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Sevier County Promotes an Online Tourism Review Campaign

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This fall, the Sevier County Tourism Committee, the Chamber of Commerce and the Sevier County Economic Development Director are asking for the community’s support as they launch a “Love Local” online tourism review campaign. This campaign will involve everyone’s input from local community members to visitors of Sevier County.
The county leaders are challenging residents of Sevier County to speak up and share reviews online about local dining, shopping, events, attractions, and service-related businesses in Sevier County. By leaving an online review through Trip Advisor, Facebook, Google, or another online platform, Sevier County will receive more promotion. Individuals who blog or write in any platform are also encouraged to share more about why they love Sevier County and highlight specific locations. “We know that so many people use these online tools to plan their vacations, day trips, and weekend destinations,” shared Keisha McKinney, Economic Development Tourism Chairperson. “When they find one of our local Sevier County spots through tier research, we want them to know what we love about our town; our favorite dish at a local restaurant, why we love a certain spot at the lake, or who always has the clothes or accessories that fit our individual style.”
When county residents visit a local business or see something beautiful, unique or exciting in Sevier County, they are now encouraged to post a review about it on the Internet or through a tourism review smart phone app.
Business owners will be asked to show their support by encouraging their staff to ask customers about their experience while also promoting review participation. “We are encouraging our business owners to participate, respond to the reviews, make sure their menus and sales are shared and that their staff know there is an emphasis on customer’s experiences,” explained Lisa Taylor, Economic Development Director.
The goal of this campaign is to increase awareness of Sevier County restaurants, attractions,
entertainment venues, and service organizations and attract new and returning visitors throughout the fall travel season. “On any given day, over the next few months, our community will encounter out-of-state guests for the first time, day trippers looking for ATV trails, road bike courses or a quiet day on the lake.” McKinney continued “These visitors will be searching for beautiful views or fall’s changing colors on one of the state’s historic byways traversing a national forest. We can be a destination at the beginning or end of their trip when they need a restful spot for the evening and something to fill their hungry bellies. Sevier County can meet those needs and no one can tell them about it more than the people who get to enjoy it as a local.”
With everyone’s positive insight, thoughts, and feedback displayed and submitted online, the county’s web presence will advance, curious visitor’s questions will be answers, looming ambiguity can be erased, resulting in an increased awareness of Sevier County.
For more information about the “Love Local” online tourism review campaign, please e-mail Lisa
Taylor at ltaylor@cccua.edu

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We are proud to present our 2019 UA Cossatot Rotaract Officers

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(Left to right) Belen Hernandez-Vice President , Eruby Rodriguez- President and Lissette Hernandez – Secretary

(Left to right) Belen Hernandez-Vice President , Eruby Rodriguez- President and Lissette Hernandez – Secretary

These students will be dedicating their time to finding innovative solutions in their communities, the world's most pressing challenges while developing leadership skills, guiding their fellow peers, and promoting the Rotary motto, Service Above Self.

 

 

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UA Cossatot Basketball Players Plan to Participate in a Shoot-A-Thon at Lockesburg Gym

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UA Cossatot has announced that the college's men's and women's basketball team will be conducting a Shoot-A-Thon on Monday, September 23, 2019, at the UA Cossatot Bank of Lockesburg Gymnasium. This event will be an opportunity for the players to raise funds for the men's and women's basketball programs, travel gear, and bag expenses.

The Shoot-A-Thon allows sponsors the chance to support UA Cossatot's basketball program and student-athletes. Sponsors can give money in two ways. Sponsors can either 1) sponsor a player for an amount per free throws made or 2) provide a flat donation.

Players are planning to shoot 100 free throws. The sponsor's tax-deductible pledge will be the amount the sponsor checks on their form, multiplied by the number of free throws the player makes out of 100 free throws attempted.

If one chooses to sponsor a player per free throw, sponsors can mail the completed Shoot-A-Thon form to Coach Brad Phillips, Colt's Basketball, University of Arkansas Cossatot, 183 College Drive, De Queen, Arkansas 71832. Completed forms can also be scanned and e-mailed to bphillips@cccua.edu. After the Shoot-A-Thon, Coach Phillips will let you know the results of the player and the amount of your pledge.

Sponsors can send money before the event if they choose to give a flat donation. For donations, please make checks payable to the UA Cossatot Foundation.

Sponsor Forms can be picked up at the front desk of any UA Cossatot Campus, or downloaded at www.cccua.edu.

For any questions about the Shoot-A-Thon, please contact Coach Brad Phillips at bphillips@cccua.edu

Cossatot Community College

Click here to learn how to login to campus email, Blackboard, and Campus Connect! 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.

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Instructor and Alumni Recommends UA Cossatot

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Jimmy Arnold began his college career in the fall of 1999 at UA Cossatot and graduated in the spring of 2002 with an Associate of Arts degree. In 2008, Mr. Arnold was hired to teach history and political science at UA Cossatot, where he continues to work as an instructor committed to improving the lives for those in his region.

Jimmy was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up in a small town called Saginaw. After leaving Saginaw, Texas Jimmy moved to De Queen, Arkansas where he has lived for the past forty-eight years.

Before attending college, Jimmy worked in De Queen at Pilgrim’s Pride for twenty-seven years. In 1999, he decided to make a change and enrolled as a student at UA Cossatot. Arnold chose to attend his local community college because it was close to home. He could also get all of his general education courses out of the way before transferring to a four-year college.

To accomplish this goal, he pursued an Associate of Arts degree, which is designed to transfer to any Arkansas four-year university. After graduating in 2002 from UA Cossatot, Jimmy transferred to Henderson State University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in History and Political Science. After graduating from Henderson State University, he entered the graduate program at Texas A&M – Texarkana where he graduated with a Master’s of Science degree in 2007.

Jimmy Arnold said, “As far back as I can remember, I have loved history, and I have wanted to teach it. To me, history is so exciting! I am also a big Civil War buff!”

Mr. Arnold has taught State and Local Government in the past, and currently teaches U.S. History and American Government. When asked what his favorite class to teach was he said, “Hands down, my favorite is U.S. History To 1876.”

Mr. Arnold has enjoyed his experience at UA Cossatot as a student and continues to enjoy it as a teacher. As an employee, he said, “My favorite thing about working at UA Cossatot is being able to teach and interact with my students.”

He also said, “My time at UA Cossatot as a student was probably one of the most exciting times in my life! I was very much involved in student organizations. I even served as a Regional Vice President for the Oklahoma/Arkansas Region of Phi Theta Kappa.”

Jimmy recommends anyone who is considering getting a college degree to begin at UA Cossatot. “The support I received, not only from my instructors but from the staff as well, was awesome! UA Cossatot is also great because students can get their basic general education courses out of the way. After that, they can solely focus on their major after they transfer,” said Jimmy Arnold.

When reflecting on his community, family and the history of the college, Jimmy said, “I love De Queen and the people. Back in 2012, my wife and I lost our home in a house fire. The support we received from the people of De Queen was very touching. My wife is known, around De Queen, as Mrs. Jen and she has operated the Happy House Pre-School for 39 years. It was her love, prayers, and support that sustained me during my college years.”

Jimmy added, “To watch the college grow and improve over the last two decades is awesome! I am honored and proud to have had a small part at UA Cossatot, and I hope to continue teaching for many years to come!”

To learn more about UA Cossatot’s Associate of Arts degree or other associates degrees offered at the college, please contact Student Services at 870-584-4471


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Amy Westfall and Julie Rhodes in the Studios of Ed 88 Thursday (Audio Included)

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On the Thursday Ed-ition of the Morning Show, we visited with Nashville High School Career Coach Amy Westfall and UA Cossatot High School Coordinator Julie Rhodes to discuss some of the many educational opportunities at UAC that are available to our high school students.

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Howard County Fair Is Underway

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The Howard County Fair Schedule of Events includes:

Wednesday, September 4
8:00 to 9:00 a.m. -- May enter fresh flowers and field crops
10:00 a.m. -- Rabbit and Poultry Show ( remove and judging)
10:00 a.m. -- Judging Educational Exhibits, Food Preservation, Clothing , Baked Goods, Household Arts and Crafts, Farm Crops, Horticulture, and Art show. (Exhibit hall will be closed during judging)
1:00 p.m. -- Exhibit building open
6:00 p.m. -- Goat Show
7:00 p.m. -- Hay Bales Decorated


Thursday, September 5
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. -- Exhibit building open
5:00 p.m. -- Hay Bale Judging
6:00 p.m. -- Cattle Show


Friday, September 6
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. -- Exhibit building open
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. -- Junior Livestock Sale
12:00 noon-- Luncheon for Junior Exhibitor and Auction Buyers


Saturday, September 7
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. -- Exhibit building open
9:00 a.m. -- Fair Parade Begins
9:30 a.m. -- Pie Contest Check-in
10:30 a.m. -- Cupcake Contest Check-in
12:00 p.m. -- BBQ Chicken Judging
1:00 p.m. -- Winners for Hay Bales, Pies, Cupcakes, and Chicken BBQ are Announced
9:00 p.m. -- Check out livestock exhibits

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Leah Harper Guest Speaker at Tuesday's Lions Club Meeting in De Queen

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Lion Jeff Brown introduced Tuesday’s guest speaker at De Queen Lions Club. Leah Harper, CHRISTUS St. Michael Hospital heart cath lab manager and EHAC(early heart attack care) educator, talked about the importance of signs and symptoms that lead to a heart attack.
High blood pressure, pain, discomfort, shortness of breath, diabetes, chest pains, etc...shouldn’t be overlooked. Pay attention to your body and watch for early signs that lead to bigger issues. Download the EHAC free mobile app for details, instruction and information to help you watch for early signs.

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De Queen Booster Club at De Queen Church of Christ Family Center

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The Booster Club will be at the De Queen Church of Christ Family Center on Tuesday, September 3rd from 6:30 pm to 8 pm. We will be handing out passes and shirts for any members that have not picked theirs up yet. You may also stop buy and purchase shirts, jerseys, hats or any other merchandise we have available. Open to anyone, you do not have to be members to purchase merchandise. We will have forms available if you want to sign up to become a member. Fawn Dykes Becky Honea Rogers Barry Reed

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Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

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During the 2019 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed several pieces of legislation concerning our elections.
One of those pieces of legislation will change the date of our primaries.
Arkansas will join 13 other states holding a March 3, 2020 primary. Only 4 other states will hold their caucus or primary before March 3.
Act 545 provides for a March preferential primary election in the years in which the office of President of the United States is voted on and a May preferential primary election in the years in which the office of Governor is voted on.
The general election for non-partisan races, which includes judges and prosecutors, will also be held on March 3 of next year.
Early voting will begin on February 17, 2020. The deadline to register for the primary is February 3.
Act 545 also makes changes to the timing of fiscal sessions. Fiscal sessions have been held on the second Monday in February on even-numbered years. Act 545 states that on years in which the preferential primary is held in March, the General Assembly will instead meet for a fiscal session on the second Wednesday of April. 
Other legislation passed this year concerning elections include:

ACT 199 which allows the election officials at a polling site with fifteen (15) or more ballot styles to post the sample ballots on a public website and in bound volumes.

· ACT 664 which provides ten (10) minutes for a voter to mark his or her ballot.

· ACT 684 which allows digital photographic identification cards to be used as the voter identification required to vote.

· ACT 949 which provides for a modification in the law concerning the number of voting sites in a city of the first class.

· ACT 328 which allows high school students to volunteer as election officials.

For more information about voting dates and deadlines visit www.sos.arkansas.gov.www.sos.arkansas.gov.

Arkansas Secretary of State

Copyright © 2017 Arkansas Secretary of State. All Rights Reserved.

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Sevier County 1% Hospital Sales Tax Public Meetings

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Have questions about the proposed hospital tax?

Sevier County residents will be asked to vote on the 1% Hospital Sales Tax in the special election to be held October 8, 2019. This is an important decision for Chamber members to consider. There are several opportunities to get this information and have questions answered at scheduled public meetings:

All are open to the public and begin at 6 p.m.
Sept 9, Monday, De Queen School Cafeteria
Sept 10, Tuesday, Horatio Elementary School Cafeteria
Sept 16, Monday, In Spanish, De Queen School Cafeteria
Sept 17, Tuesday, De Queen Mena Coop Conference Room, Gillham
Sept 30, Monday, Lockesburg Senior Citizens Center

Fact Sheets with a ballot example are available at your Chamber of Commerce office, and can also be emailed. Call 870-584-3225 or come by 215 W. Stilwell (downtown De Queen).