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Upgrades To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient This Winter

Winter is the time of year when we tend to use the most energy. Whether it be to keep our homes warm or to maintain the light after the early sunset, everything we do seems to cost us a bit more. Fortunately, there are several ways to use less energy in your home and save money. These are some effective upgrades to make your home more energy efficient this winter season.

Insulate Your Attic

While we use our attic spaces for storage, insulating them can go a long way in reducing our overall energy consumption. As our homes heat up, the treated air will rise and be released through the cracks and crevasses in our roofs. When this happens, we’re forced to turn up the heat and use more energy just to stay comfortable. It’s crucial to properly insulate your attic if you want to make a difference in your energy usage.

Install a Set of Interior Shutters

Interior shutters are also a useful upgrade to make your home more energy efficient. Since our windows are another place from which heat commonly escapes in the winter, setting up new window treatments is a great way to keep more of that energy locked indoors. Interior shutters are particularly effective for this—they form a tight seal against the window frame when shut. In fact, this is only one of the many reasons to add interior shutters to your home.

Replace Your Drafty Windows

If you still notice drafts despite installing a set of window shutters, your current windows could be beyond help. After years of wear and tear from the elements, it’s only natural that your home’s windows would no longer be up to the task. Use this as an opportunity to get new ones. Modern models often come with better security and will typically maintain their seal much longer.

Switch Out Your Lightbulbs

You can upgrade on a smaller scale as well by simply switching out your lightbulbs. Believe it or not, our lighting systems can draw large amounts of energy depending on the light bulbs we use. Saving energy can be as easy as buying a different kind. LED bulbs are considered the most efficient bulbs on the market. Though they cost a little more to buy outright, they have the longest lifespan and the lowest overall energy draw.

Arrest Report 11/15

Rogelio Abina Acosta of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 20 at 10:55 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond on November 21 at 9:52 a.m. Acosta was charged with driving while intoxicated – 1st offense and refusal to submit to a chemical test – adult.

Charles Acker Gough of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 16 at 11:15 a.m. and remains at the SCADC. Gough was charged with domestic battering third degree (purposely) misdemeanor.

John Michael Groen of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 16 at 2:15 a.m. and released on signature bond November 16 12:55 p.m. Groen was charged with driving while intoxicated 1st offense, and reckless driving 1st offense.

Thomas Joseph Grooms of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 19 at 2:25 a.m. and released on cash bond November 20 at 1:04 p.m. Grooms was charged with contempt of court–(child support), FTAS, FTRespond subpoena, FTComply WCO.

Ricky Lee Perry of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 19 at 3 p.m. and released on signature bond November 19 at 10:06 p.m. Perry was charged with possession of controlled substance – schedule I/II felony <2g, and possession of drug paraphernalia – ingest meth/cocaine.

Daniel Lee Thorpe of Greenwood was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 16 at 3:15 p.m. and released on signature bond November 17 at 4:29 a.m. Thorpe was charged with driving while intoxicated – 1st offense, possession of controlled substance – schedule I/II felony <2g, and driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked.

Arresting Agency – Greenwood Police Department:
On 11/20/2020 at approximately 4 p.m. a Greenwood officer was was traveling Northbound on HWY 71 and ran an Oklahoma license plate. The registration of the vehicle was shown to be expired. He initiated a traffic stop in the Tractor Supply parking lot. Upon making contact with the two occupants inside, the officer asked if they would both provide
identification, which they did. The driver Joshua Piersant, was showing to be wanted from out of state for burglary, with in-state extradition only. The passenger, Derick Woodard, 38 of Poteau, OK, was showing to be wanted by the Alma Police Department. The officer then removed both Woodard and Piersant from the vehicle, and was granted permission to search the vehicle by Piersant. Nothing illegal was found. Woodard’s warrant from Alma was confirmed. Woodard was placed under arrest and transported to SCADC without incident.

On 11/22/2020 at 7:41 p.m., a Greenwood officer made contact with Chase Hughes, 35 of Fort Smith, in the parking lot of Julz Bakery after learning
he had outstanding warrants for his arrest. Upon making contact and confirming his identity, the officer placed Hughes in handcuffs, and had dispatch confirm the following warrants: petition to revoke, failure to appear, and failure to pay. Once the warrants were confirmed, he was transported to the Sebastian County Detention Center without incident.

On Saturday November 21 at approximately 8:50 p.m. a Greenwood officer was advised by dispatch to be on the lookout for a white GMC truck that was allegedly swerving all over the road. The officer pulled into the Flash
Market parking lot and within a couple of minutes observed a vehicle
matching the description given, and began to follow behind. He observed the tag on the vehicle to match the tag given of the BOLO vehicle and continued to watch for probable cause for a stop. While traveling east bound on E. Center St., the officer observed the vehicle to speed up to approximately 66 m.p.h. in a 55 zone. As he continued to follow, the vehicle crossed the center lane line on three separate occasions, crossed the fog line once, and continued to drive on the center line for approximately 40 to 50 yards. Observing these infractions, the officer initiated his blue emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle. The vehicle came to a stop at the intersection of E. Center St. and Best Way where he made contact with the driver. Upon his initial contact, the officer could smell a strong
odor of intoxicants coming from his person, and noticed his eyes to be blood shot and watery. After identifying himself, he informed the driver the reason for the stop and requested his driver’s license, insurance, and vehicle registration. As he was looking for these items, the officer noticed the grip of a pistol protruding from under the center console, and asked the driver if he had a concealed carry permit. He stated he did not. Due to officer safety, he requested the driver exit his vehicle in order to secure the pistol during the traffic stop. He complied with the request and was patted down for any additional weapons. Once the pistol was secured, the officer
returned to the driver identified as Kyle David Helms, 28 of Booneville. The officer asked Helms how much he had to drink and he stated he had about three or four beers. The officer told him, due to his manner of driving, he
was going to have him perform a series of standardized field sobriety tests.
After completing these tests, the officer requested him to provide a breath sample. He agreed to provide a sample and the portable breath test had a final result of .17. He was then placed in cuffs and into the in the back of the patrol car. Helms was then transported to the Greenwood Police Department for a certified breath test. Once at the Police Department he was given a copy of his D.W.I. rights, and after reading over each of his rights he initialed next to each one and stated he understood them. He agreed to provide a breath sample which resulted in a final BrAC test result of .17 at 9:51 p.m. After completing the required paperwork, he was again placed in cuffs in the front of him, and transported to the Sebastian County Detention Center to be booked in on the charge of D.W.I 1st offence without further incident. In addition to the D.W.I. he was written a citation for speeding and driving left of center.

*The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts.**

Arrest Reports 11/15

Christopher James Paul Barnes of Mansfield was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 18 at 4:20 p.m. and remains at the SCADC as a parole hold. Barnes was charged with petition to revoke – felony, domestic battering in the third degree – purposely 2nd offense, criminal mischief in the 1st degree – $1,000 or less, possession of controlled substance – schedule I/II felony <2g, criminal impersonation in the first degree – car, absconding and parole violation.

Melody Ann Cahoon of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 17 at 3:32 p.m. and released on signature bond November 17 at 8:36 p.m. Cahoon was charged with theft of a controlled substance by fraud.

Destiny Faith Huddleston of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 20 at 5:45 p.m. and released on signature bond November 20 at 9:56 p.m. Huddleston was charged with theft of property <$1,000.

Sheila Jean Jones of Huntington was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 15 at 8:25 a.m. and released on signature bond November 15 at 11:46 a.m. Jones was charged with failure to appear – class A misdemeanor.

Jeremy Steven Long of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 19 at 1:40 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Long was charged with three counts of failure to appear – class C felonies, contempt – willful disobedience (failure to pay fine,) and a petition to revoke bond.

Carlton Deshane Matthews of Waldron was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 17 at 2:02 p.m. and released on legally sufficient bond November 18 at 2:08 a.m. Matthews was returned for previous charges after being released from another county.

Janna-Lynn Charlotte Sechser of Hartford was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 18 at 8:20 p.m. and remains at the SCADC. Sechser was charged with domestic battering in the third degree – purposely – 2nd offense, and resisting arrest misdemeanor.

Thomas Doyle Shelly of Hackett was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 20 at 5:45 p.m. and released signature bond November 20 at 9:06 p.m. Shelly was charged with theft of property <$1k.

Rachel Louise Stinson of Waldron was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center on November 19 at 7:27 p.m. and released on bond November 20 at 12:45 a.m. Stinson was charged with theft of property <$1k, possession of methamphetamine <2g, careless driving – inattentive operation, possession of drug paraphernalia – ingest, possessing instrument of a crime, failure to carry proof of insurance, possession of a controlled substance – schedule VI misdemeanor <4oz.

Arresting Agency – Waldron Police Department:
11/09 – James Nosser of Waldron was served a felony bench warrant and an absconder warrant.

11/09 – Jim McCluskey of Waldron was served a felony absconder warrant, and arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

11/13 – Joseph Holt of Waldron was arrested for disorderly conduct and public intoxication.

11/16 – Christopher Hiser of Waldron was arrested for criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct.

*The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts.**

Lady Pirate Basketball Poppin’ The Three’s

Pictured is Sr Lady Pirate #11 Katie McBroom

Both the Jr High and Sr High Cedarville Lady Pirate basketball teams have slam dunked through the doors of their season forcing the competition to beg for a timeout. After each squad took control of the scoreboard in their most recent matches against the Ozark Lady Hillbillies, the Jr and Sr Lady Pirates each sit undefeated.

Jr Lady Pirate #30 Rose LaLonde

The Jr girls beat the West Fork Lady Tigers in their first game of the season 25-24. Then on Thursday, November 19, the Jr Lady Pirates took their second win with a final score of 38-33 against Ozark putting them at 2-0 going into tonight’s game with Lavaca. Rylee Partain led with 19 points in the game followed by Rose LaLonde with 9.

Sr Lady Pirate #3 Anna Hightower

The Sr High Lady Pirates already have 195 points in their short season from just three games. Cedarville won 71-47 against Prairie Grove, 67-47 against Mulberry, and then last Thursday, November 19 turned around and again reigned over their opponents when they netted a victory of 57-51 versus Ozark. “The Sr Lady Pirates had a 55-36 lead with four minutes left in the game,” explained head coach, Andrew Tencleve. “The girls hit 14 3’s during their game with Ozark.” MaKayla Pearcy ended the match with 19 points followed by Chloe Morrow with 13 and Emily Wood with 11. Now 3-0 on the season, the Sr Lady Pirates will dive headfirst into tonight’s battle at Lavaca against the Lady Golden Arrows. Games will start at 4:30 pm.

Jr Lady Pirate #3 Lily Morrow
Sr Lady Pirates
Jr Lady Pirate #15 Makalie Carter

Jr High photos courtesy of Malinda Mizell and Sr High photos courtesy of Chasyn Oden

Christmas Honors: Tribute at Chaffee Crossing

Our entire community was saddened that both the Regional Veterans Day Parade at Chaffee Crossing and Christmas Honors at the Fort Smith National Cemetery were canceled for 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic. Both groups of event organizers did not want the year to pass without honoring area veterans, so we have teamed up to present Christmas Honors Tribute at Chaffee Crossing. In partnership with Chaffee Crossing, Christmas Honors is hosting a tribute display consisting of more than 18,000 names of every veteran buried at the Fort Smith National Cemetery.

The Christmas Honors Tribute at Chaffee Crossing exhibit will open on December 5, 2020, at 10:00 AM and remain open through December 28th The display will start at 7300 Buckhorn St. in the Chaffee Crossing Historic Area. Lighted signs printed with names of veterans interred in the Fort Smith National Cemetery will be placed along the 1,200-foot, one-way drive-through between historic WWII-era barracks. The unique arrangement of the display will allow visitors to pay their respects without the risk of public crowds. The display will be open from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm each day, giving the community the opportunity to view the display at leisure during the month of December.

FCRA Executive Director and CEO Daniel Mann says the Christmas Honors Tribute collaboration provided Chaffee Crossing an opportunity to show appreciation for veterans that is usually expressed through the annual Regional Veterans Day Parade at Chaffee Crossing. He explained, “It was a very difficult decision to cancel the Veterans Day Parade this year, so we jumped at the chance to honor veterans with this tribute display. We are committed to thanking veterans for all they have sacrificed to protect us and preserve our freedoms. This year it may look a little different, but our sincerity is just as genuine.”

Christmas Honors Chairman Philip Merry also emphasized this is a way to fulfill their organizations’: “to show respect and honor to veterans and their families to ensure they will never be forgotten.”

Click here for a  map and directions to the Christmas Honors Tribute display in the Chaffee Crossing Historic Area.

Success Found on Field of Faith

Saturday evening, the men of varying ages descended upon the Greenwood Boys & Girls Club for the First Annual Fishers of Men Rally.

The rally, as stated before was centered on faith, fellowship and included guest speaker Clay Dyer who traveled from Alabama specifically for this event.

greenwood-newspaper-faith-fishers of men

Dyer brought a message that was without a candy coating, and true to his calling of humor-based motivational speaking. The many men in attendance related to not only what Clay spoke of, but also their individual roles in faith, family, fatherhood and throughout community.

greenwood-newspaper-faith-fishers of men

Event organizer, Ethan Adams stated, “God has recently laid it on my heart that we need a men’s ministry in the river valley, not specific to one church, but for all men. I want guys to realize God is so much more than going to church on Sunday morning. The whole mission behind this is to tell men about Jesus.”

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31

Thanks to Financial Sponsors
Jeanette Jones, Broker of RE/MAX Executives Real Estate
RVR Auto
Kristin Cranford
John Pittman

Sponsors
HattyBo Calls
Jerry Chamberlain
Tractor supply
Tyler Wilson
JR Wheeler
Gellco Outdoors
HawiiDelphia
Play it again sports
Dipstx Mobile Oil Change
Landry’s Mobile Detail
Boyd Metals
RVR Auto

Special Thanks
Sammy Hassen
Cliff James
Michael Jones
Cameron Foote
Hunter Staton
Chase Cole
Chans Foote


Upgrades To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient This Winter

Winter is the time of year when we tend to use the most energy. Whether it be to keep our homes warm or to maintain the light after the early sunset, everything we do seems to cost us a bit more. Fortunately, there are several ways to use less energy in your home and save money. These are some effective upgrades to make your home more energy efficient this winter season.

Insulate Your Attic

While we use our attic spaces for storage, insulating them can go a long way in reducing our overall energy consumption. As our homes heat up, the treated air will rise and be released through the cracks and crevasses in our roofs. When this happens, we’re forced to turn up the heat and use more energy just to stay comfortable. It’s crucial to properly insulate your attic if you want to make a difference in your energy usage.

Install a Set of Interior Shutters

Interior shutters are also a useful upgrade to make your home more energy efficient. Since our windows are another place from which heat commonly escapes in the winter, setting up new window treatments is a great way to keep more of that energy locked indoors. Interior shutters are particularly effective for this—they form a tight seal against the window frame when shut. In fact, this is only one of the many reasons to add interior shutters to your home.

Replace Your Drafty Windows

If you still notice drafts despite installing a set of window shutters, your current windows could be beyond help. After years of wear and tear from the elements, it’s only natural that your home’s windows would no longer be up to the task. Use this as an opportunity to get new ones. Modern models often come with better security and will typically maintain their seal much longer.

Switch Out Your Lightbulbs

You can upgrade on a smaller scale as well by simply switching out your lightbulbs. Believe it or not, our lighting systems can draw large amounts of energy depending on the light bulbs we use. Saving energy can be as easy as buying a different kind. LED bulbs are considered the most efficient bulbs on the market. Though they cost a little more to buy outright, they have the longest lifespan and the lowest overall energy draw.

CWD-Positive Deer Confirmed in Logan County

A hunter-harvested white-tailed deer taken west of Delaware (Logan County) tested positive for chronic wasting disease, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Research, Evaluation and Compliance Division.

The adult male deer was harvested Oct. 18 and voluntary samples were submitted from the hunter through the AGFC’s drop-off location in Logan County. The sample originally tested positive on Nov. 3 through the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission’s laboratory in Little Rock, and the hunter was notified of the result. Following the standard protocol for a positive in a new county, the sample was then sent to the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Madison for confirmation before today’s announcement.

“The deer was in poor condition and the hunter saw signs of illness before taking the animal,” A.J. Riggs, Wildlife Health Biologist for the AGFC, said. “He submitted a sample at the Logan County sample collection site and disposed of the carcass by incinerating it.”

Riggs stressed that although this deer’s appearance and behavior were obvious to the hunter as a possible case of CWD, a deer or elk can have CWD for months before showing any signs. Likewise, a deer in poor condition does not necessarily have the disease, as there are other diseases and maladies that can affect white-tailed deer in the wild.

“It’s always best to get your deer tested, regardless of how healthy it looks, when hunting in a known CWD Management Zone, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” Riggs said. “We have 100 testing locations throughout the state; please use them.”

Logan County already resides within the CWD Management Zone because other CWD-positive deer were found within 10 miles of the county’s border, but this is the first deer to test positive in the county.

“The indications were strong that CWD was present in the county, it was just a matter of finding and confirming it,” Riggs said. “This gives us confidence that the sampling strategy to detect the disease and the initial 10-mile buffer to use when expanding the CWD Management Zone are both sound.”

Riggs does not expect any changes to deer-hunting regulations to take place from the positive result.

Hunters who wish to have their deer tested for CWD can voluntarily take the head of the deer with about 6 inches of neck still attached to one of the AGFC’s network of participating taxidermists to have a sample tested for free. They may also drop the head off at one of dozens of CWD-testing collection stations positioned throughout the state. Visit www.agfc.com/cwd for a list of testing locations.

The CWD management zone includes Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Independence, Jackson, Johnson, Logan, Madison, Marion, Newton, Pope, Scott, Searcy, Sebastian, Stone, Van Buren, Washington and Yell counties.

CWD was first detected in Arkansas in February 2016. Since the first detection, AGFC has sampled and tested more than 29,503 deer and elk from around the state with more than 70 percent of those samples coming from hunter-harvested animals. To date, 891 deer and 30 elk have tested positive for the disease in Arkansas.

Research indicates that CWD is caused by a misfolded protein called a prion that is transmitted through feces, urine and saliva, and can survive for years in soil and plants. CWD can have an incubation period of at least 16 months, which means infected animals may not show signs of disease immediately.

CWD prions accumulate throughout the body and affect an animal’s nervous system. The disease prions cause normal cellular proteins to misfold into abnormal shapes, which accumulate until neural cells cease to function. Infected animals begin to lose weight, lose their appetite and develop an insatiable thirst. They may separate from their herds, walk in repetitive patterns, carry their head low, salivate, urinate frequently and grind their teeth.

Anyone who sees a deer or elk showing signs of CWD or any other disease is encouraged to contact the AGFC’s REC Division at agfc.health@agfc.ar.gov.

Visit www.agfc.com/cwd for more information.

Obituary- Brett Haskell McConnell (1984 – 2020)

Brett Haskell McConnell passed from this life, Thursday, November 19, 2020. Brett was born October 3, 1984, to Carlton and Brenda (Franklin) McConnell in Waldron, Arkansas. He was 36 years old.

Brett enjoyed fishing, kayaking, hiking and anything else involving the great outdoors. He loved hunting and especially deer hunting with the Buck Knob Deer Camp Crew. He traveled to many parts of the country as a Crane Operator and always found outdoor activities that allowed him to appreciate the area he was in.

He enjoyed spending time with his friends and family. He especially enjoyed time spent with his nephews, Brycen and Caleb Cox. His special group of friends from high school remained close even when time and miles kept them apart. He enjoyed the time he got to spend with them when in town. Through his travels and work he met many people who became dear friends and extended family. They stayed in touch even when their work took in different directions.

Brett leaves behind to cherish his memory, his parents, Carlton and Brenda McConnell of Y-City, Arkansas, one sister, Shauna Cox and husband Trent, two nephews Brycen and Caleb Cox as well as his grandparents: Clarence and Mary Beth McConnell and Bill and Pat Franklin. Brett will be missed by all that knew him and the many whose lives he impacted including a host of extended family, friends and colleagues he dearly loved.

Brett’s graveside life celebration will be at 10:00 a.m., Monday, November 23, 2020, at the Chant Cemetery in Y-City with Rev. Pat Ray Biggs officiating. Arrangements and cremation are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.

Honorary pallbearers will be the Buck Knob Deer Camp Crew, Travis Taff, Wade Ridenhour, Chris Wright, Joseph Williams and Dustin Billy.

Business Owner Responds to Council’s Decision on Parking

Mansfield Business owner Stan Deer spoke out on Friday, November 20, after the council voted unanimously to move forward with the elimination of parking spaces on the north side of Howard Street.

“We didn’t even know about it,” stated Deer. “I heard about it two-three hours before the meeting, from an individual.” Deer stated that none of the other businesses knew about it either. Deer reached out to a council member before Thursday’s meeting. “They listened, but it seemed like the decision was already made…I asked why businesses had not been notified, they responded ‘I don’t know?'”

The council initially discussed closing off the section of parking during the October meeting. However, in Thursday’s meeting, the council decided to push forward with the plan. “There is only space for two vehicles…I have heard reports that a couple of businesses are unhappy about it, but it is very hazardous…The highway department agreed to it, and pushed for it, actually,” Mayor Black stated. “Some people are disgruntled about and it is unfortunate they couldn’t be here because of social distancing and the limited seating. If you all (speaking to the council) want to wait until these people can attend the meeting and voice their concerns…it’s up to you…if you want to proceed with it, or put a stop to it, you can do either one.” (see related story)

Deer stated that he was actually denied access to the meeting and was told by a council member that it was “due to concerns over COVID.” He went on to add that in his 34 years in business, he cannot recall a single accident. “The Mayor has stated in the meeting that he has seen people almost get ran over from his office, where I have a better viewpoint and have never seen it.”

The removal of those spaces, according to Deer, will affect his business. “Of course it will effect our business. That’s the only place to park for larger vehicles to access my store and others,” Deer added. The Parts City owner went on to add that the city should remember that the tax dollars from businesses support the town.

The city is currently awaiting the signage from the Arkansas Highway Department.

parking-Howard-Street
A log truck utilizing the parking spaces soon to be eliminated.