Resident News Network

Greenwood PD Issues Parking Notice

Networks

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2:52 pm

The Greenwood Police Department has issued a statement in regards to parking for the upcoming Christmas parade:

“There will be NO parking on sides of N Main Street, from its intersection with Gary Street to the town square after 5pm.

Main Street will be completely shut down by 6:15pm. (the only traffic to be let through is for residents that live on Main Street)

A rope style barrier will be placed along Main Street for safety purposes– these should not obstruct your view of the parade.

If your vehicle should be left on Main Street during this time, it will be towed.”

Sr Tigers Shoot For The Stars In Arrow Classic

Sports

Megan Hecox

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2:45 pm

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Sr Tigers Shoot For The Stars In Arrow Classic

Let the games begin. On Tuesday, December 3, both Sr High Mansfield Tigers teams entered into play in the 2019 Golden Arrow Classic. The 3-1 Lady Tigers sealed the deal against the Lady Eagles with a 56-41 win sending them into the semi-finals on Thursday, December 5 to take on the 5-1 Pea Ridge Lady Blackhawks at 4 p.m. Mansfield was missing a few girls from this game due to sickness or injury but that didn’t give them any worry that they couldn’t get the job done.

Offensively, the Lady Tigers were lean mean slammin’ machines with Makayla Strutton leading the ambush with 28 points followed by Sadie Roberts with 11. Chloe Creekmore earned six, Brooke Wright and Danielle Lilly netted four each and making two and one respectively was Mikayla Harrison and Sarah Fisher. Earning the only three blocks of the night was Wright who also broke a school record in Mansfields game against Hackett when she blocked seven shots. The old school record was held by Stephanie Taylor in 93-94 with five. Defensively, it was Strutton who again set the court ablaze with her five steals. Lilly obtained four.

The 2-2 Mansfield Tigers struggled slightly in their game against the Eagles taking the “L” 52-42. But no worries! The boys were back in the game the next night when they went toe to toe with the Rockets of Future School of Fort Smith. The Rockets never could quiet shoot ahead as they fell from the sky 78-73 in overtime. The win put the Tigers playing their next round of the Classic on Saturday, December 7 against Providence Academy at 1:30 p.m.

Accounting for 68 of the Tigers 78 points against the Rockets was sophomore guard, Codi Chick, leading the team in scoring with 25 points followed by senior forward, Ethan Stovall with 24, and senior guard, Layton Howard with 19. Chick also earned five assists, two steals and shot 53% from the field. Stovall racked-up eight rebounds and made 10/12 from the free-throw line at 83%. And Howard grabbed four rebounds, four assists, and shot 58% field goal percentage. Tyler Holmes, Bri Sanderson, and Zayne Dugan also accounted for four rebounds each.

Head Coach for the Tigers, Keith Dake, had this to say. “The Tigers put on an offensive clinic. Scoring quick out of transition and capitalizing from forced turnovers. Ball movement was a huge plus in this matchup, taking advantage of the pressure defense and getting the ball in the hands of our scorers early and often. Defensively, we struggled to keep them off the boards, which is something we look to address in the upcoming weeks thoroughly. Being just two weeks removed from football season, I am very pleased with our progress thus far, though we still have a long way to go to reach our true potential and get into basketball shape. This team is as dynamic as you can find locally and a group everyone should keep their eye on throughout this season!”

2019 Arvest Jr BB Invitational Preview

Sports

Megan Hecox

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9:41 am

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“The Arvest Invitational will bring us some exciting Jr High basketball at Waldron this year,” explains Heach Coach, Joshua Atchley. The bracket will showcase a loaded talented cast of teams featuring Ozark, Mansfield, Acorn, and Waldron. The tournament will begin on Monday, December 9th, with the Acorn Lady Tigers and the Ozark Lady Hillbillies tipping off at 5:00 p.m. “This year’s tournament is a classic format where every team will compete against each other and the team with the best record through three games is the champion.”

Basketball action will take place on Monday the 9th, Wednesday the 11th, Thursday the 12th, and Saturday the 14th. “The Waldron basketball programs are incredibly appreciative of the support received from Arvest Bank and we hope everyone will make plans to attend and support our Jr High basketball teams. What Arvest does for this tournament is un-matched by any Jr High tournament possibly in the state. Shelley Buckles, Deb Fuller, and the rest of the ladies at the bank want our kids to succeed and for the past several years have really stepped up in a big way.”

2019 Arvest Invitational Game Schedule is as follows:

Monday, December 9th
- 5:00-Girls Acorn vs Ozark
- 6:15-Boys Acorn vs Ozark
Wednesday, December 11th
- 5:00-Girls Waldron vs Mansfield
- 6:15-Boys Waldron vs Mansfield
Thursday, December 12th
- 4:00-Girls Ozark vs Mansfield
- 5:15-Boys Ozark vs Mansfield
- 6:30-Girls Waldron vs Acorn
- 7:45-Boys Waldron vs Acorn
Saturday, December 14th
- 3:00-Girls Mansfield vs Acorn
- 4:15-Boys Mansfield vs Acorn
- 5:30-Girls Waldron vs Ozark
- 6:45-Boys Waldron vs Ozark

Obituary – Robert Eugene Johnson (1959- 2019)

Obituaries

Tammy Teague

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5:30 am

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Obituary – Robert Eugene Johnson (1959- 2019)

Robert Eugene Johnson of Waldron, Arkansas, formerly of Wilmington, Delaware, passed from this life, Saturday, November 30, 2019. Robert was born July 28, 1959 to Robert H. Johnson and Lillian Claire (Bear) Johnson in Wilmington, Delaware. He was 60 years old.

Robert was a stone mason by trade. He was a hard worker and enjoyed what he did. Robert was a people person, he loved to talk and visit with everyone. He enjoyed fishing, sitting on the porch outside, and watching the Baltimore Orioles. But his favorite pastime was making memories with his family.

Robert leaves behind to cherish his memory, one son Robert H. Johnson of Delaware, one sister, Ruth Ann Norris and one brother, Lemuel Johnson both of Waldron, Arkansas, one brother in law, John Piazza Jr, and his father in law, John Piazza Sr. Poppy will forever remain in the heart of his granddaughter, Zoe. Robert will be missed by all that knew him and the many whose lives he impacted including a host of nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews as well as many friends dear to him especially his long time friend and companion, his dog Wally.

Robert was preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife, Tamara Johnson, and his parents, Robert and Lillian Johnson.

A private family memorial will be held at a later. Arrangements and cremation are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home & Crematory in Waldron, Arkansas.

Obituary – Fred D. Copeland (1934- 2019)

Obituaries

Tammy Teague

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5:17 am

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Obituary – Fred D. Copeland (1934- 2019)

Fred D. Copeland of Waldron, Arkansas went to be with his Lord and Savior, Wednesday, December 4, 2019 with his loving family by his side. Fred was born June 13, 1934 in Gravelly, Arkansas to William M. Copeland and Syble (Kitchens) Copeland. He was 85 years old. Fred was a living testament to faith and strong beliefs. He was a devout Christian and lived by example. He served the Lord with his whole heart. Fred worked in many aspects of the church including serving as speaker, Sunday school teacher and song leader.

Fred proudly served his country in the United States Army as a radio operator. After the military he spent many years working in retail for a chain store as a buyer. However, when Fred finally decided to retire, he was Executive Director at the Waldron Housing Authority. He enjoyed working and making a difference in people’s lives. He worked side by side with the love of his life, Ann. Together they each had 14 plus years for the Housing Authority. When Fred wasn’t working he enjoyed reading and seeing after his extended family. Although Ann did what she could, there were a number of nieces and nephews that made sure Fred kept on his toes. Fred had a large extended family and a heart full of love just as big. Everyone knew the love he had for them and memories to treasure forever.

Fred leaves behind to cherish his memory, his loving wife of 65 years, Lou Ann Copeland of the home, one sister, Peggy Buckles of Waldron, Arkansas and four sisters in law: Sue Hunt of Gravelly, Arkansas, Judy Wilson and husband Del of Florence, Alabama, Frankie Cramer and husband Art of Athens, Alabama and Linda Young of Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Fred will be missed by all that knew him and the many whose lives he impacted, including a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and dear friends he treasured.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents, William and Syble Copeland, his siblings: Dalbert Copeland and wife Suzie, Ted Copeland, Dorthy Putman and husband Charlie, two brothers in law, Bob Hunt and Dr. Russell Young and one nephew Chester Brothers.

Fred’s life celebration will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 6, 2019 at the Nola Church of Christ in Nola, Arkansas with Michael Baker and Art Cramer officiating. Interment will follow in the Parks Cemetery at Nola, Arkansas. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.

Fred’s pallbearers will be Mike Hunt, Stan Rose, Stuart Rose, Steven Rose, Larry Putman, Ty Lynch and Austin Billner.

Fred’s visitation will be Thursday, December 5, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Heritge Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Waldron, Arkansas.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Parks Cemetery @ Nola, c/o Parks Cemetery, PO Box 46, Gravelly, AR 72838. You may leave words of remembrance for Fred’s family by visiting: www.heritagememorialfh.com.

Georgia Poultry Equipment to Open in Mansfield

Tammy Teague

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4:58 am

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Georgia Poultry Equipment to Open in Mansfield

A subsidiary of one of the largest construction contractors and manufacturers of hog production equipment in the United States, Georgia Poultry Equipment Company, will open their newest location in Mansfield, later in the month.

The new store, located at 723 E, US-71 in Mansfield, will provide chicken and hog farmers in the area convenience when it comes to purchasing supplies. Georgia Poultry Equipment’s Regional Manager, Dona Flynt, stated that the store will provide everything from advanced automatic poultry feeders to bolts and screws. “We will have just about anything you need for commercial poultry or hog equipment,” stated Flynt.

If items are not in stock, according to Store Manager Jamie Perdue, they will attempt to locate them at other stores before placing an order online. This will provide the quickest turnaround possible for their customers.

The Mansfield location is unique in that the oversized warehouse allows for the construction of feed bins. “Some locations aren’t equipped to build the bins because of their size, but we can do that here,” added Flynt.

Additionally, the store will be offering on-site equipment servicing. For example, if a farmer’s feed motor goes out, the company can send out a technician to make that repair.

Georgia Poultry Equipment, headquartered in Newton Grove, North Carolina, is celebrating 50 years of service. Flynt has been with the company since 2012, and oversees seven stores, Mansfield, Fort Smith, Clarksville, Hindsville, Berryville, Siloam Springs and Wheaton, MO.

When Flynt started with the company, there were 52 stores across the country, and now that number has nearly doubled. Georgia Poultry Equipment has found success with the growing hog and chicken farm industry. They offer both service and convenience. “OK Foods is dominant here, and with Tyson in Waldron, there are a bunch of chicken houses already here, with more going up,” Flynt stated. “This will be very helpful and more convenient for farmers.”

Each member of the staff have extensive, hands-on knowledge of the industry. Both Flynt and Perdue have chicken houses of their own and counter sales clerk, Jeff Boyd, has experience in the service field. Ricky Bryan, outside sales agent, and Mikes Sears, Midwest Regional Sales Manager, introduced the company to the area. Both were happy to have the business come to their hometown.

The store will be open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. You can find out more about the company and view their product catalog online at www.hogslat.com.

Georgia-poultry-supply — *Pictured from left, store clerk, Jeff Boyd, Georgia Poultry Equipment Company Store Manager, Jame Perdue, Regional Manager, Dona Flynt and Greg Freeman.*

Ronnie Black: Undercover Superhero In Plain Sight

Sports

Megan Hecox

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11:52 am

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Ronnie Black: Undercover Superhero In Plain Sight

If one were to sit back and look at any Mansfield Tiger football game, volleyball game, baseball game, softball game, little league game, pep rally, cheerleading competition, or any other school event, they would notice one common denominator. Mr. Ronnie Black! Mr. Black is the true definition of what it means to bleed red. Born in Huntington, he has spent his entire adolescent and adult life living in Mansfield. Ronnie prides himself in being a Tiger even recalling a time when he and his friends would ride their bikes down the town’s dirt roads after Little League Baseball to buy penny candy at the local drugstore.

A carpenter most of his life, Mr. Black currently holds the Maintenance Supervisor position at Mansfield Schools which he has succeeded in doing for the past 12 years. He was also a Mansfield school board member for 10 years. “I’ve seen a lot of changes at Mansfield Schools but one thing has never changed,” Ronnie explains. “We still have the best kids in the state.” Married for 46 years, Ronnie and his wife Wanda have two kids and four grandkids who are the center of their universe.

Playing football and basketball in school, Ronnie now fills his days by watching his grandkids play sports. But the most heartwarming part is that it doesn’t even have to be his grandkids that are playing. Ronnie literally considers every kid from kindergarten to twelfth grade as one of his own. Always ready to cheer on and support his beloved Tigers. But when he’s not hootin’ and hollerin’, Mr. Black is an avid reader who also enjoys making things.

Also working for the Mansfield School District are both of his daughters, Angie Morris and Kandis Howard. When asked to describe her dad, Mrs. Howard had this to say, “He is a man of his word. He is the most hard-working man I know always going out of his way to help someone. He is a perfectionist who is very focused and driven in life. But he is also a big cut-up who enjoys pranking people. He has multiple costumes he might show up in at any moment!”

One of the many costumes Ronnie has that is readily available to make anyone laugh or to show support of his hometown and school district

Ronnie Black has put in many long hours helping the Mansfield Little League Football Program and on November 2, they wanted to make sure that he knew his hard work hadn’t gone unnoticed. Ronnie spent every home game showing up early to get things in order and staying late to collect trash and close up shop. The program was a success this past season thanks in part to his positive encouragement towards the players and his willingness to always volunteer to step up to the plate and get things done.

Tigers flag picture being presented by Mansfield Little League Football president, Josh Strozier

So they wanted to say thank-you by giving him a piece of hand-made woodwork that had been donated to the program. “It was the very least that we could do,” expressed one little league parent. “Mr. Black deserves so much more than we could ever give him for his unwavering commitment to all Tiger programs. I don’t think people truly understand how incredible this man is and the immense length behind the scenes that he goes to supporting the community that he loves.”

Paris Defeats Mansfield 52-42 at Lavaca Invitational Tournament

Sports

Resident News Network

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9:56 am

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Paris Defeats Mansfield 52-42 at Lavaca Invitational Tournament

The Paris and Mansfield senior boys and girls teams played in the first round of the Lavaca Invitational Tournament on Tuesday. The two schools split on the night with the Mansfield Lady Tigers winning the first game by a score of 56-41. The Paris Eagles won the second game of the session, beating the Mansfield Tigers by a score of 52-42.

Both Paris teams looked improved in their play on Tuesday after having time off to practice during the Thanksgiving break. The Lady Eagles played hard all night, but eventually succumbed to the relentless offensive and defensive pressure that came all night from the Lady Tigers. The Lady Tigers were able to frequently penetrate the lane with their quick guards, and on defense, maintained constant pressure on Paris, seemingly taking them out of their offense frequently. In the end, the pressure became too much for Paris, and Mansfield pulled away for the win. Lady Eagles coach Dustin Williams commented that his young team is making mistakes that young teams make, but will continue to improve. “We had the lead late in the third quarter. Had some foul trouble and ran out of gas at the end. We are a young team making young team mistakes, but we will continue to improve and to get better.” Jadyn Hart led Paris in scoring with 20 points and added 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Harlie Watts had 15 points on the night with 3 rebounds.

In the second game, the Paris Eagles got a big win against the Mansfield Tigers. The win is significant for the team as they near the start of conference season. It is important for this team to have success now to boost their confidence and to gel as a team before conference season begins. Paris defeated the physical Mansfield Tigers with good rebounding and timely shots that kept the team in the game until they were able to pull away in the second half. Paris coach Mike Foster was very pleased with his team’s effort against Mansfield. “Great team effort! Our best defensive game of the year.” Nick Bazyk led the Eagles in scoring with 20 points and also had 6 rebounds. Dylan Krigbaum had 13 points and 4 rebounds.

Both teams have and will continue to improve. For the Lady Eagles, the team has to find a way to respond to teams such as Booneville and Mansfield who played Paris tight with one-on-one and full court defensive pressure. Taking care of the basketball and handling the press on offense are a must as teams will continue to play the Lady Eagles this way until they show they can handle the tough defensive pressure. The team improved in all of these areas on Tuesday night, and I believe they will continue to improve.

For the boys, they entered the season with very little team experience on the varsity level, and it showed in the first games of the season in November. But with each game, the team continues to improve and seems to be finding the combination of players that can score and play good team defense. One thing is for certain, nobody can question both teams’ heart or desire to win. Nobody can question the effort the teams have put out on the floor with each game. As with the girls team, the Eagles are made up of good kids who are working very hard to win games. All they need is a little encouragement. They may be short on experience, but they will gain experience with each trip on the floor. And I also know this, they will continue to give 100% in each game. As fans and others who are connected with the team, we need to give them 100% of our support and encouragement in return.

The Lady Eagles next game will be today against The Future School Rockets (Fort Smith) at 4 p.m. in the consolation bracket of the Lavaca Tournament. The senior boys will play on Thursday in the winners side of the Lavaca Tournament on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. versus Pea Ridge.

It’s a Bulldog Christmas

Networks

Tammy Teague

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7:13 pm

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The spirit of Christmas will be in sync with the Bulldogs for “It’s a Bulldog Christmas,” this years theme for the City of Greenwood’s annual parade!

The parade, slated for Monday, December 9, will kick off at 5 p.m. with the traditional bean feed, followed by the parade at 7 p.m.

In addition to the parade, the Chamber of Commerce will also be partnering with the Greenwood School District to sponsor a benefit drive. According to Mark Huneycutt, the Chamber of Commerce office manager, they will be conducting a toiletry drive. “They let us know what the needs are, and we sponsor some sort of drive each year,” stated Huneycutt. He added that they have done other drives in the past, including one for coats.

The following donations are being accepted at the Chamber of Commerce Office, located at 16 Townsquare in Greenwood:

Full size bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash
Baby wipes and diapers in all sizes
Hair brushes, combs, and lice treatment
Toilet paper
Razors, shaving cream, and deodorant for men and women
Feminine products
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Laundry, dish, and hand soap

For more information about the parade, or about the toiletry drive, you can contact: info@greenwoodarkansas.com or 479-996-6357.

Jr Tigers Bag A Win Over Rattlers

Sports

Megan Hecox

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1:45 pm

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On Monday, December 2, the Mansfield Jr High Tigers hosted the Magazine Rattlers in a you snooze you lose basketball match. With both Tiger teams combined, they were able to put a total of 96 points up to Magazines combined 26. The Jr Lady Tigers were up first to sink or swim and by the end of the game, it was apparent that Mansfield was prepared to swim the English Channel. The Lady Tigers took the incredible win 54-9.

Skylynn Harris was hot on her game Monday night as she laid dominance to 16 Lady Tiger points all being made by 3-point shots. Natalie Allison followed suit with 12 points. And Kynslee Ward, Harlie Fuller, Alyson Edwards, Raine Hecox, Seven Sanderson, and Brooklyn Adams combined for the remaining 26 points. Quick to lay claim on the ball was Cassidy Carlton, Lita Hecox, and Serenity Brunson with a total of six rebounds. And like a thief in the night, the Lady Tigers took 22 steals.

Next up to put it through for two were the Jr boys. It was fast-paced hoop action for the Tigers when at the sound of the final buzzer, they sent the Rattlers packing with a loss of 42-17. “Offensively we did a good job running our man offense forcing Magazine to switch to zone early in the contest,” explains Coach Keith Stovall. “Scoring by quarter was balanced as we scored 11 points in the 1st, 3rd and 4th quarters and 9 in the second. Our individual scoring was also balanced.”

“Tyler Turnipseed led us with 11 points followed by Clint Stovall with 10 points. (That is the kind of scoring we need each game out of our primary ball handlers.) Austin Quinalty chipped in nine points and did a fantastic job with interior passing. Darton Hoopengarner added five followed by Braxton Byers with four and Zach Hayslip with two. Free Throw shooting has got to improve. Going 4 for 14 at the line is not going to get it done most nights.”

“I thought our ball-handling got a little too cute and lazy at times. Particularly in the 2nd half as Magazine brought some full-court pressure. The dribbling between the legs and behind the back looks good in the NBA but can get you into a lot of trouble in Junior High. Also, in the 2nd half, we got a little impatient with our shot selection. When you build a 20+ point lead there is no need to pull the trigger on a one-pass into the offense perimeter shot. The clock is your ally at this time and when a team gets that far behind they need the ball back. So they will leave those shots wide open, hope you miss and use it like a turnover.”

“Defensively we had a solid performance throughout the game. It did slack off a bit in the second half and we started giving up way too many second-chance scoring opportunities. Also, we have to be more physical on the interior. NO Free Rides Across The Lane. Any cutter into the lane should be contacted by one of our defenders. We also allowed them to take position from us. Six of Magazine’s points came on inbounds plays where they simply just bodied our players up and moved them out of the way. Good night for us and a good win. All the things we need to improve on are easily fixable with good effort in practice.”

The Jr High Tigers have a week off before getting back into the action with their first conference game of the season at Charleston against the Tigers. On Monday, December 9, the 7th grade Tigers will play first starting at 4:30 p.m. followed by Jr High. May the best Tiger win!

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