Resident News Network

Danville Wins Emotionally Charged Game Over Paris

Sports

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2:57 pm

Danville Wins Emotionally Charged Game Over Paris

It was less than a week ago when I mentioned that a player from the Hackett senior boys team had left the game due to what appeared to be a knee injury. I commented that significant injuries are the fear of every athlete, not only for their personal safety, but the adverse effect it can have on their short time to play the games that they love. And for the second time this week, a significant injury occurred during the Paris senior boys game.

Danvlle’s Solomon Gilkey, a very talented and athletic player for the Danville senior boys team went high to the basket late in the fourth quarter for a “put in” shot off of a lob pass on the baseline. It was a beautiful move that had been repeated several times off of back door passes that had been very successful for the Little Johns. But this time, as Gilkey went up to take the shot, his legs were inadvertantly taken out and he fell from from near basket level to the floor, landing on his back and neck.

Since the time of the accident, social media posts have indicated that Gilkey did not sustain any severe injuries from the fall and is recovering well today. Since that good news has been shared among all who have been concerned about the talented athlete’s recovery, I have posted the sequence of photos from the game that show how the fall occurred. You don’t have to look long to know that Gilkey is a very fortunate young man, and we are all very relieved that he is recovering without having suffered severe injury.

Danville’s Solomon Gilkey takes a hard fall after going high for the shot against Paris (Resident Press Photo)

The play occurred with 5:33 remaining in the game. The game was delayed approximately 20 minutes after emergency personnel stabilized Gilkey and eventually moved him from the court on a back board and stretcher. The large crowd of both Danville and Paris fans gave Gilkey a standing ovation as he left the floor. Both teams showed great sportsmanship by kneeling and praying for the safety of Gilkey. The game had been hotly contested all night, and the Little John’s gym was a loud and fun atmosphere all night. When the accident occurred, an eerie silence fell upon the entire facility.

Coaches will tell you that one of the most difficult things to do with any team is to collect them and attempt to restart a game after such an injury occurs. Both teams and their coaches did a good job with this last night, but it was apparent that the Little Johns, emotional from the loss of Gilkey, were determined to get the win for their fallen teammate. And for the final five minutes of the game, the Little Johns played extremely hard with an edge provided by their coach who was obviously very emotional from the injury of one of his players.

Playing on less than 24 hours rest, the Paris Eagles were playing on the road following an emotional and draining effort and win the night before at home versus Cossatot River. After perhaps their best performance of the year on Thursday, it remained to be seen how the Eagles would play the next night on the road.

Paris, just as in Thursday’s game, got off to a slow start and fell behind early. And once again, it was a furious second quarter rally that kept the Eagles within striking range of Danville. The high-flying Little Johns, who had scored on numerous lob passes to the basket and on one slam dunk, brought great energy and the Eagles had to play hard to keep up. But the Eagles continued to play hard and eventually took a one point lead late in the game. But unlike Thursday’s game, Paris was unable to stretch the lead and put the game out of reach. Danville went on to win the game 54-49.

Eagles coach Blain Brewington commented after the game, “Our kids battled after a major deficit early. We couldn’t hang on and get the win. We can’t dig ourselves in a hole and use the energy to get back into the game. I am proud of their effort and for battling back. We have to continue to learn and grow.”

For Paris, there are positives for the team that can be taken away from the game at Danville. Paris played with great energy on just 24 hours rest, as they have played all season. Defensively, the Eagles continue to excel, but will need to continue to improve as the season moves into February. Scoring has been inconsistent, and moving to next year, the Eagles will need to find consistent scoring ability on offense to take the next step in their development. But the team was very impressive, both in how they represented Paris last night during a difficult situation, and how hard they competed, almost pulling out their third consecutive win for the week. There is a lot to build on with this young and talented team.

The Lady Eagles went into Danville to play the conference-leading Lady Little Johns who were and remain undefeated in conference play. And it did not take Danville long to show why they are leading the conference. Behind precision offensive sets, great shooting, and good defense, Danville dominated Paris for the entire game.

After the game, Lady Eagles coach Donald Hart commented, “Not the outcome we were hoping for. Even after giving up 20 points in the first quarter, we only allowed 23 for the rest of the game. We just couldn’t knock down shots.” Scoring has been an issue with this team next year, and with the graduation of Jadyn Hart this year, the Lady Eagles will have to find a way to score next year.

Danville is a well-coached, talented, and experienced team that has played together for many years, both scholastically and during the off season in club sports. Danville appears to be the clear favorite to win the conference regular season, district tournament, and move on to regionals and state tournaments to compete for a state championship.

Paris ends the week by splitting with a win over Hackett and a loss to Danville on the road. The Lady Eagles will host Charleston on Tuesday night at Paris Gymnasium. The Lady Tigers handed Paris a lopsided loss early in January at Tiger Center. The Lady Eagles need to come out strong and compete Tuesday with Charleston to build some momentum going into the district tournament. The regular season ends on February 9 and time is running out to make a run before the first round of the district tournament.

But just like the senior boys team, the Lady Eagles are young and talented and have the chance to be a very good team over the next two years. This year’s off-season will be very important to the Lady Eagles as they need to continue to develop and get more court time before next November.

The junior Lady Eagles defeated Danville 16-8 in the first game of the night. There is talented coming that will add to the already young and talented roster at the varsity level for Paris. Time, practice, and development are all of the elements that are needed to bring them together for future success.

Additional photos from last night’s games will be available on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports on Saturday night. Photos from the Paris junior Lady Eagles victory over Danville will be available on Sunday night.

On behalf of Resident Press, all of us are thankful and relieved that Danville’s Solomon Gilkey is apparently going to be ok. We will be in Paris on Tuesday when the Charleston Tigers come to Paris Gymnasium. Finally, look for a special preview on Sunday night in Resident Press on this game that will recap the Charleston Tigers and will look forward to Tuesday’s game.

Thanks to all of our readers for making Resident Press the best source of small town high school sports in western Arkansas! See you Tuesday!

Sr Lady Hornets Play Tougher Than Pine Knots Against Cossatot

Sports

Megan Hecox

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9:03 am

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Sr Lady Hornets Play Tougher Than Pine Knots Against Cossatot

Pictured is Madeline Freeman

“It is the size of one’s will that determines success.” This statement couldn’t ring any truer than for the Hackett Sr Lady Hornets. The girls have only won one game so far this season, but day after day and match after match, the Sr Lady Hornets continue to hit the court with a winning attitude and a positive outlook on things. And anybody who has ever found themselves having a rough go at things knows how difficult this can be especially at a young age. But the Lady Hornets wake up every day dripping with determination and the mindset that if Plan A doesn’t work, there are still 25 other letters in the alphabet.

On Friday night, Hackett hosted the Cossatot Lady Eagles. The first half of the game ended with the Lady Eagles taking a slight lead 31-22 over the Lady Hornets but as the second half of the game got underway, Cossatot shot across the board earning the win 61-40. “This group is continuing to improve and gain confidence,” expressed Coach Broc Adams. “They still believe we can make some moves come district tourney time so we are using every game as extra practice!”

Flying in and leading the team was Faith Thomas who scored 10 points by chopping her opponents down like George Washington and the cherry tree. Melting the competition faster than butter in a frying pan was Madi Taylor who netted 8 points. Mackenzie Mendenhall old school ruled the court with 7 points that even Run-D.M.C. would be proud of. Making the Lady Eagles look slower than a Sunday afternoon was Teonna “Better Than” Best and Madeline Freeman who each grabbed 4 points. And combining for 7 points was Kyleigh Hill, Lilly Slavens, and Brooke Holt who were livin’ in high cotton after their hardwood play.

“Seeing the progression from these girls this year has been awesome! They continue to work so hard and they never quit. We are in our second round of conference and through all 3 games, we have improved scores from the first time we played those 3 teams. I love the never go away attitude and I’m excited to see how far this team can go the rest of the season!” Up next, the Sr Lady Hornets will travel to Cedarville on Tuesday, February 2 to take on the Lady Pirates.

Photos courtesy of Bridget Freeman

Scott County Extension Homemakers Donate to Local Food Pantries

Networks

Tammy Teague

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9:07 pm

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Scott County Extension Homemakers Donate to Local Food Pantries

In 2019, Arkansas Extension Homemakers Council began a long term food drive across the state of Arkansas. Each county council was encouraged to collect money or food to go to their local food banks or food pantries. With COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, the food collection and fundraising stalled. During the fall district meetings, State Chair Roberta Shankle encouraged county councils to do a reverse advent calendar. Members were encouraged to collect 16 items over 16 days and donate to their local food pantries.

Scott County Extension Homemakers Council President Betty Overturf asked Debra Miller, Scott County Extension Agent to mail a copy of the reverse advent calendar to members of the Scott County Extension Homemakers council to request and encourage members to participate. Through texting and Facebook, six members and Betty Overturf and Debra Miller, committed to delivering their food to First Baptist Church Waldron to distribute to three local food pantries on December 16, 2020. Lynn Landon, Reita Plummer, and Clara Duncan arranged to have their food picked up or delivered to Betty Overturf prior to December 16. Betty also received the remainder of the food and a cash donation from member Sharon Rice.

The food included 86 items totaling 87.5 pounds. Betty delivered two boxes to Waldron Pentacostal Church of God. Robin Yandell and Janette Garrison received the donation. Two boxes were also delivered to Waldron Methodist Church food pantry with Diane Miller receiving the donation. First Baptist Church Waldron Food Pantry Director Linda Vaughn received one box and the donation of $20 for that food pantry.

Waldron Man Charged with Terroristic Threatening

Resident News Network

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7:59 pm

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Waldron Man Charged with Terroristic Threatening

On Thursday, January 28, Travis Wayne Smith of Waldron was arrested after making alleged terroristic threats against an employee at a Mansfield business.

Smith was taken into custody and later booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center. Smith has been charged with terroristic threatening in the first degree, a class D felony, failure to appear – class A misdemeanor, and two counts of failure to appear – class B misdemeanors. Smith remains at the SCADC without bond.

Mansfield Hires New City Attorney

Tammy Teague

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3:04 pm

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The Mansfield City Council met in a special session on Thursday evening, January 28 at 6 p.m. Only three items were on the agenda, the hiring of a new city attorney, the purchase of new fire turnout gear, and the purchase of a public works truck.

All members of the council were present including Jan Carlton, James Steele, Julie Thomas, Beverly Lyons, Rick McDaniel, and Sheri Hopkins. Also present, Mayor Buddy Black and Recorder/Treasurer Becky Walker.

Mayor Black introduced local attorney Travis Plummer to members of the council. Plummer gave a brief presentation, which included a contract proposal. With limited questions and discussion, the council voted unanimously to hire Plummer as the city’s new attorney.

Next, the council reviewed a proposal by Fire Chief Michael Smith for five new sets of turnout gear. Mayor Black informed the council that the city was reimbursed with CARES ACT funds totaling $45,124.61.00, which is now in the general fund. He recommended using $11,575.00 to purchase new turnout gear for the fire department. Before voting, Councilwoman Jan Carlton inquired why the request was not included in the budget, “which was just passed less than a week ago.” Carlton added, “I don’t like amending the budget this early…those departments should have put it in their budget requests.”

Carlton referred to the requests as a “whim.” However, Black assured her that Chief Smith and Public Works Director Joe Manes have repeatedly made their requests known, both to him and to the council. The mayor went on to add that due to COVID-19, there have been issues with getting those requests designated within the budget.

At the January 21 meeting, Chief Smith gave an ardent report on the state of the fire department, cautioning the council of the risks to the city if they choose inaction. Carlton was absent with due cause for that meeting.

With no further discussions, Lyons made the motion to take the money for the five sets of turnout gear for the fire department from the general fund. Thomas seconded the motion. Voting for, Lyons, McDaniel, Hopkins, Steele, and Thomas. Voting against, Carlton.

The last item on the agenda, the purchase of a new truck for the public works department. Currently, workers are having to utilize their own vehicle to submit water samples for the city. “That’s unacceptable,” stated Councilwoman Hopkins. Carlton again asked if the truck purchase was allocated in the budget. Mayor Black responded stating, Manes had just located the truck and that the need has been discussed over the past two months.

Steele made the motion to purchase one truck, with the option to purchase a second truck, following an inspection. McDaniel seconded the motion. Voting for, Lyons, McDaniel, Hopkins, Steele, and Thomas. Voting against, Carlton.

With no other items of business, the special meeting of the Mansfield City Council was adjourned.

“The initial budget must be submitted to the council by December 1,” Black stated in a follow-up interview. However, the months of October and November had not been reconciled yet because our Recorder/Treasurer was out of the office twice under quarantine with COVID-19, and then her father passed. I prepared the initial budget for the council based on a nine-month history. After she returned, the budget was finalized and presented to the council in December. The budget must be adopted by February 1. We have known about the situation with the fire department for a year and a half. We’ve just been unable to fund those needs. The same thing goes for the public works department, who is down to one vehicle that can be driven on the highway. We have been extremely diligent with the taxpayer’s money, and try our best to be frugal. The CARES ACT money, which was received in December of 2020, will allow us to meet some of these crucial needs.”

Local attorney Travis Plummer presents the Mansfield City Council with a contract proposal.

Composting for Beginners

Madison VanRavensway

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10:24 am

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Jensen asks hard questions. Jensen is my three year old. He’s incredibly smart for his age. I’m hopeful I am raising a child who will a leader someday. For now though, I have to live through the rough questions and odd demands.

Most recently he needed to know why we don’t have a compost pile like Mimzee (my mom). I didn’t have a good answer because until that moment it had never occurred to me that we needed one. He also informed me Curious George has a compost pile, so we need one. Like any good mother would do, I gathered my scraps and dumped them on the ground off the back porch. Boom, our compost pile was born!

To make my life easier I found a container with a lid to hold the peelings, egg shells, etc. that comes out of the kitchen. This keeps me from running out the back door several times a day, but also keeps gnats and odors out of the kitchen. When the container gets full I go dump it in our small but growing pile.

Additionally we will add dead leaves and hay to our compost, as well as some newspapers. Coffee grounds, tea bags, brown paper bags, grass clippings, saw dust, and garden waste can all be added as well!

Make sure not to compost meats or other foods that are not primarily vegetables/fruit. Anything treated with herbicide or pesticides, diseased plants, or weeds should not be added to the pile.

Where you place your pile should be a big enough area for turning the pile and adding more. It’s also good to remember this is not an overnight way to reap rich soil, it does take time. Despite that, it will produce excellent nutrient rich dirt for your garden.

Things To Consider When Moving To The Country

Lifestyle

Resident News Network

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8:39 am

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Things To Consider When Moving To The Country

Are you ready to leave the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle behind and move to the country? At first, moving to the country can be a bit of a culture shock. To decide if it’s right for you, check out this guide of things to consider when moving to the country.

More Land or More House?

Your budget can go a long way when it comes to a rural property. This means you’ll get to decide how you want to spend your money, rather than worrying about saving it for a congested suburban home. You can get a large plot of land for far less money in the country, but remember, you’ll have to shell out a lot for general upkeep. If having a lot of land isn’t your thing, the money you save on real estate can go toward your dream home décor and design.

Commuting

Will you be staying at your current job when moving to the country? Driving from a rural town will likely add many miles to your commute to and from work. There are also unique challenges when driving on country roads, such as getting stuck behind a slow-moving tractor. Before committing to the country life, consider your daily commute.

Availability and Convenience of Necessities

You won’t find a Walmart or Target down the street from your new country home. This means you’ll need to get used to buying in bulk and taking fewer last-minute trips to the store for dinner’s final ingredient.

Keep in mind that some necessities may be hard to come by in the country. Poor reception and weak Wi-Fi are not uncommon, especially if a bad storm rolls through.

Neighbors

The last thing to consider when moving to the country is the lack of neighbors. If you’re looking for a quiet place away from others, the country will be perfect for you. However, if isolation isn’t your forte, don’t expect to see too many neighbors around. Your nearest neighbors may be a car ride away.

There’s a lot to think about when deciding whether moving to the country is right for you. Keep these four considerations at the forefront to help you make the right choice.

Paris Gets Big Win Over Cossatot River

Sports

Resident News Network

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10:03 pm

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As the old saying goes, “Birds of a feather flock together”, and that could be said for Thursday night’s game in Paris where the Eagles hosted the Cossatot River Eagles. Cossatot made the two-hour plus trip to Paris to play junior and senior boys make-up games that were postponed earlier in the month due to COVID reasons. Paris fans who came out to the game were treated to perhaps a glimpse into the future of how good the Paris boys basketball team can become next year. The Paris Eagles got a big 54-50 win over the Cossatot River Eagles at Paris Gymnasium.

The Paris junior high boys lost a heart breaker, 34-33, in overtime on a Cossatot free throw with no time left remaining in overtime. A foul was called on Paris deep inside the lane on the defensive end with zero seconds remaining in the clock. But the junior Eagles showed tonight along with several other games they played in January that there is good talent coming to the varsity next year, and Paris fans can be excited about those players who will move up next year.

Following the junior high game, the senior boys took the court, and early in the game, it did not look good for Paris. Cossatot is a very good team and the Eagles took off to an early 14 point lead at the end of the first quarter. Paris scrapped with everything they had in the first to keep the game within reach, otherwise, the game may have been over in the first half.

After trailing 18-4 at the end of the first, Paris played hard, tenacious defense coupled with maybe their highest field goal percentage from the field. Paris shooters came alive as the offense seemed to feed off of the defensive success the Eagles were having with Cossatot.

At the end of the first half, Paris had erased the Cossatot lead and trailed by just one point, 31-30. The momentum had taken a dramatic swing to the Paris end, and the Eagles came out in the third and continued their hard defense that eventually won the game for the Eagles.

After the game, Paris head coach Blain Brewington talked about his pride in the team for their effort and their determination to fight back against a very good Cossatot team. Coach Brewington said, “We got down big early; they (Cossatot) shot the lights out. Our kids never lost their focus or energy. They just chipped away and chipped away. So proud of their effort and no quit mentality. Once we got settled, I thought the defensive end of the floor is where we won the game. Proud of how we executed down the stretch.”

After a tough stretch in January, the Paris senior boys have now won two games this week. There will not be much time to enjoy tonight’s victory as the Eagles will travel tomorrow to Danville to play a Little Johns team that would like nothing more than to avenge an earlier loss at Paris. But, this is another game that Paris needs to continue its momentum going into the district tournament, as well as to end the season on a positive note to build on for next year.

For Paris fans, who knows? The Eagles may have turned the corner tonight. There will be more tough games before this year is over, but the team learned tonight that they can beat a good team, regardless of the early score, if they keep playing hard, stay together, and continue to improve. Tonight was a milestone in the new program under Coach Brewington, and may be a glimpse into what life could be for Paris the next two years.

Additional photos from tonight’s game will be available tomorrow afternoon on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports. Additionally, photos of the Paris junior boys game with Cossatot will be available at Paris Eagles Sports on Sunday.

Resident Press will be in Danville tomorrow night to bring you complete coverage of the Eagles and Lady Eagles and their games with the Little Johns. Paris will play junior boys and girls games, as well as senior high boys and girls games Friday at Danville. First game tips-off at 5 p.m.

Congratulations to the Paris Eagles and their coach, Blain Brewington. This one was fun and was great to watch! As we have said many times, there are better days ahead for Paris basketball!

River Valley Regional Food Bank to Host Furry Friend Friday

Networks

Tammy Teague

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9:31 pm

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River Valley Regional Food Bank to Host Furry Friend Friday

Fort Smith, Ark. (Thursday, January 28, 2021) — The River Valley Regional Food Bank, in partnership with Feeding America and PetSmart, will distribute pet food to the public on Friday (January 29, 2021) as part of the food bank’s Furry Friend Friday event.

PetSmart, through Feeding America, donated 32,000 pounds of pet food to the River Valley Regional Food Bank for the event. The food bank will first provide bags of dog and cat food to pet rescue agencies across the food bank’s eight-county service area beginning at 10 a.m., at the food bank location at 1617 South Zero Street in Fort Smith.

The food bank will then host a pop-up pantry pet food giveaway for the public on Friday afternoon. The public giveaway will also be at the food bank’s location and will be announced on the food bank’s social media channels when it begins. It will be on a first-come-first-served basis while supplies last.

The Friday distribution is drive-thru only, so the public is encouraged to please stay inside of their vehicles. Event staff will load the donations into the vehicle for the public.

The donation is made possible from the PetSmart Charities® recent $10 million commitment to the Feeding America network to help combat pet food insecurity across North America.

2020-21 Waldron FFA Officer Team

Networks

Tammy Teague

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9:23 pm

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By Chayse Nelson

The 2020-21 Waldron FFA Officer Team (top row, from left):
Advisor; LauraKitchens
Vice President; Abbigail Stark- 16 years old, her parents are Kerry and Scott Stark, she graduates in 2022, and she wants to become an agricultural teacher in the future.
Sentinel; Brooklyn Brothers- 15 years old, her parents are Misty Parsons and Wesley Brothers, she graduates in 2023, and she wants to become a veterinarian in the future.
Treasurer; Kylee Broomfield- She is 15 years old, her parents are Jennifer and Matt Broomfield, she graduates in 2023, and she wants to attend SAU or OSU to major in veterinary and equine medicine.
Parliamentarian; Jinjer Ward- She is 15 years old, her parents are Joshua and Tashia Ward, she graduates in 2023, and she wants to become a veterinarian in the future.
President; Summer Imperiali- She is 16 years old, her parents are Ashley and Travis Imperiali, she graduates in 2022, and she wants to become a physical therapist in the future.
Secretary; Lincoln Hale- He is 17 years old, his parents are Zach and JoAnna Hale, he graduates in 2021, and he wants to become a mechanical engineer.
Reporter; Chayse Nelson- He is 15 years old, his parents are Amy and Mike Defoor, he graduates in 2023, and he wants to become a farm manager in the future.
Historian; Rebecca Millard- She is 17 years old, her parents are Patrick and Vicki Millard, she graduates in 2022, and she wants to become a veterinarian assistant in the future.

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More Land or More House?

Commuting

Availability and Convenience of Necessities

Neighbors

RESIDENT NEWS NETWORK