AY About You April 2021 by AY Magazine

your

DESTINATION for something different

At Brashears, we believe furniture shopping should be an enjoyable experience. That’s why we do things a little differently—creating a relaxed shopping environment where you can find unique, quality items that fit your lifestyle and personality.

Visit us in-store or shop online at brashears.com

ZO Skin Event Wednesday, April 28, 9 am - 3 pm

• 3D Face Analysis • ZO Giveaways • ZO Special Discounts

Take the guesswork out of skin care. Join us and the ZO representative in this exclusive event as we introduce the ZO product line. Our top plastic surgical team will perform advanced facial and skin analyses. We then prescribe the best treatment plan tailored to you. Call (501) 219-8000 to schedule your appointment.

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M Y L A G O S M Y W AY

C AV I A R C O L L E C T I O N S

We Keep People All

Chelsea with stunning No Prep Veneers

Before

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Make 2021 Your Year For A Beautiful...

Over Arkansas Smiling

People all over Arkansas trust Dr. Lee Wyant with their smile. As Arkansas’ only Fellowed Cosmetic Dentist and providing over 35 years of excellence you can be sure you’re in good hands. His credentials, experience and caring concern for each individual patient allows him to provide exceptional esthetic results regardless of the challenges presented. To learn how Dr. Wyant can help you have an incredible smile, call today to schedule your complimentary smile consultation.

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All photos are of beautiful smiles created by Dr. Lee Wyant.

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WHAT’S INSIDE

10 Publisher’s Letter 12 Connect 14 Top Events 158 Murder Mystery 160 Arkansas Backstories

HOME&GARDEN

Above it All The (Home) Show Must Go On Ya Dig? The Cry of the Monarch Butterfly

16 24 60 62

FOOD&DRINK

How Do You Roll? Diamond Chef You Ain’t Seen ‘Muffin’ Yet Spring Cocktails Face Behind the Place: Matcha Norwood

74 80 86 92 96

TRAVEL ARKANSAS

100 Hook, Line and Sinker 102 Arkansas By Train

ARTS&CULTURE 110 Less is More 116 The People Behind Your News: Amanda Jaeger

120 The Woman Behind the Lens 124 His Way With Words 128 L.A.: Hotbed for Films? 134 Minari Review 138 Laughs to Law

HEALTH 148 Brushing Up on Dental Basics

ABOUT YOU

68 Good-Natured 144 This Side of Seven

Sushi Bucket List Pg. 78

Photo by Jamison Mosley

ON THE COVER It’s all about homes this month at AY About You. This is a beautiful outdoor oasis brought to life by our friends at River Rock Builders. Photo provided. Read more: Page 16

Dressed to the 9s.

Pair of 9s.

EXCLUSIVELY FOR

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PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Heather Baker hbaker@aymag.com EDITOR

Dustin Jayroe djayroe@aymag.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Mark Carter mcarter@aymag.com

ONLINE EDITOR

Tyler Hale thale@aymag.com

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Lisa Fischer lfischer@aymag.com

FOOD EDITOR

Kevin Shalin kshalin@aymag.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Katie Zakrzewski katie@aymag.com

STAFF WRITER

Emily Beirne ebeirne@aymag.com

ART DIRECTOR

Jamison Mosley jmosley@aymag.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Dwain Hebda is president of Ya!Mule Wordsmiths in Little Rock. A writer, editor and journalist of some 30 years, his work appears in more than 30 publications in four states. Nebraskan by birth, Southern by the grace of God, he and his wife, Darlene, have four grown children and two lovely dogs.

Janie Jones began her journalism career by writing features for the River Valley & Ozark Edition. After finding her niche as a true crime writer for AY About You, she acted as a consultant for Investigation Discovery. With her husband, she coauthored two books: Hiking Arkansas and Arkansas Curiosities.

Ebony Blevins After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from Arkansas State University, Ebony Blevins has worked for and with numerous publications and marketing companies around Arkansas. Along with freelancing, she is currently developing her fine art photography body of work.

Andrea Patrick has spent most of her childhood and adulthood in Little Rock. She loves the local food scene and believes that we all eat with our eyes first. This led her to a passion for experimenting with recipes, designing and plating at home. Find her on Instagram, @DishedbyDrea.

Angela Forsyth lives in Northwest Arkansas. Her articles have been published in AY About You, Arkansas Money and Politics, Food & Drink, Modern Home Builder, Manufacturing Today, Inside Healthcare, Retail Merchandiser and many more magazines. She’s a happy wife and mom to four kids and a dog.

Jason Pederson spent 20 years as KATV’s “Seven On Your Side” reporter. He now heads up the Office of the Ombudsman for the Arkansas Department of Human Services. Jason and his wife, Mary Carol, have two biological children and one bonus son, all now adults. They are long-time members of Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock.

Rebecca Robertson rrobertson@aymag.com

DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Kellie McAnulty kmcanulty@aymag.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Lora Puls lpuls@aymag.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Stephanie Wallace swallace@aymag.com Linda Burlingame lindaaymag@aol.com Tonya Higginbotham thigginbotham@aymag.com Mary Funderburg mary@aymag.com Tonya Mead tmead@aymag.com Shasta Ballard sballard@aymag.com

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

Jacob Carpenter ads@aymag.com

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Ginger Roell groell@aymag.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Kaitlin Barger, Casey Crocker, Brian Hurley, Jordan Knight, Meredith Mashburn, Tony Milligan, Sarah Russell, Philip Thomas

ADMINISTRATION Casandra Moore admin@aymag.com Vicki Vowell, CEO

TO ADVERTISE:

501-244-9700 or hbaker@aymag.com

TO SUBSCRIBE:

501-244-9700 or aymag.com

Nic Williams, an Arkansas native, is a practicing lawyer and contributor to AY About You. He has developed original recipes for more than half a decade and considers Ina Garten as his inspiration. Most importantly, he’s a proud doggy dad and is grateful for his supportive friends and family.

AY Magazine is published monthly, Volume XXXIII, Issue 12 AY Magazine (ISSN 2162-7754) is published monthly by AY Media Group, 910 W. 2nd St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Periodicals postage paid at Little Rock, AR and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to AY Magazine, 910 W. 2nd St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Subscription Inquiries: Subscription rate is $20 for one year (12 issues). Single issues are available upon request for $5. For subscriptions, inquiries or address changes, call 501-244-9700. The contents of AY are copyrighted ©2020, and material contained herein may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. Articles in AY should not be considered specific advice, as individual circumstances vary. Products and services advertised in the magazine are not necessarily endorsed by AY. Please recycle this magazine.

publisher's letter

April Fools Means

May Pools

Did you know that one of the most popular home improvement projects during the pandemic was installing a pool? True story. The problem: There was so much demand last summer that many had to wait a few months longer than they’d have liked for that backyard grotto, a little too late to curb the stay-at-home times of 2020. For those of you who fit into this demographic, the time is near to finally put that new pool to the test. I know I’ve been looking at mine with an anxious eye since the weather began to warm. One thing’s for sure — if I’m not in a donut floaty by the end of this month, well, like Justin Timberlake (almost) said, “It’s gonna be May.” But the pandemic-inspired home trends didn’t stop with pools last year, and we’ve got all the home goods here for you in this issue. For starters, there’s that jaw-dropping cover story by Julie Craig set at a River Rock Builders home. Then, we have a special feature on the 69th Annual HBA-GLR Home Show, which kicks off our semi-annual special section on all things homes. You don’t want to miss all this great material, nor the home show. Mark your calendars! Similar to the weather, the societal air seems to be warming closer and closer to a sense of normalcy these days. That’s perfect timing for the 93rd Annual Academy Awards on April 25. The event might be taking place in LA, but we still jumped at the chance to put an AY spin on it. Dwain Hebda has a feature in this issue on Kathryn Tucker, executive director of the Arkansas Cinema Society; Joe David Rice talked to the El Dorado-based folks at Bespoke Works about their new film Molto Bella; our editor, Dustin Jayroe, penned a profile on filmmaker Graham Gordy; and Tyler Hale, our online editor, reviewed the Oscar-nominated film Minari, which has ties to Arkansas. One of our newest team members, Jason Pederson, even fitted an Indiana Jones analogy into his This Side of Seven column this month. And since the calendar will bring us back around to Earth Day this month, we have plenty of material for your most “natural” inclinations, like a story on the fragile lives of Monarchs, a feature on the Arkansas Nature Conservancy and on LIVSN, the Fayettevillebased, sustainably focused clothier. If that alone doesn’t get you hooked, our friends at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission could seal the deal with a rod and reel. Oh, yeah: Fishing was another popular trend during the pandemic. (But not in your pool, I assume.) It’s another packed issue of AY Magazine — and now I’ll leave you to it.

Heather Baker, President & Publisher hbaker@aymag.com

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JOIN US

You otter act fast with our new Sea + Shore Family Membership bundle! Wildlife enthusiasts can now purchase this all-new membership 4-pack online at: WWW.WONDERSOFWILDLIFE.ORG/MEMBERS

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TRENDING ON AYMAG.COM AY’s Best of 2021

The Arkansas Hitchhike Killer: James Waybern “Red” Hall Wow Factor: EyeCatching Exteriors Murder Mystery: The Murder of Jennifer Cave Recipe: Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

Minute Man Bringing Space-Shuttle-Themed Food Truck to Arkansas Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies

CONNECT AYISABOUTYOU

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READER FEEDBACK HEATHER BAKER NAMED PRESIDENT OF AY MEDIA GROUP “Get it, girl! So proud of you!” Kelli Sams Heathman “Awesome! Congrats! I’m very happy for you.” Gregg Kidd “Congratulations, Heather! You’ll do a great job in taking the organization to the next level!” Jeff Akin “What an incredible woman, mom, leader and boss! Congratulations and well-deserved.” Tiffany Baker MADE IN ARKANSAS: TRUTH SAUCE “Looks amazing!” Sandy Sutton “I’ll be looking for it on our store shelves!” Sherry Turnbow Phillians

INSTAGRAM

CONTESTS

A highlight at Eden in Hot Springs is the French toast, which is made from challah bread and is topped with caramelized bananas, toasted pecans and crème anglaise.

AY About You and president/publisher Heather Baker are proud sponsors of The 20th Century Club’s Lodge Hope Ball.

Keith Tucker Jr. (right) and his 15-year-old son, Keith Tucker III, have made an all-purpose sauce that is vegan and gluten-free.

Contest deadline is April 14! Go to aymag.com and click on the “Contests” tab.

1. TIPTON & HURST

Looking for that perfect gift for a loved one? You’re guaranteed to find it at Tipton & Hurst, which has been providing expert florist services since 1886. Whether you need a beautiful bouquet of flowers or a unique gift basket, this Arkansas mainstay will have it. Drop in to find what your heart desires – it’s on us! CODE: TIPTON

2. LOBLOLLY

There’s nothing like a scoop of delicious ice cream, no matter the season. When it comes to ice cream, you can’t beat Loblolly Creamery. This Little Rock favorite serves up mouthwatering small-batch ice cream, using fresh ingredients and unique flavors. Come and get your favorite flavor, on us. CODE: LOBLOLLY

3. TURPENTINE CREEK

Take a walk on the wild side at Turpentine Creek. This Eureka Springs refuge provides a home for abandoned and neglected big cats, from tigers to lions to leopards. Win two tickets to tour the refuge and see all the amazing animals! CODE: CATS

Skye Martin (right) uses her talents as a Commissioner for the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission.

March WINNERS Tipton & Hurst: BETTY PITTMAN Loblolly: MARTHA CHILDERS Turpentine Creek: AMY HUGHES

agenda

Top

you just can't miss! RHEA LANA’S April 11-17

Hot Springs, Pine Bluff, Russellville One of the nation’s largest names in children’s consignment is back in three Arkansas locations this month: Hot Springs, Pine Bluff and Russellville. Visit rhealana.com/events for more details.

A NATURAL STATE OF MIND April 17

Walton Arts Center — Fayetteville NWA’s Walton Arts Center is presenting “A Natural State of Mind: From New York to Arkansas,” an evening of show tunes and more featuring Broadway stars Eryn Lecroy, John Riddle and Eric Frei.

2021 ARKANSAS BRIDAL SHOW April 18

Statehouse Convention Center — Little Rock The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Bridal Show is back this month. Like always, it is a can’tmiss event for all brides-to-be. To help “spread love, not germs” this year, the exhibits will be spaced 6 feet apart, masks are required and attendees will have temperatures checked at the door.

DIAMOND CHEF ARKANSAS April 22

uaptc.edu/diamondchef (virtual) After a long, pandemic-caused hiatus, UA-PTC is happy to present its Diamond Chef cooking competition again. This year’s event will forego the in-person activities, instead streaming online for what it’s calling “Diamond Chef: On Demand.”

LYRIDS METEOR SHOWER April 22, 23

Your Nearest Dark Sky You know what they say about April showers; the Lyrids will rain this month. Made up of dust grains from comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, the Lyrids is known to produce around 20 meteors per hour at its peak. Look to the constellation Lyra after nightfall.

events

HAPPY

Easter April 4

Top 3 events to do at home Editor’s Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the events and information listed are subject to change. For the events you do attend this month, please remember to be safe and abide by the most current guidelines set forth by Gov. Asa Hutchinson and the Arkansas Department of Health.

FINDING FAMILY FACTS (VIRTUAL) April 12; 3:30 p.m. www.cals.org

EARTH DAY April 22

The Natural State

AGFC VIRTUAL NATURE CENTER www.agfcnaturecenter.com

aymag.com

home

Above it All

With views atop a mountainside, River Rock Builders of Central Arkansas showcase what they do best By Julie Craig

aymag.com

ocated in west Little Rock’s private, exclusive Belle Pointe addition just north, of the Villages of Wellington, this multilevel home built by Patty and Keith Wingfield of River Rock Builders features decks for days and a spectacular view as one of the highest points in the city of Little Rock. Like a breathtaking scene straight from a movie or award-winning artwork masterpiece, this jaw-dropping home that took an entire twoyear process to finish captures a view of the skyline and the rolling hills in the background of the beginning of the Ouachita foothills. “We worked with the owners, Diana and Randy Ragsdale, to create their special space using the awesome views and creating the outdoor space that really makes the home unique,” Keith says. The son of a full-time design engineer for Alcoa and a part-time builder in the ’60s and ’70s Keith credits his father for much of his career path. “He taught me a lot and helped me after he retired from 1999 until his death in 2006.” Patty’s father was one of the founding members of the Arkansas Home Builders Association in the early 1950s and the developer of a large single-family home subdivision in Sherwood. Neither has ever been strangers to homebuilding and combined their backgrounds in the industry to start River Rock Builders together in 1999. “The goal is always the same for us — 100 percent customer satisfaction,” Keith says. “We strive for that, and although we aren’t perfect, we are always headed that direction. [Here] we wanted to utilize the topography to create an outstanding view of the scenery while enjoying the outdoor elements added.” And what a way to enjoy a sunset. The home is a “walk-out basement home” that consists of two levels, mirroring the hills of west Little Rock and western Pulaski County. “This type of design is very much our wheelhouse of typical projects as we have much sloping topography and many who like the walk-out basement space as another living level,” Keith says.

“

We maintain a great relationship with the clients even after they move in, often telling them it’s like we are married or pledged to them while they enjoy their home for many years.

”

While some builders might run from a difficult hillside job site, River Rock embraces it. “It’s a challenge,” Keith says, “but I employ professional engineers, surveyors and geotechnical engineers to make recommendations on how to build a foundation and structure.” Completing the awe-inspiring, multi-level deck, a luxury pool, constructed by Diamond Pools, is the center of attention with natural stone that abounds to provide a rustic and natural experience, mixing alongside the vintage French Country style of the home. For cool spring evenings, a dip in the hot tub or a relaxing evening by the outdoor fire pit make for more items on the agenda, while sipping a favorite beverage and enjoying the amazing view doesn’t get any better. “I really like the outdoor deck area off of the great room with the vaulted ceiling and wood trusses,” Keith says. “It’s a great way to enjoy a sunset.” On the exterior, a mix of masonry veneer with white mortar creates an aged architectural appearance, while cedar trusses complement this unique styling along with tongue and groove siding for rear gables — all to achieve a warming invite for that great, outdoor experience. Awash in neutral and warm tones, guests feel a sense of calm relaxation on the interior as well. Lots of prefinished hardwood and tile reduce the amount of carpet and the trapping of particles within, while the stained

concrete floor on the lower level is perfect for the game room activities of shuffleboard and billiards because, as anyone can see, this home is made for entertaining. Glass is one material that plays a huge role in this home build. For instance, custom-cut mullions to match the shape of the front door make for an out-of-this-world dining room window design. “It’s a very large piece of glass requiring very precise installation,” Keith says. And because much of River Rock’s specialty is going green and sustainability, materials such as glass are an important aspect to a project such as this one. “What many customers don’t know is the improvement of the efficiency in glass protects their furniture, saves on their utility bills and allows for the ultimate comfort in their new home,” Keith says. “Premium Low-e glass with argon gas between the double panes provides the protection from the heat of the summer and loss of heat in the winter. This is

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“

There were so many moving parts on this project that to complete this project is a great feeling, especially when all of the little things are complete and they are enjoying the home. I’ve even heard from some of their friends and guests, which is fulfilling as well. We all know that outdoor space is ever so important in this age of the virus, and we have heard from many others who want to include this type of space in their new home or their next remodel.

”

what we live and breathe; it’s the building science of the home. “We understand the availability of better Solar Heat Gain Coefficients (SHGC) in glass and can explain it to our customers in a way they can understand. We also provide shading for much of the rear glass with overhangs. Our architectural software can show the shading on any given day or time of the day, so we can customize the overhang and roof along with the glass. It’s all about the building science and our understanding of it.” Besides the just-right materials, a dream home is also about proper function and aesthetics, and both the kitchen and master bathroom showcase these things. The gourmet kitchen employs a massive island

with custom millwork and handy bar space alongside striking appliances and a massive, contrasting vented hood. Using the same neutral tones, the master bathroom features furniture-grade cabinets with quartzite countertops, while the master whirlpool soaking tub is beautifully arranged in an alcove with yet another amazing spot to catch a grand view. “The owners love the warm and inviting spaces of their home and the connection to the outdoor space,” Keith says. “One of our subcontractors commented when we completed the exterior, ‘River Rock Builders doesn’t just build a home, they build an oasis.’ “I never thought about that, but I used to hear that a person’s home was their castle. I think I’d rather have an oasis.”

CUSTOM

home builders.

Green building

is fundamentally about living with clean air in a healthier environment, using sustainable materials, and lowering energy costs. We are a team of custom home builders, specializing in the design and construction of high-quality, high-performance homes.

501-416-8986 | RiverRockBuilders.net | Little Rock, Arkansas 21

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home! Welcome

Quapaw Care & Rehab Center offers modern conveniences in a gracious setting. Nestled in a quiet neighborhood, Quapaw Care & Rehabilitation Center is a unique, family-oriented facility offering skilled care in a loving, supportive atmosphere. Our licensed nurses, physician assistants, dentist, podiatrist and other specialists believe that building strong relationships with their families is key. Our home is conveniently located just off Hwy 7 South, past Hot Springs Mall, on Brighton Terrace, under the medical direction of Dr. Hosam Kamel. 138 Brighton Terrace, Hot Springs

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COVID CREATIONS SPACE. With more time spent at home, more family to accommodate and the upward trends in virtual learning, working from home and telemedicine, we need more elasticity in our spaces. This spans from more common areas to functional offices.

Photo by Rett Peek. (Courtesy, Richard Harp Homes.)

the

(home) show must go on By Dustin Jayroe

COVID CREATIONS. Look for trends that have arisen during the pandemic.

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Waterview Estates. (Courtesy)

COVID CREATIONS MAINTENANCE, UPKEEP AND IMPROVEMENTS. Now that we’ve seen every nook, cranny and blemish of our houses, we will devote more of our time, money and energy on all of the improvements we’ve procrastinated and just all-around maintenance. River Rock Builders. (Courtesy)

Meredith Townsend didn’t plan on navigating the waters of a once-in-a-century pandemic when she signed on to become the CEO of the Home Builders Association of Greater Little Rock (HBA-GLR) in 2019, and thus the mastermind behind its annual home show. There are a few fitting analogies about lemons and rainy days that could probably sum up the perils of mid-pandemic eventplanning for her and the rest of her team well, but suffice it to say that in May, it’ll be sunshine and lemonade in their forecast. The best part: We can all participate, thanks to the efforts of HBA-GLR. The weekend of May 22-23 is when the 69th annual

HBA-GLR Home Show, presented by Lumber 1 Home Center, descends on the capital city by way of a brand new venue for the association: the Statehouse Convention Center. And as the largest and longest-running event of its kind in the entire state, preparation and coordination is never a small feat; this year was exceptionally challenging. But given its history and popularity, it’s hard to shake a sense that it had to transcend the times and continue. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. For one, there is a growing essence of calm emerging in the world around us, something that has been so absent over the past year. Who knows what May will bring, but

Outdoor oases. From decks to pools and gardens to grills, the pandemic identified a lot of ways that our previous outdoor spaces were lacking.

Photo by Rett Peek. (Courtesy, Richard Harp Homes.)

for the first time in a calendar year, most people are feeling optimistic, secure, safe. Ironically, Townsend says this part of the equation was mostly luck. “Coincidentally, it ended up in May,” she says. “Literally two weeks before the pandemic hit, we signed the agreement. But I think as herd immunity is happening and people are getting vaccinated, everybody just wants to get out of their houses. And we’re going to be the first big show coming out of that.”

SHOWCASING YOUR BUSINESS You won’t find a better venue or value to showcase your products and services to the consumer public. As an exhibitor, you’ll receive the direct benefit of HBA-GLR’s comprehensive marketing strategies and will have access to thousands of patrons interested in the industry and services you provide. Demographics • 51 percent first-time attendees. • 57 percent female; 43 percent male. • Age range: 20-81; average age: 49. • Residents from at least 28 Arkansas counties in attendance. • 67 percent have plans for a remodeling project in the next 12 months. • 45 percent have interests in energy savings. • 20 percent are interested in building a new home. *Booth assignments and placements are made on a first-come, first-serve basis. Therefore, it is important to get your registration in quickly. For more information, visit www.hbaglr.com/homeshow.

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Delectability from home. Your kitchen may not have been on the same page as your mind when you bought your new white chef’s coat. We need kitchen makeovers, and our stomachs will thank us.

COVID CREATIONS OPEN AND SHUT CASES ON FLOOR PLANS For years, the trend toward open floor plans was among the most popular. But with more time spent in our homes, many crave ways to separate and get away via a wall and a door — either to work, study or just have some alone time.

River Rock Builders. (Courtesy)

ATTENDEES Despite the odds, Townsend is hopeful that this year’s home show will be among the best and most highly regarded in the event’s near-70 year history. As usual, the event will be a twoday, wall-to-wall lineup of all things residential, featuring renowned experts in home improvement, remodeling, décor, interior design and outdoor solutions, with hundreds of exhibitors on display. If a stunning neighborhood marvel has caught your eye recently, odds are that the business behind that home’s creation will be there and happy to help you with any of your home needs. But the HBA-GLR also has a few surprises up its sleeve this year, which are sure to impress both first-timers and frequent visitors alike. One of Townsend’s proudest developments is how the event will be laid out. Most of us are not strangers to big events cut from a similar cloth as the home show. Many of the very memories you’re picturing in your head right now probably also occurred at the Statehouse Convention Center. They’re packed, clamorous occasions with people and products as far as the eye can see. Tables with vendors stripe the concrete floor in a grid-like fashion as attendees zig-zag back and forth across the aisles. A flashy item there: “Let’s go check it out.” A familiar logo there: step and repeat. “Oh, we missed something.” Time to backtrack. It’s fun, exciting and engaging just as well as it’s a little messy and overwhelming.

River Rock Builders. (Courtesy)

River Rock Builders. (Courtesy) But not the HBA-GLR home show, not this year. Instead, it will be laid out like, for lack of a more fitting example, IKEA. “The floor plan is not going to be the traditional trade show floor plan; it’s a one-directional floor plan,” Townsend explains. “I did this for two reasons. One, for COVID-19 reasons, so we’ve got a one-directional flow for the safety of everyone. But two, I want to create an experience with this home show. When you come in, I want it to be warm and inviting, just like your home is, and not industrial, like most trade shows are.” Townsend also shares that Lumber 1, the event’s presenting sponsor, will inhabit an entire zone, bringing practically its entire store into a space encompassing several booth slots. In her words, it will be quite literally a “showroom.” “Everything is specifically designed to lead you a certain

The Home Show floor layout. (Courtesy, HBA-GLR)

way,” she goes on to say. “And everywhere you look, there’s something to see. So you’re not just standing in the middle of an intersection, so to speak, not knowing where you’re supposed to go next.” VENDORS To date, Townsend estimates that about half of its booths for the home show are filled, and she’s projecting that all of that prime real estate will be full by the time the weekend of the event arrives. The pandemic has presented HBA-GLR with challenges in that regard, as well. Due to the events of the past year, most businesses have decreased marketing budgets for such occasions, and some are still wary to get involved in events that — for the past year — have been up in the air. But Townsend has remained confident and resolute in her approach: the home show will happen, and it will benefit not only the attendees shopping for their homes but also their vendor partners. “I’d like to get more local partnerships because we’ve got an abundance of stores that are related to homes in Little Rock,” she says. Even if your business’ revenues are down and marketing monies aren’t where they used to be, Townsend still believes in her heart that the

home show is a good monetary move for anyone with services in the industry, from building and remodeling, kitchens and bathrooms, outdoor living, interior design and decorating, furnishings and accessories, green living and even financial and professional services. Simply put: If your business model revolves around homeowners, there will be thousands in one spot for two days in need of your assistance. And, back to the perfect timing that Townsend and her team feel fortunate to have, many of the patrons stepping outside of their pandemic comfort zone for the first time in a year will have their minds honed in on either a new build, remodel or simply some new decor (to break the monotony of the same four walls they’ve seen working from home all year). Due to the recently released stimulus package, most will have a decent amount of expendable income to make it happen. So, as the societal return to normal gets closer to fruition, the home show will be a welcome jolt of revenue and (with luck) back to bottom lines above water for the vendors at the home show. And for patrons, it will serve as both a reprieve and an inspiration — for better days and better homes that lie ahead.

69TH ANNUAL HBA-GLR HOME SHOW, PRESENTED BY LUMBER 1 When: Saturday, May 22 from 9 A.M. – 6 P.M. Sunday, May 23 from 10 A.M. – 5 P.M. Where: Statehouse Convention Center 101 E. Markham St, Little Rock LRHomeShow LRHomeShow aymag.com

letter from the chairman

he Home Builders Association of Greater Little Rock (HBAGLR) is proud to present the 69th Annual Home Show. The HBA-GLR is a trade association that supports and strengthens the housing industry in Central Arkansas for its members and for the public. As a local chapter of the National Home Builders Association, we are one of 800 chapters and part of a 140,000 nationwide membership. Chartered in 1951, the HBA-GLR strives to attract and maintain members with the highest standards of professionalism, quality and craftsmanship. We provide a level of confidence for the consumer that they know by using a member of the HBA-GLR, the standards are high. Your home, and the people who live in it, are your biggest assets. The HBA-GLR recognizes this and believes in the importance of making sure those assets are protected and the dream of homeownership a reality for everyone. As an industry veteran, my career started with my hands. From learning each trade to construction management; I quickly realized this was the industry I want to stay in and grow in. With this experience, in 2007, I obtained my contractor’s license, and have been building homes ever since. As a member of the HBA-GLR, I have been able to build strong relationships with fellow builders and have had the opportunity to contribute back to the Central Arkansas residential community. The networking, education and mentorship benefits that the association provides have been invaluable. My business, Menco Construction, is family-owned and operated, including my wife Jennifer and our two daughters. Our goal is to build custom homes in Central Arkansas with knowledge, transparency, communication and efficiency. We treat our contractors and clients as family, and they treat us the same as well. Building a home can be stressful, but we believe in helping you through the process and show our clients how much fun it can be. Whether you are In its 69th year, the Home Show, presented this year by Lumber 1 Home Center, is building, buying, a culmination of experts in the industry. Whether you are building, buying, remodeling remodeling or looking or looking to get inspired, the Home Show will connect you directly with resources you to get inspired, the need. From indoor to outdoor projects, to starting from scratch with an empty lot, you Home Show will will be able to speak directly with those who can answer your questions. connect you directly We are excited to have a new venue, new look and new layout. When you walk into with resources you the Home Show, we want our attendees to feel welcomed, just like you are in your own need. home. This year’s home show will not look like a traditional trade show most people are used to attending, and that is something we are excited about.

Daniel Menden, CAPS Menco Construction Chairman

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Gary Houston

ELECTRIC COMPANY or nearly 45 years, Gary Houston Electric Company has served Central Arkansas with affordable, quality and timely commercial and residential electrical contracting services with a strong emphasis on customer service. The company’s area of expertise includes, but is not limited to, homes, retail spaces, restaurants, offices and warehouses. It services both new construction and existing structures needing electrical repair or being remodeled. Customer service is what makes Gary Houston Electric unique, says company president Keith Weeks. “The majority of our work comes from repeat customers, whose relationships we strive daily to build and maintain,” Weeks says. “We’ve never lost sight of the fact that our customers are the ones that have made all of our accomplishments possible, and we want to serve them in a way that reflects that.” Gary Houston followed in the footsteps of his late father, became an electrician and founded the company in 1975. It all started with a team of one and has grown to more than 50 employees.

Weeks says he was attracted to working as an electrician with the company as a young man who was entering the workforce looking for a good, stable career. “I found the electrical field to be a great choice,” he says. “I have worked from an apprentice, journeyman electrician, estimator, vice president, and now as the acting president. This is my first home building related business job, I have worked with the company for over 30 years.” Now as the company head, he enjoys seeing the opportunities it provides to those looking for a career path like he once was. “I love to see all the new people entering the electrical field with our company. I have certainly seen many people advance over the years with our company and have enjoyed a lot of proud moments with them.” For more information or to see how Gary Houston Electric Company can serve your needs, log on to garyhoustonelectric.com or call 501-375-8330.

1922 West 3rd Street • Little Rock, Arkansas 501.375.8330 / www.garyhoustonelectric.com

For more than 40 years, Gary Houston Electric Company has served Central Arkansas with affordable, quality and timely Commercial and Residential electrical contracting services with a strong emphasis on customer service.

1922 West 3rd Street | Little Rock, AR 72205 Phone: 501-375-8330 | Fax: 501-374-1263 http://www.garyhoustonelectric.com

Parkinson Building Group

“

“For the last 20 years, we have helped our customers construct beautifully designed, fully custom homes in Central Arkansas. Each home we build is unique and far surpasses the expectations of our customers.”

fter 20 years in the industry, Parkinson Building Group continues to fill the same need for its community as it has since day one: bringing dream homes to life. And just as the world of home trends and designs changes over time, so do the requirements of a home builder. Parkinson has not shied away from adapting to fit the needs of his customers. In fact, the company has altered its structure over the last few years to be a better resource for its clients and offer better service through a deeper level of oversight and communication. “We are constantly evolving toward a better tomorrow for our clients,” Parkinson says. “In our business, it’s easy to keep doing things the way we have always done them, but through the restructuring of our team members and the implementation of the latest technology, we are revamping our customer’s experience. This is not only helping ensure that we capture the full scope of our clients’ visions, but also that we are able to communicate with them how that is affecting the build along the way. We are focused on guiding them through the building process.

They are our first priority.” Parkinson begins the design process as a casual meeting with customers to discuss their ideas and aspirations. Once a budget and home site are set, the design and build team works to incorporate the client’s unique style into their home’s architectural details. This collaborative effort inspires further design ideas for the home’s floor plan and interior design. It was this kind of problem-solving that attracted Parkinson to building and construction. “I have always been drawn to good design and enjoy helping our clients flesh out what it is that they are trying to accomplish,” he says. “Our business is one of creation, and I love that we are able to help people reach their goals in creating their ‘forever homes.’” Parkinson Building Group has built hundreds of homes, each distinctively different and customized to the client’s personalized lifestyle. “The building industry, while a challenging profession, is also extremely rewarding — especially when we get to help people reach their goals and fulfill their dreams,” Parkinson says. “We feel it’s a privilege to get up and do it every day, and we truly love what we do.”

501.954.8570 / parkinsonbuildinggroup.com

As a custom home building firm, we are focused on our client’s needs and desires. We work closely with our clients from the identification of a lot to the development and pricing of a plan to the building and creation of the vision.

501.954.8570 / parkinsonbuildinggroup.com

Acme BRICK

he late Will Rogers is quoted as saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” For as compelling as that line is for us to adopt in our daily lives, it’s just as true for the places we call home. When someone sees your house for the first time — whether a stranger driving down the street or a friend coming over for game night — what does its curb appeal say about you? There are a number of ways homeowners can achieve such eye-catching envy, and the folks at Acme Brick Tile & Stone specialize in all of those areas. From the elements in its name — brick, tile and stone — to custom doors, flooring, countertops and outdoor essentials, there’s not much Acme can’t do. And with a 100-plus year legacy, Acme has a level of trust, history and experience like few others. “All Acme Brick is backed by our 100-year guarantee, ensuring the exterior of the home to be not only aligned with the customer’s tastes but also efficient and longstanding,” says David Messersmith, an outside sales representative for Acme. “Nothing gives us more satisfaction than having homeowners happy to agree that Acme Brick is the best thing to have around your house. At Acme, we pride ourselves on providing the highest quality materials, combining sustainability and style, used to help each homeowner’s vision come true. Our wide range of blends, variations and textures allows each individual the opportunity to make a selection that will be unique and beautiful.” But Acme is more than just a product and name; it is the people that hold it all together. Many different divisions come together on each project to ensure the complete satisfaction of every customer. From drivers to accounting, sales representatives to kiln workers, all employees of Acme work together to create a positive experience to match the lifetime of its brick. “What I most enjoy about my job is seeing the skills and knowledge of our staff come together to provide a great customer experience,” says Acme district manager Chad Bowie. “Our company is built on a foundation of brick manufacturing, but we continue the pursuit to offer more than just the essentials to homebuyers, builders and architects.” An Acme home delivers benefits that transcend curb appeal, including natural insulation, reduction in maintenance costs, lower insurance rates, a higher resale value and fire protection. “Acme Brick gives the homeowner the opportunity to achieve almost any look and style they desire with a product that will last for generations to come and that’s something I am very proud to be a part of,” says Jefferson Baldwin, residential field sales representative at the Northwest Arkansas office. “No doubt, the homeowners feel the same way when they see the Acme name stamped at the end of the bricks. To know that I’ve played a role in something that will last many generations because my customer chose to use Acme Brick brings me a tremendous amount of satisfaction.” With top-of-the-line products and even better people, first impressions come easily at Acme. brick.com/littlerock • (501) 812-5574

Modern brickmaking is energy efficient to begin with, but through aggressive energy management, Acme has cut the amount of gas required to fire an Acme Brick by 17.4 percent since 2003. We also fine-tune delivery routes to reduce “empty” miles traveled and cut overall fuel consumption. Being smarter about energy is key to keeping Acme Brick affordable for homebuyers. Our Mission is to continually improve the value of Acme Brick Company by: • O ffering high-quality products and exceptional service; • Providing an ethical, safe, and rewarding work place; • Operating in an environmentally responsible manner; and • Serving as a positive influence in our communities. We have flooring, countertops, stone(real and manufactured), fireplace kits, grills, iron doors, bathtubs, and much more! For more information on Acme Brick’s sustainability story, talk to an Acme representative.

ENTERGY

Save Energy and Money with Entergy Solutions • Can save up to $2,800 in lifetime energy costs. • Run quieter than traditional singlespeed pumps. • Help reduce wear and tear on your filtering system. • Qualify for a $175 (two speed) or $300 (variable speed) rebate.

s temperatures begin to rise, it’s time to take a new look at the energy savings possible when you participate in the Entergy Solutions programs from Entergy Arkansas. Through the Entergy Solutions programs, Entergy Arkansas offers several ways to help improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your home. Whether you live in a singlefamily home, manufactured home, apartment, condo or townhouse you may be eligible to take advantage of energy-savings services and products — at discounted or no additional cost to you. “Our energy efficiency programs are operated with strict COVID-19 safety standards to protect our customers, trade allies and Entergy employees,” says Gabe Munoz, manager, energy efficiency for Entergy Arkansas. Home Energy Audit A participating trade ally will perform an on-site energy audit of your home’s energy systems and identify ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Plus, energysaving products may be installed — all at no additional cost to you. • LED bulbs that last 10 times longer and use 75 percent less energy than traditional bulbs. • Efficient-flow showerheads that use 40 percent less water than standard showerheads. • Efficient-flow faucet aerators for your kitchen and bathroom that use 31 percent less water than a standard faucet.

• Advanced power strips that reduce electricity wasted by small electronics and prevent power surges from damaging your electronics. Air Conditioning Tune-up Beyond a typical seasonal service check, your equipment will be evaluated, and necessary adjustments will be made to ensure your system is operating as efficiently as possible, saving you energy and money. Smart Thermostat Save energy with an award-winning smart thermostat plus professional installation or virtual guided self-installation at no additional cost when you enroll in the Smart Direct Load Control Program, a $225 value. Already have a smart thermostat? Enroll your qualifying device and receive incentives for participating in the program. Health & Safety Upgrades In addition to the other upgrades shown, households that are LIHEAP-eligible may also qualify for specific health & safety upgrades by participating in the Low-Income Solutions program. Pool Pump Discounts As a part of the residential Point of Purchase Program, you can get incentives and rebates on purchases of appliances like air purifiers, dehumidifiers, advanced smart thermostats and pool pumps. For example, you can receive a rebate of up to $300 on a new ENERGY STAR® certified pool pump that:

Online Marketplace Instant discounts on energy-efficient products are available 24/7 at the Energy Arkansas Online Marketplace at entergyarkansas.com/marketplace. Entergy Arkansas customers receive discounted prices on light bulbs, advanced power strips, advanced smart thermostats and more delivered to your door. The Marketplace offers free shipping on all orders over $35 and a flat shipping rate of $5 for orders under $35. There are quantity limits on some discounted items. “Part of a clean energy future involves partnering with customers to create simple and innovative ways to improve energy efficiency in their homes,” Munoz says. “Our Entergy Solutions Program gives customers the opportunity to save money by leveraging technologies to reduce the up-front costs of energy efficiency upgrades.” ENERGY SAVINGS TIPS Entergy offers these steps you can take now to reduce energy costs and save on your monthly bills: • Use energy-efficient LED light bulbs. • Run dishwashers and washing machines only when fully loaded. • Lower water heater temperature. • To make sure the air can circulate, don’t block air returns or heat registers with curtains or furniture. • Unplug unused appliances or use an advanced power strip. • Set thermostats at 78 degrees during the summer months. For more information on all Entergy Solutions programs, visit entergysolutionsar.com.

Beat the summer heat. Save energy. Save money. At Entergy Arkansas, we do everything we can to make our customers comfortable. That means keeping your lights on and helping you save money with tips and programs from Entergy Solutions. - Set your thermostat to 78 degrees. - Change your air filters once a month. - Use ENERGY STAR® certified bulbs and appliances. Find more ways to save at entergysolutionsar.com.

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Brighter future. Cleaner power. Entergy Arkansas is investing today to power a brighter future for our customers. Clean, reliable energy is not only vital to the safety and comfort of every Arkansan, it fuels industry and our economy. Together, we power life.

BUILDING CLEAN POWER GENERATION Entergy is the largest solar power provider in Arkansas with more than 3,500 acres of solar fields currently operating or under development. We’ve also proposed the 100-megawatt Walnut Bend Project near Brinkley. Together, our facilities will provide enough clean power to energize more than 61,000 homes.

MODERNIZING THE GRID TO IMPROVE RELIABILITY We are replacing and upgrading infrastructure like power lines and substations to improve reliability and maintain affordable power for years to come.

SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES We have been serving Arkansans for more than a century, with nearly 3,000 employees and over 700,000 customers. We’re honored to have been named the 2020 “Best Company in the State” by Forbes.com, as well as a Top Economic Development Utility by Site Selection Magazine, an Energy Star® Partner of the Year and an honoree of The Civic 50 by Points of Light. Learn more at entergyarkansas.com/brightfuture.

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KellCo

CUSTOM HOMES INC. rom her confident start as a one-woman operation in 1994 to the driving force of a now-collaborative team of more than 35 talented individuals, Tracie J. Kelley has made a powerful cutting-edge in the real estate market. And she’s not slowing down anytime soon. Kelley is the President and CEO of KellCo Custom Homes, Inc., a Central Arkansas-based company specializing in one-of-a-kind custom homes and high-end remodeling. Kelley designs and builds with luxury in every detail — from breathtaking curb appeal to elegant kitchens, and spacious master suites to outdoor oases with pools and spas. No matter the element of design, no matter the meticulously hand-detailed and thoroughly obsessed-over styles, Kelley designs and builds a finely crafted custom home that is timeless and unique to each clients’ needs and desires, combining a leading edge in home building for the de-

mands of today and for the future. KellCo Custom Homes and its team of professionals are able to assist its clients in every aspect of the home building process. “I have a fierce passion for helping others which is the driving force allowing for me to provide such a dynamic approach to serving my clients in every venture I set,” Kelley says. Such esteem and these standards of the highest quality have made KellCo one of Central Arkansas’ best home builders and real estate firms, and have elevated Kelley’s acclaim and notoriety, in her own right. In December of 2019, Tracie J. Kelley was named one of Arkansas’ Power Women by Arkansas Money & Politics. “I’ve set the bar high for myself and work daily to exceed my clients’ expectations,” she says proudly.

930 East Kiehl Ave., Sherwood 501.993.5232 42

T Power Custom he

Specializing in building one-of-a-kind custom homes and combining leading edge designs with exceptional functionality that speak not only to your aesthetic needs, but to your unique vision, through our remarkable attention to luxury in every detail. InnovationRedefined. Pushing beyond the predictable to create truly unique custom homes.

930 East Kiehl Ave | Sherwood, AR | 501.993.5232

Energy Air Inc.

nergy Air Inc. (EAI) has served Central Arkansas’ multi-faceted heating and cooling needs since 1992, a longevity that continues to make EAI one of the most trusted and experienced names in the business. EAI is helmed by president and CEO, Tracie J. Kelley, who is also the driving force of KellCo Custom Homes and KellCo Real Estate. Kelley’s inspiration was paved by her father, who is a heralded expert in the industry. It has been a natural journey for the venerable Kelley to follow in his footsteps, in her own way, to create what has become the state’s premier heating and air conditioning company. “Maintaining a strong will to push forward and staying focused on the individual needs of my clients certainly wasn’t learned in any textbook, but by great work ethics and self-discipline, which has resulted in over 25 years of industry experience and success,” she says. Despite the accolades she has received for her unwavering commit-

ments to her customers, the fundamentals by which she operates have remained unchanged. Instead, she is even more motivated to perform for her clients. “I’ve been surrounded and loved by a multitude of intelligent and powerful people who have taught me so much,” she says. “It truly takes a village and I am surrounded by the very best.” EAI provides exceptional HVAC services to all makes and models, and holds a Class “A” license, which allows EAI to offer an even greater variety of services to its customers. “As Arkansas’ No. 1 choice in a heating and air company, we provide an extensive list of services for your home and your business needs,” Kelley says. EAI offers convenience to its customers by providing homeowners with several added services who value working with one company for many needs, including, electrical, plumbing, generators and ductless systems, just to name a few. “EAI is proud to offer only the very best in customer satisfaction, warranties and pricing, guaranteed,” Kelley says.

Whether you are looking to replace a component in your existing HVAC system or it’s time for a completely new system, Energy Air Inc. can provide dependable comfort and efficiency for all your HVAC needs! 501.913.8001 / energyairar.com

KellCo

REAL ESTATE INC. We take into account what makes a property ideal for the construction process. With our experienced team of professionals, carefully selecting the right property for your individual needs will ensure that you have the best place possible for your new home build.

ince 1994, real estate professional Tracie J. Kelley has dominated the market at every angle and her business has evolved into a collaboration of more than 35 team members delivering exceptional services and unwavering customer service at every level. Kelley recognizes that her many successes through the industry continue to be deserved only by the team that she has carefully grown. “My work is only as good as the people I chose to work with,” she says. As president and chief executive officer of KellCo Custom Homes, Inc., Energy Air, Inc. and KellCo Real Estate, Inc., Kelley maintains the ability to provide powerful insight for her clients, whether it be

the design or building of a new home, selling her homes or the overall mechanics of the home, this level of service has set Kelley apart from the market. KellCo Real Estate is proud to team with its Principal Broker, Mary A. Freeman, who instills a wealth of knowledge into the firm. Mary has been in the real estate industry since 1984 and delivers outstanding customer service. Together, the team at KellCo Real Estate works hard for its clients and delivers only the best in expectations. Whether you’re in the market to buy, sell, or even build, they stand ready to over-deliver and outperform, any day — serving all of Central Arkansas.

501.993.5232 / kellcocustomhomes.com

KellCo Real Estate Inc.

Experts in the Real Estate and home-building industry, we understand the importance in what is said to be, one of the most important investments one could ever make of owning a new home. kellcocustomhomes.com

Tracie J. Kelley 501.993.5232 aymag.com

Kitchen TUNE-UP

f you’re one of the many who found the need for a kitchen upgrade during the past pandemic year, then the team at Kitchen Tune-Up is here to help. As one of the most trusted names in the business with the resources of a big name but the personability of local, there are few better to take your call and trust with your kitchen. And the services at Kitchen Tune-Up are as vast as the list of kitchens it has worked on over the years. From the original and fan-favorite Tune-Up service, which can provide a simple refresh; to a full-scale redoor and refacing; and even custom or semi-custom cabinetry installs, Kitchen Tune-Up can do it all. Best of all: Its talented staff keeps up with (and can help you get ahead of) all the latest trends in the home design world, like the unique and original ways to maximize hidden storage space, kitchen islands that are eye-catching and functional, backsplashes, and more. “Now, especially as stay-at-home 2020 turns into still-at-home 2021, the kitchen is the hub of the household,” says Susan Johnson, franchise owner of the Maumelle location. “A kitchen should be a functional space, but also one you enjoy walking into each day. Kitchen Tune-Up can help you make your kitchen a place of serenity and style. We are here to help you through any level of a kitchen remodel.”

• We provide solutions. If anything comes up that we could not anticipate, we work out a mutually agreeable solution. • We listen carefully. We will develop an organized plan and fulfill all the terms of our agreement. • We communicate. We know communication is key, and we will always return your calls within 24 hours. • We respect your home. We will protect the work area and clean up after ourselves daily. • We arrive on time. We respect your need for dependable scheduling.

9710 Maumelle Blvd., Maumelle | 501.223.8888

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Carpet Barn

hat began as The Drape Shop by Jack Drewry in 1964 quickly turned into the Carpet Barn that Arkansans know and love in 1968. From that first day to now, the Drewry family has served with honesty, integrity and exceptional service. “Carpet Barn prides itself in offering only top-quality flooring products, which are complemented by professional installation services,” says Cody Drewry, one of Jack’s grandsons. “We see the job through to its completion. The customer’s total satisfaction is the ultimate goal of every sale at Carpet Barn.” Carpet Barn still proudly operates in the city it all started in, Pine Bluff, but has also added an additional location in North Little Rock on Maumelle Boulevard, and is putting the finishing touches on a brand new location in Conway, which will open this summer. Whether it’s totally new construction or a simple room refresh, Carpet Barn has the perfect flooring at a price to meet your budget. The experienced team knows the material requirements for quality commercial and residential flooring. And with its many plans for qualified borrowers, such as the “12 months same-as-cash” program, and its unique pricing advantage over competitors, Carpet Barn has the solution for practically any budget. “From the design phase all the way through the final cleanup, Carpet Barn is committed to your satisfaction,” Cody says.

2707 S Main Street, Pine Bluff 870-536-2123

From sales to service to installation, Floors To Go Carpet Barn has what you’re looking for. Shop our wide selection of name brand carpeting, hardwood, laminate or ceramic tile flooring and see first hand how we put you, the customer, first!

9313 Maumelle Blvd., North Little Rock 501-771-2122

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Game Time

WRAPS

ame Time Wraps, a Central Arkansas leader in the vehicle and sports floor industry, came into play in January 2017. Since then, it’s been “game on” for this all-around wrapping expert. Bob Sahr, co-owner of Game Time, owes his expertise to the many professionals who helped shape his professional career in graphics and floor coatings. After studying design at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, he joined the workforce in Central Arkansas where he began a family and became employed with a large print house. There, he learned the basics in design and highdemand customers but mostly built an overwhelming understanding for the importance of customer service and quality of workmanship that he continues to carry with him since co-founding Game Time Wraps. The patent-pending sealer and finish system that enables Game Time to apply the graphics to basketball courts under the polyurethane finish is one of a kind. In fact, the specialized family of products are formulated to work only in conjunction with their system and doesn’t work without it. The shop also provides a number of recreational and marketing-based vehicle wrap services and large format graphics, such as wall graphics, floor graphics, storefront graphics, banners, posters and signage. “Wraps can increase your visibility and get your message on the road,” Sahr says. “The stats go something to the rate of 30,000 to 70,000 times daily — the number of times on average that a vehicle wrap is observed per day, with a 90 percent retention rate. If you don’t call Game Time Wraps, you’re truly leaving money on the table.” As they say often over at Game Time Wraps: “Make traffic jams on I-40 your commercials.”

501.771.9727 | gametimewraps.com

Dawn Realty & ASSOCIATES

here aren’t many companies that possess the capability of guiding homeowners through literally every part of the process — from vision to design and construction to close. This is probably why clients of Keisha and Laboya Walker, the masterminds behind Dawn Realty & Associates and L & D Investment Properties, feel so uniquely happy about their experiences. The Walkers do it all. Keisha is the owner and broker of Dawn Realty who possesses the real estate acumen to assist her clients through the processes of buying and selling homes — be it first-time home buyers, those in need of credit counseling or even the most seasoned “movers.” Her husband, Laboya, is the muscle of L & D Investment Properties, which nails down the construction element for clients in the market for a new build or remodel. Together, their joint force is capable of assisting practically any need, and they’re proud to serve any client — no matter the budget or situation. “Dawn Realty & Associates not only have team members who specialize with first-time home buyers, Military Replacement Program, relocations, new construction and luxury homes, but we also have a team member who specializes in foreclosed, short sales and investment properties,” Keisha says. “Our mission for L & D Investment Properties and Dawn Realty & Associates is to continue to enhance our team with a diverse group that will enable us to provide diverse solutions to our clients and businesses. We make the needs of those who we serve a priority, as we focus on exceeding their expectations.”

(501) 444-8055 • dawnrealtyandassociates.com | (501) 944-7503 L & D Investment Properties

L&D INVESTMENT PROPERTIES

CONSTRUCTION SPECIALISTS & RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES L & D Investment Properties specializes in new construction and offers additional brokerage services in Little Rock, Arkansas. With several years of experience in the industry, we’re the preferred builder and realtor in the region. We build new homes, offer project management and remodeling services, and sell homes through our real estate brokerage.

415 N. McKinley St., Suite 780 Office: (501) 406-1788 Cell: (501) 944-7503 ldinvestmentproperties.homes

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Staci Medlock REALTOR

ith a proven track record of success in real estate and more than 15 years of experience working with both buyers and sellers, Staci Medlock is one of the top real estate agents in Central Arkansas. She caters to a wide range of clients across the region, including Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood, Maumelle, Jacksonville, Cabot, Searcy and Beebe. “As a native of Central Arkansas, I have a strong love for serving clients in this great state and love the relationships I have created over the last decade,” she says. “Referrals are the largest source of my business, and I am truly blessed to be able to serve so many people by helping them find their dream home.” Medlock is an expert in negotiating contracts, explaining the buying and selling process and walking clients through their new home purchase or sale with confidence and ease. She has extensive experience in navigating new construction, custom home building and working with first-time home buyers, and is also able to identify and recom-

mend easy updates that can be made to your home to sell it faster and for more money. As the recent pandemic has placed a lot of strain and changes on the market, her experience and expertise have been invaluable for her clients. She employs a wide range of marketing strategies on every listing including professional photography, social media marketing and promoting homes on numerous online channels and websites. In addition, she establishes various offline marketing strategies such as creating flyers and printed materials, submissions to newspapers, real estate magazines and holding open houses for enhanced exposure to other real estate agents and potential buyers. “There’s never a dull moment,” Medlock says. “There is a lot of extreme multi-tasking, but I love to take care of people. Real estate is one way I am able to help clients by assisting them with selling or purchasing their home.”

501.944.8687 / stacimedlock.com

Staci Medlock previously voted Realtor of the Year, served as President of the NPBR, recognized as a Multi Million Dollar Producer for the past 15 years and is currently serving her fourth term representing her District in Pulaski county. She specializes in working with first time home buyers as well as new construction with extensive experience helping both home buyers and sellers across Central Arkansas.

Whether you are looking to BUY OR SELL OR BUILD, give me a call. I can help. 501.944.8687 2411 McCain Blvd., Suite 4, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72116 / stacimedlock.com 50

S.R. Construction

or Shantell Kelly, owner of S.R. Construction in Central Arkansas, the gameplan is pretty straightforward: create dream homes that last. But despite the many benefits of new builds and custom homes, she says that some are still wary of the concept. “New construction scares many people, but working with a good builder that takes the time to explain the process, stays organized and informs the homeowners of decisions they need to be making in a timely manner makes the process very enjoyable,” Kelly explains. “Communication and working closely together is key in having a great building experience.” To calm some of those anxieties even more, S.R. Construction has designed a comprehensive buyer’s guide called “Home Buying 101,” which breaks down the process with frequently asked questions, cost projections and more. It’s to the latter topic that Kelly separates herself from the rest of the homebuilding world; in addition to her success in residential building, she is also a certified public accountant (CPA), able to maneuver any price range, no matter how big or small. “As a CPA as well, I’m very budget-conscious — always keeping in mind the best quality at the best price,” Kelly says. “Also, with having the ability to draw 3D plans, I can work with clients to help improve their dream home.”

New Construction • Complete Remodeling Kitchen Remodeling • Bathroom Remodeling Custom House Plan Design

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RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION S.R. Construction takes pride in offering a wide selection of architecturally timeless luxury homes throughout the Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood, and surrounding areas. From start to finish, we will make your home construction experience easy and enjoyable!

REMODELING 1301 Dorado Beach Dr Little Rock, AR 72212 501-519-1707 • shan0614@att.net

We offer additions, kitchen remodel, bathroom remodel, and exterior curb appeal. We thrive on turning your house into your dream home.

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TEC

ELECTRIC

hen introducing new lighting into your home, having a guide to help you get the perfect mix of aesthetic and practicality is invaluable. That’s why the staff at TEC Electric considers themselves lighting experts and walks customers through the entire process from initial design to complete installation. For half a century, TEC Electric has been the premier company for Arkansans’ lighting needs from elaborate chandeliers to small detail lighting. Its extensive inventory also includes ceiling fans and other accessories, and the wide range of services includes design assistance, lighting layout design and builder on-site services. If you have to see it to believe it, stop in one of the showrooms located in North Little Rock and Jonesboro for a look at the lights or a chat with one of the available interior designers. For online and non-local shoppers, TEC Electric also offers an online lighting catalog as a convenient way to browse products from home.

Why do business with TEC Electric? • Product Knowledge - We know manufactures, product lines, comparable items and more! • On-Call Lighting Experts - Call or visit us with project questions - no purchase required. • Local Roots - We’re home-grown and community focused, just like you! TEC Electric has been serving Arkansas and the surrounding area for over 50 years. Dedicated to service and product knowledge, our team will earn your respect day-in and dayout.

tecelectric.com North Little Rock | 501.758.5483 | Jonesboro | 870.932.7252

TECELECTRIC

tecelectric.com North Little Rock 501.758.5483 | Jonesboro 870.932.7252

Carl Gray Henson BUILDERS

Carl Gray Henson has been building custom homes in Little Rock, West Little Rock, and surrounding areas for many years. Carl offers hands on service and is very passionate about what he does. All of his projects are built with timeless architectural detail, but with plenty of modern conveniences. Along with custom home building, Carl also does some remodeling and ensures your satisfaction. “We care about each and every customer, and that is why we follow up with you long after we finish building your house. Our repeat business is a testimony to the trust that our customers have in us regarding one of the most important purchases in their lives. We’re glad to help.”

arl Gray Henson Builders has engineered a lifelong interest in building into a full-blown custom building business. Since 1974, the business has developed into a company fully devoted to helping its clients create dream homes that exceed expectations while remaining small enough to give each customer the personal attention he or she deserves. Its expertise is known not only just around the state, but it has also received national recognition. Carl Gray Henson Builders is a 20-year member of Southern Living’s Custom Builder Program, receiving the coveted Cornerstone Award in 2016. Beyond Southern Living, Carl Gray Henson was given the Distinguished Service Award from the American Lung Association for its work in the “Kids Kozy Kottage” program. For residents of Central Arkansas, it’s hard to find a more decorated group of custom home builders. Owner Carl Gray Henson and his team work tirelessly for their clients, facilitating the construction of magnificent homes from lot selection to design and building. If you dream of a home built with passion and attention to timeless architectural detail, Carl Gray Henson Builders is the right choice for you.

P.O. Box 24626 | Little Rock 501.413.8341 / carlgrayhenson.com

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nce you experience our developments – the gorgeous homes, the impressive amenities – you’ll want to meet our Realtors. Chenal Properties has the benefit of onsite offices and agents, so you get the most convenient, knowledgeable support for buying and selling in Chenal Valley, Wildwood Place and Fletcher Valley.

Our Realtors can help you act quickly, take advantage of inventory and make the most informed decisions. Your part? Getting ready for the life of your dreams.

Michelle Sanders

Leslie Morris

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chenalproperties.com 7 Chenal Club Blvd. Little Rock, AR 72223 501-821-9108

PotlatchDeltic is an expert at selling quality real estate. Having established some of the most sought-after developments in Central Arkansas, including Chenal Valley in Little Rock and Red Oak Ridge in Hot Springs, the company also offers a wide variety of recreational properties for sale around the state.

Hartness Construction Providing quality homes for over 30 years.

Before.

After. Interior design on renovation/Cindy Beavers.

501-650-0500 Justin Keener

501-681-1263 Brenda Hartness

Refresh your home inside and out for Spring.

Pella is the most preferred window brand by homeowners in Little Rock.* Your local Pella® team is ready to show you the right window or door for your home and budget. Whether wood, vinyl or fiberglass, let our team find the right product that fits your vision. Pella can help support the completion of your project - from a new construction install to a remodel project. Your home is unique, so you shouldn’t have to settle for an ordinary window or door. Call or visit today to schedule your free in-home consultation and learn more.

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Windows & Doors

Aerojet AY 2021.pdf

1/12/21

1:04 PM

arcf.org/givesmart

CMY

The Aerojet Rocketdyne Foundation turned to Ouachita Valley Community Foundation to help provide COVID-19 relief in south Arkansas. The Camden Aerojet Rocketdyne facility, one of the area’s largest employers, trusted the Community Foundation’s affiliate office to distribute relief in ways that matter to their employees. Corporate collaborations like this enhance what the Community Foundation can do for Arkansas communities. 58

If your company is interested in learning more about giving back through corporate philanthropy, contact the Community Foundation staff today. We offer tools to help you give where you live to support the causes your employees care about.

Best of

2018

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garden

YA DIG? HOCOTT’S HAS ALL YOUR SPRING ESSENTIALS By Lauren McLemore

As spring weather approaches Arkansas, the staff at Hocott’s is preparing the garden center, stocking up on popular shrubs, flowers and decor. The spacious grounds will soon carry a springtime array of unique plants not found at other local garden centers. If you’re one of the many people who picked up gardening as a hobby while stuck at home during the pandemic, the Since opening in 1939, Hocott’s Garden Center has been meeting Central Arkansans’ garden needs for more than 80 years. Located in the Hillcrest area, Hocott’s is a full-service retail nursery, specializing in unique and hard-to-find annuals, perennials, houseplants, trees and shrubs. Along with its inventory, Hocott’s also offers landscaping, lawn care, planting, custom pot design, commercial services, sod, mulch, sprinklers and more. The garden center strives to serve everyone, from those looking for a new outdoor hobby to seasoned green-thumb gardeners. Whether you’re looking for unique new pots or flowers to add character to your front porch or full-service lawn care to prep your yard for warmer weather, the specialists at Hocott’s can point you in the right direction.

Erica Schaffer and Scott Simmons.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, DON’T WAIT TO GET STARTED. Hocott’s staff is full of knowledge and expertise to help you make the most of your planting this spring. There are even a few things that even the most amateur of the bunch can do at home to start preparing. “Right now is the time to get out and start doing some pruning and cleaning up,” says Scott Simmons, operations manager. “Preparation for spring is a really big thing right now.” Many spring prep tasks vary depending upon your garden style, property and interests, but generally, you’ll want to begin by cleaning out flower beds, cleaning your tools and pots, pulling weeds, and tidying up. Then it’s time to begin purchasing fertilizer and other products you might need for your soil. Another good rule of thumb for starting out is to test your soil. Adding fertilizers to your garden without knowing your soil’s needs could result in harm to your plants and an unnecessary cost to you. Soil testing is free for all Arkansans through the University of Arkansas Extension Service. You can use the collection box provided by your county extension office for collecting samples. While cleaning your tools and materials is a good idea to help you get reacquainted with your gardening equipment (especially if you haven’t been in the dirt since before winter), it also helps prevent disease spreading when you get to work adding in your new plants. This is also a good time to assess your yard and past gardening areas to check for insects and pests so that you have time to remove them and clear out infestations before planting. If you need a helping hand with cleaning up your yard, Hocott’s is your first call. “We're doing a lot of spring cleanups right now, getting ready for spring in people’s yards. We're doing a lot of mulching, as well as trimming,” Simmons says. After getting all cleaned up and organized, the next step is tapping into your creativity and beginning to envision the design for your garden. Hocott’s takes special orders to help you design your pots, landscapes and gardens exactly the way you imagine them. For the visual planner, they actually have the ability to lay it all for you in a photograph. Best of all, it’s free of charge. “We have a program where we can take a picture of your property that

you’re wanting landscape for and give you a picture of what it would look like,” Simmons says. Once you’ve decided on your layout, it’s time to bring it to life. On your next trip to Hocott’s, you might take a peek in the nursery at some of the new plants and other decorative items coming in right now, as well as chat with the staff to pick their brains about best practices. “We've got shrubbery coming in daily, flowers coming in daily, vegetable plants, pottery, water fountains,” Simmons says. “Our staff is pretty well versed in the experiences of different assets of the nursery. We have houseplant specialists; we have shrubbery specialists; we have two or three people who can do design work and help you in your yard — kind of guide you to what you would need.” While Hocott’s staff knows best when it comes to details, across the board, perennial plants are a crowd favorite when it comes to planting for spring. Thought of as the backbone of every flower garden, these flowers are easy-care, dependable and available in a variety of colors. Simmons’ rule of thumb: “Always plant odd numbers.” Another thing to consider when planning ahead is location and how that determines the type of planting and the level of care. For example, potted plants will need watering more often than those in the ground. “[You’ll need to know] if [the plant] is going to be in the sun or the shade, and if the area is wet or dry, and our staff is more than capable of helping them make those decisions,” Simmons says. Right now at Hocott’s, you can find a variety of fresh herbs and veggies ready for planting. If this is one of your first ventures out of the house since the pandemic, the garden center is also abiding by COVID-19 precautions with plexiglass at registers, mask requirements and maintaining 6-foot distancing. Hocott’s is also taking call-in orders and offering curbside pickup. 3612 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock (501) 663-8376 hocottsgardencenter.com aymag.com

Photo by Leslie Cooper.

The CRY of theMonarch BUTTERFLY: Rejuvenating the Pollinators in ARKANSAS By Casey Crocker

aymag.com

present a thought experiment: Have you ever had a butterfly land on you? What happens inside you when you think about that moment? My memory is of my then 7-yearold sister when we celebrated our grandmother’s birthday at lunch in Altus. Beautiful. However, the records show that those butterfly moments happen less and less these days. Now, have you ever

crossroad. First, the main buzz was concerning decreased bee populations, and now the menace continues with Monarchs and the other pollinators, such as hummingbirds, wasps, moths and even bats. Monarchs cannot vocalize their issues, but they are crying out in need, and as stewards of Earth, it is our responsibility to provide aid. “The Monarch butterflies are a very interesting species because they are considered an

This month we will (one hopes) have thousands upon thousands of the striking orange and black and white speckled Eastern Monarch visitors in Arkansas. helped someone simply cross a street? Why would you even bother to help someone — a complete stranger — overcome an obstacle? Because to them, they are in an uncertain place, and, as humans, we empathize. A feeling of compassion activates inside us when someone or something is in a state of need, and with this, we act — and do so, generally, without consideration of reward for ourselves. Though naturally incredible navigators, the Monarch butterfly exists today at an uncertain

umbrella species — this means when you take care of this specific insect, you can take care of an entire ecological community, and you can help them thrive,” says David Jonathan Romero, aka “Monsieur Butterfly,” a filmmaker, painter and photographer who resides near Michoacán, Mexico. This month we will (one hopes) have thousands upon thousands of the striking orange and black and white speckled Eastern Monarch visitors in Arkansas. They winter in the

Michoacán vicinity of central Mexico and will pass through Arkansas on their annual migration toward Canada. The Monarch is a beloved species around the world, and now it is facing unfortunate stress. The Monarch shares its innate magic and delicate presence, whether they know so or not. The butterflies have a grand effect on not just our sense of wonder and overall positivity but play a significant role in our everyday lives, whether we know so or not: They help make our food. *************** Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are one of the greatest scientifically evolved and recognized insects on the planet and have become the flagship mascot for all pollinator species. At half a gram in weight with a 4-inch wingspan, Monarchs travels an astonishing 2,800-mile annual migration to survive and serve as the symbol of metamorphosis and renewal. They follow temperature, the sun and the milkweed plant. Amazingly, it is four generations of Monarchs sharing the responsibility of completing this journey; three of the generations die off during the migration. Great-grandmother Monarch departs Mexico and great-granddaughter Monarch returns to Mexico. An average life of a Monarch is three months, compared to the Diana Fritillary (the state butterfly of Arkansas) that is longer-lived at five months. Incredibly, this fourth-generation Monarch can live to eight or nine months to travel the entire return trip from north to south.

Far left: Photo by David Jonathan Romero. Middle: Photo by Emily Flora. Bottom: Photo by Emily Flora.

Jorge Rickards, the director general of World Wildlife Fund-Mexico (WWF-Mexico), points out that the Monarch is not in danger of extinction, yet, but their migratory process is at risk. “Monarch butterflies show us how individuals work. In this case, migration can be an exceptional collaborative exercise when all the migrants gather in the forests to hibernate together and buffer the climate.” The Monarchs once came in welcome droves, but now their numbers are shockingly low. In 2020, Western Monarch numbers, once 1.2 million strong, became 1,914 in total in some places, as reported by The Los Angeles Times. San Diego, California, reported that those millions of Monarch butterflies reached the zero-population mark, according to KFMB-TV. Even the place adorned as “Butterfly City” reports collapse in butterfly population, and last

spring not a single Monarch arrived. In central Mexico, where it’s easiest to count Monarchs through acreage spread, the population is down approximately 80 percent, according to WWFMexico and Xerces Society. The Associated Press agrees that Monarchs are down to 26 percent of their quantity, and 51 acres of forest loss is a cause. Deforestation (both legal and illegal) rips the environment apart. Science.com suggests, “Rising autumn temps disrupt their reproductive cycle,” so combine these factors with pine beetle tree damage, drought, windstorms, floods, increased heat and humidity, and the signs all point to problematic outcomes. Not all is lost, though, because we can rebuild. And the Natural State has taken this literally. Leslie Cooper is the Arkansas Monarch and Pollinator Coordinator with Quail Forever. She says, “The most important thing that

Arkansans can do to help Monarch butterflies is to create native habitat by planting Arkansas native plants. People can also participate in community science projects, like the Arkansas Monarch Mapping Project, hosted by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), on iNaturalist.” (Find opportunities on Facebook and Instagram: @arkansasmonarchs.) Your contributions will have a positive outcome because Monarchs = pollination = food. Milkweed + Adult Monarchs = Monarch eggs = Caterpillars = new Monarchs in springtime through summer. More Monarchs = more food. Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) is the only plant Monarchs will lay eggs upon, so cultivating that is the first thing to do right now. Their caterpillars only eat milkweed. Interestingly, milkweed is toxic to all other animals, causing rapid heartbeat and potentially cardiac arrest, but these butterflies have evolved a protein that regulates their heart function. Milkweed and its soil need to be organic — herbicide- and pesticide-free — and trimmed to the ground around Thanksgiving. This ensures we do not entice Monarchs to stick around, and we reduce the growth of OE (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha), a deadly parasite. The Monarch needs to get back to Mexico to enjoy the warmer conditions. After hibernation, naturally, the cycle renews — back across the United States/Mexico border and ready to reproduce in the spring. (Go to www. ArkansasMonarchs.org to contribute. Also, www.JourneyNorth.org/map/ has some interesting migration maps to check out.) Since the Monarch population hit a staggering global low of 72 million total in 2012 (682 million in 1997 for comparison, according to biologicaldiversity.org) the world of the Monarch has been watched. By 2015, Arkansas brought together 30 agencies and created the Arkansas Monarch Conservation Partnership. In 2018, this collaboration developed a conservation plan with the aim to quantifiably reserve more than 500,000 acres of quality habitat for pollinators by 2035. The pollinator species tangibly influences the price and quality of oil, cotton and 75 percent of the food we aymag.com

Photos by Emily Flora.

consume, according to AGFC. Climate change is a touchy topic these days, but we all should agree that we all impact the ecosystem — for better or for worse. This one outreach will benefit the ecosystem of everything. Eighty-five percent of land in Arkansas is privately owned, so this outreach will take compromises and new habits by private individuals. Samantha Scheiman of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission (ANHC) says, in its “75 natural areas, the ANHC offers 70,548-acres of conservation land. In 2020 alone, the ANHC conducted stewardship activities across at least 840 acres to maintain habitat.” The 2035 plan for 500,000 reserved acres of restored habitat is a work in progress, but well-established. Fun Arkansas math fact: There are 33.2 million land acres total in Arkansas — roughly 53,000 square miles with 781 square miles set to reserve. Visiting ANHC areas is a humbling experience as they are designed to be original and wild. Raising awareness, creating citizen scientists, using control burns, implementing “Project Wingspan” (a nine-state landscape-enhancement partnership), collecting seeds and bringing the Arkansas woodlands, savannas, prairies and glades back to wild is in good practice for the health of natural areas. And if you have acres of land to enhance, Scheiman also mentions checking out AGFC’s Private Lands Program. There are also financial and technical assistance programs. Emily Flora is our resident “Madame Butterfly” in Little Rock. She is an Arkansas Ambassador for Monarchs, has grown more than 400 since her first three in 2016 and tagged 86 in 2020. With the name Flora, of course she would find love for pollinators and flowers. Her Audubon butterfly waypoint and home serve as a lab to cultivate and grow Monarchs. She tests her garden for OE, which is a devastating protozoan parasite that evolved alongside and strictly affects Monarchs by causing weakness

and wing deformations. She learned to grow organic milkweed and then tagging from Ed MacDonald, who has been tagging Monarchs since 1998 and has tagged 1,885 in his lifetime. In 2003, his group tagged about 800 Monarchs in a single day at Mount Magazine. The two are examples from hundreds of people who contribute on www.ArkansasMonarchs.org. Contributors can potentially find where their tagged butterflies wind up if the data is entered into the database and the Monarch is recovered. MacDonald knows where 61 went. Flora says she has not recovered any but loves the nurturing process just the same. Flora collects the tiny white eggs on milkweed leaves and protects them in a butterfly house to ensure a future for several butterflies. One egg will transform from larvae to plump yellow, white and black-striped caterpillar to chrysalis and into an adult Monarch all within one month. Adult Monarchs drink nectar from this same milkweed, and others, like the orange- and pink-flowered tropical variety. There is no need to rid out other milkweeds if you have them — just trim them down to ground level by autumn. Put milkweed in pots if you like, and remember: milkweed is toxic when consumed, so do not allow children or animals to eat milkweed. As quoted earlier, Romero is a filmmaker and painter familiar with the mountain forests northwest of Mexico City. He believes the butterflies changed his life, and he incorporates them as a symbol of migration and rebirth. Our conversation was interesting because I thought he used actual monarchs in his process. However, as I’ve come to understand, their tiny bodies are replicated as laser-cut photographs, prototypes Romero is currently researching to recreate a representation of the Monarch sanctuaries

using recycled PET waste (polyethylene terephthalate) — a process he learned in college — and the resulting translucent mini-sculptures are as beautiful as stained glass. (View his work on Instagram: @lordmariposa.) ***************

Finally, this article acknowledges the efforts of many environmentalists and the advice of some of our best resources in Arkansas. We have many agencies and people working together, including: Arkansas State Parks, the National Park Service, AGFC’s Allison Fowler, ANHC’s Samantha Scheiman, Audubon, the Nature Conservancy, the USDA’s Leslie Cooper (also working as the Arkansas Monarch and Pollinator Coordinator at Quail Forever) and Arkansas Department of Transportation’s Kayti Ewing, who helps ensure the future of the pollinators with restoration areas rather than entirely mowed motorways. Private Arkansans, like Lori Spencer (“Arkansas’ Butterfly Lady”), and interpreter/photographer Don Simon, are advocating for pollinator survival. Arkansas’ resource list is plentiful. Some of us will grow Monarchs while others will grow flower-filled gardens. Please go to www.ArkansasMonarchs.org and watch the gorgeous and informative “Wings of Hope: Monarchs in the Natural State” from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for even more information. Flit on.

Join the Great American Cleanup

Help your community by registering and hosting a local cleanup event between March 1 through May 31. Register your event with Keep Arkansas Beautiful and request cleanup supplies including: • Trash Bags • Disposable Gloves • Cotton Gloves • Volunteer T-Shirts • “Volunteer Today” Banners • “Volunteers Working Ahead” Roadway Signs • Fluorescent Safety Vests Register today at KeepArkansasBeautiful.com.

GOOD-N THE ARKANSAS NATURE CONSERVANCY By Joe David Rice

NATURED The Big Woods of the Delta. (Byron Jorjorian)

A view from the top of Rattlesnake Ridge Natural Area looking east toward Pinnacle Mountain. (Joshua Kwekel)

Arkansas Oak Natural Area. (Casey Crocker)

Cossatot River. (Casey Crocker)

or nearly half a century now, Arkansas has been known as the Natural State. It’s a phrase most of us appreciate, proud of our outdoor treasures like the Buffalo National River, Mount Magazine, the Big Woods and Lake Ouachita. A handful of key organizations to include Arkansas State Parks, the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the Ozark Society, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and many others have acted to protect such places for all of us to enjoy. Yet there’s another important conservation group in the mix that’s spent most of its four decades in the state operating under the public’s radar. And that’s the Arkansas Nature Conservancy, an outfit of 6,000 members that’s worked in some 50 of Arkansas’ 75 counties. Bringing together an exceptional coalition of private landowners, small businesses, national and international corporations, public agencies

Floating the Kings River. (Aaron Copeland)

and other organizations and individual donors, it’s conserved more than 340,000 acres of land in the Natural State. The Nature Conservancy’s presence in the state can be traced back to the late 1970s when a 12,056-acre tract on the south side of Beaver Lake was put up for sale. A California firm had secured an option on the property, planning to convert it into a massive vacation home development. Learning of the proposed transaction, a vocal group of local citizens lobbied for its purchase by either the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) or Arkansas State Parks. Both had hoped to obtain the huge parcel, but neither had funds to complete the deal. Under the leadership of then Gov. David Pryor (and later Gov. Bill Clinton) and with the help of nearly two dozen banks in northwestern Arkansas and the national office of the Nature Conservancy, the land (nearly 19 square miles) was bought by the State of Arkansas and is

today managed by State Parks, AGFC and the Natural Heritage Commission. Its original purchase price of $3.175 million pales in comparison to its present-day value of some $30 million. Now known as the Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area, it’s one of the real gems of Northwest Arkansas, offering primitive campsites, more than 50 miles of prime hiking and biking trails, and a wealth of interpretive programs in one of America’s fastest-growing regions. A couple of years later — on April 12, 1982, to be precise — the Arkansas field office of the Nature Conservancy was officially established with Kay Kelley Arnold as its director. Backed by a $1 million challenge grant from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Arnold got to work building a dedicated staff and a strong board of directors. “We needed time to have some successes to attract and cultivate donors and partners,” she remembers. “The magnificent characters I got to meet and work with on

projects across the state ensured that the work the group was instrumental in a 41,000-acre in a Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Funded by a $2.7 million grant from the was always fun and interesting.” Bringing in land exchange that vastly expanded public U.S. Department of Agriculture, this “wintop-notch board members remained a priority holdings between the Cache River and White win” project will benefit local landowners and for first Nancy DeLamar and then Scott SiRiver national wildlife refuges. These efforts to mon, Arnold’s successors as the organization’s the Buffalo River. protect the remaining bottomland hardwood director. A little to the northwest of the Buffalo is forests in eastern Arkansas — an area known And the accomplishments of the Arkananother stream that’s caught the attention of as The Big Woods — are vital to the future of sas Nature Conservancy have been nothing the Nature Conservancy: the Kings River. Arkansas’ rich Delta region. short of amazing. Let’s begin with one, way Encompassing some 10.5 miles of this CarLikewise, in 2019 the Nature Conservanroll County stream, the Kings River Preserve cy played a key role in finding a solution to a down in southwest Arkansas: the Cossatot safeguards the quality of one of the region’s contentious hog farm situation in the Buffalo River. This clear mountain stream heads up in primary sources of drinking water. It’s also a River watershed. When Gov. Asa Hutchison the Ouachita National Forest south of Mena, favorite destination for birders, paddlers, rockasked Stacy Hurst, his director at the Arkansas creating some of the best whitewater in midskippers and photographers, and anglers will Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, America as it tears through several east-west tell you the Kings River is nationally known to tackle this issue, she quickly contacted the trending ridges on its southbound journey. The for its smallmouth bass. Arkansas Nature Conservancy. “I called Scott 11-mile stretch of river between the national Along with a handful of state agencies, the Simon to better understand the full landscape forest boundary and Gillam Lake had been on Nature Conservancy the wish list of is assisting with the conservationists “Arkansas has benefited from the Conservancy’s financial Arkansas Unpaved (and paddlers) Roads Program, for years. Origisupport and, just as importantly, on the creative and nally owned by an incentive-based innovative solutions the leaders apply to the acquisition Dierks Forests, partnership designed much of the to help counties imof land and the appropriate approach to conserve it.” prove graveled roads land surrounding the Cossatot in rural regions via was sold to Weyerhaeuser in 1969, to include a a range of best management practices. Local surrounding the issue because there were many 4,144-acre riverside corridor that Weyerhaeusdrivers get better roads while sediment flowgroups and individuals working on all sides,” ing into nearby lakes and streams is signifier put on the market in 1984. The Nature Conshe says. Simon and his team had developed cantly reduced. servancy stepped up to the plate and purchased a relationship with the farmers and were able While clean water is among the organizathe proposed park/natural area, holding it in to negotiate a settlement agreeable to all. “The tion’s top interests, it’s also a big believer in trust until the State of Arkansas appropriated Nature Conservancy was a great resource and fire. Yep, that’s right, fire — as in the form of funds to buy the property in 1988. Today, the partner, and helped the state work through a prescribed burns. The Arkansas Nature ConCossatot River State Park-Natural Area is arlongtime controversial issue.” servancy is a major player in the Fire Learning guably the best spot in Arkansas to experience Protecting the Buffalo River’s water quality remains a priority for the Nature ConserNetwork, a group whose members are comthe remote and untouched Ouachitas. mitted to restoring portions of the Ozarks and vancy. It’s presently working with the Searcy But the work of the Arkansas Nature Conservancy extends well beyond the state’s hill Ouachitas to healthier forests. They’ve found County Farm Bureau, the Arkansas Cattleman’s Association, and several other groups country. During DeLamar’s tenure as director, that regularly burning areas via controlled fires

A bird’s-eye view of the Rockhouse Creek restoration project. (Trey Reid, AGFC)

Prescribed fire helps restore woodlands to their historic, open state and improve habitat for wildlife. (Courtesy, TNC)

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Right: Cossatot Falls (Casey Crocker)

Rockhouse Creek Bridge. (Jeff Williams, AGFC)

(Casey Crocker)

increases forage for deer and elk and works wonders for ground-nesting birds such as quail and turkey. Following the blizzard of 2021, many of us are suffering from bad cases of cabin fever. To offset this malady, let me suggest taking a daytrip to one of the many Nature Conservancy sites in Arkansas. We’ll start with the Smith Creek Preserve, a 1,316-acre delight in Newton County. Located on one of the Buffalo River’s beautiful spring-fed tributaries, the preserve is a photographer’s paradise, featuring a boulder-filled creek, waterfalls, swimming holes, lush vegetation and bluffs — all accessible via a series of well-marked (and occasionally steep) hiking trails. And it’s easy to get to with a pair of handy parking areas adjacent to Arkansas Highway 21 just a couple of miles north of Mossville. A second option is the Rattlesnake Ridge Natural Area, a 373-acre tract located off Barrett Road a short distance west of Pinnacle Mountain State Park in the central part of the state. A new addition to the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission’s properties, this interesting piece of rugged topography includes 6 miles of trails zigzagging over and through creek bottoms, forested ridges and rocky outcrops. You’ll be rewarded with great views, so bring along a camera.

Yet another intriguing alternative is the Bluffton Preserve, a little piece of heaven situated a few miles north of Clinton and west of U.S. Highway 65. Totaling nearly 1,000 acres, this special piece of real estate was bought by the Nature Conservancy with assistance from Southwestern Energy, BHP Billiton and other generous donors. With almost four miles of the picturesque Archey Fork of the Little Red River winding through the property, it’s a classic Ozark setting, complete with a perfect swimming hole. Simon has been working with the Arkansas office of The Nature Conservancy for 25 years now, serving as director since 2003. He and his team are big believers in partnerships. “Though Arkansas has such abundant natural resources, the conservation community is small, and funding is precious, so it requires everyone to work together to conserve those resources to benefit the public,” he says. “Our spirit of collaboration as a state is unique and one of Arkansas’ strengths, and we are fortunate to have so many good partners working together.” Simon is feeling pretty good about the state’s future. “By creating more opportunities for people to enjoy the places we work to conserve, we are also creating opportunities for people to experience nature and engage with conservation in a different way,” he says.

“Maintaining support for conservation is critical to keeping the Natural State natural.” Gov. Hutchinson is quite familiar with the organization’s work. “When I think of the Nature Conservancy, two projects come to mind,” he says. “The leadership has been unfailingly willing to jump in and help keep the Buffalo River pristine. Their legwork played a huge role in bringing Rattlesnake Ridge into the state’s inventory, and their suggestions about controlling its use will help protect it for the future.” According to Hutchinson, the Nature Conservancy fills a crucial role in the state. “Arkansas has benefited from the Conservancy’s financial support and, just as importantly, on the creative and innovative solutions the leaders apply to the acquisition of land and the appropriate approach to conserve it. “The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas has been a faithful and generous partner, always on the alert for problems and quick to assist when the state needs help.” Endorsements don’t get much better than that. For more information on the many wonderful Arkansas Nature Conservancy sites, visit its website at www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/ where-we-work/united-states/Arkansas. And if you’re looking for a fine organization to support, this one is certainly worthy.

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The Little Rock Zoo is proud to annouce the grand opening of two new habitats! SERVAL AND Angolan colobus

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aymag.com

How Do You Roll?

By KEVIN SHALIN Photography by JAMISON MOSLEY

Mt. Fuji.

Little Rock’s original Japanese restaurant, Mt. Fuji, has been going strong since 1986, thanks to a loyal clientele that appreciates the restaurant’s simple, no-fuss approach to sushi. At Mt. Fuji, I tend to stick to the basics, and that includes pieces of salmon and tuna nigiri, as well as the Spider Roll, my favorite of its kind in town. The roll, which features fried soft-shell crab, is a perfect complement to the colorful Rainbow Roll, another one of my Mt. Fuji standouts, consisting of tuna, snapper, avocado, cucumber and crabstick. The restaurant also offers a surprisingly high number of vegetarian sushi roll options, like cucumber, sweet potato and asparagus for the herbivores in your life. Sushi lunch specials are a big draw, with several options all under $15. At Mt. Fuji, consistency has been king for the past 35 years, and I do not see this changing anytime soon, nor Little Rock’s love for this restaurant.

hile Little Rock resides in a landlocked state, sushi restaurants, both old and new, are all over the capital city. As an Arkansan transplant, I never expected to have so many sushi options when I moved here 10 years ago. From upscale restaurants to low-key neighborhood joints to regional chains, when it comes to sushi in Central Arkansas, we have some beautifully tasty choices. Don’t believe me? Check these out.

“We have some beautifully tasty choices.”

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Kemuri

Oceans at Arthur’s

Out of all the sushi restaurants in the area, I visit Kemuri the most. Yes, the restaurant’s close proximity to my house helps, but my love for Kemuri really has everything to do with the restaurant’s ability to serve top-quality fish using a variety of elegant methods. Specialty rolls are a huge draw. That includes the Crazy Monkey, which is wrapped in foil and then set ablaze tableside. The roll is built with tempura shrimp, crabstick, avocado and masago aioli. The Crazy Lover, with spicy tuna, blue crab and avocado, is another winner. But honestly, you really cannot go wrong with any of the sushi options at Kemuri. And that includes the more traditional spicy salmon roll, crunchy shrimp roll, and a few pieces of salmon nigiri. The Yellow Tail appetizer is also not to be missed. This beautifully presented meal starter comes with thin slices of yellowtail swimming in yuzu soy sauce and topped with sliced jalapeno. Ever tried a sushiritto? Kemuri has this handheld, too, which is especially nice for those who are looking for the sushi roll eating experience but are not savvy with chopsticks. And if you are searching for a hip date idea, park yourself at Kemuri’s sushi bar and watch the masters as they continuously perfect their craft.

Much like Kemuri, Oceans at Arthur’s falls under that umbrella of upscale sushi restaurants priding itself in sophisticated presentation and delicious taste. Even after an address change to its current location at 16100 Chenal Parkway, Oceans remains one of the very best sushi restaurants for folks in west Little Rock and beyond. Make sure to split an order of the Alex Tower, a gorgeous appetizer constructed out of blue and spicy crab, avocado, mango and fried red snapper, along with eel and sweet chili sauces, spicy mayonnaise, fish eggs and onion. Oceans also specializes in a variety of chef select platters, including a 27-piece sashimi platter for two and the Oceans’ Shellfish Platter, along with the popular, lightly fried roll offerings like the Tiger with blue crab, jalapeno and avocado or the Mama Mia with smoked salmon, crab, cream cheese, habanero and avocado. No matter what you order, it will surely be accompanied by that signature, top-notch service associated with a Jerry Barakat restaurant.

Sushi Café and Sushi Café West Sushi Café, with locations in the Heights neighborhood and off Cantrell Road in west Little Rock, has been a sushi mainstay in the area for years, with a menu featuring 40 specialty rolls. That list includes the Heights Roll with grilled eel, crabstick, cream cheese and crunchy batter, as well as one of Sushi Café’s newer concoctions, the Baked Geisha Roll. This one is loaded with shrimp tempura, blue crab, white tuna and yellowtail. Keep an eye on Sushi Café’s social media, as it typically offers sushi platters for special occasions and holidays, along with daily lunch specials like sushi combo platters and sushi bowls. Both restaurants feature a casual setting, with the newer location highlighted by a modern vibe that is ideal for a business meeting or a fun night with friends.

Kiyen’s

Kiyen’s expansive menu is an Asian food lover’s paradise, but make no mistake: top-quality sushi is at the heart of everything they do. The Golden Lobster Roll, with baked lobster, vegetables and spring mix, is topped with real blue crab and 14-karat gold flakes. It is an absolute beauty as well as an excellent conversation piece. But the Kathy Lee Roll, with fried shrimp, marinated scallops, crab and spicy mayo, just might be my personal favorite. The menu includes 30 specialty rolls, so you have plenty of options, including a sushi and sashimi combination special with six pieces of sushi and 15 pieces of sashimi, along with a salmon or tuna roll. Kiyen’s Tuna Tower Salad with Ahi tuna, mango and avocado is another menu item to consider.

Rock N Roll Sushi

The Kemuri Tower is a stack rather than a roll.

Rock N Roll Sushi, a music-themed, southeast regional chain, has rocked Little Rock’s sushi scene over the past year with two successful location openings, one along Chenal Parkway and more recently in the SoMa district. Each restaurant has been well-received for the fun atmosphere and overall laid-back approach to sushi. As you might expect, rock ‘n’ roll predominates, both on the menu and in the décor. With a slogan of “Sushi Amplified,” what did you expect? All of your standard classic rolls are found on the menu, but the show stoppers, or “Headliners,” include the Kiss Roll, with shrimp tempura, spicy mayonnaise, eel sauce and crunchy flakes, along with my go-to order, the Axl Roll: a fried offering with shrimp tempura, salmon and cream cheese on the inside. As with the Kiss Roll, the Axl is topped with spicy mayonnaise, eel sauce and crunchy flakes. Several nigiri, or “Raw Tracks,” options are also available. If you are looking for a more kid-friendly sushi experience, Rock N Roll Sushi is the right spot.

Other Sushi Options

Why stop there? In addition to these spots, the Little Rock area offers a plethora of other sushi options just waiting to be checked out, including: Wasabi Sushi, Samu, Sekisui, Ninja Bar, Sky Modern Japanese, Kobe Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi, and Kamikaito.

AY’s ARKANSAS

Sushi

Bucket List Presented by

l Agape Asian Noodles

l Kemuri

ock N Roll Sushi l R

l Ai Sushi & Grill

l Kiyen’s

amu l S

OI Sushi on the Square l A

l KJ Sushi & Korean BBQ

l Sekisui

suka Sushi & Hibachi l A

l Kobe Japanese Steakhouse &

l Sky Modern Japanese

Conway

Hot Springs

Bentonville

Fort Smith

lu Fin Sushi Bar & Grill l B

Springdale

l Blu Fish House Bentonville

razy Samurai l C

Hot Springs

l F uji Japanese Steak House Jonesboro

l F uji Steak House Conway

l Fujiyama Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Mountain Home

Little Rock

Little Rock Fayetteville

Sushi Little Rock

l Kobe Sushi & Grill Bentonville

l Mamasang Sushi & Grill Jonesboro

l Mandalay Fusion Farmington

l Meiji Japanese Cuisine Fayetteville

l Mt. Fuji Japanese Restaurant Little Rock

l Mulan’s

Conway

l Gold Town Sushi & Korean BBQ

l Naru Sushi & Grill

achi Hachi l H

l Ninja Bar, Sushi & Grill

l Hibachi Express

l Oceans at Arthur’s

l JoJo Hibachi Sushi Express

l Osaka Japanese Steakhouse

Bentonville

Little Rock

El Dorado

Little Rock, North Little Rock Hot Springs

l Kamikaito

Cabot

North Little Rock

Little Rock

& Sushi Bar Hot Springs

l Osaka Sushi Rogers

Little Rock Little Rock

l Sumo Japanese Steakhouse Jonesboro

ushi Café/ l S

Sushi Café West Little Rock

l Sushi House Bentonville

okyo House l T

Little Rock, Rogers

mami Sushi Lounge & l U

Grill Fusion Conway

l Umami | Sushi & Grill Russellville

asabi l W

Fayetteville

asabi Bar, Sushi & Grill l W

Little Rock

l Yamato Sushi & Steak House El Dorado

oshi Japanese l Y

Steakhouse Mountain Home

3C heck off the Sushi List as you visit a small sample of our favorite places. 78

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By KATIE ZAKRZEWSKI

Photos courtesy of UA-PTC

CHEF

DIAMOND S

ome of the Natural State’s top chefs will go head-to-head in the Diamond Chef competition on Thursday, April 22. Local influencers including lifestyle guru Jennifer Maune, private chef Chad Mackey and The Mighty Rib’s Kevin Shalin will host the pre-event watch party beginning at 5:30 p.m., and the live showdown will begin at 6 p.m. Sponsors and ticket holders will get a link to watch the live event, making this event far more exciting than the typical virtual events that we’ve grown accustomed to over the last year. This is the 13th year for the Diamond Chef Arkansas competition. Despite postponements, delays and cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that the tradition continues, says Adora Curry, advancement marketing and alumni relations manager at the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College Foundation. Curry is helping with coordinating and overseeing the Diamond Chef event. “It was important for the show to go on because it is something all of Arkansas looks forward to,” Curry says. Diamond Chef is the brainchild of founders: Chef Todd Gold, director of food and beverage at Saracen Casino Resort and advisory board chairmen for the UA-Pulaski Tech Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute; and Tim Higgins of the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs. The virtual setting has allowed for more opportunities related to the event, including a silent auction that starts several days beforehand. “We didn’t want to plan an in-person event with barriers like limiting the number of guests or minimizing the interactive experiences our supporters have come to love like food and drink tastings, the silent auction and educational presentations by local businesses and the Arkansas Hospitality Association,” Curry says. “This is a great way to not only support the college but also thank them for their service and sacrifice. By now, everyone has been impacted in some way by this pandemic. For many of our students, that impact has been traumatic because of their line of work, but they brave it every day because they are committed to their fields. That’s incredibly honorable.” Proceeds from the Diamond Chef competition benefit students at UA-PTC, including those training to be frontline workers in the battle against COVID-19 and those who work in the hard-hit restaurant and hospitality industry. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit uaptc.edu/diamondchef. Here is a closer look at the competing chefs this year.

CHEF JORDAN DAVIS Reigning Diamond Chef Jordan Davis of Chenal Country Club will be defending his title at the event. A graduate of the UA-PTC Culinary Arts Program, Davis’ love for cooking began in high school. “I would come home from soccer/football practice and watch Emeril Live every single day,” Davis says. “My junior year of high school, I tore all of the ligaments in my ankle and had to have surgery in order to repair them. Instead of sitting on the couch for three months, I taught myself first how to grill, and my passion and love for cooking grew from there. I got a job at Chenal when I was 21 as a dishwasher, and in my 10 years there, I have worked my way up to executive chef.” Davis mentions that many factors are needed to be a chef — a large amount of work, planning, people skills and attention. Davis’ winning strategy is simple: good, responsible flavors with sound technique.

CHEF GEOVANNY VILLAGRAN Geovanny Villagran is representing La Casa de mi Abuelita (Mawmaw’s House) at this year’s Diamond Chef competition. An accomplished chef from Mexico, Villagran has served as the chef for many prestigious restaurants and hotels in Central Arkansas. Villagran is currently in the process of opening his own establishment, Restaurant Bar Mar y Tierra Seafood & Grill. Villagran has a diverse supporting team with one member from Venezuela and a sous chef from Jordan. Villagran plans to create unique dishes that combine cultural, flavorful twists from all three countries to stun the judges this year.

CHEF BONNER CAMERON Bonner Cameron is the executive chef at Allsopp and Chapple. His passion for cooking began with fond memories of grilling and smoking meats with his father. Those memories inspired him to enroll in a culinary school, where he earned his degree at the Arts Institute of Houston. He immediately began to work with well-known chefs in Houston hotspots such as Zula, Masraff’s and Trevisio. Cameron moved to Little Rock, where he began making a name for himself not only at YaYa’s Euro Bistro but the community as well. In 2013, Cameron decided to open an elite catering company along with his partner Crystal Dear called Bistro Catering, and now he serves at Allsopp and Chapple. “Our vision is to create impeccable food of the highest quality,” Cameron says. “We want people to have a memorable experience that you cannot find anywhere else in Arkansas.”

CHEF JOSEPH SALGUEIRO If given a choice among beer, bourbon or wine, Joseph Salgueiro of Pleasant Valley Country Club says he’d choose wine and tequila. Salgueiro brings a taste of the Big Apple to Little Rock; he learned the tools of the trade in New York City. He previously assisted executive chef Jean Christophe Michele at La Tour d’Argent in Paris, spent six years as a sous chef at the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City and served as chef de cuisine at The Peabody in Little Rock and executive chef at 1620 Savoy. The best cooking advice he’s ever received? “Cook from your heart; do not take shortcuts.”

CHEF BRIAN TOWNLEY Chef Brian Townley is executive chef at the Vault at 723. Townley’s favorite dish to prepare is anything with fresh pasta, and his favorite cuisines to prepare are Asian, Italian and Hispanic in origin. Townley, who has been cooking since the age of 8, cautions that cooking is not as easy as it looks. With 22 years of culinary industry experience under his belt, Townley has seen his fair share of competitions, but it wasn’t until recently that Townley worked up the confidence to join the Diamond Chef competition. Townley’s game-winning strategy is to “be myself, have fun and take chances,” he says.

CHEF MATIAS DE MATTHAEIS Chef Matias de Matthaeis, is executive sous chef at The Alotian Club. He has attended several culinary schools in Argentina and has trained with renowned chef Antonio Bachour. “I started cooking when I was 15 because my mom didn’t have the time,” Matthaeis says. “I picked up my grandmother’s recipes and realized I enjoyed it a lot.” Matthaeis loves focusing on one ingredient at a time but loves steak, empanadas and red wine. While Mediterranean cuisine comes more naturally to him, some of his other favorite cuisine styles include French and Italian. When asked about his game-winning strategy, Matthaeis says “I don’t have one. Winning has to do with the judges’ opinion and what other chefs make. That’s relative. I have a great sous chef with me — Joel Carr, who is actually my boss — and we will make something we are proud of with the time and ingredients given. That being said, I’m coming for you, chefs.”

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food

You Ain’t Seen

‘MUFFIN YET

By Emily Beirne | Photos by David Yerby

ENGLISH

erving up English muffins for three whole decades, The English Muffin in Hot Springs is celebrating its 30th anniversary on April 19. Owner Denise Arbuckle’s family has a long-standing history grounded in Hot Springs after two generations of Air Force veterans made the booming town in Garland County their home. Venturing through various resorts and businesses in Hot Springs through the ’60s and ’70s, her parents and grandparents ran the Buena Vista Resort, the Vapors and Waffle House. Barbara English, Denise’s mother, brought with her to Waffle House her brother and sister-in-law as well as Denise and her husband, David. This small portion of the large and growing family ran Waffle House for many years, gaining experience in the restaurant business that would be handy in the decades to follow. English had always dreamed of owning her own restaurant called “The English Muffin.” Unfortunately, her health prevented her from ever following through with this longsought-after vision. In April 1991, however, Denise and David made English’s dream

The English Muffin is a routine hotspot for locals to meet and enjoy catching up over fresh coffee and signature dishes.

come true when Denise and David opened The English Muffin. Just starting out with their first business, the couple had very little money but years of experience on which to lean. Soon after opening, friends of the family, along with Denise’s sister, joined The English Muffin team to further strengthen this new restaurant. Today, 30 years later, The English Muffin is a routine hotspot for locals to meet and enjoy catching up over fresh coffee and signature dishes. Hot Springs in itself is a travel destination for Arkansans and visitors from outside the state, and when searching local favorite eateries, The English Muffin is consistently at the top of the list. Seated along the shores of Lake Hamilton with views of the waterfront, the restaurant’s interior is decked out in sports memorabilia that’ll please any and all fans, no matter the team. An open kitchen and bar seating allows customers to watch the magic happen as omelets are prepared, bacon sizzles and the favorite English muffins (made in Hope, Arkansas) run through the toaster and are slathered with butter. Popular menu items include any of the omelets (Razorback, Maui Waui, Seafood,

MUFFINS

Vegetable, Ham-Bacon-Sausage, Works or Spinach), the English breakfast (sourdough muffin topped with scrambled eggs, smothered in gravy and served with hashbrowns), Homemade Corn Beef Hash (two eggs with choice of muffin, toast, or biscuit and hash browns, country fries or grits), or, of course, any of the featured English muffins (cranberry citrus, cheddar, chocolate chip, blueberry, pumpkin, cinnamon raisin and so many more). Breakfast is the highlight of the restaurant, but the menu doesn’t discriminate against the other meals. Lunch is served all day with classics served with an English Muffin twist. Some lunch specials to check out include: the English Pattymelt (one-third pound on a cheddar muffin, grilled onions, Swiss cheese, and served with fries and slaw), Chicken Ranch Melt (grilled chicken on a sourdough muffin, Swiss cheese, bacon, ranch, and served

with fries and slaw), and the English Turkey (turkey on a sourdough muffin, bacon, Swiss cheese, and served with fries and slaw). The staff at The English Muffin think of themselves as a family, and they give all the thanks to Denise and David. Most workers have been with the restaurant for almost as long as its doors have been open, and the same can be said for many of the regular customers. A vast difference from the early days when the restaurant was still finding its footing, The English Muffin has a solid standing in Garland County. With 30 years down and many more to come, it’s evident that Barbara English’s dream was brought to life with a side of grits. This is only a taste of what The English Muffin has to offer, so go pop in, sit a spell, and take a box of muffins to go.

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Russellville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is nestled in the heart of the River Valley in Russellville, Arkansas. Our staff provides skilled professional care in a compassionate and supportive atmosphere. Russellville Nursing & Rehabilitation Center not only provides long-term care services, we also offer a wide range of rehabilitative services. Our physicians, nurses and staff all believe strong relationships with residents and their families is essential to the healing process. The entire staff is devoted to providing quality care, which celebrates the dignity and grace of every single resident.

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food By Kevin Shalin Photos By Jamison Mosley here is a very good chance you have eaten one of Matcha Norwood’s desserts and did not even know it. Maybe it was a cinnamon roll from her original business, Cinnalightful. Those were popular. Maybe it was at one of the Yellow Rocket Concept restaurants that carry several of her sweet treats. That sounds about right. Or maybe, just maybe, it was a piece of cheesecake at her wildly popular food truck, Cheesecake on point! Bingo. Norwood’s impact on the Little Rock dessert world has been a welcome addition, but one that is somewhat surprising, as her culinary expertise comes with absolutely no formal training. In fact, up until six years ago, she had spent very little time in the kitchen. Her unique career path has included working a corporate job in the Netherlands and starting a cosmetic line in her home country of Suriname in South America. Before that, she was both a professional backup hip-hop dancer and a singer for a band called El Fiesta. It has been quite a journey, to say the least, for the multitalented Norwood. So how does someone born in Suriname and raised in the Netherlands end up in Little Rock? Norwood says, “I came here on vacation. I had a friend in Little Rock who I knew through traveling.” She stayed a while but was ready to return to Suriname to continue with her cosmetic business. That is when love stepped in. “One week before I had to go back, someone arranged a blind date with Curtis Norwood, who would later become my husband,” she says. For the next few years, Matcha continued going back and forth from Little Rock to Suriname, making her products in the States and selling them in her home country. Unfortunately, the business eventually struggled due to financial hardships in Suriname. She explains, “The economy in my country went bad. It dropped tremendously, and most folks couldn’t afford my products.” Down but not out, Norwood found comfort in the kitchen. “At the end of 2015, someone told me about what a great stress reliever baking could be, but that didn’t make any sense at the time. I had never baked anything in my life and had no clue how to use an oven or a mixer,” Norwood says. But she started to bake and found the advice to be true. That is when her entrepreneurial nature once again kicked in, incorporating her newfound love for baking. The journey started with making cinnamon rolls for friends, then her business, Cinnalightful, took off, and with it came an account with the local chain Sharks Fish & Chicken. Before long, Matcha was also fulfilling cheesecake orders for the restaurant, an item that was completely foreign to her, but one she quickly de-

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“I have so many ideas on what I can do with cheesecake.”

Matcha Norwood. veloped a proclivity for making. “That’s when the love for baking cheesecake was born. From the beginning, I couldn’t believe all of the different things you could do to give it your own creative spin.” Fast forward to the 2019 Main Street Food Truck Festival, in Little Rock, an event that proved to be the game changer. A friend convinced Norwood to purchase a small trailer and sell some of her cheesecake at the festival. The cheesecake was a hit, to put it mildly. “We sold 850 slices, and I realized that this could really be a thing. Cheesecake on point! was born,” she says. Shortly thereafter, Norwood upgraded her business with a bigger, better food trailer, one that would end up parked predominately on Markham Street near the ARKitchen, a shared commercial kitchen she utilized with other small business owners. After a period of trial and error and fine-tuning the recipes,

the cheesecake took off, thanks in large part to creative spins like cheesecake-on-a-stick and cheesecake cupcakes. Both are available in flavors like strawberry crumble, peach cobbler, banana pudding, lemon blueberry and red velvet. Customers, like me, also enjoy the petit nature of the cupcakes, an opportunity to enjoy a delicious dessert but without the overindulgence. Between taste, creativity, portion and price point, it marked instant success, some of which was a bit surprising for Norwood. As she explains, “I was so shocked by the popularity of cheesecake. It was all overwhelming at first, but it gave us the opportunity to be around people, and we enjoyed it. This just fits us, but sometimes I still sit and wonder how we got here.” By “us,” Matcha is referring to herself and Curtis, her husband of eight years and business partner. When the truck is rolling, expect to see Curtis manning the window while Matcha readies the orders just a couple feet behind. The

combination of their kind personalities and dynamite cheesecake has helped build a loyal base of adoring customers in a relatively short period of time. The enthusiasm is palpable, as evident by a recent trip when I arrived 10 minutes prior to a Friday afternoon opening. Folks swarmed the truck once Curtis reached for the window. It is an excitement that Matcha both cherishes and appreciates. She says, “People come up to the truck and literally start dancing. We call it the Cheesecake Dance. It makes my heart melt.” And it motivates Matcha. Her latest business expansion includes the opening of a brick-and-mortar located at 9809 West Markham, right across the street from where the trailer typically resides. This is great news for the mobile eatery part of the business as well, as it will now be free to travel throughout the area, bringing Norwood’s confections to a wider base of customers. As for the new store, it is now ground zero for all things cheesecake. She will continue to work her creative magic with the dessert, as well as providing additional cheesecake-themed items like macarons, shakes and scones. You may even see the cinnamon rolls pop up on the menu from time to time, but make no mistake — cheesecake is the centerpiece. “I have so many ideas on what I can do with cheesecake,” she says. I do not doubt her. The sky’s the limit for Cheesecake on point! And while our waistlines won’t be pleased, those taste buds will be doing a happy dance. Or, shall I say, a “Cheesecake Dance.”

A ATCH M h t Wi • What is your favorite movie? The Shawshank Redemption and The Sixth Sense. •W ho was your biggest inspiration as a kid? My mom and stepdad were my biggest inspirations. • I f you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? Abu Dhabi. •W hat is the craziest thing you’ve ever eaten? I would have to say iguana and iguana eggs. The eggs are amazing in masala. • What celebrity would you like to have dinner with? Viola Davis, definitely. I love her!

Hook, LINE and sinker Return to Normal, Return to Nature By Dustin Jayroe • Photos courtesy of AGFC

ost of us found ourselves in a similar predicament almost exactly one year ago: The world was shut down and with it many of our day-to-day experiences. Our homes became our impromptu office spaces; dinner at a restaurant turned to little more than a curbside carhop; the kids were home from school with no timetable to return; and a night at the movies seemed a privilege that might never be a possibility again. Fortunately, we live in a great state to be holed up in. So, we left the confines of home for the sights unseen of the Natural State. It was adventurous, exciting and, most importantly, safe. As we approach the dilating light at the end of this pandemic tunnel, there are many lessons to have learned and take with us down this meandering road to normal. One of which is not forgetting the memories made in the outdoors over the past year, for many more await. All we

have to do is step outside and experience them. One of the most popular activities that people across Arkansas enjoyed this year, no matter the age or experience, just happened to be one of the oldest and tried-and-true of all: fishing. In fact, the sport encountered such a splash that the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) participated in a research study conducted by Louisiana State University to attach some real data to the anecdotes. What they found was so exciting the Commission presented the findings at this year’s Governor’s Conference on Tourism. The study identified that 32 percent of its respondents fished more than they would have otherwise, with 39 percent of female participants fishing more often. Ninetyeight percent of respondents felt that fishing was a “safe” activity to some degree. Of the survey sample, the most popular factors leading to these increases were: “nature or

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being outdoors,” “stress relief ” and “social/family bonding.” What’s exciting to both the commission and families across Arkansas is that this reasoning, although identified during the pandemic, does not have to be specific to it. The peace, the calm, the fun and the serenity of Arkansas’ many outdoor options can beget plenty of stress relief and familial bonds any time — whether you’re male or female, adolescent or retired. Of course, in a place as “Natural” as ours, the remedies don’t begin and end with a rod and reel. There’s the just-as-popular art of hunting, but as we approach the warmer months, you might more likely find the seat of a kayak or the deck of a pontoon more approachable; for that, we have thousands of miles worth of lakes and streams to accommodate. On dry land, we can hike or bike our way through just as many miles of trail systems, from the flats of the Delta to the altitudes of the Ozarks. Whatever your outdoor prescription, this state can deliver in a variety of ways. For a stress-free and safe summer this year, double up on your dose of Arkansas.

AGFC's NWA Nature Center.

Outdoor Activity List ➥ ➥ ➥

Catch a good time at your local AGFC Family and Community

Fishing Pond. There are nearly 50 across the state of Arkansas that are regularly stocked. Find a location at AGFC.com Visit your local nature center, and sign up to learn a new outdoor skill. Give bird-watching a try. You can request a Wings Over Arkansas

birding ID and checklist kit by emailing publications@agfc.ar.gov.

➥

Looking for a new float and have your own boat? Find a list of AGFC

➥

Take a hike at your local Arkansas State Park and see how many

water trails at AGFC.com, or find a paddling outfitter at Arkansas. com.

different types of wildlife you can ID. aymag.com

travel

RKANSAS 102

S BY TRAIN By BRIAN HURLEY • PHOTOS BY BRIAN HURLEY AND CASEY CROCKER

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“Train travel was less important here than many other parts of the country, even at its peak, but the effects are still evident.”

n 1874, Cornelia Dickson, a teacher from Camden, was going to take the train to Selma, Alabama. To do this, she first had to take a 12-hour stagecoach trip to Prescott. Then it was another three hours by train to Little Rock, where she switched from the Iron Mountain line to one headed east. Getting out of Arkansas would be the hard part of the trip. Even lightly developed states like Mississippi and Alabama had a huge head start when it came to railroads in the 19th century. Taking the train in Arkansas today isn’t too different from how it was for Dickson in 1874. Passenger service in the state today is limited to Amtrak’s Texas Eagle line, running from Walnut Ridge in the northeast to Texarkana in the southwest — going over the same route that she took. My plan was to take a round trip on this — leaving on a Friday and returning on Sunday — to see Arkansas by train and check out the areas around some of the remaining active stations in the state. Catching the train from Fayetteville starts with a four-hour drive through the Ozarks. The hills start to taper off at Pocahontas in Randolph County, about 15 miles north of the station in Walnut Ridge. Near downtown, the old train depot is now a museum of transportation. Bill, the lifelong Pocahontas resident who runs the museum, showed me around. According to him, train travel never really took there. Pocahontas was a river town, with boats coming up the Black River to deliver goods and take out raw materials. If people went anywhere before the Civil War, it tended to be by steamboat. All that remains of the railroad there are the piers, which once held what Bill told me was the second-largest single-span turn-type bridge in the world. This limited use of railroads was true around the state. Before the Civil War, there were only about 50 miles of tracks in the entire state. Being full of rivers and swamps, it was easier to work with the water rather than drain or build over or around it. Even after the war, when outside corporations built new rail lines, it was largely to harvest the trees and bring agricultural goods to market. The window of peak train travel between the decline of steamboats and the rise of automobiles was rela-

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tively short here. The first line built that crossed the state — the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad — followed the old Southwest Trail from northeast to southwest Arkansas and is where the Amtrak currently runs. The landscape changes as soon as you leave Pocahontas, turning to the extreme flatness of the Delta. The town of Walnut Ridge was founded in 1880 and was platted by the railroad. It is oriented to fit along the tracks. The train brought it into being, and even though it plays a lesser role now, continues to shape it. Near the center of town is the Amtrak station. I pulled up around 2:30 in the afternoon, leaving me a bit over 10 hours to kill before the train was to arrive. Outside the door were (for some reason) hundreds of desiccated tomato and pepper seedlings. Inside was John. John, I would quickly learn, was Australian by way of somewhere outside of Batesville. His combover was stuck with sweat to his forehead because of the lack of air conditioning in the station. John immediately began telling me about his lawsuit against “the U.S. state of Oklahoma,” which he was suing for $10 million as on “2 August, 2018,” they took his dogs (10 Chihuahua/dachshund mixes) and the Dodge Journey (a midsize crossover) that the dogs were in, and then held him in jail without charges for 14 days. All of it was outlined in a thick packet of papers, which he gave me to read through. John was the only other passenger. Due to the heat, the company, and my wish to see the rest of the town, I left to go for a run. I followed the tracks to the connecting town of Hoxie. Hoxie, which is named for a late 19th-century railroad executive, Jack Hoxie, exists because of trains. There’s no passenger service, but freight still comes through on the Union Pacific lines. As I ran into town, I startled Clay, who was playing guitar along the tracks. We got to talking and Clay told me about the challenges of living there. Pretty much everyone he knew, himself included, was or had been addicted to meth. He’d never taken the train anywhere, but he liked to hang out there and play guitar because the building was always open, and the acoustics were good. It was also a good place to meet new people in a town where not much was happening. Most of the people, Clay told me, were really nice and interesting. Except this one guy was showed up every couple of months and lived in the station for a few days, telling everyone about his lawsuit against Oklahoma. Something to do with some dogs. Eventually, unable to kill any more time, I went back to the station. John was still in the stifling waiting room, but the mosquito swarms soon forced me back in. It was just us for a couple of hours, and we drank some beer and talked. Conversation moved beyond lawsuits. John told me he was waiting for a train north to Indiana to pick up another Dodge to transport back to Oklahoma. He still needed ticket money, though, and had no idea when he would be able to get out of there. Then he showed me a bunch of his favorite “Hillary 2016” videos. Around 11 p.m. (still an hour and a half before the train was due), a small crowd started to filter in. There were a few other passengers heading back home to Texas accompanied by their friends who were there waiting with them. They’d clearly all been out having a good Friday night.

The train, they told me, was so much better than the bus, which is accurate. Departure time came and went. Cars pulled up to pick up passengers coming in. A guy wearing pajama pants told me the train would get there around 1:15 a.m., and it did. About six people got off, and about six people got on. More than I expected, really, but probably not enough to turn a profit. One of the reasons no one really takes the train within Arkansas is because, whichever direction you’re headed, you pass through the state in the middle of the night. I told myself I was going to stay awake for the trip across the state, but a few hours of drinking beer and engaging in relentless, fairly nonsensical conversation, the dark car with sleeping passengers, combined with the gentle swaying of the train put me out quickly. I slept through Newport, which was another town created by the train, causing a shift in the county seat to there from Jacksonport when it did. I woke briefly in Little Rock, where just the bottom of the old train station is open for railroad business, then slept through Arkadelphia and Prescott. When I woke up again and for good, it was starting to get light, and we were coming into the Texas part of Arkansas, with green fields full of cows instead of soy. The station in Texarkana is large and mostly abandoned. Only one small corner of it is still usable. There is an empty circle above the main entrance where the clock used to be. Across the street is a boarded-up hotel. The only businesses that seemed to be open were the bail bond services (there’s also a jail at the far end of the station). I walked from the station through a downtown that was entirely empty early on a Saturday morning, past vacant lots, churches and early 20th century houses that have been turned into apartments. After dropping my stuff at my apartment for the night, I spent the rest of the day wandering around. Downtown Texarkana on a Saturday afternoon is the kind of place where you can walk down the middle of the road. Being a solo pedestrian got me an offer of a free lunch from the Salvation Army van that was making its rounds as I checked out the sights. Due to a combination of the pandemic and the decline of the area, the transportation museums I’d planned to visit were closed, so I was limited to looking at the pictures in their windows of a Texarkana in which cars were lined up outside of the train station, and there was a clock in the circle where the clock was supposed to be. Even without the specific history of trains on display, it was still clear that the town had been shaped by the railroad. Restaurants and shops have train-themed names. Just south of town is a large city park named “Hobo Jungle Park,” in homage to hobos who used to ride the rails and camp there. Further north is “Iron Mountain Park,” named for the line that gave rise to the city. The tracks give structure to the layout of the town, and the trains that still pass through provide the background sounds. Checkout on Sunday was at 11 a.m., and the train didn’t leave until about 9 p.m., so that gave plenty of time to sit and stare at the tracks. There’s no longer a roof over the benches, but clouds made it tolerable to sit and read. For hours, no one came by. The occasional freight train passed through. And some Union Pacific workers were moving some

trains around the yard. From the outside, that seems like a labor-intensive and fairly arbitrary process. Connect cars. Engage brakes. Move a few feet. Stop everything. Do it all again. By the afternoon, more people started to trickle into the train area. Not to catch the train, but to pose with its artifacts for pictures. Teenage girls, often with their mothers, pulled up one after another, wearing prom-type dresses to take their pictures in front of the old storage buildings, phone booths and train cars. Rather than being the entry point to the city, the tracks were now an exotic place on the fringes to commute to for a fun background. The station finally opened around 8 p.m. Inside it was just me, an older woman who takes the train to Jefferson City, Mo., every summer to spend several months with her daughter, and a surprisingly up-to-date collection of magazines. The other passenger lived her whole life in Texarkana. It was only in retirement, once her children moved away, that she started using the train. Anyone younger drove. Even then, her trip was not an easy one. What would have been an eight-hour drive to Jefferson City would be a 22-hour train ride (not counting the waiting on either end.) She had it planned out so her insulin would stay cold for the whole trip, and she could mostly sleep. The train arrived about 20 minutes late, which equals being on time. For the return trip, I told myself I would sleep, as I would arrive at 2 in the morning and have a four-hour drive back home. This time, I couldn’t, though. It got dark just after Hope. Besides Little Rock, not much was visible outside the window, and very few people got on or off. We pulled back into Walnut Ridge just before 2 a.m. The attendants came through when we were about a mile out to make sure anyone getting off was up and ready so it could be a quick transition. They were good at getting passengers loaded and unloaded in a minute or so. As I was stepping off the train, John — who apparently had washed enough windows while spending three full days living at the station to buy his ticket to Indiana — was climbing on. He ran over to me and handed me a third of a sheet of paper with his important information: “John Harrison. Our 10 Dogs. Dodge Journey. My future children.” And then his phone number and a list of organizations that might be helpful in his cause, ranging from the Clinton Foundation to the Australian Labor Party. The train pulled away, and there was no one else around. There are no hotels waiting for train passengers, so I drove for a couple of hours into the Ozarks and pulled off to sleep for a couple of hours on the ground in the national forest. After a sweaty run and cool swim in a stream, I felt like the train was cleansed from me. Taking the train through Arkansas involves little sleep, a lot of waiting and a lot of falling-down buildings. Train travel was less important here than many other parts of the country, even at its peak, but the effects are still evident. Trains created towns, developed regions and extracted resources. The tracks are quieter, but still provide boundaries and structure, and give people something to sit near and take pictures in front of. They still bring people in and provide a subtle reminder on the edges and in the background that there’s more out there.

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Less More is

Andrew Gibbs-Dabney is exactly what you envision and nothing of what you expect.

Story By DWAIN HEBDA

Photos Courtesy of LIVSN

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At 32, Andrew Gibbs-Dabney, the founder and CEO of LIVSN sports the predictable tousled hair and easy manner of the new breed of Arkansas outdoorsman: a jock with a kayak, the bro on a bike. There are thousands just like him these days, male and female, all scaling mountains and combing rivers on any given weekend, turned on by fresh air and high on the prospect of adventure. They are his people and his clientele, this nouveau robuste; individuals who seek, as his company mantra goes, “experiences over stuff.” That’s the unexpected part of the native Arkansan’s story: As a maker of stuff — outdoor casual clothing to be specific — such minimalist patter borders on blasphemy. But at its soul, LIVSN is cut from a simple, yet decidedly different philosophical cloth. Create better quality products, the thinking goes, thoughtfully engineered to go from outdoors to out on the town, and reduce the redundant clutter of closets coast to coast. “LIVSN was formed out of this semi long-term effort to simplify what I owned to end up with a core selection of belongings,” Gibbs-Dabney says. “Overconsumption of stuff keeps you from actually living your life. The big part of our brand message is this concept of owning less and living more. That’s been our tagline since the very beginning. I’ve tried to change it several times, and I keep coming back to it. It’s really cool for us.” “I wanted to make outdoor clothing specifically because outdoor clothing has the potential to be extremely versatile, if you build it the way we wanted to, that is, not overly technical but durable and very functional. So, when it came down to starting LIVSN, it was somewhat a lifestyle design, and also, it was filling this need in the market.” It all sounds very hippy-trippy on first reading, but the performance of the three-year-old company shows Gibbs-Dabney is onto something. LIVSN’s current collection, as advertised on its website, includes just 10 items, if you count the gift certificate. But among those 10 are items that validate everything the CEO has been talking about. In 2018, the company launched a Kickstarter campaign for preorders of its fleece top and canvas flex pants, attracting 511 backers who invested $79,000, more than double the $30,000 goal. In the summer of 2019, another Kickstarter campaign — this time to launch the second iteration of the canvas pants — helped the company reach its $10,000 ask in 90 minutes, hit $20,000 in just six hours and ultimately raise $108,000 over the 30-day campaign. Only 1 percent of Kickstarter campaigns reach the $100,000 mark. This year, a Kickstarter campaign to launch its do-anything EcoTrek adventure pants, made from ocean buoys, raced past $100,000 in 12 hours and yielded a grand total of more than $500,000 from 3,611 backers — the highest-grossing campaign in Arkansas history. Add to that fawning reviews in national magazines from Forbes and Men’s Journal to Gear Junkie and Outside Magazine, and the Northwest Arkansas firm has become a bona fide sensation among the new breed of outdoor clothiers. Gibbs-Dabney says achieving this kind of brand following in such a short span of time comes down to sweating the details and staying true to a mission.

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“You have to concentrate 100 percent on making the highest-quality product that you can. That was one of our values from the beginning,” he says. “We were going to build a high-quality product that stands on its own before marketing, before branding, before all of these things. We wanted to make sure that when our customer gets it, they’re delighted beyond what they expected. “As they wear it, they continue to develop a higher level of appreciation for the product because it holds up. They find a functionality that they didn’t know about, and that bond becomes stronger. It really comes almost entirely down to the product, when it comes to getting that sort of following.” Timing also helps, as the company’s efforts come at a bumper crop period in the outdoor apparel industry. From hiking boots to fleece vests to puffy jackets, outdoor clothing has been on a roll lately. According to Statistica, the worldwide outdoor clothing market value topped $14.2 billion last year, up nearly $2 billion from 2018 and is forecasted to grow another $5.5 billion over that by 2026. Industry watchers have posited a number of reasons for the segment’s growth even as other apparel categories have floundered. Fashionbeans. com credits increased collaboration between fashion houses and outdoors clothiers, resulting in parkas and hiking boots showing up on runways, boosting exposure. Last October, Technavio released its latest market research report titled “Global Outdoor Apparel Market 2020-2024,” in which it measured the pandemic’s economic impact on various durable goods segments. Its data shows outdoor clothing sales being among the least affected by COVID-19, thanks to the public’s focus on health and the relative safety of living an active lifestyle outdoors. Another leading driver for the segment is the tribe mentality many of its top brands engender in their clientele. As nuorder.com reported, the Top 3 must-haves outdoors consumers share include sustainability, innovative design and environmental consciousness. Companies that demonstrate an authentic commitment to these concepts are benefiting most from the current boom, in many cases led by private label brands, reports Technavio. All in all, a near carbon-copy of LIVSN’s game plan. “Starting out, the first thing I did was write down the values and the mission and what kind of company we were going to be and publish that on our website and on social media,” Gibbs-Dabney says. “The idea being, we’d find people that were attracted to the ‘why’ behind LIVSN before we even put out what LIVSN really was or what we were going to make. “Step two was getting the products made. First and foremost, functionality, style and fit are the most important things for anybody with a piece of clothing. It doesn’t matter how sustainable something is; if it fits poorly, you won’t wear it. It doesn’t matter how simple it is; if it’s bright orange, you’re never going to wear it, right? All these things are more important than anything. “After that, I think it’s sustainability and simplifying life and versatility. Those are probably all tied in our customers’ minds as things they find very important because they’re all tied to this idea of spending time outside and living your life.” Checking these boxes allows LIVSN to tone down its sales pitch in favor of reinforcing its mission statement and values in marketing. Visit its Pipeline blog at livsndesigns.com, and you’ll notice posts on sustainability and stripping down one’s lifestyle tucked among such stories as “How to Find Drinkable Water in the Wild” and “An Honest Look at Hiking Naked.” The hard sell may be absent, but brand reinforcement, to varying degrees of subtlety, is a critical and ongoing part of the company’s strategy. “You do have to do marketing, you have to tell your brand’s story, you have to explain why the product is better, and you have to really give your customers the words,” Gibbs-Dabney says. “It’s not a given for people to repeat what you want them to repeat. If you give 10 people the same pair of pants with nothing written about it or no kind of prompt, they’re going to tell their friends 10 different things. “But, if you are effectively communicating what the features are, why they’re better and that they’re more sustainable, and they end up liking them, then they have the words to tell other people. That’s where marketing meets product development. They really have to work together that way.” For as new age as the company’s funding and marketing models are,

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The first thing I did was write down the values and the mission and what kind of company we were going to be...

Gibbs-Dabney is an old soul when it comes to distribution. LIVSN products are in about 70 retailers in the region with plans to expand the brick-and-mortar presence. “One thing I don’t see going away, that I think everybody loves to see, is in-person retail done well,” he says. “Retail’s changing, but I do think there’s always going to be a place for going to a physical store and seeing a curated selection of products that were chosen by a thoughtful merchant and displayed in a certain way. “That experience is going to stay around, hopefully, in a more thoughtful and customer-centered package than it was in the ’90s and 2000s when everything went big box and impersonal. Part of the experience of living is buying things that you need by finding something you support and then buying from them. We’ve put a lot of time and thought into what that experience looks like — smooth, transparent, fast and aesthetically pleasing. It should be easy to support the brands that you love.” LIVSN is Gibbs-Dabney’s second go-around with outdoor apparel start-ups and his first built from the ground up. He cut his teeth with seminal Arkansas brand Fayettechill for which he went from warehouse worker to COO and CFO during his tenure, learning the finer points of operational efficiency and the value of pacing growth. For now, LIVSN’s major challenge is expanding the product line and keeping up with demand. Gibbs-Dabney admits to being overdue for a women’s version of LIVSN products with the first women’s pants due out this fall. But, he says, the deliberate pace by which other new units will be introduced is by design. “I’ve learned over the years that complexity creates problems. So, we see ourselves launching between three and five new items every year,” he says. “That’s very slow in this industry, and our retailers are fine with that, as opposed to launching an apparel brand with dozens of products, each one needing its own marketing, its own quality controls, its own operations, its own inventory and financing. “We went into this saying that we’re going to build a very small amount of product to launch. That way, we can put our limited resources into making them as high-quality as possible, making sure that the story is getting told effectively and, once that story is out there, gaining feedback we can incorporate as product improvement. That’s not an easy thing to do when you have too much stuff.” The name LIVSN sounds like it was contrived to suggest what you do in the company’s products. In fact, it is derived from the Swedish word “livsnjutare,” roughly translated, “one who loves life deeply; an enjoyer of life.” It’s a suitably noble concept around which to build a brand, GibbsDabney notes, adding his hopes for the venture are less about world domination than global improvement. “What I hope we contribute to the marketplace is a reduction in branded crap; non-differentiated products that are cheaply built for the lowest possible cost, with no respect for the environment, being sold purely because they have a brand attached to them,” he says. “You can use the most sustainable materials in the world, but if your product is low-quality and doesn’t have any merit to exist other than the fact it has a brand associated with it, that drives waste and overconsumption and everything else. Hopefully, that’s on its way out. “We may accelerate, as we’re able to keep the scale and give the appropriate level of design and quality control. But for now, we’re small, and we’re going to keep the product expansion slow and steady and try to maintain a very high degree of quality while we do it.”

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Andrew Gibbs-Dabney.

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THE PEOPLE BEHIND YOUR NEWS:

Amanda

JAEGER By Dustin Jayroe • Photos by Jamison Mosley

Amanda Jaeger.

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ver the years, it’s become fairly typical for people to think of news personalities as celebrities. As journalists, they may not think it themselves, but it’s a natural phenomenon that’s bound to happen when one is on television with so many eyes watching. Figures of the past like Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Barbara Walters and Tom Brokaw, as well as of the present in Robin Roberts, Anderson Cooper and Lester Holt are often as well-known as literal movie stars. The same is true at the local level; if you saw an Arkansas news personality at the grocery store, admit it, you’d gush. For Amanda Jaeger, like her colleagues around the state, it’s commonplace to be recognized on the streets of where you call home. She’s the morning and noon anchor for KTHVChannel 11, a part of the everyday routines for the CBS affiliate’s viewership in Central Arkansas. But unlike her colleagues, Jaeger’s impression stretches much further than the THV11 viewing range. She’s not just a luminary for her work in television; she’s a social media icon. Among Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, Jaeger has more than 1 million followers from across the world. Such notoriety and attention might be overwhelming for some, but not Jaeger. She’s been confident and comfortable on the big stage since she was a little small-town girl in Missouri. “As a child, I always had this very deep, boisterous voice that I still have to this day,” she says. “Even when I was 6 or 7 years old, people were like, ‘That girl is going to grow up and be on the news.’ And I was obsessed with the news. I was one of those weird little kids who just watched the news all the time.” Via karaoke machine, Jaeger would regularly deliver the news to her family and dogs in their living room and to neighbors from her back deck, evoking her childhood hero, Beth Malicky, a news anchor for KOMU-Channel 8 in Columbia, Missouri, at the time. When Jaeger was 8 years old, she was blessed to meet Malicky, a moment that remains one of her fondest memories. “It was just my passion,” she says of the news. Even still, it wasn’t always part of her career plan. As she got older, more and more naysaying chatter made its way to her ears, influencing her away from the thing she loved. “To be honest, a lot of people kind of discourage people from pursuing careers in journalism, because they say, ‘You're never going to make any money,’ and, ‘It's really hard to grow in the career,’” she says. “Unfortunately, I listened to the negative parts and took a different direction [at first].” By the time college came around, Jaeger planted her flag of studies in political science and communications, for another passion of hers growing up was current events. After earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Central Missouri, she set off for Kansas University to pursue a graduate degree in political science, with an aim to become a professor in the field. But that plan would also become upended — by pageantry. As Jaeger recalls, she’s always loved pageants but didn’t always feel like she could fit in that scene. “I did not want to compete in pageants, but my mom was very into pageants when she was younger, and I enjoyed watching them. We always watched Miss America together,” she says. “[But] when I was little, I was this very, very chunky … little girl that my mom put in pageants, and I would always walk away first runner-up. And they’d say, ‘She has a phenomenal interview,’ but I didn't have ‘the look.’ Let’s just say that. And so throughout my life, my mom always wanted me to do it. … But then by the time I was in college, I realized how much scholarship money you could win. And so my mom said, ‘Just do it — you can sing, you know you can talk, just go try it.’” With both eyes on a potential scholarship for college, Jaeger entered her local hometown pageant as a young adult, and won — but, more importantly, she had a blast. She’d go on to compete at Miss Missouri for the next three years, hoping to win and make it to Miss America, but came up a little short each time. After earning her bachelor’s and moving to Kansas for grad school, she seamlessly transitioned into that state’s pageant scene, taking no time to make her mark on her new home. In her first year competing, she won Miss Kansas 2014. Her whole life, she had watched from afar with an envious eye the Miss

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America pageant; now, she was in it herself. She didn’t win, but she was honored with the next best thing in her mind: Jaeger was named a top Quality of Life finalist for her dedication to service — a subject that continues to be at the heart of her life today. “That was honestly a goal of mine: If I wasn't going to win Miss America, I at least wanted to be able to get my service message out there,” Jaeger says, adding that she was named a finalist for the program she created called Find Your Strengths. “I shared my personal story about losing a family member to suicide, and about how women had empowered me throughout my life to persevere, even in my circumstances. And so the whole program that I created was helping women help and encourage other women — regardless of your backstory, what you’ve been through, it’s all about where you’re going. And the Associated Press actually picked up my story and shared it in an article that ended up going global, so I got to share my story with the world through that experience. That was worth everything to me and made it one of the best things I’ve ever been able to do. … It was a labor of love and growth, but I’m so glad I did it.” Miss America also taught Jaeger what life in the limelight was like, preparing her well for her present-day stardom. “I was one of the lucky, last ones who got to actually compete in Atlantic City,” she says. “So I got to experience the true Miss America experience. And it was crazy. I mean, every minute of your day you were doing something — cameras were on you, you’re going to press rooms. I had to have security just to go to the bathroom.” Ironically, it was through this new experience that Jaeger found her way back to her first love — news. She left Kansas University after one year for an opportunity at KWCH-Channel 12 in Wichita, Kansas. Quickly, the talent that she budded in her backyard with a plastic microphone began to show through. She began her career at the station as a traffic reporter and soon ascended the ranks to anchor the morning show. But as soon as she’d made a name for herself in Kansas — both as the “Miss” of the state and as an anchor of one of its most popular local shows — she was off and running again for an opportunity in Little Rock. And just as all of her other path deviations centered around finding and pursuing loves of hers, so did this one. Although, it wasn’t a field of study or professional activity this time. It was a person. Mitchell Jaeger. Like most of the endeavors she’s chosen to pursue, he took some work. “I was Miss Kansas, and I walked into a Starbucks and looked the barista — the beautiful, blue-eyed barista — in the eyes, and I said, ‘Oh my gosh, you have such beautiful eyes.’ And he goes, ‘Um, OK, what can I get you to drink?’ And that was how the love story began and ended at that point,” she recalls with a laugh. “But then, a couple months later, I wrote him a letter with a Bible verse on it and said, ‘I’d love to get coffee sometime, because I know that's something you like.’ We ended up getting coffee the next day, dated for about three months, engaged, married five months later. And now my husband, Mitch, and I have been together for more than five years. … It’s like ‘Taylor, the Latte Boy’ by Kristin Chenoweth — I truly fell in love with the Starbucks barista.” Her latte boy brought her plenty of java and joy, but after graduating from Wichita State University, a growth opportunity with Starbucks presented itself to him in Little Rock. Fortunately, she found a gig in the capital city as well: an anchor for THV11. She joined the station in October 2016. Mitchell has since earned his master’s degree and moved into a different field, but the couple remains in Central Arkansas, immediately falling in love with the area after moving to town five years ago. But it wasn’t always a storybook saga for Jaeger in broadcast journalism. Disparaging social media comments remain on the original news articles from 2016 when “Miss Kansas” was announced to be joining THV11; people purporting that she’d “made it” only for her looks, or the typical stereotypes that “pageant girls” often endure. For that type of generalizing, Jaeger has worked to dispel the preconceived notions and feels like, as a whole, it’s worked. “There’s always going to be some negative comments, but by and large, the more I’ve been able to share all the experiences I’ve had, [I’ve tried to] put to rest these negative perceptions about what pageants are like, specifically because it’s really a scholarship organization now,” Jaeger explains. “And

there have been a lot of changes in the Miss America organization to really reflect what our true values are. Honestly, since I’ve come to Arkansas … I feel more loved and supported by this community than I’ve ever felt in my life. One thing that I’m always passionate about is, I’m very relatable on social media — always very real and authentic. I go on with no makeup in pictures and videos and stuff like that. And so I think I’ve been able to kind of bust a lot of stereotypes that people might have initially had about me when I came to work here. And over the years, I’ve just been able to foster those relationships with people online, in person and in the community. And so I think it’s — hopefully — really changed some of their perceptions and stereotypes, and along the way I’ve made a lot of friends, too.” Now, not only does she cover the news, but she’s become it in a lot of ways through that social media presence. As a newsperson and former Miss America contestant, Jaeger has long had a healthy following, numbering in the thousands, on all the major hubs. But in February 2020, she joined the blossoming platform of TikTok, a video-centric social media application. Her first few videos shared some behind-the-scenes fun at THV11 — Jaeger jumping in front of a green screen in slow motion and her pre-show makeup routine. In April, her account exploded after her seventh video went viral Mitchell and Amanda Jaeger. (Courtesy) in classic internet fashion. In the 15-second clip, she thought it would be fun to address one of the most THV11 has been awesome because they’ve been so supportive of me just docommon questions that people ask her: “Does your voice really sound like ing my thing and being super authentic, because they know at the end of the that?” day, that’s what people really want.” With that caption displayed and music playing in the background, Jaeger It’s also presented her with an opportunity not all journalists are lucky says in the video, “Breaking news: My voice sounds like this all the time. I enough to have: Meeting people at their level, where they “hang out” online, literally can’t change it. Now for the next top story.” To date, the video has and thus breaking down barriers in ways that previously seemed unattainable. been watched nearly 2 million times, and it garnered her plenty of attention “I’ve had thousands of people tell me that this is the type of stuff they from the TikTok community, where her profile now has more than 1.3 milwant to see, that they feel like, ‘Oh, I can trust her because she’s real, she’s lion followers and her videos have received 35 million likes. not faking it, so I want to go listen to what she has to say,’” Jaeger says. “It’s “‘Maybe this is the perfect platform for me,’” she remembers thinking to also about really understanding what platform you're using. So for TikTok, herself at the time. “I can just be my goofy, fun self and give people kind of a I don't do a lot of extremely newsy stuff. I do more personality, behind the unique, behind-the-scenes look at what I do and what the news industry is scenes, Q&A things. And then I direct them to my Instagram and my Facelike. And so I just started creating videos like that. book where I do very hard news. I have a segment I created on Instagram and “To this day, I’m so overwhelmed — no understanding of how that hapon Facebook called “Coffee Convos with Amanda,” where I delve deeply into pened. But I guess there’s a perception that news people are unrelatable and a topic. And it’s usually, lately, coronavirus related or stimulus check related, are just a face and a figure behind a screen. But I think I’ve been able to where I teach people what’s going on and then allow them to interact and show people that’s absolutely not true. And I guess they like it. So, I’m really ask me questions.” thankful for that.” In Central Arkansas, we know Jaeger for her unbiased and entertaining Interestingly enough, Jaeger feels like her magnetic presence on TikTok skills as a journalist — from breaking news to her coverage of the local food and beyond has actually helped her image as a journalist, despite some of the scene through her Emmy-nominated segment “Eat It Up.” But if you really doubts that some people can have about how things “look” on social media. want to know her — to see the secrets of the trade (like that sometimes she “Sometimes people will say to me, ‘Be careful that you don’t show too wears pajama pants behind the desk) — she’s happy to share with you and much of your personal life or that you’re not too authentic, you just have to be millions of others on social media. And the fame hasn’t gone to her head; if careful on social media,’” she says. “So it’s been really challenging to find the anything, it’s made her even more charming and relatable. balance of, ‘Look, no, I’m going to be myself and I’m going to do these fun “I just really love where I'm at,” Jaeger says. “The state has been so incredible to me and my husband these last four and a half years, and I feel like videos, and that doesn’t undermine my professional credibility.’ It actually has we’re onto something really incredible on our morning show right now. I feel improved that, because people feel like I’m a real person, and they can trust so good about this.” me now. They send me story ideas, and they’re telling me they’re watching.

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Photo by Rett Peek.

The Woman

BEHIND the LENS:

By Dwain Hebda

Kathryn Tucker is Building the New Tinseltown 120

“UNFORTUNATELY, I COULD NOT SING.”

“What I tell people about working in Arkansas is this: If you’re a filmmaker in Arkansas, you really love both things. It’s not easy to be a filmmaker here, and it’s not easy to make a living. If that’s something you’ve chosen and you’ve chosen to stay in Arkansas, you’re really, really committed to both.” If the thought of movie and television production leaving industry hubs and migrating

In 1908, he corralled the patent holders of all significant technology related to producing and screening motion pictures under the Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC). So begins Kathryn Tucker’s tale of life in Through that body of cronies, Edison ruled the arts. The veteran director and producer of the industry like an oligarch. film and television, who’s worked at the elbow “If you wanted to be in the movie busiof some of the giants of the business, found ness,” Dan Lewis wrote in Mental Floss, “you early the trailhead of her career at her homedid so at the pleasure of Thomas Edison.” town Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock Inevitably, mav(now Arkansas Muerick producers seum of Fine Arts). would chafe under There, the harsh “What I really want the Arkansas Cinema Society to MPPC’s thumb indignities inherent to do is to connect and support all of the different film com- and looked around that field were revealed to set up shop elsealmost immediately. munities — Central Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas, Hot where. As a Febru“I was in plays ary article for the Springs, etc. — and be a resource for one another.” there. I was part of the Foundation for Children’s Theatre,” she Economic Educasays, “but I was usually to places like Arkansas seems oddly out of tion (FEE) noted, Los Angeles was an ideal cast as a rock or a tree or something. My career place, consider that it’s happened before, albeit landing spot, providing cheap labor and land, as an actor was brief.” not for more than a century. Thomas Edison, great weather and enough distance to keep the Fortunately, Tucker proved as gifted in who perfected much of moving picture techMPPC at arm’s length. By the end of World visual arts as she was lacking in vocal talent, nology, birthed the wildly popular art form as War I, the tide had turned, and LA became specifically painting, which she continues to silent pictures in New Jersey. Better regarded the undisputed epicenter for American film, this day. Then, while attending Central High for his mechanical genius than his people seemingly forever. School, her parents bought her a Nikon FM2, skills, Edison was highly opinionated on how But over the last three decades or so, Holand her course was set. the burgeoning industry should evolve and its lywood has steadily lost its grip on the in“I absolutely fell in love with photograpractitioners behave. dustry for which it is famous. Sky-high costs phy,” she says. “Looking back on it, if you put theater together with a camera, that’s basically film.” Many years later, the light in Tucker’s voice while discussing the art form that became her life’s work is undimmed. It is a journey that took her from the Natural State to the East Coast and then California, searching for various ways to bring her vision and creativity to reality. Over her career, those outlets have included still and movie photography, television series and feature and independent films. Today, the frame is considerably wider, her focus sharper, as she seeks to bring cinematic art more fully to life in Arkansas. It’s no pet project, either, nurturing the state’s nascent film industry as she is into a reliable economic engine. “Film is the art form of the 21st century and the most accessible art form,” she says. “And, it’s an art form that you can make a Jeff Nichols, Amber Brewer, Kathryn Tucker, Spencer Andrews and John Beachboard. living doing here. I think Arkan(Daniel Nansel) sas is catching on to that.

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It’s really about the people who live in Arkansas having jobs. What we’d really like to have is four to five $2-$5 million films a year.

tied to real estate and labor unionization have grown worse with time, until the 1990s when some flyover states decided the time was ripe to start beckoning. Louisiana and Georgia led that charge, offering sweet deals to producers in the form of various incentives. What began in dribs and drabs is now a full-scale exodus; FEE noted in 2017 just 10 of the top 100 movies that year were made mainly in California. Meanwhile, Georgia’s film industry is an $80 billion juggernaut and growing. Tucker was one of the LA crowd who, after years of working on major motion pictures and television programs, wanted to get back home. She was surprised to see what had sprouted in her absence. “When I was working in Hollywood, I was working on $100-plus million films, and there’s a lot of luxury in that. I loved traveling all over the world with these highly competent film crews. Those experiences were pretty amazing, obviously,” she says. “But there’s also a lot of pressure in that because every day you’re just slow-burning hundreds of thousands of dollars. As an assistant director, you’re the one in charge of making sure everything goes as smoothly as possible, so that job is really stressful, and we have the longest hours of anyone on the crew. “I got out of that because I missed Arkansas. I came back to visit, met my husband, who’s a cinematographer. There was a small but awesome group of filmmakers that were making really great content, and I was very impressed by what they were doing. It kind of intrigued me, and that’s why, ultimately, I moved home.” Tucker initiated various projects upon her return, including producing All the Birds Have Flown South, shot in Arkansas in the winter of 2014. In 2016, she produced the feature film Antiquities, shot entirely on location that fall in Little Rock and North Little Rock. Working these projects convinced her all the more how well-positioned Arkansas was to get a bigger slice of the cinematic pie. “I had been working with all of this Hollywood talent, and I found the talent to be equal or better in Arkansas,” she says. “There’s a difference in attitude, in my opinion, in working on an Arkansas film and an LA film. In Hollywood, they’re not necessarily in it for

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the art, they’re in it because it’s a well-paying job. When you hire a film crew here, they’re so grateful to get the work, they bring their A-game. That’s the really cool thing. Even the prop intern is some incredible artist.” Historically, the state’s film credentials are a mixed bag. Although Arkansas can list inclusion in seminal works Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Gone With the Wind to its credit, through the 1970s much of its library files under lowbudget redneck tire-squealers like Boxcar Bertha, White Lightning and Two-Lane Blacktop. Here and there, the 1980s had its nuggets — Biloxi Blues and A Soldier’s Story, for instance. Since 1990, however, the amount of work and quality consistency has improved markedly. Sling Blade, shot in Saline County, was one of the best films of 1996, earning Arkansan Billy Bob Thornton two Academy Award nominations and winning Best Adapted Screenplay. Mud, starring Mathew McConaughey, was shot entirely in southeast Arkansas. Played at Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals, it was named one of the Top Ten Independent Films of 2013 by the National Board of Review. Arkansas started to gain more attention

Photo by Daniel Nansel.

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thanks to an incentives package passed by the legislature in 2009 and the street cred of numerous film festivals, notably the Little Rock Film Festival. But when that event lumbered to a halt in 2015, industry and government movers and shakers feared the state’s film industry would stick in idle or worse. In response, Tucker launched the Arkansas Cinema Society in 2017, the founding board of which included Gov. Mike Beebe, actress Mary Steenburgen and screenwriters Jeff Nichols and Graham Gordy, to help regain momentum. “The spark for the Arkansas Cinema Society came from the Little Rock Film Festival closing in 2015,” Tucker says. “If you look, there’s a direct correlation between filmmakers making films and having a place to screen them. If they don’t have a place to screen their films, they are not going to make films.” “So, when the Little Rock Film Festival closed after a very, very successful nine years, a group of filmmakers and city leaders got in a room and were like, ‘Yes, we should have a film festival in Little Rock. But we should also create a statewide film network that models what the Austin [Texas] Film Society has done

there, which is about developing the film community and being more community-based.’” It was as they were fleshing through the details of those projects, Tucker says, that board members began to think bigger. “We just decided that Arkansas is too small of a state to silo its film resources,” she says. “What I really want the Arkansas Cinema Society to do is to connect and support all of the different film communities — Central Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas, Hot Springs, etc. — and be a resource for one another.” In addition to this, the Society serves as a connecting point for Arkansas expats to reconnect with their home state. Educational programming is another priority, to teach and inspire the next generation. “It’s wildly fulfilling to teach young people about film and introduce it as a possibility for a career,” says Tucker, the mother of two. “We’re basically giving all of these young people a decade’s worth of heads-up on getting into the industry, something I didn’t have. “We’re doing screenwriting for fifth graders. I lead a filmmaking lab for teen girls every summer. As soon as COVID’s over, we’re hoping to start these more robust weekend workshops, where we bring in industry experts. Our pillars have always been ‘Watch, Learn, Make.’” In 2021, the Society was behind a bill introduced in the Arkansas legislature sweetening the incentives package for filmmakers originally passed in 2009. HB-1743, sponsored by Rep. Charlene Fite (R-Van Buren), switches incentives from rebates to tax credits and provides additional perks for projects employing veterans and filming in economically disadvantaged Arkansas counties. “The marketing one-liner for [the bill] is that we’re doing our best to make these incentives more sustainable,” Tucker says. “Converting from a rebate to a credit means the state won’t have to write a check to filmmakers. Tax credits are a lot more palatable compared to allocating funds in the state budget, which has been the trouble with the current incentive.” Another improvement backed by the Society, though not part of the House bill, is streamlining the application process for filmmakers through the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “When a producer comes here, they have to go through a fairly extensive approval process,” Tucker says. “Not to speak negatively about what we have, because what we have percentage-wise is actually pretty competitive. We’re just trying to streamline it to make it a little bit more accessible.” As enthused as she is about the possibility of growth, Tucker is keeping a measure of perspective when it comes to goal setting. Which isn’t easy, considering the myriad opportunities she sees to build a thriving and fertile film

Photo by Daniel Nansel.

industry ecosystem within the Natural State. “We’re not trying to be Georgia. We don’t think we’ll ever be Georgia. It’s really about the people who live in Arkansas having jobs.” she says. “What we’d really like to have is four to five $2-$5 million films a year. That would not only employ a lot of people, we could partner with universities, given they’ll have places to have internships. Once you get on your first film and you work hard and get along with people, they’ll take you along with them. That’s how we see creating a sustainable

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economy — even if it’s small — for filmmakers in Arkansas. That’s the idea. “You know, for theatres and streaming channels and YouTube, everybody, there’s a need for new content. A lot of the independent films that are truly, truly very low budget, were still able to create throughout the pandemic. Already this year, there’s been a couple of productions in Little Rock, and I’m seeing production companies pop up both in Central Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas. I see Arkansas as about to explode.” aymag.com

Graham Gordy

His Way With

Words

Arkansas’ Graham Gordy Has Found ‘It’ By Dustin Jayroe • Photos by Jamison Mosley

f there were ever a story about perseverance mustering achievement, Graham Gordy would probably lead the cast list. Or, perhaps he’d write the script. In his many years in the arts, he’s done plenty of both. But the truth is, such a tale is one of the most oft-used tropes in the industry; and the trouble is, Gordy isn’t exactly the type to abet predictability. Whether for that reason or another, it’s been an aptly alliterative grind for Gordy. (Graham Gordy’s Grind was an option to head this piece, but that felt too predictable.) Over the years, he’s been candidly forthcoming about his struggles, times when he sent his resume across Central Arkansas to find a job — anywhere — to bring at least something to the bank to help with his $150,000-plus student loan bill. Such revelations border on the edge of unbelievable when talking about one of the most decorated screenwriters in Arkansas history, with his fingerprints on a season of True Detective, the hit Sundance TV drama Rectify, Cinemax’s Quarry and the 2018 comedy film Antiquities. But, that’s his story — one that also involved him writing The Love Guru with Mike Myers, which almost upended it all. ************

Screenwriting, and filmmaking in general, is a tough nut to crack, exacerbated by the modern marvel of streaming. There are so many shows and movies that even those with a vested interest in the industry leave dozens of fine, even award-winning projects under their radar from sheer overwhelming market saturation. And that’s just the stuff that

actually gets made. There’s an art to breaking into the industry, turning a foot in the door to a seat at the table of the writers’ room. A science. But then again, there’s not. “It is one of those industries that seems like it’s a black box,” Gordy tells AY About You. “It’s a complete mystery as to how you would get into it and how you do it. And if you are, somehow, getting something made or are able to make a living at it, then everybody’s sort of like, ‘Well, just show me how you did that.’ Unfortunately, the problem is that I have no idea.” To break it down succinctly, Gordy goes on to analogize making films and shows against other vocations, such as becoming a doctor or lawyer. In most cases, you study the subject, get into the specialized schools, and end up an MD or JD practicing in the field. It’s, of course, not that easy or simple to accomplish, but for the most part, the path is understood. And if those studies were at Harvard Law School or a residency was conducted at Boston Medical Center, the odds of finding a job and “making it” increase exponentially. The same can’t always be said of filmmaking, something Gordy knows all too well. Growing up in Conway in the ’70s and ’80s, when it was a much smaller town than it is today, he had a hard time finding his niche, his purpose, until acting in local theater found him. He had always enjoyed movies and sketch comedy, so the draw to it was a natural one. Very quickly, Gordy realized that entertaining audiences through such art was incredibly rewarding, touching some of our most elemental needs as a species for affirmation.

“You go up there, and you do something funny, and people laugh or they applaud,” he says, “and you’re like, ‘Oh man, this is the approbation I’m finally getting that I’ve always needed, in some ways. There was something sort of very basic in that but fulfilled a kind of emotional need in me. But it was also, I can put my anxieties aside for a moment in order to sort of pretend to be this other person. “I think it all still stems from that initial inclination of trying to entertain people — trying to make people laugh, trying to do that sort of thing — which always felt like my role growing up, whether it was among friends or my family.” Gordy graduated from Conway High School in 1994, and after a year at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA), where his mother taught as a professor, he packed his bags and headed west to shoot his shot in Los Angeles. After a one-year stint in the city, he came to terms with the realization that acting — at least becoming an actor in this way — was not for him. He witnessed firsthand the quasi hierarchy of steps that are usually needed to lumber up the ladder of LA. Sign with a lower-tier agent, get some work, take some classes, shake some hands, get a bigger agent and then repeat the process with better gigs and bigger hands to shake. It can take a decade or more for most, and even that requires a bit of luck, as well. Some in the industry joke that this is why you’ll frequently see 30-year-olds playing 20-yearolds in major pictures. Oftentimes, it took them that long to make it to that level. “It was kind of like a tenure process if you really dedicated yourself to it,” he says. “And then I was all of a sudden like, ‘Do I want to do that for the next 10 years?’ I think that’s when the shift happened where I thought, ‘I really enjoy acting, but I don’t love it so much that I’m going to put in the time and dedication to do it.’ I didn’t know that it would be that fulfilling for me in the long run.” Even still, his time in LA was not all for naught. As brief as it was, his natural talents impressed enough to land him a spot at The Groundlings Theatre and School, which is often heralded as a feeder for Saturday Night Live. People like Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Will Forte, Jon Lovitz and Chris Kattan all walked paths that led through The Groundlings. There, Gordy fell further in love with the art of sketch comedy and found a new adoration for writing. He brought this new perspective back to Conway, but Hollywood felt every bit of the 1,600 miles between the two cities. At the time, there wasn’t much of a community in the Natural State for budding filmmakers,

and UCA didn’t have the writing program that it has today. So while Gordy could find expression through plays at local venues like The Rep and put on by the university, that life as a career felt out of reach. Instead, he devoted his curriculum of choice to English and philosophy. After achieving his undergraduate degree, Gordy had aims to pursue academia (a life he knew very well through his mother) and attend graduate school for philosophy. But, an advisor in the department talked him out of it, saying, “I don’t know that you really want to go into academic philosophy. Not because you don’t love philosophy enough, but because academic philosophy is probably not going to make you love philosophy more.” Instead, Gordy applied for grad school in playwriting, an art form he had picked up from his many experiences to this point. He was accepted into the prestigious and extremely selective New York University (NYU), where he earned an MFA and received the Goldberg Award for Playwriting. He’d go on to live in NYC and write a number of plays during his time there, but being a playwright is not exactly a moneymaking endeavor, even if your work is getting

“

clout of merely his second official screenwriting credit featuring the likes of Myers, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Alba and Jessica Simpson, it left his door shut instead of creating more offers. To make matters worse, the entire global economy then collapsed in the worst recession since the Great Depression. The NYU product went dark for the next half-decade, and not exactly by choice. In 2016, Gordy told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that, during this period, he “emotionally crashed.” With his first wife, Becky, expecting their first and the bills amassing, the two moved back to Little Rock after almost a decade in New York. “I thought, ‘If I’m this exhausted, how can I raise a child?’” he said at the time. His daughter, Lilla, was born shortly after they got back to Arkansas, and Becky soon found herself pregnant with their second child, a son: Ike. Regardless, their marriage soon crumbled beyond repair. It was a five-year stretch when so much happened in Gordy’s personal life, but so little came to fruition professionally. He recalls having applied for too many jobs to count across Central Arkansas during this time, trying to find a way to make money in any way he could. But, as he is now comfortable joking about, not many businesses are quick to hire philosophy majors with a few writing credits to their name. “When you get a degree in English and philosophy, and then you go and borrow a ton of money to get an MFA in playwriting, you haven’t really set yourself up in the sort of global marketplace,” Gordy says behind a laugh. He broke out of his filmmaking funk in 2013 in a rather capricious way with the short film Spanola Pepper Sauce Company, which has become a bit of a cultish classic here at home and at film festival screenings. Gordy wrote the short and starred in its only role, Tookie Spanola, the owner of, naturally, the pepper sauce company. Gordy’s friend and Academy Award winner, Ray McKinnon, directed the project. From the outside looking in, judged against the backdrop of this roughest patch of his life, it seems almost a motif for where he was at the time. It’s fun and hilarious but is also erratic and dark. In just a few minutes, Spanola goes from bragging about the barbecue sauce and injectable marinades possible with his peppers to vampire threats and self-harm. “Inevitably, some of that kind of subconscious darkness comes out in those ways,” Gordy says. “That was definitely sort of a product of that time and my mental space.” He says it’s the closest thing to a Rorschach test for audiences as anything he’s ever created, with responses generally ranging from cackling laughter to, “I’m worried about whoever did this.”

My best work and the things that I’m proudest of are the things that I’m working on and haven’t reached the light of day yet. produced. Most go on to be professors or find their way to television or film. Gordy took the latter road, for now. Through a mutual friend, Gordy linked up with Mike Myers, the Canadian funnyman known best for Wayne’s World, and the Austin Powers and Shrek franchises. Myers was in the market for a writing assistant, and to Gordy’s excitement, he was selected to fill that role. At the time, it seemed like his big break. He needed it. The price tag of the loans he took to get through NYU was looming, and he was making next to nothing in one of the most expensive cities to reside in the entire world. Gordy would spend around five years alongside Myers, which ended with the critically panned and box office flop The Love Guru in 2008, for which Gordy has recalled feeling “out of control,” “baptism by fire” and that the original concept was unrecognizable to what was delivered to the screen. It has become quite the complicated piece of record in Gordy’s filmography; despite the apparent

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days are more useful than others, but he makes a point to put each day to use, be it for five hours or 10. He’s on the other side of 40 now; he’s outgrown all-nighters in both ability and maturity. ************

No matter the viewer’s interpretation, it was the jolt he had needed. Shortly after, he joined McKinnon on the TV series Rectify, which was well-received by both audiences and critics alike. In 2016, he and Michael Fuller created the show Quarry, which was picked up by Cinemax. It was also highly regarded after its first season but fell into production limbo when a regime change took place at its parent company, HBO. Ironically, just after it tooketh away, HBO giveth with True Detective, for which Gordy was a staff writer for the anthology’s third season, as well as a consulting producer. Such instances were lessons learned for the heating up Gordy, preparing him for similar experiences and not to take rejection or cancellation personally, like with him and Fuller’s The Wreck, a series that AMC originally picked up but ultimately dropped. It’s easy to stumble into the weeds of “what if ” moments that might have changed this course or that, and it’s much harder to block out that noise. But the now veteran Gordy, seasoned by some bouts with pain and peril, is better at finding that peace these days. “Every single person that I know or I’ve met that does this for a living has a different story of how it happened to them,” he says, adding that what’s most important is just to make and take the path that’s put before you. Experience has also led him to better ways of fighting the archnemesis of any creator: writer’s block. He’s a reader by nature, and

throughout college and early in his career, he would lean on reading as “research,” his personal excuse to procrastinate. This behavior often left him up against a wall, through which he could only surmount through allnight word binges. “That sort of became my process for a long time, is that the anxiety had to kind of be part of the engine,” he recalls. Breaking that cycle took having some very detrimental negative health effects. “I have an autoimmune disease and stress [exacerbated] that. And I thought, ‘I have to change the way that I do this. This is not healthy.’ I think that I was kind of addicted to that process because I thought it was part of my writing working in some way.” For screenwriters like Gordy, so much of story building is finding the “solve.” That can be coming up with a character connection, a climactic moment or a coveted conclusion. Solves for his creations can arrive in his mind at any point of the day. But in his own life, the solve was a routine, a work schedule — easier said than done for a filmmaker who primarily still works from his home in Little Rock. He’s found that many of his roadblocks are solved by simply “getting in front of the screen” every day. Sometimes, he “has it” almost immediately, and the pitter-pattered pecking of his keyboard echoes through his home all morning; other times, the silence of the afternoon is broken only by his soft sighs and whispers of a page flip from his reading material. Some

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In more ways than one, it’s hard to shake the original sensation of unpredictability when it comes to Gordy. He’s Hollywood, but prefers the humbler life in Little Rock, where he can be available as a family man to his two children and wife of almost 8 years, Amy (who he actually met when she interviewed him for an AY Magazine story in 2011). He’s a writer, but doesn’t really fit into the stereotype that some might prescribe to his ilk; rather, he is funny and charismatic and charming. He’s found a level of success that most never reach, but continues to grind as if there’s plenty left to prove, or “tune in this old piano,” as he puts it. In parallel, his favorite ways to tell stories utilize unpredictability and the unexpected, blending genres in jostling ways. It’s why some of his favorite creators are Taika Waititi, Donald Glover and the Coen brothers — they can tackle the complexities and contradictions of life, as well as the comedy. Looking ahead, Gordy is slated for an acting role in the David Arquette produced Ghosts of the Ozarks, which was filmed in Arkansas, and is writing a limited series adaptation of Tom Cooper’s Florida Man with Joel Edgerton. Still, he estimates that out of every five projects he writes, one gets picked up. It’s the nature of the business. “My best work and the things that I’m proudest of are the things that I’m working on and haven’t reached the light of day yet,” he says. “A lot of that just comes from hope [and] the attempt to try to make something better than the things that you made before.” It’s living on a line of hope that his experiences — the good, the bad and The Love Guru — were all for something. Not necessarily in a cosmic or predestined way, but in a romantic sense that is instinctive for a writer such as him. aymag.com

LA:

Hotbed

for FILMS By Joe David Rice

Of course, you say. Everyone knows that LA is the mecca of the film world. But in this case, LA refers to Lower Arkansas. And the film company, an up-and-coming outfit called Bespoke Works LLC, is based in El Dorado. But first, some background. Alexander Jeffery, a key player in this tale, graduated from El Dorado High School in 2006, having gotten a good exposure to drama from his classes under Delaine Gates, which included a sci-fi production of Romeo and Juliet. But even before that, Jeffery’s schedule involved participating in plays with the city’s South Arkansas Arts Center, performing in such works as Annie, Cinderella and Mame. He then spent his college days at the University of Nebraska, majoring in film, theater and media. His next stop was in Los Angeles (the original LA) where he thought about being an actor. But Jeffery experienced what he calls “a moment of clarity,” opting instead to make films, preferably outside Southern California. He took more classes in Nebraska, and then traveled to Europe and worked on a Swedish film, picking up valuable experience as the first assistant director and becoming acquainted with Swedish cinematographer Joel Froome. Jeffery returned to El Dorado and founded Bespoke Films with Paul Petersen, a friend he’d met in Los Angeles. A University of South Dakota graduate (BFA in acting/theater), Petersen is another key player in our story. About this time, Jeffery and some similarly inclined folks in El

Molto Bella movie poster.

Courtesy, Bespoke Works.

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aymag.com

The stunning setting of Taormina. (Bespoke Works)

Paul Petersen and Alexander Jeffery. (Logan Gee)

Dorado began discussions about establishing a film festival. Dreams turned into reality when the El Dorado Film Festival was founded as part of the South Arkansas Arts Center’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2014. With his film Beacon, Petersen won “Best in Fest” at the inaugural El Dorado Film Festival. One of the festival’s ringleaders was Richard Wharton, a local architect who’d returned home after living in Los Angeles for many years where he’d also developed an interest in films. Shortly thereafter, Jeffery and Petersen

produced a short film, The Bespoke Tailoring of Mister Bellamy, that won the prestigious 2015 Louisiana Film Prize — a $50,000 cash award and the most lucrative prize for short films in the world at the time. As a result, the film received all sorts of attention and acclaim. It garnered the Programmer’s Choice Award at the Cleveland International Film Festival and qualified for the 2016 Academy Awards. The duo then revisited a movie script that Jeffery had begun several years earlier. Titled Molto Bella (an Italian phrase roughly

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translated as “very nice” or “very beautiful”), it was a “non-romance, romance” with a setting in Tuscany, Italy. A group of investors, mostly from El Dorado, stepped up and greenlighted the project and its $250,000 budget. When Wharton got a chance to read the script, he told his friends, “I love it. But it needs to be set in Taormina, the most romantic place I’ve ever seen.” In September 2019, Jeffery and Wharton made a location scouting trip to Taormina, a quaint city on Sicily’s eastern coast, some 5,700 miles from El Dorado, and within sight of Mount Etna. That visit led to a series of major script revisions in short order to accommodate the new location and a rapidly approaching film shoot. Jeffery would direct Molto Bella. Petersen would star as Hal Flynn, the male lead with a poetic heart who’s journeyed to Taormina because of its rich literary history. Andrea von Kampen, a musician and actress from Nebraska, had been cast as Josie Day, a folk singer who landed there looking to reignite her career. Wharton was in charge of production design, and Froome would be the cinematographer. The cast and crew for Molto Bella arrived in Taormina in the fall of 2019 for an 18day shoot, only to discover a serious problem: their equipment had failed to clear customs. Despite that initial setback, filming was soon

Alexander Jeffery. (Logan Gee)

breakfast inns, on a visit a few years earlier, and Scimone provided invaluable assistance on several occasions. Not only did he smooth out problems rising from miscommunications, he convinced local restaurateurs to allow shooting in their establishments. And Scimone even got to appear in front of the camera, cast as a hotel desk clerk in the film. Once a few final scenes were filmed in Nebraska, Molto Bella went into the postproduction phase. Despite the confusion, chaos underway. And to no one’s surprise, a fairly Municipal officials had granted permission and postponements caused by COVID-19, the large delegation of the El Dorado investors to shoot within the city but insisted that the 91-minute feature film has been on the film showed up as well, not so much to keep a production could not disrupt Taormina’s festival circuit for several months. It won the close eye on the production but to enjoy a few tourist trade. So they filmed in the gaps Audience Choice Award at the 2020 Heartland days in one of Sicily’s prime International Film Festival and tourist destinations. Serious was warmly received at the El fans of The Godfather will I found Molto Bella to be an absolute delight; Dorado Film Festival a few remember that Francis Ford a music-driven story of two personable weeks later, where I had the Coppola filmed many of the privilege of viewing it. I found movie’s early scenes in and individuals searching for answers. Molto Bella to be an absolute around Taormina. In fact, delight; a music-driven story between throngs of pedestrians on the plazas Jeffery and his cohorts were rather surprised of two personable individuals searching for and narrow streets, capturing scenes when they by the volume of tourists in the community. answers. That the movie was set in some of the could. Some of the shots where Hal and Josie While they knew the coastal village attracted prettiest locales imaginable made it even more are quietly getting acquainted were captured hordes of sightseers in the summer months, special. And Ms. von Kampen is an exceptional with dozens of spectators just out of view. they expected the streets to be fairly quiet and musician, singing her own original works. Wharton had befriended Michele Scimone, empty during the fall season. That proved to be The official trailer for Molto Bella can be the owner of one of Taormina’s bed-anda miscalculation. found easily on the internet if you’re interested. When the movie will be available for more general public viewing remains to be seen. Jeffery and Petersen are working various leads, hopeful the film will be picked up by Netflix, Apple, Amazon or iTunes. In the meantime, the good folks at Bespoke Works are busy. A feature-length documentary titled You Have No Idea is currently in postproduction. And to keep bills paid, they’ve developed an impressive list of corporate clients — organizations such as the U.S. Army Reserves and Murphy USA. But I’m eagerly awaiting the next release from Jeffery and Petersen. And I’m wondering if they might be interested in a small investor. I’ve always had a hankering to be in the film business.

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Han Ye-ri and Yeun. BySteven Tyler Hale (Photo by Josh Ethan Johnson, courtesy of A24)

This Year’s ‘Parasite’? A REVIEW OF ‘MINARI’ By Tyler Hale

The Ozark Mountains is no country for new men. It’s a place bound by by renowned Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung, Soonja is a foul-mouthed, strict tradition and ways of living, along with land that resists easy use. irreverent grandmother who watches wrestling (firmly convinced it’s Throughout the history of film and other entertainment, the Ozarks have real) and teaches the grandkids how to play card games. been a place of despair and poverty. Films like Winter’s Bone have probed the Her arrival also sets up the rivalry between her and David, the young depths of this poverty even while highlighting the fortitude of some of its son. Before Soonja even arrives, David seems to take a dislike to the idea residents. At the end of the day, though, it’s a place to escape, not to remain. of her coming. When she does arrive, David makes no effort to disguise But one family comes to Arkansas with dreams of a new life and economic his displeasure, telling Soonja that she’s not a “real” grandmother because prosperity in the Ozark Mountains in Lee Isaac Chung’s new film Minari. she doesn’t cook, and she smells odd. Or at least, one member of that family has his heart set on that dream. Instead of being angry, Soonja acts like a trickster out of mythology, In the film, the family’s father, Jacob (Steven Yeun), moves his family of playing pranks on David, teasing him and offering gifts. While not comic four to Arkansas from California to start a farm. The film’s first words, spoken in Korean, set up how alien Arkansas is to the family: “What is this place?,” Jacob’s wife, Monica (Han Ye-ri) asks. “Our new home,” Jacob replies. Once they arrive at their new home, the children, David and Anne, start exploring the land in one of the film’s most vibrant sequences, full of bright sunlight and lens flares. It’s the magic of childhood — running through a meadow with your hands barely caressing the wild grass as you chase after someone. That magic is brought crashing down when David is told to stop running — a frequent refrain in the film that grows in urgency and significance as time continues. The children are not the only ones enraptured. Jacob is the most taken with the land, scooping it up, letting it sift through his fingers. “This is the best dirt in America,” he says. Alan S. Kim and Noel Cho. Yeun captures the yearning of an (Photo by Melissa Lukenbaugh, immigrant who wants to make his own courtesy of A24) way, on his own terms, in America. He plants his flag early in the movie: This farm in Arkansas will be his success story. And it will test him — along with his family. That magic gives way to unsettling reality when fractures between relief, Soonja offers some of the funniest moments in the film, bringing Monica and Jacob began erupting. In the first night at the trailer, Monica a sense of levity to the home, as Monica and Jacob struggle to figure out and Jacob start a yelling match over moving to the middle of nowhere in how to make a go of it in Arkansas. Arkansas. After the lightness of the previous scene, it’s a stark shift in tone Jacob and Monica begin working at a local poultry factory, sexing but one that the film effectively modulates throughout. chicks. Jacob is an expert at the job, while Monica is just adequate — as Striking a bargain, the family agrees to bring Monica’s mother, Soonja, she was told by another employee, “You’re fast enough for Arkansas.” In from Korea to Arkansas to help out. Jacob goes about setting up the farm, the meantime, Jacob is still working the farm, trying to figure out how to buying seed and a tractor, while Monica reluctantly begins setting up in get his crops to grow, how to find water and more. A local man named their trailer. Paul, played by the consistently underrated character actor Will Patton, Soonja is the proverbial grenade tossed into the family home. Played sells Jacob a tractor and offers to help out.

All of the film’s strands — Soonja and David’s hijinks, Jacob and Monica’s marital difficulties, trouble with the farm and more — become more and more tightly intertwined throughout the film, leading to a devastating conclusion and the possibility of hope. Minari is pitched as an earnest immigrant-out-ofwater story, with Jacob and his family settling in Arkansas, trying to reach their dreams. The semi-autobiographical film, inspired by Chung’s childhood growing up in Lincoln, Arkansas, is a touching tribute to those experiences. But there’s a deeper layer, in which Chung mines below the expected and the tired tropes of the immigrant story to reach deeper truths. With many fish-out-ofwater stories involving families, those families are presented as a united front with an us-versusthe-world attitude. Offhand, think of the Boone family in Remember the Titans, moving to Alexandria, Virginia, and weathering the racist abuse in a stoic manner with no internal division. By contrast, Monica and Jacob are immediately thrust apart from the opening scenes, with Monica not understanding why Jacob is set on wasting money trying to farm in the Ozarks instead of moving back to California to a stable living. This is not the dramatic hysterics that some movies depict in family dynamics but a desperate struggle to understand and to do the best for their families. As Monica, Han Ye-ri has arguably the most thankless role, holding up the movie as the grounded base between Jacob’s striving ambition, her children and her mother’s peculiarities. She steps up, working to become better at her job at the poultry factory to support the family as Jacob’s attention increasingly shifts to the farm. Despite her dislike for the rural area, she has the most in common with many of the local people, having a strong Christian faith. Chung subtly uses religious differences to mark the differences between people. While Jacob is the one who is pursuing a dream — some might say blindly — he has no time for religion. Soonja, another dreamer, similarly has no time for church or prayers. Meanwhile, Monica is a devout Christian, even though she cannot muster any faith in her husband’s plans. Will Patton’s character Paul is an example of how to portray religion in film. A Pentecostal, Paul gesticulates, casts out demons and more, prompting Jacob to call him “crazy.” This performance could have easily veered into parody but is saved by an empathetic touch from both Patton

and Chung, the director. In a shot reminiscent of Gregg Toland’s cinematography in the 1940 film The Grapes of Wrath, we see Paul carrying a massive wooden cross on his back as a bus full of children pull past him. As David smiles at Paul, several other children taunt him and ridicule him for his low standard of living. Through the rear window, Paul recedes into the distance, obscured by dust, still carrying his cross. Paul is not performing his religion for others but is authentically driven to repent and tries to help others, even when his religion comes off strangely. Watching Minari was a balm in troubled times for me. It’s easy to fall into the trap of watching escapist fare during difficult times, but these movies often leave no lasting impression or lessons learned. Like the peppery herb of the title, Minari was both a delight and medicine. As Soonja says, “Minari is truly the best. It grows anywhere, like weeds. So anyone can pick and eat it. Rich or poor, anyone can enjoy it and be healthy. Minari can be put in kimchi, put in stew, put in soup. It can be medicine if you are sick. Minari is wonderful, wonderful!” While watching it, I was struck by the same feeling I had as watching Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life back in 2011. At the surface level, both have beautiful, light-filled cinematography that harkens back to a different era and evoke an almost-spiritual feeling, especially when viewed in their totality. But unlike The Tree of Life, Minari is grounded by characters with fleshand-blood problems, weighed down by the burdens of the world, rather than being ciphers and ethereal beings. “For me, the film comes down on the side of hoping for the best in each other,” Chung said in a statement. “The thing I most wanted was to let people into this family’s world with sincerity and honesty, and without judgment of anyone in it. There’s so much more drawing us together as human beings than the superficial categories we have created. For some, Minari might be a chance to see a Korean American finally telling our story, but I have found these characters mean just as much to people from Arkansas — or from New York, or anywhere.” Watching Chung’s film, I was drawn into this world — familiar to me but just outside my experience. It’s a needed film, especially in the rise of violence against Asian-Americans, showing the connections between us all, struggling toward a brighter future and a new day.

“But there’s a deeper layer, in which Chung mines below the expected and the tired tropes of the immigrant story to reach deeper truths.”

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Kevin Rook

from

Laughs

LAW

KEVIN ROOK TOOK AN INTERESTING ROUTE TO THE COURTROOM By Kenneth Heard • Photos by Jordan Knight

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ost of Cabot attorney and former comedian Kevin Rook’s career contains punch lines. It’s a career that has gone from the laughter of comedy clubs with the likes of Robin Williams and Chris Rock to the somber halls of justice in family law and criminal court. With Rook, there’s always a payoff line and a chuckle at the end of any story about his life. When he was 11, he was banned from performing at a Jonesboro church following his first show when he poked fun at Jonesboro Mayor Neil Stallings’ inability to fix the town’s roads. Stallings, a member of the church who was in attendance at Rook’s comedy debut, didn’t see the humor in Rook’s act. Later, when Rook successfully auditioned for a slot at the Comedy Store in West Hollywood, California, owner Mitzi Shore — the mother of comedic actor Pauly Shore — told him to step away from the microphone when on stage. “Get away from the [expletive] microphone,” she said in her raspy cigarette voice. “You can’t see your face.” He did, and a few months later, Shore complimented him. “Now I can see your [expletive] face,” she said. In 2005, Rook and his wife, Whitney, won a 2005 Saturn Ion minivan while on the television game show Wheel of Fortune. Sixteen years later, he points to a grey vehicle in the parking lot outside his downtown Cabot office one morning. It’s the same Saturn, albeit now with 330,000 miles on it. “The transmission’s starting to get a little gimpy,” he says. And Rook’s first law office in Jonesboro was in a back room of his father’s convenience store on Johnson and Bridge streets where they stored hair weaves. Rook practiced family and criminal law in what they referred to as the “wig room.” The area is somewhat sketchy and rife with crime; many of Rook’s clients were those who ventured into the store for a Mountain Dew and Doritos. Regardless of where he was, though, Rook always seemed to have fun and enjoyed his life. “When Kevin was in high school, one of his teachers told me that he didn’t know if Kevin was learning anything, but he was having a hell of

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a time,” Rook’s father, Rick, says. “His choices in life were a surprise, but he turned out pretty well.” Rook was born in Jonesboro and saw humor at an early age. He grew up idolizing comedians Eddie Murphy, Andrew Dice Clay and Steve Martin and was always looking for a laugh. In 1991, he ran for the senior class president at Jonesboro High School merely as a joke. He won the race. He went to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and graduated in 1995 with a degree in history. “There wasn’t a lot I could do with a history degree but teach,” Rook says. “I worked for my dad at the [ Jonesboro] convenience store for a year and decided to go to law school.” But a month before enrolling back in school, Rook and his thengirlfriend, Whitney, flew to Las Vegas to get married. He says he saw Bruce Willis, Michael Jordan and other celebrities get married before at A Little White Chapel on the Vegas strip, so he thought he and Whitney should do the same. He didn’t tell his parents and instead sent a postcard to them informing them of their marriage that read, “By the time you read this ...” He then returned to Arkansas to law school. Rook took the bar exam in July 1999 and had no job lined up. The desire of being a comedian, instilled during his childhood days, was still burning in him. He and Whitney loaded their vehicle — and their credit cards — and drove to Los Angeles. They moved into a Motel 6 in El Monte, California, and Rook began trying out at open mic nights at the Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. He could do impressions and some of his acts included a drunken George W. Bush holding a press conference, Arnold Schwarzenegger as California’s governor, Arkansas actor Billy Bob Thornton in his role as Karl Childers in the movie Sling Blade if Childers were an Arkansas school teacher, and Bill Clinton as an FBI agent interviewing Hannibal Lector, the serial killer in the movie The Silence of the Lambs. His first show was in August 2000; he followed Charles Fleischer, the voice of the Roger Rabbit character. It was a slow start. He was paid $15 for 15 minutes of stand up and at times he played to two or three people at 1:30 a.m. He began in the “belly room,” a stage for starting

“

Comedy smooths things out. I deal with stressful situations. People don’t usually call lawyers unless they are in a stressful situation. I like to try and help them. Being a little funny may help.

”

comedians and he called Shore each Monday to see when his time slots would be. Rook was persistent, learning tips from Shore and eventually, he was doing shows on the same stage as Robin Williams, Chris Rock, Bill Burr, Arsenio Hall, Whoopi Goldberg, Martin Lawrence and Roseanne Barr. He knew he made it when club owners stenciled his name on the Comedy Store wall next to other performers. While Rook told jokes, his wife, Whitney, worked as a dog sitter, often staying with pets in the rich homes of the Hollywood Hills. They also supplemented their income by auditioning for television game shows and that’s where, in January 2005, Rook and his wife found themselves playing the bonus round on Wheel of Fortune. The two responded to a casting call for couples married in Las Vegas and won a position on the show. After winning the Saturn van and $22,666, they tried to guess the final puzzle. It was “BOY CRAZY,” but the Rooks only had the letters C, R and A in the second word picked and displayed. Rook thought for a moment and then blurted out, “The craps?” When he realized how it sounded, he tried to explain. “Not that,” he said. “I meant the craps game in Vegas.” They didn’t win and when the show went to a commercial, show host Pat Sajak sidled up to him. “I’m glad you didn’t refer to taking a dump,” Sajak said to Rook. Rook was also a finalist on the game show Paranoia and was hung in a cage 40 feet in the air and asked trivia questions. He won about $5,000 but missed a question about Pop-Tart flavors for the grand prize of $50,000. In April 2008, Whitney was pregnant with their second son and decided she didn’t want to raise their children in the bustle of Los Angeles and urged the family to move back to Arkansas. As they drove through New Mexico on the way home, they received a call from the game show Deal or No Deal, a contest where contestants eliminate sealed briefcases that contain various amounts of money. The show wanted pregnant women and contacted Whitney. “No,” she said.

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“You could walk away with a suitcase filled with a million dollars,” Rook countered. The couple continued on to Arkansas. They returned to Jonesboro and Rook, who kept his law license current, began working as an attorney for the state’s Department of Human Services. Two years of dealing with abused children and neglectful parents were rough, he says, and he opened his own practice in Jonesboro. His father owned Rick’s Quick Shop at the foot of a train bridge on Bridge Street. He helped clients with uncontested divorces in his office that also served as the “wig room” where they stored hair weaves and products. Three years later, the couple moved to Cabot and Rook took a job as an insurance adjuster in Little Rock. He soon got bored with the position and opened his own practice in an office in the Cabot City Waterworks building in 2014 where he’s been since. Jonesboro attorney Scott Emerson went against Rook in some divorce cases but found him to be a likable foe. “He’s a great guy,” Emerson says. “The use of humor in the courtroom can be a great benefit or a detriment to you. You can come across as a smart ass. But to persuade a jury, they’ve got to like you. There’s a fine line to walk, and Kevin did very well. “He gave them a reason to like him and his clients.” Rook said he did keep the jokes at a minimum while in court. Once, a client texted him, asking for a receipt for a payment she made. However, her text program typed in “recipe,” instead of “receipt.” Rook sent back a text, “First you brown your ground beef and drain the grease …” He sent a recipe for making spaghetti. “She didn’t think that was too funny,” he says. Trumann attorney Chet Dunlap says Rook was always professional in court. “Judges don’t appreciate a comedy act in the courtroom,” he says. “It was unusual to see someone with his comedy background having a law practice, but he was always truthful and professional. You don’t always see that in attorneys.” Rook still has the urge to grab a microphone, get on stage and do comedy. He’s performed at country clubs in Jonesboro and Paragould and once won tickets to a James Taylor concert by doing standup at a downtown Jonesboro club. He was also named one of Arkansas’ funniest people during a contest in Little Rock in 2011. “Comedy smooths things out,” he says. “I deal with stressful situations. People don’t usually call lawyers unless they are in a stressful situation. I like to try and help them. Being a little funny may help.” Rook admits that his life has been an odd series of events, but he was able to do what he wanted to in comedy, and he was successful. It’s like a bit of advice his father once told him, Rook recalls. “He said what I did was rare,” Rook says. “He said, ‘Everybody wants to be an astronaut, but only 11 people got paid for going to the moon.’”

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This side of

SEVEN – By Jason Pederson

American

IDOLS T

he opening sequence of Raiders of the Lost Ark remains one of my favorites. I mean, the entire movie is awesome. But imagine my 11-year-old self, just settled into my smalltown Gem Theater chair with popcorn in hand. The lights dim, and suddenly the audience is thrust into a nonstop adventure that hits 90 mph right out of the gate. In case you have forgotten, we first meet Dr. Indiana Jones in 1936 as he seeks to acquire a golden idol worth untold riches and protected by booby traps. Jones’ plan to replace the idol on its pedestal with a bag of sand of equal weight is clever but fails. The removal of the idol is detected. Jones and the young man who accompanied him must run for their lives. His “partner” swings across a cave chasm using Jones’ whip, leaving Jones on the wrong side without a way across. “Give me the whip,” demands Jones. “Throw me the idol,” replies the young man. Jones hesitates. “No time to argue. Throw me the idol, I throw you the whip.” Jones is conflicted but obliges. He tosses the golden idol across the expanse between them. His accomplice catches it. “Give me the whip!” yells Jones. The man drops the whip and replies

coyly, “Adios, señor,” before he turns and runs. Jones jumps, grabs a vine, pulls himself to safety and dives beneath a slowly descending wall, reaching back to grab his whip just before it slams shut. And then, only a few feet away, he finds the golden idol on the dirt floor at the feet of his now spike-impaled and very dead companion. And then … the boulder starts rolling! Of course, Jones runs and escapes with his life — but not with the idol. It is truly hold-your-breath, catch-yourbreath moviemaking. And it demonstrates the gravitational and seemingly illogical pull of idols. The search for this golden idol had become an obsession for Indiana Jones. The time and expense dedicated to pursuing this idol were immense. That is why, when asked to give up the idol or risk losing his life, he hesitated. It should have been an easy and obvious decision. It was not. And it is not easy for us to give up our idols either. I’m not talking about little golden statues. We in America don’t worship those. American idols take on different but just as intoxicating forms. Comfort. Wealth. Status. Possessions. Health. Appearance. Intelligence. Politics. Career. Hobbies. Sports. Leisure.

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Relationships. Marriage. Kids. Grandkids. Those are good things. Those are the things that make a life worth living. But when any one of those things becomes the most important, allconsuming, singular focus of your life … it has become an idol. And when you make people, objects, achievements or ideas the most important thing in your life, you are inviting disappointment and even despair. Other idols or obsessions are easy to recognize as bad. Alcohol. Drugs. Pornography. When those things become the top priority in your life, the eventual impact on yourself and those you love will be painful. It is harder to envision an obsession with education doing similar damage. Or a fixation on a 401(k) plan. Or a determination to protect your health. We all have a finite amount of time on this earth. And there have been many, many people who have spent their finite time trying to figure out ways to live longer. Look back to Indiana Jones. The Last Crusade was a quest to find the Holy Grail, which offered what? Eternal life. And once again, his obsession with that idol nearly cost him his life. People who desire immortality are sometimes called “life extensionists.” There are scientists at work trying to find ways to

American idols take on different but just as intoxicating forms.

W E A LT H Possessions

INTELLIGENCE

MARRIAGE

Indiana Jones encountering the idol.

extend human life. There are also venture capitalists and tech billionaires dedicated to the cause. James Strole is the founder of one such organization, “The Coalition for Radical Life Extension.” Strole’s bio describes him as “a leading anti-death activist.” Now in his early 70s, Strole has practiced yoga since he was 15, avoids dairy products and on some days takes up to 70 pills and supplements — all in hopes of surviving until the next gerontological breakthrough. That innovation, if the life extensionist can just live long enough to see it, will offer even more hope of avoiding or at least delaying what most of us believe and accept as inevitable: a physical death. Strole puts on an annual festival, called “RADDfest,” where other anti-death activists can assemble and learn about (and maybe purchase) the latest anti-aging products and plans. My duties as KATV’s “Seven On Your Side” reporter included testing products to see if they work. The weekly segment was called “We Try It Before You Buy It.” Over the course of 20 years, we tested many products designed to improve your health, including magnetic mattresses, herbal pills promising to increase women’s bust sizes, throat spray to stop snoring and contraptions dedicated to relieving back pain. We involved viewers, experts and show hosts in our tests. Almost without exception, the remedies and devices overpromised and under-delivered.

KIDS

POLITICS CAREER APPEARANCE

The current maximum limit for life expectancy is about 120 years. Records can be sketchy, and there are biblical accounts of much longer lives, but the oldest verified age a person has reached since the 1800s is Jeanne Calment. Calment lived 122 years and was nearly halfway through her 123rd when she died in France in 1997. And while some lifeextensionists choke down 70 pills a day, avoid dairy, avoid risk and sleep on magnetic mattresses, Calment ate chocolate by the pound, still rode a bicycle at age 100 and

GRANDKIDS LEISURE

HOBBIES

H E A LT H

STATUS

COMFORT

SPORTS

RELATIONSHIPS didn’t stop smoking until she turned 117. Being smart and protecting your health is a good thing. It becomes your idol when every decision you make revolves around your safety and your survival. When you make anything more important than the main thing, it is an idol. And once you figure out what the main thing is, death will lose its sting anyway.

JASON PEDERSON For two decades, Jason Pederson served as KATVChannel 7’s “Seven On Your Side” reporter. Now on the other “side” of his award-winning time on the news, he leads the Office of the Ombudsman for the Arkansas Department of Human Services. His perspective-filled and thought-provoking column, “This Side of Seven,” publishes exclusively in AY About You magazine monthly.

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G IN

H S U L R A T B

N E

UP O

BAS IC

By Angela Forsyth

S By Dwain Hebda

ant to spend less time in the dentist’s chair? The best way to keep the dentist away is to up your at-home care routine. Brushing at least twice a day and flossing daily is a great start. Focusing on those two actions will keep most of us down to just two professional cleanings a year. Now, if you really want to take your dental health to the next level, there are a few things you can do at home to ensure whiter, brighter, healthier teeth. Walking down the oral care aisle can make your head spin. The toothpaste choices alone are overwhelming. Should you choose the product that promises to fight plaque and gingivitis or go with the one that touts teeth-whitening results? Do you want toothpaste with baking soda, peroxide, fluoride, zinc or charcoal? You want to make the best choice for your teeth, but how do you figure out what that is?

CHOOSING THE RIGHT TOOTHBRUSH W hen it comes to clean teeth, the toothbrush is your No. 1 basic tool that’s not so basic. Toothbrushes can cost anywhere from 99 cents to $199. There are manual, battery-powered and electric choices. Some models even connect to an app that guides you through brushing and shows you what you’ve missed. Is a high-tech toothbrush worth the splurge? DJ Dailey, DDS, of Smile Dailey in Little Rock, says yes. “In reality, the best toothbrush is one that you will use,” he notes. However, his personal preference is an electric toothbrush like the Philips Sonicare. Electric toothbrushes have the advantage of timers that ensure people brush for two whole minutes and sensors that alert us when we’re brushing too hard. Harsh brushing can contribute to gum recession and abrasions on teeth. “The cost of the toothbrush is generally less money than it would cost to have a cavity filled, so they are well worth the investment,” he says.

SHOPPING FOR TOOTHPASTE Toothpaste should be a simple purchase, right? But, when you take a look at all the options, you might start to wonder if you’re missing out on something better. Could there be something out there that would give you a brighter smile? And what about those products that target gum disease, bad breath and cavities? Are they better? Rest assured, most kinds of toothpaste on the market are not too different from each other. If you’re not sure what to buy, just remember one word: fluoride. According to Dailey, fluoride is one of the most important ingredients. It helps strengthen the enamel and can keep early decay from getting worse. Toothpastes that market themselves as “natural” generally work well, but don’t contain fluoride, and some users say their teeth don’t feel as clean. For sensitive teeth, Sensodyne or another product with potassium nitrate is a good choice. If you’re looking for a whiter smile, whitening toothpastes aren’t the solution. They typically don’t contain enough peroxide to whiten teeth within a two-minute brushing, and they’re too abrasive for everyday use.

MASTERING THE MOUTHWASH CHOICE Using mouthwash is a great way to fight periodontal disease while keeping bad breath away. Dailey’s favorite product is Tooth and Gums Tonic because it is an antimicrobial, non-staining and alcohol-free rinse that is all-natural and made with essential oils. He recommends patients stay away from rinses that contain alcohol, especially if they have any issues with dry mouth or are taking medications that cause dry mouth. The alcohol can make the mouth drier and can contribute to cavities forming. For kids, mouthwashes with a coloring agent that stains any plaque that is left after brushing are a great tool for showing them areas they missed.

PICKING FLOSSERS

DON’T FORGET THE TONGUE

KIDS’ CUSPIDS

Similar to toothbrushes, there’s a wide margin in price when it comes to flossers. Some people swear by pricey water picks while others are content to use the good old traditional d e n t a l floss. This dental category is another example where a dentist would say the best tool is the one you’ll use. Dailey chooses to use a water flosser for himself, explaining that as we age, the spaces between our teeth get larger and begin to trap more food and plaque. The perfect combo routine is to start with traditional floss and follow it up with a water flosser. Floss picks work in a pinch, but they’re the least helpful of the bunch. They often push food and debris further in between the teeth and can carry bacteria from one tooth to another. When you floss, you should always use a clean section of floss for each tooth.

You’re not going to want to skimp out on cleaning your tongue because, according to Dailey, “The tongue holds a third of the bacteria in your mouth.” You should clean your tongue every time you brush your teeth. Doing so will reduce unwanted mouth bacteria that cause bad breath, plaque buildup and a whitecoated tongue. Some studies show that tongue scrapers are the best way to clean this area, but you can also use a simple toothbrush. Position your toothbrush at the back of your tongue and brush lightly forward and backward along your tongue. Spit out saliva that appears and then rinse your toothbrush with warm water before storing. If using a metal tongue scraper, pass it over your tongue from back to front to remove the plaque sitting on the top of the tongue.

Taking care of your child’s teeth is not all that different from taking care of your own. The most important thing is consistency. That includes making sure their teeth get brushed twice a day with a small amount of fluoride (after age 3) and flossing daily. For babies and toddlers, measure out a tiny amount of fluoride toothpaste no bigger than a grain of rice, and brush teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled brush. According to Garrett Sanders, DDS, a pediatric dentist at Pediatric Dental Associates and Orthodontics in Fayetteville, one of the biggest misconceptions parents have is that baby teeth don’t matter because they’re going to fall out anyway. But abscess and dental pain can happen even before age 3. Premature tooth loss can lead to orthodontic problems and other long-term issues down the road, so it’s always best to maintain teeth to the end of their normal lifespan. One of the most important things parents can do to maintain their kids’ dental health is to watch the sugar intake. It can be hard to turn down a child’s request for a second sippy cup of apple juice, but tough love might be the best choice. Many well-intentioned parents give their children fruit juices and fruit-flavored snacks thinking these are healthy options. The problem is, “Bacteria don’t discriminate between different types of sugar much, and so even ‘healthy’ sugars still can cause cavities,” Sanders explains. Sippy cups and bottles release liquid slowly, allowing the sugar to pool in the mouth and trigger tooth decay. Keep juice intake to less than 6 ounces a day for healthier teeth.

How a Dental Exam Can Save Your Life During a routine dental exam, you may think the dentist is only looking at your teeth, but think again. Signs of many serious diseases can be detected in the mouth, some at very early stages. Seeing a dentist regularly helps protect not only your oral health, but your overall health, too.

diseases can be detected by a dentist during an oral exam Here are signs of some of the most commonly detected diseases. • HEART DISEASE Pain radiating to the jaw caused by insufficient oxygen to the heart muscle • DIABETES Dry mouth, distinctive breath odor, burning tongue, high rate of tooth decay, inflammation and infections in the mouth • KIDNEY FAILURE Stunted tooth development or enamel defects in children, dry mouth, odor, metallic taste, and ulcers on the tongue and gums • ANEMIA Burning, fiery red tongue, inflammation of the corners of mouth or pale gum tissues • ORAL CANCER White or red patches in the mouth, sores that won’t heal, loose teeth, difficulty or pain when swallowing, lumps in the neck or cheek, pain in the mouth that doesn’t go away

Go to deltadentalar.com/10-symptoms to read more about the 10 symptoms you should always discuss with your dentist.

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Happiness is a Root Canal r. James A. Penney, III is an Endodontist, or root canal specialist. Since graduating from Boston University Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry and returning home to Little Rock in 1994, Penney has built his practice on the foundation of exceptional quality root canal and implant therapy. Penney grew up in North Little Rock and graduated from Catholic High School in 1984. He attended the University of Central Arkansas and then completed dental school at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. “I have always known that I wanted to be a dentist. In dental school I discovered that I really enjoyed doing root canals and that I had the skills to do them well,” Penney says. General dentists are trained in comprehensive dental care. They can perform any and all dental procedures. But not every dentist enjoys the root canal facet of dentistry. When a family dentist identifies the need for root canal therapy that they are not comfortable performing, they will refer the patient to a specialist. A root canal is necessary when the nerve inside a tooth dies, and is usually caused by infection or trauma. The dentist must remove the nerve and clean out any infected tissue; and then fill the canal that once contained the nerve with gutta-percha, a rubber-like substance that fills the space so the bacteria cannot re-infiltrate the root. The mere mention of the term root canal causes anxiety in a great number of people. Many have heard root canal horror stories or have personally had a bad experience. As with most things in life, you hear more about the procedures that were traumatic than the ones that went smoothly. Because Penney and his experienced and talented staff understand that many patients have these root canal anxieties, each strives to make the experience in their office as safe, comfortable, and fast as possible. Penney’s office has a freshly remodeled patient reception area, furniture that can be disinfected with approved cleaners, a soothing saltwater fish tank, massaging dental chairs, and TVs on the ceiling and wall to help put each patient at ease. As an Endodontist, Penney has two additional years of specialized training in root canals. He has technology, such as the surgical microscope, and advanced skills necessary to perform complex root canal procedures. “The microscope is a very expensive piece of equipment that would not be cost-effective in a general dentistry practice but is essential and well worth the price in an Endodontic practice,” Penney reports. The microscope enables Penney to see the tiny root structures and

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visualize the shape, direction and number of canals present in each tooth. Complete cleaning and filling each root all the way to the tip is critical for the success of the root canal. Additionally, Penney often uses a Cone Beam CT scanner to obtain a 3D image of the tooth structure in complicated root canal cases. The CT scanner is critical for the surgical placement of dental implant procedures, which Penney also performs. When COVID-19 shut down dentistry in early 2020, Penney could continue performing emergency procedures. “We were able to retain our valuable staff and keep working, even though we were seeing fewer patients,” he says. “COVID did change some things in the practice. But we have been wearing masks, gloves and safety glasses in dentistry since the ’80s.” Penney stresses, “Go to your family dentist regularly for your cleaning appointments. If you are already in pain and swollen when you come in to see the dentist, you may have a less than pleasant experience. Problems identified early are much easier and less painful to fix.” He continues, “Our goal is to give each patient a positive root canal experience. When a patient who is very scared and in terrible pain comes in the office, and 30 minutes later, they look at me and say, ‘That’s it, you really are done?’ and I can assure them that yes, the root canal is finished; that is the most rewarding aspect of my job. The mission of this practice is to fulfill our motto: Happiness is a Root Canal!”

13239 Cantrell Rd., Little Rock, 72223 501-227-7668 www.idoendo.com

Today’s advanced Endodontic treatments and materials can give you a HEALTHIER, more complete smile that can last you a lifetime. Your Little Rock, AR Endodontist, Dr. Penney, can help revitalize and maintain your teeth and gums, giving you the SMILE YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED. PROCEDURES • Root Canal Therapy • Endodontic Retreatment • Apicoectomy

• Cracked Teeth • Traumatic Injuries • Implants

We promise to provide our patients with the ultimate care in Endodontics. This includes delivering the highest quality of technical care and treating our patients with RESPECT, COURTESY, and COMPASSION.

13239 Cantrell Road, Suite B Little Rock, AR 72223 501-227-ROOT (7668) 155

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At Montgomery Heathman and Associates, our team is 100% focused on your oral health. We offer our patients the very best that dentistry has to offer through advanced technologies and procedures.

501-223-3838 heathmanfamilydentistry.com 12501 Cantrell Rd., Little Rock HeathmanFamilyDental

MURDER MYSTERY:

after April – By Janie Jones

ea Ridge is best known as the site of a Civil War battle. All the city streets are named after men who fought there. The roads that run east and west were given names of Confederate soldiers, and the north and south thoroughfares received names of Union soldiers. The King Lane Apartments are located just off one of the north/south avenues called Weston Street, for Major Eli Weston. On Nov. 18, 2006, 15-year-old April Dawn Andrews left the apartment complex and walked toward Weston, where a brown pickup truck pulled over. April spoke to the man behind the wheel and then went around the front of the vehicle and got into the passenger side of the truck, which continued southbound. No one has seen April since. Around 5 or 6 o’clock that evening, April’s mother, Tina, called the Pea Ridge Police Department and reported her daughter missing. The first officer on the scene was Sgt. Cerilla Doyle. Coincidentally, about two years later, Doyle herself vanished. In May 2018, a retiree discovered Doyle’s skeletal remains in a rural area of Mason City, Iowa. All evidence in that case points to suicide. Initially, Pea Ridge officials classified April as an endangered runaway. It was three years before they listed her as a missing person, and three years after that, they turned the investigation over to the Benton County Sheriff ’s Office. “The Pea Ridge Police Department did nothing wrong,” says Lt. Hunter Petray, the current detective on the case. “It’s just that the sheriff’s department has a larger agency, and they thought we should take the lead on it and use our resources to work it.”

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Petray goes on to say, “It was pretty obvious she did not run away because there were no means to do so; no circle of friends to enable her, no social media at that point in time to connect with anybody, and didn’t have cellphones.” Tonya Andrews Washburn, April’s half-sister and one of her staunchest advocates, agrees that April wasn’t a runaway. “She’s not the type of person who’s going to jump in a car with somebody she doesn’t know,” Tonya says. “She was shy and really timid around strangers.” One reason for April’s shyness was her learning disability. Her functioning level was about that of a 10-year-old, and her disability made her a target for a group of girls who picked on her. She had poor attendance in school, partly because of the bullying. An older sister and two older brothers had learning disabilities, too. April had five full siblings and three halfsiblings. She and Tonya had the same father, who passed away in 2002 when April was 11. Her father and mother, Tina, were divorced when April was only 4 years old. Tina married again, and the family moved to a house in Springdale and then to the Pea Ridge apartment complex. Impoverished, they couldn’t afford a phone and didn’t have a car. Her mother wasn’t employed, so they relied on government assistance, for which they were eligible due to the children’s learning disabilities. According to Tonya, they also received survivor benefit checks from April’s late father. The witness who told investigators about the brown truck was an 8-year-old girl. Earlier, on the day of the abduction, she had walked with April down to the Dollar General store, which was on Slack Street, south of King

Lane Apartments. They returned around noon or a little before, and each went to her own apartment. Petray said that at some point, the little friend was outside playing and saw April get into the brown truck. The witness gave a detailed description of the truck. It was an older model, brown, beat-up, full-size, single-cab pickup. Digitally rendered age progression of April Dawn Andrews. The sheriff’s office checked the registrations on all vehicles in Benton County matching the description. there, but it won’t mention a brother-in-law from Texas “There was one individual, who lived in the apartment who stayed there two weeks, or a cousin who visited for complex,” Petray says, “an older male who had a brown a couple of days. It’s a low-rent apartment complex [with] truck similar to what the witness described in the report. a lot of turnover. There were a number of felons and a We’ve narrowed the truck down.” Petray wasn’t at liberty number of sex offenders who lived there.” to disclose more about that line of the investigation. In 2013, authorities received an anonymous letter, Though Tonya was 17 years older than April and had a saying they should drain a pond near Little Flock in family of her own, the two had a special bond, but Tonya Benton County, so they did — but found nothing. didn’t know about the kidnapping until a year afterward. “We have identified the person who wrote the letter,” “They never contacted me,” she says. She voiced some Petray says. “And it was from somebody who knew suspicions about a man who was seeing their mother. somebody who lived in the complex at the time and felt Tonya thought he lived right across the street from them. like maybe that person was involved. Really no direct Petray put that theory to rest by saying, “It was not knowledge; it was more of a suspicion, which is good. If Tina’s boyfriend. [He] had moved several weeks before people suspect something, yeah, we want to know about it. April went missing. As for him having a truck like the girl Tips come in, and we follow up on those. We did a search saw, no, that’s not quite accurate.” warrant on a residence less than a year ago based on a lead.” Asked about the lag time between the witness Without any sightings of April and no communications seeing April getting into the truck and Tina reporting from her in a decade and a half, expectations for a happy the disappearance, Petray says, “Looking at the family ending grow dim. dynamics, that’s not really suspicious. The kids were When asked if she thought April is still alive, Tonya allowed to play freely.” says, “I want to say she is, but I don’t think she is.” When the sheriff’s office took over the case, Petray says Authorities continue to push forward with the case. they were starting from “square one. We had to go back “It’s still a missing persons case because we don’t have a and try to find out who did live in the apartment complex.” body,” Petray says. “You don’t want to lose hope for the family. They talked to people who had already given statements You see all these success stories where years or decades later, and others who had never been questioned at all. a missing kid is found alive, and that’s possible.” Petray says, “We interviewed hundreds of people over If someone knows anything about the disappearance a period of a few years, gaining intelligence. You interview one person, and they name two other people who lived of April Dawn Andrews, please call the Benton County there, so you track them down. They may lead you to Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division at (479) 271somebody else. You can look at a lease to see who lived 1009.

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Laugh Tracks By Joe David Rice

ave you ever wondered about the origin of those annoying laugh tracks which seem to permeate every television comedy? While we can’t pin 100 percent of the blame on an Arkansan, one of our native sons certainly played a supporting role in the development of this insidious contrivance. The culprit? Van Buren’s notorious Bob Burns, a prominent mid-20th-century entertainer who regularly skewered the state’s image for several decades, telling racy and offcolor jokes about the good folks back home in Arkansas. A strong argument can be made that Bob Burns contributed more to the state’s long-suffering reputation than any other single individual, with the possible exception of Gov. Orval Faubus. Burns played the country bumpkin role to the hilt, using his trademark “bazooka” (a crude, homemade wind instrument) and appearing on the radio circuit in the 1930s and ’40s. When his five-year contract with the Kraft Music Hall program ended in 1941, he was bringing in the princely salary of $5,000 a week — or more than $4 million annually in today’s money. While on Bing Crosby’s pre-recorded radio show in 1946, Burns got an overwhelming response from the crowd, once again ridiculing

Arkansas and her residents, with the laughs going on and on and on. But given the offensive nature of the jokes, they couldn’t be broadcast over the airwaves. Crosby’s technical staff had recently adopted improved technology which gave audio engineers greater control over the finished product, including the ability to add sound effects in the post-production phase. Recognizing its potential, they saved the enthusiastic reaction to Burns’ routine. A few weeks later, the show featured another comedian whose gig more or less bombed with the audience. The engineers simply dubbed in the earlier laughs from Burns’ performance — and the laugh track was born. Although television was in its infancy, it didn’t take long for sound engineers to adopt this technique they called “sweetening” — adding

laughs to a show when the audience response didn’t meet the producer’s expectations or toning down chuckles that went too long. A CBS sound engineer named Charley Douglass soon perfected a “laugh machine” containing 320 pre-recorded laughs of one sort or another. His unique and closely-guarded creation — nicknamed the “laff box” by industry insiders — operated like an organ with a keyboard and a foot pedal. When rising costs eliminated “live” recordings of sitcoms, Douglass became a fixture in Hollywood’s backlots. With a virtual monopoly on the craft, he’d lug his mechanical contraption from one studio to the next, adding laughter to dozens of comedies during postproduction. Shows such as Bewitched, The Munsters and The Beverly Hillbillies have been described as virtual showcases of his sound editing skills. In 1992, Douglass received an Emmy from The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for his technical achievements. Television audiences became so accustomed to canned laughter that they had trouble accepting shows without it. A few brave producers, confident their viewers were smart enough to recognize humor and to know when to chuckle without prompting, resisted laugh tracks — and almost all were rewarded with low ratings and, even worse, canceled programs. For most of my adult life, I’ve been bothered by Bob Burns’ ill-treatment of his native state. His role in the evolution of the laugh track, innocent as it may have been, is one more reason he’s not on my list of favorite Arkansans.

Joe David Rice, former tourism director of Arkansas Parks and Tourism, has written Arkansas Backstories, a delightful book of short stories from A through Z that introduces readers to the state's lesser-known aspects. Rice's goal is to help readers acknowledge that Arkansas is a unique and fascinating combination of land and people – one to be proud of and one certainly worth sharing. Each month, AY will share one of the 165 distinctive essays. We hope these stories will give you a new appreciation for this geographically compact but delightfully complex place we call home. These Arkansas Backstories columns appear courtesy of the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. The essays have been collected and published by Butler Center Books in a two-volume set, both of which are now available to purchase at Amazon and the University of Arkansas Press.

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Quality Care Rooted in Arkansas

hope Is The Foundation. recovery Is The Journey. In response to the growing needs of our community, The BridgeWay has expanded its continuum of care for substance use disorders. The acute rehabilitation program will provide hope and recovery for adults struggling with substance use disorders. Led by Dr. Schay, and a Board Certified Psychiatrist and Addictionologist, the Substance Use Disorder Rehabilitation Program is for adults at risk of relapse. Rehabilitation requires the supportive structure of a 24-hour therapeutic environment. To learn more about our continuum of care for substance use disorders, call us at 1-800-245-0011. Physicians are on the medical staff of The BridgeWay Hospital but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of The BridgeWay Hospital. The facility shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.

Dr. Schay

Medical Director Of Substance Use Disorders & Patriot Support Program

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Rheumatology Excellence Conway Regional is proud to offer rheumatology services at the Conway Regional Multispecialty Clinic. Rheumatologists specialize in a wide range of disorders that affect the joints, muscles, tendons, bones, and other connective tissues. Our highly-skilled specialists care for patients with an extensive variety of autoimmune and inﬂammatory diseases. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 501-358-6145.

We’re not just growing—we’re growing together. Pictured: Swetha Boddeda, MD, and Mikka Fenley, APRN

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