Polk County Pulse - September 27, 2023

By Ethan Nahté

Polk County Farm Bureau held their annual meeting Sept. 18 at the Polk County Fair Grounds. The meeting was more than just

a meal, which the Polk County Fair Association prepared, and 28 local 4-H members served to the guests. The 4-H group also led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance. See

continued on page 9

Preparing honeybees for winter

By Ethan Nahté

The Ouachita Beekeepers Association (OBA) will have a free presentation featuring Jon Zawislak, assistant professor of urban entomology & plant pathology for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, Little Rock. He is a Certified Master Beekeeper, Eastern

State Representative John Maddox (left) with the Sellers family, the Polk County Farm Family of the Year.

(Photo courtesy of the Mena/Polk County Chamber of Commerce)

HONEYBEES

continued from page 1 Apicultural Society (EAS), which requires a high level of beekeeping expertise and the ability to educate others in the art of beekeeping.

Zawislak is a UADA Extension Apiculture Specialist. In layman’s terms, he really knows what’s abuzz about bees. He is also a member of several professional groups that involve bees, monarchs, and entomology.

According to the EAS site, “There has been a growing interest in beekeeping in North America, particularly in the past decade among hobbyists. Because of the continuing growth of this interest, there is a need for competent beekeepers to provide education and assistance to beginning beekeepers and serve in other capacities in the community as experts in beekeeping. The Mas-

ter Beekeeper program was developed to certify qualified beekeepers to fill this need.

Zawislak will be speaking about preparing honeybees for winter. Did you know that over one-third of all food we consume has been pollinated by honeybees?

This free presentation will be a great start for those interested in potentially becoming an apiarist, or for those who are already beekeeping and want to know more.

The event will be at The Ouachita Center on the UA Rich Mountain campus, 1100 College Drive, Mena, beginning at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Although the presentation is free, seating is limited. It’ll be first come; first serve.

To find out more about the Ouachita Beekeepers Association or the event, visit their public Face-

book group Ouachita Bee Club. You may also contact OBA president Tommy Payne at Tom-

mypayne348@gmail.com or call or text 903-521-4611.

The Ouachita Beekeepers Association invited people to try and find the queen bee in their display at the Polk County Fair. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

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The UAW (United Auto Workers) have gone on strike at three locations. They seek better pay and benefits for their members. If there are record profits, then surely the workers who do the labor should share in those profits. Conversely, if profits fall so should their compensation. Looking at the pay for top executives, it is hard to fathom anyone who is worth millions in compensation.

It’s past time to look at pay/ benefit packages for those executives and see if talented leaders can be recruited at a more reasonable rate, and any bonus be commensurate with their performance, within reason. Millions is absurd by any standard. Our current president makes $408,000 and is running a country that is much bigger and more complex than a car company. Truthfully, politicians should be thankful their pay is not based on performance.

President Biden voiced his support for the UAW union. I wonder if that has anything to do with the 2024 elections coming up? His union support was lacking in December of 2022 for the railroad workers who got legislation versus support, forcing them back to work to avoid a rail shutdown and the predictable economic fallout. How quickly we forget. I guess he wants to pick winners and losers and hope no one remembers come election time.

Just a thought, but with this administration pushing a green agenda and electric vehicles I can only wonder how long until some of these auto workers will be looking for jobs when their jobs are lost to green technology and electric vehicles.

Want to share your opinion?

Recently California Gov. Newsom’s administration filed lawsuits against five oil companies seeking damages for global warming and associated issues he links to fossil fuel use, as it affects California. It certainly does nothing for the auto industry unless you are building electric vehicles. Guess folks there forgot the strain on the power grid recently and being asked not to charge their electric vehicles. Get rid of fossil fuel. What could possibly go wrong?

Sometimes strikes result in short term gains. In this case the long-term consequences should be taken into account and there should be a compromise beneficial to all involved, including the car buying public, who ultimately foots the bill. I just hope that come next election that we all remember who did what and who paid the bill.

Google research showed labor costs per new vehicle is roughly 10% to 15 % of total new vehicle costs. Labor per hour (includes benefits) at Ford, GM, and Stellantis is $64 to $66 per hour. Non-union Toyota is roughly $55 hourly. You risk alienating the car buying public when you complain how hard it is to make ends meet and you are making 2 to 4 times your consumer’s hourly wage.

Thank you for a forum to express my thoughts though we may peacefully disagree.

With respect and kindest regards, Ronald Goss, retired, Mena

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(Eds. Read a related article regarding the “Protect American Tire Workers Act” introduced by Reps. Bruce Westerman (AR-04) and Brian Higgins (NY-26) on page 5.)

Politics

This week, the Arkansas Rice Federation announced it will donate 240,000 pounds of rice to the Arkansas Food Bank. That is the equivalent of 1.8 million servings and will go a long way to help alleviate hunger in every county of the state.

September is both Arkansas Rice Month and Hunger Action Month. Hunger Action Month is a time when people, organizations, and communities come together to raise awareness about hunger and take steps to combat it.

The Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance estimates that 22.5% of Arkansas households and 1 out of every 3 children in the state are facing food insecurity. The USDA defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. This can be a temporary situation for a family or can last a long time.

The Arkansas General Assembly worked to address childhood hunger in the 2023 Regular Session by

passing Act 656. This act requires the Department of Education to provide federal funds disbursed for purposes of funding child nutrition programs to each public school that serves a school breakfast or a school lunch to cover the cost of eliminating reduced-price copayments and requires the department to use funds to provide a school breakfast or a school lunch if federal funds appropriated to the department for child nutrition programs are insufficient. The act also requires the department to provide an annual report that includes an overview of each child nutrition program offered in public schools.

We will continue to review ways to reduce food insecurity in our state. This is a perfect time for all of us to take action. By raising awareness, donating or volunteering at our local food banks, and engaging with our communities, we can work together to ensure no Arkansan goes hungry.

Even though Arkansas has taken major steps to improve foster care over the past several years, the Division of Children and Family Services intends to do even better at recruiting foster families and providing services to children at a younger age.

The division staff worked with educators, law enforcement, mental health professionals and non-profit organizations on a list of recommendations to better protect vulnerable children and strengthen families during times of crisis.

Children are placed in foster care for many reasons, and the most common (52 percent) is neglect by parents. Substance abuse by parents or guardians (48 percent) is the second most common reason, followed by the incarceration of a parent (20 percent), physical abuse (16 percent) and inadequate housing (12 percent).

The state offers services to families in trouble, but the goal of services tends to be correcting bad behavior, treating a mental health crisis or reacting to a traumatic event by placing the affected children in foster care. According to a report sent to the governor, “there are currently few available services for primary prevention of child abuse in Arkansas.

One way to prevent abuse is to make sure that families know what is available. For example, Access Arkansas is a web site that links to all kinds of services, such as help with child care, job training, Medicaid, food stamps and welfare. However, according to the report, “the vast majority of professionals and families are not aware of this one-stop shop for applying for public assistance…”

Families who need social services often lack Internet capacity and technical expertise. For that reason the working group recommended more local programs to provide “a human component to help them navigate and

access resources.” that help with housing, legal issues, parenting, education and employment.

The work group was established by executive order of the governor. She said that Arkansas is the most pro-life state in the country “but the pro-life agenda doesn’t end when a child is born.”

In an average month there are 4,100 children in foster care in Arkansas, living in about 1,600 homes. The Division will continue working with Every Child Arkansas, a group of organizations that recruits foster families. In particular, they will try to recruit families willing to take in youths between 10 and 17.

Turnover among foster families is high. For example, last year 1,145 foster families were recruited but 989 foster families left. Screening and training families takes time and resources, so the turnover is a burden to Division staff that is already under intense pressure.

Turnover among family case workers is staggering. Last year it was 71 percent for all workers and for program assistants the turnover rate was 90 percent, although about a fourth of that turnover was due to assistants being promoted.

Turnover among supervisors was 34 percent. A survey indicated that front line staff worked under an average of 1.7 supervisors last year. Some worked for as many as 11 different supervisors.

Most supervisors work more than 40 hours a week and do not get paid overtime.

High turnover and dissatisfaction among staff “ultimately affects the families within the child welfare system,” the working group reported. It recommended an evaluation of salaries and reforms to improve retention of staff.

John

Terry Rice

Legislation to protect American tire manfacturers introduced

WASHINGTON

Tax assessor’s office taking bids

- Today (Sept. 22) Reps. Bruce Westerman (AR04) and Brian Higgins (NY26) announced the introduction of the “Protect American Tire Workers Act “(H.R. 5593). The bipartisan bill makes critical updates to the Generalized System Preference (GSP) trade program to protect American tire producers like Sumitomo, Goodyear, Yokohama, Bridgestone, Titan Tire, and Kumho by excluding certain tire products from the program, to prevent imports from flooding the domestic market.

Bruce Westerman

tire manufacturers at risk,” said Congressman Higgins. “However, it is in desperate need of an update, as some countries in this long-standing trade preference program are saturating the market with tire products, which hurts local manufacturers like Sumitomo in Western New York. I am proud to join Congressman Westerman in introducing this bipartisan bill. It is an important step in protecting union workers and strengthening our trade programs in a way that helps our economy continue to grow.”

Background

“The GSP is the largest and oldest U.S. trade preference program. Unfortunately, some countries have chosen to abuse the program to illegally dump their tire products on the market. I’m proud to introduce this common-sense legislation alongside Congressman Brian Higgins to correct this disparity and exempt certain tire products from the GSP, ensuring a more level playing field in the domestic market for our local manufacturers, like the Texarkana Goodyear facility in the 4th District,” said Congressman Westerman.

“GSP was put in place to promote economic growth in developing countries, while supporting trade priorities that benefit our own economy, but outdated rules are putting American

Established by the Trade Act of 1974, the GSP program promotes economic development in developing countries by eliminating duties on thousands of products imported from 119 designated countries and territories. However, the program is since expired and is in need of critical updates to ensure that it remains aligned with U.S. trade goals, including the promotion of fair labor practices, sound environmental policy, and human rights across the world.

Under the GSP program there has been a significant increase in tire imports. According to the United Steel Workers (USW), the largest union in tire manufacturing, volumes of tire-related imports increased by nearly 30 percent between 2016 and 2019. In 2019 import volumes totaled $462,672,880. This increase is competing directly against U.S.

manufacturers, undercutting domestic profitability, and impacting employment among USW workers at tire production plants across the country.

The Protect American Tire Workers Act would update the GSP program to add tire articles to the import-sensitive list, making the products ineligible for the program and discouraging countries from illegally flooding the market.

Some GSP countries are now the sites of tire plants built as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, such as Serbia. Additionally, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand represent significant tire import volumes under the GSP program – all of which have well-documented labor and environmental abuses.

The “Protect American Tire Workers Act” adds another layer of protection against threats to domestic tire manufacturers. Reps. Higgins and Westerman have worked with USW to take the threat of increased dumping and subsidized tire imports seriously. USW has supported several successful anti-dumping and countervailing (AD/CVD) petitions against China and India. Current petitions against Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam are expected conclude in June or July of this year. Successful petitions and investigations have revealed that these illegal practices have lowered domestic sales, reducing hours and decreasing employment in the industry.

The Polk County Tax Assessor’s Office is taking bids for the “Polk County, Arkansas, 4-Year Contracted Reappraisal.”

Bids for a contracted countywide reappraisal of real estate for Polk County, Arkansas, are now being accepted by the Polk County Assessor’s Office. The reappraisal will be for the time/period of January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2027, to review, reappraise and revalue approximately 17,675 parcel of real property in Polk County, Arkansas.

The Countywide Reappraisal is to be completed in accordance with all bid specification for contracted reappraisals provided by the Assessment Coordination Division of the State of Arkansas.

In addition, the reappraisal must be performed utilizing the Polk County Assessor’s Office existing software, which is provided by Arkansas CAMA Technology, INC. As part of the reappraisal, the contractor must also provide the items indicated in the Addendum to the plan.

More information may be obtained by contacting the Polk County Assessor’s Office located at 507 Church Ave. in Mena, Arkansas or phone 479-394-8121 and request that the specifications be mailed, emailed or faxed. Sealed bids for reappraisal services must be mailed or hand delivered to the Polk County Assessor’s Office in a sealed envelope or container clearly labeled “Bid Documents” by 10:00 a.m. on October 6, 2023. All sealed bids will be opened on October 6, 2023, at 10:30 a.m.

TerryDino

Garcia Cabello

Mr. TerryDino Garcia Cabello, age 61, of Mena, Arkansas passed away Wednesday, September 13, 2023, at UAMS in Little Rock.

He was born October 5, 1961, in Los Angeles, California to the late Ralph and Aurelia (Cruz) Cabello. He was happily married to Lisa Ann Cabello for 40 years and was the former janitor at Holly Harshman Elementary School. He served his country in the United States Army and was an avid sports fan. Mr. Cabello loved his faith, his community, and the outdoors, but his grandchildren were his pride and joy. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and a friend to all he met. He will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Ann Cabello of the home, his daughters, Malani Vega and husband Mike of Mena, Arkansas, Teri Jenkins of Rhode Island, Angelicas Cabello and husband Nathan of Mena, Arkansas, and Jasmine Cabello of Mena, Arkansas; his sons, Michael Cabello and wife Chelsea of Mena, Arkansas, and Joseph Cabello of Fort Smith, Arkansas; his beloved grandchildren, MaKayla, Makenzie, and Makinnley Vega; Brooklyn, Jordyn and Rucker Jenkins; Shaun, Cruxion, and Roman Waid, Serenity Cabello; and Noah and Avalee Cabello; a brother, Chris Cabello; and a sister, Faith Hernandez; his in-laws, Alfonso and Marie Dominguez of Mena, Arkansas; he is also survived by his many nieces,

nephews, friends, and his two fur babies, Ladybug and Jasper.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Aurelia Cabello, a brother, Gilbert Cabello; and two sisters, Gina Aguliar and Hope Hannan.

Mr. Cabello was sent for cremation under the direction of the Beasley Wood Funeral Home. There will be a memorial service held Saturday, September 23, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in the Beasley Wood Chapel with Brother Jim Tennery officiating.

Cremation services for Mr. Charles Miller are entrusted to Beasley-Wood Funeral Home. There are no services planned for at this time.

Online obituary at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

Eugene Elbert

Newton

Eugene (Gene) Elbert Newton (88), born September 9, 1935, in Miller County, Arkansas, entered the arms of his Savior on September 16, 2023.

Kenny Reynolds formed Bakersfield Three, a southern gospel band that performed in churches in south central California. He and his family moved to Mena and owned/operated Acorn Antiques for 15 years.

Gene continued finding collectibles and opened a flea market at Duke’s Junktion, when he operated until his last day on this earth.

Gene was a man who devoted a long and vigorous life to his country, his family, and his friends. He enjoyed both playing and listening to country music and going dancing every week. His wish was to make people smile and laugh.

Mr. Charles Edward Miller, age 74, passed away Saturday, September 23, 2023, in Mena, Arkansas. He was born August 28, 1949, in Roswell, New Mexico, to parents Joe Miller and Grace Mayme Williams Miller. Charles was a logger by profession. He was known as an avid outdoorsman, enjoying activities such as hunting, fishing, gardening, and spending time in his greenhouse tending to his plants.

Mr. Miller is preceded in death by his first wife, Katie Lynn Miller; parents, Joe Miller and Grace Mayme Williams Miller; son, Jackson Miller; and granddaughter, Stacy Miller.

He is survived by his loving wife, Barbara Miller; son, James Miller; daughter, Kayla Miller; grandchildren, Mariah, Steven, and Angel; great-grandchild, Ryan; as well as a host of other family members and friends.

Cherishing his memory is his daughter, Danelle Newton (Rodney Bloor) and great-granddaughter in love, Addisyn Nesbit of Hot Springs, Arkansas, family friend, Joan Childs, and numerous nephews and nieces.

Proceeded in death by his parents Lois and Nettie Newton, siblings: Ruby Ledbetter, Ethel Rayburn, Bernice Clark, Betty Cottle, Everette Newton, Opal Patty, Burl Newton and Bertha Newsome. His wife of 46 years, Frances Newton.

After serving in the Army during the Korean War, he was a foreman for American Fence Company, working in many states including Hawaii. He was the owner/operator of Gene’s Welding and Auto Body in Bakersfield, California. He loved the “Bakersfield Sound” and was involved with Toys for Tots which raised funds from concerts with local celebrities including Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. He and his wife, Frances and brother-in-law,

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mena Polk County Senior Center, 401 Autumn Drive, Mena, AR 71953 or chosen charity.

Pallbearers are Loren Storni, Leon Page, Dale Moll, and Rodney Bloor.

Visitation will be Friday, September 22, 2023, 5:00-8:00 P.M. at Beasley Wood Funeral Home Services will be held a Beasley Wood Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, September 23 at 10:00 A.M.

Online obituary at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

Charles Edward Miller

A sorrow’s crown of sorrow is remembering happier times.

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Izabella R. Smith

Izabella R. Smith, age 16, passed from this life on Monday, September 18, 2023. She was born May 1, 2007, in Mena, Arkansas, to parents Amos A. Smith and Tiffany Salazar.

Izabella was an attendee of Smithville High School. She was a bright and talented young lady, enjoying activities such as reading, creating art, listening to music and singing. Bella enjoyed outdoor activities, loving to hunt, fish, and going 4-wheeling. She was a lover of animals, especially her horses. But above all else she loved taking care of and playing with her brothers and sisters.

She is survived by her father and stepmother, Amos A. Smith and Charity Smith; mother, Tiffany Salazar; grandparents, Gloria and Steven Farmer, Stephen Smith and Christine Wright, and Dewey and Debra Fazier; brothers, Hunter Smith, Dean Smith, Ethan Salazar, Brenton Saxour, and Aidain Saxour; sisters, Kali Blake, Noah Saxour, Ellie Smith, and Jacinda Smith.

Services for Ms. Izabella Smith will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, September 25, 2023, at the Beasley-Wood Chapel in Mena, Arkansas, with a visitation one hour prior. Interment will follow at the Westview Cemetery in Cove, Arkansas.

Pallbearers are James Smith, Tracy Rose, Brian Henry, and Kenneth Watkins.

Online obituary at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

Amos Leonard Nix Jr.

Amos Leonard Nix Jr, age 77, of Mena, Arkansas passed away Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at his home surrounded by family. He was born on Thursday, September 13, 1945, to Amos Leonard Nix Sr and Ruby Copeland Nix in Seminole, Oklahoma.

He was in the US Navy. He was a carpenter most of his life. He liked country music and dancing. He loved working with horses. He loved his wife and kids and grandkids and great grandkids.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

Leonard is survived by loving wife of 58 years, Sharon Nix of Mena; one daughter, Teresa Ramsey of Mena and one son William Nix and daughter-in-law Michelle of San Antonio, Texas, and a host of other relatives and friends.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena, Arkansas.

Online guestbook: bowserffh.com

Affordable health screenings coming to Mena

Residents living in and around the Mena, Arkansas can learn about their risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and other chronic, serious conditions with affordable screenings by Life Line Screening. Dallas Avene Baptist Church will host this community event on Oct. 11. The site is located at 300 Dallas Ave in Mena.

Screenings can check for:

• The level of plaque buildup in your arteries, related to risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke and overall vascular health.

• HDL and LDL Cholesterol levels

• Diabetes risk

• Kidney and thyroid function, and more

Screenings are affordable and convenient. Free parking is also available.

Special package pricing starts at $159, but consultants will work with you to create a package that is right for you based on your age and risk factors.

Call 1-877-237-1287 or visit our website at www.lifelinescreening.com. Pre-registration is required.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO AARON AND HUR?

Exodus 17:8-13

We read a great deal about Moses in the book of Exodus, but if it were not for a couple of unknown men we probably would not have known much about Moses.

Now Moses was the man whom God called and used to bring Israel out of 430 years of bondage to the nation of Egypt. It is important to note that God not only called Moses, He qualified him… as He always does with those whom He calls.

Moses was a very troubled leader. When times got a bit difficult the Hebrews complained about almost every thing that Moses did. On more than one occasion they begged him to turn around and take them back to Egypt. But for Moses the call of God was more important than the complaining of the people, so he kept going, and the people kept complaining. (See Numbers ch16)

And Moses got tired, after all he was in his 80’s when the journey started and there were many obstacles that he had to deal with. On one particualr occasion there was battle between the “children of Israel” and the army of the Malekites.

God had given Moses a rod, which He then blessed. Moses would hold the rod out over the battle and the Israelites would prevail, when tired and could not hold the rod up, he had to let it down. When he did so, the Amalekites prevailed. Moses was very tired. And if something doesn’t happen to enable Moses to keep the rod up the battle would be lost. There were two men who watched Moses closely and knew that he was very tired. What they then did should set an example for the ministry of the church of Jesus Christ for all the ages. (See Exodus 17:8-14).

First, they cared for the nation of Israel, and for Moses. They could tell Moses to “go home, we will get another leader and we will be OK.” They didn’t do that! Only God could call Moses, and only God could replace him. So they did the very best possible thing. “So they took a stone and put it under him, And he sat on it, and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people.” (Exodus 17:12,13)

The lesson here should be obvious, but it isn’t always that way. Pastors get tired… sometimes very tired. The responsibility and accountability are a very heavy load, and even good men, good pastors, can stumble under that load. Unfortunately, the action that many churches take is exactly the wrong one. “We can get another pastor, so we will just let this one.” Only God can call; only God can dismiss.

Many churches and many ministries could be saved if the example of Aaron and Hur would be followed. So where are the Aarons and Hurs when they are needed? Their names may never be printed on the church bulletin, but if they don’t show up Moses fails and the purpose of God receives a terrible blow.

Every pastor needs men like Aaron and Hur.

PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF JESUS

Public hearing for ‘Water and Sewer Revenue Bond’

Notice is hereby given by the City of Mena, Arkansas (the “City”) that the City proposes to issue its Water and Sewer Revenue Bond (the “Bond”) in the maximum principal amount of $6,610,000 for the purpose of financing a portion of the costs of betterments and improvements to the water facilities of the City’s water and sewer system (the “System”). The Bond will be secured

by and payable from revenues of the System.

A public hearing concerning the proposed issuance of the Bond will be held at 6:00 p.m. on the 10th day of October, 2023, at City Hall, 520 Mena Street, Mena, Arkansas. At the public hearing, all interested persons shall have an opportunity to be heard concerning the proposed issuance of the Bond.

Mena Water to do bi-annual water main flushing

Mena Water Utilities will again be conducting our bi-annual water main flushing program during the week of Oct. 2-Oct. 5, 2023.

Mena Water has scheduled the lines on the south side of Highway 71, including the Nunley and Board Camp areas, for flushing on Monday and Tuesday.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the lines on the north side of Highway 71 are scheduled to be flushed.

Flushing is done as a part of a scheduled preventative maintenance program to help maintain good water quality and to improve the water flow in the water distribution system.

As Mena Water flushes, your area, you may experience a temporary reduction in water pressure. You may also see some color and/or sand in your water, or you may notice a slight change in the taste and odor of your water. These conditions are normal during flushing activities, and only temporary.

If you should experience any of these changes, or if you see some

cloudiness or rust color in your water, Mena Water recommends that you refrain from washing light colored laundry; likewise, we recommend that you flush the pipes of your home or business. Flushing of your home or business’s pipes is accomplished by opening your front outside hose bib until it runs clear and has no noticeable taste or odor.

Mena Water regrets any inconvenience the flushing may cause you. If you have any questions or if you experience any persistent water quality problems as a result of this maintenance program, please call Mena Water Utilities at 479-3942761.

FARM BUREAU

continued from page 1

The meeting included the group’s financial report, the 2022 minutes, proposed resolutions and the re-election of the board of directors for 2024, given by Steve Barney.

Proposed resolutions for 2024:

• Recognizing that rural Arkansas bridges are predominantly 70to 80-years-old, and more are in dangerous curves. Polk County Farm Bureau is in support of state funding for replacing and widening bridges on state highways in rural areas.

• Polk County Farm Bureau supports that all check-off money be used exclusively to promote their respective business and not be used for administrative costs and salaries.

• Polk County Farm Bureau recommends that if a poultry integrator terminates a contract through an early buyout, the integrator will buyout the contract over the remaining life of the contract or negotiate terms with the grower to minimize the tax burden.

Tony Hooper, agency manager for Polk County Farm Bureau, gave the manager’s report. It was followed by David Head and Carla Vaught presenting the Polk County Farm Family of the Year, Rodney and Samantha Sellers along with their twin daughters Audrey and Gwen, and son Kye.

Jarrod Yates, executive vice president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation was the evening’s speaker.

David Head, who opened the meeting, also closed it.

If you missed the story on the Sellers family, visit the June 21 edition in the archives of My Pulse News.

Executive Vice President of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation addresses the crowd a the Polk County Farm Bureau’s annual meeting.

(Photo courtesy of the Mena/Polk County Chamber of Commerce)

(Ariel Varner/Pulse)

Veteran’s Expo

By Richie Lawry

The windshield wipers beat furiously as they tried in vain to keep the windshield clear. Flashing sheets of water crossed the road as the rain came down in waves. My hands gripped the steering wheel, maybe too tightly, and I thought, “Why am I driving to Fort Smith through this terrible storm?”

A few days earlier, I learned that a favorite group, Arbour Season, would be playing in the area. I messaged them to get more information, and they replied, “We are playing at something called the Bakery District in Fort Smith. Is that too far for you?”

“What time is the concert,” I asked. “6 p.m. Thank you so much again for reaching out! Hope to see you!” was the reply.

So, I was driving through a massive storm to see Arbour Season in concert. I had been listening to their music and watching their YouTube channel for months and was excited to see them. They describe themselves as “an indie/folk husband and wife duo who draw inspiration from the incredible adventures we experience all across North America in our converted school bus/home. Our unique journey inspires the ambient folk sound that captures the serenity of the Western vistas, the rhythms of the Eastern coastlines, and the brilliance of the national forests. We express our passion for life through music and invite you to travel with us by listening to the intricate instrumentation, layered harmonies, and lyrics that tell our stories.”

As the rain continued to beat down and the black highway seemed to disappear beneath the onslaught, a message from Shane of Arbour Season pinged on my phone. My wife read the message to me. “Hey! I’m going to keep you posted, but we just arrived at the venue, and there was a mix-up with dates or something, and they didn’t know we were going to be here today. This was a House Concert that was being put on by another

An Arkie’s Faith Arbour Season

girl, and she wanted to host it here at the district, but I think they had their information mixed up. There is still a possibility we could be playing tonight, but it’s unsure at this moment.”

“What should we do,” I thought. “I don’t want to continue driving through this storm if there isn’t a concert.” We pulled off the road to decide what we should do. My phone pinged with another message from Shane. “This has not been promoted at all, so I’m thinking no one is going to show up. But we are thinking about hanging out here for a little bit and having some dinner. Maybe we can all catch dinner together. We definitely want to meet you guys while we are still here in Arkansas.”

We decided to continue to Fort Smith to go out for dinner. After several more messages back and forth, deciding on a time and location, Shane texted, “Ok… sooo. We still may be able to make dinner, but we just found out we have a flat tire, haha. So we are now taking it to get looked at. That shouldn’t take too long, though, I would think!”

After several more messages back and forth, Shane told us that while the tire was being repaired, he had dropped Emily and the kids off at the

mall. There is a food court with a kid’s play area right in the middle. He wanted to know if we could meet there so the kids could play while we eat, hang out, and talk.

We met at the mall and enjoyed visiting and eating some of the worst Chinese food I had ever eaten. When it was time to go, I asked them where they were headed next, and they said they were driving back to Mena. We had a good laugh about the irony of driving in a horrible storm to go to a canceled concert and then eating at a mall food court when we were both returning to Mena.

That rainy day mall food court meetup with Arbour Season was a year ago. I have continued to follow their adventures on YouTube. I was excited when I was recently invited to an Arbour Season house concert.

After spending time with them on the crazy no concert, flat tire, lousy mall

food court food day last year, it was wonderful to finally hear Arbour Season in concert. The concert was everything that I hoped it would be. The music was excellent, and the banter made everyone in the audience feel like they were lifelong friends.

When the lilting guitar picking of the song “Arcadian” began, I silently mouthed the words. “I saw you today when I wasn’t looking. There was a sway in the trees above that told, told me you were near. And I heard your voice when I wasn’t listening. There was a sweet noise I’d never heard before, singing in the breeze.

“Oh, the pain, oh, the needless pain we bear. Oh, this world so full with all its cares. You made me innocent again. And I thought I found you, but you found me. Oh, I thought I found you, but you found me.”

“Arcadian” is one of my favorite songs, and I love the line, “I thought I found you, but you found me.” Sometimes, we think we have found God, but the Bible tells us that Jesus “came to find lost people and save them.”

Luke 19:10 (NCV)

This idea is best shown in the story Jesus told in Luke 15:4-6 (ICB): “Suppose one of you has 100 sheep, but he loses 1 of them. Then he will leave the other 99 sheep alone and go out and look for the lost sheep. The man will keep on searching for the lost sheep until he finds it. And when he finds it, the man is very happy. He puts it on his shoulders and goes home. He calls to his friends and neighbors and says, ‘Be happy with me because I found my lost sheep!’”

Gentle Reader, you are so important to God that He will follow you to the ends of the earth. He stays by your side, whether you acknowledge Him or not. There’s nothing you can do that will stop Him from loving you.

“God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (AMP)

I can tell if someone is lying by just looking at them. I can also tell if they are standing.

Arbour Season in concert.

(Photo by Richie Lawry)

Area Polk County schools, be on the lookout for fire prevention materials that will be going out in the coming days. The last few years the Mena Fire Department has been able to provide fire prevention materials to all the schools in Polk County thank to sponsors making it possible.

(All photos this page courtesy of Mena Fire Department)

2023 Fire Prevention Week proclamation

WHEREAS, the City of Mena Arkansas is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all those living in and visiting Mena; and

WHEREAS, fire is a serious public safety concern both locally and nationally, and homes are the locations where people are at greatest risk from fire; and

WHEREAS, home fires killed more than 2,800 people in the United States in 2021, according to the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®), and fire departments in the United States responded to 338,000 home fires; and

WHEREAS, cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States and fire departments responded to more than 166,400 annually between 2016 and 2020 ; and

WHEREAS, two of every five home fires start in the kitchen with 31% of these fires resulting from unattended cooking; and

WHEREAS, more than half of reported non-fatal home cooking fire injuries occurred when the victims tried to fight the fire themselves; and

WHEREAS, children under five face a higher risk of non-fire burns associated with cooking than being burned in a cooking fire; and

WHEREAS, Mena’s residents should turn pot handles toward the back of the stove; always keep a lid nearby when cooking; keep a three-foot kid-free zone around the stove, oven, and other things

that could get hot; watch what they heat; and set a timer to remind them that they are cooking; and

WHEREAS, residents who have planned and practiced a home fire escape plan are more prepared and will therefore be more likely to survive a fire; and

WHEREAS, working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires almost in half; and

WHEREAS, Mena’s first responders are dedicated to reducing the occurrence of home fires and home fire injuries through prevention and protection education; and

WHEREAS, Mena’s residents are responsive to public education measures and are able to take personal steps to increase their safety from fire, especially in their homes; and

WHEREAS, the 2023 Fire Prevention Week™ theme, “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention™,” effectively serves to remind us to stay alert and use caution when cooking to reduce the risk of kitchen fires.

THEREFORE, I Seth Smith Mayor of the City of Mena, do hereby proclaim October 8–14, 2023, as Fire Prevention Week throughout this town, and I urge all the people of Mena to check their kitchens for fire hazards and use safe cooking practices during Fire Prevention Week 2023, and to support the many public safety activities and efforts of Mena’s fire and emergency services.

Ouachita Bigfoot Festival & Conference sightings

Savannah King, daughter of Cameron and Laura, won the baby crawling contest and the $25 gift card.

Photos by Ethan Nahté

Cossatot River School Board to hear recommendation to close Umpire campus

By Patrick Massey

UMPIRE – The Cossatot River School District will host a board meeting next month to determine the future of the Umpire K-12 campus.

The Cossatot River School Board is scheduled to meet on Oct. 12 to hear a recommendation to close the Umpire campus at the end of the current school year. That meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Cossatot River Primary School cafeteria and will be open to the public.

Superintendent Tyler Broyles said the recommendation to close the campus is due to consistent low enrollment, making the campus financially infeasible to sustain itself.

“Over the last five years, the Umpire campus has lost more than 40 students, which is more than 30 percent of its enrollment five years ago,” Broyles said. “Last year, the campus operated with a more than $400,000 deficit due to its average daily membership (ADM) of approximately 92 students K-12. ADM is what funds a school and is the average number of attendance days for a campus.”

That number, Broyles added, will mean less revenue for the campus. In addition, he said higher expenses are forcing the district to subsidize

the negative operating balance at the Umpire campus.

“Making the recommendation this early in the year will, if the Umpire Campus does close, give Umpire teachers time to find new jobs, if they choose; Umpire students time to transfer schools if they prefer, and allow time for CRSD staff to facilitate the logistics of the campus closure,” Broyles added. “It is only a recommendation to the board at this point, so we welcome all voices to be heard at the board meeting so that the school board can discuss and decide on the matter at the meeting.”

Officials said no loss of jobs or teaching positions are expected if the recommendation is in favor of closing the campus. All staff members at Umpire would be offered positions throughout the rest of the district. Any overage in staff would be addressed by attrition, meaning the district will not rehire as staff members leave or retire.

In addition, Umpire territory would remain a part of the Cossatot River School District. Umpire students who wish to attend another district would go through school choice or a legal board transfer. A Cossatot River school bus would continue to pick up students in the Umpire area.

The district is welcoming community members to attend the board meeting to make their voices heard before the school board votes on the recommendation.

District officials stress there are rules that must be followed to have your name placed on the agenda to speak. Details can be found by visiting the website at www.cossatot. us and clicking on the “More” tab. Community members can also call 870-385-7101 for assistance.

Kenzie Daniels achieves 30 ACT score

Acorn High School senior Kenzie Daniels achieved a 30 composite score on the ACT Test. Daniels earned the distinction and honor as a member of the Acorn High School 30 ACT Club

Depending on which college site one looks at, a 30 composite score means a student scored higher than 93%-95% of other test-takers, which is approximately 2 million students. The average score is 20.

AHS students tour U of A Campus

Submitted by

Tammy L. Young

A group of Acorn High School juniors and seniors toured the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville on Tuesday, Sept. 19.

The tour began with a presentation and overview of U of A admissions, academic programs, scholarships and deadlines, student and campus life organizations, housing and dining options for students.

Following the presentation, U of A Student Ambassadors provided a

guided tour of the campus to view dining, housing, student union, exercise facilities, and various colleges and schools within the U of A including: Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education and Health Professions, Honors College, Sam Walton College of Business, Fay Jones School of Architecture & Design, and Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food & Life Sciences as well as many other landmarks on campus.

Mena Public School’s September board meeting

Submitted by Mark Hobson

The Mena School Board met for their regular September meeting on Tuesday night, Sept. 19, at the district administration building.

The meeting began with the superintendent’s report in which Lee Smith gave the board an update on academics. Smith stated that efforts are underway to set a baseline so that progress can be measured. He then yielded to Assistant Superintendent Bridget Buckley who shared initial percentages. Buckley informed the board that 41% of students in kindergarten-12th grade are in a strong place academically and 37.6% are ready and where they need to be in math.

Smith then updated the board on construction of the new activity center. Our construction manager, Jeff Peatry, had visited recently and they expect to squeeze out an additional $267,000 in savings on the project. The board voted to proceed with the next phase of the project. They also approved the purchase of the metal structure at a cost of $794,000 from Pinnacle Buildings.

Next on the agenda was the approval of the 2022-2023 financial report as well as the budget for 2023-2024. It was noted that operating costs were up for the coming year and the board approved.

The board then approved the 20232024 budget for operating, federal programs, VI-B and special education. This is a routine standards of assurance that federal guidelines are being followed.

A revision of the 2022-2023 inventory, which was approved at the August meeting, was then approved. This recategorized the awning at Louise Durham Elementary.

Smith then asked the board to pass a new artificial intelligence use policy. The policy set out guidelines for appropriate use and bans nefarious usage. The policy was approved.

The board also approved a new cyber security policy which will tighten up the district’s network security.

District maintenance supervisor Danny Minton then spoke to the board on project updates. The new fence and automatic gates at Louise Durham have been completed. New door locks have been installed at Holly Harshman Elementary. An expansion of the parking lot in front of the field house has been completed. New drive wheels on the bleachers at Jim Rackley Gymnasium are being installed and work continues on repairs at Mena High School resulting from a lightning strike that occurred this summer.

Smith then updated the board on their upcoming training dates on Sept. 28 and Oct. 12. As well as financial training on Nov. 13.

The board then approved the latest financial report. Smith noted that revenue outpaced expenses this past month. He also stated that there has been a noticeable downturn in electric and water usage of late. Smith also said that fewer maintenance and upkeep expenses are expected this year.

The last item on the agenda was personnel. The board accepted the resignation of pre-K paraprofessional Cecily Wilson as well as the resignation of senior cheer coach Andrea Hughes.

The contract of bus driver Cheyenne Owens was restructured to route No. 1 and the board approved the hiring of Tanesha Chambers as pre-K paraprofessional.

The Polk County Disabled American Veterans and Auxiliary will be holding their monthly meetings on Oct. 5 at Veterans Park in Acorn beginning at 6 p.m. A potluck will be served with meetings to follow.

Dallas Valley Rural Volunteer Fire Department members, firefighters and board of directors of the would like to take this opportunity to extend an invitation to join us for our Annual Business Meeting and dinner, which will be held at the fire station on Old Airport Rd. (aka 229 Polk Rd 52), Saturday, Oct. 14, starting at 5 p.m. There will be a donation boot available for any non-members who wish to attend. Please join us if you can.

Calvary Baptist Church’s service times will be changing effective Sept. 3: Coffee and donuts served starting at 9:15 a.m., Sunday school/Bible study (all ages) - 9:45-10:45 a.m., worship service @ 10:55 a.m., Sunday evening service @ 6 p.m., and Wednesday prayer service @ 6 p.m.

Narcotics Anonymous meet at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, noon - 1 p.m. on Wednesday, 7 p.m. on Thursday, 7 p.m. on Friday, and 6 p.m. on Saturday at the old bus barn at The Crossing church. For information call Erica at (479) 234-5289 or Candice at (501) 356-8300.

Youth fall fundraiser BBQ dinner Concord Baptist Church, 5:30-7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30. Pulled pork sandwich, cowboy beans, bag of chips, piece of cake and bottle of water, $8/ plate (cash or checks - no cards). Youth will be selling door prize tickets. Bake sale & auction at the end of the evening.

Come celebrate Dee Roberts 80th birthday at Pleasant Grove Church of the Nazarene, Cove, 2-4 p.m., Sept. 30. No gifts.

Around Town

Celebration of Life luncheon for the late Earl Westbrook Jr. at The Elks Lodge in Mena, 2 p.m., Oct. 14. We would love to see everyone and hear some of the stories you’d like to share. Come as you are.

GriefShare at The Crossing in Mena meets every Thursday from 6-8 p.m. for anyone in the community who is grieving the loss of a loved one.

Come play Pickleball! Open play Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8:30 a.m., Aubrey D. Tapley Park - 2562 U.S. Hwy 71, Mena.

Bring your own equipment and come have fun. All levels are welcome. Unsure or interested? Come watch before purchasing equipment.

The Polk County Housing Authority has Rental Vouchers available. They are also in need of Applicants and Landlords. Contact them at 509 S. Morrow, Mena, (479) 394-1565 or polkarhousing. com.

The Back Country Extension Homemakers Club meets the second Friday of each month at 1 p.m. at the UA Extension’s Education Building, 211 DeQueen St., Mena. We are a service organization affiliated with UA’s Division of Agriculture with a mission to have fun and learn new things while enriching our community and creating a more contented family life. We believe the greatest force that molds character comes from the home. Come join new friends and old as we together grow. For more info, contact Ginger at Gingerkm@protonmail.com.

First Presbyterian Church will be presenting a series on the Book of Revelation in its Adult Sunday School class on Sunday mornings beginning at 9:45. Earl Harrell will be the presenter and will focus on the titles of Jesus as revealed in the Book of Revelation. The public is invited to attend.

Classes will be in the Helen Barham Room at the church, 904 Church Avenue, Mena.

The Ouachita Beekeepers Association is now meeting on the second Thursday of the month, 7 p.m. in the Education Building of the UA Extension Office, 211 DeQueen St., Mena. Come early and enjoy refreshments and bee talk with other beekeepers.

GriefShare at First Presbyterian Church Mena meets every Thursday from 10 a.m.-noon for anyone in the community who is grieving the loss of a loved one.

The Hatfield Branch Library is open every Tuesday and Friday from noon-4 p.m. The library is located at 121 Cemetery Rd. (old Agri building) in Hatfield.

The Cove Branch Library is open Monday and Thursday from noon-5 p.m. The Library is located next to Cove Town Hall at 5568 Hwy. 71 S.

The Mena/Polk County Senior Center will have The Gator and Friends band performing in Mena every Thursday, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

The Center has an exercise class on Mondays and Thursdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Contact Trena Looney with questions, (479) 394-5459.

Bluegrass Jam Session is open to musicians and fans alike. Bring your instruments for an unplugged session to the Daisy Room (behind Janssen’s Avenue Florist & Gifts) the first and third Thursdays of each month, starting at 6:30 p.m. Free event. Some snacks are provided.

The Cossatot Senior Center in Wickes has meals and activities for seniors. The hours are 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Tuesday-Friday. If you need to make delivery arrangements

or changes call (870) 385-2373.

Christ’s Church of Cove, 5234 Hwy. 71 S, Cove gathers every Tuesday, 8:30-9:30 a.m., for free coffee and conversation.

Hatfield First Baptist Church

“Shepherd’s Closet” Open Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-noon. Large selection of good, used clothing & a limited supply of non-perishable food items. Free to anyone in need.

Alcoholics Anonymous meet at The Crossing Church, 3 p.m., Sundays; at 5 p.m., Tuesdays; and at 8 p.m. Saturdays at the old bus barn. For information call (479) 234-8366 or (479) 216-3786.

American Legion meets every 2nd Tuesday at the Legion Hall in Acorn. Potluck at 6 p.m., meeting follows.

Come play Bingo, Saturdays and Mondays, starts at 6 p.m., doors open at 4 p.m.

Reynolds Gardner Community Men’s Breakfast every Tuesday, First United Methodist Church, Mena, 8 a.m. (full breakfast for small donation). All men from the community are invited to attend.

Alcoholics Anonymous meet at 7 p.m. Fridays at the First United Methodist Church, Ninth Street and Port Arthur. Discussion/Book Study for information call (479) 243-0297.

It’s easy to have your event listed in Around Town, which will be read on radio stations KENA and KQOR daily. Simply send your Around Town announcement to news@mypulsenews.com or call (479) 243-9600 and let us know about your event! To have it in the Polk County Pulse newspaper, we need to know by FIVE on FRIDAY. We look forward to continuing to serve the community!

Benefit dinners to assist local women

By Ethan Nahté

There will be two benefit dinners in Polk County occurring on Saturday, Oct. 7.

Natasha Dulinsky-Dickerson

The first will be a benefit chicken dinner and auction to raise funds for Natasha Dulinsky-Dickerson at the Hatfield Auditorium, 117 Cemetery Road, Hatfield, at 4 p.m.

The 27-year-old wife and mother of three was recently diagnosed with stage-4 heart failure and is on the list for a heart transplant. All monies raised will go toward medication not covered by insurance, travel expenses for appointments in Little Rock, and medical bills.

The BBQ chicken dinner includes sides, dessert and a drink.

The auction will follow the meal. You can search Go Fund Me –Natasha Dickerson (not the hyphenated name), organized by Jacinda Watkins.

Sandy Jewell

The second will be a soup sampler, dessert auction and silent auction for Sandy Jewell at the Mena Elks Lodge No. 781, 124 Elks Lane/Hwy. 375 South during the Arkansas/Ole Miss game. Sandy was injured in an accident and is now a paraplegic. The soup sampler will have and all of the trimmings. During the event, the Razorback game will be playing on the big screen. The game is scheduled to begin broadcasting at 6:30 p.m. Follow the Mena Elks Lodge on Facebook for updates and exact time everything will begin.

Have you seen flamingoes?

Submitted by Melanie Wade

The Mena/Polk County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Flock the Business Fundraiser September 25-29. We will flock local businesses with our beautiful pink flamingos that are sure to have folks craning their necks as they pass by your

Clean-up at Queen Wilhelmina

By Ethan Nahté

The Keep Arkansas Beautiful campaign for the fall is still going on until the end of October. The next event in the Polk County area is atop Rich Mountain at Queen Wilhelmina State Park this Saturday, Sept. 30.

The Centennial Day of Service: Keep Arkansas Beautiful Fall Cleanup Event begins at 8:45 a.m.for registration at The Wonder House across from the park entrance. Participants will receive garbage bags, gloves and a free T-shirt. Clean-up is from 9-11 a.m.

Celebrate a century of Arkansas State Parks by helping pre -

serve Queen Wilhelmina State Park for future generations. Take in the scenery of Rich Mountain while ensuring the park is clean for future generations to enjoy. By participating in a Centennial Day of Service, you can work towards meeting a 100-hour service goal with prizes along the way.

Be sure to wear close-toed shoes and bring plenty of drinking water for gathering litter along park roadsides.

Sun block, bug spray and wearing layers of clothes that can easily be added or removed is always suggestible.

Contact 479-394-2863 with any questions.

doors.

To have the flock removed, simply pay $100 and we’ll carry them on to whichever business you’d like to flock. It’s a fun way to bring notice to your storefront and you’ll be helping the Chamber provide important programs and resources to the area. It’s a win-win!

A sign to grab the attention for volunteers sits before The Wonder House at Queen Wilhelmina State Park on Earth Day. Volunteers from Howard County in Arkansas and others from Texas who were staying at The Lodge assisted with picking up litter along the roadside and trails. The families were taking pride in an area they were not even from, helping to preserve our local beauty.

(Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

Classifieds

SERVICES -

Wendell’s Tree Service - Tree Removal and Trimming. Experienced and fully insured for ALL your tree-trimming needs. Call (479) 394-0227 or (479) 216-4328. T0927

Carter’s Excavating - Licensed Contractor: Heavy and light dozer work, heavy excavation, soft ground to rock excavation, heavy off-road hauling, road design and construction

50 years in trade, 40 years in area. Subsidiary of RCI Construction (479) 394-9227

T1025

Tree services, forestry mulching, storm cleanup, stump grinding. Signs and light replacement. Give RC Customz a call at (479) 216-2976 for Free estimate. T1101

Carter’s Excavating - Licensed Contractor: Roads, bridges, house pads, building pads, basements, land clearing, small lots to large tracks, ponds, stream crossings, farm roads, building demolition, site planning & prep.

50 years in trade, 40 years in area. Subsidiary of RCI Construction. (479) 394-9227

T1025

Handyman Service. Electrical and plumbing. prefer small jobs. Minimum, $20 service call. For details, call Bill Duff (479) 216-5204. T0927

Construction, steel buildings, welding, pads, ponds, and roads. Military discounts. Insured. Give RC Customz a call for free estimates at (479) 216-2976. T1101

Mena Shuttle - Ground transportation to AR and TX airports. Doctor and emergency appointments. Also, light deliveries. (870) 490-1191 T0927

- HELP WANTED -

T0927

Dependable help needed, handyman/ woman needed twice monthly, Cove area. Call (310) 710-2363.

F.M. Dix Foundry is accepting applications for general labor positions. Applications may be picked up at the office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available.

Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment.

T0927

Brodix, Inc. is accepting applications for an experienced CNC Machine Operator. Applications may be picked up at the Brodix office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available.

Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment.

T0927

Brodix, Inc. is accepting applications for a technical/phone sales position. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, answering technical inquiries, providing product information and recommendations, troubleshooting with potential and current customers, and processing orders in a fast-paced office setting.

Parts, automotive, and computer experience would be helpful.

Applications may be picked up at the Brodix office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available.

Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment.

T0927

Brodix, Inc. is accepting applications for general labor positions. Applications may be picked up at the Brodix office, located at 301 Maple Avenue in Mena, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Competitive starting wages with benefits available.

Notice to Applicants: Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment

T0927

For sale - AKC English Bulldog puppy, female, standard colors, and ready for their nw home. Facebook Arklatex Bulldogs to see this beauty. Call 870-642-3104 for more information. TFN

- WANTED TO BUY -

- YARD SALE- FOR RENT -

Wanted: Used riding mower in great condition. Zero turn okay. Write to Mower, P.O. Box 372, Mena, AR 71953 T0927

Apartment For Rent - appliances and utilities furnished. (479) 234-1492 T1025

Saturday-only garage sale Sept.30th, 9-5, 202 Eve St., Mena. Phase 1 of annual sale: Furniture, armchairs, ottomans, love seat, area rugs, china cabinet, household items and more. T0930 $ $ $ $ $

Police

September 27, 2023

The following information was received from Polk County law enforcement agencies. The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts. Individuals charged and whose names appear in this column may submit documentation to us at a later date that the charges have been dismissed, or that they have been found innocent, and we will include that information in this space in a timely manner.

POLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S LOG

September 18, 2023

Clifford Harrison, 64, of Mena was arrested on charges of Obstructing Governmental Operations and Refusal to Submit to Arrest.

Deputies responded to a walk-in complainant in reference to threats being made.

September 19, 2023

Dylan Barrett, 31, of Vandervoort was arrested on a Felony 2nd Degree Domestic Battery Warrant.

Ariana Andrews, 31, of Mena was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant.

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 29 near Hatfield in reference to an abandoned ATV.

Marivel Sanchez, 25, of Nashville was arrested on a Felony Possession of Methamphetamine or Cocaine with Purpose to Deliver Warrant and a Misdemeanor Failure to Appear Warrant.

September 20, 2023

Dawn Rios, 42, of Mena was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant.

September 21, 2023

Jordan Gonyea, 27, of Mena was arrested on a Felony Warrant for Violation of Suspended Imposition of Sentence.

September 22, 2023

Deputies responded to a business near Grannis in reference to a physical altercation. Information has been forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorney for further consideration.

September 23, 2023

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 136 near Cove in reference to a physical domestic dispute leading to the arrest of Timothy Hill, 53, of Cove on a charge of 3rd Degree Domestic Battery. Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 1 near Grannis in reference to a welfare check.

Deputies responded to an ATV accident near Shady.

Cody James, 23, of Mena was arrested by an officer with the Grannis Police Department on eight Failure to Appear Warrants as well as charges of Residential Burglary, 3rd Degree Battery, Fleeing on Foot, Refusing to Submit to Arrest and Possession of a Schedule VI Controlled Substance.

September 24, 2023

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 412 near Potter in reference to a structure fire.

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 65 near Board Camp in reference to a structure fire.

Jeremiah Kahn, 38, of Mena was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office worked 0 vehicle accidents this week.

MENA POLICE REPORTS

September 17

A report of harassment was taken from a person at Walmart. A report of theft was taken from Walmart.

September 18

Lisa Bodwell, 51, was charged with Theft at Walmart.

Steven Elmore, 54, was charged with Disorderly Conduct and Communicating a False Alarm after a harassment complaint at EZ Mart.

A report of criminal mischief was taken at a residence on Bethesda Road.

September 19

No report.

September 20

Joe Delgado, 50, was charged with Public Intoxication and Disorderly Conduct at Wendy’s. A report of contributing to the delinquency of a minor was taken at a residence on Evans Circle.

September 21

A report of financial identity fraud was taken from a walk-in complainant.

September 22

Lisa Eaton, 52, was served with a warrant at a residence on Himes Street.

September 23

A report of sexual assault was taken at the hospital.

Former HHS admin sentenced to six years

By Patrick Massey

A former administrator of Horatio High School convicted earlier this month of sexual assault has been sentenced to six years in prison.

Labrada Vann, 42, received the sixyear prison sentence in the Arkansas Department of Corrections on Sept. 18 following a three-day trial in the Sevier County Circuit Court the previous week. In addition, the court set a $250,000 appeals bond.

Vann was found guilty by a jury on Sept. 15 on a single count of first-degree sexual assault. The charge resulted from an inappropriate relationship Vann maintained with a student while serving as the vice principal of Horatio High School.

Vann was scheduled to appear for a jury trial on multiple previous occasions since her arrest last year but was able to secure continuations before this month’s trial. The sentencing portion drew the 15-month case to a close.

Vann was arrested in April of 2022 on a felony count of first-degree sexual assault. According to the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office, investigators were contacted by the Arkansas Crimes Against Children Hotline in April in reference to a possible inappropriate relationship between Vann and a student. The sheriff’s office began an investigation into the allegations and an arrest warrant was then issued for Vann.

Throughout her case, Vann maintained a not guilty plea and underwent a psychological exam to determine if she was fit to continue as a defendant. The evaluation — performed by a psychologist from the Arkansas Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services — determined she was fit to stand trial.

Vann’s six-year sentence was the shortest that could be imposed for first-degree sexual assault. The harshest sentence could have spanned up to 30 years.

Bigfoot reportedly makes it to the festival

Article photo by Ethan Nahté

The Ouachita Bigfoot Festival and Conference in Ink may have had a rough, wet start on Friday with a tenacious rain that just would not go away on the opening Friday of the event. It finally let up after 4 p.m. and allowed the diehard festival goers to meet, discuss the star cryptid known by several names such as bigfoot, sasquatch, skunk ape, yeti and a few others. We certainly can’t forget our own Fouke monster. With the rain letting up, those who stuck around after dark split up into two groups and when traipsing through the woods with a couple of flashlights or cell phones, moving through areas that bigfoot has been reportedly seen by some.

Later — much later — that evening, after most of those camping had called it a night and things had quietened down, there was a sighting that some claim was bigfoot making an appearance at the edge of the woods.

Saturday was very muggy, with humidity hovering around 91%, but it was a bright and sunny day throughout the morning and for most of the afternoon. Event coordinator Shelly Alston estimated 1,500 people overall. The parking area was certainly crowded as some people milled about the various vendor booths filled with gems, jewelry, T-shirts, caps, 3D printer creatures being made on location, children’s books and other items. Some were bigfoot related, but not all.

There were also guests on hand such as Keith Crabtree, signing autographs and talking about his time working on “The Legend of Boggy Creek” film and the Fouke area where he… and the creature reside.

There were also a couple of bigfoot research groups set up and talking about what they have seen or heard in their neck of the woods. People came from the surrounding states and further, such as Huntsville, Alabama.

Other special guests were speakers for the conference portion of the event. At any given time, most, if not all, of the seats beneath a canopy deflecting some of the sun’s rays, were filled with those who were just curious and those who have spent a lifetime tracking the creature known as bigfoot. Panelists had photos, laptops with images, movies and audio of haunting howls.

Additionally, there were all sorts of contests: fishing, costume contests, boulder throwing, and the baby crawling contest to name a few.

For a short time, there was paddleboats and some guests had made arrangements to ride the ziplines. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission was also on hand with their trailer pulling the large tank filled with a variety of native Arkansas fish, kept in a well-shaded area to keep the aquarium glass from overheating.

On the other end was a booth filled with milk snakes, constrictors, turtels and terappins that were disucssed and lots of photos taken holding them or having them hanging over necks down the length of a body.

As the afternoon progressed, and the clouds came back to kill off some of the heat, the bands began their sound checks. Opening act was Almost Guilty, a five-piece band that hails from Saline County. Most of the members are 15- to 16-years-old and the founding member, drummer Tanner Erwin is

21. They covered a wide range of songs, primarily from before they were born: Led Zeppelin, No Doubt, and AC/DC, as well as some newer material such as Fall Out Boy.

The headliners were the Leif Shively Band out of Louisiana. They were definitely a seasoned act. They opened with AC/DC, with the band’s namesake dressed as bigfoot for the first three tu-

ens. They performed a handful of Tom Petty tunes, some Neil Young and Journey, somehow making them sound a bit country. They also filled about half their set with some original songs.

As the headliners were about halfway through their set, tendrils of lightning were crawling over the mountains. By the time they exited the stage and began breaking down, the lightning and thunder picked up immensely and the rain started coming down. “The Bogman” movie was supposed to be shown on the stage, with the director and others who worked on the film on hand. The movie and Saturday’s squatchin’ in the woods were scratched for safety reasons.

If you want to search for bigfoot at The Blue; Zip Line & Farm, you’ll have to either wait until next year’s festival or go zip lining and see if you can find him as you race through the trees on a cable.

Acorn hosts Polk County tri-school cross-country meet

Submited by Tammy L. Young

The Polk County school districts hosted a tri-school cross-country meet on the Tom Stuthard Cross Country course at Acorn the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 20. On this cool, wet afternoon, Acorn, Cossatot River and Mena middle and high schools participated with 76 runners competing in the Jr. Girls, Jr. Boys, Sr. Girls and Sr. Boys categories.

Junior Girls

Acorn’s Jr. Lady Tigers won the team race and Cossatot River finished second.

Mountain Mayhem III

By Ethan Nahté

Junior Boys

Mena Jr. Bearcats were the team champion, Acorn High School finished second place and Cossatot River High School finished third place.

Senior Girls

Mena Sr. Lady Bearcats were team champions.

Senior Boys

Acorn Sr. Tigers were team champions, Mena Sr. Bearcats finished Second place and Cossatot River Eagles finished third place.

Sunset yoga with a scenic view

The bell will ring for the start of Mountain Mayhem III at the Polk County Fairgrounds in Mena this Saturday, Sept. 30. The doors open for the Defender’s Boxing Club and High Definitions Fight Promotions event at 2 p.m. and the first bell is at 3 p.m.

The boxers will weigh-in between 8-10 a.m. and physicals will be at 10 a.m. for the contenders. Admission is $15 for adults and $5 for children 13 and under. Concessions will be available.

Jasmine Parker (red) of Defenders Boxing lands a

Indulge in Rich Mountain’s views while relaxing your body and mind during a sunset yoga session. Meet a park interpreter and a local yoga instructor for 45 minutes, 6 - 6:45 p.m., to connect with nature and enjoy the stunning scenery. The yoga session will be beginner-level, so anyone can participate.

There is a modest $5 entry fee and a yoga mat will be provided as supplies last. A limited number of yoga mats are available, so please bring your own if possible. Weather permitting, the yoga session will be outside, so wear weather-appropriate clothing. Meet in the lodge lobby for a quick chat before a short walk to the location.

punch at the Arkansas Junior Olympics Boxing this past spring.

(Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

Sunset in October atop Rich Mountain. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

Article and photos by Ethan Nahté

Cyclists will be tackling one of three routes on Saturday, Oct. 7, in the Wheel A’ Mena 11th annual bicycle tour, taking on the second largest peak in Arkansas. Rich Mountain is 2,681 feet above sea level while Mena sits around 1,171 feet — a little over a quarter-mile difference in elevation. All three routes described below include 2-plus mile-

Wheel A’ Mena is rolling around soon

light onto Hwy. 71 N.

In previous years there was a Mena Police escort from Janssen Park to the Mena city limits. The Polk County Sheriff’s Department then escorted the cyclists from the Mena city limits through the Acorn community to Hwy. 270. Southwest EMS also followed

continue riding on Hwy. 270, cross the state line and continue on to Page, Oklahoma. At Page they will turn onto Hwy. 259 until they come to a sign indicating the Talimena Scenic Drive byway. After turning left onto the by-way, they’ll take a right on the Talimena Scenic Drive and follow it up the mountain, past The Wonder House and back down the mountain.

The end of the race is back at Janssen Park. There will be multiple rest stops with first aid and feed stations where volunteers typically have bottles of water and other items to replenish energy.

There is still time to register. The early registration fee is $70 until 12 a.m. CST, Oct. 1, when the fees increase to $75. Registration deadline is Thursday, Oct. 5 at 4 p.m. CST and can be done through their website or Facebook page.

Keep an eye on the Wheel A’Mena Bicycle Tour to the Top Facebook page for updates and street closures on the day of the race. The Pulse Facebook page will also have the street closures if provided in time and announcements will be made during the news hours on KENA 104.1 FM.

long stretches of ride with an average of 7% grade or greater with maximum grades reaching almost 12% grade in a few places.

All skill levels are welcome, and firsttime riders to Rich Mountain, which there were a few last year who had scouted the route by car and rode it the first time during Wheel A’Mena 2022. Riders come from all over, including parts of Europe.

The official Rotary Club website wheelamena.com has a link with an indepth Ride with GPS map that breaks it all down, but here is a look at what the rides consist of.

The parade will begin at 8 a.m. where cyclists will begin their route from Janssen Park. All cyclists will ride the same route the first 15 miles from Mena. They will begin at the park, travel east to Mena Street, turn south, cross the railroad tracks, turn left at the red

cyclists up Hwy. 272 to The Wonder House last year.

At Hwy. 270 they turn left and ride toward the state line. At the Rich Mountain community is where the separation begins. Those riding either the 30- or 50-mile routes will turn left at the Rich Mountain Country Store and start the ride up the mountain on Hwy. 272. They will each ride to the intersection of Hwy. 88 and turn right, pedaling to The Wonder House at Queen Wilhelmina State Park. The 30-mile riders will then turn around and head down the mountain.

The 50-mile route continues past The Wonder House, across the Arkansas/Oklahoma state line and travel to the Chaha Vista, where they will turn around and head back past the state park and down the mountain.

Those riding the 70-mile route do not turn at Hwy. 272. Instead, they will