JONESBORO – Several events will take place around Jonesboro and the Arkansas State University campus to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as part of the annual NEA Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations.
The NEA Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade Committee will host a youth program kickoff at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19, at the Jonesboro High School Performing Arts Center, 301 Hurricane Drive.
“This program will highlight the voices and talents of our youth, fostering the next generation of leaders inspired by Dr. King’s values,” said Ashley Wilson, committee co-chairman.
The community is invited to attend and celebrate the legacy of the civil rights leader.
The festivities will begin at 10 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 20, with the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade. The parade will start at the Lt. Col. Frederick Turner Jr. Military Science Building on the A-State campus.
It will depart the military science building, travel up Marion Berry Parkway to Johnson Avenue, proceed down University Loop, and conclude at the Fowler Center.
Performances from the Forrest City High School Band, Osceola High School Band, Jonesboro High School Steppers, and Drumline will be featured during the parade.
“We encourage community organizations to bring banners and participate in the parade to showcase their commitment to Dr. King’s vision of freedom, justice and democracy,” said Wilson.
Following the parade, the public is encouraged to gather at noon at Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive, for the 23rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration.
The theme for the program this year is “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice & Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence.”
Jonesboro native Jervonne Newsome will serve as the keynote speaker for the event.
“As a licensed attorney, minister and community advocate, Elder Newsome will deliver an empowering and thought-provoking message aligned with Dr. King’s mission of unity and social justice,” said Wilson. “The program will also feature inspiring performances, reflections on Dr. King’s legacy, and a call to action for continued community activism.”
Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver and A-State leadership will also speak during the program.
Dr. Carlitta Moore, vice chancellor for access and institutional engagement, says it’s a time to unite, reflect and carry on Dr. King’s vision.
“We are thrilled to be able to embark on this wonderful opportunity bringing together our community in partnership with Arkansas State University while honoring and celebrating the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This event not only serves as a chance to gather and strengthen bonds, but to reflect on the vision of Dr. King. Together, we look forward to creating a meaningful and inspiring experience which will continue to realize his ideals and ignite our shared values,” said Moore.
Story by DDNS Reporters Shailey Wooldridge and Jerry Burton
Photo by Jerry Don Burton, DDNS
In its final meeting of the semester, the Student Government Association (SGA) reflected on the work accomplished, including passing a resolution to create a committee for a housing scholarship at the Nov. 20, meeting
Micayla McGowen, SGA president and a senior marketing major from East End, Arkansas, said she is very thankful that they are finally having a good conversation about the housing scholarship.
Louis Gonzalez, a sophomore biology major from Kansas City, Missouri, said the recently passed housing scholarship committee resolution has the potential to help many people.
“I fought so hard for just the scholarship committee. I would say that out of everything I’ve done this semester, it is probably the most rewarding one because I can continue to work with that, and it can turn out to be something big,” Gonzalez said.
McGowen said SGA is still determining the right direction for the housing scholarship, but she hopes students will see more progress and impact from it next semester.
Gonzalez said he plans to continue working on the housing scholarship during the Spring semester.
“If I don’t do it, nobody else will, so I’m most definitely behind that. I’m rooting for that so it doesn’t get abolished,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said students can expect progress when it comes to the housing scholarship next semester, but it probably wouldn’t be active for another year because there is a lot of foundational work that needs to be put in.
Gonzalez said the next steps will be finding donors, forming a scholarship committee, and adding a subsection on the SGA website with scholarship guidelines. He said there is no concrete plan yet on how to get donors for the scholarship, and some senators still oppose the scholarship committee.
“It’s gonna take some time to build up some confidence from the senate and the senators to have a functioning scholarship committee,” Gonzalez said. “If I’m not working on it constantly and making consistent progress, I believe it might end up like the previous housing scholarship, abolished.”
Micayla McGowen, president of SGA and a senior marketing major from East End, Arkansas, said the resolution passing is excellent news because it means SGA is moving in the right direction to make a substantial impact.
“Considering that this is something that has started, I want to say, fall of 2023, this is honestly fantastic,” McGowen said. “It’s getting to a point where we’re going to make some progress, and there’s going to be something that actually happens now.”
Gonzalez said he thinks the reason the resolution didn’t pass unanimously is that some senators believe the scholarship will be detrimental. He said this is because the former housing scholarship resolution proposed pulling from the SGA budget.
“We formed it this way, so it’s not taking anything away from SGA. Rather, it’s just giving to the student body,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a donation-based scholarship, so we’re hoping for donations from alumni and local businesses, which we can give to students.”
McGowen said the resolution was well-written when initially proposed and that Gonzalez did a great job ensuring the resolution had content that would benefit students in need.
The SGA president said she hopes the scholarship committee will help the SGA find a solution for students struggling to pay for housing. This issue has become prominent over the past year, so she is glad SGA is making progress toward helping these students.
Chauncy Betts, a sophomore strategic communications major from McGee, Arkansas, is one of the senators who helped create this resolution.
Betts said he helped Gonzalez with the resolution’s grammar and content. He said they thought a lot about how future senators would react to the resolution, and he is happy it was passed.
“We have all worked on it for a long time, but especially Louis, he’s very passionate about SGA and this scholarship resolution,” Betts said. “College can be costly, and many students now tend to continue to live on campus. So, this resolution will help decrease the amount the students will have to pay.”
The City of Jonesboro has been awarded a $1,000,000 grant from the United States Department of the Interior’s National Park Services, through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program. This significant award will be administered by the State of Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. Jonesboro City Council previously approved a local match of $1,129,675 which is represented in the 2024 Annual Budget. The Junior Auxiliary of Jonesboro has also committed $100,000 toward the development of this project.
“This is exciting news for our city and reinforces the great work of our Grants, Parks and Engineering departments who put together a great application for a long overdue park in Northeast Jonesboro,” said Jonesboro Mayor Copenhaver. “This park is a key investment in the well-being and quality of life for residents of Northeast Jonesboro. We are grateful to the National Park Service, the State of Arkansas, Junior Auxiliary, and both Cornerstone and Journey Churches for their partnership in making this vision a reality.”
The funds will be allocated to the creation of a new community park in Northeast Jonesboro, at the end of Disciple Drive. The park will cover at least 13 acres, with potential to expand to 23 acres, contingent on further land acquisition. Planned features will include:
A fully accessible adventure playground
Walking and biking trails
Tennis Courts
Pickleball Courts
A Dog Park
Multiuse Sports fields
An expanded entrance road
Parking lot
An abundance of natural greenspace
“When we first met with Mayor Copenhaver about how we could help improve Jonesboro, his pitch for a park in east Jonesboro was an immediate ‘yes’ as it lined up perfectly with our mission to improve lives for local youth. We are so proud to be a part of this wonderful project,” commented Junior Auxiliary President, Jessica Baker.
The City of Jonesboro’s Parks and Recreation Director Danny Kapales stated, “As the Master Parks Plan indicated, this location was lacking in park space and was a priority. This grant and future park represent what is possible to achieve as a collective group.”
This project aligns with the Social Determinants of Health Plan, with plans for the new park to be fully accessible to residents of all abilities. Notably, there is currently no city park within one and a half miles of the project site, making this development a resource for the surrounding community. Thousands of residents who live and work near the project area will have better access to outdoor recreation.
“This project is a culmination of more than two years of coordination between the City, the State of Arkansas, and the National Parks Service. We are excited any time we win a grant, but to secure the largest parks grant the City of Jonesboro has ever received is special and personal for our hard-working staff,” commented Jeremy Biggs, Director of Grants for the City of Jonesboro.
Next, the Jonesboro City Council will hear a resolution to accept the grant and purchase the property, to be presented to the Public Services Committee later this week. After approval from Public Services Committee, full council will consider next week. If approved, construction will begin in the Summer of 2025.
JONESBORO, Ark. — The restaurant Legends BBQ Smokehouse & Lounge in Jonesboro has had quite the journey to get where they are today. Owned by husband and wife duo Reginald and Ruthie Prunty, the business has been running for around thirty years.
Reginald Prunty, born and raised in Jonesboro, is a prominent figure in the Jonesboro African-American community. He and Ruthie—who is originally from Dumas, Arkansas–have donated to, contributed to, and volunteered for many local community efforts over the years.
For example, Reginald was the founder of Jonesboro CityYouth Ministries, a Christian after-school program for young children. Before it was established, Reginald stated, there was no place for African-American kids to get together and have activities.
In addition, Reginald has been chairman for Crowley’s Ridge Development Council, a board member of Crimestoppers and the community transportation committee JETS, and a member of Community-Oriented Policing (COPS). He has even ran for State Representative of District 59 twice.
Reginald (right) and Ruthie (left) Prunty.
“I grew up in the community, and I cared a lot to make a change,” Reginald said.
The Legends restaurant is another culmination of the Pruntys’ community efforts. Originally, the business started out as a private club called Envision. However, the official name of the business was Arkansas Scholarship Fund, doing business as Legends 1025.
The Pruntys established this club because they saw a good opportunity to give back to the community, according to Reginald. People of course enjoy drinking alcohol, so why not turn that into money to benefit others?
The money that was paid for a club membership was later put into a scholarship fund. Every year, the Pruntys would give a scholarship, funded by this money, to a student who needed it. The money made at the bar was used to provide food for CityYouth.
The scholarship effort was retired when the state stopped requiring that businesses have a certain amount of members in order to retain a liquor license. However, the Pruntys still donate to various community services, in addition to catering for many community events.
The Pruntys had to work day jobs while they were running their business until they retired recently. Reginald worked as a technician for Xerox and frequently traveled, while Ruthie worked for St. Bernards in catering. Reginald has an associate’s degree in electrical engineering, and Ruthie has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in management along with a certification in dietary management.
When the Pruntys first opened their club back in the ‘90s, it was the first business owned by an African-American in Jonesboro to have a liquor license. Prunty believes that this is what opened up the rest of the clubs in Jonesboro to accepting more African-Americans.
However, the club faced many difficulties, as trailblazers often do.
“Jonesboro wasn’t ready for an African-American to have a liquor license or a club,” Reginald said.
“Jonesboro wasn’t ready for an African-American to have a liquor license or a club,”
Reginald Prunty
There was some negative press surrounding their business. It was even printed in the Jonesboro Sun at one point that “There’s no way that the young man can make a private club successful on West Johnson, not even one of the Rockefellers could,” according to Reginald.
“Well, I’ve been here thirty years…if I could tell him now, maybe I’m not a Rockefeller, maybe a cousin…” Reginald said, and laughed.
In addition, even though they had all the qualifications for a liquor license, they didn’t get the license until much later than they should have. First, they were accused of not being in the right location, said Ruthie—even though it’s clear that their building on West Johnson is very far from any churches or schools—and then they were told that they had to get their business up and running within six months or the license would be revoked.
However, this proved to be an issue because at the time, according to Reginald, very few people in Jonesboro were willing to come work for an African-American. For example, the people who did the electrical work kept their vehicles hidden. The people who worked on the walls would only work at night.
Furthermore, when picking up alcohol, Reginald was frequently pulled over and forced to show his permit. They would unload the truck on the side of the road as if he was carrying drugs. The club was subjected to frequent shakedowns, as well, in which customers were patted down and told to show their IDs.
“They would come in when we got customers…they were running through the building…and tell us ‘Turn the lights on right now, right now!’” Ruthie said. “A lot of nights, they’ll set up over here across the street in the fields with the police lights off on the vehicles…they were sitting out there, waiting to see what they can get us for.”
According to Reginald, before his club opened, there was no other club in Jonesboro that African-Americans could go to. It wasn’t socially accepted for African-Americans to attend any of the other private clubs.
Reginald Prunty in front of his bar.
His club paved the way for African-Americans to be accepted into other clubs because it was becoming so popular that it was attracting customers from other clubs. Reginald emphasized that his business wasn’t just for black people but for everyone. He called it “the neutral zone.”
The club used to host themed nights based on types of music they would play on those nights which would attract different crowds. For instance, there was blues night, rock night, R’n’B night, and Hispanic music night. As a result, they had a good turnout of not just African-Americans, but also white people and Hispanic people.
“They came out in droves,” Ruthie said.
“Everybody would leave the 501, everybody would leave Sage Meadows, everybody left Ridgepointe, and they were here, because this is what the happening was,” Reginald said.
However, this is when everything started to go downhill for the club. It was because the club was affecting the other clubs’ business, according to Reginald.
In 2010, the Pruntys had to go to a public safety hearing as a result of allegations about violence near the club. The owner of Brickhouse was also there due to violence around his club as well. KAIT8 aired the hearing on TV.
The Jonesboro City Councilman at the time, Chris Moore, gave the owner of Brickhouse, Dr. Dan Johnson, a warning that if he appeared again before the committee, he was in danger of having his business shut down.
However, when it was aired on TV, KAIT8 made it seem like the councilman was talking to Reginald rather than Johnson. They replaced the clip of Johnson with a clip of Reginald.
“Now how fair is that?” Ruthie said. “I was so upset…To shine a bad light on him, they aired it on TV.”
In addition, Reginald said that when he was asked if he overserved alcohol and answered in the negative, the police chief jumped up and accused him of lying, claiming that he overserved and that his club always smelled of marijuana.
The committee decided to suspend the Pruntys’ license for three months and put them on probation for a year, but they later contested this and sued the city, claiming that they were in compliance with the alcohol regulations and that he was being treated unfairly due to his race. A restraining order was granted to prevent the suspension.
“It happened in front of the entire city of Jonesboro. The city of Jonesboro allowed that to happen, the city attorney allowed it to happen, and we had a full house like it was a lynching,” Reginald said. “That’s exactly what it felt like.”
According to Reginald, there hasn’t been another hearing bringing in private clubs for any similar incidents since then.
Once the other clubs got wind of the fact that the Pruntys’ club was actually making a significant amount of money and had a strong clientele base, they started recruiting customers from the club, according to Reginald. As a result, the Pruntys were later forced to close their business for three months to rebrand themselves and renovate their building due to a loss of customers.
In 2017, their business reopened as a BBQ restaurant which also has a bar. They have their own smoker and process their own meats, so everything is made in-house. They even have their own seasoning mix that took five years to develop, which became so popular that many people asked if they would sell it.
They’ve also catered for many events, such as the grand opening of Natural Grocers in 2017. The event was supposed to be small, and they didn’t originally plan to cook very much, but more people started arriving because word got around that it was so good. They were supposed to only be there for two hours, but five hours later, Reginald said, people were still coming.
They also host events at the restaurant. On this upcoming June 1, they’re hosting the kickoff for the Juneteenth in Jonesboro celebration from three p.m. to six p.m. There’s going to be vendor popups, food, music, and a couple of speeches.
Reginald says he wants to eventually publish a book in which he tells his story along with the controversy it inspired, of course using all the required documentation and evidence. However, he also plans to include and give due credit to all of the people who have supported him throughout the years.
Avery Jonesis a senior in The Department of English and Philosophy at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. She can be reached at avery.jones@smail.astate.edu
JONESBORO, Ark. — On Saturday, May 18, the local nonprofit organization Research Solutions hosted their first NEA Cultural Expo. The event lasted from 10 AM to 7 PM at the Centennial Plaza in downtown Jonesboro and was free to attend.
The event featured crafts, food, and other goods from various local vendors and small businesses as well as live music. According to the executive director of Research Solutions, the purpose of the event was to display the variety of different cultures thriving in Northeast Arkansas.
“We have so many people from around the country and around the world who live in this area, and we all bring something that contributes to the community but we don’t interact a lot,” stated Lisa Perry. “I’d like to see something that celebrates all that everyone brings to the area.”
Although this was only the first time this event has happened, they’re hoping that they’ll be able to arrange it next year as well and are already making plans to do so. Perry used to live in another city–Columbus, Indiana–that hosted a cultural expo every year, which is how she came up with the idea.
When Perry moved here to Jonesboro, she noticed that this area has just as much diversity as Columbus, but there was no similar event. In her last city, the cultural expo was a great way to connect people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions.
“We really don’t have anything that kind of tries to bridge that gap, and having the other city as an example of something that was working, I thought, why not try it here?” Perry said.
Their hope is that although the expo was instigated by Research Solutions and they plan to remain involved, it will eventually become a community-led event. However, even though this first event was mainly run by Research Solutions, there were many people in the community who did help, such as sponsorship from local businesses.
Research Solutions, established in 2022, does research on social sciences and public services. They work primarily on substance abuse and overdose prevention. They’re the fiscal agent for the Arkansas HOPE Coalition, a group of organizations that supports programs for underprivileged youth.
Some of the cultures that were to be represented at the Cultural Expo included Southern, Hawaiian, African-American, Muslim, Mexican, Filipino, and others. There were at least thirty vendors slated to be there.
One of the many culturally diverse vendors at the event was NowaraCo, a scarf and hijab company owned by Dr. Nora Bouzihay. It’s the first hijab company in Arkansas and was established in 2018.
Dr. Bouzihay, who has a doctorate in education, currently works at Southeast Missouri State University. Her grandmother used to call her “Nowara,” which means flower in Arabic. This is how her company got its name.
All of the scarves are handmade, and the fabric is imported from Morocco. For every three scarves sold, NowaraCo donates a scarf to a refugee in the Middle East. NowaraCo also sells no-snag magnets as a substitute for safety pins.
Bouzihay started wearing a hijab herself in 2016. She says that she never felt “beautiful” until she started wearing it. Additionally, after her grandmother passed away, she wanted a way to keep her legacy alive.
“Because I felt so beautiful with scarves, I thought what better way to bring all women and young girls together and feel beauty through scarves in all forms?” Bouzihay said.
Although the scarves are frequently bought as hijabs, they can be used for any purpose, says Bouzihay. Women who are suffering from hair loss also enjoy these scarves, and of course, they can be used as neck scarves as well.
Bouzihay is originally from Morocco but grew up in Jonesboro. During college, she studied abroad in Dubai and Morocco, which is what inspired her to assist women in the Middle East.
Another vendor at the expo was KO Treats: Taste of the Valley, an independent candy company ran by duo Kiara Riojas and Oliver Quiroz. It was first established in 2022.
KO Treats sells chamoy-covered candy. Chamoy is a type of sauce often used in Mexican cuisine, made from pickled fruit and blended with chili peppers, lime, and spices.
When she moved to Jonesboro from South Texas, Riojas found herself missing all of the authentic Mexican snacks that could easily be found in any convenience store down there. Riojas decided to remedy this problem herself and sell her own Mexican snacks, bringing the unique flavor of the Rio Grande Valley to Jonesboro.
Riojas and Quiroz currently sell the candy from home in Lake City, but they provide delivery for Jonesboro and surrounding areas. They also frequently sell at events in Jonesboro similar to the expo.
Graceful Threads, an inspirational apparel business owned by Ninmah Wallace, was also at the expo. The shop sells clothing featuring Christian and inspirational quotes.
Wallace is originally from Chicago. She has a bachelor’s degree in business management.
Wallace started her business in 2020; she loved designing faith-based apparel for herself, so this business was the natural next step for her. Additionally, she’s a Christian, so she prays and feels inspired about what to design.
“It was something I knew that I wanted to do because I love to create and design different apparel,” Wallace said. “It’s just something that I was inspired to do…just to be able to support and provide something for families to wear.”
She has another similar business called SheMadeYaLook, of which Graceful Threads is an extension. SheMadeYaLook is a personal styling service that helps people to find pieces that suit them, match their personal taste, and look good together. Wallace puts together a “StyleBox” and delivers it to the client.
Graceful Threads sells online and ships the purchases. New designs are released every season.
There were several other small businesses featured at the Cultural Expo, including the food truck Filipino Chow, Wise Women Crafts, Vaughn’s Pit Stop BBQ, the bakery Delightful Bites, and much more.
Avery Jonesis a senior in The Department of English and Philosophy at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. She can be reached at avery.jones@smail.astate.edu
JONESBORO, Ark. – The Feminist Union at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro will be hosting their first women’s rights rally this Saturday. It will be held from noon to 3 PM in the courtyard of the Craighead County Courthouse.
The event is open to the community, and those who attend can choose to sign for the Arkansas Abortion Amendment and Period Tax Petition. They will also hear from several female speakers who are important figures in the community.
“Essentially, this rally is to…celebrate the advancement of women’s rights across the years but also to celebrate the women now who are making basically their mark on history, specifically women’s history,” said Christina Smith, the president of the Feminist Union and a student at ASU Jonesboro.
The Arkansas Right to Abortion Initiative–more popularly known as the Arkansas Abortion Amendment–is a movement that aims to get the amendment on the ballot for 2024 as a constitutional amendment in Arkansas. If instated, the amendment would allow abortion within 18 weeks of conception; in the cases of rape, incest, or fatal anomalies; or when the life of the mother is in danger.
The movement was started by Arkansans for Limited Government, a nonprofit organization that advocates for personal liberties and limiting government involvement, especially in regards to healthcare. They must collect at least 90,000 signatures by this July 5 in order for the amendment to be placed on the November 2024 ballot.
An Act to Exempt Feminine Hygiene Products and Diapers from Sales and Use Tax is being spearheaded by the Arkansas Period Poverty Project, which aims to increase access to feminine hygiene products in Arkansas, especially for those in poverty, by ending sales tax on feminine hygiene products and getting free menstrual products in public schools. They need 72,500 signatures by this July in order to make it on the November 2024 ballot.
Those are the two main movements that the Feminist Union is currently promoting, but Smith said there may be other causes represented at the rally. The speakers at the rally will be talking in general about women’s rights, but they also will most likely promote their own causes.
There will be four speakers: State Senate candidate Erika Askeland, who is running for District 20; Young Democrats of Arkansas president Allison Sweatman; Alison Guthrie, a community advocate from Little Rock; and another community advocate, Rebekah Pruitt, from Jonesboro.
Specifically, Askeland will probably speak about her campaign. Sweatman will most likely speak about the importance of voting, especially for women. Guthrie stated that she would be talking about disability rights. Pruitt, as a transgender woman, will most likely speak on transgender rights.
While it’s their first rally, Smith said that it wasn’t difficult to arrange. Since the courthouse’s courtyard is public property, she just had to call the courthouse to ask permission to use it and make sure no one else was using it at that time. Then she started promoting the event.
As for the speakers, Smith already had connections to them. She reached out to Guthrie and Pruitt and asked them specifically to speak. Meanwhile, Askeland and Sweatman volunteered when they heard about the event.
“I reached out to Alison Guthrie and Rebekah Pruitt because I’m a very big fan of their work within their own communities,” Smith said.
Smith works on Askeland’s campaign, so when Askeland heard of the rally, she offered to speak. Similarly, Smith is the president for the Jonesboro chapter of the Young Democrats of Arkansas, so when she mentioned the event to Sweatman, Sweatman also volunteered.
The ASU Feminist Union itself has only recently become active again. It was first established in 2018 but shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Inactivity after the campus opened again caused the organization to die out.
However, in fall 2023, Smith wanted to revive the Feminist Union. She had to register it again as a student organization and then recruit more members. Currently, the Union has around 60 to 70 members, but only about 10 to 15 members regularly attend meetings and activities.
“The hardest part was getting members…active members,” Smith said.
They have meetings every two weeks on Wednesdays and events every month. They have hosted panel events, in which they invite community advocates, elected officials, or female candidates for discussion; readings and movie nights about feminism; and tabling events where they hand out free condoms. Next semester, they’re also planning to start handing out emergency contraceptives.
Avery Jonesis 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: Featured image is from one of the Feminist Union’s previous events.
JONESBORO- The Nettleton Raiders girls’ and boys’ basketball teams defeated the Valley View Blazers, with both teams scoring 53 points at Raider Gym on Tuesday night.
In the first game, the Lady Raiders (17-4) won 53-40 with the help of great shooting and defensive stops.
The offense scored five three-pointers in key situations throughout the game, with three of them coming from guard Carmen McShan in the second half.
McShan scored a team-leading 20 points, while center Donna Douglas scored 12 with a couple steals.
Nettleton girls head coach Kevin Frisbee expressed his thoughts on the team’s aggressive defense that helped lead them to victory, along with his feelings of beating a local school.
Nettleton’s Keiarra Brown (25) tries to shoot through Valley View’s Madison Fischer (21) during the game on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Ibuki Hinohara/Delta Digital News Service
“Defense is where it starts with us. On-ball pressure is our top priority on the defensive side. I thought all of our guards did a good job pressuring the ball. Anytime you play a local team, it feels different. Anytime we play them we know it’s going to be a rock fight. Anytime you beat someone in town, it’s a little extra special,” Frisbee said.
On the other side, Valley View (10-8) was missing a few starters that got the team out of sync. Blazer girl head coach Angie Ellis shared what went wrong for the team.
“We’re still trying to find our identity. We have some injuries on the team and we’re short on some guards. I’m having to rotate off-guards into the guard position because we are injured. We’re trying to find five kids to gel together. I thought we struggled to score and we needed other kids to step up and score for us,” Ellis said.
Coach Ellis also shared what the game plan was moving forward to get back on track.
“We play in probably the best conference in the state of Class-5A with five teams ranked. We’ve got some key injuries. I thought that game got too physical and it’s hard to prepare them for that physicality of a game,” said Ellis. “We need to get our bodies back healthy and reset for Marion on Friday night.”
Despite the lack of guards for the Blazers, two players scored double-digit points. Bonnie Fagen scored 14 points and Annika Wilbanks scored 12 points.
In the second game, the Raiders (12-8) defeated the Blazers (12-8) 53-44.
Nettleton’s Taylor Smith (0) tries go past Valley View’s Laird Cullen (4) during the game on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Ibuki Hinohara/Delta Digital News Service
The defense and shooting were big factors for Nettleton, while shooting 8-12 from the free-throw line, three, three-pointers from guard Kam Bobo and only allowing five different players to score throughout the game.
Nettleton head coach Luke Tate shared his thoughts on the team’s success on defense that allowed the offense to open.
“If we shoot the ball the way we guard, we are going to be really hard to stop. Because we kept working against the zone and getting in the middle and attacking, it freed up some shooters. If we guard, we can rebound and get out and run,” Tate said.
“If we shoot the ball the way we guard, we are going to be really hard to stop. Because we kept working against the zone and getting in the middle and attacking, it freed up some shooters. If we guard, we can rebound and get out and run,”
Nettleton head coach Luke Tate
Guard Taylor Smith led the Raiders with 20 points, while guard Bobo and forward Ja’Kobe Jamison combined for 30 points in the win.
Coach Tate expressed his thoughts on those three players and the impact they made for the team.
“Kam Bobo came off the bench and had 14 points, with some big three’s and guarded really well. Taylor Smith is always going to be the one everyone knows about and he attacked well. Ja’Kobe Jamison is a tough left-handed kid and he just finds ways to get in there and hit really tough shots,” Tate said.
Valley View was only down by three at halftime, but Nettleton ran away with the score in the second half.
Blazer head coach Lane Campbell explained his team’s struggles and what the team needs to get better at.
“We went into halftime down by three, I was very pleased with how we played. We couldn’t get shots to fall in the second half like we did in the first half and gave up too many second chance rebounds. You can’t do that against a team that is athletic like that,” Campbell said.
The Raiders and Blazers will both play at home on Friday, as Nettleton plays Searcy and Valley View plays Marion.
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 Nettleton’s Carmen McShan (1) shooting against Nettleton’s Brianna Huff (22) during the game on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Photo by Ibuki Hinohara
JONESBORO, Ark. – Constitution Day was on Sept. 17. The holiday celebrates the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. The day is especially important for public schools because they must recognize the day and use the opportunity to teach students about the Constitution according to a federal requirement.
Local schools in Jonesboro are no different and had some activities planned for Constitution Day. According to Jon Newman, an Advanced Placement U.S. History and Government teacher from The Academies at Jonesboro High School, his school didn’t have a school-wide event planned but each teacher covered the topic in their classrooms.
Since Constitution Day was on a Sunday, Newman chose to recognize the day on Tuesday. He and his students were discussing the development of the Constitution. He also brought in Senator Dan Sullivan to talk about his role in the government and our state legislature’s role in the system that was created by the Constitution.
According to Newman, the goal of this day in schools is to “help students to see how the document that established our current government was created out of a need that arose with Shay’s Rebellion.” He makes sure that he stresses to students the importance of how the Constitution was created to adapt to the country as it grew and changed.
In past years, the high school used to invite the Arkansas National Guard to speak to all of the classes about the importance of the National Guard. However, because the requirements for what must be taught has increased, more teachers are unwilling to give up an entire day for such a presentation. Newman doesn’t mind occasionally using a day, though, to allow an elected official to come talk to his students.
Newman says that his students usually respond pretty well to the day. Because of his classes’ subject matter, it’s easy to fit in the lesson.
However, one problem that comes up for other classes not about history and government is that they have to pause their usual lessons to teach about the Constitution for only one day. This lesson can seem arbitrary to students since it doesn’t flow well with the usual subject matter.
At Valley View Schools, the teachers are all doing different activities in their classrooms as well. Matt Mink, a social studies teacher at the junior high school, recognized Constitution Day on Monday the 18th.
He put together a “Constitution Day Escape Room” for his students. Each student works with a partner to decipher four clues which will provide a four-digit code. This code unlocks a lockbox that contains the “stolen” Constitution.
Mink’s goal of this activity is to allow the students to experience something different and to learn from it while having fun. He and his class discussed the Constitution prior to the activity. Mink has been doing this activity for four or five years.
“The students love this activity,” Mink said. “Once they figure out how to decipher each clue, it becomes real competitive. They all want to be the first ones done.”
Melissa Mayfield, a history and government teacher at Valley View High School, also planned special activities for Constitution Day. The school rolled Constitution Day into Freedom Week, which is celebrated during the last week of September.
The purpose of Freedom Week is to emphasize teachings on the development of the U.S. and its founding documents, including the Constitution. It’s an official holiday only in Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
The social studies department at Valley View High School, which Mayfield is a part of, planned a recital of the Bill of Rights during lunch on Sept. 25. It was recited by students from the American History and Government classes on the balcony that overlooks the school cafeteria.
The students from Mayfield’s AP World History class made posters with the amendments on them to display in the hallways of the social studies department. Additionally, Mayfield taught about different constitutions from around the world and compared them to that of the U.S.
Mayfield does the constitution comparison each year, but this is the first time that the social studies department has collaborated for the Bill of Rights recital. Mayfield said that in general, some students are more engaged than others.
The sophomores have a basic understanding of government structure, but haven’t extensively learned about the amendments. As a result, the teachings of Freedom Week focus on the individual rights that come from the Bill of Rights and comparing our government structure with that of other countries’.
“I want students to understand our Constitution, but I also want them to see how it influenced the creation of other constitutions and how other documents, like the English Bill of Rights, influenced the creation of our state,” Mayfield said.
Avery Jonesis 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
Emergency services, such as police departments, fire departments, and ambulances, often require foreign language resources at hand if they need to help someone who speaks little to no English. Bilingual employees can be highly valuable as a result.
In Jonesboro, this is especially relevant because of the large Hispanic population. While many Hispanic people can speak English fluently, there are also many who don’t.
The Jonesboro Police Department works most directly with Spanish speakers. According to Mary Oliver, who works in the records division, many people come to request a copy of their report or file a report, including Hispanics.
The records division deals with all of the paperwork that comes through, including accident reports, arrest reports, and tickets. Belinda Rodriguez, a translator who speaks fluently in both English and Spanish, helps those who need translation to communicate when they come to request or file a report.
“With the language barrier with the rest of the clerks, sometimes it’s hard to figure out their need, what they’re requesting, and so she fills that gap for us,” Oliver said.
They rarely get witness statements in Spanish since there’s usually an English speaker there who can translate for them if needed. However, on the occasions that this does happen, Rodriguez will translate the document for them when there’s a need.
Additionally, the criminal investigation division sometimes interviews people who only speak Spanish, so in those cases, Rodriguez translates for them during the interview.
“We have a large need here. We’re here Monday through Friday, eight to five…I would say daily, she is translating for us in some form or fashion,” Oliver said.
Before Rodriguez was hired in July 2022, the records division worked for several years without a translator. According to Fodor, it was a struggle, and they had to reach out to other resources in order to get the translation they needed.
Rodriguez is Hispanic and grew up in the U.S. learning Spanish alongside English. Even before she worked as a translator, she found herself translating wherever there was a need.
For example, she has helped people to communicate at the ER, the revenue office, and in a former job as a dental assistant. The first two instances weren’t in a professional capacity; Rodriguez says it’s in her nature to help where she sees it’s necessary.
“My mother struggled a lot growing up, so I know firsthand what it’s like to be in that situation,” she said.
Additionally, many Hispanic people are scared to file reports, according to Rodriguez, because they think that nobody will be able to understand them or even fear getting deported. She hopes to help bring in more Hispanic people, especially women who need to report domestic violence.
The police department also has two bilingual police officers who speak both English and Spanish fluently. One such officer is Corey Obregon. He has worked with the department for almost five years.
He grew up in El Paso, Texas, and only spoke Spanish in his household, so he’s fluent in conversational Spanish. In the field, he mostly speaks Spanish when dealing with DUI (driving under the influence) and domestic violence cases.
“I’m pretty much one of the people they call quite often,” Obregon said.
The other bilingual officer in the department is Homero Gonzalez. He’s been working with the JPD for nearly two years.
Gonzalez believes there’s definitely a need for Spanish speakers in the department. He’s been called to many different parts of the city to help translate and has assisted detectives with translation as well.
He meets people who speak little to no English at least once or twice during his work week. It’s usually during the evening when people are going home from work and mostly cases of thefts, accidents, and domestic violence.
“I find Hispanic subjects are more willing to give me information due to me being able to communicate in their native tongue,” Gonzalez said. “I can always see the relief on people’s faces when they find out I speak Spanish. It’s just one less thing to worry about.”
Usually, the only foreign language the department works with frequently is Spanish. However, they have occasionally encountered others, such as Romanian, Nepali, and Marshallese.
The department has a variety of resources they can use when confronting a language barrier. There are translators they can contact for help communicating, and some officers like Gonzalez use Google Translate.
There’s currently an incentive program in the works for officers who speak a second language. There used to be an incentive program in place but after officers tried to fight for a pay raise, it was taken away in 2015.
However, after the recent fight for a pay raise in the department over the summer, a new incentive program is being established. According to Obregon, it will be incorporated next year.
The Jonesboro Fire Department also occasionally needs to communicate with Spanish speakers. According to Martin Hamrick, the fire chief, they sometimes have to use basic phrases and questions when doing EMS calls, wrecks, and fires, and it can be difficult to communicate.
In cases where the individual speaks little to no English, the department has been able to get assistance with translation from the police or from another person there who can speak both languages. Mostly, the only foreign language they encounter is Spanish, but they have dealt with some Asian languages on occasion.
“But it’s definitely better if we speak one-to-one, we get a faster response that way,” Hamrick said.
None of the firefighters are bilingual, but some know basic phrases. El Centro Hispano, the Hispanic center of Jonesboro, offers a basic Spanish class, and some of the firefighters have taken it.
Because the fire department has to follow the civil service guidelines set by the state, they don’t offer any incentives for bilingual firefighters nor is it considered a requirement or advantage when hiring.
Emerson, a local ambulance service, also occasionally helps people who speak little to no English. In these cases, the EMTs usually communicate with others on the scene who speak English or use Google Translate, according to Eric White, who’s an EMT at Emerson and also works in public relations there.
The EMTs can also use a chart using symbols that the patient can point to indicate how they’re feeling. As a last resort, they have a number they can contact for translations.
Once at the hospital, there’s usually translators on-site who can help both the EMTs and the patient once the ambulance arrives. Besides Spanish, other foreign languages Emerson has encountered include German and Russian.
There are a couple of EMTs at Emerson who can speak Spanish to a certain extent. Having a second language as an EMT does come in handy, according to White, and is a standout skill on a resume when they’re hiring.
Avery Jonesis 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
Bill brings road construction, repairs and reconstruction across the state
Delta Digital News Service
By Chloe Short | Aspiring Journalist
JONESBORO, Ark. – Interstates, major highways and other roads receive will receive improvements with the $95 million highway-funding bill signed by the governor. The bill helps fix unsafe roads, repair potholes and mend other road problems.
Dave Parker, public information officer for the Arkansas Department of Transportation, said growing concerns about congestion and pavement preservation factor into the plans when deciding what areas to focus on. Congestion causes slower traffic or traffic back-ups, while pavement preservation keeps the current roads maintained so drivers experience less deterrents while on the road.
“About 76% of our total money goes toward just maintaining the highways and bridges we currently have. The remaining 24% is spent on new projects,” Parker said.
“About 76% of our total money goes toward just maintaining the highways and bridges we currently have. The remaining 24% is spent on new projects.”
ARDOT PIO Dave Parker
ARDOT plans for Jonesboro residents and drivers passing through to experience road construction on I-555 that started April 14 and will continue until later this year. Road work involves reconstructing and overlaying pavement for five bridges.
Parker said, “Construction is in full-swing all over the state. ARDOT’s current plans aim at improving many sections of downtown Little Rock, mending and widening I-30 in Saline County and widening Highway 10 in Pulaski County from a four-lane road to six. Those projects will take two years to complete with a cost of around $80 million,” Parker said.
Big projects like the Bella Vista Bypass in Northwest Arkansas see a predicted opening this fall. Parker said to make sure the budget gets followed, ARDOT hires contractors who present good reputations with proven track records to deliver quality work on time.
Joe Quinn, executive director of the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation, said the highway-funding bill won 72 out of 75 counties, making the sales tax allotted to road improvements permanent. Construction starts where the most traffic takes place. Quinn said he and others pushed for voter approval because this bill helps keep state roads safe for all drivers.
“If voters had not voted in support of this bill, then every county in Arkansas would have lost 30% of its road budget and every city in Arkansas would have lost 30% of its road budget. For instance cities would have lost $46 million for road repairs,” Quinn said.
Shannon Newton, president of the Arkansas Trucking Association, pushed voter approval for the bill, primarily issue 1 of it and pressed state residents to care about the future safety of their roads and bridges. Newton said the governor’s leadership and the support of stakeholder groups representing all types of Arkansans made for strong voices contributing to the cause.
“The trucking industry relies on all types of infrastructure throughout the state, which is one of the great things about Issue One. Issue One will help make our state highway system safer by improving over 7,000 miles of roads and repairing dangerous bridges, relieve heavy traffic congestion on highly traveled roads and support over 3,600 jobs annually and provide $8.2 billion in economic activity over 10 years,” Newton said.
JONESBORO, Ark. – COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed across the country and many states have lifted their mask mandates, Arkansas being one of those states.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson lifted the mask mandate after consulting with Department of Health Secretary Jose Romero according to a press release from the official website of Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
Tropical Smoothie Café requires both their employees and customers to wear masks inside the building. Photo by Maddison Smith
Businesses still have the right to require that customers wear masks when entering their stores, but many only require their employees to wear a mask. Hotworx Sales Associate Megan Tremmel said, “After the mask mandate was lifted, we don’t require people to wear masks. If they want to and it helps them feel comfortable, then so be it.”
Other stores like Palm Beach Tan require masks for their employees, routinely practice social distancing and leave signs on the outside of their building recommending their customers to wear masks.
According to the Arkansas Department of Health’s website, there are 1,325 active cases of COVID-19. Craighead county had eight new cases, Pulaski county nine new cases and Lonoke county with seven new cases of COVID-19.
Vaccinations are being distributed and given to people across the country. In Arkansas alone, around 630,000 people are fully vaccinated, with this number increasing daily.
Tropical Smoothie Café Manager Ryan Denis said the store requires both their employees and customers to wear masks while inside the building.
“I’ve been surprised to see so many people still wearing masks. The threat is still out there, we don’t want to turn our back to it,” Denis said.
“I’ve been surprised to see so many people still wearing masks.” – Tropical Smoothie Café Manager Ryan Denis
Up until two months ago, Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s drive-thru provided the only business the store received. Denis said there is now more traffic in their lobbies since the mask mandate has been lifted.
Denis said he feels food service workers feel different about wearing masks. Guests do not pose a threat because his employees are able to successfully social distance.
“I wear my mask mostly for other people. We owe each other that courtesy,” Denis said. “I’m ready for it to be normal. I want to see people’s faces and smiles again.”
Palm Beach Tan Manager Kaygan Muse said they have more customers coming in without masks.
Muse said she is not concerned for her well-being or her employees since they are still wearing masks and have extra cleaning procedures for their tanning beds.
“It’s a start. I think the cases have lowered a lot recently so I think we are going in the right direction to go back to normal,” Muse said.
CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LOCAL MASK MANDATE.
Maddison Smith is a senior in the multimedia journalism program in The School of Media and Journalism at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. You can follow her on Twitter. She can be contacted at: maddison.smith@smail.astate.edu.
By Maddison Smith | Aspiring Journalist Delta Digital News Service
After last year’s tornado ripped through town, the committee has been offered a chance to apply for a grant to help pay for a multi-purpose safe room in Jonesboro.
“The grant is a 75% to 25% match and it has to be used for tornado, related mitigation expenses,” Chairman Josh Longmire said. “We are eligible for roughly $800,000 so our grant portion is in the neighborhood of $200,000. We could potentially have a million-dollar project.”
For this project, Longmire will be partnering with the East Arkansas Planning and Developing district. The multi-purpose safe room would also have community rooms or hold Quorum Court.
The grant money would not only pay for the multi-purpose safe room, but also the Hazard Mitigation Plan for Craighead County, which has to be updated every five years and was last updated in 2017.
“We have to update that plan to be eligible for other grants like the one today,” Longmire said.
The committee expressed concerns about the resolution and whether building just one safe room was adequate. Another committee member mentioned possibly upgrading the tornado sirens in Jonesboro with the grant money.
Other items on the committee’s agenda include:
Tax collection report from Craighead County Tax Collector Wes Eddington
Resolution to endorse Camfil USA, Inc. participation in Tax Back Program; passed
Approval of Clean Up Ordinance for budget year 2020; passed
Prior to the Finance and Administration committee meeting, Quorum Court held their bi-weekly meeting. During the meeting, the court passed a resolution to amend the 2021 annual budget resulting in the loss of funding for two jobs.
The funds amended included:
Recorder’s cost fund
Child Support cost fund
Circuit Clerk cost fund
The old budget for the recorder’s cost fund was roughly $1 million and the new amended budget for the cost fund is now $891,128.
According to Craighead County Judge Marvin Day, this reduction in the budget means two jobs in the Craighead County Circuit Clerk office will no longer be funded. These two jobs include chief deputy held by John Smith and a criminal clerk position, which is currently vacant.
Justice of the Peace Kevin Williams said “We are not elevating the position, we are elevating the funding for that position. That’ll be something Candace Edwards does in her adult professional manner like she said in here the other day.”
Other items on the court’s agenda include:
Ordinance amending 2021 budget to add fund 3553; passes.
The court received a check from the City of Bay to pay off part of a debt to the city.
Maddison Smith is a senior in the multimedia journalism program in The School of Media and Journalism at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. You can follow her on Twitter. She can be contacted at: maddison.smith@smail.astate.edu.
By Chloe Short/Aspiring Reporter Delta Digital News Service
The city comes close to finished plans for the bike path project. Residents will witness construction soon, bringing bike lanes and bridges to connect all the city. The bike pedestrian trail will make one large circle around Jonesboro to allow all areas within the city to experience different ways of traveling.
Danny Kapales, director of Parks and Recreation in Jonesboro, said plans for the bike path are close to finishing. Currently, the design and property acquisition requires completion, then plans move forward to starting construction. Kapales said the project needs scouted property for purchase and further design touches.
“We’re hoping to be starting by the end of this year with the construction or at least by the following year with construction. We should be done with at least land acquisition and design by the end of this year,” Kapales said.
Final decisions made to design arrangements will then allow progress to finding the construction company. Kapales said when the project releases, construction companies will place bids and once finalized, the project will move to construction.
Earlier in planning, the project awaited clearance for grants to work the University Heights phase, which gives access to open the east side of Jonesboro and will allow safe travel along Aggie Road. Updates revealed the plans received clearance, Kapales said.
Bill Campbell, director of communications for Jonesboro, said the bike path proposal sits at 90% completion. The parks and recreation, engineering, and grants department received the grant money of $500,000 from the Arkansas Department of Transportation and the Transportation Alternatives Program needed to proceed with construction and to continue the bike path phases.
The project plans continued for almost two years after being released to the public. Campbell said after speaking to city Director of Engineering Craig Light, he found money as the hold up in the schedule.
“The project was slowed originally as we looked for additional funding to complete the first phase of construction. This was ultimately obtained through a second TAP Grant from ARDOT. We just recently received a third TAP Grant from ARDOT to build the final piece of this project which will tie the trail to the A-State campus at the Marion Berry Parkway. We have opted to combine these two project phases into one single project for construction. This decision was made based on a couple of factors, the primary one being that the right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation pieces of the project are expected to take most of the year to complete anyway,” Light said.
New construction brings uncertainty to wildlife in the area, especially if tampered with. Campbell assured that with planning, The parks and recreation, engineering, and grants department must perform environmental studies anytime working with untampered land. Kapales said the bike roads will follow along roads already made, so they do not see any wildlife being interfered with.
Charles Fox, of Gearhead Cycle House, said the community will benefit from the new bike path. Fox said cycling creates a natural high that comes from physical activity, whether the activity runs light or heavy. Active lifestyles can be more conducive to happy living and overall wellness, he said.
“I feel as if it will offer people an opportunity to get out and exercise on their bicycles in a way that they might not have current access to. For a lot of people riding on the streets with automobiles isn’t the most comfortable activity and safer bike paths should give people an entry into the world of cycling,” Fox said.
