By Tammy Moore Teague
Through generous donations from local businesses and individuals, the officers with the Waldron Police Department were able to take several area children shopping at the Walmart in Greenwood.
The Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, and Arkansas Agriculture Department joined forces to participate in the annual Shop with a Cop program.
This program is a blessing to those who give of their time, donations and to those families whom the program assists. Many thanks to all who helped make Shop with a Cop possible.
Waldron PD Participates in Shop with a Cop
Mayor’s Farewell Reception
By Tammy Moore Teague
A farewell reception for Mansfield Mayor Mike Gipson is set for December 27 from 2-4 p.m. at city hall. This will be a come and go event and a great time to visit with Gipson and show your appreciation for what he’s done for the city.
Gipson has selflessly gave of his time and efforts to better the City of Mansfield. He took office during a tumultuous time for the city, and united everyone to work together for the good. His job wasn’t an easy one, however he credits those around him and the citizens for making his time as mayor a success.
Mayor-Elect Buddy Black will also be in attendance, so come and give him a warm welcome. Everyone in the community is invited to come out and be a part of this event!
Obituary – Eddie Lawerence Harrison (1941 – 2018)
Eddie Lawerence Harrison of Waldron, Arkansas went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, December 15, 2018 at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Eddie was born March 22, 1941 in Fort Worth, Texas to George Wilbur Harrison and Ina Mae (Buckner) Harrison. He was 77 years, 8 months and 23 days old.
Eddie graduated from Waldron High School and attended college at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas. After graduating from college, he began his teaching career at Waldron High School in the Science department where he taught for 53 years. He sponsored the Beta Club for all his teaching career. He even served as the state Beta Club sponsor. He supported the athletic department by keeping the gate at the football, basketball and softball games. He loved teaching and always supported Waldron High School. He loved it so much that when he retired after teaching 53 years, he became a school board member.
Eddie was a member of First Baptist Church at Waldron. He was very active in the church. He served as a deacon and was a Gideon. He was involved in many ministries of the church, which are too many to mention. He was the Vacation Bible School director for many years. He was very involved with the youth and taught classes, took them on many mission trips, church camps and worked with AWANA. He touched many people’s lives and will be greatly missed. Eddie loved to travel and went on many tours. The most important thing about his life was that he loved his Lord and Savior and wanted others to get to know Him too.
Eddie is survived by one sister, Zondra Harrison Ramey and husband James of Mountain View Arkansas and one brother George Harrison and wife Janey of Scranton Arkansas. He is also survived by two nieces: Lea Ann (Ramey) Farmer and husband David of Arley, Alabama and Marsha (Harrison) Ross and husband BJ of Charleston, Arkansas. He is also survived by four nephews: John Ramey and wife Beth of North Port, Alabama, Brad Harrison and wife Athena of Scranton, Arkansas, Chris Harrison of Scranton, Arkansas and Allen Harrison and wife Allie of Charleston, Arkansas. Eddie is survived by twelve great nieces and nephews and many other family members and friends.
Eddie was preceded in death by his parents, George Wilbur and Ina Mae Harrison.
Eddie’s life celebration will be at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at the First Baptist Church in Waldron, Arkansas with Dr. Ken Overturf officiating. Interment will follow in the Duncan Cemetery in Waldron, Arkansas. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
Eddie’s pallbearers will be Mitch Crotts, Chris Lipham, Ken Landon, Steve Ewing, Daniel Fielding and Rick Jeffrey. Honorary pallbearers will be deacons of First Baptist Church.
Eddie’s visitation will be Tuesday, December 18, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
You may leave words of comfort and remembrance for Eddie’s family by visiting: www.heritagememorialfh.com.
Obituary – Eddie Ray Scott (1979 – 2018)
Eddie Ray Scott, aka Fast Eddie, of Waldron, Arkansas passed from this life, Monday, December 10, 2018 in Van Buren, Arkansas. Eddie was born July 2, 1979 in Springdale, Arkansas to Chester D. and Barbara Jean (Cheesman) Scott. He was 39 years, 5 months and 8 days old.
Eddie enjoyed hunting, fishing and driving trucks. He enjoyed the company of friends and family and helping others. He loved his family and always looked forward to having fun.
Eddie leaves behind to cherish his memory, his mother Barbara Scott, one son, Dylan Cheesman, one sister, Loretta Pottinger and husband Mike and one brother Damon Scott all of Waldron, Arkansas. Uncle Eddie will be remembered by his two nieces and 4 nephews. Eddie will be missed by all that knew him and the many whose lives he impacted including a host of extended family, friends and loved ones.
Eddie was preceded in death by his father, Chester D. Scott.
Eddie’s life celebration will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, December 17, 2018 at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas with J.D. Graham and Trey Broomfield officiating. Interment will follow in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery near Waldron, Arkansas. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
Eddie’s pallbearers will be Larry Lunsford, Bruce Self, Ben Sparks, Bobby Chrisman, Gordy-Brian McCullah and Brandon Mahaffey.
Eddie’s visitation will be Sunday, December 16, 2018 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron. Arkansas.
You may leave words of comfort and remembrance for Eddie’s family by visiting: www.heritagememorialfh.com.
Obituary – William Theo Wagner, Jr. (1935 – 2018)
William Theo “Wag” Wagner, Jr. of Waldron, Arkansas went to be with his Lord and Savior, Wednesday, December 12, 2018 in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Jr. was born October 14, 1935 in Waldron, Arkansas to William Theo Wagner Sr. and Alta Wagner. He was 83 years, 1 month and 29 days old.
Jr. leaves behind his loving wife Katy of the home, one daughter, Kay Lynn Clay and husband Brian of Greenwood, Arkansas and one son, Scott Wagner of Waldron, Arkansas. Papa will be forever remembered in the hearts of his grandchildren: Kristen Carter, Rebel Hindman, Kobe Clay, Hunter Wagner and Delaney Wagner as well as 6 great grandchildren. Jr. will be missed by all that knew him and the many whose lives he impacted including a host of friends, neighbors, and loved ones.
Jr. was preceded in death by his parents, Theo and Alta Wagner and one sister, Bette Sue Goss. Jr. was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church and active in his Sunday School class through the years. He loved watching Cardinals’ baseball and the Razorbacks. Jr. was a Waldron Library board member and an avid Western novel reader.
Jr.’s life celebration will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, December 14, 2018 at First Baptist Church in Waldron, Arkansas with Dr. Ken Overturf officiating. Interment will follow in the Duncan Cemetery in Waldron. Arrangements are being entrusted to the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home.
Jr.’s pallbearers will be Hunter Wagner, Greg Goss, Mark Trickey, Nathan Howard, Miles Dozier and Allen Dozier. Honorary pallbearers are Derial Hullender, Paul Plummer and the men of Adult II/III Sunday School class at FBC.
Jr.’s visitation will be Thursday, December 13, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Heritage Memorial Funeral Home in Waldron, Arkansas.
You may leave words of comfort and remembrance for Jr.’s family by visiting: www.heritagememorialfh.com.
Coach Bryans Tiger Pride Shows Through Coaching
By Megan Hecox
Being a Coach is not for the faint of heart. To build a sports program on top of motivating young people to want to work hard and succeed is not as easy as it sounds. But one person making it look like a breeze is 7th grade and Sr High Girls Basketball Coach, Joshua Bryan. Coach Bryans inspiration for coaching came from his high school years when he would spend his time coaching his little sister in Mid-America Youth Basketball. It was at that moment that he had fallen in love with coaching and knew that someday he would be coaching for a school district somewhere.
During school, Coach Bryan enjoyed playing a wide variety of sports between 7-12 grades, including soccer, basketball, track, and golf but his main focus was on football. For 9 years, Coach Bryan has been coaching and by a twist of fate, he landed the opportunity to coach in his hometown of Mansfield where he has been coaching track for 3 years and girls basketball for the last 2. If coaching was no longer an option, Coach Bryan would probably own a local farm or work for the forestry department. You can watch his passion for the game of basketball when he coaches the Lady Tigers in their game at Elkins on December 18th at 4 pm.
MES GT Visits Nature Center
By Tammy Moore Teague
The Mansfield third and fourth grade gifted and talented students recently visited the Janet Huckabee Nature Center. They learned about critters of Arkansas, practiced their archery skills, and learned about Arkansas snakes, even petting them!
Throughout their time at the center, they learned that there is no such thing as a poisonous snake. Rather, that there are only venomous and non-venomous snakes.
A few fun-facts they learned:
Do you know what snakes do when they get excited?
They poop!
When a frog swallows, its eyeballs push the food down the esophagus then come back up to the eye sockets.
The students had a wonderful time at the nature center, and learned a lot too!
Claude Foster Is Hornets High-flying Coach
By Megan Hecox
Hackett Hornets Coach, Claude Foster, has been coaching for 27 years. He caught the coaching bug when he was still in High School during his days playing football and baseball. After High Scool had ended, Coach Foster chose to major in Education to achieve a profession as a teacher and as a coach.
Coach Foster teaches math for the Hackett school district and coaches the girls 7-12 grade basketball teams. He has a tremendous love for both his teaching and coaching careers. His favorite and most satisfying part of coaching is watching the players develop to their full potential. Coach Foster and the Sr High Lady Hornets are 4-7 in their overall season play. They look to add to their wins column their upcoming game against County Line at home tomorrow December 18th at 6 pm. The 7th grade and Jr High teams play County Line in Branch, Ar tonight at 4:30 pm.
Hackett Helping Hands Demonstrates Big Heart
By Tammy Moore Teague
Hackett Helping Hands is in its fourth year of assisting families and bringing Christmas to local children. “The spirit of giving is very much alive in Hackett,” said Hackett Police Chief Darrell Spells. “Many of the people who donate each year are people I’ve developed friendships with in Hackett. They give generously to make sure families are helped during this time of year.”
On Friday, December 14, Spells and Hackett officers Todd Johnson, Jim Fortson and Brian Hartsfield along with members of the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office, Cody McConnell and his daughter Ella, Ariel Pinkston, Tara Spangler, Seth Trotter, Brent Smith and Maria Duarte as well as Zach Hall with the Fort Smith Police Department, delivered food boxes to local residents and special gift bags to children at ABC and Hackett Preschool. Then, on Saturday, Spells alongside six area law enforcement officers and Heather Wall, Hackett Elementary School counselor, assisted the children while they shopped at Walmart on Rogers Avenue in Fort Smith. “Some of these families 
may just be having a tough year financially or other circumstances,” added Spells. “For a couple of hours parents are able to just relax without worrying about bills and just focus on the kids having fun getting to purchase their favorite toy.” Each child was allowed to spend $140. “The families were very appreciative and thanked the officers repeatedly. It’s the highlight of our year to see the smiles on these kid’s faces.”
Spells recalled the 2017 shopping event when a young man they had accompanied returned with a dish towel for his mom. “It just shows how thoughtful these kids are,” he added.
These donations were made possible by residents of Hackett who made donations at the Dollar General Store. Also by private, anonymous donors and individuals at businesses like Sam at Hugs and Biscuits. This year Hackett Helping Hands raised over $5,000. In addition to the 33 children who were able to shop with a cop, these contributions also provided 23 grocery deliveries and 64 toy bags for preschoolers. 
Other contributors included Calvary Assembly of God in Hackett and the school who partnered with Walmart for a grant. Stacy Moss, a manager at Walmart, was an integral part in securing that grant and was present at Saturday’s event. Additionally, the Greenwood Auto Club, Billy Garner, Hackett EAST and Hackett FBLA all assisted Hackett Helping Hands.
It’s truly a labor of love to organize and host. Spells has a heart for his community and he connects well with the residents. His department make this a priority each year. “I can’t say enough about my guys and their servant mentality. Most work full time jobs in addition to the work they do for the Police Department. When you combine their efforts with the help we get from The Sebastian 
County Sheriffs Office, we’re able to help a lot of people. Many of the deputies volunteered to help on their own time in the pouring rain. Not one of them complained. It’s just a testament to their work ethic and compassion they have for helping people.”
Admittedly, Spells commented that he couldn’t do it without the help of Hackett 
City employees Jennifer Costa and Kelly Lane. Also assisting with the packing and boxing were current Mayor Leroy Stephens and Mayor-Elect Trini Harper.
Spells is hopeful that Hackett Helping Hands continues to thrive year after year and that it continues to grow. It’s a blessing to all who take part as well as the families and children, whose lives it touches.
Hoop Dreams For Bulldogs Coach Josh Atchley
By Megan Hecox
Waldron Bulldogs Basketball Coach, Joshua Atchley, has been coaching for the last 7 years with 3 of those years in Waldron. Coach Atchley grew up in Waldron and is a fourth generation teacher. Josh Atchley has always aspired to be in the teaching profession because he was blessed enough to have been able to witness the amazing impact that a quality teacher can have on a students life, by witnessing his mothers work.
Getting to see the kids benefit from their investments in hard work, time, and focus, are some of Coach Atchley’s favorite parts of coaching. Responding to the challenges that competition brings is another aspect of coaching that Mr.Atchley enjoys. In his High School days, Coach Atchley competed in every sport every chance he got. He played football, basketball, baseball, track, and golf. If it was in season, he wanted to win.
Having been around some great coaches, Coach Atchley tells us what inspired him and keeps him inspired to coach the game he loves. “Coach Joshua Brown brings an energy to the game that I have never seen before. Coach Brad Johnson of Ozark was my high school coach and has taught me more about the game than probably any other person. Coach Stewart Adams was probably the coach that inspired me to invest in the game of basketball.” Coach Atchley does a great job of coaching and teaching and the Waldron Bulldogs hope he plans on sticking around for many years to come!
You can watch Coach Atchley along with the other Coaches and Bulldogs in action tonight as they face the Pirates in Cedarville at 4 pm.