Special Olympics Monticello blows away competition in 8-4A; inspiring Diamond Weevils also secure league title 1B 1C ADVANCE-MONTICELLONIAN 75¢ WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2018 SERVING DREW COUNTY SINCE 1870 DMHS to provide mental health help under ARHP grant BY HAROLD COGGINS [email protected] Embarking on a three-year project that will expand health- care service delivery by increas- ing prevention, education and access to mental and behavioral health services to residents of Drew County and other rural communities served by Drew Memorial Health System and its health care clinics, the Health Resources and Services Ad- plementation of these telehealth ministration recently awarded a services will enhance the treat- $600,000 grant to the Arkansas ment team by quickly evaluating Rural Health Partnership for the the patient’s mental health needs creation of the ARHP-Outreach and identifying additional re- Program. sources for the patient. Photos courtesy of Staci Reginelli To meet this goal, mental “Some rural hospitals in Ar- health assessments will be pro- LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR FUTURE Sponsor Shawn Poindexter (far left, above) watches members of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow En- kansas have noted that it may vided by DMHS for all 10 ARHP take five-plus hours for a pa- gine Challenge team, comprised of students from both Monticello and Drew Central high schools attending the Monticello School District’s partnering Emergency Depart- Occupational Education Center, work on an engine in preparation for qualifying competition. If the students (below, front left to right), Dylan tient to be evaluated by a men- Mann, Jamie Martin, Shane McLean, Cole Nash and Charlie Lytle, qualify for further competition, they will each receive scholarship money ments. Others benefiting from tal health professional, if at all. for college. the grant besides DMHS will It will also aid the EDs by al- be Ashley County Medical Cen- lowing more time for the physi- ter in Crossett, Baptist Health cian to focus on physical health Medical Center in Stuttgart, emergencies while the mental Coming together Bradley County Medical Cen- health professional is able to ter in Warren, Chicot Memorial focus on addressing the mental Medical Center in Lake Village, health emergencies.” Dallas County Medical Center in Although mental and behav- for a common cause Fordyce, Delta Memorial Hospi- ioral health have long been a tal in Dumas, DeWitt Hospital major concern across the nation, BY CAMERON REYNOLDS and Nursing Home, Jefferson MHS senior rural communities are particular- Regional Medical Center in Pine ly vulnerable due to extremely Bluff and McGehee Hospital. ot all between Monticello and Drew Central is pure limited access to mental health “This grant will benefit the professionals and treatment. Ac- rivalry. Working together, a team of students from communities we serve by pro- both high schools, all attending the Monticello cording to a press release from N viding education and training ARHP announcing the grant, School District’s Occupational Education Center, will be try- to first responders in how to “The program expects to reduce ing its hand at a new competition this year, the Hot Rodders of provide better care for people Tomorrow Engine Challenge. morbidity and mortality due to with mental health issues,” said mental or behavioral health con- Six students and their sponsor left Saturday for Georgia and Amy Harper, LCSW, director of the Summit Racing Atlanta Motorama Qualifier. If the team ditions in adults (age 18-64) by DMHS’ geriatric psychiatry pro- 15 percent in rural Southeast Ar- qualifies for nationals, the six will earn $5,000 each in schol- gram. “This grant will also pro- arships for college. kansas Delta by April 2021.” vide assistance to our rural com- The ARHP-OP will make If they advance in nationals, they will have the opportu- munity EDs where mental health nity to earn $10,000 each in scholarships from six different available 24-hour access to tele- access is limited or completely medicine counseling provided schools. unavailable. Members of the team are Cole Nash, Jayson Reed, Jamie by a mental health professional “(Licensed Clinical Social to all partnering EDs. Services Workers) will be able to provide will include patient assessments See HOT RODDERS Page 6A timely mental health assess- ments via telehealth. The im- See GRANT Page 6A Drew Central’s all-class reunion scheduled for Saturday BY ASHLEY FOREMAN fellow Pirates and to recognize honorees of the cafeteria. The cost for lunch is $10 per community and graduated as valedictori- Physics, before attending medical school [email protected] the Drew Central Hall of Fame and Distin- person. The program will begin at 1 p.m. in an at DC in 1971. While at Drew Central, at the Universioty of Arkansas for Medical guished Service Awards. Earl Willis Auditorium. he played basketball and ran track, was a Sciences in Little Rock. Scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Satur- This year, Dr. Franklin David Chambers, In addition, the Class of 1968 will be cel- member of the Student Council, Who’s He graduated from UAMS in 1980, did a day, it’s time for the the annual Drew Cen- a 1971 graduate of Drew Central High ebrating their 50th-year reunion and will Who (Most Dependable, Sr. High Favor- fl exible internship at Baptist Medical Cen- tral School District’s all-class reunion. This School, and Belinda Sullivan (1969) will share memories from school. The late W.J. ite and Most Likely to Succeed his senior ter in Little Rock, then moved to Warren, year’s festivities will begin at the Drew be inducted into the DCSD Hall of Fame. McKiever’s family will include a presen- year), National Honor Society, Class Offi - where he opened a medical offi ce in 1981. Central Gymnasium. Ephran Franklin (1988) and Jerrilynn tation on his devoted service to the school, cer, FFA, Pirate King Runner-Up and was In 2008, he moved to Dumas and has Each year, DCSD invites all graduates Mapp (1970) will receive Distinguished too. a delegate to Boys State. been in practice there for a little more than of Drew Central to attend the all-class Service Awards. Biographies of this year’s honorees fol- He graduated with honors from the Uni- 10 years, working for Delta Memorial Hos- reunion, Superintendent Billy Williams The day will start with registration in the low: versity of Arkansas at Monticello in 1976 pointed out, as a way to fellowship with gym, followed by an 11:30 a.m. lunch in • Chambers grew up in the Rock Springs with a bacherlor’s degree in Chemistry and See REUNION Page 6A Shell announces MOVING ON for council seat BY ASHLEY FOREMAN [email protected] Jonathan Shell of Monticello Local graduations has announced his candidacy for Monticello City Council, Ward Friday, May 11 4, Position 1, currently held by Steelman Field House Beverly Hudson. 10 a.m., 2 p.m. Shell, a Monticello native and graduate of Monticello High Friday, May 18 School and the University of Ar- Drew Central Gym kansas at Monticello, is current- 7 p.m. ly employed at Drew Memorial Health System as Chief Nursing Tuesday, May 22 Officer. Before that, he spent 15 Hyatt Field years with Baptist Health and 8 p.m. then a brief time with the Uni- versity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Left photo by Annette Buzzell/Advance-Monticellonian; right photo courtesy of Shawn Curtis “I never really considered pol- THE NEXT STEP Two Monticello High School seniors, Grace West (left) and Samantha Pennington, recently signed letters of intent to further their cheer- INDEX Opinion ..............4A leading and track and fi eld careers, respectively, in Arkansas colleges. West, who is pictured with MHS cheer coach/sponsor Whitney Maggard, plans Calendar ............2A Religion .............3B to attend the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Pennington, who plans to participate in cross country as well as track and fi eld, plans to attend Classifi eds ........ 5C Sports ............... 1C See CANDIDATE Page 6A Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. Obituaries ..........8A Weddings ..........1B OUR 147TH YEAR $34.00 ADVANCE-MONTICELLONIAN NUMBER xx • xx PAGES Subscribe Today! QHZVVSRUWVFODVVLÀHGV SHU<HDU 870.367.5325 LQVLGHWKH]LSFRGHDUHD ZZZP\PRQWLFHOORQHZVQHW 2A | Wednesday, May 2, 2018 NEWS Advance-Monticellonian | mymonticellonews.net | 870-367-5325 COMMUNITY CALENDAR GOING ON NOW Market in the Park Meet our elected offi cials Market in the Park will be open each Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the downtown mini-park, next to the Drew County Detention Center. This year, the market will also be open from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday evenings. For more Editor’s note: The Ad- information contact the Monticello/Drew County Chamber of Commerce at vance-Monticellonian will high- ROGER HARRIS, JP DISTRICT 3 870-367-6741. light one elected offi cial per week Drew County Museum open on select Saturdays in 2018 in an attempt to help The Drew County Museum will be open every Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 readers and citizens of Monticel- p.m. For special events or for more information, contact Connie Mullis at lo and Drew County better get to 870-367-2431 or Tommy Gray at 870-367-2401. know who works for them. With Support for local schools this year being an election year, Show support for local schools by purchasing a school mascot yard sign we thought it might also help vot- for only $20. All three (University of Arkansas at Monticello Boll Weevils, ers decide on candidates—should Drew Central Pirates and Monticello Billies) may be purchased for $50. Call any of our elected offi cials be the Monticello-Drew County Chamber of Commerce at 870-367-6741 or running for reelection later this stop by the chamber offi ce at 335 East Gaines Street.