Former Mansfield Coach Keith Dake and his business partner Caleb Bauer recently signed a lease making it official, Stu’s Clean Cookin’ is coming to Greenwood!
Work has already begun on the interior of the new store, located at 1435 W. Center Street, Suite C, beside H&R Block. “Our goal is to try and open late August or early September of 2020,” shared Dake. “But we have a lot of work to do to meet that timeline, so I can’t name a firm date as of yet.”
Clean Cookin’ has become increasingly popular for those seeking nutritious meals that are effortless to prepare. “We will be providing the exact same menu that is offered at the other five Stu’s Clean Cookin’ stores located in Arkansas,” added Dake.
Although the brand continues to expand, the owner Stuart Rowland has continued to keep community and charity at the heart of the operation. “Elisa Smiles,” a suicide prevention campaign, is part of that outreach. Others include donations to emergency services and food for those in need.
The Greenwood location is a long-awaited addition to southern Sebastian County. The new store will provide further convenience to those customers in Mansfield, Waldron, and surrounding communities. Territory that Dake is well acquainted with.
Additionally, the location will include 24-hour ordering service for curbside pickup through their website. You can also find more information and stay up to date on the store’s opening date on their Facebook page.
Stu’s Clean Cookin’ Frozen Meal Prep is set to open in Greenwood.
Tuesday’s Sports Brew Show was dedicated to the seniors and soon-to-be graduates of the Paris High School Class of 2020. The seniors will walk in their graduation commencement exercises on Saturday, and the Sports Brew Show honored those seniors in a special Class of 2020 edition of the show.
The show began with an opening discussion of the latest news in Arkansas high school sports as well as collegiate news both locally and nationwide. And as has been the theme all summer, the decision for a possible resumption of sports in the fall continues to be a wait-and-see game. The biggest news of the past few days has been the announcement from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) that it has postponed the start of the fall sports of cross country, volleyball, and soccer “through at least August 31.”
NEWS | @SEC Volleyball, Soccer, Cross-Country competition postponed through at least August 31.https://t.co/JSkaKUzqoq
As time moves on with each passing week of the summer, the fear of not having fall sports increases. And as July moves into its second half of the month, it is hoped by many that decisions on the fate of fall sports will finally be announced.
After the brief opening discussion, the show moved to its first guest interview. Show hosts Tim Johns, Marvin Wiggins, and myself interviewed Paris administrators Mike Nichols and Trey Prieur.
Sports Brew Show Host Tim Johns
Sports Brew Show Co-Host Marvin Wiggins
Principal Mike Nichols talked about preparations that are being made at Paris High School for Saturday’s graduation ceremony as well as the upcoming school year. Nichols announced specific information for family members who plan to attend Saturday’s ceremony. A summary of that information can be found in the conclusion of this story.
Nichols began his interview with the pride he has for this year’s graduating class. “Very proud of this group. These guys (graduating seniors) were in the eighth grade in my first year as principal at the middle school. I’ve had the chance to see them grow up.” Nichols was asked if he feared this day would never come due to the COVID quarantine. “Oh yes, absolutely. There was a time when we thought this (graduation ceremony) would never come. But we did continue to plan with the idea that as long as it takes we were going to have a traditional graduation ceremony. It just worked out that the state has allowed us to go ahead and do that, so I am excited about that.”
Nichols talked a few minutes about what school may look like if it resumes in the fall. “What does class look like when we get back in the fall? How are we going to maintain the six feet distance? How do we get students to keep masks on and stay six feet apart? It is going to be challenging because kids are going to be kids. We are looking forward to getting kids back and we are going to be ready.”
While talking about the resumption of fall sports, Nichols said, “Absolutely, we need sports. Just being out there together (players and coaches) is very good for our students.” Numerous measures, such as disinfecting surfaces, installation of plexiglass, etc., are being taken to protect students and staff. But health is the number one concern with respect to the resumption of both classes and sports in August. “Some people don’t understand why we are driving so hard to open school in the fall. It’s not just about math, science, and English. It’s the fact that a lot of students in this district who live in environments where they are not getting their needs met are at risk, whereas in school the best adult they see all day may be a teacher in school. We are looking at a mental health crisis for some of our students who will return to school. We have to be prepared for that. So, you run the risk between contracting the COVID virus and leaving students in environments that may jeopardize their safety and well-being in other respects.”
Paris Assistant Athletic Director Trey Prieur
The next guest on the show was Paris assistant athletic director / assistant middle school principal Trey Prieur. Prieur wears many hats within the district as both a building level administrator and assisting Casey Mainer with the district’s athletic department.
Prieur was asked about his thoughts regarding the resumption of sports in the fall. He responded by saying, “Unfortunately, the AAA (Arkansas Activities Association) has not told us a lot, publicly, or privately. So we are still waiting. NCAA and JUCO levels came out today saying they were going to push fall sports back to the spring. Mississippi (high school sports) came out today and said they are pushing their fall sports back two or three weeks. School is supposed to start August 24 and volleyball (Lady Eagles) is supposed to start that week. We are waiting on a directive from the AAA. We know that Lance Taylor (executive director of the AAA) is on the governor’s task force so we know that he is in direct communication with the governor. So we are hoping that we will have some guidance in the next couple of weeks. I am glad to know that they are not rushing to a decision to cancel everything. I definitely would not want to cancel this far out. But, we are still waiting for guidance.”
Prieur concluded by saying that the postponement or elimination of non-conference games in football, or the delaying of the start of volleyball season across Arkansas for up to three weeks may be “the best case scenario.” High school football schedules are flexible in that most schools play non-conference games for the first three weeks of the regular season. It would be relatively easy to cancel the first three weeks and play a conference-only season starting in September. Volleyball, however, especially in the case of Paris’s conference, would be more difficult. The Lady Eagles conference expanded to nine teams this year, and Paris will play Charleston in a week one conference match the week school is scheduled to open. Due to the fewer number of non-conference matches, it would not be as easy as football to simply cancel the first non-conference matches of the year. However, there is one plausible option to postpone the start of the season for up to two weeks. If that were done, the state final that is usually scheduled the first weekend in November at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs, could then be played later in November just prior to the start of basketball season. Of course, facility availability and other factors would be involved in making such a decision. Other options mentioned by Prieur included limiting the volleyball round-robin (playing each team twice, one game at home and one game away) to just one match per school, similar to football, and in effect reducing the schedule to half of the scheduled conference matches. But, as Prieur stated, we just don’t know anything at this point.
Following the Prieur interview, the remainder of the show focused on a series of interviews with graduating Paris seniors.
Emma Snow
Patrick Richardson
The first pair of seniors interviewed were Emma Snow and Patrick Richardson. Hosts Tim Johns and Marvin Wiggins interviewed the seniors to get their thoughts on Saturday’s upcoming graduation ceremony.
Senior Patrick Richardson played both football and baseball for the Eagles. When asked if he was going to miss playing for Paris, he replied, “Yes sir, 100%.” Over the past few months, Patrick has been working and preparing to go to college. I am going to miss the friends I made out there (on the football and baseball teams.) Emma Snow said, “I plan to go to Arkansas Tech. I was very involved in agriculture, so that will be one of the things I miss the most.” Emma could be a Paris graduate who later returns to Paris high school to teach agriculture!
Karli Haller
Olivia Henderson
Senior softball teammates Karli Haller and Olivia Henderson were the next graduating seniors interviewed on the show. Karli was asked about the abrupt end to the 2020 softball season. “It really hurt. I put my whole entire life into playing one sport. Worked so hard to get to this point, and it was just hard to have it stripped away.” Olivia was asked the same question and she responded, “It sucked.”
The two girls anchored the corners of the softball infield and were a dynamic pair defensively for the Lady Eagles. Olivia said she would miss “the bus rides, dancing before the games, and eating after the games.” Karli said, “I am definitely going to miss the people and my friends at Paris.”
The program took a break from the 2020 graduates-to-be with interviews with Paris head volleyball coach Jordan Devine and Paris head cheer coach Jennifer Owen.
Owen was asked what thoughts she has as she thinks about her senior cheerleaders participating in Saturday’s commencement ceremony. “It’s a lot going on (a lot to think about). There is a lot to know and these kids that are graduating I have known since the seventh and eighth grades. It is a special group of kids, and I am sad to see them leave as a teacher.” Coach Jordan Devine commented on her kids graduating by saying, “It’s always special on graduation day. Especially now that they are getting to graduate. So glad they are getting to experience that because they lost so much of their senior years. But, it’s always fun to see them get to live their lives and see what they figure out.”
Coach Owen remained to be on the show with three of her graduating senior cheerleaders, Saylor Hampton, Anna Claire Richey, and Mattie Jarrard.
Paris Volleyball Coach Jordan Devine
Paris Cheer Coach Jennifer Owen
Anna Claire shared that she plans to attend the University of Arkansas in the fall. Both Mattie and Saylor will attend Arkansas Tech. All three are outstanding students and have bright futures ahead of them.
Saylor Hampton
Mattie Jarrard
Anna Claire Richey
The girls exchanged stories of their times in the cheer program dating back to the eighth grade. Each will be missed both at Paris high school and in the cheer program, and we wish all of them the best of success in their post-secondary studies.
The last segment of the show included graduating senior volleyball players and their coach, Jordan Devine. Host Tim Johns purposely asked Faith Mainer and Robyn Gossard to be the last guests on the senior segment of the show. Robyn, Faith, and Faith’s dog, Ava, were the day’s final guests.
Robyn Gossard
Faith Mainer
Tim Johns shared with the listening audience that he had asked Faith about a month ago to be a final senior guest on yesterday’s show. He asked her who she wanted to be on the show with her, and Faith replied, “my trusty sidekick” (Robyn Gossard). Both were teammates on some of the most successful volleyball teams in Paris history.
Faith Mainer’s Dog, Ava
Faith was asked about her times at Paris high school. Faith shared, “Most of my favorite moments have to do with volleyball. During that time, it was 24/7 everyday trying to get more work in. Being part of that team…it’s just your second family. You spend more time with them than you do your family.”
Robyn Gossard commented on how she and others on the team would “run through a brick wall” for their coach, Jordan Devine. “Pretty much! A lot of hard work has gone into the program and I know that Paris volleyball has become a big name in the state and I hope they have continued success this season…I wish I could play.”
As the program concluded, each was asked for their highest and lowest points of their high school careers.
Robyn told a story about her worst moment in the volleyball program. She described an off-season drill in which the players had to chase loose balls all over the court to the point of physical exhaustion.
Faith described her low point as starting her senior season without her dad. “That was my worst. Number two (next lowest point) was losing state.” Both Robyn and Faith listed the quarterfinal state loss as one of the lowest points they have ever experienced.
Robyn, Faith, and all of the members of the Paris high school class of 2020 will be missed, but, we wish all of them the best as they start the next phase of their lives. Eagles for life, they will always be connected to the community and to the school district, and all will always be welcomed home.
For those family members who will be attending Saturday’s graduation ceremony, the gates will open at 8:30 a.m. and the ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Administrators encourage everyone to arrive early to secure their seats, as state-mandated social distancing requirements between family groups will be enforced.
Next week’s show will include the remainder of the June 30 interview with Paris athletic director Casey Mainer. The show will update listeners on any breaking news on fall high school and / or college sports. Just click on thesportsbrew.net next Tuesday at 4 p.m.
As the great former Paris football stadium public address announcer, Winford McClure, would say, “See ya!” next Tuesday at 4 p.m. on The Sports Brew Show!
And as always, watch for Resident Press next Wednesday for a recap of next week’s show!
Faith Mainer Blocks a Shot vs Charleston in 2019 Senior District Tournament (Resident Press File Photo)
The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, in partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, is currently accepting applications for the innovative employment program Future Fit, which aims to meet the region’s urgent employment needs while preparing unemployed and underemployed citizens for high-skill, high-paying careers.
The Future Fit program is free to participants, and applications are open until July 20. The first cohort of Future Fit launched in the fall of 2019 at UAFS and was initially designed with 12 weeks of courses offered 3 hours a night, three days a week. The COVID-19 pandemic hit Arkansas just as the second cohort of Future Fit students were nearing completion of the program. “We quickly moved our program online, and students were able to complete the program virtually,” explained Kendall Ross, director of the UAFS Center for Business and Professional Development (CBPD).
“A significant portion of our students are in crisis for a variety of reasons, and the pandemic has only added to our region’s employment needs,” continued Ross. “So many Arkansans are now out of work due to COVID-19, and the ability to prepare them for well-paying, stable, ‘recession-proof’ jobs is incredibly important. The combination of technical and safety training, along with the soft skills of workplace behavior and ethics, proves invaluable to both students and their future employers.”
In addition to moving much of the program online, the Future Fit program is also being offered on a shorter timeline, getting participants into their new careers more quickly. The first three weeks of training will be conducted online, with a learning coach from the university helping students and ensuring their progress. The online portion of the training includes Math, Safety, Critical Thinking, Blueprint Reading, Collaboration, Work Ethic, and Interpersonal Skills. Likewise, some Machine Operations simulation work will be done online.
After the online portion of the class, students will enter the laboratory for hands-on learning with more than $60,000 of training equipment contributed by the Arkansas Office of Skills Development (OSD). “The support from the OSD and AEDC has been monumental in helping our students and the manufacturers who have critical employment needs.”
According to the AEDC, a recent study by the Manufacturing Institute showed that nationally 80 percent of manufacturers report a moderate or severe shortage of qualified applicants for skilled and highly skilled production positions.
“The Future Fit program is a direct effort to help Arkansas manufacturers continue to grow and employ a skilled workforce. A job in the manufacturing industry is one of the most stable and secure jobs,” reads the AEDC’s Future Fit website.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average tenure of workers in manufacturing jobs is 9.1 years – the highest of all private-sector industries. Further, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that the average manufacturing worker in the United States earns $81,289.
The first class of Future Fit at UAFS consisted of nine students ranging in age from 19-63, six of whom had already secured jobs before completing the program.
“It was standing room only at their graduation,” shared Dr. Kim Gordon, professor of leadership and management in the CBPD. “We’re restoring hope. We’re giving people second chances. That’s what the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith is about.”
To enroll for the next class, which will begin August 3, interested applicants may contact Linda Blair at linda.blair@uafs.edu or 479-788-7743. All applicants should have a high school diploma or a GED, computer, reliable internet and have earned a bronze level ACT National Career Readiness Certificate to enroll.
The Waldron School Board met in regular session on Monday evening, July 13 at 6:30 p.m. Board members present were Tammye Sherrill, Clay Woodall, Angela Hunsucker, Christi Johnston and Mac Davis. Also present were Superintendent Daniel Fielding, Misty Owens, Ryan Walker, Darla Jeffery, Chris Lipham, Josh Atchley, Josh Brown, Kristi Sigman, Keith Brigance and Toni Dozier.
After the meeting was called to order, and the consent agenda items approved, Woodall made the motion to approve the Petition for Transfer of Students. Hunsucker seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
The Waldron School District received two School Choice applications to attend Waldron Schools.
A motion was made by Hunsucker and seconded by Johnston to approve transferring $500,000.00 from an Arvest Bank account to the Money Market account at Arvest Bank. The motion passed unanimously.
A motion was made by Woodall and seconded by Davis to remove Gary Wayman and add Daniel Fielding to the Safety Deposit Box at Chambers Bank. The motion passed unanimously. A motion was made by Davis and seconded by Hunsucker to approve the Emergency Declaration. The motion carried 5-0.
The principals reported on what is happening at each of their buildings to get ready for the upcoming school year. Walker reported that the Elementary School teachers are working in their rooms to meet social distancing requirements. Walker also reported that they would be starting a new literacy program this year. Lipham, Middle School Principal, reported that all positions are filled and that they are working on a solution for lunch schedules. Lipham also answered questions that the board members had about bus routes and the requirements that are going to be in place due to Covid-19. Coach Brown reported that graduation was successful. He also stated that there is a lot of new technology being installed at the high school in preparation for the upcoming school year.
Superintendent Daniel Fielding informed the board members that he has posted the Ready for Learning Plan 2020-2021 on the school’s website. However, information is ever changing and the plan will be updated as new guidance is given. Fielding reported that each classroom in the district will have a camera installed and teachers will be recording their lessons daily to share with those that choose to learn remotely. Enrollment forms are on the school website and Facebook page. This is where families can choose the onsite or remote learning option. He then opened the floor for questions.
A motion was made by Woodall and seconded by Davis to accept the resignations of:
Carol Owens – Bus Driver as of 06-30-2020
Amber Scott – Food Service as of 06-30-2020
Jessica Fisher – ABC Para as of 06-30-2020
Shirley Johnson – HS Para as of 06-30-2020
The board voted unanimously to accept those resignations. Next, a motion was made by Johnston and seconded by Woodall to accept the retirement of Brenda Kaye Taylor as bus driver, effective June 30, 2020. The motion passed unanimously.
A motion was made by Woodall and seconded by Johnston to hire James Rincker as level four bus driver with two years experience. The motion passed unanimously. A motion was made by Hunsucker and seconded by Johnston to hire Erica McKay as middle school math teacher with two years experience. The motion passed unanimously.
At 8:06 p.m., and with no other business before the board, the meeting was adjourned.
Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to pitch their business, new or existing, and win cash prizes on Aug. 14, 2020, when Communities Unlimited, Inc., presents “Entrepreneurs Unlimited: A Pitch Contest.”
The competition aims to find and assist people in starting their own business or expanding their business in one of eight communities: Crossett, Dermott, DeWitt, Hermitage, Mulberry, Waldron and Warren in Arkansas and Bogata in Texas.
The winner of the pitch contest will receive $2,500 in cash for their business. The runner up will receive $1,500. There will also be a People’s Choice award of $1,000.
All participants of the competition will receive 10 hours of free technical assistance for their business and consideration for a small business loan from Communities Unlimited. The first 50 participants will receive one domain name and website for one year from GoDaddy.
“Entrepreneurs Unlimited” contest will take place online as a virtual competition. Contestants will register online at www.communitiesu.org/pitchcontest and will submit a two-minute video pitching their business.
Then, on Aug. 14 at 5:30 p.m., contestants will pitch their videos to a panel of judges. The judges will decide the top two winners, and audience members will be able to vote on their favorite for the People’s Choice award winner.
Small businesses are the crux of the economy, and Communities Unlimited’s Entrepreneurship and Lending teams goal is to work to facilitate the opening and growth of small businesses in rural communities.
Communities Unlimited, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations founded in 1975 that works side-by-side with small businesses, communities and families in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas to create fair access to resources to sustain healthy businesses, healthy communities and healthy families. CU takes a community-based, regional approach to solving the challenges that threaten a communities’ survival. Our diverse technical know-how and geographic expertise makes CU uniquely qualified to partner with Southern communities. Find more information visit http://www.CommunitiesU.org/. Communities Unlimited, Inc. is an EOE M/F/Disability/Veteran employer, lender and provider.
On June 19, 1865 slaves in Texas were told about the emancipation and the fact they were free. Many did not know where to turn or what to do; some just headed out from the plantations intent on finding a new home.
Willis Wise, a 16 year old former slave from Boston Texas, for whatever reason headed through Arkansas and ended up in the area that was to become Logan County. In 1870, he married Mary (Christopher), a former slave from Clarksville, AR. They settled on a plot of land on Shoal Creek, near the current day Methodist Youth Camp.
Willis was a farmer and found the land along the creek rich but prone to flooding and covered by creek boulders. Clearing the land and plowing but Willis was obviously successful. He also was a craftsman; making and peddling baskets throughout the region.
He also had a great helpmate in Mary. She began working with Dr. B.M. Miller in 1890 and for 40 years she accompanied him. He taught her the use of herbs and medicine and even more importantly, how to deliver babies. Sometimes she would remain in the homes of both black and white patients, tending to their needs and nursing them back to health.
Bad weather, illness, or impassable roads never stopped her. When her driver; grandson Sellars Newton begged her to stay home she would say, “Get ready son, it’s my duty.” She never refused assistance to anyone.
Over the years, they accumulated enough wealth to raise a family, start a school, and hold a week long yearly revival paying the best visiting ministers possible from Memphis to Oklahoma City to conduct services.
Daughter Clara (Wise) Lewis became a school teacher and thought several generations of students at Shoal Creek and later at Gray Rock public schools. Grandson Alfred Lewis was a close friend of my uncles and was raised in the Midway community. Willis passed away in 1933, Mary lived to be 107 years old. When she passed away, the funeral was conducted at Midway Assembly of God by the Reverend P.W. Wright and she and several family members are buried in the May cemetery at the Methodist Youth camp.
A family to be admired and respected. In history we always teach hard work plus integrity leads to success. Mr. and Mrs. Wise are testament to the truth of that statement.
For the past 7 years, the band program at Mountainburg has been under the direction of Robert Kain. This past month, Kain was hired as an Assistant Band Director at Rogers High School. During his time at Mountainburg, the band program has grown incredibly. The Mountainburg Band Program is in good hands going forward.
Robert earned his Bachelor’s in Music Education from Connecticut State University in 2005. After graduating, Kain spent three years teaching at Killingly Intermediate School in Connecticut. In 2008, He started on his Master’s in Musical Performance at the University of Arkansas. He graduated in 2010 and moved to Colorado. There, he and his wife taught Elementary Music before moving back to Arkansas. It was not until 2012 when Kain started at Mountainburg.
When Robert started at Mountainburg, the band program had less than 10 people. For his first year, Kain focused on recruiting students to join the band and teaching the current students on how to be musicians. Kain stated, “The students at Mountainburg started to see my enthusiasm and excitement for band and that’s what I feel won them over.” Once the band started to grow, Kain had to find enough instruments for his students. The School District was able to purchase a few but a large donation came from the Alma Band Program. Over 20 previously-loved instruments were donated to the Mountainburg Band Program thanks to David Townsend and the Alma School District. In 2019, the band program had 60 students involved and was the largest student group on campus. Kain added, “The community has shown excitement for our sound and accomplishments – something that was lackluster previously.”
Robert is very proud of how hard the students at Mountainburg have worked and believed in the program. “It was tough in the beginning at assessments but it was necessary for growth in the program,” explained Kain. Eventually, the Band began to improve and achieve high marks at assessments and local invitationals. Kain said, “These students are all wonderful young men and women, who he will miss moving forward.”
When asked about some of his favorite moments at Mountainburg, Robert said his favorite concert piece to perform was Chorale from Jupiter. For his favorite marching show to perform, it was titled “From the Darkness to the Light.” The show featured for the opener, “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark” by Fall Out Boy, followed by a symphonic piece called “By Dawn’s Early Light” by David Shaffer, and concluded with “Theme from Man of Steel” by Hanz Zimmer. “It gave the kids something they wanted mixed with something they needed mixed with something I wanted since I’m a comic book guy,” Kain explained.
Now for the part of the interview where we ask our ARVBands’ “Quick 5”.
What is your favorite High School marching show ever? That would probably be the first show that I wrote. It was in 2007, I believe, and the theme was Dies Irae. It combined the famous chant with Symphony Fantastique with the Exorcist, the Red Cape Tango, and Verdi’s Requiem.
What is the best meal that you have ever eaten? Probably a homemade lasagna. I have a killer recipe that has kind of ruined me for all other lasagnas!
What is your biggest pet peeve in teaching? Grading for sure. I just want to teach and make great music without being pulled back into the grade book.
If you could pick another profession, what would it be? Astronaut.
What is your favorite memory from your music career? Taking a novice band (Mountainburg) and teaching them enough to earn 1s and 2s at Concert Band Assessment. Their success on stage is my success as a teacher.
We wish Robert and his wife the best as they start their jobs in Northwest Arkansas. I know the Students at Mountainburg will miss you but are excited about your new journey.
River Valley Primary Care Services, which has 10 clinics across the River Valley, has opened in Bonanza.
The Bonanza Wellness Center, located at 920 S. Hwy. 45, is open and now accepting patients ages six weeks and older. The health provider is Greenwood native Brittney Beland-Jackson, Nurse Practitioner.
Patients are seen by appointment, Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The clinic offers in house lab services, flu screening and COVID-19 testing. Additionally, they accept most insurances, including Medicaid.
“We accept patients with or without insurance, and offer a sliding scale pay option, ranging from $20 to full pay,” stated Site Coordinator Sierra Reynolds. RVPCS offers affordable healthcare to those with insurance, those without, and those that are under-insured without regard of their ability to pay.
RVPCS in Bonanza is expecting to expand their clinic by adding four more exam rooms in the future.
“We are excited to provide family care to those in this area. We have had people call and they are excited to learn that they don’t have to drive far to see a doctor,” added Reynolds.
If you are interested in learning more about RVPCS, you can visit their webpage, or Facebook page. You can contact the Bonanza clinic at 479-279-7690.
Today, July 13, the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) released an update on Twitter regarding the status of the possible resumption of contact sports seasons in reaction to the recent announcement from Governor Asa Hutchinson delaying the start of the school year to August 24.
In today’s AAA announcement, the Association repeated the same information from its last release, stating essentially that the governor’s announcement delaying the start of the school year has not changed the AAA’s plans to start the sports seasons in the fall.
Although there was no change in the AAA’s position following the governor’s announcement, it did not indicate the postponement or cancellation of the fall high school sports seasons. As it has been for the past four months, the final decision still hangs in the balance and is not publicly known at this time.
Stay with Resident Press for more updates as it is made available.
By Jason Sealock Original article was first published on Wired2fish.com on January 9, 2012
Sputtering. Spitting. Choking. No Power. The motor refused to muster up the strength to get the 20-foot bass boat up on plane. It was more like a tow boat dingy than a bass fishing machine. The angler was confused. He’d been meticulous about care for the engine and the boat.
The boat raced down the lake. The gentle breeze made for the perfect bow lift and the boat was roaring at full tilt on the way to the first stop during practice for the Central Open on Lake Lewisville. In a split second the boat lurched and started pushing water in less than 50 yards. It was like the lower unit was thrown but the boat could still get on pad although barely able to touch 3,500 RPM.
Sound like an old boat and old motor? Well it wasn’t the condition of the motor or boat at all that caused these woes. It was the well maintained boat and motor of Bassmaster Central Open pro Jason Baggett of Mansfield, Ark. The little gremlin in the outboard was a relatively misunderstood culprit called ethanol.
When we reported about the new E-15 gas laws coming down the pipe last January, we were anticipating more problems for fishing boat owners. Ethanol is not your friend if you own a fishing boat or pretty much anything that consumes gas that was not an automobile made in the last 7 years. The subsidized fuel alternative can and will wreak havoc in your bass fishing machine if you let it.
Baggett is a testament to that fact, having just picked his boat up out of the shop for more than $1,500 of damage and repairs completely caused by ethanol and its effects on fuel filters, spark plugs, fuel lines and more. Baggett fished the Central Open circuit in 2011 but was plagued by what he thought was fuel filter problems.
It finally came to a head when fishing on Lake Tenkiller on a fun trip on Black Friday, ironically enough. The boat was sluggish, running rough and just pushed water refusing to get on plane. He pulled the boat out of the lake and headed straight for Brad’s Boat Sales in Alma, Ark. He worked with Robert Sampley, the chief mechanic on the issues and discovered that ethanol and the deposits it was creating had wreaked havoc on his fuel filters, fuel lines, spark plugs, fuel pumps and more.
Sampley has 33 years of experience and is 5-Star Yamaha and Mercruiser/Outboard certified and has seen a growing number of ethanol related issues coming into the shop.
What is Ethanol Blended Fuel
Manufacturers generate ethanol, which is short for ethyl alcohol, by fermenting and distilling crops like corn, wheat and barley. It’s the same stuff that is in alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is an amazing cleaner and solvent and its natural tendency is to bond with water. There is where the problems lie. Unlike automobiles, boats don’t go through gas as quickly. Where a car might fill up every week, boats often sit for weeks on end with the same gas in them.
What happens is a process called phase separation where the alcohol separates from the gas and alcohol bonds to any water that is inherent in the system, corrupting all of the fuel in the process. That is the second problem with boats as opposed to cars with ethanol. Boats live in a watery environment. There is a lot more water present all the time. Once a fuel tank has reached phase separation, there is no fixing it. The fuel really needs to be discarded.
The other issue besides the water is that because alcohol is such a good solvent and cleaner it can dry out, damage and corrode plastics, rubbers and cause pieces to flake, break off and travel into the fuel system of an outboard.
In Baggett’s case that’s what happened. He was unknowingly putting ethanol fuel that was at a much higher content than is supposed to be allowed into his boat and his boat was sitting for extended periods of time allowing for breakdown of fuel lines, filters, and other components that were creating deposits in other parts of the system.
As seen in the photos here. You can see fuel lines that were cut open and inspected to find the inner walls were deteriorating and flaking off into the fuel. The fuel lines themselves became very hard and brittle. The fuel filters got gummed up with debris which also lead to fouling of spark plugs. The fuel filters swelled and broke into two pieces. Spark plug injectors filled with gunk and failed to spark.
“I’m embarrassed that I let this happen,” Baggett said. “I honestly didn’t know that there was ethanol in the system and that it was doing this to my outboard.”
Some early warning signs that you might have a fuel system problem are constantly dirty and clogged fuel filters, sputtering and choking of the outboard, lack of power, premature rusting of parts, gunk and build up in the system and complete shutdown of fuel intake.
But the blame doesn’t necessarily lie solely with Baggett. Retail locations have been found to be unknowing victims of ethanol in their own gas, especially those supposedly with less than 10 percent ethanol. Stations using gas with less than 10 percent ethanol aren’t mandated to put up signs to that effect either. Sampley has tested fuels in boats at more than 24 percent ethanol levels who purchased gas from stations with no ethanol signage whatsoever. You can purchase ethanol content testers to perform these tests on your own fuels if you have concerns.
Basically you’ll follow the instructions and place 25% or 50% water in the tube with graduations on it and then add your fuel sample, shake to mix and then wait was the ethanol will bond to the water. Then by performing simple calculations, you determine the actual amount of ethanol in the system.
Ethanol Precautions
Sampley and Baggett offered several suggestions on how to avoid these ethanol nightmares in your own fishing boats.
“If I could save one angler from going through everything I’ve been through in the last year, it would be well worth the time,” Baggett said.
The first and easiest fix can be to avoid ethanol fuels all together in marine outboards. Seek out those stations that adamantly announced and promote they use non-ethanol based fuels only. Avoiding the root cause of the problems is obviously the best solution in any case. Test the fuel if you’re concerned. Some stations may unknowingly be carrying ethanol fuels.
Another precaution is to use a fuel and ethanol stabilizer like Lucas Safeguard Ethanol Fuel Conditioner with Stabilizers. This product will stabilize the ethanol to a degree in your system until you can burn through it all. Gas has a shelf life of about 3 weeks. After that, octane begins to diminish. These stabilizing agents can prolong that. However they cannot change the nature of ethanol, and its natural tendency to bond to water.
Buy gas from busy gas stations because their fuel will be replenished more and fresher than a gas station not frequented as much.
Replace your fuel filters every 50-100 hours, and more often if you suspect you might be getting unlabeled ethanol fuels from your local station.
Avoid running your tanks when they get close to empty. If you have had phase separation, the bottom of the tank will hold the highest water content. You may be able to run the tanks low enough and then remove the bad fuel and discard properly. Check your state laws on rules governing this.
Final Thoughts
“I was plagued with issues that resulted from the effects of ethanol,” Baggett said. “The relationship with ethanol and me was quite volatile and it crippled me more than once this season. It’s been extremely humbling and costly.”
“Ethanol is the No. 1 reason we see in our shop for a blown powerhead,” Sampley said. “If left to do its dirty work, ethanol will make any and all rubber lines useless and cause plastic filters to swell and break. Just avoiding some of the common sense things can alleviate a lot of problems. Things like leaving if you see a station being filled by a gas tanker. That old fuel and water separation is being stirred up as new fuel is pumped into the holding tanks.”
Ethanol is here to stay. Anglers and boaters need to be cautious and aware of the impacts to outboards and fuel systems in vessels that spend their lives around the water. Take some extra precautions up front to avoid costly repairs and downtime on the water later.
Beyond that anglers and boaters should support efforts to reform the fuel decisions being made in congress. Check out smarterfuelfuture.org to stay up to date on ethanol issues and more. Also contact your congress representatives and share your insight and opinions on ethanol fuels and the damage and costs to boaters and anglers equipment.
