ALLEN SCHMIDT
Allen Keith Schmidt, 47, of Cabot, went to be with the Lord Monday, Dec. 12 at Cooks Lake Lodge at Casscoe.
He was there deer hunting with his friends on a special deer hunt for the disabled. Allen suffered from Lou Gehrig’s Disease, but loved to spend time in the outdoors, hunting and fishing. He was a 1976 graduate of Cabot High School and a Baptist.
He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Debbie; two sons, Keith and Christopher Schmidt of Cabot; his parents, LeRoy and Patsy Schmidt of Austin; one sister, Carol McCabe of Austin; and a special niece, Lauren McCabe.
The family wishes to express their appreciation to Allen’s nurse and friend, Peggy Johnson.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, at Cabot First Baptist Church, with burial in Oak Grove Cemetery.
JAMES MAGNESS
James R. Magness, 77, of Cabot, passed away Monday, December 12. He was born Aug. 20, 1928, in Beebe. He was a member of Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Lonoke.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Emmett and Cleo Magness; a son, Jerry Magness; two brothers and one sister.
Survivors are his wife of 60 years, Betty Jean Magness; two daughters and sons-in-law, Pam and Ken Murphy of Cabot and Shirl and Ken Welch of Little Rock; five grandchildren, Jeremy and April Murphy, Tonya and Jayson Hefley, Heather and Todd Graves, Thomas Murphy and Nicholas Welch; three great-grandchildren; and one sister, Doris Robbins of Cabot.
Visitation begins at 10 a.m. Thursday at Westbrook Funeral Home, Beebe, with family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16 at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, with burial at Hicks Cemetery.
Arrangements are by West-brook Funeral Home.
PAULINE THOMPSON
Pauline Pickard Thompson, 91, of Beebe died Dec. 13. She was born in the Antioch community near Beebe on Oct. 24, 1914, to the late Maynard and Ethel Pickard. Pauline was a member of Beebe First Church of the Nazarene.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Orville Thompson; three brothers, Murray Pickard, Alton G. Pickard and Harry Lee Pickard.
She is survived by two daughters, Willie Mae Nemec of Fayette-ville, and Mary Margaret Phillips, of Beebe; two sons, Bobby Ray Thompson of Upland, Calif., and Hays Thompson of Cabot; nine grandchildren; one step-grandson; 14 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and one sister, Martha Gasaway of Jonesboro.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, at West-brook Funeral Home, Beebe. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday, at Westbrook Funeral Home, with burial at Antioch Cemetery.
Memorials can be made to the Beebe First Church of the Naza-rene Building Fund, 104 Camp-ground Road, Beebe, Ark., 72012.
Arrangements are by West-brook Funeral Home.
PAUL DEAN
Paul William Dean, 76, of Searcy, died Dec. 13, at White County Medical Center in Searcy under Hospice Care.
He was born July 27, 1929 in Hamilton County, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Velma Wright Dean.
He was retired from the Air Force.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Mildred; a son, Kenneth of Kingsman, Ariz.; eight brothers and sisters, Ralph, Rosa, John, Leonard, Betty, James, Mary and Linda.
Thanks go to the wonderful doctors and nurses for their excellent care, with special thanks to the staff of Arkansas Hospice of White County.
Paul will be laid to rest in Liberty, Ky., at a later date.
Cremation arrangements un-der the direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
EDITORIAL >> Vote no Tuesday on more debt
Forget about all the legal questions surrounding the two bond proposals that will appear on the ballot Tuesday and consider only the sheer wisdom of the propositions, or the lack of it.
Sure, there are mind-boggling legal questions about both the interstate highway bond issue and the higher education bonds. The highway bond law that authorized this election seeks in the distant future to bypass the constitutional prohibition against state borrowing without first having a popular vote, and the higher education proposal seems to do the same, although the authors and sponsors of it have been equivocal on whether that was a purpose.
There are other legal riddles, but voters need not concern themselves with those, even though opponents urge you to. Defeat or passage of the propositions Tuesday will not affect those questions. They are part of the statutes passed by the legislature this year and those questions will remain after the election because Gov. Huckabee and his successor can call special elections on these questions until doomsday under the law. If the propositions pass, there will be lawsuits, perhaps friendly ones, to settle the questions before bonds can actually be sold. So they are almost immaterial to any voter’s consideration.
No, evaluate them on two premises: Do you agree with the purposes of the money that they will cause to be spent and their priority — repair of interstate mileage starting five to seven years from now and construction of new buildings on college campuses and tying all the Arkansas campuses to an interstate research network?
Second, is more or less permanent state indebtedness the best way to pay for the improvements?
You have to ignore the pitches of Gov. Huckabee and the other proponents of both issues. Like most campaign pitches, they are simple, appealing and wrong.
Paying for highway improvements as you go just does not work, said Gov. Huckabee, who 10 years ago said it did work and that bonded debt was wrong. (That was when Gov. Jim Guy Tucker was proposing highway bonds.) If you remember what the interstate highways were like six or seven years ago, the governor says, you know that paying as you go does not work. If you like all the improvements the past six years he says, you will vote to authorize the Highway Commission to do it again, and again, whenever it wants.
That assumes that nothing happened except the issuance of $575 million of highway bonds in 2000 and 2001. But that is wrong. When the legislature authorized the bond election in 1999, it also raised taxes, three cents a gallon on gasoline and four cents a gallon on diesel. Those taxes gave a big boost to highway building and would have done that even without bonds.
The gasoline taxes went largely to non-interstate construction but they freed money for the interstates, too. All the diesel taxes were dedicated to the interstates. They were obligated to pay off the bonds, but they could just as easily have been dedicated to an ongoing maintenance program. And the Federal Highway Administration pumped hundreds of millions more into interstate maintenance because the interstates were in bad shape everywhere, not just in Arkansas.
Without the highway bonds, there would have been a huge interstate highway program the past six years. In fact, there already was. It already had been under way a couple of years before the bonds were issued in 2000 and it seemed that those pesky orange barrels were everywhere.
Here is what the highway bond proposal is all about: With or without bonds, the diesel tax and the federal interstate aid will be used every year to repair interstates. If the bond proposal passes, from now on about one third of the road-use taxes dedicated to interstates both from Washing-ton and Little Rock will go to investors for their interest on the bonds. Without the bonds, that money would be spent on the highways.
You decide which is the wiser course.
In the case of the college bonds, the proposal contemplates two or more bond issues — one to raise the money to pay investors in one lump sum the $100 million that they would earn from now until 2017 on the current college bonds and then another issue of $150 million or more to get the cash for new buildings and equipment on the campuses — a nice little pot for every one of them.
Gov. Huckabee and his higher education chief say that enrollments have risen rapidly the past decade or so and that building on the campuses have not kept pace.
The implication is that there aren’t enough classrooms for the youngsters anymore. But a check with state treasury report shows that the state has spent nearly $1 billion on buildings and capital equipment in the 10 years ending in 2004. Private fortunes spent another $250 million or so on university buildings. It has been the biggest building boom in the state’s history. Visit your favorite school and see the transformation.
If the college bond issues are approved, the governor says he will call a special session the week before Christmas to appropriate the $150 million for the campuses. But he could save the state millions of dollars if instead he simply asked the legislature to appropriate $150 million of surplus state funds for the buildings, if they are urgent. They could be built instantly and the taxpayers could be spared tens of millions of dollars of interest and 20 years of debt.
Again, your choice.
Sure, there are mind-boggling legal questions about both the interstate highway bond issue and the higher education bonds. The highway bond law that authorized this election seeks in the distant future to bypass the constitutional prohibition against state borrowing without first having a popular vote, and the higher education proposal seems to do the same, although the authors and sponsors of it have been equivocal on whether that was a purpose.
There are other legal riddles, but voters need not concern themselves with those, even though opponents urge you to. Defeat or passage of the propositions Tuesday will not affect those questions. They are part of the statutes passed by the legislature this year and those questions will remain after the election because Gov. Huckabee and his successor can call special elections on these questions until doomsday under the law. If the propositions pass, there will be lawsuits, perhaps friendly ones, to settle the questions before bonds can actually be sold. So they are almost immaterial to any voter’s consideration.
No, evaluate them on two premises: Do you agree with the purposes of the money that they will cause to be spent and their priority — repair of interstate mileage starting five to seven years from now and construction of new buildings on college campuses and tying all the Arkansas campuses to an interstate research network?
Second, is more or less permanent state indebtedness the best way to pay for the improvements?
You have to ignore the pitches of Gov. Huckabee and the other proponents of both issues. Like most campaign pitches, they are simple, appealing and wrong.
Paying for highway improvements as you go just does not work, said Gov. Huckabee, who 10 years ago said it did work and that bonded debt was wrong. (That was when Gov. Jim Guy Tucker was proposing highway bonds.) If you remember what the interstate highways were like six or seven years ago, the governor says, you know that paying as you go does not work. If you like all the improvements the past six years he says, you will vote to authorize the Highway Commission to do it again, and again, whenever it wants.
That assumes that nothing happened except the issuance of $575 million of highway bonds in 2000 and 2001. But that is wrong. When the legislature authorized the bond election in 1999, it also raised taxes, three cents a gallon on gasoline and four cents a gallon on diesel. Those taxes gave a big boost to highway building and would have done that even without bonds.
The gasoline taxes went largely to non-interstate construction but they freed money for the interstates, too. All the diesel taxes were dedicated to the interstates. They were obligated to pay off the bonds, but they could just as easily have been dedicated to an ongoing maintenance program. And the Federal Highway Administration pumped hundreds of millions more into interstate maintenance because the interstates were in bad shape everywhere, not just in Arkansas.
Without the highway bonds, there would have been a huge interstate highway program the past six years. In fact, there already was. It already had been under way a couple of years before the bonds were issued in 2000 and it seemed that those pesky orange barrels were everywhere.
Here is what the highway bond proposal is all about: With or without bonds, the diesel tax and the federal interstate aid will be used every year to repair interstates. If the bond proposal passes, from now on about one third of the road-use taxes dedicated to interstates both from Washing-ton and Little Rock will go to investors for their interest on the bonds. Without the bonds, that money would be spent on the highways.
You decide which is the wiser course.
In the case of the college bonds, the proposal contemplates two or more bond issues — one to raise the money to pay investors in one lump sum the $100 million that they would earn from now until 2017 on the current college bonds and then another issue of $150 million or more to get the cash for new buildings and equipment on the campuses — a nice little pot for every one of them.
Gov. Huckabee and his higher education chief say that enrollments have risen rapidly the past decade or so and that building on the campuses have not kept pace.
The implication is that there aren’t enough classrooms for the youngsters anymore. But a check with state treasury report shows that the state has spent nearly $1 billion on buildings and capital equipment in the 10 years ending in 2004. Private fortunes spent another $250 million or so on university buildings. It has been the biggest building boom in the state’s history. Visit your favorite school and see the transformation.
If the college bond issues are approved, the governor says he will call a special session the week before Christmas to appropriate the $150 million for the campuses. But he could save the state millions of dollars if instead he simply asked the legislature to appropriate $150 million of surplus state funds for the buildings, if they are urgent. They could be built instantly and the taxpayers could be spared tens of millions of dollars of interest and 20 years of debt.
Again, your choice.
EDITORIAL >> Time to raise minimum pay
Talk about the Spirit of Christmas and family values. A coalition of church, union and community leaders calling itself Give Arkansans a Raise Now announced Monday that it would try to offer voters a chance to amend the state Consti-tution to guarantee the poorest Arkansas workers a halfway-livable income.
It is long overdue, and the perfect time to begin such a labor is Christmas, the one period of our sinful years in which we strive to live by the injunctions of the Prince of Peace. Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers ...
The amendment would raise the minimum wage in Arkansas from $5.15 to $6.15 an hour and thereafter raise it automatically in consonance with the Consumer Price Index. The group will have to get the signatures of more than 80,000 Arkansas voters to get the proposition on the 2006 general-election ballot. That is a physically daunting task, but it should be no political problem. A poll shows that roughly 87 percent of Arkansans support the idea. That will change, no doubt, when the opposition ads pose the ruin of the state’s economy if voters ratify it but Arkansas voters have nearly always embraced proposals that undergird the economic security of workers and their families, starting with child labor laws and workers compensation. It will be no different this time.
Even at $6.15 an hour, the neediest workers will be far off the pace of previous generations. American hourly wages adjusted for inflation have been falling for 30 years, most dramatically since 2000. The minimum wage has been flat at $5.15 an hour since 1997. Congress and the Bush administration seem adamant that it never be raised again at the federal level. Raising the lowest wages could affect profit margins, executive bonuses and shareholder values. The Arkan-sas Legislature early this year emasculated a bill that would have raised the floor for Arkan-sas workers. Arkansas voters, we suspect, will not be so flinthearted.
The president of the Ark-ansas State Chamber of Commerce implied that the organization would not oppose the proposal if it gets on the ballot, but we have a hunch that will change. He said it would not affect many Arkansans because the vast majority of businesses pay more than $6.15 to all their employees.
True, it is not a large share of the workforce, but raising the incomes of the 127,000 workers who are at the floor now is not an insignificant step for the state and certainly not for them. They are the workers who almost certainly have no employer health insurance and no pension plan, and those most vulnerable to retail price hikes, big leaps in fuel costs and economic dislocation. They have some of the most dangerous and degrading day-to-day jobs. They are less likely to get paid vacations, paid holidays and sick and family leave.
“We live in a great nation,” said Rev. Stephen Copley, senior pastor of North Little Rock First United Methodist Church and chair of Give Arkansans a Raise Now. “Folks should not work hard, play by the rules and live in poverty.”
They would still live in poverty if the proposal is ratified, but not quite so deeply as now.
Next year, the campaign against the amendment will say that the beneficiaries would merely be youngsters in part-time jobs, mainly fast-food restaurants, who are on their way up the economic ladder anyway. That has been the battle cry in every minimum-wage effort in Congress for 50 years but it does not fly.
It is a myth. Economics professors Sheldon Danziger of the University of Michigan and Peter Gottschalk of Boston College found that most low-wage workers no longer move up to the middle class. About half of people whose family income ranked them in the bottom fifth of the country in 1968 were still there in 1991. Of those who did move up, 75 percent were still well below the median income. The U.S. economy no longer provides much mobility for low-income workers.
They are not only restaurant workers but childcare-givers, security guards, nursing-home and hospital orderlies, teachers’ assistants, retail clerks, poultry line workers and call-center employees.
We will hear the familiar argument that raising the minimum wage is bad for the poor because employers will just make up the difference by reducing the number of jobs. But minimum-wage increases have nearly always led to greater job creation, not less. Wasn’t that a message of the Sermon on the Mount? There are rewards for doing for the least of those among us.
Sign a petition if you find one.
It is long overdue, and the perfect time to begin such a labor is Christmas, the one period of our sinful years in which we strive to live by the injunctions of the Prince of Peace. Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers ...
The amendment would raise the minimum wage in Arkansas from $5.15 to $6.15 an hour and thereafter raise it automatically in consonance with the Consumer Price Index. The group will have to get the signatures of more than 80,000 Arkansas voters to get the proposition on the 2006 general-election ballot. That is a physically daunting task, but it should be no political problem. A poll shows that roughly 87 percent of Arkansans support the idea. That will change, no doubt, when the opposition ads pose the ruin of the state’s economy if voters ratify it but Arkansas voters have nearly always embraced proposals that undergird the economic security of workers and their families, starting with child labor laws and workers compensation. It will be no different this time.
Even at $6.15 an hour, the neediest workers will be far off the pace of previous generations. American hourly wages adjusted for inflation have been falling for 30 years, most dramatically since 2000. The minimum wage has been flat at $5.15 an hour since 1997. Congress and the Bush administration seem adamant that it never be raised again at the federal level. Raising the lowest wages could affect profit margins, executive bonuses and shareholder values. The Arkan-sas Legislature early this year emasculated a bill that would have raised the floor for Arkan-sas workers. Arkansas voters, we suspect, will not be so flinthearted.
The president of the Ark-ansas State Chamber of Commerce implied that the organization would not oppose the proposal if it gets on the ballot, but we have a hunch that will change. He said it would not affect many Arkansans because the vast majority of businesses pay more than $6.15 to all their employees.
True, it is not a large share of the workforce, but raising the incomes of the 127,000 workers who are at the floor now is not an insignificant step for the state and certainly not for them. They are the workers who almost certainly have no employer health insurance and no pension plan, and those most vulnerable to retail price hikes, big leaps in fuel costs and economic dislocation. They have some of the most dangerous and degrading day-to-day jobs. They are less likely to get paid vacations, paid holidays and sick and family leave.
“We live in a great nation,” said Rev. Stephen Copley, senior pastor of North Little Rock First United Methodist Church and chair of Give Arkansans a Raise Now. “Folks should not work hard, play by the rules and live in poverty.”
They would still live in poverty if the proposal is ratified, but not quite so deeply as now.
Next year, the campaign against the amendment will say that the beneficiaries would merely be youngsters in part-time jobs, mainly fast-food restaurants, who are on their way up the economic ladder anyway. That has been the battle cry in every minimum-wage effort in Congress for 50 years but it does not fly.
It is a myth. Economics professors Sheldon Danziger of the University of Michigan and Peter Gottschalk of Boston College found that most low-wage workers no longer move up to the middle class. About half of people whose family income ranked them in the bottom fifth of the country in 1968 were still there in 1991. Of those who did move up, 75 percent were still well below the median income. The U.S. economy no longer provides much mobility for low-income workers.
They are not only restaurant workers but childcare-givers, security guards, nursing-home and hospital orderlies, teachers’ assistants, retail clerks, poultry line workers and call-center employees.
We will hear the familiar argument that raising the minimum wage is bad for the poor because employers will just make up the difference by reducing the number of jobs. But minimum-wage increases have nearly always led to greater job creation, not less. Wasn’t that a message of the Sermon on the Mount? There are rewards for doing for the least of those among us.
Sign a petition if you find one.
EDITORIAL >> Governor is biggest loser
Arkansans went to the polls Tuesday to vote on several local issues. Sherwood residents decided to extend the terms of city council members from two years to four years, and voters in Lonoke passed a 2-cent hamburger tax.
But yesterday’s big story was Gov. Huckabee’s ambitious proposal to give the state Highway Commission a permanent, $570 million slush fund for interstate im-provements. The voters said they wouldn’t trust the Huck-ster or the commission with that kind of revolving credit. They said let’s just keep paying for highway improvements as we go and save all that interest on the bonds.
The highway proposal has gone down in flames, like Huckabee’s presidential ambitions. If he can’t pass a bond issue in Arkansas, how will he fight global terrorism? Definitely not ready for prime time.
The governor and his highway pals had hoped to sneak the issue past most voters during the holiday season — no one was supposed to be paying attention, you see — but the people were not fooled.
Huckabee also lost the support of conservative Republicans, along with the state’s truckers, who did not want the state to take on more debt.
Another bond issue on the ballot to help state colleges would have passed easily if the highway bonds hadn’t been on the ballot. With friends like Mike, who needs enemies?
The people have acted wisely, as they usually do.
But yesterday’s big story was Gov. Huckabee’s ambitious proposal to give the state Highway Commission a permanent, $570 million slush fund for interstate im-provements. The voters said they wouldn’t trust the Huck-ster or the commission with that kind of revolving credit. They said let’s just keep paying for highway improvements as we go and save all that interest on the bonds.
The highway proposal has gone down in flames, like Huckabee’s presidential ambitions. If he can’t pass a bond issue in Arkansas, how will he fight global terrorism? Definitely not ready for prime time.
The governor and his highway pals had hoped to sneak the issue past most voters during the holiday season — no one was supposed to be paying attention, you see — but the people were not fooled.
Huckabee also lost the support of conservative Republicans, along with the state’s truckers, who did not want the state to take on more debt.
Another bond issue on the ballot to help state colleges would have passed easily if the highway bonds hadn’t been on the ballot. With friends like Mike, who needs enemies?
The people have acted wisely, as they usually do.
SPORTS >> Red Devils fall short in Cyclone title game
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Jacksonville Red Devils won the second-place trophy Saturday at the Russellville tournament, but if it were up to head coach Vic Joyner, they wouldn’t have accepted it.
Joyner was unhappy with the officiating in the championship game against the host team, and left the second-place trophy sitting at midcourt during post-tournament ceremonies, shortly after his team lost 61-60 to the Cyclones.
Assistant coach Jerry Wilson went back minutes later and picked the trophy up.
“I wouldn’t accept that trophy for anybody’s money,” Joyner said Monday. “There wasn’t anyway we were going to win. There was one official that I don’t think called any other game in the whole tournament, and he called us for everything in that fourth quarter.
They had us in a catch 22 and they knew it. We couldn’t go zone because they can shoot well, but we couldn’t play man because they’d just go to the line for every little thing. Their coach kept yelling drive, drive. And I don’t blame the coach. I commend him. He knew he was getting that call every time, so he was calling for that call every time, so he was calling for it. But there was nothing we could do with that one official.”
The line score seems to indicate a sudden burst of fouls by Jacksonville and a definite burst of scoring for the Cyclones.
Russellville’s score-by quarter was 10-10-11-30. The Cyclones shot 31 free throws in the game, 17 in the fourth quarter. They hit 25 of those, including 13 in the fourth.
Jacksonville shot 15 free throws, and made four of six in the final period. The two misses in the fourth were the only two the whole game.
Jacksonville led by 31-20 at halftime and 44-31 at the end of three.
Joyner admitted his players lost their composure amidst the controversial fourth-quarter.
“Did they lose their heads? Yes,” Joyner said. “Should they have lost their heads? Maybe not, but I’m telling you I can’t blame ‘em too much. We did have some plays in the fourth quarter where we went down there and threw the ball away. We still could have won that game, maybe. I don’t know. Maybe the only reason they didn’t call something is because they didn’t have to.”
Joyner says he’ll never return to a Russellville tournament again, but admits he probably won’t be invited.
Russellville guard Marcus Pillow led all scorers with 27 points. He was 13 for 15 from the line. Lavar Neely led Jacksonville with 17, while K.C. Credit added 11 for the Devils, who are now 6-2 on the season.
Jacksonville is off until Friday when it hosts the rematch with North Pulaski.
Leader sports editor
The Jacksonville Red Devils won the second-place trophy Saturday at the Russellville tournament, but if it were up to head coach Vic Joyner, they wouldn’t have accepted it.
Joyner was unhappy with the officiating in the championship game against the host team, and left the second-place trophy sitting at midcourt during post-tournament ceremonies, shortly after his team lost 61-60 to the Cyclones.
Assistant coach Jerry Wilson went back minutes later and picked the trophy up.
“I wouldn’t accept that trophy for anybody’s money,” Joyner said Monday. “There wasn’t anyway we were going to win. There was one official that I don’t think called any other game in the whole tournament, and he called us for everything in that fourth quarter.
They had us in a catch 22 and they knew it. We couldn’t go zone because they can shoot well, but we couldn’t play man because they’d just go to the line for every little thing. Their coach kept yelling drive, drive. And I don’t blame the coach. I commend him. He knew he was getting that call every time, so he was calling for that call every time, so he was calling for it. But there was nothing we could do with that one official.”
The line score seems to indicate a sudden burst of fouls by Jacksonville and a definite burst of scoring for the Cyclones.
Russellville’s score-by quarter was 10-10-11-30. The Cyclones shot 31 free throws in the game, 17 in the fourth quarter. They hit 25 of those, including 13 in the fourth.
Jacksonville shot 15 free throws, and made four of six in the final period. The two misses in the fourth were the only two the whole game.
Jacksonville led by 31-20 at halftime and 44-31 at the end of three.
Joyner admitted his players lost their composure amidst the controversial fourth-quarter.
“Did they lose their heads? Yes,” Joyner said. “Should they have lost their heads? Maybe not, but I’m telling you I can’t blame ‘em too much. We did have some plays in the fourth quarter where we went down there and threw the ball away. We still could have won that game, maybe. I don’t know. Maybe the only reason they didn’t call something is because they didn’t have to.”
Joyner says he’ll never return to a Russellville tournament again, but admits he probably won’t be invited.
Russellville guard Marcus Pillow led all scorers with 27 points. He was 13 for 15 from the line. Lavar Neely led Jacksonville with 17, while K.C. Credit added 11 for the Devils, who are now 6-2 on the season.
Jacksonville is off until Friday when it hosts the rematch with North Pulaski.
SPORTS >> Cabot handles Wampus Cats
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Cabot Panthers controlled every aspect of its their game Friday night against Conway but one, and one wasn’t enough for the Wampus Cats as Cabot cruised to a 52-37 victory and kept its record un-blemished after eight games.
Conway guard Quincy Maxfield was the only going for the Wampus Cats, while the Panthers controlled the tempo, the boards and most any other action in the game.
Cabot didn’t shoot from the outside very well, but didn’t have to with a dominant inside game and a tenacious defensive effort.
Cabot coach Jerry Bridges was very pleased his team.
“We played very good defensively,” Bridges said. “They really got after ’em and gave ’em very few open looks. No. 20 (Maxfield), you just have to take your hat off to him.
“We were in his face for most of those shots. He was just hitting ‘em anyway. Overall though I thought it was a really good effort. The kids played really hard.”
The first quarter was tightly contested, but guard Justin Haas hit a three pointer at the buzzer to end the first that gave the Panthers a 12-8 lead and momentum.
They carried that momentum throughout the game. Cabot extended its lead to 27-16 by halftime, and all but had the game wrapped up with a 41-21 lead by the end of the third quarter.
Cabot center Chad Glover led his team in scoring, despite spending much of the game on the bench in foul trouble.
Michael Lowry scored all six of his points in the third quarter to spark the run that gave the Panthers their 20-plus-point lead.
In the midst of Lowry’s scoring burst, Haas hit his second three and Glover added an and-one that effectively sealed the game, although the Panthers didn’t play like it in the fourth.
Cabot’s defense stayed intense throughout the fourth quarter, even when both teams went to the benches with about two minutes left in the game.
Maxfield was Conway’s only bright spot. The 5-foot-9 guard hit three of four three-point attempts, and was even more deadly with his mid-range jumpers. He finished with 20 points to lead all scorers.
Glover led the Panthers with 14 points. Point guard Matt Shinn added nine while Shawn Tramel came off the bench to score seven for the Panthers. Three players scored six for Cabot.
The Panthers also dominated the boards and were outstanding at the free-throw line.
Cabot grabbed 21 rebounds to Conway’s 14, with Lowry leading the way with seven.
The Panthers made 16 of 19 free throws, 84 percent.
The Panthers are off until Friday when they will host Lonoke in a quadruple header.
Junior Varsity boys and girls will precede varsity boys and girls for a full night of action at the Cabot gymnasium Friday night. Activities begin at 5 p.m.
Leader sports editor
The Cabot Panthers controlled every aspect of its their game Friday night against Conway but one, and one wasn’t enough for the Wampus Cats as Cabot cruised to a 52-37 victory and kept its record un-blemished after eight games.
Conway guard Quincy Maxfield was the only going for the Wampus Cats, while the Panthers controlled the tempo, the boards and most any other action in the game.
Cabot didn’t shoot from the outside very well, but didn’t have to with a dominant inside game and a tenacious defensive effort.
Cabot coach Jerry Bridges was very pleased his team.
“We played very good defensively,” Bridges said. “They really got after ’em and gave ’em very few open looks. No. 20 (Maxfield), you just have to take your hat off to him.
“We were in his face for most of those shots. He was just hitting ‘em anyway. Overall though I thought it was a really good effort. The kids played really hard.”
The first quarter was tightly contested, but guard Justin Haas hit a three pointer at the buzzer to end the first that gave the Panthers a 12-8 lead and momentum.
They carried that momentum throughout the game. Cabot extended its lead to 27-16 by halftime, and all but had the game wrapped up with a 41-21 lead by the end of the third quarter.
Cabot center Chad Glover led his team in scoring, despite spending much of the game on the bench in foul trouble.
Michael Lowry scored all six of his points in the third quarter to spark the run that gave the Panthers their 20-plus-point lead.
In the midst of Lowry’s scoring burst, Haas hit his second three and Glover added an and-one that effectively sealed the game, although the Panthers didn’t play like it in the fourth.
Cabot’s defense stayed intense throughout the fourth quarter, even when both teams went to the benches with about two minutes left in the game.
Maxfield was Conway’s only bright spot. The 5-foot-9 guard hit three of four three-point attempts, and was even more deadly with his mid-range jumpers. He finished with 20 points to lead all scorers.
Glover led the Panthers with 14 points. Point guard Matt Shinn added nine while Shawn Tramel came off the bench to score seven for the Panthers. Three players scored six for Cabot.
The Panthers also dominated the boards and were outstanding at the free-throw line.
Cabot grabbed 21 rebounds to Conway’s 14, with Lowry leading the way with seven.
The Panthers made 16 of 19 free throws, 84 percent.
The Panthers are off until Friday when they will host Lonoke in a quadruple header.
Junior Varsity boys and girls will precede varsity boys and girls for a full night of action at the Cabot gymnasium Friday night. Activities begin at 5 p.m.
NEIGHBORS >> Video with class
By SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
Cabot High School students learn the art of broadcasting
Cabot High School recently premiered the television program CHTV (Cabot High School Television) created by the school’s radio and television-broadcasting students.
The 15-minute-long program airs on Cebridge Cable Channel 15 at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday nights. It features segments such as athlete of the week and senior spotlight as well as news about the school and community.
“I enjoy being on camera and interviewing people,” said Shannon O’Nale, 16. “It’s fun and you get to experience new things.”
The radio and television broadcasting program at Cabot High School was created in August when the school got a 12 foot-by-12 foot video screen with the scoreboard at the new fieldhouse at Panther Stadium.
“The biggest challenge was such a short time span to get everything together for the class,” says Chuck Massey, the radio and television-broadcasting instructor. Massey also teaches choir.
Since the school did not know exactly when the video scoreboard would be installed, the radio and television broadcasting class was not offered to students last spring.
“In August, when we decided to offer the class, we contacted students in the mass communication courses to see if they wanted to take it,” Massey said.
Currently the class, which is part of the workforce education curriculum at Cabot High School, has 25 students enrolled in it.
Massey said he anticipates the class growing to 100 students next year when the classroom and studio is moved into the new high school building.
“This is what I want my career to be,” said Sarah Shelton, 16.
When school started, the first step for students was learning television-broadcasting terminology before getting hands-on experience with the cameras and editing equipment by filming high school football games.
As some students operated the cameras filming all the action on the field, other students in the field house’s studio broadcasted the instant replays, advertisements and announcements that appeared on the video screen. Additionally, the class formatted footage of two of the games that were broadcast on Cebridge Cable.
Now that football season is over, students have been putting together footage for the CHTV program.
Upcoming projects for the class include doing a MTV Crib’s style program showing off the new field- house.
Later this spring, Massey says the television broadcast class will work with the drama and theater department on a student film festival.
“I enjoy the editing process,” said Josh Lee, 18.
“It’s a challenge making group decisions sometimes, we all have different ideas but we’re all on the same team.”
Leader staff writer
Cabot High School students learn the art of broadcasting
Cabot High School recently premiered the television program CHTV (Cabot High School Television) created by the school’s radio and television-broadcasting students.
The 15-minute-long program airs on Cebridge Cable Channel 15 at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday nights. It features segments such as athlete of the week and senior spotlight as well as news about the school and community.
“I enjoy being on camera and interviewing people,” said Shannon O’Nale, 16. “It’s fun and you get to experience new things.”
The radio and television broadcasting program at Cabot High School was created in August when the school got a 12 foot-by-12 foot video screen with the scoreboard at the new fieldhouse at Panther Stadium.
“The biggest challenge was such a short time span to get everything together for the class,” says Chuck Massey, the radio and television-broadcasting instructor. Massey also teaches choir.
Since the school did not know exactly when the video scoreboard would be installed, the radio and television broadcasting class was not offered to students last spring.
“In August, when we decided to offer the class, we contacted students in the mass communication courses to see if they wanted to take it,” Massey said.
Currently the class, which is part of the workforce education curriculum at Cabot High School, has 25 students enrolled in it.
Massey said he anticipates the class growing to 100 students next year when the classroom and studio is moved into the new high school building.
“This is what I want my career to be,” said Sarah Shelton, 16.
When school started, the first step for students was learning television-broadcasting terminology before getting hands-on experience with the cameras and editing equipment by filming high school football games.
As some students operated the cameras filming all the action on the field, other students in the field house’s studio broadcasted the instant replays, advertisements and announcements that appeared on the video screen. Additionally, the class formatted footage of two of the games that were broadcast on Cebridge Cable.
Now that football season is over, students have been putting together footage for the CHTV program.
Upcoming projects for the class include doing a MTV Crib’s style program showing off the new field- house.
Later this spring, Massey says the television broadcast class will work with the drama and theater department on a student film festival.
“I enjoy the editing process,” said Josh Lee, 18.
“It’s a challenge making group decisions sometimes, we all have different ideas but we’re all on the same team.”
TOP STORY >> Cabot police kick off new alert program
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
A program created almost 10 years ago in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to help find missing Alzheimer’s patients and children is now available to law- enforcement agencies all over the country, and the Cabot Police Department is one of the first in the area to use it.
It’s called “A Child is Missing” or “ACIM.” It doesn’t cost anything and it is capable of notifying 1,000 residents within one minute that a child cannot be found.
Cabot Police Chief Jackie Davis first heard about the program three months ago during a police chief’s convention.
“He heard about it and we just had to get it,” said Sgt. Dwayne Roper, department spokesman.
Its use is limited to notifying neighbors by phone that a child, disabled person or Alzheimer’s patient is missing or that a sex offender has moved into an area.
So far, Cabot Police Department has used it twice, first to notify neighbors that a sex offender had moved in and more recently to alert residents in the southern part of Cabot that a 2-year-old boy was missing.
The child was recovered safely since he had really never left his home. He was found peacefully asleep under a pile of pillows in a bedroom, Roper said. His family and the first officer to respond to the call had not seen him.
But the test showed that the system worked, he said, because several residents called to say they had received the message and to ask how the search was going.
On the negative side, the service does not include calls to the same 1,000 people to tell them the child has been found, so Davis told city council members recently that his dispatchers were overworked when the calls from concerned residents started coming in.
But on the positive side, it offers an opportunity to get more people involved in the search early on when FBI statistics show a child is the most likely to be killed.
It works like this: When a child or other person allowed by the program is missing, the police agency contacts ACIM and gives all the pertinent information, such as description, what the person was wearing, area where last seen and home address. A technician tapes a telephone message with that information and makes the call to homes and businesses in the area where the subject was last seen. If an answering machine picks up, the call goes to the machine instead.
According to FBI statistics, 3,000 children and elderly go missing every day, Roper said, and if that isn’t food for thought, he added, “There’s a one-in-42 chance that your child is going missing.”
Leader staff writer
A program created almost 10 years ago in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to help find missing Alzheimer’s patients and children is now available to law- enforcement agencies all over the country, and the Cabot Police Department is one of the first in the area to use it.
It’s called “A Child is Missing” or “ACIM.” It doesn’t cost anything and it is capable of notifying 1,000 residents within one minute that a child cannot be found.
Cabot Police Chief Jackie Davis first heard about the program three months ago during a police chief’s convention.
“He heard about it and we just had to get it,” said Sgt. Dwayne Roper, department spokesman.
Its use is limited to notifying neighbors by phone that a child, disabled person or Alzheimer’s patient is missing or that a sex offender has moved into an area.
So far, Cabot Police Department has used it twice, first to notify neighbors that a sex offender had moved in and more recently to alert residents in the southern part of Cabot that a 2-year-old boy was missing.
The child was recovered safely since he had really never left his home. He was found peacefully asleep under a pile of pillows in a bedroom, Roper said. His family and the first officer to respond to the call had not seen him.
But the test showed that the system worked, he said, because several residents called to say they had received the message and to ask how the search was going.
On the negative side, the service does not include calls to the same 1,000 people to tell them the child has been found, so Davis told city council members recently that his dispatchers were overworked when the calls from concerned residents started coming in.
But on the positive side, it offers an opportunity to get more people involved in the search early on when FBI statistics show a child is the most likely to be killed.
It works like this: When a child or other person allowed by the program is missing, the police agency contacts ACIM and gives all the pertinent information, such as description, what the person was wearing, area where last seen and home address. A technician tapes a telephone message with that information and makes the call to homes and businesses in the area where the subject was last seen. If an answering machine picks up, the call goes to the machine instead.
According to FBI statistics, 3,000 children and elderly go missing every day, Roper said, and if that isn’t food for thought, he added, “There’s a one-in-42 chance that your child is going missing.”
TOP STORY >> 463rd: Inside look at war on terror
By SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
Besides being a schoolhouse for all things related to the C-130 cargo plane, Little Rock Air Force Base houses the 463rd Airlift Group, which transports “beans and bullets” as well as troops, all over the world.
“Airlift is one of the most vital part of the war on terror,” said Col. Scott Lockard, deputy commander of the 463rd, which was established at Little Rock Air Force Base in 1997.
“We’re using it to get over some of those areas that are hazardous to military convoys,” Lockard said, adding that this year the 463rd helped train the first all-Iraqi C-130 Hercules crew.
The 463rd has about 1,200 airmen under its command divided up among an aircraft maintenance squadron, maintenance operations squadron and an operations support squadron, as well as two airlift squadrons, the 50th and the 61st.
The 61st Airlift Squadron flies 12 of the older C-130E aircraft and the 50th Airlift Squadron flies 14 of the C-130H3 aircraft.
Currently about 20 percent of the 463rd is constantly leaving or arriving on rotating de-ployments that typically last 180 days.
“They’re ours in our hearts, but while they’re in the theater (of war) they belong to the commander over there. As a commander, you have to trust them to take care of your troops,” Lockard said.
“It’s tough on a commander to not have that day-to-day involvement with your airmen.”
“The personnel are performing magnificently across the board in the AOR (Area of Responsibility). The personnel are coming back feeling fulfilled because they understand the importance of what they’re doing over there. They’re fired up when they get back,” Lockard said.
Currently, there are five C-130s from the 463rd in South-east Asia which includes Iraq and Afghanistan.
Like personnel, the aircraft are rotated back to Little Rock Air Force Base regularly.
“We fly the aircraft hard and we land in austere conditions. It’s hard on the tires and brakes,” Lockard said. “We bring them back for the maintenance we can’t perform in the desert.”
Originally stationed at Ard-more Air Force Base in Okla-homa as the 463rd Troop Carrier Wing, the Wing received the first C-130A from Lockheed Aircraft Corpo-ration on Dec. 9, 1956.
To celebrate the 50th anni-versary of the first C-130, Lockard said the 463rd is planning a variety of events to make 2006 “The Year of the Herk,” referring to the Hercules.
Leader staff writer
Besides being a schoolhouse for all things related to the C-130 cargo plane, Little Rock Air Force Base houses the 463rd Airlift Group, which transports “beans and bullets” as well as troops, all over the world.
“Airlift is one of the most vital part of the war on terror,” said Col. Scott Lockard, deputy commander of the 463rd, which was established at Little Rock Air Force Base in 1997.
“We’re using it to get over some of those areas that are hazardous to military convoys,” Lockard said, adding that this year the 463rd helped train the first all-Iraqi C-130 Hercules crew.
The 463rd has about 1,200 airmen under its command divided up among an aircraft maintenance squadron, maintenance operations squadron and an operations support squadron, as well as two airlift squadrons, the 50th and the 61st.
The 61st Airlift Squadron flies 12 of the older C-130E aircraft and the 50th Airlift Squadron flies 14 of the C-130H3 aircraft.
Currently about 20 percent of the 463rd is constantly leaving or arriving on rotating de-ployments that typically last 180 days.
“They’re ours in our hearts, but while they’re in the theater (of war) they belong to the commander over there. As a commander, you have to trust them to take care of your troops,” Lockard said.
“It’s tough on a commander to not have that day-to-day involvement with your airmen.”
“The personnel are performing magnificently across the board in the AOR (Area of Responsibility). The personnel are coming back feeling fulfilled because they understand the importance of what they’re doing over there. They’re fired up when they get back,” Lockard said.
Currently, there are five C-130s from the 463rd in South-east Asia which includes Iraq and Afghanistan.
Like personnel, the aircraft are rotated back to Little Rock Air Force Base regularly.
“We fly the aircraft hard and we land in austere conditions. It’s hard on the tires and brakes,” Lockard said. “We bring them back for the maintenance we can’t perform in the desert.”
Originally stationed at Ard-more Air Force Base in Okla-homa as the 463rd Troop Carrier Wing, the Wing received the first C-130A from Lockheed Aircraft Corpo-ration on Dec. 9, 1956.
To celebrate the 50th anni-versary of the first C-130, Lockard said the 463rd is planning a variety of events to make 2006 “The Year of the Herk,” referring to the Hercules.
TOP STORY >> Hospitality tax passes in Lonoke
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
Lonoke voters approved a 2-cent hospitality tax on Tuesday, dedicated to improving and expanding city parks, by a vote of 176 to 137.
That should raise about $100,000 a year for city parks and free money for other uses.
Approval also means 3-percent across-the-board pay raises for city employees beginning in July, accor-ding to the city budget, approved Monday night.
The money will allow the city to erect lights on more of its ball fields, to landscape and put benches along the walking trail from downtown to the ball parks and to develop an exercise trail behind the Lonoke Community Center, accor-ding to Mayor Thomas Priv-ett.
Approval of the tax also means the city can stop diverting money from the street, water and sewer department for use at the parks.
The tax was the idea of city treasurer Walls McCrary.
Leader staff writer
Lonoke voters approved a 2-cent hospitality tax on Tuesday, dedicated to improving and expanding city parks, by a vote of 176 to 137.
That should raise about $100,000 a year for city parks and free money for other uses.
Approval also means 3-percent across-the-board pay raises for city employees beginning in July, accor-ding to the city budget, approved Monday night.
The money will allow the city to erect lights on more of its ball fields, to landscape and put benches along the walking trail from downtown to the ball parks and to develop an exercise trail behind the Lonoke Community Center, accor-ding to Mayor Thomas Priv-ett.
Approval of the tax also means the city can stop diverting money from the street, water and sewer department for use at the parks.
The tax was the idea of city treasurer Walls McCrary.
TOP STORY >> PCSSD votes to trim costs; Adkins to be Pre-K school
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
Homer Adkins Elementary School in Jacksonville will be closed at the end of this school year and reopened as a pre-kindergarten school, the Pulaski County Special School District Board voted 4-3 Tues-day night after more than two months of intrigue, anxiety and community meetings over which small elementary school would be closed or reconfigured to help alleviate the district’s dire financial straits.
Spared in the process were elementary schools at Scott, a fast growing area near North Little Rock and Warren Dupree in Jacksonville, which has nearly 300 students and relatively good benchmark test results.
Voting against the reconfiguration were Gwen Williams, whose zone includes Adkins; Rev. James Bolden III, who doesn’t want to close any Jacksonville schools, and board president Pam Roberts, who said she feared the resulting transfer of some ABC classes at Crystal Hill Elementary would create a hardship for parents in her west Little Rock area.
The state’s Edu-cation Department placed the district on a fiscal distress list this year, and the district had to submit a plan to balance the budget and begin to restore its depleted financial reserves by cutting about $5 million a year.
Part of its fiscal distress improvement plan, approved late last month by the state, called for saving about $600,000 by closing two elementary schools from among nine with enrollments of fewer than 300 students, but in the plan suddenly submitted by interim Superintendent James Sharpe, the district will save at least $530,000 and only close the one school.
Two other elementary schools will actually increase overall enrollment by adding their own ABC Pre-K programs, where the state picks up the expense, including a portion of the not-insignificant utilities, according to the new plan.
SAVINGS BREAKDOWN
The savings include: changing Homer Adkins to an ABC/Pre-K school, $297,040; adding the Pre-K program at Oak Grove Elementary in North Little Rock, $10,000; adding Pre-K to Daisy Bates Elementary in Little Rock, $10,000, and finally, eliminating a vacant assistant principal’s job at Alpha Academy, $95,000.
Sharpe’s plan notes that another $70,000 to $100,000 in savings might be realized, depending on “student assignment considerations.”
The plan was not part of the original agenda, but arrived as an addendum and took at least one school board member, Mildred Tatum, by surprise.
RACIST REMARKS
During the public comment period early in the meeting, state Rep. Linda Chesterfield said she had received telephone calls not only about the feared school closings, but also about alleged racist remarks made by elementary school teacher Phoebe Harris to Homer Adkins fourth graders last month.
“That left a bitter taste in the citizens who have called me,” Chesterfield said.
“We have come a long way, but we have not come far enough. All people have value. Send a message — if racist remarks occur in the classroom, that can not be tolerated.”
In other business, area coaches told school board members of the downside of moving sports, band, theater and cheerleading to after-school events, including safety issues, and some parents spoke in favor of keeping block scheduling, at least at Mills University Studies. Both changes are among cuts approved, and now required, by the state’s Education Department.
Leader staff writer
Homer Adkins Elementary School in Jacksonville will be closed at the end of this school year and reopened as a pre-kindergarten school, the Pulaski County Special School District Board voted 4-3 Tues-day night after more than two months of intrigue, anxiety and community meetings over which small elementary school would be closed or reconfigured to help alleviate the district’s dire financial straits.
Spared in the process were elementary schools at Scott, a fast growing area near North Little Rock and Warren Dupree in Jacksonville, which has nearly 300 students and relatively good benchmark test results.
Voting against the reconfiguration were Gwen Williams, whose zone includes Adkins; Rev. James Bolden III, who doesn’t want to close any Jacksonville schools, and board president Pam Roberts, who said she feared the resulting transfer of some ABC classes at Crystal Hill Elementary would create a hardship for parents in her west Little Rock area.
The state’s Edu-cation Department placed the district on a fiscal distress list this year, and the district had to submit a plan to balance the budget and begin to restore its depleted financial reserves by cutting about $5 million a year.
Part of its fiscal distress improvement plan, approved late last month by the state, called for saving about $600,000 by closing two elementary schools from among nine with enrollments of fewer than 300 students, but in the plan suddenly submitted by interim Superintendent James Sharpe, the district will save at least $530,000 and only close the one school.
Two other elementary schools will actually increase overall enrollment by adding their own ABC Pre-K programs, where the state picks up the expense, including a portion of the not-insignificant utilities, according to the new plan.
SAVINGS BREAKDOWN
The savings include: changing Homer Adkins to an ABC/Pre-K school, $297,040; adding the Pre-K program at Oak Grove Elementary in North Little Rock, $10,000; adding Pre-K to Daisy Bates Elementary in Little Rock, $10,000, and finally, eliminating a vacant assistant principal’s job at Alpha Academy, $95,000.
Sharpe’s plan notes that another $70,000 to $100,000 in savings might be realized, depending on “student assignment considerations.”
The plan was not part of the original agenda, but arrived as an addendum and took at least one school board member, Mildred Tatum, by surprise.
RACIST REMARKS
During the public comment period early in the meeting, state Rep. Linda Chesterfield said she had received telephone calls not only about the feared school closings, but also about alleged racist remarks made by elementary school teacher Phoebe Harris to Homer Adkins fourth graders last month.
“That left a bitter taste in the citizens who have called me,” Chesterfield said.
“We have come a long way, but we have not come far enough. All people have value. Send a message — if racist remarks occur in the classroom, that can not be tolerated.”
In other business, area coaches told school board members of the downside of moving sports, band, theater and cheerleading to after-school events, including safety issues, and some parents spoke in favor of keeping block scheduling, at least at Mills University Studies. Both changes are among cuts approved, and now required, by the state’s Education Department.
TOP STORY >> Sherwood aldermen get terms extended
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Voters in Sherwood on Tuesday approved extending the terms of aldermen from two years to staggered four years by a vote of 682 to 584.
The city, following Jacksonville’s lead, which voted in four-year terms last year, has four wards with two positions each.
Starting in November 2006, those winning Position One terms will serve four-year terms, while Position Two aldermen will continue to serve two-year terms.
In November 2008, the Position Two seats would be up for election again and this time the aldermen would be elected to four-year terms.
State law allows cities the size of Sherwood to have their council members serve four-year terms. Until now, cities could only allow their council members to serve two-year terms.
Alderman Sheila Sulcer likes the idea of the staggered terms because it would guarantee that there would always be council members with experience.
Alderman Butch Davis agreed.
“With two-year terms, you immediately have to run for office again,” Davis said. “When you are always running for office, you are not getting a lot accomplished.”
Davis said the longer terms just make good sense.
Alderman Keith Rankin said he believes shifting to four-year terms is a good move for Sherwood.
“Two years is not enough time,” Rankin said.
“It is a learning process and in your last year, you are running for re-election.”
Leader staff writer
Voters in Sherwood on Tuesday approved extending the terms of aldermen from two years to staggered four years by a vote of 682 to 584.
The city, following Jacksonville’s lead, which voted in four-year terms last year, has four wards with two positions each.
Starting in November 2006, those winning Position One terms will serve four-year terms, while Position Two aldermen will continue to serve two-year terms.
In November 2008, the Position Two seats would be up for election again and this time the aldermen would be elected to four-year terms.
State law allows cities the size of Sherwood to have their council members serve four-year terms. Until now, cities could only allow their council members to serve two-year terms.
Alderman Sheila Sulcer likes the idea of the staggered terms because it would guarantee that there would always be council members with experience.
Alderman Butch Davis agreed.
“With two-year terms, you immediately have to run for office again,” Davis said. “When you are always running for office, you are not getting a lot accomplished.”
Davis said the longer terms just make good sense.
Alderman Keith Rankin said he believes shifting to four-year terms is a good move for Sherwood.
“Two years is not enough time,” Rankin said.
“It is a learning process and in your last year, you are running for re-election.”
TOP STORY >> Voters split on bonds
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
Like voters statewide, area residents rejected by a wide margin Ballot Question 1 on Tuesday, which would have given authority to the state’s Highway Commission to finance interstate maintenance through bond sales.
Voters in White, Lonoke and Pulaski counties also rejected the other statewide referendum, which proposed funding higher education through bond sales even though Jacksonville and Sherwood residents voted for it.
The college-funding proposal, with 99 percent of the state precinct totals in, was passing by just a few hundred votes.
In Lonoke County, voters rejected the highway bond plan with 1,670 votes, or 68.3 percent, against it, and 776 votes, or 31.7 percent for it. Voters in Lonoke County said no to the college funding with 1,405 votes, or 57.8 percent, against it and 1,025 votes, or 42.2 percent, for it.
White County voters rejected the highway plan with 1,625 against the idea and 927 for it. On the college funding proposal, there were 1,502 against it and 1,182 for it.
In Pulaski County as a whole, 62 percent of those who voted rejected the highway bonding authority, while 55 percent voted in favor of the higher education bonds.
Jacksonville voters turned thumbs down on the highway financing measure, even though it would not have increased the amount of taxes currently paid, by a vote of 1,394 to 996.
But the same voters approved the education funding by a margin of nearly three to two.
Results were similar in Sherwood, where voters were against the highway bond measure 765 to 654, but voted in favor of the education bond measure 918 to 505. The actual highway bond vote in Pulaski County was 11,229 against, 7,022 for, while voters there favored the education bonds question 10,023 to 8,225.
The $575 million road-repair measure lost in 63 of the state’s 75 counties.
The plan to refinance $100 million in higher education debt, plus borrow another $150 million for college and university construction and programs just squeaked out victorious.
Leader staff writer
Like voters statewide, area residents rejected by a wide margin Ballot Question 1 on Tuesday, which would have given authority to the state’s Highway Commission to finance interstate maintenance through bond sales.
Voters in White, Lonoke and Pulaski counties also rejected the other statewide referendum, which proposed funding higher education through bond sales even though Jacksonville and Sherwood residents voted for it.
The college-funding proposal, with 99 percent of the state precinct totals in, was passing by just a few hundred votes.
In Lonoke County, voters rejected the highway bond plan with 1,670 votes, or 68.3 percent, against it, and 776 votes, or 31.7 percent for it. Voters in Lonoke County said no to the college funding with 1,405 votes, or 57.8 percent, against it and 1,025 votes, or 42.2 percent, for it.
White County voters rejected the highway plan with 1,625 against the idea and 927 for it. On the college funding proposal, there were 1,502 against it and 1,182 for it.
In Pulaski County as a whole, 62 percent of those who voted rejected the highway bonding authority, while 55 percent voted in favor of the higher education bonds.
Jacksonville voters turned thumbs down on the highway financing measure, even though it would not have increased the amount of taxes currently paid, by a vote of 1,394 to 996.
But the same voters approved the education funding by a margin of nearly three to two.
Results were similar in Sherwood, where voters were against the highway bond measure 765 to 654, but voted in favor of the education bond measure 918 to 505. The actual highway bond vote in Pulaski County was 11,229 against, 7,022 for, while voters there favored the education bonds question 10,023 to 8,225.
The $575 million road-repair measure lost in 63 of the state’s 75 counties.
The plan to refinance $100 million in higher education debt, plus borrow another $150 million for college and university construction and programs just squeaked out victorious.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
EVENTS
AROUND THE AREA
Little Rock Calendar of Events
Food distribution
The Central Arkansas Development Council announces the distribution of food commodities on Wednesday, Dec. 14 beginning at 9 a.m. at the following locations:
Ward Chamber of Commerce, Woodlawn, Austin City Hall, England Old Fire Station, Cabot Church of Christ, Lonoke County Fairgrounds, Allport City Hall, Humnoke City Hall and Carlisle old gym.
Food items may include canned vegetables, canned meats, canned fruits and dry staples such as rice, cereal, peanut butter, beans, potatoes and powdered milk. Eligibility requirements must be met (based on the 130 percent of the federal poverty guidelines).
The mission of CADC is to improve the quality of life and build strong communities in Arkansas.
For more information, call Evelyn Reed at 501-778-1133.
CABOT
City Council minutes
City meetings, times and dates
Lights contest
Cabot City Beautiful is sponsoring the annual "Lights of Cabot" contest. Signed certificates and yard signs will be awarded to the best holiday lighting displays in each of the four residential wards in Cabot. There will also be a certificate and sign awarded a business with the best holiday lighting display.
Nominations of the displays can be made by calling (501) 843-0796 or (501) 843-8160 or by e-mailing cabotbeautiful@yahoo.com.
Judging will take place between Dec. 10 and 17. Certificates will be presented Dec. 18.
Art show
The Cabot Middle School North art show will be held on Thursday, Dec. 8, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Artwork by students will be on display and refreshments will be available.
The students have worked hard preparing entries for the art show.
The fifth grade artworks will be exhibited in the fifth grade hallway and the sixth grade artworks will be exhibited in the sixth grade hallway. The students have been working under the direction of Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Hicks.
Christmas pageant
The children of Cabot United Methodist Church will present the "Light of the World" Christmas Pageant on Sunday, Dec. 11 at t 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. The pageant will immediately follow ADVENTure from 5 to 6 p.m. and the church-wide Christmas potluck at 5:30 p.m., both in the Family Life Center. All are invited to attend these events.
Families will be able to make Christmas crafts together at ADVENTure, while enjoying a time of fellowship with friends at the potluck. For more information, call the church office at 501-843-3541.
Toys for Tots drive
D’Andrea for Congress is hosting a Toys-for-Tots drive on Sunday, Dec. 11 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The program’s sponsor is the United States Marine Corps Reserve.
Participants are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to Coffeelicious at 102 N. First St. in Cabot during the drive time.
Toy donors are invited to eat cookies and drink hot chocolate and will be entered in a drawing for a lunch for two.
Santa will also be present.
Toy drive
The ‘Christmas for Kids’ is collecting toys and monetary donations now until Dec. 16.
Drop off boxes will be located at elementary and middle schools for toys as well as Express Printing, K-Mart, all Community Bank locations and the Cabot Star Herald.
Monetary donations can be mailed to "Christmas for Kids" at 459 Stagecoach Road, Cabot, AR 72023.
Donations of money can also be brought to the Warehouse at 310 G.P. Murrell Drive in Cabot, in industrial park off Hwy. 367 while heading toward Austin.
For more information, contact Bill Holden at 743-3560, Randy Holden at 743-6171, Shelley Montoya at 605-3403 or Rita Stewart at 743-3560.
Road the Bethlehem
The 19th annual ‘Christmas Road to Bethlehem’ is a four-mile community-wide project about the nativity story.
Each home has lighted life-size Biblical figures and a Bible verse in the yard. The manger scene is at Bethlehem United Methodist Church. The road is located off of Hwy. 31 North in Lonoke County and will be open from Saturday through New Years Even from 5:30 to 10 p.m.
Open houses will be held Monday, Dec. 12 to Saturday, Dec. 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Programs for open house are:
Dec. 12: Lonoke County Council on Aging; Dec. 13: Glen Poole and the Pearsons; Dec. 14: Bethlehem Carriers of the Light; Dec. 15: Christ Worship Center Church; Dec. 16: The Hickory Hill Blue Grass Gospel Singers; and Dec. 17: The Gospel Tones.
Host families will be available from Monday Dec. 12 to Saturday, Dec. 17 as well. Families will be as follows: Monday: the Cox family and Roy and Ruby Kittell; Tuesday: Tommy and Bert Liles family and Todd and Tammie Tedford; Wednesday: Mary Liles and the Rickey Phillips family; Thursday: Joel and Marilyn Lewis and Jack and Martha Reagan; Friday: the Abshure family; and Saturday: Therese O’Donnell family.
All are invited to have refreshments with church members in the fellowship hall following each evening’s programs.
For more information, call Jeaneane Nipper at 501-676-2510.
JACKSONVILLE
City’s community calendar
Dog park fund-raiser
The Jacksonville Parks and Recreation has approved the installation of a fenced dog park located at wooded area at the south end of Dupree Lake in Dupree Park, according to Cathy Brand, Program Service Manager of the parks and recreation department.
The park will allow dogs to run off leash, allowing for exercise and socialization. Other central Arkansas cities have established successful dog parks, and Jacksonville will be joining more than 700 other parks nationwide.
An online public discussion board for the dog park has been established and a copy of the dog park proposal has been posted to that Web site address.
One of the first fundraisers to help defray costs of the installation of the park will be Dec. 10, when pet owners can have professional holiday portraits of their animals taken for a minimum donation of $10.
Photos will be taken at the The Jacksonville Animal Shelter at 217 South
Redmond Road. Donors will receive a 5"x7" print ready for framing.
For ore information, call the shelter at 982-2916.
JHS fashion show
The ‘Just Be Yourself — Fun and Fabulous Fashion Show" will be held on The Stage at Jacksonville High School on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Models will be coaches, teachers, students and families of Jacksonville High School.
An evening of fun, fashion and entertainment will also feature the Price Crew, the JHS Drumline, Ashley Miller and Ajoy and Kierah.
Admission is $2 for students and $3 for adults.
The event will raise money for the Journey in to Excellence project. For more information, contact Patricia White or Debbie Skidmore at 982-2128.
Live nativity
Bethel United Methodist Church will have a live nativity open to the public from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each night of Saturday, Dec. 10 and Sunday, Dec. 11.
This is an annual event sponsored by the Bethel congregation in hopes of spreading the message of Jesus. The nativity is a drive-through or walk-through, featuring live animals and scenes of the events leading up to Jesus’ birth.
Bethel church is located at 7417 Jacksonville-Conway Road in Jacksonville.
Traveling north on Hwy. 107 approximately four miles past the back gate of the LRAFB to Jacksonvillle-Conway Road on the left.
Signs will be posted.
Christmas trees for sale
The Jacksonville Lions Club began selling Christmas trees on Saturday, Dec. 3 in the parking lot of the Jacksonville Shopping Center and will run continue until Thursday, Dec. 22. All funds raised from this sale, as do all funds raised by the Lions Club, will help people in need in our community, the county, and the state.
Tour of Homes
The Junior Auxiliary of Jacksonville will host their annual Christmas tour of homes from 2-4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11.
The following homes are included on the tour: Mr. and Mrs. John Vanderhoof, Mr. and Mrs. Gid Branscum, Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Carlisle, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Sherman.
Tickets are $10 and all proceeds benefit the underprivileged children of Jacksonville. For ticket information please call Mandy Watson at 501-982-1241 or 501-766-4979. Also tickets can be purchased at Double R Florist and Aspen Leaf.
Christmas open house
The city of Jacksonville’s annual Christmas Open House will be held at city hall on Friday, Dec. 16 from noon to 3 p.m.
The ceremony to present year pins and certificates to city employees will begin at 2 p.m. in the council chambers. Everyone is invited to stop by for refreshments.
SHERWOOD
City meeting times and dates
Chrismas musical
First Baptist Church of Sherwood’s sanctuary choir, orchestra and drama team will present the Christmas musical based on the birth of Jesus called ‘One Incredible Moment’ on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the worship center.
All are welcome to attend this free event at 701 Country Club Road in Sherwood. Call 835-3154 for more information.
Little Rock Calendar of Events
Food distribution
The Central Arkansas Development Council announces the distribution of food commodities on Wednesday, Dec. 14 beginning at 9 a.m. at the following locations:
Ward Chamber of Commerce, Woodlawn, Austin City Hall, England Old Fire Station, Cabot Church of Christ, Lonoke County Fairgrounds, Allport City Hall, Humnoke City Hall and Carlisle old gym.
Food items may include canned vegetables, canned meats, canned fruits and dry staples such as rice, cereal, peanut butter, beans, potatoes and powdered milk. Eligibility requirements must be met (based on the 130 percent of the federal poverty guidelines).
The mission of CADC is to improve the quality of life and build strong communities in Arkansas.
For more information, call Evelyn Reed at 501-778-1133.
CABOT
City Council minutes
City meetings, times and dates
Lights contest
Cabot City Beautiful is sponsoring the annual "Lights of Cabot" contest. Signed certificates and yard signs will be awarded to the best holiday lighting displays in each of the four residential wards in Cabot. There will also be a certificate and sign awarded a business with the best holiday lighting display.
Nominations of the displays can be made by calling (501) 843-0796 or (501) 843-8160 or by e-mailing cabotbeautiful@yahoo.com.
Judging will take place between Dec. 10 and 17. Certificates will be presented Dec. 18.
Art show
The Cabot Middle School North art show will be held on Thursday, Dec. 8, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Artwork by students will be on display and refreshments will be available.
The students have worked hard preparing entries for the art show.
The fifth grade artworks will be exhibited in the fifth grade hallway and the sixth grade artworks will be exhibited in the sixth grade hallway. The students have been working under the direction of Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Hicks.
Christmas pageant
The children of Cabot United Methodist Church will present the "Light of the World" Christmas Pageant on Sunday, Dec. 11 at t 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. The pageant will immediately follow ADVENTure from 5 to 6 p.m. and the church-wide Christmas potluck at 5:30 p.m., both in the Family Life Center. All are invited to attend these events.
Families will be able to make Christmas crafts together at ADVENTure, while enjoying a time of fellowship with friends at the potluck. For more information, call the church office at 501-843-3541.
Toys for Tots drive
D’Andrea for Congress is hosting a Toys-for-Tots drive on Sunday, Dec. 11 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The program’s sponsor is the United States Marine Corps Reserve.
Participants are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to Coffeelicious at 102 N. First St. in Cabot during the drive time.
Toy donors are invited to eat cookies and drink hot chocolate and will be entered in a drawing for a lunch for two.
Santa will also be present.
Toy drive
The ‘Christmas for Kids’ is collecting toys and monetary donations now until Dec. 16.
Drop off boxes will be located at elementary and middle schools for toys as well as Express Printing, K-Mart, all Community Bank locations and the Cabot Star Herald.
Monetary donations can be mailed to "Christmas for Kids" at 459 Stagecoach Road, Cabot, AR 72023.
Donations of money can also be brought to the Warehouse at 310 G.P. Murrell Drive in Cabot, in industrial park off Hwy. 367 while heading toward Austin.
For more information, contact Bill Holden at 743-3560, Randy Holden at 743-6171, Shelley Montoya at 605-3403 or Rita Stewart at 743-3560.
Road the Bethlehem
The 19th annual ‘Christmas Road to Bethlehem’ is a four-mile community-wide project about the nativity story.
Each home has lighted life-size Biblical figures and a Bible verse in the yard. The manger scene is at Bethlehem United Methodist Church. The road is located off of Hwy. 31 North in Lonoke County and will be open from Saturday through New Years Even from 5:30 to 10 p.m.
Open houses will be held Monday, Dec. 12 to Saturday, Dec. 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Programs for open house are:
Dec. 12: Lonoke County Council on Aging; Dec. 13: Glen Poole and the Pearsons; Dec. 14: Bethlehem Carriers of the Light; Dec. 15: Christ Worship Center Church; Dec. 16: The Hickory Hill Blue Grass Gospel Singers; and Dec. 17: The Gospel Tones.
Host families will be available from Monday Dec. 12 to Saturday, Dec. 17 as well. Families will be as follows: Monday: the Cox family and Roy and Ruby Kittell; Tuesday: Tommy and Bert Liles family and Todd and Tammie Tedford; Wednesday: Mary Liles and the Rickey Phillips family; Thursday: Joel and Marilyn Lewis and Jack and Martha Reagan; Friday: the Abshure family; and Saturday: Therese O’Donnell family.
All are invited to have refreshments with church members in the fellowship hall following each evening’s programs.
For more information, call Jeaneane Nipper at 501-676-2510.
JACKSONVILLE
City’s community calendar
Dog park fund-raiser
The Jacksonville Parks and Recreation has approved the installation of a fenced dog park located at wooded area at the south end of Dupree Lake in Dupree Park, according to Cathy Brand, Program Service Manager of the parks and recreation department.
The park will allow dogs to run off leash, allowing for exercise and socialization. Other central Arkansas cities have established successful dog parks, and Jacksonville will be joining more than 700 other parks nationwide.
An online public discussion board for the dog park has been established and a copy of the dog park proposal has been posted to that Web site address.
One of the first fundraisers to help defray costs of the installation of the park will be Dec. 10, when pet owners can have professional holiday portraits of their animals taken for a minimum donation of $10.
Photos will be taken at the The Jacksonville Animal Shelter at 217 South
Redmond Road. Donors will receive a 5"x7" print ready for framing.
For ore information, call the shelter at 982-2916.
JHS fashion show
The ‘Just Be Yourself — Fun and Fabulous Fashion Show" will be held on The Stage at Jacksonville High School on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Models will be coaches, teachers, students and families of Jacksonville High School.
An evening of fun, fashion and entertainment will also feature the Price Crew, the JHS Drumline, Ashley Miller and Ajoy and Kierah.
Admission is $2 for students and $3 for adults.
The event will raise money for the Journey in to Excellence project. For more information, contact Patricia White or Debbie Skidmore at 982-2128.
Live nativity
Bethel United Methodist Church will have a live nativity open to the public from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each night of Saturday, Dec. 10 and Sunday, Dec. 11.
This is an annual event sponsored by the Bethel congregation in hopes of spreading the message of Jesus. The nativity is a drive-through or walk-through, featuring live animals and scenes of the events leading up to Jesus’ birth.
Bethel church is located at 7417 Jacksonville-Conway Road in Jacksonville.
Traveling north on Hwy. 107 approximately four miles past the back gate of the LRAFB to Jacksonvillle-Conway Road on the left.
Signs will be posted.
Christmas trees for sale
The Jacksonville Lions Club began selling Christmas trees on Saturday, Dec. 3 in the parking lot of the Jacksonville Shopping Center and will run continue until Thursday, Dec. 22. All funds raised from this sale, as do all funds raised by the Lions Club, will help people in need in our community, the county, and the state.
Tour of Homes
The Junior Auxiliary of Jacksonville will host their annual Christmas tour of homes from 2-4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11.
The following homes are included on the tour: Mr. and Mrs. John Vanderhoof, Mr. and Mrs. Gid Branscum, Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Carlisle, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Sherman.
Tickets are $10 and all proceeds benefit the underprivileged children of Jacksonville. For ticket information please call Mandy Watson at 501-982-1241 or 501-766-4979. Also tickets can be purchased at Double R Florist and Aspen Leaf.
Christmas open house
The city of Jacksonville’s annual Christmas Open House will be held at city hall on Friday, Dec. 16 from noon to 3 p.m.
The ceremony to present year pins and certificates to city employees will begin at 2 p.m. in the council chambers. Everyone is invited to stop by for refreshments.
SHERWOOD
City meeting times and dates
Chrismas musical
First Baptist Church of Sherwood’s sanctuary choir, orchestra and drama team will present the Christmas musical based on the birth of Jesus called ‘One Incredible Moment’ on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the worship center.
All are welcome to attend this free event at 701 Country Club Road in Sherwood. Call 835-3154 for more information.
OBITUARIES
TAMMY CAMPBELL
Tammy Lynn Campbell, 32, of Cabot, passed away Dec. 4. She was born March 23, 1973, in Polk County, Fla., to the late Arles and Janie Goodnight. Survivors include her husband, Tony Campbell; two daughters: Shae Lynn and Kaylee Lynn Campbell all of the home; mother and father-in-law, Marian and Gene Campbell; two step brothers, Sonny Walls and Billy Goodnight; and one step sister, Liberty Mansshack; along with many more family and friends. Visitation will be held today from 1 to 9 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Hilltop Baptist Church with Bro. Milburn Hill officiating.
Interment immediately following at Sumner Cemetery. Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
JAMES WOOD
James “Jim” Wood, 49, of Cabot, passed away Dec. 5. He was born on June 13, 1956, in Little Rock to Jack L. Wood and the late Martha Baker Wood. Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Kathy Wood; daughter, Brandy Michelle Wood; father, Jack L. Wood; and brother, Gary Wood all of Cabot; along with many other family and dear friends.
Visitation will be held Thursday from 1 to 9 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at Bible Church of Cabot with Pastor Mark Eisold officiating. In lieu of flowers the family has requested memorials be sent to the Cabot Animal Shelter. Arrange-ments by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
SHARON ALLEN
Sharon Kay Allen (Owens), 58, of Austin departed this life Dec. 4.
She is survived by her husband, David Allen of Austin; three siblings, Jessie Owens of Austin, Ruth Ann Thompson of Little Rock and Brenda Burr of Ward; three children, Cyndy Rogers of Ward, Greg Pruett, Sr. of Austin and Kevin Pruett of Ward; one stepson, Brendan Allen of Melbourne, Australia; four grandchildren, Greg Pruett Jr. and Jordan Pruett, both of Austin, Shaylece Pruett and Dawson Rogers, both of Ward; three step-grandchildren, Chelsey Shelton and Logan Shelton, both of Austin and Cole Rogers of Ward.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. today at Austin Church of Christ, with burial in Stoney Point Cemetery. Funeral arrangements by Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe.
DALE CURRY
Dale Lynn Curry, 50, of Lonoke died Dec. 3.
He was born Aug. 17, 1955, in Carlisle. Preceding him in death were his parents, Charles and Margaret Curry. He is survived by his two sons, Adam Bryce Curry of Jonesboro, and Jonathan Dale Curry of Wynne. He is also survived by a brother, Ken and wife Cindy Curry of Cookeville, Tenn.; sister, Anita and husband Joey Wilson of Lonoke; two nieces and three nephews and close friend Frances Lynn Byrd. Curry was a member of Lonoke First United Methodist Church.
Funeral services were held Tuesday at Lonoke First United Methodist Church with interment following in Lonoke Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lonoke First United Methodist Church. Arrangements by Boyd Funeral Home in Lonoke.
KATHRYN MOSELEY
Kathryn Pauline Moseley, 73, of Cabot, passed away Dec. 2. She was born June 23, 1932, in Beebe to the late James Henry Dearman and Mrs. Lillie Mae Dearman. Also Preceding her in death is one brother, Jerry Sloan Dearman.
Survivors include her husband of 46 years, Billy Moseley of Cabot; two daughters, Sandy Howard of Jacksonville and Sheila Pierce of Benton; one son, Gary Dobbs of Pahrump, Nevada; mother Lillie Mae Dearman; one brother, James Franklin Dearman of Sheridan; 10 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and one great-great grandson.
Funeral services were held Tuesday at Church of Latter Day Saints in Jacksonville. Interment immediately followed at Stanfill Cemetery.
Arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
Tammy Lynn Campbell, 32, of Cabot, passed away Dec. 4. She was born March 23, 1973, in Polk County, Fla., to the late Arles and Janie Goodnight. Survivors include her husband, Tony Campbell; two daughters: Shae Lynn and Kaylee Lynn Campbell all of the home; mother and father-in-law, Marian and Gene Campbell; two step brothers, Sonny Walls and Billy Goodnight; and one step sister, Liberty Mansshack; along with many more family and friends. Visitation will be held today from 1 to 9 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Hilltop Baptist Church with Bro. Milburn Hill officiating.
Interment immediately following at Sumner Cemetery. Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
JAMES WOOD
James “Jim” Wood, 49, of Cabot, passed away Dec. 5. He was born on June 13, 1956, in Little Rock to Jack L. Wood and the late Martha Baker Wood. Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Kathy Wood; daughter, Brandy Michelle Wood; father, Jack L. Wood; and brother, Gary Wood all of Cabot; along with many other family and dear friends.
Visitation will be held Thursday from 1 to 9 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at Bible Church of Cabot with Pastor Mark Eisold officiating. In lieu of flowers the family has requested memorials be sent to the Cabot Animal Shelter. Arrange-ments by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
SHARON ALLEN
Sharon Kay Allen (Owens), 58, of Austin departed this life Dec. 4.
She is survived by her husband, David Allen of Austin; three siblings, Jessie Owens of Austin, Ruth Ann Thompson of Little Rock and Brenda Burr of Ward; three children, Cyndy Rogers of Ward, Greg Pruett, Sr. of Austin and Kevin Pruett of Ward; one stepson, Brendan Allen of Melbourne, Australia; four grandchildren, Greg Pruett Jr. and Jordan Pruett, both of Austin, Shaylece Pruett and Dawson Rogers, both of Ward; three step-grandchildren, Chelsey Shelton and Logan Shelton, both of Austin and Cole Rogers of Ward.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. today at Austin Church of Christ, with burial in Stoney Point Cemetery. Funeral arrangements by Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe.
DALE CURRY
Dale Lynn Curry, 50, of Lonoke died Dec. 3.
He was born Aug. 17, 1955, in Carlisle. Preceding him in death were his parents, Charles and Margaret Curry. He is survived by his two sons, Adam Bryce Curry of Jonesboro, and Jonathan Dale Curry of Wynne. He is also survived by a brother, Ken and wife Cindy Curry of Cookeville, Tenn.; sister, Anita and husband Joey Wilson of Lonoke; two nieces and three nephews and close friend Frances Lynn Byrd. Curry was a member of Lonoke First United Methodist Church.
Funeral services were held Tuesday at Lonoke First United Methodist Church with interment following in Lonoke Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lonoke First United Methodist Church. Arrangements by Boyd Funeral Home in Lonoke.
KATHRYN MOSELEY
Kathryn Pauline Moseley, 73, of Cabot, passed away Dec. 2. She was born June 23, 1932, in Beebe to the late James Henry Dearman and Mrs. Lillie Mae Dearman. Also Preceding her in death is one brother, Jerry Sloan Dearman.
Survivors include her husband of 46 years, Billy Moseley of Cabot; two daughters, Sandy Howard of Jacksonville and Sheila Pierce of Benton; one son, Gary Dobbs of Pahrump, Nevada; mother Lillie Mae Dearman; one brother, James Franklin Dearman of Sheridan; 10 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and one great-great grandson.
Funeral services were held Tuesday at Church of Latter Day Saints in Jacksonville. Interment immediately followed at Stanfill Cemetery.
Arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
EDITORIAL >> Mays to add class to board
A transcendent concern about public education is not ordinarily the grounds that governors use to choose people for the state Board of Education, the policy-making agent for Arkansas public schools. A 10-year appointment to the board is usually a reward for political support. Gov. Huckabee had even appointed champions of home schooling to the board overseeing public education.
So it was cheering this week to read of the governor’s appointment of Ben Mays of Clinton to the board. You may remember Mays, a veterinarian who has served 22 years on the school board at Clinton, the county seat of Van Buren County.
He is the maverick who has insisted that the state do a better job of monitoring how local schools spend their money, particularly on athletics.
He has been trying for years to get a good accounting of how much his own school district spends on athletics, which, of course, is at the expense of teaching.
The football field is holy ground for school districts, as it is at most colleges. Athletic costs are distributed throughout the budget, so it is hard to establish how much schools spend on sports as opposed to academics. Rep. Betty Pickett, D-Conway, sponsored a bill this year to put a cap on state spending on school athletic programs, but it got nowhere. Mays testified for it.
“We’ve lost sight of our priorities, blinded by the light and the passion of Friday night sports fun,” Mays averred.
In response to complaints by Mays and a new state law requiring a report on athletic spending, the state Education Department finally produced an accounting early this year.
It reported that schools spent $61 million on sports in the previous year. Mays did not buy it. About half the districts left a blank space for athletic spending on such things as utilities, indicating they spent nothing on those items, he said.
Mays, who is not a Republican and would not confess to even voting for Huckabee, was surprised by his appointment, although he said he had liked some of Huckabee’s bold stands on school issues.
Ben Mays will be good for that stuffy board and good for the schools for a long time. Gov. Huckabee must be thinking about his legacy.
This should improve it.
So it was cheering this week to read of the governor’s appointment of Ben Mays of Clinton to the board. You may remember Mays, a veterinarian who has served 22 years on the school board at Clinton, the county seat of Van Buren County.
He is the maverick who has insisted that the state do a better job of monitoring how local schools spend their money, particularly on athletics.
He has been trying for years to get a good accounting of how much his own school district spends on athletics, which, of course, is at the expense of teaching.
The football field is holy ground for school districts, as it is at most colleges. Athletic costs are distributed throughout the budget, so it is hard to establish how much schools spend on sports as opposed to academics. Rep. Betty Pickett, D-Conway, sponsored a bill this year to put a cap on state spending on school athletic programs, but it got nowhere. Mays testified for it.
“We’ve lost sight of our priorities, blinded by the light and the passion of Friday night sports fun,” Mays averred.
In response to complaints by Mays and a new state law requiring a report on athletic spending, the state Education Department finally produced an accounting early this year.
It reported that schools spent $61 million on sports in the previous year. Mays did not buy it. About half the districts left a blank space for athletic spending on such things as utilities, indicating they spent nothing on those items, he said.
Mays, who is not a Republican and would not confess to even voting for Huckabee, was surprised by his appointment, although he said he had liked some of Huckabee’s bold stands on school issues.
Ben Mays will be good for that stuffy board and good for the schools for a long time. Gov. Huckabee must be thinking about his legacy.
This should improve it.
EDITORIAL >> Referendum scare tactics
There are many debatable issues surrounding the interstate highway bond issue that will be on the ballot at a statewide special election Tuesday, but Gov. Huckabee apparently hopes you will not bother with them. “It comes down to this,” Huckabee said. “Do people like better highways?”
If you do, he said, you vote for the rolling borrowing authority for the state Highway Commission. If you like the rough roads you experienced on the interstate system before 1999, you should vote no.
That is a ridiculous statement, just like his reasoning that people should allow the commission to borrow money from now on without the voters’ approval because it would save taxpayers the cost of all those million-dollar special elections. The law actually anticipates that people vote on bonds at general elections, where there would be NO additional cost to taxpayers.
The governor’s characterization of the issue asks you to believe that all the interstate improvements in recent years are the result of the issuance of three series of general-obligation bonds in 2000 and 2001 totaling $575 million, which shortly will have been spent. But that is not the case.
Well before the Highway Commission got the cash from the bonds, an accelerated interstate rebuilding program had begun with stepped-up federal assistance and state matching. Those orange barrels were everywhere. Remember when Gov. Huckabee himself warned motorists that they would soon be seeing even more of the pesky but reassuring barrels?
Even since the bonds were issued, 35 percent of all the interstate work has been by the usual pay-as-you-go method rather than the bond proceeds. The Highway Commission supplemented the $575 million in bond proceeds with other federal and state tax revenues to the tune of about $330 million. If the bonds had not been issued at all, the state would have another $75 million a year to pour into construction. That is the money that pays off the bonds.
The point is that without highway bonds the vast majority — perhaps 80 percent or more — of those 356 miles of interstates that have been repaired or else are under contract would have been finished by now on the pay-as-you-go method that Huckabee says means just shoddy roads. And, if that were the case, the state would not still owe some $525 million to bondholders, which the state will be repaying through 2012.
Now, you can consider the real arguments pro and con.
If you do, he said, you vote for the rolling borrowing authority for the state Highway Commission. If you like the rough roads you experienced on the interstate system before 1999, you should vote no.
That is a ridiculous statement, just like his reasoning that people should allow the commission to borrow money from now on without the voters’ approval because it would save taxpayers the cost of all those million-dollar special elections. The law actually anticipates that people vote on bonds at general elections, where there would be NO additional cost to taxpayers.
The governor’s characterization of the issue asks you to believe that all the interstate improvements in recent years are the result of the issuance of three series of general-obligation bonds in 2000 and 2001 totaling $575 million, which shortly will have been spent. But that is not the case.
Well before the Highway Commission got the cash from the bonds, an accelerated interstate rebuilding program had begun with stepped-up federal assistance and state matching. Those orange barrels were everywhere. Remember when Gov. Huckabee himself warned motorists that they would soon be seeing even more of the pesky but reassuring barrels?
Even since the bonds were issued, 35 percent of all the interstate work has been by the usual pay-as-you-go method rather than the bond proceeds. The Highway Commission supplemented the $575 million in bond proceeds with other federal and state tax revenues to the tune of about $330 million. If the bonds had not been issued at all, the state would have another $75 million a year to pour into construction. That is the money that pays off the bonds.
The point is that without highway bonds the vast majority — perhaps 80 percent or more — of those 356 miles of interstates that have been repaired or else are under contract would have been finished by now on the pay-as-you-go method that Huckabee says means just shoddy roads. And, if that were the case, the state would not still owe some $525 million to bondholders, which the state will be repaying through 2012.
Now, you can consider the real arguments pro and con.
EDITORIAL >> Throw them out of here
Jesus threw them out of the temple, but the Arkansas courts do not want to be so rash about it. We’re talking about usurers and specifically those who charge the poor and the desperate 300 percent interest, the payday lenders, who have storefront businesses all over this area.
Since 1999, when the legislature passed a law authorizing cash-cashing companies to charge people any kind of fee for a payday loan, Arkansas courts have tossed the issue from one to the other. Do charges that amount to 300 percent interest or more violate the state’s constitutional bar to interest rates higher than 17 percent?
Of course they do. The courts never had an easier question if they embrace the doctrine of stare decisis, that precedent rules. For half a century, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled sternly that banks, retailers and any other commercial entity that extended debt to people could not disguise interest as fees or special charges to get around the usury law. The late Justice George Rose Smith insisted that the Constitution was worthless if its clear purpose could be so easily ducked.
A challenge to the usury practices of the payday lenders reached a trial court once again, and last week Pulaski Circuit Judge Barry Sims ruled that the act authorizing the practices was constitutional. The act says the fees charged by the companies are not to be counted as interest but as, well, just fees. If the legislature says the charges are not interest then they must not be interest, in the judge’s view. He wants the plaintiffs to take their case back to the State Board of Collection Agencies still another time to determine whether the interest-rate law is violated, but he says the statute is constitutional. The board will rule again for the lending companies.
A person writes a check to a payday lender for, say, $500 and the company gives the person $450 in cash and agrees not to cash the check for a week or two. The person likely can’t redeem the check at the end of the period and has to keep borrowing. In a few weeks the borrower has paid the lender more than the amount of the original check.
Todd Turner, an Arkadelphia lawyer, has filed more than 30 lawsuits against the lenders and the Board of Collection Agencies. Some have resulted in settlements and others in judgments exceeding $4 million. But Turner’s clients got none of the judgments because the lenders closed or filed bankruptcy. The cases have bounced around among the trial courts, the Arkansas Court of Appeals and the Arkansas Supreme Court without a final determination of the central issue, whether the fees amount to interest and are, as a result, unconstitutional.
Now it will go one more time on appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court, where we hope this time that the justices will heed the moral importunities of Justice Smith and end a practice that grinds the faces of the poor.
Since 1999, when the legislature passed a law authorizing cash-cashing companies to charge people any kind of fee for a payday loan, Arkansas courts have tossed the issue from one to the other. Do charges that amount to 300 percent interest or more violate the state’s constitutional bar to interest rates higher than 17 percent?
Of course they do. The courts never had an easier question if they embrace the doctrine of stare decisis, that precedent rules. For half a century, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled sternly that banks, retailers and any other commercial entity that extended debt to people could not disguise interest as fees or special charges to get around the usury law. The late Justice George Rose Smith insisted that the Constitution was worthless if its clear purpose could be so easily ducked.
A challenge to the usury practices of the payday lenders reached a trial court once again, and last week Pulaski Circuit Judge Barry Sims ruled that the act authorizing the practices was constitutional. The act says the fees charged by the companies are not to be counted as interest but as, well, just fees. If the legislature says the charges are not interest then they must not be interest, in the judge’s view. He wants the plaintiffs to take their case back to the State Board of Collection Agencies still another time to determine whether the interest-rate law is violated, but he says the statute is constitutional. The board will rule again for the lending companies.
A person writes a check to a payday lender for, say, $500 and the company gives the person $450 in cash and agrees not to cash the check for a week or two. The person likely can’t redeem the check at the end of the period and has to keep borrowing. In a few weeks the borrower has paid the lender more than the amount of the original check.
Todd Turner, an Arkadelphia lawyer, has filed more than 30 lawsuits against the lenders and the Board of Collection Agencies. Some have resulted in settlements and others in judgments exceeding $4 million. But Turner’s clients got none of the judgments because the lenders closed or filed bankruptcy. The cases have bounced around among the trial courts, the Arkansas Court of Appeals and the Arkansas Supreme Court without a final determination of the central issue, whether the fees amount to interest and are, as a result, unconstitutional.
Now it will go one more time on appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court, where we hope this time that the justices will heed the moral importunities of Justice Smith and end a practice that grinds the faces of the poor.
SPORTS >> Raiders top Bison to win Medallion
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Riverview controlled Saturday night’s encounter with Carlisle in Newport, and as a result brought home the championship trophy from the Medallion Classic with a 64-48 victory.
The Raiders had a good first quarter, and never trailed afterwards for the win.
The first quarter has been good to the Raiders all season, save a slow start in the Medallion’s semifinal round when Riverview squeaked past Brinkley.
“That’s been our quarter all year for some reason,” Riverview coach Danny Starkey said. “We’ve just been coming out ready to play. I’m not sure why they’ve been so focused to start games, but they have been. I’m just trying not to mess it up.”
While Riverview’s offense was steady in the early going, it was its defense that maintained control of the game. Carlisle’s leading scorer, Adam French, was held to just six points the entire night by a rotation of Raider defenders.
“We did a good job on him,” Starkey said. “Cory was on him most of the time, but we had a lot of guys step in and play good defense when we needed them to.”
While Cooperwood drew the task of handling the Bison’s best scorer, he did plenty of his own scoring. French, nor the rest of the Bison, had an answer for the 6-foot-4 postman all night. Cooperwood finished with a game-high 31 points, but he wasn’t the only Raider that was a threat to score.
Point guard Tony Hall dropped in 23 points for the Raiders, leaving the rest of the team to combine for 10.
“Those two have been, and will be our two key guys,” Starkey said. “But you know the good thing about this team is, whenever one of those two isn’t having a good game, someone else steps up. We’ve had that all year. We didn’t really need it Saturday, but we have before, and we will again. This group plays like a team, and thinks like a team. That’s really what’s gotten us this far.”
The Raiders jumped out to a 17-10 lead by the end of the first and the margin remained in that range until the very end of the game when the Bison were forced to foul to try and get back in it.
Riverview led 32-22 at halftime and 43-34 at the end of three.
“They sure wouldn’t go away,” Starkey said. “I didn’t think we played that great, but not bad either. I think we were tired. We had a little tougher draw than they did and we were a little wore out.”
Carlisle will get a chance to redeem itself later this week when Riverview visits the Bison’s home gym on Friday.
The win lifts the Raiders to 14-1 overall.
The Lady Raiders didn’t fare as well, and dropped to 9-6 after losing badly to Batesville.
The Lady Pioneers had not played well all season, but came out hitting everything they put up against Riverview.
Leader sports editor
Riverview controlled Saturday night’s encounter with Carlisle in Newport, and as a result brought home the championship trophy from the Medallion Classic with a 64-48 victory.
The Raiders had a good first quarter, and never trailed afterwards for the win.
The first quarter has been good to the Raiders all season, save a slow start in the Medallion’s semifinal round when Riverview squeaked past Brinkley.
“That’s been our quarter all year for some reason,” Riverview coach Danny Starkey said. “We’ve just been coming out ready to play. I’m not sure why they’ve been so focused to start games, but they have been. I’m just trying not to mess it up.”
While Riverview’s offense was steady in the early going, it was its defense that maintained control of the game. Carlisle’s leading scorer, Adam French, was held to just six points the entire night by a rotation of Raider defenders.
“We did a good job on him,” Starkey said. “Cory was on him most of the time, but we had a lot of guys step in and play good defense when we needed them to.”
While Cooperwood drew the task of handling the Bison’s best scorer, he did plenty of his own scoring. French, nor the rest of the Bison, had an answer for the 6-foot-4 postman all night. Cooperwood finished with a game-high 31 points, but he wasn’t the only Raider that was a threat to score.
Point guard Tony Hall dropped in 23 points for the Raiders, leaving the rest of the team to combine for 10.
“Those two have been, and will be our two key guys,” Starkey said. “But you know the good thing about this team is, whenever one of those two isn’t having a good game, someone else steps up. We’ve had that all year. We didn’t really need it Saturday, but we have before, and we will again. This group plays like a team, and thinks like a team. That’s really what’s gotten us this far.”
The Raiders jumped out to a 17-10 lead by the end of the first and the margin remained in that range until the very end of the game when the Bison were forced to foul to try and get back in it.
Riverview led 32-22 at halftime and 43-34 at the end of three.
“They sure wouldn’t go away,” Starkey said. “I didn’t think we played that great, but not bad either. I think we were tired. We had a little tougher draw than they did and we were a little wore out.”
Carlisle will get a chance to redeem itself later this week when Riverview visits the Bison’s home gym on Friday.
The win lifts the Raiders to 14-1 overall.
The Lady Raiders didn’t fare as well, and dropped to 9-6 after losing badly to Batesville.
The Lady Pioneers had not played well all season, but came out hitting everything they put up against Riverview.
SPORTS >> Lady Rabbits win Bank
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
At 8 p.m. Saturday evening, the Lonoke girls basketball team may have felt more like it just completed a Greco Roman wrestling tournament rather than a basketball tournament. Either way, the Lady Rabbits took home the championship trophy from the Bank Classic at Searcy High School with a 33-32 victory over Mountain View in the title game.
The Lady Yellowjackets pushed, shoved, pulled, leaned bumped and elbowed the entire game, but the Lady Rabbits played through for the razor-thin win.
It was the second rough game Lonoke had played in the tournament, battling a similar style against Ozark in the semifinal round.
The Lady Hillbillies were just warmup for what Lonoke faced Saturday.
“That’s how they play,” Lonoke coach Nathan Morris said. “They aren’t very big so they play physically to try and make up for it. I think we did a pretty good job of doing what we do They took us out of sync a little bit, but we battled and we utilized our height advantage. We did a decent job.”
The win lifts the Lady Rabbits to 7-0 on the season as they head into conference play this week.
Mountain View led 8-7 at the end of the first quarter and 16-14 at halftime. Lonoke turned up its defensive intensity in the third and held MV to just one field goal. It came just 30 seconds into the quarter, and the Lady Jackets did not score another bucket until 6:10 left in the game.
Despite holding its opponent to just one free throw for over nine minutes, Lonoke was not able to pull away.
The Lady Rabbits led 25-19 at the end of the third, but couldn’t add to that by the time MV scored again.
With 1:34 left in the game, Jacket point guard Bethaney Turner got a steal and a layup to trim the margin to 32-30.
Lonoke’s Libby Gay then missed two free throws, and MV’s Morgan Knapp hit two free throws tie the game at 32-32 with 43 seconds to go.
Gay penetrated the lane for Lonoke and got an open look, but missed the layup. Mountain View returned the favor when Emily Cartwright missed a short jumper in the lane.
Gay got the rebound and got the ball to Meaghan Kelleybrew, who fouled driving to the basket with three seconds on the clock.
She hit the first and missed the second, and MV called timeout with 2.2 seconds showing.
The Lady Yellowjackets threw the ball all the way to halfcourt on the inbound play, and quickly called another timeout with 1.4 on the clock.
The eight tenths of a second that ticked off the clock drew the ire of Mountain View coach Gary Simmons, who felt it ran too long and let his feelings be known.
It was all for naught though.
Mountain View executed the play Simmons called in the timeout. The was designed to get Turner an open, mid-range shot. Turner came off two screens and was open, but let the pass slip through her hands and roll out of bounds as time expired.
Turner led all scorers with 13 points. Knapp added eight for Mountain View.
Jenny Evans led a balanced Lonoke attack with nine points.
Lonoke shot below 50 percent from the free throw line for the second consecutive game, hitting nine of 20 from the charity stripe.
MV made seven of 12.
The Lady Rabbits again dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Jackets 30-16.
Lonoke played Glen Rose in the conference opener last night after Leader deadlines. The Rabbit boys and girls will continue 6AAA play Friday on the road at Little Rock Christian Academy.
Leader sports editor
At 8 p.m. Saturday evening, the Lonoke girls basketball team may have felt more like it just completed a Greco Roman wrestling tournament rather than a basketball tournament. Either way, the Lady Rabbits took home the championship trophy from the Bank Classic at Searcy High School with a 33-32 victory over Mountain View in the title game.
The Lady Yellowjackets pushed, shoved, pulled, leaned bumped and elbowed the entire game, but the Lady Rabbits played through for the razor-thin win.
It was the second rough game Lonoke had played in the tournament, battling a similar style against Ozark in the semifinal round.
The Lady Hillbillies were just warmup for what Lonoke faced Saturday.
“That’s how they play,” Lonoke coach Nathan Morris said. “They aren’t very big so they play physically to try and make up for it. I think we did a pretty good job of doing what we do They took us out of sync a little bit, but we battled and we utilized our height advantage. We did a decent job.”
The win lifts the Lady Rabbits to 7-0 on the season as they head into conference play this week.
Mountain View led 8-7 at the end of the first quarter and 16-14 at halftime. Lonoke turned up its defensive intensity in the third and held MV to just one field goal. It came just 30 seconds into the quarter, and the Lady Jackets did not score another bucket until 6:10 left in the game.
Despite holding its opponent to just one free throw for over nine minutes, Lonoke was not able to pull away.
The Lady Rabbits led 25-19 at the end of the third, but couldn’t add to that by the time MV scored again.
With 1:34 left in the game, Jacket point guard Bethaney Turner got a steal and a layup to trim the margin to 32-30.
Lonoke’s Libby Gay then missed two free throws, and MV’s Morgan Knapp hit two free throws tie the game at 32-32 with 43 seconds to go.
Gay penetrated the lane for Lonoke and got an open look, but missed the layup. Mountain View returned the favor when Emily Cartwright missed a short jumper in the lane.
Gay got the rebound and got the ball to Meaghan Kelleybrew, who fouled driving to the basket with three seconds on the clock.
She hit the first and missed the second, and MV called timeout with 2.2 seconds showing.
The Lady Yellowjackets threw the ball all the way to halfcourt on the inbound play, and quickly called another timeout with 1.4 on the clock.
The eight tenths of a second that ticked off the clock drew the ire of Mountain View coach Gary Simmons, who felt it ran too long and let his feelings be known.
It was all for naught though.
Mountain View executed the play Simmons called in the timeout. The was designed to get Turner an open, mid-range shot. Turner came off two screens and was open, but let the pass slip through her hands and roll out of bounds as time expired.
Turner led all scorers with 13 points. Knapp added eight for Mountain View.
Jenny Evans led a balanced Lonoke attack with nine points.
Lonoke shot below 50 percent from the free throw line for the second consecutive game, hitting nine of 20 from the charity stripe.
MV made seven of 12.
The Lady Rabbits again dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Jackets 30-16.
Lonoke played Glen Rose in the conference opener last night after Leader deadlines. The Rabbit boys and girls will continue 6AAA play Friday on the road at Little Rock Christian Academy.
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