On-duty USPS worker arrested in De Queen for warrant, charged with drug possession      1/17/25

DE QUEEN – An on-duty United States Postal Service (USPS) employee was arrested in De Queen for an outstanding warrant as well as drugs found in her possession, according to the arrest affidavit.

On Jan. 7, an officer with the De Queen Police Department reportedly made contact with 54-year-old Rebecca Klitz of De Queen after receiving information about an arrest warrant. Klitz, who was allegedly operating a USPS mail truck at the time of the incident, was located on North Ninth Street in De Queen.

The responding officer allowed Klitz to grab her belongings from the truck before transporting her to the Sevier County Jail. The officer said Klitz then appeared to reach inside her purse and attempt to hide something within the vehicle.

During a search of the mail truck, an officer allegedly discovered a small container believed to contain methamphetamine. The weight of the substance totaled 1.0 grams.

According to the arrest affidavit, Klitz admitted during a later interview that the substance was methamphetamine.

Court records show Klitz was charged with possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine, a Class D felony in Arkansas.

Horatio Superintendent Gayla Youngblood announces resignation      1/17/25

HORATIO – Horatio Superintendent Gayla Youngblood has announced her intention to retire following the end of the current school year.

Youngblood is currently serving in her second year as superintendent of the Horatio School District. She has worked within the district for a total of 16 years and has more than three decades of experience in education.

Youngblood issued the following letter of resignation Friday morning:

I wanted to share my decision to retire as superintendent of the Horatio School District at the conclusion of this school year. After 16 incredible years of service in this district and 31 years in the field of education, I feel this is the right time.

Serving this district has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Together, we have navigated challenges, celebrated successes, and built a strong foundation for our students’ futures. I am so proud of all we have accomplished as a community. From the dedicated staff to the incredible students and families, Horatio School District will always hold a special place in my heart.

In the months ahead, I look forward to continuing our work together and ensuring a smooth transition. Thank you for the trust and support you have shown me throughout my time here. It has been a privilege to serve you in making Horatio a very special place where education thrives. I look forward to seeing Horatio’s continued success in the future.

With gratitude, 

Gayla Youngblood 

Horatio School District Superintendent 

Horatio FFA team earns Reserve Champion at National Livestock Judging Competition      1/17/25

DENVER, Colo. – Congratulations to the Horatio High School FFA Team earning the Reserve Livestock Judging Championship at the National Western Livestock Show in Denver, Colorado!

The team, along with Horatio FFA Advisor Nicki Litchford, earned the following team and individual awards:

Team Results

Reserve Champion Team

-2^nd high sheep team

-3^rd high swine team

-2^nd high cattle team

Individual Results

Layla Tallant

-4^th High Individual

-2^nd High Reasons

-2^nd High Swine

-3^rd High Sheep

Konnor Bailey

-8^th High Individual

-7^th High Reasons

-3^rd High Cattle

Jake Sawyer

-15^th High Individual

-7^th High Cattle

Girl Power Goes State competition in Gillham next month      1/17/25

GILLHAM – Next Month the De Queen-Mena Educational Cooperative will host a competition showcasing projects created by local students through the use of CNC cutting and CNC laser technology. What makes this event really unique is that every piece will have been made by a high school girl.

The projects will be featured at this year’s four annual Girl Power Goes State competition on Feb. 7 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Hosted by the De Queen-Mena Educational Cooperative, the event’s core goal is to generate interest in non-traditional careers for young women in the manufacturing and construction sectors.

Over 50 female students from nine area school districts attended last year’s competition in Gillham. So far, more than three dozen projects have been registered for this year’s event. Girl Power Goes State – originally known as Girl Power to the Max – is the brainchild of Stacey Southerland, a career and technical educational coordinator for the Gillham-based cooperative, and she said it’s been awesome to see this event grow over the past three years.

“It’s been amazing,” she said. “We went from just a handful of students our first year to almost 60 last year. More educational cooperatives are picking up the concept as well and its spreading across the state.”

Reflecting its new name, Girl Power Goes State has grown to be a statewide competition. This year, the effort is supported by a $520,000 Innovation Grant from the Division of Career & Technical education. Funds will be used to purchase CNC equipment for schools in the cooperative’s service area.

Local winners from this year’s event will advance to a state competition against nine other Arkansas educational cooperatives. It will take place Feb. 26 at the Saline County Career & Technical Center in Benton.

If the technology sounds sophisticated, that’s because it is. But Southerland says it’s vital young women know they are just as capable of finding a career in a field using these technologies as a young man would be.  

“We’re trying to encourage girls that there are high-wage, high-skill careers in demand that are going unfulfilled that they can be very well-prepared for,” said Southerland. “We’re talking to our local industries and they are in desperate need of skilled workers in the field of pipelaying, welding and CNC. These young women are just as capable of doing that and filling the needs of our industries.”

Career readiness is an ever-increasing goal in education. The idea, educators explain, is for a student – one who perhaps doesn’t plan on attending college – to graduate high school on Friday and be prepared to start a career on Monday. Given the growing need for workers with technical backgrounds, it’s critical students are introduced to these career options as early as possible.

Southerland said this important educational and highly competitive event relies on community support. Generous donations in 2024 earned the top winners in each division $200 and tuition waivers to local colleges. Local businesses and companies wanting to assist with a donation are invited to contact Southerland by calling (903) 280-1808 or email stacey.southerland@dmesc.org. A sponsorship form is also available here.

De Queen attorney named among 2024 Power Women by AMP magazine      1/16/25

DE QUEEN – A De Queen attorney and deputy prosecutor was recently recognized as one of the 2024 Power Women by Arkansas Money & Politics magazine.

Erin Hunter was among several dozen Arkansas women highlighted by the magazine for their contributions, leadership and trail-blazing spirit. Each honoree was nominated by readers of Arkansas Money & Politics.

A native of Newhope and graduate of Dierks High School, Hunter currently practices law from her private firm in De Queen. She also serves as the attorney for the City of De Queen and as a deputy prosecutor for Polk County under Debra Buschman. She previously served as chief deputy prosecutor and appointed lead prosecutor for the Ninth West Judicial District (Sevier, Little River, Howard and Pike Counties).

Being named a 2024 Power Woman by AMP came as a bit of a surprise for Hunter.

“When they contacted me, I really was honestly worried it was a scam,” she said, laughing. “But apparently they did an online poll and I received a lot of votes. It’s a nice honor.”

Hunter has practiced law since 2010 after earning her juris doctorate from the University of Arkansas. She said her passion for law and the judicial system developed very early in her life.

“You’re going to think I’m crazy, but I was in the second grade in Julie McRae’s class at Dierks Elementary. We learned about the presidents and most of them were attorneys. I knew at that point I wanted to be an attorney, a waitress or a majorette,” she laughed. “None of the other two worked out, so I’m a lawyer.”

Growing up in a small town and reading the local newspapers helped define Hunter’s interest in the legal system – particularly notorious crimes. She also watched the legal careers of attorneys who are now judges, such as Tom Cooper and Bryan Chesshir.

“I just got more intrigued watching their cases. Then I worked for Bryan Chesshir and, it’s kind of bizarre, but it was just the right place, right time, and it all worked out for me,” she said.

Hunter said she was particularly impressed with Chesshir’s style in the courtroom during his time as a prosecutor.

“I loved to watch him during jury trials. He was a fantastic trial attorney,” said Hunter. “I really enjoyed watching how he did things. It’s the attorneys who were honest and do a good job, like Bryan, that really impress you.”

Hunter eventually became the interim prosecutor for the Ninth West Judicial District after Chesshir was elected to the circuit judge position after the retirement of Charles Yeargan. She became the district’s chief deputy prosecutor after the election of Jana Bradford to the lead prosecutor position.

After nearly eight years as Sevier County’s deputy prosecutor, Hunter took a similar position for the 18th West Judicial District. The district covers Polk and Montgomery Counties under lead prosecutor Debra Buschman.

“I’ve known Debra for several years and she’s a very respected attorney,” said Hunter. We’ve worked together on a number of cases over the last several years because they crossed the Polk and Sevier County lines. I was very interested just for a change of scenery, change of pace and because Debra expressed to me she needed some help with jury trials. I think she had told me she had done 11 jury trials in 10 months, and the majority of those by herself.”

Hunter added it’s been a great opportunity to learn a new office and how a different district operates. She took over the position Nov. 1, 2024.

Hunter continues to serve as the attorney for the City of De Queen while operating her private practice in downtown De Queen in the building where attorney Randall Wright long operated his firm.

Over the years, Hunter has prosecuted many memorable cases. However, one has always stood out.

“The defining moment of my career so far is winning a big sexual assault trial against a prolific offender who had six victims he abused over many years. This was a “he said, she said” case without any physical evidence. The offender was sentenced to two life sentences plus 102 years in prison,” she explained. “That was a very difficult case to prosecute because these sexual offences had occurred years prior to the reports being made. Law enforcement did a great job on that case. It’s hard to bring justice to victims years later but we were able to do it.”

Being a woman in a field traditionally dominated by men has had its challenges.

“I’m not trying to sound like a true feminist, but it was tough coming up as a solo practitioner and not being a multi-generation attorney. Especially when I was  younger, I would face male attorneys – and I’m not talking about any of our local attorneys, but the ones from out of town – that would try to bully me and just thought, ‘well, she’s a young attorney and doesn’t know what she’s doing, and I’m going to tell her this is how it’s going to go.’

“You just kind of get overlooked and passed over sometimes. But I think that’s just the nature of the real world, a little behind the eight ball. You’ve got to work hard and overcome it, not use it as a threat.”

As a young attorney, Hunter still has a long career and many options ahead of her.

“I love being a prosecutor. I would love to be the elected prosecutor of our district and at some point in time, I would love to be a judge,” she said. “If the opportunity presented itself, I would be very interested in some type of federal prosecutor role. It’s a whole different system. The future’s open.”

In the meantime, she’s enjoying serving her community.

“I love this role because I do feel like I help people and help keep our community safe,” she said. “Everyone in the justice system has their own part to do and I like being on this side of things. It’s a civil service and I enjoy it because prosecutors are in a good position to help make some positive changes.”

Outside of her practice and role within the judicial system, Hunter said she enjoys her time with family. That includes her husband, Stephen Sprick, who serves as a coach and the athletic director for the Horatio School District, and their two children: Presley, 15, and Levi, 10.

“My daughter is telling me now that she wants to be a judge and I’ve had to explain to her, you have to be a lawyer for a long time before you get something like that,” said Hunter, laughing. “My little boy says he wants to be a farmer like his grandpa.”

Snow brings winter wonderland to much of listening area, ice elsewhere      1/13/25

SEVIER COUNTY – Winter Storm “Cora” passed through the region late last week, bringing a winter wonderland to Sevier County for the first time since February, 2021.

A combination of sleet, snow and freezing rain began falling across the region last Thursday morning. By the time the system exited on Friday, an average of seven inches of snow had fallen across most of Sevier County.

Some areas reported higher totals – eight inches west of De Queen and over nine inches near Gillham – while the southeastern corner of the county near Cowlingsville and Brownstown received almost none. Instead, the Cowlingsville area along with portions of Howard County and most of Little River County were hit by ice.

Ice accumulation on power lines and tree limbs resulted in widespread power outages across Little River and Howard Counties, as well as portions of Sevier. Over a hundred customers in the Provo area were without power for around two days due to damaged power lines.

The worst affected areas included Howard, Little River and Miller Counties. At one point, SWEPCO was reporting nearly 36,000 customer outages. Almost all of those outages were restored by Sunday afternoon.

Slick road conditions also caused a number of accidents in the county, but fortunately none of them were fatal. Several barns, chicken houses and other structures also collapsed due to the weight of snow on their roofs.

While conditions on city, county and back roads were treacherous in spots for several days, the state highways remained largely in good shape. That’s likely due to the brine treatment applied by ARDOT crews in the days leading up to the storm.

For the most part, the winter weather created a lot of excitement, if not a fair share of concerns dating back to the devastating ice storm of 2000. Local grocery stores and gas stations were buzzing with customers on Wednesday and into Thursday morning hoping to stock up on essentials.

Once the snow hit, things really quieted down in Sevier County as most people stayed at home and off the roads. Local schools cancelled classes both Thursday and Friday, while many businesses closed early on Thursday and opened late on Friday.

Local kids and families were quick to take advantage of the winter wonderland. It seems as if every yard in Sevier County featured at least one snowman and/or snow fort. The pictures shared on social media appeared to show most folks enjoying themselves immensely – including one creative guy (let’s call him Richard V.) who attached an inflatable raft to his excavator and took willing victims on a wild, 360-degree ride through a snow-covered field.

Overall, the county seemed to enjoy the first significant snowfall it received in several years. Fortunately, the risk of black ice from the freeze-melt-refreeze cycle is beginning to diminish and should disappear altogether this week as temperatures continue to climb, at least Friday and Saturday.

There is a slight, 20-percent chance of snow showers Monday night. Lows will also begin to drop sharply Sunday night, which is expected to see 16 degrees that night. Monday’s low is 17 degrees. 

De Queen’s Beau McCastlain named 2025 Presidential Leadership Scholar      1/15/25

DE QUEEN – Beau McCastlain, 2024 Arkansas Teacher of the Year & Teacher/Communications Director at De Queen Public Schools, has been named one of 57 Scholars who will form the Presidential Leadership Scholars’ (PLS) 10th annual class.

For the past decade, PLS has brought together more than 500 diverse, established leaders to collaborate and make a difference in the world as they learn about leadership through the lens of the presidential experiences of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson.

The class was selected after a rigorous application and review process. Scholars were chosen based on their leadership growth potential and the strength of their personal leadership projects aimed at addressing a critical challenge or need in a community, profession, or organization.

“I cannot begin to describe how honored and excited I am to be named a 2024 Presidential Leadership Scholar! The opportunity to learn leadership lessons from two former presidents and members of four administrations is the opportunity of a lifetime. What I am most excited about is being able to apply those lessons to make a positive difference right here in De Queen and Sevier County!”

During the six-month program, Mr. McCastlain will develop a project initiative focused on creating work-based learning opportunities for students. McCastlain’s project is focused on finding strategic solutions to ensure students from all communities have the chance to become career, college, and life-ready. He plans to build a coalition of statewide business leaders committed to partnering with rural school districts to redesign rural education and economic development.

These partnerships will bring local families, students, educators, and community members together to generate homegrown solutions that set up long-term success through homegrown talent pipelines.

Over the course of the program, Scholars will travel to each participating presidential center to learn from former presidents, key former administration officials, business and civic leaders, and leading academics. They will study and put into practice varying approaches to leadership and exchange ideas to help strengthen their impact.

Scholars have consistently reported remarkable growth in skills, responsibilities, and opportunities for impact since the program began in 2015. For example, 96% of Scholars said their confidence in how they lead social change has improved as a result of PLS, and 97% of Scholars reported they are inspired to accomplish more since beginning the program.

The 2025 program will begin on Jan. 29.

De Queen City Council discusses Rural Physician Grant Program, contracts      1/15/25

DE QUEEN – The De Queen City Council held its first meeting of the New Year Tuesday night after the cancellation of last week’s meeting.

Mayor Jeff Brown, recovering from an illness, presided over the first meeting of 2025. He began by opening the floor to Veronica Ozura, Sevier County’s Economic Development Director. She provided a recap of 2024 from the FRIENDS economic development group (FRIENDS is short for “Funding Retention and Increasing Efforts for Notable economic Development in Sevier county”).

Her recap focused on the groups efforts to support broadband internet expansion in Sevier County, completion of the Community Navigator Grant, support for the Chamber of Commerce’s initiatives and preparation efforts for the 2024 Great American Total Solar Eclipse, the group’s partnership with the De Queen Lake Trail project, partnering with local schools to support workforce development projects, and a number of other projects, goals, initiatives and efforts. We’ll have more on this story in next week’s edition.

The first topic of new business was a presentation by Harmony Overturf, a second-year medical student at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Overturf, who is originally from Sevier County, is seeking a partnership with the City of De Queen through the Rural Physician Grant program.

The program is designed to help recruit physicians to rural areas by providing financial incentives. Through the grant, the physician agrees to practice primary care in the community for four years. In return, the community agrees to pay the physician an additional $10,000 per year and the State pays $10,000 per year for a total of $80,000 for four years.

Overturf said her goal upon completing medical school is to practice medicine in De Queen.

“I tell everyone how much I love De Queen and how much I want to come back here to practice medicine and serve my community,” she explained. “This program would be a great benefit to me given how much it costs to become a doctor. Either way, I want to come back to De Queen to be a doctor.”

Brown and the city council voiced their support for Overturf and the grant program, as there are only several primary care physicians practicing in De Queen. However, they said several legal questions need to be answered to ensure the program is handled properly.

“We need doctors in this town,” said Alderwoman Kathy Smith. “We don’t have enough to address the needs of our community, so I think this is a great idea especially because you sound so willing and dedicated to come back here. But there are a few questions we need to answer since we are talking about city funding, which after all is taxpayers’ money.”

The program hasn’t been implemented in De Queen in years. Brown said he hopes to have the legal requirements resolved in time for the council’s February meeting.

In other business, the council approved several contracts with entities operating within the city:
-$10,000 to David Boone Ministries for operation of the De Queen Senior Citizens Center. The council also waived rent and use fees for the city-owned building.
-$2,500 for the Sevier County Museum and its efforts to preserve and promote De Queen history.
-$2,500 to the Sevier County Humane Society to provide low-cost spay/neuter clinics to residents of the City of De Queen.
-$2,500 to Rockin’ AA Sanctuary for its efforts to foster and adopt dogs held by the De Queen City Pound, which is now a no-kill shelter.
-$17,500 for the city’s share of funding for the Sevier County Economic Development Director.

Finally, the city council approved moving funds from the 2024 budget to the current fiscal year for the completion of a new dog pound at the De Queen City Shop.

The climate-controlled facility will provide updated accomodations for animals held by the city until they are adopted or put into the Rockin’ AA Sanctuary foster program. The new building will also feature an office for the city’s animal control officer.

The city council is scheduled to meet again on Feb. 4 beginning at 5:30 p.m. in city hall.

Lady Leopards win conference opener against Camden-Fairview      1/15/25

DE QUEEN – The De Queen Lady Leopards remained undefeated on the season as they won their conference opener 64 to 56 over Camden Fairview Tuesday night at the Coliseum. The Cardinals took the boys contest 64 to 33.

The Lady Leopards improved to 20 and 0 on the season as they broke open a tight game with a huge second quarter. De Queen led 20 to 17 after the opening quarter, but outscored the Lady Cardinals 20 to 8 in the second quarter to take a 40 to 25 lead at intermission. The Lady Cardinals closed to within six points in the second half, but the Lady Leopards held off the visitors for the big 64 to 56 win to go to 1 and 0 in the stacked 7-4A Conference standings. 

The difference was three-point shooting as the Lady Leopards connected on 13 three pointers, compared to just three for Camden Fairview. The De Queen full court pressure also forced 19 turnovers. 

Jessie Lyle, our McDonalds Player of the Night, led the way with 20. Shalyn Lyle, battling foul trouble, scored 17. Emma Chambers  pitched in with 14. Landi Liggin added 10. The De Queen defense held the Lady Cardinals highly-regarded 6’4″ Division One recruit Miciah Fusilier to 23 points.

The boys contest was a game of runs. Camden Fairview raced to a 30 to 15 lead. The Leopards responded with a 14 to 0 run to cut the Cardinals lead to six points at 30 to 24. But Camden Fairview ended the game on a 34 to 9 run to pull away for the 64 to 33 victory. 

Sam Graham was the only Leopard in double figures with 16 points. 

The De Queen teams travel to Nashville Wednesday night for rescheduled action from last Friday night. Following a JV game at 6:30, Greg Revels has the play-by-play of the senior action. Airtime is approximately 6:45 on your #1 Country 92.1. 

Trial this month for De Queen man charged with capital murders      1/14/25

MADISON COUNTY – A De Queen man accused of killing three family members in Madison County is set to appear for a jury trial this month in which prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

The trial for 25-year-old Hunter Chenoweth is scheduled for Jan. 21-28 in the Madison County Circuit Court, according to online records. Chenoweth is facing three counts of capital murder after three of his family members were found deceased in a home in Madison County on Feb. 23 of 2021, according to the Arkansas State Police.

The victims included Chenoweth’s 51-year-old mother, Tami Lynn Chenoweth; his stepfather, 59-year-old James Stanley McGhee; and his sister, 26-year-old Cheyenne Chenoweth.

Chenoweth was arrested the evening of the murders after authorities across the state began searching for a vehicle witnessed at the crime scene. According to the Arkansas State Police, Chenoweth was arrested following a brief standoff with state troopers in which he reportedly brandished a rifle and threatened officers at the scene. State troopers were able to approach Chenoweth from behind and arrest him without further incident.

Chenoweth’s defense has attempted to prevent prosecutors from seeking the death penalty in his case. A motion filed on his behalf declared the death penalty as “cruel and unusual.”

However, the court ruled against the motion and therefore, if convicted, Chenoweth could be sentenced to death.

In an amended notice filed in the court, prosecutors stated their intent to seek the death penalty upon Chenoweth’s conviction due to aggravated circumstances within the case.

A further motion granted by the court has imposed a gag order on the case to prevent Chenoweth’s counsel, state prosecutors, law enforcement and other public officials from discussing the case publicly or with members of the media.

Chenoweth is also named as a defendant in a Washington County case related to a felony domestic battery charge from February of 2020. According to online court records, that charge stems from an incident that same month in which Chenoweth is accused of stabbing his stepfather.

TAPD arrests man sought in rape case      1/14/25

TEXARKANA – The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department (TAPD) has arrested a man it said is wanted for rape and sexual indecency.

On Jan. 8, Detective Phillips from the Criminal Investigation Division at the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department, obtained a probable cause affidavit for the arrest of Randy Henry, age 50. Henry is being charged with 2 counts of Rape and 1 count of Sexual Indecency of a Child.

On Jan. 13, at approximately 3:25 p.m., Henry surrendered himself to law enforcement and was arrested for the warrant.

This is still an ongoing investigation and if you have any other information about this incident, please contact Detective Phillips with the TAPD Criminal Investigation Division at 903-798-3154.

Rotarians here basketball update, award Cole Binkley Student of the Month2      1/14/25

DE QUEEN – At the January 13th De Queen Rotary Club meeting at Micah 6:8, the club heard a midseason report on the De Queen basketball programs from Lady Leopards Coach Bret Burgess and Leopards Coach Logan Lindley. 

Coach Burgess explains that he breaks the season down into four parts: non-conference play, conference play, regional tournament, and the state tournament. The Lady Leopards excelled in part one, going a perfect 20-0 against a beefed-up non-conference schedule. But Coach Burgess added that the team is now 0-0 as part two of the season begins this week with the De Queen girls facing the three other top teams in the stacked league: Camden Fairview on the 14th, at Nashville on the 15th, and Arkadelphia on the 17th. All four teams: Camden Fairview, Nashville, Arkadelphia, and De Queen have been ranked in the top ten statewide throughout the season. 

Coach Burgess says the girls have been working hard and he’s been pleasantly surprised with how the team has blended together. The unselfish girls have four starters: Shalyn Lyle, Emma Chambers, Landri Liggin, and Jessie Lyle averaging in double figures. The fifth starter, Ellie Morphew, leads the team in rebounding and in field goal shooting percentage. 

Burgess coached at De Queen for ten years. He took the junior high girls job at Nashville for a few years. Burgess described De Queen as a great community with a great school. He welcomed the opportunity to return as senior girls coach for the Lady Leopards in his first season back. 

Coach Lindley is in his fourth season as the Leopards coach, and it’s his fifth year at De Queen. One of the team’s goals was to improve upon last year’s win total. They accomplished that with their seventh win last week over a quality Waldron team.

Coach Lindly says he’s proud of his team and especially his three seniors: Alex Perez, Rowan Sanchez, and Sam Graham, who is averaging 12+ points and nine rebounds per game. 

There are six teams in the 7-4A Conference this year: Hope, Magnolia, Camden Fairview, Nashville, Arkadelphia, and De Queen. The top four finishers in the double round robin schedule, home and away format, will advance to the regional tournament. The site of the regional tournament will be announced on January 16th. De Queen is one of the schools who has submitted a bid to host regionals. 

Coach Lindley says his team is looking forward to fighting for a berth in regionals, and hopes to make noise once there. 

The De Queen coaches were introduced by Rotarian Greg Revels, who arranged the program.

Prior to the program, the Student of the Month Award was announced. Cole Binkley, already enrolled at Lyon College in Batesville for the spring semester, was named the winner. Coach Phillip Binkley accepted the award on his son’s behalf. 

Binkley had a 3.89 grade point average at De Queen. As quarterback for the Leopards, Cole was named all 5A-South Conference from 2022-2024. He was the 2023 De Queen Offensive Player of the Year, and led the team in touchdowns scored last season. Binkley placed third in the state in the power lifting competition. An active member of First Baptist Church, Cole also enjoyed coaching pee-wees in various sports. With 60 hours of college credit already under his belt, Cole, the son of Phillip and Susan Binkley, plans to play football at Lyon College and plans to pursue a career in teaching and coaching. 

Guests included Leah Hanson of Transitions Counseling Clinic and Nikki Sharp, resource officer at Horatio Schools. 

The Rotary Club will soon be re-launching its Boulevard of Flags program for patriotic holidays in 2025. Businesses and individuals will be asked to renew their participation, and new orders for flags will be accepted. All proceeds go to the many worthwhile local projects sponsored by the De Queen Club.

Thousands without power in Southwest Arkansas due to ice, fallen limbs     1/10/25

Numerous power outages have been reported across the region due to ice build up and fallen limbs/trees.

SWEPCO is reporting over 36,000 customer outages ranging from Lockesburg and Nashville to Ashdown, Foreman, Texarkana and New Boston. Southwest REA is also reporting some outages in Sevier and Little River Counties, but mostly in Miller County.

The list of outages as of 8 a.m. Friday morning:

SWEPCO

-14 east of DQ without power
-119 around Provo
-around 2400 in Ashdown without power
-around 1000 in Foreman
-Over 2300 in Nashville
-Over 18,000 in Texarkana
-2200 in New Boston

Southwest REA
-79 outages in Sevier
-336 in Little River
-87 in Hempstead
-1540 in Miller County

Choctaw Electric

-Several dozen customers without power in Southeast McCurtain County, along the border with Little River County in Arkansas.

Highway conditions are mixed, with ArDOT reporting ice patches on Hwy 41 between De Queen and Horatio, and on Hwy 71 between De Queen and Texarkana.

In Sevier County, the worst-affected areas are in the southeast corner around the communities of Cowlingsville and Brownstown, and the White Cliffs area. County roads in the area remain icy.

The Little River County Sheriff’s Office said the worst conditions in its county are around the Foreman, Winthrop and Wilton areas.

Back and side roads across the region likely remain dangerous.

Everyone is urged to stay home if possible and use extreme caution if they must travel.

Conditions will likely remain treacherous throughout the weekend as the snow cycles between thawing during the day and refreezing into ice at night. Tonight’s low is 15 degrees.

Local florist decorates float for Tournament of Roses Parade     1/10/25

PASADENA, Cali. – A local woman and business owner realized a longtime dream over Christmas when she helped prepare for one of the biggest celebrations in college football.

Jennifer Whisenhunt Jones is a local florist who operates her own shop in Winthrop. She recently returned from Pasadena, Cali., home of the Rose Bowl, where on New Years Day the Ohio Buckeyes outclassed the Oregon Duck 41-21. The game was attended by tens of thousands of fans, but attendance was dwarfed by the hundreds of thousands who lined up along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena to see the famous Tournament of Roses Parade.

Jones, with nearly four decades of experience in floral arrangements, was one of just a handful of florists from across the nation selected to decorate the floats featured in the parade. She and two other florists were provided a template for one of the 39 planned floats and tasked with decorating it top to bottom.

“My float had over 48,000 roses on it, just my float alone,” she said. “They were brought in by the truckload every day. I’ve never seen that many in my lifetime, as long as I’ve been in the business. There’s a lot of volunteer work that goes into this besides just us florists, and a lot that goes on behind the scenes that people don’t know about. It’s really interesting to see all that.”

Jones said decorating a Rose Bowl float has long been on her bucket list. As the name suggests, each float in the parade is decorated almost entirely in roses – an exciting opportunity for a florist.

“I’ve always dreamed of doing it and I’m so thankful I got the opportunity to do it,” she said. “It was so exciting, given I’ve been in this business for 38 years and owned my own shop for going on 11 years. It’s the only job I’ve ever had.”

Jones applied to be a florist for the Rose Bowl Parade during the summer. She was notified in September that she had been accepted. She left for California on Christmas day and began work the following day to prepare the float for the parade the morning of New Year’s Day.

“The weather was nice, a little cooler than I expected but that was great for the flowers,” she said. “At one point all 16 of the floats [our group completed] were in one big pavilion. You just can’t imagine how big these floats are, how beautiful they are, until you see them in person.”

Another high point of Jones’ experience was the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.

“One thing I like about this industry is getting to make those long-lasting friendships through experiences like this. All this is really fun to do and seeing people making this happen together, it was really great.”

Jones already has her sights on another major dream for florists – decorating the White House.

“I’m definitely going to apply for that,” she said. “Also, this year I’m actually going to be an instructor at Arkansas National Florist in Little Rock and that’s very exciting.”

Jones said she’s thankful she had the opportunity to help decorate for this year’s Tournament of Roses Parade.

“It was so exciting for me and I can’t say enough how thankful I was for this chance,” she said. “It’s something not a lot of people in this industry get to do, so I was very excited and honored to be able to do it.”

Jennifer Whisenhunt Jones’ shop, called Jennifer’s Designs, is located at 303 Spring Street in Winthrop and she can be contacted at (903) 908-5173 or through Facebook.

Winter Storm nearing end, but danger of ice will persist for days     1/10/25

SEVIER COUNTY – The first winter weather of 2025 has about passed us by, leaving behind a wintry wonderland of snow. While the winter precipitation is over, the danger it poses isn’t.

Particularly, that’s because of the freeze-melt-refreeze cycle.

During the winter months, temperatures outside can fluctuate causing snow to melt and then refreeze. This process, (the freeze-melt-refreeze cycle) often results in a thin layer of ice on walkways and roadways — commonly referred to as “black ice.”

The presence of black ice creates unsafe walking conditions, since sidewalks and other walkways can be covered with clear ice that looks dark gray — like a wet sidewalk. This can be hazardous and is a huge threat to slip, trip and fall safety.

Similarly, black ice can result in hazardous driving conditions, since the ice is virtually transparent. Driving on black ice is particularly dangerous because the roadway can simply appear wet, so drivers may not recognize the slippery conditions until it’s too late.

Black ice typically forms at night or in the early morning when temperatures are at their lowest and the sun isn’t present to warm the roads. During the day, this hazard tends to form particularly on areas of the road not touched by sunlight, such as tree-lined streets, tunnels or less-traveled routes.

When you’re traveling, be sure to monitor the outside temperature to determine the potential for black ice and be especially mindful of bridges. Because bridges are surrounded by circulating open air, they cool faster than other roadways, causing black ice to form here first.

Common black ice areas include:

• Outside areas around buildings

• Around downspouts and parking lot drains

• In between vehicles in parking lots

Black Ice Safety Tips

To combat black ice, be vigilant about monitoring walking surfaces during periods of temperature fluctuations. Proper salting and surface treatment practices should be followed to help get rid of any ice areas that could cause injuries. If you encounter black ice while driving, remain calm. In general, it’s best to do as little as possible while allowing your car to pass over the ice. Do not hit the brakes and try to keep the steering wheel straight. If you feel the rear of your car sliding left or right, turn the steering wheel slightly in the same direction. Turning the wheel in the opposite direction could result in skidding or spinning out.

National Weather Service issues Winter Storm Warning for listening area     1/08/25

DE QUEEN – Just over a week into the new year, the region is bracing for a round of winter weather set to begin Thursday.

The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning early Wednesday morning for Sevier, Little River, Howard and Hempstead Counties, as well as McCurtain County in neighboring Oklahoma and portions of extreme Northeast Texas.

The warning goes into effect at 6 a.m. Thursday morning and will continue through noon on Friday. As of early Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service is predicting an 80 percent chance of snow on Thursday and 100 percent that evening. That will drop to a 60 percent chance of a snow/rain mixture Friday morning.

Between two and six inches of snow are expected, with higher amounts possible in some areas. The biggest fear is up to a half-inch of ice accumulation.

Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will  likely become slick and hazardous. The strong winds and weight of snow on tree limbs may down power lines and could cause sporadic power outages. Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday morning and evening commutes.

Sevier County OEM Coordinator Matt Webb said the best option for the public is to stay home and off the roads, if at all possible.

“That will help keep our first responders and wrecker crews from having to respond to an accident that could have been avoided,” he said. “There’s going to be times when people have to travel, but stay home if you can. Do your shopping before the storm hits. Our law enforcement, fire departments and wrecker crews are already going to be overwhelmed working accidents, so if people can stay home, that’ll help take that workload off them.”

Webb said people should take some time to prepare for the storm before it hits.

“I think people need to be prepared than get caught not prepared,” he said. “I was a kid in 2000 when that storm hit and I don’t know if anyone was prepared for that. I don’t think we’re going to get that kind of ice accumulation, but you can’t ever tell with these systems. There’s a lot of concern that the roads will freeze up after this system moves through, and that will make conditions dangerously slick.”

Webb noted that ArDOT crews were already out on Tuesday treating highways ahead of the system.

“They’ve done a real good job the last few years getting ahead of a system and treating the roads. I’m hoping and praying [the snow and ice] doesn’t accumulate as much as what the National Weather Service is thinking, but be prepared just in case.”

If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution and be prepared for sudden changes in visibility. Leave plenty of room between you and the motorist ahead of you, and allow extra time to reach your destination. Avoid sudden braking or acceleration, and be especially cautious on hills or when making turns. Make sure your car is winterized and in good working order. Keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.  Check out the latest road conditions in Arkansas by visiting www.iDriveArkansas.com or downloading the iDriveArkansas app.

Conditions could be particularly treacherous Friday night, when temperatures will drop to 15 degrees and likely freeze any snow that melted earlier in the day.

Fortunately, the incoming system is expected to be brief and conditions will return to normal – if still subfreezing at night – by the weekend. 

Warming Centers opened in Sevier County     1/08/25

SEVIER COUNTY – A number of Warming Centers have been organized in Sevier County to assist those in need during these subfreezing conditions and the possibility of winter weather later this week.

Those in need of a Warming Center are asked to call the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office at (870) 642-2125 to ensure availability and to organize a meet up at a particular location (these centers will be open only on an at-need basis).

Warming Centers in Sevier County include:
Avon
-Grace Baptist Church
Ben Lomond
-Ben Lomond Community Center
Central
-Central Community Building
De Queen
-First Baptist Church
-First Assembly of God Church
-Church of Christ
Gillham
-First Baptist Church
Horatio
-City Hall
-Retia Lynn Edmondson Center Community Building
-Assembly of God Church
Lockesburg
-First Baptist Church
-United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall
Provo
-Provo Community Building

Replace of bridge on Red Bridge Road to begin next week     1/08/25

DE QUEEN – Construction is scheduled to begin next week to replace the eponymous bridge on Red Bridge Road.

Red Bridge Road from Highway 41/South Lakeside Drive to the intersection of Red Bridge Road and Gardner’s Chapel Road will be closed beginning Monday, Jan. 13 for replacement of the bridge. The project, estimated at just under $365,000, is expected to take three to four months.

Built in 1983, the bridge crosses Bear Creek just south of the De Queen city limits and sees on average almost 700 crossings each day (according to a 2018 data survey). Although the latest inspection graded the bridge as “Good,” Sevier County Judge Sandra Dunn said its time to replace the well-known crossing.

“It is. The bridge is weight-limited, so we have school buses, logging trucks and poultry trucks that are going over the bridge and exceeding the weight limit. It needs to be taken care of,” she said.

Detours for commuters who north on Red Bridge Road to Highway 41/South Lakeside Drive could include Beacon Hill Road to Highway 41 as well as Mt. Pleasant Drive to State Highway 329. Both intersections of Gardner’s Chapel Road will remain open.

Weather permitting, the bridge will open for use this spring.

The bridge, which was painted red, gave the road its name. For those wondering about the new bridge, Dunn said plans are to keep up tradition and paint it red as well.

Winter Storm Watch issued for listening area ahead of potential ice, heavy snow     1/07/25

DE QUEEN – Chances for wintry precipitation this week have grown enough that forecasters with the National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Watch beginning Thursday morning and continuing through noon Friday.

The watch impacts all of Southwest Arkansas as well as portions of Southeast Oklahoma and Northeast Texas. According to the watch, heavy mixed precipitation is likely with snow accumulations of 2-6 inches and ice accumulations up to half an inch possible.

Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice. Travel could be nearly impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday morning and evening commutes.

Currently, there is a 70 percent chance of snow on Thursday and a 90 percent chance of heavy snow Thursday night. That will shift down to a 60 and then eventually 20 percent chance of a snow and rain combination on Friday. Thursday’s high is 34 with a low of 28, while Friday will see a high of 35 and a low of 17.

Persons should consider delaying all travel. If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution. Consider taking a winter storm kit along with you, including such items as tire chains, booster cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra clothing. Also take water, a first aid kit, and anything else that would help you survive in case you become stranded. Remember, www.idrivearkansas.com (and the free iDriveArkansas App) provides real time highway travel conditions for the entire state and is a useful resource to check before traveling Arkansas highways. 

Temperatures are expected to begin warming up again this weekend and into the new week.

State Rep. DeAnn Vaught speaks at Rotary, previews Legislative Session     1/07/25

DE QUEEN – At the January 6 De Queen Rotary Club meeting at Micah 6:8, the club heard a preview of the upcoming Arkansas Legislative Session from State Representative DeAnn Vaught.

About to begin her sixth two-year term representing District 87, which includes all of Little River County and parts of Sevier and Howard Counties, Representative Vaught says that the Governor’s Office has not yet released an agenda for the session that begins on January 13. So, she doesn’t know entirely what to expect. 

Revenues are down for the state. Vaught attributed that reduction to three state income tax cuts passed by the General Assembly in 2024, rising inflation costs, and the fact that federal COVID-19 dollars have dried up. So, she doesn’t anticipate that any additional tax cuts will be passed this session. If revenues improve, Representative Vaught predicts that the legislature might consider another tax cut this fall. 

The last legislative session featured drastic changes to the K-12 education system. Vaught said there might be a few tweaks made in that area in the days ahead. However, she expects most of the attention to be addressed on higher education this time around. 

Mental health is another concern of Representative Vaught. The state needs more beds to serve mental health patients. Vaught said that prisoners, who can’t be released from mental hospitals because of crimes committed, should receive care inside the state prisons. In fact, she has requested that there be a section for prisoners with mental health issues included in the proposed 3,000 bed facility to be constructed in Franklin County.

Vaught said that the newly-elected Speaker of the House, Brian Evans of Cabot, won’t announce committee assignments until the first day of the legislative session on January 13. She believes that she’ll continue to serve on the Education & Public Health Committee as well as the Agriculture Committee. With her seniority in the House, Representative Vaught could possibly land a prominent role as chairperson of one of the committees.

Representative Vaught says that a number of bills have already been filed for the General Assembly to consider. A couple of the more interesting bills that have been filed include one that would legalize the purchase of raw milk at Farmers Markets, as well as a bill that would eliminate Daylight Saving Time in Arkansas. 

Representative Vaught was introduced by Rotarian Jay Bunyard, who arranged the program.

Guests at Monday’s meeting included Kaydee Cowling of De Queen, Leah Hanson, representing Transitions Counseling Clinic in De Queen, and Griffin Chandler, a student at UA-Fayetteville.

The Rotary Club will soon be re-launching its Boulevard of Flags program for patriotic holidays in 2025. Businesses and individuals will be asked to renew their participation, and new orders for flags will be accepted. All proceeds go to the many worthwhile local projects sponsored by the De Queen Club.

Subfreezing temps settle in across listening area, snow possible     1/06/25

DE QUEEN – Residents of the listening area are bracing for a wild shift in temperatures as a cold front entered the region Sunday night where it’s expected to settle for the rest of the week.

After a relatively balmy Sunday, the cold front along with some strong winds began entering the region last night. Residents woke up Monday morning to subfreezing temperatures.

A cold weather advisory is in effect through nine this morning as very cold wind chills will make it feel as cold as five degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Wind chill values can lead to hypothermia with prolonged exposure.

Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. Keep pets indoors as much as possible. Make frequent checks on older family, friends, and neighbors. Ensure portable heaters are used correctly. Do not use generators or grills inside.

This week’s high’s will rise just above the freezing point while lows are currently expected to be consistently around 20 degrees. There is currently a 30 percent chance of snow showers on Thursday, 70 percent that night and 50 percent Friday morning. Highs both Thursday and Friday are 36, and Saturday will rise to 44, so it’s not likely that snow will stick around for long, or at all.

We’ll definitely be keeping an eye on those chances and further weather related developments as the week progresses.

LRCO man, already on probation for battery, charged with injuring toddler    1/06/25

ASHDOWN – A Little River County man and a Texarkana woman have been arrested on charges of abuse and injury to a toddler.

29-year-old Bobby Kyle Gibson of Little River County was arrested on Christmas Day and charged with injury to a child. Gibson is currently being held in the Little River County Jail, however, Gibson has warrants with the Texarkana Texas Police Department on charges of injury to a child and child endangerment. A hold has been placed on Gibson by the Texarkana Police Department.

26-year-old Kelsey Allgor of Texarkana was also arrested and is being charged with injury to a child by the Texarkana Police Department. She was arrested in Dallas. Here child is being treated at a Dallas area children’s hospital.

According to the Texarkana Police Department, officers responded on Christmas Day to an injured child at a local apartment complex. According to the affidavit, it was determined that the child’s injuries were caused by Allgor’s boyfriend who was identified as Gibson. Investigators determined the injuries happened in Little River County. However, the investigation determined the alleged abuse dated to November and some of the abuse occurred in Texarkana, Texas.

Gibson was sentenced to three years probation in June of 2024 after pleading guilty to charges of terroristic threatening and domestic battery. A failure to comply warrant was issued on Monday, Jan. 6 alleging Gibson’s recent charges are in violation of the conditions of his probation.

 

 

ATV accident claims life of minor in Hempstead County    1/06/25

HEMPSTEAD COUNTY – Arkansas State Police have released a preliminary report regarding a fatal ATV crash that occurred on Dec. 30 near Spring Hill.

According to the report, a 2019 Polaris Ranger was traveling south on Hempstead County Road 5 when the vehicle left the roadway. The ATV then entered the ditch on the west side of the road, colliding with a culvert and overturning onto its driver’s side.

The incident tragically resulted in the death of one minor, while two others sustained injuries.

Emergency responders from the Spring Hill Volunteer Fire Department (SHVFD) were dispatched to the scene and began administering aid. Pafford EMS later arrived, and SHVFD established a landing zone at the Spring Hill High School football field for air transport.

The two injured individuals were flown to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock for treatment.

As per department policy, the names of the minor victims involved in motor vehicle accidents will not be released.

The incident remains under investigation.

Sevier County woman wins $200k on Arkansas scratch off    1/06/25

SEVIER COUNTY – One local lottery player wrapped 2024 with her biggest prize yet.

Judi D. of Sevier County won $200,000 playing Multiplier Mania, a $10 instant game. She claimed her prize at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL) Claim Center on Dec. 31.

Judi purchased her winning ticket at B & B Store, 2467 US Highway 71 in Lockesburg. She had visited the convenience store earlier that day and bought two tickets for one of her favorite games: Multiplier Mania.

Although neither ticket held a prize, the Arkansan still held onto hopes for a big win. Judi purchased a third Multiplier Mania ticket and scratched it off in her car.

To her shock, the first square held the game’s $200,000 top prize. In disbelief, the Sevier County resident sent her daughter a photo of the ticket.

“I need you to tell me if we see the same thing,” Judi said.

Although she plays daily, the massive win surprised the Sevier County resident. She had been more than delighted with her previous biggest wins of $500 and $5,000.

“You always dream about it,” she told lottery officials. “You think, ‘What if this happens?’”

The lucky winner plans to make life more comfortable with her prize. She also intends to continue playing lottery games.

“My expectations are so high because now I know it can happen,” Judi said.

For more information about lottery games and how to play, visit MyArkansasLottery.com.

Lady Leopards continue win streak against Watson Chapel    1/06/25

PINE BLUFF – In what could be the first of multiple meetings against Watson Chapel, the De Queen girls stayed undefeated Friday with an impressive 72 to 63 road win. Watson Chapel is favored to win the 8-4A conference, so the Lady Leopards could see the Lady Wildcats again in the Regional Tournament and possibly the State Tournament. But Friday night in Pine Bluff belonged to De Queen in a hard fought contest.

De Queen led 34 to 30 at intermission. Emma Chambers hit a half court shot at the buzzer to give the Lady Leopards a 57 to 48 lead at the end of the third quarter. But Watson Chapel battled back to tie the game at 61. The De Queen girls finished the contest on an 11 to 2 run to seal the 72 to 63 win.

Both teams shot better than 50% from the floor. Although De Queen connected on three more three-pointers than Watson Chapel, the difference was at the free throw line where the Lady Leopards converted 13 of 17, while the Lady Wildcats hit only five of eight.

Shalyn Lyle, battling foul trouble, led De Queen with 17 points, including 15 in that decisive second half. Emma Chambers scored 16 and grabbed four steals. Landri Liggin also scored 16 with some big second half baskets to earn the McDonalds Player of the Night award. Jessie Lyle scored 10 and dished out five assists. Ellie Morphew led the rebounding charts with nine along with scoring six ponts. The Lady Leopards improved to 19 and 0 on the season.

In the boys contest, Watson Chapel opened the game on an 18 to 0 run and that was the difference as the Wildcats defeated the Leopards 52 to 32.

Sam Graham was the only Leopard in double figures with 10. Recording another double-double, Graham also grabbed 18 rebounds and was credited with four blocked shots. Alex Perez added eight points for De Queen.

The Leopards and Lady Leopards return home Tuesday night to host Waldron at the Coliseum. Airtime with Toney Stowers and Greg Revels will be at approximately 5:30 on your #1 Country 92.1.

“Polar vortex” threatens to drop temps to the lowest levels in years     12/31/24

SEVIER COUNTY – The listening area should brace for an unusual cold snap in the coming days, according to meteorologists who say an incoming polar vortex will plunge temperatures to the lowest levels in a decade.

A Fox Weather meteorologist predicted January has the potential to be the coldest on record since 2014. Temperatures are expected to begin dropping from the Rocky Mountains to the East Coast around Thursday, but the real plunge will set in with the new week.

The incoming polar vortex will bring wind chills across the Midwest dipping below zero, “exceptionally cold” temperatures down to 20 degrees below average in some places, and freezing conditions setting in as far south as the Gulf Coast and even into Florida.

Locally, based on predictions from the National Weather Service and Climate Prediction Center, temperatures in Sevier County are set to begin really dropping this Sunday with a low of 29 that night. Monday has a high of 43 and a lot of 19. Tuesday’s high is 41, the low is 22.

Next Thursday, Jan. 9, will see a low of 19 with a 60 percent chance of snow and flurries, according to AccuWeather. Friday will have a high of 34 and a low of 17. That is the only chance of winter precipitation, according to the website’s long range forecast.

Temperatures in Sevier County and the surrounding region will begin to warm back up the following week.

The cold is expected to persist throughout January, with relief coming once February rolls around.

Such plunges occur when the air currents that keep frigid air over the North Pole — the polar vortex — weaken, and the freezing arctic air slips south and pushes the vortex down with it.

That means arctic air is blasting over the US, while pressure changes and the motion of the polar vortex whip up high winds and create a perfect recipe for wintry weather.

Cold subsides when the vortex restabilizes and drives the arctic air back north.

January’s freeze-out comes after December started cold, but finished out unusually warm across most of the country.

That duality resulted in temperatures that were basically average for December, according to Fox Weather, but in stretches of the West, the warmth persisted throughout the month, bringing the average upward of 13 degrees above normal.

During the 2014 January polar vortex, more than 20 people across the country died from the cold as places like Arkansas — which rarely see serious cold — dealt with lows under 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cossatot River State Park hosting First Day Hike     12/31/24

WICKES – Arkansas State Parks provide an opportunity to commemorate the new year outdoors with First Day Hikes on Jan. 1, 2025, including locally at Cossatot River State park.

“Visiting a state park and participating in First Day Hikes is a special way to start off a new year in a healthy direction,” said Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism and director of Arkansas State Parks. “Our state parks offer year-round recreation and are an avenue for people to experience the outdoors and foster respect and stewardship for nature.”

This year there are more than 1,000 hikes available in state parks around the country.

As part of First Day Hikes in Arkansas, 46 ranger-led, guided hikes take place in 36 Arkansas State Park locations on Jan. 1. The hike start times, terrain difficulty and distances vary, but the aim is the same: to enjoy time outside with family and friends.

Cossatot River State Park will host its own First Day Hike on Jan. 1 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the beautiful and scenic Harris Creek Trail. Park staff will take hikers on the 3.5 mile Harris Creek Trail, where they’ll be able to experience a walk through the gorgeous hardwoods up to a bluff with a spectacular view of the Cossatot River as well as Harris and Baker Creeks. The trail is rated moderate to strenuous, but breaks will be taken as needed. Wear strudy shoes and weather appropriate clothing, and don’t forget to pack plenty of water.

A rundown of guided First Day Hikes at Arkansas State Parks can be found HERE. Self-guided hikes are also being encouraged as part of the event during “New Year Week,” Dec. 28-Jan. 5. Participants in First Day Hikes can also mark the occasion with a free “Hike Arkansas State Parks” sticker. You can receive one at the guided hike program you attend or, if going the self-guided route, by logging your hike into an entry form link HERE. More information, such as tips for planning your hike and details on how to share your First Day Hike photos, can be found via this link too.

Lady Leopards remain undefeated after dominating Holiday Hoops Tournament     12/30/24

BERRYVILLE – It may be a De Queen school record for the longest trip made to win a tournament. The Lady Leopards claimed the Berryville CS Bank Tournament Dec. 28 just south of the Missouri border.

In the Saturday final De Queen downed Mountain View 86-70.

The Yellow Jackets hit a half dozen threes in the first quarter. Erin Akins had three treys and 11 points in the period which ended with MVHS leading 22-20.  

Akins hit two more threes in the second quarter, but the rest of the Jackets could add only four points. Shalyn Lyle scored eight and Jessie Lyle five as De Queen added 18 points to lead at the half 38-32.

The Lady Leopards broke away in the third. Jessie Lyle had eight and Emma Chambers seven as part of a 25 point barrage that put DHS up 60-41 to begin the fourth.
De Queen added 26 more in the final period with Chambers supplying nine.

Shalyn Lyle scored 25 for the Lady Leopards. Chambers had 23. Jessie Lyle scored 16 and Lynli Liggin 10. Landri Liggin had seven and Ellie Morphew five.

De Queen committed a dozen fouls and sank 15 of 19 free throws.

Erin Akins led Mountain View with 29 points, including seven treys. Evvi Cooper had 15 points and Emma Akin 10.

The Yellow Jackets had 16 fouls and were perfect with 10 of 10 at the line.

DHS – Berryville
In the tournament semis the Lady Leopards topped the host team 64-29.
It was 19-6 after the first quarter. Emma Chambers scored seven points. Jessie and Shalyn Lyle had six each.

Jessie Lyle added seven points in the second and Landri Liggin five. De Queen led 37-14 at the half.

The gap grew to 56-24 by the end of the third.

Jessie Lyle scored 24 points, Shalyn Lyle 16, Landri Liggin 11, Chambers seven, Lynli Liggin four and Brielle Cooper two.

The Lady Leopards hit three of eight free throws and committed 11 fouls.
Paise Thurman had 11 points for Berryville. BHS had 10 fouls and made two of two at the foul line.

DHS – Green Forest
De Queen’s trip through the tourney began with a 68-26 win over Green Forest.
It was a mismatch from the tip-off. Emma Chambers scored 13 points in the initial period. Shallyn Lyle added eight as DHS took a 26-3 lead.

Landri Liggin put in a pair of threes and eight points total in the second period. Lyle addeed another seven. The half time tally was 44-12. It was 63-23 at the end of three.
Seven players scored for De Queen. Chambers had 22 points, Shalyn Lyle 18, Landri Liggin 18, Lynli Liggin four, Azulenny Ponce three, Jessie Lyle two and Kailynn Klitz one.

Chambers had four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Jessie Lyle made five steals and five assists. Shalyn Lyle made six steals and five rebounds. Landri Liggin had five rebounds, three steals and three assists.

DHS had 14 fouls and converted 11 of 20 free throw attempts.

Green Forest had 14 fouls and made six of 11 at the foul line. Smally had eight points.

The excursion to Berryville was something new for De Queen coach Bret Burgess. “This was my first time in Berryville. It was a very well run tournament. Everything was top notch,” he said.

“We played a quality team in the finals. I think they can make a run in the AAA state tournament. They have quality guards and plenty of shooters. It was good for our kids to see that.

“Emma, Shalyn and Jessie carried us offensively. Landri Liggin had her best defensive game of the season. Ellie was very solid rebounding. Lynli Liggin gave us a huge boost coming off the bench.”

De Queen has one more lengthy road trip before getting into conference play. On Jan. 3 the Leopards will travel to Pine Bluff to take on Watson Chapel. Burgess is anticipating a battle. “They are the favorite to win their conference,” he noted.

It is possible De Queen and WCHS will play more than once this season. “They will be in our regional,” Burgress predicted.

De Queen is scheduled to play at home Jan. 7 when the Leopards host Waldron. Conference play will begin Jan. 10 with a trip to Nashville.

Youth Modern Gun Deer Hunt this weekend     12/30/24

DE QUEEN – The second of Arkansas’ two Special Youth Modern Gun Deer Hunts kicks off this weekend.

The special youth hunt will be open Jan. 4-5 in all Arkansas hunting zones. The first of the two special youth hunts was held in early November.

All youth hunters are reminded they must have a free customer ID number. Those numbers can be obtained by visiting agfc.com.

Only hunters six to 15-years-old may harvest deer during this weekends special youth modern gun deer hunt. Youths who have not completed hunter education must be under the direct supervision of an adult at least 21 years old. Mentors may not hunt any species during the hunt. All zone bag limits apply during the youth hunt and the use of dogs is prohibited.

Bowhunters may hunt during the youth hunt, but must wear hunter orage or chartreuse. Some WMAs and NWRs have permit-based youth seasons, or are otherwise closed to hunting during youth season, so make sure to check local regulations.

Arkansas’ deer season comes to an official close with the end of archery on Feb. 28.

LIHEAP winter assistance application period opens Jan. 6     12/30/24

DE QUEEN – The Central Arkansas Development Council’s 2025 LIHEAP assistance program will begin accepting applications Jan. 6, 2025.

The program assists with paying utilities and will also provide crisis assistance. LIHEAP, or Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, uses federal funds dispersed by CADC to lower the energy burden for households by helping with home energy bills—heating costs during the winter and cooling costs during the summer for those who qualify as funds remain available.

The office will only accept applications on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from the hours of 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The De Queen office is located at 821 Walter Leeper Drive in the De Queen Senior Citizens Center. Call (870) 982-9701.

Online applications will be available beginning Jan. 13, 2025 at www.cadc.com.

Documents needed are a driver’s license, social security cards for all members of the household, proof of income from the previous month, and utility bills.

Full program requirements and eligibility guidelines can be found at www.cadc.com.

Arkansas to rejoin Summer EBT Program     12/30/24

Arkansas will participate in a new federal food assistance program to help ensure children aren’t missing meals during the summer months.

Earlier this month, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Arkansas will join the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (Summer EBT) this upcoming summer. The program will provide qualifying families with $120 in food benefits per child.

“Making sure no Arkansan goes hungry, especially children, is a top concern for my administration. We are leveraging every resource at our disposal to fight this crisis, and Summer EBT promises to be an important new tool to give Arkansas children the food and nutrition they need. I am thankful to Senator Boozman for his leadership on this issue and to our many stakeholders like the Hunger Alliance. We will continue to engage with our partners in the public and private sector to reduce food insecurity across the state,” said Governor Sanders.

The additional benefits will be delivered via pre-loaded EBT cards, like those used in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Children who receive SNAP benefits are already qualified for the new program. In addition, Arkansas students who participate in their school’s free or reduced lunch program will also qualify for Summer EBT.

The program is funded entirely through federal resources.

Remember city ordinances, safety tips when lighting fireworks     12/30/24

DE QUEEN – Just in time for the New Year’s, the City of De Queen is reminding the public of the City’s rules surrounding fireworks and when they can be enjoyed.

For New Year’s, the use of fireworks in the city limits is prohibited except on Dec. 31 between 11 a.m. and midnight. The city, however, prohibits the lighting of any aerial firework attached to a stick, commonly referred to as a bottle rocket, or any other similar device.

In addition, city officials are reminding the public that it is illegal to deploy fireworks on private property without the property owner’s consent. Deploying fireworks on city-owned property is also illegal.

Illegal use of fireworks in De Queen is punishable by a fine up to $200 as well as possible community service.

Finally, the city prohibits the sale of fireworks within the city limits. Stands are beginning to open up on the edges of town as allowed under state law.

Sevier County has no specific regulations in regards to fireworks; however, county residents are reminded that a 2021 noise ordinance prohibits any “loud and disturbing noises” between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and between midnight and 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

This is also a good time to go over some fireworks safety reminders. According to the National Safety Council, thousands of people are injured each year due to fireworks, which also start an average of 18,500 fires each year.

Some safety tips to always keep in mind include:

• Never allow young children to handle fireworks, and older children should use them only under close adult supervision

• Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol

• Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear

• Never hold lighted fireworks in your hands

• Never light them indoors

• Only use them away from people, houses and flammable material

• Never point or throw fireworks at another person

• Only light one device at a time and maintain a safe distance after lighting

• Never ignite devices in a container

• Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks

• Soak both spent and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding

• Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off or in case of fire

• And, just to be safe, never use illegal fireworks

De Queen High School earns two prestigious awards     12/24/24

DE QUEEN – De Queen High School is the recipient of two prestigious honors recognizing the school’s commitment to academic excellence and student success. 

The school has been awarded the 2024 College Success Award from GreatSchools and named among the 2025 Best Schools in America by Niche, the leading college and school search platform.

As part of Niche’s 2025 rankings, De Queen High School earned the distinction of being ranked seventh in Best School Districts in Arkansas. This prestigious ranking reflects the school’s exceptional performance, including academic excellence, extracurricular opportunities, and feedback from students, parents, and alumni.

The GreatSchools College Success Award celebrates public high schools that excel at preparing students for college enrollment and success. De Queen High School is one of 1,436 schools in 19 states to receive this recognition, highlighting its strong track record of graduating students who are ready for college-level coursework and persist to their second year of postsecondary education.

“We are so excited about both of these awards. Our school board, teachers, staff, and students work extremely hard!” said Audrey Chandler, Principal at De Queen High School. Chandler continued, “It takes a village, and we have an outstanding village!”

De Queen High School attributes its success to a combination of best practices, including:

● Providing access to rigorous academic offerings both within school and through extracurricular programs.

● Systematically identifying and supporting students at risk of adverse academic outcomes.

● Offering robust academic and college counseling to prepare students for future success.

“We applaud De Queen High School for prioritizing a high-quality public education that puts students on the path to bright futures,” said Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools. “It’s inspiring to see how an entire school community — students, teachers, and families — can work together in pursuit of a common goal: success for all.”

De Queen High School extends its gratitude to the staff, students, parents, and the broader community for their ongoing support, which makes these national recognitions possible.

Memorial Missionary hosts annual Christmas meal giveaway     12/24/24

DE QUEEN – Members of Memorial Missionary Baptist Church gathered this past Saturday to host their annual Christmas Meal Giveaway to give away and deliver hundreds of meals to people in the community.

Joanie Patterson helped lead the effort and said this year marked the church’s eighth annual event.

“We just want to give back to the community and we felt like this was a way we could help those in need right now,” said Patterson. “We’ve done it for eight years and love every minute of it.”

The church gave away meals on site in De Queen and also delivered to those around town and in Horatio. Over 300 pre-registered to receive meals but church members were preparing even more just in case.

“We took lists around town, but we also do a drive through so we expect to give away all 450 meals we prepared,” said  Patterson.

Preparations for the annual Christmas meal giveaway begins early the morning of the event.

“We start preparing about a month ahead and a lot of us get here around seven in the morning,” said Patterson. ” Our youth help too and that’s a great thing for them to see and help with as well.”

Patterson said help from outside the church is always welcome and everyone is invited to learn more about Memorial Missionary by attending the next service.

“Our services start at 9:45 a.m., Sunday School and church starts around 10:45 a.m., nightly services Wednesday night is 6:30 and Sunday night is six. We welcome anybody to come and share our services with us.”

 

Sevier County Medical Center receives national recognition     12/24/24

De Queen Elementary receives grant for outdoor science classroom     12/24/24

DE QUEEN – De Queen Elementary School has received a grant from the Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation to build an outside science center for third through fifth grades.

The $5,000 grant is designed to help students learn about the environment and its stewardship, as well as aspects about agriculture, plants and wildlife.

“We have a really great spot for an outdoor learning environment already, but this is going to be something that’s specific for our science classes,” said Maralyn Faulkenberry, a math and science facilitator at De Queen Elementary School.

“When this grant was brought to my attention by Mrs. [Misty] Gentry, we knew that we wanted this to be purposeful and we like to attach everything to our mission statement. And part of our mission statement says that students will grow in math, literacy, and science,” she added.

The purpose of the new project is aimed at helping students learn about the environment and how to take care of an area, explore learning and make experiments. Students will be able to grow plants, observe wildlife, erosion, collect data and see the impact this has on bringing science to life.

“We think this is going to make a huge measurable and memorable impact on our students by getting them outside, doing hands-on science and hopefully encouraging them to pursue science-related fields as they get older,” Faulkenberry said.

The grant  will be used to purchase equipment and other items to furnish the interactive outdoor learning environment for De Queen elementary students. That will include raised flower beds and planters, a shaded growing area, a greenhouse, bird feeders, gardening tools and other related items.
De Queen Elementary School hopes to have the new outdoor science center ready for the 2025-26 school year.

First State Bank of De Queen hosts annual Customer Appreciation Day     12/24/24

Legacy Academy hosts annual day of service     12/24/24

By Ben Wright, Legacy Academy

LOCKESBURG – Legacy Academy recently held its annual Christmas Service Project on Friday, December 20, in the school’s auditorium, with a special focus on honoring the senior citizens and local community servants who make a difference in Lockesburg. The whole-school event recognized the dedicated efforts of first responders, firefighters, law enforcement officers, healthcare workers, and other essential service providers.

The celebration, which began at 1:00 PM, brought together these valued community members for an afternoon filled with acts of service and festive cheer. Guests were treated to a variety of complimentary services, including gift wrapping, car vacuuming, games, and delicious holiday treats. To mark the occasion, attendees were also gifted handmade wreaths and Christmas ornaments to take home as a token of appreciation.

This year’s Christmas Service Project exemplified Legacy Academy’s commitment to serving the Lockesburg community, and with many in attendance expressing heartfelt thanks, the event was a powerful reminder of the importance of community and service.

The success of the day underscores Legacy Academy’s dedication to honoring those who serve others while providing an opportunity for students to engage in hands-on expressions of gratitude. It was a day of celebration and connection that will be remembered by all who participated.

Local Conservation District, NRCS office spread Christmas cheer     12/24/24

Sevier Chamber hosts ribbon-cutting for Dina’s Kitchen     12/24/24

Great yields a bright spot in a turbulent year for agriculture     12/24/24

By Mary Hightower, UAEX

A season of weather that enabled both early planting and harvest ended in record or near-record yields for several crops in Arkansas. But it wound up being overshadowed by low commodity prices and tumult surrounding development of the next Farm Bill and aid to farmers.

Ag law and policy

Creation of a Farm Bill to replace the current 2018 legislation has been a source of frustration in agriculture. Hard-pressed by high input prices, extremely low commodity prices, drought and hurricanes, farmers urged lawmakers to update the Farm Bill’s reference prices. Failing that, they pressed Congress for ad hoc aid. The additional effort failed in early December.

Hunter Biram, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said “it is very likely that the 2018 Farm Bill will once again see another extension.”

The ag committees of both the U.S. House and Senate have been working on a new Farm Bill.

Arkansas Sen. Boozman had been serving as the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, and will become its chair in January. Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who has chaired the committee since 2021, announced her retirement. Her term ends in January.

Farmers were also watching the Environmental Protection Agency, which had pledged to give the Endangered Species Act a bigger role as it reviewed and approved pesticides. A federal judge also vacated registrations on some dicamba products.

Near year’s end, a federal judge in Texas put a temporary hold on the Corporate Transparency Act, which was expected to affect some 230,000 farm operations. CTA required businesses to file information about beneficial owners by Dec. 31.

In December, a federal judge in Arkansas put a 14-day restraining order on an Arkansas law that restricted foreign ownership of farmland. Plaintiffs said the law was unconstitutional. Similar laws intended to increase national and food security were enacted or under consideration in 48 states.

Arkansas became the first state to take an enforcement action under its law in 2023, ordering ChemChina to divest its holdings in Craighead County.

Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center, called 2024 “a blockbuster year of court decisions and other legal developments.

“It’s hard to imagine how 2025 can top it, but I have a feeling it will,” he said.

Row crops
Arkansas growers were treated to a warm, dry spring enabling early planting. They also saw dry weather in late summer, providing the grounds for a speedy harvest. In between, the remnants of two hurricanes, Francine and Helene, caused damage to crops in spots.

Drought in the upper Mississippi River and Ohio River valleys dropped Mississippi River levels to near record-low levels at Memphis, Tennessee, by harvest time. The Coast Guard had to implement draft restrictions on barges at a time when they were to be filled with grain for export.

The river levels at Memphis rebounded slightly but sank to minus 6.59 feet by Dec. 12.

Arkansas soybean growers were expected to see a 55-bushel-per-acre average yield, a new record.

“Even though it’s a little better than last year, farmers are still hurting because commodity prices have declined, and the expenses are still higher,” said Jeremy Ross, professor and extension soybean agronomist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Corn acres took a big drop in 2024 — 41 percent lower than the previous year. November’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, or NASS, report showed 485,000 acres of corn were harvested with an expected state average yield of 186 bushels per acre. It was one bushel per acre less than the record.

“Both wheat and sorghum have a similar problem in Arkansas,” said Jason Kelley, extension wheat and feed grains agronomist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

“You don’t have local markets for it. You can haul that most of the time to the Mississippi River, and there’s some other inland places a little closer taking it. But there are only about 10 places buying wheat here. And grain sorghum is really the same way.”

Arkansas cotton growers harvested 640,000 acres. Although this was a 30,000-acre decrease from spring projections, it was still a substantial increase of 135,000 acres over 2023 harvest numbers.

Arkansas peanuts experienced an explosion in acreage this year, rising by 10,000 acres over 2023’s reported acreage to 44,000 acres. Zachary Treadway, extension peanut and cotton specialist, said it’s likely that the expansion in acreage does not represent new growers moving into the crop, but rather the same growers expanding their peanut efforts.

NASS expected rice to end the season at 7,600 pounds per acre, 30 pounds shy of the record set in 2021.

“There are still no surprises on the rice side,” said Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist for the Division of Agriculture. “Unfortunately, milling yields aren’t represented in production estimates but will have a profound impact on rice supplies and markets this year.”

“Profitability isn’t in the 2025 vocabulary,” Hardke said.

Cattle/forage
Cattle prices remained high in 2024, but high input prices and weather-related forage issues kept ranchers from seeing wide profit margins.

 “With still-high input costs, we’re seeing a big pool of heifers into the feed yards, and guys aren’t purchasing heifers to raise and put back into our national herd, so our national herd numbers are still going down,” said Maggie Justice, assistant professor and extension beef cattle specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

A wet spring and dry summer made hay cuttings somewhat tenuous.

“In general, I would say statewide we were at 80 percent of our production potential, but in our really drought-affected areas we lost maybe half or more of our production,” said Jonathan Kubesch, extension forage specialist for the Division of Agriculture. “We had a lot of armyworm pressure dry spell and we were offset on our hay cut schedule.” 

Poultry
The relentless march of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, kept the poultry and dairy industry on edge in 2024.

However, as of mid-December, Arkansas saw no commercial HPAI infections in 2024, said Jada Thompson, assistant professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

She attributed Arkansas’ decrease in HPAI detections to its climate and geographical location. The current HPAI strain, H5N1, travels through wildlife along the Mississippi Flyway but does not do as well in warmer environments like Arkansas, Thompson noted.

The decrease in commercial infections does not mean Arkansas is out of the woods, as Dustan Clark, extension poultry health veterinarian for the Division of Agriculture, explained.

In December, three positive HPAI detections were found in backyard flocks in Lafayette, Craighead and Pope Counties.

Specialty crops

This year’s warm spring brought the strawberries out earlier than usual, leaving growers scrambling to let customers know they didn’t have to wait until near Mother’s Day for berries.

Strawberry growers may be dealing with “Neo-P,” “an emerging disease that made headlines in 2019 and 2020 when it was first reported to severely impact strawberry production in Florida,” said Aaron Cato, extension horticulture integrated pest management specialist for the Division of Agriculture.”

The disease poses no problem to people. Cato said Neo-P could be managed with good cultural control.

Jackie Lee, director of the Fruit Research Station, named this year’s blackberry season “early bird” because of the warm temps in February.

“I have never seen such a synchronous bloom in blackberries, and just so much, and so early,” Lee said during the annual Blackberry Field Day in June at the Division of Agriculture’s Fruit Research Station in Clarksville.

Looking back at the station’s weather data, the average temperature for February was 63 degrees. It was about 10 degrees higher than the previous two years in February, a month that also brought temperatures 10 to 15 degrees below normal in 2021. The higher temperatures this year “got blackberries off to a good start,” Lee said, and a dry April allowed the station to increase its experimental variety crossings.

Forestry
In 2024, it was win one, lose one for the forestry industry. In August, AHF Products closed its Warren flooring plant, causing the loss of 130 jobs and an estimated decline of $36 million in the state’s gross domestic product, according to an analysis from the Arkansas Center for Forest Business. However, in December, Weyerhaeuser announced it was investing $500 million in the state-of-the-art TimberstrandÒ facility to produce laminated strand lumber in Drew County.

The University of Arkansas at Monticello, also in Drew County and the state’s only forestry school, broke ground on its Arkansas Forest Health Research Center in October. During the event, state Attorney General Tim Griffin announced UAM would receive $1 million from his office to support the center.

Keeping wildlife violation fines local through youth grants     12/20/24

SEVIER COUNTY  – Local school districts received over $12,000 in grants in 2024 through a state program funded by fines from wildlife violations.

In total, school districts and conservation agencies in Sevier County received $12,612 through the Arkansas Game and Fish Wildlife Conservation Education Grant Program. The grants included over $8,600 to the Cossatot Conservation District to purchase equipment for its youth shooting sports programs.

De Queen High School received a further $3,000 to purchase materials for its own youth shooting sports and Archery in the Schools (AIS) programs.

De Queen Primary School also received $1,000 to purchase butterfly kits for its students.

In Little River County, the Ashdown School District received $5,641.54 for its youth shooting sports program while Foreman High School received $3,500.

In Polk County, Cossatot River Elementary School received $1,258 to purchase items for its Archery in the School (AIS) programs. Cossatot River High School received a further $1,259 grant for its youth shooting sports program.

In total, the program provided more than $537,000 in conservation grants to Arkansas school districts in 2024. The funds are administered through a partnership between the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s Rural Services Division and the AGFC.

The program has approximately $10,190 in available funding in Sevier County for 2025. Applications for grant proposals were submitted in October.

The grant program is entirely funded by fines collected from wildlife violation convictions. Fines from wildlife violations are not used for vehicles, salaries or other operations conducted by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. In fact, it never really leaves the county where it was collected. Instead, those dollars are given to the AEDC, which fulfills grant requests for conservation education in that county.

Any school or conservation district in Arkansas may apply for these grants, regardless of size or population.

The following activities meet the criteria for funding:

-Field trips to AGFC nature centers, hatcheries or wildlife management areas
-AGFC-sponsored archery and trap programs
-AGFC-sponsored educator workshops
-Schoolyard wildlife and butterfly habitats
-Outdoor classroom supplies
-Wildlife biology or recreation supplies
-Conservation education materials

More information on the program, visit www.agfc.com/conservationgrants.

Sevier County’s Jacob Seymour seeking statewide 4-H office     12/20/24

DE QUEEN – The Sevier County Extension Office would like to announce that Jacob Seymour of De Queen is running for an Arkansas 4-H State Officer position.

Sevier County 4-H’ers Jacob Seymour and Kyle Williamson made an impact at the 104th 4-H National Congress recently held in Atlanta, Georgia. The five-day national event is intended to help 4-H members expand their skills, engage with other members and to inspire them to make an impact in their communities.

National 4-H Congress is aimed at immersing high school 4-H members in leadership, civic engagement, global awareness, and inclusion. Participants engaged in educational workshops, heard from distinguished speakers, and networked with peers from across the country. Delegates also contributed to service-learning projects in Atlanta.

Both Seymour and Williamson had the opportunity to attend because of their devotion to 4-H and by winning Advance Record Book. Jake is the son of Debbie and Justin Seymour. He was named 2022 Arkansas Teen Star and is currently an Arkansas State Ambassador. Kyle Williamson is the son of Ronnie and Tiffany Williamson of De Queen. He was named a 2022 Arkansas Teen Star and currently serves as a 4-H Arkansas State Ambassador.

“Not only did they advocate for Arkansas 4-H, but they represented Sevier County with pride,” said Sevier County Extension Agent Rex Herring. “Both 4-H’ers have great leadership skills and their roles in our community will only help create a brighter future for us.”

Enjoy a First Day Hike at Cossatot River State Park     12/20/24

WICKES – Arkansas State Parks provide an opportunity to commemorate the new year outdoors with First Day Hikes on Jan. 1, 2025, including locally at Cossatot River State park.

“Visiting a state park and participating in First Day Hikes is a special way to start off a new year in a healthy direction,” said Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism and director of Arkansas State Parks. “Our state parks offer year-round recreation and are an avenue for people to experience the outdoors and foster respect and stewardship for nature.”

First Day Hikes have been a statewide event for Arkansas State Parks since 2014 and have become an annual tradition for many. Some return to the same park each year while others seek out a new park experience to try out for it. The project is part of a nationwide event for all of America’s State Parks and is coordinated by the National Association of State Park Directors.

“State parks offer an incredible variety of outdoor experiences, showcasing the unique natural and cultural features of each region,” said Lewis Ledford, President and CEO of the National Association of State Park Directors. “Whether you’re trekking through snowy trails in the Rockies or enjoying mild southern breezes, First Day Hikes are the perfect way to start the New Year outdoors and connect with the beauty of our public lands.”

This year there are more than 1,000 hikes available in state parks around the country.

As part of First Day Hikes in Arkansas, 46 ranger-led, guided hikes take place in 36 Arkansas State Park locations on Jan. 1. The hike start times, terrain difficulty and distances vary, but the aim is the same: to enjoy time outside with family and friends.

Cossatot River State Park will host its own First Day Hike on Jan. 1 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the beautiful and scenic Harris Creek Trail. Park staff will take hikers on the 3.5 mile Harris Creek Trail, where they’ll be able to experience a walk through the gorgeous hardwoods up to a bluff with a spectacular view of the Cossatot River as well as Harris and Baker Creeks. The trail is rated moderate to strenuous, but breaks will be taken as needed. Wear strudy shoes and weather appropriate clothing, and don’t forget to pack plenty of water.

“We are thrilled that the First Day Hikes event has grown into such a special tradition for so many people,” said Kelly Farrell, chief of interpretation and program services for the Division of Arkansas State Parks. “This year, we are excited to continue with this national event taking place in 50 state park systems. We hope you enjoy starting 2025 outdoors, kicking off the new year with a healthy, invigorating activity and fun memories. Whether you go a quarter mile or a dozen, you are part of the First Day Hikes movement and part of something huge and exciting.”

A rundown of guided First Day Hikes at Arkansas State Parks can be found HERE. Self-guided hikes are also being encouraged as part of the event during “New Year Week,” Dec. 28-Jan. 5. Participants in First Day Hikes can also mark the occasion with a free “Hike Arkansas State Parks” sticker. You can receive one at the guided hike program you attend or, if going the self-guided route, by logging your hike into an entry form link HERE. More information, such as tips for planning your hike and details on how to share your First Day Hike photos, can be found via this link too.

Gov. Sanders urges Congress to pass Kids Online Safety Act before 2025     12/20/24

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is calling on federal legislators to pass a bill circulating the U.S. Congress that would regulate how and when children can access social media.

The statistics on mental health issues among youth are staggering. Almost half of U.S. teens have experienced bullying or harassment online. Between 2010 and 2019, teen depression rates doubled, with teenage girls seeing the sharpest increase. In 2021, almost a third of girls said they seriously considered attempting suicide.

A New York Times article cited a study claiming children between the ages of 8 and 12 spend an average of over 5 hours per day on their screens, while teenagers log over 8 hours every day.

This week, Sanders addressed a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and said that she has seen firsthand the rise in mental illness among the younger generations.

“I am writing in support of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a critical piece of legislation to ensure our kids’ safety online,” Sanders wrote. “I am the Governor of Arkansas, but I am also a mom to three, and I have seen firsthand the alarming rise in mental illness among my kids’ generation.”

The governor wrote that major tech companies know their algorithms are harming kids and it’s time for lawmakers to act.

“Big Tech companies know their algorithms are harming kids. They have been given chance after chance to fix the problem themselves; now, it is time for lawmakers to take action,” the governor wrote. “These companies are spending millions of dollars lobbying against legislation that installs commonsense safeguards on their platforms, and millions more suing states like Arkansas that take preventative steps to protect kids. It is time for a federal fix to this nationwide problem.”

According to a report from the Associated Press in July, Congress hasn’t passed a law to protect children on the internet in 26 years.

“The last time Congress passed a law to protect children on the internet was in 1998 — before Facebook, before the iPhone and long before today’s oldest teenagers were born,” the report said.

In the AP’s report, it said that if KOSA passed, it would require companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm on online platforms that minors are likely to use.

“They would have to “prevent and mitigate” harms to children, including bullying and violence, the promotion of suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation and advertisements for illegal products such as narcotics, tobacco or alcohol,” the Associated Press said.

In her letter, the governor said that unrestricted social media use for kids is an “unmitigated disaster.”

“America experimented with unrestricted social media use for our kids and the results of that experiment are clear: it is an unmitigated disaster,” the governor wrote. “We need to reverse these alarming trends and protect kids online. I urge you to act quickly to pass KOSA before the end of the year and protect our children.”

She also highlighted the bestselling book, The Anxious Generation, by Dr. Jonathan Haidt which highlights the potentially destructive nature of social media usage at an early age.

“[Dr. Haidt] has been a clear voice on this issue. I sent a copy of his book to every legislator in Arkansas and every governor in the country, hoping to spur a nationwide movement to get our kids off screens. Arkansas was the first state in the country to enact age limits on social media – though Big Tech companies are suing us and have blocked our policies in court. Last summer, our state rolled out a statewide program to give schools resources to go phone-free. Last week, I hosted Dr. Haidt over two days, touring schools, and speaking to teachers, students, and parents, and hearing about how social media and smartphones are disrupting classrooms, fueling mental health problems, and interfering with childhood development.”

Winners of De Queen, Lockesburg Christmas Parades     12/20/24

SEVIER COUNTY – The Sevier County Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of the 2024 Sevier County Christmas Parade, held Dec. 7 around the courthouse square in downtown De Queen.

Winners by category are as follows:

Business/Commercial:

1^st Place – Tortas Chomis Restaurant

2^nd Place – Southern Fringe Salon

3^rd Place – Southwest Arkansas Electric REA

Organizational:

1^st Place – Goin’ Showin’ 4-H Club

2^nd Place – Sevier County Medical Center

3^rd Place – DHS Cheerleaders

Religious:

1^st Place – St. Barbara Catholic Church

2^nd Place – New Zion Baptist Church

3^rd Place – Memorial Missionary Church

Recreational:

1^st Place – Grannis Trail Riders

2^nd Place – Lavonna Wright

3^rd Place – Low Locs Lowrider Car Club

The chamber of commerce expressed its gratitude to everyone who made this year’s Christmas parade a truly wonderful event, including De Queen Mayor Jeff Brown, Sevier County Judge Sandra Dunn, the De Queen Police Department and local fire departments, the chamber of commerce board of directors, volunteers and students.

—

The City of Lockesburg has announced the winners of its 2024 Christmas Parade, held this past Saturday, Dec. 7.

The winners by category are as follows:

Business:

1^st Place – Cake it Easy

2^nd Place – Sevier County CO-OP

Organization:

1^st Place – Goin Showin 4-H

2^nd Place – Sevier County Republican Party

3^rd Place – Legacy Academy

Religious:

1^st Place – Lighthouse Church

2^nd Place – Grace Country Church

3^rd Place – Try Jesus Foundation

Recreational:

1^st Place – Lavonna Wright

2^nd Place – Wayne Smith

3^rd Place – Grannis Trail Riders

Ashdown man sentenced to 40 years prison for CSAM     12/19/24

ASHDOWN – An Ashdown man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of possession of child sex abuse material.

According to court records, 26-year-old Bine Ray Whisenhunt pleaded guilty on Dec. 3 to four counts of possessing explicit matter depicting children. Each count carries a 10 year sentence for a total of 40 years. Six additional counts were suspended. Upon his release, Whisenhunt will be required to register as a Level IV sex offender.

According to the arrest affidavit, a federal search warrant was issued Jan. 24 through the Western District of Arkansas for Whisenhunt’s Ashdown residence. The warrant was issued following a cyber tip to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) alleging more than 200 images depicting child sexual abuse material were uploaded by a phone traced to Whisenhunt.

Whisenhunt was originally charged with 10 felony counts of distributing, possessing, or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child.

The investigation was conducted by the Ashdown Police Department and the FBI.

Whisenhunt was being held on a $250,000 bond in the Little River County Detention Center.

Court approves evaluation for De Queen charged with attempted murders     12/19/24

DE QUEEN – This month’s trial for a Sevier County man charged with five counts of attempted murder has been postponed to allow the state to determine if he is fit to proceed in the criminal case.

According to court records, 37-year-old Kenneth Lee Smith was scheduled to appear before a jury trial Dec. 16-19. Smith, who has pleaded not guilty, is charged with attempted capital murder, aggravated residential burglary, first-degree battery and four counts of attempted murder

In a court order dated Dec. 5, the state has granted a request by Smith’s attorney to undergo a mental examination by a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist with the Arkansas Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services. The examiner will will determine if Smith possesses a degree of intellectual or mental impairment that would impact his fitness to proceed in the criminal case.

If the court determines that Smith lacks fitness to proceed, the proceedings will be suspended. The court could then commit the defendant to the custody of the Department of Human Services for detention, care and treatment

If Smith is found to be fit, and if he is convicted, the range of offenses could see him serving up to 40 years or life imprisonment.

Smith remains in the Sevier County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond.

Smith’s charges stem from an incident that began following a report of a domestic disturbance at the residence on Sweet Home Lane. Upon arrival, the responding Sevier County deputy was met with gunfire and his patrol unit was hit with multiple rounds. Smith then reportedly fled the scene on a motorcycle, leading to the subsequent pursuit.

Smith allegedly fired as pursuing officers. A round struck Bradshaw, who continued his pursuit for some time before withdrawing to seek medical attention. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and fully.

Smith was later located in Little River County with the assistance of dog and horse teams, as well as drones and an Arkansas State Police helicopter. The manhunt lasted several hours before Smith was apprehended without further incident.

Annual Lace Lane Festival of Lights is this weekend near De Queen     12/19/24

DE QUEEN – Everyone is invited to come by and enjoy the annual Lace Lane Festival of Lights near De Queen this weekend.

The Festival of Lights will be held from 6-8 p.m. this Friday and again this Saturday. Lace Lane is located two miles north of De Queen on N. Ninth Street. The community is invited to come see the thousands of lights that make up Lace Lane as well as meet with Santa and take photos. There will be gifts for children who attend. Donations will be accepted to help send the De Queen High School Quiz Bowl Team to the National Competition in 2025.

Homeowners along Lace Lane put a tremendous amount of effort decorating in the weeks leading up to Christmas. It all started more than two decades ago when Thomas and Donna Sweeten began transforming their property into a dazzling array of Christmas lights and decorations. From a dragon in a pond to a full choir, a variety of nativity scenes and over 100 Santa figures, the scene is something everyone can enjoy.

Thomas has said in the past the decorations are his family’s way of sharing their enjoyment of Christmas for the whole community.

If you can’t make it to the Festival of Lights this weekend, no worries: the lights are up now and will be available for viewing through Christmas and the New Year.

Local Christmas week closings     12/19/24

DE QUEEN – Area banks, government offices and many businesses will be closed Dec. 25 for the Christmas holiday.

That includes De Queen City Hall, which will be closed both Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 for Christmas. The trash schedule for the week of Dec. 23 will be as follows:

Monday and Tuesday will be picked up on Monday. Thursday and Friday will remain the same.

City Hall will also be closed Jan. 1 for New Years Day. The trash schedule for the week of Dec. 30 will remain the same as usual.

The Sevier County Courthouse and Landfill will be closing at noon on Monday, Dec. 23 and will remain closed until Thursday, Dec. 26. The closure will also include all area satellite waste stations on Tuesday, Dec. 24.

Sevier County Sheriff’s Office issues November activity report     12/19/24

DE QUEEN – The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office has released its activity report for the month of November:

Deputies worked a total of 1,764 hours on duty throughout the month of November and clocked 20,561 miles.

Total fuel used was calculated at 1,403 gallons.

Deputies received a total of 91 calls and worked 10 motor vehicle accidents and 120 traffic stops. Of those stops, 10 resulted in a citation with 110 warnings.

Eight arrests were made in November. A total of 102 civil papers were served and deputies completed 1,720 building checks.

Investigators with the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office taught four classes, worked one unattended death, investigated one theft, one runaway incident, one sexual assault and one domestic situation.

In addition, the Horatio School Resource Office worked two incidents at the elementary school and two incidents at the high school.

Lady Leopards remain undefeated, top ranked in 4A after Antlers Classic, Poyen victories     12/19/24

ANTLERS, Okla. – The De Queen Lady Leopards steamrolled through the Antlers, Oklahoma Blue and Gold Classic unchallenged to improve to a perfect 13 and 0 on the season.

The De Queen girls claimed the title with a 77 to 45 victory over Tushka Saturday night. It was a ten-point game at the half, but the Lady Leopards outscored Tushka 44 to 18 in the second half to pull away.

Shaylin Lyle scored 34 points, was credited with five steals, and dished out four assists. Landri Liggin scored 12. Linli Liggin added 11. Ellie Morphew led the rebounding charts with 12. The Lady Leopards shot 50 percent from the floor and forced 25 Tushka turnovers with their full court pressure.

In Friday’s semifinals, the Lady Leopards rolled over Valliant 76 to 28. Shalyn Lyle led the way with 25 points. Shalyn connected on 11 of 15 shots from the floor, grabbed ten steals and six rebounds. Emma Chambers scored 13. Jessie Lyle also scored 13, including three-three-pointers. Landri Liggin had a solid game with 13 points, seven assists, and five steals. 

On the boys side of the bracket, the Leopards went 1 and 2 in the three-day tournament to finish in fourth place. In the consolation final on Saturday, Moyers defeated the Leopards 49 to 37. Sam Graham had a double-double with 19 points and 16 rebounds. Luke Dawson added eight.

In Friday’s semifinals, Holdenville defeated the De Queen boys 65 to 53. Graham led the way with 15 points and seven rebounds. Rowan Sanchez scored 10 and grabbed six boards. Dawson was also in double figures with ten. Jake Martin grabbed seven rebounds on the night. The Leopards stand at 5 and 5 on the season after the Antlers tourney. 

Poyen at De Queen

The De Queen senior teams split with Poyen Monday night at the Coliseum as the Lady Leopards improved to 14 and 0 with a 71 to 40 victory, while the Poyen boys edged the Leopards 66 to 62.

Shalyn Lyle had another big night to keep the Lady Leopards perfect record intact with 32 points, seven rebounds, four steals, and three assists. Jessie Lyle and Emma Chambers each scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds. Ellie Morphew led the rebounding charts with eight. The De Queen full court press forced 26 turnovers on the night. 

The Leopards fell to 5 and 6 on the season after the tough 66 to 62 setback. Sam Graham had another double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Cayden Lindley scored 12 on four-three-pointers. Konnor Shelton also added 12.

The De Queen senior teams travel to Morrilton Friday. 

 

SCMC continues path towards conversion to non-profit critical access status     12/19/24

DE QUEEN – Officials with the Sevier County Medical Center hope the new hospital will fully transition to a 501(c)3 non-profit critical access hospital by the start of the new year.

On Monday, the Sevier County Quorum Court unanimously approved a request from the hospital’s Board of Governors to enter into a management serves agreement. The agreement allows the board of governors to continue to oversee the hospital, but under a format required as part of the effort to convert to a non-profit critical access facility.

Officials said the decision, which has been discussed for several months, is part of the hospital’s efforts to reduce costs, raise revenue and reach a position of financial sustainability.

The non-profit designation will allow the hospital to secure additional funding through grants. It will also allow the hospital to tailor a more flexible staffing plan and offer 401k retirement plans to full-time employees.

“In effect, it will put us on a more level playing field and on a more competitive basis with other critical access hospitals in Arkansas,” said Greg Revels, who serves as chair of the Sevier County Medical Center Board of Governors.

Revels said the hospital hopes to complete the transition by Jan. 1, 2025.

Other recent efforts this year to bolster the hospital’s financial situation included trimming staff levels, broad salary cuts, and focusing on the hospital’s most profitable services, such as its swing-bed program. These measures were taken after the new hospital announced in April that it was teetering towards financial collapse. The non-profit designation is one of the last measures the hospital sought to reverse its fiscal situation.

Since those steps were taken, the hospital has shown consistent break-even or even slightly positive monthly revenue reports. Outstanding debts continue to be paid off and officials are working with contractors to discuss efforts to meet the hospital’s construction-related debts.

In a statement, county officials stated the “Sevier County Medical Center is an accredited 15 bed, critical access hospital committed to providing medical care and treatment to the citizens of Sevier County and surrounding areas.  Sevier County Medical Center employs more than 80 medical professionals and staff and is fully operational.  The Sevier County Medical Center looks forward to providing the best available medical care to the citizens of Sevier County and surrounding areas.”

Spotlighting investigation leads to felony drug arrest of Lockesburg man     12/19/24

SEVIER COUNTY – A Lockesburg man was arrested on a felony drug possession offense during an incident over the weekend.

According to the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office, on Dec. 7 a deputy from the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office was asked to assist an AGFC Wildlife Officer at a location on Old Dierks Highway. 

Upon arriving, the deputy was informed by the wildlife officer that he was patrolling the area when he observed an individual spotlighting a field that was populated with wildlife.

The wildlife officer identified the suspect as 44-year-old Adam Michael Hill of Lockesburg. The wildlife officer claimed to notice an odor of marijuana from Hill which led to a probable cause search of Hill’s vehicle. During the search, the officer allegedly located marijuana and a substance believed to be methamphetamine, along with a glass smoking pipe. Several firearms were also reportedly found in Hill’s vehicle.

Hill was then placed into custody and transported to the Sevier County Jail, where he was charged with a felony count of possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine. 

Sevier County Chamber welcomes Michael’s Mexican Grill as newest member     12/19/24

SCMC Foundation hosts first-ever Holiday Health Walk     12/19/24

Jackson Walker: One of Sevier County’s youngest entrepreneurs 12/06/24

At just 20-years-old, Jackson Walker is one of Sevier County’s youngest business owners. He operates a waste management company in Sevier and surrounding counties.

DE QUEEN – One of Sevier County’s youngest business owners said his decision to strike out on his own was inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit of his parents.

Jackson Walker is the owner of JW’s Dumpster Service, a waste management company operating in Sevier and surrounding counties. A 2023 graduate of De Queen High School, the 20-year-old Walker knows a thing or two about hard work though he’s too young to even buy a beer.

Walker is the son of Dr. Randy and Angie Walker of Sevier County. His parents own Walker Family Clinic as well as AHW Enterprises, a property management company. Walker said his parents were an inspiration for his decision to start his own small business.

“Watching them was a big encouragement for me, seeing how they built up their own businesses and how hard work can pay off,” he explained. “I knew college wasn’t going to be for me so I needed to focus on something, a trade really.”

Walker started JW’s Dumpster Service in 2022 – before he even graduated high school – with a single trailer and three roll-off dumpsters. Now, he’s expanded to three trailers and 25 roll-offs as well as residential waste collection. He’s hired another full-time employee and employs another part-time.

As a Gen Z’er, Walker has heard plenty of comments from older folks about the declining work ethic of younger generations. Walker has his own thoughts on that.

“I’ve heard it a lot and there’s probably a little bit of truth to it overall, but not here at JW’s Dumpster Service,” he said, laughing. “We stay really busy these days.”

One of the points instilled by Walker’s parents was the importance of small businesses supporting one another. For a small business community to thrive and grow, it’s critical they do business with each other as they do the broader community.

“If we’re taking money out of the community, it’s always good to be putting money back into it. As a small business, I’m buying all my tires, all my fuel, buying my vehicles, buying everything local that I can. And employment, I’m resourcing employment locally,” he said.

That’s part of the reason Walker hopes to eventually expand into municipal waste management.

“A lot of towns go with these bigger companies for their waste management. They’re coming in from another town, they’re taking money out of the city or out of the county and it never returns,” he explained. “When you choose to use a local small business, that money recirculates through the city, through the county.”

Walker said he plans to keep growing his business as long as there is a need for his services. He now offers removal services for rental homes or storage units.

“We go in and clean it out,” he said. “If you had a loved one pass away, or you bought a new property, we can come in and get everything cleaned up for you. I don’t ever want to get satisfied with the services we offer. I want to keep going because it’s good to see where I’m at now compared to where I started.”

Along the way, and on a less serious note, Walker has had a few interesting finds when it comes to waste management.

“There’s been a time or two where I found a prosthetic leg, or a wig, in a dumpster and thought, there’s a body in there,” he said. “Another time there was an old cooler full of meat, it smelled horrible and I didn’t know what I was going to find inside that dumpster. You just never know what you’re picking up and sometimes it’ll really surprise you.”

On a more serious note, Walker shared a message to other young men and women who feel like college may not be for them.

“There’s a lot of potential for them, especially if they got some drive. A college education is certainly not a requirement for success. There’s a huge gap of jobs that aren’t being filled that don’t require going to college,” he said.

“I don’t think college is a bad thing, but it’s by no means necessary when we don’t have enough electricians, plumbers and other trades people. An electrician has to go about seven years to learn how to be one. Then he’s paid $150,000-200,000 a year to wire up houses. There’s a learning experience, but it was a paid learning experience.”

Walker said young folks looking to start their own business need to know how to take it on the chin and reinvest in their business at every opportunity.

“Yeah, it’s baloney and hot dogs for a long time, but it’ll be worth it when you see your business grow,” he said.

JW’s Dumpster Service is located at 1828 Highway 70 West. For more information, call Walker at (870) 784-2700.

Trophy Gar permit application period opens 12/06/24

AGFC Rivers Biologist Chelsea Gilliland working with a 187-lb. alligator gar from the Red River before releasing it back to the wild. AGFC photo.

Anglers interested in hooking into an epic-sized trophy fish can apply for a 2025 Alligator Gar Trophy tag from now until the end of 2024.
Many Arkansas anglers travel all the way to the Gulf of Mexico each year in search of trophy fish like tarpon and sailfish. Most don’t know they are passing up a similar opportunity right here in The Natural State.

While not truly a dinosaur, the alligator gar was alive during the Cretaceous Period , and individual gar take decades to reach 6 feet long. They are the second largest species of freshwater fish in North America, only topped by the white sturgeon. They frequently grow longer than 7 feet and weigh more than 200 pounds. The largest fish ever caught in Arkansas was an alligator gar in the Red River that weighed 241 pounds, more than 100 pounds heavier than the state’s next largest Arkansas catch, a 116-pound blue catfish that once held a world record.

Alligator gar can take years to reach the 36-inch mark, and females aren’t able to reproduce until they are 14 years old. Their slow maturity rate combined with habitat loss due to dams and channellization of the large rivers in their traditional range and a misconception as a trash fish or predator of other game species have hindered populations to the point where extra caution is required for harvest.

Anyone may fish for alligator gar on a catch-and-release basis with an Alligator Gar Permit (AGP), but a trophy tag (AGT) is required to keep an Alligator Gar longer than 36 inches.

Interested anglers can enter the free online drawing from Dec. 1-31 for one of 200 Alligator Gar Trophy tags for the 2025 season. Applications are available under the “Fishing License” section of the AGFC’s online license system at https://ar-web.s3licensing.com.

The drawing will occur Jan. 2, 2025. Applicants will be notified of the results by email.

Sevier County Quorum Court to meet Dec. 9           12/06/24

DE QUEEN – The Sevier County Quorum Court will meet in regular session on Monday, Dec. 9 beginning at 2 p.m. in the conference room of the Sevier County Courthouse.

The meeting will begin with reports from the Sevier County Medical Center, Sevier County Airport and Southwest EMS.

Under new business, the quorum court will decide on a proposed resolution expressing the county’s willingness to use federal assistance funding for the replace of Trent Creek Bridge on Graves Chapel Road.

The quorum court will also vote on a request from the Sevier County Medical Center Board of Governors to enter into a management services agreement for management of the county hospital. The request is one of the steps upon the hospital’s path to becoming a 501(c)3 nonprofit critical access hospital.

Other items on the agenda include an ordinance to establish the annual operating budget for 2025 and another appropriation to amend the 2024 operating budget.

The meeting is open to the public.

Mayor’s Tree Lighting Ceremony tonight, many parades in listening area this weekend 12/06/24

DE QUEEN – Tis that most wonderful time of year, and to help spread the cheer ahead of Christmas communities across the area present their holiday parades and festivals this weekend.

De Queen Mayor Jeff Brown will host the annual Mayor’s Tree Lighting ceremony this evening. The event will be held 5-6:30 p.m. in the new pavilion in downtown De Queen and will include the lighting of the official City of De Queen Christmas Tree. The De Queen High School Jazz Band will perform Christmas music while First United Methodist Church of De Queen will offer free hot cocoa and cookies.

This Saturday, Dec. 7 will begin with the annual Christmas parade hosted by the City of Horatio at 1 p.m. through main street in Horatio. Float line up meet will be held at the Horatio Lions Football Field. There is no sign up required.

Horatio’s parade will be followed by the City of Lockesburg’s Christmas parade at 3 p.m. Sign up forms for Lockesburg’s parade can be picked up and returned to the Lockesburg City Hall by Friday, Dec. 6. Forms can also be obtained by emailing cityoflockesburg@windstream.net.

Area residents are invited to wrap up the day with the Sevier County Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas Parade and Festival around the Sevier County Courthouse square in downtown De Queen. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. with vendors, food, crafts and other activities around the square. The parade will begin at 6 p.m.

Santa will be appearing alongside the lighting of the Courthouse before the parade. Chamber officials say with everyone’s help this will be a Christmas parade to remember in our community. The 2024 De Queen Christmas Parade theme is a “Christmas Movies.”

Vendors can sign up by the end of business today by contacting the chamber at (870) 584-3225 or by stopping by the office in downtown De Queen.

Micah 6:8 will host a Christmas Market that day as well from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Mercy Meeting & Event Center on 302 W. De Queen Avenue in downtown De Queen. There will be homemade candies, breads, old fashioned suckers, buttercream boards, wooden crafts, cookies, wreaths, permanent jewelry, freeze-dried candies, pick and press shirts, scentsy, freshies, poinsettias, jewelry and $5 per kid mini painting classes. Kids 12 and under will also get a free hot cocoa and snack.

The Foreman Community Foundation Committee will host the Foreman Christmas Parade and festival on Dec. 7. Activities begin that morning with Breakfast with Santa from 9-11 a.m. in the Foreman Community Center. A Christmas Village will be set up at the Farmer’s Market from 4-7:30 p.m. The parade will begin at 6 p.m. with the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony set for 6:30 p.m.

In neighboring McCurtain County, the Town of Hochatown will present Christmas in Hochatown on Saturday, Dec. 7. The event will mark the first annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony and a business outdoor decoration contest. Other activities include a magic show, visits by both Santa Claus and the Grinch, live music, a live nativity scene, vendors and more. Events begin at 4 p.m. and conclude with the tree lighting ceremony at 7 p.m.

The Idabel Chamber will host its annual Christmas Parade on Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in Idabel. This year’s theme is “An ‘Old Glory’ Christmas.” Parade. Parade starts at Choctaw Village Shopping Center.

De Queen man accused of shooting son ordered to state hospital    12/04/24

DE QUEEN – A De Queen man accused of shooting his two sons – one fatally – during an altercation in 2022 has been ordered to reside the next 10 months in a state hospital.

According to court records, 67-year-old Armando Arce of De Queen underwent a mental health evaluation to determine if he is fit to proceed in the case. The evaluation was requested by Arce’s attorney and granted by the court last year. Court documents filed last month show the state has determined Arce is not fit to proceed in his criminal trial.

The court has ordered the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health Services, to take custody of Arce and place him in a state hospital for the next 10 months. Another hearing will be held August, 2025 to determine if Arce has regained his fitness to proceed in his criminal case, and if he presents a danger to himself or to the person or property of others.

Arce pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder stemming from an incident that occurred the evening of Nov. 8, 2022.

According to the De Queen Police Department, officers were dispatched that evening to 223 Bobby Lane on the north side of De Queen in reference to a double shooting. Upon arrival, officers found two men suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Both men were transported for emergency medical treatment. Authorities stated one of the victims died en route to the hospital. The other was released following medical treatment.

Arce developed as a suspect in the case. A manhunt for Arce began that evening and he was apprehended near the residence less than 24 hours later.

Arce was identified as the father of both victims.

Arce remained in the Sevier County Jail in lieu of a $1,000,000 bond.

If Arce is determined fit to proceed, and upon a conviction, he could face up to 40 years or life in prison for the first-degree murder offense.

Cross Point Cowboy Church to present Live Nativity Dec. 13-14    12/04/24

CROSS POINT – Cross Point Cowboy Church will host its “From the Manger to the Cross” 2024 Live Nativity next weekend with a must-watch event just ahead of Christmas.

Scheduled for Dec. 13-14, the live nativity scene will feature live animals as well as a cast of over 100 fully-costumed participants. The event will be open to the public and completely free of charge. Hot chocolate and cookies will be available at the entrance. Performances will be held from 6-8 p.m. both evenings.

The Cross Point Cowboy Church congregation invites everyone to come and journey through the streets of Bethlehem from the birth of Christ to the Cross, an event the whole family can enjoy. The event will include sights and sounds from times past as visitors walk past portrayals from the streets of Bethlehem.

Golf cart rides will be available for those who have difficulty walking. The event will be held rain or shine under the church’s covered arena.

Cross Point Cowboy Church is located in between Lockesburg and Nashville on Highway 371.

HSWP hosting Christmas and Candlelight next weekend    12/04/24

WASHINGTON – Historic Washington State Park is gearing up to host its 38th annual Christmas and Candlelight historical celebration next weekend.

Park staff will line the streets with candles to provide a natural and historic Christmas look. Decorations, music and more will help set the mood for a historic Christmas experience. The homes of Historic Washington will be adorned with period decorations and thousands of luminaries will be lit during the evening hours.

The park will host its 38^th annual Christmas and Candlelight next Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13-14. Candlelight tours will be held from 1-8 p.m. both evenings. Music will be played in the Royston House, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches, and the 1874 Courthouse starting at 5 p.m. Williams’ Tavern Restaurant will also be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for a Christmas buffet. A horse-drawn surrey will be available for rides at a cost of $5 per person.

Luminary lighting and music programs will begin at 5 p.m. A Christmas Bazaar will be held in the historic gym from 3-8 p.m.

Cost to participate in the Christmas and Candlelight tours is $10 for adults and $6 for children six to 12-years-old. Children under six are free. Parking is $5 (cash only).

Volunteers are needed for a variety of activities in preparation for this year’s event, including wreath-making through Dec. 10. Help is also needed during the event, Dec. 13-14, with placing and lighting luminaries, serving the buffet line at Williams Tavern and other activities. For more information, call Melanie Miller at (870) 983-2660 or Rachel Coble at (870) 983-2640.

The event is sponsored by Historic Washington State Park, the Pioneer Washington Restoration Foundation and the townspeople of Washington. Historic Washington State Park is located 19 miles from Nashville on Highway 278.

For more information, contact Historic Washington State Park by calling (870) 983-2684 or visit the park’s page at www.arkansasstateparks.com.