GRANT COUNTY MUSEUM Director Lindsey Stanton was the guest speaker during the 2019 Grant County Chamber Banquet. She spoke about what the museum offers its visitors, the history of the museum and the 150th anniversary of Grant County’s founding, which was Feb. 4, 1869, as well as a celebration to be held in May. See page 5 for award recipient photos Photo by Eric Moore
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the formation of Grant County, and the Grant County Chamber of Commerce 2019 Banquet emphasized that point with its keynote speaker, Lindsey Stanton, director of the Grant County Museum.
The Chamber Banquet was held at the Epperson Center, at Immanuel Baptist Church, on Saturday, Feb. 2, with the official date of the formation of the county coming two days later on Monday, Feb. 4.
According to the latest unemployment numbers released by Arkansas.gov, Grant County has one of the lowest rates of unemployment in the state with 2.7 percent, as of November 2018.
The 2.7 percent rate of unemployment places Grant County in a tie for fourth overall with Carroll and Craighead counties. The only counties with a lower unemployment rate than Grant County were Washington County (2.4 percent), Madison County (2.5 percent) and Benton County (2.6 percent).
The Town of Tull saw some changes in its first council meeting of the new year on Monday, Jan. 7. One of the biggest changes came in the form of the one conducting the meeting, newly elected Mayor William Davis, who takes on the role occupied for the past eight years by Jeff Westbrook.
While not acting in official capacity, Davis had attended many of the meetings leading up to becoming mayor.
During the first meeting of the Sheridan School Board of the 2019 calendar year on Monday, Jan. 21, the agenda was packed with positive updates about the district, including construction, enrollment and new classes and tools available for students and parents.
Sheridan’s Director of Communication and Recruitment Lauren Goins started off the night with a presentation to the school board members honoring them for their service as part of School Board Member Appreciation Month.
The Grant County Solid Waste Authority has been accepting recycling for paper, cardboard and metal for some time and, as of the start of the new year, residents can now recycle glass at the facility on Highway 46.
The SWA recently added a container for glass recycling as part of a pilot program that is originally set for three months. The SWA will accept all types of glass at the facility, excluding ceramics, Grant County Judge Randy Pruitt said.
In December, the Grant County Quorum Court passed an ordinance approving the 2019 budget. At the Tuesday, Jan. 22 meeting of the Quorum Court at the Grant County Courthouse, another ordinance was brought up for a vote, this one to amend some “mathematical errors and omissions,” according to County Treasurer Tim Stuckey.
Kickstart Sheridan held its most recent meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 23 at Sheridan First Baptist Church and the focus of the event was on how to get the eyes of millennials on the city of Sheridan for the sake of its future.
Millennials are defined by those reaching adulthood in the early 21st century, being born in 1981 or later. With the older set of the group nearing 40 years old, cities around the nation are looking for ways to make their city more attractive to this large group to keep their areas thriving.
The Poyen City Council had its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Jan. 28, and while the meeting started with beginning-of-the-year paperwork, the bulk of the nearly two-hour meeting was spent discussing the possibility of a third ballfield at Poyen City Park.
The issue was brought up by a citizen that came to the meeting, Daniel Edwards, who helps lead the Poyen Youth Sports Association, which was supported by Councilmember Kevin Conner, who is also involved with the association.
At the January meeting of the Sheridan School Board, an update was given on the progress of the current construction of the new building at Sheridan High School, as well as the construction of East End Middle School, which is being done concurrently.
At the school board meeting, it was revealed that the construction projects are more than 80 percent complete, with both expected to be finished in late spring or early summer.
