Washington County Enterprise-Leader

News

State sees highest single-day rise in virus cases; tally increases by 878 Arkansas recorded 878 new cases of covid-19 on Thursday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said, the highest daily increase since the pandemic began. All Arkansans will be able to cite concerns about covid-19 as an excuse to vote by absentee ballot in the November elections, Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Thursday. by Nyssa Kruse

Arkansas sees 420 new covid-19 cases, 7 more deaths; National Guard training canceled Arkansas recorded 420 new cases of covid-19 as of Wednesday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said, the lowest single-day increase in more than a week. by Nyssa Kruse

Starbucks, Wendy's Headed To Farmington FARMINGTON -- Two national chain businesses, a coffee shop and fast food restaurant, will open in early 2021 along Main Street in Farmington, if plans go as scheduled, according to Hank Kelley with Farmington JK, LLC. by Lynn Kutter

Farmington Fireworks Show Farmington FreedomFest fireworks show, sponsored by the city of Farmington, will begin after dark Saturday, July 4. Spectators are encouraged to socially distance while watching the show. Fireworks will be shot off from the middle school and several places are off limits to people this year: the former high school football field, Farmington Cemetery, the school's administration office parking lot and the school parking lot located at the corner of Double Springs and Main Street. by Lynn Kutter

Lincoln Commuity Garden Continues To Give Back LINCOLN -- Lincoln Community Garden is in its fifth year and has some new volunteers this year from the Washington County Master Gardeners. by Lynn Kutter

Planners Interview Applicants To Fill Vacancy FARMINGTON -- The city of Farmington usually does not have people lined up who are interested in serving on the Planning Commission. by Lynn Kutter

Making Masks For Missions PRAIRIE GROVE -- Retired Farmington teacher Melody Key has gone to Honduras 32 times on mission trips and is hoping to go again in August if the country opens up for visitors during the covid-19 pandemic. by Lynn Kutter

PG Farmers Market Celebrates 10 Years PRAIRIE GROVE -- After nine years in the same spot, Prairie Grove Farmers Market moved to a new location this summer because of downtown traffic and to increase visibility, according to Larry Oelrich with the city of Prairie Grove. by Lynn Kutter

Sports

Fight For Right To Rodeo PRAIRIE GROVE -- Life sometimes feels like a bull ride, trying to find something tangible to hang on to in a world of uncertainty as the covid-19 crisis hit the rodeo industry hard. by Mark Humphrey

Lincoln Rodeo Still On For Aug. 6-8 LINCOLN -- The Lincoln Rodeo, which commemorates 67 years this year, remains on schedule for Aug. 6-8 according to Lincoln Riding Club members. by Mark Humphrey

Key Moments In Lincoln Football History LINCOLN -- The Lincoln Wolves experienced many shining moments over the last 35 years of the school's football history. by Mark Humphrey

Infrastructure Stands As Monument To Law's Legacy FARMINGTON -- One of the defining qualities of legacy means no success without a successor and outgoing Farmington superintendent of schools Bryan Law leaves the district primed for continuing growth. by Mark Humphrey

Intangible Factors Prepare Coach For Administration FARMINGTON -- Encountering and processing intangible factors over the course of a 20-year coaching career prepared Beau Thompson for stepping into administration in becoming Farmington athletic director. by Mark Humphrey

Keith Takes Over Wolves' Baseball Program LINCOLN -- Lincoln will have a new head baseball coach for the fourth consecutive year.

Thompson Hire Gets Confirmation FARMINGTON -- A week of speculation and anticipation concluded the way Beau Thompson hoped with the Farmington School Board making his hiring as the school's next athletic director official June 16. by Mark Humphrey

Coach's Son Calls Time-Out FARMNGTON -- A critical late game situation when new Farmington boys basketball coach Johnny Taylor was at Valley Springs illustrates both his humanity and organizational skills. by Mark Humphrey

Opinion

COLUMN: One Nation Under God For some time now, our government has felt obligated to divorce Christ and Almighty God from the public domain. For those of you who either haven't studied history or don't believe the historical record, I pray that the following reflections on history will help you to understand the path we have trod that made us a great nation -- under God. by Jackie Brooks

COLUMN: Dust In The Air "In a divided society, only the church can model unity." That's the good news. The bad news is that the church frequently falls short of promoting ethnic respect or racial reconciliation. Truly born-again people, by God's grace, can love one another. By experiencing the love of God through Christ, strongholds of bigotry are dismantled. by Jackie Brooks

COLUMN: Arcade Arkansas Pulls Out; Arkansas Wins Still Seeks Signatures A version of this column appeared on June 17, but was confused by a garbled paragraph and the name of the wrong committee submitted for the wrong proposal. by Jackie Brooks

EDITORIAL: Beware Of 'Open' Primary; New Runoff General Election Proposal Just when this pandemic has caused all of us to worry about the upcoming Nov. 3 elections, a new group, Arkansas Voters First Inc., has a wild, new question before voters to establish "Open" primary elections an "Majority Winner General Elections with Instant Runoffs," in our state. by Jackie Brooks

COLUMN: Facts Don't Life: Fathers Are Needed We just celebrated Father's Day. I had important topics to write about, so this subject arrives afterward. Over 25 years ago, I wrote my first newspaper column. The subject was this question, "Where have all the fathers gone?" The statistics are much worse now. Half of America's school-age children are being raised in a home with no male present. Men have abandoned their kids. Daddy has disappeared. What effect has this had? by Jackie Brooks

COLUMN: What's On Your Mind? Write About It One day when I was in junior high school, dad asked me, "What are you thinking about?" by Jackie Brooks

Police Report PRAIRIE GROVE by Jackie Brooks

Religion

COLUMN: Are You Planted In The Desert Or Planted By Living Water? In the greatest movie of all time about a dog that excels at sports, "Air Bud" is granted the opportunity to choose his owner. Buddy finds himself in the middle of a custody battle that goes all the way to the courts. The judge decides that he will let Air Bud pick his rightful owner. The courtroom goes outside, and the evil Snively stands on one side, and Josh stands on the other. Buddy is in the middle, and whoever he goes toward will be his owner. Will he choose Snively, the previous owner who used to beat him, or Josh, the little boy who loved him with all his heart? by Blake Kutter

RELIGION: 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners' "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." 1 Timothy 1:12-17 by Randy Moll

RELIGION: 'For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever' "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." Matthew 6:13b by Randy Moll