2017 Firefighters of the Year honored

2017 Firefighters of the Year honored

More headline makers from the past year…

news@theeveningtimes.com

Being named Arkansas Firefighter of the Year is quite an honor. Achieving said honor while off duty is an even more amazing accomplishment.

But that was, indeed, the case for four Marion firefighters who jumped into action while watching a Memphis Redbirds game back in April. Zachery Bailey, Carter Griffin, Wesley Sheffer, and Russ Fitzgerald were taking in a game at Autozone Park when a nearby fan had a heart attack. The men were able to use their training to administer lifesaving care until Memphis paramedics arrived on the scene.

A few months later, at the Arkansas Firefighters State Convention in July in Hot Springs, the four were the first to ever receive Arkansas Firefighter of the Year honors for actions performed while off duty. The Firefighters Association stated that the reason they were selected is that when a firefighter is on duty, they are expected to save lives and protect property, however when they are on their down time, that they make a choice to get involved.

In other major news events from 2017:

• The City of Earle elected a new mayor. Sherman Smith, who was previously mayor from 1985-2006, won a tightly-contested runoff against Judy Wiley in a special election on April 4. Smith and Wiley were the top two vote-getters in the March election held to fill the vacancy left by former mayor Carolyn Jones, who was ousted from office in a 2016 recall vote. In his first city council meeting following the election, Mayor Smith made efforts to restore order following two tumultuous years under Jones.

“I want to say this to the council as well as the people in the audience. My number one theme will be respect,” Smith said. “All of us are grown ups. So we are going to respect each other. We’ve observed a lot of shouting at each other — especially at people in office. That’s not going to happen. That’s not professional. And I know that’s what we all want to do.”

Smith thanked voters for putting their trust in him and vowed to get the city headed back in the right direction.

“I’m pledged to do the best that I can and make progress as quickly as we can and solicit the support of the citizenry to get it done,” Smith said. “This is not a one man show. I believe in community engagement and engaging people.

I have a vision, but I want to make sure that it is your vision too.”

• It wasn’t all good news for Earle, though. The Earle Bulldogs were forced to forfeit their entire football season on the eve of a scheduled Class 2A State semifinal game after it was reported that the team had fielded an ineligible player.

The move brought an abrupt end to the Bulldogs’ 10-win season. One positive remaining from the season, though, was quarterback Gerry Bohannon receiving national attention from college recruiters. Bohannon recently announced his intentions to play next year for Baylor University.

• In other sports news, the West Memphis Christian Black Knights were crowned State Champions, winning the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class-A State Championship. The Black Knights took home the title for the first time in 21 years with a 56-48 victory over the Trinity Episcopal Day School Saints in November. With the score deadlocked at the end of regulation, an a 4th-and-three play in overtime, WMCS quarterback Parker Benson ran it in for a touchdown and followed it up with a twopoint conversion run, giving the Black Knights the lead for good.

• There have been a number of changes in the Marion School District, including a new Athletic Director in Derek Harrell, former Camden Fairview High School boys basketball head coach who took on the role in the front office after a lengthy coaching career. The Patriots also hired a new boys basketball coach. Nathan Clayborn

named new Patriots boys basketball head coach earlier this year. Clayborn was a former assistant coach at North Little Rock High School. Voters also elected Rob Rash to the Marion School Board in September. Rash narrowly bested former elementary principal Glenda Bryan in a close race. But the most notable change was placing a new man in charge. Longtime head of Mid-South Community College (now ASU Mid-South), Dr. Glen Fenter was selected to become Superintendent of Schools for the Marion School District to replace Superintendent Don Johnston who retire at the end of the 2016-2017 school year.

Fenter brought a renewed energy to the district immediately, initiating a number of new policies and working to instill his vision for the future. One of the most ambitious moves Fenter has planned was only recently announced: He plans to create three new K-6 magnet schools for the district, beginning with the 20182019 school year.

By the Evening Times News Staff