Archive - News Article
May 2nd, 2012
By
Special to the Courier
The 10th annual Picnic and Stumpin’ for Votes events will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thurs., May 3 on the lawn of the Saline County Courthouse.
A picnic-style lunch will be served, including hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, pasta salad, drinks and dessert.
Additionally, door prizes will be awarded and a silent auction with a number of items from which to bid will be included in the event.
It is also an opportunity to meet local candidates.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling Quinn Lausten at 315-1121 or the Saline County Judge's office at 303-5640.
The Bryant School District will host the third annual Dash for a Difference 5K Fun Run/Walk and Kid's 1 mile at 9 a.m. Sat., May 5 at Bryant Middle School.
Sponsored by Arkansas Bone and Joint, proceeds from this year's race will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Bryant.
Boys and Girls Clubs nationwide have experienced a drastic reduction in federal funding.
"When they lost the $100,000 of federal TANF funds due to government cut backs earlier this year, we knew they needed the support of their community more than ever before," Jessica Bollen, race director, said.
It may have come a downpour but that did not deter hundreds of athletes, coaches, volunteers and spectators from showing up to support the Area 10 Special Olympic Day held at the Bryant High School football stadium April 20.
According to Ann Hudson, Area 10 director, this isn't the first time it has rained, but they are accustomed to being flexible.
"It likes to rain on our parade, but we are holding out. The athletes have stepped it up," Hudson said.
The Benton Police Department is requesting the help of the public to locate a 15-year-old boy that allegedly ran away from home 10 days ago.
Payton Stone is described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, 110 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair. He was last seen at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 21 leaving his home on foot.
Payton was last noticed wearing a white Holister “So Cal” shirt, kakhi shorts, purple and black color shoes, and a Black Sox baseball cap. Officers believe that Payton is traveling on foot.
The condition of a 34-year-old Conway man that was involved in a vehicle accident that split a utility pole in Benton early Sunday was not available for the media today, according to a representative of Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock.
The representative did confirm that Donald Obannon is a patient at the hospital, but due to HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) laws, no other information was available as of press time.
April 30th
When 52-year-old Bryant Fire Chief Randy Cox, who plans to retire on May 25 due mainly to health concerns, was 12-years old he climbed up a tree with the ambition of saving a cat when the local fire department wouldn't respond.
"I thought I was smart enough to get it out, but I went up too far, got scared and couldn't get down," he said with a laugh. "The fire department ended up coming out to get me down. And as they got me down, they also got the cat."
The Benton Police Department is requesting the help of the public to locate a 15-year-old boy that allegedly ran away from home 10 days ago.
Payton Stone is described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, 110 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair. He was last seen at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 21 leaving his home on foot.
Payton was last noticed wearing a white Holister “So Cal” shirt, kakhi shorts, purple and black color shoes, and a Black Sox baseball cap. Officers believe that Payton is traveling on foot.
White balloons drifted into the mid-day sky at Alexander City Park Saturday. On each balloon was a message written by a friend, a family member, a resident of the city or simply by someone who had been touched by the tragic deaths of Kevin Ives and Don Henry on August 23, 1987.
“Gone but not forgotten” was a common theme among the hundreds of balloons that drifted into the sun like pearls to heaven.
The balloon release was part of a ceremony for a bench dedicated to the two young men whose deaths on a nearby railroad track 25 years ago remains unsolved.
April 27th
Benton Mayor David Mattingly has announced that the four-year 'e-Commerce' degree for UALR Benton has received final approval. Mattingly received a message from Shane Broadway, Interim Director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education that read, ""The UALR-Benton letter of notification has been reviewed and the report of the academic committee has been approved by the full board at 10:50 a.m. There were no questions or comments. Congratulations."
April 26th
Benton Parks Department Director Curtis McCormack and assistant Kitty Smith have been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the completion of an investigation into accounting practices associated with operation of the concession stand in Tyndall Park during 2011. The Parks Commission met for a special meeting Tuesday night specifically called to determine what course of action to take in light of an independent accountant's report indicating a deficit of $6,445 in unaccounted funds.
