Villager Journal

North Arkansas Electric Cooperative (NAEC) celebrated 79 years of serving its members at the annual meeting held Thursday, June 6, at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Salem. Though it was messy and rainy for most of the day and evening, that didn’t stop NAEC members from attending the annual event for a fun filled afternoon and evening. ...

Clear Springs Baptist Church will host its monthly third Saturday Singing on June 15 at 5 p.m. Everyone is invited bring your instruments or specials. After the singing, refreshments will be served. Clear Springs Baptist Church is located on Clear Springs Road off of Highway 63, halfway between Black Rock and Imboden...

A movie night will be held at the Evening Shade Gymnasium June 15 with a showing of Pete’s Dragon. The BBQ fundraiser and free outdoor movie night will begin at 6:30 p.m. and meals are $5 for children and $8 adults. The movie will begin at 8:30 p.m...

The Hardy Advertising and Promotions Commission (A&P) covered a lot of ground during their May 20 regular meeting. After hashing out the details of the corrections of the minutes, the commission moved on to discuss the contract for the book keeper, Darlene Wilson...

The Hardy City Council passed two ordinances during their regularly scheduled meeting June 4; one requiring a life preserver be used by children 12 and under while using public access points and the second requiring dogs to be leashed in public areas...

The civil lawsuit involving multiple local law enforcement agencies, cities and Sharp County, has taken a turn after documents were filed June 5 in the United States District Court Eastern District of Arkansas Batesville Division. The initial civil suit filings by Randell Lee Veazie filed May 16, 2018 was against Cherokee Village Police Officer Josh Trivitt, Ash Flat Police Officer Colton Wilson, former Sharp County Deputy Jack Lowe, Ash Flat Police Officer Tom Rigsby, Ash Flat Police Chief Anthony Wiles, Cherokee Village Police Chief Rickey Crook, Sharp County Sheriff Mark Counts, the City of Ash Flat, the City of Cherokee Village and the County of Sharp County, in regards to alleged use of excessive force by officers in an incident occurring in November 2016.. ...

It was a packed house at the Arkansas Country Music Association (ACMA) awards June 3 when some of Arkansas’ most talented and proven artists gathered in Maumelle to be recognized for their achievements and contributions to the country music industry...

The investigation into the murder of former senator Linda Collins (Smith) is still ongoing and authorities aren’t releasing information in regards to the investigation, due to a gag order. Late in the afternoon on June 4, Collins’ son and father traveled to her residence as they had not heard from her and were concerned...

One Sharp County man is in custody and another is expected to be charged following a rash of thefts from multiple businesses in northern Sharp County. According to a series of incident reports from the Ash Flat Police Department, charges were taken to the deputy prosecuting attorney’s office to be filed against Trevor Woodham, 24, of Ash Flat and John Huffmaster, 21, of Ash Flat...

When the 2019-2020 school year begins, Highland High School will see some familiar faces in new places as Jeremy Lewis, formerly the assistant principal and athletic director will become the high school principal and athletic director. Additionally, Missy Floyd, formerly the instructional facilitator, will become the vice-principal...

The Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce held their general meeting at Baros Mongolian Grill in Hardy May 21. The meeting opened with a welcome from chamber president, Ethan Barnes and the introduction of new members. Sandra Farnham, president elect for the Arts Center of North Arkansas (ACNA) and secretary for the Friends of the NRA, took a few moments to introduce herself...

Tragedy struck May 25 following the drowning death of a three-year-old child in Cherokee Village. According to a report from the Cherokee Village Police Department, officers were dispatched to the residence on Lake Omaha following a 911 call from a family member that a child had fallen in the lake...

Two Missouri State University graduate students along, with two professors, recently visited the Spring River to research the uniqueness of the tributary and its travertine deposits also known as naturally formed dams. During a previous visit to Mammoth Spring, graduate students Jordan Vega and Tyler Engelbart were directed to Jean Pace, who was able to get them access to a section of the river where one of the natural occurring bridges has directly formed...

Some examples that come to mind when considering health in general are typically heart health, obesity, diabetes, etc... One of the most important aspects of our health is often not considered enough, leading to negative associations...mental health...

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) sent a team of researchers to the Sharp County area the week of May 16 to conduct a planning study and gather input from the public in regards to the Highway 412 Corridor Planning Study. Although there is no funding allocated for the majority of the projects and locations marked out on the map, the corridor spans from the Oklahoma to Missouri state lines across northern Arkansas...

Highland City Council held their regular meeting May 14. Fire Chief Kal Dienst was absent for the meeting, but Mayor Russell Truitt offered his report to the council in his absence. Police Chief Shane Russell told the council he didn’t have much to speak about outside of his report...

After a warrant of arrest was filed in late April, Bobby Ray Eddy, 52, of Cave City, was taken into custody May 20 for felony charges of aggravated assault, terroristic threatening in the first degree and more. According to the affidavit for arrest from the Cave City Police Department, on April 10, Corporal Quinton Maag was dispatched to a residence on Laurel Street in regards to a man named Bobby who had entered an apartment and broken the television...

The Sharp County Quorum Court held their regular meeting May 13. JP Everette McGuire noted he did not receive his council packet prior to the meeting. He inquired as to whether it had been e-mailed to other individuals. County Clerk Alisa Black explained the packets were not e-mailed, but a financial statement had been sent...

In Arkansas, one farmer’s weed is another farmer’s favorite forage, Dr. David Fernandez, Extension livestock specialist and interim assistant dean of academic programs for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences, said...

The battle against scammers and thieves trying to separate citizens from their hard earned money seems to be never ending. Despite the hundreds of warnings issued by police, the Arkansas Attorney General and others, those looking to swindle others are not dissuaded from their mission...

Several law enforcement agencies were involved in a high speed chase spanning more than 40 miles and three counties May 15. Reportedly, the chase for a man later identified as James Cannon, of Little Rock, began just after 8 p.m. in Lawrence County after the authorities received a report of a reckless driver just outside of Black Rock on Highway 361...

The Cherokee Village City Council held their regularly scheduled meeting May 16 during which grants, road projects and trails were discussed. During his report, Mayor Russell Stokes told the council there had been a sizable increase in the amount given to the city by the SID...

The Ash Flat City Council held their regularly scheduled meeting May 14 during which, the council voted to appoint Kevin Grissom to fill the vacant position of Ward 3 Position 1. The meeting opened with reports from the department heads beginning with Fire Chief Stacey Horton...

After winning the race against time to meet the Feb. 15 deadline to secure funding for the Humphrey’s Ford Bridge Project, Fulton County has been in a holding pattern since. According to Milan Novak, roads and bridge improvement coordinator for Fulton County, the paperwork was submitted on time and the county was able to secure the $3.8 million in funding to construct a new and safer bridge...

A Sharp County woman was seriously injured May 16 after her vehicle was struck by a train near the Valero station outside of Hardy. Tammy Davis, the driver of the vehicle, sustained severe injuries and was air lifted to an area hospital. Despite her injuries, authorities say she is recovering...

The Highland School District held the grand opening for their new School-Based Health Clinic in Highland May 16. The clinic will be made available to serve students, teachers and staff. Under the same roof, St. Bernard’s also held their grand opening for their new clinic and specialty clinics...

Cherokee Village is gearing up to launch Saturdays on the Square May 25 as they bring back the annual farmers market. According to Graceyn Bigger, Executive Director of the Spring River Innovation Hub in Cherokee Village, vendor applications for the farmers market are currently available online and at King Rhodes in Cherokee Village...

George Leonard Thomas, 71, of Salem, Ark., departed this life on Thursday, May 16, 2019 in Fayetteville, Ark. George was born to the late Leonard Thomas and Sue Hardy Thomas on Jan. 23, 1948 in Chicago, Ill. George was united in marriage to Jimalee Clark on Feb. ...

Thanks to the support of the community, the Sharp County Chapter of the Wives of Armor collected approximately $4,000 worth of baby items May 11 during their first Stuff the Squad Car event. The items were given to the New Beginnings Pregnancy Center. Altogether, six squad cars were stuffed...

The Hardy Fire Department will hold a pancake breakfast and public auction May 18 in conjunction with other city departments. The event will begin at 7 a.m. with breakfast being offered until 10 a.m. followed by the opening of the auction at 10:30 a.m...

Highland High School has launched a Student of the Month program and this month, several students were recognized for their achievements. According to Principal Annette Scribner, the school recognized 9th and 10th grade students who worked extremely hard to do well on their ACT Aspire exams...

May 6 and May 10 Star of the Week, 2 Game Score Plus Handicap is Gene Ruuska, 204. May 6 game winners: Pit 1 Morgan and Kimber 186 Pit 2 Gruger and Watts 197 Pit 3 Brooks and Howe 181 Pit 4 Brackett and Yanke 194 Pit 5 Clementi and Brown 181...

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will host a free “Kids Fishing Derby” for youngsters 15 years old and younger, at the commission’s Jim Hinkle/Spring River State Fish Hatchery on Saturday, June 8 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. The Jim Hinkle/Spring River State Fish Hatchery is located 2.5 miles south of Mammoth Spring, at the end of State Highway 342...

A new degree program at Williams Baptist University will help students prepare for careers related to healthcare, with an emphasis on those who are aging. WBU is launching the Bachelor of Science in Health Studies: Gerontology this fall. The hybrid degree program includes courses from several academic disciplines, and it is intended to provide students a well-rounded background for careers related to health care...

Chancellor Kelly Damphousse told graduates at Arkansas State University’s commencement ceremony Saturday his hope is that they learned, along with facts and theories about how the world works around them, other lessons that challenge them through the end of their days...

Third-party travel websites are popular but some may charge Arkansans unnecessary, hidden fees. As Arkansans begin to make summer vacation plans, they should use caution when going online for services including booking travel through an online third-party vendor...

The Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce held a Blue Ribbon Welcome for new member John’s Auto Body on May 9. John’s Auto Body has been serving the community for 45 years with auto body repairs including paint, structural and framework. They also have a towing service and works with your insurance company or self-pay, offering a payment structure when needed. ...

The Hardy City Council held their regularly scheduled meeting May 7 during which, road repairs, changes to ordinances and more were discussed. Following the passing of the minutes and other typical orders of business, Freda Mae Gamblin with the Hardy Advertising and Promotions Commission (A&P) provided a recap from the commission’s most recent meeting...

Comfort Keepers Ministry, in partnership with the Wives of Armor, will be hosting it’s second annual Safety Swim Day set for June 8 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in Ash Flat. According to Lauren Siebert, founder of the ministry, the swim day is a time to teach children ages 3 to 8 the basics of swimming and to provide them with a life jacket...

Jordan Sample, 37, of Ash Flat, received several charges following a traffic stop in Cave City May 2. According to an affidavit for arrest from the Cave City Police Department, Cave City Police Officer Trint Milligan had received a call from a fellow officer asking him to be on the lookout for a budget rental van being driven by Sample who was driving on a suspended license...

A large crowd gathered at the Sharp County Courthouse May 13 to participate in the 26th annual Police Officer Memorial. The memorial, held in honor of fallen officer Jeff Richardson, was also a time to pay tribute to all fallen officers across the nation opened with a greeting from Sharp County Sheriff Mark Counts...

After catching wind famous actor, director, screenwriter and filmmaker David Arquette, along with his wife Christina, were working on a documentary series in Jonesboro, Highland High School’s film and radio instructor, AK Barnes reached out to see if the couple would be willing to take some time to speak to her students...

Gregory Stephen Hurdle, 27, a man who confessed to sexually assaulting a male child less than five years of age in May of last year has been found not fit to proceed. According to a Not-Fit-To-Proceed Commitment Order filed at the Sharp County Clerk’s Office April 24, Hurdle was found not fit to proceed following a psychological evaluation performed by Ron Faupel, a licensed psychologist at Mid-South Health Systems...

More than 3,000 residents in Sharp County are no stranger to food insecurity. As defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), food insecurity is a “lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods. ...

It’s not too late to do a little spring cleaning and make a little money while you’re at it. The Spring River Adult and Child Services Domestic Violence and Homeless Shelter (SACS) will be holding a Spring Flea Market May 25 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hardy Civic Center...

First Baptist Church in Cherokee Village is now accepting pre-registrations for the upcoming Rocky Bayou Baptist Association’s Journey with Joy Women’s Conference slated for May 18 from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The speaker for this year’s event is Doris Courtney, a pastor’s wife, professional musician, mother and grandmother...

Arkansas’ top two youth volunteers of 2019, Anna Claire Hay, 16, of Springdale and Taci Humphries, 12, of Ash Flat, were honored in the nation’s capital for their outstanding volunteer service during the 24th annual presentation of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. ...

The Arkansas Department of Transportation will conduct three public involvement meetings to discuss the Highway 412 Corridor Planning Study from the Oklahoma state line to the Missouri state line. Each meeting will be similar in content. The first meeting will be Tuesday, May 14 from to 4 to 7 p.m. ...

Scammers are continuing to find ways to steal Arkansans’ Social Security numbers. Many of these attempts begin with a robocall requesting a call back and stating that the consumer’s Social Security number has been found, often at the scene of a crime. The person on the other end of the phone threatens the consumer by stating if they do not return the call they will be sent to jail...

The American Red Cross serving northeast Arkansas is offering residents of Sharp and the surrounding counties the opportunity to get involved during their upcoming Mini Institute 2019 slated for May 18 at the First United Methodist Church in Hardy from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m...