In the News

U.S. Sen. John Boozman and U.S. Rep. French Hill toured some of the hardest-hit areas from the April 27, 2014, tornado in Vilonia and Mayflower on Wednesday to get a firsthand view of the rebuilding progress.

“It’s really amazing,” Boozman said of the improvements made. “I was able to get over here not too long after [the tornado] and survey the damage. The amount of work that’s been done, the way the local community have banded together with their citizens, is truly amazing.”

David Stephens, Vilonia School District superintendent, gave the statesmen a tour of the nearly complete Frank Mitchell Vilonia Intermediate School. The 95,000-square-foot school was destroyed in the EF4 tornado before its completion.

Stephens said the rebuild is ahead of schedule, and the school will open to teachers in June and to students when the 2015-16 school year begins.

“It was good to be able to show them how the school is coming along,” Stephens said. “They were excited and very supportive. They had kind things to say.”

Boozman told the Log Cabin Democrat he was impressed with the district’s tenacity.

“It’s just a great story. The work is certainly not over. There’s a long way to go, but it really is remarkable the things that they’ve accomplished in such a short time,” he said.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) staff showed off the AGFC training facility in Mayflower as they guided Boozman, Hill and local officials, such as Faulkner County Judge Jim Baker and Office of Emergency Management Director Shelia Bellott, on a hike of the grounds including the firing range, training center and event center.

“I think the only surprising thing is the amount of progress, which is a great thing,” Boozman said. “Also, you still go into areas, like coming out here [to Mayflower], I hadn’t been out here to see the destruction in this area, with the forest and things, trees that have been here forever. You’re always surprised at the amount of devastation.”

Judge Baker said he was pleased Boozman and Hill got to see the progress in Faulkner County.

“It showed a good commitment on their part to listen to people,” he said. “I’m just glad they came.”

###