SULPHUR SPRINGS — State representative Kim Hendren and his son, Senator Jim Hendren, were guests at the Dec. 8 meeting of the Sulphur Springs City Council. Both members of the Hendren family spoke briefly during the open forum session at the council meeting and both shared the pride they felt in being from the town of Sulphur Springs.
Representative Hendren pointed out the novelty of having a state representative, a state senator and a governor (Kim's brother-in-law, Asa Hutchinson) all from the same little town. Jim still lives in Sulphur Springs, just north of downtown on Highway 59. Jim's grandfather and Asa's father, John Malcolm Hutchinson, is a former mayor of the town.
He praised Sulphur Springs citizens for the progress they are making in cleaning up and beautifying the town. He noted that he had recently helped secure a grant of $12,000 from the Arkansas General Improvement Fund to help with cleaning up and restoring derelict properties in the town. He is also working to get funding from the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department to construct a highway from Sulphur Springs east to the Interstate 49 bypass.
Senator Hendren is retired from the United States Air Force and is a senior offensive duty guard with the Arkansas Air National Guard with the rank of colonel. He told a little about his recent deployments in Afghanistan and thanked the local citizens for their support of those serving to protect America's freedom overseas.
Following the Hendrens' remarks, Shane Weber, chairman of the Sulphur Springs parks committee, presented several awards to persons who have helped with improvements in the Sulphur Springs park. Lake La Balladine was cleaned out and refilled this spring. New playground equipment was installed this summer and work has been ongoing to improve streets and playground areas in the park.
Weber presented certificates of appreciation to Ron Driskell, for his assistance with several park improvements, and to John Perrine, for providing equipment to be used for park improvements. J.D.'s Dirtwork received a plaque for hauling numerous loads of gravel in and out of the park during the lake cleanout and playground improvement. Plaques were also presented to Jerry Arnold, owner of Benton County Stone, and his representative, Stacy Wolf, and to John Thurber for the time he devoted to the city and to work in the park. A street in the park was named Thurber's Way, and Thurber was also presented a duplicate of the street sign to display at his home.
The entire Barber family, Mayor Greg Barber and his wife Jamie; his brother David Barber and wife Shirley; and their parents, Dwayne and Vivian Barber, who arrived late and were not present for the award presentation, were honored with a plaque in appreciation for their families' "years of support, dedication and hard work, both in the city park and our great city." The plaque will be attached to a monument to be constructed in the park and will be on permanent display there.
General News on 12/21/2016