By Tammy Moore Teague
On Monday evening, around 6:30 p.m., four males escaped the Mansfield Juvenile Treatment Facility. By 10 a.m., Tuesday morning, all four had been captured and taken into custody.
The male escapees were described as two white, one bi-racial and one Marshall Islander. The juveniles were 15 to 17 years of age.
The Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office, the Arkansas State Police, the Mansfield Police Department and the Scott County Sheriff’s Office worked throughout the night to capture the four.
Around 2 a.m. this morning, a worker from the facility spotted one of the juveniles standing in front of the Dollar General store in Mansfield. They pulled in and the juvenile fled on foot. A van also fled the parking lot.
Upon investigation, authorities with the Mansfield Police Department discovered the two had broken out the front glass to the store and had stolen some cigarettes and some chips.
Meanwhile, the fleeing van was spotted by SCSO on Highway 71 and Hendrix Road near Greenwood. SCSO attempted to stop the vehicle, however, the vehicle failed to yield. The van led officers from several agencies on a pursuit which led into Fort Smith. From Fort Smith, the vehicle fled from officers south toward Hackett. In Hackett, law enforcement was able to set up spike sticks and the vehicle was rendered inoperable. The driver was discovered to be one of the escapees. He is currently in custody at the Sebastian County Juvenile Detention Center. He is charged with escape, theft by receiving, fleeing, and reckless driving. The vehicle the juvenile was driving was discovered to be stolen from an apartment in Mansfield. He was captured at around 2:30 a.m. No one was injured in the pursuit and speeds never got over 65 mph.
Because of the ongoing search this morning for the remaining three escapees, the Mansfield School District placed the entire campus on lock down. A blanket text message was sent out to all parents and guardians of the students to advise them of the security measure.
At around 9:15 a.m., two juvenile males were seen walking in Mansfield near City Hall. When law enforcement sought to make contact, the two fled on foot. Both have since been captured after foot chases.
Shortly thereafter, at approximately 10 a.m., the last remaining escapee was captured near the trailer park in Mansfield. These escapees were captured without incident by the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office. All four are now in custody and will be taken to the Sebastian County Juvenile Detention Center. Following the capture, the Mansfield School District lifted its precautionary district-wide lock down.
Escapees in Custody, SCSO Release Details
2018 Waldron Fall Athletic Banquet
By Megan Hecox
The Waldron Bulldogs held their annual 2018 Fall Athletic Banquet. Following are the incredibly talented kids and their achievements.
Volleyball-Pictured Left to Right: Bayleigh Lipham-Hustle Award and Honorable Mention 3A All-State, Rheagan Sanford-Offensive MVP and 3A All-State, Lilly Scott-Leadership Award, and Samantha Slater-Defense MVP
Football Awards-Back Row-Left to Right: Braden Williams-4A-4 Honorable Mention All-Conference, Spencer Chapel-Special Teams Award, Rick Hinojosa-Alpha Dog Leadership Award. Front Row/Left to Right: Cody Starr-Uncommon Man Award, Jarrod Starr-4A-4 All-Conference, Caden Fuller-4A-4 All-Conference, and Mason Cox-4A-4 Honorable Mention All-Conference.
Cross Country-Pictured Left to Right: Ryleigh Anschutz-Fastest Female and 3A-1 All-Conference, Constance Richmond- 3A-1 All-Conference, and Zach Canada-3A-1 All-Conference. Not Pictured: Ethan Martin-Fastest Male and 3A-1 All-Conference and Evan Ledesma-3A-1 All-Conference.
Golf Awards-Pictured Left to Right: Brody Jones-3A-4 All-District, Coach Atchley, and Lane Metcalf-3A-4 All-District. Not Pictured: Drew Owens, Jaden Hutchens, Rena Owens, and Madison Patrick.
A HUGE thank you to Sandy Tull for the pictures and her continuous dedication to the students at Waldron!
Jr Tigers Win By A Whisker
By Megan Hecox
The Mansfield Jr High Tigers kept their fans on the edge of their seats all the way to the sound of the final buzzer. It wasn’t until late in the 4th quarter that the Tigers finally took the lead to seal the deal. “Charleston did a great job of forcing us out of our comfort zone,” said Boys Head Coach, Kent Elmore.
With about 3 minutes left in the game, the (1-0) Tigers were down by 8. “I decided to go big,” says Coach Elmore, “so I put (6’4) Dalton Pettigrew and (6’5) Zayne Dugan in the game together. The height and length really put their defense at a disadvantage and we put up a quick 8-0 run. In the end, Clint Stovall was able to knock down 2 big free throws to give us the 2 point victory.” Ethan Pettus and Zayne Dugan scored 8 points each while Tyler Escalante brought in another 6 points.
The Lady Tigers had a harder time finding their groove and ended the game with a loss against Charleston 57-20. The game was an intense match between two talented teams but in the end, there could be only one winner.
Next up for the Jr High Tigers is Round 2 in the Waldron Classic on Wednesday, December 5th with the Lady Tigers playing first at 5 pm and the Tigers playing at 6:15 pm.
7th Grade Lady Tigers Sink That Shot
By Megan Hecox
It was a game you’d have to see to believe. The 7th Grade Mansfield Lady Tigers stayed neck-n-neck with the Charleston Lady Tigers until the very end when Mansfield pulled away for the win 12-10. There is never a dull moment when these two ground and pound schools go up against each other.
Leading the team in scoring was Raine Hecox with 7 points. Kynslee Ward and Alyson Edwards brought in the remaining 5 points. The Lady Tigers showed incredible hustle and dominance. One could even say they were fueled by sweat and driven by desire.
The Tigers showed hustle and heart in their game against Charleston. The Mansfield 7th grade boys fell short to Charleston 24-13 but it wasn’t from lack of effort. They played hard with everything that they had and will not let this loss get to them. The Tigers will continue to practice and move on to the next one.
The 7th Grade Mansfield Tigers will play in the Mansfield Jamboree on Saturday, December 8th. They will face Union Christian Academy at 10 am and Hackett at 1 pm.
Day #3 of “Oh Fudge” brings you White Chocolate Cappuccino Fudge!
By: Kimberly Boyd
There is something about a having a long day, and then coming home to a fire built and a warm cup of coffee to relax. Sometimes in life, we get thrown a curve ball and all we can do is pray to God for a miracle.
One time, I remember my mom receiving a phone call that devastated our family. Even though I was only six when everything took place, I still remember the day like it was yesterday. I was laying on the couch watching PBS, and the phone rang. I heard the tone in my momma’s voice change and tears stroll down her cheeks as she listened on the other end to the voice talking. I remember watching and thinking, “what’s wrong with Momma?” When she hung up, she looked at me and said, “Kimberly, we gotta pray. They just found a brain tumor on your cousin Neal.”
My little cousin was only a year younger than me. He was five years old, and he had just been diagnosed with brain cancer. I’ll never understand this ugly disease. But, I remember my momma grabbing my hand and we stopped right there and prayed for my cousin. Then, she made herself a cup of coffee and sat at the kitchen table and cried.
As days past, she received more phone calls and updates. We just kept praying.
Christmas time rolled around, and I couldn’t wait to see my family. Once again, all the Schlinkers gathered together with their covered dishes and we were ready for a Christmas feast. The best thing I remember about these family gatherings was playing tag with my cousins. We all played hard till we got in trouble for running inside!
That Christmas, I will never forget.
My Aunt and Uncle walked in the door with their two boys, and there was my cousin, Neal. He clung to his mother and had a tight grip on her hand. I remember as a kid thinking, “what happened?” His appearance had changed. He had lost his hair, and he had a huge scar on his head from surgery. He had lost his smile and sparkle in his eye. He didn’t want to play. He just sat at the table with his mom and dad. At the time, I did not understand. We tried to get him up to play with us. But, he just sat.
I remember his little sad face as he watched us run and play. Cancer is an awful thing for anyone to go through, but watching a kid suffer is heartbreaking. I remember his mother leaning down to whisper as I came closer, “Neal, baby, do you want to get up and go play?” He shook his head no and leaned in to lay his head on his mother’s shoulder. I should have said something, but I didn’t know what to say. I just ran away.
After years of several surgeries, chemo and radiation, and doctor visits, my cousin survived that brain tumor. However, life has never been the same for him. I thank God for saving him. His smile has returned and it can light up a room when he walks in because he is a true survivor. He went through so much..things no kid should ever have to go through. His parents went through more than most parents have ever endured. But, through the grace of God, they have made it and Neal is the sweetest person you could possibly meet. Each Christmas, I can’t wait to be greeted by his smile as I walk in the door, because he is a cancer survivor!
So, for Day #3 of “Oh, Fudge!,” I bring you “White Chocolate Cappuccino Fudge,” because sometimes, when you have a bad day, you just need a cup of coffee, a good prayer, and piece of fudge to melt away the troubles of the world.
For all our readers who are struggling with cancer, don’t give up! We are praying for you!
White Chocolate Cappuccino Fudge
Ingredients:
1 ½ tablespoons of Instant Coffee
1 tablespoon of Hot Water
4 ounces of Unsalted Butter (equals ½ cup or 1 stick)
2 cups of Sugar
¾ Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream
1 teaspoon Salt
1 package of White Chocolate Chips (12 oz.)
1 jar of Marshmallow Cream (7 oz.)
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
Directions:
Line a 8×9 baking pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Next, in a small bowl combine instant coffee and hot water. Stir until coffee dissolves. Set aside for now. Now, place butter, sugar, whipping cream, and salt in a medium size pot. Turn on your burner to medium to high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Continue to cook fudge and stir frequently until it comes to a boil. Once the temperature reaches 240 degrees, remove the pot from heat. Add the white chocolate chips. Stir. Now, add the marshmallow cream and stir again. Stir until all of this is melted. If you need to, you can return it to the stove to heat slightly until all the chips are melted. Last, add vanilla extract and stir.
Next, scoop out about 1 ½ cups of the fudge into a small bowl. No need to really measure this. You can guess. You basically are just needing to remove about a quarter of the fudge. This will be for the white swirl to use at the end of the fudge making process. Set this aside.
Next, add the coffee liquid to the remaining fudge left in the bowl. Stir until it is well blended. Place the coffee fudge into the greased pan. Go fast! Now, scoop spoonfuls of the white fudge you have in the other bowl and dollop on top of the coffee fudge. Take a butter knife and swirl the two fudges together. Do not swirl too much or you will have just a muddy fudge. You will want a distinction of the two flavors. Chill for two to three hours to harden and then serve! Enjoy!
Exclusive Awards Banquet Recognize MHS Ladies
The first wave of invitations went out for the Best of River Valley All Star Preps Banquet. Among the 54 student-athletes receiving the call so far, are a pair of Mansfield Lady Tigers.
The third annual sponsored event recently announced some of the top athletes from 8 counties and 2 states. Squarely engraved on the opening lists were Mansfield’s Rylea Weaver and Faith Rainwater.
Weaver, an All-State senior, was among 16 area volleyball players to be included on the formal banquet’s invitation list.
Rainwater, one of 9 female distance runners to receive an invitation, earned All-State status as a freshman this past cross country campaign.
The large scale event that will be held at the Fort Smith Convention Center on May 30, 2019 will offer individual awards for athletes and coaches. It will begin with an upscale catered meal, offer video highlights, and feature Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas.
Douglas, an Olympic gold medalist, is the first African-American gymnast to win both the individual all-around title and team title in the same year. She will be the guest speaker.
“It’s pretty cool,” said Weaver who also earned an invitation for her volleyball talents at last year’s BOP banquet. “It’s very special. It’ crazy that I might meet Gabby Douglas. She’s an Olympic winner!”
Weaver completed her prep volleyball career this past 2018 season with a trip to the state tournament. She has twice been Mansfield’s player of the year. She has received All-District and All-State honors as well as many local statistical awards throughout her high school career.
New to the high school scene, Rainwater was in awe of her post season recognition.
“I’m really excited about it,” exclaimed Rainwater, a rookie distance runner that moved to the high school team for the post season. “I’m glad I made it. I’m a little nervous about the big crowd.”
Rainwater packed a powerful punch in a short period of time. She began the year as Mansfield Junior High’s number one runner. She finished the season as the high school’s number one, and the class 3A state’s 12th best finisher.
After moving to the senior high squad, the tiny distance racer swept up post season accolades as if she was running with a broom and a dust pan. Her individual honors this season alone included: 3A-1 West All-District, Top 25 All-Region, AAA All-State, River Valley All-Star, and now Best of Prep River Valley All Star.
To date, only BOP athletes representing tennis, volleyball, and cross country have been revealed. As the school year continues and more championship rounds are played, the remaining nominees from other sports will be announced.
In the future, look for players representing golf, football, basketball, bowling, cheerleading, baseball, softball, and track to be listed.
Bulldogs Looking To Bounce The Elks
By Megan Hecox
Tonight tips off conference play for the Waldron Jr High Bulldogs and they couldn’t be more ready. The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs have been battling it out with some really good teams over the last few weeks and tonight they are ready to gain their success.
Lady Bulldogs Head Coach, Hannah Scantling, says “We are excited to kick off our first conference game of the season tonight. The Jr High girls have been working hard on getting all of the small things right. Our goal is to be better today than we were yesterday.”
“We have a tough match-up against Elkins to open conference play with,” explains Head Boys Coach, Josh Atchley. “Elkins is well coached and return several key players from a solid Jr High team last year. We hope to force the Elks to play the type of game we want and keep them off the offensive glass.”
The Jr High Bulldogs will play in Elkins against the Elks tonight, December 4th, with game time being 4:30 pm.
Hornets Play “Stingsational” Against Yellow Jackets
By Megan Hecox
The Hackett Jr High Hornets played with a purpose in last nights game against the Yellow Jackets. The Hornets stole the show with a 42-7 victory over Pleasant View. For this year’s Jr High team, they have 3 things going for them. They are athletic, physical, and big! The Hornets also bring with them a deep bench that helps keep fresh legs late in the game says Head Coach Broc Adams.
Austin Cowell led the Hornets with 11 points. Cash Oliver brought in 10 points and 5 steals. Ethan Slavens and Jesse Esparza each contributed 6 points. And adding to the scoreboard was Jake Fisher and Jensin Coggins with 4 points each.
The (2-6) Lady Hornets brought down the house as well with their 20-9 win over the Lady Yellow Jackets. Madeline Freeman and Teonna Best were the leading scorers for the Lady Hornets as they secured 5 points apiece.
The 7th Grade and 8th Grade Hornets will play Northridge at home on December 6th starting at 4:30 pm. Coach Adams fills us in on Thursday nights game expectations, “This game will be tough for the 7th and 8th Graders because Northridge is really good! We are mainly looking to just get these younger guys some game time to see what they can do. The Jr High team is very 9th grade heavy so these 7th and 8th grade games help us get the younger guys prepared to continue later in the year and years to come.” Head Coach for the Lady Hornets, Claude Foster, tells us, “For the game against Northridge, I’m looking to get the girls some quality minutes to gain some experience.”
Mansfield School District on Lockdown
By Tammy Moore Teague
The Mansfield School District will be on a campus-wide lockdown today, Tuesday, December 4. Area law enforcement continue their search for three of the four escaped juveniles from the Mansfield treatment facility.
Parents and guardians of the district were contacted by the district with a blanket text message informing them that “we (the district) will start our day…on lockdown due to the escapees from the juvenile camp still being at large. Students will not be allowed outside the buildings in this lockdown situation. If you have questions, please contact the office.”
We will continue to monitor this breaking news story.
–See related story.
Sebastian County Assessor’s Office Sponors Toy Drive
By Tammy Moore Teague
For the past 14 years the Sebastian County Assessor’s Office has been collecting toys at Christmas time. Current Assessor, Zach Johnson, looks to continue that tradition. “We are reaching out to ask for help with a project that is near and dear to our hearts,” stated Johnson.
Sebastian County has the highest number of children in foster care within the state of Arkansas. As many as 800 children from Sebastian County are in foster care at any given time during the year. Many are sent to different parts of Arkansas due to the lack of certified care givers and homes in our area. Although DHS does its best to keep siblings together, sometimes it’s not always possible.
“It makes a tough time of year even rougher on these children,” added Johnson. “Our toy collection was started by Ms. Becky Yandell, my predecessor in the Assessor’s office. Ms. Yandell saw a need in our area and did her best to help out where she could. This is why I am reaching out to you. While the needs are great, our individual resources are limited. We do the best we can, but are hoping to partner up with our communities to create as much Christmas joy for these children as possible.”
Beginning December 3, their office will begin accepting donations of toys at the Fort Smith and Greenwood courthouse locations. These donations will be delivered by DHS during the week of December 17.
“Thank you so much for your consideration in helping us achieve our goal of providing some positive memories for the children. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or even potential ideas, we welcome them all! We look forward to seeing what happens when a community comes together for the good of the children! Have a very Merry Christmas!”