October 2022 Member Newsletter

Photo of Lake Chicot State Park Courtesy of Arkansas Media Valet

Oyez! Oyez!

John Mikesch and Jason H. Wales announced that they formed a new law firm called Wales & Mikesch, PLLC located at 2961 N. Point Circle, Ste. 203 in Fayetteville.

Kutak Rock is announced that Jennie Stewart has been elected regional managing partner of the firm’s Arkansas offices in Little Rock, Fayetteville and Rogers.

Chris Hussein has joined Taylor Law Partners, LLP in Fayetteville.

Honoring Members Who Served in the Military

In honor of Veterans Day, we will honor ArkBar members who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in our Fall issue of The Arkansas Lawyer. If you know of someone, including yourself, who is not on our list, please send to Anna Hubbard at ahubbard@arkbar.com. View the full online feature here

Matthews, Campbell, Rhoads, McClure & Thompson, P.A. in Rogers announced that Mallory A. Sanders and Mason Reynolds have joined the firm.

Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC announced that associate Taylor Wilbourn Kelley has joined the law firm and associates Glenn V. Larkin and E. Jonathan Mader have returned to the firm after completing clerkships with United States District Court judges. Ms. Kelley is located in the firm’s Northwest Arkansas office and Mr. Larkin and Mr. Mader are in Little Rock.

Pro Bono CLE Opportunities

The Red Mass

Friday, October 7, 2022 12:05 p.m.,

St.,

St.

The St. Thomas More Society of Arkansas cordially invites you to attend the 28th Annual Mass of the Holy Spirit. Celebrated by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor. Open to all. Join us in prayer for our judicial system, bench, bar and all civic and public officials. Help us honor this year’s Saint Thomas More Award recipients Attorney/ Deacon Noel Bryant and Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley.

The Red Mass Friday, October 7, 2022 12:05 p.m., Cathedral of St. Andrew 617 Louisiana St., Little Rock

Volunteer for an upcoming AR Free Legal Answers Clinic. At these clinics, attorneys and law student volunteers work together to answer questions received from low- and moderate-income Arkansans who can’t afford an attorney. Register at https://www. signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4ea4ac2ca1fac16november arkbar.com/jobs

For information contact Connie Brown Phillips, Red Mass Chairperson, 501-680-6919 or cbphillipslaw@gmail.com

ArkBar offers free job postings for employers.

Stewart

Hussein

MaderKelley Larkin

Sanders Larkin

This bar year, the Association celebrates 125 years of service to the legal profession and our community. Throughout this special anniversary year we will be looking back over our history and celebrating the moments, activities, and people who help shape this Association.

The Association kicked off its 125th year celebration with the Inaugural Legal Hall of Fame on September 15. The event was held at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion Great Hall with a reception and dinner. Gov. Asa Hutchinson welcomed the attendees, Colette Honorable served as the emcee and President Clinton provided a special video. The Legal Hall of Fame recognized a diverse group of men and women who have made an extraordinary contribution to the law, society, the administration of justice and legal education. Honorees for the inaugural class are: Philip S. Anderson, Sen. David Pryor, Secretary Rodney Slater, Justice Annabelle Tuck, Judge Richard S. Arnold, Scipio Africanus Jones, Gov. Sidney Sanders McMath, and The Little Rock Nine. Thank you to the following sponsors: Rose Law Firm, presenting sponsor; Founders Circle sponsors, Friday Eldredge & Clark, Mitchell Williams, Taylor King and Wright Lindsey Jennings; Supporting Partners, McMath Woods and Squire Patton Boggs; AV/Production sponsor, CWP Productions; Education Partner, Gill Ragon Owen; and our friendship sponsors Reed Smith and LawPay.

See more pictures at https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN7Xi8ahaxW9yJyv6RmhXZQzYxi77th6nw_QLc1FoW3432RJLuSz_mm-xXTP JuLyQ?key=dXE5UFBUVEE2ME5mUFFCTUZ1S294OGg2d0l

Member Spotlight

Meet Needlehaven Cemetery Creator— ArkBar President Joe Kolb

ArkBar’s President Joe Kolb has a hobby that fuels his creative side this time of year—decorating his home for Halloween. A project that has grown over the years, he transforms his front yard into the “Needlehaven Cemetery and Wedding Chapel” scene each October. The elaborate display of the skeleton bridal party takes over the entire front yard as well as the dining room which can be seen from the yard. He builds all the props himself including the giant spider-covered pergola and the intricate stain glass window for the wedding chapel that sits at the apex of the roof and must be mounted by renting an extra-large ladder.

Q & A with Joe Kolb

Can you tell us how the Needlehaven Cemetery and Wedding Chapel began?

Small. Back in like 2007, Cindy surprised me with a random gift of two plastic skeletons. I posed them at the dining room table and that was about it. The next year, I dug a hole in the front flower bed in front of the dining room bay window and added a skeleton skull, arms,

and legs as if it was digging out of a grave. It was all really simple. Then a couple of years later, I happened to come across my mom’s wedding dress that had been sitting in a box since 1957. I put it on one of the skeletons in the dining room and that’s when things started to get out of hand. That’s when the ‘skeleton wedding’ idea was born. The ‘backstory’ is that the whole display is an All Hallows Eve Skeleton Wedding Party. The bride and groom are celebrating at a reception in the dining room while the ‘guests’ are rising from the graveyard outside to come to the party.

When do you normally begin decorating each year? How long does it normally take?

Usually in August I start thinking about what to add to the mix. I’ll work on building any new props in September. Then, around the last week of September I start setting everything up. It takes the better part of a weekend to get everything out and in place and a few weeknights to work on details inside. It’s never really ‘done.’ I continue to tweak things up until the time I take it all down the first week of November.

What are some of the props that you have built?

I like to use ‘found objects’ as they are, or things folks throw away to build other things. I’ve built several ‘ground breaker’ coffins and picket fence pieces from old pallets I’ve found. I’ve used leftover lumber for a lot of the tombstones and the Needlehaven cemetery sign. The biggest projects have been the pergola that I cover with a bunch of dead limbs

and vines I made from rope and foam insulation spray. Also the faux stained glass window I made by painting Plexiglas. Inside, I really like the wedding cake I made with ceramic bones supporting the top tier instead of the usual Greek columns.

How did you come up with the name Needlehaven Cemetery and Wedding Chapel?

When we bought our house a lifetime ago, we had 30 pine trees in the back yard. Pine needles were everywhere. So we started joking about living at ‘Needlehaven.” The name stuck. Now we refer to our house as ‘Needlehaven.’

pictures

Are there some other props or ideas that you have in mind for the future?

This year, I considered building a church-like steeple or spire topped by a skull and cross bones to go on the roof above the stained-glass window. But I didn’t have the time and I’m always thinking about where am I going to store all this stuff. Who knows. Maybe someday.

What is your favorite part of doing this?

Many nights I’ll be out in the graveyard moving things around or adjusting the lights. People will drive by, slow down, roll down their windows, and point out things to their kids. They don’t notice me in the dark. I can hear them saying ‘oh cool, look at that’ and the kids in the back seat oohing and aahing and talking about how cool this or that looks. That’s nice. On the other hand, my kids are like, ‘where’s Dad?’ ‘Oh, he’s out in the graveyard again messing with the lights.’ They are definitely nonplussed by it all. Only now and then, I’ll overhear one of them say something to their friends that makes me think they’ve even noticed that 12 skeletons are hanging out in the front yard.

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