On Tuesday, February 19, Matt Scantling announced the proposed business plans for the former Waldron Walmart store. Scantling, along with owners Aimee and Albert Littleton, have released their plans to incorporate four businesses under one roof at that location.
“We hated to see what happened in Waldron with the Walmart,” said Scantling. “You’re forced to drive to Mena, Greenwood and Fort Smith to get your basic needs met.”
Scantling said they intend to pattern the store similarly to what they currently operate in Magazine. The proposed Waldron location will be a combination of businesses including a True Value, Lumber Warehouse, Tire and Service Center and a Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts.
“I can do everything I want to do under one roof, and right now our business model is to get those four businesses established and once we recover we may do some other things,” added Scantling. “We were asked previously if we would be offering clothing. I couldn’t answer that question previously, but, I can answer that now. We will be doing clothing and possibly some type of footwear.”The 37 year-old building is currently undergoing some renovations, which include work to the heating/air and plumbing. Scantling noted that they anticipate the remodel to take up to 120 days to complete.
Following that, the owners will begin planning for the layout of the store and set up. Scantling said they will employ an outside company to come in and set up the shelving. This process, he anticipates, will take up to two months to complete.
After the set up is complete, they plan to hire people to begin stocking the store. “The people we get to help stock the store, naturally are going to be the ones we employ.” Â
According to Scantling, a soft opening is slated for December of this year, with a grand opening sometime in January of 2020.
Gregg and Rita Shively of Waldron have a life’s calling, and that is to play music and preach the Word. In fact, over the last four years, the husband and wife duo have been traveling the state doing just that.
“I’ve traveled ‘round Arkansas playing original Christian and country music and preachin’ a little,” stated Gregg Shively. “There is so much talent in these Arkansas hills. Rita Sue and I wanted a place where area musicians of all levels could come together and just play.”
After much prayer and searching, a location opened up on Main Street in Waldron’s Historic District. The idea of “Pickin’ In the Round” came together, and since mid October, has been the hot spot for those who wanna come hear some good music.
“Every Thursday evening we gather in a circle makin’ music with friends, old and new, round-robin style and just have too much fun,” added Shively.
Singers, players and listeners are all welcome! They play a variety of music from Christian, country, blues, folk, old rock, bluegrass, southern front porch, and a little Cajun music!
He said “we have three rules, no fussin’, no cussin’, and no alcohol!” Waldron Mayor David Millard commented that he would love to see the music session grow.
They meet every Thursday night from 6-9 p.m. at 264 S. Main Street in Waldron. If you have questions, you can contact the Shivelys at 479-207-4501.
The use of body cameras in police work has been one of the most significant changes in the last decade when it comes to adding transparency to a department. Body cameras have become necessary not only to protect the officers but the public as well. As technology has evolved, police-worn cameras have evolved with it. Better quality video as well as audio, have helped departments tremendously. Having a first-hand account of an incident allows officers not only a means to document, but also to learn from and train on any mistakes made in the video.
Often times a cell phone video is posted on social media of police interaction. Sometimes these videos do not show the entire interaction. Police worn body cameras enable the entire interaction to be reviewed. In 2015 it was estimated that over 95% of larger departments had some type of body-worn camera. It’s not just larger departments who are using the cameras to help their department.
The cost of body cameras has come down significantly where they are affordable by departments of all sizes. There are also federal grants available for the purchase of cameras. The Bureau of Justice currently has grants from $300,000 upwards to $1,000,000. Most cameras cost around $500 before software and storage plans are calculated. The cost of the cameras often pays for themselves.
Within two weeks of implementing body cameras, our department responded to a burglary in progress call. With the cameras activated, we were able to capture the perpetrator on scene as well as charge him for striking a police officer. The entire incident was captured on video. For smaller departments, body cameras also serve as another set of eyes for the officer. Vehicle searches are able to be recorded in their entirety, providing documentation of the search process.
Besides evidentiary benefits, body cameras also serve another purpose.  According to a recent survey, body-worn cameras also reduced use-of-force incidents. Combined with fewer complaints, this means that less time and money were spent on investigations – translating into significant cost savings. The study estimates net savings per camera-wearing officer to fall between $2,909 and $3,178 annually.Â
Body cameras have become a necessary tool for law enforcement. In-car cameras are also a great tool, but often incidents happen away from the police vehicle and are not captured on video. The ease of which videos can be uploaded has also improved greatly. Gone are the days when each video had to be manually uploaded. Cameras today can simply be docked at the end of a shift and uploaded to cloud storage for management. The videos can then be accessed easily by prosecutors even up to the day of a trial.
Departments also now have a larger selection of companies to purchase their cameras from. Companies such as Axon, Watchguard, and Wolfcom are the industry leaders in the field of body cameras. Each company has different perks on their cameras that make their product more attractive. For example, Axon offers not only a body worn camera but also a camera known as the flex that can be worn on a head mount for more of a realistic viewpoint from the officer. Advances in video and audio technology will hopefully make the role of a police officer more transparent but also safer as well.
On Tuesday, February 19, the ladies of Scott County Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee made food donations to the Backpack programs at Mansfield Middle School and Waldron High School.
Backpack programs provide food to students who are dealing with food insecurity in the home. The backpacks are filled with easy to fix foods, such as microwaveable meals, healthy snacks, and cereals, and sent home with students on Friday afternoons so they will have food available to them through the weekend.
According to FeedingAmerica.org, in 2018 the food insecurity rate among children in Scott County was 25.6%, which accounts for approximately 660 children. One is too many. By donating to the programs at our local schools we can all help to alleviate this problem.
Here is how you can help. Contact your local school counselors to verify their donation procedures and to see if they have any specific need for the week. An elementary student’s needs will be different from a high school student’s. Listed below are items they can always use. Make sure anything you purchase won’t expire quickly and is packaged so they can break it open and distribute smaller packaged items individually. For example boxes of honey buns, donut sticks, fruit snacks, peanut butter crackers, etc.Here is how you can help.
Frequently needed items- Individual microwaveable meals such as Mac and cheese, Beefaroni, Spaghetti, etc. Fruit snacks, Vienna sausages, Granola Bars, Cheese crackers, peanut butter crackers, individual sized cereal (boxed), and raisins or fruit cups. Make sure you make nutritious purchases. NO chips or candy. Since the food has to be stored at the schools, and for obvious safety issues, they can NOT accept fresh fruit or veggies.
Pictured with Mansfield Middle School Counselor Rhonda Bullard are committee members Linda Parish and Cheryl Phipps.
Pictured with Waldron High School Counselors Tasha Self and Melissa Brewer is Waldron District Superintendent Daniel Fielding and committee members Sue Cox, Regina Oliver, and Laurie Richardson.
The Waldron Police Department is requesting assistance in the identification of the white flatbed truck in these photographs.
The vehicle appeared to be occupied by a driver and one passenger, who are the suspects in the theft of a 32-foot gooseneck trailer from a business located on U.S. Hwy 71 Bypass.
The suspect vehicle was observed going northbound on the highway after the theft, at approximately 11:30 p.m. Saturday, February 16, 2019. If you have any information, contact the WPD at (479) 637-3103.
If
you suffer from chronic pain, you are not alone. Millions of American live with
pain that affects their day-to-day lives, but almost half of them receive no
treatment. Chronic pain is pain that has lasted longer than three
months. It may begin with an injury, disease, or procedure but evolve
into persistent pain. Sometimes the cause of chronic pain is not clear.
​Those with chronic pain may
look for non-drug treatment options. Recommended options, like self-management
and exercise, can be very limited in rural areas. The Chronic Pain
Self-Management Program, a new program offered by the University of
Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, aims to increase county residents’
access to non-drug options for chronic pain.
​The Chronic Pain
Self-Management Program is a six-week series of workshops that teach
participants how to deal with chronic pain and the issues it
causes. Sessions address: techniques to deal with problems such as
frustration, fatigue, isolation, and poor sleep; appropriate exercise for
maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and endurance; appropriate use
of medications; communicating effectively with family, friends, and health
professionals; nutrition; pacing activity and rest; and how to evaluate new
treatments.
The evidence-based
program has been shown to increase vitality or energy, decrease
pain, decrease dependence on others, and improve mental health.
Participants in the program were more involved in everyday activities
and more satisfied with their lives compared to those who
had not taken the program.
The Chronic Pain Self-Management Program will be offered in Waldron starting Monday, March 19. Sessions will be held at Rich Mountain Community College, Waldron Branch at 456 West 6th Street from 9-11:30 a.m. Sessions are free to participants through funding from the USDA, but space is limited. To sign up for the program, contact Debbie Miller at the Extension Office at 479-637-2173 or dmiller@uaex.edu.Registration deadline is March 8, 2019.
The University of
Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an
equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you
require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another
format, please contact the Scott County Extension Office as soon as
possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
Times, they are a changin’! We know that, and things certainly do not stay the same. But, there are some things that should never change, and that is morals and ethics. The decline of these in the society in which we live, and the press we depend on, have led to great distrust and has forced the closure of many news outlets. Why?
“News,” has become so perverted and I use that term loosely. Just today, I learned that a family member was approached by another local “news” agency about an incident that happened in our area. It was very upsetting to this person who got the call, and saw no reason for their name to be released as a victim. I was livid to say the least. Doing harm is not only a violation of trust, it violates the very core values of true journalism.
Before I write the “hard to report,” news I always ask myself a series of questions. Ethical questions, that should be at the heart of every writer who is a true journalist.
Find the truth and report it. Is it responsible, is it accurate?
Minimize harm. Is there a balance of what the public needs to know and what could potentially cause harm. Is it respectful and compassionate? And, are there long-term implications?
Act independently. Is it prejudicial?
Be accountable and transparent. Is it accurate? Does it meet the high standards that your readers expect?
Someone said to me, “in this electronic age I didn’t think people actually wanted to come cover events.” I looked at him and said, I am so sorry. All you know is that person’s email, or if you’re lucky, their name. The fact is, you dont know the whole story with an email! I want to be at these events, I want to know these people and tell their story. That’s journalism to me!
Now, just because it has the title “Deer Balls,” you shouldn’t worry! They are delicious! This past Thanksgiving, I needed a quick recipe for a side dish for two Thanksgiving dinners in one day! I knew our freezer was full of deer meat. So, my mind went to work. Why not roll deer meat into ball shapes and fry them?  I mean after all, everything is much better fried, right? (Except when we have to watch our cholesterol!)Â
So, Thanksgiving morning, I literally started throwing ingredients into my bowl with my ground deer. Then, I rolled them into to balls and into the frying pan they went. My husband immediately came in and wanted to know what the delicious smell was, and he was ready to be my official taste tester. He grabbed one as soon as I started pulling them out of the skillet. He popped it in his mouth. He gave me a big thumbs up and a grin! I knew this was a win! But, I also knew I had to shew him quickly out of the kitchen or I wouldn’t have any deer balls left to take to our Thanksgiving! I made such a large batch that I rolled all them into balls, and I took half a batch to one Thanksgiving and then the other half to another dinner. This recipe will make a large amount!
These deer balls were a hit for all ages! They are great served with ketchup to dip in for the little kids; however, if you are a gravy lover, like my husband, brown gravy is super yummy on top of them!
Ingredients:
2 lbs of ground deer (or beef)
1 Cup of Planko Crumbs
McCormick Parmesan/Garlic Wing Seasoning Packet from Wal-Mart (Next time I make these, I would like to change things up and try the McCormick BBQ Wing Seasoning Packet from Wal-Mart to see how it’s flavoring would be!)
Teaspoon of Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning
Teaspoon of Season Salt
Teaspoon of Garlic Salt
1 1/2 Cup of Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
Directions:
Place raw ground Deer Meat, Planko Crumbs, McCormick Parmesan/Garlic Wing Seasoning Packet, Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning, Season Salt, Garlic Salt, and Shredded Cheese all in a bowl and mix well. You may have to use your hands to blend the cheese and crumbs well with the meat. Once all ingredients are mixed well, begin to form the meat mixture into small round balls.
Frying Deer Balls!
Once the balls are formed, place into a skillet with grease on medium heat. You do not want to fry the balls too fast, because then they will be raw inside the middle of them and only browned on the outside. You want to cook on a slow and steady timing of medium heat. You will need to turn them from time to time to allow browning on all sides. Once the balls have browned on all sides, remove from the grease and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately for yummy flavor and freshness! Enjoy!
Yummy Deer Balls hot, fresh, and ready to be served!
There is nothing like coming home from a hard day’s work and smelling dinner already cooking! With this Deer Taco Recipe, you can let it cook while you are at work that way dinner is ready to be served with a few other small preparations once you get home!Â
This recipe was shared with me from a dear friend, Kristen Wheeler. One day, while working at a zoo camp with Kristen, we were swapping our crockpot recipes. She told me that she placed frozen chicken breast, cream cheese, and salsa verde in the crockpot. Then once cooked, she would shred it and eat with tacos. She said her family loved it, and it was always a hit.
One day, I sent her a text asking her if she had ever tried it with a deer roast. She laughed and said, “No, but why not?” So, I decided to take Kristen’s Chicken Taco Recipe and make it into a Deer Taco Recipe. We had a freezer full of deer meat, and a deer roast that I was dying to try a new recipe with. So, I put Kristen’s Recipe to the test. Let’s just say, it was amazing and the kids enjoyed it so much! It was like a little bit of the Mexican Restaurant food cooked right at home!
Ingredients:
1 (approx. 3 lb.) Deer Roast (or Beef Roast, Pork Roast, or a 2.5 lb. bag of Frozen skinless boneless Chicken Breast)
1 8oz block of Cream Cheese
1 jar of Salsa Verde (This is green salsa.)
Tortillas
Suggested Taco Toppings – Shredded Cheese, Lettuce and Tomatoes
Suggested Side Dishes- Rice and Refried Beans
Directions:
Place the roast (or whatever type of meat you choose) into the crockpot. Cube the block of cream cheese and place on top of the meat. Pour the Salsa Verde on top.
Getting the Cream Cheese, Salsa Verde, and Deer Roast ready to cook!
Cook on low for 16 hours until the deer meat is tender and ready to shred. I would suggest placing ingredients in the crockpot to cook overnight that way by the next afternoon, the deer roast is ready to eat.
With a deer roast, to get the meat tender enough to shred, it takes more time to cook than a regular pork or beef roast. If it was an older deer, it will also cause the roast to need more time to cook for needed tenderness.
If you are going to make this recipe with beef, pork or chicken, meat can be cooked for only 8 hours on low.
Once deer taco meat is shredded, it’s time to serve up those tacos! I love to cook rice and beans as side dishes to serve with the tacos! Enjoy!
