Howard News

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Benefit for Harold and Alice Bradshaw at Lockesburg Fire Station on August 3rd

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Harold was severely injured June 16, 2018 in a vehicle accident. He had over 50 broken bones and multiple injuries that were life threatening. Harold was flown from the scene of the accident to Little Rock for treatment. Over the past year, by the grace of God, Harold has come a long, long way. He still makes regular trips to doctors in Little Rock. Harold still has bones that are not healed, so at this time surgeries are still pending.

Harold is a lifelong resident of Lockesburg and Alice has lived there most of her life as well. They moved away for a few short years and then returned where their sons, Scott and Mark also graduated from Lockesburg High School. Today, their sons are both successful men who serve the local people. Harold, Alice, Scott, and Mark were all EMT’s at one time. They have always been dedicated to helping others.

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Howard County Extension Homemakers Participate in State Convention

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Four Howard County Extension Homemakers met with other members across the state for the annual state conference. The meeting was held in Hot Springs and offered a variety of educational seminars. Those attending included Gladine Bennett, Howard County EHC Council President and member of New Horizons EHC Club, Pam Wynn and Joy Barr both members of Twilight EHC Club and Linda Wilcox, a member of Moonlighters EHC Club. Jean Ince, County Extension Agent-Staff Chair also attended the three day meeting.

Pictured L-R: Pam Wynn, Joy Barr, Gladine Bennett and Jean Ince

Pictured L-R: Pam Wynn, Joy Barr, Gladine Bennett and Jean Ince

For 107 years, the Extension Homemakers/Home Demonstration program has been ongoing in Arkansas, providing its members with education and leadership development and service in local communities where the clubs are located.

The Arkansas Extension Homemakers Council is a volunteer organization associated with the Cooperative Extension Service. Last year, Extension Homemakers across the state reported 322 clubs and 3,754 members, giving 712,147 hours of volunteer service to the state. In Howard County there are currently 4 clubs with a membership of 48. Last year, they volunteered 4695 hours valued at $108,314.

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Rural Economic Development Program Interviewing Business Owners

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SPECIAL NEWS RELEASE
Jean A. Ince
County Extension Agent-
Staff Chair
July 8, 2019

RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INTERVIEWING BUSINESS OWNERS

Create Bridges, a pilot program focusing on rural economic development in Howard, Little River and Sevier Counties (3C’s) has moved into its second phase: interviewing business owners involved in retail, entertainment, accommodations and tourism.
The goal of Create Bridges is to help strengthen the retail, tourism, hospitality, and entertainment sectors, which provide jobs and business opportunities that frequently boost rural economies. The program is being organized by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Department of Community and Economic Development. It is being coordinated locally through the local Extension Offices. 
Earlier this year, Create Bridges held a series of forums in each of the three counties to gather information about community assets in the retail, tourism, entertainment and accommodations industries.
Now organizers hope to build on that foundation through local interviews which are being conducted this week. The interview process will focus on the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of operating a business in rural Arkansas. Although some of the businesses have been identified, other business owners are welcome to reach out and participate.
Results of the confidential interviews will be used to develop regional economic development strategies that will be implemented next year. The interviews focus on workforce, community engagement, customer base, and potential expansion plans.
Create Bridges – which is stands for “Celebrating Retail, Accommodations, Tourism, and Entertainment by Building Rural Innovations and Developing Growth Economies” – has already held community forums and a retail academy for regional leaders. The next steps include an employee engagement survey and an emphasis on identifying opportunities for workforce training for the incumbent workforce.
For more information about Create Bridges and its involvement in our area, contact the Howard County Extension Office at 870-845-7517.

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Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

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Arkansas is home to more than 600,000 acres of lakes and more than 90,000 miles of rivers, streams, and creeks. As this is a popular time of the year for Arkansans to enjoy the waterways, we wanted to highlight boating safety in the state.

Last year, Arkansas saw a 9% decrease in boating accidents and a 36% decrease in the number of boaters who died from boating accidents. However, there were 60 reported boating accidents in 2018 which resulted in 29 injuries that required medical attention and seven fatalities. Of those seven fatalities, six drowned. According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, three of those six were not wearing a life vest and the other three were either improperly wearing their life vest or their vest was in poor condition and not functioning properly.

In order to ensure your safety, we wanted to remind you of some of the laws passed over the years regarding boating safety so that we can continue to reduce the amount of property damage and to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities associated with boating. Make sure to keep in mind that:

• Anyone born on or after January 1, 1986 must have successfully completed an approved Arkansas Game and Fish Boating Education course and carry proof while operating a motorboat or sailboat on Arkansas water.

• Every boat must have at least one U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket per person on-board. Children 12 and under must be wearing their life jacket at all times. Also, no matter the age, every person aboard a personal watercraft must be wearing an approved life vest

•To operate a personal watercraft, a person must be 16 year or older. Children aged 12-15 must be under the direct supervision of a person of at least 18 years old. Children 12 and under must be under the direct supervision of a person of at least 21 years.

For more information on boating safety please visit the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission at www.agfc.com

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4-H Teens Recently Attend Teen Leader Conference

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The Arkansas 4-H Teen Leader Conference was held in Little Rock June 11 – 14. From all across the state, teens travel to attend this once a year opportunity. We had five teens representing our Sevier County 4-H clubs this year. Amber Morris, Aubrey Seymour, Kaydee Cowling, Ethan Wolcott, and Alec Frachiseur all attended.
While at the conference, teens learned different ways of becoming a better leader for their community. For instance, this year’s theme was “Be the Spark”. Youth learned how to empower other young potential leaders. One skill that each teen really was impressed with was the 5 C’s to giving a speech. The 5 C’s, Character, Competence, Culture, Chemistry, and Caring, is a skill they can use for the rest of their lives as they continue to grow with their leadership skills.

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Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

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From guided hikes to kayak outings, there are over 50,000 family friendly programs available at our Arkansas State Parks. If you are still looking for a summer getaway, consider the options in our own backyard.

In 1996, Arkansas voters passed a constitutionally dedicated conservation sales tax benefitting Arkansas State Parks and three sister conservation agencies. We now have 52 state parks on 54,400 acres with 1,800 campsites, 208 cabins, and 5 lodges serving 8 million visitors annually.

Arkansas has more than 9,700 miles of rivers and streams, and a good deal of it is perfect for floating—be it by canoe, raft or kayak.Experience a lake tour at DeGray Lake Resort, or view the sunset from your kayak on the Bull Shoals-White River. Park interpreters will guide you through the waters as they inform you about your surroundings.

Our state parks also offer lessons in how to cook in historic southern traditions. Learn about the flavors of various herbs at the Ozark Folk Center or how to prepare pizza in an earthen oven at Davidsonville.

Or get away from the harsh city lights and attend a star party. Arkansas’s state parks welcome visitors to look for constellations and learn about astronomy this spring and summer. Guided tours are offered at several parks including Village Creek and Pinnacle Mountain.

And speaking of stars, don’t forget about the opportunities at our national parks. The International Dark-Sky Association just recently designated the Buffalo National River Park as a Dark Sky Park. It is the first such designation for Arkansas and now becomes one of only 19 national parks to be officially recognized as a Dark Sky Park.

There will be a variety of ranger-led night sky programs offered at Buffalo Point this summer.

The Arkansas River flooding is impacting only a few park services. We encourage you to call the park ahead of time to ensure your planned activities are still on schedule.

Check out all Arkansas parks has to offer atwww.arkansasstateparks.com . You can find information on our national parks atwww.nps.gov.