While most people associate big parties with summer and warm weather, you’d be remiss to forget about all of the fun that fall can offer. The scenery outside starts to change, the weather gets to be a little cooler, and you can enjoy all the pumpkin spice everything! If you’re looking to hold your own autumn party, take a look at this list of tips for throwing a fall outdoor get-together!
Pick Your Menu
You don’t need an extravagant meal to enjoy a wonderful evening. Simple menus consisting of comfort foods are excellent for outdoor fall events. You can serve foods that you can prepare beforehand and heat up later, leaving you free to enjoy company with your visitors while leaving them satiated. You can even use disposable dinnerware to make cleanup easy! When all is said and done, beverages and desserts are always what guests remember most—so be sure you have lots of drinks available and bring something with apple or pumpkin!
Decorate for Fall
To give your visitors a fantastic entrance, get a couple of big pumpkins to greet them when they arrive. If you want to add some autumn to your decorations, go to a craft store to get some cheap tablecloths covered in fall leaves and fall colors. Choose flowers in shades that are reminiscent of fall, like red, yellow, and orange, in order to make your centerpiece even more radiant and lively.
Turn on the Lights
String lights are excellent for a backyard autumn get-together. Remember to use plenty of lighting, especially on stairs and other hazardous areas. Light the fire pit early so that you can better illuminate the whole patio. One great way to dress up the property would be to put some lights on the branches outside for a nice, decorative touch.
Consider Your Theme
Fall is associated with lots of festivities, like Oktoberfest and football. Think about selecting a theme that connects to your personal interests—that will make menu planning, design choices, and everything else much easier. This can be one of the most fun tips for throwing a fall outdoor get-together!
Make It Comfortable
Think about where you’re putting seats so people can choose where to sit and not end up piling in one place. Put a few sets of seats and tables near the fire pit, as well as around the patio. Put throw blankets and pillows on the patio furniture to make it appealing and comfortable.
Paris knew going into this week that it would be a challenging week for the Lady Eagles. On Monday, Paris traveled to Mena to play the perennial Class 4A powerhouse Mena Lady Bearcats, and in less than 24 hours, would return home on Tuesday to resume conference play against the Elkins Lady Elks. And, of course, today, it is part one of the two game regular season showdown series with the defending Class 3A state champions, Hackett Lady Hornets. Today’s match at Hackett will be the first of two matches between the two teams with Hackett returning the home game at Paris in approximately two weeks.
Paris lost Monday’s non-conference match at Mena by the set scores of 25-23, 25-17, and 25-16. Paris fought hard throughout each set, but after a first set that could have gone either way, the Lady Bearcats began to dominate a Paris front line who was not use to having matches dominated to them. It was the second straight year that Paris suffered a lopsided loss at Mena. In 2020, Paris suffered a big loss just before the team was quarantined for the next two weeks.
After the loss at Mena, the Lady Eagles returned home to the friendly environment of Paris Gymnasium to resume conference play against Elkins. It turned out to be good timing in the schedule for Paris, allowing them to quickly play again and get the bad taste out of their mouths from the Mena loss. On this night, it was Paris returning to their dominate ways against the Lady Elks and remaining undefeated in conference play. The win was mental therapy for a team that did not play well the night before and should help Paris as it now travels to Hackett to play the defending state champions.
In the first match of the year in 2020at Hackett, the Lady Eagles won a close match in five sets to defeat the Lady Hornets on their home floor. The two teams would not meet again that year in the regular season due to unusual circumstances due to the COVID pandemic, and the next meeting would again be on the Hackett home floor in the finals of the district tournament. On that day, it was the Hackett Lady Hornets soundly defeating Paris for the district tournament championship. A few weeks later, the two teams met a third time on Halloween afternoon in Hot Springs in the Class 3A state championship match. And on that day, it was Hackett routing the Lady Eagles in three sets for the state championship.
The Lady Hornets are extremely well-coached by Bridget Freeman, and she will have her team ready to go tonight when the Lady Eagles step off the bus in Hackett. It should be another epic match of high school volleyball. In fact, it is a big night in the state of Arkansas for volleyball as this match, as well as the two top teams overall in the state, the Fayetteville Lady Bulldogs and Springdale Har-Ber will play tonight in Fayetteville. As is the case tonight in Hackett, the game in Fayetteville could be a preview of the state championship matches in Hot Springs next month.
Resident Press will be in Hackett tonight for the Lady Eagles’ match with the Lady Hornets. Watch for this story on Sunday in Resident Press. Photos from the match will also be available on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports on Sunday night.
So, volleyball fans, get to your games early tonight, whether you are going to Hackett or to Fayetteville, and enjoy a great night for high school volleyball! See you there!
LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will again offer a variety of free options to have harvested deer tested for chronic wasting disease during the 2021-22 deer hunting season. In all, 105 testing locations will be available throughout the state to have your deer tested for CWD.
According to AJ Riggs, wildlife health biologist for the AGFC, 7,824 CWD samples were collected last year, and 95 percent of those samples were voluntarily submitted from hunter-harvested deer.
“We had 261 positive CWD cases from those samples last year,” Riggs said. “And 96 percent of our positive cases came from deer taken by hunters.”
The most popular method for hunters to have their deer tested is through the AGFC’s system of drop-off containers throughout the state. Freezers are available throughout the state to drop off samples of harvested deer for testing. Simply bring the deer’s head with 4 to 6 inches of the neck attached and any antlers removed to the location and place it in one of the provided plastic bags with your name and contact information on the card provided. The AGFC will collect these samples and have them analyzed by the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission laboratory. Testing results should be available within two to three weeks.
Riggs said anyone who submits a positive sample will be notified via phone as soon as the results come back.
“That’s why it’s so important to fill out the information card as clearly as possible and include all the information asked for,” Riggs said. “We want to get in touch with anyone who has a deer that tests positive as soon as possible so that we can make arrangements to dispose of that deer’s carcass properly and follow up with the exact location of harvest to continue tracking the disease in the state. We also can give a replacement tag to harvest another deer to make up for the lost meat.”
Riggs said the bottom half of the information card that the hunter keeps will have a code on it so that the hunter can verify results for themselves.
“We will call everyone with a positive sample, but we just don’t have the manpower to call and speak to everyone with a sample that CWD wasn’t detected on,” Riggs said. “The results are posted online and your confidential code will allow you to receive your results for peace of mind.”
In addition to the CWD sample locations, 57 taxidermists are available to pull samples for hunters free of charge. Some taxidermists have agreed to take samples from any deer submitted, even if it is not one that will be mounted.
“Our network of cooperating taxidermists has been very beneficial in tracking CWD throughout the state,” Riggs said. “It only takes them a few minutes to get the sample tissue needed for the test, and they’ve all been trained on how to submit their samples to us, so it’s been a very good partnership.”
All testing locations are available at www.agfc.com/cwd. Some of the locations have changed from last year, so hunters are encouraged to look ahead of time and find a sample location closest to their hunting area and note hours of operation.
“It’s also important to remember about the carcass transport restrictions when delivering samples,” Dr. Jennifer Ballard, state wildlife veterinarian for the AGFC, said. “You can’t cross CWD zones with your deer or sample, even for testing purposes. You can’t leave CWD Tier 1 (Boone, Carroll, Madison and Newton counties) with any portion of a deer or elk except cleaned skulls, antlers, deboned meat, hides, teeth and finished taxidermy. You can move deer from Tier 2 to Tier 1, but not outside of the overall CWD Management Zone, except for those parts just mentioned.”
Ballard also reminds hunters that the AGFC is currently partnering with the University of Georgia on a project to determine ongoing impacts of CWD on Arkansas’s deer herd in the Newton County area. Many deer have been outfitted with collars that have GPS technology to track the animal’s movements and notify researchers when the animal dies. Hunters are asked not to let the presence of a collar deter or encourage harvest of the animal.
“We want the results to apply during real-world scenarios,” Ballard said. “Deer were collared without regard to their CWD status, so the presence of a collar does not mean the animal has CWD.”
Ballard asks any hunter who shoots a collared deer to report it immediately to the wildlife hotline at 800-482-9262 so data can be collected as quickly as possible. Collared deer will still need to be checked like any other deer and the AGFC will make arrangements to test the deer. If CWD is not found in the collared deer, the hunter will be able to keep the meat. If it is CWD-positive, the AGFC will dispose of the meat for the hunter and reinstate their deer tag with one to make up for the loss of meat.
All testing locations will remain open until Feb. 28, the last day of the archery deer season.
A list of official testing locations is available at www.agfc.com/cwd as well as the latest regulations and news about the disease in Arkansas.
Pictured: Former Mansfield athlete Megan Rose runs a recent race for her Southeastern Oklahoma State cross country team
Three races into her final year of college cross country, former Mansfield product Megan Rose is now stepping up the pace. After a solid start to open the season, the 4-time high school district champion set a personal record for the 5K distance in her second race of the 2021 season for Southeastern Oklahoma State.
“I started this season with my fastest season opener ever with a 20:48,” explained Rose via a text message. “Then I hit my PR on my second race with a 19:44.”
Rose ran that new personal best in Grand Prairie, TX on September 11. Her pace over the 5K distance was cranking out 1 mile every 6:19 minutes. Her overall place was 29th among a large field of runners. She was second best on her team as the unit finished in 6th place.
“Our coach is really pushing us to run in a pack,” continued the former Lady Tiger cross country specialist. “It’s going to be key to scoring well this season. We need to close the gap between our first and fifth runner.”
Rose took on the challenge of a longer 6.2K race a week later. At the ACU Naimadu Classic in Abilene, TX on September 18, she muscled out a solid 26:06.5 time. That was the 42nd place among another large group of racers from across Oklahoma and Texas.
“I didn’t run my best yesterday (September 18) at the 6K, but I’m not going to beat myself up about it,” announced the runner. “Our coach says once we finish our race, everything we do after that including our cooldownis in preparation for the next race.”
With the ups and downs of college racing, Rose quickly said she was looking forward to another 5K race.
“So, I’m looking forward to Emporia, Kansas,” confessed Rose. “I’ll be running another 5K race. This year I’m focusing on just enjoying my final season.”
Mansfield High School is set to host the 17th Annual Today’s Bank Invitational Cross Country Meet this Saturday, September 25. As of press time, 22 schools and approximately 500 athletes have registered to round the campus course. As more entries come in, it is expected for those numbers to go up.
Today’s Bank of Mansfield has partnered in recent years with MHS to be the exclusive sponsor of the high school and junior high event. According to meet director, John Mackey, this partnership has been a worthy endeavor for both parties.
“Today’s Bank has been very good to us in the way of sponsorship and volunteer help,” said Mackey. “They don’t just give a donation and go about their business. They dig in and do the work as well. The ladies from the Mansfield branch have volunteered for years working the registration table and passing out awards. It’s super fun for all of us.”
Races begin at 9 AM with the senior girls’ division. That’s followed by a rolling schedule. The senior boys follow for the second race. Then the junior girls and junior boys cap off the morning runs.
Fans are welcome to the free contest. Parking should be out front around the football stadium. The starting line will be at the northeast corner of the campus near the bus lane. The finish line will be around back near the outdoor volleyball court on the practice field. The course rounds the perimeter of the campus with ample viewing from the practice field.
Trevor Cheyenne Ward, 33, of Waldron, AR passed away at his home September 17, 2021. He was born November 2, 1987 in Waldron to Diann and the late Marvin Ward.
He is survived by his mother, Diann, his fur babies, Ariel and Gracie, his sister Jodi Crabtree and brother Brent Ward, 2 nieces Aubrey Burton and April Turner, one honorary brother Hosifa Yasin, Aunt Kathy (and husband Doug) White, Uncle Charles Maxwell, Uncle Joe Bill Ward, Aunt Katie Mitchell and Uncle David McCall, as well as several cousins and dear friends who loved him and will miss him very much.
Trevor was a mechanic, he enjoyed tinkering around on some project all the time, he loved his animals, his family, God, his friends, the outdoors, the Arkansas Razorbacks, and any opportunity to lend a hand or help someone in need, even if it meant his last dollar or the shirt off his back. He was a loving son and brother who had a heart of gold and a sharp sense of humor. He was artistically talented and had a creative mind that could see things that weren’t obvious at first glance. He was unforgettable if you met him you would always remember him.
He was preceded in death by his dad, Paternal Grandparents Carrell and Josie Ward and Maternal Grandparents Willis (Mac) and Clara McCall, one niece Maycee Lynn, 5 uncles Floyd, Johnie, Jerrell, and George Ward and Wayne Mitchell, and 1 Aunt Juanita Maxwell and several cousins.
A memorial service will be held at later date, via zoom, please contact family members for information.
After a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease, Galen Black, 80, passed away peacefully with his children by his side on September 19, 2021.
Following his birth near Lucas, AR to Era Mae and Horace Black, Galen lived a very rich life. He was married to the love of his life, Wilma Black, for 57 years. Together they raised two children and had three grandchildren. In addition to his residential painting business, he loved working with livestock and gardening. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved his dogs and adventures with his hunting buddies. He had the ability to fix or build anything with his hands.
Galen loved the Lord and was a dedicated Christian. He raised his family and managed his business with Christian principles. For several decades, he served as a deacon and as a Sunday school teacher, making a positive impact on those he met. He taught his children a strong work ethic, and he demonstrated a never quit attitude in all aspects of his life. He was always looking out for those less fortunate and gave freely of his time and belongings to help others.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Wilma Black, and his parents. Galen is survived by a son, Sherman Black and his wife, Lynnette, their children, Harrison and his wife, Megan, Colton and Faith, all of Minneapolis; daughter LeAnn Lee and her husband Robert Lee of Fort Smith; a brother, Dwayne Black of Greenwood; and two sisters, Sheila Burns of Hartford and Debbie West of Greenwood.
His family is so grateful for the care team at Methodist Village, and especially wish to recognize the extraordinary and compassionate efforts of his CNAs, Angela and Rochelle.
A celebration of Galen’s life will be held at 10 am on Saturday, October 2, 2021, at his church, Rye Hill Baptist, followed by a private burial. A visitation will also be held from 5-7 pm on Friday, October 1, 2021, at Edwards Funeral Home in Fort Smith.
Arrangements are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. To view the online guestbook, please go to www.edwardsfuneralhome.com
James Edward Cater, better known as Jim, of Waldron, Arkansas went to be with his Lord and Savior, Tuesday, September 21, 2021, in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Jim was born April 30, 1952, to Vincent Edward and Anna Marie Cater in Manistee, Michigan.
Jim loved to spend time with his family and friends, loved to visit his neighbors, and was a man of faith that enjoyed reading his Bible. Jim and his dog Bella were best friends and went everywhere together. Jim’s world would light up when his great-nieces and nephews would come visit. His days were made brighter by their smiles, hugs, laughter and love.
Jim leaves behind to cherish his memory, two brothers; Richard (Trish) Cater of California, Leonard (Mary) Cater of Pennsylvania, two sisters; Mickey (Bruce) Harris of Waldron, Arkansas, Pam Vangerude of Magnolia, Texas, nieces and nephews; Dayna (Thomas) Mays, Jeffery (Ashley) Manning, Michael (Alina) Manning, Jerry (Tina) Robertson and Tommy Holloway, as well as great-nieces and great-nephews; Brayden, Cody, Logan, Kaylee, Paxton, Jasmine, Jayden, Franklin, Matthew, Garrett, Landyn, Effie, Hunter, Heaven, and Faith.
Jim was preceded in death by his mother and father; Vincent Edward and Anna Marie Cater, his twin brother Peter Cater, his brother Jeff Manning and one great-nephew Memphis Mays.
Jim’s memorial life celebration will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 25, 2021, at the Waldron Pentecostal Church of God Church with Rev. Konnor McKay officiating.
Louise Newberry of Waldron, Arkansas, went to be with her Lord and Savior Monday, September 20th, 2021, in Waldron. She was 86 years old. Louise was born June 2nd, 1935, in Waldron to Leo and Mary Van De Wiele.
For those of us who knew Louise, we knew that Christ came first. She was a member of Haw Creek Baptist Church. Louise dearly loved her family, church family, and her many, many friends. Cooking was her delight! She was always the first one there with comfort food and a kind word for anyone in need. She was the backbone of her family, and she will be sorely missed.
During the last few months of her life, Louise’s care was lovingly provided by Kindred Hospice and Waldron Nursing and Rehab. Kindness, respect, and the ultimate care she received are cherished.
Louise worked for Waldron Public Schools in roles of teacher’s aide and Waldron Elementary School secretary for 27 years. She loved all her “kids” at school and knew them by name. She was known to her school family as mother, secretary, nurse, and most importantly as a friend to all. With her husband Frankie, Louise owned and operated several businesses, primarily the Cypress Barn and Lodge.
Louise leaves to cherish her memory, two daughters, Cindy Nelson (Rusty), Cathy Keener (Brent) of Waldron, Arkansas. She is also survived by five grandchildren Frankie Faires, Justin Keener, Kandi Nelson, Lacey Boykin, and Nikki Perkins along with 7 great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and other family and friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband Frankie Newberry, her parents Leo and Mary Van De Wiele, her siblings Madeline Harvey, Charlie Van De Wiele, Mary Carlson, Raymond Van De Wiele, Glenn Van De Wiele, and Albert Van De Wiele, two infant sisters and two infant brothers.
Arrangements are being entrusted to Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas. Visitation is Thursday, September 23rd, 2021 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home, and funeral services are Friday, September 24th, 2021 at 2 p.m. at Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside services will be at the Pavilion at Duncan Cemetery in Waldron, Arkansas. All services will be led by Louise’s pastor, Brother John Elmore of Haw Creek Baptist Church.
Louise’s pallbearers will be Todd Van De Wiele, J. D. Newberry, Paul Atchley, Justin Keener, Travis Plummer, and Trey Plummer.
For those who want to attend the service but can not be in attendance, the funeral service will be live-streamed on our website.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Louise Newberry, please visit our floral store.
The 3A-1 Charleston Tigers are now undefeated in their tough, 4A-4 non-conference schedule that featured three teams that were predicted to finish in the top five of that tough 4A conference: Dardanelle, Pottsville, and now Ozark. In the words of Charleston coach Ricky May, “It (the Ozark game) was a good game from the get go for the fans.”
Charleston (3-0, 0-0) returns to Alumni Field this Friday to open conference play with perennial playoff team, Greenland. The Pirates, who lost to Paris in the second round of last year’s state playoffs, are always a top contender for the 3A-1 conference title. Friday’s game in Charleston will be the first of two critical conference games that will go a long way in determining the conference champion and playoff seedings in November. Charleston plays Cedarville next week, and the two games will have a significant effect on the final conference standings. But before the Tigers can entertain any thoughts about the Cedarville Pirates, the group of Pirates from Greenland will be most pressing on their minds leading into this Friday night.
All conference teams across the state are looking to win opening games this Friday and to avoid playing catch-up for the remainder of the season. A first week conference win places a team in the top half of the conference in the win column and reduces the number of teams it has to pass by half of the total number of teams in the conference. Home conference games are big victories that every team wants, and for the visiting teams, a win on the road is priceless to their hopes of a conference championship and a high seed going into November’s state playoffs. So both teams should be up for this game, and if past history represents how this game will be played, it should be another thrilling game for the fans of both schools.
Resident Press Photo / Ronni Tate Young
Greenland comes into the game with a 2-1 record having defeated Danville and Berryville. The only loss for the Pirates was a 49-14 loss to Elkins. The Pirates are always extremely well-coached by Lee Larkin, and he and his staff will have the Pirates ready to play when they get off the bus in Charleston. The series between the two schools have produced close wins by both schools over the years, and this game should be no exception. It is a big game for both schools, and it has always been played with a feel of being bigger than just the opening game of the conference season.
Resident Press Photo / Ronni Tate Young
Resident Press will bring you a recap of this game in next week’s online edition. The Tigers are playing extremely well and have won three very tough non-conference games going into this week’s tilt with Greenland. Come out to the stadium and cheer on your Tigers! This could be a huge year for Charleston fans, and could be another year on the Highway 22 billboard of state champions!
