Monthly Archives: April 2017

Vigorous Training Benefits K-9s, Handlers, Community

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By Jorge Quiquivix
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO, Ark.- K-9s are part of several law enforcement agencies in the Delta. These animals even have a presence in smaller police departments.

Jonesboro Police Sgt. Cassandra Brandon spent five years as a canine handler and says these dogs help them sniff out drugs.

Her K-9’s name was Mick and she quickly found out this assignment was going to be different than being a patrol officer. Unlike patrol officers, canine handlers go home but they are technically still working.

“I had to pay not only attention to what was going on out there, but I had to pay attention to him too and make sure he was okay. That he was comfortable. That he didn’t need to go potty or anything like that. It’s just a lot of extra responsibility as a K-9 handler,” Brandon said.

She also had to train constantly as required by Case Law, which is what the police world operates by. Among the requirements is 16 hours of training a month.

“If there was not a whole lot going on, me and him would go out and we’d just train on our own,” she said. “Mainly that was for him to keep him fresh. Especially for the drugs. I know where they are. I just need to see where they could find him.”

Blake Bristow owns BlueStreak K9, a business where he trains and sells dogs to Delta police departments. He helps set up some of the training required by Case Law.

“Some of these agencies don’t have the time and manpower to be able to train all the time,” Bristow said. “They don’t have the people there that can help them so they come to us.”

One of the handlers struggled during the training, which he says happens when the K-9 and officer are not used to each other yet.

“They’re new. The dog’s good. The handler is figuring things out but we got to get them working together. So that’s what this is for. It’s a team deal,” Bristow said.

He also stressed how crucial the training is and what it means for hard-working citizens if these K-9 handlers don’t do what they are supposed to.

“When they go to court, it’s going to be hard to win that case,” he said. “The more they practice, the better they’re going to deploy in the streets and in a real-lifetime situation. So you know it could save the officer’s life.”

Officer Heath Loggains and his K-9 partner, Cash, pose with bounty from an arrest. (photo courtesy of Jonesboro PD)

The Jonesboro Police Department understands the importance of these dogs. Most of their K-9s sniff out drugs only, but they also have a bomb sniffing K-9. Brandon says she cannot overstate what the K-9s mean to the officers.

“They can go to a house we don’t want to send an officer into, or a building, or in the woods, or wherever they can go in and try to find a person. If we didn’t have the dogs, we would have to send a person and put that person in harm’s way,” she said.

Bristow said he agrees with Brandon.

Despite knowing they’re a tool for the department, these officers have developed a relationship with their canines.

“Of all the jobs I’ve done, this is one of the most rewarding to be able to see your dog come out and perform when it’s supposed to,” Bristow said.

“We know that’s what they are doing for us. That alone makes having the canine program worth having,” Brandon said.

BlueStreak K9 can be found on Facebook for anyone interested in purchasing a K-9.

Police Department Offers Transparency Despite Tensions

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By Jorge Quiquivix
Delta Digital News Service

TRUMANN, Ark. — The tensions between police and Americans have escalated in the last couple of years and it’s something that even smaller towns in the South are having to deal with.

Sgt. Chad Mason works as a detective with the Trumann Police Department. He doesn’t like the way police officers are portrayed in the media recently.

“We don’t put the badge and the gun on every day just to come to work and do bad and do harm against the community and the citizens,” he said. “It’s a constant negative about law enforcement doesn’t care, they’re just there to arrest you and take you to jail, so on and so forth.”

Deadly Shootings Impact Views

A factor that plays into this negative view is the number of deadly shootings by police in the United States.

According to The Washington Post’s Fatal Force database, officers killed 963 people in 2016. The database collects data from news reports, law enforcement websites and even social media reports. The number barely decreased from 2015, when there were about 2015 killings reported. So far, there have been 284 deaths in 2017.

In Arkansas, the database reports five people died in 2015, 15 in 2016, and four by April 2017. Mason realizes where the concerns come from, but he has an issue with those concerns.

“It’s a long line of bad stuff, so that the good stuff doesn’t get seen,” he said.

Stepping Out for Change

Mason and other members of the police department have taken steps to change that perspective, at least in his community.

“Every negative thing that society may see that a police officer does, I try to turn that into a positive,” he said.

To do that, the Trumann Police Department has started community-oriented policing. That means officers take time during patrols to stop and talk to people, to find out what problems they have and try to help them out.

Trumann police officers interact with children as part of community policing. It provides an opportunity for residents to see police in a positive light. (photo courtesy of Sgt. Chad Mason)

One main audience for this approach: children.

“Kids that are growing up, they need to see that positive role model. They need to see that positive side of law enforcement in the community so that whenever they’re in need and they need help, they’ll be secure and they’ll feel like they’re secure,” Mason said.

He said he feels those kids need to see the officers as people behind the badge. During a citizen ride-along across town, Mason explained there isn’t a lot of recreational activities for children to do in Trumann.

“Some of that may or may not contribute to kids running out of stuff to do and getting in trouble,” he said.

He said he hopes their officers can show them there are better ways to spend their time.

“We try to be that mentor; we try to be that positive figure in their life,” Mason said. “Me and many officers are on a first-name basis with a lot of the kids and they see us driving around and they’re like, ‘Hey, hey Officer Mason or hey Officer Cook.'”

Another way they do it is being there for those in need. Mason said a girl once reported a bike stolen, so he and a couple of other officers pitched in to help her.

“I saw that she did everything right. She locked it down and someone still managed to get away with it,” he said.

Doubt Remains Among Residents

People in Trumann have noticed that police are taking their time to build those relationships, including 21-year-old Dee Crockett.

“I see them if kids are out playing basketball they will get out of the trucks and play a couple games or something,” Crockett said. “It makes me feel like they actually care about it.”

However, he still doesn’t trust the police and he wouldn’t give a specific reason.

“They’re kinda crooked,” Crockett said. “I mean … it’s just, I know people and I’ve seen things. And you know, once you see it, you know.”

Mason doesn’t let that critique get to him. In fact, he welcomes critiques and is willing to talk to anyone who doubts what they’re doing.

“If you don’t understand something or if you want to see kinda what we do, come up here and fill out a form for a ride-along,” he said. “I’ll be more than happy to take you for a ride-along and you can see what deal with on a day-to-day basis.”

Church Provides Nontraditional Services

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By Destini Lattimore
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — Church bells ring every 15 minutes from the bell tower at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. During the Easter season, the church bells and purple decorations provide an important aspect of worship.

Members of the congregation gathered to prepare the church for a tradition practiced on the first day of Holy Week, Palm Sunday. Each member of the congregation wore a palm cross made by members of the congregation to acknowledge the first day of the sacred week.

“Our church is rich in pomp and circumstance,” church historian Janice Kroeter said. “We are a church full of tradition.”

The Rev. Hannah Hooker learns to make palm crosses with members of her congregation. Hooker has led the congregation for less than a year. (photo by Destini Lattimore)

The church services at St. Mark’s began in 1894. The Rev. C.H. Lockwood organized the congregation and started a mission in 1895. Rev. Hannah Hooker, a North Little Rock native, came to St. Mark’s in July 2016 after completing seminary in Virginia. She grew up Episcopalian.

“My dad was Episcopalian and so was his mother,” Hooker said.

When assigned to the St. Mark’s congregation, however, Hooker was only supposed to work as a curate, an assistant to the current priest.

“To everyone’s shock and surprise, the rector ended up leaving right after I got here. I was supposed to be an intern and now I’m the only priest here,” Hooker said.

Hooker said the most challenging thing she’s faced as priest at St. Mark’s was being placed into a congregation with such a long history.

However, the young priest said the most rewarding part of her time at the congregation has been the moments she’s been able to share with the members. Hooker acknowledged the time they were spending making palm crosses as one of those invaluable moments.

“Things like this are rewarding,” Hooker said. “I love gathering with my folks and just being a part of the church.”

A few characteristics set St. Mark’s Episcopal Church apart from many other congregations and denominations. A branch of the Catholic church, Episcopalian churches have some similarities to the Catholic faith. Yet key differences exist in the way they view communion and the leaders in the church.

The church doubles as a day school. During the week, children attend classes at St. Mark’s. On Wednesdays, Hooker holds chapel with the children. Another important feature of the church is its community service. Every Saturday, teams of church members take turns cooking and serving meals to anyone who is hungry.

“We are very giving,” Children’s Minister Rose Mary Latanich said. “Our church is very community-oriented.”

One of the most important features that differentiate the Episcopalian faith from other faiths is their views on the LGBTQ community and same-sex marriages.

“If you want a place that is accepting, where you can feel the word of God and the presence of Christ in the worship, then St. Mark’s is the place,” said St. Mark’s member Lyse Cater, who has been a member since 1961. “No matter your race, creed or whatever, you will be welcomed here.”

In the early 2000s, the Episcopal church published a service to use for the same-sex blessings, to which they were referred at the time since same-sex marriages were not legal yet. Once the marriages were made legal, the priests were authorized to perform same-sex unions, as well.

“It’s been tricky because not too many churches do them and it’s even trickier in a place like Jonesboro,” Hooker said.

Because the decision to perform these unions is sometimes on a church-by-church basis, St. Mark’s has received a reputation as the only congregation who performs the unions.

There is also another catch to the unions. Priests are supposed to marry same-sex couples within their congregation. So, those who wish to be married must be members of the congregation first.

“We encourage weddings to be done with your church family,” Hooker said. “I am technically only approved to perform ceremonies for members of my church.”

She makes exceptions for people who are willing to do premarital counseling with her.

“We try to be as helpful as we can to people who don’t have anywhere else to go,” she said.

As far as membership, Hooker said she wants the LGBTQ community to know they can find a church home at St. Mark’s.

“Give us a shot. Come on by. We would love to worship with you,” she said.

Members of the congregation gather together to prepare a meal for anyone in need. The church provides free meals every Saturday to the public. (photo by Destini Lattimore)

St. Mark’s member, Donald Mankin said he has always felt the love and acceptance of those around him. Mankin became a member of the congregation in 2012.

“Everybody has been very friendly. Everybody seems to get along. Everybody’s welcome. We don’t look down on people,” Mankin said.

St. Mark’s holds services every Sunday at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. and Wednesday at 6:15 p.m.

Goodwill Helps Reduce Local Unemployment

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By Rachel Moore
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — With unemployment being a constant hot topic in the news, Goodwill contributes to the solution by helping those in need find jobs.

As of March 2017, unemployment in the United States hovers around 4.5 percent. According to the Arkansas Economist, Arkansas’ unemployment reached a new record low in February: 3.7 percent. Goodwill continues work to help employ more. In 2016 Goodwill reportedly helped 4,547 Arkansans obtain jobs.

A graph showing the unemployment numbers. It narrows down from a broad, overall look at the United States, to the State of Arkansas, then to the town of Jonesboro.

“We help people with barriers to employment like prior incarceration or disability; working one-on-one with those persons to determine interests, skills, and abilities. By definition what we do helps reduce the unemployment rate in Arkansas,” said Leslie Heizman, the vice president of Community Engagement at Goodwill in Little Rock.

Forklift driver, administrative assistant and environmental services technician are just a few of the job positions Goodwill has helped fill.

In the state, there are 34 Goodwill stores but only 22 have Career Centers. Both the Jonesboro and Paragould Goodwills feature Career Centers.

The career center features a director and a few workers that work directly with employers and one-on-one with those in need. They work together to get to the root of the unemployment issue.

Many times the issue comes down to disabilities. Almost 70 percent of people with disabilities in Arkansas are unemployed; Goodwill works to combat this by providing the necessary tools to enable them to work. It loans wheelchairs, crutches and other equipment through HELP – Health Equipment Loan Program. If the item needed is available, it will be loaned out.

A lack of education causes another barrier preventing Arkansans from gaining employment. Arkansas is the third poorest state in the nation and it reflects on the education system: In the state, around 300,000 adults don’t have a high school diploma.

This sometimes prevents residents from obtaining even an entry-level job, so Goodwill developed a solution called The Excel Center at Goodwill. Starting in fall 2017, this adult charter high school will give anyone over 19 the opportunity to earn a high school diploma at no cost. Goodwill will work with Pulaski Tech and its Trade School to guide students towards a life-long career.

Derek Watson, a data specialist for Goodwill Career Center in Jonesboro runs numbers on unemployment data for the state. (photo by Rachel Moore)

Other programs Goodwill offers to help the community and lower unemployment include Books 4 Kids and Bright Futures, The Academy at Goodwill, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Employment & Training Provider, Horizons, Re-entry Beyond Disabilities and Transitional Employment Opportunity.

“Helping Arkansans with a hand-up, not a handout, is our priority,”  Heizman said.

Goodwill has managed to help so many people they had to hire a data specialist, Derek Watson. He works at the Career Center in Jonesboro and manages the statistics to help the company guarantee successful programs.

“My job is run all the numbers regarding employment and the work we do,” Watson said.

For those in search of a job who may not want to explore all the programs, Goodwill also regularly display job ads on its front doors and inside the stores.

Distracted Driving Affects Everyone

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By Katie Woodall
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO, Ark. – The National Safety Council observes April as Distracted Driving Awareness month in an effort to educate drivers and create awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.

Distracted driving can be any form of driving while engaging in another activity, but the most commonly thought of form is texting and driving. Currently, 46 states feature a texting and driving law with all but five having primary enforcement.

The Arkansas Legislature enacted Paul’s Law in 2009 after a Jonesboro man died in a texting-and-driving related accident. The friends and family of Paul Davidson pushed the legislation in an attempt to educate others about the dangers of texting and driving.

Matt Roberson played a key part in working on Paul’s Law and said it was created in an attempt to deter texting and driving more than anything.

“If there was ever anything positive about this situation, we felt creating a law that might save others and remembering Paul would be the best way to do it. While it was difficult and tragic at the time, we can look back on it all now and know that we did something that might help someone from experiencing the same tragedy,” Roberson said.

While the law hasn’t had the preferred deterring effect, Roberson said he believes people are more aware of the dangers now because of all the organizations dedicated to educating people about it.

“The more awareness there is, the more likely people will listen and stop. Unfortunately, it just takes time for people to learn and sometimes it takes learning the hard way,” Roberson said.

Paul Holmes, a public information specialist for the Jonesboro Police Department, said teaching motorists the laws and what qualifies as distracted driving could help with the texting and driving incidents in Jonesboro.

“Distracted driving can mean anything from looking for a song to listen to while going down the highway, to sitting at a red light and checking a message. It’s the driver’s responsibility to themselves as well as other motorists to be safe,” Holmes said.

Last year, in an effort to reduce the number of distracted-driving accidents in Jonesboro, JPD set up traffic stops at Red Wolf Boulevard and Caraway Road and actually walked through traffic during red lights, ticketing drivers who were on their phones.

“We did see a reduction in accidents fairly quickly after doing the traffic stop. It may be something we do again in the future,” Holmes said.

The Jonesboro Police Department documented 164 car crashes involving texting and driving specifically over the past three years.

Becca Studebaker has experience on both ends of a texting and driving accident. Her first accident happened when she was driving distracted in a construction zone.

“I looked down to my phone for one second and then all the sudden I was hitting signs,” Studebaker said.

While she was ticketed for distracted driving, Studebaker said she’s thankful only her car was hurt in the accident and she learned her lesson when it comes to texting and driving.

Yet just because Studebaker said she doesn’t text and drive anymore, that doesn’t make other drivers follow the law.

Last month, Studebaker was involved in another texting and driving accident, this time being rear-ended by another driver who was distracted. Studebaker said she suffered a concussion and whiplash, and her car was totaled in the accident.

Ultimately, Studebaker said she hopes the person that rear-ended her learned the same lesson about texting and driving that she did.

“You think it’s OK; you’re fine the majority of the time you think, but there’s that one time that you could end up hurting yourself or someone else,” Studebaker said.

(Editor’s Note: Photo of texting and driving by Intel Free Press [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons)

The Truck Patch Wants Better Food For All

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By Destini Lattimore
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO, Ark. — Eat real food. Since 2010, The Truck Patch’s mission has been to deliver clean, quality food to the residents of Arkansas.

Co-owner Sarah Adler started The Truck Patch, a natural food grocery store, with her husband, opening their first store in Mountain Home. The Jonesboro location opened in October 2015 on Southwest Drive.

Adler said natural foods have become a passion for her family. Her husband handles the business aspect of the store, while she is often seen in the store interacting with employees and customers.

Jasmine Jacobs spends her time working the cash register and assisting customers throughout the rest of the store. Jacobs, a new employee at The Truck Patch, said she has enjoyed her time there so far. (photo by Destini Lattimore)

“Our hope is that we offer better quality, cleaner food that you can’t find anywhere else,” Adler said. “And I know we pull that off.”

Adler also said the store focuses on offering clean ingredients. They do not sell any food items that contain high fructose corn syrup, MSG, artificial flavors or colors.

“I want customers to have an experience where they can come in and shop with ease, knowing that we won’t ever let that kind of stuff in the products,” she said.

She also noted a number of health issues are related to the processed foods consumed each day.

“If you look at how our food has changed over the last 50 to 60 years, I mean, now we all eat processed, unidentifiable foods,” Adler said.

Though other grocery stores like Walmart and Kroger offer some natural foods, they are often mixed in with various other products. so customers must search for the healthier options.

The Adlers noticed Jonesboro lacked a natural food store. Residents drove to Memphis to shop at the nearest Whole Foods or traveled to Mountain Home to shop at the original Truck Patch location. The healthy options offered at The Truck Patch were virtually unavailable to Jonesboro residents.

“It seemed a little ridiculous for a town this size to not have those options,” she said. “We just really felt like the need was there.”

The Adler’s wanted to ensure Jonesboro citizens had easy access to cleaner sources of food without the stress of having to search through larger grocery stores.

The Truck Patch offers a variety of features to attract and maintain its consumers. They have a loyalty program available that allows customers to earn 2 percent back on all purchases.

Their store also offers monthly sales that feature about 200 items each month, along with various coupons that are available. Adler said she knows this helps customers be more cost effective while shopping at the store.

“We honor coupons from manufacturers. So if someone wants to be a fairly savvy shopper, they can really shop this way and still get their money’s worth,” Adler said. “You do have to be smart about it.”

Adler advised following specific sales, using coupons and utilizing the store’s bulk section to stretch your dollar while shopping.

Another unique feature offered at The Truck Patch is its café housed at the back of the store. The Stem and Spoon offers a variety of juices, smoothies, sandwiches and many other items. Customers can also use a salad bar.

“The café is a big thing for us as far as growth and possibility. It’s been doing really well,” Adler said.

Customers enjoy the delicious and fresh options available at the Stem and Spoon café inside The Truck Patch grocery store. The café features a Grab’N’Go section, a salad bar and various smoothie and juice options. (photo by Destini Lattimore)

The Stem and Spoon also features a “Grab’N’Go” section.

“I go every few weeks,” A-State student Emily Moran of Sherwood said. “It’s close to work, so I go for a sandwich on my lunch break.”

The Truck Patch may also be the ideal destination for Jonesboro residents with restrictive diets and food intolerances or allergies.

“I enjoy shopping at The Truck Patch because it has some of the best things nature can offer,” Arnelle Jones of Osceola said. “Likewise, it has more foods and products for more morally conscious individuals, such as vegans and vegetarians.”

Although it may be easy to make assumptions about the “typical Truck Patch” customer, Adler said there really isn’t one.

“(Our customers) are really across the board. You know, you would assume sometimes it would be a more affluent customer, but some of our best customers pay with EBT,” she said.

The same goes for employees, as well. Adler said the Truck Patch hires anyone from high school students to retirees.

“Organic is something we should get back to because you don’t have to worry about all the unhealthy stuff in foods,” employee Jasmine Jacobs said. “It’s good to eat as natural as you can.”

As the company enters its seventh year in existence, Adler said there are still a number of goals they’d like to reach.

“We just want to keep growing and help people find their health by just learning that eating cleaner food is such a key to living healthier and longer,” she said.

Adler said they plan on expanding the options offered in the Stem and Spoon Café, and will do what they can to remain above the competition when it comes to customer service. The Truck Patch employees are available throughout a customer’s shopping experience and will walk around the store to assist customers with finding products that best fit their needs.

She also said the store will continue to support the community by selling locally grown products.

As The Truck Patch continues to grow, the Adler family hopes to help the Jonesboro community develop a new, healthy lifestyle.

CDC Questions Health Effects of Vaping

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By Destiny Quinn
Delta Digital News Service

Jonesboro, Ark,  – The phenomenon some people refer to as vaping leaves a lot of questions to be answered.

Vaping is terminology that has resulted from the use of an electronic cigarette, which vaporizes a liquid that can be flavored. These e-cigarettes typically consist of nicotine, propylene, glycol and glycerine in the form of a liquid.

Some tobacco users say “dual use” to illustrate how they feel about the e-cigarettes. They say they believe vaping provides the key to weaning themselves off the nicotine and the addiction. Questions remain if it’s the safest way to end the addiction. Decades of research indicates just how harmful tobacco usage is on the lungs.

“Just cutting back on cigarettes may not protect you from an early death. Heavy smokers who reduce their cigarette use by half still have a very high risk for early death,” notes the Centers for Disease Control.

NEA Baptist Clinic Dr. Doug Maglothlin explained his viewpoints on the fad.

“I don’t think anyone really knows just yet what the long-term effects are going to be of vaping,” Maglothlin said. He explained he didn’t have a lot of prior knowledge on the subject matter because vaping is still so new to doctors.

The Food and Drug Administration has not regulated the ingredients in e-cigarettes or e-cigarettes in general.

“So there’s no way to know for sure what is in them, or how much nicotine they contain,” states the CDC.

Maglothlin said there could be similarities between this new smoking alternative and what was known as popcorn lung.

“It’s interesting; if you read about vaping, you always come back to a thing called ‘popcorn lung,'” he said.

Maglothlin referenced an incident involving chemicals and microwave popcorn that left people with damaged airways and a COPD side effect.

“Years ago, in the factories that were making microwave popcorn, they had this chemical in there that had a buttery creamy kind of smell and taste, and they used a lot of that,” he said. Maglothlin noted the smell employees were inhaling actually was the chemical diacetyl. Diacetyl can be found in some e-cigarettes and vape shops.

With the growing number of e-cigarette users, especially used by young adults ages 18-25, it is important for potential risks to be known.

“Reasons reported by young people for using e-cigarettes include curiosity, taste and the belief that e-cigarettes are less harmful than other tobacco products,” states the CDC.

Maglothlin said he believes the best way to combat the usage is to not discourage users.

“I don’t discourage them, if they think that’s a way they can get off (smoking), then I don’t discourage them — but certainly, I would not encourage anyone to start vaping,” he said.

E-cigarette companies reported over $2.5 billion in business in the United States in 2014. Since 2004, e-cigarette use has grown exponentially. Even children are getting in on the act. And that usage gives further credence to the argument that more needs to be known about e-cigarettes and their potentially harmful effects.

(Editor’s Note: Vaping picture by Lindsay Fox [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons)