Stories from Tuesday, May 20, 2014

EUREKA SPRINGS -- The City Council has passed an ordinance and a resolution that will contribute to the construction of a new building for the Public Works Department. At the council's May 12 meeting, Ordinance 2211 was read three times through an emergency clause with a suspension of the rules. ...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- Opera in the Ozarks is poised to swing into high gear this week as the nationally recognized workshop begins its 64th season. Based at Inspiration Point west of Eureka Springs, OIO provides emerging opera professionals the opportunity to hone their craft and expand their repertoire under the guidance of some of the most outstanding teachers in the nation...

BERRYVILLE -- After months of discourse, the Carroll County Quorum Court has decided to form a committee to look into resolutions between the Sheriff's Office and the cities regarding dispatch and medical services. Sheriff Bob Grudek proposed a solution to the disputes, which would take all of the established written agreements with the cities and combine them into one cohesive ordinance or amend the established agreements to make them more clear...

BATESVILLE -- Estefania Arteaga of Berryville was one of 16 students that earned the Above and Beyond Award at Lyon College. Students were presented with the award at the student life award ceremony on April 25. Lyon College is an undergraduate liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian church. Founded in 1872, it is the most established independent college in Arkansas...

HARRISON -- North Arkansas Regional Medical Center offers new LPN and RN hires and new nursing graduates an internship program. The goals of the program are to provide an opportunity for the intern to demonstrate understanding and competence in technical skills and procedures related to their specialty...

The Berryville Kiwanis recently presented BUG Awards to students in grades three through five.

Jimmy and Katie Heads won first place in the 2014 Carroll County TREKS Crappie Tournament held at Kings River Marina. Jimmy and his daughter, Katie, caught 10.79 pounds of crappie from Table Rock Lake. The event was sponsored by Community First Bank, Cornerstone Bank, Walmart, Carroll County Solid Waste, Jim Blanchard, Tyson Foods, Kings River Marina, Bonham Powell Hardware, Country Rooster, Pizza Pro, Reliable Poultry, Evans Feed, Jim's Drive In, Boontoolies, Edna's Café, Little Familia, Johnson Truck and Trailer, Fastenal, Fleet Pride and Summit Trucking.. ...

BENTONVILLE -- Arvest Bank and three other companies were recently recognized by the Better Business Bureau of Arkansas as winners of the 2014 Torch Awards for Ethics. Winners are selected by an independent panel of judges based upon their company policies and practices in how they relate with customers, employees, suppliers and the communities where they do business. ...

Womenade recently donated "welcome bags" to Jeremiah House, an in-house drug treatment program in Eureka Springs for women struggling with addiction. Womenade is a loose-knit organization of local women who raise money for people in need of various kinds of help. In Eureka Springs, the Womenade group has provided prom dresses and tuxedos and accessories for graduating seniors needing financial help to go to Prom...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- The Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society is kicking off the KUAF Summer Jazz Concert Series with two firsts. "For the first time in our history, we're producing concerts in three venues in three Northwest Arkansas cities this summer," said Robert Ginsburg, NAJS executive director. "We're excited to bring acclaimed jazz artists to more people in more places."...

Each May, we celebrate Older Americans Month. This is the time that we recognize older Americans for the contributions they have made to make our country free and strong. It is also a time that we need to see what we can do to help pay them back for all that they have done for us...

LITTLE ROCK -- Governor Mike Beebe and Department of Rural Services Director John Andrews presented $166,000 to 16 rural communities selected for Fiscal Year 2014 Cycle 2 funding through the Arkansas Rural Community Grant Program. An awards ceremony was held on May 1 at the State Capitol in the Governor's Conference Room...

HOT SPRINGS -- The City of Green Forest received the Special System Recognition for Wastewater Award at this year's annual Arkansas Water Works & Water Environment Association convention in Hot Springs. The award recognizes excellence in overall operation and compliance for systems serving fewer than 5,001 in population. Green Forest supports a population of approximately 2,760 and provides a large portion of its service to the Tyson processing plant...

EUREKA SPRINGS -- "This is a great first step," said Superintendent David Kellogg about the approval from the state of Priority 1 of the school district's e-rate application. The "e-rate," funded from fees collected by companies providing telecommunications services, helps school districts improve internet connectivity. ...

CARROLL COUNTY -- The Carroll County Sheriff's Office wants to remind motorists to "Click It or Ticket." In order to enforce this reminder, the CCSO will be stepping up enforcement now through June 1. The local efforts are part of a larger, national Click It or Ticket mobilization that runs May 19 through June 1...

BERRYVILLE -- The second program for the 2014 quarterly Beaver Watershed Alliance Speaker Series, titled "Investing in NWA Water Source Protection: Good for Business, Agriculture, Recreation, Nature and You," is coming to the Berryville Community Center on Thursday...