ALT July 2014

July 2014 | Vol. 8, Issue 7

AL20T15’SICE

O ’S CH R E D FORM REA N O I T NA NOMI ssue!

sI In Thi

Jessica Vickers City Hearts

Photo By: Kendal Dockery Photography

Micah’s Jewelers 2014 Senior Model Contest winner

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July2014

CONTENTS July 2014 Vo l . 8 , I s s u e 7 Publisher/Editor Debbie Brower Associate Editor Jaclyn Gooding Sales & Marketing Manager Charlie McMurphy 903.903.5797 Graphic Artists Lindsey Gordon, Jessica Vickers Photography Debbie Brower, Jaclyn Gooding, Lindsey Gordon, Kendal Dockery, Sylvia Jennings, Karen Lansdell

k / On The Cover

14

Feature Writers / Jane Bouterse, Anne Fruge, Lindsey Gordon

A Heart for the City

Contributing Writers Mike Brower, Thomas Johnson, Lisa Myers, Vincent Senatore, Dustin Stringer

FEATURES 14 20 28 43 68

Storm Chaser Mike Brower

A Heart for the City Not Without My Consent The Gift of Life Summer Recipes Thoughts of a First-Time Foster Parent

If you have an event you would like to include in our Upcoming Events section, please email us at: info@alt-mag.com.

w w w. a l t - m a g . c o m

EVENTS 64 66 66 67 67

Lifenet EMS BBQ New Administrator Edgewood Heritage Wall Dedication P h a n t o m G h o s t W a l k To u r Vocal Competition Awards

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Not Without My Consent

ALT Magazine is published the 1st business day of every month.

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission of ALT Magazine is strictly prohibited. ALT Magazine is distributed free of charge. Direct mail subscriptions are available for $42.00 per year. Contributions from our readers are welcome. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material.

REGULARS 36 72 62 58 82 99 70 56 60

6

BAAS Highlight Calendar of Events Financial Focus F i s h Ta l e s Keeping It Real Real Estate Second Chances Uncorked View From the Range

ALT Magazine

July 2014

info@alt-mag.com 200 Heather Dr. Texarkana, TX 75501 (903) 334-9605

Š2014 ALT Magazine

28

The Gift of Life

For advertising information, call Charlie McMurphy 903.908.5797

DrPettysFootClinic.com G. Gregg Petty DPM

KEEPING IT REAL From The Publisher

Aaah, summer - that long anticipated stretch of lazy, lingering days, free of responsibility and rife with possibility. It’s a time to hunt for insects, master handstands, practice swimming strokes, conquer trees, explore nooks and crannies, and make new friends. ~ Darell Hammond

Aaah, summer -- the memories of a youth spent at the swimming pool, every day from noon until sundown, visiting my great

aunt in Mississippi, catching fireflies, camping with my family, majorette camp. Although I loved school, I looked forward to a summer of fun, travel and family time. My mom was never one to just sit around and wait for my dad to take us somewhere, although Daddy traveled with us at times.

Now that I am a “little bit” older, I spend them a little differently, but I love them all the same. I have always been a warm

weather person. Cold is something I just want at night -- you know, air conditioner for the house set on 67 and window unit blowing straight on me set on 65. Mike, my hubby, recently told someone that it was like living in a meat locker at night! I would have to agree, but I sure like it that way. During the day however, I don’t want to have to wear all those jackets and long sleeves and everything else that goes along with the cold. I really just want to be lying on a beach, reading a great book and enjoying peace with the sounds of waves crashing in to the shore.

As I sit here writing this, I am leaving in the morning to do just that -- my yearly trip to what I consider to be my oasis -- the

beach. I grew up less than 2 hours from Gulf Shores, Alabama. After I got my driver’s license, the beach became my summer haven. It is still that haven to get away from all the bustle that surrounds my day-to-day life. I am so excited -- and if you are my friend on Facebook, you know how excited I am and have watched me count down the days!

I can remember the years of taking both of my children when they were very small and watching them play in the edge of

the water. You just can’t find a better place to have family fun and enjoy God’s beautiful creation. The kids have now grown up, one with children of his own, one with her precious dog babies, and they still enjoy seeing the ocean every summer. Memories of good times in the past never go away. We are creating memories for the future that will be in our hearts together.

As you celebrate our Independence, remember to gather your family close and create your own memories. The smiles you

see may just be your own!

May God bless you and yours.

Publisher 8

ALT Magazine

July 2014

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Heart for the

J

essica Vickers describes her life’s journey as a series of “divine appointments,” steps directed by God that she could never have planned for. “I have a lot of dreams for my life, but when I look at how I’ve gotten to this point, I know that anything I plan will never be as good as His plans,” Jessica says.

After graduation from Genoa High School, Jessica enrolled in Texas A&M University Texarkana, where she is currently a junior in the mass communications program.

This January, she was crowned Miss Texarkana even though she had only competed in a handful of pageants before. Now, she is preparing for the Miss Texas Pageant in Richardson where she hopes to impress the judges with her passion for the arts, for dance and for raising funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer.

When she was only eleven, Jessica’s great grandmother, Hazel Vickers, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Jessica’s family, including parents, David and Joslyn, and brother, Grant, witnessed her great grandmother’s struggle and her positive attitude through it all. “My grandmother was a happy-spirited person because of her faith,” Jessica says. “However, it was very hard for the family.”

Through this difficult time, Jessica turned to her love for dance. Joslyn enrolled Jessica when she was only two and a half and encouraged her to go to the classes and never give up. Now, Jessica is about to complete her eighteenth year of dance instruction.

“My mom was a dancer, so it was in my blood,” Jessica says. “I love

dance because I can express every emotion I’m feeling. If I’m sad, happy or mad, I can tell the story with my body movement.”

Soon after her grandmother’s diagnosis, Jessica tried something new.

She competed in her first pageant, Junior Miss Texarkana, and won. “Honestly, it all looked so glamorous to me with all the dresses and makeup,” Jessica says. “Plus, my best friend, Morgan Harrison, had done it, and I wanted to be like her.

However, this pageant wasn’t what I expected. The older girls were great mentors, and I saw these beautiful girls who were active in their community and who wanted to make a difference in Texarkana. This pageant was the first time I felt like I had a voice.”

After the pageant, Jessica felt drive and determination to start something new in Texarkana. She wanted to combine her love of dance with the love and compassion she felt for her great grandmother and all the other families affected by cancer. So, she and her mother, Joslyn, reached out to Dancers Against Cancer, a nonprofit that helps dancers raise money to fight cancer. “This was one of those ‘divine appointments,’” Jessica says. “I was backstage at a dance competition in Joplin, Missouri, and while I was waiting to go on, I looked through a program. I saw an ad for Dancers Against Cancer. The ad had Pointe shoes in the shape of the breast cancer ribbon. I showed my mom and said that we needed this in Texarkana.”

Dancers Against Cancer was founded by Jody Isenhour and July 2014

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Jessica McCarroll. Jody was diagnosed with breast cancer at thirty nine years old. Upon Jodi’s diagnosis, Jessica and Jodi began to discuss the possibility of using dance as their way to make a difference. Their foundation seeks to use dance to encourage the understanding and support of breast cancer awareness.

Joslyn called and talked to them, and set up their first fundraiser in Texarkana in 2006. Since then, the annual event has combined performances from local dance studios, school dance teams, cheerleading squads and drill teams from across the community and raised approximately $20,000 for the fight against breast cancer. “It was such a cool thing to see people from across the Texarkana area come together,” Jessica says. “The experiences I’ve had at these events are ones that I will never forget.

I remember young dancers coming up to me and asking how they could be involved and telling me the stories of someone they knew with cancer.”

After Jessica graduated from high school, she began classes at Texas A&M Texarkana. With a full academic load, dance classes and a spot on the Eagle Dance Team, Jessica did not have as much time for community involvement, and she missed it. Inspired by her experiences with Dancers Against Cancer, Jessica started to dream about a new opportunity: a non-profit that would combine the passion of the arts with

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the power of community service. She began speaking to her youth pastor, Shane Melton, and her mom about her ideas. “Any time you see something artistic, it sparks discussion. Whether it is a sculpture, a painting, a song, a dance, or a concert, the arts provide an escape,” Jessica says. “Dance is my passion, but there are so many other talented people in our community, and I wanted a way to bring them together.

Everyone knows someone who has had to face cancer, and I wanted to try to find a positive way to promote something that is so negative.”

With help from family and friends, Jessica’s vision became the non-profit, City Hearts. Upon becoming President, she knew she would need some help. Jessica appointed her good friend and dance teacher, Wendy Butler, as Vice President. Her mother, Joslyn, is Treasurer and helps with the financial side of the business, and Julie Moreland, Jessica’s aunt, is Secretary. Shane Melton, her pastor, helped Jessica organize her ideas and strategically plan her time and energy into each one.“I can not think of a better way to raise money than to do what I love. I am joining together with individuals who seek to weave the arts into the fabric of communities. Together, we can engage and inspire people to use their talents for a purpose and make ‘mammories’ happen,” Jessica

says.

City Hearts has already had several fundraisers, and Jessica has designed t-shirts and a Facebook page to start raising awareness. They are currently working on a Broadway production for the fall. It’s Jessica’s dream to feature singers, dancers and musicians in the performance and feature artwork from local artists at the venue. The proceeds from the events would be split between the Wadley and Christus St. Michael cancer centers.“I would love for City Hearts to host an annual event. It’s already been amazing to see so many dance studios and dancers offer their time or ask what they can do to help,” Jessica says. “Not only are these young people passionate about dance, they are passionate about helping the community.

It’s already bigger than what I could have dreamed about. To anyone out there with a vision, if you are driven by something, you can make it happen.”

Now, Jessica will take City Hearts with her to the Miss Texas pageant, where she hopes to bring awareness to how the arts can help a community. This opportunity to share her passion is another one of those “divine appointments” in her life. Just a few weeks before the Miss Texarkana pageant this past January, Jessica felt called to sign up, though she was not sure why. She had only competed in a handful of pageants and had not competed in Miss Teen Texarkana, a traditional route to the adult competition. She kept praying that

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July 2014

God would close the door if it was not His will. However, only two weeks before the day of the pageant, Jessica added her name to the list. “On the day of competition, I decided I was just going to talk about my passion and leave everything on the dance floor; the rest was not up to me,” Jessica says. “When I won, I felt like it was God’s plan for me. He’s given me so many opportunities to share my story.”

Jessica is the embodiment of what can happen when passion and determination come together. Her vision for the future includes dreams of working for a magazine, teaching dance, and making City Hearts a big part of the Texarkana community.

She also hopes to one day expand the vision of City Hearts to offer dance and art classes for underprivileged kids. No matter what comes, Jessica is waiting for God’s direction for the next step of the journey. “I know God will use City Hearts to do great things in our community,” Jessica says.

“I’ve never heard God’s voice, but I’ve seen Him move. He’s made connections and opened doors that no man could open.

Whether it is a little four-year-old dancer wrapped around my leg or an eighty-yearold woman thanking me for raising funds for her mammogram, I want Him to touch lives through me.”

Editor’s Note: We are very proud to have Jessica interning with ALT this summer and wish her well at the Miss Texas pageant the first week of July!

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THE BEAUTY IN LIFE

......Not

by Jane Bouterse and Kathy Hillis

Consent.....

Without My

I

t all started with a letter: To the editor of ALT Magazine:

I would like to bring to your attention a remarkable individual within your area. I had the privilege to get to know her while taking a four week School of Law Enforcement Supervision class at the Criminal Justice Institute in Little Rock.

Sgt. Kathy Hillis, of the Miller County Sheriff’s Office, is a wonderful person and is dedicated to her community. While attending class, I watched Kathy help others, show a passion for Law Enforcement and finish top in the class. …In class we were assigned a research paper. Kathy stepped outside the box and wrote about an issue which many in Law Enforcement have dealt with but are either ashamed or embarrassed to speak of. Her topic was Bullying in Law Enforcement…

It takes a strong and courageous individual such as Kathy to bring such things out in the open.

During the four weeks we spent with Kathy, we learned that she is a survivor of Ovarian Cancer. We also learned that she was on the show Big Brother. Kathy did not speak of these events in her life but it was only discovered when a fellow student recognized her from being on TV. Kathy is full of life and her story is amazing.

Chief Charles A. Clark Wabbaseka Police Department Jefferson County, AR

This kind of praise from a professional colleague is rare, so ALT Editor Debbie Brower decided to follow-up on Chief Clark’s recommendation. I received the assignment.

The first time I saw this 5 foot 4 inch woman with the long, straight blonde hair and large blue/green eyes she was standing in her front yard waving vigorously to signal me. I had landed a few yards too soon. A quick move, and I was greeted with her warm hug, infectious smile and mutual laughter. An auspicious beginning, and our shared time proved the accuracy of Chief Clark’s observations. Since Kathy had written ten pages describing her life, much of this article will be told in her own words.

To look at Kathy Hillis today is deceiving, as she is attractive, dedicated to her work, curious about and comfortable with her world. This Kathy Hillis has been developing since her birth in Houston on May 14, 1970. When Kathy was two years old, her mom Helen divorced. Kathy, brother Doug and mom returned to her family’s farm near Texarkana where Kathy was earlyon introduced to chores and household responsibilities. While Helen, a Registered Nurse, supplied the family’s paycheck, Kathy’s grandmother cared for the children.

“She just let me be a kid in any room. I could color on her coffee table, jump on her beds and in general be a kid without getting into trouble. My Grandma adored me and I her.”

After her grandfather’s death from an accidental shooting, the family’s “poor” status became “poorer.” Nonetheless, this was a crucial, formative period for Kathy: she learned independence and a work ethic; strong bonds developed between Kathy and her mom and her grandmother, especially.

It was she who taught Kathy the importance of faith to her life, and Beech Street Baptist Church and its musical program became a source of both inspiration and revelation. Yet, by age 15, Kathy discovered that many of her choices in dress and even pastimes were not acceptable to everyone. To be a part of the group sometimes required compromises she neither understood nor wanted to make. She began to question if something was wrong with me because I felt different…so I stopped going and did not feel welcome in God’s House. My mom and Grandma supported me standing my ground, and they trusted that God would guide me. I did not know at the time but I had Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Others did not understand how I thought or acted…so I started to become withdrawn.

When I was in first grade I skipped school to investigate why I couldn’t find my lunch money. While walking home from school I would point out people and places I felt were bad. (At this very early age, God was setting the tone to my future that was unknown to me.) This scared the other kids.” As she grew, however, so did Kathy’s curiosity and independence.

“At 17,” Kathy writes, “I married and became pregnant with my son, Shane. My husband and I hung out with the roughest of the roughest crowds. We lived in an environment where you had to have street smarts to survive. These relationships I had gave me a good understanding of how to survive in the world. This later would serve me in my position in law enforcement.” A divorce at 19 enabled Kathy, a proud mother, to move successfully into positions of responsibility in the banking worlds, a new marriage and to establish a timber business July 2014

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with her husband. Finally, her life was becoming settled and more conventional.

May 1999 changed all of that. Kathy was diagnosed with a rare form of Ovarian Cancer that would require aggressive treatment for over two years and meant no more children.

After my diagnosis, I had the attitude, “God, this is where You have me right now. I may not like it. I may not understand it, but I’m going to keep doing my best, knowing that You are going to use this to my advantage.”

I started a selfreflection and sought the meaning of my life. What had been my special contribution to the world?

What had I done to make the world a better place?

How should my son, family, friends and the world remember me?... The answers to these questions were troubling to me and I did not like them.

I thought about the things that were most important in my life. I thought of the many things I wanted my son to know. I chose to make corrections in my life so that when I asked myself these questions again my answers would be something positive.

Kathy’s determination and support conquered the cancer. However cancer had taken its toll. During my fight with

cancer, employees of our timber company stole a large amount of timber from us and it destroyed all we had worked so hard to build. We lost our home, cars and company.

After becoming a victim of theft, I chose to be a voice for victims…While taking classes at Texarkana College I met Gary Gildon… [who] saw something in me and he directed me…He pushed me and I accepted his challenge. He understood my passion even

though he did not know what drove me. My focus at the time was law school but I had to understand policing to help in my work.

Before she finished the police academy, Kathy’s passion attracted Sheriff H. L. Phillips of the Miller County Sheriff’s Department. He hired her. “Sheriff Phillips gave me a chance and earned my loyalty.”

From serving civil papers and warrants, Kathy moved to CID and became an

investigator then to the Bi-State Narcotics Task Force. She transferred back to the patrol division and was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2010. Currently, she is assigned to the Miller County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Kathy continues to learn as she works toward her Associate of Applied Science in Law Enforcement Administration.

When she attended the Criminal Justice Institute in Little Rock, she relied on Eleanor Roosevelt’s reminder, “No one can make me feel inferior without my consent” as she discussed the presence of bullying in law enforcement—a topic, Chief Clark admitted, which required courage and strength.

“Bullying takes place in every field and profession and law enforcement is not immune,” Kathy has written. “I believe the workplace bully must be stopped if we are to maintain a positive work environment for ourselves, our coworkers and our community. Those targeted must be reminded that they are not to blame and are not the cause for the bullying.”

Much of Kathy’s courage and strength comes from the three basic concepts that her life and professions have helped her develop:

First, when it comes to people it is

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July 2014

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imperative that we understand what Andy Griffith called the “Human Equation.” You may laugh but Andy had it right. In order to serve people you have to understand people….People will remember when you help them and respect you for your efforts.

Second, the same God that forgives me day after day is the same One who expects me to practice forgiveness.

Third, you must realize there is a big difference between discipline and punishment. …discipline is designed to ensure something does not happen again….

However, people do not need to be a recipient of your own personal punishment system…People should not be defined by their mistakes…nor should they be constantly reminded of them. She concludes that making decisions requires time, good judgement, and a desire to “seek the best results with the least harm for all.”

Kathy’s commitment to her ideals and caring for people are evident in everything she does. For example, during 2010, I was able to fulfill a dream of mine and a promise I had made to my Grandma. I applied, tested and was chosen for the CBS reality show Big Brother. When I was taking care of my terminally ill grandmother, we would watch Big Brother together. I had just finished taking chemo and she told me that when I got better I should apply and go on Big Brother. When she passed away, I finally applied, it took me five years but I made it.

To embark on a journey towards your goals and dreams requires bravery. To remain on

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that path requires courage. The bridge that merges the two is commitment. Being on Big Brother was a positive experience for me. The best part of Big Brother was the experience in itself and realizing that you shouldn’t take things for granted. My family, church (Heritage Church in Nash, TX, is my home), friends, and my job are the most important things to me. Being away from them really makes you appreciate life even more.

Perhaps without her realizing, Kathy has subscribed to another of Eleanor Roosevelt’s admonitions: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Kathy Hillis has chosen to live her life to the fullest. She has known both pain and promise, disappointments and successes, frustrations and surprises.

Through it all, her attitude has been positive.

“Although being positive is far from easy. It takes willpower, determination, and constant reinforcement. I made that attitude change.”

She has learned from those whose lives have been a part of her own—not just her family, friends, teachers and colleagues, but also from Shamu.

Shamu, literally, “had the personality of a ‘frat boy.’” Raised in a Dallas fraternity house, the arrival of this feline masterpiece in Kathy’s love was a serendipity and “… my first gift from God after my battle with Cancer.” Shamu became for Kathy the second child she could never have and commanded her home and her life with

dignity, dedication and delight. “His eyes were a window straight to his sweet soul….

He knew ME and I knew HIM.” After almost 10 years of sharing their lives, Shamu died on June 19, 2013.

Another loss, but for Kathy yet another step in learning herself and defining her values. “I am strong because I know my weaknesses,” Kathy writes. “I’m alive because I’m a fighter. I am wise because I’ve been foolish. I laugh because I’ve known sadness. I make today count! In my life I have done many things, fought many battles and accomplished much. Of all the things I have done or will ever do, of all the happiness I have enjoyed, of all my accomplishments big and small, being a mom exceeds them all.”

Kathy Hillis exemplifies the wisdom of Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make me feel inferior without my consent” and “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Indeed a remarkable individual, Kathy can describe herself better than anyone else: I want everyone to look at me and say, I can see the love of God in her heart by her actions and her words.

A worthy example for us ALL.

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......The

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Life........

Gift of

The air is getting cooler and the leaves are beginning to fall. It is Thanksgiving 2007, and the “Texarkana crud” has been going around. The Maxwell family gathers to put Christmas lights on the house. Although daughters Elena (7) and Trinity (6) have recently been sick, they are recuperating. However, for their youngest daughter, Autumn (2), the “crud” was only just beginning. No matter how they feel, the girls are determined to participate in the evening’s festivities and see the Christmas lights. It was a wonderful evening of wonder with the family.

It is now morning, and little Autumn’s sickness has quickly gotten worse. After rushing her to the hospital, they are told Autumn has double pneumonia and she is quickly flown to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

As grandmother Rhonda recalls, “it was all downhill from there.” While shopping at Target, she got the phone call from her daughter that simply said, “Daniel is upset, you need to call him.” She immediately left the store and called Daniel, her son and father to Elena, Trinity and Autumn. Autumn’s illness had started a downward spiral, and her brain was swelling immensely.

The doctors were going to have to drill a hole in her head to attempt to relieve the swelling. Daniel needed his family to be there and she went to be with her son and

grandchildren, and to offer whatever comfort there was that could be done.

Although Elena was only 7, she remembers a lot about that day. She said, “The trip to the hospital seemed to take forever.” When she arrived, her dad took her and her sister, Trinity, to play outside. “Nobody would tell us anything,” Elena explains. She remembers coming back to everybody crying.

“That was it,” she said. Autumn was brain dead.

The family prayed together, “If she couldn’t come back as the same little baby she was, then Lord, take her home.” And so He did. Forty-eight hours later, Autumn was pronounced dead. During these final hours, the doctors and staff were more than supportive of the family. Rhonda said, “They would cry with you, hold you and even pray with you.”

During this time, the subject of organ donation was brought up.

The doctor first spoke with Rhonda, who then attempted to convince her son. Daniel’s initial response was, “Mom, I don’t even want to talk about donating!” The family expressed to him their support, no matter what decision he made. After being approached by the doctor several more times, Daniel finally agreed to hear him out. Luckily Daniel’s mind was changed, but with one exception.

He told the doctor they could have July 2014

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29

her organs, everything but her eyes. “Eyes are the windows to the soul,” Daniel believes.

He doesn’t even remember speaking with the doctor the last time. Rhonda said, “God made the decision.”

The next few hours were probably the hardest of all for the family. In order to successfully donate Autumn’s organs, her body had to be, in a way, kept alive.

“She was gone, but still there,” the family remembers. “It was almost impossible to hold her,” Rhonda said, “she still seemed so alive, warm even, when all you’re trying to do is say goodbye.”

Autumn may have left this world too soon, but her organs lived on and saved four other lives that day. Through her donations, she traveled the country. Her left kidney went to a 64-year-old woman from

New York, right kidney to a 39-year-old man from New York, her liver to a 12-year-old girl from Pennsylvania, and her heart to a 4-year-old from Tennessee. As hard as the next few months and Christmas holidays were for Autumn’s family, they took comfort in knowing that four other families got to celebrate another Christmas together because of Autumn. Rhonda said, “Even though she was only with us a short two years, her life was very valued knowing she saved four others.”

The time after Autumn’s death was particularly rough on Elena. She explained, “Autumn was my mini me. She followed me everywhere.” All three sisters were very close, but with Elena being the oldest, she took on the role as caretaker over Autumn.

“She even slept with me,” said Elena,

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July 2014

with tears in her eyes. It was a shocking experience to say the least. She remembers, “I kept waking up, trying to find Autumn.

She wasn’t there.” As she grows older, the memories have faded and God has made her a much stronger person.

Elena is a typical 14 year old who currently attends Arkansas High School.

She is an intelligent, outgoing, caring young woman who enjoys singing, reading, writing and participating in church activities at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. Elena, unlike most teens, is involved with the Arkansas Donor Family Council, which is supported by ARORA (Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency), and donates much of her time to spreading awareness about organ donation.

She is currently trying to raise funds to be able to volunteer this summer at the Transplant Games in Houston, Texas.

The Transplant Games are a multisport festival event to help promote the need for Organ and Tissue donation. The purpose is to show the world that transplantation is a treatment that does indeed work. The games started as a way to get the word out about the important need for organ donation and that is their goal today. Over the years, the Transplant Games has grown into an event that brought transplant and donor families together. The games this summer are July 11th through the 15th.

Elena uses her experience as a means to spread the word about organ donation, “if it saves others, then why not?”

Elena said. Rhonda says, “When someone becomes an organ donor, they are giving a great gift, the gift of life.” Autumn, in just two brief years of life, was able to give that gift to four families.

Would you like to help Elena in her quest to help at the Transplant Games in Houston? Please contact Rhonda Maxwell, rhondamaxwell@ymail.com. Or if you would like to send a donation, please send to: Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, c/o Elena Maxwell, 1501 Grand Ave., Texarkana, AR 71854.

To become an organ donor, please visit www.organdonor.gov. Thank you for helping to save others by making sure you are an organ donor. The life you save may just be someone you love!

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Donation Statistics Although there have been advances in medical technology and donation, the demand for organ, eye and tissue donation still vastly exceeds the number of donors. For more information, read the summary below or create a detailed data report on the UNOS Web site.

• • • • • •

More than 122,000 men, women and children currently need lifesaving organ transplants.

Every 10 minutes another name is added to the national organ transplant waiting list.

An average of 18 people die each day from the lack of available organs for transplant.

In 2013, there were 14,257 Organ Donors resulting in 28,953 organ transplants.

In 2013, more than 47,000 corneas were transplanted.

More than 1 million tissue transplants are done each year and the surgical need for tissue has been steadily rising.

• According to research, 98% of all adults have heard about organ donation and 86% have heard of tissue donation.

• 90% of Americans say they support donation, but only 30% know the essential steps to take to be a donor.

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July 2014

by Lisa Myers This is a continuing series of articles featuring graduates from the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) program at Texas A&M University-Texarkana (A&M-Texarkana). In upcoming months, BAAS graduates will share the motivations underlying their decision to attend college as a non-traditional student, the fears and challenges along the way, the “oh so worth it” successes, and some practical advice for those considering their own journey toward a degree.

Blessing.....

......A Degree and a

My first day walking back into college was one of the scariest and most intimidating things I had ever done. I remember thinking that I had failed so miserably at this twenty years ago. What could I possibly be thinking? I was afraid that I would not like it, that I would not be good at it, that all of the people in my world who truly believed that I was good and smart and could tackle anything would finally know the truth. The truth that I was a failure. If I blew this, the cat would be out of the bag.

Rachael Cherry, like so many non-traditional students, began her brief college career right out of high school and stuck with it just long enough to get the wrong idea about college and about herself. The day she dropped out, she had no idea what a college degree could mean to her, nor did she realize that one day she would end up being one of the top performing students in her graduating class. No, in 1990, she simply walked away without any intention of going back.

Life unfolded as it does, and Rachael got married, became a mother, and started working at a local church.

On occasion, actually quite often, she noticed that people complimented her on her abilities, even her intelligence. She, of course, chalked their comments up to people just being nice. Her husband told her otherwise and encouraged her for many years to go back to school, but the nagging doubt that she 36

ALT Magazine

July 2014

would just fail again was solidified in her mind.

It wasn’t until 2010 that Rachael started giving serious thought to the possibility of going back to college. She had started a new job as administrative assistant to Judge Sterling Lacy, and she knew that her time in that position was subject to the uncertainty of politics. If she was going to build some type of job security beyond her current position, she knew she needed a degree, so with that, she swallowed her fear and determined to jump in with both feet.

At the same time that Rachael was making her decision, the Bowie County Extension Office, located down the hall from Rachael’s office, distributed some brochures about a degree program that offered college credit for what adult students had learned in their career fields. The degree was the Bachelor of Applied Arts and

Sciences (BAAS) at A&M-Texarkana. That was it. Rachael knew the path she would take.

Still, Rachael had to muster the courage to go to the campus and get registered. Once she did, she made her way up that long sidewalk to the University Center’s second floor, and that is when she met two people who would make her reentry simple and seamless. Ava Simpson, Student Relations Specialist, answered all of Rachael’s questions in the One-Stop Shop, and then a student worker kindly escorted Rachael to Suzanne Buehler’s office. Ms. Buehler was the coordinator for the BAAS program at the time, and she spent time with Rachael showing her a path to success while reassuring her that she had the ability to complete the task. By the time Rachael left the campus, she had a plan and was ready to get started.

What she could not have known, however, is that her decision that day would lead to a very special blessing during her last year before graduation. Rachael’s daughter, Sydney Cherry, would also choose to attend college at A&M-Texarkana. They would not only be mother and daughter that year, but classmates, too.

Not only did I do it, but I did it well! Going back to school after 20 years... hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made. As I prepared for graduation, I was actually shocked at how excited I was. I had no idea that the sense of accomplishment I felt would be so intense. Walking across that stage was such an amazing moment for me. I would rank it among my top experiences in life, just after my wedding day and the birth of my children.

A degree, however, isn’t all that Rachael received. Her hard work did not go unnoticed, and the eyes that watched the closest were probably those belonging to Sydney…

There have been times this past year when I felt

Sydney explains her thoughts concerning this unusual circumstance as follows: It didn’t really register with me that we would be going to school together until we both had a night class, and she asked me to eat in the UC with her before. Of course I told her yes! But that doesn’t mean I didn’t wonder if people would think something of me for being there with my mom. It didn’t matter, though, because I have never been one to care what others thought – but, of course, the thought entered my mind. I didn’t want in any way, though, to put down this very big accomplishment in her life. It was important to me that she knew I supported her being there.

And so mother and daughter, classmates, met once a week for the remainder of the year on Tuesday nights at the UC grill. Before long, it wasn’t just the two of them. Many of Sydney’s friends joined them, putting to rest any indication that they thought it odd for Rachael to be there on campus.

The months, tests, papers, and classes clipped away, and in May of 2014, Sydney and Rachael finished up their year together as students, one with an upcoming course schedule in hand, the other with a diploma. When asked to reflect on her commencement day, Rachael says…

July 2014

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overwhelmed with work and bills and school, but to see my mom take on so much more than me and balance it so well was very encouraging for me.

It was a true reflection of her character, the person I have always looked up to. My mom, no matter what, always seems to have the right answers, so I appreciate that in many situations she is my best friend and not just my mom.

Her being on campus made this transition in life better for me, not weird or worse.

My mom is the first in our family to graduate (I’ll be the second!), and while that is a very big deal to everyone in our family, I KNOW it’s a big deal.

I’ve been there with her this year. On graduation day, I needed her to know that I understood what she just accomplished. It was important she know how proud I was of her, so I was there waiting for her when she got off the stage to take her first selfie as a graduate! I wanted her to know I was her biggest fan!

Today, I want her to know that through my second semester, I really started questioning whether college was for me. I honestly hated it and was a little miserable walking on campus every day, but seeing how happy she was the day she graduated, how absolutely nothing could bring her down, that has given me hope and makes me want to finish so she can be as proud of me as I am of her.

Being the child of missionaries, Rachael is most assuredly aware of the verse in Proverbs that simply says, “Her children rise up and call her blessed.” Rachael Cherry, you have been blessed.

Lisa Myers is a clinical faculty member at A&M-Texarkana and the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) Program Coordinator. She may be reached at lisa. myers@tamut.edu or 903-223-3133. For more information about the program, please visit TAMUT.EDU/BAAS

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July 2014

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We are now accepting nominations for the 1st annual ALT Reader’s Choice Awards!

Categories include: Goods and Services, Food and Drink, People, Community -- and of course Weddings!!! The nomination form is posted on Facebook and available on the next page. You may send in your nominations via Facebook, e-mail or postal mail. Nominations will be taken through the month of July and nominees announced in September. Voting will be done through Facebook, e-mail and postal mail beginning in September and winners will be announced in January. Check our Facebook page for more information.

Goods and Services

Food and Drink

Apartment Complex

Best Locally Owned Restaurant

Auto Service/Tires

Breakfast

Bank/Credit Union

Brunch

Children’s Clothing

Business Lunch

Eyewear

Date Night

Furniture

Gourmet Dinner

Hair Salon

Hamburger

Gift Shop

Outdoor Dining

Gun Store

Pizza

Gym/Fitness Center

Wine

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Pediatrician Photographer/Artist

Wedding

Podiatrist

Wedding Attire

Realtor Wedding Band/DJ Wedding Cakes Wedding Caterer Wedding Florist Wedding Indoor Venue

You may e-mail, lindsey@alt-mag.com or mail this form back to us.

This form is also available on our Facebook page. We look forward to receiving your nominations.

Wedding Outdoor Venue Wedding Photographer Wedding Rentals

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IF you are an Adult (age 18 or older) who is: • Diagnosed with OR at RISK for developing Type 2 Diabetes • Caring for someone with Type 2 Diabetes • African-American, American Indian, Asian-Pacific Islander, Hispanic (Bilingual Classes are available)

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A 5 week SERIES offering. Classes meet 1 day per week for 1 hour. Topics include: LIFESTYLE / HEALTH / DIABETES EDUCATION • Learn about the basics of diabetes, heart disease and simple tips to getting active BASIC NUTRITION EDUCATION • Basics of healthy eating, nutrition and meal planning Learn SELF-MANAGEMENT skills to manage your health and diabetes For Class times and locations, or to set up a Worksite Wellness program contact: Rebecca Sanford RN, BSN Public Health Educator Texarkana-Bowie County Family Health Center Monday – Thursday 7:00 am to 6:00pm PH: 903-798-3250 Email: rebecca.sanford@txkusa.org

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4th of July Favorites July 2014

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Saturday Brunch Debbie’s Fabulous French Toast

Saturday mornings are for mimosas and brunch . . .

Ingredients:

Thick slices of French-toast friendly bread frosting OR cream cheese softened to room temperature and mixed with a bit of vanilla extract, powdered sugar and milk, to taste Thinly sliced bananas Eggs (about 1 egg per every 2 slices) Dash of milk Dash of vanilla extract

Preparation: Whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla extract and set aside.

Cutting halfway down the slice, cut a pocket into each thick slice of bread. As you pull the knife through the final time, when the tip enters the slice, angle it down so that you can make the pocket a little deeper inside the slice without cutting the edges of the pocket any further down than half way.

Spread a thickish layer of cream cheese frosting or sweetened cream cheese inside the pocket, then add a layer of bananas.

Dip stuffed slices as usual in the egg mixture and cook over medium heat on the stove until both sides are golden brown. Serve with butter and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Courtesy: Debbie Brower

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Summer Salads Rainbow Chicken Salad

The colors of a fresh garden salad are so extraordinary, no painter’s pallet can duplicate nature’s artistry. . .

Ingredients:

Dressing Ingredients: boneless skinless chicken 3 tablespoons almond butter breast cooked and sliced 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons freshly fresh berries of choice squeezed orange juice additional fruit (peach, mandarin orange, apple or 3 tablespoons water pear) 1 tablespoon stoneground slivered almonds mustard ½ tablespoon raw honey feta cheese ¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste romaine lettuce and spring ½ teaspoon garlic greens

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Preparation:

Cut and prep all the vegetables and fruits.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into bite sized pieces. Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl - you can either arrange the bowl by ingredient or toss everything together. Refrigerate to chill.

For the dressing, puree all the dressing ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Taste and adjust to your preferences. Pour dressing over salad and serve.

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July 2014

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45

Grilled to Perfection Lindsey’s Luscious Shrimp Kabobs

Happiness is BBQ , friends, and a backyard. .

Ingredients:

Raw, shelled, large/jumbo shrimp Wright’s Maple and Brown Sugar Bacon fresh chopped pineapple red and green bell pepper vidalia and red onion baby bella musrooms Marinade:

Preparation: Place shrimp in large bowl and add Lawry’s Hawaiian Marinade and brown sugar, refrigerate.

Wrap bacon halves around each shrimp and alternate placing shrimp, pineapple and veggies on kabobs.

Chop peppers and onions into about 2 inch sections, half mushrooms.

Brush over top with remaining marinade.

Cut slices bacon in half.

Grill until bacon is done.

3 tablespoons brown sugar

Courtesy: Lindsey Gordon

Lawry’s Hawaiian Marinade

Jaclyn’s Hawaiian Buffalo Dogs Happiness is fast , easy, and delicious.

Ingredients: 1 package of all beef franks 1 package of hot dog buns pineapple bits

Preparation: First grill franks to perfection, then lightly toast the buns.

Set out ingredients so guest can assemble themselves.

blue cheese crumbles bacon bits buffalo sauce

Then ENJOY! Sounds crazy, but it is the most amazing hot dog you will ever eat!

Courtesy: Jaclyn Gooding

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ALT Magazine

July 2014

Summer Salads Jodi’s Go-To Greek Salad

The colors of a fresh garden salad are so extraordinary, no painter’s pallet can duplicate nature’s artistry. . .

Preparation:

Ingredients: 2 c. of your favorite greens (romaine, mixed baby greens, etc) 1/2 c. cucumber, chopped in big chunks 3/4 c. halved grape tomatoes 1/2 c. bell pepper, chopped in big chunks 1/4 c. prepared chickpeas

1/8 c. feta cheese, crumbled juice from one lemon 1 T. extra virgin olive oil kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Put lettuce and next four ingredients in a medium-sized salad bowl; squeeze lemon over salad (can use hand juicer to avoid seeds); next, drizzle olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

And/Or add-ins: Add a sprinkle of fresh chopped herbs (chives, basil, parsley, etc); a 1/2 cup or so of your favorite whole wheat or gluten free pasta.

Courtesy: Jodi Coffee

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47

Satisfying Sides Jaclyn’s Cilantro Lime Corn

Learn how to cook, try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all, have fun . . .

Ingredients:

fresh or frozen corn on the cobb

Cilantro Lime Butter: 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves 1 lime, zested and juiced 2 teaspoons salt 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation: If you use frozen, microwave them (like it says to do on the package...) until they are thawed, not as long as called for, though. Then coat in the butter, wrapped in foil and cooked in the oven 20-25 minutes. (We’ve also thrown them on the grill.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat each ear of corn in 2 tablespoons of the cilantro lime butter and wrap individually in foil. Roast until hot and steaming, about 25 minutes. Serve with extra butter on the side.

Courtesy: Jaclyn Gooding

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July 2014

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Perfect Pasta Jamie’s Grilled Chicken & Orzo Pasta

Life is a combination of magic and pasta. . .

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups Orzo 3 cups of chopped chicken 1 6oz can of marinated artichoke hearts(Drained) save liquid 1 chopped tomato 1 chopped cucumber

1 chopped red onion 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

Preparation: Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. (except for liquid from artichoke hearts) Let chill for 1 hour Drain artichoke liquid over and toss to coat.

Courtesy: Jamie Hillary

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49

Double Dipping Linda’s Festive Fruit Salsa

It’s not double dipping if you use the other side of the chip .

Ingredients: 1 cup of strawberries 1 apple 2 kiwis 1/2 cup pineapple 1/2 cup mandarin oranges 1/2 cup blueberries

Preparation: 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice Stacy’s Cinnamon Pita Chips

Finely cube all fruit and mix in large bowl.

Mix together honey, brown sugar and lemon juice. Pour over fruit and toss together.

Let refrigerate for at least an hour.

Serve chilled with pita chips!

Courtesy: Lindsey Gordon

Joslyn & Jessica’s Jazzy Shrimp Dip Double dipping, the practice of

plummeting a half eaten chip back into the communal dip bowl.

Ingredients: 2 small canned shrimp 8 oz cream cheese light 16 oz sour cream 2 pkgs Italian dressing

Preparation: Blend cream cheese, sour cream, dressing mix and lemon juice in mixer until smooth. Add tiny shrimp and mix with spoon.

Serve with crackers or chips

2 Tbs lemon juice Courtesy: Joslyn and Jessica Vickers

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ALT Magazine

July 2014

Double Dipping Sue’s Poppin’ Pepperoni Dip

You dip the way you want to dip, I’ll dip the way I want to dip.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded) 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded) 1 cup pepperoni (chopped) 1/2 cup white and yellow onion 1/4 cup black olives 1 cup Hellmans Mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 350 Mix together all ingredients in casserole dish Bake about 15 minutes or until bubbly

Courtesy: Sue Johnson

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51

Sweet Treats Linda’s Perfect Pineapple Cake

Life is short, eat dessert first.

Ingredients: Angel Food Cake Mix 1 can of crushed pineapple

Preparation: Pre heat oven to 350 Mix ingredients and pour into greased bundt pan Cook in oven for 30 minutes

Courtesy: Linda Gordon

Wanda’s Peanut Butter Balls

Dessert is the best part of the meal.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

1 cup sugar

Heat sugar and syrup in sauce pan to a light boil

1 cup white Karo syrup

Add peanut butter and stir

1 cup peanut butter

Stir in Rice Krispies

4 1/2 cups Rice Krispies

Form into balls and allow to cool

Courtesy: Wanda Robinson

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July 2014

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‘Quality’

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Sweet Treats Lindsey’s Patriotic Fruit Pizza

You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy dessert. It’s kind of the same thing.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries 1 cup fresh blueberries 2 peaches sliced

1/2 cup white sugar 1 pinch salt 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/2 cup orange juice 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 cup water 1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Press dough flat into greased pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, soften cream cheese, then fold in the whipped topping. Spread over cooled crust.

Begin with strawberries, sliced in half. Arrange in a circle around the outside edge. Continue with fruit of your choice, working towards the middle. Then make a sauce to spoon over fruit.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, corn starch, orange juice, lemon juice and water. Cook and stir over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat, and add grated orange rind. Allow to cool, but not set up. Spoon over fruit.

Chill for two hours, then cut into wedges and serve.

Courtesy: Lindsey Gordon

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Homemade Fudge Gift Boxes & Tins Gourmet Snacks July 2014

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by Vincent Senatore

Summer Quaffs

I am always amazed by the way the weather goes into the heat mode for summer. One minute the outside temperature is in the low 70s and the pool is just a bit too cool for my sensitive gluteus maximus. Then one day the temperature seems to soar into the high 80s and it’s time for us to go into the outdoor party mode. Unfortunately we need to leave the big red wine in the house along with the heavy cordials and

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brandies. There will be plenty of time to consume those big Cabs and Merlots when the sun goes down and the air conditioning is roaring. So, what is a “Fella” to do?

Well, there are lots of great wines and cocktails that will quench a big thirst. One of my favorite pastimes is to make a frozen cocktail and put it in an insulated glass and sit on a float in my pool. Last year, I found the most delicious frozen popsicles (cocktails) that had the alcohol already in them. Keep them in your freezer, rip a corner of the package and put a straw in it or push up the concoction trough the cut corner. Popsicles for adults! Then there’s the all time favorite frozen Margarita. What could possibly be better than a frozen Margarita in a salt-rimmed glass and a pair of feet dangling in the pool? Maybe the entire body in the pool!

However, the tartness of the lime and the sweet flavors of the margarita are one of the most refreshing libations that I know of. Frankly, my favorite place to consume a margarita is on a sandy beach in the Bahamas or Mexico. It’s the local flair that makes this drink so enticing.

Another fabulous summertime quaff is the alluring gin and tonic with lime. Now, one might think that this drink is easy as pouring some gin in a glass of ice and splashing it with tonic. It could be, but I like to wash my ice with a quick splash of water. Then I’ll add a jigger (about 1 and half ounces) of Tanqueray and 3 ounces of tonic water. Squeeze a slice of lime into the drink and rub the rim with the peel.

The mere look of this drink is thirst quenching.

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Lastly, the new, fun drink of summer is the sangria. There are hundreds of variations of this summer quaff. Some like the white, citrusy style. While others like the red wine, fruit filled extravaganza. Either way, one needs to be aware that the addition of brandy to your sangria will give the drink spine and balance the flavors. Remember, fruit will absorb some of the alcohol out of the concoction. So, let’s end this version of “Uncorked” with a new recipe for Super-Summer Sangria:

Don’t forget about us..

Because we won’t forget about you.

1/2 cup brandy 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate 1/3 cup orange juice 1 (750 milliliter) bottle dry red wine 1/2 cup triple sec 1 lemon, sliced into rounds 1 lime, sliced into rounds 1 orange, sliced into rounds 8 maraschino cherries Optional-Frozen, sliced strawberries

Dustie / Shutterstock.com

Ingredients

Directions: In a large pitcher or bowl, mix together the brandy, lemon juice, lemonade concentrate, orange juice, red wine, triple sec, and sugar. Float slices of lemon, orange and lime, and maraschino cherries in the mixture.

Refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

Try spritzy sangria by adding a bit of sparkling water or Ginger Ale. I really like the spiciness of the Ginger ale in this drink and don’t be afraid to add some frozen strawberries when ready to serve. This recipe is rich fruity and filled with flavor. Now all we need is a beach and chair! Ok, the pool will also do!

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July 2014

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by Mike Brower

The Tell of the Tape For the last five years I have resisted the latest and greatest in fishing electronics - the side scan sonar. Now it seems I have given in to its siren call and will have a Hummingbird side scan on my boat. I still have reservations about its usefulness, but I’m willing to give it a try.

As I have said before, it is cool stuff, but the cost vs. benefit has always been a drawback for me. I was never sure if it could do what some said it could and I refused to be another mutant test subject.

Over the last five years I have talked to several of my friends who were lab rats for the new technology and had mixed reviews. Some thought it was great and others -- not so much. Now I take the plunge to really find out if I missed anything or not.

After I get my new boat with side scan on it I plan on going to Lake Degray and see if I can find some undiscovered monster which may lurk in its depths, as that may be the reason that my fishing on

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Degray has suffered over the last couple of years. I have checked the bridges for trolls and hob goblins and found none.

My biggest issue is functionality. I hope there is a “set it and forget it” button as I’m a pretty basic guy where electronics are concerned. I really don’t want to be pushing this or that button to change the color, going from meters to feet or up and down. Half the things my current stuff can do, I don’t use.

The side scan should allow me to find all kind of things, such as brush piles where the fish are supposed to hide until the lake monster runs them off right before tournament day. Around here I don’t expect to be too amazed, but in the deeper lakes I like to fish I think I will enjoy having it.

Ask me later if I found the Loch Ness monster or the fossil of a short armed T-Rex.

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by Thomas Johnson

The Trouble with Open Carry Texas Tactics

T

This is a very heated topic and debate for Texans, and it’s ramifications are being felt across the United States.

Open Carry Texas (OCT) is an organization dedicated to the safe and legal carry of firearms openly in the State of Texas in accordance with the United States and Texas Constitutions and applicable laws.

“Our Mission: 1) To educate all Texans about their right to openly carry rifles and shotguns in a safe manner.

2) To condition Texans to feel safe around law-abiding citizens that choose to carry them.

3) Encourage our elected officials to pass less restrictive open carry legislation.

(4) Foster a cooperative relationship with local law enforcement in the furtherance of these goals with an eye towards preventing negative encounters.”

For several years, The Texas legislature has been considering passing am “open carry” statute, this recognizing and allowing the open carry of handguns in public versus merely having the current concealed carry laws and provisions.

You have likely seen OCT on the street corners, television and newspapers; proponents of open carry with Texas, US and other flags, handing out pamphlets and speaking to people who will speak to them.

Many are carrying rifles, be it AR-15s, AK 47s, SKS or other hunting rifles. Their ability to “open carry” rifles is acknowledged and allowed under Texas law, but they seek to have even less restrictive open carry laws on the books, especially as it pertains to open carry of sidearms.

I know several OCT members, and I have even consulted with some regarding their activities, but a difference of opinion in the approach to the issue caused us to part ways.

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I personally support the 2nd Amendment; I even support open carry of sidearms legally, but I believe OCT actions are detrimental in so many ways that it may have the opposite result of what they seek.

First, OCT claims, “.. to educate all Texans about their right to openly carry rifles and shotguns in a safe manner..”. Well, Texans have been able to Open Carry rifles and shotguns for a long time. There is no real debate about that issue being on the books and legal. In order to “educate” people of this Right, it does not necessarily mean you have to strap on an AR around you and stroll into a local restaurant, walk along a major street-way where traffic is, and offer a flyer of information to passers by. One can do the same thing by NOT strapping their AR or SKS on their back and handing out information without giving a mom or dad, with a car full of kiddos, great pause or causing fear of a “what-if” scenario: that one of these people on the side of the road could decide to point that SKS at their family car and start pulling the trigger.

OCT goes beyond the “educational” mission goal by seeking “... to condition Texans to feel safe around law-abiding citizens that choose to carry them.” Herein lies the problem.

As I said, OCT advocates carry their rifles, which is legal. But with all of the news of school shootings, public shooting and the media being able to turn a story however they want, the idea of OCT carrying rifles to “condition” the public is not logical nor polite. After the shooting in Las Vegas, where two (certainly mentally disturbed) criminals basically executed two Las Vegas Police Officers and a private concealed carry owner trying to stop them, OCT held more weekend rallies with their ARs, shotguns and SKS rifles strapped to their backs. They carried their “Don’t Tread on Me” flags (which the Las

Vegas criminals draped across a body of one of the officers killed) and their other flags. A moment of pause, thought of consideration and the visual carnage which had just happened in Las Vegas should have been on the minds of OCT, but they continued their “in your face” acts the same way the next week.

The OCT act of “conditioning” the public is to get people used to seeing private citizens carrying ARs, SKS and Shotguns in public.

This act has played well into the anti-2nd Amendment opposition, including the antigun group “Moms Demand Action”, which is actually a funded project against private ownership of guns by New York Mayor, David Bloomberg.

OCT also seeks to “encourage our elected officials to pass less restrictive open carry legislation.” Okay, great; fine; go talk to your legislative officials about this, but do not scare people to your cause by carrying ARs and SKS rifles on the public streets. In my opinion, their open carry of rifles only causes fear and concern, which is not a way to win support.

OCT also wants to “foster a cooperative relationship with local law enforcement in the furtherance of these goals with an eye towards preventing negative encounters.”

The biggest fear of OCT is to lose their 2nd Amendment Rights. If a member is charged and convicted of a felony, their gun rights are gone, kaput, end of story, so they are pretty good at notifying and talking to law enforcement about their planned marches, trash pick-ups and public meetings. OCT members have posted in social media groups that people should “thank them” because some OCT claim to be out “protecting the lives of private citizens.” Well, can’t one conceal carry and be doing the same thing?

Yes, but it doesn’t have the shock value that OCT wants.

But what does OCT really challenge? OCT seeks to have “open carry” of handguns in Texas. If they open carry a handgun in violation of Texas law, they won’t even be able to keep any firearm if convicted.

In the civil rights movement era, minorities sat at lunch counters and in the front of busses in civil disobedience of unjust and unconstitutional laws of “separate but equal” theories. They did this without guns, and were actually “violating” existing laws by challenging them, yet willing to accept the consequences of their defiant acts. If OCT wants to challenge the restriction of open carry of sidearms, let them strap on two 1911s in hip holsters, stroll up in front of the local courthouses or sit in at a bar to challenge the law. They will not do this because they assert they are law-abiding gun owners.

But they will not do these acts of defiance because if they are wrong on the law, they will lose their rights to own guns.

My issue with OCT is that I believe their overt acts are detrimental to gun owners. The “shock” and “conditioning” of their mission to others is just as bad as the vile signs of Westboro Baptist Church marchers at the funerals of fallen soldiers in the US. It’s not the job of OCT to “condition” me nor my children about carrying guns in public.

The other concern I have is some of the people who seek to associate with OCT. I have seen “members” who have Facebook profiles touting an education at “Killing Liberals University,” which is despicable, denigrating and downright Un-American in my opinion.

I have seen OCT members espouse confrontation with those who support the cause, just not the method of OCT. OCT “members” have this mentality of “If you’re not with us; you are against us.” It’s all or nothing with OCT, which isn’t conducive to political discussion and agreements.

OCT members call any 2nd Amendment supporter who is not in 100% agreement with them and their antics “Butters.” Butters is their derogatory name of regular non-shocking gun owners who believe

in civility and understanding of being a polite and responsible gun owner. So if you are a responsible gun owner, who does not feel the need to scare your neighbor into submission by toting your AR or SKS on your back while “conditioning” the populace, then you are not OCT worthy and you are beneath them...a Butter.

I have seen some OCT members do things quite effective; one local leader has chosen to do acts of community service by having trash pick-ups along Texas highways. I have seen other members wear holsters with bananas instead of guns; which in my opinion is effective as it shows the absurdity of not allowing self-defense and is a non-shocking way of getting the point across.

Many OCT members and advocates are well meaning, but there are some which tend to spoil the apple-cart and make the whole bunch look bad. This carries over to other 2nd Amendment Supporters as the press tries to portray all gun owners as such.

I do not speak for OCT; they do not speak for me. I am a supporter of 2nd Amendment Rights, and I am a licensed concealed carry owner. I feel OCT has members who have made them look bad and those members will not listen to reason. OCT needs to take care of its own internal issues and maybe....maybe things can change for the better. But for now, OCT has not helped the cause of open carry, it has hurt it in my opinion.

Be safe, carry carefully, and shoot straight! ______________________ *Thomas H. Johnson is a life-long resident of Texarkana and an attorney who is familiar with gun laws and preparing NFA Gun Trusts.

He has offices in Texarkana and in Allen, Texas. Visit his website at www.mygunattorney.com or www.thjlaw.com.

July 2014

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Find us on

Submitted by Dustin Stringer Stringer Wealth Management LPL Financial www.stringerwealthmanagement.net

And Baby Makes Three So you’re going to have or adopt a baby. Congratulations!

Parenthood may be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have. As you prepare for life with your baby, here are a few things you should think about.

Reassess your budget You’ll have to buy a lot of things before (or soon after) your baby arrives. Buying a new crib, stroller, car seat, and other items you’ll need could cost you well over $1,000. But if you do your homework, you can save money without sacrificing quality and safety. Discount stores or Internet retailers may offer some items at lower prices than you’ll find elsewhere. If you don’t mind used items, poke around for bargains at yard sales and flea markets. Finally, you’ll probably get hand-me-downs and shower gifts from family and friends, so some items will be free.

Buying all of the gear you need is pretty much a one-shot deal, but you’ll also have many ongoing expenses that will affect your monthly budget. These may include baby formula and food, diapers, clothing, child care (day care and/or baby-sitters), medical costs not covered by insurance (such as co-payments for doctor’s visits), and increased housing costs (if you move to accommodate your larger family, for example). Redo your budget to figure out how much your total monthly expenses will increase after the birth of your baby. If you’ve never created a budget before, now’s the time to start. Chances are, you’ll be spending at least an extra few hundred dollars a month. If it looks like the added expenses will strain your budget, you’ll want to think about ways to cut back on your expenses.

Decide if one of you should stay home Will it make sense for both of you to work outside the home, or should one person stay home? That’s a question only you and your spouse can answer.

Maybe both of you want to work because you enjoy your jobs. Or maybe you have no choice if the only way you can get by financially is for both of you to work. But don’t be too hasty--the financial benefits of two incomes may not be as great as you think. Remember, you may have to pay for expensive day care if both of you work. You’ll also pay more in taxes because your household income will be higher. Finally, the working spouse will have commuting and other work-related 62

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expenses. Run the numbers to see how much of a financial benefit you really get if both of you work. Then, weigh that benefit against the peace of mind you would get from having one spouse stay home with the baby. A compromise might be for one of you to work only part-time.

Review your insurance needs You’ll incur high medical expenses during the pregnancy and delivery, so check the maternity coverage that your health insurance offers. And, of course, you’ll have another person to insure after the birth. Good medical coverage for your baby is critical, because trips to the pediatrician, prescriptions, and other health-care costs can really add up over time. Fortunately, adding your baby to your employer-sponsored health plan or your own private plan is usually not a problem. Just ask your employer or insurer what you need to do (and when, usually within 30 days of birth or adoption) to make sure your baby will be covered from the moment of birth. An employer-sponsored plan (if available) is often the best way to insure your baby, because these plans typically provide good coverage at a lower cost. But expect additional premiums and out-of-pocket costs (such as co-payments) after adding your baby to any health plan.

It’s also time to think about life insurance. Though it’s unlikely that you’ll die prematurely, you should be prepared anyway. Life insurance can protect your family’s financial security if something unexpected happens to you. Your spouse can use the death benefit to pay off debts (e.g., a mortgage, car loan, credit cards), support your child, and meet other expenses. Some of the funds could also be set aside for your child’s future education. If you don’t have any life insurance, now may be a good time to get some. The cost of an individual policy typically depends on your age, your health, whether you smoke, and other factors. Even if you already have life insurance (through your employer, for example), you should consider buying more now that you have a baby to care for. An insurance agent or financial professional can help you figure out how much coverage you need.

Jim Sparks, Associate Financial Advisor, Stacey Martin, Branch Office Manager, and Dustin Stringer, AAMS, CEO

Update your estate plan With a new baby to think about, you and your spouse should update your

wills (or prepare wills, if you haven’t already) with the help of an attorney.

You’ll need to address what will happen if an unexpected tragedy strikes. Who would be the best person to raise your child if you and your spouse died at the same time? If the person you choose accepts this responsibility, you’ll need to designate him or her in your wills as your minor child’s legal guardian. You should also name a contingent guardian, in case the primary guardian dies. Guardianship typically involves managing money and other assets that you leave your minor child. You may also want to ask your attorney about setting up a trust for your child and naming trustees separate from the suggested guardians.

While working with your attorney, you and your spouse should also complete a health-care proxy and durable power of attorney. These documents allow you to designate someone to act on your behalf for medical and financial decisions if you should become incapacitated.

Start saving for your little one’s education The price of a college education is high and keeps getting higher. By the time your baby is college-bound, the annual cost of a good private college could be almost triple what it is today, including tuition, room and board, books, and so on. How will you afford this? Your child may receive financial aid (e.g., grants, scholarships, and loans), but you need to plan in case aid is unavailable or insufficient. Set up a college fund to save for your child’s education--you can arrange for funds to be deducted from your paycheck and invested in the account(s) that you choose. You can also suggest that family members who want to give gifts could contribute directly to this account. Start as soon as possible (it’s never too early), and save as much as your budget permits.

Many different savings vehicles are available for this purpose, some of which have tax advantages. Talk to a financial professional about which ones are best for you.

child tax credit (a $1,000 credit for each qualifying child), the child and dependent care credit (if you have qualifying childcare expenses), and the earned income credit (if your annual income is below a certain level). To claim any of these exemptions and credits on your federal tax return, you’ll need a Social Security number for your child. You may be able to apply for this number (as well as a birth certificate) right at the hospital after your baby’s birth. For more information about tax issues, talk to a tax professional.

*Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. does not provide legal, taxation, or investment advice. All the content provided by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions is protected by copyright. Forefield claims no liability for any modifications to its content and/or information provided by other sources. Copyright 2013 by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved.

*LPL Financial does not provide tax or legal advice. The information contained in this report should be used for informational purposes only.

The appropriate professionals should be consulted on all legal and accounting matters prior to or in conjunction with implementation of the plan.

Securities offered though LPL Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC.

Don’t forget about your taxes There’s no way around it: Having children costs money. However, you may be entitled to some tax breaks that can help defray the cost of raising your child. First, you may be eligible for an extra exemption if your annual income is below a certain level for your filing status.

This will reduce your income tax bill for every year that you’re eligible to claim the exemption. You may also qualify for one or more child-related tax credits: the July 2014

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LIFENET EMS BBQ TEXARKANA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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5/20/14

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LEGE N D A R Y The best birthday parties in town!

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NEW ADMINISTRATOR MEET & GREET EDGEWOOD MANOR • 6/5/14

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1. Dr. Brian Matthews, Jill Mays RN, Sheryl Pierce RN, Lesley Smith RN, Betty Lawson and Shandi Allen Liaison 2. Steve Matlock, Betty Lawson (New Administrator) and Chris Hickerson 3.

Judy Hickerson and Jean Edwards 4. Louise Ivey and Iva Smith 5. Annette Mugno, Chris Hickerson and Brooke Batchelor 6. Front - Bernadine Trammel, Shandrika Boyd, Jackie Dougan, Wanda Harland, Erin Scott. Back - Corey Hawkins and Alicia LaGrand 7. John Ross, Dr. Brian Matthews, Betty Lawson, Kamey Bailey director of nursing, Wanda Harland, Shandrika Boyd, Jackie Dougan, and Alicia LaGrand

HERITAGE WALL DEDICATION CHRISTUS ST. MICHAEL • 6/4/14

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1. Angela Brewster and Sylvia Harrison 2. Nancy Keenan and Father Michael Adams 3. James Bramlett and Mary Matthews 4. Jim Pomeroy and Pastor Dan Gonzalez 5. Father Okey and Father Adams 6. Norman Prewitt, Ann Agan and Karen Beck (Chaplain) 7. Thomas McKinney 8. Pastor Dan Gonzalez and Francine Francis 9. Mary Catherine Haynes and Cookie Gender 10. Naomi Larey and Karen Williams 11. Brenda Musgrove and Kimberly Scott 12. Chris Karem 66

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PHANTOM GHOST WALK TOUR DOWNTOWN TEXARKANA • 6/7/14

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1. Front - Jimmy Smith and Peggy Speer, middle - Allan & Tracey Prather, back - Andrew Converse 2. Robin Moon and David Reeves 3. Stephanie Jumper and Sara Jayne Burroughs 4. Brandon and Heather Tomlin, Courtnee and Mike Cossey 5. Scott Harrison and Amanda Spivey 6. Brandon & Erika Dove and Chasity and Jason Russell 7. Jimmy Smith and Allan Prather checking in the first group for the tour 8. Stephen & Karen Johnson and Klancy Johnson 9. Tracey Prather leads the group on the tour...their first stop, corner of 4th and State Line 10. TAPR members - Eric & Kyelle Duncan, Amanda Powell and Angie Clemons 11.

Group listening to recordings of sounds captured by the Texarkana Area Paranormal Researchers (TAPR) from inside the Grim Hotel.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ADVANCES TO FINALS IN PRESTIGIOUS VOCAL COMPETITION TWO AREA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL INITIATIVE Leah Huber (Airline High SchoolFreshman) and Nia Savoy (Caddo Magnet High Senior) were recently named SemiFinalists in The Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative, 2014 Vocal Competition. Huber and Savoy were selected from more than 200 high school applicants from 31 states by a1panel comprised of music educators and industry professionals. Ten semi-finalists from five states performed at the South Central Regional competition on May 31st.

performance skills. Instruction will be offered by five-time Grammy nominee Michael Feinstein, as well as by other top music and show business experts and consultants. A culminating concert at the Palladium Concert Hall will offer the finalists the opportunity to compete for the title of Great American Songbook Youth Ambassador, which carries with it a check for $3,000 and many opportunities to perform at prestigious venues during the year of their tenure.

Huber and Savoy participated in a rigorous day of master classes led by award-winning mentors, culminating in the evening competition recital at the International Conservatory of Performing Arts in Plano, Texas. Leah Huber performed “I Wanna Sing Like An Angel (And Dance Like the Devil)” by Paul Webster and Sammy Fain, from the movie musical Lucky Me, and “In the Still of the Night” by Cole Porter. Nia Savoy performed a haunting rendition of “(In My) Solitude” by Duke Ellington, followed by “A Night In Tunisia” by Dizzy Gillespie. Miss Savoy was selected to sing as a finalist at

The Jennifer Dowd Studio is a thriving vocal pedagogical environment for students of all levels and ages. The studio boasts of many regional and state pageant winners, theatrical and vocal competition winners, professional vocalists, as well as many emerging recording artists.

the National American Songbook Initiative competition on July 25th.

Savoy and eleven other finalists will spend a week in July at the American Songbook headquarters in Carmel, Indiana, attending workshops and working to perfect interpretive and

For more information, please feel free to contact Jennifer Dowd at (318) 465-5202, jennifer@jenniferdowd.com or visit www. thecenterfortheperformingarts.org/GreatAmerican-Songbook-Initiative.aspx , or on Facebook: Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative.

July 2014

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by Andrea Goesl Chewning Texarkana Animal League

.....Thoughts from a First-Time

Foster Parent..... think that she would be happy to be saved…well, she wasn’t…she really wasn’t.

I had always imagined that fostering someone’s “pet-to-be” would be akin to having a grandchild come visit for a week or so. She (or he, I suppose) would be potty-trained, respectful to her elders, smarter than all other children her age, and of course, sweet and loving.

I thought about all the fun we would have playing together, going on walks through the neighborhood, showing her off to my friends, spoiling her…you know grandmotherly-type things.

Karen Goodwin (Little Paws Rescue) and I had already named her Champ several days before the actual rescue happened (part of the rescue story, when we thought Champ was a boy). We immediately took the nothappy dog to the veterinarian to be examined.

Later on that afternoon, we found out that (1) Champ was actually a she, so she was re-named Belle; (2) she was 2-3 years old but had never had a litter of pups; (3) she had very dirty teeth and needed a good dental cleaning (don’t we all); and (4) was heartwormnegative. YEA…all good news!

Well, I have finally learned that fostering a “pet-to-be” can be all that and more!

The only problem? The “and more”!

I should have known what to expect.

After all, I was raised in a household that always had family members who were seen by outsiders as simple dogs and cats (and various other species) but were actually family members who happened to be furry. There were times when my mother would call me to come inside by going through the entire list of our names: kids, dogs, cats, and she ended up calling me by the “dog-brother’s” or “cat-sister’s” name!

And for the past 30+ years, my family has had furry members, too. We have been through bottle-feeding, the rebellious teen years, responsible middle-age, and the slowly-greying years with all of them.

Each was a rescued animal who became a furry family member. (What can I say, I get attached too easily.)

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And on to our home we went, grumpylittle-wiggly-dog with my husband and me.

expect. But I didn’t…not really. Let me start at the beginning of my first real fostering experience. (I’ll save the harrowing rescue story for another time.)

A couple of months ago, my husband and I rescued a little Chihuahua/Min Pin/Terrier/ Who- Knows-What-Type dog beside a busy rural highway in Miller County. You would

I quickly learned that this dog was NOT going to be won over easily. First there was the Do-I-really-trust-you stage AKA the Getting-to-know-you stage. This is when she hid from all of us including our mini-dachshund Freddie who wouldn’t hurt a flea (unless you were a possum…another story).

Belle also was startled and fearful every time you tried to touch her. It made us wonder where she came from and what she had experienced in her short life. She was very wary of everything and everyone around her and all she wanted to do was stand in the

This stage lasted about a week or so until she slowly grew accustomed to us and her foster home. She still was somewhat of a loner and showed no interest in playing with the other dogs, but she was warming to the situation.

About two weeks into this fostering gig came the Let-me-test-you stage. One day, Sissy (another name change; she just was not a Belle) had an “accident” on the floor while we were away for an hour. That was odd; she had just gone outside before we left, nothing had changed (except her name along the way), and she had never had an “accident” in the house before. Three days later she did it again. Hummm…

I noticed that each time this happened, she would watch us (from across the room and out of reach) as we calmly cleaned up her “mess.” We didn’t yell or punish her; we just patiently told her that we were disappointed in her and finished the clean-up. I swear that she was testing us to see if we would get angry with her. (Maybe I should have experienced more rescue dogs before I had my own children and learned more patience, patience, patience.) We must have passed the test because Sissy didn’t have another “accident” in the house.

The ultimate test was what I call the Run Away & See if You Follow Me Challenge.

It reminded me of when we were trying to rescue her. She got out of our fenced backyard (don’t ask me how, the skinny thing) and just started running one morning.

It was a wandering-thing, a walkabout at trot-speed. I would zig and she would zag all over the neighborhood. My husband and I finally divided the troops, me in the car and him on foot corralling her and keeping her away from the busy road by our house.

We really got to know our neighborhood as we never had before, every nook and cranny. Whenever one of us got close to her, she would take off again. Calling didn’t work. Treats didn’t work. We just finally let her run the wanderlust out. After 1½ hours, she finally started slowing down. I cut her off by Texas Middle School, opened my car door and said “Are you ready to go home now, Sissy?” and she trotted right up to me, and sat down, waiting for me to pick her up.

Needless to say, we all (furry and non-furry) slept well that night.

Foxxy (yes, a final name change; what can I say, she looks like a little fox) took one more “trot-about” about 2 weeks later. This one only lasted about 20-30 minutes and after teasing us as she did before, she came limping up to us with a sore paw. (I think she just gave up, the little faker. Her paw was fine once we got home.)

And through it all, the stages, tests, and adoption events, my husband and I fell in love with little Champ/Belle/Sissy/Foxxy.

That was the problem. She could trust us,

love us (and I like to think that she did), and make us laugh at her dancing and comical ways. We brought her from a sad, lonely life to a happy, loving one.

But, Foxxy could get out of our fenced yard (the skinny thing) and that was too dangerous for her. We were afraid that she might decide to go on another “trot-about” when we weren’t home. I know that she would come back afterwards, but we live too close to a busy road that can be very unforgiving. It would break my heart if she were hit on that road. She needed to be safe; she deserves to be safe.

So, even with all the love between us, I convinced Karen to put her into another foster home. I check on her frequently and she is doing wonderfully in her new digs.

She is happy and still waiting for her forever home with her furry foster brothers and sisters.

Yes, I cried (most foster families do cry when their foster babies move on).

Yes, I would do it again (even knowing that it is not forever).

Yes, I will do it again. Darn, I get attached to them too easily.

Editor’s Update: Foxxy was adopted shortly before ALT went to print! Congratulations to Foxxy on getting a new “furever” home!

Home of the Brave assy S t e e M

Littles Paw e Rescu

Give Sassy the furever home she’s been bravely waiting for.

July 2014

903.280.3083 | Karen Goodwin littlepawsrescue2013@gmail.com

middle of the backyard sniffing the breezes.

As Greta Garbo might say “I vant to be alone”.

donate. adopt. help save.

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The Texarkana Humane Society is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to re-homing orphaned animals, promoting the human-animal bond, preventing animal cruelty, educating children and adults about responsible pet ownership and preventing pet overpopulation.

In order to reduce the number of unwanted animals and the euthanization of them at the shelter people need to spay/neuter their pets.

The Texarkana Humane Society has a program to help individuals do this and urge everyone to get involved and tell your neighbor, family, and friends to be responsible and do their part in putting a stop to this problem here in our city. Have them contact us regarding our program. Call 903 8386334 and we will be glad to help you.

The Texarkana Humane Society is always needing volunteers as well as foster homes. If you would like to get involved and lend a helping hand they would love to talk with you. They are also needing the following items to help with the care of all the babies that come into foster: Puppy and kitten chow, formula for the babies, animal baby bottles, as well as monetary or debit card donations. We have a big need for individuals who have the time to bottle feed some of these babies. It is so sad when we cannot take any in because we are full and would welcome a few more bottle moms. It is a great experience as well as very rewarding taking care of these little ones. If you can help with donations or feeding call Sherrie at 903 838-6334.

Volunteers who agree to provide a foster home for our strays are provided with medical care for the animals. The Humane Society pays for all immunizations and spays or neuters the animal.

Texarkana Humane Society

Our goal is to place these animals in permanent homes with responsible, loving pet owners.

All of our services are provided through private donations from our community. Donations are accepted and needed! Our animal friends appreciate you and your donations are tax deductible! (The Humane Society is all volunteers and all money goes towards the animals.)

We’ve got a full house! Please come visit us!

You might find the addition your family has been looking for!

Do you have an animal that needs a new home?

Please don’t neglect it! Call us and let us help you find a foster home. We will list your animal on our Facebook page at no charge. Let us help!

For more information, contact Sherrie Thompson, President, at 903.838.6334, or go to www. texarkanahumanesociety.com. We’re also on Facebook!

Come visit us at Petsmart on the fourth Saturday of every month!

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1. NIKKI is an 8 month old gray kitten. She is spayed and current on shots.

She is litter box trained, gets along well with other cats and is use to being around dogs. For more info call Sherrie at 903-838-6334.

2. CLOUD is a beautiful tri-color, 2 year old Sheltie. He is neutered, chipped and current on shots. This handsome fella is housetrained, gets along with dogs, cats and children. We haven’t found anything he doesn’t get along with, Cloud has a wonderful disposition. He would be a great addition to your family. Fenced yard only. For more info call Sherrie at 903-838-6334.

3. SASHA is a cute little Dachshund/Basset mix. She was born in January, 2013, is spayed, current on shots and microchipped. Sasha gets along great with kids and other dogs, rides well in the car and she is housetrained.

She would be a great addition to any family. A FENCED YARD is required.

For more info call Sherrie at 903-838-6334.

4. PETE is a beautiful Staffordshire Terrier weighing 56lbs. He is a year old, neutered, current on shots, heartworm negative and is microchipped. Pete

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is in obedience training and is learning commands quickly. A fenced yard is required. For more info call Sherrie AT 903-838-6334 5. LUNA is a blue Chihuahua mix weighing in at 8.3 pounds. This precious little girl is full of love. She is housetrained, current on shots, gets along great with other dogs and would be a great addition to any family. For more info call Christine at 903-278-6575.

6. DOBBY is a chihuahua mix that was born around February 2013. He weighs around 16 pounds, is neutered, fully vetted and microchipped. This little cutie gets along great with other dogs, cats and is housetrained. A fenced yard is required. For more info call Amanda at 419-466-4962.

7. THEODORE was born January 24th and is an Australian/German Shepherd mix. He is current on puppy shots and is a love bug. He will be a large boy when he is grown. His adoption fee will include neutering and microchipping. A fenced yard is required. For more info call Jerry at 903-824-8272.

Happy Tails!

Our little Franki e was adopted.

This pretty little girl came into rescu e at a week old. She was bottle fed and loved and thrive d with her fos ter mom. When Lucke e saw her pictur e she fell in love with this precio us little fur baby an d knew she wante d to adopt her. Th ank you Andre ws family for adop ting our precio us little girl.

Target

Leaf

Gidgett

Jiminy

Hawk

“We’re featuring some very sweet babies that desperately need good homes.

They have all been here far too long and are all VERY sweet. Please help!!!”

-Miss Bertha, Animal Care & Adoption Center

Sky

T-Bone

Chiclet

The mission of the Animal Care & Adoption Center of Texarkana, Arkansas is to be a technologically advanced, self sustaining, human and animal friendly facility that specializes in personal customer service from a team of knowledgeable, caring individuals who endeavor to achieve rapid placement of all adoptable animals.

We are always in need of caring, capable volunteers to assist in with duties at the center, adoption events, fund-raising activities and more.

Your tax-deductible donation will help care for and assist in the adoption of loving animals to good homes!

Trojan

Leisel

Tera

Ocho

WHO ELSE CAN HELP?

The Animal Care & Adoption Center of Texarkana, Arkansas is located at 203 Harrison, Texarkana, AR, 71854. For more information, call Connie Slater at 870.773.6388, or visit www.animalcareadoptioncenter.org.

We’re also on Facebook!

Artex Animal Welfare, Inc. (mostly horses) 903.824.1990 Poodle Patch & Friends poodlepatch@yahoo.com

We’re open Monday-Saturday from 10:00 - 5:00.

Please note, all dogs adopted from this shelter MUST be spayed or neutered. Spays cost $89$104, neuters are $76-$92 depending on the weight of the dog.

Passion for Pooches (mostly small dogs) 903.832.8632 Texarkana Animal League 877.525.4825 Texarkana Reptile and Amphibian Rescue 903.809.3761

Little Paws Rescue

Little Paws Rescue is a small breed rescue, specializing in chihuahuas, poodles, and schnauzers. We accept owner surrenders and abandoned strays, as well as dogs from area animal shelters.

All dogs available for adoption from Little Paws Rescue have been vaccinated, spayed/neutered, have begun flea/tick and heartworm preventative, and have received medical care for any prevailing health condition.

For more information, contact Karen Goodwin: 903-280-3083; karengoodwin2004@msn.com; LittlePawsRescue2013@gmail.com; www.littlepaws-rescue. org; www.facebook.com/LittlePawsRescueTexarkana

Mindy

Lilly

Scooby

Nash Monroe July 2014

Gabbie

Abbie

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July JUNE 30-JULY 30

Texarkana Series Line Up at the Girl Scouts Diamonds Texarkana Regional Office across from Chicken Express . This year’s summer lineup has 3 series for your daughter to sign up for. Pick which series works best for you and have a summer of fun. All girls will receive a t-shirt, awards for their series group, and a life time of fun Girl Scout Memories. All series Who: Girls Kindergarten to 6th grade When: 12pm – 2pm Where: 1811 Arkansas Blvd Texarkana AR Registration Deadline: June 10, 2014 Mondays: June 30th – July 28th Come Build Something With Us!! Discover how Girl Scouts and STEM can open your world to new and fun adventures. Who says girls can have fun with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Tuesdays: July 1st – July 29th Healthy Habits Take a break from the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon… Come get moving with Girl Scouts and learn all the fun ways to stay healthy Wednesdays: July 2nd – July 30th My Town Have you ever wondered what all Texarkana has to offer? Come learn the history and fun facts of our town and what makes it TWICE as NICE All series are FREE of charge and girls must pre-register to attend. Girls can register for all 3 series. For more information, (870) 773-2151.

JULY 3 & JULY 31

Turbo Day (ages 4-7: July 3; ages 8-14: July 31) at Silvermoon on Broad. Turbo Days are ONE day ‘workshops’ from 9:30AM - 3:00PM in which kids will brainstorm different ideas and characters that go along with our daily theme. They will create their own skit/ song/scene as well as a costume piece and will perform for parents when they pick them up at the end of the day.

This is a day full of fun and laughter all while getting ‘life training in disguise’ through theatre arts. Cost is $40.

JULY 4

Sparks in the Park at Four States Fair Grounds. Contact Public Works for more information. (870) 779-4971

JULY 14-18

MINI SHOW (ages 7-15) JUNGLE BOOK at Silvermoon on Broad. A Mini Show is a week long process of putting together a ‘public ready show’ in ONLY 5 days. It will be a fun, fast paced week of all things theatre! Kids will learn how to explore different characters, design and construct costumes and set, learn and practice theatre etiquette and stage direction, move their bodies in fun choreography, prepare and memorize lines and learn skills to help present lines to an audience, get out of the

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Calendar of Events

box with fun and creative improv games, etc... all while having fun, making new friends, and using teamwork to put it all together. Cost is $225 and includes a week of fun theatre education, 2 tickets to the weekend shows, and a SCT t-shirt. 9:30AM to 3:00PM.

JULY 19

Wild About Wellness at Four States Entertainment Center (at the Four States Fairgrounds) from 10:00AM to 2:00PM. Ensuring healthy kids is our mission, and the children’s Wild About Wellness health fair is a great way for kids to have free screenings, immunizations, fun activities, contests and entertainment; plus lots of educational information geared toward the health and interests of area children and their families.

Immunizations are for children on medicaid or no insurance coverage only (age 2 months to 18 years). For more information, (870) 772-3771.

JULY 20-26

2014 Wildlife Conservation Camp. Campers will experience hands-on activities led by wildlife professionals which include wildlife and plant identification, hunting as a management tool, species diversity, conservation ethics, wildlife capture and survey techniques, wildlife tracking, predator-prey dynamics, white-tailed deer management, fishing, hunter safety, shooting skills, and much more. The week-long camp is especially recommended for high school students who are considering a career in wildlife management or the natural sciences. High school students who have completed the 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade are eligible to participate in the camp sponsored by the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society. For more information about the camp and how to apply visit www. wildlifecamptx.org or call (361) 364-2643.

JUNE 30-JULY 30

The Officers Down 5K Foundation and The Pink Behind The Thin Blue Line will host the Texarkana Officers Down 5K at Grady T. Wallace Park benefitting the Officers Down Memorial Page and their mission to honor America’s fallen law enforcement. The Officers Down 5K celebrates officers who put their lives on the line daily to keep our communities safe and honor those who have fallen in the line of duty. While officers give to the community on a daily basis, it is now our time to give back. Portion of the proceeds will be donated to the William Jason Sprague Memorial Scholarship.

Registration: 7:00 - 8:30AM. Police procession: 8:45AM.

5K starts after police procession. Walkers file in behind 5K participants. KIDS FUN RUN: 9:30AM. Awards ceremony TBD (Overall 1st Place Winner Mens, Overall 1st Place Winner Female, Top 3 Male and Female in each of the age brackets.) Race registration area and post party: TBD. For more info: www.OfficersDown5K. com, 412-980-0085 or follow us on Facebook. Online registration is also available at https://runsignup.com/ Race/TX/Texarkana/tod5k?. Registration pricing Register before May 1st: $15. May 2nd - June 1st: $20.

June 2nd - July 23rd: $30. Day of race: $35. Kids Fun Run: $5. Register by July 1st to guarantee your race day shirt! All registrations include a dry fit race t-shirt!

ARTS ON MAIN SUMMER CLASSES/CAMPS PRESENTED BY TRAHC

Camps: Picasso-rama Jr. Ages 7-8. July 7-11.

Open Studio III. Ages 15-18. July 7-11 ArtWall Camp Jr. Ages 6-8. July 14-18 Open Studio I. Ages 11-12. July 14-18.

ArtWall Camp Sr. Ages 9-10. July 21-25 Open Studio II. Ages 13-14. July 28-August 1 Classes: Beginning Mosaics (Evening). Ages 12+. June 3, 10, 17, 24, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Watercolors for Beginners. Ages 15+. June 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Oil Painting for Beginners. Ages 15+. June 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 To register or for more information contact Amy Donohoe at 903.792.8681 or adonohoe@trahc.org.

SUMMER ART CLASSES

Jeannie Edwards taught art for 32 years at Arkansas High School. She is offering classes in drawing techniques with a variety of media, such as pastel, watercolor, ink, charcoal, graphite and mixed media.

Classes for acrylic painting will also be available for advanced students. Lessons are available for adults and children. Classes held at Skyler’s (formerly Stanhope’s.)

Two week classes: July 7-10, 14-17 - $120. Intermediate Class: 9:30AM-11:30AM. Beginner Class: 12:30PM2:30PM or 3:00PM-5:00PM. July 21-24 classes optional third week - $50. 9:30AM-11:00AM, 12:30PM2:30PM or 3:00PM-5:00PM. Call for additional class offerings. (870) 773-8074

ooding G decorative concrete

See some of our recent work at the Vapor Spot at Stateline and 35th St.

Custom Pergolas Wood and Trex Decking Counter Tops Pet Feeders Custom Furniture Pressure Washing Acid Stains and Scoring Indoor/Outdoor Overlays

903.277.0307 www.goodingdc.com

PURCHASE

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CONVENTIONAL

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FHA

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VA

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JUMBO

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REFINANCE

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RURAL DEVELOPMENT

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SPRING INTO A GREAT RATE! If you’re thinking of buying a home, call me first to learn how much you might be qualified to borrow. Knowing the amount you can afford can put you in a stronger position when you negotiate your purchase contract.

Even if another lender has provided a quote, call me. We’ll perform an apples-to-apples comparison to ensure you are receiving the best financing for your situation. This is a complimentary service so there’s nothing to lose—and the straight facts to gain.

Call today to find out how much you can afford.

Jason Cree Branch Manager NMLS #209270 AR #17523 903-223-5632 office 903-277-2726 mobile jcree@SWBC.com www.jasoncree.com

Ask for your complimentary home buying booklet today. © 2014. SWBC. All rights reserved. 8540-4742 0314. Loans are subject to credit and property approval. Certain restrictions may apply. Programs and guidelines are subject to change without notice. Rates are subject to change daily. SWBC Mortgage Corporation.

NMLS #9741. Corporate ofiice located at 9311 San Pedro, SUite 100, San Antonio, TX 78216.

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Providing exceptional service to Texarkana and surrounding area borrowers for more than 15 years.

3101 Kennedy Lane Ste. 200 Texarkana, TX 75503

Home... is the nicest word there is.

Buying? Selling? We Can Help!

Bill Spradlin Realtor 903-748-3186

Tracy Spradlin Broker 903-748-2477

www.impactrealtyonline.com billsprad@aol.com spradlintd@aol.com

Jan Williams Realtor 903-277-5771

Cody Sandone Realtor 903-276-7565

Karyn Baucum Realtor 903-278-3836

Stephanie Maddox

Realtor 903-701-1341

Angie Cornett Office Manager

903.223.0710

1356 N. Kings Hwy., Nash, TX 75569

Your time is important...

Let me do the work for you!

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Texarkana, TX 75503

Coldwell Banker where home begins.

Contact Tracy Lilly:

C 903-276-5854 | P 903.832.2486 F 903.832.5078 | tracylilly@cableone.net

Tracy Lilly

Helping you achieve your dream of

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