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Are You Hungry?

Tammy Teague
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Are You Hungry?

By Tom Brown – Minister, Public Speaker, Radio Personality

The coming of Thanksgiving often brings a focus on food. Even people that are not all that thankful plot and plan on what they will be consuming whether it is in front of the TV, around the family table, or even a special meal out. Can’t you smell the turkey gravy as it pours slowly over the creamy, buttery, mashed potatoes, or taste the tangy bite of cranberry salad as you try to keep it from squirting on your shirt? And how about that smooth pumpkin pie with a slightly crunchy crust to finish off round one? And if you do not have an imagination for the meal, advertisers are more than ready to paint a beautiful picture of the perfectly basted turkey or sugar glazed ham for you.

Hunger for social contact hits some people hard at this time of year, and probably especially so this year. Have you been home alone yearning for communion with friends and family? Are you craving getting ‘caught up’ with the latest adventure from Aunt Rachel while seeing the new scar on her left elbow that she received when she missed sticking the landing on the zip line “by thaaaaat much?” What about looking into Uncle Bob’s sparkling eyes as he regales the family with his step-by-step accounting of the big one that DID NOT get away? Or could it be to finally find out from your grandson just how that new video App is supposed to work on your phone?

For those with full stomachs and social contacts, another hunger can arise. Monday’s are the worst day of the week for the underappreciated worker hungering for affirmation from their stressed-out manager. Is the weighed down student staying after practice to finish a few more drills so he does not let down his dad, his coach, team, or even the whole town? What about attention craving spouse anxiously waiting for a positive sign after working all afternoon attempting to craft the perfect meal?  

Hunger comes in many forms and when we look for earth-bound satiation we are often left wanting. The scrumptious over-indulged Thanksgiving dinner leaves us lethargic and miserable. The excitement of the family gathering can dim with old bitterness arising or emotional wounds being laid bare. Self-worth derived from an employer or spouse can be tenuous, indeed.

Good news! If you truly want all your deepest hungers satisfied, you do have a resource; the Word of God. God said to the Prophet Ezekiel “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.” (Eze 3:3 NASB) No, eating your Bible will not taste like honey, however regular indulgence in God’s Word will bring about a maturity that will help you master your appetites. For instance, eating is still a work in progress for me. This year I have been more diligent reading the Bible every day. I weigh less right now than I have in over 20 years. I do not think that is a coincidence. God’s Word is good. It is nourishing. It is satisfying. God created you in such a way as to enjoy the taste of good food and at the same time He wants you to be healthy as well. 

As to relationship, you were created to commune with God. When you read the Bible, pray, and listen, you are communicating with God Almighty. The Creator of all that is, was, and ever will be! That is some pretty heady stuff. If you develop a relationship with God, you will never be alone. Jesus knows what it is like to be ostracized, bad-mouthed, and despised. Jesus wants to have a real relationship; He wants you to know and love Him as much as He knows and loves you.

“If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31 KJV) You already have the most powerful cheerleader in the universe on your side. If you look at your work as an offering to the Lord, you will never be left wanting for affirmation. You will always be joyful with a job well done. It has also been my experience that that joyful offering often pays dividends here in the natural world as well. If you have been given athletic, artistic, or whatever kind of talent, and you always put Him first, you will not have the anxiety that this world puts on you. “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:30 ESV) He wants joy for you, joy that can only be found in Him.

Are you ready to satisfy your hunger with something eternal? Join me here in coming weeks to learn more about how we can read the Bible through together next year.

What Should I Be Thankful For?

Tammy Teague
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By Jim Sher

I have to admit the question: “what should I be thankful for?” did not come to my mind nor did I realize it’s importance  until I began my mission with community involvement around 13 plus years ago. I used to think that everything should come around without thinking of the important value of what or how I got them.

During Thanksgiving, we all have things to be thankful for. Some might thank God for giving them for what they have and ask for. Some might thank their parents for raising them to become the people they are today. Some might be thankful for their wealthy family and have no worries about finances. Some might be thankful for their health. The list could go on and on.

I feel that I should celebrate Thanksgiving everyday instead of just one day, the last Thursday of November. My simple logic is that If I can wake up in the morning with a good spirit and healthy body to start my day, that’s what I should be thankful for at first. Next, if I can have food on the table each day, that’s what I should be thankful for. If my community involvement mission has been accomplished at the end of the day, that’s what I should thankful for, for having that opportunity to help others. 

I know that I shouldn’t just be thankful for what my daily life is about, I should also be thankful for the people around me. As far as I’m concerned, without them,  I am nothing.

Life is too short: Being thankful is not enough in life, I should also give my love to others from the bottom of my heart, care for others with passion, help others without asking for anything in return, try to save our mother earth by reducing, reusing, recycling, and NOT littering. All these little things can make a huge difference and impact in everybody’s lives.

Greenwood Advances to 2nd Round

Resident News Network
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Greenwood Advances to 2nd Round

The Greenwood Bulldogs welcomed in the West Memphis Blue Devils for round 1 of the 6A High School Playoffs. The Blue Devils finished 2-9 in the regular season while Greenwood enters the post season 10-0.

The first score of the game came with 9:22 left in the first quarter when senior running back Hunter Wilkinson would score on a 5-yard touchdown run. The Bulldogs would carry that 7-0 lead into the 2nd quarter as neither team would score for the remainder of the period.

Scoring would pick up in the 2nd quarter. The Blue Devils briefly tied the game at 7-7 but with 9:43 left in the 2nd quarter, Wilkinson would find the end zone for the 2nd time on a 9-yard rushing touchdown up the middle. Greenwood would regain the lead 13-7.

The Bulldog defense quickly stifled the Blue Devil offense and returned the ball to the offense. With 7:41 left in the 2nd quarter, senior quarterback LD Richmond would find receiver Luke Brewer down the middle of the field for a 34 yard touchdown. Brewer needed yards after the catch in order to score and his speed was too much for the Blue Devil defensive backs as he out ran several defenders virtually untouched and gave the Bulldogs a 20-7 lead.

The Bulldog defense came up big in this 1st round matchup and junior defensive back Colin Daggett was a key contributor. With 5:31 left in the 2nd quarter, Daggett made the Blue Devil quarterback pay on an erroneous throw when he intercepted the pass and took it 23-yards for the touchdown. This appeared to be the moment the momentum shifted and the Bulldog defense was hyped.

The 6A State Champion Lady Bulldog volleyball team recognized for their season accomplishments during the game.

After Daggett gave the Bulldogs a 27-7 lead, Wilkinson would score his third touchdown of the night on a 3-yard touchdown run with just under 2 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. The Bulldogs scored 27 unanswered points in the 2nd quarter and would lead 34-7 at the half.

With less than 2 minutes gone in the 2nd half, the Bulldogs would add to their lead when LD Richmond connects with senior receiver Caden Brown on a 30-yard touchdown throw and catch. The scoring play was a product of senior leadership and discipline. Fans could see Richmond and Brown communicating when the play broke down and Brown would get open in the end zone. The Bulldogs would convert the 2-point conversion to move the lead to 42-7 and trigger the mercy rule, allowing the clock to run continuously for the remainder of the game.

The Bulldog defense continued to hold strong, not allowing West Memphis to score again. The Bulldog offense, however, was not done. Senior running back Ty Moose would showcase his agility with an 11-yard touchdown run with 5:29 left in the 3rd quarter. Greenwood would extend the lead to 49-7.

The West Memphis Blue Devils would not score for the remainder of the game but the Bulldog defense couldn’t help themselves and had another helping of “pick-6”. On the 1st play of the 4th quarter, senior cornerback Tatum Sadler would step in front of pass and take it 60-yards to the house. Sadler wanted to score, and his teammates wanted him to score as every member of that defensive unit followed him to the end zone.

That would be the final score of the game and the Greenwood Bulldogs would win 55-7. LD Richmond would finish 15/18 for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns. Senior Hunter Wilkinson had 20 rush attempts for 119 yards and 3 touchdowns while Luke Brewer would lead the way for the receivers with 5 catches for 74 yards and 1 touchdown.

Greenwood will play host to the Mountain Home Bombers next Friday night at Smith Robinson Stadium for round 2 of the 6A State Playoffs.

Updated bracket after November 13, 2020 games

The Night Fort Chaffee Burned

Tammy Teague
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The Night Fort Chaffee Burned

By Dr. Curtis Varnell

The entire horizon to the south was glowing and I could hear dozens of sirens in the distance. The news spread quickly through the Lavaca neighborhood where I lived at the time; Fort Chaffee is on fire and burning down. By morning, the row upon row of barracks- the area we natives viewed as the Fort- were no more. Chimneys, looking like dozens of blackened fingers, were all that remained. Smoke rose from smoldering mounds of debris, remains of the vibrant camp that once stood at the edge of Fort Smith.

Fort Chaffee was established as a 70,000 acre military training base in 1941 and the first soldiers arrived there for training on December 7, 1941; the same day Pearl Harbor was bombed. It took only sixteen months to build the entire base.  During the war, hundreds of soldiers received basic prior to being shipped to Europe or the Pacific to wage World War 11. It also served as a prisoner of war camp for more than 3,000 Germans captured during the war. 

After the war, the Fort continued to function as a training area- primarily for artillery and tank training. During that time, potato hill near Charleston was a favorite practice target and many of us grew up trying to determine if the noise we heard was an approaching thunder storm or military maneuvers going on twenty miles away.

Probably the most memorable event that occurred at Fort Chaffee occurred in 1958 when young rock star Elvis Presley received his military haircut in building 803. Fort Chaffee has also served as the primary housing for refugees on three occasions.  The first was in 1975 when the Vietnamese refugees arrived, the last when refugees from Hurricane Katrina arrived.  The most controversial refugees were the more than 25,000Cuban refugees who arrived in 1980 and disrupted life in the region by rioting and blocking highway 22.  A few of my neighbors offered to handle the problem for the government only to be refused. Eventually, troops had to be called in to quite the rebellion and Chaffee became close to a prison as the refugees were processed. 

Less well known is the fact that Chaffee was a film site for Biloxi Blues, the Tuskegee Airmen, and A Soldier’s Story.

In 1995, the federal government decided to close Fort Chaffee except of military training and in 1997, the land was turned over to the Arkansas National Guard. Seven thousand acres was turned back to the local redevelopment authority- much of this area being the hundreds of buildings that once occupied the site. It is ironic that some of the new business and homes established in this process cost more than the one million three hundred fifty thousand dollars that the government paid the many people who were displaces when Chaffee was built.

Driving by the Fort today, one little recognized the life and stories it once held.  The fire I witnessed, January 28, 2008, destroyed more than destroyed more than 150 buildings and 100 acres of land. Subsequent fires in 2011 and 2014 destroyed dozens more. Factories, a college, and row after row of housing stand where a Fort once existed. 

No more manned gate houses, no more soldiers drilling, no more troops lounging outside every store in Barling and Fort Smith.  The tremendous sounds I hear in the distance; I guess a thunderstorm is coming in from the west.

Area Schools See Increase in COVID-19 Cases

Tammy Teague
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Area Schools See Increase in COVID-19 Cases

As community COVID-19 cases are on the rise, so are the number of quarantined, and positive cases within area school districts.

As of Friday, November 13, the Mansfield School District had three positive cases and 70 quarantined for being probable close contacts. According to District Superintendent Joe Staton, “it is the highest we have seen, however, it is close to what other districts are experiencing.” He added, at this point it is too early to tell if the district will pivot from in-classroom to online learning.

In Hackett, the district is reporting four students and three staff in quarantine at the elementary, and 22 students and one staff member in quarantine at the high school. Two students at the high school are confirmed positive cases.

The Waldron School District is seeing comparable numbers. “Waldron Public Schools continues to work toward keeping our schools and community safe during this pandemic,” shared District Superintendent Daniel Fielding. “As of this moment our entire school district has nine positive cases. This number is very low when taking into consideration that the school district has just under 2,000 total students and staff in pre-k-12 grade.  When a positive case is identified we very quickly work with the department of health to determine if other individuals require a quarantine period. Individuals who are quarantined are not positive cases, this seems to sometimes confusing for some. In fact the percentage of individuals quarantined who ultimately develop into a positive case is very very low. We will continue to take all precautions, and will continue our diligence with cleaning and disinfecting our facilities throughout this challenging time and beyond.”

All three districts continue to work hard protecting and educating our most precious commodity, our children, our future.

Ways You Can Show Your Gratitude To Veterans

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Ways You Can Show Your Gratitude To Veterans

Military servicemen are highly respected for the sacrifices they make and their dedication to the country. These brave men and women have donated their time and lives as an investment in the safety of the nation and the people who live in it. If you ever wanted to give back to them in any way, here are some the best ways you can show your gratitude to veterans.

Visit Memorial Parks

Visiting veteran memorial parks is a great way to not only pay your respects to the veterans, but a great way to educate yourself on the military’s history. This allows you to obtain a better understanding of what veterans have done for the nation and recognize the veterans that paid the ultimate sacrifice. Your gratitude will be more meaningful if you take the time to understand a little more about what veterans have gone through.

Create Care Packages

If you would like to direct your gratitude towards the men and women still currently serving, a care package is a popular and effective way to remind those serving that the people they protect are thinking of them. Little snacks like beef jerky or necessities such as socks are greatly appreciated by service members.

Give a Gift

If there’s a veteran in your life, a more personal option than a care package is a gift. Luckily, there are gifts tailored towards veterans to help you find something that is not only meaningful, but you can be confident your veteran will love. This small gesture will show your appreciation while reminding your veteran they are loved and recognized for their service.

Volunteer Your Time

If you’d prefer a more active option, a good way to volunteer your time is through Veteran Affairs. Veteran Affairs is a government program that aids veterans in acquiring healthcare, benefits for financial assistance, and burial and memorial services. Volunteering with Veteran Affairs will also save the program money that is then re-invested into funding research towards aiding veterans with PTSD.

Military Discounts

If you run a business, and can afford it, another small way to show your support for veterans is by offering a military discount. It’s one of the more common ways you can show your gratitude to veterans because it leaves a lasting impression of your support with just a humble discount. Much like a small “thank you,” these simple acts are enough that many veterans will be moved by just the acknowledgement.

Hackett Jr Hoopsters Spend Week In The Zone

Megan Hecox
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Hackett Jr Hoopsters Spend Week In The Zone

Pictured is #4 Wyatt Hester and #1 Brylen Hamilton

The Hackett Jr High Hornets and Lady Hornets spent their opening week of basketball season hosting the Lavaca Golden Arrows on Tuesday, November 10, and the Mansfield Tigers on Thursday, November 12. In their game against Lavaca, the Jr Lady Hornets “came out with a big win,” exclaimed coach, Broc Adams of the 31-29 final score. “We obviously have plenty to clean up, but man we are scrappy and not afraid of anyone and I love it! I’m so proud of how well they played considering the circumstances in the last few weeks.”

Jr Lady Hornets

On Thursday however, the Lady Hornets fought hard but was unable to gain traction against the Lady Tigers as they fell 43-17 to Mansfield. Jessie Mendenhall led her team with 6 points while Aaliyah Escoffier made 3, and Alex Bunch, Ashley Rodriguez, Michaelyn Freeman, and Camryn Stiles each brought in 2.

Michaelyn Freeman

The Hornets switched the results of their final scores from the week as they took a 40-25 loss against the Arrows. Coach Kent Elmore stated “We missed a lot of shots that will normally fall. But it’s good to get the season going!” And true to his word, those shots fell when the Hornets secured the win Thursday against the Tigers 27-24. “It was a good team win over Mansfield last night. Coming right out of football though we still have a lot to improve on.” Eli Slavens dominated with 15 points with Cole Ketchum bringing in 6 and Dawson Clay, Brylen Hamilton, and Hayden Foster making 2 points apiece. On Monday, November 16, Hackett will next host Trinity starting at 4:30 pm.

Eli Slavens

Paris Boys Get Big Season Opening Win at Dover

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Paris Boys Get Big Season Opening Win at Dover

Reminiscent to the days of Razorback basketball, Nolan Richardson, and Mike Anderson, the Paris Eagles unveiled their own version of “40 minutes of Hell” in a season opening victory at Dover. The Eagles new head coach, Blain Brewington, a former graduate assistant coach under Arkansas’s Mike Anderson, rolled out a stifling defense that applied relentless pressure all night and kept the Eagles in the lead for the entire game.

Resident Press Photo

In the first game of the session, the Paris Lady Eagles, playing their first game of the season, lost a comeback bid in overtime to the Lady Pirates after tying the game with approximately one second remaining in regulation on a three point shot by sophomore Brailey Forst. The opportunity for the shot was made possible by an in-bounds steal with just three seconds in the game. Trailing by 3 points, Jacee Hart intercepted the inbounds pass from Dover to set up the game-tying shot.

The Lady Eagles’ Jacee Hart (2) intercepts an in-bounds pass with just three seconds remaining in regulation (Resident Press Photo)

Both teams played extremely hard against a very good basketball program. In their first games of the season, the Paris boys and girls teams went on the road with some of the Lady Eagles having just completed volleyball season, and the boys not having some of its players available due to the Eagles football team still playing in the state playoffs. Both coaches, Donald Hart and Blain Brewington were very excited about the effort of their teams and the prospects for a successful season this year.

Resident Press Photos

Lady Eagles coach Donald Hart, in his first year at the helm as their new head coach, commented, “We were very proud of the team’s effort offensively and defensively for 36 minutes. They put us in a good spot to win the game. Turnovers, free throws, and shots falling will improve as we get our legs. Senior point guard Jadyn Hart played exceptionally well scoring 30 points. Sophomore forward Brailey Forst was big with ten points and eight rebounds; one of them being a three-point shot with less than five seconds to tie the game. This group has a high ceiling and I am excited to see what they can do. As pieces fall into place, this will be a fun team to watch.” The Lady Eagles eventually lost the game 50-44 in overtime.

Resident Press Photo

New Paris boys coach Blain Brewington was also very happy with his team’s performance on Thursday night. Coach Brewington praised his team who got their first win of the season by saying, “Very pleased with the effort for the first game. Guys played extremely hard and battled the whole game. We have a lot to clean up; must be better on the boards, must take better care of the basketball, can’t get lost defensively late in the game, and we have to finish at the rim. Our kids will improve everyday. They are a group that works hard everyday. So proud of their effort of how they guarded the basketball. We had nine assists on 18 made baskets. At times we tried to force some passes and got relaxed with the basketball and had some silly turnovers. We found a way to pull out the win. We will continue to work hard everyday to improve on what we need to do. So proud of the kids’ effort; especially on the defensive end. Cayden McDaniel was a warrior guarding their best player for most of the game even though the kid was six inches taller than him. Sam Muldrow and Jesse Wells played will in their senior high debut. Juan Santos was steady and just solid for us and played within himself. Dylan Krigbaum and Caleb Cunningham kept us calm, cool, and collected during crunch time which wis what we need with their experience. Great to win always, but even better with us being short handed with our football kids still in the playoffs competing for a state championship.”

Resident Press Photo

Both teams will return to the road on Monday, November 16, when Paris travels to West Fork to play the Tigers. Games will begin at 5 p.m with senior girls junior varsity, senior boys junior varsity, senior girls varsity and senior boys varsity games. Paris will return home on Tuesday night November 17 for their first home games of the new season. Paris will host Lamar on Tuesday night starting at 5:30 p.m. with junior high boys, senior high girls and senior high boys games.

So Eagles fans, basketball is underway, and your Paris Eagles and Lady Eagles are set to have big years and possibly qualify both teams in the regional and state tournaments. There is a lot of basketball to be played, but as Coach Hart said, these teams have a high ceiling of how good they can potentially become this year.

See you Monday night in West Fork!

Resident Press Photo

Clay Dyer to Speak at Fishers of Men Rally

Tammy Teague
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Clay Dyer to Speak at Fishers of Men Rally

If you have met Clay Dyer, watched his YouTube videos, or heard his testimony, you won’t forgot it. That’s guaranteed.

If you haven’t, you should. In fact you’ll have a perfect chance this coming Saturday night at the First Annual Fishers of Men Rally. The rally is slated to begin at 6 p.m. at the Greenwood Boys and Girls Club.

Why? Clay is known as a staple of his own motto, “if I can do it, you can do it,” supported by his profound belief in his faith. He was created on purpose, for purpose to achieve a purpose.

Professional fishing is his platform that illustrates his faith, which in turn allows him to be a heavily sought after motivational speaker. Dyer is a bass fishing tournament angler who has no limits.

By nature, you want to help him. Yet he needs very little assistance. Clay is completely capable of almost everything. To add to that, in balance, you will never hear him complain. Ever. His humor and positive demeanor silences the potential for any negativity.

Bringing his message of faith, Dyer isn’t shy about it. In fact, he brings it in a vehicle you can’t mistake, and puts it right in front of you. There’s no time for popcorn, or a sugary coating. It is what it is, and that is cold hard facts of faith, and unwavering belief.

Personally speaking, Clay is the perfect choice for this event. He will speak to all age groups, have a demanding presence, and carry a voice that will be heard.

Dyer will bring a dynamic to this event that will be talked about for weeks, even months, as well as the basis for which this event was founded.

Fishers of Men Rally to Focus on Faith

Tammy Teague
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Fishers of Men Rally to Focus on Faith

Greenwood realtor, Ethan Adams’ infectious faith, and family centered demeanor is hard to miss. In fact, it’s a gift he’s utilizing to help organize the First Annual Fishers of Men Rally on November 21, 6 p.m. at the Greenwood Boys and Girls Club.

The event itself will be open to all ages of men, with free admission, free dinner, giveaways and will feature guest speaker, Clay Dyer.

Clay Dyer, professional angler

Dyer, a professional angler and popular motivational speaker is well-known for his “if I can do it, you can do it” attitude.

The FOM rally will be the first of its kind in this area, and is gaining increased attention through social media.

This is something I felt led to do to support men being more centered on Faith in their daily lives. There’s nothing like it, nor close to it and it’s time to make it happen.

Ethan Adams

For more information on the event, visit event HERE, or call Ethan Adams at (479) 252-0548.

Opportunities to donate door prizes, and contributions are also available.

*This outdoor event will be managed for social distancing, with indoor facilities prepared should weather conditions abruptly change.

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