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Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield addresses mental health crisis by providing Arkansans free mental health first aid certification

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (February 24, 2023) — According to government findings, one in five Americans lives with a mental Illness. More than 120 die by suicide every day. In an effort to save lives and improve the wellbeing of Arkansas communities, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield announces Take Good Care: Mental Health First Aid.

Throughout 2023, dozens of mental health first aid classes will be offered around the state free of charge. Participants do not need to be Arkansas Blue Cross members. Classes will be taught by instructors with the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership, providing certification through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

“For years, we have been committed to addressing behavioral health needs and normalizing the conversation around mental health in Arkansas,” said Arkansas Blue Cross President and CEO Curtis Barnett. “As we enter our 75th year of serving Arkansans, we have a goal of providing this important training to at least 750 people statewide. We believe knowing mental health first aid is as important as knowing CPR and can save lives.”

Through the Mental Health First Aid certification course, participants will learn how to recognize signs of mental health or substance use challenges in adults ages 18 and older, how to offer and provide initial help, and how to guide a person toward appropriate care if necessary. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, psychosis, and addictions.

“The availability of Mental Health First Aid training through this initiative will address the immediate need to equip a large number of individuals in how to recognize the signs and symptoms of poor mental health and provide early intervention,” said Mellie Bridewell, President and Founder of the Arkansas Rural Health Partnership. “Individuals completing MHFA training can act as ‘gatekeepers’ in their communities to assist those needing mental health intervention. The more of these gatekeepers we have in place, the healthier our communities can become and the more lives we can save.”

 

Participants seeking certification will complete two hours of online pre-work, followed by a six-hour, in-person class. Lunch will be provided. Classes will be offered each month,

 

through September, in Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Hot Springs, Texarkana, Jonesboro, Fayetteville, Rogers and Fort Smith. More classes will be added in the coming weeks in additional communities. To find a schedule of classes and complete the free online registration, visit arkansasbluecross.com/firstaid.

High school basketball state championships kick off statewide on Arkansas PBS this Thursday

CONWAY, Ark. (Arkansas PBS) — Arkansas PBS kicks off the broadcast of the Class 6A-1A 2023 Centennial Bank High School Basketball State Championships live from Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs this ThursdayMarch 9, in partnership with the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA). In the week following each broadcast, championship games will be available to watch at youtube.com/arkansaspbs.

 

AR PBS Sports will be broadcast statewide over the air, on cable and on satellite on Arkansas PBS’s primary channel. Correct channel information is available in local TV listings. All the ways to watch Arkansas PBS can be found at myarpbs.org/waystowatch.

 

Games airing live on AR PBS Sports will include:

  • 4A girls – Farmington vs. Nashville – Thursday, March 9, at noon.
  • 4A boys – Blytheville vs. Little Rock Christian – Thursday, March 9, at 1:45 p.m.
  • 5A girls – Vilonia vs. Greenwood – Thursday, March 9, at 6 p.m.
  • 5A boys – Pine Bluff vs. Lake Hamilton – Thursday, March 9, at 7:45 p.m.
  • 6A girls – Conway vs. North Little Rock – Friday, March 10, at noon.
  • 6A boys – Jonesboro vs. Springdale – Friday, March 10, at 1:45 p.m.
  • 1A girls – Mammoth Spring vs. Norfork – Friday, March 10, at 6 p.m.
  • 1A boys – Marked Tree vs. County Line (Branch, Arkansas) – Friday, March 10, at 7:45 p.m.
  • 2A girls – Conway Christian vs. Mt. Vernon-Enola – Saturday, March 11, at 11:30 a.m.
  • 2A boys – Bigelow vs. Marshall – Saturday, March 11, at 1:15 p.m.
  • 3A girls – Lamar vs. Salem – Saturday, March 11, at 6 p.m.
  • 3A boys – Manila vs. Bergman – Saturday, March 11, at 7:45 p.m.

 

In the week following the finals, games will be available to watch at youtube.com/arkansaspbs, allowing coaches, players, families, college recruiters and others to watch at their convenience. Games will also be available through the PBS Video app on mobile or streaming devices.

 

Throughout the state finals, AR PBS Sports will present profiles of outstanding student-athletes from each division as well as other special segments including:

  • “The Wild World of Mascots” – Arkansas is home to 354 schools with mascots, several of which are the same for multiple schools. For every Bulldogs, Eagles and Panthers mascot, there are Boll Weevils, Little Johns and Sand Lizards — all bringing heart, passion and creativity to their teams and fans.
  • “Sportraits: Behind the Lens”  Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Rock Town Media uses effects to generate jaw-dropping, eye-popping sports photos. Rock Town Media’s work has received millions of views and has been featured on ESPN SportsCenter.
  • “Danyelle Musselman: Heart of the Hogs” – Danyelle Musselman is bringing her passion for sports to a team that needs it more than ever. The wife of Arkansas Razorback men’s basketball head coach, Eric, family general manager and former sports anchor is raising funds for cancer research and other charities.
  • “Derrian Ford: A Legend in the Making”  Most towns have their sports legends and legendary stories. Magnolia’s Derrian Ford was definitely added to their legend list over the last four years. This  segment tells us more about him and takes a look at a little-known fact about his championship performance in the state finals last year.

 

YouTube playlist featuring segments airing during the 2023 state basketball finals will be available at myarpbs.org/2023basketballplaylist.

 

Photos from the games will be available for free download at myarpbs.org/photos.

 

Fans who would like to help support Arkansas PBS’s coverage of high school sports championships and all other local programming can text SPORTS to 501-491-0444 to make a $5 donation to Arkansas PBS.

 

Major funding for AR PBS Sports is provided by the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas.

 

Arkansas PBS also recognizes AAA’s sponsors for the state high school basketball finals, including Centennial Bank, Everett Buick GMC, Big Red Stores, Farm Bureau Insurance and Wendy’s.

 

The Arkansas high school basketball state finals are also broadcast live on 103.7 The Buzz in Central Arkansas and at 1037thebuzz.com/basketball.

 

The most up-to-date programming schedule with options for email reminders and calendar syncing is available at myarpbs.org/schedule.

 

About AR PBS Sports

AR PBS Sports, the home for high school state championships in Arkansas, recognizes the vital role high school activities play in the education and development of young adults, while connecting families statewide by featuring hometown athletes competing in the biggest games of the season. Under contract with the Arkansas Activities Association, Arkansas PBS will broadcast high school championship games for volleyball, football, basketball, baseball and softball for classifications 7A-1A and 8-man football. In addition to creating viewing opportunities for those who may not be able to attend the games, AR PBS Sports enables talented young athletes to connect with college recruiters and potential scholarships.

 

About Arkansas Activities Association

The Arkansas Activities Association is the statewide governing body for athletics and activities in Arkansas. The AAA’s mission is to promote the value of participation in interscholastic activities in the AAA member schools and to provide services to the schools in a fair and impartial manner while assisting and supporting their efforts to develop thinking, productive and prepared individuals as they become positive, contributing citizens modeling the democratic principles of our state and nation.

 

About Arkansas PBS

Arkansas PBS, Arkansas’s only statewide public media network, empowers learners of all ages by educating, informing, entertaining and inspiring communities. Arkansas PBS serves as a daily and essential resource for Arkansans by creating, sharing, celebrating and driving conversation around Arkansas stories and classic, trusted PBS programs through multiple digital platforms, including livestreaming at myarpbs.org/watch, on-demand services and YouTube TV, and the distinct channels Arkansas PBS, Arkansas PBS Create, Arkansas PBS KIDS, Arkansas PBS WORLD and Arkansas PBS AIRS on SAP. Members with Arkansas PBS Passport have extended on-demand access to a rich library of public television programming. Arkansas PBS depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. Additional information is available at myarkansaspbs.org. Arkansas PBS is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), KETZ (El Dorado), KETS (Lee Mountain), KETS (Forrest City) and KETS (Gaither).

Arkansas PBS brings communities together with launch of Arkansas Live

Livestreaming initiative highlights special events

from Crystal Bridges, Arkansas Food Hall of Fame, Winthrop Rockefeller Institute

CONWAY, Ark. (Arkansas PBS) — Arkansas PBS has launched the new initiative Arkansas Live to bring compelling, unique events directly to Arkansas audiences through livestreaming at myarpbs.org/arkansaslive.

 

“Arkansans now have a front row seat to some of the most entertaining and educational events across our state,” Arkansas PBS CEO Courtney Pledger said. “Our amazing partners for this initiative – including Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Arkansas Department of Heritage, the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute and many more – join us in the mutual goal of bringing together viewers from across Arkansas and beyond for events, speakers and performances through multi-camera media experiences that are very close to being there.”

 

The inaugural Arkansas Live series featured Evening Talks from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art with guests Condoleezza RiceYo-Yo MaHillary ClintonDavid M. Rubenstein and others. All of the lectures are archived at myarpbs.org/arkansaslive.

 

Upcoming Arkansas Live events include:

  • 2023 Arkansas Food Hall of Fame ceremony – Monday, March 6, at 5:30 p.m. Presented in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Heritage, this event celebrates some of Arkansas’s finest chefs, restaurants and food-themed events while honoring popular eateries of the past and the new Arkansas Food of the Year.
  • “Securing Water & Food in a Changing World” – Friday, March 17, at 9 a.m. This lecture from the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute and Winthrop Rockefeller Distinguished Lectures Advisory Committee features Peter G. McCornick, Ph.D., executive director of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute.

 

In addition to upcoming livestreams, archived events available from Arkansas Live include:

 

Anyone interested in submitting an event to be considered for livestreaming through Arkansas Live should complete the form at myarpbs.org/arkansaslive.

 

About Arkansas PBS

Arkansas PBS, Arkansas’s only statewide public media network, empowers learners of all ages by educating, informing, entertaining and inspiring communities. Arkansas PBS serves as a daily and essential resource for Arkansans by creating, sharing, celebrating and driving conversation around Arkansas stories and classic, trusted PBS programs through multiple digital platforms, including livestreaming at myarpbs.org/watch, on-demand services and YouTube TV, and the distinct channels Arkansas PBS, Arkansas PBS Create, Arkansas PBS KIDS, Arkansas PBS WORLD and Arkansas PBS AIRS on SAP. Members with Arkansas PBS Passport have extended on-demand access to a rich library of public television programming. Arkansas PBS depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. Additional information is available at myarkansaspbs.org. Arkansas PBS is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), KETZ (El Dorado), KETS (Lee Mountain), KETS (Forrest City) and KETS (Gaither).

Oden, Acorn participate in “Girl Power” Career Day

TAMMY L. YOUNG_Ouachita River School District
On February 16th, Ouachita River School District, comprised of Acorn High School and Oden High School students, participated in the Non-Traditional Career Day “Girl Power” Event hosted by DeQueen/Mena Education Service Cooperative and the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain on the UARM main campus in Mena.
Non-Traditional careers highlighted in the event included: welding, machine tool, truck driving (CDL), and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Students participated in each of the non-traditional careers through a rotation. The event also included
door prizes, tshirts, and lunch.
Students and staff participating in the event included:
Oden High School: Caroline Lloyd, Isabella Rivera-Kline; Acorn High School: Tara Hart, Kolbi McCourtney, Harlei McCourtney, Ericka Holliday, Megan Armijo, Acorn High School Counselor Tammy Young, Reba Willeford, Kailee Branson.
Thank you to Stacey Southerland, DMESC CTE Coordinator and UA Rich Mountain Staff for a wonderful experience and opportunity for our students! 

Oden High School: (Pictured left to right) Caroline Lloyd, Isabella Rivera-Kline – Submitted Photo
Kailee Branson and Tara Hart suiting up for some welding. – Submitted Photo
Ericka Holliday was one of several participants to win a door prize. – Submitted Photo
Acorn High School: Pictured left to right: (back row) Tara Hart, Kolbi McCourtney, Harlei McCourtney, Ericka Holliday, Megan
Armijo, Acorn High School Counselor Tammy Young. (front row) Reba Willeford, Kailee Branson – Submitted Photo

extension service hosts reception for Randy Black

Randy Black leaves the Montgomery County Extension Service after 8 years of service. – Photo by Dewayne Holloway

The Montgomery County Extension Office said farewell to Randy Black Friday, February 24. Randy has served as the county agriculture agent for the past eight years. He is leaving his position at the extension office to work for Keith Smith Farms. The extension office held a reception in his honor Friday at the annex. – Photo by Dewayne Holloway

Oden Campus briefly under lockdown protocol

DEWAYNE HOLLOWAY_dewayne@mcnews.online
ODEN – Oden School District went on lockdown Thursday, February 23, while members of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office investigated the report of an individual with a gun near the school.
A report released by the sheriff’s office states that Dispatch received a call Thursday, February 23, at approximately 2:54 p.m. reporting a male subject walking down Highway 88 West in the vicinity of the Oden School Campus. The report states that the caller described the person of interest as “angry and carrying a firearm.”
Sheriff’s Deputies and the Oden School Resource Officer responded to the call. They were assisted by a Probation and Parole Officer who was passing through the area.
The Oden Campus was placed under lockdown while law enforcement officers talked with the subject and assessed the situation.
Once it was determined that the subject posed no threat to the students or staff at the school the lockdown was lifted.

Library Book Club to meet March 13, reading The Rose Code

The Montgomery County Library Book Club will meet Monday, March 13, 2023 at 1 pm in the library meeting room.
The reading selection for March is “The Rose Code” by Kate Quinn. Copies are available at the Montgomery County Library.
For more information, please call 870-867-3812. 

Quality of Life Hosts Arkansas’s Wilderness Photographer and Author Tim Ernst on the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain Campus

Using a grant from the Department of Arkansas Heritage, Polk County’s Quality of Life (http://qoloutreach.org/) will host Arkansas’s Wilderness Photographer and Author Tim Ernst in the Ouachita Center on the UARM campus at 1100 College Drive on Saturday, March 11 at 1:00 PM.

Ernst has been hiking and driving around the wonderful Ozark Mountains for most of his life, preserving the images he sees on film for everyone to enjoy. His photographs have appeared in hundreds of national, regional, and local publications. Some of his credits include National GeographicAudubon, Backpacker, Outside, Outdoor Photographer, American Hiker, Natural History, Country, Chevy Outdoors, and Arkansas Times magazines as well as the Sierra Club and Hallmark calendars, National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service maps and brochures, Readers Digest Books, and The New York Times.

Additionally, twenty collections of Tim’s wilderness photographs have been published as coffee table picture books:  Arkansas Portfolio: Twenty Years of Wilderness Photography (1994), Wilderness Reflections: An Intimate Look at Wild Places in America (1996), Buffalo River Wilderness (with watercolors by William McNamara, 1998), Arkansas Spring: Dogwoods, Waterfalls and Wildflowers (2000), Arkansas Wilderness: My Favorite Photos from the Natural State (2002), Arkansas Portfolio II: Spectacular New Images from The Natural State (2005), Buffalo River Dreams (2006), Arkansas Waterfalls: Scenic Icons of the Natural State (2007), Arkansas Landscapes (2008), Arkansas Wildlife (2009), Arkansas Autumn (2010), Arkansas Portfolio III (2011), Arkansas Landscapes II (2012), Buffalo River Beauty (2013), Arkansas Nightscapes (2014), A Rare Quality Of Light (2015), Arkansas In My Own Backyard (2016), Arkansas Beauty (2017), Arkansas Splendor (2019), and Tim’s newest picture book (and his final one), Arkansas Greatest Hits (2020).

As a long-time outdoorsman and hiker, Ernst founded and was the president of the Ozark Highlands Trail Association for 28 years. This organization, with members in 25 states and five foreign countries, has contributed 350,000 hours of volunteer labor to the U. S. Forest Service and various local agencies. He was also president of Friends of White Rock, the volunteer organization that has restored and re-opened the Lodge and cabins at White Rock Mountain in the Ozark National Forest. He served on the board of the American Hiking Society (a past vice-Chair), the Arkansas Wilderness Steering Committee, was the Arkansas Coordinator for National Trails Day, Chairman of the Arkansas Trails Council, and served as an advisor for the National Trails Symposium. His books about hiking trails include Arkansas Hiking Trails: A Guide to 78 Selected Trails in the Natural State, Buffalo River Hiking Trails, Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids and Families, Arkansas Nature Lover’s Guidebook, Ozark Highlands Trail Guide #7, and Ouachita Trail Guide.

“Thanks to the Department of Arkansas Heritage, Quality of Life is able to partner with UARM to offer programs that celebrate Arkansas and all that has to offer.” stated QOL President Bethany Hughes. Dr. Diann Gathright agreed, “I am very pleased to partner with QOL and feel fortunate that we get to live in a beautiful state with a rich history We look forward to partnering with QOL to offer additional programs on the UARM campus later this year.”

Ernst’s presentation will include a double feature of his most popular slide shows, Arkansas Nightscapes and A Rare Quality of Light. For more information about Tim Ernst or to see his collection of photography, visit https://timernst.com/. You may also follow him on Facebook or on his popular online journal Little Bluff Journal, which is also available as a print book, Cloudland Journal Book One. Ernst will have a limited number of books and prints for sale at the presentation.

For more information about the event at UA Rich Mountain, call 479.394.7622, ext. 1370, email bminer@urichmountain.edu, or visit www.uarichmountain.edu. The event was made possible through the Department of Arkansas Heritage which was created to preserve and promote Arkansas’s natural and cultural heritage. Other divisions of the Department of Arkansas Heritage are the Arkansas State Archives, Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Delta Cultural Center in Helena, Historic Arkansas Museum, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and the Old State House Museum. For more information, visit https://www.arkansasheritage.com/.

Mount Ida’s Mark Davis to Compete for $300,000 Next Week at Major League Fishing’s REDCREST 2023 at Lake Norman Presented by Shore Lunch

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 1, 2023) – Major League Fishing’s (MLF) REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch, the Bass Pro Tour championship, will visit Charlotte, North Carolina, and Lake Norman next, March 8-12, to crown professional bass fishing’s newest world champion.

 

Mark Davis Among 40 Professional Anglers Competing in Bass Pro Tour Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina Next Week. – Submitted Photo

Local professional angler, Mark Davis of Mount Ida, will be among the 40 anglers competing in the event this year for the top prize of $300,000. Davis, who has six career wins and more than $2.5 million in career earnings, will be making his third career REDCREST appearance.

 

“It is an accomplishment just to qualify for this event, so I’m excited for the opportunity to fish another Major League Fishing championship event and I looking forward to competing for $300,000 next week on Lake Norman,” Davis said.

 

The five-day tournament, shot for television broadcast on the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Channel, will showcase the top 40 Bass Pro Tour anglers from the 2022 season competing for the prestigious REDCREST Championship and the top prize of $300,000.

 

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action from 7:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the first four days of competition, March 8-11, and from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Championship Sunday, March 12. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

 

All 40 Anglers will compete on Days 1 (Wednesday) and 2 (Thursday) of the event and will score their five heaviest bass each day. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 20 based on two-day total (10 bass) cumulative weight. Weights are zeroed, and the top 20 anglers compete on Day 3 (Friday). The field is trimmed to 15 anglers on Day 4 (Saturday), then the final 10 anglers compete on Day 5 (Sunday). The winner is determined by the heaviest three-day total (15 bass) cumulative weight with the winner earning the top prize of $300,000 and the REDCREST 2023 trophy.

 

The 2022 Bass Pro Tour featured a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country. The top 40 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the seven events qualified to compete in REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch.

 

Television coverage of REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch will be showcased across two, two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, July 1 and July 8 on the Discovery Channel. Starting in July 2023, MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.

 

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at FacebookTwitterInstagram, and YouTube.

 

About Major League Fishing

Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, the Discovery Channel, the Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, the World Fishing Network and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

 

Major League Fishing – WE ARE Bass Fishing™

 

Season opener postponed due to severe weather outlook

DEWAYNE HOLLOWAY_dewayne@mcnews.online
The threat of severe weather has pushed the start of the 2023 baseball and softball seasons back a few days for Mount Ida’s Lions and Lady Lions. Caddo Hills is still scheduled to start their season March 6.

Mount Ida baseball and softball programs were set to open the season at home Thursday, March 2, with Murfreesboro coming to town. However, the threat of severe weather has led to the cancellation of the games against Murfreesboro.

The boys will now open their season on the road at Jessieville March 6. They will travel to Magnet Cove March 7 before returning home March 10 to host their home opener against Waldron. They will host Horatio March 14. All games are scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.

The Lady Lions will open their season at Jessieville March 6 and return home March 7 to face Centerpoint. They travel to Magnet Cove March 9, return home for a three game homestand against Caddo Hills (March 10), Cutter-Morning Star (March 13) and Horatio (March 14).

Caddo Hills Indians and Lady Indians will open their respective seasons Monday, March 6, at Centerpoint. Both teams will play their home opener Thursday, March 9, against Blevins. The boys travel to Cutter-Morning Star March 10 while the girls will travel to Mount Ida.
The Lady Indians will host Kirby March 13 while the Indians host Mineral Springs. Both teams will travel to Blevins March 14 to face the Hornets and Lady Hornets.