IN SHORT: Suspected electrical fire destroys one of Cabot’s junior highs as district officials plan to use portable buildings for classes.
By SARA GREENE AND JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
Parents were registering their children for classes Thursday afternoon when they realized Cabot Junior High School North was on fire.
Dozens of teachers, parents and youngsters hurried out of the building as flames engulfed the structure, which was destroyed despite efforts by firefighters who worked seven hours to contain the blaze.
By 9 p.m., the inner walls had collapsed and most of the roof and Cabot firefighters knew they would have to keep a close watch over it for at least two more days to make sure it didn’t flare up again.
Smoke could be seen from as far away as Jacksonville as a suspected electrical fire destroyed the 115,400-square-foot school.
The State Police will investigate the blaze.
The one-story building at 38 Spirit Drive across the street from the football fieldparking lot was eight years old.
The fire broke out in a closet in the library just after 2 p.m. Students in grades seven through nine had been in the building throughout the day for registration.
“Our administrators got everyone out like they’re supposed to. No one got hurt,” said Frank Holman, superintendent of the Cabot School District. “We’re going to get it put out and assess the damage,” Holman said.
Local restaurants brought food and businesses and citizens brought bottled water for fire crews that responded from Cabot, Jacksonville, North Pulaski Fire Rescue, Beebe, Ward and Austin as they battled the blaze in 100-degree heat and gusty winds.
Firefighters had to don safety masks to fight the blaze as they neared the school’s science lab. Two firefighters overheated while they were battling the blaze and were taken by ambulance to the hospital.
Cabot School Board member Brooks Nash, who was principal at Junior High South when Junior High North was built in 1998, called the loss of the district’s newest junior high building tragic.
“Something like this would hurt any time, but especially right here at the beginning of school. We’ve got 1,200 kids displaced and records destroyed,” he said. “Nobody got hurt. That’s the good part if there is a good part. Wegot everyone out of the building as soon as the fire started.”
Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh said he would call in State Police investigators on Friday and probably federal investigators since the loss was more than $1 million.
Stumbaugh, who took his RV to the school so firefighters could use the air conditioner to cool off, was emotional Thursday night as he talked about how proud he was of the way the community responded to the disaster and how thankful he was for the help from neighboring cities.
“I have never been so proud to be a mayor as I was today,” Stumbaugh said. Everyone worked together, he said, the police, fire department, water department, public works and even office workers from city hall.
“And not just city workers, there were teachers and coaches working out there,” he said. “You don’t know what a community we have up here. There’s probably as much bottled water up there as we used putting the fire out. And fried chicken and Subway sandwiches, we didn’t even know for sure who brought it all whether it was businesses or individuals, but we got so much we finally had to stop letting people in.”
At press time it was unclear exactly how the district would deal with the loss. ”We haven’t had a chance to circle the wagons yet,” Nash said.
Alan Turnbo, also a member of the school board, said plans for starting school are tenuous, but he believes it will start on time. Even before the fire was put out, school officials were trying to find empty classrooms in the district’s other schools to house the Junior High North students.
Using portable buildings is an option, but the portable buildings that were at the high school have been gone since school let out in May. More would have to be brought in and possibly set up in the low spot near the building that burned.
As the fire blazed, sobbing teachers comforted each other over the loss of what many considered their home away from home.
“I had just painted 50 white stars on an American flag mural in my room when we evacuated,” said one teacher, wiping away tears and pulling her daughter close.
A new forensics teacher to the district lost 12 years of teaching materials in the fire.
Onlookers gathered at the administration building down from Spirit Drive to watch the fire while Cabot School District employees carried bottled water and ice to the fire crews.
Billowing thunderclouds to the north and south gave one teacher hope for a passing summer thunderstorm to help firefighters stop the flames. But the rain passed Cabot by and Stumbaugh said without the help of neighboring fire departments, they could never have kept the fire from spreading outside the building.
“It did get out into the woods a little but they got it put out,” he said. According to a 2005 state educational facilities report, the school was scheduled to get $339,690 worth of fire and safety improvements in 2008.
Former Cabot School Supt. Don Elliott said, “It was a beautiful school. It’s a loss to the community.
“It’s terrible,” he said. “Things were looking so good with the new high school opening soon.”
”I have a lot of confidence in Dr. Holman, the school board and the principal School has to go on.”
Elliott heads the Cabot Scholarship Foundation, which held its annual banquet at the school cafeteria.
“It had the largest cafeteria in the district,” Elliott said.
Garrick Feldman contributed to this report.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
SPORTS >> Injuries, heat aren't hurting Lions so far
IN SHORT: Searcy coach Bart McFarland says practicing in the hottest part of the day should pay dividends.
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The 2006 Searcy Lions started out with 70 players last week for the opening days of summer practice, but found that number to be 10 players less heading into the second week on Monday afternoon.
Second-year coach Bart McFarland set the practices to begin during the hottest part of the afternoon, a move he says was done to prepare his squad for the long haul.
“We wanted to be out here in the heat of the day,” McFarland said. “We want to get these kids acclimated to the heat. This will be the time of day that we practice once school starts and that’s when we’re going to play, so we just wanted to get them used to it now and get some consistency in our routine.”
The numbers for the Lions break down pretty evenly. The group will be led by a core of 18 seniors, with 21 juniors and 21 sophomores filling out the team. The biggest difference between 2005 and 2006 so far has been injuries, or fortunately lack thereof for Searcy in the first stages of the season.
At least five key players for the Lions were hurt in the first weeks of practice last season, a disadvantage they never seemed to recover from all season, particularly on the defensive side. McFarland says he hopes the injury bug is a thing of the past.
“We have three or four out right now, hopefully they will be back,” McFarland said. “It’s nothing compared to last year, so far. We are just keeping our fingers crossed. We don’t want that epidemic to happen again. The key for us this year will be to stay healthy, that’s the main thing.”
A combination of summer weight lifting and 7-on-7 tournaments kept the team busy for the past couple of months. Although the first week saw the Lions undergo some conditioning drills, McFarland said the team was in good enough shape that the team could focus on strategy as opposed to conditioning from day one.
“Our linemen can stand to improve some, but most of our skill players are in really good shape. We did some conditioning, but we’ve mainly been working on fundamentals and technique. We have form tackled every day, even before we had pads.”
Most of the Monday afternoon practice was dedicated to hitting and tackling. The team broke up into three squads that rotated between hitting the tackling dummy, one-on-one contact and hitting from the line.
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The 2006 Searcy Lions started out with 70 players last week for the opening days of summer practice, but found that number to be 10 players less heading into the second week on Monday afternoon.
Second-year coach Bart McFarland set the practices to begin during the hottest part of the afternoon, a move he says was done to prepare his squad for the long haul.
“We wanted to be out here in the heat of the day,” McFarland said. “We want to get these kids acclimated to the heat. This will be the time of day that we practice once school starts and that’s when we’re going to play, so we just wanted to get them used to it now and get some consistency in our routine.”
The numbers for the Lions break down pretty evenly. The group will be led by a core of 18 seniors, with 21 juniors and 21 sophomores filling out the team. The biggest difference between 2005 and 2006 so far has been injuries, or fortunately lack thereof for Searcy in the first stages of the season.
At least five key players for the Lions were hurt in the first weeks of practice last season, a disadvantage they never seemed to recover from all season, particularly on the defensive side. McFarland says he hopes the injury bug is a thing of the past.
“We have three or four out right now, hopefully they will be back,” McFarland said. “It’s nothing compared to last year, so far. We are just keeping our fingers crossed. We don’t want that epidemic to happen again. The key for us this year will be to stay healthy, that’s the main thing.”
A combination of summer weight lifting and 7-on-7 tournaments kept the team busy for the past couple of months. Although the first week saw the Lions undergo some conditioning drills, McFarland said the team was in good enough shape that the team could focus on strategy as opposed to conditioning from day one.
“Our linemen can stand to improve some, but most of our skill players are in really good shape. We did some conditioning, but we’ve mainly been working on fundamentals and technique. We have form tackled every day, even before we had pads.”
Most of the Monday afternoon practice was dedicated to hitting and tackling. The team broke up into three squads that rotated between hitting the tackling dummy, one-on-one contact and hitting from the line.
SPORTS >>Harding Academy down to 22 players
IN SHORT: The Wildcats will have a smaller team than usual during the 2006 football season.
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
Harding Academy began its second week of summer football practice on Monday in the heat of the afternoon. While walking onto the practice field where the team was lined up for warm-up exercises with the mercury pushing 100, head coach Tommy Shoemaker took the opportunity to break the monotony with a little bit of humor.
“Brrrrrrr, it’s freezing out here, fellas,” Shoemaker shouted. “We’re going to have to break out our snowsuits and overcoats before it’s over with today.”
The small squad responded with shouts of “Yes sir” as they completed a round of jumping jacks and leg stretches before moving on to the tackling dummy.
The coaching staff set up the Wrap-Up dummy outside the corner of the field house. The entire team took a shot at the dummy a number of times, until it ended up in front of the Harris Gym on the other side of the practice field.
With a total of only 22 players, the 2006 Harding Academy Wildcats will rely on experience rather than depth. They will have significant leadership, however, with seven seniors, most of whom occupy skill positions.
“It’s a little bit of a low number for us,” Shoemaker said. “But I think we still have quite a few players who are really solid.
“Having a low count doesn’t concern me, as long as we have 17 or 18 guys who have game experience, that have been out there and done it before.”
One advantage that the smaller team has over the Wildcats teams of the past few years is size.
Harding has not had its share of massive players in previous years, but with 255 lb. senior linebacker James Kee and 245 lb. offensive lineman Jonathan Wal-ker, the Wildcats will have res-pectable mass on both sides of the football.
The Wildcats will have quality experience at the skill positions. They are especially set at wide receiver, which is a crucial slot in Shoemaker’s offense.
Seniors Chris Pack, Brad London and Brandon Ragsdale will make up the core of the receiving team for Harding Academy’s full-scale spread assault, along with starting quarterback and former leading receiver Luke Tribble under center this season.
Although many of the positions have already been ironed out, Shoemaker says that not everyone will be in place until after the Wildcats’ Aug. 22 scrimmage against Beebe at First Security Stadium.
“We kind of have an idea of where everyone is going to be, but we really like to wait until the scrimmage to see who is going to stand out,” Shoemaker said. “You always have a few guys who will step up and show you something that they didn’t show in practice.”
As for practicing in the heat of the day, Shoemaker says getting his players acclimated to the heat was not a very big task. Most of the team has already played through the biggest part of the summer in the 7-on-7 program.
“The guys are in really good shape,” Shoemaker said. “We have done great with the heat, and we feel pretty good about what we are doing as far as providing enough water when they need it. They’ve held up real well; I don’t think it has hurt us much practice-wise.
“Coach Moats did a great job with them in the weight room over the summer to help with their strength, so things are going really well for us right now.”
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
Harding Academy began its second week of summer football practice on Monday in the heat of the afternoon. While walking onto the practice field where the team was lined up for warm-up exercises with the mercury pushing 100, head coach Tommy Shoemaker took the opportunity to break the monotony with a little bit of humor.
“Brrrrrrr, it’s freezing out here, fellas,” Shoemaker shouted. “We’re going to have to break out our snowsuits and overcoats before it’s over with today.”
The small squad responded with shouts of “Yes sir” as they completed a round of jumping jacks and leg stretches before moving on to the tackling dummy.
The coaching staff set up the Wrap-Up dummy outside the corner of the field house. The entire team took a shot at the dummy a number of times, until it ended up in front of the Harris Gym on the other side of the practice field.
With a total of only 22 players, the 2006 Harding Academy Wildcats will rely on experience rather than depth. They will have significant leadership, however, with seven seniors, most of whom occupy skill positions.
“It’s a little bit of a low number for us,” Shoemaker said. “But I think we still have quite a few players who are really solid.
“Having a low count doesn’t concern me, as long as we have 17 or 18 guys who have game experience, that have been out there and done it before.”
One advantage that the smaller team has over the Wildcats teams of the past few years is size.
Harding has not had its share of massive players in previous years, but with 255 lb. senior linebacker James Kee and 245 lb. offensive lineman Jonathan Wal-ker, the Wildcats will have res-pectable mass on both sides of the football.
The Wildcats will have quality experience at the skill positions. They are especially set at wide receiver, which is a crucial slot in Shoemaker’s offense.
Seniors Chris Pack, Brad London and Brandon Ragsdale will make up the core of the receiving team for Harding Academy’s full-scale spread assault, along with starting quarterback and former leading receiver Luke Tribble under center this season.
Although many of the positions have already been ironed out, Shoemaker says that not everyone will be in place until after the Wildcats’ Aug. 22 scrimmage against Beebe at First Security Stadium.
“We kind of have an idea of where everyone is going to be, but we really like to wait until the scrimmage to see who is going to stand out,” Shoemaker said. “You always have a few guys who will step up and show you something that they didn’t show in practice.”
As for practicing in the heat of the day, Shoemaker says getting his players acclimated to the heat was not a very big task. Most of the team has already played through the biggest part of the summer in the 7-on-7 program.
“The guys are in really good shape,” Shoemaker said. “We have done great with the heat, and we feel pretty good about what we are doing as far as providing enough water when they need it. They’ve held up real well; I don’t think it has hurt us much practice-wise.
“Coach Moats did a great job with them in the weight room over the summer to help with their strength, so things are going really well for us right now.”
SPORTS >> Injuries, heat aren't hurting Lions so far
IN SHORT: Searcy coach Bart McFarland says practicing in the hottest part of the day should pay dividends.
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The 2006 Searcy Lions started out with 70 players last week for the opening days of summer practice, but found that number to be 10 players less heading into the second week on Monday afternoon.
Second-year coach Bart McFarland set the practices to begin during the hottest part of the afternoon, a move he says was done to prepare his squad for the long haul.
“We wanted to be out here in the heat of the day,” McFarland said. “We want to get these kids acclimated to the heat. This will be the time of day that we practice once school starts and that’s when we’re going to play, so we just wanted to get them used to it now and get some consistency in our routine.”
The numbers for the Lions break down pretty evenly. The group will be led by a core of 18 seniors, with 21 juniors and 21 sophomores filling out the team. The biggest difference between 2005 and 2006 so far has been injuries, or fortunately lack thereof for Searcy in the first stages of the season.
At least five key players for the Lions were hurt in the first weeks of practice last season, a disadvantage they never seemed to recover from all season, particularly on the defensive side. McFarland says he hopes the injury bug is a thing of the past.
“We have three or four out right now, hopefully they will be back,” McFarland said. “It’s nothing compared to last year, so far. We are just keeping our fingers crossed. We don’t want that epidemic to happen again. The key for us this year will be to stay healthy, that’s the main thing.”
A combination of summer weight lifting and 7-on-7 tournaments kept the team busy for the past couple of months.
Although the first week saw the Lions undergo some conditioning drills, McFarland said the team was in good enough shape that the team could focus on strategy as opposed to conditioning from day one.
“Our linemen can stand to improve some, but most of our skill players are in really good shape. We did some conditioning, but we’ve mainly been working on fundamentals and technique. We have form tackled every day, even before we had pads.”
Most of the Monday afternoon practice was dedicated to hitting and tackling. The team broke up into three squads that rotated between hitting the tackling dummy, one-on-one contact and hitting from the line.
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The 2006 Searcy Lions started out with 70 players last week for the opening days of summer practice, but found that number to be 10 players less heading into the second week on Monday afternoon.
Second-year coach Bart McFarland set the practices to begin during the hottest part of the afternoon, a move he says was done to prepare his squad for the long haul.
“We wanted to be out here in the heat of the day,” McFarland said. “We want to get these kids acclimated to the heat. This will be the time of day that we practice once school starts and that’s when we’re going to play, so we just wanted to get them used to it now and get some consistency in our routine.”
The numbers for the Lions break down pretty evenly. The group will be led by a core of 18 seniors, with 21 juniors and 21 sophomores filling out the team. The biggest difference between 2005 and 2006 so far has been injuries, or fortunately lack thereof for Searcy in the first stages of the season.
At least five key players for the Lions were hurt in the first weeks of practice last season, a disadvantage they never seemed to recover from all season, particularly on the defensive side. McFarland says he hopes the injury bug is a thing of the past.
“We have three or four out right now, hopefully they will be back,” McFarland said. “It’s nothing compared to last year, so far. We are just keeping our fingers crossed. We don’t want that epidemic to happen again. The key for us this year will be to stay healthy, that’s the main thing.”
A combination of summer weight lifting and 7-on-7 tournaments kept the team busy for the past couple of months.
Although the first week saw the Lions undergo some conditioning drills, McFarland said the team was in good enough shape that the team could focus on strategy as opposed to conditioning from day one.
“Our linemen can stand to improve some, but most of our skill players are in really good shape. We did some conditioning, but we’ve mainly been working on fundamentals and technique. We have form tackled every day, even before we had pads.”
Most of the Monday afternoon practice was dedicated to hitting and tackling. The team broke up into three squads that rotated between hitting the tackling dummy, one-on-one contact and hitting from the line.
SPORTS >> Falcons bring up numbers
IN SHORT: After a small turnout during the opening week of practice, the numbers have doubled for NP during week two.
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
North Pulaski’s football team didn’t go full pads until Tuesday, but did get some good news when practice resumed Monday morning. After spending the first two days of two-a-day football practice (the Falcons didn’t start until Thursday) with only 19 players, a few more dropped in to participate Monday and Tuesday.
Monday’s practice consisted of 45 Falcons, and according to head coach Tony Bohannon, there are more to come.
“We’re expecting about 55 total,” Bohannon said. “We just have some kids that go out of state for the summer, and a few that still haven’t gotten their physicals, but when they all get here we should be in pretty good shape as far as numbers go.”
Another good sign from the NP camp is the conditioning of the players when they reported.
There has been very little trouble with the heat and hustle has been good.
“For the most part they were in fairly good shape when they got here,” Bo-hannon said. “We had pretty good participation in summer workouts and seven on seven, and it shows. Hopefully that will teach them that it does help.”
Week one brought a new quarterback prospect into the mix as well. Junior Melvin Tanner has joined Michael Fleschman as the potential starter under center.
Tanner didn’t play his sophomore year, but brings good size and a strong arm to the position.
Fleschman, a sophomore, has been the leading candidate through spring and most of the summer, but he is also one of the team’s best receivers, and could be of great use in that position if Tanner works out at QB.
“There’s still nothing decided,” Bohannon said. “It’s between those two, but we’ve got a lot of time to see who fits in best and where. They’re both going to be taking snaps that’s for sure.”
The Falcons still don’t have a place kicker, but Bohannon expects one of his dual-sport soccer players to fill that gap, although it’s not certain at this point.
“We’ve got one soccer player out here that I think will be able to handle that ok,” Bohannon said. We’ll just have to see how that goes. We’re not sure right now.”
One thing North Pulaski will have to do is grow up quickly through two-a-days.
Sophomores make up nearly half the roster, and many will be counted on to contribute in starting roles when the first Friday night arrives.
“We’re definitely young,” Bohannon said. “We’re going to have a very small senior class, but that may be a blessing.”
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
North Pulaski’s football team didn’t go full pads until Tuesday, but did get some good news when practice resumed Monday morning. After spending the first two days of two-a-day football practice (the Falcons didn’t start until Thursday) with only 19 players, a few more dropped in to participate Monday and Tuesday.
Monday’s practice consisted of 45 Falcons, and according to head coach Tony Bohannon, there are more to come.
“We’re expecting about 55 total,” Bohannon said. “We just have some kids that go out of state for the summer, and a few that still haven’t gotten their physicals, but when they all get here we should be in pretty good shape as far as numbers go.”
Another good sign from the NP camp is the conditioning of the players when they reported.
There has been very little trouble with the heat and hustle has been good.
“For the most part they were in fairly good shape when they got here,” Bo-hannon said. “We had pretty good participation in summer workouts and seven on seven, and it shows. Hopefully that will teach them that it does help.”
Week one brought a new quarterback prospect into the mix as well. Junior Melvin Tanner has joined Michael Fleschman as the potential starter under center.
Tanner didn’t play his sophomore year, but brings good size and a strong arm to the position.
Fleschman, a sophomore, has been the leading candidate through spring and most of the summer, but he is also one of the team’s best receivers, and could be of great use in that position if Tanner works out at QB.
“There’s still nothing decided,” Bohannon said. “It’s between those two, but we’ve got a lot of time to see who fits in best and where. They’re both going to be taking snaps that’s for sure.”
The Falcons still don’t have a place kicker, but Bohannon expects one of his dual-sport soccer players to fill that gap, although it’s not certain at this point.
“We’ve got one soccer player out here that I think will be able to handle that ok,” Bohannon said. We’ll just have to see how that goes. We’re not sure right now.”
One thing North Pulaski will have to do is grow up quickly through two-a-days.
Sophomores make up nearly half the roster, and many will be counted on to contribute in starting roles when the first Friday night arrives.
“We’re definitely young,” Bohannon said. “We’re going to have a very small senior class, but that may be a blessing.”
TOP STORY >>Victim's mom opposed to killer's early parole
IN SHORT: Michael Webb is the only one still jailed of four convicted in the Sherwood murder of a 17-year-old in 1993.
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
A convicted killer is up for parole, and the victim’s mother says it’s too early—way too early.
“My son was shot in the back. Murdered!” she wrote in a letter opposing the parole. “The scale of justice has not been served for my son’s life.”
Michael R. Webb, who is now 33, of Little Rock, was convicted in early 1996 of the December 1993 shooting death of Jason Hatcher, a Sherwood teen, who was 17 at the time of his death.
Webb is the only one of the four convicted in the incident still in jail.
Webb, who was 21 at the time of the shooting, was found guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree battery. He was sentenced to 40 years on the murder charge and six years for the battery count, to be served consecutively. So far he has served just about 10.5 years.
Webb asked for clemency in 2004, but he was turned down.
His parole hearing—his first—is set for Aug. 16. If approved, he could be released as early as Dec. 12. The victim’s mother, Kathy Hatcher; the Pulaski County prosecutor’s office and others oppose to Webb’s release met with the parole board earlier today. A final decision will be made Aug. 31.
Webb was one of four individuals involved in the shooting in the Harvest Foods parking lot in Sherwood, off Highway 107, just north of North Hills Boulevard. Prosecutors, according to the victim’s mother, did not try to prove which of the four actually shot Hatcher.
“Because of the accomplice liability law, the prosecutors set out to prove they were all guilty of murder by participating together in the actions that killed Jason on the night of Dec. 17, 1993,” Kathy Hatcher, who now lives in Ward, wrote in her recent letter to the parole board.
The prosecutors decided to try all four—Webb, Jason Carter, Chad Jones and James Gross—separately. Hatcher said this prevented jurors from hearing from others involved in Webb’s trial because of ongoing appeals. But Hatcher, who sat through all the trials, is convinced that Webb was the one who actually shot her son.
Carter, 18 at the time of the shooting and from Little Rock, was found guilty of first-degree murder, battery and aggravated as-sault.
He was sentenced to 60 years on the murder count, 30 years for battery and 10 years for the assault, all to run concurrently. He was paroled in March 2005.
Even though Carter got more time for the murder than anyone else, because of his age at the time of the shooting, an attorney general’s opinion allowed him to be paroled at any time.
Jones, 22 at the time, and a Cabot resident, was found guilty of first-degree murder and battery.
He was given 32 years on the murder charges and five years for the battery, to run concurrently. He was paroled in August 2004. Gross, 19 at the time, and from Gravel Ridge, was found not guilty of murder, but was convicted of battery and aggravated assault.
He was sentenced to six years on each charge, to run concurrently. He was the first to be paroled, in December 1996.
According to Leader articles and police reports at the time, there was a fight in the Harvest Foods parking lot.
Jason and others, who were at Taco Bell, came over to see what was going on. Gross, Tim McGarity and others were fighting.
About that time a car pulled up with Webb, Jones and Carter. Carter had a pistol and was firing it in the air as the vehicle pulled in.
Prosecutor John Johnson said apparently the pistol was passed around between Carter, Gross and Jones. McGarity ended up shot in the knee.
Shortly thereafter someone got a rifle out from the trunk of the car and began firing.
“By this time, “Johnson said, “everyone was running away and Hatcher was shot in the back. The bullet went completely through him.” In her letter to the parole board, Hatcher said police found lead fragments and copper casings at the crime scene.
She said the lead fragments were traced back to a gun found at Gross’s grandmother’s home. The copper casings were traced back to a rifle found at Webb’s home.
Copper fragments were found in Jason’s back, she wrote. Johnson agreed with most of Hatcher’s recall, but said the gun was found in Gross’s mom’s attic.
Johnson said the investigation found that Webb left the crime scene and went to the home of some friends. He walked in carrying his rifle and bragging.
Hatcher, in her letter, said that “Webb bragged to his friends by saying ‘I think I got one’ or ‘I think I shot one’ and that the worst part was he ‘had to throw his taco down.’”
Hatcher closed her letter, writing, “I pray that you keep him in jail to show deterrence to other young people to not use guns, to show justice by giving punishment for murder, to make Webb take responsibility for his actions.”
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
A convicted killer is up for parole, and the victim’s mother says it’s too early—way too early.
“My son was shot in the back. Murdered!” she wrote in a letter opposing the parole. “The scale of justice has not been served for my son’s life.”
Michael R. Webb, who is now 33, of Little Rock, was convicted in early 1996 of the December 1993 shooting death of Jason Hatcher, a Sherwood teen, who was 17 at the time of his death.
Webb is the only one of the four convicted in the incident still in jail.
Webb, who was 21 at the time of the shooting, was found guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree battery. He was sentenced to 40 years on the murder charge and six years for the battery count, to be served consecutively. So far he has served just about 10.5 years.
Webb asked for clemency in 2004, but he was turned down.
His parole hearing—his first—is set for Aug. 16. If approved, he could be released as early as Dec. 12. The victim’s mother, Kathy Hatcher; the Pulaski County prosecutor’s office and others oppose to Webb’s release met with the parole board earlier today. A final decision will be made Aug. 31.
Webb was one of four individuals involved in the shooting in the Harvest Foods parking lot in Sherwood, off Highway 107, just north of North Hills Boulevard. Prosecutors, according to the victim’s mother, did not try to prove which of the four actually shot Hatcher.
“Because of the accomplice liability law, the prosecutors set out to prove they were all guilty of murder by participating together in the actions that killed Jason on the night of Dec. 17, 1993,” Kathy Hatcher, who now lives in Ward, wrote in her recent letter to the parole board.
The prosecutors decided to try all four—Webb, Jason Carter, Chad Jones and James Gross—separately. Hatcher said this prevented jurors from hearing from others involved in Webb’s trial because of ongoing appeals. But Hatcher, who sat through all the trials, is convinced that Webb was the one who actually shot her son.
Carter, 18 at the time of the shooting and from Little Rock, was found guilty of first-degree murder, battery and aggravated as-sault.
He was sentenced to 60 years on the murder count, 30 years for battery and 10 years for the assault, all to run concurrently. He was paroled in March 2005.
Even though Carter got more time for the murder than anyone else, because of his age at the time of the shooting, an attorney general’s opinion allowed him to be paroled at any time.
Jones, 22 at the time, and a Cabot resident, was found guilty of first-degree murder and battery.
He was given 32 years on the murder charges and five years for the battery, to run concurrently. He was paroled in August 2004. Gross, 19 at the time, and from Gravel Ridge, was found not guilty of murder, but was convicted of battery and aggravated assault.
He was sentenced to six years on each charge, to run concurrently. He was the first to be paroled, in December 1996.
According to Leader articles and police reports at the time, there was a fight in the Harvest Foods parking lot.
Jason and others, who were at Taco Bell, came over to see what was going on. Gross, Tim McGarity and others were fighting.
About that time a car pulled up with Webb, Jones and Carter. Carter had a pistol and was firing it in the air as the vehicle pulled in.
Prosecutor John Johnson said apparently the pistol was passed around between Carter, Gross and Jones. McGarity ended up shot in the knee.
Shortly thereafter someone got a rifle out from the trunk of the car and began firing.
“By this time, “Johnson said, “everyone was running away and Hatcher was shot in the back. The bullet went completely through him.” In her letter to the parole board, Hatcher said police found lead fragments and copper casings at the crime scene.
She said the lead fragments were traced back to a gun found at Gross’s grandmother’s home. The copper casings were traced back to a rifle found at Webb’s home.
Copper fragments were found in Jason’s back, she wrote. Johnson agreed with most of Hatcher’s recall, but said the gun was found in Gross’s mom’s attic.
Johnson said the investigation found that Webb left the crime scene and went to the home of some friends. He walked in carrying his rifle and bragging.
Hatcher, in her letter, said that “Webb bragged to his friends by saying ‘I think I got one’ or ‘I think I shot one’ and that the worst part was he ‘had to throw his taco down.’”
Hatcher closed her letter, writing, “I pray that you keep him in jail to show deterrence to other young people to not use guns, to show justice by giving punishment for murder, to make Webb take responsibility for his actions.”
SPORTS >> Panther volleyball
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
Last year’s Cabot Lady Panthers volleyball team had plenty of talent, just not quite enough size to back it all up. From the looks of early practices this year, however, the size issue will be a thing of the past.
The Lady Panthers reported to the first practices last week in healthy numbers. A squad of 30, led by seven returning seniors, took to the Panther gymnasium to prepare for the 2006 season and their first venture into the 7A-Central Conference.
Head coach Terry Williams said the group came in ready to work on fundamentals, with very little conditioning needed.
“I feel like we are a little bit ahead of the game as far as conditioning goes,” Williams said. “Some of the girls worked with a trainer over the summer, and some of them worked on their own. Overall, they did a good job of reporting in good shape and ready for the first week of practice.
“They’ve been working hard. We still have a lot of spots open right now, our lineup has not been determined yet. There are still several positions that two or more people are going for, so it’s pretty wide open right now as far as who the starters are going to be in a lot of places.”
Even with a good core of seniors, --Williams says that starting positions will have to be earned with strong performances on the court, regardless of what grade each player is in. With several younger players adding much-needed height to the starting lineup could potentially posses more underclassmen than in years past.
“We have some height,” Williams said. “Some of them aren’t jumping real well yet, so we have been working on that. If someone has a 16” vertical (jump), we want them to use all of those 16 inches instead of just five or six.”
Along with morning practices at the Panther gym, the Lady Panthers are also taking part in a team camp at Hendrix College this week in the afternoon from Monday through Thursday. Sev-eral area schools are participating in the camp, including conference opponents Conway and North Little Rock. Among other schools at the camp are Vilonia, Morrilton, Greenbrier and May-flower.
With the luxury of two good workouts a day this week, Williams says the focus right now is on serving and passing, with emphasis on their hitting and blocking to come in future practices.
“We did a lot of passing and a lot of serving mixed in with our conditioning,” Williams said. “In fact, we are still focusing on our serving and our passing this week. Hitting and blocking will probably come in a lot more next week.”
The Lady Panthers will start their season at home on Aug. 22 with a varsity-only tri-match against Lonoke and Morrilton starting at 5 p.m.
Leader sports writer
Last year’s Cabot Lady Panthers volleyball team had plenty of talent, just not quite enough size to back it all up. From the looks of early practices this year, however, the size issue will be a thing of the past.
The Lady Panthers reported to the first practices last week in healthy numbers. A squad of 30, led by seven returning seniors, took to the Panther gymnasium to prepare for the 2006 season and their first venture into the 7A-Central Conference.
Head coach Terry Williams said the group came in ready to work on fundamentals, with very little conditioning needed.
“I feel like we are a little bit ahead of the game as far as conditioning goes,” Williams said. “Some of the girls worked with a trainer over the summer, and some of them worked on their own. Overall, they did a good job of reporting in good shape and ready for the first week of practice.
“They’ve been working hard. We still have a lot of spots open right now, our lineup has not been determined yet. There are still several positions that two or more people are going for, so it’s pretty wide open right now as far as who the starters are going to be in a lot of places.”
Even with a good core of seniors, --Williams says that starting positions will have to be earned with strong performances on the court, regardless of what grade each player is in. With several younger players adding much-needed height to the starting lineup could potentially posses more underclassmen than in years past.
“We have some height,” Williams said. “Some of them aren’t jumping real well yet, so we have been working on that. If someone has a 16” vertical (jump), we want them to use all of those 16 inches instead of just five or six.”
Along with morning practices at the Panther gym, the Lady Panthers are also taking part in a team camp at Hendrix College this week in the afternoon from Monday through Thursday. Sev-eral area schools are participating in the camp, including conference opponents Conway and North Little Rock. Among other schools at the camp are Vilonia, Morrilton, Greenbrier and May-flower.
With the luxury of two good workouts a day this week, Williams says the focus right now is on serving and passing, with emphasis on their hitting and blocking to come in future practices.
“We did a lot of passing and a lot of serving mixed in with our conditioning,” Williams said. “In fact, we are still focusing on our serving and our passing this week. Hitting and blocking will probably come in a lot more next week.”
The Lady Panthers will start their season at home on Aug. 22 with a varsity-only tri-match against Lonoke and Morrilton starting at 5 p.m.
EDITORIALS >> Casinos Royale
By winter, Arkansas will have casinos at Hot Springs and West Memphis, the first since Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller shut down the illegal ones at Hot Springs in 1968. The state Racing Commission last week gave the franchise owners permission to operate 1,000 gambling machines each. The Arkansas Supreme Court could block the casinos when it returns from its summer recess, but one of the franchise owners is confident enough about the court’s decision that they are already building the grand gambling hall and is ordering the machines.
Oaklawn Jockey Club at Hot Springs is more prudent. It is waiting on the Supreme Court to say that the elections last November in both cities were legal. They have good reason to be cautious.
While the Racing Commission’s licensing of the operations at the thoroughbred track at Hot Springs and the greyhound track at West Memphis is good news for those with gambling impulses and for the out-of-state track owners, people addicted to constitutional niceties are not so happy. The act passed by the 2005 legislature lets the racetrack owners open casinos if the games require at least a little skill, even if the outcome is still always based on chance. That is supposed to get around the Constitution’s ban on lotteries.
But the immediate issue is whether the elections in which local voters approved the casinos are valid and constitutional. The voting procedures were strange indeed. The legislation let the track owners choose the most propitious moment for the elections and who would get to vote on the issue. The tracks chose city voters only, not voters in the surrounding counties.
Past gambling votes indicated that city voters were more likely to approve gambling than voters countywide.
The track owners paid the election judges and clerks and other ballot costs. Local judges ruled that this and the unusual leverage over the elections given to track owners squared beautifully with the constitutional protections of free, fair and impartial elections. Now we must see if the Supreme Court agrees. If it does, we hope it is not a trend.
Oaklawn Jockey Club at Hot Springs is more prudent. It is waiting on the Supreme Court to say that the elections last November in both cities were legal. They have good reason to be cautious.
While the Racing Commission’s licensing of the operations at the thoroughbred track at Hot Springs and the greyhound track at West Memphis is good news for those with gambling impulses and for the out-of-state track owners, people addicted to constitutional niceties are not so happy. The act passed by the 2005 legislature lets the racetrack owners open casinos if the games require at least a little skill, even if the outcome is still always based on chance. That is supposed to get around the Constitution’s ban on lotteries.
But the immediate issue is whether the elections in which local voters approved the casinos are valid and constitutional. The voting procedures were strange indeed. The legislation let the track owners choose the most propitious moment for the elections and who would get to vote on the issue. The tracks chose city voters only, not voters in the surrounding counties.
Past gambling votes indicated that city voters were more likely to approve gambling than voters countywide.
The track owners paid the election judges and clerks and other ballot costs. Local judges ruled that this and the unusual leverage over the elections given to track owners squared beautifully with the constitutional protections of free, fair and impartial elections. Now we must see if the Supreme Court agrees. If it does, we hope it is not a trend.
EDITORIALS >> The Fed does nothing
After 17 straight periods in which it raised benchmark interest rates, the Federal Reserve yesterday lay doggo. Equity exchanges, bond markets, traders and economists everywhere waited for that news and then, their prayers answered, didn’t know what to make of it. The indexes fluctuated wildly and then finished, very oddly, lower across the board.
A better attitude all along would have been, “so what?” We think the Fed made the right decision in not raising the target federal funds rate again, but the reality at the moment is that its interest-rate policy has such marginal effect on economic movement that it hardly bears watching. Since the most anemic economic recovery of modern times finally gathered a little steam in 2004, the Fed raised the benchmark rates a quarter-point at a time to keep inflation at bay. Inflation still seems as dangerous as it has been at any time the past two years, maybe much more dangerous, but there are harbingers that a crueler foe, recession, is gathering his weapons.
Another quarter-percent hike in the fed funds rate would not change the inflationary forces, primarily climbing energy costs. The executive and legislative branches of the federal government could affect those forces through farsighted domestic and foreign policies, which have been absent now for six years, but we learned this week that not even Solomonic government policies can put the country wholly outside risk.
A sizable part of America’s domestic oil production will soon be halted because of miles of corroded pipeline across the Alaskan north, driving up energy prices and further imperiling the nation’s economic security. Alan Greenspan would not have had an answer for that, though he might have had the Fed raise interest rates again, just in case it might reduce demand a little and avoid igniting more inflation.
The markets may have intuited Tuesday that the decision they so wanted from the Fed — static interest rates — might not engender the continued good times they expected but rather represented a warning to get their houses in order. The Fed put out the usual happy talk, subtly boasting that its monetary policies were restraining demand and would moderate inflation pressures “over time.” It noted a “gradual” slowing of economic growth, which the Fed considers desirable.
Gradual slowing, of course, if it continues over time becomes static growth and then recession. Other indicators are not so good.
The housing boom that fueled whatever economic growth there was after 2002 is now over. People in central Arkansas find their homes on the market many months when a year ago everything was snapped up in weeks. Employment growth is back at the poor levels that appeared early in the recovery. New unemployment insurance claims are rising. Here in Arkansas, manufacturing jobs continue to disappear every month, and technology and service jobs are not replacing them any longer at a sufficient clip.
If the Fed performed a service for all of us, it was to tell us to get our houses in order. That ought to start with the national administration, but good luck with that. The message should not be lost either on state policy makers, especially those talking about cutting taxes and giving away surplus money that will soon be needed. Finally, it shouldn’t be lost on households.
A better attitude all along would have been, “so what?” We think the Fed made the right decision in not raising the target federal funds rate again, but the reality at the moment is that its interest-rate policy has such marginal effect on economic movement that it hardly bears watching. Since the most anemic economic recovery of modern times finally gathered a little steam in 2004, the Fed raised the benchmark rates a quarter-point at a time to keep inflation at bay. Inflation still seems as dangerous as it has been at any time the past two years, maybe much more dangerous, but there are harbingers that a crueler foe, recession, is gathering his weapons.
Another quarter-percent hike in the fed funds rate would not change the inflationary forces, primarily climbing energy costs. The executive and legislative branches of the federal government could affect those forces through farsighted domestic and foreign policies, which have been absent now for six years, but we learned this week that not even Solomonic government policies can put the country wholly outside risk.
A sizable part of America’s domestic oil production will soon be halted because of miles of corroded pipeline across the Alaskan north, driving up energy prices and further imperiling the nation’s economic security. Alan Greenspan would not have had an answer for that, though he might have had the Fed raise interest rates again, just in case it might reduce demand a little and avoid igniting more inflation.
The markets may have intuited Tuesday that the decision they so wanted from the Fed — static interest rates — might not engender the continued good times they expected but rather represented a warning to get their houses in order. The Fed put out the usual happy talk, subtly boasting that its monetary policies were restraining demand and would moderate inflation pressures “over time.” It noted a “gradual” slowing of economic growth, which the Fed considers desirable.
Gradual slowing, of course, if it continues over time becomes static growth and then recession. Other indicators are not so good.
The housing boom that fueled whatever economic growth there was after 2002 is now over. People in central Arkansas find their homes on the market many months when a year ago everything was snapped up in weeks. Employment growth is back at the poor levels that appeared early in the recovery. New unemployment insurance claims are rising. Here in Arkansas, manufacturing jobs continue to disappear every month, and technology and service jobs are not replacing them any longer at a sufficient clip.
If the Fed performed a service for all of us, it was to tell us to get our houses in order. That ought to start with the national administration, but good luck with that. The message should not be lost either on state policy makers, especially those talking about cutting taxes and giving away surplus money that will soon be needed. Finally, it shouldn’t be lost on households.
TOP STORY >>Large ditch roadblock to Wal-Mart
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
A country road, paved like most country roads in Lonoke County, now leads from Highway 5 almost all the way to the new, really big Wal-Mart in Cabot.
The only thing separating shoppers from their destination is a big ditch that one Cabot alderman hopes to fill at least temporarily with a couple of large culverts.
Two stumbling blocks to completing the two-and-a-half mile road built in less than a year by Lonoke County Judge Charlie Troutman are money and the bigger problem of control of the ditch.
And that isn’t a county-city issue; it’s federal.
Troutman said Tuesday that he learned recently that the ditch that separates his road from the shopping district where the new Wal-Mart is located is controlled by the U.S. Corps of Engineers.
The Corps will allow him to cross the ditch, he said, but it requires a flow study from a certified engineer showing that the culverts he would install are large enough to handle the water that would run through them.
Troutman said he is meeting with an engineer Friday about the flow study.
Armstrong wants the city to pay for the culverts, since the county has already spent about $100,000 to build the 40-foot roadbed and pave it in a process commonly called chip and seal.
Armstrong said he believes the new road will help ease traffic congestion around Rockwood where Wal-Mart is located and also bring in additional tax revenue to the city.
It is commonly believed that some city residents who live around Highway 5 avoid Cabot traffic congestion by driving four and a half miles to shop in Jacksonville.
Troutman said that asphalting the new road 26 feet wide would probably cost about $225,000 and there is no way the county can pay that much this year.
But it is possible the new road still might open with or without city help before the end of the year.
The city could help with the flow study, since it has a certified engineer on staff, but Troutman isn’t waiting for that since the mayor and the majority of the city council was not willing to help build the road.
Earlier this year, Armstrong and Alderman Odis Waymack sponsored an ordinance to allow the county to replace seven worn and dangerously narrow bridges on First Street that lead to a ball park in Cabot in exchange for the city helping the county build the road to Wal-Mart.
Troutman said he could replace the bridges with culverts for $75,000 instead of the $750,000 it might cost to replace them with bridges and sidewalks.
Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh told the council that he has seen no engineering reports on the planned project and questioned Troutman’s motives, demanding to know during one council meeting if Troutman owned land on the road he was building.
Troutman answered that he did not, that his land was on Highway 5.
Troutman said he had always expected to at least get some private help with building the road, but so far only one business (not Wal-Mart) has offered to help.
And neither did the city since the ordinance sponsored by Armstrong and Waymack failed despite Troutman’s assertion that the $200,000 he wanted the city to pay to put asphalt on the road would likely be made up with increased sales tax revenue from shoppers who might chose Cabot if they could get there without fighting the traffic.
Leader staff writer
A country road, paved like most country roads in Lonoke County, now leads from Highway 5 almost all the way to the new, really big Wal-Mart in Cabot.
The only thing separating shoppers from their destination is a big ditch that one Cabot alderman hopes to fill at least temporarily with a couple of large culverts.
Two stumbling blocks to completing the two-and-a-half mile road built in less than a year by Lonoke County Judge Charlie Troutman are money and the bigger problem of control of the ditch.
And that isn’t a county-city issue; it’s federal.
Troutman said Tuesday that he learned recently that the ditch that separates his road from the shopping district where the new Wal-Mart is located is controlled by the U.S. Corps of Engineers.
The Corps will allow him to cross the ditch, he said, but it requires a flow study from a certified engineer showing that the culverts he would install are large enough to handle the water that would run through them.
Troutman said he is meeting with an engineer Friday about the flow study.
Armstrong wants the city to pay for the culverts, since the county has already spent about $100,000 to build the 40-foot roadbed and pave it in a process commonly called chip and seal.
Armstrong said he believes the new road will help ease traffic congestion around Rockwood where Wal-Mart is located and also bring in additional tax revenue to the city.
It is commonly believed that some city residents who live around Highway 5 avoid Cabot traffic congestion by driving four and a half miles to shop in Jacksonville.
Troutman said that asphalting the new road 26 feet wide would probably cost about $225,000 and there is no way the county can pay that much this year.
But it is possible the new road still might open with or without city help before the end of the year.
The city could help with the flow study, since it has a certified engineer on staff, but Troutman isn’t waiting for that since the mayor and the majority of the city council was not willing to help build the road.
Earlier this year, Armstrong and Alderman Odis Waymack sponsored an ordinance to allow the county to replace seven worn and dangerously narrow bridges on First Street that lead to a ball park in Cabot in exchange for the city helping the county build the road to Wal-Mart.
Troutman said he could replace the bridges with culverts for $75,000 instead of the $750,000 it might cost to replace them with bridges and sidewalks.
Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh told the council that he has seen no engineering reports on the planned project and questioned Troutman’s motives, demanding to know during one council meeting if Troutman owned land on the road he was building.
Troutman answered that he did not, that his land was on Highway 5.
Troutman said he had always expected to at least get some private help with building the road, but so far only one business (not Wal-Mart) has offered to help.
And neither did the city since the ordinance sponsored by Armstrong and Waymack failed despite Troutman’s assertion that the $200,000 he wanted the city to pay to put asphalt on the road would likely be made up with increased sales tax revenue from shoppers who might chose Cabot if they could get there without fighting the traffic.
TOP STORY >>Returning to classes
IN SHORT: A roundup of school districts in Cabot, Beebe, Lonoke and north Pulaski County as they prepare to welcome new and returning students Monday, Aug. 21.
By PEG KENYON
Leader staff writer
Area schools are preparing their classrooms to welcome students back in less than two weeks for the first day of classes Monday, Aug. 21.
Students attending Cabot’s High School and junior highs can pick up their class schedules in the cafeteria from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, and campus tours will be available for students from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18.
The tours are necessary because when the bell rings at 7:45 a.m. Aug. 21, about 1,800 students will be the first to step foot in the new $13.9 million, 191,015-square-foot Cabot High School campus designed by Steve Elliott, a Cabot graduate.
When school starts, students have six minutes to navigate the 105 classrooms, a great improvement over past years when students had to go outside in the elements to attend classes in 25 trailers and smaller buildings scattered across campus.
Administrators expect about 8,700 students throughout the district, gaining an average of 300 new students each year based on past enrollment numbers.
Students at Cabot Middle School South and Cabot Mid-dle School North have already received their schedules. There will be an open house-cookout-orientation at Mid-dle School North from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Just how many new students won’t be reported to the state until September and are expected to be similar to last year. Cabot had 8,488 students enrolled last year, a growth of 425 more than 2004.
The Beebe School District expects about 65 to 95 new students. Last year, the district had 2,915 students, an increase of 133 students over 2004.
The Lonoke School Dis-trict, where a new middle school is expected to open later this fall, last year added 37 students to its rolls, pushing enrollment figures to 1,855.
PULASKI SCHOOLS
At the secondary level in the Pulaski County Special School District, Kenneth Clark, principal at Jacksonville High School, said changes there include regulating the use of vending machines until after breakfast and lunches are served and receiving news of being chosen by a local cable channel for JHS football games to be televised. Cabot, North Pulaski and Searcy high schools were vying for this opportunity to be seen on My Town TV, according to Clark.
“Coach (Jerry) Wilson was instrumental in getting the football games televised,” Clark told The Leader.
As for the vending machines, which offer not only fruit juices, water and carbonated drinks but also ice cream treats, Clarks hopes by regulating the hours in use will decrease some disciplinary measures.
“We don’t need them (students) hyped up too much,” Clark said. “We’re going to let the teachers hype them up this year.”
New at the high school located along Linda Lane in Jacksonville is a mural currently being painted by Zach Price who will be a senior this year at JHS but he is not the only one helping with the project. His family — Gary, Paula, Hannah, Phillip, Jacob and Caleb — and a former student, Courtney Cable, have assisted so far.
About 1,240 students are expected to attend JHS as the school year kicks off and as they change classes, they will get to view their school colors in an artistic form. Clark also revealed a teacher/student ratio of 28 to 1 decreasing to 25 to 1.
A less colorful but extremely functional project is getting underway to provide wheelchair accessibility to the school’s media center. A ramp will be constructed near the principal’s office. The steps up to the media center will then be history according to Clark.
“We’ll lose an office and this was a bathroom,” Clark explained as he pointed out the area where the ramp will be upon its completion.
Meanwhile, Don Henderson, a new principal at North Pulaski High School, has apparently adopted a wait-and-see attitude as the school year begins.
“Coming into a new situation, you really don’t know what to expect but I believe if it’s not broke don’t fix it.”
One of the changes has already been decided for him. There is a vacancy to oversee the Simply Delicious restaurant operated by NPHS students this year.
“We’re hoping to keep this program going but have yet to find a qualified person,” Henderson said.
Despite being new to the school, Henderson does have a plan, which includes parents and members of the community. He hopes the phrase ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ will become more than just words.
“I want to create a school where parents and the community will be involved and feel comfortable when they come here,” Henderson said.
Henderson also wants NPHS students to become hyped up about school.
“I want our students to waking up and being excited about coming to school rather than making excuses for not being here,” Henderson told The Leader.
As a new principal, Henderson is focusing upon safety and learning. NPHS is located off Harris Road near Little Rock Air Force Base. Both high schools ban the use of cell phones, which could be a possible source of distraction from learning. Finding a student in possession of a cell phones, will result in it being confiscated and the teen being suspended, according to NPHS personnel.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
The two middle schools separated by gender teach students attending the sixth through the eighth grades.
Michael Nellums, principal at the Jacksonville Boys Middle School, and Kimala Forrest, principal at the Jacksonville Girls Middle School, agree there are more disciplinary needs among boys than girls at these ages. Nellums indicated it is projected that 500 boys will be attending the local middle school this year.
“Five hundred boys is the equivalent of 1,500 kids on a coed campus,” Nellums told The Leader. “But it’s just because boys are extremely active at this stage of their lives.”
Despite it being extremely active, it is considered disciplinary needs by the school district. This youthful exuberance may decline, as increased physical activities will get underway during the 2006-07 school year.
According to Nellums, the school will be getting playground and fitness equipment to meet Arkansas’ physical-health standards. “We’re going to be a physically fit school,” he said.
The Jacksonville Boys Middle School will have 60 new computers this year as well.
At the Jacksonville Girls Middle School, Forrest feels right at home because she attended the school here when the middle school was still coed. This marks the second year for the school-gender split.
This is also Forrest’s first year to be principal at the girls school, located along Main Street near downtown Jacksonville. “I’m glad to be back,” she says.
Plans underway include “girl activities” geared to promote self-esteem as well as outward appearances. “We’re going to work on the girls inside and out,” Forrest said.
Forrest plans to instill the young girls with confidence enough allowing them to obtain whatever career goal they choose in the future. “I always tell my kids there is no limit,” she says.
During this school year, sixth-grade students are required to participate in physical education, art and “general” music or band, according to Forrest. Seventh-grade students must take courses in health and computer keyboarding. In the eighth grade, students are subjected to career orientation and family work connections courses. Several of the local principals concluded ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ means not only parental but also community involvement to get the best results in building the next generation of adults in the American workplace.
By PEG KENYON
Leader staff writer
Area schools are preparing their classrooms to welcome students back in less than two weeks for the first day of classes Monday, Aug. 21.
Students attending Cabot’s High School and junior highs can pick up their class schedules in the cafeteria from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, and campus tours will be available for students from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18.
The tours are necessary because when the bell rings at 7:45 a.m. Aug. 21, about 1,800 students will be the first to step foot in the new $13.9 million, 191,015-square-foot Cabot High School campus designed by Steve Elliott, a Cabot graduate.
When school starts, students have six minutes to navigate the 105 classrooms, a great improvement over past years when students had to go outside in the elements to attend classes in 25 trailers and smaller buildings scattered across campus.
Administrators expect about 8,700 students throughout the district, gaining an average of 300 new students each year based on past enrollment numbers.
Students at Cabot Middle School South and Cabot Mid-dle School North have already received their schedules. There will be an open house-cookout-orientation at Mid-dle School North from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Just how many new students won’t be reported to the state until September and are expected to be similar to last year. Cabot had 8,488 students enrolled last year, a growth of 425 more than 2004.
The Beebe School District expects about 65 to 95 new students. Last year, the district had 2,915 students, an increase of 133 students over 2004.
The Lonoke School Dis-trict, where a new middle school is expected to open later this fall, last year added 37 students to its rolls, pushing enrollment figures to 1,855.
PULASKI SCHOOLS
At the secondary level in the Pulaski County Special School District, Kenneth Clark, principal at Jacksonville High School, said changes there include regulating the use of vending machines until after breakfast and lunches are served and receiving news of being chosen by a local cable channel for JHS football games to be televised. Cabot, North Pulaski and Searcy high schools were vying for this opportunity to be seen on My Town TV, according to Clark.
“Coach (Jerry) Wilson was instrumental in getting the football games televised,” Clark told The Leader.
As for the vending machines, which offer not only fruit juices, water and carbonated drinks but also ice cream treats, Clarks hopes by regulating the hours in use will decrease some disciplinary measures.
“We don’t need them (students) hyped up too much,” Clark said. “We’re going to let the teachers hype them up this year.”
New at the high school located along Linda Lane in Jacksonville is a mural currently being painted by Zach Price who will be a senior this year at JHS but he is not the only one helping with the project. His family — Gary, Paula, Hannah, Phillip, Jacob and Caleb — and a former student, Courtney Cable, have assisted so far.
About 1,240 students are expected to attend JHS as the school year kicks off and as they change classes, they will get to view their school colors in an artistic form. Clark also revealed a teacher/student ratio of 28 to 1 decreasing to 25 to 1.
A less colorful but extremely functional project is getting underway to provide wheelchair accessibility to the school’s media center. A ramp will be constructed near the principal’s office. The steps up to the media center will then be history according to Clark.
“We’ll lose an office and this was a bathroom,” Clark explained as he pointed out the area where the ramp will be upon its completion.
Meanwhile, Don Henderson, a new principal at North Pulaski High School, has apparently adopted a wait-and-see attitude as the school year begins.
“Coming into a new situation, you really don’t know what to expect but I believe if it’s not broke don’t fix it.”
One of the changes has already been decided for him. There is a vacancy to oversee the Simply Delicious restaurant operated by NPHS students this year.
“We’re hoping to keep this program going but have yet to find a qualified person,” Henderson said.
Despite being new to the school, Henderson does have a plan, which includes parents and members of the community. He hopes the phrase ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ will become more than just words.
“I want to create a school where parents and the community will be involved and feel comfortable when they come here,” Henderson said.
Henderson also wants NPHS students to become hyped up about school.
“I want our students to waking up and being excited about coming to school rather than making excuses for not being here,” Henderson told The Leader.
As a new principal, Henderson is focusing upon safety and learning. NPHS is located off Harris Road near Little Rock Air Force Base. Both high schools ban the use of cell phones, which could be a possible source of distraction from learning. Finding a student in possession of a cell phones, will result in it being confiscated and the teen being suspended, according to NPHS personnel.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
The two middle schools separated by gender teach students attending the sixth through the eighth grades.
Michael Nellums, principal at the Jacksonville Boys Middle School, and Kimala Forrest, principal at the Jacksonville Girls Middle School, agree there are more disciplinary needs among boys than girls at these ages. Nellums indicated it is projected that 500 boys will be attending the local middle school this year.
“Five hundred boys is the equivalent of 1,500 kids on a coed campus,” Nellums told The Leader. “But it’s just because boys are extremely active at this stage of their lives.”
Despite it being extremely active, it is considered disciplinary needs by the school district. This youthful exuberance may decline, as increased physical activities will get underway during the 2006-07 school year.
According to Nellums, the school will be getting playground and fitness equipment to meet Arkansas’ physical-health standards. “We’re going to be a physically fit school,” he said.
The Jacksonville Boys Middle School will have 60 new computers this year as well.
At the Jacksonville Girls Middle School, Forrest feels right at home because she attended the school here when the middle school was still coed. This marks the second year for the school-gender split.
This is also Forrest’s first year to be principal at the girls school, located along Main Street near downtown Jacksonville. “I’m glad to be back,” she says.
Plans underway include “girl activities” geared to promote self-esteem as well as outward appearances. “We’re going to work on the girls inside and out,” Forrest said.
Forrest plans to instill the young girls with confidence enough allowing them to obtain whatever career goal they choose in the future. “I always tell my kids there is no limit,” she says.
During this school year, sixth-grade students are required to participate in physical education, art and “general” music or band, according to Forrest. Seventh-grade students must take courses in health and computer keyboarding. In the eighth grade, students are subjected to career orientation and family work connections courses. Several of the local principals concluded ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ means not only parental but also community involvement to get the best results in building the next generation of adults in the American workplace.
TOP STORY >> Housing board resigns
IN SHORT: A review leaves most positions vacant on the Jacksonville authority.
By PEG KENYON
Leader staff writer
Most members of the Jacksonville Housing Authority Board have resigned as a review by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development continues into possible wrongdoing at the authority.
The three men who quit are Ferrell Gray, Robert Colford and Robert Whatley.
A fourth member, Johnny Morry, previously resigned due to a family illness, leaving only Fred West at the helm of the Jacksonville Housing Authority’s five-member board of commissioners, according to one of the commissioners who resigned Tuesday.
“We just felt like we needed to under the circumstances…to get some new blood involved,” What-ley told The Leader.
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim accepted the three one-sentence letters of resignation from those commissioners Tues-day morning.
“The consensus of the people today is that the program is a great service to the community and they offered their services if they could be of any help,” Swaim said. “The people who turned in their resignations had served in good faith.”
The identical letters except the names read, “I, ______, resign my position as Housing Authority Board member effective immediately.” The letters were dated Aug. 8.
The beleaguered agency oversees local property management, in which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has a vested interest.
As of Tuesday afternoon, no decisions about recreating the JHA Board of Commissioners had been made. According to Swaim, the board is responsible for recommending commissioners to Jack-sonville City Council.
The city can confirm these appointees but cannot substitute them with others since the JHA Board of Commissioners’ inception in the late 1970s.
“Consideration will be given to an interim board,” Swaim said. “I’m confident that there is a way the city council can fill them….I have talked with someone familiar with this type of program to assist.”
Swaim would not reveal this individual’s identity.
The JHA last week lost its director of about 14 years, Virginia Simmons, before the board’s three commissioners stepped down. According to Whatley, Simmons had worked in various capacities at the JHA for approximately 31 years.
Whatley said, “As far as we know, it had nothing to do with money being stolen. No theft was involved.”
According to Whatley, Mary Boyd has a contract to serve as interim director until Aug. 31. In the meantime, a review is underway into the JHA’s operations and management, according to Bessie Jackson, field office director for HUD in Little Rock.
Jackson previously explained that the Little Rock agency does not have the authority to hire or fire personnel at the JHA.
After HUD’s request, Simmons was placed on administrative leave with pay for two to three weeks, according to Whatley.
Jackson also revealed that the review is still incomplete. “So far, we’ve found some things we have questions about,” she previously told The Leader.
As an original commissioner since the board’s inception in the late 1970s, Whatley indicated that the housing authority had never had serious problems.
On July 31, the board went into a private executive session during its meeting. Whatley explained that he cannot comment on what transpired during this session but he did comment on Simmons’ resignation.
Whatley also said Simmons had indicated she had enjoyed working with the board.
Whatley also revealed that one of Simmons’ close relatives who lives out of state is currently ill and she needs to be there for him.
Jackson explained that she had previously met with Mayor Swaim to apprise him of the review of the local housing authority.
“We don’t have any further details right now,” Jackson said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Swaim still didn’t know the details about the inquiry.
“I’m not involved in its day-to-day operation, but HUD told me they were looking into some circumstances and that I would be informed,” Swaim said.
“Until HUD turns in their inquiry, I have no understanding about the details,” the mayor added.
Messages left for Jackson to call were unreturned at press time.
By PEG KENYON
Leader staff writer
Most members of the Jacksonville Housing Authority Board have resigned as a review by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development continues into possible wrongdoing at the authority.
The three men who quit are Ferrell Gray, Robert Colford and Robert Whatley.
A fourth member, Johnny Morry, previously resigned due to a family illness, leaving only Fred West at the helm of the Jacksonville Housing Authority’s five-member board of commissioners, according to one of the commissioners who resigned Tuesday.
“We just felt like we needed to under the circumstances…to get some new blood involved,” What-ley told The Leader.
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim accepted the three one-sentence letters of resignation from those commissioners Tues-day morning.
“The consensus of the people today is that the program is a great service to the community and they offered their services if they could be of any help,” Swaim said. “The people who turned in their resignations had served in good faith.”
The identical letters except the names read, “I, ______, resign my position as Housing Authority Board member effective immediately.” The letters were dated Aug. 8.
The beleaguered agency oversees local property management, in which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has a vested interest.
As of Tuesday afternoon, no decisions about recreating the JHA Board of Commissioners had been made. According to Swaim, the board is responsible for recommending commissioners to Jack-sonville City Council.
The city can confirm these appointees but cannot substitute them with others since the JHA Board of Commissioners’ inception in the late 1970s.
“Consideration will be given to an interim board,” Swaim said. “I’m confident that there is a way the city council can fill them….I have talked with someone familiar with this type of program to assist.”
Swaim would not reveal this individual’s identity.
The JHA last week lost its director of about 14 years, Virginia Simmons, before the board’s three commissioners stepped down. According to Whatley, Simmons had worked in various capacities at the JHA for approximately 31 years.
Whatley said, “As far as we know, it had nothing to do with money being stolen. No theft was involved.”
According to Whatley, Mary Boyd has a contract to serve as interim director until Aug. 31. In the meantime, a review is underway into the JHA’s operations and management, according to Bessie Jackson, field office director for HUD in Little Rock.
Jackson previously explained that the Little Rock agency does not have the authority to hire or fire personnel at the JHA.
After HUD’s request, Simmons was placed on administrative leave with pay for two to three weeks, according to Whatley.
Jackson also revealed that the review is still incomplete. “So far, we’ve found some things we have questions about,” she previously told The Leader.
As an original commissioner since the board’s inception in the late 1970s, Whatley indicated that the housing authority had never had serious problems.
On July 31, the board went into a private executive session during its meeting. Whatley explained that he cannot comment on what transpired during this session but he did comment on Simmons’ resignation.
Whatley also said Simmons had indicated she had enjoyed working with the board.
Whatley also revealed that one of Simmons’ close relatives who lives out of state is currently ill and she needs to be there for him.
Jackson explained that she had previously met with Mayor Swaim to apprise him of the review of the local housing authority.
“We don’t have any further details right now,” Jackson said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Swaim still didn’t know the details about the inquiry.
“I’m not involved in its day-to-day operation, but HUD told me they were looking into some circumstances and that I would be informed,” Swaim said.
“Until HUD turns in their inquiry, I have no understanding about the details,” the mayor added.
Messages left for Jackson to call were unreturned at press time.
TOP STORY >> Smaller fees are possible in Cabot
IN SHORT: City still undecided on proposals to charge builders to pay for infrastructure improvements.
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
A proposed impact fee in Cabot remains a political hot potato.
The rhetoric during the public meeting Monday evening for a proposed impact fee on building in Cabot was much the same as the meetings earlier in the year, when it was decided that if the fee is imposed, they won’t be as high as recommended by the experts.
Duncan Associates, the Texas firm that conducted the impact fee study at a cost to the city of $63,000, has recommended fees that would bring in about $2.3 million annually — or several thousand dollars per new home — to pay for such growth-related expenses as widening roads, putting in larger sewer pipes, adding on to the library and building fire stations.
Most council members have said they would never even consider collecting that much, that phasing in half that amount is more what they have in mind.
It’s unlikely the council will approve even a watered-down impact fee before the November elections.
The builders and developers said an impact fee would cut into their paychecks and could stifle residential and commercial growth, which would hurt the city much more than the impact fee would help. And the city residents who support the impact fee said they want it passed at the maximum amounts allowed by law so they don’t have to pay for growth that has nothing to do with them.
The big difference between Monday’s public meeting and the Stakeholders Committee meetings held earlier was that seven of the city’s eight council members were present to hear what both sides have to say.
Only Alderman David Polantz, who sponsored the resolution calling for impact fees and the ordinance now on the table that would establish the fees, did not attend the public meeting.
The ordinance to impose the impact fees that is now before the council would set the fees at the amount recommended by the experts and would add up to $4,000 to the cost of a large, new home.
But the Stakeholders Commit-tee, made up of area residents involved in the building industry, was working with Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh the evening it made its recommendation on the fees that stand a better chance of being passed by the council.
Stumbaugh said Tuesday morning that even though Po-lantz’s ordinance has been read twice, a new ordinance will likely be introduced this month that will contain the impact fee structure recommended by the Stakeholders Committee.
The mayor said the new ordinance will say the fees will be collected 90 days after the ordinance passes. The fees will be set at 25 percent of the recommended amounts for the library, parks, streets and wastewater and 100 percent for fire protection.
One year after the council ordinance setting the fees is passed, another 25 percent would be added for a total of 50 percent of the recommended amounts for parks, streets and wastewater and 100 percent for fire. Since it is generally believed that some form of impact fee will eventually pass, the biggest question is when.
Stumbaugh said Tuesday that the planning commission still hasn’t given a recommendation on the fees. So the complete process has not been worked through yet.
Some residents, not involved in building, who attended the public meeting asked the council members present to forget that it is an election year and set impact fees that will do the most good for the city. But since the impact fee ordinance that will be passed has not yet been introduced, it is conceivable that the election will be over before it is passed.
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
A proposed impact fee in Cabot remains a political hot potato.
The rhetoric during the public meeting Monday evening for a proposed impact fee on building in Cabot was much the same as the meetings earlier in the year, when it was decided that if the fee is imposed, they won’t be as high as recommended by the experts.
Duncan Associates, the Texas firm that conducted the impact fee study at a cost to the city of $63,000, has recommended fees that would bring in about $2.3 million annually — or several thousand dollars per new home — to pay for such growth-related expenses as widening roads, putting in larger sewer pipes, adding on to the library and building fire stations.
Most council members have said they would never even consider collecting that much, that phasing in half that amount is more what they have in mind.
It’s unlikely the council will approve even a watered-down impact fee before the November elections.
The builders and developers said an impact fee would cut into their paychecks and could stifle residential and commercial growth, which would hurt the city much more than the impact fee would help. And the city residents who support the impact fee said they want it passed at the maximum amounts allowed by law so they don’t have to pay for growth that has nothing to do with them.
The big difference between Monday’s public meeting and the Stakeholders Committee meetings held earlier was that seven of the city’s eight council members were present to hear what both sides have to say.
Only Alderman David Polantz, who sponsored the resolution calling for impact fees and the ordinance now on the table that would establish the fees, did not attend the public meeting.
The ordinance to impose the impact fees that is now before the council would set the fees at the amount recommended by the experts and would add up to $4,000 to the cost of a large, new home.
But the Stakeholders Commit-tee, made up of area residents involved in the building industry, was working with Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh the evening it made its recommendation on the fees that stand a better chance of being passed by the council.
Stumbaugh said Tuesday morning that even though Po-lantz’s ordinance has been read twice, a new ordinance will likely be introduced this month that will contain the impact fee structure recommended by the Stakeholders Committee.
The mayor said the new ordinance will say the fees will be collected 90 days after the ordinance passes. The fees will be set at 25 percent of the recommended amounts for the library, parks, streets and wastewater and 100 percent for fire protection.
One year after the council ordinance setting the fees is passed, another 25 percent would be added for a total of 50 percent of the recommended amounts for parks, streets and wastewater and 100 percent for fire. Since it is generally believed that some form of impact fee will eventually pass, the biggest question is when.
Stumbaugh said Tuesday that the planning commission still hasn’t given a recommendation on the fees. So the complete process has not been worked through yet.
Some residents, not involved in building, who attended the public meeting asked the council members present to forget that it is an election year and set impact fees that will do the most good for the city. But since the impact fee ordinance that will be passed has not yet been introduced, it is conceivable that the election will be over before it is passed.
TOP STORY >> Smaller fees are possible in Cabot
IN SHORT: City still undecided on proposals to charge builders to pay for infrastructure improvements.
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
A proposed impact fee in Cabot remains a political hot potato.
The rhetoric during the public meeting Monday evening for a proposed impact fee on building in Cabot was much the same as the meetings earlier in the year, when it was decided that if the fee is imposed, they won’t be as high as recommended by the experts.
Duncan Associates, the Texas firm that conducted the impact fee study at a cost to the city of $63,000, has recommended fees that would bring in about $2.3 million annually — or several thousand dollars per new home — to pay for such growth-related expenses as widening roads, putting in larger sewer pipes, adding on to the library and building fire stations.
Most council members have said they would never even consider collecting that much, that phasing in half that amount is more what they have in mind.
It’s unlikely the council will approve even a watered-down impact fee before the November elections.
The builders and developers said an impact fee would cut into their paychecks and could stifle residential and commercial growth, which would hurt the city much more than the impact fee would help. And the city residents who support the impact fee said they want it passed at the maximum amounts allowed by law so they don’t have to pay for growth that has nothing to do with them.
The big difference between Monday’s public meeting and the Stakeholders Committee meetings held earlier was that seven of the city’s eight council members were present to hear what both sides have to say.
Only Alderman David Polantz, who sponsored the resolution calling for impact fees and the ordinance now on the table that would establish the fees, did not attend the public meeting.
The ordinance to impose the impact fees that is now before the council would set the fees at the amount recommended by the experts and would add up to $4,000 to the cost of a large, new home.
But the Stakeholders Commit-tee, made up of area residents involved in the building industry, was working with Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh the evening it made its recommendation on the fees that stand a better chance of being passed by the council.
Stumbaugh said Tuesday morning that even though Po-lantz’s ordinance has been read twice, a new ordinance will likely be introduced this month that will contain the impact fee structure recommended by the Stakeholders Committee.
The mayor said the new ordinance will say the fees will be collected 90 days after the ordinance passes. The fees will be set at 25 percent of the recommended amounts for the library, parks, streets and wastewater and 100 percent for fire protection.
One year after the council ordinance setting the fees is passed, another 25 percent would be added for a total of 50 percent of the recommended amounts for parks, streets and wastewater and 100 percent for fire. Since it is generally believed that some form of impact fee will eventually pass, the biggest question is when.
Stumbaugh said Tuesday that the planning commission still hasn’t given a recommendation on the fees. So the complete process has not been worked through yet.
Some residents, not involved in building, who attended the public meeting asked the council members present to forget that it is an election year and set impact fees that will do the most good for the city. But since the impact fee ordinance that will be passed has not yet been introduced, it is conceivable that the election will be over before it is passed.
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
A proposed impact fee in Cabot remains a political hot potato.
The rhetoric during the public meeting Monday evening for a proposed impact fee on building in Cabot was much the same as the meetings earlier in the year, when it was decided that if the fee is imposed, they won’t be as high as recommended by the experts.
Duncan Associates, the Texas firm that conducted the impact fee study at a cost to the city of $63,000, has recommended fees that would bring in about $2.3 million annually — or several thousand dollars per new home — to pay for such growth-related expenses as widening roads, putting in larger sewer pipes, adding on to the library and building fire stations.
Most council members have said they would never even consider collecting that much, that phasing in half that amount is more what they have in mind.
It’s unlikely the council will approve even a watered-down impact fee before the November elections.
The builders and developers said an impact fee would cut into their paychecks and could stifle residential and commercial growth, which would hurt the city much more than the impact fee would help. And the city residents who support the impact fee said they want it passed at the maximum amounts allowed by law so they don’t have to pay for growth that has nothing to do with them.
The big difference between Monday’s public meeting and the Stakeholders Committee meetings held earlier was that seven of the city’s eight council members were present to hear what both sides have to say.
Only Alderman David Polantz, who sponsored the resolution calling for impact fees and the ordinance now on the table that would establish the fees, did not attend the public meeting.
The ordinance to impose the impact fees that is now before the council would set the fees at the amount recommended by the experts and would add up to $4,000 to the cost of a large, new home.
But the Stakeholders Commit-tee, made up of area residents involved in the building industry, was working with Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh the evening it made its recommendation on the fees that stand a better chance of being passed by the council.
Stumbaugh said Tuesday morning that even though Po-lantz’s ordinance has been read twice, a new ordinance will likely be introduced this month that will contain the impact fee structure recommended by the Stakeholders Committee.
The mayor said the new ordinance will say the fees will be collected 90 days after the ordinance passes. The fees will be set at 25 percent of the recommended amounts for the library, parks, streets and wastewater and 100 percent for fire protection.
One year after the council ordinance setting the fees is passed, another 25 percent would be added for a total of 50 percent of the recommended amounts for parks, streets and wastewater and 100 percent for fire. Since it is generally believed that some form of impact fee will eventually pass, the biggest question is when.
Stumbaugh said Tuesday that the planning commission still hasn’t given a recommendation on the fees. So the complete process has not been worked through yet.
Some residents, not involved in building, who attended the public meeting asked the council members present to forget that it is an election year and set impact fees that will do the most good for the city. But since the impact fee ordinance that will be passed has not yet been introduced, it is conceivable that the election will be over before it is passed.
TOP STORY >> Hanshaw: releasing prisoners is wrong
IN SHORT: Judge holds Lonoke County Sheriff Jim Roberson in contempt of court for releasing three state prisoners with leg monitors, but Hanshaw decides not to sentence the sheriff to his overcrowded facility, ruling that no one is above the law and he wants no repetition of what had happened before.
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
Circuit Judge Lance Hanshaw ruled Tuesday that Lonoke County Sheriff Jim Roberson was in contempt of court for releasing three state prisoners on leg monitors while they waited for several months to be sent to rehab treatment paid for by the state.
But the ruling did not come with any penalty, not even a fine.
“This court has no intention of jailing Sheriff Roberson and certainly not in his own jail,” Hanshaw said. “The purpose of the hearing is to get the sheriff’s attention.”
The judge said he was not unsympathetic to overcrowding problems at the jail, but the women Roberson had released were sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Correction with a recommendation that they be sent to treatment facilities, and Roberson did not have the authority to release them.
“No one is above the law,” the judge said.
Roberson was contrite when he took the stand, saying he had nothing but respect for Hanshaw and had not intentionally disobeyed his orders.
“I think a lot of this court,” he told the judge.
He said in a later phone interview that the problem was in great part the result of a lack of face-to-face communication.
Jeff Sikes, the attorney for the county who represented the sheriff, argued that the measure for contempt was not present in Roberson’s actions.
“If willful intent is the measure of contempt, then Roberson is not in contempt,” Sikes said.
The judge disagreed.
Meanwhile, the population at the jail is growing.
“We’re 75 today. We’ve got 56 beds,” the sheriff said during the phone interview.
He did not talk to reporters immediately after the judge’s ruling. County Judge Charlie Trout-man, who attended the hearing, said he believed enough had probably been said already.
The rift between the judge and sheriff had already been the subject of several newspaper articles.
Sikes also declined to comment on the judge’s ruling.
Roberson said he could still release on bail or on leg monitors prisoners who have not been sentenced to prison. And he can release prisoners sentenced in district (formerly municipal) courts. But he will no longer release any prisoners sentenced to state prison without a court order.
When the crowding becomes a big problem, he will go to the quorum court about paying to send some prisoners to other jails if he can find any with enough room to take them.
“We used to send them to Dallas County (Fordyce) but they’re taking federal prisoners now,” Roberson said.
Farming out the state prisoners is the most economically feasible since lockups with room to take them are likely to charge $28 a day, exactly the amount the state pays the county to keep them.
But sending the prisoners elsewhere also means Lonoke County won’t collect the money for room and board, which is part of the operating budget.
The county has about $300,000 to add on to the jail. The money came from the state and was secured by State Sen. Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle. Roberson wants to add about 15 or 20 beds, but Troutman said the architect is dragging his feet with the plans.
The jail committee chose Taggart Foster Currence Gray Architects Inc., of Little Rock to design the addition, but after six months Troutman said all he’s seen is a rough draft.
The architects are concerned that the county doesn’t have enough money to do the project, Troutman said.
But he is concerned that if they don’t get it started soon and use the money the state has given them, they won’t get anymore.
Troutman said he and Roberson want to take the project as far as possible this year and try to complete it in 2007.
Roberson said trying to follow federal and state laws about overcrowding as well as Hanshaw’s orders that he not release any state prisoners awaiting room in treatment facilities is a lot to juggle.
But the two-term sheriff, who is running for a third term against former Sheriff Charlie Martin, said he doesn’t intend to complain.
“I asked for the job. I can handle it,” he said.
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
Circuit Judge Lance Hanshaw ruled Tuesday that Lonoke County Sheriff Jim Roberson was in contempt of court for releasing three state prisoners on leg monitors while they waited for several months to be sent to rehab treatment paid for by the state.
But the ruling did not come with any penalty, not even a fine.
“This court has no intention of jailing Sheriff Roberson and certainly not in his own jail,” Hanshaw said. “The purpose of the hearing is to get the sheriff’s attention.”
The judge said he was not unsympathetic to overcrowding problems at the jail, but the women Roberson had released were sentenced to the Arkansas Department of Correction with a recommendation that they be sent to treatment facilities, and Roberson did not have the authority to release them.
“No one is above the law,” the judge said.
Roberson was contrite when he took the stand, saying he had nothing but respect for Hanshaw and had not intentionally disobeyed his orders.
“I think a lot of this court,” he told the judge.
He said in a later phone interview that the problem was in great part the result of a lack of face-to-face communication.
Jeff Sikes, the attorney for the county who represented the sheriff, argued that the measure for contempt was not present in Roberson’s actions.
“If willful intent is the measure of contempt, then Roberson is not in contempt,” Sikes said.
The judge disagreed.
Meanwhile, the population at the jail is growing.
“We’re 75 today. We’ve got 56 beds,” the sheriff said during the phone interview.
He did not talk to reporters immediately after the judge’s ruling. County Judge Charlie Trout-man, who attended the hearing, said he believed enough had probably been said already.
The rift between the judge and sheriff had already been the subject of several newspaper articles.
Sikes also declined to comment on the judge’s ruling.
Roberson said he could still release on bail or on leg monitors prisoners who have not been sentenced to prison. And he can release prisoners sentenced in district (formerly municipal) courts. But he will no longer release any prisoners sentenced to state prison without a court order.
When the crowding becomes a big problem, he will go to the quorum court about paying to send some prisoners to other jails if he can find any with enough room to take them.
“We used to send them to Dallas County (Fordyce) but they’re taking federal prisoners now,” Roberson said.
Farming out the state prisoners is the most economically feasible since lockups with room to take them are likely to charge $28 a day, exactly the amount the state pays the county to keep them.
But sending the prisoners elsewhere also means Lonoke County won’t collect the money for room and board, which is part of the operating budget.
The county has about $300,000 to add on to the jail. The money came from the state and was secured by State Sen. Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle. Roberson wants to add about 15 or 20 beds, but Troutman said the architect is dragging his feet with the plans.
The jail committee chose Taggart Foster Currence Gray Architects Inc., of Little Rock to design the addition, but after six months Troutman said all he’s seen is a rough draft.
The architects are concerned that the county doesn’t have enough money to do the project, Troutman said.
But he is concerned that if they don’t get it started soon and use the money the state has given them, they won’t get anymore.
Troutman said he and Roberson want to take the project as far as possible this year and try to complete it in 2007.
Roberson said trying to follow federal and state laws about overcrowding as well as Hanshaw’s orders that he not release any state prisoners awaiting room in treatment facilities is a lot to juggle.
But the two-term sheriff, who is running for a third term against former Sheriff Charlie Martin, said he doesn’t intend to complain.
“I asked for the job. I can handle it,” he said.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
OBITUARIES >> 08-09-06
John Sutton
John Shelby Sutton, 52, of Alexander, passed away Thursday.
He was born September 27, 1953, in Little Rock to the late Van D. Sutton and Mary Yar-berry Sutton Cullins.
He was an ordained minister.
He is survived by his children, Shelly Cagle and husband Terry of Cowan, Tenn., and James Sutton and wife Connie of Ward; brother, Lee Sutton; sisters, Sue Mullings and husband Sam of Alex-ander and Sharon Flu-ker; two nieces, Kim-berly Axelson and LeAnn Bajorek; five grandchildren and his fiancé, Zora Anderson of Beebe.
A memorial service was held Tuesday at Viney Ridge Em-manuel Baptist Church.
Karl Oelschlager
Karl H. Oelschlager, 54, of Jacksonville, died Friday at his home.
He was born October 31, 1951, in Bridgeville, Penn., to the late John H. and Myrna C. Gilkeson Oelschlager.
He served in the United States Air Force and was a Lutheran. He was a member of ABATE – 13, American Motorcycle Association and an honorary member of Rolling Thunder Inc. Arkansas Chapter I. Survivors include his children; Marissa and Jon Oelschlager, both of Gainsville, Flo., two sisters; Diane Heinz of Port St. Lucie, Flo. and Margaret Watts and her husband Ed of Bridgeville, Penn., two brothers; James Oelschlager and his wife Corry of Flemington, New Jersey and Jack Oelschlager and his wife Jacqueline of Canonsburg, Penn. and two grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 3 p.m., Thursday at Moore’s Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville.
Leroy Bacus
Leroy Bacus, 68, of Beebe, died Thursday in Searcy.
He was born August 22, 1937, to Elmer and Maybell Powell Bacus.
He was a member of Oak Ridge Baptist Church in Austin.
He was preceded in death by his father; Elmer Carl Bacus Jr. and his sister; Margaret Martin.
Survivors include his wife, Corena Gray Bacus, mother, one brother, Carl Bacus III of McRae, five sisters; Leola Christene Young and Norma Gene Forester, both of Beebe, Margie Stephens of Conway, Lorrine Bacus of Florida, and Patricia Secreast of Florida.
A private service was held at the home of Leola Young Monday with the Rev. Otto Brown officiating.
Sherry Stanfield
Sherry Anne Stanfield, 66, of Jacksonville passed away Sunday at her home after a long illness.
She was born on September 29, 1939, in Bemis, Tenn., to the late Raymond T. and Ann Elizabeth “Garr” Davis.
She was an active member of the Brockington Road Baptist Church in Jacksonville.
She was a nurse for many years and served as such in both Mississippi and Arkansas, especially to the elderly.
She is survived by four sons, Mike Beall of Atlanta, Georgia, Todd Beall and wife Charolette of Jacksonville and Scott Beall and wife Joanne of Columbus, Miss. and Jeff Beall and wife Cindy of Brandon, Miss., two brothers, John Davis of Ellijay, Georgia and Tommy Davis of Clinton, Miss., grandchildren, Alan, Byron, Courtney, Katie, Wyatt, Lauren, Kristopher, John David and numerous other family members and friends.
Funeral services will be at noon Thursday at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home Chapel in Raymond, Miss..
Burial will follow in Raymond Cemetery. Visitation will be today from 5 until 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Brockington Road Baptist Church.
John Shelby Sutton, 52, of Alexander, passed away Thursday.
He was born September 27, 1953, in Little Rock to the late Van D. Sutton and Mary Yar-berry Sutton Cullins.
He was an ordained minister.
He is survived by his children, Shelly Cagle and husband Terry of Cowan, Tenn., and James Sutton and wife Connie of Ward; brother, Lee Sutton; sisters, Sue Mullings and husband Sam of Alex-ander and Sharon Flu-ker; two nieces, Kim-berly Axelson and LeAnn Bajorek; five grandchildren and his fiancé, Zora Anderson of Beebe.
A memorial service was held Tuesday at Viney Ridge Em-manuel Baptist Church.
Karl Oelschlager
Karl H. Oelschlager, 54, of Jacksonville, died Friday at his home.
He was born October 31, 1951, in Bridgeville, Penn., to the late John H. and Myrna C. Gilkeson Oelschlager.
He served in the United States Air Force and was a Lutheran. He was a member of ABATE – 13, American Motorcycle Association and an honorary member of Rolling Thunder Inc. Arkansas Chapter I. Survivors include his children; Marissa and Jon Oelschlager, both of Gainsville, Flo., two sisters; Diane Heinz of Port St. Lucie, Flo. and Margaret Watts and her husband Ed of Bridgeville, Penn., two brothers; James Oelschlager and his wife Corry of Flemington, New Jersey and Jack Oelschlager and his wife Jacqueline of Canonsburg, Penn. and two grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 3 p.m., Thursday at Moore’s Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville.
Leroy Bacus
Leroy Bacus, 68, of Beebe, died Thursday in Searcy.
He was born August 22, 1937, to Elmer and Maybell Powell Bacus.
He was a member of Oak Ridge Baptist Church in Austin.
He was preceded in death by his father; Elmer Carl Bacus Jr. and his sister; Margaret Martin.
Survivors include his wife, Corena Gray Bacus, mother, one brother, Carl Bacus III of McRae, five sisters; Leola Christene Young and Norma Gene Forester, both of Beebe, Margie Stephens of Conway, Lorrine Bacus of Florida, and Patricia Secreast of Florida.
A private service was held at the home of Leola Young Monday with the Rev. Otto Brown officiating.
Sherry Stanfield
Sherry Anne Stanfield, 66, of Jacksonville passed away Sunday at her home after a long illness.
She was born on September 29, 1939, in Bemis, Tenn., to the late Raymond T. and Ann Elizabeth “Garr” Davis.
She was an active member of the Brockington Road Baptist Church in Jacksonville.
She was a nurse for many years and served as such in both Mississippi and Arkansas, especially to the elderly.
She is survived by four sons, Mike Beall of Atlanta, Georgia, Todd Beall and wife Charolette of Jacksonville and Scott Beall and wife Joanne of Columbus, Miss. and Jeff Beall and wife Cindy of Brandon, Miss., two brothers, John Davis of Ellijay, Georgia and Tommy Davis of Clinton, Miss., grandchildren, Alan, Byron, Courtney, Katie, Wyatt, Lauren, Kristopher, John David and numerous other family members and friends.
Funeral services will be at noon Thursday at Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home Chapel in Raymond, Miss..
Burial will follow in Raymond Cemetery. Visitation will be today from 5 until 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Brockington Road Baptist Church.
Monday, August 07, 2006
OBITUARIES >> 08-05-06
Clinton Smith
Clinton “Popeye” Smith, 74, of Cabot, passed away July 29, after a three year battle with prostate cancer.
He was born April 4, 1932, in Lake Village, a son of the late Melvin Henry Smith and Jimmie Velma Brown Smith.
His family moved to Little Rock, where he met and married his wife of 56 years, Virginia Rhea Smith.
He attended elementary school at Pfifer and Kramer Junior High at Eastside in Little Rock and Nashville. In 1948, he at-tended high school in Elaine, while working with his dad to build a cotton gin. He helped the Elaine High School Pan-thers football team of 1949 go undefeated. He loved attending his school re-unions every other year.
The family moved to Altheimer in 1949.
He joined the Air Force in 1950. In December he and Virginia were married and their lives expanded to four continents and several states. He proudly served 24 years of his life in the military, most of it in the Army Security Agency.
He retired as a SFC in 1976. After retiring he attended UALR receiving a bachelor of science degree in education. In 1981 he also received a four year degree in metalurgy while living in Michigan from 1955 to 1959. He also attended school in England for servicing bowling alleys and taught Junior ROTC at White Hall Junior High from 1955-1959 and Senior High School 1981 until retiring in 1994. Clinton loved sports and he traveled all over the world during his military career playing fast pitch softball.
His love for music of all kinds has been a special comfort and joy to him. This love of music was passed on to his children. He loved to play pinochle and taught himself how to play bridge.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter, Patricia Renee Smith, and two brothers, John Henry Smith and William Oscar Smith.
Survivors include his two sons, whom he dearly loved, Clinton Stewart Smith, Jr., and his wife, Margaret, of Oklahoma, Douglas Henry Melvin Smith of Fayette-ville; two daughters, Melissa Ann and husband Dr. John Hampton, III, of Little Rock and Diana Rhea Fitzgerald of Cabot; his sisters, Wilma Lee Brimer of Mabelvale, Annie Bell Gicante of Little Rock, Meveline Schooley of Nashville and Vilma Josephine Allred of Pine Bluff; brothers, Herman Lee Smith of Cabot, John Lee Smith of Sherwood, Jimmie Lauren Smith of White Hall; all of his grandchildren who were very special to him, Virginia “Ginnie” Austin, Le Tricia “Trish’ McNamara, Patrick Smith, Nicholas Fitzgerald, Clinton Clark Smith, Jacquelyn Tracy Smith, Christopher “Chris” Smith, Seon Fitzgerald and Christopher Cody Akers; eight great-grandchildren, many sister- and brother-in-laws and friends all over the world through out his life.
He was loved and admired for his sensse of humor and helping others. He was Baptist and showed his faith through his gentle love of others.
Services were held Aug. 2 at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Chapel in North Little Rock, with Pastor Harold O’Bryan officiating.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 901 N. University, Little Rock, Ark. 72203.
The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses who devotedly took care of him at Arkansas Oncology Associates, UAMS, Springhill Baptist Hospital, family members, neighbors and First Baptist Church members who showed the Christian faith through prayers, visits and food.
Fredia Faucett
Fredia Marcella Faucett, 79, of Jacksonville died Aug. 2.
She was born May 14, 1927, in Lonoke County to the late Sam Walls and Vida Brooks Jarry.
She was also preceded in death by daddy, Marion Luther “Kip” Jarry and a brother, Marion Leon Jarry.
She formerly worked in quality control for Regal Club Products. She loved to garden and was a member of Landmark Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Morris Luther “Bud” Faucett of Jacksonville; sister, Elsie Jarry of Plano, Texas; four nieces, two nephews, five great-nieces, four great-nephews, three great-great-nieces and two great-great-nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at Moore’s Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville with the Rev. Tim Carter officiating.
Burial will follow in Chapel Hill Memorial Park.
Michael Oldham
Michael Wayne Oldham, 52, of Jacksonville passed away Thursday at Rebsamen Medical Center in Jacksonville.
He was born Nov. 8, 1953 in De-witt, to Ralph and Yurba Hedden Oldham.
He graduated from John F. Ken-nedy High School in Agana, Guam. He served more than 25 years in the Navy until retiring in 1997.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He is survived by his parents; fiancée, Marie Jones of Jackson-ville; daughter, Sabrina Oldham of Cabot; two sons, Paul and Scott Oldham, both of Pennsylvania; brother, David Oldham of Jack-sonville, several aunts, uncles, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services will be at 5 p.m. today at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Chapel. Visitation will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. today before the service.
The family suggests memorials be sent to the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society.
Clinton “Popeye” Smith, 74, of Cabot, passed away July 29, after a three year battle with prostate cancer.
He was born April 4, 1932, in Lake Village, a son of the late Melvin Henry Smith and Jimmie Velma Brown Smith.
His family moved to Little Rock, where he met and married his wife of 56 years, Virginia Rhea Smith.
He attended elementary school at Pfifer and Kramer Junior High at Eastside in Little Rock and Nashville. In 1948, he at-tended high school in Elaine, while working with his dad to build a cotton gin. He helped the Elaine High School Pan-thers football team of 1949 go undefeated. He loved attending his school re-unions every other year.
The family moved to Altheimer in 1949.
He joined the Air Force in 1950. In December he and Virginia were married and their lives expanded to four continents and several states. He proudly served 24 years of his life in the military, most of it in the Army Security Agency.
He retired as a SFC in 1976. After retiring he attended UALR receiving a bachelor of science degree in education. In 1981 he also received a four year degree in metalurgy while living in Michigan from 1955 to 1959. He also attended school in England for servicing bowling alleys and taught Junior ROTC at White Hall Junior High from 1955-1959 and Senior High School 1981 until retiring in 1994. Clinton loved sports and he traveled all over the world during his military career playing fast pitch softball.
His love for music of all kinds has been a special comfort and joy to him. This love of music was passed on to his children. He loved to play pinochle and taught himself how to play bridge.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter, Patricia Renee Smith, and two brothers, John Henry Smith and William Oscar Smith.
Survivors include his two sons, whom he dearly loved, Clinton Stewart Smith, Jr., and his wife, Margaret, of Oklahoma, Douglas Henry Melvin Smith of Fayette-ville; two daughters, Melissa Ann and husband Dr. John Hampton, III, of Little Rock and Diana Rhea Fitzgerald of Cabot; his sisters, Wilma Lee Brimer of Mabelvale, Annie Bell Gicante of Little Rock, Meveline Schooley of Nashville and Vilma Josephine Allred of Pine Bluff; brothers, Herman Lee Smith of Cabot, John Lee Smith of Sherwood, Jimmie Lauren Smith of White Hall; all of his grandchildren who were very special to him, Virginia “Ginnie” Austin, Le Tricia “Trish’ McNamara, Patrick Smith, Nicholas Fitzgerald, Clinton Clark Smith, Jacquelyn Tracy Smith, Christopher “Chris” Smith, Seon Fitzgerald and Christopher Cody Akers; eight great-grandchildren, many sister- and brother-in-laws and friends all over the world through out his life.
He was loved and admired for his sensse of humor and helping others. He was Baptist and showed his faith through his gentle love of others.
Services were held Aug. 2 at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Chapel in North Little Rock, with Pastor Harold O’Bryan officiating.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 901 N. University, Little Rock, Ark. 72203.
The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses who devotedly took care of him at Arkansas Oncology Associates, UAMS, Springhill Baptist Hospital, family members, neighbors and First Baptist Church members who showed the Christian faith through prayers, visits and food.
Fredia Faucett
Fredia Marcella Faucett, 79, of Jacksonville died Aug. 2.
She was born May 14, 1927, in Lonoke County to the late Sam Walls and Vida Brooks Jarry.
She was also preceded in death by daddy, Marion Luther “Kip” Jarry and a brother, Marion Leon Jarry.
She formerly worked in quality control for Regal Club Products. She loved to garden and was a member of Landmark Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Morris Luther “Bud” Faucett of Jacksonville; sister, Elsie Jarry of Plano, Texas; four nieces, two nephews, five great-nieces, four great-nephews, three great-great-nieces and two great-great-nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at Moore’s Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville with the Rev. Tim Carter officiating.
Burial will follow in Chapel Hill Memorial Park.
Michael Oldham
Michael Wayne Oldham, 52, of Jacksonville passed away Thursday at Rebsamen Medical Center in Jacksonville.
He was born Nov. 8, 1953 in De-witt, to Ralph and Yurba Hedden Oldham.
He graduated from John F. Ken-nedy High School in Agana, Guam. He served more than 25 years in the Navy until retiring in 1997.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He is survived by his parents; fiancée, Marie Jones of Jackson-ville; daughter, Sabrina Oldham of Cabot; two sons, Paul and Scott Oldham, both of Pennsylvania; brother, David Oldham of Jack-sonville, several aunts, uncles, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services will be at 5 p.m. today at Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Chapel. Visitation will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. today before the service.
The family suggests memorials be sent to the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society.
SPORTS >> Badgers lean on seniors
IN SHORT: The young team will have to rely on some of its underclassmen for several starting positions this season.
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The Beebe Badgers took to the practice field behind Bro Erwin Stadium for the opening week of summer practice this week. The Badgers have traditionally held their workouts in the late evening, but decided to make the change to early morning practices for this year.
Head coach Cam Prock says that heat was a factor in the decision to move the time of the practices, but also says he has found that the coaching staff has been able to get a little more out of the players on a daily basis with the change to the A.M. workouts.
“It’s been a little warm, being the first of August, but it seems like maybe we’re getting a little more rest by practicing in the mornings,” Prock said. “You have all afternoon and night to recuperate. Plus, when we were practicing at night, sometimes it would still be 98 degrees at six or seven o’clock, so heat did play a factor.”
The team has spent some time in the weight room during the first week of practice, but Prock says the main conditioning focus has been working on the players’ flexibility, trying to thwart off potential injuries that can put a team behind in preparation for a new season.
“We’ve spent some time in the weight room,” Prock said. “But this time of year, they get so sore that we really stretch them out more than anything. We’ve never tried to get them completely in shape the first week, we mainly try to get them more flexible and get them used to it. Fact is, we will probably be doing a lot more conditioning in three weeks than we are right now.”
The Badgers will be a little light in the senior department this year with only seven returning 12th graders, but six of those seven saw plenty of playing time last year as starters. Prock is counting on the small group to be very instrumental in the scheme of things, with many of the seniors filling out the skill positions.
Jared Mathis wowed many unsuspecting people in the opening games of the 2005 season. Mathis started at quarterback for the first three games last year in place of then starting quarterback Wes Lamb, and showed a good ability at scrambling, as well as managing the pass.
Although Beebe will not be packed out with seniors in the offensive backfield as last year, Mathis will have experienced help with running back Robbie Puckett. Among other seniors with starting experience, Drake Widener will return at offensive lineman/linebacker, with John Breshears and Danny Miller returning to the offensive and defensive lines.
A total of 47 players showed up for the opening week, with sophomores making up over half the numbers. Prock says he’s not concerned with having a young team, as long as he can find the right player for each available spot.
“It doesn’t matter,” Prock said. “We’re just going to put our best guys out there, and here we go. All you can do is play what you got, and that’s it. I’m not too concerned with only having seven seniors, it’s a low number for us, but the ones we have left are good kids, and I expect them to be good leaders for us.”
The Badgers will scrimmage against Harding Academy on August 22 at First Security Stadium in Searcy. The 2006 season will get underway for Beebe on September 1 with an away game against Greenbrier.
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The Beebe Badgers took to the practice field behind Bro Erwin Stadium for the opening week of summer practice this week. The Badgers have traditionally held their workouts in the late evening, but decided to make the change to early morning practices for this year.
Head coach Cam Prock says that heat was a factor in the decision to move the time of the practices, but also says he has found that the coaching staff has been able to get a little more out of the players on a daily basis with the change to the A.M. workouts.
“It’s been a little warm, being the first of August, but it seems like maybe we’re getting a little more rest by practicing in the mornings,” Prock said. “You have all afternoon and night to recuperate. Plus, when we were practicing at night, sometimes it would still be 98 degrees at six or seven o’clock, so heat did play a factor.”
The team has spent some time in the weight room during the first week of practice, but Prock says the main conditioning focus has been working on the players’ flexibility, trying to thwart off potential injuries that can put a team behind in preparation for a new season.
“We’ve spent some time in the weight room,” Prock said. “But this time of year, they get so sore that we really stretch them out more than anything. We’ve never tried to get them completely in shape the first week, we mainly try to get them more flexible and get them used to it. Fact is, we will probably be doing a lot more conditioning in three weeks than we are right now.”
The Badgers will be a little light in the senior department this year with only seven returning 12th graders, but six of those seven saw plenty of playing time last year as starters. Prock is counting on the small group to be very instrumental in the scheme of things, with many of the seniors filling out the skill positions.
Jared Mathis wowed many unsuspecting people in the opening games of the 2005 season. Mathis started at quarterback for the first three games last year in place of then starting quarterback Wes Lamb, and showed a good ability at scrambling, as well as managing the pass.
Although Beebe will not be packed out with seniors in the offensive backfield as last year, Mathis will have experienced help with running back Robbie Puckett. Among other seniors with starting experience, Drake Widener will return at offensive lineman/linebacker, with John Breshears and Danny Miller returning to the offensive and defensive lines.
A total of 47 players showed up for the opening week, with sophomores making up over half the numbers. Prock says he’s not concerned with having a young team, as long as he can find the right player for each available spot.
“It doesn’t matter,” Prock said. “We’re just going to put our best guys out there, and here we go. All you can do is play what you got, and that’s it. I’m not too concerned with only having seven seniors, it’s a low number for us, but the ones we have left are good kids, and I expect them to be good leaders for us.”
The Badgers will scrimmage against Harding Academy on August 22 at First Security Stadium in Searcy. The 2006 season will get underway for Beebe on September 1 with an away game against Greenbrier.
SPORTS >>Red Devils are committed
IN SHORT: JHS football players have shown great comaraderie in first week of two-a-day practices.
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Jacksonville came in eager and ready for the first week of football sessions leading into the 2006 season. The Red Devils have high hopes heading into a new conference and classification, and brought excitement into the opening week.
After spending a day doing tests and time drills, Jacksonville began practicing in shorts and helmets, then went to full pads on Friday.
With only one day of practice in pads, it was difficult to get a read on where the team is regarding execution, but head Red Devil Mark Whatley liked what he saw in some of the intangibles.
Players are getting along, staying for extra, voluntary workouts and watching film, and carrying that kind of commitment to the practice field.
“We’ve got a bunch right now that’s doing some things that you really enjoy seeing,” Whatley said. “They’re doing extra conditioning and they’re staying after practice and just hanging out together. They’re bonding together. The other coaches that have been here longer than I have said they haven’t seen a group doing the things this one’s doing in a long time. This is a fun bunch to get to coach, so far, knock on wood.”
Throughout the summer the Jacksonville skill-position players were solid. They have met expectations in the first week of practice and remained solid.
Notably, 6-foot-3, 195-pound receiver Marcus King has caught the ball with much more consistency than a year ago.
His size and speed have always been dangerous, and now he appears to have added consistent pass-catching ability to his other weapons.
“He had a fine summer catching the ball,” Whatley said. “He’s got a ton of potential and the way he played this summer did him a lot of good. It gave him a lot of confidence.”
Jacksonville is obviously solid at quarterback. Daniel Hubbard returns for his third and final year at starting quarterback, and junior Cameron Hood gives the team quality depth under center.
The starters in the backfield are also returning starters in seniors Justin Akins and Justin Sebourn.
The unknown after week one is the same as it has been since last season ended, the line.
Jacksonville has some big players with good athleticism, but not very many.
“With only one day with the pads on we really don’t know a whole lot more about that group than when we started,” Whatley said. “We feel like we’ve got some good ones. We’re just going to need some of them to step up and help us out on both sides of the football.”
There were 56 Red Devils at practice on Friday, and Whatley says a few more will begin coming in next week. Look for more details on the Red Devils’ progress in Wednesday’s edition of The Leader.
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Jacksonville came in eager and ready for the first week of football sessions leading into the 2006 season. The Red Devils have high hopes heading into a new conference and classification, and brought excitement into the opening week.
After spending a day doing tests and time drills, Jacksonville began practicing in shorts and helmets, then went to full pads on Friday.
With only one day of practice in pads, it was difficult to get a read on where the team is regarding execution, but head Red Devil Mark Whatley liked what he saw in some of the intangibles.
Players are getting along, staying for extra, voluntary workouts and watching film, and carrying that kind of commitment to the practice field.
“We’ve got a bunch right now that’s doing some things that you really enjoy seeing,” Whatley said. “They’re doing extra conditioning and they’re staying after practice and just hanging out together. They’re bonding together. The other coaches that have been here longer than I have said they haven’t seen a group doing the things this one’s doing in a long time. This is a fun bunch to get to coach, so far, knock on wood.”
Throughout the summer the Jacksonville skill-position players were solid. They have met expectations in the first week of practice and remained solid.
Notably, 6-foot-3, 195-pound receiver Marcus King has caught the ball with much more consistency than a year ago.
His size and speed have always been dangerous, and now he appears to have added consistent pass-catching ability to his other weapons.
“He had a fine summer catching the ball,” Whatley said. “He’s got a ton of potential and the way he played this summer did him a lot of good. It gave him a lot of confidence.”
Jacksonville is obviously solid at quarterback. Daniel Hubbard returns for his third and final year at starting quarterback, and junior Cameron Hood gives the team quality depth under center.
The starters in the backfield are also returning starters in seniors Justin Akins and Justin Sebourn.
The unknown after week one is the same as it has been since last season ended, the line.
Jacksonville has some big players with good athleticism, but not very many.
“With only one day with the pads on we really don’t know a whole lot more about that group than when we started,” Whatley said. “We feel like we’ve got some good ones. We’re just going to need some of them to step up and help us out on both sides of the football.”
There were 56 Red Devils at practice on Friday, and Whatley says a few more will begin coming in next week. Look for more details on the Red Devils’ progress in Wednesday’s edition of The Leader.
SPORTS >> New era revs up ’Rabbit football
IN SHORT: Lonoke will start the 2006 football season with a new head coach in Jeff Jones, and a new look on both sides of the football for its first venture into the 4A-2 Conference.
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The 2006 Lonoke Jackrabbits hit the first week of summer practice hard this week, with four-hour workouts from the morning into the afternoon to prepare for their first season in the 4A-2 conference.
This will be the first season under new head coach Jeff Jones. The new head ‘Rabbit says that practices went well through the first week.
Thursday began full-pad practice for the ‘Rabbits, and Friday saw a number of offensive and defensive drills being run on top of conditioning and weight training to prepare for the upcoming season.
With the rapid progress that has been made, Jones emphasizes that he doesn’t want the team to get ahead of itself in the early going.
“I think we have made progress every day,” Jones said. “We’re taking the time to adjust to a new system, so we are not near where we need to be. We have a lot of work ahead of us, that’s for sure, but these guys are very coachable.”
One of the biggest things Jones was looking for in the Friday practice was leadership skills from the seniors.
Josh Martin is expected to have a significant impact on both sides of the ball, starting at quarterback and linebacker, with some receiving.
Almost all of last year’s offensive standouts graduated this past May, leaving a void for new leaders to step up and fill. Jones says there are plenty of worthy candidates, but he needs someone who will make thier voice heard to the younger players.
“We have a lot of leaders by example,” Jones said. “I would like to have more vocal leaders from our senior group. That’s one area that we definitely need to improve on.”
Although the Jackrabbits have an ample amount of seniors, only a few have seen significant playing time on Friday nights. Only two starters return defensively, and one lone offensive starter returning to the ’06 team.
Blake Wilson and Duane Lewis will provide senior leadership up front defensively, and the backfield will be filled out with a number of seniors.
Steel Gorbet, Duane Hood, Ryan Hopson, Brock Clement and Jessie Bradford will make up the core of the Rabbits’ defensive linebackers and secondary, giving them a lot of maturity where it will be needed the most.
Most of the team has stayed active throughout the summer, with weightlifting and 7-on-7 practice games. Jones says the work throughout June and July has helped the majority of the players report to the first week of practice in good shape.
“We’re trying to get everything in as far as conditioning goes,” Jones said. “The main thing is fighting through the heat. We have had a few bumps and bruises, and that is to be expected, but nothing unusual yet.
“We had weight room workouts and 7-on7 through the summer, and we feel like that has given us a boost going into our fall camp.”
The first test for the Jackrabbits will come on the 22nd, with a scrimmage game at Little Rock Christian.
Lonoke will continue the morning practices for most of August, moving to the afternoon once classes begin at the end of the month..
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The 2006 Lonoke Jackrabbits hit the first week of summer practice hard this week, with four-hour workouts from the morning into the afternoon to prepare for their first season in the 4A-2 conference.
This will be the first season under new head coach Jeff Jones. The new head ‘Rabbit says that practices went well through the first week.
Thursday began full-pad practice for the ‘Rabbits, and Friday saw a number of offensive and defensive drills being run on top of conditioning and weight training to prepare for the upcoming season.
With the rapid progress that has been made, Jones emphasizes that he doesn’t want the team to get ahead of itself in the early going.
“I think we have made progress every day,” Jones said. “We’re taking the time to adjust to a new system, so we are not near where we need to be. We have a lot of work ahead of us, that’s for sure, but these guys are very coachable.”
One of the biggest things Jones was looking for in the Friday practice was leadership skills from the seniors.
Josh Martin is expected to have a significant impact on both sides of the ball, starting at quarterback and linebacker, with some receiving.
Almost all of last year’s offensive standouts graduated this past May, leaving a void for new leaders to step up and fill. Jones says there are plenty of worthy candidates, but he needs someone who will make thier voice heard to the younger players.
“We have a lot of leaders by example,” Jones said. “I would like to have more vocal leaders from our senior group. That’s one area that we definitely need to improve on.”
Although the Jackrabbits have an ample amount of seniors, only a few have seen significant playing time on Friday nights. Only two starters return defensively, and one lone offensive starter returning to the ’06 team.
Blake Wilson and Duane Lewis will provide senior leadership up front defensively, and the backfield will be filled out with a number of seniors.
Steel Gorbet, Duane Hood, Ryan Hopson, Brock Clement and Jessie Bradford will make up the core of the Rabbits’ defensive linebackers and secondary, giving them a lot of maturity where it will be needed the most.
Most of the team has stayed active throughout the summer, with weightlifting and 7-on-7 practice games. Jones says the work throughout June and July has helped the majority of the players report to the first week of practice in good shape.
“We’re trying to get everything in as far as conditioning goes,” Jones said. “The main thing is fighting through the heat. We have had a few bumps and bruises, and that is to be expected, but nothing unusual yet.
“We had weight room workouts and 7-on7 through the summer, and we feel like that has given us a boost going into our fall camp.”
The first test for the Jackrabbits will come on the 22nd, with a scrimmage game at Little Rock Christian.
Lonoke will continue the morning practices for most of August, moving to the afternoon once classes begin at the end of the month..
SPORTS >> Cabot offense solid, defense young
IN SHORT: The Panthers have need for sophomores to help out on defense as season gets started.
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The first week of two-a-days for the 2006 Cabot Panthers kicked off this week at the Panther field house. Thursday was the first day of practice in pads for the sophomore-heavy squad.
A total of 71 players took to the 25 yards of turf in the field house as a full 100 yards of turf continued to be prepared at the nearby stadium for the team’s inaugural season in the 7A-Central Conference.
Head coach Mike Malham, now in his 25th season at Cabot, was enthusiastic about the effort from his team during the opening week. Malham says the team is right on pace offensively, but needs some assistance from a few of his total 38 sophomores on the front line defensively in order to have different starting personnel on each side of the football.
“We’ve got a good group of sophomores,” Malham said. “Some of them are going to have to step up and play this year; we are a little thin at the varsity.”
Many of the Panthers’ 15 seniors occupy the skill positions for this season. Returning at quarterback will be Cory Wade, who will be flanked by running backs and fellow seniors Chase King and Colin Fuller. Logan Lucas will return as starting center, and Corey Burns will join him on the line at offensive tackle. If any offensive linemen are faced with playing both sides, Malham says tight end Josh Clem will be a prime candidate to start at defensive corner.
One key senior the Panthers will have to do without in the early stages of the season is last year’s starting halfback Alec Tripp. A broken ankle has kept Tripp off the practice field, and will most likely keep him sidelined until mid-season.
Leadership on the offensive side of the ball should not be a problem for Cabot this season, but it’s the situation at the line that concerns Malham the most.
“We feel like we’re a little futher ahead on our offense,” Malham said. “Defensively, we are a little bit behind. We have a little bit of work to do and a little time to see if some of these sophomores can help us out there. If not, then some of those offensive linemen are going to have to play both ways, and that’s going to be pretty tough in 7A ball.
“Physically, they’re there. Mentally, it’s a totally different ballgame from playing in jr. high.”
Malham’s emphasis on defensive voids up front was to be expected, with several of last year’s starters gone upon graduation. Now entering a conference where virtually every team will have separate linemen and skill players for offense and defense, the Panthers at least have the luxury of pulling from a large pool of underclassmen to potentially complete the defensive front.
“Everything is as good as can be expected at this point. We have four weeks until our first game, so hopefully we can learn some things and everything can start coming together. They’re all working hard, if we can get some sophomores to step up on the defensive side, I think we will be alright.”
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The first week of two-a-days for the 2006 Cabot Panthers kicked off this week at the Panther field house. Thursday was the first day of practice in pads for the sophomore-heavy squad.
A total of 71 players took to the 25 yards of turf in the field house as a full 100 yards of turf continued to be prepared at the nearby stadium for the team’s inaugural season in the 7A-Central Conference.
Head coach Mike Malham, now in his 25th season at Cabot, was enthusiastic about the effort from his team during the opening week. Malham says the team is right on pace offensively, but needs some assistance from a few of his total 38 sophomores on the front line defensively in order to have different starting personnel on each side of the football.
“We’ve got a good group of sophomores,” Malham said. “Some of them are going to have to step up and play this year; we are a little thin at the varsity.”
Many of the Panthers’ 15 seniors occupy the skill positions for this season. Returning at quarterback will be Cory Wade, who will be flanked by running backs and fellow seniors Chase King and Colin Fuller. Logan Lucas will return as starting center, and Corey Burns will join him on the line at offensive tackle. If any offensive linemen are faced with playing both sides, Malham says tight end Josh Clem will be a prime candidate to start at defensive corner.
One key senior the Panthers will have to do without in the early stages of the season is last year’s starting halfback Alec Tripp. A broken ankle has kept Tripp off the practice field, and will most likely keep him sidelined until mid-season.
Leadership on the offensive side of the ball should not be a problem for Cabot this season, but it’s the situation at the line that concerns Malham the most.
“We feel like we’re a little futher ahead on our offense,” Malham said. “Defensively, we are a little bit behind. We have a little bit of work to do and a little time to see if some of these sophomores can help us out there. If not, then some of those offensive linemen are going to have to play both ways, and that’s going to be pretty tough in 7A ball.
“Physically, they’re there. Mentally, it’s a totally different ballgame from playing in jr. high.”
Malham’s emphasis on defensive voids up front was to be expected, with several of last year’s starters gone upon graduation. Now entering a conference where virtually every team will have separate linemen and skill players for offense and defense, the Panthers at least have the luxury of pulling from a large pool of underclassmen to potentially complete the defensive front.
“Everything is as good as can be expected at this point. We have four weeks until our first game, so hopefully we can learn some things and everything can start coming together. They’re all working hard, if we can get some sophomores to step up on the defensive side, I think we will be alright.”
FROM THE PUBLISHER >>Big George Brock still packs a punch
By GARRICK FELDMAN
Leader publisher
Big George Brock is a 74-year-old former heavyweight boxer who still packs a double punch as a powerful harmonica player and blues singer. His new CD, Round Two (Cat Head Records), follows last year’s successful Club Caravan, which was nominated for a Handy award.
“Round Two” is more of the kind of deep Delta blues Brock has been playing for half a century, although he didn’t make a record until four years ago, when his Front Door Man was released by Tee Ti Records of St. Louis, which Brock now calls home. Mississippi-born Brock is a terrific bluesman who’s almost a reincarnation of Muddy Waters, another Mississippi bluesman who moved up North — in Muddy’s case, all the way to Chicago, and the rest is blues history.
Big George plays many of Muddy’s songs, having heard them while growing up in Grenada and Clarksdale, Miss. He’s a throwback to an earlier era, one of the last of the post-war Delta musicians still belting out the music that influenced generations of rock-and-rollers.
The great Hubert Sumlin, Howlin Wolf’s longtime guitarist, joins Brock on several numbers, making “Round Two” even more satisfying than Big George’s first Cat Head CD. It would have been even better if Sumlin were on the whole CD: Maybe Hubert will play more on their next CD.
The very able Bill Able also plays guitar and Lightnin’ Malcolm’s on drums on “Round Two,” which was produced by Roger Stolle, a St. Louis transplant who runs a record store in Clarksdale and started his record label for his idol Big George, much like Bruce Iglauer, who started Alligator Records almost 35 years ago for his hero Hound Dog Taylor. Iglauer has made millons, and maybe Stolle and Big George will, too.
If you haven’t seen Brock play live, you can catch him at the Delta Cultural Center in downtown Helena at 12:15 p.m. Friday, when he’ll appear on KFFA’s “King Biscuit Time” blues show with Sunshine Sonny Payne.
Brock will perform the following evening at the Sunflower Blues Festival in Clarksdale, Miss. He’s still the heavyweight champion.
Another musician still in the Delta mold (and also a Grenada native like Brock) is Magic Slim, who has a new CD from Delmark called That Ain’t Right with the Teardrops. Actually it’s an old record that was made in the late 1970s and had a limited release at the time.
Made under the supervision of Ralph Bass, formerly of Chess, “That Ain’t Right” is part of a series of records that Bass produced and which Delmark has reissued over the past couple of years.
The series was made on a shoestring budget, which may explain why many of them aren’t very long. But the Magic Slim CD, which is one of his best, is coupled with Joe Carter, a Southside Chicago singer who’s no longer alive. But he was an impressive performer who was seldom recorded.
The drummer Fred Below does a credible version of “Route 66,” sounding like Nat King Cole testing his vocal chords.
This is historic Chicago blues made just before many of the great bluesmen passed away, including Sunnyland Slim, whose CD Smile on My Face with the great Lacy Gibson is also part of the Ralph Bass series.
Gibson’s Crying for My Baby with Sunnyland Slim is also part of the Bass series. Gibson, born in North Carolina, may be the only one in the series who wasn’t from Mississippi.
Wonderful stuff, and what’s even more wonderful is that many of the artists are still alive and performing. Magic Slim is still going strong (we caught him at King Biscuit a couple of years ago), and so is Eddie Clear-water, whose Boogie My Blues Away is also part of the series. He played in Little Rock about five years ago and put on a great show.
It’s great to hear a young Clearwater in terrific form — he was probably close to 40 when he made “Boogie My Blues Away” — belting out Chuck Berry-influenced blues. (Although Berry will admit that Louis Jordan of Brinkley was his main influence.)
Our favorite in the series is Jimmy Johnson’s Pepper’s Hang-out with the great Eddie Taylor. It’s less than 30 minutes long, but it’s superb blues.
Johnson, who’s now in his late 70s, is a fine guitar player with a gentle voice that’s as haunting as J.B. Lenoir’s high-register singing.
Also check out Johnson’s previous Delmark records, “Johnson’s Wacks” and “North/South,” as well as “Barroom Preacher” from Alligator and “I’m a Jockey” from Dreyfus.
Jimmy Johnson may be the greatest unheralded blues musician alive.
Anyway, there’s enough music here to listen to between blues festivals.
Leader publisher
Big George Brock is a 74-year-old former heavyweight boxer who still packs a double punch as a powerful harmonica player and blues singer. His new CD, Round Two (Cat Head Records), follows last year’s successful Club Caravan, which was nominated for a Handy award.
“Round Two” is more of the kind of deep Delta blues Brock has been playing for half a century, although he didn’t make a record until four years ago, when his Front Door Man was released by Tee Ti Records of St. Louis, which Brock now calls home. Mississippi-born Brock is a terrific bluesman who’s almost a reincarnation of Muddy Waters, another Mississippi bluesman who moved up North — in Muddy’s case, all the way to Chicago, and the rest is blues history.
Big George plays many of Muddy’s songs, having heard them while growing up in Grenada and Clarksdale, Miss. He’s a throwback to an earlier era, one of the last of the post-war Delta musicians still belting out the music that influenced generations of rock-and-rollers.
The great Hubert Sumlin, Howlin Wolf’s longtime guitarist, joins Brock on several numbers, making “Round Two” even more satisfying than Big George’s first Cat Head CD. It would have been even better if Sumlin were on the whole CD: Maybe Hubert will play more on their next CD.
The very able Bill Able also plays guitar and Lightnin’ Malcolm’s on drums on “Round Two,” which was produced by Roger Stolle, a St. Louis transplant who runs a record store in Clarksdale and started his record label for his idol Big George, much like Bruce Iglauer, who started Alligator Records almost 35 years ago for his hero Hound Dog Taylor. Iglauer has made millons, and maybe Stolle and Big George will, too.
If you haven’t seen Brock play live, you can catch him at the Delta Cultural Center in downtown Helena at 12:15 p.m. Friday, when he’ll appear on KFFA’s “King Biscuit Time” blues show with Sunshine Sonny Payne.
Brock will perform the following evening at the Sunflower Blues Festival in Clarksdale, Miss. He’s still the heavyweight champion.
Another musician still in the Delta mold (and also a Grenada native like Brock) is Magic Slim, who has a new CD from Delmark called That Ain’t Right with the Teardrops. Actually it’s an old record that was made in the late 1970s and had a limited release at the time.
Made under the supervision of Ralph Bass, formerly of Chess, “That Ain’t Right” is part of a series of records that Bass produced and which Delmark has reissued over the past couple of years.
The series was made on a shoestring budget, which may explain why many of them aren’t very long. But the Magic Slim CD, which is one of his best, is coupled with Joe Carter, a Southside Chicago singer who’s no longer alive. But he was an impressive performer who was seldom recorded.
The drummer Fred Below does a credible version of “Route 66,” sounding like Nat King Cole testing his vocal chords.
This is historic Chicago blues made just before many of the great bluesmen passed away, including Sunnyland Slim, whose CD Smile on My Face with the great Lacy Gibson is also part of the Ralph Bass series.
Gibson’s Crying for My Baby with Sunnyland Slim is also part of the Bass series. Gibson, born in North Carolina, may be the only one in the series who wasn’t from Mississippi.
Wonderful stuff, and what’s even more wonderful is that many of the artists are still alive and performing. Magic Slim is still going strong (we caught him at King Biscuit a couple of years ago), and so is Eddie Clear-water, whose Boogie My Blues Away is also part of the series. He played in Little Rock about five years ago and put on a great show.
It’s great to hear a young Clearwater in terrific form — he was probably close to 40 when he made “Boogie My Blues Away” — belting out Chuck Berry-influenced blues. (Although Berry will admit that Louis Jordan of Brinkley was his main influence.)
Our favorite in the series is Jimmy Johnson’s Pepper’s Hang-out with the great Eddie Taylor. It’s less than 30 minutes long, but it’s superb blues.
Johnson, who’s now in his late 70s, is a fine guitar player with a gentle voice that’s as haunting as J.B. Lenoir’s high-register singing.
Also check out Johnson’s previous Delmark records, “Johnson’s Wacks” and “North/South,” as well as “Barroom Preacher” from Alligator and “I’m a Jockey” from Dreyfus.
Jimmy Johnson may be the greatest unheralded blues musician alive.
Anyway, there’s enough music here to listen to between blues festivals.
EDITORIALS >> Adios, Paron
Should anyone by now have any doubts, the seven justices of the Arkansas Supreme Court let it be known this week that they are serious about finally requiring the state to follow the state Constitution’s 130-year-old mandate that it provide a good education to every child, equally and efficiently.
How could anyone have doubted it when the justices, abiding the criticism of legislators, the governor and aspiring candidates for the job, the lawyers and interest groups, held onto jurisdiction in the Lake View school case through two regular and two special sessions of the General Assembly until the lawmakers and governor finally got it right? But some still thought that the court could not really be serious about requiring that education be delivered to children in rural areas equally and efficiently.
A few patrons around the little Paron school west of Little Rock sued to block the closing of the secondary school and transportation of the students to the suburban district of Bryant. They said the bus rides each day would be too long and they persuaded a Pulaski circuit judge, Jay Moody, to stop the closing and keep the school open this fall. The court order went to the Bryant school district, which had not even been a party to the lawsuit. Oops.
No one could have had any doubts about what the Supreme Court would do once the justices heard the case. But the justices had just begun their summer recess when Judge Moody told Bryant and the state Board of Education that the school had to remain open for the next school year while he pondered the case. He granted the temporary injunction, he said, because it was likely that he would rule in Paron’s favor once he heard all the testimony. The justices ordinarily do not interrupt their vacations to hear an appeal unless the issue is grave.
Apparently, the justices thought this was such a case, although it involved a school in only one small community.
Judge Moody’s ruling was flatly illegal, all the justices concluded. How can you consider and grant an injunction when one of the two central parties, the school district responsible for running the schools, was not made a defendant so that it could respond to the arguments? Secondary students will start school this month at Bryant, as the school district and the state Board of Education planned.
This might have been an isolated case, only one of literally thousands in the past 75 years as Arkansas fitfully came to grips with the physical and financial problems of educating children in small towns and rural areas. But politicians, principally Asa Hutchinson, the Republican candidate for governor, made it a cause celebre. Hutchinson said tiny high schools anywhere in Arkansas would not be closed if he were elected governor.
The Paron case raised a new constitutional issue. Do children have a fundamental right to both short bus rides and the same school offerings that kids in rich urban districts get? It is an issue that thousands of us who met the bus at dawn out at the end of the road so many years ago never thought to consider. We would only be thankful later for the opportunities that consolidation gave us.
Unspoken in Paron’s argument and Hutchinson’s shameless ploy is that the taxpayers of the state have a special obligation to children and parents in rural communities that want to have a high school down the road from them, preferably one with a quality basketball team.
The argument goes that if kids at Jacksonville, Cabot or Bryant can take instrumental music, French, physics and drafting, then Arkansas taxpayers are obliged to put up the money — whatever it takes — to see that children at Paron have the same opportunities right there and not have to go down the road to Bryant.
How could anyone have doubted it when the justices, abiding the criticism of legislators, the governor and aspiring candidates for the job, the lawyers and interest groups, held onto jurisdiction in the Lake View school case through two regular and two special sessions of the General Assembly until the lawmakers and governor finally got it right? But some still thought that the court could not really be serious about requiring that education be delivered to children in rural areas equally and efficiently.
A few patrons around the little Paron school west of Little Rock sued to block the closing of the secondary school and transportation of the students to the suburban district of Bryant. They said the bus rides each day would be too long and they persuaded a Pulaski circuit judge, Jay Moody, to stop the closing and keep the school open this fall. The court order went to the Bryant school district, which had not even been a party to the lawsuit. Oops.
No one could have had any doubts about what the Supreme Court would do once the justices heard the case. But the justices had just begun their summer recess when Judge Moody told Bryant and the state Board of Education that the school had to remain open for the next school year while he pondered the case. He granted the temporary injunction, he said, because it was likely that he would rule in Paron’s favor once he heard all the testimony. The justices ordinarily do not interrupt their vacations to hear an appeal unless the issue is grave.
Apparently, the justices thought this was such a case, although it involved a school in only one small community.
Judge Moody’s ruling was flatly illegal, all the justices concluded. How can you consider and grant an injunction when one of the two central parties, the school district responsible for running the schools, was not made a defendant so that it could respond to the arguments? Secondary students will start school this month at Bryant, as the school district and the state Board of Education planned.
This might have been an isolated case, only one of literally thousands in the past 75 years as Arkansas fitfully came to grips with the physical and financial problems of educating children in small towns and rural areas. But politicians, principally Asa Hutchinson, the Republican candidate for governor, made it a cause celebre. Hutchinson said tiny high schools anywhere in Arkansas would not be closed if he were elected governor.
The Paron case raised a new constitutional issue. Do children have a fundamental right to both short bus rides and the same school offerings that kids in rich urban districts get? It is an issue that thousands of us who met the bus at dawn out at the end of the road so many years ago never thought to consider. We would only be thankful later for the opportunities that consolidation gave us.
Unspoken in Paron’s argument and Hutchinson’s shameless ploy is that the taxpayers of the state have a special obligation to children and parents in rural communities that want to have a high school down the road from them, preferably one with a quality basketball team.
The argument goes that if kids at Jacksonville, Cabot or Bryant can take instrumental music, French, physics and drafting, then Arkansas taxpayers are obliged to put up the money — whatever it takes — to see that children at Paron have the same opportunities right there and not have to go down the road to Bryant.
TOP STORY >> Impact fees could fetch $2.3M a year
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
The implementation of building impact fees has been discussed during meetings of the Cabot City Council, Cabot Homebuilders Asso-ciation and the Stakeholders Committee.
Now, two years after a council resolution said the fees would be imposed, Cabot wants to know what the general public has to say, and a public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Monday in the council chambers at the city annex.
A representative of Duncan Associates, the firm that compiled the impact-fee study that shows the city could collect as much as $2.3 million a year, will attend the meeting. The 2004 council resolution that said impact fees would be imposed caused a stir in the housing industry, which includes the people who develop the land and finance, build and sell the houses.
They said that if the city intended to collect money from them they should at least be included in the discussions and the Stake-holders Committee made up of several building industry representatives was created.
That committee has recommended setting the impact fees much lower than the amounts suggested by the experts who were paid $63,000 for their work.
Carol Steen, the only member of the stakeholders committee who is not part of the either the building industry or city government, has continued to push for the full amounts.
“You can whittle away at impact fees until they are just meaningless,” Steen says. “Costs are what they are and if impact fees don’t help pay them, then we have to pay them all.”
If the council approves the recommendation of the Stakeholders Committee, the fees will begin 90 days after the ordinance setting them is passed.
The fees will be based on the size of the houses built in the city and will be collected at 100 percent for fire protection and 25 percent for parks, streets and wastewater.
Since the library has now been added to the impact fee list, it also would receive 25 percent of the recommended amount.
One year after the council ordinance setting the fees is passed, another 25 percent would be added for a total of 50 percent of the recommended amounts for parks, streets and wastewater and 100 percent for fire.
The committee also recommends that the council consider annual increases of the impact fees to reach the full 100 percent recommended by the impact fee study.
Assuming the average new home in Cabot is between 1,500 and 1,999-square feet, the full fee recommended by the study performed by Duncan & Associates would be about $3,200.
If the city council accepts the committee’s recommendation, and passes an impact fee ordinance, builders would initially pay the following impact fees: fire protection, $306; streets, $386; wastewater, $151; and parks, $238; for a total of $1,081.
One year after the ordinance passes, the fees would increase to $1,856.
The committee also recommended that the fees be paid at the time the certificate of occupancy is issued, not when the building permit is purchased.
So the time between paying the fees and recouping the money from homebuyers would become shorter.
Members of the Cabot Home-builders Association say they are really opposed to the fees.
But they want them phased in because it will take at least a year before the appraised price of the houses includes the fees.
And until they are, builders will pay them with no hope of getting their money back.
Leader staff writer
The implementation of building impact fees has been discussed during meetings of the Cabot City Council, Cabot Homebuilders Asso-ciation and the Stakeholders Committee.
Now, two years after a council resolution said the fees would be imposed, Cabot wants to know what the general public has to say, and a public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. Monday in the council chambers at the city annex.
A representative of Duncan Associates, the firm that compiled the impact-fee study that shows the city could collect as much as $2.3 million a year, will attend the meeting. The 2004 council resolution that said impact fees would be imposed caused a stir in the housing industry, which includes the people who develop the land and finance, build and sell the houses.
They said that if the city intended to collect money from them they should at least be included in the discussions and the Stake-holders Committee made up of several building industry representatives was created.
That committee has recommended setting the impact fees much lower than the amounts suggested by the experts who were paid $63,000 for their work.
Carol Steen, the only member of the stakeholders committee who is not part of the either the building industry or city government, has continued to push for the full amounts.
“You can whittle away at impact fees until they are just meaningless,” Steen says. “Costs are what they are and if impact fees don’t help pay them, then we have to pay them all.”
If the council approves the recommendation of the Stakeholders Committee, the fees will begin 90 days after the ordinance setting them is passed.
The fees will be based on the size of the houses built in the city and will be collected at 100 percent for fire protection and 25 percent for parks, streets and wastewater.
Since the library has now been added to the impact fee list, it also would receive 25 percent of the recommended amount.
One year after the council ordinance setting the fees is passed, another 25 percent would be added for a total of 50 percent of the recommended amounts for parks, streets and wastewater and 100 percent for fire.
The committee also recommends that the council consider annual increases of the impact fees to reach the full 100 percent recommended by the impact fee study.
Assuming the average new home in Cabot is between 1,500 and 1,999-square feet, the full fee recommended by the study performed by Duncan & Associates would be about $3,200.
If the city council accepts the committee’s recommendation, and passes an impact fee ordinance, builders would initially pay the following impact fees: fire protection, $306; streets, $386; wastewater, $151; and parks, $238; for a total of $1,081.
One year after the ordinance passes, the fees would increase to $1,856.
The committee also recommended that the fees be paid at the time the certificate of occupancy is issued, not when the building permit is purchased.
So the time between paying the fees and recouping the money from homebuyers would become shorter.
Members of the Cabot Home-builders Association say they are really opposed to the fees.
But they want them phased in because it will take at least a year before the appraised price of the houses includes the fees.
And until they are, builders will pay them with no hope of getting their money back.
TOP STORY >> City taking land for library
IN SHORT: Jacksonville City Council approves using eminent domain, but property owner says he’s been offered too little.
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
“If eminent domain will allow the library project to move along more quickly, then this is what the city should do,” said Robert Dougherty in a letter to the Jacksonville City Council.
It’s his property that the city wants to take under eminent domain procedures for the library, and the council voted unanimously Thursday night to go ahead with the condemnation.
Dougherty owns about 1.1 acres—three lots—and it’s the only land the city has not worked out an agreement to purchase for the library. The city is seeking about a block of land on the south side of West Main from Wal-green’s to Warren Street. The land is currently home to two vacant buildings, a closed gas station and a detail shop.
In the approved resolution, the council gave the mayor the approval to exercise eminent domain. The resolution states “that despite extensive efforts on behalf of the City of Jacksonville to purchase certain properties owned by B&C Rental Properties for construction and development of a new Jacksonville library, lengthy efforts to amicably resolve the parties’ differences have failed.”
They have failed, according to Dougherty, because the city is offering him about half of what it gave the other land owners.
In his letter, Dougherty says the Scheaffer family was paid $300,000 for the Main Street Texaco location, about $10 a square foot.
The Abdin family was paid $80,300 for the land housing the closed tobacco store and Fishnet thrift shop, which worked out to $10.70 a square foot.
The city also just worked out an agreement with Dougherty’s brother, Butch, to buy the three lots in the block that he owns for $231,550, or $7.98 a square foot. Butch Dougherty accepted the offer just last week.
The council also approved a resolution Thursday night, which would let the mayor complete that purchase.
Robert Dougherty says the best offer he’s received from the city has been just $4.54 a square foot, or a total of $225,000.
“My property makes up 42.6 percent of the proposed library site and I am being offered 27 percent of the proposed total purchase price,” Dougherty said in his letter.
City attorney Bobby Bamburg explained that under eminent domain the land owners would still have to be fairly compensated for the land, but eminent domain will allow the city to proceed with its public project—in this case the library—while the sides work out fair compensation. Bamburg said it is possible for the city to reach an agreement with B&C Rental without filing the condemnation papers, but passing the eminent-domain resolution gives the city option for quick access and the ability to start construction without a long delay.
Dougherty did add in his letter that he “fully supports the construction of the library at the Main Street and Warren Street location as quickly as possible. The mayor and city council are to be commended for moving forward on this worthwhile project.
“In the meantime, the difference of opinion as to the value of my property needs to be resolved to the satisfaction of all.”
Mayor Tommy Swaim has said that most of the cost of the land would be paid for by private donations. In July 2004, Jacksonville residents approved a one-mill property-tax increase to pay off $2.5 million in bonds to build the new library building. “I’d like for this to be a centerpiece for the downtown area,” Swaim has said, with amenities including a park-like setting. The new library building will be approximately 13,500 square feet, about 4,000 square feet larger than the current city library built in 1969.
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
“If eminent domain will allow the library project to move along more quickly, then this is what the city should do,” said Robert Dougherty in a letter to the Jacksonville City Council.
It’s his property that the city wants to take under eminent domain procedures for the library, and the council voted unanimously Thursday night to go ahead with the condemnation.
Dougherty owns about 1.1 acres—three lots—and it’s the only land the city has not worked out an agreement to purchase for the library. The city is seeking about a block of land on the south side of West Main from Wal-green’s to Warren Street. The land is currently home to two vacant buildings, a closed gas station and a detail shop.
In the approved resolution, the council gave the mayor the approval to exercise eminent domain. The resolution states “that despite extensive efforts on behalf of the City of Jacksonville to purchase certain properties owned by B&C Rental Properties for construction and development of a new Jacksonville library, lengthy efforts to amicably resolve the parties’ differences have failed.”
They have failed, according to Dougherty, because the city is offering him about half of what it gave the other land owners.
In his letter, Dougherty says the Scheaffer family was paid $300,000 for the Main Street Texaco location, about $10 a square foot.
The Abdin family was paid $80,300 for the land housing the closed tobacco store and Fishnet thrift shop, which worked out to $10.70 a square foot.
The city also just worked out an agreement with Dougherty’s brother, Butch, to buy the three lots in the block that he owns for $231,550, or $7.98 a square foot. Butch Dougherty accepted the offer just last week.
The council also approved a resolution Thursday night, which would let the mayor complete that purchase.
Robert Dougherty says the best offer he’s received from the city has been just $4.54 a square foot, or a total of $225,000.
“My property makes up 42.6 percent of the proposed library site and I am being offered 27 percent of the proposed total purchase price,” Dougherty said in his letter.
City attorney Bobby Bamburg explained that under eminent domain the land owners would still have to be fairly compensated for the land, but eminent domain will allow the city to proceed with its public project—in this case the library—while the sides work out fair compensation. Bamburg said it is possible for the city to reach an agreement with B&C Rental without filing the condemnation papers, but passing the eminent-domain resolution gives the city option for quick access and the ability to start construction without a long delay.
Dougherty did add in his letter that he “fully supports the construction of the library at the Main Street and Warren Street location as quickly as possible. The mayor and city council are to be commended for moving forward on this worthwhile project.
“In the meantime, the difference of opinion as to the value of my property needs to be resolved to the satisfaction of all.”
Mayor Tommy Swaim has said that most of the cost of the land would be paid for by private donations. In July 2004, Jacksonville residents approved a one-mill property-tax increase to pay off $2.5 million in bonds to build the new library building. “I’d like for this to be a centerpiece for the downtown area,” Swaim has said, with amenities including a park-like setting. The new library building will be approximately 13,500 square feet, about 4,000 square feet larger than the current city library built in 1969.
TOP STORY >> Builder makes plans for Sherwood land
IN SHORT: Jacksonville loses its bid to stop the annexation of 2,000 acres of undeveloped
land to its southern neighbor, as contractor submits plat to develop a commercial strip.
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Construction will soon start on land now that Sherwood has been given the green light to annex .
Four landowners who filed a petition two months ago to have their acreage become part of Sherwood have received the blessing of the county judge, and one of the landowners has already filed plans with Sherwood to start work on a light commercial development.
The 2,000 acres of undeveloped land stretches north of Sherwood and west of Jack-sonville, touching the edge of Little Rock Air Force Base.
Greg Heslep, one of the four property owners, has filed a preliminary plat with Sherwood to construct offices or storage buildings on a portion of his land, confident that his county land would end up in Sherwood.
Jacksonville opposed the an-nexation and appealed to County Judge Buddy Villines who had to release the land from the county, so it could become part of Sherwood.
In June, Villines ordered Sherwood and Jacksonville to present written arguments as to why the annexation should or should not be granted. The briefs were due by July 15.
In his order released Friday, Judge Villines said, “The court is not persuaded that extraterritorial planning jurisdiction precludes annex-ation….the petition for annexation is granted.”
Sherwood Mayor Bill Harmon was ecstatic about the judge’s decision and said, “We wouldn’t be surprised if all of Arkansas wanted to come to Sherwood.”
All that is left to do to bring the land officially into Sherwood is for the city to approve an ordinance or resolution accepting the petition. But the city must first wait 30 days to see if anyone appeals the decision.
“It certainly won’t be the landowners,” Harmon said.
Once that time period expires, Harmon said he’d properly call a special meeting to approve the annexation.
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim was out of town due to a death in the family so it’s not known at this time if Jacksonville will appeal.
Villines went on to say in his order that the only reason that Sherwood could refuse the annexation is if it was “unable to provide services to the annexed area.”
“Don’t worry, “Harmon said. “We’ll provide service.”
Jacksonville had argued that a portion of the land the developers wanted to annex into Sherwood was part of the air base flight-safety zone, officially known as Air Installation Compatible Use Zone, or AICUZ.
The military had asked Jackson-ville, and the city agreed in two ordinances, to restrict the population, as well as height of buildings in that zone for safety of aircrews and the civilian population. Excessive populations and development immediately off military runways is something that is looked at negatively when decisions are made to keep a base open.
In June, the city council unanimously passed a resolution in opposition to the annexation, stating that the proposed annexation was “neither productive nor beneficial.” The city’s planning commission joined in at its June meeting and voted to support the council’s resolution.
In its briefs, the city argued that it didn’t make sense for the land to be part of Sherwood, when Jacksonville would still have planning control of a portion of the land. The city also ex-pressed fear that a development spurt could put the base in jeopardy of closing.
“We would never allow anything that would jeopardize the base, “ said Mike Clayton, Sherwood’s city engineer.
Jacksonville also argued that the annexation would create a disconnected island, as the area to be annexed surrounds a subdivision around Hatcher Road. That subdivision is not part of the annexation and would be county land and in case of emergency, those residents would have to call the county for service. The judge ruled, “The creation of an island is not grounds to void an annexation.”
Clayton added that he hoped the people would eventually petition to be part off Sherwood too.
Jacksonville also argued that the land would be better serviced by Jacksonville.
Thea Hughes, general manager of Jacksonville Wastewater Utility, said the city’s sewer commission also opposed the annexation, citing Jack-sonville’s master plan and a 20-year study, saying the city had the capability to service the disputed area. “The territorial jurisdiction east and north of Bayou Meto is appropriate to the city of Jacksonville,” she said.
Villines, in his order, said the court “does not believe its discretion extends to determining which municipality is better able to adapt the property to municipal use.”
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim had said earlier in the litigation that he wasn’t totally opposed to the annexation plan supported by Sherwood, but there was a portion that needed to go to Jacksonville. “The area past Bayou Meto should go into Jacksonville,” he said.
According to Clayton, there’s two ways to annex into a city, through voluntary or involuntary means.
These four developers—Heslep, Byron McKimmey, Metropolitan Realty and Lilac LLC—volunteered to come into Sherwood. For the city to accept a voluntary petition, it must be signed by at least 51 percent of the landowners, controlling at least 51 percent of the land.
In this case, the voluntary petition was signed by 100 percent of the landowners, controlling 100 percent of the land.
Both Heslep and McKimmey have had an easier time getting developments approved by Sherwood than Jacksonville. It took Heslep about six months of rework and redesign, including a promise to create a sewer improvement district and run a main sewer line to the city’s line more than a mile away, before Jacksonville ap-proved his plans for the Base Meadows Subdivision, which is now part of Jacksonville.
McKimmey, who owns a 10-acre triangular piece of land south of Dupree Park, has, along with James Reed, worked almost three years with Jacksonville to get approval for a go-cart track on that property.
“The petition met all the state requirements,” Clayton said. The county judge agreed.
land to its southern neighbor, as contractor submits plat to develop a commercial strip.
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Construction will soon start on land now that Sherwood has been given the green light to annex .
Four landowners who filed a petition two months ago to have their acreage become part of Sherwood have received the blessing of the county judge, and one of the landowners has already filed plans with Sherwood to start work on a light commercial development.
The 2,000 acres of undeveloped land stretches north of Sherwood and west of Jack-sonville, touching the edge of Little Rock Air Force Base.
Greg Heslep, one of the four property owners, has filed a preliminary plat with Sherwood to construct offices or storage buildings on a portion of his land, confident that his county land would end up in Sherwood.
Jacksonville opposed the an-nexation and appealed to County Judge Buddy Villines who had to release the land from the county, so it could become part of Sherwood.
In June, Villines ordered Sherwood and Jacksonville to present written arguments as to why the annexation should or should not be granted. The briefs were due by July 15.
In his order released Friday, Judge Villines said, “The court is not persuaded that extraterritorial planning jurisdiction precludes annex-ation….the petition for annexation is granted.”
Sherwood Mayor Bill Harmon was ecstatic about the judge’s decision and said, “We wouldn’t be surprised if all of Arkansas wanted to come to Sherwood.”
All that is left to do to bring the land officially into Sherwood is for the city to approve an ordinance or resolution accepting the petition. But the city must first wait 30 days to see if anyone appeals the decision.
“It certainly won’t be the landowners,” Harmon said.
Once that time period expires, Harmon said he’d properly call a special meeting to approve the annexation.
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim was out of town due to a death in the family so it’s not known at this time if Jacksonville will appeal.
Villines went on to say in his order that the only reason that Sherwood could refuse the annexation is if it was “unable to provide services to the annexed area.”
“Don’t worry, “Harmon said. “We’ll provide service.”
Jacksonville had argued that a portion of the land the developers wanted to annex into Sherwood was part of the air base flight-safety zone, officially known as Air Installation Compatible Use Zone, or AICUZ.
The military had asked Jackson-ville, and the city agreed in two ordinances, to restrict the population, as well as height of buildings in that zone for safety of aircrews and the civilian population. Excessive populations and development immediately off military runways is something that is looked at negatively when decisions are made to keep a base open.
In June, the city council unanimously passed a resolution in opposition to the annexation, stating that the proposed annexation was “neither productive nor beneficial.” The city’s planning commission joined in at its June meeting and voted to support the council’s resolution.
In its briefs, the city argued that it didn’t make sense for the land to be part of Sherwood, when Jacksonville would still have planning control of a portion of the land. The city also ex-pressed fear that a development spurt could put the base in jeopardy of closing.
“We would never allow anything that would jeopardize the base, “ said Mike Clayton, Sherwood’s city engineer.
Jacksonville also argued that the annexation would create a disconnected island, as the area to be annexed surrounds a subdivision around Hatcher Road. That subdivision is not part of the annexation and would be county land and in case of emergency, those residents would have to call the county for service. The judge ruled, “The creation of an island is not grounds to void an annexation.”
Clayton added that he hoped the people would eventually petition to be part off Sherwood too.
Jacksonville also argued that the land would be better serviced by Jacksonville.
Thea Hughes, general manager of Jacksonville Wastewater Utility, said the city’s sewer commission also opposed the annexation, citing Jack-sonville’s master plan and a 20-year study, saying the city had the capability to service the disputed area. “The territorial jurisdiction east and north of Bayou Meto is appropriate to the city of Jacksonville,” she said.
Villines, in his order, said the court “does not believe its discretion extends to determining which municipality is better able to adapt the property to municipal use.”
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim had said earlier in the litigation that he wasn’t totally opposed to the annexation plan supported by Sherwood, but there was a portion that needed to go to Jacksonville. “The area past Bayou Meto should go into Jacksonville,” he said.
According to Clayton, there’s two ways to annex into a city, through voluntary or involuntary means.
These four developers—Heslep, Byron McKimmey, Metropolitan Realty and Lilac LLC—volunteered to come into Sherwood. For the city to accept a voluntary petition, it must be signed by at least 51 percent of the landowners, controlling at least 51 percent of the land.
In this case, the voluntary petition was signed by 100 percent of the landowners, controlling 100 percent of the land.
Both Heslep and McKimmey have had an easier time getting developments approved by Sherwood than Jacksonville. It took Heslep about six months of rework and redesign, including a promise to create a sewer improvement district and run a main sewer line to the city’s line more than a mile away, before Jacksonville ap-proved his plans for the Base Meadows Subdivision, which is now part of Jacksonville.
McKimmey, who owns a 10-acre triangular piece of land south of Dupree Park, has, along with James Reed, worked almost three years with Jacksonville to get approval for a go-cart track on that property.
“The petition met all the state requirements,” Clayton said. The county judge agreed.
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