Stories from Tuesday, March 25, 2014

CARROLL COUNTY -- After amassing 20 or more school days this winter, county school districts have gotten some reprieve from the Arkansas Department of Education. As of March 24, Berryville and Green Forest both have 21 snow days, while Eureka Springs has had 20 in the 2013-14 school year so far...

BERRYVILLE -- The Quorum Court discussed the possibility of the sheriff collecting fines and fees for the Circuit Court at its meeting last Friday, March 21. Some members of the Quorum Court expressed dismay after Circuit Clerk Ramona Wilson acknowledged she is millions behind in collecting the fees...

HARRISON -- The Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Arkansas has announced the dates for the 30th annual Senior Olympics. The games will begin with the women's 8-ball pool tournament on April 11. This year's games will change the venue from the Harrison Junior High to the Harrison High School; because the high school does not have any horseshoe pits, it is likely the horseshoe competition will not take place, said Jerri Marlowe of the Carroll County Senior Center and highest scoring individual of the 2013 games.. ...

BERRYVILLE -- Those interested in becoming the next superintendent of the Berryville School District have until April 9 to apply. The applications are available through the search firm's website, www.MacnJake.com. Dr. Diana Julian and Ronnie Greer of the search firm McPherson and Jake -- also known as Mac and Jake -- met with the School Board on March 20 to discuss the next steps in the superintendent process...

LITTLE ROCK -- The deadline is approaching for Arkansans to sign up for health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace. The deadline to enroll is Monday, March 31. "Licensed insurance agents and guides are available in every county in Arkansas to provide enrollment assistance," said Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford...

Kenneth Ray Smith, a resident of Berryville, was born July 9, 1939, in Sanger, Calif., a son of Eldon "Short" and Joy E. (Westwood) Smith. He departed this life Sunday, March 23, 2014 in his home in Berryville with family by his side, at the age of 74...

BERRYVILLE -- Berryville sophomore pitcher Emma Hill threw a perfect game Thursday night against Green Forest, striking out 19 of 21 batters face to lead the Lady Bobcats to their first win of the season. Hill allowed only two ground outs during the game, which featured a 30-minute delay to tend to an umpire who had health issues. Hill didn't seem to mind the wait as she resumed her perfect game when play resumed...

BERRYVILLE -- Berryville improved to 6-0 with a 17-6 win over Lead Hill in Friday's opening round of the Carroll County Baseball Tournament at Bobcat Field. Justus Summers picked up the win on the mound, pitching five innings, walking two, allowing four hits and runs while striking out six...

BERRYVILLE -- Green Forest earned its first win of the season with a 12-2 mercy-rule win over Lead Hill Thursday afternoon in the first round of the Carroll County Baseball Tournament. Clayton Watson tripled and homered, driving in four runs and scoring twice to lead the Tigers at the plate while Gavin Nelson singled twice and Andrew Writer and Caleb Lucas doubled...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Eureka Springs dropped a 2-0 decision to Prairie Grove Thursday afternoon at Leatherwood Fields in what Highlanders coach Ben Rodda called a "heartbreaking" setback. The Highlanders scored both goals for the Tigers, one just before the half and another in the middle of the second...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Eureka Springs dropped a 7-1 decision to Prairie Grove Thursday afternoon at Leatherwood Fields. But don't tell the Lady Highlanders they should be disappointed, especially senior team captain Naomi Floyd. "I just want to buy all the girls chocolates and puppies," Floyd said following Thursday's outing. "I just love them so much. We are such a team. Some of these girls have never touched a soccer ball before and they are playing so well. It's just heartwarming for me."...

SPRINGDALE -- Yoyci Perez and Rachel Lehr netted goals Thursday afternoon to lead Berryville to a 2-2 tie against Springdale Har-Ber's junior varsity team in the team's final game of the month. The Lady Bobcats don't play again until April 1, at home against Siloam Springs...

GREEN FOREST -- Green Forest remained winless on the year with a 7-0 loss to Siloam Springs on Tuesday. The Lady Tigers fell behind 3-0 in the first half and allowed four more goals in the second half to the Class 6A Lady Panthers. "The first half was 3-0 and I was okay with that," Green Forest coach Bradley James said. "With them being a 6A school we expect them to be stronger. But it could have been closer. We made some simple mistakes that we need to correct."...

GREEN FOREST -- Green Forest dropped a 6-1 decision to Siloam Springs on Tuesday to move to 1-1-1 on the season. Hector Lopez netted the lone goal for the Tigers, an excuse-me goal in the second half. Lopez was trying to send the ball into the offensive end when it bounced over the goalie's head and into the back of the net...

GREEN FOREST -- After beating Berryville 5-2 Saturday morning to reach the championship game of the First Annual Carroll County Baseball Tournament, Green Forest dropped an 11-10 decision to Valley Springs Saturday afternoon to earn runner-up hardware...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Oscar Mendez scored six total goals, Eureka Spring went unbeaten and the Highlanders staked claim to the first King Gladden Cup in history. And while this year's inaugural event went exactly as planned by Eureka Springs coach Ben Rodda, the best it yet to come...

MOUNTAIN HOME -- Green Forest followed last week's first-place finish in Harrison with a second-place position at Thursday's Bomber Relays in Mountain Home. The Lady Tigers earned 124 points, 10 off the pace set by cross-county rival Berryville, which won the event with 134...

MOUNTAIN HOME -- Johnathan Wood, Dillon Holman, Brandon Lopez and Oliver Perez teamed up to win the 4x800 relay to lead Berryville to a seventh-place finish at Thursday's Bomber Relays in Mountain Home, the first track and field event of the year for the Bobcats...

MOUNTAIN HOME -- Eureka Springs junior Nathan Andress took top honors in the 1600-meter run at Thursday's Bomber Relays in Mountain Home, leading the Highlanders to a ninth-place finish with just four competitors on head coach David Parkman's roster...

MOUNTAIN HOME -- Berryville junior Hannah Noble took top individual honors with 40 points to lead the Lady Bobcats to a first-place finish at Thursday's Bomber Relays in Mountain Home. Noble won the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, high jump and triple jump and helped the Lady Cats to second place in the 4x100 relay as Berryville posted 134 team points, 10 points clear of Green Forest and 15 ahead of Harrison...

Once a month the members of the Green Forest School Board meet at one of the schools for lunch and to visit with staff and students. Here, Superintendent Matt Summers chats over lunch with third-graders Audrey Phillips, at left, and Evan Brand.

BERRYVILLE -- The School Board approved a bid of $82,000 from Heavy Constructors of Arkansas to renovate the old track at its regular monthly meeting. The district received three bids for the project. Facilities Director Doug Harris recommended the low bid of $79,835 from Greer Construction...

BERRYVILLE -- Sheep and goats are adept at cleaning up weeds and brush, fit well on small or large farms and can be a profitable enterprise. These useful animals can present challenges to farmers unfamiliar with their habits, however, so it is very worthwhile to learn about their management before making any investment...

As most of you know, Lorene Whittington usually heads up the volunteers to get the assessment billing mailed out but has moved to Texas close to family. She always did an extraordinary job and is truly missed. This year Barb Kuhn stepped up to the plate and called on a few loyal property owners to help out...

The Carroll County Music Group wishes to thank all who contributed to the success of the "We've Got Talent" fundraiser for music scholarships. The talented performers, the AUD staff, the supportive local media, service clubs, businesses and, most of all, the enthusiastic audience, played their part in providing for furthering music education of young artists...

Dear Dr. Cheri, Is it just my family or is everyone's family nuts? We just got over the holidays, and the number of stupid, insensitive incidents I've had to endure has brought me to the edge of thinking of disowning all of them. My mother is a nosy busy-body who has advice for everyone -- even if they don't ask or even bring up a problem...

Frank and Linda McCollough of Kingston will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Sunday, March 30, with a drop-in reception from 2 to 4 p.m. at the American Legion Building in Kingston. The occasion is being hosted by their children and grandchildren...

BERRYVILLE -- Quilting was the closest thing to therapy Jimmie Norris ever needed. The hum of the 78-year-old's sewing machine has soothed his soul for more than three decades. "It just takes my mind off stuff," said the Green Forest native. "Eventually I was getting orders for quilts from around the country. California, Texas, Tennessee -- you name it."...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Several students from Eureka Springs High School were announced as finalists last week at the annual Environmental and Spatial Technology conference in Hot Springs, school board members learned Thursday. Superintendent David Kellogg reported that Allan Etheredge was a finalist in music composition; Hunter Dickelman in EAST T-shirt design; Matthew Sharp and Tony Balsumati in solar design; and Callista Aude, Heidi Kirk and Carly Buffer as presenters...

RUSSELLVILLE -- The Arkansas Kappa Chapter of Alpha Chi National College Honor Society at Arkansas Tech University welcomed 119 new members during its spring 2014 induction ceremony at Chambers Cafeteria. Inductees included Jordon Oels of Berryville...

Green Forest Cub Scout Pack 188 collected 575 lbs. of canned goods and other items during a food drive on Feb. 22. Scouts and siblings pictured are, in the back row, Jacob Vasquez, Andres Diaz, Justin Chapin, Matthew Vasquez and Mason Meador. In the front row are Jadhiel Manuel, Cole Meador, John Neil and Jace Meador; not pictured: Paul Carter...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Last year, Santiago Aguirre spent his spring break building houses for Katrina victims in New Orleans. The neatest part: "We got [to meet] the person who was going to live in the house," he said. Last week, Aguirre, a sophomore at the University of North Texas, helped create homes for homeless refugees with the help of six other UNT students. And they got to see one of the occupants step into her new home for the first time -- all four paws...