Team wins championship
Nick Frakes and Jeff Tolle won the Everett Team Trail championship held Oct. 7-8 at Beaver Lake. They had a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 29.68 pounds. They won $7,500.
Gordon Harriman and Travis Harriman placed second with 10 bass at 28.2 pounds and won $4,000. Kevin Sears and Gene Purdy were third with 10 bass at 26.78 pounds and won $3,000.
Fourth through 10th, all with 10 bass, were: fourth, Travis McKee, Brit Sumter, 26.65; fifth, Steven Meador (fished solo), 24.17; sixth, Mark Mahaffey, Darren King, 23.86; seventh, Keith Brashers, Nicky Parson, 23.6; eighth, Earl Garrison IV, Shawn White, 23.56; ninth, Marcus Brandenburg, Larry Brandenburg, 22.75; 10th, Terry Duggel, Barry Dunlap, 21.6.
Matt Pennington and Nick Wilson had day one big bass at 6.77 pounds. Gordon Harriman and Travis Harriman had day one second place big bass at 5.27. Pat Adams and Bryan Holland had day two big bass at 5.29. James Whittle and Allen Westfall had day two second place big bass at 4.44.
Beaver Lake Elite Series will hold its championship Saturday and Sunday.
Grant aims to protect water
The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded a grant totaling $499,783 to the Beaver Watershed Alliance to build green infrastructure to improve water quality.
The money will be used to plant trees, vegetation and install permeable pavers to improve water quality, said John Pennington, alliance executive director. The projects are designed to reduce the amount of sediment entering the Beaver Lake, which is the biggest threat to its water quality, he said.
Park offers sunset tours
Hobbs State Park-Conservation area offers sunset tours on Beaver Lake aboard its 20-passenger pontoon boat.
Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children 6-12 plus tax. A cruise is scheduled for Thursday and also on Oct. 26 and 29. Departure times vary.
Fall color tour set
The Ozark-St. Francis National Forests 56th annual Fall Color Tour is scheduled for Friday in Jasper.
The tour begins at 9 a.m. from the Newton County courthouse in Jasper and returns at 2:30 p.m. Buses will take the tour group along a scenic route through the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests and the Buffalo National River. The cost is $6 per person. Participants will need to bring snacks or lunch, jacket, camera, and comfortable shoes.
The tour is sponsored by the Newton County Chamber of Commerce, Newton County Extension Service, Newton County Beautification Committee, U.S. Forest Service-Big Piney Ranger District and the Jasper School District.
For more information please contact the Big Piney Ranger District at 479-284-3150, or the Hilary Jones Wildlife Museum at 870-446-5122.
Back 40 guided hike set
The next guided hike on the Back 40 Trails in Bella Vista is set for 10 a.m. Nov. 4.
Fred Paillet, emeritus scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey and adjunct professor of geoscience at the University of Arkansas, will lead the hike titled "Forest Forensics -- Learning to Become a Woodland Detective."
The free hike starts at the trailhead in the parking lot of Bella Vista Community Church, 75 E. Lancashire Blvd. The hike is approximately 2.5 miles one-way. Return shuttle service will be provided by Ozarks Spokes and Floats, or hikers can return the way they came.
The terrain will be along narrow and sometimes rocky dirt single track trail, and the hike will be moderately strenuous. Participants should wear appropriate footwear and bring water and insect repellent. The hike is family friendly, and friendly dogs are allowed on a leash. The trail is not suitable for strollers.
Sports on 10/17/2017