Sevier News

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Reception to Honor Ashdown School Employees May 6th

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Eight employees of the Ashdown School District will be honored at a reception to be held on Monday, May 6, from 4:00-5:00 in the Administration Building at 751 Rankin Street.

Those being honored include Roy Burton, Lynda Cunningham, Annie Hopkins, Barbara Hunter, Linda King, Ruby Rosenbaum, Carmen Sansom, and David Wilson, who total many years of service to public education between them.

The public is invited to attend the reception and offer congratulations to these eight upon their retirement.

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Historic Washington Upcoming Events

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UPCOMING EVENTS AT HISTORIC WASHINGTON STATE PARK

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Candle Making Workshop

Meeting Place: Historic Washington State Park 
9 a.m. - 12 p.m. 
Admission: $25.00
Meet at the candle shop and enjoy the hands-on experience of making candles as you learn the history of this art form. Make your own creation and take it home so everyone can enjoy the colors and fragrance. Must be 12 years or older to participate.

Friday, May 10, 2019

Ladies Night Out

Meeting Place: 1874 Courthouse 
6 p.m. - 9 p.m. 
Admission: $25.00
Experience a ladies' night out with a trip back in time. Enjoy a special Victorian fashion meal and programming of special interest to the ladies will be presented by park staff.

Saturday, June 15, 2019

Music in the Park

Meeting Place: 1874 Courthouse 
7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. 
Admission: Free
Enjoy an evening on the lawn of the 1874 Courthouse listening to live music from the past and present. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket. Williams' Tavern Restaurant and gift shop will be open for all who wish to enjoy an evening meal or shop before the event.

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Weekly Address from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

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UPDATE FROM STATE REP DEANN VAUGHT:

When we pass legislation to grow our economy, it does not stop at tax incentives and workforce training.

In Arkansas, we know our economy can also grow by bringing in people from out of state to appreciate our natural resources, our talents, and our history.

The hospitality industry is the second largest industry in the state. It is a $5.6 billion industry and employees over 100,000 people.

From encouraging investment in our historic buildings to designating a scenic highway, we passed several pieces of legislation aimed at promoting tourism in the 2019 Regular Session.

Act 292 designates certain routes in Central and Southwest Arkansas as the “Camden Expedition Scenic Highway”. The Camden Expedition Scenic Highway guides a Civil War tourist through southern and central Arkansas connecting five battlefields and other Civil War historic sites.

Act 601 states that the fourth Saturday in July shall be known as "National Day of the Cowboy" to commemorate America's cowboy heritage. The vaquero spirit of competition among ranch cowboys and cowgirls is reflected in rodeo events throughout the state that contribute to tourism and the economy.

Act 546 states that each year before September 1, the Governor shall issue a proclamation proclaiming September 1 Arkansas Music Appreciation Day.

The legislation also states “The General Assembly finds that Arkansas has a proud history of contributing music and musicians to the nation, including Johnny Cash, B. B. King, Glen Campbell, Charlie Rich, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Al Green, Conway Twitty, Floyd Cramer.”

Act 812 allows cities in wet counties to pass an ordinance creating a temporary or permanent designated entertainment districts. Rules that prohibit a person from possessing an alcoholic beverage outside of an establishment would not apply within a designated entertainment district.

Act 671 creates the ATV Tourism and Trail Expansion Study. The purpose of the study is to make recommendations to the General Assembly regarding the creation, development, and implementation of a statewide all-terrain vehicle trails system utilizing existing state roads to connect forest roads and all-terrain vehicle trails in national forests in order to increase all-terrain vehicle tourism and economic development in the state. The House and Senate Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development Committees will meet to begin the study this year.

Act 818 designates Washington, Arkansas as the birthplace of the Bowie Knife, Arkansas Heritage Site.

Act 886 authorizes a $5 increase for special permits to trout fish and lifetime trout stamps. The money will be used to make necessary renovations for hatcheries damaged by floods. The trout industry in Arkansas generates an estimated $180 million in revenue every year.

Act 855 creates the Arkansas Major Historic Rehabilitation Income Tax Credit Act, creating a tax credit of 25% of the total rehabilitation costs for projects with a minimum investment of $1.5 million.

Act 1066 creates the Arkansas Delta Music Commission within the Department of Arkansas Heritage. The commission will develop, implement, and administer a tourism program based on art projects that focus on highlighting music stories and related dynamics on the designated music highways in the state. Music highways in the state include Rock 'n' Roll Highway 67, the Louis Jordan Memorial Highway, the Levon Helm Memorial Highway, the Sister Rosetta Tharpe Memorial Highway, the Americana Music Highway, the Johnny Cash Memorial Highway, and the Delta Rhythm & Bayous Highway. The commission will also create a signage program that captures the stories and points of interest in blues, rock and roll, jazz, rockabilly, soul, hip hop, opera, country, and gospel music throughout the Arkansas Delta.

If you are planning a summer vacation, be sure to check out what all our state has to offer. Visitwww.arkansas.com

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Woody Futrell Named to AG&F Outdoor Hall of Fame

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Congrats to Woody Futrell of Futrell Marine in Nashville. He has been named to the Arkansas Game and Fish Outdoor Hall of Fame!

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., (April 22, 2019) – The Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation today announced the 2019 Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame inductees, to be recognized at ceremonies in August in Little Rock.

Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame Inductees

Woody Futrell, Nashville - For Woody Futrell, boats were both vocation and avocation. An avid boat racer in the 1950s, he took over the family business, Futrell Marine, which his father Dan Futrell established in 1948. Under Dan’s guidance, Woody quickly learned the ropes of the business and would become one of the most well-known and respected businessmen in retail boating, to be numbered among the industry elite via national design, sales and service awards multiple times over.

MaryAnn King, London - Considered the most knowledgeable in the state on using native plants in the landscape, King is the founder and longtime owner of Pine Ridge Gardens in London. She is credited with educating generations of amateurs and professionals alike on the subject of native plants and their role in naturalizing and restoring habitat for birds, wildlife and butterflies. Many of the State Parks Visitor Centers and AGFC Nature Centers across the state — as well as public gardens and arboretums nationwide — utilize her plant stock, among countless private gardeners and landowners.

Tommy III & Catherine Murchison, Cabot - The husband and wife team founded the Arkansas Big Buck Classic, an event that recognizes the quality of whitetail hunting available in Arkansas, as well as promoting good sportsmanship, conservation, education and ethical hunting. The event is held at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds and today averages nearly 38,000 visitors each year. Since its inception in 1990, the Arkansas Big Buck Classic has donated over $200,000 to worthy causes including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Shriners Hospital for Children and C.H. Vines 4-H Center. In addition, the event has gathered approximately 50,000 cans of food for Hunters Feeding the Hungry among other charities.

The McCollum Family, Stuttgart - Widely credited with refining the business model of the modern duck club, the McCollum Family occupies a unique place in the history of Arkansas duck hunting. Generations of McCollums have helped advance the business and habitat science of ducks, including perfecting many of the conservation and natural resources management practices so common today. Their vision, ingenuity and skill helped lay the foundation upon which Arkansas duck hunting has grown into a

multi-million dollar industry.

“Every year, the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation recognizes individuals whose contributions to the great outdoors transcends mere hobby,” said Deke Whitbeck, president of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation. “The individuals we honor have devoted their time, energy and passion for the outdoors in such a way that preserves and enhances our wild spaces for generations to come. We are proud to once again recognize such outstanding Arkansans.”

Honorees will be recognized during the 28th Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet, slated for Saturday, August 24, 2019 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. Tickets for the event are $125 and tables of ten are available for $1,250 each. The night will include dinner, live and silent auctions and induction ceremony. The event is set to begin at 6pm.

Proceeds from the event support the year-round work of the Foundation, which helps introduce hundreds to the joy of the outdoors every year. AGFF’s mission supports Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) initiatives, particularly those aimed at getting young people unplugged and engaged in Arkansas’s outdoors.

Established in 1982, the Foundation is an independently operated 501c3 non-profit organization that serves as the fundraising adjunct to the AGFC. Its membership includes men and women who are passionate about promoting hunting, fishing and conservation education among the youth of Arkansas.

To purchase tickets to the event or for more information, contact the Arkansas Game and Fish

Foundation office at 501-223-6468 or email agff@agff.org.

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The First Miss UA Cossatot Scholarship Pageant Saturday, April 27th

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The First Miss UA Cossatot Scholarship Pageant Happening This Saturday

UA Cossatot will be hosting the first annual Miss UA Cossatot Scholarship Pageant to be held at the historic UA Cossatot Bank of Lockesburg Gymnasium on Saturday, April 27, 2019, at 7:00 PM. The winner of the pageant will be crowned Miss UA Cossatot 2019, and will receive a full tuition waiver for one year while attending UA Cossatot. This is an opportunity for current and future UA Cossatot students to receive a scholarship, and also to promote their school and their community. 
The UA Cossatot Student Ambassadors are coordinating the pageant, and Loren Hinton is set to host. Admission prices for the event are $5. UA Cossatot students and high school students can pay $3 to attend, and there is no fee for children twelve and under.
Participants in the pageant include Hailey Tackett from Mena, Megan Welch from Dierks, Perri Lowrey from Dierks, Alexandria Prescott from Nashville, Gisselle Herra-Gomez from De Queen, Jaden Altenbaumer from Ashdown, Chloe Proctor from Foreman, Breanna Parker from Ashdown, Ariyonna Trotter from Ogden, Sarah Millette from Glenwood, Brylee Haskins from Ashdown, Tori Janes from Dierks, and Reina Anderson from Foreman.
The theme for the first annual pageant will be celebrating countries around the world. Doors open at 6:00 pm. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend.