Stories from Friday, September 2, 2011

The Bay Harvest Festival will sponsor its 2011 beauty pageant at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, in the Bay School cafeteria. Advanced registration is welcomed, with door registration beginning at 12:30 p.m.The entry fee is $30, with Most Beautiful and Best Dressed entry fee at $5 each. Those interested may contact Tami Hamilton at 273-3158 or Vickie Davis at 974-3602 for further information.All winners and alternates are invited to ride in the Harvest Festival parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, in their own vehicle.

The monthly Alzheimer's Support Group will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6, at Three Rivers Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Marked Tree.

An inside yard sale will be held from 7 a.m. to 12 noon Friday, Sept. 2, at the Lepanto Senior Life Center, located at 100 Stevens Square.

According to Byron Neal of Delta Environmental, trash pickup in Trumann will be delayed by one day because of the Labor Day holiday. Monday pickup will be Tuesday, Tuesday pickup will be Wednesday and commercial pickups also will run one day late.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers they have until close of business Friday, Sept. 16, to sign up for participation in the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) within respective project areas. BCAP, created in the 2008 Farm Bill, helps farmers and forest landowners with startup costs of planting new energy crops that can take several years to reach maturity until harvest. BCAP is the only federal program that expedites the production of biomass crops to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign oil, improve domestic energy security, reduce pollution and spur rural job creation. BCAP Project Areas currently accepting enrollment consist of: Project Area 1 (sponsor: Show Me Energy Cooperative, Centerview, Mo.) - up to 50,000 acres of perennial native grasses and forbs, such as Switchgrass, Big Bluestem, Illinois Bundleflower and Purple Prairie Clover, in addition to existing suitable stands of native grasses, legumes and forbs in: Missouri (Barton, Bates, Benton, Boone, Buchanan, Caldwell, Callaway, Cass, Carroll, Chariton, Clay, Clinton, Cooper, Daviess, Harrison, Henry, Howard, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Morgan, Pettis, Platte, Ray, Saint Clair, Saline and Vernon) Kansas (Atchison, Douglas, Franklin, Johnson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Linn, Miami and Wyandotte) Project Area 2 (sponsor: MFA Oil Biomass LLC, Paragould, Ark.) - up to 5,588 acres of giant miscanthus in: Arkansas (Clay, Craighead, Greene, Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett and Randolph) Project Area 3 (sponsor: MFA Oil Biomass LLC, Columbia, Mo.) - up to 3,000 acres of giant miscanthus in: Missouri (Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Cole, Cooper, Howard, Moniteau, Monroe and Randolph) Project Area 4 (sponsor: MFA Oil Biomass LLC, Aurora, Mo.) - up to 5,250 acres of giant miscanthus in: Missouri (Barry, Christian, Dade, Jasper, Lawrence, Newton and Stone) Project Area 5 (sponsor: Aloterra Energy LLC, Ashtabula, Ohio) - up to 5,344 acres of giant miscanthus in: Ohio (Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake and Trumbull) Pennsylvania (Crawford, Erie, Mercer) Project Area 6 (sponsor: Beaver Biodiesel LLC, Albany, Ore.) - up to 1,000 acres of camelina in: Oregon (Jefferson, Klamath, Umatilla, Union and Wasco counties) Washington (Whitman County) Project Area 7 (sponsor: Abengoa Bioenergy LLC, Hugonot, Kan.) - up to 20,000 of perennial native grasses and forbs, such as switchgrass in: Kansas (Grant, Haskell, Morton, Seward, and Stevens counties) Oklahoma (Texas County) Project Area 8 (sponsor: Altair Fuels LLC, Bakersfield, Calif. and Tacoma, Wash.) - up to a total of 50,000 acres of camelina, distributed as follows in: California (Butte, Colusa, Fresno, Glenn, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, Riverside, Sacramento, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Solano, Stanislaus, Tehama, Tulare and Yolo counties) up to 25,000 acres Montana (all 56 counties) up to 15,000 acres Washington (Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla and Whitman counties) up to 10,000 acres Project Area 9 (sponsor: ZeaChem, Inc., Boardman, Ore.) - up to 7,002 acres of hybrid poplar in: Oregon (Morrow County) Producers in participating counties who enter into BCAP contracts are eligible for reimbursements of up to 75 percent of the establishment costs of the perennial energy crop, up to five years of annual rental payments for herbaceous crops and up to 15 years for woody crops. The sign-up period for the four new project areas (project areas 6 through 9) began Aug. 8. The sign-up period for project area 1 began May 9. The sign-up period for project areas 2 through 5 began June 20. Producers interested in participating in the project areas should visit their local FSA county office. Information about BCAP may be found online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/bcap.

This week's Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce Business Spotlight falls on the Trumann Animal Clinic. Norette Underwood owns the clinic, which is located at 1121 Highway 69 West. The Trumann Animal Clinic has been in business since April 1, 1984. "We are a friendly progressive animal clinic In Trumann serving Poinsett County," Underwood said. "We pride ourselves in providing high quality affordable pet care in a loving and caring environment."...

Lake Poinsett State Park will host Labor Day events Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 2, 3 and 4. The staff at Lake Poinsett State Park invites all to join in celebrating Labor Day weekend. "We still have campsites available and we'll have activities for kids of all ages," said a park staff member. Join the park staff for an informative and fun tour of all that Lake Poinsett has to offer on Friday, Sept. 2, with a Sunset Kayak Cruise starting at 7 p.m. The fee is $12 for adults and $6 for kids ages six to 12. Advance reservations are required. What better way to spend the day at beautiful Lake Poinsett than by horseback? On Saturday, Sept. 3, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., Lake Poinsett will host Kids and Horses in the Park. The staff is offering hand-led horseback rides by experienced personnel. The fee is $3 per person and includes fresh popped kettle corn. Join the Park Rangers for fun campfire treats in this tasty program designed for kids and the young at heart with the Campfire Goodies program at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3. Chocolate biscuits and kettle corn are on the menu. The fee is $2. Catch a glimpse into the lives of children that lived here hundreds of years ago with the Historic Games program at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 4. The staff will be offering Native American and pioneer games to celebrate the rich history left behind. Lake Poinsett State Park is one of the 52 state parks administered by the State Parks Division of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. The 135-acre park offers camping, a boat launch ramp, a standard pavilion, picnic sites, restrooms and bathhouse on 640-acre Lake Poinsett. Along with the visitor center and gift shop, the park offers two nature trails and year-round interpretive programs. For more information about the yard sale or any other park events, contact the park at (870) 578-2064 or visit www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

The U.S. Postal Service will hold a public meeting at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 13 to discuss its proposal to make possible changes in the way postal services are provided in Fisher. The meeting will be at the Fisher Community Building, 200 East Haines. Customers will have an opportunity to meet with a Postal Service representative to discuss alternatives. A review of business activities of the Post Office at this location revealed the office workload has declined. This reduced workload suggests the maintenance of an independent Post Office here may no longer be warranted. As more customers choose to conduct their postal business online, on their smart phones and at their favorite shopping destinations, the need for the U.S. Postal Service to maintain its nearly 32,000 retail offices -- the largest retail network in the country -- diminishes. The Postal Service announced July 26 that it will be taking the next step in right-sizing its expansive retail network by conducting studies of approximately 3,700 retail offices to determine customer needs. As part of this effort, the Postal Service also introduced a retail-replacement option for affected communities around the nation. "Today, more than 35 percent of the Postal Service's retail revenue comes from expanded access locations such as grocery stores, drug stores, office supply stores, retail chains, self-service kiosks, ATMs and usps.com, open 24/7," said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. "Our customers' habits have made it clear that they no longer require a physical post office to conduct most of their postal business." For communities currently without a postal retail office and for communities affected by these retail optimization efforts, the Postal Service introduced the Village Post Office as a potential replacement option. Village Post Offices would be operated by local businesses, such as pharmacies, grocery stores and other appropriate retailers, and would offer popular postal products and services such as stamps and flat-rate packaging. "By working with third-party retailers, we're creating easier, more convenient access to our products and services when and where our customers want them," Donahoe said. "The Village Post Office will offer another way for us to meet our customers' needs." With 32,000 postal retail offices and more than 70,000 third-party retailers -- Approved Postal Providers -- selling postage stamps and providing expanded access to other postal products and services, customers today have about 100,000 locations across the nation where they can do business with the Postal Service. "The Postal Service of the future will be smaller, leaner and more competitive and it will continue to drive commerce, serve communities and deliver value," Donahoe added. The list of offices being studied and additional information can be found at http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/expandedaccess/welcome.htm. Any customer who wishes to submit comments in writing about this issue can send it to: Manager Consumer & Industry Affairs, USPS Arkansas District, 420 Natural Resources Dr., Little Rock, AR 72205-9631.

Southern Bancorp has set up a memorial fund for Shada Grace Darby, six-week-old daughter of Chad and Sondra Darby, who passed away suddenly. The Darbys live in Bay, and Chad works for Shamrock Construction in Jonesboro. The fund is to help cover funeral costs and other expenses. Donations can be made at Southern Bancorp in Trumann.

Arkansas State Police released the names of three family members fatally shot last week in Harrisburg. According to the State Police, Greg Leatherwood, 55, and his wife Patricia Leatherwood, 54, were found shot dead in their home while emergency crews were responding to a fire on the Highway 163 property. When police tried to notify next of kin, they found the body of Kyle Leatherwood, 30, shot to death in his apartment inside Poinsett Glass. Police are awaiting autopsy results and have not named a suspect.

On Thursday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m., the Cub Scouts will hold their annual School Night for Scouting. All families with boys in the first through sixth grade are encouraged to attend to find out more about this exciting program. Scouting is a great way for boys to have a lot of fun through constructive family, group, and individual activities, which teach a variety of skills and morals. School Nights will be held at the following locations on Thursday: Cedar Park Elementary School, Marked Tree Elementary School and Harrisburg Elementary School. All boys who sign up at the School Night will receive a free Cub Scout Handbook. For more information about Scouting contact Rick Wise at (501) 680-0494.

The smooth, rich sounds of multi-Dove Award winning and Grammy nominated trio, The Martins can be heard in Jonesboro on Thursday, Sept. 22, as the talented musical family comes to the Northeast Arkansas District Fairgrounds. The Martins will be featured during the 7 p.m. concert, along with New Beginning Quartet. It's a New Day for legendary vocal group, The Martins. Their three-year labor of love is complete, and the end result is a brand new recording, appropriately titled New Day. Filled with all new songs, featuring the trio's unmistakable harmonies, as well as a few special surprises, the new recording, produced by multi-platinum selling Rascal Flatts member Jay DeMarcus, was released earlier this summer (June 21) and marks the first for siblings Judy, Jonathan and Joyce in a decade. During the 1990s, The Martins rose to national and international success, showcasing their stunning and distinctive harmonies before a vast array of audiences, from Bill Gaither's multi-award winning Homecoming Video and Concert Series to the White House to Carnegie Hall. Over the years the trio garnered six Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association, a Grammy nomination and multiple hit songs. After a 10-year hiatus from touring together, the siblings return this year with renewed family bonds, as they take a fresh step forward both musically and spiritually. "We took some time off to recharge on all levels," states oldest sibling, Joyce. Energized and excited about the future, the three are thrilled to be back on stage together. "When we first came off the road, we really didn't have a plan to get back together, but when we were approached with the idea, once we got back on stage, it just felt right." In addition to the release of New Day, Gaither Music Group released a DVD, entitled The Best Of The Martins, which captures some of the trio's most unforgettable highlights from the multi-platinum selling Gaither Homecoming Video Series. The recording includes a detailed interview between The Martins and gospel music legend and Martins mentor, Bill Gaither. The television special with highlights from the DVD will air throughout the summer and into the fall on popular networks including GAC, RFD, CTN, GMC, INSP, FamilyNet, CTS and TBN. The Martins will share their trademark harmonies in Jonesboro, at the Northeast Arkansas District Fairgrounds, on Thursday, Sept. 22. Complete information may be obtained about this event by calling 870-919-7800 or visiting www.nedistrictfair.com or www.martinsonline.com.

Darin Walton of Trumann recently was appointed by Gov. Mike Beebe to the Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. His appointment expires June 30, 2013. Walton replaces Anne George.

Rodney "Ronnie" Earl Brown was born Sept. 9, 1947, in Tupelo, Miss., to Melvin and Ruby West Brown. Mr. Brown passed away Aug. 27, 2011, in Memphis, Tenn. He was a resident of West Memphis, Ark., and was a retired truck stop manager. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Lisa Brown, and one brother, Dwight Brown. Mr. Brown is survived by three daughters, Andria "Dee Dee" Hodge (Victor) and Elizabeth Brown, both of West Memphis and Angela Rena Yant of Aberdeen, Miss.; one son, Jeremy Brown of West Memphis; four sisters, Faye Robinson of Jonesboro, Shirley Jean Morris of Gilmore, Ark., Joyce Patsy Williams of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Linda Gail Cox of West Memphis; one brother, Donald "Bo" Wayne Brown of Heth, Ark., and one grandson, Chase Dalton Yant of Aberdeen, Miss. Services were held Aug. 30, 2011, at Grace Baptist Church in West Memphis with Bro. Eugene Ray, Bro. David Young and Bro. C.L. Robinson officiating. Mr. Brown was buried at Crittenden Memorial Park in Marion, Ark.

Lepanto Senior Center participants (from left) Alphretta Brewster, Jodie Case, Mary Slack and Willie Williams were named third place winners in a district Wii Bowling Tournament held last month at the Turtle Creek Mall in Jonesboro.

Harrisburg and Trumann School District's Students Against Alcohol Drugs and Destructive Decisions (HAD & CADD) teamed up recently to host a community and surrounding area event to stop bullying. Rachel Scott was the first person killed at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Rachel's acts of kindness and compassion coupled with the contents of her six diaries have become the foundation for the most life-changing school program in America. Her brother, Craig, was in the library that day and lost two close friends and narrowly escaped death himself. He was the only student at Columbine who was in the library, the worst of the killing zone, and also lost a sibling. Powerful audio and video footage of Rachel's Challenge held students spellbound during a one-hour school presentation that motivates them to positive change in the way they treat others. The assembly started for Harrisburg students at 9 a.m. on Aug. 26 in the Fine Arts Center, followed by a leadership meeting for club members of HAD & CADD. Trumann students enjoyed an assembly the same day at 1 p.m. in Trumann's High School Auditorium. Rachel's Challenge presenter also conducted a powerful session with parents and community leaders at 7 p.m. Aug. 26, at THS Auditorium. During the presentation, students learned about being prejudice and how judging others can be harmful. They were told to look beyond the clothes people wore and even their attitudes, and to look deep down to find the best in others. One of the main themes of Rachel's Challenge is that, if you look hard enough, you will find a light in everyone you meet. "People will never know how far a little kindness will go," wrote Rachel Scott, in her diary. To sustain the positive climate change in a school, Rachel's Challenge offers a yearlong curriculum called the Friends of Rachel (FOR) Club that encourages students to continue the chain reaction of kindness and compassion.

Ron Taylor, 5th District Commander of the American Legion, and Lt. Col. Jeff Vestal, head of the Trumann Junior ROTC program, spoke recently about the Boy Scouts of today and what has changed over the years. Taylor said the Boy Scout building in Trumann was refinished about three years ago. "We put on a new roof and remolded the inside of the building," Taylor said. Both the Cub and Eagle Scout troops of Trumann have been growing at a rapid pace. Taylor said the troops want to honor G.W. "Doc" Walker, who impacted the Trumann branch of the Boy Scouts in a positive way, by having a memorial placed outside of the troop's hut. Vestal grew up in Tulot and studied in the Junior ROTC program when it was first offered during his 11th grade year. After 24 years of service, Vestal has come back to the area to begin his first year teaching the Junior ROTC program. When Vestal was a boy, Walker was his Scout Master. "He was a great and devoted American," Vestal said. Vestal recalled the Boy Scout building before the renovations. "We certainly didn't have air conditioning and bathrooms when I was there." He also remembered a story about Walker. Each year the Trumann troops would attend an annual camp in Viola, but Walker insisted that the troop did not need to take a bus. The troop would march 20 miles a day to reach the camp, which was located over 120 miles away. Trumann was the only Boy Scout troop known for hiking all the way to camp. "He was quite the legend in northeast Arkansas," Vestal said.

The annual 26th Wild Duck Golf Tournament took place Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Trumann Country Club. The event was a three-person scramble with 26 teams and 78 individuals competing. A total of $2,800 was raised for the Chamber of Commerce. Winners for the Championship include: Aaron Riddle, Paul McAnally and Anthony Patterson in first; Scott Taylor, Matt Moon and Bert Greenwell in second, and Dick Lawallen, Peggy Greenwell and Murray Ray in third. Winners for the A-Flight include: Randy Bolin, Darrell Paris and Rick Hammers in first; Jerry Pillow, John Burgess and Shannon Montgomery in second, and Tom Martin, Katie Martin and Dennis Morgan in third. Winners for the B-Flight include: Joe Waleszonia, Skip Dulaney and Dillon Dulaney in first; Larry Mosher, Dave Fowler and Dennis Fowler in second, and Donald Schmidt, Wayne Schmidt and Jeremy Ferguson in third. Winners for the C-Flight include: Chris Childers, Buddy Montgomery and Jeremy Bond in first; Dustin Osment, Zac Owens and Lance Schallceford in second, and Rick Vinson, Brian Vinson and Nathaniel Vinson in third.

Poinsett County Sheriff Larry Mills said this weeks that, although he has been approached during the last few months about the possibility of seeking the District 52 House of Representatives position, he plans to seek re-election as sheriff. "Rep. Buddy Lovell will not be able to seek re-election to that office due to term limits," Mills said. "I truly appreciate the people who have confidence in me and have offered encouragement for me to pursue that office, but law enforcement has been my chosen career for 30 years and I still enjoy my chosen profession today. "After much though, careful consideration and exploration, my primary interests remain with the Poinsett County Sheriff's Office," he said. "My goal is to continue law enforcement service to the citizens of Poinsett County. "I am thankful for the opportunities and support you have given me in the past and I will ask for your continued support in the future. I will seek re-election to the office of Poinsett County Sheriff and Collector in the upcoming 2012 elections."

Arkansas State University Head Women's Basketball Coach Brian Boyer spoke to the Marked Tree Rotary Club last week about the upcoming season. Boyer expressed his excitement for the season ahead, which will be his 13th year as head coach for the Lady Red Wolves. "You have to find ways to get rejuvenated every year," Boyer said. "You have to treat it like a new year and get excited." Boyer said there are several things to be excited about this year, including returning players. "Seeing the returning players' development is what I'm most proud of," he said with enthusiam. "I like that they take control of things in the offseason." Three returning players to watch are Nene Hurst, Meghan Lewis, Jane Morrill. Boyer said Hurst, who played on a torn ACL during her sophomore year, will be a potential pick for Player of the Year. Lewis contributed a lot to a six-game winning streak last year, he said, and Morrill will get 30 minutes of game time this year, up from 15 minutes last year. Another returning to player to watch is Quinishia McDowell. "She's got it together," Boyer said. "She took her work ethic to another level this summer." Boyer also said there are some good players who were in the system and sat out last year but will be on the court this year. "Lunden Roberts is a good shooter, and Tiarra Pritchett was an Alabama track athlete. She's quick and under control. She'll probably also be on the track team," he said. Boyer is also excited about the four newcomers to the team this year, including three freshman post players: Jasmine Hunt, Laura Reel and Kieanna Wharton. Another newcomer is Ashley Olvera from Pensacola State College, who were ranked number one. "She loves basketball," Boyer said. "It's all she thinks about. When we were recruiting her, her eyes were glued to the NBA playoffs." This year will also see a new face on the staff, Assistant Coach Todd Schaefer, who was head coach at Christian Brothers. Leslie Larsen and Jennifer Sullivan are returning as Assistant Coaches. "What I like about our staff is their sense of urgency, both in recruiting and in the development of our players on the court and in the classroom," Boyer said. The other big thing that gets Boyer excited for the new year is the fan interest at ASU. "In my 12 years at ASU, we have finished in the top 75 nationally in attendance. I'm really proud of that. It's a big deal," he said. "We go to other arenas and wonder where their fans are because we have such great support. We have a booster club that supports women's basketball with 160 members, and a family equals one member." The Lady Red Wolves will play 17 home games this year instead of their usual 16, and one notable game should be when USC comes. Their head coach is former Los Angeles Lakers player Michael Cooper. Boyer said season tickets are as low $55, which is about $3 a game. "You can make half the games and still get your money's worth," he said.

Hugh Freeze, head football coach at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, spoke at this week's Trumann Rotary meeting. Freeze was depicted in the book and motion picture, The Blind Side, regarding one of his former players, Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher. Freeze is a graduate of Senatobia High School and the University of Southern Mississippi. Prior to his position with the Red Wolves, Freeze coached high school football in Memphis and college football at the University of Mississippi and Lambuth University in Jackson, Tenn. While at Lambuth, Freeze led the team to their best season in school history, an 11-0 record and a trip to the NAIA playoffs. The team's overall record during his tenure there was 20 wins and only five losses. At the Rotary meeting, Freeze spoke about the strategy he is using to help prepare ASU's football team for victory this season. "We just finished fall camp and we're heading into game week," Freeze said. "We have good enough players to win our games this year." But Freeze said a team of physically fit players will not be enough to win the finals. "Eighty percent of the game is mental at this level," he said. "They have to believe they can win. For the past three to four years, we've lost every close game. I'm working on changing the mindset of these young men so we can get over this hurdle." Coach Freeze set the boys up with six core values, to be practiced throughout the season -- faith, attitude, metal toughness, integrity, love and you. "Faith is the first core value. We have to believe in something bigger than ourselves to be part of a team. Success is not what the scoreboard says. At the end of the day you have to be able to look at the guy next to you and know there was nothing else you could have done to help him." Freeze defined attitude as how you talk to yourself, saying it is not how the media portrays the team or opponents, but how the individuals on the team go out on the field feeling. "There are people who say ASU can't play on the road," Freeze said. "I don't want to hear that. We need to have mental toughness." Integrity is another value the team is working on. Coach Freeze wants to make sure every team member knows the others always have their backs and are committed. "Love is the ability to handle the inconveniences that come with relationships," he said. Freeze went on to tell a story about a boy who had been in trouble and done some things in the past he was not proud of, but was planning on joining the ASU football team. Freeze planned to break him to make sure he would not mess up once he was on the team, but instead showed compassion and talked to him about love. The young man then told Coach Freeze he was the first person to tell him they loved him. "You give responsibility to the players," he said. "Each member must believe the core values and know no one is more important than the person beside them. These core values are changing the mindset of A-State," Freeze said. To help support the ASU football team, join the Red Wolf Club or Touchdown Club. For more information about upcoming games and sports news visit the ASU website at www.astate.com. Coach Freeze is a noted speaker, motivator and recruiter. He and his wife, Jill, are the parents of three daughters, Ragan, Jordan and Madison.

Arkansas State University and the University of Arkansas held a Cotton Field Day on Thursday, Aug. 25, to show off their research plots on the Judd Hill Plantation to interested farmers and students. Judd Hill provides 35 acres for small plots research for the universities. The 35 acres are surrounded by trees on three sides, which protects them from sprays on other fields. The experiments are being duplicated across the state on plots in Kaiser, Marianna and Rohwer. The field tour featured stops at the research plots, where scientists discussed cotton variety testing and breeding, irrigation timing, tillage, nitrogen fertilization, plant bug control, seedling disease and bacterial blight, plant growth regulator products and the effects of high temperature on cotton. After a morning of tours, guests heard from keynote speaker Congressman Rick Crawford, himself an Agricultural Economics graduate of ASU. Crawford said when he went to Congress in January, "I wanted to talk about the Farm Bill but didn't want to draw attention to it in this environment of cutting." He also praised the House Ag Committee chairman, Frank Lucas, calling him "someone we can rely on. He understands the needs of large-scale production. We have an ally in him." Crawford also said he wrote a RAMP (Risk Abatement Mitigation Plan) Bill, which would set up a farm savings account to fund disaster relief and get tax aid. He also talked about why he voted "yes" to raising the debt limit: the balanced budget component. "It doesn't add up to incur more debt, but it has a balanced budget component," Crawford said. "Seventy-five percent of the American people want a balanced budget amendment. I'm one of them." Crawford urged people to write him and senators on how they feel about a balanced budget amendment to make sure it passes in both the House and the Senate. "In '94, it failed in the Senate by one vote. We have to take action in this Congress. I want you to let me know how you feel." He called the Judd Hill partnership with U of A and ASU "a success story I can take back to Washington. This is an example of a public/private partnership that works."