The Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation will honor three Arkansas conservation heroes during its 27th annual Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet on Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.
This year's inductees are Jim Hinkle of Mountain View, Ellen Moorhead Fennell of Little Rock and Randy Young. The Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation also will honor the late J.B. Hunt and Johnelle Hunt with its Legacy Award.
Besides serving on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Hinkle served 14 years on the board of the National Wild Turkey Federation. He also was president of the NWTF national chapter. During that time, he worked for the expansion and improvement of habitat throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada.
As an advocate for native bird species, flyways and nesting habitat in Arkansas, Fennell served in multiple roles with Audubon Arkansas, including as vice president and executive director. She was instrumental in acquiring funding for environmental programs in the state's schools, water quality education, energy policy and habitat restoration.
Young joined the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission as an entry-level water resource engineer in 1971. Within four years he was deputy director/chief engineer. Young was appointed executive director in 1985, a post he held for 31 years. He worked with many conservation groups to fight erosion, floodwater and sedimentation that threatened fragile ecosystems.
J.B. and Johnelle Hunt of Springdale founded and built J.B. Hunt Transport Services. They pledged $5 million to build the Northwest Arkansas Nature and Education Center in Springdale.
Tickets for the event cost $125, and tables of 10 are available for $1,250 each. Festivities will include a barbecue dinner, live and silent auctions, and the induction ceremony.
A reception and silent auction will begin at 6 p.m., and dinner will begin at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets, call (501) 223-6468.
Little Red River cleanup
Trout Unlimited Chapter 722 will hold its annual Little Red River Cleanup on Sept. 8 from 8-11 a.m.
Volunteers will meet at 8 a.m. at Lobo Landing and will be assigned to areas where they will collect trash in and along the river.
Volunteers will reassemble at Lobo Landing at 11:30 a.m. and enjoy a catered lunch.
For more information, contact John Watkins at (501) 920-3825 or [email protected], or Amanda Brogdon at (501) 691-3288 or [email protected].
Camden bass tournament
The Arkansas Bass Team Trail and the city of Camden will hold the Rumble on the River Bass Team Tournament on Sept. 8 on the Ouachita River.
The angler with the heaviest weight will win $3,500. The runner-up will win $1,500, and third place will win $1,000.
Entry fee is $200 per boat, with teams limited to two anglers, or $50 per boat if an adult fishes with a partner younger than age 18.
Takeoff will be at 6 a.m., and weigh-in will be at 3 p.m., both at the Camden River Walk Park at 405 Washington St.
A free lunch is available for all weigh-in participants.
The early registration period will end Sept. 3. All early registrants will be entered in a drawing for a $50 gift card from Academy Sports and Outdoors.
Anglers can register online at www.arkansasbassteamtrail.net or at Walthalls Sporting Center, Monroe's Outdoors and at the Camden Area Chamber of Commerce.
Final registration is Sept. 7 from 5-7 p.m. at the River Walk Park.
For more information, contact Keith Green at (501) 844-5543 or [email protected].
FLW returning to Hot Springs
Congratulations to Hot Springs and Steve Arrison, president of Visit Hot Springs, for persuading Fishing League Worldwide to bring the Forrest Wood Cup back to Hot Springs and Lake Ouachita in 2019.
Hot Springs has hosted the championship tournament four times since 2007, but FLW has never returned to the same city in consecutive years.
Crowds turned out even without a local favorite in contention, and FLW's Outdoor Expo was packed Saturday and Sunday.
Justin Moore, who performed free concerts before the final weigh-in on Sunday and in 2015, hinted that he might perform again next year when he told the crowd at Bank OZK Arena, "See ya'll next time!"
Forrest Wood of Flippin, the tournament's namesake, has advocated making Hot Springs the tournament's permanent home. FLW officials and Arrison said no such discussions have taken place.
Sports on 08/16/2018