Here is a statistic that both encourages and depresses us: The parents of about 10 percent of seventh and eighth grade students in Arkansas sign waivers every year so that their children will not be required to take the core curriculum for secondary school.
We were surprised that the percentage was so low; we were disappointed that it was not zero.
The core curriculum, which the state Education Department calls the Smart Core, requires students to take four standard courses in both English and mathematics and three units each of science and social studies. You would guess that taking a fairly rigorous curriculum would cause students to score better on the standardized tests that now measure success in everything educational and that it would improve their chances of going to college and of having success there. We now know that it does all those things. There is evidence, too, that those who do not go to college at all or do not graduate still benefit socially and economically from having taken the courses that prepare one for college.
But the parents of one of every 10 children either do not have confidence that their youngster can do that level of work or else they simply do not want them to take the harder courses because they think college and the knowledge itself that comes from formal education beyond the basics are superfluous in the real world into which their kids will matriculate. More than almost any state in the union, Arkansas has always suffered from a poverty of the mind — a notion that education is really not all that important — and the Education Department statistic suggests that we have not altogether shed that attitude yet.
When the Arkansas legislature actually mandated the core curriculum, it was a signal that we had got beyond that attitude.
The legislature is a pretty good reflection of the public. But lawmakers inserted an opt-out provision in the act. Youngsters would not be subjected to the core curriculum and could pile up “career” or homemaking courses instead if their parents signed a waiver.
Ken James, the director of the department, thinks the legislature should now revisit that issue. Gov. Huckabee, whose conversion to progressive school doctrine has been one of the most important developments of the decade, seems to agree. He said this week that it was “immoral” — strong word! — to assign lower expectations to some students owing to where they live, their race or their parents’ money. He should have added “or the low expectations of their parents.”
Huckabee leaves office in January and cannot influence that change. Often there has been a chasm between Huckabee’s policy pronouncements and his actions, but not in education, lately. As with the consolidation of small, underperforming schools, he has been bold, and we think he would be here, too. What would Mike Beebe or Asa Hutchinson do?
The legislature should repeal the weak-curriculum option or else modify it to permit children to opt out in only extreme cases. Unlike controlling the nation’s borders, here is an issue that actually involves something that falls within the purview of the governor’s power.
Monday, September 25, 2006
OBITUARIES >> 09-23-06
Carlee Howell
Carlee “Bo” Howell, 74, of Mayflower, died Sept. 19 in Little Rock.
He was born May 6, 1932, at Sylvania.
He was a retired Army Chief Warrant Officer II after 30 years and was an avid hunter and fisherman.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John Herbert and Maggie Mae Howell and his wife of over 50 years, Janice Claribel “Clara” Howell, and brother Henry Howell.
He is survived by his present wife, Donna Lee Howell, and a blended family of eight children, Mike and Marsha Howell, Joe and Patty Howell Meador, Carla Howell, Gene and Debbie Howell, Danny and Pam Howell Miley, Carrie Howell Wood, John and Joanie Howell, and Paul and Melissa Howell Eldried; a brother, James Herbert Howell; 15 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren, and many wonderful friends.
Family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 at Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24 in Sylvania Cemetery in Ward.
Robert Redd III
Robert Harold Redd, III, 33, of Sherwood, passed away Sept. 18, 2006. He was born May 9, 1973 in Little Rock to Robert Harold Redd, II and Pamala Jo McMillion.
He was a graduate of Pulaski Tech and Oak Grove High School.
He was a senior radio/television major at UALR and due to graduate this December.
He was preceded in death by his grandmother Peggy McMillion, and both of his grandfathers, Robert Harold Redd and Dr. Stephen McMillion, and an aunt, Cissy Madison.
He is survived by his parents, Pam Salmon and Bob and Paige Redd; a brother, Jamie Redd; a grandmother, Faye Grogan Redd; an uncle, Steve McMillion; an aunt, Karen Redd; cousins, Jay Lytle and Shayla Madison; his “little man” Patrick Carpenter and his step-family; grandparents Peggy and Travis Yielding; aunt Pamela Hamby and uncle Trav Yielding.
Memorial service is at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 at Moore Jacksonville Funeral Home in Jacksonville.
Robert Owen
Robert Dixon Owen, 76, of Little Rock died in Hospice Home Care Center following complications from cancer.
He was born Aug. 27, 1930 at Stillwell, Okla., and grew up as a preacher’s kid in Beebe, where he graduated from high school and Beebe Junior College, now ASU-Beebe.
He was a member of the Arkansas National Guard, and was an employee of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Little Rock for 40 years.
He served as a deacon at Grace Presbyterian Church, where he was a charter member. In retirement, he was an active magician in Logan Pritchett Ring 29.
Survivors include Janie, his wife of 56 years; his daughter, Lisa Turner; and grandchildren, Leigh and Lane Turner of Tulsa, Okla.; a sister, Doris Owen Ward of Haines, Alaska, and several nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at Antioch Cemetery directed by the Rev. Charles McDonald.
A memorial service will follow at Grace Presbyterian Church in Little Rock at 1 p.m.
Memorials may be made to Grace Presbyterian Church.
Harry Thompson
Harry L. Thompson, 71, of Lonoke died Sept. 21.
He was a retired electrician and an Army veteran.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William J. and Blanche Thompson, and a brother, Billy Thompson.
He is survived by his wife, Ramona; a daughter, Donna; two grandchildren, Noah and Haley; a brother, Jerry Thompson, and a sister, Sharon Clark.
The family would like to thank all the doctors and nurses on 6-C at the Veterans Hospital for their love and support and special thanks to Odyssey Hospice for their help.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24 at Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at the funeral home with burial in Hester Cemetery.
Steven Payne
Steven Craig Payne, 54, of Cabot went to join the Lord’s Church on Sept. 22.
He was born Dec. 21, 1951, in Albuquerque, N.M., to Ralph and Frances Ess Payne.
He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Cary Payne.
Survivors include his loving wife, Carolyn Sue Garland Payne; four daughters and their husbands, Sommer and Kevin Scar-berough, Tommie and Philip Davidson and Delilah Payne, all of Cabot, Rosie and Jeff Gallagher of Brimerton, Wash.; two sons, Toby Payne of Cabot and John and his wife, Renada Payne of Jackson-ville; his mother, Frances Jane Payne of Cabot; three sisters and their husbands, Linda and Hank Pankey of Titusville, Fla., Cathy Payne of El Paso and Cyndi and Robert Bell of Broken Arrow, Okla..; one brother, Danny and and his wife Donna Payne of Cabot, and 13 grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 pm. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Austin Station Baptist Church in Austin with burial following in Arkansas State Veteran’s Cemetery.
Lucille Stone
Lucille Ann Stone, 84, of Beebe died Sept. 22. She was born July 24, 1922, at Eugene, Oregon, to Jim and Esther Smith Caven.
She was an avid gardener, and in her younger years her passion was thoroughbreds.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William E., her parents and her siblings.
She is survived by her son, William E. Stone III and his wife, Trish, of California; her daughter, Georgianna Shelton and her husband Clark of Beebe; six grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
Family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. today at the home of Stephanie Smith, 102 Cordell Road, Beebe.
Carlee “Bo” Howell, 74, of Mayflower, died Sept. 19 in Little Rock.
He was born May 6, 1932, at Sylvania.
He was a retired Army Chief Warrant Officer II after 30 years and was an avid hunter and fisherman.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John Herbert and Maggie Mae Howell and his wife of over 50 years, Janice Claribel “Clara” Howell, and brother Henry Howell.
He is survived by his present wife, Donna Lee Howell, and a blended family of eight children, Mike and Marsha Howell, Joe and Patty Howell Meador, Carla Howell, Gene and Debbie Howell, Danny and Pam Howell Miley, Carrie Howell Wood, John and Joanie Howell, and Paul and Melissa Howell Eldried; a brother, James Herbert Howell; 15 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren, and many wonderful friends.
Family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 at Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24 in Sylvania Cemetery in Ward.
Robert Redd III
Robert Harold Redd, III, 33, of Sherwood, passed away Sept. 18, 2006. He was born May 9, 1973 in Little Rock to Robert Harold Redd, II and Pamala Jo McMillion.
He was a graduate of Pulaski Tech and Oak Grove High School.
He was a senior radio/television major at UALR and due to graduate this December.
He was preceded in death by his grandmother Peggy McMillion, and both of his grandfathers, Robert Harold Redd and Dr. Stephen McMillion, and an aunt, Cissy Madison.
He is survived by his parents, Pam Salmon and Bob and Paige Redd; a brother, Jamie Redd; a grandmother, Faye Grogan Redd; an uncle, Steve McMillion; an aunt, Karen Redd; cousins, Jay Lytle and Shayla Madison; his “little man” Patrick Carpenter and his step-family; grandparents Peggy and Travis Yielding; aunt Pamela Hamby and uncle Trav Yielding.
Memorial service is at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 at Moore Jacksonville Funeral Home in Jacksonville.
Robert Owen
Robert Dixon Owen, 76, of Little Rock died in Hospice Home Care Center following complications from cancer.
He was born Aug. 27, 1930 at Stillwell, Okla., and grew up as a preacher’s kid in Beebe, where he graduated from high school and Beebe Junior College, now ASU-Beebe.
He was a member of the Arkansas National Guard, and was an employee of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Little Rock for 40 years.
He served as a deacon at Grace Presbyterian Church, where he was a charter member. In retirement, he was an active magician in Logan Pritchett Ring 29.
Survivors include Janie, his wife of 56 years; his daughter, Lisa Turner; and grandchildren, Leigh and Lane Turner of Tulsa, Okla.; a sister, Doris Owen Ward of Haines, Alaska, and several nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at Antioch Cemetery directed by the Rev. Charles McDonald.
A memorial service will follow at Grace Presbyterian Church in Little Rock at 1 p.m.
Memorials may be made to Grace Presbyterian Church.
Harry Thompson
Harry L. Thompson, 71, of Lonoke died Sept. 21.
He was a retired electrician and an Army veteran.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William J. and Blanche Thompson, and a brother, Billy Thompson.
He is survived by his wife, Ramona; a daughter, Donna; two grandchildren, Noah and Haley; a brother, Jerry Thompson, and a sister, Sharon Clark.
The family would like to thank all the doctors and nurses on 6-C at the Veterans Hospital for their love and support and special thanks to Odyssey Hospice for their help.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24 at Westbrook Funeral Home in Beebe. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at the funeral home with burial in Hester Cemetery.
Steven Payne
Steven Craig Payne, 54, of Cabot went to join the Lord’s Church on Sept. 22.
He was born Dec. 21, 1951, in Albuquerque, N.M., to Ralph and Frances Ess Payne.
He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Cary Payne.
Survivors include his loving wife, Carolyn Sue Garland Payne; four daughters and their husbands, Sommer and Kevin Scar-berough, Tommie and Philip Davidson and Delilah Payne, all of Cabot, Rosie and Jeff Gallagher of Brimerton, Wash.; two sons, Toby Payne of Cabot and John and his wife, Renada Payne of Jackson-ville; his mother, Frances Jane Payne of Cabot; three sisters and their husbands, Linda and Hank Pankey of Titusville, Fla., Cathy Payne of El Paso and Cyndi and Robert Bell of Broken Arrow, Okla..; one brother, Danny and and his wife Donna Payne of Cabot, and 13 grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 pm. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Austin Station Baptist Church in Austin with burial following in Arkansas State Veteran’s Cemetery.
Lucille Stone
Lucille Ann Stone, 84, of Beebe died Sept. 22. She was born July 24, 1922, at Eugene, Oregon, to Jim and Esther Smith Caven.
She was an avid gardener, and in her younger years her passion was thoroughbreds.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William E., her parents and her siblings.
She is survived by her son, William E. Stone III and his wife, Trish, of California; her daughter, Georgianna Shelton and her husband Clark of Beebe; six grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
Family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. today at the home of Stephanie Smith, 102 Cordell Road, Beebe.
TOP STORY>>School board races continue into October
IN SHORT: Winners to be certified next Friday for Pulaski County Special School District, but runoffs for Lonoke County positions are set for Oct. 10.
By SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
Days after the election, it’s still too close to call the winner of the Pulaski County Special School District’s School Board race between incumbent Ronnie Calva and challenger Charlie Wood of Sherwood.
In addition, school board races in Lonoke and Cabot are headed for runoffs Tuesday, Oct. 10.
According to the Pulaski County Election Commission, Wood still leads Calva by a single vote, 260 to 259. The results won’t be official until next Friday, when the Pulaski County Election Commission counts overseas ballots.
“It’s not over yet,” said Election Commission director Susan Inman. “No winner has been determined because of the (10) outstanding military ballots from that zone.”
She said the ballots had to have been voted by election day and her office must receive them within 10 days of the election.
Until then, the vote will not be certified and it would be too early for anyone to have asked for a recount.
Depending on what, if any ballots, are returned, either man could win or it could be a tie, which would result a run-off election in their zone. Calva was appointed last year to finish Don Baker’s term.
Danny Gililland ran unopposed for PCSSD’s Zone 5 seat vacated by Carol Burgett.
Two Lonoke County races won’t be decided until the Oct. 10 runoff election.
Cabot School Board president David M. Hipp fell two votes shy of winning outright a four-person race for his seat in Cabot.
“You hate to have to be in a runoff because it’s an extra cost to have another election.”
Also running for that seat were Joyce Bender, who received 46 votes and Arthur Evans with 20 votes. There were also five write-in votes. Fred Campbell ran unopposed for Cabot School Board’s Position 6 seat.
In the six-person race for Zone 3, Position 6 for the Lonoke School Board, Cindy Burns lead with 66 votes and Darrell Park had 65 votes. Roger Lynch garnered 35 votes, Janice Perkins received 23 votes, Rudy Kurz got 12 and Shannon Holman got nine.
Burns and Park are in the run-off on Oct. 10.
Also in Lonoke, incumbent Michael Linton ran unopposed for the Zone 2, Position 7 board seat.
Early voting for the Cabot and Lonoke school board run-offs starts 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. this Monday through Tuesday, Oct. 10 at the Lonoke County Courthouse.
Polls will open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 10.
Early voting will be closed on Monday, Oct. 9 due to Columbus Day.
Uncontested races this week included Robert Jenkins for an at-large position on the Beebe School Board, C. K. Parker Jr., for Position 2, District 3 in Carlisle and Judy Dillow ran unopposed for the Zone 4 seat in the England School District.
Local voters also approved maintaining millage rates for their districts.
By SARA GREENE
Leader staff writer
Days after the election, it’s still too close to call the winner of the Pulaski County Special School District’s School Board race between incumbent Ronnie Calva and challenger Charlie Wood of Sherwood.
In addition, school board races in Lonoke and Cabot are headed for runoffs Tuesday, Oct. 10.
According to the Pulaski County Election Commission, Wood still leads Calva by a single vote, 260 to 259. The results won’t be official until next Friday, when the Pulaski County Election Commission counts overseas ballots.
“It’s not over yet,” said Election Commission director Susan Inman. “No winner has been determined because of the (10) outstanding military ballots from that zone.”
She said the ballots had to have been voted by election day and her office must receive them within 10 days of the election.
Until then, the vote will not be certified and it would be too early for anyone to have asked for a recount.
Depending on what, if any ballots, are returned, either man could win or it could be a tie, which would result a run-off election in their zone. Calva was appointed last year to finish Don Baker’s term.
Danny Gililland ran unopposed for PCSSD’s Zone 5 seat vacated by Carol Burgett.
Two Lonoke County races won’t be decided until the Oct. 10 runoff election.
Cabot School Board president David M. Hipp fell two votes shy of winning outright a four-person race for his seat in Cabot.
“You hate to have to be in a runoff because it’s an extra cost to have another election.”
Also running for that seat were Joyce Bender, who received 46 votes and Arthur Evans with 20 votes. There were also five write-in votes. Fred Campbell ran unopposed for Cabot School Board’s Position 6 seat.
In the six-person race for Zone 3, Position 6 for the Lonoke School Board, Cindy Burns lead with 66 votes and Darrell Park had 65 votes. Roger Lynch garnered 35 votes, Janice Perkins received 23 votes, Rudy Kurz got 12 and Shannon Holman got nine.
Burns and Park are in the run-off on Oct. 10.
Also in Lonoke, incumbent Michael Linton ran unopposed for the Zone 2, Position 7 board seat.
Early voting for the Cabot and Lonoke school board run-offs starts 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. this Monday through Tuesday, Oct. 10 at the Lonoke County Courthouse.
Polls will open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 10.
Early voting will be closed on Monday, Oct. 9 due to Columbus Day.
Uncontested races this week included Robert Jenkins for an at-large position on the Beebe School Board, C. K. Parker Jr., for Position 2, District 3 in Carlisle and Judy Dillow ran unopposed for the Zone 4 seat in the England School District.
Local voters also approved maintaining millage rates for their districts.
TOP STORY>>Beebe town festival gets underway
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
Downtown Beebe is roped off today for Fallfest, an old festival that was revived about five years ago.
The owner and employees of Cool 104, a Searcy radio station, have organized the event for the second year in a row. They say 5,000 people attended last year and they hope the rain holds off so attendance will reach at least that number again.
Scheduled events include the Beebe Idol talent contest, set for noon, where vocal groups and vocal soloists will compete for $50 cash prizes. Ken Madden, station owner, said the contest was a hit last year with 30 contestants performing for more than two hours. It is scheduled for noon on the Community Bank stage.
Local bands will perform on the Simmons Bank stage. Madden said his staff has made every effort to use local entertainers. There will be entertainment for the kids, craft booths and food booths, including sub sandwiches and funnel cakes.
This year, a new category has been added to the beauty pageant in the Community Room at city hall. Little boys, up to three years old will be competing for the Fall Prince title. The pageant is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A pet show will start at 10 a.m. To register, go to the Cool 104 booth by 9:45 and pay the $5 entry fee. Pets of all varieties will compete for the titles cutest pet, ugliest pet and judge’s favorite.
Cool 104 volunteered to organize the event when interest of downtown merchants began to wane. The city council unanimously agreed to turn it over to the radio station after all members agreed they didn’t want the job.
However, the city does help with the event by roping off downtown and providing security. Parking is on side streets and admission is free.
Leader staff writer
Downtown Beebe is roped off today for Fallfest, an old festival that was revived about five years ago.
The owner and employees of Cool 104, a Searcy radio station, have organized the event for the second year in a row. They say 5,000 people attended last year and they hope the rain holds off so attendance will reach at least that number again.
Scheduled events include the Beebe Idol talent contest, set for noon, where vocal groups and vocal soloists will compete for $50 cash prizes. Ken Madden, station owner, said the contest was a hit last year with 30 contestants performing for more than two hours. It is scheduled for noon on the Community Bank stage.
Local bands will perform on the Simmons Bank stage. Madden said his staff has made every effort to use local entertainers. There will be entertainment for the kids, craft booths and food booths, including sub sandwiches and funnel cakes.
This year, a new category has been added to the beauty pageant in the Community Room at city hall. Little boys, up to three years old will be competing for the Fall Prince title. The pageant is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A pet show will start at 10 a.m. To register, go to the Cool 104 booth by 9:45 and pay the $5 entry fee. Pets of all varieties will compete for the titles cutest pet, ugliest pet and judge’s favorite.
Cool 104 volunteered to organize the event when interest of downtown merchants began to wane. The city council unanimously agreed to turn it over to the radio station after all members agreed they didn’t want the job.
However, the city does help with the event by roping off downtown and providing security. Parking is on side streets and admission is free.
TOP STORY>>Townhouses given rezoning approval
IN SHORT: The Jacksonville City Council overrules the planning commission and gives the multi-residential development its approval.
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Once-rejected plans for townhouses on Jacksonville’s West Main Street are still alive.
The city council Thursday night, in a 5-4 vote, approved the first reading on a new ordinance that would rezone three acres of land at Main and Emma streets for the purpose of building 35 townhouses.
“Is it right to favor the desire of a few over the decision of the planning commission and the desire of present area homeowners?” asked Lucian Shockey, a spokesman for residents against the rezoning.
The vote, taken after nearly an hour of lively, but respectable debate, brought a smattering of boos from the 100 or more residents at the meeting, prompting Mayor Tommy Swaim to announce, “That’s showing your character.”
To become law, the ordinance must pass three readings.
Swaim explained that if two-thirds of the aldermen had requested it, the council could have had a second and third reading at Thursday’s meeting. “It was clear the votes were not there, so we will have the second reading at our next meeting, Oct.
5,” Swaim said. “It’ll then be up to the council if we have the third reading that night or wait until the meeting after that.”
It is possible that council members could change their vote between the readings, but that doesn’t appear likely. Those for the rezoning and townhouses seemed pretty solid in their stance as did those opposing the idea.
Voting for the rezoning were Aldermen Kenny Elliott, Kevin McCleary, Reedie Ray, Bob Stroud and Bill Howard.
Opposing the rezoning were Aldermen Marshall Smith, Terry Sansing, Gary Fletcher and Avis Twitty.
Alderman Linda Rinker was absent.
Although planning commissioners liked the idea of townhouses, they felt this was neither the time nor the place for them, and clearly rejected the plans at their September meeting.
The builder Tim McClurg then got Alderman Stroud, who spoke for the plan at the planning commission, to appeal the commission’s decision at the council meeting.
Armed with his lawyer, engineer and architect, McClurg presented the plan to the council.
Architect Chad Young, a former planning commissioner, told the council that Jacksonville needed upscale homes like these townhouses as he presented drawings of a typical seven-unit townhouse.
Shockey, the spokesman for the large group of residents against the rezoning, reminded the council that 180 area neighbors had signed a petition against the rezoning.
“These signers live in all the subdivisions bordering West Main from Western Hills on the east to Tara Mount and Penn-pointe to the west,” Shockey said.
“This proposal and an earlier proposal, both to allow high density housing at this location have been rejected by the planning commission. We are all aware that there is a lot of real estate knowledge and experience vested in the commission and they take their work serious.”
So he had a hard time understanding why the council would consider overruling the commission.
Shockey also said that the townhouses would double the amount of traffic coming in and out of Main Street within a short space between two curves.
Shockey called West Main Street the “best-kept secret in Pulaski County” and said if this appeal was approved, “you would be approving a three-acre island in a large sea zoned R-0 (single family homes). If you approve this, then where is the incentive for current residents to talk up Jacksonville and invite others to locate here when zoning may likely change?”
Shockey asked the aldermen to think about three questions before voting on the issue: “Is it right to favor the desire of a few over the decision of the planning commission and the desire of present area owners? Will the next island created be next to me? If good government is responsive to the people, how is my vote addressing that enduring principle?”
Both Aldermen Gary Fletcher and Terry Sansing expressed concerns about the duty to represent the people.
“I got elected to represent the people and should be more ears than voice,” Fletcher said.
Sansing, agreeing, said, “It seems we give more consideration to the people that might move here rather than to the ones already here.”
But Alderman Kenny Elliott looked at the situation differently. “I’ve got to make the best decision for the growth and development of Jacksonville. Without tough decisions we will not grow. We won’t make everyone happy, but we have to look at the future of the city,” he said.
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Once-rejected plans for townhouses on Jacksonville’s West Main Street are still alive.
The city council Thursday night, in a 5-4 vote, approved the first reading on a new ordinance that would rezone three acres of land at Main and Emma streets for the purpose of building 35 townhouses.
“Is it right to favor the desire of a few over the decision of the planning commission and the desire of present area homeowners?” asked Lucian Shockey, a spokesman for residents against the rezoning.
The vote, taken after nearly an hour of lively, but respectable debate, brought a smattering of boos from the 100 or more residents at the meeting, prompting Mayor Tommy Swaim to announce, “That’s showing your character.”
To become law, the ordinance must pass three readings.
Swaim explained that if two-thirds of the aldermen had requested it, the council could have had a second and third reading at Thursday’s meeting. “It was clear the votes were not there, so we will have the second reading at our next meeting, Oct.
5,” Swaim said. “It’ll then be up to the council if we have the third reading that night or wait until the meeting after that.”
It is possible that council members could change their vote between the readings, but that doesn’t appear likely. Those for the rezoning and townhouses seemed pretty solid in their stance as did those opposing the idea.
Voting for the rezoning were Aldermen Kenny Elliott, Kevin McCleary, Reedie Ray, Bob Stroud and Bill Howard.
Opposing the rezoning were Aldermen Marshall Smith, Terry Sansing, Gary Fletcher and Avis Twitty.
Alderman Linda Rinker was absent.
Although planning commissioners liked the idea of townhouses, they felt this was neither the time nor the place for them, and clearly rejected the plans at their September meeting.
The builder Tim McClurg then got Alderman Stroud, who spoke for the plan at the planning commission, to appeal the commission’s decision at the council meeting.
Armed with his lawyer, engineer and architect, McClurg presented the plan to the council.
Architect Chad Young, a former planning commissioner, told the council that Jacksonville needed upscale homes like these townhouses as he presented drawings of a typical seven-unit townhouse.
Shockey, the spokesman for the large group of residents against the rezoning, reminded the council that 180 area neighbors had signed a petition against the rezoning.
“These signers live in all the subdivisions bordering West Main from Western Hills on the east to Tara Mount and Penn-pointe to the west,” Shockey said.
“This proposal and an earlier proposal, both to allow high density housing at this location have been rejected by the planning commission. We are all aware that there is a lot of real estate knowledge and experience vested in the commission and they take their work serious.”
So he had a hard time understanding why the council would consider overruling the commission.
Shockey also said that the townhouses would double the amount of traffic coming in and out of Main Street within a short space between two curves.
Shockey called West Main Street the “best-kept secret in Pulaski County” and said if this appeal was approved, “you would be approving a three-acre island in a large sea zoned R-0 (single family homes). If you approve this, then where is the incentive for current residents to talk up Jacksonville and invite others to locate here when zoning may likely change?”
Shockey asked the aldermen to think about three questions before voting on the issue: “Is it right to favor the desire of a few over the decision of the planning commission and the desire of present area owners? Will the next island created be next to me? If good government is responsive to the people, how is my vote addressing that enduring principle?”
Both Aldermen Gary Fletcher and Terry Sansing expressed concerns about the duty to represent the people.
“I got elected to represent the people and should be more ears than voice,” Fletcher said.
Sansing, agreeing, said, “It seems we give more consideration to the people that might move here rather than to the ones already here.”
But Alderman Kenny Elliott looked at the situation differently. “I’ve got to make the best decision for the growth and development of Jacksonville. Without tough decisions we will not grow. We won’t make everyone happy, but we have to look at the future of the city,” he said.
TOP STORY>>Deer season won’t postpone trial
IN SHORT: Lonoke County prosecutor must show lawyers which incidents support criminal-enterprise charges, judge says.
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
Special Judge John Cole Thursday denied a motion to delay until after deer season a high-profile criminal trial at Lonoke, in effect telling a defense attorney “that dog won’t hunt.”
“But I sure do like the way you dress,” Cole told Bobby Junior Cox’s lawyer, John Wesley Hall. Hall, who contended that 21 percent of eligible Lonoke County jurors are hunters and might be either unavailable or unable to give the month-long case the attention it deserves, wore a deer-themed shirt under his sport coat, accessorized by hunter orange tie and pocket handkerchief.
“It was worth a shot,” Hall said.
“I haven’t missed opening day of deer season since 1967,” said Cole, pinch-hitting for Circuit Judge Lance Hanshaw, who has recused. “But sometimes people must give up pleasure they seek for duty to the community.”
Former Lonoke Police Chief Jay Campbell is the marquee name in this sprawling 78-count indictment that includes charges against his wife, Kelly Harrison Campbell, and bail bondsmen Cox and Larry Norwood.
She alleges that Campbell masterminded a continuing criminal organization or enterprise that stole drugs and money, influenced inmates with drugs and sexual favors, conspired to manufacture methamphetamines, burgled homes and beat and intimidated witnesses between October 2002 and December 2005.
The criminal-enterprise charges are especially important, because if the defendants were found guilty of those charges, sentences for some other convictions would be enhanced and the overriding charge would be punishable by the stiffest sentence.
In addition, former police department dispatcher Amy Staley has been charged with having sex with inmates and Lonoke Mayor Thomas Privett faces a single misdemeanor charge of theft of services for having Act 309 inmates fix his air conditioner and hang his Christmas lights. Each of them will be tried separately.
Campbell, Cox and Norwood are charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.
The Campbells are charged with theft of property, including drugs, jewelry and money, and Kelly Campbell is charged with having sex about two dozen times with inmates in her husband’s jail and elsewhere.
In order to establish an ongoing or continuous criminal enterprise, the state must show that at least three people must have been involved and that there must be at least two crimes of violence or for financial gain.
On a motion by Norwood’s lawyer, Jeff Rosenzweig, Cole ruled that the prosecution must be more specific about which incidents, out of 3,000 pages of interviews and evidence, support the criminal enterprise charges, who was involved in those incidents and what law was allegedly broken.
Prosecutor Lona McCastlain argued that all the pertinent facts were included in the disclosure, but Cole ordered her to provide attorneys with the specific information she alleges supports the criminal enterprise charge.
McCastlain didn’t charge Cox and Norwood with an incident in which they got into a Pulaski County motel room under false pretenses to find a bond jumper, but is she saying this supports the criminal enterprise charge, Rosenzweig asked.
“What’s the crime?” he asked.
“Aggravated robbery, battery and theft of property,” said Chief Deputy Prosecutor Stuart Cleary.
“We need that in writing,” Rosenzweig responded.
“His goal is to box the state in,” McCastlain said.
This was the first victory for defense attorneys.
Cole previously overruled motions to dismiss the criminal enterprise charges and also refused to sever the trials of the four defendants.
Cole had also asked that any motion for change of venue be heard Thursday, but no one pursued the issue. Pretrial hearings for the Nov. 8 trial are set for 9 a.m., Oct. 23 and 9 a.m. Nov. 2.
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
Special Judge John Cole Thursday denied a motion to delay until after deer season a high-profile criminal trial at Lonoke, in effect telling a defense attorney “that dog won’t hunt.”
“But I sure do like the way you dress,” Cole told Bobby Junior Cox’s lawyer, John Wesley Hall. Hall, who contended that 21 percent of eligible Lonoke County jurors are hunters and might be either unavailable or unable to give the month-long case the attention it deserves, wore a deer-themed shirt under his sport coat, accessorized by hunter orange tie and pocket handkerchief.
“It was worth a shot,” Hall said.
“I haven’t missed opening day of deer season since 1967,” said Cole, pinch-hitting for Circuit Judge Lance Hanshaw, who has recused. “But sometimes people must give up pleasure they seek for duty to the community.”
Former Lonoke Police Chief Jay Campbell is the marquee name in this sprawling 78-count indictment that includes charges against his wife, Kelly Harrison Campbell, and bail bondsmen Cox and Larry Norwood.
She alleges that Campbell masterminded a continuing criminal organization or enterprise that stole drugs and money, influenced inmates with drugs and sexual favors, conspired to manufacture methamphetamines, burgled homes and beat and intimidated witnesses between October 2002 and December 2005.
The criminal-enterprise charges are especially important, because if the defendants were found guilty of those charges, sentences for some other convictions would be enhanced and the overriding charge would be punishable by the stiffest sentence.
In addition, former police department dispatcher Amy Staley has been charged with having sex with inmates and Lonoke Mayor Thomas Privett faces a single misdemeanor charge of theft of services for having Act 309 inmates fix his air conditioner and hang his Christmas lights. Each of them will be tried separately.
Campbell, Cox and Norwood are charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.
The Campbells are charged with theft of property, including drugs, jewelry and money, and Kelly Campbell is charged with having sex about two dozen times with inmates in her husband’s jail and elsewhere.
In order to establish an ongoing or continuous criminal enterprise, the state must show that at least three people must have been involved and that there must be at least two crimes of violence or for financial gain.
On a motion by Norwood’s lawyer, Jeff Rosenzweig, Cole ruled that the prosecution must be more specific about which incidents, out of 3,000 pages of interviews and evidence, support the criminal enterprise charges, who was involved in those incidents and what law was allegedly broken.
Prosecutor Lona McCastlain argued that all the pertinent facts were included in the disclosure, but Cole ordered her to provide attorneys with the specific information she alleges supports the criminal enterprise charge.
McCastlain didn’t charge Cox and Norwood with an incident in which they got into a Pulaski County motel room under false pretenses to find a bond jumper, but is she saying this supports the criminal enterprise charge, Rosenzweig asked.
“What’s the crime?” he asked.
“Aggravated robbery, battery and theft of property,” said Chief Deputy Prosecutor Stuart Cleary.
“We need that in writing,” Rosenzweig responded.
“His goal is to box the state in,” McCastlain said.
This was the first victory for defense attorneys.
Cole previously overruled motions to dismiss the criminal enterprise charges and also refused to sever the trials of the four defendants.
Cole had also asked that any motion for change of venue be heard Thursday, but no one pursued the issue. Pretrial hearings for the Nov. 8 trial are set for 9 a.m., Oct. 23 and 9 a.m. Nov. 2.
TOP STORY>>Housing agency aims to improve
IN SHORT: New board members name Durham their chairman as they seek to fill job of departing executive director, who resigned.
By PEG KENYON
Leader staff writer
The newly appointed Jacksonville Housing Authority Board of Commissioners is seeking a new executive director who will improve the lives of low-income people and take the time to apply for federal grants that will pay for such necessities as air-conditioning for tenants who usually have to buy their own units.
A recent federal audit found previous management did not file necessary paperwork to obtain funding or keep up with technological advances in record keeping. The board also wants to change the authority’s hiring practices. In the past, for example, the authority hired a security officer with little to do besides background checks of housing applicants, although the officer told the board he has done more when he was asked.
During its first meeting Thursday, the new JHA Board approved placing advertising for a new executive director. The commissioners also requested that applicants go through Jacksonville’s Human Resources Department.
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim, who was present at the meeting, accepted the board’s request for assistance in seeking a new executive director for the beleaguered JHA.
“You need someone to think outside of the box,” said Mary Boyd, interim executive director of the JHA since July who quit the temporary position during the board meeting.
This summer, Virginia Simmons resigned as executive director for about 14 years. Simmons was paid $53,000 annually, Boyd told Marilyn Canon, Mike Wilkinson, Jon Johnson and Jim Durham, all of the new JHA Board commissioners.
At the first meeting for newly appointed members of the JHA board, it was disclosed that tenants were expected to pay for their own window air-conditioners in the past. The JHA board had previously purchased four window air-conditioning units because the commissioners felt sorry for the people who did not have any, Boyd revealed.
Changes are already taking place at the authority. Under Boyd’s instructions, a bid procedure to install air-conditioning units throughout the Max Howell Apartments is underway.
According to Boyd, who is also the executive director for the Conway Federal Housing facility, the operating subsidy at JHA is $106,000, while CHA has $212,000 to operate with. More money means more improvement projects, she said.
“To me, the greatest failure is not going after the many grants out there,” Durham, the board’s new chairman, said about the findings of HUD review. Tens of thousands of dollars may have gone by the wayside due to this failure.
Durham wants the JHA to go after grant money to fund rehabilitation projects of houses in Jacksonville so some of the tenants can become homeowners in the future. At the beginning of the meeting, Boyd also told the new JHA board, “This is my last day.”
But she will be only a phone call away if needed because board members chose to allow her to keep a cell phone until a new executive director could be selected.
Through a Freedom of Information request, The Leader obtained the initial findings of the HUD review of the JHA, which oversees the Max Howell Place apartment complex and disbursement of rent vouchers.
The review revealed Simmons admitted to fraud in letting contracts.
In mid-June, the federal agency asked for records of contracts and work orders for more than $132,000 spent by the housing authority. HUD officials wanted to scrutinize all contracts and purchase orders. They also requested those documents to be pulled and made available for June 28. On June 27, a JHA employee informed HUD that Simmons had directed her to create four contracts and to call contractors to come to the office and sign the contracts.
On the same day, Simmons “admitted to Mr. Jesse Westover, Public Housing director, Little Rock Field Office, that she had falsely reported program obligation under the FY 2003 Capital Fund Program on Sept. 15, 2005 in the amount of $132,788.11,” according to the HUD review, which found that no application had been made for the grant, making the authority ineligible for the grant.
HUD officials concluded that these actions were taken in an attempt on the part of the then JHA executive director to document evidence to support contracts had legitimately been entered into before the obligation deadline of Sept. 16, 2005.
The review also alleges that the housing authority “did not properly advertise for bids in the excess of $25,000” or adequately keep documentation of solicitations. Swaim previously indicated there could be ramifications stemming from bid letting.
The new board briefly discussed one of the duplexes at the Max Howell Place rental complex. Durham brought up possible plans to demolish one of the duplex units, which has been vacant for about two years after it was a site of a meth lab bust. Demolition is necessary since it is uninhabitable.
From this site, a new building would be constructed in hopes of attracting a police officer to live in one side while seeking grants for a possible computer lab for youth living at the Max Howell complex.
Commissioners like the idea of making changes at the complex.
Canon brought up the security officer issue cited in the HUD review, which pointed out that a security officer was allegedly “seldom seen” on the premises. The security officer is paid a salary whether or not he reviews background reports of new tenants or does anything else, the document revealed.
The security officer was not providing a weekly report of services he supposedly performed, and the review team noted seeing “several messages between three to 10 days old” left for him by applicants. Employees also reported that the security officer was only seen in the office when he signed his time sheets and picked up his paycheck.
In a letter dated Sept. 19, Jim Potter said he was the security officer mentioned in the HUD review. He said Simmons contacted him in either 1997 or 1998 after she was unsuccessful in hiring a Jacksonville police officer to assist with housing-related problems and background checks of potential tenants.
Potter’s letter states, “I’ve been called to the Housing Authority in the middle of the night to fires and assisted with many problem tenants who were moved over.
In 1998, a severe ice storm struck Pulaski County and left many elderly and other tenants without other means, stranded to ride out the storm and devastation left afterward.
“I was called and told of the stranded tenants and arranged for the Red Cross to open a shelter in Jacksonville and in North Little Rock for Jacksonville tenants. I also arranged for Central Arkansas Transit to come to the site and pick up the many tenants and their belongings for transport to the shelters. I’ve played catch with kids and played chase and ‘cops and robbers’ with felons and drug dealers in Max Howell Place in my years at Jacksonville Housing Authority.”
Potter, who was paid $11,308 for part-time work last year, explained that he was unaware of the agency’s problems, but he read the articles in The Leader about the HUD review.
“They are absolutely true,” the letter reads.
The letter went on, “Up until the HUD review that began recently, I was specifically told by the executive director that my duties did not include the patrolling of the site….In short, my duties were to conduct background checks.”
Potter alleges that since the HUD review, Simmons “amended” his duties to include the “regular patrol of the site” and submitting bi-weekly reports.
Before Durham was named board chairman, he said Fred West, who was the last remaining member as well as chairman of the old JHA board, had said he would resign due to health issues.
Coinciding with a HUD review getting underway, three members — Ferrell Gray, Robert Colford and Robert Whatley — of the old JHA board followed in Simmons’ footsteps by resigning. A fourth member, Johnny Moory, had previously resigned due to an illness in his family. Moory’s resignation came before the review was initiated.
By PEG KENYON
Leader staff writer
The newly appointed Jacksonville Housing Authority Board of Commissioners is seeking a new executive director who will improve the lives of low-income people and take the time to apply for federal grants that will pay for such necessities as air-conditioning for tenants who usually have to buy their own units.
A recent federal audit found previous management did not file necessary paperwork to obtain funding or keep up with technological advances in record keeping. The board also wants to change the authority’s hiring practices. In the past, for example, the authority hired a security officer with little to do besides background checks of housing applicants, although the officer told the board he has done more when he was asked.
During its first meeting Thursday, the new JHA Board approved placing advertising for a new executive director. The commissioners also requested that applicants go through Jacksonville’s Human Resources Department.
Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim, who was present at the meeting, accepted the board’s request for assistance in seeking a new executive director for the beleaguered JHA.
“You need someone to think outside of the box,” said Mary Boyd, interim executive director of the JHA since July who quit the temporary position during the board meeting.
This summer, Virginia Simmons resigned as executive director for about 14 years. Simmons was paid $53,000 annually, Boyd told Marilyn Canon, Mike Wilkinson, Jon Johnson and Jim Durham, all of the new JHA Board commissioners.
At the first meeting for newly appointed members of the JHA board, it was disclosed that tenants were expected to pay for their own window air-conditioners in the past. The JHA board had previously purchased four window air-conditioning units because the commissioners felt sorry for the people who did not have any, Boyd revealed.
Changes are already taking place at the authority. Under Boyd’s instructions, a bid procedure to install air-conditioning units throughout the Max Howell Apartments is underway.
According to Boyd, who is also the executive director for the Conway Federal Housing facility, the operating subsidy at JHA is $106,000, while CHA has $212,000 to operate with. More money means more improvement projects, she said.
“To me, the greatest failure is not going after the many grants out there,” Durham, the board’s new chairman, said about the findings of HUD review. Tens of thousands of dollars may have gone by the wayside due to this failure.
Durham wants the JHA to go after grant money to fund rehabilitation projects of houses in Jacksonville so some of the tenants can become homeowners in the future. At the beginning of the meeting, Boyd also told the new JHA board, “This is my last day.”
But she will be only a phone call away if needed because board members chose to allow her to keep a cell phone until a new executive director could be selected.
Through a Freedom of Information request, The Leader obtained the initial findings of the HUD review of the JHA, which oversees the Max Howell Place apartment complex and disbursement of rent vouchers.
The review revealed Simmons admitted to fraud in letting contracts.
In mid-June, the federal agency asked for records of contracts and work orders for more than $132,000 spent by the housing authority. HUD officials wanted to scrutinize all contracts and purchase orders. They also requested those documents to be pulled and made available for June 28. On June 27, a JHA employee informed HUD that Simmons had directed her to create four contracts and to call contractors to come to the office and sign the contracts.
On the same day, Simmons “admitted to Mr. Jesse Westover, Public Housing director, Little Rock Field Office, that she had falsely reported program obligation under the FY 2003 Capital Fund Program on Sept. 15, 2005 in the amount of $132,788.11,” according to the HUD review, which found that no application had been made for the grant, making the authority ineligible for the grant.
HUD officials concluded that these actions were taken in an attempt on the part of the then JHA executive director to document evidence to support contracts had legitimately been entered into before the obligation deadline of Sept. 16, 2005.
The review also alleges that the housing authority “did not properly advertise for bids in the excess of $25,000” or adequately keep documentation of solicitations. Swaim previously indicated there could be ramifications stemming from bid letting.
The new board briefly discussed one of the duplexes at the Max Howell Place rental complex. Durham brought up possible plans to demolish one of the duplex units, which has been vacant for about two years after it was a site of a meth lab bust. Demolition is necessary since it is uninhabitable.
From this site, a new building would be constructed in hopes of attracting a police officer to live in one side while seeking grants for a possible computer lab for youth living at the Max Howell complex.
Commissioners like the idea of making changes at the complex.
Canon brought up the security officer issue cited in the HUD review, which pointed out that a security officer was allegedly “seldom seen” on the premises. The security officer is paid a salary whether or not he reviews background reports of new tenants or does anything else, the document revealed.
The security officer was not providing a weekly report of services he supposedly performed, and the review team noted seeing “several messages between three to 10 days old” left for him by applicants. Employees also reported that the security officer was only seen in the office when he signed his time sheets and picked up his paycheck.
In a letter dated Sept. 19, Jim Potter said he was the security officer mentioned in the HUD review. He said Simmons contacted him in either 1997 or 1998 after she was unsuccessful in hiring a Jacksonville police officer to assist with housing-related problems and background checks of potential tenants.
Potter’s letter states, “I’ve been called to the Housing Authority in the middle of the night to fires and assisted with many problem tenants who were moved over.
In 1998, a severe ice storm struck Pulaski County and left many elderly and other tenants without other means, stranded to ride out the storm and devastation left afterward.
“I was called and told of the stranded tenants and arranged for the Red Cross to open a shelter in Jacksonville and in North Little Rock for Jacksonville tenants. I also arranged for Central Arkansas Transit to come to the site and pick up the many tenants and their belongings for transport to the shelters. I’ve played catch with kids and played chase and ‘cops and robbers’ with felons and drug dealers in Max Howell Place in my years at Jacksonville Housing Authority.”
Potter, who was paid $11,308 for part-time work last year, explained that he was unaware of the agency’s problems, but he read the articles in The Leader about the HUD review.
“They are absolutely true,” the letter reads.
The letter went on, “Up until the HUD review that began recently, I was specifically told by the executive director that my duties did not include the patrolling of the site….In short, my duties were to conduct background checks.”
Potter alleges that since the HUD review, Simmons “amended” his duties to include the “regular patrol of the site” and submitting bi-weekly reports.
Before Durham was named board chairman, he said Fred West, who was the last remaining member as well as chairman of the old JHA board, had said he would resign due to health issues.
Coinciding with a HUD review getting underway, three members — Ferrell Gray, Robert Colford and Robert Whatley — of the old JHA board followed in Simmons’ footsteps by resigning. A fourth member, Johnny Moory, had previously resigned due to an illness in his family. Moory’s resignation came before the review was initiated.
SPORTS >>Wampus Cats dismantle Cabot
IN SHORT: Conway ruined the perfect season Cabot had going with a 30-14 win over the Panthers to open play in the 7A-Central conference Friday in Conway.
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The game started a few minutes early, but by the time Cabot scored it was too late. The Panthers dropped their first game of the season Friday night 30-7 to Conway to open play in the 7A-Central Conference.
Thanks to Cabot turnovers, Conway got a short field and was up 14-0 by the midway point of the first quarter and never trailed.
The Panthers got into the game in the second quarter. Their first touchdown drive almost ended quickly, but sophomore fullback Vince Aguilar got just enough on fourth and two to keep the drive alive.
The Panthers went to the air after that. A 2-yard pass to Clem was followed by another catch by the senior tight end. This time it went for 71 yards and a touchdown as the Conway defender broke late on the ball and left Clem alone downfield for an easy touchdown.
That made it 14-7 with 5:07 left in the half.
Conway went three and out again, but Cabot did the same, only the Panthers were even more generous on the punt attempt. After an intentional grounding penalty backed Cabot up to its own 19, the punt snap sailed high over Fuller’s head and out of the end zone for a safety.
That gave Conway a 16-7 lead with 1:58 left in the half.
Fuller blasted the punt from the 20-yard line that left Conway with the ball at the 35. After a 16-yard pickup by Jackson, Cooper hit Jackson for 33 yards, but it was called back.
It didn’t matter. Cooper scrambled for 21 on the next play, and hit Pruett for a 31-yard touchdown strike to give the Cats a 23-7 lead heading into intermission.
Cabot put together a very nice drive in the third quarter that went 13 plays from the 35 to the Conway 13, but went backwards three yards from there and missed a 33-yard field goal to come up with nothing for its efforts.
Cabot got one last chance to get into the game with 5:12 left when Conway fumbled again on the Panther 34. The Panthers got a pair of first downs, but the drive stalled when Fuller came up inches short on fourth and two on the Conway 45.
The Wampus Cats sealed and delivered on the ensuing possession. On the back of Baker, who carried five times for all 55 yards of the drive, Conway went up 30-7 with 3:14 remaining.
The Panthers added one more score with 35 seconds left when Wade hit Fuller from 19 yards out to set the final margin.
Cabot committed the first major mistake of the game on the opening drive. After picking up one first down, the Panthers faced third and seven and quarterback Cory Wade threw into coverage. The ball was tipped high in the air and brought down by Conway senior Chris Wardlow.
The Wampus Cats made the Panthers pay, driving 46 yards in just three plays with the help of two Cabot penalties. Isiah Jackson capped the drive with a juking 18-yard jaunt up the middle to give the Wampus Cats the lead with 8:19 left in the first quarter.
Cabot went three and out and punted, but Conway coughed it up for the first time on its next possession, giving the Panthers possession at their own 35.
Two runs gave Cabot third and five when Jake Davis broke wide open 10 yards behind the Conway defense, but the throw was long and Cabot was again forced to punt.
Conway got big yardage early in its next drive when junior fullback Jacob Baker barrelled up the middle for 23 yards on first down.
After another first down, Conway was faced with fourth and four when receiver Lance Amos fumbled on third down.
On fourth down, a quick throw down the line of scrimmage was called, and Cabot’s Jordan Sperry broke in front of the receiver, but missed the ball. Conway’s Luke Pruett made the catch and had clear sailing into the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown reception.
The extra point by Chris Knight was good and Conway led 14-0 with 19 seconds left in the first quarter.
Cabot put together its best drive of the game on the ensuing possession, but fumbled it away again after getting inside the Conway 35.
The fumble came on a pitch from Wade to halfback Jordan Carlisle, and lost seven yards.
Conway took over on the Cabot 43, but was unable to convert a first down and punted the ball away, pinning the Panthers on their own 17-yard line.
Baker led all players with 160 yards on 25 carries. Pruett had three catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns for Conway.
Cooper ran six times for 59 yards and completed 7 of 9 passes for 105 yards and three scores.
Wade led the Panthers with 78 yards on 14 carries. Aguilar finished with 76 yards on 22 rushes.
The Panthers, now 3-1, 0-1, will host Little Rock Catholic next week. The Rockets lost 26-10 to Bryant Friday night. Conway will travel to North Little Rock next Friday. The Charging Wildcats beat Russellville Friday by the same score of 30-14.
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The game started a few minutes early, but by the time Cabot scored it was too late. The Panthers dropped their first game of the season Friday night 30-7 to Conway to open play in the 7A-Central Conference.
Thanks to Cabot turnovers, Conway got a short field and was up 14-0 by the midway point of the first quarter and never trailed.
The Panthers got into the game in the second quarter. Their first touchdown drive almost ended quickly, but sophomore fullback Vince Aguilar got just enough on fourth and two to keep the drive alive.
The Panthers went to the air after that. A 2-yard pass to Clem was followed by another catch by the senior tight end. This time it went for 71 yards and a touchdown as the Conway defender broke late on the ball and left Clem alone downfield for an easy touchdown.
That made it 14-7 with 5:07 left in the half.
Conway went three and out again, but Cabot did the same, only the Panthers were even more generous on the punt attempt. After an intentional grounding penalty backed Cabot up to its own 19, the punt snap sailed high over Fuller’s head and out of the end zone for a safety.
That gave Conway a 16-7 lead with 1:58 left in the half.
Fuller blasted the punt from the 20-yard line that left Conway with the ball at the 35. After a 16-yard pickup by Jackson, Cooper hit Jackson for 33 yards, but it was called back.
It didn’t matter. Cooper scrambled for 21 on the next play, and hit Pruett for a 31-yard touchdown strike to give the Cats a 23-7 lead heading into intermission.
Cabot put together a very nice drive in the third quarter that went 13 plays from the 35 to the Conway 13, but went backwards three yards from there and missed a 33-yard field goal to come up with nothing for its efforts.
Cabot got one last chance to get into the game with 5:12 left when Conway fumbled again on the Panther 34. The Panthers got a pair of first downs, but the drive stalled when Fuller came up inches short on fourth and two on the Conway 45.
The Wampus Cats sealed and delivered on the ensuing possession. On the back of Baker, who carried five times for all 55 yards of the drive, Conway went up 30-7 with 3:14 remaining.
The Panthers added one more score with 35 seconds left when Wade hit Fuller from 19 yards out to set the final margin.
Cabot committed the first major mistake of the game on the opening drive. After picking up one first down, the Panthers faced third and seven and quarterback Cory Wade threw into coverage. The ball was tipped high in the air and brought down by Conway senior Chris Wardlow.
The Wampus Cats made the Panthers pay, driving 46 yards in just three plays with the help of two Cabot penalties. Isiah Jackson capped the drive with a juking 18-yard jaunt up the middle to give the Wampus Cats the lead with 8:19 left in the first quarter.
Cabot went three and out and punted, but Conway coughed it up for the first time on its next possession, giving the Panthers possession at their own 35.
Two runs gave Cabot third and five when Jake Davis broke wide open 10 yards behind the Conway defense, but the throw was long and Cabot was again forced to punt.
Conway got big yardage early in its next drive when junior fullback Jacob Baker barrelled up the middle for 23 yards on first down.
After another first down, Conway was faced with fourth and four when receiver Lance Amos fumbled on third down.
On fourth down, a quick throw down the line of scrimmage was called, and Cabot’s Jordan Sperry broke in front of the receiver, but missed the ball. Conway’s Luke Pruett made the catch and had clear sailing into the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown reception.
The extra point by Chris Knight was good and Conway led 14-0 with 19 seconds left in the first quarter.
Cabot put together its best drive of the game on the ensuing possession, but fumbled it away again after getting inside the Conway 35.
The fumble came on a pitch from Wade to halfback Jordan Carlisle, and lost seven yards.
Conway took over on the Cabot 43, but was unable to convert a first down and punted the ball away, pinning the Panthers on their own 17-yard line.
Baker led all players with 160 yards on 25 carries. Pruett had three catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns for Conway.
Cooper ran six times for 59 yards and completed 7 of 9 passes for 105 yards and three scores.
Wade led the Panthers with 78 yards on 14 carries. Aguilar finished with 76 yards on 22 rushes.
The Panthers, now 3-1, 0-1, will host Little Rock Catholic next week. The Rockets lost 26-10 to Bryant Friday night. Conway will travel to North Little Rock next Friday. The Charging Wildcats beat Russellville Friday by the same score of 30-14.
SPORTS >>Lady Falcons hold off Beebe in East match
IN SHORT: North Pulaski survived a conference road match Thursday night by holding off the hosting Lady Badgers in three hard-fought sets at Beebe High.
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
North Pulaski picked up a conference win Thursday night on the road at Beebe. The Lady Falcons beat the Lady Badgers 3-0, but were given a major tussle through the first two games.
The turning point of the match was late in game two. Beebe led throughout most of the game, but never by more than two points. The Lady Badgers took their biggest lead of the match when three straight points on serve by Mykia Cox gave them a 20-17 lead.
North Pulaski called timeout, and Beebe committed several unforced errors the remainder of the game. The Lady Falcons outscored Beebe 8-2 the rest of the way to win the game 25-22. Beebe fell behind early in game three and couldn’t fully recover despite rallying at the midway point of the final game.
Scores in the match were 25-22, 25-22 and 25-19.
North Pulaski ran out to a 10-6 lead in game three, but Beebe rallied to tie it at 16-16. The Lady Falcons then extended the lead again on the serve of senior Taylor Barrow and held on for the game and match.
North Pulaski never trailed in game one. The Lady Falcons built their biggest lead of the entire match at 19-12, but the Lady Badgers rallied on Cox’s serve and the help of strong inside hitting by Emily Rogers. The Lady Badgers cut the margin to as little as 22-20, but could get no closer.
Beebe took its first lead of the match at 3-2 in game two, and didn’t trail until the very end when the Lady Falcons went up 23-22. North Pulaski finished off the game on two straight points on serve by Tauneishia Ridgeway.
Beebe’s Rogers and North Pulaski junior Samantha Barrow tied for game-high honors in kills. Each player finished with 11 kills. Samantha Barrow also led the Lady Falcons in points on serve with eight. Cox finished with nine points on serve and five kills for Beebe. The Lady Falcons improved to 3-5 and 2-4 in conference. Beebe fell to 2-6 and 1-5.
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
North Pulaski picked up a conference win Thursday night on the road at Beebe. The Lady Falcons beat the Lady Badgers 3-0, but were given a major tussle through the first two games.
The turning point of the match was late in game two. Beebe led throughout most of the game, but never by more than two points. The Lady Badgers took their biggest lead of the match when three straight points on serve by Mykia Cox gave them a 20-17 lead.
North Pulaski called timeout, and Beebe committed several unforced errors the remainder of the game. The Lady Falcons outscored Beebe 8-2 the rest of the way to win the game 25-22. Beebe fell behind early in game three and couldn’t fully recover despite rallying at the midway point of the final game.
Scores in the match were 25-22, 25-22 and 25-19.
North Pulaski ran out to a 10-6 lead in game three, but Beebe rallied to tie it at 16-16. The Lady Falcons then extended the lead again on the serve of senior Taylor Barrow and held on for the game and match.
North Pulaski never trailed in game one. The Lady Falcons built their biggest lead of the entire match at 19-12, but the Lady Badgers rallied on Cox’s serve and the help of strong inside hitting by Emily Rogers. The Lady Badgers cut the margin to as little as 22-20, but could get no closer.
Beebe took its first lead of the match at 3-2 in game two, and didn’t trail until the very end when the Lady Falcons went up 23-22. North Pulaski finished off the game on two straight points on serve by Tauneishia Ridgeway.
Beebe’s Rogers and North Pulaski junior Samantha Barrow tied for game-high honors in kills. Each player finished with 11 kills. Samantha Barrow also led the Lady Falcons in points on serve with eight. Cox finished with nine points on serve and five kills for Beebe. The Lady Falcons improved to 3-5 and 2-4 in conference. Beebe fell to 2-6 and 1-5.
SPORTS >>Devils claw way to win
IN SHORT: Jacksonville came back from a 12-0 halftime deficit to score 22 unanswered points to defeat Mountain Home 22-12 Friday to open 6A-East play.
By JOHNNY RAY LAKE
Special to the Leader
Two defensive touchdowns on Mountain Home turnovers lifted the Red Devils over the Bombers 22-12 Friday night. Shawn Alexander returned a fumble for Jacksonville 30 yards just under five minutes left in the fourth quarter to give the Red Devils their first lead of the game. Three minutes later, with Mountain Home driving from their own 10-yard line, Lee Robinson intercepted a pass from Mountain Home quarterback Zach Hawthorne and returned it 30 yards to give Jacksonville a 10-point lead with 1:49 left in the game.
The visiting Bombers seemed to have control of the game going into the fourth quarter leading 12-0. On fourth down and four at the Bomber 26, Jacksonville failed to convert, and the Bombers took over with 6:30 left in the game. But three plays later, Bomber running back Jim Houser fumbled and Alexander returned it for a touchdown. Daniel Hubbard passed to Norvel Gabriel for the two-point conversion to give Jacksonville a 15-12 lead. The Bomber sideline was upset about the score, as they felt that Houser was down before the fumble occurred. Mountain Home was unsettled at this point, as on their very next offensive play, Jacksonville’s defense caused another fumble by running back Jacob Hanson. But Mountain Home held and forced Jacksonville to punt with 2:41 left in the game with the Red Devils holding a three- point lead. And four plays later, Jacksonville put the game away with the Robinson interception returned for a touchdown.
The first half belonged to Mountain Home, as they controlled the clock and pounded the running game at Jacksonville, calling 31 running plays to only one passing play in the first two quarters. The Bombers took a 6-0 lead with 3:15 left in the first quarter capping a 14-play, 66-yard drive with their first possession that ended in a Hawthorne sneak from the one. Jake Young’s extra-point attempt was no good as it sailed wide left. After stopping Jacksonville on fourth down and three from the Bomber 24-yard line, the two teams exchanged punts. With 6:24 left in the first half, the Bombers took over at their own 15 yard line.
A 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty on Jacksonville gave the Bombers first and 10 from the Red Devil 44-yard line. William Dyer took a handoff up the middle for a 44-yard scamper for the touchdown, and after failing on the two-point conversion, Mountain Home led 12-0.
On the very next offensive play, Jacksonville quarterback found Marcus King for a 50-yard pass play setting up first and ten from the Bomber 25 with less than four minutes remaining in the first half. After an incomplete pass on first down, Justin Akins ran 21 yards down to the Bomber 4-yard line, setting up first and goal.
Jacksonville stumbled, however, as a loss of two yards on a quarterback keeper, an offsides penalty on the Red Devils, and two incomplete pass attempts in the end zone kept the Red Devils trailing at the half 12-0.
Mountain Home returned the kickoff in the second half out to their own 41-yard line. On fourth and eight from the Jacksonville 36, the Bombers gambled and took a five-yard delay penalty to give their punter more room to pin Jacksonville deep.
The gamble paid off as Jacksonville started their first drive of the second half from their own 1-yard line. The Red Devils drove to the Bomber 40-yard line before a sack stalled the drive and forced Jacksonville to punt. The Jacksonville defense began their second half domination as a three-and-out forced the Bombers to punt on their next possession. Jacksonville then drove 56 yards down to the Bomber 8-yard line to end the third quarter.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Justin Akins rumbled for an eight-yard touchdown run to get the Red Devils on the board for their first points of the game.
The extra point was good and Jacksonville trailed by five early in the final period. The Jacksonville defense, led by senior Alexander, forced three and out on the next Bomber possession.
After failing on fourth and four on the Bomber 26-yard line, the defense caused three turnovers in the next nine Bomber offensive plays, returning two for touchdowns to complete the comeback win for the Red Devils.
Jacksonville head coach Mark Whatley was quick to give credit to his defense as well as his defensive coaches.
“Coach Russell and coach Burrows have done a phenomenal job with the defense the last two weeks,” he said. “The defense took over in the second half pure and simple, and continue to come up with big plays,” he added.
When asked if he was surprised that Mountain Home came out running after they had passed so much in their last game, he responded “Not really. Teams hang their hat on their philosophy, and last week Mountain Home seemed to be searching for their identity. But we knew that coming in here for their first conference game, they would get back to their philosophy, which is the running game.” Coach Whatley added that in preparation for next week’s game against Jonesboro, his team would “have to get back to the basics.” We can’t continue to live and die by the big play,” he said.
Akins led the Red Devils with 150 yards and one score on 21 carries. Hubbard was 12 out of 24 passing with 144 yards. Jacksonville finished the game with 335 total yards, and 191 came on the ground.
Dyer led the Bombers with 145 yards rushing on 19 carries, but was held to 45 yards in the second half as the Red Devil defense clamped down. The Bombers finished with three turnovers, all of which came in the last five minutes of the contest. Jacksonville did not turn the ball over in the game.
The Red Devils will host the Hurricane next Friday.
By JOHNNY RAY LAKE
Special to the Leader
Two defensive touchdowns on Mountain Home turnovers lifted the Red Devils over the Bombers 22-12 Friday night. Shawn Alexander returned a fumble for Jacksonville 30 yards just under five minutes left in the fourth quarter to give the Red Devils their first lead of the game. Three minutes later, with Mountain Home driving from their own 10-yard line, Lee Robinson intercepted a pass from Mountain Home quarterback Zach Hawthorne and returned it 30 yards to give Jacksonville a 10-point lead with 1:49 left in the game.
The visiting Bombers seemed to have control of the game going into the fourth quarter leading 12-0. On fourth down and four at the Bomber 26, Jacksonville failed to convert, and the Bombers took over with 6:30 left in the game. But three plays later, Bomber running back Jim Houser fumbled and Alexander returned it for a touchdown. Daniel Hubbard passed to Norvel Gabriel for the two-point conversion to give Jacksonville a 15-12 lead. The Bomber sideline was upset about the score, as they felt that Houser was down before the fumble occurred. Mountain Home was unsettled at this point, as on their very next offensive play, Jacksonville’s defense caused another fumble by running back Jacob Hanson. But Mountain Home held and forced Jacksonville to punt with 2:41 left in the game with the Red Devils holding a three- point lead. And four plays later, Jacksonville put the game away with the Robinson interception returned for a touchdown.
The first half belonged to Mountain Home, as they controlled the clock and pounded the running game at Jacksonville, calling 31 running plays to only one passing play in the first two quarters. The Bombers took a 6-0 lead with 3:15 left in the first quarter capping a 14-play, 66-yard drive with their first possession that ended in a Hawthorne sneak from the one. Jake Young’s extra-point attempt was no good as it sailed wide left. After stopping Jacksonville on fourth down and three from the Bomber 24-yard line, the two teams exchanged punts. With 6:24 left in the first half, the Bombers took over at their own 15 yard line.
A 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty on Jacksonville gave the Bombers first and 10 from the Red Devil 44-yard line. William Dyer took a handoff up the middle for a 44-yard scamper for the touchdown, and after failing on the two-point conversion, Mountain Home led 12-0.
On the very next offensive play, Jacksonville quarterback found Marcus King for a 50-yard pass play setting up first and ten from the Bomber 25 with less than four minutes remaining in the first half. After an incomplete pass on first down, Justin Akins ran 21 yards down to the Bomber 4-yard line, setting up first and goal.
Jacksonville stumbled, however, as a loss of two yards on a quarterback keeper, an offsides penalty on the Red Devils, and two incomplete pass attempts in the end zone kept the Red Devils trailing at the half 12-0.
Mountain Home returned the kickoff in the second half out to their own 41-yard line. On fourth and eight from the Jacksonville 36, the Bombers gambled and took a five-yard delay penalty to give their punter more room to pin Jacksonville deep.
The gamble paid off as Jacksonville started their first drive of the second half from their own 1-yard line. The Red Devils drove to the Bomber 40-yard line before a sack stalled the drive and forced Jacksonville to punt. The Jacksonville defense began their second half domination as a three-and-out forced the Bombers to punt on their next possession. Jacksonville then drove 56 yards down to the Bomber 8-yard line to end the third quarter.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Justin Akins rumbled for an eight-yard touchdown run to get the Red Devils on the board for their first points of the game.
The extra point was good and Jacksonville trailed by five early in the final period. The Jacksonville defense, led by senior Alexander, forced three and out on the next Bomber possession.
After failing on fourth and four on the Bomber 26-yard line, the defense caused three turnovers in the next nine Bomber offensive plays, returning two for touchdowns to complete the comeback win for the Red Devils.
Jacksonville head coach Mark Whatley was quick to give credit to his defense as well as his defensive coaches.
“Coach Russell and coach Burrows have done a phenomenal job with the defense the last two weeks,” he said. “The defense took over in the second half pure and simple, and continue to come up with big plays,” he added.
When asked if he was surprised that Mountain Home came out running after they had passed so much in their last game, he responded “Not really. Teams hang their hat on their philosophy, and last week Mountain Home seemed to be searching for their identity. But we knew that coming in here for their first conference game, they would get back to their philosophy, which is the running game.” Coach Whatley added that in preparation for next week’s game against Jonesboro, his team would “have to get back to the basics.” We can’t continue to live and die by the big play,” he said.
Akins led the Red Devils with 150 yards and one score on 21 carries. Hubbard was 12 out of 24 passing with 144 yards. Jacksonville finished the game with 335 total yards, and 191 came on the ground.
Dyer led the Bombers with 145 yards rushing on 19 carries, but was held to 45 yards in the second half as the Red Devil defense clamped down. The Bombers finished with three turnovers, all of which came in the last five minutes of the contest. Jacksonville did not turn the ball over in the game.
The Red Devils will host the Hurricane next Friday.
SPORTS >> Bears sweep Lady Devils
IN SHORT: The Sylvan Hills volleyball team beat Jacksonville in straight sets Thursday night.
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The Lady Red Devils mounted strong comebacks to take over the lead from Sylvan Hills in the second and third games Thursday at the Devils Den; they just did it too soon.
Sylvan Hills (4-6, 2-1) swept Jacksonville (3-8, 0-2) in straight games, 25-13, 25-17 and 25-20 for a 3-0 decision in the match. Although the first game was a blowout for the Lady Bears as indicated by the score, the last two games were closer than what the final margins indicate.
The Lady Bears duo of Megan Gwatney and Emily Nichols proved too much for Jacksonville when on the front line. Sophomore Tyra Terry was the only Lady Devil getting good attacks on a consistent basis at the front for Jacksonville.
“That was our best match of the season by far,” Lady Bears coach Lara Allred said. “We cut our team errors in half from our previous games. The passing was incredible; it helped our setters to not have to work as hard.”
Gwatney didn’t get going until the closing moments of the opening game. Her first kill of the match put the Lady Bears up 15-8. Another kill for Gwatney moments later put Sylvan Hills up 19-9.
The second game was when she really came alive. Gwatney dominated the net through the second frame, recording nine of her total 19 kills, and blocking three attempts from the Lady Devlis.
Despite Gwatney’s hot hand, the Lady Devils kept things close in the second game until the halfway point. Sylvan Hills started out strong in the game, quickly marching out to a 4-0 lead. Terry and big Maria Livings kept Jacksonville in the game with kills from Terry, and Livings used her extreme height advantage to come away with a pair of blocks. The Lady Red Devils caught up to tie the game at 10-10 before the momentum switched yet again.
Two straight aces from Nichols put Sylvan Hills back up by three. While Gwatney dazzled everyone early in the game with a one-woman show, the Lady Bears used a team effort to close out the frame. Senior Leah Vest’s kill put Sylvan Hills up by five, and an ace for Joanna Persson gave SH an 18-11 advantage. Gwatney came from the back line for Sylvan Hills to put the game away with a kill for the 25-17 decision.
The final game was almost a repeat of the second game. An early advantage for Sylvan Hills was erased by Jacksonville. The Lady Red Devils overtook SH to go up 8-7 off a kill by Marieka Bell.
Livings helped keep Jacks-onville out front for several minutes, finally using her size to record two straight kills. That would put the Lady Red Devils up 12-10, and Sylvan Hills took a time out to talk things over.
The Lady Bears apparently talked themselves into preventing a fourth game during their break. A kill from Gwatney, followed by an ace from Vest and a kill for Nichols tied the game at 13 all.
Jacksonville fought hard to prevent the Lady Bears from stealing the momentum, taking the lead back 16-15 on a kill by Livings that was awkward, but effective. The first two Lady Devils’ hits during the rally were off the mark, and Livings punched the ball to simply keep it live. The ball took a wicked spiral off her knuckle, spinning just over the net and onto the floor on the SH side to give Jacksonville the go-ahead point.
It would be the last time Jacksonville saw the lead in the match. Sylvan Hills proved their closing skills once again in the final game, holding the Lady Devils to only four more points in the game while adding 10 of their own for the win .
Gwatney led all players with 19 kills and four blocks. Nichols finished with five blocks and three aces. For Jacksonville, Terry had nine kills and an ace.
By JASON KING
Leader sports writer
The Lady Red Devils mounted strong comebacks to take over the lead from Sylvan Hills in the second and third games Thursday at the Devils Den; they just did it too soon.
Sylvan Hills (4-6, 2-1) swept Jacksonville (3-8, 0-2) in straight games, 25-13, 25-17 and 25-20 for a 3-0 decision in the match. Although the first game was a blowout for the Lady Bears as indicated by the score, the last two games were closer than what the final margins indicate.
The Lady Bears duo of Megan Gwatney and Emily Nichols proved too much for Jacksonville when on the front line. Sophomore Tyra Terry was the only Lady Devil getting good attacks on a consistent basis at the front for Jacksonville.
“That was our best match of the season by far,” Lady Bears coach Lara Allred said. “We cut our team errors in half from our previous games. The passing was incredible; it helped our setters to not have to work as hard.”
Gwatney didn’t get going until the closing moments of the opening game. Her first kill of the match put the Lady Bears up 15-8. Another kill for Gwatney moments later put Sylvan Hills up 19-9.
The second game was when she really came alive. Gwatney dominated the net through the second frame, recording nine of her total 19 kills, and blocking three attempts from the Lady Devlis.
Despite Gwatney’s hot hand, the Lady Devils kept things close in the second game until the halfway point. Sylvan Hills started out strong in the game, quickly marching out to a 4-0 lead. Terry and big Maria Livings kept Jacksonville in the game with kills from Terry, and Livings used her extreme height advantage to come away with a pair of blocks. The Lady Red Devils caught up to tie the game at 10-10 before the momentum switched yet again.
Two straight aces from Nichols put Sylvan Hills back up by three. While Gwatney dazzled everyone early in the game with a one-woman show, the Lady Bears used a team effort to close out the frame. Senior Leah Vest’s kill put Sylvan Hills up by five, and an ace for Joanna Persson gave SH an 18-11 advantage. Gwatney came from the back line for Sylvan Hills to put the game away with a kill for the 25-17 decision.
The final game was almost a repeat of the second game. An early advantage for Sylvan Hills was erased by Jacksonville. The Lady Red Devils overtook SH to go up 8-7 off a kill by Marieka Bell.
Livings helped keep Jacks-onville out front for several minutes, finally using her size to record two straight kills. That would put the Lady Red Devils up 12-10, and Sylvan Hills took a time out to talk things over.
The Lady Bears apparently talked themselves into preventing a fourth game during their break. A kill from Gwatney, followed by an ace from Vest and a kill for Nichols tied the game at 13 all.
Jacksonville fought hard to prevent the Lady Bears from stealing the momentum, taking the lead back 16-15 on a kill by Livings that was awkward, but effective. The first two Lady Devils’ hits during the rally were off the mark, and Livings punched the ball to simply keep it live. The ball took a wicked spiral off her knuckle, spinning just over the net and onto the floor on the SH side to give Jacksonville the go-ahead point.
It would be the last time Jacksonville saw the lead in the match. Sylvan Hills proved their closing skills once again in the final game, holding the Lady Devils to only four more points in the game while adding 10 of their own for the win .
Gwatney led all players with 19 kills and four blocks. Nichols finished with five blocks and three aces. For Jacksonville, Terry had nine kills and an ace.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
SPORTS >>Rams hope to overcome injuries, upset Badgers
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Beebe and Paragould will begin 5A East conference play this Friday night at Bro Erwin Stadium in Beebe. The Badgers are looking to mount a second straight playoff bid, while the Rams are simply looking to gain some respect in the difficult league.
Paragould has been a back marker in the East for some time now, but was encouraged by some strong youngsters in the preseason. That encouragement is somewhat waned at this point. The Rams have started the season 0-3, and have more injuries than they can shake a crutch at.
“We’re pretty banged up right now,” Paragould coach Brian Carter said. “At this point, we are down to our fourth left corner. We’ve had to make a lot of personnel adjustments. We have four guys that we know are out, and two others that we are waiting to hear from.”
Carter says the loss of receiver Colby Hammon and outside linebacker Andrew Weaver are particularly tough on the team. Those two are done for the year, and the other two questionables did not sound good. Paragould’s lack of depth defensively could spell big trouble on Friday.
The Badgers took a tough road loss last week at Vilonia, but did manage to show off a little youth nitro in the closing moments with a mostly 10th-grade offense marching downfield for their only score of the night.
Carter knows that the Badgers are not that restricted offensively, which is cause for concern for his international cross-roster. “Their passing game is going to be tough,” Carter said. “They like to spread that offense out and create matchup problems. Our biggest disadvantage at this point is lack of athleticism.”
Despite their woes, Carter says his team is not letting the injury problem get them down. The Rams will be looking not only to open the conference season out with a win, but to just get a win, period. “Anytime you come out of the non-conference season like we did, you come out looking for something to pick you up,” Carter said. “Conference is what matters, so you’re always looking to start out on a good note.”
The Badgers have gotten through the first three non-conference games injury free for the most part. What initally would have been considered a game slightly in Beebe’s favor could now be easy pickens for the Badgers, unless the Rams find a slew of subs that can perform a miracle, or set of miracles.
The Badgers and Rams will kick off the East season at 7:30 p.m. in Beebe.
Leader sportswriter
Beebe and Paragould will begin 5A East conference play this Friday night at Bro Erwin Stadium in Beebe. The Badgers are looking to mount a second straight playoff bid, while the Rams are simply looking to gain some respect in the difficult league.
Paragould has been a back marker in the East for some time now, but was encouraged by some strong youngsters in the preseason. That encouragement is somewhat waned at this point. The Rams have started the season 0-3, and have more injuries than they can shake a crutch at.
“We’re pretty banged up right now,” Paragould coach Brian Carter said. “At this point, we are down to our fourth left corner. We’ve had to make a lot of personnel adjustments. We have four guys that we know are out, and two others that we are waiting to hear from.”
Carter says the loss of receiver Colby Hammon and outside linebacker Andrew Weaver are particularly tough on the team. Those two are done for the year, and the other two questionables did not sound good. Paragould’s lack of depth defensively could spell big trouble on Friday.
The Badgers took a tough road loss last week at Vilonia, but did manage to show off a little youth nitro in the closing moments with a mostly 10th-grade offense marching downfield for their only score of the night.
Carter knows that the Badgers are not that restricted offensively, which is cause for concern for his international cross-roster. “Their passing game is going to be tough,” Carter said. “They like to spread that offense out and create matchup problems. Our biggest disadvantage at this point is lack of athleticism.”
Despite their woes, Carter says his team is not letting the injury problem get them down. The Rams will be looking not only to open the conference season out with a win, but to just get a win, period. “Anytime you come out of the non-conference season like we did, you come out looking for something to pick you up,” Carter said. “Conference is what matters, so you’re always looking to start out on a good note.”
The Badgers have gotten through the first three non-conference games injury free for the most part. What initally would have been considered a game slightly in Beebe’s favor could now be easy pickens for the Badgers, unless the Rams find a slew of subs that can perform a miracle, or set of miracles.
The Badgers and Rams will kick off the East season at 7:30 p.m. in Beebe.
SPORTS >>Cabot volleyball coach in third decade
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
The sport of volleyball among high schools in Arkansas has changed drastically in the last three decades; just ask Cabot Lady Panthers head coach Terry Williams. She has been there for all of it.
Williams came to Cabot in 1977 fresh from graduating at Arkansas Tech University. She went to college to prepare for a career as a basketball coach and physical education teacher, but fell into what she now considers to be her true calling.
Now in her 30th season as coach for the CHS volleyball program, Williams has endured every conference shuffle, rule change, scorekeeping adjustment and technique re-naming to come along, while racking up a host of accolades along the way.
“The first years I was here, they actually used a clock during the matches,” Williams recalls. “When the ball went out, they blew the play dead, and the clock would stop. I didn’t like that very much; I was kind of glad when they did away with that.”
The late ’80’s and early ’90’s were her ultimate heyday, racking up two consecutive state championships in 1989 and 1990, and winning the overall title in ’90 as well en route to an unheard of 28-0 season. Her strongest player that season, Sarah Dearworth, went on to be named conference MVP, and earned a scholarship to Murray St.
The exact number of tournament wins and titles are not known to Williams. She did a scan of the trophy case in the Panthers gym in preparation for her feature, but found that there were so many trophies in the shelves grouped so close together, she could not read all of them to identify what trophy came from where without having a key to actually open the case and pull each one out. A problem many coaches in the state would undoubtedly love to have.
Some coaches that have been a part of one sport for a lengthy period of time can sometimes get stuck in what is known as ‘the good ole days’ mode, but not Williams. She is a big fan of many of the changes that have happened in high school volleyball throughout the years. Even the ones she didn’t like at first have come to grow on her.
“The game has gotten a lot looser over the years,” Williams said. “They used to call you for a double hit if it so much as grazed your shoulder. They let things like that slide a little more now. It helps make the game more exciting. It doesn’t make it any sloppier, just a lot more action.”
Williams had difficulty adjusting to the universal scoring system adapted a few years back. Points could only be earned on serve until three seasons ago, when the new rule was implemented that whoever won a particular rally earned the point.
“I didn’t like it at first, but now that I’ve had some time to get used to it, I guess it’s not so bad,” Williams said. “It kind of took away the chance for those big comeback rallies, but it does make the game a lot more fast paced.”
The mid ‘80’s were also very productive for Williams and the Lady Panthers. They won three-consecutive conference titles from ’84 to ’86, and reach the regionals of the state playoffs each year. In all, she has led Cabot to seven conference titles along with the two state crowns, and finished runner up to old conference rivals Jonesboro on at least nine occasions.
Williams, almost frustratingly humble, says the quality of the players were the key to the squads success during those years.
“They were just good athletes,” Williams said. “They had that mind frame that they just weren’t going to lose. They were expecting to win every time they got out on the court.”
While Williams didn’t seem to mind reminiscing on the past, her eyes brightened and her speech accelerated when the topic turned to this year’s Lady Panthers squad. Anyone who might consider calling Williams a ‘has-been’ has probably not taken a very close look at the Cabot volleyball program in 2006.
Fresh off a very strong runner-up performance at the Russellville invitational tournament last weekend, the Lady Panthers are beginning to have the look of a powerhouse team. They beat Harrison and Russellville in straight games during their first two bracket matchups. Then immediately after the Russellville match, they bested Alma in three games before meeting perennially tough Mt. Saint Mary’s in the tournament finals.
Williams believed the team could be good from the start of the season, but now believes they can be great.
“We are at a point now that on any given day, we can beat anyone, or be beaten by anyone,” Williams said. “So much of volleyball is momentum; you can beat yourself very easily.
“We just have a lot more confidence than what we had last year, and it shows up in our playing. We have improved so much even from the start of this season. They are finding the court really well. I thought we would do pretty well this season, but after Saturday, I think we are in a lot better shape than I ever imagined.”
Leader sportswriter
The sport of volleyball among high schools in Arkansas has changed drastically in the last three decades; just ask Cabot Lady Panthers head coach Terry Williams. She has been there for all of it.
Williams came to Cabot in 1977 fresh from graduating at Arkansas Tech University. She went to college to prepare for a career as a basketball coach and physical education teacher, but fell into what she now considers to be her true calling.
Now in her 30th season as coach for the CHS volleyball program, Williams has endured every conference shuffle, rule change, scorekeeping adjustment and technique re-naming to come along, while racking up a host of accolades along the way.
“The first years I was here, they actually used a clock during the matches,” Williams recalls. “When the ball went out, they blew the play dead, and the clock would stop. I didn’t like that very much; I was kind of glad when they did away with that.”
The late ’80’s and early ’90’s were her ultimate heyday, racking up two consecutive state championships in 1989 and 1990, and winning the overall title in ’90 as well en route to an unheard of 28-0 season. Her strongest player that season, Sarah Dearworth, went on to be named conference MVP, and earned a scholarship to Murray St.
The exact number of tournament wins and titles are not known to Williams. She did a scan of the trophy case in the Panthers gym in preparation for her feature, but found that there were so many trophies in the shelves grouped so close together, she could not read all of them to identify what trophy came from where without having a key to actually open the case and pull each one out. A problem many coaches in the state would undoubtedly love to have.
Some coaches that have been a part of one sport for a lengthy period of time can sometimes get stuck in what is known as ‘the good ole days’ mode, but not Williams. She is a big fan of many of the changes that have happened in high school volleyball throughout the years. Even the ones she didn’t like at first have come to grow on her.
“The game has gotten a lot looser over the years,” Williams said. “They used to call you for a double hit if it so much as grazed your shoulder. They let things like that slide a little more now. It helps make the game more exciting. It doesn’t make it any sloppier, just a lot more action.”
Williams had difficulty adjusting to the universal scoring system adapted a few years back. Points could only be earned on serve until three seasons ago, when the new rule was implemented that whoever won a particular rally earned the point.
“I didn’t like it at first, but now that I’ve had some time to get used to it, I guess it’s not so bad,” Williams said. “It kind of took away the chance for those big comeback rallies, but it does make the game a lot more fast paced.”
The mid ‘80’s were also very productive for Williams and the Lady Panthers. They won three-consecutive conference titles from ’84 to ’86, and reach the regionals of the state playoffs each year. In all, she has led Cabot to seven conference titles along with the two state crowns, and finished runner up to old conference rivals Jonesboro on at least nine occasions.
Williams, almost frustratingly humble, says the quality of the players were the key to the squads success during those years.
“They were just good athletes,” Williams said. “They had that mind frame that they just weren’t going to lose. They were expecting to win every time they got out on the court.”
While Williams didn’t seem to mind reminiscing on the past, her eyes brightened and her speech accelerated when the topic turned to this year’s Lady Panthers squad. Anyone who might consider calling Williams a ‘has-been’ has probably not taken a very close look at the Cabot volleyball program in 2006.
Fresh off a very strong runner-up performance at the Russellville invitational tournament last weekend, the Lady Panthers are beginning to have the look of a powerhouse team. They beat Harrison and Russellville in straight games during their first two bracket matchups. Then immediately after the Russellville match, they bested Alma in three games before meeting perennially tough Mt. Saint Mary’s in the tournament finals.
Williams believed the team could be good from the start of the season, but now believes they can be great.
“We are at a point now that on any given day, we can beat anyone, or be beaten by anyone,” Williams said. “So much of volleyball is momentum; you can beat yourself very easily.
“We just have a lot more confidence than what we had last year, and it shows up in our playing. We have improved so much even from the start of this season. They are finding the court really well. I thought we would do pretty well this season, but after Saturday, I think we are in a lot better shape than I ever imagined.”
SPORTS >>Good buddies set for battle
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
For a long time the Cabot-Conway matchup has been an intense rivalry. This year, although it may seem impossible, it will get even more intense. The two teams meet this Friday to continue the longstanding series, but it’s the first time they will meet other than on opening day. That’s because this year, it’s the opening week of conference play around the state. The Panthers and Wampus Cats will meet in Conway to open play in the brand new 7A-East Conference, and a lot is on the line.
“It’s always important to get conference started out on a positive,” Cabot coach Mike Malham said. Conway coach Kenny Smith agreed.
“It’s the second season,” Smith said. “It has to get more intense. Those first three games are good for getting ready for this point, but there’s a star by those last seven names on the schedule for a purpose. They’re more important than those first three.” Outside all the Xs and Os that go into preparing for a football game. The two coaches have a long relationship that has developed into a friendship, and a great rivalry as well.
The coaches look forward to playing each other. “Yea we do,” Smith said, who coached at Cabot for three years before Malham arrived. “Michael and I have been friends for a long time. Cabot’s like a second home to me. Outside of Conway where I was born a raise, it’s the greatest place I’ve ever been. People are phenomenal, the support for the team, the school system is phenomenal. I pull for him and he pulls for me except for one week of the year.”
The talk between the two gets good at that time of year too. Both have quick wits and sharp tongues, and use them well.
“Michael’s pretty good at harassing people,” Smith said of Malham. “He’s good at it but so am I. I don’t brag on myself very much, but that’s one thing I think I can do.”
Malham agreed that Smith can harass people, but not with the part about bragging on himself. “He’s about a cocky old guy isn’t he,” Malham said, but then relented. “No, me and him are good buddies and we have a good time. The only time we get after each other is when we play each other.” The two get serious when it comes to game preparation though. Conway has been a little inconsistent so far this season, but still brings a 2-1 record into the game.
Inconsistency is one of the last things a coach wants to see with the Cabot Panthers on the horizon. Conway came back from 17 points down in the second half in week one to beat Bentonville 25-24, then was pummeled 49-7 by Fort Smith Southside.
Last week the Wampus Cats put together their best effort so far in beating Benton 29-6. The win last Friday was good medicine for Conway, but Cabot still has Smith concerned.
“It’s always been the first game and we’ve made a big deal out of it, it’s sort of been a media darling type game,” Smith said. “Now it’s a conference game, and it’s the first one. Having Cabot as the first dad gum conference game isn’t the greatest thing I could have asked for. I’d rather play them in week one because they thrive on execution, and the further into the season they get, the fewer mistakes they’re going to make.”
Cabot has a bit more to prepare for than usual. They found out last year that Conway has a new fangled passing attack when the Wampus Cats beat the Panthers 21-7, scoring twice on long passes. They still run the Wing T most of the time, but have thrown more out of it than in times past. Malham has prepared for it, but doesn’t expect to see a lot of it.
“They went back to what they do best last week and they won big,” Malham said. “They got all that spread stuff in and they’re going to use it if they need it, but they’re going to run the ball.”
What Cabot will do will, as usual, be no surprise. “They’re Cabot and they’re going to do what Cabot does,” Smith said. “We have to prepare for that, and we have to get ourselves ready to execute what we do. We haven’t done that at times this year.”
We played a very good football team in week one and were fortunate enough to get out of htat one with a win. We didn’t do anything in week two, and then we had our best game last week, but this is it right here. They felt good about themselves after the game, but I feel like we’ve got a pretty intelligent group of kids, and when they report this week they’re going to understand that this starts our year.”
Judging by the score, Cabot’s most recent outing looks like its least impressive, a 23-16 win over a Searcy team that lost big to two 5A schools. But scores are always a true indicator of games.
“It was a real short game,” Malham said. “We only had six possessions and we scored four times. We punted once and lost a fumble once. They had seven possession and scored three times. And they’ve moved the football on everybody they’ve played. They just didn’t have the points to show for it. They’re a better team than their scores show.” That’s all behind us anyway, all that preseason stuff is over. We’re 3-0, and it don’t mean a thing.”
Leader sports editor
For a long time the Cabot-Conway matchup has been an intense rivalry. This year, although it may seem impossible, it will get even more intense. The two teams meet this Friday to continue the longstanding series, but it’s the first time they will meet other than on opening day. That’s because this year, it’s the opening week of conference play around the state. The Panthers and Wampus Cats will meet in Conway to open play in the brand new 7A-East Conference, and a lot is on the line.
“It’s always important to get conference started out on a positive,” Cabot coach Mike Malham said. Conway coach Kenny Smith agreed.
“It’s the second season,” Smith said. “It has to get more intense. Those first three games are good for getting ready for this point, but there’s a star by those last seven names on the schedule for a purpose. They’re more important than those first three.” Outside all the Xs and Os that go into preparing for a football game. The two coaches have a long relationship that has developed into a friendship, and a great rivalry as well.
The coaches look forward to playing each other. “Yea we do,” Smith said, who coached at Cabot for three years before Malham arrived. “Michael and I have been friends for a long time. Cabot’s like a second home to me. Outside of Conway where I was born a raise, it’s the greatest place I’ve ever been. People are phenomenal, the support for the team, the school system is phenomenal. I pull for him and he pulls for me except for one week of the year.”
The talk between the two gets good at that time of year too. Both have quick wits and sharp tongues, and use them well.
“Michael’s pretty good at harassing people,” Smith said of Malham. “He’s good at it but so am I. I don’t brag on myself very much, but that’s one thing I think I can do.”
Malham agreed that Smith can harass people, but not with the part about bragging on himself. “He’s about a cocky old guy isn’t he,” Malham said, but then relented. “No, me and him are good buddies and we have a good time. The only time we get after each other is when we play each other.” The two get serious when it comes to game preparation though. Conway has been a little inconsistent so far this season, but still brings a 2-1 record into the game.
Inconsistency is one of the last things a coach wants to see with the Cabot Panthers on the horizon. Conway came back from 17 points down in the second half in week one to beat Bentonville 25-24, then was pummeled 49-7 by Fort Smith Southside.
Last week the Wampus Cats put together their best effort so far in beating Benton 29-6. The win last Friday was good medicine for Conway, but Cabot still has Smith concerned.
“It’s always been the first game and we’ve made a big deal out of it, it’s sort of been a media darling type game,” Smith said. “Now it’s a conference game, and it’s the first one. Having Cabot as the first dad gum conference game isn’t the greatest thing I could have asked for. I’d rather play them in week one because they thrive on execution, and the further into the season they get, the fewer mistakes they’re going to make.”
Cabot has a bit more to prepare for than usual. They found out last year that Conway has a new fangled passing attack when the Wampus Cats beat the Panthers 21-7, scoring twice on long passes. They still run the Wing T most of the time, but have thrown more out of it than in times past. Malham has prepared for it, but doesn’t expect to see a lot of it.
“They went back to what they do best last week and they won big,” Malham said. “They got all that spread stuff in and they’re going to use it if they need it, but they’re going to run the ball.”
What Cabot will do will, as usual, be no surprise. “They’re Cabot and they’re going to do what Cabot does,” Smith said. “We have to prepare for that, and we have to get ourselves ready to execute what we do. We haven’t done that at times this year.”
We played a very good football team in week one and were fortunate enough to get out of htat one with a win. We didn’t do anything in week two, and then we had our best game last week, but this is it right here. They felt good about themselves after the game, but I feel like we’ve got a pretty intelligent group of kids, and when they report this week they’re going to understand that this starts our year.”
Judging by the score, Cabot’s most recent outing looks like its least impressive, a 23-16 win over a Searcy team that lost big to two 5A schools. But scores are always a true indicator of games.
“It was a real short game,” Malham said. “We only had six possessions and we scored four times. We punted once and lost a fumble once. They had seven possession and scored three times. And they’ve moved the football on everybody they’ve played. They just didn’t have the points to show for it. They’re a better team than their scores show.” That’s all behind us anyway, all that preseason stuff is over. We’re 3-0, and it don’t mean a thing.”
SPORTS >>Bombers hope for win over the Devils
By RAY BENTON
Leader sport editor
Jacksonville is riding high after a big road win over third-ranked Lake Hamilton last week, and prepares to host a team on the opposite end of the 6A spectrum. Mountain Home is 0-3 with two losses to teams from smaller classifications. Jacksonville has played two archrivals and the No. 3 team in the state, but considers the Bombers its biggest game so far.
Why? Regardless of record, MH just seems to have Jacksonville’s number. The Red Devils have been favored in each of the last two meetings, but has lost two in a row, and three of four since the two teams became members of the same conference.
Mountain Home coach ShanPatrick realizes that. He has a team that is looking for a reason to have confidence, and he reminds them that his seniors have never lost to the Red Devils.
“We talk about that,” Patrick said. “We’ve pulled out some close victories the last couple of years when a lot of people didn’t expect us to. Hopefully we can get that same kind of effort and that same outcome this week.” The Bombers’ Achilles’ heel this year has been the defense, and that’s a bad sign against a Jacksonville team that is averaging well above 400 yards per game.
“We’ve got 10 new starters on that side of the ball, and we’re just trying to get better,” Patrick said. “It’s not all their fault though. Part of the defensive problems has been the offense leaving the defense on the short side of the field. We’ve had way too many turnovers and that’s hurt us a lot.”
Jacksonville coach Mark Whatley was extremely pleased with his defense in last week’s win over the Wolves. He said it was without a doubt its best peformance of the year. He’s also pleased with the progress the offense is making, but doesn’t feel like he’s seen the best from his squad yet.
That worries Patrick. “That’s very scary to us,” Patrick said. “If they’re averaging 400 and hadn’t played well, I hope they don’t start playing well this week because we sure won’t have a chance.” Like every coach, whether his team is 3-0, 0-3 or somewhere in between, Patrick is reminding his kids that the games that count start now.
“I tell them that we’re 0-3, and we still have as much chance of making the playoffs as anybody,” Patrick said. “It’s just real important for us to go out and try hard to play better and find a way to win.” While his squad has not yet played well, Patrick has seen signs of improvement.
“Actually I have,” Patrick said. “We’ve gotten better each week. I didn’t think we played well last week at all (a loss to Van Buren), but we do have some areas that have improved. From week one to now, we are a better football team.”
Leader sport editor
Jacksonville is riding high after a big road win over third-ranked Lake Hamilton last week, and prepares to host a team on the opposite end of the 6A spectrum. Mountain Home is 0-3 with two losses to teams from smaller classifications. Jacksonville has played two archrivals and the No. 3 team in the state, but considers the Bombers its biggest game so far.
Why? Regardless of record, MH just seems to have Jacksonville’s number. The Red Devils have been favored in each of the last two meetings, but has lost two in a row, and three of four since the two teams became members of the same conference.
Mountain Home coach ShanPatrick realizes that. He has a team that is looking for a reason to have confidence, and he reminds them that his seniors have never lost to the Red Devils.
“We talk about that,” Patrick said. “We’ve pulled out some close victories the last couple of years when a lot of people didn’t expect us to. Hopefully we can get that same kind of effort and that same outcome this week.” The Bombers’ Achilles’ heel this year has been the defense, and that’s a bad sign against a Jacksonville team that is averaging well above 400 yards per game.
“We’ve got 10 new starters on that side of the ball, and we’re just trying to get better,” Patrick said. “It’s not all their fault though. Part of the defensive problems has been the offense leaving the defense on the short side of the field. We’ve had way too many turnovers and that’s hurt us a lot.”
Jacksonville coach Mark Whatley was extremely pleased with his defense in last week’s win over the Wolves. He said it was without a doubt its best peformance of the year. He’s also pleased with the progress the offense is making, but doesn’t feel like he’s seen the best from his squad yet.
That worries Patrick. “That’s very scary to us,” Patrick said. “If they’re averaging 400 and hadn’t played well, I hope they don’t start playing well this week because we sure won’t have a chance.” Like every coach, whether his team is 3-0, 0-3 or somewhere in between, Patrick is reminding his kids that the games that count start now.
“I tell them that we’re 0-3, and we still have as much chance of making the playoffs as anybody,” Patrick said. “It’s just real important for us to go out and try hard to play better and find a way to win.” While his squad has not yet played well, Patrick has seen signs of improvement.
“Actually I have,” Patrick said. “We’ve gotten better each week. I didn’t think we played well last week at all (a loss to Van Buren), but we do have some areas that have improved. From week one to now, we are a better football team.”
OBITUARIES >> 09-20-06
APRIL FULLER
April Lyn Hillman Fuller, 20, of Searcy died Sept. 16.
She was born Nov. 30, 1985, to James Hillman and Mary Wright Kilpatrick in Jacksonville. She was a 2005 Cabot High School graduate and graduated from Arthur’s Beauty College in March of 2005. She was employed at Shear Envy Salon in Cabot. She was preceded in death by her great-grandmother, Millie Fuller and grandfather, Gene Wright.
She is survived by her husband Matthew Dean Fuller of Higginson; her mother, Mary Kilpatrick and her husband Keith of Ward; father, James Hillman and his wife Misty of Ward; two sisters, Sarah Wilkins of Ward and Jessica Hillman of Jacksonville; two stepsisters, Michelle Crook of Jacksonville and Brittany Street of Ward; one brother, Ryan Hillman of Ward; grandmothers, Sadie Wright of Jacksonville and Martha Malone of Ward; grandfather, Leo Hillman of Jacksonville; and grandparents, Ed and Georgia Kilpatrick of Searcy.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m.Wednesday at First Baptist Church in Higginson with Bro. Tim Harper officiating. Burial will follow in Crestlawn Memorial Park at Conway. Arrangements are under the direction of Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home.
ODELL COATES
Odell L. Coates, 82, of Des Arc, formerly of McRae, departed this life Sept. 16, after a long illness.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Geneva and son Leon, and is survived by three daughters, Susan Lumpkin of Eads, Tenn., Linda Davis of Byhalia, Miss., and Joy Jones of Beebe; one son, Allen Dell of Elaine; and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and a very special lady and long-time friend, Dortha Bone of Des Arc. Funeral services were Sept. 17, at Westbrook Funeral Home, with burial in Lebanon Cemetery.
BETTY KERR
FORT WORTH — Betty Jean Collier Kerr, 76, a retired real estate broker, died Sept. 16, at her home.
She was born April 9, 1930, in Cabot, to Grover Cleveland and Margaret Emily “Francis” Miller Collier. Survivors include one brother, George Wesley Collier of North Little Rock; four children, F.C. “Bud” Kerr and wife, Glenda, of Ferris, Texas, Gayle Gili-bert and husband Joe of Fort Worth, Texas, Roger Dale Kerr and wife, Patty, of Poolville, Texas, and John Darrell Kerr and wife, Carole, of Crowley; 10 grandchildren; and 10 ten great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22 at Thomas Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at Mountain Springs Baptist Church in Cabot. Burial will be in Mountain Springs Cemetery.
COREY DELANEY
Corey Edward Delaney, 17, of Ward, passed away Sept. 15.
He was born Feb. 3, 1989, in Brikenfeld, Germany, to Robert Delaney and Carol Ann Teske Wilson. He was a senior at Cabot High School and a member of the Faith Missionary Baptist Church. He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Carol and Ron Wilson of Ward; his father Robert, Delaney of Lakeland, Mich.; a sister, Brittany Wilson of Jacksonville; two brothers, C.J. Wilson and Trevor Wilson of Ward; his grandparents, Beverly Teske of Cabot; Judith Keller of Rapid River, Mich., John Delaney of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Harold and Ursula Wilson of Butlerville; great-grandparents, Bonnie Delaney of Dexter, Mich., and Alfred and Clara Wilson of Cabot; along with several aunts, uncles, cousins and many, many friends.
Funeral services were held Sept. 19, at Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Cabot with Bro. Brent Summerhill officiating. Burial was in Evans Cemetery at Cabot with Noah Delaney, Adam Delaney, C.J. Wilson, Blake Wilson, Justin Wilson, John Teske, Randy Wilson and Zack Wilson as pallbearers, and Corey’s closest friends as honorary pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers you may send donations to Faith Missionary Baptist Church Youth Fund, 301 Bill Foster Memorial Dr., Cabot, Ark. 72023 in memory of Corey. Arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
SANDRA LONG
Sandra Lee Monaco Long, 56, of Jacksonville died Sept. 18 at Rebsaman Medical Center in Jacksonville. She was born April 19, 1950, in Denver to Marjorie I. Hurst Monaco and the late William E. Monaco. She worked at the Little Rock Air Force Base Hospital for 13 years as beneficiary counselor and assistance co-ordinator. She also worked as a volunteer for the last 13 years at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in the Children’s playroom entertaining patients with her famed arts and crafts.
She was a devout Catholic (member of St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville) and an angel on Earth to all those who were blessed to know her. She was the best cook ever. She was the beloved wife of Charles E. Long of Jacksonville and is also survived by a daughter, Rebecca Kendall and her husband, Sean, and four grandchildren, Blake, Andrew, Richard and Alex of Yukon, Okla.; two sisters, Candace Monaco of Pluto, Mo.; Cindy Bickel and her husband, Steve, and two brothers, Michael and Patrick Monaco, all of Denver.
Rosary will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21 at St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 22 at the church. Burial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in loving memory of our wife, daughter, sister, mother, aunt and friend.
Arrangements are by Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
LENA CRISCO
Lena M. Crisco, 84, of McRae died Sept. 18. Born Nov. 9, 1921, at McRae, she was the daughter of the late Miles and Sallie Redding and the wife of the late Thomas Elton “Ton” Crisco.
Mrs. Crisco, a devoted wife and mother, was a Methodist and life-long member of Copperas Springs Memorial Church.
She was preceded in death by five brothers and three sisters.
She is survived by her son, Hal E. Crisco and his wife Deborah; daughter, Mary Jane Ward and her husband Charles, all of McRae; grandchildren, Charles E. Ward, Kathryn Renee Ellington, Tracy L. Womack, Marcus A. Crisco, Scott E. Crisco, and Nicholas C. Crisco; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Adell Smith of Oracle, Ariz., and Mamie Ruth Treece of Blanchard, La.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 20 at Westbrook Funeral Home at Beebe. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sept. 21, at Westbrook Funeral Home, with burial in Weir Cemetery.
April Lyn Hillman Fuller, 20, of Searcy died Sept. 16.
She was born Nov. 30, 1985, to James Hillman and Mary Wright Kilpatrick in Jacksonville. She was a 2005 Cabot High School graduate and graduated from Arthur’s Beauty College in March of 2005. She was employed at Shear Envy Salon in Cabot. She was preceded in death by her great-grandmother, Millie Fuller and grandfather, Gene Wright.
She is survived by her husband Matthew Dean Fuller of Higginson; her mother, Mary Kilpatrick and her husband Keith of Ward; father, James Hillman and his wife Misty of Ward; two sisters, Sarah Wilkins of Ward and Jessica Hillman of Jacksonville; two stepsisters, Michelle Crook of Jacksonville and Brittany Street of Ward; one brother, Ryan Hillman of Ward; grandmothers, Sadie Wright of Jacksonville and Martha Malone of Ward; grandfather, Leo Hillman of Jacksonville; and grandparents, Ed and Georgia Kilpatrick of Searcy.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m.Wednesday at First Baptist Church in Higginson with Bro. Tim Harper officiating. Burial will follow in Crestlawn Memorial Park at Conway. Arrangements are under the direction of Moore’s Cabot Funeral Home.
ODELL COATES
Odell L. Coates, 82, of Des Arc, formerly of McRae, departed this life Sept. 16, after a long illness.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Geneva and son Leon, and is survived by three daughters, Susan Lumpkin of Eads, Tenn., Linda Davis of Byhalia, Miss., and Joy Jones of Beebe; one son, Allen Dell of Elaine; and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and a very special lady and long-time friend, Dortha Bone of Des Arc. Funeral services were Sept. 17, at Westbrook Funeral Home, with burial in Lebanon Cemetery.
BETTY KERR
FORT WORTH — Betty Jean Collier Kerr, 76, a retired real estate broker, died Sept. 16, at her home.
She was born April 9, 1930, in Cabot, to Grover Cleveland and Margaret Emily “Francis” Miller Collier. Survivors include one brother, George Wesley Collier of North Little Rock; four children, F.C. “Bud” Kerr and wife, Glenda, of Ferris, Texas, Gayle Gili-bert and husband Joe of Fort Worth, Texas, Roger Dale Kerr and wife, Patty, of Poolville, Texas, and John Darrell Kerr and wife, Carole, of Crowley; 10 grandchildren; and 10 ten great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22 at Thomas Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at Mountain Springs Baptist Church in Cabot. Burial will be in Mountain Springs Cemetery.
COREY DELANEY
Corey Edward Delaney, 17, of Ward, passed away Sept. 15.
He was born Feb. 3, 1989, in Brikenfeld, Germany, to Robert Delaney and Carol Ann Teske Wilson. He was a senior at Cabot High School and a member of the Faith Missionary Baptist Church. He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Carol and Ron Wilson of Ward; his father Robert, Delaney of Lakeland, Mich.; a sister, Brittany Wilson of Jacksonville; two brothers, C.J. Wilson and Trevor Wilson of Ward; his grandparents, Beverly Teske of Cabot; Judith Keller of Rapid River, Mich., John Delaney of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Harold and Ursula Wilson of Butlerville; great-grandparents, Bonnie Delaney of Dexter, Mich., and Alfred and Clara Wilson of Cabot; along with several aunts, uncles, cousins and many, many friends.
Funeral services were held Sept. 19, at Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Cabot with Bro. Brent Summerhill officiating. Burial was in Evans Cemetery at Cabot with Noah Delaney, Adam Delaney, C.J. Wilson, Blake Wilson, Justin Wilson, John Teske, Randy Wilson and Zack Wilson as pallbearers, and Corey’s closest friends as honorary pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers you may send donations to Faith Missionary Baptist Church Youth Fund, 301 Bill Foster Memorial Dr., Cabot, Ark. 72023 in memory of Corey. Arrangements were by Thomas Funeral Service in Cabot.
SANDRA LONG
Sandra Lee Monaco Long, 56, of Jacksonville died Sept. 18 at Rebsaman Medical Center in Jacksonville. She was born April 19, 1950, in Denver to Marjorie I. Hurst Monaco and the late William E. Monaco. She worked at the Little Rock Air Force Base Hospital for 13 years as beneficiary counselor and assistance co-ordinator. She also worked as a volunteer for the last 13 years at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in the Children’s playroom entertaining patients with her famed arts and crafts.
She was a devout Catholic (member of St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville) and an angel on Earth to all those who were blessed to know her. She was the best cook ever. She was the beloved wife of Charles E. Long of Jacksonville and is also survived by a daughter, Rebecca Kendall and her husband, Sean, and four grandchildren, Blake, Andrew, Richard and Alex of Yukon, Okla.; two sisters, Candace Monaco of Pluto, Mo.; Cindy Bickel and her husband, Steve, and two brothers, Michael and Patrick Monaco, all of Denver.
Rosary will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21 at St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 22 at the church. Burial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in loving memory of our wife, daughter, sister, mother, aunt and friend.
Arrangements are by Moore’s Jacksonville Funeral Home.
LENA CRISCO
Lena M. Crisco, 84, of McRae died Sept. 18. Born Nov. 9, 1921, at McRae, she was the daughter of the late Miles and Sallie Redding and the wife of the late Thomas Elton “Ton” Crisco.
Mrs. Crisco, a devoted wife and mother, was a Methodist and life-long member of Copperas Springs Memorial Church.
She was preceded in death by five brothers and three sisters.
She is survived by her son, Hal E. Crisco and his wife Deborah; daughter, Mary Jane Ward and her husband Charles, all of McRae; grandchildren, Charles E. Ward, Kathryn Renee Ellington, Tracy L. Womack, Marcus A. Crisco, Scott E. Crisco, and Nicholas C. Crisco; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Adell Smith of Oracle, Ariz., and Mamie Ruth Treece of Blanchard, La.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 20 at Westbrook Funeral Home at Beebe. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sept. 21, at Westbrook Funeral Home, with burial in Weir Cemetery.
EDITORIAL>>It's lieutenant, sir
Their debate Monday night may not have been exciting — it was not televised and was witnessed by a handful of people besides their cheerleaders — but at least the candidates for lieutenant governor provide a refreshing contrast.
Bill Halter of North Little Rock, the Democrat, tried to emphasize Sen. Jim Holt’s extremist nature, and the Republican was very cooperative. Other Republican candidates and the Republican governor himself are shying away from Holt, but the polls show that he has the best chance of any of them to win.
Halter said Holt was the only senator of either party to vote against raising the minimum wage for the first time in 10 years, and Holt was virtually alone in opposing some school appropriations, including funds for early childhood programs. Nearly every lawmaker in both parties and candidates for state office embrace early childhood training. Holt calls the minimum wage and pre-kindergarten schooling “socialism.”
They had no real disagreement about state taxes except the amount of them. Holt said Arkansas ranked fourth in the country in per-capita taxes. Halter said he left off a digit: It was 40th, according to the conservative Tax Foundation. We think the Tax Foundation’s figures are jiggered and that the ranking is actually lower than that.
Holt said he would fight to lower taxes. Both made a lot of promises about their stands when they reach office. No one reminded them that they are running not to be governor but lieutenant governor, whose sole constitutional duty is to preside impartially when the state Senate is in session. He cannot sponsor bills and he must remain neutral on the issues before the Senate.
Bill Halter of North Little Rock, the Democrat, tried to emphasize Sen. Jim Holt’s extremist nature, and the Republican was very cooperative. Other Republican candidates and the Republican governor himself are shying away from Holt, but the polls show that he has the best chance of any of them to win.
Halter said Holt was the only senator of either party to vote against raising the minimum wage for the first time in 10 years, and Holt was virtually alone in opposing some school appropriations, including funds for early childhood programs. Nearly every lawmaker in both parties and candidates for state office embrace early childhood training. Holt calls the minimum wage and pre-kindergarten schooling “socialism.”
They had no real disagreement about state taxes except the amount of them. Holt said Arkansas ranked fourth in the country in per-capita taxes. Halter said he left off a digit: It was 40th, according to the conservative Tax Foundation. We think the Tax Foundation’s figures are jiggered and that the ranking is actually lower than that.
Holt said he would fight to lower taxes. Both made a lot of promises about their stands when they reach office. No one reminded them that they are running not to be governor but lieutenant governor, whose sole constitutional duty is to preside impartially when the state Senate is in session. He cannot sponsor bills and he must remain neutral on the issues before the Senate.
EDITORIAL>>Engaging in debate
Mike Beebe and Asa Hutchinson, the major party candidates for governor, engaged in the first debate of the season Monday night at Jonesboro, and our considered judgment is that the collective impact of the hour of boasts and jibes was exactly. . . zero.
All that Beebe needed to do as the seasoned officeholder with a sizable lead in the polls and a money advantage was to show that he was as knowledgeable and comfortable as the pundits have always described him, and he did. Hutchinson needed to land some big punches or wow people with his manner or his argumentation, and he did none of those things. But even if things were reversed, if Hutchinson had kept the audience spellbound and Beebe had floundered, it would have had little effect on an electorate that is still bored with this campaign. Not many people outside three or four northeast Arkansas counties could tune in if they had wanted.
This whole round of debates is not going to affect the election much. They will not be televised statewide, the two minor candidates are excluded, and they are not really debates but chances for the candidates to deliver their rehearsed charges and defenses. Even at that, we acknowledge that these face-to-face matches are healthy. They give us all a chance to judge the candidates in their realm, see what they are willing to say and thus take a measure of their character. You hope that the exchanges give you an idea of the policies they would pursue as governor and the face each would present to the country as the official vicar of our little state.
Beebe seemed to prevail in those comparisons, but probably because the contest was on his turf, state government. Hutchinson’s main line of attack was that Beebe, a state senator for many years before he became attorney general, was either negligent or ineffective in the legislature. He said Beebe did not sponsor legislation to repeal the sales tax on groceries and implied that he was not really for the repeal.
Beebe replied that the repeal had passed in the Senate three times with his help and that he had insisted as a Senate leader that the lone sponsor be Bud Canada, a Hot Springs senator who made repeal of the tax the great crusade of his entire political career. Beebe opposed repealing the tax when it was put to a vote of the people because revenues were tight and it would have forced a cut in services. Twice in the last 28 years voters have rejected proposals to repeal the grocery tax.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, Hutchinson said, he consistently opposed taxes and voted in 2001 for George W. Bush’s tax cuts (targeted at the wealthy). Beebe, on the other hand, had supported tax increases as well as tax cuts, he said. Hutchinson suggested that you have to be consistent.
That afforded Beebe his finest moment. “There you go again,” he said, recalling a famous Ronald Reagan debating moment. “. . . In Arkansas you have to balance the budget. We can’t do what they do in Washington. We can’t put our obligations on the next generation. We have to pay for our programs. When you start cutting all this revenue you better make sure you have enough money for education.”
The tax cuts that Hutchinson supported helped reverse three years of balanced federal budgets and produce the biggest deficits in the nation’s history. Beebe had his bad moments. He keeps trying to make something of the fact that when Hutchinson took a job in the Department of Homeland Security he bought a home in suburban Virginia and moved his voting residence there, only to register again in Arkansas last year when he returned to run for governor.
Hutchinson wondered about the relevance of his voting moves and, of course, they are irrelevant. He is every much an Arkansan as Beebe.
If the candidates debate near you or you can access the exchange electronically, try to watch. It is not apt to entertain you but, as debates nearly always do, it will reinforce your inclinations. But that is good enough.
All that Beebe needed to do as the seasoned officeholder with a sizable lead in the polls and a money advantage was to show that he was as knowledgeable and comfortable as the pundits have always described him, and he did. Hutchinson needed to land some big punches or wow people with his manner or his argumentation, and he did none of those things. But even if things were reversed, if Hutchinson had kept the audience spellbound and Beebe had floundered, it would have had little effect on an electorate that is still bored with this campaign. Not many people outside three or four northeast Arkansas counties could tune in if they had wanted.
This whole round of debates is not going to affect the election much. They will not be televised statewide, the two minor candidates are excluded, and they are not really debates but chances for the candidates to deliver their rehearsed charges and defenses. Even at that, we acknowledge that these face-to-face matches are healthy. They give us all a chance to judge the candidates in their realm, see what they are willing to say and thus take a measure of their character. You hope that the exchanges give you an idea of the policies they would pursue as governor and the face each would present to the country as the official vicar of our little state.
Beebe seemed to prevail in those comparisons, but probably because the contest was on his turf, state government. Hutchinson’s main line of attack was that Beebe, a state senator for many years before he became attorney general, was either negligent or ineffective in the legislature. He said Beebe did not sponsor legislation to repeal the sales tax on groceries and implied that he was not really for the repeal.
Beebe replied that the repeal had passed in the Senate three times with his help and that he had insisted as a Senate leader that the lone sponsor be Bud Canada, a Hot Springs senator who made repeal of the tax the great crusade of his entire political career. Beebe opposed repealing the tax when it was put to a vote of the people because revenues were tight and it would have forced a cut in services. Twice in the last 28 years voters have rejected proposals to repeal the grocery tax.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, Hutchinson said, he consistently opposed taxes and voted in 2001 for George W. Bush’s tax cuts (targeted at the wealthy). Beebe, on the other hand, had supported tax increases as well as tax cuts, he said. Hutchinson suggested that you have to be consistent.
That afforded Beebe his finest moment. “There you go again,” he said, recalling a famous Ronald Reagan debating moment. “. . . In Arkansas you have to balance the budget. We can’t do what they do in Washington. We can’t put our obligations on the next generation. We have to pay for our programs. When you start cutting all this revenue you better make sure you have enough money for education.”
The tax cuts that Hutchinson supported helped reverse three years of balanced federal budgets and produce the biggest deficits in the nation’s history. Beebe had his bad moments. He keeps trying to make something of the fact that when Hutchinson took a job in the Department of Homeland Security he bought a home in suburban Virginia and moved his voting residence there, only to register again in Arkansas last year when he returned to run for governor.
Hutchinson wondered about the relevance of his voting moves and, of course, they are irrelevant. He is every much an Arkansan as Beebe.
If the candidates debate near you or you can access the exchange electronically, try to watch. It is not apt to entertain you but, as debates nearly always do, it will reinforce your inclinations. But that is good enough.
TOP STORY >>Prosecutor is given report
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
A Cabot police officer has completed his investigation into the alleged illegal activities of a city code enforcement officer and turned the file over to the city attorney and county prosecutor. Police Lt. Scott Steely said Monday that the file from his three-week investigation of Jack McNally is an extensive one.
City Attorney Clint McGue received his copy that morning, he said. And Lonoke County Prosecutor Lona McCastlain would receive hers later in the day. Although police investigations often end with the police recommending which if any charges should be filed, Steely said he didn’t do that in this case.
“I’m leaving that to the prosecutor,” he said. McCastlain said last week that she was aware of the investigation and expected to receive the file soon. McGue said Monday evening that he had never intended to do anything with the case but had always planned to turn it over to the county when the investigation was completed.
Alderman Odis Waymack, who pushed for the investigation, says the police department deserves a lot of credit for its work considering that McNally is a personal friend of Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh and even worked as his campaign manager when he ran for mayor four years ago.
Stumbaugh reportedly told Police Chief Jackie Davis to handle the investigation as he would any other, Waymack said.
McNally has been accused of stealing from vacated houses. He also has been accused of paying contractors to mow untended yards more than necessary and of not following the city ordinance about trying to get the owners to do it themselves.
Exactly which accusations became part of Steely’s investigation is not known.
He said Monday that all he could say about the investigation is that it has been turned over to the people who will have to decide if charges should be filed. The first theft report was filed in July by Waymon Overton of Hot Springs, who owns a house at 12 Chad Court in Cabot.
Overton told police that McNally, under the guise of cleaning so he could mow, removed several items from his backyard including tools, lawn mowers, grills and a swing set. Some of the items were in his backyard shed, he said. The latest report came from Mary Smith, who now lives in Jacksonville but owns a house at 13 St. John Street in Cabot.
Smith told police that someone removed from her property a bass boat, Oldsmobile car, freezer, two tool boxes, two dryers, refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, five-piece bedroom suite and mattress and spring set. Based on information she received from Jewell Pepper and one of his family members, Smith told police she believes McNally was involved with the theft. Pepper hauls junk and reportedly hauled off Smith’s boat and car.
Waymack received information more than a month ago about the boat and car being removed from 13 St. John Street and started hunting for documentation to determine whether McNally had moved it as he had heard and whether such an action was legal. He requested under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, all the documents the city had pertaining to McNally and discovered the first report of stolen property made by Overton.
Waymack also learned from the documents he received from the city that McNally had hired one yard mowed twice, with the first time being only one day after another code officer had hired it mowed. Additionally, he learned that McNally had hired 10 yards mowed without the proper documentation that owners had been notified their grass was too tall. Smith went to police after reading in The Leader about Waymack’s efforts to find out about the legality of removing the boat and car.
Leader staff writer
A Cabot police officer has completed his investigation into the alleged illegal activities of a city code enforcement officer and turned the file over to the city attorney and county prosecutor. Police Lt. Scott Steely said Monday that the file from his three-week investigation of Jack McNally is an extensive one.
City Attorney Clint McGue received his copy that morning, he said. And Lonoke County Prosecutor Lona McCastlain would receive hers later in the day. Although police investigations often end with the police recommending which if any charges should be filed, Steely said he didn’t do that in this case.
“I’m leaving that to the prosecutor,” he said. McCastlain said last week that she was aware of the investigation and expected to receive the file soon. McGue said Monday evening that he had never intended to do anything with the case but had always planned to turn it over to the county when the investigation was completed.
Alderman Odis Waymack, who pushed for the investigation, says the police department deserves a lot of credit for its work considering that McNally is a personal friend of Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh and even worked as his campaign manager when he ran for mayor four years ago.
Stumbaugh reportedly told Police Chief Jackie Davis to handle the investigation as he would any other, Waymack said.
McNally has been accused of stealing from vacated houses. He also has been accused of paying contractors to mow untended yards more than necessary and of not following the city ordinance about trying to get the owners to do it themselves.
Exactly which accusations became part of Steely’s investigation is not known.
He said Monday that all he could say about the investigation is that it has been turned over to the people who will have to decide if charges should be filed. The first theft report was filed in July by Waymon Overton of Hot Springs, who owns a house at 12 Chad Court in Cabot.
Overton told police that McNally, under the guise of cleaning so he could mow, removed several items from his backyard including tools, lawn mowers, grills and a swing set. Some of the items were in his backyard shed, he said. The latest report came from Mary Smith, who now lives in Jacksonville but owns a house at 13 St. John Street in Cabot.
Smith told police that someone removed from her property a bass boat, Oldsmobile car, freezer, two tool boxes, two dryers, refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, five-piece bedroom suite and mattress and spring set. Based on information she received from Jewell Pepper and one of his family members, Smith told police she believes McNally was involved with the theft. Pepper hauls junk and reportedly hauled off Smith’s boat and car.
Waymack received information more than a month ago about the boat and car being removed from 13 St. John Street and started hunting for documentation to determine whether McNally had moved it as he had heard and whether such an action was legal. He requested under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, all the documents the city had pertaining to McNally and discovered the first report of stolen property made by Overton.
Waymack also learned from the documents he received from the city that McNally had hired one yard mowed twice, with the first time being only one day after another code officer had hired it mowed. Additionally, he learned that McNally had hired 10 yards mowed without the proper documentation that owners had been notified their grass was too tall. Smith went to police after reading in The Leader about Waymack’s efforts to find out about the legality of removing the boat and car.
TOP STORY >>Check cashers getting squeezed
It’s getting harder and less profitable for payday lenders to make short-term, high-interest loans to Arkansas residents and to prey on members of the military as state regulators begin regulating, Congress ponders new laws and the military tries to discourage such borrowing.
That’s according to Hank Klein, who, first as president of Arkansas Federal Credit Union, and later, in retirement, has doggedly helped lead the battle to drive these moneylenders from the Natural State. Studies have shown that payday lenders and the subspecies called check cashers tend to congregate near military bases, and in fact, three of four Jacksonville payday lend-ers are within a half mile of base property outside Little Rock Air Force Base’s Vandenberg gate. Clustered just east of state Hwy. 67/167 are Advance America, First American Cash Advance and American Check Cashers.
How “American” can they get? A second American Check Cashers is south of the other three. (See related story, p. 11A.)
Klein said payday lenders are three times more likely to locate near a military base.
Because of changes in the Federal Insurance Deposit Corp. regulations, Arkansas payday lenders can no longer “import” and operate under bank rules from other states. As a result, the Arkansas Bureau of Collection Agencies, Division of Cashers, now licenses all four, but only First American and Advance America are regulated for payday lending.
The two American Check Cashers locations, owned and operated by Cosby Hodges of Fort Smith, maintain they can operate under the banner of Hodges Finance Company, located in South Dakota. None of the four locations allow for partial payment.
Advance America, which now limits itself to $350 loans plus $45.19 in interest for two weeks, is charging an effective interest rate of 336 percent, according to Klein.
Both of Hodges’ American Check Cashers stores here will lend up to $500 for two weeks with $89 interest for an effective annual interest rate of 464 percent, according to Klein’s figures. Only Advance America is actually complying with Arkansas law, he said.
“We are definitely making progress,” said Klein. “Peggy Matson is doing a pretty good job of regulating, now that we finally got her attention,” said Klein of the agency chief. “But it’s like trying to corral cats.”
Last March, only 24 percent of the state’s payday lenders were licensed and regulated, he said. Now 52 percent are.
He credited Second Dist. Cong. Vic Snyder of Little Rock with trying to help protect active-duty members of the military.
Snyder took the lead late last month, asking Cong. Duncan Hunter, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, to include language in the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act limiting to 36 percent the interest that can be charged to members of the service or their dependents.
“It’s still not clear what the final language will be in the defense bill,” Snyder said Tuesday, “but I’m hopeful.”
Currently, payday lenders charge 300 percent in interest or more on what are known as deferred presentment checks—that’s post-dated checks.
In his letter, signed by 11 other congressmen, Snyder asked that lenders be required as well to “disclose in writing the applicable annual percentage rate, a clear description of the payment obligation and any other disclosures required by the Truth in Lending Act,” and to establish penalties for violators.
Last year, a Defense Department report found that “predatory lending practices are prevalent and target military personnel, either through proximity and prevalence around military installations or through the use of affinity marketing techniques, particularly on-line.”
“Predatory lending not only hurts service members and their dependents, it is having an impact on our nation’s security.”
Those in deep debt have sometimes lost security clearances and even discharge from the military.
Testifying before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Adm. Steve Abbot (ret.) said, “I have personally witnessed the downward spiral of debt suffered by our sailors, Marines and their families who seek financial assistance from predatory lenders.”
Abbot is president of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, founded by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 to provide emergency financial assistance in the form of interest-free loans and grants to sailors, Marines and their families.
Abbot said that since August 2001, the society had assisted more than 5,500 Navy and Marine Corps clients victimized by predatory lenders in the amount of $2.6 million.
Abbot shared horror stories with the committee. He told of one place where a client can borrow $150 for three days with a finance charge equivalent to 3,220 percent. Another lender will loan $5,000, said Abbot, and by making scheduled payments only — 120 payments over 10 years — it will take $30,000 to pay off the loan. Neither of these lenders operates in this area.
Abbot would have congress cap the interest rate at 36 percent, eliminate all loan rollovers, require all payday lenders to have a clearinghouse to make sure no one has more than one loan, allow monthly payments and regulate on-line payday loan transactions.
That’s according to Hank Klein, who, first as president of Arkansas Federal Credit Union, and later, in retirement, has doggedly helped lead the battle to drive these moneylenders from the Natural State. Studies have shown that payday lenders and the subspecies called check cashers tend to congregate near military bases, and in fact, three of four Jacksonville payday lend-ers are within a half mile of base property outside Little Rock Air Force Base’s Vandenberg gate. Clustered just east of state Hwy. 67/167 are Advance America, First American Cash Advance and American Check Cashers.
How “American” can they get? A second American Check Cashers is south of the other three. (See related story, p. 11A.)
Klein said payday lenders are three times more likely to locate near a military base.
Because of changes in the Federal Insurance Deposit Corp. regulations, Arkansas payday lenders can no longer “import” and operate under bank rules from other states. As a result, the Arkansas Bureau of Collection Agencies, Division of Cashers, now licenses all four, but only First American and Advance America are regulated for payday lending.
The two American Check Cashers locations, owned and operated by Cosby Hodges of Fort Smith, maintain they can operate under the banner of Hodges Finance Company, located in South Dakota. None of the four locations allow for partial payment.
Advance America, which now limits itself to $350 loans plus $45.19 in interest for two weeks, is charging an effective interest rate of 336 percent, according to Klein.
Both of Hodges’ American Check Cashers stores here will lend up to $500 for two weeks with $89 interest for an effective annual interest rate of 464 percent, according to Klein’s figures. Only Advance America is actually complying with Arkansas law, he said.
“We are definitely making progress,” said Klein. “Peggy Matson is doing a pretty good job of regulating, now that we finally got her attention,” said Klein of the agency chief. “But it’s like trying to corral cats.”
Last March, only 24 percent of the state’s payday lenders were licensed and regulated, he said. Now 52 percent are.
He credited Second Dist. Cong. Vic Snyder of Little Rock with trying to help protect active-duty members of the military.
Snyder took the lead late last month, asking Cong. Duncan Hunter, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, to include language in the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act limiting to 36 percent the interest that can be charged to members of the service or their dependents.
“It’s still not clear what the final language will be in the defense bill,” Snyder said Tuesday, “but I’m hopeful.”
Currently, payday lenders charge 300 percent in interest or more on what are known as deferred presentment checks—that’s post-dated checks.
In his letter, signed by 11 other congressmen, Snyder asked that lenders be required as well to “disclose in writing the applicable annual percentage rate, a clear description of the payment obligation and any other disclosures required by the Truth in Lending Act,” and to establish penalties for violators.
Last year, a Defense Department report found that “predatory lending practices are prevalent and target military personnel, either through proximity and prevalence around military installations or through the use of affinity marketing techniques, particularly on-line.”
“Predatory lending not only hurts service members and their dependents, it is having an impact on our nation’s security.”
Those in deep debt have sometimes lost security clearances and even discharge from the military.
Testifying before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Adm. Steve Abbot (ret.) said, “I have personally witnessed the downward spiral of debt suffered by our sailors, Marines and their families who seek financial assistance from predatory lenders.”
Abbot is president of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, founded by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 to provide emergency financial assistance in the form of interest-free loans and grants to sailors, Marines and their families.
Abbot said that since August 2001, the society had assisted more than 5,500 Navy and Marine Corps clients victimized by predatory lenders in the amount of $2.6 million.
Abbot shared horror stories with the committee. He told of one place where a client can borrow $150 for three days with a finance charge equivalent to 3,220 percent. Another lender will loan $5,000, said Abbot, and by making scheduled payments only — 120 payments over 10 years — it will take $30,000 to pay off the loan. Neither of these lenders operates in this area.
Abbot would have congress cap the interest rate at 36 percent, eliminate all loan rollovers, require all payday lenders to have a clearinghouse to make sure no one has more than one loan, allow monthly payments and regulate on-line payday loan transactions.
TOP STORY >>Townhouse issue goes to council
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Even though the Jacksonville Planning Commission soundly turned down a rezoning request for a section of land near West Main and Emma that would have allowed townhouses, the developer is appealing to the city council. Neighbors are passing out fliers against the rezoning.
With the support of Alderman Bob Stroud, developer Tim McClurg will ask aldermen at Thursday night’s council meeting to approve the rezone of about three acres out of the 26 acres he plans to develop on the south side of West Main Street, west of Emma Street.
McClurg wants the land rezoned from R-0 (single family homes) to R-4 (multi-family homes). His latest plan called for 34 townhouses to be built on the western edge of his property and 25 single-family homes built between the townhouses and Western Hills Subdivision.
The townhouses would have a minimum square footage of 1,200 feet. A fully packed chamber of residents, business owners and city officials heard the issue debated at the Sept. 11 planning commission meeting. It was the third time in less than a year that McClurg tried to get the land rezoned for multi-unit housing. Stroud was among a small number of people who spoke at the planning commission in favor of the townhouses.
“No one has fought against apartments more than me. But people want and need townhouses. This plan is a good thing. It’s good for the city,” he said. Stroud added that the townhouses would help satisfy the city’s need for more upscale housing.
Currently, there are no townhouses in Jacksonville, but there are 27 apartment complexes with a total of more than 1,700 units. Apartments rents range from a low of $295 a month to $650 a month.
Bonita Rownd, the chamber of commerce’s executive director, told the commission, “At a time in our city’s history where we are experiencing growth, I don’t want to hinder that growth. There is a need for this kind of upscale housing to bring in more commercial development.”
Rownd added, “I get calls daily, especially from seniors, for this type of home. But we have none in Jacksonville.”
“I like the plan,” planning commissioner Emma Knight said after listening to pros and cons of the proposal for nearly an hour. “The city needs townhouses, but not at this location, that’s why I’m making a motion to deny the request,” she said to thunderous applause. The motion was quickly seconded and the vote of the commission put any plans for townhouses on the 26 acreages on hold for at least a year, according to Chairman Mark Stroud, forgetting that the developer could appeal the decision directly to the city council. If the council denies the townhouses, McClurg does have the option to sue the city. More than 60 people in attendance at the planning commission meeting opposed the townhouses, including local resident Michael Martello. “You can call them apartments, complexes, condos or townhouses—it’s still high density housing. What’s to stop the developer from selling the townhouses t a single seller who turns it into rental property.” he said.
Commission chairman Mark Stroud said the plan met the basic requirements and that there was a difference between apartments and townhouses according to the codebook. “But would you want this kind of development in your area?” Martello asked the commissioners. “It goes against the master plan of the city of Jacksonville, and what about an environmental impact statement as this property adjoins wetlands,” he said.
McClurg responded, “I’m not building something that will hurt my home sales. This is something good for Jacksonville and good to have on its Main Street.”
Leader staff writer
Even though the Jacksonville Planning Commission soundly turned down a rezoning request for a section of land near West Main and Emma that would have allowed townhouses, the developer is appealing to the city council. Neighbors are passing out fliers against the rezoning.
With the support of Alderman Bob Stroud, developer Tim McClurg will ask aldermen at Thursday night’s council meeting to approve the rezone of about three acres out of the 26 acres he plans to develop on the south side of West Main Street, west of Emma Street.
McClurg wants the land rezoned from R-0 (single family homes) to R-4 (multi-family homes). His latest plan called for 34 townhouses to be built on the western edge of his property and 25 single-family homes built between the townhouses and Western Hills Subdivision.
The townhouses would have a minimum square footage of 1,200 feet. A fully packed chamber of residents, business owners and city officials heard the issue debated at the Sept. 11 planning commission meeting. It was the third time in less than a year that McClurg tried to get the land rezoned for multi-unit housing. Stroud was among a small number of people who spoke at the planning commission in favor of the townhouses.
“No one has fought against apartments more than me. But people want and need townhouses. This plan is a good thing. It’s good for the city,” he said. Stroud added that the townhouses would help satisfy the city’s need for more upscale housing.
Currently, there are no townhouses in Jacksonville, but there are 27 apartment complexes with a total of more than 1,700 units. Apartments rents range from a low of $295 a month to $650 a month.
Bonita Rownd, the chamber of commerce’s executive director, told the commission, “At a time in our city’s history where we are experiencing growth, I don’t want to hinder that growth. There is a need for this kind of upscale housing to bring in more commercial development.”
Rownd added, “I get calls daily, especially from seniors, for this type of home. But we have none in Jacksonville.”
“I like the plan,” planning commissioner Emma Knight said after listening to pros and cons of the proposal for nearly an hour. “The city needs townhouses, but not at this location, that’s why I’m making a motion to deny the request,” she said to thunderous applause. The motion was quickly seconded and the vote of the commission put any plans for townhouses on the 26 acreages on hold for at least a year, according to Chairman Mark Stroud, forgetting that the developer could appeal the decision directly to the city council. If the council denies the townhouses, McClurg does have the option to sue the city. More than 60 people in attendance at the planning commission meeting opposed the townhouses, including local resident Michael Martello. “You can call them apartments, complexes, condos or townhouses—it’s still high density housing. What’s to stop the developer from selling the townhouses t a single seller who turns it into rental property.” he said.
Commission chairman Mark Stroud said the plan met the basic requirements and that there was a difference between apartments and townhouses according to the codebook. “But would you want this kind of development in your area?” Martello asked the commissioners. “It goes against the master plan of the city of Jacksonville, and what about an environmental impact statement as this property adjoins wetlands,” he said.
McClurg responded, “I’m not building something that will hurt my home sales. This is something good for Jacksonville and good to have on its Main Street.”
TOP STORY >>Vote sets run-offs in pair of contests
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Six candidates for one seat usually mean a run-off, and it has turned out that way for the Zone 3, Position 6 seat of the Lonoke School District. The top vote getters were Cindy Burns with 66 votes and Darrell Park with 65 votes. Also running for that seat which was formerly held by Neil Burnett Jr., who opted not to run again, were Roger Lynch who garnered 35 votes, Janice Perkins with 23 votes, Rudy Kurz with 12 and Shannon Holman with nine.
A four-person field for the Position 2 seat of the Cabot School Board also produced a run-off as incumbent and school board president David M. Hipp received 291 votes and Ken Kincade received 222. Hipp was just two votes away from avoiding a run-off. He needed more than 50 percent of the total vote, and had 49.8 percent.
Also running for that seat were Joyce Bender who received 46 votes and Arthur Evans with 20 votes. There were also five write-in votes. A run-off election for the two seats will be held Oct. 10.
The only other contested race was in Pulaski County where Sherwood residents Ronnie Calva and Charlie Wood faced off for the Pulaski County Special School District’s Zone 4 seat. Late Tuesday night, Wood had a one vote lead over Calva, the incumbent, with 10 absentee ballots still out. In all the other area school board races the candidates were unopposed.
Danny Gililland ran unopposed for PCSSD’s Zone 5 seat vacated by Carol Burgett.
Fred Campbell ran unopposed for Cabot School Board’s Position 6 seat. In Lonoke, Michael Linton ran unopposed for the Zone 2, Position 7 board seat. A vote to maintain current millage levels passed in all area school districts.
Leader staff writer
Six candidates for one seat usually mean a run-off, and it has turned out that way for the Zone 3, Position 6 seat of the Lonoke School District. The top vote getters were Cindy Burns with 66 votes and Darrell Park with 65 votes. Also running for that seat which was formerly held by Neil Burnett Jr., who opted not to run again, were Roger Lynch who garnered 35 votes, Janice Perkins with 23 votes, Rudy Kurz with 12 and Shannon Holman with nine.
A four-person field for the Position 2 seat of the Cabot School Board also produced a run-off as incumbent and school board president David M. Hipp received 291 votes and Ken Kincade received 222. Hipp was just two votes away from avoiding a run-off. He needed more than 50 percent of the total vote, and had 49.8 percent.
Also running for that seat were Joyce Bender who received 46 votes and Arthur Evans with 20 votes. There were also five write-in votes. A run-off election for the two seats will be held Oct. 10.
The only other contested race was in Pulaski County where Sherwood residents Ronnie Calva and Charlie Wood faced off for the Pulaski County Special School District’s Zone 4 seat. Late Tuesday night, Wood had a one vote lead over Calva, the incumbent, with 10 absentee ballots still out. In all the other area school board races the candidates were unopposed.
Danny Gililland ran unopposed for PCSSD’s Zone 5 seat vacated by Carol Burgett.
Fred Campbell ran unopposed for Cabot School Board’s Position 6 seat. In Lonoke, Michael Linton ran unopposed for the Zone 2, Position 7 board seat. A vote to maintain current millage levels passed in all area school districts.
TOP STORY >>Cabot will consider rezoning request
By JOAN MCCOY
Leader staff writer
A controversial rezoning request that consumed much of the Cabot City Council’s time last winter could well be a hot issue this fall. In February, residents who live across Highway 89 from Wal-Mart successfully fended off a rezoning of 11.5 acres owned by the Smith family that would have allowed a commercial development on their side of the highway.
City law says rezoning requests can’t be considered twice in the same year unless there is a substantial change in the request. So now the Smiths are asking the city to rezone 3.33 acres and the council and the planning commission agree that the change is substantial enough to meet the requirements of the law.
Late in 2005, the planning commission approved the first rezoning request and sent it to the council which has the final say. By that time, the residents of Sun Terrace subdivision which is behind the Smith’s property and other nearby residents were beginning to organize a protest to the rezoning.
The would-be developers met with the residents and promised good buffers and improved streets for the right to build a commercial subdivision. But residents said a commercial subdivision would make traffic worse at Rockwood and Highway 89 and they simply didn’t want it there.
In the end the residents prevailed and the development was quashed. Planning Commission chairman Ron Craig and Mike Bernardo, a member of the commission, told the council they needed its direction. “Does the council want a moratorium on building in certain places?” Bernardo asked.
Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh answered that the commission is an independent body with intelligent members who are capable of making recommendations that the council may or may not follow. Stumbaugh said it did bother him that the first proposed development included many concessions to the nearby residents that may not be feasible with a smaller one. In other business, the council approved a rezoning two parcels of land at Greystone Woods to allow a nursing home and an assisted living facility to be built there. Alderman James Glenn voted against the rezonings because one resident objected. Glenn has said he will never vote to rezone if the neighbors don’t want it.
The council also approved a rezoning at 52 and 54 South Pine Street from R-1 to O-1 that will allow an office building to go up where a duplex now stands and approved an annexation that will bring the school to be built at Stagecoach and Campground into the city limits.
The council also reappointed Dale McGregor to the Cabot Advertising and Promotion Commission. Alderman David Polantz’s resolution to review the city policy on employees’ using personal cell phones and explore the possibility of a “hands free” policy died for lack of a second.
Polantz said he was nearly run over by a city worker talking on a cell phone. The council passed an ordinance calling the cost of acquiring shielded light fixtures prohibitive. The state legislature passed a law in 2005 saying tax money could not be used to pay for lights that aren’t shielded. However, the law does not apply to municipalities that pass an ordinance saying the cost is too high. Most cities have done just that, City Attorney Clint McGue told the council, which passed the ordinance unanimously.
Leader staff writer
A controversial rezoning request that consumed much of the Cabot City Council’s time last winter could well be a hot issue this fall. In February, residents who live across Highway 89 from Wal-Mart successfully fended off a rezoning of 11.5 acres owned by the Smith family that would have allowed a commercial development on their side of the highway.
City law says rezoning requests can’t be considered twice in the same year unless there is a substantial change in the request. So now the Smiths are asking the city to rezone 3.33 acres and the council and the planning commission agree that the change is substantial enough to meet the requirements of the law.
Late in 2005, the planning commission approved the first rezoning request and sent it to the council which has the final say. By that time, the residents of Sun Terrace subdivision which is behind the Smith’s property and other nearby residents were beginning to organize a protest to the rezoning.
The would-be developers met with the residents and promised good buffers and improved streets for the right to build a commercial subdivision. But residents said a commercial subdivision would make traffic worse at Rockwood and Highway 89 and they simply didn’t want it there.
In the end the residents prevailed and the development was quashed. Planning Commission chairman Ron Craig and Mike Bernardo, a member of the commission, told the council they needed its direction. “Does the council want a moratorium on building in certain places?” Bernardo asked.
Mayor Stubby Stumbaugh answered that the commission is an independent body with intelligent members who are capable of making recommendations that the council may or may not follow. Stumbaugh said it did bother him that the first proposed development included many concessions to the nearby residents that may not be feasible with a smaller one. In other business, the council approved a rezoning two parcels of land at Greystone Woods to allow a nursing home and an assisted living facility to be built there. Alderman James Glenn voted against the rezonings because one resident objected. Glenn has said he will never vote to rezone if the neighbors don’t want it.
The council also approved a rezoning at 52 and 54 South Pine Street from R-1 to O-1 that will allow an office building to go up where a duplex now stands and approved an annexation that will bring the school to be built at Stagecoach and Campground into the city limits.
The council also reappointed Dale McGregor to the Cabot Advertising and Promotion Commission. Alderman David Polantz’s resolution to review the city policy on employees’ using personal cell phones and explore the possibility of a “hands free” policy died for lack of a second.
Polantz said he was nearly run over by a city worker talking on a cell phone. The council passed an ordinance calling the cost of acquiring shielded light fixtures prohibitive. The state legislature passed a law in 2005 saying tax money could not be used to pay for lights that aren’t shielded. However, the law does not apply to municipalities that pass an ordinance saying the cost is too high. Most cities have done just that, City Attorney Clint McGue told the council, which passed the ordinance unanimously.
TOP STORY >>Nightmare not over for victim
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
The Blue Light Rapist’s petition for clemency, filed 12 days ago, has a snowball’s chance in, er, Haiti, according to one long-time observer of Arkansas jurisprudence who asked not to be identified. Having served about eight years of the 80 years to which he was sentenced in 1998 for kidnapping and raping Cabot teenager Shannon Woods, and six years of a life sentence passed down in 2000 in connection with a separate home invasion and rape, Robert Todd Burmingham has petitioned the Post Prison Transfer Board for a sentence commutation.
Burmingham, of Wynne, perhaps Arkansas’ most notorious serial rapist, wrenched Woods’ innocence from her that July night in 1997, but he didn’t take her courage or resolve. Woods has stepped from the shadows where rape victims often seek anonymity and into the bright glare of television lights and camera strobes. Monday and Tuesday alone, the 27-year-old single mom will have conducted four television interviews and at least two newspaper interviews.
She and her father, Larry Wood, have begun a campaign to make sure Burmingham serves at least the 58 years that Circuit Judge L.T. Simes II told the jury he would serve of an 80-year sentence, and they seem to be off to a good start. Woods lives in Ward, where her state senator, Bobby Glover, said Monday that he would oppose Burmingham’s petition.
It was Glover, D-Carlisle, who took the legislative lead two years ago in holding Gov. Mike Huckabee more accountable for his then-generous clemency policy and who helped derail the governor’s announced grant of executive clemency for Glen M. Green. Green was convicted of kidnapping from Little Rock Air Force Base and brutally murdering 18-year-old Helen Lynette Spencer of Gravel Ridge. While Green continues to languish in jail, there is recent precedent for the parole board cutting loose early a violent criminal with local ties.
On Sept. 5, the board ruled that Michael R. Webb, 33, who murdered Cabot teenager Jason Hatcher, 17, in a Sherwood Har-vest Foods parking lot, can be released in December, having served 11 years of his 46-year sentence. That’s despite continuous, vigorous and impassioned opposition by Hatcher’s family. Perhaps emboldened by Webb’s good fortune, Burmingham filed his petition for executive clemency three days later. Burmingham is an inmate at the Grimes Medium Security Unit at Nashville, according to prison spokesperson Dina Tyler. He works inside the facility as a maintenance clerk and has a good institutional record, she said.
“These are the earliest (press) calls we’ve ever received on clemency,” said Rhonda Sharp, spokesperson for the state Post Prison Transfer Board, Monday. “That’s what I’m going for,” said Woods. “To beat him to the punch. Violent offenders should have to serve the time.” Sharp said it was so early in the process that she didn’t even have access to his application.
If during the initial screening, the board sends the petition on with a negative recommendation, Huckabee will decide on the grant, but if the petition goes through the fairly lengthy full process, his successor will make the call next year, according to Tyler.
Burmingham’s screening is set up for Dec 3. In recent interviews with gubernatorial candidates, only independent candidate Rob Bryant took a hard line, saying rapists and murderers must do their time. Sharp described the clemency process as a lengthy one, saying the board’s staff must pull together a file from several resources. That could be completed by October. A group of such petitions will be forwarded to the parole board for screening in December.
It will determine whether the petition warrants a hearing. If so, there will be separate hearings for the inmate and for the victims, Sharp said. At that point, a board member will review information from the hearings and make a recommendation that Burming-ham’s petition has merit or doesn’t.
The five-member subcommittee of the board will decide whether to forward the petition to the entire seven-person board and to put the recommendation of their Web site. Thirty days later, the petition will be forwarded to the governor for his decision. Woods, now a respiratory therapist, was a recent high school graduate at the time, enjoying her summer and looking forward to starting at Arkansas State at Jonesboro on a full scholarship.
She and friends spent that evening hanging out in the Lonoke WalMart parking lot, as they often did. Looking back now, she thinks Burmingham may have scouted her and followed her from the parking lot, waiting until she was in the dark, sparsely settled area of the county, just two miles from her parents’ house. She was pulled over by what she thought was a lawman with a flashing blue light on the dashboard.
“I was getting my driver’s license and registration from my purse,” she said, and she turned to see a man wearing a ski mask pointing a handgun at her. Blindfolded, she was taken to a rent house owned by Burmingham’s father in Cross County, where he raped her several times, she said. Early in her ordeal, Woods began paying attention to her surroundings, like the number of steps from the ground to the door of the house, what station and what music was playing on the radio and other things that helped cement the state’s case against Burmingham.
Still, it was an anonymous tip that led the State Police to him, and DNA evidence that put him away—for 80 years or life, his victims thought. Woods’ father says DNA evidence also tied Burmingham to rapes in Lee and Woodruff counties, but victims and law enforcement officials, who believed he would be in jail until he was in his mid-80s, said Burmingham wasn’t tried in the other cases, which Shannon Woods says couldn’t be tried now because of the statute of limitations. The case and the trial were covered by national television news.
“Our judicial system is messed up,” she said Monday afternoon. The Victims Information Network left a message at her parents’ house Friday, alerting her that Burmingham had applied for clemency. Woods said that since that time, she’s been getting the run-around from both the governor’s office and the parole board, but Sharp says it’s so early in the process that no one has any information.
Leader staff writer
The Blue Light Rapist’s petition for clemency, filed 12 days ago, has a snowball’s chance in, er, Haiti, according to one long-time observer of Arkansas jurisprudence who asked not to be identified. Having served about eight years of the 80 years to which he was sentenced in 1998 for kidnapping and raping Cabot teenager Shannon Woods, and six years of a life sentence passed down in 2000 in connection with a separate home invasion and rape, Robert Todd Burmingham has petitioned the Post Prison Transfer Board for a sentence commutation.
Burmingham, of Wynne, perhaps Arkansas’ most notorious serial rapist, wrenched Woods’ innocence from her that July night in 1997, but he didn’t take her courage or resolve. Woods has stepped from the shadows where rape victims often seek anonymity and into the bright glare of television lights and camera strobes. Monday and Tuesday alone, the 27-year-old single mom will have conducted four television interviews and at least two newspaper interviews.
She and her father, Larry Wood, have begun a campaign to make sure Burmingham serves at least the 58 years that Circuit Judge L.T. Simes II told the jury he would serve of an 80-year sentence, and they seem to be off to a good start. Woods lives in Ward, where her state senator, Bobby Glover, said Monday that he would oppose Burmingham’s petition.
It was Glover, D-Carlisle, who took the legislative lead two years ago in holding Gov. Mike Huckabee more accountable for his then-generous clemency policy and who helped derail the governor’s announced grant of executive clemency for Glen M. Green. Green was convicted of kidnapping from Little Rock Air Force Base and brutally murdering 18-year-old Helen Lynette Spencer of Gravel Ridge. While Green continues to languish in jail, there is recent precedent for the parole board cutting loose early a violent criminal with local ties.
On Sept. 5, the board ruled that Michael R. Webb, 33, who murdered Cabot teenager Jason Hatcher, 17, in a Sherwood Har-vest Foods parking lot, can be released in December, having served 11 years of his 46-year sentence. That’s despite continuous, vigorous and impassioned opposition by Hatcher’s family. Perhaps emboldened by Webb’s good fortune, Burmingham filed his petition for executive clemency three days later. Burmingham is an inmate at the Grimes Medium Security Unit at Nashville, according to prison spokesperson Dina Tyler. He works inside the facility as a maintenance clerk and has a good institutional record, she said.
“These are the earliest (press) calls we’ve ever received on clemency,” said Rhonda Sharp, spokesperson for the state Post Prison Transfer Board, Monday. “That’s what I’m going for,” said Woods. “To beat him to the punch. Violent offenders should have to serve the time.” Sharp said it was so early in the process that she didn’t even have access to his application.
If during the initial screening, the board sends the petition on with a negative recommendation, Huckabee will decide on the grant, but if the petition goes through the fairly lengthy full process, his successor will make the call next year, according to Tyler.
Burmingham’s screening is set up for Dec 3. In recent interviews with gubernatorial candidates, only independent candidate Rob Bryant took a hard line, saying rapists and murderers must do their time. Sharp described the clemency process as a lengthy one, saying the board’s staff must pull together a file from several resources. That could be completed by October. A group of such petitions will be forwarded to the parole board for screening in December.
It will determine whether the petition warrants a hearing. If so, there will be separate hearings for the inmate and for the victims, Sharp said. At that point, a board member will review information from the hearings and make a recommendation that Burming-ham’s petition has merit or doesn’t.
The five-member subcommittee of the board will decide whether to forward the petition to the entire seven-person board and to put the recommendation of their Web site. Thirty days later, the petition will be forwarded to the governor for his decision. Woods, now a respiratory therapist, was a recent high school graduate at the time, enjoying her summer and looking forward to starting at Arkansas State at Jonesboro on a full scholarship.
She and friends spent that evening hanging out in the Lonoke WalMart parking lot, as they often did. Looking back now, she thinks Burmingham may have scouted her and followed her from the parking lot, waiting until she was in the dark, sparsely settled area of the county, just two miles from her parents’ house. She was pulled over by what she thought was a lawman with a flashing blue light on the dashboard.
“I was getting my driver’s license and registration from my purse,” she said, and she turned to see a man wearing a ski mask pointing a handgun at her. Blindfolded, she was taken to a rent house owned by Burmingham’s father in Cross County, where he raped her several times, she said. Early in her ordeal, Woods began paying attention to her surroundings, like the number of steps from the ground to the door of the house, what station and what music was playing on the radio and other things that helped cement the state’s case against Burmingham.
Still, it was an anonymous tip that led the State Police to him, and DNA evidence that put him away—for 80 years or life, his victims thought. Woods’ father says DNA evidence also tied Burmingham to rapes in Lee and Woodruff counties, but victims and law enforcement officials, who believed he would be in jail until he was in his mid-80s, said Burmingham wasn’t tried in the other cases, which Shannon Woods says couldn’t be tried now because of the statute of limitations. The case and the trial were covered by national television news.
“Our judicial system is messed up,” she said Monday afternoon. The Victims Information Network left a message at her parents’ house Friday, alerting her that Burmingham had applied for clemency. Woods said that since that time, she’s been getting the run-around from both the governor’s office and the parole board, but Sharp says it’s so early in the process that no one has any information.
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