AGFC hosts Arkansas’s largest outdoor swap shop this Saturday
JONESBORO — Looking to upgrade some fishing or hunting gear for the new year?
Join the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission March 15 for the 2025 Outdoor Gear Community Yard Sale at an AGFC nature center near you. The AGFC has gathered vendors throughout the state to participate in the free event, and anyone is welcome to come and trade their old gear for some “experienced” items to take on your next outdoor adventure. Of course, if you don’t have something to trade, you can always negotiate some cash deals to get the goods you want.
Eric Maynard, assistant chief of education for the AGFC, said the yard sale is a combined effort over six nature centers around the state.
“We’ve held outdoor swap shops, gear trades and other ‘yard sale’ events at individual nature centers for years, but this is a combined effort to get all of the centers on the same page,” Maynard said.
“And timing the event just as warm weather is starting to come back to the state should result in some great participation. Even if you just want to stretch your legs, bring along an old fishing rod or hunting boots that the kids have outgrown and see what you might be able to trade into.”
Each center will have a variety of additions to the yard sale. Many will have food trucks on site to add some flavor to the event, and nature center staff will have some special programming to accommodate people who want to learn a little about the outdoors while attending the show.
Maynard says Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center will have at least one vendor with antique duck decoys, calls and fishing lures as well as someone who can appraise and buy duck calls. The Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s
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Ridge Nature Center will have several booths will deer stands, bows, boats and larger hunting and fishing equipment as well as a handmade turkey and deer call booth.
Fort Smith will have handtied fishing flies, vintage fishing equipment as well as bows and other archery equipment.
“The variety of vendors participating is really impressive,” Maynard said. “And that doesn’t count what everyone else may bring the day of the event.
“The only restriction is that we can’t have firearms at the sale because of the required federal permits to handle those sorts of sales,” Maynard added. “But ammunition, airguns, bows, arrows and other accessories that don’t require federal permits are welcome.” The event is free and the AGFC receives no proceeds from any gear sold.
“This is just a great way to get outdoors enthusiasts together and get excited about some new adventures,” Maynard said.
The closest even to Crittenden County witll be the Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center, in Jonesboro, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Visit .agfc.com/education/ for more information.
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Court date set for reckless burning case
NEWPORT — The case involving a Lawrence County man accused of reckless burning in a field along Highway 67 that officials have said led to a 16-vehicle collision that killed two and injured several others has been moved to July.
A circuit judge set a July 7 trial date for Charles Benham, 56, of Alicia. The judge also set a June 25 motion and plea day for Benham at the Newport courthouse.
Benham was arrested by Arkansas State Police in September on a warrant in connection with the October 2023 case.
Authorities said dispatchers got a call around 2:15 p.m. on Oct. 3, 2023 about a multi-vehicle collision and heavy smoke on Highway 67 near the 102-mile marker. Callers told police they could not see due to the smoke from a fire and multiple agencies including ASP, first responders and EMS responded.
Officials determined that the fire started in a field, owned and maintained by Cason Farms and that Benham had overseen the burning of the fields for the farm during the growing season.
“Agents determined that Charles Benham was responsible for starting the fire. Benham then left that fire unattended for approximately 30 minutes before returning,” ASP said in a probable cause affidavit.
The wind was blowing out of the south and toward Highway 67 that afternoon, ASP said.
The digital videos of the incident captured by witnesses show that the smoke significantly diminished the visibility of vehicles traveling on U.S. 67. Thomas Blevins, 68, of Logan, Ohio and Terry Lutz, 55, of Somerset, Ohio died in the crash, ASP said.
