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Former Lady Tiger Attacks Mountain Run Series

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Former Lady Tiger Attacks Mountain Run Series

Former Mansfield Lady Tiger, Megan Rose, is shown running up Mount Magazine in a 15K race on June 6.

As the world adjusts to new normals, one former Mansfield Lady Tiger continues old habits. Megan Rose, who will enter her junior season of collegiate cross country racing next fall, continues her passion for running even during the off-season. Rose recently entered a Mountain Run Series sponsored by the River Valley Runners Association. The three race series started Saturday, June 6 with a 15K (9 miles) race up Mount Magazine. This was Megan’s first competitive race since her sophomore track season at Southeastern University in Durant, OK which was unexpectedly shut down in March because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Decisions made by the NCAA soon after the shutdown was good news for the former Mansfield long-distance runner. Per NCAA mandates, Rose will be able to retain her sophomore status for track next season. “When word came down,” started Rose in an interview Monday morning, “I thought about how I would get the season back. My college coach (Ron Hair) suggested being a graduate assistant. Since I’m an education major, I could GA during cross country season, run track, and work on my masters that fifth year of school.”

In the meantime, Rose’s old habits die hard. She works out seven days a week with prescribed mileage from the Southeastern coaching staff. And with permission, she enters an occasional road race like the one she ran last Saturday. “I did pretty well,” spoke Rose in her typically humble demeanor. “I finished 23rd out of about 100 runners. We got lost in the early sections around the streets of Havana so I really did 10 miles instead of nine.” The 19-year-old Savage Storm athlete finished with a time of 1:46:09.09. That included the extra rerouted distance at the start and the remaining almost exclusive uphill mileage to the top of Mount Magazine.

“This was my second time to run this race. The miles are starting to pay off. I’m a little older and more experienced now so it wasn’t as hard as the first time I ran it.” Officially, Rose was 23rd overall out of 105 runners regardless of age or gender that finished the course. In the women’s division, Rose was 11th. Kaitlin Bounds, a 29-year-old female runner from Russellville, was the overall winner of the nine-mile trek to the top. A 28-year-old Dover woman was second followed by a 59-year-old Gravette man in third. And a teenage boy from Clarksville was fourth. 

Daniel Sanderson, who was the fourth-place 15-year-old Clarksville Panther, had a peripheral connection to Mansfield. He was invited and participated in the Farm Bureau River Valley All-Star Cross Country Race hosted by Mansfield last November. Chloe Weathers, another 15-year-old cross country phenom from Clarksville, was an RV All-Star nominee but ran the larger Arkansas-Oklahoma All-Star race that same November day. She was the 11th person to finish the Mount Magazine race and the fifth female finisher.

Rose’s Southeastern teammate, Regan Ramos, also ran the race. Starting the race together, the college runners both ran the extra misguided distance before navigating the true course up the hill. “It was fun having one of my teammates run with me,” explained Rose. “Regan usually stays ahead of me during cross country season. This time I beat her by about ten minutes. I don’t think she was used to the elevation.” Rose and Ramos had been following individual track workouts at their respective homes since being sent away from the Southeastern campus because of the virus. Those daily six-mile runs with a 10-mile recovery on Sunday changed to a lighter schedule when off-season officially started in May.

Now, Rose and her teammates do volunteer workouts, still at home, but the mileage has dropped to 4.5 mile runs each of the first six days of the week with a 7.5-mile recovery jog on Sundays. Rose explained that her coach allows some extra rest when she competes in an approved road race. She also said because of NCAA regulations she has to send an email every two weeks that she chooses to participate in voluntary workouts. “I actually took off the day before Mount Magazine and the day after the race,” confessed Rose. “It took quite a bit out of me. I was kind of glad for the rest.”

On the day of this interview, Rose was back to her normal practice routine. This particular morning she included a segment through parts of her old high school cross country course on the MHS campus. “I’m looking to get more PR’s (personal records) next season and stay in the top three of my team,” stated the motivated former Lady Tiger. “I got my time down to 19:56 for the 5K last season.” In the meanwhile, look for Rose to complete the final two legs of the River Valley Mountain Run Series. The next event in that three-race circuit is a 10K run up Mt. Nebo. The final race in the sequence is a 5k race through the Petit Jean Mountain Trails. 

According to Rose, each race issues a medal that’s similar to a puzzle piece. When competitors complete each phase, they are awarded the wooden medallions that snap together to make a larger medal keepsake. As history has shown, Rose is sure to collect all three pieces. Snapping the pieces together may be another example of the new norm, but earning accomplishments is an old habit for the former Lady Tiger.

Southeastern University distance runners, Megan Rose and Regan Ramos stand on top of Mount Magazine after a 15K race during their off-season training.

Article contributed by John Mackey

UPDATE: AAA Board Votes to Waive the Required 2020 Summer Dead Period

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UPDATE: AAA Board Votes to Waive the Required 2020 Summer Dead Period

In a Twitter announcement that posted a few minutes ago, the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) board has voted to waive the mandatory summer dead period that normally takes place the last week in June and the first week in July. The AAA’s Twitter announcement further stated that individual school districts may opt to waive or continue to observe the traditional dead period.

This may be an indication that contact sports may be cleared to resume practice on July 1. Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson stated earlier that he would “revisit” contact sports and their possible resumption on June 30.

Stay with Resident Press for more on this story as it unfolds.

Rite of Passage Poised to Take Over Juvenile Services at Mansfield

Tammy Teague
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Rite of Passage Poised to Take Over Juvenile Services at Mansfield

Effective July 1, at midnight, Nevada based Rite of Passage will complete the transition of youth services.

Part of that transition will include implementing the “ROP way,” explained Executive Director for the Southeast Region, Mike Cantrell. “We will be working to help turn the lives of these kids around.”

Cantrell added they have been working closely with the Division of Youth Services to make sure necessary changes are being made. For example, lighting, cameras, and lawn equipment. Cantrell added that they have also requested a new vehicle. “We want to improve the safety at the campus and improve the appearance,” he added.

From day one, Cantrell stated that a seasoned ROP team will be working on site to assist the Mansfield staff. “It is easier for us if the employees who are already there, stay,” he added. Although Cantrell did admit that changes are being implemented due to the reduction of clients at the facility. “It was originally staffed for 50 kids. But, under the governor’s juvenile reform plan, there will only be between 24-30 kids.” Cantrell went on to explain that staffing changes were necessary and a good business decision. “For example,” Cantrell explained, “there were four case managers for 24 kids…those people may not be offered case manager positions, but they will be offered other positions. It is easier for us if they stay.”

The MJTC will remain an all male facility, housing moderate to high offenders.

Fletcher Joins Mansfield Police Department

Tammy Teague
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Fletcher Joins Mansfield Police Department

Officer Chelcie Fletcher, 26, has been hired as a full-time police officer for the City of Mansfield.

Fletcher, the daughter of Erich and Amy Fletcher, graduated from Paris High School. She has been in law enforcement since 2013, and completed Arkansas Law Enforcement Reserve classes in 2016.

“I wanted to partake in a career that gave me the chance to make a positive impact on people’s lives with hopes of making a difference within the community,” Fletcher stated.

Fletcher worked with Mansfield Police Chief Wayne Robb while he was a deputy in Scott County. “I resided in Mansfield at that time, and I really got a hometown feeling while I was there. It’s a small tight knit community that has the ‘nobody is a stranger’ type of camaraderie. So once I heard of an opening with the Mansfield Police Department, I was delighted at the opportunity to serve in a community such as this one.”

Fletcher is currently at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in Camden, AR. She is scheduled to complete that training in August.

Tips for Building a Backyard Deck

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Tips for Building a Backyard Deck

A backyard deck is a great place to recline outside during restful moments of the day and evening. It is also a structure that you can set about designing and creating yourself. You might, therefore, choose to build one on your own as a commendable home-improvement project. If so, follow these tips for building a backyard deck.

Get the Required Permits

Learn if there are any local regulations that stipulate when and how you can build a deck in your backyard. Find out what restrictions apply to decks, and keep them in mind as you lay out the design. You should be clear in your intentions, as you may need to show your local government the design before getting the go-ahead. Apply for the necessary permits, and don’t start work until you’ve acquired them.

Hide Deck Board Ends

A tip for building a backyard deck that looks polished and complete is to find a way to hide the rough board edges. One way to do this is to measure the fascia boards that will attach to the ends of the deck longer so that they not only form the sides of the deck but also cover the ends of the boards laying on the top of the deck. You could also use a perimeter board that lies on top of the vertical fascia board like the deck boards. The perimeter boards create an enclosed top frame around the deck boards to hide their ends.

Pick Lasting Deck Materials

Your deck needs to last through 365 days every year of outdoor wear and tear. Therefore, the materials you select to build it with will make a big difference. Wood is the most popular choice, but you will need to treat it with a sealant periodically so it doesn’t deteriorate from moisture and other elemental forces. For a more carefree option that you can rely on, plastic lumber may work well for you. It has the overall appearance of wood but does not rot, discolor, or warp as easily since it is composed of inorganic compounds. It is also an eco-friendly material since it’s the product of recycled plastic waste and doesn’t require potentially harmful sealing chemicals applied to it.

ATU-Ozark Plans For Return to On-Campus Instruction

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ATU-Ozark Plans For Return to On-Campus Instruction

OZARK, Ark. (June 8, 2020)–Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus is implementing sanitization and social distancing protocols necessary for a safe return to on-campus operations for its students, faculty and staff.

Lab-intensive instruction will return to campus on a limited basis at the beginning of the second summer term on Monday, July 6.

Faculty, staff and students returning to on-campus instruction will undergo health screening, practice social distancing and be required to wear face coverings in the limited lab environments.  Faculty will undergo safety training to support best practices while in the lab environment.  

When the potential exists, remote or virtual instruction will continue to be preferred at ATU-Ozark during the second summer term so as to limit the number of individuals on campus at any given moment.  

The additional measures are part of Arkansas Tech’s mitigation of and recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“We have a dual responsibility to provide a safe learning environment while simultaneously offering the educational programs that help drive economic development and job growth in our communities,” said Bruce Sikes, ATU-Ozark Campus chancellor. “As a regional commuter campus, circumstances can change quickly and we ask students to remain consistent with the guidance provided by the Arkansas Department of Health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the ATU COVID-19 task force and local authorities. Each of these entities will assist us in our safe return to campus.”

Sikes added that ATU-Ozark is “optimistically planning” to offer on-campus classes during the fall 2020 semester in accordance with the ATU pandemic recovery framework.

ATU-Ozark will make safety supplies and equipment available to faculty, staff and students as part of the return to campus. These measures will include additional hand sanitizer stations, utilization of CDC-approved cleaning techniques and making masks available to members of the campus community who cannot provide their own.

The transition plan for ATU-Ozark also includes provisions for individuals who are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and specialized plans for students who are at an increased risk due to occupational training, with a focus on the health professions.

“We are procuring the supplies and equipment necessary to provide a safe environment,” said Dr. Sheila Jacobs, ATU-Ozark chief academic officer. “Our classrooms are also being readied to promote the virtual environment as situations require. We also recognize that the situation can change rapidly. ATU-Ozark is prepared to move to remote and virtual operations if the situation arises.

“Through the planning and support of our campus community, I am confident in our ability to meet the challenges presented by COVID-19,” continued Jacobs. “We look forward to the safe return to campus of our students and the life-changing academic opportunities they will find there.”

Police Reports: Week of June 1

Tammy Teague
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Police Reports: Week of June 1

6/4
On June 4, a Greenwood officer noticed the vehicle in front of him continuously traveling outside its lane. After initiating a traffic stop, dispatch advised that one of the passengers, Larry Bryant, was wanted for being an absconder from the Arkansas State Parole Board. Bryant, 43, was placed under arrest and transported to the Sebastian County Jail without incident.

6/5
On June 5, at 9:26 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the Assembly of God Church at 725 Park Drive. Upon arrival, the officer was met by Decoty Cooper, 40. He informed the officer that he had warrants for his arrest, and wanted to go to jail. Dispatch confirmed the two warrants, and the officer obliged his request to be transported to the jail.

6/5
On June 5, at approximately 11:35 p.m., a Greenwood officer observed a white Chevy with no tags and a brake light out, traveling east on Center Street. At Highway 96 the officer initiated a traffic stop, and made contact with the driver. The driver, Nathaniel Stout, 29, presented his driver’s license and paperwork with the VIN of the vehicle. Stout claimed the truck had been in the shop and he did not have the registration or other paperwork in it. While running a check, it was discovered that Stout’s driver’s license had been canceled, and that he had a warrant out of Van Buren. The VIN returned on the vehicle, but it was not registered in his
name and had expired tags. Stout was placed under arrest on the outstanding warrant, and was issued warnings for the other violations.

6/6
On June 6, at 10 a.m., a Greenwood officer made a traffic stop on a vehicle for making an improper turn. Dispatch confirmed that occupant Albert Higman, 42, had a warrant for his arrest out of Washington County. Higman was placed under arrest and transported to the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center.

Greenwood Officer Tests Positive for COVID-19

Tammy Teague
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Greenwood Officer Tests Positive for COVID-19

Greenwood Police Chief William Dawson released a statement on Monday afternoon after one of one his officers tested positive for COVID-19.

In that statement Dawson shared, “as of Tuesday of last week, we quarantined three officers due to possible exposure to the virus. One of the three officers has tested positive for the virus. Due to additional contact with the positive officer, three additional officers have been quarantined and are in the process of being tested. We would like to release this information and suggest that anyone that had contact with officers of this department last week, to consider being tested for the virus.”

Greenwood Farmers’ Market Has Successful Opening

Tammy Teague
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Greenwood Farmers’ Market Has Successful Opening

The Greenwood Farmers’ Market kicked off their season on opening day, Saturday, June 6.

The original opening date was in May, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, it was postponed.

Crafts, baked goods, produce, homemade soaps and a variety of goodies were available. All items for sale at the market are curated by local farmers and vendors.

The next Farmers’ Market will be held on Saturday, June 20 beginning at 8 a.m. If you are interested in becoming a vendor, you can contact them through their Facebook page.

Smoked Sausage Hash

Tammy Teague
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Smoked Sausage Hash

Looking for a one skillet dish so you don’t have tons of dishes to wash after super? Look no further! This is a favorite one-skillet dish for our family that feeds for a crowd.  

Ingredients
1 Bell Pepper
1 Small White Onion
1 Heaping Tablespoon of Minced Garlic
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
5 (7 oz.) Packages of Smoked Sausage
1 (32 oz.) Package of Diced Cubed Frozen Hash Browns
2 Additional Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Directions
Dice bell pepper and onion. Place pepper, onion, garlic and 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet. Sautee for approximately 5 minutes on medium heat. Next, add sliced summer sausages. Brown for 3 minutes. Last, add frozen cubed hash browns and another 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir all ingredients. Place a lid over the skillet and cook on medium for 10 minutes. Remove lid and stir. Place the lid back on and cook for another 10 minutes until potatoes become soft and light golden brown. Then, this yummy dish is ready to serve with a slice of warm buttered bread on the side! Post Views: 2

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