Residents and at least one business along Graham Road in Jacksonville found a scary notice Saturday stuck on their doors: Their water would be turned off from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday so the contractor could relocate more water lines as part of the Graham Road widening project.
The notice appeared to be from the Jacksonville Water Department, but there was no one to call over the weekend about the shutoff. Annoyed residents and business owners read the notice in the sweltering heat, wiping away sweat from their foreheads in the 95-degree heat and wondering how they’d get through the day without water.
The water-line relocation project, which is several months behind schedule, has inconvenienced residents and has interrupted operations at this newspaper. Workers digging on Graham Road have often mistakenly cut off natural gas and telephone lines.
The project was supposed to wind up in early January, and here we are at the start of summer, and there’s still no end in sight.
Co-Bar Contracting of North Little Rock, which is doing the water-line relocation, claims the water department has provided incorrect information about the location of the water lines and made numerous changes to the work order.
Jake Short, the water department’s general manager, said Co-Bar was given two extensions to complete the four changes his department requested. The first one was for 43 days, and the second extension was for 48 days.
Co-Bar Contracting was the low bidder at $436,000, according to Short. He says the most recent estimate is the project will cost $63,000 more than the original bid, or about $500,000, which the city will get back from the state Highway Department because the state is paying for the cost of the relocation. In any case, you’re footing the bill if you’re still counting.
Charles Tankersley, the spokesman for Co-Bar Contracting, says the project has cost nearly $76,000 more than his original bid and that figure will continue to go up because the water department is still making changes. It’s bound to get worse.
The contractor may take legal action against Jacksonville. He should expect a countersuit, according to city officials.
The water-line relocation will make way for the $7 million widening of Graham Road to four lanes from Loop Road to Elm and Oak streets, a distance of about a mile. The widening project is 80 percent federally funded. Expect more cost overruns before the project is completed.
As for the notice posted on doors over the weekend: Jacksonville Water Department officials said Tuesday they had nothing to do with those notices. Apparently the contractor had mistakenly posted them in areas that weren’t supposed to have their water cut off Tuesday.
No wonder residents can’t wait for the contractor to get out of town.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
TOP STORY >> JHS making progress in achievement
By SARAH CAMPBELL
Leader staff writer
Progress has been made at Jacksonville High School and that will continue with support from everyone, Principal Henry Anderson said Thursday at the school’s second community meeting of the year.
He said only 15 of 166 seniors didn’t earn a diploma this year from JHS, which has been criticized for having a graduation rate of a little more than 50 percent. One of the 15 students, Anderson said, was only half a credit away.
The principal said the school was working with that student. Anderson predicted that the student would earn his diploma by the end of this week.
Anderson said the school saw a 9 percent rise in Benchmark test scores. The official scores will be released any day.
As a school-improvement grant school, Jacksonville had the highest composite score in literacy of all the schools in Arkansas that received that grant, the principal said.
Jacksonville was awarded a $2 million federal school-improvement grant that will be used to promote academic achievement through more technology and professional development for teachers because it ranked in the bottom 5 percent in the state, along with Dollarway, Helena-West Helena and Marvell, which also received similar grants.
The grant could be renewed for two additional years if the school uses the money appropriately and has positive results. The school would receive the same amount for the second year and $1.7 million for the third year.
Anderson said, “We are wireless all over the building now. I can tell you that kids yesterday, and some today, with the growth and goals activity we gave for enrichment have e-mailed me my next marching orders about cafeteria food, bathrooms and things that they want to happen, like an open campus. We have student voices taking place.”
As for discipline, Anderson said preliminary data shows the amount of referrals issued decreased by 200 compared to last year.
The principal touted the professional development that is ongoing with the school’s teaching staff.
Anderson said seven 10th-graders, according to their PLAN test results, could receive multiple scholarships by the time they are seniors. PLAN is a test that predicts how well a student could do when they take the ACT exam. ACT scores are often taken into consideration when awarding merit-based financial aid to attend college.
He said the school nurse has been recording data about pregnant students and discussions about establishing a clinic or daycare are taking place now with the Pulaski County Special School District administrators and the state Education Department.
The school will offer concurrent college credit courses next year, Anderson said. The school has also received preliminary approval to spend $75,000 of the school improvement grant on reimbursing teachers’ for their tuition if they want to go back to school for another certification or degree, he said.
“There are so many things taking place. So sometimes you just go ‘wow,’” the principal said. “There’s still more to do. Today, we are going to celebrate, analyze, look at, talk about some things and get ready for marching orders for 2012-13 and you’re going to be part of that process.”
Later, Anderson struggled to hold back tears as he shared why he is so dedicated to helping students.
“We cannot let them fail. This is not just a job for me. This is a passion because at one point in time I was a child that should have not made it. To be able to lead a school where you have kids that looked like you when you were struggling and to help them, to have the resources to help them make a difference. That’s why you stay up day and night looking at stuff and that’s why you get into it with teachers.”
He continued, “That’s why you have all these things going on because you used to be them. You used to be the one that got dogged out. You were a gifted kid in third grade and never got into talented and gifted classes until 10th grade and then graduated with honors from college. “When you had that privilege of somebody saying ‘I’m going to help you make it, and they pull you along the way, you don’t forget that. And you help others to do that. “That is why I’m so hard on my teachers and why I’m always challenging you because our kids deserve it. They have to have it because life is not an easy thing to handle, especially if you’re not prepared.”
Anderson said he bought a house in Jacksonville and plans to stay. He is the fifth principal in two years.
He also said the school’s theme for next year is “Striving for Excellence.”
This year’s theme was “It is what it is.”
The first community meeting in August drew a much larger crowd, but the smaller audience had no trouble identifying the school’s strengths, weaknesses, what is threatening its progress and how the problems could be addressed.
Strengths were:
• Anderson;
• The new media center, which was revamped with money from the district’s building fund;
• Increased technology/wireless (Internet);
• Increased accountability;
• Good literacy End-of-Course exam scores;
• Counseling staff;
• Teamwork between teachers and students;
• More parent involvement;
• New parent liaison Jada Ellis;
• Improved discipline;
• Improved communication;
• And improved graduation rate/credit recovery (a program that allows student to earn, on the weekends, any credits they are lacking).
Weaknesses were:
• Dilapidated facilities;
• Some teaching staff;
• Academics;
• Lack of food choices in the cafeteria;
• Communication between the staff and administrators;
• Communication between staff, parents and students;
• Bullying;
• Student and teacher attitudes;
• Lack of tutoring;
• Commitment of teachers and students;
• Honesty/relationships between students and teachers;
• Too many rules;
• Amount of time between classes;
• Poor parent involvement;
• Lack of electives;
• Lack of technology know-how;
• and funding.
Those in attendance offered some suggestions for the next steps Jacksonville should take to accomplish some of the goals. Some of those were:
• Use Read 180, a comprehensive system of curriculum, instruction, assessment and professional development aimed at helping students whose reading achievement is below the proficient level;
• Add vocabulary back into the enrichment period;
• Give the student council more authority to make things happen on campus;
• Add more sports or intramural sports;
• Hire bilingual counselors;
• Request an audit;
• Conduct a learning styles inventory;
• Hire bilingual teachers;
• Get tutoring program for English as a Second Language students;
• And establish a student court that has a say in punishment for students who receive disciplinary referrals.
Those at the meeting said negative attitudes, declining enrollment, central office, lack of participation, lack of time, lack of funds, conflicting goals, the ability to carry out plans and ignorance threaten the progress of JHS.
But the school improvement grant, concurrent credit program, credit recovery program, mentors, community support, the ninth-grade academy, as well as several grants that could help the school continue to move forward.
The ninth grade academy involves making the transition to high school easier by having those students take five out of their seven classes in the same hallway, Anderson said. That way, ninth-graders build a sense of community and their teachers have the same planning period. Parents can then speak with most of their students’ teachers at one time.
Another feature of the academy program is a spring symposium that would help the ninth-graders to develop critical thinking by listening to speakers and having discussions on a particular topic.
SWAG helps fund tutoring, field trips to colleges and other programs that encourage academic growth, Anderson said.
School officials announced Tuesday that it received SWAG funding from the Arkansas Arts Council to host a summer arts clinic for students interested in theatre arts and drama or increasing their reading comprehension skills.
The clinic will be held in the school’s auditorium from 8 a.m.-noon July 9 through Aug. 2. It will end with a community performance on Aug. 2. Applications can be picked up at the office and the deadline is June 15.
ACSIP is a federal plan for school improvement that earns the school funding based on the number of students who sign up for free or reduced lunch, the principal said.
The AIMS grant provides funding to train advanced placement and pre-AP teachers. Students who take those classes can earn college credit with their scores on AP exams.
Individuals who attended the meeting Thursday also received a copy of the school’s core beliefs, vision statement and mission statement. They were told to look for words that were confusing or vocabulary that some people may not understand.
Some of those words were stakeholders, character, rigorous and high-yield.
The principal’s cabinet, a group of students that works with Anderson on policies, will revise the document based on the feedback gathered at the meeting.
Leader staff writer
Progress has been made at Jacksonville High School and that will continue with support from everyone, Principal Henry Anderson said Thursday at the school’s second community meeting of the year.
He said only 15 of 166 seniors didn’t earn a diploma this year from JHS, which has been criticized for having a graduation rate of a little more than 50 percent. One of the 15 students, Anderson said, was only half a credit away.
The principal said the school was working with that student. Anderson predicted that the student would earn his diploma by the end of this week.
Anderson said the school saw a 9 percent rise in Benchmark test scores. The official scores will be released any day.
As a school-improvement grant school, Jacksonville had the highest composite score in literacy of all the schools in Arkansas that received that grant, the principal said.
Jacksonville was awarded a $2 million federal school-improvement grant that will be used to promote academic achievement through more technology and professional development for teachers because it ranked in the bottom 5 percent in the state, along with Dollarway, Helena-West Helena and Marvell, which also received similar grants.
The grant could be renewed for two additional years if the school uses the money appropriately and has positive results. The school would receive the same amount for the second year and $1.7 million for the third year.
Anderson said, “We are wireless all over the building now. I can tell you that kids yesterday, and some today, with the growth and goals activity we gave for enrichment have e-mailed me my next marching orders about cafeteria food, bathrooms and things that they want to happen, like an open campus. We have student voices taking place.”
As for discipline, Anderson said preliminary data shows the amount of referrals issued decreased by 200 compared to last year.
The principal touted the professional development that is ongoing with the school’s teaching staff.
Anderson said seven 10th-graders, according to their PLAN test results, could receive multiple scholarships by the time they are seniors. PLAN is a test that predicts how well a student could do when they take the ACT exam. ACT scores are often taken into consideration when awarding merit-based financial aid to attend college.
He said the school nurse has been recording data about pregnant students and discussions about establishing a clinic or daycare are taking place now with the Pulaski County Special School District administrators and the state Education Department.
The school will offer concurrent college credit courses next year, Anderson said. The school has also received preliminary approval to spend $75,000 of the school improvement grant on reimbursing teachers’ for their tuition if they want to go back to school for another certification or degree, he said.
“There are so many things taking place. So sometimes you just go ‘wow,’” the principal said. “There’s still more to do. Today, we are going to celebrate, analyze, look at, talk about some things and get ready for marching orders for 2012-13 and you’re going to be part of that process.”
Later, Anderson struggled to hold back tears as he shared why he is so dedicated to helping students.
“We cannot let them fail. This is not just a job for me. This is a passion because at one point in time I was a child that should have not made it. To be able to lead a school where you have kids that looked like you when you were struggling and to help them, to have the resources to help them make a difference. That’s why you stay up day and night looking at stuff and that’s why you get into it with teachers.”
He continued, “That’s why you have all these things going on because you used to be them. You used to be the one that got dogged out. You were a gifted kid in third grade and never got into talented and gifted classes until 10th grade and then graduated with honors from college. “When you had that privilege of somebody saying ‘I’m going to help you make it, and they pull you along the way, you don’t forget that. And you help others to do that. “That is why I’m so hard on my teachers and why I’m always challenging you because our kids deserve it. They have to have it because life is not an easy thing to handle, especially if you’re not prepared.”
Anderson said he bought a house in Jacksonville and plans to stay. He is the fifth principal in two years.
He also said the school’s theme for next year is “Striving for Excellence.”
This year’s theme was “It is what it is.”
The first community meeting in August drew a much larger crowd, but the smaller audience had no trouble identifying the school’s strengths, weaknesses, what is threatening its progress and how the problems could be addressed.
Strengths were:
• Anderson;
• The new media center, which was revamped with money from the district’s building fund;
• Increased technology/wireless (Internet);
• Increased accountability;
• Good literacy End-of-Course exam scores;
• Counseling staff;
• Teamwork between teachers and students;
• More parent involvement;
• New parent liaison Jada Ellis;
• Improved discipline;
• Improved communication;
• And improved graduation rate/credit recovery (a program that allows student to earn, on the weekends, any credits they are lacking).
Weaknesses were:
• Dilapidated facilities;
• Some teaching staff;
• Academics;
• Lack of food choices in the cafeteria;
• Communication between the staff and administrators;
• Communication between staff, parents and students;
• Bullying;
• Student and teacher attitudes;
• Lack of tutoring;
• Commitment of teachers and students;
• Honesty/relationships between students and teachers;
• Too many rules;
• Amount of time between classes;
• Poor parent involvement;
• Lack of electives;
• Lack of technology know-how;
• and funding.
Those in attendance offered some suggestions for the next steps Jacksonville should take to accomplish some of the goals. Some of those were:
• Use Read 180, a comprehensive system of curriculum, instruction, assessment and professional development aimed at helping students whose reading achievement is below the proficient level;
• Add vocabulary back into the enrichment period;
• Give the student council more authority to make things happen on campus;
• Add more sports or intramural sports;
• Hire bilingual counselors;
• Request an audit;
• Conduct a learning styles inventory;
• Hire bilingual teachers;
• Get tutoring program for English as a Second Language students;
• And establish a student court that has a say in punishment for students who receive disciplinary referrals.
Those at the meeting said negative attitudes, declining enrollment, central office, lack of participation, lack of time, lack of funds, conflicting goals, the ability to carry out plans and ignorance threaten the progress of JHS.
But the school improvement grant, concurrent credit program, credit recovery program, mentors, community support, the ninth-grade academy, as well as several grants that could help the school continue to move forward.
The ninth grade academy involves making the transition to high school easier by having those students take five out of their seven classes in the same hallway, Anderson said. That way, ninth-graders build a sense of community and their teachers have the same planning period. Parents can then speak with most of their students’ teachers at one time.
Another feature of the academy program is a spring symposium that would help the ninth-graders to develop critical thinking by listening to speakers and having discussions on a particular topic.
SWAG helps fund tutoring, field trips to colleges and other programs that encourage academic growth, Anderson said.
School officials announced Tuesday that it received SWAG funding from the Arkansas Arts Council to host a summer arts clinic for students interested in theatre arts and drama or increasing their reading comprehension skills.
The clinic will be held in the school’s auditorium from 8 a.m.-noon July 9 through Aug. 2. It will end with a community performance on Aug. 2. Applications can be picked up at the office and the deadline is June 15.
ACSIP is a federal plan for school improvement that earns the school funding based on the number of students who sign up for free or reduced lunch, the principal said.
The AIMS grant provides funding to train advanced placement and pre-AP teachers. Students who take those classes can earn college credit with their scores on AP exams.
Individuals who attended the meeting Thursday also received a copy of the school’s core beliefs, vision statement and mission statement. They were told to look for words that were confusing or vocabulary that some people may not understand.
Some of those words were stakeholders, character, rigorous and high-yield.
The principal’s cabinet, a group of students that works with Anderson on policies, will revise the document based on the feedback gathered at the meeting.
TOP STORY >> Whiteaker set for runoff
By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
Circuit Judge Phillip Whiteaker of Cabot is preparing to step up his campaign for the District 1, Position 2 seat on the Arkansas Court of Appeals.
Since he received 17,272 votes, or only 38.13 percent of the total in the three-way race, he will be in a runoff election Nov. 6 against Jeannette Robertson, a lawyer from Jonesboro who came in second with 14,683 votes, or 32.41 percent of the total.
Whiteaker, who has been a circuit judge in Lonoke County for 15 years, won in 54 of Lonoke County’s 55 precincts and tied with Robertson in Lafayette Township with each candidate receiving one vote there.
Jonesboro lawyer Richard Lusby received 13,348 votes, or 29.46 percent.
Whiteaker says he’s encouraged by all the support he received from voters last week and is looking forward to the runoff. As the only judge in the race, getting the word out about his experience will be the key to winning, he said.
Since Whiteaker’s seat on the circuit court is not up for re-election, he will still be a circuit judge if he is not elected to the appeals court.
“It’s a good place to be,” Whiteaker said Tuesday.
In his years on the bench, he has tried to apply the law in a way that would help people, he said. And he thinks he could do the same thing on the appeals court. But if he is not successful, he will continue his work in Lonoke County.
The seat on the court of appeals became open because Judge Raymond Abramson was appointed in 2010 and is not allowed to run in the election.
Abramson was defeated for a position on the Arkansas Supreme Court by Judge Jo Hart who also serves on the court of appeals, 195,001 to 103,282.
Court of Appeals District 1 covers 12 counties. In addition to Lonoke, Whiteaker won in Woodruff, White, Prairie and Monroe counties.
Robertson won in Clay, Greene, Mississippi and Poinsett counties and Lusby won in Cross, Crittenden and Craighead counties.
The Arkansas Court of Appeals was created by an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution in 1978 to relieve the growing case load of the Arkansas Supreme Court.
The decisions the court hands down are binding on lower courts and cannot necessarily be appealed to the higher court. The court also hears cases from the Arkansas Workers Compensation Commission.
“This is often the court of last resort for many issues,” Whiteaker said when he announced he was running. “If elected I promise to continue to use down-to-earth common sense in applying the law in a fair and impartial manner.”
During his time as a circuit judge, Whiteaker has presided over 22,000 cases including criminal, civil, domestic, probate and juvenile matters.
He voluntarily served as the judge of the Drug Treatment Court and Veterans Treatment Court to help people recover from addictions.
In his private practice before being elected circuit judge, Whiteaker specialized in disability law. He also worked as an attorney for the Arkansas Workers Compensation Com-mission and the Social Security Administration.
He graduated from the University of Arkansas Law School in Little Rock in 1986 and went into practice with the firm Cook, Whiteaker and Associates.
Whiteaker and his wife, Terrie, have two adult children, Chris and Jesse, and one grandchild. He is a member of the First Free Will Baptist Church, where he serves as the worship pastor.
Robertson, Whiteaker’s opponent in the runoff, also received her law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has practiced law for 27 years in state and federal courts in Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and Texas.
Her cases have included workers compensation and Social Security as well as agriculture, business formation and litigation, child custody and divorce, financial and debt counseling, guardianship and estate planning, personal injury and wrongful death actions, product liability, probate and tax law.
In addition to her law practice, Robertson is a part-time district court judge in Craighead County.
Leader staff writer
Circuit Judge Phillip Whiteaker of Cabot is preparing to step up his campaign for the District 1, Position 2 seat on the Arkansas Court of Appeals.
Since he received 17,272 votes, or only 38.13 percent of the total in the three-way race, he will be in a runoff election Nov. 6 against Jeannette Robertson, a lawyer from Jonesboro who came in second with 14,683 votes, or 32.41 percent of the total.
Whiteaker, who has been a circuit judge in Lonoke County for 15 years, won in 54 of Lonoke County’s 55 precincts and tied with Robertson in Lafayette Township with each candidate receiving one vote there.
Jonesboro lawyer Richard Lusby received 13,348 votes, or 29.46 percent.
Whiteaker says he’s encouraged by all the support he received from voters last week and is looking forward to the runoff. As the only judge in the race, getting the word out about his experience will be the key to winning, he said.
Since Whiteaker’s seat on the circuit court is not up for re-election, he will still be a circuit judge if he is not elected to the appeals court.
“It’s a good place to be,” Whiteaker said Tuesday.
In his years on the bench, he has tried to apply the law in a way that would help people, he said. And he thinks he could do the same thing on the appeals court. But if he is not successful, he will continue his work in Lonoke County.
The seat on the court of appeals became open because Judge Raymond Abramson was appointed in 2010 and is not allowed to run in the election.
Abramson was defeated for a position on the Arkansas Supreme Court by Judge Jo Hart who also serves on the court of appeals, 195,001 to 103,282.
Court of Appeals District 1 covers 12 counties. In addition to Lonoke, Whiteaker won in Woodruff, White, Prairie and Monroe counties.
Robertson won in Clay, Greene, Mississippi and Poinsett counties and Lusby won in Cross, Crittenden and Craighead counties.
The Arkansas Court of Appeals was created by an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution in 1978 to relieve the growing case load of the Arkansas Supreme Court.
The decisions the court hands down are binding on lower courts and cannot necessarily be appealed to the higher court. The court also hears cases from the Arkansas Workers Compensation Commission.
“This is often the court of last resort for many issues,” Whiteaker said when he announced he was running. “If elected I promise to continue to use down-to-earth common sense in applying the law in a fair and impartial manner.”
During his time as a circuit judge, Whiteaker has presided over 22,000 cases including criminal, civil, domestic, probate and juvenile matters.
He voluntarily served as the judge of the Drug Treatment Court and Veterans Treatment Court to help people recover from addictions.
In his private practice before being elected circuit judge, Whiteaker specialized in disability law. He also worked as an attorney for the Arkansas Workers Compensation Com-mission and the Social Security Administration.
He graduated from the University of Arkansas Law School in Little Rock in 1986 and went into practice with the firm Cook, Whiteaker and Associates.
Whiteaker and his wife, Terrie, have two adult children, Chris and Jesse, and one grandchild. He is a member of the First Free Will Baptist Church, where he serves as the worship pastor.
Robertson, Whiteaker’s opponent in the runoff, also received her law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has practiced law for 27 years in state and federal courts in Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and Texas.
Her cases have included workers compensation and Social Security as well as agriculture, business formation and litigation, child custody and divorce, financial and debt counseling, guardianship and estate planning, personal injury and wrongful death actions, product liability, probate and tax law.
In addition to her law practice, Robertson is a part-time district court judge in Craighead County.
TOP STORY >> $50M plan will pump water here
By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
Bids on the now $50 million Lonoke-White water project will be opened June 7 with construction expected to start in August.
The project’s estimated price has doubled in the planning stage. The estimated completion date is now July 2014.
The members of the Lonoke-White Public Water Authority which will build the water system and bring water from Greers Ferry Lake to their customers have raised their rates to pay for the project. It will be funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission through state water bonds.
Not all the members need the water now. But they know they will need it in the future for growth or if the state forces them to shut down their wells or their wells go dry.
Membership in the project has changed over two decades. The members are now Austin, Beebe, Furlow, Grand Prairie/Bayou Two, Jacksonville, North Pulaski, Vilonia and Ward.
Beebe, the member that put the White in Lonoke-White, pulled out and came back.
Cabot, at one time the member with the largest population and the one that hurt the project’s chance at a grant from USDA, pulled out in favor of buying water from Central Arkansas Water when it formed from the municipal water departments of Little Rock and North Little Rock and didn’t come back.
But city leaders at that time did size a planned water line connecting to CAW large enough to sell to most of the original members if the Lonoke-White project failed. Lonoke city, one of the most recent members, also pulled out.
Woody Bryant, the project director who was hired about three years ago when it appeared the project had a real chance for funding, said there are a few details that must be worked out such as some easements that still aren’t signed.
But the funding was approved last fall pending permits and engineering for the lines to Beebe, Furlow and Jacksonville and those are all completed.
“The money has been solid since last fall,” Bryant said.
The bid opening will be at Ward City Hall and Bryant said it will be “an all-day affair.”
The bids went out in six packets for the water treatment plant with the intake structure at Cove Creek, large transmission lines from 36 to 24 inches of steel or ductile iron, 12-inch PVC transmission lines, a tank on Hwy. 127 near Hwy. 107 north of Rose Bud, access roads and meter stations.
The project was once controlled by Community Water Systems, which is headquartered at Greers Ferry. CWS completed a rural water system for Faulkner and Cleburne counties about 17 years ago that was partly funded with federal grants.
But not long after, the grant money became unavailable and the Lonoke-White project began a long struggle for funding.
A lawsuit that concluded about six years ago put ownership of the project in the hands of its members. But CWS retains ownership of half of the 205 or so acres at Cove Creek as well as shared use of the 2.85 acres on the lake where the intake structure will be built.
CWS has until 2018 to claim and pay with interest half of the cost of the intake if it wants to use it, Bryant said.
Leader staff writer
Bids on the now $50 million Lonoke-White water project will be opened June 7 with construction expected to start in August.
The project’s estimated price has doubled in the planning stage. The estimated completion date is now July 2014.
The members of the Lonoke-White Public Water Authority which will build the water system and bring water from Greers Ferry Lake to their customers have raised their rates to pay for the project. It will be funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission through state water bonds.
Not all the members need the water now. But they know they will need it in the future for growth or if the state forces them to shut down their wells or their wells go dry.
Membership in the project has changed over two decades. The members are now Austin, Beebe, Furlow, Grand Prairie/Bayou Two, Jacksonville, North Pulaski, Vilonia and Ward.
Beebe, the member that put the White in Lonoke-White, pulled out and came back.
Cabot, at one time the member with the largest population and the one that hurt the project’s chance at a grant from USDA, pulled out in favor of buying water from Central Arkansas Water when it formed from the municipal water departments of Little Rock and North Little Rock and didn’t come back.
But city leaders at that time did size a planned water line connecting to CAW large enough to sell to most of the original members if the Lonoke-White project failed. Lonoke city, one of the most recent members, also pulled out.
Woody Bryant, the project director who was hired about three years ago when it appeared the project had a real chance for funding, said there are a few details that must be worked out such as some easements that still aren’t signed.
But the funding was approved last fall pending permits and engineering for the lines to Beebe, Furlow and Jacksonville and those are all completed.
“The money has been solid since last fall,” Bryant said.
The bid opening will be at Ward City Hall and Bryant said it will be “an all-day affair.”
The bids went out in six packets for the water treatment plant with the intake structure at Cove Creek, large transmission lines from 36 to 24 inches of steel or ductile iron, 12-inch PVC transmission lines, a tank on Hwy. 127 near Hwy. 107 north of Rose Bud, access roads and meter stations.
The project was once controlled by Community Water Systems, which is headquartered at Greers Ferry. CWS completed a rural water system for Faulkner and Cleburne counties about 17 years ago that was partly funded with federal grants.
But not long after, the grant money became unavailable and the Lonoke-White project began a long struggle for funding.
A lawsuit that concluded about six years ago put ownership of the project in the hands of its members. But CWS retains ownership of half of the 205 or so acres at Cove Creek as well as shared use of the 2.85 acres on the lake where the intake structure will be built.
CWS has until 2018 to claim and pay with interest half of the cost of the intake if it wants to use it, Bryant said.
SPORTS STORY >> Baxendale to start regional for Arkansas
By NATE ALLEN
FAYETTEVILLE – Unlike last year, D.J. Baxendale won’t be rescuing Arkansas in the loser’s bracket of the NCAA Baseball Regionals.
Arkansas’ ace, 7-4, 3.02 ERA, will pitch Friday’s opener for the second-seeded Razorbacks, 39-19, against the third-seeded Sam Houston State Bearkats, 38-20, in the 4-team double-elimination regional in Houston hosted by the top-seeded Conference USA champion Rice Owls, 40-17.
Rice opens Friday night against fourth-seeded Southwest Athletic Conference champion Prairie View A&M, 28-23.
The tournament continues with losers’ and winners’ bracket games Saturday and concludes either Sunday night or Monday depending if the survivor from Sunday afternoon’s loser’s bracket team can win Sunday night’s game.
In last year’s Tempe Regional hosted by Arizona State, Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn “pitched off” in the opener against No. 3 seeded Charlotte.
He presumed to save Baxendale for the next evening’s winner’s bracket game versus Arizona State.
Unfortunately, Baxendale, a 2009 graduate of Sylvan Hills High School, never faced Arizona State. Charlotte whipped Arkansas, compelling Van Horn to use Baxendale to beat No. 4 seed New Mexico in the loser’s bracket, spending him before Arizona State eliminated Arkansas the next night in the championship game.
“We’ll throw D.J. game one,” Van Horn said Monday after the pairings were announced. “We’ve got to win game one. He’s throwing the best for us right now and we can’t look past anybody. Sam Houston State is going to take an hour bus-ride from their place to the park. They played Rice probably a couple of times this year. They’re familiar with the area. We’ve got to go down there and play our best game in game one.”
The strategy of pitching Baxendale Friday and Ryne Stanek, 6-4, 3.09, Saturday looks better for the short run, Van Horn said, and maybe even the long run, too.
“He has been more consistent down the stretch than anybody,” Van Horn said of Baxendale, his junior right-hander from Jacksonville.” He’s also the most resilient. If we pitch him Friday and there was a Monday game, D.J. would probably want to pitch a little bit. And he could do it.”
Baxendale likes being on opening day notice.
“It’s good knowing I’m going to go the first game,” Baxendale said. “Sam Houston State’s a great team. So we’re going to try and go in there and get after them right away, and then we’ll go from there.”
Van Horn isn’t as concerned about his starting pitchers Friday and Saturday as he is about the left-hander often summoned first to relieve them.
Junior southpaw Cade Lynch of Jonesboro, 3-1, 2.11 with 46 strikeouts in 47 innings, missed both the Razorbacks SEC Tournament losses to Mississippi State and Ole Miss last week in the Birmingham suburb of Hoover, Ala., because of migraine headaches.
“Cade Lynch was in the hospital the whole time we were in Birmingham because of the headaches,” Van Horn said Monday. “It was bad.”
Lynch hasn’t pitched since winning the May 18 game against Tennessee in relief, falling victim to one of his reoccurring migraines the following day.
What will Van Horn do if there’s a need for a lefty. His other four main pitchers are all right-handed.
“I don’t know,” Van Horn said. “That hurts us. That’s a big issue. To bring him in off of those right-handers is such a different look. We need him. Since Birmingham he hasn’t done anything but play a little catch and just try and feel better, but he is definitely going to go with us if they let him travel.”
While disappointed with the two and through at Hoover, Van Horn said there could be some benefits missing the last four days of the SEC Tournament that Mississippi State won Sunday.
It gave ailing infielders Matt Reynolds (elbow) and Tim Carver (hand) and outfielder Derrick Bleeker (hand) and Lynch extra time to heal and also, Van Horn said, enabled him to practice the Hogs “hard but not long,” an ideal combination both to sharpen and rest them, he said.
FAYETTEVILLE – Unlike last year, D.J. Baxendale won’t be rescuing Arkansas in the loser’s bracket of the NCAA Baseball Regionals.
Arkansas’ ace, 7-4, 3.02 ERA, will pitch Friday’s opener for the second-seeded Razorbacks, 39-19, against the third-seeded Sam Houston State Bearkats, 38-20, in the 4-team double-elimination regional in Houston hosted by the top-seeded Conference USA champion Rice Owls, 40-17.
Rice opens Friday night against fourth-seeded Southwest Athletic Conference champion Prairie View A&M, 28-23.
The tournament continues with losers’ and winners’ bracket games Saturday and concludes either Sunday night or Monday depending if the survivor from Sunday afternoon’s loser’s bracket team can win Sunday night’s game.
In last year’s Tempe Regional hosted by Arizona State, Arkansas Coach Dave Van Horn “pitched off” in the opener against No. 3 seeded Charlotte.
He presumed to save Baxendale for the next evening’s winner’s bracket game versus Arizona State.
Unfortunately, Baxendale, a 2009 graduate of Sylvan Hills High School, never faced Arizona State. Charlotte whipped Arkansas, compelling Van Horn to use Baxendale to beat No. 4 seed New Mexico in the loser’s bracket, spending him before Arizona State eliminated Arkansas the next night in the championship game.
“We’ll throw D.J. game one,” Van Horn said Monday after the pairings were announced. “We’ve got to win game one. He’s throwing the best for us right now and we can’t look past anybody. Sam Houston State is going to take an hour bus-ride from their place to the park. They played Rice probably a couple of times this year. They’re familiar with the area. We’ve got to go down there and play our best game in game one.”
The strategy of pitching Baxendale Friday and Ryne Stanek, 6-4, 3.09, Saturday looks better for the short run, Van Horn said, and maybe even the long run, too.
“He has been more consistent down the stretch than anybody,” Van Horn said of Baxendale, his junior right-hander from Jacksonville.” He’s also the most resilient. If we pitch him Friday and there was a Monday game, D.J. would probably want to pitch a little bit. And he could do it.”
Baxendale likes being on opening day notice.
“It’s good knowing I’m going to go the first game,” Baxendale said. “Sam Houston State’s a great team. So we’re going to try and go in there and get after them right away, and then we’ll go from there.”
Van Horn isn’t as concerned about his starting pitchers Friday and Saturday as he is about the left-hander often summoned first to relieve them.
Junior southpaw Cade Lynch of Jonesboro, 3-1, 2.11 with 46 strikeouts in 47 innings, missed both the Razorbacks SEC Tournament losses to Mississippi State and Ole Miss last week in the Birmingham suburb of Hoover, Ala., because of migraine headaches.
“Cade Lynch was in the hospital the whole time we were in Birmingham because of the headaches,” Van Horn said Monday. “It was bad.”
Lynch hasn’t pitched since winning the May 18 game against Tennessee in relief, falling victim to one of his reoccurring migraines the following day.
What will Van Horn do if there’s a need for a lefty. His other four main pitchers are all right-handed.
“I don’t know,” Van Horn said. “That hurts us. That’s a big issue. To bring him in off of those right-handers is such a different look. We need him. Since Birmingham he hasn’t done anything but play a little catch and just try and feel better, but he is definitely going to go with us if they let him travel.”
While disappointed with the two and through at Hoover, Van Horn said there could be some benefits missing the last four days of the SEC Tournament that Mississippi State won Sunday.
It gave ailing infielders Matt Reynolds (elbow) and Tim Carver (hand) and outfielder Derrick Bleeker (hand) and Lynch extra time to heal and also, Van Horn said, enabled him to practice the Hogs “hard but not long,” an ideal combination both to sharpen and rest them, he said.
SPORTS STORY >> Last inning woes cost Jacksonville
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Jacksonville’s Gwatney Chevrolet junior American Legion team went 1-2 over the weekend at the North Little Rock Memorial Day tournament at Burns Park. After hammering Beebe 16-0 on Friday, Gwatney lost back-to-back games in the bottom of the last inning, falling 4-3 to Benton on Saturday and 7-5 to Cabot Centennial Bank Team Gross in the late game on Saturday.
Those are tough to lose like that,” Jacksonville coach David St. Clair said. “You just have to put those behind and move forward. They’ll bounce back.”
It was the loss to Benton Sports Stop that was particularly tough to take. Jacksonville found itself on the bitter end of a few dubious calls. One allowed a Benton run to score from second base on a pitch in the dirt that rolled underneath the fence.
Rules state that when a ball rolls out of play, base runners get one additional base. The umpires ruled the runner was already on third when the ball went out of play and allowed him to score. The run was the third for Benton in the top of the fifth inning, and gave the Sports Shop team a 3-1lead. Jacksonville pitcher Derek St. Clair struck out the first two batters of the inning, but then gave up two singles and double to allow two runs. Tyler Lewis, who hit the double, is the player that scored from second on a dead ball.
Jacksonville took an early lead when Troy Allen led off the bottom of the first inning by drawing a walk. He stole second base and scored on a two-out double by Just Abbott. The game stayed 1-0 until Benton’s rally in the top of the fifth, but Jacksonville answered and tied it in the bottom of the same inning.
St. Clair got a leadoff single to left field. Abbot then singled to score St. Clair and scored himself on a single by James Tucker.
Benton got the final run of the game in the top of the sixth with a little help from a Jacksonville error. Cody Fortner reached with one out on an error in right field. He scored on the next at bat when Tyler Hamilton singled to center to drive Fortner home.
Jacksonville had a rally going early in the bottom of the sixth, but another strange call helped thwart the rally. Eight-hole hitter Ryan Mallison got a leadoff single to centerfield. Nine-hole hitter Dejon Scott followed with a single to right field. But the field umpire ruled the ball off Scott’s bat hit Mallison as he was running to second. So instead of two runners on and no outs, there was one runner on with one out. Scott was then caught stealing and leadoff hitter Troy Allen struck out to end the game. After getting base hits on its first two at bats, the Gwatney club went down in order in the final inning.
St. Clair went the distance for Jacksonville. He gave up seven hits and two earned runs, struck out four and walked two.
Jacksonville faced four Benton pitchers in the six-inning encounter. The Gwatney team got six base hits, but drew six walks. They left seven runners stranded and were thrown out on the base paths twice.
Gwatney’s next game is a junior-senior doubleheader against Little Rock Blue tonight at Dupree Park. The junior game is set to begin at 6 p.m.
Leader sports editor
Jacksonville’s Gwatney Chevrolet junior American Legion team went 1-2 over the weekend at the North Little Rock Memorial Day tournament at Burns Park. After hammering Beebe 16-0 on Friday, Gwatney lost back-to-back games in the bottom of the last inning, falling 4-3 to Benton on Saturday and 7-5 to Cabot Centennial Bank Team Gross in the late game on Saturday.
Those are tough to lose like that,” Jacksonville coach David St. Clair said. “You just have to put those behind and move forward. They’ll bounce back.”
It was the loss to Benton Sports Stop that was particularly tough to take. Jacksonville found itself on the bitter end of a few dubious calls. One allowed a Benton run to score from second base on a pitch in the dirt that rolled underneath the fence.
Rules state that when a ball rolls out of play, base runners get one additional base. The umpires ruled the runner was already on third when the ball went out of play and allowed him to score. The run was the third for Benton in the top of the fifth inning, and gave the Sports Shop team a 3-1lead. Jacksonville pitcher Derek St. Clair struck out the first two batters of the inning, but then gave up two singles and double to allow two runs. Tyler Lewis, who hit the double, is the player that scored from second on a dead ball.
Jacksonville took an early lead when Troy Allen led off the bottom of the first inning by drawing a walk. He stole second base and scored on a two-out double by Just Abbott. The game stayed 1-0 until Benton’s rally in the top of the fifth, but Jacksonville answered and tied it in the bottom of the same inning.
St. Clair got a leadoff single to left field. Abbot then singled to score St. Clair and scored himself on a single by James Tucker.
Benton got the final run of the game in the top of the sixth with a little help from a Jacksonville error. Cody Fortner reached with one out on an error in right field. He scored on the next at bat when Tyler Hamilton singled to center to drive Fortner home.
Jacksonville had a rally going early in the bottom of the sixth, but another strange call helped thwart the rally. Eight-hole hitter Ryan Mallison got a leadoff single to centerfield. Nine-hole hitter Dejon Scott followed with a single to right field. But the field umpire ruled the ball off Scott’s bat hit Mallison as he was running to second. So instead of two runners on and no outs, there was one runner on with one out. Scott was then caught stealing and leadoff hitter Troy Allen struck out to end the game. After getting base hits on its first two at bats, the Gwatney club went down in order in the final inning.
St. Clair went the distance for Jacksonville. He gave up seven hits and two earned runs, struck out four and walked two.
Jacksonville faced four Benton pitchers in the six-inning encounter. The Gwatney team got six base hits, but drew six walks. They left seven runners stranded and were thrown out on the base paths twice.
Gwatney’s next game is a junior-senior doubleheader against Little Rock Blue tonight at Dupree Park. The junior game is set to begin at 6 p.m.
SPORTS STORY >> Black Sox put Cabot down early
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Cabot’s senior American Legion team is off to a slow start. The Centennial Bank squad dropped both ends of a doubleheader last Friday at Batesville, and lost its home opener Monday evening 11-5 to the Bryant Black Sox.
The Black Sox jumped out to an early lead with four runs in the top of the first and extended that lead to 8-1 by the end of three innings. Bryant nearly ended the game early on the sportsmanship rule, holding a 9-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth, but Bryant pitcher Nate Rutherford committed an error that allowed Cabot to score and keep the game going the nine-inning distance. It was a rough inning altogether for Rutherford, who had pitched masterfully up to that point.
Bryson Morris got things going for Cabot when he was hit by a pitch with one out. He stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch.
Casey Vaughan hit a chopper back to the mound. Rutherford turned and tried to get Morris off the bag at third but failed, leaving everyone safe. Rutherford then faked a pick-off throw to third and caught Vaughan between first and second base, but his throw to second ended up in centerfield, allowing Morris to score and make it 9-2.
T.C. Carter made it 9-3 with a two-out, solo home run in the eighth inning. Bryant added two in the top of the ninth on RBI base hits by Marcus Wilson and Hunter Mayall.
Cabot set the final margin with their best inning of the game, a two-out rally highlighted by doubles by Vaughan and Carter.
Cabot got just four hits and on walks in six innings off Rutherford, but found its groove off relief pitcher Josh Maclin. The Centennial Bank squad got six hits in the final three innings off Maclin.
Cabot got base runners, it just couldn’t produce runs. There were also three walks and two hit batters for Cabot, but the team left 11 on base.
Bryant finished with 14 base hits and each team committed one error.
Rutherford got the win and Brandon Surdam took the loss on the mound. He pitched three innings, giving up nine hits while walking six, striking out four and allowing eight earned runs.
Vaughan, Surdam, Carter and Justin Goff had two hits each for Cabot. Bryson Morris and Dustin Morris added one hit apiece.
Jordan Taylor provided Bryant’s offensive highlight, smashing a three-run homer deep over wall in right field in the third inning.
In the doubleheader losses to Batesville, game two was a wild one, ending 16-15 in five innings. Cabot out-hit Batesville 12-9 but committed four errors.
Bryson Morris and Cole Thomas each had three base hits while Vaughan and Carter added two each in that game. Hayden Vinson and Tyler Wilkie rounded out the 12-hit game for the Centennial Bank squad with one hit apiece.
Morris reached every time to the plate, adding two walks to his three hits, and Thomas finished with four runs batted in.
Game one against Batesville was a 13-1 blowout loss.
Cabot (0-3) will be back in action on Thursday in a road doubleheader against the Conway Cougars.
Leader sports editor
Cabot’s senior American Legion team is off to a slow start. The Centennial Bank squad dropped both ends of a doubleheader last Friday at Batesville, and lost its home opener Monday evening 11-5 to the Bryant Black Sox.
The Black Sox jumped out to an early lead with four runs in the top of the first and extended that lead to 8-1 by the end of three innings. Bryant nearly ended the game early on the sportsmanship rule, holding a 9-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth, but Bryant pitcher Nate Rutherford committed an error that allowed Cabot to score and keep the game going the nine-inning distance. It was a rough inning altogether for Rutherford, who had pitched masterfully up to that point.
Bryson Morris got things going for Cabot when he was hit by a pitch with one out. He stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch.
Casey Vaughan hit a chopper back to the mound. Rutherford turned and tried to get Morris off the bag at third but failed, leaving everyone safe. Rutherford then faked a pick-off throw to third and caught Vaughan between first and second base, but his throw to second ended up in centerfield, allowing Morris to score and make it 9-2.
T.C. Carter made it 9-3 with a two-out, solo home run in the eighth inning. Bryant added two in the top of the ninth on RBI base hits by Marcus Wilson and Hunter Mayall.
Cabot set the final margin with their best inning of the game, a two-out rally highlighted by doubles by Vaughan and Carter.
Cabot got just four hits and on walks in six innings off Rutherford, but found its groove off relief pitcher Josh Maclin. The Centennial Bank squad got six hits in the final three innings off Maclin.
Cabot got base runners, it just couldn’t produce runs. There were also three walks and two hit batters for Cabot, but the team left 11 on base.
Bryant finished with 14 base hits and each team committed one error.
Rutherford got the win and Brandon Surdam took the loss on the mound. He pitched three innings, giving up nine hits while walking six, striking out four and allowing eight earned runs.
Vaughan, Surdam, Carter and Justin Goff had two hits each for Cabot. Bryson Morris and Dustin Morris added one hit apiece.
Jordan Taylor provided Bryant’s offensive highlight, smashing a three-run homer deep over wall in right field in the third inning.
In the doubleheader losses to Batesville, game two was a wild one, ending 16-15 in five innings. Cabot out-hit Batesville 12-9 but committed four errors.
Bryson Morris and Cole Thomas each had three base hits while Vaughan and Carter added two each in that game. Hayden Vinson and Tyler Wilkie rounded out the 12-hit game for the Centennial Bank squad with one hit apiece.
Morris reached every time to the plate, adding two walks to his three hits, and Thomas finished with four runs batted in.
Game one against Batesville was a 13-1 blowout loss.
Cabot (0-3) will be back in action on Thursday in a road doubleheader against the Conway Cougars.
SPORTS STORY >> Beebe’s third try sees big progress
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Time was not on Beebe’s side as the Post 91 team lost 8-7 to Benton on the third day of the North Little Rock Junior American Legion baseball tournament at Burns Park on Sunday.
Beebe led 7-6 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning before Benton scored two unearned runs just as the game reached the one-hour, 50-minute time limit in the bottom of the fifth to claim its second victory of the tourney.
Although it marked the third consecutive loss for Beebe in the tournament, it was also a vast improvement for the young squad which was thrown together days before the start of the season. Beebe lost 16-0 to Jacksonville on the first day and fell 11-0 to Cabot on Saturday.
“We’re doing a lot better,” Beebe coach John Underwood said. “We came in here with absolutely no practice and got run ruled our first two games. We’re showing progress; I’m very proud of my guys.”
Five-hole hitter Tyler Parker drove in the first run for Post 91 in the top of the first inning when an error at shortstop allowed leadoff batter Luke Dixon home. Dixon started the game off with a single to left field and advanced on a single to left center by Elijah Cannon. Benton turned a double play when Jonathan Underwood hit a grounder to shortstop as Dixon advanced to third.
Benton scored three runs in the bottom of the first with a walk and three straight singles. Beebe tied the game in the top of the second. Dusty Greer led off the inning with a walk and scored when Dixon reached on an error at second base. Cannon then hit a single and advanced to second on another Benton error, which scored Dixon.
Benton went up 6-3 in the bottom of the third against relief pitcher Parker, who replaced starter Brandon Gray after two frames. Pitching became an issue for both teams during the slugfest, with each placing three different hurlers on the mound before game’s end. Cannon closed out the game for Post 91. Although he did not give up a hit, he hit Reynolds with a pitch to start the turn and walked Portman, and both scored on an infield error less than a minute before the game was called.
“That’s going to be a problem with us,” Underwood said. “I guarantee you we don’t have enough pitchers. We’re going to have to work some pitchers, but the next couple of weeks, we’ll hopefully have that figured out.”
Beebe forced two pitching changes by Benton in the top of the fourth inning. Greer led off with a single and advanced when Gray was hit by a pitch. Benton’s next pitcher then hit Matt Stillman with a pitch to load the bases and send Beebe back to the top of the order with Dixon, who reached on an error to score Greer.
Gray made the score 6-5 when he was gifted home on a balk, and Stillman tied the game when he charged home on a passed ball. Cannon gave Beebe its first lead since the top of the first on a sacrifice fly to centerfield to make it 7-6. Cannon was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Underwood assembled the group from the ashes of Searcy’s dismantled junior program, and added kids from the Lonoke and Des Arc area to go along with local players from Beebe.
“This is Beebe’s first year to ever have American Legion,” Underwood said. “We actually started it late, that’s why we had no practice. Searcy cancelled and we brought in a bunch of boys. They’re going to come together and play ball. We’re starting to see which boys can do what.”
Leader sportswriter
Time was not on Beebe’s side as the Post 91 team lost 8-7 to Benton on the third day of the North Little Rock Junior American Legion baseball tournament at Burns Park on Sunday.
Beebe led 7-6 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning before Benton scored two unearned runs just as the game reached the one-hour, 50-minute time limit in the bottom of the fifth to claim its second victory of the tourney.
Although it marked the third consecutive loss for Beebe in the tournament, it was also a vast improvement for the young squad which was thrown together days before the start of the season. Beebe lost 16-0 to Jacksonville on the first day and fell 11-0 to Cabot on Saturday.
“We’re doing a lot better,” Beebe coach John Underwood said. “We came in here with absolutely no practice and got run ruled our first two games. We’re showing progress; I’m very proud of my guys.”
Five-hole hitter Tyler Parker drove in the first run for Post 91 in the top of the first inning when an error at shortstop allowed leadoff batter Luke Dixon home. Dixon started the game off with a single to left field and advanced on a single to left center by Elijah Cannon. Benton turned a double play when Jonathan Underwood hit a grounder to shortstop as Dixon advanced to third.
Benton scored three runs in the bottom of the first with a walk and three straight singles. Beebe tied the game in the top of the second. Dusty Greer led off the inning with a walk and scored when Dixon reached on an error at second base. Cannon then hit a single and advanced to second on another Benton error, which scored Dixon.
Benton went up 6-3 in the bottom of the third against relief pitcher Parker, who replaced starter Brandon Gray after two frames. Pitching became an issue for both teams during the slugfest, with each placing three different hurlers on the mound before game’s end. Cannon closed out the game for Post 91. Although he did not give up a hit, he hit Reynolds with a pitch to start the turn and walked Portman, and both scored on an infield error less than a minute before the game was called.
“That’s going to be a problem with us,” Underwood said. “I guarantee you we don’t have enough pitchers. We’re going to have to work some pitchers, but the next couple of weeks, we’ll hopefully have that figured out.”
Beebe forced two pitching changes by Benton in the top of the fourth inning. Greer led off with a single and advanced when Gray was hit by a pitch. Benton’s next pitcher then hit Matt Stillman with a pitch to load the bases and send Beebe back to the top of the order with Dixon, who reached on an error to score Greer.
Gray made the score 6-5 when he was gifted home on a balk, and Stillman tied the game when he charged home on a passed ball. Cannon gave Beebe its first lead since the top of the first on a sacrifice fly to centerfield to make it 7-6. Cannon was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Underwood assembled the group from the ashes of Searcy’s dismantled junior program, and added kids from the Lonoke and Des Arc area to go along with local players from Beebe.
“This is Beebe’s first year to ever have American Legion,” Underwood said. “We actually started it late, that’s why we had no practice. Searcy cancelled and we brought in a bunch of boys. They’re going to come together and play ball. We’re starting to see which boys can do what.”
SPORTS STORY >> Cabot junior Team Gross closes strong
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Cabot’s Centennial Bank junior Team Gross had a disappointing start, but a strong finish to the North Little Rock Memorial Day tournament. Team Gross started the event with a 3-2 loss to Benton on Friday, but followed that with an 11-0 rout of Beebe on Saturday, and a 7-5, come-from-behind victory over Jacksonville-Gwatney on Saturday to finish the tournament 2-1.
Those four teams made up Pool B in the four-pool, 16-team tournament. Benton won the pool by going 3-0 and winning all three games by one run. They followed the win over Cabot with a 4-3 win over Jacksonville and an 8-7 win over Beebe.
Jacksonville beat Beebe 16-0 to finish third in the pool while Beebe went winless.
In the final game against rival Jacksonville, the Gwatney squad scored three runs in the top of the last inning to take a 5-4 lead, its first lead since going up 1-0 in the top of the first inning.
Jacksonville’s Troy Allen led off and was hit by a pitch. Derek St. Clair then reached on an error at shortstop and Austin Allen singled to left field to drive in both base runners. He stole second base, took third on a passed ball and scored on another passed ball. It was the second time in the game Austin Allen scored from second on two passed balls, each time by a different catcher.
“We just have really young guys back there,” Cabot coach Chris Gross said. “They’re learning the position and they’re making some mistakes, but they’re going to get better.”
Cabot came to bat in the bottom of the fifth with the one-hour, 50-minute time limit nearly up. It didn’t take long to win the game. The Panthers did it without recording an out.
Gavin Tillery started the rally by drawing a walk. Glover Helpenstill then doubled to left field to put runners on second and third. Adam Hicks singled centerfield to score one run and leave runners at first and second with the score 5-4.
Dylan Bowers singled back to the pitcher, but no one scored on the play, leaving the bases loaded. But Dalten Hurst’s second double of the game cleared the bases, driving in three runs and clinching the victory.
“We didn’t swing the bats worth a flip against Benton,” Gross said. “We started swinging them in the fourth inning against Beebe, and we brought that with us in this game. Our approach at the plate was better and we hit the ball really well.”
Jacksonville got on the board first when Austin Allen singled with two outs, stole second and scored on two passed balls. Cabot answered in the bottom of the second. Riley Knudsen singled to centerfield to start the inning and Jonathan Latture reached on an error by Jacksonville pitcher Blake Perry. After a fly out, Jones and James got RBI singles to give Cabot a 2-1 lead.
Gwatney tied it in the second. Justin Abbot walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Deaundray Harris, to third on a single by Dejon Scott, and scored on another passed ball.
Cabot quickly reclaimed the lead. Knudsen reached on an error at third base, Latture walked and Coleman McAtee singled to drive in the run.
The next two innings were scoreless before Jacksonville’s three runs in the top of the fifth.
Lee Sullivan threw four innings for Cabot, giving up five hits while striking out three and walking one. He gave up two runs, but neither were earned.
Perry also went four innings for Jacksonville. He gave up seven hits while walking two and fanning two. He gave up three runs, but only one was earned.
Knudsen pitched the fifth for Cabot while James Tucker pitched the fifth for Jacksonville.
It was the middle of Cabot’s lineup that sparked things against Beebe on Saturday.
Four and five hitters Braden Jones and Landon James broke open the 0-0 tie in the fourth against Beebe. Jones bounced a double off the wall in centerfield, and James bounced one over the wall for a ground-rule double that kicked off a six-run rally.
Team Gross’ next game will be at home against Cabot’s Team Frantal. The all-Cabot doubleheader is set to begin at 5:30 at the city park.
Team Frantal went winless in its three games in Pool A at the NLR tournament.
Leader sports editor
Cabot’s Centennial Bank junior Team Gross had a disappointing start, but a strong finish to the North Little Rock Memorial Day tournament. Team Gross started the event with a 3-2 loss to Benton on Friday, but followed that with an 11-0 rout of Beebe on Saturday, and a 7-5, come-from-behind victory over Jacksonville-Gwatney on Saturday to finish the tournament 2-1.
Those four teams made up Pool B in the four-pool, 16-team tournament. Benton won the pool by going 3-0 and winning all three games by one run. They followed the win over Cabot with a 4-3 win over Jacksonville and an 8-7 win over Beebe.
Jacksonville beat Beebe 16-0 to finish third in the pool while Beebe went winless.
In the final game against rival Jacksonville, the Gwatney squad scored three runs in the top of the last inning to take a 5-4 lead, its first lead since going up 1-0 in the top of the first inning.
Jacksonville’s Troy Allen led off and was hit by a pitch. Derek St. Clair then reached on an error at shortstop and Austin Allen singled to left field to drive in both base runners. He stole second base, took third on a passed ball and scored on another passed ball. It was the second time in the game Austin Allen scored from second on two passed balls, each time by a different catcher.
“We just have really young guys back there,” Cabot coach Chris Gross said. “They’re learning the position and they’re making some mistakes, but they’re going to get better.”
Cabot came to bat in the bottom of the fifth with the one-hour, 50-minute time limit nearly up. It didn’t take long to win the game. The Panthers did it without recording an out.
Gavin Tillery started the rally by drawing a walk. Glover Helpenstill then doubled to left field to put runners on second and third. Adam Hicks singled centerfield to score one run and leave runners at first and second with the score 5-4.
Dylan Bowers singled back to the pitcher, but no one scored on the play, leaving the bases loaded. But Dalten Hurst’s second double of the game cleared the bases, driving in three runs and clinching the victory.
“We didn’t swing the bats worth a flip against Benton,” Gross said. “We started swinging them in the fourth inning against Beebe, and we brought that with us in this game. Our approach at the plate was better and we hit the ball really well.”
Jacksonville got on the board first when Austin Allen singled with two outs, stole second and scored on two passed balls. Cabot answered in the bottom of the second. Riley Knudsen singled to centerfield to start the inning and Jonathan Latture reached on an error by Jacksonville pitcher Blake Perry. After a fly out, Jones and James got RBI singles to give Cabot a 2-1 lead.
Gwatney tied it in the second. Justin Abbot walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Deaundray Harris, to third on a single by Dejon Scott, and scored on another passed ball.
Cabot quickly reclaimed the lead. Knudsen reached on an error at third base, Latture walked and Coleman McAtee singled to drive in the run.
The next two innings were scoreless before Jacksonville’s three runs in the top of the fifth.
Lee Sullivan threw four innings for Cabot, giving up five hits while striking out three and walking one. He gave up two runs, but neither were earned.
Perry also went four innings for Jacksonville. He gave up seven hits while walking two and fanning two. He gave up three runs, but only one was earned.
Knudsen pitched the fifth for Cabot while James Tucker pitched the fifth for Jacksonville.
It was the middle of Cabot’s lineup that sparked things against Beebe on Saturday.
Four and five hitters Braden Jones and Landon James broke open the 0-0 tie in the fourth against Beebe. Jones bounced a double off the wall in centerfield, and James bounced one over the wall for a ground-rule double that kicked off a six-run rally.
Team Gross’ next game will be at home against Cabot’s Team Frantal. The all-Cabot doubleheader is set to begin at 5:30 at the city park.
Team Frantal went winless in its three games in Pool A at the NLR tournament.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
TOP STORY >> Record heat forecast, but still no rain
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
The heat won’t hit triple digits over the Memorial Day weekend, but new records could be set.
The record high for Sunday and Monday, set back in the early 1960s, is 96 degrees. But forecasters are calling for 97- or 98-degree weather on those days, which could be harmful to the elderly.
The heat, coupled with a month and a half of dry weather, has caused most counties to institute burn bans.
March was excessively wet, but April’s rainfall was only half of normal, and the area has had only about an inch of rain so far this month, compared to the normal average of four inches.
Forecasters don’t see any significant rain chances through Wednesday. If rain doesn’t come in the next two weeks, the state could be back in severe drought conditions.
Already most areas of the state are three to seven inches down on rainfall for the year.
The extended forecast calls for highs in the 90s, lows in the 60s and a slight chance of popup showers here and there, but no significant rainfall.
Leader staff writer
The heat won’t hit triple digits over the Memorial Day weekend, but new records could be set.
The record high for Sunday and Monday, set back in the early 1960s, is 96 degrees. But forecasters are calling for 97- or 98-degree weather on those days, which could be harmful to the elderly.
The heat, coupled with a month and a half of dry weather, has caused most counties to institute burn bans.
March was excessively wet, but April’s rainfall was only half of normal, and the area has had only about an inch of rain so far this month, compared to the normal average of four inches.
Forecasters don’t see any significant rain chances through Wednesday. If rain doesn’t come in the next two weeks, the state could be back in severe drought conditions.
Already most areas of the state are three to seven inches down on rainfall for the year.
The extended forecast calls for highs in the 90s, lows in the 60s and a slight chance of popup showers here and there, but no significant rainfall.
TOP STORY >> NPHS holds graduation
By SARAH CAMPBELL
Leader staff writer
Family and friends watched 148 North Pulaski High School seniors transition to adulthood when they received diplomas Wednesday night at the Jack Stephens Center at UALR.
The class of 2012 was awarded $1.23 million in scholarships.
Among them were 22 honor graduates, including valedictorian Austin Rodgers and salutatorian Megan Cease.
Rodgers will attend Hendrix University next fall and Cease is going to Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Rodgers wrote a poem and read it aloud at the commencement.
He said, “I stand before you today, presenting words of play, attempting to keep crying moms at bay, thinking wow, seems like just yesterday. As we look back to remember, September through December seems to only grow dimmer, as it was the first semester. Of a yearlong anticipation, created by the culmination of aspiration and senior disorientation.”
“Before we step into the white light, we need to refrain from being contrite and actually appreciate how bright it is to have the limitless ability to take flight,” Rodgers said.
“We congregate to celebrate before we graduate hoping that we accelerate into a bright future full of culture minus the torture of failure,” Rodgers continued.
“I can only implore that you do not ignore any open door that gives you the floor to express yourself, to be yourself, to commit yourself, to believe in yourself. Because this generation will lead this great nation back to the original implication set by the declaration.
“So be inspired because our country is in dire need of people and politicians who will not fear or be illicit liars.
“Our dreams are allowed to gleam as long as we seem to attempt to beam into the atmosphere. It is clear that we seem to disappear after time but don’t rely on only the bad times.
“Just take your time to shine, to reach for the stars, to set the bar, to keep the world on par to make the most of every hour. Now delve into yourselves as you place this chapter of life on the shelf and let the world know there isn’t anything like the class of 2012,” Rodgers said.
Cease thanked the people who were supportive of her and told the graduates, “Make the most of everything. Look ahead. That is where your future lies. I wish you the best of luck. Life starts now.”
Principal Jeff Senn touted the school’s No. 1 choir and No. 1 band before Cease took the stage.
He joked about having to stall because the salutatorian is a member of the band that was playing at the ceremony.
The band performed “Earth Dance” by Michael Sweeney.
The concert choir sang “Do I Make You Proud?” by Mac Huff and the National Anthem.
Leader staff writer
Family and friends watched 148 North Pulaski High School seniors transition to adulthood when they received diplomas Wednesday night at the Jack Stephens Center at UALR.
The class of 2012 was awarded $1.23 million in scholarships.
Among them were 22 honor graduates, including valedictorian Austin Rodgers and salutatorian Megan Cease.
Rodgers will attend Hendrix University next fall and Cease is going to Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Rodgers wrote a poem and read it aloud at the commencement.
He said, “I stand before you today, presenting words of play, attempting to keep crying moms at bay, thinking wow, seems like just yesterday. As we look back to remember, September through December seems to only grow dimmer, as it was the first semester. Of a yearlong anticipation, created by the culmination of aspiration and senior disorientation.”
“Before we step into the white light, we need to refrain from being contrite and actually appreciate how bright it is to have the limitless ability to take flight,” Rodgers said.
“We congregate to celebrate before we graduate hoping that we accelerate into a bright future full of culture minus the torture of failure,” Rodgers continued.
“I can only implore that you do not ignore any open door that gives you the floor to express yourself, to be yourself, to commit yourself, to believe in yourself. Because this generation will lead this great nation back to the original implication set by the declaration.
“So be inspired because our country is in dire need of people and politicians who will not fear or be illicit liars.
“Our dreams are allowed to gleam as long as we seem to attempt to beam into the atmosphere. It is clear that we seem to disappear after time but don’t rely on only the bad times.
“Just take your time to shine, to reach for the stars, to set the bar, to keep the world on par to make the most of every hour. Now delve into yourselves as you place this chapter of life on the shelf and let the world know there isn’t anything like the class of 2012,” Rodgers said.
Cease thanked the people who were supportive of her and told the graduates, “Make the most of everything. Look ahead. That is where your future lies. I wish you the best of luck. Life starts now.”
Principal Jeff Senn touted the school’s No. 1 choir and No. 1 band before Cease took the stage.
He joked about having to stall because the salutatorian is a member of the band that was playing at the ceremony.
The band performed “Earth Dance” by Michael Sweeney.
The concert choir sang “Do I Make You Proud?” by Mac Huff and the National Anthem.
TOP STORY >> Recount results same
By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
A recount Friday evening of all votes cast in Lonoke County because one precinct was left out of the count on Tuesday changed the numbers of some of the close races but not the results. All the winners are still the winners.
John Staley, who got more votes than any of the four Republican candidates for sheriff, will still be in a runoff with Jason Wilkinson. The second count showed Staley with 1,382 votes to Wilkinson’s 1,241.
The winner of the June 12 runoff will take on Dean White in November. White won over Steve Rich in the two-way race for sheriff in the Democratic primary, 1,017 to 922.
Former Lonoke County Circuit Clerk Deborah Oglesby, who held the position for 10 years as a Democrat before losing it two years ago to Republican Denise Brown, still gets her old job back. Oglesby ran this time as a Republican and defeated Brown 2,145 to 2,040.
The race for Lonoke County assessor was the closest on Tuesday night. Assessor Jack McNally won over Jim Bailey 2071 to 2067, a difference of only four votes. After the recount, the gap had widened to 29 votes. McNally was the winner with 2,094 votes to Bailey’s 2065.
County Clerk Dawn Porter-field discovered the problem with the count Wednesday morning while she was comparing the sign-in sheets and lists of people who voted to the number of votes counted, a process that must be completed before elections are certified.
Then a search of bags holding voting machine printers produced the cartridges that record the ballots for counting, the PEBs or personal electronic ballots, for Magness Township in the northern part of the county.
The rumor was that more than 300 votes had not been counted. But the actual number was 183.
Tim Blair, chairman of the Lonoke County Election Commission, said Thursday that poll workers at the Magness Township precinct couldn’t zero out their machines after the polls closed as they must before the ballots can be counted, so they brought them to the courthouse where a technician could do it for them.
Somehow, the PEBs were left in the printer bags and no one noticed that they weren’t included in the pile on a table with the others.
“We should have had a checklist,” Blair said.
Jerry Shepard, a member of the commission, said the problem wasn’t apparent Tuesday night because the early and absentee ballots for Magness Township were counted. The number of votes was low, fewer than 40, but not low enough to alert them to the problem.
When Porterfield told them what had happened, Shephard said, “We immediately knew as a group that we needed a recount so people would have confidence in the system.”
Blair said the commission didn’t consider only counting the votes from Magness Township because so many of the races were very close.
Shepard, the lone Republican on the three-member election commission, said the commission’s job is to maintain the integrity of the process and to make sure voters feel they can trust it.
Tuesday, the counting was carried out in a courtroom and basement room of the courthouse. Neither room is conducive to public observation of the process.
Except for the counting of absentee ballots which had to be done in the courthouse basement because that’s where the equipment is kept, the recount took place in the large meeting room in the courthouse annex across the street from the courthouse and the election commission explained the process to a full house step-by-step.
Most of the numbers changed a little from the recount, but only the countywide results changed significantly.
Republican Henry Lang is in his second term as the justice of the peace for Dist. 3, but this election was his first with an opponent. Lang said after the votes were counted Tuesday that he is has always tried to serve county residents but it has always bothered him that the voters didn’t put him in office.
Although only 13 votes separated him from Joshua McCann, Lang said, “I’m grateful that they chose me.” After the recount, Lang was ahead 15 votes.
The Dist. 1 JP race was the only one with a significant change because Magness Township is in JP Dist. 1. Brent Cannon was the winner Tuesday night over Toby Troutman in the Republican Primary 125 to 66. After the recount, Cannon was the winner 184 to 126.
The results of two close races for Lonoke City Council were exactly the same after the recount.
Just before he read the results of the recount, Blair apologized to the voters and the candidates for the mistake. An election is a stressful time and he was sorry the commission had made it worse.
“Missing a precinct is not a small thing,” Blair said, adding that their goal Friday night had been to make people feel confident that the voting process does work.
A recount Friday evening of all votes cast in Lonoke County because one precinct was left out of the count on Tuesday changed the numbers of some of the close races but not the results. All the winners are still the winners.
John Staley, who got more votes than any of the four Republican candidates for sheriff, will still be in a runoff with Jason Wilkinson. The second count showed Staley with 1,382 votes to Wilkinson’s 1,241.
The winner of the June 12 runoff will take on Dean White in November. White won over Steve Rich in the two-way race for sheriff in the Democratic primary, 1,017 to 922.
Former Lonoke County Circuit Clerk Deborah Oglesby, who held the position for 10 years as a Democrat before losing it two years ago to Republican Denise Brown, still gets her old job back. Oglesby ran this time as a Republican and defeated Brown 2,145 to 2,040.
The race for Lonoke County assessor was the closest on Tuesday night. Assessor Jack McNally won over Jim Bailey 2071 to 2067, a difference of only four votes. After the recount, the gap had widened to 29 votes. McNally was the winner with 2,094 votes to Bailey’s 2065.
County Clerk Dawn Porter-field discovered the problem with the count Wednesday morning while she was comparing the sign-in sheets and lists of people who voted to the number of votes counted, a process that must be completed before elections are certified.
Then a search of bags holding voting machine printers produced the cartridges that record the ballots for counting, the PEBs or personal electronic ballots, for Magness Township in the northern part of the county.
The rumor was that more than 300 votes had not been counted. But the actual number was 183.
Tim Blair, chairman of the Lonoke County Election Commission, said Thursday that poll workers at the Magness Township precinct couldn’t zero out their machines after the polls closed as they must before the ballots can be counted, so they brought them to the courthouse where a technician could do it for them.
Somehow, the PEBs were left in the printer bags and no one noticed that they weren’t included in the pile on a table with the others.
“We should have had a checklist,” Blair said.
Jerry Shepard, a member of the commission, said the problem wasn’t apparent Tuesday night because the early and absentee ballots for Magness Township were counted. The number of votes was low, fewer than 40, but not low enough to alert them to the problem.
When Porterfield told them what had happened, Shephard said, “We immediately knew as a group that we needed a recount so people would have confidence in the system.”
Blair said the commission didn’t consider only counting the votes from Magness Township because so many of the races were very close.
Shepard, the lone Republican on the three-member election commission, said the commission’s job is to maintain the integrity of the process and to make sure voters feel they can trust it.
Tuesday, the counting was carried out in a courtroom and basement room of the courthouse. Neither room is conducive to public observation of the process.
Except for the counting of absentee ballots which had to be done in the courthouse basement because that’s where the equipment is kept, the recount took place in the large meeting room in the courthouse annex across the street from the courthouse and the election commission explained the process to a full house step-by-step.
Most of the numbers changed a little from the recount, but only the countywide results changed significantly.
Republican Henry Lang is in his second term as the justice of the peace for Dist. 3, but this election was his first with an opponent. Lang said after the votes were counted Tuesday that he is has always tried to serve county residents but it has always bothered him that the voters didn’t put him in office.
Although only 13 votes separated him from Joshua McCann, Lang said, “I’m grateful that they chose me.” After the recount, Lang was ahead 15 votes.
The Dist. 1 JP race was the only one with a significant change because Magness Township is in JP Dist. 1. Brent Cannon was the winner Tuesday night over Toby Troutman in the Republican Primary 125 to 66. After the recount, Cannon was the winner 184 to 126.
The results of two close races for Lonoke City Council were exactly the same after the recount.
Just before he read the results of the recount, Blair apologized to the voters and the candidates for the mistake. An election is a stressful time and he was sorry the commission had made it worse.
“Missing a precinct is not a small thing,” Blair said, adding that their goal Friday night had been to make people feel confident that the voting process does work.
Friday, May 25, 2012
EDITORIAL >> Errors sully election night
Lonoke County election results were slow coming in Tuesday night, and they were incomplete, which is sort of a tradition at the historic courthouse. The county is usually among the last to report in Arkansas, partly because it covers a lot of territory. But human error and lack of preparation have also contributed to delays over the years.
While the secretary of state’s website was quick to post results from around the state for much of Tuesday night, Lonoke County had few results to report until close to midnight. One election official was determined to hold up the results over a nonexistent issue, while the biggest problem — forgetting to count Magness Township except for the early voting results — went undetected for some 12 hours.
It wasn’t till Wednesday morning that election officials discovered they forgot to tabulate results from Magness Township, one of the more populous precincts in the county. Although at least one person at the courthouse Tuesday night kept insisting Magness hadn’t been counted, the seriousness of the oversight wasn’t acknowledged until long after the polls closed.
You’d think with new technology, results would become available almost instantly. Thanks to new software installed at the secretary of state’s office, that notion isn’t farfetched anymore. Secretary of State Mark Martin said he would showcase this week’s primaries with his improved software program, and, sure enough, results started showing up not long after the polls closed at 7:30 p.m.
Much of the state had reported final results, including several important judicial races, around 10 p.m. Pulaski County, the state’s most populous county, had complete results about that time. But Lonoke County was still behind, along with the Delta counties, which are notoriously slow to report because that’s how the local political machines like it.
That kind of behavior has bred cynicism for years. Lonoke County can do better. Friday’s recount did not change the outcome of Tuesday’s primaries, but it’s another reminder that Lonoke County has a long way to go. Election officials need better training and should coordinate with the secretary of state for faster and more accurate counting of ballots. The voters deserve no less.
While the secretary of state’s website was quick to post results from around the state for much of Tuesday night, Lonoke County had few results to report until close to midnight. One election official was determined to hold up the results over a nonexistent issue, while the biggest problem — forgetting to count Magness Township except for the early voting results — went undetected for some 12 hours.
It wasn’t till Wednesday morning that election officials discovered they forgot to tabulate results from Magness Township, one of the more populous precincts in the county. Although at least one person at the courthouse Tuesday night kept insisting Magness hadn’t been counted, the seriousness of the oversight wasn’t acknowledged until long after the polls closed.
You’d think with new technology, results would become available almost instantly. Thanks to new software installed at the secretary of state’s office, that notion isn’t farfetched anymore. Secretary of State Mark Martin said he would showcase this week’s primaries with his improved software program, and, sure enough, results started showing up not long after the polls closed at 7:30 p.m.
Much of the state had reported final results, including several important judicial races, around 10 p.m. Pulaski County, the state’s most populous county, had complete results about that time. But Lonoke County was still behind, along with the Delta counties, which are notoriously slow to report because that’s how the local political machines like it.
That kind of behavior has bred cynicism for years. Lonoke County can do better. Friday’s recount did not change the outcome of Tuesday’s primaries, but it’s another reminder that Lonoke County has a long way to go. Election officials need better training and should coordinate with the secretary of state for faster and more accurate counting of ballots. The voters deserve no less.
SPORTS STORY >> Opener sees win, loss for Jr. Bruins
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
It took nearly a complete game for the Sylvan Hills junior Optimist Bruins to wake up against a tough opponent in the River Valley Tropics, as the Tropics won the first game 6-3 before the Bruins shut them out 2-0 in the night cap of the Central District twin bill.
Marcus Long went the five-inning distance on the mound in game two to earn the win with four strikeouts against five hits.
Blake Maddox came away with the biggest hit of the night for Sylvan Hills with a triple smash to centerfield in the bottom of the fourth inning, and Maddox scored when Tropics second baseman Seth Siebenmorg tossed the ball into the dugout trying to send it to third.
“I was highly pleased with the second game,” Bruins coach Chris Foor said. “We came ready to play and had a little enthusiasm. The first game it was kind of like the end-of-school doldrums. This group has a lot of returners from last year. They’re looking to compete for a championship, and we just kind of had to remind each other of that.”
The Bruins scored their first run in the bottom of the third inning when Dawson Heslip singled and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by leadoff hitter Nathan Thomas. T.J. Burrows then sent Heslip in with a single shot to right to give Sylvan Hills a 1-0 lead.
Time was a factor in the first game, as the Bruins did not get going offensively until the bottom of the sixth inning just as the hour-and-50-minute time limit was about to expire. Three-hole hitter Brandon Baioni doubled to left and Hunter Heslip walked before Maddox sent both runners home with a double to deep left field. Maddox advanced to third on a single by Jacob White and scored on an error at first base.
“We started getting our sea legs under us so to speak,” Foor said. “We’ve had a week off. We had a long high-school season – JV, a lot of freshman games, and all of them dressed varsity as well. So you’re looking at over 60 games that those boys have dressed for. After the week off, they came back, and I think they were just flat. The hitting in the sixth inning, it kind of reignited them.”
Sylvan Hills experimented with its pitching in the first game as Connor Poteet threw the first two innings before giving way to Charlie Roberts in the top of the third inning.
Choudry Rehman made a brief appearance on the mound in the top of the sixth, but Matthew Dixon quickly replaced him after a hit by pitch and a walk to start the frame.
Long also had the benefit of a defense that appeared more in tune than the first game, as the Bruins sent their Clarksville-area opponents three up and three down in the top of the first inning and turned a double play in the next frame to keep runners out of scoring position.
Long did his part by striking out Chance Stinez to retire the side in the top of the second with a runner at third. Only Dalton Neus got multiple hits off of Long, going 2 for 2 with a triple.
“I expect Marcus to throw well,” Foor said. “As an eighth grader on this same team, he was one of our top two or three pitchers. He started the state tournament for us, he started the season for us – anytime he’s on the mound, I expect him to just throw strikes, and that’s exactly what he does.”
The split gave the Bruins a 1-1 record and moved the Tropics to 3-1.
Leader sportswriter
It took nearly a complete game for the Sylvan Hills junior Optimist Bruins to wake up against a tough opponent in the River Valley Tropics, as the Tropics won the first game 6-3 before the Bruins shut them out 2-0 in the night cap of the Central District twin bill.
Marcus Long went the five-inning distance on the mound in game two to earn the win with four strikeouts against five hits.
Blake Maddox came away with the biggest hit of the night for Sylvan Hills with a triple smash to centerfield in the bottom of the fourth inning, and Maddox scored when Tropics second baseman Seth Siebenmorg tossed the ball into the dugout trying to send it to third.
“I was highly pleased with the second game,” Bruins coach Chris Foor said. “We came ready to play and had a little enthusiasm. The first game it was kind of like the end-of-school doldrums. This group has a lot of returners from last year. They’re looking to compete for a championship, and we just kind of had to remind each other of that.”
The Bruins scored their first run in the bottom of the third inning when Dawson Heslip singled and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by leadoff hitter Nathan Thomas. T.J. Burrows then sent Heslip in with a single shot to right to give Sylvan Hills a 1-0 lead.
Time was a factor in the first game, as the Bruins did not get going offensively until the bottom of the sixth inning just as the hour-and-50-minute time limit was about to expire. Three-hole hitter Brandon Baioni doubled to left and Hunter Heslip walked before Maddox sent both runners home with a double to deep left field. Maddox advanced to third on a single by Jacob White and scored on an error at first base.
“We started getting our sea legs under us so to speak,” Foor said. “We’ve had a week off. We had a long high-school season – JV, a lot of freshman games, and all of them dressed varsity as well. So you’re looking at over 60 games that those boys have dressed for. After the week off, they came back, and I think they were just flat. The hitting in the sixth inning, it kind of reignited them.”
Sylvan Hills experimented with its pitching in the first game as Connor Poteet threw the first two innings before giving way to Charlie Roberts in the top of the third inning.
Choudry Rehman made a brief appearance on the mound in the top of the sixth, but Matthew Dixon quickly replaced him after a hit by pitch and a walk to start the frame.
Long also had the benefit of a defense that appeared more in tune than the first game, as the Bruins sent their Clarksville-area opponents three up and three down in the top of the first inning and turned a double play in the next frame to keep runners out of scoring position.
Long did his part by striking out Chance Stinez to retire the side in the top of the second with a runner at third. Only Dalton Neus got multiple hits off of Long, going 2 for 2 with a triple.
“I expect Marcus to throw well,” Foor said. “As an eighth grader on this same team, he was one of our top two or three pitchers. He started the state tournament for us, he started the season for us – anytime he’s on the mound, I expect him to just throw strikes, and that’s exactly what he does.”
The split gave the Bruins a 1-1 record and moved the Tropics to 3-1.
SPORTS STORY >> A farewell to spring seasons
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Spring sports teams in our coverage area came up short when it came to claiming state championships, but there were plenty of memorable performances, some for the better, and some….well….not so much.
We had two teams make the state finals in baseball with Lonoke and Carlisle. The Jackrabbits backed up their strong performance in the regular season with a No. 3 seed out of regionals and plowed their way through the 4A state tournament, earning a trip to Baum Stadium to take on Shiloh Christian in the championship game.
The Saints were not any more impressive at the plate than Lonoke, but those guys played defense better than any high-school team I’ve seen in quite some time. Not only did they not commit a single error, but never came close to making a mistake. Winning Shiloh pitcher David Petrino (no relation to disgraced former Hogs coach Bobby Petrino) shut the ’Rabbits down at the plate for the most part, giving up a couple of late hits that ended up stranded.
On a side note, the victory for SC marks the third time a Saints team has defeated a Lonoke team for a state championship dating back to the girls 4A state basketball title in 2008, and the infamous Josh-Floyd led football team, which beat Doug Bost’s football Jackrabbits a year later. Love them or hate them, the northwest Arkansas teams always show up for the big games.
The Bison, led by fifth-year coach B.J. Greene, had an equally impressive run through the postseason and found themselves pitted against Woodlawn in the 2A championship game.
Carlisle had never been past the semifinal round whereas the Bears had been to the state finals four times in the past five years, winning the big game two of those times.
Unfortunately for Carlisle and Woodlawn, the game will forever be remembered for Bison senior Haydon Hoover flipping out and losing his composure in the bottom of the fourth inning.
I am not going to defend young Mr. Hoover nor tear him down, but I will say that I had the chance to talk to him and the other five seniors on Thursday before they walked through their final practice in preparation for the trip to Fayetteville.
I found him, as well as the other five seniors, to be pleasant and well mannered. Yes, he did step over the line, and yes, tantrums such as the one he threw have no place on the baseball field, but let’s remember this is a kid who missed his high-school graduation to play in a baseball game nearly four hours from home where the kids he grew up with were walking to receive their diplomas.
The score was 12-2 in favor of Woodlawn, and it was evident at that point the game was not going to go a full seven innings when the umpire made the call. The debate on whether or not the call should have been made has been constant throughout the week, but calling a kid out on a play like that with a score that out of control is simply pouring salt in an open wound.
On the softball side of things, we had several teams make it to the state tournament, but few who advanced past the first round.
In soccer, the Sylvan Hills teams represented the 5A Southeast Conference well by reaching the quarterfinal round of the 5A state tournament. The Lady Bears ended their season with a tough loss to a dominant CAC team while the Bears boys’ team fell just short to Greenbrier in a classic defensive struggle.
The conference realignment will pit the Hillside teams with much tougher competition the next two years, but I will tell you right now, those Lady Bears are going to be loaded. It would not surprise me at all if they rose through the ranks and made it to Fayetteville in a couple of years.
That does it for another school year, and if we don’t die from the heat of summer Legion baseball, we will do it all over again in the fall.
Leader sportswriter
Spring sports teams in our coverage area came up short when it came to claiming state championships, but there were plenty of memorable performances, some for the better, and some….well….not so much.
We had two teams make the state finals in baseball with Lonoke and Carlisle. The Jackrabbits backed up their strong performance in the regular season with a No. 3 seed out of regionals and plowed their way through the 4A state tournament, earning a trip to Baum Stadium to take on Shiloh Christian in the championship game.
The Saints were not any more impressive at the plate than Lonoke, but those guys played defense better than any high-school team I’ve seen in quite some time. Not only did they not commit a single error, but never came close to making a mistake. Winning Shiloh pitcher David Petrino (no relation to disgraced former Hogs coach Bobby Petrino) shut the ’Rabbits down at the plate for the most part, giving up a couple of late hits that ended up stranded.
On a side note, the victory for SC marks the third time a Saints team has defeated a Lonoke team for a state championship dating back to the girls 4A state basketball title in 2008, and the infamous Josh-Floyd led football team, which beat Doug Bost’s football Jackrabbits a year later. Love them or hate them, the northwest Arkansas teams always show up for the big games.
The Bison, led by fifth-year coach B.J. Greene, had an equally impressive run through the postseason and found themselves pitted against Woodlawn in the 2A championship game.
Carlisle had never been past the semifinal round whereas the Bears had been to the state finals four times in the past five years, winning the big game two of those times.
Unfortunately for Carlisle and Woodlawn, the game will forever be remembered for Bison senior Haydon Hoover flipping out and losing his composure in the bottom of the fourth inning.
I am not going to defend young Mr. Hoover nor tear him down, but I will say that I had the chance to talk to him and the other five seniors on Thursday before they walked through their final practice in preparation for the trip to Fayetteville.
I found him, as well as the other five seniors, to be pleasant and well mannered. Yes, he did step over the line, and yes, tantrums such as the one he threw have no place on the baseball field, but let’s remember this is a kid who missed his high-school graduation to play in a baseball game nearly four hours from home where the kids he grew up with were walking to receive their diplomas.
The score was 12-2 in favor of Woodlawn, and it was evident at that point the game was not going to go a full seven innings when the umpire made the call. The debate on whether or not the call should have been made has been constant throughout the week, but calling a kid out on a play like that with a score that out of control is simply pouring salt in an open wound.
On the softball side of things, we had several teams make it to the state tournament, but few who advanced past the first round.
In soccer, the Sylvan Hills teams represented the 5A Southeast Conference well by reaching the quarterfinal round of the 5A state tournament. The Lady Bears ended their season with a tough loss to a dominant CAC team while the Bears boys’ team fell just short to Greenbrier in a classic defensive struggle.
The conference realignment will pit the Hillside teams with much tougher competition the next two years, but I will tell you right now, those Lady Bears are going to be loaded. It would not surprise me at all if they rose through the ranks and made it to Fayetteville in a couple of years.
That does it for another school year, and if we don’t die from the heat of summer Legion baseball, we will do it all over again in the fall.
SPORTS STORY >> All Stars split pair of games at UALR
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
LITTLE ROCK – The top high school baseball players in central Arkansas came together Thursday for an exhibition doubleheader in the annual Metro All-Star game at UALR’s Gary Hogan Field.
Cabot, Jacksonville, Sylvan Hills, Beebe and Lonoke combined to bring nine players to the honorable postseason classic. All of whom contributed in both games whether it was at the plate or on the mound as the South team beat the North 7-2 in game one. North earned the victory in game two, winning by a close 4-3 margin.
Sylvan Hills coach Denny Tipton and Lonoke coach Darrick Lowery coached the North team along with Mayflower coach Joe Albritton. Tipton had three recent graduates representing the Bears, who finished the year with another state tournament appearance.
Lane Moore represented Lonoke in the classic less than a week after the Jackrabbits competed in the class 4A state championship game, losing a competitive 4-0 game against three-time state champion Shiloh Christian.
“It’s always an honor any time you get around 50 talented players in central Arkansas,” said Tipton about coaching the North team. “This gives these kids a chance to play and any time, as far as a coach, it’s always an honor to be around such a great group of guys.”
Moore scored the first run of the day for North after singling in the gap in right field to lead off the second inning of game one. One batter later, Dylan Boone of Sylvan Hills grounded out but drove in Moore with the sacrifice.
Jesse Harbin and University of Arkansas signee D’Vone McClure represented Jacksonville in the game. McClure went 1 for 2 with a single at the plate in the first game, and walked in game two in limited action. Harbin pitched the second and third innings of game one, striking out two in his time on the mound.
McClure was the leadoff hitter in game one and Harbin, who didn’t get to the plate in the first part of the twin bill, was the leadoff man in the second game. Harbin scored the first run for North in game two after starting the bottom of the third with a leadoff single to left field.
Sylvan Hills’ Lance Hunter followed with a single in the left gap, and Maumelle’s Ryan Brown singled two batters later to drive in both Harbin and Hunter to put North up 2-0.
Connor Eller of Sylvan Hills pitched the first two innings of game two and set the tone early for North by not giving up any runs in his time on the hill.
The South team scored six of its seven runs in the first two innings of game one that helped put the game out of reach.
Moore came in to relieve Eller in the third and pitched the next two innings, but gave up two runs in the top of the fourth after Harbin and Hunter scored the previous inning.
Ryan Scott of North Little Rock, who was named North’s Most Valuable Player, put his squad back on top in the fifth with a single that drove in two runs. Scott also had the hit of the day his previous at bat when he hit a hard fly ball off the top of the wall at the 390 foot mark in straightaway centerfield that helped him earn the award.
Boone earned the win in game two after coming in to relieve Moore in the fifth, striking out one while not giving up any runs in his inning of work.
South gave North a scare in the final inning as closer Connor Gilmore of Little Rock Catholic walked in South’s third run of the day with two outs.
Gilmore was able to pick up the save after the next batter, White Hall’s Chris Bryan, hit a hard chopper to the mound. Gilmore bare-handed the ball and tossed it to first for the final out of the game.
“It’s great that they do something like this for these schools to get some exposure,” said Lowery. “It definitely shows that we have some guys that can compete at any level.
“I think it’s huge. It’s not just northwest Arkansas or any other region around here. We’re all pretty competitive, and I think it’s great for the state.”
Dakota Lovston and Zack May represented the Beebe Badgers for the North. Cabot catcher T.C. Carter walked his only at bat in game one for South, and caught all seven innings in the second game.
Leader sportswriter
LITTLE ROCK – The top high school baseball players in central Arkansas came together Thursday for an exhibition doubleheader in the annual Metro All-Star game at UALR’s Gary Hogan Field.
Cabot, Jacksonville, Sylvan Hills, Beebe and Lonoke combined to bring nine players to the honorable postseason classic. All of whom contributed in both games whether it was at the plate or on the mound as the South team beat the North 7-2 in game one. North earned the victory in game two, winning by a close 4-3 margin.
Sylvan Hills coach Denny Tipton and Lonoke coach Darrick Lowery coached the North team along with Mayflower coach Joe Albritton. Tipton had three recent graduates representing the Bears, who finished the year with another state tournament appearance.
Lane Moore represented Lonoke in the classic less than a week after the Jackrabbits competed in the class 4A state championship game, losing a competitive 4-0 game against three-time state champion Shiloh Christian.
“It’s always an honor any time you get around 50 talented players in central Arkansas,” said Tipton about coaching the North team. “This gives these kids a chance to play and any time, as far as a coach, it’s always an honor to be around such a great group of guys.”
Moore scored the first run of the day for North after singling in the gap in right field to lead off the second inning of game one. One batter later, Dylan Boone of Sylvan Hills grounded out but drove in Moore with the sacrifice.
Jesse Harbin and University of Arkansas signee D’Vone McClure represented Jacksonville in the game. McClure went 1 for 2 with a single at the plate in the first game, and walked in game two in limited action. Harbin pitched the second and third innings of game one, striking out two in his time on the mound.
McClure was the leadoff hitter in game one and Harbin, who didn’t get to the plate in the first part of the twin bill, was the leadoff man in the second game. Harbin scored the first run for North in game two after starting the bottom of the third with a leadoff single to left field.
Sylvan Hills’ Lance Hunter followed with a single in the left gap, and Maumelle’s Ryan Brown singled two batters later to drive in both Harbin and Hunter to put North up 2-0.
Connor Eller of Sylvan Hills pitched the first two innings of game two and set the tone early for North by not giving up any runs in his time on the hill.
The South team scored six of its seven runs in the first two innings of game one that helped put the game out of reach.
Moore came in to relieve Eller in the third and pitched the next two innings, but gave up two runs in the top of the fourth after Harbin and Hunter scored the previous inning.
Ryan Scott of North Little Rock, who was named North’s Most Valuable Player, put his squad back on top in the fifth with a single that drove in two runs. Scott also had the hit of the day his previous at bat when he hit a hard fly ball off the top of the wall at the 390 foot mark in straightaway centerfield that helped him earn the award.
Boone earned the win in game two after coming in to relieve Moore in the fifth, striking out one while not giving up any runs in his inning of work.
South gave North a scare in the final inning as closer Connor Gilmore of Little Rock Catholic walked in South’s third run of the day with two outs.
Gilmore was able to pick up the save after the next batter, White Hall’s Chris Bryan, hit a hard chopper to the mound. Gilmore bare-handed the ball and tossed it to first for the final out of the game.
“It’s great that they do something like this for these schools to get some exposure,” said Lowery. “It definitely shows that we have some guys that can compete at any level.
“I think it’s huge. It’s not just northwest Arkansas or any other region around here. We’re all pretty competitive, and I think it’s great for the state.”
Dakota Lovston and Zack May represented the Beebe Badgers for the North. Cabot catcher T.C. Carter walked his only at bat in game one for South, and caught all seven innings in the second game.
SPORTS STORY >> Malzahn helps club banquet
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Arkansas State head football coach Gus Malzahn drew a large crowd to the Jacksonville Boys and Girls Club banquet at the Jacksonville Community Center on Wednesday. It wasn’t the club’s first banquet, but it was the club’s first banquet in seven years, and the first banquet as an independent entity separate from the Central Arkansas Boys and Girls Club organization. That made this year’s banquet important for the survival of the club, and it was one of the most successful fundraising banquets in many years.
“No doubt it was successful,” Boys and Girls Club chairman Jody Urquhart said. “Just the fact that we had it makes it successful. We haven’t had one in several years and when we did, being a part of the Central Arkansas Boys and Girls Club charter meant the money was divided up about eight ways. This time, 100 percent of the money raised goes directly to the program for our community and our children.”
More than 200 people were in attendance. Individuals paid $50 per ticket and sponsorships for tables of eight were sold at different prices for platinum, gold and silver sponsorship levels.
Final numbers weren’t available on Friday, but amounts already exceed $5,000 raised, with money from the auction still to be counted.
Attendance at the club is doing well also. The weeks immediately following the end of school are usually the busiest for registrations to the summer program. Capacity for the program is 250, and over 100 have already registered.
“We cut it off at 250, and it looks like we may have to turn people away this year,” Jacksonville Parks and Recreation director and club volunteer Kristen Kennon said. “We reached capacity last year too, and we may have to turn away even more this year. So it’s a very important part of our community. People really want and need this club.”
Malzahn’s presence played a big role in drawing the large crowd. Unlike other speakers in the past, Malzahn arrived early and was personable to anyone who approached him.
He gave a light but lengthy speech about the importance of Boys and Girls Clubs and his plans for ASU Red Wolves’ football.
But the highlight of the evening came after Malzahn’s speech, when Kennon showed a film presentation put together by her and the Jacksonville A&P Commission.
It featured supporters, volunteers, and former and present students who benefited from the Jacksonville club and parents whose children are a part of the club.
The film brought home with touching effect the positive impact the club has on Jacksonville’s youth, and brought to light the deep commitment and care for those youth that the volunteers all share.
The time sacrificed and energy put into helping the children seemed like little to no sacrifice at all to the volunteers featured in the film, instead viewing their volunteer work and those they’re helping as a joy.
“That’s what drives this whole thing,” said Urquhart, who emceed the event. “Me for example, I’m not a great speaker who has a lot of eloquent comments prepared. I just have a passion for this club, and that’s what everybody involved in this shares.”
Of course many came to see Malzahn, and he did not disappoint. After his introduction by Urqhart, Mayor Fletcher presented Malzahn with a key to the city and declared May 23 as Gus Malzahn day in Jacksonville.
Malzahn opened his speech recognizing a few local people he’s been associated with, including Jacksonville girls basketball coach Katrina Mimms former and longtime Jacksonville head coach Johnny Watson, and current assistant football coach Barry Hickingbotham.
Malzahn recalled his softball playing days in his younger years, and remembered Hickingbotham as being a renowned power hitter.
Watson was instrumental in getting Malzahn involved in the banquet. Watson was president of the Arkansas Football Coaches Association for several years, and was the high school coach of standout running back Michael Dyer, who went on to play for Malzahn at Auburn and won the 2011 national championship game’s Most Valuable Player Award.
He also recalled his membership at the Fort Smith Boys Club in his youth, and that his coaching days started there.
“At about my sophomore or junior year, I started coaching soccer at the boys club and that was my first coaching experience,” Malzahn recalled. “I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, but we were enjoying it and that’s where it all started in coaching for me.”
Malzahn briefly recapped his entire career, starting with an anecdote about his first paid job, the head coaching position at Hughes High School.
“I got the call that they wanted me to be the head football coach and Hughes High School,” Malzahn said. “My wife and I danced around the room and celebrated. Got to work that next Monday and found out I was the only one who applied.”
Despite taking over a tiny, very basketball-minded school in poverty-stricken east Arkansas, Malzahn showed early signs of his coaching prowess by taking the Blue Devils to the class 3A state championship game in his third year. That team lost 17-13 to the Lonoke Jackrabbits and Malzahn was hired at Shiloh Christian Academy in Springdale, where he began to build his local fame.
He talked about his time at Shiloh, Springdale High, the University of Arkansas and Tulsa, but saved his next best anecdote for his last stop, Auburn.
“Quick story about the national championship game,” Malzahn began about Auburn’s 22-20 victory over Oregon in 2011. “We celebrated on the field for about 30 minutes, and I was back in my locker, and I was exhausted. Rhett (Auburn quarterbacks coach Rhett Lashlee) was with me and coach (Auburn head coach Gene) Chizik’s phone was on a wood chair sitting there and it was just blowing up, buzzing. I said, Rhett silence that phone. He reached over and silenced it. It started up again, I said Rhett silence that phone. He reached over and silenced it. It started right up again just as coach Chizik walked in. He answered it and said, ‘well thank you, Mr. President.’ I had hung up twice on the President of the United States.”
Leader sports editor
Arkansas State head football coach Gus Malzahn drew a large crowd to the Jacksonville Boys and Girls Club banquet at the Jacksonville Community Center on Wednesday. It wasn’t the club’s first banquet, but it was the club’s first banquet in seven years, and the first banquet as an independent entity separate from the Central Arkansas Boys and Girls Club organization. That made this year’s banquet important for the survival of the club, and it was one of the most successful fundraising banquets in many years.
“No doubt it was successful,” Boys and Girls Club chairman Jody Urquhart said. “Just the fact that we had it makes it successful. We haven’t had one in several years and when we did, being a part of the Central Arkansas Boys and Girls Club charter meant the money was divided up about eight ways. This time, 100 percent of the money raised goes directly to the program for our community and our children.”
More than 200 people were in attendance. Individuals paid $50 per ticket and sponsorships for tables of eight were sold at different prices for platinum, gold and silver sponsorship levels.
Final numbers weren’t available on Friday, but amounts already exceed $5,000 raised, with money from the auction still to be counted.
Attendance at the club is doing well also. The weeks immediately following the end of school are usually the busiest for registrations to the summer program. Capacity for the program is 250, and over 100 have already registered.
“We cut it off at 250, and it looks like we may have to turn people away this year,” Jacksonville Parks and Recreation director and club volunteer Kristen Kennon said. “We reached capacity last year too, and we may have to turn away even more this year. So it’s a very important part of our community. People really want and need this club.”
Malzahn’s presence played a big role in drawing the large crowd. Unlike other speakers in the past, Malzahn arrived early and was personable to anyone who approached him.
He gave a light but lengthy speech about the importance of Boys and Girls Clubs and his plans for ASU Red Wolves’ football.
But the highlight of the evening came after Malzahn’s speech, when Kennon showed a film presentation put together by her and the Jacksonville A&P Commission.
It featured supporters, volunteers, and former and present students who benefited from the Jacksonville club and parents whose children are a part of the club.
The film brought home with touching effect the positive impact the club has on Jacksonville’s youth, and brought to light the deep commitment and care for those youth that the volunteers all share.
The time sacrificed and energy put into helping the children seemed like little to no sacrifice at all to the volunteers featured in the film, instead viewing their volunteer work and those they’re helping as a joy.
“That’s what drives this whole thing,” said Urquhart, who emceed the event. “Me for example, I’m not a great speaker who has a lot of eloquent comments prepared. I just have a passion for this club, and that’s what everybody involved in this shares.”
Of course many came to see Malzahn, and he did not disappoint. After his introduction by Urqhart, Mayor Fletcher presented Malzahn with a key to the city and declared May 23 as Gus Malzahn day in Jacksonville.
Malzahn opened his speech recognizing a few local people he’s been associated with, including Jacksonville girls basketball coach Katrina Mimms former and longtime Jacksonville head coach Johnny Watson, and current assistant football coach Barry Hickingbotham.
Malzahn recalled his softball playing days in his younger years, and remembered Hickingbotham as being a renowned power hitter.
Watson was instrumental in getting Malzahn involved in the banquet. Watson was president of the Arkansas Football Coaches Association for several years, and was the high school coach of standout running back Michael Dyer, who went on to play for Malzahn at Auburn and won the 2011 national championship game’s Most Valuable Player Award.
He also recalled his membership at the Fort Smith Boys Club in his youth, and that his coaching days started there.
“At about my sophomore or junior year, I started coaching soccer at the boys club and that was my first coaching experience,” Malzahn recalled. “I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, but we were enjoying it and that’s where it all started in coaching for me.”
Malzahn briefly recapped his entire career, starting with an anecdote about his first paid job, the head coaching position at Hughes High School.
“I got the call that they wanted me to be the head football coach and Hughes High School,” Malzahn said. “My wife and I danced around the room and celebrated. Got to work that next Monday and found out I was the only one who applied.”
Despite taking over a tiny, very basketball-minded school in poverty-stricken east Arkansas, Malzahn showed early signs of his coaching prowess by taking the Blue Devils to the class 3A state championship game in his third year. That team lost 17-13 to the Lonoke Jackrabbits and Malzahn was hired at Shiloh Christian Academy in Springdale, where he began to build his local fame.
He talked about his time at Shiloh, Springdale High, the University of Arkansas and Tulsa, but saved his next best anecdote for his last stop, Auburn.
“Quick story about the national championship game,” Malzahn began about Auburn’s 22-20 victory over Oregon in 2011. “We celebrated on the field for about 30 minutes, and I was back in my locker, and I was exhausted. Rhett (Auburn quarterbacks coach Rhett Lashlee) was with me and coach (Auburn head coach Gene) Chizik’s phone was on a wood chair sitting there and it was just blowing up, buzzing. I said, Rhett silence that phone. He reached over and silenced it. It started up again, I said Rhett silence that phone. He reached over and silenced it. It started right up again just as coach Chizik walked in. He answered it and said, ‘well thank you, Mr. President.’ I had hung up twice on the President of the United States.”
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
TOP STORY >> PRIMARY RESULTS
LONOKE
SHERIFF'S RACE
Dean White-D........... 997
Steve Rich-D........... 918
James Kulesa-R........... 584
John Staley-R........... 1,360
Steve Finch-R........... 1,003
Jason Wilkinson-R........... 1,216
JACKSONVILLE
DISTRICT JUDGE
Robert Batton........... 1,113
Marshall Nash........... 1,108
JP DISTRICT 11
James Stanley-R........... 530
Bob Johnson-R........... 575
JP DISTRICT 12
Jeff Rollins-R........... 646
Karilyn Brown-R........... 768
LONOKE COUNTY
TAX ASSESSOR
Jack McNally-R........... 2,071
Jim Bailey-R........... 2,067
COUNTY CLERK
Larry Clarke-R........... 2,535
Lisa Goodman-R........... 1,481
Circuit CLerk
Deborah Oglesby-R........... 2,143
Denise Brown-R........... 2,024
LONOKE COUNTY JPS
DIST. 3
Henry Lang-R........... 171
Joshua McCann-R........... 158
DIST. 13
Larry Odom-R........... 207
Tim Yarboro-R........... 156
SHERIFF'S RACE
Dean White-D........... 997
Steve Rich-D........... 918
James Kulesa-R........... 584
John Staley-R........... 1,360
Steve Finch-R........... 1,003
Jason Wilkinson-R........... 1,216
JACKSONVILLE
DISTRICT JUDGE
Robert Batton........... 1,113
Marshall Nash........... 1,108
JP DISTRICT 11
James Stanley-R........... 530
Bob Johnson-R........... 575
JP DISTRICT 12
Jeff Rollins-R........... 646
Karilyn Brown-R........... 768
LONOKE COUNTY
TAX ASSESSOR
Jack McNally-R........... 2,071
Jim Bailey-R........... 2,067
COUNTY CLERK
Larry Clarke-R........... 2,535
Lisa Goodman-R........... 1,481
Circuit CLerk
Deborah Oglesby-R........... 2,143
Denise Brown-R........... 2,024
LONOKE COUNTY JPS
DIST. 3
Henry Lang-R........... 171
Joshua McCann-R........... 158
DIST. 13
Larry Odom-R........... 207
Tim Yarboro-R........... 156
TOP STORY >> Aldermen face off in November
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Jacksonville will have five contested aldermen races this year, Lonoke will have three, while Sherwood will have just one. Filing ended Monday.
In Jacksonville and Sherwood, candidates do not declare their party affiliation, but run as independents in the November general election.
However in Lonoke, candidates run as party candidates.
In Jacksonville, two longtime aldermen announced their retirement and a third opted not to run, opening up those seats for newcomers. Each of those open seats garnered two candidates each. Two other aldermen filed for another round and both have opposition.
In the race for Ward 1, Position 2, Alderman Marshall Smith is retiring and Jim Moore and James Bolden III have filed for the seat.
For Ward 2, Position 2, Alderman Terry Sansing filed for re-election and has drawn Rizelle Aaron as an opponent. In Ward 3, Aldermen Linda Rinker opted not to run again for her Position 2 seat. Trying to gain that seat are Barbara Mashburn and Derek Evans.
Alderman Bob Stroud is retiring from his Ward 4, Position 2 seat, opening it up to a race between Mary Twitty and Freddie Booker. In Ward 5, Aldermen Bill Howard filed for re-election and his opponent will be Roger Sundermeier Jr.
The Jacksonville candidates will square off in November.
In Lonoke city, three members of the city council have competition for their seats but only the race for Position 5 was decided Tuesday when incumbent Efrem Z. Jones faced Lloyd Whitaker in the Democratic party primary.
In the race for Position 2, incumbent Pat Howell faced Danny Whitehurst in the Democratic primary. The winner faces Republican Stacey Pennington Moore in November. The winner of Position 1 also will be decided in November when Jane Derning, the Democratic incumbent, faces Republican challenger John D. Robinson.
In Sherwood, of the four seats up for re-election there is only competition for Dr. Steve Fender’s seat. Fender recently announced that he was not seeking re-election for his Ward 4, Position 2 seat. The two candidates vying for that seat are Bob Ferguson and Mike Sanders.
Aldermen Charlie Harmon, Ward 1, Position 2; Kevin Lilly, Ward 2, Position 2; and Marina Brooks, Ward 3, Position 2 have no opposition and will automatically be re-elected in November.
Leader staff writer
Jacksonville will have five contested aldermen races this year, Lonoke will have three, while Sherwood will have just one. Filing ended Monday.
In Jacksonville and Sherwood, candidates do not declare their party affiliation, but run as independents in the November general election.
However in Lonoke, candidates run as party candidates.
In Jacksonville, two longtime aldermen announced their retirement and a third opted not to run, opening up those seats for newcomers. Each of those open seats garnered two candidates each. Two other aldermen filed for another round and both have opposition.
In the race for Ward 1, Position 2, Alderman Marshall Smith is retiring and Jim Moore and James Bolden III have filed for the seat.
For Ward 2, Position 2, Alderman Terry Sansing filed for re-election and has drawn Rizelle Aaron as an opponent. In Ward 3, Aldermen Linda Rinker opted not to run again for her Position 2 seat. Trying to gain that seat are Barbara Mashburn and Derek Evans.
Alderman Bob Stroud is retiring from his Ward 4, Position 2 seat, opening it up to a race between Mary Twitty and Freddie Booker. In Ward 5, Aldermen Bill Howard filed for re-election and his opponent will be Roger Sundermeier Jr.
The Jacksonville candidates will square off in November.
In Lonoke city, three members of the city council have competition for their seats but only the race for Position 5 was decided Tuesday when incumbent Efrem Z. Jones faced Lloyd Whitaker in the Democratic party primary.
In the race for Position 2, incumbent Pat Howell faced Danny Whitehurst in the Democratic primary. The winner faces Republican Stacey Pennington Moore in November. The winner of Position 1 also will be decided in November when Jane Derning, the Democratic incumbent, faces Republican challenger John D. Robinson.
In Sherwood, of the four seats up for re-election there is only competition for Dr. Steve Fender’s seat. Fender recently announced that he was not seeking re-election for his Ward 4, Position 2 seat. The two candidates vying for that seat are Bob Ferguson and Mike Sanders.
Aldermen Charlie Harmon, Ward 1, Position 2; Kevin Lilly, Ward 2, Position 2; and Marina Brooks, Ward 3, Position 2 have no opposition and will automatically be re-elected in November.
TOP STORY >> Lonoke superintendent, deputy quit
By SARAH CAMPBELL
Leader staff writer
Lonoke Superintendent John Tackett has resigned to work for the Pulaski County Special School District as its director of secondary education. Additionally Janice Warren, the former District superintendent, has been named PCSSD’s director of primary education.
The Lonoke School District will begin its search for new leadership this week. The school board accepted his resignation after a few hours in executive session at its meeting on Monday.
Tackett’s last day will be June 30. He’ll start at PCSSD July 1.
Assistant Superintendent Melissa Tash also resigned. She has been hired as the director of curriculum and instruction and federal programs for the Bald Knob School District. This was her second year at Lonoke.
Tackett, who is in his late 40s, is leaving after 17 years of service there.
Both PCSSD directors will report to deputy superintendent Linda Remele. They will oversee principals and direct the implementation of common core standards, the new state curriculum standards being implemented in kindergarten through eighth-grade next school year, according to the district’s website.
“He was a great administrator and took the district to new heights,” according to Lonoke School Board member Mike Brown. “He was efficient, effective and communicated well with the board.”
Tackett resigned recently at Lonoke, but did not say at the time what his plans were.
What will Lonoke do for a superintendent on short notice?
“We’re going to go to work,” Brown said.
Tackett said Monday that his family would continue to live in Lonoke, where he and his wife have spent 28 years together.
“This has been a wonderful place to work. My family still has a vested interest in what happens here,” he said.
Tackett said he believed “completely and wholeheartedly” that the school board would continue to move the district forward in the right direction.
He also said he will work with the board on a smooth transition to a new superintendent.
The position will be posted this week on the district’s website, the state Education Department’s website and the website for the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators.
Tackett has worked for Lonoke for 17 years, including as high school principal and assistant superintendent.
He was employed with the district as the high school principal for one year and as the middle school principal for six years before that.
But he’s no stranger to PCSSD. He began his teaching career at Jacksonville Junior High South in 1988, where he taught for six years before becoming an assistant principal for the district.
Tackett has other ties to PCSSD. Before graduating from Jacksonville High School in 1979, he attended Sylvan Hills Junior High School and Sylvan Hills High School.
He graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1984 with bachelor of arts degree and received his teacher license from the University of Central Arkansas. His master’s and doctoral degrees are from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Tackett has an undergraduate degree in French and international studies, a master’s degree in education administration and a doctorate from UALR.
Warren, a retired educator, has worked in education for 33 years as an elementary teacher, principal, elementary supervisor, federal programs coordinator, assistant superintendent and superintendent – all in the Crossett School District.
Warren is a graduate of Crossett High School and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where she received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education. She received a master’s of science degree from the University of Arkansas and a doctor of education degree in curriculum and supervision from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Tackett was promoted to Lonoke superintendent in 2008, taking over for Sharon Havens when she retired. He was her assistant superintendent from 2002 to 2008.
Under his leadership as superintendent, the new $8.4 million, 61,598-square-foot high school that was built with matching funds from the state opened its doors in August and the groundbreaking for the new Gina Cox Center was held in March.
The center is a $9.6 million, 54,000-square-foot multipurpose facility that will seat more than 2,000 people and be used as an arena for performing arts, band classes, physical education, athletics, graduation and other school-related activities. The project is set for completion in fall 2013.
Tackett was also at the center of a controversy that had Lonoke residents up in arms last fall.
In October, he withdrew his recommendation to the school board that high school Principal Phynaus Wilson be terminated for refusing to cooperate with the district’s school-improvement consultant.
The principal had been suspended with pay on Aug. 25 and officials were silent about the reason for more than a month.
Many Lonoke residents and students protested, demanding his return to school.
A rumor that circulated in the small town via Facebook proved true. The rumor was that Tackett asked Wilson to let outside consultants observe classes at the high school, but the two disagreed on bringing in those consultants.
In other business, the school board voted to approve the first reading of a few policy revisions.
The intent of one of the revisions is to embrace technology and focus on teaching students to be responsible when using their cell phones at school.
Matthew Boyle abstained from the vote. He said he disagreed with the district allowing students to have cell phones on campus.
Boyle said, “They’re not using it for education.” He suggested banning them on school property.
Principal Wilson said, “It’s not enforceable to say they can’t bring a cell phone to school.”
He explained that students use their cell phones in the classroom to do things like looking up words when they are writing a paper. Some teachers even incorporate the optional use of smart phones in their lessons.
Also, if the revisions to the board’s cell phone use policy are implemented, drivers will not be allowed to use cell phones while they are on a school bus, except in emergency situations.
Other proposed revisions included raising the number of days students could be absent from 8 to 10, allowing the district to make electronic payments (as long as that payment is not withdrawn automatically) and stating that the principal of a school who has knowledge a student may commit an act of violence can call the police and then central office.
The board accepted the resignations of high school employees Randy Phillips, Danny Wright, Josh Brown, Odes (Tuck) Choate, elementary school employees Christen Blythe, Maegan Chaffin, primary school employee Brenda Moore and middle school employee Kay Mooney.
The board hired Clint Shadwick as the new assistant high school football coach and classroom teacher; Thelma Hawkins, a new bus driver who previously resigned but wanted to be re-hired, and new bus driver Dean Fritz.
Leader staff writer John Hofheimer contributed to this report.
Leader staff writer
Lonoke Superintendent John Tackett has resigned to work for the Pulaski County Special School District as its director of secondary education. Additionally Janice Warren, the former District superintendent, has been named PCSSD’s director of primary education.
The Lonoke School District will begin its search for new leadership this week. The school board accepted his resignation after a few hours in executive session at its meeting on Monday.
Tackett’s last day will be June 30. He’ll start at PCSSD July 1.
Assistant Superintendent Melissa Tash also resigned. She has been hired as the director of curriculum and instruction and federal programs for the Bald Knob School District. This was her second year at Lonoke.
Tackett, who is in his late 40s, is leaving after 17 years of service there.
Both PCSSD directors will report to deputy superintendent Linda Remele. They will oversee principals and direct the implementation of common core standards, the new state curriculum standards being implemented in kindergarten through eighth-grade next school year, according to the district’s website.
“He was a great administrator and took the district to new heights,” according to Lonoke School Board member Mike Brown. “He was efficient, effective and communicated well with the board.”
Tackett resigned recently at Lonoke, but did not say at the time what his plans were.
What will Lonoke do for a superintendent on short notice?
“We’re going to go to work,” Brown said.
Tackett said Monday that his family would continue to live in Lonoke, where he and his wife have spent 28 years together.
“This has been a wonderful place to work. My family still has a vested interest in what happens here,” he said.
Tackett said he believed “completely and wholeheartedly” that the school board would continue to move the district forward in the right direction.
He also said he will work with the board on a smooth transition to a new superintendent.
The position will be posted this week on the district’s website, the state Education Department’s website and the website for the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators.
Tackett has worked for Lonoke for 17 years, including as high school principal and assistant superintendent.
He was employed with the district as the high school principal for one year and as the middle school principal for six years before that.
But he’s no stranger to PCSSD. He began his teaching career at Jacksonville Junior High South in 1988, where he taught for six years before becoming an assistant principal for the district.
Tackett has other ties to PCSSD. Before graduating from Jacksonville High School in 1979, he attended Sylvan Hills Junior High School and Sylvan Hills High School.
He graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1984 with bachelor of arts degree and received his teacher license from the University of Central Arkansas. His master’s and doctoral degrees are from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Tackett has an undergraduate degree in French and international studies, a master’s degree in education administration and a doctorate from UALR.
Warren, a retired educator, has worked in education for 33 years as an elementary teacher, principal, elementary supervisor, federal programs coordinator, assistant superintendent and superintendent – all in the Crossett School District.
Warren is a graduate of Crossett High School and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where she received a bachelor of science degree in elementary education. She received a master’s of science degree from the University of Arkansas and a doctor of education degree in curriculum and supervision from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Tackett was promoted to Lonoke superintendent in 2008, taking over for Sharon Havens when she retired. He was her assistant superintendent from 2002 to 2008.
Under his leadership as superintendent, the new $8.4 million, 61,598-square-foot high school that was built with matching funds from the state opened its doors in August and the groundbreaking for the new Gina Cox Center was held in March.
The center is a $9.6 million, 54,000-square-foot multipurpose facility that will seat more than 2,000 people and be used as an arena for performing arts, band classes, physical education, athletics, graduation and other school-related activities. The project is set for completion in fall 2013.
Tackett was also at the center of a controversy that had Lonoke residents up in arms last fall.
In October, he withdrew his recommendation to the school board that high school Principal Phynaus Wilson be terminated for refusing to cooperate with the district’s school-improvement consultant.
The principal had been suspended with pay on Aug. 25 and officials were silent about the reason for more than a month.
Many Lonoke residents and students protested, demanding his return to school.
A rumor that circulated in the small town via Facebook proved true. The rumor was that Tackett asked Wilson to let outside consultants observe classes at the high school, but the two disagreed on bringing in those consultants.
In other business, the school board voted to approve the first reading of a few policy revisions.
The intent of one of the revisions is to embrace technology and focus on teaching students to be responsible when using their cell phones at school.
Matthew Boyle abstained from the vote. He said he disagreed with the district allowing students to have cell phones on campus.
Boyle said, “They’re not using it for education.” He suggested banning them on school property.
Principal Wilson said, “It’s not enforceable to say they can’t bring a cell phone to school.”
He explained that students use their cell phones in the classroom to do things like looking up words when they are writing a paper. Some teachers even incorporate the optional use of smart phones in their lessons.
Also, if the revisions to the board’s cell phone use policy are implemented, drivers will not be allowed to use cell phones while they are on a school bus, except in emergency situations.
Other proposed revisions included raising the number of days students could be absent from 8 to 10, allowing the district to make electronic payments (as long as that payment is not withdrawn automatically) and stating that the principal of a school who has knowledge a student may commit an act of violence can call the police and then central office.
The board accepted the resignations of high school employees Randy Phillips, Danny Wright, Josh Brown, Odes (Tuck) Choate, elementary school employees Christen Blythe, Maegan Chaffin, primary school employee Brenda Moore and middle school employee Kay Mooney.
The board hired Clint Shadwick as the new assistant high school football coach and classroom teacher; Thelma Hawkins, a new bus driver who previously resigned but wanted to be re-hired, and new bus driver Dean Fritz.
Leader staff writer John Hofheimer contributed to this report.
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