February | 2024 | Delta Digital News Service

Monthly Archives: February 2024

Agee delivers the State of the City address during council meeting

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Laila M. Casiano

Address focuses on community, city progress and policy

Delta Digital News Service

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

PARAGOULD, Ark. — Paragould Mayor Josh Agee delivered the State of the City address during Monday’s city council meeting. The speech commended the city’s growth and progress by focused on the community, improvements and future policy agendas for 2024-2025.

Before Agee delivered the speech, the council approved the 2023 Amended Annual Budget, where estimated revenues and bank balances totaled $56.62 million dollars, appropriation figures (expenditures and transfers out) totaled $31.89 million dollars and unappropriated funds totaled to $24.73 million dollars.

The department expenditures and totals were as follows: Airport ($1.237 million); emergency 911 ($1.625 million); fire department ($4.065 million); police ($5.331 million); sanitation ($2.435 million); jail ($36,844); mosquito control ($171,074.92); parks and recreation ($2.975 million) and the administration and miscellaneous department (health office, insurance, postage, radio expenses, uniforms, utilities, etc.) expenditures totaled to $7.253 million.

General fund totaled $16.65 million and street fund totaled $8.42 million. Most expenditures went to Paragould’s public safety, enchanting Agee’s sentiment on the city’s growth, progress, and development.

“As the city of Paragould embraces the start of a new year, the momentum of 2023 has set the stage for continued growth and prosperity,” Agee said. “We will continue to meet challenges head-on and work diligently to improve our future with a spirit of community and a commitment to progress.”

“As the city of Paragould embraces the start of a new year, the momentum of 2023 has set the stage for continued growth and prosperity. We will continue to meet challenges head-on and work diligently to improve our future with a spirit of community and a commitment to progress.”
Paragould Mayor Josh Agee

The address highlighted Paragould’s economic landscape in 2023, noting significant strides in infrastructure developments. Key projects such as the Community Pavilion, the fire and police training facility, the workforce development center named The G.I.N and the “largest” public/private partnership powered by the First National Bank, called The Station, enhanced the community landscape and growth.

The contribution of new residents moving to Paragould impacted the city’s median income (the highest recorded in history according to the Census Bureau).

Agee spoke about Paragould’s Code Enforcement, highlighting 1,214 worked cases and 1,153 property clean-ups, including 51 junk vehicles and 35 property condemnation cases. The Code Enforcement showed a renewed focus on unlicensed salvage yards and the creation of a land bank commission last year, establishing three areas known as the Overlay Districts, which aimed to revitalize existing legacy neighborhoods.

Street infrastructures, managed by the Public Works Department, are dedicated to maintaining and improving essential infrastructure to ensure safety, functionality and quality of life for Paragould residents.

In 2023, Paragould’s fire department made critical advancements and contributions to public safety by acquiring a new 107-foot aerial truck and adding a 3,840 square-foot fire/police training facility for training exercises, drills and simulation. The fire department achieved excellence in emergency response, community engagement and improvements in service delivery despite being understaffed by 24 personnel, according to the National Fire Protection Association’s standards.

The State of the City address also covered other areas such as the police department, 911 center, planning and development offices, the airport, parks and recreation, downtown revitalization and economic development.

Additionally, Agee praised the contributions made by department heads who handle Paragould’s community and development. Paragould City Clerk Andrea Williams expressed pride in the proactive nature of department heads.

“Every department head is very proactive. They are all very financially sound and make it a priority to make the city the best that they can, not just financially, but for the quality of life for our citizens,” Williams said.

Mark Rowland, Ward 1 Position 1, expressed gratitude towards the financial heads of the department for their work in 2023.

“We’ve done a good job managing finances. I think the mayor has done a good job taking care of what the mayor takes care of,” Rowland said.

Paragould’s State of the City reflected dedication to progress.

In other business, the city council members:

Approved a resolution to declare a building and/or structure within the corporate limit of the city of Paragould
Approved a resolution to condemn a building located at 303 N. 15th Ave.

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Laila Casiano is a junior in the multimedia journalism program in the School of Media and Journalism at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. She can be reached at: laila.casiano@smail.astate.edu

NOTE: Feature photo shows from left, Ward 4, Position 1 Neal Adams; Ward 2, Position 1 Dustin Ramsey; Ward 2, Position 1 Jeremy Biggs; Ward 1, Position 1 Mark Rowland; City Attorney Robert Thompson; Mayor Josh Agee; City Clerk Andrea Williams; Ward 2, Position 2 Susan Williams; Ward 2, Position 2 Pat Austin; Ward 3, Position 2 Jackie Branch; Ward 4, Position 2 Brad Baine.

Government

GCT participates in new testing program

Posted on February 27, 2024 by shelbyrussom

School district opts in to participate in ATLAS interim testing

Delta Digital News Service

Friday, February 16, 2024

By Shelby Russom | Contributor

PARAGOULD, ARK – The Greene County Technical School District decided to participate in a new type of optional interim testing for the 2023-2024 school year.

The new testing program, the Arkansas Teaching and Learning Assessment System (ATLAS), interim testing acts as a way to track how students are performing and how to help them improve. The system offers classroom, summative and end-of-the-year assessments for grades third through 10th.

“We opted into practicing with the interims, and I’m so glad we did because the kids will be better prepared for the summative,” said Assistant Superintendent Kodie Potter during the Feb. 15 meeting.

“We opted into practicing with the interims, and I’m so glad we did because the kids will be better prepared for the summative,”
Assistant Superintendent Kodie Potter

Caroline Schenk, district administrator of instructional programs, said this differs from any testing GCT has undergone because the testing is more difficult. Still, she said she is hopeful the students will succeed.

The science portion is the only ATLAS interim testing available since the program is still new. The tests will eventually cover multiple subjects including math, reading, writing, etc. Scheck said the district hopes to implement every interim testing as it becomes available next year.

When given the science interim test, GCT’s students showcased skills from six points above the state average of 89 at the fifth-grade level to four points below the state average of 64 at the third-grade level.

“We have work to do,” Schenk said. “We are not happy with being below the state average. We would like to excel, so we will keep working.”

Along with the testing, Greene County Tech will put together “gold documents.” These documents detail how well each student is doing in a particular area and include test scores and lists of teachers’ expectations for their grade level. Lead teachers can edit and refer to these forms as the year progresses to monitor each student’s performance and show other teachers what the district expects their students to understand by a certain point in their academic career.

“We are so proud of our staff, our teachers. They are working so hard, and they are knocking this out,” Schenk said. “We never dreamed we’d be as far as we are with all of this.”

Greene County Technical School District reported at the end of January 2024, its operating account had an ending cash balance of about $14.8 million, of which $868,000 remains in special projects. The district is restricting $500,000 for construction, and about $5.6 million remains in the July 22 bond proceeds fund. The current budget leaves about $7.8 million for operating.

Three cadets from GCT’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) presented to the school board members detailing their organization’s 2023-2024 school year successes.

JROTC set school impact goals for the program over the next school year. The first goal was for 75% of cadets to receive at least a 2.0 GPA in regular education classes and a 3.0 GPA in the JROTC class. Deputy Corps Commander Cadet Bailee Williams said they are on track and expect to meet that goal by the end of the school year. The second goal of the program is to reach a 75% participation rate in non-mandatory activities for the 2023-2024 school year, of which they have passed with a participation rate of 97%. JROTC also wants to recruit at least 75 first-year students during their GCT Junior High School recruitment events while maintaining 70% of the corps.

Cadets from GCT give a presentation on their JROTC program on Feb. 15, 2024.

“Our unit is currently maintaining 87.5% of the corps for the upcoming spring semester,” Williams said. “We also have 80.6% of the corps expressing interest in reenrolling into JROTC next year.”

JROTC also set goals for the earning of community service hours. Currently, the unit earned 1,732 hours with an average of 17.32 hours per cadet.

Throughout the fall and spring semesters, JROTC raised $5,925 selling peanuts and bath bombs and $5,170 selling digital coupons and discount cards. JROTC will donate $700 to the family of a GCT student diagnosed with cancer and $500 to the family of an eighth grader who was involved in a car accident.

Superintendent Scott Gerrish said he appreciates the work Sgt. Scott Burlingame has put into JROTC and believes the program is worth all the effort.

In the meeting, the board also:

Reviewed how teachers feel about the implementation of the alternate calendar and early start.

Approved a second read of classified and licensed personnel policies.

Approved incoming and outgoing student transfer petitions.

Approved a resolution authorizing the district to request a waiver.

Approved a special education data system.

and renewed the district’s ASBA Worker’s Compensation Trust.

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Shelby Russom is a senior in the School of Media and Journalism at Arkansas State University. She can be reached at: shelby.thompson1@smail.astate.edu

Education: K-12

Hope Found NEA hosts 4th annual Date Night With A Purpose

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Laila M. Casiano

Event fundraiser combats human trafficking

Delta Digital News Service

Monday, Feb. 26, 2024

By Laila Casiano | Contributor

JONESBORO, Ark. — Hope Found of Northeast Arkansas (NEA) recently celebrated its 4th Annual Date Night with a Purpose to raise funds to combat human trafficking, earning $21,717.74.

Co-founders Megan Brown, Audra King, Mary Sellers and Miranda Ballard founded the organization in 2018 to provide resources and services to individuals affected by human trafficking. They began a fundraiser event that would raise money for these services.

“The idea is that you can enjoy a fine-dining meal from your home,” Brown, the executive director of HopeFoundNEA, said. “We partnered with award-winning restaurants and chefs, and so for this year, we partnered with award-winning chef Dana Lamel and the award-winning bakery Southern Confections.”

“The idea is that you can enjoy a fine-dining meal from your home. We partnered with award-winning restaurants and chefs, and so for this year, we partnered with award-winning chef Dana Lamel and the award-winning bakery Southern Confections.”
Megan Brown, executive director and co-founder of HopeFoundNEA

On February 16, customers bought a ticket that would include two dinners and desserts to choose from. This year’s menu consisted of wild mushrooms and beef tip paste in a brown demi sauce, chicken Tuscan pasta, pasta primavera, served with an additional Caesar salad, homemade garlic bread and a cheesecake for dessert. The meals then would be delivered to the customers’ home (within a 25-mile radius of Jonesboro or an option for pickup) between 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The initial launch of Date Night with a Purpose happened in 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown and social distancing and Brown said it worked out perfectly and was a “huge success” for them.

“When we first started, we were looking for a fundraiser idea that hadn’t been done around here yet,” Brown said. “We had a partner (Ancora TN) and they do a similar fundraiser, and they call it the ‘No Show Ball,’ and so we quickly recognized that this type of fundraiser wasn’t done around here.”

HopeFoundNEA schedules three major fundraisers yearly, the first being Date Night with a Purpose, where the goal for this year’s fundraiser was $40,000.

In June, they have a motorcycle ride-in called “Riding Against Trafficking” in the Fall, they have a coffee festival. In these fundraiser events, they utilize volunteers to help execute those events. For Date Night, three volunteers —Sherrie Mitchell, Bridgette Craig and Paige Pickering — attended to help deliver the dishes to customers who bought a ticket.

Mitchell, a Jonesboro native and mother of Brown, helps her daughter with HopeFoundNEA and helps with their fundraiser events, holding a position as a member of the advisory board since 2018. Mitchell took charge over listings for delivery.

“We have sold tickets, and we have sponsors for this dinner,” Mitchell said. “This is just a great thing to help and support our program.”

Craig, a Brookland native and new to the board since October, began as a volunteer for the program’s coffee festival.

“We have a lot of community sponsors, so in addition to ticket sales, we have sponsors that will help fund and educate and fight against human trafficking,” Craig said.

Paige Pickering, a board member with HopeFoundNEA from Searcy, Arkansas, said this is her first Date Night with a Purpose event. The company that she’s employed by, Life Strategies Counseling Inc., sponsored events for HopeFoundNEA in the past.

“I have not been ‘boots-on-the-ground’ helping with this (before), so I am really excited,” Pickering said. “I am really excited to hopefully answer people’s questions and see what they can learn about our mission and generally being face-to-face with people.”

The money raised would be used to provide case management services for the survivors they serve. HopeFoundNEA currently employs one survivor advocate on their staff, and with this money, Brown hopes they can hire another one to serve more people.

HopeFoundNEA conducts many educational presentations for the community or those who want to learn about human trafficking. Last year they educated 5,000 individuals within the area. Recently, they have been teaching the youth about human trafficking through virtual reality (VR), where they have VR headsets to teach the students about the survivors of human trafficking. The Youth can essentially live through the eyes of the victim and learn how they can be “tricked and lured” into trafficking through a fictitious environment and circumstances.

Brown hopes that the community will become empowered and educated in knowing what signs to look out for regarding human trafficking.

“We are here, and human trafficking does happen here; a lot of people think that human trafficking is something that happens overseas or in big, larger cities, but unfortunately, it does happen here,” Brown said. “I want them to know that there is a program here that is meeting the need for these victims that are recovering from trafficking, and there is a program here that is providing education for the community.”

Donations are still open.

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NOTE: Feature photo shows from left, members of HopeFoundNEA, Bridgette Craig; Sherrie Mitchell; Paige Pickering

The 2nd annual “African-Americans and the Arts” planned for this weekend

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Avery Jones

Fisher Street Community in Action, a nonprofit organization, is hosting the event for Black History Month

Delta Digital News Service

Friday, Feb. 23, 2024

By Avery Jones | Editor

The theme of 2023’s Black History Month celebration.

JONESBORO, Ark. – Jonesboro nonprofit Fisher Street Community in Action will host the 2nd annual “African American and The Arts” event in recognition of Black History Month from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, February 24. Last year, they had about 50 attendees and hope to have more this year.

According to event organizer Ruby McKinley, event participants will portray various African-American actors, both alive and deceased as attendees guess which famous person is being portrayed. Refreshments will be provided.

“The purpose of the activity is to get the community involved in Black history and to inform them of Black history then and now as to how things have evolved from slavery to now,” McKinley said.

“The purpose of the activity is to get the community involved in Black history and to inform them of Black history then and now as to how things have evolved from slavery to now,”
Ruby McKinley, event organizer

The event will also feature Dr. Lonnie Williams as its guest speaker. Williams, who is the vice-chancellor of diversity, inclusion, and community engagement at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, will discuss the history and impact of African-Americans in the arts.

Alongside Williams, other guests will be in attendance including Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver, who plans to give a proclamation during the festivity.

FSCIA was started by Rev. Dr. Charles Coleman, who operates as its CEO. The organization’s goal was to get the students from the Success Achievement Academy involved in gardening, an alternative learning program, in the organization’s community garden.

“The first year we did that, we had a group of students that was so excited about the garden…they chose the type of vegetables that they wanted to plant and they had their own space,” McKinley said.

“The first year we did that, we had a group of students that was so excited about the garden…they chose the type of vegetables that they wanted to plant and they had their own space,”
Ruby McKinley, event organizer

FSCIA is funded by donations and has been providing help in the community for 13 years. The organization participates in the Toys for Tots program, conducts its own toy giveaway, provide community clean-up services twice a year and hosts the “National Night Out” every year, where they inform and spread awareness about community programs and services, provide free food, games, and more.

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Avery Jones is a junior in The Department of English and Philosophy at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. She can be reached at avery.jones@smail.astate.edu

NOTE: Feature photo is of 2023’s Black History Month celebration from the FSCIA.

Committee adopts interlocal agreement for Craighead County-Jonesboro Public Library

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Laila M. Casiano

Agreement maintains shared expenses for library

Delta Digital News Service

Wednesday, February 21, 2023

By Laila Casiano | Contributor

JONESBORO, Ark. – The Public Service Committee of the Craighead County Quorum Court adopted an interlocal agreement between Craighead County and Jonesboro concerning the management and supervision of the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library., Monday, Feb. 12.

The agreement maintains shared expenses for the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library, solidifying terms and shared finances for the benefit of all citizens. This contractual arrangement supports the local library by assisting in maintenance and operations of the public library systems. Additionally, the committee adopted an ordinance between Craighead County and Poinsett County regarding library services.

“The committee essentially examined an agreement with Poinsett County and the city of Jonesboro to operate the library within a regional library setting that updates every five years,” District 13 Officer Kevin Williams said.

“The committee essentially examined an agreement with Poinsett County and the city of Jonesboro to operate the library within a regional library setting that updates every five years.”
District 13 Officer Kevin Williams

Last fall, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Craighead County Judge Marvin Day received an email from the public library staff requesting an update on the Interlocal Agreement between Craighead and Poinsett County. Day received a copy of the public library’s financial statement and noted the Craighead County Public Library was following an outdated Interlocal Agreement from 1941.

Day forwarded the financial records to Craighead County Attorney Kimberly Dale, and they were advised regarding issues in the language initially passed between Craighead County and Poinsett County.

The interlocal agreement between Jonesboro and Craighead County needs renewal and passage every five years, according to a new state law requiring agreements not to last more than five years without renewal or appropriate acknowledgment by governing bodies. Their attorney then began drafting a “bare-bones” ordinance.

“More than anything, we are trying to keep it as apolitical, non-political, as possible,” Day said. “We are just following state statutes and agreeing to partner with the city of Jonesboro or Poinsett County, however that may be, to provide these services for the people.”

Day reassured the committee that nothing will change, and that the agreement will essentially bring the Interlocal Agreement up to current state code. Regarding how things are run or how the library decides to govern itself, Day reiterated they are not attempting to change anything.

“Let’s just bring it up to the current codes and move forward,” Day said. “If someone wants to change something in the future, that’s great, but as of right now, we are doing the bare minimum of what we need for the agreement.”

The county and city will consider the capital contributions of each entity. They aim to establish the benefits of the library to its citizens and take legislative steps to ratify the agreement, effective from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2027.

“At the end of the day, it’s an agreement between us,” said chair of the Public Service Committee and District 7 Officer Richard Rogers. “The library runs its own board to manage its own affairs, so it doesn’t fall on our lap.”

In other business, the quorum court:

Approved the road report for January 2024.
Approved a resolution expressing Craighead County’s willingness to utilize Federal-Aid monies for Highway 49/ County Roads 792 and 960 improvements.
Approved the annual report of the Hot Check program from the deputy’s prosecuting attorney’s office, pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated (ACA) 16-21-120(c).
Honored Barbara Weinstock, District 5 officer, for her 27 years of service as Justice of the Peace.

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NOTE: Featured photo shows from left, Public Service Committee Service members, Craighead County Judge Marvin Day; District 1 Officer Brad Noel; District 7 Officer and chair of the committee Richard Rogers; District 14 Officer Linda Allison; District 13 Officer Kevin Williams.

Government

PHOTO: Chinese New Year Celebration

Posted on February 13, 2024 by deltadnews

Jonesboro Chinese Baptist Church holds annual Chinese New Year celebration

Delta Digital News Service

Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024

By Atsuki Ohbuchi 大渕純暉 | Staff Photographer

JONESBORO, Ark. – Congregants, friends and guests attend the Jonesboro Chinese Baptist Church‘s Chinese New Year celebration at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. According to chinesenewyear.net, the Chinese New Year 2024 falls on Saturday, February 10th, 2024, and celebrations culminate with the Lantern Festival on February 24th, 2024. Celebrations last up to 16 days, but only the first 7 days are considered a public holiday (February 10th–February 16th, 2024). The event also marks the transition between zodiac signs with this year being the year of the dragon.

Tony Tsui, left, and Grace Liouh of the Jonesboro Baptist Church speak during the Chinese New Year Celebration on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. Photo Atsuki Ohbuchi 大渕純暉

PHOTO GALLERY

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Atsuki Ohbuchi | 大渕純暉 is a junior in the Neil Griffin College of Business at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. He can be reached at: atsuki.ohbuchi@smail.astate.edu

NOTE: Feature photo shows members of the Chinese Baptist Church’s Children’s Ministry performance.

Culture

Year of the Dragon-NEA residents celebrate Chinese New Year

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Avery Jones

New Year begins Saturday, February 10

Delta Digital News Service

Friday, Feb. 9, 2024

By Avery Jones | Editor

JONESBORO, Ark. – Chinese New Year is a celebration based on the lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar, which is the calendar used in the U.S. as well as many other parts of the world.

The year begins with the first new moon of the year, which falls around the end of January and into February, and lasts for several days until the moon is full again. Each year is represented by a different animal of the Chinese zodiac; this year is the Year of the Dragon.

This year, the first day of Lunar New Year is on February 10. However, it’s not only celebrated in China, but in many East Asian communities around the world, including here in Jonesboro.

This year the Jonesboro Chinese Baptist Church will host a New Year’s party on February 10 at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry building on the ASU Jonesboro campus from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There is no entry fee and the event is open to anyone.

Greg Meeks is pastor of the church and helped to start the celebration. In Taiwan, he was the superintendent of an international Christian English-speaking school. Meeks worked in Taiwan for over 20 years as a missionary before moving back to Arkansas to teach at Arkansas State University.

At ASU, Meeks taught a classes with many international students, mostly Chinese. It was this class that gave birth to the Chinese Church.

“It just kind of morphed into a Chinese class, and as time [went] on, it grew larger and ended up starting services and just continued from there,” Meeks stated.

“It just kind of morphed into a Chinese class, and as time [went] on, it grew larger and ended up starting services and just continued from there,”
Greg Meeks, Pastor of the Chinese Baptist Church

The celebration is adorned with food, traditional Chinese customs, a musical program, Bingo and gift card drawings. Children often perform songs or play musical instruments.

Members find out about the event through various venues such as the Chinese grocery store, Chinese restaurants, and Chinese university students.

Meeks describes the event as a “social ministry.” In the past, they have attempted to get contact information from attendees and encourage them to visit the church. However, it’s a very relaxed event for celebrating the New Year and not for evangelizing.

“One of our core purposes is to give Chinese a sense of family because there are expats here in the U.S…most of them still have family in China and other places,” he said.

“One of our core purposes is to give Chinese a sense of family because there are expats here in the U.S…most of them still have family in China and other places,”
Greg Meeks, Pastor of the Chinese Baptist Church

There are many traditional customs associated with Chinese New Year, and those who attend the church’s party usually adhere to a few of them. For instance, many of the attendees will wear more traditional Chinese dress, and many also wear red as well since red is considered a celebratory color.

In addition, fish is commonly served during Chinese New Year meals in accordance with the Chinese saying–literally translated–“Always have fish.” Fish is considered a blessing for prosperity. Another common custom is to gift their children red envelopes containing money.

Ali Tran of Craighead County-Jonesboro Public Library prepares for the Chinese New Year celebration.

The Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library also hosted a celebration for Lunar New Year. Friday, February 9, starting at 4:30 p.m. in the Round Room. Festivities included two sessions of story time followed by crafts with light refreshments.

This was the first in-person version of the program that the library hosted. According to Ali Tran, adult services staff at the library, the library is trying to host more events that showcase the diversity of the local community.

“It’s a learning experience for parts of our community who may not know about this cultural celebration, but it also provides a safe space for our minority groups to come in and celebrate parts of their culture,” Tran said. “We want to try to reach out to more diverse groups in our community and uplift them, raise awareness about the different cultures we have even here in Jonesboro.”

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Avery Jones is a sophomore in The Department of English and Philosophy at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. She can be reached at avery.jones@smail.astate.edu

NOTE: Feature photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash

Culture

Hundreds attend Barnes & Noble grand opening

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Avery Jones

Bookstore returns to Jonesboro after closing in 2020.

Delta Digital News Service

Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024

By Avery Jones | Editor

JONESBORO, Ark. – The long-awaited grand opening for the new Barnes & Noble bookstore was held in Jonesboro on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jonesboro has been without the chain bookstore for four years, ever since the former Barnes & Noble in the Turtle Creek Mall was destroyed by a tornado in March 2020.

In 2020, Barnes & Noble announced that it wouldn’t be returning anytime soon to Jonesboro because of the unfavorable economic climate. Store business was destroyed during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the company stated that they would search for alternative locations when “normal retail conditions return.”

A few small locally owned bookstores such as Verb Bookstore in Jonesboro, Weber’s Book House in Paragould, and Eclectic Geekery in Walnut Ridge popped up during Barnes & Noble absence. While many people missed Barnes & Noble with its large selection and variety, Northeast Arkansas didn’t suffer a lack for literature.

Haag Brown Commercial stated in January 2023 that Barnes & Noble was slated to return soon. They had closed a deal on the former Pier 1 building. Originally, the opening was planned for November 2023. However, due to delays in construction, it was pushed back until February.

Hundreds of customers packed the store during the grand opening. The new venue possess many of the features of big box stores are known for including signature coffee shops such as Starbucks.

Ella McMasters, 13, Barnes & Noble patron

Thirteen-year-old Ella McMasters, a book lover who used to shop at the Barnes & Noble in the Turtle Creek Mall, was enthusiastic about the bookstore opening again. When the bookstore wasn’t around, she would go to the library for books.

“I’m super excited because there’s some books here that wouldn’t normally be at the library…” McMasters said.

“I’m super excited because there’s some books here that wouldn’t normally be at the library…”
Ella McMaster, Barnes & Noble shopper

Another shopper, Solicia Little, was there with her son Jordan Wilson. She said they had missed Barnes & Noble and had been waiting for a while for its return. When it was gone, they mainly shopped at Target for their books.

Solicia Little (right) and Jordan Wilson (left), patrons

“We’ve been waiting, we’d drive by every so often and kind of peep. When I saw all the cars today, I was like, Yes, they’re open, we’ve got to go!” Little said.

Linda Vinson, a frequent patron of the former Barnes & Noble before it closed, also missed the bookstore. She shopped at Target for her books as well after Barnes & Noble closed. She also went to the Barnes & Noble in Little Rock sometimes.

“That’s why everybody’s here today,” Vinson said. “We all missed it. A college town without a bookstore, I mean, what’s up with that?”

Chris Bolick, the store manager, has worked with Barnes & Noble for six years. According to him, the process of getting the store ready was a year in the making and took about three weeks after the store was ready to prepare it for opening.

“Once COVID passed, they had always wanted to come back to this community ever since the tornado, so when the opportunity came up, Barnes and Noble jumped on it,” Bolick said.

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Avery Jones is a junior in the Department of English and Philosophy at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. She can be reached at: avery.jones@smail.astate.edu

Business

‘I will not be here and not have a journalism program at A-State’!

Posted on February 8, 2024 by deltadnews

An update on the discontinuation of multimedia journalism at A-State

Note: Article originally published on Wed., Feb. 7 in The Herald.

Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024

By A-State Herald | Contributor

JONESBORO, Ark. – Faculty Senate met with Chancellor Todd Shields, Ph.D., and other faculty to discuss the deletion of the bachelor of science in multimedia journalism (MMJ) degree and how to prevent similar situations in the future.

“I will not be here and not have a journalism program,” Shields said.

Todd Shields, Arkansas State University Chancellor

“I will not be here and not have a journalism program,” Shields said.
Todd Shields, Arkansas State University Chancellor

The Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE) decided to discontinue the MMJ program at an April 28 meeting. Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Communication Brad Rawlins, Ph.D., sent an email to students informing them about the decision Oct. 24.

Gary Edwards, Ph.D., associate professor of history, prepared a document regarding the circumstances of the discontinuation of the MMJ program to be reviewed during the meeting last Friday.

“We failed multimedia journalism,” Edwards said.

“We failed multimedia journalism,” Edwards said.
Gary Edwards, Ph.D, Associate Professor of History

Those in attendance discussed what led to the end of the MMJ program, including ADHE policy, communication issues, internal strife between MMJ and creative media production (CMP) faculty and curriculum issues.

ADHE POLICY

According to Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board (AHECB) policy, a bachelor’s degree program must have an average of six graduates per year for three years to meet viability standards. Otherwise, the program will be cut. Only 4.3 MMJ students graduated during the review period.

Shields said he prepared to defend the MMJ program to the AHECB, but the board would not hear arguments.

“I went ‘What the hell was that?’ That had never happened since I’ve been doing that since 1994,” Shields said.

COMMUNICATION ISSUES

In addition to declining numbers, Rawlins, who formerly served as the director of the School of Media and Journalism, said the MMJ department was not properly informed about the possible cut of the program. He said if the department had been made aware, they would have addressed the issue much quicker and more vigorously.

“I’ve done a deep search with all my emails and talked to people, it’s just not there,” Rawlins said.

Brad Rawlins, Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts

“I’ve done a deep search with all my emails and talked to people, it’s just not there,” Rawlins said.
Brad Rawlins, Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts

Shields said he does not know why the department was not notified. He said communication should be improved, but each department should monitor its own enrollment and address issues before the ADHE notifies them.

“ADHE is no longer the one we talk to,” Shields said. “They’re the ones that dictate to us.”

INTERNAL STRIFE

Calvin White, Ph.D, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor

The chancellor and provost, Calvin White, Ph.D., met with MMJ and CMP faculty July 13 and proposed the two programs combine to keep journalism at A-State. Shields said he hoped the programs would be revised over the fall semester.

“That did not happen. In fact, I was told ‘We’re not working together,’” Shields said,

After that meeting, Mary Jackson-Pitts, Ph.D., program coordinator of CMP, sent an email to Gina Hogue, Ph.D., interim director of the School of Media and Journalism saying, “We are not willing to reimagine or launch a new journalism curriculum with the existing MMJ faculty. We have a proposal to establish a broadcast journalism emphasis under the creative media production program.”

“We are not willing to reimagine or launch a new journalism curriculum with the existing MMJ faculty. We have a proposal to establish a broadcast journalism emphasis under the creative media production program.”
Mary Jackson-Pitts, Creative Media Program Coordinator

The cause of the issues between the departments was not discussed at the senate meeting.

“I don’t know the history,” Shields said. “I don’t necessarily want to relive all that, whatever it is. I kind of don’t care. It’s ‘Do you want to work together and have jobs or do you not?’ Do you pull together for the benefit of the students and the campus, or do you not?”

Shields said he still hopes the MMJ and CMP faculty will work things out and revise the programs to be combined.

“It surprises me, in fact almost maybe hurts me in a way that is hard to describe. That’s not the A-State that I’ve seen anyplace else,” Shields said. “If people are being uncollegial to the point of hurting students in the program, that has to be dealt with.”

Shields said if the MMJ and CMP programs cannot work together, he will consider removing the program from faculty control and giving control to someone with experience in revising programs.

CURRICULUM ISSUES

Pitts, a professor of creative media production, formerly taught journalism for 27 years. She said she finds issues with the current curriculum MMJ teaches.

She said the curriculum focuses on writing, but students need to learn other skills such as coding, web design and audio and video production.

“To prepare that student to only work in print journalism is not fair,” Pitts said. “It is imperative that we look to what happens in the future for journalism and the best way to prepare them. It is not just about writing, it is about all the ways that you guys consume news now and how you will consume it in the next few years.”

According to the MMJ description on the A-State website, the program prepares students to work in broadcast, digital, print and photojournalism.

“Through hands-on instruction, practical workplace experience and conceptual coursework, students learn how to create and distribute content for print, radio, television, digital, interactive, social and mobile media,” the description read.

Sandra Combs, associate professor of multimedia journalism and adviser to The Herald, said in the meeting she does not expect any reconciliation between the departments.

“The four of us in MMJ have been working since summer of 2023 to come up with a minor for MMJ, to come up with core curriculum ideas for MMJ. Aside from that, we are met with opposition that has been in writing from those who do not support journalism because it’s not creative,” Combs said.

“The four of us in MMJ have been working since summer of 2023 to come up with a minor for MMJ, to come up with core curriculum ideas for MMJ. Aside from that, we are met with opposition that has been in writing from those who do not support journalism because it’s not creative,”
Sandra Combs, Associate Professor of Multimedia Journalism

The CMP program coordinator said journalists should have skills in audio and video production to succeed in the industry today. She said the current MMJ curriculum does not meet these standards.

Lillie Fears, Ph.D, Professor of Multimedia Journalism & Multimedia Journalism Program Coordinator

Lillie Fears, Ph.D., MMJ program coordinator, said she thinks the MMJ curriculum provides students with multimedia skills, especially in classes such as multimedia reporting and digital media production.

She said the MMJ program previously taught broadcast journalism but has not offered any courses since the previous instructor, Larz Roberts, left A-State.

Roberts left after the 2021/2022 academic year to teach at the University of Mississippi, with the position unfilled since his departure.

“The year that Larz Roberts left, I was in a position to hire an adjunct faculty that teaches in those broadcast journalism areas. I went to every journalism class and tried to recruit students to register for those classes and the enrollment was so low that I could not justify hiring an adjunct faculty member to teach those classes,” Rawlins said.

Rawlins said he is unsure if the position will be filled in the future, due to uncertainty with the curriculum.

“It would be a position that would teach both in creative media production and in journalism. But in order to make that position work, it needed to have a curriculum that matched the needs of that particular position”

EFFECTS ON OTHER PROGRAMS

William McLean, Ph.D, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs & Associate Professor of Political Science

William McLean, senior vice provost for academic affairs, said emphasizing how good a program is for the community does not work when defending low viability programs to the AHECB. He said the AHECB is not interested in why a program cannot reach viability standards, they only look at the numbers.

Pitts said the Faculty Senate should ask for transparency from the administration regarding program viability and specific data required to stay viable.

“If we are not, as faculty, supplied with the exact number that is being submitted to somewhere at ADHE related to graduation numbers, then everybody will be surprised when it happens to any of your programs,” Pitts said.

Pitts said there are inconsistencies regarding the data available to her and the data used to determine program viability.

Faculty Senate president Ed Salo said communication was lost somewhere along the way. He said he wanted faculty to write a resolution to ensure “the ball doesn’t get dropped again.”

Associate professor of chemistry John Hershberger, associate professor of English Khem Aryal and Edwards volunteered to write the resolution that will be presented at the next Faculty Senate meeting, Feb. 16.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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NOTE: Feature image shows a timeline of the MMJ program deletion process at A-State. (Graphic by Caroline Averitt | The Herald Life Editor)

Education: HigherEd

Jonesboro City Council passes resolution for data tracking

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Brayden Morse

City hires company to compile citizen data

Delta Digital News Service

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024

Brayden Morse | Contributor

JONESBORO, Ark. – The Jonesboro City Council passed a resolution for data tracking on Tuesday that may concern citizens.

The resolution entered a contract with Placer Labs Inc. for data compiling software to provide vital information for grant writing efforts.

The data will be valuable for community development, advertising and promotion in the city. The contract will begin in February 2024 and terminate in February 2025.

Dr. Anthony Coleman, councilman for Ward 6, Position 1, wanted clarity on citizens having their phones tracked without their consent.

“This software potentially gathers information from our citizens to know where they are and their location. Is this a violation of the rights of a citizen to know where they are and what they are doing? I’d like someone to address the questioning regarding the concern to have a person’s phone tracked without their consent,” Coleman said.

“This software potentially gathers information from our citizens to know where they are and their location. Is this a violation of the rights of a citizen to know where they are and what they are doing? I’d like someone to address the questioning regarding the concern to have a person’s phone tracked without their consent,”
Dr. Anthony Coleman, Councilman for Ward 6, Position 1

Turns out, the software does not track personal data. Placer Labs Inc. cannot gather any personal information. The company uses third party apps on mobile devices that have been given permission to utilize.

The contract is $20,000 annually for five users that is 12 months long and renewable.

City Attorney Carol Duncan responded to a city chamber’s concern of the data and tracking within the city.

“If you’re on Facebook, you’ve agreed to let them collect your data. They already track you and everywhere you go. All this does is collect the data. It won’t tell me it’s you, but it’ll say you went to the park. We can use that data to say look at all of the people who came to the park and we should deserve this grant,” Duncan said.

“…All this does is collect the data. It won’t tell me it’s you, but it’ll say you went to the park. We can use that data to say look at all of the people who came to the park and we should deserve this grant,” Duncan said.
City Attorney Carol Duncan

The zoning ordinance provides changes in zoning boundaries from residential and commercial to commercial for property located at 915 Southwest Drive as requested by G.S. Brant Perkins.

Chris Gibson, councilman for Ward 3, Position 2, shared his concerns on the rezoning for the property.

“Safety is a big concern of mine. That is the worst area in Jonesboro in terms of traffic control, as we all know. I don’t know where my head is on this one, but that’s my biggest concern,” Gibson said.

“Safety is a big concern of mine. That is the worst area in Jonesboro in terms of traffic control, as we all know. I don’t know where my head is on this one, but that’s my biggest concern,”
Chris Gibson, Ward 3, Position 2

According to the Jonesboro Police Department, 53 motor vehicle accidents off 915 Southwest Drive occurred in 2023. Even though the accident total was provided, the council approved of the ordinance.

The council approved four ordinances for permits as well. A microbrewery restaurant private club permit for Defending Advancement Inc. and Lebowski’s Inc. will be located at 1514 Southern Ridge Blvd.

The Arts Annex, Inc. will relocate to 330 S. Main, as well as 1812 Pizza Company with no location set yet. The council also approved Southern BBQ Hilltop for a private club permit.

Four resolutions for properties located at 315 Welch, 405/411 McDaniel, 812 Creath and 1025/1029 Hope from Redbird Investments LLC were passed with only one discussion from the council regarding the purpose of attaining the properties.

Redbird Investments LLC will be used as inventory. If anyone in the area is interested in developing, the company will look into it.

The Jonesboro City Council will meet again February 20 at 5:30 p.m.

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Brayden Morse is a junior in the multimedia journalism program in the School of Media and Journalism at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. He can be reached at brayden.morse@smail.astate.edu.

Government

Valley View School Board discusses progress on construction projects

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Laila M. Casiano

Board addresses 2-year construction project.

Delta Digital News Service

Thursday, February 8, 2024

By Laila Casiano | Contributor

JONESBORO, Ark. — The Valley View Public School Board addressed progress on a 2-year construction project aimed at building new classrooms, a wing in the intermediate school building and a new cafeteria.

Valley View Public Schools District initiated the construction project two years ago with expectations to complete the initial phases at the same time. The newly constructed STEM wing in the administration building finished in mid-July, just before the academic year began and the developments of the intermediate school wing, new cafeteria and 15 additional classrooms remain ongoing.

“It’s definitely not in an area that everybody knows about,” Valley View Superintendent . Roland Popejoy said. “It’s south of an existing building and is a much-needed addition for our growth, for our intermediate building that serves students in grades three through six.”

“It’s definitely not in an area that everybody knows about,” Valley View Superintendent Roland Popejoy said. “It’s south of an existing building and is a much-needed addition for our growth, for our intermediate building that serves students in grades three through six.”
Supt. Roland Popejoy, Valley View School District

Justin Shrable, project manager, and Adam Seitor, executive vice-president of operations at Nabholz Construction, attended the school board meeting to update progress.

“We finally got things moving well over there (the intermediate wing),” Shrable said. “Right now, we are back filling, painting dry walls and we finished the last pouring of concrete for the courtyard.”

Shrable and Seitor addressed an issue regarding a connection between the new addition and the existing structure, which proved unfeasible due to different materials being used. They collaborated with architects, their construction company and engineers to devise a solution accommodating the existing structure.

Unexpected delays occurred due to issues with the geothermal heating, cooling and ventilation (HVAC) field and existing utilities, postponing construction by a year and a half. Completion estimates suggest that one part of the cafeteria/classroom will finish in April, while the other will be completed in August.

The board also sought approval for a lawn care and grounds maintenance contract, along with a project to replace the bus fuel station.

“Lawn care is an area that we have been discussing over the last year or so,” Popejoy said. “Potentially looking to outsource that as opposed to having grounds served by the staff of Valley View but by a contractor provider.”

The approved contract will ensure well-maintained grounds without ongoing overhead maintenance. However, the bus fuel station in the Valley View bus depot currently holds an older diesel tank which does not meet the code requirements, in regards to containment. The Jonesboro fire marshall spoke to the board about needing to replace it.

They identified solutions by various contract providers (in diesel and fuel) but tabled the proposal for a replacement project because they want to be “good stewards of the communities’ tax-paying money,” and are looking at all available options before making a final decision.

Upon returning from executive session, the board approved superintendent evaluations and the superintendent’s contract extension.

In other business, the board:

Denied two student transfers due to capacity constraints.
Approved six personnel resignations.
Adopted the 2024-2025 school choice capacity resolution.
Approved Winter Arkansas School Board Association Model Policy.
Adopted a resolution to submit an inclement weather calendar waiver, in regards to calendar submission deadlines.
Adopted revisions and approved the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 calendars.
Adopted resolutions to submit Act 1240 waiver regarding early academic year entry.
Approved purchase of 150 band uniforms for the Valley View Public Schools’ marching band.

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NOTE: Featured photo shows from left, Valley View Public School Board members, Todd Reed, disbursing officer; Kristy Rowe, secretary; Sara Osment, assistant superintendent; Judy Clampit, chief financial officer; Roland Popejoy, superintendent; Richard Rogers, president; Lee Lane, vice president; Brant Tosh, Tyler Watkins and Ryan Gibson, alternate disbursing officer.

Education: K-12

PHOTO: Red Wolves Basketball Double Header – Women vs South Alabama, Men vs. Southern Miss

Posted on February 4, 2024 by deltadnews

Red Wolves women defeated the Jaguars, 73-61

Red Wolves men defeated the Monarchs, 78-71

Delta Digital News Service

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Caleb Gullahorn | Contributor

JONESBORO, Ark. – The Arkansas State Red Wolves women basketball team played against South Alabama as the men went up against Southern Miss. during a mid-week home double header at First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro on Wednesday, January 31. The women beat the Jaguars 73-61 along with the men winning against the Golden Eagles, 78-71. The women will place Old Dominion Monarchs on Saturday, while the men will play against the ULM Warhawks during another weekend double header.

A-State’s Caleb Fields (0) looks for an opening to pass the ball during the game against Southern Miss. on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. The Red Wolves beat the Monarchs, 78-71. Photo by Caleb Gullahorn

Photo Gallery

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NOTE: Caleb Gullahorn is senior in the Creative Media program in the School of Media and Journalism at Arkansas State University.

Jonesboro vs. Little Rock Central Basketball Double Header

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Brayden Morse

Hurricane Boys and Girls fall to LR Tigers

Friday, Jan. 26, 2024

Brayden Morse | Sports Editor

JONESBORO, Ark. – Little Rock Central guards Daniel Culberson and Luke Moore combined for 34 points to help beat the Jonesboro Hurricane 61-36 on Friday night at Don Riggs Hurricane Gymnasium.

Culberson scored 19 points and Moore scored 15 in the win. Moore also led the team with three, three-pointers, which all came in the second quarter on back-to-back-to-back three-point attempts.

Little Rock Central head coach Brian Ross shared his thoughts on Culberson’s and Moore’s performances.

Jonesboro’s Carlos Larry Jr. (10) tries to get past Little Rock Central’s C.J. Washington (2) during the game in Jonesboro, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. Ibuki Hinohara/Delta Digital News Service

“It was definitely their night. Luke has been known for being a great shooter all season. He made all three of his three-pointers in the first half tonight. Daniel took over the game. With his defense, there were about three possessions in a row in the first two to three minutes of the game where he got deflections and steals. He created energy for us with his drives. When his outside shots fall, there’s not really anything you can do because of his speed,” Ross said.

The three-point game and overall shooting was the difference maker as the Tigers had six three-pointers, while the Hurricane had none. Free-throw percentages were about the same with Little Rock Central shooting 55% and Jonesboro 54.5%.

Both teams kept a close game after the first quarter with an 11-7 Little Rock Central lead. The Tigers separated themselves from the Hurricane in the second quarter, making seven shots and four free-throws.

Jonesboro only made four shots in the second quarter and two free-throws, resulting in a 34-17 Tiger lead at halftime.

The second half did not get any better for the Hurricane, while scoring nine times and only drawing one foul with one free-throw made. Little Rock Central continued their dominance in the second half with 10 shots made and six free-throws made.

Jonesboro also had no player score double-digit points, as guard Myreion Taylor led the team with seven points.

The Hurricane’s head coach Wes Swift explains what went wrong for his team throughout the game.

“I thought it was shooting percentage. I also thought when we really started missing a lot of shots and they (Little Rock Central) made three or four there and went on an eight to ten run. The last part of that run was we let our heads down and got a little soft on the backboards. When they would miss they would get second shots,” Swift said.

Jonesboro travels to play against Cabot in another conference game, hoping for a bounce back victory.

Jonesboro’s Alexia Gomez (13) looks to pass the ball against Little Rock Central during the game in Jonesboro, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. Ibuki Hinohara/Delta Digital News Service

Coach Swift shared his thoughts on the mentality going into the upcoming game.

“We need to respond. Life is going to try and knock you down all the time and that’s just part of it. It’s time to get back up. Our guys will respond. I’m not worried about it. These guys will be here and they will be ready. We’ve got a heck of a tough game coming up. Cabot is a good basketball team, and going on the road makes it even tougher,” Swift said.

In the girl’s game, the Tigers defeated the Hurricane 62-31.

Little Rock Central guard Kiaya Davis led the team with 20 points while small forward Jordan Marshall scored 14 points.

Jonesboro guard Allannah Orsby led the team with 13 points and the team’s only three-pointer.

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Brayden Morse is a multimedia journalism major in the School of Media and Journalism at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. He can be reached at brayden.morse@smail.astate.edu.

NOTE: Feature photo shows Jonesboro’s Carlos Larry Jr. (10) trying to get past Little Rock Central’s C.J. Washington (2) during the game in Jonesboro, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. Ibuki Hinohara/Delta Digital News Service