By Tammy Moore Teague
After the votes were tallied, Hobe Runion was named the winner of the Sebastian County Sheriff’s race. With no contenders for the General Election in November, Runion will succeed the man who enodorsed him, current sheriff Bill Hollenbeck.
“Friends, I cannot thank you enough for your support, encouragement and hard work, said Runion. “I look forward to meeting you as we live life in our piece of the world, Sebastian County!”
Candidates McFadden and Copeland graciously conceded the race. Copeland stated he was proud of the clean campaign his team ran and respected the decision of the people. McFadden relayed his plans to continue serving wherever he’s lead.
Runion Wins Sheriff’s Race
1968 WHS 50th Class Reunion
The Waldron High School graduating class of 1968 will be hosting their 50th class reunion and would like to extend the invitation to the classes of 1966 thru 1970.
The event will be held at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1816 Rice Street, Waldron, Arkansas on Saturday, June 9th.
Class of 1968 from 4:00pm until 8:00pm.
They invite other graduating classes to join them from 6:00pm until 8:00pm.
Short program will begin at 6:30pm. Photos with alumni and faculty to follow.
Drinks and Sandwiches furnished.
Bring your favorite finger food as well as classmates, and friends.
For more information, please contact
Susan Jones Ray
P.O. Box 523, Waldron, AR 72958
(479) 637-2679
or, join their Facebook Group by CLICKING HERE
Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day
With a three-day weekend quickly approaching, most of us are planning a cookout or gathering with family. It’s Memorial Day weekend, with the officially observed holiday, Monday, May 30. It’s often thought of as the unofficial start of summer. But Memorial Day is more than all that. It’s a sobering day of honor and gratitude.
Memorial Day, although oftentimes confused with Veterans Day, is a day set aside to remember those members of the armed services who have died in the service to our country. This honorable day was first observed after the Civil War in 1868.
In contrast, Veterans Day is observed in November. It is a day that honors all who have served in the military. Originally dubbed Armistice Day, Veterans Day was made an official holiday in 1954.
Every day is a perfect day to show gratitude to our men and women in uniform. But, respectfully show your gratitude appropriately on these two holidays. In short, Memorial Day is to honor those passed and Veterans Day is to honor those living.
“Be an American Worth Dying For”
School Board Considers Security Officer
By Tammy Moore Teague
With all the reports of school shootings, safety and prevention has been on the minds of local administrators. Those tragic events spurred the Mansfield School Board to a discussion at Monday nights meeting. One idea under consideration is the hiring of a school security officer.
The board has been studying protocols put in place by area districts. At this time the board took no official action but plan to continue looking for ways to improve school safety. “With all the shootings like Santa Fe High School in Texas, we are needing to take some action,” Mansfield Superintendent Robert Ross said.
MHS Football Spring Scrimmage Recap
As the crowd slowly mingled from the Alumni Dinner to the Mansfield Middle School football field, which for many seasons hosted endless High School games, a sense of community and pride was readily available.
Tiger fans of all ages waited patiently for the MHS Tigers to appear, while the cheerleaders cheered on the crowd from various locations. Then, without any notice, buses rolled onto the scene with coaches, and players unloading in a line of strength, and unity. Their focus was the 50-yard line. The crowd erupted with cheers as young Tigers looked on.
No time to waste, the coaches and players went to work showing friends, family, and fans a glimpse of their preparation, and what to expect come this Fall.
MHS Head Coach, Craig Bentley offered the following statement.
“I’m really pleased with our 2 weeks of Spring football. We have had the same core group of kids since January and that continuity has really paid off. Offensively, we have a chance to be very explosive both in the air, and on the ground. We are extremely excited about our Tight End Packages that we have installed, and feel like it gives us that added bit of diversity. Defensively we were moving around fast, tackling well and really picked up on the new defense we installed. These kids have a very high football IQ, which is something we have been missing as a whole in the last few years.
We had a great time at the Spring scrimmage. We got a lot of guys touches on offense, did a lot of good things defensively and had a great time honoring the past by playing at the historic HWY 71 field. We hope to continue this tradition going forward along with the alumni dinner. It was a great night for the Tiger football program.”
City of Hartford Pursues Walmart Foundation Grant
By Tammy Moore Teague
Hartford city street employee Wendy Bryant approached the council Monday night in hopes of getting the green light to pursue a grant from the Walmart Foundation. She was given that approval and will be applying to 15 various Walmart locations.
The window to apply for the grant opened in February, and can be submitted until December. However, the application will only remain active for 90 days. The Foundation will grant awards ranging from $250-$5,000. The city qualifies to apply, however Bryant needed the council’s permission to access and use the city’s tax ID number on the application.
“It can be used for anything to improve the city,” said Bryant. The Walmart Foundation Community and Economical Development Grant is awarded to improve local communities for the benefit and betterment of the town.
The council ultimately approved Bryant’s request, and asked that she coordinate the project with the new mayor.
Alumni Dinner Planned for Growth
Before the Spring Mansfield Tiger Football game last Friday night, there was an Alumni dinner to honor those who attended Mansfield School District.
The dinner was supported through efforts of the “Sports Moms” where attendees reminisced about the good ol’ days, and joined in conversations about sports, education, and family. There was an extreme sense of Tiger Pride in the room, and among the many people who showed up.
“We had a great turn-out, and plan on doing this again next year. Even though this was the first time anything like this has been done, we’re proud of how it all turned out” stated Ali Bryant.
The following women are recognized for their amazing job in creativity, and preparation to make the Alumni dinner a success.
Ali Bryant, Tiffany Woolbright, Dana Griffin, Lesli Baggett, Angela Byers, Kandis Howard, Amy Boyd, Amanda Wilson, Joanna James, Cindy Willsey, Lisa Favela, Sarah Bentley, Beverly Johnson, and Stephanie Stipins.
Council Tasked With Interim Mayor Appointment
By Tammy Moore Teague
The Hartford City Council is charged with the task of appointing an interim mayor at a special meeting to be held Thursday, May 24. This appointment comes as former mayor Roy Shankle resigned citing health reasons.
The council met in regular session on Monday evening, but decided to call a special meeting in order to interview candidates vying for the position. Those candidates include: Alderman Raye Morgan, Mary Radley, Joseph Tatro and Damon Yates.
City Recorder/Treasurer Judy Adair is serving as acting mayor until the council makes the appointment. Adair said she will be in touch with the Municipal League to ensure the vote at a special meeting is permissible.
This will make the third mayoral appointment for the city within the last three and a half years. “The mayor’s job is 24 hours a week at minimum wage,” said Adair. Pointing out that, in reality, the responsibilities are much more. Responsibilities that include hiring city employees. “I’d like to have input in whoever we hire,” questioned Alderman Ina Layne said. Former Mayor Shankle had previously discussed and received council approval to make those personnel decisions, stating that any responsibility or liability would fall to him not the council. “Our job is not to micromanage,” said Councilman Lanny Woodhull.
Whoever the council chooses to serve as interim mayor will fulfill the remainder of Shankle’s term, then voters will have a say in the November election.
Hackett Man Arrested After Fleeing Police
Article by Darrell Spells
On Thursday, May 17, 2018, Chief Wagner of the Bonanza Police department attempted a traffic stop on a motorcycle for speeding in the city limits of Bonanza.
The motorcycle attempted to flee and wrecked near the Oklahoma state line in Bonanza. Nearly two pounds of suspected methamphetamine was seized along with drug paraphernalia, suspected marijuana, and over $1,300 cash.
Arrested was Bruce Wheeler, 41 of Hackett. Bonanza Police Department was assisted by the Sebastian County Sheriffs Office. Wheeler faces an assortment of charges included Possession of a controlled substance with purpose to deliver.
Wheeler was transported to the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center.
Pledge of Integrity: Following Press’ Golden Rule
It is that time of year when corporately owned media outlets make clear their bias when it comes to telling their readers and listeners how they should vote. This is not a practice our publication will follow suit on. However, we will continue to follow the golden rule in journalism: We report the facts, you make the decision.
In fact, it is a guideline we take pride in adhering to. Many times reporting on unpopular topics or ones that people are very opinionated about can be difficult. Certainly just because we work to be unbiased does not mean we do not have a personal opinion. It’s a rule of professionalism, and a line I’ve personally drawn for myself over the years working at various news outlets. Even in an editorial setting, publications jeopardize their independence and integrity. Why pledge 364 days of unbiased reporting only to run political endorsements only days before?
We encourage you to vote and let your voice be heard. It’s a privilege to have a say in our government. Do your part and know that we will continue to do ours, report facts.