The News

It was another packed house during Fulton County Quorum Court on Monday, Feb. 11. Not only was the courtroom full, but so was the agenda. Once the previous meeting’s minutes were approved, Judge Jim Kendrick announced a change in public participation during quorum court meetings. “We’re not trying to make things difficult for anybody. I’m glad to see the turn out here tonight. You all are very welcome. It is good to have a good crowd, we want people to be here,” said Kendrick...

Be sure to read the article on page 10 covering the most recent Mammoth Spring City Council meeting and addressing the food pantry topic. Mammoth Spring Food Pantry announced Friday, Feb. 8 via their Facebook page, the last distribution date will be Monday, Feb. 18...

The 2019 Polar Plunge benefiting Special Olympics Arkansas (SOAR) is slated for March 2, at the Boxhound Marina in Horseshoe Bend. Registration for this year’s plunge will begin at 11:30 a.m., followed by an awards ceremony at noon with the plunge to directly follow...

Thanks to various partnerships, an army of volunteers and hearts dedicated to serving the area, Food Bank of North Central Arkansas (FBNCA) distributed over 2.6 million pounds of food in 2018. According to President and Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Quick, the FBNCA serves nine counties including Sharp and Fulton...

Beginning in February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will spend several months gathering information about farm economics and production practices from farmers and ranchers across Arkansas, as the agency conducts the third and final phase of the 2018 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS)...

Arkansas students can now complete an eligibility quiz to see which of 200+ Community Foundation scholarships they are eligible to receive. Students can go to www.arcf.org/scholarships to complete the quiz and begin their application. Each scholarship has its own eligibility criteria and deadline. ...

The Arkansas Educational Television Network and Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Feb. 4 the launch of AR-CAN – the Arkansas Citizens Access Network, aetn.org/arcan – a web-based network that will provide Arkansans with live streaming coverage of legislative proceedings, board and commission meetings, and other government hearings and activities...

The iconic sign that has welcomed residents, visitors and passersby at Cherokee Village’s South Entrance for 50 years will be removed in the coming days in preparation for development of a Casey’s convenience store. Constructed by the original community developer in 1969, the concrete block sign is wrapped in native stone and topped in wood. While the sign’s color and lettering style has changed over the years, it has served as a Village landmark for five decades...

Identity theft is a constant concern for Arkansans, but tax time brings additional anxiety over protecting personal information. Tax refund fraud occurs when a Social Security number is stolen and used to file a tax return and the resulting refund is claimed by the thief. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that this fraud has occurred until they attempt to file their own taxes and discover that a return has already been filed using their Social Security number...

Fulton County Fair and Salem Chamber of Commerce are gearing up for the second annual Ozarks Sports and Outdoor Expo, to be held March 30 at the Salem Civic Center. The first expo, held March 2018, was a great success with a large attendance and they are preparing for an even bigger year...

The Fulton County, county government is moving full steam ahead to attempt to beat the deadline to receive funding for the Humphrey’s Ford Bridge Project. According to Judge Jim Kendrick, this project is 12 years in the making and the timeline is getting down to the wire...

On Tuesday, Jan. 29, the Fulton County Hospital Board of Governors met in the Fulton County Hospital Conference Room. The agenda was as follows: Call to order Approval of Minutes Report from Administrator Foundation Report Financial and Statistical Report...

Approximately 100 members of the community gathered at Ozarka College during the course of two meetings Jan. 31 to participate in the CREATE BRIDGES initiative. CREATE BRIDGES, an acronym for Celebrating Retail, Accommodations, Tourism and Entertainment by Building Rural Innovations and Developing Growth Economies, is a pilot program being executed in six regions, two in each of the following states, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Arkansas...

The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is seeking the State’s top environmental leaders to apply for this year’s ADEQ Environmental Awards. Businesses, nonprofits, and government entities who are working to help achieve a vision of a healthy environment and prosperous economy across the state are encouraged to apply...

The Department of Arkansas Heritage is now accepting grant applications for the Small Museum Grants Program, which funds projects for up to $2,500 for Arkansas history museums, historical societies, historic houses and sites and military museums. The deadline for applying is April 11...

Vester Williams was a reporter and columnist for The Salem Headlight during the 1950’s and 60’s. He wrote many columns about local people and businesses. Here is a column, reprinted in its entirety, that ran Jan. 16, 1969 in The Salem Headlight. Many of Williams’ columns document and preserve Fulton County history.

The Mammoth Spring Bears battled it out with Kipp on Tuesday, Jan. 22 and came out with the win, 83-46. Leading scorers for the Bears were: Cole Young, 27 points; Daniel Mayfield, 16 points; Jacob Golden, 11 points and Zack Flynn, 10 points. On Thursday, Jan. 24, the team fell short to Hillcrest, 32-53. Jacob Golden led the Bears with 10 points. The Lady Bears also fell to Hillcrest, 31-42...

If you do a quick web search of the 2009 ice storm, you will find it has its own “Wikipedia” page titled, January 2009 North American ice storm. Jan. 27-28 marks the 10th anniversary of the ice storm which left many in the area without power for weeks...

A fundraiser and dedication will be held for the Viola City Park on Saturday, Feb. 2. Activities begin at 7 a.m. with a yard sale in the Viola Community Storm Shelter located on the school campus. From 12 noon to 1 p.m., a by donation pulled pork lunch will be available in the Viola School Cafeteria. A live auction will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the old gym. The final event of the day is at 2:30 p.m. and will be a “special community dedication” also at the gym...

Barry Abney is no stranger to serving the people of Fulton County but is now doing so in a different capacity. Prior to being elected county treasurer, Abney was a police officer for the City of Salem, even being named Fulton County Officer of the Year by Attorney General Leslie Rutledge in 2017. He has also served on the Salem School Board...

A large group gathered together at the Artisan Steak House and Grill Jan. 26 for a meeting of the Arkansas Liberty Coalition (ALC) and Patriots of Act 746. The ALC is a nonprofit organization who support and retain second amendment rights. The first to speak during the meeting was Representative Dan Sullivan. Sullivan is currently serving his third term in the Arkansas House representing District 53...

Those who frequently travel Highway 289 in Fulton County may not be aware they are traveling across a national historic landmark. This January marks the 10th anniversary of AR 289 Bridge over English Creek being named to the National Register of Historic Places, which occurred on Jan. 22, 2009...

Recently, there have been rumors and concerns in Mammoth Spring about issues involving the Mammoth Spring Food Pantry, one even that the facility would be closing. The South Missourian News was informed pantry volunteers were told in November the pantry would need to be moved in 2019 and the city was not to be responsible for paying the utilities and insurance on the building. ...

Scammers are recycling an old con to scare Arkansans into turning over prepaid debit cards or wiring money to pay off an unpaid utility bill. The Arkansas Attorney General’s office has received over 100 reports since the first of the year of con artists posing as utility company employees threatening to shut off utility services due to an unpaid bill...

Home BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: HOMB) “Home” or “the Company”, parent company of Centennial Bank, has been ranked #1 on the Forbes 2019 “Best Banks in America” list for the second consecutive year. The Company first achieved the top ranking in 2018, which was an improvement from #8 in 2017’s rankings and #15 in 2016’s rankings. ...

Though it may sound farfetched to some, human sex trafficking is real and regularly occurs throughout the nation, Linda Inmon, Extension specialist for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, said. As inconceivable as it may seem, the crime also occurs in Arkansas...

Hundreds of Arkansas young people will descend upon Little Rock Feb. 12 for 4-H Day at the Capitol. Arkansas 4-H organizers with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture say 375 4-H’ers were signed up for the event by the middle of January and more are expected by the end of this week...

UAPB School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences The second Borrower Training course is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 15-16, at the S.J. Parker Agricultural Research Center Conference Room at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). The session will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. Producers will undergo two days of intensive education consisting of farm business training and production, crop or livestock training...

Mammoth Spring Mayor, Charles Vaughn is no stranger to the council, but he is new to the position of mayor and is working on determining his plans and ideas for the city. Not yet ready to set in stone his short and long-term plans, he is sure he would like to see growth for the city...

The Salem High School Cheer Squad certainly has a lot to be proud of. Recently, not only was one of their members named All-State Cheer for 2018/2019, but the team was also able to participate in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. According to Amanda Smith, teacher and cheer coach for grades seven through 12, Madeline Newman a Salem High School senior, was nominated and selected to be an All-State cheerleader...

The City of Salem is working to improve public safety. Recently, the Salem City Council discussed the need to revisit an ordinance passed in 2010, which requires uniform numbers, also known as 911 addresses, on residences and commercial buildings in the city limits...

A Fulton County man is facing more than 50 felony charges after he was discovered to be in possession of child pornography. According to an affidavit filed in the Circuit Court of Fulton County Jan. 15, the charges against Raymond B. Naumann, 48, of Salem, stem from an investigation which began in November of 2018...

North Arkansas Electric Cooperative (NAEC), Inc’s solar farm project is well underway and according to Tori Moss, marketing and communications director, the project is slated for completion by late February. The project began in the fall of last year as NAEC cleared eight acres and began to install a single-axis tracking array of more than 4,000 panels along U.S. Highway 62, north of Salem...

In the digital age, frauds and scams are an unfortunate part of doing business online. We want to protect you as best we can. We urge you to always be cautious and to avoid providing sensitive information such as your Social Security Number (SSN) or bank account information to unknown individuals over the phone or internet. If you receive a call and aren’t expecting one, you must be extra careful. ...

Seven License2HOWL Scholarships are available to freshmen entering Arkansas State University for the 2019-20 academic year. These scholarships are valued at $5,000 for the year, and are renewable for recipients who continue to meet criteria and re-apply...

It may be a new year, but 2019 has seen the same old scams from con artists. Entergy Arkansas is aware of scammers across the state trying to get money from customers over the phone with threats of shut-off. Small businesses are typically the target...

Fulton County Quorum Court met Monday, Jan. 14. It was the first meeting for newly elected Fulton County Judge Jim Kendrick and two new JPs, Ray Matthew and Charles Kendrick. It was standing room only at the first meeting of the new year and new leadership. “First of all I want you to know, I’m glad to see the turn out. Each of you are welcome and I would love to see a good turn out at all the meetings,” said Kendrick as he welcomed the audience...

A Cherokee Village couple are facing multiple felony charges after an investigation by the Cherokee Village Police Department yielded stolen property, drugs and more. According to a report from the department, a series of events leading to the arrests culminated Jan. 8 when officers worked a theft case involving a new Husqvarna riding lawn mower...

Arkansans risk higher costs when using refund anticipation loans as a resource to plan for a tax refund this year. Some businesses are even offering refund anticipation loans (RALs) or refund anticipation checks (RACs) to offset the costs of larger purchases, but the interest rates offered may use more of the refund than expected...

The Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce will hold their Annual Awards and Recognition banquet Jan. 22 (snow date Jan. 29) at the Highland Elks Lodge Community Room in Cherokee Village beginning at 5 p.m., with entertainment. According to event chair, Graycen Bigger, this year’s theme is Casino Night “When the Stakes are High, Bet on Small Business”...

Jan. 9 marked National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day across America. Each and every day, 24-hours a day, a community’s law enforcement, first responders, fire fighters and EMS heed the call for help from those in their community. Have you ever wondered where exactly the call comes from? Where the information goes in order to inform the responders? One department that exists in each county across the nation but rarely spoken of, is dispatch...

The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission (MMC) voted to approve the scoring results provided to them by the Boston- based Public Consulting Group (PCG) Jan. 9 in Little Rock. Despite the early release of unofficial scores obtained through FOIA by area media groups, scoring the final approval and results yielded some changes; something Scott Hardin with the MMC said is due to an error during the scoring process...

Northeast Arkansas continues to see new infections as part of an ongoing hepatitis A (hep A) outbreak. The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) is warning people about a possible hep A exposure after an employee of Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen in Jonesboro tested positive for the virus...

Little Rock, Ark. – The new year coincided with a report released by the United Health Foundation (UHF) that showed that Arkansas increased our health ranking by two spots, from 48 to 46 overall. The UHF described Arkansas’s strengths as a low prevalence of excessive drinking and high meningococcal and Tdap immunization coverage among adolescents. They listed the state’s challenges as a high prevalence of smoking, a high cardiovascular death rate, and a low rate of dentists...

While the growth of the agri-tourism industry could mean extra income for farmers, it could also mean an increase in risk. The number of farms receiving income from agritourism increased by almost 10,000 from 2007 to 2012, with income increasing by $138 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture 2012 Census of Agriculture. Research suggests that this upward trend will continue as a result of increased consumer interest in food and farming paired with growers’ need for extra income...

The 2019 Spring Fashion & Bridal Show happens Sunday, February 3, at 4 p.m. as part of the 2019 Bridal Expo at the Holidome at the Holiday Inn in Blytheville, Ark. The Bridal Expo kicks off Saturday, February 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature vendors who cater to weddings, including travel agents, venues, dj’s, photo booths, jewelers, bakers and printers. ...

A-1 Auto Transport, an auto transport company out of California with offices in Arkansas is offering an opportunity to eligible students. Due to A-1’s national outreach over the years, they have decided to extend their scholarship program to qualified students in the Salem area and throughout the state of Arkansas. These scholarships come in the sum of $250, $500 or $1,000...

Fast facts No cost to attend Multiple Inlet Rice Irrigation school. Surge and senor schools held on request, contact local extension office. Arkansas crop producers who want to get a better handle on their water use in the 2019 growing season will have several opportunities through a series of irrigation/water management schools...

Fulton County Judge Jim Kendrick has officially taken on his new role with the start of 2019. The old saying goes, “third times a charm” and that is definitely true for Judge Kendrick. His third run for the county judge’s seat was successful as he defeated former judge Darrell Zimmer...