The Polk County Pulse - March 20, 2024

Family Dollar in Mena affected by closures

Article and photos by Ethan Nahté

Family Dollar located in Mena was overwhelmed Monday as customers filled the parking lot to capacity, rivalling the number of vehicles parked in the adjacent lot for Teeter Motor Company. Exterior signs read “Store Closing” and “Everything Must Be Sold,” attracting plenty of attention. Social media announcements that almost everything but items such as gift cards or tobacco products was marked down 50%.

At one point, the two employees operating the registers were run-

ning low on change and seeing a line that led from the registers and

CRSD announces superintendent hire

By Patrick Massey

The Cossatot River School District has announced who will lead the district beginning with the 2024-25 school year.

During a regularly scheduled meeting last week, the Cossatot River School Board voted to hire David Tollett as the district’s next superintendent. He will replace Tyler Broyles, who announced his resignation earlier this year.

Broyles will continue to serve as superintendent through June 30.

Tollett is scheduled to take over the duties on July 1. Tollett is a former state representative and is currently the superintendent of Lamar Public Schools.

“I would like to thank the Cossatot River School Board for placing their faith in me to lead such a passionate group of educators,” Tollett said in a statement. “It is no secrete CRSD has great educators. As an educator of over 20 years, I am looking forward to seeing what education model we can build together for our students, staff and community.”

Women

PCDC

A pair of ribbon cuttings were held Wednesday, March 13. (left) Honey & Pearl’s, located at 811 Mena St., is one of the newest places in Mena to get coffee, energy drinks, bagels, breakfast. tamales, desserts and more.

The second ribbon cutting was Rich Mountain Music, located a few strides away at 801 Mena St. They were temporarily closed but will have a grand re-opening soon. You can find a varity of guitars: acoustic, electric, bass and vintage. They also have jewelry.

Both businesses are owned by Rebecca and Timothy Morren.

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Referring to an article published in State of The Union authored by Claire O’Hare, the ban on single use plastic bags for groceries in New Jersey backfired. There has been a threefold increase in the use of plastic consumption to manufacture reusable bags. The intent to reduce pollution from single use plastic bags has done the opposite by increasing greenhouse emissions by 500% to produce re-usable bags. Studies showed reusable bags were used twice then discarded. In order for the woven polypropylene plastic bags to achieve the benefit intended they would need to be used at least 16 times.

Want to share your opinion?

I can remember growing up and well into my adult life that grocery bags were brown paper. Some got re-used but most were discarded or burned depending on the area I lived in at the time. I never remember many issues arising from the use of those paper products as they would eventually decompose, unlike the plastic that replaced them. The material to manufacture them came from a renewable resource and processing had little impact on the environment. Paper can be recycled.

Plastic in many forms has now permeated everything in our lives. It can be found in our food, water, and the air we breathe. Micro and nano plastics can be found everywhere on our planet, including the polar icecaps.

I recently read several articles pointing out adverse effects of the spread of the plastic particles and health issues associated with them. Google an arti-

cle from the National Institute of Health (NIH) concerning plastics and its adverse health effects. Sadly, many of these plastics and forever chemicals that came about to make our lives better have done the opposite. From non-stick coatings in cookware to plastic bottles. Plastic grocery bags to replace paper. Plastic milk jugs to replace glass or paper cartons. We probably had good intentions but did not look far enough down the road at the unintended consequences. I think if we knew then what we know now we may have taken a different approach. Not sure how we can put that genie back in the bottle.

I try to recycle. At the same time, I realize plastic containers limit my shopping choices but if glass or an alternative exists, I buy accordingly. The consumer can help shape the market by forcing manufacturers to look at packaging options. If we shop glass and metal (both can be recycled) and shy away from plastic, maybe we can have a positive impact on our planet going forward. Read the articles and look at the pictures of floating masses of plastic in our waterways and ask yourself if there is a better way. Think before you drink that bottled water. You are most likely drinking plastic particles with that water.

Please read, think, ask questions, and offer your ideas that may reverse this environmental

The Polk County Pulse welcomes letters to the Editor addressing any topic of interest to our readers. To be published, letters must not contain obscene or libelous language. Letters do not reflect the viewpoints or opinions of Pulse Multi-Media.

Signatures will NOT be held out by request. Letters will be restricted to 500 words. Any letters longer than 500 words requires purchase of advertising space. Letters are not corrected or edited unless permission is given by the author.

The following contact information is required when submitted for consideration: NAME, AGE, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER.

Letters are published at the discretion of the Editor and Publisher.

Letters may be submitted by e-mail to news@mypulsenews.com; mailed to P.O. Box 1450, Mena, AR 71953, or dropped off at 1168 Hwy. 71 South, Mena. A drop box is provided by the front door for after-hour convenience.

health crisis. Could be our past generations had it right to begin with.

As always, I thank you for a forum to address my thoughts though we may peacefully disagree.

With respect and kindest regards,

Ronald Goss, retired, Mena

Two local groups combine for Great American Clean-up

By Ethan Nahté

The Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission (KAB) has announced the kickoff of the 2024 Keep America Beautiful™ Great American Cleanup® (GAmC) in Arkansas.

A pair of local groups seek volunteers for the tentatively titled Great Arkansas Eclipse Clean-up. They will be picking up litter on Saturday, March 23, beginning at 9 a.m. and lasting until approximately 11 a.m. starting in front of Handy Hardware.

The Democratic Party of Polk County, Arkansas, and Human Rights Mena are combining forces once more to clean-up a portion of Highway 71. In 2023, they adopted a section that stretches between Handy Hardware to Hillcrest Baptist Church in the Arkansas Adopt-A-Highway program.

If

They have a limited number of T-shirts and will give them out while they last. Gloves, safety vests and trash bags will be provided. Volunteers should bring their own trash grabbers.

The public is invited to join, either individuals or other groups. Volunteers do not have to be a member of either organization to participate. They welcome anyone wanting to help beautify the area.

Contact Linda G. Johnson at 479234-7966 with questions or to volunteer.

In addition, there will be another clean-up following the solar eclipse event. The date and times are to be determined.

If you’d like to find out more from the official Keep Arkansas Beautiful Council, check out Page 14 in this issue of The Pulse.

they get several volunteers, that will determine the distance they cover,

possibly picking up litter beyond Hillcrest.

Volunteers cleaned up alongside Highway 71 between Handy Hardware and Hillcrest Baptist Church last October. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

From the State House of Representatives

This week, the Arkansas Legislative Council and the council subcommittees convened at the Capitol.

The council approved the permanent payment rules for Educational Freedom Accounts. Educational Freedom Accounts may be used by eligible families to cover private school tuition, fees, uniforms, and some other required expenses. Firsttime kindergarteners, students enrolled in “D” or “F” rated schools, students with a disability, current or former foster care students, students experiencing homelessness, or students whose parents are active-duty military, veterans, law enforcement or first responders will be eligible to use the accounts in the 2024-2025 school year. All public school students will be eligible in the 2025-2026 school year.

is listed on the person’s birth certificate, passport, or identification document from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The ALC Game and Fish/ State Police Subcommittee continued its study on possession and open-carry laws concerning firearms this week. The subcommittee will begin hearing recommendations regarding these laws at its next meeting on Monday, March 25. The meetings are open to the public. You can find the agenda and a link to sign up to comment at www.arkleg.state.ar.us.

From the State Senate

A legislative committee voted to add $25.2 million to a revolving loan fund for safe drinking water projects.

The majority of the funds will be loans, but local water systems can apply to have the principle forgiven.

The state Division of Natural Resources brought the funding request to legislators on the Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Committee (PEER).

strengthen its fraud prevention team.

The money will pay for extra staff and enhanced training with new technology that more quickly identifies fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance benefits. Prison inmates have filed for benefits. Also, some people fraudulently file claims in numerous states. Others file for unemployment even though they are working.

The council also approved an emergency rule from the Department of Finance and Administration that requires Arkansans to list their gender on their driver’s license. The rule states the gender must match what

john.maddox@

520 Church Avenue

Mena, AR 71953

Call: 479-394-6060

Terry Rice

Terry.Rice@senate.ar.gov

P.O. Box 2195

Waldron, AR 72958

479-637-3100

The latest revenue report presented to the council shows gross general revenues have decreased by $113 million or 2% below what was collected last year. Meanwhile, unemployment in the state remains steady at 3.7% in Arkansas for the third consecutive month.

As a reminder, the legislature will convene for a Fiscal Session on April 10. We will continue to update you on the latest developments from the Capitol.

John Boozman

1120 Garrison Ave.

Suite 2B

Fort Smith, AR 72901

Phone: (479) 573-0189

Fax: (479) 575-0553

Bruce Westerman

101 Reserve St. Suite 200

Hot Springs, AR 71901

Phone: (501) 609-9796

Fax: (501) 609-9887

Legislators on the committee, especially those who represent rural areas, emphasized the need for the Natural Resources Division to extensively publicize the availability of the funds. One senator said that the water systems that most need financial help are most likely to be the ones that are not aware of the availability of grants and loans.

Legislators asked for copies of the application form to share with water systems and small cities in their districts.

The Natural Resource Division uses a formula to determine whether or not a water system qualifies for forgiveness of the principle. Rates paid by customers are a factor, so that rates are held down as much as possible. The formula takes into account the per capita income of ratepayers and a system is considered “rate burdened” if customers pay 1.5 percent of their income on water bills.

The action by PEER is the latest in a series of efforts to improve the infrastructure of water systems throughout Arkansas. Last month the Natural Resources Division announced that $42 million would become available for water systems serving 22,000 people.

In other action PEER recommended approval of $1.7 million for the state Workforce Services Division to

According to Division officials, Arkansas is in the top ten nationwide in holding down improper payments for fraudulent claims.

PEER also approved a request from the Department of Human Services for $2.9 million so that the state can join a national program to provide lunches for disadvantaged children during the summer. The children qualify for free or reduced priced meals during the school year, but those meals are not available in summer months.

The federal government will provide matching funds. A spokesman for the Human Services Department estimated that 373,000 Arkansas children would be eligible for the lunch program.

In other action, PEER recommended allowing the state Health Department to use about $8.1 million to update the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program so that recipients can interact online.

The upgrades will allow recipients to digitally schedule appointments online and to fill out forms that now are on paper.

A new option will allow participants to “chat” electronically and ask questions online. After the upgrades are in place, the system will have an online shopping platform to allow WIC participants to shop online for groceries.

John Maddox

Terry Rice

Reda Clayburn

Reda Clayburn, age 84, of Hatfield, Arkansas, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, March 14, 2024.

Reda was born in Hatfield, Arkansas, to Hoyt McDaniel and Stella Davis McDaniel. She was married to Sam Clayburn on May 15, 1958, in Hatfield, AR. Before Sam’s passing in 2021, they celebrated 63 years of marriage.

Reda was a member of the Freewill Baptist Church of Hatfield. Shortly after she married, Reda began working at the Renova shirt factory, which later came to be known as Aalfs. She and Sam also raised chickens for Tyson for 40 years.

Reda loved spending time outdoors. She enjoyed working in her flower beds, brush-hogging the pastures, laboring in the garden, and tending to the many animals they raised on the farm. She always grew way more food than they could eat, and what she didn’t cook or can, she insisted on giving away. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, and she will be missed by all who knew her.

Reda was preceded in death by her parents, Hoyt and Stella McDaniel; siblings, Elbert McDan-iel, Anna Mae Taylor, and Roy McDaniel; an infant daughter; sister-in-law, Billie Faye McDaniel; niece, Pat Peek; nephew, Randy McDaniel, and her husband, Sam Clayburn.

She is survived by her children, Debbie Alley of Hatfield, Arkansas; Steve Clayburn and wife Stephanie of San Augustine, Texas; Dennis Shayne Clayburn of Tucker, Arkansas; daughter-in-law, Tanya Russell of West Fork, Arkansas; grandsons, Adam Gates and wife Mysti of Hatfield; Brandon Gates of Hatfield; Rickey Gates of Texarka-

na, Texas; Wade Clayburn of Pearland, Tex-as; Jake Clayburn and wife Jessica of San Augustine, Texas; granddaughters Kerenza and Alexa Russell of West Fork; 11 great-grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, March 19th, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Bowser Family Funeral Home.

Graveside services will be held at the Lone Valley Cemetery of Hatfield, under the direction of the Bowser Family Funeral Home, on Wednesday, March 20th, at 2:00 p.m. with Raymond Dees and Kevin Jewell officiating.

Pallbearers include Jody Walston, Kurtis Walston, Billy Bates, Dalton Doughty, Ricky McDaniel and Larry Taylor. Honorary pallbearers include Kenny Romine and David Fisher.

Richard

Lee

Warner

Mr. Richard Lee Warner, age 83, passed away Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Waldron, Arkansas. He was born May 23, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois, to the late Marjorie Marthaler.

Mr. Richard Warner was a happy soul who loved to laugh, joke around, and tell tall tales. He especially loved going deer hunting with his family. Richard was a lively presence who brightened the day of anyone he met. He was loved by all who knew him and will be missed beyond measure.

Mr. Richard Warner was preceded in death by his mother, Marjorie Marthaler, brothers, Michael Warner, Earl Parkhurst, and Robin Parkhurst. He is survived by his brothers, Raymond Warner and wife Linda, William Parkhurst and wife Nancy, and George Parkhurst.

Cremation services for Mr. Richard Warner are entrusted to Beasley-Wood

Funeral Home. There are no services planned at this time.

Online obituary and guestbook at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

Joseph Gooch

In Mena, Arkansas, our beloved Joseph Gooch peacefully passed away at the age of 93 surrounded by loved ones on March 8th, 2024. Born October 14th, 1930, in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Joseph lived a full life serving his country, lovingly raising his family and generously giving to the church and his community.

From a young age Joseph Gooch was driven to better his humble beginnings by applying himself to his education. A strong belief that he passed down to his children. He mastered languages, traveled the world, forged worldwide friendships and gained a lifetime worth of incredible stories he was ready to tell anyone lucky enough to listen.

Joseph honorably served his country in both the army for 6 years and the Air Force for 20 years. He dutifully fought in two separate wars, Korean War and Vietnam war. He attained the rank of staff sergeant and retired to raise his family in Mena, Arkansas.

Known as “Mr. Fix-it” Joseph was quite savvy and was able to fix just about anything with a little duct tape, some bungee cords and rubber bands. All while telling a joke or two followed by a story with amazing twists.

Joseph Gooch passed down to generations his kind and loving teachings. Always ready with a life lesson. He was hard working, fiercely loved God, his family and his country. He will be deeply missed and never forgotten.

He is survived by his loving wife of over 63 years Paula T. Gooch; his pride and joy daughters, Grace Newsom,

Elizabeth Wages, grandchildren Brandon Traugott and wife Candace, Heather Payerli and Thomas, Suzy Newsom and Lily Newsom; great-grandchildren Alex Payerli, Lavender Traugott, Ivy Grace Traugott, Catherine Payerli, Grayson Traugott, Phoenix Traugott and Asher Traugott.

Joseph Gooch is preceded in death by his mother Lessie Gooch and his tender grandchild Grayson Traugott.

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

Online obituary and guestbook at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

Grief is the price we pay for love.

~Queen Elizabeth II

Joseph Terry Lane

Mr. Joseph Terry Lane, age 62, passed away Monday, March 11, 2024, in Mena, Arkansas. He was born September 12, 1961, in Mena, Arkansas, to the late Clifford David and Emma Ruby May (Bissell) Lane.

Terry was a logger by profession, working for many years in the Arkansas forests. Terry was known as the life of the party, loving to joke around and pick at people. He was also known for his generosity, it was said that if you needed it, Terry would give you the shirt off his own back. He was a collector of many things, especially loving to collect rocks. But above all else, Terry was a family man at heart, he enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Terry is preceded in death by his parents, Clifford David and Emma Ruby May Lane; his beloved wife, Tina Lane; daughter, Terri Jo Lane; and by his brothers, Justen Lane and Jeffery Lane.

He is survived by his son, Chase Lane and wife Shannon; daughter, Jessica Williams; grandchildren, Danielle White, Faith White, Abigail, Ezekial, Monocco, Amolia, Malachi, Job, Abraham, and Gabriel Contreras; sisters, Judy Schuller and husband Jim, Joan Marshall and husband Charles, Jane Seaton and husband Bobby, Julie Woodral and husband Freddie.

Graveside services for Mr. Joseph Lane will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the Piney Cemetery in Black Fork, Arkansas. There will be a visitation held Friday, March 15, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Beasley-Wood Funeral Home.

Pallbearers are Doug Seaton, Justen Davis, Chase Lane, “Buck” Lane, Bobby Seaton, and Freddie Woodral.

Online obituary and guestbook at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

Joseph Carl Simmons

Mr. Joseph Carl Simmons, age 82, went to join his heavenly Father on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. He was born December 28, 1941, in Big Cedar, Oklahoma, to Albert Levi Simmons and Elsie Myrle Farless Simmons.

Joseph was a man of many trades, having worked at US Motors for 17 years, he also worked for the Lyles’ as an appliance repairman, additionally he worked for GE under the same occupation. He purchased Ben’s Electric in 1990 from Ben Gilliam and was the proud owner and operator.

Joseph was a veteran of the United States Army, he was always very proud of that fact, even though he had been drafted. It was said that Joseph could fix anything.

Mr. Simmons was an outdoorsman at heart, loving to go deer hunting and fishing. But above all, Joseph was deeply rooted in his Christian faith and loved singing and praising his Lord. As a teenager, he sang with the Rich Mountain Quartet.

Mr. Simmons is preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Elsie Simmons; brother, Alvin Simmons; and by his daughter-in-love, Sherry Story Simmons.

Joseph is survived by his beloved wife, Janice “Arlene” Simmons (Joe’s Darling); sons, Waylon Simmons and wife Carol, Scotty Simmons and wife Ginger; daughters, Monica (Simmons) Smith and husband John, Melissa (Simmons) Nichols and husband Craig; grandchildren, Joshua and Nathan Smith, Jodi Flores, Wesley and Jessalyn Simmons, Ansley Simmons and Alyson and Victoria Nichols; great-grandchildren, Ezabella and Gracelynn Smith, Adelynn Smith, Micah Flores, Jr., and Baby Simmons who will be arriving

in August; brothers, Tony Simmons, Doyel Simmons; sisters, Billie Arnold, Sue Upton, Shirley Fransico; special cousin, Vernon Davis and wife Freda; as well as by a host of other family and friends too numerous to mention.

Services for Mr. Joseph Carl Simmons will be held Friday, March 15, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., at the Beasley-Wood Chapel in Mena, Arkansas. Brother Roger Bishop will be officiating under the direction of Beasley-Wood Funeral Home. Interment will follow at the Big Cedar Cemetery in Big Cedar, Oklahoma. There will be a visitation held Thursday, March 14, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Beasley-Wood Funeral Home.

The Pallbearers are Joel Davis, Chris Davis, Shannon Davis, Josh Bates, Nathan Russell, and Scotty Russell. Honorary Pallbearers are Audrey Cost, Vernon Davis, Jim Russell, Eugene “Hoot” Davis, and L.J. Dugan.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the Elite Hospice Team for the care they provided for Arlene’s Darling.

Online obituary and guestbook at beasleywoodfuneralhome.com

LaRita Chitwood

LaRita Chitwood, age 82, of Mena, Arkansas, passed away on Sunday, March 17, 2024, at the CHI St. Vincent Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas. She was born on Friday, August 1, 1941, to Lawrence Wade and June Evelyn Harpole in Brooklyn, New York.

Proud, confident, and endlessly tenacious, she pursued her dreams with unwavering resolve, shaping her own destiny at every turn. With a sharp wit and an honesty that was both refreshing and at times, unyielding, LaRita charmed those around her, infus-

ing every moment with laughter and light. Her love for her family knew no bounds, as she fiercely protected and cherished them with unwavering loyalty. LaRita’s vibrant presence illuminated every room she entered, and her zest for life served as an inspiration to all who were fortunate enough to share in her journey. Though she may be gone, her spirit will continue to shine brightly in the hearts of those who were touched by her warmth and grace.

She is preceded in death by her parents; one son, Jerry Dean Inman Jr; two brothers, Larry Harpole and Gary Harpole.

LaRita is survived by her loving husband of 45 years, Jake Chitwood of Mena; one daughter Teresa Lunsford of Mena; grandchildren, Brian Inman of Bauxite, Shawn and Mandi Inman of Rogers, Joshua and Stephanie Lunsford of Fayetteville, Zachary Lunsford of Mena, Amanda and Travis Cook of Mena; great-grandchildren, Raya Camille Inman of Rogers, Waylon Lee Lunsford of Fayetteville, Julianna June Cook of Mena; and daughter-in-law, Vanda Inman of Mena; and a host of other relatives and friends.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 10:00 AM at the St. Agnes Catholic Church in Mena, Arkansas with Father Norbert Rappold as celebrant. Interment will follow at the Pinecrest Memorial Park in Mena, Arkansas under the direction of Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena, Arkansas. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM with a Rosary Service taking place at 6:30 PM at the Bowser Family Funeral Home Chapel in Mena, Arkansas.

Mayor Smith’s State of the City Address

MENA, ARKANSAS — (March 12, 2024)

Administration and Economic Development

To the honorable members of the Mena City Council, city employees, ladies and gentlemen of the audience, and my fellow citizens, I am pleased to report to you on the “State of the City” of Mena, Arkansas, for the year of 2023.

The City Council approved an operating budget of $6,164,715 for 2023. As has been the practice for the last few years, a very conservative approach was taken with budget projections; however, sales tax revenues continue to increase, which has allowed us to update equipment and resources in all City departments. I am proud to say the City ended the year with a strong bottom line.

Some highlights for the year 2023 included:

- the City has partnered with other entities for economic development consulting.

- an engineering firm was contracted to assist with grant writing and infrastructure planning.

- keeping in line with other cities in Arkansas, the Mayor’s purchasing threshold was raised to $15,000.00.

- longtime member Dwight Douglas resigned his position on the City Council and Brooke Hines was appointed to that position.

- using ACEDP grant funds, three used vehicles were purchased for the Senior Center.

The 2023 twelve-month financial statement, which reflects revenues and expenditures for all City depart-

ments, is incorporated as a part of this report and details the financial “State of the City.”

Building and Construction

Commercial construction permits issued last year in Mena consisted primarily of alterations and renovations including a Union Bank remodel, an up-and-coming Wine and Spirit es-tablishment, and miscellaneous added office space. In addition, residential permitting included the construction of four (4) new homes, five (5) extensive home restoration projects, and several minor repairs and remodels. Nine (9) Conditional Use Permits, three (3) rezonings, two (2) minor subdivisions, and three (3) lot-splits were approved; 28 citations for property maintenance and cleanup were issued; and a major eyesore property on 10th Street was cleanedup.

- 98 building permits were issued in 2023 for a total construction cost of $2,157,300.00.

Other permits issued included:

- 87 plumbing

- 73 electrical

- 36 HVAC

- 101 street cuts

- 10 demolitions

- Also, there were 10 signage/advertising permits; 18 tile/culvert permits; and 35 city licenses issued during the year.

The City entered into a contract with Western Arkansas Planning & Development District to update our zoning maps and GIS system; and requirements for the installation of curb and guttering in subdivisions were reinstated.

Advertising and Promotion

In 2023, the Mena Advertising and Promotion Commission continued to budget 50% of their revenues toward promotional events, festivals, advertising campaigns, and brochures for the City of Mena. Pasha Watson was promoted to Executive Director. 2023 A & P Activities and Accomplishments:

Projects

- Cost share of Tapley Park splash pad.

- Installed surveillance cameras at Mena Depot.

- RFQ: hired mountain bike trail builder for Ward Lake trails.

Events

- Hosted 46th Annual Lum & Abner Music and Arts Festival.

- Funded 4th of July fireworks at Tapley Park.

- Hosted first annual Jeep Jam at Tapley Park.

- Funded Christmas Festival music and fireworks.

Promotion

- Funded and hosted KTBS Shreveport to visit Mena to highlight businesses and amenities of the community.

- Agreement to provide A&P with a percentage of sales with Rock Creek Apparel to sell Mena promotional items and handle online sales.

- Certified Folder Distribution was utilized to distribute Mena literature to target markets.

- The Mena Star was contracted to provide targeted digital advertising using GPS data to target potential visitors in other areas of Arkansas and surrounding states about Mena as a destination.

- Ads were placed in Arkansas

State Tourism publications and social media platforms to bring awareness to area tourism.

- Planning and promotion of the Eclipse Festival were executed.

Tapley Park

In 2023, the Mena A&P Commission continued to support the development and maintenance of Tapley Park by dedicating 50% of their budget to the Park.

- Tapley Park was able to serve the area youth once again with a volleyball court, multi-ple playgrounds, and baseball, softball, and soccer leagues.

- New tennis Courts have been completed.

- One of the baseball fields has been extended and in 2023 we were able to offer baseball to kids over 12 years old and adult softball.

- In 2023, there were over 950 youths and adults that participated in sports activities at Tapley Park

- Tapley Park hosted 2 baseball tournaments, 1 soccer tournament, and 1 adult softball tournament in 2023.

- Tapley Park offered a CO-ED adult soccer league that ran through the summer into October.

- A new field groomer with attachments was purchased for the Park.

- In 2023, the City was awarded a $250,000.00 matching grant which is being used toward the construction of a splash pad, new restroom, and pavilion area. This

MENA

construction should be completed in the spring of 2024.

- Tapley Park is also host to the annual 4th of July fireworks display for the city.

You can always find all the events hosted at the Park at www.tapleysports.com This site gives the public the ability to register online for any league or tournament play held at Tapley Park and is home to all information regarding the Park and its events or visit us on our facebook page Aubry D. Tapley Sports Complex.

Airport Status Report and Highlights for Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport for the year 2023:

- Taxiway C Design: Design of the Taxiway extend, and shift project has been com-pleted. An FAA CIP grant for this work had been granted in the amount of $188,775.00. The total amount spent on the project was $188,668.00. Paperwork for the reimbursement of final expenditures and closure of the grant was submitted to the FAA on January 5, 2024, Actual Construction of the improvements may start as early as this May.

- Taxiway Construction: Due to the cost of the construction project, it will be divided into four different stages covered by four separate grants.

◊ One grant will be to extend the taxiway an additional 1,300 feet to the north end of the runway thereby making the taxiway a full-length taxiway. Another phase/grant will relocate approximately 600’ of the taxiway to the proper separa-

tion distance from the runway centerline. Per the current FAA Advisory Circular, the existing taxiway is too close to the runway. The third stage will be to in-stall some of the taxiway edge lighting for the 1,300’ extension and 600’ relocation. A fourth stage of construction will include relocation of approximately 2,100’ of existing taxiway to the proper separation distance from the runway centerline. We will advertise for bids on the fourth stage this spring, apply for an additional FAA grant this summer, with construction expected as early as Fall 2024.

◊ Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation (BIL) additional funding is available in addition to the funds from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The additional funding will enable us to complete the first three stages of the project (approximately $4,000,000 total project cost) with virtually no out-of-pocket expense. There are also plans to obtain a State Grant to expand the west side parking area since the size of the apron will be reduced by shifting a portion of the taxiway away from the runway.

- Hangar Roof Repair: In 2023, an 80/20 State grant was awarded to the City of Mena by the Arkansas Division of Aeronautics to repair the leaking roofs on two of the City owned hangars. This work has been accomplished and payment from the Arkansas Division of Aeronautics in the amount of $137,195.66 was received. The cost of the work was $171,494.57.

dispensed fuel on field; which was known as the “Mena Air Center”; and, was owned and operated by Quantum Group FBO Holdings LLC is now operated by the Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport and is now known as “Mena Municipal Air Center.”

- The airport recently switched its accounting software from QuickBooks to Arkansas based CenterPoint Fund Accounting software. The software is used by many Arkansas municipalities and counties.

- The airport has approximately 20 businesses that employ 175-225 area residents.

- Companies at the airport continue to service Army, Navy, and Air Force military contracts in addition to General Aviation aircraft.

- The airport is by-in-large self-supporting regarding day-today operating expenses. Moreover, a recent study commissioned by the Arkansas Division of Aeronautics, shows the airport has a first-round economic impact of almost $30 million to the local economy and a second-round impact of just over $18 million for a total statewide eco-nomic impact of almost $48 million.

Fire Department

A total of 199 incidents were logged by the Mena Fire Department in 2023 compared to 159 in 2022. They responded to 62 fire related calls, 48 rescue and first responder calls, 83 service calls, and 6 standby assistance calls at the airport compared to 9 calls in 2022.

- 43 Business inspections were completed in the year.

- Certified pump testing and maintenance of the fire department fleet was conducted again in 2023.

- Fire prevention/education materials were distributed to all elementary schools in Polk County through partnering with the National Fire Safety Council and the financial support of local businesses and organizations.

- The department purchased an Inflatable Fire Safety House partially paid for through a Walmart Community Grant of $3500 which will be used in future fire safety programs.

- The department replaced an aging aerial apparatus with a newer tested/certified aerial apparatus.

- Received the new 2023 brush truck that was ordered in 2022.

- The department sold a 1993 model pumper truck and ordered a new apparatus with an expected delivery this month.

- The department received a grant of 100 smoke alarms from the Arkansas Fire Prevention Commission.

- With a donation from Chambers Bank, the department supplied each firefighter with a Guardian Angel Light to increase safety.

- The department implemented a new Fire Records Management System.

Continued training is essential for the men and women of the Mena Fire Department. Training last year consisted of:

- 998 hours of certified training from the Arkansas Fire Training Academy, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Forestry Di-

continued from page 8 See MENA

- Mena Municipal Air Center: The Fixed Base Operation that

- 20 Fire safety programs were presented to the community.

- 9 Smoke alarms were installed.

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continued from page 1

extended half the length of the grocery aisle with the frozen foods.

By 2 p.m. on Monday, the store had closed their doors and did not reopen until 9 a.m. on Tuesday mainly due to there being too many customers. Social media posts stated there was nowhere to even park.

Upcoming closures for the chain, owned by Dollar Tree, Inc. since 2015, were announced last week. Family Dollar has approximately 8,000 stores in the continental U.S. Almost one-eighth of those stores will be closing their doors for good as approximately 600 locations will close by June 2024 and another 370 stores will be closing over the next several years as their leases expire. Dollar Tree stores will also close 30 stores as leases expire.

It may leave some scratching their heads as the fourth quarter reports for 2023 announced in the business highlights that parent company Dollar Tree, Inc. opened 219 new stores in the fourth quarter, bringing the total number of new store openings to 641 for 2023.

The Dollar Tree, Inc. reports results for the Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2023 were released March 13.

Within the report, it was stated operating loss was $1.89 billion and operating margin was -21.9%. On a non-GAAP basis, adjusted operating income increased 21.2% to $749.1 million and adjusted operating margin expanded 70 basis points to 8.7%.

The report also stated, in part during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, we announced that we had initiated a comprehensive store portfolio optimization review which involved identifying stores for closure, relocation or re-bannering based on an evaluation of cur-

rent market conditions and individual store performance, among other factors. As a result of this portfolio optimization review, we plan to close approximately 970 underperforming Family Dollar stores, including approximately 600 stores to be closed in the first half of fiscal 2024, and approximately 370 stores to be closed at the end of each store’s current lease term.

Additionally, we identified approximately 30 underperforming Dollar Tree stores for closure and plan to close each at the end of the store’s current lease term. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, we incurred $594.4 million of charges in connection with the store portfolio optimization review, comprised of $503.9 million of store long-lived asset impairment charges, $80.6 million of inventory markdowns, $5.6 million of capitalized distribution cost impairment and $4.3 million in third party consulting fees incurred related to the review.

Rodent infestation

On Feb. 26, another article on the

continued on page 11

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continued from page 10 company’s website discussed the lawsuit regarding the investigation into operations at the Family Dollar Distribution Center in West Memphis, Arkansas, and unsanitary conditions with a rodent infestation.

The Company has reached a resolution with the Consumer Protection Branch (“CPB”) of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas (“DOJ”) regarding its investigation, launched on March 1, 2022, into the operations at Family Dollar’s distribution center in West Memphis, Arkansas.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Family Dollar Stores LLC has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to a one count misdemeanor violation relating to acts that caused FDA-regulated product held in DC 202 to become adulterated. Under the plea agreement, Family Dollar has agreed to pay $200,000 in fines and a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $41,475,000 to the United States, which relates to the value of the adulterated FDA-regulated products that were held in DC 202. The plea agreement cites the Company’s “extensive cooperation” throughout the process. …

Dollar Tree recently announced that Family Dollar plans for operations to return to West Memphis, Arkansas, with a fully reimagined and refreshed distribution center. The new facility, expected to be operational by fall 2024, reflects more than $100 million in current and anticipated future investments. The facility, which is expected to initially provide more than 300 new jobs for Arkansas workers, is being rebuilt with a strong emphasis on safety, sanitation, and compliance

and should serve as a model of excellence for all facilities in the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar network.

The fine Family Dollar received is the largest to date for a food safety

categories of either fixed, low or medium… and Polk County is not alone. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the official poverty rate in 2022 was 11.5%, with 37.9 million

fine, totaling $41.7 million over the rat-infested warehouse. That distribution center did not supply the Mena store.

Once again, the loss of another business in the area as a suspected influx of tourists arrive in a couple of weeks for the Great Solar Eclipse of 2024. It leaves one less resource for locals and tourists to purchase goods. It will also mean the loss of local jobs.

That leaves Dollar Tree and Dollar General for discount retail chain options in Mena. There are also Dollar General stores located within Polk County in Hatfield, Cove and Wickes.

Backlash

In a city the size of Mena, are three dollar stores overkill? There’s no doubt there are plenty of area residents who fall into the income

half of all retail stores opened in the U.S. between 2018-2021 were dollar stores.

Some communities and larger cities have viewed the wide spread of dollar stores as a negative impact. The opponents have tried restricting the growth of the three major dollar store chains for various reasons, ranging from health and safety issues to security and crime incidents.

Tulsa, Oklahoma, was the first to pass legislation in 2018, blocking such types of stores from opening within a mile of an existing location. At that time, Tulsa had more than 50 stores between the three chains. 60 other cities and counties across the U.S. have passed restrictions to block new dollar store development.

people in poverty. Neither the rate nor the number in poverty was significantly different from 2021. That number for Polk County, Arkansas, was actually higher than the national figure at 17.3% of persons in poverty.

Polk County’s numbers follow closely with the United States Department of Agriculture, accounting for approximately 53.6 million people, or 17.4% of the U.S. population, who live in areas that are low-income and low-access, and are more than one-half mile or 10 miles from the nearest supermarket.

Yet, across the nation there has been a growing backlash to dollar stores. It is estimated that between Family Dollar, Dollar Tree and Dollar General, the trio have opened more than 15,000 stores since the end of the Great Recession, a period between 2007-2009. Roughly

Many of these cities hope that restricting dollar chains will bring back independently owned momand-pop stores. That’s to be seen as many of the independent stores operating in and around Polk County fight to compete with competition from chain stores or online retailers such as Amazon.

The last day of operation for the Mena store had not been officially released at press time. Considering the number of shoppers in the first five hours on Monday, it won’t take long to clear the shelves.

By Richie Lawry

While cleaning the garage, I found a notepad in my Momma’s handwriting. Before she passed away, she had started writing down a few stories from her childhood. When Daddy was going through Momma’s things after she passed away, he found this notepad and gave it to me. I was happy to see the notepad because I had misplaced it, and it had been a few years since I had seen it. There were only four handwritten pages, but I noticed a theme connecting the stories.

I want to share a few of those stories with you. Momma grew up in California during the Great Depression. Her family had moved to California from Michigan to find work. She was eight or nine when her family moved back to Michigan.

Momma wrote in her notepad, “In Carmel, California, we lived in a stone house with a stone wall around the property. One day, we were left alone and told to stay in the yard. Dot and I were at the end of the driveway when a car came by. Dot picked up some gravel and threw it at the car. The man stopped the car and told us he was going to call the police.

“I took Dot into the house and made her get under the bed. When our folks came home, I wanted to make sure they wouldn’t let the police take Dot away.”

On another page, she wrote, “While we were living in Bonsall, California, Dot and I went to the neighbors. When we were called home, we didn’t go right away. Daddy came after us. I ran ahead, and Daddy spanked Dot’s legs all the way home.”

I want to share one last story that she wrote. “One day, I slammed the door, and Mommy made me sit and wait for Daddy to get home and punish me.

“I was told that if I was unhappy at home, I should leave. I walked down the road a ways but came back and stood outside the door. I asked my

An Arkie’s Faith

Momma’s memories

people to the Lover of their souls.”

Shouldn’t it rather be our privilege to announce to the world the Good News that Jesus is almost here? We can all be ready for that because of what He’s already done before we were born. If we choose Him daily, we have nothing to fear from judgment and hell.

mother what I would eat, what I would wear, and where I would sleep. She told me that would be my problem. So, I decided home was the place to stay.”

I felt sad as I read the stories. I missed my Momma, but that wasn’t why I felt sad. I was heartsick that my Momma’s childhood memories seemed to all have the common theme of fear and punishment.

Unfortunately, Christians often view their Heavenly Father through the same lens of fear and punishment. Many people see God as someone who will treat anyone who is against Him with terrible cruelty. Some Christian writers and speakers spend a lot of time focusing on the wrath of God and how He will torture sinners.

I recently read an article by John Burton titled, “Is it Time for Hell Fire Preaching Again?”. In the article, he stated, “We need hellfire preachers to emerge and announce to the church and the world the reality of their situation and the measure of God’s wrath and judgment that is coming. Contrary to popular belief, a very real revelation of hell, of torment, is needed to draw

I’m afraid I have to disagree with the idea that a very real revelation of hell, of torment, is needed to draw people to God. Instead, I want to lift up a gentle God. In Matthew 11:29 (NCV), Jesus describes himself this way, “Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives.”

Why would Jesus describe himself as gentle? We find the key in 1 John 4:18 (NKJV), “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

I’m not saying that there are no consequences. There is a judgment. Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV) tells us, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

But 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) tells us that God “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Does God use fear as a tactic to lead us to repent? Many Christian preachers and writers use fear. Fear spills over into our outreach efforts. We feel that we must warn the world of judgment, the Second Coming, and hell.

Undoubtedly, the world needs to come to repentance, but does God use fear to motivate us? The Bible says in Romans 2:4 (NASB), “Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”

What leads us to repentance? Is it fear? No, we are led to repentance by the kindness of God. When we experience God’s kindness and feel his love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness, we want to love him. When we love God, we want to please him; we want Him to live in us and work through us.

Seeing God’s kindness towards us makes us sorry for our actions that hurt Him. It leads us to repentance. It doesn’t lead us to fear Him. Jesus doesn’t want us to fear Him. He wants to be our friend.

In John 15:15 (AMP), Jesus says, “I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you My friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father.”

A servant is afraid of his master, but a real friendship should not involve fear. Jesus wants to be our friend and to dispel our fears. He wants to cast out fear.

Gentle Reader, God doesn’t want you to fear Him. He wants to save you. Do you see God as a harsh, demanding, cruel God or a loving God?

Psalms 86:15 (NKJV) says, “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.”

Do you see God as a gentle, compassionate, and gracious God? A God who wants to save you? I hope so!

Lawry’s momma, Pat (left), and her sister Dot.

(Photo courtesy of Richie Lawry)

Arkansas Department of Agriculture hosts “Free Tree Fridays” in recognition of Arbor Day

LITTLE ROCK – In recognition of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders proclaiming March 18 as Arkansas Arbor Day, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division will be hosting giveaways of bare root seedlings at various locations across the state each Friday from March 22 through April 26. National Arbor Day is celebrated each year on the last Friday of April, which will be April 26.

“Spring is an excellent time of year to plant trees,” said Kristine Kimbro, Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator for the Forestry Division. “Adding trees to your yard or to a community forest provides Arkansans with many benefits, including recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat, and beautiful landscapes.”

Species will vary by location and the giveaway will be limited to five seedlings per person on a first come, first served basis. The Arkansas Urban Forestry Council, a new partner in the annual Free Tree Fridays campaign, purchased and donated six species of hardwood seedlings native to Arkansas including red mulberry, bald cypress, sycamore, Shumard oak, cherrybark oak, and river birch.

Following is a listing of locations and times (all are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) currently scheduled:

March 22

- De Queen – Bailey Discount

Building Supply, 880 E. Collin Raye Drive

- Little Rock – Arkansas Department of Agriculture, 1 Natural Resources Drive

- Walnut Ridge – Lawrence County Cooperative Extension Office, 1100 W. Main Street

March 29

- Malvern – Hot Spring County Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Office, 2300 Leopard Lane Suite T

- Mena – Atwoods, 1100 N U.S. 71 North

- Wynne – Wynne Fire Department, 1111 Falls Boulevard

April 5

- Ashdown – Horatio State Bank, 110 Main Street

- Pocahontas – American Made General Store, 1100 Pace Road

- Redfield – Redfield City Ball Park, Huck Finn Boulevard

- Sheridan – Mad Butcher, 815 Rock Street

April 12

- Dierks – Forestry Division Office, 106 Forestry Drive

- Goshen – Goshen City Hall, 124 Church Street

- Lepanto – Parking lot at 205 W. Broad Street

- Lonoke – Marjorie Walker Mc-

Cranry Memorial Library, 204 E. 2nd Street

- Warren – Warren City Park, 400 W. Church Street

April 19

- Benton – River Center-Riverside Park, 1800 Citizens Drive Casa –Casa Community Center, 114 S. Maple Street

- Jonesboro – Earle Bell Community Center, 1212 S. Church Street

- Little Rock – University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street

April 26

- Arkadelphia – Clark County NRCS Office, 640 S. 6th Street Suite C

- Fairfield Bay – Fairfield Bay Chamber of Commerce, 120 Village Place Suite 1

- Osceola – Mississippi County

NRCS Office, 3137 W. Keiser Avenue

- Stuttgart – Chamber of Commerce, 507 S. Main Street

Additional locations may be added throughout the month. Visit agriculture.arkansas.gov/forestry/urban-community-forestry/free-treefriday/

Garland County students plant an oak tree at a 2014 Arbor Day event at Lake Catherine State Park.

(Photo by Ethan Nahté)

Keep Arkansas Beautiful announces kick off of the 2024 Great American Cleanup

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (March 11, 2024) — The Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission (KAB) has announced the kickoff of the 2024 Keep America Beautiful™ Great American Cleanup® (GAmC) in Arkansas. Arkansans are invited to register and host their own cleanups from March 1 through May 31.

This year’s Great American Cleanup is a chance for residents statewide to contribute to beautifi-cation and cleanup efforts, particularly as the state prepares for an expected influx of tourists during the April Great American Eclipse event. Arkansans interested in doing their part to show-case the Natural State’s beauty can recruit volunteers and host their own cleanup or sign up to volunteer at an event near them.

“As we gear up to welcome visitors

from across the country for the 2024 Eclipse event, KAB’s spring cleanup initiative offers a unique opportunity to present Arkansas at its finest,” said Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “By participating in the Great American Cleanup, we can ensure that our communities are clean and welcoming to all who come to experience the state, and help restore our communities to their best after this special event concludes.”

KAB invites individuals and groups to sign up to volunteer or organize a local event during the GAmC at https://bit.ly/2024GAmCsignup.

Organizers can use KAB’s free educational resources and print-ready promotional items to help recruit volunteers and learn how to organize a cleanup. These resources and free

In Spring 2023, out-of-state vistors at Queen Wilhelmina Lodge even helped with the clean-up. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

supplies like disposable gloves, trash bags and fluorescent safety vests are available through KAB by visiting http://bit.ly/KABClean.

“Last year was a historic year for Keep Arkansas Beautiful, as we saw a total economic value of over $4.7 million returned to communities across the state through our cleanup and beautification initiatives,” said Robyn Taylor, volunteer program manager at KAB. “This incredible impact highlights the importance of our collective efforts in beautifying Arkansas, especially as we prepare for a busy

tourism season this spring. We invite all Arkansans to help continue this momentum by registering their own GAmC cleanups today!”

During GAmC cleanup events, volunteers are encouraged to use safety precautions, including not picking up litter with bare hands, wearing bright safety vests along roadways and ensuring children are accompanied by an adult while collecting litter.

For more information, visit keeparkansasbeautiful.com/get-involved/ cleanups.

FarmHER and RanchHER empower women in Agriculture during National Agriculture Week

NASHVILLE, TN – In observance of the 51st National Agriculture Week, two of Rural Media Group’s highly acclaimed series, FarmHER and RanchHER, are proud to amplify the voices and stories of women in agriculture.

National Agriculture Week serves as a reminder of the critical role that agriculture plays in our daily lives. It is also an opportunity to recognize the significant impact that women have in shaping the future of agriculture. Through multimedia platforms, including television shows, events, and social media channels, FarmHER and RanchHER aim to inspire and empower the next generation of female agricultural leaders by showcasing their diverse experiences and achievements.

“Women are the heart of agriculture,” said Raquel Gottsch Koehler, CEO of FarmHer and RanchHer. “They bring diverse perspectives and invaluable contributions. I am proud to recognize the strong female presence in agriculture during National Agriculture Week and reaffirm our commitment to providing FarmHERs and RanchHERs with

the support, resources, and praise they deserve.”

FarmHER and RanchHER offer a variety of programs and initiatives designed to support women

in agriculture, including educational workshops and networking events. Through these efforts, FarmHER and RanchHER strive to foster a more inclusive and equitable agricultural industry where women can thrive and succeed.

FarmHER, the groundbreaking television series showcasing the vital role women play in the agriculture industry, will return to RFD-TV on National Agriculture Day, Tuesday, March 19, at 8:00 p.m. Hosted by the talented Kirbe Schnoor, viewers can anticipate six captivating episodes, each offering an intimate and empowering glimpse into the lives of women shaping the success of farms and rural communities.” Episodes will also repeat each week on Fri -

days at 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. RanchHER television episodes will begin April 30.

“The role of women in agriculture cannot be overstated,” Kirbe emphasized. “Women bring a deep connection to the land that sustains our communities and nourishes our future.”

To watch the FarmHER sizzle reel: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=17BB7-aH8cs

To watch the RanchHER sizzle reel: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=6pDKdrLk-I0

To find RFD-TV in your area: https://www.rfdtv.com/find-uson-tv

To find RFD-TV on demand, please click RFD-TV Now (through subscription): https:// www.watchrfdtv.com/

Mary Pat Sass appearing on the program FarmHER.

PCDC improves recycling center

By Ethan Nahté

Recycling in Mena has had an update at the Polk County Developmental Center (PCDC) since the winter holidays. The recycling center was temporarily relocated as PCDC made improvements to the carport covered ground and bins that were located at the back of their facility at the Eagle Gap Road entrance.

Around the same time PCDC was renovating, which limited recycling drop off, the dumpster outside of James’ Super Save Foods dedicated to collecting aluminum cans for the Marine Corps League ended its service as of Jan. 1. The cans were sold as part of the fundraiser for Toys for Tots program.

PCDC’s recycling is back to ac-

cepting metal and aluminum as part of all they collect.

PCDC Executive Director Bethany Hughes said, “We’re about to expand even more. We have a bigger extension project we’re working on to enclose the side and get rid of the ‘ugly.’”

In the past, there were times, even days after any precipitation, that one would have to walk across lumpy, uneven ground filled with puddles of water and bits of garbage. If footwear was anything open-toed, new, or very nice, the muck could be disconcerting.

“It went from just a carport size to 16 feet,” Hughes said, describing the new covering which sits much higher than the previous structure. “We hired a couple of people to keep it up a little bit better. It’s got the new

The recycling area at PCDC has been cleaned up and improved.

concrete pad.” It also has a yellow post centered at the entrance to help prevent someone from backing into the bins or the new structure.

“That whole thing was really gross,” Hughes said with a laugh. “It was that thick plasticky stuff that mud would just come over. It was terrible. I was mortified when I went out there. I had worked for PCDC a few months before I had even walked over there. In the summer it was just covered in bees. It was nasty.

More than likely, leaked items from aluminum and metal cans onto the mud attracts the bees and other insects.

“Now, it looks really good and I’m excited about it. We are going to continue to expand and improve that area for donations.

“We want to expand recycling, but there’s no money in it… like how we can’t take plastics anymore. We’re looking at possibilities… we need to research a little more and see. We

(Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

stopped two years ago before I came on.”

Recycling was once relatively cheap, but many have found it not cost-effective since 2018 when China quit buying recyclables from overseas, known as the National Sword Policy. It takes time to keep up with the supply as the bins can quickly fill up, especially around Christmas when people have lots of boxes and paper products from gifts.

Then there is the separation to prevent contamination, requiring machines and human hands to separate waste by types.

Recycling paper and cardboard is a bit borderline on cost-effectiveness. Each time it is recycled, the fibers degrade and become shorter. After being recycled six times, it can no longer be used in most paper products except in egg cartons or as toilet paper, which it then becomes

See RECYCLING continued on page 17

RECYCLING

continued from page 16 waste.

Plastic costs more to recycle than it costs to create virgin plastic. That’s not good news for the environment, although the demand for recycled materials to lessen manufacturer’s environmental footprint and to improve sustainability efforts might reverse those costs and make recycling plastic cost-effective.

Metal, including aluminum, and glass are cost-effective. Europe tends to recycle quite a bit of glass, but the U.S. recycling of glass remains below 33%. Finding places to recycle glass are a bit limited in the area, but to recycle glass means a facility has to find a buyer.

Southern Disposal recycles some items PCDC recycles and a few they don’t. Their website states they sort cardboard, newspaper, plastic and

metal; sort and process; then sell by the ton.

The next closest place near Mena that will take plastic (Plastic Grade No. 1 or No. 2) and glass (bottles and jars only) is the public Recycling Center, 218 Runyon St., Hot Springs.

Van Buren and Fort Smith and Van Buren recycle plastic and glass as part of their services, and Russellville takes plastic, but all three of those cities only take residential recycling.

Hughes said, “The vendor who we were shipping to was costing us an astronomical amount. We lose money with the recycling. We offset the cost with the donation from the store. We are truly nonprofit.

“We sell our metal to Mena Metal, who then drives across the country or other parts of the state to get the best price. We looked into it a

couple of months ago. We all work throughout [Southern Disposal]. When Patrick Pasquinzo gets big equipment, it’s from the same grant money we’re getting equipment from. It became a competitive thing between us and them.”

“In the past with glass, it might be a safety issue or not wanting to spend the money to get the glass containers. I don’t know. It’s something I’ve got to look into, especially as we continue to improve over there, and hopefully handle more stuff.”

A few years ago, people could drop off their recycling at any time before PCDC began blocking the drive and only allowing people to drop off recycling during their business hours. If memory serves, that began not long after someone set fire to the dumpster.

“For recycling, it should be open

to where you can get to that porch. The other side, we’re stopping. We’re putting the chain up to mainly keep people from driving through that area because that’s where our clients walk. People try to cut through the side area [from Eagle Gap Road] to get to the store parking lot.”

The bins are clearly marked for metal, aluminum, cardboard, magazines, newspaper, and paper. If you have important documents such as taxes, old invoices or financial statements, PCDC can do confidential shredding, as well, but there is a charge.

PCDC still accepts electronic waste to be recycled.

When you recycle or bring donations to PCDC, you provide jobs for individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities.

[See related PCDC story on Page 18.]

By Ethan Nahté

Knights of Columbus make donation to PCDC

John Golding, grand knight for Knights of Columbus Local Council 7258, is possibly someone you might recognize if you’ve ever donated to the Tootsie Roll Drive. Golding and several other Knights trade Tootsie Rolls for donations, all for a good cause.

“We have finalized our campaign for people with intellectual disabilities for [2023],” Golding said. “We are proud to support PCDC and, due to the generosity of our public, we were able to donate to them over $5,000 this year.”

The funds were raised from the Tootsie Roll donations, as well as Polk County businesses. “It is strictly businesses writing checks and people digging out of their purses [and wallets] for Tootsie Rolls. Everything else we do is to support our other charitable donations. This CPID fund is all for that. I go business to business.”

The CPID (Campaign for People with Intellectual Disabilities) program was once known as PWID (People With Intellectual Disabilities). The name was changed in February 2019.

“We gave another $1,200 to Special Olympics Arkansas. We give 15% to Special Olympics and the other 85% comes straight to PCDC. It’s the best year we’ve had in eight years. Every bit of this stays in Arkansas.

Golding says he knocks on the doors of every business he can find in the county, all the way to Wickes. He’ll start knocking on those doors once again come October. Of course, he wouldn’t be opposed to people and businesses reaching out to him.

“They can reach out to me through Knights of Columbus at St. Agnes [Catholic Church] or reach out to me personally at Arkey13@yahoo. com or call me at 479-394-7427.”

That’s also how those interested in becoming a local member of the K of C can reach out, but Golding points out with a smile and laugh, “…but you’ve got to be Catholic.”

Council 7258 has been a council since 1979 and have done the Tootsie Roll Drive every year. The drive first began in 1970 by three Knights from a council in Chicago. They raised $30,000 that first year. That’s nearly a quarter-of-a-million in today’s dollars.

Golding said it’s been tough, especially since the economy dropped, which the pandemic cer-tainly played a major role in buying Rolls.

“There were years we didn’t make $2,000 and we’re back to where we gave them $5,000 this year. It’s been fantastic.”

Golding said when he gave PCDC Executive Director Bethany Hughes the check she said, “You just covered our prom.”

The prom, entitled “Ooh La La! An Evening in Paris,” was held March at the Christian Motorcyclists Association pavilion. The evening had food, dancing and a red carpet with a lighted Paris sign and Eiffel Tower. There were people of all ages that included people with special needs and other members of the community such as pageant queens, sheriff’s deputies, business-people, and the U.S. military.

If you visit PCDC’s Facebook page, you can find a link to dozens of photos taken by Samantha Maechler.

“We’ll do it again next year and hope for better.”

John Golding, grand knight of Knights of Columbus Local Council 7258, and Bethany Hughes, executive director of PCDC. (Photo courtesy of John Golding)

- SERVICES -

Mobile lawnmower repair and repair flats. Minimum, $20 service call. For details, call Bill Duff (479) 216-5204. T0320

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 T0529

Mena Shuttle - Ground transportation to AR and TX airports. Doctor and emergency appointments. Also, light deliveries. (870) 490-1191 T0327

Construction, steel buildings, welding, pads, ponds, roads, tree services, and mulching. Insured. Give RC Customz a call for free estimates at (479) 216-2976. T0430

Need your yard mowed? Free estimates. Referrals available. Call (479) 234-0509. Leave a message. T0710

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 T0529

- FOR SALE -

Farm fresh brown, non-fertile eggs for sale, $2/dozen. Call Ezra or Debra at (479) 357-0495 T0320

For Sale- Chicken coop $185, Rabbit cage $35, Wire cages $12 each, Cedar boards, $3 each, Ryobi table saw $125, Ryobi planer $135, Woodworking tools, small deep freezer $40. Call Gary (479) 259-6274 T0327

Buying U.S. pre-65 silver coins. Paying top prices. Also buying scrap gold, rings, teeth and coins. Come see me every Friday and Saturday at the Duke’s Junction Flea Market-booth 76 from 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. Call during the week (479) 234-3409 T0410

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

T0424

Brodix, Inc. is accepting applications for a CNC Programmer/Machinist.

The CNC programmer will utilize CAD/CAM software to develop programs to control contour-path machining of aluminum parts on CNC mill machining centers. Responsible for reading and interpreting technical blueprints, inputting design specifications, adjusting machine cutting paths, performing quality checks on final products. Must be able to troubleshoot issues that arise during the manufacturing process, ensure conformance to established procedures and engineering specifications, and pay close attention to detail.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or Equivalent

• High Competence in Fields of CNC Machines, Tooling, and Programming

• 5 Years CNC Set-up and Programming Experience

• Proficiency in Programming Software (Mastercam) and CAD.

• Ability to Lift or Maneuver up to 50 lb.

Applications may be picked up at the Brodix office, located at 301 Maple in Mena, Arkansas 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.

T0424

- HELP WANTED -

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.

T0424

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 fastpaced office setting.

Parts, automotive, and computer experience would be helpful. Applications may be picked up at the Brodix office, located at 301 Maple 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.

T0313

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.

T0424

Brodix, Inc. is accepting applications for an experienced TIG Welder/Manual Machinist for Cylinder Head Repair. This is for a permanent day shift position. The applicant must be proficient in welding aluminum and have manual machining experience. 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.

T0327

Humane Society of the Ouachita’s monthly meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m., Thursday March 21, at La Villa Mexican Restaurant in Mena. All pet lovers welcome.

GriefShare at First Presbyterian Church Mena meet every Wednesday at 1 p.m. for anyone in the community who is grieving the loss of a loved one.

Women for Jesus Group meeting for monthly prayer and study. Everyone welcome. The meeting will be Tuesday, April 16, at the Church of Christ in Clayton, Oklahoma, at 6:30 p.m. Food will be provided. Bring Bible. For more information call Dr. Cynthia Perkins at (918) 429-8538.

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.

The board of directors of Polk County Developmental Center will be meeting at the PCDC Health and Wellness Center on 100 Ninth St. at noon, March 22.

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

The Food Pantry at the Mena Seventh Day Adventist Church is open every first and third Monday of each month, 4-6 p.m., located at Fair Grounds Road. For more information, call (479) 437-4018.

Country, Western, gospel singing and music in the Daisy Room (be -

Around Town

hind Janssen Ave. Florists), 800 Janssen Ave., Mena, 6:30-9:30 p.m. every Thursday. Free event. Bring finger food. For information call Lloyd Knight (479) 2343547.

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.

Join the Ouachita Beekeepers Association on the second Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. (new time) in the Education Building of the Polk County Extension Office, 211 DeQueen St., Mena. Enjoy bee education, door prizes, and socialization with other beekeepers. Contact: Tommy Payne (903) 521-4611.

Jam session every Tuesday night, 6-9 p.m. at Shady Mountain Events, 428 Hwy. 375 East, Mena. No charge, everyone is welcome. All genres of music. Bring your own instrument, come watch or dance. Call (479) 234-7174 with questions.

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.

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.

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.

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) 2345289 or Candice at (501) 356-8300.

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.

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.

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 Mon-

days and Thursdays, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Contact Trena Looney with questions, (479) 394-5459.

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 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.

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!

Police

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

March 11, 2024

No reports.

March 12, 2024

Nancy Odle, 39, of Cove was arrested on six Failure to Appear Warrants.

March 13, 2024

Deputies responded to a report of a theft.

March 14, 2024

Lea Fox, 44, of Grannis was arrested by an officer with the Grannis Police Department on a charge of 2nd Degree Domestic Battery as well as three Failure to Appear Warrants and a warrant for Probation Violation.

Deputies responded to the report of a firearm being found.

Steve Hedrick, 56, of Wickes was arrested on a Body Attachment.

March 15, 2024

Cara Smith, 33, of Cove was arrested on a warrant for Hindering Apprehension and three counts of Permitting Child Abuse.

Robert Jones, 39, of Mena was arrested on a Failure to Appear Warrant.

Jerry Higgins, 48, of Mena was arrested on a Body Attachment. Deputies were dispatched to the re-

MENA POLICE REPORTS

Captain Teague graduates from FBI National Academy

port of a side-by-side fire.

March 16, 2024

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Polk 43 near Potter in reference to a physical domestic disturbance.

March 17, 2024

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Hwy 71 S near Hatfield in reference to an unattended death.

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Hwy 278 E near Wickes in reference to a domestic disturbance.

Deputies responded to a walk-in complainant in reference to harassment.

Deputies were dispatched to a residence on Rodgers Drive near Cove in reference to a welfare check.

Kelly McCarley, 44, of Grannis was arrested on five Failure to Appear Warrants and to be held for another agency.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office worked 1 vehicle accident this week.

Polk County Detention Center

Jail Population: 40 Incarcerated Inmates with 11 Inmates currently on the Waiting List for a State Facility.

March 10

A report of criminal mischief was taken from a walk-in complainant.

March 11

A report of a dog bite was taken at a residence on Canterberry Street.

March 12

A report of theft was taken from Walmart.

March 13

James Pflaum, 76, was served with a warrant after a traffic stop on Mena Street.

A death investigation report was taken at a residence on 9th Street.

March 14

Raymond Kirkbride, 47, was served with warrants at a residence on Dequeen Street.

Windal Loyd, 43, was charged with Criminal Trespass at Tobacco SuperStore.

March 15

William Parsons, 27, was served with a warrant on Highway 8 East.

A report of theft was taken from Walmart.

March 16

A report of theft of motor fuel was taken from Murphy USA.

Johnathan Woody, 29, was Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and served with a warrant after a traffic stop on 4th Street.

On Friday, March 15, 2024, ASP Captain Craig Teague graduated as a member of the 289th session of the FBI National Academy. The graduation took place at the National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Nationally, fewer than one percent of officers have the opportunity to attend and complete the prestigious program.

Internationally known for its academic excellence, the National Academy offers ten weeks of advanced communication, leadership, and fitness training. Participants must have proven records as professionals within their agencies to attend. On average, these officers have 21 years of law enforcement experience and usually return to their agencies to serve in executive-level positions.

The 289th session consisted of 197 law enforcement officers. The 289th session of the National Academy consisted of men and women from 47 states and the District of Columbia. The class included members of law enforcement agencies from 23 countries, four military organizations, and five federal civilian organizations.

Captain Teague, a 15-year veteran of the ASP, has been assigned to the Administrative Services Division since 2015, promoted to sergeant in 2018, lieutenant in 2021, and Captain in 2023. He currently serves as the Administrative Services Assistant Division Commander and has served on the ASP SWAT team for 12 years. Captain Teague is a graduate of Hope High School, earned a BA in Criminal Justice from UALR and an MPA from ASU. Captain Teague is the son of Audie and Pam Teague and the brother of Kristen Grummer. Captain Teague is married to Caitlin Teague. They have two sons, Knox and Cruz.

MENA

continued from page 9

- ment of Agriculture Forestry Division, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, DFW International Airport Fire Training Research Center, and the University of Missouri Fire and Rescue Training.

- 861 hours of in-house training was conducted that included safety, fire suppression, ladder operations, rescue, stop the bleed, emergency vehicle driving, live fire training, just to name a few.

Parks Department

Janssen and McMillan Parks are great assets to the community. The pavilions in both Parks are well used throughout the year and the swimming pool, playgrounds and picnic areas are always popular.

The annual Lum & Abner Festival was a huge success with nice weather all weekend. The Christmas Lighting and Fireworks Ceremony was also enjoyable; Parks employees added 14 new figurines to the Christmas display last year including a Charlie Brown scene.

- Evan Fryer was hired as a new full-time employee in May 2023.

- A new weed eater/edger combo and new power washer were purchased for the Department.

- A splash pad with benches and canopies have been added to Janssen Park that will be available for use this spring.

- The Mena/Polk County Rotary Club donated new benches for the Log Cabin porches.

- Two new trash receptacles were placed at the Pavilion in Janssen Park.

- Additional electrical and water

services were installed in the circle area of Janssen Park for easy access during Lum & Abner and other events.

- The “Boy & Girl” Fountain was refurbished, and a new water pump connected.

Police Department

Officers of the Mena Police Department completed 2,387 incident reports, answered 3,272 calls for service, gave 2,057 written/verbal warnings, and made 1,496 arrests from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023.

- The Mena PD has continued to correlate interagency cooperation with the 18th West Judicial District of the Drug Task Force.

* Notation: Some drug arrests may not be disclosed in the Mena Police Department report due to the Drug Task Force leading the operations. Drug arrests shown in the State of the City stats are strictly Mena Police Department arrests as a standalone agency.

- Fulltime officers Russell Gibbons and Steven Stout resigned last year as well as Sergeant Dalton Myers.

- As a result of these vacancies, Travis Youmans, Russell Dye, Travis Gillean, and Logan Fowler were hired as fulltime officers.

- Officers Eddie Price and Chad Davis were promoted to Sergeants.

- The Department received two new 2023 Dodge Durangos.

- Three of the older units, that had been taken out of service, were transferred to the Airport to be used as courtesy cars.

- The Department acquired new bulletproof vests for all fulltime

Officers.

- An agreement was made with a local licensed Federal Firearms dealer (per state statute) to trade-in forfeited guns and outdated City owned guns to receive credit toward the purchase of new guns for all officers.

Animal Control

Summary of Mena Animal Control Department statistics for the year 2023:

- 145 lost animals were picked up in the City limits last year.

- 68 City pet licenses issued.

- 79 dogs & cats adopted out locally or transported to other adoption agencies.

- 31 animals returned to their owners.

- A $1,000 grant was received from Best Friends Network to be used for the needs of the Department.

Mena Regional Health System

2023 Accomplishments:

- Operational Indicators

◊ Total Inpatient Days – 6,576

◊ Births – 201

◊ Emergency Department Visits –8,515

◊ Total Clinic Visits – 39,536

◊ Total Number of Employees (full, part and PRN) – 307

◊ Salaries, Wages & Benefits Paid –$20.7 Million

◊ Net Revenue – $32.4 Million

◊ Uncompensated Care Spending – $1.8 Million

- Growth and Accomplishments

◊ Our Health Fair hosted 51 vendors in September.

◊ ICU was moved back to its dedicated unit in October.

◊ ER received the bronze award

from the American Heart Association for STEMI care.

◊ Faith Boyd ER RN was awarded the Stroke Champion Award.

◊ A breast milk donation center opened in Women’s Center in December in collaboration with UAMS.

◊ Dr. Buechter joined Dr. Sullivan in general surgery providing 24/7 surgery coverage.

◊ Received a diamond award from the Arkansas Hospital Association for our employee newsletter and health fair.

◊ Received numerous Quality Incentive Payments.

◊ Purchased new hospital beds with the help of a $195,000 donation from the MRHS Foundation.

◊ Received a grant from the Arvest foundation for $9,500 for the purchase of new TVs throughout the hospital.

◊ MRHS Auxiliary helped sponsor numerous employee appreciation events as well as 3 local students that received a $1,000 scholarship each.

◊ Purchased 3 new ER stretchers and 2 Stryker wheelchairs with trauma funds from the Trauma grant.

Streets and Infrastructure

Activities of the Mena Street Department during 2023 included:

- 156 loads of debris and 157 loads of brush picked up during the annual spring cleanup.

- 78 loads of brush, limbs & yard debris were picked up during the annual fall cleanup.

- Major drainage projects were

See MENA continued on page 24

MENA

continued from page 23 completed at 10th Street & Bethesda Road and on the North end of Sherwood Avenue with about 200 feet of culverts installed.

- Both upper and lower end aprons were cleaned at Morrow Street Bridge.

- Repaired areas damaged as a result of the March flooding event.

- A new John Deere front-end wheel loader was purchased for the Department.

- The new Kubota tractor and Terrain King boom mower, which had been ordered in 2021, was received and put into service.

- Having two tractors, with mowers working, allowed the Department to accomplish more clearing of rights-of-way and grown-up intersections during the year.

- We were successful in completing an overlay project for the first time in four years. The project included the overlay of approximately 6,000 tons of asphalt on city streets.

- Time Striping, Inc. was contracted to add reflective paint markings on the new overlay and other faded areas of striping.

- Notified that the City had received a State Aid Street grant in the amount of $300,000 for 2024 projects.

Water and Sewer

Mena Water Utilities accomplishments during 2023:

- Installed 27 new water services and replaced 86 water services.

- 46 water main repairs, 8 fire hydrants replaced, 5 valves replaced.

- 35 miscellaneous repairs

- Tested 121 RPZ valves.

- 19 sewer services replaced, and 10 new sewer services installed.

- 6 sewer main repairs replacing 108 ft of sewer collection piping.

- Repaired 4 manholes and raised 20 manholes for street overlay.

structure.

- Replaced a fleet vehicle with a 2023 Dodge Ram 1500 from State bid and a dump trailer.

- Insulated the Maintenance Shop

- Replaced the Lift Station Control Box at Mena Lake Lift Station.

for Animal Control

TOTAL - $685,330.11

- Smoke Tested 21,145 ft of Sewer Collection Lines resulted in 4 repair requirements for the utility and 54 sewer service repairs for customers.

- Replaced one of the pumps at the Eve Street Pump Station.

Personal Remarks

We are so very fortunate to see a con-

- The new wastewater treatment facility was officially named “Prairie Creek Reclamation Facility.”

- The engineering phase for the new facility was completed.

- Implemented New Water and Sewer Rates based on ACT 605

Requirements.

- Completed 32% inspections of water services for lead, taking us to 57% complete (to be 100% complete by October 2024).

- Completed an additional 20% of GIS mapping of the Water and Sewer mains and related infra-

tinual increase in our sales tax revenues. City sales tax was up 1.13% and the County sales tax was up 2.49% over 2022.

Grants awarded in 2023:

- State Fire Protection Services

- (Fire Truck Money) - $54,966.45

- Walmart grant of $3,500 for Fire Department

- Received 100 smoke alarms from the Arkansas Fire Prevention Commission

- FAA & State Aeronautics Grants for the Airport - $325,863.66

- State Aid Street Fund grant of $300,000

- Best Friends Network - $1,000

Congratulations to everyone on the incredible accomplishments that Mena has achieved this past year! It’s amazing to see how you all; citizens, city leaders, city employees, volunteer boards, and commissions have come together to make our city the BEST place to live. Hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed, and it’s clear that there are many forces at work to create a more diverse and prosperous economy.

Thank you for your commitment to making Mena a great place to live, work, and play!!

Mena City Hall during a summer sunset. (Ethan Nahté/Pulse)

Local students awarded VFW scholarships

Submitted by Lora Chamberlain

At the beginning of every year the VFW offers scholarship opportunities for students, sixth through 12th grade, throughout the country. Mena VFW Post No. 4451 would like to congratulate our local post winners. Patriots Pen, sixth-eighth grade

- First Place: Nathan Williamson, $300

- Second Place: Hailey Kha, $200, and she placed second in our district.

- Third Place: Aubom Mabry, $100 - Nathan also received first place in our district and state. Nathan then advanced to National where he placed 17th and received a $1000 scholarship.

Last year approximately 73,000 students were judged on a 300–400-word essay on a patriot theme chosen by the current VFW Com-

mander-in-Chief. This year 40 area students entered the Patriot Pen Contest. Voice of Democracy (VOD) ninth-

12th grade

- First Place: Rebecca Lynn Bloodworth, $600

- Second Place: Matilda Grant, $500

- Third Place: Kaitlynn Ledbetter, $400

Each year nearly 27,000 high school students compete for more than $2 million in scholarships and prizes by writing and recording a 3- to-5-minute audio essay on an annual patriot theme. This year 15 area students entered the local VOD contest.

This year there were less entrants than in previous years. We hope that next year the number of entries will increase. The VFW wants to thank the local teachers and counselors that help get the scholarship info to the students and encourage them to enter, because without them the scholarship program would not be successful.

Students receive DAR Good Citizen Award

Submitted by Kathy Hagler

The Good Citizen Award and Scholarship contest was created by the DAR in 1934 to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship.

This year, the James K. Polk Chapter, NSDAR awarded four outstanding seniors from area schools: First Place-Sophia Vacca (Mena High School); Second Place-Olivia Phillips (Caddo Hills High School); Third Place-Rileigh Hustad (Acorn High School); and Fourth Place-Ethan Youngblood (Cossatot High School).

This award recognizes high school seniors who possess the qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism in their homes, schools and communities. These students are chosen by their teachers and peers because they demonstrate these qualities to an outstanding degree. Only one student per year per school is selected. Once the student is selected, they are

invited to participate in the optional scholarship portion of the program. This consists of a personal statement from the student, as well as an essay. Students do not know the topic they will write about until the day of the essay. Once they are given the topic, they have two hours to write their essay — without the aid of ref-

erence materials. The essays are then judged by three non-DAR members. Scholarships are awarded at the chapter, state, division and national levels.

Mena Middle School student Nathan Williamson placed first in district and state. He placed 17th in the national competition. Christine Oldman (left)VFW state quartermaster and adjunctant and Betty Hogue -District 9 VFW auxiliary president flank Nathan. (Photo submitted by Lora Cross)

DAR Good Citizens (L-R) Ethan Youngblood, Sophia Vacca, Olivia Phillips, and Rileigh Hustad. (Submitted photo)

Presented by THE POLK COUNTY PULSE

ACORN HIGH SCHOOL

Softball

03/23 - Acorn vs. Junction City

03/23 - Acorn vs. Rison

--------------------

COSSATOT RIVER HIGH SCHOOL

Soccer

03/27 - CRSD @ Conway Christian

--------------------

MENA HIGH SCHOOL

Baseball

03/21 - Mena @ Horatio

03/22 - Mena @ Dale

03/23 - Mena @ Spring Hill

03/25 - Mena vs. Centerpoint

03/26 - Mena vs. Pottsville

Soccer

03/25 - Mena @ Heavner

Softball

03/25 - Mena @ Malvern

03/26 - Mena vs. Pottsville

Track

03/26 - Mena @ Mansfield --------------------

MT. IDA HIGH SCHOOL

Baseball

03/25 - Mount Ida vs. Mineral Springs

Softball

03/25 - Mount Ida vs. Mineral Springs

Track

03/26 - Mount Ida @ Jessieville (Jrs.)

--------------------

UA RICH MOUNTAIN

Baseball

03/21 - UARM vs. ASU-Mountain Home

03/23 - UARM @ ASU-Mountain Home

03/26 - UARM @ North Arkansas College

Softball

03/24 - UARM vs. National Park College

Mena basketball post-season honors

Post-season honors have been awarded for basketball. Both the Bearcats and Ladycats had players recognized for their outstanding play.

Bearcats

All-Star Senior Nominee

- Brody Brown

All-Conference

- Cooper Plunkett

- Sean Sullivan

- Brody Brown

Second Team All-Conference

- Kalib Cox

- Abram Wooden

Ladycats

All-State nominee:

- Caroline Cannon

- Payton Clark

All-Conference:

- Caroline Cannon

- Payton Clark

- Kensey Rosson

Second Team All-Conference:

- Isabel Cross

- Chloe Hooper

- Kate Wilson

All-Star Game Nominee:

- Caroline Cannon

Mena 2024 wrestling post-season honors

Post-season honors have been awarded. The Mena wrestling team made an impressive showing considering this is only the second year for their program.

All-State

- Emery Anderson (state runner up & meet of champs 140-pound weight class winner)

- Carter Cossey

- Guice Anderson

- Brody Peters

- Zach Cline

- Cody Short

All-Conference

- Emery Anderson

- Jolina Butterfield

- Destiny Hogan

- Emmi Hensley

- Harlee Pannell

- Max Rocha

- Carter Cossey

- Guice Anderson

- Brody Peters

- Zach Cline

- Cody Short

- Hunter McClara

- Beck Vacca

- Dennison Reed

- Brastyn Richardson

- Tripp Hensley

- Tycen Baber

- Andrew Threlkeld