Statewide efforts to raise the graduation rate in Michigan appear to be paying off The 2024 graduation rate is the highest since 2008 Some of the programs are making a difference locally too Benton Harbor Area Schools saw graduation rates jump up 10 percent from 2023 to 2024 “So we're starting to see a lot of academic progress,” says Benton Harbor Area Schools Superintendent Dr Butts is nearing the end of his time leading the district He is stepping down and moving onto “new opportunities on the horizon” on June 30th he will send off the Benton Harbor High School graduating class of 2025 “I’ll be here at the high school graduation We'll be here for the remainder of the year,” says Butts Butts has been leading the district for the last 3 years He was appointed interim superintendent in the summer of 2022 he said he wanted to use data to boost achievement and help guide instruction in the classroom The following year he was officially named Superintendent His job leading the district hasn’t been easy Graduation rates and test scores at Benton Harbor Area Schools have been low for years But Butts says the data this year is hopeful Graduation rate data from MI School Data shows the four-year graduation rate for 2023-2024 at Benton Harbor Area Schools jumped 10 percent from 2022-2023 Benton Harbor Area Schools 4-Year Graduation Rate The 2023-2024 graduation rate is still lower than in 2022 but Butts says any increase is worth celebrating “So our ultimate goal is to see continued growth while giving that personal touch to each student ensuring and making sure that they have what they need,” says Butts Enrollment in BHAS has been falling for years The 2024 cohort of students or 151 is the smallest class since 2016 That factors in when you are talking about graduation rates because a few students can make a big difference in the data Benton Harbor’s graduation rate is still much lower than the state average. Michigan’s four-year graduation rate improved to its highest level since the state adopted the federal formula for calculating the rate in 2008 The statewide 2024 four-year graduation rate of 82.8% increased from 81.8% in 2023 educators are looking at the data throughout the school year and using it to target kids for individualized support This is especially important at the high school level can make or break what's needed to earn a diploma is to start concentrating on the ninth graders because we know they come in We have to make them aware that these credits start to count now so that when we get to this point then we don't have to go through all these changes to get you across the stage,” says Butts Butts says the counseling team is always working with seniors to make sure their academic needs are met Butts says the district has been leaning into personal curriculums for students who need it is an ability to meet the students where they are,” says Butts There's a lot of geometry in construction So ,if that instructor is able to teach those strands under that personal curriculum Benton Harbor isn't the only district helping students in this way the Michigan State Board of Education talked about the state's efforts to improve graduation rates State leaders explained personal curriculum has had a positive impact on graduation rates around the state The state's data showed the number of students with personalized curriculum has increased since the 2017-18 school year and more of those students are graduating The state has found the personal curriculum option improves students’ attendance and chances of graduating Butts says it is still too early to know what the 2025 graduation rate will be Butts says steering the graduation rate up will take time and he hopes it continues to increase in the coming years "We're trying to get at least on an average with our with our surrounding districts That is that is our goal," says Butts A LOCALLY OWNED NEWSPAPER DEDICATED TO THE SERVICE OF GOD AND MANKIND. Benton Burks supplied the game winning hit with his 2-run home run in the sixth inning for the 2-0 West Union win Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Get a free dose of heath care news and wellness tips delivered to your inbox each Tuesday morning Powered by North Mississippi Health Services Get a weekly rundown of the top stories from the Monroe Journal dropped into your inbox each Thursday afternoon Get a weekly rundown of the top stories from the New Albany Gazette dropped into your inbox each Thursday afternoon Get a rundown each Monday morning of all that's going on in the All-America City From local government updates to live music schedules and more Don't miss any of our Mississippi State coverage Sign up to receive a weekly report plus need-to-know updates From Friday nights under the lights to Saturdays on the diamond Prep Rally is your year-round source for Northeast Mississippi high school sports coverage and stories sure to get your weekend off to the perfect start Sign up to get the Daily Journal e-edition delivered to your inbox each morning Sign up to view our weekly e-editions each Wednesday with just a click Sign up to view our weekly e-editions each Wednesday with just a click.  Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account BENTONVILLE -- A former teacher accused of sexually grooming students at a Rogers charter school pleaded not guilty Monday to charges against him in Benton County Circuit Court Gael Langdon earned her degree in journalism from Harding University She spent the early years after graduation working for a digital news startup and as a freelance writer and editor Gael enjoys investigative work and has passions for traveling learning and seeing the world through the eyes of others This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing Benton County Deputies way it appears a drunken man dumped his car then reported it stolen after being involved in a hit-and-run the BCSO says a person who was walking along Dallas Road near Goose Gap Road was struck by the driver a report of a stolen vehicle came into Dispatch Aided by a tip from a citizen who reported seeing a suspicious vehicle not far from their home Deputies discovered the stolen car and hit-and-run car were the same he was heavily intoxicated and couldn't provide Officers with a reasonable explanation about the 'travels' of his car It had been spotted at a nearby gas station prior to the incident then dumped his car and reported the theft The car was found on an irrigation canal road not far from the incident and the suspect's own house He was arrested on charges of Vehicular Assault  READ More: this was not the only recent hit-and-run in our area.  It appears the person dumped their car, then reported it stolen after the incident.\nRead More  READ More: this was not the only recent hit-and-run in our area.  Thunder bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 5, 2025) - Benton Resources Inc. (TSXV: BEX) ("Benton" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has recommenced diamond drilling at its Great Burnt Copper Gold project Hole GB-25-61 is underway and will test 50 m below the recently announced new discovery under the North Stringer Zone ("NSZ") in Hole GB-25-59 with the upper zone returning 0.69% Cu over 14.40 m The lower zone returned 0.80% Cu over 15.00 m 1.65% Cu over 3.00 m and 2.07% Cu over 2.00 m The upper zone was associated with gold mineralization grading 0.67g/t Au over 14.40 m including 2.16g/t Au over 3.00 m is associated with a down hole,off-hole EM anomaly which demonstrates considerable expansion potential for this new area Drilling will target this new anomaly and area for expansion with 4 holes; above North and South of these new intercepts (see news release dated April 2 The Company will also complete a 50 m step-out hole designed to test the continuation of the GB Main Deposit to the south and down-plunge The hole will target where a deep down-hole pulse electromagnetic survey has identified an EM conductor in drill hole GB-25-53 that intersected a wide zone of copper mineralization grading 0.77% Cu over 32.1 m including 1.12% Cu over 18.97 m 2.41% Cu over 5.25 m and 4.34% Cu over 1.00 m The Company has also completed the planned 5 km long surface pulse Electro Magnetic (EM) survey along the northern 5 km South Pond trend on the Great Burnt Property Given that the interpreted conductive trend remains open to the North and South the Company has decided the expand the survey another 1 km to its northern claim boundary to define its limits Diamond drilling and further geological mapping will target these conductive zones this coming summer The South Pond trend has been drill-tested at shallow depths over a strike length of approximately 2.3km with impressive results (see news release dated April 22 Benton has a 70% interest in the Great Burnt Copper-Gold Project and Homeland Nickel holds the remaining 30% where they are funding their respective interest All samples were acquired by saw-cut (channels/drill core) with one-half submitted for assay and one-half retained for reference to the Springdale lab of Eastern Analytical which is an accredited assay lab that conforms to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 Samples are analyzed using Eastern's Au (Fire assay) @ 30g + ICP-34 method that delivers a 34-element package utilizing a 200 mg subsample totally dissolved in four acids and analyzed by ICP-OES analytical technique Overlimits are analysed with Eastern's atomic absorption method achieved ISO 17025 accreditation in February 2014 (for more details on the scope of accreditation visit the CALA website) Vice President of Exploration for Benton Resources Inc. the 'Qualified Person' under National Instrument 43-101 has approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release and prepared or supervised its preparation Benton Resources is a well-financed mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol BEX highly prospective property portfolio and holds large equity positions in other mining companies that are advancing high-quality assets BEX retains net smelter return (NSR) royalties with potential long-term cash flow Benton is focused on advancing its high-grade Copper-Gold Great Burnt Project in central Newfoundland which has a Mineral Resource estimate of 667,000 tonnes @ 3.21% Cu Indicated and 482,000 @ 2.35% Cu Inferred The Project has an excellent geological setting covering 25 km of strike and boasts six known Cu-Au-Ag zones over 15 km that are all open for expansion Further potential for discovery is excellent given the extensive number of untested geophysical targets and Cu-Au soil anomalies All drilling phases at Great Burnt to date have returned impressive results including: GB-23-02: 13.00 m of 8.31% Cu incl 3.00 m of 12.80% Cu GB-23-04: 26.87 m of 7.18% Cu incl 11.16 m of 10.28% Cu GB-23-12: 25.42 m of 5.51% Cu incl 0.50 m of 20.00% Cu GB-23-21: 24.00 m of 5.81% Cu incl 7.00 m of 11.47% Cu GB-23-22: 21.68 m of 3.59% Cu approximately 7.5 km north of the Great Burnt Copper-Gold Zone has confirmed a robust gold-mineralized system over 2.5 km with robust results including: SP-24-03: 43.75 m of 1.62 g/t Au SP-24-15: 22.50 m of 1.24 g/t Au and SP-24-32: 54.5 m of 1.88 g/t Au and is open for expansion in all directions On behalf of the Board of Directors of Benton Resources Inc. Parties interested in seeking more information about properties available for option can contact Mr Stephen Stares, President & CEO Phone: 807-474-9020Email: sstares@bentonresources.ca Nick Konkin, Investor RelationsPhone: 647-249-9298 ext. 322Email: nick@grovecorp.ca Website: www.bentonresources.caTwitter: @BentonResourcesFacebook: @BentonResourcesBEX THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management and estimates of amounts not yet determinable assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies and the possibility that future exploration development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/250788 Already have an account? Login Benton County’s Planning Commission is holding hearings on a controversial proposal to expand the Coffin Butte landfill The landfill is about ten miles north of Corvallis It accepts garbage from across Oregon and Washington Benton County Planning Director Petra Schuetz presented a staff report to the Planning Commissioners recommending denial of the new expansion proposal Schuetz said the application didn't adequately address noise and odor concerns and was missing details about a proposed shop maintenance building “Evidence provided by the applicant does not sufficiently demonstrate that the proposal will not seriously interfere with uses on adjacent properties or the character of the area," Schuetz told the commissioners A Republic Services spokesperson responded to those concerns in an email to KLCC on Wednesday "We appreciate the county’s feedback and are working diligently to address their concerns," the spokesperson wrote "Coffin Butte Landfill is an important community asset that provides essential waste disposal services to the community We are responsible operators fully committed to providing safe and reliable service to our customers." Both the Benton County Republicans and Democrats have also come out against the expansion proposal. This comes after residents living near the existing landfill have reported fire risks and debilitating odors In an inspection last year, the Environmental Protection Agency found multiple methane leaks at the current landfill The EPA has now requested additional information about emissions from Republic Services The hearings will continue Thursday evening with Republic's testimony and public comment with another potential hearing next Tuesday The Planning Commission is projected to make a final decision in June The Benton County Board of Commissioners could then reconsider that decision Joseph man is dead after a two-vehicle crash in Benton Township Wednesday It happened on East Empire Avenue between Yore and High Point Drive Police say the man's vehicle crossed the center line into oncoming traffic and hit a truck The other driver was taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries Police are not releasing the names of those involved in the crash Benton Resources (BEX) has recommenced diamond drilling at the Great Burnt Copper Gold project focusing on a recent discovery in the North Stringer Zone The resumed activity includes drilling Hole GB-25-61 which aims to explore 50 meters below the previously identified mineralized zones This follows the successful results from Hole GB-25-59 that encountered an upper zone with 0.69% copper (Cu) over 14.40 meters including 0.67 grams per tonne (g/t) of gold (Au) and a lower zone with 0.80% Cu over 15.00 meters The current drilling campaign seeks to further investigate these findings with four additional holes designed to extend exploration efforts both horizontally and vertically around the new discovery A 50-meter step-out hole will also target the southern continuation of the GB Main Deposit focusing on an electromagnetic (EM) conductor previously identified Benton has completed a 5 km pulse EM survey along the South Pond trend and intends to extend this survey by an additional 1 km to the northern boundary of its claims This extension aims to define the limits of the conductive trend that shows potential for expansion Benton Resources holds a 70% stake in the Great Burnt Copper Gold Project with the remaining 30% owned by Homeland Nickel Benton continues to advance its interests in exploring high-grade mineralization within the region You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience. Published 4:50 pm Wednesday, April 30, 2025 Dowagiac senior Rebecca Guernsey (12) gets ready to uncork a pitch to the plate to a Benton Harbor hitter in the first game of Tuesday's Lakeland Conference doubleheader at home. (Scott Hassinger | Leader Publications Contributor) Veteran Dowagiac varsity softball coach Mike Behnke addresses his Lady Chieftain players following their doubleheader sweep. Behnke recently surpassed the 400-win mark in his 21st season guiding the program. (Scott Hassinger | Leader Publications Contributor) DOWAGIAC — It didn’t take the Dowagiac girls’ softball team long to return to its winning ways.  After getting swept in a non-league doubleheader at Stevensville-Lakeshore on Monday, Dowagiac returned to the diamond Tuesday and crushed visiting Benton Harbor 16-0 and 18-0 in a Lakeland Conference twinbill.  Both games were called in the third inning on the 15-run mercy rule. Dowagiac had started the season with 16 consecutive victories before falling twice to Lakeshore 10-9 and 10-0. Tuesday’s wins improve the Lady Chieftains to 18-2 overall and 4-0 in the league with a key league twinbill against Niles Brandywine coming up next Tuesday at home.  “These two  games gave us a chance to work on some things. All of the kids got to play and we brought up a couple girls, Dari Brooks and Madi Wilds, from the junior varsity who combined to go 4-for-4 for us at the plate. It was good to see that from them. All of the girls were patient at the plate and took the best pitches we could tonight and hit the ball hard,” said Dowagiac head coach Mike Behnke who is in his 21st season guiding the program. “I felt bad for Benton Harbor today and the teams we play next week because the two losses on Monday to Lakeshore left us with a bad taste in our mouths. We just have to fix a few things and our girls know what they have to do to keep improving.” Dowagiac senior pitcher Rebecca Guernsey tossed a perfect game in the opener with six strikeouts. The Lady Chieftains scored 10 runs in the first inning. Charleigh Reed belted a two-run single that scored Guernsey and Marlie Carpenter. Claire Hess’ RBI single plated Bree Behnke. Bree Campbell had a two-run double that scored Hess and Reed. Wilson’s RBI single drove home Campbell. Behnke laced an RBI single that scored McIntosh in the Chieftains’ second trip through the lineup during the frame. Olivia McIntosh, Addie Wilson and Carpenter all scored during the same inning on walks. Dowagiac tacked on six more runs in the bottom of the second. Reed, Hess and Campbell all scored on Wilson’s three-run double. McIntosh singled to drive in Wilson. Guernsey’s RBI single plated Emily Henry. McIntosh scored on a walk to Madi Wilds.  Dowagiac’s bats remained hot in the nightcap. The Lady Chieftains scored 10 runs in the first and eight in the second.  Carpenter blasted a two-run triple that scored McIntosh and Guernsey to highlight the first. Henry’s two-run double scored Reed and Hess. Carpenter scored on a walk to Hess. McIntosh returned to the dish later in the frame and laced a two-run triple that scored Campbell and Henry. McIntosh scored on Guernsey’s RBI single. Behnke punched a single that scored Guernsey. Carpenter and Behnke scored the other two Chieftains’ runs on bases-loaded walks. Wulson’s two-run double scored Dari Brooks and Wilds in the second. Henry added a two-run single that scored Wilson and Campbell. Guernsey’s RBI single plated Henry. Carpenter drove in McIntosh and Guernsey with a single. Carpenter scored on Behnke’s double.  Wilson got the win for Dowagiac in the circle with eight strikeouts. She struck out the first three Benton Harbor hitters in the first and second innings. The Tigers got their only baserunner of the day in the final inning of game two via a walk. Dowagiac returns 10 letterwinners from the 2024 squad that finished the season 25-8. Campbell, only a freshman, will pitch a majority of the innings for Dowagiac this Spring as the Lady Chieftains’ No. 1 ace with Guernsey in the No. 2 role. “She (Campbell) has really thrown well and kept us in some tough games so far this season against some good teams,” Dowagiac’s head coach said.  Carpenter. the team’s starting shortstop and also a backup catcher, leads Dowagiac in batting average. “Marlie is only a junior and has put alot of work in over the past few years. She’s just very strong and a well-disciplined hitter,” Mike Behnke said. Guernsey is the Lady Chieftains’ starting centerfielder when she’s not pitching.    “Rebecca has played just about every position for us during her four-year varsity career. She’s a person that always works hard and gives you 100 percent effort no matter what,” Dowagiac’s coach said. “We’ve had alot of different players who have helped us win several games this season. It’s not just one player who contributes. Pitching, defense and timely hitting have been among our biggest strengths in the games that we’ve won this season. In some of our closer games we’ve just been able to get people on base and score when we need to,” Mike Behnke said. Winning a Lakeland Conference title and hoisting a district championship trophy are two of the Lady Chieftains’ biggest goals. “We haven’t won a conference title here at Dowagiac since 2007 or a district since 2006,” Mike Behnke said. “There have been countless many times thatr we’ve finished second in conference or fell short in districts.” Dowagiac’s veteran head coach recently surpassed the 400-win mark for his coaching career with a doubleheader sweep of perennial state power Buchanan on April 16. “It’s nice to reach that kind of milestone but I tell people it means two things. The first one is that I’m old and I’ve been around awhile. Secondly, I’ve had some really good players and teams to be able to win that many games. It’s the girls that have done it. I just try to get them in the right positions to win those games. They deserve more of the credit than I do,” Mike Behnke said. Among the best players to keep an eye on when the Los Angeles Kings play the Chicago Blackhawks… The Chicago Blackhawks, with Tyler Bertuzzi, will be on the ice Monday against the Los Angeles Kings at… Ryan Donato and the Chicago Blackhawks will play on Monday at 8:30 PM ET, facing the Los Angeles… The Chicago Blackhawks, including Connor Bedard, face the Los Angeles Kings on Monday, March 3, 2025 at 8:30… The Chicago Blackhawks, including Frank Nazar, meet the Los Angeles Kings on Monday at 8:30 PM ET, at… BENTON COUNTY — Benton County has received a $1 million grant to support its Beltline Corridor Project, according to a news release from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). It's part of a $2.7 million DEED initiative to help drive economic development and sustainability in four Minnesota communities with power plants that have ceased operations. Benton County's project will include relocating two Xcel Energy electric transmission poles along Hhighways 10 and 23, the release said. The Beltline Corridor Project will connect the two highways and link metro growth centers, the release added. “We are beyond grateful to receive a Community Energy Transition Grant from DEED’s Energy Transition Office,” said Benton County commissioner Jared Gapinski. “This award supports a wonderful opportunity to promote new economic development opportunities in our county and accommodate existing urban and industrial growth in light of the Granite City Power Generation Plant’s decommissioning.” Other grantees include the city of Cohasset ($750,000), the city of Oak Park Heights ($374,800) and Otter Tail County ($650,000). The city of Benton Harbor is receiving a state grant of $183,000 through the state’s Financially Distressed Cities, Villages and Townships Grant Program. Michigan State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks on Wednesday announced a total of $2.5 million in grants to 13 municipalities through the program. It seeks to support cities experiencing one or more conditions indicative of “probable financial distress” as defined in state law. The grants announced this week will help those cities improve infrastructure and public safety. In Benton Harbor’s case, the $183,220 grant will be used for public safety enhancements through the replacement of communications equipment. Eubanks says the grants announced Wednesday will “help provide movement toward financial stability for our local communities.” (This story has been updated to correct an inaccuracy If the Benton County Planning Commission denies the proposal to expand Coffin Butte Landfill an appeal would go to the Board of Commissioners.) Benton County staff have recommended that the county’s planning commission deny an application to expand Coffin Butte Landfill Phoenix-based Republic Services has requested a conditional use permit from the county which would allow it to expand the 178-acre landfill located north of Corvallis county officials say Republic Services “did not provide sufficient evidence to support a finding that odor and noise impacts would not ‘seriously interfere’ with adjacent land uses.” The county has received more than 500 comments opposing the expansion ahead of public meetings on the proposal that begin April 29 Coffin Butte Landfill accepts about a third of the Mid-Willamette Valley’s garbage Republic Services is the second-largest waste disposal company in the United States The expansion attempt comes more than two years after the Benton County Planning Commission unanimously denied a previous request for a conditional use permit Among the concerns were plans to close an access road and its impact on those who live nearby the planned expansion is 50% smaller than proposed in 2021 and would be on land owned by Coffin Butte and zoned for a landfill It would add six years of life to the landfill about half of what the company requested in 2021 The road has been a point of contention with neighbors who say the road is their only escape route in the event of a fire or other natural disaster county officials say the proposal would exceed the regulatory noise thresholds set by the state Department of Environmental Quality a standard the company had asked to be used County officials also noted inconsistencies in the model used to determine whether odors would be considered a nuisance that would be more likely to be sensitive to odor impacts than others the Benton County Environment and Natural Resources Advisory Committee voted to recommend denial of the conditional use permit Benton County Democrats and Linn-Benton Green party all passed resolutions opposing the expansion State and local environmental groups also are asking the planning commission to deny the application Landfilling is not a safe or sustainable option for long-term waste management 350 Salem and Valley Neighbors for Environmental Quality and Safety (VNEQS) “Approving this application to expand Coffin Butte would increase local fire hazard and risk exacerbate local air quality and odor problems and increase environmental damage done to the Willamette River and all who recreate It would be a decisive step in the opposite direction of responsible management of environmental resources for Oregonians,” said Mark Yeager How to weigh in on Coffin Butte Landfill’s expansion proposalThe Benton County Planning Commission will hold a series of public meetings on Coffin Butte Landfill’s expansion proposal beginning April 29 Members of the public can sign up to give verbal testimony during the hearing Written testimony will be accepted until the commission decides to close the public hearing Information about providing verbal and written testimony is available at www.bentoncountyor.gov/coffin-butte-landfill All meetings will be held at the county’s Kalapuya Building If the planning commission denies the proposal an appeal would go to the county Board of Commissioners which also would hold a public hearing before making a decision Tracy Loew covers the environment at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips: tloew@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew The following divorces granted were recorded April 24-30 in the Benton and Washington county clerks' offices: KARK – Police in Benton are on the scene of an incident just off Interstate 30 The Benton Police Department said officers responded to Mac’s Minnows and More in the 15900 block of North Service Road around 7:45 p.m in reference to a disturbance between two people Authorities said there is no threat to the public because of the incident No suspect information has been released at this time Anyone with information is asked to contact the Benton Police Department at 501-776-5947 or 501-778-1171 after hours Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" these are the actual most popular baby names so far in 2025 Whether it’s a short vacation or they’re jetting off to begin their career show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift National Teacher Appreciation Week begins May 5 take advantage of these freebies and deals Voters throughout Northwest Arkansas will be able to start casting their ballots in school district board and millage elections next week as well as elections pertaining to fire dues Early voting for the 2025 annual school and special elections in Benton and Washington counties kicks off Tuesday and runs through every weekday until May 12 said she doesn't know if the county will even see 1% voter turnout during early voting School elections don't usually bring many residents out to vote especially ones featuring uncontested school board races and no proposed changes to millage rates Dennison said she expects voters to come out for a three-way race for the Zone 5 seat on the Rogers School Board and a proposed fire dues increase for the Pleasure Heights Volunteer Fire Department She predicted a bigger Election Day turnout for a proposed millage rate increase for the Gentry School District noting a lack of early voting sites in Gentry likewise said her county typically sees a 5% to 10% voter turnout for school elections during odd-numbered years She suspects closer to 10% of voters will turn out in the Greenland Farmington and Prairie Grove school districts all of which will have proposed millage increases on their ballots Greenland and Prairie Grove voters will also decide contested school board races The Pleasure Heights and Gravette fire departments will both have special elections on the question of annual dues residents in their respective districts pay to fund their operations Pleasure Heights' proposal calls for raising the dues from $40 to $100 per year on each residence and business with an occupiable structure in the department's service area The fire dues are added to property tax bills collected by the county Gravette's proposal will list voluntary dues on property the department serves outside the Gravette city limits -- which are already in place -- annually on property tax statements for the county to collect at the same time as property taxes The dues will be $50 for each improved property -- meaning property with any structure on it -- and $35 for each unimproved chief of the Pleasure Heights and adjacent Hickory Creek fire departments has said Pleasure Heights' fire dues have been the same for more than 20 years The dues increase would enable the department to keep up with the increased costs of doing business -- such as maintaining and replacing or upgrading equipment as necessary -- and continue providing its level of service The department serves roughly 300 households throughout about 15 to 18 square miles east of Lowell out on Beaver Lake has said his department is a municipal agency with full-time and part-time firefighters It receives money from Gravette in addition to voluntary fire dues from an estimated 3,400 people it serves outside the city limits City residents fund the department through taxes Putting the fire dues on property tax statements will give residents an easier way to pay their dues and the Fire Department an easier way to collect them He estimates the move will bring about $40,000 to $50,000 more into the department every year based on what other fire departments in the county have experienced when they've taken similar action The dues are currently collected by a third-party service paid for through the state Rural Fire Protection Program at no cost to the Fire Department Gentry School District residents will vote on whether to increase the district's millage rate from 44.4 to 46 mills The district plans to use the additional property tax money the measure would provide to add classroom space to the middle school building and build a sports arena for basketball wrestling and other indoor sporting events The measure would restore the district's property tax rate to what it was before Benton County's countywide reappraisal last year Siloam Springs and Springdale school districts have their current respective millage rates on the ballot Dennison said the rates will remain the same even if they get voted down Rogers and Gravette school districts have school board races to decide A portion of the Springdale School District lies in Benton County. Voters in Springdale's Zone 5 will choose between incumbent Eddie Ramos and challenger Donald Tippett There are 1,456 registered voters in Benton County who live in Springdale's Zone 5 according to the Benton County Clerk's Office Jessica Thompson, David Regan and Elizabeth-Ann Lee are competing for the Rogers School Board's Zone 5 board seat Incumbent Matt Croxdale and challenger Dani Madison are vying for the Zone 2 position on the Gravette School Board School districts without contested school board races or proposed changes to their millage rates will have only early and absentee voting for their elections The Bentonville School District holds its elections in November Benton County has 186,768 total registered voters Residents in the Farmington and Prairie Grove school districts will both decide on a 4-mill increase which would raise their millage rates to 44.1 and 44.6 mills Greenland School District residents will consider a 2-mill increase that would raise their total rate to 41.1 mills The Farmington School District plans to use the money from its proposed millage increase to build a new junior high school with at least 95,000 square feet The Prairie Grove district similarly intends to fund the construction and equipping of a new elementary school for kindergarten through fourth grade should voters approve its requested millage increase along with a fine arts center that would seat more than 600 The Greenland district's proposed increase will go toward renovating and expanding both its cafeterias to support potential growth in the district as well as removing an old gym to create flexible space for career and technical pathways There are three contested school board races in Washington County Incumbent Audrey Fillmore will compete against challenger Kayden Dennis for the Zone 4 seat on the Greenland School Board incumbent Whitney Bryant will go against Ricky Carte for the Position 1 seat Residents will also weigh in on the race for the Springdale School Board Zone 5 seat between Ramos and Tippett Lincoln and West Fork school districts will also have School Board positions and millages on the ballot all the board candidates are running unopposed and the districts aren't proposing any changes to their millage rates said these four districts will hold an election by candidate under Arkansas law This means the School Board candidates will cast a single ballot for themselves and their respective millages with no input from other voters Washington County has 150,282 total registered voters WHEN AND WHERE TO VOTEEARLY VOTINGBenton and Washington county residents can vote early in their respective counties from 8 a.m Tuesday through Friday and May 12 at the following sites:Benton County County Administration Building Siloam SpringsWashington County County Clerk's Office FayettevilleELECTION DAY (MAY 13)The following Election Day voting sites will be open 7:30 a.m to 7:30 p.m.:Benton County First Baptist Church of Gentry SpringdaleWashington County Assembly of God Parsonage SpringdaleSource: Benton and Washington counties Thomas Saccente covers Bentonville and Benton County news for the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette He has spent most of his life in Arkansas and started his professional journalism career in Fort Smith in 2015 He began working for the Democrat-Gazette in 2019 covering the River Valley before moving to Northwest Arkansas in 2024 This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Doris was a special education teacher early in her career followed by working for State Farm Insurance until she retired She was a devoted Catholic and parishioner of St Patrick Catholic Church in Baton Rouge She was an Associate in the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph and loved reading and visiting with her friends especially Libby Maggio and her State Farm co-workers Mark Benton (Jami) and Christopher Benton (Kristy); and grandchildren Alfred Zepherin DeLaune and Ira Mae Cooper Lambdin; daughter The family would like to give a special thanks to Pinnacle Hospice and Our Lady of the Lake Hospital.  Visitation will take place at Resthaven Funeral Home on Thursday beginning at 9:00am until services at 10:30am Burial to follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory A reception will follow the graveside committal in the Legacy Room at Resthaven Funeral Home.  Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note to the family at www.resthavenbatonrouge.com.  Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text Resthaven Gardens of Memory & Funeral Home This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Tina Marie Benton was born on February 3, 1981, and passed away suddenly on February 6, 2025, at the age of 44. She was employed as an Office Administrative Specialist Scheduler for Pediatric Neurology at Upstate for 10 1/2 years. Tina was a... View Obituary & Service Information The family of Tina Marie Benton created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories 2025 in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints daughter of the late August Seifried and the late Teresia Gladysz Seifried Margit was German by blood and loved helping research geneology SC; granddaughters: Lauren Benton Buchan (David) and Kristen Benton Quinn; six great grandchildren; close friend she was preceded in death by siblings: Lilli Heppling and Erwin Seifried Memorials may be made to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 1519 Sam Rittenberg Blvd Charleston A memorial message may be sent to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - It was a day Luke Miller had dreamt of since he was a young boy: being appointed to the U.S The Benton High School student was recognized on Thursday for his accomplishments was on hand to congratulate Miller and welcome him to the academy he also received an appointment to the Naval Academy as well as full scholarships to LSU and Texas A&M he received over $1.2 million in scholarship offers Miller's mom says he has always wanted to be an Air Force Pilot Miller plans to attend the academy this summer Local breaking news delivered as it happens News headlines delivered at 7:00 am Monday - Friday News headlines delivered at Noon Monday - Friday News headlines delivered at 4:00 pm Monday - Friday Weather forecast delivered at 9:00 am daily Visitation with the family will be from 5-6:30 PM Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors She was a wonderful godly ministers’ wife as well as a godly mother and grandmother She retired as a secretary with the Army and Airforce Exchange Service in Dallas She traveled the world in mission work with her preacher husband She is survived by her husband Jim Benton of Midland OK and Tim Benton and wife Nicol of Midland Reagan Ingram and husband Anthony of Wake Forest TX; and other relatives and many friends of Amarillo at the Glenwood Village Care Center in Glenwood Jenelle's Celebration of Life will be held at the Ka-De-Shack in Brooten, on Saturday, March 1, starting at 6:00 pm.  Arrangements are entrusted to the Peterson Brothers Funeral Home.  www.petersonbrothers.com Jenelle may Benton was born in New Rockford  She attended elementary school in Park River North Dakota and transferred to Brooten elementary school  She went to high school at Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa High School where she enjoyed playing volleyball She fell in love with Chris in the seventh grade and has loved him every day since loving mother to her three sons and her grandson Jenelle enjoyed her work as a bartender at the Ka-De-Shack in Brooten She often helped to take care of other people's children when needed and wore the crown as a party planner for many events in her area She is survived by her loving life companion Dylan Schulz of Belgrade and Aaron Schulz of Brooten; and one grandson  Also surviving are her seven siblings Jason Benton of Alexandria and Jelynda Solid of Eagle Bend – It is said that everything is bigger in Texas but Arkansas now holds the title for the biggest Buc-ee’s groundbreaking About 400 people came to the ceremony in Benton and left with plenty of free food and swag Buc-ee’s estimates that five million people will visit this travel center annually once it’s open in September 2026 The groundbreaking with over 20 turns of a shovel is on brand for Buc-ee’s and 74,000 square feet of retail space to Benton.  Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said it is a stop her kids make sure they go anytime they pass one out of state “Buc-ee’s isn’t just a pit stop anymore It draws people in from literally hundreds of miles away,” Sanders stated Some out-of-state travelers even went out of their way to the groundbreaking The Lachinski family from Illinois was camping in Hot Springs the night before they heard about the Wednesday event “We take the way through Springfield just to stop at Buc-ee’s,” David Lachinski admitted Benton native Kathy Dawson claimed she has said the spot at Interstate 30 exit 114 was a perfect place for Buc-ee’s for a decade she said she plans to stop at this one weekly “And so I am just beside myself,” Dawson said I’m going to try and work at Buc-ee’s.” Fans say anyone who has never been to Buc-ee’s must make a trip to this one “It is just unbelievable how big it is Even the souvenirs,” Sue Lachinski said Sue’s husband applauded the clean bathrooms while her son praised brisket sandwiches and jerky.  “They have it all,” Brett said a second Arkansas travel center is planned for West Memphis and CEO Arch “Beaver” Aplin III says the company is looking for another natural state location to build a third travel center You have a lot of interstates going through it So I just think there are a lot of similarities (to Texas) and I’m quite confident it will be a great state for us,” Beaver said According to Saline County Economic Development Corporation President Shane Broadway including the first time they built a parking lot or a large stage for the occasion “This is the biggest groundbreaking that we’ve ever had even bigger than Texas,” Beaver concluded More than 1,500 electric customers in Benton County were without power Tuesday morning as a severe weather system moved through the area There were 1,838 electric customers in the county reporting a loss of power around 9:23 a.m. most people in the county had power restored with only 235 customers reporting they still lacked electricity The National Weather Service issued several advisories regarding severe weather in Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday morning Thunderstorms were expected to bring heavy rain across the region during the morning with a second line of storms expected to develop Tuesday afternoon according to a hazardous weather outlook issued by the Weather Service at 4:58 a.m Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Pete Benton has spent a lifetime dedicated to military service Benton said he knew from an early age that the military was his calling Which I’m kind of glad I did because later on it made me a better Air Force officer," he said Benton served during the Vietnam era and achieved one of the highest distinctions in the Air Force by serving on the Presidential Honor Guard I’m going to be with President Reagan at the Tomb of the Unknown." He described it as "one of the most emotional experiences of my life." His aspiration to join the Presidential Honor Guard began as a young boy when he witnessed the honor guard escorting President John F Kennedy's body to Arlington National Cemetery "I looked at my dad and my mother and said someday I want to be a presidential honor guardsman – and little did I know a couple decades later that dream came true," Benton said Another impactful moment for Benton was during a ceremony when El Salvador’s President Duarte showed a surprise gesture of respect "He leaned over and kissed the American flag — and I looked up on stage and Ronald Reagan was crying," Benton said Benton attributes his inspiration to serve to the sacrifices of America's service members "It’s the brave and courageous men since the inception of our great country that have been willing to give their lives for something much greater than themselves," he said We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at bcadmin@bentoncourier.com or call us at 501-315-8228 We have been notified of spam calls to our families requesting paypal payments for their services Please do not provide any information or make any payments over the phone and contact us directly should you receive these calls The family of Stewart Michael "Mike" Benton Sr created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories © 2025 Heritage Funeral and Cremation Services Made with love by funeralOne Experts say a combination of high water levels and human activity have accelerated the erosion 9 missing after capsized boat washes ashore near San Diego Northeast: Days of showers and storms for some Halley's Comet to set off meteor shower Monday night Soggy South Central states: Intense downpours to renew flooding risk Two people killed when small plane crashes into California homes Staffing shortage causes 7 days of major delays at Newark Airport Coyote drinks from Los Angeles salon's skylight The REAL ID deadline is less than a week away Fungi could be used to build homes one day Get AccuWeather alerts as they happen with our browser notifications.