Little River County 4-Hers Selling Poinsettias

Little River County 4-Hers are selling floral quality poinsettias in 6” foil wrapped pots for $12 each.

This is the 3rd year they have held this fundraiser to support educational programs and camps for our youth.

Orders of 30+ will be only $11 per pot.

There are 3 colors to choose from: red, white or mauve pink

You can order by contacting the County Extension Office at 870-898-7224 or e-mail Roxie at rjones@uaex.edu, Bethany Barney at bbarney@uaex.edu, or Jennifer Sansom at jsansom@uaex.edu

UA Cossatot Provides Lunch at Disabled Youth Hunt

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On Friday, November 1, 2019 UA Cossatot provided lunch for the participants of the 2019 Disabled Youth Hunt. This event took place at the Starch Creek Hunting Club where the college served grilled hamburgers and dessert.

In 2004, Little River County Judge, Mike Cranford founded the Southern Sportsmen Foundation. In 2008 the foundation began an annual deer hunt for disabled youth.

The primary objective of this event is to take people with severe mobility impairments or life-threating illnesses on hunting trips. The Southern Sportsmen Foundation’s mission involves providing more quality outdoor and hunting opportunities to everyone.

The college prepared a lunch for everyone present and also provided the participants with a backpack and other UA Cossatot merchandise. UA Cossatot has been involved with the Disabled Youth Hunt for the past sixteen years and plans to continue that in 2020

De Queen Rotary Club 5K on November 23rd

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Rotary 5K
Presenting Sponsor: De Queen Auto Group

Registration Form

Route Description:
The 5K course starts at the De Queen Schools Administration building and concludes on the track.

Date & Time
Saturday, November 23, 2019 9 a.m.

Mail form and payment:
Greg Revels
P.O. Box 271
De Queen, AR 71832

Entry Fee and Awards:
$25 pre-registration until November 8th
$30 post-entry and on race day
T-shirts are guaranteed to pre-registration participants on race day. Those registering race day will receive a shirt, it may be later than race day.

Entry fee is non-refundable.
Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers, male and female, in each division.

More Information:
Email: greg@revelsandco.com

Registration:
At De Queen Administration building 8AM to race time. Checks can be made payable to Rotary.


OFFICIAL RACE ENTRY FORM


Name
Address

Little River County Health Coalition The Silent Epidemic: Youth Suicide November 11th

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Join us Thursday, November 7th at 11am, in the Civic Center or on Facebook Live through UA Cossatot’s radio station Ed 88 as Brittany Palermo discusses The Silent Epidemic: Youth Suicide. The Civic Center is located on the UA Cossatot Ashdown Campus, 1411 N. Constitution Ave. Parking is conveniently located near both the front and rear entrances to the center.

Tri-County Regional Library System Board Meeting November 12

Tri-County Regional Library System Board will meet for their quarterly meeting on Tuesday, November 12 at 5 p.m. at the Sevier County Library-De Queen Branch. Items to be discussed are the 2020 meeting dates and distribution of funding for January,2020.


Marilyn B. Archer, MLS

Tri-County Regional Library System Director

Serving 11 Public Libraries in Southwest Arkansas in Howard, Little River and Sevier Counties

Howard County Super 4-Her’s Club Visit to the Old Nashville Fire Station

Pictured L-R: Emiline Petty, Millie Petty, Roman Parker, William McGough, Gracie Woodruff, Killis Woodruff, Skye Reeves, Wyatt Hanney, Jake Hicks, Haley Hicks and Asher Moffett.

Pictured L-R: Emiline Petty, Millie Petty, Roman Parker, William McGough, Gracie Woodruff, Killis Woodruff, Skye Reeves, Wyatt Hanney, Jake Hicks, Haley Hicks and Asher Moffett.

On Monday, the Howard County Super 4-Her’s Club visited and toured the Old Nashville Fire Station. The tour was conducted by Freddie Horne of the Howard County Historical Society.

Pesticide Applicator Training and Forage Production Meeting Scheduled

A pesticide applicator training has been scheduled for Howard County on Wednesday, November 13 beginning at 10:30 a.m. at UA Cossatot in Nashville. In addition to the license fee, a $20.00 registration fee will be charged for the training. A lunch will be provided. Please call the Howard County Extension Office at 870-845-7517 by November 8 to register.

Following the lunch, a Forage Production Meeting will be conducted by Kenny Simon and Shane Gadberry, specialists in forage and animal science from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, and by Samantha Kroll, Howard County Extension Agent-Agriculture. Topics to be discussed are Hay Quality, Hay Feeding Practices, Supplemental Feeding, Winter Annuals, and Electric Fencing.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact the Howard County Extension office as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.

National FFA Gives UA Cossatot a Living to Serve Grant

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The UA Cossatot collegiate FFA has received a semester-long Living to Serve grant through the National FFA for $1,200 to partner with Runnin’ WJ Ranch this fall. Runnin' WJ Ranch is a non-profit equine assisted activities facility in Texarkana, Texas for special-needs children and adults.

The grant will allow the collegiate FFA to donate feed and forage for the more than twenty horses that live and work at the ranch. In addition to the donation, the students are raising awareness about ways people can get involved at Runnin’ WJ Ranch. Volunteers are needed for the 2019-2020 school year to lead horses or walk alongside the riders during classes. To participate as a leader or side walker, volunteers will need to complete a free training program provided by the ranch. For more information about becoming a volunteer, contact Narda Launius at 903-838-3223 or visit their website at: www.runninwjranch.org

On Thursday, October 17, eight agriculture students and their instructor, Kelli Harris, accomplished the first part of the project and delivered 120 square bales to the ranch. Over the next few months, students will also be delivering feed and completing training to volunteer during riding classes

Pictured (left to right): Karen Akin, Mack Dean, Shelly Raulston, Kirsten Nicholas, Kelli Harris, Cody Chandler, Codie Jamison, Lindy Price, Will McAlister, Dusty Kesterson, John Hardin, and Hadley Philamlee.

Sevier County Health Coalition to Host Free Event to Improve Citizens Well-Being and Productivity

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On Thursday, November 21, 2019, the Sevier County Coalition’s Live Well Sevier County Committee, the Dr. Randy Walker Family Practice and Allergy Clinic and UA Cossatot will be co-hosting a lunch-and-learn event entitled “The Art of Gratefulness” at UA Cossatot’s De Queen Campus. The presentation will begin at 12:00 noon in the Weyerhaeuser room, located in the Skilled Trades Building, and will conclude at 12:40 p.m.

Presenter Janelle Barnes, LCSW, will be discussing how gratefulness increases physical and emotional well-being, improves self-esteem, reduces aggressive behavior and increases productivity in work settings. Barnes says, “We’ve all seen that person that looks like they have been baptized in vinegar. The good news is no one has to feel that way. Each person, whether they are aware or not, is in control of their own thoughts. We first form thoughts that lead to words and then our words become actions. I want to teach others how to harness the power of gratefulness so they can enjoy having more optimism, enthusiasm, love, joy, and happiness in their lives.”

Barnes, a native of De Queen and licensed mental health therapist with 26 years of diverse experience as a Clinical Social Worker, is a member of the Dr. Randy Walker Family Practice and Allergy Clinic medical team in De Queen. She earned a masters in social work from UALR in 1993 and has committed her extended career to helping countless individuals and families find solutions so they can live happier, more productive and satisfied lives.

All are invited to bring their lunch and join Janelle Barnes for this free event. For more on lunch-and-learn programs, visit the Sevier County Coalition website at www.seviercountycoalition.com or call UA Cossatot’s Continuing Education Services at (870) 584-4471.

UA Cossatot Celebrates First Generation Students

UA Cossatot will recognize first-generation students by celebrating First-Generation Student Week from November 4 through November 8. During this week, current first-generation students will be recognized and acknowledged for their educational accomplishments.
A first-generation college student is a student whose parents did not graduate from college. This fall semester UA Cossatot’s total enrollment was 1,521 students. 74% of those students are first-generation students.
UA Cossatot Admissions and Recruitment Specialist, Addison Hill is the coordinator for First Generation Student Week. Addison Hill said, “I want to celebrate the success of first-generation college students, faculty, and staff on our campuses so they know how special they are. I, myself, am a first generation student and I look forward to meeting students who have overcome the same barriers as me. Recognizing first generation students is something that doesn’t need to be celebrated one week out of the year, but every day because our number of first generation students is steadily increasing.”
Hill added, “Students need to take pride in being first generation because they are inspiring someone else to step out and better their future with education.”
UA Cossatot plans to celebrate First Generation Student Week the first full week of November with three parties that will include free cupcakes. The UA Cossatot Ashdown Campus will have a party on Monday, November 4, at 11:00 A.M. in the campus hallway. Nashville Campus’s celebration will be on Tuesday, November 5, at 10:00 A.M. in the Atrium. UA Cossatot’s De Queen Campus will celebrate on Wednesday, November 6, at 11:00 A.M. in the campus courtyard.
All UA Cossatot first-generation students are encouraged to attend. First-generation students who are now UA Cossatot faculty and staff members will also be wearing a t-shirt representing the college they graduated from on the day their campus has a party.
During the celebration week, Student Services will also be on the Ashdown, Nashville, and De Queen Campuses for anyone seeking information about how they can start pursuing post-secondary education at UA Cossatot. Walk-ins are welcome, and Student Services can also be reached at 870-584-4471.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

On Monday morning, House members were informed of the passing of one of our fellow representatives.

Representative John Walker was elected to the House in 2010 and was serving his 5thterm when he passed at the age of 82.

He represented District 34 which includes southwest portions of Little Rock. His public service career stretched far beyond the halls of the Capitol.

Walker attended Yerger High School in Hopeuntil 1952 and continued his education at Jack Yates High School in Houston, Texas, where he graduated in 1954.

He was the first African American undergraduate student admitted to the University of Texas after the Brown decision in 1954 but was not allowed to attend for racial reasons. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Arkansas AM&N at Pine Bluff (now University of Arkansas Pine Bluff) in 1958 with a degree in sociology. Dr. Martin Luther King was the keynote speaker at his graduation.

Representative Walker earned his master’s degree from New York University and in 1964, he received a law degree from Yale Law School.

He embarked on his public service as an attorney soon after. Walker’s first work was as an attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) in New York. In 1965, he opened the first integrated law firm in Arkansas, where he consistently worked to provide equal educational opportunities. Between 1965 and now, Walker has personally been involved in most of the reported racial discrimination cases in the state.

In 2017, Rep. Walker sponsored legislation Act 566, An Act to Create the Helping Our People Excel (H.O.P.E.) Act of 2017 which allowed the state to opt out of federal prohibitions on public assistance for those with drug convictions.

A service for Rep. Walker was held in the rotunda of the Capitol on Thursday. During the service, House Speaker Matthew Shepherd gave these words, “His sheer presence made our House stronger and our state better. Rep. Walker was one of those statesmen who spoke from experience rather than ego. He could vigorously oppose legislation in committee or on the floor, and immediately following adjournment would visit with those same members with whom he was in opposition to. He was also someone who encouraged others.”

We mourn the loss of Rep. Walker and send our deepest condolences to his family and friends.

4-H Holds Annual Awards Banquet

Sevier County 4-H held their annual 4-H Awards Banquet on October 26. The banquet was emceed by two of the 4-H seniors, Kaydee Cowling and Amber Morris.  Each 4-H’er that turned in a Record Book received an award. A Record Book is a book that detail…

Sevier County 4-H held their annual 4-H Awards Banquet on October 26. The banquet was emceed by two of the 4-H seniors, Kaydee Cowling and Amber Morris.

Each 4-H’er that turned in a Record Book received an award. A Record Book is a book that details the 4-H’ers work done in their project area and gives an overview of their past year in 4-H. 4-H’ers are also awarded for competing in countywide activities and competitive events such as O’Ramas and the Chicken BBQ throughout the past year. Three seniors were also given awards.

Sevier County Extension said they appreciated all of the 4-H leaders, youth, parents, and the Sevier County 4-H Foundation for their continued support of the 4-H Program.

Awards given are as follows:

Leadership Awards (for completing 6 educational activities plus one competition):


Wayland Risley
Attalee Frachiseur
Landon Frachiseur
Pace Frachiseur
Leighton Frachiseur
Brayden Frachiseur
Evin Frachiseur
Kate Baker
Bella Baker
Raylee Vanvoast
Gavin Carver
Ethan Wolcott
Amber Morris
Jake Sawyer
Kaedon Davis
Blake Sawyer
Evan Wolcott
Kinlee Stivers
Lily Stivers
Laikyn Morris
Abbi Stinson
Alley Stinson
Monica Rivas
Asher Frachiseur
Zae-Lei Frachiseur
Alec Frachiseur
Jed Mills
Keegan Mccoy
Bailey Gore
Gracie Sutton
Rj Smith
Jake Martin
Johannah Swan
Kaydee Cowling
Asher Morris
Mika Baker
Rustin Frachiseur
Penelope Sims
Landry Sims
Landon Bennett
James Bartek
Libbie Bartek
Dori Bartek
Lexy Rosson
Marcus Rosson
Kase Smith
Aubrey Seymour
Jake Seymour
Izabella Nelson
Hanna Nelson
Halton Smith
Katie Williamson
Kyle Williamson
Madison Bagley
Hunter Frachiseur
Reagan Frachiseur
Kix Lee
Max Rosson
Brady Haarmeyer
Kambree Haarmeyer
Kyleigh Midgett
Kolton Dockins
Megan Midgett
Marley Simpson
Mckenzie Simpson
Caselyn Vanvoast


Record Book Awards (for completing a 4-H Record Book):
(* denotes District or State winners)


Asher Morris
Asher Frachiseur
Rustin Frachiseur
Leighton Frachiseur
Bailey Gore
Alexander McCoy
Jed Mills
Wayland Risley
Gracie Sutton
Caselynn VanVoast
Kambree Haarmeyer
Mika Baker
*Brady Haarmeyer
*Monica Rivas
Keegan McCoy
Evan Wolcott
*Reagan Frachiseur
*Landon Frachiseur
*Gavin Carver
*Raylee Van Voast
*Pace Frachiseur
*Bella Baker
*Evin Frachiseur
*Jacob Seymour
*Brayden Frachiseur
Alec Frachiseur
*Zae-Lei Frachiseur
*Ethan Wolcott
*Mallori Marshall
*Hunter Frachiseur
*Attalee Frachiseur
*Kate Baker
*Madison Bagley
*Aubrey Seymour
*Tori Gentry
Amber Morris
Brennen Seymour
Kaydee Cowling

Innovation in Youth Programming Award

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Janet Cantrell, Sevier County Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension Agent, was honored recently at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) 85th annual session, whose theme was “Nurturing the Richness of Lifelong Learning”. She was a member of a team of neighboring county FCS agents that received the First Place National and First Place Southern Region for the NEAFCS Innovation in Youth Programming Award at the conference held September 30 - October 3, 2019 in Hershey, Pennsylvania.


In receiving the award, Cantrell and teammates were recognized for planning and implementing a program focused on teaching students practical food preparation skills, learning to read and follow a recipe, hands-on cooking and clean up, table setting and etiquette. Of course, the team taught MyPlate and Dietary Guidelines each day to stress the importance of choosing a healthy diet.


The Innovation in Youth Programming Awards was established in 2019 to recognize innovation and accomplishment in the design and implementation of a Family and Consumer Sciences program for a youth target audience. The award was sponsored this year by the NEAFCS membership and awards fund. Cantrell‘s commitment to meeting the needs of individuals, families and communities is exemplary.

Feedback is Needed for Broadband Survey in Sevier County

UA Cossatot’s Economic Development department is working with the broadband provider Aristotle Unified Communications (AUC) to disseminate a survey that will assist in identifying the need and feasibility of deploying new broadband service in Sevier County. In order to receive useful quality data, members of Sevier County are being asked to complete an online survey to benefit the community.

Broadband Internet provides high-speed Internet. With broadband, Sevier County schools, businesses, and residents will be able to use the Internet in a faster amount of time with fewer technical difficulties. The prosperous economic growth of Sevier County, more excellent customer service and work production, and use of more technologies in local school systems are just a few benefits of this service.

AUC is committed to providing broadband to unserved and underserved rural communities and urban neighborhoods by eliminating barriers to broadband deployment. Research obtained from this market survey will be reviewed and assessed. For Sevier County to receive quicker Internet, AUC needs survey participation. To complete this online survey, please visit www.cccua.edu/sevier.

For more information, please contact UA Cossatot Economic Development Director, Lisa Taylor, at ltaylor@cccua.edu or 870-584-1184

Cossatot Community College

In summer 2018, Sevier County residents have formed committees where representatives of different organizations can come together to share ideas, and leverage their resources. This page houses information related to those committees. UA Cossatot's Economic Development department is working with the broadband provider Aristotle Unified Communications (AUC) to disseminate a survey that will assist in identifying the need and feasibility of deploying new broadband service in Sevier County.