BRINGING 'HATCHET' TO LIFE - Corrie Coates, director of dining services for the Cleveland County School District, met with 5th graders from Rison Elementary last week to simulate some of the foods that the main character from the book 'Hatchet' would eat. The book is about a boy who is stranded in…
RISON - The Cleveland County School District will not have to make up a school day after an electrical issue at the Rison campus allowed some students to leave early due to dark classrooms Monday morning, Superintendent Jerrod Williams said.Williams reported that sometime over the weekend, there…
KINGSLAND - Mayor Sharon Crosby told the Kingsland City Council last Thursday that City Attorney Thomas Burns believes there is "about an 80 percent chance" the city could annex the new Dollar General store into the city limits without having to go through a petition process.While the entry into…
RISON - A Rison convenience store that was heavily damaged by a fire last year following a burglary is expected to open soon after being closed for about 11 months, the new operator of the store has announced.Uday Gaddam, who will be operating the store, said he expects inventory for the remodeled…
KINGSLAND - After learning that the city will not be consolidating its water operations with any other providers, the Kingsland City Council approved a motion to hire someone to shut off water service to delinquent customers while also discussing raising the connect fee for new customers.Meanwhile…
JUNCTION CITY - Haven Simpson's ground out in the bottom of the sixth scored what turned out to be the winning run as the Rison Lady Wildcats got past the Junction City Lady Dragons, 8-7, in the 8-2A District Tournament semifinals last Friday at Junction City.Simpson's game-winning RBI completed a…
JUNCTION CITY - Jaimie Simmons pitched a three-hitter as the Woodlawn Lady Bears belted out 12 hits and capitalized on five errors in an 11-0 five-inning shutout of the Gurdon Lady Go Devils in the 8-2A District Tournament semifinals last Friday at Junction City.Woodlawn, the no. 2 seed in the…
RISON - Rison scored seven runs over the first two innings as the Wildcats built an early sixrun lead before cruising to a 135 win over the Gurdon Go Devils in the 8-2A conference finale last Friday at Wildcat Field.By virtue of its win, Rison finished with a 6-6 record in league play, and earned…
JUNCTION CITY - Brayden Jones used a homerun and two doubles to drive in six runs as the Woodlawn Bears wrapped up an undefeated 8-2A conference championship season with a 16-1 rout of the Junction City Dragons in four innings last Friday at Junction City.Woodlawn finished the regular season 12-0…
JUNCTION CITY - Woodlawn had the tying run at third in the top of the seventh but Rison's Josey Edwards got a fly ball to end the game as the Lady Wildcats held on to edge the Lady Bears, 5-4, in the 8-2A District Tournament championship game Saturday afternoon at Junction City.Both teams will…
YARD OF THE MONTH, APRIL 2024 - The Cleveland County Cultivators and Master Gardeners congratulate Diane Clement on being selected for the Yard of the Month for April. Pictured on the porch is her dog, Spud. According to Master Gardener Marty Bowlin, Spud loves the fact that his human grows spinach…

Rison Students Experience Foods From 'Hatchet' Book

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BRINGING 'HATCHET' TO LIFE - Corrie Coates, director of dining services for the Cleveland County School District, met with 5th graders from Rison Elementary last week to simulate some of the foods

Electrical Issues Leave Some Classrooms in Dark at Rison

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RISON - The Cleveland County School District will not have to make up a school day after an electrical issue at the Rison campus allowed some students to leave early due to dark classrooms Monday morning, Superintendent Jerrod Williams said.

Kingsland Considers Options To Annex Dollar General Store

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KINGSLAND - Mayor Sharon Crosby told the Kingsland City Council last Thursday that City Attorney Thomas Burns believes there is "about an 80 percent chance" the city could annex the new Dollar General store into the city limits without having to go through a petition process.

Lady 'Cats Survive Junction City, 8-7

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JUNCTION CITY - Haven Simpson's ground out in the bottom of the sixth scored what turned out to be the winning run as the Rison Lady Wildcats got past the Junction City Lady Dragons, 8-7, in the 8-2A District Tournament semifinals last Friday at Junction City.

Lady Bears Blank Gurdon, 11-0, in 8-2A Semifinals

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JUNCTION CITY - Jaimie Simmons pitched a three-hitter as the Woodlawn Lady Bears belted out 12 hits and capitalized on five errors in an 11-0 five-inning shutout of the Gurdon Lady Go Devils in the 8-2A District Tournament semifinals last Friday at Junction City.

'Cats Beat Gurdon; Make Regionals

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RISON - Rison scored seven runs over the first two innings as the Wildcats built an early sixrun lead before cruising to a 135 win over the Gurdon Go Devils in the 8-2A conference finale last Friday at Wildcat Field.

Steve Winston

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Stephen Ray "Red" Winston of Sheridan, Arkansas, passed away on April 23, 2024, at the age of 70. He was born in Pine Bluff on August 28, 1953, to Jack and Peggy "Hope" Winston. He was a 1971 graduate of Rison High School and a proud member of the Rison Wildcat 1970 Class A State football championship team. Steve attended Henderson State University and was a starter on the football team. In time, he returned to his hometown of Rison, Arkansas, and married his love, Belinda Brown Winston, whom he was married to for nearly 47 years. Steve was employed by Union Pacific Railroad for 34 years before retiring in August of 2013. He and his wife had two children, Leann and Jared. In 2010, Steve became a grandfather and he loved his grandchildren unconditionally-they fondly referred to him as "Da." He was an avid outdoorsman and loved turkey and deer hunting with his family. Steve was an active member of Rison Baptist Church. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Peggy Winston of Rison, and his brother, Tim Winston of Rison. He is survived by his wife, Belinda of Sheridan, his daughter, Leann King (Maburn) and grandson Winston of Sheridan, his son Jared (Katy) and grandchildren Klaire, Kyndall, and Rhett of Benton, and his brother Danny (Christy) Winston of Arkadelphia.

Patricia Lawhon

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Patricia Louise Lawhon, 81, of Hensley went to be with her Lord on April 24, 2024. She was born April 6, 1943 in Hensley, AR to the late Edgar Davis Raley and Dorothy Louise Palmer Raley. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Bill Lawhon, her daughter Tammy Smith, her sister Kathy Mizell and her brother Jesse Raley. Mrs. Lawhon was a faithful member of East End Baptist Church and enjoyed going to yard sales, flea markets, sewing and painting. She will always be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Tommy Butcher

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Thomas Carroll Butcher, Jr., 85, of Rison, Arkansas went to be with his Lord on April 18, 2024. He was born July 18, 1938 in Little Rock to the late Thomas Carroll Butcher, Sr. and Jimmie Doogrey McAuliffe Butcher. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years Lynda Marie Brewer Butcher, his daughter Patricia G. Butcher Cooper, and his sisters, Jamie Butcher Todd and Diane Butcher White. He was a faithful member of Rison Baptist Church, where he served as a Deacon and was a member of the choir. Mr. Butcher was a retired veteran serving 42 years in in the United States Army and Army Reserve. He retired from the 3215' Materials Management Center in El Dorado, Arkansas. He worked 26 years for the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service with the United States Department of Agriculture. He took early retirement to become a full-time poultry producer for Tyson Foods as owner and operator of Tom-Lyn Farms. After retiring from poultry farming, he and Lynda traveled by RV across the U.S seeing sights and spending time with family and friends. He had a love for gardening and being outside on his tractor. He never met a stranger and could talk for hours on end about any subject anyone was willing to discuss. To know Tommy was to know the things that brought him the most pride: his family, his military service, and his BSA scouting career. He began his scouting career as a scout in Troop 13 in Helena, AR. He earned his Eagle Scout in 1955 and went on to become Scoutmaster of Troop 13 in the late 1960s. He also went on to be Scoutmaster over Troops in Malvern and in Rison. His dedication to scouting is evidenced by his many awards including: Distinguished Commissioner, Order of the Arrow Brother, Order of the Arrow Vigil Honor, Scoutmaster Award of Merit, Venturing Leadership Award, and the Silver Beaver Award. He was as dedicated to Cub Scouts as he was to Boy Scouts. He served on the Desoto Area Council Executive Board with the Boy Scouts of America. He attended college at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville and Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. During college he joined the U.S. Army Reserve. The majority of his 42 years of service were spent with the 321' MMC in El Dorado, AR operating under the 377th TAACOM in Baton Rouge, LA. The men who served with him in this unit were among his dearest friends. His service took him to trainings at military bases across the U.S., to Honduras, and eventually to active duty in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm. He retired with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 and was affectionately known among his army friends as 'Chief.' He was Past Commander, Historian and Lifetime member of the American Legion and Past Vice Commander & Lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign War. Tommy served as a Workforce Investment Board Member and Executive Committee Member for many years until the time of his passing. He is survived by his wife Mildred Butcher, his children, son-in-law Roger Cooper of Athens, OH, Lynn Butcher Wilson and husband Jeff of Rison, Thomas Carroll 'Butch' Butcher, III of Rison, one brother, David M. Butcher (Ann) of Kirby, grandchildren, Kaatie Cooper Vance (Ian) of Kent, OH, Jac Cooper of China, Jacob Wilson (Carly) of Sheridan, Anna Wilson of Rison, Taylor Williams (Blake) of Harmony Grove, Nathan Wilson (Alison) of Marion, and Riley Butcher of Rison, greatgrandchildren, Grady and Curtis Ballard and Hud and Mia Williams. Pallbearers will be David Chane Butcher, Rusty White, Dwight Simpson, Coy Hartsell, Rickey Fore, Cleve Reed, Larry Summerhill, and John David Todd. Honorary pallbearers will be Mike Cunningham, Lee Pete, Keith Shumway, Steve Pickering, John Orton, Tex Gordon, Lonnie Hardin, and Jimmy Todd. Funeral services were Monday, April 22, 2024, at Rison Baptist Church with Bro. Wade Totty and Bro. Iverson Jackson officiating. Interment followed in Black Cemetery with military honors.