Around Town

2012-02-15

Around Town

For Release 12 noon Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012

By Billy Ray McKelvy

De Queen Mayor

The youth soccer program for the Parks and Recreation Department continues to grow.

When registration concluded in January, a total of 214 youngsters had signed up for the spring soccer season. That is up from 195 last year and 168 in 2010. Players range in age from four to 14.

The soccer season is scheduled to start the first week in March and conclude by March 31. Regular season games are played on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. As a special event to inaugurate the new soccer field completed last year, the season will conclude with games and presentation of trophies on Saturday, March 31.

Soccer has grown steadily since the parks and recreation department tested the interest in the sport in 2007.

Since soccer is still new to the area, time is spent on teaching the game. The first 30 minutes is spent on practice and the youngsters play a game during the second half-hour.

The games have a family atmosphere with parents and spectators seated in lawn chairs around the edge of the field. With several games going on simultaneously, the park is full on game days.

The park soccer program has a spring and a fall season. Spring season is scheduled to minimize conflict with baseball and softball seasons.

Soccer is catching on as a high school sport in Arkansas and De Queen High School has produced several state championship teams.

If you’re interested in learning more about soccer, you have a good chance to see it in action at Herman Dierks Park or at a high school game.

2012-02-08

Around Town

For Release 12 noon Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012

By Billy Ray McKelvy

De Queen Mayor

De Queen citizens have frequently asked for more recycling opportunities and although not all solid waste can be recycled, those opportunities are increasing.

Sevier County operates a paper and plastic recycling operation at the Sevier County jail. The public can drop off paper at any time in one of the roll off containers near the jail parking lot. Inmates load the paper into a compactor for transportation and the county receives $100 from each compactor load. All kinds of paper are accepted and it does not have to be sorted. The waste paper is recycled and used to make roofing felt

Plastic can also be dropped off at the county recycling site. It goes to the Howard County Children’s Center for recycling.

The City of De Queen conducts spring and fall clean-up weeks in April and October. Each campaign results in a load of old computers and electronics which are transported to the Federal Corrections Institute at Texarkana where it is recycled by prisoners. Unused paint is also collected for disposal at the regional landfill.

Brush and trees collected around town are transported to a holding area at the De Queen Business Park on Hwy. 71 north. Last fall, a contractor ground the wood waste so it could be used for boiler fuel.

A strong scrap metal market has led a lot of old vehicles and scrap steel to be recycled for cash, but presently, there is no market for recycling glass.

Recycling will increase as collection systems become established and markets develop. Recycling can protect the environment and generate some revenue. It also saves about $28 per ton in tipping fees that it would cost to dispose of it at the regional landfill.

2012-01-18

Around Town

For Release 12 noon Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012

By Billy Ray McKelvy

De Queen Mayor

When reviewing the community assets for economic development, the Sevier County Airport has to be one of the county’s crown jewels.

The Sevier County Airport Board and the local Chamber of Commerce are cooperating on a “fly-in” event this spring to promote greater awareness of the airport’s benefits.

The event has been scheduled for Saturday, March 31, at the airport, which is located west of De Queen on U.S. Hwy. 70. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Aviation-related events are being planned and a chicken dinner will be served for lunch.

Aircraft owners, pilots and aviation organizations are being invited in order to make these groups aware of the airport’s many benefits. In addition, the public will be invited to attend the event and view the visiting planes.

The runway at the airport is 75 feet wide and more than 5,000 feet in length. The runway is longer than those in most surrounding small counties, which means it can accommodate larger planes. Last year marked the partial completion of a taxiway which runs parallel to the runway. That enables plans to taxi to the end of the runway for takeoff, rather than using the main runway to taxi.

The county-owned airport is governed by a volunteer board which has worked to improve the amenities at the airport. The pilot’s lounge offers TV, Internet access, snacks, restrooms and a shower. Fuel sales are available with a credit card. A retired police car has been made into a courtesy car for use by airport visitors. Frequently, it is used for ground transportation to restaurants in De Queen.

2012-01-25

Around Town

For Release 12 noon Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012

By Billy Ray McKelvy

De Queen Mayor

Downtown De Queen is scheduled for a “Walk Through History” tour later this year as part of the nomination process for the Arkansas Historic Preservation program.

The Department of Arkansas Heritage is planning a series of walking tours around the state where sites have been nominated for the program. The monthly outdoor walking tours seek to familiarize people who live and work in communities outside of central Arkansas with the historic sites and structures around them.

The tour of downtown De Queen is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. The tour group will meet at the Sevier County Courthouse on Third Street. The tour is sponsored by the Department of Arkansas Heritage in partnership with the City of De Queen.

Tours last between one and two hours. Admission is free.

The downtown De Queen area was nominated for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program last year and the nomination has been approved at the state level and sent to Washington, D.C. for approval.

If approved, renovations in the designated area can qualify for tax credits. There are no restrictions on how owners can use their property.

2012-02-01

Around Town

For Release 12 noon Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012

By Billy Ray McKelvy

De Queen Mayor

The New Year is a good time to review some statistics about city activities.

In 2011, the water department made 834.833 million gallons of water. That is less than 2010 when production totaled 840.4 million gallons. Back in 2005, an especially dry year, the water department made 983.8 million gallons, just a little short of 1 billion.

The city’s waste water department treated 763.3 million gallons of waste water last year. Total power cost was $124,511 and chemical costs were $22,347. Prior to the completion of the new waste water treatment plant, each of those items cost about $250,000 per year.

Last year, the fire department responded to 108 fire calls, down from 140 in 2010. Most of the fire calls were grass or wild land fires. Only 14 were structure fires.

The code enforcement department issued 160 permits in 2011.

The De Queen Police Department responded to 5,549 calls last year. That’s a slight decrease from 5,595 in 2010. Officers worked 266 accidents. There were 57 felony arrests and 38 DWI arrests. Officers collected over 600 pounds of unused medicine in a drug take-back program.

The city’s street department spent $217,163 on street paving last year. That’s not a record, but it is a significant street program.

These numbers provide a snapshot of some of the City of De Queen’s activities from 2011.

Around Town

2012-02-15

2012-02-08

2012-01-18

2012-01-25

2012-02-01

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