By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
The cleanup process from Friday’s storms is under way.
Uprooted trees that were blocking roads were cut and removed, and power crews worked to restore electricity.
Neal Frizzell, a First Electric Cooperative spokesman, said, “Power had been restored to our customers by 8 o’clock Sunday night.”
Frizzell estimated there were approximately 15,000 people in the area without power shortly after the storms passed.
The city of Cabot’s participation in the CodeRED emergency telephone warning system was put to the test on Friday.
Mayor Eddie Joe Williams said he received a telephone alert from CodeRED that Cabot was under a severe thunderstorm warning. A minute or so later, he received a second phone call from CodeRED. It was an update that Cabot was placed under a tornado warning.
“For people who did not get the warning, they need to sign up,” Williams said about the importance of the CodeRED alert system during severe weather.
Residents can sign up for CodeRED phone alerts through the city’s Web site at www.cabotar.gov.
Williams said he noticed the diminishment of traffic before the storm. He said a substantial amount of people were warned of the approaching weather.
Power outages were scattered in different parts of the city. Electricity was restored by Saturday night.
The mayor said the city worked with the water department in providing a generator to power the homes of several senior citizens in the Rodney Guthrie Drive area.
Red Lobster and the Olive Garden restaurants brought some meals up to Cabot for those who were without power.
Beebe Mayor Mike Robertson said Saturday that there were no reports of major damage in the city. There were tree limbs brought down from the high winds.
According to Lt. Jim Kulsea of the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office there were three reported injuries related to the storms. One woman suffered a head injury when a tree fell on her car on Apple Hill Road west of Austin. A man received a head injury from the storm in the area of Campground Road and Hwy. 321.
A second man received a head injury when moving a tree on Hwy. 5.
The storm caused one family to lose their barn.
Lois and Uless Sentell, who live on Sentell Road off Lewisburg Road outside Austin, had a cattle barn and a metal building destroyed by the fierce winds. Their house between the buildings only had a broken window. A row of trees near their driveway had the tops snapped off.
Sentell, 97, was working in her squash and okra garden when the storm roared through the property.
“I was making a trench in the garden for the rain water. I saw the clouds swirling and I headed for the house,” Lois Sentell said.
Sentell said she has been living on their property for 75 years and this is the first time a storm has damaged their buildings.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
TOP STORY >> Idol’s parents visit Jacksonville
By CHRISTY HENDRICKS
Leader staff writer
The Jacksonville chapter of AARP held its monthly meeting Friday and honored successful Jacksonville residents. Among those recognized were special guests who were thanked for their help during Kris Allen’s childhood before he grew up to become America’s latest “Idol.”
Mayor Tommy Swaim, Mayor-elect Gary Fletcher, Aldermen Kenny Elliott, Reedie Ray and Marshall Smith, kindergarten teacher Diane Ashenburger and newly assigned Northwood Middle School principal Kim Forrest were on hand for the special program recognizing “products” of Jacksonville.
Ida Moory, program chair of the AARP’s Jacksonville chapter, organized the program “Jacksonville: A Village,” elaborating on the title of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s book, “It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us.”
Moory turned the presentation over to Smith, who introduced Neil and Kim Allen, parents of Jacksonville native and former Cabot substitute teacher American Idol Kris Allen.
Smith asked attendees to share their Kris Allen stories. Ashenburger, Allen’s kindergarten teacher, told the group how her school – Tolleson Elementary – kept track of the TV show.
She shared photos of Allen and his younger brother, Daniel, and told how other teachers had a special shirt made for her.
The shirt has a photo of her kindergarten class, which includes Allen on the front, and reads “Kris Allen’s Kindergarten Teacher” on the back.
“He’s always been a kid with great character,” Ashenburger said. “He is a great kid. I’m very, very proud of him.”
Ashenburger is now principal at Tolleson, but taught kindergarten at Murrel Taylor Elementary, where Allen attended.
“He absolutely remembered you as an influence in his life,” Kim Allen told Ashenburger.
His mother remembered how when he graduated high school, he got cards for two teachers who had made an impression in his life. Ashenburger was one of them.
Moory presented Ashenburger, Kim Allen and Forrest with stargazer flowers.
The Allens blew out 24 candles in honor of their son’s birthday. Amy Mattinson with North Metro Medical Center, showed a picture of the hospital – then known as Rebsamen Hospital – as it was in 1985, when Kris was born.
Moory said she got the idea for Friday’s program after reading an editorial in The Leader about Allen.
“That’s why we’re here,” she said. “To recognize Allen and us as a village.”
“Community involvement is very important,” said Swaim, who is retiring June 30. “When things happen around us, we don’t
know how it affects others.”
“It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a community to raise a great leader,” he continued.
The mayor said he also watched the “American Idol” finale.
Moory then presented Swaim with a budding stargazer because “he’s starting over.”
Reedie Ray was on hand to recognize Forrest. She is the daughter of Joanna and Nick Nickels and was raised in Jacksonville.
Moory closed the program by saying, “I want to be part of a village that does the right thing at the right time.”
After the program, Neil Allen spoke briefly to the group.
“You guys have talked about shaping people,” he said. “There are key people in this room that helped shape his [Kris’] life – first and foremost, his grandfather, Charlie Wood, Marshall Smith and his wife, his kindergarten teacher.
“We want to thank these people from the bottom of our hearts,” he continued.
“Thank you for everything that you’ve done,” said the Idol’s dad.
Leader staff writer
The Jacksonville chapter of AARP held its monthly meeting Friday and honored successful Jacksonville residents. Among those recognized were special guests who were thanked for their help during Kris Allen’s childhood before he grew up to become America’s latest “Idol.”
Mayor Tommy Swaim, Mayor-elect Gary Fletcher, Aldermen Kenny Elliott, Reedie Ray and Marshall Smith, kindergarten teacher Diane Ashenburger and newly assigned Northwood Middle School principal Kim Forrest were on hand for the special program recognizing “products” of Jacksonville.
Ida Moory, program chair of the AARP’s Jacksonville chapter, organized the program “Jacksonville: A Village,” elaborating on the title of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s book, “It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us.”
Moory turned the presentation over to Smith, who introduced Neil and Kim Allen, parents of Jacksonville native and former Cabot substitute teacher American Idol Kris Allen.
Smith asked attendees to share their Kris Allen stories. Ashenburger, Allen’s kindergarten teacher, told the group how her school – Tolleson Elementary – kept track of the TV show.
She shared photos of Allen and his younger brother, Daniel, and told how other teachers had a special shirt made for her.
The shirt has a photo of her kindergarten class, which includes Allen on the front, and reads “Kris Allen’s Kindergarten Teacher” on the back.
“He’s always been a kid with great character,” Ashenburger said. “He is a great kid. I’m very, very proud of him.”
Ashenburger is now principal at Tolleson, but taught kindergarten at Murrel Taylor Elementary, where Allen attended.
“He absolutely remembered you as an influence in his life,” Kim Allen told Ashenburger.
His mother remembered how when he graduated high school, he got cards for two teachers who had made an impression in his life. Ashenburger was one of them.
Moory presented Ashenburger, Kim Allen and Forrest with stargazer flowers.
The Allens blew out 24 candles in honor of their son’s birthday. Amy Mattinson with North Metro Medical Center, showed a picture of the hospital – then known as Rebsamen Hospital – as it was in 1985, when Kris was born.
Moory said she got the idea for Friday’s program after reading an editorial in The Leader about Allen.
“That’s why we’re here,” she said. “To recognize Allen and us as a village.”
“Community involvement is very important,” said Swaim, who is retiring June 30. “When things happen around us, we don’t
know how it affects others.”
“It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a community to raise a great leader,” he continued.
The mayor said he also watched the “American Idol” finale.
Moory then presented Swaim with a budding stargazer because “he’s starting over.”
Reedie Ray was on hand to recognize Forrest. She is the daughter of Joanna and Nick Nickels and was raised in Jacksonville.
Moory closed the program by saying, “I want to be part of a village that does the right thing at the right time.”
After the program, Neil Allen spoke briefly to the group.
“You guys have talked about shaping people,” he said. “There are key people in this room that helped shape his [Kris’] life – first and foremost, his grandfather, Charlie Wood, Marshall Smith and his wife, his kindergarten teacher.
“We want to thank these people from the bottom of our hearts,” he continued.
“Thank you for everything that you’ve done,” said the Idol’s dad.
TOP STORY >> Garbage rate will fall a bit less
By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
Beginning in August, when a new company takes over, residential garbage rates in Cabot will drop from the current $16.45, but not as much as reported last month. The new rate will be $15, not $14.40.
In May, the city council passed an ordinance awarding the contract for residential and commercial garbage collection to Waste Management which had agreed to provide the residential service for $14.40, which was $2.05 less than IESI now charges.
But that price was apparently good only if Waste Management was allowed to claim all commercial customers not under contract with other companies when the ordinance was passed in May.
Currently, commercial garbage service is provided by several companies. Some did not have contracts with their customers last month when the council awarded Waste Management the contract for both residential and commercial collection.
But the council said if those companies entered into long-term contracts with their customers before Waste Management takes over Aug. 1, those new contracts would be honored.
That stipulation was the obstacle that kept Waste Management from signing.
Wayne Rathbun, director of business development for Waste Management, attended the May meeting and told the council then that it was customary for the terms of a contract to begin as soon as it was approved. The city shouldn’t allow competitors to enter into contracts with customers that should go to his company, he said.
Mayor Eddie Joe Williams told the council Monday night that the ordinance passed last month authorized him to sign the contract for garbage collection, but since Waste Management wouldn’t sign, he was forced to begin negotiations again.
Those negotiations lasted until 3 p.m. Monday when Waste Management signed the contract, he said, adding that he was not willing to bring the contract back to the council unless it was signed.
Alderman Patrick Hutton told the mayor that he was concerned about negotiations taking place after the council approved the contract.
But the mayor reiterated that the contract was not valid unless it was signed and Waste Management wouldn’t sign for $14.40 since many other companies are now under contract for commercial collection.
Williams signed the contract as soon as the council passed the new ordinance which gives the contract to Waste Management for residential collection only.
In other business, the council read but did not pass an ordinance that would have lifted the ban on selling and shooting fireworks inside city limits.
Hutton made a motion for the ordinance to be read three times and passed so the ban would be lifted in time for the Fourth of July, but his motion died for lack of a second.
He said after the meeting that even if the ordinance passes next month, it will be New Year’s before shooting fireworks will be legal in Cabot.
The state allows fireworks, he said, so why shouldn’t the city?
“Why shouldn’t people have the legal right to celebrate the Fourth of July?” he asked.
Leader staff writer
Beginning in August, when a new company takes over, residential garbage rates in Cabot will drop from the current $16.45, but not as much as reported last month. The new rate will be $15, not $14.40.
In May, the city council passed an ordinance awarding the contract for residential and commercial garbage collection to Waste Management which had agreed to provide the residential service for $14.40, which was $2.05 less than IESI now charges.
But that price was apparently good only if Waste Management was allowed to claim all commercial customers not under contract with other companies when the ordinance was passed in May.
Currently, commercial garbage service is provided by several companies. Some did not have contracts with their customers last month when the council awarded Waste Management the contract for both residential and commercial collection.
But the council said if those companies entered into long-term contracts with their customers before Waste Management takes over Aug. 1, those new contracts would be honored.
That stipulation was the obstacle that kept Waste Management from signing.
Wayne Rathbun, director of business development for Waste Management, attended the May meeting and told the council then that it was customary for the terms of a contract to begin as soon as it was approved. The city shouldn’t allow competitors to enter into contracts with customers that should go to his company, he said.
Mayor Eddie Joe Williams told the council Monday night that the ordinance passed last month authorized him to sign the contract for garbage collection, but since Waste Management wouldn’t sign, he was forced to begin negotiations again.
Those negotiations lasted until 3 p.m. Monday when Waste Management signed the contract, he said, adding that he was not willing to bring the contract back to the council unless it was signed.
Alderman Patrick Hutton told the mayor that he was concerned about negotiations taking place after the council approved the contract.
But the mayor reiterated that the contract was not valid unless it was signed and Waste Management wouldn’t sign for $14.40 since many other companies are now under contract for commercial collection.
Williams signed the contract as soon as the council passed the new ordinance which gives the contract to Waste Management for residential collection only.
In other business, the council read but did not pass an ordinance that would have lifted the ban on selling and shooting fireworks inside city limits.
Hutton made a motion for the ordinance to be read three times and passed so the ban would be lifted in time for the Fourth of July, but his motion died for lack of a second.
He said after the meeting that even if the ordinance passes next month, it will be New Year’s before shooting fireworks will be legal in Cabot.
The state allows fireworks, he said, so why shouldn’t the city?
“Why shouldn’t people have the legal right to celebrate the Fourth of July?” he asked.
TOP STORY >> Off to the races, then to a good Sherwood home
By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
For over 20 years, Tom and Millie Grimes of Sherwood have been helping retired racing greyhounds find new homes away from the dog track.
They are volunteers who work with helping the Mid-South Greyhound Adoption Option. The nonprofit, rescue-adoption center is on the grounds of Southland Park, a dog racing track in West Memphis. The couple does not adopt out dogs, but helps in finding new owners. They also rescue greyhounds left in animal shelters.
To help spread adoption information about greyhounds, the Grimeses set up information booths at PetSmart stores in North Little Rock and Conway. They educate potential adopters about how to adopt greyhounds and how to care for the former track stars.
The Grimeses have lived in Sherwood for 40 years and are both school-crossing guards for the Sherwood Police Department.
Tom Grimes has made crossing the street to Sylvan Hills Elementary School safer for 16 years. Millie Grimes has helped students for four years at Sherwood Elementary.
Over the two decades they’ve been helping rescue greyhounds, the Grimes have had 18 as pets. Of those greyhounds, two were adopted from the Pulaski County Humane Society and one was from the North Little Rock animal shelter.
They now have three dogs that previously raced at Southland Park.
According to Millie Grimes, the greyhound adoption center has 35 to 40 dogs ready for new homes. The adoption fee for a former racer is $250. The greyhounds are already spayed or neutered. The dogs are current on their shots for a year. They have their blood work, their teeth are cleaned and their nails are clipped. The dogs are all on prevention medications for fleas and heartworms.
The sleek racing canines are inside dogs. They have very thin skin and little body fat. They need coats in the winter and air conditioning in the summer, Grimes said. She and her husband walk their greyhounds every day and the dogs run laps around the yard. But they are strictly house dogs.
Former track dogs have tattoos. One ear has the dog’s birth date. The other ear has a litter number by the breeder.
“They are very laid-back. No hard grooming is needed. The dogs very seldom bark. They are not watchdogs. They are good- tempered and easy to take care of. They are 95 percent housebroken when we get them,” Grimes said.
She added, “When they see rabbits and squirrels they want to chase. It’s instinct.”
According to the Mid-South Greyhound Adoption Option Web site, greyhounds can run as fast as 45 miles per hour. The dogs are retired around two to four years of age. Commonly, a dog stops racing due to age, loss of interest or injury.
Many times, the greyhounds are seen with muzzles at the track, because of their competitive spirit. Grimes said they don’t muzzle their dogs and have not had any problems.
The Grimeses learned about greyhounds 21 years ago when they read a newspaper article about a greyhound farm in Sulfur Rock. They took a motorcycle trip to the Zinnecker farm that is now no longer in business. The owner raised and leased greyhounds to kennels for dog racing.
While touring the farm, the owner gave the couple a free greyhound. The dog, named Precious Nugget, was banned from all race tracks. She was so competitive that she would push the other dogs to the rail and she didn’t want dogs running beside or in front of her.
“We thought they were ugly when we got her, but they grow on you after awhile,” Grimes said.
Their oldest greyhound is Greta, who is 15. When she was racing, Greta was known as Gray Flash Flame. Greta was three when the Grimeses adopted her.
According to Millie Grimes, Greta injured her leg on the track. She was “walked out the back door” of the kennels instead of being put down. The dog ended up in a veterinary hospital in Hot Springs for three months. The hospital contacted the Grimes.
“When we got her, we had to walk and exercise her. Now she doesn’t walk with a limp,” Grimes said.
The second greyhound they obtained is a fawn-colored dog named Dodge. The former racer, known by his track name Dodge-M, is now making laps at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in North Little Rock. The greyhound is a certified therapy dog. The Grimeses have brought different greyhounds to the hospital for 17 years.
“I walk him through the therapy room and visit with the patients,” Grimes said.
They are the third owners of Dodge. The dog’s first home was in Memphis. The owner had the greyhound’s vocal cords cut.
The silenced dog was then turned back to the adoption center. A second family adopted Dodge but returned him to the center when he was not a good fit for the family and their other small dog.
Their third greyhound is 4-year-old Yiona.
“We went to the track and adopted her,” Millie Grimes said.
Leader staff writer
For over 20 years, Tom and Millie Grimes of Sherwood have been helping retired racing greyhounds find new homes away from the dog track.
They are volunteers who work with helping the Mid-South Greyhound Adoption Option. The nonprofit, rescue-adoption center is on the grounds of Southland Park, a dog racing track in West Memphis. The couple does not adopt out dogs, but helps in finding new owners. They also rescue greyhounds left in animal shelters.
To help spread adoption information about greyhounds, the Grimeses set up information booths at PetSmart stores in North Little Rock and Conway. They educate potential adopters about how to adopt greyhounds and how to care for the former track stars.
The Grimeses have lived in Sherwood for 40 years and are both school-crossing guards for the Sherwood Police Department.
Tom Grimes has made crossing the street to Sylvan Hills Elementary School safer for 16 years. Millie Grimes has helped students for four years at Sherwood Elementary.
Over the two decades they’ve been helping rescue greyhounds, the Grimes have had 18 as pets. Of those greyhounds, two were adopted from the Pulaski County Humane Society and one was from the North Little Rock animal shelter.
They now have three dogs that previously raced at Southland Park.
According to Millie Grimes, the greyhound adoption center has 35 to 40 dogs ready for new homes. The adoption fee for a former racer is $250. The greyhounds are already spayed or neutered. The dogs are current on their shots for a year. They have their blood work, their teeth are cleaned and their nails are clipped. The dogs are all on prevention medications for fleas and heartworms.
The sleek racing canines are inside dogs. They have very thin skin and little body fat. They need coats in the winter and air conditioning in the summer, Grimes said. She and her husband walk their greyhounds every day and the dogs run laps around the yard. But they are strictly house dogs.
Former track dogs have tattoos. One ear has the dog’s birth date. The other ear has a litter number by the breeder.
“They are very laid-back. No hard grooming is needed. The dogs very seldom bark. They are not watchdogs. They are good- tempered and easy to take care of. They are 95 percent housebroken when we get them,” Grimes said.
She added, “When they see rabbits and squirrels they want to chase. It’s instinct.”
According to the Mid-South Greyhound Adoption Option Web site, greyhounds can run as fast as 45 miles per hour. The dogs are retired around two to four years of age. Commonly, a dog stops racing due to age, loss of interest or injury.
Many times, the greyhounds are seen with muzzles at the track, because of their competitive spirit. Grimes said they don’t muzzle their dogs and have not had any problems.
The Grimeses learned about greyhounds 21 years ago when they read a newspaper article about a greyhound farm in Sulfur Rock. They took a motorcycle trip to the Zinnecker farm that is now no longer in business. The owner raised and leased greyhounds to kennels for dog racing.
While touring the farm, the owner gave the couple a free greyhound. The dog, named Precious Nugget, was banned from all race tracks. She was so competitive that she would push the other dogs to the rail and she didn’t want dogs running beside or in front of her.
“We thought they were ugly when we got her, but they grow on you after awhile,” Grimes said.
Their oldest greyhound is Greta, who is 15. When she was racing, Greta was known as Gray Flash Flame. Greta was three when the Grimeses adopted her.
According to Millie Grimes, Greta injured her leg on the track. She was “walked out the back door” of the kennels instead of being put down. The dog ended up in a veterinary hospital in Hot Springs for three months. The hospital contacted the Grimes.
“When we got her, we had to walk and exercise her. Now she doesn’t walk with a limp,” Grimes said.
The second greyhound they obtained is a fawn-colored dog named Dodge. The former racer, known by his track name Dodge-M, is now making laps at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in North Little Rock. The greyhound is a certified therapy dog. The Grimeses have brought different greyhounds to the hospital for 17 years.
“I walk him through the therapy room and visit with the patients,” Grimes said.
They are the third owners of Dodge. The dog’s first home was in Memphis. The owner had the greyhound’s vocal cords cut.
The silenced dog was then turned back to the adoption center. A second family adopted Dodge but returned him to the center when he was not a good fit for the family and their other small dog.
Their third greyhound is 4-year-old Yiona.
“We went to the track and adopted her,” Millie Grimes said.
SPORTS >> Centennial drops fourth consecutive
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
It came down to endurance on Monday night at Wade Field.
The eight-inning affair reached into Tuesday morning and included a busted car windshield courtesy of a pop foul, a Cabot near-double play that would have ended the game, an ejected Jay Darr and a few costly Centennial Bank errors. The result was an 11-8 comeback Russellville win.
Cabot (4-5) built a 5-0 lead through the first two innings before the Mustangs began to climb back into the game in the top of the third. A new pitcher in the bottom of the second held the Cabot bats at bay after a great start, allowing Russellville to tie the game in the top of the sixth.
Centennial Bank added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, and was set up for a game-ending double play in the top of the seventh, but Bobby Clark beat the throw to first as the tying run came across.
Cabot made extensive use of its pitching roster, starting with Andrew Reynolds before C.J. Jacoby took over in the top of the seventh. Jacoby faced four batters before Williams Baptist standout Josh Brown came on in relief.
Brown started the eighth and gave up three straight singles and a walk. Centennial Bank coach Jay Darr came out of the dugout over a sportsmanship issue surrounding the Russellville player who drew the walk. But it was Darr who was thrown out of the game after arguing with the field umpire as Chase Beasley then relieved Brown.
Cabot got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first with a double by Ty Steele, followed by an RBI single by Drew Burks and another base hit by Sam Bates. Both Burks and Bates scored on a double by Matt Turner, though Turner was out trying to stretch it into a triple.
Cole Nicholson reached on a fielder’s choice in the second, and advanced on a single by Reynolds. Both runs came across to make it 5-0 when Burks fly ball to right was misplayed.
Derrick Beard’s two-run homer in the top of the third and runs in the fourth and fifth narrowed the gap to 6-5.
Cabot’s only score in the middle stages of the game was an RBI single by Chase Thompson that plated Brandon Surdam in the bottom of the third.
A standup double by Burks’ in the top of the sixth scored Steele to break the tie at 7-6. Bates brought in Burks with a ground single to left to give Cabot a two-run cushion. But Russellville was able to tie it in the seventh.
Three singles led to three Mustang runs in the top of the eighth, and the Russellville closer sent Cabot three up and three down in the bottom of the eighth as Cabot lost its fourth in a row.
Burks was 2 of 4 with a double, four RBI and two runs. Bates was 2 of 2 with an RBI and Surdam was 2 of 4 with two runs.
Beard led the Mustangs, going 3 of 4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs.
CONWAY MBNC 9,
CABOT CENTENNIAL JUNIOR 6
Conway took a 6-1 lead in the top of the third inning before Cabot (5-9-2) answered with two runs in the bottom of the third and three more in the fourth to send the game past its allotted hour and 45 minutes.
Conway scored in the top of the fifth when leadoff hitter Matt Lowe came in on a double by Chris Reaga, while fielding errors allowed the final two runs in.
Centennial Bank tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first. Leadoff Zack Uhiren reached on a walk, stole second and eventually came home on Justin Goff’s sacrifice fly.
Goff scored on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the third, and Tyler Carter took advantage of a double-steal opportunity to cut MBNC’s lead to 6-3.
Uhiren, Surdam and Goff started the bottom of the fourth with three straight singles to load the bases with no outs. Carter was hit by a pitch to bring in Uhiren, followed by a single by Roberg that scored Surdam and Goff to tie it.
Surdam was 2 of 4 and Roberg had three RBI to lead Centennial Bank.
Cabot fared better at the Sheridan Legion tournament over the weekend, winning all three pool games. Centennial Bank downed host Sheridan 8-7, routed Magnolia 7-1 and took a close 9-8 win over Stuttgart.
That put them in the semifinal round against a stout Pine Bluff team, which built a 10-0 lead through three innings before Cabot was able to rally. Centennial Bank cut into the lead significantly, but ran out of time and ended the weekend with an 11-7 loss.
Leader sportswriter
It came down to endurance on Monday night at Wade Field.
The eight-inning affair reached into Tuesday morning and included a busted car windshield courtesy of a pop foul, a Cabot near-double play that would have ended the game, an ejected Jay Darr and a few costly Centennial Bank errors. The result was an 11-8 comeback Russellville win.
Cabot (4-5) built a 5-0 lead through the first two innings before the Mustangs began to climb back into the game in the top of the third. A new pitcher in the bottom of the second held the Cabot bats at bay after a great start, allowing Russellville to tie the game in the top of the sixth.
Centennial Bank added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, and was set up for a game-ending double play in the top of the seventh, but Bobby Clark beat the throw to first as the tying run came across.
Cabot made extensive use of its pitching roster, starting with Andrew Reynolds before C.J. Jacoby took over in the top of the seventh. Jacoby faced four batters before Williams Baptist standout Josh Brown came on in relief.
Brown started the eighth and gave up three straight singles and a walk. Centennial Bank coach Jay Darr came out of the dugout over a sportsmanship issue surrounding the Russellville player who drew the walk. But it was Darr who was thrown out of the game after arguing with the field umpire as Chase Beasley then relieved Brown.
Cabot got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first with a double by Ty Steele, followed by an RBI single by Drew Burks and another base hit by Sam Bates. Both Burks and Bates scored on a double by Matt Turner, though Turner was out trying to stretch it into a triple.
Cole Nicholson reached on a fielder’s choice in the second, and advanced on a single by Reynolds. Both runs came across to make it 5-0 when Burks fly ball to right was misplayed.
Derrick Beard’s two-run homer in the top of the third and runs in the fourth and fifth narrowed the gap to 6-5.
Cabot’s only score in the middle stages of the game was an RBI single by Chase Thompson that plated Brandon Surdam in the bottom of the third.
A standup double by Burks’ in the top of the sixth scored Steele to break the tie at 7-6. Bates brought in Burks with a ground single to left to give Cabot a two-run cushion. But Russellville was able to tie it in the seventh.
Three singles led to three Mustang runs in the top of the eighth, and the Russellville closer sent Cabot three up and three down in the bottom of the eighth as Cabot lost its fourth in a row.
Burks was 2 of 4 with a double, four RBI and two runs. Bates was 2 of 2 with an RBI and Surdam was 2 of 4 with two runs.
Beard led the Mustangs, going 3 of 4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs.
CONWAY MBNC 9,
CABOT CENTENNIAL JUNIOR 6
Conway took a 6-1 lead in the top of the third inning before Cabot (5-9-2) answered with two runs in the bottom of the third and three more in the fourth to send the game past its allotted hour and 45 minutes.
Conway scored in the top of the fifth when leadoff hitter Matt Lowe came in on a double by Chris Reaga, while fielding errors allowed the final two runs in.
Centennial Bank tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first. Leadoff Zack Uhiren reached on a walk, stole second and eventually came home on Justin Goff’s sacrifice fly.
Goff scored on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the third, and Tyler Carter took advantage of a double-steal opportunity to cut MBNC’s lead to 6-3.
Uhiren, Surdam and Goff started the bottom of the fourth with three straight singles to load the bases with no outs. Carter was hit by a pitch to bring in Uhiren, followed by a single by Roberg that scored Surdam and Goff to tie it.
Surdam was 2 of 4 and Roberg had three RBI to lead Centennial Bank.
Cabot fared better at the Sheridan Legion tournament over the weekend, winning all three pool games. Centennial Bank downed host Sheridan 8-7, routed Magnolia 7-1 and took a close 9-8 win over Stuttgart.
That put them in the semifinal round against a stout Pine Bluff team, which built a 10-0 lead through three innings before Cabot was able to rally. Centennial Bank cut into the lead significantly, but ran out of time and ended the weekend with an 11-7 loss.
SPORTS >> Area golfers advance to round of 16
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Colby Benton took another step toward not only winning his third consecutive tournament but becoming the third straight Benton to win the ASGA Junior Match Play Tournament.
Benton, the sophomore-to-be at Cabot, narrowly escaped with a 2-and-1 win over Nate Smith on Tuesday morning at Foxwood Country Club. He played Gardner Lile in the round of 16 on Tuesday afternoon after Leader deadlines.
Benton’s brother, Nicklaus, won the event the past two years.
Two other area golfers moved into the round of 16. Former Sylvan Hills golfer Nick Zimmerman bested Bradley Griggs 7 and 5 in Monday’s opening round, and advanced Tuesday morning with a 2 and 1 decision over Todd McDonald.
Cabot’s Hunter Smith beat Benton’s Garrett Lile 7 and 5 on Monday to advance to the round of 32 where he downed Slade Hames of Rogers 1 up in 19 holes.
That pitted Cabot’s Smith and Zimmerman against each other in a battle between friends in the round of 16 on Tuesday afternoon.
Benton won the Bruce Jenkins Memorial at Rebsamen Park and the Junior Stroke Play tournament at Burns Park last week.
Smith holds a narrow 20-point lead over Benton in the battle for junior player of the year. Nicklaus Benton won that honor in 2007, the same year his father Jeff Benton won men’s player of the year. Nicklaus currently leads in this year’s men’s player of the year standings.
Benton won Monday 7 and 6 over Lane Dailey in the opening round of 64.
The tournament concludes on Thursday with the championship match.
See Saturday’s Leader for coverage of the final two days of the event.
Leader sportswriter
Colby Benton took another step toward not only winning his third consecutive tournament but becoming the third straight Benton to win the ASGA Junior Match Play Tournament.
Benton, the sophomore-to-be at Cabot, narrowly escaped with a 2-and-1 win over Nate Smith on Tuesday morning at Foxwood Country Club. He played Gardner Lile in the round of 16 on Tuesday afternoon after Leader deadlines.
Benton’s brother, Nicklaus, won the event the past two years.
Two other area golfers moved into the round of 16. Former Sylvan Hills golfer Nick Zimmerman bested Bradley Griggs 7 and 5 in Monday’s opening round, and advanced Tuesday morning with a 2 and 1 decision over Todd McDonald.
Cabot’s Hunter Smith beat Benton’s Garrett Lile 7 and 5 on Monday to advance to the round of 32 where he downed Slade Hames of Rogers 1 up in 19 holes.
That pitted Cabot’s Smith and Zimmerman against each other in a battle between friends in the round of 16 on Tuesday afternoon.
Benton won the Bruce Jenkins Memorial at Rebsamen Park and the Junior Stroke Play tournament at Burns Park last week.
Smith holds a narrow 20-point lead over Benton in the battle for junior player of the year. Nicklaus Benton won that honor in 2007, the same year his father Jeff Benton won men’s player of the year. Nicklaus currently leads in this year’s men’s player of the year standings.
Benton won Monday 7 and 6 over Lane Dailey in the opening round of 64.
The tournament concludes on Thursday with the championship match.
See Saturday’s Leader for coverage of the final two days of the event.
SPORTS >> Mickelson gracious as ever at St. Jude
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
MEMPHIS — I got a wild hair on Saturday morning and decided to make the two-hour trip to Memphis for the third round of the St. Jude Classic.
I’m back to tell you that that was $40 well spent ($46 if you add in the two bottles of water). That’s either the third or fourth time I’ve been to Southwind for the event, but the most recent had been about eight or nine years ago and I’d forgotten what an outstanding tournament it is — from the reasonable price of admission to the beauty of the golf course to the uniform friendliness and downright cheeriness of the volunteers. OK, the $3 water seemed a bit excessive and had me considering, along about the 15th hole, sneaking into the backyard of one of those stately mansions and taking a pull off a garden hose.
But still the total cost, with gas added in, was about $60. For that, I got the thrill of getting within arm’s length of John Daly and Phil Mickelson. In fact, it was Lefty I went over to see. His last visit to Southwind was also mine and that’s no coincidence.
Lefty is my guy on the Tour. I’ve always loved the guy, always loved his game, his on-course demeanor, his goofy aw-shucks grin, his earnestness in interviews and what has always struck me as his basic decency.
So I followed him and his playing partners Glen Day of Little Rock and an up-and-comer named Brendan Todd most of the day. The problem with that decision was that I’m not alone in my adoration of Lefty. Most of the fans seemed to fall into one of two groups on Saturday – those watching Mickelson and those watching Daly. Daly went off about five groups behind Mickelson on the back nine, so by the time Big John teed off on 10, some of Lefty’s gallery had tapered back to watch the troubled, but slimmed-down Arkansan in the gold pants with black diamonds, the mauve-tinted sunglasses and the buzz cut.
It was Daly’s first PGA Tour event in the United States since he was suspended last fall after the latest in a long line of transgressions. This one may have been his passing out in the parking lot of a Hooter’s, but who can keep up? It was Mickelson’s first appearance since the announcement last month that his wife, Amy, had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Observations: Obvious and otherwise
These guys are GOOD. The only thing I saw that even vaguely resembled my feeble attempts at the game was when the rotund Guy Boros, who seems like 300 pounds of good guy, stubbed an easy chip from just off the seventh green about six feet – not from the cup but from the point where he chipped it. There was an embarrassed gasp from the few people surrounding the green. Me, I almost said ‘Good shot,’ given that I would have either stubbed that chip about two feet or bladed it clean across the green.
I have to say that Boros’ chip was the only thing that made me recognize the game I’ve so futilely flailed away at for the past 40 years. More importantly, it allowed me to put some sort of human face on these guys. Because, honestly, they are all so much better than most of us that they all seem equally good. Their booming, accurate drives and pinpoint approaches that seem to hang in the air forever struck me as effortless and strangely unexceptional.
Even Dicky Pride, the 1994 winner here, didn’t look bad in shooting a 42 on the front nine on Saturday. Pride was a group ahead of Mickelson so I got to watch a lot of his round. Pride seemed to take it all in stride, kept plugging away, betraying no emotion either way as he struggled mightily through the 93-degree heat. Pride’s win here 15 years ago, by the way, came in his rookie season. He hasn’t won since. I decided watching the guy on Saturday that I like him and I hope he someday gets a second win.
Other observations: Glen Day is the slowest player I’ve ever seen in my life. If you paired him with Daly or Rory Sabbatini, he’d end up with a wedge buried in his forehead. I counted a full 27 seconds from the time he teed the ball up to the time he hit the ball. And it’s the worst kind of slow, too. Several times during his interminable address, he got all our hopes up by pressing the club forward as though ready to swing. Then, maddeningly, he’d raise his head again and glance down the fairway. (It hasn’t moved, Glen. Hit it!)
I figure he added at least 10 minutes to the round. It was hardly a surprise that nearly a full hole separated his group from the group ahead. Those poor tournament officials who raised their quaint ‘Hush-y’all’ sticks whenever a player got ready to hit never did learn, raising them as soon as Day addressed the ball, then gamely trying to muster the muscle strength to keep them raised until, at long last, Day mercifully hit it.
He’s no Tiger … thankfully
One final observation, and the one I set out to make when I started this: Anybody who suggests, as I have heard some do, that Phil Mickelson is somehow a phony or not really what he appears to be, is full of it. I never really doubted it, but after watching him conduct three separate interviews following a hot day on Saturday, then sign autographs for another 15 minutes, I’m even more of a fan.
I watched his body language as he was interviewed first by David Feherty on CBS, then by the Golf Channel, then by the print media (the real lowlifes of the journalism profession). He was earnest, gracious and fully engaged.
No sooner had he completed those interviews than he walked over to the ropes and began to graciously and patiently sign hats, balls, scorecards and tournament programs. Fans were lined up three and four deep for some 15 yards down the ropes.
On and on he signed.
One little girl pressed her way to the front of the rope line, held out her pink visor and shouted, “Mr. Mickelson, Mr. Mickelson.”
She got squeezed out, unfortunately, and I watched the disappointment cross her face. Her father told someone she’d been trying for three days to get his autograph and I suddenly found myself fully invested in her quest. Phil had been signing for about 10 minutes and we all knew it wouldn’t go on forever, so dad admonished her to fight her way back to the front.
Finally, she spotted an opening, squeezed up to the ropes and held her hat out high. Sure enough, Lefty grabbed it, signed it and handed it back to her.
The little girl turned around, her mouth a perfect O of delight and disbelief.
Leader sports editor
MEMPHIS — I got a wild hair on Saturday morning and decided to make the two-hour trip to Memphis for the third round of the St. Jude Classic.
I’m back to tell you that that was $40 well spent ($46 if you add in the two bottles of water). That’s either the third or fourth time I’ve been to Southwind for the event, but the most recent had been about eight or nine years ago and I’d forgotten what an outstanding tournament it is — from the reasonable price of admission to the beauty of the golf course to the uniform friendliness and downright cheeriness of the volunteers. OK, the $3 water seemed a bit excessive and had me considering, along about the 15th hole, sneaking into the backyard of one of those stately mansions and taking a pull off a garden hose.
But still the total cost, with gas added in, was about $60. For that, I got the thrill of getting within arm’s length of John Daly and Phil Mickelson. In fact, it was Lefty I went over to see. His last visit to Southwind was also mine and that’s no coincidence.
Lefty is my guy on the Tour. I’ve always loved the guy, always loved his game, his on-course demeanor, his goofy aw-shucks grin, his earnestness in interviews and what has always struck me as his basic decency.
So I followed him and his playing partners Glen Day of Little Rock and an up-and-comer named Brendan Todd most of the day. The problem with that decision was that I’m not alone in my adoration of Lefty. Most of the fans seemed to fall into one of two groups on Saturday – those watching Mickelson and those watching Daly. Daly went off about five groups behind Mickelson on the back nine, so by the time Big John teed off on 10, some of Lefty’s gallery had tapered back to watch the troubled, but slimmed-down Arkansan in the gold pants with black diamonds, the mauve-tinted sunglasses and the buzz cut.
It was Daly’s first PGA Tour event in the United States since he was suspended last fall after the latest in a long line of transgressions. This one may have been his passing out in the parking lot of a Hooter’s, but who can keep up? It was Mickelson’s first appearance since the announcement last month that his wife, Amy, had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Observations: Obvious and otherwise
These guys are GOOD. The only thing I saw that even vaguely resembled my feeble attempts at the game was when the rotund Guy Boros, who seems like 300 pounds of good guy, stubbed an easy chip from just off the seventh green about six feet – not from the cup but from the point where he chipped it. There was an embarrassed gasp from the few people surrounding the green. Me, I almost said ‘Good shot,’ given that I would have either stubbed that chip about two feet or bladed it clean across the green.
I have to say that Boros’ chip was the only thing that made me recognize the game I’ve so futilely flailed away at for the past 40 years. More importantly, it allowed me to put some sort of human face on these guys. Because, honestly, they are all so much better than most of us that they all seem equally good. Their booming, accurate drives and pinpoint approaches that seem to hang in the air forever struck me as effortless and strangely unexceptional.
Even Dicky Pride, the 1994 winner here, didn’t look bad in shooting a 42 on the front nine on Saturday. Pride was a group ahead of Mickelson so I got to watch a lot of his round. Pride seemed to take it all in stride, kept plugging away, betraying no emotion either way as he struggled mightily through the 93-degree heat. Pride’s win here 15 years ago, by the way, came in his rookie season. He hasn’t won since. I decided watching the guy on Saturday that I like him and I hope he someday gets a second win.
Other observations: Glen Day is the slowest player I’ve ever seen in my life. If you paired him with Daly or Rory Sabbatini, he’d end up with a wedge buried in his forehead. I counted a full 27 seconds from the time he teed the ball up to the time he hit the ball. And it’s the worst kind of slow, too. Several times during his interminable address, he got all our hopes up by pressing the club forward as though ready to swing. Then, maddeningly, he’d raise his head again and glance down the fairway. (It hasn’t moved, Glen. Hit it!)
I figure he added at least 10 minutes to the round. It was hardly a surprise that nearly a full hole separated his group from the group ahead. Those poor tournament officials who raised their quaint ‘Hush-y’all’ sticks whenever a player got ready to hit never did learn, raising them as soon as Day addressed the ball, then gamely trying to muster the muscle strength to keep them raised until, at long last, Day mercifully hit it.
He’s no Tiger … thankfully
One final observation, and the one I set out to make when I started this: Anybody who suggests, as I have heard some do, that Phil Mickelson is somehow a phony or not really what he appears to be, is full of it. I never really doubted it, but after watching him conduct three separate interviews following a hot day on Saturday, then sign autographs for another 15 minutes, I’m even more of a fan.
I watched his body language as he was interviewed first by David Feherty on CBS, then by the Golf Channel, then by the print media (the real lowlifes of the journalism profession). He was earnest, gracious and fully engaged.
No sooner had he completed those interviews than he walked over to the ropes and began to graciously and patiently sign hats, balls, scorecards and tournament programs. Fans were lined up three and four deep for some 15 yards down the ropes.
On and on he signed.
One little girl pressed her way to the front of the rope line, held out her pink visor and shouted, “Mr. Mickelson, Mr. Mickelson.”
She got squeezed out, unfortunately, and I watched the disappointment cross her face. Her father told someone she’d been trying for three days to get his autograph and I suddenly found myself fully invested in her quest. Phil had been signing for about 10 minutes and we all knew it wouldn’t go on forever, so dad admonished her to fight her way back to the front.
Finally, she spotted an opening, squeezed up to the ropes and held her hat out high. Sure enough, Lefty grabbed it, signed it and handed it back to her.
The little girl turned around, her mouth a perfect O of delight and disbelief.
SPORTS >> Bears reach semis at Robinson
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
Mark Whatley and Jim Withrow don’t have anything against 7-on-7 tournaments, per se. It’s just that neither Whatley, Jacksonville’s head coach, nor Withrow, the head man at Sylvan Hills, is going to live or die by how his team finishes in one.
Both the Red Devils and the Bears played at the Pulaski Robinson 7-on-7 tournament last Thursday and, as is the case with most of these events, both coaches found good things to take away from it.
For Sylvan Hills, it was a 4-1 performance and a semifinals appearance. Its lone loss came to Pulaski Academy, 28-20, in the semis.
“(7-on-7 tournaments) help with decision-making and a little with timing,” Withrow said. “I think it probably helps with defense more than anything. But at one point, PA was running five guys out of the tackle box. It was like, ‘What are we doing here?’”
Withrow said that, while 7-on-7 would never die out because people are so “enamored with it,” 11-on-11 camps are going to grow in popularity.
“(Receiver) Michael Maddox ran a route and ran into another guy and I told him, (in an actual game) that guy would have been blocking on that play,” Withrow said. “But it comes down to, if you throw it a lot, it’s something (you’re going to play in). We went to the OBU camp and ran 60 plays and I think 45 of them were passes. We’ve got a quarterback who can sling it and five or six guys that can catch it.”
Whatley said his Red Devils aren’t out looking for 7-on-7 championships necessarily and that how a team performs in a tournament can lead to a “false sense of security.”
“It’s a good thing to have and I like it, but we’re not going to change anything we do (just to win a championship),” Whatley said. “We’re going to stick with our stuff.”
For Whatley, it was a chance to see which receivers among a brand new corps stood out. Devin Featherstone, the one returning wide out with experience from last year, performed well, Whatley said. He also noted that Doug Sprouse did a good job of catching the ball out of the backfield and that Tyler Crook and Price Eubanks caught the ball well, too.
Junior quarterback Logan Perry got a mostly positive review from his coach.
“Logan read well, but was a little late getting rid of some balls,” he said. “But that’s going to come. He’s going to be fine. We’ve got to go back and work a little on his footwork.”
Defensively, Whatley had high praise for sophomores Michael Thornabar and Devon McClure.
“I was really pleased with (Thornabar),” Whatley said. “Especially for his first outing as a linbebacker. And Devon McClure had a good day on both sides of the ball. I really like his attitude and the way he comes to work.”
Seven-on-7 tournaments leave Sylvan Hills’ big question mark — its offensive line — unanswered. But Withrow was able to use the tournament as an opportunity to look at a couple of move-in newcomers in Michael Finney, Marquis Smith and Emmanuel Tanner.
“We didn’t get the ball as much to Michael Finney as we’d have liked to and we used Emmanuel more on defense than on offense,” he said. “But (North Little Rock transfer) Marquis Smith caught a ton of balls out of the backfield. He’s got fantastic hands. If you just look at him, he looks like a D-1 guy.”
Withrow figures Smith will nicely fill the vacancy left by graduating fullback Lawrence Hodges and will allow the Bears to run split-back formations behind quarterback Jordan Spears. But with a small, brand-new offensive line, the running game may endure some growing pains, Withrow warned.
“JuJu (Broner) can make the cuts and Marquis can make his own holes, so that gives us an insurance policy,” Withrow said. “It’s nice to have both of them.”
Withrow noted that Spears showed the benefits of a year of experience with improved maturity and decision-making. And receivers Taylor Clark and Ahmad Scott joined Smith in catching the majority of the passes.
Still, it was the OBU camp a week earlier that gave Withrow the most insight into his team. He got to watch his offensive line get some reps.
Sylvan Hills will spend this week in the weight room before the dead period hits. The Bears will host league 7-on-7 every Monday night in July, beginning on the 6th. The games will begin at 5:30 and each of the four teams will play three games.
Jacksonville will participate in team camps the rest of the summer.
Leader sports editor
Mark Whatley and Jim Withrow don’t have anything against 7-on-7 tournaments, per se. It’s just that neither Whatley, Jacksonville’s head coach, nor Withrow, the head man at Sylvan Hills, is going to live or die by how his team finishes in one.
Both the Red Devils and the Bears played at the Pulaski Robinson 7-on-7 tournament last Thursday and, as is the case with most of these events, both coaches found good things to take away from it.
For Sylvan Hills, it was a 4-1 performance and a semifinals appearance. Its lone loss came to Pulaski Academy, 28-20, in the semis.
“(7-on-7 tournaments) help with decision-making and a little with timing,” Withrow said. “I think it probably helps with defense more than anything. But at one point, PA was running five guys out of the tackle box. It was like, ‘What are we doing here?’”
Withrow said that, while 7-on-7 would never die out because people are so “enamored with it,” 11-on-11 camps are going to grow in popularity.
“(Receiver) Michael Maddox ran a route and ran into another guy and I told him, (in an actual game) that guy would have been blocking on that play,” Withrow said. “But it comes down to, if you throw it a lot, it’s something (you’re going to play in). We went to the OBU camp and ran 60 plays and I think 45 of them were passes. We’ve got a quarterback who can sling it and five or six guys that can catch it.”
Whatley said his Red Devils aren’t out looking for 7-on-7 championships necessarily and that how a team performs in a tournament can lead to a “false sense of security.”
“It’s a good thing to have and I like it, but we’re not going to change anything we do (just to win a championship),” Whatley said. “We’re going to stick with our stuff.”
For Whatley, it was a chance to see which receivers among a brand new corps stood out. Devin Featherstone, the one returning wide out with experience from last year, performed well, Whatley said. He also noted that Doug Sprouse did a good job of catching the ball out of the backfield and that Tyler Crook and Price Eubanks caught the ball well, too.
Junior quarterback Logan Perry got a mostly positive review from his coach.
“Logan read well, but was a little late getting rid of some balls,” he said. “But that’s going to come. He’s going to be fine. We’ve got to go back and work a little on his footwork.”
Defensively, Whatley had high praise for sophomores Michael Thornabar and Devon McClure.
“I was really pleased with (Thornabar),” Whatley said. “Especially for his first outing as a linbebacker. And Devon McClure had a good day on both sides of the ball. I really like his attitude and the way he comes to work.”
Seven-on-7 tournaments leave Sylvan Hills’ big question mark — its offensive line — unanswered. But Withrow was able to use the tournament as an opportunity to look at a couple of move-in newcomers in Michael Finney, Marquis Smith and Emmanuel Tanner.
“We didn’t get the ball as much to Michael Finney as we’d have liked to and we used Emmanuel more on defense than on offense,” he said. “But (North Little Rock transfer) Marquis Smith caught a ton of balls out of the backfield. He’s got fantastic hands. If you just look at him, he looks like a D-1 guy.”
Withrow figures Smith will nicely fill the vacancy left by graduating fullback Lawrence Hodges and will allow the Bears to run split-back formations behind quarterback Jordan Spears. But with a small, brand-new offensive line, the running game may endure some growing pains, Withrow warned.
“JuJu (Broner) can make the cuts and Marquis can make his own holes, so that gives us an insurance policy,” Withrow said. “It’s nice to have both of them.”
Withrow noted that Spears showed the benefits of a year of experience with improved maturity and decision-making. And receivers Taylor Clark and Ahmad Scott joined Smith in catching the majority of the passes.
Still, it was the OBU camp a week earlier that gave Withrow the most insight into his team. He got to watch his offensive line get some reps.
Sylvan Hills will spend this week in the weight room before the dead period hits. The Bears will host league 7-on-7 every Monday night in July, beginning on the 6th. The games will begin at 5:30 and each of the four teams will play three games.
Jacksonville will participate in team camps the rest of the summer.
SPORTS >> Gwatney routs Maumelle
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
The good news is Gwatney Chevrolet’s senior Chevy Boys improved to 2-0 against Maumelle after their 9-0 rout at Dupree Park on Monday night.
The bad news is they haven’t beaten anyone else yet.
Gwatney raised its record to 2-6 behind Clayton Fenton’s one-hitter in the five-inning affair. Fenton allowed only three base runners on a walk, a hit batter and a one-out single in the first inning. Fenton was dominant, at one point setting down 12 straight batters. He fanned four.
The Chevy Boys, who collected nine hits in their four at-bats, didn’t need any help from Maumelle defensively, but Maumelle provided some anyway in the form of three walks, two hit batters and four errors.
Gwatney went down quietly in the first and didn’t get its first base runner until Seth Tomboli laced a one-out double to the fence in right center in the second inning. Devon McClure, who is proving more and more an offensive weapon for both the junior and senior teams, lined a two-out single over second to stake the Chevy Boys to a 1-0 lead.
Fenton helped himself in the third by leading off with an infield single and Terrell Brown reached on an error. Jason Regnas couldn’t get the sacrifice down and Patrick Castleberry flied out to deep right. But Tommy Sanders delivered another two-out RBI single to score Fenton and make it 2-0. Brown later came across on a wild pitch.
Fenton kept mowing them down, aided by shortstop Terrell Brown’s nifty backhand snag and long throw across from deep in the hole to end the fourth.
Gwatney put it away in the bottom of the fourth when it sent 11 men to the plate. Daniel Thurman beat out an infield hit and Brown’s to straightaway center made it 4-0. Though there were two outs in the inning, Maumelle could not end it as the next seven Chevy Boys reached safely. Castleberry brought home Brown with an infield hit and Sanders drew a walk.
Tomboli lined a single down the line in left to plate another and A.J. Allen followed with a single to load the bases. McClure walked to force home Sanders and Thurman was hit with a pitch to score Tomboli. Allen made it 9-0 on a wild pitch.
Tomboli led Gwatney’s nine-hit attack with a single and a double, scoring twice. McClure had a pair of RBI and Brown scored twice.
Gwatney played at Bryant last night after Leader deadlines.
MAUMELLE JUNIOR 6, GWATNEY 4
The Jacksonville junior Chevy Boys lost a game they probably had no business losing on Monday. Blame it on the fact that five of their starters spent much of the day at a baseball camp, eight walks issued by Gwatney pitching and nine stranded base runners.
But the Chevy Boys really should have won this one against a mostly over-matched Maumelle club whose first two pitchers probably never cracked the 70 mile-per-hour mark on the radar gun.
Maumelle got only two hits, but one of those was a crusher. After Gwatney starter Michael Lamb walked three straight batters with one out in the first inning, Maumelle’s five-hole hitter belted a grand slam over the fence in left for a quick 4-0 lead. The next batter picked up Maumelle’s only other hit of the contest.
Even then, it appeared Gwatney would recover when the Chevy Boys began teeing off on Maumelle’s juicy offerings. Even Jacob Abrahamson’s first out leading off the first inning was a long one and required a falling-down catch near the fence in deep left-center. McClure followed with a double and Castleberry walked. Nick Rodriguez made it 4-1 with an RBI single to left and
Alex Tucker’s two-out single cut the lead in half. But Gwatney left the bases full.
Abrahamson, who made a nice back-to-the-infield catch of a pop up in the first inning, saved a run in the second when he went behind the bag at second to snag a hard grounder and end the inning.
Gwatney got within a run on Abrahamson’s single and Castleberry’s run-scoring double in the second. But two walks and a double steal made it 5-3 in the top of the third.
Despite the fat deliveries by Maumelle pitchers, Gwatney collected only one more hit after Castleberry’s double when Tucker looped a single in the third. But the Chevy Boys left the tying runs at second and third, then went 1-2-3 in the fourth.
An unearned run in the fifth extended Maumelle’s lead to 6-3, but Gwatney appeared poised for a comeback when it loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half on two walks and a hit batter.
But pinch hitter Orlando Rogers hit a soft liner to the pitcher, who threw to first to double off Zach Traylor and the threat fizzled. Gwatney took advantage of two errors to place its first two batters on in the sixth. McClure then laced a liner but right to the left fielder. Castleberry flied out and Rodriguez grounded to short to end it.
Lamb fanned six but walked eight. Five of the runs he surrendered were earned on just two hits.
Tucker led Gwatney with two of the team’s six hits. Gwatney returned to action last night in a game played after Leader deadlines at Bryant.
Leader sports editor
The good news is Gwatney Chevrolet’s senior Chevy Boys improved to 2-0 against Maumelle after their 9-0 rout at Dupree Park on Monday night.
The bad news is they haven’t beaten anyone else yet.
Gwatney raised its record to 2-6 behind Clayton Fenton’s one-hitter in the five-inning affair. Fenton allowed only three base runners on a walk, a hit batter and a one-out single in the first inning. Fenton was dominant, at one point setting down 12 straight batters. He fanned four.
The Chevy Boys, who collected nine hits in their four at-bats, didn’t need any help from Maumelle defensively, but Maumelle provided some anyway in the form of three walks, two hit batters and four errors.
Gwatney went down quietly in the first and didn’t get its first base runner until Seth Tomboli laced a one-out double to the fence in right center in the second inning. Devon McClure, who is proving more and more an offensive weapon for both the junior and senior teams, lined a two-out single over second to stake the Chevy Boys to a 1-0 lead.
Fenton helped himself in the third by leading off with an infield single and Terrell Brown reached on an error. Jason Regnas couldn’t get the sacrifice down and Patrick Castleberry flied out to deep right. But Tommy Sanders delivered another two-out RBI single to score Fenton and make it 2-0. Brown later came across on a wild pitch.
Fenton kept mowing them down, aided by shortstop Terrell Brown’s nifty backhand snag and long throw across from deep in the hole to end the fourth.
Gwatney put it away in the bottom of the fourth when it sent 11 men to the plate. Daniel Thurman beat out an infield hit and Brown’s to straightaway center made it 4-0. Though there were two outs in the inning, Maumelle could not end it as the next seven Chevy Boys reached safely. Castleberry brought home Brown with an infield hit and Sanders drew a walk.
Tomboli lined a single down the line in left to plate another and A.J. Allen followed with a single to load the bases. McClure walked to force home Sanders and Thurman was hit with a pitch to score Tomboli. Allen made it 9-0 on a wild pitch.
Tomboli led Gwatney’s nine-hit attack with a single and a double, scoring twice. McClure had a pair of RBI and Brown scored twice.
Gwatney played at Bryant last night after Leader deadlines.
MAUMELLE JUNIOR 6, GWATNEY 4
The Jacksonville junior Chevy Boys lost a game they probably had no business losing on Monday. Blame it on the fact that five of their starters spent much of the day at a baseball camp, eight walks issued by Gwatney pitching and nine stranded base runners.
But the Chevy Boys really should have won this one against a mostly over-matched Maumelle club whose first two pitchers probably never cracked the 70 mile-per-hour mark on the radar gun.
Maumelle got only two hits, but one of those was a crusher. After Gwatney starter Michael Lamb walked three straight batters with one out in the first inning, Maumelle’s five-hole hitter belted a grand slam over the fence in left for a quick 4-0 lead. The next batter picked up Maumelle’s only other hit of the contest.
Even then, it appeared Gwatney would recover when the Chevy Boys began teeing off on Maumelle’s juicy offerings. Even Jacob Abrahamson’s first out leading off the first inning was a long one and required a falling-down catch near the fence in deep left-center. McClure followed with a double and Castleberry walked. Nick Rodriguez made it 4-1 with an RBI single to left and
Alex Tucker’s two-out single cut the lead in half. But Gwatney left the bases full.
Abrahamson, who made a nice back-to-the-infield catch of a pop up in the first inning, saved a run in the second when he went behind the bag at second to snag a hard grounder and end the inning.
Gwatney got within a run on Abrahamson’s single and Castleberry’s run-scoring double in the second. But two walks and a double steal made it 5-3 in the top of the third.
Despite the fat deliveries by Maumelle pitchers, Gwatney collected only one more hit after Castleberry’s double when Tucker looped a single in the third. But the Chevy Boys left the tying runs at second and third, then went 1-2-3 in the fourth.
An unearned run in the fifth extended Maumelle’s lead to 6-3, but Gwatney appeared poised for a comeback when it loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half on two walks and a hit batter.
But pinch hitter Orlando Rogers hit a soft liner to the pitcher, who threw to first to double off Zach Traylor and the threat fizzled. Gwatney took advantage of two errors to place its first two batters on in the sixth. McClure then laced a liner but right to the left fielder. Castleberry flied out and Rodriguez grounded to short to end it.
Lamb fanned six but walked eight. Five of the runs he surrendered were earned on just two hits.
Tucker led Gwatney with two of the team’s six hits. Gwatney returned to action last night in a game played after Leader deadlines at Bryant.
TOP STORY >> Local bank honored for marketing skills
Roger Sundermeier, marketing director at First Arkansas Bank and Trust, has been named bank marketer of the year by the Arkansas Bank Marketing Association.
Larry T. Wilson, chairman, president and CEO of First Arkansas Bank and Trust, said that the bank has received several other awards and national recognition for its marketing creativity.
Since 2006, the bank has won 24 awards at the Arkansas Bank Marketing Awards Banquet, including the 2006 Best of Show Award, which was the first time an in-house design team won such an award.
First Arkansas Bank and Trust was featured in a full-page article in the June 2009 edition of U.S. Banker Magazine.
The article focused on the bank’s successful “Cash Club” savings program for children. The bank “adopted” a mixed-breed dog at the city’s animal shelter, named him Cash and made the dog the focus of the children’s savings program.
The bank has been profiled by Jeffrey Pilcher in Financial Brand, an online publication, which highlights the brightest and most creative bank advertising in the current marketplace.
First Arkansas Bank and Trust has been recognized nationally for its use of MySpace, Facebook and Twitter for growing the bank’s brand.
Pilcher recently named the FAB&T Twitter page as “one of, if not the coolest-looking Twitter page in the financial industry.”
In addition, the bank has been featured on the Internet in various blogs recently regarding its Cash Club Kids Savings Account program, including tie-ins with national businesses such as Petco, Radio Disney, Build-A-Bear Workshop and Sonic.
First Arkansas Bank and Trust is a family-owned and managed institution with headquarters in Jacksonville and has 28 locations in central and north-central Arkansas.
The bank has approximately $550 million in assets and employs over 220 people in serving its broad customer base.
Larry T. Wilson, chairman, president and CEO of First Arkansas Bank and Trust, said that the bank has received several other awards and national recognition for its marketing creativity.
Since 2006, the bank has won 24 awards at the Arkansas Bank Marketing Awards Banquet, including the 2006 Best of Show Award, which was the first time an in-house design team won such an award.
First Arkansas Bank and Trust was featured in a full-page article in the June 2009 edition of U.S. Banker Magazine.
The article focused on the bank’s successful “Cash Club” savings program for children. The bank “adopted” a mixed-breed dog at the city’s animal shelter, named him Cash and made the dog the focus of the children’s savings program.
The bank has been profiled by Jeffrey Pilcher in Financial Brand, an online publication, which highlights the brightest and most creative bank advertising in the current marketplace.
First Arkansas Bank and Trust has been recognized nationally for its use of MySpace, Facebook and Twitter for growing the bank’s brand.
Pilcher recently named the FAB&T Twitter page as “one of, if not the coolest-looking Twitter page in the financial industry.”
In addition, the bank has been featured on the Internet in various blogs recently regarding its Cash Club Kids Savings Account program, including tie-ins with national businesses such as Petco, Radio Disney, Build-A-Bear Workshop and Sonic.
First Arkansas Bank and Trust is a family-owned and managed institution with headquarters in Jacksonville and has 28 locations in central and north-central Arkansas.
The bank has approximately $550 million in assets and employs over 220 people in serving its broad customer base.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
TOP STORY >> Thousands left without power after wind, rain
By JOHN HOFHEMER
Leader senior staff writer
No injuries or deaths were reported from a dark, dangerous-looking storm front that moved across the area Friday afternoon, but trees were uprooted, limbs strewn about and power was out to thousands.
Locally, 7,000-8,000 people were without power in the Ward area after a First Electric transmission structure was damaged, according to Neal Frizzell, a cooperative spokesman.
The structure carried a 69,000-volt transmission line to three substations. Fortunately, the damage was to a cross arm and not to the pole itself, he said.
Frizzell said crews were trying to repair it before dark, but that crews would work through the night.
He estimated the total number of customers without electricity throughout the cooperative’s 17-county service area at 25,000, with about half of those in the local area.
“About 12,500 of those are in north Pulaski County, Lonoke County and south White County,” Frizzell said.
Most affected in this area were the communities of Mountain Springs, Ward, Mount Carmel and Zion Hill.
Most of the problems were from limbs on power lines, he said.
Entergy’s interactive map showed more than 1,200 Jackson-ville customers without power from among the 42,000 customers without power from Harrison to Pine Bluff .
Outages in Russellville, Dardanelle and Danville accounting for about one third of those and another third in the Conway area, according to Barbara Merrick, an Entergy spokesperson.
Closer to home, about 3,970 Little Rock customers were without power and another 675 in Beebe.
Repair crews will work throughout the night to restore power as quickly as possible, Frizzell said.
First Electric members may report power outages by calling 1-888-827-3322.
Leader senior staff writer
No injuries or deaths were reported from a dark, dangerous-looking storm front that moved across the area Friday afternoon, but trees were uprooted, limbs strewn about and power was out to thousands.
Locally, 7,000-8,000 people were without power in the Ward area after a First Electric transmission structure was damaged, according to Neal Frizzell, a cooperative spokesman.
The structure carried a 69,000-volt transmission line to three substations. Fortunately, the damage was to a cross arm and not to the pole itself, he said.
Frizzell said crews were trying to repair it before dark, but that crews would work through the night.
He estimated the total number of customers without electricity throughout the cooperative’s 17-county service area at 25,000, with about half of those in the local area.
“About 12,500 of those are in north Pulaski County, Lonoke County and south White County,” Frizzell said.
Most affected in this area were the communities of Mountain Springs, Ward, Mount Carmel and Zion Hill.
Most of the problems were from limbs on power lines, he said.
Entergy’s interactive map showed more than 1,200 Jackson-ville customers without power from among the 42,000 customers without power from Harrison to Pine Bluff .
Outages in Russellville, Dardanelle and Danville accounting for about one third of those and another third in the Conway area, according to Barbara Merrick, an Entergy spokesperson.
Closer to home, about 3,970 Little Rock customers were without power and another 675 in Beebe.
Repair crews will work throughout the night to restore power as quickly as possible, Frizzell said.
First Electric members may report power outages by calling 1-888-827-3322.
TOP STORY >> Revenues still going to cities at good clip
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Even though Cabot has seen its city and county tax collections go up and down, its revenues are still running about $80,000 above last year’s totals.
Sherwood is also up for the year because of the tax collections coming from Walmart, which opened last June.
Jacksonville’s city tax collections are down through May about $87,000 for the year, but the city had planned for the downturn when it developed its 2009 budget late last year, according to the city’s finance director, Paul Mushrush.
The state, however, was down almost $13 million in gross receipts collections, which was a 7.3 percent drop from a year ago and about the same amount below what it had forecast to bring in.
Department of Finance and Administration economist John Shelnutt place a lot of the blame for the drop on slower vehicle sales across the state.
Tammy Yokum with the Cabot financial department said the intake from the city tax from January through April this year was $1.53 million, up from the $1.49 million over the same time period last year. But Yokum did point out that the city saw drops in the March and April collections.
Cabot’s share of the Lonoke County tax from January through April was $751,971, up about $35,000 from last year’s intake of $717,848 for the same time period.
Sherwood saw a $13,000 drop in April in its share of the Pulaski County sales tax from last year. So far this year, the city’s share of the county tax was $1.9 million compared to $1.93 million for 2008.
Sherwood’s city tax intake for the year so far is about $300,000 above the 2008 total. The city didn’t see any tax collections from the Walmart Supercenter until September.
For this year, collection of the city tax stands at $1.9 million, compared to $1.62 million for the same time period last year.
Mushrush, Jacksonville’s finance director, said February is usually the largest month for city tax receipts as it’s actually the tax from December’s sales. “We were down 4.4 percent,” Mushrush said.
He added that the best month for county sales tax is usually April, and the city’s take was down 8.09 percent.
Jacksonville’s city tax intake through May stands at $2.99 million and its share of the county tax is at $2.63 million.
Mushrush said he expects an improvement when the higher federal minimum wage—up to $7.25–goes into effect later this month.
“That will give people some disposable income,” he said.
Mushrush said there are models showing national and state improvement and others showing another dip, but he believes the economy is stabilizing.
The state’s monthly revenue report from the Department of Finance and Administration showed net available revenues in May totaled $293 million, down $3 million, or 1 percent, from a year ago, but $6 million, or 2.1 percent, above the May forecast.
But most of that $6 million will disappear once a delayed monthly transfer of $5.9 million takes place, according to the report.
On the year, net available general revenues total about $3.9 billion, $38.6 million below a year ago but $44.1 million above the general revenue forecast. Shelnutt, the state economist, said he expects the cushion to be gone by the end of the month.
Leader staff writer
Even though Cabot has seen its city and county tax collections go up and down, its revenues are still running about $80,000 above last year’s totals.
Sherwood is also up for the year because of the tax collections coming from Walmart, which opened last June.
Jacksonville’s city tax collections are down through May about $87,000 for the year, but the city had planned for the downturn when it developed its 2009 budget late last year, according to the city’s finance director, Paul Mushrush.
The state, however, was down almost $13 million in gross receipts collections, which was a 7.3 percent drop from a year ago and about the same amount below what it had forecast to bring in.
Department of Finance and Administration economist John Shelnutt place a lot of the blame for the drop on slower vehicle sales across the state.
Tammy Yokum with the Cabot financial department said the intake from the city tax from January through April this year was $1.53 million, up from the $1.49 million over the same time period last year. But Yokum did point out that the city saw drops in the March and April collections.
Cabot’s share of the Lonoke County tax from January through April was $751,971, up about $35,000 from last year’s intake of $717,848 for the same time period.
Sherwood saw a $13,000 drop in April in its share of the Pulaski County sales tax from last year. So far this year, the city’s share of the county tax was $1.9 million compared to $1.93 million for 2008.
Sherwood’s city tax intake for the year so far is about $300,000 above the 2008 total. The city didn’t see any tax collections from the Walmart Supercenter until September.
For this year, collection of the city tax stands at $1.9 million, compared to $1.62 million for the same time period last year.
Mushrush, Jacksonville’s finance director, said February is usually the largest month for city tax receipts as it’s actually the tax from December’s sales. “We were down 4.4 percent,” Mushrush said.
He added that the best month for county sales tax is usually April, and the city’s take was down 8.09 percent.
Jacksonville’s city tax intake through May stands at $2.99 million and its share of the county tax is at $2.63 million.
Mushrush said he expects an improvement when the higher federal minimum wage—up to $7.25–goes into effect later this month.
“That will give people some disposable income,” he said.
Mushrush said there are models showing national and state improvement and others showing another dip, but he believes the economy is stabilizing.
The state’s monthly revenue report from the Department of Finance and Administration showed net available revenues in May totaled $293 million, down $3 million, or 1 percent, from a year ago, but $6 million, or 2.1 percent, above the May forecast.
But most of that $6 million will disappear once a delayed monthly transfer of $5.9 million takes place, according to the report.
On the year, net available general revenues total about $3.9 billion, $38.6 million below a year ago but $44.1 million above the general revenue forecast. Shelnutt, the state economist, said he expects the cushion to be gone by the end of the month.
TOP STORY >> Produce stand rejected by city
By JONATHAN FELDMAN
Leader staff writer
Sam Adams, 79, is in poor health. He suffered a stroke this year and is now in a wheelchair.
His son Doug’s teenaged granddaughter was murdered in Jacksonville last August during what police described as a carjacking gone wrong. His home burned down in January.
Doug owned the Jacksonville Fitness Center before the city decided to close the Graham Road railroad crossing, which put him out of business, he said.
For the Adams family, it’s been one struggle after another. But despite the personal tragedies and the business setbacks, the men say they have not given up on Jacksonville. They recently tried to set up a vegetable stand called Hard Times Produce on John Harden Drive.
But the city shot them down because of a little-known ordinance that forbids produce stands from doing business in Jacksonville outside of a downtown farmers market area that has yet to attract many vendors. It is supposed to be open just Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Sam can’t get around like he used to. A trek to downtown three days a week would be too hard on him, he said.
“We thought getting a $50 permit would be our smallest hurdle,” Doug said.
The men bought a walk-in refrigerator for $2,000 and a truck trailer for $1,500. They assumed that their business was set to take off, thinking a variety of fresh Arkansas fruits and vegetables would be appreciated by area residents.
Sam and Doug wanted to set up shop at a more convenient location, the Absolute Medical parking lot on John Harden Drive near James Street, which is just steps from the Adams’ front door.
Absolute Medical was happy to let them sell their produce for as long as they wanted, they said. “Absolute Medical and Liberty Tires (another area business) thought it would bring them more business, and it would be stronger here for us than Main Street,” Doug said.
The Adams family believes it’s being driven out of town by poor decisions made by the city council. “We’re being forced to go elsewhere,” Doug said.
“We went to check out Gravel Ridge and Sherwood,” which allow vendors to set up where they like, he said.
“But we want to stay here, close to home because of my father’s disability,” Doug said.
The city’s farmers market ordinance was an initiative of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce to bring some new life to the city’s downtown, according to City Manager Jay Whisker.
Sam Adams has been selling produce in town for more than 10 years. After he retired from the railroad, he became a fixture at the old Jacksonville Fitness Center on North First Street and sold produce out front. Business went flat at the gym and the produce stand.
“We were put out of business when the crossing closed. We dropped 70 percent in sales. We had 20 employees and went down to just four,” Doug said of his fitness center after the city blockaded the Graham Road crossing.
Because traffic dropped near the gym, he says customers had trouble getting to it and it was forced to close.
“There’s nothing left there,” Doug said.
Other businesses were forced to shut down after the street closing. The bait shop, the gas station, the Laundromat and a restaurant have all vanished from the area, leaving plenty of boarded up windows behind. They suspect that the farmers market ordinance is similar to the decision to close the crossing: another well-intentioned but poorly conceived plan that hurts small-business owners.
“They shut vendors down first and didn’t provide us a market place,” Doug said.
The city plans to build a permanent farmers market next to the community center, but the men were told that it would take at least another year before it would open.
The temporary market on Main Street, across from the new library, has had little support so far, which is another reason why they want to open Hard Times Produce along John Harden Drive.
“The ordinance was set up so we could have a location for a farmers market,” Whisker said. Reconsidering the ordinance will be “up to the new mayor,” he said.
Recently, the Adamses met with Mayor Tommy Swaim. Doug pushed his father in his wheelchair down to city hall. On the way, Sam fell out of his wheelchair and injured his arm, but they managed to make their appointment.
They say Swaim told them that an exception to the ordinance wouldn’t be fair and that changing the ordinance would take at least a month. The mayor told them to go to the farmers market on Main Street three times a week.
Sam Adams brushed himself off and asked the mayor, “How can a business profit working three days a week?”
He hopes that mayor-elect Gary Fletcher will throw out the farmers market ordinance when he takes office at the end of the month.
For now, they just hope that Hard Times Produce will soon see better days and remain in Jacksonville, despite the hard times.
Leader staff writer
Sam Adams, 79, is in poor health. He suffered a stroke this year and is now in a wheelchair.
His son Doug’s teenaged granddaughter was murdered in Jacksonville last August during what police described as a carjacking gone wrong. His home burned down in January.
Doug owned the Jacksonville Fitness Center before the city decided to close the Graham Road railroad crossing, which put him out of business, he said.
For the Adams family, it’s been one struggle after another. But despite the personal tragedies and the business setbacks, the men say they have not given up on Jacksonville. They recently tried to set up a vegetable stand called Hard Times Produce on John Harden Drive.
But the city shot them down because of a little-known ordinance that forbids produce stands from doing business in Jacksonville outside of a downtown farmers market area that has yet to attract many vendors. It is supposed to be open just Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Sam can’t get around like he used to. A trek to downtown three days a week would be too hard on him, he said.
“We thought getting a $50 permit would be our smallest hurdle,” Doug said.
The men bought a walk-in refrigerator for $2,000 and a truck trailer for $1,500. They assumed that their business was set to take off, thinking a variety of fresh Arkansas fruits and vegetables would be appreciated by area residents.
Sam and Doug wanted to set up shop at a more convenient location, the Absolute Medical parking lot on John Harden Drive near James Street, which is just steps from the Adams’ front door.
Absolute Medical was happy to let them sell their produce for as long as they wanted, they said. “Absolute Medical and Liberty Tires (another area business) thought it would bring them more business, and it would be stronger here for us than Main Street,” Doug said.
The Adams family believes it’s being driven out of town by poor decisions made by the city council. “We’re being forced to go elsewhere,” Doug said.
“We went to check out Gravel Ridge and Sherwood,” which allow vendors to set up where they like, he said.
“But we want to stay here, close to home because of my father’s disability,” Doug said.
The city’s farmers market ordinance was an initiative of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce to bring some new life to the city’s downtown, according to City Manager Jay Whisker.
Sam Adams has been selling produce in town for more than 10 years. After he retired from the railroad, he became a fixture at the old Jacksonville Fitness Center on North First Street and sold produce out front. Business went flat at the gym and the produce stand.
“We were put out of business when the crossing closed. We dropped 70 percent in sales. We had 20 employees and went down to just four,” Doug said of his fitness center after the city blockaded the Graham Road crossing.
Because traffic dropped near the gym, he says customers had trouble getting to it and it was forced to close.
“There’s nothing left there,” Doug said.
Other businesses were forced to shut down after the street closing. The bait shop, the gas station, the Laundromat and a restaurant have all vanished from the area, leaving plenty of boarded up windows behind. They suspect that the farmers market ordinance is similar to the decision to close the crossing: another well-intentioned but poorly conceived plan that hurts small-business owners.
“They shut vendors down first and didn’t provide us a market place,” Doug said.
The city plans to build a permanent farmers market next to the community center, but the men were told that it would take at least another year before it would open.
The temporary market on Main Street, across from the new library, has had little support so far, which is another reason why they want to open Hard Times Produce along John Harden Drive.
“The ordinance was set up so we could have a location for a farmers market,” Whisker said. Reconsidering the ordinance will be “up to the new mayor,” he said.
Recently, the Adamses met with Mayor Tommy Swaim. Doug pushed his father in his wheelchair down to city hall. On the way, Sam fell out of his wheelchair and injured his arm, but they managed to make their appointment.
They say Swaim told them that an exception to the ordinance wouldn’t be fair and that changing the ordinance would take at least a month. The mayor told them to go to the farmers market on Main Street three times a week.
Sam Adams brushed himself off and asked the mayor, “How can a business profit working three days a week?”
He hopes that mayor-elect Gary Fletcher will throw out the farmers market ordinance when he takes office at the end of the month.
For now, they just hope that Hard Times Produce will soon see better days and remain in Jacksonville, despite the hard times.
TOP STORY >> Storms slam area
By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
The storm came suddenly, as it usually does in Arkansas.
Many residents along Ballard Road just north of Cabot on Hwy. 5 were surprised by the power of Friday afternoon’s storm. The forceful winds — some at tornado strength — toppled giant pines and oaks onto roads, homes and a car.
Neighbors came out with chainsaws and tractors removing trees and limbs to make the roads passable. Electric lines were snapped, snaking along the ground. Residents were unsure when the power would be back on.
Chris Bryan, 16, of 2445 Ballard Road had just gotten home when the storm hit.
“I heard on the radio there was a storm. I went to unlock the door to let the dog out. There were sheets of rain. The wind picked up and debris went flying by the window. I heard a snap and a tree fell in the front yard. It took about 30 seconds,” he said.
Aaron Willis, 21, of 104 Lila Loop was in the next room of his house making a grocery list with his brother Josh, when a tree fell through his bedroom.
“The sirens never came on. It turned green outside. It was calm and then became really windy. The front door blew into the trailer. I heard a boom and the tree went through the bedroom,” Willis said.
Dana and Scott Holland of 302 Red Bird Lane had a tree smash into their home through the rock chimney.
Before the storm hit, Dana was called by her cousin Joey Sullivan about the approaching storms. Dana Holland and her 7-week-old son, Michael, went to Sullivan’s home to ride out the storm. They have lived in the home for three years. Scott Holland said he recently put new siding on the home.
The house was still creaking with the weight of the tree.
Dana Holland said, “I’m just speechless. I’m thankful my daughter was at Grandmother’s. I’m thankful everyone is safe. I can’t believe this. If I was sitting in the recliner near the fireplace, I don’t want to think where I would’ve been.”
While surveying the damage, Scott Holland said, “I am glad my wife and 7-week old son got out before the storm hit.”
Leader staff writer
The storm came suddenly, as it usually does in Arkansas.
Many residents along Ballard Road just north of Cabot on Hwy. 5 were surprised by the power of Friday afternoon’s storm. The forceful winds — some at tornado strength — toppled giant pines and oaks onto roads, homes and a car.
Neighbors came out with chainsaws and tractors removing trees and limbs to make the roads passable. Electric lines were snapped, snaking along the ground. Residents were unsure when the power would be back on.
Chris Bryan, 16, of 2445 Ballard Road had just gotten home when the storm hit.
“I heard on the radio there was a storm. I went to unlock the door to let the dog out. There were sheets of rain. The wind picked up and debris went flying by the window. I heard a snap and a tree fell in the front yard. It took about 30 seconds,” he said.
Aaron Willis, 21, of 104 Lila Loop was in the next room of his house making a grocery list with his brother Josh, when a tree fell through his bedroom.
“The sirens never came on. It turned green outside. It was calm and then became really windy. The front door blew into the trailer. I heard a boom and the tree went through the bedroom,” Willis said.
Dana and Scott Holland of 302 Red Bird Lane had a tree smash into their home through the rock chimney.
Before the storm hit, Dana was called by her cousin Joey Sullivan about the approaching storms. Dana Holland and her 7-week-old son, Michael, went to Sullivan’s home to ride out the storm. They have lived in the home for three years. Scott Holland said he recently put new siding on the home.
The house was still creaking with the weight of the tree.
Dana Holland said, “I’m just speechless. I’m thankful my daughter was at Grandmother’s. I’m thankful everyone is safe. I can’t believe this. If I was sitting in the recliner near the fireplace, I don’t want to think where I would’ve been.”
While surveying the damage, Scott Holland said, “I am glad my wife and 7-week old son got out before the storm hit.”
EDITORIAL >> The killers among us
Four obscure men whose lives and ideologies could hardly be matched in greater contrast have earned the nation’s horrified attention in a space of weeks by murdering people who had done them no harm and then claiming their deeds as acts of righteousness. Each murder was an individual act, and no fact that has come to light links any two of them in common cause or to any other confederates. They were what the national security services call “lone wolves,” people driven by private demons to settle scores on behalf of good people everywhere.
A young man who grew up in the Baptist faith in Tennessee but who as a restless college student settled on Islam as the true faith shot two young soldiers outside a recruiting office at Little Rock last week, killing one of them and leaving for dead a Jacksonville man who had recently volunteered to serve his country. The killer said he shot the men and planned to kill others because the U. S. government was killing and oppressing Muslims in other lands although neither of the soldiers he picked as victims had ever fired a shot in anger or exhibited even the slightest ethnic or religious antipathy toward people of the Middle East.
In Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, a young man who was obsessed with rumors circulated during the campaign last year that President Obama would some day try to take away people’s guns holed up in his house with an arsenal of weapons and shot three policemen to death and wounded two others in the belief that he was defending the right of Americans to keep and bear arms.
In Kansas City, a man who considered abortion to be murder gunned down a doctor who performed late-term abortions as the doctor was ushering Sunday morning at his church. The doctor had often been pilloried as a “baby killer” on network shows. The killer believed he was doing God’s work and his patriotic duty.
Finally, a man who had harbored a hatred of blacks and Jews for a lifetime took up his shotgun at the age of 88 and attacked the security guards at the National Holocaust Museum on the Capitol Mall in Washington, killing one of them.
Each was an independent act of a man who had lost his senses, but could they all be related in some abstruse way, and are we headed for even darker days? A few days before the Pittsburgh killings, an internal analysis for the Department of Homeland Security detected a surge of extremism in the land, the same kind that greeted the election of President Bill Clinton in 1992 and that was followed the next year by the first big terrorist attacks on American soil, the first attack on the World Trade Center, the Oklahoma City bombing and smaller violent acts of defiance.
Let us hope that these senseless murders are indeed isolated and their remarkable timing now only coincidence. Our long history is replete with occasional similar martyrs for lost causes. But we confess to some apprehension. There is abroad in the land a growing sense that the troubled times are a nefarious plot by unseen forces — and maybe seen ones as well — and that we have guns not merely for self protection and hunting but as a way to fight off these forces, even if it is our own government. It is the one idea that connects all the acts of this spring.
Our deeply divisive and increasingly desperate politics propels us in that direction. It has become standard rhetoric to accuse the president and his party of secretly speeding the country toward an alien form of governance, which must be stopped at any cost. The “tea parties” organized across the country to raise awareness of the black president’s secret socialist agenda are only one manifestation.
Monday, the organizers will hold a big rally in Little Rock’s River Market. One of the speakers is a firebrand who gained fame on Fox Network commentary. He suggests that the people running the country are traitors and that the “silent majority” must take back their country right away. Then there is the Southern Baptist preacher from Arkansas who has gained a following in California by praying for President Obama’s death. He says God wants the president dead before he can do any further harm and calls for imprecatory prayers for the deed to be quickly accomplished. We know now that there are far too many demented men willing and wanting to be the heroes for the cause of righteousness, whatever it is, and martyred heroes if it comes to that.
What we need are prayers of a different sort, that sanity and the better angels looking over our country will prevail.
A young man who grew up in the Baptist faith in Tennessee but who as a restless college student settled on Islam as the true faith shot two young soldiers outside a recruiting office at Little Rock last week, killing one of them and leaving for dead a Jacksonville man who had recently volunteered to serve his country. The killer said he shot the men and planned to kill others because the U. S. government was killing and oppressing Muslims in other lands although neither of the soldiers he picked as victims had ever fired a shot in anger or exhibited even the slightest ethnic or religious antipathy toward people of the Middle East.
In Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, a young man who was obsessed with rumors circulated during the campaign last year that President Obama would some day try to take away people’s guns holed up in his house with an arsenal of weapons and shot three policemen to death and wounded two others in the belief that he was defending the right of Americans to keep and bear arms.
In Kansas City, a man who considered abortion to be murder gunned down a doctor who performed late-term abortions as the doctor was ushering Sunday morning at his church. The doctor had often been pilloried as a “baby killer” on network shows. The killer believed he was doing God’s work and his patriotic duty.
Finally, a man who had harbored a hatred of blacks and Jews for a lifetime took up his shotgun at the age of 88 and attacked the security guards at the National Holocaust Museum on the Capitol Mall in Washington, killing one of them.
Each was an independent act of a man who had lost his senses, but could they all be related in some abstruse way, and are we headed for even darker days? A few days before the Pittsburgh killings, an internal analysis for the Department of Homeland Security detected a surge of extremism in the land, the same kind that greeted the election of President Bill Clinton in 1992 and that was followed the next year by the first big terrorist attacks on American soil, the first attack on the World Trade Center, the Oklahoma City bombing and smaller violent acts of defiance.
Let us hope that these senseless murders are indeed isolated and their remarkable timing now only coincidence. Our long history is replete with occasional similar martyrs for lost causes. But we confess to some apprehension. There is abroad in the land a growing sense that the troubled times are a nefarious plot by unseen forces — and maybe seen ones as well — and that we have guns not merely for self protection and hunting but as a way to fight off these forces, even if it is our own government. It is the one idea that connects all the acts of this spring.
Our deeply divisive and increasingly desperate politics propels us in that direction. It has become standard rhetoric to accuse the president and his party of secretly speeding the country toward an alien form of governance, which must be stopped at any cost. The “tea parties” organized across the country to raise awareness of the black president’s secret socialist agenda are only one manifestation.
Monday, the organizers will hold a big rally in Little Rock’s River Market. One of the speakers is a firebrand who gained fame on Fox Network commentary. He suggests that the people running the country are traitors and that the “silent majority” must take back their country right away. Then there is the Southern Baptist preacher from Arkansas who has gained a following in California by praying for President Obama’s death. He says God wants the president dead before he can do any further harm and calls for imprecatory prayers for the deed to be quickly accomplished. We know now that there are far too many demented men willing and wanting to be the heroes for the cause of righteousness, whatever it is, and martyred heroes if it comes to that.
What we need are prayers of a different sort, that sanity and the better angels looking over our country will prevail.
Friday, June 12, 2009
SPORTS >> Benton makes it two straight
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Colby Benton just concluded a pretty good week of golf.
The Cabot sophomore followed his Bruce Jenkins Memorial victory on Wednesday with the Burns Park Junior Stroke Play championship on Friday to move up near the top of the player of the year points standings.
Benton shot a three-under 68 on Thursday to surge to a five-stroke lead over fellow Cabot resident Hunter Smith, but found birdies to be few and far between on Friday and shot 74. That was good enough for a two-stroke win over Harrison’s Dylan Lovell. Smith finished in a tie for fourth after shooting 73-76 — 149.
Beebe’s Travis Weeks also finished at 149. Winston Sizemore of Pine Bluff shot a 75-73 to claim third.
“(Thursday) I hit 15 greens and hit the ball really well,” said Benton. “But today, my swing was a little off. I got off to a rough start. I had a bunch of birdies yesterday, but didn’t have many today.”
While the points for the ASGA juniors had not been updated as of press time on Friday, Benton and Smith, who entered the week atop the points totals, were both near the top in the player of the year standings.
Benton found himself four over through nine holes on Friday, but recovered one of those on the back nine. Benton’s bid for birdie on the final hole was thwarted when his chip hit the flag and bounced out, forcing him to settle for par.
“These greens are really challenging,” said Benton. “They’ve got a bunch of mounds on the greens and a bunch of undulation, so they’re really hard, and it’s always a challenge out here. I misread a bunch and missed a lot of opportunities.
“I felt good going into the round, but I thought there were going to be a couple of really good scores coming to catch me. I figured I would have to shoot around even for the day to win, but fortunately it was hard for everyone today.”
Benton is the third member of the family to make a name for himself on the Arkansas golf scene. His father, Jeff, was men’s player of the year in 2007, while Nicklaus, who won junior player of the year in 2007, currently leads the ASGA men’s standings. Nicklaus won back-to-back state match-play tournaments at Foxwood Country Club in 2007 and ’08.
“Most people would think that I wouldn’t like having to live up to my brother’s name,” said Colby. “But I actually like it a lot, because it gives me something to set goals for and someone to look up to. Someone that I can just go to and talk about my golf game, and he will help me right away.
“He knows my game better than anybody, so he can always help me. I love playing with him, because he’s such a great player, and it makes me play better. He’s a great role model for me.”
There is a long way to go in the battle for junior player of the year. Thirteen tournaments are yet to be played between now and August. But it could come down to a hometown battle between Benton and Smith, who won the Greater Little Rock Junior Tournament to start the season, and the Monticello Junior Stroke on the first weekend of June by nine strokes. Smith finished second to Benton on Wednesday at the Bruce Jenkins Memorial.
“Hunter’s a great player,” said Benton. “I’ve known him since seventh grade. We’re on the (Cabot High School) golf team together, and we play together a bunch. It’s always fun playing with him because he’s such a great player and he pushes me to score better. I’m surprised he didn’t shoot under par today.”
For Smith, the missed opportunity on Day 2 left him a little down, but certainly not out for the season. Regrouping and preparing for next week’s match play tourney at Foxwood is priority one for the 16-year-old.
“I think I’m just worn out from all these tournaments,” he said. “I’m not used to walking this much. I don’t know if I’m getting worn out or my timing is getting off when I’m coming through, I haven’t figured it out yet. I have to figure out how to get back up top. I knew I was going to have to shoot under par today, but the first three holes, when I made three bogeys, I knew it was going to be hard to get back on top after that.”
Leader sportswriter
Colby Benton just concluded a pretty good week of golf.
The Cabot sophomore followed his Bruce Jenkins Memorial victory on Wednesday with the Burns Park Junior Stroke Play championship on Friday to move up near the top of the player of the year points standings.
Benton shot a three-under 68 on Thursday to surge to a five-stroke lead over fellow Cabot resident Hunter Smith, but found birdies to be few and far between on Friday and shot 74. That was good enough for a two-stroke win over Harrison’s Dylan Lovell. Smith finished in a tie for fourth after shooting 73-76 — 149.
Beebe’s Travis Weeks also finished at 149. Winston Sizemore of Pine Bluff shot a 75-73 to claim third.
“(Thursday) I hit 15 greens and hit the ball really well,” said Benton. “But today, my swing was a little off. I got off to a rough start. I had a bunch of birdies yesterday, but didn’t have many today.”
While the points for the ASGA juniors had not been updated as of press time on Friday, Benton and Smith, who entered the week atop the points totals, were both near the top in the player of the year standings.
Benton found himself four over through nine holes on Friday, but recovered one of those on the back nine. Benton’s bid for birdie on the final hole was thwarted when his chip hit the flag and bounced out, forcing him to settle for par.
“These greens are really challenging,” said Benton. “They’ve got a bunch of mounds on the greens and a bunch of undulation, so they’re really hard, and it’s always a challenge out here. I misread a bunch and missed a lot of opportunities.
“I felt good going into the round, but I thought there were going to be a couple of really good scores coming to catch me. I figured I would have to shoot around even for the day to win, but fortunately it was hard for everyone today.”
Benton is the third member of the family to make a name for himself on the Arkansas golf scene. His father, Jeff, was men’s player of the year in 2007, while Nicklaus, who won junior player of the year in 2007, currently leads the ASGA men’s standings. Nicklaus won back-to-back state match-play tournaments at Foxwood Country Club in 2007 and ’08.
“Most people would think that I wouldn’t like having to live up to my brother’s name,” said Colby. “But I actually like it a lot, because it gives me something to set goals for and someone to look up to. Someone that I can just go to and talk about my golf game, and he will help me right away.
“He knows my game better than anybody, so he can always help me. I love playing with him, because he’s such a great player, and it makes me play better. He’s a great role model for me.”
There is a long way to go in the battle for junior player of the year. Thirteen tournaments are yet to be played between now and August. But it could come down to a hometown battle between Benton and Smith, who won the Greater Little Rock Junior Tournament to start the season, and the Monticello Junior Stroke on the first weekend of June by nine strokes. Smith finished second to Benton on Wednesday at the Bruce Jenkins Memorial.
“Hunter’s a great player,” said Benton. “I’ve known him since seventh grade. We’re on the (Cabot High School) golf team together, and we play together a bunch. It’s always fun playing with him because he’s such a great player and he pushes me to score better. I’m surprised he didn’t shoot under par today.”
For Smith, the missed opportunity on Day 2 left him a little down, but certainly not out for the season. Regrouping and preparing for next week’s match play tourney at Foxwood is priority one for the 16-year-old.
“I think I’m just worn out from all these tournaments,” he said. “I’m not used to walking this much. I don’t know if I’m getting worn out or my timing is getting off when I’m coming through, I haven’t figured it out yet. I have to figure out how to get back up top. I knew I was going to have to shoot under par today, but the first three holes, when I made three bogeys, I knew it was going to be hard to get back on top after that.”
SPORTS >> Eller outduels Nicholson as Bruins survive
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
The way Nathan Eller was pitching on Tuesday night, the very last thing Cabot needed to do was extend Sylvan Hills Optimist Club any charity.
But extend it Cabot Centennial Bank did in the form of five errors — four in one inning — and by popping into a game-ending double play on a safety squeeze attempt with the tying run at third base in the seventh Eller took care of the rest, winning a pitcher’s duel with Cabot’s Cole Nicholson as the senior Bruins escaped with a 4-3 win at Conrade Wade Field. Eller fanned nine and allowed just six hits and two earned runs, while Nicholson was the tough-luck loser despite striking out 13 and also giving up just six hits and two earned runs.
Eller was cruising along after pitching out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the fourth, allowing only a walk and a single over the next two innings. Though he carried a 4-1 lead and a three-hitter into the seventh, he ran into immediate trouble when
Tyler Erickson and Brandon Surdam began the inning with base hits.
Joe Bryant drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out. Erickson scored when Andrew Reynolds grounded out to first base and Drew Burks laced a sharp single into left center to score Surdam. Centennial Bank head coach Jay Darr held Bryant at third as Cabot narrowed the lead to 4-3 and had runners at the corners with one out.
But Sam Bates, attempting a safety squeeze, popped the ball up. Eller caught the ball a few feet down the first base line, then threw to first just in time to double up Burks and end the ball game.
After retiring the first six Cabot batters, Eller issued a walk to Ty Steele leading off third. Erickson was safe on a grounder to third when the throw went off first baseman Gino Jameson’s glove and down the right field line. Steele made it all the way to third base, then scored on a rundown when third baseman Jordan Spears’ throw home bounced off Steele’s helmet.
Nicholson was in firm control and that 1-0 lead had to seem a lot larger to the Sylvan Hills hitters, who managed just three hits while striking out eight times over the first four innings. The Bruins actually had scoring opportunities in the first, second and fourth innings when they stranded five runners — four in scoring position.
Centennial Bank had a chance to punch the game wide open when Burks and Bates singled and Matt Turner was hit with a pitch to load the bases with no outs in the fourth. But Eller got a pair of strikeouts and a popout and the score remained 1-0.
Nicholson struck out the first two batters in the fifth before Tyler Van Schoyck doubled down the left field line and Hunter Miller, who had continued an early-season slump with a strikeout and a pop out in his first two appearances, belted a towering two-run home run down the line in left to stake Optimist Club to a 2-1 lead.
The bottom fell out defensively for Cabot in the sixth. After Spears lined a leadoff single, Korey Arnold’s grounder was misplayed for an error and Nathan Eller reached on an error to load the bases. It appeared Nicholson might escape the jam when he got a strikeout and a pop up. But Casey Ceratto reached on an error, which was compounded by a wild throw to the plate as Spears and Arnold came across to make it 4-1.
Eller pitched around a leadoff walk to Surdam in the fifth and a leadoff single by Bates in the sixth.
Spears had two of Sylvan Hills’ six hits, while Burks and Bates had two hits each for Centennial Bank.
JUNIOR OPTIMIST CLUB 5,
CENTENNIAL BANK 3
Three unearned runs in the third inning allowed the junior Bruins to rally from a 3-0 deficit for a victory.
A potential inning-ending double play ground ball was bobbled and Trey Sims followed with a two-run double to left center to narrow Cabot’s lead to 3-2. One out later, after a walk to Blake Rasdon, Austin Spears delivered the critical blow with a two-run, go-ahead double to left. Sims added an RBI double in the fourth to set the final margin.
Cabot had its chances against Spears, who went the 5-inning distance for the win. The Bruins committed five errors but it lead to no unearned runs. Centennial Bank failed to take advantage of back-to-back two-out errors in the third, a throwing error in the fourth and two errors that allowed the first two batters to reach in the fifth.
The game ended with the tying runs at second and third when Jacob Luckett lined out to shortstop Will Carter.
Cabot parlayed singles by Surdam, Tyler Cole and Tyler Carter and a groundout by Justin Goff into two runs in the first inning. Luckett opened the second with a single but was gunned down trying to steal by catcher Lance Hunter.
Jordan Lyons walked, went to third on Taylor Barnhill’s double and scored on Zach Uhiren’s ground out to give Cabot a 3-0 lead.
Centennial Bank starter and loser Daniel Fox allowed only two hits over 2 2/3 innings, but three of the four runs he allowed were unearned. He fanned three, walked two and hit a batter.
Chad Wisely came on in relief and gave up a run and a hit while striking out one in 1 1/3 innings. Jeff Brown pitched the final inning, striking out two and allowing a hit.
Spears surrendered five hits and three earned runs, while striking out three and walking two. Sims led Sylvan Hills with two hits and three RBI and Spears added a single, a double and two RBI.
Centennial Bank out-hit Optimist Club 5-4.
Leader sports editor
The way Nathan Eller was pitching on Tuesday night, the very last thing Cabot needed to do was extend Sylvan Hills Optimist Club any charity.
But extend it Cabot Centennial Bank did in the form of five errors — four in one inning — and by popping into a game-ending double play on a safety squeeze attempt with the tying run at third base in the seventh Eller took care of the rest, winning a pitcher’s duel with Cabot’s Cole Nicholson as the senior Bruins escaped with a 4-3 win at Conrade Wade Field. Eller fanned nine and allowed just six hits and two earned runs, while Nicholson was the tough-luck loser despite striking out 13 and also giving up just six hits and two earned runs.
Eller was cruising along after pitching out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the fourth, allowing only a walk and a single over the next two innings. Though he carried a 4-1 lead and a three-hitter into the seventh, he ran into immediate trouble when
Tyler Erickson and Brandon Surdam began the inning with base hits.
Joe Bryant drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out. Erickson scored when Andrew Reynolds grounded out to first base and Drew Burks laced a sharp single into left center to score Surdam. Centennial Bank head coach Jay Darr held Bryant at third as Cabot narrowed the lead to 4-3 and had runners at the corners with one out.
But Sam Bates, attempting a safety squeeze, popped the ball up. Eller caught the ball a few feet down the first base line, then threw to first just in time to double up Burks and end the ball game.
After retiring the first six Cabot batters, Eller issued a walk to Ty Steele leading off third. Erickson was safe on a grounder to third when the throw went off first baseman Gino Jameson’s glove and down the right field line. Steele made it all the way to third base, then scored on a rundown when third baseman Jordan Spears’ throw home bounced off Steele’s helmet.
Nicholson was in firm control and that 1-0 lead had to seem a lot larger to the Sylvan Hills hitters, who managed just three hits while striking out eight times over the first four innings. The Bruins actually had scoring opportunities in the first, second and fourth innings when they stranded five runners — four in scoring position.
Centennial Bank had a chance to punch the game wide open when Burks and Bates singled and Matt Turner was hit with a pitch to load the bases with no outs in the fourth. But Eller got a pair of strikeouts and a popout and the score remained 1-0.
Nicholson struck out the first two batters in the fifth before Tyler Van Schoyck doubled down the left field line and Hunter Miller, who had continued an early-season slump with a strikeout and a pop out in his first two appearances, belted a towering two-run home run down the line in left to stake Optimist Club to a 2-1 lead.
The bottom fell out defensively for Cabot in the sixth. After Spears lined a leadoff single, Korey Arnold’s grounder was misplayed for an error and Nathan Eller reached on an error to load the bases. It appeared Nicholson might escape the jam when he got a strikeout and a pop up. But Casey Ceratto reached on an error, which was compounded by a wild throw to the plate as Spears and Arnold came across to make it 4-1.
Eller pitched around a leadoff walk to Surdam in the fifth and a leadoff single by Bates in the sixth.
Spears had two of Sylvan Hills’ six hits, while Burks and Bates had two hits each for Centennial Bank.
JUNIOR OPTIMIST CLUB 5,
CENTENNIAL BANK 3
Three unearned runs in the third inning allowed the junior Bruins to rally from a 3-0 deficit for a victory.
A potential inning-ending double play ground ball was bobbled and Trey Sims followed with a two-run double to left center to narrow Cabot’s lead to 3-2. One out later, after a walk to Blake Rasdon, Austin Spears delivered the critical blow with a two-run, go-ahead double to left. Sims added an RBI double in the fourth to set the final margin.
Cabot had its chances against Spears, who went the 5-inning distance for the win. The Bruins committed five errors but it lead to no unearned runs. Centennial Bank failed to take advantage of back-to-back two-out errors in the third, a throwing error in the fourth and two errors that allowed the first two batters to reach in the fifth.
The game ended with the tying runs at second and third when Jacob Luckett lined out to shortstop Will Carter.
Cabot parlayed singles by Surdam, Tyler Cole and Tyler Carter and a groundout by Justin Goff into two runs in the first inning. Luckett opened the second with a single but was gunned down trying to steal by catcher Lance Hunter.
Jordan Lyons walked, went to third on Taylor Barnhill’s double and scored on Zach Uhiren’s ground out to give Cabot a 3-0 lead.
Centennial Bank starter and loser Daniel Fox allowed only two hits over 2 2/3 innings, but three of the four runs he allowed were unearned. He fanned three, walked two and hit a batter.
Chad Wisely came on in relief and gave up a run and a hit while striking out one in 1 1/3 innings. Jeff Brown pitched the final inning, striking out two and allowing a hit.
Spears surrendered five hits and three earned runs, while striking out three and walking two. Sims led Sylvan Hills with two hits and three RBI and Spears added a single, a double and two RBI.
Centennial Bank out-hit Optimist Club 5-4.
SPORTS >> Chevy Boys’ miscues too much to overcome
By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Errors proved costly for Gwatney Chevrolet on Thursday.
Sylvan Hills cashed in on four unearned runs on its way to a 6-3 win over the Chevy Boys at Dupree Park in an American Legion junior-senior twin bill. Hunter Miller got the win for the Bruins (7-3) with a complete game, five-hit performance on the mound.
Mike Harmon also went the distance for Jacksonville (1-6) and gave up six hits, but it was the defense behind each of the hurlers that made the difference, including bobbles from some of Gwatney’s most proven players.
Jacksonville shortstop Terrell Brown had the biggest hit of the game with a solo home run that easily cleared the left-center wall to lead off the top of the fifth inning. That pulled the Chevy Boys to within 4-3, but six fielding errors by the Gwatney defense, three of which drove in runs and two more that led to scores, were more than enough for Sylvan Hills to claim its second win over the Chevy Boys this summer.
Sylvan Hills got the first of its two late insurance scores in the top of the sixth when Ty Van Schoyck singled in Evan Nally to make it 5-3, while another pair of errors by Jacksonville in the top of the seventh allowed Korey Arnold to score.
Van Schoyck scored first for the Bruins in the top of the first when he doubled and was driven in when Gino Jameson’s fly ball to left was misplayed.
Gwatney cashed in on the only Sylvan Hills error of the game in the bottom of the second. Tyler Wisdom reached on a walk, and a throwing error on a bunt by Harmon allowed him to come all the way around to tie it at 1-1. Harmon then scored on a single by Devon McClure to give the C hevy Boys their only lead of the game at 2-1.
Nathan Eller doubled in the top of the fourth to set up the next score for Sylvan Hills. Lance Hunter drove him in on single before scoring on a double steal to reclaim the lead for the Bruins at 3-2.
Lock then reached on an error in the fifth, and a single by Eller brought him in to make it 4-2 Sylvan Hills.
Eller was 3 of 3 for Sylvan Hills with a double and an RBI.
SYLVAN HILLS JUNIORS 10,
GWATNEY CHEVROLET 5
Bruins pitcher Justin Cook was working on a no-hitter through three innings before the Chevy Boys’ bats finally came alive in the bottom of the fourth, but Sylvan Hills was able to hang on thanks to its seven runs through the first two frames.
Jacksonville pitcher Jesse Harbin was the first of three to take the mound for Gwatney, giving way to Zach Traylor in the top of the third, who was relieved by Devone McClure in the fifth and final inning.
Cook earned the win, as Michael Lock came on in relief to close the game in the fifth.
Austin Spears went 2 of 3 with three RBI for the Bruins, including a single up the middle in the top of the first that scored Trey Sims and Blake Rasdon to put Sylvan Hills up 3-0.
Lock was 2 of 3 with two RBI, while Sims was 2 of 3 with three runs. Rasdon finished 2 of 4 with two runs.
Patrick Castleberry led Gwatney, going 2 of 3 with two RBI and two runs. Cook gave up three hits while fanning eight to pick up the win for Sylvan Hills.
Leader sportswriter
Errors proved costly for Gwatney Chevrolet on Thursday.
Sylvan Hills cashed in on four unearned runs on its way to a 6-3 win over the Chevy Boys at Dupree Park in an American Legion junior-senior twin bill. Hunter Miller got the win for the Bruins (7-3) with a complete game, five-hit performance on the mound.
Mike Harmon also went the distance for Jacksonville (1-6) and gave up six hits, but it was the defense behind each of the hurlers that made the difference, including bobbles from some of Gwatney’s most proven players.
Jacksonville shortstop Terrell Brown had the biggest hit of the game with a solo home run that easily cleared the left-center wall to lead off the top of the fifth inning. That pulled the Chevy Boys to within 4-3, but six fielding errors by the Gwatney defense, three of which drove in runs and two more that led to scores, were more than enough for Sylvan Hills to claim its second win over the Chevy Boys this summer.
Sylvan Hills got the first of its two late insurance scores in the top of the sixth when Ty Van Schoyck singled in Evan Nally to make it 5-3, while another pair of errors by Jacksonville in the top of the seventh allowed Korey Arnold to score.
Van Schoyck scored first for the Bruins in the top of the first when he doubled and was driven in when Gino Jameson’s fly ball to left was misplayed.
Gwatney cashed in on the only Sylvan Hills error of the game in the bottom of the second. Tyler Wisdom reached on a walk, and a throwing error on a bunt by Harmon allowed him to come all the way around to tie it at 1-1. Harmon then scored on a single by Devon McClure to give the C hevy Boys their only lead of the game at 2-1.
Nathan Eller doubled in the top of the fourth to set up the next score for Sylvan Hills. Lance Hunter drove him in on single before scoring on a double steal to reclaim the lead for the Bruins at 3-2.
Lock then reached on an error in the fifth, and a single by Eller brought him in to make it 4-2 Sylvan Hills.
Eller was 3 of 3 for Sylvan Hills with a double and an RBI.
SYLVAN HILLS JUNIORS 10,
GWATNEY CHEVROLET 5
Bruins pitcher Justin Cook was working on a no-hitter through three innings before the Chevy Boys’ bats finally came alive in the bottom of the fourth, but Sylvan Hills was able to hang on thanks to its seven runs through the first two frames.
Jacksonville pitcher Jesse Harbin was the first of three to take the mound for Gwatney, giving way to Zach Traylor in the top of the third, who was relieved by Devone McClure in the fifth and final inning.
Cook earned the win, as Michael Lock came on in relief to close the game in the fifth.
Austin Spears went 2 of 3 with three RBI for the Bruins, including a single up the middle in the top of the first that scored Trey Sims and Blake Rasdon to put Sylvan Hills up 3-0.
Lock was 2 of 3 with two RBI, while Sims was 2 of 3 with three runs. Rasdon finished 2 of 4 with two runs.
Patrick Castleberry led Gwatney, going 2 of 3 with two RBI and two runs. Cook gave up three hits while fanning eight to pick up the win for Sylvan Hills.
SPORTS >> Tolliver taken in fifth round
By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
Depending on how negotiations go over the next few days, the next phase of young Ashur Tolliver’s baseball career could begin as early as next week.
Tolliver, the fireballing lefthander out of Sylvan Hills, was drafted in the fifth round on Wednesday by the Baltimore Orioles.
“People were asking me, ‘Who do you want to get drafted by?’” said Tolliver, who just concluded a 10-1 season at Oklahoma City University. “I just told them whoever would get me the best opportunity and whoever appreciated my talent. I liked the
Cardinals growing up as a kid, but it really didn’t matter who took me.”
Assuming the Orioles and Tolliver and his agent, Darek Braunecker, can come to terms, the next step for Tolliver would be a stint at Aberdeen (Md.) in the New York-Penn Short Season League, which begins June 19. But Tolliver said that negotiations could take some time.
The news was not so good for fellow Sylvan Hills alum D.J. Baxendale, who was not drafted last week. That news came as a surprise to Denny Tipton, his high school coach.
“I try to stay out of that kind of stuff, but, yeah, I was shocked,” said Tipton, whose Bears won the 5A state title in 2008 with Baxendale anchoring the staff. “Numerous people had told me they wanted him. But he’s a very mature kid. I’ve talked to him and he’s doing fine.”
Baxendale, who has signed with the University of Arkansas, compiled an ERA of .30 this past season. Because of the rule that says a Division I signee must play through his junior year once he puts on a uniform, Tipton was pretty certain Baxendale would have opted to play pro ball if he’d been drafted high enough.
“He’s ready, no doubt about it,” Tipton said. “In high school, he was the best I ever had. I think he’ll be a main starter at the U of A next year. He’ll be a conference starter.”
Tolliver took a chance a year ago when he decided to transfer from Division I Arkansas-Little Rock to NAIA Oklahoma City University after Trojan head coach Jim Lawler announced his resignation at the end of the 2008 season. Lawler was the reason Tolliver chose UALR after posting an 18-2 record and an ERA of right around 1.00 over his final two seasons at Sylvan Hills.
“Coach Lawler was a pitching guy,” Tolliver said. “For a small pitcher who had some developing to do, he was a great guy for me.”
Tolliver struggled in his two seasons at UALR, posting an 8-10 record. His 4.45 ERA as a freshman ballooned to 7.94 in his junior season.
“He had a pretty good freshman year at UALR, but he got off to a bad start his sophomore year,” Tipton said. “He never felt comfortable, and for a pitcher, that’s especially important. And then UALR never gave him any run support so he was going out there thinking he had to shut people out.
“But he threw well at Cape Cod and got his groove back and got back in rhythm. It was the best decision he ever made (to go to OCU). It gave him a fresh start.”
Tolliver became aware of OCU’s successful baseball program both through Lawler, who was a friend of OCU assistant coach Keith Lytle, and via his teammates on the Harrisonburg Turks, the summer league club Tolliver played for after his freshman season at UALR.
Tolliver developed some good friendships with his fellow Turks, several of whom played college ball at OCU. They stayed in touch and convinced him to make the move. After a rough sophomore season and Lawler’s resignation, Tolliver made his decision.
“I knew I didn’t want to sit out a year which I would have had to do if I’d transferred (to another Division I school),” Tolliver said. “Coach Lawler talked to me about OCU and I knew they put up ridiculous numbers offensively and had really good records.”
Tolliver said going to an NAIA school might have cost him some of the exposure he was looking for, but OCU was not just any NAIA school. Lawler and Lytle convinced him that, scout-wise, there would be plenty of exposure for Tolliver. Five OCU Stars were drafted in 2007; six were taken in 2004.
Tolliver’s 10-1 record and his 89 strikeouts to 17 walks over 75 innings helped lead the Stars to the NAIA national semifinals and earned him a second-team All-America honor.
A starter his entire life, the 6-0, 170-pound Tolliver got his first taste of relief pitching in the Cape Cod League and says he really doesn’t care if he develops into a starter or a reliever in the minor leagues.
“I love coming in with first and second, no outs and the tying run on,” he admitted. “I enjoy the pressure situations. But I love starting games, too. I can’t really say I like one more than the other.”
A lot of where he ends up — as a starter or coming out of the bullpen — depends on the development of his other pitches.
He’s been clocked in the low- to mid-90s and says the fast ball, along with his changeup, have always been his go-to pitches.
“I need to keep working on my slider,” he said. “If I can really develop a strikeout slider, I could be effective as a reliever or I could develop as a four-pitch starter.”
Tipton said that, despite his diminutive size in high school, Tolliver could still bring it at 86 or 87 miles per hour. And he said Tolliver had a “major league changeup” and spot control.
After an expected stint in the Short Season League, Tolliver is likely be sent to Baltimore’s Class A South Atlantic Delmarva Shorebirds in Maryland.
Tolliver was not only the first NAIA player selected in the draft, he was the first Arkansan taken as well, going ahead of Razorbacks Dallas Keuchel, Stephen Richards and Scott Lyons.
Leader sports editor
Depending on how negotiations go over the next few days, the next phase of young Ashur Tolliver’s baseball career could begin as early as next week.
Tolliver, the fireballing lefthander out of Sylvan Hills, was drafted in the fifth round on Wednesday by the Baltimore Orioles.
“People were asking me, ‘Who do you want to get drafted by?’” said Tolliver, who just concluded a 10-1 season at Oklahoma City University. “I just told them whoever would get me the best opportunity and whoever appreciated my talent. I liked the
Cardinals growing up as a kid, but it really didn’t matter who took me.”
Assuming the Orioles and Tolliver and his agent, Darek Braunecker, can come to terms, the next step for Tolliver would be a stint at Aberdeen (Md.) in the New York-Penn Short Season League, which begins June 19. But Tolliver said that negotiations could take some time.
The news was not so good for fellow Sylvan Hills alum D.J. Baxendale, who was not drafted last week. That news came as a surprise to Denny Tipton, his high school coach.
“I try to stay out of that kind of stuff, but, yeah, I was shocked,” said Tipton, whose Bears won the 5A state title in 2008 with Baxendale anchoring the staff. “Numerous people had told me they wanted him. But he’s a very mature kid. I’ve talked to him and he’s doing fine.”
Baxendale, who has signed with the University of Arkansas, compiled an ERA of .30 this past season. Because of the rule that says a Division I signee must play through his junior year once he puts on a uniform, Tipton was pretty certain Baxendale would have opted to play pro ball if he’d been drafted high enough.
“He’s ready, no doubt about it,” Tipton said. “In high school, he was the best I ever had. I think he’ll be a main starter at the U of A next year. He’ll be a conference starter.”
Tolliver took a chance a year ago when he decided to transfer from Division I Arkansas-Little Rock to NAIA Oklahoma City University after Trojan head coach Jim Lawler announced his resignation at the end of the 2008 season. Lawler was the reason Tolliver chose UALR after posting an 18-2 record and an ERA of right around 1.00 over his final two seasons at Sylvan Hills.
“Coach Lawler was a pitching guy,” Tolliver said. “For a small pitcher who had some developing to do, he was a great guy for me.”
Tolliver struggled in his two seasons at UALR, posting an 8-10 record. His 4.45 ERA as a freshman ballooned to 7.94 in his junior season.
“He had a pretty good freshman year at UALR, but he got off to a bad start his sophomore year,” Tipton said. “He never felt comfortable, and for a pitcher, that’s especially important. And then UALR never gave him any run support so he was going out there thinking he had to shut people out.
“But he threw well at Cape Cod and got his groove back and got back in rhythm. It was the best decision he ever made (to go to OCU). It gave him a fresh start.”
Tolliver became aware of OCU’s successful baseball program both through Lawler, who was a friend of OCU assistant coach Keith Lytle, and via his teammates on the Harrisonburg Turks, the summer league club Tolliver played for after his freshman season at UALR.
Tolliver developed some good friendships with his fellow Turks, several of whom played college ball at OCU. They stayed in touch and convinced him to make the move. After a rough sophomore season and Lawler’s resignation, Tolliver made his decision.
“I knew I didn’t want to sit out a year which I would have had to do if I’d transferred (to another Division I school),” Tolliver said. “Coach Lawler talked to me about OCU and I knew they put up ridiculous numbers offensively and had really good records.”
Tolliver said going to an NAIA school might have cost him some of the exposure he was looking for, but OCU was not just any NAIA school. Lawler and Lytle convinced him that, scout-wise, there would be plenty of exposure for Tolliver. Five OCU Stars were drafted in 2007; six were taken in 2004.
Tolliver’s 10-1 record and his 89 strikeouts to 17 walks over 75 innings helped lead the Stars to the NAIA national semifinals and earned him a second-team All-America honor.
A starter his entire life, the 6-0, 170-pound Tolliver got his first taste of relief pitching in the Cape Cod League and says he really doesn’t care if he develops into a starter or a reliever in the minor leagues.
“I love coming in with first and second, no outs and the tying run on,” he admitted. “I enjoy the pressure situations. But I love starting games, too. I can’t really say I like one more than the other.”
A lot of where he ends up — as a starter or coming out of the bullpen — depends on the development of his other pitches.
He’s been clocked in the low- to mid-90s and says the fast ball, along with his changeup, have always been his go-to pitches.
“I need to keep working on my slider,” he said. “If I can really develop a strikeout slider, I could be effective as a reliever or I could develop as a four-pitch starter.”
Tipton said that, despite his diminutive size in high school, Tolliver could still bring it at 86 or 87 miles per hour. And he said Tolliver had a “major league changeup” and spot control.
After an expected stint in the Short Season League, Tolliver is likely be sent to Baltimore’s Class A South Atlantic Delmarva Shorebirds in Maryland.
Tolliver was not only the first NAIA player selected in the draft, he was the first Arkansan taken as well, going ahead of Razorbacks Dallas Keuchel, Stephen Richards and Scott Lyons.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
TOP STORY >> Friends praise life of Harmon
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
“I had the privilege of calling him a friend,” Alderman Butch Davis said after learning that longtime mayor and political patriarch of Sherwood, Bill Harmon, 81, died Friday.
“We were friends from the get-go. As a brand-spanking-new alderman, I could walk into his office and get straight answers. He was a great mayor,” Davis said.
Harmon died at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock after a long illness.
Harmon, who was a city council member for 10 years and then served a 14-year stint as mayor from 1993 to 2007, opted to try retirement at the end of his last term. But new Mayor Dan Stedman resigned in April 2008, four months into the new term, and the council called Harmon back as the interim mayor. He also threw his trademark Stetson hat into the ring to become mayor again, saying, “I’ve tried retirement; I don’t like it.”
Harmon eventually lost in a July 2008 race against City Clerk-Treasurer Virginia Hillman.
The funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at First Baptist Church of Sherwood, 701 Country Club Road, with burial to follow at Rest Hills Memorial Park in Sherwood.
Davis said Harmon was a man full of knowledge. “We had our share of arguments. He won most of them,” Davis laughingly recalled.
“He gave me some advice early in my career that has stuck with me. He told me that as long as I voted my conscience, I was doing the right thing,” Davis said.
GOOD RIDE
When Harmon announced his retirement in 2006, he said, “I’ve had a very good ride.”
The Wall Street Journal once called Sherwood one of the best hometowns in the country, and Harmon always believed it.
Harmon left the mayor’s office believing the city was “on the bubble of tremendous growth the next 10 years. With commercial development revenues, there’s going to be a boom, and we’ve done it with the lowest tax rate in this part of (the state),” he said.
Longtime Alderman Becki Vassar said, “I thoroughly enjoyed working with him for 24 years. He did a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful job as alderman and mayor.
“He was certainly a champion for this city and loved Sherwood dearly,” Vassar said, adding that Harmon wore two hats, that of mayor and economic developer. “He worked hard to bring businesses like Walmart, Fort Thompson and Gander Mountain into Sherwood,” she said.
When Harmon became mayor, he finished out the last two years of Mayor Jack Evans’ term, receiving 69 percent of the vote in a five-person race. Evans had died in office.
After that special election, Harmon was elected to four consecutive four-year terms, putting his insurance business on a back burner.
Former Alderman Tom Brooks said Harmon was “a visionary if there ever was one.”
Brooks added, “He was a dear friend and I will miss him for the rest of my life.”
TWO THINGS
“I wanted two things when I got elected,” Harmon said, “activities for the young and to provide for the elderly.”
With his support, the town’s baseball, softball and soccer parks have blossomed to prominence.
“Our ball fields are unreal,” he said. “We’ve built two T-ball fields with shade for the grandparents.”
The softball fields have hosted large tournaments, one of which attracted teams from 28 states. Even the Lady Razorbacks play at least one league game a season at the Sherwood sports complex.
The town has an active senior citizens center named for Jack Evans and the new Bill Harmon Recreation Center with a swimming pool, ball courts, exercise machines and meeting rooms used not only by children and seniors, but the entire spectrum of city residents.
Under Harmon’s tutelage, the city bought Sherwood Forest, which hosts meetings, workshops and events like the holiday trail of lights, Sherwood Fest and the Fourth of July activities.
“It’s hard to believe that one man could accomplish as much as Bill did,” said Brooks.
Of the many accomplishments Harmon helped foster in Sherwood, he was most proud of founding COPS (Children on Patrol in Sherwood), a program he hoped would help the city, instill values in young people and guide some of them into Sherwood’s police force.
Harmon said 200-300 youngsters had been involved, and each summer the city sends 50 to 75 of them to camp.
He was also proud of the Mayor’s Youth Council, whose members attended city council meetings, engaged in fund-raising activities and attended the Municipal League Convention in Washington.
Alderman Steve Fender said Harmon “found his niche” when he became mayor.
“One of his greatest assets was his communication skills. He kept us informed and he was easy to work with,” Fender said.
Fender said Harmon valued the opinions of others. “I appreciated that,” the alderman said.
At his time of retirement, Harmon said other than a bad knee, he was in good health and looked forward to golfing, hunting, spending more time with his family and getting more involved in his insurance business.
Harmon joined the Navy at age 17 after convincing his parents to sign a waiver for him, and served on a tanker in the South Pacific during the Second World War.
After being honorably discharged from the Navy following the war, Harmon returned to Arkansas to attend Arkansas State College in Jonesboro where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha, and afterward farmed in eastern Arkansas for several years before entering the insurance business.
He then spent 41 years in the life and health insurance industry working at various levels and eventually opening his own insurance agency, Bill Harmon and Associates Inc. in 1979.
Harmon had been a member of First Baptist Church of Sherwood since 1966, and served as a Sunday school teacher there for many years. He was a 32nd Degree Mason with dual membership in Sylvan Hills Lodge in Sherwood and Red Gum Lodge in Hughes, and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
AWARD WINNER
He was a lifetime member of the Arkansas Municipal League and received the Denver Gentry Distinguished Citizen Award in 2008 for his outstanding work and dedication to his community.
His parents, Henry and Ailene Harmon; his brother, Charles Harmon and his sister, Edith McConnell, preceded him in death.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marvelle S. Harmon; three sons and one daughter, Billy J. Harmon Jr. and his wife Sue of Sherwood, Hank Harmon and his wife Diane of Carrollton, Texas, and Lampe, Mo., Alderman Charlie Harmon and his wife Monica of Sherwood, and Mary L. Harmon of New York. He also had 11 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Sherwood, or Union Rescue Mission.
(Leader senior staff writer John Hofheimer contributed to this article.)
Leader staff writer
“I had the privilege of calling him a friend,” Alderman Butch Davis said after learning that longtime mayor and political patriarch of Sherwood, Bill Harmon, 81, died Friday.
“We were friends from the get-go. As a brand-spanking-new alderman, I could walk into his office and get straight answers. He was a great mayor,” Davis said.
Harmon died at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock after a long illness.
Harmon, who was a city council member for 10 years and then served a 14-year stint as mayor from 1993 to 2007, opted to try retirement at the end of his last term. But new Mayor Dan Stedman resigned in April 2008, four months into the new term, and the council called Harmon back as the interim mayor. He also threw his trademark Stetson hat into the ring to become mayor again, saying, “I’ve tried retirement; I don’t like it.”
Harmon eventually lost in a July 2008 race against City Clerk-Treasurer Virginia Hillman.
The funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at First Baptist Church of Sherwood, 701 Country Club Road, with burial to follow at Rest Hills Memorial Park in Sherwood.
Davis said Harmon was a man full of knowledge. “We had our share of arguments. He won most of them,” Davis laughingly recalled.
“He gave me some advice early in my career that has stuck with me. He told me that as long as I voted my conscience, I was doing the right thing,” Davis said.
GOOD RIDE
When Harmon announced his retirement in 2006, he said, “I’ve had a very good ride.”
The Wall Street Journal once called Sherwood one of the best hometowns in the country, and Harmon always believed it.
Harmon left the mayor’s office believing the city was “on the bubble of tremendous growth the next 10 years. With commercial development revenues, there’s going to be a boom, and we’ve done it with the lowest tax rate in this part of (the state),” he said.
Longtime Alderman Becki Vassar said, “I thoroughly enjoyed working with him for 24 years. He did a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful job as alderman and mayor.
“He was certainly a champion for this city and loved Sherwood dearly,” Vassar said, adding that Harmon wore two hats, that of mayor and economic developer. “He worked hard to bring businesses like Walmart, Fort Thompson and Gander Mountain into Sherwood,” she said.
When Harmon became mayor, he finished out the last two years of Mayor Jack Evans’ term, receiving 69 percent of the vote in a five-person race. Evans had died in office.
After that special election, Harmon was elected to four consecutive four-year terms, putting his insurance business on a back burner.
Former Alderman Tom Brooks said Harmon was “a visionary if there ever was one.”
Brooks added, “He was a dear friend and I will miss him for the rest of my life.”
TWO THINGS
“I wanted two things when I got elected,” Harmon said, “activities for the young and to provide for the elderly.”
With his support, the town’s baseball, softball and soccer parks have blossomed to prominence.
“Our ball fields are unreal,” he said. “We’ve built two T-ball fields with shade for the grandparents.”
The softball fields have hosted large tournaments, one of which attracted teams from 28 states. Even the Lady Razorbacks play at least one league game a season at the Sherwood sports complex.
The town has an active senior citizens center named for Jack Evans and the new Bill Harmon Recreation Center with a swimming pool, ball courts, exercise machines and meeting rooms used not only by children and seniors, but the entire spectrum of city residents.
Under Harmon’s tutelage, the city bought Sherwood Forest, which hosts meetings, workshops and events like the holiday trail of lights, Sherwood Fest and the Fourth of July activities.
“It’s hard to believe that one man could accomplish as much as Bill did,” said Brooks.
Of the many accomplishments Harmon helped foster in Sherwood, he was most proud of founding COPS (Children on Patrol in Sherwood), a program he hoped would help the city, instill values in young people and guide some of them into Sherwood’s police force.
Harmon said 200-300 youngsters had been involved, and each summer the city sends 50 to 75 of them to camp.
He was also proud of the Mayor’s Youth Council, whose members attended city council meetings, engaged in fund-raising activities and attended the Municipal League Convention in Washington.
Alderman Steve Fender said Harmon “found his niche” when he became mayor.
“One of his greatest assets was his communication skills. He kept us informed and he was easy to work with,” Fender said.
Fender said Harmon valued the opinions of others. “I appreciated that,” the alderman said.
At his time of retirement, Harmon said other than a bad knee, he was in good health and looked forward to golfing, hunting, spending more time with his family and getting more involved in his insurance business.
Harmon joined the Navy at age 17 after convincing his parents to sign a waiver for him, and served on a tanker in the South Pacific during the Second World War.
After being honorably discharged from the Navy following the war, Harmon returned to Arkansas to attend Arkansas State College in Jonesboro where he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha, and afterward farmed in eastern Arkansas for several years before entering the insurance business.
He then spent 41 years in the life and health insurance industry working at various levels and eventually opening his own insurance agency, Bill Harmon and Associates Inc. in 1979.
Harmon had been a member of First Baptist Church of Sherwood since 1966, and served as a Sunday school teacher there for many years. He was a 32nd Degree Mason with dual membership in Sylvan Hills Lodge in Sherwood and Red Gum Lodge in Hughes, and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
AWARD WINNER
He was a lifetime member of the Arkansas Municipal League and received the Denver Gentry Distinguished Citizen Award in 2008 for his outstanding work and dedication to his community.
His parents, Henry and Ailene Harmon; his brother, Charles Harmon and his sister, Edith McConnell, preceded him in death.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marvelle S. Harmon; three sons and one daughter, Billy J. Harmon Jr. and his wife Sue of Sherwood, Hank Harmon and his wife Diane of Carrollton, Texas, and Lampe, Mo., Alderman Charlie Harmon and his wife Monica of Sherwood, and Mary L. Harmon of New York. He also had 11 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Sherwood, or Union Rescue Mission.
(Leader senior staff writer John Hofheimer contributed to this article.)
TOP STORY >> Pressure on PCSSD to reopen old school
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader senior staff writer
Unable to get on the agenda, Jacksonville residents interested in reopening the single-gender Jacksonville middle schools and setting boundaries for a standalone school district waited nearly four hours just to hear their mayor-elect pledge to work with the Pulaski County Special School District Board.
During the public-comment section, Gary Fletcher, who will be sworn in as Jacksonville mayor at the end of the month, asked how in 18 months the board had gone from proposing a new Jacksonville middle school beginning in 2009 to expanding the old one with five portable buildings.
“If I brought up to start the design of a new Jacksonville Middle School, would you support that?” board member Charlie Wood asked.
“Yes, but we want an independent school district,” said Fletcher, who waited with his wife for nearly four hours on his 31st wedding anniversary to speak to the board. “By this time next month, we should have these boundaries solidified.”
There is no money identified with which to build the new Jacksonville school to which Wood referred, but there is $81 million in second-lien bonds to build a new high school at Maumelle and a new Sylvan Hills middle school in Wood’s district.
The current plan reverts to a single coeducational Jacksonville Middle School.
Before the meeting, Fletcher said that Jacksonville was not a trailer park and that between the health department, the fire marshal and city codes, he didn’t think the district could put those portables at the school.
Some had hoped that Wood would reverse his vote on the issue of the coeducational middle school, allowing one more year of the single-gender middle schools, but when board member Danny Gililland missed the meeting, it was clear there wouldn’t be enough votes for such a reversal.
“I look forward to an orderly plan so we may proceed on,” Fletcher said.
Wood said that the change to a coeducational Jacksonville middle school from two single-gender middle schools was “not quite set in stone.”
In an interview, he said that it would take his initiative to reconsider the issue, since of the four board members who passed it, he was the most likely to reconsider the measure. Wood also suggested that instead of placing five portable classrooms at the current boys middle school to deal with a classroom shortage, perhaps both single-gender buildings could be used for coeducational classes next year.
July 1 is the deadline to reconfigure the schools.
Jacksonville Fire Marshal Mike Williams may not approve the portables, or the overall condition of the building, which still has plumbing, electrical, drainage and other problems, perhaps including asbestos. The district had about $430,000 to get the building ready to accommodate all middle school boys and girls and teachers next year, according to Gary Beck, acting executive director for support services. But bids came back about $100,000 over that, so the project has been cut back.
Those numbers included leasing and setting up the five portable classrooms.
Instead of replacing the bathrooms, they will be repaired, he said. Also cut from the list are additional canopy replacements or repairs. Some canopies will be repaired, some additional classrooms readied and drainage work done near the band room, Beck said.
Jacksonville residents, saying that their children deserve better schooling and the area deserved better schools in the competition for population growth with neighboring Cabot, Ward and Austin, have worked for about 20 years to carve out a Jacksonville-area standalone school district.
Fletcher echoed those sentiments at the Tuesday night meeting.
Now, with PCSSD saying it won’t oppose such a district and with improved chances that PCSSD and North Little Rock will soon be declared unitary (desegregated), the people of Jacksonville believe they are on the brink of getting their own school district. Little Rock already has been declared unitary and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that finding by U.S. District Judge Bill Wilson. It was Wilson who ruled that Jacksonville couldn’t have its own district until PCSSD was ruled unitary.
Some are upset that their board member Bill Vasque has worked for more than a year to dismantle the single-gender middle schools despite evidence that they were effective academically and in reducing discipline problems.
Leader senior staff writer
Unable to get on the agenda, Jacksonville residents interested in reopening the single-gender Jacksonville middle schools and setting boundaries for a standalone school district waited nearly four hours just to hear their mayor-elect pledge to work with the Pulaski County Special School District Board.
During the public-comment section, Gary Fletcher, who will be sworn in as Jacksonville mayor at the end of the month, asked how in 18 months the board had gone from proposing a new Jacksonville middle school beginning in 2009 to expanding the old one with five portable buildings.
“If I brought up to start the design of a new Jacksonville Middle School, would you support that?” board member Charlie Wood asked.
“Yes, but we want an independent school district,” said Fletcher, who waited with his wife for nearly four hours on his 31st wedding anniversary to speak to the board. “By this time next month, we should have these boundaries solidified.”
There is no money identified with which to build the new Jacksonville school to which Wood referred, but there is $81 million in second-lien bonds to build a new high school at Maumelle and a new Sylvan Hills middle school in Wood’s district.
The current plan reverts to a single coeducational Jacksonville Middle School.
Before the meeting, Fletcher said that Jacksonville was not a trailer park and that between the health department, the fire marshal and city codes, he didn’t think the district could put those portables at the school.
Some had hoped that Wood would reverse his vote on the issue of the coeducational middle school, allowing one more year of the single-gender middle schools, but when board member Danny Gililland missed the meeting, it was clear there wouldn’t be enough votes for such a reversal.
“I look forward to an orderly plan so we may proceed on,” Fletcher said.
Wood said that the change to a coeducational Jacksonville middle school from two single-gender middle schools was “not quite set in stone.”
In an interview, he said that it would take his initiative to reconsider the issue, since of the four board members who passed it, he was the most likely to reconsider the measure. Wood also suggested that instead of placing five portable classrooms at the current boys middle school to deal with a classroom shortage, perhaps both single-gender buildings could be used for coeducational classes next year.
July 1 is the deadline to reconfigure the schools.
Jacksonville Fire Marshal Mike Williams may not approve the portables, or the overall condition of the building, which still has plumbing, electrical, drainage and other problems, perhaps including asbestos. The district had about $430,000 to get the building ready to accommodate all middle school boys and girls and teachers next year, according to Gary Beck, acting executive director for support services. But bids came back about $100,000 over that, so the project has been cut back.
Those numbers included leasing and setting up the five portable classrooms.
Instead of replacing the bathrooms, they will be repaired, he said. Also cut from the list are additional canopy replacements or repairs. Some canopies will be repaired, some additional classrooms readied and drainage work done near the band room, Beck said.
Jacksonville residents, saying that their children deserve better schooling and the area deserved better schools in the competition for population growth with neighboring Cabot, Ward and Austin, have worked for about 20 years to carve out a Jacksonville-area standalone school district.
Fletcher echoed those sentiments at the Tuesday night meeting.
Now, with PCSSD saying it won’t oppose such a district and with improved chances that PCSSD and North Little Rock will soon be declared unitary (desegregated), the people of Jacksonville believe they are on the brink of getting their own school district. Little Rock already has been declared unitary and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that finding by U.S. District Judge Bill Wilson. It was Wilson who ruled that Jacksonville couldn’t have its own district until PCSSD was ruled unitary.
Some are upset that their board member Bill Vasque has worked for more than a year to dismantle the single-gender middle schools despite evidence that they were effective academically and in reducing discipline problems.
TOP STORY >> Couple gives home to abused horses
By JONATHAN FELDMAN
Leader staff writer
Along a dirt road on the border of Lonoke and Prairie counties, Saving Grace Horse Rescue is nurturing back to health some of the most severe cases of animal neglect in central Arkansas.
The nonprofit group is operated by Stewart and Melody Anderson with the help of their family and friends. They all work full-time jobs, with the exception of Stewart, to pay for the rehabilitation of the malnourished horses, most of which are hundreds of pounds underweight, overcome the consequences of years of neglect.
Saving Grace Horse Rescue near Butlerville cares for 11 horses, and that number grows by the week. The rescue horses are a sad sight, their ribs and backbones protruding from their skin. Their faces are emaciated, but their expressions are appreciative and emotional.
The rescue operation is as expensive to run for its owners as it is rewarding. “You swell up with pride when you get a horse fit and healthy,” Stewart Anderson said.
But satisfaction won’t cover the costs for the feed and numerous medical treatments that each horse needs to get healthy. The Andersons rely on donations raised at fundraisers, discounts from farm supply stores and the generosity of veterinarians to sustain the rescue.
“The last fund-raiser we did was great. We made $425, but I spent $50 on feed today,” Stewart said.
The Andersons are looking for grants that would finance the rescue of dozens of more horses. If a stable source of income does not come through, the family doubts that Saving Grace will continue.
“We’re not taking any more volunteer surrenders,” because it would just be too expensive, Stewart said. But that doesn’t mean that horses won’t be arriving at the 75-acre Saving Grace farm. Unfortunately, the group’s services are in high demand.
The White County sheriff recently seized four horses from their owner in McRae. The Andersons said the horses were eating only tree bark and had no grass to graze on. They were starving.
“Everyone there was so hurt by what they saw,” Melody said. The sheriff’s deputies and Humane Society representatives who confiscated the horses were appalled by the animals’ suffering.
What was worse, she said, was that the owners did not understand what they had done was wrong and they were furious about losing their horses.
Occasionally, Saving Grace will get a call from an area Humane Society representative asking them to check on a horse that may be neglected.
“What we do is scout the roadside,” Stewart said. If they believe that a horse is not being fed properly or is penned improperly, they will contact the horse’s owner and explain their concerns.
The Andersons said most of the horse owners they deal with are respectful and do want to take care of their animals, but they often need education. Many times, the Andersons don’t even take a horse to the Saving Grace farm, but teach owners how to take better care of their animals.
Most horses at Saving Grace were voluntarily surrendered by owners who couldn’t meet their animals’ needs. Few were taken by law enforcement.
The group tries to adopt out the horses once they have been rehabilitated. But their adoption process is rigorous and lengthy.
The Andersons check up on a horse for a year to make sure that a prospective adopter is capable of caring for the horse.
Adoption fees are meager and on a sliding scale. Saving Grace will never recoup its expenses.
Adopting horses is one of Saving Grace’s most difficult challenges, according to the Andersons.
More horses come to Saving Grace than leave. The Andersons expect another four horses to arrive this week.
“We have two more definitely coming from Vilonia, and another two from Jacksonville and Ward,” Stewart said.
So, why do they do it? Each horse needs a monthly visit to the veterinarian, several shots a year, almost constant hoof care, several pounds of feed a week, regular exercise and the list goes on.
It’s expensive, but it means a lot to the Andersons. Stewart and Melody have been around horses almost their entire lives.
Stewart grew up on a farm in Illinois where there were always horses. Melody discovered her love for horses on her aunt’s farm in the Florida Panhandle, where she is originally from.
They moved to Arkansas about six years ago, first living on a smaller farm outside of Beebe and they moved to the farm near Butlerville in early April. They plan to live there permanently and continue to run the horse rescue there.
“There’s not a bad horse, only bad people,” Melody said.
“We’re gonna save the ones that we can,” Stewart said.
Only generous donations and grants can help sustain the Andersons’ mission.
For more information or to make a donation, call Melody and Stewart Anderson at 501-779-1728, or visit their Web site at www.savinggracehorserescue.org.
Leader staff writer
Along a dirt road on the border of Lonoke and Prairie counties, Saving Grace Horse Rescue is nurturing back to health some of the most severe cases of animal neglect in central Arkansas.
The nonprofit group is operated by Stewart and Melody Anderson with the help of their family and friends. They all work full-time jobs, with the exception of Stewart, to pay for the rehabilitation of the malnourished horses, most of which are hundreds of pounds underweight, overcome the consequences of years of neglect.
Saving Grace Horse Rescue near Butlerville cares for 11 horses, and that number grows by the week. The rescue horses are a sad sight, their ribs and backbones protruding from their skin. Their faces are emaciated, but their expressions are appreciative and emotional.
The rescue operation is as expensive to run for its owners as it is rewarding. “You swell up with pride when you get a horse fit and healthy,” Stewart Anderson said.
But satisfaction won’t cover the costs for the feed and numerous medical treatments that each horse needs to get healthy. The Andersons rely on donations raised at fundraisers, discounts from farm supply stores and the generosity of veterinarians to sustain the rescue.
“The last fund-raiser we did was great. We made $425, but I spent $50 on feed today,” Stewart said.
The Andersons are looking for grants that would finance the rescue of dozens of more horses. If a stable source of income does not come through, the family doubts that Saving Grace will continue.
“We’re not taking any more volunteer surrenders,” because it would just be too expensive, Stewart said. But that doesn’t mean that horses won’t be arriving at the 75-acre Saving Grace farm. Unfortunately, the group’s services are in high demand.
The White County sheriff recently seized four horses from their owner in McRae. The Andersons said the horses were eating only tree bark and had no grass to graze on. They were starving.
“Everyone there was so hurt by what they saw,” Melody said. The sheriff’s deputies and Humane Society representatives who confiscated the horses were appalled by the animals’ suffering.
What was worse, she said, was that the owners did not understand what they had done was wrong and they were furious about losing their horses.
Occasionally, Saving Grace will get a call from an area Humane Society representative asking them to check on a horse that may be neglected.
“What we do is scout the roadside,” Stewart said. If they believe that a horse is not being fed properly or is penned improperly, they will contact the horse’s owner and explain their concerns.
The Andersons said most of the horse owners they deal with are respectful and do want to take care of their animals, but they often need education. Many times, the Andersons don’t even take a horse to the Saving Grace farm, but teach owners how to take better care of their animals.
Most horses at Saving Grace were voluntarily surrendered by owners who couldn’t meet their animals’ needs. Few were taken by law enforcement.
The group tries to adopt out the horses once they have been rehabilitated. But their adoption process is rigorous and lengthy.
The Andersons check up on a horse for a year to make sure that a prospective adopter is capable of caring for the horse.
Adoption fees are meager and on a sliding scale. Saving Grace will never recoup its expenses.
Adopting horses is one of Saving Grace’s most difficult challenges, according to the Andersons.
More horses come to Saving Grace than leave. The Andersons expect another four horses to arrive this week.
“We have two more definitely coming from Vilonia, and another two from Jacksonville and Ward,” Stewart said.
So, why do they do it? Each horse needs a monthly visit to the veterinarian, several shots a year, almost constant hoof care, several pounds of feed a week, regular exercise and the list goes on.
It’s expensive, but it means a lot to the Andersons. Stewart and Melody have been around horses almost their entire lives.
Stewart grew up on a farm in Illinois where there were always horses. Melody discovered her love for horses on her aunt’s farm in the Florida Panhandle, where she is originally from.
They moved to Arkansas about six years ago, first living on a smaller farm outside of Beebe and they moved to the farm near Butlerville in early April. They plan to live there permanently and continue to run the horse rescue there.
“There’s not a bad horse, only bad people,” Melody said.
“We’re gonna save the ones that we can,” Stewart said.
Only generous donations and grants can help sustain the Andersons’ mission.
For more information or to make a donation, call Melody and Stewart Anderson at 501-779-1728, or visit their Web site at www.savinggracehorserescue.org.
TOP STORY >> Private still hurting after terror attack
By GARRICK FELDMAN
Leader editor-in-chief
Pvt. Quinton Ezeagwula wasn’t feeling well enough to attend the funeral of Pvt. William Long on Monday.
Quinton’s recovering from last week’s terrorist attack at a military recruiting station in west Little Rock, where Long was killed by a single bullet.
Ezeagwula had hoped to go to his Army buddy’s funeral, but he has shrapnel all over his body, and often the pain medication doesn’t lessen the hurt.
Quinton, a former Red Devil football player, survived despite being shot three times. He told us he played dead during the ordeal until the alleged shooter, Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, 24, aka Carlos Leon Bledsoe, drove off.
Ezeagwula, 18, and Long, 23, were standing outside the Army-Navy recruiting station on Rodney Parham Road on June 1, when Muhammad drove up in a black pickup truck carrying a cheap Chinese semiautomatic rifle and started firing.
After he came home from the hospital Thursday, he showed us the bullet holes in his body and told us he has shrapnel in his lungs, his neck and down his back.
Quinton’s mother, Sonja, went to the funeral without her son, who’s recuperating at their Jacksonville home.
The Patriot Guard showed up at their door early Monday morning to escort Sonja and Long’s parents to the funeral service at Sonny Gap Baptist Church of Conway, followed by burial at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at 1501 W. Maryland Ave. on the edge of Sherwood.
She rode in the limousine with the Longs and sat with them at the funeral service and burial. “They treated me like family,” Quinton’s mother told us after the funeral.
Most of the time, Quinton stays in their Sunnyside home with friends.
“He’s staying in bed more,” she said. “He’s been feeling bad all day.”
Mayor-elect Gary Fletcher dropped by to thank the young man for his service to his country.
On Tuesday afternoon, Quinton was holding on to a long pillow as he slowly walked with his mother into a room at the Armed Forces Recruiting Station on Main Street in Jacksonville.
The young soldier was at times tongue-tied in front of the TV cameras, and his handler, Capt. Mathew Feehan, cautioned him not to discuss the shooting.
Feehan said that, following the shootings, the military is “looking at our security posture at recruiting stations.”
When a TV reporter asked Quinton about our report that he played dead during the shooting, he could only say, “No comment.”
Quinton, a heavy-machine operator, is thankful that the military has given him a career. He wants to continue to serve.
“I like defending this country,” Quinton said.
He hopes to become a drill sergeant one day, he said.
His mother said her family thanks God every day that Quinton is alive.
“I believe when something bad happens, God will turn it around,”
she said.
“I have no ill feeling toward the young man,” she continued, referring to the alleged shooter. “I pray justice will be served.”
Muhammad yesterday called the Associated Press to defend the attack at the recruiting station, saying he’s not a murderer because U.S. military action in the Middle East made the killing justified.
Although he confessed, he said shooting Long wasn’t murder because he thinks it’s murder only when it’s “without a justified reason.”
In a collect call from jail, Muhammad told the AP that “he didn’t specifically plan the shootings, but they had been on his mind for a while.”
He denied his lawyer’s claim that he had been “radicalized” in a prison in Yemen, where he’d been arrested on a passport-forgery charge.
Quinton’s mother says her son has always been a hero.
“You never know what God has in store for you,” she said.
Quinton walked slowly as he and his mom left the press conference together. He may always be in pain, but outside, the sun was shining on this brilliant afternoon, and they were grateful on this hot summer day that his young life was not cut short.
Leader editor-in-chief
Pvt. Quinton Ezeagwula wasn’t feeling well enough to attend the funeral of Pvt. William Long on Monday.
Quinton’s recovering from last week’s terrorist attack at a military recruiting station in west Little Rock, where Long was killed by a single bullet.
Ezeagwula had hoped to go to his Army buddy’s funeral, but he has shrapnel all over his body, and often the pain medication doesn’t lessen the hurt.
Quinton, a former Red Devil football player, survived despite being shot three times. He told us he played dead during the ordeal until the alleged shooter, Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, 24, aka Carlos Leon Bledsoe, drove off.
Ezeagwula, 18, and Long, 23, were standing outside the Army-Navy recruiting station on Rodney Parham Road on June 1, when Muhammad drove up in a black pickup truck carrying a cheap Chinese semiautomatic rifle and started firing.
After he came home from the hospital Thursday, he showed us the bullet holes in his body and told us he has shrapnel in his lungs, his neck and down his back.
Quinton’s mother, Sonja, went to the funeral without her son, who’s recuperating at their Jacksonville home.
The Patriot Guard showed up at their door early Monday morning to escort Sonja and Long’s parents to the funeral service at Sonny Gap Baptist Church of Conway, followed by burial at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at 1501 W. Maryland Ave. on the edge of Sherwood.
She rode in the limousine with the Longs and sat with them at the funeral service and burial. “They treated me like family,” Quinton’s mother told us after the funeral.
Most of the time, Quinton stays in their Sunnyside home with friends.
“He’s staying in bed more,” she said. “He’s been feeling bad all day.”
Mayor-elect Gary Fletcher dropped by to thank the young man for his service to his country.
On Tuesday afternoon, Quinton was holding on to a long pillow as he slowly walked with his mother into a room at the Armed Forces Recruiting Station on Main Street in Jacksonville.
The young soldier was at times tongue-tied in front of the TV cameras, and his handler, Capt. Mathew Feehan, cautioned him not to discuss the shooting.
Feehan said that, following the shootings, the military is “looking at our security posture at recruiting stations.”
When a TV reporter asked Quinton about our report that he played dead during the shooting, he could only say, “No comment.”
Quinton, a heavy-machine operator, is thankful that the military has given him a career. He wants to continue to serve.
“I like defending this country,” Quinton said.
He hopes to become a drill sergeant one day, he said.
His mother said her family thanks God every day that Quinton is alive.
“I believe when something bad happens, God will turn it around,”
she said.
“I have no ill feeling toward the young man,” she continued, referring to the alleged shooter. “I pray justice will be served.”
Muhammad yesterday called the Associated Press to defend the attack at the recruiting station, saying he’s not a murderer because U.S. military action in the Middle East made the killing justified.
Although he confessed, he said shooting Long wasn’t murder because he thinks it’s murder only when it’s “without a justified reason.”
In a collect call from jail, Muhammad told the AP that “he didn’t specifically plan the shootings, but they had been on his mind for a while.”
He denied his lawyer’s claim that he had been “radicalized” in a prison in Yemen, where he’d been arrested on a passport-forgery charge.
Quinton’s mother says her son has always been a hero.
“You never know what God has in store for you,” she said.
Quinton walked slowly as he and his mom left the press conference together. He may always be in pain, but outside, the sun was shining on this brilliant afternoon, and they were grateful on this hot summer day that his young life was not cut short.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
EDITORIAL >> Polluters welcome
If you were gambling on the state Pollution Control and Ecology Commission refusing a permit for the utilities to build a carbon-belching power plant in southwest Arkansas, Monday was the day to fold. On the first day of a two-week hearing, the administrative judge for the commission threw out the heart of the case against it.
No one seriously expected the commission to deny an air-pollution permit to Southwestern Electric Power Co. because the commission had signaled its decision last winter, when it said the utility should go ahead and build the plant without waiting for its formal decision. The state Public Service Commission and the Depart-ment of Environmental Quality, which are part of the three-tier process of state regulation, had already stamped their approval on the plant.
Michael O’Malley, the hearing officer for the commission, began the hearings by ruling that the plant’s carbon-dioxide emissions were not an issue in the case, so there was no point in presenting evidence or arguments about it. The plant’s expected emission of globe-polluting carbon gases — some 5 million tons of them a year — was the heart of the case put on by environmental groups and neighbors that have tried to stop the 600-megawatt plant.
Other states have canceled plans to build new coal-fired power plants because of global concerns that the greenhouse gases are heating the planet and endangering future life. They have turned to conservation and less polluting sources of fuel to generate electricity, but the government agencies in Arkansas see no problem if the utilities don’t see one.
O’Malley said that despite a U. S. Supreme Court decision that the federal Clean Air Act requires government to regulate carbon dioxide, the federal government still has not said exactly what is an acceptable amount of the pollution, so it is pointless for the little old state government to try to do it. Who are we down here to even guess how much poison the Earth and its species can stand? The utility says fast-growing Texas needs the extra power that the plant will generate in a few years. We need to suck it up and give it to them.
That is the state government we’ve learned to love.
No one seriously expected the commission to deny an air-pollution permit to Southwestern Electric Power Co. because the commission had signaled its decision last winter, when it said the utility should go ahead and build the plant without waiting for its formal decision. The state Public Service Commission and the Depart-ment of Environmental Quality, which are part of the three-tier process of state regulation, had already stamped their approval on the plant.
Michael O’Malley, the hearing officer for the commission, began the hearings by ruling that the plant’s carbon-dioxide emissions were not an issue in the case, so there was no point in presenting evidence or arguments about it. The plant’s expected emission of globe-polluting carbon gases — some 5 million tons of them a year — was the heart of the case put on by environmental groups and neighbors that have tried to stop the 600-megawatt plant.
Other states have canceled plans to build new coal-fired power plants because of global concerns that the greenhouse gases are heating the planet and endangering future life. They have turned to conservation and less polluting sources of fuel to generate electricity, but the government agencies in Arkansas see no problem if the utilities don’t see one.
O’Malley said that despite a U. S. Supreme Court decision that the federal Clean Air Act requires government to regulate carbon dioxide, the federal government still has not said exactly what is an acceptable amount of the pollution, so it is pointless for the little old state government to try to do it. Who are we down here to even guess how much poison the Earth and its species can stand? The utility says fast-growing Texas needs the extra power that the plant will generate in a few years. We need to suck it up and give it to them.
That is the state government we’ve learned to love.
EDITORIAL >> Mayors: Past, present, future
Area mayors, past, present and future, are in the news:
Gary Fletcher, fresh off his convincing victory last week, becomes mayor of Jacksonville on June 30, succeeding Mayor Tommy Swaim, who is stepping down at the end of the month after more than 22 years on the job.
Fletcher ran an energetic campaign for mayor, defeating fellow Alderman Kenny Elliott in a runoff after the two finished at the top in a crowded field in the first round of the election four weeks ago.
Fletcher’s agenda includes pushing for better schools, encouraging growth through annexation, working with doctors to stay in Jacksonville, improving the hospital, revitalizing rundown parts of town, planning town hall meetings in every part of the city and much more. He hopes to put most of his agenda in place before the next election, which is 16 months away. Even if he implements only a part of his agenda, he has a good chance of winning a full term next year.
The longtime alderman says he’ll run an open administration and has named Jim Durham his top administrative aide. Durham, who managed Fletcher’s successful campaign, also promises to open city records so residents know exactly what’s going on in their town.
Cabot’s freshman mayor, Eddie Joe Williams, announced last week he will not seek re-election next year and will instead run for the state Senate seat in Dist. 28, where Sen. Bobby Glover is term limited.
Williams, who inherited a city that was financially mismanaged and that received flunking grades from state auditors, thinks he’s put Cabot on the road to solvency and it’s time to move on. Although he probably won’t face an opponent in the Republican primary, he could see a formidable Democrat running against him in November 2010. Former House Speaker Benny Petrus of Stuttgart has told us he might run, and so might former Rep. Lenville Evans if Petrus declines. Both are Democrats, who hold an advantage in the district. It includes much of the Arkansas prairie, which usually votes Democratic except in presidential races.
Something tells us Gov. Beebe, who will seek re-election next year, will urge Petrus to run and strengthen the Democrats’ control in the legislature.
The passing of former Sherwood Mayor Bill Harmon over the weekend at the age of 81 saddened all those who knew him as a gentleman from the old school: Always courteous and ready with a quip, Harmon wanted the best for Sherwood, and the voters let him keep his job for 14 years. Even after he retired, he filled in temporarily when Mayor Danny Stedman resigned two years ago.
Supporters asked Harmon to run again in 2008 for another full term, and he did, half-heartedly, but a grassroots movement put former City Clerk-Treasurer Virginia Hillman in the mayor’s seat.
But Harmon never lost the common touch: He was a native of Hughes, in eastern Arkansas, where the pace is less hectic and the past sticks to its soil. He signed up for military service during the Second World War. The greatest generation never bragged about its achievements, never forgot its roots and never sought the limelight. That generation saved western civilization but hoped you wouldn’t keep reminding them.
Thank you, sir, and all those who served. RIP, Bill J. Harmon Sr., 1927-2009.
Gary Fletcher, fresh off his convincing victory last week, becomes mayor of Jacksonville on June 30, succeeding Mayor Tommy Swaim, who is stepping down at the end of the month after more than 22 years on the job.
Fletcher ran an energetic campaign for mayor, defeating fellow Alderman Kenny Elliott in a runoff after the two finished at the top in a crowded field in the first round of the election four weeks ago.
Fletcher’s agenda includes pushing for better schools, encouraging growth through annexation, working with doctors to stay in Jacksonville, improving the hospital, revitalizing rundown parts of town, planning town hall meetings in every part of the city and much more. He hopes to put most of his agenda in place before the next election, which is 16 months away. Even if he implements only a part of his agenda, he has a good chance of winning a full term next year.
The longtime alderman says he’ll run an open administration and has named Jim Durham his top administrative aide. Durham, who managed Fletcher’s successful campaign, also promises to open city records so residents know exactly what’s going on in their town.
Cabot’s freshman mayor, Eddie Joe Williams, announced last week he will not seek re-election next year and will instead run for the state Senate seat in Dist. 28, where Sen. Bobby Glover is term limited.
Williams, who inherited a city that was financially mismanaged and that received flunking grades from state auditors, thinks he’s put Cabot on the road to solvency and it’s time to move on. Although he probably won’t face an opponent in the Republican primary, he could see a formidable Democrat running against him in November 2010. Former House Speaker Benny Petrus of Stuttgart has told us he might run, and so might former Rep. Lenville Evans if Petrus declines. Both are Democrats, who hold an advantage in the district. It includes much of the Arkansas prairie, which usually votes Democratic except in presidential races.
Something tells us Gov. Beebe, who will seek re-election next year, will urge Petrus to run and strengthen the Democrats’ control in the legislature.
The passing of former Sherwood Mayor Bill Harmon over the weekend at the age of 81 saddened all those who knew him as a gentleman from the old school: Always courteous and ready with a quip, Harmon wanted the best for Sherwood, and the voters let him keep his job for 14 years. Even after he retired, he filled in temporarily when Mayor Danny Stedman resigned two years ago.
Supporters asked Harmon to run again in 2008 for another full term, and he did, half-heartedly, but a grassroots movement put former City Clerk-Treasurer Virginia Hillman in the mayor’s seat.
But Harmon never lost the common touch: He was a native of Hughes, in eastern Arkansas, where the pace is less hectic and the past sticks to its soil. He signed up for military service during the Second World War. The greatest generation never bragged about its achievements, never forgot its roots and never sought the limelight. That generation saved western civilization but hoped you wouldn’t keep reminding them.
Thank you, sir, and all those who served. RIP, Bill J. Harmon Sr., 1927-2009.
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