Archive - Jul 2012
July 9th
Now that the All Star break is here, the Road to October has officially begun. While there are no teams in Major League Baseball running away with their respective divisions, it is quite difficult to say who will and will not make the postseason come early October. Of course, just like every year, there are two or three teams near the top of the division that are surprising the nation. Take the Pittsburgh Pirates for instance. Last season at the break, the Pirates were leading the National League Central but finished 24 games out of first when it was all said and done.
Two young women from Bryant are representing Saline County this week at the Miss Arkansas Pageant in Hot Springs.
Tracy Neal, Miss University of Arkansas, and Bethany Whitfield, Miss Greater Little Rock, are among the pageant's 47 contestants vying for the 2012 title.
The pageant's public competitions are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday at the Summit Arena in Hot Springs.
Whitfield, 23, is competing as Miss Greater Little Rock, and Neal, 22, is Miss University of Arkansas.
Several matters related to the construction of an events center will be on the Benton City Council agenda for its 7 p.m. meeting today at Benton Municipal Complex.
Among these is an ordinance authorizing the issuance of hotel and restaurant gross receipts tax bonds for the purpose of financing all or a portion of the costs of capital improvements and pledging collection of the city's 1.5 percent hotel and restaurant gross receipts tax to pay the principal and interest on the bonds.
In the third year of the program, there is no shortage of local youth signing up for the Benton Police Department's Junior Police Academy, and the respect gained between officer and citizen is mutual.
"This is my third year to go through (the program)," said Jenny Bowen, a 2012 Benton High School graduate. "When I got in it my sophomore year, I did it because I knew (School Resource Officers) Quinton Jackson and Joey Bedsole, but I kept coming back because they were offering it, It's something you can't do all the time and it's free. It has never been boring. I've enjoyed all three years."
Doyle W. Whitfield, 88, of Benton, passed away peacefully June 27. He was the son of William H. and Mattie Whitfield. He retired from Reynolds Mining Co.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of forty-one years, Betty Potts Whitfield, five children, nine grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, three brothers and three sisters.
Services will be 10 a.m., Monday, July 9 with interment at Forest Memorial Park.
Family will be receiving visitors at 4110 Edison Ave in Benton.
Allison Marie Smart, 37, of Bryant passed away June 29.
She was born June 22,1975, in Little Rock to Lindeal and Brenda Ridling.
She was preceded in death by her mother and grandfather.
She is survived by her husband, Michael Smart; a step daughter, Samantha Smart; four brothers, Shane and Bo Ridling and Andy and Mathew Purdue; two grandchildren; her grandmother; two uncles; and her father, Lindeal Ridling.
Cremation was through Ashby Funeral Home.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m, Monday, July 9, at Foursquare Church in Benton.
Online guest book: www.ashbyfuneralhome.com.
Nina Mae Riggs, 86, of Perryville, went to be with the Lord Thursday, July 5.Â
She was born Oct. 14, 1925, in Perry. Mrs. Riggs was retired from Walmart and was a member of United Missionary Baptist Church in Benton.Â
She was preceded in death by her parents, Jethro and Ruth Young; two husbands, Odis Goodnight and Silas Riggs; a brother, Buddy Young; and four grandchildren, Bryan, Faith and Tyler Goodnight and Kayleigh Goza.
Morgan Shohn Mize, of Houston, Texas, passed away on July 3 at the age of 32.
Morgan was born on May 15, 1980 in Austin, Texas. She was a sweet and tender-hearted daughter, granddaughter, and sister; and a loving and devoted mom. A beautiful person inside and out, she was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.
July 6th
Dan Smith, a technician with the City of Benton, is urging Benton residents to be aware that the city is under a level three energy alert. He said the alert means there is a risk of the power grid overloading because people run a lot of electricity during this time due to the heat. Smith said people should conserve electricity, such as turning off lights and other electrical equipment when not in use.
If there is a bigger name in the UFC than Anderson “The Spider” Silva, I, nor has the rest of the world ever heard of him. Quite frankly, Silva may be the biggest star to ever step into the octagon. He is the champion of champions; the fighter of all fighters. He is the UFC. By many standards, he has already surpassed any other fighter in the sport’s history with his title defenses and his pure skill. Tabbed as the best “pound-for-pound fighter” in the world, Silva has yet to disappoint.
