Two MHS juniors selected for Congressional Youth Cabinet

By Patrick Massey

Two Mena High School students have been invited to join the newest Arkansas Congressional Youth Cabinet hosted by U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR).

U.S. Boozman launched the seventh year of his Congressional Youth Cabinet last week at the Statehouse Museum in Little Rock. The meeting brought together 100 high school juniors who were selected from public, private, charter and home-school students across the state for their involvement and leadership in their com-munities. Students from Polk and surrounding counties include Mena High School juniors Addison Thomas and Rylie Bentley, De Queen High School junior Ester Carranza, and Huntsville High School sophomore Lillian Samuels.

In a statement, Boozman said he looks forward to working with these youth leaders through this hands-on experience in governance and public policy.

“I am pleased to welcome these young leaders who are interested in getting involved and making a difference in their schools and communities,” Boozman said. “It’s great to see the enthusiasm for the program and the passion students have for learning about public service and crafting policies to shape the future of Arkansas and our country.”

The Congressional Youth Cabinet is a non-partisan program that gives students in-sight and experience in the legislative process. The students will attend meetings throughout the year and work in teams to research national issues they select and propose policy solutions. In April, the students will present their recommendations to the senator.

Thank you Mayor Seth Smith and your light crew for lighting up Mena City Hall in red for Red Ribbon Week.

Caddo Indian lecture coming to UARM

By Ethan Nahté

In a partnership with Quality of Life, UARM will celebrate Native American History Month with a program on the UARM campus.

Dr. Mary Beth Trubitt from Henderson State University will be on campus to discuss the Caddo Indians and Arkansas. 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

The program is made possible in part by a grant from the Division of Arkansas Heritage, funded by your 1/8 cent conservation tax, Amendment 75.

(Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

Home for the Holidays gift basket raffle

Submitted by Mysti Gates

DKG (Delta Kappa Gamma) is selling raffle tickets for a “Home for the Holidays” Gift Basket.

Basket includes Christmas décor, candles, ornaments, tea, custom made items, honey, sorghum, jam, classic Christmas movies, socks, gift certificates and more.

Proceeds fund DKG’s annual scholarships. Scholarships are awarded each year to local female students pursuing a career in education.

Tickets are $2 per ticket OR $5 for 3 tickets. Tickets can be purchased at front desk of the Maddox Building at UARM through the end of November. Drawing will be Dec. 1. CashApp option coming soon.

Santas 4 Seniors

Polk County 4-H, Extension Homemakers Club (EHC) and Polk County Master Gardeners are doing Santas 4 Seniors program once more. The program is open to low-income senior citizens ages 65-plus who have no family support.

The main focus of this program is to provide those seniors with a special gift this Christmas.

Applications are available at the

Polk County Extension Office, 211 Dequeen St., Mena. Applications can also be found at both the Cossatot Senior Center, 7366 U.s Hwy. 71, Wickes, and at the Mena-Polk County Senior Center, 401 Autumn Dr., Mena. Not all applications will be selected.

The application deadline is Nov. 13. Santas will be on the tree Nov. 13 and ready for adoption.

‘Don’t Eat Home Alone’

It’s great food and fellowship time. Covenant of Life Family Church will be providing a meal at noon on Thanksgiving, Nov. 23. This has been a community outreach for 30 years on Thanksgiving for those who may not have family locally or don’t want to eat at home alone.

Pastor’s Fred and Glynn Nell Adam came to Mena in September 1992. Glynn Nell said, “Someone invited then eat with their family or provide something and don’t stay, and that’s wonderful!

RSVP as soon as possible if you plan to attend by calling either 479-3946763 or 870-828-4113 so the church will know how much food to prepare. They do all of the cooking for the 40 or 50 expected guests. They’ve had upwards of 100 pre-COVID.

Although they don’t ask people to us for Thanksgiving dinner. The next year my husband said, ‘I wonder how many are like us with no family here or they are alone and don’t have anyone to eat Thanksgiving dinner with?’ So, he started Don’t Eat Home Alone. We provide the meal as a community outreach (church vision).

“We did deliver meals for a while, and then later the Ministerial Alliance started a community Thanksgiving Dinner the Sunday night before Thanksgiving, and we help with that. Now, because of COVID-19, they do a drive-thru for a Thanksgiving meal. We helped with cooking.

“But we are back, and we provide napkins and silverware! We have people in our church that help and volunteer when they call, they are not opposed to a helping hand with tasks such as peeling potatoes the day prior. They also do this all for free, but there will be an offering basket available by request.

“God has always provided what we need, and we just want to bless our community, and have no on home alone,” Glynn Nell said.

Although Fred has passed, Glynn Nell said, “So far, I am still pastoring at 83 years mature,” she laughed. “[I’m] carrying on my husband’s vision on the Don’t Eat Home Alone.”

Covenant of Life Family Church is located at 1101 Pine Ave. (across from the Mena Silver Screen movie theater.

11/09 - Umpire vs. Taylor

11/10 - Umpire @ Bradley

11/14 - Umpire @ Dierks

11/14 - CRHS vs. Horatio

Football playoffs 2023

By Ethan Nahté

It’s the 2023 Arkansas Centennial Bank State Football Playoff season for pigskin fans.

Mena Bearcats

The Class 4A Region VII No. 5 seed Mena Bearcats will take on the Class 4A Region III No. 1 seed Rivercrest Colts in Wilson, Arkansas, in the first round of the 4A tournament at 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 10.

The Bearcats ended the regular season 5-5 overall, won their final game at home 42-6 vs. Waldron.

The Colts ended the season 8-2 overall, winning their final game at home winning their final game at home 31-12 against Blytheville.

The winner of that matchup will play against the winner of the Gravette-Stuttgart game the following Friday in the second round.