Story by DDNS Reporter Allie Carson

Arkansas State University Chancellor Dr. Todd Shields (left) and Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhavor (right) after the unveiling of new street signs in downtown Jonesboro that have the new Red Wolves logo on them. Photo courtesy of Arkansas State University.

JONESBORO, Ark. – The Jonesboro community showed up Friday for the annual Paint the Town Red block party downtown, signaling a new season of Arkansas State football. (You can see the video below, provided by Allie Carson.)

With the football season officially underway, the Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce hosted a community event in downtown Jonesboro, featuring local band “Bloodhound,” speakers, games, food, prizes, and a rap performance by Dr. Todd Shields himself. (You can listen to the rap below.)

Cody Slater, the vice president of programming with the Chamber of Commerce, said that Jonesboro isn’t what it is without the partnership and cooperation with A-State.

“Jonesboro has grown exponentially. It (Arkansas State) has been a shining light. But I don’t think that happens without Arkansas State,” Slater said.

The winners of the Paint the Town Red decorating contest were announced during the event. Delta Zeta won the campus category, Divots Golf Lounge won the newcomer award, and the best small business award went to Fizz Facial Bar.

The overall best-decorated winner, for the second year in a row, was Kalmer Solutions.

A surprise unveiling of a secret project by Shields and Mayor Harold Copenhaver happened during the event.

The secret project was unveiled at the north end of Main Street, where Burke Avenue meets Cate Avenue, and was shown to be A-State logos on the street signs.

Coach Butch Jones had challenged Mayor Copenhaver for three years to make Arkansas State part of Jonesboro.

“I want to thank Mayor Copenhaver and the entire city because this was a vision about three years ago,” Jones said regarding the new street signs.

The logo will be displayed on every road that comes into A-State, already visible on multiple road signs near campus.

According to Shields, everyone loved the idea of having Red Wolves branding on street signs, something very prominent in other college towns.

“We talked to the mayor, he was all about it, but we had to go through the Arkansas Department of Transportation. They had to get the right approvals and that kind of thing,” Shields said. “It took a while, but that was the big thing.”

With the new signs and the entire event in general, A-State fans were hyped for the football season, with 18,241 total people turning up to Centennial Bank the next night to watch a 42-24 Red Wolves win. This Saturday will be the historic game between Arkansas State and the Arkansas Razorbacks at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.