Of all the statistical reports that come out every year showing Arkansas near the bottom of national rankings, the one we dread the most is the Kids Count Data Book, produced by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It reports on the condition of children in each of the 50 states.
Kids Count is a downer because it reflects better than anything else the reasons why Arkansas lags so far behind in nearly every other measure of the social and economic condition of the states and because so few remedies seem to offer themselves.
Arkansas ranked 45th in the nation in child well- being, based on data from 2005 and 2006. Arkansas performed worse than the nation as a whole on nine of 10 indicators, our lone exemplary ranking being the school dropout rate. Not so many years ago Arkansas had the highest dropout rate but two or three rounds of school reforms have raised us to 15th best.
We are near the bottom in the rest: low-birthweight babies; infant, child and teen deaths; children born to teens; teens not attending school and not working; children in families where no parent has a full-time job; children in single-parent families; and children living in poverty. The last category embraces all the rest. More children are poor in Arkansas than in just about any other state. The condition is self-repeating. The next generation is almost certain to be the same.
No government program we have seen or that has been proposed will conquer that failing readily. Arkansas actually has taken a few thoughtful steps in the right direction. It has tried to extend health insurance through Medicaid to children whose families are well above the poverty line, but tens of thousands of them still have never been enrolled. The legislature and governor have invested heavily the past three years in preschool education, which is a promising route from recurring poverty, but much more needs to be done. The most promising remedy would be drastically reduced class sizes for kindergarten and early grammar school in poor neighborhoods, which research has shown to escort kids out of poverty in a generation, but the state has considered it way too costly.
That, alas, is the barrier to every potential remedy. When you are poor in spirit as well as the pocketbook, every investment seems too high.
Friday, June 20, 2008
TOP STORY > >Hwy. 89 resurfacing set to start
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
The state Highway and Trans-portation Commission has ap-proved the resurfacing of a 4.4 mile stretch of Hwy. 89, beginning at the Lonoke County Courthouse, according to commission vice chairman Carl Rosenbaum.
Cranford Construction Com-pany of North Little Rock submitted the winning bid, $996,576.
This project will begin where Third Street, also designated Hwy. 89, starts opposite the Lonoke County Courthouse.
Resurfacing will continue west on Third Street until it dead ends at Mallard Point Golf Course, then north on Hwy. 89 toward and over I-40. Where the road turns west, parallel to I-40, the resurfacing will continue until approximately the point where the road again turns north, according to commissioner Cliff Hoofman.
The resurfacing project is being funded with money provided during the 2007 legislative session by Gov. Beebe and the Legislature from the state’s general-revenue surplus.
Rosenbaum said work could begin on the project in six to eight weeks, weather permitting.
Completion is expected in the fall of 2008.
Leader staff writer
The state Highway and Trans-portation Commission has ap-proved the resurfacing of a 4.4 mile stretch of Hwy. 89, beginning at the Lonoke County Courthouse, according to commission vice chairman Carl Rosenbaum.
Cranford Construction Com-pany of North Little Rock submitted the winning bid, $996,576.
This project will begin where Third Street, also designated Hwy. 89, starts opposite the Lonoke County Courthouse.
Resurfacing will continue west on Third Street until it dead ends at Mallard Point Golf Course, then north on Hwy. 89 toward and over I-40. Where the road turns west, parallel to I-40, the resurfacing will continue until approximately the point where the road again turns north, according to commissioner Cliff Hoofman.
The resurfacing project is being funded with money provided during the 2007 legislative session by Gov. Beebe and the Legislature from the state’s general-revenue surplus.
Rosenbaum said work could begin on the project in six to eight weeks, weather permitting.
Completion is expected in the fall of 2008.
TOP STORY > >Lonoke superintendent stepping down
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
Lonoke School District Superintendent Sharron Havens presided over her last regular school board meeting Monday night, where her years of leadership were recognized by the school board, which presented her with a silver pitcher.
Under her leadership, the district has built a new middle school, started a new field house, started a vocational center in the old middle school and made plans for extensive additions and remodeling.
She and Assistant Superintendent John Tackett, who has been hired to replace her, have year-by-year promoted changes implemented by the board to identify and correct shortcomings, first in the education of groups of students and individual students and most recently a similar program to identify and correct problems of individual teachers and administrators.
Havens will preside over a special 7 p.m. Monday, June 30 meeting primarily to approve changes in board policy and to designate Tackett and board members Rick Pennington and Ray Kellybrew to sign checks on behalf of the district.
In the past, the president of the school board has been the board designee, but a $4,500 charge recently implemented by the licenser of the software for changing the names of the signers led the board to instead choose members with three or four years left on their terms.
While on the topic of school board terms, Havens reminded the board that the filing period for the September school board elections opens at noon, July 11 and closes at noon July 18.
Mike Brown intends to file for reelection to the zone 1, position 4 seat, he said Tuesday.
Miles Lilly, appointed when Jimmy Threat moved out of the district and resigned, is not eligible for election to the zone 2, position 1seat.
The board approved the required proposed budget of expenditures for the next school year, kind of a rough draft of the actual budget. The budget was $12.99 million. The about half of that--$6,498,970—is for salaries and benefits.
The budget included increases of between 2 percent and 5 percent in most categories, Havens told the board, and a 25 percent increase in fuel costs.
The board also approved a low bid of $48,420 for weights for the new field house weight room, including installation.
Dirt work on the new field house will come in about $9,000 under budget, Havens said, money that will help offset the cost of the weights.
With little discussion on the final reading, the board approved changes to the student handbook for all four schools.
A more ambitious cell phone policy originally proposed for the middle school and high school was scaled back after consultation with legal counsel for the Arkansas School Board Association.
That attorney, Paul Bloom, told them they were asking for trouble, including freedom of speech questions, if they tried to attach prohibitions on downloading content onto YouTube and other parts of the internet.
He advised the board to simply stick to its prohibition against bringing cell phones to school.
“You lose when you try to control what they do with them,” he said.
“We’ll enforce it as written,” Tackett said. “We can ban them from campus and collect them (when we see them,) Tackett said.
The board emerged from executive session to hire four new teachers, accept the resignations of five and to terminate custodian Brenda Venable.
Teachers hired were Kathy Franks for fifth-grade math and science, Danielle Tringali, for middle school and high school vocal music; and in high school, Greg Burl, special education and assistant football coach; and Jason Bowles, social studies.
Josh Robinson was hired as a district computer technician.
Leader staff writer
Lonoke School District Superintendent Sharron Havens presided over her last regular school board meeting Monday night, where her years of leadership were recognized by the school board, which presented her with a silver pitcher.
Under her leadership, the district has built a new middle school, started a new field house, started a vocational center in the old middle school and made plans for extensive additions and remodeling.
She and Assistant Superintendent John Tackett, who has been hired to replace her, have year-by-year promoted changes implemented by the board to identify and correct shortcomings, first in the education of groups of students and individual students and most recently a similar program to identify and correct problems of individual teachers and administrators.
Havens will preside over a special 7 p.m. Monday, June 30 meeting primarily to approve changes in board policy and to designate Tackett and board members Rick Pennington and Ray Kellybrew to sign checks on behalf of the district.
In the past, the president of the school board has been the board designee, but a $4,500 charge recently implemented by the licenser of the software for changing the names of the signers led the board to instead choose members with three or four years left on their terms.
While on the topic of school board terms, Havens reminded the board that the filing period for the September school board elections opens at noon, July 11 and closes at noon July 18.
Mike Brown intends to file for reelection to the zone 1, position 4 seat, he said Tuesday.
Miles Lilly, appointed when Jimmy Threat moved out of the district and resigned, is not eligible for election to the zone 2, position 1seat.
The board approved the required proposed budget of expenditures for the next school year, kind of a rough draft of the actual budget. The budget was $12.99 million. The about half of that--$6,498,970—is for salaries and benefits.
The budget included increases of between 2 percent and 5 percent in most categories, Havens told the board, and a 25 percent increase in fuel costs.
The board also approved a low bid of $48,420 for weights for the new field house weight room, including installation.
Dirt work on the new field house will come in about $9,000 under budget, Havens said, money that will help offset the cost of the weights.
With little discussion on the final reading, the board approved changes to the student handbook for all four schools.
A more ambitious cell phone policy originally proposed for the middle school and high school was scaled back after consultation with legal counsel for the Arkansas School Board Association.
That attorney, Paul Bloom, told them they were asking for trouble, including freedom of speech questions, if they tried to attach prohibitions on downloading content onto YouTube and other parts of the internet.
He advised the board to simply stick to its prohibition against bringing cell phones to school.
“You lose when you try to control what they do with them,” he said.
“We’ll enforce it as written,” Tackett said. “We can ban them from campus and collect them (when we see them,) Tackett said.
The board emerged from executive session to hire four new teachers, accept the resignations of five and to terminate custodian Brenda Venable.
Teachers hired were Kathy Franks for fifth-grade math and science, Danielle Tringali, for middle school and high school vocal music; and in high school, Greg Burl, special education and assistant football coach; and Jason Bowles, social studies.
Josh Robinson was hired as a district computer technician.
TOP STORY > >Dead pets get burial as burning is stopped
By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
The incinerator that Cabot used for nine years to dispose of dead dogs and cats from animal control is up for auction at www.GovDeals.com with a starting price of $2,000. The auction ends Sunday, and at press time there were no bidders.
Under a new head of animal control, that department has made more than a few changes since the beginning of April. The entire staff is new; the every-other-month, discount-priced spay and neuter clinic has been stopped, but the shelter is now open for a few hours the last Saturday of the month to try to adopt more unwanted animals. And instead of being cremated at a cost of $400 to $700 a month, dead animals are now taken to Two Pines, the landfill in Jacksonville where they are buried at a cost of $60 a ton.
Depending upon your point of view, the changes could be good or bad. Jason Ellerbee, the head of Cabot Animal Control for two and a half months said it’s just the way things are now.
“It’s just change,” Ellerbee said Friday. “There’s somebody new with a new way of doing things.”
Mayor Eddie Joe Williams wanted to stop using the incinerator a year ago after he learned how much it cost to operate and that the city wasn’t the only one using it. For a time, Ward used it free of charge and so did the Lonoke County Humane Society.
But it remained in use until after Sandra Graham, the former head of animal control who opposed taking the dead animals to the landfill, was asked to resign. When she left, so did the other two women who worked there.
The last big, spay and neuter clinic at the animal shelter was in May. Ellerbee said employees had to volunteer their time for the clinic which often lasted until 8 p.m. They also had to provide food for other volunteers and they had to keep answering calls while trying to assist with the clinic.
“It was a logistical nightmare,” he said.
About 120 animals were spayed or neutered at a reduced cost every time the clinic was held.
Since the clinic was held every other month, the average number of pets spayed or neutered was 60 a month.
Now, reduced-cost spaying and neutering provided by High Hopes Veterinary Clinic is limited to 10 per month on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ellerbee said there are no restrictions for the service except that only Cabot residents are eligible. There were no residency restrictions before.
Ellerbee said once the decision was made to discontinue the spay and neuter clinic, local veterinarians were asked if they would like to fill the void. Only High Hopes Veterinary Clinic responded.
Jerrel Maxwell, the city’s head of public works and Ellerbee’s supervisor, said the city got a permit to take the dead animals to the landfill because cremating them cost too much.
“It got very expensive for us for a while,” Maxwell said. “We were having to fire that thing up far too many times for the number of animals we put down (about 1,000 a year).”
Ellerbee said he takes dead animals to the landfill once a month. Since $60 a ton is the minimum charge, the city bought a larger freezer to store the bodies, and a small dump truck is used to haul them.
Leader staff writer
The incinerator that Cabot used for nine years to dispose of dead dogs and cats from animal control is up for auction at www.GovDeals.com with a starting price of $2,000. The auction ends Sunday, and at press time there were no bidders.
Under a new head of animal control, that department has made more than a few changes since the beginning of April. The entire staff is new; the every-other-month, discount-priced spay and neuter clinic has been stopped, but the shelter is now open for a few hours the last Saturday of the month to try to adopt more unwanted animals. And instead of being cremated at a cost of $400 to $700 a month, dead animals are now taken to Two Pines, the landfill in Jacksonville where they are buried at a cost of $60 a ton.
Depending upon your point of view, the changes could be good or bad. Jason Ellerbee, the head of Cabot Animal Control for two and a half months said it’s just the way things are now.
“It’s just change,” Ellerbee said Friday. “There’s somebody new with a new way of doing things.”
Mayor Eddie Joe Williams wanted to stop using the incinerator a year ago after he learned how much it cost to operate and that the city wasn’t the only one using it. For a time, Ward used it free of charge and so did the Lonoke County Humane Society.
But it remained in use until after Sandra Graham, the former head of animal control who opposed taking the dead animals to the landfill, was asked to resign. When she left, so did the other two women who worked there.
The last big, spay and neuter clinic at the animal shelter was in May. Ellerbee said employees had to volunteer their time for the clinic which often lasted until 8 p.m. They also had to provide food for other volunteers and they had to keep answering calls while trying to assist with the clinic.
“It was a logistical nightmare,” he said.
About 120 animals were spayed or neutered at a reduced cost every time the clinic was held.
Since the clinic was held every other month, the average number of pets spayed or neutered was 60 a month.
Now, reduced-cost spaying and neutering provided by High Hopes Veterinary Clinic is limited to 10 per month on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ellerbee said there are no restrictions for the service except that only Cabot residents are eligible. There were no residency restrictions before.
Ellerbee said once the decision was made to discontinue the spay and neuter clinic, local veterinarians were asked if they would like to fill the void. Only High Hopes Veterinary Clinic responded.
Jerrel Maxwell, the city’s head of public works and Ellerbee’s supervisor, said the city got a permit to take the dead animals to the landfill because cremating them cost too much.
“It got very expensive for us for a while,” Maxwell said. “We were having to fire that thing up far too many times for the number of animals we put down (about 1,000 a year).”
Ellerbee said he takes dead animals to the landfill once a month. Since $60 a ton is the minimum charge, the city bought a larger freezer to store the bodies, and a small dump truck is used to haul them.
TOP STORY > >Glover against giving pardon to young killer
By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
A Furlow man’s petition for clemency from the governor has caught the attention of State Sen. Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle, who urged the governor in a letter written Thursday to say no.
Heath Stocks, who was sentenced to life in prison in 1997, hopes the governor will commute his sentence to years so that he may someday be eligible for parole.
“I am writing this letter to advise you that I am opposed to the granting of executive clemency for Heath Stocks. I understand that Mr. Stocks’ petition for clemency was received by your office on Jan. 28, 2008, and you have until Sept. 19, 2008, to make a decision,” Glover wrote.
“As you know, Mr. Stocks is currently serving a life sentence without parole for killing his mother, father and younger sister in 1997. Constituents in my district that have contacted me are strongly opposed to the granting of clemency for Mr. Stocks due to the fact he committed such a horrible and heinous crime.
“It is my understanding that the parole board has gone on record stating that Mr. Stock’s petition is without merit. As a state senator, I feel it is incumbent on me to go on record and express my opposition to clemency for Mr. Stocks,” he wrote.
Matt Decample, spokesman for the governor, said Friday that the governor has not yet acted on Stocks’ petition because of the sheer number of requests he receives.
“It’s just a question of volume,” Decample said. “Essentially, we’re just now getting to those requests received in late ’07. It’s the manpower; it’s not the nature of his request.”
Stocks, 31, is incarcerated at the Tucker Maximum Security Unit near Pine Bluff.
His appeal is his second since he pleaded guilty to the January 1997 murders or Joe, Barbara and Heather Stocks and was sentenced without a trial to life without the possibility of parole.
But he testified later during the victim-impact hearing for convicted rapist Charles A. “Jack” Walls III of Lonoke that he was under the influence of Walls and killed his parents and sister because Walls told him to.
Stocks told Lonoke Circuit Judge Lance Hanshaw that Walls had sexually abused him since he was 10 years old.
He said Walls always said that “if you had a problem you should kill it.”
And when he told Walls that he told his mother about their relationship, Walls told him to “take care of the problem.”
Walls, a Boy Scout leader who pleaded guilty to raping five boys under 14 years of age and no contest to raping Stocks, was sentenced to life plus 90 years. Walls is held at the East Arkansas Regional Unit at Brickeys in Lee County.
Whether Stocks’ claim that Walls told him to kill his family is true has not been proven, because the sheriff’s department did not investigate it.
Stocks testified during the victim-impact hearing that his public defender told him to keep his relationship with Walls “under his hat.”
Leader staff writer
A Furlow man’s petition for clemency from the governor has caught the attention of State Sen. Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle, who urged the governor in a letter written Thursday to say no.
Heath Stocks, who was sentenced to life in prison in 1997, hopes the governor will commute his sentence to years so that he may someday be eligible for parole.
“I am writing this letter to advise you that I am opposed to the granting of executive clemency for Heath Stocks. I understand that Mr. Stocks’ petition for clemency was received by your office on Jan. 28, 2008, and you have until Sept. 19, 2008, to make a decision,” Glover wrote.
“As you know, Mr. Stocks is currently serving a life sentence without parole for killing his mother, father and younger sister in 1997. Constituents in my district that have contacted me are strongly opposed to the granting of clemency for Mr. Stocks due to the fact he committed such a horrible and heinous crime.
“It is my understanding that the parole board has gone on record stating that Mr. Stock’s petition is without merit. As a state senator, I feel it is incumbent on me to go on record and express my opposition to clemency for Mr. Stocks,” he wrote.
Matt Decample, spokesman for the governor, said Friday that the governor has not yet acted on Stocks’ petition because of the sheer number of requests he receives.
“It’s just a question of volume,” Decample said. “Essentially, we’re just now getting to those requests received in late ’07. It’s the manpower; it’s not the nature of his request.”
Stocks, 31, is incarcerated at the Tucker Maximum Security Unit near Pine Bluff.
His appeal is his second since he pleaded guilty to the January 1997 murders or Joe, Barbara and Heather Stocks and was sentenced without a trial to life without the possibility of parole.
But he testified later during the victim-impact hearing for convicted rapist Charles A. “Jack” Walls III of Lonoke that he was under the influence of Walls and killed his parents and sister because Walls told him to.
Stocks told Lonoke Circuit Judge Lance Hanshaw that Walls had sexually abused him since he was 10 years old.
He said Walls always said that “if you had a problem you should kill it.”
And when he told Walls that he told his mother about their relationship, Walls told him to “take care of the problem.”
Walls, a Boy Scout leader who pleaded guilty to raping five boys under 14 years of age and no contest to raping Stocks, was sentenced to life plus 90 years. Walls is held at the East Arkansas Regional Unit at Brickeys in Lee County.
Whether Stocks’ claim that Walls told him to kill his family is true has not been proven, because the sheriff’s department did not investigate it.
Stocks testified during the victim-impact hearing that his public defender told him to keep his relationship with Walls “under his hat.”
TOP STORY > >Board member, principal feud
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader senior staff writer
No love is lost between Pulaski County School Board member Bill Vasquez and Jacksonville Boys Middle School principal Mike Nellums.
Nellums, the gender-specific middle schools and the site-based council concept are ground zero in a struggle where Vasquez would have Nellums replaced, make the schools coeducational again and largely run by the site-based council, which is controlled by the teachers and their union.
Nellums insists Vasquez is a tool of the teachers’ union, a man who attacks him in emails to other board members and to the Pulaski Association of Classroom Teachers.
Vasquez says the middle schools are failing because of the lack of leadership by Nellums and girls school principal Kim Forrest, and he wants to replace both of them.
Nellums, initially skeptical of gender-specific education, now says great strides have been made by students in that system and says five years of data and scores are needed to make a reasonable determination of its efficacy.
“He talks about our less-than-stellar (middle school test) scores, but the scores from Jacksonville fifth grades—the students coming into the middle schools—are 20, 30 or 40 points lower than the district as a whole,” Nellums said.
“When I came to this school, 9 percent of students were proficient or better in eighth-grade math and 11 percent in literacy.
That’s what we had when we were one big happy family. Math is now 19 percent and language is 40 percent.
Vasquez envisions both current Jacksonville middle schools in a single, new building, under new leadership and under the site-based council currently in place at the Jacksonville Girls Middle School.
Nellums says that even if the two existing middle schools were to share a building, core classes should remain gender specific, at least until there are sufficient data to track the progress of single-gender education. He, of course, believes he and Forrest should remain the principals of the boys and the girls schools and doesn’t want a site-based council making the important decisions at the boys’ school.
“If I had a franchise and it was losing money, I’d change the leadership,” Vasquez said. “Everybody’s job in the district is to give teachers what they need to educate the children.”
Nellums has been outspoken in suggesting that the teachers’ union dominates site-based councils, propping up those teachers who are lazy and stripping administrators of their authority.
Vasquez counters by saying that no one knows better than the teachers what’s needed in the schools. He said that it is fiscally wrong to operate two buildings, when there are students enough for just one. He said that’s particularly true with duplication of some services and with the energy costs of operating two separate buildings.
At the June PCSSD board meeting, frustrated by Superintendent James Sharpe’s refusal to put his proposal on the agenda, Vasquez tried to suspend the rules during the board-member comment period toward the end of the meeting to consider middle school reorganization for next year. Board president Charlie Wood seconded his motion, which died by a 4-2 vote.
“July 1 is the deadline to reconfigure the schools for the 2008-2009 school year,” Vasquez said.
“If we wanted to build a new middle school, the boys and girls schools were going to have to be combined in the boys building long enough to tear down the girls’ school and construct a new building,” Vasquez said.
“When 149 parents from the district came to us in May and said they wanted to reconfigure the middle schools, we should listen,” he said.
Parents like site-based schools, he said. “They are not being heard by the district.”
During the public-comment portion of the meeting, Nellums said that 149 people out of a town of 29,000 were hardly a mandate. Vasquez said that represents students from 149 families who will not attend the middle schools.
Vasquez said that any doubts he had about the need for a separate Jacksonville school district have been pretty well erased by the indifference that the administration and some of the board members have shown for the Jacksonville students and community.
“The district has shown us nothing but disrespect,” he said.
“I see the pluses of a separate school district but also, you lose the economy of scale of a larger district,” Vasquez said.
Not only would Jacksonville be responsible, in a new district, for paying for at least two new buildings, it would have to hire new administration, teachers, support staff—and employees always have the right to organize, he added.
Vasquez says Jacksonville can probably afford its own district. He figures it will cost roughly $50 million to run.
It could expect $8 million-$9 million from the existing millage, $36 million from state minimum foundation aid—the roughly $5,700 that follows each student to his or her public school district—and $10 million in Title I and National School Lunch Assistance. That’s about $54 million.
Not only would Vasquez like to see both middle schools combined or at least rolled into one building, he said Tuesday that both North Pulaski and Jacksonville high schools could be combined into one building.
“We could close down two old ones and replace them with two state-of-the-art buildings.
“We are dropping 50 kids each year since single-gender education has been in place,” Vasquez said.
The core curriculum is supposed to be taught in the gender-specific classes and electives are supposed to be coeducational, Vasquez said, but “the teacher training didn’t happen.”
That may be the one thing Vasquez and Nellums agree upon.
“I was skeptical initially,” Nellums said of gender-specific education, intended to take advantage of the different ways boys and girls that age learn. “I don’t think there was enough planning or that the faculty was adequately trained. We’ve learned how boys learn and accomplished a lot without much assistance from the district.”
Vasquez has said that measuring by test scores, the experiment has failed.
Nellums says the test scores in his school have increased dramatically, with limited resources, while serving a high poverty school-age population and a high special-needs population.
Nellums said that from their sixth-grade year to their eighth grade years, the percentage of students proficient in math increased from 16 percent to 45 percent—students were three times more likely to be proficient in math.
Twenty percent of the students at the boys school are in special education, but because of the so-called “no-child-left-behind” mandate, still counted when determining what percentage of the students are performing at least adequately.
Just 80 percent of the school-age population has an above average chance of being proficient.
“The Pulaski Association of Classroom Teachers worked hard to get (Bishop James) Bolden out and (Vasquez) in. The people of this community would prefer higher educational standards over whether the union is satisfied,” Nellums said.
“There is no doubt that site-based councils are a tool of the union. There is not one iota of evidence that scores improve significantly in any school where they lead,” Nellums added.
Nellums says Vasquez sends libelous emails about him and Forrest to school board members and to PACT officials. “I don’t appreciate that.”
Nellums said Vasquez wouldn’t talk with him or visit the school.
Vasquez said Tuesday that he hadn’t been invited, but Nellums said Vasquez had been invited to come talk to the teachers at his school.
Leader senior staff writer
No love is lost between Pulaski County School Board member Bill Vasquez and Jacksonville Boys Middle School principal Mike Nellums.
Nellums, the gender-specific middle schools and the site-based council concept are ground zero in a struggle where Vasquez would have Nellums replaced, make the schools coeducational again and largely run by the site-based council, which is controlled by the teachers and their union.
Nellums insists Vasquez is a tool of the teachers’ union, a man who attacks him in emails to other board members and to the Pulaski Association of Classroom Teachers.
Vasquez says the middle schools are failing because of the lack of leadership by Nellums and girls school principal Kim Forrest, and he wants to replace both of them.
Nellums, initially skeptical of gender-specific education, now says great strides have been made by students in that system and says five years of data and scores are needed to make a reasonable determination of its efficacy.
“He talks about our less-than-stellar (middle school test) scores, but the scores from Jacksonville fifth grades—the students coming into the middle schools—are 20, 30 or 40 points lower than the district as a whole,” Nellums said.
“When I came to this school, 9 percent of students were proficient or better in eighth-grade math and 11 percent in literacy.
That’s what we had when we were one big happy family. Math is now 19 percent and language is 40 percent.
Vasquez envisions both current Jacksonville middle schools in a single, new building, under new leadership and under the site-based council currently in place at the Jacksonville Girls Middle School.
Nellums says that even if the two existing middle schools were to share a building, core classes should remain gender specific, at least until there are sufficient data to track the progress of single-gender education. He, of course, believes he and Forrest should remain the principals of the boys and the girls schools and doesn’t want a site-based council making the important decisions at the boys’ school.
“If I had a franchise and it was losing money, I’d change the leadership,” Vasquez said. “Everybody’s job in the district is to give teachers what they need to educate the children.”
Nellums has been outspoken in suggesting that the teachers’ union dominates site-based councils, propping up those teachers who are lazy and stripping administrators of their authority.
Vasquez counters by saying that no one knows better than the teachers what’s needed in the schools. He said that it is fiscally wrong to operate two buildings, when there are students enough for just one. He said that’s particularly true with duplication of some services and with the energy costs of operating two separate buildings.
At the June PCSSD board meeting, frustrated by Superintendent James Sharpe’s refusal to put his proposal on the agenda, Vasquez tried to suspend the rules during the board-member comment period toward the end of the meeting to consider middle school reorganization for next year. Board president Charlie Wood seconded his motion, which died by a 4-2 vote.
“July 1 is the deadline to reconfigure the schools for the 2008-2009 school year,” Vasquez said.
“If we wanted to build a new middle school, the boys and girls schools were going to have to be combined in the boys building long enough to tear down the girls’ school and construct a new building,” Vasquez said.
“When 149 parents from the district came to us in May and said they wanted to reconfigure the middle schools, we should listen,” he said.
Parents like site-based schools, he said. “They are not being heard by the district.”
During the public-comment portion of the meeting, Nellums said that 149 people out of a town of 29,000 were hardly a mandate. Vasquez said that represents students from 149 families who will not attend the middle schools.
Vasquez said that any doubts he had about the need for a separate Jacksonville school district have been pretty well erased by the indifference that the administration and some of the board members have shown for the Jacksonville students and community.
“The district has shown us nothing but disrespect,” he said.
“I see the pluses of a separate school district but also, you lose the economy of scale of a larger district,” Vasquez said.
Not only would Jacksonville be responsible, in a new district, for paying for at least two new buildings, it would have to hire new administration, teachers, support staff—and employees always have the right to organize, he added.
Vasquez says Jacksonville can probably afford its own district. He figures it will cost roughly $50 million to run.
It could expect $8 million-$9 million from the existing millage, $36 million from state minimum foundation aid—the roughly $5,700 that follows each student to his or her public school district—and $10 million in Title I and National School Lunch Assistance. That’s about $54 million.
Not only would Vasquez like to see both middle schools combined or at least rolled into one building, he said Tuesday that both North Pulaski and Jacksonville high schools could be combined into one building.
“We could close down two old ones and replace them with two state-of-the-art buildings.
“We are dropping 50 kids each year since single-gender education has been in place,” Vasquez said.
The core curriculum is supposed to be taught in the gender-specific classes and electives are supposed to be coeducational, Vasquez said, but “the teacher training didn’t happen.”
That may be the one thing Vasquez and Nellums agree upon.
“I was skeptical initially,” Nellums said of gender-specific education, intended to take advantage of the different ways boys and girls that age learn. “I don’t think there was enough planning or that the faculty was adequately trained. We’ve learned how boys learn and accomplished a lot without much assistance from the district.”
Vasquez has said that measuring by test scores, the experiment has failed.
Nellums says the test scores in his school have increased dramatically, with limited resources, while serving a high poverty school-age population and a high special-needs population.
Nellums said that from their sixth-grade year to their eighth grade years, the percentage of students proficient in math increased from 16 percent to 45 percent—students were three times more likely to be proficient in math.
Twenty percent of the students at the boys school are in special education, but because of the so-called “no-child-left-behind” mandate, still counted when determining what percentage of the students are performing at least adequately.
Just 80 percent of the school-age population has an above average chance of being proficient.
“The Pulaski Association of Classroom Teachers worked hard to get (Bishop James) Bolden out and (Vasquez) in. The people of this community would prefer higher educational standards over whether the union is satisfied,” Nellums said.
“There is no doubt that site-based councils are a tool of the union. There is not one iota of evidence that scores improve significantly in any school where they lead,” Nellums added.
Nellums says Vasquez sends libelous emails about him and Forrest to school board members and to PACT officials. “I don’t appreciate that.”
Nellums said Vasquez wouldn’t talk with him or visit the school.
Vasquez said Tuesday that he hadn’t been invited, but Nellums said Vasquez had been invited to come talk to the teachers at his school.
SPORTS>>Russellville routs Cabot before break
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
It might have been the perfect time for Cabot to take a few days off.
Community Bank’s ‘AAA’ Legion baseball team headed into a 5-day layoff with a 12-1 pasting at the hands of Russellville on Wednesday night at Conrade Field.
The tale of this one can be told by the numbers: Cabot collected only two hits, while committing five errors, hitting six batters and issuing four walks. Russellville scored in every inning.
The game began with a Cabot error, whichprovided a preview of things to come. One single and two hit batsmen later, and Russellville was on the board with a 1-0 lead.
Cabot sent three harmless ground balls to the second baseman in its half of the first, before Russellville parlayed three singles and two Cabot errors into three more runs in the second.
Sam Bates drew a leadoff walk in the second, but was cut down between second and third base after Ben Wainright’s sacrifice bunt. That cost Community Bank a run as Matt Evans delivered one of the few solid blows all game — a ringing triple into the left field corner.
Three more singles and another Cabot error in the third extended the lead to 6-0. That grew to 10-0 when Russellville added four more runs on just one hit in the fourth.
There was a frightening moment in the top of the fifth when a Russellville batter sent a rocket back to the mound. Reliever Andrew Reynolds appeared never to see it, but it went right into his glove.
Cabot avoided the shutout in the fifth when Jeffrey Cooper delivered a pinch single to drive in Reynolds.
Russellville picked up 10 hits in the contest.
Community Bank returns to action Monday at Maumelle.
Leader sports editor
It might have been the perfect time for Cabot to take a few days off.
Community Bank’s ‘AAA’ Legion baseball team headed into a 5-day layoff with a 12-1 pasting at the hands of Russellville on Wednesday night at Conrade Field.
The tale of this one can be told by the numbers: Cabot collected only two hits, while committing five errors, hitting six batters and issuing four walks. Russellville scored in every inning.
The game began with a Cabot error, whichprovided a preview of things to come. One single and two hit batsmen later, and Russellville was on the board with a 1-0 lead.
Cabot sent three harmless ground balls to the second baseman in its half of the first, before Russellville parlayed three singles and two Cabot errors into three more runs in the second.
Sam Bates drew a leadoff walk in the second, but was cut down between second and third base after Ben Wainright’s sacrifice bunt. That cost Community Bank a run as Matt Evans delivered one of the few solid blows all game — a ringing triple into the left field corner.
Three more singles and another Cabot error in the third extended the lead to 6-0. That grew to 10-0 when Russellville added four more runs on just one hit in the fourth.
There was a frightening moment in the top of the fifth when a Russellville batter sent a rocket back to the mound. Reliever Andrew Reynolds appeared never to see it, but it went right into his glove.
Cabot avoided the shutout in the fifth when Jeffrey Cooper delivered a pinch single to drive in Reynolds.
Russellville picked up 10 hits in the contest.
Community Bank returns to action Monday at Maumelle.
SPORTS>>Russellville routs Cabot before break
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
It might have been the perfect time for Cabot to take a few days off.
Community Bank’s ‘AAA’ Legion baseball team headed into a 5-day layoff with a 12-1 pasting at the hands of Russellville on Wednesday night at Conrade Field.
The tale of this one can be told by the numbers: Cabot collected only two hits, while committing five errors, hitting six batters and issuing four walks. Russellville scored in every inning.
The game began with a Cabot error, whichprovided a preview of things to come. One single and two hit batsmen later, and Russellville was on the board with a 1-0 lead.
Cabot sent three harmless ground balls to the second baseman in its half of the first, before Russellville parlayed three singles and two Cabot errors into three more runs in the second.
Sam Bates drew a leadoff walk in the second, but was cut down between second and third base after Ben Wainright’s sacrifice bunt. That cost Community Bank a run as Matt Evans delivered one of the few solid blows all game — a ringing triple into the left field corner.
Three more singles and another Cabot error in the third extended the lead to 6-0. That grew to 10-0 when Russellville added four more runs on just one hit in the fourth.
There was a frightening moment in the top of the fifth when a Russellville batter sent a rocket back to the mound. Reliever Andrew Reynolds appeared never to see it, but it went right into his glove.
Cabot avoided the shutout in the fifth when Jeffrey Cooper delivered a pinch single to drive in Reynolds.
Russellville picked up 10 hits in the contest.
Community Bank returns to action Monday at Maumelle.
Leader sports editor
It might have been the perfect time for Cabot to take a few days off.
Community Bank’s ‘AAA’ Legion baseball team headed into a 5-day layoff with a 12-1 pasting at the hands of Russellville on Wednesday night at Conrade Field.
The tale of this one can be told by the numbers: Cabot collected only two hits, while committing five errors, hitting six batters and issuing four walks. Russellville scored in every inning.
The game began with a Cabot error, whichprovided a preview of things to come. One single and two hit batsmen later, and Russellville was on the board with a 1-0 lead.
Cabot sent three harmless ground balls to the second baseman in its half of the first, before Russellville parlayed three singles and two Cabot errors into three more runs in the second.
Sam Bates drew a leadoff walk in the second, but was cut down between second and third base after Ben Wainright’s sacrifice bunt. That cost Community Bank a run as Matt Evans delivered one of the few solid blows all game — a ringing triple into the left field corner.
Three more singles and another Cabot error in the third extended the lead to 6-0. That grew to 10-0 when Russellville added four more runs on just one hit in the fourth.
There was a frightening moment in the top of the fifth when a Russellville batter sent a rocket back to the mound. Reliever Andrew Reynolds appeared never to see it, but it went right into his glove.
Cabot avoided the shutout in the fifth when Jeffrey Cooper delivered a pinch single to drive in Reynolds.
Russellville picked up 10 hits in the contest.
Community Bank returns to action Monday at Maumelle.
SPORTS>> Lonoke star adds honor to resume
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Lonoke’s Bradley Spencer capped off his high-school basketball career in style in Fayetteville this week by winning the Arvest Most Valuable Player award at the East-West All-Star game at Bud Walton Arena on Thursday night.
Spencer led the East squad with 16 points, and pulled down six rebounds, dished out six assists and made two steals in a 106-102 win over the West.
Spencer made 6 of 7 shots. His only miss came on a botched dunk attempt — the rest were all net.
It wasn’t like Spencer had the task of carrying the team. His teammates included fellow state championship MVP players John Ukadike of Catholic and Rose Bud’s ZachProthro. They had solid games themselves with nine points each, but Spencer’s dominant performance put him in the state spotlight for the second time in the past four months.
“Everybody had the same ability out there,” said the Harding University signee, who led the Jackrabbits to a state title back in March in Hot Springs, and earned MVP honors in that game as well. “We were all there to play and have fun. We all came out and everybody was juiced for the game. There was a lot of equal talent out there, so it was all up for grabs.”
Spencer said that while he may already be a Bison and is looking forward to playing at rowdy Rhodes Field House in Searcy, he enjoyed reveling in the tradition and glitz of Bud Walton Arena.
“It felt good to walk out on that court,” Spencer said. “I’ve always seen games there on TV, but had never played there. It just felt good to play on the same court as some of the Razorback players I grew up watching.”
As for the missed jam, which was reminiscent of a breakaway gone bad during the ’Rabbits first-round regional game against Highland in February, Spencer says he hopes to have his showboating skills down a little more solid before he wears the black and gold this winter.
“I got hung,” Spencer joked. “That’s the second one I’ve missed in a game like that. I’m going to have to work on that.”
He also says the comradeship among the players made the night even more special.
“Guys were coming up to me and saying, ‘Good job, boy,’ and stuff like that,” he said. “I knew a couple of those guys already.
We were basically giving each other thanks and congratulations when it was over. I had a lot of fun.”
Leader sportswriter
Lonoke’s Bradley Spencer capped off his high-school basketball career in style in Fayetteville this week by winning the Arvest Most Valuable Player award at the East-West All-Star game at Bud Walton Arena on Thursday night.
Spencer led the East squad with 16 points, and pulled down six rebounds, dished out six assists and made two steals in a 106-102 win over the West.
Spencer made 6 of 7 shots. His only miss came on a botched dunk attempt — the rest were all net.
It wasn’t like Spencer had the task of carrying the team. His teammates included fellow state championship MVP players John Ukadike of Catholic and Rose Bud’s ZachProthro. They had solid games themselves with nine points each, but Spencer’s dominant performance put him in the state spotlight for the second time in the past four months.
“Everybody had the same ability out there,” said the Harding University signee, who led the Jackrabbits to a state title back in March in Hot Springs, and earned MVP honors in that game as well. “We were all there to play and have fun. We all came out and everybody was juiced for the game. There was a lot of equal talent out there, so it was all up for grabs.”
Spencer said that while he may already be a Bison and is looking forward to playing at rowdy Rhodes Field House in Searcy, he enjoyed reveling in the tradition and glitz of Bud Walton Arena.
“It felt good to walk out on that court,” Spencer said. “I’ve always seen games there on TV, but had never played there. It just felt good to play on the same court as some of the Razorback players I grew up watching.”
As for the missed jam, which was reminiscent of a breakaway gone bad during the ’Rabbits first-round regional game against Highland in February, Spencer says he hopes to have his showboating skills down a little more solid before he wears the black and gold this winter.
“I got hung,” Spencer joked. “That’s the second one I’ve missed in a game like that. I’m going to have to work on that.”
He also says the comradeship among the players made the night even more special.
“Guys were coming up to me and saying, ‘Good job, boy,’ and stuff like that,” he said. “I knew a couple of those guys already.
We were basically giving each other thanks and congratulations when it was over. I had a lot of fun.”
SPORTS>> Lonoke star adds honor to resume
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Lonoke’s Bradley Spencer capped off his high-school basketball career in style in Fayetteville this week by winning the Arvest Most Valuable Player award at the East-West All-Star game at Bud Walton Arena on Thursday night.
Spencer led the East squad with 16 points, and pulled down six rebounds, dished out six assists and made two steals in a 106-102 win over the West.
Spencer made 6 of 7 shots. His only miss came on a botched dunk attempt — the rest were all net.
It wasn’t like Spencer had the task of carrying the team. His teammates included fellow state championship MVP players John Ukadike of Catholic and Rose Bud’s ZachProthro. They had solid games themselves with nine points each, but Spencer’s dominant performance put him in the state spotlight for the second time in the past four months.
“Everybody had the same ability out there,” said the Harding University signee, who led the Jackrabbits to a state title back in March in Hot Springs, and earned MVP honors in that game as well. “We were all there to play and have fun. We all came out and everybody was juiced for the game. There was a lot of equal talent out there, so it was all up for grabs.”
Spencer said that while he may already be a Bison and is looking forward to playing at rowdy Rhodes Field House in Searcy, he enjoyed reveling in the tradition and glitz of Bud Walton Arena.
“It felt good to walk out on that court,” Spencer said. “I’ve always seen games there on TV, but had never played there. It just felt good to play on the same court as some of the Razorback players I grew up watching.”
As for the missed jam, which was reminiscent of a breakaway gone bad during the ’Rabbits first-round regional game against Highland in February, Spencer says he hopes to have his showboating skills down a little more solid before he wears the black and gold this winter.
“I got hung,” Spencer joked. “That’s the second one I’ve missed in a game like that. I’m going to have to work on that.”
He also says the comradeship among the players made the night even more special.
“Guys were coming up to me and saying, ‘Good job, boy,’ and stuff like that,” he said. “I knew a couple of those guys already.
We were basically giving each other thanks and congratulations when it was over. I had a lot of fun.”
Leader sportswriter
Lonoke’s Bradley Spencer capped off his high-school basketball career in style in Fayetteville this week by winning the Arvest Most Valuable Player award at the East-West All-Star game at Bud Walton Arena on Thursday night.
Spencer led the East squad with 16 points, and pulled down six rebounds, dished out six assists and made two steals in a 106-102 win over the West.
Spencer made 6 of 7 shots. His only miss came on a botched dunk attempt — the rest were all net.
It wasn’t like Spencer had the task of carrying the team. His teammates included fellow state championship MVP players John Ukadike of Catholic and Rose Bud’s ZachProthro. They had solid games themselves with nine points each, but Spencer’s dominant performance put him in the state spotlight for the second time in the past four months.
“Everybody had the same ability out there,” said the Harding University signee, who led the Jackrabbits to a state title back in March in Hot Springs, and earned MVP honors in that game as well. “We were all there to play and have fun. We all came out and everybody was juiced for the game. There was a lot of equal talent out there, so it was all up for grabs.”
Spencer said that while he may already be a Bison and is looking forward to playing at rowdy Rhodes Field House in Searcy, he enjoyed reveling in the tradition and glitz of Bud Walton Arena.
“It felt good to walk out on that court,” Spencer said. “I’ve always seen games there on TV, but had never played there. It just felt good to play on the same court as some of the Razorback players I grew up watching.”
As for the missed jam, which was reminiscent of a breakaway gone bad during the ’Rabbits first-round regional game against Highland in February, Spencer says he hopes to have his showboating skills down a little more solid before he wears the black and gold this winter.
“I got hung,” Spencer joked. “That’s the second one I’ve missed in a game like that. I’m going to have to work on that.”
He also says the comradeship among the players made the night even more special.
“Guys were coming up to me and saying, ‘Good job, boy,’ and stuff like that,” he said. “I knew a couple of those guys already.
We were basically giving each other thanks and congratulations when it was over. I had a lot of fun.”
SPORTS>> There’s no match for Benton again
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
The last time anyone did what Nicklaus Benton did on Thursday morning, Richard Nixon was president and gas was 50 cents a gallon.
Benton, the senior-to-be golf sensation from Cabot, became the first golfer since Doug Ward in 1973-74 to win back-to-back ASGA Junior Match Play championships when he beat up-and-comer Matt Mabrey 3 and 1 at Foxwood Country Club.
“I had glanced at the trophy, but I didn’t really take that into account,” Benton said of becoming the first repeat winner in 34 years. “Now that I realize it, it means a lot.”
Three weeks ago, Benton probably wasn’t too excited about his chances of a repeat performance. His game was out of whack, his wedge game was struggling and his balance was off.
But coach R.D. Roulston went to work on him and tweaked a few things. It worked.
“My tempo was way off,” Benton admitted. “Mr. R.D. got my balance going and my weight transfer going and it finally started to kick in.”
Benton was solid tee to green on Thursday, making three bogeys, but five birdies over 16 holes. He had a 4-footer for another on 17 when Mabrey conceded.
His final birdie of the day — on 16 — was the most dramatic, even though it took most of the rest of the drama out of the match. Two up with three to go, Benton appeared to be in trouble just off the back of the green while Mabrey had a 3-footer for birdie. A win for Mabrey on the hole would have narrowed Benton’s lead to one with two holes left.
“I told my brother (caddy Colby Benton) right before I hit it, ‘Colby, I’m going to land it just short of the green and it’s going to roll up and go it,” Benton said.
Which is precisely what happened. Benton began raising his wedge skyward as the ball tracked toward the cup and in.
That put the match at dormie, meaning Mabrey would have had to win the final two holes to send it to a playoff. But Benton took no chances, lofting a soft wedge to within four feet of the hole on 17. When Mabrey’s 25-foot putt for birdie missed, he conceded the hole and the match.
It was Benton’s 14th round in 16 days, but fatigue never seemed to be a factor. Asked if, like Tiger Woods, he planned on taking a little time off, Benton laughed.
“I’ve got some work to do to catch up to Tiger,” said the 2007 ASGA Junior Player of the Year. “But, no, I want to keep going. It’s a lot of golf, but I enjoy it.”
Mabrey, a 15-year-old who plays for Little Rock Catholic, birdied the first hole to take a 1-up lead, but Benton evened it with a birdie of his own on two.
He missed a short par putt on three to fall behind again, but Mabrey returned the favor with a short miss on four, and the match remained even until a rare bad chip on eight led to Benton’s second bogey of the day as he went one down again.
But the match swung over the next three holes, thanks to a pair of wayward shots by Mabrey and a magnificent approach by Benton. Mabrey tried to cut too much off the sharp dogleg right ninth hole and left his tee shot in the woods. He had to play out into the fairway on his second and left his third shot some 15 feet away.
Meanwhile, Benton had about the same length for birdie. Mabrey bogeyed and the match was even heading to the back nine.
Benton hit the shot of the day on 10 after his drive landed on the hardpan near the cart path along the right side of the fairway. He picked it clean and knocked a wedge stiff, finishing it off with a 10-foot birdie to claim a 1-up lead.
“That stuff is like rock,” Benton said of the hardpan lie. “It’s pretty much like hitting off a cart path. I just choked down on a wedge and got a good bounce.”
Mabrey then sprayed his tee shot on the par 3 11th into the greenside hazard and took double-bogey to fall into a 2-down hole.
Both players birdied the par-5, 12th and Mabrey had a good chance to cut the lead to one on 13. But he missed a 6-footer.
Benton’s bogey on 14 did tighten the match, but Mabrey lipped out a par putt on 15 to extend Benton’s lead to 2 up with three to go.
Benton had a small gallery following him, which included his mother Shelley, sister Kaylee, girlfriend Ashley Bartels and Roulston. His father, Jack, last year’s ASGA Men’s Player of the Year, was away on business so Shelley spent the morning texting him updates of the match.
“I wish my dad could have been here,” Benton said in the post-match ceremony. “He always wanted me to play golf. I also want to thank coach Roulston for a couple of swing changes he made.”
Benton, who was also being followed by Arkansas-Little Rock golf coach Wyn Norwood, said the only complaint he had about his game was his iron play, which he labeled, “pathetic.”
“But match play is all about putting,” he said. “Today, my putter kind of kicked in, and it didn’t really in the first couple of matches. My chipping and putting were as good it’s been ever. Normally, my weakness is my short game.”
Leader sports editor
The last time anyone did what Nicklaus Benton did on Thursday morning, Richard Nixon was president and gas was 50 cents a gallon.
Benton, the senior-to-be golf sensation from Cabot, became the first golfer since Doug Ward in 1973-74 to win back-to-back ASGA Junior Match Play championships when he beat up-and-comer Matt Mabrey 3 and 1 at Foxwood Country Club.
“I had glanced at the trophy, but I didn’t really take that into account,” Benton said of becoming the first repeat winner in 34 years. “Now that I realize it, it means a lot.”
Three weeks ago, Benton probably wasn’t too excited about his chances of a repeat performance. His game was out of whack, his wedge game was struggling and his balance was off.
But coach R.D. Roulston went to work on him and tweaked a few things. It worked.
“My tempo was way off,” Benton admitted. “Mr. R.D. got my balance going and my weight transfer going and it finally started to kick in.”
Benton was solid tee to green on Thursday, making three bogeys, but five birdies over 16 holes. He had a 4-footer for another on 17 when Mabrey conceded.
His final birdie of the day — on 16 — was the most dramatic, even though it took most of the rest of the drama out of the match. Two up with three to go, Benton appeared to be in trouble just off the back of the green while Mabrey had a 3-footer for birdie. A win for Mabrey on the hole would have narrowed Benton’s lead to one with two holes left.
“I told my brother (caddy Colby Benton) right before I hit it, ‘Colby, I’m going to land it just short of the green and it’s going to roll up and go it,” Benton said.
Which is precisely what happened. Benton began raising his wedge skyward as the ball tracked toward the cup and in.
That put the match at dormie, meaning Mabrey would have had to win the final two holes to send it to a playoff. But Benton took no chances, lofting a soft wedge to within four feet of the hole on 17. When Mabrey’s 25-foot putt for birdie missed, he conceded the hole and the match.
It was Benton’s 14th round in 16 days, but fatigue never seemed to be a factor. Asked if, like Tiger Woods, he planned on taking a little time off, Benton laughed.
“I’ve got some work to do to catch up to Tiger,” said the 2007 ASGA Junior Player of the Year. “But, no, I want to keep going. It’s a lot of golf, but I enjoy it.”
Mabrey, a 15-year-old who plays for Little Rock Catholic, birdied the first hole to take a 1-up lead, but Benton evened it with a birdie of his own on two.
He missed a short par putt on three to fall behind again, but Mabrey returned the favor with a short miss on four, and the match remained even until a rare bad chip on eight led to Benton’s second bogey of the day as he went one down again.
But the match swung over the next three holes, thanks to a pair of wayward shots by Mabrey and a magnificent approach by Benton. Mabrey tried to cut too much off the sharp dogleg right ninth hole and left his tee shot in the woods. He had to play out into the fairway on his second and left his third shot some 15 feet away.
Meanwhile, Benton had about the same length for birdie. Mabrey bogeyed and the match was even heading to the back nine.
Benton hit the shot of the day on 10 after his drive landed on the hardpan near the cart path along the right side of the fairway. He picked it clean and knocked a wedge stiff, finishing it off with a 10-foot birdie to claim a 1-up lead.
“That stuff is like rock,” Benton said of the hardpan lie. “It’s pretty much like hitting off a cart path. I just choked down on a wedge and got a good bounce.”
Mabrey then sprayed his tee shot on the par 3 11th into the greenside hazard and took double-bogey to fall into a 2-down hole.
Both players birdied the par-5, 12th and Mabrey had a good chance to cut the lead to one on 13. But he missed a 6-footer.
Benton’s bogey on 14 did tighten the match, but Mabrey lipped out a par putt on 15 to extend Benton’s lead to 2 up with three to go.
Benton had a small gallery following him, which included his mother Shelley, sister Kaylee, girlfriend Ashley Bartels and Roulston. His father, Jack, last year’s ASGA Men’s Player of the Year, was away on business so Shelley spent the morning texting him updates of the match.
“I wish my dad could have been here,” Benton said in the post-match ceremony. “He always wanted me to play golf. I also want to thank coach Roulston for a couple of swing changes he made.”
Benton, who was also being followed by Arkansas-Little Rock golf coach Wyn Norwood, said the only complaint he had about his game was his iron play, which he labeled, “pathetic.”
“But match play is all about putting,” he said. “Today, my putter kind of kicked in, and it didn’t really in the first couple of matches. My chipping and putting were as good it’s been ever. Normally, my weakness is my short game.”
SPORTS>> Gwatney sweeps
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Both Maumelle rallies were furious, but in the end, they were each a run short.
Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet completed a home sweep over the Bulldogs in junior and senior Legion play at Dupree Park on Thursday night.
The junior Chevy boys held off Maumelle for a 5-4 win, while the senior squad had to bring in pitching ace Clayton Fenton during the final inning to secure an 8-7 win.
Fenton recorded a strikeout with the tying run at third base to seal the deal.
There was no shortage of big plays for either team in the offensively-charged finale on Thursday. The game was tied 2-2 before Jacksonville established momentum in the fourth inning.
That momentum did not last, however, as the Bulldogs made up two runs of an 8-5 deficit, and were threatening to tie with a runner at third base before Fenton was able to shut them down.
A pitcher’s duel it was not. Gwatney started the game with Michael Harmon on the hill, who gave way to Stephen Swaggerty in the top of the fourth inning. Swaggerty threw three innings of shutout baseball, but was pulled for Fenton after giving up a double to start the seventh inning.
Fenton, who took a tough loss in Cabot earlier in the week after throwing an outstanding game, forced a pop-up against the first batter he faced, and then struck out Maumelle’s Stracener on a full count to retire the first two batters. But a fielding error allowed a run to score to cut the lead to 8-6.
Another double from the seven-hole hitter narrowed the lead to one, and the runner reached third on a passed ball. Another full-count added to the drama, but Fenton came up with another big strikeout to end the contest.
Maumelle took the initial lead with a two-run effort in the top of the first, but Gwatney leadoff man Adam Ussery scored on a passed ball, and an infield single by Daniel Henard scored Patrick Castleberry to tie it.
A double by the Bulldogs in the top of the second made it 4-2, but RBI doubles by Matt McAnally andCastleberry for Gwatney in the bottom of the second tied it up once more.
Starting Gwatney pitcher Harmon broke the two-run pattern by Maumelle in the top of the third, but the Bulldogs did plate one to go up 5-4. That went unanswered until the bottom of the fourth, when Ussery drove in Tyler Wisdom courtesy of a Maumelle error to tie, and Cameron Hood singled to drive in the go-ahead run.
While relief pitcher Swaggerty was holding off the Bulldog bats in the middle of the game, the Chevy boys added runs in the fifth and sixth innings to extend their lead. Ussery came up with another big hit in the bottom of the fifth with a double that scored Wisdom, and a sacrifice fly by Henard in the sixth allowed Castleberry to tag up at third and make it 8-5.
Castleberry was 2 of 3 with a RBI, and Wisdom also finished 2 of 3. Swaggerty took the win at the mound for Jacksonville.
The junior game started out slow, with Jacksonville holding a 1-0 lead through the first two innings until the Bulldogs answered in the top of the third inning. The bottom of the third inning proved to be the clincher for Gwatney, with a double by Castleberry that scored two runs.
Tommy Sanders got the third RBI of the game moments later on a sacrifice fly that scored Daniel Thurman. Relief pitcher Drew Pierce’s insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Bill Boullon ended up being much needed.
Maumelle made up one run in the fifth, and scored two more in the top of the seventh against new pitcher Daniel Thurman, and had the go-ahead run on the bag before a pop-up saved the win.
Terrell Brown was 2 of 3 for Gwatney, with Jared Toney taking the win on the mound.
BRYANT 20, GWATNEY 6
Scoring eight of their first nine batters was only the tip of the iceberg for the Bryant Blacksox on Wednesday in a 20-6 rout over Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet at Dupree Park in American Legion senior play.
The Chevy boys ended up scattering runs in the five-inning contest, but starting pitcher Brian Thurman and reliever Matt McAnally gave up 13 hits and five walks in the first two frames.
Six of those hits by Bryant came in the top of the first against Thurman, and a pair of home runs in the top of the second inning off of McAnally put the Blacksox at 18 runs, and the game completely out of reach for Jacksonville.
Gwatney did plate its first batter. Adam Ussery led off the game with a double into center, and scored when cleanup hitter Patrick Castleberry singled.
Thurman added a run in the bottom of the third inning when he doubled and came in on Cameron Hood’s sacrifice fly.
Jacksonville needed seven runs to avoid the run-rule in the bottom of the fifth, but fell five short. Hood doubled and was driven in by Daniel Henard, who then came in off a double by Jared Toney. That cut the score to 20-6, but it was as far as the Chevy boys made it.
Henard led Gwatney, going 2 of 3 with an RBI and two runs scored. For Bryant, Haydon was 3 of 4 with 2 RBI, and Knight was 2 of 3 with 3 RBI and a home run.
Leader sportswriter
Both Maumelle rallies were furious, but in the end, they were each a run short.
Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet completed a home sweep over the Bulldogs in junior and senior Legion play at Dupree Park on Thursday night.
The junior Chevy boys held off Maumelle for a 5-4 win, while the senior squad had to bring in pitching ace Clayton Fenton during the final inning to secure an 8-7 win.
Fenton recorded a strikeout with the tying run at third base to seal the deal.
There was no shortage of big plays for either team in the offensively-charged finale on Thursday. The game was tied 2-2 before Jacksonville established momentum in the fourth inning.
That momentum did not last, however, as the Bulldogs made up two runs of an 8-5 deficit, and were threatening to tie with a runner at third base before Fenton was able to shut them down.
A pitcher’s duel it was not. Gwatney started the game with Michael Harmon on the hill, who gave way to Stephen Swaggerty in the top of the fourth inning. Swaggerty threw three innings of shutout baseball, but was pulled for Fenton after giving up a double to start the seventh inning.
Fenton, who took a tough loss in Cabot earlier in the week after throwing an outstanding game, forced a pop-up against the first batter he faced, and then struck out Maumelle’s Stracener on a full count to retire the first two batters. But a fielding error allowed a run to score to cut the lead to 8-6.
Another double from the seven-hole hitter narrowed the lead to one, and the runner reached third on a passed ball. Another full-count added to the drama, but Fenton came up with another big strikeout to end the contest.
Maumelle took the initial lead with a two-run effort in the top of the first, but Gwatney leadoff man Adam Ussery scored on a passed ball, and an infield single by Daniel Henard scored Patrick Castleberry to tie it.
A double by the Bulldogs in the top of the second made it 4-2, but RBI doubles by Matt McAnally andCastleberry for Gwatney in the bottom of the second tied it up once more.
Starting Gwatney pitcher Harmon broke the two-run pattern by Maumelle in the top of the third, but the Bulldogs did plate one to go up 5-4. That went unanswered until the bottom of the fourth, when Ussery drove in Tyler Wisdom courtesy of a Maumelle error to tie, and Cameron Hood singled to drive in the go-ahead run.
While relief pitcher Swaggerty was holding off the Bulldog bats in the middle of the game, the Chevy boys added runs in the fifth and sixth innings to extend their lead. Ussery came up with another big hit in the bottom of the fifth with a double that scored Wisdom, and a sacrifice fly by Henard in the sixth allowed Castleberry to tag up at third and make it 8-5.
Castleberry was 2 of 3 with a RBI, and Wisdom also finished 2 of 3. Swaggerty took the win at the mound for Jacksonville.
The junior game started out slow, with Jacksonville holding a 1-0 lead through the first two innings until the Bulldogs answered in the top of the third inning. The bottom of the third inning proved to be the clincher for Gwatney, with a double by Castleberry that scored two runs.
Tommy Sanders got the third RBI of the game moments later on a sacrifice fly that scored Daniel Thurman. Relief pitcher Drew Pierce’s insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Bill Boullon ended up being much needed.
Maumelle made up one run in the fifth, and scored two more in the top of the seventh against new pitcher Daniel Thurman, and had the go-ahead run on the bag before a pop-up saved the win.
Terrell Brown was 2 of 3 for Gwatney, with Jared Toney taking the win on the mound.
BRYANT 20, GWATNEY 6
Scoring eight of their first nine batters was only the tip of the iceberg for the Bryant Blacksox on Wednesday in a 20-6 rout over Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet at Dupree Park in American Legion senior play.
The Chevy boys ended up scattering runs in the five-inning contest, but starting pitcher Brian Thurman and reliever Matt McAnally gave up 13 hits and five walks in the first two frames.
Six of those hits by Bryant came in the top of the first against Thurman, and a pair of home runs in the top of the second inning off of McAnally put the Blacksox at 18 runs, and the game completely out of reach for Jacksonville.
Gwatney did plate its first batter. Adam Ussery led off the game with a double into center, and scored when cleanup hitter Patrick Castleberry singled.
Thurman added a run in the bottom of the third inning when he doubled and came in on Cameron Hood’s sacrifice fly.
Jacksonville needed seven runs to avoid the run-rule in the bottom of the fifth, but fell five short. Hood doubled and was driven in by Daniel Henard, who then came in off a double by Jared Toney. That cut the score to 20-6, but it was as far as the Chevy boys made it.
Henard led Gwatney, going 2 of 3 with an RBI and two runs scored. For Bryant, Haydon was 3 of 4 with 2 RBI, and Knight was 2 of 3 with 3 RBI and a home run.
SPORTS>> Gwatney sweeps
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Both Maumelle rallies were furious, but in the end, they were each a run short.
Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet completed a home sweep over the Bulldogs in junior and senior Legion play at Dupree Park on Thursday night.
The junior Chevy boys held off Maumelle for a 5-4 win, while the senior squad had to bring in pitching ace Clayton Fenton during the final inning to secure an 8-7 win.
Fenton recorded a strikeout with the tying run at third base to seal the deal.
There was no shortage of big plays for either team in the offensively-charged finale on Thursday. The game was tied 2-2 before Jacksonville established momentum in the fourth inning.
That momentum did not last, however, as the Bulldogs made up two runs of an 8-5 deficit, and were threatening to tie with a runner at third base before Fenton was able to shut them down.
A pitcher’s duel it was not. Gwatney started the game with Michael Harmon on the hill, who gave way to Stephen Swaggerty in the top of the fourth inning. Swaggerty threw three innings of shutout baseball, but was pulled for Fenton after giving up a double to start the seventh inning.
Fenton, who took a tough loss in Cabot earlier in the week after throwing an outstanding game, forced a pop-up against the first batter he faced, and then struck out Maumelle’s Stracener on a full count to retire the first two batters. But a fielding error allowed a run to score to cut the lead to 8-6.
Another double from the seven-hole hitter narrowed the lead to one, and the runner reached third on a passed ball. Another full-count added to the drama, but Fenton came up with another big strikeout to end the contest.
Maumelle took the initial lead with a two-run effort in the top of the first, but Gwatney leadoff man Adam Ussery scored on a passed ball, and an infield single by Daniel Henard scored Patrick Castleberry to tie it.
A double by the Bulldogs in the top of the second made it 4-2, but RBI doubles by Matt McAnally andCastleberry for Gwatney in the bottom of the second tied it up once more.
Starting Gwatney pitcher Harmon broke the two-run pattern by Maumelle in the top of the third, but the Bulldogs did plate one to go up 5-4. That went unanswered until the bottom of the fourth, when Ussery drove in Tyler Wisdom courtesy of a Maumelle error to tie, and Cameron Hood singled to drive in the go-ahead run.
While relief pitcher Swaggerty was holding off the Bulldog bats in the middle of the game, the Chevy boys added runs in the fifth and sixth innings to extend their lead. Ussery came up with another big hit in the bottom of the fifth with a double that scored Wisdom, and a sacrifice fly by Henard in the sixth allowed Castleberry to tag up at third and make it 8-5.
Castleberry was 2 of 3 with a RBI, and Wisdom also finished 2 of 3. Swaggerty took the win at the mound for Jacksonville.
The junior game started out slow, with Jacksonville holding a 1-0 lead through the first two innings until the Bulldogs answered in the top of the third inning. The bottom of the third inning proved to be the clincher for Gwatney, with a double by Castleberry that scored two runs.
Tommy Sanders got the third RBI of the game moments later on a sacrifice fly that scored Daniel Thurman. Relief pitcher Drew Pierce’s insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Bill Boullon ended up being much needed.
Maumelle made up one run in the fifth, and scored two more in the top of the seventh against new pitcher Daniel Thurman, and had the go-ahead run on the bag before a pop-up saved the win.
Terrell Brown was 2 of 3 for Gwatney, with Jared Toney taking the win on the mound.
BRYANT 20, GWATNEY 6
Scoring eight of their first nine batters was only the tip of the iceberg for the Bryant Blacksox on Wednesday in a 20-6 rout over Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet at Dupree Park in American Legion senior play.
The Chevy boys ended up scattering runs in the five-inning contest, but starting pitcher Brian Thurman and reliever Matt McAnally gave up 13 hits and five walks in the first two frames.
Six of those hits by Bryant came in the top of the first against Thurman, and a pair of home runs in the top of the second inning off of McAnally put the Blacksox at 18 runs, and the game completely out of reach for Jacksonville.
Gwatney did plate its first batter. Adam Ussery led off the game with a double into center, and scored when cleanup hitter Patrick Castleberry singled.
Thurman added a run in the bottom of the third inning when he doubled and came in on Cameron Hood’s sacrifice fly.
Jacksonville needed seven runs to avoid the run-rule in the bottom of the fifth, but fell five short. Hood doubled and was driven in by Daniel Henard, who then came in off a double by Jared Toney. That cut the score to 20-6, but it was as far as the Chevy boys made it.
Henard led Gwatney, going 2 of 3 with an RBI and two runs scored. For Bryant, Haydon was 3 of 4 with 2 RBI, and Knight was 2 of 3 with 3 RBI and a home run.
Leader sportswriter
Both Maumelle rallies were furious, but in the end, they were each a run short.
Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet completed a home sweep over the Bulldogs in junior and senior Legion play at Dupree Park on Thursday night.
The junior Chevy boys held off Maumelle for a 5-4 win, while the senior squad had to bring in pitching ace Clayton Fenton during the final inning to secure an 8-7 win.
Fenton recorded a strikeout with the tying run at third base to seal the deal.
There was no shortage of big plays for either team in the offensively-charged finale on Thursday. The game was tied 2-2 before Jacksonville established momentum in the fourth inning.
That momentum did not last, however, as the Bulldogs made up two runs of an 8-5 deficit, and were threatening to tie with a runner at third base before Fenton was able to shut them down.
A pitcher’s duel it was not. Gwatney started the game with Michael Harmon on the hill, who gave way to Stephen Swaggerty in the top of the fourth inning. Swaggerty threw three innings of shutout baseball, but was pulled for Fenton after giving up a double to start the seventh inning.
Fenton, who took a tough loss in Cabot earlier in the week after throwing an outstanding game, forced a pop-up against the first batter he faced, and then struck out Maumelle’s Stracener on a full count to retire the first two batters. But a fielding error allowed a run to score to cut the lead to 8-6.
Another double from the seven-hole hitter narrowed the lead to one, and the runner reached third on a passed ball. Another full-count added to the drama, but Fenton came up with another big strikeout to end the contest.
Maumelle took the initial lead with a two-run effort in the top of the first, but Gwatney leadoff man Adam Ussery scored on a passed ball, and an infield single by Daniel Henard scored Patrick Castleberry to tie it.
A double by the Bulldogs in the top of the second made it 4-2, but RBI doubles by Matt McAnally andCastleberry for Gwatney in the bottom of the second tied it up once more.
Starting Gwatney pitcher Harmon broke the two-run pattern by Maumelle in the top of the third, but the Bulldogs did plate one to go up 5-4. That went unanswered until the bottom of the fourth, when Ussery drove in Tyler Wisdom courtesy of a Maumelle error to tie, and Cameron Hood singled to drive in the go-ahead run.
While relief pitcher Swaggerty was holding off the Bulldog bats in the middle of the game, the Chevy boys added runs in the fifth and sixth innings to extend their lead. Ussery came up with another big hit in the bottom of the fifth with a double that scored Wisdom, and a sacrifice fly by Henard in the sixth allowed Castleberry to tag up at third and make it 8-5.
Castleberry was 2 of 3 with a RBI, and Wisdom also finished 2 of 3. Swaggerty took the win at the mound for Jacksonville.
The junior game started out slow, with Jacksonville holding a 1-0 lead through the first two innings until the Bulldogs answered in the top of the third inning. The bottom of the third inning proved to be the clincher for Gwatney, with a double by Castleberry that scored two runs.
Tommy Sanders got the third RBI of the game moments later on a sacrifice fly that scored Daniel Thurman. Relief pitcher Drew Pierce’s insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Bill Boullon ended up being much needed.
Maumelle made up one run in the fifth, and scored two more in the top of the seventh against new pitcher Daniel Thurman, and had the go-ahead run on the bag before a pop-up saved the win.
Terrell Brown was 2 of 3 for Gwatney, with Jared Toney taking the win on the mound.
BRYANT 20, GWATNEY 6
Scoring eight of their first nine batters was only the tip of the iceberg for the Bryant Blacksox on Wednesday in a 20-6 rout over Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet at Dupree Park in American Legion senior play.
The Chevy boys ended up scattering runs in the five-inning contest, but starting pitcher Brian Thurman and reliever Matt McAnally gave up 13 hits and five walks in the first two frames.
Six of those hits by Bryant came in the top of the first against Thurman, and a pair of home runs in the top of the second inning off of McAnally put the Blacksox at 18 runs, and the game completely out of reach for Jacksonville.
Gwatney did plate its first batter. Adam Ussery led off the game with a double into center, and scored when cleanup hitter Patrick Castleberry singled.
Thurman added a run in the bottom of the third inning when he doubled and came in on Cameron Hood’s sacrifice fly.
Jacksonville needed seven runs to avoid the run-rule in the bottom of the fifth, but fell five short. Hood doubled and was driven in by Daniel Henard, who then came in off a double by Jared Toney. That cut the score to 20-6, but it was as far as the Chevy boys made it.
Henard led Gwatney, going 2 of 3 with an RBI and two runs scored. For Bryant, Haydon was 3 of 4 with 2 RBI, and Knight was 2 of 3 with 3 RBI and a home run.
SPORTS>> Gwatney sweeps
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Both Maumelle rallies were furious, but in the end, they were each a run short.
Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet completed a home sweep over the Bulldogs in junior and senior Legion play at Dupree Park on Thursday night.
The junior Chevy boys held off Maumelle for a 5-4 win, while the senior squad had to bring in pitching ace Clayton Fenton during the final inning to secure an 8-7 win.
Fenton recorded a strikeout with the tying run at third base to seal the deal.
There was no shortage of big plays for either team in the offensively-charged finale on Thursday. The game was tied 2-2 before Jacksonville established momentum in the fourth inning.
That momentum did not last, however, as the Bulldogs made up two runs of an 8-5 deficit, and were threatening to tie with a runner at third base before Fenton was able to shut them down.
A pitcher’s duel it was not. Gwatney started the game with Michael Harmon on the hill, who gave way to Stephen Swaggerty in the top of the fourth inning. Swaggerty threw three innings of shutout baseball, but was pulled for Fenton after giving up a double to start the seventh inning.
Fenton, who took a tough loss in Cabot earlier in the week after throwing an outstanding game, forced a pop-up against the first batter he faced, and then struck out Maumelle’s Stracener on a full count to retire the first two batters. But a fielding error allowed a run to score to cut the lead to 8-6.
Another double from the seven-hole hitter narrowed the lead to one, and the runner reached third on a passed ball. Another full-count added to the drama, but Fenton came up with another big strikeout to end the contest.
Maumelle took the initial lead with a two-run effort in the top of the first, but Gwatney leadoff man Adam Ussery scored on a passed ball, and an infield single by Daniel Henard scored Patrick Castleberry to tie it.
A double by the Bulldogs in the top of the second made it 4-2, but RBI doubles by Matt McAnally andCastleberry for Gwatney in the bottom of the second tied it up once more.
Starting Gwatney pitcher Harmon broke the two-run pattern by Maumelle in the top of the third, but the Bulldogs did plate one to go up 5-4. That went unanswered until the bottom of the fourth, when Ussery drove in Tyler Wisdom courtesy of a Maumelle error to tie, and Cameron Hood singled to drive in the go-ahead run.
While relief pitcher Swaggerty was holding off the Bulldog bats in the middle of the game, the Chevy boys added runs in the fifth and sixth innings to extend their lead. Ussery came up with another big hit in the bottom of the fifth with a double that scored Wisdom, and a sacrifice fly by Henard in the sixth allowed Castleberry to tag up at third and make it 8-5.
Castleberry was 2 of 3 with a RBI, and Wisdom also finished 2 of 3. Swaggerty took the win at the mound for Jacksonville.
The junior game started out slow, with Jacksonville holding a 1-0 lead through the first two innings until the Bulldogs answered in the top of the third inning. The bottom of the third inning proved to be the clincher for Gwatney, with a double by Castleberry that scored two runs.
Tommy Sanders got the third RBI of the game moments later on a sacrifice fly that scored Daniel Thurman. Relief pitcher Drew Pierce’s insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Bill Boullon ended up being much needed.
Maumelle made up one run in the fifth, and scored two more in the top of the seventh against new pitcher Daniel Thurman, and had the go-ahead run on the bag before a pop-up saved the win.
Terrell Brown was 2 of 3 for Gwatney, with Jared Toney taking the win on the mound.
BRYANT 20, GWATNEY 6
Scoring eight of their first nine batters was only the tip of the iceberg for the Bryant Blacksox on Wednesday in a 20-6 rout over Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet at Dupree Park in American Legion senior play.
The Chevy boys ended up scattering runs in the five-inning contest, but starting pitcher Brian Thurman and reliever Matt McAnally gave up 13 hits and five walks in the first two frames.
Six of those hits by Bryant came in the top of the first against Thurman, and a pair of home runs in the top of the second inning off of McAnally put the Blacksox at 18 runs, and the game completely out of reach for Jacksonville.
Gwatney did plate its first batter. Adam Ussery led off the game with a double into center, and scored when cleanup hitter Patrick Castleberry singled.
Thurman added a run in the bottom of the third inning when he doubled and came in on Cameron Hood’s sacrifice fly.
Jacksonville needed seven runs to avoid the run-rule in the bottom of the fifth, but fell five short. Hood doubled and was driven in by Daniel Henard, who then came in off a double by Jared Toney. That cut the score to 20-6, but it was as far as the Chevy boys made it.
Henard led Gwatney, going 2 of 3 with an RBI and two runs scored. For Bryant, Haydon was 3 of 4 with 2 RBI, and Knight was 2 of 3 with 3 RBI and a home run.
Leader sportswriter
Both Maumelle rallies were furious, but in the end, they were each a run short.
Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet completed a home sweep over the Bulldogs in junior and senior Legion play at Dupree Park on Thursday night.
The junior Chevy boys held off Maumelle for a 5-4 win, while the senior squad had to bring in pitching ace Clayton Fenton during the final inning to secure an 8-7 win.
Fenton recorded a strikeout with the tying run at third base to seal the deal.
There was no shortage of big plays for either team in the offensively-charged finale on Thursday. The game was tied 2-2 before Jacksonville established momentum in the fourth inning.
That momentum did not last, however, as the Bulldogs made up two runs of an 8-5 deficit, and were threatening to tie with a runner at third base before Fenton was able to shut them down.
A pitcher’s duel it was not. Gwatney started the game with Michael Harmon on the hill, who gave way to Stephen Swaggerty in the top of the fourth inning. Swaggerty threw three innings of shutout baseball, but was pulled for Fenton after giving up a double to start the seventh inning.
Fenton, who took a tough loss in Cabot earlier in the week after throwing an outstanding game, forced a pop-up against the first batter he faced, and then struck out Maumelle’s Stracener on a full count to retire the first two batters. But a fielding error allowed a run to score to cut the lead to 8-6.
Another double from the seven-hole hitter narrowed the lead to one, and the runner reached third on a passed ball. Another full-count added to the drama, but Fenton came up with another big strikeout to end the contest.
Maumelle took the initial lead with a two-run effort in the top of the first, but Gwatney leadoff man Adam Ussery scored on a passed ball, and an infield single by Daniel Henard scored Patrick Castleberry to tie it.
A double by the Bulldogs in the top of the second made it 4-2, but RBI doubles by Matt McAnally andCastleberry for Gwatney in the bottom of the second tied it up once more.
Starting Gwatney pitcher Harmon broke the two-run pattern by Maumelle in the top of the third, but the Bulldogs did plate one to go up 5-4. That went unanswered until the bottom of the fourth, when Ussery drove in Tyler Wisdom courtesy of a Maumelle error to tie, and Cameron Hood singled to drive in the go-ahead run.
While relief pitcher Swaggerty was holding off the Bulldog bats in the middle of the game, the Chevy boys added runs in the fifth and sixth innings to extend their lead. Ussery came up with another big hit in the bottom of the fifth with a double that scored Wisdom, and a sacrifice fly by Henard in the sixth allowed Castleberry to tag up at third and make it 8-5.
Castleberry was 2 of 3 with a RBI, and Wisdom also finished 2 of 3. Swaggerty took the win at the mound for Jacksonville.
The junior game started out slow, with Jacksonville holding a 1-0 lead through the first two innings until the Bulldogs answered in the top of the third inning. The bottom of the third inning proved to be the clincher for Gwatney, with a double by Castleberry that scored two runs.
Tommy Sanders got the third RBI of the game moments later on a sacrifice fly that scored Daniel Thurman. Relief pitcher Drew Pierce’s insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Bill Boullon ended up being much needed.
Maumelle made up one run in the fifth, and scored two more in the top of the seventh against new pitcher Daniel Thurman, and had the go-ahead run on the bag before a pop-up saved the win.
Terrell Brown was 2 of 3 for Gwatney, with Jared Toney taking the win on the mound.
BRYANT 20, GWATNEY 6
Scoring eight of their first nine batters was only the tip of the iceberg for the Bryant Blacksox on Wednesday in a 20-6 rout over Jacksonville Gwatney Chevrolet at Dupree Park in American Legion senior play.
The Chevy boys ended up scattering runs in the five-inning contest, but starting pitcher Brian Thurman and reliever Matt McAnally gave up 13 hits and five walks in the first two frames.
Six of those hits by Bryant came in the top of the first against Thurman, and a pair of home runs in the top of the second inning off of McAnally put the Blacksox at 18 runs, and the game completely out of reach for Jacksonville.
Gwatney did plate its first batter. Adam Ussery led off the game with a double into center, and scored when cleanup hitter Patrick Castleberry singled.
Thurman added a run in the bottom of the third inning when he doubled and came in on Cameron Hood’s sacrifice fly.
Jacksonville needed seven runs to avoid the run-rule in the bottom of the fifth, but fell five short. Hood doubled and was driven in by Daniel Henard, who then came in off a double by Jared Toney. That cut the score to 20-6, but it was as far as the Chevy boys made it.
Henard led Gwatney, going 2 of 3 with an RBI and two runs scored. For Bryant, Haydon was 3 of 4 with 2 RBI, and Knight was 2 of 3 with 3 RBI and a home run.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
EDITORIAL >>Huck the Entertainer
Mike Huckabee has finally landed the job for which he is perfectly suited. Fox News signed him last week to a one-year contract to provide political commentary.
It is easy and profitable work for which our former governor has been preparing for 25 years, since he developed the television ministry that catapulted him from the pulpit to politics. He has the cool personality that the medium requires and a clever wit when he can control it, and he will finally have a forum where his chance outrageous or foolish remark will hardly be noticed. He can joke about assassinations and no one will expect an apology.
Huckabee cannot match the nightly offenses of Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity. Racist, sexist or simply tasteless utterances get commentators in trouble and occasionally suspensions at other networks, but at Fox the threshold of indecency has not been established.
Huckabee will introduce a measure of balance to the Fox news programming. Not ideological balance — Rupert Murdoch does not believe in that. But in the phalanx of mean-spirited Republican polemicists, Huckabee will seem moderate, tolerant and almost kind. Although he will never criticize Sen. John McCain, he will sometimes say a kind word about the Democrat, Sen. Barack Obama. A few Fox devotees may find that refreshing, if odd.
The Fox contract ends the speculation that McCain will choose Huckabee as his running mate. Joking about the assassination of Obama at the National Rifle Association convention, the last of a string of gaffes, ended any serious consideration of that ticket.
But this is better for everyone: Mike Huckabee, the Republican Party and the citizenry. Entertaining, not governing, is his forte, and we can all celebrate when someone makes the right life choice.
It is easy and profitable work for which our former governor has been preparing for 25 years, since he developed the television ministry that catapulted him from the pulpit to politics. He has the cool personality that the medium requires and a clever wit when he can control it, and he will finally have a forum where his chance outrageous or foolish remark will hardly be noticed. He can joke about assassinations and no one will expect an apology.
Huckabee cannot match the nightly offenses of Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity. Racist, sexist or simply tasteless utterances get commentators in trouble and occasionally suspensions at other networks, but at Fox the threshold of indecency has not been established.
Huckabee will introduce a measure of balance to the Fox news programming. Not ideological balance — Rupert Murdoch does not believe in that. But in the phalanx of mean-spirited Republican polemicists, Huckabee will seem moderate, tolerant and almost kind. Although he will never criticize Sen. John McCain, he will sometimes say a kind word about the Democrat, Sen. Barack Obama. A few Fox devotees may find that refreshing, if odd.
The Fox contract ends the speculation that McCain will choose Huckabee as his running mate. Joking about the assassination of Obama at the National Rifle Association convention, the last of a string of gaffes, ended any serious consideration of that ticket.
But this is better for everyone: Mike Huckabee, the Republican Party and the citizenry. Entertaining, not governing, is his forte, and we can all celebrate when someone makes the right life choice.
EDITORIAL >>King panel in turmoil
As the chief executive of the government, Gov. Beebe seemed obliged to do something about the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, a small state agency that is supposed to promote the great leader’s goals of peace and understanding but has often seemed impelled toward warfare and discord. What he chose to do last week did not seem quite satisfactory, but the governor’s half-measures always have a way of moving us along toward a resolution.
Beebe said he was not going to appoint anyone else to the giant commission until the legislature next year reviews its work and finds a way to recreate it into a workable program.
The law authorizes 26 commissioners, surely the largest policy-making body in state government — the commission over highways and transportation has only five members and utility regulation only three — and simply winnowing that unwieldy body through attrition ought to help a little.
For at least four years, the agency has been in turmoil. A faction of the commission tried to oust its director, state Sen. Tracy Steele, whose two government hats created an irreconcilable conflict for the agency. Steele survived that attempt but resigned 18 months ago, triggering a fresh battle over his successor, who has legal problems of his own.
Lawsuits and rancor apparently have kept the agency distracted because it would be hard to pinpoint much that it has done.
Having a worthy purpose is not a suitable reason to exist without good works. Taxpayers may consider the agency’s annual appropriation of $337,000 too high a price to pay for bedlam when it can be had for free.
Restructuring with a manageable commission that actually meets and acts is the least that should happen with the MLK Commission, and Beebe’s minimalist action may move it there.
Beebe said he was not going to appoint anyone else to the giant commission until the legislature next year reviews its work and finds a way to recreate it into a workable program.
The law authorizes 26 commissioners, surely the largest policy-making body in state government — the commission over highways and transportation has only five members and utility regulation only three — and simply winnowing that unwieldy body through attrition ought to help a little.
For at least four years, the agency has been in turmoil. A faction of the commission tried to oust its director, state Sen. Tracy Steele, whose two government hats created an irreconcilable conflict for the agency. Steele survived that attempt but resigned 18 months ago, triggering a fresh battle over his successor, who has legal problems of his own.
Lawsuits and rancor apparently have kept the agency distracted because it would be hard to pinpoint much that it has done.
Having a worthy purpose is not a suitable reason to exist without good works. Taxpayers may consider the agency’s annual appropriation of $337,000 too high a price to pay for bedlam when it can be had for free.
Restructuring with a manageable commission that actually meets and acts is the least that should happen with the MLK Commission, and Beebe’s minimalist action may move it there.
TOP STORY > >Access road goes one-way June 24
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader senior staff writer
The frontage roads between Wildwood and Kiehl avenues along Highway 67/167 will be permanently converted to one-way overnight June 24 as work continues to widen the highway to three lanes north and three lanes south, according to Glenn
Bolick, a state Highway Department spokesman.
Landers Road will be one-way north and Warden Road will be one-way south.
Those two frontage roads already are one-way between McCain Boulevard and Wildwood, Bolick said, and despite misgivings expressed at the time by businesses located on those roads, it has worked out well for motorists and businesses alike, Bolick said.
The frontage roads between Wildwood and Kiehl, in addition to becoming one-way, will each have one lane temporarily shut down to aid in the overall construction of the project.
Converting Hwy. 67/167 to sixanes from I-40 to Redmond Road in Jacksonville could cost as much as $100 million, but it will just be used as a four-lane highway until all that work is done.
The first segment, from McCain Boulevard to Wildwood, included a flyover at the south end and an underpass at Five Mile Creek—now the site of Gander Mountain—to connect the frontage roads into a loop without motorists having to get onto the highway. That segment, completed in 2005, cost about $22.5 million, Bolick said.
The current work—a segment between I-40 to McCain Boulevard and a segment from Wildwood to Kiehl, cost another $42.3 million. It could be completed by next fall, Bolick said, meaning that all the construction between I-40 and Kiehl Avenue will be done. Also underway currently is the widening of northbound lanes of Hwy. 67/167 from the Northbelt Loop to Redmond Road, including construction of a new bridge over the Bayou Meto. The segment will cost $14 million, Bolick said.
“We’ll be done about this time next year,” Bolick said. “About that time we’ll be able to let bids on the southbound lanes.”
Once that is complete, the final segment, north and south, between Kiehl Avenue and the North Belt Loop will be widened. That work is slated for 2010, Bolick said. After that, the state Highway Department will open the full I-40 to Redmond Road stretch as a six-lane freeway, three each direction. Until then, only two lanes will be used each direction.
Leader senior staff writer
The frontage roads between Wildwood and Kiehl avenues along Highway 67/167 will be permanently converted to one-way overnight June 24 as work continues to widen the highway to three lanes north and three lanes south, according to Glenn
Bolick, a state Highway Department spokesman.
Landers Road will be one-way north and Warden Road will be one-way south.
Those two frontage roads already are one-way between McCain Boulevard and Wildwood, Bolick said, and despite misgivings expressed at the time by businesses located on those roads, it has worked out well for motorists and businesses alike, Bolick said.
The frontage roads between Wildwood and Kiehl, in addition to becoming one-way, will each have one lane temporarily shut down to aid in the overall construction of the project.
Converting Hwy. 67/167 to sixanes from I-40 to Redmond Road in Jacksonville could cost as much as $100 million, but it will just be used as a four-lane highway until all that work is done.
The first segment, from McCain Boulevard to Wildwood, included a flyover at the south end and an underpass at Five Mile Creek—now the site of Gander Mountain—to connect the frontage roads into a loop without motorists having to get onto the highway. That segment, completed in 2005, cost about $22.5 million, Bolick said.
The current work—a segment between I-40 to McCain Boulevard and a segment from Wildwood to Kiehl, cost another $42.3 million. It could be completed by next fall, Bolick said, meaning that all the construction between I-40 and Kiehl Avenue will be done. Also underway currently is the widening of northbound lanes of Hwy. 67/167 from the Northbelt Loop to Redmond Road, including construction of a new bridge over the Bayou Meto. The segment will cost $14 million, Bolick said.
“We’ll be done about this time next year,” Bolick said. “About that time we’ll be able to let bids on the southbound lanes.”
Once that is complete, the final segment, north and south, between Kiehl Avenue and the North Belt Loop will be widened. That work is slated for 2010, Bolick said. After that, the state Highway Department will open the full I-40 to Redmond Road stretch as a six-lane freeway, three each direction. Until then, only two lanes will be used each direction.
TOP STORY > >Area will get $3.64 million water plant
By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
The water associations of Grand Prairie and Bayou Two, which merged in May 2007 to save on administrative costs, broke ground last week on a water-treatment plant that is part of an improvement project that will provide Ward with up to 10 million gallons of water a month and free Bayou Two customers from their dependence on Jacksonville water.
The entire $3.64 million projects includes four new wells that are already in production, the treatment plant and new lines in the Bayou Two district that will run west from the Hwy. 31 treatment plant along Hwy. 321 to Dogwood Lane then south to Mt. Tabor Road, west to Hwy. 89 and south to Mahoney Road to tie into the tank on Duckcoop Lane.
Now known as Grand Prairie Bayou Two Public Facilities Board of Lonoke County, the utility currently pays Jacksonville $3.40 per thousand gallons for the first 5million gallons of water purchased every month and $3.20 per thousand for all over 5 million gallons. The cost of producing well water is 80 cents per thousand gallons.
Terry House, general manager for the utility, said this week that all the water used by Bayou Two customers is purchased from Jacksonville. The treatment plant is expected to be online by January 2009. The water line in the Bayou Two district should be completed by the end of 2009. When both those projects are completed, Bayou Two will no longer be dependent Jacksonville water except as a backup source, he said.
Grand Prairie Bayou Two has 3,900 customers and serves a population of about 10,000 in the northeast corner of Lonoke County, including some customers inside Cabot city limits.
To pay for the major improvement projects the utility saved $1.2 million. The savings in one year from consolidating was $108,000, House said.
“We’re very frugal,” he said.
But it also refinanced some bonds and borrowed $1 million from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission at 3.25 percent interest.
House said the rates would likely be restructured after the work is completed with Bayou Two customers seeing a considerable savings. It is likely, he said, that customers who use less water will pay less per thousand gallons than customers who use a lot of water.
Currently, the biggest users are customers with lawn sprinkling systems, he said.
Eventually, cities and water associations will have to get their water from lakes or other surface sources. Grand Prairie Bayou Two, like the city of Ward, is part of the Lonoke-White Water Project which is supposed to bring water to the area from Greers Ferry Lake. That project was in the planning stages 15 years ago and has made some progress. The partners own property for an intake site and right-of-way for a water line. But there is currently no money for construction.
But Grand Prairie Bayou Two has a permit from the state to take ground water until 2027 and House said he is confident the Lonoke- White Project will be completed long before that permit expires.
Leader staff writer
The water associations of Grand Prairie and Bayou Two, which merged in May 2007 to save on administrative costs, broke ground last week on a water-treatment plant that is part of an improvement project that will provide Ward with up to 10 million gallons of water a month and free Bayou Two customers from their dependence on Jacksonville water.
The entire $3.64 million projects includes four new wells that are already in production, the treatment plant and new lines in the Bayou Two district that will run west from the Hwy. 31 treatment plant along Hwy. 321 to Dogwood Lane then south to Mt. Tabor Road, west to Hwy. 89 and south to Mahoney Road to tie into the tank on Duckcoop Lane.
Now known as Grand Prairie Bayou Two Public Facilities Board of Lonoke County, the utility currently pays Jacksonville $3.40 per thousand gallons for the first 5million gallons of water purchased every month and $3.20 per thousand for all over 5 million gallons. The cost of producing well water is 80 cents per thousand gallons.
Terry House, general manager for the utility, said this week that all the water used by Bayou Two customers is purchased from Jacksonville. The treatment plant is expected to be online by January 2009. The water line in the Bayou Two district should be completed by the end of 2009. When both those projects are completed, Bayou Two will no longer be dependent Jacksonville water except as a backup source, he said.
Grand Prairie Bayou Two has 3,900 customers and serves a population of about 10,000 in the northeast corner of Lonoke County, including some customers inside Cabot city limits.
To pay for the major improvement projects the utility saved $1.2 million. The savings in one year from consolidating was $108,000, House said.
“We’re very frugal,” he said.
But it also refinanced some bonds and borrowed $1 million from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission at 3.25 percent interest.
House said the rates would likely be restructured after the work is completed with Bayou Two customers seeing a considerable savings. It is likely, he said, that customers who use less water will pay less per thousand gallons than customers who use a lot of water.
Currently, the biggest users are customers with lawn sprinkling systems, he said.
Eventually, cities and water associations will have to get their water from lakes or other surface sources. Grand Prairie Bayou Two, like the city of Ward, is part of the Lonoke-White Water Project which is supposed to bring water to the area from Greers Ferry Lake. That project was in the planning stages 15 years ago and has made some progress. The partners own property for an intake site and right-of-way for a water line. But there is currently no money for construction.
But Grand Prairie Bayou Two has a permit from the state to take ground water until 2027 and House said he is confident the Lonoke- White Project will be completed long before that permit expires.
TOP STORY > >Experienced lawmakers know right from wrong
Sen. Jack Crumbly of eastern Arkansas can keep his seat despite “flagrant fraud” that helped him get elected, but two veteran senators are outraged that their colleagues voted last week to let him stay in the Senate.
“I thought he got there in a fraudulent manner and he shouldn’t be there,” Sen. John Paul Capps, D-Searcy, told us Monday.
“This was not a free election. It smelled. I thought he would resign.”
Capps thinks the Senate should have called for another election with outside supervision to make sure the vote was honest.
“The corruption and voter fraud was almost unbelievable,” Capps told us.
“If we can’t have fair elections, what have we got?” he asked. “I felt sorry for the good people of St. Francis County.
Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle, also said the election was “crooked” and Crumbly should have been expelled.
“It’s very clear to me that the election was perhaps one of the most corrupt in the state of Arkansas,” he told reporters after the Senate voted 19-12 not to expel Crumbly.
“I think there’s always going to be a cloud there over him,” Glover said. What’s more, he added, “I think there will always be a cloud over the Senate because of the actions that were taken here today.”
Unlike these veteran legislators, a lot of younger senators didn’t seem too upset about the ballot stuffing that got Crumbly re-elected. It makes you wish we had more experienced lawmakers like Glover and Capps, but because of term limits, they’ll be gone at the end of 2010.
Arkansas will miss their legislative expertise. Capps served 36 years in the House, while Glover was there for 20 years. They’ll both serve eight years in the Senate when their terms expire. I guess the Crumblys and their allies will remain in charge.
But Glover and Capps know exactly what was going on in St. Francis County a couple of years ago, when the disputed primary took place: Old-fashioned vote stealing right out of the Lyndon Johnson playbook, which calls for stealing just enough votes to have yourself declared the winner during the recount.
Crumbly, of Widener, supposedly defeated Rep. Arnell Willis in the 2006 Democratic primary by 68 votes. Although Willis was initially declared the winner, Crumbly claimed victory after a recount.
There was voter fraud everywhere: Crumbly’s campaign manager was a St. Francis County election commissioner who rigged the outcome with newly found absentee ballots, phantom votes, forged signatures, missing ballot stubs — you name it, this vote would have made a Chicago alderman call for honest government.
Glover said there was a “blatant and proven disregard of election laws,” including:
Allowing unregistered voters to cast ballots.
A paid Crumbly campaign worker, nicknamed the Queen of Absentee Ballots, admitted handling between 250 and 275 ballots, when the law allows her to handle no more than two.
Ninety-nine early voting ballots were missing.
511 early voting stubs were missing.
Seventy-two stubs for early voting were found out of sequence banded together in a stub box.
There were 97 more absentee stubs than ballots and two were not counted.
There’s more, but you get the idea.
A special prosecutor is looking into the case, and the U.S. attorney’s office will also probably investigate the allegations of fraud.
Don’t be surprised if some of the characters involved in the shenanigans are indicted.
But Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant, who voted to let Crumbly stay in the Senate, doesn’t think the decision has hurt the Senate’s image.
“I think the credibility of the Senate has been enhanced by the whole way this situation was handled,” Broadway foolishly told reporters. “I think it’s been handled with dignity and it’s been handled with class.”
There’s nothing dignified or classy about fraud at the polls. Here you have the difference between a young legislator who can’t tell right from wrong, and two old-time lawmakers who know that the voters of St. Francis County have been cheated.
But Glover and Capps won’t be around in a couple of years to provide leadership in the Senate, although the Crumblys and Broadways will stick around and embarrass the Senate a while longer.
It won’t be soon enough when they, too, are term-limited. They can take their dignity and class with them.
“I thought he got there in a fraudulent manner and he shouldn’t be there,” Sen. John Paul Capps, D-Searcy, told us Monday.
“This was not a free election. It smelled. I thought he would resign.”
Capps thinks the Senate should have called for another election with outside supervision to make sure the vote was honest.
“The corruption and voter fraud was almost unbelievable,” Capps told us.
“If we can’t have fair elections, what have we got?” he asked. “I felt sorry for the good people of St. Francis County.
Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle, also said the election was “crooked” and Crumbly should have been expelled.
“It’s very clear to me that the election was perhaps one of the most corrupt in the state of Arkansas,” he told reporters after the Senate voted 19-12 not to expel Crumbly.
“I think there’s always going to be a cloud there over him,” Glover said. What’s more, he added, “I think there will always be a cloud over the Senate because of the actions that were taken here today.”
Unlike these veteran legislators, a lot of younger senators didn’t seem too upset about the ballot stuffing that got Crumbly re-elected. It makes you wish we had more experienced lawmakers like Glover and Capps, but because of term limits, they’ll be gone at the end of 2010.
Arkansas will miss their legislative expertise. Capps served 36 years in the House, while Glover was there for 20 years. They’ll both serve eight years in the Senate when their terms expire. I guess the Crumblys and their allies will remain in charge.
But Glover and Capps know exactly what was going on in St. Francis County a couple of years ago, when the disputed primary took place: Old-fashioned vote stealing right out of the Lyndon Johnson playbook, which calls for stealing just enough votes to have yourself declared the winner during the recount.
Crumbly, of Widener, supposedly defeated Rep. Arnell Willis in the 2006 Democratic primary by 68 votes. Although Willis was initially declared the winner, Crumbly claimed victory after a recount.
There was voter fraud everywhere: Crumbly’s campaign manager was a St. Francis County election commissioner who rigged the outcome with newly found absentee ballots, phantom votes, forged signatures, missing ballot stubs — you name it, this vote would have made a Chicago alderman call for honest government.
Glover said there was a “blatant and proven disregard of election laws,” including:
Allowing unregistered voters to cast ballots.
A paid Crumbly campaign worker, nicknamed the Queen of Absentee Ballots, admitted handling between 250 and 275 ballots, when the law allows her to handle no more than two.
Ninety-nine early voting ballots were missing.
511 early voting stubs were missing.
Seventy-two stubs for early voting were found out of sequence banded together in a stub box.
There were 97 more absentee stubs than ballots and two were not counted.
There’s more, but you get the idea.
A special prosecutor is looking into the case, and the U.S. attorney’s office will also probably investigate the allegations of fraud.
Don’t be surprised if some of the characters involved in the shenanigans are indicted.
But Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant, who voted to let Crumbly stay in the Senate, doesn’t think the decision has hurt the Senate’s image.
“I think the credibility of the Senate has been enhanced by the whole way this situation was handled,” Broadway foolishly told reporters. “I think it’s been handled with dignity and it’s been handled with class.”
There’s nothing dignified or classy about fraud at the polls. Here you have the difference between a young legislator who can’t tell right from wrong, and two old-time lawmakers who know that the voters of St. Francis County have been cheated.
But Glover and Capps won’t be around in a couple of years to provide leadership in the Senate, although the Crumblys and Broadways will stick around and embarrass the Senate a while longer.
It won’t be soon enough when they, too, are term-limited. They can take their dignity and class with them.
TOP STORY > >Experienced lawmakers know right from wrong
Sen. Jack Crumbly of eastern Arkansas can keep his seat despite “flagrant fraud” that helped him get elected, but two veteran senators are outraged that their colleagues voted last week to let him stay in the Senate.
“I thought he got there in a fraudulent manner and he shouldn’t be there,” Sen. John Paul Capps, D-Searcy, told us Monday.
“This was not a free election. It smelled. I thought he would resign.”
Capps thinks the Senate should have called for another election with outside supervision to make sure the vote was honest.
“The corruption and voter fraud was almost unbelievable,” Capps told us.
“If we can’t have fair elections, what have we got?” he asked. “I felt sorry for the good people of St. Francis County.
Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle, also said the election was “crooked” and Crumbly should have been expelled.
“It’s very clear to me that the election was perhaps one of the most corrupt in the state of Arkansas,” he told reporters after the Senate voted 19-12 not to expel Crumbly.
“I think there’s always going to be a cloud there over him,” Glover said. What’s more, he added, “I think there will always be a cloud over the Senate because of the actions that were taken here today.”
Unlike these veteran legislators, a lot of younger senators didn’t seem too upset about the ballot stuffing that got Crumbly re-elected. It makes you wish we had more experienced lawmakers like Glover and Capps, but because of term limits, they’ll be gone at the end of 2010.
Arkansas will miss their legislative expertise. Capps served 36 years in the House, while Glover was there for 20 years. They’ll both serve eight years in the Senate when their terms expire. I guess the Crumblys and their allies will remain in charge.
But Glover and Capps know exactly what was going on in St. Francis County a couple of years ago, when the disputed primary took place: Old-fashioned vote stealing right out of the Lyndon Johnson playbook, which calls for stealing just enough votes to have yourself declared the winner during the recount.
Crumbly, of Widener, supposedly defeated Rep. Arnell Willis in the 2006 Democratic primary by 68 votes. Although Willis was initially declared the winner, Crumbly claimed victory after a recount.
There was voter fraud everywhere: Crumbly’s campaign manager was a St. Francis County election commissioner who rigged the outcome with newly found absentee ballots, phantom votes, forged signatures, missing ballot stubs — you name it, this vote would have made a Chicago alderman call for honest government.
Glover said there was a “blatant and proven disregard of election laws,” including:
Allowing unregistered voters to cast ballots.
A paid Crumbly campaign worker, nicknamed the Queen of Absentee Ballots, admitted handling between 250 and 275 ballots, when the law allows her to handle no more than two.
Ninety-nine early voting ballots were missing.
511 early voting stubs were missing.
Seventy-two stubs for early voting were found out of sequence banded together in a stub box.
There were 97 more absentee stubs than ballots and two were not counted.
There’s more, but you get the idea.
A special prosecutor is looking into the case, and the U.S. attorney’s office will also probably investigate the allegations of fraud.
Don’t be surprised if some of the characters involved in the shenanigans are indicted.
But Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant, who voted to let Crumbly stay in the Senate, doesn’t think the decision has hurt the Senate’s image.
“I think the credibility of the Senate has been enhanced by the whole way this situation was handled,” Broadway foolishly told reporters. “I think it’s been handled with dignity and it’s been handled with class.”
There’s nothing dignified or classy about fraud at the polls. Here you have the difference between a young legislator who can’t tell right from wrong, and two old-time lawmakers who know that the voters of St. Francis County have been cheated.
“I thought he got there in a fraudulent manner and he shouldn’t be there,” Sen. John Paul Capps, D-Searcy, told us Monday.
“This was not a free election. It smelled. I thought he would resign.”
Capps thinks the Senate should have called for another election with outside supervision to make sure the vote was honest.
“The corruption and voter fraud was almost unbelievable,” Capps told us.
“If we can’t have fair elections, what have we got?” he asked. “I felt sorry for the good people of St. Francis County.
Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle, also said the election was “crooked” and Crumbly should have been expelled.
“It’s very clear to me that the election was perhaps one of the most corrupt in the state of Arkansas,” he told reporters after the Senate voted 19-12 not to expel Crumbly.
“I think there’s always going to be a cloud there over him,” Glover said. What’s more, he added, “I think there will always be a cloud over the Senate because of the actions that were taken here today.”
Unlike these veteran legislators, a lot of younger senators didn’t seem too upset about the ballot stuffing that got Crumbly re-elected. It makes you wish we had more experienced lawmakers like Glover and Capps, but because of term limits, they’ll be gone at the end of 2010.
Arkansas will miss their legislative expertise. Capps served 36 years in the House, while Glover was there for 20 years. They’ll both serve eight years in the Senate when their terms expire. I guess the Crumblys and their allies will remain in charge.
But Glover and Capps know exactly what was going on in St. Francis County a couple of years ago, when the disputed primary took place: Old-fashioned vote stealing right out of the Lyndon Johnson playbook, which calls for stealing just enough votes to have yourself declared the winner during the recount.
Crumbly, of Widener, supposedly defeated Rep. Arnell Willis in the 2006 Democratic primary by 68 votes. Although Willis was initially declared the winner, Crumbly claimed victory after a recount.
There was voter fraud everywhere: Crumbly’s campaign manager was a St. Francis County election commissioner who rigged the outcome with newly found absentee ballots, phantom votes, forged signatures, missing ballot stubs — you name it, this vote would have made a Chicago alderman call for honest government.
Glover said there was a “blatant and proven disregard of election laws,” including:
Allowing unregistered voters to cast ballots.
A paid Crumbly campaign worker, nicknamed the Queen of Absentee Ballots, admitted handling between 250 and 275 ballots, when the law allows her to handle no more than two.
Ninety-nine early voting ballots were missing.
511 early voting stubs were missing.
Seventy-two stubs for early voting were found out of sequence banded together in a stub box.
There were 97 more absentee stubs than ballots and two were not counted.
There’s more, but you get the idea.
A special prosecutor is looking into the case, and the U.S. attorney’s office will also probably investigate the allegations of fraud.
Don’t be surprised if some of the characters involved in the shenanigans are indicted.
But Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant, who voted to let Crumbly stay in the Senate, doesn’t think the decision has hurt the Senate’s image.
“I think the credibility of the Senate has been enhanced by the whole way this situation was handled,” Broadway foolishly told reporters. “I think it’s been handled with dignity and it’s been handled with class.”
There’s nothing dignified or classy about fraud at the polls. Here you have the difference between a young legislator who can’t tell right from wrong, and two old-time lawmakers who know that the voters of St. Francis County have been cheated.
TOP STORY > >Group gets new commander
By EILEEN FELDMAN
Leader executive editor
“Sir, I relinquish command.”
“Sir, I assume command.”
With those words, Col. Rudolph Byrne, 314th Operations Group commander at Little Rock Air Force Base, relinquished command to Col. Patrick Mordente in a-change-of-command ceremony Tuesday at Little Rock Air Force Base.
The operations group provides C-130 training to the Air Force, along with support missions around the world.
Brig. Gen. Rowayne A. Schatz, Jr., commander of the base’s 314th Airlift Wing, was the officiating officer.
“We’ve seen many welcomes. None could match the heartwarming welcome when we arrived at Little Rock Air Force Base,” Mordente told the assembled group of family, military and local officials who attended the change of command.
“When I first became a pilot, I learned two things — all roads lead to Little Rock, and Little Rock Air Force Base is home to tactical airlift,” the new commander said.
“I realize the importance of responsibilities and duties of the position I’ve been appointed to. It is an honor to be here with you,” Mordente told the group.
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim and Cabot Mayor Eddie Joe Williams were on hand for the ceremony, which included the presentation of colors, the National Anthem and awards presentation to Byrne.
Of Mordente, Gen. Schatz said, “He is the right person at the right time. He is a tremendous officer and tremendous leader and is stepping into some very big shoes.”
Of the departing Byrne, Schatz said, “A lot of accomplishments of the wing, Rudy had a large part in. He led the charge to modernize the C-130 training syllabus, and under Col. Byrne, more than 3,600 students have graduated at a 98 percent on-time rate.”
The departing commander said, “I am thankful to (former wing commander) Gen. (Kip) Self for hiring me and thankful to Gen. Schatz for keeping me. When we talk about the accomplishments of Little Rock Air Force Base, they were a team effort and I thank every one of you. Remember our fellow airmen, many of whom trained here, as they fight the Global War on Terror.”
A command pilot with more than 2,500 hours in T-37 and C-130 aircraft, Mordente comes to Little Rock Air Force Base from the Pentagon, where he served on the joint staff as branch chief for strategy integration and analysis and joint specialty officer.
His many awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal.
This is Mordente’s second assignment to LRAFB.
After his graduation from the Air Force Academy with a degree in engineering mechanics, he attended pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., and stayed on as an instructor pilot. From there it was on to Rhein Main and Ramstein air bases in Germany where he participated in Operations Provide Promise, Provide Comfort and Provide Transition as an aircraft commander in the C-130 weapons system. From there he was assigned to the 62nd AS at Little Rock as a formal training unit instructor.
He later attended the Army’s Command and General Staff College after which he was assigned to Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Va., where he served as a deployment analyst and an aide de camp for the deputy commander in chief of the Joint Forces Command.
He and his wife, Marissa, have two children, Cauthen and Catherine.
Byrne leaves to become chief of staff, George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. He will also serve as the military commander for all the Marshall Center U.S. military personnel.
The Marshall Center’s mission is to create a more stable security environment by advancing democratic defense institutions and relationships; promoting active, peaceful engagement, and enhancing enduring partnerships among the nations of America, Europe and Eurasia.
Byrne is a command pilot with more than 3,000 hours in various military aircraft. He has received many awards including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster.
He deployed in support of operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Provide Comfort while serving as a C-130 pilot and instructor pilot at Rhein Main Air Base in Germany.
He completed his assignment there as the chief, airlift and deployment inspections, U.S. Air Forces in Europe office of the inspector general at Ramstein Air Base.
Byrne and his wife, Laurie, have four children, Jillian, Christopher, Timothy and Kaleigh.
The 314th Ops Group is composed of four flying squadrons, the 48th, 53rd and 62nd Airlift Squadrons which fly training missions in C-130E Hercules and the 48th Airlift Squadron which flies the C-130J; one support squadron, the 314th Operations Support Squadron, and one training squadron, the 714th Training Squadron.
The fourth flying squadron, the 45th Airlift Squadron, is a tenant unit at Keesler Air Force Base teaching pilots to fly the C-21A, a twin turbofan engine aircraft used for cargo and passenger airlift which is particularly helpful in medical evacuations.
The 314th Operations Group is comprised of 440 personnel employing C-130E, C-130J and C-21 aircraft. The group trains 2,000 students each year from all Department of Defense services and 31 countries. The group flies an annual 24,100 hours with an operating budget of $2.2 million.
Leader executive editor
“Sir, I relinquish command.”
“Sir, I assume command.”
With those words, Col. Rudolph Byrne, 314th Operations Group commander at Little Rock Air Force Base, relinquished command to Col. Patrick Mordente in a-change-of-command ceremony Tuesday at Little Rock Air Force Base.
The operations group provides C-130 training to the Air Force, along with support missions around the world.
Brig. Gen. Rowayne A. Schatz, Jr., commander of the base’s 314th Airlift Wing, was the officiating officer.
“We’ve seen many welcomes. None could match the heartwarming welcome when we arrived at Little Rock Air Force Base,” Mordente told the assembled group of family, military and local officials who attended the change of command.
“When I first became a pilot, I learned two things — all roads lead to Little Rock, and Little Rock Air Force Base is home to tactical airlift,” the new commander said.
“I realize the importance of responsibilities and duties of the position I’ve been appointed to. It is an honor to be here with you,” Mordente told the group.
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim and Cabot Mayor Eddie Joe Williams were on hand for the ceremony, which included the presentation of colors, the National Anthem and awards presentation to Byrne.
Of Mordente, Gen. Schatz said, “He is the right person at the right time. He is a tremendous officer and tremendous leader and is stepping into some very big shoes.”
Of the departing Byrne, Schatz said, “A lot of accomplishments of the wing, Rudy had a large part in. He led the charge to modernize the C-130 training syllabus, and under Col. Byrne, more than 3,600 students have graduated at a 98 percent on-time rate.”
The departing commander said, “I am thankful to (former wing commander) Gen. (Kip) Self for hiring me and thankful to Gen. Schatz for keeping me. When we talk about the accomplishments of Little Rock Air Force Base, they were a team effort and I thank every one of you. Remember our fellow airmen, many of whom trained here, as they fight the Global War on Terror.”
A command pilot with more than 2,500 hours in T-37 and C-130 aircraft, Mordente comes to Little Rock Air Force Base from the Pentagon, where he served on the joint staff as branch chief for strategy integration and analysis and joint specialty officer.
His many awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal.
This is Mordente’s second assignment to LRAFB.
After his graduation from the Air Force Academy with a degree in engineering mechanics, he attended pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., and stayed on as an instructor pilot. From there it was on to Rhein Main and Ramstein air bases in Germany where he participated in Operations Provide Promise, Provide Comfort and Provide Transition as an aircraft commander in the C-130 weapons system. From there he was assigned to the 62nd AS at Little Rock as a formal training unit instructor.
He later attended the Army’s Command and General Staff College after which he was assigned to Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Va., where he served as a deployment analyst and an aide de camp for the deputy commander in chief of the Joint Forces Command.
He and his wife, Marissa, have two children, Cauthen and Catherine.
Byrne leaves to become chief of staff, George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. He will also serve as the military commander for all the Marshall Center U.S. military personnel.
The Marshall Center’s mission is to create a more stable security environment by advancing democratic defense institutions and relationships; promoting active, peaceful engagement, and enhancing enduring partnerships among the nations of America, Europe and Eurasia.
Byrne is a command pilot with more than 3,000 hours in various military aircraft. He has received many awards including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster.
He deployed in support of operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Provide Comfort while serving as a C-130 pilot and instructor pilot at Rhein Main Air Base in Germany.
He completed his assignment there as the chief, airlift and deployment inspections, U.S. Air Forces in Europe office of the inspector general at Ramstein Air Base.
Byrne and his wife, Laurie, have four children, Jillian, Christopher, Timothy and Kaleigh.
The 314th Ops Group is composed of four flying squadrons, the 48th, 53rd and 62nd Airlift Squadrons which fly training missions in C-130E Hercules and the 48th Airlift Squadron which flies the C-130J; one support squadron, the 314th Operations Support Squadron, and one training squadron, the 714th Training Squadron.
The fourth flying squadron, the 45th Airlift Squadron, is a tenant unit at Keesler Air Force Base teaching pilots to fly the C-21A, a twin turbofan engine aircraft used for cargo and passenger airlift which is particularly helpful in medical evacuations.
The 314th Operations Group is comprised of 440 personnel employing C-130E, C-130J and C-21 aircraft. The group trains 2,000 students each year from all Department of Defense services and 31 countries. The group flies an annual 24,100 hours with an operating budget of $2.2 million.
TOP STORY > >Cabot puts off annexing area
By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
A request for annexation of a proposed mini storage has led the Cabot City Council to consider annexing all the land surrounded by the city.
Plans to annex a 20-acre area surrounded by Cabot disintegrated Monday night after a resident told the city council that he would oppose the annexation unless the city tended to drainage problems there.
Instead on annexing just that “island,” the council decided instead to begin the process of annexing all the land surrounded by Cabot city limits, possibly as many as six islands.
The 7.5 acres on Campground Road at Linda Lane, owned by members of the Woosley family, who moved to Cabot in 1973, was included in the proposed annexation. But Jimmy Woosley told the council that the city would need to stop the flooding problems that have developed on his property as the city grew around him or he wouldoppose the annexation. Woosley also pointed out that his family’s property was not the only island in Cabot and that he felt that by trying to annex, the city was discriminating against him.
“Don’t start picking on me. Go get all of them,” Woosley said.
Alderman Ed Long suggested tabling the annexation for 30 days while city workers analyzed the problems and recommended a solution. But Alderman Ken Williams, a lawyer, told the council that he was not willing to consider fixing drainage problems on Woosley’s property to gain his support of the annexation when there were areas all over the city with drainage problems.
“I’d rather leave them out than do that,” he said.
However, Williams said he would consider annexing all the islands if that was something that needed to be done.
“If we need to take in the islands, then let’s take in the islands and be done with it,” he said.
Mayor Eddie Joe Williams suggested the possibility of only annexing the 10 acres where the mini storage is to be built because the owner wants to be in the city limits for the fire and police protection. Ron Craig, chairman of the planning commission, said he thought the city wanted the annexation and pointed out that half an island is still an island.
Mayor Williams said the city wasn’t pushing the annexation; he thought the push was from the planning commission. But regardless of who wanted the annexation, Woosley said it would be hard for him to oppose it if the city also took in all the other pockets of land surrounded by the city.
Long made a motion for staff with public works to identify the location of the islands and bring the information to the next public works committee meeting to begin the annexation process.
The motion was approved by all five council members present, Long, Williams, Eddie Cook, Virgil Teague and Becky Lemaster.
Teri Miessner, Lisa Brickell and Tom Armstrong were absent.
Leader staff writer
A request for annexation of a proposed mini storage has led the Cabot City Council to consider annexing all the land surrounded by the city.
Plans to annex a 20-acre area surrounded by Cabot disintegrated Monday night after a resident told the city council that he would oppose the annexation unless the city tended to drainage problems there.
Instead on annexing just that “island,” the council decided instead to begin the process of annexing all the land surrounded by Cabot city limits, possibly as many as six islands.
The 7.5 acres on Campground Road at Linda Lane, owned by members of the Woosley family, who moved to Cabot in 1973, was included in the proposed annexation. But Jimmy Woosley told the council that the city would need to stop the flooding problems that have developed on his property as the city grew around him or he wouldoppose the annexation. Woosley also pointed out that his family’s property was not the only island in Cabot and that he felt that by trying to annex, the city was discriminating against him.
“Don’t start picking on me. Go get all of them,” Woosley said.
Alderman Ed Long suggested tabling the annexation for 30 days while city workers analyzed the problems and recommended a solution. But Alderman Ken Williams, a lawyer, told the council that he was not willing to consider fixing drainage problems on Woosley’s property to gain his support of the annexation when there were areas all over the city with drainage problems.
“I’d rather leave them out than do that,” he said.
However, Williams said he would consider annexing all the islands if that was something that needed to be done.
“If we need to take in the islands, then let’s take in the islands and be done with it,” he said.
Mayor Eddie Joe Williams suggested the possibility of only annexing the 10 acres where the mini storage is to be built because the owner wants to be in the city limits for the fire and police protection. Ron Craig, chairman of the planning commission, said he thought the city wanted the annexation and pointed out that half an island is still an island.
Mayor Williams said the city wasn’t pushing the annexation; he thought the push was from the planning commission. But regardless of who wanted the annexation, Woosley said it would be hard for him to oppose it if the city also took in all the other pockets of land surrounded by the city.
Long made a motion for staff with public works to identify the location of the islands and bring the information to the next public works committee meeting to begin the annexation process.
The motion was approved by all five council members present, Long, Williams, Eddie Cook, Virgil Teague and Becky Lemaster.
Teri Miessner, Lisa Brickell and Tom Armstrong were absent.
TOP STORY > >Districts have no proposal for judge
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader senior staff writer
Although technically in negotiations to end the school-desegregation agreement, officials of neither the Pulaski County Special School District nor the North Little Rock School District have prepared a plan or a proposal, much to the annoyance of state
Rep. Will Bond (D-Jacksonville) and others on the General Assembly’s Desegregation Litigation Oversight Subcommittee.
“How can you negotiate when you don’t know what it is you want?” Bond asked representatives of each of the school districts when the subcommittee met Tuesday morning at the state Capitol.
Bond was asking hard questions and taking names as he challenged attorneys for both school districts and to a lesser degree, officials of the Little Rock School District, which has at least the outline of a plan.
“The districts don’t have a fiscal plan from which to negotiate,” said Bond. “The attitude seems to be, ‘We’re going to get all we can, then figure out what to do.’”
“The school board members have not given mea directive other than to keep an open mind,” said Sam Jones, attorney for PCSSD. Supt. James Sharpe briefly addressed the committee, and then deferred to Jones.
Parties to the negotiations include the three school districts, school districts, the Joshua interveners, the Knight interveners and the state Attorney General’s Office.
“The process is not moving along fast enough,” said Bond, “and I’m frustrated.”
Currently, the state is financing the desegregation agreement to the tune of about $60 million a year, primarily to pay for minority-to-majority transfers, magnet schools and the transportation costs associated with them.
Of that, Little Rock gets about $26 million, North Little Rock gets about $10 million and PCSSD gets about $16 million.
The state Legislature has said the desegregation money could be phased out over as long as seven years.
“Is there a fiscal plan to end the lawsuit?” Bond asked Jones.
“We have to know how far to cut,” Jones replied.
The three districts have been locked in a desegregation agreement since the mid 1980s and each district much prove that it is essentially desegregated (unitary) before it can be released from the agreement.
But the large amount of money the districts receive from the state has turned into a disincentive, according to Bond.
The agreement can be ended by court decree or else by negotiation.
District Judge Bill Wilson has ruled the Little Rock District unitary, but that ruling is being challenged by the Joshua Intervenors in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.
The North Little Rock District is considered unitary, but has not yet been declared and released from the agreement.
Jones, the PCSSD attorney, says he believes that district is essentially desegregated as well, but Judge Wilson won’t rule until he hears back from the Court of Appeals on the Little Rock appeal.
State Rep. Linda Chesterfield, chairman of the committee, asked Jones if PCSSD had a concrete plan in place should unitary status be granted.
“I appreciate the fluid nature of your oratory,” Chesterfield told Jones, in a humorous effort to pin him down.
“We don’t have a concrete plan,” Jones said. “We know how to spell ‘fiscal distress,’” he said, alluding to the district’s recent fiscal distress designation and strict oversight by the state from which it was released just over a year ago.
“We’re not cogitating a blank slate,” Jones added.
He said if the district were released from the desegregation agreement, that reduced revenues from the state would require reduced costs by the district.
When North Little Rock Superintendent Kenneth Kirspel and board attorney Stephen Jones came before the committee, Chesterfield asked, “What are you doing? There are a lot of unknowns and I’m hard put to figure out what’s being discussed (in negotiations),” she said.
“I want it to move faster,” said Bond. “Have you received any requests for discovery?”
Jones said the district had provided a lot of information but hadn’t been asked for discovery. He said no one had said they would oppose his district’s unitary status, nor had anyone said they are not going to oppose.
“Some negotiations are not occurring in good faith by some parties,” said Bond.
Jones said he believed everyone was negotiating in good faith.
Bond said that when he negotiated a settlement on behalf of a client in court, “I don’t go in blindly without some plan of how we want to end up.”
“It’s an issue of getting the cart before the horse,” Jones responded. “The district has to identify programs that could be cut.”
Bond winced visibly, and then asked, “Why hasn’t that been done yet?”
Jones said the district didn’t want to disrupt or frighten parents and students with talk of programs that could be eliminated.
A recently released assessment by the court’s Office of Desegregation Monitoring concludes that North Little Rock is unitary and a similar report should be completed for PCSSD by September, according to Judge Andree Roaf, director of the office.
“You are not going to escape Judge Wilson no matter how it’s settled,” said Roaf.
He will look at the terms of the agreement—a contract—even if a settlement is negotiated.
Leader senior staff writer
Although technically in negotiations to end the school-desegregation agreement, officials of neither the Pulaski County Special School District nor the North Little Rock School District have prepared a plan or a proposal, much to the annoyance of state
Rep. Will Bond (D-Jacksonville) and others on the General Assembly’s Desegregation Litigation Oversight Subcommittee.
“How can you negotiate when you don’t know what it is you want?” Bond asked representatives of each of the school districts when the subcommittee met Tuesday morning at the state Capitol.
Bond was asking hard questions and taking names as he challenged attorneys for both school districts and to a lesser degree, officials of the Little Rock School District, which has at least the outline of a plan.
“The districts don’t have a fiscal plan from which to negotiate,” said Bond. “The attitude seems to be, ‘We’re going to get all we can, then figure out what to do.’”
“The school board members have not given mea directive other than to keep an open mind,” said Sam Jones, attorney for PCSSD. Supt. James Sharpe briefly addressed the committee, and then deferred to Jones.
Parties to the negotiations include the three school districts, school districts, the Joshua interveners, the Knight interveners and the state Attorney General’s Office.
“The process is not moving along fast enough,” said Bond, “and I’m frustrated.”
Currently, the state is financing the desegregation agreement to the tune of about $60 million a year, primarily to pay for minority-to-majority transfers, magnet schools and the transportation costs associated with them.
Of that, Little Rock gets about $26 million, North Little Rock gets about $10 million and PCSSD gets about $16 million.
The state Legislature has said the desegregation money could be phased out over as long as seven years.
“Is there a fiscal plan to end the lawsuit?” Bond asked Jones.
“We have to know how far to cut,” Jones replied.
The three districts have been locked in a desegregation agreement since the mid 1980s and each district much prove that it is essentially desegregated (unitary) before it can be released from the agreement.
But the large amount of money the districts receive from the state has turned into a disincentive, according to Bond.
The agreement can be ended by court decree or else by negotiation.
District Judge Bill Wilson has ruled the Little Rock District unitary, but that ruling is being challenged by the Joshua Intervenors in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.
The North Little Rock District is considered unitary, but has not yet been declared and released from the agreement.
Jones, the PCSSD attorney, says he believes that district is essentially desegregated as well, but Judge Wilson won’t rule until he hears back from the Court of Appeals on the Little Rock appeal.
State Rep. Linda Chesterfield, chairman of the committee, asked Jones if PCSSD had a concrete plan in place should unitary status be granted.
“I appreciate the fluid nature of your oratory,” Chesterfield told Jones, in a humorous effort to pin him down.
“We don’t have a concrete plan,” Jones said. “We know how to spell ‘fiscal distress,’” he said, alluding to the district’s recent fiscal distress designation and strict oversight by the state from which it was released just over a year ago.
“We’re not cogitating a blank slate,” Jones added.
He said if the district were released from the desegregation agreement, that reduced revenues from the state would require reduced costs by the district.
When North Little Rock Superintendent Kenneth Kirspel and board attorney Stephen Jones came before the committee, Chesterfield asked, “What are you doing? There are a lot of unknowns and I’m hard put to figure out what’s being discussed (in negotiations),” she said.
“I want it to move faster,” said Bond. “Have you received any requests for discovery?”
Jones said the district had provided a lot of information but hadn’t been asked for discovery. He said no one had said they would oppose his district’s unitary status, nor had anyone said they are not going to oppose.
“Some negotiations are not occurring in good faith by some parties,” said Bond.
Jones said he believed everyone was negotiating in good faith.
Bond said that when he negotiated a settlement on behalf of a client in court, “I don’t go in blindly without some plan of how we want to end up.”
“It’s an issue of getting the cart before the horse,” Jones responded. “The district has to identify programs that could be cut.”
Bond winced visibly, and then asked, “Why hasn’t that been done yet?”
Jones said the district didn’t want to disrupt or frighten parents and students with talk of programs that could be eliminated.
A recently released assessment by the court’s Office of Desegregation Monitoring concludes that North Little Rock is unitary and a similar report should be completed for PCSSD by September, according to Judge Andree Roaf, director of the office.
“You are not going to escape Judge Wilson no matter how it’s settled,” said Roaf.
He will look at the terms of the agreement—a contract—even if a settlement is negotiated.
SPORTS>> Rhinos get defensive in beating Blast
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
MEMPHIS — The Arkansas Rhinos made their season opener a special one on Saturday in Memphis.
Or, more accurately, a special teams one.
The Rhinos returned a punt and an interception fortouchdowns and picked off three passes in pasting the Memphis Blast 34-7 at Hank’s Field.
“The funny thing is, I’m aspecial teams coach,” said fifth-year head coach Oscar Malone. “The whole defense did a wonderful job.”
No one was better than middle linebacker Enrico Wilkins, who led the way with 15 total tackles — 12 solo. Ken Thompson added eight. Wilkins earned game defensive MVP for his efforts.
“It was between him and Jermaine Kornegay,” Malone said. “Both played a very impressive game.”
Kornegay picked off two passes.
Garrett Morgan put the Rhinos on top with a 17-yard field goal in the first quarter, but the Blast responded with a 29-yard touchdown pass to take its only lead of the game with 4:35 left.
But former Arkansas Baptist quarterback Josh Dixon put the Rhinos ahead for good on Arkansas’ next drive when he hit Morgan for a 12-yard touchdown.
The Rhinos padded the lead on Tony Phillips’ 8-yard touchdown run to make it 17-7.
Though the Rhinos were playing without Ben and Sam Witchers in the secondary, the defensive backfield did a good job on Saturday by picking off three passes. Robert Jemerson returned an interception for a touchdown.
Former Henderson State University wideout Lance Smith capped the Rhinos’ scoring with a 41-yard punt return.
“We went over and scouted (the Blast) a week earlier so we kind of learned their strengths and weaknesses,” Malone said of
Memphis’ season-opening loss to Kansas City. “We felt a lot better about things after that.”
Morgan was named the Rhinos offensive MVP for the game, while Smith picked up the special teams honor.
The Rhino offense totaled 388 yards. Phillips rushed 17 times for 87 yards; Sam Wood picked up 39 yards on eight totes, and Shannon Rhea rushed six times for 42 yards.
Leader sports editor
MEMPHIS — The Arkansas Rhinos made their season opener a special one on Saturday in Memphis.
Or, more accurately, a special teams one.
The Rhinos returned a punt and an interception fortouchdowns and picked off three passes in pasting the Memphis Blast 34-7 at Hank’s Field.
“The funny thing is, I’m aspecial teams coach,” said fifth-year head coach Oscar Malone. “The whole defense did a wonderful job.”
No one was better than middle linebacker Enrico Wilkins, who led the way with 15 total tackles — 12 solo. Ken Thompson added eight. Wilkins earned game defensive MVP for his efforts.
“It was between him and Jermaine Kornegay,” Malone said. “Both played a very impressive game.”
Kornegay picked off two passes.
Garrett Morgan put the Rhinos on top with a 17-yard field goal in the first quarter, but the Blast responded with a 29-yard touchdown pass to take its only lead of the game with 4:35 left.
But former Arkansas Baptist quarterback Josh Dixon put the Rhinos ahead for good on Arkansas’ next drive when he hit Morgan for a 12-yard touchdown.
The Rhinos padded the lead on Tony Phillips’ 8-yard touchdown run to make it 17-7.
Though the Rhinos were playing without Ben and Sam Witchers in the secondary, the defensive backfield did a good job on Saturday by picking off three passes. Robert Jemerson returned an interception for a touchdown.
Former Henderson State University wideout Lance Smith capped the Rhinos’ scoring with a 41-yard punt return.
“We went over and scouted (the Blast) a week earlier so we kind of learned their strengths and weaknesses,” Malone said of
Memphis’ season-opening loss to Kansas City. “We felt a lot better about things after that.”
Morgan was named the Rhinos offensive MVP for the game, while Smith picked up the special teams honor.
The Rhino offense totaled 388 yards. Phillips rushed 17 times for 87 yards; Sam Wood picked up 39 yards on eight totes, and Shannon Rhea rushed six times for 42 yards.
SPORTS>> Rhinos get defensive in beating Blast
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
MEMPHIS — The Arkansas Rhinos made their season opener a special one on Saturday in Memphis.
Or, more accurately, a special teams one.
The Rhinos returned a punt and an interception fortouchdowns and picked off three passes in pasting the Memphis Blast 34-7 at Hank’s Field.
“The funny thing is, I’m aspecial teams coach,” said fifth-year head coach Oscar Malone. “The whole defense did a wonderful job.”
No one was better than middle linebacker Enrico Wilkins, who led the way with 15 total tackles — 12 solo. Ken Thompson added eight. Wilkins earned game defensive MVP for his efforts.
“It was between him and Jermaine Kornegay,” Malone said. “Both played a very impressive game.”
Kornegay picked off two passes.
Garrett Morgan put the Rhinos on top with a 17-yard field goal in the first quarter, but the Blast responded with a 29-yard touchdown pass to take its only lead of the game with 4:35 left.
But former Arkansas Baptist quarterback Josh Dixon put the Rhinos ahead for good on Arkansas’ next drive when he hit Morgan for a 12-yard touchdown.
The Rhinos padded the lead on Tony Phillips’ 8-yard touchdown run to make it 17-7.
Though the Rhinos were playing without Ben and Sam Witchers in the secondary, the defensive backfield did a good job on Saturday by picking off three passes. Robert Jemerson returned an interception for a touchdown.
Former Henderson State University wideout Lance Smith capped the Rhinos’ scoring with a 41-yard punt return.
“We went over and scouted (the Blast) a week earlier so we kind of learned their strengths and weaknesses,” Malone said of
Memphis’ season-opening loss to Kansas City. “We felt a lot better about things after that.”
Morgan was named the Rhinos offensive MVP for the game, while Smith picked up the special teams honor.
The Rhino offense totaled 388 yards. Phillips rushed 17 times for 87 yards; Sam Wood picked up 39 yards on eight totes, and Shannon Rhea rushed six times for 42 yards.
Leader sports editor
MEMPHIS — The Arkansas Rhinos made their season opener a special one on Saturday in Memphis.
Or, more accurately, a special teams one.
The Rhinos returned a punt and an interception fortouchdowns and picked off three passes in pasting the Memphis Blast 34-7 at Hank’s Field.
“The funny thing is, I’m aspecial teams coach,” said fifth-year head coach Oscar Malone. “The whole defense did a wonderful job.”
No one was better than middle linebacker Enrico Wilkins, who led the way with 15 total tackles — 12 solo. Ken Thompson added eight. Wilkins earned game defensive MVP for his efforts.
“It was between him and Jermaine Kornegay,” Malone said. “Both played a very impressive game.”
Kornegay picked off two passes.
Garrett Morgan put the Rhinos on top with a 17-yard field goal in the first quarter, but the Blast responded with a 29-yard touchdown pass to take its only lead of the game with 4:35 left.
But former Arkansas Baptist quarterback Josh Dixon put the Rhinos ahead for good on Arkansas’ next drive when he hit Morgan for a 12-yard touchdown.
The Rhinos padded the lead on Tony Phillips’ 8-yard touchdown run to make it 17-7.
Though the Rhinos were playing without Ben and Sam Witchers in the secondary, the defensive backfield did a good job on Saturday by picking off three passes. Robert Jemerson returned an interception for a touchdown.
Former Henderson State University wideout Lance Smith capped the Rhinos’ scoring with a 41-yard punt return.
“We went over and scouted (the Blast) a week earlier so we kind of learned their strengths and weaknesses,” Malone said of
Memphis’ season-opening loss to Kansas City. “We felt a lot better about things after that.”
Morgan was named the Rhinos offensive MVP for the game, while Smith picked up the special teams honor.
The Rhino offense totaled 388 yards. Phillips rushed 17 times for 87 yards; Sam Wood picked up 39 yards on eight totes, and Shannon Rhea rushed six times for 42 yards.
SPORTS>> Cabot takes a pair from Jacksonville
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Clayton Fenton’s complete game, four-hit, four-strikeout performance for Gwatney Chevrolet was more than good enough to win on most nights, but UA Fort Smith freshman Colin Fuller upped the ante on Monday.
Fuller fanned 13 batters and gave up only three hits en route to a 2-0 win for Cabot Community Bank at Conrade Memorial Field.
An error at second base in the bottom of the sixth inning ended up the deciding factor in the senior Legion pitcher’s duel, as one of Gwatney’s best infielders in Terrell Brown let one slip under his glove and into the outfield off a grounder by Drew Burks.
Matt Evans and Shayne Burgan scored on the play for the only two runs of the night. Evans led off the deciding frame with a single into centerfield, and Burgan’s stand-up double two outs later put a runner at third for the first time all evening.
Brown made up for the error moments later by turning his second double play of the game, but Fuller closed it out forCommunity Bank in the top of the seventh by doing what he had done almost all night — striking out people.
Fuller retired six of the final eight Jacksonville batters he faced, leaving Fenton holding the loss after a stellar performance of his own.
“You saw two guys throwing good games tonight,” Cabot coach Jay Darr said. “(Fenton) threw a good game for Jacksonville. Our guy, Colin, came out and had 13 Ks. His slider was just nasty, and he threw his change-up real well too. With him being a college kid, we want him to work on all pitches. This is him just getting work in for the summer.”
Plate highlights were few and far between for both clubs on Monday. Gwatney leadoff batter Adam Ussery was the only batter for either team to come away with multiple hits with a pair of infield singles.
He ended up stranded both times. In fact, second base was as far as the Chevy boys were able to make it against Fuller and the Cabot defense all night.
Fuller did walk Tyler Wisdom in the top of the second inning, and hit two batters with pitches in the late going, but Thurman’s double into center in the top of the first inning was the only big hit Fuller allowed.
Darr may have wanted to see more offense from his squad, but he was thankful that they capitalized on the opportunity they were given late.
“That’s what close game are all about,” Darr said. “One play can swing it one way or the other. He makes that play, and then we miss a play the next inning, then it could turn the other way. I give credit to both teams. Both teams played real hard.
“This is a rivalry — it has been for a real long time. It’s really good to see kids come out here and play their hearts out and have close games.”
Cabot senior Legion is now 5-5 on the season.
The Gwatney senior team started its week out on a strong note with a 3-0 shutout win over Texarkana on Sunday at Burns Park. Michael Harmon got the win on the mound with a four-hit performance.
CABOT JUNIORS 6, GWATNEY 5
The Community Bank junior Legion team had an even tougher way to go on Monday. Gwatney jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning, but a walk-off double by Justin Tyler in the bottom of the fifth inning completed the comeback for Cabot.
Andrew Reynolds started the winning rally when he singled down the third base line. Tyler then sent a deep fly ball that landed right in the hole between left fielder Jeffery Tillman and centerfielder Hayden Simpson.
“We’ve kind of turned into the heart attack kids,” Cabot coach Andy Runyan said. “That’s a couple of games in a row now that we’ve started out slow and really tried to make a charge late. It didn’t work out for us against North Little Rock. We ended up winning the game big at Conway Christian, and tonight, we were able to get away with the one-run win.
“Justin Tyler, man, it doesn’t get much bigger than that. We’re up against a time limit. If we don’t score, we tie. To us, a tie is just like a loss. You don’t feel any better. If this game were played anywhere besides Cabot, that would have been a walk-off home run.”
Cabot’s offense showed little signs of life until the bottom of the fourth inning, as the innings, along with the hour and 50 minute time limit, began to run out.
Jacksonville pitcher Stephen Swaggerty had done a solid job of keeping Cabot batters off the bases for most of the contest, but a pair of walks to start the bottom of the fourth inning was the beginning of the unraveling for the Chevy boys.
Ty Steele and Reynolds both took free trips to first to start the rally, and both came home on a triple to the fence by leadoff batter Matt Evans.
A passed ball scored Evans to make it 5-4.
Cabot is now 13-3-1 for the season.
Leader sportswriter
Clayton Fenton’s complete game, four-hit, four-strikeout performance for Gwatney Chevrolet was more than good enough to win on most nights, but UA Fort Smith freshman Colin Fuller upped the ante on Monday.
Fuller fanned 13 batters and gave up only three hits en route to a 2-0 win for Cabot Community Bank at Conrade Memorial Field.
An error at second base in the bottom of the sixth inning ended up the deciding factor in the senior Legion pitcher’s duel, as one of Gwatney’s best infielders in Terrell Brown let one slip under his glove and into the outfield off a grounder by Drew Burks.
Matt Evans and Shayne Burgan scored on the play for the only two runs of the night. Evans led off the deciding frame with a single into centerfield, and Burgan’s stand-up double two outs later put a runner at third for the first time all evening.
Brown made up for the error moments later by turning his second double play of the game, but Fuller closed it out forCommunity Bank in the top of the seventh by doing what he had done almost all night — striking out people.
Fuller retired six of the final eight Jacksonville batters he faced, leaving Fenton holding the loss after a stellar performance of his own.
“You saw two guys throwing good games tonight,” Cabot coach Jay Darr said. “(Fenton) threw a good game for Jacksonville. Our guy, Colin, came out and had 13 Ks. His slider was just nasty, and he threw his change-up real well too. With him being a college kid, we want him to work on all pitches. This is him just getting work in for the summer.”
Plate highlights were few and far between for both clubs on Monday. Gwatney leadoff batter Adam Ussery was the only batter for either team to come away with multiple hits with a pair of infield singles.
He ended up stranded both times. In fact, second base was as far as the Chevy boys were able to make it against Fuller and the Cabot defense all night.
Fuller did walk Tyler Wisdom in the top of the second inning, and hit two batters with pitches in the late going, but Thurman’s double into center in the top of the first inning was the only big hit Fuller allowed.
Darr may have wanted to see more offense from his squad, but he was thankful that they capitalized on the opportunity they were given late.
“That’s what close game are all about,” Darr said. “One play can swing it one way or the other. He makes that play, and then we miss a play the next inning, then it could turn the other way. I give credit to both teams. Both teams played real hard.
“This is a rivalry — it has been for a real long time. It’s really good to see kids come out here and play their hearts out and have close games.”
Cabot senior Legion is now 5-5 on the season.
The Gwatney senior team started its week out on a strong note with a 3-0 shutout win over Texarkana on Sunday at Burns Park. Michael Harmon got the win on the mound with a four-hit performance.
CABOT JUNIORS 6, GWATNEY 5
The Community Bank junior Legion team had an even tougher way to go on Monday. Gwatney jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning, but a walk-off double by Justin Tyler in the bottom of the fifth inning completed the comeback for Cabot.
Andrew Reynolds started the winning rally when he singled down the third base line. Tyler then sent a deep fly ball that landed right in the hole between left fielder Jeffery Tillman and centerfielder Hayden Simpson.
“We’ve kind of turned into the heart attack kids,” Cabot coach Andy Runyan said. “That’s a couple of games in a row now that we’ve started out slow and really tried to make a charge late. It didn’t work out for us against North Little Rock. We ended up winning the game big at Conway Christian, and tonight, we were able to get away with the one-run win.
“Justin Tyler, man, it doesn’t get much bigger than that. We’re up against a time limit. If we don’t score, we tie. To us, a tie is just like a loss. You don’t feel any better. If this game were played anywhere besides Cabot, that would have been a walk-off home run.”
Cabot’s offense showed little signs of life until the bottom of the fourth inning, as the innings, along with the hour and 50 minute time limit, began to run out.
Jacksonville pitcher Stephen Swaggerty had done a solid job of keeping Cabot batters off the bases for most of the contest, but a pair of walks to start the bottom of the fourth inning was the beginning of the unraveling for the Chevy boys.
Ty Steele and Reynolds both took free trips to first to start the rally, and both came home on a triple to the fence by leadoff batter Matt Evans.
A passed ball scored Evans to make it 5-4.
Cabot is now 13-3-1 for the season.
SPORTS>> Cabot takes a pair from Jacksonville
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Clayton Fenton’s complete game, four-hit, four-strikeout performance for Gwatney Chevrolet was more than good enough to win on most nights, but UA Fort Smith freshman Colin Fuller upped the ante on Monday.
Fuller fanned 13 batters and gave up only three hits en route to a 2-0 win for Cabot Community Bank at Conrade Memorial Field.
An error at second base in the bottom of the sixth inning ended up the deciding factor in the senior Legion pitcher’s duel, as one of Gwatney’s best infielders in Terrell Brown let one slip under his glove and into the outfield off a grounder by Drew Burks.
Matt Evans and Shayne Burgan scored on the play for the only two runs of the night. Evans led off the deciding frame with a single into centerfield, and Burgan’s stand-up double two outs later put a runner at third for the first time all evening.
Brown made up for the error moments later by turning his second double play of the game, but Fuller closed it out forCommunity Bank in the top of the seventh by doing what he had done almost all night — striking out people.
Fuller retired six of the final eight Jacksonville batters he faced, leaving Fenton holding the loss after a stellar performance of his own.
“You saw two guys throwing good games tonight,” Cabot coach Jay Darr said. “(Fenton) threw a good game for Jacksonville. Our guy, Colin, came out and had 13 Ks. His slider was just nasty, and he threw his change-up real well too. With him being a college kid, we want him to work on all pitches. This is him just getting work in for the summer.”
Plate highlights were few and far between for both clubs on Monday. Gwatney leadoff batter Adam Ussery was the only batter for either team to come away with multiple hits with a pair of infield singles.
He ended up stranded both times. In fact, second base was as far as the Chevy boys were able to make it against Fuller and the Cabot defense all night.
Fuller did walk Tyler Wisdom in the top of the second inning, and hit two batters with pitches in the late going, but Thurman’s double into center in the top of the first inning was the only big hit Fuller allowed.
Darr may have wanted to see more offense from his squad, but he was thankful that they capitalized on the opportunity they were given late.
“That’s what close game are all about,” Darr said. “One play can swing it one way or the other. He makes that play, and then we miss a play the next inning, then it could turn the other way. I give credit to both teams. Both teams played real hard.
“This is a rivalry — it has been for a real long time. It’s really good to see kids come out here and play their hearts out and have close games.”
Cabot senior Legion is now 5-5 on the season.
The Gwatney senior team started its week out on a strong note with a 3-0 shutout win over Texarkana on Sunday at Burns Park. Michael Harmon got the win on the mound with a four-hit performance.
CABOT JUNIORS 6, GWATNEY 5
The Community Bank junior Legion team had an even tougher way to go on Monday. Gwatney jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning, but a walk-off double by Justin Tyler in the bottom of the fifth inning completed the comeback for Cabot.
Andrew Reynolds started the winning rally when he singled down the third base line. Tyler then sent a deep fly ball that landed right in the hole between left fielder Jeffery Tillman and centerfielder Hayden Simpson.
“We’ve kind of turned into the heart attack kids,” Cabot coach Andy Runyan said. “That’s a couple of games in a row now that we’ve started out slow and really tried to make a charge late. It didn’t work out for us against North Little Rock. We ended up winning the game big at Conway Christian, and tonight, we were able to get away with the one-run win.
“Justin Tyler, man, it doesn’t get much bigger than that. We’re up against a time limit. If we don’t score, we tie. To us, a tie is just like a loss. You don’t feel any better. If this game were played anywhere besides Cabot, that would have been a walk-off home run.”
Cabot’s offense showed little signs of life until the bottom of the fourth inning, as the innings, along with the hour and 50 minute time limit, began to run out.
Jacksonville pitcher Stephen Swaggerty had done a solid job of keeping Cabot batters off the bases for most of the contest, but a pair of walks to start the bottom of the fourth inning was the beginning of the unraveling for the Chevy boys.
Ty Steele and Reynolds both took free trips to first to start the rally, and both came home on a triple to the fence by leadoff batter Matt Evans.
A passed ball scored Evans to make it 5-4.
Cabot is now 13-3-1 for the season.
Leader sportswriter
Clayton Fenton’s complete game, four-hit, four-strikeout performance for Gwatney Chevrolet was more than good enough to win on most nights, but UA Fort Smith freshman Colin Fuller upped the ante on Monday.
Fuller fanned 13 batters and gave up only three hits en route to a 2-0 win for Cabot Community Bank at Conrade Memorial Field.
An error at second base in the bottom of the sixth inning ended up the deciding factor in the senior Legion pitcher’s duel, as one of Gwatney’s best infielders in Terrell Brown let one slip under his glove and into the outfield off a grounder by Drew Burks.
Matt Evans and Shayne Burgan scored on the play for the only two runs of the night. Evans led off the deciding frame with a single into centerfield, and Burgan’s stand-up double two outs later put a runner at third for the first time all evening.
Brown made up for the error moments later by turning his second double play of the game, but Fuller closed it out forCommunity Bank in the top of the seventh by doing what he had done almost all night — striking out people.
Fuller retired six of the final eight Jacksonville batters he faced, leaving Fenton holding the loss after a stellar performance of his own.
“You saw two guys throwing good games tonight,” Cabot coach Jay Darr said. “(Fenton) threw a good game for Jacksonville. Our guy, Colin, came out and had 13 Ks. His slider was just nasty, and he threw his change-up real well too. With him being a college kid, we want him to work on all pitches. This is him just getting work in for the summer.”
Plate highlights were few and far between for both clubs on Monday. Gwatney leadoff batter Adam Ussery was the only batter for either team to come away with multiple hits with a pair of infield singles.
He ended up stranded both times. In fact, second base was as far as the Chevy boys were able to make it against Fuller and the Cabot defense all night.
Fuller did walk Tyler Wisdom in the top of the second inning, and hit two batters with pitches in the late going, but Thurman’s double into center in the top of the first inning was the only big hit Fuller allowed.
Darr may have wanted to see more offense from his squad, but he was thankful that they capitalized on the opportunity they were given late.
“That’s what close game are all about,” Darr said. “One play can swing it one way or the other. He makes that play, and then we miss a play the next inning, then it could turn the other way. I give credit to both teams. Both teams played real hard.
“This is a rivalry — it has been for a real long time. It’s really good to see kids come out here and play their hearts out and have close games.”
Cabot senior Legion is now 5-5 on the season.
The Gwatney senior team started its week out on a strong note with a 3-0 shutout win over Texarkana on Sunday at Burns Park. Michael Harmon got the win on the mound with a four-hit performance.
CABOT JUNIORS 6, GWATNEY 5
The Community Bank junior Legion team had an even tougher way to go on Monday. Gwatney jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning, but a walk-off double by Justin Tyler in the bottom of the fifth inning completed the comeback for Cabot.
Andrew Reynolds started the winning rally when he singled down the third base line. Tyler then sent a deep fly ball that landed right in the hole between left fielder Jeffery Tillman and centerfielder Hayden Simpson.
“We’ve kind of turned into the heart attack kids,” Cabot coach Andy Runyan said. “That’s a couple of games in a row now that we’ve started out slow and really tried to make a charge late. It didn’t work out for us against North Little Rock. We ended up winning the game big at Conway Christian, and tonight, we were able to get away with the one-run win.
“Justin Tyler, man, it doesn’t get much bigger than that. We’re up against a time limit. If we don’t score, we tie. To us, a tie is just like a loss. You don’t feel any better. If this game were played anywhere besides Cabot, that would have been a walk-off home run.”
Cabot’s offense showed little signs of life until the bottom of the fourth inning, as the innings, along with the hour and 50 minute time limit, began to run out.
Jacksonville pitcher Stephen Swaggerty had done a solid job of keeping Cabot batters off the bases for most of the contest, but a pair of walks to start the bottom of the fourth inning was the beginning of the unraveling for the Chevy boys.
Ty Steele and Reynolds both took free trips to first to start the rally, and both came home on a triple to the fence by leadoff batter Matt Evans.
A passed ball scored Evans to make it 5-4.
Cabot is now 13-3-1 for the season.
SPORTS>> Eighteen area athletes help fill rosters for prestigious games
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
The 53rd edition of the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star Games got under way this week at the University of Arkansas.
Last night after Leader deadlines, the baseball doubleheader and the girls and boys soccer matches were played.
Area players selected for the baseball game at Baum Stadium included Jacksonville’s Cameron Hood and Sylvan Hills’ Clint Thornton.
North Pulaski’s Meagan Delao and Searcy’s Rachael Maina and Natalie Polston were selected to the East squad in the girls soccer game held at Lady Back Field. Delao, though, was not listed on the final roster posted in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette on Tuesday morning.
North Pulaski’s Greg West and Searcy’s Jason Felton and Frank Seitz played for the East in the boys game.
Tonight, the softball doubleheader will begin at 5 p.m. at Lady Back Yard. Beebe’s Ashley Watkins will play for the East.
The volleyball game will tip off tonight at 7 at Barnhill Arena.
Thursday night, Bud Walton Arena will host the girls and boys basketball games. The girls East squad includes Beebe’s Emily Bass. Game time is 6 p.m.
The boys game, which is slated to tip at 8, will feature Bradley Spencer of the 4A state champion Lonoke.
All-Star week concludes with the football game on Friday night at 7 at Razorback Stadium. Jacksonville’s Brayden Murray will play for the East team, along with Cabot’s L.J. Tarrant, Sylvan Hills’ Hunter Miller and James T. Long, Beebe’s Cody Cameron, Searcy’s Ryan Wilbourn and Harding Academy’s T.J. Thompson.
Leader sports editor
The 53rd edition of the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star Games got under way this week at the University of Arkansas.
Last night after Leader deadlines, the baseball doubleheader and the girls and boys soccer matches were played.
Area players selected for the baseball game at Baum Stadium included Jacksonville’s Cameron Hood and Sylvan Hills’ Clint Thornton.
North Pulaski’s Meagan Delao and Searcy’s Rachael Maina and Natalie Polston were selected to the East squad in the girls soccer game held at Lady Back Field. Delao, though, was not listed on the final roster posted in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette on Tuesday morning.
North Pulaski’s Greg West and Searcy’s Jason Felton and Frank Seitz played for the East in the boys game.
Tonight, the softball doubleheader will begin at 5 p.m. at Lady Back Yard. Beebe’s Ashley Watkins will play for the East.
The volleyball game will tip off tonight at 7 at Barnhill Arena.
Thursday night, Bud Walton Arena will host the girls and boys basketball games. The girls East squad includes Beebe’s Emily Bass. Game time is 6 p.m.
The boys game, which is slated to tip at 8, will feature Bradley Spencer of the 4A state champion Lonoke.
All-Star week concludes with the football game on Friday night at 7 at Razorback Stadium. Jacksonville’s Brayden Murray will play for the East team, along with Cabot’s L.J. Tarrant, Sylvan Hills’ Hunter Miller and James T. Long, Beebe’s Cody Cameron, Searcy’s Ryan Wilbourn and Harding Academy’s T.J. Thompson.
SPORTS>> Eighteen area athletes help fill rosters for prestigious games
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
The 53rd edition of the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star Games got under way this week at the University of Arkansas.
Last night after Leader deadlines, the baseball doubleheader and the girls and boys soccer matches were played.
Area players selected for the baseball game at Baum Stadium included Jacksonville’s Cameron Hood and Sylvan Hills’ Clint Thornton.
North Pulaski’s Meagan Delao and Searcy’s Rachael Maina and Natalie Polston were selected to the East squad in the girls soccer game held at Lady Back Field. Delao, though, was not listed on the final roster posted in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette on Tuesday morning.
North Pulaski’s Greg West and Searcy’s Jason Felton and Frank Seitz played for the East in the boys game.
Tonight, the softball doubleheader will begin at 5 p.m. at Lady Back Yard. Beebe’s Ashley Watkins will play for the East.
The volleyball game will tip off tonight at 7 at Barnhill Arena.
Thursday night, Bud Walton Arena will host the girls and boys basketball games. The girls East squad includes Beebe’s Emily Bass. Game time is 6 p.m.
The boys game, which is slated to tip at 8, will feature Bradley Spencer of the 4A state champion Lonoke.
All-Star week concludes with the football game on Friday night at 7 at Razorback Stadium. Jacksonville’s Brayden Murray will play for the East team, along with Cabot’s L.J. Tarrant, Sylvan Hills’ Hunter Miller and James T. Long, Beebe’s Cody Cameron, Searcy’s Ryan Wilbourn and Harding Academy’s T.J. Thompson.
Leader sports editor
The 53rd edition of the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star Games got under way this week at the University of Arkansas.
Last night after Leader deadlines, the baseball doubleheader and the girls and boys soccer matches were played.
Area players selected for the baseball game at Baum Stadium included Jacksonville’s Cameron Hood and Sylvan Hills’ Clint Thornton.
North Pulaski’s Meagan Delao and Searcy’s Rachael Maina and Natalie Polston were selected to the East squad in the girls soccer game held at Lady Back Field. Delao, though, was not listed on the final roster posted in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette on Tuesday morning.
North Pulaski’s Greg West and Searcy’s Jason Felton and Frank Seitz played for the East in the boys game.
Tonight, the softball doubleheader will begin at 5 p.m. at Lady Back Yard. Beebe’s Ashley Watkins will play for the East.
The volleyball game will tip off tonight at 7 at Barnhill Arena.
Thursday night, Bud Walton Arena will host the girls and boys basketball games. The girls East squad includes Beebe’s Emily Bass. Game time is 6 p.m.
The boys game, which is slated to tip at 8, will feature Bradley Spencer of the 4A state champion Lonoke.
All-Star week concludes with the football game on Friday night at 7 at Razorback Stadium. Jacksonville’s Brayden Murray will play for the East team, along with Cabot’s L.J. Tarrant, Sylvan Hills’ Hunter Miller and James T. Long, Beebe’s Cody Cameron, Searcy’s Ryan Wilbourn and Harding Academy’s T.J. Thompson.
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