Pulse THE POLK COUNTY
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December 6, 2023
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Holiday Train thrills the kids, donates $4,000 to The Salvation Army
INSIDE:
Article and photos by Ethan Nahté
Steve Price At UARM
Page 25
Acorn Homecoming Court
Pages 14-15
The CPKC Holiday Train rolled into Mena Last Wednesday, Nov. 29, a little ahead of schedule. The engine stopped short of the crossing at Fourth Street and Highway 71 and waited 15-20 minutes as a few adults and children arrived, as well as busloads of students from Louise Durham Elementary, which helped to make for a decent-sized audience for a late morning concert in the middle of the work/school week. The train, decorated with Christmas lights arranged in winter-themed designs, holiday patterns and words would’ve been more spectacular at dark, but many of the children were thrilled just with the festive train rolling in and stopping in front of them, blocking off Seventh Street and extending almost back to Mena Street. After a bit of a delay, a specially designed door came down like a drawbridge, forming the basis of stage as Canadian pop performer Kiesza came
bounding out in her festive North Pole attire, opening the show with her song “3 Hos.” A few of the parents seemed to have a look of concern at first, but Kiesza performed a family-friendly version of her 2018 single. On stage with her was a drummer and bassist while the guitars, keyboards and other bits were backing tracks, but she did appear to be singing live and not lip syncing. She did a quick set of three or four tunes that were a combination of holiday favorites rocked up. She was also very energetic as she got the children dancing and excited about the performance. After Kiesza’s set, a representative from CPKC came Kiesza belting it out for the crowd on the out onstage to thank the crowd CPKC Holiday Train in Mena, Arkansas. and to invite Mena Mayor Seth See TRAIN Smith onto the stage to say a few words.
continued on page 4
Olivieri: Healing, training, helping the horses
By Ethan Nahté Part Four
Mena Christmas Festivities
Pages 13, 16 & 26
Untouched and unbroken In part three, actor Dawn Olivieri left off talking about the beginning of recovery of a young foal named Starr. Not all of the rescued horses she has
encountered have been as lucky, although the mortality rate has been low thus far. The other potential issues range from foals being separated from their mothers or herd to the possibility that once the rescued horses have been treated and given a good bill
of health, there still may be work to do to even get a halter or bit on the horse, much less a saddle for someone who might want to adopt a horse for their own. And not all of the “kill buyers” are
See HORSES continued on page 9
