Resident News Network

Eagles’ Road Woes Continue; Pirates Sweep Eagles at Cedarville

Sports

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6:28 pm

Eagles’ Road Woes Continue; Pirates Sweep Eagles at Cedarville

Paris traveled to Crawford County on Tuesday night for an important conference match-up with Cedarville. And when the night was over, Paris returned home having lost their second consecutive road conference game in the past two weeks. Both the Lady Eagles and the Eagles struggled against the home standing Pirates, and for Paris, the questions continue with respect to what has happened to both teams who started the season with so much promise.

Both the Paris senior boys and girls team are young and had little varsity experience going into this season. But as the schedule moves into mid-January, both teams have approximately 4-5 weeks to right the ship before post-season play. The teams’ fortunes for what ultimately happens this season now lies in the post-season, but the time is now for both teams to make a run and secure the highest possible seedings going into the post-season to avoid play a top seed team in the first round of the district tournament. If Paris does not do this, the season could be over early for both the Eagles and Lady Eagles.

It has been a year of change for Paris basketball. New, young, and talented players fill the rosters of both teams, and the Paris basketball program is being coached by new head coaches. In watching Tuesday’s games in Cedarville, there is a clear sense of frustration on both teams. Perhaps this is an indication of young, inexperienced players combining with new coaches who are attempting to implement their systems and philosophies, or, perhaps it is something much deeper. One can only speculate. Only the players and coaches really know what needs to be fixed. But whatever it is, time is running out for both teams to be a factor in post-season play in February.

The Lady Eagles played hard in their game at Cedarville, and kept the score within range of being in position to win for most of the game. But as Paris would close the gap, it seemed that very quickly Cedarville would respond with a run of their own to keep the Lady Eagles from turning the corner and winning the game. The Lady Pirates played tough defense and looked to run on offense at every opportunity.

After the game, Lady Eagles head coach Donald Hart said, “We’ve go to be able to hit free throws and finish around the rim to compete with teams in our league.” It appeared from Coach Hart’s comments that he was not pleased with the play down low around the basket. Junior forward Akira Robinson returned to the team after being quarantined for the previous week, but did not play as much as some anticipated. When she was in the game, she seemed to have a positive effect down low on both offense and defense. Robinson returned to the team on Monday, so she could see more minutes on Friday against Booneville. Senior guard Jadyn Hart led Paris scoring with 25 points. Cedarville defeated the Lady Eagles by a score of 56-44. Paris is now 2-4 in conference play and 7-7 overall. The Lady Eagles are in sixth place in the eight team conference, four games behind conference leader Danville. If the season were to end today, the Lady Eagles would again face Cedarville in the first round of the district tournament that will be held at Cedarville. Friday’s game with Booneville is extremely important to Paris as it would propel the Lady Eagles ahead of Booneville and into fifth place in the conference.

So for Paris, the time is now. They must forget about what has happened up to now and focus on the Lady Bearcats. It will be a big night in front of the Paris home crowd on Winter Court night, and Paris needs this game.

For the senior boys, the team’s struggles continued as the Eagles are still looking for a way to convert baskets and scoring opportunities against tough defensive pressure that they are seeing each night in conference play. Eagles head coach Blain Brewington commented after the game by saying, “Our offensive struggles continue for us. Defensively, we gave up too many three’s. We have to be better at finding shooters and not letting them get shots off. I thought we did a good job of rebounding the basketball for the most part. Our kids continue to play hard; we are preaching to them to continue to show up everyday, work out, be coachable, and have a great attitude and the rest will take care of itself.”

Cedarville defeated Paris by a score of 67-39. The Pirates three point shooting was devastating to the Eagles defense, and as Coach Brewington said, the Eagles must find a way to find those shooters and play much better defense against the outside shot. Paris is now 7-7 and last won at home in December against Danville.

So Paris fans, the great thing about sports like basketball is that you don’t have to wait a week, like you do in football, to play again and to have the chance to get the bad taste of losing your last game out of your mind. The Eagles will have an opportunity on Friday to make everything much better when they host Booneville at Paris Gymnasium. Regardless of records, it is always going to be an intense and hard fought game when these two schools get together. Come out and support Paris basketball on Winter Court night. Winter Court ceremonies will begin at 5 p.m.

Additional photos from both games are available on Facebook at Paris Eagles Sports. The junior varsity boys played in Cedarville, and their photos are also available at Paris Eagles Sports. It was great to see these players get the chance to play and be rewarded for their practice time, and for them to have a chance to develop as players.

See you at Paris Gymnasium on Friday for a very important match-up with Booneville!

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Hometown Sonic Makes Donation to Mansfield School District

News

Tammy Teague

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5:32 pm

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Hometown Sonic Makes Donation to Mansfield School District

On Wednesday afternoon, January 13, Sonic General Manager Melissa Campbell presented Mansfield High School Principal Donnie Eveld with a donation of $1,000.

The monies were donated after the passing of Ashley Fore, an employee of the Mansfield Sonic. According to Campbell, the community came together to help after their co-worker passed away on October 29, 2020.

“We just really wanted to help the community with what we had left after assisting Ashley’s family with burial expenses,” stated Campbell. “The community all came together and helped us in our time of need, so we are trying to return the favor.”

Eveld responded by stating “we appreciate their continued support of our schools, staff, students and community. They have always been a great partner for Mansfield schools!”

Sr Tigers Court Scorched By Dragons

Sports

Megan Hecox

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3:45 pm

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Pictured is JoJo Bailey

The Mansfield Sr Tigers have found their kryptonite and it comes in the form of reptiles. After a close loss to the Magazine Rattlers last week, the Tigers squared off against the Mountainburg Dragons on Tuesday, January 12^th. Unfortunately, the Tigers have yet to find a cure for herpetophobia as they fell to the Dragons 64-53.

Mansfield regained part of their potent lineup back with Tyler Escalante coming back from an injury in the Magazine game last week. As great as it was having Escalante back, it was one step forward and two steps back for the Mansfield roster as the Tigers went into the game without their two big men Zayne Dugan and Bri Sanderson. Be it as it may, the Tigers went to work against a bigger Mountainburg team and gave the Dragons a Knights welcome by jumping to an early 13-9 lead in the first quarter.

That was when the battle really got underway. Mountainburg used their size advantage against the Tigers to get board points while sucking Mansfield into the paint. If only the Tigers remembered what Gial Ackbar said in Star Wars “It’s A Trap”! With the Tigers covering the interior, Mountainburg began to tee off with 3 point shots from the perimeter. The outside shots gave Mountainburg just enough to go into the half with a 29-25 lead.

After the half, it was game on for both teams. Every time the Tigers would claw down the court to take the lead, the Dragons would set the court on fire to regain it. Going into the final quarter of the game Mansfield was down by a lone point 41-40. Unfortunately, the Tigers incurred some foul trouble along the way which sent Mountainburg’s sharpshooters to the free-throw line. At that point, the Dragons began to pull away slowly but surely on the scoreboard. The Tigers never let up though giving it all they had, but it just wasn’t in the cards for Mansfield as they dropped to Mountainburg 64-53 in their second conference loss in a row.

Without Sanderson & Dugan (aka The Board Behemoths) for support, the whole team had to step up big time and they did. Codi Chick rounded up 19 stellar points in the game while his partner in crime, JoJo Bailey brought in 12 points. Clint Stovall opened up what could be called his best overall performance of the season and sank 10 points. Drew Elmore faced the giants of Mountainburg head-on and posted up for 7 hard-fought points. And Ethan Pettus and Tyler Escalante paired up for a combined 5 points.

Back to back losses could set most teams back, but not these Tigers. They are now solely focused on this Friday night’s homecoming game as they prepare to send the JC Westside Rebels down the road whistlin’ Dixie all the way home.

Next Generation Steps Into Leadership Roles at Community Bank

News

Tammy Teague

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11:48 am

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Next Generation Steps Into Leadership Roles at Community Bank

HUNTSVILLE, ARK. – A leadership transition that took place at the end of 2020 showcases the commitment of Today’s Bank to being a strong, stable, and secure institution.

The promotions of four current team members to top leadership positions highlight the culture of the bank, according to Larry Olson, the retiring President/CEO. Through the appointment of the experienced bankers, Olson is confident that the stability, strength, and security of the bank is assured.

“At Today’s Bank, commitment to our customers by providing a strong, stable and secure banking experience has been our promise since we opened our doors almost thirty years ago,” said Olson. Hiring talented people, providing relevant training, and developing their skills ensures the bank will continue to fulfill the mission of providing personal service, thoughtful banking solutions, and modern technologies.

David Scruggs was appointed as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the bank in December 2020. In conjunction with Scruggs promotion to the top management position in the bank, he has been elected as a director on the bank’s Board of Directors. He will manage the bank’s operations, relocating to Fayetteville from Van Buren, where he spent the past four years as the President- River Valley Market. Scruggs assisted with the transition of the former Allied Bank branches into Today’s Bank and led the opening of the bank’s newest branch in Van Buren. A graduate of the University of Arkansas and the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking, Scruggs has spent his 36-year career serving commercial lending and management roles at banks in Dallas and Little Rock. His family includes his wife Clare and two children, Caroline and Scott.

Marviel Radcliffe of Fayetteville was also appointed to serve as a Director of the bank. She is currently the bank’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Radcliffe joined Today’s Bank in 2002 and has held a variety of positions at the bank. Many years of service as the secretary to the board of directors has given her an in-depth knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of a member of the board. Before coming to Today’s Bank, Radcliffe worked at a bank in the Little Rock area and served as a bank examiner/supervisor with the Arkansas State Bank Department for 12 years. She is a graduate of the University of Arkansas and Southwestern Graduate School of Banking.

With more than 18 years of experience at Today’s Bank, Brittany Little was promoted from her current Senior Vice President level to Executive Vice President. She also added the newly-created role of the Chief Financial Officer to her responsibilities in December. She will continue to serve as the President-Huntsville Market and Marketing Director for the bank. She has previously served in positions in operations, as the bank’s Credit Administration officer, Bank Secrecy Act officer and Loan officer. After joining the bank while she earned her degree in finance from the University of Arkansas, Little went on to earn a graduate degree in banking from Louisiana State University. She is a Huntsville native and has twin daughters with her husband Denver. In addition to her bank duties, she currently serves on the board of directors for the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas and the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce.

Nathan Hurst moved into the position of President-River Valley Market, after spending almost four years as Senior Vice President and Commercial Lender at the bank’s Van Buren branch. Hurst has spent almost 16 years lending in the River Valley. A Van Buren native, he is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University and a distinguished graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking. He is a board member of the Van Buren Education Foundation, a member of the Education Committee at the Van Buren Chamber of Commerce, and of the Comprehensive Juvenile Services Foundation. He and his wife Amber have two daughters, Ashton and Hadlee.

Olson decided to “slow down a little bit” in his 45-year banking career in December. He will provide transition assistance to the bank for a time and continues to serve as a member of the board of directors. “I have certainly enjoyed my 10 years with the bank,” Olson commented while praising the work of the bank’s employees, adding that Today’s Bank “has a bright future” because of the dedicated team of banking experienced professionals serving each of the bank’s 10 branch communities.

PROMOTIONS
Banking & Finance
David Scruggs
Van Buren
Employer: Today’s Bank
Title: President & Chief Executive Officer
Previous title: SVP, President-River Valley Market

Banking & Finance
Brittany Little
Huntsville
Employer: Today’s Bank
Title: Executive Vice President-Chief Financial Officer and President-Huntsville Market
Previous title: SVP, President-Huntsville Market

Banking & Finance
Nathan Hurst
Van Buren
Employer: Today’s Bank
Title: SVP, President-River Valley Market
Previous title: Senior Vice President, Commercial Lender III

Sr Hornets Net Big Win Over Charleston

Sports

Megan Hecox

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11:47 am

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Some might call it a Cinderella story, but everyone knows glass slippers aren’t allowed on the court. This is Hackett Hornet basketball and the only glass allowed to be on the floor is from a shattering backboard. Although there were no backboards being shattered Tuesday night, the Hornets did raise the roof as they defeated the once undefeated Charleston Tigers 41-36.

The Hornets took to the hardwood on a mission to make a statement to the rest of their 3A opponents. Charleston being a premier program was just the team Hackett needed for that purpose. Hackett played aggressive defense and tacked on some sure shots but pulling away from the Tigers wasn’t easy. Charleston attempted to get their high-scoring offense in order, but the Hornets defense built a nest around the goal forcing the Tigers to earn the hard points. Hackett kept their mental mistakes at bay which kept Charleston from getting easy steals and turnovers.

With showstopper Jake Fisher out for the game, the Hornets leaned on their entire bench to step up. Charleston had to face a hungry Hornet squad who was ready to cut their teeth against the best. If that wasn’t intimidating enough for Charleston, they were also faced with a healed up Ethan “Superman” Slavens. And then there was the one, the only, THE “Awesome” Austin Cowell who nearly owned the scoreboard all night.

Head Coach, Kent Elmore said “This was a huge win for our boys. Our team finally turned a corner as far as energy and execution. The pure effort in our players was by far the biggest factor in the game. We made Charleston uncomfortable on our defensive side of the ball. We were still without one of our starters, but our boys stepped up and showed that next man up mentality. I’m very proud of our bench. They all played a huge role in this win to get us this victory and back in the win column.”

“Awesome” Austin Cowell had the book keeper sharpening their pencil every three seconds with his powerful court skills and led the Hornets in scoring hanging 18 points on the Tigers defense. Ethan “Superman” Slavens and Ty Smith paired up for 7 hard-fought points apiece. Cash Oliver was money against Charleston as he sank 5 points. And Fisher Shipman rounded out the scoring with 4 points in the game. The big win brings the Hornets to an overall record of 3-6 and 2-3 in conference. But don’t let that record fool you. With the confidence built by beating Charleston Tuesday night, the Hackett faithful might as well draw a line across every team listed above Charleston on their schedules because this is a new Hornet team. That being the case, the Hornet’s “New Game 2” will be Friday, January 15 as they take on the 2019 defending 3A Champions, the Waldron Bulldogs.

Sr Lady Tigers Eek Past Mountainburg In Slugfest

Sports

Megan Hecox

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10:31 am

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Sr Lady Tigers Eek Past Mountainburg In Slugfest

Pictured is Natalie Allison

Both Mountainburg and Mansfield’s senior girls’ basketball programs could be seen as the Chinese idiom of “The Tiger and The Dragon” as the up-and-coming Lady Tigers program looked to overcome the Lady Dragons program who has been a staple of excellence in 2A basketball for years. On Tuesday night, the two clashed in an epic showdown that showed everyone that destiny has nothing to do with who you are, it’s how you play. Each team played the game out round by round like a heavyweight boxing match with the Sr Lady Tigers scaling past Mountainburg on the judges’ scorecards 55-50.

Round 1 in the first quarter went to the Lady Dragons as the Lady Tigers struggled to get the game at their pace. Mansfield’s sluggish play out of the gate opened up the opportunity for the Lady Dragons to sink multiple threes in the first quarter. Compile that with the Lady Tigers rebounding woes and Mansfield finished out the quarter down by a little, but still losing none the less 14-10. The Dragons were able to get Mansfield on the ropes but weren’t able to deliver the knockout punch in Round 1.

The Lady Tigers came out swinging with haymakers in the second quarter showing the Dragons on the old guard that they would not be denied. Mansfield found their feet and turned the tables on the Lady Dragons with a need…..a need for speed! With breakaway layups, slick steals, and a hustle from board to board, the Lady Tigers began to run Mountainburg ragged. By changing the pace of the game from zero to one hundred, Mansfield put the Dragons on their heels with their hands on their knees gasping for air. Round 2 of the match went to the Lady Tigers with their Sugar Ray Lennard mentality driving them to a 28-26 lead at halftime.

Mansfield continued to pound on the Lady Dragons in the 3^rd quarter with the same ol song and dance. The Lady Tigers did it all. They rebounded. They stole the ball. They scored points. They had the mighty Lady Dragons chained down with nowhere to go as they ended the 3^rd quarter with a solid 41-36 lead giving them a unanimous vote in Round 3. With the Lady Tigers keeping Mountainburg grounded for back to back rounds, Mansfield was sure to pull away in the 4^th and final quarter with a KO right? NOT SO FAST! The old guard would not be put down that easily and they came back on Mansfield with a vengeance.

The Lady Tigers began to slow down and Mountainburg was there ready to light up a comeback fire. Mansfield was making mental mistakes such as fouls, missing free throws, and slowing the pace back to their 1^st quarter performance. Mountainburg on the other hand was getting hot and closed the Lady Tigers 15 point lead to a two-point game in the closing minutes. The Lady Tigers would not fall on this night though as they maintained their lead and watched the clock hit 0:00 on the game. Although they didn’t get the massive KO punch they wanted, the Lady Tigers still took the 55-50 win and completed their conference sweep.

Leading this bare-knuckle exchange was Danielle Lillie with 15 points closely followed by Makayla Strutton with 12, Skylynn Harris and Chloe Creekmore with 8 apiece, Natalie Allison with 6, Brooke Wright with 4, and Kiara Thomas with 2. With a 12-3 overall record and an undefeated 6-0 conference record, the Lady Tigers have proved that they can slay Dragons, snap Arrows, down Rockets, round up Rattlers, and topple other Tigers in the 2A-4. As awesome as that is, they’re not done yet. They’ll have to turn around and do it all over again in the second half of their schedule to earn the crown as conference champions. The first step towards that massive feat will be against the JC Westside Rebels at Homecoming this Friday, January 15.

Sr Lady Hornets Hit Turbulence Against Charleston

Sports

Megan Hecox

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10:02 am

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Sr Lady Hornets Hit Turbulence Against Charleston

If the Hackett Sr Lady Hornets have shown one thing this season, it’s that they’ll take on the biggest dog in the yard just to show them that they can. Whether they win or lose, their opponents will not second guess them again. A case in point is when the Lady Hornets stepped up to the Charleston Lady Tigers on Tuesday night. Although the scoreboard showed a 42-20 loss, Hackett’s never quit attitude could be seen by a blindfolded Stevie Wonder in a dark basement!

The Sr Lady Hornets dropped early in the first quarter as their offense struggled to get their gears turning while Charleston was able to roar ahead to hang a quick 20 points on Hackett. Most teams would just kick the dirt and call it a night, but not Hackett. With the offense down, the Lady Hornets stiffened up on defense. Hackett shut down the prolific Lady Tigers offense holding them to only 3 points in the 2nd quarter. To make things better, the offense was able to force the tigers to foul more with their aggressive attack. With both sides now clicking, Hackett doubled their production putting up another 6 points and going into halftime only down by 11 points with a 23-12 score.

Coming out of the half, both teams seemed to play a basketball version of Battleship. Hackett fired a couple of shots at C4 and C5 to gain 4 points on the board. Charleston caught the Lady Hornets off guard though by hitting H2, H3, H4, H5, and H6 to score 10 points in the 3^rd quarter. Hackett was down, but the Lady Hornets were still in a fighting mood going into the 4^th quarter. Unfortunately, the Lady Hornets offense never really kicked in creating a stalemate in their scoring. Hackett sank 4 more points in the 4^th quarter, but Charleston was able to tack on another 9 points handing Hackett a 42-20 loss.

The low of a loss is never good. But one thing the Lady Hornets can hang their hat on was that although their defense allowed 20 points in the first quarter, once they heated up they only allowed 22 points for the following three quarters against a high-powered Charleston team. Leading the team offensively was “Mighty Madi” Taylor who hooked up with 9 points in the game. Teonna Best and Madeline Freeman paired up to reign in 4 points apiece for Hackett while Faith Thomas and “Lord Lilly” Slavens combined for 3 points against the Lady Tigers.

The loss puts Hackett at a 0-11 overall record and a 0-6 conference record. Rest assured that the Lady Hornets are focusing on the next up rather than games of old though as they go one on one with the Lady Bulldogs of Waldron Friday, January 15.

Photos courtesy of Bridget Freeman

Obituary – Robert Henry Emery (1937 – 2021)

Obituaries

Tammy Teague

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9:48 am

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Obituary – Robert Henry Emery (1937 – 2021)

Robert Henry Emery of Harvey, Arkansas went to be with his Lord and Savior, Friday, January 8, 2021 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Robert was born June 23, 1937, in Huntington, Arkansas to Eddie Emery and Elma Bell (Elmore) Emery. Robert was 83 years old.

Robert was a hard working man, who genuinely loved to work. He spent 37 years working in the oil field, was a back hoe operator and raised cattle in west Texas until retiring from the oil field, afterwards he moved to Harvey, Arkansas where he ranched full time on his place in Harvey. One of Roberts greatest passions was to read, specifically western novels. Robert loved the outdoors, he was a person who truly loved and enjoyed nature and he really enjoyed the time spent with his family. Robert was a meek and gentle man, who was very well respected by his family and friends. He could always be greeted with a firm and strong hand, a true gentleman. Everyone that knew Robert knew he was a man that was always true to his word.

Robert leaves behind to cherish his memory, his daughter Sandra Barker, grandson Brandon Ebaugh and his wife Marian Ebaugh of Wichita, Kansas, grandaughter Dana Bivens and her husband Dusty of Haysville, Kansas, and 3 great grandchildren; Hannah, Samuel, and Brayden. Robert will be missed by all that knew him and the many whose lives he impacted including a host of extended family, neighbors and friends.

Robert was preceded in death by his wife Ester Mae (Rocky) Emery, his parents Eddie Emery and Elma Bell (Elmore) Emery, his brothers; Leon, Jim, Eddie Ray, Clarence, and Tony, his sister Latrisha, his children Donna, Johnny, and Janie.

Robert’s life celebration will be at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday January 14, 2021 at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron, Arkansas. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.

Robert’s visitation will be Thursday, January 14, 2021 from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home.

You may leave words of remembrance for Robert’s family by visiting: www.heritagememorialfh.com.

Jr Lady Tigers Blow Up Scoreboard Vs Mountainburg

Sports

Megan Hecox

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9:01 am

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Jr Lady Tigers Blow Up Scoreboard Vs Mountainburg

Pictured is Kaylee Ward

It’s amazing what a humbling experience can do to a program. The Jr Lady Tigers suffered their first loss of the season against Trinity a week ago and had a choice to make. They could either hang their heads and cry about it or they could buck up and keep on truckin’. Beating Magazine last week was a start, but were the Lady Tigers back for real? Well on Monday night, Mansfield flattened the Mountainburg Lady Dragons 50-5 to prove that not only are they back, but they’re also better than ever.

This game wasn’t a game where the starters padded points either. Head Coach, Joshua Bryan, cleared the benches after halftime showing fans the true depth of the Lady Tigers program. With Mountainburg being considered a solid basketball school, the Lady Tigers bench went to work earning honor roll status against the Jr Lady Dragons. Mansfield held Mountainburg to a goose egg until the final minutes of the match when the Jr Lady Dragons put up five points. 7th-Grader, Kaylee Ward came out on top with 12 points in the game. Captain, Alyson Edwards, secured 11 points. Kynslee Ward earned her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 steals. Harlie Fuller snagged 9 points. Raine Hecox netted 4. And at 2 each was Cole Smith and Laney Wood.

The Mansfield Jr Lady Tigers are sitting undefeated in conference play and 8-1 overall. That doesn’t mean that they are going to cruise through the rest of the season though. The second part of their schedule is starting which means teams they have already faced will be coming back around with a vengeance. And you can bet your bottom dollar that those programs have learned a thing or two about the Jr Lady Tigers since their first matchups. Mansfield knows the road ahead of them isn’t going to be easy but won’t let any detours slow them down in their pursuit of 2A dominance. Next up will be the Lady Rebels of JC Westside on Thursday, January 14^th.

Greenwood to Participate in National Day of Racial Healing 2021

Tammy Teague

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5:43 pm

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Greenwood to Participate in National Day of Racial Healing 2021

On January 19, 2021, the day after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service, the State of Arkansas will observe the fifth annual “National Day of Racial Healing (NDORH).”

This will be the second consecutive year that this day has been observed by communities throughout the state of Arkansas. And, as part of last year’s inaugural observance, Governor Asa Hutchinson became this nation’s first governor to issue a gubernatorial NDORH proclamation, which was immediately followed by proclamations issued by Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde and the mayors of Cammack Village, North Little Rock, and Wrightsville, as well as Little Rock School Superintendent Mike Poore.

This year, Arkansas Peace & Justice Memorial Movement (APJMM) continues its role as the lead sponsor of the “2021 National Day of Racial Healing in the State of Arkansas,” which includes a statewide week-long schedule of several virtual events set aside to share truth, deepen relationships and build trust in order to create courageous environments where citizens can have difficult conversations about how the social construct of race has perpetuated structural violence within our state, leaving us all as victims, in some form or another, regardless of our racial identity, our historical familial connections, our socioeconomic background, or our political or religious affiliation. Once these conversations have
begun, access to continuing tools and resources will be provided to the participants with the expectation that they put into action what they have learned from those conversations and work together to build a more just and equitable world anchored in truth, racial healing and transformation.

Joining APJMM this year as co-sponsors (alphabetically) are: APJMM Pulaski County Community Remembrance Project, Arkansas Municipal League, Arkansas State Conference of the NAACP, Braver Angels Central Arkansas, Coming To The Table (National Office), Just Communities of Arkansas, UAClinton School of Public Service, UAMS College of Public Health, UAMS Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, UCA Center for Community & Economic Development, Urban League of the State of Arkansas, Washitaw Foothills Youth Media Arts & Literacy Collective, and The Yarn Storytelling.

One of this year’s goals is to have Arkansas become the first state where ALL of its municipal and educational executives (mayors, city managers, city administrators, county judges, school superintendents, college presidents, and university chancellors) issue proclamations along with the Governor. Answering APJMM’s call were the mayors of the following cities: Blytheville, Conway, Crossett, El Dorado, Fayetteville, Greenwood, Hamburg, Hope, Little Rock, Mountain View, Mulberry, North Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Prairie Grove, Siloam Springs, Stephens, Sulpher Springs, Tontitown, just
to name a few of the many. The chancellors of UCA, UA-Fayetteville, UA-Little Rock, and ASUMidsouth, have also issued NDORH proclamations.

The schedule for this NDORH weeklong virtual observance can be viewed HERE. Arkansans can register for the limited amount of spaces available for the live virtual events. All events, except the film festival, will also be recorded and made available at www.APJMM.org the following week.

Greenwood Mayor Doug Kinslow will be featured on day one, Tuesday, January 19. He will join mayors from Mulberry, North Little Rock, Little Rock, Blytheville, Pine Bluff and Fayetteville.

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