PRS RT S TD U.S . PO S TA G E PA ID
Little Rock, AR 72202 Permit No. 471
Wednesday, August 3, 2016 Number 31, Volume 37
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Servin g th e H ot Sprin gs / G a rla n d C ou n ty a rea s in ce 19 77
Crystal Chimes sisterhood vocalize hearts in song LORIEN E. DAHL The Sentinel-Record
HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — When members of Hot Springs Village’s Crystal Chimes Chorus recently offered thoughts on their beloved group, they channeled the words of great Spanish writer Cervantes, who said, “He who sings scares away his woes.” Chartered in 1988, the nonprofit has long been feeding the souls of both its members and audiences with a cappella singing offered from the heart. New to the ranks, Melinda Alvord joined the chorus this past fall. She hadn’t performed with a group in nearly 40 years, since college, and said, “Getting back into singing has been phenomenal.” The music major said participation gives her “a reason to get up in the morning and enjoy the day.” Those mornings she mentioned are Tuesdays, when weekly rehearsals are held in Christ of the Hills United Methodist Church. Sectional practice takes place in the hours before lunch, with afternoon sessions bringing all together under the direction of Margaret Kresse. The director relishes watching the women change and grow to become better singers. She’s amazed at their level of dedication and said, “To work with people that want to be the best they can be is just wonderful for me — very rewarding.” Chorus President Lee King was part of a barbershop group years ago, and when she moved to HSV, she saw the Chimes perform and it reminded her how much she loves singing. “When we do performances, it gives me a high. I just feel really good, and if I’m in a bad mood, I’m not in a bad mood after we’ve been singing,” King said. Joy Dressler moved to the Village in 2001 and serves as vice president
The Sentinel-Record/Lorien E. Dahl
SINGING OUT: Ladies of Hot Springs Village’s Crystal Chimes Chorus rehearse songs for the fall concert “Sing Your
Dreams,” set for 7 p.m. Sept. 17 in Woodlands Auditorium. The concert’s co-chairman, Joy Dressler, said the chorus is especially looking forward to utilizing the latest enhanced sound and stage effects now available at the venue. As the Crystal Chimes shows often sell out, buying tickets early is recommended. for the organization. Her experience as a member has been “great fun,” and she was one of several ladies who chose the word “sisterhood” to describe the chorus. Dressler lost her husband in 2014, and said she doesn’t know what she would have done without her “sisters,” who collectively helped carry her through the grief process. The chorus came together in June to help mourn another loss, that of charter member Evaline Keith, who had retired from singing just last year because of health reasons. Her sisters in song gave solace to those in attendance at Keith’s funeral service, lifting spirits with renditions
of “You Raise Me Up” and “May the Lord Bless You and Keep You.” Though few eyes were dry during their offering there, that hasn’t been the group’s only performance to bring tears from those listening. Kresse spoke about an arrangement with flutes of “Angels Among Us” performed at Garvan Woodland Gardens. Though the selection wasn’t the end of the program, many in the audience stood up and were crying at its completion. She knew then the chorus had touched people’s hearts. The ladies sing in four-part harmony, barbershop style, and their highest hope with any song is to
achieve the harmonic resonance known as a ringing chord, or “angel’s voice,” which is an acoustical effect achieved when the lead, tenor, baritone and bass voices blend perfectly and create a fifth sound. Phillis Ruggieri, who is also a member of the Providence Quartet, appreciates that sound, but achieving it is hardly the only thing keeping her involved. She said singing with the group is “an addiction,” explaining that it gives her energy and new life, even taking away any physical pain she may be feeling. She is certain her participation allows an endorphin release within her, and said
“It brings me joy.” Ruggieri senses that all the egos in the room disappear when the women come together to create something larger than themselves. Members will come together on Sept. 17, when they take the stage inside Woodlands Auditorium to present the fall concert “Sing Your Dreams.” The Script Committee has been hard at work with John Chapman to write dialogue and select songs to walk the audience through what it takes to become Sweet Adelines — the international organization of which Crystal Chimes is a member. Tickets can be purchased for $12 by visiting http://www.hsvticketsales.com, or by calling Ticket Chair Joan Voeks at 501-915-8073. Anne Bowes, who serves as assistant director, has been involved with the chorus for 26 years, and said singing isn’t the only benefit of being a member. She recognizes the additional gain of the many educational opportunities, including conferences, quartet retreats, summer music camps, and coaches being brought in. “I have a degree in music, too, but I can always learn something,” Bowes said. Although the learning curve may be greater now than it was in earlier parts of the women’s lives, they definitely recognize the value in memorizing the words and music, as the process stimulates the brain in varied ways. Kresse pointed out that right now, their youngest member is 60, with the oldest in her 80s, “which proves that you can sing all your life,” she said. At one point, the group had around 60 members, but there are only 26 these days, so auditions are always open for ladies in the area who would like to make their voices heard.
Drum Corps International comes to Garland County MAX BRYAN
The Sentinel-Record
The Sentinel-Record/Richard Rasmussen
Drum line: From left, the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps members Chad Raulston, of Dallas, Tyler Bogard of Indianapolis,
Avery Melucci of Seminole, Fla., and Forrest Budway of Raleigh, N.C., rehearse at Lake Hamilton’s Bank of the Ozarks Field on July 27 for a competition event in Little Rock.
PEARCY — Musicians and dancers of The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps filled Bank of the Ozarks Field at Wolf Stadium on the Lake Hamilton campus July 27, getting in formation and perfecting their pieces. “You’re doing a great job pushing through the thick air and the heat,” Mike Tarr, the band’s visual coordinator, said to them over the press box’s intercom system. “Let’s keep going.” The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps, a Drum Corps International marching band from Rosemont, Ill., both housed itself and practiced at Lake Hamilton High School all day July 27 for their competition that night. Aiden Beimer, mellophone player from Denton, Texas, said that LHHS is just one in a long line of schools that his band has used for housing and practice. “There’s a show tonight in Little Rock, so we ended up just going into different schools that could provide housing for us and have a good stadium,” he said. The Cavaliers corps is comprised of 150 young men 16-22 years old from across the country, and three from Japan. They were selected from an audition process that went back as early as
November and concluded with their official lineup in May. The band began practicing May 23 in Indiana. “(We were) rehearsing about 10 hours a day, and then we hit the road for the past couple of months, just touring and playing shows,” Beimer said. This summer, the Cavaliers traveled with other DCI bands, performing competitively in football stadiums across the country. The showdown featured nine competitive marching bands based out of eight different states. The Cavaliers has been putting on a performance titled “Propaganda” at the different stadiums. Tarr said that the performance has been a hit among his band, saying that they have enjoyed reflecting the show’s theme. “Propaganda can bring people together, it can tear people apart, it can inspire society,” Tarr said. “It can do all these different things for us. In marching band these days, a lot of bands have props, so we kind of take a comical stab at props in the play on the word.” Beimer said he has enjoyed touring and performing with the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps this summer. “It’s engaging, it’s fun, it’s artistic yet athletic,” Beimer said. “It’s a great time.”
Still turning heads:
Water ski enthusiast riding high COLBIE MCCLOUD The Sentinel-Record
CRYSTAL SPRINGS — He may be retired and in his 70s, but Bucky Maynard, of Pine Bluff, is not slowing down, even when it comes to his hobby of water sports. For 10 years, Maynard, who turns 73 in August, has been a hydrofoil water ski enthusiast, turning heads on Lake Ouachita and the Arkansas River. Known by the brand name of Air Chair, Maynard rides the unusual-looking water ski primarily on the Arkansas River near his Pine Bluff home. Manufactured by Air Chair in Lake Havasu, Ariz., the water ski resembles a wake board with a seat affixed on top, with a post topped by fins below. The
back fin can be changed out or flipped over for varying expertise levels: beginner, intermediate or advanced. “I’ve had a lot of people try it, but were not able to get up on it,” Maynard said. Maynard, who retired from his independent insurance agency J.B. Bucky Maynard Insurance in December, plays on the water with wakeboards, kneeboards, trick skis, slalom skis and the Air Chair. He also has taught people from youths to seniors how to swim and save lives in the water. “I borrowed my neighbor’s Air Chair and practiced for a couple of summers. It took me a few years to be able to stay up without fishtailing on it,” Maynard said. “I then bought my own and
had to assemble it.” While a boat’s wake can jar a water-skier and make them fall, Maynard says the hydrofoil rides smooth and mimics “flying in a plane.” Rubber stirrups hold the skier’s feet in place while a strap secures the top of the thighs as they sit on the seat. With its aerodynamics, post and fins, it cuts through the wake, creating a smooth ride. “It feels like you’re flying,” Maynard said. “It is the closest thing to parasailing. Everyone at the park (on the Arkansas River) always hollers at him,” said Mike Tyler, of White Hall. According to Air Chair’s website, the hydrofoil, waThe Sentinel-Record/Colbie McCloud ter ski, which was introduced in the 1990s, costs $1,000 to AIR CHAIR: Bucky Maynard, 72, of Pine Bluff, displays his Air Chair at the Crystal Springs campground on Lake Ouachita. $6,500.
• 300 Spring St. Hot Springs, AR 71901 • To subscribe or place an advertisement, call 501-623-7711 or 922-0979 in Hot Springs Village •
ROW acquisition begins for highway 2 The Sentinel-Record Mid-Week Extra, Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
DAVID SHOWERS The Sentinel-Record
The first condemnation order acquiring right of way for the widening of Highway 7 south has been granted, putting the 1.72-mile project on track to be bid by next summer. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department spokesman Danny Straessle said the 0.07-acre right of way acquisition from a car dealership at 5585 Central Ave. is the first of 58 condemnations needed for the project. The declaration of taking filed July 18 estimated that $16,350 was just compensation for the property. Straessle said right of way acquisition for the widening of Highway 7 from the south shore bridge over Lake Hamilton to Highway 290 should be completed by late summer or early fall. City Engineer Gary Carnahan told the Hot Springs Board of Directors earlier this year that the road will be widened to five lanes and include sidewalks and bike lanes. State and federal money will pay for the estimated $7.7 million project, but Carnahan said an engineering firm contracted by the city has said relocating four water and sewer mains in the AHTD’s right of way will cost the city more than $2 million. The city issued a $98,800 contract to Engineers Inc. earlier this year to design, bid and inspect the relocation project. The firm estimated a $2,415,390 cost to move the four mains. Carnahan said the city will be reimbursed for moving segments that aren’t in the current AHTD right of way. Engineers Inc. estimates that $310,434 of the $2.4 million cost is eligible for reimbursement. In addition to city water and sewer lines, Straessle said utilities owned by AT&T Arkansas, CenterPoint Energy, Entergy Arkansas Inc. and Resort TV Cable will have to be relocated. Moving them should take about 10 months after all the right of way is acquired, Straessle said. Carnahan said the affected utilities have met several times to coordinate their relocation work. “This project requires a coordinated engineering effort by all the utility companies, so the relocated line locations will be compatible with the other utilities,” he said. The project is beyond the city limits, but Carnahan said a large portion of the 145-square mile footprint of the city’s
The Sentinel-Record/Richard Rasmussen
WIDENING PROJECT: Motorists travel on Highway 7 south July 26. The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department is
expected to let bids next summer for the widening of the road from the Highway 290 intersection to the bridge over Lake Hamilton. water and sewer system extends beyond the corporate boundaries. More than half the 35,000 meters it serves are outside the city. “This is just one more example of the cost of operating a water
and wastewater system,” Carnahan, referring to the cost of relocating water and sewer lines, said. “It’s not easy or inexpensive.” Straessle said the project should be completed in less than three years once construction bids are solicited next summer.
City looks at annexing Lakeside Road enclave DAVID SHOWERS The Sentinel-Record
The Sentinel-Record/Richard Rasmussen
OAKLAWN ROTARY: Oaklawn Rotary Club President Candice Young, left, speaks with Hot Springs
Police Chief Jason Stachey prior to the club’s weekly meeting at The Hotel Hot Springs & Spa on July 25.
HSPD chief speaks of advancements COLBIE MCCLOUD The Sentinel-Record
Just two months after being named the new Hot Springs police chief, Jason Stachey is already looking at ways to work with neighborhoods to cut down on street-level drug transactions and blighted properties. Those neighborhood-level actions are tempered by the recent fatal shootings of law enforcement officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, La. Stachey, who was the featured speaker at Oaklawn Ro-
tary Club meeting at The Hotel Hot Springs & Spa, said officers’ training now has to take a new direction, “defense against an ambush.” “Of all deadly force incidents used against law enforcement, this is the most difficult to prepare and train for. The fact is, if there is someone who has the intent to do harm against us, they already have the upper hand,” Stachey said. “In other words, we are solely reactionary at that point, until that officer sees that threat and can
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react accordingly to it.” The third group of Teen Police Academy students who graduated Friday were introduced to various scenarios that law enforcement officers have to go through daily as they participated in simulations at National Park College. The simulations placed the students in situations where they were tested on whether to use force against a subject. Training for law enforcement includes communication and empathy, force-to-force training to help officers make split-second decisions and escalation training to be able to calm down confrontational individuals. In the coming months, Stachey plans to implement a drug unit that will target mid- to low-level drug dealers. They will work alongside the 18th Judicial District East Drug Task Force, but will focus on the lower dealers within the city limits. Studies show that 70 to 85 percent of violent and nonviolent crime are drug-related, he said.
HSPD, PAGE 4
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A resolution scheduling a public hearing on the city’s potential annexation of an enclave off Lakeside Road will be on the consent agenda July 26 at the Hot Springs Board of Directors meeting. Unlike previous ordinances annexing enclaves formed by Lake Hamilton and the city’s corporate boundaries, the action the board will consider advancing seeks to annex an area surrounded by the city. The annexation ordinance the board adopted in December brought the Twin Points and Burchwood Bay areas under city authority. A subsequent ordinance adopted in January annexed the Lakeland Drive, Lake Hamilton Drive, Buena Vista Road and Grand Point Drive areas. Two lawsuits are challenging the ordinance, arguing that the area’s approximately 400 permanent residents where disenfranchised by the board’s action and that the city doesn’t bound the area on three sides. The board annexed the two lake-adjacent sections under Act 109 of 2015, which broadened the definition of enclaves to include land bordered by municipal territory on three sides and a lake or a river on a fourth. A city’s governing body can annex an enclave by a two-thirds vote. Division 1 Circuit Judge John Homer Wright dismissed the lawsuit George Pritch-
ett, Russell Skallerup and Bruce Mitchell filed in February, but they’ve appealed his decision to the Arkansas Court of Appeals. Another lawsuit filed by residents in the affected area in February is still pending. The city has suspended the ordinance’s enactment until the lawsuits are resolved. Planning and Development Director Kathy Sellman told the board Tuesday that voluntary annexations initiated several years ago created the Lakeside Road enclave. Land can also be annexed by an election of city residents and property owners in the affected area or by a voluntary petition of residents who own more than half the area’s acreage. “This was created several years back by a nearby voluntary annexation, thus creating an area completely surrounded by the city limits,” she said. “There’s not any navigable water here. This is just land.” Sellman recommended scheduling the hearing for the Sept. 6 board meeting. She said the annexation would add fewer than 20 people to the city. The enclave encompasses nine addresses, six on the south end fronting Lakeside Road and three accessed by private drives. An address on the north end near Ravenwood Place straddles the city-county border. The residence is in the city, but the property’s pool, tennis court and an outbuilding are inside the enclave.
Wilson honored as top HSV Rotarian HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — During the annual “Change of Gavel” dinner for Hot Springs Village Rotary Club, Villager Larry Wilson was given the prestigious honor of being named Rotarian of the Year. Wilson said in a news release, “I was really caught off-guard by the Rotarian of the Year award,” since when the award was announced, he was busy handling the audio, visual and technological duties for the event, just as he does at weekly club meetings and for special occasions. “I was doing my thing with technology when outgoing President Linda Johnson made the announcement,” Wilson said. Accepting the enthusiastic acclaim of the guests, he later said that the reaction of the membership spoke volumes. “To be recognized for doing something you love to do is very gratifying,” he said. As a former teacher, Wilson said he really did not have the time to devote to civic organizations. But when he was able, Wilson found Rotary appealing because of its mission and purpose, having an emphasis on “Service Above Self.” He said, “I have always felt the need to be an active member of any group I have associated with. Hot Springs Village Rotary appealed to me because of the people I knew who were Rotarians.” At each weekly meeting, Wilson can be found creating a slideshow that presents visual images for the members to take in. He records
Submitted photo
WINNING NICHE: Larry Wilson was recently named Rotarian
of the Year for the Hot Springs Village Rotary Club. As part of his membership service, he handles audio, visual and technological duties for the club. programs, posts them on the internet, and provides technological support for special events. “I felt my niche with Rotary was to use my technology skills to present our club in an effective way to the members and other interested parties,” he said. Wilson also posts the weekly club bulletins on the
HSV Rotary website, http:// www.hsvrotary.org, making them available to all. Membership in HSV Rotary Club is open to all, and guests are always welcome to attend weekly meetings, held at 7 a.m. Thursdays in the Fireside Dining Room of the Good Samaritan Society, 121 Cortez Road.
The Sentinel-Record Mid-Week Extra, Wednesday, August 3, 2016 3
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
Mexican farmers using fireflies to save forest
The cooperative of 42 families still cuts some trees, but has preserved over 1,560 acres (630 hectares). “We log, we live from the forest, from cutting trees, but in an orderly way,” said Rueda Lopez, one of the cooperative’s founders. “It’s like a garden, you have to remove the branches yourself, the dry parts, the parts with diseases to really grow.” He said they have plans to plant over 50,000 pine trees in the areas they log each year. The idea has spread to nearby places in largely rural Tlaxcala, like Granja Interactiva Salma, whose primary business is still crops like corn, wheat, broad beans and peas. But they say firefly tours are a much-needed source of extra income. “We are trying to treat the whole area here with no herbicides, because it’s logical if we have insecticides, that could affect the fireflies,” said Hugo Brindis, a certified guide at Granja Salma. “We are talking to biologists and the people who make these chemicals to see which have less of an effect on fireflies and the forest.” He said their operation is a reservation-only ranch and they are trying to reduce the amount of people who visit the area, 250 maximum on the weekends, to maintain a sustainable space in the forest. In Piedra Canteada, the co-op acquired a small sawmill in 1998 so it could sell higher-priced cut lumber instead of just logs. The sawmill gives residents jobs and income beyond the three-month firefly season. But the fireflies are now the main source of income. “We have reduced our wood production, you can say by 60 or 70 percent to preserve the forest and have better amount of tourism,” said sawmill manager Salvador Morale.
LULU OROZCO
The Associated Press
The Associated Press
CATCHING FIREFLIES: Fireflies seeking mates light up in synchronized bursts as photographers
take long-exposure pictures, inside Piedra Canteada, a tourist camp cooperatively owned by 42 local families, inside an old-growth forest near the town of Nanacamilpa, Tlaxcala state, Mexico. The families purchased the 1560-acre tract of land from a private owner in 1990 and began offering camping and forest visits, while continuing to exploit the logging quota authorized by the government. Only in 2011, did they realize the potential draw of the local firefly population, and begin advertising nighttime viewing tours.
NANACAMILPA, Mexico — In the village of Nanacamilpa, tiny fireflies are helping save the towering pine and fir trees on the outskirts of the megalopolis of Mexico City. Thousands of them light up a magical spectacle at dusk in the old-growth forests on reserves like the Piedra Canteada park, about 45 miles (75 kilometers) east of Mexico’s sprawling capital city. Piedra Canteada in Tlaxcala state isn’t a government-run park, but a rural cooperative that has managed to emerge from poverty and dependence on logging with the help of the fireflies. For years, economic forces, including low prices for farm produce, forced rural communities like Piedra Canteada to cut down trees and sell the logs. Then, in 1990, community leader Genaro Rueda Lopez got the idea that the forest could bring tourism revenue from campers. Business was slow for years. Then in 2011, community members realized the millions of fireflies that appear between June and August could draw tourists from larger cities where few people have seen them in significant numbers. Indeed, around the world, deforestation and urban growth are threatening the over 2,000 species of fireflies with extinction. Five years later, the park’s cabins and camp spaces are sold out weeks in advance, with the attraction especially popular among families with young children and couples seeking a romantic setting. “The amount of fireflies you see is impressive,” said Carlos Landa, a Mexico City native who visited Piedra Canteada this week. “Something that I also find quite impressive is their synchronicity: To turn off and turn on, that is something really spectacular. It’s like Christmas in the forest.”
The Associated Press
LIGHT IT UP: Tourists awaiting nightfall chase each other in a game, inside Piedra Canteada, near
Nanacamilpa, Tlaxcala state, Mexico. The firefly viewing season lasts from mid-June to mid-August. In the five years since Piedra Canteada and two other centers began offering viewing tours, tourist demand and revenue have skyrocketed. More than a dozen other centers offering tours have opened in the surrounding area, and the neighboring state of Puebla announced the creation of an alternative “Firefly Route” in 2016.
Organizers seek ways to expand Oktoberfest
UNDER PROTECTION: Rules to protect the firefly habitat and mating process are posted inside Pie-
dra Canteada, near Nanacamilpa, Tlaxcala state, Mexico. Among the list of banned activities are the use of camera flash or flashlights, smoking, making noise, or lighting campfires. To avoid interfering with the fireflies mating process, in which they communicate through their light patterns, power in the camp is shut off for two hours during the peak nighttime appearance of the fireflies, and cars are prohibited from entering or exiting. Certified guides lead groups of silent tourists along dark forest paths to get the best view of the fireflies.
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This fall, for the second year in a row, Oktoberfest is coming to downtown Hot Springs. The festival, set for Oct. 14 and 15 in Hill Wheatley Plaza, will be put on again as a fundraiser for The Faces Foundation, a local nonprofit that provides reconstructive facial surgery to youths and young adults with facial defects. Ernie Hinz, president and executive director of the foundation, said that although the city’s Oktoberfest had previously moved to Magic Springs and Crystal Falls, one of his main goals in bringing the festival to downtown was restoring the true spirit of the event. “It kind of fell apart because it moved out to Magic Springs … It lost that Oktoberfest theme and became merged with other things,” Hinz said. “We were the catalyst to bring it back.” Before 2015, Oktoberfest had not been held in the city for four years. Hinz and Dick Antoine, a local radio personality who serves on The Faces Foundation board, got the idea of hosting their own event downtown while conversing about possible fundraisers that the foundation could put on. “I’ve always wanted to bring it back, so when Ernie said, ‘Hey, we’re looking for a fundraiser,’ I said, ‘We’re bringing Oktoberfest back,’” Antoine said. “He said, ‘Good idea.’” Antoine and Hinz were able to hold their festival during Labor Day weekend in 2015. Though it was not their first choice to hold it that weekend, Oktoberfest still brought a crowd of 1,300, and ensured donations for their foundation. This year, Oktoberfest will feature live music both nights, a fun run on Friday, Oct. 14, and food and drink. The two are looking to improve the festival in ways that will ensure enjoyment from a wider audience.
1635 H igdon Ferry Rd., Ste. D 501-525-8008
W HOL ES A L E OUTL ET 196550
The Associated Press
The Sentinel-Record/File photo
BACK AGAIN: Ernie Hinz, president and executive director of The
Faces Foundation, left, and Dick Antoine, a local radio personality who serves on The Faces board, share a moment during Octoberfest 2015. The pair are bringing the popular festival back again to Hill Wheatley Plaza Oct. 14-15. “We’re going to bring more things,” Antoine said. “We did it with a band (in 2015) and didn’t have a whole lot of things for kids and such. This year, we’re gonna have two bands and a lot more things for kids to do.” Antoine said he and Hinz also plan to bring more food vendors than they did last year. The vendors, Hinz said, will serve the standard German fare — bratwursts, schnitzel and craft beer. The two are still looking for more vendors to serve the public. Hinz said he is offering vendors reimbursement, with the exception of their $25 electricity payment, if they promote the event through social media. “If they do that for themselves and for us, at the end of the two days, their money will be refunded,” Hinz said.
The festival’s specific location in the plaza also offers opportunities for expansion. Hinz said that the empty lot behind The Porterhouse, which is across the street from the plaza, would be a great place for more attractions, provided the crowds allow it. “That whole area could come all the way across if it got big enough,” Hinz said. “You could almost have two whole sections.” Hinz said that one of the goals of the festival is to help the ongoing revitalization of downtown Hot Springs. He said that the location he chose will play its part in the process and will take full advantage of the outdoor atmosphere. “Oktoberfest thrives as an outside activity,” he said. “Do you take the risk of rain or snow? Sure. But is it worth the risk? We think it is.”
S u ppo rt yo u r H o t S pring s V illa g e N eig hbo rs ! D is c o verw hat y o u ’ve been m is s in g !
4 The Sentinel-Record Mid-Week Extra, Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
HSPD
Miss Arkansas
From Page 2
“I, for one, will no longer stand by and watch drug transactions take place in broad daylight in parking lots in public places. We should not have to deal with that as citizens in Hot Springs,” Stachey said. To coincide with a new drug team, the enforcement of city code and nuisance abatement will soon increase. The Hot Springs Police Department will look into working with tenants, landlords and homeowners to keep up their properties to prevent abysmal appearances. “I am a personal believer in the ‘broken window theory,’ which relates that a residence or neighborhood that begins to lose aesthetic appeal and falls into disrepair, i.e., ‘broken window,’ can invite a criminal element in that neighborhood. What it is showing is that these residences in our neighborhoods do not care about what it looks like.” Hoping to acquire “prediction” software, the police department would be able to see the problem areas in each patrol zone. The software Computer Statistics allows agencies to input information regarding types of arrests, their proximity to average high-crime areas and general times they occur. Supervisors could inform their officers prior to going out on patrol of where they should be at what time. “We can give them the answers and let them know where they need to be between 8 and 10 p.m. that evening. So we have a more direct, efficient and effective way into addressing crime,” Stachey said. “If we have had several burglaries along a specific corridor this software will tell us, along with a predictability module that may tell us where it is going to happen next. If we use it correctly, The Sentinel-Record/Richard Rasmussen and how it is designed to, it will The reigning Miss Arkansas visits Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club during the annual Miss Arkansas pageant, including Miss Arkansas 2015 Loren McDaniel. The create accountability and provide another tool to fight crime.” club has also been fortunate to have several programs presented by the reigning Miss America.
Baber headlines benefit concert at Wolf Arena JAY BELL
The Sentinel-Record
PEARCY — Arkansas native Barrett Baber and a fellow contestant from “The Voice” on NBC will perform in a benefit
concert next month in the new Lake Hamilton Wolf Arena. Both Baber and Zach Seabaugh were members of country music star Blake Shelton’s team on the show’s ninth sea-
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son last fall. Baber finished in third place after making the finals. Seabaugh, a native of Georgia, was just 16 years old when he began on “The Voice.” He made it to the season’s semifinals and was one of the last two contestants eliminated before the competition was narrowed down to the four finalists. Baber and Seabaugh have partnered with two local organizations for the Aug. 20 concert. Proceeds will benefit the Kamo’s Kids Foundation and the Garland County Drug Court program, Helping Each Other Reach Our Sobriety, known as H.E.R.O.S. “Our goal is to put on a
first class show for supporters of our programs,” said Steve Qualls, president of the Kamo’s Kids Foundation board. General admission tickets are $30. VIP tickets are $100 and will include special floor seating, a dinner and an opportunity to meet Baber and Seabaugh before the concert. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com. Sponsorships are still available. “We are just trying to raise money,” Qualls said. “One for the H.E.R.O.S. program, so they can do more and grow more. All of this money that is going to be raised is going to be used in this community. It’s not going anywhere else.”
Doors will open at 6 p.m., an hour before the concert. Organizers plan to sell 2,600 tickets. Qualls said tickets have sold well already with the concert still several weeks away. Chris Burrow, juvenile drug court coordinator, and Qualls said Lake Hamilton and district officials have long been supportive of both Kamo’s Kids and H.E.R.O.S. The use of Wolf Arena was offered at no charge. “The Lake Hamilton School District is proud to provide a venue for the Barrett Baber benefit concert,” said Lake Hamilton Superintendent Steve Anderson. “We have a long history of supporting the Kamo’s Kids Foundation and other similar or-
ganizations that benefit and support Garland County youth. Lake Hamilton Wolf Arena should be a great location for this concert and we are happy to be a part of this event.” “It’s a beautiful arena,” Burrow said. “Mr. Anderson and the school board have been very gracious to us.” Kamo’s Kids was established in February 2009 after Kameron “Kamo” Thomas Hale died shortly after his 16th birthday. The Foundation follows three main principles representative of Hale’s outlook on life: “Kourage” to do what is right, “Kommitment” to excellence and “Kompassion” for others.”
BABER, PAGE 5
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The Sentinel-Record Mid-Week Extra, Wednesday, August 3, 2016 5
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
He’s a skydiver working with a net —but no parachute JOHN ROGERS
The Associated Press
Submitted photo
VOLUNTEERS: Teens ranging from age 14 to 18 volunteer with
Team Tesla at Mid-America Science Museum.
Teens volunteer with Team Tesla at Mid-America Building on Mid-America Science Museum’s long history of working with volunteers since its opening in 1979, the museum has adopted a new program, Team Tesla, for students 14-18 years old. Team Tesla volunteers develop leadership skills by assisting museum educators during summer camps and helping with special events like Tinkerfest, Tesla Fest and the December holiday camps, a news release said. “Our Team Tesla volunteers have already had a significant impact here at the museum, and have demonstrated that they are really passionate about science and helping younger generations learn about STEM,” said Irene Perros, the museum’s volunteer coordinator. By engaging with younger children through hands-on science learning, Team Tesla
BABER
volunteers help the museum foster a passion for science, engineering, technology and math in their community, the release said. The process also provides teens with an opportunity to develop skills they will need when they enter the job market. “I had a really fun experience last year as a participant in one of the summer camps, so this year I decided to volunteer and help younger kids to learn about science,” said Ethan Mitchell, a first year Team Tesla volunteer. Team Tesla is an ongoing annual summer volunteer program offered at Mid-America Science Museum. Call Perros at 767-3461, ext. 122, or email irenep@midamericamuseum.org for more information on how to sign up for Team Tesla, or information on other volunteer opportunities at the museum.
From Page 4
Burrow has been the juvenile drug court coordinator for about five years. He has had close ties with Kamo’s Kids since he began in his position. “Steve and I work really well together,” Burrow said. “We talk all of the time. They are there if we need anything.” The program grew with the guidance of former district court judge Vicki Cook. Children in H.E.R.O.S. selected the acronym in 2014. “Chris has just done a phenomenal job with that program,” Qualls said. Funds for the H.E.R.O.S. program provide various activities, events and programs for participants. Kamo’s Kids vowed to match every dollar H.E.R.O.S. raised. “It’s trying to get them into a positive hobby or something else,” Burrow said. “A lot of time they have too much time on their hands, they are bored, they don’t have a lot of things going on and they just don’t have healthy hobbies. This helps with that part of it.” Proceeds will be evenly split between Kamo’s Kids and H.E.R.O.S. Burrow said the two have developed an “awesome partnership.” Planning for the concert began soon after the start of the year. Baber is related to Burrow’s wife. Burrow checked with Baber to see if he would be available for a local event. “He said absolutely he’d love to do it,” Burrow said. Burrow said Baber was excited to involve Seabaugh in the event. Both performers have shared their enthusiasm for the concert on social media. Participants in H.E.R.O.S. and their family members will attend the event. Burrow said Baber plans to speak to them personally and share his own experiences. Baber was a passenger of a 1999 plane crash in which 11 peo-
ple were killed and more than 80 others were injured at what is now Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock. He was traveling as a member of the Ouachita Baptist University singing group at the end of a concert tour. Storms caused a difficult flight that ended when the plane slid from a runway into a light tower and caught fire. Qualls said Kamo’s Kids differs from many other nonprofit organizations because donations are not used for administrative fees. He said 100 percent of proceeds are used for the foundation’s efforts. Kamo’s Kids works closely with all seven public school districts in Garland County, as well as Centerpoint and Mount Ida. The foundation awarded four $1,000 scholarships to Lake Hamilton students and rotated selections for other scholarships at the other area schools. The awards increased this year with eight scholarships provided for Lake Hamilton students. “This is for our community,” Qualls said. “We work in all of these school districts. The more money we can raise, the more we can help our school districts.” Qualls said support and involvement from the community is crucial to the success of both organizations. Lake Hamilton will handle all duties related to sound, lighting and similar services at the concert. Local law enforcement will provide security. Kamo’s Kids also partners with the Fellow of Christian Athletes for Fields of Faith every year. The foundation has established reading programs at Lake Hamilton and Lakeside. Qualls said he hopes to grow the programs and carry them over to other districts in the future. He said he also hopes to find a program to incorporate all nine of the partner school districts.
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — He’s made 18,000 parachute jumps, helped train some of the world’s most elite skydivers, done some of the stunts for “Ironman 3.” But the plunge Luke Aikins knows he’ll be remembered for is the one he’s making without a parachute. Or a wingsuit. Or anything, really, other than the clothes he’ll be wearing when he jumps out of an airplane at 25,000 feet last weekend, attempting to become the first person to land safely on the ground in a net. The Fox network broadcasted the two-minute jump live at 8 p.m. EDT on July 30 as part of an hour-long TV special called “Heaven Sent.” And, no, you didn’t have to tell Aikins it sounded crazy. He knows that. He said as much to his wife after a couple Hollywood guys looking to create the all-timegreatest reality TV stunt floated the idea by him a couple years ago. “I said, ‘You won’t believe these guys,’” the affable skydiver recalls with a robust laugh. “‘They want me to jump out without a parachute.’ She said, ‘Oh, with a wingsuit.’ I said, ‘No, they want me to do it with nothing.’ We both had a good laugh about that.” But in the weeks that followed he couldn’t shake one persistent thought: Could anybody actually do this and live to tell the tale? Because if anyone could, Aikins wanted to be that guy. After all, the 42-year-old daredevil has practically lived his life in the sky. He made his first tandem jump when he was 12, following with his first solo leap four years later. He’s been racking them up at about 800 a year ever since. He took his wife, Monica, on her first jump when they were dating and she’s up to 2,000 now. The couple lives with a 4-yearold son, Logan, in Washington, where Aikins’ family owns Skydive Kapowsin near Tacoma. Over the years Aikins has taught skydiving, taught others to teach skydiving, even participated in world-record stacking events, those exercises where skydivers line up atop one another as they fly their open chutes across the sky. He tells of having his chute tangle with others on a couple of those efforts and having to come down under his reserve parachute. In all, he’s used his reserve 30 times, not a bad number for 18,000 jumps. This time, though, he won’t have any parachute. “If I wasn’t nervous I would be stupid,” the compact, muscular athlete says with a grin as he sits under a canopy near Saturday’s drop zone. “We’re talking about jumping without a parachute, and I take that very seriously. It’s not a joke,” he adds. Nearby, a pair of huge cranes defines the boundaries where the net in which Aikins expects to land is being erected. It will be about one-third the size of a football field and 20 stories high, providing enough space to cushion his fall, he says, with-
The Associated Press
FREE FALLING: Skydiver Luke Aikins jumps from a helicopter during his training in Simi Valley, Calif.
After months of training, this elite skydiver said he was ready to leave his chute in the plane when he bailed out 25,000 feet above Simi Valley on July 30. That’s right, no parachute, no wingsuit and no fellow skydiver with an extra one to hand him in mid-air.
The Associated Press
NO MAN’S LAND: Cranes stand on the ground as production crew members set up a net about one-third
the size of a football field and 20 stories high ahead of skydiver Luke Aikins’ landing attempt without a parachute or wing suit in Simi Valley, Calif. After months of training, this elite skydiver said he was ready to leave his chute in the plane when he bailed out 25,000 feet above Simi Valley on Saturday, July 30. That’s right, no parachute, no wingsuit and no fellow skydiver with an extra one to hand him in mid-air. out allowing him to bounce out of it. The landing target, which has been described as similar to a fishing trawler net, has been tested repeatedly using dummies. One of those 200-pound (91-kilogram) dummies didn’t bounce out. It crashed right through. “That was not a good thing to see,” recalled Jimmy Smith, the veteran Hollywood public relations man who, with his partner Bobby Ware, came up with the idea of having someone skydive without a parachute. Chris Talley, who had worked with Aikins on other projects and helped train him for this one, recommended the skydiver to the two Amusement Park Entertainment executives. He told them Aikins was arguably the only guy not only good enough but also smart enough and careful enough
Double SNAP available at farmers market
Each Saturday, the Hot Springs Farmers and Artisans Market, 121 Orange St., will double the opportunity for people to fill their pantry with fresh fruits and vegetables. Launched in 2015, The Double Up Food Bucks program helps SNAP customers increase their purchasing power by doubling weekly EBT transactions up to $20. For instance, a family that spends $10 in SNAP benefits at the market will receive an additional $10 in Double Up Food Bucks to purchase Arkansas grown fruits and vegetables. “I love this program,” Laura Martin, a participant, said in a news release. “We have our own garden, but the Double Up program fills in the gaps and helps us to eat more fresh foods. We have a small business and know how important it is to
support others. We love that the market’s SNAP program is benefiting local farmers. This year’s new token system is a fantastic improvement and it allows me to Double Up at any participating market in Arkansas. It is so easy to use.” “We are grateful to the Arkansas Coalition for Obesity Prevention and the Wal-Mart Foundation State Giving program for providing this opportunity for Hot Springs,” said Elaine Nesmith, DUFB program volunteer. “It is important that we get the word out to people in our area. If you know friends, co-workers, church members, employees or neighbors who would benefit, please tell them about this exciting program. With back to school expenses on the horizon, the Double Up Food Bucks program will help stretch the dollar while
to survive this. Smith recalled how the three men gazed at each other with a look of foreboding after that dummy crashed through the net. Then they looked over at Aikins. “Luke just said, ‘No biggie, that’s why we test.’” Fox has had little to say about the stunt other than it will be broadcast on a tape delay, as is the case with all its live broadcasts, says network spokesman Les Eisner. It contains a warning not to try this at home. That would seemingly be difficult, as Smith and Ware had to scour a good part of the world, from Arizona Indian land to Dubai real estate, before they found what everyone agreed was the best place for Aikins to land. He’ll come down in a dry, dusty, desolate-looking section of an old movie ranch north of
Los Angeles where not that long ago Shia LaBeouf was battling “Transformers.” The drop zone, surrounded by rolling hills, presents some challenges, Aikins said, noting he’ll be constantly fighting shifting winds as he falls 120 mph (193 kph). Other skydivers have jumped from planes without parachutes and had someone hand them one in midair. But Aikins won’t even have that. Why? “To me, I’m proving that we can do stuff that we don’t think we can do if we approach it the right way,” he answers. “I’ve got 18,000 jumps with a parachute, so why not wear one this time?” he muses almost to himself. “But I’m trying to show that it can be done.”
Submitted photo
FUN AND GAMES: A variety of activities will be available at the
Hot Springs Farmers and Artisans Market from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, including games on the lawn provided by Levi Hospital. also providing high quality, nutritious foods.” In addition to the homemade, handmade and homegrown items found at the market, on Saturday young entrepreneurs will offer their products while also gaining experience in running their own business. The Youth Market is held the last Saturday of each month and features young people 8 to 18 years old who have a product they have produced. More information and online registration are available at http://www.hotsprings-
farmersmarket.com. There is no charge for youth vendors on Youth Market days. A variety of activities will be going on from 9-11 a.m. Saturday. There will be Arkansas Doulas with information and support for expectant and new mothers. Emergent Arts will offer a hands-on art activity. Levi Hospital will hold games on the lawn. Growing Healthy Communities-Hot Springs, in partnership with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, will host interactive nutrition activities.
6 The Sentinel-Record Mid-Week Extra, Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
The Sentinel-Record/Corbet Deary
JUNCTURE: Lower Lake Recreation Area is located is close to where the lower DeGray Lake puts into the Caddo River.
Summer means great angling at Lower Lake Recreation Area Outdoor writer and photographer Corbet Deary is featured regularly in The Sentinel-Record. Today, Deary writes about Lower Lake Recreation Area.
Last week’s destination article covered a 400-acre reservoir situated at the base of the DeGray Lake Dam. Since we completed our recent excursion on this small and bountiful body of water by midmorning, I thought it would only prove fitting to share a little information about yet another outdoor destination in the vicinity. This is the perfect opportunity to write about a small U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recreation area nestled just below the base of the dam containing the lower lake. One could literally secure their small craft to their vehicle and be at this particular destination within a couple of minutes, providing folks with an opportunity to experience yet another environment — an environment much different from what they had just experienced on the upper side of the dam. A portion of the 6-acre park is separated from the Caddo River by a heavy band of trees and undergrowth. There are, however, two spots where the waterway is accessible within the perimeters of the facility. A flight of stairs leads to a platform just below the base of the dam. The view from the platform can change dramatically in short order. Various volumes of water are released from the DeGray Lake Dam on a regular basis, which in turn, directly affects the flow pouring over the smaller structure containing the lower lake. In turn, I suspect the current might prove somewhat volatile at this particular location at times. Hence, a set
Corbet Deary Outdoor writer and photographer of buoys stretched across the river several feet downstream of the structure. Water was obviously being generated at the upper dam during my most recent visit to the park, as large volumes of water were pouring over the lower dam and into the Caddo River. The scene was magnificent, but to enter the water at this point would have proved somewhat foolish. Although the scenery at the base of the dam is impressive, that’s not the main draw for all of the water-loving folks who show up at the Lower Lake Recreation Area by the droves during the summer months. The facility also sports an access point to the river a little farther downstream. Of course, this is a great spot where people can simply wade into the river and cool themselves on those hot and sultry days of summer. But this is also a popular put-in point for those who long for a pleasant float. The float to the Valley Street/Highway 7 south bridge takes anywhere from three to four hours to complete and is family friendly when water is not being generated at the DeGray Dam. Of course, the current changes drastically when water is being released from above. According to the information I have been able to gather, there are no means of learning exactly when wa-
The Sentinel-Record/Corbet Deary
LOWER LAKE: Lower Lake Recreation Area is a great destination for those wishing to spend the portion of a day in the beauty of
the wonderful outdoors.
ter will be released. But they generally generate on a daily basis between 2 and 4 p.m., which allows floaters ample time to get an early morning float in and be off the water before any significant changes in current. Now for the downfall of the float. Although there is an access point at the Highway 7
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bridge, there are no locations where one is allowed to park. In turn, one must either pay for a shuttle service at a facility just across the highway, or they can arrange for a family member or friend to pick them up at the launching ramp at a specified time. Even those who are not interested in floating and swimming are apt to find the Lower Lake Recreation Area of interest, as the park offers other activities, as well. As one might suspect, the park is a great location where one can embark upon a picnic. Seven individual picnic sites are situated at the park. Each designated spot is impressive, as the tables are protected from the sun via roofs. Each site also sports a grill and is situated a distance from the other sites. Those wishing to plan a get-together with family and friends might be interested in reserving a time slot at the pavilion that is located on the premises. The structure is impressive, to say the least. Although probably five small grills are located within a few feet of the pavilion, I was most struck by the huge rock grill located at this designated area. The pavilion is capable of providing shade for a large group of people and is located within a stone’s throw of playground equipment. The park also caters to those of a competitive nature. Evidently, the facility is a popular destination for volleyball
enthusiasts. The sand court appears to be well-used and the net is well maintained. How about playing a round at the 18-hole disc golf course that is located on the premises? Although I have never embarked upon a game of disc golf, it does certainly look intriguing, and the sport is growing in popularity. This particular course was established in 2011 and makes its way through a predominantly flat and open wooded area. Although I had no Frisbee with me during our recent visit, I did walk the course. I could only imagine how fun it would be to play the game, but I did make a mental note to return during cooler weather and give the game a try. Sections of the path leading around the disc course are also used as a fitness trail. This designated route makes its way to four different fitness stations. Each station is dedicated to specific exercises. The first station certainly posed the greatest challenge. Although the situp and legover bench lent to little difficulty, the hand walk and dip apparatus proved a humbling experience. Continuing along the fitness trail, we took advantage of equipment that was designed for doing body raises, reverse pullups, push-ups, curls and military presses. The exercise equipment at each station was interesting as it was all constructed from
metal tubing or treated 4-by4s. Despite the equipment’s simplicity, each and every station was extremely effective. As for the trail leading from station to station, I was not so impressed. In fact, it was in need of maintenance. In all fairness, however, we did happen upon a couple piles of gravel that I suspected would be used to resurface the path when the temperatures became somewhat more bearable. We were also reminded, during our walk along the trail, that with summertime conditions come those pesky chiggers. That being said, I would not suggest embarking upon a walk along this short trail during the next couple of months without first spraying one’s legs and shoes with your favorite insect deterrent. Despite a bait of chiggers, our recent visit to Lower Lake Recreation Area was an enjoyable experience. And I would suspect that out next excursion to this location will prove even more fun, as the days will be cooler and we’ll likely experience our first try at pitching a Frisbee through the woods and from hole to hole. To get to the Lower Lake Recreation Area from Hot Springs, take Highway 7 south to Caddo Valley and turn right onto Highway 390 just before reaching the I-30 bridge. Follow 390 for a couple of miles and the park’s entrance will be located on the left.