Vershal Hogan

United States

Managing Editor at Ashley News Observer

Daily Editor and Contributing Writer at Faith on View

Articles

Youth Center dedicates pavilion in Bradford’s memory

4 days ago | ashleynewsobserver.com | Vershal Hogan

Community members gathered at the E.C. Crossett Youth Center on June 20 to dedicate the pavilion there in honor of a coach they said expected a lot of the athletes who worked with him but who gave a lot in return. The pavilion dedication in honor of Coach Robert Bradford Sr. was part of the youth center’s three days of celebrations around the Juneteenth holiday last week.
Crossett Fire Department responds to fire at Alvar Resins

4 days ago | ashleynewsobserver.com | Vershal Hogan

The Crossett Fire Department responded to a fire call at Alvar Resin on June 19 that created a significant amount of smoke for several hours but was contained to a single room. CFD Capt.
Hamburg to upgrade storm warning system

4 days ago | ashleynewsobserver.com | Vershal Hogan

The Hamburg City Council voted June 23 to upgrade the city’s hazardous weather warning system for the first time in almost 50 years. The tornado siren system in place at City Hall was installed 49 years ago, and the system that the council chose is meant to better cover the city so that everyone can hear the warning when it is activated. “Our tornado system was put here in September 1976, so it has its 50th anniversary next year,” Mayor David Streeter said.
Crossett schools expand pre-K program

1 week ago | ashleynewsobserver.com | Vershal Hogan

The Crossett School District will be expanding its pre-Kindergarten program in the fall, and district officials anticipate it will serve to boost enrollment in later district grades in the years to come. “In the pre-K program we currently have six classrooms in the CSD, meaning we can host 120 kids,” Superintendent Anthony Boykin told the school board at its June 10 meeting.
Juneteenth celebrations set for three days this week

1 week ago | ashleynewsobserver.com | Vershal Hogan

The E.C. Crossett Youth Center is slated to host three days of Juneteenth activities this week. The first day’s activities, set for Juneteenth itself, will offer something for youth of all ages. “The opening day is all about the kids,” Crossett Youth Center Assistant Director Tyisha Fletcher said. Starting at 11 a.m., the day will open at the Youth Center’s 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive location with a history of Juneteenth.
Police chief briefs council about vision for department

1 week ago | ashleynewsobserver.com | Vershal Hogan

Crossett’s police chief detailed some of his vision for restructuring the department, sought for and received pay increases for officers, and discussed community-policing initiatives with the city council on June 16. Police Chief Clint Bradberry also asked the council to change how warrant fees are disbursed, received permission to update dispatching equipment and discussed training that the department has completed since he started work there in late May.
Mayor: City expects to recover money taken in scam this week

1 week ago | ashleynewsobserver.com | Vershal Hogan

Crossett city officials said Monday that they anticipate recovering this week the $39,000 that the city was defrauded of by a scammer who interjected themselves into the legitimate purchase process of an ambulance in May. Mayor Crystal Marshall told the Crossett City Council at its June 16 meeting that the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office had informed the city that the funds in question appear available for retrieval and should be released by June 19.
Report: Man shot in face in Crossett, several other shots fired

2 weeks ago | ashleynewsobserver.com | Vershal Hogan

The Crossett Police Department is investigating a mid-week incident in which a Parkdale man was shot in the face. Reports at the Crossett Police Department said that at approximately 1:20 a.m. June 4 the Ashley County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call in which the caller said an ambulance was needed in the 500 block of Eighth Avenue because a man had fallen down.
Quorum gives OK for hospital to seek tax, discusses solar project

2 weeks ago | ashleynewsobserver.com | Vershal Hogan

The Ashley County Quorum Court gave its blessing for officials with Ashley County Medical Center to seek a one-cent sales tax to underwrite the hospital’s general operations. The vote, which came at the request of ACMC Chief Executive Officer Philip Gilmore, was the first step toward calling the election. Officials were not sure Tuesday when the vote could be called after recent changes in election law. ACMC is a county-owned facility operated under a lease to the Crossett Health Foundation.
Richardson learning about government, growing as person in internship

2 weeks ago | ashleynewsobserver.com | Vershal Hogan

Rachel Richardson is on a mission to find the locations young people will have to go to be well-formed citizens. As the youth intern in the Crossett mayor’s office this summer, Richardson, 18, has been tasked with developing a scavenger hunt that will eventually be part of students’ local civics education. “The Mayor’s Youth Council started this last year, and basically the goal of it is to inform our youth about the places they can go and have their needs met in the community,” Richardson said.