The Corning Boys’ Bobcats Basketball teams recently participated in the Williams Baptist University Team Camps. On Friday, July 21, the Bobcats faced Tuckerman, Gosnell and White County Central while the Jr. Bobcats competed against the teams of Manila, Riverside and Ridgefield Christian on Thursday, July 20.
In the past five years, there has been much discussion among citizens and the County concerning what to do about the declining state of the Clay County Detention Center. Opinions varied within the county as to the best option or path to the formation of an operational jail, that would meet the Facilities Review Committee’s requirements and standards. The closing of the jail on Oct. 1, 2021, created an added expense to the County’s budget due to the necessity of transporting inmates housed in surrounding counties back and forth to court dates.
Clay County was well represented at the Arkansas Farm Bureau Officers and Leaders Conference held Thursday, July 20 - Friday, July 21 at the Hot Springs Convention Center. This year’s theme was “Navigating the Future.”
Offering opportunity for local citizens to sign a petition sponsored by Citizens and Parents for Education and Students (CAPES), Ryan Carter of Corning, Shelia Dale, Dianna Brewer along with Karen Nutt of Rector welcomed drive-in signees at the Rector Community Center from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Monday. The petition requests not an overturn of the LEARNS Act 237-2023, but a position of a Referendum to approve or reject the LEARNS Act on the November 2024 ballot. “This referendum enables the people to vote for or against the LEARNS Act,” is printed on the petition available at signing locations. Carter leads the signature gathering which continues through July 31 in Arkansas. Clay County with its small population has already reached its minimum number of mandated signatures, having begun the work in June. Signatures collected on the petition now add to the overall Arkansas totals. Fifty counties must meet requirements of the initiative to bring the referendum to the ballot.
LITTLE ROCK – Statewide preliminary ACT Aspire results for Grades 3-10, released today by the Arkansas Department of Education, show little to modest increases from 2022, with many grades and subject areas reflecting decreases.
Emily Selig, a junior at Corning High School, has been selected as one of nine students in the state of Arkansas to serve on the Circle K Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) Student Advisory Council (SAC). The selection process is extremely competitive as the AAA receives numerous applications from each activity district of highly qualified students.
Kids Clothing Trade Day for Clay County families and students attending Corning schools will occur on August 5 from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the M.B. Ainley, Jr. Community Center. The event hosted by Growing Corning Together will allow participating families to shop at the community center on August 5 for up to seven free outfits per child regardless of income. Every outfit over the designated free outfits will cost 50 cents each.
Shelley Smith is a columnist for the Stone County Leader and writes occasional OpEd guest columns for the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. The following column is her response to a Letter to the Editor appearing in the Leader, challenging the next person to complain about the Arkansas LEARNS to tell what we should be doing.
Crowley’s Ridge College is poised to receive a generous $662,333 grant gift from the J.E. & L.E. Mabee Foundation. This grant will go toward construction of the state-of-the-art Chemistry building and Lift Station as listed in CRC’s Mission Possible Campaign. The building will feature a brand new modern chemistry lab, research area, classrooms, and offices. The older Physical Science building will be renovated, including a new roof and matching exterior siding to blend with the new Chemistry building and make for a more vibrant campus with better resources to serve our students and new degree programs. The total cost for this ambitious and needed project is estimated at $3,311,667, and the Mabee Challenge Grant is conditional upon CRC raising the additional $1,071,204 it needs to fully fund the project.
Kids of all ages enjoyed the first of two Water Slide Days at the Corning Community Center on July 22. Growing Corning Together provided the perfect combination of relaxation and fun while beating the heat during Saturday’s Water Slide Days event. The date for the second Water Slide Day is August 26. A water slide event is also being planned for the community in Knobel.