Resident News Network

AGFC to Plug Leaking Infrastructure at Lake Wilhelmina

Outdoors

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4:02 pm

AGFC to Plug Leaking Infrastructure at Lake Wilhelmina

Randy Zellers Assistant Chief of Communications

MENA — Contractors working with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will close the portion of Polk County Road 125 that crosses the levee of Lake Wilhelmina Aug. 11 to attempt to plug leaking infrastructure that has plagued the lake for the last two summers.

Lake Wilhelmina is a 200-acre reservoir built on Powell Creek in Polk County. The lake’s dam was constructed in 1958. Wilhelmina is known for excellent bluegill and redear fishing, as well as good opportunities for largemouth bass and channel catfish.

“It’s not a large lake, but it’s a good location to fish and has a devoted following in nearby Mena,” Hobbs said.

According to Brett Hobbs, fisheries supervisor at the AGFC’s Hot Springs Regional Office, helicopters will lower giant sandbags into place between the lake’s spillway control tower and levee to plug a hole that has formed in the lakebed, likely allowing water to escape through the outflow pipe at a point past the control tower’s influence.

“We first heard some comments from the public about the lake being unusually low back in summer of 2018,” Hobbs said. “That was a particularly dry summer, so we weren’t sure if it was just normal loss of water or something else at play. But in 2019, we had many more calls when the lake’s water level worsened, despite a fairly wet year.”

Hobbs says at one point in 2019, the lake’s level dropped low enough that boaters were no longer able to launch a boat.

“We did some more investigating in late summer 2019 and saw that although the control tower’s gates were closed, a healthy flow of water was still running in Powell Creek downstream of the dam,” Hobbs said. “We started looking with our sidescan and downscan depth finders and found what we thought were two holes in the lakebed between the control tower and the dam.”

Further investigation by the AGFC Dive Team using high-detail sonar equipment confirmed that there are holes in the lake bed, one as large as 7 feet in diameter and the other less than two feet in diameter, over the lake outflow pipe.

“We’ve coordinated with our Operations Division to procure a contractor who will help us hopefully stop the leak,” Hobbs said. “They will lower giant sandbags, up to 1,500 pounds, into the holes using a helicopter. Multiple sand bags will be placed. We hope this effort will plug the holes so a camera inspection can be made via the downstream end of the pipe to see what sort of damage may be there so we can formulate a solution.”

At 62 years old, much of the original infrastructure at Lake Wilhelmina has exceeded its life expectancy, and the AGFC may be looking at larger repairs in the future. Similar infrastructure failures forced the AGFC to begin the renovation of Lower White Oak Lake near Bluff City, Lake Elmdale in Springdale and Lake Poinsett near Harrisburg.

“We hope the repairs are not as extensive as what had to be done in those locations, but we won’t know until we can get this leak plugged to get a better look,” Hobbs said.

For more information about Lake Wilhelmina, visit the lake’s page at agfc.com.

Tiger Market to Host River Valley Seed Swap

News

Tammy Teague

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3:52 pm

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Tiger Market to Host River Valley Seed Swap

Tiger Market in Mansfield Arkansas runs from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. every second and fourth Saturday (closing at noon in extreme heat).

Tiger Market was started by Kari of Kari Dickinson Photography with help from Mansfield Recorder/Treasurer Becky Walker.

Through summer they operate as a Farmers Market selling fresh produce alongside other homemade items. In the off season they will transition to a holiday market style, when fresh produce isn’t available and where local shoppers can buy holiday decor, gifts and more.

Due to COVID19 and the risks involved with indoor gatherings, Tiger Market will be hosting the River Valley Seed Swap, which was started by Kari Dickinson and Quint Hodges in 2019. The event will take place during a regular scheduled market day, where shoppers can benefit from receiving free flower and vegetable seeds for the following year or even trading seeds they have with various seed swap vendors to give community members a wide variety of options when it comes to home grown produce and flowers.

Photo courtesy of Kari Dickinson Photography

UAFS Invests in Training Faculty to Excel in Online Teaching

News

Tammy Teague

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3:27 pm

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This spring universities across the country raced to transition courses to online delivery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With numbers still rising in the state of Arkansas, the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith is making strategic investments in training its faculty to excel in online course delivery, partnering with the world-renowned Quality Matters.

“After the rapid transition from face-to-face to online course delivery in the middle of the spring semester, a number of faculty expressed the desire for professional development in online teaching to maximize the student experience in their classes,” explained Dr. Georgia Hale, UAFS provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Student success is always at the heart of our institutional goals, and as we navigate a new normal for the fall semester, utilizing Quality Matters to help faculty hone their online teaching skills will help us ensure our students are successful in all the ways their classes may be delivered.”.

Thus far faculty members at UAFS have registered for more than 150 Quality Matters courses, all of which focus on improving course quality, managing content delivery and implementing a system of quality assurance.

“Even before the contract was signed, we had over 50 faculty express their interest in Quality Matters courses and workshops,” said Susan Simkowski, associate professor, chair of the UAFS Faculty Senate and one of the university’s three acting Quality Matters coordinators. “Our faculty are in the process of taking webinars, certifications and courses to improve their online courses. The Quality Matters goal is for faculty to build courses, which ultimately can be reviewed by experts in online pedagogy, and receive the QM certification as a course or program which achieved quality assurance goals.”

According to its website, Quality Matters trainings aim to create a culture of continuous improvement so faculty can deliver on their promise to provide excellent content day after day, semester after semester.

“Keeping learners engaged is different in online courses,” the website reads. “Getting them past the ‘packaging’— the mechanics of the course — so they can focus on content and learning objectives can be a challenge. That’s where our research-based rubrics and standards really shine: They provide objective, evidence-based ways to evaluate the components of online learning.”

Most workshops range in price for member institutions from $100-200 for each instructor who participates. Leading into August the university has already committed approximately $20,000 to workshops for its faculty, though as a member institution, more faculty may choose to participate throughout the semester.

“The primary emphasis for this initiative is to provide high-quality professional development to faculty who are or will be teaching in one of the distance formats,” said Dr. Margaret Tanner, associate provost for academic affairs.

Dennis Sprouse, an adjunct professor in the UAFS College of Business, described his first week of Quality Matters training as both a rigorous and enjoyable opportunity.

“I am learning a lot of new information while strengthening much of my previous knowledge, and I am certainly seeing things from a different perspective,” he said. “The student need for a well-designed and delivered course is as important as the subject matter of that course. The process has included much valuable reading resources and written assignments.”

Though Sprouse said the process was not for the faint of heart, he embraced the training, noting that UAFS students will certainly benefit from taking online courses developed from the start with their success in mind.

UAFS faculty are currently registered for courses covering applying the QM rubric, assessing learners, connecting learning theories to teaching strategies, creating presence in online courses, designing a blended course, designing an online course, evaluating course design, gauging technology skills, improving online courses, orienting online learners, and using instructional materials and technology to promote learner engagement.

Scott County Hardware wins True Value Foundation’s Painting a Brighter Future Grant

News

Tammy Teague

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2:26 pm

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Scott County Hardware wins True Value Foundation’s Painting a Brighter Future Grant

Waldron, AR, July 27, 2020 – A fresh coat of paint brightens any room, and this summer Waldron Public Schools will refresh their learning environment with 20 gallons of donated paint. Waldron Public schools was selected as the winner of a paint grant through Scott County Hardware & Farm’s partnership with True Value Foundation’s Painting a Brighter Future program. A True Value Foundation paint grant helps improve learning environments and can have an impact on youth attitudes and performance. Over 1,600 schools and youth-development focused organizations across the country have been awarded paint since the program’s inception in 2009, covering nearly 20 million square feet of learning space.

Partnering with True Value Foundation, Scott County Hardware & Farm nominated Waldron Public Schools for a 20 gallon paint grant to help refresh youth learning spaces. Ken Landon of Scott County Hardware & Farm is delivering the asthma and allergy friendly paint, located at 1359 W 2nd in Waldron.

True Value’s EasyCare Ultra Premium Acrylic Latex paint has earned the asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Mark via an independent certification program established in the United States, which helps consumers identify products more suitable for people with asthma and allergies. The program performs physical and chemical testing on products to ensure they minimize irritants and pollutants in the air and reduce potential exposure to allergens. The asthma & allergy friendly® Certification Mark is awarded only to products that are scientifically proven to reduce potential exposure to asthma and allergy triggers.

Waldron Public Schools are using the paint to give their classrooms a much-needed makeover. The more than 900 youth will enjoy learning in the newly painted facility.

“Through True Value Foundation’s Painting a Brighter Future program, we’re able to help Waldron Public Schools and give back to the community we love to serve,” said Scott County True Value & Farm’s General Manager Matt Scantling. “The donation will not only save the organization money, but more importantly will create an environment that fosters learning, inspires creativity and instills community pride.”

True Value Foundation unites retailers in helping improve the lives of children in the communities True Value serves. The foundation advocates for youth and serves as a catalyst to provide tools and resources to
help youth realize their dreams and achieve their potential. We encourage our partners to get involved and give back through volunteerism, mentorship, community improvements, and raising funds.

Do I Sound Funny To You?

Megan Hecox

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2:25 pm

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I was 36 years old the day I found out people thought I was crazy. I mean, I always knew I was four cents short of a nickel but hey, at least there’s never a dull moment when I’m around. I am married to a man that is as southern as they come. And since I’m from Fayetteville, he loves to call me his little Yankee so I joke that our relationship is like the Civil War. When one moves from the big city to a small-town way of life, it can be a shock to the system. For me though, fitting in was never a problem because I can pretty much get along with anyone. Shoot, my 5th-grade teacher told my parents during a parent-teacher conference that I would talk to a rock if I was sitting next to it.

But from day one of living in a small town, any time I would open my mouth to talk, someone would say “Your not from around here are you?” Honestly, I always took it as a compliment. Little did I know, that question was being asked because of the things that were coming out of my mouth. Let me give you a few of my “Yankee” examples. I pronounce the word crayon as “crown” while my husband gives it a two-syllable “cray-ahn.” I say the word “pen” (as in what you write with) while my husband says “pin.” I use the word “soda” in reference to a carbonated beverage as opposed to my husband saying “coke.” I drink unsweet tea as opposed to the coveted holy drink of the south, sweet tea. I almost threw up when my husband handed me biscuits and chocolate gravy one morning for breakfast and he said I was trying to kill him when I introduced him to sushi.

I’ve lived in a small town since I was 21. But the reason I say I was 36 when I found out that people thought I was crazy is because of one simple saying. Recently while around a group of friends enjoying some delicious treats at a get-together, I asked if anyone wanted any more to eat. After everyone declined I said, “Well, less camels more hay!” You would have thought I had just grown a tail and a third eye by the looks I was getting. NO ONE HAD EVER HEARD THAT PHRASE BEFORE!! Are you kidding me? What do you mean you have never heard that phrase before? My entire life, that very phrase was uttered by either my parents, my sister, or myself at least once a week.

So I decided to do some investigating because surely this was just another example of my big city twang. I first asked my father where that saying had come from. He said he heard it from my mother. So I asked my mother where the saying had come from. She said she had heard it from my father. Seriously? Thanks for the help guys! So with both of my parents along with myself now stumped on the origin of this phrase, I turned to the one thing that has always had my back. Google. Well, guess what? Google didn’t even know what I was talking about and I’m pretty sure I heard him chuckle a few times during the search process. It’s ok, the ATM lady voice does the same thing when I request my balance.

So what about you and your family? Are there any sayings that get thrown around a lot? Or maybe you’re like me and people just don’t understand the words that are coming out of your mouth!

Safety Tips for Your Horse Trailer

Lifestyle

Resident News Network

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10:33 am

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The first step to take when traveling with your horse is to follow all safety precautions. Many may think to double-check precautions that keep your horse physically safe and sound, such as ensuring the temperature of the trailer is not too hot, wrapping your horse’s legs with protective gear, and giving them plenty of water and hay. However necessary these steps are, keeping your trailer up to par is just as important. These safety tips for your horse trailer will keep you, your vehicle, and your horse safe.

Towing Abilities

Whether you are purchasing a new trailer and truck or using the same equipment as always, double-check the towing abilities of your hitch and vehicle. Make sure that both are able to withstand the additional weight when your trailer is full. Otherwise, you run the risk of the trailer breaking loose from your vehicle.

Pre-Check

When gearing up for traveling with a horse trailer, run through a checklist to ensure the trailer and its accessories, such as exterior lights, are all working. Be sure to check for interior issues as well, such as weakened floorboards or sharp surfaces.

Tires

You should change the tires on your trailer frequently. Even if your trailer tires do not appear worn, weather damage can cause the rubber of the tires to stiffen over time, which puts you at risk of a blowout.

Balance Your Load

Before you hit the road, make sure the load you are towing is balanced to avoid damage to your vehicle and trailer while ensuring safe handling. An unbalanced load can create difficulty in gaining traction and interfere with your ability to make safe turns.

Double-checking your trailer and vehicle towing abilities and condition, as well as balancing your tow load, are some of the top safety tips for your horse trailer. By following these tips, you can rest easy knowing your trailer is ready to go.

Making Saturday Mornings Great Again

Resident News Network

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6:23 pm

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By now, everyone has heard the phrase “The New Norm” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone is having to adjust their day to day lives around things like masks, social distancing, and staying home. With all the gloom and doom out there, what can we all look forward to that could brighten things up? Maybe we can go back in time and pick the brightest spot of our childhood week. Saturday morning!

Who recalls what their Saturday mornings were like? I bet you can even do an exact play by play scenario of them right now as you’re reading this. The sights, sounds, and smells are floating around in your head right now, aren’t they? For me, Saturdays meant an awesome breakfast and Saturday morning cartoons. Of course, my sister and I’s chores had to be done first, but we’ll get to that later in the article.

Breakfast on Saturday mornings was a treat. Normally breakfast was cereal, oatmeal, or Malt-o-Meal during the week. Nothing was wrong with that by any means, but on Saturdays, we feasted like kings and queens. This task of the royal treatment was placed on my dad’s shoulders and boy could he cook a breakfast! His specialty was super omelets, gravy, and toast! He’d turn on some “old” Christian music like The Greens or Gold City and away he went. Rarely did we see him do the cooking because we were doing our morning chores (again, I’ll get to that later), but we knew once the music hit that full bellies would soon follow.

Once my mom had set the table and dad had completed his masterpiece, we’d all sit down together at the table, say a prayer, and then let the forks fly. As my parents discussed what the day would hold, my sister and I would eagerly eat and wait to be excused from the table for the highlight of every kid’s Saturday morning…….CARTOONS! Once everyone was done we’d all crowd into the living room and on came good ol’ Looney Toons. We’d turn the top dial to U, the bottom dial to 40, and the show would begin. Our parents would join us and chuckle and laugh just as much as we did with every Wile E. Coyote fail and every Yosemite Sam growl at Bugs Bunny.

Now, on to the chores. Breakfast was free, but we had to earn our Looney Tunes. With beds made and rooms picked up, we’d head outside to tend to the animals. My sister usually got the eggs from the chickens while I fed and watered them. Then we would head over to the hog pen to slop and water them. Of course, we couldn’t forget to take care of our beloved dogs. Chores would change depending on what time of year it was on our little acre farm. Winter tacked on filling the wood box and emptying the stove ashes. All was worth it though for our hour of Looney Tunes.

It sounds quite simplistic, but it was a simpler time back then. You see, a family is supposed to do things together as a family. Sitting down at the table to eat and talk isn’t torcher, its family bonding. Back then, no one was too busy or doing their own thing. Sure, there will always be work to be done on most Saturdays, but we can always do it after Saturday morning cartoons and family time.

So during this “New Norm” trend, try taking a Saturday morning to repeat your childhood morning rituals with your family. Go ahead and cancel all plans for Saturday mornings. Put away everyone’s phones and technology for a couple of hours. Maybe dad can even do a kitchen takeover for breakfast and the family can sit at the table to eat. Then turn on some good ol’ cartoons for everyone to watch as a family for an hour or so. The “New Norm” Saturdays are boring and overrated. Make Saturday Mornings Great Again!!!

UPDATE: Governor Doesn’t Indicate a Decision is Coming Soon Regarding Fall High School Sports

Sports

Resident News Network

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2:26 pm

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UPDATE: Governor Doesn’t Indicate a Decision is Coming Soon Regarding Fall High School Sports

Arkansas governor Asa Hutchison briefly referred to media questions in today’s daily press briefing regarding the status of fall high school sports and their possible resumption.

Following questions regarding the face mask mandate, the governor was asked about when a decision was coming regarding fall sports. Referring to the COVID-19 statistics to-date, the governor said, “these are not good numbers.” When asked about a decision on fall sports, the governor explained that “if we want school to be open and want to have sports, we have to wear the masks.”

As of the publication date of this story, it is not known as to when a decision will be announced by Governor Hutchison. Many players, coaches, and athletic directors are growing increasingly concerned about time becoming shorter and shorter with respect to having enough time in August to safely prepare players for the fall seasons. Many are hoping for a July 31 announcement, but, after today’s remarks by the governor, there is certainly no guarantee that will happen.

Stay with Resident Press for more on this story as events occur.

Mansfield Mayor Provides Update on COVID-19 Cases in City

Tammy Teague

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11:51 am

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Mansfield Mayor Provides Update on COVID-19 Cases in City

Mansfield Mayor Buddy Black announced on Tuesday afternoon, July 28 that the city had two new positive cases of COVID-19.

Because the two cases directly affect the meeting of the city council, Black stated that the regular meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 30 will once again be postponed until Thursday, August 6 at 6 p.m.

However, there will be a special meeting Thursday evening, July 30 to vote on the rezoning change for the proposed duplexes on Cole Street. This will be the only item of business at that meeting.

Black also provided an update of COVID-19 cases in the city. “To the best of my knowledge there have been a total of nine cases, seven recovered and two active.”

Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet

Food

Resident News Network

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11:05 am

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It is a rare thing at my house that I will cook a new dish, and everyone of my kids enjoy it. Each of my kids have different tastes in food. You can just imagine what it is like trying to pick a place that we all agree on to go out to eat at. No one can ever seem to agree on where to go. So, it is usually solved by me saying, “Let’s vote on it!” However, I decided to try this idea I had for a Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet dish at the spare of the moment on the kids. All of my kids loved it! I am not sure how that happened, except to say maybe it was a miracle? This is a simple dinner idea with not a lot of clean up. That is always a big plus for me.

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds of Ground Beef

½ a bag of Frozen Cubed Hash Browns

1 8oz bag of Shredded Mexican Style Cheese (Cheddar and Pepper Jack)

8 slices of cooked Bacon crumbled (should equal about a cup of bacon crumbles)

Seasonings:

Minced Onion

Garlic Salt

Cavender’s All Greek Seasoning

Head Country Original Seasoning

Lawry’s Season Salt

Directions:

In a large skillet, brown hamburger meat with seasoning it with the all the spices listed above except the season salt. I gave the meat a generous dash of each seasoning. Once the meat is browned and almost completely finished, drain the grease and return to the skillet. You don’t want the meat to fully finish browning because you still need to cook the potatoes so the meat will finish up browning with the hash browns. Once the grease is drained off the meat, add the hash brown cubes and stir. Now, sprinkle the mixture with season salt.

Cover your skillet with a lid. Let it sit, covered, and cook for five minutes on medium heat. Then, remove lid, stir well, and return the lid. Let it sit, covered, and cook for another five minutes. Once this time is up, remove the lid, stir again, and return the lid. Now, repeat again. Let it sit, covered, and cook for another five minutes. This takes about approximately 15 minutes total to get the potatoes cooked and a nice golden color. Now, once the hash brown cubes are fully cooked, top your skillet with the package of graded cheese. Once, this is melted, top with your crumbled bacon.

Now, you are ready to scoop up in a bowl. Garnish your Bacon Cheeseburger skillet bowl with your favorite burger toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, pickle and onions! You can use your favorite condiment for your topping too! So, grab the ketchup, mustard or mayo, and give it a squeeze to top your bowl off. Time to enjoy!

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Towing Abilities

Pre-Check

Tires

Balance Your Load

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