BY PAUL PETERSON
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Pulaski County Public Safety Task Force postpones recommendation to quorum court until after Monday’s meeting.
Instead of finalizing proposals for financing and operating the county’s overcrowded detention center, the Pulaski County Public Safety Task Force decided Thursday night to schedule a split-group meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday to narrow its focus on how to finance the jail, if and when to hold a special election and how much to expand the center’s bed count.
The pressing issue for the task force to determine at the Monday meeting is whether to propose a one-quarter or one-eighth of a cent sales-tax increase to the quorum court. If a tax is recommended, the quorum court will decide whether or not to call for a special election in August or September or place it on the general election ballot in November. The meeting will be held in the Pulaski County Administration Building’s Quorum Court Room, 201 S. Broadway in Little Rock.
County Judge Buddy Villines emphasized that the detention center is in dire need of emergency funding. “If we go through Septem-ber without any relief, we’ll be forced to cut another 80 beds from the 880 we’re working with now,” he said.
Villines also stressed the importance of holding a special election as soon as possible in order to avoid muddling the issue with the general elections in November.
“The later we push it, the closer we come to the general election. We don’t want voters confused.
“This is an entirely separate issue from the general election. Voters deserve a special election. We need time to get information to them,” the judge said.
Villines acknowledged that the original capacity when the detention center opened in 1994 wasn’t enough to sustain projected inmate increases. “By the time we opened 800, we needed 1,300 to 1,400 beds,” he said. “We’ve been 10 years on the slide and have hit the wall.”
At previous meetings, the task force discussed consolidating patrol divisions of the sheriff’s office with Little Rock and North Little Rock police departments.
Shirley Simpson, president of County Jail Reform Now, previously defined what the group believes to be the most important problems facing task force members regarding the county lockup.
In a letter dated April 15 to Villines, Simpson said that the jail was built without consideration for “fixed or dedicated funding,” and existing communication problems between city and county officials concerning the jail also have hindered progress. Not making public safety a priority, assigning blame, overlooking planned strategies, as well as financial management and jail maintenance are among the group’s major concerns.
Among the group’s recommendations are to reopen the warehouse work center, utilize private firms to house medium- and low-risk in-mates, generate revenue by assessments such as those added to county services, create a plea-bargain arrangement to “move prisoners through the system” faster and lobby the state to increase county funding for housing inmates until they are transferred to prison.
Regarding the strong possibility of a tax proposal, Simpson said that other means should be explored before raising taxes, considering previous rejection by voters in a November 1997 special election, and the 2002 general election. Should a tax increase prevail, revenue should not be placed within general operating funds and earmarked strictly as a jail fund, a stipulation agreed upon by the 22 present among the 24-member panel. Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim and Wrightsville Mayor Lorraine Smith were absent.
“If taxpayers are to trust the quorum court with an additional tax, it must be handled properly and (used) for what was promised them when they voted for it,” Simpson said.
“The increase should not be a replacement of current funds, rather, an enhancement of the jail account for the sole purpose of the construction, repair, maintenance and operation of the Pulaski County Regional Jail system.”
Simpson also said that an independent audit of jail funds should be conducted annually “to enhance and rebuild the public trust that has so greatly diminished over the past two years.”
Tom Brooks, president and CEO of Cinergi Contractors in Sherwood, said he wants law enforcement experts to decide whether or not to reopen the workforce center.
“Let the elected law enforcement officials micromanage their offices,” Brooks said.
Brooks agreed, however, with Simpson on the safekeeping of any tax revenue. “That tax has to be earmarked and not touched,” he said. “It won’t pass without a guarantee that it’ll be used specifically the way we need it to be.”
Task force member Rev. Benny Johnson, founder and president of Stop the Violence, surmised the situation bluntly. “We don’t have a lot of time,” he said. “We’ve got to find a way to keep these habitual offenders off the streets.”
Jim Lynch, president of Coalition of Little Rock Neighborhoods, said, “The overall question is, how much do we want to spend?” Then he explained four phases of the task force’s proposal.
“Restoring the work release center, which was shut down in October 2005, will help,” he said. “With an additional $2.5 million, we could open it tomorrow with 250 beds. We could build 192 new barracks with the cost to build and operate it, and repairing the old jail, a cellblock in disrepair.
“With $1.5 or $1.6 million, we could get 160 hardcore cellblocks tomorrow and would cost $2.5 million annually to operate. These three lines don’t give me heartburn at all. The last line gives me heartburn. We’re proposing spending $17 million to build a new cellblock, at $6 million a year to run. The current jail costs $18.9 million, and with work release beds, another $1 million. We’ve got an operating budget of $19 million. A proposal to increase the operating budget to $32.2 million seems like the most expensive alternative to solve a very serious problem. Taxpayers have a bottom to their wallets, too.”
Task force member and Twin City Bank president Bob Birch said that informing the public is crucial and that he or the task force wasn’t prepared to make quorum court recommendations based on the amount of new information presented at the meeting.
He also didn’t want to rush into a special election before all the facts and figures could be thoroughly examined by fellow members.
“Much of the public has no clue as to the severity of this problem,” he said. “I’m opposed to an August or September election. There’s a great deal of ignorance on this. We’ve spent a lot of time asking people what they know about this.”
Friday, June 23, 2006
TOP STORY > Absent teachers costing money
BY SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Cabot School Board grapples with money matters, including payout for absent teachers and a loan for $650,000 in improvements to the football stadium.
Last year, on any given school day, an average of 50 teachers were absent from the Cabot School District, costing the district nearly $500,000 and a total of 9,500 missed days of instruction.
“That’s ridiculous. I just don’t understand why we have such a high rate of teacher absenteeism,” said Brooks Nash, board member.
Cabot School Board members Thursday discussed the possibility of giving $100 per semester to teachers with good at-tendance.
Similar policies implemented at other districts have mixed results, according to Superintendent Frank Holman. District administrators are now asking for more details when teachers fill out their absence paperwork.
“We’re paying out a lot of money for absenteeism,” Holman said, adding the district is working to help teachers get their required 60 hours of professional development outside of the school year.
In other business, the board plans to take out a low or no-interest five year loan to finance $650,000 for artificial turf at the high school football field. A 501(C) 3 non-profit foundation is being formed to raise money to pay the loan back.
Maintenance of the natural grass surface that currently exists costs about $10,000 a year, meaning the new surface, which lasts 10 to 15 years, may never pay for itself.
Several board members ex-pressed concern at taking out such a large loan.
“The public might see it as a crapshoot,” said board member Wendel Msall.
The board expects to award a contract for the work by July 8 in order to get the field finished by Sept. 1 for football season.
The board unanimously ap-proved paying $35,000 for the city to build a sidewalk from Kerr Station Road to Campground Road for students who walk to and from classes at Cabot Junior High South.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Cabot School Board grapples with money matters, including payout for absent teachers and a loan for $650,000 in improvements to the football stadium.
Last year, on any given school day, an average of 50 teachers were absent from the Cabot School District, costing the district nearly $500,000 and a total of 9,500 missed days of instruction.
“That’s ridiculous. I just don’t understand why we have such a high rate of teacher absenteeism,” said Brooks Nash, board member.
Cabot School Board members Thursday discussed the possibility of giving $100 per semester to teachers with good at-tendance.
Similar policies implemented at other districts have mixed results, according to Superintendent Frank Holman. District administrators are now asking for more details when teachers fill out their absence paperwork.
“We’re paying out a lot of money for absenteeism,” Holman said, adding the district is working to help teachers get their required 60 hours of professional development outside of the school year.
In other business, the board plans to take out a low or no-interest five year loan to finance $650,000 for artificial turf at the high school football field. A 501(C) 3 non-profit foundation is being formed to raise money to pay the loan back.
Maintenance of the natural grass surface that currently exists costs about $10,000 a year, meaning the new surface, which lasts 10 to 15 years, may never pay for itself.
Several board members ex-pressed concern at taking out such a large loan.
“The public might see it as a crapshoot,” said board member Wendel Msall.
The board expects to award a contract for the work by July 8 in order to get the field finished by Sept. 1 for football season.
The board unanimously ap-proved paying $35,000 for the city to build a sidewalk from Kerr Station Road to Campground Road for students who walk to and from classes at Cabot Junior High South.
EDITORIAL >> Aiming at Pryor
Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor finds himself in the crosshairs in the epochal battle over the estate tax and facing perhaps the biggest test of his young career. Depending upon his vote, in two years he can have some of the most determined money and power in the country arrayed against him.
Pryor jumped into the middle of the partisan standoff over filibustering judicial nominees last year and came out of it all right, a hero some would say.
Let us hope that he can navigate these waters with equal aplomb and hold on to his principles, too. All of us — the state and the country — have an even larger stake than he in what he does.
Two weeks ago, Pryor refused to vote to end debate on the estate tax, which blocked a final vote on repeal.
With a solid majority in both houses and the support of a few Democrats who had been targeted by the billionaire lobbies — notably Blanche Lincoln — the Republicans had the votes to pass the bill and end the 90-year-old tax on rich estates in 2010.
Pryor thought there might be some people who were inconvenienced by the estate tax, but he worried about adding a trillion dollars to the national debt in the next decade, which would be the principal effect of ending the tax on giant inheritances.
This week, Republicans changed their strategy. Needing three votes for cloture on debate in the Senate, they decided not to completely repeal the tax but to almost repeal it. Previously, they had insisted that not one heir of a huge estate — not Paris Hilton, not the richest Walton, Mars, Buffett or Gates — should ever have to owe a penny of tax on inheritances, even on the untaxed profits of stocks and other capital assets.
The House of Represen-tatives rushed through a bill Thursday that would raise the amount of estates exempt from taxation from the current $2 million ($4 million for a couple) to $5 million for an individual and $10 million for couples. Some increase in the exemption is justifiable. The bill also slashes the tax rate for big estates.
The effect would be that the national debt between 2011 and 2021 would not grow $1 trillion but only $760 billion, counting the expanded accumulated interest on the debt. That is supposed to make us feel better?
But here is where they get Pryor and perhaps also Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Oregon’s two Democratic senators, all of whom voted for fiscal sanity two weeks ago. The House included in the estate tax bill a provision slashing the corporate tax rate on profits from the sale of timber from 35 percent to about 14 percent.
The timber industry wants the tax break, and Pryor and the other timber-state senators had sponsored legislation to do that. That is smart politics in a state where Weyerhaeuser, Georgia Pacific, International Paper Co., Anthony Products and Deltic Timber are political and economic heavy hitters. Of course, the timber tax break would add still another $900 million to the deficits over the first three years.
So what does Pryor do when the Senate brings up the bill, sometime before the Fourth of July, and the cloture motion is made?
Take the hosannas from the timber giants and the rich folks’ lobby that has been targeting him and Sen. Lincoln and hand our children and us a $760 billion debt?
Or vote again for fiscal sanity? That course will bring him some ugly consequences in the 2008 election when they are passing out campaign checks but very little praise because only a few people will understand what he did and the courage that it took to do it.
Pryor jumped into the middle of the partisan standoff over filibustering judicial nominees last year and came out of it all right, a hero some would say.
Let us hope that he can navigate these waters with equal aplomb and hold on to his principles, too. All of us — the state and the country — have an even larger stake than he in what he does.
Two weeks ago, Pryor refused to vote to end debate on the estate tax, which blocked a final vote on repeal.
With a solid majority in both houses and the support of a few Democrats who had been targeted by the billionaire lobbies — notably Blanche Lincoln — the Republicans had the votes to pass the bill and end the 90-year-old tax on rich estates in 2010.
Pryor thought there might be some people who were inconvenienced by the estate tax, but he worried about adding a trillion dollars to the national debt in the next decade, which would be the principal effect of ending the tax on giant inheritances.
This week, Republicans changed their strategy. Needing three votes for cloture on debate in the Senate, they decided not to completely repeal the tax but to almost repeal it. Previously, they had insisted that not one heir of a huge estate — not Paris Hilton, not the richest Walton, Mars, Buffett or Gates — should ever have to owe a penny of tax on inheritances, even on the untaxed profits of stocks and other capital assets.
The House of Represen-tatives rushed through a bill Thursday that would raise the amount of estates exempt from taxation from the current $2 million ($4 million for a couple) to $5 million for an individual and $10 million for couples. Some increase in the exemption is justifiable. The bill also slashes the tax rate for big estates.
The effect would be that the national debt between 2011 and 2021 would not grow $1 trillion but only $760 billion, counting the expanded accumulated interest on the debt. That is supposed to make us feel better?
But here is where they get Pryor and perhaps also Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Oregon’s two Democratic senators, all of whom voted for fiscal sanity two weeks ago. The House included in the estate tax bill a provision slashing the corporate tax rate on profits from the sale of timber from 35 percent to about 14 percent.
The timber industry wants the tax break, and Pryor and the other timber-state senators had sponsored legislation to do that. That is smart politics in a state where Weyerhaeuser, Georgia Pacific, International Paper Co., Anthony Products and Deltic Timber are political and economic heavy hitters. Of course, the timber tax break would add still another $900 million to the deficits over the first three years.
So what does Pryor do when the Senate brings up the bill, sometime before the Fourth of July, and the cloture motion is made?
Take the hosannas from the timber giants and the rich folks’ lobby that has been targeting him and Sen. Lincoln and hand our children and us a $760 billion debt?
Or vote again for fiscal sanity? That course will bring him some ugly consequences in the 2008 election when they are passing out campaign checks but very little praise because only a few people will understand what he did and the courage that it took to do it.
EDITORIAL >> Oustanding appointment
Dare we compliment President Bush on an appointment? Last week he nominated former Sen. David Pryor to the board of directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the nonprofit corporation that parcels some $400 million a year of federal funds among public broadcasting entities.
It is not the Supreme Court, the cabinet or even one of the scores of deputy secretaries who administer programs that serve us well or ill. But it is a spot where David Pryor’s special blend of skills and compassion are sorely needed. The appointment comes at a good time for public broadcasting, which has been under attack by the right wing and at times by the president’s own people.
We do not know what motivated the president. He was required by law to appoint a Democrat to the vacancy, and perhaps Mr. Bush viewed the former Arkansas senator as the least confrontational one he could find. In the Senate, Pryor had more friends among Republicans than did the Republican leader. Maybe the president thought nominating the father would co-opt the son, Sen. Mark Pryor, on key votes, like repealing the estate tax. Who knows? Whatever the reason, thank you, Mr. President.
Perhaps it represents a true change of heart. Mr. Bush’s biggest appointment to the board was Kenneth Tomlinson, who resigned as chairman nine months ago after the agency’s inspector general criticized his behind-the-scenes maneuvering to shape broadcast programs to fit his own biases and what he presumed were the administration’s. Without his board’s knowledge, Tomlinson hired a little-known Indiana consultant to investigate the political leanings of people who appeared on public radio and television shows and used federal funds to hire lobbyists to shape the corporation’s board. He held a particular enmity for Bill Moyers, the brainy, phlegmatic host of many thoughtful shows for a quarter-century. (Moyers is back this summer on “faith and reason.” Check local listings.) And imagine this: Tomlinson hired the co-chairman of the Republican National Committee to be the corporation’s nonpartisan chief executive.
David Pryor is a modest and agreeable gentleman who looks for compromise whenever there is contention, but we know David Pryor. He will not countenance such nonsense.
“I will be trying to protect it against the many slings and arrows,” Pryor said in appropriate Shakespearean form. Public broadcasting is an oasis in the wasteland of broadcasting, and Pryor said he intended to make it even better. Until we hear differently, let us assume that is exactly why Mr. Bush nominated him.
It is not the Supreme Court, the cabinet or even one of the scores of deputy secretaries who administer programs that serve us well or ill. But it is a spot where David Pryor’s special blend of skills and compassion are sorely needed. The appointment comes at a good time for public broadcasting, which has been under attack by the right wing and at times by the president’s own people.
We do not know what motivated the president. He was required by law to appoint a Democrat to the vacancy, and perhaps Mr. Bush viewed the former Arkansas senator as the least confrontational one he could find. In the Senate, Pryor had more friends among Republicans than did the Republican leader. Maybe the president thought nominating the father would co-opt the son, Sen. Mark Pryor, on key votes, like repealing the estate tax. Who knows? Whatever the reason, thank you, Mr. President.
Perhaps it represents a true change of heart. Mr. Bush’s biggest appointment to the board was Kenneth Tomlinson, who resigned as chairman nine months ago after the agency’s inspector general criticized his behind-the-scenes maneuvering to shape broadcast programs to fit his own biases and what he presumed were the administration’s. Without his board’s knowledge, Tomlinson hired a little-known Indiana consultant to investigate the political leanings of people who appeared on public radio and television shows and used federal funds to hire lobbyists to shape the corporation’s board. He held a particular enmity for Bill Moyers, the brainy, phlegmatic host of many thoughtful shows for a quarter-century. (Moyers is back this summer on “faith and reason.” Check local listings.) And imagine this: Tomlinson hired the co-chairman of the Republican National Committee to be the corporation’s nonpartisan chief executive.
David Pryor is a modest and agreeable gentleman who looks for compromise whenever there is contention, but we know David Pryor. He will not countenance such nonsense.
“I will be trying to protect it against the many slings and arrows,” Pryor said in appropriate Shakespearean form. Public broadcasting is an oasis in the wasteland of broadcasting, and Pryor said he intended to make it even better. Until we hear differently, let us assume that is exactly why Mr. Bush nominated him.
FROM THE PUBLISHER >> A relative looks back on funeral
We turn today’s column over to Jaynie McClain of Lonoke, whose cousin, Army Specialist Bobby West of Beebe, was killed on May 30 in Baghdad.
Six and a half years ago, in January 2000, you wrote a column in tribute to your precious parents and the rest of the Greatest Generation of World War II. I wrote you the same week telling you how much your column meant to me and that I was also impressed by the Greatest Generation.
I wrote about my mom, who worked in the Jacksonville Ordnance Plant, and my dad, who landed on Normandy a few days after the D-Day invasion. I also wrote about a maternal uncle who had served in Patton’s tank battalion as a tank commander who had earned several medals, including the Bronze Star in France, and commendations for his brave service. He was a quiet kind of man who had passed away a few years prior to your column. You may recall my letter, as you printed it in your column the following week almost in its entirety.
Well, after reading your column in the Saturday, June 10 edition and the report on the funeral in Beebe of Bobby West, I wanted to again write to you. You see, Spec. Bobby Russell West was my cousin, and the grandson of the uncle that I spoke of. My uncle, Troy “Pete” West, served his country honorably and returned home to his family to live to the age of 77. Unfortunately, Bobby returned home to his family in a flag-draped casket.
Just as their grandfather, and their father who served his country in the National Guard during the 70s, Bobby and his older brother Patrick also decided to serve their country. They first joined the National Guard and later switched to the regular army after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 cemented in their minds that they wanted to defend the greatest nation in the world.
Bobby and Patrick were both on their second tours of duty in Iraq when, while Bobby was out on foot patrol on Tuesday, May 30, an IED cut short his life and ended his service to our country. Patrick was only a few miles away from his brother that day in Baghdad serving in the 101st Airborne, where he will return to in a few days.
On Wednesday, June 7, our family saw the best and the worst of this nation.
We arrived in Beebe and passed the gathered motorcycles of the Patriot Guard Riders who were assembled at the traffic light on the old highway. On the other side of the overpass as we turned in at the church I saw the little huddle of protestors noting that there were only five or six from my glance as we drove by. I was thankful to God that there were so few of them.
I was outside of the church as the rumble of the Patriot Guard Riders started coming down Highway 64 and began to come up the gravel road at the north of the church. I called to my husband and another cousin and we stood on a little rise as the State Police led the first mourners’ cars and the motorcycles into the lot. Old Glory fluttered from almost every motorcycle in some form or fashion and from many of the cars.
I began taking photos of these proud Americans (mostly veterans) riding motorcycles in a long line that never seemed to end as one after another, they continued to come down the highway. My husband joined me, and together we waved at the bike riding angels.
I would say, “Thank you” and touch my heart to let them know that we so appreciated them being there.
These men and women acknowledged us returning our waves, by saluting, by the removal of hats, and putting their hands over their hearts. My husband and I stood on that hill for the half-hour it took for all of the Patriot Guards to enter the parking area. My vision was blurred by the tears that were running down my cheeks. I have never, ever felt prouder to be an American. My husband is a veteran of Vietnam and to see these proud Americans roaring past us choked him up as well.
Bikes were parked three-wide in the church driveways and into the parking lot.
According the Pete Waddell, the commander of the Patriot Guards, their numbers were down as he had short notice and there was another funeral for a veteran in Little Rock at the same time. Otherwise, according to him, he could have had double the riders at Bobby’s funeral.
The parents of Bobby and other family members came out and greeted a few of the Patriot Guard Riders thanking them for their coming. More than one told us that it was an honor for them to come and thank Bobby for his service. As I said, most of these men are veterans of Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Iraq or Afghanistan. More than once, I heard a catch in the voice of one of these men as they told us that they were honored to be here.
As the guardians of liberty, they stood out in front of the church in the heat from 1 o’clock until the service ended at about 3 o’clock.
As we left the church driving down the gravel road, two young soldiers stood at their car in the parking lot at attention, holding a salute until the hearse and family car had passed them. Then we turned south onto the highway to a line of police officers saluting. As we made our slow progress out to the cemetery, down Dewitt Henry Drive, my husband and I were both overcome at the numbers of people coming out of businesses, gathering at the side of the road holding flags. Many held their hands over their hearts as they held the flags with the other hand.
Several of the people we passed stood there in a military salute until we passed. Even though they were in civilian clothing, you just knew that they had served their country as well.
At the cemetery, as we gathered under the canopy for the final part of the service, I looked out over the hedgerow as it suddenly began to bristle with the tips of flag poles. The tips kept coming up and then you could see the blue ensign and white stars of the flags as the Patriot Guard Riders once again silently joined us.
There were more and more flags coming up the hill from the road. The warm breeze made them flutter out as the flag bearers soon had fanned out from one end of the hedgerow to the other. They quietly formed their wall of protection for us as Bobby was laid to rest.
Under the canopy, after the presentation of the folded flags and medals to Bobby’s parents, people came up to them to express their condolences. Among the group that came through were several Army personnel.
Several of the servicemen that came through there who had been on the flag detail were also crying. You may think these guys are super-tough, but when you see a service person in uniform crying, that’s when you realize that these guys are human, too.
A big “thank you” goes to the city of Beebe, which had plenty of law enforcement available to keep from there being any sort of problem.
A special “thank you” goes to all the members of the Patriot Guard Riders, some of whom came from other states, taking time off from work to honor our cousin.
I would like to extend another large “thank you” to the citizens of Beebe who came out to the road as we passed and paid their respects. To see the groups patiently waiting out in the Arkansas heat to show their support for us and for the cause Bobby died for was so touching.
My husband is not a weeper (like me), but he was crying too.
Next: Shame on the protesters.
Six and a half years ago, in January 2000, you wrote a column in tribute to your precious parents and the rest of the Greatest Generation of World War II. I wrote you the same week telling you how much your column meant to me and that I was also impressed by the Greatest Generation.
I wrote about my mom, who worked in the Jacksonville Ordnance Plant, and my dad, who landed on Normandy a few days after the D-Day invasion. I also wrote about a maternal uncle who had served in Patton’s tank battalion as a tank commander who had earned several medals, including the Bronze Star in France, and commendations for his brave service. He was a quiet kind of man who had passed away a few years prior to your column. You may recall my letter, as you printed it in your column the following week almost in its entirety.
Well, after reading your column in the Saturday, June 10 edition and the report on the funeral in Beebe of Bobby West, I wanted to again write to you. You see, Spec. Bobby Russell West was my cousin, and the grandson of the uncle that I spoke of. My uncle, Troy “Pete” West, served his country honorably and returned home to his family to live to the age of 77. Unfortunately, Bobby returned home to his family in a flag-draped casket.
Just as their grandfather, and their father who served his country in the National Guard during the 70s, Bobby and his older brother Patrick also decided to serve their country. They first joined the National Guard and later switched to the regular army after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 cemented in their minds that they wanted to defend the greatest nation in the world.
Bobby and Patrick were both on their second tours of duty in Iraq when, while Bobby was out on foot patrol on Tuesday, May 30, an IED cut short his life and ended his service to our country. Patrick was only a few miles away from his brother that day in Baghdad serving in the 101st Airborne, where he will return to in a few days.
On Wednesday, June 7, our family saw the best and the worst of this nation.
We arrived in Beebe and passed the gathered motorcycles of the Patriot Guard Riders who were assembled at the traffic light on the old highway. On the other side of the overpass as we turned in at the church I saw the little huddle of protestors noting that there were only five or six from my glance as we drove by. I was thankful to God that there were so few of them.
I was outside of the church as the rumble of the Patriot Guard Riders started coming down Highway 64 and began to come up the gravel road at the north of the church. I called to my husband and another cousin and we stood on a little rise as the State Police led the first mourners’ cars and the motorcycles into the lot. Old Glory fluttered from almost every motorcycle in some form or fashion and from many of the cars.
I began taking photos of these proud Americans (mostly veterans) riding motorcycles in a long line that never seemed to end as one after another, they continued to come down the highway. My husband joined me, and together we waved at the bike riding angels.
I would say, “Thank you” and touch my heart to let them know that we so appreciated them being there.
These men and women acknowledged us returning our waves, by saluting, by the removal of hats, and putting their hands over their hearts. My husband and I stood on that hill for the half-hour it took for all of the Patriot Guards to enter the parking area. My vision was blurred by the tears that were running down my cheeks. I have never, ever felt prouder to be an American. My husband is a veteran of Vietnam and to see these proud Americans roaring past us choked him up as well.
Bikes were parked three-wide in the church driveways and into the parking lot.
According the Pete Waddell, the commander of the Patriot Guards, their numbers were down as he had short notice and there was another funeral for a veteran in Little Rock at the same time. Otherwise, according to him, he could have had double the riders at Bobby’s funeral.
The parents of Bobby and other family members came out and greeted a few of the Patriot Guard Riders thanking them for their coming. More than one told us that it was an honor for them to come and thank Bobby for his service. As I said, most of these men are veterans of Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Iraq or Afghanistan. More than once, I heard a catch in the voice of one of these men as they told us that they were honored to be here.
As the guardians of liberty, they stood out in front of the church in the heat from 1 o’clock until the service ended at about 3 o’clock.
As we left the church driving down the gravel road, two young soldiers stood at their car in the parking lot at attention, holding a salute until the hearse and family car had passed them. Then we turned south onto the highway to a line of police officers saluting. As we made our slow progress out to the cemetery, down Dewitt Henry Drive, my husband and I were both overcome at the numbers of people coming out of businesses, gathering at the side of the road holding flags. Many held their hands over their hearts as they held the flags with the other hand.
Several of the people we passed stood there in a military salute until we passed. Even though they were in civilian clothing, you just knew that they had served their country as well.
At the cemetery, as we gathered under the canopy for the final part of the service, I looked out over the hedgerow as it suddenly began to bristle with the tips of flag poles. The tips kept coming up and then you could see the blue ensign and white stars of the flags as the Patriot Guard Riders once again silently joined us.
There were more and more flags coming up the hill from the road. The warm breeze made them flutter out as the flag bearers soon had fanned out from one end of the hedgerow to the other. They quietly formed their wall of protection for us as Bobby was laid to rest.
Under the canopy, after the presentation of the folded flags and medals to Bobby’s parents, people came up to them to express their condolences. Among the group that came through were several Army personnel.
Several of the servicemen that came through there who had been on the flag detail were also crying. You may think these guys are super-tough, but when you see a service person in uniform crying, that’s when you realize that these guys are human, too.
A big “thank you” goes to the city of Beebe, which had plenty of law enforcement available to keep from there being any sort of problem.
A special “thank you” goes to all the members of the Patriot Guard Riders, some of whom came from other states, taking time off from work to honor our cousin.
I would like to extend another large “thank you” to the citizens of Beebe who came out to the road as we passed and paid their respects. To see the groups patiently waiting out in the Arkansas heat to show their support for us and for the cause Bobby died for was so touching.
My husband is not a weeper (like me), but he was crying too.
Next: Shame on the protesters.
OBITUARIES >> 06-24-06
Ruth Musser
Ruth German Musser, 73, formerly of Lonoke, died June 22.
Survivors are her children, Yvonne Baber of Oklahoma and son, Alven Musser of Indiana; nine grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild and two brothers, Richard German of Tennessee and John German of Arizona. Graveside services are 10 a.m. today, in Lonoke Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Boyd Funeral Home of Lonoke.
Mildred Price
Mildred Louise “Lou” Price, 88, of Beebe was born March 28, 1918, to Dewey and Mattie Magness McAfee. She passed away June 22 at her son’s home in Oliver Springs, Tenn., after a long illness. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Beebe.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Haskell Price; an infant son, H.L. Price; her parents; brothers, Harlon, William, Dewey, Arvard and Dannell McAfee; sister, Helen Strayhorn; and daughters-in-law, Betty and Helen Price.
She is survived by three sons, Bennie Price of Beebe; Leroy “Cotton” Price of Ward and Jerry Price and wife, Betty, of Oliver Springs, Tenn., with whom she resided; grandchildren, Lynn and Lynn Heffner, Lisa and Larry Cook, all of Cabot; Dianna and Michael Petray of Ward, Angie and Jimmy Russell of Sherwood, Dennis and Tammy Price of Fairview, Okla., Todd and Amanda Price of McRae, and Erika and Sean Rainey of Beebe; great-grandchildren, Lonnie and Leslie Heffner, Natalie Cook, all of Cabot, Carol and Lee Petray of Ward, Holly Price of Sherwood, Casi and Dillon Price of Fairview, Okla., Madison Price of McRae and Jasmine Rainey of Beebe; great-great grandchildren, Shai-Anne and Trenton Glover of Sherwood; sisters Mary Catherine Stark and husband Clifford “Red” Stark of Searcy, Imogene Glass of Columbus, Kan., and Frances Furns of Beebe; sister-in-law Marketta McAfee of Kansas City, Kan.; many nieces, nephews and cousins and a world of friends.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at Westbrook Funeral Home with burial in Weir Cemetery.
Lynn Heffner, Larry Cook, Dennis Price, Michael Petray, Jimmy Russell, David and Dr. Dewey McAfee will serve as pallbearers.
Honorary pallbearers will be Todd, Tim, Jeff and Mike McAfee, Tip and Tony Stark and Joe Stray-horn. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gideon Memorial Bibles, Roane County Gideons, P.O. Box 476, Kingston, Tenn., 37763.
Terry Long
Terry Kenneth Long, 45, of Cabot, died June 21 in Little Rock. He was born Sept. 4, 1960, in Greenville, Miss., to the late Lester E. and Dollie Rigby Long. He was also preceded in death by his children; Ashley and Dillon Long. He was a self-employed carpenter and member of Landmark Baptist Church.
Survivors include his longtime companion, Teresa Fryar of Cabot, an aunt, Laura Fryery and cousin, Mike Fryere, both of Benoit, Miss.; brothers, Tommy Curtis Long and his wife, Nancy of Sacramento, Calif.,,and Timmy Carl Long of Ca-bot; niece, Rebecca Long of Dallas, and nephew, Samuel Long of Sacramento, Calif.
Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. today at Moore’s Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville with Bro. Tim Carter officiating. Inter-ment will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Park in Jacksonville. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Roberta BastIAn
Roberta M. Bastian, 84, passed away June 18 at her home in Cabot. She was born March 1, 1922, in Dunkirk, Ind., to the late John and Lydia Gray. She was also preceded in death by her daughter, Sandra K. Baldwin, and two brothers, John and Robert Gray.
Survivors include her husband, Benjamin Bastian, and son-in-law, David Baldwin, both of Cabot; sister-in-law, Marty Gray of Muncie, Ind.; grandchildren, Christopher Baldwin and wife, Michelle and Diana Jacob-sen, and great-grandchildren, Ash-ley and Jessie Baldwin and Chris-topher Jacobsen.
Private family services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Arkan-sas Hospice Foundation, 5600 W. 12th St., Little Rock, Ark.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Ruth German Musser, 73, formerly of Lonoke, died June 22.
Survivors are her children, Yvonne Baber of Oklahoma and son, Alven Musser of Indiana; nine grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild and two brothers, Richard German of Tennessee and John German of Arizona. Graveside services are 10 a.m. today, in Lonoke Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Boyd Funeral Home of Lonoke.
Mildred Price
Mildred Louise “Lou” Price, 88, of Beebe was born March 28, 1918, to Dewey and Mattie Magness McAfee. She passed away June 22 at her son’s home in Oliver Springs, Tenn., after a long illness. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Beebe.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Haskell Price; an infant son, H.L. Price; her parents; brothers, Harlon, William, Dewey, Arvard and Dannell McAfee; sister, Helen Strayhorn; and daughters-in-law, Betty and Helen Price.
She is survived by three sons, Bennie Price of Beebe; Leroy “Cotton” Price of Ward and Jerry Price and wife, Betty, of Oliver Springs, Tenn., with whom she resided; grandchildren, Lynn and Lynn Heffner, Lisa and Larry Cook, all of Cabot; Dianna and Michael Petray of Ward, Angie and Jimmy Russell of Sherwood, Dennis and Tammy Price of Fairview, Okla., Todd and Amanda Price of McRae, and Erika and Sean Rainey of Beebe; great-grandchildren, Lonnie and Leslie Heffner, Natalie Cook, all of Cabot, Carol and Lee Petray of Ward, Holly Price of Sherwood, Casi and Dillon Price of Fairview, Okla., Madison Price of McRae and Jasmine Rainey of Beebe; great-great grandchildren, Shai-Anne and Trenton Glover of Sherwood; sisters Mary Catherine Stark and husband Clifford “Red” Stark of Searcy, Imogene Glass of Columbus, Kan., and Frances Furns of Beebe; sister-in-law Marketta McAfee of Kansas City, Kan.; many nieces, nephews and cousins and a world of friends.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at Westbrook Funeral Home with burial in Weir Cemetery.
Lynn Heffner, Larry Cook, Dennis Price, Michael Petray, Jimmy Russell, David and Dr. Dewey McAfee will serve as pallbearers.
Honorary pallbearers will be Todd, Tim, Jeff and Mike McAfee, Tip and Tony Stark and Joe Stray-horn. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gideon Memorial Bibles, Roane County Gideons, P.O. Box 476, Kingston, Tenn., 37763.
Terry Long
Terry Kenneth Long, 45, of Cabot, died June 21 in Little Rock. He was born Sept. 4, 1960, in Greenville, Miss., to the late Lester E. and Dollie Rigby Long. He was also preceded in death by his children; Ashley and Dillon Long. He was a self-employed carpenter and member of Landmark Baptist Church.
Survivors include his longtime companion, Teresa Fryar of Cabot, an aunt, Laura Fryery and cousin, Mike Fryere, both of Benoit, Miss.; brothers, Tommy Curtis Long and his wife, Nancy of Sacramento, Calif.,,and Timmy Carl Long of Ca-bot; niece, Rebecca Long of Dallas, and nephew, Samuel Long of Sacramento, Calif.
Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. today at Moore’s Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville with Bro. Tim Carter officiating. Inter-ment will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Park in Jacksonville. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Roberta BastIAn
Roberta M. Bastian, 84, passed away June 18 at her home in Cabot. She was born March 1, 1922, in Dunkirk, Ind., to the late John and Lydia Gray. She was also preceded in death by her daughter, Sandra K. Baldwin, and two brothers, John and Robert Gray.
Survivors include her husband, Benjamin Bastian, and son-in-law, David Baldwin, both of Cabot; sister-in-law, Marty Gray of Muncie, Ind.; grandchildren, Christopher Baldwin and wife, Michelle and Diana Jacob-sen, and great-grandchildren, Ash-ley and Jessie Baldwin and Chris-topher Jacobsen.
Private family services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Arkan-sas Hospice Foundation, 5600 W. 12th St., Little Rock, Ark.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
OBITUARIES >> 06-21-06
ROBERT LEWIS
Robert L. Lewis of Jacksonville died on June 15 at Fort Roots Veterans Hospital in North Little Rock. He was born on March 10, 1936, to the late Margueritte Lewis and the late George Corbin, Sr. of Gilbert, La. He was reared by his grandmother, the late L.V. Lewis and step-grandfather, June Jacobs.
His formal education began in Franklin Parish, La.
He atten-ded Gilbert High School and obtained his G.E.D. through Wisner-Gilbert High School. He continued his education through the military, attending the Univer-sity of Arkansas at Little Rock, Hendrix University, Conway and Arkansas State University, Beebe. He earned his bachelor of arts in industrial technology from South-ern Illinois University.
He united with New Macedonia Baptist Church in Gilbert, La., at the age of nine and was an active participant throughout his life. He was an usher at his home church in Gilbert and sang in the choir in Vietnam. He was licensed as a minister in the Southern Baptist Church in North Dakota under the pastorage of Rev. Doug Hughes. He was ordained in Rheinmain, Germany, under pastor Emerson. Lewis was chaplain/pastor of one of the base services in Rheinmain.
In Sherwood, Lewis served as an assistant with Rev. Ray Robinson at Clayton Chapel Baptist Church. He united with Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church of Jackson-ville where he organized and directed children’s church for four years. He organized and served as V.B.S. director for many years. He also served as assistant pastor with Rev.Thomas Johnson for many years. Upon Johnson’s retirement, he was placed as interim pastor for about two years, then again as assistant pastor for one year, later being diagnosed with lung cancer which he valiantly fought from January 2002 until he died.
He joined the Air Force in September 1955, serving until his honorable discharge in November 1975. During his service, he received many awards.
He also invented an instrument for packing parachutes that the military used.
On Aug. 28, 1958, Robert Lewis married Lendy Neal at her mother’s home in Wisner, La. This union was blessed with eight children: Gregory, Keith, Steven, Christine, Gerald, Pamela, Timothy and Brandi. They were also blessed with 22 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Other professional and civic service included Job Corps instructor, alternate school instructor and substitute teacher. He later worked for Sears, then entered the political race in 1982 for alderman of the city of Jacksonville. He was elected and became the first black elected to the city board of aldermen. He won every election up to and including the 2006 primary election.
He served in this office continuously for 24 years.
Cherishing his memory are his wife, Lendy, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; bro-thers George Corbin, Jr., Lannie, James, Dave, Willie, John Henry, Michael, Jimmy, Louis Ray, Marshall and L.C.; sisters Georgette, Roscellia and Carolyn, as well as other family members, colleagues and church family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Christine; stepfather, Starling Castor, Jr., his stepmother, Hattie T. Carbon; his grandmother, L.V. Lewis, and step-grandfather, June Jacobs; his brothers, Moses Jackson and Starling Capstan, III, and a sister, Nellie V. Capstan.
There will be a wake service with scripture and prayer from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Chapel in North Little Rock.
Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at McArthur Assembly of God Church in Jacksonville. Burial to follow at Rest Hills Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mount Pisgah Baptist Church, Youth Department, 1013 Ray Road, Jacksonville, Ark. 72076. Arrangements are by Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home.
LOUISE HAZESLIP
Louise Castile Hazeslip, 71, of Cabot died June 16 at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock. She was born Aug. 20, 1934 in Little Rock to Melton and Lillie McCain Castile. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Felix Hazeslip; infant twins, Evon and Leon, an infant brother and sister and an adult brother, Jimmy Lee Castile. She is survived by three brothers, Albert Castile of Furlow, Joe Castile and Eddie Castile, both of Vidor, Texas; four sisters, Lois Sei-grist of Vidor, Texas, Susie Irvin of Jacksonville, Rose Seigrist of Cabot, and Mary Lewis of Vidor, Texas, as well as many friends and family.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. today in the chapel of Cabot Funeral Home with burial to follow in Mt. Springs Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Cabot Funeral Home.
JOY SCHNEIDER
Joy Lynn Pearson Schneider, 67, of Ward, died June 16. She was born there on July 26, 1938 to Edward and Hilma Pearson. She was a homemaker and a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She was a member of Ward United Methodist Church, where she served many years as treasurer and served as the pianist for over 40 years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John Schneider; her parents and a brother, Thomas Pearson. She is survived by three daughters, Pam Tims of Ward, Karen Schneider of North Little Rock and Suzanne Baldwin and husband, Richard of Beebe; six grandchildren, Casey Horn, Jodi Cook, Scott Johnson, Jonathan Schneider, Matt Baldwin and Eric Baldwin; three great-grandchildren, Gavin, Thomas and Haley; a sister, Gail Wilkins of Ward; several nieces and nephews, cousins, and many friends.
The family thanks Dr. Anthony Bucola and his staff, Arkansas Hospice and Peggy Johnson, RN, for the excellent care they gave Joy.
Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ward First United Methodist Church by Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe.
Private burial will be in Mea-dowbrook Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be made to Lonoke County Habitat For Humanity, P.O. Box 1504, Cabot, Ark. 72023.
Arrangements are by Westbrook Funeral Home.
PAT JOHNSON
Pat Johnson, 60, of Sherwood died June 18. She was born May 17, 1946 in Ward to Hubert and Mary L. (Lightfoot) Evans.
She was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her husband, Boyd Johnson; a brother, Hubert and wife Charlotte Evans of Lonoke; three sisters, Mildred Berry of Sherwood, Kaye Donham and husband David of Benton and Faye Hubbard of Sherwood.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. today at Victory Mission-ary Baptist Church, 515 Sherwood Ave., Sherwood, with burial in Old Austin Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association, 211 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, Ark., 72205, 501-224-5864; or Victory Missionary Baptist Church, 515 Sherwood Ave., Sher-wood, Ark. 72120. Arrangements are by Westbrook Funeral Home.
O'NEAL HILL
Rev. O’Neal Hill, 69, of Floyd went to be with the Lord June 19. He was the pastor of the Floyd Assembly of God Church, having served as pastor for 34 years. He was the sectional presbyter for many years and was active in all aspects of the church. He was preceded in death by his mother, Normal Hill, and is survived by his wife of 50 years, Doris; three daughters, Kathy and husband Tommy Turner and their children Zach and Josh of Beebe; Karen and husband Gary Piker, their daughter Lauren, their son Adryan and his wife Emily of Searcy; Sandy and husband Danny Cotton of Beebe, their son Beau and their daughter Nikki and husband Jason Warren; his father and stepmother, Ernest and Louise Hill of Beebe; one brother, Raymond and wife Suzanne Hill of Beebe; one sister, Eithel Tway of Metairie, La., and one stepbrother, Howard Watkins, Jr., of Florida. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. today at Floyd Assembly of God Church. Arrangements are by Westbrook Funeral Home.
GLENN TULLOS
Glenn Dale Tullos, 72, passed away June 20. He was a retired Baptist minister. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Lela Tullos; three daughters, Rhonda and husband Randall Marsh of Sherwood, Karen and husband Richard Gautney of Lonoke and Dorothy and husband Leroy Whitley of Alma; two granddaughters; two grandsons; one sister, Bernice Toland of North Little Rock; two brothers, J.W. Tullos of Louisiana and Bill Tullos of Alaska; 21 nieces and nephews, as well as a very special niece Glenda Allison and nephew John R. “Dickey” Burgess, both of Lonoke.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at New Testament Missionary Baptist Church with arrangements by Boyd Funeral Home, Lonoke. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Lonoke.
The family will receive friends, Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Baptist Health Hospice, 11900 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock. Special thanks to Suzanne Peebles, R.N., Shirley Barnes and Connie Anderson.
SHERRY KELLY
Sherry Nell Kelly, 49, of Jacksonville passed away June 13. She was born Nov. 22, 1956, to Norman and Mary Taylor Oakley in Beebe.
She was preceded in death by her father, Norman Oakley and a brother, Marshall Oakley.
Survivors include one daughter Christy Miller and son-in-law Corey of Ft. Hood, Texas; mother Mary Oakley; her sister and best friend Marilyn Seigrist and husband Rickey; brother Donald Oakley all of Jacksonville; three grandchildren: Jordan, Austin and Cortlyn Miller of Fort Hood, Texas, along with many friends and co-workers.
Graveside services were held Monday at Blassingame Cemetery in El Paso. Arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
WILLIAM FOSTER JR.
William Foster Jr., 63, of Jacksonville, formerly of Council Bluffs, Iowa, passed away June 10 at Baptist Medical Center. He was the son of William and Margaret Foster of Texas.
He retired from Union Pacific Railroad after more than 33 years of service. Survivors include his wife, Del Foster of Jacksonville; his parents, William and Margaret of Texas; four daughters, Lori Murdoch and husband Gary of Nebraska, Jennifer Ann and husband Romon; Shannon Lynn and Michelle Renee, all of Jacksonville; a son, Mark of Iowa; two sisters, Margie Piper and husband Joe of Nebraska; Barb Aughe and husband Steve of Texas; seven grandchildren, Billy, Jared, Alexis, Shayla, Reece, Shianne and Tavion Jay and a bountiful supply of wonderful friends.
Visitation for family and friends was held June 11 at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home with cremation services following.
BERNICE WYMAN
Bernice Elice Wyman, 92, of Cabot, died May 8. She was born Aug. 16, 1914, to the late Aloff and Ida Bostwich Swanson.Wyman is survived by her son Charles Wyman; daughter and son-in-law Carolyn and Merrill Howard, both of Cabot.
She is also survived by seven grandchildren.
Graveside services were held May 12 at Mt. Carmel Cemetery with Rev. Jerold Posey officiating.
Services under the direction of Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home.
Robert L. Lewis of Jacksonville died on June 15 at Fort Roots Veterans Hospital in North Little Rock. He was born on March 10, 1936, to the late Margueritte Lewis and the late George Corbin, Sr. of Gilbert, La. He was reared by his grandmother, the late L.V. Lewis and step-grandfather, June Jacobs.
His formal education began in Franklin Parish, La.
He atten-ded Gilbert High School and obtained his G.E.D. through Wisner-Gilbert High School. He continued his education through the military, attending the Univer-sity of Arkansas at Little Rock, Hendrix University, Conway and Arkansas State University, Beebe. He earned his bachelor of arts in industrial technology from South-ern Illinois University.
He united with New Macedonia Baptist Church in Gilbert, La., at the age of nine and was an active participant throughout his life. He was an usher at his home church in Gilbert and sang in the choir in Vietnam. He was licensed as a minister in the Southern Baptist Church in North Dakota under the pastorage of Rev. Doug Hughes. He was ordained in Rheinmain, Germany, under pastor Emerson. Lewis was chaplain/pastor of one of the base services in Rheinmain.
In Sherwood, Lewis served as an assistant with Rev. Ray Robinson at Clayton Chapel Baptist Church. He united with Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church of Jackson-ville where he organized and directed children’s church for four years. He organized and served as V.B.S. director for many years. He also served as assistant pastor with Rev.Thomas Johnson for many years. Upon Johnson’s retirement, he was placed as interim pastor for about two years, then again as assistant pastor for one year, later being diagnosed with lung cancer which he valiantly fought from January 2002 until he died.
He joined the Air Force in September 1955, serving until his honorable discharge in November 1975. During his service, he received many awards.
He also invented an instrument for packing parachutes that the military used.
On Aug. 28, 1958, Robert Lewis married Lendy Neal at her mother’s home in Wisner, La. This union was blessed with eight children: Gregory, Keith, Steven, Christine, Gerald, Pamela, Timothy and Brandi. They were also blessed with 22 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Other professional and civic service included Job Corps instructor, alternate school instructor and substitute teacher. He later worked for Sears, then entered the political race in 1982 for alderman of the city of Jacksonville. He was elected and became the first black elected to the city board of aldermen. He won every election up to and including the 2006 primary election.
He served in this office continuously for 24 years.
Cherishing his memory are his wife, Lendy, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; bro-thers George Corbin, Jr., Lannie, James, Dave, Willie, John Henry, Michael, Jimmy, Louis Ray, Marshall and L.C.; sisters Georgette, Roscellia and Carolyn, as well as other family members, colleagues and church family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Christine; stepfather, Starling Castor, Jr., his stepmother, Hattie T. Carbon; his grandmother, L.V. Lewis, and step-grandfather, June Jacobs; his brothers, Moses Jackson and Starling Capstan, III, and a sister, Nellie V. Capstan.
There will be a wake service with scripture and prayer from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Chapel in North Little Rock.
Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at McArthur Assembly of God Church in Jacksonville. Burial to follow at Rest Hills Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mount Pisgah Baptist Church, Youth Department, 1013 Ray Road, Jacksonville, Ark. 72076. Arrangements are by Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home.
LOUISE HAZESLIP
Louise Castile Hazeslip, 71, of Cabot died June 16 at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock. She was born Aug. 20, 1934 in Little Rock to Melton and Lillie McCain Castile. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Felix Hazeslip; infant twins, Evon and Leon, an infant brother and sister and an adult brother, Jimmy Lee Castile. She is survived by three brothers, Albert Castile of Furlow, Joe Castile and Eddie Castile, both of Vidor, Texas; four sisters, Lois Sei-grist of Vidor, Texas, Susie Irvin of Jacksonville, Rose Seigrist of Cabot, and Mary Lewis of Vidor, Texas, as well as many friends and family.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. today in the chapel of Cabot Funeral Home with burial to follow in Mt. Springs Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Cabot Funeral Home.
JOY SCHNEIDER
Joy Lynn Pearson Schneider, 67, of Ward, died June 16. She was born there on July 26, 1938 to Edward and Hilma Pearson. She was a homemaker and a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She was a member of Ward United Methodist Church, where she served many years as treasurer and served as the pianist for over 40 years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John Schneider; her parents and a brother, Thomas Pearson. She is survived by three daughters, Pam Tims of Ward, Karen Schneider of North Little Rock and Suzanne Baldwin and husband, Richard of Beebe; six grandchildren, Casey Horn, Jodi Cook, Scott Johnson, Jonathan Schneider, Matt Baldwin and Eric Baldwin; three great-grandchildren, Gavin, Thomas and Haley; a sister, Gail Wilkins of Ward; several nieces and nephews, cousins, and many friends.
The family thanks Dr. Anthony Bucola and his staff, Arkansas Hospice and Peggy Johnson, RN, for the excellent care they gave Joy.
Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ward First United Methodist Church by Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe.
Private burial will be in Mea-dowbrook Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be made to Lonoke County Habitat For Humanity, P.O. Box 1504, Cabot, Ark. 72023.
Arrangements are by Westbrook Funeral Home.
PAT JOHNSON
Pat Johnson, 60, of Sherwood died June 18. She was born May 17, 1946 in Ward to Hubert and Mary L. (Lightfoot) Evans.
She was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her husband, Boyd Johnson; a brother, Hubert and wife Charlotte Evans of Lonoke; three sisters, Mildred Berry of Sherwood, Kaye Donham and husband David of Benton and Faye Hubbard of Sherwood.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. today at Victory Mission-ary Baptist Church, 515 Sherwood Ave., Sherwood, with burial in Old Austin Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the American Lung Association, 211 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, Ark., 72205, 501-224-5864; or Victory Missionary Baptist Church, 515 Sherwood Ave., Sher-wood, Ark. 72120. Arrangements are by Westbrook Funeral Home.
O'NEAL HILL
Rev. O’Neal Hill, 69, of Floyd went to be with the Lord June 19. He was the pastor of the Floyd Assembly of God Church, having served as pastor for 34 years. He was the sectional presbyter for many years and was active in all aspects of the church. He was preceded in death by his mother, Normal Hill, and is survived by his wife of 50 years, Doris; three daughters, Kathy and husband Tommy Turner and their children Zach and Josh of Beebe; Karen and husband Gary Piker, their daughter Lauren, their son Adryan and his wife Emily of Searcy; Sandy and husband Danny Cotton of Beebe, their son Beau and their daughter Nikki and husband Jason Warren; his father and stepmother, Ernest and Louise Hill of Beebe; one brother, Raymond and wife Suzanne Hill of Beebe; one sister, Eithel Tway of Metairie, La., and one stepbrother, Howard Watkins, Jr., of Florida. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. today at Floyd Assembly of God Church. Arrangements are by Westbrook Funeral Home.
GLENN TULLOS
Glenn Dale Tullos, 72, passed away June 20. He was a retired Baptist minister. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Lela Tullos; three daughters, Rhonda and husband Randall Marsh of Sherwood, Karen and husband Richard Gautney of Lonoke and Dorothy and husband Leroy Whitley of Alma; two granddaughters; two grandsons; one sister, Bernice Toland of North Little Rock; two brothers, J.W. Tullos of Louisiana and Bill Tullos of Alaska; 21 nieces and nephews, as well as a very special niece Glenda Allison and nephew John R. “Dickey” Burgess, both of Lonoke.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at New Testament Missionary Baptist Church with arrangements by Boyd Funeral Home, Lonoke. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Lonoke.
The family will receive friends, Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Baptist Health Hospice, 11900 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock. Special thanks to Suzanne Peebles, R.N., Shirley Barnes and Connie Anderson.
SHERRY KELLY
Sherry Nell Kelly, 49, of Jacksonville passed away June 13. She was born Nov. 22, 1956, to Norman and Mary Taylor Oakley in Beebe.
She was preceded in death by her father, Norman Oakley and a brother, Marshall Oakley.
Survivors include one daughter Christy Miller and son-in-law Corey of Ft. Hood, Texas; mother Mary Oakley; her sister and best friend Marilyn Seigrist and husband Rickey; brother Donald Oakley all of Jacksonville; three grandchildren: Jordan, Austin and Cortlyn Miller of Fort Hood, Texas, along with many friends and co-workers.
Graveside services were held Monday at Blassingame Cemetery in El Paso. Arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
WILLIAM FOSTER JR.
William Foster Jr., 63, of Jacksonville, formerly of Council Bluffs, Iowa, passed away June 10 at Baptist Medical Center. He was the son of William and Margaret Foster of Texas.
He retired from Union Pacific Railroad after more than 33 years of service. Survivors include his wife, Del Foster of Jacksonville; his parents, William and Margaret of Texas; four daughters, Lori Murdoch and husband Gary of Nebraska, Jennifer Ann and husband Romon; Shannon Lynn and Michelle Renee, all of Jacksonville; a son, Mark of Iowa; two sisters, Margie Piper and husband Joe of Nebraska; Barb Aughe and husband Steve of Texas; seven grandchildren, Billy, Jared, Alexis, Shayla, Reece, Shianne and Tavion Jay and a bountiful supply of wonderful friends.
Visitation for family and friends was held June 11 at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home with cremation services following.
BERNICE WYMAN
Bernice Elice Wyman, 92, of Cabot, died May 8. She was born Aug. 16, 1914, to the late Aloff and Ida Bostwich Swanson.Wyman is survived by her son Charles Wyman; daughter and son-in-law Carolyn and Merrill Howard, both of Cabot.
She is also survived by seven grandchildren.
Graveside services were held May 12 at Mt. Carmel Cemetery with Rev. Jerold Posey officiating.
Services under the direction of Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home.
TOP STORY >> Should rich farmers get subsidies?
BY JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Watchdog groups say wealthy politicians like Cong. Berry and Sen. Lincoln and celebrities like Ted Turner, Scotty Pippen and Sam Donaldson shouldn’t get farm aid.
Farm subsidies that started in the 1930s, when the average farmer’s income was about half that of most other Americans, have grown over the years as family farms have failed and been taken over by corporations. About 10 percent of farmers now collect about 70 percent of the billions of dollars in agriculture subsidies that have been doled out in recent years.
The subsidies are tied to production, with no consideration to which farmers most need the help, so the bigger the production, the bigger the subsidy. That some rich and famous hobby farmers like former news anchor Sam Donaldson, media mogul Ted Turner and former NBA star Scotty Pippen also receive the subsidies rankles watchdog groups who call it government waste.
Those same groups have been eyeing First District Cong. Marion Berry, D-Gillett, and Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., whose family farms participate in the subsidy programs. Now Berry has been accused of manipulating the system and collecting more than $800,000 in subsidies for his family’s farming operation over a nine-year period while he was in Washington and unable to oversee it.
Cabot Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh, Berry’s Republican opponent for Congress, says Berry’s support of farm subsidies is self-serving.
But Stumbaugh also says that he doubts it will hurt Berry among the Democrats, who usually support him.
“People forget,” Stumbaugh said.
Berry is accused of signing over 25 percent of the stocks in his farm corporation to his son Mitchell Berry and 25 percent to Danny Sloate, the farm manager, to meet a federal requirement that 50 percent of the ownership of the farm corporation must be actively involved in the operation to be eligible for subsidies.
John Andrews, a 35-year-old farmer from Walnut Ridge, a Democratic area that has helped vote Berry into Congress, says he believes Berry’s support is as strong as ever despite the criticism.
Most people don’t understand the importance of the subsidies that keep American farms operating and provide a steady supply of food that is relatively inexpensive and wholesome, Andrews said.
“The American public pays about 10 percent of their annual income for food,” he said. “We have the cheapest, safest food supply in the world because of subsidies.”
That is why the farmers who do understand the importance of the subsidies will still support Berry in November, Andrews said.
“I don’t think it’s going to hurt him one bit with farmers who know the process,” Andrews said. “If the Arkansas farmer has a friend in Congress, it’s Marion Berry. He should not be penalized for following the rules that all the rest of us do.”
Andrews, his father and brother farm 3,000 acres of rice and soybeans on land they rent mostly from farmers who had to quit.
Increasing production by farming more acreage is one tactic that has worked to keep the farm going as prices for fuel and fertilizer have risen, he said.
Additionally, they are using better seed and chemicals and better management practices, he said.
But with all the improvements they have made, the farm wouldn’t make it without the subsidies that are even used as collateral for the bank loans they take out every year to plant the crops, Andrews said.
“If you take the subsidies out of the picture, the bank wouldn’t even finance me,” he said.
“Without subsidies, we’d go out of business, and we might go out even with them,” he said, explaining that when the last farm bill passed in 2002 setting the subsidies for the next five years, the cost of doing business was about half what it is today.
“We lost a bunch of farmers just last year,” he said.
Asked the source of that information, Andrews said all one had to do was look around at all the equipment being sold at auction.
“I’ll be honest with you, last year, I lost money,” he said.
Stumbaugh struck back on Monday, a day after the expose about Berry’s questionable transfer of farm corporation stocks to a farm employee that helped Berry meet the requirements for drawing subsidies even though he was not on the farm to oversee operations.
Stumbaugh sent out a press release lambasting his opponent and assuring First District voters that he will do a better job for them.
“In a day when some Arkansas farmers are suffering and not getting the help they need, it’s sad to see a congressman making hundreds of thousands of dollars off of the federal government,” he said. “No wonder he has supported and voted for farm subsidies the way he has. It is apparent that his true interest is not the farmers of the First District, but rather padding his pocket.
“While I will also vote for bills that will help and support farmers, I will also follow through and make sure they actually get the help. I will not cast a vote on issues that affect me personally if I am not able to help people of the first district as well. To me, doing otherwise seems unethical.”
Berry also responded to his critics.
“I have worked for and fought for the viability of farm programs and family farms my entire life,” he said in a press release Tuesday.
“I make no apologies for that effort. I intend to continue my effort to support agriculture and rural America with every fiber of my being and with the energy that God Almighty gives me. I am absolutely confident that I have acted appropriately in every possible way.
“The ongoing assault by the Bush administration and the Republican Congress on American agriculture is unprecedented and demands action by a new and responsible Democratic Congress,” Berry said.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Watchdog groups say wealthy politicians like Cong. Berry and Sen. Lincoln and celebrities like Ted Turner, Scotty Pippen and Sam Donaldson shouldn’t get farm aid.
Farm subsidies that started in the 1930s, when the average farmer’s income was about half that of most other Americans, have grown over the years as family farms have failed and been taken over by corporations. About 10 percent of farmers now collect about 70 percent of the billions of dollars in agriculture subsidies that have been doled out in recent years.
The subsidies are tied to production, with no consideration to which farmers most need the help, so the bigger the production, the bigger the subsidy. That some rich and famous hobby farmers like former news anchor Sam Donaldson, media mogul Ted Turner and former NBA star Scotty Pippen also receive the subsidies rankles watchdog groups who call it government waste.
Those same groups have been eyeing First District Cong. Marion Berry, D-Gillett, and Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., whose family farms participate in the subsidy programs. Now Berry has been accused of manipulating the system and collecting more than $800,000 in subsidies for his family’s farming operation over a nine-year period while he was in Washington and unable to oversee it.
Cabot Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh, Berry’s Republican opponent for Congress, says Berry’s support of farm subsidies is self-serving.
But Stumbaugh also says that he doubts it will hurt Berry among the Democrats, who usually support him.
“People forget,” Stumbaugh said.
Berry is accused of signing over 25 percent of the stocks in his farm corporation to his son Mitchell Berry and 25 percent to Danny Sloate, the farm manager, to meet a federal requirement that 50 percent of the ownership of the farm corporation must be actively involved in the operation to be eligible for subsidies.
John Andrews, a 35-year-old farmer from Walnut Ridge, a Democratic area that has helped vote Berry into Congress, says he believes Berry’s support is as strong as ever despite the criticism.
Most people don’t understand the importance of the subsidies that keep American farms operating and provide a steady supply of food that is relatively inexpensive and wholesome, Andrews said.
“The American public pays about 10 percent of their annual income for food,” he said. “We have the cheapest, safest food supply in the world because of subsidies.”
That is why the farmers who do understand the importance of the subsidies will still support Berry in November, Andrews said.
“I don’t think it’s going to hurt him one bit with farmers who know the process,” Andrews said. “If the Arkansas farmer has a friend in Congress, it’s Marion Berry. He should not be penalized for following the rules that all the rest of us do.”
Andrews, his father and brother farm 3,000 acres of rice and soybeans on land they rent mostly from farmers who had to quit.
Increasing production by farming more acreage is one tactic that has worked to keep the farm going as prices for fuel and fertilizer have risen, he said.
Additionally, they are using better seed and chemicals and better management practices, he said.
But with all the improvements they have made, the farm wouldn’t make it without the subsidies that are even used as collateral for the bank loans they take out every year to plant the crops, Andrews said.
“If you take the subsidies out of the picture, the bank wouldn’t even finance me,” he said.
“Without subsidies, we’d go out of business, and we might go out even with them,” he said, explaining that when the last farm bill passed in 2002 setting the subsidies for the next five years, the cost of doing business was about half what it is today.
“We lost a bunch of farmers just last year,” he said.
Asked the source of that information, Andrews said all one had to do was look around at all the equipment being sold at auction.
“I’ll be honest with you, last year, I lost money,” he said.
Stumbaugh struck back on Monday, a day after the expose about Berry’s questionable transfer of farm corporation stocks to a farm employee that helped Berry meet the requirements for drawing subsidies even though he was not on the farm to oversee operations.
Stumbaugh sent out a press release lambasting his opponent and assuring First District voters that he will do a better job for them.
“In a day when some Arkansas farmers are suffering and not getting the help they need, it’s sad to see a congressman making hundreds of thousands of dollars off of the federal government,” he said. “No wonder he has supported and voted for farm subsidies the way he has. It is apparent that his true interest is not the farmers of the First District, but rather padding his pocket.
“While I will also vote for bills that will help and support farmers, I will also follow through and make sure they actually get the help. I will not cast a vote on issues that affect me personally if I am not able to help people of the first district as well. To me, doing otherwise seems unethical.”
Berry also responded to his critics.
“I have worked for and fought for the viability of farm programs and family farms my entire life,” he said in a press release Tuesday.
“I make no apologies for that effort. I intend to continue my effort to support agriculture and rural America with every fiber of my being and with the energy that God Almighty gives me. I am absolutely confident that I have acted appropriately in every possible way.
“The ongoing assault by the Bush administration and the Republican Congress on American agriculture is unprecedented and demands action by a new and responsible Democratic Congress,” Berry said.
TOP STORY >> Jacksonville-Sherwood fight delayed
BY PAUL PETERSON
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Pulaski County judge postpones Sherwood’s annexation of 2,000 acres until mid-July because of uncertainties about jurisdiction.
Four landowners who want their property east and north of Bayou Meto annexed into Sherwood city limits, against the wishes of Jacksonville, will have to wait about a month for an outcome.
Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines, who makes the decision on county land annexed into a municipality, postponed any discussion on the annexation of 2,000 acres until after July 15. The landowners, Sherwood and Jacksonville have until then to file legal briefs citing county court jurisdictional authority.
Villines made his ruling to delay a decision during Tuesday’s hearing at the Pulaski County Administration Building in downtown Little Rock.
“As I read the law, county court doesn’t have any means to address this issue,” Villines said. “The law is very open as to what this court can do.”
Four major landowners had filed petitions in Pulaski County Court to annex property into Sherwood north and east of Bayou Meto, a water system agreed upon as a “natural boundary” by Jacksonville and Sherwood.
A lawyer representing the petitioners, including Byron McKimmey and Greg Heslep, spoke first and was followed by annexation opponents and members of Villines’ legal panel, who reviewed the court’s responsibilities regarding such issues.
Villines cited the county court’s limited authority in municipal territorial litigation and said circuit courts can consider the size of proposed annexations.
He did, however, list several concerns for both sides to consider before submitting legal briefs.
Villines said the property owners must be sure of their decision to annex into another city, and reminded petitioners and opponents of relied-upon previous agreements regarding the boundary marked by the bayou.
A member of the legal panel, speaking for the Pulaski County Public Works Division, said the annexation would “create island” within Sherwood city limits, and would result in a different telephone number for emergency services. He also said that if the annexation were granted, Sherwood would have to accept responsibility for maintaining all roads within the new city territory.
Two subdivisions off Highway 107, near Hatcher Road are not included in the planned annexation and would therefore remain in the county, although surrounded by Sherwood, if the annexation is approved. Villines said the potential complications regarding emergency services to homeowners in the “island communities” were among his major concerns.
Attorney Steven Giles, who also represented Sherwood, represented the petitioners.
Sherwood City Engineer Michael Clayton previously submitted two property surveys conducted independently and two surveys conducted by city planning officials.
Jacksonville City Attorney Bob Bamburg submitted six maps as opposition exhibits and said only the north and east portions of Bayou Meto are opposed.
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim said, “We’re not totally opposed to this proposal, but if it is allowed, it will negatively affect efforts to provide water that follows Bayou Meto north and east.”
Bamburg entered into evidence Resolution 594, adopted by the Jacksonville city council and planning commission earlier this month officially opposing the annexation proposal, and submitted maps designed in cooperation with Little Rock Air Force Base officials.
“It is important this portion is not annexed,” he said. “Our planning commission and wastewater de-partments plan to sewer that area. We’ve complied with state statutes requiring plans to pass through an overlay district. Our political philosophy has been that Bayou Meto serves as a natural boundary and this proposed annexation creates problems.”
Bamburg said that a 2003 master plan submitted to Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation District was confirmed as a registered service area and that a service agreement was recognized by Central Arkansas Water designating Jacksonville’s domain north and east of Bayou Meto and Sherwood’s south and west. Jacksonville contends that a 600,000 gallon elevated water tank already in place will be able to service subdivision water lines currently in development.
“I’m not convinced I’ve got jurisdiction to turn this down,” Villines said to annexation opponents. “Give me a legal argument to do so, and attorney Giles a copy and a chance to respond.”
Both sides agreed to the July 15 deadline suggested by Bamburg.
“Maybe the decision to decide jurisdiction should land in circuit court,” Villines said.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Pulaski County judge postpones Sherwood’s annexation of 2,000 acres until mid-July because of uncertainties about jurisdiction.
Four landowners who want their property east and north of Bayou Meto annexed into Sherwood city limits, against the wishes of Jacksonville, will have to wait about a month for an outcome.
Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines, who makes the decision on county land annexed into a municipality, postponed any discussion on the annexation of 2,000 acres until after July 15. The landowners, Sherwood and Jacksonville have until then to file legal briefs citing county court jurisdictional authority.
Villines made his ruling to delay a decision during Tuesday’s hearing at the Pulaski County Administration Building in downtown Little Rock.
“As I read the law, county court doesn’t have any means to address this issue,” Villines said. “The law is very open as to what this court can do.”
Four major landowners had filed petitions in Pulaski County Court to annex property into Sherwood north and east of Bayou Meto, a water system agreed upon as a “natural boundary” by Jacksonville and Sherwood.
A lawyer representing the petitioners, including Byron McKimmey and Greg Heslep, spoke first and was followed by annexation opponents and members of Villines’ legal panel, who reviewed the court’s responsibilities regarding such issues.
Villines cited the county court’s limited authority in municipal territorial litigation and said circuit courts can consider the size of proposed annexations.
He did, however, list several concerns for both sides to consider before submitting legal briefs.
Villines said the property owners must be sure of their decision to annex into another city, and reminded petitioners and opponents of relied-upon previous agreements regarding the boundary marked by the bayou.
A member of the legal panel, speaking for the Pulaski County Public Works Division, said the annexation would “create island” within Sherwood city limits, and would result in a different telephone number for emergency services. He also said that if the annexation were granted, Sherwood would have to accept responsibility for maintaining all roads within the new city territory.
Two subdivisions off Highway 107, near Hatcher Road are not included in the planned annexation and would therefore remain in the county, although surrounded by Sherwood, if the annexation is approved. Villines said the potential complications regarding emergency services to homeowners in the “island communities” were among his major concerns.
Attorney Steven Giles, who also represented Sherwood, represented the petitioners.
Sherwood City Engineer Michael Clayton previously submitted two property surveys conducted independently and two surveys conducted by city planning officials.
Jacksonville City Attorney Bob Bamburg submitted six maps as opposition exhibits and said only the north and east portions of Bayou Meto are opposed.
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim said, “We’re not totally opposed to this proposal, but if it is allowed, it will negatively affect efforts to provide water that follows Bayou Meto north and east.”
Bamburg entered into evidence Resolution 594, adopted by the Jacksonville city council and planning commission earlier this month officially opposing the annexation proposal, and submitted maps designed in cooperation with Little Rock Air Force Base officials.
“It is important this portion is not annexed,” he said. “Our planning commission and wastewater de-partments plan to sewer that area. We’ve complied with state statutes requiring plans to pass through an overlay district. Our political philosophy has been that Bayou Meto serves as a natural boundary and this proposed annexation creates problems.”
Bamburg said that a 2003 master plan submitted to Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation District was confirmed as a registered service area and that a service agreement was recognized by Central Arkansas Water designating Jacksonville’s domain north and east of Bayou Meto and Sherwood’s south and west. Jacksonville contends that a 600,000 gallon elevated water tank already in place will be able to service subdivision water lines currently in development.
“I’m not convinced I’ve got jurisdiction to turn this down,” Villines said to annexation opponents. “Give me a legal argument to do so, and attorney Giles a copy and a chance to respond.”
Both sides agreed to the July 15 deadline suggested by Bamburg.
“Maybe the decision to decide jurisdiction should land in circuit court,” Villines said.
FROM THE PUBLISHER >> Every death is like a loss in the family
BY GARRICK FELDMAN
Leader publisher
Several of our friends passed away last week. Two died on the same day, and another at week’s end.
Then came word Tuesday morning that U.S. forces recovered the remains of two American soldiers who’d been kidnapped in Iraq, their bodies booby-trapped and mutilated, their features destroyed beyond recognition after hours of unimaginable torture.
Pfc. Kristian Menchaca and Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker, who have been identified through DNA testing, were abducted Friday from a traffic-control checkpoint in Yusufiya, south of Baghdad. A U.S. soldier was killed at the scene.
When we hear about the death of an American in Iraq, it’s as if we know them and they’re members of our family. When we went to the funeral of Specialist Bobby West in Beebe a couple of weeks ago, along with hundreds of Patriot Guard Riders, we felt as if we were part of the West family as they mourned the passing of a wonderful young man at the age of 23.
Others whose obituaries we ran last week lived much longer, and yet they, too, left us too soon.
Dr. Donnie Griggs, the Jack-sonville dentist who touched the lives of hundreds of patients and children whose teams he coached, died suddenly Sunday before last.
His funeral last Wednesday at First Methodist Church in Jack-sonville was one of the biggest we’ve seen here: Mourners packed the sanctuary and the halls outside, where lines reached almost to the parking lot.
As one speaker said, Dr. Griggs was like a second father to the children he coached. Many of those children, along with their parents, were at the funeral service. It seems as if almost every summer when our kids came home from college, they went straight to Dr. Griggs’ office for dental work.
He always smiled and made them feel comfortable. That’s how Dr. Griggs was: Unassuming and always there to help.
It’s hard to believe that he’s gone at the age of 51 — much too soon.
The same day that he passed away, retired Lieut. Col. Harold A. Kohnert died at the age of 86 in Las Vegas. A veteran of the Second World War, he was a pilot and squadron commander who had a second career in Jacksonville after he left the Air Force.
Kohnert started investing in real estate more than 30 years ago with his partner William Marr, another Air Force colonel.
They worked quietly on their investments, but they were so down-to-earth that you’d never guess they were wealthy by the time they retired.
Lloyd Friedman calls Kohnert “a visionary.” He and Marr bought land along Hwy. 67/167, a corridor that includes the Wal-Mart Super-center, Chili’s, Waffle House and much more. They rented us a small space on John Harden Drive, where The Leader got its start.
Word of the death of Jackson-ville Alderman Robert Lewis reached us on Thursday. He, too, was a quiet, unassuming man. He knew all about loss and pain and suffering. He died after a long illness, but even before he became ill, tragedy struck the Lewis family when their daughter was senselessly murdered in the Sunnyside Addition.
We will miss these fine Americans who lived their lives in dignity, who inspired us to emulate their courage and devotion to their families, their communities and their country. May they rest in peace.
Leader publisher
Several of our friends passed away last week. Two died on the same day, and another at week’s end.
Then came word Tuesday morning that U.S. forces recovered the remains of two American soldiers who’d been kidnapped in Iraq, their bodies booby-trapped and mutilated, their features destroyed beyond recognition after hours of unimaginable torture.
Pfc. Kristian Menchaca and Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker, who have been identified through DNA testing, were abducted Friday from a traffic-control checkpoint in Yusufiya, south of Baghdad. A U.S. soldier was killed at the scene.
When we hear about the death of an American in Iraq, it’s as if we know them and they’re members of our family. When we went to the funeral of Specialist Bobby West in Beebe a couple of weeks ago, along with hundreds of Patriot Guard Riders, we felt as if we were part of the West family as they mourned the passing of a wonderful young man at the age of 23.
Others whose obituaries we ran last week lived much longer, and yet they, too, left us too soon.
Dr. Donnie Griggs, the Jack-sonville dentist who touched the lives of hundreds of patients and children whose teams he coached, died suddenly Sunday before last.
His funeral last Wednesday at First Methodist Church in Jack-sonville was one of the biggest we’ve seen here: Mourners packed the sanctuary and the halls outside, where lines reached almost to the parking lot.
As one speaker said, Dr. Griggs was like a second father to the children he coached. Many of those children, along with their parents, were at the funeral service. It seems as if almost every summer when our kids came home from college, they went straight to Dr. Griggs’ office for dental work.
He always smiled and made them feel comfortable. That’s how Dr. Griggs was: Unassuming and always there to help.
It’s hard to believe that he’s gone at the age of 51 — much too soon.
The same day that he passed away, retired Lieut. Col. Harold A. Kohnert died at the age of 86 in Las Vegas. A veteran of the Second World War, he was a pilot and squadron commander who had a second career in Jacksonville after he left the Air Force.
Kohnert started investing in real estate more than 30 years ago with his partner William Marr, another Air Force colonel.
They worked quietly on their investments, but they were so down-to-earth that you’d never guess they were wealthy by the time they retired.
Lloyd Friedman calls Kohnert “a visionary.” He and Marr bought land along Hwy. 67/167, a corridor that includes the Wal-Mart Super-center, Chili’s, Waffle House and much more. They rented us a small space on John Harden Drive, where The Leader got its start.
Word of the death of Jackson-ville Alderman Robert Lewis reached us on Thursday. He, too, was a quiet, unassuming man. He knew all about loss and pain and suffering. He died after a long illness, but even before he became ill, tragedy struck the Lewis family when their daughter was senselessly murdered in the Sunnyside Addition.
We will miss these fine Americans who lived their lives in dignity, who inspired us to emulate their courage and devotion to their families, their communities and their country. May they rest in peace.
TOP STORY >> Cabot says no to road project
BY JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Council rejects plan to pay for road that would ease downtown congestion.
The road under construction mostly in Lonoke County that would take some of the traffic heading to Wal-Mart out of downtown Cabot will not be completed this year. That’s because a proposed plan to get the city to pay for part of the construction fell through Monday night with the failure of a proposed city ordinance.
“I said all along that I wouldn’t be able to complete it this year unless the city helped. I don’t have any choice now but to wait until next year when the next ad-ministration takes over,” said Lonoke County Judge Charlie Trout-man, who has paid for the road construction so far out of his road and bridge fund.
The failed ordinance would have provided $200,000 to help with construction of the new road in exchange for the county replacing seven narrow bridges on First Street with round culverts. Although the council vote was 4-3 to pass the ordinance, five were needed. But even if it had passed, Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh had vowed to veto it and it would have taken six to override the veto.
The discussion about the ordinance was often heated and the reasons to vote it down were numerous.
The mayor and Alderman David Polantz said the culverts wouldn’t carry any more water than the bridges and a temporary fix like the culverts would do nothing to help with future growth.
The culverts would be wider than the bridges, but no guardrails or sidewalks were included in the $75,000 price the county judge gave or the $82,500 it was increased to after an engineering report said one bridge would require a larger culvert and one would require several.
“I’m going to go out on a limb and say that $82,500 is going to put it back maybe to where it is now. We’re not making any improvement,” Stumbaugh said.
Polantz pointed out that none of the numbers quoted over the three months the ordinance has been before the council have been based on any study showing how much the work would cost.
Troutman wanted to replace the bridges with culverts for $75,000 instead of the $750,000 the city would pay for box culverts, he said. But no one really knows how much any of the work would cost.
All the numbers were “made up,” Polantz said. “We’re sitting here wasting council time. We might as well be playing cards.”
City Engineer Gail Mainard agreed with Polantz. “Both sides are just wild guesses,” he said.
Alderman David Cook brought another issue to the table. He wanted to know when and how it was decided that the bridges needed to be replaced and who decided they were the top priority for the $2 million in bond money that was included for streets when voters approved last year the extension of a one-cent city sales tax.
The answer from the mayor was that the council decided. Cook said he wanted to put the bridges “on the back burner” and look at other work that needs to be done.
Polantz, Cook and Jerry Stephens voted against the ordinance that was sponsored by Alderman Odis Waymack and Tom Armstrong. In addition to the sponsors, James Glenn and Bob Duke voted for it.
The mayor said from the time the ordinance was introduced in March that no one knew if the culverts would even be adequate for the water that would flow through them. To answer that question, Waymack hired professional engineer Adam Whitlow to conduct a flow study, for which he has been billed $2,300.
Waymack said after the vote that he hopes it wasn’t for nothing. Stumbaugh is running for Con-gress and the next mayor might be more receptive, he said, adding, “It’s money I made for serving on the city council, so I might as well spend it for the good of the city.”
Troutman, who has attended most of the council meetings since the ordinance was introduced, said he was glad the quorum court meetings he presides over are more reserved.
“The last thing I ever intended to do was get in Cabot city politics,” he said.
“They’ve got problems I don’t need.
“I’ve personally never seen such animosity be-tween a mayor and council. It’s almost like a shouting match between them. I’m certainly glad I don’t have that.”
In other business, the council passed a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to negotiate for the purchase or lease of the Community Bank building next to city hall.
The bank has offered to sell the building for $1.1 million or lease it for $3,500 a month with the option to buy it in five or 10 years. If the city leases and buys after five years the purchase price would be $890,000. After 10 years of leasing the purchase price would be $678,000.
Stumbaugh told the council that if the administrative offices are moved out of city hall to the bank building, the police department located in the basement would be able to expand.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Council rejects plan to pay for road that would ease downtown congestion.
The road under construction mostly in Lonoke County that would take some of the traffic heading to Wal-Mart out of downtown Cabot will not be completed this year. That’s because a proposed plan to get the city to pay for part of the construction fell through Monday night with the failure of a proposed city ordinance.
“I said all along that I wouldn’t be able to complete it this year unless the city helped. I don’t have any choice now but to wait until next year when the next ad-ministration takes over,” said Lonoke County Judge Charlie Trout-man, who has paid for the road construction so far out of his road and bridge fund.
The failed ordinance would have provided $200,000 to help with construction of the new road in exchange for the county replacing seven narrow bridges on First Street with round culverts. Although the council vote was 4-3 to pass the ordinance, five were needed. But even if it had passed, Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh had vowed to veto it and it would have taken six to override the veto.
The discussion about the ordinance was often heated and the reasons to vote it down were numerous.
The mayor and Alderman David Polantz said the culverts wouldn’t carry any more water than the bridges and a temporary fix like the culverts would do nothing to help with future growth.
The culverts would be wider than the bridges, but no guardrails or sidewalks were included in the $75,000 price the county judge gave or the $82,500 it was increased to after an engineering report said one bridge would require a larger culvert and one would require several.
“I’m going to go out on a limb and say that $82,500 is going to put it back maybe to where it is now. We’re not making any improvement,” Stumbaugh said.
Polantz pointed out that none of the numbers quoted over the three months the ordinance has been before the council have been based on any study showing how much the work would cost.
Troutman wanted to replace the bridges with culverts for $75,000 instead of the $750,000 the city would pay for box culverts, he said. But no one really knows how much any of the work would cost.
All the numbers were “made up,” Polantz said. “We’re sitting here wasting council time. We might as well be playing cards.”
City Engineer Gail Mainard agreed with Polantz. “Both sides are just wild guesses,” he said.
Alderman David Cook brought another issue to the table. He wanted to know when and how it was decided that the bridges needed to be replaced and who decided they were the top priority for the $2 million in bond money that was included for streets when voters approved last year the extension of a one-cent city sales tax.
The answer from the mayor was that the council decided. Cook said he wanted to put the bridges “on the back burner” and look at other work that needs to be done.
Polantz, Cook and Jerry Stephens voted against the ordinance that was sponsored by Alderman Odis Waymack and Tom Armstrong. In addition to the sponsors, James Glenn and Bob Duke voted for it.
The mayor said from the time the ordinance was introduced in March that no one knew if the culverts would even be adequate for the water that would flow through them. To answer that question, Waymack hired professional engineer Adam Whitlow to conduct a flow study, for which he has been billed $2,300.
Waymack said after the vote that he hopes it wasn’t for nothing. Stumbaugh is running for Con-gress and the next mayor might be more receptive, he said, adding, “It’s money I made for serving on the city council, so I might as well spend it for the good of the city.”
Troutman, who has attended most of the council meetings since the ordinance was introduced, said he was glad the quorum court meetings he presides over are more reserved.
“The last thing I ever intended to do was get in Cabot city politics,” he said.
“They’ve got problems I don’t need.
“I’ve personally never seen such animosity be-tween a mayor and council. It’s almost like a shouting match between them. I’m certainly glad I don’t have that.”
In other business, the council passed a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to negotiate for the purchase or lease of the Community Bank building next to city hall.
The bank has offered to sell the building for $1.1 million or lease it for $3,500 a month with the option to buy it in five or 10 years. If the city leases and buys after five years the purchase price would be $890,000. After 10 years of leasing the purchase price would be $678,000.
Stumbaugh told the council that if the administrative offices are moved out of city hall to the bank building, the police department located in the basement would be able to expand.
TOP STORY >> Air base role moves toward combat duty
BY SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Air Mobility Command to return to Little Rock Air Force Base within the next 18 months, general tells community council.
Little Rock Air Force Base will have a more active role in the global war on terrorism over the next 18 months, said Brig. Gen. Kip Self, commander of the 314th Airlift Wing, during Tuesday’s Little Rock Air Force Base Community Council luncheon.
Self told council members that by December 2007, the Air Force will shift 55 to 60 of the C-130 cargo aircraft at the base — or about two-thirds of the planes there — from Air Education Training Command to Air Mobility Command for strategic airlift of units, equipment and high-priority supplies.
AETC will continue to provide C-130 training at LRAFB with 25 to 30 C-130 cargo aircraft. The third component of the base, the 189th Air National Guard, will have 10 C-130 cargo planes.
“The necessity of the war-fighting machine continues, and the need for C-130s in the area of responsibility in the global war on terrorism is critical, and Little Rock Air Force Base is the key to that success,” Self said.
The change comes as part of the base realignment and closure decision of 2005 to close 22 major installations and realign 33 others to save about $15 billion over the next 20 years.
LRAFB had expected as many as 50 to 60 additional C-130s and nearly 4,000 new personnel, but that number fell sharply to six new C-130s and about 600 personnel by the end of the BRAC process.
Self told the group because of growing security concerns, base officials are re-evaluating 700 distinguished visitor passes in circulation.
“Yesterday, there were three unidentified packages that came into our mailroom labeled to President Bush and his wife, Vice President Cheney and his wife, and President Gore,” Self said.
“There was a false-positive test for an explosive compound on one of those packages. I’m sharing that with you because we are a military installation and I have to protect the people on this base,” Self said.
In other business, the LRAFB Community Council voted to donate $10,000 per year over the next three years to the Jacksonville Museum of Military History for additional display cases. The 14,500 square-foot museum at 100 Veterans Circle is on the site of the entrance to the Jacksonville Ordnance Plant from 1941 to 1945.
The keynote speaker for the council was Tony Woodell of Heifer Project International, a Little Rock-based effort to end world hunger by providing 37 kinds of livestock to needy people in more than 40 countries.
The organization was founded in 1944 by Dan West, who believed in giving people “not a cup but a cow” to help end hunger.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Air Mobility Command to return to Little Rock Air Force Base within the next 18 months, general tells community council.
Little Rock Air Force Base will have a more active role in the global war on terrorism over the next 18 months, said Brig. Gen. Kip Self, commander of the 314th Airlift Wing, during Tuesday’s Little Rock Air Force Base Community Council luncheon.
Self told council members that by December 2007, the Air Force will shift 55 to 60 of the C-130 cargo aircraft at the base — or about two-thirds of the planes there — from Air Education Training Command to Air Mobility Command for strategic airlift of units, equipment and high-priority supplies.
AETC will continue to provide C-130 training at LRAFB with 25 to 30 C-130 cargo aircraft. The third component of the base, the 189th Air National Guard, will have 10 C-130 cargo planes.
“The necessity of the war-fighting machine continues, and the need for C-130s in the area of responsibility in the global war on terrorism is critical, and Little Rock Air Force Base is the key to that success,” Self said.
The change comes as part of the base realignment and closure decision of 2005 to close 22 major installations and realign 33 others to save about $15 billion over the next 20 years.
LRAFB had expected as many as 50 to 60 additional C-130s and nearly 4,000 new personnel, but that number fell sharply to six new C-130s and about 600 personnel by the end of the BRAC process.
Self told the group because of growing security concerns, base officials are re-evaluating 700 distinguished visitor passes in circulation.
“Yesterday, there were three unidentified packages that came into our mailroom labeled to President Bush and his wife, Vice President Cheney and his wife, and President Gore,” Self said.
“There was a false-positive test for an explosive compound on one of those packages. I’m sharing that with you because we are a military installation and I have to protect the people on this base,” Self said.
In other business, the LRAFB Community Council voted to donate $10,000 per year over the next three years to the Jacksonville Museum of Military History for additional display cases. The 14,500 square-foot museum at 100 Veterans Circle is on the site of the entrance to the Jacksonville Ordnance Plant from 1941 to 1945.
The keynote speaker for the council was Tony Woodell of Heifer Project International, a Little Rock-based effort to end world hunger by providing 37 kinds of livestock to needy people in more than 40 countries.
The organization was founded in 1944 by Dan West, who believed in giving people “not a cup but a cow” to help end hunger.
TOP STORY >> City officials put spotlight on Sunnyside
BY PAUL PETERSON and PEG KENYON
Leader staff writers
IN SHORT: Resident, alderman speak out on crime in neighborhood and all of Jacksonville
For bubbles and basketball, children and adults came together for the Sunnyside Addition Commun-ity Outreach and Awareness Day at Galloway Park in Jacksonville recently.
Helping out People Everywhere (HOPE) Community Development Corporation sponsored the event and Theresa Watson, director of the City of Jacksonville Community Development, showed her support for making the Sunnyside addition a better place to live. After several attempts, Watson sculpted a balloon into the shape of the dog. Adults painted butterflies on the faces of children.
Two men — one a white city alderman and a black Sunnyside addition resident — attending the weekend event agreed homeownership is pivotal in making it a more stable neighborhood. However, Eric Applewhite says after living in St. Louis, the Sunnyside addition feels like living in Mayberry, the fictional, quiet town in the Andy Griffith television show.
“People here are real nice and friendly,” Applewhite said.
Several other Sunnyside residents who live near Applewhite are also purchasing their homes. These neighbors watch out for each other, he explained. City alderman Kenny Elliott agreed with this assessment. “Crime seems to follow rental areas,” Elliott said. Before the event, Watson indicated that rental property ex-ceeds homeownership within the Sunnyside addition.
“The majority ... 59 percent is rental and 41 percent is homeownership,” Watson said.
There are loans available, but Watson says, “The key point is an investor … that’s the piece lacking.”
Watson warns it will take patience to revamp the Sunnyside addition so no major displacement of people will occur. She also mentioned there is a need for a multi-housing complex to built within the area because of small lot sizes. There are 495 lots in the area.
Watson believes the area has unjustly gotten a bad reputation. “You’ve got crime everywhere,” she said.
On Monday, Capt. Charley Jenkins, public information officer for Jacksonville Police Department, said he believes thefts and burglaries are the most troublesome criminal activities in the Sunnyside addition. Since Jan. 1, police investigated theft-related crimes ranging from larceny to residential burglaries, according to a call-sheet document released by JPD officials.
However, violent crimes often occur in the Sunnyside neighborhood nearby Galloway Park. Since Jan. 1, an armed robbery, a gunshot wound, an aggravated assault in-volving a firearm, a domestic dispute, vandalism and a juvenile dispute were among the calls worked by local police officers in the 100 block of Galloway Circle. Between March 16 and March 23, police also responded to a fight in progress and a stabbing in the same block.
On Pike Avenue, about 17 disturbance calls ranging from noise complaints to domestic disputes have been phoned into the police department so far this year. However, Roosevelt Road experienced three drug-related incidents while Pike Avenue listed one. Meanwhile, Galloway Circle registered two drug-related calls to the police. The document indicated none for Jaxon Circle and Jaxon Street.
“Sunnyside may be more attractive to criminals, but I don’t think you could confine crime to just one particular area,” Jenkins said. “Crime occurs over the entire social-economic areas of the city.”
Overall, Jenkins says burglaries and thefts are a concern in the Sunnyside Addition because of less homeownership and more renters, which come and go. He also mentioned there are fewer burglar alarms installed in houses, and taller shrubbery, which shields thieves.
On Central Avenue, however, police received only one theft-related incident since the beginning of this year. The document listed this as a theft from an automobile. On Victory Circle, there were no theft-related activities listed, but Union Avenue was the location of three larceny incidents between Feb. 10 and March 23.
Although some residents are reluctant to discuss neighborhood problems, others are willing, provided they remain anonymous, due to retaliation against ‘snitches.’
One individual, a male who calls himself ‘Larry,’ who withheld his age and occupation, expressed his sentiments regarding the past and current environment of Sunnyside.
Discussing the once non-existent patrolling of the neighborhood, Larry said the situation has improved remarkably. “Oh well, I noticed for a couple weeks recently that patrols have stepped up a bit,” he said. “Especially the last two weeks. Before that, they’d come if you call them. I call them quite a bit. We have a pretty bad drug problem in the neighborhood. There’s lots of it here.”
Jacksonville alderman Reedie Ray agreed that the police department has increased its presence in the Sunnyside addition, as has the alderman himself. “I’ve patrolled the area myself a couple of times lately,” he said. “Everything was quiet. Me and the police chief talk all the time. They’re on top of it. They’ve got Lee Street on dope surveillance now, and even got me on camera when I drove through there three times, real slow.”
As for Larry, perhaps what concerns him most of all is the safety and well-being of his family members and close friends, some of whom have decided to sell their property and relocate.
“I’ve lived most of my life here. I’ve been in this area almost 20 years,” Larry said. “My son’s been robbed about three times. I have a daughter who had a little bit of trouble once. It was just some young girls in a gang trying to fight her years ago.”
The situation was so bad, Larry said, that young children showed no qualms about kicking in doors of homes looking for money made from outdoor yard sales.
“About three or four years ago, when we were selling sodas from our front yard, some little boy robbed us,” Larry said. “He took our money we made. We weren’t the only ones to have that happen to us. Police found a trail of coins leading to the park. His older sibling was just picked up for armed robbery. They’ll kick your doors open and try to break in if they think you have anything. The last time I contacted police was over a domestic dispute. A friend of mine was on drugs real bad. I’ve also got family a member on drugs real bad, too, but she’s locked up. Most of Sunnyside’s problems are definitely drug related.”
Among the more saddening aspects of such living conditions include the hazards of reporting crime. Larry, like others in Sunny-side, has experienced danger for his vigilance.
“I’ve seen quite a bit of retaliation,” he said. “They got a thing about snitches. They want to kill them. Once people get a grudge against you, they hold them after that.”
And what about the former neighborhood association that has since faded into non-existence?
“There was a neighborhood association,” Larry said. “I knew the president. She’s moving. She’s selling the house and leaving the neighborhood. There have been times when drug activity went on right down the road from the police substation, when police were actually there. All this took place on the same street as the substation. It’s been there for several years, but the drug people don’t care that it’s not really open. It’s been there for five or six years. It’s even been robbed before.”
Larry believes some sort of court-ordered rehabilitation could possibly do some good. “We don’t have anything like that in Jacksonville,” he said. “I’ve seen some evil, mean stuff, like people stealing from their momma’s house and leaving her nothing to pay bills with.”
What Larry also cites as a major cause for concern is sporadic gang activity. “I see them regularly mostly in the evening,” he said. “We’ve had a bad gang problem. I had a real young boy tell me all of them have guns. He had one, too. I see some of them. Sometimes young boys sell drugs to older men, and the older men can’t pay for it, so the boys get real mean and real disrespectful. Gang activity is starting up out of nowhere. One drug house moves out and another one moves in.”
As often is the case, where drug activity prevails, dead bodies are likely to follow. “There’s a lot of unsolved murders in neighborhood,” Larry said. “And they don’t like snitches.” Referring to vigilante retaliation not uncommon in drug-infested areas, Larry compared it to street justice overseas. “It’s sort of like in Africa,” he said, “where they take the ones who snitch and hook a rubber tire around their necks and burn it up. And we’re African descendants. It’s the same type of mentality, punishing the poor to make to make it look like they’ve done something wrong. But dealers start taking on attitudes as mafia and big drug lords in movies. And people are scared. It’s a real bad thing. In rap songs, snitches are considered worse than the person doing the crime.”
Larry said keeping one’s mouth shut is similar to taking out a life insurance policy. “I went to prison to visit a friend of mine and was talking to a person there who’s got a son doing 10 years for robbery in Pine Bluff,” he said. “The son was shot for being with the actual robbers and got time for it. They were never caught. And the parent told me, ‘but at least he didn’t snitch.”’
The root of such degradation, as Larry sees it, is simple: crack cocaine, the key factor of a cause-and-effect relationship that breeds monsters and perversion. “Even the old people are getting evil,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of 20-year users in this neighborhood. They can’t stop and don’t want to stop. And their children are just as evil. It’s perversion like I’ve never seen. I know a lady who said her kids smoke crack with her boyfriend.”
Larry sighed and said regretfully, “That’s just the generation we’re coming to, and it’s getting worse. Someone can be hollering for help and neighbors just ignore it. They’re afraid. We can’t even depend on neighbors anymore. It’s hard to sleep at night. You might wake up any time with someone in your house looking for money or jewelry. People have turned in to fiends, monsters. You know, for Easter, kids used to get a new dress, hunt for eggs and candy. Kids don’t get nothing now. I’m a member of a church, but very few people come to church. But at Christmas, there’s hundreds. I’ve never lived where the whole neighborhood doesn’t want to come to church.”
Leader staff writers
IN SHORT: Resident, alderman speak out on crime in neighborhood and all of Jacksonville
For bubbles and basketball, children and adults came together for the Sunnyside Addition Commun-ity Outreach and Awareness Day at Galloway Park in Jacksonville recently.
Helping out People Everywhere (HOPE) Community Development Corporation sponsored the event and Theresa Watson, director of the City of Jacksonville Community Development, showed her support for making the Sunnyside addition a better place to live. After several attempts, Watson sculpted a balloon into the shape of the dog. Adults painted butterflies on the faces of children.
Two men — one a white city alderman and a black Sunnyside addition resident — attending the weekend event agreed homeownership is pivotal in making it a more stable neighborhood. However, Eric Applewhite says after living in St. Louis, the Sunnyside addition feels like living in Mayberry, the fictional, quiet town in the Andy Griffith television show.
“People here are real nice and friendly,” Applewhite said.
Several other Sunnyside residents who live near Applewhite are also purchasing their homes. These neighbors watch out for each other, he explained. City alderman Kenny Elliott agreed with this assessment. “Crime seems to follow rental areas,” Elliott said. Before the event, Watson indicated that rental property ex-ceeds homeownership within the Sunnyside addition.
“The majority ... 59 percent is rental and 41 percent is homeownership,” Watson said.
There are loans available, but Watson says, “The key point is an investor … that’s the piece lacking.”
Watson warns it will take patience to revamp the Sunnyside addition so no major displacement of people will occur. She also mentioned there is a need for a multi-housing complex to built within the area because of small lot sizes. There are 495 lots in the area.
Watson believes the area has unjustly gotten a bad reputation. “You’ve got crime everywhere,” she said.
On Monday, Capt. Charley Jenkins, public information officer for Jacksonville Police Department, said he believes thefts and burglaries are the most troublesome criminal activities in the Sunnyside addition. Since Jan. 1, police investigated theft-related crimes ranging from larceny to residential burglaries, according to a call-sheet document released by JPD officials.
However, violent crimes often occur in the Sunnyside neighborhood nearby Galloway Park. Since Jan. 1, an armed robbery, a gunshot wound, an aggravated assault in-volving a firearm, a domestic dispute, vandalism and a juvenile dispute were among the calls worked by local police officers in the 100 block of Galloway Circle. Between March 16 and March 23, police also responded to a fight in progress and a stabbing in the same block.
On Pike Avenue, about 17 disturbance calls ranging from noise complaints to domestic disputes have been phoned into the police department so far this year. However, Roosevelt Road experienced three drug-related incidents while Pike Avenue listed one. Meanwhile, Galloway Circle registered two drug-related calls to the police. The document indicated none for Jaxon Circle and Jaxon Street.
“Sunnyside may be more attractive to criminals, but I don’t think you could confine crime to just one particular area,” Jenkins said. “Crime occurs over the entire social-economic areas of the city.”
Overall, Jenkins says burglaries and thefts are a concern in the Sunnyside Addition because of less homeownership and more renters, which come and go. He also mentioned there are fewer burglar alarms installed in houses, and taller shrubbery, which shields thieves.
On Central Avenue, however, police received only one theft-related incident since the beginning of this year. The document listed this as a theft from an automobile. On Victory Circle, there were no theft-related activities listed, but Union Avenue was the location of three larceny incidents between Feb. 10 and March 23.
Although some residents are reluctant to discuss neighborhood problems, others are willing, provided they remain anonymous, due to retaliation against ‘snitches.’
One individual, a male who calls himself ‘Larry,’ who withheld his age and occupation, expressed his sentiments regarding the past and current environment of Sunnyside.
Discussing the once non-existent patrolling of the neighborhood, Larry said the situation has improved remarkably. “Oh well, I noticed for a couple weeks recently that patrols have stepped up a bit,” he said. “Especially the last two weeks. Before that, they’d come if you call them. I call them quite a bit. We have a pretty bad drug problem in the neighborhood. There’s lots of it here.”
Jacksonville alderman Reedie Ray agreed that the police department has increased its presence in the Sunnyside addition, as has the alderman himself. “I’ve patrolled the area myself a couple of times lately,” he said. “Everything was quiet. Me and the police chief talk all the time. They’re on top of it. They’ve got Lee Street on dope surveillance now, and even got me on camera when I drove through there three times, real slow.”
As for Larry, perhaps what concerns him most of all is the safety and well-being of his family members and close friends, some of whom have decided to sell their property and relocate.
“I’ve lived most of my life here. I’ve been in this area almost 20 years,” Larry said. “My son’s been robbed about three times. I have a daughter who had a little bit of trouble once. It was just some young girls in a gang trying to fight her years ago.”
The situation was so bad, Larry said, that young children showed no qualms about kicking in doors of homes looking for money made from outdoor yard sales.
“About three or four years ago, when we were selling sodas from our front yard, some little boy robbed us,” Larry said. “He took our money we made. We weren’t the only ones to have that happen to us. Police found a trail of coins leading to the park. His older sibling was just picked up for armed robbery. They’ll kick your doors open and try to break in if they think you have anything. The last time I contacted police was over a domestic dispute. A friend of mine was on drugs real bad. I’ve also got family a member on drugs real bad, too, but she’s locked up. Most of Sunnyside’s problems are definitely drug related.”
Among the more saddening aspects of such living conditions include the hazards of reporting crime. Larry, like others in Sunny-side, has experienced danger for his vigilance.
“I’ve seen quite a bit of retaliation,” he said. “They got a thing about snitches. They want to kill them. Once people get a grudge against you, they hold them after that.”
And what about the former neighborhood association that has since faded into non-existence?
“There was a neighborhood association,” Larry said. “I knew the president. She’s moving. She’s selling the house and leaving the neighborhood. There have been times when drug activity went on right down the road from the police substation, when police were actually there. All this took place on the same street as the substation. It’s been there for several years, but the drug people don’t care that it’s not really open. It’s been there for five or six years. It’s even been robbed before.”
Larry believes some sort of court-ordered rehabilitation could possibly do some good. “We don’t have anything like that in Jacksonville,” he said. “I’ve seen some evil, mean stuff, like people stealing from their momma’s house and leaving her nothing to pay bills with.”
What Larry also cites as a major cause for concern is sporadic gang activity. “I see them regularly mostly in the evening,” he said. “We’ve had a bad gang problem. I had a real young boy tell me all of them have guns. He had one, too. I see some of them. Sometimes young boys sell drugs to older men, and the older men can’t pay for it, so the boys get real mean and real disrespectful. Gang activity is starting up out of nowhere. One drug house moves out and another one moves in.”
As often is the case, where drug activity prevails, dead bodies are likely to follow. “There’s a lot of unsolved murders in neighborhood,” Larry said. “And they don’t like snitches.” Referring to vigilante retaliation not uncommon in drug-infested areas, Larry compared it to street justice overseas. “It’s sort of like in Africa,” he said, “where they take the ones who snitch and hook a rubber tire around their necks and burn it up. And we’re African descendants. It’s the same type of mentality, punishing the poor to make to make it look like they’ve done something wrong. But dealers start taking on attitudes as mafia and big drug lords in movies. And people are scared. It’s a real bad thing. In rap songs, snitches are considered worse than the person doing the crime.”
Larry said keeping one’s mouth shut is similar to taking out a life insurance policy. “I went to prison to visit a friend of mine and was talking to a person there who’s got a son doing 10 years for robbery in Pine Bluff,” he said. “The son was shot for being with the actual robbers and got time for it. They were never caught. And the parent told me, ‘but at least he didn’t snitch.”’
The root of such degradation, as Larry sees it, is simple: crack cocaine, the key factor of a cause-and-effect relationship that breeds monsters and perversion. “Even the old people are getting evil,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of 20-year users in this neighborhood. They can’t stop and don’t want to stop. And their children are just as evil. It’s perversion like I’ve never seen. I know a lady who said her kids smoke crack with her boyfriend.”
Larry sighed and said regretfully, “That’s just the generation we’re coming to, and it’s getting worse. Someone can be hollering for help and neighbors just ignore it. They’re afraid. We can’t even depend on neighbors anymore. It’s hard to sleep at night. You might wake up any time with someone in your house looking for money or jewelry. People have turned in to fiends, monsters. You know, for Easter, kids used to get a new dress, hunt for eggs and candy. Kids don’t get nothing now. I’m a member of a church, but very few people come to church. But at Christmas, there’s hundreds. I’ve never lived where the whole neighborhood doesn’t want to come to church.”
EDITORIAL >> Ratepayers still shafted
Here is some shocking news: The state Public Service Commission says it lacks confidence that Arkansas homeowners will be spared having to help pay the electricity bills of people and industries in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. It wants some assurances from Entergy Arkansas, the subsidiary of Entergy Corp., that costs are not going to be shifted from those states to Arkansas.
If Entergy gives the regulators that assurance, we hope they get it in writing and require a bond.
Arkansas ratepayers have subsidized Mississippi and Louisiana to the tune of $3 billion over the past 20 years, and it seems likely that even bigger bills are on the way.
Arkansas lacked the political clout to prevent it two decades ago, when energy regulators for President Reagan and the federal courts said Arkansans had to help bear the electricity costs for their southern neighbors. The state is in an even worse predicament today.
Some foggy history is needed. Back in 1978, the young governor-elect, Bill Clinton, discovered that a document called the “system agreement” obligated the subsidiaries of the big electricity holding company Middle South (now Entergy) to share new capacity costs. Arkansas had spent hundreds of millions of dollars converting from oil and gas to nuclear and coal to generate electricity.
Arkansas ratepayers bore higher bills to pay for the conversion. By 1978, Mississippi and Louisiana were starting to build the hugely expensive nuclear plants, and Arkansas was expected to pay a big share of those expenses under the system agreement, although it ordinarily would not need any of the electricity that the plants — Grand Gulf in Mississippi and Waterford in Louisiana — would produce.
Under pressure from Gov. Clinton and later Gov. Frank White, the Arkansas subsidiary wiggled out of the agreement, but the Federal Energy Regulatory Com-mission under Reagan and then the federal courts put Arkansas back in. It was obligated through homeowner rates to pay 36 percent of the costs of new nuclear plants to the south of us.
More expensive plants are on their way as the Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas subsidiaries move away from expensive oil and gas generation.
Arkansas generation and capacity costs will now become much lower, and Louisiana is petitioning to have them equalized across the states by requiring higher payments from Arkansas. Entergy Arkansas announced six months ago that it was going to leave the system agreement no later than 2013. The Public Service Commission wants assurances that Arkansas ratepayers will be protected in the interim.
We can only hope that Entergy will do that, but how can it divine what federal regulators and federal courts will do?
Back in 1982, Gov. Frank White, Republican to the core, talked menacingly about having the state condemn the Arkansas electric utility and operate it as a public power company, like North Little Rock’s municipal utility, to avoid paying Louisiana’s bills.
Gov. Huckabee is not going to do that, we predict, but it might help if he threw his now inconsiderable weight around with the Republican administration in Washington as Bill Clinton was unable to do in the ’80s. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could give assurances that Entergy Arkansas cannot.
If Entergy gives the regulators that assurance, we hope they get it in writing and require a bond.
Arkansas ratepayers have subsidized Mississippi and Louisiana to the tune of $3 billion over the past 20 years, and it seems likely that even bigger bills are on the way.
Arkansas lacked the political clout to prevent it two decades ago, when energy regulators for President Reagan and the federal courts said Arkansans had to help bear the electricity costs for their southern neighbors. The state is in an even worse predicament today.
Some foggy history is needed. Back in 1978, the young governor-elect, Bill Clinton, discovered that a document called the “system agreement” obligated the subsidiaries of the big electricity holding company Middle South (now Entergy) to share new capacity costs. Arkansas had spent hundreds of millions of dollars converting from oil and gas to nuclear and coal to generate electricity.
Arkansas ratepayers bore higher bills to pay for the conversion. By 1978, Mississippi and Louisiana were starting to build the hugely expensive nuclear plants, and Arkansas was expected to pay a big share of those expenses under the system agreement, although it ordinarily would not need any of the electricity that the plants — Grand Gulf in Mississippi and Waterford in Louisiana — would produce.
Under pressure from Gov. Clinton and later Gov. Frank White, the Arkansas subsidiary wiggled out of the agreement, but the Federal Energy Regulatory Com-mission under Reagan and then the federal courts put Arkansas back in. It was obligated through homeowner rates to pay 36 percent of the costs of new nuclear plants to the south of us.
More expensive plants are on their way as the Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas subsidiaries move away from expensive oil and gas generation.
Arkansas generation and capacity costs will now become much lower, and Louisiana is petitioning to have them equalized across the states by requiring higher payments from Arkansas. Entergy Arkansas announced six months ago that it was going to leave the system agreement no later than 2013. The Public Service Commission wants assurances that Arkansas ratepayers will be protected in the interim.
We can only hope that Entergy will do that, but how can it divine what federal regulators and federal courts will do?
Back in 1982, Gov. Frank White, Republican to the core, talked menacingly about having the state condemn the Arkansas electric utility and operate it as a public power company, like North Little Rock’s municipal utility, to avoid paying Louisiana’s bills.
Gov. Huckabee is not going to do that, we predict, but it might help if he threw his now inconsiderable weight around with the Republican administration in Washington as Bill Clinton was unable to do in the ’80s. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could give assurances that Entergy Arkansas cannot.
NEIGHBORS >> Space Camp
BY SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Students at space camp learn about all forms of flight -- even those that end up in a tree.
Last week marked the 10th annual Junior Space Camp held at Southside Elementary in Cabot.
“They’ll keep coming back to Junior Space Camp as long as it’s offered,” said Joe Mullins, father of Justin, 9, and Presley, 7.
“I liked space camp because we made a vest, a helmet with a bunch of stickers and because we used Coke bottles and sacks,” Presley wrote in an essay about Junior Space Camp.
The weeklong camp offered either morning or afternoon sessions for about 40 kindergarten through fourth-grade students who used the opportunity to learn about planets, constellations, life in space and the history of flight through a variety of hands-on activities.
For example, while learning about how meteors and comets pick up space debris while traveling, students used scoops of ice to represent the comets and toppings such as candy sprinkles, marshmallows, cherries and nuts to represent forms of space debris.
“My favorite part of Junior Space Camp was when we made ice cream (meteors) out of nuts, cherries, syrup and marshmallows,” said Greer King, 7.
For other projects, students put together balsa-wood airplanes and made model rockets out of cardboard and empty plastic soda bottles.
“I made a vest out of a sack and Coke bottles. We pretended it was a space mobility unit,” wrote Spenser Mull, 8.
Garrett Pace, 8, and Joshua Bennett, 9, said their favorite project was making “moon mud” out of glue, water, Borax and food coloring. Jay King, nine-and-a-half, preferred making a star hanger. Star hangers are mobiles made out of straws, paper and paper clips.
“I was the first one to figure it out,” King said.
Bill Johnson and Jim Ault of Mid-Arkansas Radio Control Flyers and the Academy of Model Aeronautics talked to the children about model airplanes and the basics of how airplanes work while flying diesel and electric model airplanes behind the school. Johnson and Ault have been conducting the demonstration at Junior Space Camp for the past five years.
“We made new and extraordinary friends and helped people along the way,” said Victoria Glockzin, 8.
Cade Goreley, 9, wrote that he enjoyed learning about Planet X, a recently discovered planet beyond Pluto.
Members of the Cabot Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, led by Col. Bobby Coe, met with the students to discuss building functional model rockets. They followed the discussion with the launch of several model rockets.
“I like space camp because I like space and science,” said Kirk Woodward, 8. Although the focus of the camp is science the lessons involve all aspects of learning including math, literacy and creativity.
“I’m a big promoter of math and science for girls and I see more girls attending Junior Space Camp every year,” said organizer Terry Donham, a kindergarten teacher at Southside Elementary.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Students at space camp learn about all forms of flight -- even those that end up in a tree.
Last week marked the 10th annual Junior Space Camp held at Southside Elementary in Cabot.
“They’ll keep coming back to Junior Space Camp as long as it’s offered,” said Joe Mullins, father of Justin, 9, and Presley, 7.
“I liked space camp because we made a vest, a helmet with a bunch of stickers and because we used Coke bottles and sacks,” Presley wrote in an essay about Junior Space Camp.
The weeklong camp offered either morning or afternoon sessions for about 40 kindergarten through fourth-grade students who used the opportunity to learn about planets, constellations, life in space and the history of flight through a variety of hands-on activities.
For example, while learning about how meteors and comets pick up space debris while traveling, students used scoops of ice to represent the comets and toppings such as candy sprinkles, marshmallows, cherries and nuts to represent forms of space debris.
“My favorite part of Junior Space Camp was when we made ice cream (meteors) out of nuts, cherries, syrup and marshmallows,” said Greer King, 7.
For other projects, students put together balsa-wood airplanes and made model rockets out of cardboard and empty plastic soda bottles.
“I made a vest out of a sack and Coke bottles. We pretended it was a space mobility unit,” wrote Spenser Mull, 8.
Garrett Pace, 8, and Joshua Bennett, 9, said their favorite project was making “moon mud” out of glue, water, Borax and food coloring. Jay King, nine-and-a-half, preferred making a star hanger. Star hangers are mobiles made out of straws, paper and paper clips.
“I was the first one to figure it out,” King said.
Bill Johnson and Jim Ault of Mid-Arkansas Radio Control Flyers and the Academy of Model Aeronautics talked to the children about model airplanes and the basics of how airplanes work while flying diesel and electric model airplanes behind the school. Johnson and Ault have been conducting the demonstration at Junior Space Camp for the past five years.
“We made new and extraordinary friends and helped people along the way,” said Victoria Glockzin, 8.
Cade Goreley, 9, wrote that he enjoyed learning about Planet X, a recently discovered planet beyond Pluto.
Members of the Cabot Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, led by Col. Bobby Coe, met with the students to discuss building functional model rockets. They followed the discussion with the launch of several model rockets.
“I like space camp because I like space and science,” said Kirk Woodward, 8. Although the focus of the camp is science the lessons involve all aspects of learning including math, literacy and creativity.
“I’m a big promoter of math and science for girls and I see more girls attending Junior Space Camp every year,” said organizer Terry Donham, a kindergarten teacher at Southside Elementary.
OPINION >> Drafted Hogs should succeed
BY NATE ALLEN
Leader columnist
IN SHORT: Pitcher Daryle Maday and catcher Blake Parker have what it takes to make it as professional players.
FAYETTEVILLE – Don’t be shocked if pitcher Daryl Maday and catcher-third baseman Blake Parker fare well professionally after three years of up-and-down Razorback baseball careers.
The two Razorbacks were drafted as juniors in the recent Major League draft, Parker by the Cubs, and Maday by the Giants, and have already signed to report to rookie league teams.
Neither approached collegiate stardom, though Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn always believed Parker, so strong of arm and versatile that he could catch, play third and the outfield, had superstar potential. Van Horn and pitching coach Dave Jorn always believed Maday had one of the most lively arms of their pitchers on hand.
Maday began showing that lively arm to strong benefit late in the year, ironically not long after a fan at the monthly Swatter’s Club booster luncheon questioned Van Horn for ever pitching him with a game on the line
Fayetteville’s Parker was an enigma. A spring never started without Van Horn predicting greatness, but then Parker’s potential only getting glimpsed in flashes.
Possibly some of Parker’s problems stemmed from never getting to be more than a backup catcher. Catcher is his position of pro potential, but he usually got used elsewhere. Catcher Brady Toops in 2004 and Brian Walker in 2005 and 2006 simply were too good to be dislodged. Walker is a Razorback again for 2007 and not about to be budged from the backstop.
So the change of scenery with a real chance to catch could do wonders for Parker.
Maday and Parker could become just the latest testimony that the best college players don’t necessarily make the best pros but some collegians with modest college stats, do.
It happens in many sports.
Tim Sherrill is a classic example. A lefthanded pitcher from Harrison during the Norm DeBriyn era, Sherrill couldn’t crack the Razorbacks’ Southwest Conference rotation while lettering on great Arkansas teams in 1986 and ’87.
But Sherrill wound up pitching 18 National League games for St. Louis in 1990 and ‘91.
Among those elected to the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor are many of superb collegiate accomplishment who never got a whiff of the pros.
A MEMORABLE PRINCETON MOMENT
For this writer, the highlight of the NCAA Baseball Regional Arkansas hosted came during a Princeton postgame press conference.
Princeton coach Scott Bradley, whose two starting pitchers in defeat threw better than anyone else in victory, said, “Don’t think for a minute that because we’re Princeton and our kids are expected to go straight to Wall Street, that if they got the opportunity to play professional baseball they wouldn’t put that degree on hold for awhile.”
Ah, authentic Ivy League honesty.
Contrast that to the pseudo-Ivy League pretentious pap perpetrated by the NCAA. You know, those commercials of self-important, alleged student-athletes bragging how deep and complicated they are and that nearly all of them will turn pro in something other than sports.
Yeah, most will be turn pro in something other than sports, and that’s fine. They should.
But there’s that little backhand connotation in the commercial- hinting to cast a condescending air about those who do turn pro in sports. Funny, but those same schools that make up the NCAA sure relish those student-athletes become pro athletes as rich alums the institutions of higher learning beg to “give something back.”
Just another bit of hypocrisy from the organization hypocritically on the warpath against Indian tribal names for team nicknames on one hand, while with the other often legislating to make it more difficult for disadvantaged minorities to qualify.
Leader columnist
IN SHORT: Pitcher Daryle Maday and catcher Blake Parker have what it takes to make it as professional players.
FAYETTEVILLE – Don’t be shocked if pitcher Daryl Maday and catcher-third baseman Blake Parker fare well professionally after three years of up-and-down Razorback baseball careers.
The two Razorbacks were drafted as juniors in the recent Major League draft, Parker by the Cubs, and Maday by the Giants, and have already signed to report to rookie league teams.
Neither approached collegiate stardom, though Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn always believed Parker, so strong of arm and versatile that he could catch, play third and the outfield, had superstar potential. Van Horn and pitching coach Dave Jorn always believed Maday had one of the most lively arms of their pitchers on hand.
Maday began showing that lively arm to strong benefit late in the year, ironically not long after a fan at the monthly Swatter’s Club booster luncheon questioned Van Horn for ever pitching him with a game on the line
Fayetteville’s Parker was an enigma. A spring never started without Van Horn predicting greatness, but then Parker’s potential only getting glimpsed in flashes.
Possibly some of Parker’s problems stemmed from never getting to be more than a backup catcher. Catcher is his position of pro potential, but he usually got used elsewhere. Catcher Brady Toops in 2004 and Brian Walker in 2005 and 2006 simply were too good to be dislodged. Walker is a Razorback again for 2007 and not about to be budged from the backstop.
So the change of scenery with a real chance to catch could do wonders for Parker.
Maday and Parker could become just the latest testimony that the best college players don’t necessarily make the best pros but some collegians with modest college stats, do.
It happens in many sports.
Tim Sherrill is a classic example. A lefthanded pitcher from Harrison during the Norm DeBriyn era, Sherrill couldn’t crack the Razorbacks’ Southwest Conference rotation while lettering on great Arkansas teams in 1986 and ’87.
But Sherrill wound up pitching 18 National League games for St. Louis in 1990 and ‘91.
Among those elected to the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor are many of superb collegiate accomplishment who never got a whiff of the pros.
A MEMORABLE PRINCETON MOMENT
For this writer, the highlight of the NCAA Baseball Regional Arkansas hosted came during a Princeton postgame press conference.
Princeton coach Scott Bradley, whose two starting pitchers in defeat threw better than anyone else in victory, said, “Don’t think for a minute that because we’re Princeton and our kids are expected to go straight to Wall Street, that if they got the opportunity to play professional baseball they wouldn’t put that degree on hold for awhile.”
Ah, authentic Ivy League honesty.
Contrast that to the pseudo-Ivy League pretentious pap perpetrated by the NCAA. You know, those commercials of self-important, alleged student-athletes bragging how deep and complicated they are and that nearly all of them will turn pro in something other than sports.
Yeah, most will be turn pro in something other than sports, and that’s fine. They should.
But there’s that little backhand connotation in the commercial- hinting to cast a condescending air about those who do turn pro in sports. Funny, but those same schools that make up the NCAA sure relish those student-athletes become pro athletes as rich alums the institutions of higher learning beg to “give something back.”
Just another bit of hypocrisy from the organization hypocritically on the warpath against Indian tribal names for team nicknames on one hand, while with the other often legislating to make it more difficult for disadvantaged minorities to qualify.
SPORTS >> Piranhas growth expected to accelerate soon
BY RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
IN SHORT: The Cabot Piranhas are struggling with numbers, but the coming new pool should change that.
The Cabot Piranhas swim team, which competes in the Central Arkansas Swim League, has had decent start to the season so far. After two meets, the Piranhas are still searching for their first win, but have reasons to be hopeful. The Cabot team has yet to take its full team of about 100 swimmers to a meet, and sees lots of opportunity for point totals to increase when the whole team is together.
Cabot coach Debbie Skidmore is also pooling a team that now lacks a few of its top point-getters from a year ago.
“All the kids from the high school team went to Searcy,” Skidmore said. “They’re swimming up there in the USA league, which is a higher level of competition. They should really excel up there and improve a lot.”
Skidmore, who has been coaching the Piranhas since their inception nine years ago, now has something big to be excited about. The team is getting an official-size, indoor pool to practice and compete in once Cabot’s new community center is completed.
It’s something for which Skidmore and supporters of the Piranhas have lobbied for years, and it should be completed this November. That means the 2007 Piranhas will finally have a home pool.
“I’m just thrilled about it,” Skidmore said. “It should really help us grow a lot. Right now we don’t have the facilities to compete with the other teams in our league. That hurts us with our numbers. The largest teams in our league have close to 200 swimmers. Once we’re in the new facility, I believe we’ll start seeing participation numbers really pick up.”
This year, Cabot still has plenty of strong swimmers. Dylan and Megan Owens are a sibling duo that always scores high for the Piranhas. Michael Rakoski is one of the fastest swimmers on the team. He was missed in week one against Sherwood, but won every event in his division last week against Maumelle.
Faith Blair has been a top scorer for a few years for the Piranhas, she is now competing and scoring well in the 12-under girls division.
Vicki and Alice Lovellette are another pair of siblings that perform well each week for the team.
The Piranhas lost one third of their only trio of siblings when Jared Santiago, the oldest of three Santiago brothers, quit this year due to other commitments.
His younger brothers James and John still enjoy plenty of success each week.
Skidmore also mentioned some swimmers that have im-proved dramatically over the past year.
Twelve-under girls’ swimmer Emma Fulham has moved up into the silver division of most events, as has 10-year-old Frances Mc-Fadden.
“We really have a lot of kids that are moving right on up,” Skidmore said.
“One of the greatest things to see as a coach is the kids that didn’t just jump right out of the gate as fast swimmers really showing that improvement. We have some that are doing that now.”
Cabot will swim this Saturday against the Otter Creek Otters. The following week is an off week for the CASL teams.
Cabot will finally get to host its own meet on July 8 at the Jacksonville Community Center against Bryant.
Leader sports editor
IN SHORT: The Cabot Piranhas are struggling with numbers, but the coming new pool should change that.
The Cabot Piranhas swim team, which competes in the Central Arkansas Swim League, has had decent start to the season so far. After two meets, the Piranhas are still searching for their first win, but have reasons to be hopeful. The Cabot team has yet to take its full team of about 100 swimmers to a meet, and sees lots of opportunity for point totals to increase when the whole team is together.
Cabot coach Debbie Skidmore is also pooling a team that now lacks a few of its top point-getters from a year ago.
“All the kids from the high school team went to Searcy,” Skidmore said. “They’re swimming up there in the USA league, which is a higher level of competition. They should really excel up there and improve a lot.”
Skidmore, who has been coaching the Piranhas since their inception nine years ago, now has something big to be excited about. The team is getting an official-size, indoor pool to practice and compete in once Cabot’s new community center is completed.
It’s something for which Skidmore and supporters of the Piranhas have lobbied for years, and it should be completed this November. That means the 2007 Piranhas will finally have a home pool.
“I’m just thrilled about it,” Skidmore said. “It should really help us grow a lot. Right now we don’t have the facilities to compete with the other teams in our league. That hurts us with our numbers. The largest teams in our league have close to 200 swimmers. Once we’re in the new facility, I believe we’ll start seeing participation numbers really pick up.”
This year, Cabot still has plenty of strong swimmers. Dylan and Megan Owens are a sibling duo that always scores high for the Piranhas. Michael Rakoski is one of the fastest swimmers on the team. He was missed in week one against Sherwood, but won every event in his division last week against Maumelle.
Faith Blair has been a top scorer for a few years for the Piranhas, she is now competing and scoring well in the 12-under girls division.
Vicki and Alice Lovellette are another pair of siblings that perform well each week for the team.
The Piranhas lost one third of their only trio of siblings when Jared Santiago, the oldest of three Santiago brothers, quit this year due to other commitments.
His younger brothers James and John still enjoy plenty of success each week.
Skidmore also mentioned some swimmers that have im-proved dramatically over the past year.
Twelve-under girls’ swimmer Emma Fulham has moved up into the silver division of most events, as has 10-year-old Frances Mc-Fadden.
“We really have a lot of kids that are moving right on up,” Skidmore said.
“One of the greatest things to see as a coach is the kids that didn’t just jump right out of the gate as fast swimmers really showing that improvement. We have some that are doing that now.”
Cabot will swim this Saturday against the Otter Creek Otters. The following week is an off week for the CASL teams.
Cabot will finally get to host its own meet on July 8 at the Jacksonville Community Center against Bryant.
SPORTS >> Santiago’s more than swimmers to Cabot
BY JASON KING
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Jared, James and John Santiago are decorated swimmers for the Cabot Piranhas, but offer much more to their town.
The Santiago brothers of Cabot are a part of the fastest-growing sport in the area, competitive swimming. Two of the three brothers are currently members of the Cabot Piranhas Central Arakansas Swim League team, and also swim for the Little Rock Dolphins USA league team.
Oldest brother Jared, 16, swam for the Piranhas and Dolphins the last three years, but is currently on what he refers to as a ‘temporary retirement’. He took this summer off from swimming to seek employment, and to prepare for a hiking adventure in New Mexico later this summer.
The middle brother, James, 14, is the most accomplished of the talented trio. He has reached gold-level times in every category within his age group, and has put down times that are comparable to swimmers in higher age brackets.
The youngest, John, 11, is a gold-level swimmer in every category except for the butterfly, which he holds a silver time.
James and John have already taken part in two CASL meets for the Piranhas this summer, with strong results in the first meet, but less-than-satisfactory results in the last meet at Lonoke.
“This year has been going good, except for the last meet,” John said. “I think I just had an off day.”
“There were several good swimmers there; we knew they were going to give John a run for his money,” Jared added.
For the Santiagos, swimming is a big part of their lives, but doesn’t hold a candle to their interest in their community. They also participate in the Boy Scouts, and attend Cabot United Methodist Church. The brothers also take part in community cleanups in the area.
Jared is currently taking part in vacation Bible school in the mornings, while James and John are practicing hard for the Piranhas’ next meet. Among other hobbies, the boys enjoy role-playing video games and paintball.
Though well-rehearsed in the art of being kids, the boys are also tuned in to their futures. Jared has narrowed his college interests down to the University of Arkansas or Texas A & M, with an interest in dentistry.
James also wants to pursue the medical field as a pediatrician, and has his heart set on the possibility of becoming an Aggie as well.
Even young John has a sense of what he might want to do upon high school graduation. He says he would like to major in science and become a scientist.
All three have the grades to easily pursue those fields. Jared and James being members of the Honor Society at CHS.
For two teenage boys and one pre-teen, the Santiagos have a wonderful repose with each other. While most siblings fight for attention, and sometimes just to be fighting, the boys prefer to take light-hearted verbal jabs at each other. John catches the majority of the teasing being the youngest, but takes it all in stride with a big smile, and even the occasional comeback.
“He doesn’t have much of an option but to take it,” Jared said jokingly. “He’s the youngest, so he’s our main target.”
The Santiagos have lived in the Cabot area for 11 years now. Their father, Frank, is retired from the Air Force. Their mom, Melissa, is a pharmacist at the V.A. in Little Rock. Frank relocated the family to Cabot from Virginia, after a brief stay in Arkansas before that.
Among reasons that swimming has been beneficial to them, Jared lists discipline and focus. James says he likes it for its strength building, and because “it’s just fun to win.” John says he likes swimming with his friends from school, and meeting new friends from other schools at the swim meets.
Debbie Skidmore has been coach of the Santiagos since they joined up with the Piranhas. Skidmore spoke highly of the boys’ work ethic, and love of the sport.
“I’ve seen them have a passion for swimming,” Skidmore said. “They are very good at keeping their focus, you never have to tell them anything twice. They have that inner drive, and they know what is expected of them.”
The boys’ mottos sum up their feelings about swimming and their desire for improvement. John says, “Hard work always pays off,” and James’ creedo is: “Even if you win, try harder next time.”
If you attend a Central Arkansas Swim League meet this summer, chances are there will be a Santiago brother there, waiting for their turn to dive into the lane and compete.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Jared, James and John Santiago are decorated swimmers for the Cabot Piranhas, but offer much more to their town.
The Santiago brothers of Cabot are a part of the fastest-growing sport in the area, competitive swimming. Two of the three brothers are currently members of the Cabot Piranhas Central Arakansas Swim League team, and also swim for the Little Rock Dolphins USA league team.
Oldest brother Jared, 16, swam for the Piranhas and Dolphins the last three years, but is currently on what he refers to as a ‘temporary retirement’. He took this summer off from swimming to seek employment, and to prepare for a hiking adventure in New Mexico later this summer.
The middle brother, James, 14, is the most accomplished of the talented trio. He has reached gold-level times in every category within his age group, and has put down times that are comparable to swimmers in higher age brackets.
The youngest, John, 11, is a gold-level swimmer in every category except for the butterfly, which he holds a silver time.
James and John have already taken part in two CASL meets for the Piranhas this summer, with strong results in the first meet, but less-than-satisfactory results in the last meet at Lonoke.
“This year has been going good, except for the last meet,” John said. “I think I just had an off day.”
“There were several good swimmers there; we knew they were going to give John a run for his money,” Jared added.
For the Santiagos, swimming is a big part of their lives, but doesn’t hold a candle to their interest in their community. They also participate in the Boy Scouts, and attend Cabot United Methodist Church. The brothers also take part in community cleanups in the area.
Jared is currently taking part in vacation Bible school in the mornings, while James and John are practicing hard for the Piranhas’ next meet. Among other hobbies, the boys enjoy role-playing video games and paintball.
Though well-rehearsed in the art of being kids, the boys are also tuned in to their futures. Jared has narrowed his college interests down to the University of Arkansas or Texas A & M, with an interest in dentistry.
James also wants to pursue the medical field as a pediatrician, and has his heart set on the possibility of becoming an Aggie as well.
Even young John has a sense of what he might want to do upon high school graduation. He says he would like to major in science and become a scientist.
All three have the grades to easily pursue those fields. Jared and James being members of the Honor Society at CHS.
For two teenage boys and one pre-teen, the Santiagos have a wonderful repose with each other. While most siblings fight for attention, and sometimes just to be fighting, the boys prefer to take light-hearted verbal jabs at each other. John catches the majority of the teasing being the youngest, but takes it all in stride with a big smile, and even the occasional comeback.
“He doesn’t have much of an option but to take it,” Jared said jokingly. “He’s the youngest, so he’s our main target.”
The Santiagos have lived in the Cabot area for 11 years now. Their father, Frank, is retired from the Air Force. Their mom, Melissa, is a pharmacist at the V.A. in Little Rock. Frank relocated the family to Cabot from Virginia, after a brief stay in Arkansas before that.
Among reasons that swimming has been beneficial to them, Jared lists discipline and focus. James says he likes it for its strength building, and because “it’s just fun to win.” John says he likes swimming with his friends from school, and meeting new friends from other schools at the swim meets.
Debbie Skidmore has been coach of the Santiagos since they joined up with the Piranhas. Skidmore spoke highly of the boys’ work ethic, and love of the sport.
“I’ve seen them have a passion for swimming,” Skidmore said. “They are very good at keeping their focus, you never have to tell them anything twice. They have that inner drive, and they know what is expected of them.”
The boys’ mottos sum up their feelings about swimming and their desire for improvement. John says, “Hard work always pays off,” and James’ creedo is: “Even if you win, try harder next time.”
If you attend a Central Arkansas Swim League meet this summer, chances are there will be a Santiago brother there, waiting for their turn to dive into the lane and compete.
SPORTS >> Bruins split at Twin Lakes
BY RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
IN SHORT: The Sylvan Hills AAA team split two games in Mountain Home over the weekend in the Brooks Robinson Twin Lakes Classic.
The Sylvan Hills Bruins AAA team won one, lost one and had one rained out over the weekend in the Brooks Robinson Twin Lakes Classic in Mountain Home.
Sylvan Hills opened the tournament by suffering a 10-2 loss to Eureka, Missouri, but bounced back by trouncing Pontotoc, Miss., 13-5 in the second game of pool play.
A win in its third game would have moved Sylvan Hills into bracket play, but the game was rained out and the Bruins lost out on the tiebreaker rule.
“The first tiebreaker was runs allowed, and we gave up too many runs in that first game,” Sylvan Hills coach Mike Bromley said. “That’s been a problem all year. We’re hitting really well, but we’re not loaded down with pitching and we’ve been making too many errors.”
In the second game, the Bruins came out of the gates on fire, scoring four runs on five hits in the first inning. They added to that lead with some power in the second inning. Taylor Roark hit a solo home run with no outs. A few batters later, Jarrett Boles mashed a grand slam to give the Bruins a 9-0 lead after just two innings.
Sylvan Hills pitcher Carter Lance kept Pontotoc off balance most of the game, but hiccupped in the third inning and gave up five runs.
Three were earned as the north Mississippi team picked up four singles, a double and walked twice in the inning. There was also an error with two outs that one single and the double followed to give the visitors two extra runs.
Despite the big inning for Pontotoc, the game was still destined to end on the run rule.
Sylvan Hills scored four more runs in the bottom of the third to push the lead back to the run-rule limit of eight runs.
Lance aided his own cause with a two-run home run in that inning, and Sylvan Hills led 13-5.
Lance steadied himself in the fourth and fifth innings. The Bruins failed to score in the fourth, and didn’t have to bat in the bottom of the fifth due to the eight-run lead after five innings.
Lance gave up eight hits in the game, but threw a three hitter over the other four innings. He walked three and struck out eight Pontotoc batters.
Roark and Boles led the way at the plate, each picking up three hits and one home run.
Boles racked up five RBIs in the game. Tony Pavan also added two hits for the Bruins, who totaled 13 hits in the game.
The weekend’s totals left the Bruins with an 18-5 record. They hosted North Little Rock last night after Leader deadlines.
On Thursday, they will begin play in the Sheridan Wooden Bat Classic that runs through the weekend.
The Sylvan Hills A team will also be in action this week. They also faced North Little Rock last night, and will travel to Benton tonight and to Heber Springs on Thursday. They will close the week with a doubleheader at Hot Springs Saturday.
The Bryant Black Sox won the Brooks Robinson tournament, winning 13-2 in the final game.
Leader sports editor
IN SHORT: The Sylvan Hills AAA team split two games in Mountain Home over the weekend in the Brooks Robinson Twin Lakes Classic.
The Sylvan Hills Bruins AAA team won one, lost one and had one rained out over the weekend in the Brooks Robinson Twin Lakes Classic in Mountain Home.
Sylvan Hills opened the tournament by suffering a 10-2 loss to Eureka, Missouri, but bounced back by trouncing Pontotoc, Miss., 13-5 in the second game of pool play.
A win in its third game would have moved Sylvan Hills into bracket play, but the game was rained out and the Bruins lost out on the tiebreaker rule.
“The first tiebreaker was runs allowed, and we gave up too many runs in that first game,” Sylvan Hills coach Mike Bromley said. “That’s been a problem all year. We’re hitting really well, but we’re not loaded down with pitching and we’ve been making too many errors.”
In the second game, the Bruins came out of the gates on fire, scoring four runs on five hits in the first inning. They added to that lead with some power in the second inning. Taylor Roark hit a solo home run with no outs. A few batters later, Jarrett Boles mashed a grand slam to give the Bruins a 9-0 lead after just two innings.
Sylvan Hills pitcher Carter Lance kept Pontotoc off balance most of the game, but hiccupped in the third inning and gave up five runs.
Three were earned as the north Mississippi team picked up four singles, a double and walked twice in the inning. There was also an error with two outs that one single and the double followed to give the visitors two extra runs.
Despite the big inning for Pontotoc, the game was still destined to end on the run rule.
Sylvan Hills scored four more runs in the bottom of the third to push the lead back to the run-rule limit of eight runs.
Lance aided his own cause with a two-run home run in that inning, and Sylvan Hills led 13-5.
Lance steadied himself in the fourth and fifth innings. The Bruins failed to score in the fourth, and didn’t have to bat in the bottom of the fifth due to the eight-run lead after five innings.
Lance gave up eight hits in the game, but threw a three hitter over the other four innings. He walked three and struck out eight Pontotoc batters.
Roark and Boles led the way at the plate, each picking up three hits and one home run.
Boles racked up five RBIs in the game. Tony Pavan also added two hits for the Bruins, who totaled 13 hits in the game.
The weekend’s totals left the Bruins with an 18-5 record. They hosted North Little Rock last night after Leader deadlines.
On Thursday, they will begin play in the Sheridan Wooden Bat Classic that runs through the weekend.
The Sylvan Hills A team will also be in action this week. They also faced North Little Rock last night, and will travel to Benton tonight and to Heber Springs on Thursday. They will close the week with a doubleheader at Hot Springs Saturday.
The Bryant Black Sox won the Brooks Robinson tournament, winning 13-2 in the final game.
Friday, June 16, 2006
TOP STORY>> Veteran alderman dead at 70
By Rick Kron
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Robert Lewis, losing a battle with cancer, served on the Jacksonville City Council for 22 years and had just filed to run again.
Jacksonville Alderman Robert Lewis, 70, died Tuesday morning after a long battle with cancer.
To many, his death was a surprise as Lewis, who had ups and downs in his fight for life, felt well enough to file about two weeks ago for another term on the city council.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Griffin-Leggett Rest Hills Memorial Park on Landers Road. His funeral will be 10 a.m. Thursday at McArthur Assembly of God.
Alderman Terry Sansing, who represented Ward 2, along with Lewis called him “statesmanlike.”
“We knew he was sick, but kept expecting him to get better. News of his death was a shock,” Sansing said. He called Lewis a very dignified man. “He was deliberate and level headed. He didn’t seek the limelight and when he spoke on the council, we all listened.”
Lewis was first elected to the city council in November 1982, taking the oath of office in January 1983 and served until his death—22 years and 6 months.
When Lewis was elected, he was Jacksonville’s first black alderman. He said issues facing Jacksonville never were black versus white issues. “Our government has been very cooperative across the board,” he said in a recent interview, “No heated black or white issues.”
“It’s been a great loss for us,” said Mayor Tommy Swaim. “Lewis was very conscientious and hard-working.”
In 2002 when the mayor broke the news to the council that Lewis was undergoing treatment for lung cancer, prayers were with him. Lewis said then that “the doctors don’t know the origin of the cancer, but are positive. I’m looking at the positive side. The good master is on my side.”
“He was a wonderful man and served the city well,” said Fredrick Gentry, a former Jacksonville alderman.
“I learned a lot from him when I ran against him in 1996.”
When Lewis, a Louisiana native, retired as a technical sergeant from the Air Force in 1975, he and his wife liked Jacksonville so well they decided to stay. “I enjoyed it while I was there,” he said of Air Force life, “but I don’t miss it.”
By 1986, he had discovered some problems with his adopted hometown, issues like streets, drainage and sidewalks. He ran for city council and was elected.
While issues have come and gone, streets, drainage and sidewalks continued to be concerns that stayed with Lewis.
“We put a lot of sidewalks around the city in school areas,” Lewis said. “It takes the walkers out of the streets. Drainage problems — water backing up into people’s homes — are pretty well taken care of by now,” he said when he ran for reelection in 2002. But he always pushed for the city to do more in those areas.
Fighting crime and pushing education were also important to Lewis and his wife, the former Lendy M. Neal. Lewis and his wife were married for 48 years. They raised six of their own children, including a daughter, who was raped and murdered about 15 years ago. They adopted her two young children and raised them also.
Lewis said that raising his grandchildren gave him an appreciation of the issues facing youngsters and their parents.
“It gives you insight and keeps you abreast of things needed in the city,” said Lewis.
Lewis also spent several years as assistant pastor of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church.
Lewis is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He also worked as a substitute teacher and a full-time para-educator at several Jacksonville schools.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Robert Lewis, losing a battle with cancer, served on the Jacksonville City Council for 22 years and had just filed to run again.
Jacksonville Alderman Robert Lewis, 70, died Tuesday morning after a long battle with cancer.
To many, his death was a surprise as Lewis, who had ups and downs in his fight for life, felt well enough to file about two weeks ago for another term on the city council.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Griffin-Leggett Rest Hills Memorial Park on Landers Road. His funeral will be 10 a.m. Thursday at McArthur Assembly of God.
Alderman Terry Sansing, who represented Ward 2, along with Lewis called him “statesmanlike.”
“We knew he was sick, but kept expecting him to get better. News of his death was a shock,” Sansing said. He called Lewis a very dignified man. “He was deliberate and level headed. He didn’t seek the limelight and when he spoke on the council, we all listened.”
Lewis was first elected to the city council in November 1982, taking the oath of office in January 1983 and served until his death—22 years and 6 months.
When Lewis was elected, he was Jacksonville’s first black alderman. He said issues facing Jacksonville never were black versus white issues. “Our government has been very cooperative across the board,” he said in a recent interview, “No heated black or white issues.”
“It’s been a great loss for us,” said Mayor Tommy Swaim. “Lewis was very conscientious and hard-working.”
In 2002 when the mayor broke the news to the council that Lewis was undergoing treatment for lung cancer, prayers were with him. Lewis said then that “the doctors don’t know the origin of the cancer, but are positive. I’m looking at the positive side. The good master is on my side.”
“He was a wonderful man and served the city well,” said Fredrick Gentry, a former Jacksonville alderman.
“I learned a lot from him when I ran against him in 1996.”
When Lewis, a Louisiana native, retired as a technical sergeant from the Air Force in 1975, he and his wife liked Jacksonville so well they decided to stay. “I enjoyed it while I was there,” he said of Air Force life, “but I don’t miss it.”
By 1986, he had discovered some problems with his adopted hometown, issues like streets, drainage and sidewalks. He ran for city council and was elected.
While issues have come and gone, streets, drainage and sidewalks continued to be concerns that stayed with Lewis.
“We put a lot of sidewalks around the city in school areas,” Lewis said. “It takes the walkers out of the streets. Drainage problems — water backing up into people’s homes — are pretty well taken care of by now,” he said when he ran for reelection in 2002. But he always pushed for the city to do more in those areas.
Fighting crime and pushing education were also important to Lewis and his wife, the former Lendy M. Neal. Lewis and his wife were married for 48 years. They raised six of their own children, including a daughter, who was raped and murdered about 15 years ago. They adopted her two young children and raised them also.
Lewis said that raising his grandchildren gave him an appreciation of the issues facing youngsters and their parents.
“It gives you insight and keeps you abreast of things needed in the city,” said Lewis.
Lewis also spent several years as assistant pastor of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church.
Lewis is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He also worked as a substitute teacher and a full-time para-educator at several Jacksonville schools.
TOP STORY>> PCSSD silent on possible pupil abuse
By John Hofheimer
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: The PCSSD refuses to comment on allegations that a Jacksonville band teacher choked and hit a young boy in his class and has acted inappropriately with young students in the past.
Is the Pulaski County Special School District covering up for a teacher alleged to have have struck and choked an 11-year-old boy student in March—a teacher who has kept his job despite allegations previously of inappropriate behavior with young female students?
Donna Easter says band instructor Mark Bailey choked her son and hit him in the chest on March 20 and the following day, her husband filed a report with the Jacksonville Police Department.
But neither the school principal nor the PCSSD officials would confirm that the incident occurred, had been investigated or whether or not the Bailey had been disciplined—or even if he was still employed by the district.
“If we did have something with Mr. Bailey, that would be a personnel issue and I wouldn’t be at liberty to confirm or deny that,” said Rhonda Harnish, director of certified personnel, Thursday afternoon.
She would neither confirm nor deny that Bailey had been disciplined, that such an attack had been reported to the school or even whether there had been an investigation or hearing.
Neither would Jacksonville Boys Middle School Principal Mike Nellums discuss the matter. Asked if he knew of the alleged attack and reports that Bailey had been placed on leave with pay as a result, Nellums said, “I can neither confirm nor deny those reports.”
He confirmed that he did have two band teachers, Eddie Paul and Mark Bailey. He said Eddie Paul would return next year, but would neither confirm nor deny that Bailey had been transferred or fired. No one answered the phone at a number listed for Mark Bailey in Vilonia Friday afternoon.
Another mother, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Bailey should have been “run out of the district and the profession a long time ago” for inappropriate behavior with young girl students.
Two years ago, she said, her daughter and two other young girls went into Bailey’s classroom to get some candy from his desk. “He got one of the little girls and placed her head in his crotch,” according to the mother. Bailey also used to tickle her daughter, she said.
The woman met for two hours, she said, with the principal and vice principal and with Bailey, who “wouldn’t say whether he had ever been accused of inappropriate be-havior previously.”
All that came out of that meeting was a new “no-touching, no hugging policy,” said the mother. No discipline. “In my opinion, the girls were being sexually harassed,” she said.
She added that the Jacksonville police wouldn’t follow up because it “was not sexual,” and that SCAN wouldn’t get involved because there was no police investigation.
“He does not belong in the classroom,” she insisted.
She said recent talk in the community about Bailey’s most recent alleged abuse—hitting the boy—has reminded people of the earlier allegations. According to the March 21 report filed with the Jacksonville Police Department by the boy’s guardian, Carl Easter, Bailey told the boy to sit down, grabbed him in the throat and hit him in the chest.
Donna Easter put it like this: “He choked my son, slammed him in a chair and popped him in the chest.”
“I don’t know why the teacher did him like that. He hasn’t had any other problems. He’s 11 and real small for his age.”
Easter said the Jacksonville police never investigated and the State Police apparently found insufficient basis for charges.
The officer taking the report noted no injuries.
A Jacksonville police spokesman said the report had been turned over to detectives, who had forwarded it to John Huggins, the local prosecutor. Huggins was in court Friday afternoon, but his boss, Pulaski County Prosecutor Larry Jegley, said he wasn’t aware of any report forwarded to his office.
“Nobody cares,” Donna Easter said. If there was a hearing or investigation—and school officials won’t say—no one let Easter or her son know, she said. She added that PCSSD Superintendent James Sharpe didn’t return her call.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: The PCSSD refuses to comment on allegations that a Jacksonville band teacher choked and hit a young boy in his class and has acted inappropriately with young students in the past.
Is the Pulaski County Special School District covering up for a teacher alleged to have have struck and choked an 11-year-old boy student in March—a teacher who has kept his job despite allegations previously of inappropriate behavior with young female students?
Donna Easter says band instructor Mark Bailey choked her son and hit him in the chest on March 20 and the following day, her husband filed a report with the Jacksonville Police Department.
But neither the school principal nor the PCSSD officials would confirm that the incident occurred, had been investigated or whether or not the Bailey had been disciplined—or even if he was still employed by the district.
“If we did have something with Mr. Bailey, that would be a personnel issue and I wouldn’t be at liberty to confirm or deny that,” said Rhonda Harnish, director of certified personnel, Thursday afternoon.
She would neither confirm nor deny that Bailey had been disciplined, that such an attack had been reported to the school or even whether there had been an investigation or hearing.
Neither would Jacksonville Boys Middle School Principal Mike Nellums discuss the matter. Asked if he knew of the alleged attack and reports that Bailey had been placed on leave with pay as a result, Nellums said, “I can neither confirm nor deny those reports.”
He confirmed that he did have two band teachers, Eddie Paul and Mark Bailey. He said Eddie Paul would return next year, but would neither confirm nor deny that Bailey had been transferred or fired. No one answered the phone at a number listed for Mark Bailey in Vilonia Friday afternoon.
Another mother, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Bailey should have been “run out of the district and the profession a long time ago” for inappropriate behavior with young girl students.
Two years ago, she said, her daughter and two other young girls went into Bailey’s classroom to get some candy from his desk. “He got one of the little girls and placed her head in his crotch,” according to the mother. Bailey also used to tickle her daughter, she said.
The woman met for two hours, she said, with the principal and vice principal and with Bailey, who “wouldn’t say whether he had ever been accused of inappropriate be-havior previously.”
All that came out of that meeting was a new “no-touching, no hugging policy,” said the mother. No discipline. “In my opinion, the girls were being sexually harassed,” she said.
She added that the Jacksonville police wouldn’t follow up because it “was not sexual,” and that SCAN wouldn’t get involved because there was no police investigation.
“He does not belong in the classroom,” she insisted.
She said recent talk in the community about Bailey’s most recent alleged abuse—hitting the boy—has reminded people of the earlier allegations. According to the March 21 report filed with the Jacksonville Police Department by the boy’s guardian, Carl Easter, Bailey told the boy to sit down, grabbed him in the throat and hit him in the chest.
Donna Easter put it like this: “He choked my son, slammed him in a chair and popped him in the chest.”
“I don’t know why the teacher did him like that. He hasn’t had any other problems. He’s 11 and real small for his age.”
Easter said the Jacksonville police never investigated and the State Police apparently found insufficient basis for charges.
The officer taking the report noted no injuries.
A Jacksonville police spokesman said the report had been turned over to detectives, who had forwarded it to John Huggins, the local prosecutor. Huggins was in court Friday afternoon, but his boss, Pulaski County Prosecutor Larry Jegley, said he wasn’t aware of any report forwarded to his office.
“Nobody cares,” Donna Easter said. If there was a hearing or investigation—and school officials won’t say—no one let Easter or her son know, she said. She added that PCSSD Superintendent James Sharpe didn’t return her call.
TOP STORY>> Cabot, county in deal
By Joan McCoy
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Lonoke County will help replace some of the city’s old bridges in exchange for help with road building.
An ordinance on hold since March to allow the county to replace seven worn, narrow bridges on First Street that lead to a ballpark in Cabot in exchange for the city helping the county build two roads that could help with traffic congestion in the city will go before the council again Monday. But this time Alderman Odis Waymack, one of its sponsors, believes he has the answer to one of the questions that has been holding up passage: Will the round culverts County Judge Charlie Troutman plans to use be large enough?
The answer, a qualified “yes,” came from an engineering that is costing Waymack $2,300.
The ordinance that the council could finally vote on Monday night says the county will charge the city $75,000 to replace the bridges with culverts, and the city will contribute $400,000 toward the construction of two roads.
One of those roads was started last fall. It will join Highway 5 to Hwy. 89 West and will provide a route to the new Wal-Mart without fighting downtown traffic, but it will likely not be completed this year without help from the city.
The city had planned to spend $750,000 to replace the narrow bridges with box culverts that would allow the street to be widened into a main artery when funds become available later. Trout-man’s man wouldn’t allow for future widening of the road, which has been a sticking point for Alderman David Polantz, who has said the city must start planning better for the future.
According to a water flow study conducted by Adam Whitlow, Troutman’s plans for five of the seven bridges are adequate for the water that would flow through them. The sixth bridge would need to be replaced with four-foot culverts instead of three-foot.
But plans for the seventh, the one closest to the downtown area, are inadequate. That bridge would need to be replaced with either six, four-foot round culverts or two, four-foot by seven-foot box culverts.
Whitlow based his findings on a drainage study that had already been completed by the city.
That study is at the center of a freedom of information controversy between Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh and Alderman Waymack.
Waymack was turned away for Cabot Public Works when he asked for the drainage study. Employees said he had to go through the mayor to get it. Waymack refused to call the mayor about it and filed a lawsuit instead.
Stumbaugh says no law was violated because Waymack never said he was requesting the study under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. And if he wasn’t re-questing it under the FOIA, then it was a simple request for information that should have been made of the mayor, and not city employees, who have too much work to do to be bothered by council members. The case has not been heard by a judge.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Lonoke County will help replace some of the city’s old bridges in exchange for help with road building.
An ordinance on hold since March to allow the county to replace seven worn, narrow bridges on First Street that lead to a ballpark in Cabot in exchange for the city helping the county build two roads that could help with traffic congestion in the city will go before the council again Monday. But this time Alderman Odis Waymack, one of its sponsors, believes he has the answer to one of the questions that has been holding up passage: Will the round culverts County Judge Charlie Troutman plans to use be large enough?
The answer, a qualified “yes,” came from an engineering that is costing Waymack $2,300.
The ordinance that the council could finally vote on Monday night says the county will charge the city $75,000 to replace the bridges with culverts, and the city will contribute $400,000 toward the construction of two roads.
One of those roads was started last fall. It will join Highway 5 to Hwy. 89 West and will provide a route to the new Wal-Mart without fighting downtown traffic, but it will likely not be completed this year without help from the city.
The city had planned to spend $750,000 to replace the narrow bridges with box culverts that would allow the street to be widened into a main artery when funds become available later. Trout-man’s man wouldn’t allow for future widening of the road, which has been a sticking point for Alderman David Polantz, who has said the city must start planning better for the future.
According to a water flow study conducted by Adam Whitlow, Troutman’s plans for five of the seven bridges are adequate for the water that would flow through them. The sixth bridge would need to be replaced with four-foot culverts instead of three-foot.
But plans for the seventh, the one closest to the downtown area, are inadequate. That bridge would need to be replaced with either six, four-foot round culverts or two, four-foot by seven-foot box culverts.
Whitlow based his findings on a drainage study that had already been completed by the city.
That study is at the center of a freedom of information controversy between Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh and Alderman Waymack.
Waymack was turned away for Cabot Public Works when he asked for the drainage study. Employees said he had to go through the mayor to get it. Waymack refused to call the mayor about it and filed a lawsuit instead.
Stumbaugh says no law was violated because Waymack never said he was requesting the study under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. And if he wasn’t re-questing it under the FOIA, then it was a simple request for information that should have been made of the mayor, and not city employees, who have too much work to do to be bothered by council members. The case has not been heard by a judge.
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