August 2022

Trout growth and survival on Spring River

In June, personnel from the Trout Management Program (TMP) and Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery conducted a seasonal population monitoring and tagging event on the Spring River. Sixty percent of all fish collected in June were trout, but Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Shadow Bass, Longear Sunfish, Warmouth, Bluegill and Walleye were also collected. Several Brown Trout stocked in 2021 were collected during the event. Prior to stocking, those fish were marked with freeze brands (see picture to right) so they could be identified when recaptured in the field. So far, those fish have exhibited good growth during their first year in the fishery. Brown Trout stocked in 2021 were stocked at an average length of 9 inches, but are now averaging ~13 inches. The TMP will continue this project for at least two years, and is designed to obtain estimates of trout growth and survival on Spring River.

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14th Annual Cougar Classic scores (Day 1 at Turkey Mountain in Horseshoe Bend)

Boys Team Scores Pocahontas 245 Bay 266 Highland 278 Salem 315 Izard County 317 Cave City 340 Bigelow NTS Boys Individual Scores Jack Privett, Pocahontas 78 Easton Fletcher, Bay 79 Zane Hibbard, Pocahontas 83 Elijah Wilkes, Izard County 83 Smith Sparks, Pocahontas 84 Kenan Ogden, Pocahontas 85 Isaac Gooch, Highland 87 Bennett Wilson, Bigelow89 Evan Reagan, Bigelow 91 Kaden Hartley, Bay 92 Wyatt Edwards, Cave City 94 Will Pillow, Bay 95 Hunter Yates, Highland95 Zach Duncan, Highland 96 Hank Guiltner, Salem 97 Cooper Carter, Highland100 Reed Crocker, Bay 100 Jackson Taylor, Salem 102 Noah Stevenson, Izard County 108 Dryver Springstun, Salem 116 Joseph Summers, Cave City 123 Will Jones, Cave City 123 Landen Miller, Salem 123 Lane Mohlke, Izard County 126 Colton Vinson, Cave City 128 Brett Hill, Salem 132 Elijah Miller, Salem 142 Girls Team Scores Salem 304 Highland 340 Cave City 367 Pocahontas 367 Girls Individual Scores Chloe Taylor, Salem 99 Hayden Friend, Salem 101 AJ McCandlis, Viola 102 Madison Busch, Salem 104 Claire Himschoot, Highland 104 Katie Fish, Salem 106 Molly Cherry, Highland 107 Allie Brooks, Pocahontas 112 Jessie Stauffer, Cave City 119 Alyssa Brown, Cave City 122 Josie Niswonger, Pocahontas123 Dreama Morrow, Cave City 126 Makenzie Moody, Cave City 126 Addison Jones, Highland129Jayln Shipley, Pocahontas 132 Blair Baxley, Pocahontas 139

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House of Representatives

governor is calling the General Assembly into an Extraordinary Session next week to address the use of surplus funds to provide tax relief and funding for school safety measures. The Arkansas School Safety Commission was reinstated in the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

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Listen Here

A ugust is here and you know what that means. Back to school. The three most dreaded words in any child’s vocabulary from ages five to 18 and beyond if they choose college, but let’s not jump ahead.

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Capitol Week in Review

When it meets in special session the legislature will consider a $50 million grant program forschool safety measures. The governor proposed making grants available for schools that need financial help to implement recommendations made recently by the Arkansas School Safety Commission.

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The Biden Administration Continues its Reckless Tax-and-Spending Spree

High prices at the pump, increasing costs at the grocery store and excessive monthly energy bills are all devastating for the hardworking Arkansans trying to make ends meet. For at least one northeast Arkansas resident, rising expenses made it too dif ficult to continue running his contracting business, so he closed the doors. We need policies that support small businesses, decrease the cost of fuel and food, and help grow paychecks. Instead, President Biden and congressional Democrats are on a reckless tax-and-spending spree. More spending and tax hikes are not the answer.

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The Villager Journal (USPS 119-670)(ISSN 1526162X) is published weekly by Areawide Media. Periodical postage is paid at Hardy, AR 72542. The Villager Journal editorial and advertising offices are located at Highland Square Shopping Center, 2379 Highway 62/412 East, Hardy, AR 72542, 388 Highway 62/412 East, Salem, AR 72576 and 109 Chestnut, Thayer, MO 65791. Subscription rates are $38 per year locally and $45 per year out-ofcounty. General advertising rate is $8.00 per column inch. The Villager Journal will not knowingly publish any advertisement which is untruthful, fraudulent or otherwise misleading. The Villager Journal maintains a general policy of community service oriented toward family readership. Acceptance of editorial material is at the discretion of the editor. POSTMASTER: send address changes to: Villager Journal, P.O. Box 248, Salem, AR 72576.

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