Resident News Network

Charleston Jr. High Football Hosts Booneville in Thursday Night Scrimmages

Sports

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3:56 pm

Charleston Jr. High Football Hosts Booneville in Thursday Night Scrimmages

Photos in this story were contributed by Resident Press staff photographer, Ronni Tate Young.

In a second night of scrimmages this week versus Booneville, the Charleston Jr. High Tigers seventh grade and junior high teams faced off with the Bearcats in Charleston.

Following Tuesday’s senior high scrimmage, the Bearcats returned to Alumni Stadium to play the Tigers in preseason junior high scrimmages. The Charleston coaching staff, concerned over numbers on their seventh and junior high rosters, were very pleased with the effort and the quality of play from both teams. Mix in the interruptions to spring and summer preparation due to the COVID pandemic, and it is easy to see why the teams entered the scrimmage with many question marks of where the team’s readiness was to start the season.

Charleston head football coach, Ricky May, commented after the scrimmages, “With our seventh grade, we went in thinking it would be a close game. But we knew that we felt like we had several weapons. I think that group, as they get older, will keep getting better. In that group there are several that I think are going to really be explosive. And then, in our junior high, we really were surprised. We have a small number this year; 24 players on the roster. So, a lot of times with the COVID stuff, and we haven’t had anyone with the virus, but some of them have parents that are in health care, and due to quarantining and other related issues, there have been times where we have only had around 20 in practice. So, we were a little bit worried about our depth. We do have three players that are highly skilled and we feel really good about them. But overall, we came out feeling better about our junior high scrimmage than any of them (all three scrimmages with senior high, junior high, and 7th grade). Going in, we really wondered what we had. But, we started several 8th graders and they have become even better than they were last year. So, we feel like we have promise.”

Coach May mentioned several players that stood out to him on Thursday night. “Eli Huck on the junior high team had a real good game. He had about a 60 or 75 yard run where he broke a tackle and just took off. He also plays outside linebacker for us and does a good job there, too. I was also impressed with Hunter Little at linebacker last night. Feel really good about him. Ann really our entire front (on defense) played really well. Maurice Merechka plays a little bit of running back, receiver; he had a couple of really good runs last night. He played really, really well at safety.”

As with the senior high scrimmage on Tuesday, the junior high and 7th grade Tigers came out of both scrimmages without injury. Thursday night’s scrimmage capped off a very successful week for Charleston as they played against good competition, had the opportunity to get in high quality work, and not suffer any injuries. Now, the preseason preparation will continue as the Tigers go back to practice to correct issues that surfaced during the scrimmage. Coaches across the state knew that there would be more corrections than normal at this time of the summer due to the loss of summer practices, seven-on-seven summer games, and spring football practice. As a reporter that has covered several schools this month, I have been very impressed with the Charleston coaching staff, as well as in other schools with how the coaches have improvised and made do with what has been less than ideal conditions to prepare their teams for the upcoming season. Everyone is just grateful to have the chance to play, so preparing to play and simultaneously keeping their players healthy are the top priorities.

Resident Press will continue to follow the Tigers as the wrap-up their summer practices and head into their first game of the season. Stay with Resident Press for Charleston Tigers football coverage all season!

Young Lady Eagles Make Good Showing in Volleyball Scrimmage vs. Fountain Lake

Sports

Resident News Network

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1:13 pm

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Young Lady Eagles Make Good Showing in Volleyball Scrimmage vs. Fountain Lake

There is an old coaching saying that says something like, “If a dog is going to bite, it will do it as a puppy.” In last evening’s preseason scrimmage against the 2019 Class 3A state finalist, Hot Springs Fountain Lake, the young Lady Eagles showed a lot of bite as they battled the Lady Cobras through every point, set and match. The match showcased two of the premier high school volleyball programs in the state, and in the end, both schools came out feeling good about themselves as they continue their preparation for next week’s start of the regular season.

As with the Paris football scrimmage earlier in the week, last night’s volleyball scrimmage was the first match of 2020 that was played under the tight Arkansas Health Department regulations for fans and the administration of the match to mitigate the risks associated with the COVID-19 virus. Fans from both schools were observed wearing masks and respecting the regulations that were in place for the event.

From Paris’s perspective, the match was an opportunity to play a top program in the state and find out what kind of character, chemistry, and team leadership the young Lady Eagles have as they enter the new season. Everyone is in agreement that the team is very talented, but the lack of playing time together on the varsity level was a question mark for the team going into the match with a very good Fountain Lake team. At the end of the night, Paris fans, and their coach, Jordan Devine, came away very happy with the progress the team is making, especially in the times of reduced practice time and lack of summer tournament experience due to the pandemic.

After the match, Paris coach Jordan Devine said, “I had a great time! It was such a fun, competitive game. We really used it to look at some different lineups and people in different positions. I thought overall we played well and it showed what we need to focus on moving forward.”

Perhaps the most encouraging factor that was apparent was how the Lady Eagles reacted to the pressure and the momentum shifts of the Lady Cobras. Against a very good team, Paris showed that they had the competitive spirit to arch their backs and fight back against Fountain Lake. Both programs have a deep championship culture in their programs, and that competitive spirit of both schools was on display last night. Both schools positioned themselves for a great start to their regular seasons. For Fountain Lake, the Lady Cobras will compete in Class 4A, and it will be very interesting to see how they compete after moving up in classification. From my observation, the Lady Cobras will be just fine, and their new conference members need to pay attention to the newcomers on the block.

On another positive note, the Lady Eagles junior high team defeated Fountain Lake in three hard-fought sets. The junior Lady Eagles, along with the youth of the Paris varsity, should combine for a very strong Lady Eagles senior high team over the next three to four years. So, the future continues to be very bright for Paris volleyball.

So now the preseason preparation draws to an end, and both Paris and Fountain Lake will move into the next phase of game preparation. The Lady Eagles will open the 2020 season on Monday at Class 4A Farmington. The first match with the Lady Cardinals will begin at 5 p.m. For Paris fans who will be making the trip to Farmington, tickets will be sold at the door and do not require advanced purchase. Face masks will be required for entry. The Lady Cardinals play in a large facility, so there should be no concerns over seating capacity or being able to purchase a ticket to enter the gymnasium. Fans should have plenty of room to socially distance themselves during the matches.

For Fountain Lake, the Lady Cobras open their season on August 25 with a rematch of the 2019 Class 3A final, when they play at Little Rock Episcopal. The match should be a blockbuster for both schools, as the Lady Cobras will no doubt be set for revenge of their state final loss to Episcopal last November.

So, after a tumultuous summer full of doubt, the season has arrived, and the Paris Lady Eagles will officially begin their quest for a fifth state title in Class 3A volleyball. Resident Press wishes both the Lady Eagles and the Fountain Lake Lady Cobras the best of luck in their upcoming seasons.

And as always, Resident Press will be there every step of the way from the first game to the state final in Hot Springs. Stay with RP for the best in coverage of Lady Eagles and high school volleyball!

ASP Asking For Public Assistance in Fatal Hit-and-Run

News

Tammy Teague

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12:46 pm

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ASP Asking For Public Assistance in Fatal Hit-and-Run

The Arkansas State Police is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a suspect involved in a hit-and-run crash that left one person dead in Little Rock.

The crash happened at approximately 10:35 pm on Wednesday night, August 19th, on Interstate 30 Eastbound near the Roosevelt Exit. The vehicle is a green Dodge Charger, with an Arkansas Ducks Unlimited license plate (partial license plate 4C). There should be damage to the front end of the vehicle, and the Dodge emblem will be missing.

If you see this vehicle (similar to the one pictured below), please do not approach it, and immediately contact Arkansas State Police Troop A Dispatch @ 501-618-8100.

What You Need To Know For Mansfield Gametime Experience

Sports

Resident News Network

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10:21 am

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What You Need To Know For Mansfield Gametime Experience

Pictured is painted pods on the grounds of Mansfield Tiger Stadium offering options for attending fans

Gametime experiences for players and fans will drastically change this upcoming sports season. Not immune to Arkansas Department of Health directives, Mansfield High School and their opponents will all be following strict guidelines in order to participate in large outdoor or indoor team sports.

Fans of the Tigers will need to familiarize themselves with these updated rules and regulations which will be strictly enforced at any Mansfield sports venue. According to school officials, an overall commitment by community members to follow the rules is imperative for the safety of all participants hoping to complete the 2020-2021 season.

Based upon average attendance from last season, Mansfield audience members should be encouraged that Tiger venues should be able to accommodate any anticipated crowds. With that said there will be capacity restrictions for both the home and visiting crowds.

Tiger Stadium will have “blue tape” restricted zones marked in the bleachers. There will be absolutely no seating in these restricted sections. That reduces actual bleacher seating in the home stands for football games to approximately 550 seats. However, white painted pod squares along the grassy banks and rim would allow an extra 1,000 plus fans to enter for standing room, lawn chair, or blanket accessibility.

The visitor’s side, which will be strictly designated for opposing fans, will have approximately 175 bleacher seats and 1,000 plus overflow seating along their banks.

Tiger Gymnasium will be restricted to approximately 400 people for volleyball home fans. The visitors’ side will accommodate approximately 225 people. Based upon the largest crowds attending home volleyball games in recent years, the MHS arena should be adequate enough to house most volleyball crowds this season.

Mansfield fans should be aware that road arenas may have far less capacity for Tiger patrons. Opposing schools each have their own plans when it comes to allowing visitors into their venue. When limitations are announced, Mansfield will do its best to get the word out to the public through its school website.

When access into road venues is strongly limited, immediate family members of the Tiger players will be offered the first choice of tickets before the remaining seats go public.

It should be noted that many schools are working on avenues for live streaming their contests. When announced, those links will be shared with Mansfield community members.

Mansfield released the following directives based upon information released by ADH. Compliance will be expected of all attending games.

Face coverings are required for all persons present, except for children under the age of 10 years old.
Due to increased production of respiratory droplets during yelling and cheering, face coverings should remain in place even when attendees are seated and maintaining a required physical distance. Note: face coverings may be removed in order to consume food or beverages but should be in place immediately afterward.
A physical distance of 6-feet must be maintained in areas where lines may form such as entrances, exits, concessions, bathrooms, etc.
Admission will be denied to any person having symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, or having known exposure to anyone with Covid-19 in the past 14 days.
Anyone 65 years or older or anyone with underlying health conditions such as high blood pressure, chronic lung disease, diabetes, severe obesity, asthma, or weakened immunity may wish to refrain from entering.
Understand bleacher seating will be limited and social distance between non-family members should be followed within those bleacher areas as well as any other high traffic areas.
Consider bringing lawn chairs and blankets to utilize the “overflow pods” and standing room areas marked by white lines especially for groups larger than four people.
Restrict movements to the home side of the stadium, concessions, and restrooms. Cross-traffic to the visitor’s side is strongly discouraged and forbidden for school-aged children unless with adult supervision.
Children in the 6th grade or younger must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Children’s football games, throwing balls, or other such activities drawing a crowd of unsupervised children is forbidden.
Fans may not enter the playing area before or after the game. That includes no forming run through lines or joining players afterward.
Home fans should use the main gate to enter. Visitors should enter the west gate by the concession stand. Only participants may use the pass gate on the east end. Crowds should exit immediately after the contest.

Jr Lady Tigers Ready To Rip Some Nets Up

Sports

Megan Hecox

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7:51 am

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Jr Lady Tigers Ready To Rip Some Nets Up

On August 25 at 4:30 p.m, the Mansfield Jr Lady Tigers will step on to their home volleyball court for the first conference game of the 2020 season to take on the Mulberry Lady Yellowjackets. The girls have been spending all summer preparing for the new atmosphere of the 2A conference after dropping down from 3A at the end of last season. But these uncharted waters don’t scare the Jr Lady Tigers one bit because they are thoroughly ready to showdown, throw down, and knock down any opposing team with a barrage of spikes, blocks, and digs to show what volleyball is all about.

Mansfield will be under the leadership of new head coach Kaylie Pyles along with first-year assistant Darla Walker. “Darla has been here just a few short weeks and already she has made some great relationships with the athletes,” Coach Pyles stated. “She is a very hard worker and we are glad to have her here at Mansfield. I look forward to working with her!” Last year, the Jr Lady Tigers placed second in 3A District play and ended with a 12-2 conference record. And with the majority of their freshmen starters returning along with an impressive 8th-grade group, this Jr High squad could very well ascend all the way to the top of the 2A mountain.

“I have a great group of freshmen, who will help lead this team to success. Alyson Edwards, a middle hitter, Kynslee Ward, an outside hitter, and Harlie Fuller, a setter, are returning starters from last year, whom I believe will do big things for our team. Cole Smith, a setter, moved here this summer and I believe she will be a great addition to our team as well. Several of these girls including seventh-grader Kaylee Ward, who will be playing middle for us, have stayed and practiced with senior high several times. This group has great dedication and the will to win. It will be exciting to see them play!”

When it comes to who the Jr Lady Tigers are most excited to square off against in conference play this year, Coach Pyles exclaimed, “I am excited to play against Lavaca. We played them in two non-conference matches last year and they are always talented and very competitive. It will be a great game to watch and coach.”

Improving Ourselves

Networks

Tammy Teague

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4:53 pm

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By Jim Sher

What makes the U.S.A the greatest country in the world? Simply put, it is because we have sacrificed a lot and tried to improve ourselves in many ways.

I feel that life is not just living day by day, but instead trying to improve and do the best we can in order to live a comfortable and healthy life. Not only that, together, we can help our families, our communities, our countries, and our world be a better place to live in.

One good example is that I used to take four hours to prepare the egg roll stuffing, but now, it only takes me less than two hours because I have learned and tried to improve myself as I go. I used to work as a kitchen cook for several restaurants when I was young.

When it was busy hours, I would be falling behind if I did not improve myself from what needed to be prepared first or later. I certainly didn’t want the customers waiting too long for their food.

Life is too short: Despite any profession or anything that we do in our daily lives, we should improve ourselves, otherwise, we would get nowhere or fall behind.

Community Dental Clinic, River Valley Regional Food Bank to Host Giveaway

News

Tammy Teague

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4:29 pm

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Delta Dental of Arkansas, in partnership with the Community Dental Clinic and the River Valley Regional Food Bank (RVRFB), will host a community food giveaway on Friday (August 21, 2020) at the food bank offices at 1617 South Zero Street in Fort Smith.

During the giveaway, each vehicle will receive two donation boxes (totaling 70 pounds). The boxes contain a variety of nutritious shelf-stable foods. The event is available to anyone in need — there are no requirements or restrictions to receive food. The distribution will begin at 8:30 a.m. and food will be dispersed while supplies last.

The distribution will be handled in a drive-thru manner. The public is asked to enter through the front entrance of the food bank, on Zero Street, and line up nearest to KFC. Food will be received at the front doors of the food bank. The public is asked to stay inside their vehicle, pop their trunk, keep windows rolled up (no smoking, please) and have enough space in the back of their vehicle for their donation, as we WILL NOT be able to place items inside of any vehicles.

This distribution is made possible thanks to a grant from Delta Dental of Arkansas.

Also Friday, the RVRFB is proud and honored to welcome Feeding America Chief Executive Officer Claire Babineaux-Fontenot to Fort Smith, as she tours the food bank facilities and meets with our staff.

Charleston Tigers Host Booneville in Senior High Football Scrimmage

Sports

Resident News Network

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11:38 am

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Charleston Tigers Host Booneville in Senior High Football Scrimmage

Note to Our Readers: Resident Press would like to introduce Mrs. Ronni Tate Young as a new contributing sports photographer. Mrs. Young will be photographing Charleston sporting events this year. The photos in today’s story were taken by Mrs. Young. Welcome Ronni, and to our readers, you will love her photos this year!

There is nothing like starting your football season off with a preseason scrimmage against a school that has won a state title in the last two years and have been in contention for others over the course of their program’s history. That’s exactly what the Charleston Tigers did on Tuesday when they hosted the Booneville Bearcats at Alumni Field.

The scrimmage against the Bearcats was in part made possible by the change of conferences for the two schools. Both Charleston and Booneville have been members of the same conference in recent years, and during that time, it is usually not customary to scrimmage against a conference school that you will play later in the season. But this year, the Booneville Bearcats have moved to a different conference and will not face the Tigers later this season unless the two schools were to meet in the post-season playoffs. So, the change in schedules created an opportunity for both schools to scrimmage against a quality opponent to help their teams prepare for the upcoming season. Booneville and Charleston have had a history of scrimmages, and originally, a three team “jamboree” format scrimmage was planned with Charleston, Booneville, and Lamar. But a AAA policy that limited scrimmages to two schools prevented Lamar from playing in the scrimmage.

The Tigers will begin the season with 38 players on their active senior high roster. This year’s team features a talented sophomore class that dominated their junior high opponents as ninth graders. Mixed in with the young talented are several players who played last year in key positions and will bring valuable experience to the 2020 Charleston team this season. The increased numbers and young talent on the team have caught the eye of many media outlets, including Hooten’s Arkansas Football that has predicted a second place conference finish this year behind Cedarville.

Charleston head football coach Ricky May was pleased overall with his team’s performance during the scrimmage. After the game, Coach May remarked, “The big thing was that we got out of the game without any injuries. So, I was really pleased with that. We started five sophomores on defense and five on offense, so going in we knew there may be a little bit of a learning curve from our younger kids, and there was. We made some young mistakes, but overall, the effort was really good and I feel like our depth is a little better than I thought it was. So, that part of it was good. Our kids were glad to just finally get a chance to hit someone else, but overall I felt that Booneville looked really good and we had our chances against them. We didn’t catch a pass on fourth down in the end zone that would have tied the game. We feel good knowing that we played a lot of kids and played against a good football team.”

The Tigers and Bearcats will resume their preseason preparation tonight with a junior high scrimmage between the two schools. The scrimmage will start at 6 p.m. in Charleston. The 7th grade teams will play first, and will be followed by the junior high scrimmage. Resident Press will have a recap of the junior high scrimmage on Friday.

Watch for the Charleston Tigers football preview in Resident Press next week. Stay with RP for complete coverage throughout the 2020 high school football season!

The 5 Best Modifications for Your Truck

Lifestyle

Resident News Network

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9:51 am

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By now, you’re probably sick of staying inside due to the spread of COVID-19. In response to social distancing policies that narrow what we can do and who we can see, we need creativity to broaden our options again.

Amidst this pandemic, cars and trucks are havens for staying distant while going out with your family and remaining active. To take advantage of all your truck has to offer, you can always make some fun adjustments to it. For five of the best modifications for your truck that provide more outlets for fun, consider these options.

Off-Road Tires & Lift Kit

When you get tired of staring at the same four walls, modify your truck to spend more time in the open air. Off-roading is quite an exciting hobby—navigating winding trails gives you the exhilarating change of pace you need right now. Getting your truck off-road-ready is also easier than you may think.

First, consider the basics for picking your off-roading tires. Starting out, all-terrain tires are your best bet because they work well on the road and off the beaten path. That way, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on tires you’ll only use when you go off-road, which you would have to do with mud or rock-crawler tires.

Pairing well with all-terrain tires is a lift kit that makes off-roading safer by upping your suspension and giving you more clearance. That way, when you come upon trail obstacles, you won’t get stuck as you drive through.

Step Bars

Think back to being a child. Remember how small you were and how much bigger everything else was in relation to you. Back then, a truck seemed the size of a monster.

To make your own truck less monstrous and more accessible to kids and adults alike, install a step bar. Though step bars always help, they’re a must if you lift your suspension. When in place, they become helpful parts of your family fun.

Roof Rack

Camping and off-roading go together like peanut butter and jelly. After all, what better way is there to get out and explore a completely different locale? That said, even if your family exclusively prefers a slow weekend on the campground, another nifty modification for your truck is a roof rack.

A roof rack affords you two benefits: extra storage and space for oblong, oversized toys and tools. If your family chronically overpacks, strap a suitcase up top and enjoy some breathing room inside your ride. Transporting your kayaks, paddleboards, or bicycles for a relaxing weekend trip gets a lot easier when don’t need an accompanying trailer to fit everything.

LED Light Bar

Perfect for camping and off-roading, getting an LED light bar sheds some much-needed light when you need it. It helps you see clearly for longer as you cruise through trails, maximizing your fun. Back at the campsite, a light bar saves you from the dreaded late-night campsite setup in the dark. You’ll likely find more uses for it than you may first expect.

Arkansas Hunter Education Sees Online Expansion

Outdoors

Tammy Teague

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4:25 am

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Arkansas Hunter Education Sees Online Expansion

By Randy Zellers Assistant Chief of Communications

Thanks to a new policy at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, any Arkansas resident 10 or older may complete all components of their Hunter Education requirement online to be ready for the upcoming hunting season this year.

Hunter Education is mandatory for anyone 16 and older who wishes to hunt in Arkansas. Hunters under 16 must have Hunter Education to hunt on their own, but may hunt without certification if under the direct supervision of a licensed hunter 21 or older.

The change comes from the lack of classes the AGFC has been able to offer during the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.

“We have had a lot of calls about when we will be able to get back to regularly scheduled classes,” said Joe Huggins, the AGFC’s Hunter Education Program coordinator. “I wish I could tell them, but we just don’t know.”

Huggins says there have been a few classes held through Zoom meetings and a handful in outdoor settings, but they could have no more than 10 people, including the instructor, and had to be outdoors if they were in-person.

“Months like July, August and September don’t lend themselves well to sitting in an outdoor class for 10 hours,” Huggins said. “The online option will help people get certified before September hunting seasons begin.”

In January, the AGFC made the decision to begin expanding opportunities for people to complete Hunter Education online. Any Arkansas resident 16 and older could complete the course and become certified entirely through the AGFC’s online program. Youth 12 to 15 could take the course online as well, but still needed to complete a short, in-person course to complete the process.

“Things have changed a lot since January,” said Grant Tomlin, assistant chief of the AGFC’s Education Division. “Social-distancing restrictions have prevented us from hosting many of those completion courses. So we have had to explore new options.”

Tomlin and Huggins say that any courses planned to be administered through Arkansas schools will still be conducted at that school’s discretion in accordance with their approved social distancing measures. They also stress that people can still hunt without Hunter Education as long as they are under the direct supervision of a licensed hunter at least 21 years old.

“Anyone 16 or older just needs to get a Deferred Hunter Education Code and abide by that code if they have not completed Hunter Education yet,” Tomlin said. “But getting certified through the online course is easy and has been improved over the years.

Joe Huggins, Hunter Education Program coordinator for the AGFC says the decision didn’t come lightly.

“We don’t want to do anything that could cause an unsafe hunting condition down the road,” Huggins said. “We looked at many other states that have allowed young people to complete the entire course online for the last few years and did not see any noticeable increase in hunting accidents.”

Huggins says most hunting accidents and fatalities still are the result of treestand falls and they are usually by adult hunters who have many years of experience.

Once restrictions from COVID-19 subside, the online class will still be allowed for any hunter 12 and older.

“Hunters under 12 are encouraged to take in-person courses once the social-distancing restrictions are lifted and we can resume classes,” Tomlin said. “The course is based on a 6th-grade reading level, so we’ll need to restrict the course to that age when COVID-19 concerns have lifted. For now, 10 and older can take the course in its entirety online.”

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Off-Road Tires & Lift Kit

Step Bars

Roof Rack

LED Light Bar

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