Resident News Network

7th Grade Tigers Shed Off By Elkins

Sports

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10:52 am

If you look at the 7^th Grade Tigers schedule, you’ll see it’s been a tough trek for this fresh batch of players getting accustomed to their next level in Tiger football. They dropped a scrimmage against 4A Mena, joined the 8^th Graders in a win over Magazine, and were victorious against their 4A rivals Waldron. Playing against larger conference teams isn’t a cup of tea, but they had one more hard to swallow 4A team against Elkins last night.

Mansfield fell behind early as Elkins used their high-end speed to hit the corner and dart for a touchdown. The Elks went for a two-point conversion but were stuffed when Wyatt Boyd shutdown Elkins running back in the backfield to keep the score 6-0 Elks. The Tigers made an offensive change in their backfield this week placing Zander Walters, who has been in the wide receiver position, as runningback with star athlete Dawson Robinson. Walters’s power running game combined with Robinson’s speed gave the Tigers an advantage as the Elks had to face a double dose of talent. After a couple of big gains by Walters, the Elks zeroed in on him which was a big mistake. With a play-action to Walters, Cooper Edwards handed the ball to Robinson who burnt up the sidelines for a 70-yard touchdown. The Tigers couldn’t convert the two-point conversion leaving the game all tied up at 6-6.

#21 Zander Walters with the carry along with James Bausley and #61 Cadien Ore

Mansfield’s defense was caught off guard on a few plays and the speed of Elkins was unmatched. But the Tigers defense made sure that Elkins earned every yard the hard way. Dominic Shores showed he can ace geometry class by taking perfect angles to secure two huge touchdown-saving tackles. James Bausley and Kanon Fisher created chaos for the Elks as they tossed would be blockers like rag dolls while also yanking down any Elkins backs who dared to run up the middle. Linebacker counterpart Alex Hecox secured five tackles for loss in the game while his linebacker counterparts Walters and Robinson made multiple body smashing hits. Although Elkins did hit the outside for a few more scores, they had to pay the Tiger toll for doing so. The players standing in Mansfield’s toll booth were Cooper Edwards, Charlie Collier, Logan Newman, and Traevin Copeland.

#35 Alex Hecox, #9 Kanon Fisher, and #59 Wyatt Boyd

The Tigers offense scored another touchdown with a 72-yard run by Robinson, but the score was called back due to a block in the back penalty. The smooth running “WD-40” duo of Robinson and Walters continued to rack up yards and Edwards was solid on passing and rushing in the game, but costly miscues riddled the young Tiger team. Mansfield’s defense also looked quite promising with nearly every player contributing to the tackle count. But the Elks were just too fast for the Tigers to catch as Mansfield wound up falling short in their final non-conference game of the season with a 28-6 final score.

“Pound for pound, I think we were pretty even with Elkins. We just ran out of gas. When fatigue hits, the memory goes out the window and players begin to make little mistakes that add up. This is a young and talented group, so I have no doubt they’ll continually grow and get better. We have two weeks until our next game which gives us time to work on a lot of stuff and get things ironed out.” said Coach Tim Cothran.

The 7^th Grade Tigers have faced early adversity in the non-conference slate against much larger 4A foes. But with the heart of Tigers and an unwavering work ethic, Mansfield’s 7^th Grade squad is ready to run rampant over their 3A conference schedule. With the extra time off to rest up and polish off their skills, the Tigers will be set and ready when they host the West Fork Tigers on September 24^th.

Paris Wins at Hackett 3-2 in Dramatic Battle of 3A West Volleyball Powers

Sports

Resident News Network

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1:05 am

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Paris Wins at Hackett 3-2 in Dramatic Battle of 3A West Volleyball Powers

Eagles mature when their head and tail feathers turn white. The white plumage is a sign of full maturity, and it usually takes up to five years before their feathers turn white. On Thursday evening in Hackett, a young Lady Eagles team got off the bus and went inside the Hackett gymnasium knowing that they were facing a test against defending state champions, and the time for maturity had arrived. The young Lady Eagles did not have five years to mature. Last night was the night, and Paris was going to find out a lot about their character as a team and how they would hold up away from home in a hostile environment against one of the best volleyball teams in the state. When the night was over, the Lady Eagles were no longer the young Lady Eagles; they earned their feathers Thursday night in a hard-fought, epic clash with the Hackett Lady Hornets.

Paris and Hackett entered Thursday night’s contest atop the standings in the 3A West. Neither team had lost a set in conference play prior to Thursday night. It was a battle of two forces in which something had to give. And for the lucky fans who were able to attend, the two teams played their hearts out and the fans were treated to a memorable clash between two of the better programs in the state. The match exceeded the highest expectations for a contest that had already received a significant amount of pregame publicity and chatter among fans of both schools.

One of the question marks for Paris going into the match-up was how would its young front line hold up to the veteran, hard-hitting front line of Hackett. The Lady Eagles answered the call as the Paris front line came alive and kept Hackett off guard for most of the night. Both teams were swinging and hitting the ball hard, and both teams had to be on their toes defensively because no matter how hard each front line would attempt to kill a shot, the receiving team would seemingly always return the ball. There was never time to celebrate the anticipation of a kill shot. Both teams contested every shot, and both teams made spectacular digs, sets, and spikes. I don’t know off hand what other matches were being played around the state, but surely none could have been better than the one that was played in Hackett on Thursday evening.

Hackett started the first set quickly, jumping out to an early five point lead. Paris clawed their way back into the match and eventually took control with their front line. Paris went on to win the first set, 25-20. The second set saw Paris take control early and eventually getting to 20 points and looking to win the second set and put Hackett in the position of having to win three straight sets to win the match. But the never-say-die Hackett Lady Hornets, coached and developed in the image of their highly-competitive coach, Bridget Freeman, fought their way back and won the second set 25-20. Hackett evened the match and had momentum on their side. As with the first and second sets, the two teams split the third and fourth sets by the same score of 25-23. The stage was then set for the dramatic fifth set tie-breaker for the match.

The fifth set saw Paris jump out to an early lead. And one final time, the Lady Hornets fought their way back, closing a deficit to eventually tie the fifth set at 15-15. Paris went on to win the deciding set, 17-15. When it was over, there was high emotion on both sides, but the celebration on one side, and the dejection on the other side was not like a state playoff game. Both sides know their is a lot of volleyball left to be played, including a return match between the two teams in Paris on October 6. To the fans, it was sad to see the great match come to an end, and for the players, it was hard to see someone lose the game. Both teams played hard, but the Lady Eagles were able to prevail and vault themselves into the lead in the 3A West with the win.

The Paris victory Thursday night was a total team victory for the Lady Eagles. Every player on the floor played a great game. Every player gave great effort, and those who did not play cheered their teammates on and encouraged them on every point. There was no one single player who stood out. It was a treat to watch two great teams compete. After the game, I spoke with an excited Paris coach, Jordan Devine. “They showed some grit that we haven’t necessarily seen, so that was really nice. Just showed what we can do! We’re getting blocks, or we’re flying around on defense…you just can’t be any happier. It was no one person. Looking at our stats, I mean, it was everybody. Which is what we want, right?” I asked Coach Devine where the intensity of the Lady Eagles came from Thursday night, and she said, “When you press their buttons and talk about somebody else all the time, its going to push their buttons a little bit and they are going to come after you. There are things we are going to take away that we can work on. We were ahead in every set, and we have just got to learn how to finish.”

Ironically, for Paris, the team has displayed a low-key demeanor all season prior to the Hackett match. Although they were undefeated in conference play, Paris was seemingly winning on talent as they were having to develop chemistry as a team. And that’s what they have done. Since the start of the season on August 24, the team has become closer and stronger as they have continued to play together after the shortened summer practice time. We knew this team was talented, but they lacked experience on the varsity level and playing together as teammates. Now, approximately three weeks into the season, you can see the team coming together. And you can also see that this team has a high ceiling. They are only going to get better over the rest of this season and into next. Yes, for the Lady Eagles, the sky is truly the limit.

There were many implications for this game; some obvious and some not so obvious. First, the game was for the lead in the conference. For now, Paris moves into first place ahead of Hackett. The two teams will resume conference play and will face each other in Paris again on October 6. Secondly, both teams are expected to make the state tournament. However, in this strange year of high school athletics that is being held hostage by the COVID virus, it is still not known if the district tournament will be held at the end of the regular season. Normally, teams play during the regular season for district tournament seedings. A high seeding in the district tournament gives a team a more advantageous draw in the tournament, and subsequently gives the team a better chance at a higher seed in the state tournament. This year, if the district tournament is not held, then the state tournament births and seedings would be determined by the regular season order of finish. Now, in the background of all of this is Little Rock Episcopal, last year’s Class 3A champion. Episcopal will host this year’s state volleyball tournament, and will likely enter the state tournament as a one seed. So, for schools in the 3A West conference, a low seed from conference play increases the chances of facing Episcopal on their home floor in an earlier round of the state tournament. Undoubtedly, Hackett will be focused on winning the rematch in Paris and forcing a tie between the two schools with the tie-breaker used to determine the number one and the number two seeds in the conference for post-season play.

But before any of that is considered, both teams face the critical task of coming off the adrenaline and the fatigue of this game and quickly refocusing on the next conference opponent. Neither school wants to drop a conference game that they should be very competitive in after the last night’s war for first place. For Paris, that means that the Lady Eagles return to the road again on Monday to face a good Waldron team that is capable of beating you if you are not ready to play. Thursday night’s win is no good for Paris if they walk into the Waldron Special Events Center and drop a game to the Lady Bulldogs because they were not focused or still celebrating Thursday’s win. This will be the next step of maturity for this team.

For Hackett, they will turn their attention to Booneville on Monday night. Hackett should be in good shape against Booneville, but the Lady Hornets have to remember that not long ago the Lady Bearcats pushed Paris in their third set in Booneville. Paris still won the match 3-0, but it was the first time prior to last night that Paris had been threatened in a conference match. Thursday’s loss was a tough loss for a Hackett program that is not used to losing, but Coach Freeman will have her girls ready to play. They have to shake the disappointment and the let down from the loss and get ready to play Booneville on Monday night. Hackett has no room for an upset loss; such a loss would be devastating to their season and to their seeding in the Class 3A state tournament. The Lady Hornets are last year’s Class 2A champions, and they are more than capable of contending in the Class 3A tournament. But they will have to shake off this loss and develop a short memory. They must put this loss behind them quickly and move on to Monday’s match with Booneville.

It seems that more often than not, when a big game receives a lot of attention and has fans looking forward to it, the game turns out to be a disappointment. That was not the case Thursday night in Hackett as two great programs met in a head-to-head match for first place in the 3A West. And when it was all over, it was the Lady Eagles flying high back to Paris.

Hang on volleyball fans…the second half of this season should be even better than the first! And Resident Press will be there to bring you all of the action!

First Death Reported in Scott County

News

Tammy Teague

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4:45 pm

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The first death contributed to COVID-19 has been recorded in Scott County by the Arkansas Department of Health.

The county has remained relatively steady with low numbers of active cases. As of Thursday, September 9, there is only one active case in Scott County.

ADH reports:
Total active cases: 90
Active positive: 1
Recovered: 88
Deaths: 1
Negatives: 1513

Scott County Quorum Meeting

News

Tammy Teague

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12:56 pm

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The Scott County Quorum Court will meet in regular session on Monday, September 21, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. for the August meeting and at 7 p.m. for the September meeting in the courtroom of the Scott County Courthouse.

AGENDA:

Call to order – roll call
Pledge of Allegiance
Reading, correction and disposition of minutes
Public comment
Judge’s report
Treasurer’s report
Sheriff’s report
Assessor’s report
Coroner’s report
Election Commission
Committee reports
Old business
New business

Appropriations and Ordinances:
- A. Unanticipated revenue – JP Brigance
- B.
- C.
- D.
Adjournment

Mercy Hospital Announces Revised Visitor Policies

Tammy Teague

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11:10 am

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Mercy Hospital announced that effective tomorrow, Friday, September 11 they would be revising their visitor policy:

Effective Friday, Sept. 11, Mercy Hospital Fort Smith has revised its visitation policies as well as campus guidelines. One visitor per patient, per day during a limited time will be allowed for Mercy patients hospitalized at Mercy Fort Smith, Mercy Orthopedic Hospital as well as our hospitals in Booneville, Ozark, Paris and Waldron. In addition, one visitor per patient will be allowed for Mercy patients treated in our outpatient clinics.

*Visitor guidelines are subject to change based upon COVID-19 infections in our community.

Hospital Visitation Guidelines

Visitation 2-6 p.m. daily.
Inpatient visitation is limited to one hour per visit; patients may have only one visitor per day.

Visitation in the ICU is limited to thirty minutes; patients may have only one visitor per day.
Emergency room patients may be accompanied by one visitor. Visitors will be asked to wait in their vehicle until the ER patient has been admitted to a room; the ER waiting room remains closed to visitors.

If an ER patient is admitted to the hospital, the visitor will be asked to leave and follow the hospital visitor guidelines during patient hospital stay.
Young children may also accompany parents/guardians to the ER if childcare is not available.
All inpatient visitors must be ages 18 and up.

Patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, as well as those with pending test results, may not have visitors at this time. 
All other restrictions remain in place, including entrances at Mercy Fort Smith limited to the Emergency Department, Medical Building and Labor & Delivery. Mercy hospitals in Booneville, Paris, Ozark and Mercy Orthopedic Hospital are only accessible through the ER entrance. Mercy Hospital Ozark entrances are ER and Outpatient entrances.
Labor and Delivery allows 1 visitor for duration of stay.

Hospital Campus Guidelines 

All individuals entering the Mercy Fort Smith hospital and clinic campuses will be screened for symptoms upon arrival. Individuals who fail the screening will not be allowed to enter. Co-workers and visitors are required to wear face covering, including in the patient room. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own covering with them, in addition to practicing proper hand hygiene.

After being screened, visitors will receive a wristband that must be worn throughout the visit. The wristband will indicate the time of the visitor’s arrival.
Visitors are to remain in the patient room during the entire visit. Visitors are not allowed in waiting rooms, cafeteria, common areas or gift shop.
Mercy will be continuing to maintain rigorous cleaning protocols at all locations.

*Failure to follow these guidelines will result in the visitor being asked to leave campus.

Clinic Visitation Guidelines

Mercy Clinic Fort Smith locations will allow one visitor per clinic patient. Young children may also accompany parents/guardians to Mercy clinics if childcare is not available.
Pediatric patients under the age of 18 may have two designated visitors/parents/guardians as requested/needed.

All individuals entering Mercy Clinic Fort Smith locations will be screened for symptoms upon arrival. Individuals who fail the screening may not be allowed to enter. Co-workers and visitors are required to wear face masks at all times, including in the exam room. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own masks with them, in addition to practicing proper hand hygiene.
Social distancing will be practiced and maintained, especially in our waiting rooms. If safe, social distancing cannot be maintained, patients’ visitors will be asked to wait in their vehicle.
In an effort to reduce the spread and exposure of COVID-19, Mercy Clinic Fort Smith encourages all patients to only consider bringing a visitor or family member when it is absolutely necessary. All Mercy Clinic Fort Smith locations have the capability to video conference with a patient’s family member during their visit to the clinic.

“We appreciate the community’s continued patience and understanding as Mercy Fort Smith works toward protocols that help maintain a safe environment while allowing visitors to return to Mercy,” said Ryan Gehrig, Mercy Hospital Fort Smith president. “We will continue to monitor our visitor guidelines as necessary and will put continued focus on maintaining a safe environment for both our patients and our co-workers.”

Dardanelle Hosts Major Kayaking Tournament

Outdoors

Tammy Teague

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11:01 am

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Dardanelle Hosts Major Kayaking Tournament

Many fishing tournaments in Arkansas have gone by the wayside or gone virtual to put an extra emphasis on social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. But the show goes on for the Hobie Bass Open Series, which comes to Lake Dardanelle for its kayak-fishing event this weekend.

We’ve always been intrigued with kayaking fishing, which has soared in popularity in recent years, and it might be fun to see how some of these better anglers negotiate the waters and the bass at Dardanelle (for example, motors are only allowed on the kayaks during practice, not during the event, so there will be some serious paddling going on).

The tournament, open to any angler age 16 and up, is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, culminating at 5 p.m. Sept 13. Practice rounds began on Labor Day. Registration to compete ends Thursday at midnight. There’s plenty of information, including restrictions in place because of COVID-19, to be found at the website: results.tourneyx.com/standings/6903. You can follow along with the event at the Hobie B.O.S. Group Facebook Page, where Facebook Live reports will be carried through the trophy presentations Sunday evening. You might be like me and find yourself wanting to take to a kayak on our outstanding fisheries while the weather and water remain warm.

As of Wednesday, there were 74 anglers entered, including Fayetteville’s Jeff Malott (pictured), who is founder of Natural State Kayak Anglers, reportedly the largest fishing club in Arkansas.

Former Postmaster Remembered

Networks

Tammy Teague

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4:45 pm

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On Sunday, September 6, Scott County experienced an insufferable loss. An upstanding, pillar of the community, Clyde Bruce Tanner, passed away.

Tanner, 75, served as postmaster at both Parks and Mansfield. Customers knew Tanner by his smile and upbeat personality. “He was a laid back postmaster,” shared co-worker Richard Henson. “Everyone loved it when he came in. He was just a fun guy to be with!”

Betty Barnes, the current postmaster at Mansfield, noted how operationally efficient Tanner was. “You still had to do your job the right way,” added Henson. “But, he was so easy to work with!”

One thing Henson noted was the unique style of Tanner’s handwriting. “He had the best handwriting of any man I had ever seen! If he left me a note and I responded back, I was ashamed of my writing compared to his!”

Throughout his 35 years of postal service, Tanner was known for what some would dub as a photographic memory. “You could give him a last name and he could tell you what their box number was,” added Henson.

Tanner received multiple awards throughout his career with the United States Postal Service, including the National League of Postmasters’ Postmaster of the Year and Recruitment award.

Tanner graduated high school in Salina Kansas, and attended Kansas State University. In 1963, Tanner joined the United States Air Force, specializing in aerodynamics.

After retiring from the postal service, Tanner occupied his time doing what he enjoyed most, four wheeling, hunting, kayaking, tending his horses and raising chicken. Additionally, he volunteered his time as a first responder and as Chief at the Winfield Fire Department.

A tribute to his life would be incomplete without mention of those he treasured most, his family. This son, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather was the cornerstone of the Tanner family.

To say that Tanner will be missed is an understatement. However, his family, friends and those whose life he touched will forever cherish the memories and keep him close in their hearts.

Waldron Excites With Senior Nights

Sports

Megan Hecox

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2:38 pm

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On Friday, September, 4th and Tuesday, September, 8th, the Waldron community celebrated this year’s senior Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs. The sports that were recognized were Band, Golf, Cheer, Cross Country, Volleyball, and Football. Almost 40 senior student-athletes were present to stand in the spotlight one last time for the final stretch of their high school sports journey. A journey that will be over before you know it. A journey where after high school, you should follow your dreams and stay true to yourself. Never follow someone else’s path. Unless you are wandering aimlessly in the woods and you see a path. Then, by all accounts, you should follow that.

GOLF

BAND

CROSS COUNTRY

CHEER

FOOTBALL

VOLLEYBALL

Photos courtesy of Sandy Tull

Tips for Revamping Your Kitchen

Networks

Resident News Network

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9:53 am

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Your kitchen is a place of gathering and tranquility. In this room, families and friends are brought together to enjoy delicious meals. It’s also a place for expression. Just like any other room in your home, your kitchen can be a place to express yourself and your style. Over time, however, this space begins to fade out and a desperate makeover becomes a necessity. If this sounds familiar, keep reading to get some inspiration and tips for revamping your kitchen.

Don’t Be Afraid To Get Messy

Paint can be your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on how confident you are in your painting skills. But, when it comes to revamping your kitchen, you’re going to want to lose your fear of getting messy. Painting can be the ultimate tool for bringing your kitchen back to life. Your old cabinets can transform into something straight out of a home renovation magazine. The internet is filled with information that can make the job easier if you’ve never refinished cabinets before.

Change Things Up

Once you have freshly painted cabinets, you’re going to want to change things up. The smallest details in your kitchen can make the biggest changes in appearance. Change things up to give your kitchen a brand-new look by switching out the knobs on your cabinets and drawers. This is a small detail, but it will allow you to really set the tone for your kitchen. The options are endless, so be sure to find the perfect paint and knob combination for your cabinets and drawers.

Bring in Nature

If your kitchen wasn’t so bright to begin with, consider adding more natural elements into the room. This can be done in various ways, and there’s no better time to do it than now when you’re revamping your kitchen’s look. Consider adding some plants or flowers to your kitchen. These can be placed in vases or hung around, depending on what kinds of flowers or plants you’re going for.

If you’re not good at keeping flowers alive, adding fake plants and flowers can also bring in the charm your kitchen has been missing. If there’s a window in your kitchen, consider keeping the blinds open. Opening the window in your kitchen can be a great way to give your kitchen a fresh and clean look and smell. Bringing in more natural elements to your kitchen will give it the new life and look it’s been desperately needing.

Sometimes, the smallest changes can make the biggest difference. Following these simple three tips for revamping your kitchen will be sure to give it a brand-new life without emptying out your pockets.

“Rewinding the Tape” with WPD’s Detective Gonzalez

Networks

Tammy Teague

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9:36 am

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“Rewinding the Tape” with WPD’s Detective Gonzalez

Waldron Police Department Detective Horacio Gonzalez will tell you, everyone has a story, you just have to listen. That God gifted spirit led him to his calling.

Gonzalez, born in Mexico to parents Horacio Sr. and Maria, moved to California when he was little more than two weeks old. His parents were both permanent residents of the United States, and hard working agriculture laborers. Gonzalez recalled his childhood: “My parents labored very hard seven days a week, and I saw the hardship. When I was 13, I went to help work in the fields, hoeing cotton, raking almonds and picking grapes. I eventually dropped out of school to go work in the agriculture industry like my parents.”

Gonzalez reflected on the memories, including the good food with co-laborers, with what he described as the best tasting bean tacos. “I remember sometimes we would put the hood of our car up for shade, or lay under the vehicle. I was lucky my dad had a 4×4 and it sat up pretty high. Sometimes if I had five minutes left on break, I would take a nap and use an empty soda can as a pillow.”

Later, his family, including his two siblings, Omar and Veronica, moved to South Texas. The family found it difficult to find work. Extended family, located in Arkansas, saw a newspaper advertisement for employment at Tyson. Gonzalez’ parents, and siblings moved to Waldron, and the 18 year old stayed behind. “My cousin Eddie Morin encouraged me to go back to school and get my GED. There was a school in Edinburg, Texas that provided room and board, the University of Texas-Pan America.”

In 1995, after completing his GED, Gonzalez joined his family in Waldron and began working at Tyson. Gonzalez would eventually move back to California and marry his wife of 24 years, Juanita.

In 2005, church parishioner and famed Bulldog announcer Fritz Morales pulled Gonzalez aside, “he asked me what I thought about law enforcement. I told him I was good. At Tyson we had bathrooms, a microwave and running water. Way more than what we had working in the agriculture industry ( field work).” Gonzalez did offer to serve as a translator for the growing Hispanic community. Morales set up a meeting with then Sheriff, Cody Carpenter. “I remembered to make a good impression, you needed to have a firm handshake and look someone in the eye. I practiced doing that in front of a mirror.”

Although his career wasn’t to be with the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Gonzalez would find his path with the City of Waldron Police Department. “A few days after I visited with the Sheriff, I received a call from then Captain David Millard. They were starting a Reserve program, and wanted to know if I would be interested.”

After learning of the qualifications for the program, Gonzalez knew it was not going to be an easy path forward. “I was not a U.S. citizen at that time,” Gonzalez stated. “I was a permanent resident, but I knew the citizenship program was a long and expensive one.” Gonzalez visited with the Priest at his church, St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church. “Father Neil Pezzulo gave me an envelope with $700 inside and told me to go get my citizenship. He said that was his gift to me and my family, to be able to better myself.”

He started his concurrent journey on the path to citizenship and reserve classes at the Waldron Police Department. Gonzalez was concerned about the length of time it would take to become an official U.S. citizen. “What I didn’t know until later was that Chief Millard had written a letter to immigration on my behalf. I will never be able to repay him for that.”

It wasn’t long after that, Gonzalez received a phone call from immigration asking if he was ready to take the naturalization test. “The standard process takes a long time,” added Gonzalez. “Normally there is a ceremony with 100’s of people who are given a little flag, administered an oath, and sworn in as U.S. citizens.” Gonzalez passed the exam, and was immediately sworn in. “It is just amazing how everything fell into place. The education, the training, everything. It was just God.”

That’s why when people ask me what got me into law enforcement, I tell them God did.
-Waldron Police Detective Horacio Gonzalez

Following his stint as a reserve officer, Gonzalez began working on patrol. It wasn’t long until Chief Millard asked if he would be interested in working in narcotics. Gonzalez took a lengthy course at the Springdale Police Department, a program offered through the Criminal Justice Institute. “It was a chance to further better myself. I became a certified narcotics officer and K-9 officer.”

Gonzalez would then be promoted to Detective as he continued his education, as a crime scene technician, and later, as an advanced crime scene technician. “I love the detective and investigation work and I still work narcotics when I can.”

Gonzalez, now 45, utilizes his God given gifts and personal hardships as tools to relate to those he comes into contact with. “I’ve never met a drug addict that likes to be a drug addict,” shared Gonzalez. “I listen to their story and try to relate to them in some way…People just want to be heard and understood and God gave me that ability.”

His offering of dignity and respect has gained the esteem of many, even those whom he’s arrested.

Gonzalez has seen the best and the worst in people, yet he still believes in humanity. Why? Because of his faith. “I pray before I go to a crime scene, and ask for guidance,” Gonzalez added. “God put me here, I have no doubt about it.”

The Gonzalez’ have three daughters, Brenda, Ariana, and Annaly. Brenda, the oldest, holds a BSN in nursing and works in the emergency room. Ariana, 19, is in college and is pursuing a career in teaching. The youngest, Annaly, is 13 and is a student at Waldron Middle School. His wife Juanita serves as an ESL Paraprofessional at the Waldron School District. “We are all in the helping business,” concluded Gonzalez.

He often reflects back, or as he calls it, “rewinding the tape.” The years, most people would deem as difficult, was to him, Divine direction. “It’s been a beautiful life,” Gonzalez shared. “I learned the value of a dollar, morals, and ethics…all I ever wanted to do is to pass that on to my kids, raise them right, die and go to heaven.”

R

Don’t Be Afraid To Get Messy

Change Things Up

Bring in Nature

RESIDENT NEWS NETWORK