There has been an outpouring of love and support by the community after a Mansfield family lost their youngest child in a faultless tragedy.
Three month old baby Noah died on Sunday, August 16. Parents Jon and Abigale Trejo have understandably felt great loss and continue to mourn the death of their child. The couple also have two other children, Zayden and Jonathan Carter.
The community has come to the aid of the bereaving family. Area churches have provided food, and many residents have made item and monetary donations.
Also providing aid, the Huntington and Mansfield Police Department. The two departments teamed up with Levi’s Diesel and Auto Repair in Fort Smith. Mechanics Darren Anderson and Joshua Huskey donated parts and labor to repair the family’s vehicle.
“We have an amazing community with people who are quick to rise to the occasion,” shared Mansfield Police Officer Kelly Perez. “I’m blessed to work in such a place!”
The Trejo family is extremely appreciative of the outpouring of love by the community. “We couldn’t be more thankful for all the assistance we have received,” stated Abigale Trejo. “Thank you to everyone who helped with our Jeep, it really does mean a lot. We appreciate it so much!”
Mechanics at Levi’s Diesel and Auto Repair working on the Trejo’s vehicle.
Mechanics Darren Anderson and Joshua Huskey donated parts and labor to repair the family’s vehicle.
Mansfield Fire Chief Michael Smith has worked in the fire service since 1979, and has spent much of that time leading the department.
With a tight budget and low volunteer numbers, Smith returned to the position as chief when his city needed him most. Since his reinstatement in May of 2019, Smith has worked tirelessly.
When Smith took office, the department had eight volunteer members. Currently, the MVFD is up to 15. The department has openings for 22 members, however, due to lack of gear, no additional firemen can be added. “Twenty two, that’s what it was for years,” shared Smith. “We had people waiting in line to join!”
In addition to the need for new turnout gear, Smith stated he would like to add a new pumper, purchase Armour First Responder vests, a free standing ready rack, helmet flash lights, rechargeable handlights, PPV fan, and a thermal imaging stick.
Smith estimates the cost of equipment at $250,000. “Everything affects the ISO rating, both equipment and training,” added Smith. Improvements to the city’s ISO rating means savings to home owners with insurance rates.
Although the need for equipment to bring the department into compliance is great, he has made great improvements with the existing budget. Under his leadership, the department has added a new brush truck, and a new command unit, a Chevrolet Tahoe.
He has also been working on purchasing Sentry Sirens for the city. The sirens will replace the old and outdated system currently in use. “It will save so much time,” stated Smith. “I won’t have to go to multiple locations to activate the sirens, I can just do it remotely with my phone.” The new system will also provide a greater alert coverage area. The complete cost of the system, $35,000. Smith and the city’s grant writer, Shelby Allen, are awaiting notification on grant applications.
Smith, in the countless hours he’s spent assisting the citizens of this community, vows to continue this labor of love and working to ensure that in a resident’s time of crisis, the department has what it needs.
For the most part, little league football is left in the dark when it comes to getting a fair share of the football hype. Sure, you have parents and grandparents making social media posts about how good “Little Johnny” did in the game but rarely does it go any further than that. Well, those days are about to be O-V-E-R !!! The Resident Press is joining forces with the West Central Football League to give small-town little league football the credit it deserves.
Mansfield Squaring Off With Mountainburg
Both Resident Press and the WCFL were built on showcasing the awesomeness of small towns who, in the past, have been forgotten. Resident Press originally started out covering little league football for Mansfield, Hackett, and Waldron a few years back. In 2019, they picked up Magazine, Cedarville, and Mountainburg. So it only made sense to go all-in on the WCFL and add the remaining programs of Greenland, West Fork, JC Westside, and Lavaca to the little league football coverage list.
Hackett Trying To Gain Yards Against Magazine
West Central Football League President, Adam Hecox, said about the partnership, “Resident Press joining forces with the WCFL could wind up being huge for the league programs. In the past years, I’ve seen the little league articles printed off by the teachers and posted in the hallways of the schools Resident Press covered. Kids would be in awe that they were “famous” because their name or picture was published in an article. That builds not only confidence in the kids, but also in the program and community. It makes more kids want to join the team thus growing each program’s numbers.”
The Rebels Of JC Westside Getting Some Good Ol’ Coaching
JC Westside WCFL representative, Clay Bryant, added, “Westside Area Youth Organization is much more than just little league sports. It’s a leadership program for both children and adults, with the aim of helping children to become good and decent citizens. Being a 2A school from a small town in the River Valley, not many people realize what an outstanding program we have. Coverage by Resident Press could open up great opportunities for our young children as well as give them the recognition they deserve which in return will help in building their self-esteem.”
Cedarville Surrounded By The Tigers Of West Fork
With COVID-19 creating havoc for sports as a whole and changes being made almost daily, there are still kids with the longing to play. Resident Press and the WCFL are still working to find contributors for all of the programs, but the wheels have begun to roll. The purpose of this merger is very clear. No matter the size of the program, every young man and woman on the field not only enjoys the spotlight but they deserve it as well. So flip the switch, sit back, and enjoy because the lights are coming on!
Pictured is Zayne Dugan handing off the ball to Randy Claude
The term “rebuild” has been tossed around since Mansfield’s immaculate class of 2020 ended their football season last year. Gone are most of the Sr High players that contributed to the Tigers acrobatics, top-end speed, and smooth air raid offenses. So what does head coach, Tim Cothran, do now? Simple, change things up and use the talent he has to it’s fullest. Anyone who watched the Tigers scrimmage against Mena on Friday night noticed success in a different manner on the field. Goodbye flashy football. Hello ground and pound.
#25 Codi Chick Screams Past The Mena Defense
Friday nights scrimmage against the Bearcats was Mansfield fans first look at the so-called rebuild. The scrimmage consisted of a full half of live regulation football. The Tigers started off slow by allowing Mena to get up on them 13-0 at the end of the first quarter. It looked like Mansfield was a brand new team that couldn’t get their X’s and O’s straight. That must’ve been their plan though as they started the second quarter like their tails were on fire. The Tigers defense stuffed Mena on back to back possessions then the magic started. Logan Cravey read the Bearcats quarterback and flashed in to pick off a pass then darted 21 yards. Not to be outdone, Codi Chick pounced on a Bearcat loose ball to give the Tigers offense another shot.
Tigers Offensive Line Prepares To Plow A Path
When Mansfield’s offense hit the field again, they became shock and awe showstoppers. Running backs senior, Randy Claude, and sophomore, Caleb Collier, lowered their shoulders and began to lay down the BOOM on the Bearcats defense. Claude plowed in for the Tiger’s first score of the game. No juking or dodging from either back, just line up and run the defense over. Juking and dodging belonged to the quick feet of sophomore, Tyler Woolbright, and junior, Austin Carlton, who sliced Mena’s defense braking ankles with every move.
#8 Zayne Dugan Ready To Spread Out The Bearcats
Mena started keying on the run game forcing Mansfield to pass. The Tigers offense grinned and said “okay then” and the gun show kicked in. Junior QB, Zayne Dugan, hit passes to both Cravey and Carlton and put the Tigers on the board for a second time with a sweet pass to Chick. “I thought we were slow starting out,” explained Claude. “But, as the game went on, we started to click more.” Continuing his thoughts on how he felt he performed, “I believe I did what I was coached to do and I can improve on keeping the team positive.”
#21 Austin Carlton With The Grab and Go
Although the score was not kept in the scrimmage, the Tigers definitely held their own against a 4A powerhouse such as Mena. Any worries about the program being down this season are history. Mansfield is not rebuilding. They’ve merely put a new coat of paint on the Tiger football program. “As a whole team, we learned a lot in our scrimmage with Mena and we know what we have to improve on. I think the team will be ready to take on whoever is next as long as we stick to what we’ve been coached to do,” concluded Claude. The Sr Tigers will next take on the Rattlers at Magazine on August 28th at 7 pm.
#22 Tyler Woolbright Gets Low With High Speed Intentions
After the cancellation of spring sports and a summer full of doubt of if there would be fall high school sports, the 2020 football season is finally here. For the Paris Eagles, the wait is over and its game week! The Eagles will host the Lavaca Golden Arrows on Friday night at Eagles Stadium. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Friday’s season opener for both schools will feature a fresh start to a new season in which both Lavaca and Paris hope to show significant progress from last year. The Golden Arrows will begin their first year in Class 3A and are anxious to show that they can compete having moved up from Class 2A. On an interesting side note, the Lavaca junior high team was 9-0 last season, and should begin to show an impact to their varsity team starting this season. The Golden Arrows have increased numbers of players in their program, and coach Mark Headley will have both talent and numbers to build the future of the Lavaca football program.
Paris head football coach Tyler Clark is impressed with the Golden Arrows talent, especially their sophomore players. “The only film we have of them is from their scrimmage, but there are in particularly some sophomores that are very, very good. We know what that is like, because that was us last year. I expect them to be ready to play.” The Golden Arrows scrimmaged against Mt. Ida last week. “Scrimmages are such weird formats that it is hard to tell sometimes how a team performed. Mt. Ida, I think, has a heavy senior class on their roster; got some big linemen. Lavaca did some good things against Mt. Ida. Both Lavaca quarterbacks are pretty good athletes” (junior Cazen Winters and sophomore Maddox Noel).
For Paris, the Eagles have shown progress over the past two seasons, and with a wealth of talent in the skilled positions and on both lines of scrimmage, Paris is hopeful that this will be the year they return to the state playoffs since their last appearance in 2017. But for Paris coach Tyler Clark, he simply wants to see his team execute properly on Friday night. “I just want to see us execute. I want to see us play assignment football and I want to see us establish dominance up front; I want to see us go to the right guys on blocks. I want to see us make the right decisions up front. Just executing at a high level.”
With the conference realignments that are effective with this season, gone are the Mansfield Tigers, the Charleston Tigers, Cedarville Pirates, West Fork Tigers, and having moved up to Class 4A, the Lamar Warriors. In their places are the Mayflower Eagles, Little Rock Baptist Prep Eagles, Perryville Mustangs, Atkins Red Devils, and the Two Rivers Gators.
Lavaca, having moved to Class 3A for this season, will now welcome Cedarville, Hackett, West Fork, Greenland, Mansfield, Lincoln, and Charleston to their schedule. A tough road for a team that was 1-9 last year in Class 2A. But rest assured, the Golden Arrows will come to play each week, determined to prove they belong in Class 3A.
Lavaca’s 2020 schedule is:
August 28 at Paris
September 11 at Mountainburg
September 18 vs Johnson County Westside
September 25 at Cedarville
October 2 vs Hackett
October 9 at West Fork
October 16 vs Greenland
October 23 at Mansfield
October 30 vs Lincoln
November 6 vs Charleston
The Paris Eagles 2020 schedule is:
August 28 vs Lavaca
September 4 vs Johnson County Westside
September 11 at West Fork
September 25 vs Mayflower
October 2 vs Two Rivers
October 9 at LR Baptist Prep
October 16 at Atkins
October 23 at Perryville
October 30 vs Booneville
November 6 at Danville
For the 2020 season, Hooten’s Arkansas football has predicted Lavaca to finish seventh in the Class 3A-1 conference. The predicted order of finish for the Golden Arrow’s conference is:
Cedarville
Charleston
Greenland
Lincoln
Hackett
Mansfield
Lavaca
West Fork
The Class 3A-1 conference features newcomers Lincoln, who has moved down from Class 4A, Hackett, who has moved up from Class 2A, and Mansfield, who has moved down to Class 2A but will play football only in Class 3A.
The Paris Eagles, members of the Class 3A-3 conference, are predicted by Hooten’s Arkansas Football to finish fourth in their conference. If this holds true, the Eagles would return to the state playoffs this year as a #4 seed and would play a #2 seed in the playoffs. But, it is a long road through the regular season. The predicted order of finish in the Class 3A-3 conference is:
Booneville
Atkins
Perryville
Paris
Danville
Mayflower
LR Baptist Prep
Two Rivers
There doesn’t appear to be much difference between the projected third through fifth place finishers. Anything can happen, and factors such as who is the healthiest at the end of the season will go a long way to determining the final order of finish and the playoff seedings.
I asked Coach Clark if he had any concern about how his kids would handle the preseason publicity and expectations for this year’s team. Coach Clark said, “Our kids are pretty stable. The expectation is for us to be good this year and we are not going to hide from those expectations. But at the same time, we need to remember that everyone else in the state still views us as a 3-7 football team from last year. We’re picked 37th in the state by Hooten’s (Arkansas Football publication). I think our kids will still come out with an underdog mentality.”
For fans of both schools who plan to attend Friday night’s contest, please remember that Arkansas Department of Health and Arkansas Activities Association regulations aimed at mitigating the COVID-19 risk will be in effect. Face masks are required to be worn, and social distancing among groups will be enforced at Eagles Stadium. Player sidelines will be extended to the 10-yard lines, and special rules will be in effect for the positioning of media during the game. Let’s all do our parts to protect our students, support personnel, and ourselves so that we can continue to play high school football.
So, the stage is set for the 2020 high school football season, and the Eagles need their fans to show up big and support the players as the begin the quest to make the state football playoffs. Coach Clark told Resident Press, “I know that ticket sales are limited, but these kids need the support of the community. They need to know that they care about the work they have been putting in. And I know they will be there for us!”
And Coach Clark makes a good point. All summer, high school athletes across the state have worked hard with nothing but faith and hope that their work would not be in vain, and that they would have a chance to play in the fall. Well, their time has come, and fans from both schools need to come out and support these great high school athletes who now know that they are finally going to have the opportunity to play.
The weather forecast for Friday night includes a chance of rain due to the outreach of a hurricane that is moving through the Gulf of Mexico. Be prepared for a possible wet night, and Resident Press will do the same! RP will be at Eagles Stadium to catch all the action for our readers. Look to Resident Press for a recap of the game Saturday morning, as will be published each and every week of the high school football season.
So, football fans! It’s game week! Grab your umbrellas and head to Eagle Stadium, and Resident Press will see you there!
As the hustle and bustle of school returns and families begin in their own unique routines, scam artists are using an old playbook to identify ways to trick Arkansans by claiming they have not paid their utility bill. The scam involves Caller ID spoofing to make the name or phone number of the utility company display on the phone’s screen. The scam artists will then claim the consumer must pay immediately over the phone because a representative is on their way to disconnect their services. Be cautious of unsolicited calls and consider hanging up and finding the company’s phone number from an independent source and calling them to confirm any outstanding balance.
“Remember, you should never be forced to make an immediate payment for utilities over the phone and or give away your personal information,” said Attorney General Leslie Rutledge.
Attorney General Rutledge released the following tips to ensure payment is sent to the utility company safely, securely and timely:
Add the utility payment due date on a calendar when the bill is received.
Drop off the payment at the utility office or an authorized payment location.
Pay online on the utility company’s website with a credit card or call the company directly.
Consider participating in an automated bank account draft system, if it is offered.
Mail the payment to the company directly.
The scammer may also request that the recipient purchase gift cards or prepaid debit cards to pay off the amount owed. The scammer will ask for the code on the purchased card, which gives them complete access to money on the card. In most cases, once the prepaid card money is depleted, it cannot be recovered. Remember, utilities will not require you to pay by gift card or prepaid debit card – scammers will.
Arkansans should notify the company if they have been contacted by one of these scammers. If Arkansans have turned over money to the scammer, file a complaint with the Attorney General.
For more information and tips to avoid scams and other consumer-related issues, contact the Arkansas Attorney General’s office at (800) 482-8982 or visit ArkansasAG.gov.
With the approaching 2020 General Election, Scott County Election Commissioner Steve Holland shared the following information to assist voters:
The 2020 General Election will be held Tuesday, November 3, 2020. In late 2019 the Scott County Quorum Court passed Ordinance #2019-26 authorizing the Election Commission to establish Vote Centers in the county. On election day registered voters in Scott County will now be able to vote at any of the twelve (12) vote centers located throughout the county.
**correction on address of Mt. Pleasant Community Bldg: 8539 E. Highway 48 in Waldron.
Election Day voting hours will be from 7:30 AM – 7:30 PM. Early Voting will begin on Monday, October 19th and end on Monday, November 2nd. Hours will be 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM Monday thru Friday and 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Saturdays.
Arkansas does not permit “Mail-In Voting” per se however absentee voting has been available for many years. Voters need not provide a specific reason as to why they cannot be physically present at their polling place on election day. Applications for absentee ballots may be obtained by contacting the Scott County Clerk’s office at 479-637-2642. Further details regarding absentee voting as well as downloadable ballot applications are available on the Secretary of State’s website listed below. https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/voter-information/absentee-voting
COVID-19 The health emergency caused by the COVID-19 virus has led to recommendations that Arkansans distance themselves where possible and that persons with certain health conditions take extra precautions to limit their exposure to the public.
State and local election officials are taking significant steps to ensure polling sites are safe, sanitary, and will accommodate social distancing requirements. Utilizing state and federal grants, the Scott County Election Commission has acquired a sufficient quantity of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and cleaning/disinfecting supplies to provide a safe environment for voters and election officials.
Specific procedures will be posted at the entrance to each polling site and voters are asked to closely follow the directions of election staff. A voter’s access to the poll will NOT be limited on the basis of a health screening or the failure of the voter to wear a facial covering.
The Scott County Election Commission will continue to closely monitor all developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and will strive to adhere to recommendations and/or policies set forth by the Arkansas Secretary of State and the Department of Health.
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!
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!
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.
