April 9, 2020 | Arkadelphia Dispatch | Arkadelphia, Ark. by Bill Sutley

Vol. 2, No. 14

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Clark cools it as a virus hotspot By Bill Sutley Dispatch Editor

Keith Beason, the city’s communications director, prepares to check a temperature.

Clark County still remains one of Arkansas’ top per-capita hotspots for COVID-19, but the good news is that this week’s statistics reveal the rate of of persons contaminated has slowed significantly since a week earlier. As of Thursday noon, Clark County had 27 persons testing positive for COVID-19, up just one from a week earlier, according to statistics provided by the state Department of Health. But that rise of less than half a percent is dwarfed by the 60% increase in Clark County’s coronavirus count from 16 the previous week. A New York Times-developed database shows that Clark County’s COVID-19 incidence per 100,000 stands at 121, virtually unchanged from a week earlier. Cleburne County, home of Heber Springs and Greers Ferry Lake, has the

state’s highest incidence of COVID-19 infection with 266 persons per capita. Last week, Cleburne County was at 119 persons testing positive per 100,000, ranking right behind Clark County. Cleburne County now has 67 persons testing positive, with four deaths recorded. No Clark County deaths have been attributed directly to COVID-19, the state’s statistics show. Van Buren County, immediately west of Cleburne County, ranked second in terms of per capita positives for COVID-19 at 132. The actual total there is lower than in Clark County, with 22 people testing positive. Coming in fourth after Clark County is St. Francis County, home of Forrest City, with an infection rate of 110 and 29 actual cases. As for the state as a whole, the infection rate for all 75 counties slipped over the 1,000 mark

Wednesday morning and stood at 1,077 by nightfall. Arkadelphia’s Baptist Medical Center continues to advise persons displaying symptoms and who believe they’ve been exposed to COVID-19 to be tested at their drive-thru screening site at he Baptist Health Family Clinic in Caddo Valley, 10 Montgomery Drive. Hours for testing are 8 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. on weekdays. Persons seeking to be screened are asked to call 870-245-2198 to schedule an appointment for the drive-thru clinic. Baptist Health has established a hotline for Arkansas residents to call in with their concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1-888-BAPTIST, and is staffed See Virus • Page 4

Schools lament loss of ‘closure’ By Bill Sutley Dispatch Editor

Teachers at Arkadelphia schools are certainly being challenged by the governor’s decision to end the school year without students returning to their classrooms, Superintendent Karla Neathery said Tuesday. “It’s been emotionally challenging for students and staff,” she said, speaking a few hours before a City Manager Gary Brinkley, from left, Mayor Scott Byrd and board members Taylor Chaney, David Goodman and Jason Jones meet. similar discussion surfaced at an online city Board of Education meeting. “We’ve learned there’s a whole lot more to school than academics.” School board members discussed the decision, already made, to postpone graduation — one of many Brinkley to better exercise social distancBy Bill Sutley end-of-year traditions ing better than at the board’s chambers in Dispatch Editor that have been set aside in Thanks to the coronavirus threat, Arka- Town Hall. Everyone physically attendhopes they can be rescheding the meeting, which also broadcast on delphia’s popular Aquatics Park probably uled once the coronavirus Facebook Live, had their temperatures won’t open until Independence Day, but curve flattens more. Gone checked by Communications Director Parks and Recreation is taking advantage is the prom. Gone are the Keith Beason, who was dressed in perof the delay to oversee several improveend-of-year field trips. ments at the elaborate pool adjacent to the sonal protective equipment. (Firefighters Gone is the Arkadelphia working at the station have for weeks been city Recreation Center. Promise ceremony — but checking each others’ temperatures at the “We looked at Memorial Day and just temporarily, direcbeginning and end of each 12-hour shifts.) Father’s Day, but after consulting with tor Jason Jones promised In other business, the city board: others decided it was better to open about earlier Tuesday. • Unanimously approved allowing July 4,” City Manager Gary Brinkley said. “We do want to celebrate The city Board of Directors voted unan- Welch Funeral Home and Taylor King our seniors of 2020,” NeatLaw Firm take over a 300-foot city alley imously Tuesday evening to pay Little hery said. “We do feel bad. separating the two businesses between Rock-based Clarity Pools LLC $71,352.60 We know there are seniors Clinton and Main streets and 3rd and 4th to address a nagging water-loss issue and who are not going to get the streets. The project will allow for expanmake several technical adjustments in closure they’re due.” filters and other infrastructure elements to sion of the King Law Firm’s offices. She promised more • Unanimously approved allowing a improve the park’s technical operation. information as soon as A separate effort to repair and paint the 1994 street sweeper, a 2000 Dodge Ram coronavirus risks lessen. Darrin Boyette, facilities manager for city Parks and Neathery indicated she pickup and parts from two John Deere park’s slide towers is being handled by a Recreation, sprays an area of the city Aquatic Cen- knew that board president mowers to be sold on govdeals.com. local firm, Durae Ferguson Construction, • Postponed action on posting notice ter Wednesday morning with a solution designed for just under $20,000. K.C. Motl had a vested into destroy a wide range of city documents Tuesday evening’s meeting was held in to deter mildew. On Tuesday night, city Board of Di- terest in such actions since ranging from 1966 invoices to 2011 bank the city’s Fire Station I on Caddo Street rectors’ action cleared the way for more significant statements. See AMI • Page 4 in an effort to allow the city board and improvements before its opening.

City’s Aquatic Center won’t reopen until July 4

Lawsuit seeks to stop Veolia foam incineration By Bill Sutley Dispatch Editor

A new federal lawsuit filed by four environmental groups seeks to stop the U.S. military from sending expended toxic firefighting foam to be disposed of by the Veolia plant in Gum Springs, among many others. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality last year approved updates to permits that allow incineration of such material and other hazardous wastes at the plant, which was then run by Alcoa. Veolia, a French conglomerate, bought the former Reynolds Aluminum plant from Alcoa for $200 million in cash in January. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for Northern California focuses on a class of chemicals — per- and polyfluoralkyl substances, better known as PFAS — found in the foam. “The same properties that

Veolia plant, formerly Alcoa plant, in Gum Springs. have made PFAS a widely used fire suppressant also make them difficult and dangerous to incinerate,” the lawsuit states. “Because of the strength of their chemical bonds, PFAS do not readily burn and are not destroyed under typical incineration conditions. Instead, uncombusted PFAS are emitted into the air along with other hazardous chemicals, contaminating the communities surrounding the

incinerators.” Bob Cappadona, president and chief operating officer of Veolia North America, said in a January interview that many of the hazardous chemicals it handles are converted into a non-toxic solid material that’s disposed of in the 1,300-acre plant’s monitored landfill. One of the main arguments of the lawsuit is that the DoD has failed to conduct any environ-

mental review before approving the incineration of millions of gallons of toxic firefighting foam at nine incinerators across the nation. The Sierra Club, founded in 1892 and now the nation’s oldest environmental organization, is the best known plaintiff among the four represented by an environmental legal group known as Earthjustice. The others are Save Our County, an Ohio-based nonprofit founded to oppose a hazardous waste incinerator authorized for PFAS incineration; Community In-Power and Development Association, Inc., a nonprofit working to empower residents in low-income communities living near an incinerator in Port Arthur, Texas; and United Metro Congregations of Metro East, an Illinois-based not-for-profit organization representing 34 churches east of St. Louis that have fought for

stronger emissions monitoring at an incinerator in Sauget, Ill. Beyond the Veolia plant south of Arkadelphia, the lawsuit also mentions the Clean Harbors incinerator in El Dorado, the Ross Incineration Services incinerator in Grafton, Ohio; the Clean Harbors incinerator in Deer Park, Texas; and the Norlite lightweight aggregate kiln in Cohoes, N.Y. The main defendant is the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency, an agency with in the U.S. Department of Defense that manages its global supply chain. The DoD is the largest user of the firefighting foam, mostly at Air Force bases, because of its ability to handle even fires involving jet fuel. The lawsuit contends that PFAS “cause cancer, liver disease, infertility and other serious See Veolia • Page 4

2 News

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Arkadelphia Dispatch

AG, researchers unite to ﬁght online virus scams

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas Little Rock and the Arkansas Research Alliance are teaming up with state Attorney General Leslie Rutledge to identify and track COVID-19 scam websites and social media disinformation that have spread with the pandemic. Rutledge said the collaboration oﬀers a new avenue to quickly identify scam artists who want to spread misinformation or steal consumers’ money or identity. Such sites may spread lies, oﬀer non-existent cures and sell false treatments.. They also may solicit contributions to fake COVID-19 charities. “This partnership will ensure we are quickly identifying and putting a stop to

Agarwal

fake websites that are spreading misinformation,” she said. Rutledge’s partnership will include Nitin Agarwal, fellow of the Arkansas Research Alliance and a distinguished professor of Information Science at UA Little Rock. Agarwal and his research team study online behavior to iden-

tify and combat threats. They have developed a website that can help people identify, understand, and report misinformation, fake websites, and scams regarding COVID-19, at http://cosmos.ualr. edu/covid-19. “Working with (the) attorney general’s office gives us the opportunity to apply our internationally renowned research on malicious cyber behaviors right here at home,” Agarwal said. “We are confident that this partnership will open avenues for exciting research opportunities and spark innovation.” To find out more information about COVID scams and fake websites or file a consumer complaint, visit ArkansasAG.gov or call (800) 482-8982.

Miss HSU, Miss OBU told pageant will be postponed From Dispatch Reports

The Miss Arkansas competition has been bumped from its traditional mid-June week to at least July, the organization announced in a news release. “Sadly, because of the continued impact of COVID-19 in Arkansas, we are not confident that the effects of the pandemic will have passed by mid-June,” executive director Jessie Bennett, wrote in a letter to contestants. Two alternative dates — July 5-11 and Aug. 4-8 — have been proposed that are now available at Robinson Performance Hall in Little Rock. If the competition moves to July, Bennett told candidates, “the competition would look virtually identical to the present schedule.” The organization hopes to announce a final decision on the new dates in May. Meanwhile, students representing Henderson State University and Ouachita Baptist University have posted on Facebook information about their competition schedules. Jordan Jones of Glenwood will compete

Jordan Jones, Miss HSU

Caroline Derby, Miss OBU

as Miss HSU in the Alpha 20 group, meaning she will go through the off-stage interview portion of the competition on Sunday, the evening gown segment on Tuesday, the talent competition on Wednesday and the on-stage interview-social impact part of the pageant on Thursday night. Miss Arkansas will be crowned during the Saturday night finals. Caroline Derby of Arkadelphia will compete as Miss OBU in Group Mu #2, meaning she will also go through the off-stage interview on Sunday, the talent competition on Tuesday, the on-stage interview on Wednesday and the evening gown segment

on Thursday. Both women are clogging as their talent, as are ﬁve others. Derby, the daughter of Jay and Susan Derby of Arkadelphia, was crowned Miss OBU on Feb. 1. The freshman communications and media-multimedia journalism major represented OBU’s Student Senate. Derby also won a talent award for her clogging dance to “Perm” and the Julie Williams Academic Award, which was a three-way tie. Jones, a freshman biology major from Glenwood, was crowned Miss HSU 2020 on Feb. 23. She also won awards for talent, evening gown and overall academics.

Park Hill Baptist Church is offering through its Facebook page to help facilitate at-home Easter Egg hunts on Saturday, April 11. Simply visit the Easter Eggstravaganza post there to register for a church-supplied egg hunt, specifying how many children are at the home and their ages. Church members will then arrive from 7-10 p.m. Friday, April 10 to hide eggs (10 per child), plus any that the family wants hidden. >>> <<< Second Baptist Church will stage its Great Arkadelphia Giant Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 11. Four foot tall eggs will be placed around town for families to find. Rules and clues will be posted to the church’s Facebook page on Friday, April 10. Participants should post pictures of the eggs to Facebook using #giantegghunt2020. That will enter a family into a drawing to win $100 worth of local restaurant gift cards. >>> <<< Amity Trade Days, the 54-acre outdoor market at the site of the old lumber mill, had been scheduled for April 10-12, but organizers have decided to wait another month before reopening one of the state’s largest monthly outdoor vintage flea markets. Beyond items for sale, there’s live music on Saturdays and a wide range of food on all three days. Other dates for the market this year are May 8-10, June 5-7, July 10-12, Aug. 7-9, Sept. 11-13, Oct. 9-11, Nov. 6-8 and Dec. 11-13. >>> <<< Arkadelphia Bands had planned to host its first-ever Mattress Sale Fundraiser from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at AHS, 401 High School Road, but that’s now postponed to Aug. 1. The fundraising sale will feature brands such as Simmons, Beautyrest and more, with on-site mattresses priced up to 50% below retail. >>> <<< Perritt Primary School, 1900 Walnut St., will host the Arkadelphia Public School District’s Kindergarten Spring Roundup from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 at the school gym. Students entering kindergarten in Arkadelphia schools next fall should attend with parents or guardians. Applications for kindergarten will be available before then in the Perritt office. Parents will be assigned slots for attendance at the roundup and should bring a copy of the child’s official birth certificate, Social Security card, immunization record and a record of a well-child visit since May 1, 2019. For more information, call 870-403-3583. >>> <<< Grammy Award-winner and Blues Hall of Fame honoree Bobby Rush will perform in concert on Friday, April 24 as part of the Fordyce on the Cottonbelt festival from April 19-25 in the town about an hour east of Arkadelphia. Festival details and more info on Rush’s concert will be available later at https://fordyceonthecottonbeltfestival.com. >>> <<< Mena plans to stage its 45th annual Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run on Aug. 28-29 as 200 street rods and hot rods descend on the town. The two-day event features a street dance and three chance for entrants to put their cars through their paces. For more information, visit https://www.queenwilhelminarodrun.com/. >>> Ongoing <<< Alcoholics Anonymous holds two meetings a week in Arkadelphia. The meetings are open to anyone interested in AA’s program of recovery. The Arkadelphia Group meets at 7 p.m. Tuesdays in the Sturgis Building at North 9th and Caddo streets. For more information on the Arkadelphia Group meetings, call 870-403-3001. The U-Turn Group meets at 7 p.m. Thursdays on the front, upper level of Park Hill Baptist Church, 3163 Hollywood Road. For information on that group’s meetings, call 870-230-2975 or 870-260-9277.

Arkadelphia Dispatch

News 3

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Obituary Joan Jackson, seamstress

Joan Jackson, age 87, of Arkadelphia, passed away Monday, April 6, 2020. Joan was born in Friendship, Arkansas on June 14, 1932 to the late Henry Bryant and Ruby Augusta Lee Cash. She was a seamstress by trade and worked for Vassarette and Levi Strauss. A member of the United Pentecostal Church of Arkadelphia. Joan loved her church with all her heart and cherished her church family. She loved her children and especially enjoyed spoiling her grandchildren. She was lovingly called Grandma Jack. She enjoyed working in her beautiful flower beds. Joan took great comfort in helping families of Alzheimer’s patients after being the caregiver for her late husband, Lester Jackson. Joan is preceded in death by her parents; husband; three brothers, Owen, Dennis and Glen Cash; two sisters, Allie Young and Augusta Reasons; and son-

Arkadelphia Police Chief Jason Jackson shows off a new fifthgeneration Glock 19 9-mm, which will soon become the standard issue sidearm for all city police officers. He brought the weapon to a meeting of the city Board of Directors Tuesday evening at the city’s Fire Station No. 1, where members of the board could better practice social distancing.(See Page 1). The city purchased 25 of the pistols which, with several accessories, cost about $1,000 each. That will equip the Arkadelphia force, currently at 23 full-time officers, and save two weapons for backup. Jackson said the standard-issue weapons will be important to help the local police force in terms of recruiting because individual officers had been expected previously to provide their own weapon. Jackson said he’s waiting for the COVID-19 pandemic to ease so he can issue the weapons with a training session on their use, as well as time spent on the firing range. Their purchase was made possible with the 1-cent sales tax increased recently approved for five years.

in-law, Charlie Edward Hasley. Others left to share her memory are two daughters, Joyce Hasley Trichell and husband, Mack Trichell, and Sandra Gentry and husband, Rev. Dale Gentry, of Chana, Ill; two sisters, Leona McCauley and husband, Joe, of Arkadelphia, and Beatrice Giddens of Bossier City, LA; her adoring grandchildren, Melody Rogers (Stan), Brad Hasley (Dora) Jodie Myers (Brandon), Christi Coulter (Ben) and Christopher Gentry (Jessica); thirteen great-grandchildren; ten great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Due to recommendations of the Arkansas Health Department and the CDC, a private family graveside service will be held. In lieu of flowers Joan requested that donations be made to the United Pentecostal Church of Arkadelphia; 2711 Country Club Road, Arkadelphia, AR 71923 Visit www.ruggleswilcox.com to sign the online book.

Gurdon churches planning drive-in Easter services By Sherry Kelley Gurdon Mayor

Happy Easter! Many Gurdon churches are hosting drive-in church services. Reports are that they are very popular. Head to your favorite church — there are a bunch in Gurdon — and enjoy Easter. Praise the Lord. I turned in my difficult USDA Rural Business Development Grant application on Monday. I am glad just to have completed it and hope that it is successful in creating the Gurdon Business Incubator at 115 Main St. Entrepreneurs can ply their trade if the grant is awarded. It is 100% funded and would be

at no cost to the city. Currently the building houses the Gurdon Light Display, and it is falling in. The grant would allow the City of Gurdon to purchase and remodel the property at no cost to the citizens. The springtime citywide cleanup of household junk continues. Be patient as our street department works to collect your discarded items. If it has not been picked up after one week, please call me at 406-1396 or City Hall at 353-2514. Thank you to our water, street, sanitation, animal control, police department and city hall workers. I appreciate their efforts very much. I feel that we have

some very good employees of whom I am proud. Marshal Don Childres and staff are doing a good job of keeping Gurdon safe and taking the coronavirus seriously. We all need to

be at our best as the virus washes through. This week, I was not the only one wearing a mask. I saw many Gurdon residents protecting themselves and others.

Trooper promoted to sergeant Arkansas State Police Cpl. Nicholas Brown, 39, of Faulkner County was promoted Thursday to sergeant. Brown will become a post supervisor within Troop A after serving most recently with the Administrative Services Division’s Training Section.

Thank you to my mom, Mary Lewis, who has adorned Main Street with inspirational signs, including; Gurdon Strong-We Can Do This, Wash Your Hands, Stay Home, Stay

Safe and her most recent Happy Easter and Happy Spring signs in the windows of the former Bill's Dollar Store (next to The Market On Main). We can do this.

Arkadelphia Dispatch 812 Clinton St., Suite B Arkadelphia, Ark. 71923 Editor: Bill Sutley ArkadelphiaDispatch@gmail.com

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The Arkadelphia Dispatch is published weekly by Nashville Leader, Inc., 119 N. Main St., Nashville, Ark. 71852.

4 News/Sports

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Arkadelphia Dispatch

Governor seeks virus resources

Virus

LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Asa Hutchinson Wednesday stressed the importance of state resources to help Arkansans in the wake of the COVID-19 public health emergency as part of his State of the State address to the 92nd General Assembly. To allow room for sufficient social distancing, the governor delivered the address from the Senate Chamber in the state Capitol. Members of the House watched the address from their assembly at the Jack Stephens Center. In his speech, the governor reaffirmed his belief in the historical resilience of the state’s residents and committed to stand in the gap for Arkansans who have great need in this difficult time.

Continued from page 1

by nurses to help residents better understand their conditions and receive direction on next steps for care should they be concerned about exposure to COVID-19. One casualty of coronavirus social distancing has been the monthly Clark County Quorum Court meeting. Clark County Clerk Mona Vance said the meeting would be rescheduled The Arkadelphia Board of Education took advantage of technology Tuesday to allow its members, reporters and others following the school board to unite via the Zoom teleconferencing software. One advantage of the technology, since state law now requires recorded meetings, is that it automatically archives the meeting online. Arkadelphia’s city Board of Directors combined technology with a live meeting Tuesday in moving from the board’s Town Hall chambers to the fire truck bays of Fire Station No. 1. The meeting was recorded using Facebook Live.

Many state senators wear face masks as Gov. Asa Hutchinson delivers the State of the State Address Thursday.

Your COVID-19 questions answered By U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman Ever since Congress passed the $2 trillion CARES Act, I know many of you have had questions. My offices are always open to hear your questions and help in any way we can. Just give us a call at (501) 609-9796. Here are a few answers: Q: Will citizens who receive Social Security benefits but did not file an income tax still receive the individual tax rebate? A: Yes, you are entitled to receive

AMI

Continued from page 1 he has a daughter who’s a graduating senior. “She’s handling it pretty well,” he said of his daughter Sydney. “But every once in awhile, she gets a little melancholy about what’s being taken from her — not that anybody can do anything about it. It is what it is.” One of the more pragmatic problems discussed at Tuesday evening’s Board of Education meeting was the problem in some households where Internet connectivity is virtually non-existent. Henderson State University recently alerted the school district that students were welcome to come onto campus and use the wi-fi signal that’s been boosted in select parking lots. And Joey Andrews, the district’s technology manager, told board members in the Zoom-based meeting it’s possible for his staff to redirect wi-fi boosters in the parking lot bordered by Arkadelphia High School, Goza Middle School and Badger Stadium.

a refund and you do not have to do anything additional to claim it. Q: I am having trouble filing unemployment. What will the timing be for filing my claim? A: Typically, the unemployment office receives 1,000 contacts daily, but they are currently getting 30,000 contacts every day. They are working around the clock to improve the system to get the aid to you. The easiest way to apply for unemployment is through this website: https://www.

“If I can get power to it, I can light up the whole parking lot” with wi-fi, Andrews said. Jeannette Turner, director of curriculum and instruction, told board members that one issue she’s heard about is the need for both students and parents to access online resources simultaneously. “One thing we hadn’t figured on was parents and students trying to work from home at the same time,” she said.. Board member Gina White said she’s heard some students and parents express frustration about the multitude of approaches teachers are using to provide Alternative Methods of Instruction, or AMI. “I’m sure it’s just a (topic for) training in the future,” said White, who has a daughter at Goza Middle School. “Everybody’s doing different stuff. One teacher posted a video on where to go (for certain processes), and that was helpful. If you don’t use this everyday, you don’t know how to use it.” Board member Paulette Blacknall recommended that the district decide on some technology to be used as the portal to future AMI, with teachers given freedom fur-

ther into their lessons to customize instruction more. Arkansas’ PBS stations are helping parents with younger children with a multitude of resources to keep them learning at home, and local teachers are adapting lessons to fit with the PBS offerings. For more information, visit arkadelphiaschools.org. In grades 9-12, though, teachers face more challenges delivering volumes of instruction they’re used to presenting in person. And one problem is that some students aren’t checking into their Zoom class sessions or other synchronous class time, making it difficult for them to finish all course requirements by late May. The state Department of Education, in a March 26 memo offering guidance to school officials, stated that it’s not the department’s position that seniors are automatically finished with coursework since there are several factors to consider, including classes aiming to convey industry certifications, ACT prep efforts and students enrolled in concurrent credit courses at universities, which are also delivering most instruction online. “Whether a senior is `on track to graduate and in good stand-

ezarc.adws.arkansas.gov/. Additionally, the state will be able to backpay unemployment benefits to the date of separation. You will receive your money. Q: Do I need to wear a face mask? A: Right now, the guidance is that wearing masks is not necessary unless you are suspected of being infected with COVID-19. We are working with Governor Hutchinson to obtain more masks for our frontline caregivers at this time. ing as of the third nine weeks’ is a local school district decision that will be made by school administration,” the memo available at the state Department of Education website states. “This determination should be made based on a review of student data including, but not limited to, grades and credits earned.” One non-academic issue addressed in the memo is the continuation of the school lunch program. Neathery said the district had been handing out about 250 meals daily via pickup at primary and elementary schools from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. weekdays. The district expects to finalize plans in the next few days to step up food distribution, even sending buses out on routes to offer breakfast as well as lunch. More information on that will be conveyed to parents as soon as it’s finalized, Neathery said. In one of the only official actions taken Tuesday evening, the school board unanimously accepted the resignation of J.R. Eldridge, Arkadelphia High’s head football coach, effective March 30. He’s already started work as North Little Rock’s head football coach.

Veolia Continued from page 1

health effects” Over the years, expended firefighting foam had been piling up at military installations, the suit indicates. “Facing multiple lawsuits and billions of dollars in potential liability from those releases, the Defense Department recently chose to incinerate tires unused stockpiles of firefighting foam,” the lawsuit states. The Arkansas DemocratGazette reported that a spreadsheet obtained by Earthjustice from the Department of Defense under the Freedom of Information Act indicates that at least 121,082 gallons of waste in the form of liquid concentrate and PFAS-contaminated water was sent to the Veolia plant south of Arkadelphia. as well as a much smaller amount of waste in gallons and drums of unknown sizes. 3M, working with the Navy, developed the firefighting foam in the 1960s, and it was used routinely during training exercises at military installations such as Eaker Air Force Base near Blytheville (which closed in 1992), Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville; and Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith. The lawsuit has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Saundra B. Armstrong of the Northern California district. No deadlines have been set yet for future filings or court appearances.

Arkadelphia Dispatch

ARKADELPHIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS | 2020-2021 District Calendar 7 10 – 12 13

9 22 23

23-27 26

Work Day Prof. Dev. First Day of School

AUGUST ‘20

Last day of 1st Quarter (41 days) ½ wk day ½ PTC Flex Day

Thanksgiving Break Thanksgiving Day

1 4 5 18

New Year’s Day Work Day First day of 3rd quarter M.L. King Day (no school)

APRIL ‘21 F

NOVEMBER ‘20

MAY ‘21

1 2

DECEMBER ‘20 S

JANUARY ‘21 F

22-26

½ wk day ½ PTC Flex Day Presidents’ Day (no school)

Last day of 3rd quarter (50 days) Spring Break

Flex Day

Good Friday

Last day of 4th quarter (44 days) Memorial Day

JUNE ‘21

11 12 15

MARCH ‘21 M

OCTOBER ‘20 T

SEPTEMBER ‘20

Last day of 2nd quarter (43 days) 21-31 Christmas Break (12/21/2020-1/01/2021) 25 Christmas Day

FEBRUARY ‘21

Labor Day

(no school)

Work Day

Student Days = 178 Teacher Work Days = 4 District Professional Development Days = 3 Flex Days = 3 Parent Teacher Conferences = 2 (5 hours each) Teacher Contract Days = 190 (Oct 15 and Feb 11 each count as 1.5 contract days)

The Arkadelphia Board of Education approved this 2020-2021 schedule at its March 17 meeting.

Spring high school sports abandoned Special to the Dispatch

Sports/News 5

Thursday, April 9, 2020

It’s official now. The Arkansas Activities Association announced Thursday that all spring sports had been canceled due to the the coronavirus pandemic that rolled over the state starting in early March, just as basketball playoffs were beginning. Only two classes made it to the finals stage. Thursday’s announcement followed multiple conversations with the state Department of Health,

the governor’s office and the state Department of Education, the AAA noted in a news release. Not only are spring sports gone, but the AAA also decided to cancel all remaining AAA spring activities, state championships, the Arkansas High School Coaches Association Coaches Clinic and All-Star games. “Today’s heart-wrenching decision is difficult for all members ofd the AAA family,” Executive Director Lance Taylor said. “We sympathize

with the students, coaches, parents and school communities, and especially our graduating seniors, but we recognize that the cancellations will allow our collective focus to remain where it is needed at this time — on the health and safety of all Arkansans. We all must come together to stop the spread.” The AAA said it appreciated the advice from the three state agencies and would continue to seek it as preparations begin for fall sports.

Cheer, pom squad tryouts go virtual this year at HSU New Henderson State University students interested in joining the school’s cheerleading and pom squads will have until May 1 to submit videos for a Virtual Spring Tryout. The deadline was announced last week as the school looks ahead to the fall while trying to honor coronavirus social distancing precautions. For cheerleading, applicants are asked to offer an introduction, demonstrate jumps, create a chant or cheer, exhibit tumbling ability and provide previously recorded participation in stunts. “We ask that you do not try and get a stunt group together at this time due to the current conditions,” spirit coach Ricky Rebollar stated in the instructions available online at hsusports.com. The final requirement before the May 1 deadline is a phone interview with Rebollar. The virtual tryout for the Reddie Pom Squad follows

a similar lineup with dance, kick sequence, jumps, leaps and turns thrown in. For more information, contact Rebollar at rebollr@ hsu.edu or 870-230-5344.

Magnolia, Mills top 4A with AAA ruling From Dispatch Reports Arkansas got its own Sweet 16 Tuesday as the AAA announced that the final boys and girls contenders for championship games in four classes will be considered state cochampions for 2020. For Class 4A, in which Arkadelphia High competes, that means Magnolia (26-0) and Wilbur Mills (28-3) share the honor, while Farmington (32-3) and Star City (32-0) do the same on the girls side. All four teams had been scheduled to play in championship games on Friday, March 13 at the Bank OZK Arena at the Hot Springs Convention Center, but that was canceled along with spring sports across the state as the coronavirus pandemic worsened. Plans are being developed to honor and formally recognize the students and teams in classes 3A, 4A, 5A

and 6A who qualified in the championship games. “It is with great disappointment that we announce the decision to cancel the remaining state basketball championship games,” said Lance Taylor, executive director of the Arkansas Activities Association. “We certainly sympathize with these students, coaches, and fans who are being impacted, but the health and safety of the students we serve is our top priority.” On the boys side, Magnolia and Mills were the top teams last year, with Magnolia winning the championship in overtime, 78-76. Arkadelphia’s boys (227, 10-2) closed their season Feb. 27 in the Class 4A-7 quarterfinals, losing to Monticello, 60-49. Arkadelphia’s girls finished 6-17 overall and 3-9 in conference play.

Top Georgia boys swimmer heading to Henderson State From Dispatch Reports A top Georgia high school swimmer, who’s committed to joining Henderson State University’s Red Wave in the fall, has been named The Augusta Chronicle’s Georgia boys swimmer of the year. Jaren Tippett, a senior at 1,600-student Greenbrier High School in Evans, Ga., a suburb of Augusta, has — like most secondary students nationwide — spent most of his spring semester taking classes online. But before that started in early March, Tippett clocked a 57.14 in the 100yard breaststroke in February, finishing as state runnerup in the Georgia High School Association 6A meet at Georgia Tech. He also finished 10th in the 200-yard individual medley and helped Greenbrier’s relay teams finish eighth in both the 200-yard free relay and 400-yard free relay. He also lettered in lacrosse at Greenbrier. Tippett told an Augusta Chronicle sportswriter that he was attracted to Henderson State after a campus visit that led to his scholarship offer. “It’s a pretty good D-II school over there, and I really liked the team when I went and visited,” he told the Chronicle’s Michael Holahan. “It was really just the people. That’s the only thing that makes you keep going for anything, really, is the people you’re with. It’s just a good environment. Have fun, work hard and get it done.”