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Council Hires Perez as Full-Time Officer

Headlines

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5:45 pm

Council Hires Perez as Full-Time Officer

By Tammy Moore Teague

The Mansfield City Council met in regular session on Thursday, December 20 at 7 p.m. Mansfield Mayor Mike Gipson started the meeting by thanking the city council for allowing him to serve as mayor for the past eight months. “I’ve loved every minute of it,” Gipson said. After approving the financial report and minutes from the November meeting, the council moved on to new business.

Mansfield Police Chief Boyd Farmer recommended that the council hire Kelly Perez as a full-time officer. Perez currently serves on the department part-time. The council acted on the recommendation and voted to approve it. Gipson said, “she’s going to be great for us. She’s always there to help whenever we need it.”

Fire Chief Stephen Haysmer gave the fire report, sharing that most of the calls they received were medical. He also recommended the council approve the applications of Dillion Dugan and Levi McDowell. Both were approved pending a drug test.

Gipson reported that things are going well at the waste water plant. Tony Gregory, who is the town’s class II waste water operator, has done an outstanding job on the plant’s upkeep. The council and the public agreed and gave a appreciative round of applause.

In unfinished business, City Recorder/Treasurer Becky Walker discussed the formation of the Dixie Theatre Board. Members include President, Becky Walker, Vice President, Glen Hurt, and Reporter Dollie Gage.

Announcements included a change in the January city council meeting date, which will now be January 24. Additionally, a reminder for everyone to pay their 2019 rural fire dues, which are $40.

Everyone who lives in the city limits are asked to come to city hall and get a dog tag, which are $2.50 per dog. With no other items of business, the meeting of the Mansfield City Council was adjourned.

Tigers Thwarted By Greenland Pirates

Sports

Megan Hecox

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2:46 pm

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By Megan Hecox

The Mansfield Sr High Tigers and Lady Tigers were tipped by the Greenland Pirates in last nights home conference game. The Lady Tigers suffered a 40-26 loss and the Tigers were defeated 61-39. The boys now sit 1-4 in conference play while the girls come in at 0-5.

Things didn’t go quite as planned for the Mansfield Tigers. “When you hear the term “Ice Cold” that is the true description of our game Thursday night,” said Head Boys Coach, Keith Dake. “It’s hard to win games while shooting 38% from the field, 15% from the 3pt line, and committing 20+ turnovers.” The Tigers and Lady Tigers struggled as a whole last night but they will keep putting in the hard work at practice and continue to fight.

Coach Dake had this to say about his team, “The bottom line is that we have got to be able to knock down open shots. We had plenty of opportunities last night and got wide open looks but we just failed to finish. We will look to rebound from this loss Thursday, December 27th, when we face off against Mulberry in the first round of the Bill Frye Christmas Classic. Girls will tip off at 6 pm and boys at 7:30.”

#33 Amber Elmore, #13 Makayla Strutton, #10 Mikayla Harrison

Coach Adams: Making A Difference One Kid At A Time

Sports

Megan Hecox

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12:08 pm

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Coach Adams: Making A Difference One Kid At A Time

By Megan Hecox

Hackett Hornets Coach, Broc Adams, has wanted to make a difference in this world his entire life. Coupled with his love for sports, Coach Adams determined that the best way to achieve his goal was going to be through coaching children. Coach Adams had plenty of coaches that he was able to draw inspiration from. During High School, he was an avid athlete in football, baseball, and basketball. Fast-forwarding to 2018, Broc Adams has been coaching for a full decade now and it just keeps getting better.

Broc Adams explains that his favorite part about coaching is called the “lightbulb” moment. “Its when a kid has worked hard to figure out or accomplish a goal and the bulb finally clicks on and they get it.” When asked what he might be doing right now instead of coaching, Coach Adams replied, “I would probably be working in some sort of sales or working on my golf and fishing career!”

Basketball Is Life For Waldron Coach Joshua Brown

Sports

Megan Hecox

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9:43 am

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Basketball Is Life For Waldron Coach Joshua Brown

By Megan Hecox

“My favorite thing about coaching is being a part of my players’ life. Watching them grow and mature into young men.”- Waldron Coach Joshua Brown.

Joshua Brown has been coaching for 12 years overall and has spent the last 9 years as a head coach. Coach Brown has been the Head Basketball Coach and High School Assistant Principal with the Waldron School District for the last 5 years. He began his basketball career at the tender age of 5 at the Evans Boys Club in Fort Smith, Ar. This is also when his love for the game started to transpire. In High School, Coach Brown played football off and on, basketball, and baseball. He was actually better in baseball than he was in basketball but basketball was always his favorite.

During his High School years, Coach Brown had a coach who played a big part in his life and was his main inspiration for coaching. Coach Chris Bryant. “He was an inspiration to me and pushed me to be the best that I could be on the court and in the classroom. I wanted to have that same impact on young peoples lives as he had for me,” says Coach Brown. “When I came to Waldron, my seniors were in the 8th grade, juniors were in the 7th, and sophomores were in the 6th. Its a blessing and a privilege to be able to watch them grow on the court and in life.”

Hackett Little League Football Banquet

Sports

Megan Hecox

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8:59 am

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By Megan Hecox

The Hackett Little League Hornets celebrated their incredible season with a Football Banquet. The 3rd and 4th Graders ended their season as Runner-ups and the 5th and 6th Graders ended their season as Champions. As a special bonus to the night, the 5th and 6th Graders presented High School Football Coach and Number 1 Hornets Fan, Lonnie Hester, with his very own Championship ring.

Landon Slavens, Brycen Hamilton, and Hayden Foster showing off their Championship rings

Gipson, Great Champion for the City

Headlines

Tammy Teague

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8:37 am

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By Tammy Moore Teague

He came in as mayor during one of the city’s most difficult times. With the waste water woes and the personnel conflicts it was not a job many would have wanted to step up to take on. But, for Michael Gipson it was the only thing to do. He said he was tired of the negative light “his” town was being cast in. He wanted to make a difference, and that, he certainly has done!

He has served the city well for the past nine months, and as City Attorney Matt Ketcham said, “He is a great champion for the city.” Personally, I had never met Gipson before he became mayor. Our first encounter was at his first council meeting as mayor. I went up to introduce myself. He was jovial and very personal. I was in awe as he invited me to take his seat at the head of the council table. This was my first impression, and it was the first of many memories that I feel so blessed to have made with him during his time in office.

Gipson has routinely named “Good Neighbors,” people he felt stood out by being kind, courteous and neighborly. However, while each were named rightly, I believe most would agree that Gipson himself is the greatest of neighbors. Gipson’s motto is “community, town and school.” That isn’t just a motto, it’s his life.

Personally, I have been provided opportunities to see Gipson stand up against all odds for his town and its people. He is truly an ambassador to the city.

Following Gipson’s exit, Buddy Black will take the reins. Black contends that he will continue the work that Gipson started. Gipson will serve as the Chamber of Commerce President and will remain on the Mansfield School Board.

Everyone is invited to the Mansfield City Hall on December 27 from 2-4 p.m. for Gipson’s farewell reception. From the citizens of Mansfield, and the entire community we say thank you for your selfless service Michael Gipson!

Jr Tigers Rock Pirates Like A Hurricane

Sports

Megan Hecox

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8:07 am

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By Megan Hecox

The Mansfield Jr High Tigers bounced the Greenland Pirates back to Neverland in last nights basketball showdown. The Lady Tigers were victorious 34-27 against the Lady Pirates while the Tigers scored a tight 32-29 triumph over the Pirates. Mansfield will get a 13-day break to rest and fine-tune some skills until getting back in the action on January 3rd for their non-conference game at Danville.

#21-Kynslee Ward, #23-Sadie Roberts, #33-Skylynn Harris, #35-Alyson Edwards

The first half of the game was slow getting off the ground. The girls went into halftime with a score of 15-13 Lady Tigers. Getting a little pep in their step, the Lady Tigers flew through the second half of their game with more aliveness and ferocity adding 19 more points to the board. 7th grader Alyson Edwards led the team with 15 points. Sadie Roberts and Skylynn Harris brought in a combined 13 points. And Natalie Allison, Kynslee Ward, Olivia Bouse, and Harlie Fuller secured the remaining 6 points. With this victory against the Lady Pirates, the Lady Tigers have now upgraded their conference play record to 2-4.

The boys’ team didn’t need any help jump-starting their game. The Tigers and the Pirates shot up and down the court like bolts of lightning, delivering back and forth hoop action. One highlight of the night came from Freshman Austin Carlton. Austin pulled off the perfect Michael Jordan move as he leapt up spinning in the air to snatch a rebound, scoring a single-handed basket while delivering the perfect “Whoop-De-Carlton-Doo.” Tyler Escalante brought in 9 points for his team. Clint Stovall made 6 points and Ethan Pettus added 5 points. Bringing in the remaining 12 points were Steven Perez, Zayne Dugan, Austin Carlton, and Dalton Pettigrew. The Tigers will be heading into the new year with a 4-2 conference play record.

City Presents Price with Retirement Plaque

Networks

Tammy Teague

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7:49 pm

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City Presents Price with Retirement Plaque

By Tammy Moore Teague
The Lavaca City Council met in regular session on December 10, at City Hall in Lavaca. Board members present were Aldermen: Mike Ray, Rick Edgerton, Jeff Price, Dale Teague, Lorie Robertson, Benny Hunter, attorney John Verkamp, and Recorder Shelly Hockaday. Mayor Hugh Hardgrave was absent. Visitors present were Ken VanDusen, Rene Myers, Steve Helms, Randy Toon and Gerald Schaefer.
The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. Hockaday led the Pledge of Allegiance and Helms led the prayer. The Council approved the minutes of the November regular meeting as presented.
The Council members then reviewed the report from the police department. The department answered 383 calls in November. Additionally, eight traffic tickets, 11 criminal tickets and 23 warnings were issued. There were 9 arrests made in the month of November.
Next, the council reviewed the report from the fire department. The department responded to 17 first responder calls, three fire calls and one vehicle accident.
In other business, a motion was made to appoint Ron Smith to another term on the FSPWA board. Also, Rene Myers from the Scott Sebastian Regional Library system presented photos of the Library expansion that has been completed and thanked the city and council for their help.
In the last order of business, Jeff Price was awarded a plaque in appreciation for his time served with the City of Lavaca. Price was an asset to the city and will be missed.
With no further business, the Lavaca City Council meeting was adjourned.

Davidson Out on Bail Following Fatal Accident

Headlines

Tammy Teague

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6:56 pm

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By Tammy Moore Teague
On Friday, November 30, John Davidson, 37, was involved in a head-on collision that resulted in the death of an Elm Park resident.
While Davidson was recuperating from his injuries, his mother, Mary Davidson petitioned the court for his involuntary commitment to a drug recovery center. At the time of the accident Davidson tested positive for cannabis, opiates and benzodiazepines. None of which he had been prescribed according to court documents.
On December 5, a Scott County Circuit Judge ordered that Davidson be confined. However, on December 10, a counselor with Harbor Recovery Center stated “Davidson was admitted to Harbor Recovery Center’s Residential Chemical Dependency Treatment Program on December 6. As of December 10, 2018 he has been discharged incomplete from this program due to a positive drug screen for THC, opiates and OXY upon returning from a pass from a doctors appointment. He will be eligible for re-admission (30) days following his date of discharge.”
According to the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Davidson was arrested on December 15 and released on December 18 on a $150,000 bond. Authorities are awaiting toxicology reports, which were sent to the state crime lab in Little Rock following the accident.

Lap Blankets Presented to Mercy Hospice

Headlines

Tammy Teague

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5:58 pm

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By Jack James
Through the miracle of the Internet, a plea was made for lap blankets to help comfort Hospice patients in the Mercy Hospice in Fort Smith. Something was needed to keep the patients warm as they sat in their chairs or wheelchairs and something that wasn’t so “hospital” looking would be a blessing, they said. Well, a post to the masses of social media got several ladies attention. One of those ladies was Fort Smith resident Mary Tomlin!
Mary Tomlin heard the call and went to work immediately. She was already collecting material for a project with local Girl Scouts that was donated by her friend Terry Hunter. Terry’s mother had left a tremendous amount of material when she passed and she was doing something constructive and nice in her mother’s name. When Mary called her and approached her about donating material to the hospice blanket campaign, she didn’t hesitate to hand over all kinds of material for it. Mary made 13 blankets!
On Friday, December 14, 2018 the blankets were presented to the Mercy Hospice in the Mercy (St. Edward’s) Hospital. On behalf of Mary Tomlin and Terry Hunter, Jack James presented the blankets to Hospice Head Nurse Edith Brown and Nurse Amy Hollen. They were beyond thankful and appreciated the time and effort of the donation. It really was Christmas! The head nurse saw the one in the photos and was already handing it to one of their patients who she knew would enjoy it. The blankets are given to the patient and something that the family can take home later.
If you are interested in making a lap blanket to donate to the Hospice care, please do so! They really do a great service to those who have little time and comfort left. (Any part I played was to honor God, my Father and in the memory of cancer patients who lost their battles, especially my sister Donna Jo Johnson, and friends Woody, Roy and Debbie S.) “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”-Matthew 10:42

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