Monthly Archives: April 2019

Colorful Run Funds D.A.R.E

Posted on by

By Denton Postlewait
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO – Citizens young and old participated in the third annual Color Me D.A.R.E. 5K run at Joe Mack Campbell Park to raise money for the Jonesboro Police Department D.A.R.E program.

The D.A.R.E program educates all fifth-grade students in all Jonesboro schools. This includes all public and private schools.  The money raised goes towards a student T-shirt, books and miscellaneous items used in the D.A.R.E program. During the first year of the race, 80 runners signed up. Three years later, over 170 runners signed up either online or at the starting line. DJ Buzzkill played music before, during and after the race, while members of JPD barbecued for the runners after they finished.

33813349988_a3b77d1ca3_b

D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. The JPD program educated all fifth-grade students in Jonesboro. (Photo by Denton Postlewait)

Sgt. Morshaydrick Racy thanked the community for its support and said the lessons the D.A.R.E program teaches are life-long.

“It’s things that can stick with them and that their parent can reiterate to them at home,” he said. “It means a lot that this many people would support our program.”

Chief Rick Elliot attended the April 20 event and said the Jonesboro community keeps the program alive. Funding for the D.A.R.E. program comes from fundraising and donations.

“Jonesboro is a very giving community. Any time we have an event like this the people of Jonesboro always comes out and support it,” he said. “It takes fundraisers like this to support this program.”

Before the race, participants started with a Zumba class to warm up. Then, they gathered at the starting line and threw paint into the air to create a plume of brightly colored smoke.

47690783131_4030b1c03c_b

Runners warm up with a Zumba class prior to the start. (Photo by Denton Postlewait)

JPD Record Supervisor Mary Oliver said the event helps raise money to keep the D.A.R.E. program in the schools.

“D.A.R.E. is a good program for our kids in the schools,” she said. “We’ve got to keep the community together in supporting D.A.R.E.”

After a rainy week, the weather cooperated and provided a perfect day for the run. During the 5K, serval community businesses set up stations along the route and threw color as runners passed by. Participants finished the race covered in paint.

For anyone who missed the event but would like to support the JPD D.A.R.E. program, visit the Jonesboro D.A.R.E Facebook page.

Audit Leads to A-State Procedural Changes

Posted on by

by Melissa Palumbo
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — Recruiting T-shirts led to a change in procedures at Arkansas State.

An Oct. 11, 2018 complaint to A-State Internal Audit concerned a large order of T-shirts placed by the Office of Recruitment.

An administrative specialist entered the requisition for the shirts to Procurement Services in July. The order, consisting of 4,000 grey “visit” T-shirts for $8,800 and 1,800 red “Pack Preview” T-shirts for $26,700, totaled over $35,000. The order was miscoded as being under $20,000.

The shirts were nonrefundable due to the different patterns and colors applied.

University regulations and Arkansas law require orders above $20,000 to be bid out to vendors in the community and to receive at least three competitive bids. However, the university only obtained one bid from Running Threads, a vendor that previously worked with the university.

Initially, contact was made with both unlicensed and out-of-state vendors, which goes against university regulations.

Special Events Coordinator Teresa Dunton, a member of recruitment, had no comment.

The purpose for bids from at least three local vendors for larger orders is to allow Jonesboro businesses the opportunity to work with the university, make money and get recognition if they do good work. Choosing to only allow one, previously commissioned vendor obtain the bid took away the chance for local businesses to grow.

The vendor asked Procurement Services if the order should be split into two separate orders. This did not meet regulations as all 5,800 T-shirts were ordered at the same time for the same purpose.

Procurement Services replied, “Two separate invoices please.”

Running Threads received about $9,000 as part of the payment for the approved T-shirts before the order was caught.

The orders were approved by Dunton and Polly Marshall, director of Admissions and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment. Katie Davis, the purchasing technician for requisition and budget, stamped the orders as approved at 2:48 p.m. on Sept. 12. Davis had no comment on the approval.

Even though the orders were separated, the order containing the red “Pack Preview” T-shirts exceeded the $20,000 limit and should not have been approved at this level.

The Purchasing Technician for Requisition and Budget incorrectly wrote in red ink that both orders were under $20,000.

Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration Len Frey (photo by Melissa Palumbo)

Executive Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Len Frey said the two levels of approval failed to recognize the error potentially due to employee unfamiliarity with the policies and procedures.

Every year, recruitment orders T-shirts to be distributed during events in the fall and spring semesters. This academic year, more shirts than usual were ordered to give to potential incoming freshmen in the newly finished Welcome Center.

Because of the events that launched this audit, restructuring and other changes have taken place in the Procurement Services.

“We have been working on a number of changes in the procurement area,” Frey said. “As a result of this, there have been corrective actions taking place.”

While training for personnel in the Procurement Services previously stopped, Frey said it should not have been a reason for the mistake to have happened. However, as part of the restructuring, training will be “beefed up” not only for Procurement Services, but also in other departments including Human Resources, Information Technology and security.

At the time of the order being processed, Procurement Director Lola Langley did not report to a higher level in the organization. This caused communication challenges. As a result, the procurement office immediately had Carol Barnhill, director of contract administration and strategic sourcing, begin reporting directly to Frey.

Barnhill identified the mistake that launched the audit in October, after which Frey promoted her to the first Chief Procurement Officer to identify any potential concerns in the future. Barnhill assumed the position after an announcement made Feb. 28. In addition to her responsibilities in the procurement office, she will also oversee Contract Administration and Strategic Sourcing.

Additional changes will be made to the administrative staff and leadership, and the new staff will report directly to Russ Hannah, associate vice chancellor for business and finance.

On March 13, Chancellor Kelly Damphousse announced a new 16-member Strategic Plan Steering Committee. The committee consists of members who have been working in their position for some time, like Hannah and current Provost Lynita Cooksey, as well as newly appointed individuals such as the new Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Bryan Terry.

“Something like this should not happen again,” Frey said. “Something like this should not have happened in the first place.”

Esports Provide Another Avenue for Competition

Posted on by


by Denton Postlewait
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — The world of Electronic Sports continues to expand into pop culture in the United States and around the world, but it includes more than just playing video games.

According to www.statista.com, over 1.435 billion people knew about esports in 2018, but the number could grow to 1.57 billion in 2019. At the collegiate level, over 130 schools and more than 3,000 students participate in esports, according to www.nacesports.org, the governing body of college esports.  A large number of the worldwide population know about esports and the number grows every year.

In fall 2015, Matthew Strack started the Arkansas State Rocket League Club with some friends. It started as something innocent; just a way to blow off steam after class. However, he quickly realized that it could become something more, especially at the collegiate level. The professional esports ranks featured players who make money playing games like “League of Legends,” “Counter Strike: Go” and of course, “Rocket League.” Strack tried to find collegiate “Rocket League” competition but realized it had not yet been created. So Strack, along with help from students at Purdue University and Rochester Institute of Technology, decided to create it and thus the “College Carball League” began in spring 2016.

“We really just played for fun. Our first real scrimmage was against Purdue’s team and we won,” Strack said. “As esports grew, ‘Rocket League’ grew, and we formed the College Carball Association, which helped found the ‘College Rocket League.’ It’s the official body for ‘Rocket League.'”

“Rocket League” is one of the newer esports on the rise with the likes of “Fortnite” and “Apex Legends,” among others. It may be easy to think competitive gaming formed recently, but quite the opposite occurred. According to www.medium.com, the first-ever esports competition began in 1972 at Stamford University, with the game of choice being “Spacewar!” From then on, the United States and the world became hooked on video games.

47559965321_d3c31641cd_b

Arkansas State senior Jakobe Hardee trains extensively to stay on top of his game.  (Photo by Denton Postlewait)

A-State “Rocket League” President Jakobe Hardee said he started his esports career by wanting to become a professional “Call of Duty” player. However, after discovering “Rocket League,” his gaming path changed. Hardee played video games as a child and knew early on that if he really worked hard at them, it would pay off.

“I played a lot of ‘Call of Duty’ and had hopes and dreams of becoming a professional,” Hardee said. “The first time I played ‘Rocket League,’ I enjoyed it, but it really didn’t catch my eye.”

While certainly not love at first sight, Hardee gave “Rocket League” another chance a few months later.

“I went back to ‘Call of Duty’ for a couple more months, but decided I wanted to play something else,” he said. “One day I saw it in my game library, played it again and I was hooked. I’ve been playing it ever since.”

Hardee said it takes a lot of hard work to become competitive in esports. Some days he plays for 10 hours or more, working on different skills to stay atop his game. Aside from physically playing the game, Hardee says he does a lot of replay analysis to see what areas of the game he can improve on and then practices those skills, while also learning new mechanics of the game. With  “Rocket League” only being a few years old, the way the game is played is constantly evolving.

“You have to split your time between playing the game and reviewing the clips to see where you can improve,” he said.

When he’s not going to class or training, Hardee runs a practice discord (an app that allows for communication between users in a chat) for aspiring players. Hardee says what makes “Rocket League” so intriguing is players do not form preconceptions about what the game is like. Players who compete in “Rocket League” started from the same level.

From the outside, esports may not seem to be expanding. However, the Arkansas Athletic Association recently partnered with Play Vs, an esports league from California that primarily focuses on high schools. With this partnership, over 80 schools in the Natural State have formed esports teams and will begin competition in the fall of 2019. This announcement marked a huge win for the esports community, especially in Arkansas. Within weeks of the announcement, Arkansas State University announced the launch of an esports team and over 200 interested students reached out.

Another avenue for players in Arkansas who want to become competitive is The Southern Amateur Esports League. Based out of Little Rock, SAE allows players from Arkansas a chance to grow as players and gain valuable “big stage” gaming experience. Co-Founder and Community Director of Southern Amateur Esports Drew Foote said his company formed to be basically AAU for gamers.

47559965911_baa5d720d2_b

Launched Feb. 4, 2019, Apex Legends boasts over 25 million active players. Photo by Denton Postlewait

“The Amateur Athletic Union is known for one thing, but they govern a lot of different sports,” he said. “With esports, each game is a different sport. I based SAE off of the AAU system.”

SAE continues to grow exponentially since its inception. Foote said the first event held only brought in about 30 people. However, the last event hosted by SAE brought in over 120 people and only 60 were players. Foote said the goal of SAE will be to give players an experience like the professional players that they’ll never forget. Foote does not just want to help players grow, he wants to grow the industry.

“I want to bring the esports experience and economy to Arkansas,” he said. “I want to create jobs in this industry. For me, it is about providing an opportunity to change lives through esports.”

Today video games seem to be more popular than ever. With revenue expected to topple $1 billion in 2019, the gaming community will see an even larger influx of interested players. Connectivity and competition form the foundation for the growth of esports. Esports represent the future of competition.

Proposed Venue Excites NEARK

Posted on by

By Jessica Ladd
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — More entertainment options are coming to Jonesboro next year.

The Social, a restaurant, lounge and entertainment complex, plans to open its doors by August 2020. The business will be located in Greensborough Village, a 200-acre plot of land under construction along U.S. Highway 49 in Jonesboro at Hilltop. When completed, Greensborough Village will have multiple single-family homes, new stores and a movie theater.

The Social is just one of the businesses to announce an opening in the new development, much to the excitement of Jonesboro residents. Many took to social media, sharing The Social‘s post hundreds of times. Jeffrey Higgins, the owner of The Social, said he hasn’t received any negative feedback.

32629149957_6548b983b1_k

The Social is expected to open by Aug. 1, 2020 (photo from Facebook)

“It’s been incredible. People are excited,” he said. “It will be unlike any other food or restaurant chain in the region.”

Higgins also owns JTown’s Grill and Munchy’s in Jonesboro. He could see the demand for more adult entertainment. He said he thought of everything Jonesboro needed and put it into one. He drew inspiration from entertainment venues such as the Bass Pro Pyramid in Memphis. He even did research in other markets on similar facilities.

The Social will be over 12,000 square feet. It will have a full-service bar, lounge and top of the line bowling features. Higgins said he’s included all the bells and whistles. The second story will feature ten loft size apartments. There will also be a party deck that can be rented out for meetings or private parties. Higgins also stressed The Social would be a hangout spot or everyone. That includes families. There will be activities to keep children entertained. Higgins said as a father of three, he knows how difficult it can be to find a venue that has something for everyone. According to a Facebook post, Higgins said the main concept revolves around a great family environment, great food, lounge “social” areas and top-notch bowling experience.

President and CEO of Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce Mark Young said Greensborough Village, and its developments, will be a great addition to the city.

“Greensborough Village, when completed, will give Jonesboro residents more local choices for living and entertainment. This development won’t just give people a place to live and play, it will create jobs,” he said.

He also said it is important for people to spend their money locally. This builds Jonesboro’s economy.  Young predicts with the completion of this project the Hilltop area will grow and expand as well.

Many A-State students have expressed their desire for more entertainment in Jonesboro.  Jonesboro citizens are limited on where they can go to relax and enjoy themselves. The Social will bring another bowling option to the city.  Rachel Flippen, a student at Arkansas State, said she may go to The Social once it opens.

“I think it’s a cool idea. People should enjoy it. I don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t,” she said.

The full service bar and lounge at The Social will offer college students a safe place to hang out and have fun.

Construction on The Social will start in May.

Now Serving: International Flair

Posted on by

by Denton Postlewait
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — International student-athletes provide rich culture, diversity and fierce competition to all Arkansas State University athletic programs.

According to www.ncaa.org, over 20,000 international student-athletes compete at NCAA-compliant schools. A-State happens to be one of those schools; Amelia Guevremont is one of those student-athletes.

40378767983_1c56b5a5dc_k

Amelia Guevremont (Photo by Denton Postlewait)

Guevremont, a sophomore studying mechanical engineering, plays tennis for A-State. She grew up in Montreal, Canada and said her sister influenced her decision to come to America.

“I saw my sister grow up playing tennis and she wanted to go to the states,” she said. “I wanted to do the same thing as her.”

Canada’s different educational system meant Guevremont graduated from high school a year earlier than her American-born competition. She thought she wanted to go straight to the states after graduation but ended up staying in Canada another year. This decision costed her numerous offers from college coaches. Eventually, she decided to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago. After a year in the city, Guevremont decided she wanted to transfer and began emailing coaches. During this process, she received a full-ride scholarship to A-State and decided to move to Jonesboro and become a Red Wolf.

The process of transferring colleges can be difficult. Students must make sure their classes transfer and that they stay academically eligible to compete. Apart from the academic stress, students may not know any of their new teammates, let alone a new city. Thankfully, A-State employs academic coordinators to help with the social and academic transition.

“There is always a bit of a disconnect when they come in because it’s such a shock-and-awe,” said A-State academic coordinator Nate Carr. “Our position as an academic coordinator for athletics is to reduce that shock-and-awe.”

Carr, a former international student-athlete at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, understands the transition better than most. He said one of the biggest hurdles for international students can be the language barrier between them and the general population. Shannon O’Brien, a junior from Cleveland, also competes on the tennis team and said the language barrier can be tough to overcome.

“I’m pretty sarcastic,” she said. “Sometimes when I try to make a joke, they don’t always get it.”

Carr said being at the university makes most international student-athletes happy. They do not mind putting in extra studying or tutoring because it helps them succeed academically and socially. He said the best part of being an academic coordinator comes from seeing the personal growth the athletes show.

“You meet their parents on graduation day and they say, ‘They’re such a different person,'” he said. “I always say, ‘Your son or daughter disappeared for four or five years and now they have a degree and became a man or woman.'”

Carr said the uniqueness of international students makes his job great.

“A student may have trouble writing or speaking English, but then you find out it is their fifth language,” he said. “International students, like all students on campus, are a little bit unique.”

Guevremont said her coach does not really consider her international because of Canada’s proximity to the United States, but she still considers herself foreign.

“I’m not as foreign as them, English is something I might have learned at a younger age,” she said. “It is easier for me than them.”

Guevremont said the difficulty of her first semester stemmed from not being close with the team. Part of that disconnect came from her being new to the team and to the university. She said she became really close to the team this semester and that she trusts her teammates and can talk to them about anything. Guevremont said if she could, she would not change the path that led her to A-State.

“I believe everything happens for a reason,” she said. “There are ups and downs, but that’s part of life. I’m really happy to be here.”

For more information about A-State Tennis, go to www.astateredwolves.com, click on the Sports Tab and select “Tennis” under Women’s Sports.

Revenue Gains Spur Projects

Posted on by

By Chloe Short
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — The Craighead County seat will see changes due to recent economic gains and plans for incoming jobs.

Sales tax revenues for Jonesboro have started strong in 2019 and could potentially pass the record-breaking 2018 totals. The increase in money means many new proposals for the city and the continuation of projects and population inflation. It also opens conversation for further development of the city.

“What we can see is that people spent money in 2019 in the city of Jonesboro, which is always a good thing,” said Craig Rickert, the director of communications for Jonesboro Unlimited, a company that works to bring new businesses to the Jonesboro area. “People are shopping, they’re going to restaurants … they’re buying cars and that money goes to a general fund and helps the city pay for the services for its citizens.”

Mark Young, president and CEO at Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce, said these repairs and services would likely not be limited to police and fire protection, parks and recreation and road improvements. One service that is coming to Jonesboro is a new bike trail.

“I think It would benefit the community positively because it would provide more opportunities for people to get out and be active,” said Jordan Nash, a current Jonesboro resident.

Jonesboro Unlimited’s five-year plan focuses on attracting businesses and talent, business expansions, workforce development and community enhancement. Chris Barber, chairman for Jonesboro Unlimited, said they’re targeting jobs and businesses in health care, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics and professional services.  

“We’re not at liberty to say what businesses are coming due to confidentiality agreements that the companies have signed,” Barber said.  

The plan is two years ahead of schedule and the projected outcome is expected to bring 5,153 new jobs.

“Jonesboro is doing very well,” Barber said. “We are seeing a steady community, employment and population increase.”

Bike Trail Would Connect Jonesboro

Posted on by

By Denton Postlewait
Delta Digital News Service

A proposed bike trail would circle the city. (Photo by Denton Postlewait)

JONESBORO — Citizens and cyclist will soon be able to access the city easier and get safe exercise for the whole family with the Jonesboro Quality of Life and Connectivity Master Plan bike and pedestrian plan.

The A-State link is part of the greater biking and walking trail plan proposed by the city with funding coming from grant money. If approved, the grants would be an 80-20% match for a total of $500,000 from the Arkansas Department of Transportation and the Transportation Alternatives Program. The grants would provide $400,000 or 80%, while the city would provide the additional $100,000 or 20%.

Arkansas State Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communications Bill Smith said the proposed plan will strengthen the bond between the university and the Jonesboro community.

“With Arkansas State, you have a lot of park space. There are trails on campus, there are places for families to come and visit and the A-State Museum,” Smith said. “Having a way for people to come into campus from the east is extremely impactful.”

Not only would the A-State link be helpful for students and employees of the university, but it would also give residents with children a safe and fun place to get exercise on the east side of the city. With the proposed link, citizens would pass through the A-State campus on a path to downtown Jonesboro.

Smith said the northeast corner of the city happens to be the only place in Jonesboro without access to a park. The University Heights phase would give citizens and students the opportunity to use active modes of transportation to travel to work or school.

Jonesboro Parks and Recreation Director Danny Kapalas said the city would start construction on the University Heights link in late 2020. It will be the first phase of a 68-page master street plan that passed a city council vote. From there, the community selected which phase would be completed first.

“We went to the public about which section needed to be the first phase,” Kapalas said. “This phase was unanimously picked.”

The impact of the plan will not provide road cyclists much in the way of safe riding. The plan’s design caters to modes of active transportation to citizens. Brent Walker, a local cycling instructor, said it will give people who walk or ride their bike a safe route to travel on.

“It will provide a safe environment for families, especially young children to ride,” he said. “Not everyone drives, so I think it will be good.”

The plan for the University Heights phase will be designed to give citizens safe access along Aggie Road, a notoriously dangerous road with many blind turns and narrow lanes. If approved, Smith said the path would open the entire east side of Jonesboro. The one benefit for road cyclists would be access to gravel and farm riding outside the city limits.

47503336301_34cde99678_k

The University Heights phase as planned. (Photo by Denton Postlewait)

Click here to find out more about the proposed link or to read the entire 68-page master road plan proposal.

DeltaYou: A 30-Year Impact

Posted on by

by Jessica Ladd
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO— An Arkansas State University department chair announced his retirement after 30 years with the institution.

Osabuohien Amienyi became chair of the department of media in 2007. For the first 18 years of his career, he taught classes including TV Production, Communication Research and Theory of Mass Communication. Amienyi also served as head of the Faculty Senate and dean of the Department of Communication.

46615113585_916da1545c_b

Family photos on Amienyi’s desk. (Photo by Jessica Ladd)

Born in Nigeria, he produced films and did videography there. After moving to the United States, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State University, a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University and a doctorate from Bowling Green State University. His teaching specialties include video production, media management, international communication, communication theory and research. He has worked in radio and TV, while also being a published author.

“He is supportive, patient, kind and he sees every moment as an opportunity to teach. He truly cares about his students, faculty and staff. He is an inspiration and he will be missed,” Kimberly McDaniel said.

McDaniel, the media department’s administrative specialist, works closely with Amienyi and schedules all his appointments. McDaniel began working with him a year ago. She said he is a wonderful boss. She is sad to see him go and wishes him the best of luck in retirement.

More than an academic, Amienyi enjoys helping others and serves on the board of directors for Jonesboro’s Rotary Club. He joined the club in 2007.

Lisa Golden, president of the Jonesboro Rotary Club, met Amienyi when she transferred to Jonesboro in 2014. She said she always looks forward to seeing him every week.

“He is one of the nicest, energetic and most friendly people I’ve ever met. He is quick to laugh and great to work with,” she said.

He takes most of the photos for their meetings. Golden also said he is very active in the organization. He attends meetings and is currently involved in some of their ongoing projects.

Amienyi is passionate about Rotary. He said being a part of the club is fun. The organization undertakes projects to promote peace and fight disease. They help provide clean water, save mothers and children, support education and grow local economies. Their slogan is “service above self.”

Soccer is a big part of Amienyi’s life, as well. He could talk all day about his favorite sport. He learned to play the game at a young age. There weren’t many sports in Nigeria when he was growing up. He said it was something everyone played. Soccer was like a religion to them.

Amienyi (center) coaches during a youth soccer practice. (Photo by Jessica Ladd)

In Nigeria, he lived about three-to-four miles from the soccer stadium. He could hear the cheers from the crowd at his house. He also listened to the games on the radio. This is what sparked his interest in broadcasting.

He coaches in the Jonesboro Youth Soccer Program. Amienyi said there is a joke around the college that soccer is his full-time job and everything else he does is just for fun. He enjoys teaching young children about the game he loves. He has been coaching in the United States since 1990 after his eldest son joined the program.

He called soccer a thinking person’s game, as it’s all about problem-solving. Sometimes a person will have to try three or four different strategies before a move is successful. He is currently working with his youngest son, who hopes to play professionally one day.

Amienyi said it has been a long journey and he is excited about retirement. He’s not sure where he plans on moving yet, but everything else he has figured out. He wants to start his own soccer school where he will take 10-12 kids at a time and teach them the game. He also wants to focus more on research and even hopes to write some children’s books. He plans on spending more time with his family as well.

Assistant coach Welby Young watches practice. (Photo by Jessica Ladd)

Assistant soccer coach Welby Young met Amienyi in 2015. The two have been coaching together since. Young has great respect for Amienyi.

“It’s probably hard to put into words the impact he has had on the community. If you’re 12 or you’re 25, you’ve probably been coached by Osa or been on one of his teams or seen him play,” Young said. “I think this is his passion. It is not work for him.”

Amienyi said his favorite memory of A-State is being able to do the things he loves. He said he is leaving the department better than when he inherited it. He helped obtain more labs for media students. He was a part of creating Red Wolf Radio and Delta Digital News Service. He said he has enjoyed his time at A-State, and he will miss working with the students. He enjoyed seeing them develop themselves.

Earlier in his A-State career. (Photo courtesy of Lillie Fears)

Amienyi’s father use to say, “Always listen to the voice of experience.” This has stuck with him. He said often times people talk too much and don’t take the time to listen. He keeps an open mind and tries not to judge people. These are the keys to his success.

He would often be asked how long he planned to stay at A-State. He said he would give people what he thought to be a philosophical answer. He said there will come a day when he would outgrow the university, or the university would outgrow him.

“I couldn’t have chosen a better place to work,” he said. “I was allowed to do the things I enjoy. I could have gone to different places and not have had as much fun as I’ve had the last 30 years.”

Service Provides Safe Trip Home

Posted on by

by Jessica Ladd
Delta Digital News Service

Driving service Uber is helping eliminate drunk driving one trip at a time. The app allows users to go out and enjoy themselves without having to worry about getting home safely.

The mobile app is simple to use and fair in price. Some citizens think highly of the service.

“Uber is a hot topic right now,” said Melissa Herman, a customer at Brickhouse Bar and Grill in downtown Jonesboro. She said she is grateful for Uber’s service to the community.

Taylor Cagle, who was with Herman at the bar, also had nothing but positive reviews. She even considered driving for the company. She said her boss swears by Uber.

Downtown Jonesboro businesses also approve of the app. Uber is helping transport their customers safely and it’s helping reduce their employee’s stress.

“It’s great,” said Krysti Breyette, a bartender at Cregeen’s Irish Pub. “A lot of people drink and use Uber. It’s not uncommon to see an Uber or Lyft outside waiting to pick someone up. It has cut down on drinking and driving.”

Breyette said Uber is saving lives by offering its service.

BrickHouse

Jordan Wooten enjoys the “calm before the storm” on a slow Saturday afternoon at Brickhouse Bar and Grill. (Photo by Jessica Ladd)

Brickhouse Bar and Grill bartender Jordan Wooten has more than six years of experience working in downtown Jonesboro’s bars.

“Uber absolutely is preventing drunk driving,” he said. “You can see someone get into an Uber and know they’ll make it home safely. It’s an app. Even in your worst state, you can use it.”

Uber breaks down the process of using its app into five steps on its website:

  1. A rider opens the app. The rider can enter their destination and view prices, car sizes and wait times. The rider confirms the pickup location and taps request.
  2. The rider is matched with a driver. A nearby driver accepts the trip request. The rider is notified when the driver is a minute away.
  3. The driver picks up the rider. The driver verifies the driver’s name along with the destination.
  4. The driver takes the rider to destination.
  5. The driver and rider leave ratings for each other. Riders can also leave reviews for the driver as well as tips.

Wendell Vovo started driving for Uber in August 2017. He also claimed Uber is cutting down on drunk driving. He said the community appreciates Uber’s service.

“A lot of people are so thankful for it because they have gotten tickets in the past,” he said. “You go and spend $60 on a drink and wind up paying over $2,500.”

In the United States, two out of three people will be involved in a drunk-driving incident within their lifetime. Partnering with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and creating the hashtag #DesignatedRider, Uber is encouraging people to make safer choices.

Theater Upgrades Seats, Sounds

Posted on by

by Brooke Buckner
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — Malco Hollywood Cinema movie-goers will soon see and hear a difference.

In addition to getting luxury recliner seats and a new grill, select auditoriums are upgrading their sound to Dolby Atmos.

Seasonal employee Zachary Ridgeway said movie watchers will be able to tell it apart from standard sound systems because the bass is much more defined. With surround speakers, it should provide the best movie experience.

Crystal Richard from Best Buy called Dolby Atmos one of the top brands for sound because it features a new audio format for playing back multichannel soundtracks.

“Dolby Atmos uses three-dimensional effect for sound, which allows surround sound to your device,” she said.

Dolby is used in much more than just movie theaters. Many brands like Pioneer, Marantz, Denon, Yamaha, Definitive Technology, Onkyo, MartinLogan, Samsung and Sony use Dolby sound in their products.

Richard said the Dolby products that aren’t used in movie theaters are typically sound bars and subwoofers.

According to the Dolby website, Dolby Atmos redefines moves sound all around, adds an overhead dimension, produces breathtaking sound quality and creates a moving entertainment experience.

The renovation at Malco Hollywood Cinema in Jonesboro will be completed by this summer.

Church Celebrates Lent under New Leadership

Posted on by

by Christine Miyawa
Delta Digital News Service

POCAHONTAS, Ark. — A new priest is leading parishioners of the local Roman Catholic Church through Lent this year.

The Rev. Mariadas Vallapaneni said the congregation of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church reflects deeply on its faith during Lent in preparation for Easter. Preparation includes reciting the rosary as the faithful observe the Way of the Cross. It also includes not eating meat every Friday for seven weeks following Ash Wednesday to Good Friday just before Easter. This year’s Lent period continues through April 20.

Vallapaneni has served in the parish for more than a year after spending time as associate pastor at Jonesboro’s Blessed Sacrament Church. He served in India before Bishop Prakasam posted him to the United States for 10 years under the request of Bishop Anthony Basil Taylor of the Diocese of Little Rock.

Fr. Mariadas Vallapaneni St.Paul Catholic Pocahontas, Arkansas.

Fr. Mariadas Vallapaneni (photo by Christine Miyawa)

Born in Sidda ya palm, India, Vallapaneni grew up among nearly 150 families of mostly farmers. He said the villagers, who number close to 1,000 residents, do not allow any churches apart from Catholics to occupy the area.

“Growing up, I struggled with learning,” Vallapaneni said. “I strongly believed that God called me to service. I was a dull student; I struggled to study. One day my teacher encouraged me to pray, and when I started to pray more and more, I got better and did better than other students. Then I started cooperating more with God. I felt that God was calling me to the priesthood. I went to different seminaries, but the main was Hyderabad in India.”

Vallapaneni said he was happy to serve the church in the United States.

“I like being here; this is the top-most country,” he said. “I like the different atmosphere. I like working with different people. I want to do something new; I want to help the parishioners.”

When he arrived in 2015, he found it difficult to eat American food — he said it took five months to get used to it. Vallapaneni said he was lucky because the parish he served in Jonesboro as an associate pastor had a chief pastor of Indian origin who made Indian food.

However, his greatest struggle is knowing what to do.

“I have to stick to myself because I do not know the rules,” Vallapaneni said. “In India, I know if I do something it’s right or wrong; here, I don’t. I always feel my home place is the best place. Being an alien, you are not free; you don’t know something, you feel like you are outside. However, when I am in the parish, I feel good. People here love me. They understand that we sacrifice everything to come here — we leave family and friends — so they are good and friendly to me.”

Although his church in India does things a little differently, he does not want to make many changes to this church because the congregation is used to what they have.

“Coming from a different background is not easy for me to implement new things,” he said.

Vallapaneni added one mass at 12:15 p.m. on Thursdays so parishioners on lunch break can come to pray. He said people are cooperating with him and although his way of thinking may be different, he must fit in the local culture because he is the one coming into their community.

Jason Liebnaber, who has attended the church since childhood, was at the church reciting the rosary with other faithful observing the Way of the Cross — a prayer commemorating every tribulation Jesus went through right before Easter.

“I don’t know Father Vallapaneni well, but he’s nice,” Liebnaber said. “He’s doing pretty good with Lent schedules and lots of Station of the Cross. They are having it here in the church every Friday for the children and the school, and again in the evenings for the community. I have not seen any major changes implemented yet, but we love our new priest.”

A lifetime member of St. Paul’s, Karen James said it’s sometimes hard to hear what Vallapaneni says due to his accent, but she finds the sermons lively. She and her husband moved back to Arkansas recently. She said she missed going to church for sometime when she was in Texas. She said negative rhetoric about the church on social media has affected the younger generation of congregants most, including her sister, Sue, whom she said is doing a lot of internet research and is currently torn over which church to attend.

“Sue used to be a staunch Catholic,” she said. “We both were but now she goes back and forth, she is not decided. Sometimes she tries other churches. I’m older and I think we, the older generation, are pretty much settled in our ways. Before we didn’t hear of such scandals and now it’s all over, things have really changed.”

Liebnaber discussed the scandals over sexual misconduct by Catholic priests.

“These scandals have happened over the decades, and they go in circles,” he said. “They affect some people and it’s sad. The priests need to learn better standards of morality.”

Vallapaneni said Pocahontas has a majority of Catholics — about 400 families — so he is not worried about declining membership even with the scandals in other Catholic parishes.

“First, all those priests who were involved in these scandals are dead and the recent ones do not belong to our diocese,” he said. “Secondly, people need to pray and then see the priests who are culprits in the context of family, as if this was your brother or child or relative.”

Vallapaneni noted the diocese had held conferences to reach out to the community and find healing from the scandals.

‘Race for the Cure’ more than just a 5K

Posted on by

By Chase Gage
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO — The third annual Northeast Arkansas Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at Arkansas State University will take place April 27. For breast cancer survivors, the race hits close to home.

The Race for the Cure nation-wide event raises money for breast cancer research. In 2017, the race found its way to Jonesboro for the first time. The 5K is primarily a fundraiser, but it also inspires hope.

Elizabeth Forehand, a local breast cancer survivor, will be participating in her fourth Race for the Cure this year. She survived her 2014 diagnosis after four surgeries.

“It was a shock to hear. No one wants to hear ‘cancer.’ I had the attitude that I have to fight this. I have a life to live, so let’s do this,” Forehand said. “Just being around other survivors and sharing our stories and being able to see that all these people have beaten cancer, it’s just awesome. It’s very encouraging.”

The race encourages survivors to participate by hosting a survivor breakfast at 7 a.m. followed by a survivor parade just prior to the race. The race itself will start at 9 a.m.

KODAK Digital Still Camera

Participants walk in the 2018 Race for the Cure in Jonesboro. The 2018 race raised over $330,000. (Photo by Chase Gage)

Other pre-race events include a “pink pasta party” and the “Men’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” race, where men “run” a mile in heels.

Contributions are welcomed in several forms, including participation and donation. Donations of any amount are welcomed, with registration costing at least $25.

Northeast Arkansas race chair Amanda Herget said the goal is to raise $400,000 this year.

“Our goal with this race is to get awareness out, not just to Jonesboro but to all of the communities (in Northeast Arkansas),” Herget said. “The money that we raise gets sent to Komen and then redistributed to Northeast Arkansas through grants to purchase things such as mammography machines and buses for transportation (for those that need it).”

Several local entities, such as St. Bernards Healthcare, Gearhead Outfitters, East Arkansas Broadcasters and others, are fundraising through the race’s website. Kara Richey, host of The Weekday Red Zone” on 95.3 The Ticket, is fundraising for the third consecutive year. With this years’ donations, her fundraising total has exceeded $5,000 in total.

“They’ll use a lot of this money to fund things like free mammograms early testing in Northeast Arkansas and around the state. I love that our money stays local,” Richey said.

Breast cancer has played a large role in Richey’s life. At 12 years old, she lost her mother to breast cancer, and her aunt is a survivor of the deadly disease. These personal experiences fuel her fundraising efforts.

“Unfortunately, this disease has been in my life for a very long time, and I hope that one day we can finally cure it so we don’t have to do this anymore,” she said.

Women are diagnosed with breast cancer at a rate of one out of eight. Every 13 minutes, a woman in the United States dies from the disease. Worldwide, that number jumps to one per minute. Every little bit makes a difference.