Melody Boys perform on New Year’s Eve
The Melody Boys Quartet will host their annual New Year’s Eve concert at 8 p.m. Monday at the community center ballroom in Jacksonville. Advance tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children. At the door, tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for children. Advance tickets for groups of 20 or more are $10 each in advance and $12 at the door.
Other performers will be the Apostles and the Hallelujah Harmony Quartet. Order advance tickets by calling 501-835-6471.
CADC offers public transportation in Lonoke County
Central Arkansas Development Council SCAT (South Central Arkansas Transit) provides Lonoke County with public transportation services. SCAT provides public transportation services for anyone, regardless of income, age, or disability.
Fare is $2 for trips within the city limits of Lonoke. Fare for other trips varies depending on the number of miles of the trip. For trips more than five miles, fare is $4. Trips between five to 12 miles are $5 one way. Trips over 13 miles are $15 round trip.
Appointments should be made at least two days in advance. To make an appointment for a trip in town or out of town, or for more information, call the CADC Lonoke Office at 501-676-0019.
Horse association to hold meeting in Cabot area
The American Morgan Horse Association Youth of Arkansas will hold an organizational meeting Sunday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. in Cabot. All youth who are interested in learning about horses are encouraged to participate. The club is open to youth who have not reached their 22nd birthday. Owning a horse is not required.
AMHAY offers its members a variety of programs to learn and develop in all areas of the horse industry. For location or more information call Monica, AMHAY regional vice-president at 501-843-9715 or Kirsten, national AMHAY horsemastership tester, at 501-258-7067.
Ward seniors invite others to join starting Jan. 8
The Ward Senior Citizens invites area seniors to meet at 11:30 a.m. the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month for a brownbag lunch; coffee, tea, soft drinks and desserts are provided for $1. Dominoes, card games, exercise and activities follow each lunch meeting.
Seniors are invited to join beginning Tuesday, Jan. 8.
FOP schedules ‘Night of Laughs’ comedy show
The Jacksonville FOP (Hap Horton Memorial Lodge 16), will be holding a “Night of Laughs” comedy show at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8 at Jacksonville High School.
Area businesses and residents are currently being called for sponsorships and ticket sales.
The funds raised will go toward the many worthwhile endeavors the lodge is involved with such as food baskets for the elderly, shop with a cop and the Identikid program.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
EDITORIALS>>Huck should tell the truth
Every politician, like most of the rest of us, has a terrifying secret that he fears would turn the public against him if the word got out. In Mike Huckabee’s case, it is his record.
Aside from a few very lamentable lapses in judgment, Huckabee’s scorecard for 10 1/2 years as governor actually is not one that should turn too many voters off.
He was an obliging follower when Democratic lawmakers came up with progressive solutions to the state’s manifold problems in education and healthcare and he sometimes offered his own, like school consolidation.
The record contrasted remarkably with that of almost any Republican governor in the region.
But our favorite son runs from that record on every occasion when one of his opponents cites some part of it, always unfavorably.
That was the case last week when Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson, who have fallen well behind Huckabee in the first presidential contest of the season in Iowa, attacked him on his record on fighting crime. He returned again to his weakest suit, truthtelling. His replies were either lies or clever deceptions.
The truth was not so bad that people could not have handled it. At any rate, no revelation of his record in Arkansas, even though it may counter the image he has fashioned for himself in the early caucus and primary states, seems to hurt him.
Republicans in Iowa seem to like him, and it is hard to cultivate warmth for any of his hard-edged opponents.
Romney ran TV commercials castigating our man for pardoning or commuting the sentences of more than 1,000 criminals, which was far more than his three predecessors combined. Among them were 12 murderers.
The list does not include his most famous beneficiary, Wayne DuMond, the rapist for whom he interceded with the state parole board to obtain the inmate’s freedom.
Huckabee answered the charges in a talk to a big crowd last Thursday. “Nobody walked out that door who was a murderer, and I unlocked the door,” he said. What could he have meant by that?
Literally, of course, he was truthful. He did not personally go down to the Cummins or Tucker units and unlock a cell door a single time. He only commuted their sentences to make them eligible for parole. Five of the murderers were made eligible for immediate release.
The truth was that unlike his predecessors, particularly Bill Clinton, Huckabee looked for ways to exercise compassion for prisoners. If an inmate made a case for redemption, especially if a fellow Baptist preacher assured him of it, Huckabee was apt to give the man another chance.
The other evidence that Huckabee was “soft on crime” was a 2005 law that cut the portion of a prison sentence that methamphetamine cooks had to serve before qualifying for release for good behavior. Before Huckabee signed the law, methamphetamine convicts had to serve at least 70 percent of their sentences. That act reduced it to half their sentence.
Romney contrasted that with his own record in Massachusetts, where he said he got the methamphetamine laws toughened, not weakened. Romney lied only a little. He supported strengthening the law but the bill failed.
Huckabee’s response was literally truthful if not very revealing. He said Arkansas still had tougher methamphetamine laws than Massachusetts and that he indeed was tough on crime.
But the greater Truth is that Huckabee favored more lenient punishment for many drug infractions, particularly for simple possession.
He had not been governor long before making a profound conclusion about the state’s correctional system. Too many people were spending far too long in prison for drug crimes that were not horrifying, and it was costing the state far too much money to warehouse them, money that could be spent for education and other services.
He acknowledged that it was hard for legislators to vote for anything that could subject them to charges that they were soft on crime.
Over the ensuing years he did not offer any legislation to carry out the reforms that he said were so badly needed, perhaps realizing that legislators would be fearful of voting for them and that he might pay a price himself in the next campaign if an opponent cared to play the “soft-on-crime” card.
Not until 2003 and 2005 did a couple of small efforts, led by Rep. Jim Luker of Wynne, make their way through the legislature, with Huckabee’s support. One was the meth bill.
Reducing the jail time for meth cooks, like so much else in Huckabee’s record, seems singularly unRepublican in Iowa and much of the rest of the nation. Even Republican voters are looking for something different in the year of our Lord 2008.
Honesty just might be it, and Mike Huckabee’s incredible surge will relapse into inertia if people discover that he is simply not being truthful.
So let’s make this our little secret.
Aside from a few very lamentable lapses in judgment, Huckabee’s scorecard for 10 1/2 years as governor actually is not one that should turn too many voters off.
He was an obliging follower when Democratic lawmakers came up with progressive solutions to the state’s manifold problems in education and healthcare and he sometimes offered his own, like school consolidation.
The record contrasted remarkably with that of almost any Republican governor in the region.
But our favorite son runs from that record on every occasion when one of his opponents cites some part of it, always unfavorably.
That was the case last week when Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson, who have fallen well behind Huckabee in the first presidential contest of the season in Iowa, attacked him on his record on fighting crime. He returned again to his weakest suit, truthtelling. His replies were either lies or clever deceptions.
The truth was not so bad that people could not have handled it. At any rate, no revelation of his record in Arkansas, even though it may counter the image he has fashioned for himself in the early caucus and primary states, seems to hurt him.
Republicans in Iowa seem to like him, and it is hard to cultivate warmth for any of his hard-edged opponents.
Romney ran TV commercials castigating our man for pardoning or commuting the sentences of more than 1,000 criminals, which was far more than his three predecessors combined. Among them were 12 murderers.
The list does not include his most famous beneficiary, Wayne DuMond, the rapist for whom he interceded with the state parole board to obtain the inmate’s freedom.
Huckabee answered the charges in a talk to a big crowd last Thursday. “Nobody walked out that door who was a murderer, and I unlocked the door,” he said. What could he have meant by that?
Literally, of course, he was truthful. He did not personally go down to the Cummins or Tucker units and unlock a cell door a single time. He only commuted their sentences to make them eligible for parole. Five of the murderers were made eligible for immediate release.
The truth was that unlike his predecessors, particularly Bill Clinton, Huckabee looked for ways to exercise compassion for prisoners. If an inmate made a case for redemption, especially if a fellow Baptist preacher assured him of it, Huckabee was apt to give the man another chance.
The other evidence that Huckabee was “soft on crime” was a 2005 law that cut the portion of a prison sentence that methamphetamine cooks had to serve before qualifying for release for good behavior. Before Huckabee signed the law, methamphetamine convicts had to serve at least 70 percent of their sentences. That act reduced it to half their sentence.
Romney contrasted that with his own record in Massachusetts, where he said he got the methamphetamine laws toughened, not weakened. Romney lied only a little. He supported strengthening the law but the bill failed.
Huckabee’s response was literally truthful if not very revealing. He said Arkansas still had tougher methamphetamine laws than Massachusetts and that he indeed was tough on crime.
But the greater Truth is that Huckabee favored more lenient punishment for many drug infractions, particularly for simple possession.
He had not been governor long before making a profound conclusion about the state’s correctional system. Too many people were spending far too long in prison for drug crimes that were not horrifying, and it was costing the state far too much money to warehouse them, money that could be spent for education and other services.
He acknowledged that it was hard for legislators to vote for anything that could subject them to charges that they were soft on crime.
Over the ensuing years he did not offer any legislation to carry out the reforms that he said were so badly needed, perhaps realizing that legislators would be fearful of voting for them and that he might pay a price himself in the next campaign if an opponent cared to play the “soft-on-crime” card.
Not until 2003 and 2005 did a couple of small efforts, led by Rep. Jim Luker of Wynne, make their way through the legislature, with Huckabee’s support. One was the meth bill.
Reducing the jail time for meth cooks, like so much else in Huckabee’s record, seems singularly unRepublican in Iowa and much of the rest of the nation. Even Republican voters are looking for something different in the year of our Lord 2008.
Honesty just might be it, and Mike Huckabee’s incredible surge will relapse into inertia if people discover that he is simply not being truthful.
So let’s make this our little secret.
OBITUARIES >> 12-26-07
Robert Graham
Robert James Graham, 74, of Austin passed away Dec. 21.
He was born May 18, 1933 in Bridgeport, Conn., to the late Robert and Mary Grant Graham.
In addition to his parents, Robert was preceded in death by his brother, Jack Graham.
He served his country in the Air Force during the Korean War.
He graduated from the University of Bridgeport, where he received a bachelors of arts degree in accounting.
He worked as an accountant for 29 years at Remington Arms.
He was a member of Cabot United Methodist Church as well as a member of Rolling Hills Country Club for many years, having served on the board and president for two terms.
He was an avid golfer and sports fan.
He is survived by his wife, Priscilla “Pat” Graham; three sons, Robert Graham Jr. of Dumfries, Virg., Michael Graham and wife Donna of Monroe, Conn., and Kenneth Graham of Cabot; sister, Mildred Takacs of Stratford, Conn.; sister-in-law, Mary Ann Graham of Monroe; and five grandchildren, Eric, Matthew, Stephen, Lauren, and Karen Graham.
The visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 28 at Cabot Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 29 at the chapel of Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Old Austin Cemetery.
Scott Womble
Chef Scott Alan Womble, 36, of North Little Rock departed this life Dec. 18 in Los Angeles.
He was born Feb. 28, 1971 in Little Rock to Thomas and Melva Womble.
He graduated from the American Culinary Federation in May of 1997. He did his apprenticeship at the Arlington Hotel and Resort in Hot Springs, the Capitol Hotel in Little Rock and the Peabody Hotel in Memphis.
Survivors include his father Thomas Womble of Little Rock; mother, Melva Womble of North Little Rock; one sister, Keely Stokes and husband Patrick of Alexander; one niece, Alexa Stokes; two nephews, Joshua Stokes and Andrew Womble and wife Jessie; and grandmother, Verna Epple of Muldrow, Okla.
A time of visitation will be from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. at Thomas Funeral Service chapel in Jacksonville with burial immediately following at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Cabot.
David Pierson
David K. Pierson, 43, of Jacksonville went to be with the Lord Dec. 19. He was born March 2, 1964 in Batesville to Drexel and Freda Pierson.
David was of the Baptist faith and enjoyed the great outdoors or as he called it “God’s creation.”
He was an avid biker spending many happy hours sharing the natural state with his sons.
He was preceded in death by both grandfathers and one grandmother.
Survivors include two sons, Keith Pierson of Searcy and Kyle Pierson of Jacksonville; his parents; one sister, Patty Pierson of Cabot; grandmother, Myrtle Broyles of Mt. View, along with many other extended family and friends.
Funeral services were Dec. 23 at First Baptist Church in Cabot with Bro. Greg Addison officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery with David Butler, Jerry Jones, Russell Lenderman, John Morris, Jeff Moses and Kyle Wilson serving as pallbearers and Lawrence Burns, Hollon Crum, Harold Bibbs, Jim McNerlin and Larry Rogers as honorary pallbearers.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Gideon’s International Cabot Camp, P.O. Box 212 Cabot, Ark. 72023. Funeral arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service.
Laura Poe
Laura Christine “Christie” Hollingsworth Poe, 29, of Jacksonville was fatally injured in a car crash in Tyler, Texas, on Dec. 19.
She was a 1996 graduate of Jacksonville High School, and had worked for Teletouch Communications in Little Rock and Tyler for several years.
She is survived by her husband, Terry of Flint, Texas (formerly of Searcy); her mother and stepfather, Laura Phillips and Mike Goodman of Jacksonville; her father and stepmother, Stephen and Deana Hollingsworth of Maumelle; one brother, Michael Quinton Hollingsworth and wife Nancy of Germany; stepsister, Robin Thompson and husband Randy of Alexandria, Va.; grandmothers, Georgia Faye Hollingsworth of Cassville, Mo., and Pat Phillips of Jacksonville; mother-in-law, Margaret Poe of Searcy, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 26 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Jacksonville. Burial will follow in Chapel Hill Memorial Park. Funeral arrangements are under direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Martha Pearle
Martha C. Pearle, 81, of Jacksonville passed away Dec. 21.
She was a member of Second Baptist Church in Jacksonville.
She lived her life in Jacksonville and found enjoyment in cooking for those she loved. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Katie Pettey; brothers, Edwin and Billy Pettey and one infant child.
She is survived by her husband, John “Jack” Pearle; children, Larry J. Pearle of North Little Rock and Jackie S. Jones and wife Donnie of Romance; grandchildren, Scott Jones of Sherwood, Sara Mayfield and husband Jason of Cabo; and great-grandchild, Ashlyn Mayfield. A loving nephew, Johnny Pettey and wife Patty of Nashville, Tenn.; step-daughter, Joann Taverna and husband Angelo of Memphis, Tenn.
Funeral services were Dec. 23 at Second Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Second Baptist Church. Funeral arrangements are under direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Nancy White
Nancy Daggett White, 86, of Little Rock, a former resident of Blytheville, passed away Dec. 18, at the Parkway Health Center in Little Rock.
She graduated from Marianna High School and attended the University of Arkansas where she was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. In 1942, she joined the Coast Guard and served until the end of the Second World War.
She then returned to the University of Arkansas and received her law degree. She was a member of the Arkansas Bar Association and a founder of the Mississippi County Association for Retarded Children.
In 1948 she married Dick J. White of Blytheville and remained there until 1997. She taught school in the Blytheville and Gosnell public school systems as well as Mississippi County Community College. After her retirement, she served as president of the United Methodist Women and the Mississippi County Chapter of the American Cancer Society.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick J. White; parents, Charles E. and Ruby Lockwood Daggett; two sisters and one brother. She is survived by her son, Richard D. White and wife Carol of Jacksonville; daughter, Ellen White Davies of Hattiesburg, Miss.; son-in-law, Dave Davies; two grandchildren, Stephanie Kendrick and Graham Davies; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Dec. 21 at First United Methodist Church in Blytheville with the Rev. Ed Wills and the Rev. Chris Cooper officiating. Burial followed in Elmwood Cemetery.
The family requests memorials be made to St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 12415 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, Ark.
72223-1727; the American Cancer Society; the Baptist Health Foundation; the Heifer Project, 1 World Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72202; or the Parkway Scholarship Fund, 14300 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, Ark. 72211.
Robert James Graham, 74, of Austin passed away Dec. 21.
He was born May 18, 1933 in Bridgeport, Conn., to the late Robert and Mary Grant Graham.
In addition to his parents, Robert was preceded in death by his brother, Jack Graham.
He served his country in the Air Force during the Korean War.
He graduated from the University of Bridgeport, where he received a bachelors of arts degree in accounting.
He worked as an accountant for 29 years at Remington Arms.
He was a member of Cabot United Methodist Church as well as a member of Rolling Hills Country Club for many years, having served on the board and president for two terms.
He was an avid golfer and sports fan.
He is survived by his wife, Priscilla “Pat” Graham; three sons, Robert Graham Jr. of Dumfries, Virg., Michael Graham and wife Donna of Monroe, Conn., and Kenneth Graham of Cabot; sister, Mildred Takacs of Stratford, Conn.; sister-in-law, Mary Ann Graham of Monroe; and five grandchildren, Eric, Matthew, Stephen, Lauren, and Karen Graham.
The visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 28 at Cabot Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 29 at the chapel of Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Old Austin Cemetery.
Scott Womble
Chef Scott Alan Womble, 36, of North Little Rock departed this life Dec. 18 in Los Angeles.
He was born Feb. 28, 1971 in Little Rock to Thomas and Melva Womble.
He graduated from the American Culinary Federation in May of 1997. He did his apprenticeship at the Arlington Hotel and Resort in Hot Springs, the Capitol Hotel in Little Rock and the Peabody Hotel in Memphis.
Survivors include his father Thomas Womble of Little Rock; mother, Melva Womble of North Little Rock; one sister, Keely Stokes and husband Patrick of Alexander; one niece, Alexa Stokes; two nephews, Joshua Stokes and Andrew Womble and wife Jessie; and grandmother, Verna Epple of Muldrow, Okla.
A time of visitation will be from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. at Thomas Funeral Service chapel in Jacksonville with burial immediately following at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Cabot.
David Pierson
David K. Pierson, 43, of Jacksonville went to be with the Lord Dec. 19. He was born March 2, 1964 in Batesville to Drexel and Freda Pierson.
David was of the Baptist faith and enjoyed the great outdoors or as he called it “God’s creation.”
He was an avid biker spending many happy hours sharing the natural state with his sons.
He was preceded in death by both grandfathers and one grandmother.
Survivors include two sons, Keith Pierson of Searcy and Kyle Pierson of Jacksonville; his parents; one sister, Patty Pierson of Cabot; grandmother, Myrtle Broyles of Mt. View, along with many other extended family and friends.
Funeral services were Dec. 23 at First Baptist Church in Cabot with Bro. Greg Addison officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Carmel Cemetery with David Butler, Jerry Jones, Russell Lenderman, John Morris, Jeff Moses and Kyle Wilson serving as pallbearers and Lawrence Burns, Hollon Crum, Harold Bibbs, Jim McNerlin and Larry Rogers as honorary pallbearers.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Gideon’s International Cabot Camp, P.O. Box 212 Cabot, Ark. 72023. Funeral arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service.
Laura Poe
Laura Christine “Christie” Hollingsworth Poe, 29, of Jacksonville was fatally injured in a car crash in Tyler, Texas, on Dec. 19.
She was a 1996 graduate of Jacksonville High School, and had worked for Teletouch Communications in Little Rock and Tyler for several years.
She is survived by her husband, Terry of Flint, Texas (formerly of Searcy); her mother and stepfather, Laura Phillips and Mike Goodman of Jacksonville; her father and stepmother, Stephen and Deana Hollingsworth of Maumelle; one brother, Michael Quinton Hollingsworth and wife Nancy of Germany; stepsister, Robin Thompson and husband Randy of Alexandria, Va.; grandmothers, Georgia Faye Hollingsworth of Cassville, Mo., and Pat Phillips of Jacksonville; mother-in-law, Margaret Poe of Searcy, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 26 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Jacksonville. Burial will follow in Chapel Hill Memorial Park. Funeral arrangements are under direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Martha Pearle
Martha C. Pearle, 81, of Jacksonville passed away Dec. 21.
She was a member of Second Baptist Church in Jacksonville.
She lived her life in Jacksonville and found enjoyment in cooking for those she loved. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Katie Pettey; brothers, Edwin and Billy Pettey and one infant child.
She is survived by her husband, John “Jack” Pearle; children, Larry J. Pearle of North Little Rock and Jackie S. Jones and wife Donnie of Romance; grandchildren, Scott Jones of Sherwood, Sara Mayfield and husband Jason of Cabo; and great-grandchild, Ashlyn Mayfield. A loving nephew, Johnny Pettey and wife Patty of Nashville, Tenn.; step-daughter, Joann Taverna and husband Angelo of Memphis, Tenn.
Funeral services were Dec. 23 at Second Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Second Baptist Church. Funeral arrangements are under direction of Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
Nancy White
Nancy Daggett White, 86, of Little Rock, a former resident of Blytheville, passed away Dec. 18, at the Parkway Health Center in Little Rock.
She graduated from Marianna High School and attended the University of Arkansas where she was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. In 1942, she joined the Coast Guard and served until the end of the Second World War.
She then returned to the University of Arkansas and received her law degree. She was a member of the Arkansas Bar Association and a founder of the Mississippi County Association for Retarded Children.
In 1948 she married Dick J. White of Blytheville and remained there until 1997. She taught school in the Blytheville and Gosnell public school systems as well as Mississippi County Community College. After her retirement, she served as president of the United Methodist Women and the Mississippi County Chapter of the American Cancer Society.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick J. White; parents, Charles E. and Ruby Lockwood Daggett; two sisters and one brother. She is survived by her son, Richard D. White and wife Carol of Jacksonville; daughter, Ellen White Davies of Hattiesburg, Miss.; son-in-law, Dave Davies; two grandchildren, Stephanie Kendrick and Graham Davies; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Dec. 21 at First United Methodist Church in Blytheville with the Rev. Ed Wills and the Rev. Chris Cooper officiating. Burial followed in Elmwood Cemetery.
The family requests memorials be made to St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 12415 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, Ark.
72223-1727; the American Cancer Society; the Baptist Health Foundation; the Heifer Project, 1 World Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72202; or the Parkway Scholarship Fund, 14300 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, Ark. 72211.
TOP STORY >>District plans meetings to inform public
By HEATHER HARTSELL
Leader staff writer
To help explain why they’re seeking a 3.9 mills increase, Cabot School District officials intend to educate the public by visiting schools, local civic groups and holding public meetings.
“An uneducated public is the most dangerous thing we can have,” school board president Brooks Nash said.
“It will take lots of education and marketing (to get it passed),” he added.
If the increase were approved in the March 10 special election, Cabot’s total millage would be 39.9 mills, generating the $22.8 million needed for the district’s share of the $50.5 million in construction projects it is trying to fund.
Community members involved in Superintendent Dr. Tony Thurman’s focus group agreed voters need to know why the extra millage is needed.
“The common misconception is that money isn’t a problem here. People don’t know where the money is really coming from,” said Hayley Tacker, a Magness Creek parent, after hearing Thurman explain how millage works, something she said she didn’t know beforehand.
“Parents just don’t understand that there’s only so much money, and to keep our kids up-to-date, we’ll have to chip in and help,” Tacker added.
Cabot residents without children in the school system must also be educated, said Carolyn Park, secretary for the Cabot Scholarship Foundation.
“You have to hit the senior citizens hard to let them know how it affects them,” Park said.
Resident Tom Anderson summed it up best – “Someone has helped put the kids before yours in school and now it’s your turn,” he said.
The projects an increased millage would help fund include a $13 million health, physical education and recreation complex at the high school attached to a new cafeteria/student center; $11.3 million for a new elementary school; $9.04 million to install heating, ventilation and air conditioning units in 10 kitchens in the district as well as HVAC systems at Southside Elementary, Junior High South and Central Elementary; $7.3 million to add 40 classrooms at the high school to accommodate future growth; $3.66 million for renovations to the high school auditorium; $3.6 million to renovate the high school S-building; $2.27 million to upgrade the science labs at Junior High South to accommodate growth in the next four years; $1.86 million for a new roof and HVAC system at Eastside Elementary School; $1.77 million for HVAC systems in the physical-education facilities at eight campuses; and $1.82 to construct a new facility for the district’s charter school.
The district hopes the state facilities board will help fund the projects in a 60-40 split, but if not, Cabot will have to decide where to spend its 40 percent share of the cost for at least some of the 16 proposed construction projects in the next three to five years.
Also included in the 16 projects are two items the district knows are not eligible for any state assistance – purchasing the land for a new elementary school, estimated to cost $200,000, and paving Stagecoach Road from Stagecoach Elementary School to Campground Road, at an estimated cost of $50,000.
Grade configurations
Before the school board de-cided on a millage increase, it voted to move ninth grade to the high school campus in the next few years, a move that would be easier with the completion of the proposed new cafeteria and use the existing high school programs, which would more efficiently utilize the district’s facilities.
Thurman said if the ninth-graders were at the high school, it would be a special program and ninth- through 12th-graders would not be in the same structure, something he said didn’t work several years ago.
The district is at least four or five years away from moving the ninth-graders, but teacher training would take place well in advance because the district wants to do it right, Thurman said.
Ninth grade is also the grade level at which students begin accumulating credits for graduation.
Leader staff writer
To help explain why they’re seeking a 3.9 mills increase, Cabot School District officials intend to educate the public by visiting schools, local civic groups and holding public meetings.
“An uneducated public is the most dangerous thing we can have,” school board president Brooks Nash said.
“It will take lots of education and marketing (to get it passed),” he added.
If the increase were approved in the March 10 special election, Cabot’s total millage would be 39.9 mills, generating the $22.8 million needed for the district’s share of the $50.5 million in construction projects it is trying to fund.
Community members involved in Superintendent Dr. Tony Thurman’s focus group agreed voters need to know why the extra millage is needed.
“The common misconception is that money isn’t a problem here. People don’t know where the money is really coming from,” said Hayley Tacker, a Magness Creek parent, after hearing Thurman explain how millage works, something she said she didn’t know beforehand.
“Parents just don’t understand that there’s only so much money, and to keep our kids up-to-date, we’ll have to chip in and help,” Tacker added.
Cabot residents without children in the school system must also be educated, said Carolyn Park, secretary for the Cabot Scholarship Foundation.
“You have to hit the senior citizens hard to let them know how it affects them,” Park said.
Resident Tom Anderson summed it up best – “Someone has helped put the kids before yours in school and now it’s your turn,” he said.
The projects an increased millage would help fund include a $13 million health, physical education and recreation complex at the high school attached to a new cafeteria/student center; $11.3 million for a new elementary school; $9.04 million to install heating, ventilation and air conditioning units in 10 kitchens in the district as well as HVAC systems at Southside Elementary, Junior High South and Central Elementary; $7.3 million to add 40 classrooms at the high school to accommodate future growth; $3.66 million for renovations to the high school auditorium; $3.6 million to renovate the high school S-building; $2.27 million to upgrade the science labs at Junior High South to accommodate growth in the next four years; $1.86 million for a new roof and HVAC system at Eastside Elementary School; $1.77 million for HVAC systems in the physical-education facilities at eight campuses; and $1.82 to construct a new facility for the district’s charter school.
The district hopes the state facilities board will help fund the projects in a 60-40 split, but if not, Cabot will have to decide where to spend its 40 percent share of the cost for at least some of the 16 proposed construction projects in the next three to five years.
Also included in the 16 projects are two items the district knows are not eligible for any state assistance – purchasing the land for a new elementary school, estimated to cost $200,000, and paving Stagecoach Road from Stagecoach Elementary School to Campground Road, at an estimated cost of $50,000.
Grade configurations
Before the school board de-cided on a millage increase, it voted to move ninth grade to the high school campus in the next few years, a move that would be easier with the completion of the proposed new cafeteria and use the existing high school programs, which would more efficiently utilize the district’s facilities.
Thurman said if the ninth-graders were at the high school, it would be a special program and ninth- through 12th-graders would not be in the same structure, something he said didn’t work several years ago.
The district is at least four or five years away from moving the ninth-graders, but teacher training would take place well in advance because the district wants to do it right, Thurman said.
Ninth grade is also the grade level at which students begin accumulating credits for graduation.
TOP STORY >>Gravel Ridge will offer cities resources, growth
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Both Jacksonville and Sherwood have set their sights on annexing the rural community of Gravel Ridge, which lies west of Jacksonville and north of Sherwood, although many Gravel Ridge residents have said they’ll try to incorporate themselves to stay out of either city.
What will Jacksonville or Sherwood get if they win the annexation battle?
A well-off, stable, mostly white, well-educated community of families with two parents in the home and a total of about 4,000 new residents and an additional 2,500 acres of land.
According to 2000 U.S. Census figures, the median family income in Gravel Ridge is $44,318, more than half of the families have been in the same home for five or more years, 80 percent of the residents are white, more than half have been to college or have a college degree and more than half of the families have both parents in the home.
Gravel Ridge, according to the census figures, is 80 percent white, 14 percent black and about 3 percent Hispanic.
The median age of Gravel Ridge residents is 32. Most residents are between the age of 25 and 54, and the females slightly outnumber the males, 1,664 to 1,568.
The average family size is 3.06 people, and more than half the families in Gravel Ridge have both parents raising the children. Gravel Ridge’s population includes 427 children in kindergarten though eighth grade, another 232 in high school and 210 in college or graduate school. Overall, 89.9 percent of Gravel Ridge residents have a high school degree or better.
More than half have some college or a college degree.
Only 56 housing units, or 4.2 percent are vacant, meaning that Gravel Ridge homes and apartments have a 95.8 occupancy rate. Nearly two-thirds of the community’s housing units are occupied by the owners, while the other third are rentals.
More than 77 percent of the 1,289 housing units in Gravel Ridge are single-family homes, while 7.3 percent are mobile homes. Most units in the area were built in either the 70s or the 80s. Most homes (83.6 percent) in Gravel Ridge are valued between $50,000 and $99,999 with 45 percent of the mortgages running between $700 and $999 a month. About 60 percent of the rental property runs under $499 a month.
The area set for annexation includes the bulk of Gravel Ridge, going beyond Ison Road on the west, most of Hatcher Road on the north, about a mile east of Gibson Road, and just north of Ascot Drive on the south.
Jacksonville’s election to decide the annexation issue is Feb.5, piggybacking on the state’s presidential primary election. Both Jacksonville and Gravel Ridge residents will have the opportunity to vote in that election.
Sherwood’s election to bring the area into its city is set for Mar. 11. The residents of Sherwood and Gravel Ridge will vote in that election.
According to the Pulaski County Clerk’s Office there are 16,932 registered voters in Jacksonville, 15,164 in Sherwood and 3,721 in the four precincts that cover the Gravel Ridge area.
If both elections approve the annexation, then a third election will be scheduled for just Gravel Ridge voters to decide if they want to become part of Jacksonville or Sherwood.
The other alternative may be for Gravel Ridge residents to incorporate and keep their independence.
One businessman said before Christmas that’s exactly what he and his neighbors will do.
Leader staff writer
Both Jacksonville and Sherwood have set their sights on annexing the rural community of Gravel Ridge, which lies west of Jacksonville and north of Sherwood, although many Gravel Ridge residents have said they’ll try to incorporate themselves to stay out of either city.
What will Jacksonville or Sherwood get if they win the annexation battle?
A well-off, stable, mostly white, well-educated community of families with two parents in the home and a total of about 4,000 new residents and an additional 2,500 acres of land.
According to 2000 U.S. Census figures, the median family income in Gravel Ridge is $44,318, more than half of the families have been in the same home for five or more years, 80 percent of the residents are white, more than half have been to college or have a college degree and more than half of the families have both parents in the home.
Gravel Ridge, according to the census figures, is 80 percent white, 14 percent black and about 3 percent Hispanic.
The median age of Gravel Ridge residents is 32. Most residents are between the age of 25 and 54, and the females slightly outnumber the males, 1,664 to 1,568.
The average family size is 3.06 people, and more than half the families in Gravel Ridge have both parents raising the children. Gravel Ridge’s population includes 427 children in kindergarten though eighth grade, another 232 in high school and 210 in college or graduate school. Overall, 89.9 percent of Gravel Ridge residents have a high school degree or better.
More than half have some college or a college degree.
Only 56 housing units, or 4.2 percent are vacant, meaning that Gravel Ridge homes and apartments have a 95.8 occupancy rate. Nearly two-thirds of the community’s housing units are occupied by the owners, while the other third are rentals.
More than 77 percent of the 1,289 housing units in Gravel Ridge are single-family homes, while 7.3 percent are mobile homes. Most units in the area were built in either the 70s or the 80s. Most homes (83.6 percent) in Gravel Ridge are valued between $50,000 and $99,999 with 45 percent of the mortgages running between $700 and $999 a month. About 60 percent of the rental property runs under $499 a month.
The area set for annexation includes the bulk of Gravel Ridge, going beyond Ison Road on the west, most of Hatcher Road on the north, about a mile east of Gibson Road, and just north of Ascot Drive on the south.
Jacksonville’s election to decide the annexation issue is Feb.5, piggybacking on the state’s presidential primary election. Both Jacksonville and Gravel Ridge residents will have the opportunity to vote in that election.
Sherwood’s election to bring the area into its city is set for Mar. 11. The residents of Sherwood and Gravel Ridge will vote in that election.
According to the Pulaski County Clerk’s Office there are 16,932 registered voters in Jacksonville, 15,164 in Sherwood and 3,721 in the four precincts that cover the Gravel Ridge area.
If both elections approve the annexation, then a third election will be scheduled for just Gravel Ridge voters to decide if they want to become part of Jacksonville or Sherwood.
The other alternative may be for Gravel Ridge residents to incorporate and keep their independence.
One businessman said before Christmas that’s exactly what he and his neighbors will do.
TOP STORY >>Residents not happy with store
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Back in a September meeting at the Harmon Recreation Center, a Wal-Mart official said the company had already spent too much money on the design of the Supercenter it was constructing off Maryland Avenue and Hwy. 107 and would not build a fence to separate the store property from the neighborhood to the south even though city regulations required the fencing.
Now the residents south of the construction site are asking for an injunction against the retailer.
The group of residents from the Tiffany Circle and Katye Lane area, led by Ben and Karrie Rounsaville, presented a letter recently to all the aldermen and the city engineer calling for the city to step up and have the retailer follow city ordinances.
City Engineer Mike Clayton said the letter from Rounsaville was premature because construction is not yet complete.
“At the time construction is complete, outstanding issues will be dealt with,” Clayton said. He said Wal-Mart is aware of the ordinance and they will follow all requirements of the city.
Clayton added that while a facility is under construction, the city does not normally enforce the landscaping ordinance. “It’s too early to assume Wal-Mart will not be doing the fence.”
In the letter from the concerned citizens of the Highland Hills neighborhood Rounsaville states, “We are concerned about the future invasion of our privacy, security of our properties and the economic values of our homes because of commercial development in the immediate area; without any concern for our established neighborhood being a vital part of the city of Sherwood.”
The neighborhood group is asking the city for an injunction against the retailer if the company doesn’t comply with the requirements of a fence.
“We are requesting enforcement (of the ordinances) and notification that a certificate of occupancy will not be issued until there is an opaque wall or fence erected,” the letter states.
Wal-Mart spokesman Laura Smiley told more than 50 residents at the September meeting that the company was not going to be able to put up a wall. “I know that doesn’t make you happy. But we cannot do that,” she said.
After most of the people left the meeting, Smiley and other company officials backed off and said they would see what could be done. They promised to keep in touch with Mayor Virginia Hillman and work out something.
They did call the mayor and offered to put in more landscaping in the form of trees and bushes, but no fence.
Rounsaville, who lives on Katye Lane, tried to explain in September to Smiley, two lawyers, a market manager, the construction manager and the engineer that residents want a wall for security and privacy.
“We’ve endured the dirt, the blasting, the noise and all we are asking for is this wall,” he said.
Construction has continued and the neighbors have continued to endure the mess, but are still demanding a wall or fence.
Alderman Becki Vassar suggested it would be best to try to work with Wal-Mart rather than give them an ultimatum. She added that Wal-Mart would abide by the city’s written ordinances. “If it is in the city rules and regulations they will follow them just like anyone else,” Vassar said.
The Rounsavilles were on the agenda for the December planning commission meeting to continue to voice their concerns, but they did not make the meeting.
Leader staff writer
Back in a September meeting at the Harmon Recreation Center, a Wal-Mart official said the company had already spent too much money on the design of the Supercenter it was constructing off Maryland Avenue and Hwy. 107 and would not build a fence to separate the store property from the neighborhood to the south even though city regulations required the fencing.
Now the residents south of the construction site are asking for an injunction against the retailer.
The group of residents from the Tiffany Circle and Katye Lane area, led by Ben and Karrie Rounsaville, presented a letter recently to all the aldermen and the city engineer calling for the city to step up and have the retailer follow city ordinances.
City Engineer Mike Clayton said the letter from Rounsaville was premature because construction is not yet complete.
“At the time construction is complete, outstanding issues will be dealt with,” Clayton said. He said Wal-Mart is aware of the ordinance and they will follow all requirements of the city.
Clayton added that while a facility is under construction, the city does not normally enforce the landscaping ordinance. “It’s too early to assume Wal-Mart will not be doing the fence.”
In the letter from the concerned citizens of the Highland Hills neighborhood Rounsaville states, “We are concerned about the future invasion of our privacy, security of our properties and the economic values of our homes because of commercial development in the immediate area; without any concern for our established neighborhood being a vital part of the city of Sherwood.”
The neighborhood group is asking the city for an injunction against the retailer if the company doesn’t comply with the requirements of a fence.
“We are requesting enforcement (of the ordinances) and notification that a certificate of occupancy will not be issued until there is an opaque wall or fence erected,” the letter states.
Wal-Mart spokesman Laura Smiley told more than 50 residents at the September meeting that the company was not going to be able to put up a wall. “I know that doesn’t make you happy. But we cannot do that,” she said.
After most of the people left the meeting, Smiley and other company officials backed off and said they would see what could be done. They promised to keep in touch with Mayor Virginia Hillman and work out something.
They did call the mayor and offered to put in more landscaping in the form of trees and bushes, but no fence.
Rounsaville, who lives on Katye Lane, tried to explain in September to Smiley, two lawyers, a market manager, the construction manager and the engineer that residents want a wall for security and privacy.
“We’ve endured the dirt, the blasting, the noise and all we are asking for is this wall,” he said.
Construction has continued and the neighbors have continued to endure the mess, but are still demanding a wall or fence.
Alderman Becki Vassar suggested it would be best to try to work with Wal-Mart rather than give them an ultimatum. She added that Wal-Mart would abide by the city’s written ordinances. “If it is in the city rules and regulations they will follow them just like anyone else,” Vassar said.
The Rounsavilles were on the agenda for the December planning commission meeting to continue to voice their concerns, but they did not make the meeting.
TOP STORY >>Monitors see grim prospects in PCSSD
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader senior staff writer
Pulaski County Special School District enrollment has dropped consistently over the past 20 years from 21,871 in 1988-89 to 17,040 for the current school year, declining almost every year over that time according to a report issued earlier this month by the Office of Desegregation Monitoring.
Although PCSSD alone among the three Pulaski County districts tied by federal desegregation orders has more white students than black, the number of white students has declined steadily from 16,382 20 years ago to 9,152 today, while the number of black students enrolled has increased steadily from 5,489 to 7,888 for the current school year.
Some blame the decline in enrollment on decaying buildings, others on the perception that the district’s students aren’t doing well academically.
As a result, the district has only about 64 percent of the students it has room for, according to the report, which was prepared by Andree L. Roaf, director of the Office of Desegregation Monitoring, and Polly Ramer, office manager.
It remains to be seen how or whether these numbers will play into the decision of District Judge Bill Wilson on whether or not PCSSD has achieved unitary status and can be released from court oversight. The Office of Desegregation Monitoring is an arm of that court.
Within the district, only Bayou Meto and Harris elementary schools have been excused from the requirement that black student enrollment at each elementary school must range between 20 percent and 51 percent, calculated for this year and that black enrollment for secondary schools must range between 20 percent and 59 percent.
The minimum 20 percent enrollment doesn’t change. The maximum black enrollment changes from year to year, calculated on the racial balance of the district for that year.
Bayou Meto is excused because it is geographically isolated and Harris because the district is trying a neighborhood-school concept there.
District-wide, the percentage of students who are black has climbed an average of 1 percent per year from 1988-89, when it was 25 percent, through
year, when it is 44 percent, according to data in the report.
Black enrollment as a percentage of secondary school enrollment has climbed from 25 percent to 47 percent over the 20-year span. Among district elementary schools, black enrollment has ranged between 26 percent in 1988-89 to 41 percent this year. Here’s a breakdown of area elementary schools.
Adkins Elementary School: The percentage of black enrollment was too high from 1988-89 through 1992-93 and also from 1999-2000 through 2006-07, when the school was rearranged as an early childhood center.
Arnold Drive Elementary School: Black enrollment was too low fro the 1988-89 school year through 1992-93. Since then, the percentage of black students enrolled has ranged between 22 and 35.
Bayou Meto Elementary School: The school’s black enrollment has ranged between 1 percent and 4 percent every year. This school is geographically isolated and exempt from desegregation enrollment minimums and maximums.
Warren Dupree Elementary School: Other than 1988-89, when 19 percent of the students were black, this school’s black enrollment has been in compliance with desegregation goals.
Harris Elementary School: This science, health and space specialty school has had black enrollment above the maximum every year since 1991-92, ranging from 34 percent black to the current rate of 87 percent.
Jacksonville Elementary School: Black enrollment at this school has exceeded the maximum every year since 1995-96 and is currently 61 percent.
Oakbrooke Elementary School: This school, which has topped out this year with 35 percent black enrollment, has been in compliance with guidelines every year except 1991-92 and 1992-93.
Pinewood Elementary School: With 53 percent black enrollment this year, Pinewood fails for the first time in 20 years to keep its enrollment balanced within the guidelines.
Sherwood Elementary School: This school is one of the few that has been between the minimum and maximum percentage of black enrollment every year. Currently, it is 40 percent black, the highest percentage it has had.
Sylvan Hills Elementary School: This school failed to reach the minimum black enrollment for the first five years of the study, but has been in compliance since then, currently with 38 percent black enrollment.
Murrell Taylor Elementary School: This school currently exceeds the maximum with 59 percent black enrollment. It has been over the maximum four of the past five years and also in 1996-97.
Tolleson Elementary School: It had black enrollment of only 16 percent and 15 percent the first two years, but its racial balance has been within the limits since then. Now it’s 35 percent black.
Jacksonville Middle School: The school has met racial guidelines every year of the 20 years studied, starting with 23 percent black enrollment and climbing to 56 percent this year. Currently it is the Girls Middle School.
Jacksonville Junior High School: This school, which became the Boys Middle School in the 2005-06 school year, has always met the racial goals, with black enrollment ranging from 22 percent in 1988-89 to 59 percent this year. Jacksonville High School: Black enrollment has ranged between a low of 22 percent the first year of the study to 50 percent this year.
North Pulaski High School: Black enrollment was below the 20 percent minimum for the first three years covered by the data but has been in compliance since then, with black enrollment currently accounting for 40 percent of the whole.
Northwood Middle School: This school had black enrollment below the 20 percent minimum in 1988-89, but has been in the target range since then.
Black students this year account for 37 percent of all students at this school. Sylvan Hills Middle School: Black enrollment has been between the minimum and maximum every year, beginning with 22 percent black enrollment and growing to 46 percent this year.
Sylvan Hills High School: Black enrollment was below the 20 percent minimum in 1988-89 and 1989-90, but has been in the acceptable range since then. Currently, 45 percent of the school’s enrollment is black.
Leader senior staff writer
Pulaski County Special School District enrollment has dropped consistently over the past 20 years from 21,871 in 1988-89 to 17,040 for the current school year, declining almost every year over that time according to a report issued earlier this month by the Office of Desegregation Monitoring.
Although PCSSD alone among the three Pulaski County districts tied by federal desegregation orders has more white students than black, the number of white students has declined steadily from 16,382 20 years ago to 9,152 today, while the number of black students enrolled has increased steadily from 5,489 to 7,888 for the current school year.
Some blame the decline in enrollment on decaying buildings, others on the perception that the district’s students aren’t doing well academically.
As a result, the district has only about 64 percent of the students it has room for, according to the report, which was prepared by Andree L. Roaf, director of the Office of Desegregation Monitoring, and Polly Ramer, office manager.
It remains to be seen how or whether these numbers will play into the decision of District Judge Bill Wilson on whether or not PCSSD has achieved unitary status and can be released from court oversight. The Office of Desegregation Monitoring is an arm of that court.
Within the district, only Bayou Meto and Harris elementary schools have been excused from the requirement that black student enrollment at each elementary school must range between 20 percent and 51 percent, calculated for this year and that black enrollment for secondary schools must range between 20 percent and 59 percent.
The minimum 20 percent enrollment doesn’t change. The maximum black enrollment changes from year to year, calculated on the racial balance of the district for that year.
Bayou Meto is excused because it is geographically isolated and Harris because the district is trying a neighborhood-school concept there.
District-wide, the percentage of students who are black has climbed an average of 1 percent per year from 1988-89, when it was 25 percent, through
year, when it is 44 percent, according to data in the report.
Black enrollment as a percentage of secondary school enrollment has climbed from 25 percent to 47 percent over the 20-year span. Among district elementary schools, black enrollment has ranged between 26 percent in 1988-89 to 41 percent this year. Here’s a breakdown of area elementary schools.
Adkins Elementary School: The percentage of black enrollment was too high from 1988-89 through 1992-93 and also from 1999-2000 through 2006-07, when the school was rearranged as an early childhood center.
Arnold Drive Elementary School: Black enrollment was too low fro the 1988-89 school year through 1992-93. Since then, the percentage of black students enrolled has ranged between 22 and 35.
Bayou Meto Elementary School: The school’s black enrollment has ranged between 1 percent and 4 percent every year. This school is geographically isolated and exempt from desegregation enrollment minimums and maximums.
Warren Dupree Elementary School: Other than 1988-89, when 19 percent of the students were black, this school’s black enrollment has been in compliance with desegregation goals.
Harris Elementary School: This science, health and space specialty school has had black enrollment above the maximum every year since 1991-92, ranging from 34 percent black to the current rate of 87 percent.
Jacksonville Elementary School: Black enrollment at this school has exceeded the maximum every year since 1995-96 and is currently 61 percent.
Oakbrooke Elementary School: This school, which has topped out this year with 35 percent black enrollment, has been in compliance with guidelines every year except 1991-92 and 1992-93.
Pinewood Elementary School: With 53 percent black enrollment this year, Pinewood fails for the first time in 20 years to keep its enrollment balanced within the guidelines.
Sherwood Elementary School: This school is one of the few that has been between the minimum and maximum percentage of black enrollment every year. Currently, it is 40 percent black, the highest percentage it has had.
Sylvan Hills Elementary School: This school failed to reach the minimum black enrollment for the first five years of the study, but has been in compliance since then, currently with 38 percent black enrollment.
Murrell Taylor Elementary School: This school currently exceeds the maximum with 59 percent black enrollment. It has been over the maximum four of the past five years and also in 1996-97.
Tolleson Elementary School: It had black enrollment of only 16 percent and 15 percent the first two years, but its racial balance has been within the limits since then. Now it’s 35 percent black.
Jacksonville Middle School: The school has met racial guidelines every year of the 20 years studied, starting with 23 percent black enrollment and climbing to 56 percent this year. Currently it is the Girls Middle School.
Jacksonville Junior High School: This school, which became the Boys Middle School in the 2005-06 school year, has always met the racial goals, with black enrollment ranging from 22 percent in 1988-89 to 59 percent this year. Jacksonville High School: Black enrollment has ranged between a low of 22 percent the first year of the study to 50 percent this year.
North Pulaski High School: Black enrollment was below the 20 percent minimum for the first three years covered by the data but has been in compliance since then, with black enrollment currently accounting for 40 percent of the whole.
Northwood Middle School: This school had black enrollment below the 20 percent minimum in 1988-89, but has been in the target range since then.
Black students this year account for 37 percent of all students at this school. Sylvan Hills Middle School: Black enrollment has been between the minimum and maximum every year, beginning with 22 percent black enrollment and growing to 46 percent this year.
Sylvan Hills High School: Black enrollment was below the 20 percent minimum in 1988-89 and 1989-90, but has been in the acceptable range since then. Currently, 45 percent of the school’s enrollment is black.
TOP STORY >>New plans made for course in Sherwood
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Another set of plans to turn the closed 106-acre North Hills Country Club and golf course into a mix of residential homes and commercial property has been submitted to the Sherwood Planning Commission.
Jim Rodgers, whose company owns the acreage, has asked that 14 acres of highway frontage be rezoned to C-3 for commercial development and the remaining 92 acres be approved for single-family homes.
The rezoning should be on the planning commission’s agenda for its January meeting.
“We needed to do something,” Rodgers explained, “rather than just sit here.” Since the building moratorium expired in October, there has been a great deal of interest in the property. “We’ve got lots of interested parties, but no one has come forth, so we decided to go forward.”
Even with development plans turned in, Rodgers said, “We are still looking to sell the property, but if no one comes forward with a reasonable offer, then we’ll move forward.”
One of the parties interested is the city of Sherwood in hopes of maintaining it as a golf course, but Rodgers said there are currently “no active conversations with the city.” The Sherwood City Council passed an ordinance slightly more than a month ago giving the city attorney permission to start negotiations to buy the golf course land.
At the time, Alderman Becki Vassar said, “The ordinance will allow our attorney to talk to the property owner’s attorney. It’s a communication tool. It’s to show that we are serious about this property and that it is far too valuable as a greenbelt in the heart of the city not to make a good-faith effort to buy the property.”
The value of the property has been a variable in the many proposed deals for the acreage. A city-funded feasibility study suggested that Sherwood buy the property for $1.5 million, while a city-funded appraisal puts the property at $2.22 million, the county’s tax appraisal of the property puts it at $3.1 million and before the building moratorium went into effect, there was a $5.1 million offer on the property by businessman Ray Campbell and his company.
Campbell had submitted plans to build a high-end gated community of 200 homes on the property. The homes would have sold in the $300,000 to $400,000 range.
The city’s moratorium thwarted Campbell’s efforts to finance the deal. Rodgers’ company, Club Properties, has maintained that the city had no right to place restrictions on the property, prompting the group to file a lawsuit back in June. That suit is still pending.
Leader staff writer
Another set of plans to turn the closed 106-acre North Hills Country Club and golf course into a mix of residential homes and commercial property has been submitted to the Sherwood Planning Commission.
Jim Rodgers, whose company owns the acreage, has asked that 14 acres of highway frontage be rezoned to C-3 for commercial development and the remaining 92 acres be approved for single-family homes.
The rezoning should be on the planning commission’s agenda for its January meeting.
“We needed to do something,” Rodgers explained, “rather than just sit here.” Since the building moratorium expired in October, there has been a great deal of interest in the property. “We’ve got lots of interested parties, but no one has come forth, so we decided to go forward.”
Even with development plans turned in, Rodgers said, “We are still looking to sell the property, but if no one comes forward with a reasonable offer, then we’ll move forward.”
One of the parties interested is the city of Sherwood in hopes of maintaining it as a golf course, but Rodgers said there are currently “no active conversations with the city.” The Sherwood City Council passed an ordinance slightly more than a month ago giving the city attorney permission to start negotiations to buy the golf course land.
At the time, Alderman Becki Vassar said, “The ordinance will allow our attorney to talk to the property owner’s attorney. It’s a communication tool. It’s to show that we are serious about this property and that it is far too valuable as a greenbelt in the heart of the city not to make a good-faith effort to buy the property.”
The value of the property has been a variable in the many proposed deals for the acreage. A city-funded feasibility study suggested that Sherwood buy the property for $1.5 million, while a city-funded appraisal puts the property at $2.22 million, the county’s tax appraisal of the property puts it at $3.1 million and before the building moratorium went into effect, there was a $5.1 million offer on the property by businessman Ray Campbell and his company.
Campbell had submitted plans to build a high-end gated community of 200 homes on the property. The homes would have sold in the $300,000 to $400,000 range.
The city’s moratorium thwarted Campbell’s efforts to finance the deal. Rodgers’ company, Club Properties, has maintained that the city had no right to place restrictions on the property, prompting the group to file a lawsuit back in June. That suit is still pending.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
SPORTS >>Abundant Life takes two from Bigelow
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Both Abundant Life teams took a break from conference action with a home stand against Bigelow on Tuesday night at the ALS gymnasium. The Owls dominated the finale with a 69-43 win that met the continuous clock for the final eight minutes, while the Lady Owls outlasted the Lady Panthers in a 51-48 thriller to start the evening.
The vibe in the ALS gym was much more casual than the previous night’s league game with Rose Bud. Gone was the pep band and packed stands, but the Owls’ focus and intensity had not wavered since the big rivalry of 24 hours before.
Nelson Boren put the Tim Ballard coached Owls on the board first with an inside shot assisted by Dane Lottner at the 7:39 mark, and Abundant Life never looked back. Bigelow did tie briefly at the 4:21 mark with a shot by Cody Johnson after the Owls went with subs.
The second unit spent almost as much time in the game as the starters for Abundant Life, and proved almost as effective.
Sophomore Cameron Slayton and junior Andrew Chandler served as suitable replacements for standout playmakers Lottner and Colby Woolverton, but the backup unit did not have the pure height that Boren and fellow post Garrett Southerland provided for the starting Owls.
Rebounding was the second team’s primary struggle against the Bigelow starting five, but a three-point shot from Chandler with 4:16 left in the first quarter broke the final tie to put the Owls up 9-6.
The starters came back into the game with 2:47 left in the first half, and Woolverton put himself in the scorers book for the first time all night with a three pointer that gave the Owls a 12-9 lead.
Abundant Life used its height advantage for more than just superior work on the boards. Boren and Southerland provided a wall for Lottner on a pair of three pointers from the left side. The two players side by side proved to be an unpenetratable screen against the Panthers, as Lottner took his time to set up the shot with no contesting to adjust to.
As an integral part of both the varsity rotation and jv team, it was senior forward Robert Perry that saw the most minutes on the floor for Abundant Life on Tuesday. Perry was in the mix defensively all night, and also found his way to the goal on a couple of occasions during the second half.
Perhaps the biggest crowd response of the night came long after the game had been decided, when the legend himself put up two for the Owls. Junior guard Tristan Williford came away with a put back basket at the 3:03 mark to the delight of the AL fans. The sentimental favorite also came up big on the defensive side with five rebounds in the fourth quarter.
Lottner led the Owls with 24 points, with 15 points from Woolverton. Kevin Martin finished with nine points for Abundant Life, while Williford finished with two points and five rebounds. For Bigelow, Cody Jackson led with nine points. The win improves the Owls’ record to 16-4 on the season.
The Lady Owls was far from a blowout. In fact, white-knuckler is a more fitting description for the 51-48 win Abundant Life took over the Lady Panthers in the closing seconds.
It took most of the game to recover from an early 20-10 deficit for the Lady Owls. Bigelow came out strong, hitting five three-point baskets in the opening quarter before the AL defense had time to adjust.
Things began to turn around for Abundant Life in the second half. After heading into the intermission trailing by six, the Lady Owls eventually tied Bigelow before the end of the third frame on their way to claiming a six-point lead mid-way through the fourth quarter.
The Lady Panthers did not fade without a fight, however. They stepped up their offense in the late going to take a two-point lead, but junior Brittany Sharp hit a three-point basket in the final minute to put Abundant Life back in the lead.
Hannah Pastor hit a pair of free throws to keep the Lady Owls out front by one in the final seconds. Bigelow fouled Sharp again in a last-ditch effort, but Sharp made a put-back shot after getting her own rebound off the missed free throws to set the final margin.
“We had a great second half,” Lady Owls coach Justin Mosely said. “They were on fire in the first half; we weren’t defending them like we should have been. They also have a good post player that’s hard to defend. We were able to tie things up in the third quarter and finish out strong.”
Pastor led the Lady Owls with 21 points, with 20 points from Sharp. Candace Eudy rounded out high scorers for Abundant Life with eight points. For Bigelow, Whitney Hood led all scorers with 22 points. The win improves the Lady Owls’ record to 7-13 on the season.
Leader sportswriter
Both Abundant Life teams took a break from conference action with a home stand against Bigelow on Tuesday night at the ALS gymnasium. The Owls dominated the finale with a 69-43 win that met the continuous clock for the final eight minutes, while the Lady Owls outlasted the Lady Panthers in a 51-48 thriller to start the evening.
The vibe in the ALS gym was much more casual than the previous night’s league game with Rose Bud. Gone was the pep band and packed stands, but the Owls’ focus and intensity had not wavered since the big rivalry of 24 hours before.
Nelson Boren put the Tim Ballard coached Owls on the board first with an inside shot assisted by Dane Lottner at the 7:39 mark, and Abundant Life never looked back. Bigelow did tie briefly at the 4:21 mark with a shot by Cody Johnson after the Owls went with subs.
The second unit spent almost as much time in the game as the starters for Abundant Life, and proved almost as effective.
Sophomore Cameron Slayton and junior Andrew Chandler served as suitable replacements for standout playmakers Lottner and Colby Woolverton, but the backup unit did not have the pure height that Boren and fellow post Garrett Southerland provided for the starting Owls.
Rebounding was the second team’s primary struggle against the Bigelow starting five, but a three-point shot from Chandler with 4:16 left in the first quarter broke the final tie to put the Owls up 9-6.
The starters came back into the game with 2:47 left in the first half, and Woolverton put himself in the scorers book for the first time all night with a three pointer that gave the Owls a 12-9 lead.
Abundant Life used its height advantage for more than just superior work on the boards. Boren and Southerland provided a wall for Lottner on a pair of three pointers from the left side. The two players side by side proved to be an unpenetratable screen against the Panthers, as Lottner took his time to set up the shot with no contesting to adjust to.
As an integral part of both the varsity rotation and jv team, it was senior forward Robert Perry that saw the most minutes on the floor for Abundant Life on Tuesday. Perry was in the mix defensively all night, and also found his way to the goal on a couple of occasions during the second half.
Perhaps the biggest crowd response of the night came long after the game had been decided, when the legend himself put up two for the Owls. Junior guard Tristan Williford came away with a put back basket at the 3:03 mark to the delight of the AL fans. The sentimental favorite also came up big on the defensive side with five rebounds in the fourth quarter.
Lottner led the Owls with 24 points, with 15 points from Woolverton. Kevin Martin finished with nine points for Abundant Life, while Williford finished with two points and five rebounds. For Bigelow, Cody Jackson led with nine points. The win improves the Owls’ record to 16-4 on the season.
The Lady Owls was far from a blowout. In fact, white-knuckler is a more fitting description for the 51-48 win Abundant Life took over the Lady Panthers in the closing seconds.
It took most of the game to recover from an early 20-10 deficit for the Lady Owls. Bigelow came out strong, hitting five three-point baskets in the opening quarter before the AL defense had time to adjust.
Things began to turn around for Abundant Life in the second half. After heading into the intermission trailing by six, the Lady Owls eventually tied Bigelow before the end of the third frame on their way to claiming a six-point lead mid-way through the fourth quarter.
The Lady Panthers did not fade without a fight, however. They stepped up their offense in the late going to take a two-point lead, but junior Brittany Sharp hit a three-point basket in the final minute to put Abundant Life back in the lead.
Hannah Pastor hit a pair of free throws to keep the Lady Owls out front by one in the final seconds. Bigelow fouled Sharp again in a last-ditch effort, but Sharp made a put-back shot after getting her own rebound off the missed free throws to set the final margin.
“We had a great second half,” Lady Owls coach Justin Mosely said. “They were on fire in the first half; we weren’t defending them like we should have been. They also have a good post player that’s hard to defend. We were able to tie things up in the third quarter and finish out strong.”
Pastor led the Lady Owls with 21 points, with 20 points from Sharp. Candace Eudy rounded out high scorers for Abundant Life with eight points. For Bigelow, Whitney Hood led all scorers with 22 points. The win improves the Lady Owls’ record to 7-13 on the season.
SPORTS >>Bears get back at Hornets in thriller
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Sylvan Hills went into the holiday break on a strong note with a sweep over visiting Oak Grove on Thursday night at the SHHS gymnasium. The boys game ended up with a dramatic conclusion in which the Bears took a 65-62 win, while the girls opener was over before it started with an easy 56-19 victory for the Lady Bears.
Senior Kai Randolph lit up the Hornets with 23 points for Sylvan Hills, 15 of which came from blasts behind the arc. Randolph used turnarounds, fades, and anything else to catch Oak Grove defenders off guard, and responded well to every adjustment they made by moving his range out further as the game went on.
“I felt good about this game coming in,” Sylvan Hills coach Kevin Davis said. “This is a small, young group, and we knew Oak Grove would come in here and play hard. Hats off to coach Herring; they came in here and made it interesting. It’s kind of strange to play someone who runs a lot of the same things that you do; we had to add some wrinkles, and I think that’s part of what had us out of sync a little bit early on.”
Davis also had high praise for his young shooter.
“By the time Kai leaves here, he will probably be the best pure shooter I’ve ever had,” Davis said. “I’ve had a lot of really great shooters over the years, but his release is so smooth. He didn’t play very much on the floor for us last year, but even though he wasn’t seeing a lot of time, he was still working hard.”
Eight points was the biggest lead the Bears emjoyed all night. The Hornets came back from an early deficit to tie the game at 16-16 after one, and led most of the second quarter until Randolph launched another long ball to put the Bears ahead 27-24 at the intermission.
Sylvan Hills had its biggest surge in the middle of the third quarter. Randolph and P.J. Ross put their superior communication skills between each other to work inthe third, with some good dishes from Randolph to Ross under the hoop. That’s not to say the Randolph stopped scoring as well. A three-point basket by Randolph at the 3:44 mark put the Bears up 41-33, prompting the Hornets to take a time out and regroup.
The Hornets fought their way back through the fourth period, and had their chance to steal the win away in the final minute.
A back court violation against Sylvan Hills gave the Hornets possession while trailing by only one point at 63-62. Cedrick Williams took a shot under the goal that didn’t fall, and teammate Joloni Patterson picked up the rebound. Patterson tried to drive it back inside, but stepped on the base line, giving the ball back to the Bears with four seconds left to play.
Randolph led the Bears with 23 points. Ross added 13 points for the Bears. Sylvan Hills improved to 3-6 on the season with the win.
The Lady Bears made fast work of Oak Grove in the opener. Sylvan Hills rushed out to a 21-1 lead during the opening period, and went with subs for most of the remainder after starting post player Trinity Thomas lit up the Lady Hornets for eight points in the first quarter.
Sylvan Hills did their part with a good defensive push early, but the Lady Hornets proved to be their own worst enemy in several cases. Oak Grove responded badly to the SH press, throwing the ball out of bounds seven times in the first quarter alone.
Oak Grove finally scored its first field goal with 5:00 left in the first half, which made the score 24-5. Mercedes Gains scored both goals for the Lady Hornets in the first half, with the remainding points coming off free throws by Sherry Murphy. Sylvan Hillls led 29-10 at the intermission, and another brief run by the starting five in the third quarter pushed the game into sportsmanship-rule status by the end of the frame. Dede Lewis scored two baskets in the late going to give the Lady Bears a 47-18 lead through three quarters.
Thomas led the Lady Bears with 16 points. Lewis added nine, with seven points from Terica Kendrick. Dedosha Dennis finished with six, and Latrina Brandon added five points.
Leader sportswriter
Sylvan Hills went into the holiday break on a strong note with a sweep over visiting Oak Grove on Thursday night at the SHHS gymnasium. The boys game ended up with a dramatic conclusion in which the Bears took a 65-62 win, while the girls opener was over before it started with an easy 56-19 victory for the Lady Bears.
Senior Kai Randolph lit up the Hornets with 23 points for Sylvan Hills, 15 of which came from blasts behind the arc. Randolph used turnarounds, fades, and anything else to catch Oak Grove defenders off guard, and responded well to every adjustment they made by moving his range out further as the game went on.
“I felt good about this game coming in,” Sylvan Hills coach Kevin Davis said. “This is a small, young group, and we knew Oak Grove would come in here and play hard. Hats off to coach Herring; they came in here and made it interesting. It’s kind of strange to play someone who runs a lot of the same things that you do; we had to add some wrinkles, and I think that’s part of what had us out of sync a little bit early on.”
Davis also had high praise for his young shooter.
“By the time Kai leaves here, he will probably be the best pure shooter I’ve ever had,” Davis said. “I’ve had a lot of really great shooters over the years, but his release is so smooth. He didn’t play very much on the floor for us last year, but even though he wasn’t seeing a lot of time, he was still working hard.”
Eight points was the biggest lead the Bears emjoyed all night. The Hornets came back from an early deficit to tie the game at 16-16 after one, and led most of the second quarter until Randolph launched another long ball to put the Bears ahead 27-24 at the intermission.
Sylvan Hills had its biggest surge in the middle of the third quarter. Randolph and P.J. Ross put their superior communication skills between each other to work inthe third, with some good dishes from Randolph to Ross under the hoop. That’s not to say the Randolph stopped scoring as well. A three-point basket by Randolph at the 3:44 mark put the Bears up 41-33, prompting the Hornets to take a time out and regroup.
The Hornets fought their way back through the fourth period, and had their chance to steal the win away in the final minute.
A back court violation against Sylvan Hills gave the Hornets possession while trailing by only one point at 63-62. Cedrick Williams took a shot under the goal that didn’t fall, and teammate Joloni Patterson picked up the rebound. Patterson tried to drive it back inside, but stepped on the base line, giving the ball back to the Bears with four seconds left to play.
Randolph led the Bears with 23 points. Ross added 13 points for the Bears. Sylvan Hills improved to 3-6 on the season with the win.
The Lady Bears made fast work of Oak Grove in the opener. Sylvan Hills rushed out to a 21-1 lead during the opening period, and went with subs for most of the remainder after starting post player Trinity Thomas lit up the Lady Hornets for eight points in the first quarter.
Sylvan Hills did their part with a good defensive push early, but the Lady Hornets proved to be their own worst enemy in several cases. Oak Grove responded badly to the SH press, throwing the ball out of bounds seven times in the first quarter alone.
Oak Grove finally scored its first field goal with 5:00 left in the first half, which made the score 24-5. Mercedes Gains scored both goals for the Lady Hornets in the first half, with the remainding points coming off free throws by Sherry Murphy. Sylvan Hillls led 29-10 at the intermission, and another brief run by the starting five in the third quarter pushed the game into sportsmanship-rule status by the end of the frame. Dede Lewis scored two baskets in the late going to give the Lady Bears a 47-18 lead through three quarters.
Thomas led the Lady Bears with 16 points. Lewis added nine, with seven points from Terica Kendrick. Dedosha Dennis finished with six, and Latrina Brandon added five points.
SPORTS >>Lady Devils topple Hall
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Lady Red Devils got their fourth win of the season Tuesday night, beating Little Rock Hall 38-32 and improving to 4-5 on the year. Jacksonville ran out to a big early lead, but Hall came back and led briefly in the fourth quarter, but reserve guard Sherice Randel provided a surprising spark that lifted Jacksonville to the win.
Hall took its lead by scoring the first five points of the final frame to go up 29-28, but Jacksonville closed the game with a 10-3 run to seal the win.
Both teams got out of the gate slowly. The score was stuck at 5-2 until 1:20 left in the quarter when junior Tyra Terry hit a three pointer. Hall didn’t score a field goal until 13 seconds later when Kyla Jackson hit a running jumper that set the score for the end of the period.
The Lady Red Devils began to pick up ball pressure at midcourt in the second quarter, and Hall had no immediate answer. Jacksonville forced three straight turnovers and scored five points off those turnovers to push its lead to 13-4 just a minute into the second frame.
The margin stayed in that range for the rest of the period, and the two teams went into halftime with Jacksonville leading 22-13.
Hall then began pressuring the ball in the third quarter, and Jacksonville likewise began to turn it over.
In all, the Lady Devils gave it up 13 times in the third quarter alone, and managed just six points in the quarter. They still led 28-24 at the end of the third, but they would relinquish that lead with 6:40 left in the game when a basket by Brianna Tillman tied it at 28-28.
Hall took its first lead with 5:22 left on a free throw by Tillman.
The two teams then traded foul shots, and Jacksonville took the lead back for good on a bucket by Randel with 3:14 left in the game.
Less than a minute later after a Jacksonville defensive stop, Randel missed, post player Kita Walker got the rebound and missed, and Randel scavenged her miss for a putback and a 33-30 Jacksonville lead with 2:30 left.
Terry then got a steal and fed Walker for a layup to make it 35-30 with 1:30 remaining in the game.
Shandrice Walton answered for Hall to make it 35-32 with 54 seconds remaining, and the Lady Warriors were forced to begin fouling.
Jacksonville made just two of four foul shots in the final seconds, but kept Hall from scoring to secure the win.
Randel led the Lady Devils with 10 points, all of which came in the second half, including six of the final eight points of the game.
Kita Walker scored six points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Terry followed her double double of assists and rebounds against North Pulaski with another solid statistical game. She finished with five points, six boards, six steals, three assists and three blocks.
Sophomore post player Jessica Lanier finished with nine points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots.
Latrice Walton led Hall with nine points and 10 rebounds.
Jacksonville finished with 28 turnovers, but only three in the fourth quarter.
Hall had 29 giveaways.
Jacksonville is off until it opens the Red Devil Classic at 2:30 p.m. Thursday against Pine Bluff Dollarway.
Leader sports editor
The Lady Red Devils got their fourth win of the season Tuesday night, beating Little Rock Hall 38-32 and improving to 4-5 on the year. Jacksonville ran out to a big early lead, but Hall came back and led briefly in the fourth quarter, but reserve guard Sherice Randel provided a surprising spark that lifted Jacksonville to the win.
Hall took its lead by scoring the first five points of the final frame to go up 29-28, but Jacksonville closed the game with a 10-3 run to seal the win.
Both teams got out of the gate slowly. The score was stuck at 5-2 until 1:20 left in the quarter when junior Tyra Terry hit a three pointer. Hall didn’t score a field goal until 13 seconds later when Kyla Jackson hit a running jumper that set the score for the end of the period.
The Lady Red Devils began to pick up ball pressure at midcourt in the second quarter, and Hall had no immediate answer. Jacksonville forced three straight turnovers and scored five points off those turnovers to push its lead to 13-4 just a minute into the second frame.
The margin stayed in that range for the rest of the period, and the two teams went into halftime with Jacksonville leading 22-13.
Hall then began pressuring the ball in the third quarter, and Jacksonville likewise began to turn it over.
In all, the Lady Devils gave it up 13 times in the third quarter alone, and managed just six points in the quarter. They still led 28-24 at the end of the third, but they would relinquish that lead with 6:40 left in the game when a basket by Brianna Tillman tied it at 28-28.
Hall took its first lead with 5:22 left on a free throw by Tillman.
The two teams then traded foul shots, and Jacksonville took the lead back for good on a bucket by Randel with 3:14 left in the game.
Less than a minute later after a Jacksonville defensive stop, Randel missed, post player Kita Walker got the rebound and missed, and Randel scavenged her miss for a putback and a 33-30 Jacksonville lead with 2:30 left.
Terry then got a steal and fed Walker for a layup to make it 35-30 with 1:30 remaining in the game.
Shandrice Walton answered for Hall to make it 35-32 with 54 seconds remaining, and the Lady Warriors were forced to begin fouling.
Jacksonville made just two of four foul shots in the final seconds, but kept Hall from scoring to secure the win.
Randel led the Lady Devils with 10 points, all of which came in the second half, including six of the final eight points of the game.
Kita Walker scored six points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Terry followed her double double of assists and rebounds against North Pulaski with another solid statistical game. She finished with five points, six boards, six steals, three assists and three blocks.
Sophomore post player Jessica Lanier finished with nine points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots.
Latrice Walton led Hall with nine points and 10 rebounds.
Jacksonville finished with 28 turnovers, but only three in the fourth quarter.
Hall had 29 giveaways.
Jacksonville is off until it opens the Red Devil Classic at 2:30 p.m. Thursday against Pine Bluff Dollarway.
EVENTS>> Fall 2007
Literacy group seeks books, sets new hours
The Literacy Council of Lonoke County needs donated books for the Book Nook.
Books are free to students enrolled in the literacy program. Books may be purchased by the public for a small donation — 50 cents for paperbacks and $1 for hardbound books. The resale bookstore offers the community an opportunity to support the county’s literacy efforts.
The Book Nook is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday. It is located behind the Lonoke County Courthouse and there is also a 24-hour book drop.
The council is a nonprofit organization which teaches students how to read and write. The council was recently awarded the Excellence in Education Award by the Arkansas Literacy Councils, Inc.
For more information, call 501-676-7478.
Cabot church to host Christmas feast for residents
Cabot United Methodist Church will host a Christmas feast for area residents who either have no place to spend Christmas Day or cannot afford a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.
The feast will be served from noon until 2 p.m. Christmas Day in the CUMC Family Life Center, 2003 S. Pine St., Cabot. There is no charge for the meal. For more information, contact Mary Kay Lieblong, Cabot United Methodist Church, (501) 843-3541.
Jacksonville wants nominations for annual award
Do you know someone who enriches Jacksonville through meaningful service to the Natural State? Nominate your ideal civic leader for the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award.
The Citizen of the Year award is given to a person who: 1) Has made major contributions to the betterment of Jacksonville; 2) Has distinguished himself or herself through outstanding service to the community; and 3) Typifies the true spirit of service and self-sacrifice in representing the finest ideal of Jacksonville citizenship.
The 2007 Citizen of the Year will be honored at the 60th annual banquet on Jan. 29. The application includes a nomination form, a brief biographical sketch of the nominee, and supporting testimonials. The deadline for nominations is Jan. 20.
Contact Amy Mattison, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, with any questions or to receive a nomination form: email, events@jacksonville-arkansas.com, or call (501) 982-1511.
Cabot chamber seeks recommendations for award
The Cabot Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for 2007 Cabot Citizen of the Year. The individual selected will be recognized at the Cabot Chamber of Commerce annual banquet to be held Jan. 18. A nominee for this award should be a person who has demonstrated through definable, exceptional deeds that he or she has made the Cabot area a better place to live.
Nominees must live within the Cabot School District. Activities of the nominee include volunteer efforts, extraordinary service to the community in their professional or personal endeavors, or the ability to affect change through a combination of both.
Citizen of the Year forms may be picked up at the chamber office located at 110 S. First Street, Cabot or call the chamber at 843-2136 to have one mailed or emailed.
Completed forms should be mailed to the Cabot Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 631, Cabot, Ark. 72023 or emailed to chamber@cabotarkansas.us.
The deadline for submission of the application is Dec. 31, 2007.
The Literacy Council of Lonoke County needs donated books for the Book Nook.
Books are free to students enrolled in the literacy program. Books may be purchased by the public for a small donation — 50 cents for paperbacks and $1 for hardbound books. The resale bookstore offers the community an opportunity to support the county’s literacy efforts.
The Book Nook is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday. It is located behind the Lonoke County Courthouse and there is also a 24-hour book drop.
The council is a nonprofit organization which teaches students how to read and write. The council was recently awarded the Excellence in Education Award by the Arkansas Literacy Councils, Inc.
For more information, call 501-676-7478.
Cabot church to host Christmas feast for residents
Cabot United Methodist Church will host a Christmas feast for area residents who either have no place to spend Christmas Day or cannot afford a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.
The feast will be served from noon until 2 p.m. Christmas Day in the CUMC Family Life Center, 2003 S. Pine St., Cabot. There is no charge for the meal. For more information, contact Mary Kay Lieblong, Cabot United Methodist Church, (501) 843-3541.
Jacksonville wants nominations for annual award
Do you know someone who enriches Jacksonville through meaningful service to the Natural State? Nominate your ideal civic leader for the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award.
The Citizen of the Year award is given to a person who: 1) Has made major contributions to the betterment of Jacksonville; 2) Has distinguished himself or herself through outstanding service to the community; and 3) Typifies the true spirit of service and self-sacrifice in representing the finest ideal of Jacksonville citizenship.
The 2007 Citizen of the Year will be honored at the 60th annual banquet on Jan. 29. The application includes a nomination form, a brief biographical sketch of the nominee, and supporting testimonials. The deadline for nominations is Jan. 20.
Contact Amy Mattison, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, with any questions or to receive a nomination form: email, events@jacksonville-arkansas.com, or call (501) 982-1511.
Cabot chamber seeks recommendations for award
The Cabot Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for 2007 Cabot Citizen of the Year. The individual selected will be recognized at the Cabot Chamber of Commerce annual banquet to be held Jan. 18. A nominee for this award should be a person who has demonstrated through definable, exceptional deeds that he or she has made the Cabot area a better place to live.
Nominees must live within the Cabot School District. Activities of the nominee include volunteer efforts, extraordinary service to the community in their professional or personal endeavors, or the ability to affect change through a combination of both.
Citizen of the Year forms may be picked up at the chamber office located at 110 S. First Street, Cabot or call the chamber at 843-2136 to have one mailed or emailed.
Completed forms should be mailed to the Cabot Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 631, Cabot, Ark. 72023 or emailed to chamber@cabotarkansas.us.
The deadline for submission of the application is Dec. 31, 2007.
OBITUARIES >> 12-22-07
Evelyn Miller
Evelyn M. Miller, 96, passed away Dec. 19 at Golden Years Manor in Lonoke after living a long and extraordinarily blessed life.
Born Oct. 1, 1911 to William and Madia Jane Boyd, Evelyn was one of five children. She grew up and graduated high school in Humphrey and went on to study nursing at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock.
In 1931 she married Howard W. Jennings and had two daughters, Boydice Ann and Joyce. She married Noble V. Miller in 1936 and had one daughter, Maida.
Evelyn was active in the Lonoke community, a past member of the Lonoke Baptist Church and was a member of the Eastern Stars. She was deputized and served as acting sheriff of Lonoke County, when her husband, Sheriff Noble V. Miller, was in the Navy in San Diego .
The couple purchased several cottages on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, where they operated the small resort and enjoyed life swimming and fishing with their family. They later moved to Oklahoma City, where her husband founded Investor’s Life Insurance Co.
She was known as “Eka” to her grandchildren who love her dearly. She often took extended summer trips across country with each of them for treasured one-on-one time. She loved to travel and was an active member of the Good Sam RV Club, where she participated in many cross-country caravans. One of her treasured possessions was an atlas given to her by her granddaughter, Lynn. She took pleasure in teaching her grandchildren how to cook, crochet and garden which was one of her favorite pastimes.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Noble, and daughter, Boydice Ann.
She is survived by daughters, Joyce and husban John Pack of Lonoke and Maida Maxwell of Midwest City, Okla.; six grandchildren, Michael and wife Jan Pack, Pamela and husband Richard Burt, Debbie Bunting, Mark and wife Shala Pack, Lynn Bunting and David Pack; as well as nine great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends and family from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 at Boyd Funeral Home in Lonoke. A graveside service will follow at noon in Mulberry Cemetery in England.
Special thanks to the caring staff and residents of Golden Years Manor.
Chris Flurry
Chris Flurry, loved by family and friends, passed away Dec. 16 at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, after a brief but fierce battle with liver cancer.
Her husband Greg, sons Mitchell and Jared, and daughter-in-law Stephanie were with her at the end.
She was born to Charles and Ruby Bobo on Nov. 9, 1953 in Memphis and was raised in Jacksonville.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in education from the University of Kentucky.
She taught eighth grade Earth science in Lexington, Ky., before moving to New York and then, in 1982, to Austin, Texas.
She spent the next 25 years raising a wonderful family and cultivating friendships at work and play. Her passions were her family, her friends and her pets. She put all of these ahead of herself.
For many years, she was a soccer, baseball, football and basketball mom while she nurtured her sons so they became wonderful, successful young men. She cherished visits and vacations with her sister, brother, sister-in-law, nieces and nephews. She treated her dogs, and especially her cats, with the same tenderness as her family.
In her last few years, she devoted most of her energy to Bethany United Methodist Church and the people of it. She contributed to all 18 care ministries, and especially enjoyed working with the Prime Timers, the elderly within the church. She also volunteered in the House of Friends respite- care program. In the most recent demonstration of her passion for people, she found the time to complete the prerequisites for, and be admitted to nursing school.
She lived her too-short life with a grace which only love and peace within, and contentment in the Lord, could create. She mastered a beautiful dance — a melody of goodness in the soul. Her greatest achievement, though, was the love which was so wonderfully and spontaneously generated by her warm presence. She’s gone and will be sorely missed, but above all, she will be remembered by the so very many that she loved and loved her.
There was a memorial service for her at Bethany Methodist Church, Austin, Texas, Dec. 20.
She will be interred with her parents at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Memorial Park in North Little Rock at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society, or one of the church groups for which she was so passionate—the Prime Timers, or the House of Friends (c/o Bethany United Methodist Church).
Ralph Morris
CMSGT, Ralph P. Morris, Sr., 77, of Jacksonville was called home to the Lord Dec. 15.
Born July 31, 1930 in Electra, Texas to the late Walter and Catherine Morris, he was youngest of four children.
As a veteran, he served his country for 27 years in the Air Force, where he retired as a chief master sergeant. He then went on to work at UAMS for 17 years in the physical plant as an assistant director before retiring.
He valued God, family and friends. Always being a generous person his whole life, Ralph often helped others without a second thought. Many of us have fond memories of his joking nature and sportsman-like conduct.
He enjoyed laughing, taking care of others and seeing the best side of life. His second home was McArthur Assembly of God Church.
Nothing pleased him more than going to church. His many friends and family will miss him greatly.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 56 years, Helen Marie Morris in November 2006; his daughter, Joy Gail Morris; one daughter-in-law, Patrice Morris; his loving parents, Walter and Catherine Morris; two brothers, Milford and Bob Morris; and one sister, Babe Morris.
He is survived by two sons, Ralph, Jr. and Terry Morris; daughter-in-law, Sharon Morris; five grandchildren, Danielle, Jarid, Beau, Shaleen and Jordan; five great-grandchildren, Carissa, Devon, Amber, Nathan and Austin.
Funeral services were Dec. 20 at McArthur Assembly of God Church in Jacksonville with interment following at Arkansas State Veteran’s Cemetery in North Little Rock with military honors.
In lieu of flowers donations should be made to McArthur Assembly of God Church, 3501 John Harden Dr., Jacksonville, Ark. 72076. Funeral arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
Selma Magness
Selma Magness, 85, of Sherwood passed away Dec. 18.
She was a member of Sylvan Hills United Methodist Church.
She is survived by her daughter, JoAnn Heslep and husband Larry of Sherwood; three grandsons, Jeff and wife Jan Heslep, of Georgetown, Greg and wife Angela Heslep of North Little Rock and Keith and wife Sandra Heslep of Cabot; five great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; sister, Gloria McConnell of Booneville and a host of relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roland Magness.Memorials may be made to American Diabetes Association, 320 Executive Court, Ste. 104, Little Rock, Ark. 72204.
Funeral services were Dec. 21 at Sylvan Hills United Methodist Church.
Graveside services were at Harmony Cemetery in Center Hill. Funeral arrangments were by North Little Rock Funeral Home.
Carolyn Johnson
Carolyn Faye Richey Johnson passed away Dec. 18.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Lucille Vansell Richey, and her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Vansell.
She is survived by two daughters, Molly C. Martinez of Jacksonville and Kimberly G. Hale of Cleveland, Ohio; two brothers, Ellis Faye Richey and Billy Wayne Richey; nine grandchildren, Jacob S. Williams III, Christopher Williams, Victoria Williams, Jeffrey Williams, Jessica Peak, Heather Blackwell, Samuel Martinez, Stormey Gale Martinez and Ronnie Hale III, all of Avonlake, Ohio; and 10 great-grandchildren.
In loving memory of our mother, a memorial service was held Dec. 21 in the chapel of North Jacksonville Church of Christ.
Funeral arrangements were by Wood Funeral Home of Jacksonville.
Evelyn M. Miller, 96, passed away Dec. 19 at Golden Years Manor in Lonoke after living a long and extraordinarily blessed life.
Born Oct. 1, 1911 to William and Madia Jane Boyd, Evelyn was one of five children. She grew up and graduated high school in Humphrey and went on to study nursing at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock.
In 1931 she married Howard W. Jennings and had two daughters, Boydice Ann and Joyce. She married Noble V. Miller in 1936 and had one daughter, Maida.
Evelyn was active in the Lonoke community, a past member of the Lonoke Baptist Church and was a member of the Eastern Stars. She was deputized and served as acting sheriff of Lonoke County, when her husband, Sheriff Noble V. Miller, was in the Navy in San Diego .
The couple purchased several cottages on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, where they operated the small resort and enjoyed life swimming and fishing with their family. They later moved to Oklahoma City, where her husband founded Investor’s Life Insurance Co.
She was known as “Eka” to her grandchildren who love her dearly. She often took extended summer trips across country with each of them for treasured one-on-one time. She loved to travel and was an active member of the Good Sam RV Club, where she participated in many cross-country caravans. One of her treasured possessions was an atlas given to her by her granddaughter, Lynn. She took pleasure in teaching her grandchildren how to cook, crochet and garden which was one of her favorite pastimes.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Noble, and daughter, Boydice Ann.
She is survived by daughters, Joyce and husban John Pack of Lonoke and Maida Maxwell of Midwest City, Okla.; six grandchildren, Michael and wife Jan Pack, Pamela and husband Richard Burt, Debbie Bunting, Mark and wife Shala Pack, Lynn Bunting and David Pack; as well as nine great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends and family from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 at Boyd Funeral Home in Lonoke. A graveside service will follow at noon in Mulberry Cemetery in England.
Special thanks to the caring staff and residents of Golden Years Manor.
Chris Flurry
Chris Flurry, loved by family and friends, passed away Dec. 16 at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, after a brief but fierce battle with liver cancer.
Her husband Greg, sons Mitchell and Jared, and daughter-in-law Stephanie were with her at the end.
She was born to Charles and Ruby Bobo on Nov. 9, 1953 in Memphis and was raised in Jacksonville.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in education from the University of Kentucky.
She taught eighth grade Earth science in Lexington, Ky., before moving to New York and then, in 1982, to Austin, Texas.
She spent the next 25 years raising a wonderful family and cultivating friendships at work and play. Her passions were her family, her friends and her pets. She put all of these ahead of herself.
For many years, she was a soccer, baseball, football and basketball mom while she nurtured her sons so they became wonderful, successful young men. She cherished visits and vacations with her sister, brother, sister-in-law, nieces and nephews. She treated her dogs, and especially her cats, with the same tenderness as her family.
In her last few years, she devoted most of her energy to Bethany United Methodist Church and the people of it. She contributed to all 18 care ministries, and especially enjoyed working with the Prime Timers, the elderly within the church. She also volunteered in the House of Friends respite- care program. In the most recent demonstration of her passion for people, she found the time to complete the prerequisites for, and be admitted to nursing school.
She lived her too-short life with a grace which only love and peace within, and contentment in the Lord, could create. She mastered a beautiful dance — a melody of goodness in the soul. Her greatest achievement, though, was the love which was so wonderfully and spontaneously generated by her warm presence. She’s gone and will be sorely missed, but above all, she will be remembered by the so very many that she loved and loved her.
There was a memorial service for her at Bethany Methodist Church, Austin, Texas, Dec. 20.
She will be interred with her parents at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Memorial Park in North Little Rock at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society, or one of the church groups for which she was so passionate—the Prime Timers, or the House of Friends (c/o Bethany United Methodist Church).
Ralph Morris
CMSGT, Ralph P. Morris, Sr., 77, of Jacksonville was called home to the Lord Dec. 15.
Born July 31, 1930 in Electra, Texas to the late Walter and Catherine Morris, he was youngest of four children.
As a veteran, he served his country for 27 years in the Air Force, where he retired as a chief master sergeant. He then went on to work at UAMS for 17 years in the physical plant as an assistant director before retiring.
He valued God, family and friends. Always being a generous person his whole life, Ralph often helped others without a second thought. Many of us have fond memories of his joking nature and sportsman-like conduct.
He enjoyed laughing, taking care of others and seeing the best side of life. His second home was McArthur Assembly of God Church.
Nothing pleased him more than going to church. His many friends and family will miss him greatly.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 56 years, Helen Marie Morris in November 2006; his daughter, Joy Gail Morris; one daughter-in-law, Patrice Morris; his loving parents, Walter and Catherine Morris; two brothers, Milford and Bob Morris; and one sister, Babe Morris.
He is survived by two sons, Ralph, Jr. and Terry Morris; daughter-in-law, Sharon Morris; five grandchildren, Danielle, Jarid, Beau, Shaleen and Jordan; five great-grandchildren, Carissa, Devon, Amber, Nathan and Austin.
Funeral services were Dec. 20 at McArthur Assembly of God Church in Jacksonville with interment following at Arkansas State Veteran’s Cemetery in North Little Rock with military honors.
In lieu of flowers donations should be made to McArthur Assembly of God Church, 3501 John Harden Dr., Jacksonville, Ark. 72076. Funeral arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
Selma Magness
Selma Magness, 85, of Sherwood passed away Dec. 18.
She was a member of Sylvan Hills United Methodist Church.
She is survived by her daughter, JoAnn Heslep and husband Larry of Sherwood; three grandsons, Jeff and wife Jan Heslep, of Georgetown, Greg and wife Angela Heslep of North Little Rock and Keith and wife Sandra Heslep of Cabot; five great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; sister, Gloria McConnell of Booneville and a host of relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roland Magness.Memorials may be made to American Diabetes Association, 320 Executive Court, Ste. 104, Little Rock, Ark. 72204.
Funeral services were Dec. 21 at Sylvan Hills United Methodist Church.
Graveside services were at Harmony Cemetery in Center Hill. Funeral arrangments were by North Little Rock Funeral Home.
Carolyn Johnson
Carolyn Faye Richey Johnson passed away Dec. 18.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Lucille Vansell Richey, and her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Vansell.
She is survived by two daughters, Molly C. Martinez of Jacksonville and Kimberly G. Hale of Cleveland, Ohio; two brothers, Ellis Faye Richey and Billy Wayne Richey; nine grandchildren, Jacob S. Williams III, Christopher Williams, Victoria Williams, Jeffrey Williams, Jessica Peak, Heather Blackwell, Samuel Martinez, Stormey Gale Martinez and Ronnie Hale III, all of Avonlake, Ohio; and 10 great-grandchildren.
In loving memory of our mother, a memorial service was held Dec. 21 in the chapel of North Jacksonville Church of Christ.
Funeral arrangements were by Wood Funeral Home of Jacksonville.
EDITORIALS>>The Christmas child
To the editor:
As we celebrate this Christmas Day, let us remember the Christ child born in the hay.
He attracted Three Wise Men from afar, guided to Bethlehem by a big bright star.
They gave Him gifts to show their love, for the Son of God, sent from above.
The prince of peace, Jesus was his name, this sinful world was never the same.
He was the only one to live without sin, He performed miracles again and again.
Healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, taught others to be loving and kind.
With five fish and two loaves of bread, five thousand hungry people were fed.
He walked on water, parted the sea
And died on the cross for you and me.
He bore our burdens, our troubles and strifes, and promised us all eternal life.
He forgives our sins, eases our pain, all he asks is to praise his name.
So we honor the Christ child born in the hay, and praise the Lord Jesus, for this is your day.
Troy Edwards
Austin
As we celebrate this Christmas Day, let us remember the Christ child born in the hay.
He attracted Three Wise Men from afar, guided to Bethlehem by a big bright star.
They gave Him gifts to show their love, for the Son of God, sent from above.
The prince of peace, Jesus was his name, this sinful world was never the same.
He was the only one to live without sin, He performed miracles again and again.
Healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, taught others to be loving and kind.
With five fish and two loaves of bread, five thousand hungry people were fed.
He walked on water, parted the sea
And died on the cross for you and me.
He bore our burdens, our troubles and strifes, and promised us all eternal life.
He forgives our sins, eases our pain, all he asks is to praise his name.
So we honor the Christ child born in the hay, and praise the Lord Jesus, for this is your day.
Troy Edwards
Austin
EDITORIALS>>Late with FOIs
To the editor:
All I want for Christmas is what I asked for…
Government entities and their employees who are entrusted with the care, management, and disposition of properties on behalf of others and who are accountable for such activities act in a fiduciary capacity.
This fiduciary capacity places a great responsibility on those who spend tax revenues and on their reporting responsibility to citizens. Part of this capacity is to comply with federal regulations, specifically the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for supplying information to citizens who request it.
The FOIA regulations require a response within 72 hours if the documents are available and there are penalties imposed for negligence. A $200 fine and 30 days in jail, or both.
I requested monthly financial statements from Cabot’s “custodian of the records” for each of the following months.
July financial statements were received Aug. 14.
August financial statements were received Oct. 8. September financial statements were received Nov. 13.
October financial statements have not been received as of Dec. 15 and no indication of when to expect them. November financial statements “should be available Jan. 8, 2008.” Do we see a trend here?
As I have stated several times in emails to the “custodian of the records” and other city officials, the city has gone back to the cash basis of accounting.
So closing out each month is as simple as reconciling the bank account at the end of the month and then printing the financial statements. The whole process should not take more than two days. Been there, done that. So at the very least, cash-basis statements should be ready by the 10th of each month.
I think most well-run businesses have their statements published by the 10th.
The law protects officials to the point of being ridiculous. Legally, you have three choices:
Malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance.
Malfeasance is doing that which should not have been done, misfeasance is improper performance of a lawful act and nonfeasance is failure to do what should be done.
I was told in one email from the “custodian of the records” that to expect a month’s financial statements by the 10th of the following month was “not only difficult, but impossible.”
So where does all this fit…..doing that which should not have been done, the improper performance of a legal act, a failure to do what should be done, or a combination of all three?
Dale Walker
Cabot
Dale Walker is Cabot’s former finance director.
All I want for Christmas is what I asked for…
Government entities and their employees who are entrusted with the care, management, and disposition of properties on behalf of others and who are accountable for such activities act in a fiduciary capacity.
This fiduciary capacity places a great responsibility on those who spend tax revenues and on their reporting responsibility to citizens. Part of this capacity is to comply with federal regulations, specifically the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for supplying information to citizens who request it.
The FOIA regulations require a response within 72 hours if the documents are available and there are penalties imposed for negligence. A $200 fine and 30 days in jail, or both.
I requested monthly financial statements from Cabot’s “custodian of the records” for each of the following months.
July financial statements were received Aug. 14.
August financial statements were received Oct. 8. September financial statements were received Nov. 13.
October financial statements have not been received as of Dec. 15 and no indication of when to expect them. November financial statements “should be available Jan. 8, 2008.” Do we see a trend here?
As I have stated several times in emails to the “custodian of the records” and other city officials, the city has gone back to the cash basis of accounting.
So closing out each month is as simple as reconciling the bank account at the end of the month and then printing the financial statements. The whole process should not take more than two days. Been there, done that. So at the very least, cash-basis statements should be ready by the 10th of each month.
I think most well-run businesses have their statements published by the 10th.
The law protects officials to the point of being ridiculous. Legally, you have three choices:
Malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance.
Malfeasance is doing that which should not have been done, misfeasance is improper performance of a lawful act and nonfeasance is failure to do what should be done.
I was told in one email from the “custodian of the records” that to expect a month’s financial statements by the 10th of the following month was “not only difficult, but impossible.”
So where does all this fit…..doing that which should not have been done, the improper performance of a legal act, a failure to do what should be done, or a combination of all three?
Dale Walker
Cabot
Dale Walker is Cabot’s former finance director.
EDITORIALS>>Feds give us holiday gifts
Everybody complains about pork-barrel projects — or “earmarks” as they’re sometimes called — but they’re bad only when they’re for the other guys. It’s hard to complain, though, when the money comes our way. In fact, it’s pretty nice.
Most of our congressional delegation worked all year to secure some $39 million for local projects in the $555 billion ombnibus bill — which Congress passed this week — including $10.7 million for the Joint Education Center at Little Rock Air Force Base. Jacksonville voters had approved a $5 million sales tax to pay for the college campus that the city and LRAFB will operate in front of the base near the freeway.
The center will provide better educational opportunites for students from all around the area and will be a tremendous boost to Jacksonville’s economy.
Cabot, too, will benefit from the omnibus bill, which includes $840,000 for a new National Guard armory. That’s an impressive addition to a rapidly growing suburb with a large military population similar to Jacksonville’s.
Other military-related appropriations include $9.8 million for runway repairs at the air base, as well as lighting and communications improvements there. Current and former base commanders, particularly Brig. Gen. Rowayne Schatz, who is in charge of the 314th Airlift Wing, and his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Kip Self, worked hard to get funding for the aging runways, which will be like-new when the repairs are completed.
The base will also get funds to modernize its aerospace and ground equipment and engine facilities.
There were other military-related goodies in the ombnibus bills, including $18.4 million for a General Equivalency Diploma complex at Camp Robinson for students needing a second chance, as well as a $1.9 million assault course.
Water projects include $9.8 million for Grand Prairie irrigation and $2.7 million for Bayou Meto, which should bring holiday cheer to all.
Most of our congressional delegation worked all year to secure some $39 million for local projects in the $555 billion ombnibus bill — which Congress passed this week — including $10.7 million for the Joint Education Center at Little Rock Air Force Base. Jacksonville voters had approved a $5 million sales tax to pay for the college campus that the city and LRAFB will operate in front of the base near the freeway.
The center will provide better educational opportunites for students from all around the area and will be a tremendous boost to Jacksonville’s economy.
Cabot, too, will benefit from the omnibus bill, which includes $840,000 for a new National Guard armory. That’s an impressive addition to a rapidly growing suburb with a large military population similar to Jacksonville’s.
Other military-related appropriations include $9.8 million for runway repairs at the air base, as well as lighting and communications improvements there. Current and former base commanders, particularly Brig. Gen. Rowayne Schatz, who is in charge of the 314th Airlift Wing, and his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Kip Self, worked hard to get funding for the aging runways, which will be like-new when the repairs are completed.
The base will also get funds to modernize its aerospace and ground equipment and engine facilities.
There were other military-related goodies in the ombnibus bills, including $18.4 million for a General Equivalency Diploma complex at Camp Robinson for students needing a second chance, as well as a $1.9 million assault course.
Water projects include $9.8 million for Grand Prairie irrigation and $2.7 million for Bayou Meto, which should bring holiday cheer to all.
FROM THE PUBLISHER >>What little girl wanted for holiday
(This is a reprint of a previous Christmas column.)
When my friend Jack Sallee was with the Jaycees in Fayetteville, they’d put an ad in the paper at Christmastime, saying that for $2 you could have Santa come to your place.
There’d be a group of Santas going out every night, and Sallee was among them.
“Each Santa went to about 10 homes a night,” Sallee says. “Each Santa had a driver. Mine was named Larry Nixon. He was a big fellow, and I would tell the kids Larry was driving me around town.”
Usually nothing out of the ordinary happened. Kids got to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas, and Santa gave them lots of candy, and everybody went to bed happy.
But then something different did happen. Sallee says, “One night we had two houses left to go. We drove around for a while, and when we found one, it was a one-room house. We went inside, and the house had a dirt floor and hardly any furnishings.”
A young girl was there with her mother. They were as poor as they could be: They had nothing — or very little.
The two Jaycees, college educated and professionals who’d seen dozens of nice homes, couldn’t believe what they had walked into.
“There were two cots to sleep on, and a table and a chair,” Sallee says. “The house had a pot-bellied stove. She had one of those small Styrofoam ice chests. So needless to say, I was taken aback because I didn’t think people still lived like that. This was inside the Fayetteville city limits.”
“The girl was seven or eight years old,” Sallee continues, “and she had long hair and blue eyes. She wore a nightgown that looked like a man’s T-shirt her mother had cut off. She was flabbergasted that Santa Claus would actually visit her.”
He says, “For a Christmas tree, her mother had brought in a branch and put it on the table.”
Her mother had found her a present — a ball wrapped in tissue paper.
Sallee wondered what else this poor girl would ask for.
“In the homes we had seen,” he continues, “the children would tell us what they wanted by reciting the toy sections in stores they’d been to.”
But that wasn’t what the girl wanted.
“The girl sat on my lap and looked at me seriously,” Sallee recalls. “She said, ‘Santa, the only thing I want is for Daddy to come home.’”
“I looked at my driver, this big, burly guy, and he had to walk outside because tears were streaming down his face,” Sallee says.
“The mother turned her back to us, and I just turned my head away from her,” he adds. “I was just stunned and moved and speechless. I wanted to hold the little girl and tell her everything was going to be all right, but there was nothing you could do. You felt helpless. She never asked for a toy or clothes.”
“I said there are some things Santa Claus can’t do,” Sallee adds, “but Santa Claus would try. I gave her all the candy I had.”
“It’s an experience you’ll never forget,” he says. “It will haunt you for the rest of your life.”
Sallee remembers that little girl around this time of the year. He wonders what happened to her father.
Maybe this Christmas he will be home, and, who knows, they’ll have a nice home to live in. You can’t lose hope.
When my friend Jack Sallee was with the Jaycees in Fayetteville, they’d put an ad in the paper at Christmastime, saying that for $2 you could have Santa come to your place.
There’d be a group of Santas going out every night, and Sallee was among them.
“Each Santa went to about 10 homes a night,” Sallee says. “Each Santa had a driver. Mine was named Larry Nixon. He was a big fellow, and I would tell the kids Larry was driving me around town.”
Usually nothing out of the ordinary happened. Kids got to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas, and Santa gave them lots of candy, and everybody went to bed happy.
But then something different did happen. Sallee says, “One night we had two houses left to go. We drove around for a while, and when we found one, it was a one-room house. We went inside, and the house had a dirt floor and hardly any furnishings.”
A young girl was there with her mother. They were as poor as they could be: They had nothing — or very little.
The two Jaycees, college educated and professionals who’d seen dozens of nice homes, couldn’t believe what they had walked into.
“There were two cots to sleep on, and a table and a chair,” Sallee says. “The house had a pot-bellied stove. She had one of those small Styrofoam ice chests. So needless to say, I was taken aback because I didn’t think people still lived like that. This was inside the Fayetteville city limits.”
“The girl was seven or eight years old,” Sallee continues, “and she had long hair and blue eyes. She wore a nightgown that looked like a man’s T-shirt her mother had cut off. She was flabbergasted that Santa Claus would actually visit her.”
He says, “For a Christmas tree, her mother had brought in a branch and put it on the table.”
Her mother had found her a present — a ball wrapped in tissue paper.
Sallee wondered what else this poor girl would ask for.
“In the homes we had seen,” he continues, “the children would tell us what they wanted by reciting the toy sections in stores they’d been to.”
But that wasn’t what the girl wanted.
“The girl sat on my lap and looked at me seriously,” Sallee recalls. “She said, ‘Santa, the only thing I want is for Daddy to come home.’”
“I looked at my driver, this big, burly guy, and he had to walk outside because tears were streaming down his face,” Sallee says.
“The mother turned her back to us, and I just turned my head away from her,” he adds. “I was just stunned and moved and speechless. I wanted to hold the little girl and tell her everything was going to be all right, but there was nothing you could do. You felt helpless. She never asked for a toy or clothes.”
“I said there are some things Santa Claus can’t do,” Sallee adds, “but Santa Claus would try. I gave her all the candy I had.”
“It’s an experience you’ll never forget,” he says. “It will haunt you for the rest of your life.”
Sallee remembers that little girl around this time of the year. He wonders what happened to her father.
Maybe this Christmas he will be home, and, who knows, they’ll have a nice home to live in. You can’t lose hope.
TOP STORY >>Cabot millage needed to expand limited tax base
By HEATHER HARTSESLL
Leader staff writer
Because Cabot has more than 9,000 students but not a large tax base, the Cabot School Board decided Tuesday that the only way to fund needed construction projects throughout the district is to ask residents for a 3.9 mills increase in a special election March 10.
“We are huge in terms of numbers, but not in terms of a tax base,” district comptroller Kelly Hayes told the board. “It just takes more mills for us.”
If the increase were approved, Cabot’s total millage would be 39.9 mills, generating the $22.8 million needed for the district’s share of the $50.5 million in construction projects it is trying to fund.
School board member Alan Turnbo described the projects as broad based. “They touch every age group and corner of our district,” he said.
The projects include a $13 million health, physical education and recreation complex at the high school attached to a new cafeteria/student center; $11.3 million for a new elementary school; $9.04 million to install heating, ventilation and air conditioning units in 10 kitchens in the district as well as HVAC systems at Southside Elementary, Junior High South and Central Elementary; $7.3 million to add 40 classrooms at the high school to accommodate future growth; $3.66 million for renovations to the high school auditorium; $3.6 million to renovate the high school S-building; $2.27 million to upgrade the science labs at Junior High South to accommodate growth in the next four years; $1.86 million for a new roof and HVAC system at Eastside Elementary School; $1.77 million for HVAC systems in the physical-education facilities at eight campuses; and $1.82 to construct a new facility for the district’s charter school.
Hayes said, “3.9 mills generate all the money needed to fund the projects if the pieces fit together correctly.”
If the state facilities board does not help fund the projects in a 60-40 split, Cabot will have to decide where to spend its 40 percent share of the cost for at least some of the 16 proposed construction projects in the next three to five years.
School board president Brooks Nash said the students need the construction projects.
“People come to Cabot not because of the industry in Cabot … I guess they are our industry,” Nash said. “There is some producing and credibility within the school district, but if the money is not coming in, it’s not going to be that way. That’s the bottom line,” he said.
Cost for residents
The effect of 3.9 new debt- service mills on property owners within the Cabot School District equates to less than 50 cents a day.
If a home were valued at $100,000, 3.9 new mills would cost $78 more a year in property taxes – a mere $6.50 a month. A home valued at $150,000 would cost $117 more a year – about $9.75 a month. And for a home valued at $200,000, 3.9 new mills would cost $156 more a year – $13 per month.
Compared to other districts
At 39.9 mills, Cabot schools would still have the lowest millage rate in Lonoke County and would be equal to the current average of the top 10 districts in the state.
Currently in Lonoke County, the Lonoke School District collects 40.40 mills; Carlisle collects 42 mills, England 41 mills, and Cabot 36 mills.
Each of Cabot’s mills generates $47 per student. Lonoke’s mills generate $53 per student; Carlisle generates $68 per student with each of its mills; and England brings in $54 per student per mill.
Within the 10 largest districts in the state in student population, of which Cabot is listed at number seven, Little Rock has 46.4 mills, Pulaski County Special School District has 40.7 mills, Springdale has 39.2 mills, Rogers has 39 mills, Conway is at 36.2 mills, North Little Rock is at 40.9, Fayetteville has 43.8, Bentonville has 40.3, Fort Smith has 36.5, and Cabot comes in lowest with 36 mills.
Cabot brings $433,622 per year from each of its 36 mills, or a total of $15,610,392, the lowest amount generated by the top 10 districts in the state.
North Little Rock is next lowest with $611,824 per mill, a total of $25,023,602 per year and its enrollment of 8,974 is 252 students less than Cabot’s 9,226 students.
PCSSD generates $1.85 million a mill, a yearly total of $75,670,173 – $107 for each of its-17,395 students. Conway generates $784,390 per mill, a yearly total of $28,394,918 – $87 for each of its 9,002 students.
Leader staff writer
Because Cabot has more than 9,000 students but not a large tax base, the Cabot School Board decided Tuesday that the only way to fund needed construction projects throughout the district is to ask residents for a 3.9 mills increase in a special election March 10.
“We are huge in terms of numbers, but not in terms of a tax base,” district comptroller Kelly Hayes told the board. “It just takes more mills for us.”
If the increase were approved, Cabot’s total millage would be 39.9 mills, generating the $22.8 million needed for the district’s share of the $50.5 million in construction projects it is trying to fund.
School board member Alan Turnbo described the projects as broad based. “They touch every age group and corner of our district,” he said.
The projects include a $13 million health, physical education and recreation complex at the high school attached to a new cafeteria/student center; $11.3 million for a new elementary school; $9.04 million to install heating, ventilation and air conditioning units in 10 kitchens in the district as well as HVAC systems at Southside Elementary, Junior High South and Central Elementary; $7.3 million to add 40 classrooms at the high school to accommodate future growth; $3.66 million for renovations to the high school auditorium; $3.6 million to renovate the high school S-building; $2.27 million to upgrade the science labs at Junior High South to accommodate growth in the next four years; $1.86 million for a new roof and HVAC system at Eastside Elementary School; $1.77 million for HVAC systems in the physical-education facilities at eight campuses; and $1.82 to construct a new facility for the district’s charter school.
Hayes said, “3.9 mills generate all the money needed to fund the projects if the pieces fit together correctly.”
If the state facilities board does not help fund the projects in a 60-40 split, Cabot will have to decide where to spend its 40 percent share of the cost for at least some of the 16 proposed construction projects in the next three to five years.
School board president Brooks Nash said the students need the construction projects.
“People come to Cabot not because of the industry in Cabot … I guess they are our industry,” Nash said. “There is some producing and credibility within the school district, but if the money is not coming in, it’s not going to be that way. That’s the bottom line,” he said.
Cost for residents
The effect of 3.9 new debt- service mills on property owners within the Cabot School District equates to less than 50 cents a day.
If a home were valued at $100,000, 3.9 new mills would cost $78 more a year in property taxes – a mere $6.50 a month. A home valued at $150,000 would cost $117 more a year – about $9.75 a month. And for a home valued at $200,000, 3.9 new mills would cost $156 more a year – $13 per month.
Compared to other districts
At 39.9 mills, Cabot schools would still have the lowest millage rate in Lonoke County and would be equal to the current average of the top 10 districts in the state.
Currently in Lonoke County, the Lonoke School District collects 40.40 mills; Carlisle collects 42 mills, England 41 mills, and Cabot 36 mills.
Each of Cabot’s mills generates $47 per student. Lonoke’s mills generate $53 per student; Carlisle generates $68 per student with each of its mills; and England brings in $54 per student per mill.
Within the 10 largest districts in the state in student population, of which Cabot is listed at number seven, Little Rock has 46.4 mills, Pulaski County Special School District has 40.7 mills, Springdale has 39.2 mills, Rogers has 39 mills, Conway is at 36.2 mills, North Little Rock is at 40.9, Fayetteville has 43.8, Bentonville has 40.3, Fort Smith has 36.5, and Cabot comes in lowest with 36 mills.
Cabot brings $433,622 per year from each of its 36 mills, or a total of $15,610,392, the lowest amount generated by the top 10 districts in the state.
North Little Rock is next lowest with $611,824 per mill, a total of $25,023,602 per year and its enrollment of 8,974 is 252 students less than Cabot’s 9,226 students.
PCSSD generates $1.85 million a mill, a yearly total of $75,670,173 – $107 for each of its-17,395 students. Conway generates $784,390 per mill, a yearly total of $28,394,918 – $87 for each of its 9,002 students.
TOP STORY >>Cabot armory gets $840,000
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
The $555 billion omnibus spending bill that has passed both houses of Congress includes $840,000 for the Cabot Readiness Center estimated to be ready for use within three to five years.
Although the bill is only a plan for spending and not an appropriation, Brig. Gen. Larry Haltom with the Arkansas National Guard said this week that the promised money will pay for the design and environmental impact study for the readiness center, or armory as local National Guard headquarters have been called until recently.
Mayor Eddie Joe Williams has been working to get a new armory to replace the temporary one on Hwy. 367 since he took office in January.
He said Thursday that he had been in contact with Congressman Marion Berry, D, Gillett and as far as he and the congressman are concerned, “it’s a done deal.”
The entire project has been estimated at $8 million. The city purchased the land for the project for $399,000, with the state paying $350,000 of that amount, and then turned it over to the Arkansas National Guard which will build it using federal money.
The facility will sit on 15.5 acres in the industrial park on Hiwy. 367 near the new railroad overpass that is now under construction.
Williams says building the armory is “the single biggest thing for Cabot in recent history” and that it will have an economic impact on the city of $1 million or more a year.
At the end of his fourth month in office, he traveled to Washington to build support for the armory with the state’s congressional delegation.
By mid July, the city council had agreed to purchase the land.
Williams’ push for an armory in Cabot was the second in recent history.
When Joe Allman was mayor about six years ago, a group of local residents including Allman’s director of operations were able to get the temporary armory.
On the evening the council agreed to purchase the land for the armory, Hipp thanked the men who helped in that effort.
In addition to Hipp and Allman, the men who started the process of bringing an armory to the city are Fred Campbell, Don Elliott, Wayne “Moose” Cunnis, Bill DeVoss, Gary McMillan, and Charles George.
The state has not built a new armory since September 2005 when a $4.25 facility went up in Warren.
Since the armory will be built near the overpass that will be used by school buses, Williams says the location will be good for recruiting.
He also says he also hopes it will have a positive impact on his efforts to get federal money to build a north interchange that is part of his three-phase plan to connect Hwy. 5 to U.S. 67-167.
The spending bill also includes $10.7 million for the Little Rock Air Force Base/Jacksonville Joint Education Center, $9.8 million to repair and update runways at Little Rock Air Force Base, $1.9 million for an urban-assault course at Camp
Robinson, $18.4 million for the General Equivalency Diploma Plus program complex at Camp Robinson’s Professional Education Center.
There’s also $9.8 million for the Grand Prairie Construction Project, $2.7 million for a Bayou Meto study, $3.1 million toward study and engineering of a new I-630/I-430 interchange and $1 million for the Clinton School of Public Service.
Leader staff writer
The $555 billion omnibus spending bill that has passed both houses of Congress includes $840,000 for the Cabot Readiness Center estimated to be ready for use within three to five years.
Although the bill is only a plan for spending and not an appropriation, Brig. Gen. Larry Haltom with the Arkansas National Guard said this week that the promised money will pay for the design and environmental impact study for the readiness center, or armory as local National Guard headquarters have been called until recently.
Mayor Eddie Joe Williams has been working to get a new armory to replace the temporary one on Hwy. 367 since he took office in January.
He said Thursday that he had been in contact with Congressman Marion Berry, D, Gillett and as far as he and the congressman are concerned, “it’s a done deal.”
The entire project has been estimated at $8 million. The city purchased the land for the project for $399,000, with the state paying $350,000 of that amount, and then turned it over to the Arkansas National Guard which will build it using federal money.
The facility will sit on 15.5 acres in the industrial park on Hiwy. 367 near the new railroad overpass that is now under construction.
Williams says building the armory is “the single biggest thing for Cabot in recent history” and that it will have an economic impact on the city of $1 million or more a year.
At the end of his fourth month in office, he traveled to Washington to build support for the armory with the state’s congressional delegation.
By mid July, the city council had agreed to purchase the land.
Williams’ push for an armory in Cabot was the second in recent history.
When Joe Allman was mayor about six years ago, a group of local residents including Allman’s director of operations were able to get the temporary armory.
On the evening the council agreed to purchase the land for the armory, Hipp thanked the men who helped in that effort.
In addition to Hipp and Allman, the men who started the process of bringing an armory to the city are Fred Campbell, Don Elliott, Wayne “Moose” Cunnis, Bill DeVoss, Gary McMillan, and Charles George.
The state has not built a new armory since September 2005 when a $4.25 facility went up in Warren.
Since the armory will be built near the overpass that will be used by school buses, Williams says the location will be good for recruiting.
He also says he also hopes it will have a positive impact on his efforts to get federal money to build a north interchange that is part of his three-phase plan to connect Hwy. 5 to U.S. 67-167.
The spending bill also includes $10.7 million for the Little Rock Air Force Base/Jacksonville Joint Education Center, $9.8 million to repair and update runways at Little Rock Air Force Base, $1.9 million for an urban-assault course at Camp
Robinson, $18.4 million for the General Equivalency Diploma Plus program complex at Camp Robinson’s Professional Education Center.
There’s also $9.8 million for the Grand Prairie Construction Project, $2.7 million for a Bayou Meto study, $3.1 million toward study and engineering of a new I-630/I-430 interchange and $1 million for the Clinton School of Public Service.
TOP STORY >>Many helping those who are less fortunate
By ALIYA FELDMAN
Leader staff writer
Christmas brings out 12-year-old Sydney Hickok’s generosity.
When she visited the Cabot animal shelter for the first time a few years ago, she listened when workers told her they needed blankets and food to help the animals. She started donating her allowance to the shelter. Then her giving spirit turned to other worthy causes.
She began buying toys for children and giving them to Cabot’s Christmas for Kids, and now does it every year, said Sydney’s grandmother, Nancy Siebert.
“She’s very fortunate and she doesn’t do without. We try to instill in her to try to give back,” Siebert said.
“She understands helping the less fortunate,” she added.
Her grandmother said that for Sydney, Christmas means it’s time to buy toys to give to Christmas for Kids. This year she gave about $50 worth of toys.
Christmas for Kids organizer Bill Holden was busy Friday preparing for today’s distribution at First Baptist Church. He said there would be toys to give to about 400 families.
“This has been a real good year,” he said. The fire department gave $15,257 to buy new toys, Cabot businesses also gave and children were asked to donate toys through their schools.
Holden is director of custodial services for the Cabot schools. He has been organizing the toy drive for 31 years.
Other Cabot residents working out of First Baptist Church have worked to make sure no one has to be hungry either during the holiday. Cabot Christmas Alliance president Ed Caldwell has helped the needy for more than 30 Christmases.
“It’s better this year than we’ve ever had,” he said. “We’ve had a fantastic year.”
Caldwell said the food drive will feed more than 500 families. They will be picking up their holiday fare at the Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church.
Families will be given frozen hens, cake mixes, fruit and other items to cook their own meals.
Ward residents are asked to pick up donated food from First Baptist Church and Austin residents from Austin Station Baptist Church.
In Jacksonville, Fishnet Missions has seen more people needing help this Christmas than in past years.
Fishnet Director Dewey Sims said people are hurting from high gas and food prices.
Nearby businesses help the mission to feed its clientele. Big Lots, Kroger, Starbucks and Daylight Donuts donate food to Fishnet.
The mission has given away 3,500 bags of food the past two weeks. On Friday, 15,000 pounds of produce was given away.
“Any one day, that’s a lot of food,” Sims said. “The economy is not as flushed as everybody thinks. Milk is up. Gas is up,” he said.
Santa Claus visited the mission Friday and children were each given three toys to take home.
The Jacksonville Care Channel gave away $5,000 worth of food Wednesday to 425 families needing Christmas meals.
Peggy Ness, who runs the Care Channel, said she thought the charity served about the same number of families last year at this time.
Wednesday, they took home macaroni and cheese, poultry, rice, soup, potatoes and other items for their Christmas meals this year.
Donations from Jacksonville churches and sales from the charity’s thrift store helped buy the meals. Ness said 638 Jacksonville children were given toys as well.
Leader staff writer
Christmas brings out 12-year-old Sydney Hickok’s generosity.
When she visited the Cabot animal shelter for the first time a few years ago, she listened when workers told her they needed blankets and food to help the animals. She started donating her allowance to the shelter. Then her giving spirit turned to other worthy causes.
She began buying toys for children and giving them to Cabot’s Christmas for Kids, and now does it every year, said Sydney’s grandmother, Nancy Siebert.
“She’s very fortunate and she doesn’t do without. We try to instill in her to try to give back,” Siebert said.
“She understands helping the less fortunate,” she added.
Her grandmother said that for Sydney, Christmas means it’s time to buy toys to give to Christmas for Kids. This year she gave about $50 worth of toys.
Christmas for Kids organizer Bill Holden was busy Friday preparing for today’s distribution at First Baptist Church. He said there would be toys to give to about 400 families.
“This has been a real good year,” he said. The fire department gave $15,257 to buy new toys, Cabot businesses also gave and children were asked to donate toys through their schools.
Holden is director of custodial services for the Cabot schools. He has been organizing the toy drive for 31 years.
Other Cabot residents working out of First Baptist Church have worked to make sure no one has to be hungry either during the holiday. Cabot Christmas Alliance president Ed Caldwell has helped the needy for more than 30 Christmases.
“It’s better this year than we’ve ever had,” he said. “We’ve had a fantastic year.”
Caldwell said the food drive will feed more than 500 families. They will be picking up their holiday fare at the Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church.
Families will be given frozen hens, cake mixes, fruit and other items to cook their own meals.
Ward residents are asked to pick up donated food from First Baptist Church and Austin residents from Austin Station Baptist Church.
In Jacksonville, Fishnet Missions has seen more people needing help this Christmas than in past years.
Fishnet Director Dewey Sims said people are hurting from high gas and food prices.
Nearby businesses help the mission to feed its clientele. Big Lots, Kroger, Starbucks and Daylight Donuts donate food to Fishnet.
The mission has given away 3,500 bags of food the past two weeks. On Friday, 15,000 pounds of produce was given away.
“Any one day, that’s a lot of food,” Sims said. “The economy is not as flushed as everybody thinks. Milk is up. Gas is up,” he said.
Santa Claus visited the mission Friday and children were each given three toys to take home.
The Jacksonville Care Channel gave away $5,000 worth of food Wednesday to 425 families needing Christmas meals.
Peggy Ness, who runs the Care Channel, said she thought the charity served about the same number of families last year at this time.
Wednesday, they took home macaroni and cheese, poultry, rice, soup, potatoes and other items for their Christmas meals this year.
Donations from Jacksonville churches and sales from the charity’s thrift store helped buy the meals. Ness said 638 Jacksonville children were given toys as well.
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