BAY CITY, Texas — Bryant’s 14-year-old All-Stars may not have advanced to the Babe Ruth League’s Southwest Regional in the conventional way but, given the opportunity, as manager Jason Thompson said, they are going to do their best to represent the state of Arkansas and the Bryant program.

And, judging from the team’s opening game at the event, that’ll do just fine.

The Bryant Stars, behind a fine pitching performance from Wesley Akers, grabbed an early lead and dismissed the East Texas champion from the tradition-rich program at Nederland, 6-1, to open the Regional on Friday.

Bryant accepted the Regional bid when Clark County, which won the South Arkansas State championship over Bryant, was unable to go. Now, the Bryant Stars are on their way to a second-round match-up in the winners bracket against Twin Rivers, the Louisiana state champion, on Sunday at 11 a.m. The winner will advance to the winners bracket final.

The Bryant 14’s include Wesley Akers, Harrison Dale, Justin Emmerling, Zach Graddy, Ashton Green, Tristan Matthews, Austin Miller, Christopher Phillips, Nate Rutherford, Korey Thompson, Chris Troillett, Chase Tucker and Blake Yates. Jason Thompson manages the team with assistance from Mark Akers.

Workers continue to clear the area east of the Bryant High School campus in preparation for the construction of a large new classroom building. Work is also being done to improve traffic flow and create parking areas on the south end of campus. (Photos by Martin Couch)

Fall football practice officially gets underway on Monday, Aug. 2, but preparations for the season opening Salt Bowl pitting Saline County rival Bryant Hornets and Benton Panthers have been going on for quite some time already.

The annual event, which has attracted more than 20,000 fans in recent years, will be played on Friday, Sept. 3, at War Memorial Stadium.

By Martin Couch

The Taste of Bryant Chamber of Commerce event on Thursday night wouldn't have gone so smoothly if it weren't for the help of the Bryant High School Dance team.

 The annual Bryant Chamber of Commerce Taste Of Bryant, sponsored by Everett's Buick-GMC was held at the Bryant eighth grade cafeteria.

If you attended, what did you think? What was your favorite dish? From where? Leave a comment below. (Photos by Rick Nation)

By Martin Couch

Youngstown, Ohio native Suzanne Irilli has found a home in Bryant.

And Irilli will be getting to know her new hometown by working with Rae Ann Fields at the Bryant Chamber of Commerce.

"I am new to the Bryant area and I was looking for something that would involve me in the community," Irilli said. "This makes it easy to kind of slide in the door and get to know people in the area."

Irilli's daughter will be attending Bryant High School and her husband will be working in Benton after the family was transferred to Saline County from Ohio.

"Everybody has been so nice," she said. "People go out of their way to say hello and to stop and chat. Everybody has been very, very welcoming.

By Martin Couch

There will be a wide variety food vendors at this year's Taste of Bryant festivities that will be held tonight at the Bryant Middle School eighth grade cafeteria.

The original venue for the event was to be at the Bishop Park community center, but due to advertising agreements for Bishop Park, the arrangements did not allow the Bryant Chamber of Commerce to function there under their bylaws.

Diamond Sports of Bryant will be the location for a clinic “Advanced Fast-Pitch with Kaci Landers” on Sunday, Sept. 19, at 2 p.m.

Registration fee is $15 for non-members, free from Diamond Sports members.

By Martin Couch

Fireman and EMT Michael Mullins was inspired by his grandfather Jim Mullins, who is a retired firefighter from the city of Benton.

For the last three and half years, Mullins, 33, has been a member of the Bryant Fire Department.

"I like helping others and being around kids, giving them tours of the station and teaching them fire safety," he said.

Mullins started his career as an EMT two years before coming to Bryant.

"I worked on an ambulance before I started for the city of Bryant," he said. "There have been several calls I've been on where we assisted people and helped them out and they mail us thank-you cards to show us how much they appreciate what we do. That to me makes it all worthwhile."