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FedEx offices on Forward Drive in Harrison employee many members of Harrison and surrounding communities. Recent FedEx layoffs have included some employees at this location. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / LEE H. DUNLAP

Fedex stock surges amid layoffs

FedEx has been instituting a number of cost control practices as part of their DRIVE transformation initiative which began last year. The initiative was presented to investors as a plan to “consolidate its operating companies into one organization, creating efficiencies that will enhance the company’s ability to meet the evolving needs of customers and ultimately build a stronger, more profitable enterprise.” A surge in cost of shares last week is attributed to the DRIVE efforts.

Oklahoma steel pole manufacturer busted for tax evasion

An Oklahoma man was sentenced this week to 30 months in prison for evading over $1 million in income taxes.

Community survey for downtown improvements

Last year, the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District (NWAEDD) secured a Rural Business Development Grant through USDA Rural Development. The grant will help boost both Harrison and Mountain Home in their downtown revitalization efforts.
Penny DeJournet, BCRTSS program presenter, receives a plaque in recognition for her service to the Friends of the Boone County Library. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Retired Teachers Association meeting held

The Boone/Newton County Retired Teachers and Support Staff Association recently held their March meeting.
Bonnie Baker

Bonnie Baker honored as Northark celebrates 50th year

Bonnie Baker, wife of the late Bill Baker, the founding president of North Arkansas College will receive the 2024 Pioneer Impact award presented by the Northark Foundation. This award was established in 2018 to recognize individuals for their service to Northark and the community.

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Cook of the Week: Cheryl Grant

Cheryl Grant lives near Yellville. She relocated to the Ozarks from Colorado, “I knew I wanted to relocate somewhere just as quiet and peaceful as it was where I grew up,” she shared, “so I started researching and found just the right place at just the right time.”
Presidential Gold Award — Dr. Jerry B. Bieker Jr., 649 hours.

DAV volunteers honored

The Boone County DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Chapter 06, recently presented the Presidential Volunteer Award to the following individuals. 
Carl J. Willis (left), president of the Arkansas Fiddlers Convention; Clayton Braswell, a local performer; and Bob Willis a vice-president of the Arkansas Fiddlers Convention. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / LEE H. DUNLAP

41st Annual Fiddlers Convention

The 41st Annual Arkansas Fiddlers Convention continues Saturday and Sunday morning at the south campus of North Arkansas College in Harrison. The convention opens this morning at 9 a.m. with Jam Sessions all day long. At 10 a.m. Individual Fiddlers (organized by Jim and Shirley Christensen of Harrison) will be on stage at the Little Theatre inside Northark College. 2:30 pm will be the Awards and Acknowledgements, and at 3:30 p.m. will be band performances at the Little Theatre. Sunday will be Gospel from 9—10:30 am by the Unashamed Gospel Bluegrass group.
A new mural is finished on the Boone County Heritage Museum's Forrest Annex in Harrison. The artwork depicts settlers traveling from the Boone County area to California in 1857. They represent the victims of the Mountain Meadows Massacre which occurred that year. LORETTA KNIEFF / STAFF

New mural finished on Central Ave.

A new mural was completed in Harrison on Friday afternoon. The large scale piece depicts a scene of settlers representative of those killed in the Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857.

Free laundry day offered to community

Foundation Tables, a local non-profit group committed to helping neighbors in need, is hosting a Wash Wellness Day on Sunday, March 31, 3—8 p.m. The event will take place at Wash World on the by-pass in Harrison — 400 S Hwy 62/65.

Remains found in Carroll County fire

Carroll County Sheriff Daniel Klatt has confirmed that a fatality was discovered on Wednesday following a structure fire. At approximately 10:21 PM, Carroll County Dispatch received a call of a residential structure fire in the area of CR 140. Deputies, Fire, and EMS personnel were immediately dispatched to the scene.
Business
DALLAS — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized a settlement with the Arkansas Midland Railroad Company over alleged hazardous waste violations at a private rail track in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The company illegally stored more than 750,000 gallons of highly flammable hazardous waste in rail cars near homes, a school, and waterways. Under the settlement, the company must pay a civil penalty of $910,985. Under direction from EPA, the waste was removed and disposed of in a permitted facility.
LITTLE ROCK — Bryan Malinowski, 53, died after a shootout with federal authorities Tuesday morning in west Little Rock. Malinowski was the executive director of Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport.
The statewide gas price average in Arkansas was $3.18 for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel on Thursday, according to the AAA Arkansas Weekend Gas Watch. That price is 11 cents more compared to that day last week and 14 cents more compared to that day last year.
Local Sports
The East's Camie Moore (24) of Valley Springs has her shot blocked by the West's Savannah Ketchum (31).
Girls' All-Stars
More pictures from Monday night's North Central Arkansas Girls' All-Star Game played at North Arkansas College's Pioneer Pavilion. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS/LEE H. DUNLAP
The West's Chism Floyd (second from right) tries to score from the paint against a trio of East defenders from Valley Springs (from left) Levi Carey, Nate Helams and Blain Roberson plus Mountain Home's Braiden Dewey (33) during the first half of the North Central Arkansas Boys' All-Star Game played Monday night at North Arkansas College's Pioneer Pavilion. LEE H. DUNLAP/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
East boys dominate West in All-Star Game
A 48-23 run over the middle three quarters propelled the East squad to a big 72-55 victory over the West at the 16th annual North Central Arkansas Boys’ Basketball All-Star Game at North Arkansas College’s Pioneer Pavilion.
The West's Rubby Trammell (13) of Bergman tries to drive the lane against the East's Camie Moore (24) of Valley Springs during Monday's North Central Arkansas Girls' All-Star Game at North Arkansas College. Also defending for the East is Yellville-Summit's Abby Methvin (1). LEE H. DUNLAP/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
East girls edge West by single point
The 16th annual North Central Arkansas Girls’ All-Star Basketball Game was played Monday evening at North Arkansas College’s Pioneer Pavilion with the East holding off the West for a 59-58 victory.
Sports
New West Virginia men's NCAA college basketball coach Darian DeVries poses with his son, Tucker, after an introductory news conference Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Morgantown, W.Va. Tucker DeVries announced that he will transfer from Drake to continue playing for his father. (AP Photo/John Raby)

Star guard Tucker DeVries is transferring from Drake to join his dad at West Virginia

New West Virginia men's basketball coach Darian DeVries has brought some reinforcements from Drake. DeVries announced at his introductory news conference Thursday that his son, Tucker, will transfer …
Morehead State head coach Preston Spradlin yells to his team as they played against Illinois in the first half of a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 21, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/John Peterson)

Transfer portal, NIL challenge teams to fill and maintain rosters, even as March Madness continues

The NCAA transfer portal not only challenges college basketball programs to find the right players to fill roster vacancies but also keep that vast talent pool from becoming deeper with their own …
FILE - Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates a three point basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is confident All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell will sign a long-term contract to chase an NBA championship with Cleveland. “We’ve been talking to him, sure, for the last couple of years about extending this contract,” Gilbert said Thursday, March 28, in an interview with The Associated Press.(AP Photo/Matthew Hinton, File)

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert believes All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell will sign long-term extension

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert believes All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell will sign a long-term contract to chase an NBA championship with Cleveland. Gilbert said the team has had talks with Mitchell and …
Southern California guard JuJu Watkins reacts after a shot during a second-round college basketball game against Kansas in the women's NCAA Tournament in Los Angeles, Monday, March 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Super-sized March Madness stats in women's Sweet 16

The numbers have been stunning in this memorable season for women’s college basketball. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark has broken scoring records. UConn’s Paige Bueckers is producing eye-popping …
Community

Area religious events

Southern Plainsmen in concert

Flu-related deaths reach 97

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) reported 97 influenza-related deaths in the 2023-24 flu season, including 1 pediatric death. It also reports 8 out of 13 for the influenza-like-illness.

Mission: 'Ozark Wellness' coming in July

A contingent of US Army Reserve officers and staff were in Harrison Tuesday, March 19, planning for an Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) mission officially named Ozark Wellness. This medical mission to be carried out at the Jasper School and Kingston School campuses will provide training opportunities to Army Reserve medical units while providing incidental benefits to local residents via no-cost healthcare.

Boone County Senior Wellness and Activity Center menu

Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

News from Lead Hill

The 41st Annual Fiddler's Convention is ongoing today at North Arkansas College South Campus 1515 Pioneer Drive. Registration takes place in the Little Theater at 9 a.m. 10 a.m., Fiddlers Stage; 1 p.mm W Garrett, Dillion Massengale are hoping to stop by; 2:30 p.m. Awards & Acknowledgements; 3:30-4:30 p.m. All Girls Band; 5-6 p.m. Lasting Impressions; 6-7 p.m. Jimstone Fiddlers; 7-8 p.m. ArkyLogical Fiddle Band. Email; arkansasfiddlersconvention@yahoo.com, Facebook; Harrison Arkansas Fiddle Convention.

News from Batavia

Morna Stone and Jeanine Wilson returned home last week from a bus tour they had taken through the Southern states. That seems to be a vacation seniors enjoy taking. Maybe some day when my husband decides to retire from FedEx we can do something like that.

News from Capps

Greetings from Capps. It's officially Spring although many of us broke out the shorts weeks ago. Hard to believe that next Sunday is Easter already, it's early this year as it doesn't always coincide with the Passover date, which is later in April.
Special Sections
People
Eclipse on the Street
Jerree Winn has spent most of her life in the cosmetology world. Now, with over four decades of experience, she has announced her retirement. Winn's journey began at 15 when she first started cosmetology school. She pursued her training off and on, eventually graduating from Lyle‘s School of Cosmetology in Fresno, Calif. in 1981.
LITTLE ROCK — Benjamin S. of Russellville won a $25,000 prize in the March 6 LOTTO drawing. He claimed his prize at the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Claim Center on March 15.
The Harrison Colony Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution has announced the Chapter winner of the Seventh Grade American History Essay Contest. Lucas Crow of Omaha Middle School is the winner. Lucas is the son of Jennifer and Matt Crow.
Beta Upsilon met March 5 at the North Arkansas College.
Schools

Northark proposes partnership to Jasper

President of North Arkansas College Dr. Rick Massengale went before the Jasper School District Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday night, March 12, and proposed a partnership that would bring college classes to Jasper High School.

Northark invites community to eclipse viewing

North Arkansas College (Northark) invites everyone to the south campus to enjoy activities leading up to the 2024 Solar Eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. The eclipse will start at 1:53 p.m.
Roy Shatwell (left) and his father, Dean, of DSR Excavations stand at the site of the home on Speer Drive that they have worked to dismantle this week. Many pieces of the structure are being reused by members of the community rather than being wasted. LORETTA KNIEFF / STAFF

Home dismantled, but repurposed

An iconic home located in the heart of Harrison has been dismantled this week. The house at 1402 Speer Drive was built in 1874. It has been standing tall in a clearing surrounded by virgin timber for generations — a quiet reminder of years gone by, as the town has gone through much growth and many changes around it.

Mt. Judea Learning Center to close March 22

Newton County Special Service Corporation, Inc. (NCSSC) is closing the Mt. Judea Learning Center (Early Head Start) on March 22, according to an announcement released by Sherry R. Campbell, executive director of NCSSC.
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