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Lady Tigers Shake, Rattle, And Roll Past Fordyce

Adam Hecox
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Lady Tigers Shake, Rattle, And Roll Past Fordyce

The Lady Tigers went into the Arkansas 2A State Tournament with a 24-7 overall record as the 2A-4 Co-Conference Champions, the 2A-4 District Champions, and the 2A West Regional Runner Ups. All of that is fine and dandy if that’s all you’re capable of. But the Arkansas State Championship, now that is the goal of goals for the Lady Tigers. Mansfield started the tournament off by redeeming a 2022 loss to England in Round1 of the 2023 State Tournament with a 62-38 blowout to get one step closer to their goal. Round2 on the other hand seemed like it would be much tougher on paper as they faced the 1Seeded Fordyce Lady Red Bugs. The teams matched up well in size and skill which left only one factor to determine a winner. Determination.

Mansfield started off with freshman Kaylee Ward winning the opening jump and it was game on from there. The Lady Tigers wasted little time scoring as Natalie Allison pulled the plug on the Lady Red Bugs by draining three straight three-pointers. With the threat of arc shots evident, Fordyce moved out to the perimeter to defend any big points. Mansfield then switched gears and started dishing the ball into the paint which allowed the Lady Tigers to outrebound Fordyce and go back up with putback points. Fordyce was able to bring the opening quarter to a four point gap off of free throws but couldn’t seem to keep up with the red-hot Lady Tigers. Kaylee Ward and Alyson Edwards stood tall at the backboard and put through shot after shot as the first quarter ended with Mansfield leading 20-13.

A slow start to the second quarter by Mansfield brought the Lady Red Bugs back within five points again, but the Lady Tigers endeavored to persevere off of pure hustle. Fordyce applied some full-court pressure to slow the Lady Tigers back down, a tactic that proved to be effective early. The pressure made Mansfield make sloppy passes, miss shots, and even rack up six charged fouls as Fordyce continued to keep the game close with a 24-18 score. Although Mansfield was playing good defense, the Lady Red Bugs would not back down as both teams traded blows on each end of the court. The Lady Tigers offensive cold streak finally ended with a Kynslee Ward three-pointer. Alyson Edwards powered in for a rebound and board bucket to close the hard fought half with the Lady Tigers up by a dime, 29-19. 

Fordyce opened the second half on offense but the Lady Tigers stole the ball and roared downcourt to capitalize with a smooth Kaylee Ward hook shot. The tide quickly switched again though with back-to-back Lady Tiger turnovers that gave Fordyce six points closing Mansfield’s lead to 31-25. Kynslee Ward broke another Fordyce run as she drove the ball into the paint to drop in a layup. The score helped, but didn’t stop the Lady Red Bugs. As fouls and mental mistakes by the Lady Tigers piled up, Fordyce began to smell blood and went after Mansfield hard. That “hard” was taken by Kynslee Ward who drew a charge call to give Mansfield the ball right back. Ward then sank a long range three-pointer to set the score at 38-26 in Mansfield’s favor. Skylynn Harris quickly added a board bucket of her own and was followed up by a Kynslee Ward reverse layup. Kaylee Ward then took a rebound and added a putback to close the third quarter with a 44-28 lead in Mansfield’s favor.

It all would come down to the final quarter. The Lady Red Bugs opened the final quarter by hitting a three-pointer, took a steal, and then drew a foul to boot. With an explosive start by Fordyce, Mansfield leaned on their fast-paced offense to try to wear down Fordyce. The plan was effective and forced Fordyce to call a time-out with 6:46 left in the game and a 49-35 score. The Lady Red Bugs kept momentum coming out of the time out with a layup and drew a couple of fouls against Mansfield along the way to close the score within ten points. Unfortunately for the Layd Red Bugs, they made a mistake shortly after that. A “big” mistake. The Lady Red Bugs left Mansfield’s 6’4 freshman, Kaylee Ward, wide open under the rim. Ward dropped the ball through the net for an easy bucket to put the Lady Red Bugs on ice. Mansfield began to pass around the ball to slow the game down with 1:48 left on the clock. Fordyce would make back-to-back steals on the Lady Tigers in the final seconds, but capitalizing with points wasn’t as easy as Mansfield rolled on to a 53-39 victory over Fordyce.

The Mansfield Lady Tigers have earned a spot in the Arkansas 2A State Tournament semifinals. If you want to add some pizzazz to that phrase, you can say that this is March Madness and Mansfield is in the Final 4. Joining the Lady Tigers in the Final 4 will be the Hector Lady Wildcats, Conway Christian Lady Eagles, and Mount Vernon-Enola Lady Warhawks. Mansfield will face off against Mount Vernon-Enola on Saturday, March 4th at 6:00pm in Rector. The Lady Warhawks have been keyed as the number one 2A girls team in the state for months now and Mansfield is on a red-hot streak so make no bones about it, this game will be an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

Photos courtesy of Jeanie Keomoungkhoune

“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

Tammy Teague
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“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

By Sheri Hopkins,
Lifestyle Contributor

Hello everyone! This is the first day of March and the wind has been blowing and the rain is coming. What’s the old saying, if it comes in like a lamb it goes out like a lion, and vice versa? Hopefully nobody found an eyelash in their food this week.

Remember if I’m tell you a funny story about my mom and Alzheimer’s, I’m not making fun. Most of you know I love animals, mostly dogs. I’m allergic to cats and snakes. Not really, snakes, but I would never have one for a pet. We have had several dogs since my childhood. During married life we had a few dogs. We had a sweet basset hound named Bruno that the kids loved. We also were the proud owners of a tan chihuahua named Candy. Candy would not mind, would not listen, roamed the neighborhood barking at everything that moved and was a good guard dog. She was a house dog but liked to loaf. We loved her and had her around the time we babysat Rachel James. When her Granny B would come pick her up on occasion, she was so protective of Rachel, she would bite Granny B. My mom also loved Candy. When we lived on the other side of town, there was a big dog that roamed the neighborhood tearing up everyone’s trash on trash day. Candy was innocent, she was fed good. I called the city and told them about this big dog and they sent Mike Smith out to take care of the problem. He comes over and sets a trap and puts food inside the trap. I can’t wait for him to catch this big dog roaming around. I get a knock on the door one day and it’s Mike Smith, and he wants me to come out to the trap and see the dog he caught. I’m sure you guess it, low and behold there was my little chihuahua, Candy, in that live trap eating that dog food like she was starving. In the words of Barney Fife “who looks foolish now?” That ended the hunt for the big dog.

I’m pretty sure the city workers got a big kick out of that. My mom loved Candy and she would never let us have an inside pet, barely an outside one. I always thought that Candy knew something was wrong with my mom and was always by her side. One day while at work, I got a phone call from Jacob and he says, “Mom, you have to come home. Nanny Jane has Candy and they are locked in Garrett Sutton’s car and Garrett has to go to work.” I said, “Well I can’t leave work, ya’ll are on your own taking her out of that car.” The keys were in the car so there was no way to get her out short of calling Stan Deer to unlock it. The boys finally coaxed her and Candy out of the car so Garrett could go to work. Candy sure had some adventures with my mom.

Have I told y’all before how much I love lemon? And if you love lemon, you are going to want to make this. As cousin Lou Lou said, “Yum, yum!”

LEMON LASAGNA
1 14.3 package golden Oreo cookies (for more lemon flavor, use the lemon Oreos)
1/2 cup butter
8 oz. of cream cheese, softened
1 16 oz. Cool Whip, divided
1 cup powdered sugar
lemon juice
1 3.4 oz. package instant vanilla pudding
1 3.4 oz. package instant lemon pudding
3 cups milk
Crush the Oreo cookies real fine, if you have a food processor, put them in that and add 1/2 cup melted butter and mix together. Spread in a 9×13 pan. In a large bowl mix the softened cream cheese, and 8 oz. of Cool Whip, 1 cup of powdered sugar and a tablespoon of lemon juice and mix well (I use my stand mixer). Spread this mixture on top of the crust. Chill in the refrigerator. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups of milk and both the instant puddings until thickened. Pour this on top of the cream cheese mixture. Top with the remaining Cool Whip and top with a crushed cookie, nuts or lemon slices. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Yummy!

Save the Humans! Give Blood.

Tammy Teague
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Save the Humans! Give Blood.

Save the humans! Extra-terrestrials are landing at a local blood drive.

Our Blood Institute (OBI) will hold a blood drive with Lavaca High School, March 9, from 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the bloodmobile. Blood donors will receive a free, limited edition, “Save the Humans” T-shirt, while supplies last. *

Donors will also get one free admission to the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock.

“This is an out of this world way for us to say, ‘thank you’ to our donors in an extra(terrestrial) way. We truly appreciate those who take the time out of their day to help others ‘live long and prosper,’” said John Armitage, M.D., president and CEO of Our Blood Institute. “But the reality here on earth is that blood cannot be manufactured in a lab—it can only be given by our generous volunteer donors. Patients in local hospitals rely on blood transfusions throughout the year to fight cancer, blood disorders, other illnesses and injuries.”

Every two seconds, someone needs blood, and the supply must be constantly renewed. It takes approximately 1,200 donors a day to meet those needs.

Our Blood Institute is the sixth-largest independent blood center in the nation, with 16 donor centers across Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas, including five centers in Arkansas. OBI provides blood products for patients in more than 40 Arkansas hospitals, medical facilities, and air ambulances.

Appointments to give blood are not required but can be made by calling OBI at 877-340-8777 or visiting obi.org. One blood donation only takes about an hour and saves up to three patients’ lives.

*16-year-olds must weigh at least 125 pounds and provide signed parental permission; 17-year-olds must weigh at least 125 pounds; individuals over the age of 18 must weigh at least 110 pounds. Photo ID required.

Can You Count on Social Security?

Tammy Teague
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Can You Count on Social Security?

 If you’re getting closer to retirement, you might be thinking more about Social Security. Specifically, can you count on it to contribute part of the income you’ll need as a retiree?

There’s been an increase in alarming language surrounding the solvency of Social Security, but in reality, its prospects are not nearly as gloomy as you might have heard.

Here’s the story: Under current law, Social Security is estimated to exhaust its trust funds by 2035, after which benefits could be cut by 20%, according to the 2022 Social Security Trustees report. However, the large cost of living adjustment (COLA) (8.7%) for 2023 could cause the trust funds to use up their resources sooner.

But this outlook may represent a worst-case scenario. For one thing, the cost of the 2023 COLA will be somewhat offset by higher taxes on workers contributing to Social Security. The maximum amount of earnings subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax jumped from $147,000 in 2022 to $160,200 in 2023. And in looking down the road, further increases in this earnings cap may also help reduce the gap in the trust funds. Increasing the payroll tax is another possibility for boosting funding to Social Security.

And here’s a political reality: Social Security is a popular program and it’s unlikely that any future Congress wants to be blamed for reducing benefits. Of course, there are no guarantees, but it seems fair to say that you can reasonably expect some benefits from Social Security when you retire.

But perhaps the bigger issue is just how much you should depend on Social Security for your retirement income. On average, Social Security benefits will provide about 30% of a beneficiary’s preretirement earnings, according to the Social Security Administration. But the higher your earnings before you retire, the lower the percentage that will be replaced by Social Security.

Still, you’ll want to maximize the benefits that are available to you — and that means deciding when to start taking Social Security. You can begin as early as 62, but your monthly payments could be as much as 30% lower than your normal (or “full”) retirement age, which will likely be between 66 and 67.

Even if you were to wait until your full retirement age before collecting Social Security, you’ll also need to draw on other sources of funding. So, while you are still working, it’s a good idea to keep contributing to your IRA and 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan.

The amount you contribute should depend on your overall financial strategy and your financial needs, so, for example, you probably shouldn’t put in so much into your retirement accounts that you feel significant stress in your monthly cash flow. But when you do get a chance to invest more in these accounts, such as when your salary goes up, you may want to take advantage of the opportunity.

Ultimately, you should be able to count on Social Security as part of your retirement income. You may want to consult with a financial professional to determine when taking Social Security makes the most sense for you and how you can also get the most from your other retirement accounts. You’ll want a retirement income strategy that’s built for the long run.

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

Save the Humans! Give Blood.

Tammy Teague
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0
Save the Humans! Give Blood.

Save the humans! Extra-terrestrials are landing at a local blood drive.

Our Blood Institute (OBI) will hold a blood drive with Mansfield High School, March 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the bloodmobile.  Blood donors will receive a free, limited edition, “Save the Humans” T-shirt, while supplies last. *

Donors will also get one free admission to the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock.

“This is an out of this world way for us to say, ‘thank you’ to our donors in an extra(terrestrial) way. We truly appreciate those who take the time out of their day to help others ‘live long and prosper,’” said John Armitage, M.D., president and CEO of Our Blood Institute. “But the reality here on earth is that blood cannot be manufactured in a lab—it can only be given by our generous volunteer donors. Patients in local hospitals rely on blood transfusions throughout the year to fight cancer, blood disorders, other illnesses and injuries.”

Every two seconds, someone needs blood, and the supply must be constantly renewed. It takes approximately 1,200 donors a day to meet those needs.

Our Blood Institute is the sixth-largest independent blood center in the nation, with 16 donor centers across Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas, including five centers in Arkansas. OBI provides blood products for patients in more than 40 Arkansas hospitals, medical facilities, and air ambulances.

Appointments to give blood are not required but can be made by calling OBI at 877-340-8777 or visiting obi.org. One blood donation only takes about an hour and saves up to three patients’ lives.

*16-year-olds must weigh at least 125 pounds and provide signed parental permission; 17-year-olds must weigh at least 125 pounds; individuals over the age of 18 must weigh at least 110 pounds. Photo ID required.

Scott County Flooding Claims Life in Drowning

Resident News Network
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Scott County Flooding Claims Life in Drowning

Press Release issued from Scott County Sheriff’s Department

March 2, 2023 | 12:10 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Early this morning (March 3 2023) Scott County 911 Dispatch received a report that a Scott County man was supposed to meet his grandson on Manorcrest Road, but had never arrived and had not returned home. Sheriff’s Deputies conducted searches of his assumed areas of travel and attempted to track his cell phone, but those efforts were unsuccessful. As water levels began to recede this morning a passing motorist on Hwy 248 East noticed and reported the top of a pickup truck visible in the water in the Poteau River. Deputies and other public safety personnel responded to the scene and discovered the heavily damaged truck unoccupied and mostly submerged in the water. A search of the immediate area was conducted, and just before 8:00am the deceased man was found a short distance from the truck. The initial investigation of the incident indicates that the truck was likely swept from the roadway and into the Poteau River near Hwy 80 East and Manorcrest Road, and washed downstream to where it was ultimately discovered. Our office would like to thank the Scott County Office of Emergency Management, Waldron Police Department, and all others who assisted in this incident, and we ask that you keep the man’s family and loved ones in your thoughts in the days ahead.

Top Benefits of Buying Locally Grown Food

Resident News Network
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Top Benefits of Buying Locally Grown Food

As you may well know, much work goes into farming and gardening. It takes business owners a lot of effort to get their businesses from production to sales. These actions are even more imperative for small business owners because they need the means to buy as many tools and hire as much labor for production as possible. So, they greatly depend on their clients. Here are some of the top benefits of buying locally grown food to give you further insight.

The Fresh Factor and Safety of Your Food

You can count on one thing to happen every time you buy local meat and produce from farmers in your community. It will always be fresh and clean. And because you won’t be purchasing from big box stores, it is unlikely that your food was sprayed with harmful pesticides or injected with tons of chemicals to keep the animal healthy while it was alive. Just fresh, raw ingredients straight from the source, naturally grown and served directly from a distributor you’ve come to know and trust.

You’re Supporting the Local Economy

If you’re buying locally, you’re also caring for your community. If you want your town to thrive and maintain itself, it’s always a great idea to support the area that you live in. With enough support, you’ll start to see more small businesses pop up, and the already existing businesses will improve. Now your home can flourish and grow to its fullest potential, which will make the lives of everyone who lives there better. Now, they can have a successful farmer’s market in the winter, spring, summer, and fall.

The Preservation of Natural Resources

You can preserve all the farms and orchards, natural springs, and vineyards when you support small businesses. Many sell locally because they need more money to market to larger retailers. Some businesses don’t want to get too big because they love their work. Part of that love is also for their communities. They want to maintain their ethics and stand by their small-town values. If they sell out to larger companies, they may receive a bigger profit, but they will also deplete the natural resources built up from their farms and orchards.

As you can see, there are many top benefits of buying locally grown food and why doing so is important. We encourage you to shop at your local farmer’s market. Together, we can make a significant and positive difference.

Arkansas Defeats Missouri in Womens’ SEC Tournament; Date with South Carolina in Tomorrow’s Second Round

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Arkansas Defeats Missouri in Womens’ SEC Tournament; Date with South Carolina in Tomorrow’s Second Round

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Arkansas women’s basketball team (21-11) never wavered to Missouri (17-13) to earn their 10th straight win over the Tigers with an 85-74 victory in the opening round of the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament. Arkansas trailed by as many as 11 with 51 seconds in the third quarter, but the Razorbacks charged on a 16-0 run in the fourth quarter to outscore the Tigers 29-10 in the fourth quarter. Chrissy Carr went off for a career-high 34 points off 11-of-14 shooting from the field. The win marks the eighth SEC Tournament victory in the Mike Neighbors era in just six years. Arkansas is set for a rematch with No. 1 South Carolina for a quarterfinal matchup at 11 a.m. CT.

Carr wasted no time, burying a 3-pointer on Arkansas’ first possession. Missouri went on a 5-0 run to retake the lead, but Arkansas quickly took it back with a Samara Spencer jumper. The Tigers went back up on their next possession, but Spencer found an open Erynn Barnum beneath the basket for a layup. After another Carr triple, Missouri called a timeout with Arkansas ahead, 11-7, with 5:48 left in the first quarter. Saylor Poffenbarger came up with a block on the defensive end to set up the Razorbacks on the other side for a Makayla Daniels 3-pointer. The Tigers closed out the final three minutes of the quarter with a 12-4 run to retake the lead just before the end of the quarter. Missouri led 21-20 after the first quarter.

The Tigers hit a 3-pointer to take Missouri back up by two, but Arkansas came up with big stops on defense, which set up the Razorbacks in transition to make big shots. Arkansas went on an 8-0 run with big thanks to Carr knocking down two 3-pointers. Missouri took a timeout, as Arkansas led 30-24 with 7:00 minutes left in the quarter. Missouri broke its three-minute scoring drought with a 3-pointer, but Spencer responded with a layup. The Tigers climbed back in to tie up the game at 32 with a 3-pointer and then retook the lead after knocking down another triple. Missouri hit their eighth 3-pointer on the game, but Spencer responded by knocking down one of her own, and then Carr drove to the basket for a layup. The Tigers retook the lead again, but the Razorbacks made the most of their final possession, as Spencer made a layup with six seconds left in the half. Arkansas had the 41-40 advantage at the break.

Missouri went back ahead off two free throws, but Carr continued to be hot with a jumper. Arkansas was cold from the field for over four minutes until Carr came up with another jumper. The Tigers went up by four, but Saylor Poffenbarger scored two baskets to tie the game at 53 with less than five to play. Missouri then went on a 5-0 run, as Arkansas called a timeout, finding themselves down 58-53, with 3:47 left in the quarter. The Tigers continued their run, extending to an 11-0 one, while Arkansas was in a scoring drought for over three minutes. Carr dug the Razorbacks out of the hole with a 3-pointer to extend her point total to 29, as Arkansas trailed 64-56 going into the final quarter.

Rylee Langerman knocked down a 3-pointer, which looked to be a big difference maker in the game, and Poffenbarger followed with a jumper to cut the lead to three. Missouri then capitalized on the other end with a 3-pointer to take a 67-61 lead. Arkansas was called for charges on back-to-back possessions, but Carr buried her sixth 3-pointer of the game, which would start a 16-0 run for Arkansas. Makayla Daniels burried a 3-pointer out of the timeout to tie the game at 67. The Razorbacks retook the lead for the first time in the quarter off a Spencer and-1. Spencer missed the free throw, but Poffenbarger grabbed the rebound to kick it out to Daniels for a triple. The Razorbacks kept rolling, making five of their 12 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, while holding Missouri scoreless for over five minutes. The Razorbacks closed out the game with shooting 10-for-12 from the line down the stretch. In a game with 16 lead changes and seven ties, Arkansas pulled out the 85-74 win to live another day in the SEC Tournament.

HOG HIGHLIGHTS

  • Arkansas’ win marked the eighth SEC Tournament victory in the Neighbors era in six years, which ties Gary Blair for the most SEC Tournament wins as a Razorback head coach who took 10 years to get there
  • The win marks the 10th straight over Missouri
  • Carr delivered 22 of her career-high 34 points in the first half off an efficient 11-of-14 from the field and 6-of-8 from 3-point, which is a new career-high. She added three boards and played 36 minutes
  • Spencer got it done on all areas of the floor with 19 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks
  • Daniels showed incredible toughness in the second half after missing most of the first, finishing with 17 points, three big 3-pointers and 8-of-8 shooting from the free throw line. She also had three assists and two steals
  • Poffenbarger logged six points, 11 rebounds, five assists and one block
  • Langerman finished with three points, four rebounds, two steals and a 15 +/-
  • Maryam Dauda pulled down a career-high five offensive rebounds and had three assists and two blocks
  • Barnum got in foul trouble early and only played 15.5 minutes, but finished with four points and a 18 +/-

UP NEXT

The Razorbacks will take on a rematch with No. 1 South Carolina tomorrow at 11 a.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.

Note to Our Readers: The previous story was sourced directly and in its entirety from the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Kylie Magar.

County Line Defeats Bradley 70-47 on Wednesday; Awaits Second Round Opponent in 1A State Basketball Tournament

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County Line Defeats Bradley 70-47 on Wednesday; Awaits Second Round Opponent in 1A State Basketball Tournament

The County Line Indians looked the part on Wednesday of a team that many have picked to be in Hot Springs next weekend playing for a state championship in Class 1A. The Indians raced to a double-digit start in the first quarter against Bradley and never looked back in the state tournament first round win.

County Line is now awaiting the winner of this afternoon’s first round contest between Clarendon and Concord in anticipation of their second round game on Friday. The Indians will play the winner on Friday at Ozark High School at 8:30 p.m. A win on Friday night will advance County Line to the state semifinals where they would be one win away from advancing to next weekend’s championship final.

County Line is extremely well-coached by Joe Brunson. Brunson’s team is playing with great confidence. The Indians appear to know exactly what they want to do, feel confident in doing it, and, they expect to win every time they take the court. Although there are still good teams remaining in the tournament, County Line will be a challenge for anyone who plays them.

RNN Sports will be in Lamar tomorrow afternoon to cover the Charleston Tigers and their Class 3A quarterfinal game with Manilla at 2:30 p.m. We will make the trip west on I-40 after the game to bring you coverage of the Indians’ quarterfinal game at Ozark High School at 8:30 p.m.

Charleston will play at 2:30 p.m. in the 3A second round at Lamar High School (RNN Sports File Photo / Jim Best)

Watch for coverage of both games on Saturday at RNN Sports online (residentnewsnetwork.com). Additionally, there will be a feature story in RNN’s Logan County Edition weekly newspaper the week of March 8. You will not want to miss RNN’s coverage in the Logan County Edition! If you have not yet subscribed, you can do so by going to residentnewsnetwork.com and clicking on the subscriptions link. We feature color photos that would be great for anyone keeping a scrapbook on this special season!

Good luck to both Charleston and County Line as they pursue a state basketball championship in the River Valley!

And, RNN Sports will be there to bring you all of the action!

Timepiece: Folk Hero or Criminal

Tammy Teague
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Timepiece: Folk Hero or Criminal

By Dr. Curtis Varnell

The Civil War officially ended for the U.S. in April of 1865 but it was years before things could return to normal.  Much of the South was devastated as a result of the fighting.  Entire towns were burned to the ground, plantations and farms destroyed, and the economy in shambles.  Even more devastating was the harm done within the soul of so many men and women that were involved in the bitterness resulting from waging battle against your fellow countrymen and neighbors. 

Probably no area was more afflicted with these feelings than southern Missouri and N.W. Arkansas.  The population in the region were nearly equally divided between support for the Union and support for the Confederacy.  By 1863, most towns were occupied by the union but the rural areas were controlled by bushwhackers, many who were more loyal to their own personnel desires than to either military party.  Lawlessness prevailed with atrocities committed throughout the region, often against neighbors or even relatives.  Signing a paper ending the war did not end the bitterness and desire for revenge. 

Entering town on highway 64, few towns seem as peaceful and calm as Clarksville, Ar.  The downtown area contains the traditional courthouse on the square surrounded by a number of small businesses.  Just north of the square stands the University of the Ozarks, one of the most beautiful campuses in the state.  It’s hard to imagine the violence that swept the area during and after the war.  Stories of that time abound but none describes the time better than the story of Sydney Wallace.  Wallace was born near Clarksville, the fifth son of a local Methodist minister.  On December 31, 1863, Wallace’s father was murdered in front of their house by a group of men wearing Union army coats.  Thought to be local bushwhackers in disguise, the men were recognized by Missouri Blackard, a family slave who remained as a servant after the war.  She refused to tell young Wallace the identity of the men until he became an adult.  Traumatized by the event, some of which he observed, his hatred increased over the years and he vowed revenge when he became of age.

There are several variations of the story, which was picked up by newspapers as far away as the New York Times.  Folklore says that, in 1871, he traveled to Kansas to kill one of the attackers and, upon his return, allegedly shot Joseph Dickey on a road near Clarksville. Dud Turner, who was a witness to the shooting was given a severe beating.  Turner filed charges against Wallace and he was arrested but released on bail.  Accompanied by his brother George, Wallace reportedly killed constable R.W. Ward and another man by the name of Davis.  The two then accosted Turner who shot and killed George Wallace.   Turner was arrested for shooting George but then released by Judge Elisha Mears who stated it was a clear case of self-defense.  Violence begat violence.  Up until this time, it was alleged that Wallace was only exacting revenge on those who had killed his father.  Infuriated by the Judge’s action, he killed the judge and fled, only to be tracked down and arrested.  Wallace somehow escaped, and was eventually recaptured.  Back in the cell, Wallace overpowered his guards, seized their weapons and shot guard Thomas Paine, a man with whom he had personal enmity and whom his supporters claimed was a part of the group involved in his father’s death.  During his escape, he and two of his brothers took shelter in a building and refused to surrender until authorities threatened to blow up the building with the entire group inside.

Even though a local folk hero; nearly 1,000 people signed a petition for his release, he was convicted to hang for killing the judge. He was hanged in Clarksville on March 13, 1874 in front of hundred of spectators.  Defiantly, on the gallows he stated. “I die in defense of myself, my friends, and I regret not having a dozen deaths to die.”

Common criminal or folk hero defending his family, we will never know for sure.  What we can see is the results of hatred, bitterness, and revenge.

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