Howard County Children's Center Radiothon Tuesday, May 14th, 5-8 p.m.

https://www.facebook.com/hcchildrenscenter/videos/2681122361959280/UzpfSTM4ODA4MzA5NDcwMTUzNjoxMjIzODk5MTI3Nzg2NTkx/

For the 22nd year, the Howard County Children’s Center and the Nashville Rotary Club will take to the airwaves for the annual Radiothon fund-raiser.

The event will be Tuesday, May 14, in the HCCC Multi-Purpose Room, and it will be broadcast on KTYC 88.5 FM, the radio station for UA-Cossatot. It will also be livestreamed on the center’s website: howardcountychildrenscenter.com.
on the Ed 88 Facebook page and on the Ed 88 web page
https://www.ed88radio.com

The event will also be open to the public’s attendance and there will be food and refreshments at the Multi-Purpose Room. Clients of the center and their parents and supporters will be interviewed and some will entertain. The event will be live from 5-8 p.m. Persons may call 1-870-845-1211 to make pledges.

The event raises funds to provide care and support for children and adults with disabilities. The goal is to build a sustainable annual fund to support the mission of HCCC.

“By choosing to financially support our programs and services, you help tiny babies development into busy toddlers; graduate preschoolers and send them to kindergarten; provide education and employment for adults who otherwise would not have the opportunity to work or attend school,” said HCCC administrator Rose Ray.

Adult clients can participate in a daily living skills program and in a work activity program in which they earn money and become more independent.

Donations may be mailed to HCCC, 1577 Hwy. 371 W., Nashville, AR 71852. All donations are tax deductible.

Reprinted with permission from the Nashville News Leader

SW AR Beekeepers to Meet Tonight

This month’s meeting of the Southwest Arkansas Beekeepers Association is tonight and will include a presentation from Arkansas State Plant Board Apiary Inspector Daniel Plyler on “Hive Inspection – What the State Inspector Does and What He Looks For”. All meetings and programs of Southwest Arkansas Beekeepers are open to the public free of charge and are held at the U of A Cossatot Community College in Nashville. Sign-in will begin at 6:00 pm in Room 101 and the meeting and program will begin promptly at 6:30 pm.

De Queen Graduation Live Video Stream here on the Ed 88 Webpage 8:00

Tonight, the 181 members of the De Queen High School Class of 2019 will receive their diplomas. Graduation ceremony begins at 8 pm at Leopard Stadium and everyone is invited. Ed 88 will broadcast the event live on this Facebook page and on the Ed 88 website www.ed88radio.com

U of A Fayetteville to Honor UA Cossatot Tuition Rates

The University of Arkansas – Fayetteville’s Chancellor, Dr. Joe Steinmetz has announced that the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville will now charge associate degree graduates from UA Cossatot the same tuition rates those graduates were charged at UA Cossatot. A transfer student from UA Cossatot can attend the University of Arkansas to take courses for their bachelor’s degree and receive the Arkansas Transfer Achievement Scholarship. This annual award from the University of Arkansas will match UA Cossatot’s tuition amount, allowing students to achieve their bachelor’s degree at a more feasible rate.

The Arkansas Transfer Achievement Scholarship is a scholarship that the University of Arkansas -Fayetteville provides for community college students. Arkansas residents who attend the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, as a freshman, pay $246.12 per hour on tuition. UA Cossatot’s in-district tuition rate per hour is $72.00. This scholarship will allow students at UA Cossatot to spend $72.00 on tuition at UA Cossatot, and then continue to pay the same tuition rate of $72.00 at Fayetteville.

Chancellor Dr. Joe Steinmetz from the University of Arkansas said, “For many students, particularly ones starting out at two-year institutions, financial need is one of the bigger obstacles to attaining a bachelor’s degree. It is our responsibility as the state’s flagship and land grant university to reduce obstacles Arkansan’s face to earning a degree and improving the pathways to get there.”

To be eligible to receive an Arkansas Transfer Achievement Scholarship, a graduate from UA Cossatot must:

• Be an Arkansas resident

• Earn a transferrable degree from UA Cossatot, which would be an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or an Associate of Arts in Teaching degree.

• Have a cumulative 2.0 grade point average

• Meet all other U of A admission criteria and program requirements

• Enroll in an on-campus undergraduate degree program (full-time or part-time) at the University of Arkansas

The Arkansas Transfer Achievement Scholarship will be awarded to eligible transfer students in Arkansas. This scholarship is renewable for up to ten semesters with maintenance of good academic standing (2.00 cumulative GPA after each semester), and a scholarship application is not required for this award.

To learn more about this transfer scholarship or how one can make attending college more affordable by going to school at UA Cossatot, please contact Student Services at 800-844-4471 or email them at studentservices@cccua.edu

Summer Scholarship UA Cossatot

ARKANSAS TRANSFER ACHIEVEMENT SCHOLARSHIP TO UA FAYETTEVILLE

While the ink isn’t all the way dry on this yet, UA Fayetteville is now offering the Arkansas Transfer Achievement Scholarship. Under the rules of this scholarship, if a student starts their education at UA Cossatot and is paying $74 per credit hour, if they graduate from here with an Associate degree, if they transfer to UA Fayetteville, they will be paying only $74 per credit hour! Here is a link that tells a little more. https://scholarships.uark.edu/transfer-scholarshi…/index.php

Belleville Cemetery Association 74th Annual Homecoming Celebration

The Belleville Cemetery Association will be having their 74th Annual Homecoming Celebration at 10:45 AM on Sunday, June 2nd at the historic Belleville Church located two miles south of Lockesburg on highway 317. Anyone is welcome to attend the Belleville Homecoming, and those that do come are encouraged to being a covered dish and a lawn chair to take part in the Homecoming Pot Luck that will follow the services.

WEEKLY UPDATE FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE DEANN VAUGHT

For students just beginning an education or going back to school, the lottery scholarship offers opportunities to pursue dream careers and secure financial futures.

That’s why you should mark July 1 on your calendar. That day is the deadline to apply for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, which has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in proceeds to help in the pursuit of higher education.

The Academic Challenge Scholarship is largely funded by the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery and provides tuition assistance to students at every state university and two-year college – both public and private. Applicants can be recent high school graduates, students already enrolled in school or non-traditional students at any stage in life. Additionally, the scholarship can be combined with other financial aid programs, such as the ArFuture Grant.

This fall marks the 10-year anniversary of the Lottery. In that time, 542,307 in-state scholarships worth more than $965 million have been awarded to students seeking both four-year and two-year degrees.

Funds are awarded for the Academic Challenge Scholarship based on a system that incentivizes student success. Individuals enrolled in four-year institutions can receive $1,000 for the first year. Those who continue in school and meet eligibility criteria are rewarded with $4,000 for both sophomore and junior years and $5,000 for senior year. At two-year institutions, students receive $1,000 for the first year and $3,000 for the second.

To be eligible for an Academic Challenge Scholarship, traditional students must have a minimum ACT score of 19 and be in pursuit of a baccalaureate degree, associate degree, qualified certificate or nursing school diploma. Non-traditional students need either a 19 on the ACT or a 2.5-grade point average (GPA) from the last education received. To maintain eligibility, students must keep a 2.5 GPA, take 30 hours each year and be an Arkansas resident for 12 months prior to enrollment.

Lottery proceeds also fund workforce training opportunities through the Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship. This program pays for tuition and fees up to $800 per eligible program for high-demand occupations in healthcare, information technology and industry. Examples include dental assistants, aircraft mechanics, and computer programmers. Students must apply at least 30 days prior to enrollment in an eligible program.

During the recent legislative session, a law was passed to allow excess lottery proceeds to fund concurrent credit scholarships for high school juniors and seniors seeking college credit. Act 465, the Arkansas Concurrent Challenge Scholarship, will be available in January 2020 and applications must be made through the student’s public high school.

Applications for lottery-funded scholarships can be found at the Arkansas Department of Higher Education’s website at scholarships.adhe.edu. There you can fill out the Department’s YOUniversal application to determine eligibility for all of the state’s scholarship programs. Students can also download the YOUniversal financial aid app and apply directly from a smartphone.

UA Cossatot 2019 Graduation

UA Cossatot Celebrates Hispanic Night

The fifth annual UA Cossatot ceremony for Hispanic Night took place at UA Cossatot’s De Queen Campus on April 25, 2019. The event started at 6:00 PM and over sixty people were in attendance. Nominees and awards were announced and given to outstanding Hispanics, La Media Luna catered the event, and UA Cossatot staff presented information about academic opportunities at UA Cossatot. 

Sinai Trejo, Zulually Guerrero Mejia, Laura Salas, Arlene Padilla, Eruby Rodriguez, Beatriz Alvarez, Belen Gueverra Hernandez, Alejandro Hernandez, and Angelica Padilla were all picked as nominees for Hispanic Night. Four awards were given out at the event. Award winners include Outstanding High School Student: Belen Guevara Hernandez, Outstanding UA Cossatot Adult Education Student: Laura Salas, Outstanding UA Cossatot Student: Beatriz Alvarez, and Outstanding Community Member: Zullualy Guerrero Mejia. Doris Gutierez was the guest speaker at Hispanic Night. She spoke about her educational experience, and how she was able to overcome obstacles to pursue a career she enjoys. 

Hispanic Night is an event and a ceremony to encourage, honor, and recognize hardworking Hispanics who are reaching educational goals and making an impact in the community. This event is an annual occasion that gives people the chance to learn about UA Cossatot and the opportunities that it offers. UA Cossatot staff members were present at Hispanic Night to discuss financial aid and services the UA Cossatot Center for Student Success provides to its students. The college’s Student Services department provided information about the admissions process and how one can start their education at UA Cossatot. Student Ambassadors from UA Cossatot were also present to talk about the benefits of being an ambassador at the college. 

Student Diversity Association (SDA) is a UA Cossatot student organization that helps promote diversity, unity, and overall well-being. It is an organization that allows students to come together who may face more obstacles due to language barriers or cultural backgrounds. SDA sponsors promoted this organization at Hispanic Night to show that students of all cultures and races are encouraged and supported at UA Cossatot. 

To learn more about the Student Diversity Association or how one can get started at UA Cossatot, please call Student Services at 800-844-4471 or come by the De Queen, Nashville, or Ashdown campus to speak with an Admissions and Recruitment Specialist. UA Cossatot’s campus hours are open 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday

De Queen Junior High FCCLA school-wide yard sale Saturday, May 18th

De Queen Junior High FCCLA will be sponsoring a school-wide yard sale Saturday, May 18th, beginning at 7:00 am to help raise money for the FCCLA National STAR Events competition.

8th grader, Pedro Sanchez, and 9th graders, Mirella Hernandez and Isabel Hernandez, will advance to FCCLA National STAR Events competition this summer in Anaheim, California. 

Pedro is competing in the Focus on Children event where he is advocating for the promotion of creativity in today's youth. Mirella and Isabel are competing in the Entrepreneurship event where they are presenting a business plan to establish a company called "Books and Pie."

Interview With Dr Steve Cole Answering Questions Regarding Hospital

De Queen City Council Hospital Workshop

Live Video Coverage of De Queen City Council Hospital Workshop

De Queen Hospital Update

De Queen Hospital Update

After last week’s press conference at the Sevier County Courthouse regarding the closure of the De Queen Medical Center, Sevier County Judge Greg Ray, De Queen Mayor Jeff Brown, and Dr. Steve Cole, Chairman of the Sevier County Rural Development Authority, announced Monday morning the effort to establish a new county owned hospital is gaining momentum each day.

Judge Ray said, “My office has received numerous calls of support. Many of those callers are relieved that this effort is being spear headed by local people who have one objective, and that is to make sure that we have a first class hospital in De Queen”. 

Mayor Brown said his office has been busy as well and that the common theme amongst the residents he has been in contact with is unity. “Everyone seems to be excited about a fresh new start. They like the fact that our effort’s leadership team is made up of local people who have no ties to the previous hospital mistakes. People whose only agenda is to do what’s right for the medical needs of our citizens.”

Dr. Cole echoed that sentiment. “The De Queen area deserves the very best emergency services available. We feel it is important that we have one voice in getting this project done. With the obstacles we face, the last thing our county needs is to have three or four different entities stumbling over one another. We need to get this done without regard to who gets the credit. Our effort’s leadership members were chosen because of their knowledge of the community’s needs and we feel confident that everyone on board is here for the right reasons. We have chosen the Little Rock law firm of Friday, Eldredge and Clark to help us through this process because they are without a doubt, the undisputed leaders in health care matters in this state. The Friday Firm will guide us through the entire process, from the issuance of hospital bonds to the architectural plans. As we stated at last week’s news conference, the ball is already rolling. Moving forward, we will keep the public informed and we welcome any outside input. Our pledge is to be as transparent as possible through this process. Comments and suggestions are encouraged. Interested parties may call Judge Ray at (870) 642-2425. And check out the Friday Firm’s website if you have any doubts about the quality of their work. www.fridayfirm.com. We truly believe if we all work together, we can make this happen.”

Boil Water Order east of Lockesburg

REGIONAL BASEBALL & SOFTBALL

REGIONAL BASEBALL & SOFTBALL

Changes in baseball & softball games continue: Horatio Lions game has been pushed back 4 hours because of weather. Lions will face Woodlawn at 4:00. Regional Tournament Update! 2A Softball games today have been postponed to Sunday. Baseball games are still on. The 2A South Regional Softball Championship game between Horatio Lady Lions and Parkers Chapel Lady Trojans will begin at 4:30 Sunday following the consolation game at 2:00 of Cossatot River and Murfreesboro! 
In 4A softball, De Queen Lady Leopards game with Magnolia has now been moved to Sunday in Magnolia. No games today for the class 4A Regionals in Magnolia. Lady Leopards now are scheduled to play at 3:30 on Sunday. Then finals and consolation games will be on Monday.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE DEANN VAUGHT

WEEKLY UPDATE FROM STATE REP DEANN VAUGHT:

The month of May is designated as Military Appreciation Month.

Not only do we pause on Memorial Day to remember the sacrifice and service of those who gave all, but the month also holds Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 10 and Armed Forces day on May 18.

We have more than 3,000 active military members residing in our state and another 252,000 veterans calling Arkansas home.

Every session, we introduce legislation to make Arkansas a better place for our military members and vets. In the most recent session we passed legislation to make it easier for military spouses to find employment quickly and legislation paving the way for an extensive study on veteran affairs in our state.

Act 551 directs the House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, and Legislative and Military Affairs and the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs to meet jointly to conduct the Arkansas Legislative Study on Veterans Affairs. The purpose of the study is to examine veterans’ issues within the State of Arkansas, including without limitation the occurrence of suicide among the veteran population in this state. In carrying out the purpose of this act, the committees shall:

· Study risk factors for suicide in veterans

· Review and research options for preventing or reducing the occurrence of suicide among the veteran population in the state

· Examine mental health care available to veterans within the state

· Conduct at least one town-hall-style meeting to hear from veterans in the state and their concerns regarding mental health care and other issues affecting veterans in Arkansas.

This study will begin later this year.

We also passed Act 820. This legislation states an occupational licensing entity shall grant active military members and returning veterans, as well as spouses of active military and returning veterans, with automatic licensure to engage in an occupation or profession if they have an equivalent license in another state.

Other legislation passed addressing military and veteran affairs includes:

· Act 215 allows spouses of military service members who are not Arkansas residents to become a notary public.

· Act 171 exempts active military from the May 1 deadline to apply for school choice.

· Act 66 gives a veterans more options to prove their veteran status when they go to the DMV for a license. This designation on their license makes it easier on veterans to receive access to benefits.

· Act 167 authorizes the issuance of a Purple Heart recipient special license plate to a surviving spouse.

· Act 635 allows family members who lose a family member in the service of duty to apply for a Gold Star Family special license plate.

· Act 160 will allow a former prison facility to be transferred to a non-profit group helping our veterans released from incarceration.

The Arkansas Department of Community Correction owns the former site of the Southeast Arkansas Community Correction Center in Pine Bluff. The facility has been vacant since 2015, but costs the state to maintain.

According to testimony, there are currently 1,200 veterans house in the Department of Correction. This new facility could also assist homeless veterans and those returning from war zones.

We will update you on the work of the legislative study on veterans affairs during this interim period. We are beyond grateful to every Arkansan and their families who have served to protect our freedom. We hope to hear from you soon on how our state can best serve you.