There are plenty of house projects that are both interesting and easy to do yourself. You can fix leaky faucets, paint bedrooms, and unclog garbage disposals without calling a pro. But for the big stuff, you’re better off leaving it to the industry professionals. Read on for five home repairs you shouldn’t try to DIY.
Roofs
Whether you want to fix a leak or lay down new shingles, don’t climb up there and do it yourself. This task is remarkably dangerous, and you can worsen the problem if you’re unsure what you’re doing. For example, haphazard shingle placement can interfere with the way rainwater flows off your roof.
HVAC Systems
While many heating and air conditioning units make it easy to replace something like an air filter, stop and call a contractor before attempting any actual repairs. Hiring an HVAC contractor offers homeowners many benefits because they have the skills and equipment necessary to fix leaks and other bigger problems before they grow catastrophic.
Electrical Wiring
Any home repair involving electricity is, by its very nature, going to be more dangerous. Don’t fiddle with circuitry unless you are a licensed electrician! Messing up your wiring could cause a house fire or even a deadly electrical shock.
Gas Appliance Work
When you buy a new hot water heater, you may look at it and think, “I can install this myself. It looks pretty intuitive.” Stop right there and call a professional! An improper repair or installation can lead to gas leaks. Call an expert to avoid accidentally poisoning your household with carbon monoxide.
Major Plumbing
While many people can handle minor repairs like leaky faucets, messing with your sewage system or hot water piping is an entirely different ballpark. While DIY plumbing mishaps are less likely to cause bodily harm than fiddling with electricity, they can damage your home with flooding and water damage.
As a homeowner, it’s wise to know your limits regarding what you can and can’t fix yourself. Be familiar with which home repairs you shouldn’t attempt yourself, and remember to contact local professionals who can help when something breaks down.
Whether due to lack of space or interest in smelling them, some family homes can’t store their outdoor garbage cans indoors. How do you keep your outdoor garbage can out of sight and prevent it from becoming an eyesore? Here are a few tips to help you hide your outdoor garbage cans and preserve your curb appeal.
Use a Storage Shed
If you already have a storage shed on your property that has some extra space, consider moving your outdoor garbage can into the shed. Alternatively, you can build an additional shed to house your garbage cans. This construction will allow you to store your garbage can out of sight and store any related materials, such as trash bags, lids, carts, and more. Storage sheds can take up a decent amount of yard space, but you can customize their outdoor appearance to fit your personal aesthetic.
Invest in a Garbage Can Cover
Garbage can covers function similarly to storage sheds, but they suit garbage cans exclusively. Garbage can covers are usually smaller and more precise to fit your receptacle’s size than storage sheds and other storage methods.
You can find trash receptacle covers in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and materials to fit the design of your home and overall landscaping. These customization factors help a garbage can cover flow seamlessly with your property. Another added benefit of this storage option is that it can help prevent animals and pests from accessing your garbage cans. A cover will also help keep your garbage cans clean and dry, which can help prevent bad smells from your trash cans.
Get Creative With Your Landscaping
Finally, if you’re looking for a more subtle way to hide your garbage cans, you can always rely on the natural landscaping of your property. Choose the spot that is most convenient for storing your outdoor garbage can and plant some tall grasses or shrubbery alongside them. This method works best for the side of a home or structure, where you can plant some greenery to help the receptacle blend in better.
These tips to help hide your outdoor garbage cans will help you preserve your curb appeal and better utilize outdoor trash receptacles. Stop staring at your garbage cans every time you step outside—instead, use these methods to help unify your property.
LITTLE ROCK — Each year since 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention joins with many agencies throughout the United States to increase awareness of rabies prevention and control. Rabies is rarely a source of concern for people in the United States thanks to vaccinations of domestic animals, but the disease still persists in wildlife populations and is occasionally reported in Arkansas.
As of Sept. 9, 2022, 17 cases of rabies have been confirmed in The Natural State this year. Skunks made up the largest component of animal carriers reported, with 13 animals testing positive. Three bats and one domestic dog have been reported with the disease so far this year. Between 24 and 46 cases have been confirmed each year in the last five years, and skunks are the primary animal found with the disease in Arkansas. Any mammal, including humans, can contract rabies but skunks and bats are the primary reservoirs for the disease in Arkansas. Domestic animal cases of rabies in Arkansas have not exceeded single digits per year in the last decade, thanks to vigilant surveillance and vaccination protocols.
Worldwide, more than 55,000 humans die of rabies each year, primarily in developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of such cases result from bites inflicted by rabid dogs. In the United States, transmission from dogs is becoming a rarity due to successful dog vaccination programs.
Vaccinations are required for all dogs and cats in Arkansas, which helps prevent spillover from wildlife populations to humans. Any dog or cat 4 months or older must be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian, and those vaccinations must be kept up to date to remain effective.
Dr. Jenn Ballard, state wildlife veterinarian with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, says prevalence of rabies virus in wildlife populations is extremely low, but it does still occur at a high enough rate to remain vigilant.
“Our likelihood of detecting the disease in bats and skunks that are behaving abnormally is significantly higher than with other wildlife,” Ballard said. “Skunks being seen out during the daytime and bats found crawling on the ground tend to get attention quickly, so they are often reported.”
Ballard says many positive cases are not accompanied by the excessive salivation or aggressive nature people commonly associate with the virus.
“More often, infected animals appear lethargic or unaware of their surroundings,” Ballard said. “Or they may not be as fearful of humans or pets as they should be. The best practice is to always keep your domestic animals vaccinated and enjoy wildlife from a distance.”
Rabies in humans is preventable as long as treatment is started before symptoms develop, so it is important for people to seek medical attention quickly after potential exposures. Anyone who is bitten by or comes into contact with an animal acting abnormally should contact their healthcare provider. Visit www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/rabies for more information.
Note to Our Readers:The following story was sourced in its entirety from Mr. Glenn Parrish, Director of Communications, Booneville School District. Mr. Parrish is a RNN Sports contributor, and we thank him for bringing this story to our readers!
There has already been much said and written about the Bearcat offensive performance on Friday, and there could, maybe should be even more forthcoming, but there may be a few defensive notes being lost in translation.
Yes, from a defense that surrendered 473 yards and 46 points.
It was the actually the defense that set the tone early. Leading 7-0 after a 39-yard Dax Goff touchdown run, the defense forced a three-and-out with Goff and Dunn Daniel combining twice for negative yardage plays.
Daniel had 10 total stops on the night with three for a loss.
After Trace Hall ran 23 yards for a touchdown it was 14-0 and the Bearcats had Chase Plymale make a backfield stop, Jace Washburn (shown) broke up a pass, and Daniel made a third down stop.
Hackett did score on a fourth down pass, but they were 0–of-2 on third at that point and finished 2-of-10.
Image Special to RNN Sports / Glenn Parrish
Plymale recovered an onside kick — he did that three times — and a short field led to Hall’s second touchdown, on a 19-yard run and it was 21-6 with 3:43 left in the opening quarter.
Hall was on his way to 222 yards and five touchdowns on 14 carries.
Cody Elliott disrupted a fourth down pass — the Hornets were 3-of-6 on fourth down — then carried three times for 48 yards and scored from 28 yards out and it was 27-6.
Elliott had a career high 116 yards on 13 Carrie’s and also had 10 tackles.
Aided by a pass interference flag the Hornets cut it to 27-12 on a 6-yard touchdown pass.
After that score Hackett pooch kicked with Elliott recovering at the 20 for the worst starting position for the Bearcats.
It did not matter as Goff went 80 for a touchdown to make it 34-12.
Goff would run for 226 yards and four touchdowns on 13 carries.
A David Hicks sack and Goff batting down a pass got the Bearcats the ball back and Hall would score a third touchdown of the half on a run of 36 yards to make it 40-12 4:14 before halftime.
Two plays later it was 41-18 with the touchdown coming on a 67-yard pass play.
Dakota Mattson recovered an onside kick and, after Hall got 10 on a fourth down, Mattson was later on the receiving end of a halfback pass from Goff and it was 47-18 with 16 seconds left in the half.
Marcos Mullor, who was 9-of-11 on PAT tries, sent the kickoff straight at a Hornet up-man and it caromed off him and was recovered by Washburn.
Another second or two and the Bearcats could have possibly tried a field goal. After a time out with :06 to go Washburn threw Hall a pass that went for 23 to the 13 but the clock expired.
It was the only possession on which the Bearcats did not score.
Hackett went to a more deliberate pace to start the second half but marched to a 5-yard scoring run with 8:20 to go in the third quarter and it was 47-24.
A holding penalty — the first such of the game — took away a Hall 51-yard touchdown run but the Bearcats needed just seven plays to score anyway.
Goff got the touchdown from the 15 and it was 54-24 with 4:45 left in the quarter.
Plymale forced a fumble on the next Hackett possession that Goff appeared to recover but the Hornets were given the ball back plus 15 yards when the Bearcat sideline erupted.
Another flag — there would be 10 for 90 yards before it ended — moved the Hornets inside the 10 and a touchdown pass made it 54-30 with 2:28 left in the third quarter.
That score lasted one snap as Hall went 50 yards to make it 61-30 13 seconds later.
That score lasted 24 seconds because Hackett got a 68-yard TD pass to make it 61-38.
Overcoming another holding flag the Bearcats would drive to another score by Hall — his fifth — from the 8 and it was 68-38 with 10:46 to play.
A Demari Pool sack and a holding flag — Hackett drew four flags for 31 yards — led to a failed fourth down by Hackett from their 30.
Goff got his fourth touchdown the next play to make it 75-38 and start the sportsmanship clock about the seven minute mark of the final quarter.
That wrapped up a 586 rushing yard and 616 total offense night behind a Bearcat line that included, at various times, Matt O’Bar, Mat Crosby, Johnny Barnes, Clayton Wingfield, Cam Osborne, and Brett Welling.
Hackett used the remaining time and an interference flag to tack on another score on a run and two-point pass to make it 75-46.
The Bearcats are back at Bearcat Stadium this week to face West Fork for homecoming.
From the car line to the classroom, Magazine Elementary School is calling on fathers to become more active in their students’ education. Earlier this semester, the Watch D.O.G.S. program was initiated, and has gotten off to a great start.
Watch D.O.G.S (Dads Of Great Students) is a nationally recognized, one-of-a-kind program that brings dads, step-dads, grandfathers, uncles, or other father figures into the schools. Started in 1998, the program has grown to more than 6,800 schools across the county, with Magazine joining that list this year. The program has 2 primary goals: to provide positive male role models for the students, and to provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying.
On August 30, the school held a Pizza Night to introduce the program to potential volunteers. The event was well attended, with many signing up that night. Volunteers are asked to commit to at least one day each year. On the day of their participation,they are given a review of their involvement and wear an official WATCH D.O.G.S t-shirt to identify them as WatchDOGS.
What exactly do the WatchDOGS do? During the school day, WatchDOGS may read and work on flash cards with students, play at recess, eat lunch with students, watch school entrances, walk hallways and perimeters to ensure that interior and exterior doors are locked, assist with the car line, or any number of other assigned activities. They have the opportunity to engage with not only their own students, but other students as well. Many school administrators have reported that the mere presence of a WatchDOG dramatically reduces reports of bullying.
“Our students are excited everyday when the come to school and meet the WatchDOG of the day,” says Elementary Principal Jared Higginbotham. Mr. Higginbotham first brought the program to the school board in the spring of 2022 where it was met with great excitement. “We are confident that this will bring more parent investment into their children’s education,” says board member Steven Schlinker. He also is encouraged that more parents will be able to see first-hand what happens from day to day in the school.
This year, the program is overseen by Joshua Scott, who is serving as the “Top Dog.” Scott is partnering with school administrators to coordinate scheduling and identify opportunities for WatchDOGS to assist at the school.
Everyone involved benefits in some way. The school gains an extra set of eyes and ears, the students gain positive male role models, and fathers gain greater awareness of the administrators’ and students’ challenges. Fourth-grader Colton Fox said that the best part of having the WatchDOGS on campus is, “You feel safe.” He also enjoys playing kickball with them at recess.
If you are interested in volunteering as a WatchDOG, contact the elementary office at 866-900-2001 or Joshua School via Facebook Messenger.
Arresting agency – Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office: Dan Carr Boyles, Second of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 19 at 11:10 a.m. and released on September 23 at 2:29 p.m. Boyles was charged with two counts of Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor.
Joseph Lee Lindsey Junior of Mansfield was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 28 at 10:04 a.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Lindsey was charged with absconding and parole violation.
Arresting agency – Lavaca Police Department: Justin Collier of Paris was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 24 at 8:16 p.m. and released on September 25 at 2:40 a.m. Collier was charged with Ignition Interlock Device – Misdemeanor, and Driving on Suspended or Revoked DL – DWI.
Ricky Gene Delcour of Lavaca was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 21 at 2:56 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Delcour was charged with Aggravated Assault on a Family or Household Member.
Arresting agency – Mansfield Police Department: Terri Godwin of Mansfield was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 19 at 8:30 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond September 27 at 10:57 a.m. Godwin was charged with driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked, refusal to submit to arrest – misdemeanor, driving while intoxicated 1st offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia – store or conceal – meth/cocaine.
Arresting agency – Hartford Police Department: Kenneth Martin Roberts of Hartford was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 19 at 3:03 p.m. and released on signature bond September 23 at 12:57 a.m. Roberts was charged with Theft of Property <$1k.
Arresting agency – Fort Smith Police Department: Joshua Richard Schoeppey of Waldron was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 22 at 10:38 a.m. and released on cash bond September 22 at 1:53 p.m. Schoeppey was charged with Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).
Herbert Benjamin Slater of Boles was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 22 at 4:57 p.m. and remains at the SCADC without bond. Slater was charged with Assist Outside Agency-Felony, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Ingest Meth/Cocaine.
Carl Wayne Junior Spearman JR of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 19 at 10:53 a.m. and remains at the SCADC. Spearman was charged with Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).
Danny Lee Thorpe of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on September 19 at 7:20 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Thorpe was charged with Failure to Appear – Class C Felony, and Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).
Arresting agency – Logan County Sheriff’s Office: Rose Hart, 38 of Magazine, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 18 at 4:13 p.m. Hart was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage only, driving while driver’s license cancelled, suspended or revoked, and theft of property.
Cordell Kiersey, 27 of Proctor, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 20 at 7:35 p.m. Kiersey was charged with failure to appear.
Pao Her, 34 of Waldron, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 21 at 1:34 p.m. Her was charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespass.
David Davidson, 42 of Booneville, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 22 at 12:09 p.m. Davidson was charged with possession of a controlled substance.
David Jackson, 44 of Paris, was booked into the Logan County Detention Center on September 23 at 12:52 p.m. Jackson was sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
**The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts.**
Mt. Salem church, school, and cemetery recently received recognition as a national and state-registered historical site. Mt. Salem community, located in a rural setting on Spring Lake road east of Corley, was once an active community of farmers, lumberjacks, and rural industry. Dozens of families, including the Whites, Rogers, Ezells, and Lee’s settled there in the mid-1800s and developed a thriving community. Nearby Millard community had a shake mill, lumber yard, a store and post office.
By 1870, people realized the need for education and a church in the community. The White family donated the land and assisted in building the first church. Soon afterward, people desiring to be buried near the church started the Mt. Salem cemetery. The first recorded burial was Mrs. Barbra White, followed by some 75 other burials of local family members.
The current building is actually the third building constructed on-site and was built in 1909-10. Most of the materials and construction if from the original with recent updates consisting of the same materials as the original.
Many people worked to make the inclusion of Mt. Salem as a national historical site; the foremost Jewel White. The celebration of inclusion, delayed for a time due to covid, included a homecoming, dinner on the grounds and a formal program. The program included music by the Culver family, Varnell girls, Leona Cleveland, and others as well as a short inspirational message by Judy Hall. Many decedents of the original families shared stories about growing up in the community and the influence it had on their lives.
The Mt. Salem School and church is still open on special occasions, one being a frontier celebration around Christmas. A visit to the site allows one to travel back a century and glimpse life as it was a century ago.
It was “heart break hotel” for the Hogs in Arlington last Saturday night. Arkansas took a 14-point lead in the first half to only see it evaporate in the middle of 23 unanswered points by Texas A&M. Mistakes, turnovers, and now a crucial missed field goal attempt have added to the list of issues for Arkansas dating back to their last home game against Missouri State. And with Alabama coming to town this weekend, the Hogs must play a clean game on Saturday to have a chance to win.
Here are some quick facts on Saturday’s game as provided by the University of Arkansas:
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (4-0, 1-0 SEC) AP/Coaches Poll: 2/2 Head Coach: Nick Saban (Kent State, ‘73) Career Record: 273-67-1 (27th season) Record at Alabama: 182-25 (16th season)
• For the second time this season, a top-25 showdown comes to Fayetteville. No. 20 Arkansas hosts SEC West leader No. 2 Alabama at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on CBS.
• The Razorbacks are looking to snap a 14-game losingstreak against the Crimson Tide. Arkansas’ last win over Alabama came in 2006, when the Hogs pulled out a 24-23 double-overtime victory in Fayetteville.
• Following last weekend’s loss to Texas A&M, Arkansas stands at 3-1 overall with a 1-1 mark in SEC play. With a win on Saturday, the Razorbacks would improve to 2-1 in league action for the first time since the 2011 campaign.
• QB KJ Jefferson continues to wreak havoc on opposing defenses through the air and on the round. Jefferson has completed 67-of-97 passes (69.1%) for 941 yards and eight touchdowns with one interception while rushing for 274 yards and four scores through four games. Jefferson, who has rushed for a touchdown in five straight games dating back to last season, is one of only three FBS quarterbacks to throw for 900+ yards and run for 200+ yards on the year.
• RB Raheim ‘Rocket’ Sanders is the Razorbacks’ leading ball carrier through four games, totalling 508 yards on 83 carries (6.1 avg) with three scores on the ground. He leads the SEC in both rushing yards (508), rushing yards per game (127.0) and all-purpose yards (625) this season. Sanders, who has also caught eight passes for 117 yards and a touchdown, is the only FBS player with 500+ rushing yards and 100+ receiving yards for the season.
• WR Jadon Haselwood leads Arkansas’ receiving corps through four games this season with a team-high 18 catches for 214 yards (11.9) and a pair of touchdowns. A transfer from Oklahoma, Haselwood has caught three or more passes in each of his first four games as a Razorback and has tallied at least one reception in 16 consecutive games dating back to the start of the 2021 season.
• LB Drew Sanders has turned heads with his play on the defensive side of the ball this season. A transfer from Alabama, Sanders has racked up 31 total tackles (16 solo) with a team-leading 6.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 5.5 sacks through four games. Sanders, who is tied for the national lead in sacks and ranks third in the SEC in tackles for loss, has tallied at least half a sack in all four games.
LB Drew Sanders is tied for the national lead in sacks (5.5) this season. Sanders has tallied at least half a sack in all four games, including multiple sacks in two of those four contests.
RB Raheim Sanders leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally in rushing yards (508) this season. He is one of only four FBS ball carriers to eclipse the 500-yard mark on the ground this year. Arkansas leads the country in sacks with 20, four more than the next closest team (Middle Tennessee). Eight different Razorback defenders have recorded at least one sack this season. Arkansas has picked off 28 passes since the start of the 2020 season, tied for second most among SEC teams in that span. Alabama and Kentucky have also recorded 28 interceptions since 2020.
Saturday’s game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorbacks Stadium is set for 2:30 p.m. The game will be nationally televised by CBS.
RNN Sports will be on the sidelines Saturday to bring you all of the action in photos and in our game recap on Sunday!
Note to Our Readers: Portions of this story were sourced directly from the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Kyle Parkinson, Associate AD / Communications.
Pictured is Waldron Mayor David Millard and City Clerk/Treasurer Brad Dick
On September 14, Waldron Mayor David Millard and City Clerk/Treasurer Brad Dick attended a conference in North Little Rock, Destination Downtown.
According to Millard, mayors and city leaders come from all over the tri-state area (Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi) to attend the conference, which was held in Arkansas this year.
Throughout the conference attendees learn what others have done to attract business and tourism to their downtown. Ideas included restoring the look of downtown areas, and incorporating the town’s “story.”
“The main message was telling your town’s story,” shared Millard. Dick added that they plan to have meetings and encourage participants to come and share their history of Waldron. This, in turn, will be a starting place to formulate a project reflective of that history.
Millard noted that funding for the Destination Downtown project will have to be procured, however he feels positive about the progress.
Progress which has already begun with a walkthrough audit of downtown. Crafton Tull Engineering and Communities Unlimited suggested that the city plant perennials in planters and to replace the roses at the parking lot area to cut upkeep and maintenance cost.
“I’m really excited,” concluded Millard. We want to make downtown Waldron a destination!”
City employees work to make downtown Waldron a more beautiful place!
Mayor David Millard with Michelle Viney, Communities Unlimited Facilitator
ABOUT 2022 Destination Downtown conference was held on September 14-16, 2022 in downtown North Little Rock. A partnership between Main Street Arkansas, Louisiana Main Street and the Mississippi Main Street Association, Destination Downtown is the South’s premier downtown revitalization conference.
The conference attracts Main Street executive directors, board members, city officials, merchants, property owners and others who gather to share ideas on building sustainable downtown communities. Held annually for more than 20 years, the conference rotates among the three states and local Main Street communities where it is hosted each year.
Destination Downtown is open to anyone with an interest in the economic revitalization of historic downtown commercial districts and is designed so that attendees learn from their colleagues as well as from experts in the field.
An area of North Little Rock, Argenta, with a mural reflective of its past. (Photo courtesy of Destination Downtown)
On September 13, 2022, 19 students, led by Tahar Messadi, Associate Professor with the Fay Jones School of Architecture & Design, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, visited the West Fraser-Mansfield Mill for a tour of the Mill to see the process of turning logs into lumber and then visited a forest logging site, for a presentation by the U.S. Forest Service on forest management, restoration work and a look at an active harvest unit. A new trend in multi-story buildings is using CLT (Cross Laminated Timbers), which are engineered wood panels made from several layers of kiln-dried lumber boards stacked in alternating directions.
Representing West Fraser: James Travis, John McLellan, Darren Brkic, Tim Hahn, Doug Read, Corey Yarber, Lori Alexander and Braden Binns
Representing the U.S. Forest Service: Gregg Vickers, Lorenzo Walton, Jeremy Eubanks, Jermiah Diffee and Dave Moore
Members of West Fraser – Mansfield and U.S. Forest Service visit with students and guide them on a logging tour.
Tahar Messadi, Associate Professor, Bruce Isham and John McLellan with Mansfield Mill
