The Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) recently made their conference re-adjustments in basketball for the 2022 through 2024 seasons. Since the AAA has Mansfield in the 3A for Football and 2A for all other sports, this particular shake-up will have an influence on the 2A basketball portion of Mansfield athletics. The Tigers and Lady Tigers will see their hardwood arch-nemesis, the Acorn Tigers, traded out for the Hector Wildcats in the 2A-4 conference in basketball. The rest of the 2A-4 conference will remain the same as Lavaca, Magazine, JC Westside, Future School and Mountainburg will still be conference opponents for 2022-24.
Tiger alumni from the 80s and 90s know all too well about the rough and tumble Hector Wildcats. Back in the day, Hector was one of those opponents that Mansfield players knew they were in for a physical matchup and would have to fight to survive. For all the youngins out there though who didn’t even know Hector existed, the Wildcats are a 2A blue blood who has always had a competitive athletic program. Hector sits 101 miles from Mansfield in Pope County just north of Russellville. That will put a two-hour drive ahead of the Tigers when they travel to Wildcat country for away games so fans may want to pack a lunch before they head that direction. When you get there, don’t let Hector’s population sign fool you as you enter town. Although the home of the Wildcats only has a population of 450, that’s 450 people which creates a fan base that lives for cheering on their royal blue and white Wildcats.
Hector was previously in the 2A-5 where they faced the likes of St Josephs, Bigelow, Quitman, Conway Christian, Marshall, Maumelle Charter, South Side, and Lisa Academy North. The 2A-5 has been known to have pretty tough athletic programs and has produced some of the 2A’s best teams over the years, so the Wildcats are used to facing the stiff competition in the 2A-4. The toughness of the 2A-5 was evident this past season as the Hectors boys’ basketball went 2-19-1 in 2021-22 while the Lady Wildcats went 19-8 finishing fourth in the conference. This means that although the Tigers and Lady Tigers will be losing a solid opponent in Acorn, they very well could be picking up a Hector program that is capable of being just as good on the courts. For those who will miss seeing Mansfield take on Acorn on the courts, don’t fret too much. Acorn will be moving to the 2A-7 and will surely still be in the hunt each and every year for conference, district, regional, and state championships. This means that Acorn and Mansfield will still have a chance to face off each year since Mansfield’s basketball program continues to be a top competitor in the 2A also. Just don’t overlook Hector in the upcoming years. The Wildcats will definitely provide some wild games for the Tigers and Lady Tigers in the future.
Arresting agency – Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office: Amanda Dianne Beckham of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 14 at 2:21 p.m. and released on signature bond March 14 at 10:05 p.m. Beckham was charged with Assault On Family Or Household Member-1st Degree.
Daniel Keith Urban of Waldron was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 17 at 6:56 p.m. and was returned from the Arkansas Department of Corrections to testify. Urban was charged with two counts of failure to appear – class B misdemeanors, and failure to appear – class C felony.
James Kirk Pettigrew of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 16 at 12:04 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Pettigrew was charged with Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine), Failure to Appear – Class C Misdemeanor, and Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor.
Steven Ray Ritchie of Huntington was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 19 at 11:48 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Ritchie was charged with parole violation, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of methamphetamine <2g.
Justin Thomas Brewer of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 16 at 9:37 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond on March 16 at 11:14 p.m. Brewer was charged with theft by deception >$5k.
Tania Guerrero of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 16 at 8:23 a.m. was released to another agency on March 16 at 11:40 a.m. Guerrero was charged with two counts of surrender off bond, and petition to revoke bond.
Arresting agency – Hackett Police Department: Jill Leanne Dennis of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 14 at 10:17 p.m. and was transferred to an outside agency on March 17 at 2:15 p.m. Dennis was charged with theft of leased, rented, or entrusted personal property <$1k – purposely, assist outside agency – felony, and contempt – willful disobedience (failure to pay fine).
Arresting agency – Greenwood Police Department: Jackson Paul Edwards of Fort Smith was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 14 at 9:53 a.m. and released on cash bond March 14 at 1:43 p.m. Edwards was charged with Contempt of Court–(child support), FTAS, FTRespond Subpoena, FTComply WCO.
James Edward Lydick of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 17 at 9:09 a.m. and remains at the SCADC. Lydick was charged with two counts of Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine), two counts Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanors, and petition to show cause.
Colt Kidwell of Sallisaw, OK was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 14 at 2:20 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond March 14 at 9:52 p.m. Kidwell was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Misdemeanor.
Andrew Glen Gresty of Fort Smith was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 18 at 8:41 p.m. and released on signature bond March 19 at 12:07 a.m. Gresty was charged with two counts of Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanors, and Contempt-willful disobedience (Failure to Pay Fine).
Chase Tyler Hughes of Fort Smith was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 16 at 9:37 a.m. and remains at the SCADC. Hughes was charged with absconding, parole violation and contempt – willful disobedience (failure to pay fine).
Arresting agency – Fort Smith Police Department: Justin Boyd Gipson of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on March 15 at 4:42 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Gipson was charged with ACT 570 – Probationer, and Failure to Appear – Class B Misdemeanor.
**The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts.**
The opening concerts of A String Fort Smith’s 2022 Spring Season – An Outdoor Concert and A Spring Concert – will take place on Friday, April 8, 2022, at 6pm, in the Outdoor Pavilion, ARCOM (Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine), 7000 Chad Colley Boulevard, Fort Smith, and on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at 3pm, at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 2701 Old Greenwood Road, Fort Smith, respectively. The Saturday, April 9 performance will be recorded and offered virtually in perpetuity, on A String Fort Smith’s YouTube Channel. Repertoire to be performed, includes: Suite for Strings by Marc-Antoine Charpentier; Theme from “Schindler’s List” by John Williams; Concerto in G Major for Viola and Strings by Georg Philipp Telemann; Music from “Pride and Prejudice” by Dario Marianelli; and Grand Sonata in A Major by Niccolò Paganini.
“As we welcome the arrival of spring, I’m thrilled to share the accomplishments of A String Fort Smith – a truly remarkable ensemble of young musicians, faculty, and guest artists – in two public performances which are sure to delight! Both programs offer a variety of beautiful and captivating music by composers spanning nearly four centuries. Our performances are free and open to all, and I look forward to welcoming everyone – safely and responsibly – on these two occasions!” states Lori Fay, Founder and Director of A String Fort Smith.
A String Fort Smith, founded in the summer of 2020 by Lori Fay, is aimed at fostering excellence and unprecedented performing opportunities for junior- and high-school-aged students interested in pursuing careers in the performing arts. Assisted by four devoted colleagues – Anthony Verge, Assistant Director, violin & viola; Jayne Jostad, violoncello; and Josue Saucedo, double bass – A String Fort Smith participants are selected based on an audition.
The ensemble consists of the most advanced and dedicated students – approximately eight to twelve (8 to 12) participants per semester – who make a commitment to rehearse for one hour once per week, on Monday evenings at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Fort Smith. Members of A String Fort Smith’s 2022 Spring Semester – all of whom won a spot in the ensemble based on their outstanding audition – are from a combination of Southside and Northside High Schools. Participants include Southside High School students Rin Ahlert, Andrea Ortega, Iana Perry, Samuel Tran, violin; Jedidiah Lightner, viola; and Myles Flanders, violoncello, as well as Northside High School students Gregory Allen, Adrian Mazariegos, and Emaline Pendleton, violin; Angel Duron, viola; and Liberty Vasquez, violoncello. The ensemble is delighted to welcome back Blair Ranells, violin – a graduate of Southside High School, and current student at UAFS – to its roster of fine players this semester.
Friends and fans have come to cherish performances by A String Fort Smith, not only because of Fay’s striking programming and the talented student participants, but because of an impressive array of guest artists and student soloists. The upcoming April 8 and 9 performances will be no exception. Among the many highlights of the upcoming concerts by A String Fort Smith, will be appearances by guest artists Jay Shepherd, guitar; Elijah Slaton & Gavin Green, percussion; and Marissa Caufield, harp.
The concerts will also feature three extraordinarily talented student soloists, including Gavin Holland, piano; Gregory Allen, violin; and Jedidiah Lightner, viola.
Noted guitarist, Jay Shepherd returns by popular demand in a dazzling performance of Paganini’s Grand Sonata in A Major. Mr. Shepherd is an Arkansas-born guitarist, singer, and composer. Currently living in Fort Smith, Jay performs with several of his own groups including his jazz fusion trio and British style brass band, Arkansas Musicworks, Brass Band, which he co-founded several years ago. Shepherd first appeared on the ASFS concert stage in April of 2021.
Student piano soloist Gavin Holland will be joined by percussionists and guest artists Gavin Green and Elijah Slaton, performing excerpts from the popular motion picture “Pride and Prejudice” by Marianelli. Mr. Holland was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and currently resides in Mansfield. He started piano in the second grade, and has since grown into an accomplished musician; Gavin recently attained a superior rating for his piano solo performance at the Arkansas Federation of Music Clubs. Mr. Green is currently a sophomore at UAFS (University of Arkansas – Fort Smith), where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education under the instruction of Dr. Ryan Patterson. He currently serves as the Instructor of Percussion for the Ramsey Middle School Band and the Southside Freshman Band in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mr. Slaton is a junior percussionist at UAFS, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education. He graduated from Charleston High School in 2020 and is a member of the Percussive Arts Society and National Association for Music Educators
Student viola soloist Jedidiah Lightner will perform Telemann’s beloved Concerto in G Major for Viola and Strings, one of the most famous compositions in the string repertoire. Mr. Lightner, a senior at Southside High School, plays viola in Southside’s orchestra and chamber orchestra; he recently performed with the Arkansas all-state orchestra as assistant principal violist. His current plan is to attend the University of Alabama in the fall to pursue a degree in computer science while minoring in music.
Another highlight of the program will be a performance of the Theme from “Schindler’s List” by John Williams, featuring student violin soloist Gregory Allen, guest artist and harp player Marissa Caufield, and A String Fort Smith Director and violinist Lori Fay. Gregory Allen, currently a senior at Northside High School – who recently attained a superior rating for his violin solo performance at the Arkansas Federation of Music Clubs – plans to attend either UCA (University of Central Arkansas) or UAFS to pursue a career in the medical field. Marissa Caufield, a freshman at the UAFS, started learning to play piano when she was only 5 years old and went on to pursue harp soon after she turned 6. During her 12 years of playing harp, she has won multiple competitions and enjoys performing at banquets, weddings, churches, nursing homes, and hospitals, and with a variety of ensembles.
Lori FAY, ASFS Founder & Director – photo credit Angela Kiefer
Founder and Director Lori Fay, is a widely respected violinist, and brings years of symphony orchestra, chamber music, solo performing, and recording experience to the Fort Smith area where she resides. Ms. Fay received a Master of Music in Violin Performance from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University (Houston, TX), as well as a Master of Music in Teaching from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (Oberlin, OH). Since settling in Fort Smith over 15 years ago and establishing a career as Associate Concertmaster of the Fort Smith Symphony, Co-Founder and Co-Director of DuoBrava (www.duobrava.com), private violin, viola, and piano instructor, and more, her passion remains working with young string players interested in improving their skills and deepening their love of music.
A String Fort Smith concerts are FREE and open to the public. The Outdoor Pavilion at ARCOM and St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church are accessible for the physically impaired.
For patrons who cannot – or chose not to – attend a performance by A String Fort Smith, the Saturday, April 9 performance taking place at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, will be offered virtually in perpetuity, on A String Fort Smith’s YouTube Channel.
For more information about the work of A String Fort Smith, or for string players interested in auditioning for A String Fort Smith, please send an email to office@astringfortsmith.com
Mary Alfreda Parish of Booneville, Arkansas (formerly of Waldron, Arkansas) went to be with her Lord and Savior, Thursday, March 17, 2022 in Booneville surrounded by her loving family. Mary was born September 13, 1947 to Charles Isham and M.A. (Owens) Isham in Danville, Arkansas. She was 74 years old.
Mary was a wonderful conversationalist. She loved people and being surrounded by her loved ones. She enjoyed quilting and was very talented at painting, ceramics and especially art. She was quite the confectionist also.
Mary leaves behind to cherish her memory, her sons: Michael Smith of Booneville, Arkansas, John W. Smith and wife Casey of Round Rock Texas and Craig Lantz and wife Stephanie of Little Rock, Arkansas. Mary will forever remain in the hearts of her grandchildren: David Smith, Kiersten Carlton, Kelly Wahl, Kaylee Jo Smith, Tyler Smith, Jake Smith, Tanya Swartwood, Zayne Lantz and Caitlin Aleksejevas as well as numerous great grandchildren. Mary is also survived by her siblings: Brenda Isham, Richard Isham and Debbie Phillips. Mary will be missed by all that knew her and the many whose lives she impacted including a host of nieces, nephews, extended family and friends she loved dearly.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and M.A. Isham.
Mary’s family will hold a private celebration of life service at a later date. Arrangements and cremation are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home & Crematory in Waldron, Arkansas.
With the state of the world it’s possible to get feeling down. Instead of getting down, think about turkey season. It will be here before we know it!
The harvest numbers for turkeys for the state of Arkansas in 2021 was 7.013. In the entire state there are an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 turkeys heading into the 2022 year.
2020 saw fantastic reproductive seasons for gobblers, putting many jakes to mature just in time for season. Predictions are favoring a great turkey season for 2022.
Surveys show turkey hunters are dedicated individuals. However there many hours don’t yield a bountiful yield. Years past have shown a success rate of 2.8%.
Those willing to put those odds to the test can do so coming up in April. The youth hunt for zone 1 and 2 is April 9-10, and regular season for zone 1 is April 18-26 and zone 2 April 18-May 8.
The AGFC outlines the following bag limits “Zone 1: One legal turkey, no jakes (see Statewide Turkey Bag Limit for exceptions). Hunters who kill a turkey in this zone must travel to Zone 2 to attempt to harvest a second turkey.
Zone 2: Two legal turkeys, no jakes (see Statewide Turkey Bag Limit for exceptions).” For more information on turkey season and harvest laws visit agfc.com.
A little tidbit about the cover photo- I draft articles often and leave them until I have a photo. I felt a time crunch with this particular article since I wanted to hit publish before the start of turkey season. I happened across a photo of my late uncle holding a turkey he had harvested and decided it was the ideal photo to pair with this article.
By Dr. Curtis Varnell The elderly lady stood with a puzzled look on her face. I could read from her expression she didn’t quite know what to do next. Her groceries were sacked, placed in the basket, and the stock clerk had just walked away. The store and its chain had recently enacted a new policy which assumed that the customer could deliver their own groceries to their car and she was clearly not accustomed to it.
From bringing your own sacks to checking out your own purchases, services offered by businesses has greatly changed in the past several years. A flash-back to my childhood clearly indicated that we live in a different era. My first job was sacking groceries, delivering them to the car, packing them inside carefully, and remembering to thank the customer. To have neglected any facet of that expectation and Mrs. Douglas would have had me searching for a new occupation.
A trip to the A and W Root Beer drive-inn was a weekly treat. Dad would pull in and order two frosty mugs and the car hop would bring out the large mugs plus three free small mugs; one for each of the kids. From there, we might travel to the local DX station. The attendant would appear immediately with a big smile on his face. “Filler up Sir,” he would ask. “Pop the hood on your car and I will check that oil for you.” If you filled up, he would mark your small card and, after five fill-ups, you would get a set of plates, a wall hanger, or similar gift. At twenty-nine cents a gallon, a fill-up might cost as much as five dollars.
Walk into any department store and you were meet immediately by a salesperson who would assist you in finding the exact matching shirt, tie, pants, and shoes. During holidays, they offered free gift wrapping and, if you didn’t have enough cash, they would place it on lay-away and you could pay it out as money came in. Our local stores at Midway would allow you to purchase on credit. Mr. Mosley simply wrote what your purchased down on a pad and kept track of what you owed. My dad was working steady at the rock quarry and made $1.25 cents per hour. When he got the weekly check of fifty dollars, the first thing we done was to go by the stores and square up any debts that were owed. When I was born at the Paris hospital, the same system was used and my parents paid off the $115-dollar debt to the Smith doctors in installments. I hope I was worth it!!
Cars were cheap. A Volkswagen beetle cost a whole $1,600 plus you got free oil and lube for the first two years. When new products came out, the companies would send sales reps around the community handing out free samples. I can still remember the Mr. Clean salesman leaving that first bottle with the bald headed man label on our doorstep in England, Arkansas.
Stores gave away S and H green stamps to encourage you to purchase goods. Stamps were allotted according to your amount of purchases. You could then turn the complete books in for prizes. I still remember placing a wad of them in the offering plate and blaming Jean Turner for offering her stamps as tithe. I don’t think she found it as funny as did the pastor who found time to refer to it during his sermon.
I find myself remembering my past with fondness; accentuating the good and forgetting the bad. I guess that is just a product of getting older. I pushed the cart out for the lady, stored her good, smiled and thanked her for shopping. A good day for both of us!
LITTLE ROCK — Hunters can help the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission by simply reporting their hunting effort and success throughout turkey season this spring. The annual Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey is a great way to help shape future wild turkey management in Arkansas without giving up any specifics about your favorite hunting grounds.
The spring turkey hunting survey has been in place since 2007 to gather information on hunter activity, gobbling activity, turkey observations and hunting success throughout turkey season. Volunteers record data from each hunt and send the results to be analyzed at the end of the hunting season. Biologists then compile all the data to identify trends in hunter participation and satisfaction and provide a report for all hunters to compare notes.
Historically hunters recorded their information on paper survey forms and mailed the forms in at the conclusion of hunting season. With advances in mobile technology, the AGFC has transitioned to a new system using a smartphone app called Survey123. The new app makes it easier than ever before to record and submit your information at the conclusion of each hunt.
Some hunters already have begun scouting, particularly on public land where competition for gobblers can be fierce. Jeremy Wood, AGFC Turkey Program Coordinator, said scouting data is just as important to the survey as data recorded during hunting season.
“Monitoring hunter reports from throughout the state before and during the season really helps complete the picture of how turkeys respond to certain changes in temperature, weather and hunting pressure,” Wood said. “We can track trends in gobbling activity, flock breakup and other factors that influence turkey hunting and turkey reproduction.”
“We conduct other surveys, such as brood surveys and telemetry studies that look more in-depth into population characteristics, but this survey is designed around hunter participation, expectations and satisfaction,” Wood said.
Hunters who still want a paper hunting log to use as their survey can contact Wood at jeremy.wood@agfc.ar.gov or call 800-364-4263 to have one mailed to them. But the survey app offers the added convenience of keeping track of your efforts right on your phone. Visit www.agfc.com/turkeysurvey to participate in the Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey.
LITTLE ROCK – The state Education Department has partnered with a non-profit organization called Forward Arkansas to address a growing teacher shortage in Arkansas.
They have launched a new website – TeachArkansas.org – to recruit new teachers. It also helps current teachers improve their skills by getting certified in new fields, which allows them to advance professionally and earn more in salary.
The website emphasizes pathways to getting a certificate that will not burden the teacher with debt. Also, it outlines virtual courses for students who may not be able to attend in person.
The campaign outlines how school staff can take advantage of debt-free tuition to become teachers. This opportunity benefits long-term substitutes, classroom aides and para-professionals.
Statewide surveys indicate that four percent of teachers are uncertified and another three percent are not certified in the subject they teach.
According to the research, a school district with a shortage of certified teachers doesn’t sit unsupervised students in an empty room. However, those students may be in a classroom that is filled to the brim because two classes have been combined under the one teacher who is certified.
It may mean that they have class with a teacher who is not certified in the subject area. It may mean that certain advanced and specialized courses are not available.
The lack of certified teachers is more severe in some areas of southern and eastern Arkansas, where districts reported that up to a third of teachers are not certified in the subject they are expected to teacher.
African-American students are more likely to attend classes taught by a teacher who is not certified in the subject.
Salary disparities are one cause of teacher shortages in some areas of Arkansas. The average starting salary for teachers with a bachelor’s degree can vary by as much as $15,000 a year, depending on where in Arkansas the teacher is hired.
The state offers alternatives certification programs for people who want a teaching certificate, but a college degree is necessary. Some communities have fewer adults with the academic credentials required for alternative certification. Those areas tend to experience more severe teacher shortages.
The non-profit organization interviewed paraprofessionals and in some districts, up to 40 percent said that they did not have enough time or money to complete the process of getting a certificate.
The researchers also found that many potential teachers did not know about the opportunities available through the state Education Department. Many assumed, incorrectly, that they would not qualify for financial help.
The partnership between Forward Arkansas and the Education Department is working to recruit more teachers through four basic pathways. One is for high school students, and it guides them through higher education programs that won’t amass a lot of student debt. Another is for college students at two-year colleges and four-year universities, and it also guides students along a debt-free path toward certification.
A third path is for professionals who want to change careers. They have academic credentials but not a teaching certificate. The fourth is for school staff who are not certified, and who want to teach and increase their pay at the same time.
Kathleen Johnston Higgins of Waldron, Arkansas went to be with her Lord and Savior Tuesday, March 15, 2022 in Waldron, Arkansas with her family by her side. Kathleen was born April 23, 1932 in Fouke, Arkansas to McKell and Mamie Adams. She was 89 years old. She was a member of Bates Assembly of God Church in Bates, Arkansas.
Kathleen enjoyed fishing and sewing. She loved her dogs and taking care of them. The highlight of her day was when her family would come and she could scoop up one of the little grandchildren or great grands and have a lap full of hugs, loves and big smiles.
Kathleen leaves behind to cherish her memory, her children: Ted Johnston and wife Janie of Shady Point, Oklahoma, Carl Johnston and wife Sheila of Waldron, Arkansas, Kenny Johnston and wife Kathy of Waldron, Arkansas, Terry (T.J.) Johnston of Waldron, Arkansas, Diana Hattabaugh and husband Jerald of Elm Park, Arkansas and John Higgins. Mamaw will forever remain in the hearts of her grandchildren: Todd Johnston, LaShae Lee, Jared Hattabaugh, Julie Biggs, Shawn Hattabaugh, Clint Ray Johnston, Lyndy Woodard and Jay Jay Mays as well as 16 great grandchildren, 2 great great grandchildren with 2 more on the way. She is also survived by one sister, Geniva Partain of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Kathleen will be missed by all that knew her and the many whose lives she impacted including a host of nieces, nephews and extended family she loved dearly.
Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents, McKell and Mamie Adams, husbands, Bud Johnston and John Higgins, one daughter, Debbie Johnston, one granddaughter, Ginger Johnston and one sister Florence Stuart.
Kathleen’s life celebrations will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, March 18, 2022 at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron, Arkansas with Larry Free officiating. Interment will follow in the Weeks Cemetery in Weeks, Arkansas.
Kathleen’s pallbearers will be grandsons and great grandsons: Todd Johnston, Shawn Hattabaugh, Clint Ray Johnston, Jakob Johnston, Caleb Short and Lane Tallmadge.
Kathleen’s visitation will be Thursday, March 17, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron, Arkansas.
Taking the safety, and best interest of the angler’s competing at last weekends Trader Bill Team Trail on Lake DeGray, the event originally scheduled for Saturday was postponed to Sunday.
Weather typically plays a major role in all tournaments this time of year. Some are postponed, or delayed to wind, and in some cases, even in March, snow and ice can be a tricky culprit to work around.
That’s the case with this event. Most of Arkansas witnessed snow with freezing temps late in the week causing the potential for dangerous conditions at the boat ramp. Regardless of which side you take, safety is always the right decision.
Eric and Dustin Blevins topped the 126 boat field with 24.70#’s which was 8 pounds heavier than second place team, Kevin Brown and Tom Brown with 16.81. Matt Baker and Paul Baker rounded up third place with 16.61.
The Blevins stated that their pattern was throwing a custom painted 3/4oz & 1/2oz Booyah One Knocker around grass. Originally from Bulls Shoals Lake area, the Blevins has found success on Lake DeGray, and “likes what they have found.”
Full results, and more information on Trader Bill’s Team Trail can be found HERE
