Resident News Network

Freshmen Bulldogs Maul Panthers

Sports

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3:52 pm

9th Grade Bulldogs traveled to Siloam Springs and defeated the Panthers 35-12 in NWRV Conference action.

The Freshman Bulldogs made their first trek to Benton County to face the Siloam Springs Panthers. Longtime foes in the Varsity ranks since the ’90s, the 2026 Bulldogs were facing them for the first time since they were Pittbulls doing 7 on 7 Tournaments during the pre-season.

Just like the Varsity Bulldogs, the 9th Grade jumped out of the gate early with a Wesley Raggio touchdown. Siloam Springs would be forced to turnover on downs and the Jr ‘Dogs would find the end zone again this time through the air as Cooper Goodwin would find Lawyer Thornsberry for the Touchdown. Laydn Casanova’s kick would be good giving Greenwood a 14-0 lead. Siloam Springs would turnover on downs again from great plays on defense.

Cooper Goodwin would throw the short pass to Wesley Raggio, with the running back finding the End Zone after a great run and down field blocking from the receivers. Casanova would tack on the extra point making it 21-0 with 4:49 in the 2nd. Siloam would finally put together a drive and find themselves 4th and Goal. They would push their way into the end zone with the two-point conversion failing when Linebacker Caleb Cox gets the interception. Greenwood would run out the clock to take the halftime lead 21-6.

Siloam opens up the second half just as they did the first half with a Turnover on downs. Greenwood would drive down to the Siloam 2 yard line and turn the ball over to Siloam. Siloam would then return the favor and fumble with Cody Johnson landing on the ball. Greenwood drives into the Siloam Red Zone as time expired on the 3rd Quarter.

Greenwood’s Brayden Shepard would hammer the run into the end zone for 6, with Casanova adding the extra point 28-6. Siloam then answers back with help from a pass interference call them throwing to the right to a falling down receiver. Touchdown Siloam Springs, two-point conversion would fail again. Greenwood drives down again once again allowing Brayden Shepard to get into the end zone for the final TD of the night. Casanova’s kick was good once again putting the score at 35-12 with 3:42 left in the 4th. The defense stood tall stopping the Siloam Springs offense after great plays from Cody Johnson, Easton Carter, and others. Greenwood would then run out the clock.

“They’re a good team, they were coached up. They ran the ball really well. They kind of played keep away from us for a little bit.” Jr High Head Coach Luke Hales said of Siloam Springs. After several weeks of close games the Freshman ‘Dogs were able to breath a little bit, Coach Hales had this to say, “Our guys on defense really stepped up. Cody Johnson had another really good night. Sylas Geren, Sam Hicks and Akira Fujibayashi really stepped up on the D[efensive] Line.” On the Offensive side of the ball, Coach Hales commented about the running game “Another big night for Offensive Line and Wesley [Raggio]. We didn’t throw the ball as I wanted to, but that comes with time and reps, and we’ll get that corrected.” Brayden Shepard has become one of the rising stars of the team in the short yardage situations, “That’s a big deal for our team. Wesley does so much he’s on kickoff, kickoff return, he runs the ball about every other play, he catches the ball out of the backfield. So it is awesome to have a [another] guy that can really go.” With the offensive line and the play of Raggio and Shepard, the Quarterback play and decision making of Cooper Goodwin has progressed throughout the season “They [Offensive Line] give him plenty of time, getting us movement so we can run the ball. Cooper’s the leader of our team. He’s a really smart kid, a great football player, and he’s going to have an awesome three weeks at the end of the season.”

Next week the Freshman Bulldogs host Pea Ridge in Thursday night action. They played Shiloh Christian this past Thursday and took a 49-3 loss. This will be the second meeting between the 2026 Bulldogs. Covid cancelled the game in 2020. In 2021 Pea Ridge traveled to Greenwood ending in a 41-6 win for the Bulldogs. This will also be the last home game for the Freshman Bulldogs as the last two weeks they are on the road to Shiloh Christian and Alma.

Currently Greenwood sits second in the very competitive NWRV Conference. Shiloh Christian is in first at 6-0, Harrison and Farmington both sit at 4-2 with the nod going to Harrison in that tie breaker. Rounding out the last half the conference is Dardanelle, Van Buren, and Siloam Springs at 3-3. Alma, Pea Ridge, and Prairie Grove sit at 1-5.

Greenwood Shuts Out The Wolves

Sports

Ross Fujibayashi

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3:42 pm

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The Bulldogs take a 24-0 win over the previously unbeaten Lake Hamilton Wolves

On a warm night in October the Greenwood Bulldogs added to their total of shutout victories over Lake Hamilton. November 4, 2016 was the last time the Wolves saw the end zone at Smith-Robinson Stadium, tonight things did not change.

Greenwood would defer to the 2nd with the Wolves receiving the kick. The defense stood tall with stops coming from Seniors Logan Taylor and Evan Williams, forcing a Lake Hamilton kick. Greenwood takes over but finds themselves in a similar situation having to punt on fourth down. The Wolves look as if they find a wrinkle in the Greenwood Defense and get the first 1st down of the game, Coach Jason Gill and Staff iron that out and get the defense to stand tall and hold the visitors to a punt. Greenwood gets the ball and gets to work as just as they have for the last 6 games. Hunter Houston finds L.J. Robins and Grant Karnes to get the Bulldogs in the Red Zone. After a few attempts Houston hammers it in from 1 yard out for the first TD. Bodey Steinfeldt came on to kick the extra point to make it 7-0. Lake Hamilton punts again after stops from Cash Archer, Eli Whitaker, and Evan Williams. End of the 1st quarter 7-0.

Hunter Houston throws to Peyton Presson and L.J. Robins to get the ‘Dogs within scoring distance. Jake Glover finishes off the drive with a TD, Steinfeldt tacks on the extra point to put Greenwood up 14-0 with 6:32 left in the first half. Lake Hamilton and Greenwood would trade punts on three consecutive drives. After Lake Hamilton’s punt Hunter Houston took to the air finding Presson for the first down, then going back to Grant Karnes for the Touchdown. Point after was good. Lake Hamilton would run out the clock and Greenwood would take the 21-0 lead going into the half.

First drive of the 2nd half Greenwood drives down into Lake Hamilton territory and then fumble turning the ball over to Lake Hamilton. The Wolves drive down into Greenwood territory but are stopped as the defense again rises to the occasion with several Bulldogs making the stop on 4th down. Greenwood drives down to the Wolves 5 yard line and go for the Field Goal on 4th down. The Steinfeldt kick is good for 3 points to make the score 24-0 early in the 4th quarter.

Lake Hamilton and Greenwood would put together time consuming drives that would end in punts. on the last drive that would be Lake Hamilton’s last chance to put points on the board they are stopped as time runs out. Greenwood wins the game 24-0 making this the 12th game the Bulldogs have won against Lake Hamilton.

“You talk about preparation, we’ve prepared like crazy these last two weeks.” Head Coach Chris Young said about the lead up to this game that included a Bye Week. “I can’t give enough credit number one to Coach Gill and our defensive staff.” Going further into what it took to shut out a very talented Lake Hamilton, “You’ve got to give credit to our scout team. We have talked about it for two weeks our scout team guys, they were awesome for two weeks. They truly helped us win tonight.”

“Offensively we did what we had to do, we slowed down, we quit throwing the ball, we were just trying to run the clock to limit their possessions once you get up 21.” Coach Young said about an abnormal night offensively compared to the other games this season. Since 1996 when Jerry Clay was the Wolves Head Coach, Greenwood seems to play on a different level against Lake Hamilton. “We told our guys three times in the last two years they have been 10 points up on us. Twice at their place and once at the State Championship (2020) and had the football. We just talk to our guys about it’s a long game. Same thing when we go up fourteen to nothing, we have got to continue to play. They are a quality football team, they are well coached, they are good at what they do. Luckily we came out on top. There’s a good chance you’ll see those guys again.”

Next Week the Bulldogs travel to Russellville, who beat Greenbrier 27-21, on Friday. Live Stream to be provided by Greenwood Dog Pound and the Greenwood Sports Center. As the season winds down there is one home game left in the season against Pulaski Academy and then the regular season finale on the road against Little Rock Christian.

Grant Karnes *RNN Sports Ross Fujibayashi*

Paris Defeats Two Rivers 34-21 for Homecoming Victory

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4:43 am

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Paris Defeats Two Rivers 34-21 for Homecoming Victory

It felt good…really good.

The Paris Eagles who have struggled all season against opponents who have been deeper and more experienced, tasted victory for the first time on Friday night at Eagles Stadium. Paris defeated the Two Rivers Gators, 34-21, in a 3A-4 conference game. The win improved the Eagles’ record to 1-6 overall and 1-3 in conference play. Paris will travel to Centerpoint next week for another conference game. The Knights played at Jessieville tonight and defeated the Lions 40-8. Centerpoint is undefeated in conference play at 4-0 and are 7-0 overall.

The Paris homecoming win capped off a perfect day of homecoming activities for the students, fans, and the Paris community. The day began with a homecoming pep rally at Paris Gymnasium where members of the homecoming court were escorted by football players as they were introduced to the students and guests at the ceremony. The Paris homecoming tradition withholds the name of the queen until the on-field pregame ceremony, so, her name was unknown at the time of the program.

Following the conclusion of the ceremony, the annual homecoming parade was held. The parade route traditionally starts at Wood Street Park across from Paris High School and proceeds past the middle school campus and then turns toward the elementary school.

The Paris High School Band marched in the homecoming parade today (RNN Sports Photo / Jim Best)

There students lined the streets to watch the floats, the Paris High School Band, football players, and the homecoming court. The court was driven in sports cars that were donated for their use in the parade.

Senior maid Rachel O’Neal was named homecoming queen tonight. She was escorted on the field by her father, Jeffrey O’Neal (RNN Sports Photos / Jim Best)

Following the conclusion of the afternoon photo of the homecoming court, the on-field coronation ceremony was held at approximately 6:30 p.m. The homecoming maids were escorted by their fathers onto the field where the band and cheerleaders presented the maids to the large home crowd at Eagles Stadium. Senior maid Rachel O’Neal, daughter of Michelle and Jeffrey O’Neal, was named as the 2022 Paris football homecoming queen. Rachel is an outstanding student and has participated in several extracurricular activities at PHS, including playing the sports of volleyball, basketball, and softball.

Paris High School homecoming queen, Rachel O’Neal. Here she is pictured in the morning pep rally as a senior maid, escorted by senior football player, Juan Santos (RNN Sports Photo /Jim Best)

At 7 p.m. the game with Two Rivers kicked off with the Gators winning the toss and electing to defer their choice to the second half. Paris received the opening kickoff and methodically marched down the field behind a dominant rushing attack led by seniors Andrew Wells and reserve quarterback Mason Bradley. Bradley was again filling in for starter Maddox Watts who had to sit out of the game for the first three quarters.

The Gators have not had a lot of success over the past seven years. Prior to this year where they began the year with two non-conference victories, the Two Rivers football program had won just 3 games in the past seven years. But this year’s version of the Gator football program has shown significant improvement. Observers who have seen the Gators play over the past couple of years noticed on Friday night that their team is much more disciplined and is tougher mentally. They compete hard and have a very talented quarterback. In this writer’s opinion, the Gator coaching staff is doing a great job and has their players believing they can compete. I look for them to continue to improve for the balance of this year and into next season.

But you cannot say enough positive things about how the Paris Eagles, their players and coaches, have continued to work and play hard. Several young players have received significant playing time this year out of necessity, and even though it has been tough and will be tough again next week at Centerpoint, the Eagles are developing players for the future. In fact, there is no better teacher than experience, and the young Eagles will benefit next year and into the future from the development they are gaining this year.

It is always good to win on homecoming night. It was especially satisfying for everyone connected to the Paris football program tonight. Now, Paris will go back on the road next week and will return in two weeks to host Magnet Cove in what will now be the final regular season game of the year due to the cancellation of the season for the Danville Little Johns. Paris was scheduled to play Danville in week ten. The Magnet Cove game will be Senior Night and will also represent another opportunity to compete and possibly pick up another win on the season.

And finally, I would like to again congratulate the Paris crowd who once again showed up in big numbers tonight. In the pregame radio show, it was mentioned that in a lot of programs, an unsuccessful season will often lead to poor attendance by this point in the season. But the Paris fans have been faithful to their Eagles, and the entire community can be very proud of how they have supported the young Paris Eagles. Congratulations again on another great turnout, and I expect to see another large home crowd in two weeks to honor a very special group of seniors.

Congratulations to coach Jeff Weaver and his staff for working hard and keeping this team together through all of the adversity that has come their way this season. And most of all, congratulations to the players who have battled hard all season. Enjoy your victory this weekend! It is well-deserved!

Watch for more photos from this game next week on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports. And thanks to all of you for your readership and loyalty. And RNN Sports will see you next Friday in Amity as the Eagles take on the Centerpoint Knights!

“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

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Tammy Teague

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11:28 pm

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“Just Roll with It” Serving up Recipes and Humor

By Sheri Hopkins
Lifestyle Contributor

Hello everyone! Such beautiful fall weather we are having, but it’s dry as dust.

Some of you already know this but my son, Jacob, is color blind. Mind you I didn’t find this out till right before he started kindergarten. He started having migraine headaches at a very young age, so they did a cat scan to make sure he was ok. That’s still debatable. So, we decided to get his eyes checked to make sure that wasn’t causing his headaches. We go to Booneville to good old Dr. Tate. He does the exam and he puts up a green light and a red light and he asks Jacob what color they are and he gets them wrong. I said, “if I didn’t know better, I would think he was color blind.” I was just joking around. The kid was smart as a whip but he did not know his colors and I always got so frustrated trying to teach him. Dr. Tate said, “we have a test for that.” Needless to say, he did the test and Jacob is color-blind. I would go to school and explain to the teachers why he didn’t know his colors. Then, when he started reading, he could read what color they were. As he got older and started picking out his clothes, that was a catastrophe. Once he got out of school, he would go shopping and buy clothes and he would come home with all kinds of stuff. But this one day in particular, he brought home these purple shorts and let me tell ya, they were PURPLE. Sooooo, he brings them in the house and I see them and I asked him “what color are those shorts?” He says, “they are gray.” I said, “Jacob those shorts are purple.” He does not believe me. Let m tell ya I was sure hoping he wouldn’t wear those shorts in public. I mean Jacob is a pretty bland kind of guy and the visual of him in those purple shorts made me laugh out loud.

The reason all this came up is we had a yard sale at Jacob and Loren’s house and low and behold the famous purple shorts were in the yard sale. I almost bought them just to have them for the memories.

I was at their house one Saturday and Jacob comes through the house asking Loren where his red shirt is and she says, “you don’t have a red shirt.” The crazy thing of it all is he thinks he’s right and he says we make fun of his “disability.” Well, I’m not going to lie, I do make fun of him. I’ve always kind of been a bully. So if you see Jacob out and about and he doesn’t match, it’s because he is colorblind and he never matches unless Loren picks out his clothes.

My daddy was colorblind and I remember as a kid, he would always have me pick out his dress socks to match his slacks. I sure miss my daddy.

A little bit of knowledge, only boys are colorblind. The mother is the carrier, so if Jacob has a little boy he won’t be colorblind. My brother’s boys are not colorblind. Enough about Jacob and his disability.

This week’s recipe is a wonderful cake and it is probably my all-time favorites. I got it from Wanda Black and it is delicious.

DREAMSICLE CAKE
1 box orange cake mix
1 box (3 oz) orange Jell-o (small box)
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cups water
3 eggs
1 tsp. orange extract (I didn’t have this and it was fine)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans and set aside. Blend all ingredients and pour into prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. My oven cooks fast, so I would check it at 17 minutes and just kind of watch it. After the cake cools, slice each layer in two to make four layers.
ICING
8 oz. sour cream
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate (in the freezer section)
12 oz. Cool Whip
In a separate bowl, add sugar to orange juice (use a whisk) and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Combine that with sour cream and fold in Cool Whip. Spread some icing between each layer and put the remaining on top. Keep refrigerated. This cake is not hard at all and it tastes so good. It really is one of my favorites.

Have a blessed week and enjoy the cooler temps!

Farmer Vies for Seat on Mansfield City Council

Tammy Teague

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10:19 pm

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Farmer Vies for Seat on Mansfield City Council

Boyd Farmer has announced that he is running for Mansfield City Council, Ward 2, Position 1:

Hello, citizens of Mansfield. I am Boyd Farmer and I would like to announce my candidacy for city council, ward 2, position 1. I have served the Mansfield community for 22 years and 17 of those as a patrolman up to Chief of Police, and as an EMT and First Responder. With these years of experience, I know what the community expected of me in the past, and if elected, I know what you will expect of me in the future. I appreciate your vote on November 8. Thank you and God Bless!

-Boyd Farmer, candidate for Mansfield City Council, Ward 2, Position 1

Financial Focus: How Should You Pay for Short-Term Financial Goals?

Business

Tammy Teague

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9:52 pm

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Financial Focus: How Should You Pay for Short-Term Financial Goals?

By Jeffery O’Neal, Financial Advisor

As you go through life, you will likely have long- and short-term financial goals. But how will your strategies for meeting your long-term goals differ from those needed for your short-term ones?

If you’re like most people, your biggest long-term goal is achieving a comfortable retirement. And for this goal, a common strategy is putting away money in tax-advantaged retirement vehicles, such as your 401(k) and IRA.

So, how should you go about preparing for shorter-term goals, such as a family vacation, home renovation, wedding or major purchase?

For starters, determine what your goal is, how much you can spend on it and when you’ll need the money. Even if you can’t pinpoint a precise amount, you can develop a good estimate. Of course, the sooner you start this process, the better off you’ll be, because you’ll have more time to save.

Your next decision involves the manner in which you save for your short-term goal. Specifically, what savings or investment vehicles should you use? The answer will be different for everyone, but you need to make sure that your investments align with your risk tolerance and time horizon. And you’ll want to ensure, as much as possible, that a certain amount of money is available for you at the specific time you’ll need it.

If you aren’t able to save enough to reach a short-term goal, you have other options — you can borrow what you need, or you can potentially sell investments to cover the cost. How can you decide which choice is best?

To help make up your mind, you’ll first want to consider some of the most common borrowing options: credit cards, home equity loans, personal loans and margin loans. (A margin loan lets you borrow against the value of investments you already own). How might each of these loans fit into your overall financial strategy? Will the repayment schedule work with your cash flow and budget?

You’ll then want to compare the costs and benefits of borrowing, in whatever form, against selling investments. For example, if you can borrow at a lower interest rate compared to the return you think you can get from your investments, borrowing might be a reasonable choice. You’ll also need to consider other factors, such as your credit score, taxes, fees associated with selling investments and time needed to repay debts. If, for instance, selling investments will trigger a large amount of taxes, borrowing might be preferable. You’ll also want

to consider whether there’s a penalty or high costs associated with selling investments. In addition, if you have a long time horizon for a loan, you may want to sell investments to avoid paying interest for a longer period of time, and thus driving up the overall cost of borrowing. Finally, keep in mind that you may have built an investment mix designed to align with your goals and risk tolerance. If you were to sell any of these investments to meet short-term needs, you would want to consider the need to rebalance your portfolio to maintain your desired asset allocation.

As you can see, there’s a lot to think about when it comes to paying for short-term goals. But by carefully evaluating your options, you can make the choices that are right for your needs.

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

Eagles Hit the Road Again to South Arkansas on Friday to Play at Centerpoint

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Resident News Network

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9:47 pm

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Eagles Hit the Road Again to South Arkansas on Friday to Play at Centerpoint

It has been a tough grind this year for the Paris Eagles. One of those years where frustrations run high, but the character of the Eagles pushes them to continue to play hard on every down.

In the newly-formatted 3A-4 conference, Paris was placed in a conference that required long trips to play games at such places as Bismarck and now Centerpoint. All the same, the travel can seem to make the season even more difficult to bear.

As a writer who has followed this team closely, I will tell you that having very little success on the field is a very hard thing to take. Place ourselves in the shoes of teenagers who are on the field each week and coming home battered and bruised every Friday night, and you just have to admire the dedication and the desire to play that each player demonstrates each week. But with all of that said, the object of the game is to win. And that is what the Paris Eagles focus on each week.

At deadline time for this story, Paris was getting ready to take the field at Eagles Stadium for their annual homecoming football game. The opponent was the Two Rivers Gators, and it was a game that Paris needed badly to win. A homecoming victory would provide some relief to the players and coaches who have been through so much adversity this year. A loss would be another story.

But looking ahead to this week’s game at Centerpoint, the Eagles will travel just short of two-and-a half hours to the South Arkansas town of Amity that is located just south of Glenwood. Amity, for landmark reference, is located approximately 46 minutes southwest of Lake Hamilton. Eagles fans who will make the trip on Friday may find the fastest way to the game being a drive through Booneville, Danville, and onward south through Story on state highway 314. But don’t listen to me; by all means, consult your phone’s GPS!

Centerpoint is a program that many had thought might be down a little from a year ago. After a big year in 2021, the Knights graduated a talented class of athletes and were picked by Hooten’s Arkansas Football publication to finish fifth in the conference. The Knights were 9-4 a year ago and finished fourth in the 3A-5 conference. Centerpoint went on to the state playoffs in 2021 and defeated Osceola in the first round by a score of 29-14. Centerpoint went to Charleston in the second round of the 2021 state playoffs and defeated a very good Tigers team at home by the score of 28-23. The Knight’s season came to an end in the state quarterfinals in 2021 with a 35-7 loss at Harding Academy who was the eventual 3A state champion last year.

So, the Centerpoint program is a high-quality program that knows how to win and has had success both in conference play and in the state playoffs. They are coached by Cary Rogers and work out of the gun on offense. Defensively, the Knights run the “30” defense.

From last year’s state quarterfinal team, Centerpoint has three returning starters on offense and four on defense. On offense, they are led by senior Jace Clark at quarterback who is 5’11, 180 lbs, and has a 40 yard dash time of 4.8 seconds. Defensively, the Knights are led by senior Brayden Longshore at defensive tackle. According to Hooten’s, the Knights have good depth on their roster, perhaps and indication of the success and interest in the program, but have had to rebuild from losing 15 legitimate starters from a year ago.

As of October 13, the Knights have won games against Hackett, Mena, Bigelow, Magnet Cove and Two Rivers. They also have a forfeit win from Danville who previously canceled the remainder of their season. At deadline time, the Knights were traveling to Jessieville to play the Lions. To wrap-up the regular season, Centerpoint will host Paris on Friday night, and will then play at Glen Rose on October 28 and will host Bismarck on November 4. The Knights’ playoff seeding will ultimately be determined with their final two big games at the end of the season.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in Amity, and RNN Sports will be there to capture the images and provide a post-game recap of the game on Saturday morning. Photos from the game will also be posted on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports next week.

RNN wishes the Eagles and their fans safe travel to and back from the game on Friday. Thank you for reading RNN Sports, and we thank you for your subscriptions and your loyalty! It is our pleasure and privilege to bring you local news and sports to the great communities of Western Arkansas!

Class 3A State Tournament Begins Next Week in Searcy at Harding Academy

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9:18 pm

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Class 3A State Tournament Begins Next Week in Searcy at Harding Academy

At deadline time for this story, the 3A West regular season had just concluded and conference teams were preparing for this week’s district tournament that is being held at Charleston High School. The Hackett Lady Hornets, undefeated conference champions and the top seed in the district tournament, received a bye to the semi-finals of the tournament. The Paris Lady Eagles, runner-ups in the regular season and the tournament’s number two seed, also received a bye to the semifinals.

The top four seeds from this week’s conference tournament will advance to next week’s state tournament that will begin in Searcy at Harding Academy. The first three rounds of the state tournament will be held in Searcy with the state final being held in Hot Springs on Saturday at Bank OZK Arena.

Conference tournament seeding this week is extremely important to the top four teams who will advance to the state tournament. A team who wins the conference tournament will advance to the state and play a number four seeded team in the first round. A number two seed will play a number three seed in the first round. So, theoretically, the higher seeded teams have an easier path, at least in the first round of the state tournament. That is not always the case, such as in 2019 when the number four seed Waldron Lady Bulldogs upset a number one seed Perryville Lady Mustangs team in the first round of the state tournament held that year in Paris.

RNN Sports will bring you all of the updates from this week’s district tournament, as well as in next week’s state tournament. So, stay with RNN Sports, and thank you for subscribing to Logan County’s weekly newspaper bringing you LOCAL news and sports!

LIFE SAVING REMINDER: U DRIVE, YOU TEXT, YOU PAY

Tammy Teague

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8:44 pm

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LIFE SAVING REMINDER: U DRIVE, YOU TEXT, YOU PAY

Typing or reading cellular telephone messages while driving is risky business. Anyone doing it could be stopped by police and issued a violator citation. Worse, someone could die in a vehicle crash because a driver was distracted and thought a text message was more important than a life.

Beginning next week (October 17 – 23), Arkansas law enforcement agencies will intensify their patrols aimed at drivers violating the Arkansas texting while driving law. “U Drive, U Text, You Pay” is a coordinated campaign designed to stop distracted driving. Law enforcement agencies across the state have pledged their support toward enforcing the law and educating violators.

Consistently since 2007, drivers among the millennial age group, have become the worst texting while driving offenders, using their cell phones to talk, text, and scroll through social media. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers 16 to 24 years old have also been observed using handheld electronic devices while driving with greater frequency than older drivers. During calendar year 2020, 6 percent of people killed in teen (15 – 19) driving crashes died while operating their vehicle and being distracted.

During the upcoming enforcement operation parents are encouraged to discuss with their teenage children the subject of developing safe driving habits, including the practice of never sending or reading text messages while driving. National Teen Driver Safety Week is October 16 – 22 and parents should take the opportunity during the week to set a good example for their teenage children who are beginning to drive. It’s a parent’s responsibility to help their children make smart choices and drive safely.

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among U.S. teens (15 – 18 year old). Two years ago, 153,566 people (7% of all roadway injuries during 2020) were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving teenage drivers. More than 2,000 people died in the crashes and 748 of the deaths were teenage drivers.

“It’s incomprehensible why anyone would read or send a text message while driving,” said Colonel Bill Bryant, Director of the Arkansas State Police and the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “People, young and old alike know it’s dangerous and deadly, but they selfishly put others at risk.”

Texting while driving is against the law in 47 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NHTSA officials will be reminding teenagers of the danger in using their phones while driving. Using a phone to text, talk or participate in social media while driving is unacceptable, even while stopped in traffic.

“Beginning October 17th state troopers and law enforcement officers across Arkansas will increase their emphasis toward identifying drivers who text while driving and issuing citations for the violation,” Colonel Bryant stated.

Arkansas law enforcement officers and the Arkansas Highway Safety Office urge drivers to put down their phones when behind the wheel. If you need to read or send a text message, pull over and stop at a safe location. Drivers should consider these reminders:

• If you are expecting a text message or need to send one, pull over and park your car in a safe location. Once you are safely off the road and parked, it is safe to text.

• Designate your passenger as your “designated texter.” Allow them access to your phone to respond to calls or messages.

• Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving.

• Cell phone use is habit-forming. Struggling to not text and drive? Activate your phone’s “Do Not Disturb” feature, or put your phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of your vehicle until you arrive at your destination.

Texting while driving is dangerous and illegal. Remember: U Drive. U Text. U Pay. For more information, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov or contact the Arkansas Highway Safety Office at (501) 618-8136.

Tooke takes Tech’s Got Talent title for 2022

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Tammy Teague

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8:37 pm

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Tooke takes Tech’s Got Talent title for 2022

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (October 13, 2022)–It’s great to win Tech’s Got Talent. The $600 first-place prize is nice.

But when you look down from the stage a few minutes after the competition is over and your grandfather is proudly showing an old childhood photo of you singing with him…that’s priceless.

That is what Arkansas Tech University student Faith Tooke experienced on Thursday night at Witherspoon Auditorium.

“He (Doug Scallion) has sang all over Arkansas and other states,” said Tooke when asked about that photo. “I’ve grown up singing with him in countless places. I grew up singing in church. I see myself singing in church for the rest of my life and giving all the glory to the one who gave me this wonderful gift.”

Tooke is a 19-year old sophomore from Warren. She is majoring in digital marketing.

She won the annual talent competition for ATU students sponsored by ATU Student Activities Board by singing “Something in the Water” by Carrie Underwood.

“It’s a song I’ve sang for a few years now in church and out of church,” said Tooke. “It’s never failed me. I love it, and that’s why I chose to sing it. I’m so thankful for the opportunity and all the support I had from friends, family and my sorority. They were great. Everyone here has been amazing…all the people working it and all the contestants. We definitely bonded over this. They are all so talented. I’m so grateful to have experienced this with them.”

Cole Huddleston of Waldron won $300 as the Tech’s Got Talent 2022 runner-up, while Kayleb Starnes of Vandervoort earned the third-place prize of $100.

Lamardre Brazell of Pine Bluff, Janniebeth Melendez of Fayetteville and Matthew Melton of Lavaca also advanced to the Tech’s Got Talent 2022 finals. They were joined in the preliminary round by Seamus Brown of Gravette, Juan Olivarez of Fort Smith, Grace Rhodes of Pine Bluff and Jamie Walsh of Hot Springs.

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