Archive - 2012 - News Article
February 16th
A new program has been established in Saline County Circuit Court to assist teenagers in straightening out their lives.
Specifically, the program provides mentors for young people on probation.
These mentors are known as VPOs, or volunteer probation officers.
Seven individuals have begun their VPO duties to assist youngsters along the road to becoming productive adults, according to Circuit Judge Bobby McCallister.
McCallister described a recent incident in which a 15-year-old boy was told that the new program had begun and that a VPO would be serving as his mentor.
The first year in office is a busy time for any elected official. For Bryant Mayor Jill Dabbs, 'busy' might be an understatement.
Dabbs will present her second address to the people of Bryant concerning her vision for the city will be held Thursday Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. The location for the speech and the city council meeting that follows immediately after at 7 p.m. will be Love Auditorium on the campus of Bryant High School.
February 15th
There's a new superintendent-elect in the Benton School District.
In a 9 p.m. meeting Tuesday, the seven-member board unanimously voted officially to offer the job to Jeff Collum of Tyler, Texas.
Collum previously had agreed to accept the job for an annual salary of $132,500.
Collum currently is serving as executive director of secondary education of the Tyler ISD, which includes oversight for two 5A high schools, six middle schools, an athletic department, career and technology education and university initiatives.
It was first place wins for both Bryant Hornets swim teams on Saturday, Feb. 11, at the 2012 South Regional Swim and Dive Championship. The 24-event meet was held at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia.Â
At the end of the nine-school South Regional meet, the Bryant Hornets girls team won with a total of 520 points and the boys won with a total of 430 points, with both teams dominating and receiving regional trophies. El Dorado was second in the girls with a score of 284 and Magnolia was second in the boys division with 291 points.
Jeff Morrow, president of the Benton School Board, announced last night that Jeff Collum of Longview, TX will be the next superintendent of the Benton School District.
Lynda Hollenbeck has the full story in today's Saline Courier.
February 14th
The Wally Hall Tournament of Champions, already one of the biggest baseball and softball tournaments in the state, is expected to be bigger and stronger than ever before in its 30th year with an addition of a Triple Crown.
But with the loss of the funding from the Benton Advertising and Promotion Commission, due to Benton residents voting in favor of the plan to build a large-scale events center, the tournament needs sponsors.
Bryant Early Education — BEE — coalition members gathered Thursday, Feb. 9, at The Center at Bishop Park to celebrate one year of successfully enriching the lives of preschoolers in Bryant.
According to BEE Coalition Founder and Coordinator Pam Toler, the goal of the coalition is to work together to provide the highest quality preschool education, so Bryant's "little bees" will be ready to become Bryant Hornets.
A permanent superintendent for the Benton School District still has not been named.
Benton School Board members interviewed the four finalists for the positions on Monday, but "a couple of the members aren't quite ready to vote yet," said Jeff Morrow, board president.
Morrow said he expects to call a meeting within the next two days to take an official vote on the board's choice.
"A couple of the members wanted a night to sleep on it before voting," Morrow added.
February 13th
A service awards recognition ceremony will be included at the Benton City Council meeting tonight.
Slated to receive awards during the meeting are city employees Mollie Wright, Larry Lewis, Lester Griffin and Chuck Jackson.
Another award to be presented during the meeting will be the Youth of the Month honor that recognizes Bekah Davis of Benton High School for December.
The youth honor is determined by a vote of the Mayor's Youth Advisory Council.
In other matters, Mayor David Mattingly plans to introduce a proclamation related to the Benton Athletic Memorial Museum Wall of Fame Week.
Funeral is scheduled Tuesday for a longtime Benton physician who died Friday.
The service for Dr. John D. Wright will take place at 2 p.m. at Benton's First Baptist Church, where Dr. Wright was an active member.
He was a deacon of the congregation and taught Sunday School there for 56 years.
Dr. Wright practiced medicine for 50 years and was on the active medical staff of Saline Memorial Hospital during that period.
Tonya Shelnutt, fourth-floor nurse manager at SMH, who worked closely with Dr. Wright, remembered him fondly today.
