Congratulations to Abby McIntyre, recipient of the Rachel Norman Memorial Choir Scholarship. Abby is a senior at Cossatot River High School and plans to attend Henderson State University in the fall and major in vocal music education. She is a 6 year member of the Cossatot River Choirs and a…

$3,000 Grant Will Help the Library Work with Proprietors to Promote

Fiscal issues took center stage during the final week of the legislative session.

A major key in keeping our community fire safe is awareness and education! With this thought in mind, the Mena Fire Department is working with National Fire safety Council, Inc. a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, to provide fire prevention materials for our community through their Annual F…

Spring-like weather is back, and so is the Master Gardners’ annual Plant Sale!

City of Mena Mayor Seth Smith signed a proclamation on Friday, April 16, declaring April 26th through April 30th, 2021 as Reentry Awareness Week for the City of Mena. On March 23, 2021, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson signed a state proclamation representing the support given by state offic…

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge encourages Arkansans to clean out their medicine cabinets and bring any unused or expired medications to one of more than 250 Prescription Drug Take Back Day drop-off locations. This year’s Drug Take Back Day in Polk County is scheduled for April 24 from 9 a.…

Nidec Plant Manager Jim Stroope and his leadership team provided Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge a detailed tour of the facility last Thursday during her visit to Mena.

Last week, the Rich Mountain Bucks softball and baseball teams were in action. On Thursday, Bucks Softball hosted 11th ranked Seminole State.

April 9, 2021

"Many things and many people contribute to making Mena a special place. In 2021 Southwest Artists will celebrate its 76th year of contribution to making this part of Arkansas unique. It began in 1945 when Artists and Artisans living in Southwest Arkansas began getting together to paint and b…

The Easter Bunny visited downtown Mena on Saturday to the delight of the numerous boys and girls who visited him at Suzie Q’s. Parents had a good time with this impromptu photo opp. Goodies were given to children and a bunny rabbit stuffed toy with basket was given away. This was part of the…

Despite a national pandemic and directives placed on Arkansans and other states, the real estate market has remained strong in Polk County. Since last spring of 2020, Polk County has been trending more towards a seller’s market according to local brokers and agencies. “We are most definitely…

Polk County Clerk, Terri Harrison has announced that she will not be seeking re-election in 2022. “After great thought and consideration and much prayer, I have decided that I will retire and not seek re-election at the end of this term,” shared Harrison. “I do believe that for everything th…

The Mena City Council met last week in a special meeting and voted to accept a $6.6 million dollar loan from the USDA with an interest rate of 1.25 percent for forty years. According to Mayor Seth Smith, the urgency in signing the agreement was to secure the interest rate, which may increase…

LITTLE ROCK – The legislature has approved a broad reform of the laws governing water providers, a measure that sponsors have been working on for the past four years.

Close to 500 bills have been signed into law so far during the 2021 Regular Session.

Mena Water, Acorn Water, and Freedom Water customers will soon receive notices of an Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) violation regarding the treatment of the water shared Charles Pittman, General Manager of Mena Water utilities.

We are very lucky to get a doctor and orthopedist of Dr. Bean’s caliber to our system,” MRHS CEO Jay Quebedeaux told the group in his introduction. “He has had very successful practices his whole career.”

The Rich Mountain Conservation District (RMCD) held a tree planting day on March 16th, 2021 at the Cossatot River School Outdoor Classroom. Personnel from the RMCD, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Arkansas Forestry Division discussed the importance of trees and forestry i…

Opioid addiction is a major problem nationwide, and we are no different here in western Arkansas. We have seen lives ruined, families damaged, and numerous deaths associated with the abuse of narcotic pain killers. The odds are very high that everyone reading this knows someone who has a pro…

Polk County Library Teams Up with Cossatot River School District to Expand Access to Ebooks and Digital Audiobooks

The following information was received from Polk County Sheriff Scott Sawyer for the week of March 15, 2021 – March 21, 2021.  The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts.  Individuals charged and whose names appear in this column may subm…

Mena Police Department reports for the week of March 14th through March 20th, 2021:

The 2021 Ouachita Expressions award recipients are: Best in Show, “Textures” oil by Carolyn MacMahon; First Place, “Dragon” Blown Glass by Marvin Gentry; Second Place, “Summer†Sisters” Pastel by Anita Bogard; Third Place, “Oak Leaf  Topper” Wood by Stephen Knott; Honorable Mention,  “Hanging…

Annually, Governor Asa Hutchinson and First Lady Susan Hutchinson traditionally host an event recognizing Arkansas’ most outstanding high school seniors from around the State. From the Class of 2021, Acorn High School proudly selected Jayden Quebedeaux and Corryn Holland for this honor and t…

Mena Downtown Partners president, Linda Ostman, advises that more activities will be coming back to downtown.  She emphasized that safety guidelines are a part of this planning.  On Friday and Saturday, April 1 and 2, Easter comes to downtown.  For both days, visitors are invited to visit pa…

During the March 23, U of A Cooperative Extension Service Interpretive Event, Polk County Quorum Court members were presented with a review and accomplishments of the Polk County extension office. 

Arkansas’ mask mandate came to an end on March 31, 2021. Since July 2020, the mandate required adults to wear masks in all indoor areas with non-household members present if it can’t be assured people will stay 6 feet or more away from each other. Masks are now longer longer required statewi…

Razorbacks ranked for first time since 2018

Due to extreme weather conditions, this week’s edition of The Mena Star will be delayed to subscribers as well as single copy distribution. We appreciate the support of our readership and look forward in continuing to serve you in 2021.

Little Rock, Ark. — Feb. 14, 2021 — The Electric Cooperatives of

SHREVEPORT, La. Feb. 15, 2021 – Southwestern Electric Power Co.

On Thursday January 14, 2021, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a report of a freezer being found in a wooded area north of Acorn. Upon arrival, deputies opened the freezer and discovered human remains.

January 12, 2021 Arkansas House of Representatives Chamber

Mena Police Department reports for the week of January 3rd through January 9th, 2021:

The following information was received from Polk County Sheriff Scott Sawyer for the week of January 4, 2021 – January 10, 2021.  The charges against those arrested are allegations and the cases are still pending in the courts.  Individuals charged and whose names appear in this column may s…

The Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport Commission met for their January meeting on Monday, Jan. 11 at the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain conference room. After a brief discussion on financial statements and receivables, Airport Manager Fred Ogden provided his monthly report. “Fuel sa…

Mena Regional Health System’s first vaccine recipient, Dr. Swonger, received his second dose of COVID-19 vaccination as scheduled. He noted that he did not have any reaction or side effects of the first vaccine beyond some soreness in the arm around the injection site. He added, “I hope many…

OLT hopes to bring their regular schedule back as soon as possible, but in the meantime, the theatre group will continue to bring socially distant smaller productions to the stage.  There is much excitement for the next play entitled “Love Letters” will take place February 13 and 14.  Robby …

It’s a GIRL! Mena Regional Health System welcomes the first baby of 2021! Proud parents are Natasha Ward and Charles Cogburn of Glenwood, Arkansas.  Baby Lyla Lashay Kay Cogburn was born on January 5th  at 8:09AM weighing 8 pounds 7 ounces and measuring 19 inches at the time of her birth.  B…

CELEBRITY CHEF MARK ANTHONY will be coming to Mena this January, giving three seminars, and seminars are all free and open to the public! The Farm House will host Chef Mark on Friday, Jan 22, at 4:00 p.m., 819 Mena Street for Simply Incredible Health with Chef Mark. Additional seminars  incl…

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) will conduct an online public involvement meeting about the proposed plans to construct northbound and southbound passing lanes on Highway 71 between Mena and “Y” City in Polk and Scott Counties.

The Polk County Quorum Court met in regular session on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021 in the Polk County Office Complex. Members present were Tommy Floyd, Tawana Gilbert, Basil Kesterson, Margo Kimp, Troy Lunsford, Terry Scott, Terry Terrell, Mitchell Tidwell and Levi Ellison. JPs Chris Daniel and Jim…