March 2024

3rd Grade All A’s Laura Bauschlicher, Aaron Baxter, Eva Beck, Anniston Benton, Braylee Brickley, Zachary Ladd, Layla Moore, Sophia Orozco- Lucy, Payten Petago, Kaclyn Robinson, Nora Rogers, Beau Vallance, Sadie White, Gage Wright A’s and B’s Koby Allen, Amani Allred, Serapio Barajas, Maddison Boshears, Avery Brown, Rayner Carpenter, Walker Coleman, Kaiden Crossfield, Bryer Dobbins, Cotton Eddington, JT Green, Gracie King, Victoria Kremers, Keegan Loveless, David Morland, Miah Newell, Kimber Owens, Eden Pratt, Mia Stadler, Hailynn Stevens, Liam Watts, James Whitworth, Brooks Williams, Hadleigh Wolner, Willow Woodard, Ryder Woods 4th Grade All A’s Drake Arnett, Butler Bowers, Serena Bray, Jude Causey, Jaxon Dillon, Jolie Edwards, Blaze George, Kasen Gill, Lillian Harrison, Nita Henson, Parker Hudson, Mullen Jett, Cason Moore, Alberto Rojas, Charlie Sears, Cheyann Small, Mikah Jo Townsend A’s and B’s Emma Ainley, Harper Anders, Jacob Arnold, Madison Bolin, Wyatt Collett, LuxAnna Conway, Cruz Cooper, Matthew Daily, Bailey Dobbins, Skyy Freeman, Lexy Griffin, Lilyann Grubb, Asa Ladd, Major Loggains, Bret Lunsford, River Malone, Kaylynn Martin, Kyler Masterson, Jade Phipps, Joshua Poole, Tyson Rainwater, Ava Vallance, Eli Vannada, Ja’Kynzie Woodard .

This week my column is devoted to sharing my sincere appreciation to our communities for once again showing your support for our school district through the overwhelming approval for the millage increase request on March 5. On behalf of our students, faculty, staff, school board, and myself I say thank you! I appreciate the words of encouragement you sent our way and I certainly appreciate your votes.

Last week, Mark Coleman, Farm Bureau County President donated a copy of the 2024 American Farm Bureau Foundation’s Agricultural Book of the Year, “ My Grandpa, My Tree, and Me”, to the Corning Public Library. The book written by Roxanne Troup follows Grandpa as he tenderly cares for each tree in his orchard, including his favorite; a pecan tree, planted for his granddaughter on the day she was born. Troup grew up along the water- ways and soybean fields of Missouri, where everyone had a pecan tree but few grew pecans commercially. Today, she lives in the mountains of Colorado and writes children’s books that celebrate wonder and family.

Following the public meeting concerning the ambulance service, the Corning City Council met for it’s regular monthly meeting on Monday, March 11 at the M.B. Ainley, Jr. Community Center. After the regular preliminary protocols, the meeting began with all councilmen in attendance, along with the mayor, city clerk and city attorney.

Many events are lined up for spring as Chamber members discussed at the March luncheon on Monday, March 11 at 11:30 a.m. at the American Dragon in Corning. The guest speaker was Sherry Navarete-Harper with CherryRoad Media, publishing house of the Clay County Courier. Harper shared the mission and priority of the company to keep local, local. Harper stated that regular, consistent advertising in newspapers helps build brand awareness. She described the tools in the Cherry-Road Media toolbox which includes opportunities to celebrate local achievements, such as Graduation and Veteran Editions in special sections. They also provide commercial printing of magazines, guides, marketing postcards and brochures. A good example of is their lifestyle magazine, Arkansas Crossroads, a beautiful magazine that celebrates all things Arkansas with a footprint throughout the state. She explained that CherryRoad Media helps communities with hyper local editorial coverage of the things that are important to them. CherryRoad Media offers digital marketing solutions through websites that they can build for customers for as little as $89 a month with no upfront fee and offered a deal for Chamber of Commerce members at a price of $65. She spoke of the value of targeted marketing tactics such as, pay per click ads, social advertising, targeted display ads streaming radio and tv and direct mail for budgets as low as $150 a month, as well as a digital recruitment platform that spreads a business’ job posting across all general and industry specific job boards.

Change is vital to growth and that’s especially true in agricultural communities where farming is in somewhat of a transition period as older generations of farmers begin retiring and turning operations over to their sons and daughters. Riceland Foods recognizes the importance of changing with the times and fusing the methods of generational farmers with new generations of agriculturists for agriculture continuity. It’s the mission of Riceland Chief Executive Officer, Kevin McGilton to ensure that a new generation of farmers embrace the value of the cooperative. “You see; the cooperative has to change because your farming operations are changing,” he said. “We know they’re getting larger. That’s just continues year after year, and we don’t see any end to that.” The CEO believes Riceland is changing for the better.