On Tuesday, June 4, a Scott County man plead not guilty to 379 counts of animal cruelty, class A misdemeanors, and two counts of theft of leased/rented property, class B felonies.
Jay Parker, 42, of Waldron was arrested on Monday, May 20 and released on Tuesday, May 21 on a $10,000 bond.
The charges against Parker go back to December 2017. He, according to the arrest warrant, had agreed to care for cattle out of Midland, TX. As a part of that agreement, Parker allegedly was to provide grass and water. Also, was to purchase feed, hay, vaccinate, work and care for the cattle.
Parker alleges that by the summer of 2018, the cattle were in poor health due to his “management decisions.” As a result, the cows began to die from malnutrition.
According to an affidavit from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, Parker stated that he was broke when he entered into the agreement and that the first payment of $80,000 he received for supplies, hay and feed, was spent on his personal debt instead of buying feed and hay for the cattle.
The alleged 379 missing head of cattle, according to the affidavit, died on his property or on property he had leased. Authorities allegedly observed several hundred dead cattle on Parker’s property. The affidavit claims the bodies were “in different stages of decomposition…there was no way to get an accurate count due to the number of scavengers scattering bones and some dead cattle stacked on top of each other.”
Brett Dawson, an Information Specialist with the Department of Agriculture, said that they are aware of the case and are working with the authorities.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Parker’s attorney, Derrick Allison, was not present. Judge Jerry Don Ramey set the pretrial hearing for August 6 at 9:30 a.m., and jury trial for August 20 at 9:30 a.m.
Addie “Roberta” Davis of Boles, Arkansas passed from
this life on June 3, 2019 in Ft.Smith, AR. Roberta was born on January 3,1942
to her parents, the late Claud and the late Violet Ison.
Roberta met the love of her life,
Bennie Davis as a teenager. Bennie joined the Navy, and when he returned from
overseas, the young couple got married on May 22, 1959. They spent 57 years
together, enjoying each other’s company, whether they were 4-wheeling,
gardening, tending their many pets, or just sitting on the front porch, side-by-side.
Bennie preceded her in death in 2016, leaving a big hole in Roberta’s heart.
Roberta worked for several years as a waitress at the Midway Cafe, alongside
her mother Violet. She also worked at the Waldron Furniture Factory before
finding her niche at Waldron Public Schools in 1975. She worked at the school
for a total of 31 years, eventually retiring as Middle School Cafeteria Manager
in 2003. Roberta expressed her great love of her children and grandchildren
daily, so there was never a doubt that her family was loved. She was small in
stature, but fierce in her love, and that big ol’ smile of hers will never be
forgotten.
Roberta
leaves behind two loving sons: Russell Davis, and Rick Davis and wife Linda of
Needmore, Arkansas and grandchildren Trista Davis and husband Clay of Waldron,
Arkansas and Ryan Davis and Erica Davis of Needmore, Arkansas. She is also
survived by one great-grandson, Declan Davis of Waldron. Other survivors
include her brother Preston Ison and his wife Carrol of Greenwood, Arkansas,
and her sister Brenda Chapman of Ft. Smith, Arkansas, as well as numerous
nieces and nephews. Roberta will be missed by all that knew her and the many
whose lives she impacted.
Roberta’s
life celebration will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, June 6, 2019 at the
Heritage Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Pat Ray Biggs and Rev. George
F. Crump, officiating. Interment will follow in the Buffalo Cemetery near
Boles, Arkansas. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial
Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
Roberta’s
pallbearers will be Ryan Davis, Clay Davis, James Lynn, Jeff Davis, Eric Redmon
and David Jones. Honorary pallbearers will be Preston Ison, Brenda Chapman,
Trista Davis, Erica Davis and Eddie Atnip.
Roberta’s
visitation will be Wednesday, June 5 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. where her
family will receive friends at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial
contributions may be made to the Buffalo Cemetery Fund by visiting the local
Arvest Bank in Waldron, or by mail at c/o Heritage Memorial Funeral Home, Post
Office Box 358, Waldron, Arkansas 72958.
You
may leave words of remembrance for Roberta’s family by visiting: www.heritagememorialfh.com
Mary
Corinne Armstrong Brown of Waldron, Arkansas went to be with her Lord and
Savior Jesus
Christ, Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at her home, with her husband and children by her
side. Mary was born March 20, 1939 in Dunbar, Oklahoma to Floyd Breshears and
Susie Jane Wilson Butler. Mary was 80 yeas old.
Mary always said she wanted to
see Jesus face to face first and tell him how much she loved Him. Then she
wanted to swim in the River of Life and sing with the Heavenly Choir. Mary
loved working in her yard planting flowers. She had a special place in her
heart for mocking birds, they always gave her peace when she heard them sing.
She also loved other birds as well, bluebirds and house wrens were her
favorites. Mary loved her family and she especially enjoyed spending time with
them and making memories to be cherished forever.
Mary leaves behind to cherish her
memory, her loving husband of 45 years, C. Monroe Brown of the home and her
children: Sherrie Armstrong, James Armstrong, Jerry Armstrong and wife Sandy,
Susan Armstrong Lancaster all of Waldron, Arkansas and Teresa Holland and
husband Jeff of Russellville, Arkansas. Granny will forever remain in the
hearts of her grandchildren:Kevin and wife Cozette Isom, David Armstrong,
Jerrod and wife Katie Armstrong, Samuel and wife Ashley Armstrong, Jacob
Armstrong, all of Waldron, Arkansas, J.P. and wife Amanda Ewald, Michael and
wife Missy Ewald and
Erin and husband Jacob Freeman all of Mt. Carmel, Illinois, as well as her
great-grandchildren and great great-grandchildren:Kalyn, Lukas, Kaiden, James,
Taelyn, Ty and Mia Rose. Mary is also survived by her siblings: Wanda Hale of
Sugar Loaf Lake, Barbra and husband Elzie Barnet of Waldron, Arkansas, Iva and
husband Kenny Carter of Mansfield, Arkansas, David and wife Wilma Butler and
Jerry Dale Butler also of Waldron, Arkansas. Mary will be missed by all that
knew her and the many whose lives she impacted including a host of nieces,
nephews, friends and neighbors dear to her heart.
Mary was preceded in death by one
daughter, Mary Elizabeth(Lizzie) Armstrong, her mother, Susie Jane Wilson
Butler, stepdad, Dave Butler and father, Floyd Breshears.
A private family memorial will be
held at a later date. Arrangements and cremation are being entrusted to the
Heritage Memorial Funeral Hom & Crematory in Waldron, Arkansas.
You may leave words of comfort
and remembrance for Mary’s family by visiting: www.heritagememorialfh.com.
On Monday, June 3, the Waldron Bulldogs hosted a Jr High and Sr High team basketball camp. Eight teams stepped on to Bulldog hardwood territory to show off their top-notch basketball skills and have some fun in the process. Mena, Mansfield, Nashville, Ozark, Dover, Mountainburg, Mount Ida, and DeQueen put out their junior and senior high squads to participate in multiple games consisting of two 12 minute halves with a one-minute halftime.
Junior High Head Coach Josh Atchley had this to say about his boys, “The camp went well. We had lots of guys get some valuable reps and were able to work on their game. Numbers during the summer always vary but we had around 20 kids here and plan on having around 30 for the upcoming basketball season. Our guards that played big minutes last year looked like guards who had a year of experience under their belts. We looked decent defensively and have to continue being able to score in the half court. If we can get some of the guys who play forward for us this year to buy-in big time, this group has a chance to reach their potential. Summer is about growth and this camp was a good start to the summer.”
Filling us in on what we can expect to see from the upcoming senior high Bulldogs is Head Coach Joshua Brown. “We have 17 guys on our roster. We have to get better defensively if we want to compete at the level that we are capable of. We only lost one senior to graduation so we have a lot of talent coming back. We have great depth and a lot of guys we can turn to at any time. We have to play with energy at all times if we want to reach our goals this year. We got a lot of reps and that’s big for us during the summer.”
While the weather was hotter than it’s been, there was a nice breeze to counteract the heat at the Greenwood Farmers Market this past Saturday with a lot of people coming to browse and purchase.
Looking out at the tents that were set up, there were more
vendors than there has been last month because of the rains.
On Saturday June 1, Taylor Dunavin was pleased with the turnout of vendors and public. Even though she was expecting more vendors to be there, the recent floods and the need for volunteers was more important and for that she was glad.
There was a church group, Greenwood First Assembly of God,
who was raising money with baked goods, to help with feeding the needy and flood
victims in the Fort Smith/River Valley area.
East Hills Middle School Robotics Club was also doing a
fundraiser with a “slice the price” card.
Other items at the Farmers Market were pottery, jewelry, jams,
jellies, other baked goods, body and facial scrubs, wreaths, crocheted “produce”
items, pictures, custom-made tents, handmade aprons, custom painted signs,
handcrafted canes and walking sticks, plants, custom essential oils and more.
The vendor produce that was expected for this day was utilized to feed flood
victims.
At the next Farmers Market on June 15, there will be a
watermelon eating contest with prize money from the entries.
According to Taylor, the fresh produce vendors will be there as well, which is what a lot of people are waiting for. She invites everyone to come and support Greenwood on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month through October.
During a recent two day spiketacular volleyball camp, the Mansfield Lady Tigers bumped, passed, and served to 46 enthusiastic Little Lady Tigers. Every year the Lady Tigers get together to host a Little Tiger Volleyball Camp and just like in the past, this year was a huge success.
During the course of the camp, the girls were taught skills like how to set, pass, serve, and bump a volleyball along with participating in fun and silly competitions. From the Jr High and Sr High teams, 22 girls showed up to lend a hand at helping their coaches ensure that this was a camp for the ages.
“We had a great turnout for our Little Tiger Volleyball Camp,” expresses coaches Erica McKay and Kaylie Pyles. “All of the kids did such a great job. Thank you to all of the parents for letting your kids attend our camp and thank you to our Jr High and Sr High girls for helping work the camp! We were excited to see all of our future volleyball players!”
Members of the Mansfield City Council met on Friday morning, May 31, to approve a resolution which would give the Arkansas Department of Transportation the green light to begin the bidding process on a street resurfacing project.
Mansfield Mayor Buddy Black said the bidding process is set to begin July 24, and will include the resurfacing of eight city streets. Those streets were previously selected by members of the city council.
After the bidding process is complete, the city will release the names of those streets, areas that will be impacted and the scheduled time of construction.
Today at Life Church in Fort Smith, and continuing until 6pm today, Convoy of Hope has arrived this morning with a semi-truck loaded with food, supplies, cleaning items, buckets, large totes and groceries for the sole purpose of helping those whose homes have been recently affected by the floods in the Fort Smith/River Valley area.
With over 300 volunteers, there was a massive effort to bag groceries this morning to get ready to distribute the much needed items.
According to Life Church campus Pastor, Steven Reed, “We are the church with a capital “C” and we can do something to help.”
Life Church, located right off the interstate of Kelley Highway, is a multi-site church and relocated to their new building in September 2018.
Many people have already come for the supplies with more coming into the parking lots. In looking out over the area, there is still a lot of flooding, but according to weather reports, it is receding.
Volunteers have responded by being available for this and many other relief efforts all over this area.
Cyclone Idai had hit in the Beira area on March 14th, and waters were now way over head high. Homes were destroyed. Matt couldn’t help but to stay glued to the news trying to see what might be headed their way. It was being predicted that another cyclone was soon headed their way again. So much devastation was already taking place that Matt and Andrea couldn’t imagine more.
Over 70,000 people had been impacted from the tropical cyclone. Homes, which were mainly made of mud in the village on Ibo Island, were almost completely wiped out. In some places, homes were completely swept away, and bridges were ripped to pieces. Some roads were completely swallowed up by massive sinkholes. It was devastating everywhere you looked. Matt and Andrea knew they had to help. Seven of their student leaders that lived in Beira were in danger.
“The scale of damage…(in) Beira is massive and horrifying,” the
International Foundation of Red Cross and Red Cresencet Societies said.
More than 150 people were missing in neighboring Zimbabwe. All phone lines were down and electricity was out, so there was no way Andrea could reach any of their students to see if they were ok or even alive. All they could do is pray. Priscilla, one of their students who lived in the heart of where the cyclone took place, was one student they were very concerned about yet there was no way to reach her. Matt and Andrea continued to pray and seek God’s direction on what to do.
News reports stated people in cities were trapped under boulders and in their homes. People were crying and begging for help. Some were clinging to trees for safety. No electricity within the cyclone damaged area was to be found. Kids lost their parents. Others were on their roofs waiting for help to come. No clean water to drink even though water was everywhere, and they stayed thirsty for days. Parents lost their children. People had not eaten in days, and their stomachs ached with pains longing for food. The suffering was unimaginable. The death toll was rising to over 500 people. It was getting harder and harder for Andrea to watch the news knowing so many of their friends that they had made along the way were going through so much just a few miles away.
More rain was predicted as well as cyclone Kenneth on it’s path to hit next. Reports were coming in that Cyclone Idai was the strongest cyclone on record to hit in the Southern Hemisphere. Many villages were impossible to access due to the damages of the cyclone and the flooding. When the water level lowered, Matt knew it was time to help. It was crucial that they go at the right time with the water levels dropping. Time was ticking with lives in waiting. With the help of Convoy of Hope, a helicopter and crew picked Matt up for their first mission to help. Nothing could have prepared him of what he was about to see.
Matt boarded the helicopter, and they made the trip to the village. Matt looked down from the window, and there he saw hundreds of starving people. Matt lowered himself down from the helicopter to a crowd of over 400 people who were curious, devastated, hopeless, and starving. The people waiting had spent over four days in trees and hadn’t eaten in almost two weeks. There he stood, alone, with people who were in desperate need of help. The helicopter then lowered by net the food and supplies to the village. The crew made trip after trip to the village were Matt was waiting. More supplies and more food kept coming, and as Matt waited for each delivery, he stood and listened to their devastating stories for hours. Heartbroken for these people, Matt began to speak about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Three different times, Matt preached to the crowds and shared his testimony. As he spoke, the crowds grew larger and larger. People weren’t just physically hungry. They began to realize that there was a spiritual hunger inside them that they did not know even existed. The people were amazed how a rich, young American who had everything could still need a Savior named Jesus.
The flood waters reached so high that you can see the height of the water levels pictured above the school door where there is a faint water line.
Water levels reached to right above the word “Mudala” in the picture above.
As Matt continued to share his heart with the people, they began to surrender their lives to Jesus. Over 100 people accepted Christ! The chief of the region said, “There is no church in our area.” He begged Matt to come back and plant a tree. These people began to thirst for so much more than just regular water. They wanted more of Jesus, the living water of life!
Hundreds of people waited for food as they were starving and stranded with no homes.
Isn’t it amazing how God works in the midst of tragedy? The people of Africa were hit by the horrible tropical Cyclone Idai that reports the death toll of over 800 people and the flooding of both cyclones that hit within a month apart affected together nearly 3 million people! They experienced so much devastation that most of us in our lifetime will never have to endure. Yet, not only did they cling to trees, but they clung to hope that someone would save them. Matt was able to lead over 100 people to Jesus because he had faith that God can do anything. Andrea said, “God can’t help but to create something beautiful from tragedy. He amazes me always.” Isn’t this so true? The water being delivered to these hurting people was their own GodWink moment! They thought life was over. Some of the people were ready to give up, but God wasn’t finished yet! Matt was just a small-town boy from Arkansas that God used for BIG TIME Miracles!
There was a young boy in the bible named David. He was faced with a challenge, a challenge no one else wanted to take on. Goliath, a gigantic Philistine man, had taunted the Israelites for days. He would not let them have their land. He told the Israelites that they had to get past him first. However, no one wanted to step up to fight this giant man. They knew they would instantly fail. One day, David’s father sent him to deliver lunch and to check on his older brothers who were camping with the Israelite armies. When David arrived and saw what was going on, he could not believe no one would fight Goliath. David was just a small-town boy, but he was willing to accept the challenge for a BIG TIME Miracle.
Goliath laughed at David willing to fight him. Even his own brothers tried to discourage him. The King tried to help David out. He told him not to fight the giant. He told him he was too young and too small. He even offered him armor to wear, but David told him no. He could hardly move when he put all the armor on. He peeled it back off and told King Saul, “I can’t move with all this stuff on. I’m just not use to it.” David knew the battle wasn’t his. The battle was God’s. David gathered five smooth stones from a nearby brook and returned to face the giant. With just a sling shot and only one of his stones, David killed Goliath. No one could believe it. This small-town boy defeated the GIANT simply because he believed God could do the impossible!
Do you have a GIANT in your life? Do you have a problem that seems like there is no answer and there is only devastation? Are you waiting for your deliverance like those in Africa suffering from the cyclone? Do you feel like there are stormy waters all around you? Give it all to God. It’s not your giant to fight alone. With God, all things are possible. Don’t get discouraged. If God can use a small shepherd boy to defeat a gigantic man, if God can use a small-town boy from Arkansas to preach the gospel to hundreds of starving people in Africa, if God can use me from a messed-up past, then God can use you! God is no respecter of persons. He does not care what your background is, and He does not care what you have failed at. God cares about your future. He cares about where you are at this very moment. He wants you to start fresh. So, don’t be discouraged. If you feel like David, and you can’t move because you are so burdened down or you just can’t take that first step forward to change, just know you can! It’s hard, but you can! Are you a small-town boy waiting for a BIG-time miracle? Do you feel like the people in Africa who felt defeated and you’ve waited for days for help? Give it to God and realize you have someone in your corner. God is there for you! You may think it is impossible, but God looks down and sees the possible!
1 Samuel 17:42-47 Contemporary English Version (CEV)42 “When Goliath saw that David was just a healthy, good-looking boy, he made fun of him. 43 “Do you think I’m a dog?” Goliath asked. “Is that why you’ve come after me with a stick?” He cursed David in the name of the Philistine gods 44 and shouted, “Come on! When I’m finished with you, I’ll feed you to the birds and wild animals!”
45 David answered: You’ve come out to fight me with a sword and a spear and a dagger. But I’ve come out to fight you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful. He is the God of Israel’s army, and you have insulted him too!
46 Today the Lord will help me defeat you..”
Luke 1:37 “For with God, nothing shall be impossible.”
2 Chronicles 20:15 “…Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
GodWinks: the unexplainable moment in life when it can only be GOD!
This story was a continuance from a previous story on Resident Press. If you would like to read Part 1, please click on the link below:
Tallerine is another one of my momma’s favorites! It’s also another fast and easy dinner to make on busy evenings! It’s a cross between a Mexican food dish and an Italian dish, and the two meet in the middle! So, if you love Italian and Mexican food, this just might be what you want for dinner tonight!
Ingredients:
1lb Ground Beef
1 Chopped Bell Pepper
2 Tablespoons of Onion Flakes (or 1/4 cup of diced white onion)
1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder
Dash of Pepper
1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 small cans of Tomato Sauce
1lb of Extra Wide Egg Noodles
16oz of Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese
Optional:
1 can of sweet yellow corn (drained)
1 small can of black olives
1 can of Rotel (drained half way)
Directions:
First, place the egg noodles on to boil as directed on the package. While the noodles are cooking, scramble and cook ground beef with bell peppers, onions, and garlic powder with a dash of pepper. If you want to use the can of Rotel, add it to the meat while cooking it. Once the meat is completely cooked, remove it from heat and drain the grease well. Now, return meat to the skillet and add the cream of mushroom soup and the cans of tomato sauce. If you want to use the can of corn or black olives, now is the time to add these ingredients. Once the noodles are fully cooked and drained, return noodles to the pot and add the meat mixture. Stir well. Now, you will need to layer this mixture in the pot with the shredded cheese in a large baking casserole dish. First, spray your baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, then layer with the meat and noodle mixture, then next with cheese, then again with meat and noodle mixture, and again with cheese. Now, microwave your dish until cheese is fully melted, or you can pop it in the oven at 350 degrees until all cheese is melted. Enjoy!
