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Paris Girls Youth Basketball Camp a Success

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2:53 am

Paris Girls Youth Basketball Camp a Success

Paris High School head girls basketball coach Jonathan Vire and members of the senior girls basketball team hosted a youth basketball camp last week at Paris Gymnasium. Campers attended four days of camp from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The camp featured basketball skill work, competition, and fun for the participants. The first year camp is part of the new coach’s approach to re-building the foundation of the senior high basketball program.

When RNN asked Vire about the camp, he commented, “We had a great week. We had 20 campers, and with the storm on Monday night, I thought that was an impressive number of participants, especially for our first year. All of the girls that attended worked hard, had fun, and I felt that they each got better at something, and that is what it is all about. Overall, I felt like it was a successful week.”

Each camper received a camp t-shirt with their registration fee. The turnout was impressive, and should be a big factor in making basketball fun for children and encouraging them to continue playing.

As Drought Lingers, Trees Require Smarter Approaches for Watering

Outdoors

Tammy Teague

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2:52 am

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As Drought Lingers, Trees Require Smarter Approaches for Watering

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

With Arkansas’ prolonged drought taking a toll on trees across the state, now is the time for homeowners to lend some extra attention to their trees that may be in distress.

“People have been calling about their trees losing leaves or starting to get their fall colors way too early, or the bark cracking,” said Krista Quinn, a certified arborist and an agricultural agent with the Cooperative Extension Service’s Faulkner County office, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “These are all signs of drought distress.”
The prolonged lack of rain and high temperatures across Arkansas has depleted moisture from soil in many areas.

“The two best things we can do to minimize drought damage to trees is to water them and lightly mulch them,” Quinn said. “Watering and mulching trees now may not be enough to get them to produce new leaves or start growing again this season, but it can minimize damage and make them better able to withstand other environmental and pest pressures during the coming year.”
Older trees require hundreds of gallons of water over a week, but their root systems can tap into deeper water sources that younger trees cannot access. Younger trees, especially those in harsh urban conditions, need extra care.

“Turf grasses can usually recover,” Quinn said. “They will go dormant and turn brown. Some trees will also go dormant as a strategy for dealing with drought, so just because it’s defoliating doesn’t mean it’s dying, but it is stressed.”

Homeowners may face time or financial constraints when it comes to caring for their landscaping. Some municipalities may also request that homeowners reduce water use for irrigation like sprinklers and landscape watering to maintain the community water supply.

“For anyone who is trying to maintain their landscape through drought and heat and feel like they have to make decisions — I honestly think trees are the priority,” Quinn said. “They’re expensive to plant, and large trees are irreplaceable. The hot temperatures make us appreciate the shade from a tree even more.”

Tree Watering Tips
⦁ Water under the entire tree canopy and not just at the trunk.
⦁ For newly planted trees, water the area just outside the root zone to encourage roots to grow out away from the trunk into the native soil.
⦁ Irrigate infrequently, but deeply. Watering once a week is usually sufficient as long as the top 4 to 6 inches of soil is wetted. Dig a small hole after watering to make sure the water has percolated through the soil.
⦁ Watering trees in clay soils, compacted soils, or on slopes can be difficult since the water often starts to runoff before the top 4 to 6 inches of soil is wetted. Use a soaker or drip irrigation system to apply a low volume of water over a longer amount of time. Another option is to cycle the water flow on and off every 20 to 30 minutes. Water for 20 minutes, then let the water soak into the slope for 20 minutes, then water again for 20 minutes until the needed amount of water has soaked into the soil.
⦁ Water in the evening or early morning to minimize evaporation.
⦁ Use sprinklers, soaker hoses, watering bags, and buckets to water trees.
⦁ Newly planted trees have a better chance of surviving if they are watered during dry spells for the first two years after planting.
Tree Mulching Tips
⦁ Apply a 2- to 4-inch-deep layer of mulch over tree roots.
⦁ Keep mulch material away from the tree trunk. The goal is to keep the tree roots moist and the trunk dry.
⦁ Mulch as much of the area under the tree as possible, preferably to the outermost edge of the tree’s canopy.
⦁ Many different organic products can be used as mulch. Bark, shredded wood, grass clippings, straw, pine needles, and dried leaves are all good options.
⦁ Mulch does not need to be reapplied every year.
⦁ Having a mulch layer more than about 4 inches deep can harm trees.

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.

Booneville “All For One Day” Successful in Its Second Year

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2:49 am

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Booneville “All For One Day” Successful in Its Second Year

Note to Readers: This story was contributed to RNN Sports by Mr. Glenn Parrish, Director of Communications, for the Booneville School District. Mr. Parrish will be contributing Bearcats sports stories to RNN Sports. We are excited to have Glenn and the Booneville Bearcats as part of our sports coverage, and we know you will enjoy reading his stories!

The Booneville School District held its second All For One Day across its athletic facilities.

Named for the oft cited phrase “All For One, One For All Bearcats All The Way” utilized by various teams, All For One Day is a bonding event with a goal of building or strengthening teamwork, and familiarity across the school’s athletic program.

The event also serves as an introduction of sorts for the incoming seventh grade athletes.

All told here were almost 220 athletes and individual team support staff – all in matching T-shirts bearing the All For One, One For All slogan – competing on five teams in events in the safe room, gym, and field house.

Image Special to RNN Sports / Glenn Parrish, Booneville Schools

In each case the competition was team timed and was, of course, athletic in nature. Volleyball was the theme in the safe room and included volley placement along with a bunny hop hurdle series and a towel push.

In the gym there was a Vertimax band pull, a dumbbell carry, followed by a sprint and layup.

In the fieldhouse there was another dummy jump, bear crawling, a sled push, running up then down stairs, and forming the word CATS with the bodies of the teammates.

Each of five teams, which were dictated as far as senior high athletes were concerned, with junior high athletes added randomly, was ranked in each event with the teams winning the event earning five points, the second place team four and so forth.

Images Above: Special to RNN Sports / Glenn Parrish, Booneville Schools

After the competition the Black team lead by Coach Rachael May was in first place with the Purple team of Coach Katelyn Holub and White team of Coach Chad Simpson tied for second, necessitating a tiebreaker for the second spot in the finals competition.

A tiebreaker game of C-A-T saw Jace Washburn beat Raiden Ferguson to earn the White team the spot in the finals.

From there, the White team won an obstacle course race that included a sprint, jump rope series, medicine ball carry, and a zig-zag cone touch.

The margin of victory was very narrow as Cam Osborne was the final member of the White team completing the series as Sara Ulmer, the final member of the Black team, about to embark on the medicine ball carry.

Athletic Director Josh Walker, who was behind the creation of the event last year, has already set July 19, 2023 as the date for the third annual event.

Logan County Golf Tournament Raises $13K For Scholarships

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Tammy Teague

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2:48 am

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Logan County Golf Tournament Raises $13K For Scholarships

Thanks to the generous support of golfers, sponsors, and volunteers, Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund raised more than $13,000 for single parent scholarships in Logan County.

The 10th annual Logan County Golf Tournament was held July 9 at Little Creek Golf Course in Ratcliff. More than 70 golfers played in teams of two in a shotgun scramble. The winners were:

First Flight 1st place: Lam Petersen and Jimmy Jack Butler 2nd place: BJ Ross and Brayden Ross 3rd place: David Phillips and Chaun Molton

Second Flight 1st place: Jack Reddern and Kyle Crafton

2nd place: Jeff Biggs & Alivia Biggs 3rd place: John Harmon and D. Bradley

Sponsors who made the event possible include: Michael Morton of Oak Manor Nursing Center, Lee Lane & Sam McCutcheon, Logan County Bank, David & Pamela Parks, Subiaco Federal Credit Union, Harvey Johns, Walmart in Booneville, Walmart in Paris, Walmart in Fort Smith on Hwy. 71, Logan County Bank, Bob & Debbie White, Paris Rotary Club, Robert & Cindy Kopack Jr., Timothy & Heather Knitting, The Grape Vine, Golf Cars of Fort Smith, Great Western Bank, and Jerry Wilkins.

The tournament was a success thanks to our dedicated Logan County volunteers! The event chair was Kay Johns, and the committee members were Erin Baker, Carmen Stiegler, and Del Berry

The funds raised from the tournament help hardworking, low-income single parents in Logan County who are committed to raising their education level and standard of living, which helps the local economy! Over the past five years, ASPSF has distributed more than $102,000 in scholarships to single parents in Logan County, helping to end generational poverty one family at a time.

Last year, ASPSF awarded $22,800 in scholarships to 15 single parents in Logan County who attend schools such as Arkansas Tech University campuses, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, and University of the Ozarks. These parents showed their 30 children that higher education is within reach.

One such parent is Brittany Downs, the Booneville Public Library Branch Manager. In December, the first-generation college student and single mother of two will graduate with her bachelor’s degree in logistics from Arkansas Tech University. ASPSF answered her questions about postsecondary education, and it provided financial aid to help pay for the biggest barriers between her and her degree.

“ASPSF is a lifeline that I can share with other mothers, fathers, and other single parents out there who could really utilize this resource,” Brittany said. “It can be very challenging for not just single moms but mothers in general getting back into the workforce, going back to school, and not knowing if there’s a support system out there to help.”

For more information about Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund and the golf tournament, contact ASPSF Development Manager Abbie Taylor Cox at acox@aspsf.org or 479-462-1440.

About Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund: For 30 years, Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund has worked to create stronger, more educated, and more self-sufficient families. Through scholarships and services, ASPSF opens doors for low-income single parents, helping them pursue education, secure employment, and transform the future for their families. With the help of volunteers and community support, ASPSF creates multigenerational change, transforming lives for both single parents and their children. For information about scholarships, volunteer opportunities, and ways to give, visit www.aspsf.org.

MMS Hosts First Ever STEAM Summer Program

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Tammy Teague

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2:46 am

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MMS Hosts First Ever STEAM Summer Program

This summer the Mansfield Middle School hosted its first-ever STEAM Summer Program. Upcoming 5th-grade students through eighth grade participated in this voluntary program. The STEAM initiative is an educational program designed to encourage student learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. The following students participated: Zach Miller, Colt Allbritton, Brantley Whittaker, Elexis Powell, Bryson Wingate, Cordell Stone, JonMark Lennon, Daymian Powell, Dixie Wingate, Lilah Powell, Enya Trinh, Eva Trinh, Rylie Moore, and Easton Altman.

Though this group created several smaller projects, there were two large-scale challenges that were their focus. Both of these projects were not only educational and fun, but they also fulfilled a greater purpose of community service. Despite the difficulty of the challenges and the heat of the summer, these kids willingly showed up day after day, ready to work hard.

The first large challenge was a recycling project made from tires that resulted in playground equipment for the Mansfield City Park. Many thanks to Cherokee Tire for donating all of the tires for the project. All of the tires were cleaned, painted, and joined together to create rideable models of modes of transportation. They created a tractor, a race car, and one of the modern-day slingshots. A special thanks to Mike Beran and Ronnie Black, both previous long-term maintenance supervisors for the Mansfield School District, who volunteered their help hauling and installing the projects at the park.

The second large challenge included two parts, starting with the kids painting on large rocks to look like children’s book covers of their choosing. The kids did a fantastic job painting their “books.” A great thank you to Renea Bryan for donating the rocks. The bigger and more difficult part of the challenge was to paint a large mural on the wall under the awning leading into the Sebascott Public Library located on the backside of the Mansfield City Hall. The painted “books” can be found along with the mural.

Thanks to the Mansfield School District for providing this awesome opportunity! It wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and effort of Dimity Beran, Kim Boyd, Becky Vanelli, Renea Bryan, Amanda Wilson, Angie Morris, and Kandis Howard.

Magazine Opportunities Program Receives Prestigious 3-Star Rating

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2:41 am

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Magazine Opportunities Program Receives Prestigious 3-Star Rating

Note to Our Readers: The following story was contributed by Jonathan Gipson of the Magazine School District. Mr. Gipson is the coordinator of social media/public relations for the district and is a new special contributor to RNN and RNN Sports. We know you will enjoy Jonathan’s contributions throughout the year!

MAGAZINE – Better Beginnings, Arkansas’ quality rating and improvement system for all licensed and registered childcare facilities, has recognized the Magazine Schools Opportunities Program as a 3-star provider in quality child care and educational programs.

Magazine Schools Opportunities Program has achieved the requirements to become a 3-star provider, while also maintaining the requirements of a 1 and 2-star provider. A 3-star rating is the highest level a Better Beginnings provider can receive and signifies the best quality of child care in Arkansas.

“Having a safe, high-quality environment for our youngest Rattlers to thrive in is of utmost importance to us. Our staff is second to none in the quality of care and education that parents can depend on every single day. Above all, you will know that your child is loved and well cared for while learning new things that get them ready for their next step into elementary school,” Magazine Schools Superintendent Dr. Beth Shumate said.

When rating a 3-star facility, Better Beginnings focuses on five quality components: administration, staff qualifications and professional development, learning environment, environmental assessment and child health and development.

“Research shows that the early months and years following birth really do matter, that maximum brain development happens during the first five years of life – before children are ‘officially’ in school. We want children to have a better beginning to their education,” Tonya Williams, Director of Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education, said.

Better Beginnings provides curriculum based on the early learning and development guidelines: math, science and literacy. Through a high-quality learning environment, children develop social and academic skills that lead to school success.

The Magazine Schools Opportunities Program is currently accepting infants, toddlers and Pre-K students for the upcoming 2022-23 school year. To enroll your infant/toddler or Pre-K student, call the Magazine Elementary School Office at (866) 900-2001. The program is free to those who qualify.

Council Approves Proposed Rezoning Plan

Tammy Teague

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2:39 am

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The Mansfield City Council met in a regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday evening, July 21. One item of business, the rezoning of property at the Caldwell Street and Highway 71 intersection.
The city planning commission approved the plan by the Dollar General Corporation for the rezoning proposal. The company will construct a new Dollar General Marketplace at that location.

“The City of Mansfield is extremely excited and happy that Dollar General is expanding with their new Dollar General Market to be built soon,” shared Mansfield Mayor Buddy Black. “The new store will be located at the intersection of Highway 71 and Caldwell Street. Construction start date is unknown at this time. We just rezoned that area from residential to commercial at our most recent council meeting and are ready for the next step which will be construction of the building. There will have to be some updates made to the infrastructure in the area, but we will make the necessary changes as we go. Again, we are happy and appreciative of Dollar General for their investment in the City of Mansfield.”

Boots and Badges

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2:08 am

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You never know when the need will arise. Just ask any resident of the Paris and surrounding communities. That fact was much apparent with last week’s devastating micro-burst storm that hit Paris in the middle of the night, leaving thousands without electricity for hours and even days. But also with the case of last week’s storm, Western Arkansas residents take pride in their home towns and they are always there when their neighbors need the help. At the top of the list are our first responders: fire, police, and paramedics. They are always there when we need them, and we all owe them a huge debt of gratitude.

Now, in the name of friendly competition, first responders have the opportunity to donate blood for a good cause. And each of us also have that same opportunity. If you are not a first responder, you can designate your contribution in the name of either fire, police, or emergency medical personnel. It is simply a friendly competition for “bragging rights’, but also a way to help build up the blood supply so it is there when tragedy hits, just as it did last week in Paris.

The “Boots & Badges” blood drive, sponsored by the Arkansas Blood Institute, will be held in Paris on Thursday, August 4. The drive will be held in the Fellowship Hall at the Paris First United Methodist Church. Patrons can donate that day from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Donors will receive the satisfaction of making an important blood donation and contribution to the blood bank, and, as a bonus, a “Boots & Badges” t-shirt, along with one free ticket to Magic Springs & Water Park in Hot Springs.

To schedule a donation appointment, just go to arkbi.org, or, you may call the Arkansas Blood Institute at 877-340-8777.

And one more time, thanks to our first responders for their service to all of us in Logan County. You are truly our heroes!

Smoked Queso Recipe

Madison VanRavensway

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9:56 pm

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Do you ever go to do something multiple times and forget what you are doing every single time? That has been me writing this article. I knew I wanted to share this recipe, made it and made sure to snap a photo, and forgot. Then remembered, then forgot again, repeat a bunch of times.

But here we are, and I’m finally getting things done! A week later than expected. Such is life. Maybe someone needs this recipe right now and wouldn’t have remembered it for a full week.

To make smoked queso you need an aluminum pan, pellet smoker, Velveeta or similar (cheaper is fine) brand, block cheddar cheese, can of rotel, minced garlic, and cooked beef/chorizo/sausage if preferred.

Preheat grill to 200*.

Chunk up cheeses into 1-1.5 inch cubes, pour remaining ingredients in aluminum cake pan, cover with foil.

Stir occasionally, cook for 1.5-2 hours for best smoky flavor.

You can easily customize this recipe to your taste! We leave out meat often and use to top tacos. It’s also delicious as nachos and makes an easy meal without heating the house!

Four Razorbacks Selected to Preseason All SEC Team; Hogs Predicted to Finish Third in SEC West

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9:12 pm

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Four Razorbacks Selected to Preseason All SEC Team; Hogs Predicted to Finish Third in SEC West

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas offensive lineman Ricky Stromberg, defensive back Jalen Catalon, linebacker Bumper Pool and offensive lineman Brady Latham were named to the All-SEC Team on Friday morning.

Stromberg, who earned first-team honors at center, anchored Arkansas’ offensive line last season, starting all 13 games and blocking for an offense that led all Power 5 schools in rushing with an average of 227.8 yards per game. Behind his blocking, four Razorbacks rushed for at least 500 yards in 2021 – a feat that had not been accomplished at Arkansas since 1975.

Stromberg totaled 873 snaps at center on the year, allowing only three sacks and getting penalized just eight times all season. He was part of an offensive line that blocked for three games of 300+ yards of rushing (Texas, Ole Miss and Penn State) and two games of 600+ yards of total offense (Georgia Southern and Ole Miss).

Catalon, who carded first-team praise at defensive back, remains one of the nation’s top defensive backs despite missing most of last year due to a season-ending injury. The Mansfield, Texas, native finished eighth on the team in total tackles (46) with 1.5 tackles for loss despite playing in only six games. His four pass breakups tied for third most on the Razorbacks.

Pool earned second-team honors at linebacker. The Lucas, Texas, product led the Hogs in total tackles with 125 (45 solo), his second consecutive season with 100+ total tackles. He is one of college football’s premier tackling machines, totaling the second-most stops (320) among all FBS defenders since 2019, and enters the 2022 campaign with 349 career tackles – ninth most all-time at Arkansas – to his name.

Latham, who grabbed third-team recognition on the offensive line, started all 13 games, lining up primarily at left guard. The Jenks, Okla., native played in 890 snaps and held an 81.7 pass blocking grade throughout the season, posting seven games with a pass blocking grade of 80.0 or higher according to Pro Football Focus. Blocking alongside fellow All-SEC Team honoree Stromberg, he helped lead the way for four Razorbacks to rush for at least 500 yards.

The Razorbacks, meanwhile, were picked to finish third in the SEC West, receiving one first-place vote. Under head coach Sam Pittman, Arkansas won nine games in 2021, including all three of the program’s trophy games for the first time in history in addition to the Outback Bowl. The Hogs rose to as high as No. 8 in the AP poll – the team’s highest ranking since 2011 – and checked in at No. 21 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, tying Arkansas’ highest-ever ranking from the committee and marking its first time finishing the season in the Top 25 since the CFP’s inception in 2014.

Arkansas kicks off the season at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, against Cincinnati on ESPN. The Hogs’ season opener at Donald W. Reynolds Razorbacks Stadium will be a big non-conference test of national interest for the Razorbacks. Tickets are still available for the opener with Cincinnati.

Note to Our Readers: The information in this story was provided by the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Oliver Grigg, Assistant Director.

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