By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
To move forward, Jacksonville is taking a few steps back to its past.
The Red Devils announced last week Rick Russell, 51, a 14-year veteran of the coaching staff, was leaving North Pulaski after one year to return to Jacksonville as head coach. In short order, Russell announced Barry Hickingbotham, a 1987 Jacksonville graduate, was moving up from middle school coaching to become high school offensive coordinator.
Hickingbotham was introduced at a team meeting Thursday.
“I’m just excited for the chance to turn something new here,” said Hickingbotham, 42, who coached the middle school for seven years.
He was on a Red Devils team that finished in a three-way tie for second in the conference and was the only team to beat eventual state champion Little Rock Central.
“I think our record was like 7-3 and the points system kept us out of the playoffs,” Hickingbotham said. “And Little Rock Central goes 13-1 and they have 10 guys with Division I scholarships that year and we beat them.”
Hickingbotham’s introduction coincided with an appearance by Jacksonville alumnus Clinton McDonald, a member of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, as the high school program reaches back to some of the glory days of the past while trying to establish a winning attitude for the future.
“I’ve got a lot of passion for this football team, for this town, for this community to be successful,” Hickingbotham said. “My goal is to put a product out there that people will come to see.”
Jacksonville isn’t that far removed from some degree of football success. The Devils fell to 2-8 last season under Mark Whatley — who left after five years to become offensive coordinator at Springdale — after winning six games and reaching the playoffs in 2008.
The Devils won seven games and a 6A-East Conference championship in 2006.
Russell, Jacksonville’s one-time defensive coordinator, will call the defensive plays this year and brought in Hickingbotham to take the offensive coordinator’s job held by Whatley. Many of the seniors are players Hickingbotham coached as youngsters.
“This senior, 11th and 10th-grade group, when I had them over there we were 25-3 so my expectations are going to be high,” Hickingbotham said.
Out of necessity last year Jacksonville turned in a number of big plays, many on fourth and long, but the explosiveness came partly because the Red Devils frequently played from behind.
Hickingbotham said he would keep elements of the Spread used by Jacksonville last year, but was looking for more of a ball-control offense that, if the defense is on its game, will help the Red Devils control the clock and the tempo.
“We want to be a physical football team,” Hickingbotham said. “We want to establish the run and work some throwing in. We’re not going to be very finesse. We’re going try and be as physical as we can be. We’re going to lace them up and see what happens.”
Jacksonville, playing in the 6A/7A-East this year, opens the season against non-conference rival Cabot in the “Backyard Brawl” on Aug. 31, a Tuesday, at War Memorial Stadium. The first home game is against Mountain Home on Sept. 23, a Thursday, and will be televised statewide.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
SPORTS>>Hickingbotham to direct offense for Jacksonville
By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
To move forward, Jacksonville is taking a few steps back to its past.
The Red Devils announced last week Rick Russell, 51, a 14-year veteran of the coaching staff, was leaving North Pulaski after one year to return to Jacksonville as head coach. In short order, Russell announced Barry Hickingbotham, a 1987 Jacksonville graduate, was moving up from middle school coaching to become high school offensive coordinator.
Hickingbotham was introduced at a team meeting Thursday.
“I’m just excited for the chance to turn something new here,” said Hickingbotham, 42, who coached the middle school for seven years.
He was on a Red Devils team that finished in a three-way tie for second in the conference and was the only team to beat eventual state champion Little Rock Central.
“I think our record was like 7-3 and the points system kept us out of the playoffs,” Hickingbotham said. “And Little Rock Central goes 13-1 and they have 10 guys with Division I scholarships that year and we beat them.”
Hickingbotham’s introduction coincided with an appearance by Jacksonville alumnus Clinton McDonald, a member of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, as the high school program reaches back to some of the glory days of the past while trying to establish a winning attitude for the future.
“I’ve got a lot of passion for this football team, for this town, for this community to be successful,” Hickingbotham said. “My goal is to put a product out there that people will come to see.”
Jacksonville isn’t that far removed from some degree of football success. The Devils fell to 2-8 last season under Mark Whatley — who left after five years to become offensive coordinator at Springdale — after winning six games and reaching the playoffs in 2008.
The Devils won seven games and a 6A-East Conference championship in 2006.
Russell, Jacksonville’s one-time defensive coordinator, will call the defensive plays this year and brought in Hickingbotham to take the offensive coordinator’s job held by Whatley. Many of the seniors are players Hickingbotham coached as youngsters.
“This senior, 11th and 10th-grade group, when I had them over there we were 25-3 so my expectations are going to be high,” Hickingbotham said.
Out of necessity last year Jacksonville turned in a number of big plays, many on fourth and long, but the explosiveness came partly because the Red Devils frequently played from behind.
Hickingbotham said he would keep elements of the Spread used by Jacksonville last year, but was looking for more of a ball-control offense that, if the defense is on its game, will help the Red Devils control the clock and the tempo.
“We want to be a physical football team,” Hickingbotham said. “We want to establish the run and work some throwing in. We’re not going to be very finesse. We’re going try and be as physical as we can be. We’re going to lace them up and see what happens.”
Jacksonville, playing in the 6A/7A-East this year, opens the season against non-conference rival Cabot in the “Backyard Brawl” on Aug. 31, a Tuesday, at War Memorial Stadium. The first home game is against Mountain Home on Sept. 23, a Thursday, and will be televised statewide.
Leader sports editor
To move forward, Jacksonville is taking a few steps back to its past.
The Red Devils announced last week Rick Russell, 51, a 14-year veteran of the coaching staff, was leaving North Pulaski after one year to return to Jacksonville as head coach. In short order, Russell announced Barry Hickingbotham, a 1987 Jacksonville graduate, was moving up from middle school coaching to become high school offensive coordinator.
Hickingbotham was introduced at a team meeting Thursday.
“I’m just excited for the chance to turn something new here,” said Hickingbotham, 42, who coached the middle school for seven years.
He was on a Red Devils team that finished in a three-way tie for second in the conference and was the only team to beat eventual state champion Little Rock Central.
“I think our record was like 7-3 and the points system kept us out of the playoffs,” Hickingbotham said. “And Little Rock Central goes 13-1 and they have 10 guys with Division I scholarships that year and we beat them.”
Hickingbotham’s introduction coincided with an appearance by Jacksonville alumnus Clinton McDonald, a member of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, as the high school program reaches back to some of the glory days of the past while trying to establish a winning attitude for the future.
“I’ve got a lot of passion for this football team, for this town, for this community to be successful,” Hickingbotham said. “My goal is to put a product out there that people will come to see.”
Jacksonville isn’t that far removed from some degree of football success. The Devils fell to 2-8 last season under Mark Whatley — who left after five years to become offensive coordinator at Springdale — after winning six games and reaching the playoffs in 2008.
The Devils won seven games and a 6A-East Conference championship in 2006.
Russell, Jacksonville’s one-time defensive coordinator, will call the defensive plays this year and brought in Hickingbotham to take the offensive coordinator’s job held by Whatley. Many of the seniors are players Hickingbotham coached as youngsters.
“This senior, 11th and 10th-grade group, when I had them over there we were 25-3 so my expectations are going to be high,” Hickingbotham said.
Out of necessity last year Jacksonville turned in a number of big plays, many on fourth and long, but the explosiveness came partly because the Red Devils frequently played from behind.
Hickingbotham said he would keep elements of the Spread used by Jacksonville last year, but was looking for more of a ball-control offense that, if the defense is on its game, will help the Red Devils control the clock and the tempo.
“We want to be a physical football team,” Hickingbotham said. “We want to establish the run and work some throwing in. We’re not going to be very finesse. We’re going try and be as physical as we can be. We’re going to lace them up and see what happens.”
Jacksonville, playing in the 6A/7A-East this year, opens the season against non-conference rival Cabot in the “Backyard Brawl” on Aug. 31, a Tuesday, at War Memorial Stadium. The first home game is against Mountain Home on Sept. 23, a Thursday, and will be televised statewide.
SPORTS>>Travelers battle foes, rain, schedule
By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
Not only did the Arkansas Travelers have trouble winning games in their recent homestand, they had trouble getting them started, playing them in regulation or ending them in a timely fashion.
A pregame boxing match, a long rain delay and extra innings played havoc with the schedule during the six-game homestand against the Midland RockHounds and Frisco RoughRiders.
The games marked the last time this year the Travelers, of the Texas League North, will play South Division members Midland and Frisco, much to ballpark employees’ relief.
Arkansas went 2-4 with one victory each over Midland and Frisco. The RockHounds opened the first series with a 6-1 victory in which they did all their scoring on home runs in the first three innings.
The time of game was three hours, five minutes, and that would be the shortest game the Travelers and RockHounds played.
On July 9, after UALR associate athletic director Gary Hogan beat former big leaguer Jose Canseco in the pregame boxing match, it took Arkansas 3:25 to scratch out a 6-5 victory that ended close to midnight.
Another home run gave Midland the early lead, but Arkansas’ Alexi Amarista drove in Tyson Auer with a ninth-inning single to win it.
Jeremy Moore, who has moved into the Texas League’s top 10 in batting, ran his hitting streak to 13 games with three base hits.
Moore made it 14 games with two hits Saturday, but Midland won 6-4 despite committing two errors and being outhit 11-6 in a game that lasted 3:40.
A one-hour, 36-minute rain delay greeted Frisco and Arkansas on Sunday, and the teams followed that with an 11-inning showdown the RoughRiders won when Guilder Rodriguez tripled in a run in the top of the 11th.
Monday’s game was rained out entirely, leading Arkansas general manager Pete Laven to schedule a series-ending doubleheader that began at 5 p.m. Tuesday instead of the standard, single-game start time of 7:10 p.m.
With the games reduced to seven-innings in the Texas League doubleheader format, Arkansas won the first, using a three-run sixth to overtake the RoughRiders. Moore, who extended his streak to 15 games, singled and scored when Julio Perez hit a two-run double and Efren Navarro scored on a sacrifice fly.
But the Travs were held to just three hits while the RoughRiders pounded out 16 in the second game that Frisco won 10-0.
Moore had the game off, preserving his streak, while Frisco’s Elio Sarmiento hit a two-run home run.
The home fans finally got an extended look at this year’s version of pitcher Trevor Reckling, the left-hander and Los Angeles Angels prospect who was reassigned from Class AAA Salt Lake to work on his fastball command after posting an ERA above 8.00.
Reckling, who faced just four hitters because of a biceps cramp in his first outing at Dickey-Stephens Park, went 7 1/3 strong innings but got no decision when he left Sunday’s game after giving up one unearned run, striking out two and walking two.
Reckling is 1-0 with the Travs thanks to a victory at Frisco.
Arkansas also welcomed infielder Ryan Mount back from the disabled list during the homestand. Mount, a second baseman expected to now play more at third, missed 18 games with a shoulder injury.
He hit .249 with seven homers and 28 RBI in 50 games before his injury. Mount was in the lineup for the first game of the doubleheader and was 2 for 3 with a run and two RBI. He was hitless as the designated hitter in the second game.
Arkansas dropped its series opener at Tulsa 17-2 on Thursday night.
Leader sports editor
Not only did the Arkansas Travelers have trouble winning games in their recent homestand, they had trouble getting them started, playing them in regulation or ending them in a timely fashion.
A pregame boxing match, a long rain delay and extra innings played havoc with the schedule during the six-game homestand against the Midland RockHounds and Frisco RoughRiders.
The games marked the last time this year the Travelers, of the Texas League North, will play South Division members Midland and Frisco, much to ballpark employees’ relief.
Arkansas went 2-4 with one victory each over Midland and Frisco. The RockHounds opened the first series with a 6-1 victory in which they did all their scoring on home runs in the first three innings.
The time of game was three hours, five minutes, and that would be the shortest game the Travelers and RockHounds played.
On July 9, after UALR associate athletic director Gary Hogan beat former big leaguer Jose Canseco in the pregame boxing match, it took Arkansas 3:25 to scratch out a 6-5 victory that ended close to midnight.
Another home run gave Midland the early lead, but Arkansas’ Alexi Amarista drove in Tyson Auer with a ninth-inning single to win it.
Jeremy Moore, who has moved into the Texas League’s top 10 in batting, ran his hitting streak to 13 games with three base hits.
Moore made it 14 games with two hits Saturday, but Midland won 6-4 despite committing two errors and being outhit 11-6 in a game that lasted 3:40.
A one-hour, 36-minute rain delay greeted Frisco and Arkansas on Sunday, and the teams followed that with an 11-inning showdown the RoughRiders won when Guilder Rodriguez tripled in a run in the top of the 11th.
Monday’s game was rained out entirely, leading Arkansas general manager Pete Laven to schedule a series-ending doubleheader that began at 5 p.m. Tuesday instead of the standard, single-game start time of 7:10 p.m.
With the games reduced to seven-innings in the Texas League doubleheader format, Arkansas won the first, using a three-run sixth to overtake the RoughRiders. Moore, who extended his streak to 15 games, singled and scored when Julio Perez hit a two-run double and Efren Navarro scored on a sacrifice fly.
But the Travs were held to just three hits while the RoughRiders pounded out 16 in the second game that Frisco won 10-0.
Moore had the game off, preserving his streak, while Frisco’s Elio Sarmiento hit a two-run home run.
The home fans finally got an extended look at this year’s version of pitcher Trevor Reckling, the left-hander and Los Angeles Angels prospect who was reassigned from Class AAA Salt Lake to work on his fastball command after posting an ERA above 8.00.
Reckling, who faced just four hitters because of a biceps cramp in his first outing at Dickey-Stephens Park, went 7 1/3 strong innings but got no decision when he left Sunday’s game after giving up one unearned run, striking out two and walking two.
Reckling is 1-0 with the Travs thanks to a victory at Frisco.
Arkansas also welcomed infielder Ryan Mount back from the disabled list during the homestand. Mount, a second baseman expected to now play more at third, missed 18 games with a shoulder injury.
He hit .249 with seven homers and 28 RBI in 50 games before his injury. Mount was in the lineup for the first game of the doubleheader and was 2 for 3 with a run and two RBI. He was hitless as the designated hitter in the second game.
Arkansas dropped its series opener at Tulsa 17-2 on Thursday night.
SPORTS>>McDonald helping out alma mater
By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
New Jacksonville football coach Rick Russell doesn’t necessarily want his players to turn out like Clinton McDonald, though that would be nice.
It would simply be good enough if Russell’s Red Devils feel the way McDonald does about the program.
McDonald, the Jacksonville graduate currently with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, gave the Russell era a shot in the arm with a pep talk to the Red Devils before Thursday’s conditioning workout.
“You guys can be the front runner of a new legacy, which is yours,” McDonald said in his remarks to the team in the Jacksonville film room.
McDonald, a defensive lineman who was a late draft pick by Cincinnati over a year ago, has been spending extended time at his alma mater recently to see what he can do to help out after Russell, his old defensive coach, moved from North Pulaski to take over at Jacksonville last week.
Russell is a 14-year veteran of the Jacksonville staff who left the school in the spring of 2009 to become North Pulaski’s head coach. In his return to Jacksonville, Russell was more than happy to accept McDonald’s help, which included McDonald voluntarily racking and organizing weights in the Red Devils’ indoor practice facility and plans for McDonald to hold a camp with fellow NFL players next year.
“One of the best linebackers I’ve ever coached,” Russell said. “One of the best student athletes I’ve ever coached and one of the best men I’ve ever called a friend.”
McDonald graduated Jacksonville in 2005 following a 2004 all-state season. He morphed from linebacker to defensive tackle at the University of Memphis, where he had 11.5 career sacks and was fourth in Conference USA with seven his senior year.
The Bengals drafted McDonald in the seventh round, 249th overall, last spring and he just missed making the active roster in training camp and spent last season on the practice squad, from where he is hoping to move up this year.
But McDonald, 6-2, 283 pounds, has always kept Jacksonville close to his heart and was glad to lend a hand, or his voice, to his old program.
In his remarks to the players Thursday, McDonald urged them to be accountable, responsible, to leave something behind for the next generation and have a sense of pride in place.
“The pride that I take in this place is like the pride I take in my house,” McDonald said, urging the Red Devils to be fierce defenders of their turf.
McDonald recalled a loss to Pine Bluff when he was a sophomore. He found himself in tears afterward, along with the upperclassmen, and knew he was heart and soul a Red Devil.
“I was crying because it meant so much to those guys,” McDonald said.
McDonald and his older brother Cleyton were teammates at Jacksonville, and Cleyton went on to play at Mississippi Valley State.
But it was Clinton who became Jacksonville’s first draft pick since Dan Hampton, a hall of famer with the Chicago Bears, was taken out of the University of Arkansas in 1979.
Jacksonville products Robert Thomas, Adrian Wilson and Chet Winters reached the NFL as free agents.
However far he goes in his career, McDonald said, he stands as evidence good things can begin in Jacksonville football.
“I had my time at Jacksonville High School,” McDonald said. “It’s all about making you guys better.”
Leader sports editor
New Jacksonville football coach Rick Russell doesn’t necessarily want his players to turn out like Clinton McDonald, though that would be nice.
It would simply be good enough if Russell’s Red Devils feel the way McDonald does about the program.
McDonald, the Jacksonville graduate currently with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, gave the Russell era a shot in the arm with a pep talk to the Red Devils before Thursday’s conditioning workout.
“You guys can be the front runner of a new legacy, which is yours,” McDonald said in his remarks to the team in the Jacksonville film room.
McDonald, a defensive lineman who was a late draft pick by Cincinnati over a year ago, has been spending extended time at his alma mater recently to see what he can do to help out after Russell, his old defensive coach, moved from North Pulaski to take over at Jacksonville last week.
Russell is a 14-year veteran of the Jacksonville staff who left the school in the spring of 2009 to become North Pulaski’s head coach. In his return to Jacksonville, Russell was more than happy to accept McDonald’s help, which included McDonald voluntarily racking and organizing weights in the Red Devils’ indoor practice facility and plans for McDonald to hold a camp with fellow NFL players next year.
“One of the best linebackers I’ve ever coached,” Russell said. “One of the best student athletes I’ve ever coached and one of the best men I’ve ever called a friend.”
McDonald graduated Jacksonville in 2005 following a 2004 all-state season. He morphed from linebacker to defensive tackle at the University of Memphis, where he had 11.5 career sacks and was fourth in Conference USA with seven his senior year.
The Bengals drafted McDonald in the seventh round, 249th overall, last spring and he just missed making the active roster in training camp and spent last season on the practice squad, from where he is hoping to move up this year.
But McDonald, 6-2, 283 pounds, has always kept Jacksonville close to his heart and was glad to lend a hand, or his voice, to his old program.
In his remarks to the players Thursday, McDonald urged them to be accountable, responsible, to leave something behind for the next generation and have a sense of pride in place.
“The pride that I take in this place is like the pride I take in my house,” McDonald said, urging the Red Devils to be fierce defenders of their turf.
McDonald recalled a loss to Pine Bluff when he was a sophomore. He found himself in tears afterward, along with the upperclassmen, and knew he was heart and soul a Red Devil.
“I was crying because it meant so much to those guys,” McDonald said.
McDonald and his older brother Cleyton were teammates at Jacksonville, and Cleyton went on to play at Mississippi Valley State.
But it was Clinton who became Jacksonville’s first draft pick since Dan Hampton, a hall of famer with the Chicago Bears, was taken out of the University of Arkansas in 1979.
Jacksonville products Robert Thomas, Adrian Wilson and Chet Winters reached the NFL as free agents.
However far he goes in his career, McDonald said, he stands as evidence good things can begin in Jacksonville football.
“I had my time at Jacksonville High School,” McDonald said. “It’s all about making you guys better.”
SPORTS>>IKF umbrella harbors amateurs
Bring it on!
It’s a simple, yet catchy motto for what has become one of the largest martial arts sanctioning bodies in the world, particularly for amateurs.
The International Kickboxing Federation was founded by Dan Stell and Steve Fossum in summer 1992 and expanded into Europe by 1998. Stell left the organization in the mid 1990s. Fossum later went on to form the International Sport Combat Federation or ISCF, which became the first sanctioning body for Mixed Martial Arts.
Many of the top names in the world of MMA got started in the IKF, including Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Chuck
“The Iceman” Liddell, who won the IKF heavyweight title in 1996.
The IKF also hosts amateur kickboxing’s crown jewel event, the World Classic. The annual World Classic amateur kickboxing and Muay Thai championships will take place July 23-25 in Orlando, Fla., at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort.
The event field has grown to over 300 fighters projected for this year’s event, and is all-inclusive with divisions for children and adults, male and female.
Barata MMA fighter Eli McGlothlin is a five-time champion of the World Classic and is going back to try and capture an unprecedented sixth title belt.
“This is definitely the hardest I’ve ever trained for a fight,” McGlothlin said.
Other local ties to IKF include Jacksonville’s Kayla Oudthone, who won the IKF junior amateur girls Central Regional Bantamweight title in March 2005 fighting out of her father’s Prathet Thai training dojo and held the belt until December 2008 when she retired from the amateur ranks.
There are six different styles of fighting under the IKF banner, including American, International, Muay Thai, San Shou, semi-contact and gladiator-style MMA.
IKF’s website encourages persistence by competitors and cites the life story of President Abraham Lincoln as an example of success through perseverance.
The five-star mission of the IKF is credibility through legitimate titles and rankings, fairness in the rules, recognition, support and assistance to IKF event promoters and unity throughout the kickboxing community.
It’s a simple, yet catchy motto for what has become one of the largest martial arts sanctioning bodies in the world, particularly for amateurs.
The International Kickboxing Federation was founded by Dan Stell and Steve Fossum in summer 1992 and expanded into Europe by 1998. Stell left the organization in the mid 1990s. Fossum later went on to form the International Sport Combat Federation or ISCF, which became the first sanctioning body for Mixed Martial Arts.
Many of the top names in the world of MMA got started in the IKF, including Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Chuck
“The Iceman” Liddell, who won the IKF heavyweight title in 1996.
The IKF also hosts amateur kickboxing’s crown jewel event, the World Classic. The annual World Classic amateur kickboxing and Muay Thai championships will take place July 23-25 in Orlando, Fla., at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort.
The event field has grown to over 300 fighters projected for this year’s event, and is all-inclusive with divisions for children and adults, male and female.
Barata MMA fighter Eli McGlothlin is a five-time champion of the World Classic and is going back to try and capture an unprecedented sixth title belt.
“This is definitely the hardest I’ve ever trained for a fight,” McGlothlin said.
Other local ties to IKF include Jacksonville’s Kayla Oudthone, who won the IKF junior amateur girls Central Regional Bantamweight title in March 2005 fighting out of her father’s Prathet Thai training dojo and held the belt until December 2008 when she retired from the amateur ranks.
There are six different styles of fighting under the IKF banner, including American, International, Muay Thai, San Shou, semi-contact and gladiator-style MMA.
IKF’s website encourages persistence by competitors and cites the life story of President Abraham Lincoln as an example of success through perseverance.
The five-star mission of the IKF is credibility through legitimate titles and rankings, fairness in the rules, recognition, support and assistance to IKF event promoters and unity throughout the kickboxing community.
SPORTS>>IKF umbrella harbors amateurs
Bring it on!
It’s a simple, yet catchy motto for what has become one of the largest martial arts sanctioning bodies in the world, particularly for amateurs.
The International Kickboxing Federation was founded by Dan Stell and Steve Fossum in summer 1992 and expanded into Europe by 1998. Stell left the organization in the mid 1990s. Fossum later went on to form the International Sport Combat Federation or ISCF, which became the first sanctioning body for Mixed Martial Arts.
Many of the top names in the world of MMA got started in the IKF, including Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Chuck
“The Iceman” Liddell, who won the IKF heavyweight title in 1996.
The IKF also hosts amateur kickboxing’s crown jewel event, the World Classic. The annual World Classic amateur kickboxing and Muay Thai championships will take place July 23-25 in Orlando, Fla., at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort.
The event field has grown to over 300 fighters projected for this year’s event, and is all-inclusive with divisions for children and adults, male and female.
Barata MMA fighter Eli McGlothlin is a five-time champion of the World Classic and is going back to try and capture an unprecedented sixth title belt.
“This is definitely the hardest I’ve ever trained for a fight,” McGlothlin said.
Other local ties to IKF include Jacksonville’s Kayla Oudthone, who won the IKF junior amateur girls Central Regional Bantamweight title in March 2005 fighting out of her father’s Prathet Thai training dojo and held the belt until December 2008 when she retired from the amateur ranks.
There are six different styles of fighting under the IKF banner, including American, International, Muay Thai, San Shou, semi-contact and gladiator-style MMA.
IKF’s website encourages persistence by competitors and cites the life story of President Abraham Lincoln as an example of success through perseverance.
The five-star mission of the IKF is credibility through legitimate titles and rankings, fairness in the rules, recognition, support and assistance to IKF event promoters and unity throughout the kickboxing community.
It’s a simple, yet catchy motto for what has become one of the largest martial arts sanctioning bodies in the world, particularly for amateurs.
The International Kickboxing Federation was founded by Dan Stell and Steve Fossum in summer 1992 and expanded into Europe by 1998. Stell left the organization in the mid 1990s. Fossum later went on to form the International Sport Combat Federation or ISCF, which became the first sanctioning body for Mixed Martial Arts.
Many of the top names in the world of MMA got started in the IKF, including Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Chuck
“The Iceman” Liddell, who won the IKF heavyweight title in 1996.
The IKF also hosts amateur kickboxing’s crown jewel event, the World Classic. The annual World Classic amateur kickboxing and Muay Thai championships will take place July 23-25 in Orlando, Fla., at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort.
The event field has grown to over 300 fighters projected for this year’s event, and is all-inclusive with divisions for children and adults, male and female.
Barata MMA fighter Eli McGlothlin is a five-time champion of the World Classic and is going back to try and capture an unprecedented sixth title belt.
“This is definitely the hardest I’ve ever trained for a fight,” McGlothlin said.
Other local ties to IKF include Jacksonville’s Kayla Oudthone, who won the IKF junior amateur girls Central Regional Bantamweight title in March 2005 fighting out of her father’s Prathet Thai training dojo and held the belt until December 2008 when she retired from the amateur ranks.
There are six different styles of fighting under the IKF banner, including American, International, Muay Thai, San Shou, semi-contact and gladiator-style MMA.
IKF’s website encourages persistence by competitors and cites the life story of President Abraham Lincoln as an example of success through perseverance.
The five-star mission of the IKF is credibility through legitimate titles and rankings, fairness in the rules, recognition, support and assistance to IKF event promoters and unity throughout the kickboxing community.
SPORTS>>FIGHT CLUB
By Jason King
Leader sportswriter
The McGlothlin family really gets a kick out of Mixed Martial Arts.
So much so that William McGlothlin opened his own training facility in Cabot in early 2009, while his two teenage sons, Eli and Rudy, aspire to reach the professional MMA ranks.
The McGlothlins operate Barata MMA in Cabot and live near Bald Knob.
William has been involved with the sport for just over 11 years and reached pro status as a fighter. Eli, 18, is a five-time amateur kickboxing champion in the prestigious International Kickboxing Federation with a career record of 15-4, and Rudy, 15, has one title belt in his young career.
The family will head to Orlando, Fla., at the end of the week for the IKF World Classic amateur kickboxing and Muay Thai championships held July 23-25.
Eli has won five belts in five trips to the international event, and with possibly his final trip to Orlando as an amateur ahead, the only pressure he said he feels is from within.
“It’s just a big enjoyment in life,” Eli said. “I like to go out and challenge myself and try to see how hard I can push myself. It always feels great to overcome that goal that you set up for yourself and then to set up your next goal and try to get to it.”
Eli’s fast track to success has been an inspiration for 15-year-old Rudy McGlothlin.
Rudy won his first IKF title in his first trip in 2008 and finished runner-up last year. He has also been a champion on the NAGA grappling circuit.
Rudy said he does not want to simply follow in his older brother’s footsteps, but rather eclipse them.
However, Rudy, slightly taller and bulkier than Eli despite being three years younger, is also quick to point out that his dad and brother helped accelerate his progress.
“I’m going to try and beat him,” Rudy said of Eli’s accomplishments. “So I can have everybody look up to me instead of him as much. They help me out a lot.
“I look at what they’ve done or what they’re going to do, that way, I’ll know what to do if it comes down to it.”
William began what has become a family saga 11 years ago when he met David Swain, a registered nurse in the Searcy area who taught Brazilian Ju-jitsu on the side. William trained under Swain and became skilled enough to take part in a MMA event promoted by local martial arts legend Danny Dring, of Sherwood.
William started training under Dring full time when Swain moved away, and has been affiliated with Dring’s Living Defense martial arts ever since.
In his decade-plus of MMA training and instructing, William has had a front-row seat to the sport’s enormous growth.
“It’s growing consistently,” William said. “I’m going to say it’s misunderstood a lot of times. When people think of MMA and fighting, they think pretty thuggish. But if you come to my school and see, all of my people are very well mannered, respectful. I don’t accept that and I don’t tolerate it.”
William is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a second-degree black belt kickboxer under the Joe Lewis Fighting Systems. His original inspiration came as it has to many over the last decade, from watching televised Mixed Martial Arts on Ultimate Fighting Championship.
“I was 28 when I first started, but I always wanted to do something,” William said. “I never really had much interest in taekwondo and stuff like that. I found the grappling and Jiu-Jitsu, MMA part through watching UFC, and found a local instructor.”
Eli was 10 years old when he first competed in kickboxing, and began fighting MMA recently, just before his 18th birthday, and has built a 4-0 record. The Bald Knob High School graduate plans to attend Arkansas State University-Beebe in the fall while still finding enough time to pursue his fighting career.
He holds the 18-year-old record for most consecutive IKF titles at five, and with another successful trip to Orlando, could become the first six-time champion at age 18 in the IKF.
“Every single fight, I try to train harder and harder,” Eli said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s this big national event or coming to a local fight around here, anytime I go into a fight, I try to push it even harder each time. If training and fighting continues to go well, I would definitely love to take it to the next level.”
With all the training, the intensity and even the propensity for physical pain in the octagon, there are two more things that make it all worthwhile for Eli — family and fun.
“It definitely makes coming to training really fun, because we get to spend more time together that way,” Eli said. “I actually get to see them more here than at home, because I’m so busy working or studying that I’m either stuck in my bedroom or stuck at work.
“I love it. I get to see them, I get to hang out with them, and it’s also what they love doing, so we all have fun together.”
Leader sportswriter
The McGlothlin family really gets a kick out of Mixed Martial Arts.
So much so that William McGlothlin opened his own training facility in Cabot in early 2009, while his two teenage sons, Eli and Rudy, aspire to reach the professional MMA ranks.
The McGlothlins operate Barata MMA in Cabot and live near Bald Knob.
William has been involved with the sport for just over 11 years and reached pro status as a fighter. Eli, 18, is a five-time amateur kickboxing champion in the prestigious International Kickboxing Federation with a career record of 15-4, and Rudy, 15, has one title belt in his young career.
The family will head to Orlando, Fla., at the end of the week for the IKF World Classic amateur kickboxing and Muay Thai championships held July 23-25.
Eli has won five belts in five trips to the international event, and with possibly his final trip to Orlando as an amateur ahead, the only pressure he said he feels is from within.
“It’s just a big enjoyment in life,” Eli said. “I like to go out and challenge myself and try to see how hard I can push myself. It always feels great to overcome that goal that you set up for yourself and then to set up your next goal and try to get to it.”
Eli’s fast track to success has been an inspiration for 15-year-old Rudy McGlothlin.
Rudy won his first IKF title in his first trip in 2008 and finished runner-up last year. He has also been a champion on the NAGA grappling circuit.
Rudy said he does not want to simply follow in his older brother’s footsteps, but rather eclipse them.
However, Rudy, slightly taller and bulkier than Eli despite being three years younger, is also quick to point out that his dad and brother helped accelerate his progress.
“I’m going to try and beat him,” Rudy said of Eli’s accomplishments. “So I can have everybody look up to me instead of him as much. They help me out a lot.
“I look at what they’ve done or what they’re going to do, that way, I’ll know what to do if it comes down to it.”
William began what has become a family saga 11 years ago when he met David Swain, a registered nurse in the Searcy area who taught Brazilian Ju-jitsu on the side. William trained under Swain and became skilled enough to take part in a MMA event promoted by local martial arts legend Danny Dring, of Sherwood.
William started training under Dring full time when Swain moved away, and has been affiliated with Dring’s Living Defense martial arts ever since.
In his decade-plus of MMA training and instructing, William has had a front-row seat to the sport’s enormous growth.
“It’s growing consistently,” William said. “I’m going to say it’s misunderstood a lot of times. When people think of MMA and fighting, they think pretty thuggish. But if you come to my school and see, all of my people are very well mannered, respectful. I don’t accept that and I don’t tolerate it.”
William is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a second-degree black belt kickboxer under the Joe Lewis Fighting Systems. His original inspiration came as it has to many over the last decade, from watching televised Mixed Martial Arts on Ultimate Fighting Championship.
“I was 28 when I first started, but I always wanted to do something,” William said. “I never really had much interest in taekwondo and stuff like that. I found the grappling and Jiu-Jitsu, MMA part through watching UFC, and found a local instructor.”
Eli was 10 years old when he first competed in kickboxing, and began fighting MMA recently, just before his 18th birthday, and has built a 4-0 record. The Bald Knob High School graduate plans to attend Arkansas State University-Beebe in the fall while still finding enough time to pursue his fighting career.
He holds the 18-year-old record for most consecutive IKF titles at five, and with another successful trip to Orlando, could become the first six-time champion at age 18 in the IKF.
“Every single fight, I try to train harder and harder,” Eli said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s this big national event or coming to a local fight around here, anytime I go into a fight, I try to push it even harder each time. If training and fighting continues to go well, I would definitely love to take it to the next level.”
With all the training, the intensity and even the propensity for physical pain in the octagon, there are two more things that make it all worthwhile for Eli — family and fun.
“It definitely makes coming to training really fun, because we get to spend more time together that way,” Eli said. “I actually get to see them more here than at home, because I’m so busy working or studying that I’m either stuck in my bedroom or stuck at work.
“I love it. I get to see them, I get to hang out with them, and it’s also what they love doing, so we all have fun together.”
SPORTS>>FIGHT CLUB
By Jason King
Leader sportswriter
The McGlothlin family really gets a kick out of Mixed Martial Arts.
So much so that William McGlothlin opened his own training facility in Cabot in early 2009, while his two teenage sons, Eli and Rudy, aspire to reach the professional MMA ranks.
The McGlothlins operate Barata MMA in Cabot and live near Bald Knob.
William has been involved with the sport for just over 11 years and reached pro status as a fighter. Eli, 18, is a five-time amateur kickboxing champion in the prestigious International Kickboxing Federation with a career record of 15-4, and Rudy, 15, has one title belt in his young career.
The family will head to Orlando, Fla., at the end of the week for the IKF World Classic amateur kickboxing and Muay Thai championships held July 23-25.
Eli has won five belts in five trips to the international event, and with possibly his final trip to Orlando as an amateur ahead, the only pressure he said he feels is from within.
“It’s just a big enjoyment in life,” Eli said. “I like to go out and challenge myself and try to see how hard I can push myself. It always feels great to overcome that goal that you set up for yourself and then to set up your next goal and try to get to it.”
Eli’s fast track to success has been an inspiration for 15-year-old Rudy McGlothlin.
Rudy won his first IKF title in his first trip in 2008 and finished runner-up last year. He has also been a champion on the NAGA grappling circuit.
Rudy said he does not want to simply follow in his older brother’s footsteps, but rather eclipse them.
However, Rudy, slightly taller and bulkier than Eli despite being three years younger, is also quick to point out that his dad and brother helped accelerate his progress.
“I’m going to try and beat him,” Rudy said of Eli’s accomplishments. “So I can have everybody look up to me instead of him as much. They help me out a lot.
“I look at what they’ve done or what they’re going to do, that way, I’ll know what to do if it comes down to it.”
William began what has become a family saga 11 years ago when he met David Swain, a registered nurse in the Searcy area who taught Brazilian Ju-jitsu on the side. William trained under Swain and became skilled enough to take part in a MMA event promoted by local martial arts legend Danny Dring, of Sherwood.
William started training under Dring full time when Swain moved away, and has been affiliated with Dring’s Living Defense martial arts ever since.
In his decade-plus of MMA training and instructing, William has had a front-row seat to the sport’s enormous growth.
“It’s growing consistently,” William said. “I’m going to say it’s misunderstood a lot of times. When people think of MMA and fighting, they think pretty thuggish. But if you come to my school and see, all of my people are very well mannered, respectful. I don’t accept that and I don’t tolerate it.”
William is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a second-degree black belt kickboxer under the Joe Lewis Fighting Systems. His original inspiration came as it has to many over the last decade, from watching televised Mixed Martial Arts on Ultimate Fighting Championship.
“I was 28 when I first started, but I always wanted to do something,” William said. “I never really had much interest in taekwondo and stuff like that. I found the grappling and Jiu-Jitsu, MMA part through watching UFC, and found a local instructor.”
Eli was 10 years old when he first competed in kickboxing, and began fighting MMA recently, just before his 18th birthday, and has built a 4-0 record. The Bald Knob High School graduate plans to attend Arkansas State University-Beebe in the fall while still finding enough time to pursue his fighting career.
He holds the 18-year-old record for most consecutive IKF titles at five, and with another successful trip to Orlando, could become the first six-time champion at age 18 in the IKF.
“Every single fight, I try to train harder and harder,” Eli said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s this big national event or coming to a local fight around here, anytime I go into a fight, I try to push it even harder each time. If training and fighting continues to go well, I would definitely love to take it to the next level.”
With all the training, the intensity and even the propensity for physical pain in the octagon, there are two more things that make it all worthwhile for Eli — family and fun.
“It definitely makes coming to training really fun, because we get to spend more time together that way,” Eli said. “I actually get to see them more here than at home, because I’m so busy working or studying that I’m either stuck in my bedroom or stuck at work.
“I love it. I get to see them, I get to hang out with them, and it’s also what they love doing, so we all have fun together.”
Leader sportswriter
The McGlothlin family really gets a kick out of Mixed Martial Arts.
So much so that William McGlothlin opened his own training facility in Cabot in early 2009, while his two teenage sons, Eli and Rudy, aspire to reach the professional MMA ranks.
The McGlothlins operate Barata MMA in Cabot and live near Bald Knob.
William has been involved with the sport for just over 11 years and reached pro status as a fighter. Eli, 18, is a five-time amateur kickboxing champion in the prestigious International Kickboxing Federation with a career record of 15-4, and Rudy, 15, has one title belt in his young career.
The family will head to Orlando, Fla., at the end of the week for the IKF World Classic amateur kickboxing and Muay Thai championships held July 23-25.
Eli has won five belts in five trips to the international event, and with possibly his final trip to Orlando as an amateur ahead, the only pressure he said he feels is from within.
“It’s just a big enjoyment in life,” Eli said. “I like to go out and challenge myself and try to see how hard I can push myself. It always feels great to overcome that goal that you set up for yourself and then to set up your next goal and try to get to it.”
Eli’s fast track to success has been an inspiration for 15-year-old Rudy McGlothlin.
Rudy won his first IKF title in his first trip in 2008 and finished runner-up last year. He has also been a champion on the NAGA grappling circuit.
Rudy said he does not want to simply follow in his older brother’s footsteps, but rather eclipse them.
However, Rudy, slightly taller and bulkier than Eli despite being three years younger, is also quick to point out that his dad and brother helped accelerate his progress.
“I’m going to try and beat him,” Rudy said of Eli’s accomplishments. “So I can have everybody look up to me instead of him as much. They help me out a lot.
“I look at what they’ve done or what they’re going to do, that way, I’ll know what to do if it comes down to it.”
William began what has become a family saga 11 years ago when he met David Swain, a registered nurse in the Searcy area who taught Brazilian Ju-jitsu on the side. William trained under Swain and became skilled enough to take part in a MMA event promoted by local martial arts legend Danny Dring, of Sherwood.
William started training under Dring full time when Swain moved away, and has been affiliated with Dring’s Living Defense martial arts ever since.
In his decade-plus of MMA training and instructing, William has had a front-row seat to the sport’s enormous growth.
“It’s growing consistently,” William said. “I’m going to say it’s misunderstood a lot of times. When people think of MMA and fighting, they think pretty thuggish. But if you come to my school and see, all of my people are very well mannered, respectful. I don’t accept that and I don’t tolerate it.”
William is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a second-degree black belt kickboxer under the Joe Lewis Fighting Systems. His original inspiration came as it has to many over the last decade, from watching televised Mixed Martial Arts on Ultimate Fighting Championship.
“I was 28 when I first started, but I always wanted to do something,” William said. “I never really had much interest in taekwondo and stuff like that. I found the grappling and Jiu-Jitsu, MMA part through watching UFC, and found a local instructor.”
Eli was 10 years old when he first competed in kickboxing, and began fighting MMA recently, just before his 18th birthday, and has built a 4-0 record. The Bald Knob High School graduate plans to attend Arkansas State University-Beebe in the fall while still finding enough time to pursue his fighting career.
He holds the 18-year-old record for most consecutive IKF titles at five, and with another successful trip to Orlando, could become the first six-time champion at age 18 in the IKF.
“Every single fight, I try to train harder and harder,” Eli said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s this big national event or coming to a local fight around here, anytime I go into a fight, I try to push it even harder each time. If training and fighting continues to go well, I would definitely love to take it to the next level.”
With all the training, the intensity and even the propensity for physical pain in the octagon, there are two more things that make it all worthwhile for Eli — family and fun.
“It definitely makes coming to training really fun, because we get to spend more time together that way,” Eli said. “I actually get to see them more here than at home, because I’m so busy working or studying that I’m either stuck in my bedroom or stuck at work.
“I love it. I get to see them, I get to hang out with them, and it’s also what they love doing, so we all have fun together.”
EDITORIAL >>Base deserves charter school
If a group promoting charter schools in Jacksonville gets its way, Little Rock Air Force Base a year from now could have a charter school for junior high students.
This would be timely indeed as nearby Northwood Middle School faces possible closure for failing to meet state standards.
Former state Rep. Mike Wilson, who brought Lighthouse Academy to Jacksonville last year, told the city council Thursday he’s seeking state approval for the proposed charter school in an empty building on the air base. That should make military families happy, since many children now attend the dilapidated Arnold Drive Elementary School there. The students do very well — they’re usually ranked No. 1 in the Pulaski County Special School District on achievement tests — but they could do much better in a new school for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders with all the modern amenities that military families find elsewhere.
It’s no wonder many military folks move to Cabot and other nearby communities, where their children can attend newer schools. Students in the Pulaski County district must put up with dirty facilities, leaking roofs and other distractions. Many of the schools are on a state watch list.
Did we mention an incompetent school board that has bankrupted the district, stolen from the children while board members enjoyed Broadway shows and fancy lingerie and cheated on their travel expenses?
Is it any wonder that these self-appointed educators are getting more competition from charter schools? Lighthouse Academy is doing a terrific job in Jacksonville. It has just named Ryan Dean, a young educator with Ivy League credentials, as the new principal. There’s a long waiting list. Lighthouse could also run the school on base and fill an obvious need.
There’s been talk of building a new elementary school on the periphery of the air base to replace Arnold Drive and Tolleson elementary schools, which would be wonderful, but that could take several years. So why not put in a charter school on base for the benefit of hundreds of children when the facilities and resources are available now?
Some critics say charter schools will reduce the student population for a possible Jacksonville-area school district, but that, too, could take several years, and there are no guarantees that funds will become available for new schools. Lighthouse Academy fills an immediate need. Several more should open in the area in the next few years because parents want them.
The enthusiasm and resources of their backers, who include the Waltons and other wealthy families, will build more charter schools here all the way through high school. These benefactors want every child to succeed, including military children whose families have sacrificed so much.
Let the Lighthouse Academies be a beacon of hope wherever young people thirst for knowledge.
This would be timely indeed as nearby Northwood Middle School faces possible closure for failing to meet state standards.
Former state Rep. Mike Wilson, who brought Lighthouse Academy to Jacksonville last year, told the city council Thursday he’s seeking state approval for the proposed charter school in an empty building on the air base. That should make military families happy, since many children now attend the dilapidated Arnold Drive Elementary School there. The students do very well — they’re usually ranked No. 1 in the Pulaski County Special School District on achievement tests — but they could do much better in a new school for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders with all the modern amenities that military families find elsewhere.
It’s no wonder many military folks move to Cabot and other nearby communities, where their children can attend newer schools. Students in the Pulaski County district must put up with dirty facilities, leaking roofs and other distractions. Many of the schools are on a state watch list.
Did we mention an incompetent school board that has bankrupted the district, stolen from the children while board members enjoyed Broadway shows and fancy lingerie and cheated on their travel expenses?
Is it any wonder that these self-appointed educators are getting more competition from charter schools? Lighthouse Academy is doing a terrific job in Jacksonville. It has just named Ryan Dean, a young educator with Ivy League credentials, as the new principal. There’s a long waiting list. Lighthouse could also run the school on base and fill an obvious need.
There’s been talk of building a new elementary school on the periphery of the air base to replace Arnold Drive and Tolleson elementary schools, which would be wonderful, but that could take several years. So why not put in a charter school on base for the benefit of hundreds of children when the facilities and resources are available now?
Some critics say charter schools will reduce the student population for a possible Jacksonville-area school district, but that, too, could take several years, and there are no guarantees that funds will become available for new schools. Lighthouse Academy fills an immediate need. Several more should open in the area in the next few years because parents want them.
The enthusiasm and resources of their backers, who include the Waltons and other wealthy families, will build more charter schools here all the way through high school. These benefactors want every child to succeed, including military children whose families have sacrificed so much.
Let the Lighthouse Academies be a beacon of hope wherever young people thirst for knowledge.
TOP STORY > >Recycle center wins state education award
By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
The Jacksonville Recycling Education Park has been selected as the 2010 Recycling Education Program of the Year by the Arkansas Recycling Coalition.
The award will be presented at the ARC awards luncheon at noon, Wednesday, Sept. 15 at the Robinson Center in Little Rock during the annual conference and trade show.
Jacksonville Recycling Center supervisor Jason Pinkston said, “We are very honored to be chosen trying to do our part to educate students of the community, thus making a big impact on keeping the Earth green.”
Pinkston estimated that since April, more than 500 school children have toured the recycling center and the education park on Marshall Road.
Students have come from Jacksonville Elemen-tary School, Dupree Elementary School, Cabot Public Schools and Sherwood Elementary. Modern Woodmen of America and the Girl Scouts have visited the facility.
Ron Newport, director of Keep Jacksonville Beautiful, said about the award, “We’re really pleased.”
He said the recycling education center is unique. It was built on recycled land that was part of the old Vertac chemical plant.
“The recycling education park has had a tremendous impact on the volume of recycling,” Newport said.
He said before the education park opened there were three dumpsters inside a shed for recycling drop-offs during the weekend. Now there are 12 dumpsters with landscaping that are filled on the weekends.
The recycling education park opened in 2008. The park has a walking trail with 11 plaques along the path explaining what can be recycled and how it is used to make new products.
The park has a pavilion and an area showing how kitchen scraps are turned into compost for a garden or a flower bed.
Tours are available at the center. Visitors can see how aluminum cans, cardboard and plastics are sorted and baled.
The landscaping near one of the recycling centers doors is made of chipped up rubber tires are used in landscaping.
Jacksonville Public Works Director Jimmy Oakley said he is very pleased with the announcement of the award.
“The recycling rate in Jackson-ville wasn’t as high as we wanted. We decided to build the park to educate the public about recycling. It has been very successful,” Oakley said.
He said children are excited about coming to the park.
The Jacksonville Recycling Center accepts newspapers, cardboard, aluminum cans, steel cans and clear and colored plastic bottles. Glass is not accepted.
Also collected are plastic shopping bags and electronic waste such as televisions, computers and radios. Household chemicals are collected every Wednesday and 8 a.m. to noon the fourth Saturday of the month.
Free mulch and crushed glass are available to the public at the center anytime. The recycled glass comes from Little Rock Air Force Base. It can be used as a substitute for sand with drainage projects or used as a base material in construction or flower beds.
The recycling center drive-through drop off is open 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and opened to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. The dumpsters outside the center are available to drop off recyclables anytime.
Leader staff writer
The Jacksonville Recycling Education Park has been selected as the 2010 Recycling Education Program of the Year by the Arkansas Recycling Coalition.
The award will be presented at the ARC awards luncheon at noon, Wednesday, Sept. 15 at the Robinson Center in Little Rock during the annual conference and trade show.
Jacksonville Recycling Center supervisor Jason Pinkston said, “We are very honored to be chosen trying to do our part to educate students of the community, thus making a big impact on keeping the Earth green.”
Pinkston estimated that since April, more than 500 school children have toured the recycling center and the education park on Marshall Road.
Students have come from Jacksonville Elemen-tary School, Dupree Elementary School, Cabot Public Schools and Sherwood Elementary. Modern Woodmen of America and the Girl Scouts have visited the facility.
Ron Newport, director of Keep Jacksonville Beautiful, said about the award, “We’re really pleased.”
He said the recycling education center is unique. It was built on recycled land that was part of the old Vertac chemical plant.
“The recycling education park has had a tremendous impact on the volume of recycling,” Newport said.
He said before the education park opened there were three dumpsters inside a shed for recycling drop-offs during the weekend. Now there are 12 dumpsters with landscaping that are filled on the weekends.
The recycling education park opened in 2008. The park has a walking trail with 11 plaques along the path explaining what can be recycled and how it is used to make new products.
The park has a pavilion and an area showing how kitchen scraps are turned into compost for a garden or a flower bed.
Tours are available at the center. Visitors can see how aluminum cans, cardboard and plastics are sorted and baled.
The landscaping near one of the recycling centers doors is made of chipped up rubber tires are used in landscaping.
Jacksonville Public Works Director Jimmy Oakley said he is very pleased with the announcement of the award.
“The recycling rate in Jackson-ville wasn’t as high as we wanted. We decided to build the park to educate the public about recycling. It has been very successful,” Oakley said.
He said children are excited about coming to the park.
The Jacksonville Recycling Center accepts newspapers, cardboard, aluminum cans, steel cans and clear and colored plastic bottles. Glass is not accepted.
Also collected are plastic shopping bags and electronic waste such as televisions, computers and radios. Household chemicals are collected every Wednesday and 8 a.m. to noon the fourth Saturday of the month.
Free mulch and crushed glass are available to the public at the center anytime. The recycled glass comes from Little Rock Air Force Base. It can be used as a substitute for sand with drainage projects or used as a base material in construction or flower beds.
The recycling center drive-through drop off is open 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and opened to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. The dumpsters outside the center are available to drop off recyclables anytime.
TOP STORY > >Driver who destroyed squad car sought
Cabot police are looking for the driver and passenger of a stolen truck that rammed a patrol car Wednesday during a five-mile chase that ended when the truck ran off the highway and the two suspects ran into the woods.
S
gt. Brent Lucas, spokesman for the Cabot Police Department, said in a press release Thursday that Sgt. Larry Thompson attempted to stop a silver 2006 Chevrolet Silverado on Mountain Springs Road because it was driving off the pavement and the utility trailer loaded with a lawn mower it was pulling had no lights.
The driver refused to stop, Lucas said. He turned onto Lindulake Road, drove into a cul-de-sac and turned around.
Thompson had pulled over to the side of the road as the suspect turned around.
But instead of stopping, the suspect crossed the center line and hit Thompson’s patrol car head-on.
After the crash, the suspect accelerated and tried to push Thompson’s patrol vehicle into a ditch. The impact disabled Thompson’s vehicle.
Thompson was able to see that the driver was a white male and there was also a white male passenger inside the suspect vehicle,” Lucas wrote.
With three other patrol cars in pursuit, the suspect traveled toward Highway 5 on Mt. Springs Road. He drove around Mountain Springs Elementary and over curbs at the school.
From there, he continued north on Highway 5 where he ran off the road at Spring Valley and Kirkland.
Lucas said later that Thompson was not injured. The pickup was stolen from Conway and the trailer and lawnmower were stolen from Cabot.
Lawnmower theft has not been as big a problem in Cabot as it has in other jurisdictions, he said.
Anyone with information about the two suspects is asked to call the Cabot Police Department Investigative Unit at 501-843-6166. If after hours, call 501-843-6526.
S
gt. Brent Lucas, spokesman for the Cabot Police Department, said in a press release Thursday that Sgt. Larry Thompson attempted to stop a silver 2006 Chevrolet Silverado on Mountain Springs Road because it was driving off the pavement and the utility trailer loaded with a lawn mower it was pulling had no lights.
The driver refused to stop, Lucas said. He turned onto Lindulake Road, drove into a cul-de-sac and turned around.
Thompson had pulled over to the side of the road as the suspect turned around.
But instead of stopping, the suspect crossed the center line and hit Thompson’s patrol car head-on.
After the crash, the suspect accelerated and tried to push Thompson’s patrol vehicle into a ditch. The impact disabled Thompson’s vehicle.
Thompson was able to see that the driver was a white male and there was also a white male passenger inside the suspect vehicle,” Lucas wrote.
With three other patrol cars in pursuit, the suspect traveled toward Highway 5 on Mt. Springs Road. He drove around Mountain Springs Elementary and over curbs at the school.
From there, he continued north on Highway 5 where he ran off the road at Spring Valley and Kirkland.
Lucas said later that Thompson was not injured. The pickup was stolen from Conway and the trailer and lawnmower were stolen from Cabot.
Lawnmower theft has not been as big a problem in Cabot as it has in other jurisdictions, he said.
Anyone with information about the two suspects is asked to call the Cabot Police Department Investigative Unit at 501-843-6166. If after hours, call 501-843-6526.
TOP STORY > >An elegant home has historic roots
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
One of Lonoke’s most noteworthy homes, a Tudor Revival designed by one of Arkansas’ most respected early-20th Century architects and built by a dynamic political figure, is for sale.
Known as the John M. Bransford House, John Parks Almond was the architect.
Just down the block is a home at 518 Center St. designed by another highly revered Arkansas architect of the era, Charles Thompson.
The 2,800-square-foot home at 506 S. Center St. has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a guesthouse, and the asking price is $299,999.
Bransford was the first, and for a time the only, man to serve consecutive terms as speaker of the Arkansas House, and he was speaker around 1940, when the General Assembly created the run-off for preferential primaries. He served in the General Assembly from 1937 through 1942.
He ran for lieutenant governor, dropping out before election day, according to his son, John M. Bransford Jr.
The older Bransford was the uncle of Dick Bransford, a Lonoke farmer and cotton ginner.
By trade, John Bransford was a cotton broker for Anderson Clayton, and after World War II was probably the first industrial-development director for the state, according to his son.
Accounts differ, but the house was built around 1929.
“I grew up in the Depression,” said the son, who lived in the house until he graduated from Lonoke High School in 1948 and enrolled at the University of Arkansas.
Today he’s retired and lives in Shreveport.
Almond has at least two buildings on the National Registry of Historical Places and some remodeling at the Bransford House may have been the only disqualifier to its inclusion.
He has been recognized for his work on the Land’s End Plantation at Scott—also a Tudor Revival style home—and for the nationally acclaimed Central High School in Little Rock. Almond was one of four architects credited with the design of Central.
The Land’s End Plantation house—also known as the James Robert Alexander House, designed in 1925, was completed in 1927, the same time frame as the Bransford House.
Almond came to Little Rock in 1912 to work with the architectural firm of Charles L. Thompson.
In 1915, Almond left Thompson’s firm and established a private practice.
He was particularly known for church design and his work is found throughout Arkansas. Another of his best-known designs is the Medical Arts Building in Hot Springs.
Leader staff writer
One of Lonoke’s most noteworthy homes, a Tudor Revival designed by one of Arkansas’ most respected early-20th Century architects and built by a dynamic political figure, is for sale.
Known as the John M. Bransford House, John Parks Almond was the architect.
Just down the block is a home at 518 Center St. designed by another highly revered Arkansas architect of the era, Charles Thompson.
The 2,800-square-foot home at 506 S. Center St. has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a guesthouse, and the asking price is $299,999.
Bransford was the first, and for a time the only, man to serve consecutive terms as speaker of the Arkansas House, and he was speaker around 1940, when the General Assembly created the run-off for preferential primaries. He served in the General Assembly from 1937 through 1942.
He ran for lieutenant governor, dropping out before election day, according to his son, John M. Bransford Jr.
The older Bransford was the uncle of Dick Bransford, a Lonoke farmer and cotton ginner.
By trade, John Bransford was a cotton broker for Anderson Clayton, and after World War II was probably the first industrial-development director for the state, according to his son.
Accounts differ, but the house was built around 1929.
“I grew up in the Depression,” said the son, who lived in the house until he graduated from Lonoke High School in 1948 and enrolled at the University of Arkansas.
Today he’s retired and lives in Shreveport.
Almond has at least two buildings on the National Registry of Historical Places and some remodeling at the Bransford House may have been the only disqualifier to its inclusion.
He has been recognized for his work on the Land’s End Plantation at Scott—also a Tudor Revival style home—and for the nationally acclaimed Central High School in Little Rock. Almond was one of four architects credited with the design of Central.
The Land’s End Plantation house—also known as the James Robert Alexander House, designed in 1925, was completed in 1927, the same time frame as the Bransford House.
Almond came to Little Rock in 1912 to work with the architectural firm of Charles L. Thompson.
In 1915, Almond left Thompson’s firm and established a private practice.
He was particularly known for church design and his work is found throughout Arkansas. Another of his best-known designs is the Medical Arts Building in Hot Springs.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
EDITORIAL >>Two sides should talk
Charles Hopson, the new superintendent for the Pulaski County Special School District, has been on the job just a couple of weeks, and it seems as if every day he’s faced a new crisis, thanks to a clueless school board and incompetent predecessors who made PCSSD one of the worst in the state.
A judge’s ruling Monday reaffirming an earlier decision that the board acted improperly when it withdrew its recognition of the Pulaski Association of Classroom Teachers — purely out of spite, but at great expense to the taxpayers because of protracted litigation — is just the latest crisis that Hopson has had to deal with just two weeks into the job.
But he’s a conciliator who could bring peace to the troubled district, which has not had a real leader since Superintendent Bobby Lester’s glory days. Last week, barely into his new job, Hopson convinced the board to settle two discrimination suits brought by two staff members — one black, the other white — at a cost of nearly $300,000. As Hopson said, it was better to settle now than to have a drawn-out fight in the courts, which could have cost the district a lot more.
Hopson said he wants the district and board to chart a new course in personnel relations.
“My intent as superintendent is to make sure we don’t have these kinds of actions in the future,” Hopson said. “We need to be proactive and treat people in a way so that these kinds of actions are minimized.”
The board voted to pay $200,000 to Donna Humphries, who recently retired from her job as counselor at Sherwood Elementary School. Humphries, who is white, filed a lawsuit alleging she had been a victim of reverse discrimination and breach of contract.
The board voted to pay Mike Nellums $50,000 and up to $25,000 for attorney’s fees for a mindless investigation of his performance while principal of Jacksonville Boys Middle School, followed by former Superintendent Rob McGill’s recommendation that he be fired. The district will also pay Nellums’ taxes on the $50,000.
As for Judge Fox reaffirming his earlier decision that the school board acted in bad faith when it decertified the union, Hopson seems to think another settlement is in order. Appealing the decision over and over would not benefit the students or staff, although the school board will probably keep trying.
Before Hopson was hired, the school board retained a New York attorney named Lyle Zuckerman, who specializes in representing management in labor disputes — as if we didn’t have enough such lawyers in our neck of the woods. He says he’s thinking about appealing the judge’s decision.
So we have here a New York lawyer who’s studying an Arkansas judge’s ruling about the Pulaski County school district that can’t teach local students or maintain its rundown campuses. But Zuckerman, whose office is down the street from the David Letterman Show, weighed in after Fox’s ruling this way: “I am analyzing the court’s decision, which will take a bit more time. At this point, I am respectful of the judge’s decision but disappointed with the result. However, I am pleased that the court upheld the District’s right to separate from the union and form a personnel policies committee at any time during the year. The court kept the union agreement in effect only because of a technical timing issue. The board has not made a decision whether to appeal, but I believe that the appellate court should have an opportunity to review it, including that it was PACT and certain teachers that caused the technical timing snafu.”
How much did it cost Arkansas taxpayers to get the mid-town Manhattan lawyer to compose this gem? Wouldn’t it make sense to fire the lawyers and make peace with PACT?
Superintendent Hopson, who has shown adult leadership early into his new administration, could ask the board to get rid of the high-priced lawyers and negotiate with the teachers in good faith. Failing that, the state Education Department should take over the troubled district and call for new school elections.
A judge’s ruling Monday reaffirming an earlier decision that the board acted improperly when it withdrew its recognition of the Pulaski Association of Classroom Teachers — purely out of spite, but at great expense to the taxpayers because of protracted litigation — is just the latest crisis that Hopson has had to deal with just two weeks into the job.
But he’s a conciliator who could bring peace to the troubled district, which has not had a real leader since Superintendent Bobby Lester’s glory days. Last week, barely into his new job, Hopson convinced the board to settle two discrimination suits brought by two staff members — one black, the other white — at a cost of nearly $300,000. As Hopson said, it was better to settle now than to have a drawn-out fight in the courts, which could have cost the district a lot more.
Hopson said he wants the district and board to chart a new course in personnel relations.
“My intent as superintendent is to make sure we don’t have these kinds of actions in the future,” Hopson said. “We need to be proactive and treat people in a way so that these kinds of actions are minimized.”
The board voted to pay $200,000 to Donna Humphries, who recently retired from her job as counselor at Sherwood Elementary School. Humphries, who is white, filed a lawsuit alleging she had been a victim of reverse discrimination and breach of contract.
The board voted to pay Mike Nellums $50,000 and up to $25,000 for attorney’s fees for a mindless investigation of his performance while principal of Jacksonville Boys Middle School, followed by former Superintendent Rob McGill’s recommendation that he be fired. The district will also pay Nellums’ taxes on the $50,000.
As for Judge Fox reaffirming his earlier decision that the school board acted in bad faith when it decertified the union, Hopson seems to think another settlement is in order. Appealing the decision over and over would not benefit the students or staff, although the school board will probably keep trying.
Before Hopson was hired, the school board retained a New York attorney named Lyle Zuckerman, who specializes in representing management in labor disputes — as if we didn’t have enough such lawyers in our neck of the woods. He says he’s thinking about appealing the judge’s decision.
So we have here a New York lawyer who’s studying an Arkansas judge’s ruling about the Pulaski County school district that can’t teach local students or maintain its rundown campuses. But Zuckerman, whose office is down the street from the David Letterman Show, weighed in after Fox’s ruling this way: “I am analyzing the court’s decision, which will take a bit more time. At this point, I am respectful of the judge’s decision but disappointed with the result. However, I am pleased that the court upheld the District’s right to separate from the union and form a personnel policies committee at any time during the year. The court kept the union agreement in effect only because of a technical timing issue. The board has not made a decision whether to appeal, but I believe that the appellate court should have an opportunity to review it, including that it was PACT and certain teachers that caused the technical timing snafu.”
How much did it cost Arkansas taxpayers to get the mid-town Manhattan lawyer to compose this gem? Wouldn’t it make sense to fire the lawyers and make peace with PACT?
Superintendent Hopson, who has shown adult leadership early into his new administration, could ask the board to get rid of the high-priced lawyers and negotiate with the teachers in good faith. Failing that, the state Education Department should take over the troubled district and call for new school elections.
TOP STORY > >Group told financing is likely for water line
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
The leaders of the Lonoke-White Public Water Authority who met in Ward at noon Tuesday appeared optimistic but cautious about the latest financing plan for the 16-year-old project to bring water to the central part of the state from Greers Ferry Lake.
Several plans have fallen through for the group that includes Cabot, Jacksonville, Ward, Austin, Beebe, Lonoke, Furlow, McRae, Vilonia, North Pulaski Water Association and Grand Prairie Bayou Two Water Association.
Last year, plans to use federal stimulus money from the Environmental Protection Agency funneled through the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission failed because members of the project have no immediate need for water. A revised version of that plan that would also use state money failed for the same reason.
The latest plan is to pay for 65 percent of the project with money from the USDA at 4 percent interest with 35 percent of that interest given back as a rebate through the Build America bond program which is also stimulus money. The remaining 35 percent of the funding would come from selling bonds.
There is no rush on the private bond part of the latest plan, but to get the interest rebate, the details must be worked out and approved by Dec. 31. Although there is talk of extending the deadline, Bob Wright with the bond firm Crews and Associates, told the group that there is no talk of leaving the rebate at 35 percent.
But saving money on financing is not the only reason for moving quickly, Wright said. The price of construction is also low now.
Calvin Aldridge, a certified public accountant from Cabot who has been brought in to help with financing, told the group they must work fast.
“Time is short,” Aldridge said. “You definitely want to get a plan in place within the next month. If you’re going to use (the Build America program), you’re going to have to use it fast.”
Woody Bryant, project manager, told the group that the cost for each member will likely go up under the latest plan.
“It’s not going to be quite as cheap as we thought it would be but we think it will still work,” Bryant said.
Since the USDA can’t fund projects for cities with populations greater than 6,500, Cabot’s and Jacksonville’s 35 percent of the project would be funded with bonds, Wright told the group.
Bill Cypert, spokesman for the Cabot Water and Wastewater Commission as well as a candidate for Cabot mayor, questioned whether Cabot and Jacksonville would be expected to repay 35 percent of the cost of the project.
Cabot and Jacksonville are currently paying for connections to Central Arkansas Water out of the Little Rock area and both say they need the connection to Greers Ferry Lake for emergency use.
Bryant assured Cypert that Jacksonville and Cabot would not have to pay more than they have already agreed to pay.
Cypert also questioned Crews and Associates involvement in the project without the standard requests for qualifications that cities must use before hiring professionals.
Clint McGue, attorney for the LWPWA, responded that the restrictions for LWPWA are not as tight as for cities.
Project engineer Tommy Bond of Jacksonville said in his monthly report that a funding meeting last week was attended by Ricky Carter and Larry Duncan from the USDA, Dave Fenter from ANRC, bond counsel David Menz and Wright from Crews and Associates.
During that same meeting, Crist Engineering submitted a draft of the environmental report that will have to be approved before the project may start. Bond said the USDA is so committed to the project that Martin, from the USDA, will hand carry the environmental report to Washington when it is completed.
Leader staff writer
The leaders of the Lonoke-White Public Water Authority who met in Ward at noon Tuesday appeared optimistic but cautious about the latest financing plan for the 16-year-old project to bring water to the central part of the state from Greers Ferry Lake.
Several plans have fallen through for the group that includes Cabot, Jacksonville, Ward, Austin, Beebe, Lonoke, Furlow, McRae, Vilonia, North Pulaski Water Association and Grand Prairie Bayou Two Water Association.
Last year, plans to use federal stimulus money from the Environmental Protection Agency funneled through the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission failed because members of the project have no immediate need for water. A revised version of that plan that would also use state money failed for the same reason.
The latest plan is to pay for 65 percent of the project with money from the USDA at 4 percent interest with 35 percent of that interest given back as a rebate through the Build America bond program which is also stimulus money. The remaining 35 percent of the funding would come from selling bonds.
There is no rush on the private bond part of the latest plan, but to get the interest rebate, the details must be worked out and approved by Dec. 31. Although there is talk of extending the deadline, Bob Wright with the bond firm Crews and Associates, told the group that there is no talk of leaving the rebate at 35 percent.
But saving money on financing is not the only reason for moving quickly, Wright said. The price of construction is also low now.
Calvin Aldridge, a certified public accountant from Cabot who has been brought in to help with financing, told the group they must work fast.
“Time is short,” Aldridge said. “You definitely want to get a plan in place within the next month. If you’re going to use (the Build America program), you’re going to have to use it fast.”
Woody Bryant, project manager, told the group that the cost for each member will likely go up under the latest plan.
“It’s not going to be quite as cheap as we thought it would be but we think it will still work,” Bryant said.
Since the USDA can’t fund projects for cities with populations greater than 6,500, Cabot’s and Jacksonville’s 35 percent of the project would be funded with bonds, Wright told the group.
Bill Cypert, spokesman for the Cabot Water and Wastewater Commission as well as a candidate for Cabot mayor, questioned whether Cabot and Jacksonville would be expected to repay 35 percent of the cost of the project.
Cabot and Jacksonville are currently paying for connections to Central Arkansas Water out of the Little Rock area and both say they need the connection to Greers Ferry Lake for emergency use.
Bryant assured Cypert that Jacksonville and Cabot would not have to pay more than they have already agreed to pay.
Cypert also questioned Crews and Associates involvement in the project without the standard requests for qualifications that cities must use before hiring professionals.
Clint McGue, attorney for the LWPWA, responded that the restrictions for LWPWA are not as tight as for cities.
Project engineer Tommy Bond of Jacksonville said in his monthly report that a funding meeting last week was attended by Ricky Carter and Larry Duncan from the USDA, Dave Fenter from ANRC, bond counsel David Menz and Wright from Crews and Associates.
During that same meeting, Crist Engineering submitted a draft of the environmental report that will have to be approved before the project may start. Bond said the USDA is so committed to the project that Martin, from the USDA, will hand carry the environmental report to Washington when it is completed.
TOP STORY > >Sheriff cuts wide swath in Lonoke County
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
Who’s fighting crime in Lonoke County?
Based on the frequent press releases that make their way to local newspapers and Little Rock television stations, it might appear that the sheriff’s department is doing all the work in the unincorporated areas and a good deal of the work inside city limits where local police departments generally claim jurisdiction.
Appearances aside, the answer to the question is that all the agencies are working and often they work together. But not all agencies keep the public informed.
Lonoke County Sheriff Jim Roberson says he sends out press releases because it keeps county residents informed about what’s happening in their neighborhoods.
And knowing what to watch out for makes them safer.
A press release last week told the details of a marijuana bust on Sunset Circle in Cabot that also netted illegal prescription drugs priced to sell by the pill, numerous flat-screen televisions and numerous handguns, shotguns and rifles.
The next day, after the bust was announced on television, Jake Wesley Robertson, 26, and Kailee L. Horton, 19, turned themselves in at the sheriff’s department.
The two were charged with manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, felony theft by receiving, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Both were released on $10,000 bonds.
That information came in a follow-up press release that also said the sheriff needs help locating the owners of several flat-screen televisions, several handguns and one X-box with initials scratched on the inside cover that were seized at the couple’s home.
ROBERSON IS OFTEN ON TV
In mid-May, Roberson was on television talking about a prostitution bust in Cabot’s exclusive Greystone subdivision. That case has not yet gone to court, but the two women who were arrested deny the charges and reliable sources say Cabot Police Chief Jackie Davis was not pleased with the way the arrest was handled.
Sgt. Brent Lucas, spokesman for the Cabot Police Department, while not disputing his department’s concerns about the apparent issues with jurisdiction, said Friday that although the address of the recent marijuana bust was Cabot, it was actually outside city limits where the sheriff unquestionably has jurisdiction.
“Cabot encompasses a large area and not all of it is inside the city limits,” Lucas said. “A lot of the Cabot mailing addresses are in Lonoke County and we’ve even got some Cabot addresses in Pulaski County.”
As for the alleged house of prostitution, Lucas said, “We got numerous calls out there and couldn’t get a warrant for it.
Apparently, the sheriff did.”
Lucas said that while it is true that sheriffs typically work the unincorporated areas and leave the rest for the city police departments, it is also true that the sheriff is the head law enforcement officer with authority over the whole county. Simply put, he can go anywhere he chooses.
GIVING THEM A HEADS UP
But Lucas added that no police agency stays inside its own area all the time. Cabot Police Department and all others follow leads and sometimes those leads take them outside their own jurisdiction.
When that happens, they still follow, but they tell the police agency in that other jurisdiction they are there and what they are doing.
“We give them a heads up,” he said.
As for the issue of publicity, Lucas said his department intentionally minimizes its efforts.
“We don’t send a lot of stuff out,” he said. It’s not that we’re trying to hide anything, but you never know when one arrest might lead to another.”
Criminals often have accomplices, he said. If the word gets out that a suspect has been arrested for dealing drugs or some other illegal activity, the odds of catching his accomplices decreases.
Former Sheriff Charlie Martin, who is now serving as Ward police chief and running against Roberson for his old job, agrees.
The sheriff is the head law- enforcement officer in the county and he can go wherever he chooses, Martin said in a recent interview. But like Cabot, Martin said Ward tries to keep its efforts as quiet as possible.
“We find we get more done that way,” the former sheriff said.
Lt. Carl Minden, a public information office for the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, said his department frequently works with other agencies.
The most recent big-news event, he said, was a 600-pound marijuana bust that also involved North Little Rock and the Saline County Sheriff’s Department.
Minden said his department tries to get information out to the public as soon as it’s available.
INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC
“I think it’s better to tell because it’s going to get out eventually anyway,” Minden said. “Besides it makes it look like you’re doing something.”
Lt. Jim Kulesa, spokesman for the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Department and the source of most of the press releases, said this week that he has heard before that his reports make Lonoke County look bad, but he disagrees.
“You don’t hide crime. It’s not useful to hide crime,” Kulesa said, adding that it is common for his releases to lead to additional information and more arrests.
“It’s not about blowing our on horn,” he said. “You want to know what’s going on in your neighborhood so you can take better precautions.”
Victims of residential burglaries in The Leader’s coverage area who lost a television, X-box or firearm should call the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Department at 501-676-3000 or 501-843-2611.
Leader staff writer
Who’s fighting crime in Lonoke County?
Based on the frequent press releases that make their way to local newspapers and Little Rock television stations, it might appear that the sheriff’s department is doing all the work in the unincorporated areas and a good deal of the work inside city limits where local police departments generally claim jurisdiction.
Appearances aside, the answer to the question is that all the agencies are working and often they work together. But not all agencies keep the public informed.
Lonoke County Sheriff Jim Roberson says he sends out press releases because it keeps county residents informed about what’s happening in their neighborhoods.
And knowing what to watch out for makes them safer.
A press release last week told the details of a marijuana bust on Sunset Circle in Cabot that also netted illegal prescription drugs priced to sell by the pill, numerous flat-screen televisions and numerous handguns, shotguns and rifles.
The next day, after the bust was announced on television, Jake Wesley Robertson, 26, and Kailee L. Horton, 19, turned themselves in at the sheriff’s department.
The two were charged with manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, felony theft by receiving, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Both were released on $10,000 bonds.
That information came in a follow-up press release that also said the sheriff needs help locating the owners of several flat-screen televisions, several handguns and one X-box with initials scratched on the inside cover that were seized at the couple’s home.
ROBERSON IS OFTEN ON TV
In mid-May, Roberson was on television talking about a prostitution bust in Cabot’s exclusive Greystone subdivision. That case has not yet gone to court, but the two women who were arrested deny the charges and reliable sources say Cabot Police Chief Jackie Davis was not pleased with the way the arrest was handled.
Sgt. Brent Lucas, spokesman for the Cabot Police Department, while not disputing his department’s concerns about the apparent issues with jurisdiction, said Friday that although the address of the recent marijuana bust was Cabot, it was actually outside city limits where the sheriff unquestionably has jurisdiction.
“Cabot encompasses a large area and not all of it is inside the city limits,” Lucas said. “A lot of the Cabot mailing addresses are in Lonoke County and we’ve even got some Cabot addresses in Pulaski County.”
As for the alleged house of prostitution, Lucas said, “We got numerous calls out there and couldn’t get a warrant for it.
Apparently, the sheriff did.”
Lucas said that while it is true that sheriffs typically work the unincorporated areas and leave the rest for the city police departments, it is also true that the sheriff is the head law enforcement officer with authority over the whole county. Simply put, he can go anywhere he chooses.
GIVING THEM A HEADS UP
But Lucas added that no police agency stays inside its own area all the time. Cabot Police Department and all others follow leads and sometimes those leads take them outside their own jurisdiction.
When that happens, they still follow, but they tell the police agency in that other jurisdiction they are there and what they are doing.
“We give them a heads up,” he said.
As for the issue of publicity, Lucas said his department intentionally minimizes its efforts.
“We don’t send a lot of stuff out,” he said. It’s not that we’re trying to hide anything, but you never know when one arrest might lead to another.”
Criminals often have accomplices, he said. If the word gets out that a suspect has been arrested for dealing drugs or some other illegal activity, the odds of catching his accomplices decreases.
Former Sheriff Charlie Martin, who is now serving as Ward police chief and running against Roberson for his old job, agrees.
The sheriff is the head law- enforcement officer in the county and he can go wherever he chooses, Martin said in a recent interview. But like Cabot, Martin said Ward tries to keep its efforts as quiet as possible.
“We find we get more done that way,” the former sheriff said.
Lt. Carl Minden, a public information office for the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, said his department frequently works with other agencies.
The most recent big-news event, he said, was a 600-pound marijuana bust that also involved North Little Rock and the Saline County Sheriff’s Department.
Minden said his department tries to get information out to the public as soon as it’s available.
INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC
“I think it’s better to tell because it’s going to get out eventually anyway,” Minden said. “Besides it makes it look like you’re doing something.”
Lt. Jim Kulesa, spokesman for the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Department and the source of most of the press releases, said this week that he has heard before that his reports make Lonoke County look bad, but he disagrees.
“You don’t hide crime. It’s not useful to hide crime,” Kulesa said, adding that it is common for his releases to lead to additional information and more arrests.
“It’s not about blowing our on horn,” he said. “You want to know what’s going on in your neighborhood so you can take better precautions.”
Victims of residential burglaries in The Leader’s coverage area who lost a television, X-box or firearm should call the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Department at 501-676-3000 or 501-843-2611.
TOP STORY > >Board weighs next move on judge’s ruling
By NANCY DOCKTER
Leader staff writer
Officials for the Pulaski County Special School District are conferring with attorneys and pondering options after a judge ruled Monday that the district has violated state law in its latest efforts to cut off the Pulaski Association of Classroom Teachers as the collective bargaining agent for district teachers and do away with existing personnel policies and teacher contracts.
Judge Tim Fox of Pulaski County Circuit Court Sixth District responded to two related lawsuits, one filed by PACT and a class-action suit by five teachers on behalf of all PCSSD certified personnel.
The suits challenged actions by the PCSSD school board to replace the union with a committee made up of teachers and administrators by June 30 and institute a new set of personnel policies and teacher contracts, effective July 1.
Fox found there “was no just and reasonable cause for the PCSSD board’s vote on May 17, 2010 to terminate the plaintiffs’ contracts.”
While Fox ruled that the district, by state law, has the authority to terminate recognition of the union, but “the vote of April 20, 2010 is declared null and void, and the professionally negotiated agreement remains in effect between the parties.”
Fox had ruled in April that a prior board vote on Dec. 8 to decertify was null and void because of the same reason he ruled as he did Monday – that the board failed to “have in place a written policy agreement with an organization representing the majority of teachers or a Committee on Personnel Policies together with written personnel policies.”
Fox ordered both sides to participate in mediation to work out the terms of the contract and other differences and to reach resolution by August 2. All school board members, PACT officers and members of the newly formed personnel policies committee (PPC) must take part.
Marty Nix, PACT president, said that she was not surprised by the ruling and is ready to engage in mediation.
“That the contract remains in effect is what we have argued the whole time,” Nix said. “There is a process and the district has to follow it just like everybody else. We’ve always been willing to talk.”
In a statement released Monday, school board president Tim Clark said: “We received the judge’s ruling this afternoon. It is lengthy and requires review by our board and attorneys to determine what the district’s next step in this process will be.”
Two weeks ago, when asked if he would want to appeal an unfavorable ruling from Fox rather than respect it as the court’s clarification of state law on the matter, Clark said, “It will be up to the board to decide.”
Clark, along with board members Danny Gililland, Mildred Tatum and Charlie Wood, voted in April to withdraw recognition of the union. Sandra Sawyer, Bill Vasquez and Gwen Williams opposed the measure.
The same four board members voted to withdraw recognition of PACT on Dec. 8 and move forward with establishing a PPC.
In a statement released Monday, Lyle Zuckerman, the Manhattan lawyer recently hired by the district to help with the lawsuit, said he favored going ahead with an appeal.
He blamed teachers for delaying the process for getting the PPC in place sooner. He suggested that should be a reason for a higher court to side with the district.
“The court kept the union agreement in effect only because of a technical-timing issue,” Zuckerman said. “The board has not made a decision whether to appeal, but I believe that the appellate court should have an opportunity to review it, including that it was PACT and certain teachers that caused the technical timing snafu.”
Last month the board hired Zuckerman to assist with the lawsuits because of his experience in representing management in tough labor disputes.
CONTRACT STANDS
According to law, a PPC must have 10 days to review any written personnel policies before ratification by a school board.
Instead, the PCSSD board on April 20 approved an “operating agreement with classroom teachers” – in effect, a new set of personnel policies to replace those in the PNA – although district teachers had not reviewed or adopted the agreement.
On June 27, elections were held for the five teacher representatives for the PPC. The three administration representatives are to be appointees of the superintendent.
Fox declared that the district, in its formation of a PPC on June 27, had “established a properly constituted (PPC), but it did not have a set of written policies established in either strict or substantial conformance with Arkansas law.”
“The PCSSD Board had no legal authority in April, 2010 or at any time prior to establishment of the Committee on Personnel Policies to adopt or revise any personnel policies,” Fox ruled.
“Further, after establishment of the Committee on Personnel Policies on Sunday, June 27, 2010, the ten-working day submission requirement deprived the PCSSD Board of any legal authority to vote on policies or policy amendments until well after June 30, 2010.”
Therefore, the current contract will remain in effect for the 2010-11 school year, unless a majority of teachers vote to replace it sooner with a new set of policies. That is unlikely because the majority of teachers are union members and do not welcome the institution of a PPC.
STATE LAW IGNORED
Fox came down hard on the board for its leaving teachers out of the process of setting the policies by which they are to do their jobs and be evaluated.
He notes the repercussions for districts who fail to adhere to the statutory requirements governing promulgation of policies that affect its certified employees.
“Even a cursory review of the Legislature’s statutory enactments codified as A.C.A. §6-17-201, et seq., evidences the significance of the “personnel policies” themselves, the participation of the Committee on Personnel Policies in drafting and propounding those policies, and the substantial involvement awarded by the General Assembly to teachers in participating in the establishment of personnel policies,” the ruling stated.
The ruling goes on to say that any school district that fails to have either a set of personnel policies or a professionally negotiated agreement with its teachers risks loss of state funding or accreditation.
Leader staff writer
Officials for the Pulaski County Special School District are conferring with attorneys and pondering options after a judge ruled Monday that the district has violated state law in its latest efforts to cut off the Pulaski Association of Classroom Teachers as the collective bargaining agent for district teachers and do away with existing personnel policies and teacher contracts.
Judge Tim Fox of Pulaski County Circuit Court Sixth District responded to two related lawsuits, one filed by PACT and a class-action suit by five teachers on behalf of all PCSSD certified personnel.
The suits challenged actions by the PCSSD school board to replace the union with a committee made up of teachers and administrators by June 30 and institute a new set of personnel policies and teacher contracts, effective July 1.
Fox found there “was no just and reasonable cause for the PCSSD board’s vote on May 17, 2010 to terminate the plaintiffs’ contracts.”
While Fox ruled that the district, by state law, has the authority to terminate recognition of the union, but “the vote of April 20, 2010 is declared null and void, and the professionally negotiated agreement remains in effect between the parties.”
Fox had ruled in April that a prior board vote on Dec. 8 to decertify was null and void because of the same reason he ruled as he did Monday – that the board failed to “have in place a written policy agreement with an organization representing the majority of teachers or a Committee on Personnel Policies together with written personnel policies.”
Fox ordered both sides to participate in mediation to work out the terms of the contract and other differences and to reach resolution by August 2. All school board members, PACT officers and members of the newly formed personnel policies committee (PPC) must take part.
Marty Nix, PACT president, said that she was not surprised by the ruling and is ready to engage in mediation.
“That the contract remains in effect is what we have argued the whole time,” Nix said. “There is a process and the district has to follow it just like everybody else. We’ve always been willing to talk.”
In a statement released Monday, school board president Tim Clark said: “We received the judge’s ruling this afternoon. It is lengthy and requires review by our board and attorneys to determine what the district’s next step in this process will be.”
Two weeks ago, when asked if he would want to appeal an unfavorable ruling from Fox rather than respect it as the court’s clarification of state law on the matter, Clark said, “It will be up to the board to decide.”
Clark, along with board members Danny Gililland, Mildred Tatum and Charlie Wood, voted in April to withdraw recognition of the union. Sandra Sawyer, Bill Vasquez and Gwen Williams opposed the measure.
The same four board members voted to withdraw recognition of PACT on Dec. 8 and move forward with establishing a PPC.
In a statement released Monday, Lyle Zuckerman, the Manhattan lawyer recently hired by the district to help with the lawsuit, said he favored going ahead with an appeal.
He blamed teachers for delaying the process for getting the PPC in place sooner. He suggested that should be a reason for a higher court to side with the district.
“The court kept the union agreement in effect only because of a technical-timing issue,” Zuckerman said. “The board has not made a decision whether to appeal, but I believe that the appellate court should have an opportunity to review it, including that it was PACT and certain teachers that caused the technical timing snafu.”
Last month the board hired Zuckerman to assist with the lawsuits because of his experience in representing management in tough labor disputes.
CONTRACT STANDS
According to law, a PPC must have 10 days to review any written personnel policies before ratification by a school board.
Instead, the PCSSD board on April 20 approved an “operating agreement with classroom teachers” – in effect, a new set of personnel policies to replace those in the PNA – although district teachers had not reviewed or adopted the agreement.
On June 27, elections were held for the five teacher representatives for the PPC. The three administration representatives are to be appointees of the superintendent.
Fox declared that the district, in its formation of a PPC on June 27, had “established a properly constituted (PPC), but it did not have a set of written policies established in either strict or substantial conformance with Arkansas law.”
“The PCSSD Board had no legal authority in April, 2010 or at any time prior to establishment of the Committee on Personnel Policies to adopt or revise any personnel policies,” Fox ruled.
“Further, after establishment of the Committee on Personnel Policies on Sunday, June 27, 2010, the ten-working day submission requirement deprived the PCSSD Board of any legal authority to vote on policies or policy amendments until well after June 30, 2010.”
Therefore, the current contract will remain in effect for the 2010-11 school year, unless a majority of teachers vote to replace it sooner with a new set of policies. That is unlikely because the majority of teachers are union members and do not welcome the institution of a PPC.
STATE LAW IGNORED
Fox came down hard on the board for its leaving teachers out of the process of setting the policies by which they are to do their jobs and be evaluated.
He notes the repercussions for districts who fail to adhere to the statutory requirements governing promulgation of policies that affect its certified employees.
“Even a cursory review of the Legislature’s statutory enactments codified as A.C.A. §6-17-201, et seq., evidences the significance of the “personnel policies” themselves, the participation of the Committee on Personnel Policies in drafting and propounding those policies, and the substantial involvement awarded by the General Assembly to teachers in participating in the establishment of personnel policies,” the ruling stated.
The ruling goes on to say that any school district that fails to have either a set of personnel policies or a professionally negotiated agreement with its teachers risks loss of state funding or accreditation.
SPORTS>>Falcons looking after coach flies
By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
North Pulaski is back where it was a year ago and with only three weeks to do something about it.
Football coach Rick Russell left the Falcons after one year to take the vacant job at Jacksonville, where he assisted 14 years, and was announced as Red Devils head coach on Tuesday morning.
“Coach Russell will do a good job over there,” North Pulaski athletic director Tony Bohannon said.
Russell’s departure left Bohannon and the administration again looking to fill the football job at a program that has won four games thepast five seasons and will be naming its third head coach in three years.
“It was a loss for one school and, you’d say, a gain for one,” said Jacksonville athletic director Jerry Wilson, who accepted football coach Mark Whatley’s resignation last month. Whatley departed to join the staff at Springdale High School.
“It seems like it’s the same story just two or three weeks later,” Wilson said. “Of course, North Pulaski is going to go through the same things we did.”
Bohannon, who stepped down as Falcons coach after seven years in 2008 and was replaced by Russell, said Tuesday he was going to consult with the North Pulaski administration and see what the best option would be for finding Russell’s replacement.
Bohannon said it was possible North Pulaski would go through a search process or promote an assistant or junior high coach.
“Hopefully something with as little disruption as possible,” Bohannon said. “That’s what we’re going to talk about and see what our options are.”
North Pulaski, of the 5A-Southeast Conference, was 1-9 with a 35-13 victory over Little Rock McClellan last season. The Falcons are 6-74 the past eight years.
“One of the toughest things I ever had to do in my 27 years of coaching was go in there and look those guys in the eyes and tell them I wasn’t going to be their coach next year,” Russell said of his farewell to the Falcons.
Russell, 51, said it had always been his goal to be head coach at Jacksonville, where he served the last eight of his 14 years as defensive coordinator.
“It came open this year, unfortunately for what we were trying to do at North Pulaski,” Russell said.
North Pulaski has been going through summer weight training and conditioning as well as competing in 7-on-7 games weekly at Cabot, where the Falcons were 2-0-1.
Russell said he had been planning to open up the offense more with athletic quarterback Shyheim Barron running and passing out of the Spread formation.
“Last week was the best week of football I had at North Pulaski,” Russell said. “I told them ‘I appreciate the way you treated me and the effort you put into this football team.’ I hope they understand, as far as me as a football coach, I didn’t abandon them. I told them I’d always be their football coach, I’d be very fond of the relationships we had.
“It was just something I had to do for me and my family.”
Leader sports editor
North Pulaski is back where it was a year ago and with only three weeks to do something about it.
Football coach Rick Russell left the Falcons after one year to take the vacant job at Jacksonville, where he assisted 14 years, and was announced as Red Devils head coach on Tuesday morning.
“Coach Russell will do a good job over there,” North Pulaski athletic director Tony Bohannon said.
Russell’s departure left Bohannon and the administration again looking to fill the football job at a program that has won four games thepast five seasons and will be naming its third head coach in three years.
“It was a loss for one school and, you’d say, a gain for one,” said Jacksonville athletic director Jerry Wilson, who accepted football coach Mark Whatley’s resignation last month. Whatley departed to join the staff at Springdale High School.
“It seems like it’s the same story just two or three weeks later,” Wilson said. “Of course, North Pulaski is going to go through the same things we did.”
Bohannon, who stepped down as Falcons coach after seven years in 2008 and was replaced by Russell, said Tuesday he was going to consult with the North Pulaski administration and see what the best option would be for finding Russell’s replacement.
Bohannon said it was possible North Pulaski would go through a search process or promote an assistant or junior high coach.
“Hopefully something with as little disruption as possible,” Bohannon said. “That’s what we’re going to talk about and see what our options are.”
North Pulaski, of the 5A-Southeast Conference, was 1-9 with a 35-13 victory over Little Rock McClellan last season. The Falcons are 6-74 the past eight years.
“One of the toughest things I ever had to do in my 27 years of coaching was go in there and look those guys in the eyes and tell them I wasn’t going to be their coach next year,” Russell said of his farewell to the Falcons.
Russell, 51, said it had always been his goal to be head coach at Jacksonville, where he served the last eight of his 14 years as defensive coordinator.
“It came open this year, unfortunately for what we were trying to do at North Pulaski,” Russell said.
North Pulaski has been going through summer weight training and conditioning as well as competing in 7-on-7 games weekly at Cabot, where the Falcons were 2-0-1.
Russell said he had been planning to open up the offense more with athletic quarterback Shyheim Barron running and passing out of the Spread formation.
“Last week was the best week of football I had at North Pulaski,” Russell said. “I told them ‘I appreciate the way you treated me and the effort you put into this football team.’ I hope they understand, as far as me as a football coach, I didn’t abandon them. I told them I’d always be their football coach, I’d be very fond of the relationships we had.
“It was just something I had to do for me and my family.”
SPORTS>>Quarterbacks strutting stuff on 7-on-7 stage for Jackrabbits
By JASON KING
Leader staff writer
Lonoke’s effort to replace quarterback Michael Nelson from last year’s 4A state runner-up team got a shot in the arm when senior Logan Dewhitt returned from a year’s hiatus, and the progress of junior Tarrell Watson over the summer has doubled the dosage.
The Jackrabbits, who lost to Shiloh Christian in last year’s state final, have had successful results in their weekly 7-on-7 league games at Searcy High School. Lonoke went 3-1 last week against a contingent that included Searcy’s varsity and junior varsity squads, as well as Harding Academy and Des Arc.
Dewhitt has looked solid in his return to the team, but has found himself in a competition with Watson.
“It’s open,” Jackrabbits coach Doug Bost said. “With Tarrell, we get a little more speed. There are certain packages where we can use him. We want to get him some playing time when we can.”
Though Dewhitt possesses the strongest arm and has the most experience behind center, Bost said the gap between he and Watson is not as wideas it was when spring practice began.
“We had a team camp last week, and he did everything we asked of him,” Bost said of Watson. “And Logan, we know he has a strong arm. With Logan, we’ve got size, and he has a quick release. He’s about 6-3 and Tarrell is about 6-4, so we know we have two tall quarterbacks.”
While Dewhitt and Watson cling to the top of the quarterback depth chart, Bost said senior receiver Darius Scott has continued to improve out of the Wildcat formation, a set he directed last year as a junior.
“He ran it last year, so it’s nothing new for him,” Bost said. “We’ve got him throwing the ball a little bit now, so it won’t just be running.”
Defensively, Bost said the experience gained by the secondary in 7-on-7 games is invaluable.
With no pass rush involved in the limited-contact game, offenses are allowed to go wide open and put constant pressure on cornerbacks and safeties to chase down receivers.
“We know that with 7-on-7, you get every worse-case scenario possible in situations,” Bost said. “Offenses can go five wide all day, and it’s tough to defend. In an actual game situation, you know there’s going to be linemen up there putting pressure on the quarterback, so they’re not able to send five wide like that all the time.”
The Jackrabbits will wrap up 7-on-7 on Monday. Two-a-days begin the first week of August.
Leader staff writer
Lonoke’s effort to replace quarterback Michael Nelson from last year’s 4A state runner-up team got a shot in the arm when senior Logan Dewhitt returned from a year’s hiatus, and the progress of junior Tarrell Watson over the summer has doubled the dosage.
The Jackrabbits, who lost to Shiloh Christian in last year’s state final, have had successful results in their weekly 7-on-7 league games at Searcy High School. Lonoke went 3-1 last week against a contingent that included Searcy’s varsity and junior varsity squads, as well as Harding Academy and Des Arc.
Dewhitt has looked solid in his return to the team, but has found himself in a competition with Watson.
“It’s open,” Jackrabbits coach Doug Bost said. “With Tarrell, we get a little more speed. There are certain packages where we can use him. We want to get him some playing time when we can.”
Though Dewhitt possesses the strongest arm and has the most experience behind center, Bost said the gap between he and Watson is not as wideas it was when spring practice began.
“We had a team camp last week, and he did everything we asked of him,” Bost said of Watson. “And Logan, we know he has a strong arm. With Logan, we’ve got size, and he has a quick release. He’s about 6-3 and Tarrell is about 6-4, so we know we have two tall quarterbacks.”
While Dewhitt and Watson cling to the top of the quarterback depth chart, Bost said senior receiver Darius Scott has continued to improve out of the Wildcat formation, a set he directed last year as a junior.
“He ran it last year, so it’s nothing new for him,” Bost said. “We’ve got him throwing the ball a little bit now, so it won’t just be running.”
Defensively, Bost said the experience gained by the secondary in 7-on-7 games is invaluable.
With no pass rush involved in the limited-contact game, offenses are allowed to go wide open and put constant pressure on cornerbacks and safeties to chase down receivers.
“We know that with 7-on-7, you get every worse-case scenario possible in situations,” Bost said. “Offenses can go five wide all day, and it’s tough to defend. In an actual game situation, you know there’s going to be linemen up there putting pressure on the quarterback, so they’re not able to send five wide like that all the time.”
The Jackrabbits will wrap up 7-on-7 on Monday. Two-a-days begin the first week of August.
SPORTS>>Cabot advances to quarterfinals
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
SHERIDAN — Two innings were the longest Cabot could extend its season against a tough Texarkana team.
Texarkana beat Cabot Centennial Bank 5-3 in the quarterfinals of the American Legion junior state tournament Monday.
Centennial Bank rallied once to tie the junior Razorbacks 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh and force extra innings at Oliver Williams Field. But when Texarkana capitalized on a pair of Cabot errors in the top of the ninth to add two more runs, it was enough to advance to the semifinals.
It was Cabot’s second loss of the double-elimination tournament after an opening-day setback to the host Sheridan Yellowjackets on Saturday and a comeback triumph over North Little Rock on Sunday.
“We said we were going to be aggressive all year, and the kids bought into that,” Andy Runyan said after his final game as a Cabot baseball coach. “I was extremely proud of how they played. And even though we turned out on the wrong side of it tonight, I couldn’t be more proud of a bunch of 14- and 15-year-old kids.”
Texarkana had two outs and two on in the top of the ninth when Blake Sullivan hit a grounder to Casey Vaughan at third base.
Vaughan’s throw to first was just out of first baseman James McCraine’s reach and allowed both runners to score.
Vaughan’s chance at redemption at the plate in the bottom of the ninth ended in a double play after Dylan Wilson led off the inning with a single.
“It’s one of those things where you go back and there were probably 10 different plays in that game in the end that could have teetered the game one way or the other,” Runyan said. “Go back to the first inning — I got Cole Thomas picked off of first base on a steal, you know, that’s something as a coach that you look at and wish you could have back.”
Cabot (19-11) got itself back in the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when Cole Thomas led off with a walk and Wilson advanced him to third with a double down the third-base line. Cleanup hitter Rob White singled to left to score Thomas and make it 3-2 before Wilson scored the tying run when Ryan Logan hit into a fielder’s choice.
Logan beat the throw to first to stay out of a game-ending double play.
Both teams relied on defense through the first six innings.
Texarkana held a 1-0 lead after first baseman Brett Reinhart smashed Kason Kimbrell’s first pitch of the second inning over the right field wall. It was one of few hiccups for Kimbrell, who held the Razorbacks scoreless from that point until the top of the seventh when he began to show fatigue.
Kimbrell walked Jared Brown and gave up two straight singles and a run that made it 2-1. That led to Dustin Morris to relieve Kimbrell.
Morris retired one batter but gave up an RBI single to Justin House for the two-run lead.
Cabot tied it for the first time in the bottom of the fifth.
Wilson reached on an infield single when he stunned Texarkana pitcher Blake Sullivan with a line drive up the middle. Vaughan advanced Wilson with a single bloop to left and White drove him in with a single up the middle.
Wilson was 5 for 5 with a double and four singles. White was 2 for 5 with two RBI. For Texarkana, House was 3 for 5 with an RBI while Jacob Kirkland and Chase Sealy were both 2 for 4 with an RBI for Sealy.
“We said all year, kind of as a coaching point, that we weren’t going to use youth as an excuse,” Runyan said. “We had a bunch of ninth and tenth-graders-to-be playing in a 17-under league against a bunch of juniors and seniors, so for them to finish eight games above .500, finish top two in the zone and make it to the quarterfinals of the state tournament and be one of the last six teams standing in the state, those guys don’t have anything to hang their heads about.
“They’ve accomplished a lot for a young group this year.”
Leader sportswriter
SHERIDAN — Two innings were the longest Cabot could extend its season against a tough Texarkana team.
Texarkana beat Cabot Centennial Bank 5-3 in the quarterfinals of the American Legion junior state tournament Monday.
Centennial Bank rallied once to tie the junior Razorbacks 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh and force extra innings at Oliver Williams Field. But when Texarkana capitalized on a pair of Cabot errors in the top of the ninth to add two more runs, it was enough to advance to the semifinals.
It was Cabot’s second loss of the double-elimination tournament after an opening-day setback to the host Sheridan Yellowjackets on Saturday and a comeback triumph over North Little Rock on Sunday.
“We said we were going to be aggressive all year, and the kids bought into that,” Andy Runyan said after his final game as a Cabot baseball coach. “I was extremely proud of how they played. And even though we turned out on the wrong side of it tonight, I couldn’t be more proud of a bunch of 14- and 15-year-old kids.”
Texarkana had two outs and two on in the top of the ninth when Blake Sullivan hit a grounder to Casey Vaughan at third base.
Vaughan’s throw to first was just out of first baseman James McCraine’s reach and allowed both runners to score.
Vaughan’s chance at redemption at the plate in the bottom of the ninth ended in a double play after Dylan Wilson led off the inning with a single.
“It’s one of those things where you go back and there were probably 10 different plays in that game in the end that could have teetered the game one way or the other,” Runyan said. “Go back to the first inning — I got Cole Thomas picked off of first base on a steal, you know, that’s something as a coach that you look at and wish you could have back.”
Cabot (19-11) got itself back in the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when Cole Thomas led off with a walk and Wilson advanced him to third with a double down the third-base line. Cleanup hitter Rob White singled to left to score Thomas and make it 3-2 before Wilson scored the tying run when Ryan Logan hit into a fielder’s choice.
Logan beat the throw to first to stay out of a game-ending double play.
Both teams relied on defense through the first six innings.
Texarkana held a 1-0 lead after first baseman Brett Reinhart smashed Kason Kimbrell’s first pitch of the second inning over the right field wall. It was one of few hiccups for Kimbrell, who held the Razorbacks scoreless from that point until the top of the seventh when he began to show fatigue.
Kimbrell walked Jared Brown and gave up two straight singles and a run that made it 2-1. That led to Dustin Morris to relieve Kimbrell.
Morris retired one batter but gave up an RBI single to Justin House for the two-run lead.
Cabot tied it for the first time in the bottom of the fifth.
Wilson reached on an infield single when he stunned Texarkana pitcher Blake Sullivan with a line drive up the middle. Vaughan advanced Wilson with a single bloop to left and White drove him in with a single up the middle.
Wilson was 5 for 5 with a double and four singles. White was 2 for 5 with two RBI. For Texarkana, House was 3 for 5 with an RBI while Jacob Kirkland and Chase Sealy were both 2 for 4 with an RBI for Sealy.
“We said all year, kind of as a coaching point, that we weren’t going to use youth as an excuse,” Runyan said. “We had a bunch of ninth and tenth-graders-to-be playing in a 17-under league against a bunch of juniors and seniors, so for them to finish eight games above .500, finish top two in the zone and make it to the quarterfinals of the state tournament and be one of the last six teams standing in the state, those guys don’t have anything to hang their heads about.
“They’ve accomplished a lot for a young group this year.”
SPORTS>>Light-hitting Canseco does right
By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
I never thought I could empathize with Jose Canseco.
But then, I never thought the guy would lose a boxing match to a 60-year-old man.
At Dickey-Stephens Park on Friday, UALR associate athletic director Gary Hogan, 60, beat the 46-year-old Canseco on points, 39-37, in a four-round bout before the Arkansas Travelers’ Texas League game with the Midland RockHounds.
It was another oddity in an eyebrow-arching career for Canseco, who in his post-baseball life has dabbled in boxing and mixed martial arts while trying to live down his use of performance-enhancing drugs as a player.
In a uniform that fit his 6-4 frame like spandex, Canseco hit 462 career home runs, good for 32nd all-time.
On the 1988 Oakland Athletics, Canseco became the first player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases. He was one of Oakland’s “Bash Brothers,” joining Mark McGwire to punish baseballs on the prolific A’s teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Oakland went to three straight World Series while Canseco played and won one, the 1989 classic thrown off schedule by the Bay Area earthquake.
That should have been a sign of the turmoil to come.
Canseco was issued multiple speeding tickets and a citation from California police for carrying a handgun in his car.
He had a dalliance with the singer Madonna that of course made the tabloids, and he nearly fought a heckling fan who targeted the relationship at Yankee Stadium.
Canseco clashed with Oakland management and was traded to Texas.
In one week with the Rangers in May 1993, Canseco had a fly ball bounce off his head and over the fence for a home run then nearly ended his career with a ligament injury when he pitched during a blowout loss to the Boston Red Sox.
Injuries continued to dog Canseco — he was with the St. Louis Cardinals but never played a game because of a back injury — and he finally hung it up in 2002.
His problems, even some of the injuries, seemed of his own making, and it’s hard topity a guy with Canseco’s fame and accomplishments, even if analyst Peter Gammons lumped him with Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden as the three great wastes of talent from 1980-2000.
Then Canseco wrote the book “Juiced” in which he admitted his steroid use and named McGwire, Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Jason Giambi as users too.
Canseco also testified about steroids in baseball before a congressional committee, whose investigations led to a more stringent, anti-doping policy in the game.
He was vilified as a snitch and relegated to appearances on reality TV and in the ring as a boxer, wrestler and mixed martial-arts combatant. Meanwhile guys like McGwire, currently hitting coach for St. Louis, are still welcome in baseball.
Yet I didn’t feel sorry for Canseco any more than I felt sorry for McGwire when it became clear the one-time home-run king was going to be closed out of the Hall of Fame voting for some years to come.
Again, the career wounds seemed self-inflicted.
Then Canseco came to North Little Rock to fight Hogan, and I have to applaud Canseco for the way he handled the difficult spot in which he was placed.
Hogan, of course, is the former UALR baseball coach and local television sports anchor who fought a few exhibitions with former heavyweights in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In those bouts Hogan proved himself a stubborn competitor unwilling to go down. But, while he is in great shape thanks to his training at the gym of Golden Gloves guru Ray Rodgers, Hogan is still a 60-year-old with an artificial hip and five knee surgeries to his credit.
Canseco was roundly booed when he walked onto the field and climbed into the ring Friday night, and he clearly knew it would be worse if he pounded Hogan the way he seemed capable.
So Canseco bloodied Hogan’s chin in the first round and staggered him with a late shot, but otherwise he covered up and let Hogan pummel his midsection to gain the points for his narrow decision.
Afterward Canseco, who earned approximately $14,000 for his appearance, praised Hogan — who raised money for Rodgers’ gym — and called him “a great man.”
Predictably, people who knew Canseco only through his rap sheet and mishaps laughed and sneered that a 60-year-old beat him.
But what was Canseco to do?
“Anyone that would take advantage of a 60-year-old man in the ring deserves to get there [sic] skull cracked by me in the ring,” Canseco later said in a Twitter update.
Hogan may have outpointed Canseco, and the guy gets no points for spelling either. But this time I’m giving Canseco a break.
Leader sports editor
I never thought I could empathize with Jose Canseco.
But then, I never thought the guy would lose a boxing match to a 60-year-old man.
At Dickey-Stephens Park on Friday, UALR associate athletic director Gary Hogan, 60, beat the 46-year-old Canseco on points, 39-37, in a four-round bout before the Arkansas Travelers’ Texas League game with the Midland RockHounds.
It was another oddity in an eyebrow-arching career for Canseco, who in his post-baseball life has dabbled in boxing and mixed martial arts while trying to live down his use of performance-enhancing drugs as a player.
In a uniform that fit his 6-4 frame like spandex, Canseco hit 462 career home runs, good for 32nd all-time.
On the 1988 Oakland Athletics, Canseco became the first player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases. He was one of Oakland’s “Bash Brothers,” joining Mark McGwire to punish baseballs on the prolific A’s teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Oakland went to three straight World Series while Canseco played and won one, the 1989 classic thrown off schedule by the Bay Area earthquake.
That should have been a sign of the turmoil to come.
Canseco was issued multiple speeding tickets and a citation from California police for carrying a handgun in his car.
He had a dalliance with the singer Madonna that of course made the tabloids, and he nearly fought a heckling fan who targeted the relationship at Yankee Stadium.
Canseco clashed with Oakland management and was traded to Texas.
In one week with the Rangers in May 1993, Canseco had a fly ball bounce off his head and over the fence for a home run then nearly ended his career with a ligament injury when he pitched during a blowout loss to the Boston Red Sox.
Injuries continued to dog Canseco — he was with the St. Louis Cardinals but never played a game because of a back injury — and he finally hung it up in 2002.
His problems, even some of the injuries, seemed of his own making, and it’s hard topity a guy with Canseco’s fame and accomplishments, even if analyst Peter Gammons lumped him with Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden as the three great wastes of talent from 1980-2000.
Then Canseco wrote the book “Juiced” in which he admitted his steroid use and named McGwire, Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Jason Giambi as users too.
Canseco also testified about steroids in baseball before a congressional committee, whose investigations led to a more stringent, anti-doping policy in the game.
He was vilified as a snitch and relegated to appearances on reality TV and in the ring as a boxer, wrestler and mixed martial-arts combatant. Meanwhile guys like McGwire, currently hitting coach for St. Louis, are still welcome in baseball.
Yet I didn’t feel sorry for Canseco any more than I felt sorry for McGwire when it became clear the one-time home-run king was going to be closed out of the Hall of Fame voting for some years to come.
Again, the career wounds seemed self-inflicted.
Then Canseco came to North Little Rock to fight Hogan, and I have to applaud Canseco for the way he handled the difficult spot in which he was placed.
Hogan, of course, is the former UALR baseball coach and local television sports anchor who fought a few exhibitions with former heavyweights in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In those bouts Hogan proved himself a stubborn competitor unwilling to go down. But, while he is in great shape thanks to his training at the gym of Golden Gloves guru Ray Rodgers, Hogan is still a 60-year-old with an artificial hip and five knee surgeries to his credit.
Canseco was roundly booed when he walked onto the field and climbed into the ring Friday night, and he clearly knew it would be worse if he pounded Hogan the way he seemed capable.
So Canseco bloodied Hogan’s chin in the first round and staggered him with a late shot, but otherwise he covered up and let Hogan pummel his midsection to gain the points for his narrow decision.
Afterward Canseco, who earned approximately $14,000 for his appearance, praised Hogan — who raised money for Rodgers’ gym — and called him “a great man.”
Predictably, people who knew Canseco only through his rap sheet and mishaps laughed and sneered that a 60-year-old beat him.
But what was Canseco to do?
“Anyone that would take advantage of a 60-year-old man in the ring deserves to get there [sic] skull cracked by me in the ring,” Canseco later said in a Twitter update.
Hogan may have outpointed Canseco, and the guy gets no points for spelling either. But this time I’m giving Canseco a break.
SPORTS>>Travelers punch up pregame
By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
It began with an idle comment at a UALR basketball game.
It ended with Gary Hogan standing victorious next to Jose Canseco in a boxing ring.
Hogan, 60, an associate athletic director at UALR, took a 39-37 decision over Canseco before the Arkansas Travelers’ game with the Midland RockHounds at Dickey-Stephens Park on Friday night.
Canseco, 46, the former big-league slugger who retired in 2002, has been in and out of the ring as a boxer, wrestler and mixed martial-arts competitor, among other pursuits. Hogan, on the other hand, hadn’t raised a glove against an opponent in an organized bout since 1981.
How did this happen?
Travelers general manager Pete Laven knew of Hogan’s love for boxing. He knew Hogan, a one-time, local sports anchor, had fought one-time light heavyweight contender Mike Quarry twice and boxed former WBA heavyweight champ John Tate once at the Travelers’ former home in Ray Winder Field in 1981.
When Laven mentioned idly to Hogan at a basketball game that Canseco was available, he was almost assured of Hogan’s participation.
“Let’s put it this way: It’s the entertainment business and I’m not going to go out there and get booed for not throwing punches,” Hogan said in the runup to the fight. “I may go down, I have no fear of that, but the bottom line is we’re going to make it entertaining. The worst thing to happen is for us to kiss each other.”
Laven tracked down Canseco’s agent and got a commitment, then learned the Arkansas Athletic Commission would have to sanction the bout, a process that took several weeks.
Hogan, the former Trojans baseball coach who has had five knee surgeries and a hip replacement, trains in the gym of Arkansas Golden Gloves guru and pro cut man Ray Rodgers.
“I feel great, I’m in the best shape I’ve been in in years,” said Hogan, noting he would be the last man to box at Ray Winder, which closed in 2006, and the first to fight at Dickey-Stephens Park, which opened in 2007.
Canseco, 6-4, 240 pounds, had a longer reach and drastically outweighed the 191-pound Hogan.
He was greeted at Dickey-Stephens Park mostly with boos, perhaps owing to his checkeredpast as a steroids user during his playing days with Oakland and Texas, among others, and his willingness to name other users in his book “Juiced.”
Hogan initially wore headgear, but took his off when Canseco entered the ring without.
Hogan seemed intent on keeping his promise to throw punches as he went after Canseco early, only to get his chin bloodied in the first of the four rounds.
“Not at all, never bothered me a bit, they just wiped it off when I came to the corner,” Hogan said.
Canseco appeared eager to prove to the crowd he could win if he cut loose and then he held off for most of the rest of the fight, covering up and letting Hogan hammer away at his midsection. Canseco’s only other decisive blow was a straight right that staggered Hogan into the ropes in the fourth.
In a Twitter update after the fight, Canseco condemned anyone who would “take advantage” of a 60-year-old man.
Both men were generous in their comments afterward.
“It was a lot of fun, I’m glad nobody got hurt,” Canseco said. “A great man right there and a great match. He can box, I’m telling you. He’s 60 years old and he can fight.”
Canseco signed a contract paying $14,000.
Hogan did not receive a check but enlisted numerous sponsors to raise money for Rodgers’ gym and praised his coach there,
Walt Woods, and his sparring partner, Walt’s son Johnny, for his training.
“He won the first round, he got me a few times,” Hogan said. “I threw more punches and moved around the ring. I won the last three. I thought he got a little tired, to be honest with you, but he did a nice job coming in. I really do appreciate him coming in and doing this.”
Leader sports editor
It began with an idle comment at a UALR basketball game.
It ended with Gary Hogan standing victorious next to Jose Canseco in a boxing ring.
Hogan, 60, an associate athletic director at UALR, took a 39-37 decision over Canseco before the Arkansas Travelers’ game with the Midland RockHounds at Dickey-Stephens Park on Friday night.
Canseco, 46, the former big-league slugger who retired in 2002, has been in and out of the ring as a boxer, wrestler and mixed martial-arts competitor, among other pursuits. Hogan, on the other hand, hadn’t raised a glove against an opponent in an organized bout since 1981.
How did this happen?
Travelers general manager Pete Laven knew of Hogan’s love for boxing. He knew Hogan, a one-time, local sports anchor, had fought one-time light heavyweight contender Mike Quarry twice and boxed former WBA heavyweight champ John Tate once at the Travelers’ former home in Ray Winder Field in 1981.
When Laven mentioned idly to Hogan at a basketball game that Canseco was available, he was almost assured of Hogan’s participation.
“Let’s put it this way: It’s the entertainment business and I’m not going to go out there and get booed for not throwing punches,” Hogan said in the runup to the fight. “I may go down, I have no fear of that, but the bottom line is we’re going to make it entertaining. The worst thing to happen is for us to kiss each other.”
Laven tracked down Canseco’s agent and got a commitment, then learned the Arkansas Athletic Commission would have to sanction the bout, a process that took several weeks.
Hogan, the former Trojans baseball coach who has had five knee surgeries and a hip replacement, trains in the gym of Arkansas Golden Gloves guru and pro cut man Ray Rodgers.
“I feel great, I’m in the best shape I’ve been in in years,” said Hogan, noting he would be the last man to box at Ray Winder, which closed in 2006, and the first to fight at Dickey-Stephens Park, which opened in 2007.
Canseco, 6-4, 240 pounds, had a longer reach and drastically outweighed the 191-pound Hogan.
He was greeted at Dickey-Stephens Park mostly with boos, perhaps owing to his checkeredpast as a steroids user during his playing days with Oakland and Texas, among others, and his willingness to name other users in his book “Juiced.”
Hogan initially wore headgear, but took his off when Canseco entered the ring without.
Hogan seemed intent on keeping his promise to throw punches as he went after Canseco early, only to get his chin bloodied in the first of the four rounds.
“Not at all, never bothered me a bit, they just wiped it off when I came to the corner,” Hogan said.
Canseco appeared eager to prove to the crowd he could win if he cut loose and then he held off for most of the rest of the fight, covering up and letting Hogan hammer away at his midsection. Canseco’s only other decisive blow was a straight right that staggered Hogan into the ropes in the fourth.
In a Twitter update after the fight, Canseco condemned anyone who would “take advantage” of a 60-year-old man.
Both men were generous in their comments afterward.
“It was a lot of fun, I’m glad nobody got hurt,” Canseco said. “A great man right there and a great match. He can box, I’m telling you. He’s 60 years old and he can fight.”
Canseco signed a contract paying $14,000.
Hogan did not receive a check but enlisted numerous sponsors to raise money for Rodgers’ gym and praised his coach there,
Walt Woods, and his sparring partner, Walt’s son Johnny, for his training.
“He won the first round, he got me a few times,” Hogan said. “I threw more punches and moved around the ring. I won the last three. I thought he got a little tired, to be honest with you, but he did a nice job coming in. I really do appreciate him coming in and doing this.”
SPORTS>>Travelers punch up pregame
By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
It began with an idle comment at a UALR basketball game.
It ended with Gary Hogan standing victorious next to Jose Canseco in a boxing ring.
Hogan, 60, an associate athletic director at UALR, took a 39-37 decision over Canseco before the Arkansas Travelers’ game with the Midland RockHounds at Dickey-Stephens Park on Friday night.
Canseco, 46, the former big-league slugger who retired in 2002, has been in and out of the ring as a boxer, wrestler and mixed martial-arts competitor, among other pursuits. Hogan, on the other hand, hadn’t raised a glove against an opponent in an organized bout since 1981.
How did this happen?
Travelers general manager Pete Laven knew of Hogan’s love for boxing. He knew Hogan, a one-time, local sports anchor, had fought one-time light heavyweight contender Mike Quarry twice and boxed former WBA heavyweight champ John Tate once at the Travelers’ former home in Ray Winder Field in 1981.
When Laven mentioned idly to Hogan at a basketball game that Canseco was available, he was almost assured of Hogan’s participation.
“Let’s put it this way: It’s the entertainment business and I’m not going to go out there and get booed for not throwing punches,” Hogan said in the runup to the fight. “I may go down, I have no fear of that, but the bottom line is we’re going to make it entertaining. The worst thing to happen is for us to kiss each other.”
Laven tracked down Canseco’s agent and got a commitment, then learned the Arkansas Athletic Commission would have to sanction the bout, a process that took several weeks.
Hogan, the former Trojans baseball coach who has had five knee surgeries and a hip replacement, trains in the gym of Arkansas Golden Gloves guru and pro cut man Ray Rodgers.
“I feel great, I’m in the best shape I’ve been in in years,” said Hogan, noting he would be the last man to box at Ray Winder, which closed in 2006, and the first to fight at Dickey-Stephens Park, which opened in 2007.
Canseco, 6-4, 240 pounds, had a longer reach and drastically outweighed the 191-pound Hogan.
He was greeted at Dickey-Stephens Park mostly with boos, perhaps owing to his checkeredpast as a steroids user during his playing days with Oakland and Texas, among others, and his willingness to name other users in his book “Juiced.”
Hogan initially wore headgear, but took his off when Canseco entered the ring without.
Hogan seemed intent on keeping his promise to throw punches as he went after Canseco early, only to get his chin bloodied in the first of the four rounds.
“Not at all, never bothered me a bit, they just wiped it off when I came to the corner,” Hogan said.
Canseco appeared eager to prove to the crowd he could win if he cut loose and then he held off for most of the rest of the fight, covering up and letting Hogan hammer away at his midsection. Canseco’s only other decisive blow was a straight right that staggered Hogan into the ropes in the fourth.
In a Twitter update after the fight, Canseco condemned anyone who would “take advantage” of a 60-year-old man.
Both men were generous in their comments afterward.
“It was a lot of fun, I’m glad nobody got hurt,” Canseco said. “A great man right there and a great match. He can box, I’m telling you. He’s 60 years old and he can fight.”
Canseco signed a contract paying $14,000.
Hogan did not receive a check but enlisted numerous sponsors to raise money for Rodgers’ gym and praised his coach there,
Walt Woods, and his sparring partner, Walt’s son Johnny, for his training.
“He won the first round, he got me a few times,” Hogan said. “I threw more punches and moved around the ring. I won the last three. I thought he got a little tired, to be honest with you, but he did a nice job coming in. I really do appreciate him coming in and doing this.”
Leader sports editor
It began with an idle comment at a UALR basketball game.
It ended with Gary Hogan standing victorious next to Jose Canseco in a boxing ring.
Hogan, 60, an associate athletic director at UALR, took a 39-37 decision over Canseco before the Arkansas Travelers’ game with the Midland RockHounds at Dickey-Stephens Park on Friday night.
Canseco, 46, the former big-league slugger who retired in 2002, has been in and out of the ring as a boxer, wrestler and mixed martial-arts competitor, among other pursuits. Hogan, on the other hand, hadn’t raised a glove against an opponent in an organized bout since 1981.
How did this happen?
Travelers general manager Pete Laven knew of Hogan’s love for boxing. He knew Hogan, a one-time, local sports anchor, had fought one-time light heavyweight contender Mike Quarry twice and boxed former WBA heavyweight champ John Tate once at the Travelers’ former home in Ray Winder Field in 1981.
When Laven mentioned idly to Hogan at a basketball game that Canseco was available, he was almost assured of Hogan’s participation.
“Let’s put it this way: It’s the entertainment business and I’m not going to go out there and get booed for not throwing punches,” Hogan said in the runup to the fight. “I may go down, I have no fear of that, but the bottom line is we’re going to make it entertaining. The worst thing to happen is for us to kiss each other.”
Laven tracked down Canseco’s agent and got a commitment, then learned the Arkansas Athletic Commission would have to sanction the bout, a process that took several weeks.
Hogan, the former Trojans baseball coach who has had five knee surgeries and a hip replacement, trains in the gym of Arkansas Golden Gloves guru and pro cut man Ray Rodgers.
“I feel great, I’m in the best shape I’ve been in in years,” said Hogan, noting he would be the last man to box at Ray Winder, which closed in 2006, and the first to fight at Dickey-Stephens Park, which opened in 2007.
Canseco, 6-4, 240 pounds, had a longer reach and drastically outweighed the 191-pound Hogan.
He was greeted at Dickey-Stephens Park mostly with boos, perhaps owing to his checkeredpast as a steroids user during his playing days with Oakland and Texas, among others, and his willingness to name other users in his book “Juiced.”
Hogan initially wore headgear, but took his off when Canseco entered the ring without.
Hogan seemed intent on keeping his promise to throw punches as he went after Canseco early, only to get his chin bloodied in the first of the four rounds.
“Not at all, never bothered me a bit, they just wiped it off when I came to the corner,” Hogan said.
Canseco appeared eager to prove to the crowd he could win if he cut loose and then he held off for most of the rest of the fight, covering up and letting Hogan hammer away at his midsection. Canseco’s only other decisive blow was a straight right that staggered Hogan into the ropes in the fourth.
In a Twitter update after the fight, Canseco condemned anyone who would “take advantage” of a 60-year-old man.
Both men were generous in their comments afterward.
“It was a lot of fun, I’m glad nobody got hurt,” Canseco said. “A great man right there and a great match. He can box, I’m telling you. He’s 60 years old and he can fight.”
Canseco signed a contract paying $14,000.
Hogan did not receive a check but enlisted numerous sponsors to raise money for Rodgers’ gym and praised his coach there,
Walt Woods, and his sparring partner, Walt’s son Johnny, for his training.
“He won the first round, he got me a few times,” Hogan said. “I threw more punches and moved around the ring. I won the last three. I thought he got a little tired, to be honest with you, but he did a nice job coming in. I really do appreciate him coming in and doing this.”
SPORTS>>Russell returns to run Devils
By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
The memories are intact for Rick Russell.
Jacksonville High School named Russell its football coach Tuesday, capping a whirlwind search that began when Mark Whatley stepped down on June 21 and ended when Russell, 51, agreed to leave the head coaching job at crosstown North Pulaski and return to where he has spent most of his coaching life.
“It played a big part in it,” said Russell, the former Red Devils assistant who was at North Pulaski for one year before his old employer came calling. “I spent 14 years here. I’ve been teaching for 20 and coaching for 27 and that’s over half my career at Jacksonville High School.”
Russell, the former Jacksonville defensive coordinator, was speaking from the fieldhouse where he spent so much time and where his two youngest daughters would play school, drawing on the coach’s blackboard, while waiting for their mother to pick them up after classes.
“It’s kind of like my home. It’s my kids’ home; they went to school here,” Russell said. “It was a family decision and a good decision for me.”
The decision to hire Russell was one of the first major moves by new Jacksonville principal June Aynie, who based her choice on the recommendation of a five-person committee thatincluded faculty members and administrators like Jacksonville athletic director Jerry Wilson.
The panel’s recommendation to hire Russell from a field of 18 candidates was unanimous, Wilson said.
“Well it had a lot to do with his knowledge of the kids around the community,” Wilson said. “That was a big selling point.
Experience. And an educator. All those things go with what makes up a head coach and we had good candidates this late in the game.”
Russell will sign a standard, one-year contract that pays $68,212 annually. Along with his coaching duties, which include track, Russell will teach physical education and business courses.
“We’re trying to get productive young men and women out there and that’s what you look for in a leader,” Wilson said.
Russell, who played college football at Arkansas, Ouachita Baptist and Central Arkansas, was Jacksonville’s defensive coordinator for eight years before taking the North Pulaski job.
He began the baseball program at Pulaski Academy and won two state championships, and he also served as the Bruins’ junior high football coach and assistant and held similar posts at Sylvan Hills and at Nashville before coming to Jacksonville in 1995.
Russell was 1-9 in his one year at North Pulaski, of the 5A-Southeast Conference. The Falcons scored their lone victory over Little Rock McClellan, 35-13, and Russell was in the process of punching up the offense with the Spread formation before taking the Jacksonville job.
The Red Devils last won a conference championship when they took the 6A-East and won seven games in 2006. They won six games in 2008 but were 2-8 last year under Whatley, who is taking the offensive-coordinator job at Springdale High School.
Jacksonville won a non-conference victory over Lonoke last season and a conference victory over Little Rock Hall.
Jacksonville, which will play in the 7A/6A East this year, already uses the Spread and became known last year for making games interesting late, with big plays on fourth and long.
But the Red Devils, who averaged 20.9 points a game while allowing 29.4, too often played from behind. Russell, the former defensive coordinator, will be trying to strengthen the defense at the point of attack, using stunts and shifts to disrupt the offensive line and put pressure on the quarterback.
“At the high school level the more pressure you put at those two levels the more successful you’ll be on defense,” Russell said.
Russell must hire three assistants, including an offensive coordinator, the job Whatley filled while head coach. The Red Devils are currently going through summer conditioning workouts and have a team camp planned with other programs at Vilonia on Thursday.
Russell said he wouldn’t try to implement major changes until practice begins in August, and said his new assistants, once hired, would have some impact on the playbook. By late Tuesday morning, Russell still had not had a chance to speak to the entire team, but he had met with many players during their morning weight training.
“We want that complete game,” Russell said. “We want to be in shape. The kids, when I talked to them today I told them ‘It’s my job to make you the most in-shape, successful athlete you can be.”
The hiring of Russell, with football practice starting in three weeks, completes one of the most urgent items of business for the Jacksonville athletic department. But the school still needs to find a coach for volleyball, which also begins in the fall, and assistants for volleyball, softball and girls basketball.
Wilson said he hoped to announce coaches for all positions before the weekend.
Leader sports editor
The memories are intact for Rick Russell.
Jacksonville High School named Russell its football coach Tuesday, capping a whirlwind search that began when Mark Whatley stepped down on June 21 and ended when Russell, 51, agreed to leave the head coaching job at crosstown North Pulaski and return to where he has spent most of his coaching life.
“It played a big part in it,” said Russell, the former Red Devils assistant who was at North Pulaski for one year before his old employer came calling. “I spent 14 years here. I’ve been teaching for 20 and coaching for 27 and that’s over half my career at Jacksonville High School.”
Russell, the former Jacksonville defensive coordinator, was speaking from the fieldhouse where he spent so much time and where his two youngest daughters would play school, drawing on the coach’s blackboard, while waiting for their mother to pick them up after classes.
“It’s kind of like my home. It’s my kids’ home; they went to school here,” Russell said. “It was a family decision and a good decision for me.”
The decision to hire Russell was one of the first major moves by new Jacksonville principal June Aynie, who based her choice on the recommendation of a five-person committee thatincluded faculty members and administrators like Jacksonville athletic director Jerry Wilson.
The panel’s recommendation to hire Russell from a field of 18 candidates was unanimous, Wilson said.
“Well it had a lot to do with his knowledge of the kids around the community,” Wilson said. “That was a big selling point.
Experience. And an educator. All those things go with what makes up a head coach and we had good candidates this late in the game.”
Russell will sign a standard, one-year contract that pays $68,212 annually. Along with his coaching duties, which include track, Russell will teach physical education and business courses.
“We’re trying to get productive young men and women out there and that’s what you look for in a leader,” Wilson said.
Russell, who played college football at Arkansas, Ouachita Baptist and Central Arkansas, was Jacksonville’s defensive coordinator for eight years before taking the North Pulaski job.
He began the baseball program at Pulaski Academy and won two state championships, and he also served as the Bruins’ junior high football coach and assistant and held similar posts at Sylvan Hills and at Nashville before coming to Jacksonville in 1995.
Russell was 1-9 in his one year at North Pulaski, of the 5A-Southeast Conference. The Falcons scored their lone victory over Little Rock McClellan, 35-13, and Russell was in the process of punching up the offense with the Spread formation before taking the Jacksonville job.
The Red Devils last won a conference championship when they took the 6A-East and won seven games in 2006. They won six games in 2008 but were 2-8 last year under Whatley, who is taking the offensive-coordinator job at Springdale High School.
Jacksonville won a non-conference victory over Lonoke last season and a conference victory over Little Rock Hall.
Jacksonville, which will play in the 7A/6A East this year, already uses the Spread and became known last year for making games interesting late, with big plays on fourth and long.
But the Red Devils, who averaged 20.9 points a game while allowing 29.4, too often played from behind. Russell, the former defensive coordinator, will be trying to strengthen the defense at the point of attack, using stunts and shifts to disrupt the offensive line and put pressure on the quarterback.
“At the high school level the more pressure you put at those two levels the more successful you’ll be on defense,” Russell said.
Russell must hire three assistants, including an offensive coordinator, the job Whatley filled while head coach. The Red Devils are currently going through summer conditioning workouts and have a team camp planned with other programs at Vilonia on Thursday.
Russell said he wouldn’t try to implement major changes until practice begins in August, and said his new assistants, once hired, would have some impact on the playbook. By late Tuesday morning, Russell still had not had a chance to speak to the entire team, but he had met with many players during their morning weight training.
“We want that complete game,” Russell said. “We want to be in shape. The kids, when I talked to them today I told them ‘It’s my job to make you the most in-shape, successful athlete you can be.”
The hiring of Russell, with football practice starting in three weeks, completes one of the most urgent items of business for the Jacksonville athletic department. But the school still needs to find a coach for volleyball, which also begins in the fall, and assistants for volleyball, softball and girls basketball.
Wilson said he hoped to announce coaches for all positions before the weekend.
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