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Victor Galli’s illustrious career as Pittsburg coach ends with a 48-20 loss to Liberty-Bakersfield.
Even as the deficit continued to widen, Pittsburg’s seniors never stopped trying to make plays. Rashid Williams, who led the Pirates with 12 touchdown receptions this season, closed out his high school career with 124 yards against Liberty. | 2022-12-11T05:43:54Z | www.mercurynews.com | 1-A championship: Pittsburg loses to Liberty-Bakersfield | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/10/1-a-championship-pittsburg-vs-liberty-bakersfield/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/10/1-a-championship-pittsburg-vs-liberty-bakersfield/ |
Battle-Tested Kids participants, from left, Ubadinaobi Egeonu, 17; Hana Essubalew, 18; CEO/co-founder and coach Nita Simpson; Nadia Barrone, 17; and Ojieugo Egeonu, 15, all said the organization has changed their lives. Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group
“I grew up in Oakland. I grew up in the ‘hood,'” Simpson said. “A lot of kids were directionless. I always saw my parents work extremely hard. So I look at the work ethic and what it can do for you, even in extremely difficult circumstances. I always had the picture of hard work and being the best you can be, and that’s what I want for these kids.” | 2022-12-11T14:58:02Z | www.mercurynews.com | Share the Spirit: Battle Tested Kids creating youth sports path | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/11/share-the-spirit-these-battle-tested-kids-are-learning-to-post-victories-in-life-despite-the-obstacles/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/11/share-the-spirit-these-battle-tested-kids-are-learning-to-post-victories-in-life-despite-the-obstacles/ |
Instant analysis of 49ers’ sixth straight win…
Quarterback Brock Purdy won his NFL starting debut by outdueling Tom Brady with the help of the 49ers’ defense in a home rout
Bosa added that he saw video of Purdy’s father, Shawn, wiping away tears in the stands. Purdy checked in postgame with his proud dad and his mother, Carrie, “and the way looked at me from on the railings, it means a lot to me. The ups and downs of life playing quarterback, the people at home believe in you. They’ve always been telling me you’re good enough and able to do it.”
And on Brady’s postgame message, Purdy noted: “It was surreal standing there, ‘That’s Tom Brady talking to guys and dipping them up. For him to have respect what I did today is pretty cool. … To give him a high-five at the end was pretty cool.”
Purdy’s helpers start with the 49ers’ defense, which posted a first-half shutout and then intercepted Brady twice (Tashaun Gipson Sr., Greenlaw). That defense’s hunger to dominate prompted coaches to keep playing NFL sack leader Nick Bosa into the fourth quarter. | 2022-12-12T01:40:56Z | www.mercurynews.com | Instant analysis of 49ers' 35-7 rout of Tom Brady and Bucs | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/11/instant-analysis-of-49ers-sixth-straight-win-a-35-7-rout-of-brady-bucs/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/11/instant-analysis-of-49ers-sixth-straight-win-a-35-7-rout-of-brady-bucs/ |
Photos: “Christmas with the Currys” celebration…
The Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation hosted Christmas party at Oakland’s The Bridge Yard
The couple, along with many other sponsors, hosted the 10th Annual Christmas with their holiday celebration at The Bridge Yard on Sunday.
Christmas with the Currys featured an array of holiday gifts including non-perishable meal kits, household goods and technology, clothing supplies, gift cards, toys for all genders, games, tickets to events, books from Literati and more.
In addition, Under Armour supplied Curry Brand basketballs and bags to families in attendance as part of Curry Brand’s larger mission to make the game of basketball more accessible to youth in cities that have shaped Stephen’s career and life experiences.
Some posed in the Snow Globe photo booth, while children had the opportunity to meet Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. Other activities included a Jack and Jill Snow Hill for sledding, amusement rides and story time stations with take-home books.
Photojournalist Josie Lepe grew up in downtown San Jose has worked for the Bay Area News Group since 1999. Lepe has a degree in Fine Art Photography from San Jose State University. She covers a variety of assignments including news, business, features and professional sporting events.
jlepe@bayareanewsgroup.com
Follow Josie Lepe @JosieLepe | 2022-12-12T04:41:26Z | www.mercurynews.com | Photos from "Christmas with the Currys" celebration helps 500 needy families at Oakland's The Bridge Yard | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/11/photos-christmas-with-the-currys-celebration-helps-500-needy-families-at-oaklands-the-bridge-yard/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/11/photos-christmas-with-the-currys-celebration-helps-500-needy-families-at-oaklands-the-bridge-yard/ |
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel is in pain after a sustaining a left ankle injury Sunday in a 35-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Levin’s Stadium.
Christian McCaffrey (23) takes a handoff from Brock Purdy in the 49ers’ 35-7 win over Tampa Bay Sunday at Levi’s Stadium. Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group | 2022-12-12T13:54:01Z | www.mercurynews.com | 49ers' latest injury to Deebo Samuel vs. Bucs just another obstacle | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/12/49ers-weather-another-body-blow-with-deebo-samuels-injury-can-they-afford-any-more/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/12/49ers-weather-another-body-blow-with-deebo-samuels-injury-can-they-afford-any-more/ |
When adult cats have been on their own, having to hunt for their meals or compete with other animals for handouts, they can become food aggressive. Your ginger tom might perceive you as competition for the
food, even though you’re the one providing it.
If you get a real tree, don’t let the dog drink water from the tree stand, especially if you use chemicals to help preserve the tree. If you suspect your dog has swallowed needles – real or fake – or any
decorations, consult your vet immediately. | 2022-12-12T15:21:52Z | www.mercurynews.com | Hollister stray cat is biting the hand that feeds him | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/12/hollister-stray-cat-is-biting-the-hand-that-feeds-him/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/12/hollister-stray-cat-is-biting-the-hand-that-feeds-him/ |
2. What’s happened to Tua Tagovailoa? He completed 10-of-28 passes for 145 yards and a 65.3 rating. None of those numbers measure up for the second straight week. Did he lose confidence in missing open receivers against San Francisco that carried over? Was it as simple as clogging the middle of the field with a safety to act as a border guard on the Dolphins’ crossing patterns? That’s what the Chargers undermanned defense did Sunday. Something’s happened. Tua didn’t miss wide-open receivers Sunday like in the San Francisco game. But he’s not the player he was in November, especially when you consider Los Angeles entered as the 30th-ranked defense and was missing four starters just from last week, including their most important player in safety Derwin James. Those four don’t even involve Pro Bowlers in defensive end Joey Bosa and cornerback J.C. Jackson, who have been out for weeks. One thing for sure is it won’t get easier in Buffalo next Saturday. Can they pull out that 700-play highlight reel again to remind Tagovailoa what he can do? | 2022-12-12T16:57:10Z | www.mercurynews.com | Hyde10: Tagovailoa struggles, Herbert shines — 10 thoughts on Dolphins’ loss to Chargers – The Mercury News | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/12/hyde10-tagovailoa-struggles-herbert-shines-10-thoughts-on-dolphins-loss-to-chargers/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/12/hyde10-tagovailoa-struggles-herbert-shines-10-thoughts-on-dolphins-loss-to-chargers/ |
Equipment issue briefly closes BART service on…
Trains did not operate between Rockridge, Pleasant Hill stations for about 30 minutes
An equipment problem on BART tracks briefly shut down trains heading to and from parts of Contra Costa County on Thursday.
The full shutdown of tracks between the Pleasant Hill and Rockridge stations lasted about 30 minutes, but delays of 20 minutes remained into the early afternoon, according to the agency. At 10:22 a.m., BART put out a statement saying that all service between the two stations had stopped.
BART spokesman Jim Allison said via email that the electric third rail suffered a brief interruption to its power. He said the issue was fixed within minutes but that the residual delays were longer to some trains on that track.
The Walnut Creek, Lafayette and Orinda stations all are stops between Rockridge and Pleasant Hill. The line serves trains going toward Antioch from San Francisco and going to San Francisco International Airport from Contra Costa County.
Contra Costa County Connection buses offered free service to BART customers at all of the stations that were affected by the shutdown, according to the agency. | 2022-12-13T03:35:39Z | www.mercurynews.com | BART: Service closed down between Rockridge, Pleasant Hill | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/12/major-delays-expected-after-equipment-issue-closes-bart-service-on-sfo-antioch-lines/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/12/major-delays-expected-after-equipment-issue-closes-bart-service-on-sfo-antioch-lines/ |
Airlines strongly prefer that you make your flight changes online. But American Airlines should have been accommodating because of your disability and your state of mind, having just learned of your father’s stroke.
I don’t know if American believed your story. For example, you said you had to call the airline because of your macular degeneration, but you later checked the flights online. That might have made the representatives question your narrative. (And, for the record, I believe you.) | 2022-12-13T03:36:51Z | www.mercurynews.com | Travel Troubleshooter: I booked the wrong airport, can I get a refund for my ticket? | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/12/travel-troubleshooter-i-booked-the-wrong-airport-so-can-i-get-a-refund-for-my-ticket/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/12/travel-troubleshooter-i-booked-the-wrong-airport-so-can-i-get-a-refund-for-my-ticket/ |
The cannabis industry is growing fast. But as the demand for clean weed increases, so does the need for an organized supply system that meets consumers’ high standards. If you’re interested in purchasing premium cannabis from reputable sources, here is what you need to know about clean weed.
What is Clean Cannabis?
Clean cannabis is a term often used to describe cannabis that has been grown without pesticides or synthetic chemicals. Clean cannabis can also be organic, which means it’s free of chemical fertilizers and other additives.
Clean cannabis helps ensure that consumers are not exposed to dangerous chemicals while they’re smoking or vaping. Not only is clean weed better for the consumer, but it preserves the integrity of the land on which it’s grown.
How to Tell If Your Cannabis is Clean
If you’re looking for quality cannabis, start by doing research. If a dispensary sells “clean weed” and doesn’t offer any information on the grower or their methods, be wary.
Ask questions about how the plants are grown and request the test results so you can check out various levels of terpenes and cannabinoids. In California, cannabis will only show up on dispensary shelves if it’s free from contaminants like pesticides, herbicides, mold, mildew, residual solvents, and other pollutants.
Still, we recommend shopping at a dispensary that proudly shares its values for cannabis sourcing.
Can Cannabis Be Truly Organic?
The “organic” food trend has become increasingly popular. But what exactly does organic mean? When it comes to food, being “organic” means that your ingredients were grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. This also means that they were grown on land that was free from synthetic chemicals and other unnatural materials.
However, while cannabis can technically be considered organic because it is a plant—and plants are not artificially created in a lab—many factors make true organic cultivation of cannabis difficult at best. For starters, you cannot apply for organic certification because that is a federal application, and well, cannabis is still federally illegal.
The best way to source “organic” weed is to buy from farmers who have transparent regenerative farming practices. And then, shop from dispensaries that share the same standards. This is typically tied to sun-grown cannabis, and one of the best places to source the highest quality sun-grown cannabis is in Humboldt, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties. The region is near perfect terroir for growing outdoors, making it easy to adopt fully organic growing methods.
Why Clean Weed Matters Now More Than Ever
Clean weed is more than just a buzzword or trend. Clean cannabis will revolutionize California’s industry and how you think about weed. If we fail to pay attention to how our weed is grown, the small farmer will be run out of town by corporate cannabis overlords, and we’ll all lose access to the best weed in the world.
Reasons to Buy Clean Weed
Clean cannabis is safer for your health. Cannabis that has been grown in an organic environment is free from pesticides, fungicides, and other contaminants that sometimes make it into cannabis plants due to the use of chemicals in growing methods. This is good news for medical marijuana users who need clean products to treat their conditions but don’t want to expose themselves to chemicals during the process. And it’s beneficial to anyone who cares about what they consume, whether that be food, beverage, or marijuana.
Support your local farmer. Small-batch craft growers operate much differently than corporate cannabis grows, who often cut corners to make a buck. Small farms have a lot more to lose, so they devote their lives to creating only the highest quality products money can buy. That often means more terpenes and cannabinoids to offer consumers the best experience and value.
Reduced environmental impact. Fully sun-grown, organic weed will always have a smaller carbon footprint than indoor weed. There are no massive electrical bills or synthetic fertilizers. Chemicals stay out of the water supply, and the plants thrive in their natural element. Indoor operations are a drain on energy, and the end product is inferior.
The Future of Clean Cannabis
The future of clean cannabis is here. A new wave of cannabis growers, distributors, and consumers are demanding a clean, organic product grown with integrity.
Clean cannabis is the future of the industry. It’s already creating jobs and supporting small businesses. It’s providing consumers access to a better product at fair prices—and it might just save your life. With so much potential, it seems only natural to start exploring this new frontier as soon as possible.
What’s the best place to start? With a dispensary that stocks its shelves with locally grown, sustainably produced weed. We recommend a visit to Solful at their Santa Rosa or Sebastopol locations. The Solful team treks to each farm their partner with to verify that the growers meet their high standards. It doesn’t get more grassroots than that.
Check them out online and place an order for pickup, or visit them in-store and get to the team of Health and Happiness consultants who are ready to help you find the perfect bud for you.
Article paid for by: 10K ADVERTISING INC./SOLFUL
6245 Wilshire Blvd. #1509, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Attn: Rob Costello | 2022-12-13T17:25:11Z | www.mercurynews.com | Clean Weed: The Future of California Cannabis | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/13/clean-weed-the-future-of-california-cannabis/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/13/clean-weed-the-future-of-california-cannabis/ |
Happily, there are still plenty of holiday beers left to tempt us with something special at this time of year.
Three of best are also three of most popular. The one I most look forward to each year is Anchor Christmas Ale. The recipe changes from year to year, but it’s always my go-to beer for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays. With its melange of spices, the dark beer is a perfect match for roast turkey, not to mention holiday cookies. | 2022-12-14T17:46:48Z | www.mercurynews.com | 10 Holiday beers to toast the season, from Anchor's seasonal ale to a delirious delight | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/14/10-holiday-beers-to-toast-the-season-from-anchors-seasonal-ale-to-a-delirious-delight/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/14/10-holiday-beers-to-toast-the-season-from-anchors-seasonal-ale-to-a-delirious-delight/ |
Need Help Writing a Research Paper? Best…
‘I need help with writing a research paper.’ Does this thought come to your mind whenever you are required to write a research paper during your course? That’s well-justified because writing a research paper is tedious and time-consuming.
Luckily, you will find professional services these days that will help with writing research papers. Here, you will come across a list of the top 5 writing services in the US to help you write your research paper.
Professional Research Paper Help for College
EssayOk.net – Best Help With Research Paper Overall
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EssayOk.net uses an individualized approach for writing papers and helping you receive the highest grades. Students are entitled to a full refund in multiple situations. You are allowed to cancel your order even when half the deadline is over.
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When you are ordering for the first time, you can contact the customer support team to get a discount code of up to 20%. EssayOk.net also offers various discounts to returning customers. Moreover, returning customers can also hire the writers they hired in the past.
After you have placed your first order, customer support will reach out to you if the writer has additional queries. Keep checking the control panel section of your account to track the status of your research paper.
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Papers are written by Ph.D.-level experts
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Additional features are expensive
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Whenever you need research paper online help at affordable prices, you can rely on PaperHelp.org to get timely services. You can place your order on PaperHelp.org by filling out a simple form. The prices begin from $8.97 per page and go according to the type of writing and its urgency.
Apart from hiring PaperHelp.org, when you need help to write a research paper, you can also hire them for corporate writing and poem writing services. You can also go through multiple samples before ordering an essay from them. Students will also find a price calculator to get an estimate of the charges.
Reasons to Choose PaperHelp.org
Choose between ENL, standard, and top writers for your paper
A discount of 5% on the first order
Customer support is available through live chat and offers fast replies
A plethora of additional features
Offers poem writing and corporate writing services
No loyalty program for recurring customers
Writing language can be too simple at times
Essay4you.net – Best for College Research Paper Help
If you are looking for research paper help from an old and reliable service, Essay4you.net should be your top choice. The writing service started in 2001 with a simple ordering process. You only need to fill out a form while placing the order.
If you want, you can also upload additional documents to convey the requirements of your research paper. With the lowest price of $12, the writers on the site can complete assignments even within a short deadline of 3 hours. Like all other services offering online research paper help, Essay4you.net also has a money-back policy when the completed work doesn’t meet your requirements.
You can also claim refunds when you make two payments by mistake. Additionally, students can opt for unlimited revisions within the first seven days of receiving the completed paper.
Reasons to Choose Essay4you.net
Make payment after receiving your paper
Get refunds if a plagiarism report shows copied content
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No clear pricing policy is listed on the website
EssayWriters.us – Best for Thesis Statement for Research Paper
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However, you have two weeks after receiving the final research paper to opt for revisions. Moreover, your complaints undergo verification to determine their authenticity. You can also get a full refund when the writer fails to meet your requirements.
The minimum cost for a paper on EssayWriters.us is $14.03. But for a Ph.D. paper, you might have to pay as high as $33.
Reasons to Choose EssayWriters.us
Ideal for projects with a tight deadline
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Customer support is available through phone calls, live chat, and Facebook Messenger
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Writers are prone to use tactics like rephrasing
Essay-911.com – Best for Research Paper Outline Help
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Too many pop-ups on the website
Writers are prone to making spelling and grammatical mistakes
Whenever you need research paper help, these top five services in the US will come to your rescue. If you don’t have the time to sit down and write your research paper, hire one of these services without any guilt. Apart from high-quality papers on time, you also don’t have to worry about breaking the bank when you need help writing a research paper.
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Best Coursework Writing Service – Top 5 Online Services for Students | 2022-12-14T17:47:19Z | www.mercurynews.com | Need Help Writing a Research Paper? Best Research Paper Help Online Services | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/14/need-help-writing-a-research-paper-best-research-paper-help-online-services/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/14/need-help-writing-a-research-paper-best-research-paper-help-online-services/ |
Comment: The Ducks will be without star cornerback Christian Gonzalez (opt out), but their most important player, quarterback Bo Nix, has committed to participating in the bowl game. (So has UNC quarterback Drake Maye.) Oregon averaged 40 points per game during the regular season, and the Tar Heels were not far behind (35 ppg), so the Over stands as a tasty option. How much urgency will the Ducks bring to San Diego after their late-season collapses against rivals Washington and Oregon State? Not nearly enough to cover a two-touchdown spread.
Comment: A date with its former head coach makes for a notable UW subplot, but the Steve Sarkisian factor has no bearing on the game — he left Seattle when most of the Huskies were in middle school. The more relevant issues here are UW’s stretch-run momentum (last loss: Oct. 8 at ASU) and a report that Texas’ star tailback, Bijan Robinson, is opting out of the game. The Longhorns walloped Pac-12 opponents in the Alamo Bowl in both 2019 and 2020 (Utah and Colorado). We don’t see a three-peat. Don’t take the points. Gobble them.
Comment: The Utes are back in the Granddaddy, but under very different circumstances. An underdog last year against Ohio State, they are narrow favorites this time and encountering an opt-out problem of their own: Star cornerback Clark Phillips III announced this week that he would skip the game to concentrate on the NFL Draft. That could be an issue against a veteran quarterback, Sean Clifford, and opponent that’s 10-0 against teams not in the playoff. (The Nittany Lions’ only losses are to Michigan and Ohio State.) Let’s hope the teams recreate their Pasadena thrill rides: Penn State’s last appearance was the epic 52-49 loss to USC, while Utah’s was the pulsating 48-45 loss to Ohio State.
Pac-12 Picks of the Week | 2022-12-14T17:47:25Z | www.mercurynews.com | Pac-12 bowl picks ATS: USC, Utah narrow favorites in NY6 games | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/14/pac-12-bowl-picks-wsu-osu-lead-a-collective-pursuit-of-redemption/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/14/pac-12-bowl-picks-wsu-osu-lead-a-collective-pursuit-of-redemption/ |
SF Giants free agent history: Correa doesn’t…
Barry Bonds (1993)
Contract: $43.75 million, six years
Age upon signing: 28
First-season WAR (according to baseballreference.com): 9.9
Team plus-minus from the previous season: +31 wins
Giants career WAR: 112.5
Johnny Cueto (2016)
Contract: $130 million, six years
First-season WAR: 5.5
Team plus-minus from the previous season:+3 wins
Giants career WAR: 9.8
Carlos Rodón (2022)
Contract: $44 million, two years
Team plus-minus from the previous season: -22 wins
Giants career WAR: 5.4 (opted out after one season)
Barry Zito (2007)
Contract: $126 million, seven years
Team plus-minus from the previous season: -5 wins
Ray Durham (2003)
Contract: $20.1 million, three years
Team plus-minus from the previous season: +5 wins
Giants career WAR: 10.5
Rennie Stennett (1980)
Contract: $3 million, five years
First-season WAR: -0.8
Giants career WAR: -0.7
Brett Butler (1988)
Contract: $1.8 million, two years
The veteran outfielder replaced the popular Chili Davis in center field and was arguably the best leadoff man in the National League (and a great glove) for his three seasons with the Giants. His play in 1988 earned a two-year extension, which paid off in a big way when he played a key role in the Giants reaching the 1989 World Series. But he was a Dodger by 1991, lost as a free agent to a $10 million, three-year deal.
Joe Morgan (1981)
Contract: $250,000, one year
Team plus-minus from the previous season: Strike-shortened season. The Giants finished one game over .500 after being 11 under in 1980.
Aubrey Huff (2010)
Contract: $3 million, one year
Team plus-minus from the previous season: +6 | 2022-12-14T23:53:10Z | www.mercurynews.com | Carlos Correa contract: SF Giants' free agency history | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/14/sf-giants-free-agent-history-correa-doesnt-have-to-be-next-bonds-to-leave-his-mark/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/14/sf-giants-free-agent-history-correa-doesnt-have-to-be-next-bonds-to-leave-his-mark/ |
Forget all the chatter so-called experts about how limited supply, urges for bigger spaces, and sudden millennial demand combined to create the pandemic feeding frenzy. This homebuying binge was primarily the result of the nation’s central bank using deeply discounted financing to help keep a coronavirus-chilled economy afloat.
I filled my trusty spreadsheet with average home pricing, income and interest rate stats from Zillow, LendingTree and several government agencies, comparing pre-pandemic 2019 with steamy 2021 and chilly 2022.
That ballooned an estimated payment, pushing it up 48% for California house hunters, only the 22nd-largest jump among the states. Nationwide, the payment gain averaged 47%, topped by Florida at 65%, then Tennessee at 59%, Georgia at 58%, South Carolina at 58% and Nevada at 57%.
Not only does pricier financing make homebuying harder, it also weakens the broader economy. And a skittish job markets is also a drag on housing. | 2022-12-15T19:14:58Z | www.mercurynews.com | Fed goes from housing booster to bubble buster – The Mercury News | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/15/fed-goes-from-housing-booster-to-bubble-buster/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/15/fed-goes-from-housing-booster-to-bubble-buster/ |
Warriors star Steph Curry to miss ‘a few weeks’…
Steph Curry injured his shoulder in the third quarter of Wednesday’s loss while trying to strip the ball from Jalen Smith.
An MRI confirmed Thursday that Curry suffered a partial dislocation in his left shoulder. A timeline for his return will be provided by the team in the coming days, though various reports indicate he’ll miss at least two weeks and possibly be out for a month.
If the “few weeks” timeline rings true and Curry misses a month, the 14-15 Warriors could be without him for at least 12 games. | 2022-12-16T12:16:54Z | www.mercurynews.com | Steph Curry update: MRI shows Warriors star suffered shoulder injury | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/15/steph-curry-expected-to-miss-few-weeks-with-shoulder-injury-report/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/15/steph-curry-expected-to-miss-few-weeks-with-shoulder-injury-report/ |
The 5 Best Personal Statement Writing Services:…
Gaining admission into your dream college takes more than just good grades and test scores, particularly in competitive fields like business and engineering. Your essay writing skills also count. Its relevance is evident when writing a personal statement for the application package you’ll share with the assigned admissions committee, notifying them about your identity and reasons for interest in a selected program.
Having a well-curated personal statement can set you apart from other applicants. However, not every student can draft one. Here’s where professional personal statement writing services are invaluable. This guide will show you how to hire the right personal writing service and what to expect from them once they start working on your essay.
If you personal statement writing help, you can always find a vetted writer online who is willing to help. Some of the best personal statement writing service providers come in all shapes and sizes — from companies that will write your essay to those who can help you brainstorm ideas and edit your work. However, choosing the right one can seem overwhelming. No worries, here are some top picks for you:
1. PaperHelp — Best Personal Statement Writing Service Overall
One of the most popular personal essay writing service providers for grad school currently is PaperHelp, which ranks number one on the list of academic writing companies. It has been in business for over ten years. Founded by a group of expert writers, editors, and consultants with decades of experience, PaperHelp offers college admission essay writing and personal statement service to students worldwide.
Consumer ratings on Sitejabber are 4.44 stars and Trustpilot ratings are 4.7 stars, indicating the company provides satisfactory personalized service and on-time delivery. You can count on them to deliver all types of personal statements, including law school, medical school, college, fellowship, and residency statements. Their rates are affordable, starting at $45 per page.
2. EssayPro — Cheaper Alternative to PaperHelp
Have you been struggling to put together a memorable personal statement for college? This service specializes in helping with that. Based on 11685 reviews on Sitejabber, EssayPro has an overall consumer rating of 4.73 stars for its affordable rates, quality output, and excellent customer service. The company also offers free revisions.
There are no limits to the fields EssayPro can write about, whether it is computer science, economics, psychology, or even English. The best part? The content is 100% custom-written, with no plagiarism. The essay service provider is one you can trust at any given moment to deliver a personal statement that will wow your admissions officers. The company is known to write brilliant graduate school papers as well.
EssayPro charges different rates based on the type of paper you need. Fees for personal statement writing start at $14.25 per page. Their services come with a 60-day quality warranty.
3. EssayTerritory — Exceptional Customer Service
Adding to our personal statement review list is EssayTerritory. This essay writing company provides its customers with top-quality personal statements that help them secure admission into institutions of their choice. Their writers have extensive experience writing academic papers and are capable of writing excellent personal statements that will impress admissions committees.
In fact, writers at EssayTerritory have been writing personal statements for years and helped thousands of students get into their dream schools.
Its website is quite professional and conveys confidence, which is important when looking for someone to write your statement. They also follow a set of guidelines that ensure you receive exactly what you want. Plus their services are reasonably priced.
Pricing depends on the academic level of the paper required and the deadline. A one-page personal statement can cost anywhere between $15 to $44 per page depending on your academic level.
4. SpeedyPaper — Good Selection of Personal Statement Writers
SpeedyPaper provides students with custom-written high-quality papers for any subject and level of difficulty. Every personal statement, term paper, research paper or essay is written from scratch by highly qualified academic writers with over 12 years of experience in the academic writing process. This means you will receive prompt, compelling plagiarism-free material.
The company also offers low prices on all services and customers can choose their preferred personal statement writers at no extra cost. It scores 4.41 on Sitejabber and 4 on Trustpilot. Its customer base is impressive, so you’re in good hands when you hire them.
The company’s services for writing personal statements and admissions essays start at $34 per page and go up to $100, depending on the type of document and the timeline. Students who use the company’s loyalty program can save on expenses. A 100% money-back guarantee is also available.
5. GradeMiners — Company With Solid Reputation
The final pick on our top five list of companies that provide personal statement help is Grademiners.com. Scoring consumer ratings of 4.2 stars on Sitejabber and 4.7 on Trustpilot, it’s difficult not to trust them with your personal statement writing. This company has outstanding customer service and top-quality material.
Not only do they have an almost flawless track record in delivering well-written essays, but they also edit and proofread other documents, such as dissertations, graduate and undergraduate essays, reports, and speeches. Definitely one to keep an eye on if you are seeking admission or want to graduate in style! The starting price per page is $30.25.
Here’s where we wrap up our top-five picks. These companies have made it to our list of essay writing service reviews based on the quality content, prompt delivery, and excellent customer service they provide. Explore their profiles further to find the perfect match for your needs.
What is a Personal Statement?
Many schools, including colleges and universities, require an impressive personal statement (or admissions essay) before you can be accepted into your desired program. This essay focuses on your skills, experience, achievements, and education to give admissions officers a better understanding of who you are as a person and what makes you unique. It’s often short, covering between one and two pages.
Even at that volume, it could take you weeks or months to draft the document if you want to create something that will impress admissions committees around the world. Fortunately, you can achieve this with professional assistance. Whether it is from composing the perfect content to proofreading final versions, especially for people whose schedules don’t allow them enough time or freedom, these writing services can make it a breeze.
What Makes a Good Personal Statement?
“I want to write my personal statement, but don’t know if it will be good enough,” you might say. Regardless, don’t let your fear stop you. Just like everything else you will ever write in your life, writing a good personal statement is all about your perspective.
It takes a creative writer to draft compelling material. Whereby a personal statement does not reflect a student’s personality or viewpoint, it might sound like a sales pitch or a generic description of the applicant. That doesn’t mean you need to write down a lengthy and complex dissertation that details every aspect of your life.
A well-written personal statement focuses on a few points that provide a convincing overview. For example, you can discuss a major challenging situation you encountered and how you handled it or describe a specific academic milestone or creative work that demonstrates your intellectual capabilities and passion for a field. It could even include hobbies or extracurricular activities.
These highlights should provide additional information pertinent to understanding your background. Word count is another factor to consider when drafting this material. It shouldn’t be too long or too short. Some schools have less stringent word limits.
There is no one right way for personal statement writing. Just be yourself and showcase your strengths. Besides, admissions officers will probably read a lot of applications, so make sure yours stands out.
How to Create the Right Personal Statement?
Before you hire a writer for personal statement essays, understand the requirements for creating such materials. That way, you’ll set expectations for your personal statement writer. In general, drafting a personal statement is similar to writing a cover letter. You just need the right knowledge and approach.
There are things you can do all along to develop your statement and get it ready for submission. Here we look at how to do that! As much as possible, read through the application requirements and make note of what the personal statement should contain. This will help you get started.
Personal statements are of two types: response to a question and general statement of purpose.
Response to a Question
Your custom personal statement might take the form of answering direct questions or prompts that are styled with the intent to know you better. Hence, your answer must align with each question’s purpose. Here are some sample questions to expect. Yours may vary.
Do you have any specific reasons for applying to this university, and what are your goals?
Is there a unique quality that makes your application outstanding?
What can you bring to this institution or discipline that is currently lacking?
Would you mind sharing anything about your history with us?
How does your personal background or distinct viewpoint relate to this discipline? What prospects might this program offer?
What are some of your proudest accomplishments with application reviewers that you would like to share?
Were you drawn to this field because of a difficult background? Please share any insights you’ve gained
How has your life been affected by overcoming adversity?
Can you recall an experience that inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
You might find it helpful to imagine yourself talking face-to-face with someone who can decide whether or not you should be considered for the course. Keep your intentions and qualities clear when speaking. Students worry a lot about admissions officers seeing right through weak essays, but don’t worry too much.
Personal statements aren’t easy to judge automatically and admissions tutors read hundreds every year. They tend to rely more on personal impressions, rather than hard data like grades and the likes, which means there is room for you to make an impression even if your grades aren’t exceptional.
General Statement of Purpose
Some of the best personal statements fall under this category. Here, your selected institution will require you to write a personal statement in broader terms — a more common term used. Although it allows applicants more freedom, there are guidelines they must strictly follow.
As a general rule, you should describe yourself more regarding your expectations from the course or how you can add value to it. You also need to tailor your personal essay to the institution’s requirements, just as you would when writing “Response to a Question.” There is one difference, though. You can reuse parts of your statement in subsequent essays.
Legitimacy and Safety of Personal Statement Writing Services
Every day more students are relying on online services to improve the quality of their documents, and personal statements are no exemptions. A little bit of help never hurts, right? Sure, but while you’re online, you risk sharing your personal details with untrusted sources. This can create a breach of confidentiality and security and could compromise your safety.
While the internet is flooded with tons of online paper writing services, not all of them are legit or safe. Some of these providers claim to offer personalized papers. Yet, they fail to deliver on their promises. And many of those who have used them report their experience as being less than excellent and regret ever hiring them.
For this reason and more, you should take precautions before contacting any professional personal statement. Reviews, such as this one are there to guide you. And whatever you do, don’t share confidential information that could compromise your identity.
Pros and Cons of Hiring a Personal Statement Writer Online
Here are some of the obvious advantages that you will get if you decide to buy personal statement:
Relieve yourself of the burden of writing your personal statement and focus on other tasks, saving time and effort
Spice up your paper professionally by choosing from the various options and features offered by the best personal statement writing service
Easily maintain the quality of writing since the online writing services comprise experienced writers
Expect a personalized, original and engaging customized essay free of plagiarism at any time
Save more money by using discounts and get money-back offers whenever you wish
Hiring a personal statement writer for your personal statement editing also come with potential drawbacks, including the fact that:
You can’t be sure of finding the best-custom essay writing services since they are offered by many
If you have a tight budget, then you might require some time to find a service that is within your budget and can still deliver top-quality material. It may require several trials and errors, which could cost you more time and money
You risk divulging your personal details to an untrustworthy source, which may result in impersonation, theft, and even a threat to life
It could make you overdependent and less creative over time
Consider these factors before hiring any personal statement writer service. As much as it provides freedom, you shouldn’t abuse it.
Who Will Write My Paper?
The answers depend on the online agency you hire. Reputable writing services employ experienced native speakers or certified non-native speakers who can write your personal statement perfectly. These professionals are thoroughly vetted to deliver high-quality content. This implies that your personal statement will be 100% original and on par with your school’s admission standards.
Is it Confidential to Hire Professional Personal Statement Writers?
Generally, yes. When you hire a professional personal statement writer, your information remains confidential. This means that, for one particular service you hire, the provider will not ever use your contact details, financial details or other private info to get a good name for it and attract more customers. You can submit the document as the “original writer.”
Also note that your reputation is on the line when you choose an agency, as subpar or plagiarized content can threaten your overall credibility. Hence, always hire a writing service with proven results and experience.
A personal essay is an important part of a college or university application that can make you stand out from other applicants. As such, it should be taken seriously. But if you don’t have the skills, time or freedom to pull this off, then consider hiring an online service for writing personal statement essays.
A professional writer can save you time and money by producing a high-quality writing piece that will impress your admissions officers.
Article paid for by: Ocasio Media | 2022-12-17T03:42:22Z | www.mercurynews.com | The 5 Best Personal Statement Writing Services: Hire a Professional Writer Online | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/16/the-5-best-personal-statement-writing-services-hire-a-professional-writer-online-2/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/16/the-5-best-personal-statement-writing-services-hire-a-professional-writer-online-2/ |
Library district launches new webpage, keeps…
Patrons can check out libraries via virtual, video tours
Community librarian Clare Varesio talks about the Cupertino Library as part of a video tour on the Santa Clara County Library District’s new webpage. The webpage features video and 360-degree virtual tours of the district’s eight libraries, as well as its Bookmobile. (Courtesy photo)
The district launched a webpage at sccld.org/virtual-tours that lets online visitors explore each library, including the Cupertino branch, from their electronic devices.
The video and virtual tours also highlight services and resources at each library, and the new webpage contains links to the Library’s Fast Facts listing key statistics, its 2023-28 Strategic Plan and Library Locations page.
“Being a five-star library system in the heart of Silicon Valley, we want to provide residents with a cutting-edge, immersive experience of our libraries,” said County Librarian Jennifer Weeks in a statement. “We had overwhelmingly positive feedback about our video tours and hope that the new 360 virtual tours will be a similarly useful tool and encourage everyone to visit all of our library locations.”
Online offerings helped the district keep its five-star rating in 2022 and retain its title as a Star Library for the 15th straight year. The Library Journal ranked the district second overall among U.S. library systems with budgets of more than $30 million. The district was fifth in the rankings in 2021.
“This is a wonderful way to wrap up the year and recognize the hard work and dedication of our staff,” Weeks said. “Our team brings their A game every day, and this declaration is recognition of that.” | 2022-12-18T15:49:06Z | www.mercurynews.com | Library district launches new webpage, keeps 5-star rating – The Mercury News | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/18/patrons-can-check-out-libraries-via-virtual-video-tours/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/18/patrons-can-check-out-libraries-via-virtual-video-tours/ |
Rabbit art, spelling bees and pedestrian…
Events designed to aid Ukraine, test students, improve traffic safety
Elementary and middle school students can register for the Cupertino Spelling Bee, set for Jan. 21,
Rotary hops to art project
The Rotary Club of Cupertino and the Foothill-De Anza Foundation are spearheading a public art project to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit in 2023.
About 25 rabbit sculptures will be decorated by local artists and placed in visible locations around the city beginning in the Lunar New Year through fall 2023. Bidders can purchase the rabbits at a public auction at the close of the exhibition; the first $10,000 raised will go toward helping build residences in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Additional net proceeds from the auction will fund Rotary-supported initiatives such as Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley, SunWork solar panel installations and Winterfest at Via Services.
For information on how to participate in the art exhibition, including how to become a sponsor or artist contributor, visit http://cupertinorabbits.com.
Pedestrian scramble
It may sound like the opposite of a traffic safety move, but Cupertino’s first pedestrian scramble is actually designed to help folks walk across the street without worrying about cars crossing their path.
During said scramble, traffic lights at the intersection of Bubb and McClellan roads will all turn red to allow pedestrians to cross any leg of the intersection. The scramble will start in mid-January and will happen during school commute hours.
Cars will not be allowed to turn right on red when pedestrians are scrambling, and the walk signal will be on in all directions.
Cupertino Spelling Bee
Elementary and middle school students can register for the Cupertino Spelling Bee at reg4rec.org. The bee is set for Jan. 21, 2023, 1-5:30 p.m. | 2022-12-18T15:49:12Z | www.mercurynews.com | Rabbit art, spelling bees and pedestrian scrambles in Cupertino – The Mercury News | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/18/rabbit-art-spelling-bees-and-pedestrian-scrambles-in-cupertino/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/18/rabbit-art-spelling-bees-and-pedestrian-scrambles-in-cupertino/ |
Sponsored: Dive into a new-home lifestyle by…
Dive into a new-home lifestyle by the water
Lucky for those who live here, the Bay Area and Northern California climate allows for waterfront activity nearly all year long. In addition, our region’s builders offer several communities for people who regularly feel drawn to the water.
What could be better for a water lover than living within walking distance or a short drive to rivers, lakes, canals, the Pacific Ocean or S.F. Bay?
That’s no rhetorical question. Even better than a water lover living close to the water is the ability to do so in a newly built home and community.
Builders continue to build out new-home communities near the San Joaquin River, the forks of the Sacramento River, San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay, Folsom Lake and much of the California Delta.
They’ve even found and created new-home opportunities at watersheds, canals and lakes springing from many of these bodies of water.
In some cases, the community itself includes direct access to water. In others, the Delta or rivers are just minutes away and builders have incorporated elements into the home plans that make it easy to take advantage of the water.
Whether moving into a new home in a water-lifestyle community or a new home within a short drive from the water, plan ahead to simplify the transition to this new stage of life.
Storage makes a splash
Perhaps not as glamorous as enjoying a relaxing sunrise fly-fishing fishing float, storage for water toys makes all the difference for an easy life near the water.
Got kayaks, canoes, Jet Skis, paddleboards, water skis, tubes, fishing gear, a boat or perhaps just a bunch of inflatables and rafts? You’ll need a place to put them where they’re easy to access and out of the way.
Builders with communities that are on or near water have already thought of this. In certain communities, standard home plans include three-car garages, two-car plus tandem garages or extra-deep two-car garages. These provide homeowners a place to store items securely and get to them when the perfect day on the water beckons.
Some communities may allow RV or boat parking below the fence line out of view from the street. Ask about the possibility of pouring a concrete pad behind or along the side of the house, hidden from view.
Other communities, especially those near bigger lakes, rivers or waterways, offer the option to rent space at an on-site storage facility.
Meanwhile, larger master-planned developments on or near water have long docks, piers for day use for residents and for guests based on availability. Some even offer permitted long-term boat storage.
Other ways to store lighter-weight items include ordering wall-mounted racks, custom storage racks, hooks, sling set systems or stands in the garage.
Ask the builder if any neighbors have shared how they store their water toys. And plan to install your storage solution before move-in time.
Get together out of the water
Water brings people together. As a result, within and around waterfront communities, water lovers will find no shortage of canoe clubs, boating clubs, fishing groups, and even youth and adult water-sports teams.
Even within a larger master plan in a waterfront area, each neighborhood can forge its own identity. Miles and miles of walking and hiking paths, parks and waterfront sitting areas connect each neighborhood to the next. Residents enjoy the sense of community.
Based on demand, several new-home communities have even built — or are planning to add — boathouses, restaurants, clubhouses, docks, decks, play spaces and more. Others are located across the street or less than 5 miles from public water access points.
When determining which community is best for your lifestyle and needs, be sure to ask each builder or developer where you can find groups to connect with online and in person.
Make weekend dreams permanent
Builders in water-lifestyle communities are noticing a trend among certain buyers. Some people, especially those who are ages 55+ and still actively involved in their careers, consider a second home on the water; they’ll spend weekends there now and move in permanently upon retirement.
Many of these people have built equity from decades of homeownership. Using some of that equity, they will purchase a new construction home in a waterfront community to get away for the weekends and recharge on the water with new neighbors and friends.
The plan for some is that, at retirement, they will sell their primary home and move permanently to their waterfront new home for an active new lifestyle. For others who are able, the primary home will remain in the family as the new primary residence for grown children and grandchildren. That way, everyone is close but the new homeowners get the exciting retirement oasis they’ve earned. | 2022-12-19T12:28:54Z | www.mercurynews.com | Dive into a new-home lifestyle by the water – The Mercury News | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/19/dive-into-a-new-home-lifestyle-by-the-water/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/19/dive-into-a-new-home-lifestyle-by-the-water/ |
Quarterback Justin Fields reached 1,000 rushing yards for the season and the Chicago Bears defense had three takeaways Sunday at Soldier Field.
But neither was enough to stop the Philadelphia Eagles from recording their 13th victory of the year.
But they sealed the win with another Hurts 1-yard touchdown run with 4:20 to play. Hurts also ran in the 2-point conversion attempt for a 25-13 lead.
In the third quarter, the Bears scored after their third takeaway when Mike Pennel forced Miles Sanders to fumble and Gordon recovered. Three plays later, Fields’ 10-yard touchdown pass to David Montgomery cut the Eagles lead to 17-13.
‘Highlight reel’ Justin Fields draws more praise — but Bears lose 7th straight. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts on the draft order, Cairo Santos and more from Week 15.
Reports are ‘encouraging’ after Bears guard Teven Jenkins goes to the hospital with a neck injury — one of several key losses
Fields broke free for a 39-yard run midway through the second quarter, and David Montgomery followed with a 9-yard touchdown run. Cairo Santos missed the extra point, so the Bears led 6-3. Santos has missed extra points in three of the last five games.
After Houston-Carson intercepted Hurts and returned it 18 yards to the Eagles 25-yard line, the Bears lost yardage on a Fields fumble and a Fields sack on separate plays.
The Bears had fourth-and-27 at the 31-yard line but passed up a 49-yard field-goal attempt and opted to punt, with Trenton Gill landing the punt at the 9.
The Eagles took a 3-0 lead on Jake Elliott’s 32-yard field goal with 11:50 to play in the second quarter. Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson had a nice pass breakup against A.J. Brown in the end zone on second down to help hold the Eagles to the field goal.
Gordon made his second interception of the season on a deep pass from Hurts to Brown in the first quarter. Gordon’s takeaway gave the Bears the ball at their 17-yard line, but they didn’t take advantage, stalling when Fields was sacked for a loss of 14 yards on third down. | 2022-12-19T19:40:37Z | www.mercurynews.com | Week 15 recap: Justin Fields makes history (again) in the Chicago Bears’ 25-20 loss – The Mercury News | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/19/week-15-recap-justin-fields-makes-history-again-in-the-chicago-bears-25-20-loss/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/19/week-15-recap-justin-fields-makes-history-again-in-the-chicago-bears-25-20-loss/ |
Dublin, St. Francis move into the Top 10. Monte Vista, Priory, The King’s Academy enter the rankings.
Courtney Anderson Jr., shown here going up for a dunk against San Ramon Valley last season, and his Dublin teammates are ranked eighth in the latest Bay Area News Group Top 20. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) | 2022-12-20T18:03:38Z | www.mercurynews.com | High school boys basketball rankings: Bay Area News Group Top 20 | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/20/high-school-boys-basketball-rankings-bay-area-news-group-top-20-2/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/20/high-school-boys-basketball-rankings-bay-area-news-group-top-20-2/ |
By Bud Geracie | bgeracie@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
The Spartans flopped again, losing 41-27 to Eastern Michigan in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Tuesday in Boise. Two years ago, in the Arizona Bowl, SJSU lost 34-13 to Ball State.
In that game, the Spartans were wiped out by Covid, losing several key players and both their offensive and defensive coordinators in the days leading up to the game.
Turnovers played a key role. SJSU, which had turned the ball over only six times all season, turned it over three times Tuesday.
this story will be updated; please check back | 2022-12-21T01:10:22Z | www.mercurynews.com | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Eastern Michigan beats San Jose State | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/20/san-jose-state-lays-an-egg-in-potato-bowl/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/20/san-jose-state-lays-an-egg-in-potato-bowl/ |
He says he needs to find someone “foolish enough to take the job”
File photo: On Monday, after more than 17 million users had voted — 57.5% of whom said Elon Musk should resign — the billionaire executive addressed the results only indirectly. He suggested that future Twitter polls could be restricted to paid users of Twitter Blue, the company’s subscription service. | 2022-12-21T02:46:00Z | www.mercurynews.com | Elon Musk says he will step down as Twitter CEO - eventually | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/20/elon-musk-says-he-will-step-down-as-twitter-ceo-eventually/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/20/elon-musk-says-he-will-step-down-as-twitter-ceo-eventually/ |
Where to Buy a Research Paper? Purchasing…
By Anthony Mata | amata@bayareanewsgroup.com |
Are you a uni student struggling to complete your research papers? Maybe your English isn’t that strong, or you don’t have adequate time on your hands. But your grades go down when you fail to submit an impressive research paper. Thankfully, students can now buy research papers online.
But most students get stuck on “where can I buy a research paper.” While you will come across multiple paper writing services online, not all of them are authentic and trustworthy. Finding a writing service that can deliver plagiarism-free papers can get difficult. So, we have created a list of the top 5 services to buy original research papers.
Buying Research Papers Online – Top Websites
🥇 Studdit.com – Best Choice 2023
🥈 MyAdmissionsEssay.com – Affordable Prices
🥉 PaperHelp.org – Best Customer Service
EssayOneDay.com – Scientific Paper Experts
EssayBox.org – Fast Delivery
Studdit.com – Original Research Papers Only
If you wish to buy a research paper within a minimum deadline of 3 hours, Studdit.com is the best option. The website has an impressive pricing policy for writing from scratch. The pricing depends on the deadline, the level of writing, and the number of pages.
The pricing for a maximum deadline of 20 days is as follows:
High school – $10 per page
College – $12 per page
University – $18 per page
Ph.D. – $20 per page
The pricing for a minimum deadline of three hours is as follows:
Studdit.com also offers a 10% bonus for each order, along with multiple email offers. The website also runs a referral program that provides a 10% bonus and the ability to pay for new orders with it. Another major advantage of Studdit.com is its intuitive and engaging website interface.
The ordering process is quite easy and requires you to fill up a simple form. But students can choose between two types of ordering methods, including Quick and Extended. If you don’t have too many instructions to add to your assignment, you can always select the Quick method.
Even though all the writers are fluent in English, they are divided into three categories. Therefore, students can choose between basic, advanced, and top writers for their research papers. If you are buying research papers online from Stuiddit.com, it means that all instructions have been thoroughly followed.
Easy ordering
Native English writers
Academic papers of different levels and subjects
No option to pay later
No writing samples are available
MyAdmissionsEssay.com – Affordable Prices
The website is owned by a popular academic writing company called Search Novations Inc. They primarily offer writing services to help high schoolers get into college. However, their services are not restricted because they also offer the following services:
Calculations (Accounting, STEM, and more)
Posters and PowerPoint presentations
Business writing (CV, resume, cover letter, and more)
Placing orders on the website is quite easy, and students can either log in using their Facebook, Google, or email account. You will have to enter basic details like paper type, deadline, academic level, and word count. Moreover, you can also add info like the topic, subject, number of references, and more.
When it comes to getting admission help, the pricing seems quite high. Otherwise, it’s decently priced for all services, including editing and proofreading. For instance, you will have to pay around $65 for a 5-page essay within a two-week deadline.
If you intend to buy a research paper with citations from recent studies, you won’t be disappointed by the writers at MyAdmissionEssay.com. Overall, the writing style and quality are pretty good. However, some work is necessary when it comes to transitioning from one sentence to another.
While you can’t get refunds from them, you will come across various offers and even a VIP program to purchase a research paper. The customer support team can cope with their responsibilities quite well. You will be impressed by the feature to pick an advanced writer when you need a high-quality assignment.
Fast response
Attractive VIP program
Can pick advanced writers for important assignments
No refunds available
Poor transition between sentences and paragraphs
If you plan on buying a research paper from a well-known service, PaperHelp.org is your best solution. The writing service has been impressing students for quite a long time now. Apart from offering high-quality paper, the writing service is also known to have affordable pricing.
You can also expect an overall pleasant experience on the website. The ordering process is fast and intuitive, and you usually won’t have to contact the support team. But you can always get in touch with the support team for any queries and expect a reply within a few minutes.
The company takes only writers with top-notch skills on their team. Therefore, you can only expect professionals to work on your research paper. However, you will still be able to choose between basic, advanced, and top writers.
The paper writing service is quite cheap and offers multiple revisions to students. You will have to pay around $12 per page with a 14-day deadline. The writing will be original, and you can expect almost no grammatical errors in the assignments.
The writers are capable of presenting their arguments in a logical manner. The central idea of the papers will be clear to the readers. Moreover, the entire content will be well-developed, with a smooth transition from one sentence to another.
The website is quite impressive for users and comes with a pleasant color tone. The homepage is clutter-free and easy to navigate. Even users who aren’t tech-savvy will be able to find the different services on the page easily.
Students will also come across a price calculator tool on the front page. It enables them to get an estimate of how much they will have to pay for the paper they need. With a research paper from PaperHelp.org, you are likely to get a grade on the higher side.
Consistent writing style
No grammatical errors and silly mistakes
Intuitive and easily navigable website
Extra charge for a plagiarism report
EssayOneDay.com lets students buy a research paper online from any corner of the world. The number of active writers on the website is around 400. The minimal yet pretty design of the website will attract users instantly.
The website offers a variety of writing services, but the most popular ones are as follows:
The website has been offering writing services for more than seven years. When you have research papers to buy, you will have to pay around $7.50 per page on EssayOneDay.com. While the price for high school-level papers is $7.50, it is around $14 for college papers and $18 for university papers.
The price can reach $27 for the master’s level and $35 for Ph.D. You will also have to bear extra for all the additional services you need. For instance, you will have to pay $14.99 for an abstract page and $9.99 for a plagiarism report. You will also have to pay $14.99 for high-priority articles.
However, the pricing policy of EssayOneDay.com is quite transparent. You will also find a pricing calculator on the website. It will help you estimate the total amount that you will have to pay for your research paper.
But the question is whether the price is worth the quality of the paper. The website claims to have experienced and professional writers on the team. While the writing is quite decent, you will find occasional formatting and grammatical errors.
But you can opt for free revisions quite a few times and get rid of all the mistakes in your papers. Moreover, you can also expect your research paper to be delivered on time. The website also offers a 5% discount to new customers, and some discounts are also present for returning customers.
One of the lowest prices for high school-level papers
Available for students all over the globe
The website is clear and easy to navigate
Native and ESL writers
Pricing can be quite high
The customer support team can be a little slow at times
Formatting and grammatical errors
When you are in urgent need to buy a research paper, EssayBox.com won’t disappoint. The writers associated with the website can deliver your research paper within the shortest deadline of 3 hours. The maximum deadline period can go beyond 15 days.
While you can get a high school-level paper within 3 hours at $34, the price will go as high as $65 for a Ph.D. paper within the same deadline. You will also have to bear extra for various services like a plagiarism report, copy of references, and page summary. If you want your paper to be checked by an editor, you will have to pay around $5 extra.
Both new and recurring customers can get discounts when they place an order for more than 15 pages. You can also opt for unlimited revisions within ten days of receiving your paper. If it’s a dissertation, you can opt for unlimited free revisions for up to 20 days.
While you might not find ENL writers, you will come across ENL writers who are quite proficient.
You can pick writers by checking out their educational qualifications. You won’t be able to communicate with the writers directly and need to convey all information while placing your order.
Some writers find the ordering process to be a little complicated. Moreover, students also have to share their email ID, which most of them are reluctant to do because of marketing spam. But the good thing is that you can specify everything about your assignment while placing the order.
EssayBox.org customer support is available 24*7, and students can reach out via phone, live chat, and more. But the reps are not fluent in answering all the questions. However, you can ask for free pages like the title page and table of content by contacting the support team.
Discounts for new as well as recurring customers
ESL writers with top qualifications
Ability to pick writers after checking their qualifications
Additional charges for plagiarism reports and more
Customer support is not too prompt with answers
Hopefully, our review guide will help you stop wondering where to buy research papers. You shouldn’t shy away from hiring professional writing services when you are struggling with your research papers. But if you are seeking help, always settle with a trustworthy and genuine research paper writing service.
You don’t have to worry about getting caught by professors when taking help from a reliable research paper writing service. They will understand the requirements of your assignments and work accordingly to help you score well in your semester. Moreover, they will do their best to avoid plagiarism and write original papers so that you can impress your professors.
How can I pay if I want to buy a research paper?
Trustworthy paper writing services in the US let students pay using multiple methods like credit cards, cryptocurrency and e-wallets like PayPal. Moreover, the payment methods are safe and secure.
Can essay writing services deliver assignments on time?
Reliable paper writing services will be able to deliver your assignments on time. Most paper writing services offer refunds for failing to deliver an assignment on time.
Is buying a research paper online secure?
Buying a research paper online is secure as long as you are choosing a reliable service. Remember to check the reviews of the paper writing service and determine its authenticity before proceeding with it.
Are research paper writing services legit?
Yes, research paper writing services are legit if you have chosen a trustworthy company. They help students perform better in their academics by taking care of their assignments.
Does buying research papers mean plagiarizing?
When you buy your research paper from a reliable service, you don’t have to worry about plagiarism. The writers associated with top essay writing services are professionals and deliver plagiarism-free content. If you can prove traces of plagiarized content using an efficient tool, most writing services offer a refund.
Anthony Mata | 2022-12-21T19:40:03Z | www.mercurynews.com | Where to Buy a Research Paper? Purchasing Research Paper Online Guide | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/21/where-to-buy-a-research-paper-purchasing-research-paper-online-guide/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/21/where-to-buy-a-research-paper-purchasing-research-paper-online-guide/ |
The Warriors might’ve hit rock bottom Wednesday in Brooklyn.
Playing without five players, including three starters, the reigning champions were embarrassed with a uneven 143-113 rout at the hands of former teammate Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets.
Brooklyn dominated the first half. Kevin Durant shrugged his shoulders after draining a mid-range basket that kickstarted a 20-2 run for the Nets over a 6:53 stretch in the opening stanza. | 2022-12-22T03:12:36Z | www.mercurynews.com | Warriors close out nightmare road trip with lopsided loss to Nets – The Mercury News | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/21/warriors-close-out-nightmare-road-trip-with-lopsided-loss-to-nets/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/21/warriors-close-out-nightmare-road-trip-with-lopsided-loss-to-nets/ |
More than 1,500 flights nationally cancelled; local airports also affected
Frigid temperatures and severe storms dotted much of the country’s northern region, and airlines were bearing the brunt. At 8:15 a.m., Thursday, 1,508 flights within, into or out of the United States had been cancelled and 1,983 were delayed, according to Flight Aware. It was possible those numbers could rise, according to the airlines.
San Francisco Airport spokesman Dennis Zamaria said 16 flights were cancelled Thursday at that airport, though not all because of the weather. Officials at Mineta San Jose Airport were not available to comment. That airport’s flight board listed 10 cancellations.
Oakland Airport spokeswoman Kaley Skantz said they were not releasing delay or cancellation numbers at the request of individual airlines.
“While it is unlikely that we will have severe weather impacts to airport operations here on the ground at OAK [sic], there is a chance that our airline partners that operate at OAK may have delays and cancellations due to the severe weather in other parts of the country,” Skantz said in emailed statement. “Our absolute best advice for passengers at this time is to download their airline’s mobile application on their smartphone and enable notifications. This is the best way to ensure that passengers receive the most up-to-date information about their travel itenerary.”
The unstable weather is expected to last through Christmas, and so is the difficult traveling. According to Flight Aware, 778 flights Friday into, out of or within the United States alreadya had been cancelled, and 14 flights on Saturday also were cancelled. | 2022-12-22T16:58:56Z | www.mercurynews.com | Bay Area: Holiday travel affected by severe U.S. weather | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/22/nasty-weather-throughout-u-s-making-christmas-travel-a-headache/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/22/nasty-weather-throughout-u-s-making-christmas-travel-a-headache/ |
Cupertino city government ‘a house divided,’…
“Rather than resorting to ‘who to blame,’ we need to value that we are ‘in this together!'” she wrote.
The report specifically cited Paul, who left the council in December, and Councilmember Kitty Moore, who remains on the new council, for “councilmanic interference” in attempting to circumvent the city manager’s direction of the city staff on behalf of the council as a whole.
Hung Wei elected Cupertino mayor at councilmembers’ inauguration ceremony | 2022-12-22T19:43:33Z | www.mercurynews.com | Cupertino city government 'a house divided,' civil grand jury report says | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/22/cupertino-city-government-a-house-divided-civil-grand-jury-report-says/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/22/cupertino-city-government-a-house-divided-civil-grand-jury-report-says/ |
Of San Jose State’s 12 recruits, three players come from the transfer portal with experiences playing in the FCS and the ACC.
LB Alexander Cobbs (6-4, 215) Long Beach (St. Anthony)
Had 10 tackles in a game and is a two-time all-Del Rey league selection.
CB Jay’Vion Cole (5-10, 165) Cal Poly/ McClymonds (Oakland)
Sophomore led Cal Poly with four interceptions this past season and helped McClymonds win the CIF Division 3A state championship in 2021.
CB Imari Conley (5-10, 180) Fresno (Central)
Flipped his commitment from Fresno State to San Jose State just 24 hours before signing day.
RB Quali Conley (6-0, 210) Utah Tech/Central (Fresno)
Junior rushed for 1,095 yards and eight touchdowns this past season at Utah Tech.
OL Luke Griskey (6-4, 265) Huntley, Illinois (Huntley)
Was named 2021 Football University Top Gun national Gatorade offensive line MVP.
DL Vaka Hansen (6-1, 295) Orange (St. John Bosco)
All-Trinity League first team in 2021 and second team in 2022.
DB DJ Harvey (5-11, 190) Virginia Tech/Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth)
Sophomore was primarily used on special teams for Virginia Tech, where he returned nine punts.
WR Kenyan Higgins (6-4, 170) Antioch (Pittsburg HS)
He had a trio of touchdowns in two different games this season and won the CIF 1-A regional championship with Pittsburg.
TE Amaehu Kopa-Kaawalauole (6-5, 210) Ewa Beach, Hawai’i
Won all-state honors and played four seasons of varsity football as a tight end and wide receiver.
LB Noah Mcneal-Franklin (6-1, 215) Contra Costa College/St. Patrick-St. Vincent (Vallejo)
DB Hunter Nowell (6-2, 195) Orange (St. John Bosco)
He won the CIF State Open Division championship with St. John Bosco two weeks ago.Was a 2022 pre-season JuCo All-American.
DL Tavarius Pitts (6-3, 260) Contra Costa College/Mays HS (Georgia)
He recorded three sacks and four tackles for loss in a single game and was a first-team All-American.
DB Isiah Revis (5-10, 195) City College of San Francisco/ Liberty (Henderson, Nevada)
He had a career-best eight tackles and two forced fumbles in a game against Laney College and was an all-conference safety selection. | 2022-12-22T19:48:53Z | www.mercurynews.com | College football: San Jose State recruiting class has local flavor | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/21/sjsu-football-spartans-recruiting-class-includes-five-with-local-ties/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/21/sjsu-football-spartans-recruiting-class-includes-five-with-local-ties/ |
Martinez: Refinery flaring report under…
Martinez: Refinery flaring report under investigation
MARTINEZ — Hazardous-materials team members with Contra Costa’s health department were investigating reports of flaring at a refinery Thursday night.
The refinery has drawn increased scrutiny from county officials and department staff members for several recent flaring episodes, as well as the airborne release of more than 20 tons of hazardous metal-laden dust over a six-hour period that began around 9:30 p.m. Thanksgiving night. | 2022-12-23T06:40:32Z | www.mercurynews.com | Martinez: Refinery flaring report under investigation | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/22/martinez-refinery-flaring-report-under-investigation/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/22/martinez-refinery-flaring-report-under-investigation/ |
Prep roundup: Dougherty Valley’s backcourt…
Ryan Beasley, Connor Sevilla lead Dougherty Valley. In girls basketball, Mitty, Salesian win at national tournament in Arizona.
By Joseph Dycus | jdycus@bayareanewsgroup.com and Jesús Cano | Bay Area News Group
No. 2 Dougherty Valley 61, Heritage 38
A few hours after finishing final exams, Dougherty Valley’s players aced their last test before the holiday break by routing Heritage 61-38 in a non-league road game Thursday night.
The Wildcats, No. 2 in the Bay Area News Group boys basketball rankings, improved to 10-0 behind their trio of dynamic senior guards. USF commit Ryan Beasley dropped a game-high 19 points, Connor Sevilla scored 12 and Jordan Silva had eight.
When one of the three was cut off from a scoring opportunity, the veteran backcourt looked comfortable moving the ball around the perimeter until someone got an open shot.
“A lot of us played AAU basketball together, so we’ve had that chemistry for a long time,” Beasley said. “You definitely see it on the court.”
Heritage (4-7) kept the game close for a while and only trailed 10-9 after ending the first quarter on a 9-3 run.
“It’s a little bit different playing in a 4 p.m. game instead of a 7 p.m. game, so it took us a little bit to get going,” Beasley said.
Dougherty Valley took control soon after, though, with Silva scoring eight points in a second quarter that finished with a 30-19 Wildcats lead.
“Jordan had a heck of a week of practice, and I knew he’d be good tonight,” Dougherty Valley coach Mike Hansen said. “Conner and Ryan are obviously college-level guys, and I think a D-III college is also going to be very happy to get Jordan, too.”
Heritage’s Jeremiah Ruffin played well and tallied 11 points, but Dougherty Valley had too much talent for the Patriots to overcome.
Forward Blake Hudson added 10 points and gave the Wildcats some interior scoring to complement their three superb guards.
“Our depth is one of our strengths,” Hansen said.
No. 5 De La Salle 56, Sacred Heart Cathedral 43
De La Salle (8-2) extended its winning streak to three games after beating visiting Sacred Heart Cathedral (4-3). Billy Haggerty (14 points), Alec Blair (13 points) and Arshawn Salkhi (11 points) led the way for the winning side. Fedrick Pernell and Jerry Mixon Jr. scored nine points for SHC.
No. 8 Dublin 80, Kennedy-Fremont 50
Mehki Thomas led Dublin (9-3) with 13 points as the Gaels rolled past visiting Kennedy-Fremont (5-3) in a non-league game. Dublin’s Jalen Stokes (12 points), Evan Bautista (11 points) and Donovan Cooks (10 points) scored in double digits.
No. 18 Monte Vista 53, St. Mary’s-Stockton 51
Kasen Krueger scored on a floater in the final seconds to give Monte Vista a non-league win over visiting St. Mary’s. Krueger totaled 12 points, Sean Ahern scored 10 points and Cade Krueger had 10 points for the Mustangs, who improved to 9-2.
No. 2 Archbishop Mitty 62, Sacred Heart-Kentucky 46
Maya Hernandez scored 21 points and Mckenna Woliczko had 18 points and 15 rebounds in Mitty’s win over Sacred Heart-Kentucky in the Tournament of Champions in Phoenix. Mitty improved to 9-2.
No. 4 Salesian 67, Bellarmine Prep-Washington 58
Sofia Fidelus scored a career-high 20 points for Salesian (8-2) in a victory over Bellarmine Prep in a TOC game. Nyana Asiasi (13 points), Maya Love-Sangco (11 points) and Makiah Asidanya (11 points) finished with double-digit scoring for the winning side.
No. 6 San Ramon Valley 72, Freedom 32
San Ramon Valley, playing at home, extended its winning streak to six games after its rout of Freedom. Sofia Bowes (13 points), Anneka Lupinek (12 points) and Gianna Ghio (12 points) finished with double-digit scoring for San Ramon Valley, which improved to 7-1. Freedom fell to 1-9.
No. 20 Monte Vista 60, Capuchino 24
Monte Vista’s Sarina Nagra made five 3-pointers as part of a 23-point game in the Mustangs’ rout of Capuchino in a tournament game. Monte Vista is 8-2.
Alisal 2, No. 3 Archbishop Mitty 1
Eric Meth scored off an assist by Jonah Guardino in Mitty’s loss to host Alisal in a non-conference game. Archbishop Mitty dropped to 3-2. | 2022-12-23T15:49:13Z | www.mercurynews.com | Prep roundup: Bay Area boys and girls basketball, and prep soccer | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/23/prep-roundup-dougherty-valleys-backcourt-propels-wildcats-to-big-win-in-boys-basketball/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/23/prep-roundup-dougherty-valleys-backcourt-propels-wildcats-to-big-win-in-boys-basketball/ |
VTA lease displaces two long-time San Jose…
VTA lease is set to displace two popular downtown San Jose merchants
Transit agency plans to use space BART station public info office
Umbrella Salon at 2 North Market Street in downtown San Jose, December 2022.
SAN JOSE — A regional transit agency’s pursuit of an information office for future BART stations in downtown San Jose is poised to displace two long-time merchants in a prime location.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has struck a deal to lease space on the ground floor of 2 North Market St. in San Jose, which is at one of the busiest intersections in the city’s downtown.
The VTA’s rental deal, though, will displace two tenants: Umbrella Salon, a popular spot to get haircuts in San Jose; and a well-known sandwich shop, Erik’s DeliCafe.
The owner of the building is an affiliate controlled by Madrone Ventures, a San Jose-based real estate firm whose chief executive officer is Tamara Current, according to state and county recorders, and Current’s LinkedIn page.
Erik’s Deli Cafe at 2 North Market St. in downtown San Jose, December 2022. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)
According to Kien Hoang, Umbrella Salon’s owner, Madrone Ventures declined to renew the salon’s lease, which forced the merchant to find new digs.
“Yes, of course I would like to stay,” Hoang said in a recent interview with Bay Area News Group. “We’ve been here for about 14 years.”
Umbrella Salon will cease operations at the corner of North Market Street and West Santa Clara Street on Christmas Day.
“It’s hard when you put in all that work to build up a business,” Hoang said.
Starting Monday, Dec. 26, Umbrella’s salon services will resume at Ivo Salon, 1725 S. Bascom Ave. in Campbell.
Sometime in the summer of 2023, Umbrella Salon aims to launch a new permanent Campbell location, Hoang said.
Erik’s DeliCafe is expected to move across the street, sources familiar with the situation said.
The VTA is leasing about 5,900 square feet, said Ron Golem, VTA’s director of real estate and transit-oriented development. The actual amount of usable office space works out to 5,200 square feet.
“The 2 North Market building is going to be the location of VTA’s new downtown service center,” Golem said. “It will be a public information office for the development of two new BART stations.”
Even so, the rental deal will oust two merchants that have thrived in downtown San Jose, have served customers on a long-term basis and helped to attract people to the city’s urban core.
“As tenuous as downtown San Jose is in a post-COVID world, displacing two viable tenants downtown is disappointing,” said Bob Staedler, principal executive with Silicon Valley Synergy, a land-use consultancy. “Umbrella Salon and Erik’s DeliCafe really provided activation for that corner.”
VTA has drawn criticism for its eminent domain proceedings and ongoing efforts to seize ownership of properties and oust businesses in downtown San Jose and east of the downtown in locations where three BART stations are being planned.
One current VTA property quest has stoked concerns about the transit agency’s plans to seize a retail, restaurant and residential building with addresses at 91 and 97 East Santa Clara St. in San Jose.
The business tenants that potentially would be displaced if the VTA completes its quest to take ownership of the parcels include Enso Bar and Nightclub, Mexico Bakery, and 3rd and Bourbon restaurant. Residential tenants will be obliged to find new homes.
In the case of Umbrella Salon and Erik’s DeliCafe, the VTA is a tenant that has signed a lease for the ground-floor space now occupied by the two successful merchants.
The train stops for which VTA hopes to provide public information services are BART’s Downtown San Jose Station near First Street and Santa Clara Street and the Diridon Station near the corner of West Santa Clara Street and Cahill Street.
“We conducted a very exhaustive search for space in downtown San Jose before we picked this location,” Golem said.
Ultimately, it’s up to a private property owner to determine whether it prefers to lease space to a new tenant or to extend the lease of an existing tenant. Bay Area News Group requested comment regarding the situation from Madrone Ventures CEO Tamara Current, Madrone vice president of real estate Jared Gamelin and a broker with a leasing sign on the building, Doug Yoder. None had responded by midday Friday.
The VTA is paying $4.55 per square foot per month and agreed to an annual increase of 3% in the lease rate, according to Golem.
“We consider this a competitive rate with other ground floor space in a prime location in downtown San Jose,” Golem said.
Staedler agrees this is a choice site, and called on the VTA to ensure its tenancy will benefit the area.
“I really hope the VTA has plans to create an active use to replace the current tenants,” Staedler said. “It’s an extremely important corner for the downtown.”
Even in the face of Umbrella’s departure, salon owner Hoang has high hopes for the currently moribund downtown, which has been devastated by the economic fallout from coronavirus-linked business shutdowns.
“Hopefully, someday we will return,” Hoang said. “We really care about the community in downtown San Jose.” | 2022-12-23T19:54:00Z | www.mercurynews.com | VTA lease is set to displace two popular downtown San Jose merchants | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/23/san-jose-downtown-vta-lease-displace-retail-real-estate-transit-store/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/23/san-jose-downtown-vta-lease-displace-retail-real-estate-transit-store/ |
The 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge twin ultimate…
You are what you drive: A bottom line review
The 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Ultimate Electric SUV (Volvo Internet Media)
By Tony Leopardo |
The Bottom Line: What is an XC40 recharge? The XC40 Recharge is an all electric luxury subcompact SUV, based on the gasoline engine powered Volvo XC40 small crossover, and is part of a growing class of premium electric SUVs. The 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge has all the visual appeal of the gas version, except it’s powered only by electricity. It’s quick, stylish, refined, and it competes with other small electric luxury SUVs, including the Tesla Model Y, Audi Q4 E-Tron, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
The XC40 Twin has two electric motors powered by a 78 kWh Lithium Ion high voltage battery with 402 HP horsepower and 486 pound-foot of torque. Power is then routed through a shift-by-wire single speed transmission into a permanent all wheel drive (AWD) traction system. This all electric Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Ultimate is a very nimble and stable SUV.
As the gasoline powered XC40 is charming and practical, the 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge maintains all of the charm, while substituting an electric powertrain that can get 223 miles of battery powered driving range. The fuel economy rating is 92 MPGe in city driving, 79 MPGe in highway driving, with a combined overall rating of 85 MPGe. As this is a pure electric vehicle, the smog ratings are both a 10 out of 10, and the Volvo XC40 Recharge produces zero greenhouse gas emissions and zero smog output.
To prove that point, this week Volvo sent me a 2022 XC40 Recharge Twin Ultimate AWD Electric SUV to test drive and review. The base window sticker price for this Twin Ultimate model is $58,150. The two options on the press car are the metallic paint for $695, and the heated steering wheel for $150. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including the $1,095 destination charge, is: $60,090.
After adding in the state and local sales tax, plus the DMV and dealers fees, the total out-the-door and in-your-garage purchase price came to $67,601. As the average transaction price of all new all electric vehicles are now at $66,000, this Volvo XC40 Recharge AWD Twin Ultimate Edition is in the average range for all electric vehicles sold today, and because this is an upscale Ultimate AWD Edition, you get a lot of car for your money.
The Ultimate Edition XC40 has a removable and folding rear-load floor, keyless entry and keyless drive, a power operated tailgate, power folding rear seat head restraints, Homelink garage door openers, front and rear parking assist, a power passenger seat, headlight high pressure washing and cleaning sprayers, a Pilot assist drive system, adaptive cruise control, a heat pump, 360-degree surround view cameras, a Harman Kardon audio system, and 20-inch double spoke, diamond cut, black alloy wheels.
Luxury and convenience starts with a panoramic moonroof with a power sunshade, leather and suede seat inserts, black contrast roof, mirror caps and window trim, gloss black roof rails, a charcoal headliner, a color-keyed coordinated front grill, a front cargo trunk compartment – now called a frunk – keyless entry with illuminated door handles, power and heated front seats with memory, inductive smart phone charging, front and rear braking assist, two-zone automatic climate control with clean zones, interior high level illumination, a decor dash inlay, dark tinted side door glass, and a power liftgate.
The Volvo XC40 Recharge is both stylish and powerful, and comes in three different trim levels: Twin, Twin Plus and Twin Ultimate. The Volvo XC40 Recharge pure electric is worth the money for consumers in the market for a luxury subcompact electric SUV, with engaging driving dynamics, updated technology, and covered with the best-in-safety, comfort, security and convenience amenities, all for under $68,000.
And how much does it cost to fully recharge an electric car? Using the U.S. household average from June 2022 of about 15 cents per kWh, it would cost about $59 per month to charge an electric car. With gasoline costing around $5 a gallon, with an average expense of $200 a month, electric cars are now looking like a smart buy in the daily driver class.
When you’re ready to buy a new subcompact all electric crossover SUV, the 2022 Volvo XC40 should be at the top of your ride-and-drive list as it’s one of the best priced, and fully optioned, premium crossover electric SUVs for sale in the subcompact class. Call, click or visit your local Volvo dealer for a test drive, and a Bottom Line price review on the Volvo XC40 Recharge. And remember that the base price for a new 2022 XC40 Recharge starts at only $51,700. Volvo – For Life.
Be smart, stay safe, and just breathe. Remember, “You Are What You Drive”© And maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should “Drive one, Buy one, Today”.
This Bottom Line new vehicle review is a “Nut & Bolt and Dollars & Sense” editorial provided by Tony Leopardo. “Tony the Car Guy” is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to tonyleo@pacbell.net and visit AutoWire.Net at www.autowire.net
Sponsored Auto Content
Tony Leopardo | 2022-12-24T19:56:34Z | www.mercurynews.com | The 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge twin ultimate electric SUV | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/23/the-2022-volvo-xc40-recharge-twin-ultimate-electric-suv/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/23/the-2022-volvo-xc40-recharge-twin-ultimate-electric-suv/ |
“I know all of you think of me as arrogant,” the Queen of Hearts confided to Alice as the players at the Mad Hatter’s took a tea break.
“Why would anyone think such a thing, your majesty?” Alice asked, trying not to smile.
The Red Queens, who had been kibitzing, had argued heatedly. The Queen of Hearts blustered that she was the most powerful card in Wonderland, and no ace or king would dare capture her.
“If my cousin were any more self-absorbed,” the Queen of Diamonds told Alice, “she would be a roll of toilet paper. Everyone knows it can be better to lose a trick than win one.”
“Don’t listen,” the Queen of Hearts insisted. “The truth is, I can be quite modest.”
North-South, the Dormouse and the Hatter, bid to 3NT, and Alice, West, led the king of spades. East discouraged with the three, and the Hatter played low. If he took the ace and led a club, East would win and return a fatal spade.
Alice saw that another spade lead would be futile. To have a chance, she had to find East with something in hearts. She was about to lead the deuce when she felt the Queen of Hearts’ penetrating gaze; so Alice led the queen.
The Hatter was doomed. If he took the ace and forced out the ace of clubs, East would lead the king and another heart, and Alice would score the seven and ten for down one. Nor would it help declarer to duck the queen of hearts.
“See?” the Queen of Hearts said triumphantly. “If you lead a low heart at the second trick, the contract is made.”
And Alice had to admit that so it was.
D A Q 2
C K Q J 10 4 2
S K Q 10 9 5
1 C Pass 1 H 1 S
2 C Pass 3 NT All Pass | 2022-12-25T11:35:44Z | www.mercurynews.com | Bridge: Dec. 25, 2022 – The Mercury News | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/25/bridge-dec-25-2022/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/25/bridge-dec-25-2022/ |
Saratoga community leaders look forward to a…
Mayor Kookie Fitzsimmons: ‘I’m inspired by the possibilities’
Saratoga community leaders raise a glass to 2023 inside the villa at Montalvo Arts Center. Back row from left are Saratoga Chamber of Commerce President Tiger Teerlink, Saratoga Historical Society President Annette Stransky, Cancer CAREpoint co-founder Gay Crawford, Saratoga Sister City Co-president Reiko Iwanaga, Chuck Page, Saratoga City Councilmember Chuck Page, Saratoga Rotary Art Show Co-chair Alba Alamillo and Saratoga Foothill Club President Kristin Gragnola. Front row from left are Saratoga Fire District Commissioner Gene Zambetti, Jill Hunter of the Saratoga Village Development Council and Montalvo’s executive director Angela McConnell. (Photo by Debby Rice)
By Debby Rice | Saratoga News and Los Gatos Weekly Times
The new year is a time of new beginnings. After years that presented both challenges and opportunities, Saratoga leaders hope to put COVID-19 in the rearview mirror and look ahead to the new year.
“Between the diversity and collaborative energy of this new council, I’m inspired by the possibilities,” Newly installed Saratoga Mayor Kookie Fitzsimmons says.
The new year is rife with possibilities for Saratoga High School students. “We are excited to celebrate the Class of 2023,” principal Greg Louie says. “Their freshman year was interrupted by COVID, their sophomore year was defined by distance learning, their junior year was about transitioning back to school and their senior year has challenged them to lead their peers and teach them what it means to be a Falcon.”
Alba Alamillo, co-chair of this year’s Saratoga Rotary Fine Art Show, says attendees should look for some new twists. “We’re already busy planning the show, held May 6-7 at West Valley College, an event which returns significant proceeds to our community.”
Saratoga Fire Protection District Commissioner Gene Zambetti says he’s looking forward to providing the community with “the most efficient fire and emergency service. This includes fire prevention, firefighting, rescue, emergency medical services and other threats to life and property. This year it is proposed to develop a Bohlman Road escape route and fuel break.”
Jill Hunter of the Saratoga Village Development Council says the Village will sparkle in 2023. “New historic banners will be put up, spring flowers will be planted in the 14 large urns located along Big Basin Way, and events will be as fun and exciting as before. Love Notes, Saint Patty‘s Party, Witchy Walk About, America the Beautiful, and the wreath contest will be back.”
The Saratoga Classic and Cool Car Show will also return to the Village in 2023; the show is set for July 23. “It’s the most talked-about event in Saratoga and a win/win/win for the participating Saratoga merchants, proud show car owners and thrilled spectators,” says new Saratoga Chamber of Commerce President Tiger Teerlink.
Representatives of cultural organizations are looking forward to celebrating the new year.
“New Year’s is the biggest holiday in Japan,” says Reiko Iwanaga co-president of Saratoga Sister City. “Stores close for days so that people can visit families and friends. We send proper New Year’s greetings to the mayor of our Sister City of Muko and to the leaders of the Muko-Saratoga Sister City Association.”
Hakone Estate and Gardens will kick off the new year with its Lunar New Year Festival on Sunday, Jan. 29. “Springtime means cherry blossoms, and we will host Hanami at Hakone, presented by NETGEAR, with night viewings of the cherry blossoms,” says Hakone’s executive director Shozo Kagoshima.
The Saratoga Foothill Club will start the new year with a public lecture by Dr. Anil Rama, MD, who will give tips on “Achieving Better Sleep” on Jan. 19. “Our exterior project, to restore to our clubhouse to Julia Morgan’s original design, is complete and looks beautiful,” says club president Kristin Gragnola. “And we always look forward to hosting the annual Memorial Day remembrance.”
Executive director Angela McConnell says Montalvo Arts Center has a full lineup planned for in 2023. “Montalvo’s Lucas Artists Program will hold an open call for California artists, and patrons will be welcomed to Montalvo’s fabulous biennial gala, “Fly Me To The Moon,” on Saturday, Feb. 11. Another exciting season of live performance including music, dance, and comedy is on the way. Through all these avenues, we are executing on our No. 1 strategic priority of increasing accessibility to and a sense of belonging at Montalvo.”
The Saratoga Historical Foundation and Museum is hosting a Jan. 28 talk by orchardist Andy Mariani about orchards past and present. “We plan to continue to provide the community with interesting in-person and Zoom lectures and exhibits on local history, and new walking tours of the community,” says foundation president Annette Stransky.
Here’s wishing us all a Happy New Year!
If you have business or social news about Saratoga, please let me know: debby@debbyrice.com.
Saratoga Village
Debby Rice | Guest Columnist | 2022-12-26T15:52:30Z | www.mercurynews.com | Saratoga community leaders look forward to a positive new year – The Mercury News | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/26/saratoga-community-leaders-look-forward-to-a-positive-new-year/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/26/saratoga-community-leaders-look-forward-to-a-positive-new-year/ |
Why ‘Marvel Snap’ tops my 2022 game of the year…
Second Dinner’s card battler “Marvel Snap” is the perfect game that can fit anywhere in your life
7. “Splatoon 3” — Nintendo finally put together all the pieces and created a family-friendly shooter that’s packed with content for all sorts of players. The competitive gamers will find a robust online mode that’s less onerous than previous entries. Fans of cooperative play will find plenty of reasons to jump into Salmon Run Next Wave.
Kirby still has his copy ability that lets him steal powers from his enemies, and players can upgrade them as they save more Waddle Dees. On top of that, the puffball has a Mouthful Mode that lets him swallow large objects such as cars or vending machines, giving him ways to open up new areas and beat powerful enemies.
9. “Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope” — The follow-up to one of the best strategy games in ages is even better than the original. “Sparks of Hope” maintains the unpredictable and combo-heavy nature of its combat system, but this time around, Ubisoft Milan and Ubisoft Paris refine it even more, giving players more freedom while also increasing the depth thanks to the introduction of Sparks that add modifiers to attacks and abilities.
10. “Gran Turismo 7” — Although Sony’s flagship racing franchise has lost ground to the “Forza” series, Polyphony Digital’s latest entry showed off that the developer still has plenty in the tank. The team doubled down on the sim aspect of the series creating an experience that feels great on the DualSense controller. | 2022-12-26T20:30:28Z | www.mercurynews.com | Why the mobile title 'Marvel Snap' tops my 2022 game of the year list | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/26/why-marvel-snap-tops-my-2022-game-of-the-year-list/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/26/why-marvel-snap-tops-my-2022-game-of-the-year-list/ |
Best Sports Betting Apps (2023) Ranked for…
Tired of visiting your local bookie whenever a big event rolls around? The best sportsbook apps will not only save you the drive, but actually offer a superior product.
Better odds across popular markets, more unique bets and promos, and on-the-couch-convenience make mobile betting the hottest gambling sector of the day.
That’s why we’ve searched for the best mobile betting apps that work flawlessly on your computer and smartphone, so there’s no excuse to miss the next big game.
BetOnline was our #1 pick overall, but we’ve got five runner-ups that give it a run for its money.
Best Sports Betting Apps Online
BetOnline: Overall best sports betting app.
Bovada: Best for market variety.
MyBookie: Best for horse racing.
Sportsbetting.ag: Best for e-sports coverage.
Everygame: Most reputable online sportsbook.
BetUS: Best for crypto bonuses & risk-free bets.
1. BetOnline – Best Mobile Betting App Overall
365 traditional casino games
Up to $1,000 in free bets
Smooth, instant-play betting app
9.75% credit card deposit fee
BetOnline got their start way back in 2004, and they’ve aged like fine wine over the years. They’re one of the best mobile casinos for both casual players and veterans, with millions of players having placed sports bets here also.
Market Variety: 4.7/5
BetOnline is a great online casino, but they’re a phenomenal sportsbook platform as well. They’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty, offering coverage that spans over 30+ mainstream and novelty markets! Football, basketball, and horse racing are their staples.
You can construct same game parlays or build unique prop bets that match your risk tolerance!
Additionally, their live betting categories include college football, table tennis, darts, e-sports, and hockey on an international scale. They’ve integrated their site with Twitch, so bettors won’t have to leave BetOnline to watch the action unfold in real-time.
Free Bets: 4.8/5
Use the promo code “BOL1000” with your first-ever deposit at BetOnline. For your trouble, you’ll claim a $1,000 “no-sweat” first bet! They’ll match your initial transaction by 50% up to $1,000.
New sign-ups will have 30 days to satisfy BetOnline’s 10x wagering requirements before cashing out any profits.
The only restricted categories are live betting and horse racing, which leaves you with 29 different markets to choose from.
What also sets BetOnline apart from other sports betting apps is their 25% anytime reload bonus up to $250, a great incentive to keep existing players loyal.
BetOnline accepts debit card payments, bank wire transfers, and 18 forms of cryptocurrency.
If you haven’t read the small print just yet, they make their preferences crystal-clear with an unavoidable 9.75% credit card deposit fee. Really, it’s in your best interest to use Bitcoin here.
On the bright side, crypto gamblers will enjoy fee-free payouts ranging from $20 to $100,000 per transaction! You can expect to see your winnings in 1-2 working days.
BetOnline’s website doubles as an “instant-play” mobile app, allowing new sign-ups to access their favorite money lines without external downloads. Their user interface is highly intuitive, and beginners won’t have to conquer a steep learning curve – just deposit, click and place your bet!
All their available markets, money lines, and live sports betting options remain accessible through the sidebar. If you want to see the action unfold, you can watch live-streamed events and place in-game wagers on your smartphone.
Explore tens of markets at BetOnline with up to $1000 in sportsbook bonus cash!
2. Bovada – Best Online Sportsbook App for Market Variety
Endless money lines
Up to $750 in free bets
Great live betting options
Fluid mobile experience
Dual + late lines
Bovada launched in 2011, though they’ve been online in some fashion dating all the way back to the 1990’s. They’ve taken just over a decade to become the world’s largest online sportsbook. If you’re searching for unmatched variety, look no further!
Market Variety: 5/5
Bovada stands out from the crowd with a leading selection of 31+ international markets. They also post odds that other sportsbooks wouldn’t dare to touch, and Bovada’s unique prop builder puts all the power in your hands. No matter what you’re here to bet on, Bovada has a line for it.
They add spice to their collection of money lines with daily specials and long-term futures that reward accurate predictions with Instagrammable payouts! Horse racing, college basketball, ice hockey, rugby, table tennis, and even virtual sports are on the menu.
When you need a change of pace, their numbers game is always a good place to put your money. Unfortunately, late lines (and dual lines for skilled gamblers) prevent Bovada from claiming our top spot.
Use the promo code “BTCSWB750” with your first Bitcoin deposit at Bovada – they’ll credit your initial transaction with a 75% match up to $750. Fiat players can get a piece of the action too, but cash gamblers will only qualify for a maximum of $250 in free bet credits.
Either way, you’ll have 30 days to satisfy Bovada’s 5x wagering requirements.
On the bright side, nothing is off-limits here! You can wager on the horses, explore 32+ traditional sports markets, and take advantage of live betting opportunities.
For a full list of bonuses, check out Bovada bonus codes.
You can use a debit card, voucher, and 5 forms of crypto to bet with Bovada. They accept payments made via Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Tether, and Litecoin. However, you’ll have to deposit $20 or more through Bitcoin to qualify for Bovada’s $750 sportsbook bonus.
Players can withdraw the same $20 minimum through BTC, and every crypto transaction you make is free of charge! Crypto gamblers will receive their earnings within 24 – 48 hours.
Bettors who’d rather take an old-school approach will face nominal processing fees, higher-than-average payout minimums of $100, and 5-7 day wait periods.
Bovada’s mobile app is optimized for smaller phone screens, tablets, and laptops. So long as you have a working Internet connection, you’ll enjoy a premium sports betting experience from anywhere!
Their user interface is easy to get the hang of, and tapping on each icon feels gratifying in its own right. You’ll find yourself placing one-click-wagers, initiating payouts, and browsing through live betting options like a bona-fide professional.
Claim Bovada’s $750 sports betting bonus!
Related: Bovada Review
3. MyBookie – Best Sports Betting App for Horse Racing
Covers 27 international race tracks
Thoroughbred, harness & greyhound betting
Hosts 27+ traditional sports markets
50% sports bonus worth up to $1,000
Simplistic, mobile-friendly interface
Feels cramped on smaller screens
High deposit minimum for bonus
As you might expect from the name, MyBookie is the best mobile sportsbook app for horse racing enthusiasts. They launched in 2014, and they’ve grown into a behemoth over time!
MyBookie caters towards sportsbook veterans with 27+ traditional markets, but most bettors stick around for their unparalleled selection of horse racing lines. They cover thoroughbred, greyhound and harness events from 27+ popular international tracks.
From Canada and the United States to Japan and Sweden, you won’t find a more comprehensive selection elsewhere. The only thing that could make MyBookie even better is an option to live-stream horse races directly from their app, but we’re just nitpicking.
Plus, you can wager as little as $0.05 per event – you have no excuse not to get started.
Use the promo code “MYB50” with your first deposit at MyBookie – you’ll take advantage of their 50% sports welcome bonus. At the high end, big spenders can walk away with $1,000 in free bet credits.
You’ll have 30 days to satisfy MyBookie’s 10x playthrough requirements before your bet credits expire. Whether you choose to stretch the entertainment for a while or sink your bonus funds into Churchill Downs, it’s your call!
There are also lots of other MyBookie bonus codes to cash in.
Players can deposit funds with a debit card and credit card. It’s also one of the best Bitcoin gambling sites so you can use Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum. MyBookie doesn’t accept any e-wallets, so we’d highly recommend using crypto to bet on the horses here.
Regardless, the minimum deposit is $50 before receiving any bonuses. While this is an admittedly high deposit minimum, you can withdraw as little as $20 per transaction using crypto.
If you’re sports betting with cash, you’ll have to have a minimum of $100 to withdraw by bank wire.
MyBookie’s no download mobile app is designed to mimic an “old-school” sportsbook – veterans looking for a familiar format won’t be disappointed with the outcome.
It’s easy to find your preferred category, pick an event, and browse through American odds to locate your perfect wager.
Still, if you’re rocking an older mobile device, you’ll have to do some maneuvering to find your favorite odds. MyBookie’s interface feels a bit cramped on smaller screens, which is why we couldn’t give them perfect marks in this department.
Explore 27+ international race tracks at MyBookie!
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4. Sportsbetting.ag – Best Sportsbook App for E-Sports Coverage
Covers 10+ esports betting markets
28+ traditional sports categories
50% welcome bonus up to $1,000
Find your favorite lines on mobile
Website needs a face lift
High fiat transaction minimums
If you love video games, Sportsbetting.ag offers a way to bet on them for real money. They cover local qualifiers, regional semi-finals, and world championships across 10+ markets!
Sportsbetting.ag provides unmatched coverage for 10+ popular e-sports markets on an international scale. You’ll find tens of “early bird specials”, in-game wagers, and long-term futures that can set you up for success!
You’ll find competitive odds for DOTA 2, League of Legends, FIFA, NBA2K, Counter-Strike, Overwatch, Call of Duty and more! They’ve also integrated their mobile betting app with Twitch, so you can watch the action unfold and place your bets in real-time.
They’re also a “one-stop-shop” for 28+ traditional sports betting categories.
Use the promo code “SB1000” with your first deposit of $55 or more. You’ll receive a 50% welcome bonus worth up to $1,000 in risk-free bet credits! Thankfully, Sportsbetting.ag’s entire collection of e-sports markets are fair game – you’ll have a leg up on the competition by default.
Just be sure to satisfy their 10x wagering requirements within 30 days of redemption. This isn’t a difficult task by any means, especially if you have a game plan.
Feel free to explore their horse racing odds, 27+ mainstream markets, and novelty options with your extra sportsbook funds!
You can use a debit card, P2P transfer, money order, wire transfer, courier check, or around 20 forms of cryptocurrency to deposit funds at Sportsbetting.ag.
However, prohibitively high fiat transaction minimums require “cash-only” gamblers to foot the bill in more ways than one.
Fiat players will have to deposit and withdraw between $50 (credit and debit) and $1000 (bank wires) per transaction, and their 9.75% credit card fee won’t do you any favors either.
As always, we suggest using Bitcoin to stake your wagers. You’ll get away with a $20 transaction minimum, zero fees, and expedited payout speeds.
Sportsbetting.ag might need a face lift, but their instant-play no download app will appeal to “old-school” bettors. All their best odds are laid at your fingertips, and their website couldn’t be simpler for beginners to navigate!
Better still, our experts enjoyed quick and fluid loading speeds.
We didn’t encounter any noticeable lag while placing in-game wagers during an action-packed Twitch stream, which bodes well for e-sports gamblers.
Still, we’d like to see Sportsbetting.ag modernize their interface for a younger audience.
Bet across 10+ e-sports markets today at Sportsbetting.ag!
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5. Everygame – Most Reputable Sports Betting App Online
Got their start 40 years ago
Sports bonus up to $750
Coverage for 19+ markets
$50 million in monthly payouts
Modernized mobile layout
Not as much variety as we’d like
Everygame was formerly known as Intertops; and they’ve played an integral role within the sports betting industry for 40 years. Over that period of time, they’ve gone from a toll-free phone service to one of the world’s largest sportsbooks. Their reputation remains insurmountable!
Everygame offers a solid variety of mainstream sports categories; but they pale in comparison to sites like Bovada and BetOnline. Still, if you’re here for big-name events, they won’t steer you wrong. We found competitive lines that span over 19+ international sports betting markets!
American football, basketball, ice hockey, tennis, and boxing/UFC match-ups are their most popular selections.
You can bet on the next Powerball outcome, make stock market predictions, and flex your knowledge of US politics as you wager on the next presidential election.
Use the promo code “3XBOOST250” with your first 3 deposits at Everygame.
They’ll double each transaction up to $250, rewarding high rollers with a maximum of $750 in free bets. While their entire sportsbook is up for grabs, you’ll have to bet on minimum odds of -200 (1.5).
Beyond this, you’ll have 100 days to satisfy Everygame’s 4x wagering requirements. This works out to a little over a month for each portion of their welcome bonus. So long as you’re smart with your bets, this sports package is a fastball right down the middle.
You can use a debit card, Skrill, Neteller, Ecopayz, a bank wire, a courier check, and 3 forms of cryptocurrency to deposit funds with Everygame. A low, $10 deposit minimum unlocks each portion of Everygame’s triple-tiered welcome bonus.
Payout requirements range from $20 to $100 per transaction, which doesn’t stand out as unfair. However, e-wallet and crypto users will get the better end of this deal with 1-2 day withdrawal speeds. If you’re using a debit card to play here, expect to wait 3-5 days for your earnings.
Everygame might have gotten their start in 1983, but you’d never guess their middle-aged status from their modern-day no download mobile interface. They’ve put a lot of sweat into updating their user interface, and our experts are pleased with the results.
They easily compete with newer brands on the usability front – all their menu options load instantly, there’s no “freeze” or lag to mention, and one-tap-wagers feel silky-smooth.
Stake your bets with up to $750 in extra money at Everygame!
Here’s How We Picked the Best Sports Betting Apps
Sports Betting Markets
The best sports betting apps offer competitive odds across a wide range of popular markets. From UFC/MMA to Counterstrike and horse racing, older and younger bettors can easily find their niche. We gave priority to sportsbook apps with numerous “specialty” options.
Risk-Free Bet Credits
Our top mobile apps make it worth your while to get started with risk-free bet credits. After making your first round of deposits, you’ll receive free bets to use on your favorite sports! We gave a higher ranking to mobile sportsbooks with the most tempting financial incentives.
Top sports betting apps accept a broad variety of secure payment methods. You can bank your funds with numerous cryptocurrencies, several e-wallets, traditional wire transfers, or your debit card. Across the board, we prioritized online sportsbooks with the fastest payout speeds.
You won’t have to download any software to get started with the best online betting sites. Our top picks are optimized to work via your phone’s native web browser, allowing you to explore competitive odds while you’re on-the-move! That said, we’ve got a couple of app options too.
Why is BetOnline the Best Mobile Sports Betting App?
We’ve reviewed dozens of mobile sportsbook apps over the years, but BetOnline stands out from the crowd in 2023. Here’s why BetOnline is the best online sports betting platform!
Awesome Reputation: BetOnline launched in 2004, and they’ve been a recognized brand name for nearly two decades. They’ve earned a stand-out reputation for paying out winnings on time, promoting lucrative bonuses, and covering a large variety of sports markets.
Best-in-Class Odds: At BetOnline, betting on the fan-favorite feels like betting on the underdog. You’ll get more bang for your buck as you explore 30+ mainstream and specialty markets with best-in-class money lines at your fingertips.
Huge Bonuses: When you use the promo code “BOL1000” with your first deposit at BetOnline, you’ll receive a risk-free bet up to $1,000. It’s nearly impossible to find bonuses like these elsewhere! The next-best sportsbook app listed here will give you a maximum of $750.
Mobile Optimization: BetOnline’s instant-play app is fully optimized for mobile devices, and there’s no download required to get started. You can access their sportsbook directly through your phone’s native web browser, and all their menu options load within seconds.
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Why Should I Use Online Sports Betting Apps?
Even if you have a good relationship with your bookie, you should consider sports betting online.
From a wider selection of markets to better safety protocols, mobile sportsbooks treat their players like royalty. Here are some compelling reasons to make the switch!
Risk-Free Bets: We don’t know your bookie, but odds are that he won’t pay you before you place a bet. The best sports betting apps make it worth your while to get started with generous financial incentives – at BetOnline, you’ll receive up to $1,000 just for making your first deposit!
Guaranteed Payouts: Our top sports betting apps are licensed and regulated for your protection. You can expect guaranteed payouts, competitive odds, and a degree of personal security not offered by that shady guy in the corner of your local bar.
Wider Market Range: The best online sportsbooks cover dozens of mainstream and specialty markets! If there’s a way to gamble on it, you’ll find a line for it with one of our top picks. When you indulge with mobile sportsbook apps, it’s easy to expand your horizons from home.
24/7 Accessibility: Convenience is the biggest selling point for most sports betting apps. No matter where you are, what you’re doing, or what time of day you log on; you’ll always have a fresh selection of money lines at your fingertips.
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Guide to Using Sports Betting Apps
Are Mobile Sports Betting Apps Rigged?
No, the best sports betting apps aren’t rigged against you. Our top sportsbook apps are licensed and regulated by external gaming authorities. Licensed sports betting apps are held to a higher operating standard, and you can rest assured that you’re getting a fair shake.
You’ll enjoy fantastic odds, reliable payouts, and legitimate bonuses – talk about a no-sweat first bet!
How Can I Spot A Reputable Online Sports Betting App?
Without exception, reputable online sportsbook apps hold a valid license to operate. Our experts did the research for you, and our top picks are 100% safe to use. However, if you choose to deviate from our list, we’d encourage you to exercise extreme caution.
Unlicensed online sports betting sites can steal your money, present you with rigged odds, or even refuse to pay out winnings. Before signing up anywhere, check the bottom of your chosen site’s homepage for a certification or licensing badge.
Which Markets Can I Explore With Online Betting Apps?
With our top online sports betting apps, the possibilities are unlimited. Horse racing, UFC/MMA, football, basketball, soccer, e-sports, snooker, and even the Winter Olympics are just a handful of the sports betting markets we’ve come across online!
Bettors willing to expand their horizons a tad can wager on political events, celebrity drama, religion, and regional lottery draws. If there’s a way to gamble on it, you’ll find a suitable money line with one of our top picks.
Can I Download Sports Betting Apps to My Phone?
No, there’s no need to download the best online betting apps to your phone. Instead, you’ll unlock access to dozens of markets through your phone’s native web browser. It’s as simple as logging into your account, finding a suitable bet spread, and staking your first wager!
Our mobile apps for sports betting are fully optimized for smaller screens, tablets, and desktop computers. No matter which device you have, all you need is a working Internet connection to get started.
How Should I Choose the Right Sports Betting App for Me?
Before you pick the best sports betting apps for you, you should consider your “must-have” features and determine what you’re willing to compromise on. Although BetOnline scratches the ceiling, there’s no such thing as the perfect mobile sports betting app.
Depending on your favorite market, you’ll want to go with a certain sports betting app.
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Comparison of the Top 5 Mobile Sports Betting Apps
BetOnline: BetOnline has been around since 2004, and they’ve maintained relevance nearly two decades later. You’ll explore 30+ popular markets with a risk-free bet up to $1,000. Just use the promo code “BOL1000” with your first deposit of $55 or more to get started now.
Bovada: Bovada claims to be the world’s largest online sportsbook. With 32+ betting markets and counting, we’re ready to take them at their word. If you’re looking for unparalleled variety, use the promo code “BTCSWB750” with your first BTC deposit and get up to $750 in free bets.
MyBookie: MyBookie covers tens of regional and international racetracks for thoroughbred, harness and greyhound betting. Before we cut you loose, consider their awesome bonus. Use the code “MYB50” in the cashier to unlock a 50% bonus worth up to $1,000 in bet credits.
Sportsbetting.ag: Sportsbetting.ag appeals to a younger audience with unmatched coverage for 10+ e-sports markets. From local qualifiers to world championships, you’ll find everything you need right here. Claim your 50% sports welcome bonus up to $1,000 right now.
Everygame: Formerly known as Intertops, Everygame came from humble beginnings in 1983. Over the years, they’ve gone from a phone service to one of the largest online bookmakers on the market. They’ll match your first sportsbook deposit by 100%, giving you up to $750 in free bets.
How to Sign Up With the Best Mobile Betting Apps
If you’ve never gambled with a sports betting app before, you might be wondering how to get started with our top picks.
Using BetOnline as our example, we’ve created a step-by-step guide that breaks the sign-up process into bite-sized chunks.
Go to the BetOnline website
Click the green “Join Now” button
Fill out any requested information
Click on “Create Account” to proceed
2. Verify Your Phone Number
Look for a verification code from BetOnline
Paste your code in the appropriate field on their website
3. Deposit & Claim Your $1,000 Risk-Free Bet
Go back to BetOnline’s homepage
Click on the “Banking” tab
Next, click on “Deposit Now”
Enter the code “BOL1000”
Choose your payment method
Fund your account with at least $55
Start betting on 30+ sports for real money!
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Ready to Sign Up at the Best Sports Betting App?
Each sports betting app here offers 24/7 convenience, unmatched variety, and generous financial incentives. Better still, you can put all the fun in your back pocket. So long as you have cellular service, you can stake your wagers from anywhere!
Let’s face it – your local bookie can’t compete with established sportsbook brands.
We’d highly recommend BetOnline for players on the fence, but we’d eagerly suggest getting started with any of our runner-ups. There’s something for everyone listed here, and there’s never been a better time to witness the future of sports betting.
Whatever sportsbook app you decide on, we remind you to gamble responsibly.
Click here to get started with BetOnline!
Are you suffering from a gambling problem, or do you know someone that does? If so, it’s crucial to call the National Gambling Helpline without further ado at 1-800-522-4700 to seek help from one of the numerous advisors. Speaking to these professionals is instrumental in making gambling a safe venture for you and your loved one. You also have to be aware that gambling sites and other related products are for those aged 18 and above.
Several casino sites listed in our reviews might not be available in your region. To this end, you might want to go through your jurisdiction’s local laws and rules to have an idea of online gambling’s legality.
If you’d like some top-notch information that focuses on gambling and everything in-between, check out these organizations: | 2022-12-28T20:08:02Z | www.mercurynews.com | 6 Best Sports Betting Apps for iOS & Android Ranked by Mobile Betting Performance, Odds, and More | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/28/best-sports-betting-apps/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/28/best-sports-betting-apps/ |
Clayton Valley Charter is the new No. 1 team after two wins improved the Ugly Eagles to 8-0.
Sacred Heart Prep stayed steady at No. 2.
De La Salle continued its slide down the rankings after losing to James Logan and Servite.
Seven of the Top 15 teams did not play last week.
Update: Beat Freedom 3-1 and Heritage 1-0.. | 2022-12-28T20:08:04Z | www.mercurynews.com | High school boys soccer rankings: Bay Area News Group Top 15 | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/28/high-school-boys-soccer-rankings-bay-area-news-group-top-15-2/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/28/high-school-boys-soccer-rankings-bay-area-news-group-top-15-2/ |
Chance of a vacancy: 0.0001 percent. The NBA could come calling one day. More likely, Gonzaga will come calling after Mark Few retires. That’s probably several years away (and we’re not convinced Lloyd would accept the offer).
Chance of a vacancy: 5 percent. The Hotline won’t rule out a collapse that leads to Hurley’s dismissal or a strong finish that leads to a job offer he cannot refuse. Both outcomes are unlikely. Neither can be completely ignored.
Chance of a vacancy: 95 percent. Anywhere else, and the likelihood of dismissal would be eight trillion percent. (Actually, Fox already would have been fired by any other school … except Stanford). But Cal is a tough gig, the standards aren’t exactly lofty, and the public pressure to make a change is modest.
Chance of a vacancy: 0.1 percent. Deion Sanders was a multi-sport player. Maybe he has designs on becoming a multi-sport coach, and CU doesn’t have a baseball program. (Kidding! We are kidding!) It’s tough to see the almost-60-year-old Boyle coaching anywhere else, and he isn’t getting fired.
Chance of a vacancy: 15 percent. Oregon won’t terminate the winningest coach in school history; the 64-year-old Altman would have to initiate the change himself. Whether that move comes this spring, next spring or maybe in 2025, it’s much easier to envision than at this point last season.
State of affairs: Ghastly, except when compared to the dumpster fire that raged in Corvallis last season. The Beavers have better chemistry and just might win a few in league play. #progress
Chance of a vacancy: 2 percent. Our prediction might seem low, but consider: The administration brought Tinkle back after he overhauled the roster and committed to a youth movement, so why make a change just one year into the reclamation project? Also, the football success buys OSU time with basketball.
Chance of a vacancy: 33 percent. We thought a coaching change was coming last spring — how much mediocrity can one school tolerate? — but the administration stuck by Haase and cited Stanford’s “young nucleus of talent.” So far, there are no signs of that talent being maximized.
Chance of a vacancy: 0 percent. We reserve the right to adjust our outlook in March if any of the powerhouse programs in the Big Ten or ACC experience vacancies. Once a Midwesterner, always a Midwesterner.
Chance of a vacancy: 0 percent. We reserve the right to adjust our outlook in March if any of the powerhouse programs in the Big Ten or ACC experience vacancies. Once an Easterner, always an Easterner.
Chance of a vacancy: 5 percent. If Utah qualifies for the NCAAs, Smith instantly would become one of the hottest coaches on the market and a threat to make a cash dash closer to his roots in Minnesota.
Chance of a vacancy: 20 percent. The most likely outcome to this season (i.e., another mediocre finish) could generate fairly intense internal scrutiny. With football fixed, UW has the time and budget clarity to focus on hoops.
Chance of a vacancy: 10 percent. Smith seemingly is a prime candidate to bolt for richer pastures whenever WSU takes the next step: an NCAA Tournament berth. That’s a trade the Cougars would probably accept. | 2022-12-28T20:08:22Z | www.mercurynews.com | Pac-12 MBB Hot Seat update: Mark Fox leads the way as tumult looms | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/28/pac-12-basketball-hot-seat-update-as-the-conference-season-begins/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/28/pac-12-basketball-hot-seat-update-as-the-conference-season-begins/ |
Coach: Lynne Roberts (8th season)
Coach: Kelly Graves (9th season)
Coach: Adia Barnes (7th season)
Coach: Kamie Ethridge (5th season)
Coach: JR Payne (7th season)
Coach: Lindsay Gottlieb (2nd season)
Coach: Natasha Adair (1st season)
Coach: Tina Langley (2nd season)
Coach: Charmin Smith (4th season)
Outlook: The Bears’ strength-of-schedule (No. 240, one place ahead of Washington) is last in the Pac-12, so it’s hard to put great faith in the nine wins. That said, Cal had the toughest Pac-12 opener, losing 90-69 to Stanford, which is capable of repeatedly winning by that margin. Jayda Curry is the returning Pac-12 scoring leader, although her average is down from 18.6 to 15.8 points per game. Utah transfer guard Kemery Martin has made a difference for a team that needs collective rebounding. | 2022-12-28T21:39:54Z | www.mercurynews.com | Pac-12 WBB projections: Stanford, Utah atop; intrigue over NCAA bids | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/28/pac-12-wbb-projections-can-anyone-challenge-stanford-plus-plenty-of-intrigue-with-ncaa-bids/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/28/pac-12-wbb-projections-can-anyone-challenge-stanford-plus-plenty-of-intrigue-with-ncaa-bids/ |
Best Online Gambling Sites in Australia: Top 12…
The best online gambling sites in Australia are fully loaded with awesome casino games, betting options, and bonuses for Aussie players.
It’s just that finding them can get a little complicated with so many websites out there.
That’s why we’ve been ranking a whole ton of Australian online casinos on these criteria.
We picked Joe Fortune as our number one casino for Australian customers, but there’s plenty more to choose from that excel in different categories.
Best Online Gambling Sites in Australia
Joe Fortune: Best overall
Red Dog: Best for online pokies
Aussie Play: Best welcome bonus
Ricky Casino: Wide range of table games
Hell Spin: Perfect for live casino players
Bitstarz: Best for crypto players
7Bit: Biggest game variety
Casinonic: Massive welcome bonus package
Bizzo: Excellent design
Rolling Slots: Best for roulette
1. Joe Fortune — Best Online Gambling Site in Australia Overall
Near-instant crypto withdrawals
Welcome package worth up to $5000
Works great on mobile
250+ pokies from renowned developers
Hourly, daily, and super hot-drop jackpots
Only five live casino games
Joe Fortune was only launched in 2016, but it quickly battled its way through the rankings and now, thanks to a number of key factors, proudly sits at the top of our list of Australian online gambling sites.
Game Portfolio: 4.8/5
There are a little over 300 online casino games in total at Joe Fortune, which might not seem like an awful lot, but it’s the quality that counts, and Joe Fortune delivers that in abundance.
You’ll find slot games from some of the best software providers in the world here, including iSoftBet and RealTime Gaming. This means you’re bound to find some awesome pokies, video poker, blackjack and more.
You’ll also be able to find out loads of useful information about the games and about online casinos as a whole, thanks to a brilliant blog on the site. We recommend having a read of that to keep up to speed with the goings-on of the casino world.
Perhaps our only real issue with Joe Fortune as a whole is the lack of live dealer games. There are only five in total, which do cover the bases with blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, but we would like to see some spin-offs and game shows added in the future.
New Australian players at Joe Fortune can get their hands on a welcome package worth a whopping $5000 plus 30 free spins.
You’ll get 100% up to $2000 (plus all the free spins) on your first deposit, 65% up to $1000 on your second, and then 100% up to $2000 again on your third. Not bad at all.
If you choose to play with crypto, the percentages rise to 150% up to $2000, 75% up to $1000, and 120% up to $2000, respectively, which is hugely impressive.
Banking and App: 5/5
There’s no need to wait more than a day to see your money after you request a withdrawal at Joe Fortune. They have plenty of cryptocurrencies available to bank with (including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin), which means you can expect swift payouts if you use crypto.
If cryptocurrencies aren’t for you, there are plenty of other payment methods available. You can deposit and withdraw with credit and debit cards plus Flexepin and Neosurf.
No matter which payment you opt for, you can easily carry out your banking on either the mobile or desktop site. While there’s no downloadable app as such, it doesn’t matter, as the mobile site is excellent.
Here, you’ll be able to play the vast majority of the games from the desktop site and find your way around easily, thanks to some clever design work. Everything looks fantastic, too! We couldn’t ask for more on that front.
This online casino is truly a pokies specialist, and we love the welcome bonus, the variety of payment methods, and the site as a whole. With this combination of qualities, Joe Fortune deserves its place as our number one online gambling site in Australia.
Start playing real money games at Australia’s best gambling site, Joe Fortune
2. Ignition — Best Gambling Site in Australia for Poker
Double welcome bonus for casino and poker
Daily poker tournaments
Weekly GTDs over AU$2 million
Quick crypto withdrawals
Useful help forum and customer support
No eWallets
Of all Australian online casinos, Ignition is the king when it comes to poker. But you don’t have to be a poker fan to enjoy what’s on offer here.
As mentioned, our favourite thing about the Ignition game portfolio is its poker section. There are 8 awesome poker games to try out here, including some live ones.
Including poker, the total number of live casino games at Ignition at the time of writing is 34. That’s an impressive figure and should be more than enough to satisfy even the biggest live dealer gaming fans.
And besides playing live dealer games, Ignition allows you to play tournaments and cash games against other poker players in a shark-free environment thanks to anonymous tables preventing others from checking your hand history and other statistics.
However, the number of pokies here could certainly be better. There are just over 100, so big fans of pokies may find themselves running out of options pretty quickly.
The total welcome bonus at Ignition is worth up to $2000 in regular fiat currency or $3000 if you choose to pay with crypto.
You’ll get one match deposit bonus for the poker room and the other for online casino games. Those matched deposits are worth 100% for AUD or 150% for any of the four crypto options. For the crypto bonus, use the Ignition bonus code IGWPCB150
Interestingly, the wagering requirements for these bonuses are surprisingly low, considering their quality. You’ll only need to play through either of these bonuses 25 times.
Banking and App: 4.8/5
The quickest withdrawal times at Ignition are available through the 4 cryptocurrencies they allow you to bank with: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Ethereum. You should see your funds in your account in as little as 1 hour using one of these methods. Just keep in mind that it might take up to 1 day during peak days.
If you don’t want to bank with crypto, you’ll still get fast withdrawals. Ignition aims to process all withdrawal requests within 24 hours, so you should see the money in your bank very quickly – up to 5 days in total.
While Ignition doesn’t have a mobile app, we found the website to be really satisfying to use on either a mobile or desktop computer. It’s minimal, sleek and modern, and there’s great support available whenever you need it.
The Ignition forum is a great place to start and provides you with lots of information about the casino games themselves. If you need any direct support, you can reach out to the live chat team, who are available 24 hours a day.
Even with a slight lack of pokies, Ignition has cemented itself into our top online gambling sites in Australia thanks to a brilliant poker platform, top bonuses, and plenty of quick withdrawal methods.
Start playing poker at Ignition
3. Red Dog — Best Australian Gambling Site for Online Pokies
Latest pokies from RealTime Gaming
Vibrant and engaging site design
225% online pokies bonus
Free-to-play version of every game
The bright cartoon theme of Red Dog is pleasing to the eye, but the best bit about it overall is the awesome range of RealTime Gaming pokies you can play here.
The quality of the online slots at Red Dog is second to none. Here, you’ll find a bunch of top games, all developed by RealTime Gaming – one of the best pokies developers out there right now.
An interesting thing about Red Dog is that it lets you play all of these games free of charge before you get spinning for real money. You can use that free play to get a little practice or to find out if you like a game.
However, other than online pokies, the Red Dog game portfolio could do a bit of work for it to get the real top marks. It hasn’t got a whole lot of live casino games or regular video table games.
Right now, you can use the code WAGGINGTAILS to get a massive 225% deposit bonus on your first payment. You can use your bonus funds to play many of the online pokies on the site. You can use that same code up to 5 times in total and claim up to AU$12,250 if you max out your deposits.
This is actually one of the highest online casino deposit bonus percentages we’ve come across at any Australian online gambling site.
Beyond this particular promotion, Red Dog has a slew of other bonuses that you can explore when you create an account.
We found the Red Dog website to be a real treat to use, no matter which type of device you choose to access it on. It’s big, bright and bold, and that makes it visually engaging as well as easy to use, even on a small screen.
One thing that might make Red Dog unsuitable for some Australian customers is the minimum withdrawal. The threshold is $150, and it applies to all withdrawal options.
Other than that, the banking side of things seems pretty reasonable. You can get near-instant withdrawals with Bitcoin, Litecoin, or Ethereum or wait 1-3 business days to receive your money with credit and debit cards or any of the other payment methods.
The minimum deposit is AU$10 for Neosurf, and Red Dog doesn’t charge transaction fees.
It’s pokies and bonus galore over at Red Dog. And for many of our Aussie readers, that’s the ultimate combination for an online gambling site.
Use the WAGGINGTAILS code on your first deposit to claim a 225% pokies bonus at Red Dog
4. Aussie Play — Best Welcome Bonus of All Australian Gambling Sites
Welcome bonus worth up to $12,500
Visually appealing site design
Some of the best online pokies
Sitemap makes navigation slightly confusing
Top online gambling site Aussie Play has put it all on the line with its welcome bonus. While there are one or two areas that could use a bit of work here, it’s a more than solid number five.
You’ll find a little over 200 games at Aussie Play, the smallest number from our top online gambling sites today. Is that a problem?
For us, it’s not much of an issue, as they’re not any old games. Like Red Dog, all the pokies and video table games are developed by RealTime Gaming, which means you’ll be sure to find a lot of gems in there.
Again, there aren’t a lot of live casino games available at Aussie Play, but the ones they do have are pretty good. They’re powered by Visionary iGaming, which means they can be trusted to perform well via a high-quality stream.
Bonuses: 5/5
The piece de resistance of Aussie Play overall is the stunning welcome bonus available for all new players. In fact, you can choose from five of them with different combinations of free spins and matched deposits.
The most valuable package overall is worth an almighty $12,500 in deposit bonuses, but if you don’t want to max that out, you could always opt for one of the packages that have a lower max deposit but more free spins, for example.
There really is no other way to look at it, this is the perfect welcome bonus! And the fact that the wagering requirements are pretty standard really seals the deal.
Be aware that you’ll need to use a particular promo code for the bonus you want to take up. So, make sure you check out the ‘Promotions’ page on the site and make a note of the respective bonus code for your choice.
Aussie Play offers just the two cryptocurrencies for fast withdrawals, Bitcoin and Ethereum. It would’ve been nice to see a few altcoins available for payments as well, but having the big two here will satisfy most Aussie punters.
On the actual user experience side of things, Aussie Play does okay. It looks spectacular, with some of the most attractive graphic designs we’ve ever seen on an online gaming site in Australia.
However, we did find that the site layout isn’t the most practical in the world, and as a result, it can be a bit tricky to find your way around.
A welcome bonus as strong as this would be rude to pass up on. And as an all-rounder, Aussie Play ticks a lot more boxes than just that.
Claim up to $12,250 in deposit bonuses at Aussie Play
5. Ricky Casino — Best Australian Online Gambling Site for Mobile
Awesome mobile compatibility
Welcome bonus up to AU$7,500 + 50 FS
Low bonus wagering requirements
2,000+ pokies and other games
Flexible deposit and withdrawal limits
$55 minimum deposit to qualify for the welcome bonus
Anyone who likes to bet on the move will enjoy what Ricky Casino has to offer in the way of mobile gaming. There’s a lot more to it than that, though.
The total number of games at Ricky Casino stands at a touch above 2,000, which isn’t a bad haul for a site that joined the online gambling market in 2021.
Within that number, you’ll find pokies, blackjack and even a few online bingo games and other specialties like scratchies.
There are dozens of live casino games to enjoy here as well, including roulette, blackjack and baccarat.
And speaking of other gambling services, the sportsbook is really the only thing lacking here. So if you like to have a punt in between your online casino game sessions, you’d have to look elsewhere.
Ricky Casino offers an incredible welcome bonus package up to AU$7,500 and 500 free spins spread over your 10 deposits.
Once that’s all used up, you can grab weekly promos such as the Wednesday free spins bonus or a massive VIP bonus for all high rollers out there.
If you like to play online casino games on the go, Ricky Casino is the place to be. Its Windows app is downloadable on the website and we thoroughly recommend it.
The mobile site looks fantastic and allows you to play most of the games on the regular site, no matter whether you’re using iOS or Android.
Ricky Casino checks out for the most part on the payment side of things too. There are loads of instant withdrawal options, including cryptocurrencies.
Unfortunately, we’ve had to dock a few points in this category as Ricky Casino charges a fee for WebMoney payments. It’s definitely worth navigating your way around this by either using an eWallet or buying some crypto.
Ricky Casino strikes a brilliant balance between high-quality online casino games and rewarding bonuses – and does so in fine style on all devices, particularly mobile ones.
Click here to grab up to AU$7,500 plus 500 free spins at Ricky Casino
How We Ranked Our Top Aussie Online Gambling Sites
What good is an Australian online gambling site without a whole bunch of games? We’re looking for plenty of pokies plus roulette, blackjack, and other table games in both video and live forms. If they’re from high-quality providers, that’s even better, as we can tell they’re likely to be good games.
There are some strong welcome bonuses on our list of top online casinos in Australia. But it’s not just about throwing a massive matched deposit and a bunch of free spins at new players. The terms and conditions need to be fair so that players can have a chance of withdrawing their winnings.
Banking and App:
For this category, we ranked the number of payment methods available with a particular focus on payout times. We also checked out how easy this process is, noting the quality of the website and mobile app for each Australian online casino.
Online pokies in NZ
Fast payout casinos
Online gambling sites in Canada
Best gambling sites in the UK
Why is Joe Fortune the Best Online Gambling Site in Australia?
We’ve picked Joe Fortune as the best Aussie online gambling site. But why is that the case? Here are the key things that won it the top spot for us.
Near instant deposits and withdrawals: Joe Fortune allows players to pay with cryptocurrencies, which means you’ll be able to put money in and take it out very fast most of the time, or up to 1 hour if the site is crowded.
Reliable and friendly: Not only does Joe Fortune offer 24/7 customer support to all players, but they also write a really useful and interesting blog about the casino world.
Generous bonuses: All new players at Joe Fortune can get up to $5000 in deposit bonuses when they sign up, and after that, there are even reload bonuses to get even more cash to play with.
Trustworthy game providers: The fact that the likes of iSoftBet and RealTime Gaming grace the list of software providers to the Joe Fortune game portfolio shows that the games are going to be reliable, fair and a lot of fun!
Why Should I Gamble Online in Australia?
Australia online gambling sites offer a few advantages that land-based casinos don’t. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Higher game RTPs: Generally speaking, pokies and some table games have higher payout percentages online than they do in their real-world counterparts.
More payment methods: You won’t find many real-world casinos that let you pay with crypto for a start. If you’re into crypto gambling or even using eWallets, online casino sites will be better suited.
Welcome bonus offers: Not many brick-and-mortar casinos offer new players a welcome bonus, and if they do, it’s hardly going to be as strong as those we’ve looked at today.
Play wherever you go: Most online casinos let you play their games on their mobile casino app or optimised website, which means you can play them wherever you can get an internet connection.
Guide to Online Gambling in Australia
Where Can I Gamble Online for Real Money in Australia?
There are many online casinos that accept players from Australia, but we ultimately recommend you start gambling for real money with the ones on this page, as we can’t vouch for any other casino that we haven’t reviewed.
Our top pick is Joe Fortune, followed by Ignition and Red Dog Casino.
What Are the Best Gambling Games to Play in Australia Right Now?
The most popular games for real money in Australia are online pokies. Outside of pokies, some other casino games to enjoy are video blackjack and live poker. If you’re looking for a pokie recommendation, we suggest you try A Night With Cleo at Ignition.
What are the Most Popular Payment Methods at Australian Gambling Sites?
Credit and debit cards are the most popular payment methods at gambling sites in Australia, but we’re seeing an increase in people using eWallets plus cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Each online casino in our top 5 allows you to deposit both via credit cards and cryptocurrencies.
Which is the Best Australian Gambling Site?
After reviewing numerous Australian online casinos and researching the online gambling industry down under, we’ve selected Joe Fortune as the best one you can join right now. It offers a lot of games and pokies from providers like RTG and iSoftBet, quick withdrawal times, and an epic welcome bonus of up to AU$5,000.
Comparing the Top 5 Online Gambling Sites in Australia
We’ve looked at a lot of information today, so let’s reflect on our top five online casinos in Australia one more time:
Joe Fortune: With lots of fast-withdrawal options, high-quality casino games, and a welcome bonus worth up to $5000, we’re confident that Joe Fortune is the best online gambling site in Australia right now.
Ignition: Ignition’s wide range of poker games and its split deposit bonus between the casino and poker section are the key reasons we love this online casino site so much. You can get 200% up to $2,000 for AUD deposits and a 300% bonus up to $3,000 for crypto.
Red Dog: Our top pick for online pokies offers over 200 games powered by RTG – many of which are progressive jackpot pokies – and a 225% pokies bonus that you can qualify for by using the code WAGGINGTAILS.
Aussie Play: Choose from five different deposit bonuses at Aussie Play — one of which allows you to claim up to AU$12,250 in bonus funds if you’re willing to max out your deposit.
Ricky Casino: Brilliant online gambling services services and a top-tier mobile gambling experience await customers at Ricky Casino. And, of course, a welcome package of up to AU$7,500 and 500 free spins that you can claim on your first ten deposits.
How to Sign Up & Gamble for Real Money in Australia
Here’s a quick guide to signing up for our top online gambling site in Australia overall, Joe Fortune. Most online casino sites will have a similar process, too.
1. Visit JoeFortune
Click here to visit Joe Fortune’s official website and hit the orange “Play Now” icon in the top-right corner of the Joe Fortune homepage. It’ll bring up a pop-up window containing the registration form.
Enter your full name, date of birth, mobile number, email address, and postal code.
Then, choose a password and create a four-digit security PIN to log in with before hitting the “Register” button. You should also read the terms of service before you proceed.
Before you can proceed, you’ll also need to verify your phone number by entering the code sent to you by SMS.
3. Grab the Welcome Bonus
Now, simply head to the cashier section and choose your payment method and amount. Be sure to put down enough cash to trigger the welcome bonus, and enjoy gambling for real money at Joe Fortune!
Did You Find Your Next Aussie Online Gambling Site?
If you’ve been reading carefully, you should already have an idea of which Australian online gambling site to select from our list.
Joe Fortune is the best online casino in Australia for our money, but you may disagree with the set of criteria we used to make that decision. If that’s the case, perhaps one of our other top picks will be better suited to you.
Our top 12 contain some serious quality casino games, so now it’s up to you to decide which one to go for. Have fun, play responsibly, and good luck.
If you believe you may have a gambling problem, reach out to www.gamblinghelponline.org.au or call 1800 858 858. | 2022-12-29T02:09:56Z | www.mercurynews.com | Best Online Gambling Sites in Australia: Where to Gamble Online in Australia for Real Money | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/28/online-gambling-australia/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/28/online-gambling-australia/ |
Restore Your Hair With an Affordable Hair…
Hair loss doesn’t discriminate. It affects men and women of all ages, causing stress, lowering self-esteem, and negatively affecting confidence. Fortunately, there’s a solution.
Whether dealing with female or male pattern baldness, hair transplant surgery might be your best option to return your natural hair to its former glory. This minimally invasive procedure stimulates your hair’s growth, providing the final result within approximately 12 months.
It’s worth the wait since the results are permanent.
A hair transplant in Turkey is your best bet to get natural-looking results without paying a fortune. Turkey has become a hotspot for hair transplantation, attracting hundreds of thousands of medical tourists seeking an affordable yet high-quality makeover.
Here’s one of the most renowned Turkish hair clinics, including its services, techniques, and costs to help you make an informed decision.
TecniFUE International in Istanbul
TecniFUE International is a reputable ISO-certified clinic where you can get a high-quality hair transplant in Istanbul at a fraction of the cost.
Its medical team has remarkable hair restoration experts with years of experience and incredible attention to detail. They have performed thousands of successful hair transplant procedures, always focusing on quality and safety.
The clinic is famous for its undying thirst for innovation. The OxyVitalis treatment for better graft survival and the TecniFUE 8 GEN Punch tool for multi-hair grafts and higher hair density are only some of the clinic’s groundbreaking developments.
A 360-degree approach to treatments is another feature making TecniFUE International stand out. Besides personalizing every procedure, the clinic’s professionals provide expert advice on improving physical and mental health. Few clinics offer that level of commitment and dedication to patients.
Why are hair transplants cheaper in Turkey than in the US?
A hair transplant in the US costs between $12,400 and $16,000. Only some people can afford to spend this small fortune on hair transplantation. Many others opt for Turkey, the go-to destination for restoring natural hair.
You can expect to pay between approximately $3,000 and $6,400 for a hair transplant in Turkey, depending on the method, clinic, number of grafts, and the surgeon’s expertise, among other factors.
This low hair transplant cost has nothing to do with quality – Turkey has excellent hair transplant surgeons. The country’s healthcare and living costs are significantly lower than in the US, making the procedure seem like a bargain to Americans.
The best part about scheduling a hair transplant in Turkey is getting an all-inclusive package. Here’s what services you’ll get if you book with TecniFUE International:
Up to 3,500 or 5,000 grafts with an FUE or a DHI hair transplant, respectively;
Cutting-edge hair transplant with the TecniFUE 8 GEN Punch surgical tool;
Needle-free anesthesia;
OxyVitalis graft treatment;
Pre-op health checks and blood tests;
Post-op medicines and aftercare products;
Language interpretation support from native-speaking medical advisors;
Trip-planning support;
A three-night stay at the prestigious Divan Istanbul Asia hotel.
TecniFUE International’s hair transplant services
TecniFUE International offers beard and hair transplants, including treatments for women and afro hairstyles. The clinic’s surgeons primarily use a Sapphire Micro FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) and a DHI (Direct Hair Implantation) technique.
Both provide excellent results with minimal scalp trauma and no scarring. You can go home after the session and return to everyday activities within 14 days after surgery.
Sapphire Micro FUE hair transplant
The Sapphire Micro FUE method requires a micromotor surgical tool with sapphire blades for maximum precision and accuracy.
The surgeon uses it to make tiny incisions in the donor area, remove individual hair follicles, and open micro-canals in the recipient area to transplant the harvested hair grafts.
DHI hair transplant
This hair transplant technique is more advanced and requires no incisions. The surgeon uses a Choi pen to extract follicular units and directly insert them into balding areas.
This surgical pen for implanting hair has no blades but a hollow needle and enough space to store multiple grafts for simultaneous extraction and implantation. It minimizes hair damage and shortens recovery.
Getting a hair transplant is a life-changing decision you shouldn’t take lightly. Besides choosing a reputable clinic like TecniFUE International, consider the costs and the services various packages include.
You can’t go wrong with Turkey, where you can restore your natural hair at a fraction of the cost. It should be your go-to destination for an affordable hair transplant that provides fantastic results. | 2022-12-30T20:52:22Z | www.mercurynews.com | Restore Your Hair With an Affordable Hair Transplant in Turkey | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/30/restore-your-hair-with-an-affordable-hair-transplant-in-turkey/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/30/restore-your-hair-with-an-affordable-hair-transplant-in-turkey/ |
Elias: High court election ruling may backfire…
Letting legislatures draw Congressional district lines however they want could erase GOP majority in U.S. House
Ever since former President Donald Trump placed three conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court, it has seemed to many like an extension of the extreme right wing of the national Republican Party.
Now, after an early December court hearing on a lawsuit aiming to give state legislatures — and only the legislatures — power over almost every aspect of how federal elections are conducted, the possibility has suddenly arisen of a major backfire from any such decision by America’s highest court.
The reason for this potential backfire resides most prominently here in California. This state is so large and leans so strongly Democratic that if legislators here reverse some longstanding state election policies, they could cause big changes nationally. This would be especially true if some potential California actions were imitated in other large-population blue states such as New York, Illinois, Oregon or Washington.
If the Supreme Court, as some justices have indicated it might, awards such ultimately extreme powers to state legislatures, that may also let state lawmakers substitute presidential Electoral College members of their preference for those elected by voters. This would be a prescription for election irrelevance and would make voter suppression laws of the recent past look like mild, amateur tactics.
Essentially, it would let state legislatures and not the voters of any or all states make the most important civic decisions virtually unchecked. Except … California legislators would have it in their power to reverse much of what multiple other states might do. They could create a whole new kind of check and balance for the court and those other legislatures to consider.
The House’s new GOP majority exists only because California elected 40 Democrats and 12 Republicans to the House in November using district lines drawn by the independent commission, which had equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats.
However, if the Supreme Court says legislatures — and not voters — have ultimate power over redistricting, state lawmakers here could overturn the independent commission’s district lines anytime they like. With Democrats holding majorities greater than two-thirds in both houses of this state’s Legislature, they could draw any lines they wished should the Supreme Court find for the North Carolina Republicans.
Does anyone seriously think a Democratic-drawn plan here would have enabled narrow victories for Republican representatives like John Duarte, Michelle Steel, Mike Garcia, David Valadao, Kevin Kiley or Young Kim, without whom there would be no House GOP majority? Does anyone seriously think a Democratic-drawn plan would have set up Orange County Democrat Katie Porter for several nail-biting post-election weeks?
There’s not a chance of that. Nor would there be any chance for Republicans, as they just did, to take away a formerly Democratic seat in Oregon and maintain all their seats in Washington state. The same holds true in Illinois and New York, the scene of a major Republican upset. So there is plenty of room for backfire if the Supreme Court goes extreme in granting state legislators almost unchecked power.
Does the Supreme Court seriously believe only extremist far-right activists are capable of reacting with an insurrection? If so, they’ve forgotten the almost anonymous leftists of Antifa, who in 2020 rioted and took over parts of Portland and Seattle.
So here’s a cautionary word to the conservative Supreme Court majority: If you open Pandora’s Box and sow the wind by changing America’s traditional political and electoral checks and balances, you could reap whatever whirlwind follows. | 2022-12-31T13:36:56Z | www.mercurynews.com | Elias: Supreme Court election ruling may backfire in California | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/31/elias-high-court-election-ruling-may-backfire-due-to-states-like-california/ | https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/12/31/elias-high-court-election-ruling-may-backfire-due-to-states-like-california/ |
Arkansas State head men’s basketball coach Mike Balado calls out instructions during the Red Wolves’ Feb. 25 victory over Appalachian State at First National Bank Arena. ASU announced a two-year contract extension for Balado on Tuesday.
A-State announces extension for Balado
JONESBORO — Arkansas State University announced a two-year contract extension Tuesday afternoon for head men’s basketball coach Mike Balado.
Balado has a 69-80 record through five seasons as the Red Wolves’ head coach, including this season’s 18-11 finish. His contract was set to expire March 31.
“Our men’s basketball program saw improvement and progress this season and is moving in a good direction,” Tom Bowen, Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics, said in ASU’s announcement. “Coach Balado and I concur that neither of us is satisfied with the overall on-court results. We will not settle for progress alone.
“We are encouraged that with our talented roster currently in place and healthy recruiting, we are in a strong position to reach the championship and postseason goals we are all striving to accomplish. We look forward to Coach Balado’s continued leadership as our head men’s basketball coach.”
News of Balado’s extension came a day after second-year freshman Norchad Omier, the Red Wolves’ star player, announced on social media that he will return for ASU’s 2022-23 season.
Omier, a 6-foot-7 forward from Bluefields, Nicaragua, was this season’s Sun Belt Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. He added NABC All-District 23 first-team honors on Tuesday.
Balado’s new contract became effective Tuesday and runs through March 15, 2024. His guaranteed base salary remains $375,000.
“I am honored and blessed to continue as Arkansas State’s head men’s basketball coach,” Balado said in ASU’s announcement. “Striving for excellence is top priority in this program, along with developing and mentoring this group of quality young men. I would like to thank Chancellor (Kelly) Damphousse and Tom Bowen for their unwavering support and trust. The future continues to be bright, and I can’t wait for the upcoming season.”
Including a 67-60 victory over Sun Belt Conference regular-season champion Texas State, ASU finished this past season with 11 home wins. The Red Wolves have an NCAA NET Ranking of 180 out of 358 Division I teams, the sixth-best rating in the league.
The Red Wolves finished 8-7 in Sun Belt play, with three games canceled because of the opponent’s COVID-19 issues. Two of those games were against rival Arkansas-Little Rock, which finished last in the Sun Belt.
“At the end of each sport’s season, I seek an assessment from Vice Chancellor Bowen as to the status of the program,” Damphousse said. “Ultimately, we agreed that Coach Balado has our men’s basketball program moving on the right trajectory. We believe that our incoming and returning student-athletes put us in great position to achieve our championship and postseason aspirations in the coming years. I am pleased that we were able to agree on an extension that gives Coach every opportunity to succeed here at Arkansas State.”
Balado has guided ASU to wins in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.
Omier, who played for the Nicaraguan national team last spring and summer, averaged 17.9 points and 12.2 rebounds as a second-year freshman, producing 20 double-doubles in 29 games. ASU lost 65-62 in the Sun Belt tournament quarterfinals to Georgia State, which went on to win the tournament.
ASU’s 2021-22 roster included only two seniors, two-time All-Sun Belt selection Marquis Eaton and Christian Willis. Former Jonesboro High School star Desi Sills, an Arkansas transfer who averaged 12.6 points per game in his first season at ASU, has one year of eligibility remaining.
The Red Wolves announced two signees during the early period, Victory Rock Prep (Fla.) point guard Terrance Ford Jr. and Marietta (Ga.) High School forward Izaiyah Nelson. | 2022-03-16T02:43:59Z | www.jonesborosun.com | A-State announces extension for Balado | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/a-state-announces-extension-for-balado/article_80480621-fc49-5c3d-b4b8-8df9add5847e.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/a-state-announces-extension-for-balado/article_80480621-fc49-5c3d-b4b8-8df9add5847e.html |
Jury seated for trial of Lonoke County deputy in shooting
CABOT (AP) — A jury was seated Tuesday in the trial of a former Arkansas deputy charged with manslaughter for fatally shooting a white teenager during a traffic stop, a case that has drawn the attention of national civil rights activists.
The jury selected Tuesday includes two members with family in the law enforcement field.
Baylor University in Waco, Texas, recently announced graduates for the summer and fall 2021 semesters.
Among those graduating were Jonesboro’s Rabindra Khadka with a Master of Arts in Physics and Corye Jones of Marked Tree with a Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders. | 2022-03-16T09:15:06Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Baylor names 2021 graduates | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/baylor-names-2021-graduates/article_f5cb54f8-438d-5497-80ed-70ac6e72f998.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/baylor-names-2021-graduates/article_f5cb54f8-438d-5497-80ed-70ac6e72f998.html |
JONESBORO — For a limited time, the American Red Cross has resumed testing all blood and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies.
Those who come to give blood or platelets in March will get a $10 e-gift card, thanks to Fanatics. Plus, donors will automatically be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2022 MLB All-Star Game in Los Angeles.
Thursday – 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Riverside High School, 2007 Arkansas 18 in Lake City and at Rivercrest High School ROTC, 1700 Arkansas 14 West in Wilson.
Friday – 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Lawrence Memorial Hospital, 201 S. Memorial Drive in Walnut Ridge.
March 22 – 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office, 1500 Justice Drive in Harrisburg; 10 a.m.-3 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Walnut St. in Walnut Ridge; and 12:30-4:30 p.m., Browns Chapel Baptist Church, 3800 S. Rockingchair Road in Paragould.
Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive. They can use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.
Donors can save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass available on the website or donor app.
With RapidPass, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. | 2022-03-16T09:15:12Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Red Cross testing for COVID-19 antibodies | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/red-cross-testing-for-covid-19-antibodies/article_482f88e1-cd0e-5b11-ba39-55328dd2e1d7.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/red-cross-testing-for-covid-19-antibodies/article_482f88e1-cd0e-5b11-ba39-55328dd2e1d7.html |
JONESBORO — A dream to bring larger jets to the Jonesboro Municipal Airport has cleared another regulatory hurdle and construction to make a runway ready for the heavier aircraft could begin in about a year, Matt Roddy, a consulting engineer, said Tuesday.
Roddy told airport commission members he has updated the airport’s Capital Improvement Plan, required by the Federal Aviation Administration, to show plans to advertise for bids in January 2023 to strengthen the airport’s main runway. If that schedule holds, construction could begin in April 2023.
George Jackson, the airport’s manager, said the FAA recently approved the results of an environmental study that proved that the big jets that would land at the airport won’t contribute to noise pollution in neighboring residential areas.
The area already has to endure noise from two separate railroad tracks surrounding the airport.
Most of the cost of the project, which will include adding more than 45 tons of asphalt to the runway surface, would be paid through federal funds.
Approval of that report allows engineers to begin design work.
Last October, the FAA awarded Jonesboro $3,555,556 in special discretionary funding for the project. Roddy said the airport can expect $2.1 million annually in entitlement funds over the next five years.
The entitlement funds are generated by federal taxes on aircraft fuel sales. The entitlement amount was recently increased by $763,000 a year following approval of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Exactly how much it will cost to make it possible to land Airbus, Boeing 737 or similar aircraft here isn’t known.
Depending on the cost estimate, Roddy said the job may have to be done in phases, with the first and most important phase expected to cost at least $7.5 million.
City officials have been advocating the project for about six years
While working on that new project, airport officials are making progress toward rebuilding from the March 28, 2020, tornado that destroyed the airport terminal, a fire station, an aircraft maintenance structure and hangers. Insurance covered $12 million of the damage. That doesn’t include an estimated 60 private aircraft that were damaged or destroyed in the storm.
John Mixon, architect for the reconstruction, said city code and fire inspectors are expected to make final inspections to the buildings this week, and may issue a certificate of occupancy shortly afterward.
The commission also began discussing replacing the 5,200-square-foot terminal building.
Jackson managed to find the original building plans for the former terminal, which was constructed in 2000. However, Mixon and Roddy cautioned that even though the original foundation survived the storm, there could be issues underground, and said the old concrete may need to be replaced.
The fire station and maintenance buildings were reconstructed over the original foundations and Mixon noted there were unforeseen underground drainage and other issues that hampered the work.
Roddy said there may be other reasons to change the design.
“Airport needs have changed. Emplanements have changed,” Roddy noted.
Roddy said his company, Michael Baker International, has submitted an application under a competitive grant program with the FAA, seeking $5 million to replace the terminal. Because it’s a new program, Roddy said it was uncertain how soon a decision would be made.
And commissioners approved a proposal by Edmonds Aviation of Searcy to provide maintenance services to local aircraft, leasing the maintenance facility that has just been replaced.
Edmonds was the only company to respond to a request for proposals.
Phillip Gillespie, owner of Arkansas Air Center, which sells fuel and provides other services for pilots, recommended approval.
“He’s got plenty of aircraft here to work on, but it’s a tough business,” Gillespie said of Jonathan Edmonds, son of company founder David Edmonds, who would relocate to Jonesboro. | 2022-03-16T09:15:18Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Airport officials report progress on major runway project | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/airport-officials-report-progress-on-major-runway-project/article_e8c18e59-76fa-5a23-b708-09e6b5728a11.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/airport-officials-report-progress-on-major-runway-project/article_e8c18e59-76fa-5a23-b708-09e6b5728a11.html |
Gov. Asa Hutchinson (second from left) presents a $1.339 million workforce development grant to Black River Technical College. Also pictured are Dr. Brad Baine, vice president of academic affairs; Patti Blaxton, director of corporate and community education; and Dr. Martin Eggensperger, college president.
JONESBORO — Black River Technical College and five campuses of the Arkansas State University System were awarded workforce development grants for projects designed to connect innovative educators, employers and economic development organizations to promote job growth.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson formally presented the grants Tuesday in Jonesboro in advance of a meeting of the Career Education and Workforce Development Board.
“The goal is that industry guides our workforce training,” Hutchinson said.
Nine organizations will share in $8 million for large-scale workforce development projects.
In all, 15 applicants submitted projects in January. The nine grant recipients were selected by the workforce development board following “shark tank” style presentations
BRTC was awarded $1.339 million to develop a truck driver training program offered at no cost to individuals. The program has the potential of training up to 500 drivers within the next three years. Graduates will be able to go to work immediately, making a living wage in the trucking and transportation industry, helping to alleviate the transportation crisis in Arkansas and around the nation.
ASU-Beebe, Searcy Campus, was awarded $686,661 to develop a robotics curriculum designed to prepare students who wish to become robotics technicians. With curricular support from ASU-Beebe’s Industrial Technology, CNC and Welding Technology programs, participants will be trained to engineer and operate automated manufacturing, specifically at local companies such as St. Jean Industries, Lomanco and others.
ASU-Mountain Home will get $1.239 million to provide a composites program that serves marine manufacturing. The program was designed in collaboration with local boat manufacturers and prepares graduates to work locally at companies like Ranger, Vexus, Basscat and Shawnee Boats.
Two ASU System campuses are working with Clark County Workforce Training Group for regional millwright and industrial maintenance training. The new consortium, composed of Clark County businesses and industries, the Arkadelphia Area Chamber of Commerce, ASU Three Rivers, Henderson State University and the West Central Arkansas Planning and Development District, will invest in industrial maintenance and millwright training equipment to augment current training programs. The consortium was awarded $421,315. | 2022-03-16T09:15:24Z | www.jonesborosun.com | BRTC, ASU awarded workforce grants | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/brtc-asu-awarded-workforce-grants/article_f7525a42-125d-5fef-bd15-a19f097aee84.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/brtc-asu-awarded-workforce-grants/article_f7525a42-125d-5fef-bd15-a19f097aee84.html |
JONESBORO — The Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library will put up a gay pride display in June again, but it won’t be set up in the children’s section of the library.
That’s what Vanessa Adams, the library’s director, told the board of directors at Monday night’s meeting.
Adams said displays and their locations in the library will be made known in advance and will be on the library’s website https://www.libraryinjonesboro.org/.
In other business, the board tabled a decision on its social media policy over concerns about people posting copyrighted images on its sites.
The board wanted to look into the legal ramifications of people posting copyrighted material on Facebook or Twitter.
The policy, as proposed, stated, “Be aware of copyrighted and trademarked materials. Do not place information, intellectual property, logos, trademarks, or photos protected by copyright or trademark laws without permission of the owner. The library follows a notice-and-takedown procedure for complaints of copyright violation under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.”
The board also approved the 2021 budget which showed an appropriation of $4.1 million and expenditures of $3.5 million, with a leftover balance of $596,017.
The board also voted unanimously to drop its mask mandate for patrons. The board will revisit the mandate next month if COVID-19 numbers increase to a point where it needs to be reinstated.
Wearing a mask will be optional for the library staff and patrons, Adams said.
During public comments, Kaila Henick, who supported moving books that she deemed obscene out of the children’s section, said somebody called her employer and tried to get her fired over her stance about the library.
Julia Williams said the library provides a safe place for children and that the library should be a place to provide information to children.
Ali Conn said, “None of us want to cause discomfort to anyone.” She said over the past six month the library and its staff have come under attack from those wanting books moved out of the children’s section.
Jim Essman criticized board member Mark Nichols for “repeatedly pushing proposals” that the board has already voted down.
Adams said she is meeting with focus groups to find common ground on issues affecting the library. She said all groups will have to compromise to find a consensus on the issues.
The board will next meet on April 11 at 5 p.m. | 2022-03-16T09:15:30Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Director: No gay pride exhibit in children's area | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/director-no-gay-pride-exhibit-in-childrens-area/article_0cc9d199-bd7a-5fda-a791-47b010845fe1.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/director-no-gay-pride-exhibit-in-childrens-area/article_0cc9d199-bd7a-5fda-a791-47b010845fe1.html |
MaKenzie Mitchell (Kenz) is a senior at Crowley’s Ridge Academy. She’s been performing music for several years. She started playing guitar at age 12.
Kenz excels at music with 'go for it' attitude
MaKenzie Mitchell performs music under the name Kenz. It’s not just a stage name, it’s what her grandmother, Tereasa Mitchell, has called her since she was little.
The 18-year-old Crowley’s Ridge Academy senior is set to graduate in May. She plans to attend Freed-Hardeman University and major in English, but music will continue to be a big part of her life. She’s thinking about minoring in music.
“I always really liked music,” she said. “I listened to it a lot growing up, and going to church I heard a lot of singing all the time.”
She took piano lessons, and then started learning guitar at age 12, at the suggestion of her grandmother.
“Things just kind of went from there,” Kenz said.
Those things have included several performances in front of live audiences. Around the age of 13, Kenz began performing shows with Sand Creek, the Greene County 4-H performing arts group.
She’s played at the Hard Rock Cafe on Beale Street in Memphis a few times with School of Rock Memphis, and she’s performed at various area fund-raisers, the local Relay for Life event for the American Cancer Society, also the Dixon Gallery & Gardens in Memphis, the Get Downtown Festival in Paragould, and she’s performed a couple of times at the Collins Theatre in downtown Paragould.
There’s an upcoming show scheduled for Aug. 5 at the Collins Theatre where she’s set to perform with Allen Wooldridge and B Money and The Preacher Man.
She acknowledges several area people who have helped her learn music and performing. She said Lori Dial has helped her with singing, and Wooldridge has helped her with guitar, and Gary Cremeens (The Preacher Man) she said has helped her with stage presence. Kenz attends Cremeens’ church, Hillcrest Church of Christ in Paragould.
Even with several experiences playing live, musicians still get nervous before performing. It’s just part of it. “If you don’t get at least a little nervous then you probably don’t care as much as you should,” Kenz said.
And even though Kenz is visually impaired, she hasn’t allowed it to stop her from doing what she loves.
“It has been a challenge,” she said. “There’s certain things I just can’t do. I’ve got a set list so big that we could probably put it at the very back of the auditorium and my bandmates could see it. We put it on poster board.”
On the other hand, she notes that her hearing is really good.
“That might be why I’ve always gravitated toward music,” Kenz said. “Because you don’t have to see it to enjoy it, you can just hear it. But I’ve been able to overcome not being able to see as well as others pretty well in my opinion.”
Lately she’s been listening to a lot of Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Ray Vaughan and The Secret Sisters. In the meantime, Kenz is working on writing her own songs.
She is inspired by all types of music, and she inspires others with her music and determination.
“If you like something and you think it might be something you want to do, go for it. There’s really not much stopping you,” Kenz said. “If you want to sing, or you want to play an instrument, or you want to play a sport, or anything like that, just go for it. It’s all learned. You can learn to do it if you put your mind to it and you try. It takes some time but you’ll get there.” | 2022-03-16T09:15:42Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Kenz excels at music with 'go for it' attitude | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/kenz-excels-at-music-with-go-for-it-attitude/article_6339139a-d417-5450-90e5-a1777b923de8.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/kenz-excels-at-music-with-go-for-it-attitude/article_6339139a-d417-5450-90e5-a1777b923de8.html |
Former Arkansas State assistant volleyball coach Brian Gerwig was named the Red Wolves’ head coach Tuesday.
ASU media relations
JONESBORO — A familiar face will return to lead the Arkansas State volleyball program.
Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Bowen announced the hiring of Brian Gerwig as the program’s ninth all-time head coach on Tuesday.
Gerwig previously coached the Red Wolves as an assistant from 2017-18 and returns to ASU after a three-year stint at Houston, where he helped the Cougars to a 25-7 record and a 15-5 mark in the American Athletic Conference to finish second in the league standings. In Gerwig’s three seasons at Houston, where he worked under former ASU head coach David Rehr, the Cougars finished no lower than fourth in the AAC.
ASU will introduce Gerwig at a press conference this morning at 11 inside the First National Bank Arena auditorium. The press conference is open to the public.
During Gerwig’s time at Houston, he helped produce one of the most high-powered offenses in the AAC with the Cougars leading the league in kills (13.66) and assists per set (12.63) in 2020-21.
In 2020, Houston landed a program-record three first-team all-league selections.
“I am beyond excited to be returning to Jonesboro to lead the Arkansas State University volleyball program,” Gerwig said. “I want to thank Tom Bowen, Dr. Kelly Damphousse, Thomas Boeh, Amy Holt and the rest of the hiring committee for believing in my vision and entrusting me with this program. From my first phone call with Tom, I knew that this athletic department was a perfect fit for me. I am ready to get to work and excited for this opportunity.”
“I have enjoyed keeping in contact with Brian Gerwig when he followed coach David Rehr to Houston, so I was glad to see his name included on the short list for me to interview,” said Damphousse, ASU’s chancellor. “I was very impressed with his insight into our program when he shared with me his plans for A-State volleyball as our head coach. I am excited to watch Coach Gerwig restore our team’s conference championship tradition in the coming years.”
Before his tenure at GW, Gerwig served as a volunteer assistant at Western Kentucky – his alma mater – in 2012, which turned out to be the Lady Toppers’ most successful season in school history, coming in at 33-4.
Gerwig replaces Santiago Restrepo, who resigned as ASU’s head coach in January.
“I am beyond excited for Brian Gerwig to be named the head volleyball coach at Arkansas State University,” Rehr said. “I believe he was ready three years ago and I know he is ready now. I’m excited to see where he takes the program in the years to come.” | 2022-03-16T09:16:37Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Gerwig returns to lead A-State volleyball | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/gerwig-returns-to-lead-a-state-volleyball/article_de0c5643-6fcd-554e-8815-acc55ff1d959.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/gerwig-returns-to-lead-a-state-volleyball/article_de0c5643-6fcd-554e-8815-acc55ff1d959.html |
Bell transformed higher education
“The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty,” wrote James Madison, the nation’s fourth president and Father of the Constitution, two centuries ago.
The scientific, economic, and social advances of any nation in history are always connected to how its people are to be educated. In Arkansas, progress in education has often been slow, but several important leaders have stepped forward to advance the cause of knowledge and education. Among those transformative leaders was State Sen. Clarence Bell. | 2022-03-16T14:45:23Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Bell transformed higher education | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/bell-transformed-higher-education/article_7fc88c99-63ed-595d-89f0-3ce894ed02a1.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/bell-transformed-higher-education/article_7fc88c99-63ed-595d-89f0-3ce894ed02a1.html |
City of Hoxie addresses unauthorized containers
Hoxie City Council met on March 8 and discussed unauthorized containers within the city limits. According to Hoxie City Clerk Verna Coats, individuals were given seven days to move the unauthorized containers before citations were to be given.
During the meeting, council members discussed applying for a Waste Water Grant to help purchase new relift pumps for the sewer system.
Also, it was announced during the meeting that the old city hall building sold for $40,000 to Chris Stowers, who plans to put in a repair/garage shop at the old city hall location. City council hopes to pay off the new city hall building next month.
The City of Hoxie is trying to set up automatic drafts for water bills, which council members hope will be in the near future.
Lastly, council members discussed a recent break-in at Hoxie School at the school’s bus garage. According to Coats, individuals broke into the garage and stole $8,000 worth of copper and other materials. Police caught the individuals and found 90 percent of the stolen goods. | 2022-03-16T14:45:29Z | www.jonesborosun.com | City of Hoxie addresses unauthorized containers | Times Dispatch | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/city-of-hoxie-addresses-unauthorized-containers/article_1b890fda-2d2d-5593-a6df-613046787a39.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/city-of-hoxie-addresses-unauthorized-containers/article_1b890fda-2d2d-5593-a6df-613046787a39.html |
Dr. Ryan Belcher performs a cleft palate repair on a child at CURE International Hospital during a recent humanitarian trip to Kenya.
Ryan H. Belcher, MD, MPH, is an assistant professor and surgical co-director of Vanderbilt Pediatric Thyroid Nodule and Cancer Program at Vanderbilt. His recent humanitarian trip is his third mission trip to Kenya.
Ryan Belcher (second, from right) joins staff from CURE International Hospital in a photo with his patients. Belcher first started taking mission trips in 2010.
Recently, Belcher took his third humanitarian trip to Kenya to perform surgeries on children with cleft lip and palate congenital deformities. The trip was made possible thanks to World Medical Mission’s Samaritan’s Purse, which provides a wide variety of opportunities for medical professionals to serve around the world in Jesus’ name.
“More often than not, when I leave a humanitarian endeavor, I most always leave better than I was before,” Belcher said. “The ‘better’ is hard to quantify, but every humanitarian trip has its challenges, and navigating and overcoming those challenges makes me better. The unceasing joy and hope that the local staff, the surgeons, the nursing staff, and the patient families have, despite glaring health inequities, makes me better as a human and fills me with hope. The continued relationships with local staff make me better. They make me a better advocate, a better teacher and a better friend.”
He is also active in several organizations, including the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), American Cleft Palate/Craniofacial Association (ACPA) and the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO). In Nashville, he also serves on the Next Generation Board for a non-profit healthcare organization called Siloam Health, which provides healthcare to the uninsured of central Tennessee and refugee populations.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Belcher also goes a step above most doctors and makes it a point to remain connected to his patients through technology. Using Whatsapp, email or any available technology, Belcher communicates with his patients and the community he serves by providing consults on surgical advice and education resources. He also provides requested supplies and equipment on humanitarian trips to ensure local physicians and surgeons can continue to operate.
In 2021, Belcher received Nashville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award and Best Oral Presentation Abstract, AAO-HNS, from Vanderbilt. The son of Terry and Judy Belcher of Walnut Ridge, he and his wife, Morgan, live in Nashville. | 2022-03-16T14:45:35Z | www.jonesborosun.com | LawCo. native makes a difference one smile at a time | Times Dispatch | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/lawco-native-makes-a-difference-one-smile-at-a-time/article_18f6a3de-b899-5b33-b412-8b606df70343.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/lawco-native-makes-a-difference-one-smile-at-a-time/article_18f6a3de-b899-5b33-b412-8b606df70343.html |
The number of active cases of COVID-19 among Lawrence County residents dropped into single digits during the past week, according to data released by the Arkansas Department of Health.
As of Tuesday morning, the ADH website reported five active cases for the county, a decrease of 10 from last week’s total.
The active case count has steadily declined over the past several weeks, dropping from 59 to 29 to 15 and now to five.
The county saw 61 new cases reported during the seven-day period, increasing from 5,136 to 5,197.
While the 61 new cases were almost double the 35 new cases reported the previous week, the number of recoveries still outpaced the number of new cases.
Lawrence County had 69 added to the recovered list bringing that total to 5,118, up from 5,049 the previous Tuesday.
The department of health has reported two new COVID-related deaths among Lawrence County residents during the past seven days. According to the ADH website Tuesday morning, Lawrence County had 74 deaths reported, up from 72 the previous Tuesday.
(Editor’s note: We will continue to monitor COVID-19 numbers for the county, but with the drop in case numbers updates might not be reported every week.) | 2022-03-16T14:45:47Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Active case count drops to 5 | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/news/active-case-count-drops-to-5/article_25d08bcd-4ea3-5617-aa4f-03dd114b0947.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/news/active-case-count-drops-to-5/article_25d08bcd-4ea3-5617-aa4f-03dd114b0947.html |
Larry Richey
Larry Richey, 71, went to be with the Lord on March 7, 2022.
He was born Dec. 5, 1950, to Lester and Ruby Gaines Richey. He resided in Sherwood, but was originally from Walnut Ridge (Richwoods community). He worked at UPS for over 40 years and received numerous safety awards. If he were an astronaut, he would have traveled to the moon and back more than nine times. He enjoyed his nine years of retirement and quality time with his grandkids. He was a man of few words, but impacted so many lives.
Left to cherish his memories are his wife, Teresa; brother, Don Richey (Annette); his daughter, Kim Hicks (Johnny); grandchildren, Madison Lemmons and Carter Hicks and daughter Britney Hardin. He is loved and will be missed by his extended family and friends.
He is predeceased in death by his sister, Wilda (Terry Joe) Pulliam; his parents, Lester and Ruby Richey; and his stepson, John Hardin.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Carti at CARTI Foundation, P.O. Box 55011, Little Rock, AR 72215 or donate online at https://carti.ejoinme.org/donate.
Visitation was held at Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home on March 10, from 5-6 p.m. Funeral was March 11, at 11:30 a.m., followed by a procession and graveside service at Rest Hills in Sherwood. | 2022-03-16T14:45:59Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Larry Richey | Obituaries | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/obituaries/larry-richey/article_dbfa769c-1827-5ff4-b700-a71517e28f7d.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/obituaries/larry-richey/article_dbfa769c-1827-5ff4-b700-a71517e28f7d.html |
Pete E. Alexander Jr. passed away Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at Lawrence Hall Nursing Home in Walnut Ridge.
He was born Oct. 9, 1933, in Cash, to Pete E. Alexander and Ruby Hamilton Alexander. Pete served in the United States Air Force, where he was a Master Sergeant, a flight engineer and an aircraft mechanic. He retired after 20 years of service. He loved gardening and cookouts with his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and his wife of 50 years, Laura Anderson Alexander.
No services are planned at this time. Roller-Farmers Union Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements
An online guestbook is available at www.rollerfuneralhomes.com. | 2022-03-16T14:46:05Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Pete E. Alexander Jr. | Obituaries | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/obituaries/pete-e-alexander-jr/article_bdb631f5-6718-5a8f-be90-b87e9635b8ba.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/obituaries/pete-e-alexander-jr/article_bdb631f5-6718-5a8f-be90-b87e9635b8ba.html |
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (left) presents the Lawrence County Officer of the Year award to Corporal Phillip Roark.
Lawrence County’s honoree is Corporal Phillip Roark with the Arkansas State Police.
“Arkansas is fortunate to have officers who put their lives on the line to protect us,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “It is an honor to recognize these winners and to thank the many brave men and women in blue who sacrifice so much to protect our communities.”
Roark knew from an early age that he wanted to be in law enforcement.
“My dream to wear the badge began as a very small child. I have fond memories of wanting to be a police officer when I was very young, and that desire never went away,” said Roark. “I remember telling my parents and friends that I was going to be a police officer, and I never even considered another career.”
After graduating high school, Roark served as a volunteer firefighter for the Ravenden Volunteer Fire Department. From there, he transitioned to become a full-time firefighter with the Walnut Ridge Fire Department, then was hired at the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department as a jailer and 911 dispatcher.
“When I was off duty, I could be found in the passenger seat of a trooper’s car, doing a ride along. I spent countless hours riding along with local troopers,” Roark said.
“I was approached by Major J.R. Hanks and Captain Steve Coleman and they told me about a radio operator’s position that was coming open at Troop B in Newport. It didn’t take me long to realize that this was the beginning of my dream coming true.”
Roark was hired at Troop B on April 15, 1996, as a radio operator. “I remember being in constant prayer that the doors would open for me to become an Arkansas State Trooper, if it was the Lord’s will,” said Roark.
In 2000 Roark reported to Troop School and after graduating was assigned to Highway Patrol in Jackson County. While working there, he received the Blue Knight Award for DWI arrests made and in 2003 he was transferred to Lawrence County, where he became a police instructor and field training officer while still working highway patrol.
“At this point, my childhood dream had come true. The quote ‘If you get a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life’ has been true for me,” Roark said.
“I love my job and the troopers that I work with. I also love working in a small county where everyone knows each other, where you have opportunities to help others. I like the motto ‘Serve and Protect.’ In a small community you can develop a great relationship with your community by serving.”
In addition to his duties with the Arkansas State Police, Roark serves as a deacon at White Oak Baptist Church and is a volunteer firefighter with the Walnut Ridge Fire Department. He also serves as a 4-H group leader and shooting sports instructor and is a baseball coach.
He and his wife, Jennifer, live in Walnut Ridge and have two children, Noah, 18, and Caleb, 15. | 2022-03-16T14:46:24Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Roark named LawCo. Officer of the Year | Times Dispatch | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/roark-named-lawco-officer-of-the-year/article_4da72f50-f888-575a-bc2c-f9607e343a00.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/roark-named-lawco-officer-of-the-year/article_4da72f50-f888-575a-bc2c-f9607e343a00.html |
The Williams baseball team split a four-game series with the Iowa Wesleyan Tigers on Thursday and Friday in Walnut Ridge. The Tigers swept Thursday’s doubleheader, while WBU won a pair of games on Friday. The Eagles are now 12-8 on the season.
Game one: Iowa Wesleyan won the series-opener 3-2.
The Tigers got on the board with a run in the top of the first, but that was all either team scored for a while, as the game turned into a pitcher’s duel. The Eagles were able to tie the game with an RBI-bunt single from Isaac Williams in the fourth inning. The Tigers retook the lead with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth. Williams rallied in the bottom half of the inning and got a run back off a sacrifice fly by Dezmond Cordova, but that was all.
Ray Ochoa pitched six innings and gave up three runs off four hits, walked four and struck out six. Alex O’Brien pitched one inning of relief.
Game two: The Tigers’ compeleted Thursday’s sweep by winning the nightcap 9-8.
Again, the Tigers struck first with a run in the second and three runs in the fourth. The Eagles responded with a run in the fourth off a sac fly from Sam Philley. In the fifth, the Eagles hit back-to-back home runs off the bats of Palmer Campbell and Isaac Williams, and got an RBI single from Philley to tie the game at four.
The Tigers quickly retook the lead with five runs in the sixth. Williams got two runs back in the home half off a sac fly from Nick Allred and an RBI single from Wyatt LeDure. They got another run in the seventh off an RBI single from Cordova to make it a one-run ballgame, but that was it.
Caleb Suiter pitched 3.2 innings and gave up four runs off three hits, walked three and struck out five. Parker Jeffries pitched 1.1 innings of relief, walked two and struck out one. Cole Manning pitched one-third of an inning of relief and gave up four runs off two hits and walked one. Eric Tolar pitched two-thirds of an inning of relief and gave up one run off two hits, walked one and struck out one. Blake Simmons pitched one inning of relief and gave up one hit and struck out two.
The Eagles bounced back Friday, winning the first game 10-7 and the second 22-12.
Game one: The Eagles started out hot at the plate, as they scored five runs in the first inning, one off an RBI single by Allred and grand slam by LeDure. Simmons hit an RBI single in the third to extend the lead to six runs.
The Tigers got two runs in the fifth, but Philley hit a home run in the fifth to get one run back for the Eagles. Iowa Wesleyan hit a grand slam of their own to tighten the Eagles’ lead to one run in the sixth, but the Eagles responded with an RBI single from Allred and a two-RBI single from Tyler Guffey.
Spencer Burnham pitched 5.1 innings and gave up six runs off three hits, walked two and struck out 10. Jeffries pitched two-thirds of an inning of relief and gave up one run off one hit. Simmons pitched one inning of relief and struck out one.
Game two: The Eagles gave up two runs in the top of the first, but responded with seven in the home half and never looked back. Philley and Nicholas Jones led the Eagles with three RBIs each, while Williams, LeDure, and Guffey had two. Seven other Eagles had one RBI in the game.
Brady Sterns pitched four innings and gave up eight runs off seven hits, walked two and struck out five. Cash Forrester pitched one inning and gave up two hits and struck out two. Jimmy Watson pitched one inning and gave up two runs, walked one and struck out two. Austin Tate pitched one inning and gave up two runs off two hits and struck out one.
Nicholas Jones and Ray Ochoa were named the American Midwest Conference (AMC) baseball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, the conference office announced on March 7.
Jones, a sophomore catcher from Southhaven, Miss., went 8-14 at the plate with a double and two home runs. He drove in 11 runs and scored three times while compiling a .571 batting average, .684 on base percentage and .667 slugging percentage
Ochoa, a freshman from Ellsinore, Mo., tossed a complete-game shutout in the win over Lincoln. He pitched two innings against Crowley’s Ridge, striking out the side in both innings. He racked up 17 total strikeouts in nine innings of work. | 2022-03-16T14:46:30Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Baseball Eagles split series with Iowa Wesleyan | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/sports/baseball-eagles-split-series-with-iowa-wesleyan/article_a5d3843d-f017-5de5-9e47-c302fa12e6c6.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/sports/baseball-eagles-split-series-with-iowa-wesleyan/article_a5d3843d-f017-5de5-9e47-c302fa12e6c6.html |
Ty Flippo and Jayden Hollister of Walnut Ridge High School have been selected to play in the Sun Senior Classic, a high school all-star event featuring senior basketball standouts from area schools.
The event, which features a girls game and a boys game, is scheduled for Saturday at ASU’s First National Bank Arena. The girls game will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the boys contest at 7.
Flippo and Hollister will play for the Blue Team, which will be coached by Nettleton’s Bubba Deaton.
This is the first Sun Senior Classic following a two-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the FNB Arena box office. | 2022-03-16T14:46:36Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Bobcat duo selected for Classic | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/sports/bobcat-duo-selected-for-classic/article_57edbe61-6f4c-5f9a-a2f0-762f06676493.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/sports/bobcat-duo-selected-for-classic/article_57edbe61-6f4c-5f9a-a2f0-762f06676493.html |
The Williams Baptist University softball team swept the Stillman College Tigers on March 8 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. With the wins the Lady Eagles are now 8-10 on the season.
Game one: The Lady Eagles won game one 14-12. They scored one run in the second, five runs in the fourth, four runs in the fifth, and four runs in the sixth.
Kaitlyn Anderson led the team with four RBIs, while Kaydra Cole and Madison Stokes had two apiece. Alyssa Cordell and Macy Carter each collected one RBI.
Tori Kierbach got the start and pitched 3.2 innings, giving up 10 runs off 10 hits, walked one and struck out three. Maddie Wallace pitched 3.1 innings of relief and gave up two runs off four hits, walked two and struck out one. Wallace got credit with the win.
Game two: The Lady Eagles won game two 6-4. They found themselves down 3-0 after the first inning, when Carter hit an RBI single to make the score 3-1. Anderson hit an RBI single in the fifth to make it 3-2. The Tigers added another run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 4-2. In the top of the sixth, Shelby Jone and Laila Byas stole home, and Kennedie Laymance scored on a passed ball. In the seventh, Hali Williams reached on an error that allowed Stokes to score.
Sara Pruitt got the start and pitched three innings. She gave up three runs off six hits and walked two. Cassidi Doyle pitched four innings of relief and gave up one run off three hits, walked one and struck out three. Doyle got credit for the win.
The Williams softball team split their doubleheader with the Talladega College Tornadoes on March 7. The Tornadoes won the first game 8-0 in five innings, while the Lady Eagles rebounded and won the second game 9-8.
Game one: The first game was not a good one at the plate for the Lady Eagles, as they were only able to muster one hit, coming from Byas in the fourth inning.
Wallace pitched all four innings for the Lady Eagles and gave up eight runs off four hits while walking two.
Game two: The Lady Eagles rebounded quickly, plating two runs in the first inning off Anderson’s two-RBI single to center. Talladega got a run back in the home half of the first, but the Lady Eagles got that run back in the fourth when Krista Jones hit an RBI single. Again in the home half of the inning, the Tornadoes got the run back.
Anderson hit a solo home run in the fifth to give Williams a two-run advantage. Talladega plated two runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a two-run lead. The Lady Eagles plated five in the seventh to regain the lead. Cordell got things going with a two-RBI single to center, Bianca Pettus reached on an error that allowed Hali Williams to score, and Carter hit a two-run bomb to give Williams a 9-6 lead. Talladega responded in the bottom of the seventh by plating two to cut the Lady Eagles’ lead to one, but Williams was able to stop the rally and come away with the win.
Angel Gillette pitched five innings and gave up six runs off nine hits, walked three and struck out five. Doyle pitched two innings of relief and gave up two runs off three hits, walked two and struck out one.
Anderson honored
Lady Eagle Kaitlyn Anderson was named Softball Player of the Week by the American Midwest Conference on Monday.
The sophomore from Springfield, Mo., went 7-for-10 at the plate, including a home run and three doubles, for a 1.300 slugging percentage. She also drove in eight runs and scored four times. | 2022-03-16T14:46:42Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Lady Eagles softball team posts three wins | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/sports/lady-eagles-softball-team-posts-three-wins/article_4b8f17c7-b0fb-50f4-925f-f5eeb47dad21.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/sports/lady-eagles-softball-team-posts-three-wins/article_4b8f17c7-b0fb-50f4-925f-f5eeb47dad21.html |
Jackson County virus cases increase
By Paxton News Service
Most counties in Northeast Arkansas showed slight increases in Coronavirus infections in the past week, while the number of active cases declined throughout the region.
According to the the Arkansas Department of Health, Jackson County had 33 new cases between March 7 and Sunday, March 13, an increase of six. Sixteen active cases have been reported, down from 25, while the death count has increased by two to 57.
Statewide, 22 additional deaths were reported, including one from Jackson County, as well as Craighead and Mississippi counties. Active cases have dropped to 1,909 statewide, which is a reduction of 221 from Sunday.
COVID-related hospitalizations have dropped by 26 to 217 in the state, and of those, 42 patients were on ventilators, a reduction of three. COVID-related hospitalizations rose by two in Northeast Arkansas since Sunday to 24, and four of those patients remained on ventilators. | 2022-03-16T19:27:52Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Jackson County virus cases increase | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/jackson-county-virus-cases-increase/article_ea3afb0a-9279-5191-a49c-71ab6f674c3c.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/jackson-county-virus-cases-increase/article_ea3afb0a-9279-5191-a49c-71ab6f674c3c.html |
Construction on the new Highway 367 bridge in Newport is 95 percent complete, according to Stan Glover, District 5 Engineer for the Arkansas Department of Transportation.
The bridge is almost complete, but bridge rail placements are still needed as well as adding asphalt to the entrance and exit on each side.
The bridge also has some minor concrete work left to be completed.
According to Glover, the bridge is on schedule to be completed by late summer. | 2022-03-17T12:53:45Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Construction progresses on Hwy. 367 bridge | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/construction-progresses-on-hwy-367-bridge/article_660cd1f1-a8a9-5f92-b4d7-f44269ada5b5.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/construction-progresses-on-hwy-367-bridge/article_660cd1f1-a8a9-5f92-b4d7-f44269ada5b5.html |
On Thursday, March 10, a Jackson County jury found Joel Hall of Newport guilty of Possession of a Firearm by Certain Persons.
Representing the State of Arkansas were Deputy Prosecutors Randy Rudisill and Kim Gould under the direction of Deputy Prosecutor John Pettie. The charge stemmed from an investigation by the Newport Police Department.
After deliberating for nearly six minutes, the jury came back to deliver a verdict of guilty and sentenced Hall to 16 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. | 2022-03-17T12:53:57Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Newport man sentenced to 16 years at Dept. of Corrections | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/newport-man-sentenced-to-16-years-at-dept-of-corrections/article_9d67c134-7787-56b7-af5d-1e42fdfd5aa7.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/newport-man-sentenced-to-16-years-at-dept-of-corrections/article_9d67c134-7787-56b7-af5d-1e42fdfd5aa7.html |
Sunshine and a few clouds. High around 75F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..
Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 56F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma are working together to establish a regional hub for the development, production, and use of clean hydrogen as fuel and manufacturing feedstock.
A joint statement by each state’s governor was issued last Thursday about the partnership.
The states are competing together for $8 billion in funding from the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act of 2021.
The U.S. Department of Energy will select regional clean hydrogen hubs to fund in accordance with the act, which specifies that hubs should be selected based on a mix of feedstock available to produce hydrogen, available users of hydrogen, geographic locations, and potential effects on employment.
“In Arkansas, we have a growing and diverse energy portfolio and natural resources vital to any successful regional hub,” Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in the joint statement. “We are the proud home of prominent partners and companies critical to U.S. commerce with a strong history of environmental leadership and track records of reducing emissions. We are excited to partner with our neighbors in Louisiana and Oklahoma to put forward a winning application.”
Each governor appointed a person to serve as their state’s designee to the partnership. Hutchinson appointed Arkansas Secretary of Energy & Environment Becky W. Keogh. The designees will serve as the primary authority and point of contact for coordinating governmental, research, and private sector efforts to promote hydrogen development and use, according to the governors.
The governors noted that theirs is a bi-partisan partnership since Hutchinson and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt are Republicans, and Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards is a Democrat.
Stitt said that Oklahoma is honored to join in the partnership, not because of convenience, but because it shares a similar vision and goals for the production, use, and economic impact that can result from creating a hydrogen economy.
“Like our partners, we believe that creating as many end-use cases for commercialization with as many private partners is the quickest and best mechanism to spur real demand for this clean energy,” Stitt said. “The resources and opportunities in Oklahoma are complementary to our partners and tailor made for a diverse hub application to compete with others around the country.”
The governors say advantages with their states include being “perfectly situated to demonstrate the entire value chain of hydrogen and uniquely situated to tackle the hard-to-decarbonize sectors like industrial, manufacturing, and transportation.”
The governors also are pointing out the inland seaport system that runs from Oklahoma through Arkansas and down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico as an advantage, as well as existing intermodal rail, and pipeline infrastructure that runs from Oklahoma through Arkansas to the Gulf. | 2022-03-17T16:54:27Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Arkansas partners with Oklahoma, Louisiana to create hydrogen hub | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/arkansas-partners-with-oklahoma-louisiana-to-create-hydrogen-hub/article_ead291db-9898-5c68-9159-e75badcbc02d.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/arkansas-partners-with-oklahoma-louisiana-to-create-hydrogen-hub/article_ead291db-9898-5c68-9159-e75badcbc02d.html |
On March 8, the Tuckerman Bulldogs returned home to play the Midland Mustangs in the conference opener on a day that saw rain and sleet fall for most of the game.
The Bulldogs jumped on the scoreboard in the first inning when DT King reached first on an error by the Midland defense followed by Aaron Hurst hitting a double and scoring King. The Bulldogs were up 1-0 after one inning of play. David Platt, the starting pitcher, and the Bulldogs were able to keep the Mustangs off the scoreboard through three innings while the Bulldogs scored 5 more runs to make the score 6-0 after three innings of play.
In the top of the fourth, the Mustangs were able to get on the scoreboard when they drew a walk followed by a hit to cut the Bulldog lead to 6-1. In the bottom of the fourth, the Bulldogs scored again on a single by Will Tubbs followed by an Owen Keller double, which scored Tubbs to make the score 7-1. In the top of the fifth, the Mustangs scored two more runs to cut the lead to 6-3, but in the bottom of the fifth, the Bulldogs scored seven runs to end the game due to run rule with the score being 14-3.
In the game for the Bulldogs, DT King went 2 for 5 with 2 RBIs, Owen Keller went 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs, and Brantley Lane went 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs. On the mound for the Bulldogs, David Platt pitched 4.2 innings and allowed 2 hits, 3 runs and struck out 9 to pick up his second win of the season and first conference win. Aaron Hurst pitched in relief for a third of an inning and didn’t allow a baserunner. With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 3-1 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.
On March 7, the Tuckerman Bulldogs had traveled to McCrory for non-conference baseball action.
In the bottom of the first inning the Jaguars were able to score and to take a 1-0 lead. The Jaguars pitching and defense were able to keep the Bulldogs scoreless until the top of the third inning when the Bulldogs had bases loaded with two outs. Owen Keller drew a walk and scored Will King from third, which tied the game 1-1 after the top of the third. In the bottom of the third, McCrory was able to score another run to make the score 2-1 after three complete innings.
The Jaguars were able to hold the Bulldogs scoreless over the remaining three innings while they scored 5 more runs to win the game 7-1.
In the game, Will King went 1 for 4 with a double and Owen Keller had an RBI. Timothy Ward, the starting pitcher, went 3.2 innings for the Bulldogs and allowed 7 hits and 5 runs while striking out 4 and took the loss on the mound. Owen Keller pitched in relief of Ward and went 2.1 innings and allowed 1 hit, 2 runs, and struck out 1. | 2022-03-17T16:54:33Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Bulldogs win first conference game | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/bulldogs-win-first-conference-game/article_823b63bf-a258-5550-98fd-7be0cf44918f.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/bulldogs-win-first-conference-game/article_823b63bf-a258-5550-98fd-7be0cf44918f.html |
Moody’s Investor Services assigned an A1 rating for $42.2 million in bonds for Henderson State University and $24.4 million in bonds for Arkansas State University that will be refinanced to generate cost savings for the institutions.
Moody’s also issued a “stable outlook” for the ASU System that reflects “gradual recovery at Henderson, including improvement in financial performance and liquidity.” The full Moody’s press release can be found here.
Prior to becoming a member of the ASU System in 2021, Henderson’s current long-term bond financing was downgraded from A3 to Baa2 and given a “negative outlook” after the disclosure that capital reserves had been depleted in June 2019. The A1 rating is not only substantially stronger than the current Baa2, but also two levels higher than Henderson’s prior A3 rating as a result of being part of the ASU System and financial restructuring efforts. Following the sale of the Series 2022 bonds, the previous rating for Henderson will be withdrawn.
“This is a strong, third-party validation by a very reputable global research firm that we are taking steps in the right direction financially with Henderson State,” said Dr. Chuck Welch, president of the ASU System. “I’m proud of the work of our entire financial and leadership team at Henderson, our system office and A-State. They are working hard to get Henderson on sound financial footing.
“Our employees at Henderson are enduring painful furloughs and salary cuts right now,” Welch added. “Chancellor Chuck Ambrose and I are grateful for their sacrifices as they continue to provide the best possible education and services for our students. The recovery will continue to take time, but I’m confident we’re on the right path.”
Arkansas State’s bonds were affirmed as A1 based on its “diversified student market role and overall strong operating performance,” Moody’s said.
“The sound financial practices of A-State and our two-year institutions were critical to this rating and outlook,” Welch said. “They have successfully built cash reserves required for an A1 rating and budgeted carefully through the years. We will continue to make quality higher education as affordable as possible for our students while controlling costs.” | 2022-03-18T05:53:01Z | www.jonesborosun.com | A-State System bonds receive A1 rating | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/a-state-system-bonds-receive-a1-rating/article_81b3722e-61b1-5a84-a47c-c28d41bb3c34.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/a-state-system-bonds-receive-a1-rating/article_81b3722e-61b1-5a84-a47c-c28d41bb3c34.html |
JONESBORO — A lawyer for property owners associations in two upscale residential subdivisions renewed the threat of a lawsuit this week over a proposed land deal that would create a new city park.
The land in question is at 3255 Strawfloor Drive, which is at the end of Casey Springs Road, just west of RidgePointe and Sloan Lake Estates.
The Sloan family, and their B & G Land Co. have proposed a combination donation of 33 acres, sale of an additional 33 acres at a price of $500,000 and a no-cost lease of 76 acres.
Stockholders of the land company are descendants of Beatrice and Gene Sloan, who had farmed the property on the southwestern edge of the current Jonesboro city limits.
The vision is to preserve the woodlands and develop walking trails. However, part of the property is used to host the Jonesboro Open, a major stop on the Disc Golf Pro Tour, scheduled for April 22-24 this year.
Attorney Jim Lyons said in a letter to city officials in November, and in a second letter on Tuesday that the disc golf course attracts added traffic in which visitors park on the sides of area streets, hampering emergency traffic and creating problems for homeowners, including litter.
In Tuesday’s letter, Lyons said city officials had failed to respond to his November Freedom of Information Act request for information relating to the potential new park.
Bill Campbell, the city’s communications director, said Thursday that Mayor Harold Copenhaver’s staff was still working to fulfill the information request, but noted, “it’s kind of scattershot.”
“Please be advised that we want all documents, records, e-mails, texts, notes, communication, sound recordings, videos or other items which pertain in any form, fashion, or means regardless of the format in which such items are retained by the City of Jonesboro, any of its employees or others who have communicated with the City regarding the Park,” Lyons wrote. In the letter, Lyons alluded to potential law violations and conflicts of interest among some employees.
“We’ll give them everything we’ve said or done,” Campbell said. He stressed city officials have not developed any firm plans for the land.
Before Copenhaver took office in 2021 and received the Sloans’ offer, his predecessor, Harold Perrin had already turned it down – not, he said, because it was necessarily a bad idea – but for financial reasons.
“Frankly, we didn’t have the CARES Act, we didn’t have a lot of that stuff that (Copenhaver) has the luxury of having, which I’m glad he’s got,” Perrin said, referring to federal pandemic relief funds made available to the city. “So, I just felt like we couldn’t do it, and I never took it to the council. At that time, we were lucky to have cash to do the parks we’ve got.”
Perrin said he felt an obligation to maintain and improve such places as the Southside Softball Complex and Joe Mack Campbell Park.
“I had rather do that than go buy a piece of property that we don’t have any equipment on,” Perrin said.
The former mayor told The Sun the city needs to develop a plan for the land and determine if the city can afford the long-term cost of maintaining it before deciding whether to move forward. At the time he was considering it, prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Perrin said he determined the acquisition wasn’t feasible. | 2022-03-18T05:53:13Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Lawyer renews lawsuit threat over land offer | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/lawyer-renews-lawsuit-threat-over-land-offer/article_5a7165de-75dd-508b-a5d9-8fc196bbfc2f.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/lawyer-renews-lawsuit-threat-over-land-offer/article_5a7165de-75dd-508b-a5d9-8fc196bbfc2f.html |
JONESBORO — Police are investigating a report of a 37-year-old woman’s vehicle being shot at at about 6:15 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of State Street and Aggie Road.
According to Jonesboro police officer Zachary Williamson, while he was assisting another officer on a motorist assist at the intersection of Aggie Road and Marion Berry Parkway, a black sport utility vehicle stopped to tell him of a shooting at Aggie and State.
The report said the suspects shot several times at the victim’s vehicle.
In a separate case, police arrested Darren Cullison, 58, of the 1900 block of Links Circle, after a traffic stop at about 9:10 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Parkwood Road and Red Wolf Boulevard.
Police said they found syringes with meth, 49 grams of marijuana, 14 red gummies thought to be THC, a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, several gun accessories, 11 counterfeit $100 bills and $2,560 in cash.
Cullison is being held on suspicion of simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of meth or cocaine less than 2 grams, felony possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana with the purpose to deliver and expire tags.
He is being held at the Craighead County Detention Center in lieu of a probable cause hearing.
Two 18-year-olds, one of the 1000 block of Kathleen Street, and the other of the 4500 block of Arkansas 4463, Bay, told police three males pulled a gun on them Wednesday night in the 2000 block of Clover Drive and stole an AR-style rifle. The weapon is valued at $1,500.
Police arrested Angel Denise Cude, 49, at about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 300 block of West Center Street after being called to her residence about a disturbance. Cude is being held on suspicion of possession of meth or cocaine greater than 2 grams but less than 10 grams with the purpose to deliver, possession of marijuana with the purpose to deliver, possession of a Schedule IV or V drug with the purpose to deliver and felony possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police arrested Terry Ross, 38, of the 1200 block of Teekwood Cove, at about 1:20 a.m. Thursday in the 1800 block of Greensboro Road, after the resident said Ross forced his way into her residence. The victim had multiple contusions on the right side of her face. Police found a bullet slug inside of the residence. Ross is being held on suspicion of first-degree domestic battery, residential burglary and third-degree domestic battery.
Police arrested Albert Dobbins, 59, of the 800 block of South Caraway Road, at about 7 p.m. Wednesday following a traffic stop at the intersection of West Matthews Avenue and Witt Street. Dobbins is being held on suspicion of possession of meth or cocaine with the purpose to deliver less than 2 grams, possession of a Schedule IV or V drug, possession of marijuana, felony possession of drug paraphernalia, parole violation, failure to appear and no proof of insurance.
A 22-year-old Judsonia woman told Jonesboro police Wednesday morning that she was scammed for putting down a deposit for a rental she found on Craigslist. The amount of money is $1,700.
Police arrested Laura Everett, 56, of the 200 block of East Philadelphia Road, on Wednesday morning outside of her residence. Everett is being held on suspicion of possession of meth or cocaine less than 2 grams, felony possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and revocation of probation. | 2022-03-18T05:53:26Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Police: Shots fired at woman's vehicle | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/police-shots-fired-at-womans-vehicle/article_419e9102-02a3-575d-9d23-13e3098a9599.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/police-shots-fired-at-womans-vehicle/article_419e9102-02a3-575d-9d23-13e3098a9599.html |
Lilly Barber and Kendra Moody, seventh-graders and Westside Middle School Student Council members, test their QR code for the group’s new project, “Who Cares? Warriors Care.”
JONESBORO — The middle school Student Council members at Westside Consolidated School District recently decided to develop a way to help other students battle depression and anxiety in the wake of the trauma caused by COVID-19.
Staci Darr, Westside sixth and seventh-grade Student Council adviser and sixth-grade math and science teacher, said that the new program, “Who Cares? Warriors Care.,” uses both a QR code displayed around the school and an icon on student computers that will send students directly to a Google form that can be filled out online and sent to the counselor discreetly.
Westside Superintendent Scott Gauntt said that the QR code will take students directly to a questionnaire with the responses going to the school counselor.
“The kids want help but are afraid to ask because of the stigma of asking for help,” Gauntt said.
“It blew me away to know that our students wanted to help others so much,” he said, noting that the QR code will be placed around the school at various locations such as the cafeteria, the bathrooms and the library. “It is amazing to see.”
Darr said that during a middle school Student Council meeting last week, they decided that they wanted to focus on teen suicide and how to help prevent such a tragedy.
“As the group talked about how to get rid of the stigma of going to the counselor, they started talking about some type of form that students could fill out,” Darr said, noting that two seventh-grade council members, Kendra Moody and Lilly Barber, suggested putting QR codes around the school and icons on all the computers.
Barber said that she and Moody took it a step further.
“So Kendra and I branched-off,” Barber said, “and suggested they have a QR code to the Warrior Hotline and the Google form. We plan to have it on every computer. We already have it in QR form, and we started this week.”
Moody said that they also plan to do newsletters explaining the signs of depression and tips on ways to prevent and cope with the issue, as well as how to help a friend who is suffering.
“Luckily, we have the best adviser ever,” Moody laughed, “She got us to talking about ways to bring up Warriors’ spirits. We decided that we wanted to raise awareness and let kids know that they are not alone.”
“All the kids have worked really hard on this,” Darr said, pointing out that the project began only two weeks ago.
“We have a good group of students,” she said. “They are unstoppable when they get an idea.” | 2022-03-18T05:53:32Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Warriors Care aims to help fellow students | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/warriors-care-aims-to-help-fellow-students/article_9e2f2a47-5e4d-509f-983e-38d23c6bd5c1.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/warriors-care-aims-to-help-fellow-students/article_9e2f2a47-5e4d-509f-983e-38d23c6bd5c1.html |
Witt House volunteer Tracy Finch organizes menu items.
When Paragould First United Methodist Church was built in 1926, it sat on the corner of a lot near downtown and was surrounded on all sides by modest family homes.
One of those homes belonged to the family of Emma Nell “Emmy” Witt, long-time church member, choir director, and all-around favorite. Even several years after her passing, she is still talked about with much emotion by those who knew her well in church and the school where she worked as a coach and mentor.
When Witt died in 2010, something special needed to be done with her home, which was just steps away from the church. Emmy’s mother, Cora, had served families experiencing difficult times out of her kitchen and since Emmy inherited her mother’s love of serving others, it was a natural extension to turn her family home into a food pantry named appropriately The Witt House.
In 2011, before the original Witt house had to be demolished, people from the community would enter this friendly space by crossing the front porch and entering the front door that Emmy walked in her whole life. Where her family once sat in their living room, clients were now sitting while they waited to pick up food. She would have loved knowing that her old refrigerator was kept full of food for hungry people in need.
Today, the Witt House has maintained its name even though the location has changed. Another home was saved and remodeled to be the new feeding ministry place. It is located on the corner of Garland and Fifth Streets across from the church parking lot. Volunteers from First United Methodist Church in Paragould serve clients each Tuesday evening and Friday morning throughout the year. The pantry is open to anyone who needs food, and families can receive this assistance once a month.
One of the highlights that set apart this food pantry is the dignified approach to selection and choice. Each family is allowed to choose items that they want from a menu that can change weekly. The menu consists of non-perishable food items, canned foods, dairy selections, fresh produce, a variety of meat proteins, bread, and sometimes bakery items as they become available.
It takes a team of volunteers to keep the Witt House open and full of food choices. Some of these volunteer roles include picking up food at various marketplaces, shelf organization, filling menu orders when the pantry is open, and the front-line volunteers who meet the families and help them plan their menu choices.
“We have a lot of fun with what we do,” said John Shepherd, volunteer produce coordinator. “It is also very humbling to see the need. There is a huge mission field out there.”
Last year, the Witt House served 2,023 households representing 7,093 individuals all from the Greene County area.
The Witt House has also begun giving away books to children as part of a larger connection to an initiative of the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church, and 200,000 More Reasons is a special ministry serving the entire state of Arkansas that provides grants and resources to local feeding ministries that encourage literacy and family stability for neighbors.
Reverend Chase Burns, associate pastor of FUMC Paragould stated: “Over the past three years, I have witnessed our teams adapt and continue to ‘dream and dream bigger’ as they not only provide nutritional items to our neighbors but engage with our neighbors to develop life-long relationships and share the light of Christ in their efforts.”
Paragould First United Methodist Church is located at 404 West Main St., in Paragould. The Senior Pastor is Rev. Dane Womack and the Associate Pastor is Rev. Chase Burns. The District Superintendent for northeast Arkansas is Rev. John Fleming and the episcopal leader for Arkansas is Bishop Gary Mueller.
To learn more about the church visit the website fumcparagould.org. | 2022-03-18T05:53:38Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Witt House continues to serve thousands each year | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/witt-house-continues-to-serve-thousands-each-year/article_a8e7ac69-c4a9-5cf6-800f-d450e4641079.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/witt-house-continues-to-serve-thousands-each-year/article_a8e7ac69-c4a9-5cf6-800f-d450e4641079.html |
Bell helped advance education in Arkansas
‘The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty,” wrote James Madison, the nation’s fourth president and Father of the Constitution, two centuries ago. The scientific, economic, and social advances of any nation in history are always connected to how its people are to be educated. In Arkansas, progress in education has often been slow, but several important leaders have stepped forward to advance the cause of knowledge and education. Among those transformative leaders was State Sen. Clarence Bell. | 2022-03-18T05:54:02Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Bell helped advance education in Arkansas | Opinion | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/opinion/bell-helped-advance-education-in-arkansas/article_227036c1-ef8a-5929-a22f-e444de2f872c.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/opinion/bell-helped-advance-education-in-arkansas/article_227036c1-ef8a-5929-a22f-e444de2f872c.html |
JONESBORO — Jason Smith will be a proud observer this afternoon when he settles into his seat at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas.
Smith, Nettleton High School’s girls’ coach, will have former players on each side when seventh-seeded Utah and 10th-seeded Arkansas meet in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Dasia Young plays for the Utes, while Elauna Eaton suits up for the Razorbacks.
As he drove toward Austin on Thursday, Smith pondered the odds of two former Lady Raiders meeting in an NCAA Tournament game.
“I don’t know what the chances are, but I’d say they’re pretty slim that this would happen for a high school in Arkansas, at least,” Smith said. “I’m tickled, really happy for the kids. They’re both downplaying it, but for the old ball coach, it’s a pretty special moment.”
The Razorbacks (18-13) and Utes (20-11) tip off at 4:30 p.m., with the game to be televised on ESPNews. The winner of their Spokane Region game will play Texas or Fairfield on Sunday.
Young, a 5-foot-11 junior forward, transferred to Utah this year after earning first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors as a sophomore at Tennessee-Martin in 2021. She is third on the team in minutes played, averaging almost 23 per game, and is the team’s fifth-leading scorer at 7.4 points per game.
When Young decided to transfer last year, Smith and Nettleton assistant coach Caleb Livingston assisted her in the process.
“We kind of did some of that filtering and helped her out the best we could. She had a lot of really, really good options,” Smith said. “Utah kind of came out of left field, but their approach with her and what they were looking for, the type of player they were looking for, she fit them to a T. They needed a kid who had some grit and toughness, athleticism, and could guard one through five if needed.”
Young, who is shooting 38.2 percent from the 3-point line, has made statistical contributions across the board. She has started 11 games and has scored in double figures six times, with a season-high 18 points against Colorado.
Eaton, a 6-foot redshirt freshman guard, has played in 28 games with two starts. She has scored 97 points on the season and has three games in double figures, with a high of 15 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
One of the top recruits nationally in the 2020 class, Eaton redshirted in the 2020-21 season at Arkansas after suffering an ACL injury. Smith said Eaton suffered an injury to the same knee in high school.
“I think the best is yet to come for Elauna. I know she’s been frustrated with herself and her body, the situation and all, but she’s helped them,” Smith said. “She played really well in the game when they had seven players, she played really, really well, and in some games in the preseason. She’s definitely somebody who is on Utah’s scouting report that they have to watch out for because we all know E, and she could get out there and hit two or three quick ones.”
Smith told his former players that he wouldn’t miss today’s game for the world, but Young and Eaton won’t see him wearing anything red since the teams have different shades of that color.
“I’m going neutral colors,” Smith said. “The shade of red would be the giveaway, so I’m going neutral. We’ll go Nettleton black and gold (today).” | 2022-03-18T05:54:20Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Former Lady Raiders meet in NCAA tourney | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/former-lady-raiders-meet-in-ncaa-tourney/article_dbd3755e-a08f-519d-a703-a31f5888c86a.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/former-lady-raiders-meet-in-ncaa-tourney/article_dbd3755e-a08f-519d-a703-a31f5888c86a.html |
A-State named Gold Level Military Friendly School
JONESBORO — Arkansas State University has been designated as a Military Friendly School for 2022-23, its 13th ranking by the Military Friendly Schools list, and has achieved the Gold-level ranking for the first time.
According to the press release, this list sets the standard for higher education institutions to provide the best opportunities for veterans and their spouses.
“One of the core values of A-State is the service we provide to those in the military, our veteran students, and our wider veteran community including military family members and our local retired military, Damphousse added. “To now earn their Gold status inspires us to do more. From hosting one of the oldest and most decorated ROTC units to service as the home for the nationally known Beck Center for Veterans, A-State invests in programs to lift up those who have served and sacrificed for our nation.”
Along with serving as the hub for three other in-state universities, the A-State Red Wolf Battalion celebrated its 85th anniversary this academic year. Arkansas State also dedicated its ROTC training facility, the largest in the state of Arkansas, as the Lt. Col. Frederick C. Turner Jr. Military Science Building to honor the three-tour Vietnam veteran and first Black instructor at A-State.
A-State also opened office space this academic year at Camp Robinson near Little Rock to support veterans and their families seeking to begin or complete degrees.
Arkansas State was one of 29 universities in the MFS “large public” category to earn Gold nationwide, and, along with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, was one of only two MFS Gold in the state of Arkansas.
The 2022-23 Military Friendly Schools list will be published in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com. Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using public data sources for more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly Schools survey from participating institutions.
“Military Friendly is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,” said Kayla Lopez, national director of military partnerships, Military Friendly. “This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages colleges to consistently evolve and invest in their programs.
“Schools who achieve this designation show true commitment and dedication in their efforts. Our standards assist schools by providing a benchmark that promotes positive educational outcomes, resources and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the military community.”
In addition to A-State and UAPB, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, Arkansas Northeastern College, Arkansas Tech University and Southern Arkansas University were Silver with the University of Central Arkansas rounding out the list of in-state schools on the Bronze list.
22-23militaryfriendly | 2022-03-19T09:46:33Z | www.jonesborosun.com | A-State named Gold Level Military Friendly School | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/a-state-named-gold-level-military-friendly-school/article_c8fd2a4a-905e-5e56-8707-18160d61da42.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/a-state-named-gold-level-military-friendly-school/article_c8fd2a4a-905e-5e56-8707-18160d61da42.html |
Communities receive public art grants
LITTLE ROCK — On Friday, March 11, Arkansas Heritage presented Public Art Grant checks during a ceremony at their headquarters in Little Rock. $42,035 in grant funding was distributed to communities across the state.
Among those receiving funds were Five Rivers Historical Preservation Inc. in Pocahontas which received a $5,000 public art grant; Wynne Downtown Revitalization, a $1,150 grant for “From One Mural Comes Many ...; and Main Street Osceola Inc., a $7,374 for “Sons of Seals.”
The Public Art Grant Program assists communities that participate in the Main Street Arkansas program in the planning and implementation of art projects in places viewable by the public within the Main Street district and on gateways to Main Street districts, including purchasing and commissioning works of art.
Projects must be new, site-specific, public art, and not memorial statues or works of religious nature. The artworks can include but are not limited to, murals and tile work, permanent paintings and drawings, and sculpture. It must be freely visible and accessible to the public for at least two years.
After the installation of public art, the applicant is required to coordinate an unveiling event with Arkansas Heritage.
For more information on the grant program, visit bit.ly/3J6mytm or contact Arkansas Heritage Grants Manager Debra Fithen at 501-324-9150 or debra.fithen@arkansas.gov. | 2022-03-19T09:46:45Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Communities receive public art grants | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/communities-receive-public-art-grants/article_67599d85-a383-5c70-8fd2-068646fa5949.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/communities-receive-public-art-grants/article_67599d85-a383-5c70-8fd2-068646fa5949.html |
Entergy Arkansas rate increase to impact bills
LITTLE ROCK — Entergy Arkansas has announced that higher natural gas prices necessitate an increase in the fuel charge on customer bills.
A filing was made the week of March 18 with the Arkansas Public Service Commission to increase the Energy Cost Recovery rate on April 1.
The ECR accounts for roughly 9 percent of a residential customer’s total monthly bill.
The ECR will increase from $0.00959 per kilowatt-hour to $0.01785 per kWh, or from the current rate of just under 1 cent per kWh to 1.8 cents beginning with April 2022 billing.
This rate will be effective through March 2023, unless an interim adjustment is needed.
“The total increase that customers could see on their bill will vary based on their individual energy usage and the kilowatt-hours consumed at their home,” Ventrell Thompson, acting vice president of customer service said in the announcement. “Our estimates show, however, that the average residential customer who uses 1,000 kilowatt hours per month will see a total bill increase of 7.5 percent, or roughly $8.”
Customers received a decreased ECR rate the last two years, and the 2021 ECR rate currently in effect ($0.00959) is the lowest the rate has been in more than 10 years. Natural gas has historically been a lower-cost source, officials said. However, natural gas prices were 93 percent higher in 2021 compared to 2020, according to the industry standard Henry Hub.
“At Entergy Arkansas, we carefully plan and invest our resources to provide reliable power and keep rates as low as possible,” Kurt Castleberry, director of resource planning and market operations said. “Fuel diversity pays off and so does our investment in our nuclear fleet to keep them producing electricity at historically high levels.
“Last year, our nuclear generation sources set a record,” he continued. “Low cost, emission-free power provides about 70 percent of the electricity our customers consume to help insulate them from the cost swings of natural gas. This kept the ECR rate from going even higher.”
Customers who are having trouble paying their bills have several options available, including The Power to Care, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), level billing, pick-your-date and payment extensions.
Call 1-800-368-3749 to talk with customer service or visit www.entergy-arkansas.com/ bill-help.
Entergy Arkansas also provides tips and programs to make a home more energy efficient, with more information at www. entergy-arkansas.com/ residential/. | 2022-03-19T09:46:51Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Entergy Arkansas rate increase to impact bills | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/entergy-arkansas-rate-increase-to-impact-bills/article_1f29a6b2-9001-5fe2-9d39-11203eb8d934.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/entergy-arkansas-rate-increase-to-impact-bills/article_1f29a6b2-9001-5fe2-9d39-11203eb8d934.html |
FOA offers summer kids camps
JONESBORO — Registration is now open for the Foundation of Arts summer camps and intensive. These programs are geared for a variety of age groups. All programs will take place at The Arts Center, 328 S. Main St.
Cats Kids Camp includes instruction in dance, including ballet foundations, music, acting and art projects.
There are three sessions geared to 3- and 4-year-olds scheduled for June 14-17, June 21-24 and June 28-July 1. Each session will run from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Three additional sessions, set for noon to 1:30 p.m. on the same dates, are geared to ages 5-6.
Tuition is $100 per session for ages 3-4 and $125 per session for ages 5-6.
Green Eggs and Ham for Kids camp is also for ages 3-4. Dr. Seuss camps will offer dance, singing, acting and painting using the stories of Dr. Seuss.
Green Eggs and Ham camp will be offered twice, July 12-15, July 19-22, from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Tuition is $100 per camp.
Cat in the Hat for Kids camps offer a similar format to Green Eggs and Ham but are geared to ages 5-6. They will be offered July 12-15 and July 19-22 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuition is $125 per camp.
FOA Art camps will be offered June 21-24 and again July 19-22. Camps for ages 10-13 will meet from 10:30 a.m. to noon and those for ages 6-10 will meet from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Tuition is $100 per camp for ages 6-10 and $125 for ages 10-13.
Two ballet camps and one intensive will also be offered. Ballet camps focus on age-appropriate ballet techniques, musicality and acting.
Princess Camp for ages 3-4 will be from 10 to 11 a.m. July 26-29 with $100 tuition. Participants may dress up on the last day for a short performance for family.
Audition Prep Ballet Camp for ages 5-6 will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. July 26-29. Tuition is $125. This camp will prepare participants for Nutcracker auditions.
Ballet Intensive will be offered from 1-4 p.m. July 26-29 and is open to dancers ages 7-18. This program will prepare dancers for August Nutcracker Ballet auditions as well as other dance programs. Tuition is $250.
Tuition assistance and installment plans are available for all camps. For additional information, email Morgan Pruitt at morgan@foajonesboro.org.
Registration for camps may be made at www. foajonesboro.org or by calling 870-935-2726. | 2022-03-19T09:47:03Z | www.jonesborosun.com | FOA offers summer kids camps | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/foa-offers-summer-kids-camps/article_2a6d0ee0-514a-52ee-9c65-71850dbc67da.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/foa-offers-summer-kids-camps/article_2a6d0ee0-514a-52ee-9c65-71850dbc67da.html |
The Kurt and Andrea Stephenson Band will perform at 7 p.m. March 28 at the Collins Theatre in Paragould as part of the KASU-FM Bluegrass Monday concert series. The band performs traditional bluegrass and a variety of acoustic music.
Stephenson band to perform
PARAGOULD — The Kurt and Andrea Stephenson Band will perform at 7 p.m. March 28 at the Collins Theatre, 120 W. Emerson St.
The concert featuring traditional bluegrass and a variety of acoustic music is the next KASU-FM Bluegrass Monday event.
The married couple Kurt and Andrea Stephenson are Arkansas State University graduates who have lengthy musical resumes. They met at a musical event in Mountain View almost 20 years ago.
Kurt Stephenson is a native of west Tennessee. He has won the National Bluegrass Banjo Championship and multiple Tennessee state banjo championships.
In addition to leading his own band with his wife, Kurt is a member of the group High Fidelity.
Andrea Stephenson is a native of Fordyce where she grew up performing bluegrass and gospel music with her family, the Nichols, at churches and bluegrass events around the region.
The Stephensons’ band includes father and son, Jeff and Daniel Smith, bringing four-part harmonies to the band’s performance and Corrina Rose Logston playing the fiddle.
All seating is general admission at $10 per person, payable by cash at the door.
Everyone 18 and younger will be admitted free.
Doors open to the theater at 6 p.m. and seating is first-come, first-served.
Advance tickets can be purchased at www.kasu.org/tickets. | 2022-03-19T09:47:28Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Stephenson band to perform | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/stephenson-band-to-perform/article_59c7867f-a837-53e5-b0c1-642d6433ad43.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/stephenson-band-to-perform/article_59c7867f-a837-53e5-b0c1-642d6433ad43.html |
Teach Arkansas addresses teacher shortage
LITTLE ROCK — To encourage more Arkansans to enter the teaching profession and highlight various pathways and financial incentives to become a teacher, the Arkansas Department of Education’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and Forward Arkansas, a statewide education nonprofit, has rebranded and launched the Teach Arkansas campaign.
“All Arkansans agree that our students deserve a quality education,” ADE Secretary Johnny Key said.
“For this to become a reality, schools across the state must be fully staffed with highly-qualified teachers. Teach Arkansas aims to encourage existing teachers to continue their careers while inspiring high school and college students and professionals in other fields to join them in shaping the lives of our state’s future leaders. Together we can grow tomorrow, today.”
As part of the rebrand, a new website – TeachArkansas.org – was developed, which provides current and future teachers an easily-accessible hub for career resources. At the site current teachers can find professional development opportunities to increase their existing skills and income, high school and college students can learn how to enter the teaching profession, and potential career changers can learn about affordable pathways to the classroom.
In many cases, teacher candidates can obtain a four-year degree plus teaching license at no cost to them.
In addition to a new website, one-on-one coaching with professionals trained in guiding current and future teachers through paths to licensure or career advancement also are available. Career advisors’ contact information can be accessed through www.TeachArkansas.org.
Additional resources, including a debt-free tuition calculator and a “choose your path to teacher licensure” tool, are also available on the website. | 2022-03-19T09:47:34Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Teach Arkansas addresses teacher shortage | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/teach-arkansas-addresses-teacher-shortage/article_5c554806-8519-52bf-acbc-090aa0e192f5.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/teach-arkansas-addresses-teacher-shortage/article_5c554806-8519-52bf-acbc-090aa0e192f5.html |
Josh Hauskins (left), workforce advocate for TRANSFRVR, explains the applications of the VR technology as Xavier Campbell, a 10th-grader at Jonesboro High School, experiences one of the VR simulations on display on Tuesday at the Be Pro Be Proud Draft Day 2022 in Jonesboro.
LITTLE ROCK — In collaboration with TRANSFR and Arkansas Community Colleges, a new Arkansas Office of Skills Development (AOSD) program is using virtual reality simulations to help students and job-seekers explore careers in high-growth and technical industries.
According to a press release on Thursday from the Arkansas Office of Skills Development, the partnership is harnessing the power of AR/VR simulations to help local students explore career options in growing Arkansas industries such as manufacturing, skilled trades, hospitality, public safety and automotive.
Senior Associate with Whiteboard Advisors Sonya Bessalel said that after completing a series of career exploration, students and local job seekers receive recommendations for career and technical education programs available at local community college and workforce boards to prepare for the career path of their choice.
“It’s an interesting example of how leaders in rural states are using technology in surprising ways to meet their statewide workforce and economic development goals,” she said, noting that in 2021, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced a new initiative called Ready For Life, which connects job-seekers, educators and employers at a one-stop employment website that includes job openings and opportunities for continuing education.
Cody Waits, director of the Office of Skills Development at the Arkansas Department of Commerce, said that the demand for talent is growing in industries like manufacturing, transportation, construction and the skilled trades.
“However, students often lack awareness of the education or training options they need to get started,” Waits said. “This statewide program is an example of how we can pair innovative technologies with our existing career and technical education resources to help more students prepare for new career horizons and meet the skilled workforce needs of employers.”
“The training program can be made available to the public through the community college,” he said. “Many times this is available through the adult education programs which are housed on the community college campus. The headsets can also be leveraged by current students, prospective students and high school students.”
The main focus for the program is helping both students and job seekers, Waits said.
“The focus is to allow students to explore many careers that may be foreign to them to provide them with exposure to those and ultimately build awareness and interest into those career paths,” he said. “For adults, while we certainly use the headsets for exploration, we really focus on putting them into a training program so they can earn skills and credentials better preparing them for employment with local employers.”
“The same training can be done by high school students as well,” Waits said, noting that the training is available for K-12 students, college students, workers looking to upskill, reskill or make a career transition. He also said all training is open to military veterans looking to make a transition. In other states, the training is also available to justice-impacted individuals as they explore careers upon reentry.
“The main objective is to align career and technical education programs with the needs of employers in Arkansas, and give students the career exploration tools to get them interested in well-paid jobs in Arkansas, as well as to help adults gain the skills and certifications they need to access these jobs,” he said.
The partner organizations working with AOSD, Arkansas Community Colleges and Altec to offer training include Northwest Arkansas Council and Arkansas State University Three Rivers.
There are several colleges and universities participating in the program including:
Arkansas Northeastern College.
Arkansas State University Beebe.
Arkansas State University – Newport.
Arkansas State University Mid-South.
Arkansas State University – Mountain Home.
Arkansas State University Three Rivers.
East Arkansas Community College.
Black River Technical College.
Northwest Arkansas Council.
Northwest Technical Institute.
Ozarka College.
South Arkansas Community College.
University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville.
University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton.
University of Arkansas Fort Smith.
Darenda Kersey, director of career and technical concurrent education at Black River Technical College, said they are very excited about recruiting prospects and training possibilities that will be made possible through this new program and the use of VR technology.
“We received our VR headsets through the Arkansas Office of Skills Development back in the fall,” Kersey said. “We plan to use them to help train in industrial and career development, as well as for career coaching in the high schools starting in the eighth-grade classes.”
She said that they are already using them to help train students virtually in welding, electronics and automotive courses, plus plan to add programs over the summer in the CNA and phlebotomy programs.
Bharani Rajakumar, founder and CEO of TRANSFR, said that by working in concert with local K-12 schools, community and technical colleges, workforce boards, and employers, a classroom-to-career pathway is being built in Arkansas that will help more job-seekers start a path to long-term economic security and mobility.
According to the press release, the program has helped hundreds of Arkansas residents gain access to hands-on career exploration, with plans to reach up to 4,500 more in 2022.
Bessalel said that TRANSFR is an economic development platform used in 29 states for both career exploration and certification-aligned skills development.
“TRANSFR is creating a classroom-to-careers pipeline, to train the next generation of workers for well-paying jobs across every industry via immersive hands-on training programs that develop critical skills for employment in well-paying, in-demand jobs.” she said, noting that as an economic development platform, “We work together with community organizations, workforce development groups, educational institutions and industry leaders to help build better futures for workers, employers and the communities that they call home.”
For more information, about TRANSFR visit transfrvr.com.
Members of the general public who are interested in leveraging the headsets for career exploration or skills training, can also contact Stephanie Isaacs, associate director at the Arkansas office of skills development at Stephanie.Isaacs@arkansas.gov. | 2022-03-19T09:47:46Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Arkansas Community Colleges Use VR simulations to accelerate CTE training | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/arkansas-community-colleges-use-vr-simulations-to-accelerate-cte-training/article_1d80cd1e-2651-5ab0-8a63-5f2ee785e571.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/arkansas-community-colleges-use-vr-simulations-to-accelerate-cte-training/article_1d80cd1e-2651-5ab0-8a63-5f2ee785e571.html |
Boy arrested after gun threat
JONESBORO — Police arrested a 16-year-old boy at about 10:40 a.m. Thursday after responding to Garden Manor Drive about juveniles with firearms, according to a Jonesboro police report.
Upon arrival, officers saw several people standing around. One person fled with a rifle, police said. The boy was later apprehended and the rifle was found in a residence.
The boy is being held on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, tampering with evidence and fleeing.
In another case, a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl got into an argument at about 3:16 p.m. Thursday at an unreleased location. The boy told the girl that if he had his gun he would shoot her and her vehicle.
The boy could face a charge of first-degree terroristic threatening.
A 29-year-old Brinkley woman reported Thursday morning that someone broke into a residence she owns in the 2200 block of Clover Drive and stole items. Taken were two televisions, a computer, jewelry and security cameras with a total value listed at $1,300. Damage to a door was listed at $150.
A 21-year-old Jonesboro man reported to police Thursday morning that he thinks a roommate stole items from his residence in the 1900 block of North Culberhouse Street. Taken were tools worth $1,100 and $3,500 in cash.
A 23-year-old Jonesboro woman reported Friday morning that a 2014 Dodge Ram was stolen at her residence in the 1900 block of West Matthews Avenue. The truck, valued at $35,000, contained tools, valued at $2,000. | 2022-03-19T09:47:52Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Boy arrested after gun threat | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/boy-arrested-after-gun-threat/article_bce12e3c-1d6e-564a-bf5e-237520700c9d.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/boy-arrested-after-gun-threat/article_bce12e3c-1d6e-564a-bf5e-237520700c9d.html |
JONESBORO — The Jonesboro Fire Department put the blaze at the Nestlé plant to rest late Thursday afternoon, nearly 24 hours after the fire destroyed a significant part of the facility.
JFD is continuing its investigation into the fire, Assistant Fire Chief Marvin Hamrick said Friday
“We officially cleared from Nestle at (2:39 p.m. Thursday). Most of the time Thursday was spent putting out hot spots. Lots of investigation has to be done and much of it will be done by Nestlé,” Hamrick said. “The structure has not been deemed safe for entry to the damaged area, which is centered around the new addition for the Hot Pocket line. The damage to this part of the building is substantial as is the dollar loss associated with it.”
About 30 firefighters, including off-duty ones, fought the blaze, Fire Chief Kevin Miller said Thursday. Crews were rotated fighting the fire.
No Nestlé employees were injured, according to Miller.
In a release from the Fire Department on Thursday, “Engine 7 arrived on scene and made entry into the building where they found the fire burning within a large piece of a production line cooler. Due to the construction makeup of the cooler the fire could not be easily accessed. Crews from Engine 7, Engine 3 and Engine 1 rotated in and out of the building as suppression efforts continued. A short time later, while all crews were outside, a large explosion occurred within the structure. Crews were forced to stage back and the immediate area was evacuated.
A Nestlé representative said Thursday that “We plan to continue to support our employees financially during this time. We are in direct contact with our employees and will continue to provide them with updates.”
As far as the plant goes, Josh Morton, a company representative, said Friday, “We are fully committed to restarting operations as quickly and responsibly as possible while ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety.”
The City of Jonesboro issued a release on social media on Thursday.
“(On Wednesday), the Jonesboro Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at the Nestle Plant. We are thankful that injuries were minor and that our firefighters on the scene were able to contain the fire. Nestle is a vital part of the Jonesboro family and our thoughts and prayers are with their hardworking employees and families affected by this incident,” the release said. “Mayor Harold Copenhaver and Chief Kevin Miller want to thank the Nestle crew for their prompt response to get workers out of harm’s way, which also allowed our first responders to quickly focus on containment.
We stand ready to assist Nestle with their needs during the rebuilding process and look forward to seeing this pillar of our community back in full operation soon.” | 2022-03-19T09:48:04Z | www.jonesborosun.com | JFD puts out Nestlé blaze after 20-plus hours | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/jfd-puts-out-nestl-blaze-after-20-plus-hours/article_77351760-2448-513d-ba06-a312593c78d2.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/jfd-puts-out-nestl-blaze-after-20-plus-hours/article_77351760-2448-513d-ba06-a312593c78d2.html |
MAPC to study apartment plan
JONESBORO — Plans for four 4-unit apartment buildings are on the agenda for the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission Tuesday.
Southard Investments will seek approval of preliminary plans for the four buildings on 1.74 acres at 907 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The property is zoned R-2 residential multifamily residential.
It’s the only issue on the agenda.
The commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the Municipal Center, located at 300 S. Church St. | 2022-03-19T09:48:11Z | www.jonesborosun.com | MAPC to study apartment plan | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/mapc-to-study-apartment-plan/article_cdb4d174-5183-5496-a9cf-e07fd6d63f90.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/mapc-to-study-apartment-plan/article_cdb4d174-5183-5496-a9cf-e07fd6d63f90.html |
BURDETTE — A Mississippi County jury convicted Marlon Tucker, 37, of a triple murder Thursday in the June 2020 shooting deaths of three people in Blytheville.
Tucker, of St. Louis, was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of first-degree battery. Circuit Judge Charles Mooney Jr. followed the jury’s recommendation and sentenced Tucker to three life terms plus 65 years’ imprisonment.
On June, 27, 2020, Blytheville police responded to a shots-fired call. Officers arrived at 613 Parkway and found multiple gunshot victims.
Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson said at the time that Oscar Lane, 54, died at the scene of the shooting while Joyce Adams, 54, and Virginia Bailey, 29, were also shot and died later at separate hospitals.
The fourth shooting victim recovered.
An investigation revealed that during a family gathering, an argument began. During this argument, Tucker became angry and began firing his gun at those attending.
Tucker was arrested in Jefferson County, Mo., Thompson said.
The shooting occurred during a fight among people attending a party at the home, but the suspect was not involved in the altercation, Thompson said.
“There is no explanation why (he) began shooting people,” and the suspect has not provided a motive, Thompson said.
He said Tucker was also suspected of stealing a vehicle from the scene of the shooting and driving to Missouri, where he was arrested by the Missouri Highway Patrol.
Curtis Walker Jr. and Gina M. Nelson, prosecuted the case for the 2nd Judicial District prosecutor’s office, according to a press release.
Prosecuting Attorney Keith L. Chrestman praised the deputy prosecutors:
“Walker and Nelson – two times in two weeks – have successfully tried homicide cases and achieved first-degree murder convictions. Outstanding work. I’m thankful for their continued service. Since jury trials resumed in May 2021, this office has tried a dozen homicide cases in the 2nd Judicial District, and this is the fifth life sentence. Without doubt, our juries are making it clear that our communities won’t tolerate violence.” | 2022-03-19T09:48:17Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Mo. man convicted in triple murder | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/mo-man-convicted-in-triple-murder/article_67080b5f-d5a5-510b-a56c-894edb3d9d90.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/mo-man-convicted-in-triple-murder/article_67080b5f-d5a5-510b-a56c-894edb3d9d90.html |
Doc Washburn (from left), Republican candidate for governor, talks with local residents Roger Kidd and Skip Kelley during a visit in Jonesboro Friday afternoon.
JONESBORO — While two big name opponents dropped out of the Republican race for governor, a lesser known challenger to presumed frontrunner Sarah Huckabee Sanders jumped in. Doc Washburn of Little Rock, a former radio talk show host, is now Sanders’ only competitor in the May 24 primary.
Term-limited Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin switched to the attorney general’s race and term-limited Attorney General Leslie Rutledge switched to the lieutenant governor’s race after Sanders amassed a huge amount of campaign contributions well in advance of the filing period.
In fact, in her latest report, Sanders’ campaign for governor, which launched last year, reported ending February with more than $7.5 million in the bank
Washburn said he only entered the race after friends and other conservatives urged him to, and contributed the $15,000 filing fee. Still, during a visit with fellow Republicans in Jonesboro Friday, Washburn said he believes it’s a winnable election, despite what one establishment politician said is a steep hill to climb.
“I said, Jeb Bush spent over $100 million in the 2016 primaries and got three delegates,” Washburn said. “Hillary (Clinton) spent more than twice than Trump spent in the general. I said, if your contention is that I’ve got such a steep hill to climb because she has all this money, then Jeb Bush would have been our nominee and Hillary would have wiped the floor with him, and that’s not what happened.”
Washburn said everywhere he goes his message is very well received. At the same time, he said even her own supporters are complaining on Sanders’ own Facebook page, “that when they see her in public, she won’t answer their questions. She won’t talk to them about the issues.”
Washburn said endorsements from Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Sen. John Boozman and U.S. Rep. French Hill will hurt her with Republican voters, rather than help.
Washburn’s message criticizes state and federal coronavirus mitigation policies, challenging the integrity of the 2020 presidential election, rejecting medical mandates, opposing abortion, opposing chemical gender change options for minors, supporting gun rights, affirming the rights of military veterans, resisting the use of Critical Race Theory in public schools and advocating for more tax cuts and smaller government.
At the same time, Washburn proposes some new mandates, including:
Require public schools to put all their curricula online and install closed-circuit security cameras in all public school classrooms.
Provide educational funding to students to choose their own schools.
Overhaul the child welfare system and protect parents’ rights. Child welfare workers would be required to wear body cameras and inform parents of their Miranda rights on home visits.
Have nursing homes and assisted living centers inspected often to make sure residents aren’t being abused.
Asked how to pay for those new measures, Washburn responded that the state has amassed a $1.2 billion surplus through over taxing its residents.
“I don’t think the things I’m proposing are going to take $1.2 billion,” he said. | 2022-03-19T09:48:23Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Sanders' challenger not afraid of money challenge | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/sanders-challenger-not-afraid-of-money-challenge/article_898fdffb-3161-5ef4-aaac-3680ed2a26cf.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/sanders-challenger-not-afraid-of-money-challenge/article_898fdffb-3161-5ef4-aaac-3680ed2a26cf.html |
The Rev. Dr. Ray Scales, former KAIT chief photographer and founding pastor of the New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, reminiscences about extraordinary life as he prepares for retirement.
The Rev. Dr. Ray Scales shows off his favorite award, the Respect Distinguished Citizens Award that he won in 2002. He has won numerous awards in his life time including the Key to Jonesboro and one to West Memphis.
Ray Scales poses for picture in the summer in 1970 in Texas. He was promoted to staff sergeant while working as a specialist clerk typist in the U.S. Army.
This photo was taken in 1990 of the Rev. Dr. Ray Scales as he stands in front the New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Jonesboro, which he had opened a year earlier in 1989.
After a lifetime of achievements in broadcasting and community service, Reverend Dr. Ray Scales, former KAIT chief photographer and founding pastor of the New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Jonesboro, has decided to retire after more than 50 years of service to the community.
Scales was born in Tyronza to Elijah and Mary E. Scales. His father was a sharecropper and tracker driver, while his mother was a domestic worker, who helped raise Tyronza Mayor Charles Glover.
Along with his four brothers and five sisters, they were a very close and religious family who loved to sing and praise the Lord.
“I have sang all my life,” Scales happily reminisced about his days traveling with his singing group called “Reverend Ray Scales and The Majestic Gospel Singers.”
“We went everywhere,” he laughed. “It was so much fun and man could I sing.”
In fact, he was even one of 12 recipients of a national award given by the Rhythm of Gospel Awards in 2015.
Scales graduated from Carver High School in Marked Tree in 1965, before starting his college career at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff as a Golden Lion, where he studied the English language and graduated in 1969.
Shortly after graduating from UAPB, he would spend the next two years,1969 to 1971, as a specialist serving as a clerk typist in the United States Army and was promoted to staff sergeant.
After returning home from the military in August of 1971, Scales would start a career at KAIT-TV in Jonesboro as the first Black employee at the station in September 1971, where he would go on to become a news photojournalist, until his retirement in 1994 after 22 years in the business.
“Thankfully they still like me,” he laughed.
He said he worked in production at first, but then they asked him to start in the news around 1972 or 73 in their photography department.
Scales laughed that they got one good shot out of his first try, but he didn’t give up.
In fact, they were so impressed that they would pay to send him to photography school at the Kodak Film Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1975, and he would also become the chief photographer that same year.
He would enjoy a fruitful career at KAIT and was recognized many times, receiving several local, state and national awards including an Alfred I. Dupont Award and even an Emmy Award.
“I had many adventures at KAIT, including the San Fransico earthquake with Tony Brooks,” Scales said, noting that the experience was both exciting and terrifying.
Tony Brooks was a former anchor, who would become the executive director of KAIT following the death of the previous director Allen Weatherly.
He also had the chance the to go Guatemala with the late Jack Hill, a broadcast journalist and documentary filmmaker, to cover Heifer International as they took animals to the under-served communities in South America.
“I will never forget it,” Scales chuckled, noting that they rode in the back of the truck with the animals on the way to Florida, where they boarded the plane for Guatemala and again had to ride with all the animals. “It wasn’t just a few pigs either, there were goats, sheep, cows and even horses.”
When asked if he felt a little like Noah, Scales rolled with laughter and replied “Especially, when the plane shifted and swayed from the weight of the animals moving in the back of the plane.”
He recalled what a wonderful experience it was, as they stayed in a village with missionaries. “The people grew beautiful green tobacco and they lived in huts. They were very wonderful people.”
He recalled them cooking in a pit in the ground and that Hill had to try everything they cooked, but he admitted that he happily stuck to vegetable soup for the entire week.
He said that they visited a wonderful old Catholic Church and an orphanage while they were there as well.
“Then in 1978, on the second Tuesday in April, I accepted my call into the ministry,” Rev. Scales vividly recalls, “I had just laid down for bed and my eyes were closed, when I saw a flash of light. I knew it was the Holy Spirit, but when I opened my eyes the room was dark, so I asked the Lord if that was him.”
Some days passed, but then Scales said light came back to him and he knew he had been called.
He would then start Mt. O&P in 1978 to begin his Christian education. He would even go on the to serve as president and dean over the next 20 years.
In 1983 he attended University of Chicago in Gary, Ind., to further his Christian education. By 1989 he decided it was time to begin his own congregation, and he became the founding pastor of the New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Jonesboro, where he has been ever since.
Though he would still go back to school one more time to get his Doctorate in Christian Education at Bethel Bible College and Seminary from 2002 to 2003, which is also around the time that he became the founding chair of the NEA MLK Day Parade in 2002.
“The ministry has been very good to me,” he said. “I really have to thank the whole community because they have sure been kind to us.”
Though he said he wanted to send out a special thanks to Bobby McDaniel.
Scales is so loved by the community that tickets sold out quickly for his retirement party being hosted by his family and friends on Sunday, March 27, at Harmony Gardens on Parker Road.
Scales may be retiring, but he plans to remain busy helping the new senior pastor of the New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, DeAndra Warren, at the church and helping to oversee the upgrades to the building, while doing a little more fishing and gardening in his spare time.
His favorite quote is of course a bible verse, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14, KJV),” and he has done his best in his 76 years on this earth to do just that. | 2022-03-19T09:48:29Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Scales retiring after more then 50 years of service to community | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/scales-retiring-after-more-then-50-years-of-service-to-community/article_6767bdc1-5b7c-5938-b041-02ee48b31d81.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/scales-retiring-after-more-then-50-years-of-service-to-community/article_6767bdc1-5b7c-5938-b041-02ee48b31d81.html |
Walnut Ridge native makes a difference one smile at a time
The power of one person to make a difference can be astronomical. One example of this is Dr. Ryan Belcher, MD, MPH, a Walnut Ridge native whose humanitarian efforts are positively impacting others, one smile at a time.
Recently, Belcher took his third humanitarian trip to Kenya to perform surgeries on children with cleft lip and palate congenital deformities. The trip was made possible thanks to World Medical Mission’s Samaritan’s Purse, which provides a wide variety of opportunities for medical professionals to serve around the world.
“More often than not, when I leave a humanitarian endeavor, I most always leave better than I was before,” Belcher said. “The ‘better’ is hard to quantify, but every humanitarian trip has its challenges, and navigating and overcoming those challenges makes me better. The unceasing joy and hope that the local staff, the surgeons, the nursing staff, and the patient families have, despite glaring health inequities, makes me better as a human and fills me with hope.
The continued relationships with local staff make me better. They make me a better advocate, a better teacher and a better friend.”
He is also active in several organizations, including the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), American Cleft Palate/Craniofacial Association (ACPA) and the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO). In Nashville, he also serves on the Next Generation Board for a non-profit healthcare organization called Siloam Health, which provides healthcare to the uninsured of middle Tennessee and refugee populations.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Belcher also goes a step above most doctors and makes it a point to remain connected to his patients through technology.
Using Whatsapp, email or any available technology, Belcher communicates with his patients and the community he serves by providing consults on surgical advice and education resources. He also provides requested supplies and equipment on humanitarian trips to ensure local physicians and surgeons can continue to operate.
In 2021, Belcher received Nashville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award and Best Oral Presentation Abstract, AAO-HNS, from Vanderbilt.
The son of Terry and Judy Belcher of Walnut Ridge, he and his wife, Morgan, live in Nashville. | 2022-03-19T09:48:47Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Walnut Ridge native makes a difference one smile at a time | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/walnut-ridge-native-makes-a-difference-one-smile-at-a-time/article_78809ca0-5c12-5171-b704-6fd31d58b0e0.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/walnut-ridge-native-makes-a-difference-one-smile-at-a-time/article_78809ca0-5c12-5171-b704-6fd31d58b0e0.html |
Park would be asset
I would like to thank the Sloan family for their generous offer of land for a park in Jonesboro. This is probably the most beautiful land in the area and it would be a shame to see it bulldozed, clear cut and covered in concrete.
No one ever regrets having more green space inside a city limits. The benefits of outdoor recreation are too numerous for this letter and this property would be a wonderful asset to Jonesboro. Already it has served as a site for disc golf tournaments, bringing people to our community who spend money while visiting.
What I wouldn’t give to live next to such a park, able to enjoy the peace and quiet instead of living next to the neighborhood development that has been dragging on for 6 -7 years now. The surrounding homeowners have had to endure construction noise that starts as early as 6:30 a.m., even on weekends, clouds of dust, smoke from the burning of trees and watch in horror as the entire property has been clear cut. Talk about being unable to enjoy your own yard!
Research shows that parks enhance property value, clean city air and even keep cities cooler. Let’s do something our whole community can enjoy for decades to come and find a way to make this happen!
Lisa Tedder | 2022-03-19T09:49:18Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Park would be asset | Opinion | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/opinion/park-would-be-asset/article_6fc90a69-a964-5c4e-a4d4-d9f131cfcde1.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/opinion/park-would-be-asset/article_6fc90a69-a964-5c4e-a4d4-d9f131cfcde1.html |
Jonesboro senior quarterback Rykar Acebo is the Best Under The Sun Player of the Year after passing for 3,058 yards and 39 touchdowns.
Acebo breaks JHS records in banner senior season
While Rykar Acebo is more interested in winning football games than putting up statistics, he recognizes the relationship between the two.
Numbers like those generated by Acebo and his receivers last fall at Jonesboro lead to team success, such as the 6A-East conference championship the Hurricane shared with eventual state champion El Dorado.
Acebo, the Best Under The Sun Player of the Year, led an offense that averaged more than 39 points per game in conference play as the Hurricane’s senior quarterback. He broke Jonesboro’s single-season records for passing yardage and passing touchdowns.
Just as he spread the football to the Hurricane’s skill-position players, Acebo spreads the credit to his teammates.
“I’m not a big stats kind of guy. I’d rather have more wins than stats, but the stats go along with the wins,” Acebo said. “Without the stats, it’s hard to accomplish what we did. It felt good for me, it was more of a confidence thing.
“I look back and I see that and I’m like, ‘We had a really good year, and I had a good year myself,’ but it’s not just because of myself. It’s because of the great teammates I had. The receivers were just phenomenal all year. I look at those as more of a team stat because I couldn’t get it done without those guys.”
Acebo delivered the ball on time and on target every Friday night for the Hurricane (7-4, 6-1 6A-East).
Completing more than 67 percent of his passes, Acebo set Jonesboro records with 3,058 passing yards and 39 passing touchdowns. He threw eight interceptions in 311 attempts.
“I think all you have to do is look at him statistically and see that he probably had the best year any JHS quarterback has ever had,” Jonesboro head coach Randy Coleman said. “You’re completing nearly 70 percent of your passes for over 3,000 yards and 39 touchdowns. Just very, very impressive, and to do so with a young offensive line where the weight was on him.
“He stood in the pocket a lot and delivered a lot of tough passes and made some big plays in big games. You add all that together and it’s probably as good a year for a quarterback as Jonesboro has ever seen.”
While quarterback play is vital in any offense, everything in Jonesboro’s spread ran through Acebo.
Coleman, who has been his alma mater’s head coach since 2008, said he has never given a quarterback as much freedom as Acebo had to change plays. Thanks to its senior quarterback’s decisions, the Hurricane kept down-and-distance situations manageable while displaying big-play potential with passing game targets such as Kavon Pointer, Tyrin Ruffin and Jesse Washington.
Acebo acknowledged he had a lot of responsibility even before the ball was snapped.
“It’s just making sure everybody is lined up and ready to go, making sure everybody knows what they’re doing, and then obviously making the right reads, making the right throws and even pass protection,” Acebo said. “I had to call out pass protection, so I had to know that and make sure everybody was confident in what they were doing and knew what was going on.”
Playing behind an offensive line that began the season with two sophomores starting and finished with three, Acebo threw multiple touchdown passes in every game. He fired six touchdown passes in a rout of Pine Bluff and tossed five in a 50-43 loss at Marion in the regular-season finale.
Acebo passed for 437 yards against Sylvan Hills, helping lead Jonesboro to a victory that clinched a 6A-East title share, and went over 300 in two other games. The only game where he finished under 200 was a rout of Sheridan.
Reading coverage was easier this season, Acebo said, in large part because of the experience he gained while starting seven games as a junior.
“It’s one thing doing it in practice, but once you get in a game, it’s a different thing. Having that experience from my junior year was really beneficial to me,” Acebo said. “I knew what game scenarios were going on and how to deal with things during a game.”
Jonesboro limited Acebo’s carries, not wanting to risk injury, but he averaged 5.4 yards per carry while running for 287 yards and two touchdowns.
Coleman said Acebo’s mobility played a role in Jonesboro’s passing success.
“He really runs the ball exceptionally well, but we told him if he did run to slide or run out of bounds, to be really safe whenever he did decide to run,” Coleman said. “A lot of times one of those unseen things, and by that I mean there’s not a stat for it, is how he would buy time with his legs to make a pass downfield. He did that a lot.”
Both Coleman and Acebo agree the quarterback’s best game likely came in the 6A-East opener against El Dorado, a game the Hurricane rallied to win 31-20 over the eventual state champions.
Acebo was 23-of-32 passing for 262 yards and three touchdowns against the Wildcats. He threw two of his three touchdown passes in the second half as Jonesboro scored the final 24 points.
“Everything was playing out how we practiced it. I think that was probably our best game as a team, not only because they were state champions but the way we played and the way we battled,” Acebo said. “We were down in the first half, but we battled and came back. I felt like that was our best game as a team, not only myself too.”
Also a shortstop and pitcher for the Hurricane baseball team, Acebo is planning to play football in college. He has received interest from teams at several different levels, and wants to add muscle to his 6-foot-3 frame.
“I think in throwing distance, throwing power, I’m pretty good there, but if I get bigger and stronger, it’s going to increase even more,” Acebo said. “In today’s world, the quarterback is more of an athlete instead of a big pocket passer. I’m going to try to develop into one of those big guys who can do it all.” | 2022-03-19T09:49:24Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Acebo breaks JHS records in banner senior season | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/acebo-breaks-jhs-records-in-banner-senior-season/article_c7b3a66f-5e4a-519f-bc8e-dae836643ea0.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/acebo-breaks-jhs-records-in-banner-senior-season/article_c7b3a66f-5e4a-519f-bc8e-dae836643ea0.html |
Brookland's Oxford signs with MNU golf
BROOKLAND — College golf awaits Brookland High School senior Ryan Oxford.
Oxford signed a letter of intent Friday to play golf for Mid-America Nazarene University. MNU, located in Olathe, Kan., is reinstating its golf program for the 2022-23 season after dropping the sport in the late 1970s.
“It was probably the ultimate goal from the beginning, to get to play college golf,” Oxford said.
Oxford played four seasons for the Bearcats, who are coached by his father Randy. He helped Brookland finish as the Class 4A state runner-up last fall by teaming with Cole Kirby to defeat two golfers from Shiloh Christian in a playoff at Fayetteville Country Club.
Shaking off a tough day on a course that played tough, Oxford made par on a par-4 to help the Bearcats win the playoff with the Saints.
“It was really set up difficult at Fayetteville Country Club that day. I knew he was frustrated, but we needed two to play the playoff,” Randy Oxford said. “He and Cole Kirby played for us and Ryan hit an outstanding tee shot, a great second shot and two-putted, and it helped us bring home the runner-up trophy. I was really proud of that moment and it was a nice way for him to end his high school career.”
Oxford shot several nine-hole scores in the 30s as a senior, with his best round a two-under par 34 at Cherokee Village North Course. He fired a 35 to earn medalist honors in a competition at Sage Meadows Country Club and finished at 36 in a match against Valley View at RidgePointe Country Club.
Close to the hole is where Oxford is at his best.
“Yesterday I went out and I think I had like nine putts on the front nine. Putting really helps me out a lot,” Oxford said. “When I was younger, I didn’t hit the ball far enough and I had to get up and down to keep up with everybody.”
Randy Oxford said his son is very good from about six to 12 feet.
“I think it’s because he doesn’t fear. I’m kind of scared over those putts, I baby them a little bit, but not Ryan. He really strikes it well and he reads greens really well,” the coach said. “And the other thing about Ryan, and this is because he’s been doing it all his life, and he probably wouldn’t tell you this, is he has a high golf IQ. He sees a lot of different shots and he’s got a variety of things in his mind because he’s been doing it so long.”
Father and son said they’ve enjoyed being a part of the same high school team.
“When you’re coaching your son, it’s kind of the best of times, worst of times. It tears your heart out sometimes, but Ryan has been great,” Randy Oxford said. “He’s persevered and played hard, and in the last year and a half we’ve really seen him make a turn to commit to practice and commit to getting better. A lot of this is just because he worked hard.” | 2022-03-19T09:49:30Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Brookland's Oxford signs with MNU golf | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/brooklands-oxford-signs-with-mnu-golf/article_897e6a85-cbd2-5b1d-83b8-45098912765a.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/brooklands-oxford-signs-with-mnu-golf/article_897e6a85-cbd2-5b1d-83b8-45098912765a.html |
Hampton guides Raiders to memorable season
JONESBORO — Head coach Steven Hampton was reminded of a little Nettleton football history as the victories mounted last fall for the Raiders.
Up to 2021, Nettleton hadn’t enjoyed a perfect regular season on the gridiron since 1994. While Hampton took the Raiders within a game of the feat in 2017, he didn’t recall how long it had been since the program had a 10-0 team.
“I wasn’t aware until we got into the middle of the year,” Hampton said. “It started getting toward the back end of the season and people brought it to my attention as far as the last time Nettleton had done something like that.”
The Raiders got it done, winning a showdown at Wynne for the 5A-East championship in the regular-season finale to improve to 10-0. They went one better with victory No. 11, beating Hot Springs in the state playoffs to tie the school record for wins in a season.
No Nettleton team had ever won 11 in a row to start the season, which is what the 2021 Raiders accomplished before losing to Little Rock Christian in the 5A state quarterfinals. The outright conference title was their first since 1997.
Hampton, the Best Under The Sun Coach of the Year, said the Raiders kept their focus each week as they moved through their schedule toward late showdowns with Valley View and Wynne.
“You talk about it all the time, the 1-0 mindset of just this week or today, this week’s game. Our kids didn’t seem to look ahead to anyone,” Hampton said. “They just enjoyed going out and playing, week to week, and I think that helps when they do that. It seemed like they did stay focused.”
Hampton said non-conference victories over Mountain Home and Pocahontas helped define the season. Nettleton fell behind in the first half and needed a fourth-quarter touchdown drive to win each game.
Most conference games weren’t as dramatic. The Raiders had little trouble with Batesville, Brookland, Paragould, Greene County Tech and Forrest City as they moved to 8-0 entering a home game with Valley View.
The Raiders gutted out a 14-7 victory over the Blazers, putting them in position to play for the 5A-East title and a perfect regular season at Wynne. Senior quarterback Cameron Scarlett scored three rushing touchdowns, the last with less than three minutes to play as Nettleton won 26-22.
“We were in a similar situation in 2017,” Hampton said, recalling a 27-0 loss that year. “We were undefeated and they put it on us. It was kind of sweet, being able to go back down there in a similar situation and get that win. It was tough, it’s always tough to go down there and play and this year was no different.
“We went into halftime and we were down, but our kids didn’t blink. They just hung in there and kept battling, kept playing. Of course when it helps when you have Cameron Scarlett on your side. He just kind of put the team on his shoulders running the football and throwing the football.”
Scarlett, who has signed with Dodge City (Kan.) Community College, produced 2,463 yards of total offense and 29 total touchdowns. He was the team’s second-leading rusher with 1,268 yards, scoring 15 rushing touchdowns, and passed for 1,195 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Hampton said Scarlett’s confidence and command of the offense grew during his senior season. Having new deep threat Jaden Brown, who caught 31 passes for 501 yards and five touchdowns after moving to Nettleton, also helped.
“He was a tremendous leader for us, a guy who didn’t really say a whole lot, but led by example and guys responded to him,” Hampton said of Scarlett. “He has great leadership qualities that you want at that quarterback position.”
Former Arkansas State assistant coach Allen Johnson joined Nettleton’s defensive staff before the season. The Raiders found answers at linebacker with Blake Brown and Orion Pugh, plus had plenty of depth on a stout defensive line led by tackle Jordan Pigram.
“I think it all started with us up front and that’s something Coach Johnson really emphasized, getting those guys up front to play well,” Hampton said. “We were blessed with quite a bit of depth there and we were able to utilize that.”
Nettleton dispatched Hot Springs 33-14 in the first round of the playoffs.
The Raiders trailed 7-0 the following week against Little Rock Christian before the Warriors scored three touchdowns in the third quarter on the way to a 35-7 victory.
Running back Koby Bradley, who aggravated an ankle injury against Hot Springs, was unable to play in the final game.
“I think most games we felt like we had the upper hand at the line of scrimmage with our offensive line, and that’s one game that we didn’t,” Hampton said. “I think they came out and played really well up front. They had a defensive lineman who was really good and caused us a lot of problems.”
Hampton, who has a 61-35 record in nine seasons at Nettleton, said the Raiders will return three offensive starters and five defensive regulars, including Pigram and Brown, for the 2022 season.
“We feel like we have some really good pieces,” Hampton said. “It’s going to be a matter this spring and summer of finding out where everybody fits.” | 2022-03-19T09:49:36Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Hampton guides Raiders to memorable season | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/hampton-guides-raiders-to-memorable-season/article_5183d973-feb7-5de0-8855-62b72e33d95e.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/hampton-guides-raiders-to-memorable-season/article_5183d973-feb7-5de0-8855-62b72e33d95e.html |
Valley View sophomore linebacker Brian Huff is the Newcomer of the Year on the Best Under The Sun football team.
Huff makes immediate impact at Valley View
After watching Brian Huff’s ninth-grade football season, Valley View head coach Sean Cockrell figured Huff might move into the high school team’s starting lineup maybe midway through his sophomore year in 2021.
Huff’s development led Cockrell to revise those expectations last summer.
“Once he got out there and started doing some things,” Cockrell said, “you could see he was going to be pretty special.”
Huff, the Best Under The Sun Newcomer of the Year, became a key player on a defense that allowed only 48 points in seven 5A-East conference games last fall. He’s already on the radar for the region’s NCAA Division I programs, three of which have made offers to the sophomore linebacker, Cockrell said.
“He really has a knack for the ball and wants to learn, and I think he will continue to get better. The physicality part, you can’t really teach,” Cockrell said. “You try to get them more physical, but he already has that. I think the other ins and outs, the little things in football, will get him to be a much better player.”
Playing outside linebacker, Huff finished as Valley View’s third-leading tackler with 72 total stops, including nine behind the line of scrimmage and two sacks. He led the team with three interceptions, also forcing two fumbles and recovering two.
Huff said high school football was more physical and faster, as he expected. He was also learning a new position after playing inside linebacker on the junior high team.
“It was hard the first week, but after that I started to catch onto it,” Huff said. “I started reading it easier.”
Huff enjoyed the pass coverage aspect of his new position. He scored the go-ahead touchdown in the Blazers’ 25-19 victory over Rivercrest in the third week of the season, picking off a pass and returning it 6 yards.
“That was my first-ever pick six. That was pretty cool,” Huff said. “I saw him roll out and we had gone over that play a lot in practice, so I knew it was coming. I just saw the pass and picked it.”
Huff also intercepted passes against Greene County Tech and Batesville.
He returned a fumble 12 yards for a touchdown against Brookland, one of three 5A-East opponents that failed to score against Valley View.
Cockrell said ASU and Arkansas took note of Huff’s length and ability to chase down ball-carriers.
“We kept him as our outside linebacker to the field, which is where we’ll have him most of the time because he can cover so much ground,” Cockrell said. “He’s long, he’s fast, but also super physical. When Arkansas offered him, Coach (Sam) Pittman watched like three plays of his highlight video and was like, ‘That kid can play.’ You see it right away.”
Huff made a season-high 10 tackles in Valley View’s 14-7 loss to 5A-East champion Nettleton. He had nine tackles against both Wynne and Rivercrest.
“Against Wynne, he was on the opposite side, chasing a running back down about 15 yards down the field,” Cockrell said. “A lot of those are effort plays and that’s what kind of gets your tackles, because you’re not going to make them all on one side of the field.”
Cockrell said Huff, who also plays basketball, knows he needs to improve his strength. On the field, Huff said he can improve through learning how to read offensive linemen, particularly tackles, a little better.
Arkansas, Arkansas State and Memphis are recruiting Huff, who hopes to attend camps at all three institutions this summer. Ole Miss and Mississippi State could also be camp possibilities.
Cockrell expects more college programs to discover the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Huff.
“He wants to be coached. He’s yes, sir and no, sir, just a great kid, and he’s got a lot of length to him, which is huge,” Cockrell said. “I think that’s what Arkansas and Arkansas State saw in him, how physical he is and he can run, chase people down. He has tons of energy and he doesn’t quit on any plays. I think that’s the biggest thing for him.” | 2022-03-19T09:49:42Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Huff makes immediate impact at Valley View | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/huff-makes-immediate-impact-at-valley-view/article_ba7a0bf7-d08e-5543-b2e4-37d0c29e7073.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/huff-makes-immediate-impact-at-valley-view/article_ba7a0bf7-d08e-5543-b2e4-37d0c29e7073.html |
Stars ready to shine in Sun Senior Classic
JONESBORO — An all-star event that was paused for two basketball seasons because of the coronavirus pandemic returns this evening.
The 15th annual Sun Senior Classic, a high school basketball doubleheader featuring 40 of the area’s best senior players, will take place tonight at Arkansas State University’s First National Bank Arena. The girls’ game tips off at 5 p.m., followed by the boys’ game at 7 p.m.
Sponsored by Central Dealerships, the Sun Senior Classic dates to 2006. The doubleheader was held each season through 2018-19.
Players were selected for the games in consultation with area coaches, then divided into Blue and White teams. Tonight’s doubleheader, the first Sun Senior Classic to be held in FNB Arena, will be broadcast on KWHF (FM-95.9).
“It’s a great experience,” said Nettleton’s Bubba Deaton, who will coach the Blue boys’ teams this evening. “They all come from great high school programs and had great individual careers, great senior years. It’s going to be fun. Hopefully we can sneak out of there with a win while we’re at it.”
Twenty-one of the 40 players on the four rosters earned all-state honors this season. Five players in the boys’ game, three from Jonesboro and two from Osceola, won state championships last week in Hot Springs.
Class 5A state tournament MVP Quion Williams of Jonesboro is on the White team roster along with Hurricane teammate Amarion Wilson. Osceola’s Daylen Love and AJ Harris are also on the White team coached by Manila’s Lee Wimberley.
Jesse Washington, who scored more than 1,000 points in his Jonesboro career, will play for Deaton’s Blue team.
Wimberley said he thinks the teams are pretty evenly matched. In addition to the Jonesboro and Osceola duos, the White team roster includes two players who were teammates in the past, Paragould’s Isaiah Jackson and Pocahontas’ Mason Baltz.
The White roster also includes Manila’s Jake Baltimore, Westside’s Spencer Honeycutt, Greene County Tech’s George Smith and Valley View’s Connor Tinsley.
“I do like the fact that we’ve got four state champions on ours. Any time you get kids who have played together, it’s going to look better because they’re going to be more comfortable,” Wimberley said. “Jackson was at Pocahontas, so he and Baltz are back together for the first time since he moved to Paragould, and (in practice) I was really impressed with Tinsley and Baltz. Talent-wise. I think the teams are pretty even. It should make for an interesting game.”
In addition to Washington, Deaton’s Blue team roster includes three players off his Nettleton squad, DaVares Whitaker, Brandon Anderson and Andre Davis; two players from Walnut Ridge, Ty Flippo and Jayden Hollister; the game’s tallest player, Buffalo Island Central’s 7-0 Caden Whitehead; Brookland’s David York; Ridgefield Christian’s Noah Stracener; and Marked Tree’s Itavious Nesbitt.
“I really like our team. I think we’ve got some good guards and I think we’ve got some good posts,” Deaton said. “Obviously I’ve never coached a 7-footer before, so that’s kind of neat, and he’s a legit 7-footer. We had fun (Wednesday night), played up and down a little bit. Some of them are at the stage of their career where they’re going to play next year somewhere and others, this might be it. What a way to go out, in front of your family and selected to play in this game. I think it’s a big deal to play in this, as any all-star game.”
Wynne’s Tim Hawkins, who coaches the girls’ White team, has three players from his 4A state quarterfinal team, Londyn McDaniel, Zahryia Baker and Darienne Carter.
Nettleton’s Briley Pena, who scored more than 2,000 points in her high school career, and D’maria Daniels are also on the White team roster along with Valley View’s Hunter Gibson and Hadden Lieblong; Manila’s Sadie McDonald; Trumann’s Nygeria Jones; and Greene County Tech’s Sierrah Floyd.
“The kids were excited at practice and had a lot of fun. That’s what I told them to do, go out and have a lot of fun, that you got picked to do it,” Hawkins said. “They’re excited about it. It’s always fun to be recognized like they’ve been recognized. It’s a good thing that we’ve got it going.”
Marmaduke’s Heidi Robinson, who scored more than 2,500 career points, and Bean Hoffman are on the girls’ Blue team coached by Rector’s Mitchell Weber.
The girls’ Blue team also includes Rector’s Ellie Ford; Westside’s Laynee Montgomery; Megyn Upton of Class 1A state runner-up Mammoth Spring; Greene County Tech’s Kylie Stokes and Emma Bates; Paragould’s Carson DeFries; Bay’s Destiny Bogard; and Brookland’s Katie Smith.
“I told them on Tuesday I’m just here to get you organized somewhat and get out of the way,” Weber said. “There’s so much talent that Coach Hawkins and I both have. I’m just there to make sure everybody is having fun and they’re organized.”
The shot clock will not be in use, not that any of the coaches expect to need it.
“I told them, ‘If you get an open shot in an all-star game, you better take it, because you might not get another one,’” Hawkins said. “We’re going to space the floor and let the kids go play.”
Tickets are $7 and doors open at 11 a.m. Elementary games are scheduled at noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. | 2022-03-19T09:49:48Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Stars ready to shine in Sun Senior Classic | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/stars-ready-to-shine-in-sun-senior-classic/article_c20c9288-da1c-515c-9b6e-7b2e336c0786.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/stars-ready-to-shine-in-sun-senior-classic/article_c20c9288-da1c-515c-9b6e-7b2e336c0786.html |
Jonesboro's Amarion Wilson drives to the basket as Buffalo Island Central's Caden Whitehead defends during Saturday night's Sun Senior Classic at First National Bank Arena. Wilson scored 16 points as the White squad defeated the Blue team 112-105.
JONESBORO — Another high-scoring Sun Senior Classic boys' all-star basketball game was decided in the final minutes Saturday night.
Jonesboro High School stars Quion Williams and Amarion Wilson combined for 10 of the White squad's final 13 points to lead their team to a 112-105 victory over the Blue squad at First National Bank Arena.
Saturday's contest, the first Sun Senior Classic since 2019, was the third in a row where both teams topped the century mark. The White team got there first as Williams hit one of two free throws for a 100-99 lead with 313 remaining.
Williams scored on his team's next possession, too, but the White team's lead was only 102-101 before Wilson sank a 3-pointer with 2:02 to play. The White team came up with a defensive stop and Paragould's Isaiah Jackson converted a three-point play to give his team a 108-101 advantage with 1:21 remaining.
A Williams dunk off Wilson's lob pass with 27.3 seconds remaining gave the White squad a 110-103 lead, sealing the outcome.
Jackson earned MVP honors after scoring 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter. Williams, an Oklahoma State signee who was the Class 5A state tournament MVP, put on a strong all-around performance with 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Wilson finished with 16 points, three rebounds and two assists. Osceola's Daylen Love added 17 points and nine rebounds a week after helping the Seminoles win the Class 3A state title.
Jonesboro's Jesse Washington led the Blue squad with 27 points, also adding four rebounds and two steals. Nettleton's DaVares Whitaker added 14 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two assists; Walnut Ridge's Ty Flippo contributed 12 points and seven assists; and Ridgefield Christian's Noah Stracener scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
The White team led 27-24 after the first quarter and went on a run late in the second to take a 61-52 halftime lead. Washington scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to lead a rally by the Blue squad, which trailed 89-78 after three quarters. | 2022-03-20T12:12:58Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Late run decides Sun Senior Classic | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/late-run-decides-sun-senior-classic/article_0f1329e8-eb55-589a-b32c-960dccf4f627.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/late-run-decides-sun-senior-classic/article_0f1329e8-eb55-589a-b32c-960dccf4f627.html |
JONESBORO — Counterfeit money is being passed around Jonesboro, many times targeting restaurants, especially those that deliver.
Jonesboro police reported Monday night that someone used seven counterfeit $5 bills to pay a delivery driver for 1812 Pizza, 2815 Race St.
On Sunday night, Maddio’s Pizza, 1508 Browns Lane, reported that someone used three counterfeit $20 bills and one $10 bill to pay for food.
On Saturday, police said a 43-year-old woman used two fake $20 bills and two fake $10 bills to purchase pizzas from Papa Johns, 1300 S. Caraway Road.
In early March, a suspect at the Citgo gas station, 5514 S. Stadium Blvd., was found to be in possession of $840 in counterfeit $20 bills.
In February, the manager of a Dollar General, 3619 S. Stadium Blvd., reported that a man used counterfeit $20 bills to purchase a $500 pre-paid debit card.
Sally Smith, public information specialist for the Jonesboro Police Department, said, “Since Jan. 1, 2021, there have been 51 reported incidents that involved counterfeit money. We are only made aware of the businesses that encounter the fake money.”
According to JPD reports, counterfeit money has been used to buy everything from a hotel room to gift cards to paying a CWL bill.
It’s not just a recent problem, though.
In May 2021, a Bay woman was arrested for trying to pay for items at the Parker Road Walmart with a fake $100 bill. She was also in possession of meth, police said.
In October 2021, suspects targeted fast-food drive-throughs to pass counterfeit $20 bills in Jonesboro:
The Dairy Queen, 2005 S. Madison St., reported to police that someone used a counterfeit bill to pay for food. The incident happened between Oct. 11 and Oct. 15, according to a police report.
The Smoothie King at 2215 E. Highland Drive told police someone used a fake $20 to pay for food between Oct. 11 and Oct. 15.
The McDonald’s at 2207 E. Nettleton Ave. reported receiving a counterfeit $20 on Oct. 11.
The Arby’s at 4112 E. Johnson Ave. reported receiving a fake bill on Oct. 11.
The Dairy Queen at 4100 E. Johnson Ave. received at counterfeit bill on Oct. 11.
Many times the fake bills will have “For Motion Picture Use” on them, according to past stories in The Sun. | 2022-03-23T18:00:21Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Check that bill: Counterfeit money being passed around | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/check-that-bill-counterfeit-money-being-passed-around/article_c9340b89-c68e-5318-bbc6-393a30f2817c.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/check-that-bill-counterfeit-money-being-passed-around/article_c9340b89-c68e-5318-bbc6-393a30f2817c.html |
Consultant sets timeline for sports complex
By Keith Inman Sun StaffWriter
JONESBORO — A commercial real estate company has been engaged to find the right spot for a new indoor sports complex and interviews have begun to determine the size of the proposed facility, a steering committee for the Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion Commission learned Tuesday.
Members of the committee met with John Wack, CEO of Eastern Sports Management (ESM) of Fredricksburg, Virginia, to discuss the process. ESM was awarded the contract to help plan and develop the complex.
Jared Carnes, who works for Pinnacle Indoor Sports of St. Petersburg, Fla., also attended the meeting.
Pinnacle is a subcontractor with ESM, and is meeting with major stakeholders, such as leaders of youth sports organizations, to try to determine the level of demand for the new facility.
“We’re both here in town today to really get started with the meat of the feasibility study, which is just a smaller part of the overall of what we’ve been contracted to do,” Wack said.
Wack said several individual meetings have been held this week, and he has received information about 13 potential sites that may be considered for the facility.
“Our overall goal is to have a draft of this to you in June,” Wack said. While Wack meets with community leaders, Carnes will be asking questions of the stakeholders.
“Folks that can answer the question: How many teams do you have?” Wack said. “How many players are in your club? How much are you currently paying to use a gym right now? How many hours do you expect you would you need for practice time? Would you put your teams in a local league? Would you host a tournament? How many tournaments do you go to a year?”
Wack said answers to those questions will generate the data to develop a conceptual design for the building and whether it would be economically feasible.
Carnes said he has met or plans to meet with officials in area school districts, Arkansas State University and private sports clubs.
Construction of the complex will be funded by a 2 percent tax on prepared foods, which went into effect on New Year’s Day. City officials have estimated about 360 businesses in the city would collect the tax on the city’s behalf. It’s been estimated that the tax would raise about $2.5 million per year. That revenue is expected to be used to fund a bond issue to pay for construction.
By the time the draft report is ready in June, Wack said the city will have collected the new tax for a long enough period to understand how much annual revenue can be expected to support the construction project. | 2022-03-23T18:00:27Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Consultant sets timeline for sports complex | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/consultant-sets-timeline-for-sports-complex/article_a86010b7-65ba-5ea3-a677-fee107c1654a.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/consultant-sets-timeline-for-sports-complex/article_a86010b7-65ba-5ea3-a677-fee107c1654a.html |
CWL approves bond issue for construction
JONESBORO — With huge investments ongoing and on the horizon, the City Water and Light Board of Directors approved a resolution Tuesday announcing its intent to issue $35 million in public utility system revenue bonds.
CWL issued $26 million in bonds in 2020 at a rate of 1.72 percent to help finance many of the ongoing projects, including a solar power project, General Manager Jake Rice III told the board.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Monday the central bank was prepared to move more aggressively in raising interest rates in its fight against inflation,
On March 16, The Fed announced a quarter-point rate hike, its first interest rate increase since 2018. The central bank hasn’t raised its benchmark rate by a half-point since May 2000, The Associated Press reported.
Rice said he believed CWL needed to borrow while the rates are at their lowest.
“So we’re projecting to spend roughly $50 million on the new West Wastewater Plant over the next two-and-a-half years or so,” Rice explained. “And I think everyone remembers that we are scheduled to cease to use coal in White Bluff and Independence in 2028 and 2030. So, we’re focused on replacing that capacity … for our customers. But with that in mind, we’re probably having a $180 million or $200 million investment just to deal with that replacement. Although we have reserves already earmarked for that, we realize that we’ll have to borrow additional funds at that time.”
Rice said the interest rate on the new bonds, expected to be issued in May, would likely be in the range of 2.5 percent. | 2022-03-23T18:00:33Z | www.jonesborosun.com | CWL approves bond issue for construction | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/cwl-approves-bond-issue-for-construction/article_87496ace-daeb-5fc1-b12a-f9a23250578e.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/cwl-approves-bond-issue-for-construction/article_87496ace-daeb-5fc1-b12a-f9a23250578e.html |
Seniors stay active through Arkansas Senior Olympics
LITTLE ROCK / POCAHONTAS — As seniors look for ways to remain active, the Arkansas Senior Olympics have gained in popularity over the years with a variety of sports for everyone.
According to the Arkansas Senior Olympics website, the mission of the games is to promote fitness, good health and education through competitive athletics designed for adults 40 years of age and older, to establish a statewide network of senior games, alternative sports competition and clinics at the local and state level and to recognize outstanding older athletic performance and maintain records achieved by senior Arkansas Competitors.
Cari King of Pocahontas is a participant in the senior games.
“Our nation is being engulfed by a silver wave of senior citizens and our state is no exception,” King said. “Some visionaries back in the eighties saw this tsunami approaching and thought that riding the wave would be more fun than being swamped by it. They founded the Arkansas Senior Olympics.”
“This is Arkansas and many people come for fun and friends, while the more serious among us try out for Nationals every other year,” she said, noting that the fastest growing sport in her opinion was pickleball.
“It is a combination of ping pong, tennis and badminton. Pickleball can be as leisurely or intense as the participants wish,” she said. “Usually held indoors, players use oversized ping pong paddles to bat a wiffle ball over a low net.”
Pickleball is just one sport held at the event. There are a wide range of events including: archery, badminton, basketball, bowling, cornhole, cycling, golf, 5k power walk, 5k race walk, 5k/10k road race, racquetball, shuffleboard, soccer, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and more.
Greg Eberdt, executive director of the Arkansas Senior Olympics, said that he is still working on an exact locations for this year’s events, but that he is looking at maybe Jonesboro or Bentonville, noting that they had 260 people in attendance at Conway last year.
The Arkansas Senior Olympics events are held once a year, usually in September or October, and this year will be a qualifying year for the National Senior Olympics.
Although every other year is usually the qualifying year, Eberdt said that due to COVID-19, the 2021 games had been postponed to 2022 and so there were qualifiers in 2021 for Nationals to be held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. this May.
In addition, the normally scheduled 2023 National will be held next year in Pittsburgh.
“This year is the qualifying year for the 2023 Nationals,” he said.
To qualify for the Nationals competitors have to be at least 50 years of age, however they only have to be 40 years old to compete at the state level.
“We call the younger ones ‘the kids’ group,” he laughed, “but the kids have fun too.”
Eberdt said that the competition is divided into age groups with 5-year age divisions; 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, etc.; noting that in almost all sports, the top four in each age group go to Nationals and that participants have to be 50 years of age by Dec. 31 of this year to qualify for next year.
“There are so many inspiring people that come to the event” he said. “Some are beginners and some are experienced, but everyone has fun and loves the social aspect of the games.”
He recalled one of his favorites was a 62-year-old woman who won gold at Nationals after she decided she she wanted to try to pole vault for the first time in her life.
The cost to participate in the events is generally $50 for the first four events and $5 for each additional events, he said, noting that participants can do any combination of events that they would like to try.
Being the only full-time employee, Eberdt said that they really need volunteers this year.
“We always need more volunteers, but we always have a really good turn out and a lot of the time participants and their families will volunteer between events, as well,” he added.
For more details about the Arkansas Senior Olympics or how to volunteer, visit their website at www.arseniorolympics.org. | 2022-03-23T18:00:45Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Seniors stay active through Arkansas Senior Olympics | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/seniors-stay-active-through-arkansas-senior-olympics/article_0fc0388d-3a30-5ee9-b1b0-f978221c2a3e.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/seniors-stay-active-through-arkansas-senior-olympics/article_0fc0388d-3a30-5ee9-b1b0-f978221c2a3e.html |
The Hoxie School District will hold a special meeting on Tuesday from 5-6 p.m. in the school cafeteria for parents of students going into grades kindergarten through sixth grade for the 2022-2023 school year regarding the proposed four-day school week.
A survey was recently conducted seeking parents’ opinion on a school calendar for the 2022-2023 school year. Out of 273 families who participated in the survey, 128 voted for a traditional calendar, Monday through Friday, 25 voted for a nontraditional calendar, Monday through Friday, and 120 voted for a four-day school week, Tuesday through Friday.
According to Kelly Gillham, Hoxie School District superintendent, due to the interest shown in a four-day week calendar, the school will hold the parent meeting to hear from parents and guardians concerning a possible four-day week.
Students in kindergarten through sixth grades were sent home a flyer about the upcoming event, and parents/guardians are asked to write their concerns and questions on the form to address at the parent meeting.
The school has asked that forms containing the concerns and questions be brought to the elementary office to help the Hoxie administration provide organized and accurate information during the meeting. | 2022-03-23T18:01:22Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Hoxie School to host meeting regarding four-day calendar | Times Dispatch | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/hoxie-school-to-host-meeting-regarding-four-day-calendar/article_5a090353-1045-5ff5-845c-29a1f8323535.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/hoxie-school-to-host-meeting-regarding-four-day-calendar/article_5a090353-1045-5ff5-845c-29a1f8323535.html |
Clara Slawson
Clara Jean Slawson, 76, of Ravenden Springs, passed away Thursday, March 17, 2022, at her home.
She was born August 15, 1945 in Salem, to the late George William and Ruby Inez Carruthers Wilson. She was retired from Brown Shoe Company.
She is preceded in death by her parents, George William and Ruby Inez Wilson; husband, Albert Slawson; daughter, Teresa Blanchard; granddaughter, Amanda Cummings; brothers, Harrison Wilson and Don Wilson; and sister, Anna Shade.
Clara is survived by her daughter, Connie (Ronnie) McReynolds of Ravenden Springs; six grandchildren, Christopher (Kelly) Johnson of Pocahontas, Melissa (Phillip) Wilson of Walnut Ridge, Jeremy (Ashley) Johnson of Maynard, Mica (Jeremy) Craft of Pocahontas, Alexandria (Jason) Smith of Warm Springs, and Tanner McReynolds of Indiana; nine great-grandchildren; brother, Joe Wilson of Pocahontas; special friend, Dorothy Garvin; many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
Visitation was Sunday, March 20, from 1-3 p.m. in the chapel of McNabb Funeral Home, with a funeral service beginning at 3 p.m. Cremation will take place following all services. | 2022-03-23T18:01:34Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Clara Slawson | Obituaries | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/obituaries/clara-slawson/article_a6bfe484-c432-58d0-90f5-5a8feb25a9f8.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/obituaries/clara-slawson/article_a6bfe484-c432-58d0-90f5-5a8feb25a9f8.html |
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