Mom charged after forcing 10-yr-old to walk 4.5 miles to school

JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) – The Jonesboro Police Department says a mother put her 10-year-old son in danger, forcing him to walk almost five miles to school as punishment.

Police cited Valerie Borders, 34, on Monday for endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree.

Officers determined Borders forced her son to make a 4.5-mile trek to school from their home at Fairview Drive. Nequavion Borders, 10, had recently lost his bus-riding privileges for the fifth time from MicroSociety magnet school, located at 1110 West Washington.

His mother sent him to school on foot Monday as punishment for the repeated suspensions. He only made it a few blocks before he was picked up by police.

"She did the right thing," Nequavion said. "She knew that I had been suspended off the bus five days, so she didn't do nothing wrong. She made me walk. I just had to walk. They shouldn't have picked me up. I could've walked by myself."

Valerie Borders did not want to make a comment, but she did allow her son to speak on her behalf exclusively to Region 8 News. He says he now realizes why his mother wanted to teach him a lesson and "not to just get on the bus and act a fool."

Nequavion made it to the busy intersection of Highland and Stadium and crossed the Liberty Bank parking lot. A security guard approached the boy, apparently surprised to see a child in the area alone.

"Anytime you see a child out walking like that, ask yourself a question – is that safe for the child?" Sgt. Lyle Waterworth with Jonesboro Police said. "If you wouldn't want your child doing it, we probably don't need somebody else's child doing it."

Waterworth says the guard did the right thing by calling police. According to the police report, when officers arrived, the boy asked them, "Please don't take me home, mother will beat me." He also told police that he was advised not to stop walking or talk to anyone until he made it to school.

Police drove the boy to school and then paid a visit to his mother, who was at home on vacation from work. Police wrote Valerie Borders a ticket and gave her a court date.

She will appear in Craighead County District Court on Monday, February 27. If convicted she could face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Borders' son, however, said he does not want his mother to get into trouble for him misbehaving. He says he knows now to behave better on the bus.

"She should not be going to court," Nequavion said. "I learned my lesson. That was me that was getting suspended off the bus."

News from KSLA12 on February 15, 2012

Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 pound brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon smooth dijon mustard (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Trim sprouts and halve lengthwise. In a large, heavy 12-inch skillet heat butter and oil over moderate heat. Arrange halved sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning until undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes. [Updated to note: If your sprouts don't fit in one layer, don't fret! Brown them in batches, then add them all back to the pan, spreading them as flat as possible, before continuing with the shallots, wine, etc.]

Add the shallots, wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low (for a gentle simmer), cover the pot with a lid (foil works too, if your skillet lacks a lid) and cook the sprouts until they are tender can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the lid, and scoop out brussels. Add cream and simmer for two to three minutes, until slightly thickened. Whisk in mustard. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary with more salt, pepper or Dijon. Pour sauce over brussels, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve immediately.

From Smitten Kitchen

Tomato Paste Saver

Most recipes call for only a small portion of tomato paste -- you use a tablespoon or two, and the rest invariably goes to waste. To save the remainder: Carefully open both ends of the can with a can opener. Remove one metal end, and discard it. Leave the other in place. Wrap the entire can in plastic wrap, and freeze overnight. The next day, use the metal end to push the frozen paste out the open end. Discard can, tightly rewrap unused portion, and store in freezer up to 3 months, slicing off just as much as you need each time you cook.

Easy DIY Valentine's Day Crafts

Get the kids involved spreading holiday cheer, no matter how much you love (or love to hate) February 14.

Mix and Match Votives

Give those scraps of paper headed to the recycling bin a second shot to shine. This idea works with all kinds of paper–even your kids’ artwork.

What you need:

Assorted paper, Washi Tape, Ribbon

Double-sided Tape

Votives

• Wrap paper around votive for sizing; cut to necessary length. Adhere strips of paper to   votive with double-sided tape.

• Be creative and have some fun. Wrap some with just paper and layer others with ribbon and tape.

Extracted from Real Simple

 

Are you Organized?

To jumpstart the bringing of order into your home, here are four old-fashioned rules that can change the quality of your daily life beginning today. 1. If you take it out, put it back. 2. If you open it, close it. 3. If you through it down, pick it up. 4. If you take it off, hand it up. *From Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach* ** ** **