Villager Journal

Fulton County’s road system has suffered extensive damage from a series of heavy rains over the past few weeks, according to the Fulton County Judge’s office. All parties of the county and practically every road in the county have been affected, it was stated...

The ending of the school year means another special section for Areawide Media. This month it is the annual Tassel Time published by Areawide Media each year to honor our local graduating high school seniors. Be sure to look for the 22-page special section in this week’s issues of our subscription newspapers...

It’s time to let loose and get out and enjoy…the City of Hardy is having another ATV ride…so bring out your vehicles and come outside to enjoy a 47-mile ride May 22, 10 a.m., to start at Loberg Park and to end up at the river in Hardy with a barbecue, complements of First Community Bank of Highland. There have been several businesses who have donated for provisions and cash prize drawings. Proceeds will go to the Hardy Fire Department. Go to Hardy City Hall to sign up!...

The Cherokee Village Ham Radio Club is sponsoring a local fox hunt event on May 15 beginning at Highland High School. It is being joined by the Lawrence County Amateur Radio Club and the Batesville Area Radio Club in a friendly competition to discover from what direction a specific radio signal is being received, that is, radio direction finding...

The Hardy City Council met Tuesday, May 4 at 6 p.m. at city hall. Mayor Ernie Rose was absent as he was detained in Jonesboro. All council members were present, along with Attorney Joe Grider. Recorder/Treasurer Greg Bess called the meeting to order, asking if there were any objections from council that he take on that role, which the mayor had asked him to do. No one objected. After approval of the minutes from the April meeting, and the current amended agenda...

A classic sport is being contested and met at both the Highland high and junior high levels. Trapshooting is a well respected and highly competitive sport. It’s not just marksmanship that matters, but grace and etiquette are of utmost importance as well. Students may start out with uncertainty, but their spirit and confidence develop along with their skills...

The family of Davidlee Stansbury took to social media over the previous weekend, begging for information on the whereabouts of Stansbury. Information posted by Stansbury’s mother said he left her home in Salem around 3:30 a.m. on Friday. “He said he was going to help a friend and he would be back in about an hour. He hasn’t returned and the friend said not only [did he not] talk to him, but he wasn’t even in town,” read the post...

The Hardy City Council met on Tuesday, April 6, at city hall at 6 p.m. The meeting was brought to order by Mayor Ernie Rose. Minutes from both the public meeting on the sewer expansion project grant proposal and the city council meeting from March 2 were approved, as well as the agenda for the current meeting...

Senator John Boozman traveled to Ozarka College’s Carpenter Technical Center along with the future home of Emerson in Ash Flat on Tuesday. As part of the Senator’s three-day, North Arkansas visit, Boozman and his team toured the new CTE facility, which will serve as a regional hub for workforce training for welding technology, automotive and diesel service, and industrial machining. ...

The annual Cave City Watermelon Festival will arise again in 2021! It will resurface on Thursday, July 29 through July 31. After it was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID, much to the woes of its undying fans, it was nominated as “The Most Missed Festival of 2020” by the Arkansas Festivals and Events Association. Well, in December, it won that title as “Most Missed Festival of 2020,” and we can all celebrate in its resurrection in 2021...

On April 2, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Dispatch received a 911 call from a residence of Nine Mile Ridge regarding an ATV accident. A 16-year-old male, from Wynn, Ark., and a 15-year-old female, from Paragould, Ark., turned a side-by-side over in the road. The female, identified as Lacey Boling, was trapped under the machine. Boling was pronounced dead at the scene by the Fulton County Coroner...

The City of Ash Flat held a special meeting Monday, April 5 at 6 p.m. at city hall to discuss utilizing state and city funding for the improvement of streets. This funding pertains to the street program project which targets the reconstruction and resurfacing of streets within Ash Flat. A resolution was drawn up to designate which source of funding will be used for different aspects of street improvement...

Fulton County Sheriff Al Rook issued a press release on Friday, April 9 regarding a nearly 20-year cold case, which Dale Weaver, investigator at the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, recently solved. “The following press release is a very condensed version of a missing person investigation that Investigator Dale Weaver started eight months ago. ...

One person died and three were critically injured in a shooting at the Snappy Mart convenience store in Koshkonong, Mo. the morning of Saturday, April 11. After approximately four hours, Christopher Lindley, 28, of Thayer, was arrested in Howell County between Koshkonong and West Plains. He has been charged with first-degree murder a class A felony and armed criminal action an unclassified felony...

The Hardy History Association held its monthly membership meeting on Thursday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hardy Civic Center. The guest speaker was Betty Jo Daugherty Halbach, whose talk was titled “Special Place, Special People, Part 2.” Halbach is a native of Hardy and was a long-time resident, with memories and stories that were very entertaining...

Editor’s note: Reporter Elaine Brown is the newest member to the Areawide Media team, and she is also the newest resident to the area from our team. As a way to get to know the community better, she enjoys taking the time to get out amongst folks as they go about their every day lives. Whether inspired by an upcoming story, national event or weather change, you never know when you will get the chance to voice your opinion!...

Witnesses with similar heartbreaking stories of sexual assault and rape continue to come forward against a Fulton County resident who has been behind bars since Feb. 24. Leonard William Pickle, Jr., 81, of Hardy, Ark., was arrested on class Y felony rape charges. He faces five counts for rapes committed between 1991 and 1995; two counts from 1994; one count from 2000 and one count from 2017...

The band, “Forever Young,” will hold dances at the Hardy Civic Center every Thursday night starting April 15 from 7 until 9:30 p.m. Chuck Young, Eddie Cooper, Joe Young and Obie Lawrence comprise the band which has been playing together for more than seven years. ...

With the recent announcement from Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson lifting the mask mandate for the state of Arkansas, many local schools are revising their policies. The original policies that many schools were following stated masks had to be worn at all times, students should try and social distance as much as possible and lunch would be six feet apart. ...

As of March 30, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson officially lifted the state’s mask mandate, after meeting various health criteria involving testing and case rates. However, Hutchinson is still encouraging everyone to continue to wear masks out of respect for one another...

Sometimes we walk through life and miss opportunities, those kinds of chances to help someone else in need, whether that help be for feeding, healing or happiness. It’s an easy thing to ignore because we all have our own problems and needs and must look out for ourselves first, right? Not so for artist, philanthropist and man with a heart of gold, Garrett Melby...

The Ash Flat Library recently received a generous book donation from Highland Dollar General in March. Taunja Chapman, General Manager, said they were offering books for the library for general circulation and books targeted for the children’s summer reading program...

The Hardy Advertising and Promotion (A&P) Commission met on March 22 at 6 p.m. at the Hardy Civic Center. Chairman Charles Wilson brought the meeting to order. After the current agenda and minutes from the last meeting were approved, Jeff Munroe began with the financial report. ...

March is designated as Women History Month, to celebrate and appreciate all the women in our lives and communities who have made an impact over time and those who continue to make every day better. Here at Areawide Media, we wanted to highlight some of the local women in our community that play big roles in its daily operations such as elected officials, salon owners and store owners...

The Cherokee Village City Council met Thursday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m. at city hall. Mayor Russ Stokes called the meeting to order, and last month’s minutes and current meeting’s revised (see below) agenda were approved. The monthly financial report was reviewed by the council and approved to be filed for audit. ...

Ash Flat City Council met March 9 at 6 p.m. at the Ash Flat Firehouse. Mayor Larry Fowler opened the meeting, followed by approval of minutes from the February meeting and the current agenda. After the fire and police department reports, Regan Nicholson of the parks department reminded everyone of the impact recent winter storms had. After much snow removal, there were many plumbing repairs made including water leaks and fencing at the ball park...

The Highland City Council met on March 9 at the Highland City Hall at 6 p.m. Mayor Russell Truitt opened the proceedings, followed by approval of the minutes from the February meeting and the current meeting’s agenda. Fire Chief Kal Dienst reported on the fire department. With the exception of one structure fire in front of Ivey’s, there were no major incidents in February...

If you’re seeking some creative suggestions on how to make use of those little, and not so little, creatures running around in your backyards and fields and swimming in your streams, look no further than the advice of wildlife connoisseur and gourmet chef Mark Gordon. ...

Sharp County Quorum Court met on March 8 at 6 p.m. at the Sharp County Courthouse. Judge Gene Moore opened the meeting with last month’s minutes, which were approved by court members. Treasurer Wanda Girtman shared the financial report from 2020, which had also been printed in the paper the previous week. ...

Cavewomen On March 15, Cave City traveled to Cedar Ridge for a softball game. Cedar Ridge won the game 14-0 in non-league action. On March 16, Cave City went to Clinton and lost to the Yellowjackets 9-1. Baseball On March 15, in a baseball scrimmage game at Pleasant Plains, Cave City lost to the Midland Mustangs 13-3...

The City of Ash Flat brought home a national title following the results of the National Rural Water Association’s best tasting water competition. The results, announced in late February, placed the City of Ash Flat third in the Best Water in the USA competition during the Great American Water Taste Test held by the National Rural Water Association. ...

Rural fire departments in Sharp and Fulton Counties were seemingly ran ragged the week ending March 12, as an excessive number of fires required departments to respond. Additionally, the Arkansas Forestry Department was also called out multiple times to assist in controlling the blazes and preserving property...

As announced by Governor Hutchinson, the State of Arkansas through the Arkansas Department of Agriculture is donating 10,000 oak tree seedlings to families to honor those lost due to COVID-19. “Our deepest sympathy is extended to the Arkansas families who have lost loved ones to COVID-19,” said Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward. “We are deeply honored to provide a remembrance to these families on behalf of the State of Arkansas.”...

Hardy Police Department recently reported the arrest of Vern Lee Schuldheisz, 55, of Williford, following a search of his residence. According to an incident report completed by Hardy Officer Scott Rose, Schuldheisz was arrested March 1 at his residence in Williford. ...

A press release from the Arkansas State Police was issued Monday, March 15 regarding a partnership between five state police agencies. Five neighboring statewide law enforcement agencies are sending a unified message urging drivers to slow down. The warning follows a year best described by highway patrol troopers in each state reporting excessive highway speeding across the central U.S. region...

Charles Paul Stovall, 24, of Cherokee Village, appeared before Judge Rob Ratton March 2 at the Randolph County Courthouse in Pocahontas to enter guilty pleas for the murders of Linda Janny, 72, of Cherokee Village and Hayleigh Gruger, 23, of Cherokee Village and the attempted murder of Deborah Compton, 41...

The Highland School Board meeting was held on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 5 p.m., delayed by one week due to winter storms. The meeting was brought to order by School Board President Jason Rhodes. All members were present in person or via Zoom with the exception of Michael Burton...

On Feb. 25, at approximately 5:30 p.m. the Hardy Police Department was notified of a gray Nissan Altima with tinted windows that was traveling at a high rate of speed heading toward Hardy. Officer Scott Rose was advised officers had pursued the vehicle at speeds exceeding 100 mph...

The Hardy City Council meeting was held on March 2 at the Civic Center at 6 p.m. Mayor Ernie Rose opened the meeting. After the minutes from the February meeting and the current agenda were approved, council member Jeff Munroe gave a report from the Advertising and Promotion Commission meeting on Feb. ...

In the March 3 edition of the Villager Journal, an article entitled “Cherokee Village Mayor Stokes gives 2020 State of the City Address”, misstated that Angel Diaz of the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission is remaining at his posts as city inspector and code enforcement officer. ...

There is a familial bond that often typically grows between teacher and student, understandably so. One relies on the other, and to the surprise of some, that is a two-way street. Nothing exemplifies this better than the growing legacy of Highland School District Principal Meg Barnes of Cherokee Elementary School and her highly devoted followers, including Assistant Principal Joni Gaskins and fourth grade teacher Jamie Martin...

A special announcement was made by North Arkansas Electric Cooperative’s fiber subsidiary NEXT at its Mountain Home offices on Friday, Feb. 26. Special guest, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, flew in from Little Rock Friday morning to share with local media and community leaders that NEXT won $27.5 million in the most recent Federal Communications Commission auction. ...

During Governor Asa Hutchinson’s press conference regarding COVID-19 on Friday, Feb. 26, several significant announcements were made about Arkansas’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes reflect the state’s downward trend in key COVID-19 numbers...

Sun Kyss Glo Therapeutic and Wellness Spa in conjunction with Sunless Inc, hosted its first annual Mystic Tan Spokesmodel contest. As designed by Sun Kyss Glo, the contest centered around alternatives for skin cancer prevention and Project Secret Santa, a community and philanthropic focus where no child is left behind at Christmas. ...

The Hardy Advertising and Promotion Commission (A&P) held its monthly meeting on Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. Chairman Charles Wilson opened the proceedings, and the minutes from the January meeting and the current agenda were approved. Treasurer Jeff Munroe then went over the current financial report. ...

The Cherokee Village City Council met Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. in a meeting delayed by one week due to the winter storms. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Russ Stokes. After the current amended agenda and the minutes from the January meeting were approved, City Clerk Deb Weichinger read correspondence, which included a letter of appreciation addressed to Police Officer Janelle Tyner and Animal Control Officer Carolyn Parks, who helped find a lost dog for a Cherokee Village resident in December 2020. ...

A contractor has been selected for the Humphries Ford Bridge project in Fulton County. The project has also been referred to as the “Spring River Bridge” as the bridge connects those who live in the Nine Mile Ridge community to the closest town of Hardy and a main highway...

Sharp County producers and commercial applicators will have the opportunity to dispose of their outdated and unused pesticides during a collection event on Tuesday, March 9. The event will take place at the Sharp County Fairgrounds. The pesticide collection is free and is made available through funding from the Arkansas Abandoned Pesticide Trust Fund. ...

Well, it’s nearing the end of February 2021, and the coronavirus pandemic still lingers on, despite there being a new president in the oval office, plus at least two COVID-19 vaccines in circulation and two more within reach. We are now facing almost one-half million deaths resulting from the virus. ...