The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Mandatory Hunter Education Course will be held from Monday, Aug. 25, through Thursday, Aug. 28, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at East Arkansas Community College in Forrest City.
The 1985 Mandatory Hunter Education regulation makes it unlawful for any person born after Dec. 31, 1968, to take or attempt to take wildlife with firearms, crossbow or conventional bow without first having on their person proof that he or she has satisfactorily completed an approved Hunter Education Course.
The exceptions are hunters born prior to 1969 and hunters less than 16-years-old when under direct supervision of a licensed, 21-year-old, adult.
You must attend all class sessions to complete the course, which includes firearms safety, conservation, wildlife management, and first aid and survival. The course is free of charge and is open to everyone. If you would like more information on the local course, contact the instructor, Keith Price, at 870-633-8083. For more information about other Hunter Education courses, call the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Hunter Education Office at 1-800-482-5795.
The Palestine-Wheatley junior and senior high football teams will take part in a preseason scrimmage game on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at Clarendon.
Terry Clardy has taken over the Junior Patriot head coaching duties this season, after former coach Dan Cockrell resigned in May to return to school. Clardy will also be an assistant coach with the senior high Patriots.
Clardy has about 50 junior high players.
Terry Farmer will once again coach the Senior Patriots and has about 30 players on hand for practice so far.
The senior high Patriots, picked to finish second in the 3AA Conference, opens the season on Sept. 5.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The "Professor" returns from his eight-month layoff in September.
The Professor Pigskin Football Contest returns to the Times-Herald sports pages Tuesday, Sept. 2, for its 2003 season run.
Each week, readers will be given the chance to choose the winning football teams from a list of specially selected high school, college and NFL games.
At stake each week is a $50 cash prize, which will be awarded to the person who has the most correct games.
In the event of a tie between two or more entrants, the specifically designated "tie-breaker" game will come into play to help determine a clear winner.
The "tie-breaker" game this year will alternate weekly between the Forrest City and Arkansas Razorback game.
If the Forrest City game is used as the tie-breaker, the Razorback game will be one of the picks and if the Arkansas game is used as the tie-breaker, the Forrest City game will be used as a pick.
Readers will be asked to not only correctly guess the winner of the tie-breaker game but also guess the score of the tie-breaker game.
If the tie-breaker game fails to determine an outright winner, the prize money will be equally divided and the decision of the Professor Pigskin judges will be final.
Each week's list of games will appear in the Tuesday edition of the Times-Herald along with the entry form and the name of the previous week's winner.
All entries must be received and postmarked by noon on the Friday following Tuesday's published list.
For example, all entries for the Sept. 2 Pigskin, will be due by noon on Friday, Sept. 5.
This year, readers are being encouraged to use only the official Pigskin entry form --either the original or a photocopy -- and all entries should be printed or typed clearly.
Any "unreadable" entries will be discarded from that week's contest.
Entries may be dropped off at the Times-Herald main office, located at 222 North Izard, in the outside mailbox or in the "Professor Pigskin" box which will be located on the front desk in the Times-Herald lobby from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The annual Times-Herald football preseason special section will be published on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
Registration for the Forrest City Recreation Department's fall softball, youth soccer and youth flag football leagues will continue through Aug. 20.
Youth soccer fees, ages 4-16, are $15 for players living in Forrest City and $25 for players living outside the city.
Individual flag football fees, ages 6-11, are $20 for players living in Forrest City and $25 for players living outside Forrest City.
Team fees for the adult men and co-ed fall softball leagues and the newly-formed 14-under girls' fast pitch league, are $250.
For more information or to sign up, call Forrest City Recreation Director Kenneth Taylor at 633-3667.
Leagues will begin play in September.