OON SUPPER A BIG SUCCESS
(USPS 088-820) Vol. 131, Number 3 DeWitt, AR 72042 • 12 Pages • 2 Sections • 75 cents
The Annual Coon Supper draws a large crowd. See Page 2A
Serving Arkansas County, Arkansas Since 1916
Thursday, January 17, 2013
ARKANSAS POST PROCLAMATION
AROUND THE COUNTY
Early Sign-Ups Youth Bowling LeaguES Sign-ups will be held Saturday January 12th @ 10:30am12:00pm at the Rice Bowling Center. New members will have to pay the $17 yearly membership fee. The 1st day of Leagues will be Saturday January 19th @ 9:25. We will also hold Sign-ups the morning of league starting at 8:45am on the 19th. There are 3 Leagues: Bumper ages 5 – 7 with a $6 weekly due, Little Mallards ages 5-12 and Teen Mallards ages 12 – 19 with a $9 weekly due. All Awards will be given as a Scholarship for College. Any Youth on the Grand Prairie is eligible to bowl in these leagues. Please contact the Rice owling Center with any questions.
DEWITT BASEBALL BOARD MEETING Dewitt Baseball/Softball Assoc. Annual Board meeting set for Jan. 23 at DMS Cafeteria at 5:30. Those wanting on the agenda must send notice no later than Monday Jan. 21. You may email shondacruz@ ymail.com . Please include name and phone number or call Shonda Cruz at 870-5093147.
Arkansas Civil War Stories To read stories written about the Civil War in Arkansas by Don Roth and other writers, visit arkansastoothpick.com.
Grand Prairie Historical Society Meeting The Grand Prairie Historical Society will meet Jan. 17 in Immanuel School at 6 p.m. Visitors and new members are invited.
Arkansas County Judge Sonny Cox present Dyan Bohnert with a Proclamation for the 150th anniversary for the Battle of the Arkansas Post. Also pictured is Ed Wood, Park Supervisor, Christy Murphy, Museum Supervisor, and re-enactors Don Hubsch, Brian Abney, and Steve Frizzell. The Battle of the Arkansas Post re-enactment is scheduled January 19th & 20th starting at 9a.m.
Best of DeWitt - Civil Servant of the Year BY VALENYA FRANKS EDITOR valenyasphotos@gmail.com
Diane Hobbs was voted Civil Servant of the Year for the Best of DeWitt. Diane is employed at PCCUA DeWitt campus where she is responsible for keeping the west end of the building clean and in good shape. She opens the building each day, and very perceptive and responsible. If anything is out of place or just does not look right, Diane immediately checks out the situation and communicates any problems. “Diane is more than a custodian.” Carolyn Tuner, Vice Chancellor, says. “She participates in almost everything that goes on around campus, no matter what. She is also a great cook and often treats us.”
Diane is a wonderful role model for the students. She is always aware of what’s going on among the students and they often come to her with their problems before anyone else. Each semester she takes one or two classes at PCCUA just to better herself. At the monthly faculty meetings, Diane is always in attendance and participates in the team building activities. She is usually the first to volunteer. She has a great sense of humor that makes the activities even more fun. Diane is responsible and professional. She takes pride in her work and she has a wonderful personality that enables her to get along with faculty, staff, and students. Carolyn Tuner states, “Along with Diane Fisher, last year’s winner, you couldn’t ask for better colleagues.”
DIANE HOBBS
Sock Hop To Be Held At The Elementary School January 18 BY VALENYA FRANKS EDITOR valenyasphotos@gmail.com
The elementary PTA will be holding a sock hop at the DeWitt Elementary School gym, January 18. The school board approved the use of it at the School Board meeting on January 8th. The financial report for the school district is relatively the same as last month’s, with a deficit in the food service fund, due to broken equipment and higher food costs. The school district also has $40,000 out in reimbursements from the state. The enrollment is basically the same
as it was this time last year but it may have seen some increase. Currently, there are a total of 1288 students with 487 at DeWitt Elementary School, 77 at Gillett Elementary School, 327 at DeWitt Middle School and 397 at DeWitt High School. The DeWitt School district will be looking into joining the Substitute Teach Organization. There are currently 107 schools in Arkansas currently using the program. This organization keeps all the information of a school districts substitute teachers and when one of the schools is in need of a substitute, the people in the
central office will call this company and then they will call the substitute. This also helps the substitute to get paid in a timely manner as they pay every Friday, and the substitute will not have to wait until the next payroll. The school will also have access to substitutes out of the district, but the principal will get the final say on what substitutes are used. The Superintendent’s evaluation was completed and his contract, which went through 2014, was extended to 2015.