Resident News Network

Lady Arrows roll up Danville 9-3.

Sports

-

9:30 pm

Photo Courtesy of Johnna Morgan

Fresh off of a third place win in the Clarksville Tournament, Lavaca cruised to an 9–3 victory over Danville Monday night. The Lady Arrows fired up the offense in the first inning, scoring two runs. Danville scored two runs in the top of the third to tie it back up, but the Lady Arrows responded in the bottom of the third to regain the lead 3-2. From there Lavaca never looked back. They tacked on another three runs in the fourth and again in the sixth.

BethAnn May was credited with the victory for Lavaca. She allowed ten hits and three runs over seven innings, striking out eight and walking one. The Lady Arrows played excellent defense behind their Ace pitcher. Danville was only able to push three of their ten hits across home plate.

The Lady Arrows saw the ball well yesterday, racking up eight hits in the game. Brianna Winchester, Sierra Lamb, and Kinzee-Jo Brown had two hits each. This Lady Arrow team is also proving to be extremely fast. They stole five bases in last nights game, allowing them to maximize their at bats. Brianna Winchester lead the team in stolen bases with two, while Macie Wilbanks, Sierra Lamb, and Morgan Taylor each added one a piece.

Lavaca will travel to Hector on Thursday to take on the Lady Wildcats at 4:30.

Lavaca City Council Meeting

Headlines

-

6:26 pm

0

The Lavaca City Council met in regular session on Monday, March 11. Board members present were Mayor Hugh Hardgrave; Aldermen: Mike Ray, Gerald Schaefer, Rick Edgerton, Dale Teague, Benny Hunter, attorney John Verkamp and Recorder Shelly Hockaday. Lorie Robertson was absent. Visitors present were Ken VanDusen, Butch Maness, Nola Hunter, Jim Webb, Patty Dikeman, Heather Cates, Steve Helms, and Police Chief Randy Toon.

The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. Mayor Hardgrave led the Pledge of Allegiance and Helms led the prayer.

After approving the minutes of the February meeting, the council members reviewed the report from the police department. The department answered 324 calls in February and made three arrests. Additionally, four traffic tickets and 16 warnings were issued.

Next, council members reviewed the report from the fire department. The department responded to 14 first responder calls and two fire calls.

In the next order of business, the planning commission recommended a zoning change for Cory and Melissa Green at 703 N Hwy 253 from R1 to R2 by ordinance. The motion was made to adopt as ordinance 2019-01.

Dikeman with First Baptist Sew Blessed Quilters presented a Veterans quilt that she made to the City of Lavaca to display in city hall. All veterans are welcome to come in and sign the quilt.

Ray welcomed Schaefer, the newest member of the council, who was appointed at the last meeting to fill a vacant seat left by Jeff Price.

After approving the motion to pay all the bills, and with no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

7th-Grade Bulldogs Steal The Show

Sports

Megan Hecox

-

3:31 pm

0

Pictured is Joseph Rogers

Competing in their first track meet of the season, the Waldron seventh-grade Bulldogs traveled to Mena to set their pace for future track meets. Coached by Cory Chambers, the boys’ team showed off their running and jumping skills and ended the event with some impressive times.

The seventh-grade boys earned the overall First Place victory at the meet. Helping to secure that triumph were the following: Robert Underwood earned second place in Discus with 63.6 feet and Gage Cox threw 55.11 feet. In Shot Put, taking first place was Gage Cox with 49.4 feet and in second place was Lucas Nix with 46.2.

Taking second place for the High Jump was Kason Davis with 4.4 and in third was Caden Husser with 4.2. In the Long Jump, Jeremy Brown made a score of 13.4 and Michael Grano made 12.5. Marco Mondragon earned a 20.1 in Triple Jump.

Jumping in the 110 Meter Hurdles and snagging second place was Joseph Rogers with .23.15. Seth Blankenship made a time of .24.9. In the 300 Meter Hurdles, Kason Davis made first place with .51 seconds while Joseph Rogers earned second place with .53 seconds.

Taking second place in the 100 Meter Dash with a time of 13:63 was Kason Davis. In third place with a time of 14:34 was Michael Grano. In the 200 Meter Dash was Joseph Rogers in second place with 29.17 seconds and in third place with 29.89 seconds was Jeremy Brown. Marco Mondragon took first place in the 400 Meter Dash with a time of 1:03 and taking second place with 1:10 was Konnor Marcellus.

Steve Grano took second place in the 1600 Meter Run with a time of 5:52 and Dakota Chalmers earned a time of 2:58 in the 800 Meter Run. The Bulldogs took second place in both the 4×100 Meter Relay and 4×400 Meter Relay. They also earned fourth place in the 4×800. The 7th-graders will compete in their next track meet in Mansfield on March 25.

FSPS and Mercy Executives Visit Mansfield School-Based Clinic

Headlines

Tammy Teague

-

2:58 pm

0

FSPS and Mercy Executives Visit Mansfield School-Based Clinic

On Tuesday, March 12, Administrators from the Fort Smith Public School District as well as Mercy Hospital executives visited Mansfield’s school-based clinic.

The district was the first in the state to partner with Mercy. Superintendent Robert Ross stated that Mansfield’s clinic is larger because they pioneered the program and received a federal grant for half a million dollars.

“We have suites at our clinic,” added Ross. “We also offer OT (occupational therapy), PT (physical therapy), and an exercise room. The faculty and staff at that campus get to use that equipment as well as the clinicians there.”

Two other schools subsequently partnered with Mercy Hospital, including Magazine and Cedarville.

Mercy Hospital representatives Dr. Cole Goodman M.D., Steve Gebhart, Mercy Vice President of Operations, Jeannie Keomoungkhoune, Practice Manager Mercy of Mansfield and administrators from Fort Smith Public Schools, Terry Morawski – Fort Smith Public Schools Deputy Superintendent, Zena Marshall, Fort Smith Public Schools Executive Director of Community Partnerships, Cynthia Mitchell, Fort Smith Public Schools Registered Nurse Operations all toured the Mansfield school-based clinic.

“They came to look at our facility, ask questions and see how it operates,” added Ross.

The school has a protocol in place that allows parents to give signed written permission for their children to be able to see any of the providers. “This way the parents don’t have to leave work,” commented Ross.

The clinic, which opened during the 2013-2014 school year, is also open to the public, and includes a medical, dental, eye and mental health clinic.

7th-Grade Lady Bulldogs Race To Victory

Sports

Megan Hecox

-

11:23 am

0

Pictured is Kynlyn Frayer

The Waldron seventh-grade Lady Bulldogs hit the road and headed to Mena to compete in their first track meet of the season. The girls ended the evening with a fourth place overall victory. The other schools in competition with Waldron were Mansfield, Acorn, Mena, Caddo Hills, Cossatot River, and Heavener.

Throwing in Discus with 37.4 feet was McKenzie Owens and with 36.1 feet was Isabel Roberson. For Shot Put with 22.3 feet and 21.7 feet was Annabelle Millard and Lily Woodard.

Jumping in the High Jump for third place was Emma Wilson with 4.2 feet and with 3.8 feet was Alicia Sher. Grabbing second place in the Long Jump was Macie Davis with 12.6 feet and Kynlyn Frayer with 10.2 feet. In the Triple Long Jump in second place was Nora Reidel with 23.11 feet and Kynlyn Frayer with 22.11 feet.

For the 100 Meter Hurdles in second place was Erika Gabel with 20.70 seconds and Maleea Sims with 26.6 seconds. Rachel Page and Maddison Hunt scored a time of 1:22 and 1:38 in the 300 Meter Hurdles.

Making a run for it in the 100 Meter Dash was Macie Davis in second place with a time of 15.26 and with 15.5 was Kynlyn Frayer. In the 200 Meter Dash with a time of 36.03 and 36.33 was Alicia Sher and Rylie Brown. Reagan Adams and Ella Engelke ran a 1:30 and 1:39 in the 400 Meter Dash.

Kynlyn Frayer ran a 3:25 in the 800 Meter Run and Nora Riedel ran a 10:27 in the 1600 Meter Run. For the relay races, the girls brought in a second place win in the 4×400 and two fourth place wins in the 4×100 and the 4×800.

Coach Toby Hollin had this to say about the seventh grades first track meet. “I always enjoy 7th grade meets. It’s a new experience for them. As a team, we always have room for improvement, but definitely a lot of potential for this group.” The Waldron 7th-grade Bulldogs will next compeet in Mansfield on March 25.

Veteran’s Quilt Presented to City Hall

Networks

Resident News Network

-

8:43 am

0

Patty Dikeman, representing the First Baptist Sew Blessed Quilters, presented a quilt that she has made to the City of Lavaca at the Lavaca City Council meeting on Monday, March 11. This beautiful quilt will hang in the Lavaca City Hall. All veterans are urged to drop by and add their signatures to this beautiful quilt that Patty has made. What a wonderful way to show respect to our men and women who have served us all so well.

Lavaca Police Chief Randy Toon, Patty Dikeman and Central City Police Chief Dale Teague are shown holding the quilt. Toon and Teague are two of the many local veterans we thank for their service.

Miss Arkansas Visits MMS

Networks

Resident News Network

-

8:15 am

0

Alayna Turner is a 8th grader at Mansfield Middle School. In 7th grade Alayna decided she would like Miss Arkansas to come speak at the school.

She found out how much money it cost and decided to do a fundraiser. Alayna and her friend Madelen Jones who is also a 8th graded deciding to do a pizza raffle with the help of one of there teachers, Mrs. Bryan.

They worked very hard on their fundraiser and raised plenty of money. The next step was to talk to the Mansfield Middle School Principal, Mr. Fisher. It took quite a while to figure out a date.

It took more than one try but, they figured it out. So Alayna filled out the paper work and mailed it to the Miss Arkansas Organization. In about two to three days they responded!

She talked to one of Miss Arkansas’s associates and got it all set up.

On March 1st at 8:40 AM Alayna was called out to greet Miss Arkansas, Claudia Raffo. They had a great time visiting in till it was time for the presentation.

Miss Arkansas did a very good job talking to the 5th – 8th graders about goal settings and her personal goals. To get the boys into it she did a Mr. Arkansas pageant.

She took a boy from each grade and had them introduced themselves, answer a question and show off their best dance moves.

Everyone enjoyed that very much. She talked to the kids and let them come up to hug her. She really did a outstanding job and made some kids day.

Alayna and Claudia took some pictures and then said their goodbyes. It was a very successful day for Mansfield Middle School.

Velocity Mansfield U13 Strikes Gold

Sports

Megan Hecox

-

7:30 am

0

Playing in their first year together as a team, the Lady Tigers from the Velocity Mansfield U13 volleyball team has been defying some pretty amazing odds. With all but one of the girls being eleven and twelve, the girls were left playing up in the 13’s age division due to the fact of having one thirteen-year-old on the team.

Team Velocity proved that they were up to any challenge they came face to face with. Holding their own the entire season, playing in three tournaments and two jamborees, the girls had one last tournament left to compete in which took place over this past weekend.

Team Velocity attended Volley in the Rock held in Little Rock, Arkansas on March 9-10. Making up the ultra-talented roster of Team Velocity 13U is Kaylee Ward, Rylie Bentley, Shelbie Fuller, Harlie Fuller, Kynley Simpson, Caydence Moore, Presley Curry, Alyssa Black, and Trinity Triska.

By the end of the two-day tournament, the girls had played in 11 total sets winning seven of them and proudly walking away with a third place win in the Gold Classic Division. Head Coach for Team Velocity, Brandi Elmore, beamed while expressing her thoughts on her girls and the season.

“They’ve held their own this whole season. This was our best tournament to date. I have some big talent. They’ve all worked super hard this season and I couldn’t be more proud of them. My cousin, Tari Ward, started Velocity Volleyball in Mansfield and what started with one team has grown into four. Our hope is to prepare these girls for high school volleyball and hopefully add some more state champ pictures to the wall!”

Lavaca Military Road Museum has Visitors

Networks

Resident News Network

-

5:32 pm

0

Lavaca Military Road Museum has Visitors

Twelve ladies from the Welcome Neighbor Club of Greater Fort Smith toured the Military Road Museum in Lavaca this past Thursday. According to their webpage, “Welcome Neighbor Club is a non-profit group of ladies who enjoy having a good time. Bowling, book club, bunco, brunches, golf, and just plain friendships!!! And an annual Christmas charity auction to feel good about ourselves.”

The club called several weeks ago requesting a tour. The ladies had a good lunch at Steffey’s Pizza and then made their way to the museum where they were fascinated by our local history and contributions to the area. The women had plenty of questions and reminisced about their younger days as they were reminded by artifacts in the displays. Several of the ladies found an old songbook in our collection and had no problem joining together singing a song to the rest of us. The chairperson of their group called later to express their thanks and telling what a great time they all had while here. People are beginning to pay more attention to Lavaca!

Our museum is open on Saturdays from 9am until 12 noon or by appointment by calling 479-729-2482. Admission is free.

Hackett Hosts Mental Health Training

Headlines

Resident News Network

-

5:11 pm

0

The Hackett School District hosted the “Let’s Talk About It” suicide prevention training on Monday morning. Jacob Smith of the Arkansas Department of Health gave the presentation to grades 7-12. According to their website, “The steps learned in safeTALK have helped participants from all walks of life be alert to situations where suicide thoughts may be present.”

Following three hours at the school, Smith then presented the Safe Talk at the Hackett Fire Center to adults. Attendees received training to recognize warning signs associated with suicidal individuals.

The Hackett Police Department announced that motivational speaker, author, and suicide prevention expert, Susie Reece, will speak to students on March 25 and host a community forum at 6 p.m. that evening at Hackett First Baptist Church.

R

RESIDENT NEWS NETWORK