The Polk County Pulse March 31, 2021

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Pulse THE POLK COUNTY

FREE WEEKLY 1168 Hwy 71 S Mena, AR 71953 479.243.9600

March 31, 2021

Your DAILY News Sources: KENA 104.1 FM & MyPulseNews.com

Ouachita Little Theater

INSIDE:

Happy Easter

Fighting for Vets Bills introduced by local congressmen to combat injustice

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By Jeri Pearson

Greater Tuna promises Henderson House

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great laughs with dynamic-duo performance By Justin Richmond

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Ouachita Expressions

t can be quite jarring, the first few moments of witnessing what is unfolding on the stage. But, it doesn’t take long to realize that you are in the hands of masters of the craft. Scotty Jenkins and John Puddington bring “Greater Tuna” to life at the Ouachita Little Theatre with their tour de force performances. Set in the fictional town of Tuna Texas, the third smallest town in the state, the pair play a multitude of characters, male and female, following the death of Judge Buckner. Through this fever dream kaleidoscope of obtuse accents, colorful costume changes, perfectly timed dialogue and witty satire, the OLT seems to have found it’s messiah after the long determined struggle to entertain our community safely during this covid crisis. One can only hope

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SALUTE YOUR

Graduate 2021

See GREATER TUNA page 2

Pulse THE POLK COUNTY

Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War have left marks on the health of the nation’s veterans. However, William (Bill) Rhodes, a local veteran, knows first hand how difficult it can be to receive assistance after being exposed if a service record does not reflect specific information. Legislation has been attempted to correct this for veterans, and after failed attempts to pass laws, bills have been introduced in the house and senate by Sen. Bruce Westerman and Rep. John Boozman. Senator Boozman introduced an initial version of the bill, S. 2105, in 2017 with Rep. Westerman filing a companion version in early 2018 (HR 4843). This bill granted the extension of VA benefits to Vietnam-era veterans serving in Thailand and were presumed exposed to herbicides. According to Boozman’s office, the biggest obstacle to passing the Thailand exposure language is the estimat-

MAY 19TH GRADUATION ISSUE

See VETERANS page 2


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