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Obituary – Garris Hattabaugh (1979-2022)

Obituaries

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1:02 pm

Obituary – Garris Hattabaugh (1979-2022)

Garris Rustin Hattabaugh of Mansfield, AR died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family and friends, on October 1, 2022. Garris was born in Fort Smith on February 21, 1979 to Marquita and Steve Hattabaugh. He was the second of their four boys.

Garris graduated from Mansfield High School in 1997. He was a talented athlete and excelled in baseball, basketball, and football. Although he was a soft-spoken man of few words, when asked about certain teams and players, he could talk all day about his favorites and always knew their statistics. He was a self-employed dump truck driver and welder – an all-around hard-worker. He was an avid sportsman and loved being out in nature. Garris loved children and enjoyed times of playing with all the kids in the family. He liked nothing more than taking them fishing, hunting, or shooting a bow and arrow. Garris was a kind and gentle soul with a heart of gold. Every life he touched was better for having known him. He loved his family greatly, was loved in return, and will be deeply missed.

Garris leaves behind to cherish his memory, his parents: Steve and Marquita Hattabaugh of Elm Park, Arkansas, brothers Trevor Hattabaugh (Courtney) of Lucas Bottoms, Arkansas, Shay Hattabaugh (Brandy) of Elm Park, Arkansas and Chase Hattabaugh (Shannon) of Greenwood, Arkansas. Garris is also survived by his grandmothers Verla Bullock and Joyce Hattabaugh, one step son J.R. Powell and a precious friend Mandy Moore and her son Judd. Uncle Garris leaves an everlasting legacy with his nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews: Madison, Brooke, Bryar, Treven, Walker, Townes, Paisley, Reese, Addie, Mylee, Tinslee, Hunter, Brently and Bunny. Garris will be missed by all that knew him and the many whose lives he impacted including a host of extended family, friends and neighbors he loved dearly.

Garris’ celebration of life services will be at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at Waldron First Church of the Nazarene in Waldron with Rev. Wally Beckman and Rev. Jeff Wilkinson officiating. Interment will follow at Freedom Cemetery near Waldron, Arkansas. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.

Garris’ pallbearers will be Trevor Hattabaugh, Shay Hattabaugh, Chase Hattabaugh, J.R. Powell, Brian Owens (Boomer), Brian McCullah (Gordy), Klief Brown and Danny White. Honorary pallbearers will be Aaron Hopper, T.J. Pellam, Josh Sanford, Cody Smith and Shawn Cook.

Visitation with the family will be Tuesday, October 4, 2022 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron.

The family would like to extended a special heartfelt Thank You to Dr. Kurt Mehl, Dr. Nathan Bennett and Dr. Jeffery Blackwell for your care and compassion shown to our family.

Tri-State Wraps Up 52nd Points Championship Season

Networks

Ross Fujibayashi

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2:18 pm

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Tri-State Wraps Up 52nd Points Championship Season

2022 was the 52nd points season for Tri-State Speedway in Pocola, Oklahoma. One driver went back to back another went to back to back but in a different class.

Tri-State Speedway hosted the 52nd Annual Tillman Evans Points Championship night on Saturday and welcomed the Sooner and Southern Touring Late Model Series to cap points racing at the 3/8 mile clay track off of 540.

Three of the four classes were up for grabs Saturday night, as Neil Johnston of Fort Smith claimed the USRA B-Mod Track Championship the week before. Greenwood’s Jeff Tennant trailed Denver Lee of Whitt Springs, AR by one point in the USRA Stock Car class. Jason Payton of Greenwood held a 52 point lead over Brent Holman in USRA Modified. In USRA Factory Stock Rock Island’s Wesley Bourne held a 66 point lead over Marshall Penson of Van Buren. In a season that saw it’s far share of wild moments, three championships held in the balance.

The Late Models kicked off A-Feature racing with Cody Leonard of Sinton, Texas jumping out to the early lead. After a few laps it seemed is closest competitor was multi-time Tri-State winner Cole Wells out of Aurora, Missouri. Traffic would play a huge role in the 25 lap feature as Wells would get past Leonard and not look back. A mid-race Caution from an issue on Eddie Martin’s Late Model would bunch the field up one last time. On the restart, Wells had a rear-view full of Leonard and Kip Hughes, but that would be the closest they could get as Wells dominated the remaining laps. “These guys raced us real clean all night long, every time I raced with someone side by side they gave me a respectable amount of room.” Cole Wells said after his win. “I’ve done a lot here with Cash Money [Super Dirt Late Model Series]. Tonight had a little bit more texture, made for a really good race surface. You could do multi-grooves.”

In B-mod Kort Morgan of Muskogee, Oklahoma would lead them to the Green. 2022 class champion Neil Johnston would take the lead on lap 2. A caution for Daniel Cowett bunched the field back up and that was exactly what Jacob Campbell of Hackett, AR needed. Campbell would get Johnston one lane further up than he had been running and was able to make it stick for the lead. Four more cautions would come out with Muskogee’s Dalton Ragsdale making it up to second to challenge Jacob Campbell for the lead. Campbell would hold on and get win number 2 at Tri-State on the season. Dalton Ragsdale would finish 2nd, Neil Johnston 3rd, Martin Hemphill of Spiro in 4th, and Springdale’s Tye Hollingsworth rounding out the top 5.

USRA Stock Car would take to the track with point leader Denver Lee rolling off in the Pole Position and 2nd place in points Jeff Tennant right behind him in Row 2. Drama as Tennant and Brandon Hunter get together in turn 3 and 4. Tennant goes to the back albeit without a nose piece and tries to charge back to the front. A spin by Hunter brings out the second caution, brought out emotions from Tennant as he was disqualified sending him back to the pits. Denver Lee is then left to battle Mt. Ida’s Chad Abernathy, who was the 2021 Track Champion in Factory Stock. A hard charging Brandon Hunter, who had gone to the rear of the field for his spin made a last lap pass on Abernathy to get 2nd. Denver Lee would pull the double winning the feature and the Championship.

USRA Modifieds, Pocola’s Jeremy Vaughn would get the A Feature started, but Roy Long out of Stilwell, OK would take the lead on lap 2. Eventual track champion Jason Payton and Brent Holman would battle the whole race in the 5th and 6th position. Roy Long would battle with 4 time winner this season Tyler Wolff for several laps until Wolff got by Long when traffic pushed the 17X up two grooves leaving the door open. From there it was a Wolff as he got the win pushing his total to 5 on the year. Jason Payton would finish in 6th behind Holman but it was all he needed to win the Championship by 49 points.

Kenneth Reynolds would lead the group of 13 USRA Factory Stocks to the green. Point leader Wesley Bourne would start 2nd. The only caution of the night was for Fort Gibson’s Graci Williams and Shawn Blair getting together in Turn 1. Light contact between the two and they both re-fired and were able to finish the race. Rick Edgerton would get out front and hold off Bourne and Reynolds for the win. Ty Abernathy of Mt. Ida and Rowdy Bonewell of Rudy would round out the Top 5. Wesley Bourne goes back to back in different classes after capturing the 2021 USRA Stock Car Track Championship last year. Bourne adds this championship in the full body cars to the ones he won at Tri-State in 2017 and 2019.

Front Wheel Drives presented by Drive4JRT.com saw Chris Tuck lead them to the green in his Honda. The first caution would come out as Chris Davis in a Nissan Sentra and Cassie Maul in a Volkswagen Jetta get together at the entrance to the pits in Turn 4. Aaron Dyer would bring out a 2nd Caution after performing a perfectly executed barrel roll in turn 1. Chris Perkins in a Honda Prelude would get past Tuck to take the lead and the win. Colton Reed in an Acura RSX would finish third making it a 1-2-3 for Honda powered racers. 4th place went to Chris Davis and was the final running car in the finishing order.

Asked Track Owner Michael Hoover his thoughts on the season after the races. “It was pretty tight racing all year long. We’ve had multiple different winners, last year we had 38 different winners, this year I don’t have the actual total. To only win 2 or 3 races and some classes have not won an A feature and still be able to win the points, that’s a big deal.” He dove further into parity between the cars and drivers week in and week out. “Going to this USRA [sanctioned] Class across the board you can tell a lot of the races are won at the finish line at zero point something seconds. Hats off to my track crew to provide a surface that they can move around like that.”

Tri-State is off the next two weekends as they prepare for the two big end of the year events. The 43rd Annual Spooker gets under way with a test and tune on October 19th and racing begins Thursday night October 20th through Saturday night October 22nd. Currently there is over $80,000 up for grabs with more being added nearly daily. Friday and Saturday night for the last two years have averages 240 cars entered. The very last race of the season is the Modster Mash, they have tried several times to have this race as it is part of a 4 race series with the United States Modified Touring Series surronding the Halloween weekend. Mother Nature has found a way to foil the plan.

Greenwood City Lake’s Cuthbert Bridge Project

News

Tammy Teague

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1:10 am

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Greenwood City Lake’s Cuthbert Bridge Project

(photo credit: Bridge — Tom Cuthbert)

Editor’s Note: When the opportunity arose to share this historical piece, full of emotion and family ties–I jumped at it. It is an exciting project, and we invite you, our readers, to be a part!

Installment 1/3 – In part one of this three-part series we will discover the history and how the Cuthbert Bridge Project came to be. In part two, we will talk about current progress, and in the final installment, the future and how you can be a part of this amazing part of Greenwood’s history!

View from the proposed bridge to the west at sunset. (photo credit: Bridge — Tom Cuthbert)

When you hear the word bridge, what comes to mind? An old wooden, creaky, swaying country bridge? A solid steel beam structure with beams hovering overhead? Regardless of its composition, one thing about a bridge by definition is constant – they connect two points together.

Such is the case in the planned project for the Greenwood City Lake. Two points connected, literally and figuratively…past and future.

WHAT IS THE CUTHBERT BRIDGE PROJECT?
The idea to install a bridge at the city lake is a combined effort of City Alderman Daniel McDaniel, and Tom Cuthbert III. Tom’s father, Dr. Thomas R. Cuthbert Jr. served on the water commission with McDaniel and was instrumental in a number of city projects. Cuthbert’s mother, Earnestine, was also very active within the Greenwood community.

The couple has a lasting legacy within the City of Greenwood. And, additional family ties within the City of Lavaca.

After Dr. Cuthbert’s passing, McDaniel was approached by his son, Tom Cuthbert III, who wanted to do something to honor his father and stepmother and offered a very generous monetary donation. It wasn’t long after that, the idea for the Cuthbert Bridge Project was born.

The Cuthbert Bridge, to be named in their honor, is a fitting tribute to the contributions the couple has made to the community of Greenwood over the last 28 years.

The idea behind the Cuthbert Bridge project is threefold. First, the City of Greenwood has a need to connect the boat ramp and parking area to the trails across the cut¹.

¹A flag designates the proposed bridge’s south side entrance. (photo credit: Bridge — Tom Cuthbert)

Currently, residents have to park and walk along the side of Mt. Harmony road to access the trail. This trail connects to the Boy Scout pavilion and trails leading into Greenwood and the park system.

Secondly, the city has invested a good deal into the boat launch area and made it more usable. That said, use is limited to those fishing on the lake. There is no good place to fish from without a boat. The bridge would span the width of the cut (~200 ft.) and create a place for people to walk across and fish from. Additionally, the bridge will allow for a beautiful view of the sunset as you face west on the apex of the bridge

The bridge itself was a gift to the City from Hope, AR, and the Arkansas Department of Transportation “ARDOT”. Doug Kinslow, who was then the City Parks Director was responsible for obtaining and preserving the historic structure. At the time there was no real plan for what to do with the bridge, but there was a desire to preserve its history and add something special to the City of Greenwood Parks system.

“Tom, who lives in San Antonio, TX, asked me if I would take the lead in finding some worthy project in Greenwood that would honor his father,” McDaniel added. “I told him I would be honored to do so and began to look for something that could be done around Greenwood Lake. Dr. Cuthbert loved to kayak and fish on the lake and he greatly admired the old existing iron bridge and lobbied for its preservation.”

McDaniel contacted Mayor Kinslow and said, “I’ve finally found a purpose for your old bridge.” Mayor Kinslow was thrilled with the prospect of finally being able to bring the old bridge, which had been laying in the bushes behind the city street department since 2009, back to life. From there McDaniel began to assemble a committee of volunteers, engineers, and subject matter experts to make the idea a reality.

In part 2, we will discuss the logistics of bringing this exciting bridge project to fruition!

Around the Boathouse

Outdoors

Tammy Teague

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1:01 am

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The AGFC’s Fisheries Division urges anglers, if they haven’t done so yet, to check out some of the U.S. Forest Service lakes in the state. The U.S. Corps of Engineers lakes around the state are large and attract lots of angler attention, but there are some destinations within the state’s Forest Service land that not only offer stunning views, but unique fishing opportunities.
District fisheries biologists from the Russellville region and U.S. Forest Service staff recently collaborated to sample fish communities in Shores Lake and Cove Lake. Shores Lake is in Franklin County northeast of Mulberry, while Cove Lake is located in Logan County southeast of Paris near Mount Magazine and within the Mount Magazine WMA, which is cooperatively managed by the Forest Service and the AGFC.
Community sampling allows biologists to determine whether the fishery is well balanced with plenty of prey for predator species. Biologists can also determine the spawning success of sport fish species such as largemouth bass.
Both Shores and Cove lakes contained plenty of young-of-the-year largemouths, indicating good spawning success from this past spring. Numerous 11- to 13-inch bass were found. These lakes could benefit from harvest of black bass to prevent overcrowding, which can produce a stunted population.
Shores Lake also contained several nice-sized redear sunfish (photo top right), which make great table fare.
Also, both Shores and Cove lakes are stocked annually with about 400-500 channel catfish. Several large channel cats were observed while sampling Cove Lake.
So, no matter what species you prefer, these lakes can provide ample opportunities to make memories and fill the freezer, and they’re easy to reach from much of the state. The drive to either is worth the trip as well!

Frontier Days, Wildly FUN!

Tammy Teague

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3:03 pm

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The Frontier Days in Logan County brought folks together for an annual celebration on Saturday, October 1 in Paris. The event drew crowds eager to celebrate the area’s history.

This year’s Grand Marshal, Vickie Wiggins, kicked things off with a parade down Highway 22, around the square. Attendees enjoyed many free activities, music, a car show, and a scavenger hunt with a hefty $500 prize.

Grand Marshal Vickie Wiggins (Photo courtesy of Tonya Fletcher – Paris Area Chamber of Commerce)

This is Paris set up a booth to provide education on the history of Logan County. Periodically, they presented a musical film loop of Paris History at 22 Brew.

There were re-enactments by the Lawbreakers and Peacemakers. Other entertainment included the Logan County turtle race, free carriage rides around the city, and special music by Debbie McPherson, Noah Gattis, Kaitlyn Wilson, and Big Vinyl.

The event wrapped up with the Frontier Days pageant at the Paris Middle School auditorium.

Frontier Days is sponsored by the Paris Chamber of Commerce as well as the various businesses and industries of Logan County.

(Photos courtesy of Tonya Fletcher – Paris Area Chamber of Commerce)

Obituary – Ella “Chris” Christine (Cheesman) McCullah (1946-2022)

Obituaries

Tammy Teague

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2:40 pm

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Obituary – Ella “Chris” Christine (Cheesman) McCullah (1946-2022)

Ella “Chris” Christine McCullah of Waldron, Arkansas went to be with her Lord and Savior, Thursday, September 29, 2022 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Chris was born March 2, 1946 in Mountain Pine, Arkansas to Marvin and Rosie Cheesman. She was 76 years old.

Chris was a kind, warm and gentle woman. Chris enjoyed working in her chicken houses and being outside in her garden and flowers. She also was known for her beautiful quilts. She enjoyed being with her family and loved babies and kids so much that she treated them as her own. Chris attend the Waldron Pentecostal Church of God and loved her church and church family.

Chris leaves behind to cherish her memory, her children: Johnny and Janet McCullah of Waldron, Arkansas and Stephanie Lowery and husband Ron of Paris, Arkansas. One Brother: Therman Cheesman of Waldron, Arkansas and Two Sisters: Beverly Dickens and Carolyn Burnett both of Waldron, Arkansas. Granny will remain in the hearts of her 6 grandchildren: Jerad Owens, Jace Owens, Amber Randle, Blaine McCullah and Mystri Hutchens. 5 great-grandchildren: Ashlynn Owens, Fallon Harless, Nikki Owens, Palin Randle and Cadderly Randle. Chris will be missed by all that knew her and the many whose lives she impacted including a host of extended family and friends she loved dearly.

Chris was preceded in death by her parents: Marvin and Rosie Cheesman, her husband Lloyd Ray McCullah, two brothers: Bobby Cheesman and Marvin Jr. Chessman, one sister: Erma Hollaway and granddaughter Kyla Owens.

Chris’s life celebration will be Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 3:00 pm at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron, Arkansas. with Rev. Konnor McKay Officiating. Interment will follow at Cedar Creek Cemetery in Cedar Creek, Arkansas.

Chris’s pallbearers will be: Brian McCullah, Daniel McCullah, Blaine McCullah, Jerad Owens, Riley Hutchens and Jace Owens. Honorary pallbearers are: Wade Cheesman, Jesse Randel, Ronnie Cox and Mark Cagle.

Visitation will be on Monday, October 3, 2022 from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas

Obituary – Dale Owen Tanner (1970-2022)

Obituaries

Tammy Teague

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2:12 pm

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Dale Owen Tanner was born September 24, 1970 and passed from this life September 28, 2022 in Ft. Smith, Arkansas with family by his side. Dale was born in Little Rock, Arkansas to Linda (Owens) Forrest and Bruce Tanner. He was 52 years old.

Dale grew up in Waldron and was a graduate of Waldron High School. He worked in the log woods for many years and later spent many years in the metal construction business. He was an avid outdoorsman. Dale loved any kind of hunting and fishing day or night. He loved spending time with his family and playing cards. Dale was a longtime member of the Temple Baptist Church in Waldron.

Dale leaves behind to cherish his memory, his mother Linda (Lin) Forrest of the home, daughters: Krystin Hutchens (Tyler) of Booneville, Arkansas, Kallie Akinola (Olumide) of Rockwall, Texas, Tatum Thrasher (Austin) of Centerton, Arkansas and Trista Davis (Clay) of Greenwood, Arkansas and one sister Melanie Tanner of Waldron, Arkansas. Dale is also survived by his grandchildren: Brianna and Samuel Hutchens and Declan and Cullen Davis as well as 2 nieces, 1 nephew, numerous great nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. Dale will be missed by all that knew him and the many whose lives he impacted including a host of really great friends and loved ones.

Dale was preceded in death by his father, Bruce Tanner and his grandparents: WL (Red) and Bettie Mae Owens and Alton and Betty Tanner.

Dale’s graveside celebration of life service will be 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at Sehorn Cemetery with Chad Owens, Travis May and Gary Martin officiating. Arrangements are being entrusted to Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.

Dale’s pallbearers will be Trevor Watkins, Taylor Powell, Steve Harwell, Danny Sims, Derek Barnett and Jason Pottridge. Honorary pallbearers will be his sons-in-law.

Dale’s visitation will be Monday, October 3, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.

Lamar’s Cabin Creek Proves Rough Running

Sports

Tammy Teague

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7:52 pm

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Lamar’s Cabin Creek Proves Rough Running

Mansfield distance runners Laney Wood and Joey Williams display their individual plaques earned at the Cabin Creek Cross Country race in Lamar.

It’s called Cabin Creek for a reason. Lamar’s cross country race literally runs over the bedrock of Cabin Creek as it winds its way along the perimeter of Lamar’s new high school campus. At each exchange as the course moved from field to field, runners had to navigate the uneven erosion of rock and dirt of the dried up creek bed.

MHS senior Jadelynn Wood gives two thumbs up after posting her best 5K time of the season at the Cabin Creek Run.

Mansfield took its troupe of long distance runners to the second annual Cabin Creek Run on Tuesday, September 27. With 561 actual participants in the combined scoring setup, the Tigers found the rate of individual success as rough as the course itself.

Two MHS runners cracked the Top 10 scoring list. Five made the Top 20.

Joey Williams off the junior boys team led the ensemble with the best Tiger finish of the day. The freshmen contender was fourth overall against 161 players in his heat. Laney Wood from the senior girls company came in ninth overall against 124 finishers.

Members of the Mansfield Junior High cross country team gather after their cool down run at the Lamar meet.

“Those two are scoring individual awards nearly every time out,” noted Mansfield head coach John Mackey. “This was really a stacked event. It’s pretty hard to crack the top ten when you lump all schools together. We’re talking about running against teams like Russellville, Northside, Pea Ridge, and Clarksville among the 35 registered schools.”

Williams held his own among the large field. His 1.6 mile loop was completed in 9:14.40. That was right at 20 seconds behind first place winner Ethan Lacy (8:54.10) of Pottsville. The only other junior boys to cross the timing mat before Williams was Owen Naveson (9:00.60) of Russellville and Aron Martinez (9:01.70) of Clarksville.

Wood was coming back from a weekend missed because of illness. The sophomore All-Stater missed the Mansfield hosted Today’s Bank Invitational on the previous Saturday. At Lamar, she bounced back to some degree with a 24:12.30 measure along the slightly long 5K Cabin Creek course.

Wood came in at ninth place sandwiched between two runners from the class 2A ranks. Silver Mulliniks (24:02.70) of Quitman and Lily Johnson (24:15.70) of Bigelow flanked the Lady Tiger’s number one runner.

“Those two schools (Quitman and Bigelow) are legit contenders for the state championship in class 2A,” said Mackey. “For us to have a chance in November, our best player needs to beat their best players. Laney has the tools to get it done.”

Jadelynn Wood, the older sister to Laney, likewise missed the Tiger’s home meet due to similar symptoms of sickness. The senior rebounded with her best 5K race of the season along the washed out rubble that intensified the Lamar landscape.

The elder Wood made the two loop trip in 25:06.50. That brought her home in thirteenth place.

Gunner Williams and Rylan Jones were the only other Mansfield products to crack the Top 20 in their individual races.

Gunner Williams, the younger brother to Joey by one year, posted a respectable 9:43.40 in the junior boys event. His 15th place finish would have upgraded to seventh had the games committee split the meet into big school and small school scoring.

“Gunner has consistently been our number two guy,” revealed Mackey. “He is working on a race strategy that may move him even higher in the overall ranks.”

Jones, just a seventh grader, has established herself as the junior girls number one runner. With six career starts now under her belt, the up and comer has never finished lower than 21st in any race. At Lamar, she took 16th in a time of 11:46.80 for the 1.6 mile loop.

“Rylan is figuring it out, and getting in better race shape,” offered the head coach. “Compared to her first race of the season at Perryville, this was nearly a minute faster.”

The junior boys had the best team score of any Mansfield cast. The lineup of Williams and Williams was joined by Jonah Martin, Hunter Whittaker, and Braxton Bartlett as a scoring five.

Collectively the group came in fifth place behind the ranked order of Russellville, Pottsville, Waldron, and Dover among 13 scoring schools.

“Despite the rough terrain, our junior boys’ times are getting better,” said Mackey. “Take Hunter (Whittaker) for example. He ran nearly one minute and twenty seconds faster than his first race one month ago. This makes sense as this group is the most consistent in completing practice plans on schedule.”

Behind the readings produced by the Wood siblings, decreased times were not in vogue for the MHS senior girls. As a group, the oldest of the Tiger squads managed only a seventh place team score with marginal times.

Overall placements dropped dramatically for the Lady Tigers in the 124 player field. The weighted scores were too much to overcome. The group landed behind Quitman, Pea Ridge, Pottsville, Bigelow, Clarksville, and Northside among twelve different scorting schools.

“Our players have to remember it’s a team game,” emphasized the longtime Mansfield mentor. “Individual effort still matters to the team score. If you’re in the boat, you need to be rowing whether you sit in the front or in the back.”

Mansfield has regular season meets remaining in Waldron, Magazine, and Van Buren. Their postseason championship phase continues with a conference meet in Magazine, regionals in Mena (hosted by Acorn), and state in Hot Springs.

Mansfield head coach John Mackey and his current cross country team had a chance to catch up with former Lady Tiger Katlynn Moore. Moore, who now runs for the Universtiy of the Ozarks in Clarksville, was nearby after her weight room workout for the Eagles. The college freshman joined the Mansfield team for dinner after the Tigers’ race in Lamar.

Important food safety, grilling tips for tailgating season

Lifestyle

Tammy Teague

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7:17 pm

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Important food safety, grilling tips for tailgating season

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

No matter the score, football season brings plenty of opportunities to enjoy tailgating and outdoor fun with family and friends. To make the most of game day, be sure to follow food safety guidelines by keeping and cooking meat at the proper temperatures.

A critical element of food safety is keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Bryan Mader, extension assistant professor and health specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said not having sufficient sources for refrigeration is a common mistake when preparing food outdoors.

“While the typical on-the-go option to keep food cold or frozen is a cooler, I would suggest making sure the cooler is rated for the length of time you plan to have food outside of a refrigerator or freezer,” Mader said.

For example, if planning to cook burgers 3 hours after removing them from the fridge at home, ensure the cooler is rated to keep foods cold for at least that long. Keeping food at a safe temperature is key to preventing foodborne illness.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cold perishable foods – such as raw hamburger patties, sausages and chicken – should be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below to prevent bacterial growth.

When packing a cooler, be sure any raw meats are securely wrapped to prevent cross-contaminating other food. Other perishable cooked foods, such as luncheon meat, cooked meat, and potato or pasta salads must also be kept refrigerator cold.

Mader said to remember the “two hour” rule. “Any foods that would normally require refrigeration or heating to maintain should be discarded after it’s spent two hours outside of a refrigeration or heat source,” he said.

To keep food such as soup or chili hot during game day, use an insulated container. Prepare the container by filling it with boiling water, letting it stand for a few minutes, then emptying it before putting in the piping hot food. If the insulated container is kept closed, the food should stay hot – 140 degrees Fahrenheit or above – for several hours.

It’s important to never partially cook meat or poultry ahead of time. When cooked partially, food does not get cooked to a safe temperature, which allows harmful bacteria to survive and spread.

Be sure to pack a food thermometer to ensure meats are cooked to a safe temperature. According to the USDA, all raw ground beef, pork, lamb and veal should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. All poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Derico Setyabrata, assistant professor of meat science for the Division of Agriculture, said using a meat thermometer also helps prevent overcooking meat, which impacts its texture and flavor.

“Make sure you put your thermometer in from the side of the meat and measure at the very center of the product,” Setyabrata said. “Also, lift your product off the grill when you are doing it.”

Setyabrata said that if making one’s own burger mixture, be sure not to overmix it, especially after adding salt.

“Salt will extract the protein in the meat, which helps make your burger stay together,” he said. “But overmixing it will extract the protein too much and make your product really tough.”

Another key to grilling delicious meats is to “not be afraid of seasoning,” Setyabrata said.

“Adding spices a few minutes before you grill will really improve the flavor,” he said. “I think you can never go wrong with salt, black pepper, garlic and onion powder, but don’t be afraid to explore. There are many ready-to-use seasonings and spice mixes in stores, and that could be an easy way to improve your product’s flavor. Marinating your meat will also help to improve the flavor, tenderness and juiciness of your meat.”

For people who may be new to grilling, Setyabrata suggests cooking on medium heat, as “this will help you make a more evenly cooked product.”

“You can use high heat to finish your product, making a seared crust that will greatly improve your eating experience,” he said.

It’s also important to allow cooked meat to rest for between five to 10 minutes before eating. Setyabrata said this “allows the muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb the moisture back into the structure,” resulting in a better eating experience.

Setyabrata said using the correct cooking method for specific cuts of meat is also key.

“Cuts like ribeye, striploin, tenderloin or top sirloin are good cuts for grilling, and a bit more forgiving,” he said. “You can use cuts from the hind legs as well, but it would be best to cut them smaller – like kabobs – or cook them low and slow to make sure that the product has good palatability. They are awesome cuts, but just need a little more love and attention.”

For more information about tailgating food safety, visit the USDA’s tailgating food safety Q & A or check out the Cooperative Extension Service’s five tips for tailgating.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Financial Focus: Failure to Plan – Is it Planning to Fail?

Business

Tammy Teague

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7:12 pm

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Financial Focus: Failure to Plan – Is it Planning to Fail?

By Jeffery O’Neal,
Financial Advisor

Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” But as you chart your financial course, what steps should you take to help you keep moving forward to where you want to go?
Consider these suggestions:
• Establish and quantify your goals. Throughout your life, you’ll have short-term goals, such as an overseas vacation or a home renovation, and long-term goals, the most important of which may be a comfortable retirement. You’ll want to identify all your goals and put a “price tag” on them. Of course, it’s not always possible to know exactly how much it will cost to achieve each goal, but you can develop reasonably good estimates, revising them as needed.
• Create an investment strategy to achieve your goals. Once you know how much your goals will cost, you can create the appropriate savings and investment strategies to potentially help you reach the needed amounts. For your retirement goal, you will likely need to contribute regularly to your IRA and 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. But for shorter-term goals, you may need to explore other types of investments. For all your investment moves, though, you’ll need to consider your risk tolerance. You won’t want your portfolio to have such a high-risk level that you’re constantly uncomfortable with the inevitable fluctuations of the financial markets. On the other hand, you won’t want to invest so conservatively that you jeopardize your chances of achieving the growth you need to reach your goals.
• Control your debts. We live in an expensive world, so it’s not easy to live debt-free. And some debts, such as your mortgage, obviously have value. But if you can control other debts, especially those that carry high interest rates, you can possibly free up money you can use to boost your savings and investments.
• Prepare for obstacles. No matter how carefully you follow the strategies you’ve created to achieve your goals, you will, sooner or later, run into obstacles, or at least temporary challenges. What if you incur a large, unexpected expense, such as the sudden need for a new car or a major home repair? If you aren’t prepared for these costs, you might be forced to dip into your long-term investments – and every time you do that, you might slow your progress toward achieving your goals. To help prevent this, you should build an emergency fund containing several months’ worth of living expenses.
• Review your strategy. When you first created your financial strategy, you might have planned to retire at a certain age. But what if you eventually decide to retire earlier or later? Such a choice can have a big impact on what you need from your investment portfolio — and
when. And your circumstances may change in other ways, too. That’s why it’s a good idea to review your strategy periodically to make sure it still aligns with your up-to-date objectives.
None of us can guarantee that our carefully laid plans will always yield the results we want. But by taking the right steps at the right times, you can greatly improve your chances.
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

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