deer season approaching.

In concert with the Jack Cox range in the region is the new Jonesboro Shooting Sports Complex, operated by the city in partnership with the AGFC, which provided $2 million in funding toward construction of the range. “The Jonesboro range has skeet, trap, pistol, rifle and archery,” Tomlin said. “It’s a manned facility that is staffed by the city of Jonesboro’s Parks Department.”

The Jonesboro range is open Wednesdays through Sunday, which coincidentally is the same schedule seen at Jacksonville, home to the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation Jacksonville Shooting Sports Complex. The Jacksonville facility, which features 12 trap houses, 3D archery and a stocked fishing pond, was opened in 2007 and annually plays host to the AGFC’s Youth Shooting Sports regional and state championships.

Much of the work on these shooting ranges was funded through federal matching grants administered through the Wildlife Restoration Program, distributes excise taxes on firearms and ammunition for wildlife-relate recreation, hunter education and development and the construction and operation of ranges.

“We’re continuing our progress toward getting a range in Northwest Arkansas. Northwest Arkansas is our top priority,” Tomlin said, adding that the Fort Smith area and Texarkana area also are being discussed for “good-sized” future projects. The AGFC also has a partnership established with Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, where the AGFC is providing construction funds for two additional trap-shooting fields to SAU’s existing range, in addition to a 3D archery trail and a known-distance archery course on the property, Tomlin said.

“We’re looking at building smaller ranges around the state to fill in the gaps,” Tomlin added. “This is a long-term project. It’s not going to be completed in the next five years. But we are starting in the right direction.”

The AGFC has partnership shooting ranges in Batesville and Warren with those cities. It operates trap fields at Rick Evans Grandview Prairie WMA and Nature Center, about 16 miles from Hope. The Fred Berry Crooked Creek Nature Center in north Arkansas has a trap shooting station along with an archery area. The Potlatch Cooks Lake Nature Center near Casscoe in Arkansas County has a trap shooting range, an archery known-distance range and a 3D setup for bow enthusiasts as well. The city of Mulberry also partners with the AGFC for a known-distance and 3D archery course.

In all, Tomlin said, the agency has 14 known-distance archery ranges scattered around its WMAs, including some with 3D archery. “Curtis Gray, who runs our archery program, has been very diligent getting archery ranges put around the state,” Tomlin said.

The AGFC’s archery, rifle, pistol, trap and skeet shooting range at Mayflower now carries the name of Fiocchi, an international ammunition maker, as its sponsor and the business sponsor of the Shooting Sports Division. “They are invested. They want to make sure that our division succeeds and can provide people with opportunities to shoot recreationally,” Tomlin said.

Also, MidwayUSA, based in Missouri, has also stepped up in a big way nationally for recreational shooting sports, and the AGFC is enjoying some of that generosity. “We work with MidwayUSA and their foundation,” Tomlin said. “They have provided us grants to help our youth shooting sports program and grants for small range construction. They’ve been a good partner as well.”

Waldron Golf Course Established, Maintained with Dedication

Featured

Tammy Teague

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1:15 am

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Waldron Golf Course Established, Maintained with Dedication

“If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” — Jim Rohn. Meaning, that if you are truly committed to achieving something, you will find a way to make it happen.

This phrase summarizes, perfectly, the story of the Waldron Country Club, both its establishment, and the decades following.

One of the founding members, Reggie Owens, recalled in detail the humble beginnings of the golf course, and shared how that history has paved the way for future aspiring golfers.

In 1964, Waldron received a government grant to construct a city lake. As a part of that plan, a “buffer zone” was to be included. The city offered a gentleman by the last name of Taff a sum of money for a portion of his farm. Ultimately, Taff would refuse to sell a portion, but countered with an offer to purchase the entire farm.

A group of four gentlemen, including Reggie Owens, his father, Jerry Parker, and Pat Ray Davenport had a vision and a deep-seeded desire for a place to play golf. “We were in the car together when one of the guys said, ‘I’d give $1,000 if we had a golf course,'” Owens stated. The four agreed to all pitch in, and together they started with $1,000. “We decided to have a meeting of those who would be interested…we met at the Rock Cafe…In the end, we came up with $80,000.”

Construction started in August of 1983. The four founding members remained the backbone of the operation, donating and volunteering countless hours of backbreaking labor. “You cannot imagine what it looked like out there,” continued Owens. “The overgrowth of brush…It had not been touched in 20 years…The place was a jungle. We had to do a lot of work before the work could begin.”

Labor included working with equipment the men themselves purchased, such as dump trucks, bulldozers and backhoes. Owens recalled cutting and stacking wood, advertising it to folks for $7 a rick. “We used the honor system; they drove up and loaded it themselves…We used that money for gas for the equipment.”

Following that labor intensive period, research and development of the course would be underway. “There had to be a lot of research and engineering done to develop the landscape,” Owens continued.

The location, now known as 4997 Rena Owens Drive in Waldron, remains city owned property, leased to the golf course for 99 years at the rate of $1 per year.

“We’ve had people like Nadine Judy of Judy’s Drive Inn who were very supportive and remained supportive throughout the years. She gave a starting $1k, joined as a member and paid a lifetime of dues.”

A culmination of work and devotion built, and has kept, the well-maintained course often dubbed, “a rare gem.” Owens attributed that to staff like Paul Lee, a longtime greenskeeper who devoted his time sacrificially until his health wouldn’t allow him to continue.

Owens, who is now retired, continues to devote 8-12 hours a days at the course and offers reports to the nine board of directors.

Because of the foresight and follow through of the four founding members who had a vision for the Waldron Country Club, two students have been awarded golfing scholarships. “That was something my dad would have been so proud to have seen,” Owens continued. Rising stars like Lane Tallmadge who have found purpose in their own lives through the maintenance and grounds operations. “Lane is a young man of virtue and has a passion for the greens.”

The Waldron Country Club hosts annual tournaments such as the Scott County Boys and Girls Club, adult and kids championship tournaments, a memorial tournament to honor members who have passed on, and a golf course fundraiser.

Owens stated that he would like to see the membership grow by at least 15-20. Annual membership is $720. Dues can also be paid monthly, at $6. Anyone is welcome to come and utilize the golf course, however. The one-time greens fee is $15 throughout the week, and $20 on the weekend. Friday’s green fees are discounted. The club house sells hot dogs, chips, and drinks including Gatorade.

Owens, who vows he will completely retire one day, shared he wants to be able to visit and enjoy the club when he wants, and assist on his own time.

“This was just like my grandpa B.S. Hinkle said, ‘Scott County needed a place to fish.’ He was a State Representative and worked 21 years on the paperwork to get the lake built…We felt the same way about the golf course.”

That commitment built and has maintained the Waldron Country Club.

3A-1 Football May Get Scary This Friday 13th

Adam Hecox

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2:17 am

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3A-1 Football May Get Scary This Friday 13th

As 3A-1 teams go into the halfway mark of the regular season, it’s hard not to look at how things might pan out in the end. While other conferences seem to pretty much have their tiers intact, the 3A-1 is still sorting things out in what could be a wild finish to the 2023 regular season. The overall goal for every program is to be conference champions, but after last week’s final scores rolled in, there are quite a few looking at where they could land as one of the top five teams representing the 3A-1 in the State Playoffs. The scary part is many of those teams still have yet to play each other.

Hackett versus Cedarville in Week3 of conference play.
Photo courtesy of Malinda Mizell

Booneville is still pegged as the favorite to win the 3A-1 conference title. The Bearcats have mowed their way through competition up to this point, but they are just now getting to the beef of their schedule. Booneville will travel to Mansfield on Friday, October 13^th to face off against one of their former coaches, Whit Overton, and his up-and-coming Tigers. If they can survive that Tigers team, they’ll travel to another jungle the following week to take on the Charleston Tigers in what could be a battle for the 3A-1 crown. Charleston upended Booneville for the Conference Championship and the State Championship last year and will aim to do the same again in 2023. After facing a back-to-back tussle with a pair of Tigers, the next threat comes from the Lavaca Golden Arrows. If the Bearcats can survive a strong Mansfield defense and shut down Charleston and Lavaca’s prolific offenses, then Booneville should breeze past Cedarville in their final game to win the 3A-1 Championship.

Mansfield versus Charleston in Week3 conference play.
Photo courtesy of Joey Bolin

Charleston may seem down, but after pulling off a rough and tumble 14-7 victory over a much improved Mansfield team last week, the Tigers proved that they are still a force to be reckoned with. Just like Booneville, Charleston is currently undefeated but will face a one-loss program with a new coach and new energy this week as the defending champion Tigers will head to Hackett on Friday, October 13^th. This game will be a polar opposite of the Charleston versus Mansfield game where the defenses ruled the field. Hackett was throttled by Booneville in their first conference game, but their offense has stepped up since then to come back strong by outscoring their past two opponents 83-42. If Charleston can get out of The Hive alive, they’ll go right into a battle for the head of the 3A-1 table against Booneville. Again, that game could wind up being for all the marbles in the 3A-1. Charleston’s final test of the season will be against Lavaca and with that being a rivalry game, anything is possible.

3A-1 Records and Stats going into Week4 of conference play.

The two games of Booneville at Mansfield and Charleston at Hackett this Friday will be huge for all four teams in the battle for 3A-1 supremacy. With Booneville and Charleston sitting pretty with undefeated records, all of the one-loss teams’ resumes cannot be overlooked. Mansfield’s loss was a narrow 14-7 fall at Charleston last week and Hackett’s was a 46-14 loss to Booneville in the first conference game of the season. Coincidentally, Mansfield and Hackett will swap the opponents they lost to this week which should give a small indication as to where they stand with each other. Hackett has already played two of the top four teams on their schedule and gone 1-1 against them in the process. With two of the top four already played, the Hornets have the simplest route to success left as they will have home-field advantage in their big games against Charleston and Mansfield. Mansfield on the other hand still has a daunting task ahead of them. The Tigers have yet to face three of the top four teams in the 3A-1 left on their schedule. Although the Tigers will host Booneville this week, they will still have to travel to Hackett and Lavaca as the season winds down. If Mansfield and Hackett both win out or just lose one game between now and their season finale, then their annual rivalry game against each other on November 3^rd will most definitely be ESPN worthy.

Lavaca versus Cedarville in Week1 of conference play.
Photo courtesy of Malinda Mizell

The other one-loss team is the Lavaca Golden Arrows. Lavaca started out as one of the hottest offenses in the conference this season, but a massive comeback by the Hackett Hornets derailed their streak. That doesn’t leave the Golden Arrows out though as they still have the capability to upset some teams and climb the 3A-1 ladder to close out the season. Lavaca will play Greenland this week before going headfirst into a monstrous final three games against Mansfield, Booneville, and their archrivals, Charleston. The Golden Arrows dropped their last four games in a row last season but seem to be more on top of their game this year. Although it’s definitely the toughest final three-game stretch in the conference, maybe even the state, Lavaca has a solid shot of winning each game.

The bottom line is, there is a scenario where there could be five teams with a 4-1 conference record come next week. If that happens, every single program in the state will have no choice but to look at the 3A-1 conference with absolute awe. Friday, October 13^th may be scarier than some expect if those big upsets happen. It may sound crazy to think that Mansfield could beat Booneville with the Bearcats owning a 43-year winning streak over the Tigers, but it’s definitely possible. Could Hackett go from a 0-7 winless 2022 season to defeating the defending State Champion Charleston Tigers this year? Who knows, but the one thing without question is that the 3A-1 could have some nightmarish scenarios for all teams involved after this Friday…..Friday the 13th that is (ch ch ch, ah ah ah).

Lions roar past Golden Suns in pink match

Sports

Tammy Teague

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1:41 am

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Lions roar past Golden Suns in pink match

FORT SMITH, Ark. – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Volleyball hit a season-high .356 in a 25-16, 25-14, 25-14 sweep of Arkansas Tech Tuesday at Gayle Kaundart Arena at the Stubblefield Center on Pink Out night.

The Golden Suns’ defense was no match for outside hitter Nyia Anderson, who registered 14 kills on a .667 attack percentage without committing an error. Fellow outside hitter Caelyn Gunn joined Anderson in double-digit kills with 11.

Arkansas Tech led 9-7 in the first set before the Lions flipped the switch with a 6-0 run. Up 18-15, the Lions went on another 6-0 run with three kills by Gunn to break the set open. UAFS hit .375 in the set.

UAFS methodically took down Tech in set two, letting the Golden Suns only score consecutive points twice while posting a pair of 4-0 runs and a 3-0 run.

The Lions put set three out of reach with a 6-0 run that extended to 10-1 to break open a 6-4 lead. Gunn had a pair of aces while Anderson had three kills during the spurt. UAFS concluded the match by hitting .469 in the final set.

UAFS was strong defensively, as well, as the Golden Suns’ .072 attack percentage is the second lowest by an opponent this season. The Golden Suns hit -.026 in set two.

Libero Paola Fragalle led the defensive effort with 13 digs, while defensive specialist Taylor Lintz had 11 and Gunn 10.

Setter Chloe Price passed out 37 assists in the match.

UAFS will enjoy an off weekend before returning to Lone Star Conference action at No. 5 West Texas A&M October 20.

Arrest Reports 10/1

Police Reports

Tammy Teague

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1:56 am

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Arresting agency – Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office:
Holly Spring Blevins of Huntington was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 2 at 8:01 p.m. and released on signature bond October 3 at 12:46 p.m. Blevins was charged with two counts of Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor.

Eric Kyle Chestine of Huntington was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 4:46 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Chestine was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance – Schedule I/II Felony <2g., and Possession Drug Paraphernalia – Felony.

Wesley Don Cumbie of Huntington was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 1:03 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Cumbie was charged with ADC commitment hold.

Christopher Fry of Lavaca was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 4:36 p.m. and released on cash bond October 6 at 4:29 p.m. Fry was charged with Contempt of Court–(child support), FTAS, FTRespond Subpoena, FTComply WCO.

Hanna O’Ryan Harshall of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 4 at 4:25 p.m. and released on signature bond October 5 at 12:30 p.m. Harshall was charged with Theft of Property <$1k.

Joseph Kenneth Johnson of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 1 at 3:18 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Johnson was charged with Petition to Revoke – Felony, Failure to Appear – Class C Felony, Assist Outside Agency-Felony, and Return To Testify.

Jason Ray Layne of Hartford was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 6 at 12:43 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Layne was charged with absconding, parole violation, Petition to Revoke – Felony, and Failure to Appear – Class C Felony.

Taisha Sheyann Martin of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 6 at 1:20 p.m. and released on bond October 6 at 8:18 p.m. Martin was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance – Schedule IV / V Misdemeanor <28grams, Possession of Controlled Substance – Schedule I/II 2-28g Felony, and Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).

Michael Aaron Mcwhorter of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 6 at 9:31 p.m. and released on signature bond October 7 at 2:49 a.m. Mcwhorter was charged with Failure to Appear – Class C Misdemeanor, and Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).

Landon Matthew Roberson of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 8:36 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Roberson was charged with Driving on Suspended or Revoked DL – DWI.

Timmy Don Scrivner Junior of Hartford was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 2 at 8:35 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Scrivner was charged with Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor, Criminal Trespass – Premises, parole violation, absconding, ADC commitment hold, and Theft of Property <$1k.

Amber Noale Vanmeter of Charleston was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 4:40 p.m. and released on cash bond October 6 at 12:54 p.m. Vanmeter was charged with Failure to Appear – Class C Felony.

Taylor Raee Wheeler of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 5 at 4:43 p.m. and released on signature bond October 6. Wheeler was charged with two counts of Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor.

Arresting agency – Greenwood Police Department:
Derek Logan Carry of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 6 at 3:49 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond October 6 at 8:25 p.m. Carry was charged with Domestic Battering in the Third Degree – Purposely.

Shiloh Belle Dutton of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 6 at 12:52 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond October 6 at 3:55 p.m. Dutton was charged with Interfering With Emergency Communications – 1st Degree Misdemeanor, and Domestic Battering in the Third Degree – Purposely.

Arresting agency – Fort Smith Police Department:
Michael J Mars of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 3 at 8 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Mars was charged with Petition to show cause, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Ingest Meth/Cocaine.

Antonio Young of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 2 at 5:05 p.m. and cited and released on October 2 at 9:35 p.m.

Arresting agency – Mansfield Police Department:
David Wayne Stover of Hartford was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 3 at 12:10 a.m. and released on legally sufficient bond October 3 at 11:24 a.m. Stover was charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Minor in the Third Degree, and Domestic Battering in the Third Degree – Purposely.

Arresting agency – Arkansas Game and Fish:
Trenton Ellis West of Booneville was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on October 1 at 5:10 a.m. and released on legally sufficient bond October 1 at 8 a.m. West was charged with Driving While Intoxicated 1st Offense.

Arresting agency – Logan County Sheriff’s Office:
Charsley Keller, 32 of Paris, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on October 3 at 1:02 p.m. Keller was charged with failure to appear.

Triston Justice, 27 of Ozone, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on October 4 at 12:14 p.m. Justice was charged with hold for U.S. Marshals.

Cheryl Varnell, 63 of Paris, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on October 6 at 12:32 a.m. Varnell was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a schedule I or II controlled substance with purpose to deliver, and possession of a controlled substance.

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

Start Moving Toward Retirement Security

Business

Tammy Teague

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1:00 am

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It’s not as well-known as Halloween, but National Retirement Security week happens every October – the third week, to be precise — and while it doesn’t involve ghosts and goblins, it does deal with something even more frightening: the risk of not being able to enjoy a comfortable retirement. Through various events, this occasion highlights ideas about building retirement security. What steps can you take?

Here are some suggestions:

• Don’t underestimate your longevity. Consider this: 65-year-old men can expect to live another 20 years, while 65-year-old women can anticipate almost 22 more years, according to the Society of Actuaries. And these figures are just averages, meaning you could well exceed these ages, perhaps by many years. So, in thinking about how much money you’ll need as a retiree, be aware that you could spend two, or even three, decades in retirement.

• Don’t underestimate health care costs. When you retire, some of your expenses — such as transportation, wardrobe and other costs associated with your career — will drop. Others will not and may even increase. Health care is a prime example: Many people assume that Medicare or their Medicare Advantage plan will take care of virtually all their health care costs in retirement, but that’s not the case. Generally speaking, you could plan on spending $4,500 to $6,500 per year on health care costs during retirement, excluding the large expenses connected with long-term care. Your actual costs could be higher or lower, depending on your health, prescription drugs and supplemental insurance coverage, but make sure you plan for sizable health care costs in your projected retirement budget.

• Contribute as much as you can afford to your retirement plans. Try to put in as much as you can afford to your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan and try to increase your contributions whenever your salary goes up. You may also be eligible to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA, which offers tax benefits and a wide variety of investment options. (Contributions to a Roth IRA may be limited based on your income.)

Once you reach retirement, you can still make some moves that could help boost your financial security:

• Maintain an appropriate investment mix. When you retire, you might be tempted to shift most of your portfolio into highly conservative investments to “lock in” gains and avoid being over-exposed to market volatility that could cause short-term losses. Yet, even in retirement, you should still own some growth-oriented investments that can potentially help keep you ahead of inflation. In fact, it’s important to periodically rebalance your investments back to your preferred mix to avoid taking too much or too little risk, so you may want to consult with a financial advisor.

• Identify a suitable withdrawal rate. You don’t want to take out so much from your portfolio each year that you run the risk of outliving your money. So, you’ll want to determine an annual withdrawal rate that can reduce this danger. A common withdrawal rate to start retirement is 4%, but your own rate should be based on several factors: your age, size of portfolio, other sources of income and so on.

It can be challenging to make all the moves necessary to help achieve retirement security — but it’s worth the effort.

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

Missed Opportunities Catch Up To Tigers In 14-7 Loss

Sports

Adam Hecox

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4:34 pm

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Missed Opportunities Catch Up To Tigers In 14-7 Loss

In boxing, you win by either a knockout or the judges scoring card. A quick knockout is always nice but a good back and forth fight, now that is what draws everyone’s attention. Mansfield came into the 2023 season with a new coach, new look, and a new program feel. The Tigers quickly set out to make a name for themselves as a new conference and state contender. Of course, to achieve that would consist of facing off against some serious competition. That competition just so happens to be Arkansas football blue bloods Charleston and Booneville. But could an upstart Mansfield team even compete with these perineal powerhouses, let alone win? The first step to finding out was when Mansfield traveled to Charleston on Friday, October 6th to take on the 2022 defending State Champions.

Mansfield’s first shot at an opportunity came on the opening kickoff when the Tigers were able to catch Charleston off guard with a short kick and the opportunity to recover but over ran the recovery. Charleston shipped out their high octane offense onto the field at the 37-yard line and away they went. Before the Charleston’s first snap of the game, the Tigers jumped offsides giving Charleston freebee. Mansfield’s defense finally settled down, but Charleston took their early momentum downfield in ten plays to get into the endzone first. The extra point was good, and Charleston took the early 7-0 lead over Mansfield in the first quarter. The ensuing kickoff left Mansfield’s offense pinned deep at their own ten-yard line to start their first offensive drive. Charleston showed that they still have State Championship qualities as they stuffed the Tigers for a three and out forcing Mansfield to punt. Charleston now had all of the momentum and only half a field to work with and again drove downfield on the Tigers, this time on eleven plays before scoring. Down 14-0, this is where many teams would just lay down or throw in the towel. Mansfield isn’t your normal team this season though and the Tigers continued their fight.

As the second quarter began, Mansfield began to take momentum back from Charleston little by little until Andrew Burton took a big chunk back when he telegraphed a Charleston pass for an interception at the 30-yard line. Two plays later, running back Daniel Burton gashed Charleston’s defense for a huge 37-yard run up the gut. With Charleston taken back by the big play, Mansfield pulled the ol’ be kind rewind move and sent Burton again up the middle again, this time for 22 yards which set the Tigers up in prime territory at the 5-yard line. Mansfield capitalized two plays later with a 5-yard run by Andrew Burton into the endzone for a Tiger touchdown. The Tigers split the uprights with an extra point kick which cut Charleston’s led to 14-7. Mansfield’s defense would again stand tall on Charleston’s next possession as pressure from Trey Powell led to an off-balance pass by Charleston’s quarterback that went straight into the hands of Samuel Burton. With just a couple seconds on the clock and both teams playing lights out defense, Mansfield went for the safe bet and ran the clock out to go into the half down 14-7.

When the second half began, both fan bases were ready for their team to explode out of the locker room and take full control of the game by scoring touchdown after touchdown. Those fans would be in for a surprise though as both Tiger teams leaned heavily on their ultimate strength. Defense. Mansfield gained yardage on their heavy hitting rushing attack, but nearly every other play would be called back on a penalty. Charleston marched down field a few times in the second half, but they had issues with a few missed opportunities. The Tigers did put together a solid drive behind running backs Tyler Turnipseed and Daniel Burton which got Mansfield within 20 yards of the endzone, but the drive stalled out and they couldn’t convert on a fourth down which turned the ball back over to Charleston. Back and forth the defensive blows went between the Tiger titans as the game remained 14-7 well into the fourth quarter. Mansfield put another good drive together and was picking up speed before disaster struck. Jeremy Strozier completed a 15-yard pass downfield but as the receiver was trying to gain every inch of turf for more yards, the ball was knocked out. The fumble gave Charleston the ball back but again, but Mansfield still just would not give up. The Tigers defense kept the defending State Champions out of eth end zone for the remainder of the game, but Mansfield ran out of time offensively as the Tigers fell 14-7 to Charleston.

To answer the question of can Mansfield compete against the best of the best, the answer was sealed with a definite yes. If the Tigers can hold Charleston to a mere 14 points on their own turf, then they can hang in there with just about anyone in the 3A. The Tigers loss was a tough one to swallow as they fall to a 5-1 overall record and 2-1 conference record but swallow it they must. With the rebuilding of a program comes the ups and downs. The down for this week was the loss. The up on the other hand was the grit and determination of the players to be able to go into hostile territory against a program who is known to be a dominant force in the state and give them all they want and then some. Now the Tigers focus must shift to another 3A powerhouse as they move out of the pot and into the fire against another powerhouse. Mansfield will host the Booneville Bearcats next week on Friday, October 13^th. Booneville has blown past their 3A-1 conference competition up to this point, but the Tigers won’t be looking at any past scores of the Bearcats. They’ll be looking at another opportunity to prove themselves to the conference and state as a serious contender.

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RESIDENT NEWS NETWORK