Villager Journal

The Hardy City Council held its regular meeting Oct. 1 during which, the city’s water system, grants and more were discussed. Following the approval of minutes and additions to the agenda, Councilman and Hardy Advertising and Promotions (A&P) Commissioner Bruce Thurow provided the A&P report...

Following a gut wrenching accident during the Oct. 4 football game at Rebel Stadium in Highland, students gathered to support one of their own. Highland High School student Brandon Dennis was taken off the field in an ambulance and sent to Children’s Hospital in Little Rock Friday night. That night Michael Spurlock, who is a member of the Highland Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS) approached the club sponsor, Blake Medlock, to see if it would be possible to hold a prayer circle for Dennis...

Vincent Prokop, 29, of Cherokee Village, was sentenced to one year in the Arkansas Department of Corrections with 90 months suspended sentence, by Judge Harold Erwin Oct. 3 for the charge of sexual assault in the second degree, a class B felony. Prior to the plea agreement, Prokop was facing charges of rape, computer child pornography and pandering or possessing visual or print medium depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child...

The City of Ash Flat will be taking applications for the position of Chief of Police following the resignation of Anthony Wiles. According to Mayor Larry Fowler, Wiles’ last day was Oct. 3, however; Wiles has offered to help if needed over the coming days until a new chief is selected...

Evening Shade resident, 27-year-old Ryan Harrington, has always had a love for rockets. So much so, when he could not afford the kits, he began constructing detail oriented and scaled models from paper. “When I was little I always wanted model rockets, but they were always too expensive and actually they still are. ...

A man from Independence County, Mo., was declared deceased Sept. 24 following a head on collision with a semi. According to a report from the Arkansas State Police, Raymond Watson, 77, was headed north on Highway 63 South in his 2010 Ford Taurus, when he crossed the center line into the path of a 2005 Kenworth, striking the semi head on...

Brenda Breckenridge with the Sidney Baptist Church is seeking donations and volunteers to help create gift boxes as part of Operation Christmas Child. “It is part of Samaritans Purse and is spearheaded by Franklin Graham. This is my first year spearheading the project for our church and what we are asking for are hygiene products and other useful items and then what we call ‘WOW’ items. ...

The Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce’s sixth annual Business Expo, slated for Oct. 19, is quickly approaching and Executive Director Kari Hollis said spots are filling up quickly. “We are accepting vendor applications for this year’s Expo. It will be held at the A.L Hutson Memorial Center. ...

Sheila Donley and Vicki Lamb, two area artists from the Spring River area, will be hosting a two-woman show at the Harlin Museum in West Plains, Mo. According to Donley, the show will be held the last two weekends of October and the first weekend in November. During those weekends, those who travel to the museum will have the opportunity not only to check out the more than 50 pieces of artwork, but also to purchase works...

Recycling and animal control were among the topics discussed at the Cherokee Village City Council Sept. 19 monthly meeting. Following the approval of minutes and the agenda, Mayor Russell Stokes offered his report to the council. Stokes said he had a proclamation for the month of October and Breast Cancer Awareness. He also discussed the issue of recycling...

Ariel Housmann has been selected as the new probation officer for Sharp County. Housmann started work as the new probation officer in mid-September and has spent time reviewing files and determining how she intends to structure her department. As the misdemeanor probation officer for Sharp County, Housmann oversees anyone who gets put on probation for misdemeanor charges. ...

This year marks the 29th annual Hardy Homesteaders Day slated for Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Loberg Park. The annual festival is among the longest running in Sharp County and is designed to give a brief glimpse into what life was like prior to modern convenience...

The Highland Rebels lost a home conference game on Friday, Sept. 27 to the Westside Warriors in a close contest, 20-14. Highland fell to 0-4 for the season and 0-1 for in conference play. Westside moved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in conference. The Rebels kicked off to the Warriors, and Westside started off at their own 36-yard line. ...

Last week’s article for Suicide Prevention and Awareness was from the perspective of an individual who attempted suicide, and now strives to be an advocate for mental health. This week’s outlook on suicide is another very personal account. Myranda Hobbs, of Hardy, is speaking from a different side of suicide. “My husband, James Hobbs, died by suicide in April of this year,” she said...

The Ash Flat City Council held their regular meeting Sept. 10. Fire Chief Stacy Horton was first to deliver his report which covered from Aug. 8 to Sept. 3. “We performed a couple of residential fire inspections on East Main and they were in good shape. We had 20 calls since our last meeting,” Horton said. “We made around $700 at Eaglefest and we are gearing up for our chili fundraiser for Oct. 25 at 5 p.m. We also set a date for our Christmas party and it will be Dec. 9 at 6 p.m.”...

Centennial Bank in Highland has partnered with the Department of Human Services (DHS) for the seventh annual Coat Drive. According to Amber Griffin, project head at Centennial Bank, with the support of the community, more than 600 coats have been distributed to the children of Sharp County since the project’s inception...

Chris Clem was recently the recipient of the highest awards honor from the Lions Club. According to Marc Herring, president of the Cherokee Village Lions Club, Clem was presented with the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award. The award is presented to outstanding individuals who embody humanitarian ideas consistent with the mission of the Lions...

Residents of Ozark Acres will soon see an increase in their water bills. Following an announcement from the Ozark Acres Water Association the flat rate will increase from $3 to $8 per line. Residents were notified by way of letter, but on Sept. 18, board members and employees of the water association also made themselves available for questions from residents...

Rebecca O’Donnell, the suspect in custody for the murder of Linda Collins, appeared before Judge David Goodson at the Randolph County Courthouse in Pocahontas Sept. 19 for her pre-trial hearing. The courtroom at the Randolph County Courthouse slowly filled up as friends and family of Collins and O’Donnell made their way to a seat, anxiously waiting for the proceedings to begin...

Ozarka College announced the purchase of the former Clary Fitness building, adjacent to Walmart, with plans to open a technical center. According to Dr. Richard Dawe, the college had been looking to expand in the region and when presented with the option to purchase the building, the location and size made for an ideal expansion opportunity...

Erica Cooper has been named Community Development Coordinator for FNBC according to Dana Batterton, Chief Risk Officer. In this role, Cooper will provide grant-writing support, and will coordinate and lead new funding solutions for the bank’s Community Development Financial Institution designation. ...

For more than a decade, the City of Highland has requested studies in an attempt to lower the speed limit, a goal which has been reached. Following the completion of the highway project on the four-lane in Highland, the Arkansas Highway Department has lowered the speed limit from 55 to 45 at the request of the city...

Outgoing, successful, community minded… these are all characteristics that describe Sharp County businessman and resident, John Kunkel. He stays involved in the community as an advocate for many organizations in the area. One thing people might not know about Kunkel is at the age of 24, he attempted suicide when living in Little Rock...

A woman from Evening Shade was killed in a one vehicle accident Sept. 11 just after 1 a.m. According to the Arkansas State Police Fatal Crash Summary Report, authorities were notified of the accident at 1:13 a.m. When they arrived on scene, they found Nicole Richardson, 33, and the 2012 Hyundai she had been driving...

The annual Bridge Bash event will take place Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. At ASU in Mountain Home. Bridge Bash is an annual fundraising event to support the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas. The day will kick off at 8 a.m. with the 5k Run for Hunger registration at the main gate...

The Sharp County Quorum Court held its regular meeting Sept. 9. County Treasurer Wanda Girtman, provided the court with an update regarding county finances and account changes. “I passed out a handout. If you’ll notice, the report has eight new bank accounts with Citizens Bank with the new construction. ...

The Highland Middle School fifth grade classes joined together to host an event Sept. 11 during which they recognized emergency response personnel in Sharp County. According to Deanna Strobbe, one of the organizers for the event, the students were studying the events which changed America on Sept. 11, 2001...

Highland City Council held their regular meeting Sept. 10, where grant funding, millage increase and trash service rate increases were all discussed The meeting opened with department reports starting with Fire Chief Kal Dienst. “It’s been pretty normal on runs. ...

Comfort Keepers is gearing up to host a Dog Wash event Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Hardy Fire Department from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. to help raise funds for the Hardy K9 Unit project. According to Lauren Siebert, founder of Comfort Keepers, after hearing the City of Hardy discuss the need for a K-9 unit and seeing the positive interest by the general public to have a K-9 unit as a resource, she received permission to move forward with the event...

The Hardy City Council held it’s regular meeting Sept. 3. Councilman Bruce Thurow provided the Advertising and Promotions Commission [A&P] report. “At our last A&P meeting we had discussed Ozark Gateway advertising and Roger Stark was there about the Homesteader Days and we passed up to $1,000 for the event coming up for advertising. We are going to incorporate radio ads with that,” Thurow said...

The Evening Shade Fall Festival will take place in downtown Evening Shade Sept. 28 beginning at 11 a.m. The day will include arts and crafts, food, games, cash cube and more. Country Bluegrass will perform at 12 noon followed by a parade at 1 p.m. and Gospel music at 1:30 p.m...

On Sept. 10, Hardy Police Officer Scott Rose received a report of a stolen vehicle which had been fleeing from law enforcement agencies in Missouri. Around 7:30 a.m., Rose was notified the Black Ford Focus was headed toward Hardy from the Mammoth Spring Area...

Ozarka College, in partnership with UAMS and MidSouth Health Systems, has been selected as the recipients for a Delta Understanding and Preventing Opioid Abuse in Rurality Grant. According to Katie Wilson, Division Chair for Nursing and Allied Health, with Ozarka College, the grant is also in partnership with Winrock International who will oversee the grant process...

During the last days of the Labor Day holiday weekend, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Main Street in Hardy Sept. 1. According to a report from the Hardy Police Department, Leah M. Montoya, 37, of Alexander, was walking near the intersection of Main and Johnson Streets, carrying her infant child...

The Highland School District has always prided itself on a tradition of excellence, but as with many things, traditions must come from somewhere. On Sept. 14, the graduates of the 1968-1969 class of Highland High School will hold their 50th class reunion at Loberg Park in Hardy...

The Spring River Car Show will be held at the Hardy Civic Center Sept. 14. Entry to the show is a $10 donation and those who attend may vote for their favorite car by way of $1 donation. Check-in for the show is from 8 to 10 a.m. with judging to begin at 1 p.m...

The Nine Mile Ridge Fire Department responded to a report of a shed on fire fully engulfed and dangerously close to a residence. According to Fire Chief Freddy Gann, on Sept. 2, the department responded to the fire, and it was not long before he determined the cause of the blaze to be arson...

The Spring River Paramedic Ambulance Service [SRAS] in Sharp County is reaching out to their patients and potential patients in regards to some challenges in healthcare coverage they have identified recently. According to Jennine Eash Business Operations Director for SRAS, for many years, Medicare has been the largest insurance provider in the area, however, more recently, with expansions in healthcare, Medicare Advantage programs have been created, and some individuals are opting to use the newer programs.. ...

The second annual Oktoberfest will be held Sept. 26 at Town Center in Cherokee Village. According to event organizer Graycen Bigger with the Spring River Innovation Hub, the festival will be held at the end of September in order to keep the tradition...

The New Beginnings Pregnancy Help Center is one step closer to expanding following the fundraising efforts during the 17th annual Tommy Bolt Memorial Golf Tournament. According to Laura Lute, Executive Director for the New Beginnings Pregnancy Help Center, the funds given to the center following the tournament held in June, have been placed in a fund which will be used to grow the services and space offered by the non-profit organization...

The Arts Center of North Arkansas (ACNA) have partnered with the Hardy Junction Music Hall to present the Ken and Brad Kolonder Quartet. The event is slated to take place Sept. 6 at the junction in Hardy from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Kolonder Quartet features Ken Kolonder, the number one hammer dulcimer player in the country. His son, Brad Kolonder, is also a well known musician and is recognized for his talent with a banjo...

After months of preparation, planning and work, Cherokee Village Mayor Russ Stokes, announced the completion of the installation of the 10 exercise stations placed at the city’s Tohi Trail. The trail, located on Hospital Drive in Cherokee Village was opened for use July 1, 2014. The trail vision of the city dates back to 2011 to offer an ADA compliant pathway and park area complete with restrooms and a pavilion...

Mike Watson State Farm will be hosting a Rock Chip Repair event slated for Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. at his Highland location and again Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. at his Melbourne location. The event is designed to help those who have sustained damage to their vehicle windshields throughout the course of road construction during the past month...

The Sharp County Republican Party has partnered with the Izard and Fulton county Republican Parties and will be hosting a joint fundraiser Sept. 9 at the Church of Christ Family Life Center in Ash Flat. “We will be hosting a Victory Dinner fundraising event to raise funds for the 2020 campaign season,” said Ethan Barnes, member of the Sharp County Republican Party. “Lt. Tim Griffin will be our keynote speaker.”...

All artists are invited to register family-friendly work at the Spring River Art Gallery (SRAG) on August 29, 30 and 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the annual Fine Art Show sponsored by SRAG. The show will be held Sept. 6 thru Sept. 15. A reception will be held on Sept. 15 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be available during the reception. Ribbons and prizes will be awarded around 3 p.m. Prizes will range from $25 to $500 for this show...

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is issuing a warning to consumers about mail-out automobile dealership promotions containing lottery-style game pieces that trick Arkansans into thinking they’ve won a high value prize. The mail-out promotions contain what appear to be lottery scratch-off tickets that indicate that the recipient is a winner of a prize, such as a television, a trip, a boat, cash, and other big prizes. ...

Sharp and Fulton county voters made their way to the polls Aug. 13 to cast their vote, for or against, the retention of five mills and addition of four mills for the Highland School District. Late that evening, the results were in and in total, the millage was voted down with 701 residents against and 503 for the millage...

The Cherokee Village City Council met Aug. 15 The meeting opened with a request from Councilman Steve Thompson to discuss using Delta Paving to do work to some of the side approaches into the Village to be added to the agenda The item was added. Under public comments regarding agenda items, Peter Martin expressed his concern that information was not made available about the “grant” item listed on the agenda...

The Sharp County Quorum Court held their regular meeting Aug. 12 and passed a resolution announcing the vacancy for Justice of the Peace District 5. The meeting began with the county treasurer’s report. Judge Gene Moore announced sales tax collections were up for the month...

What started as a fender bender Aug. 17, later landed a Sharp County man in the hospital. According to reports from the Highland Police Department, Officer Jeff Hamilton was on shift just before midnight when he was dispatched to KFC/ Taco Bell for a two vehicle accident. ...