By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
Pulaski County Special School District officials, told previously that the district’s fiscal-distress designation disqualified it from transitional facilities repair funds, learned Monday that the state had conditionally approved reimbursements totaling about $264,000.
That includes $217,000 toward construction of a new gymnasium for Robinson Middle School in west Little Rock.
“I’m grinning ear to ear,” James Warren, assistant superintendent for support services, said Tuesday.
“It was the best news I ever had, the best birthday present I could have gotten,” said Warren, who turned 55 Monday.
Cabot and Springdale were the big winners among the state’s districts. Cabot was conditionally approved for $3.4 million in reimbursements, Beebe for $1.4 million and Lonoke for $484,000.
The balance of the money conditionally earmarked for PCSSD was for roof replacements at Jacksonville Elementary, Cato Elementary School, Lawson Elementary in Little Rock, the Oak Grove High School band building and Mills High School in Little Rock.
Because of the district’s relatively high wealth index, those reimbursements represent only 18 percent of the cost of the projects.
Warren, who said he had been criticized for repairing the roofs without assurance of any reimbursement because of fiscal-distress sanctions against the district, said he gambled and won.
Education Department spokes-man Julie Thompson first said Tuesday that PCSSD was excluded because it was on fiscal distress, then backtracked, saying that the state’s Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation Com-mission must have agreed to help fund those projects because the state had accepted the district’s improvement plan.
The commission Monday conditionally approved $86 million for building projects, money divided among 210 projects.
CABOT
The $3.4 million earmarked for Cabot includes $1 million to add 21 new elementary-school classrooms, $1.9 million to add on to the high school and $366,639 to switch to high-efficiency lighting throughout the district.
The additional elementary school classrooms are at Magness Creek and Ward Central elementary schools, according to Cabot Superintendent Frank Holman.
He said the district had applied for partial reimbursement of about $4 million on the $6.8 million worth of improvements.
BEEBE
The commission has conditionally agreed to reimburse the Beebe School District about $1.4 million for three projects.
“We had four projects ap-proved,” said Superintendent Be-linda Shook. “Three already are completed, and one is due for completion early this summer.”
The state will reimburse Beebe 63 percent of approved costs.
The three completed jobs in-clude a renovation at the McRae Middle School, turning a vocational building into classrooms, computer labs and a library, Shook said.
“We also totally renovated our elementary building, wiring, whole inside, new cabinets and flooring,” she said. “It’s like a new building. And we renovated an old maintenance building into a high school physical-education building that doubles as a shuttle bus drop off.”
Next summer, the district should complete adding classrooms and a computer and choir room to its ninth- and 10th-grade high school building, Shook said.
LONOKE
Lonoke Assistant Superinten-dent John Tackett said Tuesday he hadn’t been told how much the district would receive in transitional funds, but the commission conditionally awarded Lonoke $484,011 toward its new middle school, according to the table of reimbursements.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
TOP STORY >> Lab seizures decline in 2005
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
Detectives with the White County Sheriff’s Department say they see changing trends in the production of methamphetamine, but not necessarily a reduction in use.
The highly addictive, illegal drug was not produced as much in White County last year as in years past. It was replaced with “ice,” a purer form of the drug, brought in from Mexico and California by Hispanics, they say.
But already since the first of the year, sheriff’s deputies have made half as many meth-lab busts as they did in all of 2005, an indication that production is on the rise in the county again but not on the scale that it was before, the detectives say. Instead of cooking to sell, drug users appear to be cooking at home for their own use.
And that, they say, could cause even more problems, since making the drug is a dangerous activity even for experienced cooks.
The number of meth-lab busts was down in the county from 41 in 2004 to nine in 2005, according to statistics released this month.
Capt. John Slater and Lt. Greg Williams attribute the decline to a new state law that took over-the-counter cold medicines used in the manufacture of methamphetamine off the shelves of grocery and discount stores.
Now customers have to sign at a pharmacy desk for the medicine.
Meth cooks and dealers are forced to drive from pharmacy to pharmacy to buy their two-box limits.
Some clerks and pharmacists have become wary of carloads of out-of-towners in search of cold and allergy medicine and have started refusing service or even alerting law enforcement agencies, said Slater, spokesman for the sheriff’s department.
But some sell the limit to anyone with the required picture ID.
Fred’s Pharmacy in Beebe was broken into twice in 2005 and both times the thieves cleaned out the stores supply of the former over-the-counter medicine.
White County Sheriff Pat Garrett admits that his department has not been as successful as he would like in apprehending the Hispanic drug dealers who are bringing ice to the county.
“We’re catching some but not as many as we’d like,” the sheriff said.
But Williams said informants tell him that while ice is still a problem some dealers are becoming fearful of being arrested.
So he believes small home meth labs will make up for any decline in the imported drug.
Garrett says county residents need to know what to look for if they suspect a neighbor or family member is cooking meth for sale or use. Pay attention to any unusual odors such as ammonia or ether, he said. A large number of matches also is significant especially if the strikers are missing, because that is the part used in meth production.
“There will be plenty of matches, but there won’t be a striker plate on the back of any of them,” he said.
Also take note of Red Devil lye in large quantities, Coleman camping fuel and plastic hose, he said, adding none of the items, including the cold pills, are illegal, but together they are a meth lab.
Leader staff writer
Detectives with the White County Sheriff’s Department say they see changing trends in the production of methamphetamine, but not necessarily a reduction in use.
The highly addictive, illegal drug was not produced as much in White County last year as in years past. It was replaced with “ice,” a purer form of the drug, brought in from Mexico and California by Hispanics, they say.
But already since the first of the year, sheriff’s deputies have made half as many meth-lab busts as they did in all of 2005, an indication that production is on the rise in the county again but not on the scale that it was before, the detectives say. Instead of cooking to sell, drug users appear to be cooking at home for their own use.
And that, they say, could cause even more problems, since making the drug is a dangerous activity even for experienced cooks.
The number of meth-lab busts was down in the county from 41 in 2004 to nine in 2005, according to statistics released this month.
Capt. John Slater and Lt. Greg Williams attribute the decline to a new state law that took over-the-counter cold medicines used in the manufacture of methamphetamine off the shelves of grocery and discount stores.
Now customers have to sign at a pharmacy desk for the medicine.
Meth cooks and dealers are forced to drive from pharmacy to pharmacy to buy their two-box limits.
Some clerks and pharmacists have become wary of carloads of out-of-towners in search of cold and allergy medicine and have started refusing service or even alerting law enforcement agencies, said Slater, spokesman for the sheriff’s department.
But some sell the limit to anyone with the required picture ID.
Fred’s Pharmacy in Beebe was broken into twice in 2005 and both times the thieves cleaned out the stores supply of the former over-the-counter medicine.
White County Sheriff Pat Garrett admits that his department has not been as successful as he would like in apprehending the Hispanic drug dealers who are bringing ice to the county.
“We’re catching some but not as many as we’d like,” the sheriff said.
But Williams said informants tell him that while ice is still a problem some dealers are becoming fearful of being arrested.
So he believes small home meth labs will make up for any decline in the imported drug.
Garrett says county residents need to know what to look for if they suspect a neighbor or family member is cooking meth for sale or use. Pay attention to any unusual odors such as ammonia or ether, he said. A large number of matches also is significant especially if the strikers are missing, because that is the part used in meth production.
“There will be plenty of matches, but there won’t be a striker plate on the back of any of them,” he said.
Also take note of Red Devil lye in large quantities, Coleman camping fuel and plastic hose, he said, adding none of the items, including the cold pills, are illegal, but together they are a meth lab.
TOP STORY >> Drug abuse puts drain on local hospitals
By SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
While the number of meth-amphetamine busts dropped by almost 50 percent last year in Arkansas, meth-related hospital admissions continue to climb.
Since Act 256 went into effect last March requiring pseudoephedrine products be taken off the shelves and sold by a pharmacist, obtaining meth ingredients has become more difficult. The monthly average for meth lab busts in Arkansas dropped from 101 in 2004 to 55 in 2005, said Sen. Mark Pryor during a national town hall meeting on methamphetamine awareness held in Washington on Monday.
“This approach is working and we need to pass federal legislation, such as Senate Bill 103 so that every state takes the same steps and crossing state lines won’t enable anyone to re-supply their meth lab,” Pryor said.
The reduction in the number of large meth labs has resulted in users making the drug in smaller quantities at home and in the ice, crystal methamphetamine imported from Mexico.
“We see an average of 102 patients a day and of those, four would be treated for meth-related complications,” said Sara Koehler, marketing coordinator for White County Medical Center in Searcy.
Treating meth-related cases in the emergency room puts a strain on resources at all hospitals, according to Koehler.
“A lot of these people who are addicted to meth are not in a good financial position because of their addiction. They do not have insurance and it drains our charity care resources,” Koehler said.
“We’ve treated patients addicted to meth that ranged from 12 years old to 60.”
Sherry Clements, emergency room manager at Rebsamen Medical Center, says of the 2,000 patients that pass through the emergency room in a typical month, roughly 5 to 6 percent are seeking treatment related to drug use.
“We haven’t been tracking the numbers on meth cases specifically because the symptom can be because of other drugs and reasons,” Clements said. “I think we probably have a lot more than what we really know.”
Patients come in unresponsive and jittery, and some are suspected overdoses after mixing meth with other medications.
“Lots of meth users will have sores because the meth makes them pick at their skin,” Clements said of the common meth symptom. “You see a lot of the same patients over and over, and because of patient confidentiality you can’t call the police.”
Even with the decline in meth lab busts, Clements says Rebsamen Medical Center still treats people for burns related to meth lab explosions.
“One thing we’ll see is people coming in with suspicious burns and their story on how the burn happened just doesn’t add up,” she said.
The types of meth burns emergency room personnel treat are most often on the face, hands and thighs, Clements said.
Sometimes the meth user will come in several days after being burned and by that time infection has set in. The most severe burn cases are sent to the burn unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.
“Our problem with quantifying the number of burn patients from meth labs is that they won’t come in saying ‘my meth lab exploded,’ it will be a water heater explosion or another excuse,” said Jimmy Parks, a nurse and outreach coordinator for the burn unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
From July 2004 to June 2005, Parks said Arkansas Children’s Hospital treated 145 adults in the burn unit. Of those, Parks estimates between 5 and 15 percent were either suspected or confirmed burned during a meth lab explosion.
“We don’t seem to be getting as many as we used to. Meth lab explosions don’t make a large number of our patients but those who are (in meth lab explosions) have pretty bad injuries,” Parks said.
The National Association of Counties recently released “The Effect of Meth Abuse on Hospital Emergency Rooms,” a 2005 survey of 200 emergency room officials in 39 states.
In the survey, 83 percent of the emergency room officials reported that people requiring treatment for a meth-related emergency are often uninsured.
Fifty-six percent of the hospitals reported that costs have increased because of the growing use of meth.
Leader staff writer
While the number of meth-amphetamine busts dropped by almost 50 percent last year in Arkansas, meth-related hospital admissions continue to climb.
Since Act 256 went into effect last March requiring pseudoephedrine products be taken off the shelves and sold by a pharmacist, obtaining meth ingredients has become more difficult. The monthly average for meth lab busts in Arkansas dropped from 101 in 2004 to 55 in 2005, said Sen. Mark Pryor during a national town hall meeting on methamphetamine awareness held in Washington on Monday.
“This approach is working and we need to pass federal legislation, such as Senate Bill 103 so that every state takes the same steps and crossing state lines won’t enable anyone to re-supply their meth lab,” Pryor said.
The reduction in the number of large meth labs has resulted in users making the drug in smaller quantities at home and in the ice, crystal methamphetamine imported from Mexico.
“We see an average of 102 patients a day and of those, four would be treated for meth-related complications,” said Sara Koehler, marketing coordinator for White County Medical Center in Searcy.
Treating meth-related cases in the emergency room puts a strain on resources at all hospitals, according to Koehler.
“A lot of these people who are addicted to meth are not in a good financial position because of their addiction. They do not have insurance and it drains our charity care resources,” Koehler said.
“We’ve treated patients addicted to meth that ranged from 12 years old to 60.”
Sherry Clements, emergency room manager at Rebsamen Medical Center, says of the 2,000 patients that pass through the emergency room in a typical month, roughly 5 to 6 percent are seeking treatment related to drug use.
“We haven’t been tracking the numbers on meth cases specifically because the symptom can be because of other drugs and reasons,” Clements said. “I think we probably have a lot more than what we really know.”
Patients come in unresponsive and jittery, and some are suspected overdoses after mixing meth with other medications.
“Lots of meth users will have sores because the meth makes them pick at their skin,” Clements said of the common meth symptom. “You see a lot of the same patients over and over, and because of patient confidentiality you can’t call the police.”
Even with the decline in meth lab busts, Clements says Rebsamen Medical Center still treats people for burns related to meth lab explosions.
“One thing we’ll see is people coming in with suspicious burns and their story on how the burn happened just doesn’t add up,” she said.
The types of meth burns emergency room personnel treat are most often on the face, hands and thighs, Clements said.
Sometimes the meth user will come in several days after being burned and by that time infection has set in. The most severe burn cases are sent to the burn unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.
“Our problem with quantifying the number of burn patients from meth labs is that they won’t come in saying ‘my meth lab exploded,’ it will be a water heater explosion or another excuse,” said Jimmy Parks, a nurse and outreach coordinator for the burn unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
From July 2004 to June 2005, Parks said Arkansas Children’s Hospital treated 145 adults in the burn unit. Of those, Parks estimates between 5 and 15 percent were either suspected or confirmed burned during a meth lab explosion.
“We don’t seem to be getting as many as we used to. Meth lab explosions don’t make a large number of our patients but those who are (in meth lab explosions) have pretty bad injuries,” Parks said.
The National Association of Counties recently released “The Effect of Meth Abuse on Hospital Emergency Rooms,” a 2005 survey of 200 emergency room officials in 39 states.
In the survey, 83 percent of the emergency room officials reported that people requiring treatment for a meth-related emergency are often uninsured.
Fifty-six percent of the hospitals reported that costs have increased because of the growing use of meth.
OBITUARIES >> 01-25-06
THOMAS FAUSZ
Thomas William Fausz, 46, of Lonoke, passed away at Rebsamen Medical Center in Jacksonville on Jan. 18. He was born Oct. 27, 1957, to Arthur William and Delores Helton Fausz.
Thomas is survived by his mother, Delores Bradshaw of New Mexico, his children, Christopher Keith Fausz of Batesville, Thomas Adam Fausz of Covington, Ky., Khristian Ann Fausz of Covington, Ky., Shawn William Fausz of Lonoke, Danielle Martin of Covington, Ky., and Amy Marie Richardson of Jacksonville, a brother, Arthur Fausz; five sisters Reva, Eva, Linda, Margaret and Lola and two grandchildren; Avery Richard-son and Haley Fausz.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Thursday at Moore’s Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville.
Funeral arrangements are under direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
ANNIE BURLISON
Annie Verneal Burlison, 84, died Jan. 18.
She was a long-time active member of Lonoke Baptist Church. Preceding her in death was her husband, Ellis, and six brothers and sisters.
Survivors include four daughters, Charlotte Ballew of May-flower, Beverly Rhoden of Kansas, Sherri Flynt of Little Rock and Patti Fitz of North Carolina; one son, Mike Burlison of Lonoke; 13 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 11 today at Lonoke Baptist Church with interment at Hebron Cemetery, arrangements by Boyd Funeral Home, Lonoke.
DONALD BROWN
Donald Ray Brown, 49, of Jack-sonville, passed away Jan. 17.
He was born Jan. 16, 1957 in Greenville, Ohio to the late Melvin and Nina Morse Brown. He was also preceded in death by a brother, Robert Brown.
Donald is survived by a son, Terry Lee Brown of Minnesota and a daughter, Deanne Norton of Kentucky, brothers, Russell Brown and wife Chris of Winchester, Ind., Ron Brown and wife Pam of Indianapolis, Ind., Jack Brown of Gravel Ridge and David Brown and wife Stacey of Richmond, Ind.; sisters, Mendy Croucher of Sher-wood, Becky Estep and husband Terry of Indianapolis, Bobbie Snow and husband Frank of Richmond and other friends and family.
Graveside services were Friday at Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery, North Little Rock. Funeral arrangements were under direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
JOHN DILLARD
John Calvin Dillard, 81, of Mayflower, passed away Jan. 18. John was born on June 5, 1924 to James Lee and Savana Baker Dillard in Cabot.
He served in the Navy during WWII. Mr. Dillard was a home builder and he loved to hunt and fish.
John is preceded in death by his parents; a wife, Nerva Ann Dillard; a brother, Herman Dillard, three sisters, Marie Hammons, Estelle Cleveland and Glenda Campbell. He is survived by his five brothers, Raymond Dillard, William Dillard, and Paul Dillard of Cabot, Arnold Dillard of California and Jimmy Dillard of California; two sisters, Reba O’Dell of Roland, and Arlene Benson of North Carolina; a host of nieces, nephews and family.
Graveside services were Friday at Sumner Cemetery with John H. Watt, Jr. officiating from the Church at Pinnacle Mountain in West Little Rock.
Arrangements were by Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home.
DAROLD JR HOLLAND
Darold Jr. Holland, 69, of Beebe, went to be with the Lord on Jan. 18. He was born Jan. 5, 1937, at Damascus.
He was a member of North Hills Baptist Church at Sherwood.
He is survived by his loving wife, Helen Holland; five children: Steve Holland, Cindy Clark and husband Kenny, Mike Holland, Rocky Holland and wife Kristi and Lisa Baxter and husband Dean; 11 grandchildren, Jeremy Clark, Jeremy Holland, Amber Holland, Chasity Webb, Jennifer Clark, Candice Hilger, Rocky Holland, Jr., Kevin Holland, Eric Holland, Mandy Baxter and Nathan Hol-land; five great-grandchildren, Chancee Clark, Carlee Clark, Mackenzie Webb, Laylah Reese and Kelly Anderson Webb, Jr.
He was also survived by three brothers: Billy Holland, Harold Holland and Verlas Holland; three sisters, Edna Brown, Mary Scott and Viola Holland. He was preceded by his mother and father, Ezra and Ella Holland; six brothers: Alton Holland, C.L. Holland, Gene Holland, Norman Holland, Em-erald Holland and Finas Holland; one sister: Jean Morgan. Special thanks and appreciation to Baptist Hospice.
Funeral will be at 11 a.m. today at Westbrook Funeral Home with burial in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens.
CAROLYN BLAKEMORE
Carolyn Sue Blakemore, 66, of El Paso, passed away peacefully at home. She was a truck driver and home healthcare worker, and was a fine wife and mother and a wonderful aunt.
Carolyn is survived by her husband, John Blakemore; her parents, Bob and Gail Gillen of Shirley; her son, Billy Ray and wife Dawn Blakemore of Elsberry, Mo.; four grandchildren, Bill, Melissa, Aimee and Kristi; three great-grandchildren, Gracie, Caillou and Brooklyn; two sisters, Judy Helton of Shirley and Nellie Dickson of Nashville, Tenn.; two brothers-in-law, Joe Blakemore and Charlie Blakemore, both of El Paso; three sisters-in-law, Linda Robinett of Mississippi, Benny Blakemore and Paula Blakemore, both of El Paso; three nieces, Vicki, Charla and Renee; and three nephews, Jimmy, Robbie and Bryan.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Westbrook Funeral Home, with burial in Vilonia Cemetery.
Thomas William Fausz, 46, of Lonoke, passed away at Rebsamen Medical Center in Jacksonville on Jan. 18. He was born Oct. 27, 1957, to Arthur William and Delores Helton Fausz.
Thomas is survived by his mother, Delores Bradshaw of New Mexico, his children, Christopher Keith Fausz of Batesville, Thomas Adam Fausz of Covington, Ky., Khristian Ann Fausz of Covington, Ky., Shawn William Fausz of Lonoke, Danielle Martin of Covington, Ky., and Amy Marie Richardson of Jacksonville, a brother, Arthur Fausz; five sisters Reva, Eva, Linda, Margaret and Lola and two grandchildren; Avery Richard-son and Haley Fausz.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Thursday at Moore’s Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville.
Funeral arrangements are under direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
ANNIE BURLISON
Annie Verneal Burlison, 84, died Jan. 18.
She was a long-time active member of Lonoke Baptist Church. Preceding her in death was her husband, Ellis, and six brothers and sisters.
Survivors include four daughters, Charlotte Ballew of May-flower, Beverly Rhoden of Kansas, Sherri Flynt of Little Rock and Patti Fitz of North Carolina; one son, Mike Burlison of Lonoke; 13 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 11 today at Lonoke Baptist Church with interment at Hebron Cemetery, arrangements by Boyd Funeral Home, Lonoke.
DONALD BROWN
Donald Ray Brown, 49, of Jack-sonville, passed away Jan. 17.
He was born Jan. 16, 1957 in Greenville, Ohio to the late Melvin and Nina Morse Brown. He was also preceded in death by a brother, Robert Brown.
Donald is survived by a son, Terry Lee Brown of Minnesota and a daughter, Deanne Norton of Kentucky, brothers, Russell Brown and wife Chris of Winchester, Ind., Ron Brown and wife Pam of Indianapolis, Ind., Jack Brown of Gravel Ridge and David Brown and wife Stacey of Richmond, Ind.; sisters, Mendy Croucher of Sher-wood, Becky Estep and husband Terry of Indianapolis, Bobbie Snow and husband Frank of Richmond and other friends and family.
Graveside services were Friday at Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery, North Little Rock. Funeral arrangements were under direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
JOHN DILLARD
John Calvin Dillard, 81, of Mayflower, passed away Jan. 18. John was born on June 5, 1924 to James Lee and Savana Baker Dillard in Cabot.
He served in the Navy during WWII. Mr. Dillard was a home builder and he loved to hunt and fish.
John is preceded in death by his parents; a wife, Nerva Ann Dillard; a brother, Herman Dillard, three sisters, Marie Hammons, Estelle Cleveland and Glenda Campbell. He is survived by his five brothers, Raymond Dillard, William Dillard, and Paul Dillard of Cabot, Arnold Dillard of California and Jimmy Dillard of California; two sisters, Reba O’Dell of Roland, and Arlene Benson of North Carolina; a host of nieces, nephews and family.
Graveside services were Friday at Sumner Cemetery with John H. Watt, Jr. officiating from the Church at Pinnacle Mountain in West Little Rock.
Arrangements were by Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home.
DAROLD JR HOLLAND
Darold Jr. Holland, 69, of Beebe, went to be with the Lord on Jan. 18. He was born Jan. 5, 1937, at Damascus.
He was a member of North Hills Baptist Church at Sherwood.
He is survived by his loving wife, Helen Holland; five children: Steve Holland, Cindy Clark and husband Kenny, Mike Holland, Rocky Holland and wife Kristi and Lisa Baxter and husband Dean; 11 grandchildren, Jeremy Clark, Jeremy Holland, Amber Holland, Chasity Webb, Jennifer Clark, Candice Hilger, Rocky Holland, Jr., Kevin Holland, Eric Holland, Mandy Baxter and Nathan Hol-land; five great-grandchildren, Chancee Clark, Carlee Clark, Mackenzie Webb, Laylah Reese and Kelly Anderson Webb, Jr.
He was also survived by three brothers: Billy Holland, Harold Holland and Verlas Holland; three sisters, Edna Brown, Mary Scott and Viola Holland. He was preceded by his mother and father, Ezra and Ella Holland; six brothers: Alton Holland, C.L. Holland, Gene Holland, Norman Holland, Em-erald Holland and Finas Holland; one sister: Jean Morgan. Special thanks and appreciation to Baptist Hospice.
Funeral will be at 11 a.m. today at Westbrook Funeral Home with burial in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens.
CAROLYN BLAKEMORE
Carolyn Sue Blakemore, 66, of El Paso, passed away peacefully at home. She was a truck driver and home healthcare worker, and was a fine wife and mother and a wonderful aunt.
Carolyn is survived by her husband, John Blakemore; her parents, Bob and Gail Gillen of Shirley; her son, Billy Ray and wife Dawn Blakemore of Elsberry, Mo.; four grandchildren, Bill, Melissa, Aimee and Kristi; three great-grandchildren, Gracie, Caillou and Brooklyn; two sisters, Judy Helton of Shirley and Nellie Dickson of Nashville, Tenn.; two brothers-in-law, Joe Blakemore and Charlie Blakemore, both of El Paso; three sisters-in-law, Linda Robinett of Mississippi, Benny Blakemore and Paula Blakemore, both of El Paso; three nieces, Vicki, Charla and Renee; and three nephews, Jimmy, Robbie and Bryan.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Westbrook Funeral Home, with burial in Vilonia Cemetery.
WEDNESDAY EDITORIAL >> Bill Halter's awful idea
A good rule is to beware the politician who promises big, bold new ideas for it is apt to be no more than a promise. Follow the man or woman who actually offers them.
We actually have looked forward to hearing from young Bill Halter, the Rhodes scholar who tendered his name months ago as a possible candidate for governor. No one knew much about him except the resume — a high Social Security administrator, a federal budget analyst, an economics consultant, a Stanford trustee, and a short stint as head of an ill-fated state think tank — because he had never involved himself in Arkansas politics at any level.
But there is no reason that Democrats should exclude from the governor’s race anyone but the seasoned Mike Beebe. Every Democrat should encourage competition for the nomination.
Halter said if he ran it would be a different kind of race, one based on ideas, fresh ones. Friday, Halter announced that he was indeed going to run, and he provided a sample of the bold ideas that he would introduce into Arkansas politics.
A lottery.
If that is Halter’s notion of a bold idea, save us from the stale ones. Lotteries are popular — promotion of a state lottery helped elect two Southern governors — but they are not a solution to the state’s manifold problems, and no politician who offers a lottery as a serious way to tend to the state’s shortcomings deserves our attention. Lotteries are fun for people who find some thrill in any form of gambling and a desperate hope for others, but for a state like Arkansas, where the big athletic teams never rise above the mediocre, they could provide nothing more valuable than a social diversion.
Halter said a lottery might supply as much as $250 million a year in revenue for education once the voters approved the idea and the scheme was established. Lottery proponents throw such figures around, but they are foolishly wrong.
Here’s a better figure about what a lottery would produce for the state in the first years: $30 million.
In other words, it would raise the general revenues of the state by considerably less than 1 percent. Subtract from the $30 million the cost of social and economic problems caused by the gambling and addiction rates and the lost income from other sales.
Is $30 million too low? Compare with Iowa, a rural state like Arkansas, with a population somewhat larger and more affluent but similar in demographics. Iowa started a lottery 20 years ago and after years of hustling more and more games to entice more people into buying lottery tickets, the state government raised the total receipts from all the lottery games in 2005 to $210 million.
After paying franchise operators, prize-winners and expenses, the state netted $51 million for state programs, the largest sum in its history.
Lotteries are sold nearly everywhere on the idea that the net proceeds would improve education without people having to pay higher taxes. But that rarely happens. The schools tend to get a dwindling share of tax revenues after lotteries, so that they wind up no better and often worse than before.
No, a lottery is not a bold idea or even a good one.
Let us not give up on Mr. Halter just yet, but let him know that expectations are higher than that.
We actually have looked forward to hearing from young Bill Halter, the Rhodes scholar who tendered his name months ago as a possible candidate for governor. No one knew much about him except the resume — a high Social Security administrator, a federal budget analyst, an economics consultant, a Stanford trustee, and a short stint as head of an ill-fated state think tank — because he had never involved himself in Arkansas politics at any level.
But there is no reason that Democrats should exclude from the governor’s race anyone but the seasoned Mike Beebe. Every Democrat should encourage competition for the nomination.
Halter said if he ran it would be a different kind of race, one based on ideas, fresh ones. Friday, Halter announced that he was indeed going to run, and he provided a sample of the bold ideas that he would introduce into Arkansas politics.
A lottery.
If that is Halter’s notion of a bold idea, save us from the stale ones. Lotteries are popular — promotion of a state lottery helped elect two Southern governors — but they are not a solution to the state’s manifold problems, and no politician who offers a lottery as a serious way to tend to the state’s shortcomings deserves our attention. Lotteries are fun for people who find some thrill in any form of gambling and a desperate hope for others, but for a state like Arkansas, where the big athletic teams never rise above the mediocre, they could provide nothing more valuable than a social diversion.
Halter said a lottery might supply as much as $250 million a year in revenue for education once the voters approved the idea and the scheme was established. Lottery proponents throw such figures around, but they are foolishly wrong.
Here’s a better figure about what a lottery would produce for the state in the first years: $30 million.
In other words, it would raise the general revenues of the state by considerably less than 1 percent. Subtract from the $30 million the cost of social and economic problems caused by the gambling and addiction rates and the lost income from other sales.
Is $30 million too low? Compare with Iowa, a rural state like Arkansas, with a population somewhat larger and more affluent but similar in demographics. Iowa started a lottery 20 years ago and after years of hustling more and more games to entice more people into buying lottery tickets, the state government raised the total receipts from all the lottery games in 2005 to $210 million.
After paying franchise operators, prize-winners and expenses, the state netted $51 million for state programs, the largest sum in its history.
Lotteries are sold nearly everywhere on the idea that the net proceeds would improve education without people having to pay higher taxes. But that rarely happens. The schools tend to get a dwindling share of tax revenues after lotteries, so that they wind up no better and often worse than before.
No, a lottery is not a bold idea or even a good one.
Let us not give up on Mr. Halter just yet, but let him know that expectations are higher than that.
SATURDAY EDITORIAL >> Five-year feud appears over
Mike Abdin, who passed away in 2000, was a successful Jacksonville businessman who left his mark on his community, having long served as an alderman and police commissioner.
A Palestinian by birth, he moved from East Jerusalem to the United States in 1960, eventually settling in Jacksonville, where he opened a jewelry store and prospered. Those who knew him remember his outgoing personality and generosity toward those less fortunate than himself.
But few people besides his relatives and close friends knew that his passing led to a bitter five-year court battle over his estate which finally appears to be over. An appeals court this week upheld a lower court ruling that dismissed his brothers’ claims that Abdin drew up a final will that would have left everything to them and a sister and nothing for his widow.
The contested will was almost certainly fraudulent, drawn up in one of those Byzantine bazaars back in the Middle East. The original will that the courts have upheld was filed here long ago and should never have been contested, except for the greed of others.
Mike Abdin would have been aghast had he witnessed the fight over his estate. He worked hard, invested wisely and served his community. He might have become mayor if his health had held up. Arkansas’ first Palestinian mayor: That would have pleased him.
He was proud of his roots and displayed a picture of himself in his store in an Arab headgear. He’d go back to Jerusalem and buy jewelry from Orthodox Jews, which made him part of a peace movement that would have put an end to wars in the Middle East if more people would only learn to get along.
Mike Abdin knew how to bring people together, which is why he left his mark on his community. He lived the immigrant’s dream of success through hard work. May he now rest in peace.
A Palestinian by birth, he moved from East Jerusalem to the United States in 1960, eventually settling in Jacksonville, where he opened a jewelry store and prospered. Those who knew him remember his outgoing personality and generosity toward those less fortunate than himself.
But few people besides his relatives and close friends knew that his passing led to a bitter five-year court battle over his estate which finally appears to be over. An appeals court this week upheld a lower court ruling that dismissed his brothers’ claims that Abdin drew up a final will that would have left everything to them and a sister and nothing for his widow.
The contested will was almost certainly fraudulent, drawn up in one of those Byzantine bazaars back in the Middle East. The original will that the courts have upheld was filed here long ago and should never have been contested, except for the greed of others.
Mike Abdin would have been aghast had he witnessed the fight over his estate. He worked hard, invested wisely and served his community. He might have become mayor if his health had held up. Arkansas’ first Palestinian mayor: That would have pleased him.
He was proud of his roots and displayed a picture of himself in his store in an Arab headgear. He’d go back to Jerusalem and buy jewelry from Orthodox Jews, which made him part of a peace movement that would have put an end to wars in the Middle East if more people would only learn to get along.
Mike Abdin knew how to bring people together, which is why he left his mark on his community. He lived the immigrant’s dream of success through hard work. May he now rest in peace.
NEIGHBORS >> Beyond Therapy
By SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Special needs children learn about horses and life skills at ranch
It’s not unusual to see horses in Ward, but this spring some very special horses will be working in a covered arena just off Peyton Road.
The horses are part of Beyond Boundaries Equine Assisted Therapy Center, a non-profit organization using horses in therapy for children with disabilities.
“The horse is the only animal on earth that when you’re sitting astride them, it moves your pelvis and trunk as if you were walking,” explains Stacy Alberson, an occupational therapist at Beyond Boundaries.
That movement is what makes hippotherapy, from the Greek word hippo, meaning horse, so beneficial to clients at Beyond Boundaries.
“Can you imagine what that means to a child who has never walked or walked at a normal gait?” Alberson said.
Hippotherapy, coupled with traditional therapy, has been used with people with cerebral palsy, Downs Syndrome, autism, attention deficit disorder, spinal injuries and brain injuries just to name a few.
“We’ve had autistic children speak their first words on the horses,” Alberson said. After hippotherapy, Alberson says children walk with a smoother gait, fall less and are more aware of their environment.
Children who are shy or timid discover that when they speak louder, the horse hears them and will respond.
Evan Horton, 3, of Maumelle, has autism.
Since starting hippotherapy at Beyond Boundaries four months ago, his mother, Leigh Anne Horton, says the changes have been amazing.
”Evan has bonded with this horse at Beyond Boundaries named ‘Little’,” she said. “When we get there Evan gets real excited and touches Little’s nose and says ‘nose’ and touches his ear and says ‘ear.’ Evan’s improvements can be seen away from Beyond Boundaries as well.
“Evan used to not talk very much at all, but he uses words from therapy at home. He says ‘down’ and ‘up’ and ‘treat’ now. When he sees a horse on television or in his toys he says ‘horse.’”
Beyond Boundaries was founded in 2004 by staff members and therapists from Allied Therapy and Consulting in Cabot.
Currently, Beyond Boundaries has five horses and 14 licensed occupational, physical and speech therapists registered in hippotherapy by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.
“We position the client on the horses to use the movement the horse creates to most benefit the client,” Alberson said.
The therapists at Beyond Boundaries take into consideration a lot of factors to benefit the needs of the client during each session, everything from the stride of the horse to whether to use a saddle or just a horse blanket.
“For example, some children who are motor impaired will focus at balance. You won’t always see them forward astride on a horse, they might be seated backwards,” Alberson said.
All of this is done with the therapist being constantly aware of the way the horse is moving and how it is affecting the child physically and emotionally.
Another program offered by Beyond Boundaries is recreation riding for clients who have progressed through the hippotherapy stage. “Children in this program may want to be more independent with their horse such as learn how to lead the horse, how to rein and how to brush the horse,” Alberson said.
The recreation riding program is taught by Jamie Carmen-Reagan, a non-therapist, who maintains advanced riding instructor certification through the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.
Beyond Boundaries also offers a competitive sports riding program which is geared toward the competition level of horse sporting events such as the Special Olympics.
“We try not to turn away a donated horse, but it takes a very special horse to be a therapy horse because we have to be very choosy,” Alberson said.
She describes a typical horse at Beyond Boundaries as being between the age of seven and 18. The horses had jobs such as a show horse, trail horse or herding horse from a farm.
Currently Beyond Boundaries works with 32 clients at a outdoor corral donated by Jim and Brenda Bobbitt of Sherwood. Once the Ward stable and enclosed arena are completed this spring, Beyond Boundaries will be able to work with clients five days a week regardless of the weather.
“Our hopes is to offer therapy for adults and for our Ward location to someday be a national research and training facility for therapists and riding instructors,” Alberson said.
In August, Beyond Boundaries hopes to bring more than 200 people to the Ward/Cabot for the 2006 North American Riding for the Handicapped Association Region 8 Conference.
“We have a tremendous need for donations including donations of labor and materials for our construction,” Alberson said.
There are several ways for people to make other tax-deductible contributions to Beyond Boundaries, a 501-C3 non-profit organization such as adopting a horse by paying for its food and vet bills or adopting a family by paying a client’s co-pay for the sessions.
For more information on Beyond Boundaries, contact Stacy Alberson at (501)772-3211.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: Special needs children learn about horses and life skills at ranch
It’s not unusual to see horses in Ward, but this spring some very special horses will be working in a covered arena just off Peyton Road.
The horses are part of Beyond Boundaries Equine Assisted Therapy Center, a non-profit organization using horses in therapy for children with disabilities.
“The horse is the only animal on earth that when you’re sitting astride them, it moves your pelvis and trunk as if you were walking,” explains Stacy Alberson, an occupational therapist at Beyond Boundaries.
That movement is what makes hippotherapy, from the Greek word hippo, meaning horse, so beneficial to clients at Beyond Boundaries.
“Can you imagine what that means to a child who has never walked or walked at a normal gait?” Alberson said.
Hippotherapy, coupled with traditional therapy, has been used with people with cerebral palsy, Downs Syndrome, autism, attention deficit disorder, spinal injuries and brain injuries just to name a few.
“We’ve had autistic children speak their first words on the horses,” Alberson said. After hippotherapy, Alberson says children walk with a smoother gait, fall less and are more aware of their environment.
Children who are shy or timid discover that when they speak louder, the horse hears them and will respond.
Evan Horton, 3, of Maumelle, has autism.
Since starting hippotherapy at Beyond Boundaries four months ago, his mother, Leigh Anne Horton, says the changes have been amazing.
”Evan has bonded with this horse at Beyond Boundaries named ‘Little’,” she said. “When we get there Evan gets real excited and touches Little’s nose and says ‘nose’ and touches his ear and says ‘ear.’ Evan’s improvements can be seen away from Beyond Boundaries as well.
“Evan used to not talk very much at all, but he uses words from therapy at home. He says ‘down’ and ‘up’ and ‘treat’ now. When he sees a horse on television or in his toys he says ‘horse.’”
Beyond Boundaries was founded in 2004 by staff members and therapists from Allied Therapy and Consulting in Cabot.
Currently, Beyond Boundaries has five horses and 14 licensed occupational, physical and speech therapists registered in hippotherapy by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.
“We position the client on the horses to use the movement the horse creates to most benefit the client,” Alberson said.
The therapists at Beyond Boundaries take into consideration a lot of factors to benefit the needs of the client during each session, everything from the stride of the horse to whether to use a saddle or just a horse blanket.
“For example, some children who are motor impaired will focus at balance. You won’t always see them forward astride on a horse, they might be seated backwards,” Alberson said.
All of this is done with the therapist being constantly aware of the way the horse is moving and how it is affecting the child physically and emotionally.
Another program offered by Beyond Boundaries is recreation riding for clients who have progressed through the hippotherapy stage. “Children in this program may want to be more independent with their horse such as learn how to lead the horse, how to rein and how to brush the horse,” Alberson said.
The recreation riding program is taught by Jamie Carmen-Reagan, a non-therapist, who maintains advanced riding instructor certification through the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.
Beyond Boundaries also offers a competitive sports riding program which is geared toward the competition level of horse sporting events such as the Special Olympics.
“We try not to turn away a donated horse, but it takes a very special horse to be a therapy horse because we have to be very choosy,” Alberson said.
She describes a typical horse at Beyond Boundaries as being between the age of seven and 18. The horses had jobs such as a show horse, trail horse or herding horse from a farm.
Currently Beyond Boundaries works with 32 clients at a outdoor corral donated by Jim and Brenda Bobbitt of Sherwood. Once the Ward stable and enclosed arena are completed this spring, Beyond Boundaries will be able to work with clients five days a week regardless of the weather.
“Our hopes is to offer therapy for adults and for our Ward location to someday be a national research and training facility for therapists and riding instructors,” Alberson said.
In August, Beyond Boundaries hopes to bring more than 200 people to the Ward/Cabot for the 2006 North American Riding for the Handicapped Association Region 8 Conference.
“We have a tremendous need for donations including donations of labor and materials for our construction,” Alberson said.
There are several ways for people to make other tax-deductible contributions to Beyond Boundaries, a 501-C3 non-profit organization such as adopting a horse by paying for its food and vet bills or adopting a family by paying a client’s co-pay for the sessions.
For more information on Beyond Boundaries, contact Stacy Alberson at (501)772-3211.
TOP STORY >> A work of Panther art
By SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: School board conference room gets splash of color
Donna Williams, an art teacher at Cabot Middle School North, recently completed a month-long painting project depicting the school district’s emblem and mascot on the walls of the board of education room in the Administration Building, 602 North Lincoln.
The mural of the seal and two leaping panthers is on the wall behind the board of education conference table. On the west and east walls, Williams put up large letters spelling out the names of all the schools in the district, separated by panther paw prints.
Frank Holman, superintendent of the district, says he plans to have student art and academic work from all the schools displayed on the south wall of the board of education room.
“We’re also asking some of our principals if they have special recognition of teachers and staff to bring it over and we’ll put it up,” Holman said. Williams’ artwork can be seen throughout the district. In the physical education room at Magness Creek Elementary, Williams painted a group of panther kittens participating in athletic activities.
“Mrs. Williams is a very dedicated teacher but most importantly dedicated to her students,” said Renee Calhoon, principal at Cabot Middle School North.
Williams painted the panther mural in the Academic Center of Excellence building and a panther leaping out of the wall.
“I’ve painted just about every panther you can imagine painting,” Williams said.
“This has been a great wall to paint,” Williams said. “When you paint concrete blocks, it’s so porous the paint gets in the holes in the concrete and then gravity pulls it all down, making it drippy and runny,” Williams explained.
Leader staff writer
IN SHORT: School board conference room gets splash of color
Donna Williams, an art teacher at Cabot Middle School North, recently completed a month-long painting project depicting the school district’s emblem and mascot on the walls of the board of education room in the Administration Building, 602 North Lincoln.
The mural of the seal and two leaping panthers is on the wall behind the board of education conference table. On the west and east walls, Williams put up large letters spelling out the names of all the schools in the district, separated by panther paw prints.
Frank Holman, superintendent of the district, says he plans to have student art and academic work from all the schools displayed on the south wall of the board of education room.
“We’re also asking some of our principals if they have special recognition of teachers and staff to bring it over and we’ll put it up,” Holman said. Williams’ artwork can be seen throughout the district. In the physical education room at Magness Creek Elementary, Williams painted a group of panther kittens participating in athletic activities.
“Mrs. Williams is a very dedicated teacher but most importantly dedicated to her students,” said Renee Calhoon, principal at Cabot Middle School North.
Williams painted the panther mural in the Academic Center of Excellence building and a panther leaping out of the wall.
“I’ve painted just about every panther you can imagine painting,” Williams said.
“This has been a great wall to paint,” Williams said. “When you paint concrete blocks, it’s so porous the paint gets in the holes in the concrete and then gravity pulls it all down, making it drippy and runny,” Williams explained.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
EDITORIAL >> Wage earners still lagging
If you work for wages in the United States, chances are that the past six years have not been stellar ones, and if you happen to toil in Arkansas they have been darker still. We have Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families to thank for quantifying for us just how badly things have gone for working families in the Wonder State and why. Having lived it, most Arkansans we imagine need no reminders, but if you are interested, you will find its fact-filled report, “2005 State of Working Arkansas,” illuminating. You can find it at www.aradvocates.org.
Most of the reasons for the decline of the working family, measured by its statistical mean, have been duly chronicled: The best-paying jobs, in manufacturing and technical fields, have shifted overseas and job growth has tended to be in low-paying service businesses. The result has been that inflation-adjusted earnings have steadily dwindled even while corporate and shareholder earnings have been skyrocketing.
Health costs have been rising while millions lose their health insurance.
Energy costs have climbed far more than wages or general inflation, and thanks to the Bush administration’s regulators, Arkansans are about to be hit with another steep hike in electricity costs. Finally, the traditional protections for low-wage earners like the minimum wage and the earned income tax credit have been flat for nearly a decade.
Those are national phenomena and are owing to nothing in particular that our policy makers in Arkansas have done or failed to do.
Better national policies surely would have helped but Americans, like their major political parties, are in relentless dispute about which policies would correct those dismal trends.
But why is the picture with a few exceptions even gloomier in sunbelt Arkansas? We have made some strides in educating a greater percentage of our youngsters (the share of Arkansans with some college has risen from 17 to 29 percent in 20 years) and providing more of them with medical care through the expanded Medicaid program. We have at least kept up with the national pace of improvement even if we have not nearly caught up.
Still, since the year 2000, unemployment rose faster in Arkansas than the nation as a whole, the poverty rate in Arkansas is far above the U.S. rate, 16.4 percent compared with 12.4 percent nationally, and more people file for bankruptcy each year in Arkansas than in all but five states.
The Advocates’ report at least implies that there is a mean streak in our policies.
n For a few years now, we have allowed payday lenders to pillage the poorest working families by trapping them in rollover debt that charges them interest rates many times the constitutional limit. Pray that the state Supreme Court takes care of that this year.
n We have not raised the state minimum wage in eight years, which means that the buying power of the 120,000 or so minimum-wage workers has declined by 17 percent. An Arkansan working at $5.15 an hour, the current floor, can buy fewer goods and services than they could in all but one of the last 50 years. We will have a chance in November to correct that with a constitutional amendment that would raise the wage floor by $1 and automatically adjust it in the future to inflation.
n And then there is our tax structure, which is about the most punitive to low- and middle-income workers in the country. That is primarily because a quirk in the state Constitution forces the state and local governments to depend upon the sales tax to pay for government services. State and local general sales taxes plus specialized sales taxes stack up as some of the highest in the country. Together with personal and corporate income tax rates that have over time become virtually flat except for very low incomes. The highest marginal personal income-tax rate now applies to all income over the near-poverty wage of about $27,000 a year.
Arkansas Advocates offers the stark effect of the Arkansas tax system on various income classes: The poorest fifth of non-elderly Arkansas families — those earning $12,000 or less — pay 12.4 percent of their income in state and local taxes each year. At the other end, the top 1 percent — those taking in more than $242,000 a year — pay only 6.1 percent to government. Congress and the Arkansas Legislature have been driving this trend in the wrong direction, lowering burdens at the top, raising them for those in the middle and on the bottom.
They have raised sales and excise taxes and repealed or slashed taxes on huge estates, corporations, dividends and capital gains.
The Constitution’s three-fourths requirement to raise most taxes except the sales tax lets lawmakers take the easy course, which is to yoke the poorest families with the burden.
Next time that taxes are broached, ask your representatives to first review the Advocates’ report on workers. Better still, the Sermon on the Mount.
Most of the reasons for the decline of the working family, measured by its statistical mean, have been duly chronicled: The best-paying jobs, in manufacturing and technical fields, have shifted overseas and job growth has tended to be in low-paying service businesses. The result has been that inflation-adjusted earnings have steadily dwindled even while corporate and shareholder earnings have been skyrocketing.
Health costs have been rising while millions lose their health insurance.
Energy costs have climbed far more than wages or general inflation, and thanks to the Bush administration’s regulators, Arkansans are about to be hit with another steep hike in electricity costs. Finally, the traditional protections for low-wage earners like the minimum wage and the earned income tax credit have been flat for nearly a decade.
Those are national phenomena and are owing to nothing in particular that our policy makers in Arkansas have done or failed to do.
Better national policies surely would have helped but Americans, like their major political parties, are in relentless dispute about which policies would correct those dismal trends.
But why is the picture with a few exceptions even gloomier in sunbelt Arkansas? We have made some strides in educating a greater percentage of our youngsters (the share of Arkansans with some college has risen from 17 to 29 percent in 20 years) and providing more of them with medical care through the expanded Medicaid program. We have at least kept up with the national pace of improvement even if we have not nearly caught up.
Still, since the year 2000, unemployment rose faster in Arkansas than the nation as a whole, the poverty rate in Arkansas is far above the U.S. rate, 16.4 percent compared with 12.4 percent nationally, and more people file for bankruptcy each year in Arkansas than in all but five states.
The Advocates’ report at least implies that there is a mean streak in our policies.
n For a few years now, we have allowed payday lenders to pillage the poorest working families by trapping them in rollover debt that charges them interest rates many times the constitutional limit. Pray that the state Supreme Court takes care of that this year.
n We have not raised the state minimum wage in eight years, which means that the buying power of the 120,000 or so minimum-wage workers has declined by 17 percent. An Arkansan working at $5.15 an hour, the current floor, can buy fewer goods and services than they could in all but one of the last 50 years. We will have a chance in November to correct that with a constitutional amendment that would raise the wage floor by $1 and automatically adjust it in the future to inflation.
n And then there is our tax structure, which is about the most punitive to low- and middle-income workers in the country. That is primarily because a quirk in the state Constitution forces the state and local governments to depend upon the sales tax to pay for government services. State and local general sales taxes plus specialized sales taxes stack up as some of the highest in the country. Together with personal and corporate income tax rates that have over time become virtually flat except for very low incomes. The highest marginal personal income-tax rate now applies to all income over the near-poverty wage of about $27,000 a year.
Arkansas Advocates offers the stark effect of the Arkansas tax system on various income classes: The poorest fifth of non-elderly Arkansas families — those earning $12,000 or less — pay 12.4 percent of their income in state and local taxes each year. At the other end, the top 1 percent — those taking in more than $242,000 a year — pay only 6.1 percent to government. Congress and the Arkansas Legislature have been driving this trend in the wrong direction, lowering burdens at the top, raising them for those in the middle and on the bottom.
They have raised sales and excise taxes and repealed or slashed taxes on huge estates, corporations, dividends and capital gains.
The Constitution’s three-fourths requirement to raise most taxes except the sales tax lets lawmakers take the easy course, which is to yoke the poorest families with the burden.
Next time that taxes are broached, ask your representatives to first review the Advocates’ report on workers. Better still, the Sermon on the Mount.
REVIEW >> They were never simple days
IN SHORT: Original Mike Disfarmer photos are now on display at the Delta Cultural Center in Helena.
BY ALIYA FELDMAN
Special to the Leader
Looking at salvaged Mike Disfarmer photographs displayed recently at the Steven Kasher gallery in New York City might make one think that simple times made for simple people. But such a thought would be as deceiving as the photographs themselves. At first look, Disfarmer’s subjects look simple. But it’s a farce. Disfarmer captured a complexity hidden beneath a veneer of simplicity. After all, these photos weren’t taken in simple times. Many were shot during and after the Great Depression.
Disfarmer was a native of Heber Springs who rejected his German immigrant family’s occupation as farmers and set up a photo gallery on Main Street. When he died in 1959, the studio was abandoned. Some of the glass plate negatives from the 1930s and 1940s were rediscovered in the 1970s.
Many of these Heber Springs residents had probably never been photographed. Some look stunned, others looks unsure of why they are being photographed as if they really don’t want to be there, and others show off for the camera.
But for these photographs, they would have re-mained anonymous forever.
Unfortunately, these photographs only give the slightest glimpse into their lives. We are left wondering who they were. This gap leaves Disfarmer’s subjects looking more like specimens than people.
He had a hard time capturing their humanity. One couple, for instance, stares uncomfortably into the camera as if to say, “What does the photographer want from us?” They look cold and distant.
Then there are those who were obviously proud to be having their pictures taken. They put their personalities openly on display. A bikini-clad woman sits on a bench, with one leg strewn across it.
She’s happy someone is paying attention to her.
There are also family photos of people who look tired, like they traveled far to get to the Heber Springs gallery.
One family appears in what looks to be their Sunday best. The man is in a khaki soldier’s uniform standing behind two young girls in matching white dresses. They all look unhappy, as if someone is forcing them to be there. The girls, no older than 10, look as exhausted and miserable as their parents do. “Why are you interested in my simple family?” the smaller of the girl’s face seems to say.
Then there are photographs of subjects who are not so easy to tell how they relate to one another. There is a photograph of three middle-aged men and one elderly woman. It is impossible to tell the relationship between some of those in the photographs, but Disfarmer captured others perfectly.
Almost all of the subjects look like they are hard workers, that they had little free time, and that to be in front of a camera was their chance to be part of a world that was foreign to most Ark-ansans then.
More Disfarmer photographs are now on display at The Delta Cultural Center. “Disfarmer Photographs: Heber Springs Circa 1945” will be on exhibit there through Feb. 11.
These photographs are on loan from the Arkansas Arts Center.
The Delta Cultural Center is located at 141 Cherry St. in Helena.
For more information, visit www.deltaculturalcenter.com or call (870) 338-4350 or (800) 358-0972.
Aliya Feldman is a writer and legislative aide living in New York.
ON TAP >> Helena exhibits Disfarmer photographs
The Delta Cultural Center’s latest traveling exhibit, “Disfarmer Photographs: Heber Springs Circa 1945,” is on loan from the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock and is on display through Feb. 11 at the Delta Cultural Center Visitors Center, 141 Cherry St. in historic downtown Helena.
Mike Disfarmer (1884 – 1959) was a talented and eccentric man who photographed everyday life in Heber Springs from its glory days as a spa in the 1910s and 1920s through the Depression and World War II years.
After Disfarmer’s death in 1959, the studio he built was abandoned and fell into disrepair.
Some of the glass plate negatives from the 1930s and 1940s were rediscovered and salvaged in the mid-1970s, just before the studio was demolished.
Since then, his compelling portraits have formed the basis for two books and several regional and national exhibitions.
Disfarmer’s photographs now sell for $10,000 or more.
The Helena exhibit is one of 15 traveling exhibitions available through the Arts Center’s State Services Department. Designed to be both educational and aesthetically appealing, these exhibits are organized by the Arts Center’s curatorial staff from the permanent collection or from artist loan.
All touring programs are supported, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Her-itage and the National Endow-ment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
For more information on the Arkansas Arts Center’s touring programs, call (501) 396-0350 or (800) 264-ARTS.
Other agencies within the department are the Historic Arkansas Museum, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Arkansas Arts Council and the Natural Heritage Commission.
BY ALIYA FELDMAN
Special to the Leader
Looking at salvaged Mike Disfarmer photographs displayed recently at the Steven Kasher gallery in New York City might make one think that simple times made for simple people. But such a thought would be as deceiving as the photographs themselves. At first look, Disfarmer’s subjects look simple. But it’s a farce. Disfarmer captured a complexity hidden beneath a veneer of simplicity. After all, these photos weren’t taken in simple times. Many were shot during and after the Great Depression.
Disfarmer was a native of Heber Springs who rejected his German immigrant family’s occupation as farmers and set up a photo gallery on Main Street. When he died in 1959, the studio was abandoned. Some of the glass plate negatives from the 1930s and 1940s were rediscovered in the 1970s.
Many of these Heber Springs residents had probably never been photographed. Some look stunned, others looks unsure of why they are being photographed as if they really don’t want to be there, and others show off for the camera.
But for these photographs, they would have re-mained anonymous forever.
Unfortunately, these photographs only give the slightest glimpse into their lives. We are left wondering who they were. This gap leaves Disfarmer’s subjects looking more like specimens than people.
He had a hard time capturing their humanity. One couple, for instance, stares uncomfortably into the camera as if to say, “What does the photographer want from us?” They look cold and distant.
Then there are those who were obviously proud to be having their pictures taken. They put their personalities openly on display. A bikini-clad woman sits on a bench, with one leg strewn across it.
She’s happy someone is paying attention to her.
There are also family photos of people who look tired, like they traveled far to get to the Heber Springs gallery.
One family appears in what looks to be their Sunday best. The man is in a khaki soldier’s uniform standing behind two young girls in matching white dresses. They all look unhappy, as if someone is forcing them to be there. The girls, no older than 10, look as exhausted and miserable as their parents do. “Why are you interested in my simple family?” the smaller of the girl’s face seems to say.
Then there are photographs of subjects who are not so easy to tell how they relate to one another. There is a photograph of three middle-aged men and one elderly woman. It is impossible to tell the relationship between some of those in the photographs, but Disfarmer captured others perfectly.
Almost all of the subjects look like they are hard workers, that they had little free time, and that to be in front of a camera was their chance to be part of a world that was foreign to most Ark-ansans then.
More Disfarmer photographs are now on display at The Delta Cultural Center. “Disfarmer Photographs: Heber Springs Circa 1945” will be on exhibit there through Feb. 11.
These photographs are on loan from the Arkansas Arts Center.
The Delta Cultural Center is located at 141 Cherry St. in Helena.
For more information, visit www.deltaculturalcenter.com or call (870) 338-4350 or (800) 358-0972.
Aliya Feldman is a writer and legislative aide living in New York.
ON TAP >> Helena exhibits Disfarmer photographs
The Delta Cultural Center’s latest traveling exhibit, “Disfarmer Photographs: Heber Springs Circa 1945,” is on loan from the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock and is on display through Feb. 11 at the Delta Cultural Center Visitors Center, 141 Cherry St. in historic downtown Helena.
Mike Disfarmer (1884 – 1959) was a talented and eccentric man who photographed everyday life in Heber Springs from its glory days as a spa in the 1910s and 1920s through the Depression and World War II years.
After Disfarmer’s death in 1959, the studio he built was abandoned and fell into disrepair.
Some of the glass plate negatives from the 1930s and 1940s were rediscovered and salvaged in the mid-1970s, just before the studio was demolished.
Since then, his compelling portraits have formed the basis for two books and several regional and national exhibitions.
Disfarmer’s photographs now sell for $10,000 or more.
The Helena exhibit is one of 15 traveling exhibitions available through the Arts Center’s State Services Department. Designed to be both educational and aesthetically appealing, these exhibits are organized by the Arts Center’s curatorial staff from the permanent collection or from artist loan.
All touring programs are supported, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Her-itage and the National Endow-ment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
For more information on the Arkansas Arts Center’s touring programs, call (501) 396-0350 or (800) 264-ARTS.
Other agencies within the department are the Historic Arkansas Museum, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, the Arkansas Arts Council and the Natural Heritage Commission.
EDITORIAL >> Huckabee's plea for help
We here in the first decade of the 21st century have been privy to a sudden revolution in the federal system, made evident again the past two weeks in the catastrophe that is the government’s new Medicare drug program.
A premise of the great expansion of the federal government after World War II was the general incompetence of state governments to deal with social and economic upheaval. The government that built Social Security and ran the most idealistic and successful war and postwar efforts in history was called upon to end racial segregation across the breadth of the land, secure voting rights for a disfranchised people and build a system of health security for the elderly, disabled and poor.
Now the national government is so inept that it can do nothing expertly or seamlessly.
Its giant intelligence apparatus could not provide enough simple knowledge about a decimated society to keep an eager administration from leading the nation into a destructive war, the government launched a fiscal policy that took the country overnight from vast surpluses to the most humongous budget deficits in history, and the nation awoke last fall to see its national government flounder helplessly in even getting ice to the desperate people of the Gulf Coast because the administration’s corrupt political managers had dismantled its great emergency management program.
Last week, we were treated to the spectacle of Gov. Huckabee deploying the state government to bail out a bewildered and helpless Washington, which was shocked to discover that it had inadvertently cut off life-saving medicine to hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable elderly people in the country. Like governors in most states, Huckabee directed his state health agency to pay for the prescriptions of former Medicaid patients who could not get them when the new Medicare law went into effect Jan. 1.
When Congress passed the changes, it expected simply to switch people from Medicaid to Medicare, shifting the costs from one account to another, a gesture that was to mollify states by saving them matching funds.
Arkansas cannot bail the administration out for long because it cannot borrow money.
Huckabee says he is promised quick reimbursement by the Bush administration once they get the mess straightened out. Having had some experience with this administration the last six months, Huckabee must have troubled sleep. The governor is on shaky ground legally in authorizing the state expenditure, but it is what a caring and efficient government does. Thank you, Mr. Huckabee.
The administration had three years to implement the plan. It had become clear early last year that neither Congress nor the administration that wrote and implemented the plan knew what they were doing. Efforts were made in 2003 when Congress was debating the plan to fix it to protect the aged poor, but the administration said no. Not needed, it said. Last year, Senate Democrats introduced a bill to delay the transition to Medicare for six months to work out the kinks so that the elderly poor might have continuous drug coverage. Spurred by the White House, every Republican voted no.
Simple incompetence is not all that is at work in this disaster.
When Karl Rove advised President Bush that it would be expedient to counter the Democrats’ appeal by co-opting the idea of insuring medicine for the elderly, the administration decided that if needy citizens were to be helped, the big corporations that had been so helpful in election season ought to be cut in on the billions. So instead of a simple expansion of Medicare coverage to prescription drugs, the administration established an elaborate program that had huge gaps for the elderly and required them to purchase the government coverage through commercial health-insurance companies, which would administer the program for the government in ways that would maximize profits.
The Bush administration even by the first week of the program was making changes itself to thwart the elderly sick. The now famous “doughnut hole,” which created a huge gap in coverage for every senior regardless of their financial condition, was not enough perversity. For example, heart patients whose only help was a drug called Niaspan, which raised levels of good cholesterol, learned from their druggist that the government had told the insurance companies not to pay for patients’ Niaspan even if it was covered in their formularies. Heart-disease sufferers could pick a less effective drug or else pay for it themselves.
Huckabee expects his friends in Washington to fix Medicare and do the right thing next week. Good luck, governor!
A premise of the great expansion of the federal government after World War II was the general incompetence of state governments to deal with social and economic upheaval. The government that built Social Security and ran the most idealistic and successful war and postwar efforts in history was called upon to end racial segregation across the breadth of the land, secure voting rights for a disfranchised people and build a system of health security for the elderly, disabled and poor.
Now the national government is so inept that it can do nothing expertly or seamlessly.
Its giant intelligence apparatus could not provide enough simple knowledge about a decimated society to keep an eager administration from leading the nation into a destructive war, the government launched a fiscal policy that took the country overnight from vast surpluses to the most humongous budget deficits in history, and the nation awoke last fall to see its national government flounder helplessly in even getting ice to the desperate people of the Gulf Coast because the administration’s corrupt political managers had dismantled its great emergency management program.
Last week, we were treated to the spectacle of Gov. Huckabee deploying the state government to bail out a bewildered and helpless Washington, which was shocked to discover that it had inadvertently cut off life-saving medicine to hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable elderly people in the country. Like governors in most states, Huckabee directed his state health agency to pay for the prescriptions of former Medicaid patients who could not get them when the new Medicare law went into effect Jan. 1.
When Congress passed the changes, it expected simply to switch people from Medicaid to Medicare, shifting the costs from one account to another, a gesture that was to mollify states by saving them matching funds.
Arkansas cannot bail the administration out for long because it cannot borrow money.
Huckabee says he is promised quick reimbursement by the Bush administration once they get the mess straightened out. Having had some experience with this administration the last six months, Huckabee must have troubled sleep. The governor is on shaky ground legally in authorizing the state expenditure, but it is what a caring and efficient government does. Thank you, Mr. Huckabee.
The administration had three years to implement the plan. It had become clear early last year that neither Congress nor the administration that wrote and implemented the plan knew what they were doing. Efforts were made in 2003 when Congress was debating the plan to fix it to protect the aged poor, but the administration said no. Not needed, it said. Last year, Senate Democrats introduced a bill to delay the transition to Medicare for six months to work out the kinks so that the elderly poor might have continuous drug coverage. Spurred by the White House, every Republican voted no.
Simple incompetence is not all that is at work in this disaster.
When Karl Rove advised President Bush that it would be expedient to counter the Democrats’ appeal by co-opting the idea of insuring medicine for the elderly, the administration decided that if needy citizens were to be helped, the big corporations that had been so helpful in election season ought to be cut in on the billions. So instead of a simple expansion of Medicare coverage to prescription drugs, the administration established an elaborate program that had huge gaps for the elderly and required them to purchase the government coverage through commercial health-insurance companies, which would administer the program for the government in ways that would maximize profits.
The Bush administration even by the first week of the program was making changes itself to thwart the elderly sick. The now famous “doughnut hole,” which created a huge gap in coverage for every senior regardless of their financial condition, was not enough perversity. For example, heart patients whose only help was a drug called Niaspan, which raised levels of good cholesterol, learned from their druggist that the government had told the insurance companies not to pay for patients’ Niaspan even if it was covered in their formularies. Heart-disease sufferers could pick a less effective drug or else pay for it themselves.
Huckabee expects his friends in Washington to fix Medicare and do the right thing next week. Good luck, governor!
SPORTS >> Sylvan Hills runs over Blue Devils
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Sylvan Hills pulled off an upset Friday night, going to West Memphis and coming home with a 53-48 victory to improve to 2-1 in league play.
The loss was the second at home for the Blue Devils in conference play, and drops them to 7-7 overall and 1-2 inside the AAAAA-East conference.
The Lady Bears weren’t as fortunate, losing 65-39 and giving the Lady Blue Devils their first conference victory.
Sylvan Hills rotated guards Victor Roy and Darrell Cren-shaw on West Memphis’ Jason Henry. The duo didn’t shut Henry down in the scoring department, but the strategy did hamper West Memphis’ ability to run the offense.
Roy and Crenshaw rotated every three minutes, and picked Henry up immediately wherever he was on the court.
Even when Henry threw the ball inbounds under Sylvan Hills’ goal, Roy or Crenshaw was there as soon as he stepped inbounds.
He still finished with 26 points to lead all scorers, but the rest of the team struggled with the Bears’ defense.
The Blue Devils also struggled with the Bears’ offense. Sylvan Hills didn’t make a three pointer the entire game, but they didn’t need them. The offensive execution created several layups, and the Bears were nailing mid-range jumpers throughout the game.
Senior guard Michael Gross led the Bears with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Junior post player T.J. Shelton came off the bench to turn in a solid game. He finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
“We were really proud of T.J.” Bears assistant Wayne Herren said. “He got in there and got real physical and helped us out. He played well.”
The Lady Bears fell behind big early on, and never recovered. Too many turnovers was the key problem against West Memphis’ defense.
The Lady Bears are also now 1-2 in league play and 6-9 overall.
Sylvan Hills traveled to Searcy Tuesday night after Leader deadlines, and will host league-leading Jonesboro Friday.
Leader sports editor
Sylvan Hills pulled off an upset Friday night, going to West Memphis and coming home with a 53-48 victory to improve to 2-1 in league play.
The loss was the second at home for the Blue Devils in conference play, and drops them to 7-7 overall and 1-2 inside the AAAAA-East conference.
The Lady Bears weren’t as fortunate, losing 65-39 and giving the Lady Blue Devils their first conference victory.
Sylvan Hills rotated guards Victor Roy and Darrell Cren-shaw on West Memphis’ Jason Henry. The duo didn’t shut Henry down in the scoring department, but the strategy did hamper West Memphis’ ability to run the offense.
Roy and Crenshaw rotated every three minutes, and picked Henry up immediately wherever he was on the court.
Even when Henry threw the ball inbounds under Sylvan Hills’ goal, Roy or Crenshaw was there as soon as he stepped inbounds.
He still finished with 26 points to lead all scorers, but the rest of the team struggled with the Bears’ defense.
The Blue Devils also struggled with the Bears’ offense. Sylvan Hills didn’t make a three pointer the entire game, but they didn’t need them. The offensive execution created several layups, and the Bears were nailing mid-range jumpers throughout the game.
Senior guard Michael Gross led the Bears with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Junior post player T.J. Shelton came off the bench to turn in a solid game. He finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
“We were really proud of T.J.” Bears assistant Wayne Herren said. “He got in there and got real physical and helped us out. He played well.”
The Lady Bears fell behind big early on, and never recovered. Too many turnovers was the key problem against West Memphis’ defense.
The Lady Bears are also now 1-2 in league play and 6-9 overall.
Sylvan Hills traveled to Searcy Tuesday night after Leader deadlines, and will host league-leading Jonesboro Friday.
NEIGHBORS >> Silver Screen theater expands
Cabot cinema adds two auditoriums
BY SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
The growth of Cabot can be seen everywhere around town including the Silver Screen Theater at 1000 Cinema Blvd. where the addition of two additional auditoriums is nearing completion making it a six-screen theater.
“These auditoriums are going to be cutting edge,” said Matt Smith, 36, owner of the theater, who declined to comment on how much the addition is costing.
The two new auditoriums at Silver Screen will have Dolby Digital surround sound and feature contoured screens that curve towards the audience ever so slightly. The new auditoriums will have 400 chairs arranged in stadium seating where each row is 18 inches higher than the row in front of it, allowing for an unobstructed view of the screen.
Each chair has a 44-inch back, a 24-and-a-half-inch seat, and rocks. The cup-holder armrests fold up making the chairs love-seats. The two auditoriums will seat 400.
“These are the biggest chairs in the industry,” Smith said of the seating.
After the completion of the new auditoriums, Smith plans to retrofit the existing auditoriums to stadium seating, add a new restroom, a bigger game room and expand the existing concession stand at Silver Screen.
Smith said he is planning to add two auditoriums to his Searcy Cinema Six theater as well.
“If you go to a movie in Cabot now, and then go to a movie in one of these new auditoriums, it will be a totally different movie-going experience,” Smith said.
For more information on Silver Screen, call (501) 843-7469 or visit www.silverscreencabot-.com.
BY SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
The growth of Cabot can be seen everywhere around town including the Silver Screen Theater at 1000 Cinema Blvd. where the addition of two additional auditoriums is nearing completion making it a six-screen theater.
“These auditoriums are going to be cutting edge,” said Matt Smith, 36, owner of the theater, who declined to comment on how much the addition is costing.
The two new auditoriums at Silver Screen will have Dolby Digital surround sound and feature contoured screens that curve towards the audience ever so slightly. The new auditoriums will have 400 chairs arranged in stadium seating where each row is 18 inches higher than the row in front of it, allowing for an unobstructed view of the screen.
Each chair has a 44-inch back, a 24-and-a-half-inch seat, and rocks. The cup-holder armrests fold up making the chairs love-seats. The two auditoriums will seat 400.
“These are the biggest chairs in the industry,” Smith said of the seating.
After the completion of the new auditoriums, Smith plans to retrofit the existing auditoriums to stadium seating, add a new restroom, a bigger game room and expand the existing concession stand at Silver Screen.
Smith said he is planning to add two auditoriums to his Searcy Cinema Six theater as well.
“If you go to a movie in Cabot now, and then go to a movie in one of these new auditoriums, it will be a totally different movie-going experience,” Smith said.
For more information on Silver Screen, call (501) 843-7469 or visit www.silverscreencabot-.com.
SPORTS >> Beebe girls rise to 3-0 with victory
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The Beebe Lady Badgers made it three straight AAAA-East conference wins on Friday night at the Badger Sports Arena, holding off a stubborn Nettleton Lady Raiders team 41-36.
After winning only two of their first 12 games in the non-conference season, the Lady Badgers have gone from struggling to sparkling by winning their first three conference matchups of the season.
“I think we have just come together and started playing well,” Lady Badgers head coach Lora Jackson said. “We played well in our Christmas tournament.
“ We have played some really good competition, and that has really helped us see the things we need to work on. They are a great group of girls. They really like to be around one another, and all that counts.”
Emily Bass kept Beebe in the lead in the early going, scoring nine of the Lady Badgers’ 10 points in the first quarter. Bass ended with 10 points on the night, with her strong run in the opening making up the bulk of her scoring.
Beebe maintained its advantage in the low-scoring second frame, leading the Lady Raiders 16-13 at the half.
Things heated up in the second half, as both squads settled down and began to execute better shooting. Nettleton briefly took the lead at the 4:21 mark of the third quarter off a three-point shot from Lindsay Farris to make the score 21-20. The Lady Badgers quickly rallied with five-straight points from sophomore Ashley Watkins, and Beebe was on top once again 28-26 by the end of the third.
Another mid-quarter rally from the Lady Raiders tied the score at 32-32 with 4:06 left in the game, setting up a late-game shootout. Beebe led 37-35 with less than a minute remaining when Nikki Sietz missed the second of two free throws.
Bass made the game-saving move for the Lady Badgers, pulling down the rebound and getting the ball to Watkins. Watkins hit a layup and was fouled by Megan Simpson. Watkins added the free throw, sealing the game.
“We didn’t shoot the ball very well at all,” Jackson said.
“We had a lot of good looks at the basket, we just couldn’t get them to drop. We came up with some big rebounds off some shots that they missed that we had to have, and we did a good job at the tail end taking care of it off the press.”
Watkins led the Lady Badgers with 15 points, going 5 of 10 from the free-throw line. Bass added 10 points for Beebe, making the sophomore duo the standouts for the Lady Badgers in every game since the start of the conference season. Ferris led Nettleton with 20 points.
The Badger boys were not as fortunate on Friday, falling to Nettleton 62-54. Beebe kept the game fairly close through the entire contest, but could never overcome a 28-21 halftime deficit. The Badgers held a brief 14-11 at the beginning of the second quarter.
The closest Beebe came in the second half was at the 2:37 mark of the third quarter, when a Rogers McAffee jumper narrowed the Raiders’ lead to 36-32. It took less than a minute for Nettleton to stretch the lead back out to nine points, and the Raiders never looked back..
The biggest factor in the game was a perfect 18 of 18 at the foul line for Nettleton, while the Badgers made nine of their 13 attempts from the charity stripe.
“We’ve struggled scoring sometimes,” Beebe boys coach Chris Ellis said.
“But tonight, we struggled defensively. We gave up too many easy shots.”
Junior Charlie Spakes led the Badgers in scoring with 17 points, while Jordan Gierach added 12 points for Beebe. Matt Mouzy led Nettleton with 22 points on the night.
The Beebe teams were off on Tuesday night, but will return to action Friday on the road at Paragould.
Leader sports writer
The Beebe Lady Badgers made it three straight AAAA-East conference wins on Friday night at the Badger Sports Arena, holding off a stubborn Nettleton Lady Raiders team 41-36.
After winning only two of their first 12 games in the non-conference season, the Lady Badgers have gone from struggling to sparkling by winning their first three conference matchups of the season.
“I think we have just come together and started playing well,” Lady Badgers head coach Lora Jackson said. “We played well in our Christmas tournament.
“ We have played some really good competition, and that has really helped us see the things we need to work on. They are a great group of girls. They really like to be around one another, and all that counts.”
Emily Bass kept Beebe in the lead in the early going, scoring nine of the Lady Badgers’ 10 points in the first quarter. Bass ended with 10 points on the night, with her strong run in the opening making up the bulk of her scoring.
Beebe maintained its advantage in the low-scoring second frame, leading the Lady Raiders 16-13 at the half.
Things heated up in the second half, as both squads settled down and began to execute better shooting. Nettleton briefly took the lead at the 4:21 mark of the third quarter off a three-point shot from Lindsay Farris to make the score 21-20. The Lady Badgers quickly rallied with five-straight points from sophomore Ashley Watkins, and Beebe was on top once again 28-26 by the end of the third.
Another mid-quarter rally from the Lady Raiders tied the score at 32-32 with 4:06 left in the game, setting up a late-game shootout. Beebe led 37-35 with less than a minute remaining when Nikki Sietz missed the second of two free throws.
Bass made the game-saving move for the Lady Badgers, pulling down the rebound and getting the ball to Watkins. Watkins hit a layup and was fouled by Megan Simpson. Watkins added the free throw, sealing the game.
“We didn’t shoot the ball very well at all,” Jackson said.
“We had a lot of good looks at the basket, we just couldn’t get them to drop. We came up with some big rebounds off some shots that they missed that we had to have, and we did a good job at the tail end taking care of it off the press.”
Watkins led the Lady Badgers with 15 points, going 5 of 10 from the free-throw line. Bass added 10 points for Beebe, making the sophomore duo the standouts for the Lady Badgers in every game since the start of the conference season. Ferris led Nettleton with 20 points.
The Badger boys were not as fortunate on Friday, falling to Nettleton 62-54. Beebe kept the game fairly close through the entire contest, but could never overcome a 28-21 halftime deficit. The Badgers held a brief 14-11 at the beginning of the second quarter.
The closest Beebe came in the second half was at the 2:37 mark of the third quarter, when a Rogers McAffee jumper narrowed the Raiders’ lead to 36-32. It took less than a minute for Nettleton to stretch the lead back out to nine points, and the Raiders never looked back..
The biggest factor in the game was a perfect 18 of 18 at the foul line for Nettleton, while the Badgers made nine of their 13 attempts from the charity stripe.
“We’ve struggled scoring sometimes,” Beebe boys coach Chris Ellis said.
“But tonight, we struggled defensively. We gave up too many easy shots.”
Junior Charlie Spakes led the Badgers in scoring with 17 points, while Jordan Gierach added 12 points for Beebe. Matt Mouzy led Nettleton with 22 points on the night.
The Beebe teams were off on Tuesday night, but will return to action Friday on the road at Paragould.
OBITUARIES
DAISY CARACCIOLO
Daisy “Sandy” Caracciolo, 68, of Jacksonville passed away on Jan. 14 at Rebsamen Medical Cen-ter in Jacksonville. She was born June 12, 1937 in DeRidder, La.
She was an auxiliary volunteer at Rebsamen Medical Center, and an owner of Country Treasures in Jacksonville. She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis Caracciolo and her parents, Fred McKnight and Aughtobert Droddy McKnight.
She is survived by her children, Rick Caracciolo and wife Margue-rite of Atlanta, Ga., Tina Bolte and husband Tony of Charlotte, N.C., Scott Caracciolo of Oxford, N.Y., Tony Caracciolo and wife Susie of Clarksville, Tenn., and Joe Carac-ciolo and wife Debbie of Valencia, Calif. She is also survived by her sister Jane Skinner of Bridgeport, Texas, and 13 grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home with Rev. Andy Buege officiating. Arrange-ments by Griffin Leggett Rest Hills inNorth Little Rock.
Memorials may be made to RMC Auxiliary, 1400 Braden, Jacksonville, Ark., 72071, Attn. Rita Joyner.
BESS STOFAN
Bess Stofan went to be with the Lord on Jan. 15. She was born Nov. 16, 1923.
She was a member of St. Judes Catholic Church. She was a 22-year volunteer at Rebsamen Medi-cal Center where she was known as the candy kisses lady. She was an avid bowler and was a secretary for the NCO Wives Club.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John E. Stofan.
She is survived by son, John E. Stofan Jr. and wife Joanie of Greenbrier; Joseph C. Stofan of Montgomery, Ala.; Dorothy J. Belk and husband Mark of Mabelvale; and Thomas M. Stofan and wife Connie of Odessa, Texas.
Services were held Tuesday at St. Judes Catholic church in Jacksonville. Burial was at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Memorial Park in North Little Rock. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Arkansas Lung Cancer Society.
OLEN JOHNSON
Olen Lee “Muscles” Johnson, 71, passed away Jan. 13 at his home.
Preceding him in death was his wife, Shirley Walters Johnson: his parents, Birt and Lucy Smith Johnson; and a brother, Wyndle Johnson.
Survivors include his wife, Judy Cook Johnson; children, Yvonne and husband Eddie Gates of Carlisle, Jackie Johnson of Hazen and Michael Cook Sr., and wife Glenda of Carlisle; sister, Laura May Johnson of Houston; grandchild, Don Gates of Carlisle, and six step-grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; nine nephews and six nieces, and a host of friends.
Services were held Tuesday, at Carlisle Pentecostal Church of God, with interment at Hamilton Cemetery. Arrangements were by Boyd Funeral Home in Lonoke.
MARGARET LILES
Margaret “Trick” Liles, 86, of Searcy died Tuesday, Jan. 17.
She was a Methodist. She is survived by her sister, Wilma Langley of Searcy; six nieces, Betty Weir and Judy Harmon, both of Searcy, Linda Elish of Tennessee, Phyllis Claho of Boulder, Colo., Mae Lackey of Searcy, Mary Clayton of Heber Springs; and five nephews, Jackie Liles of Searcy, Carthel Langley of McRae, Larry Holt of Alabama, Eddie Liles of Searcy and Jimmy Engester of Baton Rouge, La.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe.
Funeral will be 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Westbrook Funeral Home, with burial in Antioch Cemetery.
Daisy “Sandy” Caracciolo, 68, of Jacksonville passed away on Jan. 14 at Rebsamen Medical Cen-ter in Jacksonville. She was born June 12, 1937 in DeRidder, La.
She was an auxiliary volunteer at Rebsamen Medical Center, and an owner of Country Treasures in Jacksonville. She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis Caracciolo and her parents, Fred McKnight and Aughtobert Droddy McKnight.
She is survived by her children, Rick Caracciolo and wife Margue-rite of Atlanta, Ga., Tina Bolte and husband Tony of Charlotte, N.C., Scott Caracciolo of Oxford, N.Y., Tony Caracciolo and wife Susie of Clarksville, Tenn., and Joe Carac-ciolo and wife Debbie of Valencia, Calif. She is also survived by her sister Jane Skinner of Bridgeport, Texas, and 13 grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home with Rev. Andy Buege officiating. Arrange-ments by Griffin Leggett Rest Hills inNorth Little Rock.
Memorials may be made to RMC Auxiliary, 1400 Braden, Jacksonville, Ark., 72071, Attn. Rita Joyner.
BESS STOFAN
Bess Stofan went to be with the Lord on Jan. 15. She was born Nov. 16, 1923.
She was a member of St. Judes Catholic Church. She was a 22-year volunteer at Rebsamen Medi-cal Center where she was known as the candy kisses lady. She was an avid bowler and was a secretary for the NCO Wives Club.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John E. Stofan.
She is survived by son, John E. Stofan Jr. and wife Joanie of Greenbrier; Joseph C. Stofan of Montgomery, Ala.; Dorothy J. Belk and husband Mark of Mabelvale; and Thomas M. Stofan and wife Connie of Odessa, Texas.
Services were held Tuesday at St. Judes Catholic church in Jacksonville. Burial was at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Memorial Park in North Little Rock. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Arkansas Lung Cancer Society.
OLEN JOHNSON
Olen Lee “Muscles” Johnson, 71, passed away Jan. 13 at his home.
Preceding him in death was his wife, Shirley Walters Johnson: his parents, Birt and Lucy Smith Johnson; and a brother, Wyndle Johnson.
Survivors include his wife, Judy Cook Johnson; children, Yvonne and husband Eddie Gates of Carlisle, Jackie Johnson of Hazen and Michael Cook Sr., and wife Glenda of Carlisle; sister, Laura May Johnson of Houston; grandchild, Don Gates of Carlisle, and six step-grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; nine nephews and six nieces, and a host of friends.
Services were held Tuesday, at Carlisle Pentecostal Church of God, with interment at Hamilton Cemetery. Arrangements were by Boyd Funeral Home in Lonoke.
MARGARET LILES
Margaret “Trick” Liles, 86, of Searcy died Tuesday, Jan. 17.
She was a Methodist. She is survived by her sister, Wilma Langley of Searcy; six nieces, Betty Weir and Judy Harmon, both of Searcy, Linda Elish of Tennessee, Phyllis Claho of Boulder, Colo., Mae Lackey of Searcy, Mary Clayton of Heber Springs; and five nephews, Jackie Liles of Searcy, Carthel Langley of McRae, Larry Holt of Alabama, Eddie Liles of Searcy and Jimmy Engester of Baton Rouge, La.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe.
Funeral will be 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Westbrook Funeral Home, with burial in Antioch Cemetery.
TOP STORY >> Controversy on Elm Street could find its way in court
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
The proposed opening of Elm Street in Cabot could soon have the city in court.
The city wants to buy about a quarter acre from Larry Nipper to build the 40-foot wide roadway that would reportedly keep a lot of traffic off Hwy. 89. The land appraised at $18,600 as residential property, but Nipper had it rezoned commercial and it later appraised for $60,000.
The city council Monday voted to offer $66,000, but Nipper said two different appraisers told him that was not enough. He asked for $85,000, which the council refused to pay.
The city already owns a right of way for the street, but the mayor and many on the council agree that it is too crooked.
Nipper said he bought his lot 33 years ago because he believed it would be worth a lot as commercial property when Elm opened.
“Y’all are voting tonight to deprive me of what I’ve been waiting for all these years,” he told the council, which voted 6-1 to offer $66,000 and no more.
Alderman Jerry Stephens voted against the offer.
He questioned the necessity of opening the street.
Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh said he regretted that the next step would be to take the property through eminent domain but he honestly believed that opening the street was in the best interest of the residents of Cabot.
Nipper told the council that taking the sale to court would end up costing the city more than the $85,000 he asked for.
In other business, the council turned down the low bid for a copier contract Monday night in favor of the next lowest bid, which came from a local business.
Alderman David Polantz led the discussion that ended with Cabot Office Machines receiving a $74,490, five-year contract to provide the city with five copiers. The lowest bid of $71,760 for the same service was submitted by Copy Systems, a Little Rock company.
Polantz said in a later interview that he has always believed that when bids are separated by only two or three percent, it is better to go with a Cabot company.
“These are the people who pay the money we spend every month,” Polantz said.
Alderman Eddie Cook ab-stained from voting when the council turned down Copy System’s bid 4-2. Aldermen James Glenn and Patrick Hutton Cook voted to give the contract to the Little Rock company.
Cook said later that the owner of Cabot Office Machines is a personal friend, and even though he is in favor of using local businesses when possible, he didn’t want to appear biased against the Little Rock company.
The council then voted unanimously among the seven aldermen present to give the contract to the Cabot company.
Alderman Odis Waymack, in Bermuda with his wife, Barbara, for their 50th wedding anniversary, did not attend the meeting.
Also in other business, the council voted against allowing a driveway on Hwy. 367 across from Steeplechase Apartments.
The request came from Jim Hensley, an attorney who plans to build a 6,000 square-foot office in a five-acre commercial development.
Council members and Police Chief Jackie Davis said accidents were already a problem there because of a nearby hill.
Leader staff writer
The proposed opening of Elm Street in Cabot could soon have the city in court.
The city wants to buy about a quarter acre from Larry Nipper to build the 40-foot wide roadway that would reportedly keep a lot of traffic off Hwy. 89. The land appraised at $18,600 as residential property, but Nipper had it rezoned commercial and it later appraised for $60,000.
The city council Monday voted to offer $66,000, but Nipper said two different appraisers told him that was not enough. He asked for $85,000, which the council refused to pay.
The city already owns a right of way for the street, but the mayor and many on the council agree that it is too crooked.
Nipper said he bought his lot 33 years ago because he believed it would be worth a lot as commercial property when Elm opened.
“Y’all are voting tonight to deprive me of what I’ve been waiting for all these years,” he told the council, which voted 6-1 to offer $66,000 and no more.
Alderman Jerry Stephens voted against the offer.
He questioned the necessity of opening the street.
Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh said he regretted that the next step would be to take the property through eminent domain but he honestly believed that opening the street was in the best interest of the residents of Cabot.
Nipper told the council that taking the sale to court would end up costing the city more than the $85,000 he asked for.
In other business, the council turned down the low bid for a copier contract Monday night in favor of the next lowest bid, which came from a local business.
Alderman David Polantz led the discussion that ended with Cabot Office Machines receiving a $74,490, five-year contract to provide the city with five copiers. The lowest bid of $71,760 for the same service was submitted by Copy Systems, a Little Rock company.
Polantz said in a later interview that he has always believed that when bids are separated by only two or three percent, it is better to go with a Cabot company.
“These are the people who pay the money we spend every month,” Polantz said.
Alderman Eddie Cook ab-stained from voting when the council turned down Copy System’s bid 4-2. Aldermen James Glenn and Patrick Hutton Cook voted to give the contract to the Little Rock company.
Cook said later that the owner of Cabot Office Machines is a personal friend, and even though he is in favor of using local businesses when possible, he didn’t want to appear biased against the Little Rock company.
The council then voted unanimously among the seven aldermen present to give the contract to the Cabot company.
Alderman Odis Waymack, in Bermuda with his wife, Barbara, for their 50th wedding anniversary, did not attend the meeting.
Also in other business, the council voted against allowing a driveway on Hwy. 367 across from Steeplechase Apartments.
The request came from Jim Hensley, an attorney who plans to build a 6,000 square-foot office in a five-acre commercial development.
Council members and Police Chief Jackie Davis said accidents were already a problem there because of a nearby hill.
TOP STORY >> Superintendents’ pay justified
Leader and Arkansas
News Bureau report
Cabot School Superintendent Frank Holman’s salary and benefits packages put him near the top earners among Arkansas school superintendents, but local supporters say he’s well worth it as Cabot continues its steady growth with new school openings plan-ned at steady intervals.
According to a survey by state auditors, Holman’s pay and benefits package ranks him fifth in the state at $181,329.
“Dr. Holman is extremely organized, meticulous, employee-oriented and balances all of his duties with whatever is best for the students,” said Alan Turnbo, a Cabot Board of Education member.
“It’s not an easy job, it’s very strenuous,” said Brooks Nash, another Cabot board member.
“First, he oversees 8,500 students, which is a huge responsibility all in itself,” Nash said.
“A lot of people don’t realize how active Dr. Holman is in the legislature. He works to help all the school districts, not just Cabot.
“He does a great job of keeping the board up to date on our finances,” Nash added.
Besides a $6,000 car allowance, Holman receives $10,495 in health insurance benefits, plus $1,150 in life insurance premiums and $1,620 for professional dues.
Holman is the second highest paid superintendent in the area, just behind the Little Rock superintendent, who runs the largest district in the state and earns $232,554 with benefits.
Although the Pulaski County Special School District is searching for a new superintendent, the troubled district offers one of the highest pay-and-compensation packages in the state.
Pay and benefits amount to $175,324, just behind Holman’s compensation, although PCSSD has 17,280 students, more than twice the number in Cabot.
North Little Rock’s superintendent makes $154,194, followed by Searcy Superintendent Tony Wood with $137,237. Beebe Superinten-dent Belinda Shook makes $101,545.
Lonoke Superintendent Shar-ron Havens makes $97,625.
Springdale’s superintendent is the second highest in the state, earning $215,853, while Fayetteville’s superintendent is the third highest paid with $198,234. The fourth-highest is Forth Smith at $174,174.
Calico Rock has the lowest-paid superintendent at $61,000.
State auditors said a second study on school administrative costs is expected later this year.
The information should go a long way in helping the legislature address one of Gov. Mike Huck-abee’s prerequisites for calling a special session on education reform to address a court order declaring Arkansas’ school funding system unconstitutional, legislative leaders said.
The survey, presented to the Legislative Joint Auditing Comm-ittee, detailed superintendents’ annual salaries and annual salary and benefits packages.
It also detailed which superintendents receive a housing allow-ance, which receive a vehicle allowance and how much each district pays in premiums for health and dental insurance for its superintendent.
“This is good information,” Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant, said after the meeting.
He said the salary survey and study of administrative costs “should be the information we need to make a de-cision.”
Broadway asked legislative auditors Friday to find out the education backgrounds of the 252 su-perintendents, and asked if studies have been done on superintendents and administrative costs in other states.
Senate Pro Tem Jim Argue, D-Little Rock, said the superintendents’ salaries were interesting but that the information, coupled with the administrative costs, should give lawmakers a good picture of how much schools spend outside the classroom.
“I think it relates to the Lake View litigation in that clearly the state has got the duty to make sure school districts have the capacity to employ every administrator hired,” Argue said.
Argue, who is chairman of the Senate Education Committee, also said he wants more information on the benefits that superintendents receive.
He questioned why some superintendents receive better benefits than regular teachers.
“I’m not sure that the leader of the district should have a more generous benefit package than troops on the front line,” he said.
Gov. Mike Huckabee said in a statement released by his office that the survey of superintendent sala-ries was a “good first step in assessing the transparency of our schools.”
In a 5-2 decision, the state Supreme Court ruled Dec. 15 that the legislature failed to make education spending its top priority in this year’s regular session and “grossly underfunded” school building re-pairs and construction.
The court set a Dec. 1, 2006, deadline for lawmakers to remedy what Justice Robert Brown called “a constitutional infirmity which must be corrected immediately.”
On Dec. 30, the governor listed a series of prerequisites before he would call a special session on education reform. He wants a study done on superintendent salaries.
One of the items he said he wanted was a study done that included current salaries of superintendents, their experience, education attainment, responsibility, length of service and cost-of-living adjustments based on where they live.
Huckabee has said he wants lawmakers to consider developing a pay grid or schedule that would pay superintendents based on education, like teachers are paid.
Currently, there is no pay scale for superintendents, and their salaries and benefits are negotiated with the individual district that hires them.
“In response to the Supreme Court ruling on Lake View, my priorities are to look at the accountability, transparency and efficiency in Arkansas schools,” Huckabee said Friday.
The governor said he looks forward to getting the information on school administrative costs and said he hopes a survey is done on the costs incur for athletics.
During Friday’s committee meeting, Legislative Auditor Charles Robinson cautioned lawmakers that while the information on superintendents’ salaries is interesting, it doesn’t tell the whole story about superintendents and the school districts where they work.
He said the second survey will show each school district’s overall administrative costs and the salaries and benefits packages for assistant superintendents.
“Some of the smaller districts may have just one superintendent, while a larger district may have one superintendent and 40 assistant superintendents,” he said. “We’ll need to put both reports together so we can compare school districts.”
After the meeting, Robinson said hopes the survey can be completed by late spring.
The legislative audit survey can be found at www.legaudit.state.ar.us, under the Jan. 12-13 meeting listing.
Rob Moritz of the Arkansas News Bureau contributed to this report.
News Bureau report
Cabot School Superintendent Frank Holman’s salary and benefits packages put him near the top earners among Arkansas school superintendents, but local supporters say he’s well worth it as Cabot continues its steady growth with new school openings plan-ned at steady intervals.
According to a survey by state auditors, Holman’s pay and benefits package ranks him fifth in the state at $181,329.
“Dr. Holman is extremely organized, meticulous, employee-oriented and balances all of his duties with whatever is best for the students,” said Alan Turnbo, a Cabot Board of Education member.
“It’s not an easy job, it’s very strenuous,” said Brooks Nash, another Cabot board member.
“First, he oversees 8,500 students, which is a huge responsibility all in itself,” Nash said.
“A lot of people don’t realize how active Dr. Holman is in the legislature. He works to help all the school districts, not just Cabot.
“He does a great job of keeping the board up to date on our finances,” Nash added.
Besides a $6,000 car allowance, Holman receives $10,495 in health insurance benefits, plus $1,150 in life insurance premiums and $1,620 for professional dues.
Holman is the second highest paid superintendent in the area, just behind the Little Rock superintendent, who runs the largest district in the state and earns $232,554 with benefits.
Although the Pulaski County Special School District is searching for a new superintendent, the troubled district offers one of the highest pay-and-compensation packages in the state.
Pay and benefits amount to $175,324, just behind Holman’s compensation, although PCSSD has 17,280 students, more than twice the number in Cabot.
North Little Rock’s superintendent makes $154,194, followed by Searcy Superintendent Tony Wood with $137,237. Beebe Superinten-dent Belinda Shook makes $101,545.
Lonoke Superintendent Shar-ron Havens makes $97,625.
Springdale’s superintendent is the second highest in the state, earning $215,853, while Fayetteville’s superintendent is the third highest paid with $198,234. The fourth-highest is Forth Smith at $174,174.
Calico Rock has the lowest-paid superintendent at $61,000.
State auditors said a second study on school administrative costs is expected later this year.
The information should go a long way in helping the legislature address one of Gov. Mike Huck-abee’s prerequisites for calling a special session on education reform to address a court order declaring Arkansas’ school funding system unconstitutional, legislative leaders said.
The survey, presented to the Legislative Joint Auditing Comm-ittee, detailed superintendents’ annual salaries and annual salary and benefits packages.
It also detailed which superintendents receive a housing allow-ance, which receive a vehicle allowance and how much each district pays in premiums for health and dental insurance for its superintendent.
“This is good information,” Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant, said after the meeting.
He said the salary survey and study of administrative costs “should be the information we need to make a de-cision.”
Broadway asked legislative auditors Friday to find out the education backgrounds of the 252 su-perintendents, and asked if studies have been done on superintendents and administrative costs in other states.
Senate Pro Tem Jim Argue, D-Little Rock, said the superintendents’ salaries were interesting but that the information, coupled with the administrative costs, should give lawmakers a good picture of how much schools spend outside the classroom.
“I think it relates to the Lake View litigation in that clearly the state has got the duty to make sure school districts have the capacity to employ every administrator hired,” Argue said.
Argue, who is chairman of the Senate Education Committee, also said he wants more information on the benefits that superintendents receive.
He questioned why some superintendents receive better benefits than regular teachers.
“I’m not sure that the leader of the district should have a more generous benefit package than troops on the front line,” he said.
Gov. Mike Huckabee said in a statement released by his office that the survey of superintendent sala-ries was a “good first step in assessing the transparency of our schools.”
In a 5-2 decision, the state Supreme Court ruled Dec. 15 that the legislature failed to make education spending its top priority in this year’s regular session and “grossly underfunded” school building re-pairs and construction.
The court set a Dec. 1, 2006, deadline for lawmakers to remedy what Justice Robert Brown called “a constitutional infirmity which must be corrected immediately.”
On Dec. 30, the governor listed a series of prerequisites before he would call a special session on education reform. He wants a study done on superintendent salaries.
One of the items he said he wanted was a study done that included current salaries of superintendents, their experience, education attainment, responsibility, length of service and cost-of-living adjustments based on where they live.
Huckabee has said he wants lawmakers to consider developing a pay grid or schedule that would pay superintendents based on education, like teachers are paid.
Currently, there is no pay scale for superintendents, and their salaries and benefits are negotiated with the individual district that hires them.
“In response to the Supreme Court ruling on Lake View, my priorities are to look at the accountability, transparency and efficiency in Arkansas schools,” Huckabee said Friday.
The governor said he looks forward to getting the information on school administrative costs and said he hopes a survey is done on the costs incur for athletics.
During Friday’s committee meeting, Legislative Auditor Charles Robinson cautioned lawmakers that while the information on superintendents’ salaries is interesting, it doesn’t tell the whole story about superintendents and the school districts where they work.
He said the second survey will show each school district’s overall administrative costs and the salaries and benefits packages for assistant superintendents.
“Some of the smaller districts may have just one superintendent, while a larger district may have one superintendent and 40 assistant superintendents,” he said. “We’ll need to put both reports together so we can compare school districts.”
After the meeting, Robinson said hopes the survey can be completed by late spring.
The legislative audit survey can be found at www.legaudit.state.ar.us, under the Jan. 12-13 meeting listing.
Rob Moritz of the Arkansas News Bureau contributed to this report.
TOP STORY >> PCSSD finalists excited
By RICKY HARVEY
Leader managing editor
The five finalists vying for the superintendent position with the Pulaski County Special School District better get plenty of rest before their day in the spotlight next week.
They’ll likely need it.
A 13-hour day of non-stop meeting and greeting is scheduled each day next week for the candidates for the position, which was trimmed from eight applicants to five finalists during a special meeting Monday night with the school board and consultants from Mc-Pherson and Jacobson Executive Recruitment and Development, the firm organizing the nationwide search. Those approved by the school board to go through the interview process are:
• Dr. Carl Davis, 52, of Powder Springs, Ga., deputy chief of human resources at Cobb County (Ga.) Schools, a district of 106,000 students in Atlanta.
• Dr. Bruce Harter, 58, of Wilmington Del., superintendent of the 10,700-student Brandywine School District in Claymont, Del.
• Dr. Aquine Jackson, 59, of Milwaukee, chief academic officer of the 100,000-student Milwaukee Public Schools.
• Dr. Ed Musgrove, 54, of Waynesville, Mo., superintendent of Waynesville R-VI School District, with an enrollment of 5,200.
• James Sharpe, 64, of Little Rock, current interim superintendent with the PCSSD.
The five finalists were recommended by the search firm from a list of eight candidates who completed the application process.
“I’m really pleased with the fact we have five high-quality finalists,” consultant Thomas Jacob-son said. “When the numbers were coming in, we were get ting nervous because we didn’t have the numbers we had hoped for.
“But once we started screening, we realized that this is a very strong slate of candidates and that is unusual.”
Each finalist will visit the district during a different day next week, where they will meet with members of the district’s communities, tour schools and facilities, meet with the media and close the day by interviewing with the school board.
The day will start at 8 a.m. and conclude with the formal interview with the board, scheduled for 7:30-9 p.m. each day.
“I’m looking forward to meeting them, talking to them and finding out their vision,” said Rev. James Bolden III, a board member from Jackson-ville.
“I’m looking forward to bringing up Jack-sonville.”
Jackson will start the interview process on Monday, Sharpe on Tuesday, Davis on Wednesday, Jan. 25, Harter on Thursday, Jan. 26 and Musgrove on Friday, Jan. 27.
“I want to know what the concerns are from the board members, from members of the communities, and I’d like to talk to students and see what their concerns are and see what things they’d like to see in place,” Jackson said. “I’m looking forward for the board to get to know me to see if there is a match.”
Davis, who was superintendent for four years at Natchez (Miss.) Public Schools, said he’s also looking forward to meeting with members of the community and finding out all he needs to know about the district.
“I’m going there to listen,” Davis said. “I want to get the community to share with me the good and the bad and the things that need to be worked on. I want to know the community’s vision of the district.”
Musgrove will be the final candidate on Jan. 27, wrapping up a long interview process.
“I’m happy to be given the opportunity to explain my qualifications and experiences and hopefully they’ll be a desired fit for what the needs of the district are,” Musgrove said.
The finalists were recommended after an extensive screening process conducted by Jacobson and Loe Dunn, another consultant, using criteria developed after numerous focus-session groups with board members, teachers, students and members of the district’s communities were conducted in October and Novem-ber.
The top criteria determined by the board in-cluded:
• Someone of integrity and high ethical standards who possesses strong moral values.
• A seasoned administrator with a proven track record of fiscally and organizationally managing a multi-facility school district.
• Someone who possesses strong managerial leadership abilities with the ability to motivate, encourage and honestly evaluate staff and administrators.
• Someone who possesses outstanding communication and public relation skills with the ability to relate to a racially-diverse population.
• Someone who has experience as a superintendent and district administrator.
• Someone who has experience working with districts that have experienced financial and academic difficulties.
Whoever the board chooses as its next leader, they will receive a base salary of $165,000-$175,000, an amount approved by the Arkansas Department of Education.
The new superintendent will be someone the board hopes will provide stability in the district. The board has bought out the contracts of the past two superintendents — Gary Smith and Don Henderson — and has had four leaders since longtime chief Bobby Lester retired in 1999.
Leader managing editor
The five finalists vying for the superintendent position with the Pulaski County Special School District better get plenty of rest before their day in the spotlight next week.
They’ll likely need it.
A 13-hour day of non-stop meeting and greeting is scheduled each day next week for the candidates for the position, which was trimmed from eight applicants to five finalists during a special meeting Monday night with the school board and consultants from Mc-Pherson and Jacobson Executive Recruitment and Development, the firm organizing the nationwide search. Those approved by the school board to go through the interview process are:
• Dr. Carl Davis, 52, of Powder Springs, Ga., deputy chief of human resources at Cobb County (Ga.) Schools, a district of 106,000 students in Atlanta.
• Dr. Bruce Harter, 58, of Wilmington Del., superintendent of the 10,700-student Brandywine School District in Claymont, Del.
• Dr. Aquine Jackson, 59, of Milwaukee, chief academic officer of the 100,000-student Milwaukee Public Schools.
• Dr. Ed Musgrove, 54, of Waynesville, Mo., superintendent of Waynesville R-VI School District, with an enrollment of 5,200.
• James Sharpe, 64, of Little Rock, current interim superintendent with the PCSSD.
The five finalists were recommended by the search firm from a list of eight candidates who completed the application process.
“I’m really pleased with the fact we have five high-quality finalists,” consultant Thomas Jacob-son said. “When the numbers were coming in, we were get ting nervous because we didn’t have the numbers we had hoped for.
“But once we started screening, we realized that this is a very strong slate of candidates and that is unusual.”
Each finalist will visit the district during a different day next week, where they will meet with members of the district’s communities, tour schools and facilities, meet with the media and close the day by interviewing with the school board.
The day will start at 8 a.m. and conclude with the formal interview with the board, scheduled for 7:30-9 p.m. each day.
“I’m looking forward to meeting them, talking to them and finding out their vision,” said Rev. James Bolden III, a board member from Jackson-ville.
“I’m looking forward to bringing up Jack-sonville.”
Jackson will start the interview process on Monday, Sharpe on Tuesday, Davis on Wednesday, Jan. 25, Harter on Thursday, Jan. 26 and Musgrove on Friday, Jan. 27.
“I want to know what the concerns are from the board members, from members of the communities, and I’d like to talk to students and see what their concerns are and see what things they’d like to see in place,” Jackson said. “I’m looking forward for the board to get to know me to see if there is a match.”
Davis, who was superintendent for four years at Natchez (Miss.) Public Schools, said he’s also looking forward to meeting with members of the community and finding out all he needs to know about the district.
“I’m going there to listen,” Davis said. “I want to get the community to share with me the good and the bad and the things that need to be worked on. I want to know the community’s vision of the district.”
Musgrove will be the final candidate on Jan. 27, wrapping up a long interview process.
“I’m happy to be given the opportunity to explain my qualifications and experiences and hopefully they’ll be a desired fit for what the needs of the district are,” Musgrove said.
The finalists were recommended after an extensive screening process conducted by Jacobson and Loe Dunn, another consultant, using criteria developed after numerous focus-session groups with board members, teachers, students and members of the district’s communities were conducted in October and Novem-ber.
The top criteria determined by the board in-cluded:
• Someone of integrity and high ethical standards who possesses strong moral values.
• A seasoned administrator with a proven track record of fiscally and organizationally managing a multi-facility school district.
• Someone who possesses strong managerial leadership abilities with the ability to motivate, encourage and honestly evaluate staff and administrators.
• Someone who possesses outstanding communication and public relation skills with the ability to relate to a racially-diverse population.
• Someone who has experience as a superintendent and district administrator.
• Someone who has experience working with districts that have experienced financial and academic difficulties.
Whoever the board chooses as its next leader, they will receive a base salary of $165,000-$175,000, an amount approved by the Arkansas Department of Education.
The new superintendent will be someone the board hopes will provide stability in the district. The board has bought out the contracts of the past two superintendents — Gary Smith and Don Henderson — and has had four leaders since longtime chief Bobby Lester retired in 1999.
TOP STORY >> Activists question the delay by Deltic
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
Deltic Timber’s petition for more time to get its appraisal of the land Central Arkansas Water has condemned in the immediate Lake Maumelle basin is not a stalling tactic to allow Deltic another chance to get its way in the state General Assembly, a spokesman said Tues-day.
Currently, a trial is scheduled for Pulaski County Circuit Judge Mackie Pierce’s court on April 15 to determine the amount that CAW must pay Deltic for the 900 acres Deltic had hoped to develop into mini-estates on central Arkansas’s primary drinking-water source, but Deltic last week petitioned Pierce to postpone the beginning of the trial until the original September date.
That has fueled speculation that Deltic would try again next January, when Benny Petrus takes over as House speaker, to get legislative relief that would allow its Lake Maumelle development.
“In regard to possible legislative action, there’s been absolutely no discussion of that,” according to Craig Douglas, the Deltic spokes-man. “I think I would be aware of a plan and there is no plan.”
Likewise, Petrus said Tuesday that he had no plan to promote Deltic’s interests when he becomes speaker and has heard no discussion of such a plan.
“Nobody has contacted me on that issue,” he said.
Petrus said he was upset that he had been tied to Deltic in the media.
“I didn’t have anything to do with Deltic last time,” Petrus said. “Everybody in the world had me associated with Deltic. I didn’t have anything to do with it. I don’t serve on that (House Local Affairs) committee.”
“As far as Deltic Timber and CAW, I didn’t know a firm could run legislation. Like any legislator, I will evaluate each and every (piece of legislation) proposed. There’s another 134 legislators out there other than myself.”
“If I had to guess, I say neither (Deltic nor CAW) would try to introduce legislation,” when the General Assembly reconvenes, Petrus said.
Disclaimers by Douglas and Petrus were scant comfort to Patricia Dicker, a Pulaski County Quorum Court member who represents the county on the Policy Advisory Council for the development of the Lake Maumelle Watershed Plan, being formulated by consultant TetraTech.
“I think (Deltic is) doing everything (it) can to slow stuff down. If I were guessing, I’d say they are interested in putting something in the legislature now that Petrus is in,” she said. “I think they’ve got something up their sleeve. If they develop the area, they’ll ruin the lake. Even best management practices would pollute it.”
State Rep. Sam Ledbetter, D-Little Rock, and CAW’s attorney, said Tuesday that Petrus was elected speaker on Jan. 9 and “On the 12th, we received the motion for the continuance. It does make you wonder.”
Ledbetter campaigned for state Rep. Will Bond, D-Jacksonville, who lost to Petrus 58-42 in the speaker’s race.
“It’s a gray area as to whether or not the legislature can change the ground rules in the middle of the game,” Ledbetter said.
Deltic says it needs more time because many of the appraisers it would like to choose among wouldn’t have sufficient time to do the job right by April 15, and points out that the original trial date was Sept. 12.
CAW has until about Jan. 27 to answer Deltic’s petition.
“I’m sure our attorneys will ask that we continue on the grounds that the judge granted an expedited trial,” said Bruno Kersh, CAW’s chief operating officer. “I would assume there are appraisers who could do the job (for Deltic).”
Kersh said the bond money currently earmarked for the acquisition must be used within the next 18 months, but that money could be shifted around so that the land purchases could still be made after that time.
Leader staff writer
Deltic Timber’s petition for more time to get its appraisal of the land Central Arkansas Water has condemned in the immediate Lake Maumelle basin is not a stalling tactic to allow Deltic another chance to get its way in the state General Assembly, a spokesman said Tues-day.
Currently, a trial is scheduled for Pulaski County Circuit Judge Mackie Pierce’s court on April 15 to determine the amount that CAW must pay Deltic for the 900 acres Deltic had hoped to develop into mini-estates on central Arkansas’s primary drinking-water source, but Deltic last week petitioned Pierce to postpone the beginning of the trial until the original September date.
That has fueled speculation that Deltic would try again next January, when Benny Petrus takes over as House speaker, to get legislative relief that would allow its Lake Maumelle development.
“In regard to possible legislative action, there’s been absolutely no discussion of that,” according to Craig Douglas, the Deltic spokes-man. “I think I would be aware of a plan and there is no plan.”
Likewise, Petrus said Tuesday that he had no plan to promote Deltic’s interests when he becomes speaker and has heard no discussion of such a plan.
“Nobody has contacted me on that issue,” he said.
Petrus said he was upset that he had been tied to Deltic in the media.
“I didn’t have anything to do with Deltic last time,” Petrus said. “Everybody in the world had me associated with Deltic. I didn’t have anything to do with it. I don’t serve on that (House Local Affairs) committee.”
“As far as Deltic Timber and CAW, I didn’t know a firm could run legislation. Like any legislator, I will evaluate each and every (piece of legislation) proposed. There’s another 134 legislators out there other than myself.”
“If I had to guess, I say neither (Deltic nor CAW) would try to introduce legislation,” when the General Assembly reconvenes, Petrus said.
Disclaimers by Douglas and Petrus were scant comfort to Patricia Dicker, a Pulaski County Quorum Court member who represents the county on the Policy Advisory Council for the development of the Lake Maumelle Watershed Plan, being formulated by consultant TetraTech.
“I think (Deltic is) doing everything (it) can to slow stuff down. If I were guessing, I’d say they are interested in putting something in the legislature now that Petrus is in,” she said. “I think they’ve got something up their sleeve. If they develop the area, they’ll ruin the lake. Even best management practices would pollute it.”
State Rep. Sam Ledbetter, D-Little Rock, and CAW’s attorney, said Tuesday that Petrus was elected speaker on Jan. 9 and “On the 12th, we received the motion for the continuance. It does make you wonder.”
Ledbetter campaigned for state Rep. Will Bond, D-Jacksonville, who lost to Petrus 58-42 in the speaker’s race.
“It’s a gray area as to whether or not the legislature can change the ground rules in the middle of the game,” Ledbetter said.
Deltic says it needs more time because many of the appraisers it would like to choose among wouldn’t have sufficient time to do the job right by April 15, and points out that the original trial date was Sept. 12.
CAW has until about Jan. 27 to answer Deltic’s petition.
“I’m sure our attorneys will ask that we continue on the grounds that the judge granted an expedited trial,” said Bruno Kersh, CAW’s chief operating officer. “I would assume there are appraisers who could do the job (for Deltic).”
Kersh said the bond money currently earmarked for the acquisition must be used within the next 18 months, but that money could be shifted around so that the land purchases could still be made after that time.
TOP STORY >> Schools graded on their teaching
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Four area schools were among the worst performing in the state in the 2004-2005 school year, according to the recently released School Performance Index.
Researchers at the University of Arkansas calculate the index, which takes into account benchmark test scores and a host of student and community traits and resources.
The poor performing schools include:
• Jacksonville Middle School, ranking 1,099 out of 1,116 with a School Performance Index of 75 (the national average is 100).
• England High School ranked 1,103 with an SPI of 74.1.
• McRae High School ranked 1,104 with an SPI of 73.1. The school has since been converted to a middle school (5th and 6th grade).
• England Middle School, ranked 1,109 out of 1,116, with an SPI of 68.3.
Searcy had the best performing schools in the area, followed by Cabot and Lonoke.
Overall, the School Performance Index finds, after adjusting for student characteristics, Arkansas schools, as a whole, are performing slightly better than the national average. The national average is 100 and Arkansas’ average is 100.33.
Altheimer Unified School District had the top SPI in the state at 147.47, nearly 48 points above the national average of 100.
Searcy School District was in the top 20 performing school districts in the state with a SPI of 111.68.
According to the report, accountability tests, like the state’s bench mark exams, are often used to assess the quality of schools, but the tests, by themselves, don’t tell the whole story. The UA researchers said test-score results are only partially a reflection of the quality of school instruction; they are also partially a reflection of the advantages and disadvantages that students bring to school.
The researchers developed the School Performance Index “in an attempt to disentangle school quality from student advantages and disadvantages.”
PCSSD
Baker Interdistrict Elementary School in Little Rock had the highest SPI in the district at 128.7 (with 100 being the national average). Locally, the best were Arnold Drive and Clinton elementary schools. The worst performing score be-longed to Jacksonville Middle School.
• Arnold Drive Elementary had an SPI of 112.5 and a ranking of 180 out of 1,116.
• Bayou Meto Elementary had an SPI of 100 and a ranking of 573.
• Cato Elementary had an SPI of 107.5 and a ranking of 304.
• Clinton Elementary had an SPI of 112.3 and a ranking of 187.
• Harris Elementary had an SPI of 80.9 and a ranking of 1,062.
• Homer Adkins Elementary had an SPI of 89.5 and a ranking of 924.
• Jacksonville Elementary had an SPI of 87.8 and a ranking of 968.
• Jacksonville High School had an SPI of 100 and a ranking of 572.
• Jacksonville Junior High had an SPI of 80.5 and a ranking of 1,065.
• Jacksonville Middle School had an SPI of 75 and a ranking of 1,099.
• Murrell Taylor Elementary had an SPI of 91.2 and a ranking of 870.
• North Pulaski High School had an SPI of 91 and a ranking of 878.
• Northwood Middle School had an SPI of 84.4 and a ranking of 1,034.
• Oakbrooke Elementary had an SPI of 109.2 and a ranking of 264.
• Pinewood Elementary had an SPI of 111.4 and a ranking of 212.
• Sherwood Elementary had an SPI of 101.4 and a ranking of 526.
• Sylvan Hills Elementary had an SPI of 105.7 and a ranking of 363.
• Sylvan Hills High School had an SPI of 91.2 and a ranking of 871.
• Sylvan Hills Middle School had an SPI of 95.5 and a ranking of 759.
• Tolleson Elementary had an SPI of 108 and a ranking of 295.
• Warren Dupree Elementary had an SPI of 99.6 and a ranking of 595.
Overall, the school district had an SPI of 98.23 and was ranked 179th out of 255 districts.
SEARCY
Only one of Searcy’s schools — Searcy High School — was not above the national average. Sidney Deener and Westside elementary schools were substantially above the national average.
• Ahlf Junior High School had an SPI of 103 (with 100 being the national average) and a ranking of 459 out of 1,116.
• McRae Elementary had an SPI of 112.5 and a ranking of 179.
• Searcy High School had an SPI of 97.3 and a ranking of 690.
• Sidney Deener Elementary had an SPI of 124.8 and a ranking of 46.
• Southwest Middle School had an SPI of 109.9 and a ranking of 249.
• Westside Elementary had an SPI of 121.4 and a ranking of 56.
The district, overall, had an SPI of 111.68 and was ranked 18th in the state.
BEEBE
In the Beebe School District, McRae High School had the worst performance while Beebe Inter-mediate had the best score.
According to the study:
• Beebe Elementary had an SPI of 97.1 (with 100 being the national average) and a ranking of 683 out of 1,116.
• Beebe High School had an SPI of 99.2 and a ranking of 617.
• Beebe Intermediate had an SPI of 105 and a ranking of 380.
• Beebe Junior High School had an SPI of 95.9 and a ranking of 747.
• Beebe Middle School had an SPI of 94.7 and a ranking of 781.
• McRae Elementary had an SPI of 104.1 and a ranking of 411.
• McRae High School had an SPI of 73.1 and a ranking of 1,104.
Overall, the district had an SPI of 97.45 and was ranked 190 out of 255 districts.
CABOT
Magness Creek Elementary had the best score in the Cabot School District while the Academic Center for Excellence had the worst ranking in the district.
• Academic Center of Excel-lence had an SPI of 88.2 (with 100 being the national average) with a ranking of 956 out of 1,116 schools.
• Cabot High School had an SPI of 94.2 and a ranking of 795.
• Cabot Junior High North had an SPI of 91.8 and a ranking of 850.
• Cabot Junior High South had an SPI of 96 and a ranking of 742.
• Cabot Middle School North had an SPI of 98.2 and a ranking of 662.
• Cabot Middle School South had an SPI of 107.4 and a ranking of 306.
• Central Elementary had an SPI of 106.6 and a ranking of 334.
• Eastside Elementary also had an SPI of 106.6 and a ranking of 331.
• Magness Creek Elementary had an SPI of 108.3 and a ranking of 287.
• Northside Elementary had an SPI of 104.7 and a ranking of 393.
• Southside Elementary had an SPI of 95.9 and a ranking of 744.
• Ward Central Elementary had an SPI of 101.3 and a ranking of 529.
• Westside Elementary had an SPI of 107.1 and a ranking of 314.
Cabot School District, overall, had an SPI of 100.36 and was ranked 155th in the state out of 255 districts.
LONOKE
Lonoke Elementary had the highest score in the district while Lonoke High School had the lowest.
• Lonoke Elementary had an SPI of 113.1 (with 100 being the national average) with a ranking of 167 out of 1,116.
• Lonoke High School had an SPI of 96.3 with a ranking of 733.
• Lonoke Middle School had an SPI of 98.2 with a ranking of 659.
• Lonoke Primary School had an SPI of 105.4 with a ranking of 370.
Overall, the district had an SPI of 104.42 and ranked 90th out of 255 school districts in the state.
CARLISLE
• Carlisle Elementary had an SPI of 99.8 and a ranking of 584.
• Carlisle High School had an SPI of 95.3 and a ranking of 764.
The district had an overall SPI of 98.32 and was ranked 177th out of 255 school districts.
ENGLAND
• England Elementary had an SPI of 97.1 and a ranking of 699.
• England Middle School had an SPI of 68.3 and a ranking of 1,109.
• England High School had an SPI of 74.1 and a ranking of 1,103.
At an overall SPI of 84.76, only ten districts in the state were ranked lower than England.
Leader staff writer
Four area schools were among the worst performing in the state in the 2004-2005 school year, according to the recently released School Performance Index.
Researchers at the University of Arkansas calculate the index, which takes into account benchmark test scores and a host of student and community traits and resources.
The poor performing schools include:
• Jacksonville Middle School, ranking 1,099 out of 1,116 with a School Performance Index of 75 (the national average is 100).
• England High School ranked 1,103 with an SPI of 74.1.
• McRae High School ranked 1,104 with an SPI of 73.1. The school has since been converted to a middle school (5th and 6th grade).
• England Middle School, ranked 1,109 out of 1,116, with an SPI of 68.3.
Searcy had the best performing schools in the area, followed by Cabot and Lonoke.
Overall, the School Performance Index finds, after adjusting for student characteristics, Arkansas schools, as a whole, are performing slightly better than the national average. The national average is 100 and Arkansas’ average is 100.33.
Altheimer Unified School District had the top SPI in the state at 147.47, nearly 48 points above the national average of 100.
Searcy School District was in the top 20 performing school districts in the state with a SPI of 111.68.
According to the report, accountability tests, like the state’s bench mark exams, are often used to assess the quality of schools, but the tests, by themselves, don’t tell the whole story. The UA researchers said test-score results are only partially a reflection of the quality of school instruction; they are also partially a reflection of the advantages and disadvantages that students bring to school.
The researchers developed the School Performance Index “in an attempt to disentangle school quality from student advantages and disadvantages.”
PCSSD
Baker Interdistrict Elementary School in Little Rock had the highest SPI in the district at 128.7 (with 100 being the national average). Locally, the best were Arnold Drive and Clinton elementary schools. The worst performing score be-longed to Jacksonville Middle School.
• Arnold Drive Elementary had an SPI of 112.5 and a ranking of 180 out of 1,116.
• Bayou Meto Elementary had an SPI of 100 and a ranking of 573.
• Cato Elementary had an SPI of 107.5 and a ranking of 304.
• Clinton Elementary had an SPI of 112.3 and a ranking of 187.
• Harris Elementary had an SPI of 80.9 and a ranking of 1,062.
• Homer Adkins Elementary had an SPI of 89.5 and a ranking of 924.
• Jacksonville Elementary had an SPI of 87.8 and a ranking of 968.
• Jacksonville High School had an SPI of 100 and a ranking of 572.
• Jacksonville Junior High had an SPI of 80.5 and a ranking of 1,065.
• Jacksonville Middle School had an SPI of 75 and a ranking of 1,099.
• Murrell Taylor Elementary had an SPI of 91.2 and a ranking of 870.
• North Pulaski High School had an SPI of 91 and a ranking of 878.
• Northwood Middle School had an SPI of 84.4 and a ranking of 1,034.
• Oakbrooke Elementary had an SPI of 109.2 and a ranking of 264.
• Pinewood Elementary had an SPI of 111.4 and a ranking of 212.
• Sherwood Elementary had an SPI of 101.4 and a ranking of 526.
• Sylvan Hills Elementary had an SPI of 105.7 and a ranking of 363.
• Sylvan Hills High School had an SPI of 91.2 and a ranking of 871.
• Sylvan Hills Middle School had an SPI of 95.5 and a ranking of 759.
• Tolleson Elementary had an SPI of 108 and a ranking of 295.
• Warren Dupree Elementary had an SPI of 99.6 and a ranking of 595.
Overall, the school district had an SPI of 98.23 and was ranked 179th out of 255 districts.
SEARCY
Only one of Searcy’s schools — Searcy High School — was not above the national average. Sidney Deener and Westside elementary schools were substantially above the national average.
• Ahlf Junior High School had an SPI of 103 (with 100 being the national average) and a ranking of 459 out of 1,116.
• McRae Elementary had an SPI of 112.5 and a ranking of 179.
• Searcy High School had an SPI of 97.3 and a ranking of 690.
• Sidney Deener Elementary had an SPI of 124.8 and a ranking of 46.
• Southwest Middle School had an SPI of 109.9 and a ranking of 249.
• Westside Elementary had an SPI of 121.4 and a ranking of 56.
The district, overall, had an SPI of 111.68 and was ranked 18th in the state.
BEEBE
In the Beebe School District, McRae High School had the worst performance while Beebe Inter-mediate had the best score.
According to the study:
• Beebe Elementary had an SPI of 97.1 (with 100 being the national average) and a ranking of 683 out of 1,116.
• Beebe High School had an SPI of 99.2 and a ranking of 617.
• Beebe Intermediate had an SPI of 105 and a ranking of 380.
• Beebe Junior High School had an SPI of 95.9 and a ranking of 747.
• Beebe Middle School had an SPI of 94.7 and a ranking of 781.
• McRae Elementary had an SPI of 104.1 and a ranking of 411.
• McRae High School had an SPI of 73.1 and a ranking of 1,104.
Overall, the district had an SPI of 97.45 and was ranked 190 out of 255 districts.
CABOT
Magness Creek Elementary had the best score in the Cabot School District while the Academic Center for Excellence had the worst ranking in the district.
• Academic Center of Excel-lence had an SPI of 88.2 (with 100 being the national average) with a ranking of 956 out of 1,116 schools.
• Cabot High School had an SPI of 94.2 and a ranking of 795.
• Cabot Junior High North had an SPI of 91.8 and a ranking of 850.
• Cabot Junior High South had an SPI of 96 and a ranking of 742.
• Cabot Middle School North had an SPI of 98.2 and a ranking of 662.
• Cabot Middle School South had an SPI of 107.4 and a ranking of 306.
• Central Elementary had an SPI of 106.6 and a ranking of 334.
• Eastside Elementary also had an SPI of 106.6 and a ranking of 331.
• Magness Creek Elementary had an SPI of 108.3 and a ranking of 287.
• Northside Elementary had an SPI of 104.7 and a ranking of 393.
• Southside Elementary had an SPI of 95.9 and a ranking of 744.
• Ward Central Elementary had an SPI of 101.3 and a ranking of 529.
• Westside Elementary had an SPI of 107.1 and a ranking of 314.
Cabot School District, overall, had an SPI of 100.36 and was ranked 155th in the state out of 255 districts.
LONOKE
Lonoke Elementary had the highest score in the district while Lonoke High School had the lowest.
• Lonoke Elementary had an SPI of 113.1 (with 100 being the national average) with a ranking of 167 out of 1,116.
• Lonoke High School had an SPI of 96.3 with a ranking of 733.
• Lonoke Middle School had an SPI of 98.2 with a ranking of 659.
• Lonoke Primary School had an SPI of 105.4 with a ranking of 370.
Overall, the district had an SPI of 104.42 and ranked 90th out of 255 school districts in the state.
CARLISLE
• Carlisle Elementary had an SPI of 99.8 and a ranking of 584.
• Carlisle High School had an SPI of 95.3 and a ranking of 764.
The district had an overall SPI of 98.32 and was ranked 177th out of 255 school districts.
ENGLAND
• England Elementary had an SPI of 97.1 and a ranking of 699.
• England Middle School had an SPI of 68.3 and a ranking of 1,109.
• England High School had an SPI of 74.1 and a ranking of 1,103.
At an overall SPI of 84.76, only ten districts in the state were ranked lower than England.
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