eye on independence january 2013

A Season to Remember

Nikki Lee Atwell Foundation Fundraiser

WRMC: The Gift That Keeps on Building!

January 2013www.eyeonmag.com

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Nikki Lee Atwell Foundation Fundraiser

WRMC: The Gift That Keeps on Building!

January 2013

www.eyeonmag.com

Cover photography by Robert O. SeatDesign by Joseph Thomas

In This Issue6/Editor’s Note

A Refreshing New Start7/We’re Still Out Here

Changing Perception of Rural America9/The Morning Line

A Season to Remember13/DJ Kleen, and the New World Sound14/I Do

Capps Wedding17/Your Health

Winter Is Upon Us18/Cover Story

WRMC: The Gift That Keeps on Building20/Faces23/Feature

Class Helps Women with Cancer26/Things To Do28/Batesville Area Arts Council 31/The Myopic Life

The Spelling Bee33/Tales Of a Transplanted Fashionista

Let’s Talk About Your Hair34/Life in the Ozarks

Jackson County Rocks35/ The Nikki Lee Atwell Foundation Fundraiser

A Spirit of Charity and Support 36/Smith’s Verdict ***

Young Sherlock Holmes38/Notes from the Clearing

With A Present Made Of Time

Tanner Smith is a native of Manila, Arkansas. He has written movie reviews for the T Tauri Galaxy (www.ttauri.org/galaxy) for several years and is a five year veteran of the T Tauri Movie Camp. He has made a number of films, ranging from horror to documentary, and has won awards in filmmaking and screenwriting.

Meet Your Writers...

Alisa R. Lancaster is an Advanced Practice Nurse for the U of A Medical Sciences Area Health Edu-cation Center. She has been in health care since 1983, the last 17 years with the UAMS system. Alisa and husband Scott have four children and a granddaughter. Alisa’s mission is to improve the health and welfare of others through edu-cation and practice. She welcomes feedback at [email protected] or 870.698.1023.

Leigh Keller is now a high school Spanish teacher. She is also a colorguard coordinator for Batesville Public Schools. She received her BA in English, Spanish and ESL from Arkansas Tech University, and an MS in Counseling from John Brown University. She is married to Allen and they have one son, Cole.

Mark Lamberth is the Voice of the Pioneers on KZLE 93.1 FM Radio and Suddenlink Cable Channel 6 for Pioneer Football. He is President of Atlas Asphalt, Inc., a Member of the Arkansas Racing Commission, Member of the Board of Racing Commissioners International, and a graduate of the University of Arkansas. Photograph by Keith Sturch.

Bob Pest is the president and Co-founder of Ozark Foothills FilmFest and the T Tauri Film Festival and Movie Camp. He works as a community development consultant for First Community Bank, teaches film classes at UACCB, and currently serves as vice-president of the Ozark Gateway Tourist Council. He has most recently become a member of the board of the new Arkansas Motion Picture Institute, formed to support the three major film festivals in Arkansas--Little Rock Film Festival, Ozark Foothills FilmFest, and Hot Springs Docs.

Kristi Price spent all her life as a transplant, having grown up military. The Ozarks have always been in her blood though, and she’s proud to call Batesville her home after many years on the move. Kristi holds a BA in English and blogs about family and other mishaps at www.themyopiclife.wordpress.com. She is married to Erin and mother to Ethan, Emily, and Maggie.

John M. Belew is a local lawyer in the firm of Belew & Bell located at 500 East Main, Suite 301, Batesville, Arkansas 72501; 870.793.4247. A seasoned attorney, Belew has been practicing in Batesville for 38 years. He handles cases involving medical malpractice, professional negligence, personal injury, banking law and products liability. He was admitted to practice in Arkansas in 1973, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western District of Arkansas and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit in 1975.

THIS PUBLICATION IS PRODUCED BY: MeadowLand Media, Inc. P. O. Box 196, Grubbs, AR 72431 870.503.1150 [email protected]: Kimberlee Thomas ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Bob PestMANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Thomas ADVERTISING: Kimberlee Thomas CREATIVE DIRECTOR :Joseph ThomasAD DESIGN DEPARTMENT:Kimberlee Thomas Joseph ThomasPROOFING DEPARTMENT:Joseph Thomas Kimberlee ThomasSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kimberlee Thomas Joseph Thomas Robert O. SeatPRINTING COMPANY: Rockwell Publishing

Eye On Independence is a publication of MeadowLand Media, Incorporated. Editorial, advertising and general busi-ness information can be obtained by calling (870) 503-1150 or emailing Kimberlee Thomas at [email protected]. Mailing address: P. O. Box 196, Grubbs, AR 72431.Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements, unless oth-erwise noted, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Publisher or the staff. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information presented in this issue is accurate and neither MeadowLand Media or it any of its staff is respon-sible for omissions or information that has been misrepre-sented to the magazine. Copyright © 2010 MeadowLand Media, Incorporated. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the Publisher.All pictorial material reproduced in this book has been accepted on the condition that it is reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the photographer con-cerned. As such, MeadowLand Media, Incorporated, is not responsible for any infringement of copyright or otherwise arising out of publication thereof.

For advertising, distribution, or editorial contribution, contact Kimberlee Thomas, 870.503.1150, [email protected].

Eye On

www.eyeonmag.comVisit us @

Editor’s Note

Joseph ThomasA Refreshing New Start

I always feel like New Years is the perfect automatic reset. The perfect time to change a worn out routine. To rearrange the furniture in my head at the very least. So here’s to fresh motivation in overcoming any obstacles that may have overpowered past New Year’s resolutions.

January is a great issue, full of new editions. WRMC’s Chief Executive Officer, Gary Bebow, honored us by gracing our cover in front of the new East Wing. New and ever exciting BAAC residencies for Arts In Education. Bob Pest explores a changing perception of rural America and takes a look at Jackson County in his final Ozarks article. Leigh Keller discusses hair while Kristi Price takes us to a spelling bee. Alisa R. Lancaster prepares us for Winter and Mark

Lamberth reminisces on the winning season the Pioneers played in 2012. I bring you DJ Kleen and Kimberlee presents the Capp’s Wedding. Annie McAllister of WRMC shares a few stories with us this month; the Cover Story which talks about new opportunities provided by the new East Wing and the renovations to come, our Feature on the Look Good, Feel Better class, and she introduces Wassim Radwan, M.D. and Miguel Villagra, M.D., two Hospitalists at White River Medical Center, who have both successfully earned Board Certifications in Internal Medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine. We would like to extend our congratulations to them both and wish you all a good read and a great start to your new year. N

Kimberlee and Joseph Thomas photo by Robert O. Seat

Eye On Mag.com

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In 2001, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation contracted with Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research to conduct a study on perceptions of life in rural America. The study involved 242 interviews of rural, urban, and suburban Americans in several regions of the country. The research indicated that most Americans held “strongly positive views of life in rural America.” Interview participants saw rural communities as “the repository of traditional values, closely-knit communities, and hard work.” However, participants were also aware of the economic and social challenges facing these regions as corporate agriculture began to replace the family farm, the centerpiece of rural communities for decades.

The study revealed a number of prominent dichotomies that were noted by many participants: rural life represents traditional American values, but is not keeping up with changes of all kinds that are taking place; rural life is more relaxed and slower than city life, but people work harder and longer hours; rural life is friendly, but intolerant when it comes to outsiders. People who live in the Ozarks, for example, refer to outsiders as being from “off.” The research also pointed to the fact that rural America “offers a particular quality including serenity and aesthetic surroundings, and yet is plagued by lack of opportunities, including access to cultural activities.”

Respondents, both urban and rural, largely agreed upon four differences that separate rural from urban and suburban America:

1. Rural America is almost entirely agricultural. In reality seven percent of rural employment was agriculture based.

2. Rural communities are family-centered, committed to religious values, and driven by self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

3. Rural America is serene and beautiful, populated by wild animals and livestock and dotted by clear streams and rolling rivers.

4. Rural America is a safe and inviting place to raise children, away from the materialism and moral decline that defines big city life.

These differences suggest that the respondents did see rural America and its residents as making a significant contribution to life in America. Rural people are credited for helping perpetuate the traditional American values of individualism and neighborliness. The survey also identified rural Americans as our primary suppliers of food and the protectors of the last open spaces.

This positive, idyllic vision of rural life was offset by

Changing Perception of Rural AmericaWe’re Still Out Here

Bob Pest

We’re still out here continues on page 10

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January 2013 7


The Best

To ComeIs Yet

Citizens Bank was established nearly 60 years ago by a group of local business leaders who shared a vision of creating a bank that would setthe example as Solid Citizens in our communities. While the world around us has certainly changed since1953, our commitment to this area remains deep and strong. Help us celebrate throughout 2013 as we continue providing the financial services and products you need and the outstanding service you deserve.

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The Morning Line

Mark LamberthA Season to Remember

Three games into the season with a 1 – 2 record, it was impossible to visualize the Batesville Pioneer football team in a return trip to the 5A State Finals at War Memorial Stadium. However, in visiting with the coaches, they all expressed confidence in this team even after the 35 – 0 loss at Springdale to open the season. The 2011 Pioneer team had reached the finals and expectations were high that the 2012 version could do the same. When you have a winning program, expectations will always be elevated no matter what changes your team undergoes in the off season. What caused Head Coach Dave King and his staff to express such confidence in this group of kids when most people thought this would be a “down year” for the Pioneers? Here are the things that I observed throughout the conference season and into the playoffs that were

relevant:1. Maturation at the quarterback

position provided leadership for the offense. A combination of intelligence and football savvy filled the void.

2. Running back by committee (4 running backs with different styles and strengths) kept fresh legs in the games and the Pioneers became a more balanced offense as a result, as receivers and tight ends were able to get open. The offensive line was always a strength.

3. The defense played as one. It was as cohesive and solid at every position as any of the past. They were not the most talented but played together as a unit.

4. There were no superstars on this team. Everyone knew their role and executed without complaint. The players were truly appreciative of the opportunities afforded them as Pioneer football players and expressed that feeling to the coaches.

5. The seniors were leaders and the underclassmen respected them.

6. And finally playing a 7A and two 6A teams in the nonconference season made this a better football team in the long run. With only a loss to a Wynne team that has

discovered the forward pass, the Pioneers entered the playoffs with still plenty to prove. The defeat of Hot Springs Lakeside at Pioneer Stadium in the first round was expected. What happened next was unexpected by most and became signature victories for this team. The wins on the road over an undefeated Greenbrier team in the quarterfinals and Pulaski Academy in the semifinals were as significant as any victories in the history of Pioneer Football. These hard fought victories were a result of the toughest non conference schedule ever undertaken by a Pioneer football team.

Over the course of the season, this Pioneer team found its identity as it landed in the finals of the 5A State Final for the second consecutive year. They didn’t win a state championship but they overcame a lot of adversity to be recognized as one of the best Pioneer teams of all time. They deserve the town’s gratitude as expressed by the send off they received as they left for Little Rock.

Thanks Pioneers for a great season. You will not soon be forgotten. N

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a number of participant concerns:- The family farm, facing competition from vertically

corporate farms, is threatened with eventual extinction.- Government regulation, especially environmental

regulations and restrictions on what can be grown, limits market opportunities for farmers.

- Rural land and lifestyle is being overtaken by urban sprawl and suburban housing development, which prices the land out of reach from most citizens and reduces the availability of already shrinking farm land.

- Rural communities face inadequate access to healthcare, fewer educational choices, few opportunities for professional advancement, and the exodus of talented young people seeking educational and career opportunities.

The concerns articulated in the 2001 survey have become realities and, combined with other more recent challenges, have led to a new and much less positive perception of rural communities. This same conclusion is reached in What Happened in Our History Books?, a recent study of textbooks over the past 50 years that “finds high school students increasingly being taught that rural America is a deprived and lonely place.” The authors—Aimee Howley, Karen Eppley, and Marged Howley—also note that “Earlier books emphasized qualities of individualism and community spirit, stability, and adventurousness but texts in the past two decades primarily characterize rural as deficient. While both these messages about rural life were present to some degree in the books across all five decades, there has been a decided shift in emphasis. In the more recent texts, rural Americans industriousness and contributions to the nation’s democracy are downplayed, supplanted by references to rural ignorance, recklessness, and despair.”

America was born as a nation of farmers; for generations, urban dwellers viewed rural life as both essential and idyllic. Outside forces such as corporate farming, urban sprawl, and the global economy played and are continuing to play a major role in the current perception of rural as “backward.” The failure of our leaders to live up to the promise of broadband internet access to all has created a digital divide that isolates rural people from the new mainstream of information and entertainment. Meth production in the most isolated rural areas leave a taint on the surrounding communities and destroy lives before they get started.

So how can rural people and communities change the perception of rural America as “deficient” and “without opportunity.” The first step is to challenge, avoid, and eventually eliminate the aged stereotypes of rural people as illiterate moonshiners, resistant to change, narrow-minded, lazy, and reckless. The authors of What Happened in Our History Books? offer a succinct approach, “Requiring greater honesty about the past and the present invites the conception of the more connected future: human nature in league with

the natural world, rural and urban people and ways of life understood in their complexity and fallibility, and democracy seen as an unfinished project in need of nurture. The stories of rural people and ways of life might voice meaningful alternatives to prejudice—not because these alternatives exist in a rural idyll but because rurality itself, in its struggles and vistas, resists both the blandishments and the depredations of the powers that be.” America has a long way to go; we can begin by understanding each other.

This article owes a great deal to the impressive work of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, based in Washington, D.C., and to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for their commitment for building the capacity of people, communities, and institutions to solve their own problems.

It is also appropriate to introduce the authors of What Happened in Our History Books?: Karen Epply lives on a farmette in Central Pennsylvania and is an Assistant Professor of Education at the Altoona branch of Penn State University; Dr. Aimee A. Howley studies issues relating to rural education and educational policy and currently serves as Associate Dean of the Patton College of Education at Ohio University; and Marged Howley is a middle school teacher and educational researcher with Oz Consulting. Their important work will reach far beyond this article. N

Patriotic Rural America Little House on Prairie by James “Bo” Insogna

We’re still out here continued from page 7

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January 2013 11

Welcome to Independence

Owner

Gregory Bridgman; DJ Kleen, and the New World SoundJoseph Thomas

Gregory Bridgman is an Independence native who loves music. He began writing and recording music in the early 1990's. He sent numerous packets of his contemporary pop/rock out to record labels. With the emergence of internet music sites like Spotify, Grooveshark, and Pandora it is easy to see how hard the music industry is to crack. There are more bands and musicians than we could list in this magazine. Getting an audience with someone that could actually help in this business is surely the hardest part of the process. Bridgman saw the numbers stacked against his dream of making a living from writing his own music and decided to take another look at his options. He decided he would change direction but not away from music. He bit the bullet and bought his first crossfading board so he could set the atmosphere as a Disc Jockey. A crossfading board is a device that allows a disc jockey to smoothly transition from one song to the next.

Bridgman met a gentleman in Rogers, Arkansas who was in search of talented musicians, singers, dancers, and the like. He presented the talent scout with a demo CD and landed a two night gig at a local club in Pea Ridge. He made over three hundred dollars in two nights and decided to begin advertising himself and his

new business, New World Sound Mobile Disc Jockey Entertainment. Through word of mouth, Bridgman (now known as DJ Kleen), began DJ'ing private weddings, small club venues, and parties in North West Arkansas but the competition there is vast and limits ones ability to book many events. So Bridgman moved back to his hometown of Batesville and quickly landed more work than he needed.

Bridgman started this business old school by spinning a huge collection of CD's, which is extremely impractical with so much music to store and stay current in the industry. He now uses a laptop and hard drives to digitally store well over 350,000 songs. He strives to be the DJ that has everything. Bridgman has entertained fraternities at the U of A in Fayetteville, private weddings, and parties. He filled the dance floor for an entire week at the night club in Rogers Arkansas' Ramada Inn and at Tony C's as well. You can reach Gregory Bridgman at 870-307-1398 and he has a facebook page as well, listed under New World Sound Mobile Disc Jockey Entertainment. N

January 2013 13

I DoCapps WeddingKimberlee Thomas

A Midland Mustang and a Cedar Ridge Timberwolf are not quite what one might think of as two of a kind. But in the land of high school basketball and true love there could be no finer match up. Jeremy Capps and Whitney Roberson were introduced in December 2003 at a high school basketball tournament being hosted by Lyon College. It seemed that Whitney’s teacher, Lynette McKinney, and Jeremy’s basketball coach, Rick McKinney, felt the two young “Go Getters” had a lot in common and decided the two should meet. Whitney claims it was definitely “love at first sight.”

In August of 2010 the young couple journeyed to St. Louis, Missouri for a fun filled weekend. On the evening of the twenty-first Jeremy instructed Whitney to “dress up” because he was planning on taking her to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory and then to see the

Gateway Arch. After dinner the couple strolled along hand in hand discussing life and all the adventures that lay ahead of them. Jeremy began to express his deep feelings for Whitney as they drew closer to the arch. Whitney recalls, “He told me how much he loved me and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.” As the couples gaze changed from the arch to each other’s eyes, Jeremy dropped to one knee, held the ring before him, and proclaimed, “This is going to be the Gateway to our future Whitney. Will you marry me?” Of course, Whitney said “Yes.” “It was the most amazing moment. Everyone around the Arch began congratulating us. I was crying my eyes out and smiling with joy. Jeremy and I will never forget our amazing night beneath the Gateway Arch.” Whitney shared.

The couple exchanged vows in the Lyon College


Photos provided by: Shuttered Image Photography

Chapel on August 11, 2012. Reverend Dickie Sutter presided over the double ring ceremony. Whitney recalls, “The wedding was beautiful. It was everything we ever dreamed of thanks to our families, friends, wedding coordinator, and Shuttered Image Photography.” Whitney’s sister, Britanny Brown, served as her Maid of Honor. Jeremy’s friend, Ryan Pierce, served as his Best Man. Whitney is the daughter of Ricky and Sherry Roberson. Jeremy is the son of Darryl and Kim Capps. A reception followed at the Eagle Mountain Golf Course. A DJ was on hand to offer up the perfect evening of dance music. Guests enjoyed an evening of great food and fun.

The Capps honeymooned in Pensacola, Florida.

It is their favorite summer destination. “It just made sense to honeymoon in the place where our love had blossomed over the years.” Whitney shared.

The couple enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling, being on the farm, cooking together, and finding adventure together. Whitney states, “We both have many goals we plan to achieve throughout life. We are fearless when it comes to reaching our goals and overcoming anything that may stand in our way.”

Whitney and Jeremy reside in Newark. They have plans to build their dream home and raise a family of their own. N

January 2013 15

Here’s to a New YearFilled witH Promise.

Like clockwork, another year passes. An opportunity to reflect on the year that was… the successes, the milestones, the achievements.

The Liberty Bank family is thankful for time spent this year getting to know our customers, partnering with the generous communities we

serve, and working toward another exciting new year in banking.

As you meet 2013 we hope you too will find a year even better than the one you leave behind.

Happy New Year from your friends at Liberty Bank.

MEMBER FDIC

Real Bankingmylibertybank.com | 870.793.7373

Winter Is Upon UsYour Health

Alisa R. Lancaster

Are you ready for the possibility of inclement weather? The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends that all individuals have some basic supplies on hand to last at least three days. Since January and February typically bring the worst weather for Arkansas residents, it would behoove all of us to consider how we can be prepared. I remember, as a young child growing up in Iowa, that we always kept a basic supply of necessities in the car trunk. A blanket was always among those items just in case our vehicle ended up in the ditch during a heavy snowstorm or blizzard. Just as this isn’t applicable to our weather here, some of the recommendations below may not be necessary for all.

So where to begin… everyone should consider where they live and the unique needs of their family when reviewing the following list to make an “emergency kit” applicable to them:

1. Water – one gallon per person per day, for drinking and sanitation

2. Food – non-perishable food, manual can opener3. Infant formula and diapers 4. Pet food and water5. Hand crank radio or battery powered radio (with

extra batteries)

6. Flashlight (with extra batteries)7. First aid kit8. Available house key in case a power outage

inactivates the garage door9. Prescription medications – at least a week’s

supply10. Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each individual11. Change of clothing – weather appropriate12. Fire extinguisher13. Household bleach – nine parts of water to one

part of bleach makes an excellent disinfectant. Or, if desperate, 16 drops will treat one gallon of water (do not use scented, color safe, or bleaches with added cleaners)

14. Books, games, puzzles, or other activities for children and adults (Growing up in the cold northern environment explains my love of these items, despite the weather!)

Just remember that you may need to survive on your own after adverse weather as relief workers will not be able to reach everyone immediately. Additionally, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days or even a week or longer. Make sure that you have supplies to manage during those outages. For additional information you may visit www.ready.gov. N

MOW WITH AN ATTITUDE

CongratulationsZac Brogdon

From All Of Us AtBad Boy Mowers!

®

BATESVILLE OPTIMIST CLUB YOUTH APPRECIATION AWARD

Here’s to a New YearFilled witH Promise.

Like clockwork, another year passes. An opportunity to reflect on the year that was… the successes, the milestones, the achievements.

The Liberty Bank family is thankful for time spent this year getting to know our customers, partnering with the generous communities we

serve, and working toward another exciting new year in banking.

As you meet 2013 we hope you too will find a year even better than the one you leave behind.

Happy New Year from your friends at Liberty Bank.

MEMBER FDIC

Real Bankingmylibertybank.com | 870.793.7373

January 2013 17

Annie McAllister

Cover StoryWRMC: The Gift That Keeps on Building

White River Medical Center’s East Tower addition is complete and many have heard about the new and improved cafeteria, Café V; the WRMC Gift Shop; and other great improvements inside the structure. What many may not have heard about yet is the building that is just beginning, figuratively speaking. The new expansion will lead to building more efficient work environments, better healing environments, strong employee/patient/family relationships, and, with the creation of over 160 new jobs, it will even play a role in building the economy.

The Patient Care floors inside the East Tower have been open for several months. The state-of-the-art layout has resulted in positive remarks from patients and employees. Each floor contains 30 private patient rooms and six nursing stations, referred to as perches. The perch is a supply

station that allows nurses to be in close proximity to their patients. Each perch is designed the same way so regardless of what shift or floor nurses are working on, they will be familiar with the environment.

“Nurses say they love the layout of the unit and how everything they need is in one area. They spend less time looking for supplies and more time with their patients,” says Debra Wood, Fourth Floor Nurse Manager. “Patients also comment on the quietness of the floors.”

The extra time, combined with a room designed to improve comfort, encourages relationship building and improves healing time.

Of course, the benefits provided by the East Tower go beyond what is inside the new structure. Thanks to the additional space, departments throughout the entire hospital are reaping the benefits of a more efficient hospital setting.

“The construction of the East Tower was just the beginning of the progress that is taking place at WRMC,” said Gary Bebow, CEO/Administrator of White River Health System.

The Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit (IRF) and the Recuperative Care Unit have recently moved into the former Progressive Care Unit (PCU) on the 3rd floor of WRMC’s north side. PCU now occupies the second floor of the East Tower.

The Inpatient Rehab Unit is an

acute inpatient medical rehabilitation program providing therapy to patients who have extensive needs which cannot be met through outpatient, home health, or skilled nursing facility therapy. One of the main admission criteria for an inpatient rehab facility is the requirement of physician and nursing care on a daily basis that keeps patients from having to leave the hospital for therapy services.

Next door to the Inpatient Rehab Unit is the Recuperative Care Unit, where patients are provided skilled services by therapists and nurses until they are medically well enough to move to Inpatient Rehab, discharged to their home or to a local skilled nursing facility found within a nursing and rehab facility of their choice.

The advantage of downsizing was the ability to improve the patient and family experience while having enough beds to be more fiscally responsible. The Recuperative Care Unit went from 14 to 11 beds and the Inpatient Rehab unit went from 15 to 10 beds, which allows the hospital to control costs and match the capacity of each clinical department with the community’s need for the service.

“Our old space was very large and included unused space, which will be used to expand and improve the services of our Senior Haven,” said Vincent Provenzano, Director of Inpatient Rehab and Recuperative

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Care. “Our new space allows our staff to provide better one-on-one care to our patients and their families.”

Taking Inpatient Rehab’s former space on the second floor is Senior Haven, WRMC’s Geriatric Psychiatric Program that provides 24-hour nursing and medical care to patients 55 and older affected by emotional or behavioral health issues.

The biggest benefit of the new location, according to Tom Stalf, Director of Senior Haven, will be space. “Our current location is extremely tight as far as space,” he said. The current location houses 12 rooms and a dayroom, a general area where patients can watch tv or work with medical professionals in group therapy and in activities such as crafts, games, or exercises. The new space, which Senior Haven plans on moving into in January, will provide two separate multipurpose spaces, one larger room to be used as a dayroom for socializing and watching TV, and one for group therapy and/or group activities. The number of patient rooms will increase to 16, allowing Senior Haven to provide even more patients with the treatment they need closer to home.

“The setting will be more homelike and conducive to a therapeutic environment,” said Stalf.

Surgical Services is another

department expecting to make big changes. The space formerly occupied by Surgical Services is currently being expanded and remodeled. The larger area will include the spaces that were once the pharmacy and cafeteria, which have both moved to the East Tower. The expansion and renovation will allow the pre-operative and post-operative units, the units that care for patients before and after surgery, to grow from 9 beds separated by curtains, to 20 full-size rooms.

“This remodel also gives the opportunity for a continuum of care within these units. The nurse that cares for a patient before surgery will now be the same nurse taking care of him or her after surgery as well,” said Nora Osborne, Director of Surgery. The full-size pre-op and post-op rooms, which are rare in hospitals according to Osborne, will allow families to be by their loved one’s side before and after surgery.

“When a patient wakes up after surgery, seeing and hearing familiar voices creates a more comfortable environment and reduces anxiety,” said Osborne.

As a result of the same nurse seeing the patient through surgery, and the family being more involved in the patient’s care, stronger relationships are formed between the families and employees. Now in

WRMC’s former observation unit, employees of Surgical Services are preparing for their new space, which is expected to be complete in early March.

The alignment of departments to a larger space is currently taking place all throughout WRMC. Once this phase is complete, WRMC hopes to begin the catalyst for the entire project—the Emergency Department expansion.

“All of this work is necessary to improve the quality of care our patients and their families receive and to stay current with the growing healthcare needs of our community,” said Bebow. N

Nurses Perch Patient Room

Progression photo

January 2013 19

Members of the Class of 1962 were honored during Lyon College’s homecoming. Pictured are(left to right, back row) David Annis, Julie Ellis Austin, Larry Bentley, Philip Lockard, Ruth Parker Jones, Ed Jolly, Elvis Clark, Ruby Clements Fair, Ed Hibbard; (left to right, front row) Bill Austin and Hubert Sellers. Photograph submitted by Chandra Huston.

Chamber Announces Christmas Parade Winners

December 4th, the 2012 Christmas Parade attracted regional visitors and local residents. Ted Hall, who has been a parade volunteer for 25 years, said, “I believe this was the largest crowd I’ve ever seen for the Batesville Christmas Parade.” The Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to invest in community and tourism development for Independence County.

The Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the winners of the 2012 “Candy Canes and Christmas Carols” Parade. Competitors were placed in one of two divisions; nonprofit/civic organization and commercial. Points were calculated by correspondence to theme, originality/difficulty, and overall appearance. In all, there were 49 entries including 15 floats participating in the parade. There were several volunteers throughout the community who volunteered their time to plan, organize, and judge the parade. Special thanks to Cliff Brown, Joyce Prickett, Adam Curtwright, Steve Lewis, Ted Hall, Rickie Westbrook, Renee Long, Jake Millikan, FutureFuel, White River Veterinarian Clinic, and the Batesville Kiwanis Club. The winners are:

Commercial Category – 1. 1st Place: The Home Depot2. 2nd Place: First National Banking Company3. 3rd Place: Sonic of BatesvilleNonprofit/ Civic Organization – 1. 1st Place: Cub Scout Pack 2202. 2nd Place: Diamond T – 4H3. 3rd Place: Girl Scouts Troop

Home Depot float – 1st Place in Business Category

Cub Scout Pack 220 – 1st Place in Nonprofit Civic Organization

Santa Claus getting ready to board the fire truck.

Faces


Home Depot float – 1st Place in Business Category

Cub Scout Pack 220 – 1st Place in Nonprofit Civic Organization

For the 5th year The United Way of Independence County sent out the call for Santa's helpers to rally together. The Angel Tree project was in full swing on December 12 when I showed up to the local Fair grounds to offer my assistance. A group of South Side High School students were busy sorting toys, candy, and other goodies into the correct piles for pick up the next day. They are but only a few of the dedicated volunteers that make this project a success each year. This year has been a challenge for the project due to the number of struggling families throughout Independence County. Out of the 1,000 kids served the public adopted a little over 800 but due to the generosity of past years donors the Angel Tree Committee was able to sponsor the remaining 200 kids with a little over $14,000. Eye On would like to say "Thank You" to Vonda Oberbeck, the countless volunteers, area business and all of Santa's helpers that dedicate their time, donate monetary funds, and pick up names and shop for Independence Counties Angel's. - Kimberlee Thomas

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Narvel Felts displayed his usual graciousness after another perfect performance December 1 inside the acoustically correct Landers Theatre on Main Street Batesville. Proceeds help fund Main Street Batesville projects through the year. Mr. Felts gave each fan unlimited attention until the last of us were gone. The gentleman just below far left traveled from Corpus Christi, Texas just to see this performance.

Annie McAllisterClass Helps Women with CancerEye OnFeature

While cancer may change a woman’s appearance, such as causing her to lose weight, or her hair, one thing she doesn’t have to lose is her self-confidence. White River Medical Center (WRMC) Cancer Care Center, the American Cancer Society, and local licensed cosmetologists team up quarterly to offer Look Good, Feel Better, a class where women with cancer learn how to maintain their appearance despite the side effects of treatment.

Held at the WRMC Cancer Care Center, the quarterly class provides participating women with a kit that includes make-up and skin care items, courtesy of a partnership between the American Cancer Society, Personal Care Products Council Association, and the National Cosmetology Association. The women are taught by local cosmetologists how to adjust to their change in appearance through basic makeup, hair, and skin techniques. They also receive a wig and refreshments from the WRMC Cancer Care Center—all free of charge.

“Look Good, Feel Better is as much about improving and maintaining self-image and confidence as it is about appearance,” says Lindsey Ferrell with the American Cancer Society. “Patients enjoy the opportunity to spend time in a relaxed, non-medical setting with others in the same situation. And the free make-up and instruction from professionals helps them look and feel better.”

An attendee of the Look Good, Feel Better class, Charlene Kealer, is a 38 year old mother of three who was recently diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. Prior to her diagnosis, she had experienced heavy coughing spells and pain in her arm, but she never suspected cancer. “It just slapped me in the face,” she said. “I had so many emotions; so many thoughts going through my mind.”

In the class, Kealer looked straight ahead as Licensed Cosmetologist, Bethany Sloan with Studio

Salon in Batesville, applied her mascara. Although she shaved her head when she started losing her hair after treatment, Kealer had a flattering shoulder-length dark brown wig on her head, expertly applied make-up, and a smile across her face. She says the class was educational, but also helped take her mind off of her disease. “I learned a lot, but I also had a lot of fun,” she said. “It was a nice, positive experience I got to share with women just like me.”

Participant Janet Herndon shared that same thought. “Having cancer is very traumatic. This class was really great because it helped me see that I am not alone.”

Jennifer Walls, another licensed cosmetologist with Studio Salon, finds great reward in volunteering her time at the class. “Many people think that cancer patients just lose the hair on their head when they start treatment, but they can actually lose all their hair, even their eyebrows,” she said. Cosmetologists, such as Walls and Sloan, teach women techniques such as where their eyebrows should go and how to make them look natural by drawing them in. “It feels great to help women get back what they thought cancer had taken away.”

The WRMC Cancer Care Center started hosting Look Good, Feel Better in 2007. The class is held four times a year and is for women of all ages who are battling cancer.

“It is extremely rewarding to be a part of an organization that truly cares for our patients as a whole. We share our lives with them and it brings great joy to see their spirits renewed,” said Jami Smotherman, Tumor Registrar at the WRMC Cancer Care Center.

Women with cancer wishing to take part in the class can contact Jami Smotherman at (870) 262-6200. N

Bethany Sloan with Studio Salon in Batesville puts mascara on cancer patient Charlene Kealer during the recent Look Good, Feel Better class held at the WRMC Cancer Care Center

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Session II of Arkansas Craft School Evening Community Classes will begin the week of January 5, 2013, and will run through March 8, 2013. Classes will be held at the Craft School’s Artisan Studios at 110-112 East Main Street; conveniently and safely located right off the Square and next door to the Arkansas Craft Guild; or at Ozarka College in Mountain View.

Pottery classes will continue on Thursday afternoons, and will again be taught by local ceramic artist, David Dahlstedt. Students learn to throw on the potter’s wheel, or improve techniques that they already possess. Clay is available for purchase at cost to students, and completed work can be fired in the Craft School’s pottery kiln. Pottery classes meet at the Craft School’s main studio at 110 East Main Street. Classes resume January 10, and will meet from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

On Tuesday nights, Shawn Hoefer will be offering a class entitled “Web Design for Artisans.” Shawn is an award winning web and graphic designer – turned broom maker - who understands the web needs of artisans. Students can expect to be up and running with a web site for their business by the end of the session. The coursework will be appropriate for all craftspeople, artists, and musicians who wish to design and manage their own web site – or even other entrepreneurs wanting to start their own business, web-based or otherwise.

Requirements for the class include basic computer skills and the use of a laptop. Class sessions will be held at Ozarka College in Mountain View, starting January 8, and will meet from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Ready for a weekend activity? Noted local woodcarver, Dan Stewart will be teaching ‘Woodcarving Basics’ on Saturday afternoons from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Dan’s carved Nativity figures can be found at both the State Capitol Building and the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock. Students will begin with relief carving, and then progress as time and aptitude allow. Tools will be provided by the instructor, and materials fees will be $10.00. The carving classes will be held at the Craft School studios, and will begin January 5.

Tuition for each class will be $225.00, plus materials fees according to the instructor. Scholarships for tuition are available to financially qualifying students. In addition, the Craft School offers gift certificates, which can be applied to tuition costs. Give the gift of an Arkansas Craft School class to a favorite someone on your holiday gift-giving list! Class registration forms, scholarship applications and further information on these and other class offerings of the Arkansas Craft School may be found on the website: www.arkansascraftschool.org. Students may also sign up for classes by calling Terri Van Orman at (870) 269-8397.

The Arkansas Craft School, located on Main Street in Mountain View is dedicated to the education of aspiring and practicing craft artisans for success in the Creative Economy. The Craft School partners with Ozarka College which offers Continuing Education credits for all of its courses. Support for the Arkansas Craft School is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment of the Arts. N

ARKANSAS CRAFT SCHOOL ANNOUNCES SESSION II EVENING COMMUNITY CRAFT CLASSES

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January 2013 25

Things To DoBusiness Expo and Annual Awards

The 2013 Business Expo and Annual Awards is an opportunity for businesses to network, meet new customers, gain exposure, introduce new products, and build relationships that will lead to new growth and production. The Annual Awards Ceremony recognizes outstanding individuals and businesses.

Business Expo is open to Chamber Members only from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Awards Ceremony will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Business Expo is open to the public from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. A taste of the Chamber will be open for lunch form 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Expo and Awards Ceremony will be at UACCB Wednesday, January 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Souper Bowl Saturday

This years Souper Bowl Saturday will be located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Main Street Saturday, February 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Help support the Batesville Area Arts Council, Arts in Education and the Batesville Community Theatre and enjoy some amazing tastes of the area.

The Visiting Writers Series: John Hornor Jacobs

Jacobs is a Lyon College graduate and novelist. His first novel, Southern Gods, was published by Night Shade Books and shortlisted for the Bram Stoker Award. His second novel, This Dark Earth, was published in July 2012 by Gallery / Pocket Books, and imprint of Simon & Schuster. He lives and works in Little Rock. Jacobs will have a public interview in the Alphin Board Room in the Alphin Building at 11 a.m. and a public reading in the Bevens Music Room in Brown Chapel at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 5 from 11 a.m. through 7:30 p.m.

Masters of Motown

Master of Motown performs hits of The Temptations, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Four Tops, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Jackson Five, Stevie Wonder and many more. The must see event will be Monday, February 18 from 7 p.m. through 9 p.m. in the Independence Hall of the UACCB Campus.

Harlequin Theatre Presents: Twelfth Night, or What You Will

This play by William Shakespeare is considered by many critics to be the finest comedy in the English language. Dr. Michael Counts, Professor of Theatre at Lyon, will direct the production. The performances will be Thursday, February 21, Saturday, February 23 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, February 24 at 2 p.m. in the Holloway Theatre.

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Artist, Melinda LaFevers, provided an Arts In Education residency at Southside Middle School, Oct 26th – 30th. This “Life in a Log Cabin” residency was held in Jana Mead’s history classes.

Cultural kaleidoscope’s AIE residency at Batesville’s Eagle Mountain Magnet School.

Dec. 1st’s Kid’s Cookie Building workshop at the BAAC Art Gallery on Main.

The Arts in Education program is provided through a partnership with

Southside School District and the Batesville Area Arts Council as well

as supported in part by the Arkansas Arts Council, which is an agency of the Arkansas Department of Heritage and the National Endowment for the arts.

Jason Suel, AIE artist from Trike Theatre, working at Batesville’s West Magnet School, October 26th – 30th, providing an AIE residency for lower elementary students and teachers.

Sergi Shapoval, AIE artist from Cultural Kaleidoscope’s Ukrainian program provided an Arts in Education residency for Batesville’s Eagle Mountain Magnet School October 26th – 30th.

2013 Batesville Historic Calendar

The Batesville Area Arts Council now has available for sale its 2013 Batesville Historic Calendar for $10 each. Historic sites have been compiled by Lyon College students in Morgan Page’s Photography Class and have been put into a calendar for 2013. These calendars can be purchased through BAAC Board members or the BAAC Art Gallery on Main. Other location sites will be provided at a later date. If you would like to place an order for calendars, please contact BAAC at (870) 793-3382 or [email protected]. Help support the arts.

2013 Batesville Historic Calendar

Batesville Community Theater information.

The Independence County Historical Society and Batesville Community Theatre will be presenting “WAR CHRONICALS II: INDEPENDENCE COUNTY’S CIVIL WAR, 1863-1864” by George E. Lankford. This is an original readers’ theatre production written to recognize the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War. This will be a once in a lifetime event and an opportunity for audiences to learn about what happened in Independence County during the Civil War-in the words of people who lived here 150 years ago.

There will be a special student matinee on Friday, February 1, 2013 at 10 a.m. in Independence Hall on the UACCB campus.

In conjunction with this program, the Old Independence Regional Museum is planning a display depicting the Civil War in this area.

To reserve seats for WAR CHRONICLES II, call (870) 793-3657. To reserve time at the Old Independence Regional Museum, call (870) 793-2121. N

George E. Lankford

Wassim Radwan, M.D. and Miguel Villagra, M.D., Hospitalists at White River Medical Center (WRMC), have both successfully earned Board Certifications in Internal Medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).

The Hospitalist team under the Hospital Medicine Program at WRMC consists of Internal Medicine Physicians who provide care and/or consultation to patients hospitalized at WRMC. They actively oversee diagnostic tests, treatments, and other aspects of patient care and work closely with patients, family members, primary care physicians, other specialists and other departments of the hospital.

“We are proud of Dr. Radwan and Dr. Villagra for becoming board certified,” said Tom Cummins, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at WRMC. “It really demonstrates their commitment to excellence in their field.”

Dr. Radwan received his Medical Degree and completed his Residency at the University of Mansoura in Egypt. Radwan also completed an Internal Medicine Residency at Texas Tech University Health Science Center in El Paso, TX.

Dr. Villagra received his Medical Degree from the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua in Managua, Nicaragua. He completed Internal Medicine Residency Training at Dr. Alejandro Davila Bolaños Military Hospital in Nicaragua, and at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, Texas.

Both joined the WRMC Medical Staff in 2012. ABIM works to enhance the quality of healthcare by

certifying internists and subspecialists who demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for excellent patient care.

Board Certification demonstrates that the physicians have met the highest standards of internal medicine and its subspecialties. Board Certification is voluntary and includes an exam that tests a physician’s ability to diagnose and treat patients with a broad range of conditions.

WRMC is a 250-bed regional referral center and the flagship facility of White River Health System (WRHS). WRHS is a not-for-profit healthcare system serving residents throughout North Central Arkansas. The system includes hospitals, outpatient facilities, primary care and specialty physician office practices and a medical equipment company. White River Health System is a member of the Premier Alliance, the American Hospital Association, and the Arkansas Hospital Association and licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health. N

WRMC Physicians Earn Board Certifications

Radwan, Waseem_2012Villagra, Miguel_2012

Optimist Club Awards

The Batesville Optimist Club held its 16th annual Youth Appreciation Banquet on Thursday, November 15th, 2012. The purpose of the Banquet was to honor two outstanding ninth grade students from each of the area schools. At Southside, student selection was made by faculty vote based on the ideals of our district,

as well as the tenets of the Optimist Creed and Purpose. The two students from Southside High School

were Zac Brogdon and Brooke Halford. Zac is the son of David and Amanda Brogdon and Brooke is the daughter of TW and Kristen Halford. We commend these students on the cut of their character.

The Optimist CreedPromise YourselfTo be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

January 2013 29

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Faces


The Spelling BeeThe Myopic Life

Kristi Price

Faces

My son felt sorry for me when he realized I wouldn’t have a Razorback bowl game to look forward to this January. I wouldn’t be scrambling around last minute trying to find hotel rooms in Dallas or New Orleans. I’d just be twiddling my thumbs, stalling on that part where I take down the Christmas tree. So, kindly, he earned himself a spot in the Independence County Spelling Bee, just to give his old mom something to stress out about; anticipate.

If you’ve not attended one of these bees, you must. You’re in for a treat. Unless you’re a parent of a speller - then you’re in for panic. I experienced this last year during my child’s first invitation to this bee. He’s old hat this year, but last year, when we walked into the auditorium at UACCB and Ethan took one look at the thirty competitors and their families, he visibly wilted. He turned pathetic eyes on me and whispered, “Mom? What if I fail? They’ll all know I’m a phony!”

Phony. P-H-O-N-Y. My own lifelong fear. It was at this point that I sucked my breath in and did what any good mother would do. I whisked my child home calmly said, “Whatever happens, we know you’re the real deal and we love you.”

And then I stopped breathing. The wait was agony. There was

the set-up. The assembling. The seating. The droning recitation of the rules. I felt myself light-headed from lack of oxygen. Finally, the

first speller stepped forward. Then the second. Eighteen kids later, after the majority had been eliminated on the first word and I was pretty sure I’d never breathe again, Ethan stepped up to the mic.

Here’s where I realized that he had holes in both knees of his blue jeans.

“Number 18 -your word is behest.”He turned his clear blue eyes

forward and said, “Behest. (pause) B-E-H-E-S-T. Behest.”

WHOOSH went all the air that had been pent up in me for half an hour. It fluttered the programs in people’s hands all around me. I was trembling with joy, completely without a care as to what happened past that point. I realized - I’d just wanted him to make it past the first round.

I don’t need a bowl game. I’ve got the spelling bee. To all the 2013 Independence County Spellers – you’ve made your families proud. Spell on! N

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Tales Of a Transplanted Fashionista

Leigh KellerLet’s Talk About Your Hair

Like most adult women, my hair has changed over the years, some for better, some definitely for worse. I am a child of the 80s and 90s, and survived those years of gigantic hair, excessive hairspray and blow-drying, and damaging my hair to no ends (no pun intended). Our hair was big, our music was ridiculous, and we’re all ashamed of the pictures.

Yes. That’s me as a young writer, in the middle of my high school friends, in high school journalism class. Notice the longer hair (and my friend’s sweaters, ay) I don’t think I even got haircuts back then? It was the 90s, I have apologized to my hair, several times over.

Over the years, my hair has gotten shorter, shorter and shorter, until one major event. This little guy came along and simply changed everything. Suddenly, spending hours blow-drying, teasing and poufing my hair didn’t sound nearly as attractive as, I’m just going to say it, sleeping.

My mornings with a two year old typically consist of chasing, giggling, taking my round brush away from him (since he thinks it makes a great microphone….not sure who taught him THAT) and trying to herd him into clothing and into the car. Somewhere along my hair journey, I figured out that softer hair is better than coarse, ratted hair, especially when dealing with little tiny people, with little, tiny hands. When you spend the bulk of your free time with your kids, and you’re a hands-on mama, you do not have time to primp and fluff, or you shouldn’t anyway.

Post-pregnancy, my hair got dramatically darker, and changed. I don’t want to scare those of you who are expecting, or who plan to try to expect soon, but your body changes dramatically in so many ways. The hormones change how your hair feels, so it is best to maybe change how you cut and color your hair, or it can begin to look tired (or as tired as you feel…can I get an Amen, Mamas?). My mama friends agreed that their hair changed too. Since the texture of your hair changes, you might need a more low-maintenance style and/or change in color. Hopefully, you will need a style where you can get up and get moving with your children, and not have to worry too much about on a day to day basis.

The trick is to find a style for your hair that works for you, right now, in this stage of your life. The good news about hair is that it is constantly growing, so if you cut it and hate it, just wait a few months and make another change. So many of my grown up friends still have the style they have worn for years, and it just seems like a lot of work to me. A few years ago I went a little crazy and grew my hair out again, only to find that most of the time I wore it back or in a ponytail.

My hair whisperer, Sarah Prince of Prince Cuts, always knows better than I do about my hair. I depend on her to give me the “hairapy” I need every six-eight weeks (it’s usually eight, and by that time, I hate looking in the mirror). When I go in, she will say “we’re going to try something different with your cut today.” I trust her so much that she could probably give me pink highlights in a mohawk and I would just happily read US Weekly and drink my coffee until my appointment was over. So, pick a hair stylist you trust and respect to give you the truth about if your hair is working for your face shape, lifestyle and budget. I am hoping that your life has changed in the last twenty years, so logically your hair should have too, for better or for worse.

*I could give you the phone number of my hairstylist, but then you would get my emergency appointment time, and she might not have time for me, eight weeks from now. N

“Yes. That’s me as a young writer, in the middle of my high school friends, in high school journalism class.”

“This little guy came along and simply changed everything.”

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January 2013 33

Bob Pest Jackson County RocksLife in the Ozarks

It should be no surprise that the Arkansas Rock'N'Roll Highway begins at Newport. In the 1950s, clubs and joints along this stretch of highway from Newport to Pocahontas played host to Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty, Sonny Burgess, Sleepy LaBeef, Narvell Felts, Billy Lee Riley, and Levon Felts. Burgess and the Pacers, among the earliest and most influential rock'n'roll pioneers who recorded at the fabled Sun Studio in Memphis, are still performing today. Newport, the county seat of Jackson County, was home to the Silver Moon Club, capable of seating 800, and Porky's Roof Top. Just up the road in Swifton, Bob's King of Clubs, known in its early days as Bob King's B&I Club, welcomed rockabilly and rock'n'roll performers for nearly sixty years until it burnt down in 2010.

The Rock'N'Roll Highway 67 Museum, located in the Newport Economic Development Commission Office, houses vintage photos and other memorabilia from former clubs. Newport also celebrates its musical heritage every September with its Depot Days Festival; featuring such musical legends as Ace Cannon, Sonny Burgess, and Ronnie McDowell.

Jackson's County's rich musical heritage is just one of many reasons to visit Jacksonport State Park. In the 1800s steamboats made Jacksonport a thriving river port. During the Civil War, the town was

occupied by both Confederate and Union forces because of its crucial locale. Jacksonport became county seat in 1854, and construction of a stately, two-story brick courthouse began in 1869. The town began to decline in the 1880s when bypassed by the railroad. The county seat was moved in 1891 to nearby Newport, and Jacksonport's stores, wharves. and saloons soon vanished. Today, exhibits in the park's 1872 courthouse and programs by park interpreters share the story of this historic river port. Admission to the courthouse is free.

The park's interpreters routinely schedule programs designed to help visitors have a more meaningful park experience. Over the years the park has presented thousands of family-friendly programs and events, including lake tours on park party barges, guided hikes, birding adventures, living history demonstrations, nature games, fall foliage programs, historic site tours, bald eagle watches, spring wildflower walks, campfires, and outdoor skills workshops. One of the parks most popular exhibits is White River Pearling as the residents of Jacksonport experienced in the 1900's. The exhibit includes homemade diving helmets, rakes, net bags, and other equipment used to harvest freshwater pearls. Shell buttons, button blanks, and a button machine tell the story of button-making from start to finish. The most coveted prize

of pearling--perfectly-shaped fresh water pearls--are also on display in the exhibit.

Newport has also become a force in the cultural scene over the past four years, hosting the annual Delta Visual Art Show every February. This year's Blue Bridge Center for the Delta arts show featured work by over a hundred Delta artists from five states. The show takes place at a number of venues in Newport, including the Iron Mountain Train Depot, the Newport Business Center, and two historic buildings—the Old First National Bank and the old Post Office. Free workshops for visual artists are also offered and always attract a significant enrollment.

Admission to both the show and parking is absolutely free. The Art Express Shuttle Train, which runs between all four venues and the Children's area, is also free. The show is a great place to find great art at surprisingly low prices. In addition to paintings, you can also find woodcarving, metal works, jewelry, ceramics, found object art, and photography—just about every kind of visual art is available.

Newport is a generous community. As the Jackson County Tourism Council proclaims in their advertisements, “No visitor is a stranger for long.”

For more information visit www.ozarkgateway.com or call 1-800-264-0316. N

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The Nikki Lee Atwell Foundation Fundraiser

The Nikki Lee Atwell Foundation was established in 2002 following the untimely death of Nikki Atwell of Mountain View, Arkansas. On October 7th, 2002, at approximately 1:30pm, Nikki was involved in a single car accident near El Paso, Arkansas, while en route to Little Rock. She had fallen asleep while driving after taking medication for allergies that made her drowsy. She was ejected from the vehicle, suffered extensive head trauma and was rendered unconscious. Nikki never regained consciousness, and doctors pronounced her death at 5:00pm on October 8th at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock, just 4 days before her 20th birthday. Nikki’s family made a donation of her organs through the ARORA organization in the hope that, out of her tragic death, others would have the promise of life.

Nikki understood the arts to be a greater expression of the soul than mere words could provide. She had a love of classical music; as a soprano, she sang in five languages, including Latin and Italian. She played a variety of musical instruments, including French Horn, guitar, and drums. She was a member of both her high school band and choir. Graced with a natural stage presence, Nikki danced with the North Arkansas Ballet Company, and performed in the Batesville Community Theatre and her high school fine arts & drama club. From music and dance, to writing, painting, and beyond -- she explored every art form with a passion for self-expression, and a curiosity for discovering who she was.

Before her death, Nikki attended the prestigious Wellesley College in Massachusetts where, in addition to her artistic pursuits, she became a student of economics, math, philosophy, and chemistry. She never shied from the academic challenges of the rational world, yet managed to find new and interesting ways to connect her artistic side and

her intellectual curiosity.Nikki’s family established the

Foundation in her memory to provide support to individuals in Stone, Izard, and Independence Counties who wanted to further their own studies in the Fine Arts and Humanities. Over the last 10 years, the Foundation has provided over $50,000 dollars in memorial scholarships and grants to individuals in these counties that have been used for a variety of needs: paying for musical instruments and lessons; dance classes and attire; art materials; and academic scholarships.

In addition, to foster a spirit of charity and support for the arts, culture, and history in Nikki’s memory, the Foundation has funded photographic exhibits of local folk musicians; provided toothbrushes and shoes to the indigenous people of Mexico; created an ongoing scholarship endowment for the Arkansas Craft School; donated clothing to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota; partnered with Every Child is Ours (Tuckerman, AR); helped local families in need with donations of goods after house fires and through referrals from both the Stone County Resource Council and Sheriff ’s Department; lent its support to the Arkansas History Commission for installation of Civil War history markers in Stone County; and sponsored the Calico Rock Museum – Native American Exhibit (Nikki was a descendant of Chief George Augustus Hicks, who lead the Trail of Tears through Fort Smith).

In commemoration of our 10th anniversary, the Nikki Lee Atwell Foundation proudly announces their most exciting fundraising effort to date -- the chance to win a brand-new 2013 Jeep Compass 4x4! By making a $100 donation to the Foundation, the donor name will be entered into the contest to win the new Jeep. Entry into the

contest will be limited to the first 500 donors, meaning that each donor will have a 1-in-500 chance to win the 2013 Jeep Compass. N

INFO & RULES: The contest & fundraiser is sponsored by the Altman Motor Company of Mountain View and Ozark Heritage Bank. Entry donations can be made at each sponsor location. Entry donations can also be made mailing a donation, along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Nikki Atwell Foundation, P.O. Box 2133, Mountain View, AR 72560. Mail-in entrants will receive their donation receipt and entry stub by return mail. Only the names of those donors whose donation is received on or before June 30th, 2013, will have their name entered in to the contest. A drawing to determine the winner will be held on July 1st, 2013, regardless of how many tickets have been sold by that date. However, if all 500 tickets sell prior to July 1st, 2013, the Foundation will announce to the public the date of any earlier drawing to be held. You need not be present at the drawing to win. Donors must be 18 years old or older to be entered into the contest. All applicable taxes, licenses, assessment, registration, insurance and fees are the responsibility of the winner. Contest vehicle is available for viewing on the lot of Altman Motor Company in Mountain View, Arkansas, during normal business hours. The winner of the vehicle must take possession of the vehicle at Altman Motor Company in Mountain View, Arkansas, within 30 days of the drawing. Foundation board members, employees, and their families, and the family of Nikki Lee Atwell, are ineligible to win. The Nikki Lee Atwell Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization, and your donations are tax-deductible.

A Spirit of Charity and SupportSubmitted

Young Sherlock HolmesSmith’s Verdict ***

Reviewed by Tanner Smith

“Young Sherlock Holmes” imagines what it’d be like if Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s notorious detective characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson met as young men. And even if the screenplay calls for young Holmes and young Watson to embark on an adventure of Spielberg proportions not necessarily worthy of the Doyle tales (indeed, Steven Spielberg was one of the film’s producers), it’s a pretty entertaining watch.

The introduction of young Holmes and young Watson is a wonderful sequence—a real treat. Young Watson is the new boy at school in every sense—he’s near-sighted and round. His first encounter with a fellow student is a young genius named Holmes. Just as Watson is about to introduce himself, Holmes stops him, saying “Let me.” After an awkward pause, Holmes, without stuttering, states proudly, “Your name is James Watson, you’re from the North of England, your father is a doctor, you’ve spent a considerable amount of leisure time writing, and you have a particular fondness for custard tarts. Am I correct?” He was right about everything except that Watson’s name is John. Watson asks how he did that, to which Holmes responds that it was clear, elementary deduction from a close look at his belongings.

The boarding school that Holmes and Watson attend is in the great tradition of English locations used in fiction, in which a great sense of unconventionality

is always visible. In particular, living in the school, is a retired old professor named Dr. Waxflatter (Nigel Stock). He has many bizarre, clever, wonderful inventions in his workplace. His latest is a contraption much like a one-man pedaling airplane—however, his many tests have proven unsuccessful.

And let’s not forget that nosy dark-cloaked figure that stalks the grounds and uses a blowpipe to shoot special thorns into his victims. The thorns are dipped in a solution that causes those exposed to it to experience realistic hallucinations. The victims seem to be killing themselves to escape their drug-induced nightmares—these include a gargoyle that comes alive and attacks; a coat hanger that turns into snakes; and the most impressive (although definitely underused) special effect, a stained-glass window knight that comes off the window and walks toward the victim. (That knight, by the way, is the first computer-generated character to be released in a feature film.)

When Waxflatter falls victim to the hallucinations, Holmes and Watson are left important clues. Holmes is determined to get to the bottom of this foul play, as he, Watson, and Holmes’ girlfriend Elizabeth race to solve the mystery.

What they find, I’ll admit, is not worthy of Holmes and Watson, especially their teenage counterparts. It’s a


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secret Egyptian religious cult that partakes in human sacrifice of young female virgins, inside an underground pyramid. Just call this “Young Sherlock Holmes and the Temple of Doom” and you get the idea. (Fittingly enough, in some countries, this film is entitled “Pyramid of Fear.”)

“Young Sherlock Holmes” is essentially Doyle mixed with Spielberg, and it does more justice to Spielberg than it does to Doyle. But there are many Doyle elements to enjoy—such as the references to the Holmes/Watson elements we know of (Holmes’ pipe, his cloak, his violin-playing, etc.). The characters of young Holmes and young Watson are portrayed and written convincingly in

the great spirit of Doyle, and played wonderfully by Nicholas Rowe as the charismatic young genius and Alan Cox as the loyal, realistic Watson. They’re effective so that Holmes purists won’t be offended.

There’s one element that fans will notice doesn’t fit into this Holmes story and that’s the character of Elizabeth (Sophie Ward), a beautiful young woman who lives at the school and serves as Holmes’ love interest. She’s beautiful, nice, and attentive; but you can tell where the character is going so that no woman will ever touch Holmes’ heart again, hence his bachelor lifestyle. To her credit, if anyone were going to be the only woman for Holmes, it would have to be Elizabeth.

Even if the special effects don’t belong in a Holmes story, they’re still fun, and so is this movie. “Young Sherlock Holmes” gives us interesting heroes to root for, an engaging mystery for us to follow, and more-than-capable execution from director Barry Levinson, writer Chris Columbus, and cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt. Nsilveropossum.homestead.com

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Joseph ThomasWith A Present Made Of Time

The sky once opened up before me and I wept. I wept for the souls that journeyed before me to the clearing. Lady Mae, Old King George, the black bird of Guffey Street. Some think that souls wait in the clearing for our arrival. I like to think they have better things to do and part of the fun is finding them where ever they may have wandered. Into the wild beyond that is one part imagination, one part strength of heart, with a pinch of stardust residue. Passed souls walking the untraveled paths that are only untraveled because they change with every breath left behind. The whimsy of it all collects here and becomes the lights of fancy, a golden sunset glimmer that once was. Panoramic skies cover the diverse dreamscape and still I will walk, until I sit. Laying just off the dock to see my reflection in the placid water that will carry me to those I love and miss much. Time well measured and evenly dispersed means never being late or hurried except to run through the laughing meadow to fall to the blanket of my Queen and share her wine. There I will hold her up to the present of the sky like the child of wonder that she is. N

Notes from the Clearing

Kennadi LeeAnne Pretty

Photo by Stacy Pretty


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