As Secretary of State and Chief Election Officer for the State of Arkansas, I have been receiving many questions and have listened to the many concerns of the citizens of Arkansas as to the upcoming November election. We are fortunate in Arkansas that we have in place the means by which registered voters may request an absentee ballot. According to Ark. Code Ann. §§ 7-5-402 and 7-5-404, a voter may request an absentee ballot due to one of the following reasons:
• You will be unavoidably absent from your polling site on Election Day, OR • You will be unable to attend your polling site on election day due to illness or physical disability, OR • You are a member of the Uniformed Services, merchant marines or the spouse or a dependent family member and are away from your polling location due to the member’s active duty status, OR • A U.S. citizen whose residence is in Arkansas but is temporarily living outside the territorial limits of the United States.
Those provisions, as provided by state law, allow the voters of the state to contact their local County Clerk, and request an absentee ballot for one of the stated reasons. I understand many of our citizens may be assisting loved ones or are fearful of exposing a vulnerable family member to the virus. I understand that many are fearful of contacting or passing along the virus to others in the community. While my office continues to work with county officials to prepare polling locations, we are also anticipating and preparing for an increase in Absentee Ballot requests due to the COVID-19 virus.
It is my opinion and belief, that our current laws are sufficient to allow the registered voters of Arkansas the choice of going to their local polling location or requesting an absentee ballot from their local County Clerk. We are fortunate that our lawmakers had the foresight in crafting our election laws to allow for times of being unavoidably absent whether by natural disaster, war, or global pandemic.
At McDonalds and surrounding businesses around Greenwood, the tradition of “Paying it Forward” has been going on where the car pays for the order of the car behind them in the drive thru, or while in line inside the restaurant.
General Manager David Dusenbury has been working there since last October and has seen it happening for as long as he has been here. “Oh, I’d say its happened two or three times a day sometimes,” stated Dusenbury. “I’ve worked in other places that don’t have this sort of hometown kind of a feel and it didn’t happen there, but Greenwood really likes to take care of each other”
The Summer of Smiles t-shirts are available –here–
By Randy Zellers Assistant Chief of Communications
LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission voted unanimously to allow Class I electrically assisted bicycles on AGFC-owned wildlife management areas at their regularly scheduled meeting held Thursday, June 18.
Recent changes to Arkansas state law determined that certain classes of electrically assisted bicycles were not classified as motorized vehicles, which has resulted in some confusion on their use on Arkansas WMAs that do not allow motorized vehicles but do allow mountain bikes.
Brad Carner, chief of the AGFC’s Wildlife Management Division, said the change left the previous code language unclear about the use of electric bicycles on AGFC-owned lands managed for wildlife recreation. A proposal was developed to allow only Class I electrically assisted bicycles to be used anywhere a traditional bicycle may be used on AGFC-owned WMAs. Class I bicycles are defined as an electric bicycle with a motor that provides assistance only when the operator is pedaling and ceases to assist the operator when the bicycle reaches 20 miles per hour. Other electric bicycles are subject to the same restrictions as motorized vehicles on WMAs.
The proposal was reviewed through public comment surveys, with 65 percent of respondents who provided input on the regulation in favor of allowing the bicycles. However, some opposition was aired to possible conflicts with the many user groups on WMAs and concerns about interference with the quality of hunting on these public areas. Four speakers from the public spoke in opposition to the regulation, while one spoke in favor of it and its ability to help aging hunters access more remote areas on WMAs.
Commissioners had a lengthy discussion on many caveats of the proposal. While commissioners Stan Jones of Walnut Ridge and Ken Reeves of Harrison stressed using caution toward possible conflicts with other users of WMAs and keeping a close eye on the impact the vehicles would cause on wildlife, Andrew Parker and Anne Marie Doramus brought up the increased opportunities for outdoor recreation these bicycles may provide.
Carner stressed that the regulation would only be in effect on the 61 WMAs the AGFC owns and would not be in effect in the 78 WMAs that are owned by other agencies and organizations and cooperatively managed with the AGFC for wildlife habitat and recreation.
“Most of those are other public land agencies, like the USDA Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, etc.,” Carner said. “And each of those landowners all have their own access restrictions in what is allowed.”
Commissioner Bobby Martin of Rogers also was in favor of the use of Class I electric bicycles on WMAs and recognized the need to stay up to speed with the innovations in this growing industry.
“Multiple constituents are studying this,” Martin said. “And we need to move forward at some type of a measured pace on all of this, because we’re going to learn.”
This was the last official meeting of the Commission during Reeve’s appointment, whose seven-year term will expire at the end of June. The Commission unanimously voted to elect Commissioner Andrew Parker of Little Rock as the chairman for the next fiscal year and Commissioner Joe Morgan of Stuttgart to serve as vice-chairman.
In other business, the Commission:
Heard an update from AGFC Chief of Fisheries Ben Batten on the status of infectious pancreatic necrosis problems along with infrastructure needs at the Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery.
Approved new human resources policies to allow staff flexible work arrangements while continuing vital conservation work throughout the state in the shadow of COVID-19.
Authorized Director Pat Fitts to enter into a partnership with the City of Springdale to grant an easement at the new J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center for the Razorback Regional Greenway Trail to go through the property.
Approved four amendments to the captive wildlife code:
Transferred the authority of captive alligator permits from the AGFC Chief of Wildlife to the AGFC Chief of Fisheries;
Clarified Aquatic Turtle Permit requirements;
Added 439 species of snakes, lizards, turtles and amphibians to the agency’s unrestricted list, and
Moved boa constrictor from the permitted list to unrestricted list.
Authorized Director Fitts to enter into a contract to resolve an encroachment issue with a lakeside landowner at Lake Overcup in Morrilton.
Heard the dates for the Youth and Veteran/Active Duty Military Waterfowl hunt to be voted on at the Commission’s July meeting.
Approved the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Operating Funds Center Budget at $87,484,644.
Approved the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Gas Lease Funds Budget at $224,000.
Approved the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Black River WMA Restoration Funds Budget at $1,306,000.
Awarded outgoing Commissioner Ken Reeves his service sidearm.
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (June 24, 2020)–Arkansas Tech University is planning a virtual commencement ceremony to honor its spring and summer 2020 graduates.
The ATU in-person commencement ceremonies scheduled for Aug. 8, 2020, are cancelled. It is the second in-person commencement ceremony season the university has cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which also forced the cancellation of the ATU spring 2020 in-person commencement ceremonies in May.
“At the outset of the pandemic, we held out hope that we might be able to conduct in-person commencement ceremonies by August 2020,” said Dr. Robin E. Bowen, ATU president. “Our phased return as a university and a state continues, but guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Arkansas Department of Health indicates that it is not yet prudent to host public events the size and scope of our traditional commencement ceremonies. I am saddened that we will be unable to celebrate our spring and summer 2020 graduates in person, but the lack of a traditional ceremony does nothing to diminish their achievements. I am proud of and happy for every one of them.”
The ATU Office of the Registrar, which plans and executes commencement ceremonies at Arkansas Tech, has been making provisional plans for a possible virtual commencement ceremony since April. ATU spring and summer 2020 graduates are encouraged to watch their ATU e-mail accounts for details about how to participate in the virtual commencement, which will be made available online in August.
“While we know the virtual celebration does not replace the experience of commencement, we do hope students will participate virtually in recognition of their achievements,” said Tammy Weaver, ATU registrar. More details concerning the ATU spring and summer virtual commencement are available and will continue to be updated at www.atu.edu/registrar/graduation.php.
ATU is planning for on-campus classes and activities during the fall 2020 semester. A decision concerning the status of fall 2020 in-person commencement, currently slated for Dec. 11-12, is scheduled to be made in October.
The River Valley Regional Food Bank, in partnership with Feeding America and Rath Auto Resources of Fort Smith, will donate 240 bottles of hand sanitizer to the Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House in Fort Smith.
The Cancer Support House, who is a member pantry partner of the River Valley Regional Food Bank, will receive the donation of 240 1.75 liter bottles of hand sanitizer on Thursday, June 25 at 11 a.m. at 3324 South M Street in Fort Smith.
The food bank applauds the work of the Cancer Support House and provides this donation to help ensure the safety of the Cancer Support House staff, and the clients they serve.
“We value our partnership with our member pantry partner, the Cancer Support House, and want to do all we can to help protect those with compromised immune systems,” Food Bank Director Tracy Engel said. “They do such an amazing job and we are happy to help them during these trying times.”
The River Valley Regional Food Bank would also like to thank Feeding America and Rath Auto Resources for helping us provide this wonderful gift to our community.
To stay up-to-date on food giveaways and other activities at the RVRFB, follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About the River Valley Regional Food Bank: The RVRFB, a charitable organization, is based in Fort Smith, Ark., and works to alleviate hunger by acquiring and distributing food to people in need. The RVRFB distributes food to approximately 170 nonprofit food pantries, senior centers, youth shelters and soup kitchens throughout an eight county region in West Central Arkansas. The food bank distributes more than 12 million pounds of food each year. It is one of 200 national food banks that make up the Feeding America network, and one of Arkansas’s six food banks that are connected through the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. The food bank is a program of the Crawford-Sebastian Community Development Council. Learn more at www.rvrfoodbank.org.
In an advanced taping of an interview for “The Sports Brew Show” with Paris School District athletic director Casey Mainer, it did not take long for all to know that Paris athletics are a passion for Mainer. In the position of director of athletics, a job he refers to as “his dream job”, the crew of the Sports Brew Show discussed the recent coaching hires in the district’s basketball program, as well as the state of the department as it has navigated its way through the COVID-19 pandemic.
It has been a busy time of year for Mainer and Paris athletics. The spring is usually full of sporting events and end of school year activities, but as we all know, a viral pandemic put a sudden stop to all things school-related. We asked Casey about how the last few months have been for him and the athletic department. “This time of year is tough, and with all of the issues going around the world today related to the pandemic, it increases the intensity of our jobs. It’s a good time and it is exciting.”
Casey Mainer and his colleague, Trey Prieur, along with the district administration, have been very busy filling vacancies in the boys and girls basketball programs. “First of all, for our boys program, we were able to hire Blain Brewington. He comes to us with a wide variety of experiences; he G.A’d (graduate assistant coach) with the Razorbacks for a while, he has been to Lonoke and Nettleton, and we were in love with Blain when he sent his resume in, and the more people we called and asked questions about him, it just solidified what we had thought about him. We actually had to “zoom” (online video interview) the first initial interview with him because of the restrictions associated with the COVID-19 outbreak. Once that got settled and we were comfortable enough with having him come down and visit with us, we were super excited about what Blain could bring to our program.”
The girls basketball program also began a search to replace the sudden vacancy created by the departure of Dustin Williams to Little Rock eStem High School as head basketball coach. In describing the promotion of Donal Hart from assistant girls basketball coach to the new head coach of the team, Mainer said, “We were able to promote Donald Hart to the head coach position. In the three years that Donald has been here, he has proven that he run a program, and that he is an “old school approach”, which is one thing that attracted me to him. I like how he handles the girls, how he holds them accountable, their mentality and philosophy of being in shape, and their commitment to the team. Those were things that, I wouldn’t say we were missing, but we needed to take it a step further.”
Mainer stated that winning is what people remember you for, and without a doubt, Casey is committed to a winning program in all sports at Paris. But the Eagles athletic director went on to say, “I will say that when Trey and I looked at the candidates for possible coaches to fill the positions, if you take care of the little things, they will become big things that lead to winning. If you are disciplined, on-time, accountable for how you act, how you work, then winning is going to take care of itself. And if we hire good quality people with good character, then that has been my experience that winning will follow that.”
There is a youth movement taking place in the Paris athletic department with all head coaches in each sport being young and presently involved in their first opportunities to be head coaches. I asked Casey if the youth movement was deliberate or accidental having just worked out that way due to the circumstances of each hire. Mainer responded, “I would love to tell you that it was planned. But one thing we do look at is, first of all, somebody’s character, how they handle themselves, and, secondly, we look at how bad do they want THIS job. Not a basketball job, or a football job, or any other sport; how bad do they want that particular job and why do they want to be in Paris and be a Paris Eagle. Because that means something to me. You can’t just want a job. You need to be part of the community and want to see OUR kids succeed. That’s one thing that we definitely look at. The youth movement…to be able to connect with kids this day and time, it is important that the coaches are able to connect with the kids. The youth movement helps to do that. Some of them (coaches) have not been out of college that much longer than some of the kids they may be coaching in high school. Others have been experienced. Coach Donald Hart has experience in other workplaces. Josh Hart has experiences outside, and so does Jordan (Devine), has experience in her family business, so they know how to deal with people and they know how to deal with kids, and they know how to communicate. So, the fact that they are young, that is a plus in our book. They are hungry and they need to prove themselves in their jobs. If and when they want to move on, they have to be successful here.”
Paris finds itself at a point where the perfect combination of talented players that will play all sports at Paris high school over the next three years with new, talented, and enthusiastic coaches. In the case of new coach Blain Brewington, an applicant that was employed at a Class 5A school, more than five hours away, he found himself attracted to the western Arkansas community of Paris and its talented players that he would have the opportunity to coach over the next few years. Quite a compliment to the community of Paris and to the student-athletes that are talented and many in all sports.”
The second portion of Mainer’s interview was originally scheduled to air on yesterday’s show, but due to the unexpected length of the show, the second segment of his interview will be aired on next week’s show, June 30.
Paris Assistant Coach Jerry Fulmer
The first guest on yesterday’s live show was longtime Paris assistant coach, Jerry Fulmer. After starting his career in the Alma school district, Coach Fulmer moved to Paris in 1990 and has called Paris his home ever since. For thirty years, Jerry Fulmer has been a loyal and dedicated assistant coach in a variety of sports. In short, he has served the athletic department from year to year, wherever he was needed. He is an example of rare loyalty and devotion to a district that is very uncommon in today’s job market.
And loyalty is not Coach Fulmer’s only asset. Most recently, as an assistant coach for the Lady Eagles volleyball program dating back to the start of its successful run under former coach Wes Davis, many of the Lady Eagles have directly credited Fulmer with their individual skill development within the sport. Fulmer is a technitian how analyzes every aspect of the game. While standing in the shadows of head coaches, Fulmer is at work teaching the players and supporting the head coaches. He is the consumate example of a loyal assistant who loves the sport, loves the player, and is fiercely loyal to his head coaches.
So, I had to ask Coach Fulmer THE question. It is so unusual for a person to remain in one position for almost his entire career. He has worked in the shadows of the programs, watching head coaches be credited for the success of their programs. So, Coach Fulmer, have you had opportunities to leave Paris to become a head coach? And if so, why did you remain at Paris? And after I asked these questions, I was even more impressed with Coach Fulmer from his answers. The longtime Paris Eagle coach said, “Paris is just a special place. It has that “it” factor. Other people come in and talk about the Eifel Tower, and the Square, and how we do things, and it has always been a special place. Evidently we take some of this stuff for granted because people from the outside tell us that not every community has what we have. Tome, its about family, making great friends, supporting each other, and, so, I just really didn’t want to leave. A few years ago, back in Alma, they hired a new volleyball coach and she talked to Coach Davis about needing an assistant. I received an email from her asking me if I would like to come to Alma to interview to be her assistant. I really thought about going, but I thought that I am really happy being here in Paris. The volleyball program (Paris) was good and I thought, this is where I want to be. I didn’t even apply at Alma; I really appreciated the offer, but I thought I would have been wasting their time because I really didn’t have a desire to leave Paris.”
Fulmer has been an assistant boys basketball coach for several years, and has recently made the decision to step away from the program. When asked why by host Marvin Wiggins, Fulmer replied, “It has kind of been in the works for a little bit for me to choose between volleyball or basketball. This has been in the works for around one year. It was just simply because; in January I think there were just two days that I did not go to basketball, maybe two or three days. I’m talking about from January 1 to January 31st. It’s just time that you put in to coach; it’s literally 60 – 80 hours per week. And when I get out of volleyball, there were times when we would finish on a Saturday and that next Tuesday we had a basketball game. There is no time between sports. There is no down time for me; even in the summer. I would go to volleyball practices in the morning and then we would go to Ozark or Waldron, or somewhere in the afternoon. I just felt like I had to have some family time.”
Amy Trusty
Rick Trusty
And speaking of time, Amy Trusty and her husband Rick, appeared on the show as the next guests. Amy, who has been an integral part of the “Mama Eagles” parent organization that supports the athletes of all sports in Paris, shared with the listening audience the time and the love they have invested in supporting the athletic program. Rick, one of many members of the Trusty family who excelled in several sports at Paris, spoke with Amy about the time commitment each of them invested over the years in serving in several capacities of volunteer support for Paris athletics.
“Soar Eagles!” Smoke From the Paris Cannon After Luke Trusty Scored a Touchdown in His Last Game of His Senior Year. Photo Credit: Amy Trusty
In a segment entitled “Passing the Torch”, Amy and Rick Trusty reflected on their times supporting the Paris athletic department, and most recently, their son Luke as he played his senior year in both football and basketball.
When asked about the Trusty legacy in Paris, Rick responded by saying, “I have five brothers. It has been fun. My kids are spread out six years apart, so, when one graduates, you have another one in the seventh grade. So, you just keep going and going. We have been involved in the program a long time. My first game (Paris football game) that I watched was in 1968. I’ve enjoyed it. It has been a good ride.”
Rick has been involved with the football stat (statistics) crew for many years. “I worked the stat crew for forty years.” The stat crew is on the field each game day keeping game stats for the Paris coaching staff. And for forty years, Rick was always there.
Host Tim Johns spoke with Rick and Amy about the Trusty name being synonomous with Eagles athletics. In speaking of the investment into the programs, Amy said, “I don’t know if we could count the hours. We have never really tried to, we just did everything we could do to be there for our town and our community, and our kids. We helped our football teams, our basketball teams, not just because of our own children, but mainly because there are a lot of kids that don’t have parents that are there and can’t be there for fundraising work, or whatever, and we were there as much as we could be. I have a list of things that we tried to do. It wasn’t just us; there were so many people in this community that anytime we went and asked for something the answer was always yes. Always what can I do, or, what else can I do…they would always step up. The businesses in town, the churches in town, the people here. Like Coach Fulmer just said, there is something about our town.”
Luke Trusty
So, Rick and Amy Trusty are “passing the torch” of everything they have done for the Paris athletes on to the next generation of parents. But that does not mean that you will not see them next year at the Paris games. Amy said, “We are actually looking for stadium seats. We have never had any because we did not have a need for them. And so, we are going to get some and sit down.” And sitting down will be a new experience for the two who have constantly been on there feet working concession stands, keeping stats, or doing any number of tasks on the many game nights throughout the sports seasons.
As the segment ended, the Trustys shared a story about their son, Luke, in his final football game last season. On a cold night in Paris, the Eagles were wrapping up the season at home. Amy told the story. “It was Luke’s last game; it was Rick’s last game keeping stats…it was one of my last night’s with the Mama Eagles, and that was a big night for us. We had all of our family there. I didn’t know the plays like Rick does. We are all there, and the one’s who know football and know the plays, they knew it was coming. But, they passed it to Luke and he scored a touchdown. It was senior night, it could not have been more perfect. The cannon went off, and I am sitting there in awe of it having been a wonderful evening, and I looked up, and the smoke from the cannon was in the shape of an Eagle. I was looking at that…it was just a sign that we did this…we did our year.” The picture that was taken after Luke’s score is one of a surreal image of an eagle, in great detail, hovering over the Paris football field. Quite an image, and quite a memory for the entire Trusty family.
In the “20 / 20” senior highlight segment, “The Sports Brew Show” had Class of 2020 graduates KenLeigh Robertson and Ethan Needham. The two graduates are also boyfriend and girlfriend. Show host Tim Johns put the two through the paces by playing a game on the air with them that asked each how much they knew about the other. After three years of dating, both KenLeigh and Ethan proved that they knew each other well….with the exception of one question…who is the boss? So, I’ll just say that they did not agree with their answers, but it was obvious that both are very happy as a couple.
KenLeigh Robertson
Ethan Needham
When asked about the sudden end to their senior year, Ethan said, “It was very unexpected. None of us were expecting it at all. Nobody knew what to do, or knew what the next day was going to bring. We just went day-by-day. School was let out, sports were done, so, we just didn’t know what to think. School was over, and we just played it by ear. We only went to school three quarters of the year, and that was it.”
When asked about what happened after school was closed, KenLeigh responded by saying, “Pretty much, if you had good grades you were pretty much done. We only had to do like one week of work, but our senior year was over.”
When asked what their plans are now that they have graduated from high school, Ethan indicated that he plans to begin study at Arkansas Tech University at Ozark. “I plan to attend Tech in Ozark for heating and air, go the full two years and get an Associate’s Degree. I just want to get started as soon as I can and I would like to eventually come back to Paris and start my own heat and air business.”
When KenLeigh was asked the same question, she shared, “I plan to go to ATU at Russlleville to get my business management degree, and when I finish, I plan to come back to Paris.” So, from the comments of both KenLeigh and Ethan, perhaps the two will be working in business together in their home towns! However it works out for them, we all wish each the best of success in their future plans. All of Paris is extremely proud of these outstanding young adults, and I know they will always be Eagles for life.
Denise Manus
Kenny Manus
Being an Eagle for life also means staying strong in the most difficult of times. In a show segment titled “Keeping Paris Strong”, pastor Kenny Manus and his wife, Denise, appeared on the show. The pastor of the First Assembly of God Church in Paris started by saying, “It has been a lot of fun doing the Facebook Live and going online. We had to do some quick adjustments on the first Sunday after we received recommendations from our state office and the government. It has been a learning curve. Every week we had adjustments to make. I would like to give cuddos to my wife, Denise, for doing such a fantastic job leading our worship. And her team, which Marvin (host Marvin Wiggins) is a part of, and they did just a fantastic job. But it has been a lot of fun. We did that for about a month by ourselves, and then we went outside and then we went back inside for about a month. We have the greatest comradery between our churches and pastors in this city than any other place I have ever seen. I have talked to other pastor friends in other parts of the state and I have shared what we are doing. Having services together, we meet monthly, and, you hear that from other denominations, and this is a shining star for this community.”
Denise spoke about how the ministry is a family affair. “You have to come to grips with the fact that it is a family affair. I knew pastors whose wives are not involved and it works for them. But that does not work for us. He (Kenny) as taught me a lot. I hope that we compliment each other. He never meets a stranger. I am a little bit more reserved than that; I have to get better at that. He will meet you one time, and it may take him a little of time, but he will remember who you are and where he met you.”
Tim Johns
Marvin Wiggins
Tim, Denise, and Kenny reflected on an old song, “Signs of the Times”, that spoke of the comfort that comes from knowing that God is in control, even during the worst of times. Denise said, “Absolutely, I think one of the things we have found that has been the most comforting is, that for me, my life has slowed down and it has been refreshing for me. It has given me time to think about what my priorities are. I know that God will lead us in the most uncertain of times.”
Pastor Kenny is right…Paris is very unique, and part of that comes from the great spiritual network of church pastors across all denominations that is in place for the people of Paris.
As the show went into its last segment, the content of the show, as you can see from this story, was quite extensive, and the show was well beyond its stated time slot. But being that a it is, its speaks volumes about the large numbers of great people and events that are happening in the little town of Paris. However, all good things have to come to an end, and it became necessary to re-schedule the second half of the Casey Mainer interview for next week’s show.
The final segment that focused on Arkansas Razorbacks news and events, a wide variety of news was discussed by guest Steven Davenport and the Sports Brew hosts. Topics ranged from the day’s announcement by Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey, who announced a decision on the upcoming SEC football season starting date would be made in late July, to the news that former Razorbacks Dan Hampton and Brandon Burlesworth had been placed on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame. This and other Razorbacks news on recruiting was discussed.
Special Razorbacks Edition of “The Sports Brew Show” Will Be Streamed Live on July 7
Razorbacks fans will want to be sure to tune into the Sports Brew Show on July 7 for a special show on Razorbacks sports. Special guests will include former Razorbacks football players Ron Trusty and Brad Taylor. You will not want to miss this show! Stay with Resident Press next week for more information on this special edition of “The Sports Brew Show”!
Next week’s show will include the second half of the interview with Paris athletic director Casey Mainer. Other guests will also make their appearances along with another edition of the Hogs / Eagles round table. Just go to thesportsbrew.net at 4 p.m. every Tuesday.
And as always, Resident Press will be here each week to bring you the latest in the “Sports Brew Show” and all sports across the River Valley.
Destiny Burkhart, 21, of Fort Smith was cited on Tuesday, June 23, for leaving the scene of an accident. The accident occurred on Grove Street, near the Middle School, in Mansfield on Monday night, June 22.
Burkhart reported to the Mansfield Police Department that she had looked down to get a drink, and struck an electric pole. Mansfield Police Chief Wayne Robb stated that Burkhart was “scared, and left the scene.”
The department made contact with Burkhart, and on Tuesday, she reported to the station.
The vehicle Burkhart was driving, a Toyota Tundra pickup, sustained extensive damage to the front passenger side, and windshield.
The Arkansas State Police has opened a criminal case file and is investigating an incident that occurred Monday, June 22, 2020 at 13405 Wildwood Cutoff Road near Mansfield.
During the course of an altercation involving Gerald Schlinker, 49, who was residing at the home on Wildwood Cutoff Road, Schlinker was reportedly struck by a moving vehicle. He was transported to a Fayetteville hospital but died on Wednesday, June 24.
The suspect, Gary Parish, 39, was taken into custody, but has since been released on his own recognizance. The case remains active, and under investigation by the ASP.
Gary Parish (photo courtesy of the Scott County Sheriff’s Office)
Three grants just announced by the Arkansas Natural Resources Division of the Department of Agriculture enhance the ground-breaking work of Sebastian County Conservation District in developing an accelerating conservation effects in the West Border County partnership of Sebastian, Crawford and Scott Counties; Scott is known as Poteau River Conservation District.
Awards totaling $38,600 were announced by Ryan Benefield, Deputy Director of the Natural Resources Division.
A sensor device for aerial mapping grant makes possible state of the art mapping of agricultural projects of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) by providing funding for an infrared sensor for the District’s DJI Inspire 2 drone. Sebastian County flies a drone for a variety of conservation uses, such as verification of NRCS practices. The addition of infrared capability enhances significantly mapping capabilities for nutrient manage plans in protected watersheds.
A grant for pollinator seeding enables development of dozens of native pollinator patches to provide food for pollinators, such as the Monarch butterfly and honeybees, as well as for other beneficial insects. The pollinator patches, equaling in total about 100 acres of food sourcing, will be scattered through all three of the counties, Sebastian, Crawford and Scott.
A grant for an agricultural high tunnel provides a season-lengthening plant house for the Sebastian demonstration and production farm, Holland Oaks Farm, which is a key part of the District’s Urban Conservation endeavor.
“The District deeply appreciates the valued support of the Natural Resources Division in helping with these three ground-breaking projects,” said Conaly Bedell, Finance and Personnel Committee Chairman for the Sebastian County District.
According to a police report, on Monday, June 15, at 2:13 p.m., a Greenwood officer was dispatched to the Greenwood Walmart in reference to a shoplifting incident.
While en-route, the officer was informed that Walmart Employees had caught a group of individuals shoplifting, and attempted to stop them. Some, or all, of the subjects were fleeing from them. Upon arrival, the officer observed Walmart employees, two males, and a female standing in the fire lane in front of the store. Those employees pointed out two individuals in the parking lot. The officer moved toward them, and ordered them to his car.
The officer had the male place his hands on his car and attempted a pat down of his person. At the same time, another officer arrived and began to speak to and pat down the other male, identified as Cody Staggs of Sallisaw. The officer spoke to the employees, and in doing so, found that all of the individuals were in the store.
Then, suspect Wizdom McMurray of Waldron, became agitated, moving around and becoming loud. The officer instructed her several times to remain in front of the car.
Suspect Garry Smith of Waldron had a backpack on. Smith had alledgedly put merchandise in the backpack and left the store without paying for the merchandise. Employees informed the officers that prior to their arrival, another involved individual had went to the parking lot on foot and got into a grey Ford Focus. Officers checked the parking lot, found the vehicle, and the individual inside.
After gathering all the suspects at the front of the store, officers collected each individual’s information. Smith gave officers the name Dennis Smith and the birth date 2/14/88. Officers later found this to be incorrect. Smith would go on to give another name and multiple birth dates. Ultimately, he had to be finger printed to obtain his identity.
The other individuals were identified as Cody Staggs, Carlton Mathews of Waldron, and Wizdom McMurray. Dispatch located and confirmed a warrant for failure to appear, out of the City of Greenwood for Staggs’ arrest. They located and confirmed a warrant for absconding out of the Board of Parole for Mathews arrest. Smith was arrested for shoplifting and obstructing governmental operations. The suspects were transported to the Sebastian County Detention Center.
