By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
Sherwood’s first farmers market opened Thursday evening bustling with business and making customers happy.
“It has exceeded our expectations, and I have a strong feeling it will get better,” Keep Sherwood Beautiful chairman Don Hughes said.
“The vendors said they were amazed at what’s been done. Everyone has been very supportive,” Hughes said.
The Sherwood Farmers Market is at the old bowling alley parking lot at North Hills Boulevard and County Club Road. The area is designated as city’s new market district.
The farmers market will be open from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 30, unless it is raining. The market is managed by Keep Sherwood Beautiful. Vendor space is $10 a slot each night. To reserve a space at the market, call Keep Sherwood Beautiful at 501-835-4699.
“It turned out better than we could imagine,” said Kelly Coughlin of the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Department.
On Thursday, the market had 14 vendors selling fruit, vegetables, natural skin-care products and handmade crafts. Sherwood Animal Services brought its mobile adoption center with homeless cats and dogs. The fire department had a ladder truck on display. Musicians formed two groups and had jam sessions.
“We had a huge turnout today. This is for community growth — to talk and meet people. That is what we wanted, and that’s what happened,” Coughlin said.
Coughlin said many people are working or doing other things when farmers markets are held in the morning.
“It worked out very well, absolutely awesome,” Coughlin said.
“It is a great thing for the city. I’m very optimistic about it,” Alderman Ken Keplinger said.
Alderman Toni Butler said the turnout was great and the vendors were very good.
“I loved the men and women getting together and playing guitars. Made it feel hometown, like Mayberry,” Butler said.
Butler, who was helping at the Sherwood Animal Service mobile adoption center, had some concerns about the farmers market. She is worried about pedestrians crossing the street during the congested evening rush hour traffic on County Club Road and North Hills Boulevard. She does not know where shoppers will park when more vendors attend the farmers market.
Another concern for Butler is the heat in July and August. She said the market is held during the hottest part of the day on the black pavement. There are no electrical outlets to run the animal shelter’s mobile unit’s air conditioner or water fountains. Butler said the market customers were asking about restrooms. The nearest facility is at BJ’s Plants and Produce across the street.
Theresa Kyzer, BJ’s Plants and Produce marketing director, said “We love the idea. We are partnering with the city as an anchor for the new market district. We have extended hours until 8 p.m. on Thursday. We have special market day discounts and offer lots of free samples.”
Kyzer said the farmers market is a great way to draw traffic and had new customers. BJ’s Plants and Produce opened on May 1 after moving from North Little Rock. Next Thursday, chef Kristie Ison is scheduled to give cooking demonstrations from 5 to 8 p.m. in the store.
Martha Fitch of Furlow with the Friends of the Earth Farm said the first night of Sherwood farmers market was a big success. She was more than happy. Fitch sold out of her zucchini bread, okra and eggs.
Bee keeper Larry Kichler sold honey at the North Little Rock Argenta Farmers Market for four year. He credited the Sherwood City Council and the support of the city for the market.
“I’m excited to see it in Sherwood where I reside. It made it really nice to bring all the vendors together.”
Bee keeper Geneti Nemera of Sherwood was selling his honey, sharing a tent with Kichler.
“I’m so excited. I’ll be here every week. It is a good beginning for a start,” Nemera said.
Shanna Francis was selling crocheted hats and hair accessories. She sold her goods at the Little Rock Farmers Market for seven years. Francis was pleased with the turnout at the Sherwood market. She said it is different selling in the evening, but it looks really good as people are stopping by on their way home from work.
Laurie Howard, owner of Wicked Salon and Boutique in Sherwood, was selling natural hair-care and beauty products, along with handbags made from recycled materials. She said the farmers market was a way to meet people in the community and draw business to the salon.
Biff Grimes, owner of Biff’s Coffee, offered coffee samples at the farmers market.
“I think it will grow. It is something Sherwood will be proud of. It’s been needed for a long time,” Grimes said.
Friday, June 08, 2012
TOP STORY >> Cereal drive starts Tuesday
By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
If you’re grocery shopping in Beebe, chances are you’re at Knight’s, the only grocery store in town if you don’t count the dollar stores that carry a few grocery items.
So why would the store owners need to run a sale on cereal that is expected to lose them thousands of dollars?
It’s not just to get you into the store. You’re going there anyway.
Kent Knight, one of the store owners, said the dollar-a-box special on Kellogg cereal he’s running Tuesday morning is partly about promoting the business.
But mostly, it’s his donation to the summer cereal drive overseen for 12 years by THV, a Little Rock television station.
Knight said he hopes the sale says to his customers that he wants to help the community. But he knows that his donation will make their donations go farther.
Take the $200 that Beebe firefighters collected this week during a training meeting after they got a call from Cory Simmons, one of the store managers. That $200 will pay for 200 boxes of cereal that will end up in food pantries, which will distribute it to needy families.
Without the dollar-a-box sale, that same $200 would pay for only about 70 boxes of cereal.
The sale kicks off from 5 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Tuesday while Tom Brannon, one of the hosts of THV’s morning program, is in the store parking lot with his collection bin.
The next Tuesday, June 19, Brannon will be at the Knight’s store in Cabot where the same sale will be running on Kellogg cereal.
Knight said he expects to sell at least 25,000 boxes of cereal during those seven hours combined.
Much of it will be bought by groups like the Beebe firefighters.
Pat Robertson with Knight’s said 22,577 boxes of cereal were donated last year. Of those, 16,104 were collected at the Cabot store and 6,473 were collected at the Beebe store.
She said Knight’s hopes to surpass that record this year.
But if this year is like last year, some of the cereal will go to bargain hunters. Knight said he understands that people like to fill their pantries at the lowest possible price.
But he hopes this year they put most of what they buy into Brannon’s bin.
“It’s supposed to go to the program,” he said.
As of Thursday evening, those 25,000 boxes of cereal hadn’t arrived. But Knight said he is confident Kellogg will get them to the store on time.
So since you probably need to pick up a few things anyway, the Knight family suggests you shop early on Tuesday to take advantage of the sale to help with the summer cereal drive. And while you’re there, drop by the tent that will be set up on the parking lot for donuts, cookies, milk and coffee.
“We make a big event out of it,” Knight said.
Leader staff writer
If you’re grocery shopping in Beebe, chances are you’re at Knight’s, the only grocery store in town if you don’t count the dollar stores that carry a few grocery items.
So why would the store owners need to run a sale on cereal that is expected to lose them thousands of dollars?
It’s not just to get you into the store. You’re going there anyway.
Kent Knight, one of the store owners, said the dollar-a-box special on Kellogg cereal he’s running Tuesday morning is partly about promoting the business.
But mostly, it’s his donation to the summer cereal drive overseen for 12 years by THV, a Little Rock television station.
Knight said he hopes the sale says to his customers that he wants to help the community. But he knows that his donation will make their donations go farther.
Take the $200 that Beebe firefighters collected this week during a training meeting after they got a call from Cory Simmons, one of the store managers. That $200 will pay for 200 boxes of cereal that will end up in food pantries, which will distribute it to needy families.
Without the dollar-a-box sale, that same $200 would pay for only about 70 boxes of cereal.
The sale kicks off from 5 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Tuesday while Tom Brannon, one of the hosts of THV’s morning program, is in the store parking lot with his collection bin.
The next Tuesday, June 19, Brannon will be at the Knight’s store in Cabot where the same sale will be running on Kellogg cereal.
Knight said he expects to sell at least 25,000 boxes of cereal during those seven hours combined.
Much of it will be bought by groups like the Beebe firefighters.
Pat Robertson with Knight’s said 22,577 boxes of cereal were donated last year. Of those, 16,104 were collected at the Cabot store and 6,473 were collected at the Beebe store.
She said Knight’s hopes to surpass that record this year.
But if this year is like last year, some of the cereal will go to bargain hunters. Knight said he understands that people like to fill their pantries at the lowest possible price.
But he hopes this year they put most of what they buy into Brannon’s bin.
“It’s supposed to go to the program,” he said.
As of Thursday evening, those 25,000 boxes of cereal hadn’t arrived. But Knight said he is confident Kellogg will get them to the store on time.
So since you probably need to pick up a few things anyway, the Knight family suggests you shop early on Tuesday to take advantage of the sale to help with the summer cereal drive. And while you’re there, drop by the tent that will be set up on the parking lot for donuts, cookies, milk and coffee.
“We make a big event out of it,” Knight said.
TOP STORY >> PCSSD starts upgrading of area schools
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader senior staff writer
The Pulaski County Special School District will leave no school behind this summer as it ugrades buildings, but some will get more attention than others.
“We are basically touching every school,” said Derek Scott, the district’s chief operating officer.
“Even the smallest project in Jacksonville is important to the school we’re doing it to,” he added.
For years — decades --— Jacksonville-area residents have felt slighted and ignored while new schools were built in other parts of the district, especially the more affluent parts.
“The surprise is that people see movement,” Scott said. “I’m actually excited for the students and the improved learning environment they will be walking into.”
Wittenburg, Delony and Davidson is the architect for most of the work. Baldwin and Shell is the contractor for the Jacksonville-area jobs, Harco for those in the Sherwood area.
About one-third of the $7.3 million in repairs and renovations will be at Jacksonville-area schools, and none more dramatic than demolition of the unsafe, unsightly but iconic split-concrete staircases framing the front entry of Jacksonville High School.
It took a trackhoe and a trackhammer about 90 minutes Friday morning to reduce those steps into 50 tons of rubble, according to project supervisor Tom Smith. A trackhammer is like a giant jackhammer mounted on the arm of a trackhoe.
First the massive structure had to be cut free of the building.
The biggest project of the summer is the $3 million reconstruction of the North Pulaski High School auditorium. That is being paid for by insurance money after a tornado shredded parts of the school last year.
New wood gymnasium floors at North Pulaski and Northwood Middle School are among other high-impact, moral-boosting projects. But nothing is more important than extensive roof repairs, plumbing work and bathroom renovations being done in many district schools.
At Jacksonville Middle School, “we gutted the cafeteria and the media center,” Scott said.
Scott said some people may wonder how there is $7.3 million for repairs, but so little money that teachers salaries, benefits and duty pay are being curtailed.
“I’m extremely excited,” said PCSSD Superintendent Jerry Guess. “That is building fund money restricted to use for capital improvements. We are prioritizing and spending the money to benefit students, especially using the deseg profiles.”
“Dr. Guess understands that money doesn’t do us any good sitting in an account,” Scott said. “He wants to put it to use.
Brenda Bowles, the director of equity and pupil services, helped make sure that the money was applied to facilities in a fashion that “met the intent of the court (desegregation) order,” Scott said. “She’s making sure we are putting the money in the right places.”
Scott has also pulled the lead custodians from each building into a crew and has them stripping floors and then putting down four coats of wax.
“This is the first time in memory that this has happened,” he said.
More common is the painting and the refinishing or replacement of floor tiles in many schools.
Morale is high among many of the district’s employees, according to communications director Deborah Roush.
“Derek’s whistling in the halls,” she said, and Bowles was visibly and audibly excited when she came back to the central office from Harris Elementary.
“Grandma is anxious to have our own (Jacksonville) school system,” said Carolyn Soles, who had business at the high school Thursday. But she’s happy to see progress in the meanwhile.
“I got two thumbs up from one parent,” said Jacksonville High School principal Henry Anderson.
“When you’ve got a safe and orderly environment, that equals achievement,” he said.
“This will give the students a sense of ownership.”
“One mother was awestruck that we were doing anything,” he said.
Kids are taking care of the library and want to know what they can do, he said.
Jacksonville High School
More than a half million dollars worth of improvements will be made at Jacksonville High School. The upper-level facade will be a glass wall and there will be a new concrete front plaza, according to Scott, with larger lettering identifying the school.
“We’re expanding the cafeteria into two adjoining classrooms,” Scott said.
The $582,600 in improvements include new stage lighting and controls, roof repair and maintenance, stadium lighting fixtures, intercom system, repair flooring and painting of selected areas, plus alarm and security improvements.
Jacksonville Middle School
The middle school also will receive a new entryway, among $347,900 worth of improvements.
The media center will get a makeover, including paint, carpet, furniture, ceiling and lighting.
Workers will make field-house repairs, retile the cafeteria and paint halls, the office and cafeteria.
Tolleson Elementary
The district allotted $79,700 for repairs, most of which were completed in March and April. Retiling the cafeteria appears to be the only major improvement yet to be done.
Northwood Middle School
A new wood gym floor and new plastic seated bleachers will highlight the $672,400 worth of improvements and repairs at the Northwood. The school logo will be embossed emblazoned on the floor.
Less exciting but more important is roof work for the gym, locker rooms and kitchen, and plumbing replacement.
The media center will get a facelift, and a significant number of lockers will be replaced.
North Pulaski High
Among the $550,500 worth of projects being undertaken at North Pulaski High are a new wood gym floor, bleachers repair and painting. Also roof repair as necessary.
Harris Elementary
About $230,000 in repairs are begin undertaken. The roof of the school’s “B” building will be repaired, parts of the school’s interior repainted and the gym stage repaired. Defective doors will be replaced and security lighting and cameras will be upgraded.
Murrell Taylor Elementary
Drainage work will be done and parking expanded, metal awnings are rusted and need to be replaced and some sidewalk work done. The budget is $169,100.
Warren G. Dupree Elementary
Bathrooms will be painted and the floors refinished and four kindergarten classrooms have already been recarpeted.
Pinewood Elementary
Bathroom renovations will cost $35,000.
Sylvan Hills High
Fieldhouse bathroom re-pairs, painting and drainage work are among the work planned. Work on the bell and intercom system, painting, door replacement and stage lighting and control upgrades also are planned. A facelift is planned for the media center.
Sylvan Hills Elementary
Repairs to Sylvan Hills Elementary will total $243,000, including media center roof replacement or repair door replacement, exterior painting, refurbishing or replacing outside awnings.
Oakbrooke Elementary
Hallway paint and flooring updating was completed during the spring, carpet and flashing are complete or under way. Bathroom renovations are expected to cost $20,000.
Sherwood Elementary
Drainage work will be done near the media center and bathrooms in the media center will be made handicapped-accessible.
Leader senior staff writer
The Pulaski County Special School District will leave no school behind this summer as it ugrades buildings, but some will get more attention than others.
“We are basically touching every school,” said Derek Scott, the district’s chief operating officer.
“Even the smallest project in Jacksonville is important to the school we’re doing it to,” he added.
For years — decades --— Jacksonville-area residents have felt slighted and ignored while new schools were built in other parts of the district, especially the more affluent parts.
“The surprise is that people see movement,” Scott said. “I’m actually excited for the students and the improved learning environment they will be walking into.”
Wittenburg, Delony and Davidson is the architect for most of the work. Baldwin and Shell is the contractor for the Jacksonville-area jobs, Harco for those in the Sherwood area.
About one-third of the $7.3 million in repairs and renovations will be at Jacksonville-area schools, and none more dramatic than demolition of the unsafe, unsightly but iconic split-concrete staircases framing the front entry of Jacksonville High School.
It took a trackhoe and a trackhammer about 90 minutes Friday morning to reduce those steps into 50 tons of rubble, according to project supervisor Tom Smith. A trackhammer is like a giant jackhammer mounted on the arm of a trackhoe.
First the massive structure had to be cut free of the building.
The biggest project of the summer is the $3 million reconstruction of the North Pulaski High School auditorium. That is being paid for by insurance money after a tornado shredded parts of the school last year.
New wood gymnasium floors at North Pulaski and Northwood Middle School are among other high-impact, moral-boosting projects. But nothing is more important than extensive roof repairs, plumbing work and bathroom renovations being done in many district schools.
At Jacksonville Middle School, “we gutted the cafeteria and the media center,” Scott said.
Scott said some people may wonder how there is $7.3 million for repairs, but so little money that teachers salaries, benefits and duty pay are being curtailed.
“I’m extremely excited,” said PCSSD Superintendent Jerry Guess. “That is building fund money restricted to use for capital improvements. We are prioritizing and spending the money to benefit students, especially using the deseg profiles.”
“Dr. Guess understands that money doesn’t do us any good sitting in an account,” Scott said. “He wants to put it to use.
Brenda Bowles, the director of equity and pupil services, helped make sure that the money was applied to facilities in a fashion that “met the intent of the court (desegregation) order,” Scott said. “She’s making sure we are putting the money in the right places.”
Scott has also pulled the lead custodians from each building into a crew and has them stripping floors and then putting down four coats of wax.
“This is the first time in memory that this has happened,” he said.
More common is the painting and the refinishing or replacement of floor tiles in many schools.
Morale is high among many of the district’s employees, according to communications director Deborah Roush.
“Derek’s whistling in the halls,” she said, and Bowles was visibly and audibly excited when she came back to the central office from Harris Elementary.
“Grandma is anxious to have our own (Jacksonville) school system,” said Carolyn Soles, who had business at the high school Thursday. But she’s happy to see progress in the meanwhile.
“I got two thumbs up from one parent,” said Jacksonville High School principal Henry Anderson.
“When you’ve got a safe and orderly environment, that equals achievement,” he said.
“This will give the students a sense of ownership.”
“One mother was awestruck that we were doing anything,” he said.
Kids are taking care of the library and want to know what they can do, he said.
Jacksonville High School
More than a half million dollars worth of improvements will be made at Jacksonville High School. The upper-level facade will be a glass wall and there will be a new concrete front plaza, according to Scott, with larger lettering identifying the school.
“We’re expanding the cafeteria into two adjoining classrooms,” Scott said.
The $582,600 in improvements include new stage lighting and controls, roof repair and maintenance, stadium lighting fixtures, intercom system, repair flooring and painting of selected areas, plus alarm and security improvements.
Jacksonville Middle School
The middle school also will receive a new entryway, among $347,900 worth of improvements.
The media center will get a makeover, including paint, carpet, furniture, ceiling and lighting.
Workers will make field-house repairs, retile the cafeteria and paint halls, the office and cafeteria.
Tolleson Elementary
The district allotted $79,700 for repairs, most of which were completed in March and April. Retiling the cafeteria appears to be the only major improvement yet to be done.
Northwood Middle School
A new wood gym floor and new plastic seated bleachers will highlight the $672,400 worth of improvements and repairs at the Northwood. The school logo will be embossed emblazoned on the floor.
Less exciting but more important is roof work for the gym, locker rooms and kitchen, and plumbing replacement.
The media center will get a facelift, and a significant number of lockers will be replaced.
North Pulaski High
Among the $550,500 worth of projects being undertaken at North Pulaski High are a new wood gym floor, bleachers repair and painting. Also roof repair as necessary.
Harris Elementary
About $230,000 in repairs are begin undertaken. The roof of the school’s “B” building will be repaired, parts of the school’s interior repainted and the gym stage repaired. Defective doors will be replaced and security lighting and cameras will be upgraded.
Murrell Taylor Elementary
Drainage work will be done and parking expanded, metal awnings are rusted and need to be replaced and some sidewalk work done. The budget is $169,100.
Warren G. Dupree Elementary
Bathrooms will be painted and the floors refinished and four kindergarten classrooms have already been recarpeted.
Pinewood Elementary
Bathroom renovations will cost $35,000.
Sylvan Hills High
Fieldhouse bathroom re-pairs, painting and drainage work are among the work planned. Work on the bell and intercom system, painting, door replacement and stage lighting and control upgrades also are planned. A facelift is planned for the media center.
Sylvan Hills Elementary
Repairs to Sylvan Hills Elementary will total $243,000, including media center roof replacement or repair door replacement, exterior painting, refurbishing or replacing outside awnings.
Oakbrooke Elementary
Hallway paint and flooring updating was completed during the spring, carpet and flashing are complete or under way. Bathroom renovations are expected to cost $20,000.
Sherwood Elementary
Drainage work will be done near the media center and bathrooms in the media center will be made handicapped-accessible.
EDITORIAL >> No more A students
Remember report card day?
If the grades were good, it was a dash home to collect the rewards for that A, that B and in some cases even a C got a pat on the back. But if the grades were bad, the question became how to hide the report card and not talk about it in hopes parents wouldn’t remember — at least until a best friend came to the house and bragged about his grades in front of your parents.
Oh, yes the good old days.
Yes, the good old days because in the near future those A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s and F’s might no longer be on report cards.
The Pulaski County Special School District wants to do away with traditional letter grades on report cards, and North Little Rock officials brought up the idea at a recent staff development meeting.
For years, anxiety and ambition have hung on the letters, but educators now say that system is imprecise and does little to reflect a student’s progress, especially in the early years of schooling.
PCSSD officials say the letter grade doesn’t really tell the parent anything and in some area high schools leads to grade inflation rates triple or quadruple acceptable levels.
“This will be a huge change of culture. Letter grades have predominated for a long time, but they’ve rarely been well-defined. It’s time for this new approach,” explained PCSSD’s Dr. Linda Remele, deputy superintendent for learning services.
Educators say the shift toward the new report card is substantive. But it also sends a message to parents that in key developmental years, a report card should mark more than the threshold between success and failure in basic subject areas. They say it should also highlight the wide range of skills a student — whether identified as remedial or gifted — will need to succeed beyond elementary school.
The latest proposal marks a significant departure from traditional report cards, which often measure a student’s achievement relative to the rest of the class and do little to break down strengths and weaknesses within a given subject area.
Plans in PCSSD call for the single-sheet report card to go to a multi-page report, breaking core subjects like reading, language, writing and math into a dozen or more skill sets or objectives and giving students a numerical score for each of those objectives.
A four would mean the student is above grade level, a three means the child is on grade level and a two is politely referred to as “approaching grade level.” A one bluntly means the student just isn’t getting it yet.
By breaking the core subjects down a parent can really see where a student is doing well and where help is needed.
Students may get a four in fluency, but a two in comprehension, meaning they can pronounce words like those little kids on the phonics commercials, but don’t understand much of what they’re pronouncing. That’s more pertinent than that A if a lot of grades were taken in oral reading or a C if the grades were based on responding to the reading.
The new approach is an attempt to incorporate instructional standards crafted in recent years by local and state agencies into the grading process, focusing on a student’s development in dozens of detailed skill areas.
“The approach doesn’t make the student smarter, but it makes the teacher better,” said Sam Meisels, who is one of the pioneers of the narrative report card which is being modeled throughout the country. “A letter grade is a short-lived triumph. It doesn’t tell us what we need to know about a student’s progress.”
The idea of dropping letter grades is not new and numerous school districts across the country are experimenting with the idea. Some are going with no grades or competitive details at all to make sure children are not put down or put on a pedestal.
Most of these experiments have failed as both children and parents need some information—the more the better—and no matter the format, some students and parents will get competitive about it. That’s human nature.
The problem will not be convincing the kids that this is the way to go, but the parents who had to face the music with their parents on report card day. Plus parents will have to go from bumper stickers saying they have an A student to a complete vehicle wrap around citing all the areas the child does well in.
If the grades were good, it was a dash home to collect the rewards for that A, that B and in some cases even a C got a pat on the back. But if the grades were bad, the question became how to hide the report card and not talk about it in hopes parents wouldn’t remember — at least until a best friend came to the house and bragged about his grades in front of your parents.
Oh, yes the good old days.
Yes, the good old days because in the near future those A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s and F’s might no longer be on report cards.
The Pulaski County Special School District wants to do away with traditional letter grades on report cards, and North Little Rock officials brought up the idea at a recent staff development meeting.
For years, anxiety and ambition have hung on the letters, but educators now say that system is imprecise and does little to reflect a student’s progress, especially in the early years of schooling.
PCSSD officials say the letter grade doesn’t really tell the parent anything and in some area high schools leads to grade inflation rates triple or quadruple acceptable levels.
“This will be a huge change of culture. Letter grades have predominated for a long time, but they’ve rarely been well-defined. It’s time for this new approach,” explained PCSSD’s Dr. Linda Remele, deputy superintendent for learning services.
Educators say the shift toward the new report card is substantive. But it also sends a message to parents that in key developmental years, a report card should mark more than the threshold between success and failure in basic subject areas. They say it should also highlight the wide range of skills a student — whether identified as remedial or gifted — will need to succeed beyond elementary school.
The latest proposal marks a significant departure from traditional report cards, which often measure a student’s achievement relative to the rest of the class and do little to break down strengths and weaknesses within a given subject area.
Plans in PCSSD call for the single-sheet report card to go to a multi-page report, breaking core subjects like reading, language, writing and math into a dozen or more skill sets or objectives and giving students a numerical score for each of those objectives.
A four would mean the student is above grade level, a three means the child is on grade level and a two is politely referred to as “approaching grade level.” A one bluntly means the student just isn’t getting it yet.
By breaking the core subjects down a parent can really see where a student is doing well and where help is needed.
Students may get a four in fluency, but a two in comprehension, meaning they can pronounce words like those little kids on the phonics commercials, but don’t understand much of what they’re pronouncing. That’s more pertinent than that A if a lot of grades were taken in oral reading or a C if the grades were based on responding to the reading.
The new approach is an attempt to incorporate instructional standards crafted in recent years by local and state agencies into the grading process, focusing on a student’s development in dozens of detailed skill areas.
“The approach doesn’t make the student smarter, but it makes the teacher better,” said Sam Meisels, who is one of the pioneers of the narrative report card which is being modeled throughout the country. “A letter grade is a short-lived triumph. It doesn’t tell us what we need to know about a student’s progress.”
The idea of dropping letter grades is not new and numerous school districts across the country are experimenting with the idea. Some are going with no grades or competitive details at all to make sure children are not put down or put on a pedestal.
Most of these experiments have failed as both children and parents need some information—the more the better—and no matter the format, some students and parents will get competitive about it. That’s human nature.
The problem will not be convincing the kids that this is the way to go, but the parents who had to face the music with their parents on report card day. Plus parents will have to go from bumper stickers saying they have an A student to a complete vehicle wrap around citing all the areas the child does well in.
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
TOP STORY >> Church signs come down, which upsets some clergy
By SARAH CAMPBELL
Leader staff writer
Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher hopes to sooth angry feelings arising from a state Highway Department decision declaring church signs along Hwy. 67/167 illegal by putting up a common sign in Dupree Park.
Fletcher was accused in a letter to the editor last week of “of attacking the Ministerial Alliance” in his attempt to get sign along the highway removed.
At least one Jacksonville church is upset over the issue. Others expressed disappointment, but not with the city.
Jerry Reichenbach, a parishioner at St. Jude Catholic Church at 2403McArthur Drive, wrote to The Leader last week, “Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher’s move to ban church information signs on Hwy. 67/167 may be the undoing of his mayorship…What were you thinking? Attacking the ministerial alliance may not have been in your best interest.”
He didn’t return a call from The Leader by press time.
But a letter asking St. Jude, 11 other churches and real estate company to take down their signs isn’t from the city. Jeff Ingram, the head of beautification at the state Highway Department’s environmental division, signed that notice.
As of Tuesday morning, 1o of those signs had not been removed.
One of the churches, Hope Lutheran Church and School, has a billboard not far from where its smaller sign is.
The Highway Department says church signs that are eight square feet or smaller are allowed because they are exempt from the federal Highway Beautification Act of 1965. But the signs along Hwy. 67/167 are larger than that.
The department told the churches that if the larger signs are not taken down or altered, then the state could lose up to 10 percent of its annual share of federal highway construction money, which amounts to millions of dollars.
The department’s letter to the churches, which was sent on May 7, sets a deadline of 60 days for the removal or a reduction in the size of the signs.
How is the mayor involved?
The city formed a signs and billboard committee at the beginning of the year in response to people asking about putting up billboards and complaints about some signs being unattractive or distracting to traffic.
That panel’s members have discussed in their meetings the signs in the highway right of way, as well as signs throughout Jacksonville located in the city’s right of way, people standing with handheld signs in the city’s right of way, subdivision signs, lots for sale signs, billboards, directional signs and several other kinds of advertisements.
One of his focuses, Fletcher explained, has been to clean up the city and dealing with signs, especially those that are in disrepair or contribute to unappealing clutter, is one step toward achieving that goal. The mayor said he’s heard a lot of positive feedback about those efforts.
Fletcher signed a letter city engineer Jay Whisker sent on March 12 to Joe Sartini, an engineer with the state Highway Department. The letter asked whether the signs discussed at the committee’s first meeting on Feb. 28 were legal and pictures of them were attached.
According to the minutes for the February meeting, the Highway Department had recently requested that the city remove its sign in the area.
The mayor suggested having the church signs along Hwy. 67/167 combined into one common sign to be located at Dupree Park, where it would be visible from the freeway thanks to a clear cutting effort by the Parks and Recreation Department.
Reichenbach with St. Jude wrote to The Leader, “The signs for the most part have been in that location for over 30 years by the churches of Jacksonville. Maybe the signs did not meet the (highway department) guidelines, but if they ignored the rules for this long, what is the real reason for the action? There were better ways to handle this. Why not invite the pas-tors and discuss the city’s reasons for its objection to the signs?”
Fletcher said, “I’ve had one person say, ‘Well, they’ve been here for all these years. Why are we just now addressing them?’ If you’re going 60 miles per hour in a 40-mile zone and do it for five years and you don’t get caught, then one day you get caught, were you not speeding then?”
The mayor said he didn’t read Reichenbach’s letter to the editor, but he is trying to get an audience with church leaders to discuss legal options for their signage and the city’s goals concerning all signs in Jacksonville.
Fletcher said, “The shock and frustration of some of the churches I understand very seriously. I think there are some places where we could come together to accomplish both of our goals. I need those churches to come to me.
“I’m not declaring war on anybody. I’m just wanting to clean the town up. We’ve got to sell this city. Perception is what we’ve got to change.”
The mayor said he can’t make everyone happy, but “I believe that this is a solvable situation.
“I’m a born-again believer. I want to be more of a spiritual leader than a political leader because I believe that’s where most of our problems are. So, the last thing I aim is to do is anything to hurt the churches that I think might hold more answers to our problems more than the government institutions.”
Fletcher said, “I have no personal agenda. My agenda is Jacksonville. I believe every decision I make is the same decision that most citizens in this city, if they were sitting at this desk with the same information, would make. We’re all in this together.”
At least two church leaders expressed understanding.
Pastor Royce Lowe of First Assembly of God said he hasn’t moved the church’s $2,000 sign yet.
“My plans are to comply. I don’t want to muddy the water. This is not the city doing it. It’s the Highway Department. We’ll try to put it somewhere else,” he said.
That alternate location could be off Military Road. The mayor said that was fine if the property it’s on isn’t in the city limits.
Lowe said many members of the church at 221 N. Elm St. live on Military Road and a lot of his membership comes from the traffic on that road.
He has been asked to move two signs near the freeway. They have been there four years.
But, Lowe said, “We did have a sign (facing) both directions that was there 30 years.”
The pastor agreed with the mayor that some of the signs aren’t in the best of shape, including his.
“Flooding got to it,” Lowe said. But he plans to clean up the sign, which features a picture of the church.
The pastor also said the mayor didn’t know the highway department had sent a letter to the churches until he gave Fletcher a copy of that letter to First Assembly.
Another preacher, Kevin Leffingwell of the Christian Church of Jacksonville, said, “We’re just going to take it down. As silly as it may seem, those are rules. We don’t have a leg to stand on. It’s just one of those things.”
He also said his sign is “weathered.”
Leader staff writer
Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher hopes to sooth angry feelings arising from a state Highway Department decision declaring church signs along Hwy. 67/167 illegal by putting up a common sign in Dupree Park.
Fletcher was accused in a letter to the editor last week of “of attacking the Ministerial Alliance” in his attempt to get sign along the highway removed.
At least one Jacksonville church is upset over the issue. Others expressed disappointment, but not with the city.
Jerry Reichenbach, a parishioner at St. Jude Catholic Church at 2403McArthur Drive, wrote to The Leader last week, “Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher’s move to ban church information signs on Hwy. 67/167 may be the undoing of his mayorship…What were you thinking? Attacking the ministerial alliance may not have been in your best interest.”
He didn’t return a call from The Leader by press time.
But a letter asking St. Jude, 11 other churches and real estate company to take down their signs isn’t from the city. Jeff Ingram, the head of beautification at the state Highway Department’s environmental division, signed that notice.
As of Tuesday morning, 1o of those signs had not been removed.
One of the churches, Hope Lutheran Church and School, has a billboard not far from where its smaller sign is.
The Highway Department says church signs that are eight square feet or smaller are allowed because they are exempt from the federal Highway Beautification Act of 1965. But the signs along Hwy. 67/167 are larger than that.
The department told the churches that if the larger signs are not taken down or altered, then the state could lose up to 10 percent of its annual share of federal highway construction money, which amounts to millions of dollars.
The department’s letter to the churches, which was sent on May 7, sets a deadline of 60 days for the removal or a reduction in the size of the signs.
How is the mayor involved?
The city formed a signs and billboard committee at the beginning of the year in response to people asking about putting up billboards and complaints about some signs being unattractive or distracting to traffic.
That panel’s members have discussed in their meetings the signs in the highway right of way, as well as signs throughout Jacksonville located in the city’s right of way, people standing with handheld signs in the city’s right of way, subdivision signs, lots for sale signs, billboards, directional signs and several other kinds of advertisements.
One of his focuses, Fletcher explained, has been to clean up the city and dealing with signs, especially those that are in disrepair or contribute to unappealing clutter, is one step toward achieving that goal. The mayor said he’s heard a lot of positive feedback about those efforts.
Fletcher signed a letter city engineer Jay Whisker sent on March 12 to Joe Sartini, an engineer with the state Highway Department. The letter asked whether the signs discussed at the committee’s first meeting on Feb. 28 were legal and pictures of them were attached.
According to the minutes for the February meeting, the Highway Department had recently requested that the city remove its sign in the area.
The mayor suggested having the church signs along Hwy. 67/167 combined into one common sign to be located at Dupree Park, where it would be visible from the freeway thanks to a clear cutting effort by the Parks and Recreation Department.
Reichenbach with St. Jude wrote to The Leader, “The signs for the most part have been in that location for over 30 years by the churches of Jacksonville. Maybe the signs did not meet the (highway department) guidelines, but if they ignored the rules for this long, what is the real reason for the action? There were better ways to handle this. Why not invite the pas-tors and discuss the city’s reasons for its objection to the signs?”
Fletcher said, “I’ve had one person say, ‘Well, they’ve been here for all these years. Why are we just now addressing them?’ If you’re going 60 miles per hour in a 40-mile zone and do it for five years and you don’t get caught, then one day you get caught, were you not speeding then?”
The mayor said he didn’t read Reichenbach’s letter to the editor, but he is trying to get an audience with church leaders to discuss legal options for their signage and the city’s goals concerning all signs in Jacksonville.
Fletcher said, “The shock and frustration of some of the churches I understand very seriously. I think there are some places where we could come together to accomplish both of our goals. I need those churches to come to me.
“I’m not declaring war on anybody. I’m just wanting to clean the town up. We’ve got to sell this city. Perception is what we’ve got to change.”
The mayor said he can’t make everyone happy, but “I believe that this is a solvable situation.
“I’m a born-again believer. I want to be more of a spiritual leader than a political leader because I believe that’s where most of our problems are. So, the last thing I aim is to do is anything to hurt the churches that I think might hold more answers to our problems more than the government institutions.”
Fletcher said, “I have no personal agenda. My agenda is Jacksonville. I believe every decision I make is the same decision that most citizens in this city, if they were sitting at this desk with the same information, would make. We’re all in this together.”
At least two church leaders expressed understanding.
Pastor Royce Lowe of First Assembly of God said he hasn’t moved the church’s $2,000 sign yet.
“My plans are to comply. I don’t want to muddy the water. This is not the city doing it. It’s the Highway Department. We’ll try to put it somewhere else,” he said.
That alternate location could be off Military Road. The mayor said that was fine if the property it’s on isn’t in the city limits.
Lowe said many members of the church at 221 N. Elm St. live on Military Road and a lot of his membership comes from the traffic on that road.
He has been asked to move two signs near the freeway. They have been there four years.
But, Lowe said, “We did have a sign (facing) both directions that was there 30 years.”
The pastor agreed with the mayor that some of the signs aren’t in the best of shape, including his.
“Flooding got to it,” Lowe said. But he plans to clean up the sign, which features a picture of the church.
The pastor also said the mayor didn’t know the highway department had sent a letter to the churches until he gave Fletcher a copy of that letter to First Assembly.
Another preacher, Kevin Leffingwell of the Christian Church of Jacksonville, said, “We’re just going to take it down. As silly as it may seem, those are rules. We don’t have a leg to stand on. It’s just one of those things.”
He also said his sign is “weathered.”
TOP STORY >> Recount still shows judge as the winner
By SARAH CAMPBELL
Leader staff writer
Jacksonville district judge candidate Marshall Nash still lost the race by four votes after Pulaski County Election Commission officials spent two hours Tuesday afternoon recounting ballots as he requested.
The final tally remained 1,113 votes for incumbent Robert Batton and 1,109 for Nash.
Batton, who watched the recount with his family, said he didn’t want to comment and he had to leave the recount quickly to make it to another engagement.
According to the first unofficial primary results, Batton won the election by five votes, but his lead dropped to four after a review.
Election commissioner Susan Inman said the board reviewed ballots that were challenged because questions were raised about voter eligibility. Nash received one more vote after the review.
But no absentee overseas ballots, which Nash had hoped would help get him into office, arrived by Friday’s deadline.
After Batton serves this four-year term, he plans to retire with 40 years on the bench.
Nash was not present at the recount. He told the commission last week when it set the time for the recount that he had a previous commitment. His wife DeAundra represented him at the recount.
Nash said after the announcement, “I’m happy. I’m thankful for the opportunity to have run. One thing that I believe that is certainly positive that will come out of this is that perhaps the sitting judge will realize that there are a number of people who are frustrated with his courtroom antics and lack of professionalism in the courtroom and that maybe he will spend the next four years correcting that behavior.
“They are frustrated and disappointed with the things that have been arising out of the courtroom.”
He continued, “The people who voted for me voted for me because of the issues. They had their faith and belief and confidence that I have what it takes to make the Jacksonville courtroom one of the most respected in the state.”
Another point Nash wanted to make was what should happen if Batton doesn’t finish the term.
“Mr. Batton should not be allowed to simply name his successor, one of his friends or buddies that happen to work with him, so they can complete his term. If he fails to or decides not to complete his term, I should be allowed to complete that term,” he said.
Nash said he has not decided whether to run again in 2016 because he doesn’t know what the future may hold for him.
Leader staff writer
Jacksonville district judge candidate Marshall Nash still lost the race by four votes after Pulaski County Election Commission officials spent two hours Tuesday afternoon recounting ballots as he requested.
The final tally remained 1,113 votes for incumbent Robert Batton and 1,109 for Nash.
Batton, who watched the recount with his family, said he didn’t want to comment and he had to leave the recount quickly to make it to another engagement.
According to the first unofficial primary results, Batton won the election by five votes, but his lead dropped to four after a review.
Election commissioner Susan Inman said the board reviewed ballots that were challenged because questions were raised about voter eligibility. Nash received one more vote after the review.
But no absentee overseas ballots, which Nash had hoped would help get him into office, arrived by Friday’s deadline.
After Batton serves this four-year term, he plans to retire with 40 years on the bench.
Nash was not present at the recount. He told the commission last week when it set the time for the recount that he had a previous commitment. His wife DeAundra represented him at the recount.
Nash said after the announcement, “I’m happy. I’m thankful for the opportunity to have run. One thing that I believe that is certainly positive that will come out of this is that perhaps the sitting judge will realize that there are a number of people who are frustrated with his courtroom antics and lack of professionalism in the courtroom and that maybe he will spend the next four years correcting that behavior.
“They are frustrated and disappointed with the things that have been arising out of the courtroom.”
He continued, “The people who voted for me voted for me because of the issues. They had their faith and belief and confidence that I have what it takes to make the Jacksonville courtroom one of the most respected in the state.”
Another point Nash wanted to make was what should happen if Batton doesn’t finish the term.
“Mr. Batton should not be allowed to simply name his successor, one of his friends or buddies that happen to work with him, so they can complete his term. If he fails to or decides not to complete his term, I should be allowed to complete that term,” he said.
Nash said he has not decided whether to run again in 2016 because he doesn’t know what the future may hold for him.
TOP STORY >> PCSSD: Letter grades archaic
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Pulaski County Special School District elementary report cards could look a lot different this fall.
District officials are tweaking a proposed policy that would do away with traditional letter grades — A, B, C, D and F — for a much more detailed report that includes 4s, 3s, 2s and 1s.
“We want parents to know exactly where their child is at,” said Dr. Linda Remele, deputy superintendent for learning services.
The change comes in conjunction with a new way of teaching. The district, like many in the state, will begin using the Common Core method of teaching at the elementary level, which is more student centered and focused on going deeper into reading, language and math.
Arkansas is one of about 25 states, which includes about 25 million students, making the change.
All are part of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, a consortium of states working together to develop a common set of K-12 assessments in English and math.
The goal is to prepare students for college and careers.
Teachers and students in kindergarten through second- grade switched to common core last school year and third- through fifth-graders are making the change this coming school year and most teachers are receiving training during the summer.
The new report cards, rather than just listing subjects and letter grades, will list topics and under that will be 12 to 15 objectives or skills, and each of those will have a numerical score from four to one.
A four means the student is above grade level on that skill; a three means the student is at grade level; a two is “approaching” grade level, and a one means the student doesn’t grasp the skill.
“This new report card will have a lot more information in it for the parent, and report cards will be grade specific. The skills listed under reading for first-grade will be different than those listed under third- or fifth-grade,” Remele said.
Reading, language and math will have a number of different skills listed, while science, social studies, PE, music and art will have just two skills listed: one for comprehension and one for participation.
Remele said the district invited parents from all 23 of the district’s elementary schools to a meeting last month to discuss the proposed report card changes.
“We had a good turnout, good input and made a number of major changes based on what the parents told us,” Remele explained.
On June 12, the proposal will be given to Dr. Tom Kimbrell, the state’s education commissioner who is also the district’s acting school board. “We should know something for sure by the end of the month,” Remele said.
She said the district would hold meetings at each elementary school the fall.
“The meetings won’t be in conjunction with the open houses, but be dedicated meetings just to explain the report cards and will meet with teachers and parents at each grade level as each will be different.”
Remele said the report card itself will go from a one-page single-sided report to a one-page double-sided report, plus number pages explaining each skill and what the numerical scoring or grading means.
Leader staff writer
Pulaski County Special School District elementary report cards could look a lot different this fall.
District officials are tweaking a proposed policy that would do away with traditional letter grades — A, B, C, D and F — for a much more detailed report that includes 4s, 3s, 2s and 1s.
“We want parents to know exactly where their child is at,” said Dr. Linda Remele, deputy superintendent for learning services.
The change comes in conjunction with a new way of teaching. The district, like many in the state, will begin using the Common Core method of teaching at the elementary level, which is more student centered and focused on going deeper into reading, language and math.
Arkansas is one of about 25 states, which includes about 25 million students, making the change.
All are part of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, a consortium of states working together to develop a common set of K-12 assessments in English and math.
The goal is to prepare students for college and careers.
Teachers and students in kindergarten through second- grade switched to common core last school year and third- through fifth-graders are making the change this coming school year and most teachers are receiving training during the summer.
The new report cards, rather than just listing subjects and letter grades, will list topics and under that will be 12 to 15 objectives or skills, and each of those will have a numerical score from four to one.
A four means the student is above grade level on that skill; a three means the student is at grade level; a two is “approaching” grade level, and a one means the student doesn’t grasp the skill.
“This new report card will have a lot more information in it for the parent, and report cards will be grade specific. The skills listed under reading for first-grade will be different than those listed under third- or fifth-grade,” Remele said.
Reading, language and math will have a number of different skills listed, while science, social studies, PE, music and art will have just two skills listed: one for comprehension and one for participation.
Remele said the district invited parents from all 23 of the district’s elementary schools to a meeting last month to discuss the proposed report card changes.
“We had a good turnout, good input and made a number of major changes based on what the parents told us,” Remele explained.
On June 12, the proposal will be given to Dr. Tom Kimbrell, the state’s education commissioner who is also the district’s acting school board. “We should know something for sure by the end of the month,” Remele said.
She said the district would hold meetings at each elementary school the fall.
“The meetings won’t be in conjunction with the open houses, but be dedicated meetings just to explain the report cards and will meet with teachers and parents at each grade level as each will be different.”
Remele said the report card itself will go from a one-page single-sided report to a one-page double-sided report, plus number pages explaining each skill and what the numerical scoring or grading means.
TOP STORY >> Candidates for sheriff square off in a runoff
The Republican runoff for Lonoke County sheriff between Austin Police Chief John Staley and Jason Wilkinson is Tuesday with early voting already under way until Friday at the city annex at 208 N. First St. in Cabot and the Election Commission office at 220 Depot St. in Lonoke.
The winner of the runoff will take on Chief Deputy Dean White, a Democrat, in November.
The Leader asked Staley and Wilkinson to describe how their careers have helped prepare them to be the county’s top lawman.
Staley, 32, has worked in law enforcement for more than a decade, serving as a police officer in Jacksonville and Austin.
Wilkinson, 38, is an accountant and a part-time Lonoke County sheriff’s deputy.
How will your career in law enforcement make you a good sheriff?
Staley: My career in law enforcement has been diverse and is continuing.
I have had the opportunity to work with kids as a school resource DARE officer. I have worked as a patrolman, sergeant, crisis negotiator, criminal investigator and chief of police.
Running the sheriff’s office is more than just running a business; the sheriff is responsible for much more.
The sheriff is responsible to the citizens of Lonoke County — primarily by maintaining the public peace, protecting the lives and property of each citizen, and running the county jail.
I am currently a chief administrator of a law-enforcement agency and an elected city councilman. As chief of police, I am fiscally responsible and work within the budgetary confines, which the city council sets.
As a councilman in Ward, I have experience with building and providing a working budget for every department in the city, including the police department. The sheriff must be fiscally responsible, and to achieve this goal one must start from the bottom and work their way through the ranks.
I believe one must experience the stresses of what each officer or deputy experiences prior to becoming an effective leader.
The steps I have taken I believe have provided me with the knowledge and skills to be an effective leader as sheriff.
Although you have been a part-time deputy in Lonoke County for five years most of your work experience is in accounting. Describe how each will help you as sheriff, and will you keep your business open if elected?
Wilkinson: To answer your second question first, the position of sheriff is full-time plus, and I will be solely dedicated to that position.
My experience in accounting and administration is the greatest asset I can bring to the position of sheriff. The sheriff’s main role is to administer a multi-million dollar budget and 60-plus employees. I have been that executive for several years.
In addition, yes, I have been not only a part-time deputy for more than five years, but the part-time coordinator for the sheriff’s office and a firearms instructor, so I have great working relationships with all of the deputies.
Much of my “accounting” experience has actually been fraud examinations and financial crimes, an area that needs bolstering in the sheriff’s office.
What staffing changes do you plan? Dean White, the current chief deputy, will be your opponent after the runoff. Will he be demoted if you win in November and if so, who do you have in mind as your chief deputy?
Staley: In November, if elected sheriff, I will then sit down with Dean White and each employee to discuss our goals and responsibilities.
Each person will have the opportunity to become a productive employee and continue their employment.
Wilkinson: I am not currently discussing staffing changes. I will interview any candidate interested in serving as chief deputy and will offer the position to the best candidate.
Chief White is welcome to discuss the position as well, if I win in November.
The current sheriff takes in federal prisoners to help cover the costs of running the new jail because the county budget can’t support it. Will you continue the practice or do you have other plans to help support the jail?
Staley: Yes, we will continue this practice as long as it is fiscally responsible. I will tirelessly search for innovative ways to provide new funding for our jail.
Wilkinson: In the current economic times, it is essential to continue to “rent beds” for federal prisoners.
The sheriff and the quorum court must brainstorm as many funding sources as possible, to prepare for the future growth of Lonoke County.
I have discussed several ideas with quorum court members but am not prepared to yet release them publicly.
The relationship bet-ween the sheriff’s office and many city police chiefs has been strained in recent years. Do you intend to improve those relationships and if so how?
Staley: As sheriff, I will build better working relationships with all law-enforcement agencies.
I will personally be accessible to the chief of each department. The chiefs have meetings with the prosecutor, and I will attend each meeting.
As sheriff, I will provide assistance to each department as needed. To effectively and efficiently solve the crimes of our county; we must work together and become united. It is imperative that we work together.
The citizens of each city are citizens of Lonoke County. Do not get me wrong, the unincorporated areas need the sheriff’s department more than the cities, and we will not let these areas suffer.
Wilkinson: As sheriff, I will make it a point of emphasis to have better relationships among the different law enforcement agencies.
During this campaign, I have already sat down and discussed future relationships with every police chief in Lonoke County, and they have all agreed to work with me as sheriff.
What is the most pressing need at the sheriff’s department, and how will you address that need?
Staley: The most pressing need is more effective communication with the citizens.
We get our authority from the citizens, and we must be respectful and responsive to the citizens’ needs.
As chief in Austin, I have proven that an involved community has the strength and ability to work together and grow.
We must get out and know our citizens and their needs. Better relationships with the people means more crimes solved. The people must trust the sheriff’s department.
Wilkinson: When the new sheriff takes office, the most pressing need will actually be employee morale issues.
The deputies are working in a very unstable environment during an election cycle like this one. I have the management experience and expertise necessary to provide stable leadership during the transition and to lead the future of the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office.
Republicans have an advantage over Democrats in Lonoke County elections. In the Republican primary, 4,180 votes were cast for sheriff compared to 1,939 in the Democratic primary.
But both of you are younger with less experience than White, the Democratic candidate for sheriff. If the sheriff’s office were nonpartisan, what would you tell voters to get their support?
Staley: I agree that I am younger than Chief White. However, I will put my experience, training and education to bat anytime.
I have received a plethora of training and hands-on experience while working at the Jacksonville Police Department and while being the chief of police in Austin.
In the last 12 years, I have received over 1,500 certified law-enforcement training hours. I have 45 college credits from Arkansas State University-Beebe and will be continuing this at Arkansas State University-Jonesboro to obtain a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
I have worked with children, the elderly and every age in between. I truly believe in community oriented policing, and I know it works.
Wilkinson: To say that I have less experience than Chief White is debatable.
While he has been in law enforcement for 20-plus years, I have more administrative experience and education.
That is the primary role of the sheriff. The chief deputy is usually the more experienced in actual law enforcement and is relied on heavily by the sheriff.
I would run the exact same campaign regardless of whether it was partisan or not.
The winner of the runoff will take on Chief Deputy Dean White, a Democrat, in November.
The Leader asked Staley and Wilkinson to describe how their careers have helped prepare them to be the county’s top lawman.
Staley, 32, has worked in law enforcement for more than a decade, serving as a police officer in Jacksonville and Austin.
Wilkinson, 38, is an accountant and a part-time Lonoke County sheriff’s deputy.
How will your career in law enforcement make you a good sheriff?
Staley: My career in law enforcement has been diverse and is continuing.
I have had the opportunity to work with kids as a school resource DARE officer. I have worked as a patrolman, sergeant, crisis negotiator, criminal investigator and chief of police.
Running the sheriff’s office is more than just running a business; the sheriff is responsible for much more.
The sheriff is responsible to the citizens of Lonoke County — primarily by maintaining the public peace, protecting the lives and property of each citizen, and running the county jail.
I am currently a chief administrator of a law-enforcement agency and an elected city councilman. As chief of police, I am fiscally responsible and work within the budgetary confines, which the city council sets.
As a councilman in Ward, I have experience with building and providing a working budget for every department in the city, including the police department. The sheriff must be fiscally responsible, and to achieve this goal one must start from the bottom and work their way through the ranks.
I believe one must experience the stresses of what each officer or deputy experiences prior to becoming an effective leader.
The steps I have taken I believe have provided me with the knowledge and skills to be an effective leader as sheriff.
Although you have been a part-time deputy in Lonoke County for five years most of your work experience is in accounting. Describe how each will help you as sheriff, and will you keep your business open if elected?
Wilkinson: To answer your second question first, the position of sheriff is full-time plus, and I will be solely dedicated to that position.
My experience in accounting and administration is the greatest asset I can bring to the position of sheriff. The sheriff’s main role is to administer a multi-million dollar budget and 60-plus employees. I have been that executive for several years.
In addition, yes, I have been not only a part-time deputy for more than five years, but the part-time coordinator for the sheriff’s office and a firearms instructor, so I have great working relationships with all of the deputies.
Much of my “accounting” experience has actually been fraud examinations and financial crimes, an area that needs bolstering in the sheriff’s office.
What staffing changes do you plan? Dean White, the current chief deputy, will be your opponent after the runoff. Will he be demoted if you win in November and if so, who do you have in mind as your chief deputy?
Staley: In November, if elected sheriff, I will then sit down with Dean White and each employee to discuss our goals and responsibilities.
Each person will have the opportunity to become a productive employee and continue their employment.
Wilkinson: I am not currently discussing staffing changes. I will interview any candidate interested in serving as chief deputy and will offer the position to the best candidate.
Chief White is welcome to discuss the position as well, if I win in November.
The current sheriff takes in federal prisoners to help cover the costs of running the new jail because the county budget can’t support it. Will you continue the practice or do you have other plans to help support the jail?
Staley: Yes, we will continue this practice as long as it is fiscally responsible. I will tirelessly search for innovative ways to provide new funding for our jail.
Wilkinson: In the current economic times, it is essential to continue to “rent beds” for federal prisoners.
The sheriff and the quorum court must brainstorm as many funding sources as possible, to prepare for the future growth of Lonoke County.
I have discussed several ideas with quorum court members but am not prepared to yet release them publicly.
The relationship bet-ween the sheriff’s office and many city police chiefs has been strained in recent years. Do you intend to improve those relationships and if so how?
Staley: As sheriff, I will build better working relationships with all law-enforcement agencies.
I will personally be accessible to the chief of each department. The chiefs have meetings with the prosecutor, and I will attend each meeting.
As sheriff, I will provide assistance to each department as needed. To effectively and efficiently solve the crimes of our county; we must work together and become united. It is imperative that we work together.
The citizens of each city are citizens of Lonoke County. Do not get me wrong, the unincorporated areas need the sheriff’s department more than the cities, and we will not let these areas suffer.
Wilkinson: As sheriff, I will make it a point of emphasis to have better relationships among the different law enforcement agencies.
During this campaign, I have already sat down and discussed future relationships with every police chief in Lonoke County, and they have all agreed to work with me as sheriff.
What is the most pressing need at the sheriff’s department, and how will you address that need?
Staley: The most pressing need is more effective communication with the citizens.
We get our authority from the citizens, and we must be respectful and responsive to the citizens’ needs.
As chief in Austin, I have proven that an involved community has the strength and ability to work together and grow.
We must get out and know our citizens and their needs. Better relationships with the people means more crimes solved. The people must trust the sheriff’s department.
Wilkinson: When the new sheriff takes office, the most pressing need will actually be employee morale issues.
The deputies are working in a very unstable environment during an election cycle like this one. I have the management experience and expertise necessary to provide stable leadership during the transition and to lead the future of the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office.
Republicans have an advantage over Democrats in Lonoke County elections. In the Republican primary, 4,180 votes were cast for sheriff compared to 1,939 in the Democratic primary.
But both of you are younger with less experience than White, the Democratic candidate for sheriff. If the sheriff’s office were nonpartisan, what would you tell voters to get their support?
Staley: I agree that I am younger than Chief White. However, I will put my experience, training and education to bat anytime.
I have received a plethora of training and hands-on experience while working at the Jacksonville Police Department and while being the chief of police in Austin.
In the last 12 years, I have received over 1,500 certified law-enforcement training hours. I have 45 college credits from Arkansas State University-Beebe and will be continuing this at Arkansas State University-Jonesboro to obtain a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
I have worked with children, the elderly and every age in between. I truly believe in community oriented policing, and I know it works.
Wilkinson: To say that I have less experience than Chief White is debatable.
While he has been in law enforcement for 20-plus years, I have more administrative experience and education.
That is the primary role of the sheriff. The chief deputy is usually the more experienced in actual law enforcement and is relied on heavily by the sheriff.
I would run the exact same campaign regardless of whether it was partisan or not.
SPORTS STORY >> Indians draft McClure in fourth round
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Cleveland Indians drafted recently graduated Jacksonville baseball prodigy D’Vone McClure on Tuesday afternoon, the second day of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft. The Indians took McClure with the 143rd overall pick in the middle of the fourth round. McClure’s draft position was slightly lower than where he was projected in the late third round, but he was still excited about the draft and the opportunities that await him.
McClure signed a college scholarship offer with the Arkansas Razorbacks last November, and is still weighing his options.
“I’m pretty excited but I’m still narrowing things down and trying to decide if I want to go to college,” McClure told The Leader Tuesday afternoon.
McClure felt right at home in Fayetteville and has already begun to develop relationships with current University of Arkansas players. Razorback coach Dave Van Horn spoke with McClure shortly after he was selected by Cleveland. He made it clear he wants McClure to be a Hog, but urged him to do what’s best for him.
“He wants what’s best for me,” McClure said of Van Horn. “He really didn’t put a lot of pressure on me. I’m still just trying to figure everything out.”
McClure started his senior season as a prospect expected to be drafted somewhere in the mid-teen rounds. He changed that with his play his senior year of high school.
His stock rose dramatically in late March when he went 2 for 3 with two line-drive doubles off the wall at Dupree Park off fellow prospect Trey Killian, ace pitcher at Mountain Home. Killian is another Razorback signee and the Gatorade Player of the Year in Arkansas.
Smashing Killian’s best stuff and raising his stock probably means a substantial signing bonus offer from Cleveland, though a new collective bargaining agreement has changed the rules concerning how Major League teams acquire amateur talent. New rules penalize teams which offer large bonuses well beyond what’s called the ‘draft pool recommendation, which is a guideline number for what a certain draft pick warrants as a signing bonus.
McClure’s spot, 143, usually falls in the $300,000 to $400,000 range, but with the new rules, experts say projections could be useless for what a draft pick will sign for this season.
Cleveland drafted Searcy pitcher Dillon Howard in the second round last season. Howard’s signing bonus was $1.85 million.
McClure says money will factor into his decision, but may not be the determining factor. There are other pros and cons to going to college or turning pro.
“In college you get an education and that’s important,” McClure said. “I really enjoyed my time in Fayetteville. The players were fun to be around and I loved the family atmosphere up there.
“In the pros you get more swings. It’s not all about winning and more about development. The opportunity to develop a little faster is there. I feel good about it either way though. It’s a win-win for me.”
Leader sports editor
The Cleveland Indians drafted recently graduated Jacksonville baseball prodigy D’Vone McClure on Tuesday afternoon, the second day of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft. The Indians took McClure with the 143rd overall pick in the middle of the fourth round. McClure’s draft position was slightly lower than where he was projected in the late third round, but he was still excited about the draft and the opportunities that await him.
McClure signed a college scholarship offer with the Arkansas Razorbacks last November, and is still weighing his options.
“I’m pretty excited but I’m still narrowing things down and trying to decide if I want to go to college,” McClure told The Leader Tuesday afternoon.
McClure felt right at home in Fayetteville and has already begun to develop relationships with current University of Arkansas players. Razorback coach Dave Van Horn spoke with McClure shortly after he was selected by Cleveland. He made it clear he wants McClure to be a Hog, but urged him to do what’s best for him.
“He wants what’s best for me,” McClure said of Van Horn. “He really didn’t put a lot of pressure on me. I’m still just trying to figure everything out.”
McClure started his senior season as a prospect expected to be drafted somewhere in the mid-teen rounds. He changed that with his play his senior year of high school.
His stock rose dramatically in late March when he went 2 for 3 with two line-drive doubles off the wall at Dupree Park off fellow prospect Trey Killian, ace pitcher at Mountain Home. Killian is another Razorback signee and the Gatorade Player of the Year in Arkansas.
Smashing Killian’s best stuff and raising his stock probably means a substantial signing bonus offer from Cleveland, though a new collective bargaining agreement has changed the rules concerning how Major League teams acquire amateur talent. New rules penalize teams which offer large bonuses well beyond what’s called the ‘draft pool recommendation, which is a guideline number for what a certain draft pick warrants as a signing bonus.
McClure’s spot, 143, usually falls in the $300,000 to $400,000 range, but with the new rules, experts say projections could be useless for what a draft pick will sign for this season.
Cleveland drafted Searcy pitcher Dillon Howard in the second round last season. Howard’s signing bonus was $1.85 million.
McClure says money will factor into his decision, but may not be the determining factor. There are other pros and cons to going to college or turning pro.
“In college you get an education and that’s important,” McClure said. “I really enjoyed my time in Fayetteville. The players were fun to be around and I loved the family atmosphere up there.
“In the pros you get more swings. It’s not all about winning and more about development. The opportunity to develop a little faster is there. I feel good about it either way though. It’s a win-win for me.”
SPORTS STORY >> Piranhas gear up for first CASL meet
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Several new young swimmers combined with the more familiar names of the older teenage swimmers make up this year’s Cabot Piranhas team as they prepare for another summer of competition in the Central Arkansas Swim League.
The Piranhas will open the 2012 summer season with a league meet against the Maumelle Marlins on Saturday at the Cabot Veterans Park swimming center.
The total number still sits at around 100 kids for the Piranhas just as it has for the past several years. The Cabot area has seen a year-round USA team and a Panthers swim team at Cabot High School added in the past five years. While the Piranhas team hasn’t closed the gap on teams such as Maumelle, which has close to 170 swimmers, or Sherwood, which has more than twice the number of competitors, the increased opportunities to compete have helped the existing swimmers.
“We start out working a lot of endurance drills,” Skidmore said. “Then, we break down technique and do drills to help them work on their strokes. We also do water polo and other things to get them to enjoy it, relays, different things so it doesn’t get boring.”
Returning female swimmers include butterfly stroke specialist Emily Grigsby, who will also start her college swimming career at Ouachita Baptist University in the fall. She will be joined by Allison Sinning and Alice Lovellette in the 15-18 year-old division, as well as another butterfly expert in Haylee Beckley in the 13-14 year-old division.
Jessie Baldwin and Kyle Johnson also return for their second year in the girls 13-14 age group after achieving gold-level status in nearly every stroke last summer.
On the boys side, Seth Fox and John Santiago will head up a small, yet strong group of swimmers that also includes Brent Brockel and Kyle Beckley.
One surprise this summer is the absence of girls swimmer Megan Owens, who has regularly competed at the gold level in every event, with this summer being her last chance for eligibility in the CASL.
“With kids in the summertime, it’s difficult to get them all out,” Piranhas coach Debbie Skidmore said. “I’m not disappointed, I guess they have other things they want to be doing, and swimming in the summertime is demanding. It’s every weekend.”
The Piranhas have been practicing since early May, with meets going into mid July.
The teams in the CASL remain the same with longtime frontrunners Sherwood, Maumelle, Otter Creek, Lonoke, Lakewood, Conway and Bryant joining the Piranhas in the eight-team league. There will be two other events on opening weekend as Sherwood will host Bryant and Conway while Lakewood will host the Lonoke Sharkrockets and Otter Creek Otters.
Leader sportswriter
Several new young swimmers combined with the more familiar names of the older teenage swimmers make up this year’s Cabot Piranhas team as they prepare for another summer of competition in the Central Arkansas Swim League.
The Piranhas will open the 2012 summer season with a league meet against the Maumelle Marlins on Saturday at the Cabot Veterans Park swimming center.
The total number still sits at around 100 kids for the Piranhas just as it has for the past several years. The Cabot area has seen a year-round USA team and a Panthers swim team at Cabot High School added in the past five years. While the Piranhas team hasn’t closed the gap on teams such as Maumelle, which has close to 170 swimmers, or Sherwood, which has more than twice the number of competitors, the increased opportunities to compete have helped the existing swimmers.
“We start out working a lot of endurance drills,” Skidmore said. “Then, we break down technique and do drills to help them work on their strokes. We also do water polo and other things to get them to enjoy it, relays, different things so it doesn’t get boring.”
Returning female swimmers include butterfly stroke specialist Emily Grigsby, who will also start her college swimming career at Ouachita Baptist University in the fall. She will be joined by Allison Sinning and Alice Lovellette in the 15-18 year-old division, as well as another butterfly expert in Haylee Beckley in the 13-14 year-old division.
Jessie Baldwin and Kyle Johnson also return for their second year in the girls 13-14 age group after achieving gold-level status in nearly every stroke last summer.
On the boys side, Seth Fox and John Santiago will head up a small, yet strong group of swimmers that also includes Brent Brockel and Kyle Beckley.
One surprise this summer is the absence of girls swimmer Megan Owens, who has regularly competed at the gold level in every event, with this summer being her last chance for eligibility in the CASL.
“With kids in the summertime, it’s difficult to get them all out,” Piranhas coach Debbie Skidmore said. “I’m not disappointed, I guess they have other things they want to be doing, and swimming in the summertime is demanding. It’s every weekend.”
The Piranhas have been practicing since early May, with meets going into mid July.
The teams in the CASL remain the same with longtime frontrunners Sherwood, Maumelle, Otter Creek, Lonoke, Lakewood, Conway and Bryant joining the Piranhas in the eight-team league. There will be two other events on opening weekend as Sherwood will host Bryant and Conway while Lakewood will host the Lonoke Sharkrockets and Otter Creek Otters.
SPORTS STORY >> Team Nitro takes trap shooting title
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Team Nitro, a trap shooting team made up of high school students from around Lonoke County, won the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program’s state championship Saturday at Remington Gun Club in Lonoke.
The squad beat Greenwood in the final round to earn the state title after beating five other teams earlier in the day.
The team is made up of team captain Scott Foltz of Cabot, Kyler Fancher, Pierce Jackson, James Chambless and Thomas McCallie.
Team Nitro qualified for the state meet by finishing 7th in the east regional a month ago. The top 16 teams from the four regionals qualify for state.
As a No. 7 seed, Lonoke started by facing the Saline County Trappers, the No. 10 seed from the south regional, but also the No. 3 ranked team in the state. Team Nitro hit 119 of a possible 125 targets to beat Saline County and advance to the round of 32.
In the next three rounds, Team Nitro beat Batesville, Huntsville and the Rose Bud Sharpshooters with three consecutive scores of 116.
Those three wins advanced the team to the final four, where they took on the Harrisburg Trap Club Triple AAA squad. Team Nitro hit 118 targets in that match to advance to the finals.
The five Lonoke County shooters hit a day low of 113 targets in the final, but it was good enough for the championship.
Winning earned the team a $7,500 scholarship to be split among team members.
“The mental game is 95 percent of it and when our boys focus, the scores take care of themselves,” team coach Renae Chambless said. “They were confident in themselves but mostly they were very confident in their teammates.”
Each team member shoots at 25 targets in the course of a match and Team Nitro turned in six perfect rounds on Saturday. Foltz and Chambless each scored 25 twice, while Fancher and Jackson also had a perfect round apiece.
Team Nitro will compete in another state shooting meet in June 12 when it takes part in the AIM youth tournament in Lonoke.
AIM, which stands for Academics, Integrity and Marksmanship, is the official youth program under the auspices of the Amateur Trap Association. Renae Chambless is the ATA-AIM zone coordinator over eight states. Her husband Petey Chambless is the ATA-AIM state director.
“We’ve been able to build a large membership of AIM shooters because of the AYSSP program,” Renae Chambless said. “The AYSSP is a fantastic program. This year it had 5,600 kids and 800 volunteer coaches. It’s a phenomenal program for kids in Arkansas.”
A win in the AIM state meet next week could mean a trip to the World Shooting and Recreation Complex in Sparta, Ill., for the national tournament.
Team Nitro’s junior high team also qualified for its state meet on Friday.
Though it qualified by finishing 16th in the regional, the Nitro junior squad made it to the round of 16 before being eliminated.
“Qualifying 16th meant we had to face a regional winner right off the bat,” Renae Chambless said. “They were able to win that match and one more so we are also very proud of our junior high team.”
The junior high squad team members are all from Cabot. They include Team captain Gage Wilie, Denver Mullins, John Smith, Tyler Jones and Casey Warren.
There are five other Team Nitro members who couldn’t qualify for state because one member was unable to attend. They are Duke Fancher, Brady Smith and Wade Warren of Cabot, Cody Hazeslip of Jacksonville and Todd Poole of Lonoke. “We really think we all would have done well had we been able to compete,” Chambless said.
Leader sports editor
Team Nitro, a trap shooting team made up of high school students from around Lonoke County, won the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program’s state championship Saturday at Remington Gun Club in Lonoke.
The squad beat Greenwood in the final round to earn the state title after beating five other teams earlier in the day.
The team is made up of team captain Scott Foltz of Cabot, Kyler Fancher, Pierce Jackson, James Chambless and Thomas McCallie.
Team Nitro qualified for the state meet by finishing 7th in the east regional a month ago. The top 16 teams from the four regionals qualify for state.
As a No. 7 seed, Lonoke started by facing the Saline County Trappers, the No. 10 seed from the south regional, but also the No. 3 ranked team in the state. Team Nitro hit 119 of a possible 125 targets to beat Saline County and advance to the round of 32.
In the next three rounds, Team Nitro beat Batesville, Huntsville and the Rose Bud Sharpshooters with three consecutive scores of 116.
Those three wins advanced the team to the final four, where they took on the Harrisburg Trap Club Triple AAA squad. Team Nitro hit 118 targets in that match to advance to the finals.
The five Lonoke County shooters hit a day low of 113 targets in the final, but it was good enough for the championship.
Winning earned the team a $7,500 scholarship to be split among team members.
“The mental game is 95 percent of it and when our boys focus, the scores take care of themselves,” team coach Renae Chambless said. “They were confident in themselves but mostly they were very confident in their teammates.”
Each team member shoots at 25 targets in the course of a match and Team Nitro turned in six perfect rounds on Saturday. Foltz and Chambless each scored 25 twice, while Fancher and Jackson also had a perfect round apiece.
Team Nitro will compete in another state shooting meet in June 12 when it takes part in the AIM youth tournament in Lonoke.
AIM, which stands for Academics, Integrity and Marksmanship, is the official youth program under the auspices of the Amateur Trap Association. Renae Chambless is the ATA-AIM zone coordinator over eight states. Her husband Petey Chambless is the ATA-AIM state director.
“We’ve been able to build a large membership of AIM shooters because of the AYSSP program,” Renae Chambless said. “The AYSSP is a fantastic program. This year it had 5,600 kids and 800 volunteer coaches. It’s a phenomenal program for kids in Arkansas.”
A win in the AIM state meet next week could mean a trip to the World Shooting and Recreation Complex in Sparta, Ill., for the national tournament.
Team Nitro’s junior high team also qualified for its state meet on Friday.
Though it qualified by finishing 16th in the regional, the Nitro junior squad made it to the round of 16 before being eliminated.
“Qualifying 16th meant we had to face a regional winner right off the bat,” Renae Chambless said. “They were able to win that match and one more so we are also very proud of our junior high team.”
The junior high squad team members are all from Cabot. They include Team captain Gage Wilie, Denver Mullins, John Smith, Tyler Jones and Casey Warren.
There are five other Team Nitro members who couldn’t qualify for state because one member was unable to attend. They are Duke Fancher, Brady Smith and Wade Warren of Cabot, Cody Hazeslip of Jacksonville and Todd Poole of Lonoke. “We really think we all would have done well had we been able to compete,” Chambless said.
SPORTS STORY >> Senior Bruins start fast, beat Cabot
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Starting fast and finishing strong is more of a football cliché, but that strategy worked out well for the Sylvan Hills Bruins American Legion baseball team as they downed Cabot 7-4 at Mike Bromley Field on Saturday to boost their season and Central Zone record to 3-1.
Starting Cabot pitcher Casey Vaughn struggled to find the zone and allowed three walks, and also gave up two hits before being replaced in the bottom of the first inning by Dustin Morris. The Bruins made the most of those opportunities with five runs in the first frame, and added a pair of late insurance scores in the bottom of the fifth as Centennial Bank (0-6) tried to climb back into contention with four runs scattered over six innings.
Sylvan Hills pitcher J.D. Miller went the distance on the mound to earn the win for the Bruins, giving up just three hits while walking six and striking out five.
“I was very pleased with the way we played the whole game,” Bruins coach Brandon Eller said. “Any time you score five in the first, that’s huge. You have a good chance to win if you put up five in any inning. They brought in a really good pitcher, we struggled with him a little bit, but then we scratched back and got two more. That probably ended up being the difference maker – if we don’t get those two, then they could bunt a guy over and tie the game up.”
Leadoff batter Greg Atchinson walked to start the bottom of the first inning and advanced when three-hole hitter Dylan Boone reached on an infield error. They both scored when cleanup batter Lance Hunter doubled to left field, and Hunter later made it 3-1 when he reached home on a passed ball.
Miller set up the next rally with a walk and Austin Spears was hit by a pitch. Jimmy Sandefur hit into a fielder’s choice that forced Spears out.
Ryan Briscoe loaded the bases with a walk, and Corey Jones proved the Bruins’ bats to be strong throughout the order with a single that scored Miller and Sardetin. That gave Sylvan Hills a 5-1 lead, and led to a switch at the mound for Cabot as Morris came in and struck out Atchinson to finally retire the side.
“I’m sure he’s a great pitcher, but we jumped on him early,” Eller said of Vaughn. “It was good for us. We’re a team that when we get ahead early, we have a lot of success.”
Morris kept the Bruins in check until the bottom of the fifth when he walked Miller, who scored two batters later on an RBI double to right by Sandefur. Jones drove in the next run on a double, but he was later tagged out at the plate by Cabot catcher T.C. Carter for the final out.
Cabot took an early 1-0 lead when Bryson Morris led off with a single to left and advanced to third on a walk for Grant Bell and a single by Vaughn to load the bases with no outs. Justin Goff hit into a double play that also retired Vaughn and scored Morris, while Miller recorded his first strikeout to retire the side against Carter.
Centennial Bank inched closer in the top of the third when Miller walked Bell and gave up an RBI single to Vaughn. Bell struck out in the top of the fifth but was able to reach first on a passed ball and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Goff. Dustin Morris scored Cabot’s final run in the sixth when he reached on an infield error and later scored on a passed ball.
Jones was 2 for 3 with a double and three RBI for Sylvan Hills while Boone was 2 for 4 with a run. For Cabot, Vaughn was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Leader sportswriter
Starting fast and finishing strong is more of a football cliché, but that strategy worked out well for the Sylvan Hills Bruins American Legion baseball team as they downed Cabot 7-4 at Mike Bromley Field on Saturday to boost their season and Central Zone record to 3-1.
Starting Cabot pitcher Casey Vaughn struggled to find the zone and allowed three walks, and also gave up two hits before being replaced in the bottom of the first inning by Dustin Morris. The Bruins made the most of those opportunities with five runs in the first frame, and added a pair of late insurance scores in the bottom of the fifth as Centennial Bank (0-6) tried to climb back into contention with four runs scattered over six innings.
Sylvan Hills pitcher J.D. Miller went the distance on the mound to earn the win for the Bruins, giving up just three hits while walking six and striking out five.
“I was very pleased with the way we played the whole game,” Bruins coach Brandon Eller said. “Any time you score five in the first, that’s huge. You have a good chance to win if you put up five in any inning. They brought in a really good pitcher, we struggled with him a little bit, but then we scratched back and got two more. That probably ended up being the difference maker – if we don’t get those two, then they could bunt a guy over and tie the game up.”
Leadoff batter Greg Atchinson walked to start the bottom of the first inning and advanced when three-hole hitter Dylan Boone reached on an infield error. They both scored when cleanup batter Lance Hunter doubled to left field, and Hunter later made it 3-1 when he reached home on a passed ball.
Miller set up the next rally with a walk and Austin Spears was hit by a pitch. Jimmy Sandefur hit into a fielder’s choice that forced Spears out.
Ryan Briscoe loaded the bases with a walk, and Corey Jones proved the Bruins’ bats to be strong throughout the order with a single that scored Miller and Sardetin. That gave Sylvan Hills a 5-1 lead, and led to a switch at the mound for Cabot as Morris came in and struck out Atchinson to finally retire the side.
“I’m sure he’s a great pitcher, but we jumped on him early,” Eller said of Vaughn. “It was good for us. We’re a team that when we get ahead early, we have a lot of success.”
Morris kept the Bruins in check until the bottom of the fifth when he walked Miller, who scored two batters later on an RBI double to right by Sandefur. Jones drove in the next run on a double, but he was later tagged out at the plate by Cabot catcher T.C. Carter for the final out.
Cabot took an early 1-0 lead when Bryson Morris led off with a single to left and advanced to third on a walk for Grant Bell and a single by Vaughn to load the bases with no outs. Justin Goff hit into a double play that also retired Vaughn and scored Morris, while Miller recorded his first strikeout to retire the side against Carter.
Centennial Bank inched closer in the top of the third when Miller walked Bell and gave up an RBI single to Vaughn. Bell struck out in the top of the fifth but was able to reach first on a passed ball and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Goff. Dustin Morris scored Cabot’s final run in the sixth when he reached on an infield error and later scored on a passed ball.
Jones was 2 for 3 with a double and three RBI for Sylvan Hills while Boone was 2 for 4 with a run. For Cabot, Vaughn was 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Friday, June 01, 2012
EDITORIAL >> North Belt is still alive
Here’s a scoop from our own John Hofheimer: The Arkansas Highway Commission will soon decide the future of the long-delayed North Belt Freeway project now that Metroplan’s board of directors has decided that the final phase of the highway should be completed.
Jim McKenzie, Metroplan’s executive director, will urge the highway commission to make the project a priority. The delays have been a personal embarrassment to McKenzie, who had hoped to see completion of the 12.8-mile project many years ago.
Delays have increased costs almost tenfold, from about $60 million if the road had been built 20 years ago to $700 million if it were built in the next five years. Talk about inflation: The 12.8-mile route connecting Hwy. 67/167 in Jacksonville to I-40 at Crystal Hill in North Little Rock could cost as much as $55 million a mile. The first leg of North Belt cost about $10 million a mile.
Every year there’s a delay, the highway’s cost goes up some $43 million.
On June 12, McKenzie wants the highway commission to approve $6 million for rights of way in 2013; $36 million in 2014-2019, and $632 million for construction in 2020-2025.
Six million dollars will be pulled from work on a state Hwy. 64 Vilonia bypass if the commission approves the new North Belt Freeway plan and timetable championed by Metroplan, but that money can be replaced if the half-cent a gallon fuel tax increase is approved in November.
Otherwise, the only local changes proposed in Metroplan’s 2030 long-range transportation plan — being put out for public comment —appear positive.
The plan would include $6.8 million for an I-40-Hwy. 89 interchange on the west side of Lonoke, with bids being let sometime after October, according to Metroplan assistant director Richard Magee. That would include a $3.8 million congressional earmark, $1 million in local match, $1.6 million in National Highway System funds, $400,000 in state funds and $228,000 in Surface Transportation Program funds.
Widening Hwy. 67/167 from Jacksonville toward Cabot is funded to the tune of $18 million between 2014 and 2019.
Also in that same time frame, the plan includes $21.7 million to improve the I-30/I-40 north interchange toward Sherwood, Jacksonville and Cabot.
Still in the plan is $27 million to widen Hwy. 67/167 between Redmond Road and Vandenberg Boulevard, with the first $13 million portion let to bids after October, and the balance as early as the next year. The jobs will include widening highway overpasses and approaches at Redmond Road and also at Main Street.
Modifications to the Hwy. 67/167-Hwy. 5 interchange at Cabot, estimated at $14.8 million, is slated to go to bid sometime between 2014 and 2019.
The $10 million bid to widen Graham Road in Jacksonville from East Center Street to JP Wright Loop Road has been let and work is under way.
The $1.9 million cable median barrier from Vandenberg to Hwy. 89 in Cabot is also under way. The $11.5 million widening of Hwy. 107 from Bayou Meto to north of Arnold Drive is also going to bid after October.
There are a lot of road projects in the air, and our transportation writers will keep you posted. Drive safe.
Jim McKenzie, Metroplan’s executive director, will urge the highway commission to make the project a priority. The delays have been a personal embarrassment to McKenzie, who had hoped to see completion of the 12.8-mile project many years ago.
Delays have increased costs almost tenfold, from about $60 million if the road had been built 20 years ago to $700 million if it were built in the next five years. Talk about inflation: The 12.8-mile route connecting Hwy. 67/167 in Jacksonville to I-40 at Crystal Hill in North Little Rock could cost as much as $55 million a mile. The first leg of North Belt cost about $10 million a mile.
Every year there’s a delay, the highway’s cost goes up some $43 million.
On June 12, McKenzie wants the highway commission to approve $6 million for rights of way in 2013; $36 million in 2014-2019, and $632 million for construction in 2020-2025.
Six million dollars will be pulled from work on a state Hwy. 64 Vilonia bypass if the commission approves the new North Belt Freeway plan and timetable championed by Metroplan, but that money can be replaced if the half-cent a gallon fuel tax increase is approved in November.
Otherwise, the only local changes proposed in Metroplan’s 2030 long-range transportation plan — being put out for public comment —appear positive.
The plan would include $6.8 million for an I-40-Hwy. 89 interchange on the west side of Lonoke, with bids being let sometime after October, according to Metroplan assistant director Richard Magee. That would include a $3.8 million congressional earmark, $1 million in local match, $1.6 million in National Highway System funds, $400,000 in state funds and $228,000 in Surface Transportation Program funds.
Widening Hwy. 67/167 from Jacksonville toward Cabot is funded to the tune of $18 million between 2014 and 2019.
Also in that same time frame, the plan includes $21.7 million to improve the I-30/I-40 north interchange toward Sherwood, Jacksonville and Cabot.
Still in the plan is $27 million to widen Hwy. 67/167 between Redmond Road and Vandenberg Boulevard, with the first $13 million portion let to bids after October, and the balance as early as the next year. The jobs will include widening highway overpasses and approaches at Redmond Road and also at Main Street.
Modifications to the Hwy. 67/167-Hwy. 5 interchange at Cabot, estimated at $14.8 million, is slated to go to bid sometime between 2014 and 2019.
The $10 million bid to widen Graham Road in Jacksonville from East Center Street to JP Wright Loop Road has been let and work is under way.
The $1.9 million cable median barrier from Vandenberg to Hwy. 89 in Cabot is also under way. The $11.5 million widening of Hwy. 107 from Bayou Meto to north of Arnold Drive is also going to bid after October.
There are a lot of road projects in the air, and our transportation writers will keep you posted. Drive safe.
TOP STORY >> Challenger gets recount
The Pulaski County Election Com-mission will meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday to recount votes at the request of Jacksonville judge candidate Marshall Nash, who lost by four votes.
“I’m still hopeful,” Nash said after the Pulaski County Election Commission’s meeting Friday. “It’s so close. Human error, computer error, anything could happen.”
No absentee overseas ballots arrived by Friday’s deadline as Nash had hoped.
According to the unofficial primary results, District Judge Robert Batton won the election by five votes, but that dropped to four after a review.
Election commissioner Susan Inman said last week the lead changed after the board reviewed ballots that were challenged because questions were raised about voter eligibility. Nash received one more vote after the review. The final tally was 1,113 votes for Batton and 1,109 for Nash.
After he serves this four-year term, Batton plans to retire after 40 years on the bench.
“I’m still hopeful,” Nash said after the Pulaski County Election Commission’s meeting Friday. “It’s so close. Human error, computer error, anything could happen.”
No absentee overseas ballots arrived by Friday’s deadline as Nash had hoped.
According to the unofficial primary results, District Judge Robert Batton won the election by five votes, but that dropped to four after a review.
Election commissioner Susan Inman said last week the lead changed after the board reviewed ballots that were challenged because questions were raised about voter eligibility. Nash received one more vote after the review. The final tally was 1,113 votes for Batton and 1,109 for Nash.
After he serves this four-year term, Batton plans to retire after 40 years on the bench.
TOP STORY >> State could run PCSSD until 2014, Guess says
By SARAH CAMPBELL
Leader staff writer
The Pulaski County Special School District could remain under state control beyond two years if the financially distressed district continues to struggle.
Superintendent Jerry Guess made this announcement at Jacksonville High School on Tuesday to kick off a meeting about redrawing school board zones, which has to be done now according to federal law, even though elections won’t be held before the end of next year. The state took over the district in May 2011.
Guess said, “Another question that’s been asked is when are we going to return to an elected school board situation. The legislation that is authorizing the fiscal-distress status of the district and resulted in the dissolution of the board calls for at least a two-year period where (Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell) will … represent the people of the district.
“Now there is a possibility, I understand, of a third year because in some cases where districts have struggled to be able to survive at the end of two years, there was a third-year extension,” Guess said.
He continued, “Right now what I would say is that the district could return to an elected board at the end of the second year. It could be extended to a third year. It depends on the situation, on how successful we are in our efforts to correct the fiscal errors in the district.”
ATTENDANCE ZONES
The law also requires after the census that every school board zone have a starting population within 5 percent of the mean average of the zones in that district by Aug. 1.
Legally, the district can have a five-member board with or without two at-large seats, or it can have a seven-member board. The district choose a seven-member board because a five-member board didn’t resolve the issue of population being evenly distributed, Guess said.
Therefore, the average population for the zones is 21,768.
Guess said his next deadline is June 10 because that is when he has to make a recommendation to Kimbrell.
The superintendent showed about a dozen residents at the meeting several maps drawn up by Jeff Runder of Metroplan. Guess said making these maps is “not costing us a thing.”
The district’s preferred option shows Jacksonville schools, North Pulaski schools and Sylvan Hills/Sherwood schools in three different zones, and the district’s population of 152,855 is divided into seven zones.
In Zone 7 are Dupree Elementary, Jacksonville High, Jacksonville Middle, Pinewood Elementary, Taylor Elementary, Adkins Pre-K and Harris Elementary.
Zone 6 has Northwood Middle, North Pulaski High, Cato Elementary, Arnold Drive Elementary, Tolleson Elementary and Bayou Meto Elementary.
In Zone 4 are Sylvan Hills Elementary, Sylvan Hills Middle, Sylvan Hills High, Oakbrooke Elementary, Clinton Elementary and Sherwood Elementary.
There is also Zone 5, which doesn’t include any schools. It represents students in the northern part of the county between Zone 6 and Zone 3.
Zone 3 are Pine Forest Elementary, Crystal Hill Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary, Maumelle High and Maumelle Middle.
The largest difference is the population of 21,082 in Zone 1, southeast Pulaski County, and the population of 22,768 in Zone 7, but that meets legal requirements.
Approximately 9,927 residents in southeast Pulaski County now share one board member, but a single board member represents 34,361 residents in the western part of the county.
Guess said, “If you’re out of whack, you have to fix it, and we’re way out of whack here.”
JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT
The main feedback Guess got on the zones at the meeting were questions about how the possibility of Jacksonville splitting from PCSSD and getting an independent school district factored into this decision.
The superintendent said the city would have to decide how to zone itself in that case, but the rezoning being discussed now is a separate issue from whether Jacksonville will break off from the district.
“Should we do this if there might be a Jacksonville school district? I’ve already had that question from some people who live here. Do we need to proceed with this kind of reorganization of the schools? The answer to that is absolutely yes,” Guess said.
“That proposal regarding the future of a Jacksonville school district is really one that will be settled in a federal court. That will be up to address at a later date. We have to have this issue settled before that,” he continued.
“I hope you get it. That’s what we’re trying to do. At least we’ve got it in front of judge,” Guess added.
Attorney Ben Rice said at the end of the meeting that the rezoning plan sounded fine, but he told Guess, “Your first priority should be a Jacksonville School District.”
Dannakay Duggar, who was wearing a T-shirt she made voicing support for an independent Jacksonville school district, brought another point to the superintendent’s attention.
She said Guess should identify the separation of Jacksonville schools and North Pulaski as a concern because she is Jacksonville resident who attended North Pulaski High School and feels they should be grouped together.
The superintendent explained that the two couldn’t be in the same zone because of the large population in the area. Without those being split up, the district wouldn’t be able to achieve its goal of “one man, one vote,” which means each board member has about the same number of constituents.
Another woman mentioned her frustration at living in one zone but having children attending a school in a different zone and not being able to vote for the board member who represents their school.
Guess said, “We had people who came to the meeting at Maumelle High who lived in Zone 3. She was in the tail end of the third zone, but her kids attended the Robinson schools (in a different zone).
“That’s going to happen sometimes. You do the best you can to draw the lines with some reasonableness, but you’re never going to solve all these problems. If you put North Pulaski High and Jacksonville High in the same zone there would be so much population it wouldn’t satisfy the (legal requirements).”
Other priorities concerning the redrawing of zones are to preserve minority representation on the school board and put high schools in the same zone with their feeder schools.
For example, Northwood and Cato are feeder schools for North Pulaski High School because most of their students end up attending North Pulaski when they reach high-school age.
Guess said the preferred option satisfies all three objectives.
One concern voiced about the preferred option is that the board member chosen to represent Zone 5 would align with a particular school because that zone doesn’t include any schools.
The superintendent didn’t disagree with that being a possible problem, but he said the Zone 5 board member has just as much of an opportunity to favor one school over another as any other board member.
Leader staff writer
The Pulaski County Special School District could remain under state control beyond two years if the financially distressed district continues to struggle.
Superintendent Jerry Guess made this announcement at Jacksonville High School on Tuesday to kick off a meeting about redrawing school board zones, which has to be done now according to federal law, even though elections won’t be held before the end of next year. The state took over the district in May 2011.
Guess said, “Another question that’s been asked is when are we going to return to an elected school board situation. The legislation that is authorizing the fiscal-distress status of the district and resulted in the dissolution of the board calls for at least a two-year period where (Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell) will … represent the people of the district.
“Now there is a possibility, I understand, of a third year because in some cases where districts have struggled to be able to survive at the end of two years, there was a third-year extension,” Guess said.
He continued, “Right now what I would say is that the district could return to an elected board at the end of the second year. It could be extended to a third year. It depends on the situation, on how successful we are in our efforts to correct the fiscal errors in the district.”
ATTENDANCE ZONES
The law also requires after the census that every school board zone have a starting population within 5 percent of the mean average of the zones in that district by Aug. 1.
Legally, the district can have a five-member board with or without two at-large seats, or it can have a seven-member board. The district choose a seven-member board because a five-member board didn’t resolve the issue of population being evenly distributed, Guess said.
Therefore, the average population for the zones is 21,768.
Guess said his next deadline is June 10 because that is when he has to make a recommendation to Kimbrell.
The superintendent showed about a dozen residents at the meeting several maps drawn up by Jeff Runder of Metroplan. Guess said making these maps is “not costing us a thing.”
The district’s preferred option shows Jacksonville schools, North Pulaski schools and Sylvan Hills/Sherwood schools in three different zones, and the district’s population of 152,855 is divided into seven zones.
In Zone 7 are Dupree Elementary, Jacksonville High, Jacksonville Middle, Pinewood Elementary, Taylor Elementary, Adkins Pre-K and Harris Elementary.
Zone 6 has Northwood Middle, North Pulaski High, Cato Elementary, Arnold Drive Elementary, Tolleson Elementary and Bayou Meto Elementary.
In Zone 4 are Sylvan Hills Elementary, Sylvan Hills Middle, Sylvan Hills High, Oakbrooke Elementary, Clinton Elementary and Sherwood Elementary.
There is also Zone 5, which doesn’t include any schools. It represents students in the northern part of the county between Zone 6 and Zone 3.
Zone 3 are Pine Forest Elementary, Crystal Hill Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary, Maumelle High and Maumelle Middle.
The largest difference is the population of 21,082 in Zone 1, southeast Pulaski County, and the population of 22,768 in Zone 7, but that meets legal requirements.
Approximately 9,927 residents in southeast Pulaski County now share one board member, but a single board member represents 34,361 residents in the western part of the county.
Guess said, “If you’re out of whack, you have to fix it, and we’re way out of whack here.”
JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT
The main feedback Guess got on the zones at the meeting were questions about how the possibility of Jacksonville splitting from PCSSD and getting an independent school district factored into this decision.
The superintendent said the city would have to decide how to zone itself in that case, but the rezoning being discussed now is a separate issue from whether Jacksonville will break off from the district.
“Should we do this if there might be a Jacksonville school district? I’ve already had that question from some people who live here. Do we need to proceed with this kind of reorganization of the schools? The answer to that is absolutely yes,” Guess said.
“That proposal regarding the future of a Jacksonville school district is really one that will be settled in a federal court. That will be up to address at a later date. We have to have this issue settled before that,” he continued.
“I hope you get it. That’s what we’re trying to do. At least we’ve got it in front of judge,” Guess added.
Attorney Ben Rice said at the end of the meeting that the rezoning plan sounded fine, but he told Guess, “Your first priority should be a Jacksonville School District.”
Dannakay Duggar, who was wearing a T-shirt she made voicing support for an independent Jacksonville school district, brought another point to the superintendent’s attention.
She said Guess should identify the separation of Jacksonville schools and North Pulaski as a concern because she is Jacksonville resident who attended North Pulaski High School and feels they should be grouped together.
The superintendent explained that the two couldn’t be in the same zone because of the large population in the area. Without those being split up, the district wouldn’t be able to achieve its goal of “one man, one vote,” which means each board member has about the same number of constituents.
Another woman mentioned her frustration at living in one zone but having children attending a school in a different zone and not being able to vote for the board member who represents their school.
Guess said, “We had people who came to the meeting at Maumelle High who lived in Zone 3. She was in the tail end of the third zone, but her kids attended the Robinson schools (in a different zone).
“That’s going to happen sometimes. You do the best you can to draw the lines with some reasonableness, but you’re never going to solve all these problems. If you put North Pulaski High and Jacksonville High in the same zone there would be so much population it wouldn’t satisfy the (legal requirements).”
Other priorities concerning the redrawing of zones are to preserve minority representation on the school board and put high schools in the same zone with their feeder schools.
For example, Northwood and Cato are feeder schools for North Pulaski High School because most of their students end up attending North Pulaski when they reach high-school age.
Guess said the preferred option satisfies all three objectives.
One concern voiced about the preferred option is that the board member chosen to represent Zone 5 would align with a particular school because that zone doesn’t include any schools.
The superintendent didn’t disagree with that being a possible problem, but he said the Zone 5 board member has just as much of an opportunity to favor one school over another as any other board member.
TOP STORY >> Officials to weigh plan for freeway
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader senior staff writer
The fate of the North Belt Freeway could be decided at the state Highway Commission meeting June 12.
That’s when Metroplan Director Jim McKenzie hopes to ask the commission to amend its existing highway plan and commit to an expedited plan that would include $6 million for the purchase of critical right of way next year. McKenzie is not yet on the agenda.
“I’m writing a letter to (Highway Commission Chairman) Madison Murphy right now, requesting the commission pass a minute order committing to provide funding in these time periods: $6 million in 2013, $36 million in 2014-2019 and $632 million for construction in the 2020-2025 time frame,” McKenzie said Thursday.
By moving the actual construction up from 2025-2030, the project would save about $43 million in inflationary costs, he said.
If it were built today — not an option — it would cost an estimated $350 million.
What will state Highway Department Director Scott E. Bennett recommend?
“I actually don’t know what my recommendation will be, or if the commission will ask me for one,” Bennett said Friday. “I’ll most likely just try to lay out the facts for them — impacts, good and bad, of either committing to build within Metroplan’s requested timeframe or not making a commitment.”
METROPLAN LIFELINE
The Metroplan board, which had been widely expected to pull the plug on the proposed $700 million completion of the North Belt when it met Wednesday, instead threw the long-suffering project a lifeline — at least until that Highway Commission Meeting.
The Metroplan board this week voted overwhelmingly to proceed with the project, with Bennett abstaining.
If the right of way is not purchased before developers build hundreds of half-million-dollar homes, the freeway would not likely be affordable or practical, according to McKenzie.
“If we don’t do something now, facts on the ground will prohibit it from ever being built,” he said.
“We think it ought to be built. We’re asking them to commit or tell us we don’t have the money,” McKenzie said.
“If that’s the case, Sher-wood is off the hook, so are the landowners. and we can make (other) plans to carry the 60,000 vehicles a day (the North Belt was projected to have carried by 2030),” he said.
At the March board retreat, the 12.8-mile project, which would connect state Hwy. 440 at Hwy. 67/167 in south Jacksonville with I-40 and I-430 at Crystal Hill, seemed on life support with directors ready to carve up road funds for their areas.
The project will be kept alive after new Metroplan staff studies were reviewed and discussed.
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
There were no discernible “nays” in the voice-vote, but Bennett made it clear he was abstaining, and some others, like Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines, said that even with approval, the North Belt would never be built.
“It’s just not going to happen, people,” he said.
Bennett says construction of the last half of the North Belt Freeway would use 40 percent to 50 percent of available highway construction money for the entire state during its 2020-2025 buildout.
The project was first placed on the books nearly 60 years ago and some board members say if the project dies, people will look back in 50 years and wonder how they let the opportunity slip away.
McKenzie presented the board Wednesday with four options — two of which actually included the phrase “pretend to build” the North Belt Freeway.
From those, the board approved option three, which would approve about $148 million worth of projects proposed by the state Highway Department for construction be-tween now and 2030.
The department would spend $6 million securing critical North Belt Freeway right of way in 2013 and spend another $36.4 million between 2014 and 2019, with construction expenditures of $632 million between 2020 and 2025.
WORKFORCE ACCESS
If built, the North Belt would provide two functions, according to Metroplan transportation planner Casey Covington.
First, it would provide easier access to jobs in West Little Rock and Maumelle to people who live in Cabot, Jacksonville, Sherwood and some unincorporated parts of north Pulaski County, and second, it would fill the gap in an interstate loop around Little Rock and North Little Rock, like the loops around major metropolitan areas.
The loop, which would be approximately 60 miles, would include parts of I-430, I-30 and Hwy. 440, including the already completed portion of the North Belt. That portion is already designated “North Belt Freeway” on Google Maps.
In the process it would lessen congestion on Hwy. 67/167, I-40 and I-30, including the Arkansas River bridge.
TIRED OF WAITING
Nowhere does the future of the North Belt have a more immediate impact than in Sherwood, where Mayor Virginia Hillman and the city have been sued with some success by developers who are tired of waiting to begin their projects while officials wrestle with the project’s future.
Most of the construction would be in Sherwood or across — without access — Camp Robinson.
Hillman says the big question now is whether or not the Highway Commission will approve amending its highway plan as requested by the board.
“That should give a picture of whether it will be funded or not. We need to do more than chase numbers on paper,” she said.
“I would like to see it built,” she said, but if not, she wants to stop holding up development.
A LITTLE SHOCKED
“I was a little shocked,” said Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher after the board voted to approve the project. “I was surprised by the final tally. I thought I might be the lone ranger (in favor).”
He said he believed that new information from Metro-plan staff helped pass the measure, as did the framing of the issue as a regional issue by Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola and North Little Rock Mayor Pat Hays.
He credited Conway Mayor Tab Townsell with posing the question as an economic one, saying that companies seeking to open or relocate want to know they have a workforce of a certain size within a reasonable commute.
“If we can’t get it, the next generation is going to be wondering ‘What were they thinking,’” Fletcher said.
Leader senior staff writer
The fate of the North Belt Freeway could be decided at the state Highway Commission meeting June 12.
That’s when Metroplan Director Jim McKenzie hopes to ask the commission to amend its existing highway plan and commit to an expedited plan that would include $6 million for the purchase of critical right of way next year. McKenzie is not yet on the agenda.
“I’m writing a letter to (Highway Commission Chairman) Madison Murphy right now, requesting the commission pass a minute order committing to provide funding in these time periods: $6 million in 2013, $36 million in 2014-2019 and $632 million for construction in the 2020-2025 time frame,” McKenzie said Thursday.
By moving the actual construction up from 2025-2030, the project would save about $43 million in inflationary costs, he said.
If it were built today — not an option — it would cost an estimated $350 million.
What will state Highway Department Director Scott E. Bennett recommend?
“I actually don’t know what my recommendation will be, or if the commission will ask me for one,” Bennett said Friday. “I’ll most likely just try to lay out the facts for them — impacts, good and bad, of either committing to build within Metroplan’s requested timeframe or not making a commitment.”
METROPLAN LIFELINE
The Metroplan board, which had been widely expected to pull the plug on the proposed $700 million completion of the North Belt when it met Wednesday, instead threw the long-suffering project a lifeline — at least until that Highway Commission Meeting.
The Metroplan board this week voted overwhelmingly to proceed with the project, with Bennett abstaining.
If the right of way is not purchased before developers build hundreds of half-million-dollar homes, the freeway would not likely be affordable or practical, according to McKenzie.
“If we don’t do something now, facts on the ground will prohibit it from ever being built,” he said.
“We think it ought to be built. We’re asking them to commit or tell us we don’t have the money,” McKenzie said.
“If that’s the case, Sher-wood is off the hook, so are the landowners. and we can make (other) plans to carry the 60,000 vehicles a day (the North Belt was projected to have carried by 2030),” he said.
At the March board retreat, the 12.8-mile project, which would connect state Hwy. 440 at Hwy. 67/167 in south Jacksonville with I-40 and I-430 at Crystal Hill, seemed on life support with directors ready to carve up road funds for their areas.
The project will be kept alive after new Metroplan staff studies were reviewed and discussed.
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
There were no discernible “nays” in the voice-vote, but Bennett made it clear he was abstaining, and some others, like Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines, said that even with approval, the North Belt would never be built.
“It’s just not going to happen, people,” he said.
Bennett says construction of the last half of the North Belt Freeway would use 40 percent to 50 percent of available highway construction money for the entire state during its 2020-2025 buildout.
The project was first placed on the books nearly 60 years ago and some board members say if the project dies, people will look back in 50 years and wonder how they let the opportunity slip away.
McKenzie presented the board Wednesday with four options — two of which actually included the phrase “pretend to build” the North Belt Freeway.
From those, the board approved option three, which would approve about $148 million worth of projects proposed by the state Highway Department for construction be-tween now and 2030.
The department would spend $6 million securing critical North Belt Freeway right of way in 2013 and spend another $36.4 million between 2014 and 2019, with construction expenditures of $632 million between 2020 and 2025.
WORKFORCE ACCESS
If built, the North Belt would provide two functions, according to Metroplan transportation planner Casey Covington.
First, it would provide easier access to jobs in West Little Rock and Maumelle to people who live in Cabot, Jacksonville, Sherwood and some unincorporated parts of north Pulaski County, and second, it would fill the gap in an interstate loop around Little Rock and North Little Rock, like the loops around major metropolitan areas.
The loop, which would be approximately 60 miles, would include parts of I-430, I-30 and Hwy. 440, including the already completed portion of the North Belt. That portion is already designated “North Belt Freeway” on Google Maps.
In the process it would lessen congestion on Hwy. 67/167, I-40 and I-30, including the Arkansas River bridge.
TIRED OF WAITING
Nowhere does the future of the North Belt have a more immediate impact than in Sherwood, where Mayor Virginia Hillman and the city have been sued with some success by developers who are tired of waiting to begin their projects while officials wrestle with the project’s future.
Most of the construction would be in Sherwood or across — without access — Camp Robinson.
Hillman says the big question now is whether or not the Highway Commission will approve amending its highway plan as requested by the board.
“That should give a picture of whether it will be funded or not. We need to do more than chase numbers on paper,” she said.
“I would like to see it built,” she said, but if not, she wants to stop holding up development.
A LITTLE SHOCKED
“I was a little shocked,” said Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher after the board voted to approve the project. “I was surprised by the final tally. I thought I might be the lone ranger (in favor).”
He said he believed that new information from Metro-plan staff helped pass the measure, as did the framing of the issue as a regional issue by Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola and North Little Rock Mayor Pat Hays.
He credited Conway Mayor Tab Townsell with posing the question as an economic one, saying that companies seeking to open or relocate want to know they have a workforce of a certain size within a reasonable commute.
“If we can’t get it, the next generation is going to be wondering ‘What were they thinking,’” Fletcher said.
SPORTS STORY >> Junior Centennial Bank teams battle
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
There was no doubt Cabot would be victorious in both games.
Judging from the difference in experience between the two Centennial Bank junior American Legion teams, there was also little doubt which Cabot team it was going to be as Cabot 1 put its superior pitching and batting on display in a pair of routs over Cabot 2, 11-2 and 9-1 at Cabot Community Park in an American Legion Central Zone doubleheader on Wednesday.
Cabot 1, led by coach Chris Gross, took modest leads early in both games, and held their in-club foes scoreless for the most part before putting each game out of contention in the latter frames.
Cabot 2, led by coach Greg Frantal, had much of the shakes and inconsistency to be expected from a team still heavy on player development. Starting pitcher Jessie George struggled at times in the first game with inconsistent placement, but also showed flashes of strength by fanning some of the other Cabot’s best sluggers.
Pitching for Cabot 1 Gross went much smoother as Glover Helpenstill took the victory in the first game while Landon James earned a complete-game win in the nightcap.
“They played pretty well,” Gross said. “We have a lot older guys than the other team – they’ve got some pretty young guys. We did pretty good with our pitching and the guys who started.”
James got things going for team Gross when he walked to lead off the bottom of the second inning and quickly stole his way to third before reaching home plate on a passed ball for the first score. Daulton Hurst then singled to right and Jonathan Latture walked before Austin Null drove in both runners with a single up the middle to give Cabot 1 a 3-0 lead.
Null added to the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. He singled to lead off the inning, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball, finally reaching home on a RBI single dribbler by leadoff hitter Eric Pigue.
Opportunities were fewer for team Frantal as Helpenstill helped himself to dominance on the mound early with eight strikeouts through the first four innings. He did give up three walks during that time, but the defense behind him answered the call and either forced the runners out or left them stranded.
Cabot 2 finally got on the board in the top of the fifth when Ethan Holland walked to lead off the inning and later scored on a passed ball to make it 4-1.
That was as close as they came, however, as team Gross reeled off three hits and received three walks in the bottom of the fifth inning against a succession of struggling pitchers to build an 8-1 lead.
Null and Trent Frizzle scored two of those runs, and both added another score in the bottom of the sixth off singles. Frizzle drove in Null and came home three batters later when Riley Knudson doubled to center to make it 10-2. Jess Reed had singled to left center just before that, and set the final margin when James reached on an infield error.
Null was 4 for 4 for Cabot 1 with four singles, three runs and two RBI.
The Gross team moved to 4-1 with the pair of wins but fell to Pine Bluff 9-1 on Thursday night. Team Frantal now stands at 0-5.
Many of the players on team Gross are back from a solid run last year in which Cabot qualified for the state tournament. The coach said he believes that with more muscle both on the mound and at the plate, the group can make even more noise this year.
“Our first loss was in our first game against Benton, and we lost that one 3-2,” Gross said. “We had to work out the kinks some; we went into that game with only one day of practice prior to it. They are coming together as a team, and I’m excited about this season.”
Team 2 played at White Hall last night while Team 1 will play at Sylvan Hills today at 2 p.m.
Leader sportswriter
There was no doubt Cabot would be victorious in both games.
Judging from the difference in experience between the two Centennial Bank junior American Legion teams, there was also little doubt which Cabot team it was going to be as Cabot 1 put its superior pitching and batting on display in a pair of routs over Cabot 2, 11-2 and 9-1 at Cabot Community Park in an American Legion Central Zone doubleheader on Wednesday.
Cabot 1, led by coach Chris Gross, took modest leads early in both games, and held their in-club foes scoreless for the most part before putting each game out of contention in the latter frames.
Cabot 2, led by coach Greg Frantal, had much of the shakes and inconsistency to be expected from a team still heavy on player development. Starting pitcher Jessie George struggled at times in the first game with inconsistent placement, but also showed flashes of strength by fanning some of the other Cabot’s best sluggers.
Pitching for Cabot 1 Gross went much smoother as Glover Helpenstill took the victory in the first game while Landon James earned a complete-game win in the nightcap.
“They played pretty well,” Gross said. “We have a lot older guys than the other team – they’ve got some pretty young guys. We did pretty good with our pitching and the guys who started.”
James got things going for team Gross when he walked to lead off the bottom of the second inning and quickly stole his way to third before reaching home plate on a passed ball for the first score. Daulton Hurst then singled to right and Jonathan Latture walked before Austin Null drove in both runners with a single up the middle to give Cabot 1 a 3-0 lead.
Null added to the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. He singled to lead off the inning, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball, finally reaching home on a RBI single dribbler by leadoff hitter Eric Pigue.
Opportunities were fewer for team Frantal as Helpenstill helped himself to dominance on the mound early with eight strikeouts through the first four innings. He did give up three walks during that time, but the defense behind him answered the call and either forced the runners out or left them stranded.
Cabot 2 finally got on the board in the top of the fifth when Ethan Holland walked to lead off the inning and later scored on a passed ball to make it 4-1.
That was as close as they came, however, as team Gross reeled off three hits and received three walks in the bottom of the fifth inning against a succession of struggling pitchers to build an 8-1 lead.
Null and Trent Frizzle scored two of those runs, and both added another score in the bottom of the sixth off singles. Frizzle drove in Null and came home three batters later when Riley Knudson doubled to center to make it 10-2. Jess Reed had singled to left center just before that, and set the final margin when James reached on an infield error.
Null was 4 for 4 for Cabot 1 with four singles, three runs and two RBI.
The Gross team moved to 4-1 with the pair of wins but fell to Pine Bluff 9-1 on Thursday night. Team Frantal now stands at 0-5.
Many of the players on team Gross are back from a solid run last year in which Cabot qualified for the state tournament. The coach said he believes that with more muscle both on the mound and at the plate, the group can make even more noise this year.
“Our first loss was in our first game against Benton, and we lost that one 3-2,” Gross said. “We had to work out the kinks some; we went into that game with only one day of practice prior to it. They are coming together as a team, and I’m excited about this season.”
Team 2 played at White Hall last night while Team 1 will play at Sylvan Hills today at 2 p.m.
SPORTS STORY >> Two hitter gets win in Gwatney’s first game
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
There was very little offensive action in Gwatney’s Senior American Legion opener at Dupree Park Wednesday night against Little Rock Blue. There was so little, it eventually became an exciting pitcher’s duel between Jacksonville’s Xavier Brown and Blue’s Brandon Schmidt. Neither pitcher gave up a run, but a pitching change eventually doomed the visiting team as Gwatney got away with a 1-0 victory.
Brown was masterful for seven innings. He gave up just two hits and struck out 13 LR Blue batters. He hit one batter and walked no one.
“That was great right there,” Jacksonville coach Bob Hickingbotham said. “We’re going to need him to be one of our aces because Jesse (Harbin) can’t do it all. He’s a good ball player and has good stuff. He loves to play ball and loves to have fun, but sometimes too much. He’s always smiling and laughing and joking around with teammates. If we could get him to focus a little more, there’s no telling how good he could be.”
Harbin has been the ace on the Jacksonville High School and American Legion pitching staffs the last two years. Brown was a good pitcher for both teams as a senior last year, but never turned in a performance like he did on Wednesday while still in high school.
In his first start for Gwatney after a year playing for Arkansas Baptist College, even he was a little surprised at how dominant he was in his American Legion opener.
“I don’t really know where it came from,” Brown said. “I was just pitching.”
The game-winning run came in the bottom of the sixth inning after Blue took Schmidt off the mound. The reliever had trouble finding the strike zone early in the inning. He hit Brown to start the inning and walked James McCranie. Jared Wilson then singled to right field, but his hit was too hard to score Brown from second base. Courtland McDonald struck out for the first out.
Derek St. Clair then hit a bloop single to right field, but Brown tagged at first and was thrown out on the force play at the plate. Catcher Troy Allen then worked the count full with several foul balls before walking to drive home the winning run.
Jacksonville got just three hits off Schmidt and five total. McCranie got two of them and was the only player in the game with multiple base hits. He reached base safely every time at bat, drawing walks in his other two plate appearances.
Gwatney senior team’s next game will be a zone matchup at Conway on Monday. It’s a junior/senior doubleheader with the junior game scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Leader sports editor
There was very little offensive action in Gwatney’s Senior American Legion opener at Dupree Park Wednesday night against Little Rock Blue. There was so little, it eventually became an exciting pitcher’s duel between Jacksonville’s Xavier Brown and Blue’s Brandon Schmidt. Neither pitcher gave up a run, but a pitching change eventually doomed the visiting team as Gwatney got away with a 1-0 victory.
Brown was masterful for seven innings. He gave up just two hits and struck out 13 LR Blue batters. He hit one batter and walked no one.
“That was great right there,” Jacksonville coach Bob Hickingbotham said. “We’re going to need him to be one of our aces because Jesse (Harbin) can’t do it all. He’s a good ball player and has good stuff. He loves to play ball and loves to have fun, but sometimes too much. He’s always smiling and laughing and joking around with teammates. If we could get him to focus a little more, there’s no telling how good he could be.”
Harbin has been the ace on the Jacksonville High School and American Legion pitching staffs the last two years. Brown was a good pitcher for both teams as a senior last year, but never turned in a performance like he did on Wednesday while still in high school.
In his first start for Gwatney after a year playing for Arkansas Baptist College, even he was a little surprised at how dominant he was in his American Legion opener.
“I don’t really know where it came from,” Brown said. “I was just pitching.”
The game-winning run came in the bottom of the sixth inning after Blue took Schmidt off the mound. The reliever had trouble finding the strike zone early in the inning. He hit Brown to start the inning and walked James McCranie. Jared Wilson then singled to right field, but his hit was too hard to score Brown from second base. Courtland McDonald struck out for the first out.
Derek St. Clair then hit a bloop single to right field, but Brown tagged at first and was thrown out on the force play at the plate. Catcher Troy Allen then worked the count full with several foul balls before walking to drive home the winning run.
Jacksonville got just three hits off Schmidt and five total. McCranie got two of them and was the only player in the game with multiple base hits. He reached base safely every time at bat, drawing walks in his other two plate appearances.
Gwatney senior team’s next game will be a zone matchup at Conway on Monday. It’s a junior/senior doubleheader with the junior game scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.
SPORTS STORY >> Gwatney junior team beats Beebe and LR Blue
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Jacksonville’s junior Amer-ican Legion team picked up a couple of wins heading into the Gwatney Chevrolet Junior Invitational this weekend at Dupree Park. After going 1-2 at the North Little Rock tournament last week, the junior squad went 2-0 at home this week with wins over Beebe and Little Rock Blue.
The Beebe Post 91 team’s 6-1 loss at Dupree Park on Tuesday was much more competitive than the 16-0 loss it suffered against Gwatney last week in the NLR tournament.
Blake Perry was on the mound for Jacksonville and turned in his second consecutive good performance. Perry gave up just four hits. He struggled briefly with control late in the game, walking two, hitting another and giving up a base hit to allow Beebe’s only run in the sixth inning.
The game was scoreless through two innings before Jacksonville picked up a run in the third. Perry reached on an error at shortstop, Alex Tucker walked and Aaron Tubbs singled to drive in the run.
The big inning was the next one, when Gwatney put four runs across the plate. Justin Abbott reached on an error at shortstop and Perry walked. Alex Tucker singled and James Tucker, hitting for Tubbs, got a base hit. Leadoff hitter Troy Allen was hit by a pitch and Derek St. Clair reached on an RBI bunt single that drove in the third run of the inning. Austin Allen flew out to centerfield, but the hit was deep enough for an RBI to make it 5-0.
The final run came in the fifth inning without a base hit. Dejon Scott, Abbott and Perry each walked to load the bases with no outs. Alex Tucker hit a hard ground ball to third base that turned into a 5-2-3 doubleplay, but Abbott scored on a passed ball to set the final margin.
Jacksonville got only five base hits, but drew six walks, two hit batters and reached on two errors to keep runners on the base paths.
James Tucker took the mound on Wednesday and pitched six innings of shutout ball in a 7-0 win over Little Rock Blue. Austin Allen provided offensive fireworks for Gwatney.
Tucker gave up five hits and walked one while striking out nine. He got into a little trouble in the second inning when Blue got a single and a double with one out that put runners at second and third. But Tucker fanned the next batter and got the third out on a grounder to second base.
Allen gave Jacksonville a lead in the bottom of the first inning with a three-run home run. Derek St. Clair walked and Greg Jones was hit by a pitch to set up Allen’s bomb, but the runs didn’t stop there. McDonald drew a walk and scored on a double by Eric Moore.
Jacksonville added three more in the second and Tucker did the rest on the mound. Troy Allen drew a walk and St. Clair reached on an E6. With one out, Allen hit a triple to drive in both base runners. He then scored on a sacrifice bunt by McDonald to set the final margin.
Gwatney (3-2) takes the field at 11 a.m. today against Benton #2 and at 7:30 p.m. tonight against Sheridan at Dupree Park.
Leader sports editor
Jacksonville’s junior Amer-ican Legion team picked up a couple of wins heading into the Gwatney Chevrolet Junior Invitational this weekend at Dupree Park. After going 1-2 at the North Little Rock tournament last week, the junior squad went 2-0 at home this week with wins over Beebe and Little Rock Blue.
The Beebe Post 91 team’s 6-1 loss at Dupree Park on Tuesday was much more competitive than the 16-0 loss it suffered against Gwatney last week in the NLR tournament.
Blake Perry was on the mound for Jacksonville and turned in his second consecutive good performance. Perry gave up just four hits. He struggled briefly with control late in the game, walking two, hitting another and giving up a base hit to allow Beebe’s only run in the sixth inning.
The game was scoreless through two innings before Jacksonville picked up a run in the third. Perry reached on an error at shortstop, Alex Tucker walked and Aaron Tubbs singled to drive in the run.
The big inning was the next one, when Gwatney put four runs across the plate. Justin Abbott reached on an error at shortstop and Perry walked. Alex Tucker singled and James Tucker, hitting for Tubbs, got a base hit. Leadoff hitter Troy Allen was hit by a pitch and Derek St. Clair reached on an RBI bunt single that drove in the third run of the inning. Austin Allen flew out to centerfield, but the hit was deep enough for an RBI to make it 5-0.
The final run came in the fifth inning without a base hit. Dejon Scott, Abbott and Perry each walked to load the bases with no outs. Alex Tucker hit a hard ground ball to third base that turned into a 5-2-3 doubleplay, but Abbott scored on a passed ball to set the final margin.
Jacksonville got only five base hits, but drew six walks, two hit batters and reached on two errors to keep runners on the base paths.
James Tucker took the mound on Wednesday and pitched six innings of shutout ball in a 7-0 win over Little Rock Blue. Austin Allen provided offensive fireworks for Gwatney.
Tucker gave up five hits and walked one while striking out nine. He got into a little trouble in the second inning when Blue got a single and a double with one out that put runners at second and third. But Tucker fanned the next batter and got the third out on a grounder to second base.
Allen gave Jacksonville a lead in the bottom of the first inning with a three-run home run. Derek St. Clair walked and Greg Jones was hit by a pitch to set up Allen’s bomb, but the runs didn’t stop there. McDonald drew a walk and scored on a double by Eric Moore.
Jacksonville added three more in the second and Tucker did the rest on the mound. Troy Allen drew a walk and St. Clair reached on an E6. With one out, Allen hit a triple to drive in both base runners. He then scored on a sacrifice bunt by McDonald to set the final margin.
Gwatney (3-2) takes the field at 11 a.m. today against Benton #2 and at 7:30 p.m. tonight against Sheridan at Dupree Park.
SPORTS STORY >> Coach Hick–63 years of service
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Bob Hickingbotham might say it was by chance that he ended up in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville community would say it was great fortune.
Hickingbotham spent the last seven years of his 15-year teaching and coaching career at Jacksonville High School. He’s spent every year since as a stalwart volunteer for the community, coaching the Gwatney Chevrolet American Legion baseball teams and running the Jacksonville Youth Baseball Association.
The Gwatney American Legion club won two state championships under Hickingbotham in 1984 and 1988. There were two years as state runners-up and a 12-year span from 1984 to 1995 that saw eight district championships. Three were in succession from 1990 to 1992. In 1988, Gwatney won 22 consecutive games en route to the state title.
Over the years, well over 100 of Hickingbotham’s players went on to play college baseball and five signed professional contracts with major league organizations.
“I love doing it,” Hickingbotham said. “I love baseball and I love coaching kids. I’ve been coaching since before I was out of high school and I’m going to keep doing it as long as I can.”
Hickingbotham’s service at Jacksonville has not gone unnoticed. Field 1 at Dupree Park was renamed Hickingbotham Field, and in 2007, he was part of the inaugural class of the Jacksonville High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Hickingbotham’s journey to Jacksonville and his days of volunteering started long ago. As a sophomore in high school in 1949, Hickingbotham began coaching Buddy League and Little League baseball in McGehee.
“I’d drive around and pick those kids up and put them in the back of a borrowed pick up truck,” Hickingbotham said. “I’d have about 16 of them in the back. I’d make them sit down in the floor and that’s how we got to games.”
He was an early success as a coach too.
“We won the district tournament in Crossett that first year, Hickingbotham said.”
After graduating from McGehee High School and earning a basketball scholarship to Arkansas A&M (now UA-Monticello), he coached American Legion baseball for the first time at Dermott after his sophomore year in college.
No longer living at home and no longer having access to the one family vehicle, Hickingbotham had to hitchhike 30 miles home during breaks. That’s partially how he became associated with Dermott youth baseball.
“The only roads from McGehee straight to Monti-cello were dirt and gravel,” Hickingbotham said. “The paved road went to Dermott and then turned north. So we’d head out on the paved roads and hitchhike through Dermott. It was tough at first but after a while the people realized we were students and would pick us up.”
After his time volunteering at Dermott, Hickingbotham got his first paid coaching job at Arkansas City High School in 1957, before he graduated.
Between volunteering at Dermott and teaching at Arkansas City, he got an opportunity at a professional baseball career.
In 1956-57, Hickingbotham interrupted his college classes to when he signed to play minor league baseball in Seminole, Okla., and Grand Island, Neb. They were D and C level teams in the Kansas City Athletics major league organization.
After two years, he decided to hang up his pro cleats and begin his teaching career, but he continued to play semi-professional baseball for 10 years, winning state player of the year twice.
In his first job, he coached four basketball teams, taught five classes, drove the school bus and acted as junior high principal at Arkansas City, all for $1,800 in 1957.
He completed his degree and took a job at Perryville High School in 1958. He left there after five years and went to England for one year.
That year he coached girls basketball and that team won 30 games and a state championship in the 63-64 season. England’s football coach Kenneth Miller was then hired at Jacksonville. His old coach at McGehee was also there and Hickingbotham was asked to join them. And that began what’s now a 47-year relationship, over 40 of which has been spent as a volunteer, with the community of Jacksonville.
Hickingbotham left off teaching and coaching in the Jacksonville school district in 1971. He earned his masters degree in 1968 and went to work at the Department of Education in 1971 as the director of driver’s education. He held that post for 19 years before retiring and going to work for his brother Frank, founder of the TCBY empire. All the while he spent summers working with the Jacksonville American Legion program and heading up the JYBA. In 2000, he retired altogether.
“Well I say that’s when I became a full-time baseball coach.” Hickingbotham said.
He’s now in his 42nd year coaching the Gwatney Chevrolet American Legion program, 40 as the head coach, and 38th year running the JYBA. And he’s never taken any money for it.
“They came to me and wanted to give me a little money one time,” Hickingbotham said. “I wouldn’t take it because if they started paying me, then they’d want the right to fire me too.”
“Coach Hick” as his players call him, even many who are middle aged now, does think he may give up the JYBA someday, but can’t see himself giving up coaching the legion program.
“I just can’t get my hand out of baseball and I like being around the kids too much,” Hickingbotham said. “I love helping a kid who wants to learn and I don’t have any other hobbies. I don’t fish or hunt. I love baseball and I love being around kids.”
Leader sports editor
Bob Hickingbotham might say it was by chance that he ended up in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville community would say it was great fortune.
Hickingbotham spent the last seven years of his 15-year teaching and coaching career at Jacksonville High School. He’s spent every year since as a stalwart volunteer for the community, coaching the Gwatney Chevrolet American Legion baseball teams and running the Jacksonville Youth Baseball Association.
The Gwatney American Legion club won two state championships under Hickingbotham in 1984 and 1988. There were two years as state runners-up and a 12-year span from 1984 to 1995 that saw eight district championships. Three were in succession from 1990 to 1992. In 1988, Gwatney won 22 consecutive games en route to the state title.
Over the years, well over 100 of Hickingbotham’s players went on to play college baseball and five signed professional contracts with major league organizations.
“I love doing it,” Hickingbotham said. “I love baseball and I love coaching kids. I’ve been coaching since before I was out of high school and I’m going to keep doing it as long as I can.”
Hickingbotham’s service at Jacksonville has not gone unnoticed. Field 1 at Dupree Park was renamed Hickingbotham Field, and in 2007, he was part of the inaugural class of the Jacksonville High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Hickingbotham’s journey to Jacksonville and his days of volunteering started long ago. As a sophomore in high school in 1949, Hickingbotham began coaching Buddy League and Little League baseball in McGehee.
“I’d drive around and pick those kids up and put them in the back of a borrowed pick up truck,” Hickingbotham said. “I’d have about 16 of them in the back. I’d make them sit down in the floor and that’s how we got to games.”
He was an early success as a coach too.
“We won the district tournament in Crossett that first year, Hickingbotham said.”
After graduating from McGehee High School and earning a basketball scholarship to Arkansas A&M (now UA-Monticello), he coached American Legion baseball for the first time at Dermott after his sophomore year in college.
No longer living at home and no longer having access to the one family vehicle, Hickingbotham had to hitchhike 30 miles home during breaks. That’s partially how he became associated with Dermott youth baseball.
“The only roads from McGehee straight to Monti-cello were dirt and gravel,” Hickingbotham said. “The paved road went to Dermott and then turned north. So we’d head out on the paved roads and hitchhike through Dermott. It was tough at first but after a while the people realized we were students and would pick us up.”
After his time volunteering at Dermott, Hickingbotham got his first paid coaching job at Arkansas City High School in 1957, before he graduated.
Between volunteering at Dermott and teaching at Arkansas City, he got an opportunity at a professional baseball career.
In 1956-57, Hickingbotham interrupted his college classes to when he signed to play minor league baseball in Seminole, Okla., and Grand Island, Neb. They were D and C level teams in the Kansas City Athletics major league organization.
After two years, he decided to hang up his pro cleats and begin his teaching career, but he continued to play semi-professional baseball for 10 years, winning state player of the year twice.
In his first job, he coached four basketball teams, taught five classes, drove the school bus and acted as junior high principal at Arkansas City, all for $1,800 in 1957.
He completed his degree and took a job at Perryville High School in 1958. He left there after five years and went to England for one year.
That year he coached girls basketball and that team won 30 games and a state championship in the 63-64 season. England’s football coach Kenneth Miller was then hired at Jacksonville. His old coach at McGehee was also there and Hickingbotham was asked to join them. And that began what’s now a 47-year relationship, over 40 of which has been spent as a volunteer, with the community of Jacksonville.
Hickingbotham left off teaching and coaching in the Jacksonville school district in 1971. He earned his masters degree in 1968 and went to work at the Department of Education in 1971 as the director of driver’s education. He held that post for 19 years before retiring and going to work for his brother Frank, founder of the TCBY empire. All the while he spent summers working with the Jacksonville American Legion program and heading up the JYBA. In 2000, he retired altogether.
“Well I say that’s when I became a full-time baseball coach.” Hickingbotham said.
He’s now in his 42nd year coaching the Gwatney Chevrolet American Legion program, 40 as the head coach, and 38th year running the JYBA. And he’s never taken any money for it.
“They came to me and wanted to give me a little money one time,” Hickingbotham said. “I wouldn’t take it because if they started paying me, then they’d want the right to fire me too.”
“Coach Hick” as his players call him, even many who are middle aged now, does think he may give up the JYBA someday, but can’t see himself giving up coaching the legion program.
“I just can’t get my hand out of baseball and I like being around the kids too much,” Hickingbotham said. “I love helping a kid who wants to learn and I don’t have any other hobbies. I don’t fish or hunt. I love baseball and I love being around kids.”
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