AY About You December 2024

PAYNE HARDING

Payne Harding’s vision for Cache is one that transcends food — where every guest encounter receives as much care as what emerges from the kitchen. Payne believes that every detail is significant and impacts the experience of Cache patrons. With the infrastructure now firmly in place, Payne is immersed in crafting what promises to be a constantly evolving and dynamic culinary story at Cache.

• Breast Augmentation

• Tummy Tuck

• Arm Lift

• BOTOX Cosmetic

• Liposuction

• Endoscopic Brow Lift

• Facelift

• Clinical Hair Restoration

• Mommy Makeover

• CoolSculpting Elite

Dr. Suzanne Yee is one of the Natural State’s most accomplished cosmetic surgeons. Dr. Yee graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and was ranked 1st in her graduating class. She completed her surgery internship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and her facial plastics and reconstructive surgery fellowship at the University of Texas at Houston. Dr. Yee has been serving the state of Arkansas through her medical skills and fashion sensibilities at her cosmetic and laser surgery center since 2003.

ESCAPE THE ORDINARY

From unforgettable live music to handcrafted cocktails with friends looking over the Bentonville skyline, the Momentary is the perfect place to get away this season—or get inspired.

Feeding Curi Feedingity Curi ity

PCSSD STUDENT NUTRITION

The dedicated student nutrition staff of Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD) is focused on serving nutritious, tasty and affordable breakfast and lunch options in each of the district’s 25 school cafés. This school year, 19 out of 25 PCSSD schools are participating in Provision 2 of the National School Lunch Act which provides meals at no charge for all students on campus. The District also partners with Chartwells K12, a food management service, to provide both nutritious meals and enriching educational programs.

Even with Provision 2 in place, Regena English, PCSSD Director of Student Nutrition, urges each family to fill out the free and reduced lunch applications. “There are several benefits to getting approved for free and reduced lunches,” shares English. “First, it eliminates breakfast and lunch costs for families approved for both free and reduced lunches. But the benefits go beyond meals at school, it also allows students to take the ACT test at no cost.” Other provisions include Title I funding for students, reduced internet cost and a $120 EBT card sent to each student who qualifies for summer meals.

Brady Martin, Chartwells K12 District Manager shares the latest on their educational programs. During the Student Choice events, PCSSD secondary students cast a vote for menu items they’d like added to their cafeteria menu. “Caribbean BBQ pulled pork sandwiches for the win!” says Martin. For elementary students, Martin’s team introduces new foods through a program called Discovery Kitchen. “We were

fortunate to have a special guest at our Chenal Elementary Discovery Kitchen in September. Celebrity chef/home & lifestyle personality

Jennifer Maune — a finalist on season 13 of Gordon Ramsay’s MasterChef in 2023 — joined us to share her culinary journey and help impart upon the students how proper nutrition and the foods we eat fuel our bodies for performance.”

Other programs include a six-week Global Eats initiative that introduces secondary students to a new authentic dish from a different culinary culture, and in the spring, during an elementary program called Mood Boost, students will learn about ingredients aimed to help fuel specific moods or feelings such as Alert, Calm, Confident, Happy, Smart, and Strong. “We are also pleased to have opened up a new cafeteria district at Robinson High School’s freshman campus, completely renovating the kitchen with an investment of over $300,000 to serve those students and

staff,” shares Brady. “We’ve seen so many good things, and so many happy students, during the fall semester and are excited for even more in the spring!”

About PCSSD

Pulaski County Special School District spans more than 600 square miles in central Arkansas and requires highly skilled and passionate personnel to adapt educational policies and personalization to 25 schools. Every school is accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July 1927.

PCSSD is committed to creating a nationally recognized school district that assures that all students achieve at their maximum potential through collaborative, supportive and continuous efforts of all stakeholders.

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Joe David Rice, born in Paragould and reared in Jonesboro, probably knows Arkansas as well as anyone alive. The former owner of an outfitting business on the Buffalo National River and the state’s former tourism director, his Arkansas Backstories is published by the Butler Center.

Steve Lewis is a proud graduate of Central High who moved away a long time ago. His accomplishments include jumping freight trains through the Canadian Rockies back in the summer of ’97, finally getting a bachelor’s degree after taking FOREVER (man!), and surviving 10+ years as a photojournalist before returning home to contribute to AY Media.

Amy Gramlich is a wife, mom, blogger and public school educator proudly planted in Arkansas. She loves to celebrate all occasions big and small with fun outfits, creative recipes and fresh home decor (which must always include plants). She enjoys all the details that go into planning the next trip or party.

Lori Sparkman, owner of Lori Sparkman Photography, has traveled the globe to work extensively with beautiful brides and grooms, fierce fitness clients, and growing families, as well as high-profile and corporate clients. She prides herself in capturing their personalities with a sophisticated and lighthearted style.

Kelli Reep is a writer and public relations practitioner in central Arkansas. When she is not looking for the best pie in the state, she is being ordered around by three cats. She likes to read, cook, sleep and help out when she can.

Mark Carter is senior editor for Arkansas Money & Politics. He has more than 30 years of experience working for newspapers and publications across the state and in corporate communications.

Jamie Lee is a freelance photographer originally from southwest Louisiana who now resides in Little Rock. With a strong focus on portrait, branding and food photography, she loves capturing people’s stories and cultures through the lens, helping businesses build their brands visually, and showcasing the local food scene and small businesses.

Chris Davis was born and raised in Sherwood but now resides in North Little Rock with his wife and 7-year-old son. When his son was born, his wife asked for a new camera to take pictures of their little one. From there, his love of photography grew, and he is proud to be one of the contributing photographers at AY magazine.

Magazine is published monthly, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8 AY Magazine (ISSN 2162-7754) 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 $24 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 ©2024, 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.

Holidays and winter break usually mean extra family time. We hope your family has lots of fun playing, learning and making memories.

Learning? Oh, yes! Research tells us children learn best through play. Every experience is an opportunity for learning.

Merry

In the season of gifting, choosing toys can be a real challenge. Make your gifting more merry with a few simple guidelines.

Safety first. Abide by the recommended age on the packaging. These indicators are based on safety as well as your child’s ability to enjoy the toy. Always inspect toys for sharp edges and removable small parts. Less is more. The less a toy does, the more opportunity your child has to create and learn from it.

A truck is usually just a truck. A block can be anything.

Merry & Bright

Written

Get toy suggestions and learn more about age-appropriate toys in our free family resource, Choose the Right Toys, on our website.

Bright

You are an important part of your child’s development.

Scan the code or click the Parents and Families tab on our homepage to locate the Family Resource Library.

Through play, you help your child learn communication skills and start them on the path to learning.

When you focus your attention on your child, you show them how important they are and help them develop self-esteem. Your presence brightens their day.

The best gift

Give your child the best gift –a solid foundation for learning and success in life through quality early care and education.

Click the orange banner at ARBetterBeginnings.com to find star-rated Better Beginnings’ quality early childhood educators who prepare children for kindergarten with positive experiences, research-based curriculum, and learning through play.

Happy Holidays!

by Kelli Hilburn, Better Beginnings Program Administrator

Unto us a child is born

Our cover this month says it all — the Christmas season has arrived and, with it, reflections on the grace and love and joy shared unto us in the city of David.

Those of you who know me know how much I love Christmas as a holiday, but I love the true meaning of this time even more. The birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ, and the start of the greatest story ever told never ceases to bring joy to my heart, even as it moves me to tears.

This issue of AY About You brings you, the reader, many trappings of the season. From delicious holiday recipes to tasty cocktails to words of inspiration from some central Arkansas clergy, there is something for every moment and mood this holiday season, be it celebratory or solitary.

We also take a trip to south Arkansas and El Dorado, where we discover the best food, entertainment, lodging and attractions, including (big surprise) a community Christmas celebration that should be on everyone’s holiday wish list.

This issue includes all this plus a salute to women in health care, a look at Arkansas toy stores and more.

May the joy and peace of this season fill your hearts to overflowing this season, enough to last the whole year through.

Heather Baker, President & Publisher hbaker@aymag.com / heatherbaker_ar

CONNECT

READER FEEDBACK INSTAGRAM

AY’S FACES OF ARKANSAS: FACE OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE, BORNHOFT LAW

Thank you. Honored to be included in such a prestigious periodical in this State!

James Bornhoft

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: PROJECT ZERO

Project Zero does amazing work for children in foster care!

Tonia Griffin

HOT SPRINGS CHEF WINS 2024 WORLD DESSERT CHAMPIONSHIP

Fantastic news congratulations.

Jamie McAfee

HULK HOGAN TO INTRODUCE BRAND IN ARKANSAS

Had an amazing conversation with the Hulkster!

Michael Boen

DREAMING OF A WHITE (COUNTY) CHRISTMAS: SEARCY’S HOLIDAY OF LIGHTS MAKES SPIRITS BRIGHT

We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Searcy for the holidays!

City of Searcy

BACK HOME BBQ SET TO BRING NEW DINING OPTION DOWNTOWN

We drove by last night and the neon looks great! Excited to see our little side of downtown growing. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Union Station Self Storage

AY’S FACES OF ARKANSAS: FACE OF COFFEE, MOUNTAIN BIRD COFFEE & TEA CO.

Love to see them featured; such a great company and so friendly! Super quality products. I was the consultant for a local coffee shop that opened a while back and this is who we went with after trying out multiple roasters.

Serena Saylor

TRENDING ON AYMAG.COM

Hot Springs chef wins 2024 World Dessert Championship

Kid Rock, Nickelback, Hank Williams Jr. and more coming to Little Rock

Arkansas Pecan Festival to bring the nuts and bolts to Keo

2024 Thanksgiving pre-orders and restaurant openings

Jay Leno to bring his iconic wit to Oaklawn

CORRECTION

In the October AY About You, it was reported the second-floor buildout of Unity Health Jacksonville was underway. Those renovations have not yet started.

In November’s recipe feature, 8 ounces of cream cheese (one package) was left out of the list of ingredients.

Back Home BBQ set to bring a new dining option to downtown Little Rock.

Those who remember Sir Loin’s Inn can get ready to show their favor to the restaurant once again with the much-anticipated opening of Sir Loin’s Inn II on JFK Boulevard in North Little Rock.

Jay Leno will bring an unforgettable night of comedy and entertainment to Oaklawn in Hot Springs on March 1, 2025.

5Top

you just can't miss!

GLOWILD!

Dec. 1-31

Little Rock Zoo

As the capital city’s premier light festival and one of the largest immersive light festivals in the nation, GloWILD! at the Little Rock Zoo offers a fun and unique way to enjoy the holiday season. This event will also run Jan. 2-5 and will highlight 500,000 LED lights and dozens of handcrafted silk lanterns.

A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL

Dec. 4-22

Argenta Contemporary Theatre — North Little Rock

For those who have been seeing the infamous leg lamps around Argenta Arts District, know it is all in celebration of A Christmas Story: The Musical. Join Argenta Contemporary Theatre, and step back into the 1940s in the fictional town of Hohman, Indiana. The musical will follow Ralphie Parker, a 9-year-old searching for the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts.

BALLET ARKANSAS’ NUTCRACKER SPECTACULAR WITH THE ARKANSAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Dec. 13-15

Robinson Center — Little Rock

Over the past four decades, hundreds of thousands of Arkansans have experienced Ballet Arkansas’ beloved holiday tradition, The Nutcracker Spectacular, which features live music by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. This year’s performance is expected to be nothing short of spectacular.

TECH THE HALLS: HOT SPRINGS CHRISTMAS PARADE 2024

Dec. 9

Historic Downtown Hot Springs

Head to Hot Springs for its annual Christmas parade. This year’s theme is Tech the Halls. Proceeds will go toward helping fund scholarships for local youth. Do not miss out on this merry, magical, robotic twist to classic holiday cheer.

THE HAYWOOD PRESENTS THE SECOND ANNUAL NEW YEARS EVE FESTIVAL: 2025

Dec. 31

The Haywood El Dorado

Party like it is the 1920s this New Years Eve at the Haywood. Step back in time to the Roaring ‘20s, and ring in the new year with glitz, glamor and a night of vintage extravagance in downtown El Dorado, the place to be in south Arkansas for the holidays.

Oaklawn Hotel

A Christmas to REMEMBER

By AY STAFF // Photos provided Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center ups the ante on holiday magic

They say everything is bigger in the Lone Star State, and if the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center is any indication, there is more than a little truth to that. The incredible resort offers everything someone could want and then supersizes it to mind-boggling proportions, particularly during the holidays.

Dubbed the “Unofficial Christmas Capital of Texas” by Secret Dallas, the already-luxurious property goes over the top for the holidays in ways that delight the senses and stretch the imagination. This year, visitors to the storied property will be treated to ICE! featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, a winter wonderland offering an astonishing collection of larger-than-life ice sculptures.

Also on the activities menu is an eight-lane ice tubing hill covered in 2 million pounds of real snow and a 6,000-square-foot ice skating rink ranked one of the best in the city, all under one roof. That is all in addition, of course, to a holiday lights and decorations display that, year after year, ranks the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center among the must-visits of the season.

If all of that seems like overkill for a time of year that traditionally pines for homecoming — as crooned in Christmas standards “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays” — think again. Times have changed, and they have taken Americans’ celebratory habits with them when it comes to holidays.

According to TravelAge West, people are showing more and more willingness to spend the holidays away from home on a vacation-style trip. The magazine cited PwC’s annual “Holiday Outlook” which found nearly half of people surveyed were intending to take such a trip and were willing to pay more to do it, at least among millennials and Gen Z. In fact, the demographics reported in survey after survey that they prioritize experiences even over material purchases at Christmas.

Add to those trends the fact that Dallas ranked third on Allianz Partners USA’s list of most popular domestic destinations for the holidays, and it adds up to a potential bumper crop of holiday travelers for the taking in 2024.

It is hard to imagine the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center not being atop any traveler’s list given its slate of luxurious accommodations, on-property amenities to suit a wide range of interests and a stellar reputation for delivering the utmost in customer service.

Aside from being wrapped in a festival cocoon of 4.5 acres of holiday decor and more than 2 million twinkling lights, the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center offers the best in dining options, amenities and inroom appointments for its guests.

Fatigued by holiday shopping? Recharge with a workout in the gym, or take an invigorating swim in the indoor lap pool or outdoor resort pool, which are both heated and open year-round. Following the workout, discover the true

essence of relaxation at Relâche Spa, which offers 14 treatment rooms, two suites and luxurious amenities such as steam rooms and saunas.

The world-class spa offers a menu of soothing massages, body treatments, facials, manicures, skin renewal therapies, makeup services, pedicures and other specialty services. Guests let go of their cares as they immerse themselves in treatments and therapies infused with natural elements from the garden and delivered with flawless professionalism.

Dining options also abound on the property, which offers delicious chef-inspired fare to suit any mood or taste. Check out the casually elegant Zeppole, a newly renovated restaurant offering outstanding Italian dishes that include freshly made pasta, specialty entrees, brick-oven pizzas and homemade charcuterie in a villa-style courtyard setting. Sample authentic Tex-Mex made with skill from the freshest ingredients available at Riverwalk Cantina, or grab a seat and a brew to catch the big game while enjoying elevated bar bites at Texan Station Sports Bar & Grill.

Return visitors to the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center may be happy to know the extensive renovation of Old Hickory Steakhouse is nearing completion. The upscale steakhouse, celebrated in the pages of D Magazine, Dallas Observer and many other publications, is renowned for its steaks but also offers an impressive farm-to-market menu with a laser focus on local and regional ingredients. A world-class wine list

According to TravelAge West, people are showing more and more willingness to spend the holidays away from home on a vacation-style trip.

and customer-favorite cheese cart also lend to the remarkable dining experience.

Add the Cocoa Bean Express coffee house and Mission Plaza Marketplace for quick pick-me-ups and the Silver Bar for wind-down libations, and there is a food and beverage option for any time of day.

As with others in the company property portfolio, the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center is built around a center atrium that allows guests to take in the activity and atmosphere from their rooms, which is particularly prevalent at the holidays. From the 54-foot Christmas tree to the Shine Light Show, there is festive holiday spirit galore throughout the property.

Marvel at ICE!, the property’s signature holiday attraction, which features scenes from the beloved classic, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” brought to life in magnificent sculptures, or enjoy

the mammoth skating rink featuring real ice.

Visit the Christmas Village to race down the ice tubing slopes on Snow Flow Mountain; grab a tub of snow to make and throw snowballs in the Snowball Build and Blast game area; or just take a lazy holiday ride on the nostalgic Christmas Carousel.

Other family attractions include photos with Santa, story time with Mrs. Claus, Reindeer Games Scavenger Hunt, Elf Training Academy, Gingerbread Decorating Corner and a variety of unique dining experiences with special guests throughout the property.

This year, folks can make it a Christmas away from home the family will never forget. Book a stay at Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center to let the magic of the holidays meld with the uncompromising luxury and unparalleled service of this one-of-a-kind resort experience.

Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine, Texas 817-778-1000 christmasatgaylordtexan.marriott.com

Discover family-friendly events and seasonal activities, vibrant live entertainment, engaging kids’ programming, thrilling atrium light shows, interactive scavenger hunts, and countless opportunities to make memories together.

November 15, 2024 – January 5, 2025

Gilbert Stuart, George Washington [The Constable-Hamilton Portrait] (detail), 1797, oil on canvas, 50 in. x 40 in. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2005.27. Photography by Edward C. Robison III.

Plated

Delta Diamond Chef sees success in first year

The most heated event in the entire Arkansas cooking scene has come and gone, but organizers are looking at ways to make the event more flavorful when it returns in 2026.

The first ever Delta Diamond Chef Awards Gala and Competition took place Oct. 14 at the Pine Bluff Country Club. Pitting eight teams against each other, each led by an Arkansas chef, a committee selected the top two teams from the preliminary round to compete for the title of Delta Diamond Chef.

Matías de Matthaeis, executive chef at Red Oak Steakhouse at Saracen Casino & Resort went toque to toque with Payne Harding, executive chef and owner at Cache Restaurant. Harding won by two points with his almond-crusted Chilean sea bass paired with potato gnocchi, creamy fumet sauce, pickled carrot, zucchini and squash, pickled beet glaze and a squid ink coral.

“Sometimes in life, there are events where you want to win so badly, when all your energy for months is dedicated to that moment of victory,” Harding said. “You completely impose your will and bring this idea of winning into existence and convince yourself that losing isn’t going to be an option.”

Harding has participated in Diamond Chef events across the country for over a decade. The 37-year-old

Chef Payne Harding's winning dish included sea bass and squid ink coral.

started competing in the events at the age of 26.

“Winning at this stage in my career is so sweet. I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he said. “I plan on continuing to work on my craft of cuisine and building layers of knowledge to be the best version of myself that I can offer.”

His chief rival in the cook-off came away with a new perspective and a battle plan for future match ups.

“I focused on Arkansas ingredients in general and Delta ingredients in particular for my dish, and this granted me no extra points, so I won’t do that again,” de Matthaeis said. “Also, I did too much. I believe a bit of a simpler dish would have gone better.”

Skipping a year, the next tournament will be Feb. 24, 2026 and until then, Harding awaits the challenge of the two preliminary finalists, who will be chosen from a pool of eight chefs on the preliminary competition date, Aug. 15, 2025.

“Reflecting on our inaugural Delta Diamond Chef Awards Gala and Competition, I am filled with pride and gratitude,” said Todd Gold, organizer of the championship. “This year’s event was a tremendous success, showcasing extraordinary talent and creativity from our chefs. The energy in the room was palpable, and it was inspiring to witness our culinary community come together.

“As we look ahead to next year, we are committed to elevating the experience even further, ensuring that the Delta Diamond Chef Awards Gala and Competition continues to shine brightly and celebrate the artistry of our chefs and hospitality community. Together, let’s make next year’s gala an even more unforgettable celebration.”

Gold said he learned some procedural lessons from the experience that he will apply to the event’s next iteration. He said there were many chefs who showed interest in preparing courses.

“Obviously, it will be much bigger and better next year, moving to Saracen’s new event center,” he said. “We will be able to hold the competition, dinner, entertainment, etc. all in one large space.”

De Matthaeis said the event can only get better from here.

“Todd Gold is working tirelessly to make it even better than the last one,” he said. “No doubt, Delta Diamond Chef is and will help the food scene. On a personal note, I would rather learn from all the other chefs than compete against them, but I’m not sure how to do this or how it would look like.”

Winning at this stage in my career is so sweet. I wouldn’t want it any other way. I plan on continuing to work on my craft of cuisine and building layers of knowledge to be the best version of myself that I can offer.

— Chef Payne Harding Cache Restaurant

Event chair Heather Baker, president and publisher at AY Media Group, poses with Harding after his victory.

De Matthaeis started cooking as a child, helping his grandmother, an excellent cook in her own right. He studied culinary arts at the age of 18 and, by then, had already gained some experience. Then he began traveling to Europe while working and worked on cruises.

In his debut performance, he served a bison tenderloin duo made up of seared bison medallion and bison tartare. On the side he made “potato chip wavy lace” intended to go with the tartare, along with micro vegetables pickled in muscadine pickling liquid and esau street corn with halloumi sheep cheese from Willowbrook Farm in Searcy. He also plated poached Arkansas heirloom eggs, Arkansas Delta pine nuts, Arkansas Delta paddlefish caviar, Willowbrook Farm creme fraiche, local freshly harvested okra, and local herbs such as tarragon, parsley, cilantro and chives.

While de Matthaeis first thought to make the competition his last, he is now reconsidering the prospect of taking another swing at the crown.

“The last result kept me hungry,” he said. “I am looking forward to the next opportunity. Giving up is not in my blood.”

On the Menu

Chef Payne Harding

Round 1 Menu:

Cured Duck

Candied Kumquats

Celery Root Puree

Roasted Green Beans and Bell Peppers rolled in Prosciutto

Everything Spiced Cracker

Fennel Pollen Dust

Round 2 Menu:

Pistachio Crusted Lamb Chops

Honey-Rosemary Balsamic Reduction

Truffle Potato Espuma

Lemon Zested Asparagus

Glazed Carrots

Round 3 Menu:

Almond Crusted Chilean Sea Bass

Potato Gnocchi

Creamy Fumet Sauce

Pickled Carrot, Zucchini and Squash

Pickled Beet Glaze

Squid Ink Coral

Chef Matías de Matthaeis

Round 1 Menu:

Ora King Salmon Mosaic with Nori Powder

Orange Teriyaki Sauce

Honey Ginger Lime Espuma

Fresh Mango, Micro Cilantro

Nori and Rice Paper Crunch

Round 2 Menu:

Bacon Tuile Burrito

Pork Shoulder with Foie Gras and Spices

Salsa Gel, Lime Crema

Refried Bean Foam

Served on a Smoke Dome

Round 3 Menu:

Bison Duo: Bison Tenderloin Cooked Rare and Bison Tartare

Potato Chip Lace

Ark. Muscadine-Pickled Micro Vegetables

Willowbrook Farm Halloumi Cheese and Creme Fraiche

Arkansas Fresh Herbs, Pine Nuts and Okra

Delta Esau Street Corn

Delta Paddlefish Caviar

Chef Gregory Matthews

Pan-seared scallops with with romesco, pea puree, microgreens, matignon, puff pastry and citrus vinaigrette.

Chef Jill McDonald

Round 1, Pork and pasta

Grilled pork tenderloin with jezebel glaze; homemade ricotta and mushroom agnolotti; tomato butter; Spanish chorizo and tomato jam; braised butter bean puree; bacon tuile; and Driftwood Farms pioppino mushrooms .

Round 2, Arkansas Duck and Rice

Seared duck breast with apple bourbon potlikker; Arkansas wild and dirty rice; apple, sweet potato and turnip puree; duck-and bourbon-braised turnip greens; and duck liver mousse eclairs with puffed rice, pecan and duck skin dukkah.

Chef Kevin Doroski

Pan-seared Canary rockfish on a bed of Arkansas-grown sauteed wild mushrooms with turmeric wild rice, carrot puree and a classic beurre blanc.

Chef Lance Curtis

Butter-poached lobster on a bed of corn and black bean succotash, sautéed broccolini, lobster foam, and corn coulis sauce.

Chef Brayan McFadden

Spinach-and-feta-stuffed lamb chop, herb potato dumpling, crispy Brussels and curry salad.

Chef Jordan Davis

Round 1: Sous vide duck breast, Oregon English pea puree, sauteed morel mushrooms, Oregon English pea, duck confit and farro with crispy duck cracklin and pan sauce.

Round 2: Zucchini-and-squash wrapped salmon, saffron nage, corn and saffron flan, charred shishito peppers, salmon tartare, and crispy fried leeks.

Bison was the focal point of the dish Chef Matías de Matthaeis' put forth for the finals.

Chef Matías de Matthaeis

There is so much to love about Searcy, especially during the holidays. Take in the lights, savor festive treats, and enjoy time with loved ones all season. Discover event details, activities, and the best spots to see the lights at ExperienceSearcy.com. • NEW Christmas Displays • Home of the Living Nativity • Fun Events

Spice up the Holidays

Elevate any party with the flavors of the season

By AMY GRAMLICH

This gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting is sugar, spice and everything nice for a holiday dessert. A feast for the eyes and the belly, this double-layered gingerbread cake features thick molasses and a topping of sugared cranberries. Guests will be delighted by the layers of warm spices, creamy frosting and a sparkling topping that will be the star of any holiday buffet or dessert table.

SPICE, GIRL

Gingerbread cake can trace its roots all the way back to the Middle East and in Europe. This recipe honors that tradition with its use of thick molasses and the spices that bring together that true gingerbread flavor: cloves, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon. Move over, pumpkin spice — this dessert brings a rush of flavor thanks to a deeper winter spice mix.

ICING ON THE CAKE

This beauty is frosted with thin layers of cream cheese frosting using an offset icing spatula. Cooks who prefer a fancier presentation might choose to add a border by piping frosting around the edge of the top layer. Note: Those wishing to pipe a thick border or who prefer extra-thick layers of frosting may need to double the frosting recipe.

On the other hand, those who like a more minimalist naked cake style of dessert can go with a crumb frosting, leaving some of the outer layers of the cake exposed. The orange-brown coloring of this cake contrasts well against the lighter cream cheese frosting, making the naked cake style no less attractive than the solid frosting approach.

To add some elegance or a touch of whimsy, add decorative

toppers or other cake decorations to adorn the dessert. A small grouping of gingerbread men cookies on the cake would make for a playful holiday presentation, or go for rosemary sprigs, sugared cranberries, anise pods and cinnamon sticks to create a more elegant, sophisticated look.

VISIONS OF SUGARED CRANBERRIES

While there are other methods for making sugared cranberries, the following is an expedited method for creating a batch with water and granulated sugar.

• Add fresh cranberries to a bowl of water, let them soak for about 10 minutes, and then drain the water completely.

• Roll the cranberries around in a shallow bowl or rimmed plate with a thick layer of sugar until well coated.

• Spread the sugared cranberries on a tray lined with parchment paper to let dry before adding them to the cake.

Finding fresh cranberries can sometimes be a challenge, even during the holidays. If so, then consider the following alternative toppings for the cake.

• Chopped pecans

• Flaked almonds

• Mini chocolate chips

• Dried fruit

• A pile of cinnamon sticks, artfully placed

• Drizzled caramel

One might also serve the plain frosted cake slices alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or sauteed peaches or pears. This gingerbread cake will be decadent any way it is presented.

Cake Ingredients

1 cup molasses

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup applesauce

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup milk

Frosting/Topping Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla

6 cups powdered sugar

Rosemary to decorate

Sugared cranberries to decorate

Anise pods to decorate

Cinnamon sticks to decorate

Gingerbread Cake Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350° F.

• Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray. Line the bottom with a round cutout of parchment paper to fit and another layer of non-stick spray. Sprinkle with a thin layer of flour and set aside.

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the molasses, melted butter and sugar. Stir to combine.

• Add applesauce, egg and vanilla, mixing well.

• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt.

• Add half the flour and spice mixture to the molasses mixture. Whisk to combine.

• Add the oil and milk and stir to combine.

• Add the remaining flour and stir well, scraping the sides and bottom to ensure there are no hidden dry ingredients.

• Pour batter into the prepared pans, dividing equally.

• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the center is set. Allow each cake layer to cool completely before removing from the pan.

Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and cream cheese. Mix until smooth.

• Add cinnamon, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix to combine.

• Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed to combine.

• Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix on low speed to combine.

• Bump up mixer speed to medium/high, and whip until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and mix again. Set aside until ready to assemble.

Assembly Instructions

• Remove the cakes from the pans, placing one on a cake board.

• Spread a thick layer of frosting across the top and top with the second layer of cake.

• Spread a thin layer of frosting across the top and the sides of both layers to crumbcoat the cake. Place in the fridge and chill for about 10 minutes.

• Remove the cake and spread the remaining frosting across the top of the cake and the sides, using an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly.

• Transfer the cake and the cake board to a serving platter.

• Repair any spots as needed with additional frosting before decorating.

• To decorate, top the cake to suit the mood and audience using any combination of rosemary, sugared cranberries, cinnamon sticks, anise seed pods, etc.

• Cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Winter COCKTAILS

Irish Jig

1 ounce Warfield Organic American Whiskey

1 ounce Kahlúa

1 ounce  stout

1 whole egg

2 dashes barrel-aged bitters Sprinkle of nutmeg

Add stout to dry shaker. Swirl to release carbonation. Add remaining ingredients to shaker and dry shake, no ice, for 30 seconds. Add ice and shake for another 30 seconds to dilute and chill. Strain into a coupe and garnish with nutmeg.

Photos provided

Warfield Whiskey drinkwarfield.com

Maple, Figs & Walnuts

2 ounces Warfield: The Local American Whiskey

1/2 ounce maple syrup and fig balsamic 3 dashes black walnut bitters

Build all ingredients in a rocks glass. Serve over a large cube and garnish with orange twist.

Warfield Winter Sour

2 ounces Warfield: The Local American Whiskey 1 ounce lemon juice

3/4 ounce spice simple syrup (cinnamon, nutmeg snd star anise)

1/4 ounce allspice dram

Egg white

Add all ingredients to a shaker. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with star anise pod.

Photos by JAMIE LEE

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Where are You,

Arkansas Christmas?

Following the star to a place called

By DWAIN HEBDA

Christmas is the most famous, the most familiar and most enigmatic of holidays. It is a time of wrapping gifts and opening our souls, of new things and old memories. Christmas reaches out to us through media and retail — earlier and earlier it seems — even as we sometimes struggle to embrace it back.

It is a holiday that, for many, cannot get here fast enough and, for others, leaves all too soon. It is work and expense and the pressure to act and feel a certain way; an economic windfall, a spiritual beckoning. We marvel at the spectacle and race to keep up, spending and dining and fretting more in a month than Mary and Joseph did in a year.

It is a 25-foot inflatable Blitzen in the front yard, a bottomless well of loneliness in many hearts, a 100-voice choir echoing faintly to a homeless man under a bridge. It is the day Granna’s apple pie tastes sweetest and when deployed and estranged absences sting the most.

Christmas is all of these things for people, as well as more for some and nothing for others. Any way one slices it, from the ecumenical to the economic, Christmas is a Tesla magnet, pulling matters of faith, health, food, family, culture and spirituality inextricably onward — all started with the promise of a young expectant couple taking up shelter against the cold desert air.

WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

The event at the center of the holiday is, of course, the birth of Jesus Christ, told almost like a cherished family tale in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, the former setting the stage and the latter providing the play by play.

Joseph and Mary had come to Bethlehem, his hometown, to take part in the Roman census. Some time after arriving, Mary gave birth to a son in a stable, the only shelter to be found, giving him the name of Jesus. Local shepherds were summoned by angel choirs to come and see the newborn king sleeping in a manger.

In time, three Magi appeared, bearing gifts and having followed a large star to the place. They gained an audience with King Herod and inquired where the newborn king may be found. Herod, who was familiar with what the Jews foretold of the coming of the Messiah, told the men to report back to him when they found him under the guise of wanting to pay his respects. When the trio left Judea without doing so, the king ordered the massacre of male children younger than 2 to eliminate the infant challenger to his throne. Warned in a dream, Jesus’ parents fled with their son to Egypt and, upon returning, made their way back to Nazareth in Galilee.

The elements of the Nativity story, well known to most Christians from earliest Sunday school days, are actually very broad strokes. Christian archeology has unearthed fascinating details about life at that time that lend a particular richness to the tale. For example, the stock image of the heartless innkeeper is not mentioned in the Bible; per Evangelical Magazine, Luke specifically says “there was no room for them at the katalymati.”

Often translated to mean “inn,” katalymati actually means “lodging place,” such as a guest room in a house. That leads some scholars to believe the couple was actually staying with Joseph’s relatives and the usual guest quarters were already taken, perhaps by other family members.

The images of Mary riding on a donkey and the couple looking to be in their 20s at the time are, while not impossible, very likely modern fabrications and artistic license. The Bible does not mention that she rode in, and the social constructs of the time likely meant that the pair were just teenagers.

Even the concept of bedding down in a stable is subject to scrutiny. As Associates for Biblical Research notes, a traditional Israelite home was comprised of four rooms, one of which was constructed to house expensive animals such as donkeys and oxen. The Bible does explicitly say Mary laid Jesus in a manger, or feed trough, so the assumption of a separate barn or stable are understandable. In reality, though, historians surmise that not unlike modern Christmas gatherings, there was a houseful of people that night, and the expectant couple made do as best they could, the ancient equivalent of drawing the pull-out sofa.

Other fascinating details have been mapped by scholars, such as the angels that appeared to the shepherds. The Bible says nothing of angels as winged, haloed creatures the way they have been portrayed through centuries of art. In fact, Biblical angels are not generally described as otherworldly in appearance at all but as so humanlike that those being visited by them generally do not realize it in the moment. The Magi are widely believed to have been Babylonians, known for their expertise in astronomy, and the Christmas Star itself could very well have been a comet.

O CHRISTMAS TREE

None of the discrepancies lessen the impact and poignancy of the central tale, of course, and the enduring impact of Christian faith and tradition that have grown out of it. Almost everything one sees in Christmas symbolism and iconography can be traced to some element of the original Biblical story or some other ancient belief.

For example, the plants and greenery of Christmas are heavy with symbolism and meaning. Poinsettias are often called the Christmas Star for their star-shaped leaves, Symbol Sage states. The plants are also the stuff of legend in Mexico, where they originated, through the tale of a poor Mexican girl with no gift for the baby Jesus at Christmas Eve services who offered weeds that miraculously turned into bright red poinsettias. Holly is meant to remind Christians of the price of their salvation, the sharp leaves representing Christ’s crown of thorns and the plant’s bright red berries the drops of his blood.

Many other well-known symbols of the season are borrowed from other ancient cultures and traditions. The Christmas tree came in vogue after the pagan custom of displaying evergreen branches in winter as a reminder spring would come again, Reader’s Digest reported. Mistletoe goes back even farther, to Norse mythology, where it is said the gods used the plant to revive Odin’s son, Baldur, from the dead. That prompted his mother, Frigg, the goddess of love, to make the plant a symbol of love, vowing to kiss anyone who passed under it.

Some traditions that seem new are actually older than most people think. The Elf on the Shelf craze that hit the market in 2005 actually continues a line of mischievous elves that crop up throughout Scandinavian, Celtic and German folklore. Fruitcake traces its roots to the Roman Empire, though the belief that one dating back to that time is still circulating as a perennial regift cannot be substantiated.

Biggest Christmas Movies

These days, the Hallmark Channel puts Christmas movies within reach of anyone at any time of year. However, a select few flicks have become so ingrained with the holiday, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without them. Here they are, as ranked by IMDB:

1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

2. Die Hard (1988)

3. A Christmas Carol (1951)

4. Home Alone (1990)

5. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

6. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

7. A Christmas Story (1983)

8. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

9. Elf (2003)

10. Gremlins (1984)

SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN

Conversely, some things that seem ancient are actually quite contemporary. Ever wonder how red and green came to symbolize the holiday? Believe it or not, the combo comes from American advertising credited to Michigan-born illustrator Haddon Sundblom. In 1931, Sundblom produced a series of designs for Coca-Cola depicting Santa Claus in a variety of holiday tableaus, all of which showed him drinking a Coke. Though depicted in art previously, Sundblom’s Santa included the familiar bright red garb (which

matched the company’s red label) set against green borders and backgrounds. The ads ran for more than 30 years, solidifying red and green as the official colors of the season.

As for Kriss Kringle himself, the legend of Santa Claus is rooted in the life of a real person, the monk St. Nicholas, who was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, which is near Myra in modern-day Turkey. Shrouded in legend but definitely real, St. Nicholas was lauded for his piety and kindness and was said to have given away his inherited fortune as he traveled to help the poor and sick.

In time, he became the most popular of saints, dubbed the patron of children and sailors. His Dec. 6 feast day is traditionally considered a lucky day to make large purchases or get married, per the History Channel.

The Dutch are credited with the saint being named Santa Claus, adapted from the “Sinterklaas” nickname, a shortened version of Saint Nicholas in Dutch. Immigrants landing in New York in colonial times would gather to celebrate the saint’s feast day, celebrations noted by newspapers and eventually seized upon in books and artwork, although his iconic appearance was still decades off.

By the mid-1800s, American stores were featuring live Santas to lure in shoppers, and by the turn of the century, the Salvation Army would co-opt the figure, deploying unemployed men in Santa suits to solicit donations on street corners to fund the organization’s charitable work. Finally, the modern Santa was cemented in American lore with the 1947 movie Miracle on 34th Street, for which Edmund Gwenn won an Oscar for his portrayal of the department store Santa.

I WANT A HIPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS

Of course, Santa’s association with presents did not hurt the old elf’s popularity either. The custom of gift-giving at Yuletide dates back to Roman festivals, namely Saturnalia, a raucous celebration thrown in thanksgiving of a good harvest to please Saturn, the god of agriculture. Held for a week in mid-December, it involved banquets, wild parties, and exchange of gifts such as pottery, wax figurines, candles and, particularly, gag gifts.

Once Rome converted to Christianity, the old ways fell aside, but contrary to popular belief, Christmas was not immediately there to take its place.

In fact, Christmas was not celebrated in the early church until Pope Julius I declared Dec. 25 as Jesus’ birthday in 350 A.D.

In time, gift giving would be incorporated into the celebration, mimicking the Magi who presented the infant with gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Throughout the world, the role of Christmas gifts as part of the overall celebration varies. Internationally, the focus is far more pronounced on gatherings, games and special food traditions than on an excessive number of presents, but in the commercialized United States, gifts are front and center, to the chagrin of those who preach keeping Christ in Christmas.

In fact, Americans do Christmas presents like no place else on earth. USA Today projects 2024 sales could reach as high as $989 billion, almost doubling the amount spent just 10 years ago. In 2006, Capital One reported, the total Christmas spend was “only” $512 billion, and it took the better part of a decade to clear the $600 billion threshold, plus another five years to move into $700 billion territory in 2019.

Biggest Christmas Songs

The title of Most Popular Christmas Song is a matter of some debate, the line of scrimmage being the divide between new media and old media.

Going by downloads, the top five tunes of all time, per Factmag.com, are:

1. “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey (1994)

2. “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?” by Kristen Bell, Agatha Lee Monn, Katie Lopez (2013)

3. “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)” by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (1996)

4. “Mistletoe” by Justin Bieber (2011)

5. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee (1958)

From there, it took exactly two Christmases to leapfrog into the $800 billion bracket and one year after that to hit over $900 billion, putting the U.S. just a couple of jingle bells away from dropping $1 trillion in a single Christmas season.

The National Retail Federation reported that of the $902 expected to be spent per capita in the U.S. this year, more than two-thirds will be spent on gifts. Online sales rule, with 60 percent of shoppers going digital for their purchases.

Consumers are not just spending more; they are spending earlier. Almost half reported they plan to buy items before November, a number that has held more or less steady for a decade. Despite the early start and various incentives — including major retailers creating Black Friday-like sales events earlier and earlier in the season — more than 6 in 10 shoppers report they still will not finish their buying spree until December, NRF states.

Going by lifetime sales, the picture changes quite a bit, per Top5.com:

1. “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby (1947)

2. “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey (1994)

3. “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer” by Gene Autry (1949)

4. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid (1985)

5. “Silent Night” by Bing Crosby (1935)

BLUE CHRISTMAS

One of the most beloved holiday specials of all time, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, tells the story of a disenfranchised soul whose loneliness and isolation made him hate Christmas and the Whos in neighboring Whoville who practiced it. He attempts to derail things by stealing all the gifts from the Whos, but an unexpected turn on Christmas morning thaws his spirit and grows his heart.

In the real world, a growing number of people are relating better to the Grinch before his conversion than after. More people than ever today are rejecting Christmas for its commercial aspects or for the pressure they feel to force themselves to appear artificially jolly and happy in keeping with media messages around them.

The anti-Christmas sentiments are not just a few outlying grumps who do not want to get with the program. Good Housekeeping reported that one survey by the American Psychological Association found that 38 percent of people said their stress level increases during the holidays. A Statista poll found a quarter of Americans, nearly 30 percent of Germans and almost 4 in 10 Brits said there were too many expectations linked to

“I think Christmas is seen as this time when everyone is into eat, drink and be merry mode, and sometimes people just don’t feel that.”

—

Garrick Conner Park Hill Baptist Church

Christmas, an average of 16 percent among the three groups calling the holiday “pure stress.”

“I think Christmas is seen as this time when everyone is into eat, drink and be merry mode, and sometimes people just don’t feel that,” said Garrick Conner, discipleship pastor at Park Hill Baptist Church in North Little Rock. “Some people feel the sense of expectation that everyone else’s lives are moving on and they’re just stuck in grief and despair, and they just don’t feel the hope of Christmas.”

Garrick said there are many reasons why people can find the holidays challenging, including death or divorce, estrangement between parents and adult children, and even the loss of a pet.

“Any of these losses or life transitions can really make the holiday season seem not so fun and festive,” he said.

Recognizing that phenomenon in the community is what led the church to launch its Breathe Blue Christmas service six years ago. The service provides a gentle ministry of the season, stressing Christmas hope over Christmas hype in a quiet, nonjudgmental environment.

The service features a speaker, this year’s being Rebecca Patillo, who lost her son to suicide and has since become a local activist in the area of suicide prevention. She will talk about her experiences with grief and loss and facing holidays with an empty place at the table.

Garrick said Breathe Blue Christmas has grown in attendance and that about 60 percent of people in the pews are not members of Park Hill Baptist. That tells him about the need in the community that is being met by the service.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a sad service, but it’s definitely a subdued kind of service,” he said. “It is designed to just give people a place to be for an hour and be ministered to and to not have any sense of expectation on them to do anything. We just want to provide a safe place, a place of grace for people who are hurting.”

The 2024 Breathe Blue Christmas service is set for 5 p.m. Dec. 15. Park Hill Baptist Church is at 201 E. C Ave. in North Little Rock.

The Revolutionary Holiday War

Light the Night

The tradition of Christmas lights dates back to the 16th century and religious reformer Martin Luther, who, while walking through the forest, was awestruck by the stars shining through the trees, Reader’s Digest stated. Upon returning, he recreated the experience by putting a tree in the living room and placing lighted candles on the branches.

That would not cut it today, even beyond the obvious fire hazard. According to This Old House, the average American household spends $175 on lights and decorations, and even in the face of rising electricity costs — Today’s Homeowner noted the average cost to juice lights and inflatables hit record highs in 2022 — there is no sign the displays are getting less elaborate.

Arkansas’ ranking nationwide in Christmas decor is mid-pack, which makes one pine for the glory days of millionaire businessman and noted Christmas light aficionado the late Jennings Osborne. Osborne’s private display along Little Rock’s busy Cantrell Road was a literal traffic stopper, leading city directors to change ordinances outlawing his Christmas spirit. His accumulated decor was so massive, it was enough to deck out Disney-MGM Studio when he donated it to the famed park in 1995.

As if bowler hats and driving on the wrong side of the road were not enough to keep friction between the stodgy British imperialists and the upstart American revolutionaries, there is also the matter of a proper holiday greeting.

Across the pond, it has long been traditional to wish a “Happy Christmas,” except for a brief period when “Merry Christmas” took hold. The irony there is the phrase was coined by none other than English author Charles Dickens in his 19th-century classic A Christmas Carol. As the greeting took off in America, the staid British decided to distance themselves from the impertinent colonists and returned to “Happy Christmas” as the preferred saying.

We are not saying who’s right and who’s wrong here, but one side gave the world barbecue, rock ‘n’ roll and monster trucks, and the other gave it Simon Cowell, so you be the judge.

O HOLY NIGHT

It is 1914, and Europe is paralyzed in war. Along the notorious Western Front of World War I, thousands of troops from multiple nations hunkered in the mud, filth and death of the trenches, in some places just 300 yards from the enemy. The war would claim 15 million lives, thousands of them lost in these ready-made graves that stretched like an ugly, jagged scar across the landscape.

Of all the horrors of wartime, trench existence was arguably the worst; though man would continue to invent increasingly efficient means of killing man, the trench was an open pit of daily misery. Those who did not die of a bullet, shelling, or wracked with disease of the body and mind felt their souls twisted and hardened by the absurdity of it all. A man could spend his entire hitch ankledeep in hell only to walk away having not gained a foot of ground in the aggregate.

There was nothing to suggest Christmas would be any different, yet in 1914, something remarkable happened. On a break in the fighting on Christmas Eve, units on both sides began singing Christmas carols, their voices carrying through the frigid night air.

“First the Germans would sing one of their carols, and then we would sing one of ours, until when we started up ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful,’” Graham Williams of the 5th London Rifle Brigade described in an account later printed by the New York Times. “The Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words ‘Adeste Fideles,’ and I thought, well, this is really a most extraordinary thing — two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of a war.”

The next morning, an even more astonishing event occurred. Eyewitnesses said German troops emerged from the trenches, per Time Magazine, some calling out “Merry Christmas” in English and others holding signs reading, “You no shoot, we no shoot.” Allied soldiers warily emerged to greet them, and finding no ill intent, the forces mingled in what today is known as the Christmas Truce of 1914.

As many as 100,000 opposing forces greeted each other like long lost relatives, exchanged gifts of cigarettes, buttons and hats, and engaged in playgroundstyle football matches with improvised soccer balls.

Some soldiers carried cameras and documented the event, photos that would make their way home and print in papers across Europe and America to the consternation of high command and the joyous disbelief of the world. The stark black-and-white images are haunting, showing young men of many nations looking peacefully into the camera, shoulder to shoulder, enemy combatants who, for one day, became comrades before returning to their sides and the business of war.

Maybe this time, we find a way to break silences and reach each other through the hurts and slights of the past. Maybe this time, joy, hope and peace soak into us deeper than just one day. Maybe this time, we abandon our trenches altogether.

The impromptu event remains a testament to the spirit of Christmas, a miraculous force that has played out in millions of other tiny ways ever since, where old hurts are mended, new songs are sung and the prodigal find their way back.

Every holiday denotes something important, but not all are created equal. Christmas marks the doorway of our lives at important intervals: the first celebration in a new home, the last one with Dad, the one where the power went out, the year she said yes. No one remembers Baby’s first Labor Day, but everyone looks forward to his or her first Christmas.

It has been said Christmas is for children, and while that may be debated, it is about a Child and the promise that holds for all humanity. Perhaps that is what should ring most clearly for us in 2024, a nation wandering, each one of us seeking a star to guide us home.

Yes, there is a frivolousness to Christmas that some may find spiritually troubling, but in a divided world, frivolity can be a thing for people to gather around, a common doorstep to deeper understanding and more meaningful parlance. From there, who knows? Maybe this time, we find a way to break silences and reach each other through the hurts and slights of the past. Maybe this time, joy, hope and peace soak into us deeper than just one day. Maybe this time, we abandon our trenches altogether.

The Reason For The Season

Area pastors share thoughts for keeping Christ in Christmas

A Candle in Darkness

By MARK EVANS, PASTOR THE CHURCH AT ROCK CREEK

Ihave a kerosene lamp that is somewhere around 100 years old. That lamp has survived a lot — most recently it survived the tornado that hit Little Rock in March 2023. My childhood home was destroyed. But when everything else in the den had been slammed up against one wall, that kerosene lamp remained in place, on the mantle, over the fireplace.

You know, there is one light that will always be in place in your life. The light of Christmas, Jesus Christ, will always stay in place in your life if you give him a place.

The reason Christ is the center of Christmas is because the birth of Christ is God’s response to the darkness in our lives.

It’s easy for life to get difficult this time of the year. All the hustle and bustle can be too much. Before you know it, you feel overwhelmed. Life can become dark fast.

The good news is that because of Christmas, there is now a light that can drive the darkness away.

A thousand times in history, a baby has grown up to be a king. But only once has a King become a baby — and God sent that baby for you so that you would have the one Light that changes everything: Jesus Christ.

All are invited and welcome at our 2024 Christmas Candlelight Services:

7 p.m. Dec. 22

4 p.m. Dec. 24

The Church at Rock Creek 11500 W. 36th St., Little Rock 501-225-8684 churchatrockcreek.com

The Biggie

By MATT MOSLER, PASTOR NEW LIFE CHURCH, PINE BLUFF

Christmas was magical when I was a kid. We almost always had snow in northern California, and my siblings and I each had our own chair where Santa would leave us a pile of gifts. My parents didn’t have a lot of money but were so generous.

My wife Camille and I carried on this tradition when we had kids, and as great as Christmas was as a child, it was even better as a parent, watching your own kids rip open their presents. Just when they thought that was all there was, there was that one we hid behind the couch. That was the biggie!

This was what the first Christmas was kind of like, as well. I’m not talking about gold, frankincense and myrrh; I’m talking about the free gifts of grace, mercy and forgiveness we received from our Father — and just when you think that’s all there was, we got the biggie, salvation.

The fact that this baby born in a manger would live a sinless life but still pay the debt of sin I could never repay, all so I could have a relationship with the God who made me and loves me and has a purpose and a plan for me, that is just not a fair exchange! It tells you all you need to know about the love our Father has for his children.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4

Merry Christmas from New Life Church Pine Bluff! Christmas services: 10:45 a.m. and 5 p.m. Dec. 22

5 p.m. Dec. 24

New Life Church Pine Bluff

2801 S. Olive St., Pine Bluff 501-328-5433

newlifechurch.tv/pine-bluff

Mark Evans

Matt Mosler

Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men

By CHUCK MONAN, PASTOR PINNACLE CHURCH OF CHRIST, LITTLE ROCK

Ever since the heavenly host made the announcement of what the birth of the little baby born in Bethlehem would mean to the world, we still see the better angels of our nature rise up during the season of Christmas.

My mind is flooded with imagery such as the ceasefire between enemy combatants in World War I, who laid down their arms to give each other gifts. Or a young Harry Thomason and his brother giving a gift to the socalled town drunk in Hampton, filling him with gratitude and changing the course of his life.

Or hundreds of other acts of kindness done for the less fortunate, making their holidays a little warmer and happier. It isn’t a coincidence that so much is done during December, since it brings to mind the greatest gift ever given.

Never mind Dec. 25 is most assuredly not the day of Christ’s birth — it was chosen because it was the date of the wildly popular Saturnalia, a winter festival in the Roman world. Christmas is special because the world stops the relentless pursuit of money and power to reflect on the one who came to seek and save the lost — and to remind them that as God’s children, they are persons of inestimable value.

The Savior taught his disciples that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). It is fitting, therefore, that in the time of year when we think of the babe in the manger that we honor him by doing our part to bring peace on earth and goodwill to men.

Would that this be our prayer all year-round.

Come worship with us this Christmas!

10 a.m. Dec. 22

The Missing Peace

By BRANDON BARNARD, TEACHING PASTOR FELLOWSHIP BIBLE CHURCH

For all puzzle lovers out there, nothing can be more frustrating than putting in hours of work only to find out the puzzle is incomplete, missing a piece that is either lost, stolen or never made it into the box. No matter how it happens, the discovery is disheartening and frustrating.

Pinnacle Church of Christ 1 Shackleford Drive, Little Rock 501-367-7188 pinnaclecofc.org

I often wonder how much this relates to real life. So many people live their lives, working day after day, pursuing joy or happiness in their own puzzle only to come up short. Disheartened. Disillusioned. Discouraged. Incomplete. Missing peace. Longing for it, but never really experiencing it.

That is why I love Christmas. More than just gifts, more than just decorations and familiar songs, more than just classic movies to watch, it is the celebration of God sending his peace to our world — not the absenceof-conflict kind of peace, but the soul-satisfying, sin-forgiving, grace-giving, life-transforming, never-ending kind of peace that covers you now and for all eternity. The kind of peace that is wrapped in a person, the Prince of Peace; the one strong enough to carry you, tender enough to love you, courageous enough to die for you and powerful enough to save you.

Stop looking inward, and start looking outward at the manger, the cross and the empty tomb. Put all your hope in Jesus this Christmas, and find your missing peace.

We’d love to have you join us for Christmas services!

Dec. 22

9 a.m., 11a.m. in Benton, Cabot, Maumelle, midtown Little Rock and west Little Rock (11 a.m. only at Español campus)

Dec. 24

Benton: 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Cabot: 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Maumelle: 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Midtown and west Little Rock campuses: 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Español campus will celebrate with a Christmas Dinner at 6 p.m. Dec. 20.

Visit fellowshipar.com for more information and addresses for all campuses.

Brandon Barnard

Chuck Monan

a taste of Christmas

Of everything that defines Christmas, food is at or near the top of many people’s lists when it comes to cherished family traditions and making new memories. Whether gathering around the dinner table or celebrating the season with friends, food is a central element in everything that makes Christmas memorable.

As in past years, AY About You reached out to area chefs and asked them for a favorite recipes to share with our readers. These recipes are great any time of year but will be particularly appreciated on the banquet table or at an annual Christmas party. Each recipe was selected with a range of cooks in mind, from beginners to seasoned home cooks.

May these dishes add to the enjoyment of the holidays, shared among loved ones and cherished friends.

Roasted Wheel of Brie Cheese topped with Brown Sugar-Maple Pecans

Payne Harding, executive chef and owner Cache Restaurant, Little Rock

INGREDIENTS

1 package brie (8 to 10 ounces)

1/2 cup Frangelico

1/2 cup Kahlúa

1/2 cup to 1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups toasted pecans

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Reduce all ingredients except brie and parsley together until a thick consistency forms.

2. Roast brie cheese in oven until it becomes loose and creamy, about 15 minutes at 350 F.

3. Transfer to a serving platter and top with pecan mixture.

4. Garnish with minced parsley for a pop of color.

5. Serve with slices of toasted baguette.

Super Easy Blueberry Pie

INGREDIENTS

• Ready-made pie crust or prepare a crust according to your favorite pie crust recipe. (I use a Sablee dough for mine.)

• Boxed cake mix or your favorite dry cake mix recipe (I prefer white wedding cake.)

• Fresh blueberries (Lots of them, the amount needed will depend on the size of the pie, as you will see in the instructions.)

• Heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract, to a ratio of 15 to 20 percent sugar to cream and vanilla (or Cool Whip if you are a hassle-free person!)

• Granulated sugar

• Vanilla ice cream (or your favorite ice cream) INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Prepare the cake mix.

3. Fill pie crust with blueberries to the top, then slowly pour the cake batter on it. Let the batter set, but do not fill it all the way to the top.

4. Bake until the cake is fully cooked, about 15 to 25 minutes, until blueberries burst and mix with the cake. Let cool to room temperature.

5. Whip heavy cream with sugar and vanilla until firm peaks form (omit if using Cool Whip).

6. Set half of the remaining blueberries in a pan on low heat with a bit of sugar just until blueberries start to release liquid. Be careful not to overcook.

Caprese Pasta

Brittany Smith, head chef

Sauce(d) Bar and Oven, Little Rock

Matías de Matthaeis, executive chef

Red Oak Steakhouse, Saracen Casino, Pine Bluff

7. Remove berries from heat and mix with remaining uncooked blueberries.

8. To serve, set a generous portion of cream on the top of the pie forming a small mountain. Cover the cream with blueberry compote.

9. Serve cold or room temp with ice cream, or serve warm with the compote on the top and cream on the side or just ice cream.

VERY IMPORTANT: Sharing this dish with the people you love will make it taste much better.

This is a simple, filling dish that is as pleasing to the eyes as it is to the palate. Pasta can be cooked and put to the side for later — cool pasta in ice bath after prep, drain excess water, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup of balsamic vinaigrette

• 8 ounces of spaghetti pasta

• 5 grape tomatoes, sliced

• 2 tablespoons fresh grated mozzarella

• Bottled or homemade balsamic vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon sliced basil, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook pasta al dente.

2. Add to saute pan with balsamic vinaigrette. Cook thoroughly until heated.

3. Transfer to plate of choice, then top with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.

4. Drizzle balsamic glaze across the top and garnish with basil.

5. Add protein of choice; this dish pairs particularly well with salmon.

6. Bonus: Take this dish up a notch by adding your favorite pesto.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Herb Ricotta and Cranberry Gastrique

INGREDIENTS Roasted Squash

• 2 large butternut squash or 4 smaller squash, if preferred

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt, to taste

• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped (optional)

Herbed Ricotta

• 15-ounce container of ricotta cheese

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Salt, to taste

Cranberry Gastrique

• 2 cups fresh cranberries

• 1 cup white vinegar

• 1 cup white sugar

• Zest and juice of 1 orange

Kristine Irwin, sous chef Conifer, Bentonville

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

2. Prepare the cranberry gastrique by combining cranberries, white vinegar, sugar, and orange zest and juice in a medium saucepan.

3. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

4. Allow the sauce to cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. After simmering, strain the sauce through a finemesh sieve, discarding the solids.

6. Set the liquid aside to cool; this will yield about 1 cup of gastrique.

7. Peel the butternut squash, cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

8. Slice the squash into bite-sized wedges and toss the pieces in olive oil and a pinch of salt.

9. Spread the squash evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 10 to 12 minutes or until the squash is tender and slightly caramelized.

10. While the squash roasts, brown the butter by placing butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

11. Allow the butter to melt and bubble, then continue to cook until it turns a rich golden brown.

12. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped sage and maple syrup.

13. Pour the browned butter mixture over the roasted squash and gently toss to coat.

14. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, parsley, thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice and minced garlic. Stir until smooth and well blended. Season with salt to taste.

15. On a serving platter, spoon the herb-infused ricotta as a base.

16. Arrange the roasted squash on top.

17. Drizzle generously with the cranberry gastrique and, if desired, sprinkle with toasted pecans for added crunch and flavor.

photo by Angelina Lopez

Peppermint Chocolate Cookies

INGREDIENTS

Cookie Dough (makes one dozen cookies)

• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup cocoa

• 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup and 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 6 tablespoons white sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/2 teaspoon mint extract

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Topping

• 1 cup chocolate chips or chocolate candy melts

• 1 candy cane, crushed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.

3. In a smaller mixing bowl, add butter, both sugars, egg, mint and vanilla. Mix well.

4. Combine both mixtures into the larger bowl.

5. Add the chocolate chips.

6. Chill for 1 hour.

7. On an ungreased baking sheet, drop cookies using a medium cookie scoop, allowing space between each cookie.

8. Bake cookies for 9 to12 minutes or until firm.

9. Allow cookies to cool to the touch before handling.

10. In a microwavable bowl, melt the remaining cup of chocolate chips or chocolate melts for 30 seconds at 50 percent power. Repeat at 15-second intervals until chocolate is melted. Stir after each interval in the microwave.

11. Dip 1/2 of each cookie into the melted chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy cane.

12. Allow melted chocolate to set.

Amy Gramlich, contributor AY About You

photo by Amy Gramlich

Holiday Light� Arkansas

Thanks to the miracles of modern technology — and more than a few tireless and creative souls — the holiday season is now as fluorescent as it is festive. Cities and towns all over the Natural State are bedecked with dazzling displays, resplendent roadside setups and scores of string lights in every color and length. As families gather to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, there are options aplenty for local light trails and must-see arrangements just a short drive away.

LITTLE ROCK

From the State Capitol to the River Market and from the Heights and Hillcrest to Pleasant Valley and Park Plaza, the capital city is a reliable source of yuletide cheer. Bask in the glow while strolling through malls and shopping centers or drive along illuminated neighborhood streets and admire the handiwork of would-be Clark Griswolds. For a truly one-of-a-kind experience, visit the handcrafted silk lanterns of GloWILD! at the Little Rock Zoo, the state’s premier light festival and one of the largest of its kind in the nation.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK

Head across the river to see the city go from North Little Rock to North Pole — regardless of what the weather says. Visit Argenta to see the entertainment district in its winter finery, and take a moment to enjoy the plaza all aglow. Not to be outdone by any neighbor to the south, North Little Rock neighborhoods will also have a healthy selection of front yard displays to peruse, so do not miss the chance to drive around Lakewood, Park Hill and North Hills.

CONWAY

Some college towns grow quiet as the kids head home for the holidays, but season-long celebrations ensure that Conway does just the opposite. A photo is all but mandatory in front of the glittering centerpiece: a towering Christmas tree coming in at more than 50 feet tall that stays lit until the end of the year. The festive shimmer of downtown shops and restaurants makes for a merry and very bright family evening.

BENTON

Saline County is entering a new era of growth thanks in no small part to Benton’s revitalized downtown. A carriage ride around the illuminated courthouse square this holiday season is a reminder that no matter how big the city might get, it will never lose that small-town Christmastime charm. Plus at some point in the near future, travelers will also get to enjoy the state’s first Buc-ee’s all gussied up for the winter months.

OTHER CENTRAL ARKANSAS FAVORITES:

All Lit Up! Merry & Bright

Jacksonville

Edgewater neighborhood

Maumelle

Sherwood’s Enchanted Forest Trail of Lights

Sherwood

SEARCY

Much ink has been spilled in AY About You and elsewhere about the breadth and depth of Searcy’s Holiday of Lights celebration, and for good reason. From the parks to the downtown shops and throughout the neighborhoods, locals go all out to create a winter wonderland. With new light displays added each year, the White County Courthouse shining every night and the much-adored lighting ceremony drawing crowds to Harding University, Searcy really is a little more brilliant with every visit.

EL DORADO

Tree-lined streets, oodles of twinkling lights and the largest Christmas parade in south Arkansas make the holidays in El Dorado a sight to behold. Union Square and the Union County Courthouse will be aglow with traditional red and green bulbs, while the Murphy Arts District puts on a seasonal show of its own. A short drive away, Smackover is also home to the annual Holiday Lights Extravaganza at the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources.

HOT SPRINGS

Hot Springs is already a go-to destination any time of year, but more than 1 million holiday lights make downtown shine even brighter as the year draws to a close. A gem of the Ouachitas, the botanical wonders of nearby Garvan Woodland Gardens comes to life with a stunning luminescent display, while the shops and restaurants along Bathhouse Row and the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa all get merry makeovers of their own.

PINE BLUFF

Surely the holidays cannot be considered complete without a trip through Arkansas’ largest drive-thru trail of lights. Pine Bluff’s Enchanted Land of Lights & Legends kicks off in mid-November and runs through the end of the year. More than 240 displays, many of which are animated, illuminate and captivate over 1.3 miles, bringing droves of yuletide travelers down to the pride of Jefferson County for an awe-inspiring ride through Regional Park.

OTHER SOUTH ARKANSAS FAVORITES:

Finney’s Christmas Light Wonderland

Crossett

Winter Nights and Magical Lights

Camden

FAYETTEVILLE

Lights of the Ozarks bills itself as the most treasured celebration of holiday lights in northwest Arkansas, and it is easy to see why. Fayetteville’s Historic Downtown Square transforms with the help of millions of lights gleaming and glowing from all sides. The Washington County Fairgrounds have more in store for NWA holiday visitors with a dazzling drive-thru light trail, and the Stewart Family Christmas Light Display promises more than 6 million lights and 400 festive inflatables.

BENTONVILLE

Sam gives way to Santa as Bentonville’s Lighting of the Square ushers in the holiday season. Like a scene straight out of a Hallmark movie, a seemingly endless array of lights and decorations coat every downtown surface. This year’s seasonal offering from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is Time Loop by Klip Collective. Six installations throughout the museum’s North Forest turn light, sound and projection mapping into an immersive journey that has to be experienced to be believed.

MOUNTAIN HOME

There is no place like Mountain Home for the holidays, as the saying goes. The Coulter Celebration of Lights covers Arkansas State University-Mountain Home with enough lights to warm even a Grinch’s heart, plus visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus and food trucks on select dates. Santa’s helpers from around the city come together to make things bigger and better every year, from the college campus to the luminous city square.

BATESVILLE

As defending champion of the Christmas Capital of Arkansas title, Batesville’s annual celebrations put the “wonder” in White River Wonderland. Thousands of visitors make their way to the city for its breathtaking display, and the 70-foot Ferris wheel does not hurt, either. A most accommodating experience, the young and young at heart can view the lights on foot, from the comfort of their cars, in a horse-drawn carriage or even on the custom-built White River Express train.

JONESBORO

A truly magical light show does not depend on numbers alone, but Jonesboro’s Christmas at the Park does have a few to be proud of. The drive-through display comes in at just over a half-mile and contains an estimated 65 collections, 450 pieces and more than 400,000 lights. The event also offers what is believed to be the longest drive-thru lighted tunnel in the nation — at the length of a football field, it is hard to beat.

EUREKA SPRINGS

It cannot be coincidence that this winter wonderland of the Ozarks is located in Carol — pardon, Carroll — County. The downtown streets of the state’s most eclectic city come alive with holiday spirits of both festive and, perhaps, phantom varieties. Lights glimmer from shop windows, adorn historic homes and blanket the boulevards. Uphill, the Great Passion Play gears up for a certain special birthday with even more light displays, more than 150 Christmas trees and dozens of nativities.

OTHER NORTH ARKANSAS

A Riverfront Christmas Pocahontas

Creekmore Park Holiday Lights

Fort Smith

Christmas at the Ridge Walnut Ridge

FAVES:

Lights of the Delta Blytheville

Whimsical Christmas Light Show

Barling

BRANSON, MISSOURI

For yuletide purposes, consider this much-lauded Arkansawyer vacation spot to be officially annexed into the Natural State. From the glittering lanes of Silver Dollar City’s Old Time Christmas to drive-thru light tours at Big Cedar Lodge to the 2.5 miles of paved paths winding through Top of the Rock’s Ozarks Heritage Preserve, one would be remiss not to mention the holiday cheer that can be enjoyed just a touch further north.

Make the Yuletide Play Holiday Performances and Events

One milestone of the holiday season is already in the rearview, and the countdown to 2025 is on. With the last stretch of the bygone year comes a sleigh-full of concerts, performances and shows, all of which provide a great way to entertain the little ones, enjoy a winter evening or simply get one’s relatives out of the house. No matter the situation, any reason is a good reason to support all the venues, artists and dedicated event planners making the most wonderful time of year just that.

ARKANSAS:

Piccolo Zoppé Winter Circus Through Dec. 8

Argenta Arts District, North Little Rock

A Christmas Carol Through Dec. 24

TheatreSquared, Fayetteville

2024 Festival of Trees (Multiple Events) Dec. 1, 3, 5, 6

Mount Sequoyah Center, Fayetteville

A Christmas Carol Dec. 3-4, 6-8

South Arkansas Arts Center, El Dorado

Mid-City Christmas Tree Lighting

Dec. 4

16th and Main streets, North Little Rock

Bright Nights Series

Dec. 4, 11, 18

Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Little Rock

Christmas Afternoon Tea

Dec. 4, 11, 14, 18

Marlsgate Plantation, Scott

A Christmas Story: The Musical Dec. 4-22

Argenta Contemporary Theatre, North Little Rock

City of Conway Christmas Tree Lighting

Dec. 5

Main Street and Third Avenue, Conway

El Dorado Christmas Parade: A Charlie Brown

Christmas

Dec. 5

North West Avenue, El Dorado

Ice on Ice

Dec. 5

Hamp Williams Building, Hot Springs

Lights of the Ozarks Parade

Dec. 5

Downtown Fayetteville

Mistletoe Melodies with the Little Rock Winds

Dec. 5

UA-Pulaski Tech CHARTS Theater

North Little Rock

Russellville Christmas Parade

Dec. 5

Downtown Russellville

P. Allen Smith Holiday Tours

Dec. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13

Moss Mountain Farm, Roland

Silver Belles (A Christmas Comedy)

Dec. 5-8, 12-15

The Royal Theatre, Benton

Winter Nights

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 21

Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville

Christmas Parade of Lights: A Board Game Christmas

Dec. 6

Downtown Eureka Springs

Oaklawn Racing Opening Day

Dec. 6

Oaklawn, Hot Springs

The Illusionists — Magic of the Holidays

Dec. 6

Robinson Center, Little Rock

Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge

Dec. 6-15

The Weekend Theater, Little Rock

The Living Nativity

Dec. 6-8, 11, 13-15

Searcy First Assembly of God, Searcy

The Winter Wonderettes

Dec. 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15

The Pocket Community Theatre, Hot Springs

Christmas Candlelight Dinner

Dec. 6, 13, 20

Marlsgate Plantation, Scott

Holiday Light Extravaganza at the Museum of Natural Resources

Dec. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21

Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources, Smackover

A Fertle Holiday — The Main Thing

Dec. 6, 7, 13, 20, 21, 27, 28

The Joint Comedy Theater, North Little Rock

A Very SoNA Christmas

Dec. 7

Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville

All Lit Up! Merry & Bright Lighting Ceremony

Dec. 7

9 Municipal Drive, Jacksonville

Holiday Market

Dec. 7

Downtown Square, Fayetteville

Hope for the Holiday 5K and Half Marathon

Dec. 7

Batesville

Jacksonville Christmas Parade

Dec. 7

Redmond Road to Municipal Drive, Jacksonville

Old-Fashioned Christmas at Pioneer Village

Dec. 7

Pioneer Village, Searcy

Santa Drop 2024

Dec. 7

Arkansas Air and Military Museum, Fayetteville

Searcy Christmas Parade

Dec. 7

Downtown Searcy

Tree Painting in Art Alley

Dec. 7

Downtown Searcy

Winter Wonderland Gala

Dec. 7

Vapors Live, Hot Springs

Traditional Christmas Brunch

Dec. 7, 21

Marlsgate Plantation, Scott

Madeline’s Christmas

Dec. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22

Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Little Rock

Christmas Music at Smyrna Church

Dec. 8

Smyrna Church, Searcy

North Little Rock Elks Christmas Parade: Christmas Around the World

Dec. 8

North Little Rock

The Snowman: A Family Concert

Dec. 8

Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville

Trans-Siberian Orchestra — The Lost Christmas Eve

Dec. 8

Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock

Hot Springs Christmas Parade: Tech the Halls

Dec. 9

Downtown Hot Springs

Sounds of The Season 2024

Dec. 9-13, 16-20

Arkansas State Capitol, Little Rock

Piccolo Zoppé Winter Circus

Dec. 11-15

The Majestic Lot, Hot Springs

Merry Movies at the Museum with the Arkansas Cinema Society

Dec. 11, 18

Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Little Rock

Jim Brickman: Comfort & Joy

Dec. 12

Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville

A Hall & Mark Christmas

Dec. 12-14

Fort Smith Little Theatre, Fort Smith

Home for the Holidays Concert

Dec. 13

The Auditorium, Eureka Springs

Ozark Ballet Theater’s The Nutcracker

Dec. 13-14

Fayetteville Public Library, Fayetteville

Ballet Arkansas’ Nutcracker Spectacular with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra

Dec. 13-15

Robinson Center, Little Rock

Batesville Kiwanis Christmas Parade: Home for Christmas

Dec. 14

Main Street, Batesville

Bentonville Christmas Parade: Christmas on Canvas

Dec. 14

Downtown Bentonville Square

Characters, Cocoa & Cookies

Dec. 14

Searcy Fire Department Central Station, Searcy

Children’s “The Road to Bethlehem” Experience

Dec. 14

Marlsgate Plantation, Scott

Downtown Van Buren Christmas Parade: Holiday in Whoville

Dec. 14

Main St., Van Buren

Preservation Hall Jazz Band Creole Christmas

Dec. 14

Reynolds Performance Hall, Conway

Queen City Polar Express

Dec. 14

Downtown Camden

Indoor Holiday Markets

Dec. 14, 21

Fayetteville Senior Center, Fayetteville

$5 (Christmas) Movies at the Opera House

Dec. 15, 23

King Opera House, Van Buren

Who’s Holiday

Dec. 19-22

The Studio Theatre, Little Rock

Hot Cocoa & Cookie Crawl

Dec. 20

Eureka Springs

Miracle on Main: A Holiday Special

Dec. 20-21

The Arts & Science Center of Southeast Arkansas, Pine Bluff

Ozark Ballet Theater’s The Nutcracker

Dec. 20-21

Don Tyson School of Innovation, Springdale

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra presents Home for the Holidays

Dec. 20-22

Robinson Center, Little Rock

Piccolo Zoppé Winter Circus

Dec. 20-Jan. 4

Matthews Park, Greenbrier

Jinglin’ Jeep Parade and Ugly Sweater Contest

Dec. 21

Eureka Springs

SAHPS Night with Santa

Dec. 21

South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society, El Dorado

The Nutcracker presented by Western Arkansas Ballet

Dec. 21-22

ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Fort Smith

Actors Theatre of Little Rock presents The Black Nativity

Dec. 23

Robinson Center Music Hall, Little Rock

Candlelight: Holiday special featuring The Nutcracker & more

Dec. 28

Albert Pike Memorial Center, Little Rock

Noon Year’s Eve

Dec. 30

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville

100th Anniversary Gala at the Arlington Resort Hotel

Dec. 31

The Arlington Resort Hotel, Hot Springs

New Year’s Eve with Livin’ the Dream

Dec. 31

Vapors Live, Hot Springs

New Year’s Gloing Eve

Dec. 31

Little Rock Zoo

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet

Dec. 31

Robinson Center, Little Rock

Dec.

The Haywood’s second annual NYE Festival

31

The Well @ The Haywood, El Dorado

OUTSIDE ARKANSAS:

Santa’s Wonderland at the Pyramid Through Dec. 22

Big Cypress Lodge, Memphis

Storytime with Scuba Claus Dec. 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 18, 20

Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium, Springfield, Missouri

Red Bears at Titanic Through Dec. 31

Titanic Museum Attraction, Branson, Missouri

An Old Time Christmas Through Jan. 4

Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri

The Living Nativity — Dockside Theater

Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade

Tinker Junior’s Toy Shop — Boatworks Theater

Coming Home for Christmas — Red Gold Heritage Hall

A Dickens’ Christmas Carol — Opera House

Frontier Fa-La-La Follies — Silver Dollar

Saloon

Christmas to Remember — Riverfront Playhouse

Nadia Yates — Gazebo

OTHER BRANSON SHOWS:

Broadway to Bublé: George Dyer

Christmas Shows Through Dec. 12

Americana Theatre

Presleys’ Christmas Jubilee Through Dec. 14

Presleys’ Country Jubilee

Sanders Family Christmas Through Dec. 18

The Little Opry Theatre

Matthew Boyce’s Retro Christmas Spectacular Through Dec. 20

Americana Theatre

Legends in Concert Christmas Show Through Dec. 23

Pepsi Legends Theater

A Shepherd’s Christmas Carol Dinner Show Through Dec. 25

The Shepherd of the Hills Playhouse Dinner Theater

Old Trail Christmas Dinner Show Through Dec. 25

The Shepherd of the Hills Playhouse Dinner Theater

A Christmas Story Dinner Show Through Dec. 26

The Shepherd of the Hills Playhouse Dinner Theater

Dublin’s Irish Tenors & The Celtic Ladies —

A Celtic Christmas Through Dec. 27

King’s Castle Theatre

SIX Christmas Show Through Dec. 27

Pepsi Legends Theater

Miracle of Christmas Live on Stage Through Dec. 28

Sight & Sound Theatre

The Haygoods Christmas Extravaganza Through Dec. 28

Clay Cooper Theatre

Clay Cooper’s Country Express Christmas Through Dec. 29

Clay Cooper Theatre

Hot Rods & High Heels 1950s Christmas Through Dec. 30

Clay Cooper Theatre

The Duttons’ Christmas Show Dec. 2-31

Dutton Family Theater

Branson Christmas Wonderland Through Dec. 31

King’s Castle Theatre

Escape Reality — Magic & Illusions Christmas Shows Through Dec. 31

Hughes Brothers Theatre

Murder by Eggnog Through Dec. 31

Branson Murder Mystery

ClayGoods JamborEVE Dec. 31

Clay Cooper Theatre

Branson’s Famous Baldknobbers Christmas Through Jan. 3

Hughes Brothers Theatre

Christmas at Dolly Parton’s Stampede Through Jan. 4

Dolly Parton’s Stampede

Hughes Brothers Christmas Show Through Jan. 7

Hughes Brothers Theatre

Ozark Mountain Christmas Through Jan. 7

Clay Cooper Theatre

of Christmas giveaway 25 AY’S DAYS

It is already the most wonderful time of the year, but AY About You hopes to make it even more so for a few lucky readers. During our 25-day countdown to Christmas, we will give away one item per day from one of the Natural State’s many wonderful local businesses. From clothing to candles and jewelry to potpourri, these stocking stuffers and under-the-tree dwellers are the ideal addition to anyone’s gift list.

How To Win

Each day of December leading up to Christmas, visit AY’s social media platforms for the code word of the day. Enter it at aymag.com/contests for your chance to win. Items must be picked up in person.

Clara Jane & Jax

Value: $60

120 E. Main St., Batesville 870-569-8113 | clarajaneandjax.com

1

The fun lasts for hours with this inflatable AirFort from Clara Jane & Jax in Batesville. The fort is available in several varieties — starry night, cabin, cottage, space shuttle, farmer’s barn, firetruck, ladybug, constellation and mushroom house — making adventure easy without the need for sheets and pillows. The fort works with any standard box fan, is constructed to be durable and breathable and is a great addition to playdates, sleepovers and movie nights. No assembly required.

Petit Jean Meats

4 day day day

Value: $150 (gift card)

51 Blue Diamond Drive, Morrilton 800-264-2475 | pjmeats.com

2

Hammer & Stain Hot Springs

Value: $200

825 Central Ave., Hot Springs 501-547-9411 hammerandstainhotsprings.com

Most holiday celebrations revolve around food, and for hosts with the most, there is this sizable custom charcuterie board from Hammer & Stain Hot Springs, which provides laser etching for a variety of products. Personalize this piece with a word or phrase, and watch as it becomes a beloved heirloom and holiday gathering focal point for years to come.

Kendra James

Creative

Value: $250 kendrajamescreative.com

3day

There is no end to the cuteness with this horse-themed gift basket that includes Charlie Horse by Arkansas children’s book author Kendra James. Other horsethemed goodies include stuffed animals, a horse-shaped mug, a horse-themed wooden stamp kit, stickers, a pencil case, a blanket, hot cocoa and a collection of toy horses in a display case. What a wonderful gift for any child who loves horses.

There is a reason Petit Jean Meats in Morrilton has stayed in business for nearly 100 years. The company has garnered a glowing reputation for succulent products such as the breakfast box, pictured, which includes cinnamon walnut coffee cake, sliced smoked bacon, sliced peppered bacon, fresh roll sausage and smoked ham slices. With Petit Jean Meats, families can be part of a Christmas tradition generations in the making.

Flick-of-the-Riss

5day

Value: $150 (gift card)

aflickofriss@gmail.com

Capture a special little one’s early months with a custom painting by Marissa Laster, owner of Flick-of-the-Riss. Laster uses photos to create realistic portraits that capture the subject at a moment in time, putting their personality on full display. A custom painting of friends, family or even a pet is a lovely way to cherish them forever.

Silver Dollar City

Value: $401

399 Silver Dollar City Parkway Branson, Missouri

417-336-7100 | silverdollarcity.com

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In 2025, Silver Dollar City in The Heart of the Ozarks debuts surprises all season long, beginning with The Plaza, an expansion to the Grand Exposition. There is new entertainment in The Plaza, an all-new Spring Exposition festival, new summertime drone and firework production and a new Christmas tree centerpiece — The Grand Plaza Fir — complete with 150,000 lights. Win four admissions good through Aug. 28, 2025 (blackout dates apply). Experience An Old Time Christmas now through Dec. 30.

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Tipton & Hurst

Value: $175

Locations in Little Rock, Conway, North Little Rock and Pine Bluff 501-666-3333 | tiptonhurst.com

Celebrate the season with this wreath from Tipton & Hurst. Accented by an embroidered nutcracker, this simple yet elegant wreath is sure to add festive cheer to any holiday decor. A household name in Arkansas, Tipton & Hurst has provided flowers and decor for all occasions for more than 138 years.

Celebrity Attractions

Value: $168

426 W. Markham St. Little Rock

501-244-8800 | celebrityattractions.com

Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations is an electrifying, smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies, The Temptations rose to the top of the charts. Nominated for 12 Tony Awards and winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, Ain’t Too Proud tells a thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty and betrayal. Ain’t Too Proud will be at the Robinson Center in Little Rock Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. These tickets are for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31.

The Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure

Value $240

4106 W. 76 Country Blvd.

Branson, Missouri

417-332-2231 | thebutterflypalace.com

Christmas at the Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure is a magical, unique experience. Over 1,000 butterflies flutter around the rainforest area like colorful snowflakes. The area is filled with towering palms, a waterfall, orchids and other exotic tropical plants. Twinkling lights and live hammered dulcimer music make for a beautiful setting. For the full experience do not forget the 3D Monarch Movie; the Critter Center, which has more than three dozen rainforest animals; the Mirror Maze and the Banyan Tree Adventure.. This real butterfly acrylic display captures the magic of the attraction.

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Sage Boutique

Value: $158 (Hobo Cadence Crossbody)

8000 Arkansas 107, Sherwood 501-834-7243

Very Merry Christmas wishes and Happy New Year from all of us at SAGE Boutique! Let us help you knock out your shopping with just one stop. We offer a large selection of both women’s and men’s apparel, women’s shoes, accessories, gift items and much, much more. Take advantage of no-stress shopping with our free gift-wrapping service. Everyone on your list will be MERRY when they open a gift from SAGE on Christmas morning.

Heathman Family Dental

Value: $500

12501 Cantrell Road, Little Rock 501-223-3838

2001 S. Buerkle St., Stuttgart 870-683-2687 heathmanfamilydental.com

Heathman Family Dental is dreaming of a pearly white Christmas with this gift, a Colgate Optic White professional take-home whitening kit. Easy to use, rechargeable and designed for results without irritation or mess, the system is whitening made

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Dr. Suzanne Yee

Value: $401

12600 Cantrell Road Little Rock 501-224-1044 | drsuzanneyee.com

Celebrate the holidays with glowing, radiant skin thanks to SkinMedica Even & Correct System. Featuring the Even & Correct serum, brightening pads and dark spot cream, plus a consultation, this regimen works to reduce discoloration and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in skin that is ready for any holiday photo.

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Jones & Son Fine Jewelry

Value: $600

11121 Rodney Parham Road Little Rock 855-901-7464 | jonesandson.com

There are a couple different kinds of rings that celebrate the holiday season — the sound sleigh bells make, and this 14-karat gold ring. Featuring a 5 mm cushioncut London blue topaz center piece, this ring makes a stunning gift for a beloved or a lovely treat for oneself. Finger size can be two sizes up or down.

Value: $150 (gift card)

10700 N. Rodney Parham Road Little Rock 501-227-8442 | thecrownshop.com

Family owned since 1971, The Crown Shop in Little Rock has what is arguably the best gift selection in town. Shoppers can rest assured there is something special for everyone on the Christmas list, since The Crown Shop offers onestop shopping for popular lines such as Lauren Dunn, enewton, NEST fragrances, YETI, Mud Pie, HOBO bags, Coton Colors and more. This gift card can go toward items such as the small acrylic nativity set by Lauren Dunn pictured.

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Grand Jubilee

Value: $163

1945 W. 76 Country Blvd. Branson, Missouri 417-335-2484 | grandcountrylivemusic.com

Audiences fall in love with the tight harmonies and dynamic performance of what many consider to be Branson’s best quartet, New South. The incredible group entertains with spectacular music, great harmonies, family comedy and Ozarks hospitality. Mark, Luke, Barry and Eric sing favorite Christmas songs. Most anybody will say it is one of Branson’s most entertaining shows. This Grand County 2025 season pass is good for all shows during the 2025 season.

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Celebrity Attractions

Value: $168

426 W. Markham St. Little Rock

501-244-8800 | celebrityattractions.com

Great Scott! Back to the Future, the beloved cinematic classic, is now a Broadway musical with its destination set for Little Rock in March. Winner of the 2022 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical, when Back to the Future: The Musical hits 88 mph, it will change music theater history forever. Back to the Future: The Musical will be at Robinson Center in Little Rock March 12 to 16. These tickets are for 7:30 p.m. March 12.

Jones & Son Fine Jewelry

Value: $600

11121 Rodney Parham Road Little Rock

855-901-7464 | jonesandson.com

The holidays are a time of glitz and sparkle, so add some shine to any jewelry wardrobe with this 14-karat gold necklace featuring a 5 mm cushion-cut prasiolite and a 17-inch necklace, this gorgeous accessory is the ideal detail for a night out or everyday wear.

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B. Barnett

Value: $150 (gift card)

8201 Cantrell Road, No. 280, Little Rock 501-223-2514 | bbarnett.com

At B. Barnett in Little Rock, shoppers can find impeccably curated products by exceptional designers. Just a few of the shop’s products include this striking leather handbag by Khaite, Darcy by Parfums de Marly and Phyto Rouge Shine by Sisley. With this gift card, Santa’s little helpers can get themselves something special that is not on the list.

The Crystal Fish Gifts

Value: $150 (ornament plus $60 gift certificate)

490 Branson Landing Blvd., No. 301 Branson, Missouri

417-335-8236 | thecrystalfish.com

The Crystal Fish Gifts in Branson, Missouri, the beautiful lakefront shop located on the north end of Branson Landing, offers one of the largest selections of lake maps, lake decor, Nora Fleming, Swarovski jewelry and figurines, and other treasures in southern Missouri. The shop’s eye for local, handcrafted jewelry, pottery, blown glass and other unique items ensures gifts shoppers love, such as this Swarovski crystal annual edition ornament for 2024. Be sure to visit this locally owned shop while in Branson.

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Fort Thompson Sporting Goods

Value: $150 (gift card)

5802 Warden Road, Sherwood 501-835-3006 | ftthompson.com

Not sure what to get outdoor enthusiasts? Send them on a shopping spree at Fort Thompson Sporting Goods in Sherwood, and let this gift card take care of the rest. From Patagonia to Browning and Echo Duck Calls to Muck Boots, there is something for every hunter, camper and Natural State explorer to enjoy.

Beyond Wellness

Value: $1,038

Locations in Little Rock and Lonsdale 501-476-7171 | beyondwellnessar.com

Get ready for healthy, radiant skin with this bundle, which includes a Deluxe HydraFacial and a selection of skinbetter science products from Beyond Wellness. Founded in 2016 to provide skin care based on biotechnology, skinbetter science incorporates scientific innovation, rigorous clinical testing and partnerships with health professionals into its products. With locations in Lonsdale and Little Rock, Beyond Wellness provides holistic care to address a variety of health and aesthetic needs.

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Townsend Spice & Supply

Value: $200

725 E. Main St., Melbourne 870-368-3688 | townsendspice.com

Food deserves to be pampered. No dish is complete without the right blend of spices, and the seasoning aficionados at Townsend Spice & Supply in Melbourne have home cooks covered with a present that is present every time they step into the kitchen — this selection of 24 spice containers.

Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

Value: $178

501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock 501-372-4000 | arkmfa.org

From the quirky to the eclectic and almost everything in between, gifts for most anyone can be found at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Store. The gifts shown here include a print of Heart of Arkansas by the late Carmen Alexandria Thompson; a colorful warthog sculpture made from a recycled oil drum; and a tumbler from Jace.design that shows a map of Little Rock.

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Wildfire Farms

Value: $190

601 N. Main St., Nashville, Arkansas 870-557-4951

Experience the soothing effects of CBD with this assortment of items from Wildfire Farms in Nashville, Arkansas. This selection of premium hemp-based CBD products includes calm oil, relief oil, a full-spectrum CBD relief stick, hot cocoa mix and fruit punch drink mix.

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Arkansas Aesthetics

Value: $500 (gift card)

10301 N. Rodney Parham Road, Suite C7, Little Rock araestheticslr.com

Arkansas Aesthetics was built with a genuine belief that the most important thing staff can deliver is not only physical improvements but increased self-confidence. An industry leader in aesthetics, founder and registered nurse Katherine Thomas trains medical professionals on both Galderma Aesthetics and Allergan products, the two largest cosmetic injectables in the U.S. She is also the official aesthetic injector for the Mrs. Arkansas International system, Mrs. Arkansas America and Miss Arkansas for America.

Independent toy stores still exist, thrive in the Natural State

By DWAIN HEBDA

I TOY ST RY TOY ST RY

t is December, and the busy season is in full swing on Main Streets and in shopping malls all over Arkansas. In Hot Springs, retailers have stocked up their merchandise and gussied up their stores to welcome the hordes of shoppers looking for the ideal gift.

Anne Marcus, second-generation owner of Toy Chest, is among them. The store has been in her family since her parents opened on Central Avenue in 1989 and never moved, which helps explain the waves of customers that make their way to the store. Many of them remember the wall of books, the prodigious stuffed animal collection or other wonders from their own childhood.

If the faces of the 2024 holiday shopping crowd are any indication, the magic of the place is no less potent today, yet

there is not a video game console, cartridge or so much as a diode in sight. There might be a computer somewhere on premises for tracking inventory and sending emails, but the showroom, Marcus likes to say, is powered by imagination.

“We are a very old-fashioned toy store,” she said. “We carry toys that encourage children and allow them to actually do something. When you come in our store, you are going to find a lot

Hobbytown pics by DWAIN HEBDA | Toy Chest pics by HEATHER CLEMENTS

Anne Marcus

of toys that you played with growing up, that your children or your nieces and nephews played with or your neighbor’s children played with.”

Marcus’ inventory includes a what’s what of toy history, from Tonka and John Deere trucks to Hot Wheels and Duncan yo-yos. More than 450 titles cram the book sections, and they are displayed to show the face of the binding, not the spine, ensuring each customer will eventually spy their own personal time portal.

“It’s always very interesting to see people browse through our book department because their eyes will gaze through the books, and their eyes will go across a certain book,” Marcus said. “They’ll see something like a Paddington Bear book or Charlotte’s Web or Where the Wild Things Are, and you can tell instantly there’s a memory for them.”

There may be no more iconic retailer to exist on the town square, especially during the holiday season, than the independent toy store. As brightly colored jewel boxes displaying the wonderful gifts of children’s dreams, the toy store has become a fixture of legend, movie and Christmas iconography throughout the industrialized world.

Not unlike other forms of retailing, however, the independent toy store is often thought of as being on borrowed time, soon to suffer the doomed fate of the independent bookstore or corner drug at the hands of big-box competition, its bones picked clean by online retailing. After all, one does not see a toy store just anywhere as much as one used to, right?

Well, not so fast. If membership figures of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association are any indication, news of the fading and demise of independent toy stores has been greatly exaggerated. Building on both the nostalgia factor and a surprisingly strong public desire to shop local, the trade group has steadily expanded its membership for more than a decade and currently lists about 2,000 members nationwide.

The shops come in all shapes and sizes coast to coast but share a focus on analog toys, including some higherend brands that stimulate children’s minds, as well as fill their hours. While inventory approaches vary, there are typically many more items in such stores that do not require batteries than do.

Many of these retailers also cultivate a strong nostalgia streak. Unlike autos, fashion trends or soda pop flavors, many of which have been phased out over time, toy manufacturers have continued to produce items that stretch back decades. Tinkertoy, Lite Brite, Care Bears, American Girl and Barbie, as well as a hundred different heritage board games, are still available, giving parents the opportunity to share their favorite childhood diversions with their children, an important part of the independent toy store’s appeal.

Amazon, Target and Walmart continue to take a formidable share of the market, of course, but anyone who thinks bigger is automatically better in the toy space is forgetting one very potent counterargument — Toys “R” Us. In one of the all-time David versus Goliath tales in retailing, the behemoth filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and, despite a couple of attempted reboots, ultimately liquidated, falling at the feet of scores of independent toy retailers.

The saga underscored the public’s appetite for the knowledgeable, high-touch personnel and highquality merchandise found at a typical independent toy store, a common theme discussed by several shop owners in Arkansas.

“We don’t really consider online or any big box store our competition because there’s something we offer that they don’t,” said Caroline Holcomb who co-owns Dilly Dally’s Toy Store in Rogers as well as the Toggery in

We don’t really consider online or any big box store our competition because there’s something we offer that they don’t. We offer excellent customer service. We offer personal shopping. We offer education about the products that we sell. We offer free gift wrap.

— Caroline Holcomb co-owner of Dilly Dally’s Toy Store and the Toggery

Imagination-driven toys rule the day at local toy stores such as Toy Chest in Hot Springs.

Little Rock. “We offer excellent customer service. We offer personal shopping. We offer education about the products that we sell. We offer free gift wrap.

“It’s a convenient and pleasant experience for people to come in and see and touch the toys and talk to our very seasoned associates, who we call our ‘toy experts.’ Our toy experts help the customer find a toy that is really going to be something that excites the kids and that they can play with long term, not just another box under the tree.”

Holcomb, who carried toys at the Toggery before buying the 24-year-old Dilly Dally’s in 2021, said while sales differ here and there between the two locations, there is far more that is similar than different between the two customer bases.

“Northwest Arkansas continues to grow and bring in new families and a lot of transplants, and so every day, we’re finding new customers who come into the store just because there’s so much growth in the region. That part is fun for us to get to meet new families,” she said.

“That said, we still have a lot of grandmas and multi-generational families that come in to shop that, maybe, shopped there as children when it first opened, and they’re now having babies of their own. We have several employees who shopped there as children and came to work with us because they had such fond memories of shopping there as children.”

Unlike other segments of the business community, toy and hobby stores even did well during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bryce Briscoe and his wife, Julie, opened North Little Rock’s HobbyTown in 2018 and found the timing to be ideal, even during COVID-19 restrictions.

“I never dreamed in my wildest imagination they’d shut down

all of my competition,” Bryce said. “You couldn’t eat. You couldn’t go to the movies. You couldn’t travel. There was really nothing to watch on TV. They burned Netflix up pretty quick. People were bored.

“I got lucky that Arkansas didn’t force us to close. We were able to stay open, and then the government gives everybody free money. It was like I had customers telling me, ‘Just take my money.’ We could get stuff in, but it was difficult to keep it in stock. Luckily, the timing worked out; we were able to get stuff in for Christmas, and Christmas that year was fantastic.”

Briscoe has worked to keep that momentum through various means since then, including by providing space and promotions that build community among various hobbyist groups. Speed puzzle contests have been a popular recent addition and award a prize to the contestant who can assemble a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle the quickest.

“In the back of my store, I have an activity area with six fold-up tables,” he said. “I have model clubs that meet here. I have groups that meet here and play Dungeons & Dragons. I have war gamers that come in here and play their games. It’s a nice little social get together.

“[Radio-controlled] racing has gotten very

Toy Chest

Car-based toys

popular out here. We have a couple of people that have set up tracks of their own. I would love to have a track, but I’ve got to find a bigger location. I’m a little bit packed in here.”

Community is also the name of the game at Toy Store Gifts & More, a 4-year-old spot in Jonesboro that effectively crossmarkets itself through Circus Circus 2, a sister business that provides event space for birthday parties. Kevin Lloyd, who owns both businesses with his wife, Charla, launched the venture in 2020 after storm damage to the local mall took out the city’s primary toy retailers.

“A tornado came through about three years ago or so and took out a big section of the Turtle Creek mall. There was a toy store in the mall, there was a Build-A-Bear,” Lloyd said. “This was something my wife wanted to do after that. She just felt like Jonesboro needed a toy store here in our local area.”

Like its contemporaries, Toy Store’s merchandise is largely from another era of analog playthings that bring out the creativity in children. The store takes that a step further by stocking items teachers can use in the classroom to help accelerate learning or overcome attention issues.

“We’re generally an all-ages store,” Lloyd said. “The primary market is going to be, you know, younger kids but we do have toys for all age groups. We have the nostalgic toys, the Lincoln Logs and stuff from days gone by. The sensory items have been really big, especially with teachers. We try to carry a good mix of everything.”

Lloyd, whose day job is in construction, said the venture is not something by which to get rich but he and his wife, who both grew up locally, feel like they are bringing something to the community that is much harder to put a price on.

“It’s not a big money maker, per se; it’s more us trying to do something for the kids and just trying to give the community a neat store here in town for people to shop at,” he said. “There’s not a whole lot of goodness in the world right now, as they say. It’s just nice to be around something like this and to provide a place where the kids can come shop or have their birthday party and see that excitement in their faces.”

The

primary market is going to be, you know, younger kids but we do have toys for all age groups. We have the nostalgic toys, the Lincoln Logs and stuff from days gone by. The sensory items have been really big, especially with teachers. We try to carry a good mix of everything.

— Kevin Lloyd owner of Toy Store Gifts & More and Circus Circus 2

line the shelves at HobbyTown in North Little Rock.

Julie and Bryce Briscoe

By SARAH COLEMAN // Photos provided

TO WN

El Dorado is a small town that doesn’t know it’s small.

—

Karen Hicks vice president of membership and events at the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce

EEl Dorado, located on the southern border of Arkansas, is made up of just fewer than 17,000 people, the United States Census Bureau states, and while the city is relatively small, it is known for being a vibrant and welcoming place to live, work, raise a family and recreate.

“Our people are our strength. Visitors tell me all the time that we have a friendly community that welcomes everyone,” Mayor Paul Choate said. “Our attractions are as diverse as our people. From our arts and entertainment to the historical places and events that define us, we have a wealth of things to do.”

Not only is El Dorado a great place to visit, Choate said, but it is also a place that scores of people have moved to, coming from larger communities in favor of a smaller, friendlier vibe.

“We are a great place to call home. We are like one big family. We treat one another with respect and care because that’s what family and neighbors do for one another,” he said.

Karen Hicks, vice president of membership and events at the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce, is passionate about the work she does for the community and as executive director for the Arkansas’ South Tourism Association.

“At the chamber, we are here to serve you. We can provide information about everything from nonprofits to food vendors and events,” Hicks said. “We’re a small town, and at the end of the day, knowing people and having face-to-face interactions is so important. The best part of my job is getting to make connections with people.”

As is true of most chambers of commerce, Hicks said the biggest benefit of membership is gaining the means to plug into the community at large. The purpose of the chamber is to create networking opportunities while driving forth economic development.

Hicks, who grew up in El Dorado, said the best thing about growing up, raising kids and working in El Dorado is the people.

“El Dorado is a small town that doesn’t know it’s small,” she said. “We’re not perfect, and no community is perfect, but we’re able to have honest conversations with each other because we all love this town.”

A large draw to El Dorado comes from the city’s long-held traditions, such as its annual Christmas

parade, which is consistently one of the largest events in the region.

“We celebrate big around the Christmas holidays. If you haven’t visited our downtown district, we look like something out of a Hallmark movie set,” Choate said. “Plus, we have great shopping, dining and some of the best holiday lights in Arkansas.”

El Dorado is also home to one of the largest Christmas trees in Arkansas, which is so large guests can actually drive underneath it.

The holidays mark the ideal time to visit downtown El Dorado, since it serves as a hub for all things Christmas cheer via performances, parades and more. Brumley recommended visitors stay at the Union Square Guest Quarters or the new Haywood El Dorado, where everything is within walking distance.

“We have the Murphy Arts District with the holiday Trail of Lights and concerts throughout the year, South Arkansas Arts Center with a holiday show, and the largest Christmas parade in South Arkansas, featuring the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales, on Dec. 5.,” Brumley said.

Santa on the Square is another event turned tradition and will take place Dec. 21. In addition, the Haywood’s second annual New Year’s Eve Festival will provide revelers the opportunity to ring in the new year and offers DJs, an open bar, a ball drop and dancing against a background of a dazzling 1920s theme.

Aside from the holiday festivities, El Dorado offers a variety of community events throughout the year. Springtime events include Shamrockin’ on the Square in March and Airstreams on the Square in April. They are followed by Grill Wars Steak Showdown in July; Back-to-School Bash with a Splash in August; Scare on the Square, a trick-or-treating event in October; and Grill Wars: ICS Chili CookOff and Autumn on the Ave. in October. Hicks said the best way to keep up with all the upcoming events is to visit goeldorado.com/events.

With growth has come the need for improved infrastructure and increased capacity. El Dorado’s already great schools will soon be joined by a new middle school currently under construction. Also in the works are the extension of U.S. 82 and development on the city’s western flank.

In an effort to retain the closeness of the community as it grows, Hicks said the biggest part of her job is to create a community that makes people want to work in El Dorado.

“With the rise of virtual work, you have to create a community where people want to live, and I’m proud of the leadership we have here. Most people that live here love the community, the schools and the concerts,” Hicks said, noting the entertainment pulled in by the Murphy Arts District.

While most national trends point to downtown areas becoming more vacant and less populated, El

Dorado’s headcount is moving in the opposite direction. Thanks to the work of organizations such as Main Street El Dorado and the Downtown Business Association, the city’s downtown area remains one of its most populated areas.

Main Street El Dorado is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to engage community involvement in order to promote economic growth and historic preservation in downtown.

“We support our downtown businesses, provide events to draw tourists to El Dorado, and we encourage and facilitate new public art and a quality of life for south Arkansas,” Executive Director Beth Brumley said.

The Downtown Business Association consists of 49 business owners who work together for the betterment of downtown and to encourage people to visit and shop. Among the individuals is Rexayn

The many community events that bring people downtown are part of El Dorado’s charm.

Tribble, president of DBA and owner of All About Flowers & Gifts.

Our streets are often referred to as a ‘Hallmark movie set,’ and I believe downtown brings out the best in our community.

— Rexayn Tribble president of DBA and owner of All

About Flowers & Gifts

“The small-town, family feel makes downtown the perfect spot to do business,” Tribble said. “Our streets are often referred to as a ‘Hallmark movie set,’ and I believe downtown brings out the best in our community.”

Tribble said there is only one franchise out of all the businesses located within the downtown area, and every other shop is locally owned and operated. This makes doing business in El Dorado the best, Tribble said, adding that for a business to be successful in this area, they need friendly staff and customer service at its core. That hands-on way of doing business is the city’s secret ingredient.

“The owners are involved and invested in the day-to-day dealings of their shops, and it shows,” she said, adding that businesses should get involved with DBA because it offers a great amount of encouragement and support.

“Doing small business is hard, and having people who understand and have the same goals in mind makes the hard work easier to handle,” Tribble said.

For those who have not yet been to downtown El Dorado, Brumley said guests can expect an easy drive to the area, more than 12 restaurants at which to dine, several unique boutiques and four antique stores.

A small but mighty group, Main Street El

Dorado was established in 1988 and is propelled by a team working behind the scenes to provide not only quality of life for the community but also great experiences for visitors. More than a decade ago, El Dorado rebranded its city concept to “It’s showtime,” and MSE works to uphold the theme and support local businesses.

At a time where “third spaces,” social spaces besides home and work, are frequently disappearing from society, Main Street El Dorado has taken on the challenge of this title as its duty for the betterment of the community.

“Third spaces are characterized as locations that facilitate social interaction outside of the people you live or work with, that encourage public relaxation,” Brumley said. “Main Street provides the ambiance for a downtown experience with lighting and planters and music playing on the speakers as you stroll through our downtown square that surrounds the Union County Courthouse.”

From chamber members to partners at other organizations, Hicks said everyone works together to help meet any gaps in the community and business sector.

“I love that we’re all helping put people together not only on the economic development side but also in recognizing community development is economic development. I want everyone in town to be as proud of El Dorado as I am,” she said.

At Christmastime, the streets in El Dorado might seem like the setting of a Hallmark Christmas movie.

El Dorado restaurant scene yields local gemsGoodasGold

Although the dining scene is comparatively lean in El Dorado when weighed against some of the state’s larger cities, those who visit the south Arkansas town named after the mythical city of gold can find plenty of nuggets sure to surprise even well-traveled foodies.

The charming atmosphere of downtown El Dorado could be counted as first among the city’s highpoints. The 1930 commercial historic district seems to invite discovery around every turn, punctuated as it is by locally owned shops and eateries, and those who have sampled fashionable fare elsewhere might be delighted by the stylish new ventures situated downtown.

While the area has a high concentration of tempting restaurants, there is also much to be said about the dining at local country clubs. Having long drawn members for amenities such as pools and golf courses, country clubs across Arkansas continue to upgrade their dining to provide offerings to be on par with the most luxe resorts, and El Dorado is no exception.

The future holds promise for dining in El Dorado. With an upcoming lithium boom set to bring new industry to the area, it is likely that more restaurants will follow, and it is not hard to imagine that before long, the city that generated entertainment appeal with the Murphy Arts District will cultivate a foodie culture to rival those in Hot Springs, Little Rock or Bentonville.

Here are a collection of local gems that might appeal to both visitors and locals in El Dorado.

By SARAH DECLERK // Photos provided

Hella F resh Kitchen

One of the newest offerings in El Dorado, Hella Fresh Kitchen opened on the downtown square in July. Kamea Easter, who owns the business with her husband, Justin, said she started the restaurant to satisfy an unfilled niche in the local dining industry.

“Moving down to El Dorado after years of not being here, there was nothing else to eat here that I preferred,” she said. “There was nothing fresh — no salads with lots of toppings. I would have to go to the store, get everything we’d want on our salads, and make them at home. I could never just go out and buy a salad and say, ‘Hey, this is what I want [on it].’”

Kamea is originally from Oakland, California, but visited family in El Dorado during the summer growing up, and her husband is from nearby Junction City. The two lived in Texas before moving to El Dorado toward the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s different being back in a town where you don’t have an abundance of places to go eat, an abundance of places to go,” she said. “You have to travel a lot. We wanted to bring something that you typically can get in a bigger city to a smaller city.”

However, the move was a “step out on faith,” she said, because the couple have no restaurant experience. Kamea worked as a nurse, and Justin’s background is in trucking. Regardless, the restaurant’s abundance of fresh, customizable offerings has brought a steady stream of guests to the business.

“A lot of people showed up just for the grand

opening and welcomed us,” Kamea said. “When we first opened, they were pouring in, pouring in. Really, it became a word-ofmouth situation. The more people talked about it, the more people came, and the turnout has been amazing.”

Salads are a mainstay of the restaurant, and customers can order them with a wide array of grilled meats, dressings and other toppings. Other offerings include rice bowls, wraps, taco salads and loaded baked potatoes, all of which are customizable.

The restaurant offers a pasta dish on Fridays, and on Thursdays, Hella Fresh serves loaded sweet potatoes, which Kamea said are healthier for people with diabetes than regular loaded baked potatoes.

To newcomers, she recommended the turkey burnt ends, which can be served with barbecue sauce on a loaded baked potato or in a wrap. She also suggested newcomers try the fried beets, which are actually dehydrated and can be added to salads and other dishes as an

Off the Rail Cafe

alternative to croutons or candied pecans.

While the offerings are undoubtedly more nutritious than standard fast food or comfort fare, Kamea was adamant that the restaurant is not for healthy eating only. In fact, one item Hella Fresh is fast becoming known for is its cakes, which are available in a range of flavors.

“They are homemade. They’re good slices. The cakes are very moist,” Kamea said. “Once we open our doors at 11 o’clock … by 11:30, we can be out of cake.”

She said she and her husband are handson owners who are there from the prep work in the morning until the sanitizing at closing. Eventually, she added, she would like to open additional Hella Fresh locations in other communities in Arkansas.

“I like to cook, and I like to see people enjoy the food, so for me, I really like it,” she said. “Coming from the medical field, I didn’t think I was going to love it this much, but I do.”

There are stand-out eateries, and then there are one-of-a-kind destinations. Off the Rail Cafe in downtown El Dorado is both. Situated in an antique train car, the restaurant serves up a scrumptious selection of breakfast and lunch items. Diners can choose to eat in the train car, in a downstairs canopy area or in an adjacent outdoor area.

“The restaurant is in a great location downtown on the square,” said Dean Morrison, owner. “It’s built in a train car that was built in 1800. The train was pulled out of a cotton field in Texas and brought here 25 years ago, and it wasn’t being utilized, so I approached the guy in 2000. I said, ‘Let me put a breakfast restaurant in here,’ and obviously, the rest is history. My kitchen is a caboose.”

Morrison has worked in the restaurant industry since he landed a gig at an Italian restaurant in Tampa, Florida, when he was 16, eventually working his way up to manage seven restaurants. He moved to Arkansas in 1996 and spent about 20 years managing country clubs before opening Off the Rail.

The breakfast menu offers some show-stopping speciality items, including bananas Foster French toast and biscuits and chocolate gravy, as well as a range of omelets, pancakes and other breakfast dishes. For firsttimers, Morrison recommended the stuffed French toast, which features a sweet, house-made cream sauce and is topped with strawberries and blueberries.

113 N. Jefferson Ave., El Dorado hellafreshkitchen.com

Monday through Friday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Closed Saturday and Sunday

The lunch menu yields a wide range of sandwiches, from Tampa Cuban sandwiches to Phillies and New Yorkers, as well as a selection of burgers and quesadillas, plus soups and salads. Drinks include mimosas, wine, beer and the Off the Rail Blood Mary.

“Everything’s homemade,” Morrison said. “I make my homemade chicken salad, tuna salad, pimento cheese. Everything — gumbo — we make by scratch. Everything is made by scratch. We handpat our burgers. I don’t buy pre-made burgers. Quesadillas — everything is done by hand.”

In the years since it opened, Off the Rail has taken off like a runaway train, and Morrison said he is interested in replicating the model elsewhere, but he is not sure whether he will move forward at this time.

“I’ve even gone so far as Hot Springs and really dug into Hot Springs and looked at opening Off the Rail in Hot Springs, but right now, it’s kind of on hold,” he said. “It may change. Now things have changed in the election, and we’ll see how the money goes. It’s been tight for us the last two years. The cost of goods has gone way up. Everything else has gone way up. Wages have gone up. Everything’s gone up, so we’ll see if that trends down a little bit and possibly build another restaurant.”

Off the Rail Cafe

220 E. Main St., El Dorado 870-639-8029

Tuesday through Wednesday: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Closed Monday

Hella Fresh

MAD House 101

While Off the Rail Cafe is the lightning-in-a-bottle concept Morrison is most enthusiastic about expanding, his other restaurant, MAD House 101, is a juggernaut of its own. The building originally opened in 1928 as Griffin Auto Co,, the Encyclopedia of Arkansas states, and in 2012, the Murphy Arts District purchased the structure, converting it into a restaurant and venue.

After the restaurant shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Morrison took over the space, opening it for dinner Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, as well as for private events.

“I tried to develop a menu that everybody’s palate would like,” he said. “If a kid wants to come in with a family, they can

Mystic Grill

Those who think of golf clubs as stuffy places with lackadaisical fare must have never been to Mystic Grill, which offers upscale eats amid gorgeous views of Mystic Creek Golf Club. Executive Chef Lilli Ellen, who said she has been cooking since before she could walk, attended the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio and worked at a number of restaurants before she was recruited to Mystic Grill about a year ago.

“This clubhouse is like a lot of clubhouses across America where they just want the hotdog or the pimento cheese sandwich or the burger,” she said, “so we provide the chicken strips, the pizza, the burger and the taco, which is kind of on par for every other restaurant around here, but we’ve also got a little bit of flair.”

Ellen said the secret to elevating clubhouse cuisine is to “sneak a little something

order a pizza versus having to order a highend dish of steak or whatnot, so the menu is not to the point where it’s going to drive a family of five out.”

In addition to menu highlights such as ribeye, filet mignon, Tuscan salmon and grouper topped with Cajun crawfish sauce, patrons can find familiar foods such as pizza, burgers, fried chicken and hamburger steak. The restaurant also offers a full bar with seasonal drink specials.

“It’s got a very great, high-end kitchen that allows me to do catering, so we’ll do anything from a small birthday party to a wedding to an anniversary party,” Morrison said. “I’ve had people rent the restaurant out for large anniversary parties or weddings. It’s just a nice space, but we do a lot of catering, and I do a lot of off-site catering, too, with both restaurants.”

He added that he was offered a breakfast franchise deal in Texas four years ago but decided to stay in El Dorado, where his wife grew up and where his children and grandchildren live.

“I’ll say something about El Dorado,” Morrison said. “El Dorado supports me, my family, my restaurant, my employees, the model we’ve set up in this, and it’s been a huge success. Off the Rail has been very much a huge success for us, and MAD House will grow in it. I mean, it took two years to get Off the Rail to the point we’re at now, and we’re working on that with MAD House.”

MAD House 101 101 E. Locust St., El Dorado 870-444-3008

madhouse101.com

Thursday: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Closed Sunday through Wednesday

fancy onto their plate.”

“If you’re going to give them a charcuterie board, which is basically just meat, cheese and crackers, sneak a fig or some pomegranates onto there. Give them a little spat of mayhaw jelly,” she said.

“It’s amazing how many people around here don’t know what a mayhaw is.”

A mayhaw is a hawthorn berry similar to a crabapple that grows throughout the South and can be used to make a delectable jelly with a distinct reddish color. El Dorado pays homage to the fruit every year during the annual Mayhaw Festival in May. Richland Creek Farm in El Dorado provides

the mayhaws for Mystic Grill, Ellen said.

The restaurant offers monthly specials such as a pan-seared cod over Israeli couscous, and Mystic Creek also has a pizza of the week, one of the most recent being an elote steak pizza. The restaurant also offers a chef’s pie of the week. Some current favorites include the pork bao, lobster rangoon and chicken curry, Ellen said, adding that the Backyard BBQ pizza is a must-try.

The bar menu is just as upmarket as the dining menu, and Ellen said the mixologists specialize in smoked craft cocktails, including a smoked old-fashioned. This winter, the bar staff will unveil a fig-tini that features rosemary and figs. The bar also offers a range of mocktails, and the simple syrups are made in-house, Ellen said.

In the future, she added, she would like to include more vegan options and enhance the buffet

El Dorado Golf and Country Club

El Dorado Golf and Country Club is looking to revamp its dining experience with the addition of Chef Scott Enzor, who joined the club about six months ago.

Cooking is a second career for Enzor, who retired from Murphy Oil in 2016. After earning degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry from the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute in Little Rock, he taught cooking classes in El Dorado before the club approached him about revitalizing the menu.

“It was a very meat-heavy, fried-food-heavy menu, so I lightened it up with a little bit of chicken, fresh seafood, pasta dishes,” he said. “They seemed to like that, and business picked up a bit.”

Staying on as general manager and chief operating officer, Enzor takes a methodical approach to his work, combing through records to see what items do well or flop and updating the menu accordingly.

He described the menu as “upscale Southern contemporary.” The gumbo and po’boy combination is popular at lunch, and dinner staples include steaks, snapper, salmon and fettuccine. The New Orleans-style bread pudding is a well-kept secret for dessert, and the restaurant also provides cakes, creme brulee, fried pies and cookies. There is also a full bar with rotating specials.

A number of specials keep things lively throughout the week. On Thursday nights, the restaurant provides a Southern comfort special of dishes such as meat loaf, chicken pot pie and chicken parmesan, and the Friday Night at the Club special provides indulgences such as prime rib, sauteed scallops and double-cut pork chops.

“Most everything is made from scratch,”

offerings for tournaments and private parties. A native of El Dorado, Ellen said the city’s dining scene has become more vibrant in recent years.

“I’m very proud of my friends that have been involved with that, and we’re just going to keep on moving forward and keep on introducing new, fun stuff,” she said. “I think it’s important to the community.”

Mystic Grill

191 Clubhouse Drive, El Dorado

870-312-0723

golfmysticcreek.com/dining

Tuesday through Thursday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Enzor said. “We do all of our sauces, all of our dressings. All of our pastas are handmade. We make our cream sauces for our fettuccine right on the spot. We don’t buy the jarred stuff. All of our sauces for our pizza, the tomato sauce, is handmade. Our soups are handmade. Everything we try to do homemade and fresh.”

In addition, the restaurant works with Richland Creek Farm to buy seasonal goods.

The dining room is generally for members only, but throughout December, the restaurant will be open to the public.

“In order to really be successful at this, we have to kind of open ourselves up to outside the four walls of the country club,” Enzor said, “so we’ve gotten on lists to provide food, catering, for the convention center, and we’re also partnered with a coffee shop in downtown El Dorado Square to provide them with breakfast sandwiches, muffins and wraps.”

The coffee shop, Four Points Coffee Co., is at 117 N. Jefferson Ave. and offers a variety of espresso-based drinks, as well.

El Dorado Golf and Country Club

101 Shady Side St., El Dorado

870-862-5516

eldocountryclub.com/dining

Tuesday through Thursday: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Sunday: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Little Bank That Could

Homegrown First Financial Bank marks 90 years

By AY STAFF // Photo provided

In 1934, a new bank sprang up out of the hard south Arkansas ground, and like the surrounding oil wells that put the area on the map, the First Federal Savings and Loan of El Dorado began building a legacy of success that has rewarded shareholder confidence with steady results ever since.

Much has changed in banking over the past nine decades, and like any other long-lived business, the sailing was not always smooth for the institution, which became First Financial Bank in 1989. Nevertheless, the company endured with an unfailing spirit and unflagging optimism that believed anything was possible through hard work, honest dealings and extramile customer service.

As one well-remembered advertising jingle went, “We’re all the bank you’ll ever need,” and for almost a century, that is exactly what First Financial Bank has lived up to.

“A large part of our success is centered on core principles of smalltown community banking,” CEO Chris Hegi told the Insider’s Guide earlier this fall. “We want to lead the markets we serve as trusted advisors offering unmatched, relationship-based service. We have been very intentional about not straying from these principles as we have grown into other areas.”

That growth has been substantial, demonstrating leadership’s keen eye for market and geographic opportunities. Starting in the early 1990s, First Financial became a national leader of choice in lending to the poultry industry. By the end of the decade, it had converted from a thrift institution to a state chartered commercial bank with an eye on future expansion.

Acquisitions followed, including the 2006 purchase of Cornerstone Bank in Senatobia, Mississippi, the 2018 purchase of a retail branch in Mena and a major coup addition in 2019, which added First National Bank of Wynne to the bank’s growing footprint.

The bank also replicated its success in niche banking by steadily adding highly focused products and services to various segments of the market. It established its professional services division in 2012, initially focused on independent pharmacies, and later included veterinary practices in 2015 and pet care/resort businesses in 2021. It also leveraged its expertise in poultry operations by rolling out its farm and ranch division in 2013, focusing on all other things ag.

In 2022, the bank relocated to a new corporate headquarters after having resided in the former Lion Oil building since 1997. The sprawling new campus is the bank’s strongest commitment yet to the community from which it sprang and grew into the top 10 of largest banks in Arkansas.

“The building was a huge upgrade for our employees and has certainly helped with recruiting,” Hegi told the Insider’s Guide. “Additionally, it allows us to host a number of community and statewide events to further showcase and tell the El Dorado story.

“Most importantly we want to say thank you to our customers in south Arkansas. Your business is important to us, and we value the trust you have placed in First Financial Bank.”

First Financial Bank Corporate in El Dorado

Punching ABOVE its Weight Class

Downtown El Dorado delivers the music and entertainment goods

By MARK CARTER// Photos submitted

Cities much larger than El Dorado would do well to have something like the Murphy Arts District downtown. A visit to downtown El Dorado can make visitors forget they are in a small city of just fewer than 20,000.

Thanks to the 2017 launch of MAD, with its stateof-the-art facilities and success with live music and festivals, the Union County seat and de facto capital of LA — that’s “lower Arkansas” for you carpetbaggers north of the Bobby Hopper Tunnel — plays much bigger than its census count suggests.

Whether one’s thing is live music, theater, art shows, dancing or just good old food and drink, El Dorado and the Murphy Arts District has it covered.

“We hear it all the time that visitors are pleasantly surprised by the quality of our facilities in El Dorado,” said Joanna Benson, marketing manager at MAD. “At MAD specifically, we find that people prefer to come to a show here rather than a big city. It’s much more relaxing to attend an event in an intimate setting and not have to stress out about where you’re going to park, eat and stay. Everything that you need is within walking distance, and we are worth the drive.”

The roots of the arts district trace back to Main Street El Dorado’s MusicFest El Dorado, started in 1987. Its creation entailed a $75 million project to renovate a 3-by-4-block section of downtown and turn it into an entertainment district. Plus, the old 1929 Rialto Theatre was brought back to life and converted into a playhouse.

“Main Street El Dorado began to pave the way for the concept of the Murphy Arts District,” said Beth Brumley, executive director of MSE. “MSE began MusicFest El Dorado in 1987 as a fundraiser, and we just held our 36th annual event. We have also hosted many national headliners over the years with our summer concert series and events at the municipal auditorium.”

Most concerts in town are now handled by MAD, while the city’s municipal auditorium is home to the

South Arkansas Symphony.

“We have a few local promoters that do concerts there, as well,” Brumley said.

MusicFest El Dorado has grown to become a regional draw, attracting visitors from all over Arkansas and neighboring states. Upcoming headliners at MAD include Mad Hatters Dueling Pianos, Trey Johnson, Newsboys with special guest Cochren & Co., Aaron Lewis and the Stateliners and Creed Fisher.

Brumley said the concerts and events hosted by MAD bring a lot of people to town.

“With the addition of more downtown lodging, everything is walkable, which is great,” she added. “You can shop, dine, play and stay all in downtown El Dorado.”

One of the city’s newer hotels has added a splash of big-city chic to downtown. The Haywood in El Dorado is part of the Tapestry Collection by the iconic hotel chain Hilton. Built in 2021, the Haywood features modern, chic, minimalist architecture and the latest in appliances and amenities.

The city’s annual Christmas parade is billed as the largest in Arkansas. The Trail of Lights presented by Murphy USA is a free event held in the MAD amphitheater. This year, the event runs Nov. 23 through Dec. 28.

“It’s open nightly through the week and features a train for the kids on the weekends,” Benson said. “Families can walk around the amphitheater and enjoy lighted characters, singing Christmas trees, twinkling arches, photo opps, a disco party igloo and more.”

Joanna Benson

Beth Brumley

“With the addition of more downtown lodging, everything is walkable, which is great. You can shop, dine, play and stay all in downtown El Dorado.”

— Beth Brumley executive director of Main Street El Dorado

The Murphy Arts District boasts restaurants, bars, hotels and plenty of other entertainment options not usually available in cities of El Dorado’s size. The Farmers Market at MAD runs Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, and the MAD Playscape is 2 acres of state-of-the-art playground equipment. The establishment of MAD not only opened El Dorado to tourism, but

it reconnected residents with their historic downtown. The local response has been overwhelmingly positive.

“The success of MAD is greatly attributed to community support,” Benson said. “MAD implemented a sponsorship program within the last year that has generated an outpouring of support from many local businesses. Whether it be participation in events, donations or spreading the word, every effort has helped make a meaningful difference.”

El Dorado was an oil boomtown in the early 20th century. At one point in the 1920s, its population is estimated to have reached 40,000. Murphy Oil was founded in El Dorado, and its retail spinoff, Murphy USA, remains based in town. These days, the city is hitching its wagon to tourism. The thriving downtown has been featured in national magazines such as Southern Living, and in 2009, the city earned a Great American Main Street Award. In 2013, CNN recognized El Dorado for one of America’s best small-town comebacks.

Just beyond the confines of downtown, visitors will find the South Arkansas Arts Center, which hosts art shows, theater productions and more, and the multiuse El Dorado Conference Center at South Arkansas College.

At the arts center, the mission is “to promote, bridge, facilitate and support the ideas and forms of artistic appreciation, education, ability, confidence and cooperation for all age, cultural, social and racial groups.”

The Haywood Hotel El Dorado

In addition to art shows and theater productions, the center is home to three gallery spaces, a ballet studio, a 207-seat theater, a scene and costume shop, a photography studio, classrooms, and more.

“We have a talented community, and our expectations — and that of the community — are very high,” said executive director Laura Allen.

The center’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2014 gave birth to the El Dorado Film Festival. Of the event, Arkansas filmmaker Kim Swink said, “In the past 18 months, I’ve been to more film festivals, large and small, than I can recall without looking back at my datebook; and they have, almost without exception, been amazing and rewarding; but I can honestly say, regardless of size or location, that the El Dorado Film Festival was special … magical.”

Located just off downtown, the El Dorado Conference Center is billed as the premier space

for meetings and events in south Arkansas. It has more than 10,000 square feet of unique meeting space with accommodations for any occasion.

For a city of fewer than 20,000 people, El Dorado punches above its weight class.

Former Main Street executive director Mark Givens once gave AY About You possibly the best description of his hometown. He remembered downtown’s Washington Avenue as home to multiple hamburger stands.

“People would sell hamburgers out of their homes,” he said.

The vibe has changed. Downtown revitalization changed everything. Even before the launch of MAD, Givens was impressed with the transformation.

“It’s a good kind of weird … quirky, real creative,” he said.

The South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, clockwise from top left, the Rialto Theatre and the El Dorado Municipal Auditorium provide opportunities for cultural events in El Dorado.

Photo by Dero Sanford

Photo by Dero Sanford

On the Revitalized El Dorado has amenities fit for a queen Upswing

By MAK MILLARD // Photos provided

Once dubbed the “Queen City of South Arkansas,” the seat of Union County is, in many respects, the crown jewel of the region. While packed with more than a century of interesting history, El Dorado is as forward-facing as any city that could be found in the Natural State, and the community has much to offer locals and visitors alike.

EDUCATION

From the first day of kindergarten to a college degree, El Dorado’s educational offerings are a manifestation of the city’s commitment to students and their futures. Perhaps the most striking example of this is the El Dorado Promise, a scholarship program established by Murphy Oil in 2007 to pay college tuition for graduates of El Dorado High School. The money can be applied to any two- or four-year public or private college or university in the country and has had a positive impact on district enrollment, academic achievement and college attendance.

As the Encyclopedia of Arkansas states, the rate of local high school graduates attending college jumped from 60 to 80 percent in the program’s first year.

In the realm of higher education, South Arkansas College — formerly known as South Arkansas Community College — is enjoying a transformation in tandem with the city’s wide-ranging revitalization efforts. Setting the tone for the institution’s next chapter is the name change, which was made official in 2023. The reasoning behind the updated moniker, according to SouthArk President Stephanie TullyDartez, is to better reflect the college’s place in the region.

“We are a two-year college, but we’re not necessarily a community college anymore,” Tully-Dartez said. “We’re a college for our community.”

The college partners closely with local and regional employers to ensure its programs prepare students for workforce success. Representatives from local businesses sit on advisory committees and provide input about the curriculum. One recent example of the collaboration is the college’s forestry technical program, which was added just last year in

Stephanie Tully-Dartez

response to demand from the timber industry. Also top of mind has been the current and future needs of the lithium industry, which all but promises to be a major player in the coming decades.

“Educationally, we’ve been preparing people for roles similar to this for years, but because we’ve had members of our advisory committees and things like that involved in the lithium industry, we’ve been making tweaks to our curriculum to ensure that their needs would be met in the future,” Tully-Dartez said. “It’s exciting, but what’s funny is this is not a new conversation in south Arkansas to most people down here. … We’ve been talking about lithium in south Arkansas for a good five years now, [and] we’ve been waiting for everybody to catch up.”

High quality academics are just one piece of the SouthArk puzzle, however, and the college continues on its fiveyear strategic plan, dubbed THRIVE — Team, Hub, Resources, Inclusion, Viability and Experience — and strives to be a leading educational and cultural resource. Components of the plan range from deepening the college’s community outreach to improving student activities and engagement.

“Even though I talk about workforce development, it doesn’t always just look like workforce development. Sometimes it looks like building a ball field or a dormitory,” TullyDartez said. “We’re trying to make it easy for people to make smart choices and live in this wonderful community of ours, to give them great quality academics, the college experience that they’re looking for, [and] work or employment from our local businesses.”

The college also benefits from its proximity to and par-

“We’re trying to make it easy for people to make smart choices and live in this wonderful community of ours, to give them great quality academics, the college experience that they’re looking for, [and] work or employment from our local businesses.”

— Stephanie Tully-Dartez SouthArk President

ticipation in the best of what El Dorado has to offer. The college’s foundation hosts one of the largest festivals in the area, the annual SouthArk Outdoor Expo, and the Arts in April series engages residents with all manner of performances and activities, including a community-wide paint by numbers. The Mahony Family Library is open to the public and offers regular community education from crocheting and painting to practical presentations about mental health and staying organized. That is not even to mention the state’s oldest symphony orchestra, the South Arkansas Arts Center, the Murphy Arts District and a growing downtown, most of which is within walking distance from the college.

“We are very lucky in this region to have some amazing resources that you wouldn’t necessarily think you would find in a community our size,” Tully-Dartez said. “One of the running jokes is that El Dorado is a small town that doesn’t realize it’s a small town. Sometimes we feel like that at the college. It’s like we sometimes think we’re bigger than we are, and we’re going to act like it because we’re going to do big things. We’re going to do bold things.”

SouthArk provides a robust collegiate experience for students across many academic disciplines.

SPORTS AND OUTDOORS

South Arkansas is a prime headquarters for the outdoor adventurer, as well as those looking for family-friendly recreation. Just 30 minutes from year-round fishing at Moro Bay State Park, El Dorado is also home to the state’s only natural state park located within a city. The South Arkansas Arboretum preserves plants native to Arkansas’ West Gulf Coastal Plain and offers walking trails throughout its 12 wooded acres. There is no shortage of local parks, either, including the 2-acre children’s paradise that is the MAD Playscape and splash pad.

On the sporting front, the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex is also embarking on several exciting improvements thanks to new general manager Alex Greer, who started earlier this year. In addition to facility upgrades — repaving the parking lot, cleaning up old buildings and throwing in a fresh coat of paint as needed — Greer has longer-term ambitions to add modern touches, such as turf fields, that would attract more tournaments.

“You go to some other complexes that stay prebooked throughout the year, and they have a couple more things to offer than we do, but that all comes with time and good management,” Greer said.

Greer, who grew up playing softball through high school and college, hopes to leverage her coaching and tournament director connections to bring in more fast-pitch softball opportunities such as prospect camps. The complex also hosts several benefit tournaments to raise money for local families and causes.

“We use it for what it is, a sports complex, but we can also benefit the community and communities around us with what we have to offer here,” she said.

Other offerings include the Boys and Girls Club soccer league, a Hispanic soccer league and a flag football league. While there has been much to clean up and make new, Greer and her crew have proven themselves capable of taking the complex to the next level. They have found ample support from the community, which is eager to bring in the tour-

El Dorado's multiple parks, ball fields and award-winning golf, below, promote an active lifestyle.

ism and revenue that comes with a steady lineup of tournaments.

“This is the first time in years that there’s been a sole manager out here, so I think that those things will come along more, especially the more we keep it booked,” Greer said. “When those teams come in, if they have complaints or compliments, we can take those to the board and say, ‘This is what people are asking for.’ From there, all we can do is ask. We’ll either get told yes or no, but we’ll keep asking.”

A rundown of El Dorado’s amenities would be remiss not to mention the No. 1 golf course in Arkansas, as rated by Golfweek. Mystic Creek Golf Club has earned its reputation as a premier golf destination and has recently been ranked among the best public courses in the country. The course takes inspiration from south Arkansas’ timber-filled terrain.

“The course, masterfully designed by Kenneth Dye Jr., integrates seamlessly with the natural Arkansas landscape, offering a challenge that’s both exhilarating and visually stunning,” said Melissa Ludwig, membership and marketing manager. “Towering pines, strategic bunkers and domed greens provide a unique game that draws golfers back time and again.”

The clubhouse’s floor-to-ceiling windows provide sweeping views of the course for guests at Mystic Grill, which sources local ingredients whenever possible. The course hosts events such as the Epson Tour’s Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout, as well as various collegiate tournaments. In addition to bringing in tournament players, spectators and families, the course partners with Troon Golf Vacations and the Haywood El Dorado to offer stay-and-play packages.

“Through these collaborations, we’re proud to be part of the community’s vibrant hospitality scene and have recently been dubbed a ‘hot spot’ with our travel partnerships,” Ludwig said.

HEALTH CARE

With positive change sweeping the rest of the city, it is only fitting that El Dorado’s health care scene would usher in a new era of its own. South Arkansas Regional Hospital, the former Medical Center of South Arkansas, recently transitioned from a corporate model to a nonprofit hospital. Divesting from an entity that owned about 90 hospitals has been a monumental change, said SARH President Danna Wagnon Taylor.

“The positive side is that our board is local,” Wagnon Taylor said. “They care about the community. They know the importance of a local community hospital, and they are willing to reinvest to make us what our community needs.”

That kind of shift naturally brings challenges, especially when it comes to the sort of standardized processes and back-office work that had previously been handled at the corporate level. While there has been much effort on stabilizing bread-and-butter operations such as human resources and accounting, the hospital also has the opportunity to make its policies and processes more responsive to the needs of its patients.

“For example, under our old model, patients got bills by text,” Wagnon Taylor said. “Well, in a small community hospital with a high Medicare population, many people feel that’s a scam. They don’t want to communicate about a medical bill by text. We’ve changed our process, and we mail paper statements. That does come out at increased cost, but we really felt like that is something our community needed.”

The response from the community, in turn, has been very positive. SARH has seen many physicians who might have been burned by the corporate model return to give the hospital another shot. While much of the attention on a state level has been on recruiting new faces into the health care field, SARH has focused its offers on “re-recruiting” and retaining the providers who have been serving El Dorado and upholding the hospital’s mission from the beginning.

“Our mission is to improve the health and healing of the people of south Arkansas,” Wagnon Taylor said. “Our vision is to become the regional health care provider of choice. It’s going to take the people that we work with every day to get us from the mission to the vision.”

Post-divestment, the SARH board allotted $500,000 for new equipment across its departments. Physicians now have access to new radiology equipment, ultrasound machines and more, as well as upgrades such as a da Vinci 5 surgical robot. The goal, Wagnon Taylor said, is to create an atmosphere where patients want to come and where employees are proud

to provide care.

“We talk a lot about the board and their engagement and their investment [and] that we’ve got to be good stewards of that investment,” she said. “What I want to do is really promote the mission and vision of the facility, and I want people to catch that fire and want to come work with us.”

The hospital has worked to develop partnerships that will address other community needs, such as specialty care, mental health and substance abuse resources. Collaboration with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, for example, has given residents greater access to cardiology and transplant-related care. Partnership with Newhaven Counseling & Health Services, a local recovery lodge with outpatient counseling services, complements the hospital’s state-of-the-art behavioral health unit.

SARH also works to be involved in the community in other ways, but it has to be creative with its budget. While the hospital cannot sponsor every event or attend every festival, it has worked to support health and wellness causes like local 5Ks and health fairs. SARH also provides education about trauma, stroke, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

“We have to work collaboratively with other entities within the community so that we can all be successful,” Wagnon Taylor said. “We’re one of the largest employers in town. It’s important that we are seen and recognized throughout the community because a hospital provides a great economic impact.”

As SARH continues to develop its own identity as a standalone nonprofit hospital, it will shape and be shaped by the community it calls home — and with El Dorado as that community, the future looks very bright for everyone involved.

“El Dorado and Union County are very different, I would say, as opposed to any other rural town in Arkansas,” Wagnon Taylor said. “I like to describe us as a small town with a big-city attitude.” Recent investments in

El DoradoBucket List

DINING

Antigua’s Grill

Banderas Steakhouse

Barefoot Bistro

The Black Cat Cafe and Downstairs Pub

Boomtown Bistro at the El Dorado Conference Center

Buffet Palace

Diamond Nutrition

E & R Bar and Grill

Fayrays

Fernando’s Mexican Grill

Flying Burger & Seafood

Four Points Coffee Co.

Hella Fresh Kitchen

Hotshots Sports Bar & Grill

House of Wylie Coffee Bar & Cafe

Howell’s BBQ

JJ’s Barbecue

Johnny B’s Grill

The JuiceBar at HealthWorks Fitness Center

La Piazza Italian Restaurant

La Villa Mexican Restaurant

Laredo Grill

Larry’s Pizza

MAD House 101

Main Street Pizza

Mystic Grill

Off the Rail Cafe

The Olde Towne Store

Oriental Gardens

PJ’s Coffee

Spudnut Shoppe

The Well Bar & Grill at the Haywood El Dorado

Wildcat Snack & Energy Bar

Yamato Sushi & Steak House

SHOP/SALON/SPA

The 1988

All About Flowers & Gifts

Almost Blonde Salon and Boutique

At Ease Essentials

Bealls

Charlie’s Corner of Hair Design

The El Dorado House

Esquire Styling & Barber Shop

Grace & Gowns Formal Boutique

Henley Feed & Farm Supply

Jason Alan’s Barber College

Kyle & Co. Lash and Skin Studio

Maddie’s Boutique

Main Street Antiques & More

Martha’s on the Square

Maxfield Exchange Co.

MediSpa on Main

Murphy-Pitard Jewelers

The Pottery House

Shelly’s Shoes, Etc.

Southern Threads Boutique

Sports Alley

Taylor Jewelry & Design

The Wooden Nickel

ATTRACTIONS

El Dorado Golf and Country Club

El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex

Excalibur Family Entertainment Center

Gallery of History

HealthWorks Fitness Center

Hill’s Pool Hall

Lions Club Municipal Golf Course

MAD Playscape

Marilyn’s on the Square

Mystic Creek Municipal Golf Club

Planet Fitness

South Arkansas Arts Center

South Arkansas College

Stars Cinema 6

The Mink Eye

The Murphy Arts District

The South Arkansas Arboretum

STAY

The Haywood El Dorado

Union Square Guest Quarters

GETTING TO KNOW you

The old year is drawing to a close, giving way to the promise of new adventures and new joy in 2025. Right around the corner lies AY’s BEST OF awards, where our readers get the opportunity to nominate and vote for the best in Arkansas people, businesses, restaurants, health care, places to work and more.

Getting to Know You is a special feature highlighting some of the winners and finalists from 2024’s BEST OF voting. Looking through them, you will quickly see why they were ranked tops in the state, and you may just discover a new favorite store, cafe or service provider in the process.

Don’t forget – nomination and voting season for the 2025 AY BEST OF awards is coming up fast, so stay tuned to AY About You for all the details!

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

JACOB FLORES

Finalist,

Local Musicians

Hot Springs musician and entrepreneur Jacob Flores knows achievement in the music business is never guaranteed. That need to stay ahead of the curve motivates him, as does the saying, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

“There will always be someone out there more talented than you. It’s your work ethic and drive that can set you apart,” Flores said. “This motto keeps me hungry.”

As a one-man band, Flores’ sustained success is as much about good vibes as it is good business. He has carved out his niche with live looping techniques and songs spanning languages and genres. No matter what his audience is in the mood for, his main goal is to make a positive impact.

“Sometimes I’m tired. Sometimes I stay up too late practicing a new song or helping my son with his homework, but when it’s time to perform, it’s no longer about me,” he said. “It’s now about the audience — how special and sacred the opportunity is to spread love and positivity. I’m living out my purpose, and I take tremendous pride in what I do.”

Flores has no plans of slowing down and is working on his third studio album while continuing to perform at venues around the state.

“It’s not about ‘making it’ for me. It never has been,” he said. “I just want to write and produce something impactful and timeless — and then share it, and then do it again. And again. And again.”

jacobfloresmusic.com — jacobfloresentertainment@gmail.com

Jacob Flores Music @jacobfloresmusic @thejacobflores Jacob Flores Music

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

GARY HOUSTON ELECTRIC CO.

Finalist, Best Electrical Company

In many cases, the quality of a company’s customer service is directly proportional to the quality of its work and products. That is why so many customers continue to choose Gary Houston Electric Co. in Little Rock for electrical services at their homes, retail spaces, restaurants, warehouses and offices. Since 1978, the company has built its name on reliability — reliable employees, reliable service and reliably good work.

As one of central Arkansas’ preferred electricians, Gary Houston also appears regularly in AY’s “Home Innovation Awards,” which recognize those businesses offering customers the latest and greatest in home technology. The company offers a variety of services, from whole-home generator installs and preventative maintenance to landscape lighting, USB-C outlet installation and more.

Since taking the reins from founder Gary Houston, president Keith Weeks has continued to build upon the company’s legacy of quality and trust. Weeks has been with the company for several decades, and he and his team are motivated by the deep relationships they have formed over the years. Gary Houston has strong ties with the local community and has served new and repeat clients for a number of years.

“Our biggest accomplishment is our team as a whole here at Gary Houston Electric,” Weeks said. “Their growth and accom-

plishments have been nothing short of amazing to watch over the years, and I can say without hesitation that they are what I’m most proud of.”

While many projects can be tackled by do-it-yourself homeowners, electrical work is generally best left to an electrician. Still, not every business is created equal, so clients rely on companies that have proven to provide unmatched workmanship time and again. As trusted experts in their field, Weeks and his team take seriously their duty to uphold the company’s legacy, and they strive for excellence and client satisfaction with every job.

“The majority of our work comes from repeat customers, whose relationships we strive daily to build and maintain,” Weeks said. “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 Electric plans to keep providing its clients with quick and dedicated customer service in the years to come. Its contractors are reliable and bonded, and the helpful support staff is available to fix any issue clients might face. Whether building a new home, remodeling a current one or just maintaining the existing system, Gary Houston is the name central Arkansas clients trust for all of their electrical needs.

Keith Weeks, president

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

CONGO FIREPLACE & PATIO

Winner, Best Fireplace and Patio

Founded in 1920 by August Maertens, Congo Fireplace & Patio has become a staple of the Benton and Bryant area — not least of all for the landmark billboard advertising to travelers along the Interstate 30 corridor. Now at the helm of the specialty hearth and casual furniture retailer is August’s grandson, Bryan Maertens.

Congo Fireplace & Patio specializes in wood stoves, fireplaces, gas logs, outdoor casual furniture, barbecue grills, smokers and outdoor kitchens. An expansive 20,000-square-foot showroom and more than 40 live-burning displays allow customers to explore their options and find the pieces best suited for their homes and needs. Home to the largest selection of products in the state, Congo stocks top brands and keeps enough inventory on hand to fulfill orders in a timely manner.

Over 100 years in — and now four generations, thanks to Maertens’ son joining the business — Congo Fireplace & Patio also stands apart for the high quality of its service. The Maertens’ business model is an old one but one that can be hard to find at other retailers. The Congo team has decades of combined experience, and customers are able to feel the difference that shopping locally can make.

“When you take good care of folks, they will always come back and do business with you,” Maertens said.

19650 Interstate

GETTING TO KNOW YOU... THE CROISSANTERIE

Winner, Best Bakery, Breakfast, Brunch, Chef - Jill McDonald Finalist, Best Caterer

Since they first started taking private orders for French-style croissants back in 2018, Wendy Schay and Jill McDonald have created an edible empire. The pair’s culinary ambitions quickly grew from farmers markets to a food truck and now a brick-and-mortar cafe with two locations in Little Rock.

“We are in the people business,” Schay said. “Food is what we sell, but the people are our business.”

The 100 percent woman-owned eatery was built with no outside investment by the former culinary instructors and now offers a wide range of services, from full-service custom catering to cakes, breakfast, lunch and dinner. The flagship croissants, painstakingly made using traditional methods, speak for themselves, but the entire Croissanterie menu prioritizes fresh, local ingredients and great flavors.

“The best part of our job is making people smile, and doing what we love,” McDonald said.

Being recognized in AY’s “Best Of” — and ranking at the top of plenty of other lists to boot — has only added fuel to the cafe’s fire. The Croissanterie remains on a growth trajectory heading into the new year, and Schay and McDonald are set on scaling the business and investing back into the central Arkansas community.

“Big things are on the horizon,” Schay said. “We can’t wait for you to see what 2025 brings.”

14710 Cantrell Road • 417 Main St. • Little Rock 501-412-4244 • thecroissanterielr.com • The Croissanterie

Bryan Maertens, owner

Wendy Schay, left, and Jill McDonald

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

LOW’S BRIDAL Winner, Best Bridal Store

Low’s Bridal has had the privilege of serving brides for almost 50 years thanks to its large selection, wide range of sizes and, of course, the dedication of its talented team members. The experts at Low’s relish the moment a bride’s face lights up at finding her dream dress — the tears and smiles of her family and friends are a welcome bonus too.

“When a bride finds her dream dress at Low’s Bridal, she is going to remember this day for the rest of her life,” said Dorcas Prince, owner of the renowned Brinkley bridal shop. “We become part of that memory and take great joy in her celebration.”

Low’s Bridal has worked hard to stay up to date not only in regards to bridal fashion but also when it comes to the evolving demands of the industry and its clientele. Same-day purchasing is an attractive offer, so the shop has increased its inventory to give brides more flexibility and the ability to take a dress home straight off the rack. The bridal store has also made its name on the inclusivity of its sizes, bringing in more than 1,500 new dresses each year in sizes 0 through 34.

“Our vision for the future is to continue evolving as the bridal

industry,” Prince said. “Growth in business and customer satisfaction do not happen unless we continue to embrace changes that will improve our bridal selection and the Low’s Bridal experience.”

Low’s also caters to the less traditionally minded bride with options such as floral or black dresses, veils with colorful floral motifs, and more.

The shop only purchases from certified designers to ensure high quality with every piece, from traditional to modern and any variation in between.

“Working closely with our designers and other leaders in the bridal industry for many years has created great working relationships, great friendships and many great memories,” Prince said.

As the shop continues to bring in new designs, accommodate client needs and give more brides the once-in-a-lifetime Low’s Bridal experience, Prince said she and her team always appreciate the support of brides, family and friends.

“We are so grateful for our brides and their families who have trusted us with their bridal attire over the years,” she said. “We appreciate everyone who voted us AY’s “Best Of” 2024. Low’s brides are a joy!”

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

CLARA JANE & JAX CHILDREN’S BOUTIQUE

Winner, Best Children’s Clothing

Whether visiting in-store or online, customers of Clara Jane & Jax Children’s Boutique can feel the shop’s message loud and clear: “Thank you for letting us help you love on your family and friends,” said owner Karen Coltharp. She and her team are honored to be a part of some of life’s biggest milestones, as well as those day-to-day moments that can mean so much to a child.

“They may be purchases, but they’re more than that to me,” Coltharp said. “Those events are life changing, and it is so heartwarming to see the love and excitement. I am grateful for every purchase, but I am more grateful they chose to come to my store to find something that will always be special to them.”

Coltharp has worked hard to turn the small business into much more than a brick-and-mortar. In a world of convenient online shopping, Clara Jane & Jax offers an irreplaceable in-person experience. Not only do parents and family stop by for clothing and gifts, but little ones are also excited to hang out, read a book or pick out a new toy.

“Our team at CJ&J is special. Everyone here loves families, and it truly makes a difference,” Coltharp said. “I want CJ&J to continue to be a place where families feel welcomed and loved, happy memories are made and a sense of joy is felt by anyone who walks in our doors.” 120 E. Main St. • Batesville • 870-569-8113 • clarajaneandjax.com

GETTING TO KNOW YOU... DOWNHOME CATERING

Winner, Best Caterer

In 2003, in a little old block building way out in Pulaski County, Tori Morehart embarked on a journey that would change her life. More than two decades later, DownHome Catering has moved twice, most recently setting up shop in Benton. While the address might have changed, one thing has not: the DownHome Catering ethos of “faith, food and family.”

“People place their trust in me and my business to be a part of their special occasions,” Morehart said. “Whether it’s a holiday meal or party, a wedding, a baby shower, or a celebration of life, I feel blessed to have played a role in my customers’ lives.”

Morehart puts her heart and soul into the business, and she comes by it honestly. She inherited a love of cooking for others from her mother, who never let anyone leave her home without at least offering a meal. Now, Morehart’s catering customers, many of whom go back years, have become like family to her.

DownHome Catering already finds itself serving up delicious homecooked meals in just about every corner of the state — with enough notice, that is — but Morehart hopes to continue bringing that DownHome goodness to more Arkansans year after year.

“It is an honor to be recognized for something I love doing,” she said. “Thank you so much for all your love and support of DownHome over the last 20 years. I can’t wait to continue catering all your events and occasions in 2025.”

3813 Quail Lane • Benton • 501-804-4330 downhomecatering.catertrax.com

Clara Jane and Jax clarajaneandjax

Karen Coltharp, owner

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

DR. SUZANNE YEE

Winner, Best Cosmetic Surgeon; Finalist, Best Boss

Dr. Suzanne Yee is one of the Natural State’s most accomplished cosmetic surgeons. Born and raised in Arkansas, Yee graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and was ranked first in her graduating class. She completed her surgery internship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and her facial plastics and reconstructive surgery fellowship at the University of Texas at Houston. Yee has been serving the state of Arkansas through her medical skills and fashion sensibilities at her cosmetic and laser surgery center since 2003.

Yee is a triple board-certified surgeon, having earned this honor from the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, the American Board of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery, and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She has even gone beyond board certification by earning fellow or diplomate status from several leading organizations. For more than two decades, Yee has combined artistry with technical skill to help thousands of patients improve their confidence and achieve life-changing results.

“I love the way I can change a person’s outlook, to take away something that they think and worry about so they are able to focus

on more positive aspects of their lives,” Yee told AY About You in 2023. “I am able to help patients in such a positive way.”

With careful attention to the unique needs of each patient, Yee and her team are able to provide customized, natural-looking results that highlight each patient’s singular beauty. Yee has centered her practice on artistry and innovation, offering treatments from injectables and laser therapy to comprehensive mommy makeovers. Her state-of-the-art, private surgery center provides comfort and convenience at every step of the process.

Yee is widely recognized both for her excellence as a surgeon and for her abilities as a leader, educator and member of the community. She is a mainstay on AY’s “Best Of” lists, in addition to receiving numerous industry recognitions. In addition to being a National Education Association faculty member and respected assistant clinical professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Yee serves on several boards and has served on various industry committees for decades. Yee was also named Woman of the Year for 2025 by Women & Children First in recognition of her advocacy and dedication to her home state.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

Middleton Heat & Air has grown from humble beginnings in a Bryant carport into one of the state’s largest and most trusted HVAC companies, all while remaining family-owned and operated. Nearly five decades on, the company’s philosophy is still summed up best by founder Chuck Middleton — “If everything is not as it should be, I’ll take care of that.”

“The most rewarding part of our work is ensuring the comfort and satisfaction of our customers,” said Mark McCaslin, senior vice president. “Providing reliable heating and cooling solutions that enhance the quality of life for individuals and businesses in our community brings us joy.”

Middleton has been no stranger to change as energy efficiency and technological advancements take center stage in the HVAC space. To ensure uninterrupted service and customer satisfaction, the company invests in continuous training for technicians through its in-house Middleton University program.

In addition to an expert team, Middleton’s comprehensive range of services helps set it head and shoulders above the rest. The company offers 24/7 emergency services, upfront pricing, and a dedication to professionalism and cleanliness in every job. Middleton’s longstanding presence is ample evidence of its quality, as is consistent recognition in AY’s “Best Of.”

“We were deeply honored and grateful for this acknowledgment that reaffirms our commitment to providing outstanding service to our customers,” McCaslin said. “Your trust and satisfaction are the driving forces behind our dedication to excellence.”

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

SALON J’ADORE Winner,

Best Hair Salon

Since opening its doors in 2019, Salon J’adore has become Little Rock’s go-to luxury hair salon. The salon recently moved into a new, beautifully renovated location where guests can still expect to see signature high-end decor, such as beauty chairs wrapped in Louis Vuitton canvas and walls adorned with Hermès silk scarves.

Owner and renowned stylist Katie Beth Evans takes great pride in guiding the Salon J’adore team to a high standard of excellence. Her stylists have more than 100 years of combined industry experience, and each provides a level of quality that keeps clients coming back time and again.

“Our goal is that a client can sit in any of our stylists’ chairs and feel confident that they will leave looking and feeling amazing,” Evans said. “No matter if there’s one stylist they always see or they’re working with someone new, our customers can be confident that they’ll come out looking and feeling great.”

The Salon J’adore philosophy is “luxurious hair care for a beautiful you,” and that begins from the moment a client steps in the door. Guests will find a friendly, inviting atmosphere, personable staff and all-around opulence at every turn. Striking the balance between classy and comfortable is not easy, but the Salon J’adore team brings together fashionforward styles, friendly faces and the expertise to match any taste.

Stop by Salon J’adore at the grand opening of the new location on Jan. 11, 2025 from 3-6 p.m.

6315 Ranch Drive • Little Rock • 501-830-7707 • salonjadore.com

SalonJadoreLR SalonJadoreLR

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

AUSTIN FAMILY DENTISTRY Winner, Best Family Dentist

Austin Family Dentistry truly started from scratch. In the beginning, Bryan Austin, DDS, served as the dentist, assistant, hygienist and janitor for his new practice while his sister, Debbie Hedden, answered calls in the front office. Thankfully, the pair’s hard work has paid off, and 31 years in, Austin Family Dentistry has a talented team of dental professionals and two convenient locations.

Austin and his team understand that every patient is unique, and they strive to identify patients’ needs and provide the best quality dentistry specific to them. In return, scores of happy patients have rewarded the practice with repeat business, referrals and numerous five-star reviews.

“We get to change people’s lives for the better every single day,” Austin said. “Whether it be taking care of an infected tooth to relieve immense pain or delivering someone their dream smile that they’ve always wanted, seeing people walk out with relief and pride is something we really enjoy.”

Rather than having to travel all over to see specialists, patients can receive most of their treatment needs in-house thanks to specialized equipment and training. Austin Family Dentistry offers everything from sedation dentistry and implants to orthodontics and sleep therapy,

in addition to the basic “bread and butter procedures,” Austin said.

“We take pride in being able to deliver high-quality care across all aspects of dentistry,” he said. “This results in minimal outgoing referrals, and we have locations in Little Rock and Maumelle for your convenience.”

As a small business, the practice has not been immune to economic obstacles such as inflation — an issue that is only exacerbated by stagnant reimbursement amounts from insurance companies. While challenging, the situation has only reinforced for Austin the importance of prioritizing his patients’ best interests and providing a high level of service, no matter what.

The practice will continue to deliver high-quality dentistry and achieve high patient satisfaction ratings, Austin said. His team is also expanding its ability to treat more TMJ issues, including headaches and facial pain, as well as sleep apnea treatments. It is that commitment that has earned Austin Family Dentistry a place in AY’s “Best of,” and it is a place Austin intends to keep.

“We are truly humbled to receive this honor from our community,” he said. “We really appreciate your support, and we hope to continue to earn it with your nomination next year.”

Bryan Austin, DDS, from left; Tara Pappas Scallion, DDS; and Brett DeCoursey, DDS

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

RŌBER :: COCKTAILS + CULINARY

Winner, Best Dining, Special Occasion ,Finalist,

Best Cocktails

REVIVAL :: RESTAURANT + BEER GARDEN Winner, Best Happening/Entertainment Restaurant

BAJA GRILL

Winner, Best Dining, Mexican

At the heart of downtown Benton’s renaissance is a budding entertainment district, and anchoring the growing area are a collection of concepts by executive chef and restaurateur Heather Baber-Roe known collectively as the Taco Society and co-owned with husband, Craig. Patrons can find upscale American fare at RŌBER :: Cocktails + Culinary, bar food and lively entertainment at Revival :: restaurant + beer garden, and Mexi-Cali favorites at Baja Grill, which is also an institution in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood.

“We believe that our employees are our most important resource, and our success depends upon creating and retaining a staff capable of delivering an exceptional dining experience to every guest every time,” Baber-Roe said. “If your staff is happy, your guests will be taken care of.”

The restaurants are staffed by passionate people who take pride in their work. Baber-Roe leads by example, running food and drinks, cooking, and cleaning wherever she can. It is thanks to those exceptional teams that RŌBER, Revival and Baja Grill have all been able to claim the “Best Of” title.

“I am beyond grateful anytime our hard work is recognized, but telling my staff is definitely the highlight,” Baber-Roe said. “From here, we continue to focus on being better than we were yesterday, learning from mistakes and pivoting when we need to pivot.”

RŌBER :: Cocktails + Culinary 501-403-1057 eatrober.com

Revival :: Restaurant + Beer Garden 501-317-1251 eatrevival.com

Baja Grill

Benton: 501-680-7109

Little Rock: 501-722-8920 eatbajagrill.com

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

SHINE INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO

Finalist, Best Interior Designer

Licensed interior designers Natalie Biles and Stacey Breezeel formed Shine Interior Design Studio in Lonoke in 2019 and have grown the business and their team at an impressive clip. The ultimate goal? To be Arkansas’ go-to for all things interior design.

“Our desire is to be approachable and real,” Biles said. “We are constantly striving to learn and grow as designers so that we are at the forefront of design. We understand real-life situations and design and create with purpose.”

Recent years have seen more homeowners and entrepreneurs thinking they can bypass an interior designer with a combination of AI, DIY and HGTV, only to find themselves overwhelmed with options. Shine designers serve as part coach, part guide and part cheerleader to make the journey less of a headache and more of a dream come true.

“It really is our joy to see our clients thrive in their completed spaces,” Breezeel said. “To see a prom group or celebration at a restaurant or get photos from a client on Thanksgiving with families and friends filling their spaces — those are heartwarming wins.”

The Shine team is honored to be among AY’s “Best of,” and every referral, share and good word goes a long way to supporting the small business. The studio is hard at work on new product offerings for 2025 that aim to “take the mystery out of working with a designer,” Biles said.

Heather Baber-Roe, owner

Co-owners Natalie Biles, left, and Stacey Breezeel

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

ELDER INDEPENDENCE HOME CARE

Finalist, Best In-Home Care

For 26 years, Elder Independence Home Care in Bryant has found strength and success in its intimate, personalized approach to in-home care. Elder Independence is not a franchise company, and that allows its caregivers to focus on what really matters: high quality, client-centered and affordable home care services that assist clients with leading dignified, independent lives in the comfort and safety of their own homes.

For owner Kim Clatworthy, it is the collaboration between Elder Independence and families that sets the business apart.

“We’re able to offer solutions to families in need of help,” she said. “If they do not need home care yet or they need more than home care, we can reach solutions that make sense for each unique situation.”

Elder Independence is able to give loved ones peace of mind by planning for both the short and long terms so that families can be prepared for the road ahead. Every caregiver at Elder Independence understands the importance of meeting clients and loving them where they are — literally. Being locally based in the community allows Elder Independence

to assist clients more efficiently in all facets of nonmedical home health care, such as transportation to doctor’s visits or community programs.

No matter where a client is located, Elder Independence wants to show them that “your family is our family.” The responsibility of taking good care of aging Arkansans is not something Elder Independence takes lightly, and its promise is to show a family’s loved ones the same level of quality care and compassion staff members would provide for their own. Members of the Elder Independence team are selected for their quality, honesty and compassion.

Elder Independence has become a trusted name in in-home care for communities all across central Arkansas, and that trust has been well earned. Clients continue to rank Elder Independence among the best in-home care providers in the state, including in AY’s “Best Of.”

“Caring is our calling at Elder Independence Home Care, and I am grateful to be recognized for my passion for helping others,” Clatworthy said. “Providing peace of mind is so rewarding.”

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

LIVE THANKFULLY

Finalist, Best Consignment Store

As one of Little Rock’s leading resale shops, Live Thankfully is changing the perception of secondhand shopping. The upscale resale store curates high-quality, stylish items that feel fresh and exciting, proving that pre-owned can be both fashionable and accessible. More than that, however, is the incredible positive impact baked into the store’s very foundation. Through its partnership with Immerse Arkansas, Live Thankfully has donated more than $225,000 to supporting women, children and youth in crisis.

“The best part of my job is meeting incredible women from across central Arkansas who share a common desire to give back to our community,” said founder Kimberly Cook. “It’s a privilege to bring people together through something as fun and fulfilling as shopping, all while contributing to Immerse Arkansas.”

Cook’s vision is to increase the resale store’s footprint and, eventually, open a second location in Arkansas. While physical expansion is nice, the Live Thankfully team’s greatest desire is to reach even more women and children, offering them hope, stability and the chance for a fresh start.

Looking towards next year’s “Best Of” voting, Cook said, “Your votes help us not only grow, but also expand our impact for youth in crisis through Immerse Arkansas. We’re grateful for each of you who believes in our mission and helps us spread hope one purchase at a time.”

10020 N. Rodney Parham Road • Little Rock• 501-650-2596

livethankfullylittlerock.com • Live Thankfully Little Rock livethankfullylr

GETTING TO KNOW YOU... RUSSELL CHEVROLET CO.

Winner, Best New Car Dealership

Finalist, Best Pre-owned Car Dealership

Finalist, Best Auto Dealership Service Department

Russell Chevrolet Co. has prioritized a welcoming atmosphere and service after the sale since founder John Russell opened up shop in 1963. Now led by his grandson Brett Russell, the dealership continues to uphold its reputation, racking up recognitions and awards from both clientele and the manufacturer itself.

“My grandfather and father always believed in making sure the customer was satisfied through their whole journey of automobile ownership, and that continues today,” Brett said.

In addition to being named AY’s “Best Of” for the third year in a row, Russell Chevrolet has been awarded Chevrolet’s “Mark of Excellence” award for the past four years. The dealership also has the largest General Motors Co. parts department in the state.

Russell Chevrolet offers an experience that can be hard to find elsewhere thanks to the longevity and experience of its team. The dealership has three managers with more than four decades in the industry, and even Brett’s father, Bob Russell, still comes into work on occasion to lend his insights.

“They are truly the life of everything we do,” Brett said of his staff, and to the “Best Of” voters, he added, “Thanks for thinking of us these past three years. We look forward to working with returning and new customers, and we hope we can reward them with enough great service that they remember us for another year.”

6100 Landers Road • North Little Rock • 501-835-8300 • russellchevrolet.com • russellchevy

GETTING TO KNOW YOU...

HEATHMAN FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY Winner, Best Dentist

Dr. Montgomery “Monty” Heathman is the owner and founder of Heathman Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Little Rock and the Dental Clinic of Stuttgart. Heathman has been in practice for more than 22 years and has won AY’s “Best of” for six consecutive years. He is a second-generation dentist, following in the footsteps of his father, the late Dr. N. Dwight Heathman Jr.

“The best part of my job is the relationships and friendships I’ve developed with my patients, employees and colleagues over the years,” he said. “Being a people person, I value these relationships tremendously. I love the profession of dentistry, and it is very rewarding to help patients with their dental needs, creating and enhancing their smiles, as well as helping them to attain excellent oral health.”

Heathman grew up in Springdale and graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He graduated with his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry in Memphis in 2000. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Arkansas State Dental Association,

ternity. In addition, he has served in numerous local, state and national organizations.

“What I feel that makes our practices special is that our teams and myself listen to what our patients’ wants and needs are,” he said. “We are genuine, compassionate and understanding in our approach in order to tailor our options of services to each individual. We treat our patients like family in a family setting.”

Heathman’s clinics offer the latest in cosmetic procedures, as well as general dentistry, including tooth-colored fillings, ceramic crowns and veneers, root canal therapy, tooth extractions, temporomandibular joint therapies, implant restorations, All-on-4 implant dentures, smile makeovers, and full-mouth rehabilitation, as well as Botox and dermal fillers.

“When we found out we were being honored as AY’s “Best of” again, we were grateful that our patients thought of us,” Heathman said. “They let us know that we are serving them and their families the right way. It is a reflection of our simple mantra: Serve others.”

the Central Arkansas Dental Association and the Xi Psi Phi dental fra-

GETTING TO KNOW YOU... PINNACLE HEARING Winner, Best Audiology

Pinnacle Hearing has spent over a decade “Helping Arkansas Hear,” thanks in no small part to the tireless dedication of Dr. Mary Chatelain and her team. Pinnacle Hearing has a distinctive advantage over the competition: the clinic works with the top prescription hearing aid manufacturers, allowing Chatelain to create a custom treatment plan for each patient’s unique needs. The “one size fits one” approach makes for more meaningful patient relationships and better results. After all, those relationships are what it is all about, both for Pinnacle Hearing and the people it serves.

“The most rewarding aspect of my job is when a patient shares with me that they no longer struggle to hear their family and and they finally feel like they belong again,” Chatelain said. “These moments are the very reason why Pinnacle Hearing exists, and they mean the world to us.”

Pinnacle Hearing aims to make a positive impact outside the walls of its clinics, as well, providing hearing education to public schools, first responders, churches and musicians. The clinic has also formed partnerships with rural hospitals to bring crucial hearing health care services to underserved communities.

“As someone who grew up in South Arkansas, I always had a strong desire to make a meaningful impact in the lives of people in my community,” she said. “I never imagined I would have the opportunity to assemble a team of professionals who share that vision and work together to bring it to fruition. I feel incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such a passionate and caring team who are dedicated to Helping Arkansas Hear.”

10700 N. Rodney Parham Road • Little Rock • 501.225.6060 675 California Ave SW • Camden • 870.837.2823 pinnacle-hearing.com

Mary Chatelain, Au.D. and Allison Mabry, Au.D

AAs a woman-led organization since day one, AY About You knows firsthand the importance and expertise of women in the workplace. That is why we take every opportunity possible to highlight female accomplishment, and we are proud to have found another way to do so — AY’s Best Women in Health Care. This list features some of Arkansas' most accomplished women in the health care industry, as voted on by our readers. List published by facility in alphabetical order.

Dana Abraham, M.D., FACS

Abraham Breast Clinic, Arkansas Surgical Hospital

Shannon Pogue, APRN

Access Medical Clinic: Bono

Melissa Graham, M.D.

Advanced Allergy & Asthma

Annie Cavenar, DPT

Advanced Physical Therapy

Sandy McDonald, PT, PRPC

Advanced Physical Therapy

Kelsey Moix, DPT

Advanced Physical Therapy

Ashley Posey, DPT, PRPC

Advanced Physical Therapy

Tina Merritt, M.D.

Allergy & Asthma Clinic of Northwest Arkansas

Julia Ponder, DNP

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners

J. Nicki Ames, M.D.

Ames Direct Primary Care

LaQuintha Henderson, APRN Argenta Counseling

Katherine Thomas, RN

Arkansas Aesthetics

Kelly Burks, M.D.

Arkansas Allergy and Asthma Clinic

Lori Kagy, M.D.

Arkansas Allergy and Asthma Clinic

Lindsay Still, M.D.

Arkansas Allergy and Asthma Clinic

Jasmin Lease, PA-C

Arkansas Bone & Joint Orthopedic Practice

Dia Watson, PA-C

Arkansas Bone & Joint Orthopedic Practice

Jennifer Andrews, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Lindsay Arthur, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Meenakshi Atteri, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Amanda Bailey, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Eva Barlogie, PA

Arkansas Children’s

Emily Barnes, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Debra Becton, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Hannah Beene-Lowder, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Lauren Bolin, PA

Arkansas Children’s

Carla Brown, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Megan Butler, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Rebecca Cantu, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

April Clawson, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Kaitlin Cockerell, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Kaitlyn Davis, RN

Arkansas Children’s

Jill Fussell, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Shonda Grappe, RN

Arkansas Children’s

Laura Hollenbach, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Stacie Jones, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Rebecca Latch, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Laura Meyer, R.N.

Arkansas Children’s

Tamara Perry, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Arundathi Reddy, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Amy Scurlock, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Sabina Siddiqui, M.D

Arkansas Children’s

Kathryn Stambough, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Lindsey Wolf, M.D.

Arkansas Children’s

Jennifer York, CNP

Arkansas Children’s

Allison Deloach, DPN, APRN, CPNP-PC

Arkansas Children’s, UAMS

Teressa Brown, PT, DPT, Ph.D., OCS

Arkansas Colleges of Health Education

Hannah Breau, PA-C Arkansas Dermatology

Annaleigh V. Harper, PA-C

Arkansas Dermatology

Katherine Lafargue McCrady, PA-C Arkansas Dermatology

Emilee T. Odom, PA-C

Arkansas Dermatology

Laura Horton, Ph.D. Arkansas Families First

Camella Card, DDS

Arkansas Family Dental

Sarah King, DDS

Arkansas Family Dental

Angela Lehman

Arkansas Family Dental

CaSondra Long Arkansas Family Dental

Samaria Mascagni, DDS

Arkansas Family Dental

Christina McCormic

Arkansas Family Dental

Kimberly Pollard

Arkansas Family Dental

MIND, BODY and SPIRIT Danielle Griffin Springwoods Behavioral Health

There is very little about Danielle Griffin’s journey to the mental health care field that she would call part of a long-range plan. The nurse practitioner started in other medical fields but always felt a pull to mental health care, finding her niche at Springwoods Behavioral Health in Fayetteville 2 1/2 years ago.

“Honestly, I feel I had a really good transition from one field to the next,” she said. “I feel like this is where I make a difference. I feel fulfilled in my job. I love talking to people, getting to know their stories and being someone who can validate them. It gives me a lot of pride to be a safe person, an ally that patients can actually trust and talk to.”

A native of Jonesboro, Griffin began her heath care career at St. Bernards Healthcare there in 2010, serving as a certified nursing assistant. Moving to central Arkansas, she earned her registered nurse credential in 2015 and began working at Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock, where she had several roles in the intensive care unit, before a stint at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

Despite enjoying the pace and diversity of her work, something in her was not quite satisfied.

“I just kind of always felt personally drawn to patients with more of a mental health focus,” she said. “Someone very close to me attempted suicide around 2016, 2017, and I think that was the main thing that pushed me forward to want to do something more with my nursing career in mental health. I really was interested in it, and that event just gave me the drive to do it.”

In 2022, Griffin attended Walden University in Minneapolis to become an advanced practice registered nurse and landed a position at Springwoods Behavioral Health in Fayetteville shortly thereafter. The practice serves patients as young as 10 up to adults of all ages and conditions and offers four units of inpatient acute care and a partial hospitalization program, which is an outpatient program.

Griffin was pleased to discover the skills she had worked to hone in her previous roles were right at home in the mental health care environment, including both job-specific skills and soft skills. Her primary area of responsibility is outpatient medication management, but she sees her true role as much broader and more fundamental than that.

“My background and training as a nurse really helped me learn to talk to people and assess people and just be able to be empathetic with people, which is at the base of what I do,” she said. “I really like getting to know people. That might sound kind of simplistic to some people, but just being there for people is really what I’m all about.”

Like any top-tier medical professional, Griffin is intensely protective of her patients, particularly women and girls.

“In my personal practice, I have become so passionate about women’s mental health care,” she said. “I feel women’s needs are often just dismissed, and the thing I really want to do in my career is help women and

By AY Staff

girls build their self-esteem and be someone who can just validate the things that they’re going through.

“I’m medication focused, of course, but I feel I can help in other ways, too, just to be that person for somebody who may have never had anyone to talk to about their problems. I see a lot of people who just feel like they’ve been dismissed by other practitioners or even their friends and family, and I want to play a role in helping those people build up that self-esteem.”

Griffin also practices what she preaches, having gained a better understanding of the importance of self-care when it comes to mental health, especially in a potentially high-stress job like nursing.

“I found myself telling my patients self-care, selfcare — you know, you need to take care of yourself — and I have learned through helping them that I also need to do those things for myself,” she said. “In this field, we kind of forget about ourselves. We’re servants, you know? We want to help other people all the time. Plus I’m a mom, so those habits continue at home, too.

“I’ve become very pro-therapy as a provider. I have my own therapist. That’s one of the things I’ve incorporated for myself. I also like to do things for me throughout the week, even if it’s something small like taking a hot bath or setting aside some time to read a book or listen to a podcast. I really try to do that for myself.”

Monica Bearden Photography

Helping People Love Life Again Kathy James Kathy

James Psychotherapy and

Wellness

By Justina Parker

“Love life. Engage in it. Give it all you’ve got. Love it with a passion because life truly does give back many times over what you put into it.”

These sentiments by Maya Angelou have resonated with Kathy James, owner of Kathy James Psychotherapy and Wellness in Little Rock, on her journey to becoming a therapist. After working in corporate sales for 12 years, she found a desire to have a career in the mental health field through her own personal growth and mentors she met along the way. She finally made the leap into the field after one of her mentors encouraged her to share her experiences and hope with others.

“I love this quote because it took me many years to understand this,” James said of Angelou’s words. “At the age of 38, I finally figured out that my life was a precious gift from God. If I live it in faith, then it gives me back so many gifts over time that I can’t put a price on it.

“As a matter of fact, it made me decide to go back to school to become a therapist to help others realize what this quote means. I want everyone I work with to live their lives passionately and experience a faith that truly gives them more than they could ever dream of.”

In 2011, James completed her Master of Social Work through the University of Arkansas, which led to her experience in school-based mental health through her clinical hours at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. While she loved working with students and learned a lot, she shared the difficulty of experiencing life through their eyes,

“So many of them came from situations of addiction or difficult home lives that I just wanted to take all of them home,” she said.

After her time with UAMS, she pursued a career at Southwest Employee Assistance Program, where she found a valuable mentor in owner Maggie Young. James said she learned how to truly counsel individuals and got her clinical supervision from Young. Even today, James is a ready advocate for the importance of EAPs and the importance of workplaces offering them to employees.

“I enjoyed time working with many local Arkansans,” she said. “We had contracts with the police department, fire stations, hospitals and more. From doctors to the people picking up your trash, a lot of the time, they were just people with problems, and no one had taken the time to listen to them.”

James said she would like to see workplaces offer access to EAP resources and become encouraging of people needing mental health care versus looking at it as a stigma.

“Everyone has issues, and sometimes, we are not capable of dealing with these on our own,” she said. “Sometimes all we need is a compassionate and empathetic ear, and we can get to the root of what is going on.”

Three years ago, James decided to start her own practice, launching Kathy

James Psychotherapy and Wellness to continue to help local Arkansans.

“I have the desire to help people grow and discover what is blocking them from their happiness and success,” she said. “I’m able to help them build coping skills and watch them want to change. I love seeing their light come on again.”

One of the hardest parts of being a therapist, she said, is seeing people who are stuck in their limiting beliefs. While those limiting beliefs can be difficult to overcome, James said 95 percent of people change and grow with therapy.

“Sometimes people believe that there’s a system they are unable to change because they have always been a certain way,” she said.

One change in recent years has been more men seeking therapy. James said while there is still a long way to go, the stigma is going away about men getting the help they need.

“Many men are starting to share out loud about their struggles with mental health,” she said. “I remember being moved by a recent article where a man contributed therapy to his success. That’s not something we would have seen a few years ago.”

With more men attending therapy, telehealth visits being covered by most insurance providers, and more people beginning to address their generational beliefs, James sees a lot of hope in the mental health industry.

“I’m extremely passionate about helping others and I hope, through my work, that shines and I’m able to make an impact on other’s lives for the better,” she said.

James specializes in people struggling with anxiety, depression, parenting, grief and addiction. She is currently accepting new patients via telehealth and can be reached at 501-551-6553 or online at kathyjamespsychotherapy.com.

Jennifer Andrews, M.D.

Lindsay Arthur, M.D.

Meenakshi Atteri, M.D.

Amanda Bailey, M.D.

Eva Barlogie, P.A.

Emily Barnes, M.D.

Debra Becton, M.D.

Hannah Beene-Lowder, M.D.

Lauren Bolin, P.A.

Carla Brown, M.D.

Megan Butler, M.D.

Rebecca Cantu, M.D.

April Clawson, M.D.

Kaitlin Cockerell, M.D.

Katie Davis, R.N.

Jill Fussell, M.D.

Thank you for recognizing these champions for children as the “Best Women in Health Care” in 2024. archildrens.org

Shonda Grappe, R.N.

Laura Hollenbach, M.D.

Stacie Jones, M.D.

Rebecca Latch, M.D.

Laura Meyer, R.N.

Tamara Perry, M.D.

As the only health care system in the state solely dedicated to caring for children, Arkansas Children’s statewide network of care ensures children have access to pediatric health care close to home in all four corners of our state, and beyond.

Arundathi Reddy, M.D.

Amy Scurlock, M.D.

Sabina Siddiqui, M.D.

Kathryn Stambough, M.D.

Lindsey Wolf, M.D.

Jennifer York, C.N.P.

Dr. Tracy Van Es has been meeting the hearing needs of Arkansans since 2001. She’s a graduate of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and earned her doctorate from the Pennsylvania School of Audiology.

Call today to schedule your appointment with Dr. Tracy Van Es.... Because life is worth hearing!

How does a small, family-owned aesthetic practice in Hot Springs gain so much popularity and respect? Quite simply — by providing quality from every angle. Terri Wells, an advanced practice registered nurse and boardcertified family nurse practitioner with more than two decades of health care experience, set out on a path to bring something exceptional to the community and her trade.

Wells has an independent practice license in the state of Arkansas and has earned specialized certifications in both basic and advanced aesthetic injectables. She is also passionate about continuing education. When starting Infinity Signature Aesthetics, Wells set out to customize care for clients based on their individual needs. After all, no two people are alike.

“Spending quality time with each client is critical,” she said.

The practice carefully develops a plan and then strategically implements it with the utmost safety in mind. Full assessment, facial balancing and personalized care are the foundations of every client’s tailored journey. Wells’ top goal is to normalize a natural, refreshed look, and she has a special interest in regenerative aesthetics.

Wells’ expertise and compassionate approach have quickly made Infinity Signature Aesthetics a trusted name in the community. For individuals looking for top-notch quality and individualized aesthetic care, Infinity Signature Aesthetics is a must-see. The premier medical spa combines science and artistry to deliver transformative, quality results.

“Empowering each person to feel their best is why I do this,” Wells said.

infinitysignatureaesthetics.com

Empower beauty and wellness PATIENT CENTERED. CANCER EXPERTS.

CARTI’s team of experts, including many remarkable women, provide advanced care that goes beyond cancer. With services spanning medical, radiation and surgical oncology, alongside personalized support through The Bridge, CARTI ensures patients receive trusted, compassionate care at every step. We’re with you.

Hannah Capps Photography

Christa

Rose Alfano, APRN

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Melanie Amick, APRN

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Abby Connerly, APRN

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Beth Crowder, APRN

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Mandi Fisher, BSN

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Kelly Hall, APRN

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Sarah Jones, APRN

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Irina Lendel, M.D.

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Monica Lo, M.D.

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Abby Nolen, APRN

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Angela Simmons, APRN

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Sara Thompson, APRN

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Rebecca Young, APRN

Arkansas Heart Hospital

Constance Jarrett, R.N.

Arkansas Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas

Anita Deal, R.N.

Arkansas Hospice

Sonia Lucas-Meyer

Arkansas Medical Staffing

Katrina Scott, FNP-BC

Arkansas Pain Therapy

Brittany Allen, APRN

Arkansas Palliative Care

Tasha McAdams, APRN

Arkansas Palliative Care

Nikki Taylor, APRN

Arkansas Palliative Care

Kristi Hawkins, M.D.

Arkansas Pediatric Clinic

Lori Montgomery, M.D.

Arkansas Pediatric Clinic

Emily Cobb, RN

Arkansas Surgical Hospital

Rebecca Jones

Arkansas Surgical Hospital

Ashley Lawhon

Arkansas Surgical Hospital

Sarah Loftin, RN, CMSRN

Arkansas Surgical Hospital

Diana Braziel, PA-C

Arkansas Urology

Shawn Clawson, APRN

Arkansas Urology

Gail Reede Jones, M.D.

Arkansas Urology

Iris Kennedy, APRN

Arkansas Urology

Sarah Lilly, PA-C

Arkansas Urology

Allison Morrow, APRN

Arkansas Urology

Sarah Stevenson, PA-C

Arkansas Urology

Lisa Vinal, APRN

Arkansas Urology

Leslie Ann Wilcox, RNP

Arkansas Urology

Wischelle Williams, APRN

Arkansas Urology

Tara Pappas Scallion, DDS

Austin Family Dentistry

Joni Barker, APRN

Autumn Road Family Practice

Sara Blair, M.D.

Autumn Road Family Practice

Erin Hekmatpour, M.D.

Autumn Road Family Practice

Atalie Sessions, APRN

Autumn Road Family Practice

BJalesia Austin, DNP, ARPN, FNP-C

Baptist Health

April Bennett, MSN, CHFP, RN

Baptist Health

Mandy Burton, APRN

Baptist Health

Denise Coffman

Baptist Health

Debbie Davis

Baptist Health

Kelley Hamby, RN, BSN

Baptist Health

Gillian Hutchison, RN, MAT

Baptist Health

Courtney Jasna, BSN, RN, CMSRN

Baptist Health

Dani LaRoe, RN

Baptist Health

Jessica Mathisen, MSN, RN, CNE

Baptist Health

Lauren McDaniel

Baptist Health

Julie Nix, MSHA

Baptist Health

Amanda Novack, M.D.

Baptist Health

KaitLyn Ontiveros

Baptist Health

Kathy Sue Parnell, M.D.

Baptist Health

Stephanie Parson

Baptist Health

Tracy Sisco

Baptist Health

Sharika Smith

Baptist Health

Alicia Agent Speegle

Baptist Health

Kimberly Walker, RN, MSN, NEA-BC

Baptist Health

Susan Williams, MSN, RN

Baptist Health

Patricia Acklin, APRN

Baxter Health

Maureen Flowers, M.D.

Baxter Health

Hallie Braley, LPN Beyond Wellness

Jordan Davidson, APRN Beyond Wellness

Kelly Goodson Beyond Wellness

Ashley Huneycutt Beyond Wellness

Christa Jackson, APRN Beyond Wellness

Rebekah Scott Beyond Wellness

Lacy Short, LPN Beyond Wellness

Amanda Bledsoe, D.C. Bledsoe Chiropractic

Kasey Fant Body Elite Aesthetics of Arkansas

Samantha K. Devlin, O.D. BoozmanHof

Stephanie Stanley Moss, O.D., FAAO BoozmanHof

Mellinda Stewart, O.D. BoozmanHof

Mary C. Sullivan, O.D. BoozmanHof

Tracy Blakely Bourns Dentistry

Mary Ann Doggett Bourns Dentistry

Lyn Pool Bourns Dentistry

Brandi Ward

Bourns Dentistry

Mellissa Wiley Bourns Dentistry

Hannah Banning, PA-C

Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Angela Carson, PTA

Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Dede Cravens, PT

Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Kierstin Daugherty, PA-C

Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Grace Jenkins, PA-C

Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

JoBeth Peace, PA-C

Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Lisa Sallings, PT

Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Shelly Bray, M.D. Bray Family Medicine

Stephanie Farmer, APRN

Bryant Medical Clinic

CCelina Watson, O.D. C Klear Vision Optique

Melody Moore, RN Cabot Emergency Hospital

Candice Watson, RN Cabot Public Schools — Mountain Springs Elementary

Jamie Burton, M.D. CARTI

Jennifer Campbell, M.S., LCGC CARTI

Destiny Cato, M.S., LGC CARTI

Megan Crain, RDN, LD CARTI

Meagan Cupan, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, AOCNP CARTI

Christie Dumboski, MSN, APRN, AGACNP-BC CARTI

Jaclynn Elias, M.D. CARTI

Jerri S. Fant, M.D., FACS CARTI

Chelna Galada, M.S., LGC CARTI

Morgan Gary, PA-C CARTI

Rhonda Gentry, M.D. CARTI

Julie Glover, DNP-FNP, BC, TTS CARTI

Mariann Harrington, M.D. CARTI

Kewen Jauss, M.D. CARTI

Jessica McElreath, M.D. CARTI

Cheryl Payne, M.D. CARTI

Grace Raja, M.D. CARTI

“This

— Sammie Cribbs Roberson, MSN, AGCNS-BC, APRN, President and CEO

Rochelle Johnson Grand Village at Clear Creek

Leading Others, Serving All

As a former collegiate athlete, Rochelle Johnson knows a thing or two about teamwork. A four-year member of the University of Arkansas Razorback basketball program, she played at a time when the program was perennially atop the college basketball world.

During a career in nursing home management, she leveraged the principles of teamwork and unity with her staff to survive the COVID-19 pandemic and deliver uninterrupted excellence to a vulnerable population.

Today, as chief operating officer at Grand Village at Clear Creek, she once again relies on her leadership skills honed on the basketball court to deliver the utmost in senior living for those enjoying their golden years.

“I’ll tell you, what’s interesting is I’m still dealing with the same senior population group,” she said. “My average age here is 84, and my oldest is 101. Even though they’re all still very active and all live independently, I’m still able to take what I learned in the nursing home field and apply it here.

“The things we had to monitor for — looking out for people’s welfare as they age — is still very important. Our goal here is to help people age in place as long as possible. I’ve tried to put things in place so that if somebody has a fall, I have a home health contact, and we can talk to the resident about perhaps looking into arranging some home health. I have relationships with medical providers who come in and make house calls. It’s all about how we as an organization can keep people active and keep them healthy.”

Johnson may not have a medical degree — she has an undergraduate degree in psychology and earned a graduate degree in mediation and arbitration from Southern Methodist University in Texas — but she comes to her health care servant mindset naturally.

“My mom is a nurse. My sister-in-law’s a nurse. My aunt’s a nurse,” she said. “I had a lot of health care in my family.”

Johnson was undecided about her next step after graduating from the U of A and was pondering law school when a friend approached her about entering the nursing home industry.

“I had a friend who was working with a health care company, Northport Health Services, and they said, ‘Hey, did you ever think about getting into the health care field? What about being a nursing home administrator?’” she said. “I had a background in management, and they were like, ‘You’d be perfect for it,’ so I went through an administrator-in-training program with the company in 2005. I got licensed in 2006, and I took my first nursing home job in Paris, Arkansas.”

Despite not delivering care to residents directly, Johnson’s in-person, engaged management style kept her within an arm’s reach of the front line. There, she gained an appreciation for the challenges of delivering best-in-class care even when challenged by funding or personnel limitations.

“Well obviously, staffing is a challenge, which is something that you find in every health care field,” she said. “One of the things unique to long-term care or in the skilled nursing world is we’re highly regulated. We are the second most regulated industry next to the

By AY STAFF

nuclear power industry, so you can imagine the constraints in which we have to operate.

“The regulations that we have to go by are there for a reason, and they do serve a purpose, but it does make it a little bit more difficult to operate, so that’s definitely a challenge.”

By the time COVID-19 appeared in early 2020, Johnson was a veteran administrator, and she approached the new normal of the pandemic with calm and resolve.

“In all honesty, I think after the initial shock kind of wore off, we just kind of put our boots on and got to work trying to take everything as it comes,” she said. “Things were changing on a daily basis, the numbers and then how we had to operate and the restrictions and the guidelines. Just trying to keep up with that was difficult.”

Despite the stress of operating during the pandemic, it provided a living classroom in leadership through crisis and change that has solidified her into the person she is today.

“When you’re the administrator of a building like that, you have to set the tone,” she said. “You have to be the one in control, and you can’t let that get away because then the people under you are not going to be successful, and they’re just going to be frightened about what’s going on. I felt, as a team and as an industry, we came through this and we did really well, and we all probably learned a lot from it.”

LEADERSHIP

Amanda Novack, MD

April Bennett, MSN, CHFP, RN

Courtney Jasna, BSN, RN, CMSRN

Dani LaRoe, RN

Debbie Davis

Gillian Hutchison, RN, MAT

Jalesia Austin, DNP, ARPN, FNP-C

Jessica Mathisen, MSN, RN, CNE

Julie Nix, MSHA

Kathy Sue Parnell, MD

Kelley Hamby, RN, BSN

Kimberly Walker, RN, MSN, NEA-BC

Mandy Burton, APRN

Stephanie Parson

Susan Williams, MSN, RN

Tracy Sisco

KaitLyn Ontiveros

Alicia Agent Speegle

Allison Barnes

Denise Coffman

Lauren McDaniel

Sharikia Smith

Dana Abraham, Breast Oncology Surgeon

Ashley Lawhon, Director of Perioperative Services

Sarah Loftin, Chief Nursing Officer

Rebecca Jones, Director of Marketing & Business Operations

Emily Cobb, Director of Patient Care Services

Shyann Renfroe, M.D. CARTI

Alexandra Roberts, RDN, LD CARTI

Yara Robertson, M.D., FACS CARTI

Toronsa M. Simpson, MSN, APRN, FNP-C CARTI

Stacy Smith-Foley, M.D. CARTI

Dianna Sutliff, MSN, APRN, FNP-C CARTI

Diane Wilder, M.D. CARTI

Amy Galdamez, M.D. Central Clinic for Women

Lindsay Heulitt, M.D. Central Clinic For Women

Cindy Hubach, M.D. Central Clinic For Women

Heather Owens, M.D. Central Clinic For Women

Monica Sumner, APRN Central Clinic for Women

Amy Wiedower, M.D. Central Clinic for Women

Michelle Chapman, LPC

Chapman Counseling and Consulting

Nidhi Jain, M.D.

CHI St. Vincent Diabetes & Endocrinology Clinic

Megan Kellar, APRN

CHI St. Vincent Diabetes & Endocrinology Clinic - North

Tena Murphy, M.D.

CHI St. Vincent Heart Clinic

Halah Al-Dadah, M.D.

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs

Cari Cordell, M.D.

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs

Nicquel Gordon, M.D.

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs

Oyidie Igbokidi, M.D.

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs

Nazneen Tata, M.D.

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs

Mary Thaxton, M.D.

CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs

Jennifer Co, M.D.

CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic

Zainab Siddiqui, M.D.

CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic

Rachel Wayne, M.D.

CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic

Whitney Reed, APRN

CHI St. Vincent Primary Care - JacksonvilleMain Street

Lara V. Sanders, APRN

CHI St. Vincent Community Care - East Clinic

Beverly Foster, D.C.

Chiropractic Health & Rehabilitation

Jennifer Thompson, M.D.

Collom & Carney Clinic

Michelle Boone, APRN

Compassion Health and Wellness Clinic

Holly Bunn, APRN

Compassionate Care Clinic

Sarah Davis, O.D.

Conway Family Eye Care

Ashleigh Tanner, BSN, RN

Conway Med Spa

Sharonte Fowler, APRN

Conway Medical & Wellness Clinic

Keitha Holland, M.D.

Conway OB-GYN

Lisa Speer, APRN

Conway OB-GYN

Mary Burgess, M.D.

Conway Regional

Katie Deacon, APRN

Conway Regional

Jessica Dewberry

Conway Regional

Hailey Farris, M.D.

Conway Regional

Reagan Garber, D.O.

Conway Regional

Rimsha Hasan, M.D.

Conway Regional

Dawn Hughes, M.D.

Conway Regional

Amanda Irby, BSN, RN

Conway Regional

Kala Slaton, M.D.

Conway Regional

Heather A. White, APN

Conway Women’s Health Center

Brittany Marsh

Cornerstone Pharmacy

Rebecca Mansfield, LCSW

Counseling Services of Jacksonville

Ashley Mason, M.D., FACOG

Creekside Center for Women

DLaRhonda Apata, DDS

Deal Family Dental

Robin Mack

The Dental Clinic at Stuttgart

Caroline Mehaffy, DDS

Dental Solutions of Little Rock

Leslie Monroe, DDS, FAGD

Dental Solutions of Little Rock

Lesli Devlin, RN, BSN, RNC

Devlin Cosmetic Surgery

Ashley Powell, CST

Devlin Cosmetic Surgery

Leslie Dickinson, DDS

Dickinson Dental

Rachael Chandler, APRN-CNP Diffine Family Practice

Kimberly Hill, DNP, APRN, FNP-C Diversity Family Health

Angela Lovett, M.D.

Dr. Angela Lovett Pain Clinic

Carmella Montez Knoernschild, DDS, PA

Dr. Carmella Montez Knoernschild, DDS, PA

Jasmine Estell

Dr. Mimi Lee Vein & Aesthetic Care

Mimi Lee, M.D. PA

Dr. Mimi Lee Vein & Aesthetic Care

Suzanne Yee, M.D.

Dr. Suzanne Yee Cosmetic & Laser Surgery Center

Meg Dunn, DDS Dunn Family Dental

EKaren Moll, OT Easterseals Arkansas

Kim Clatworthy

Elder Independence Home Care

Myra Weaver

English Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Center

Haley Endacott, APRN-BC, AE-C ENT and Allergy Center

Jaime Turner, PA ENT and Allergy Center

Felicia Johnson, M.D. ENT Center of the Ozarks

F G

Stacy C. Busby, M.D. Forrest City Medical Center

Djuana L. Cartillar, DDS Forrest City Medical Center

Teresa Jeffers, M.D.

Four Seasons Allergy & Asthma Clinic

Bailey W. Pollock, PA-C, PA Franks Dermatology

Kelly Gibbs, M.D. GastroArkansas

Debra Morrison, M.D. GastroArkansas

Angela Nutt, M.D. GastroArkansas

Lingyi Chen, M.D. Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute

A. Lynn Cleveland, M.D. Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute

Jennifer Hocutt, APRN Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute

Sheryl Knott, APRN, AGCNS-BC Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute

Virginia Laliberte, AOCNP

Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute

Kristen Sager, M.D. Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute

Samantha Wideman, APRN, FNP-C Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute

Tabatha Vocque, APRN, MSN, FNP Grace Health Services

Rochelle Johnson Grand Village at Clear Creek

HSteffany Benton, DNP, MNSc, APRN, FNP-BC HealthTech Arkansas

Nikki Sanders Donaldson, DMD Heathman Family Dental

Pam Tank Heathman Family Dental

Brooke Brander, D.O. Highland Oncology

Lynsay Brautnick, M.D. Highland Oncology

K’Anne Cash-Arthur, M.D. Highland Oncology

Irlna Tantchou, M.D. Highland Oncology

Min Yoo, M.D., FACS Highland Oncology

Samantha Watt, APRN-BC Hillcrest Family Clinic

Constance R. Jarrett, RN Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas

Veronica Love Home Health Care Agency of Arkansas

Cathy Carollo, RN, BSN, M.A. Hospice Home Care

Cheryl A. Hull, M.D., FAAD Hull Dermatology & Aesthetics

J I

Terri Wells, APRN

Infinity Signature Aesthetics

Michelle Eckert, M.D., FACS

Jefferson Regional

Kathy James

Kathy James Psychotherapy and Wellness

Jamie Mullenix

Lakeside Family Medicine

CJ Cobb

K L

Legacy Spine & Neurological Specialists

Jaqueline Eldridge, RN

Legacy Spine & Neurological Specialists

Allie Mills, RN

Legacy Spine & Neurological Specialists

Kelli Schlesinger, M.D.

Legacy Spine & Neurological Specialists

Kara Townsend, RN

Legacy Spine & Neurological Specialists

Brandi Alexander, APN

Lifespring Women’s Healthcare

Audra Cole, D.O.

Lifespring Women’s Healthcare

Lorie Oswalt, APN

Lifespring Women’s Healthcare

Hello to healing.

We know from experience that treating every patient with kindness, empathy, and respect is key to their healing. We call this power humankindness and it has driven us for more than 135 years.

Thank you for recognizing the fact that we have some of the Best Women in Healthcare!

Look and feel your

Discover a place where beauty transcends time. Radiant Wellness is your all-embracing destination for a diverse array of aesthetic services and wellness treatments.

Congratulations SABRINA SHIPP, APRN for being named Best Women in Healthcare for 2024!

the ADVOCATE Rebecca Jones Arkansas Surgical Hospital

There are many different ways to bring a quality health care experience to patients, and it is easy to overlook some of the people who make it happen, preferring as they do to stay in the background.

Take Rebecca Jones, director of marketing and business operations at Arkansas Surgical Hospital in North Little Rock, someone who would much rather write stories than be the subject of one. Jones never felt the pull to get into a patient-facing health care role, but when it comes to advocating for the organization and its best-in-class care, there is no one more out front and vocal than she.

“As a physician-owned hospital, our owners are highly engaged at so many different levels,” she said. “They created this place so that they could deliver a better experience for their patients, and they have a high expectation for the entire staff to deliver on that promise.

“It really comes down to the little things. Our CEO always talks about the 5/10 rule; if you're five feet away from someone, a patient, a visitor, a guest, whoever it is, you always speak to them. Verbally say hello. If you’re 10 feet away, you acknowledge them. That is something that seems so minor, but it is an expected part of our culture here that really makes a difference.”

A native of Benton, Jones attended Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, where she earned a degree in mass communications and political science in 2004. Her first job after college took her to the nation’s capital, where she worked in former Gov. Mike Huckabee’s Washington, D.C., office.

Two years later, she came home to accept a job at Saline Memorial in Benton, her hometown hospital. She joined ASH in an operations capacity 4 1/2 years ago.

She quickly distinguished herself in the role and, in 2021, was entrusted with two major projects. She spearheaded plans to open a clinic in Hot Springs Village and oversaw expansion of the hospital’s surgical capacity through the addition of two operating rooms.

Having proved her capabilities over two years on the operations side, she was asked to add the hospital’s communications function to her responsibilities. In so doing, she discovered the role that truly spoke to her.

“I really love communications,” she said. “I think communications is so important to the hospital. It impacts physician engagement, employee engagement and patient engagement. I love being able to tell those stories, making sure people are informed. I also really enjoy being able to talk to patients and get to know them and tell their stories.”

Jones said the communications door opens both ways at ASH; not only does she seek out interesting stories of patients and staff to highlight the skill and humanity behind the hospital’s work, but she also enjoys curating the many messages and external comments that surround the organization.

“As far as communicating the message about our hospital, one thing

By AY Staff

I’ve noticed since I’ve been here is that the level of engagement and loyalty by our former patients is phenomenal,” she said. “We hear from our patients almost daily. They’re very engaged on social media. They write us letters, and it’s wonderful to see that.”

Jones’ ability to communicate stories concerning health care comes naturally. Her mother is a surgical nurse, and her brother is a longtime nurse at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Watching their careers invested in Jones a special affinity for patients and the people who care for them. She takes seriously her responsibility to deliver such stories accurately and with compassion.

“I got to know one of our patients really well,” she said. “She was very young, a 30-year-old with a degenerative hip condition who couldn’t even walk. After Dr. [Bill] Hefley treated her, she was able to walk again. I kept in touch with her through the process and ever since, and now she’s a new mom, and she can dance and play with her baby. That’s probably my favorite part of marketing and communications is actually getting to tell those kinds of stories.”

Away from work, Jones and her husband, Bryan, a teacher and coach at Catholic High School for Boys in Little Rock, are busy parents to a 10-year-old son, Henry, and a 12-year-old daughter, Dawson Claire. As time permits, Jones also likes to travel and indulge her interest in photography.

Pinnacle Spine and Orthopedic in Little Rock Arkansas is proud to serve The Wonder State in all its orthopedic needs. From our state-of-the-art-facilities, and using the latest technology and techniques, we’re fully dedicated to the rehabilitation and treatment of our valued clients. We’re thrilled to offer cutting edge services like cartilage preservation and joint replacement, in addition to a wide array of treatments including orthopedic surgery, whiplash treatment, custom rehabilitation plans, and more. Your health and wellness are our utmost priority! CALL US TODAY – 501-260-1974

Left to Right: Karen Spruell, RN, Skin Care Nurse; Hailey Arens, PA-C; Alexandra Sanroma, PA-C; Madison Moody, Laser Technician and Esthetician

Alyssa Corbit Amber Higgs, CMA

Kassidy Hill-Howard, Practice Manager

Kay Lynn Brunt, PA-C

Maria Foreman, CMA Leslie Lopez, CMA

Ashley N. Stoner, M.D.

Little Rock Allergy & Asthma Clinic

Tracy Van Es, Au.D.

Little Rock Audiology Clinic

Sarah Hays, D.C.

Little Rock Chiropractic & Acupuncture

Hailey Arens, PA-C

Little Rock Dermatology Clinic

Madison Moody

Little Rock Dermatology Clinic

Alexandra Sanroma, PA-C

Little Rock Dermatology Clinic

Karen Spruell, RN

Little Rock Dermatology Clinic

Ashley Blackwood, APRN

Little Rock Family Practice

Melinda Patterson, M.D.

Little Rock Family Practice

Tierney Russell, APRN

Little Rock Family Practice

Elizabeth Sullivan, M.D.

Little Rock Family Practice

Cheryl Ahart, M.D.

Little Rock Pediatric Clinic

Natalie Burr, M.D.

Little Rock Pediatric Clinic

Loretta Parker, LMFT

Loretta Parker, Marriage and Family Therapist

MAnn-Marie Magre, M.D.

MANA Family Medicine

Tiffany Lack, APRN

Maumelle Family Medicine

Laura Nicole Stallings, APRN

Maumelle Family Medicine

Shelby Brogdon, O.D.

McFarland Eye Care

Brita Rook, M.D.

McFarland Eye Care

Stephanie Willett, O.D.

McFarland Eye Care

Angela Case, RN

Melanie Prince Plastic Surgery

Melanie Prince, M.D.

Melanie Prince Plastic Surgery

Gail Eisenhauer, M.D.

Methodist Family Health

Robin Hickerson, M.D.

Methodist Family Health

Mindy Lester, Ph.D.

Methodist Family Health

Mindy Moore, EMDR, CPT, CBT

Mindy Moore Psychotherapy

Shelly York, BC-HIS

Miracle-Ear

NMartie Savage, RN

NAMI Arkansas

Alicia Washington

NAMI Arkansas

Janet Hedges, LCSW

Napa Valley Counseling Center

Heather Abernathy, FNP

National Park Medical Center

Jennifer Jones, MNSc, FNP-C

National Park Medical Center

Becky Norwood

National Park Medical Center

Tiffany McConathy, APRN

National Pediatric Cancer Foundation

Erin Holleman, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC, APHN-BC

Natural State Behavioral Health

Traci Kiernan, D.C.

Natural State Health Center

Jill Flaxman, M.D.

Natural State Pain and Wellness Clinic

Becky Howell

New Hope Prosthetics & Orthotics

Tammy Parchman

New Hope Prosthetics & Orthotics

Tina Nichols, DDS

Nichols Family Dental

Sammie Cribbs Roberson, MSN, AGCNS-BC, APRN

North Arkansas Regional Medical Center

Megan Johnson, DMD

Northwest Arkansas Family Dental

Laureen Benafield, M.D.

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics, A MANA Clinic

Stacy Furlow, M.D.

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics, A MANA Clinic

Meredith Mahan, M.D.

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics, A MANA Clinic

Virginia Thomas, M.D.

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics, A MANA Clinic

Michelle Ang-Poland, M.D.

Northwest Health

Donna Beallis, D.O.

Northwest Health

Jamie Boone, D.O.

Northwest Health

Scarlett Grandy, MSN, CNM

Northwest Health — Willow Creek

Women’s Hospital

Jeanine Andersson, M.D.

OrthoArkansas

Morgan Bittengle, APRN

OrthoArkansas

Debra Brent, APRN

OrthoArkansas

Morgan Hayes, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

OrthoArkansas

Katie Stallings, PA-C

OrthoArkansas

Rachel Vaske, APRN OrthoArkansas

Karen Hall, M.D.

Ouachita Behavioral Health & Wellness

Janette McGaugh, M.D.

Ouachita Behavioral Health & Wellness

Susan Smith, M.S., LPC-S

Ouachita Behavioral Health and Wellness

Jamie Abbott, M.D.

Ozark Dermatology

Molly Allen, NP-C

Ozark Dermatology

Stephanie Billingsley Ozark Dermatology

Janelle Claborn, PA-C Ozark Dermatology

Mary Susan Hilton, PA-C Ozark Dermatology

Karlee Van Dam, PA-C Ozark Dermatology

Kristy Walker, PA-C Ozark Dermatology

Lyndsey Whitaker, NP-C Ozark Dermatology

Danielle Williams, NP-C Ozark Dermatology

PDana Browning, D.C. Pain Care Associates

Gena Woodward, M.S., PT Pain Care Associates

Jaclyn Cooper, APRN

Pain Treatment Centers of America

Adrienne Friedly, APRN Pain Treatment Centers of America

Venecia Johnson, ACNP-AG, BC Pain Treatment Centers of America

Noemi Ramsay, M.D. Pain Treatment Centers of America

Angel Samuel, APRN Pain Treatment Centers of America

Kristy Thompson, APRN

Pain Treatment Centers of America

Ashley Cooper, LE, CLT Pamper Me Pretty Aesthetics

Emily Hinton, M.D. Parkhill Clinic for Women

Stephanie Lowry, M.D. Parkhill Clinic for Women

Meredith L. McKinney, M.D. Parkhill Clinic for Women

Taylor Salyer, M.D. Parkhill Clinic for Women

Lindsey Seale, M.D.

Parkhill Clinic for Women

Lacey Staton

Perry County Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

Andrea Mabry, M.D.

Pinnacle Dermatology

Marla Wirges, M.D.

Pinnacle Dermatology

Mary Chatelain, Au.D.

Pinnacle Hearing

Kay Lynn Brunt, PA-C

Pinnacle Spine & Orthopedic

Alyssa Corbit

Pinnacle Spine & Orthopedic

Maria Foreman, CMA

Pinnacle Spine & Orthopedic

Amber Higgs, CMA

Pinnacle Spine & Orthopedic

Kassidy Hill-Howard

Pinnacle Spine & Orthopedic

Missy Clifton, M.D.

Premier Aesthetics & Wellness

Caroline Cunningham, M.D.

Premier Aesthetics & Wellness

Linzy Elliott, DNP, FNP-C

Premier Aesthetics & Wellness

Kara Richardson, P.A.

Premier Aesthetics & Wellness

Dawn Yakoubian

Presbyterian Village

Archana Jarathi, M.D.

Prime Endocrinology

Heather Turner, PA

PrimeCARE Medical Clinic

Erin Courtway, APRN

PRISM Aesthetics

RKendall Key, PA

Radiance by Roller

Kaitlyn Paine, M.D.

Radiance by Roller

Sabrina Shipp, APRN, MSN, FNP-BC

Radiant Wellness by S & S

Tina Ipe, M.D.

Regen Med

Andi Green, M.D.

Rehab Specialists Therapy & Fitness

Danielle Lynch

Renew Mental Health and Wellness

Anna Mullis, LCSW

Resilience Refined Counseling

Nicole Eckard, LPC

Resilience Therapy

Lindsey Gillum, APRN, FNP-C

Revive Lifestyle Medicine

S OJourdan Quinn, APRN, FNP-C Revive Lifestyle Medicine

Amber Moody, APRN-FNP

Revolution Med Spa

Anna Marie Robinson

Robinson Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

Kristin Roller, M.D.

Roller Weight Loss & Advanced Surgery

Char Boulch, MSN, RN

Saline Health System

Ashley Martindale, PA

Saline Med Peds Group

Congratulations

Constance R. Jarrett, RN-BC ADMINISTRATOR/PARTNER HHCAOA

A Helena-West Helena, Phillips County native. She has worked in the field of Nursing for forty-two (42) years. Thirty-nine (39) of those years of experience in Health Care Administration, Education, Consulting and Enterprises working with:

• Hospitals, Facilities, Communities and Families

• Disabled Adults aged 18 to over 65 with Chronic Illnesses

• Intellectually Disabled Adults

• Psychiatric/Mental Illness/Behavior Disorders

• Long-term Care Facilities Management and Supportive Services

Jarrett’s own personal understanding of the challenges one must endure to care for loved ones experiencing chronic, disabling illness and the need for resources and assistance is what compelled her to join in and partner with Mrs. Love in the endeavor of establishing the Home Health Care Agency of

Congratulations

Ragda Ahmed, MD

Caring Beyond Healthcare

Julie Nix Baptist Health

Administrative Empowerment

As a child, Julie Nix envisioned herself as a nurse working in the burn unit at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

Since second grade in her hometown of Camden, she had always seen herself as a helper, and she recalled frequently asking her teacher if there was anything she could do to assist her fellow students.

“I’ve always felt I was meant to help others whenever I can,” said Nix, corporate vice president of Baptist Health’s women and children’s surgery services.

Her role includes ensuring the system’s financial health, research and obtaining the most up-to-date technologies to best serve patients.

“Just a few of these technologies include evaluating new surgical robots, developing a maternal navigation app to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, and many other exciting things in between,” Nix said.

How does a person who once dreamed of being a nurse end up on the administrative side of the health care industry? That journey started when Nix, a graduate of Camden Fairview High School, was working on her bachelor’s degree at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

“I’ve always loved being able to serve people, and I thought nursing would be a great way to do that,” Nix said. “However, during undergrad, I realized that direct patient care nursing wasn’t ideal for those with a weak stomach, so I decided to look into health care administration, which would allow me to still work in health care and impact people — just in a different way.”

Nix earned her bachelor’s in business administration at UA Little Rock and earned her master’s degree in health services administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. For the better part of three decades, she has worked in health care in central Arkansas, and since the mid-1990s, she has been involved in strategic growth and development and initiatives to improve clinical quality.

She strives to help women overcome some of the biggest challenges they face when seeking health care in the U.S.: accessing qualified medical professionals, especially in rural areas, and managing the cost of health care and insurance.

She may not have followed the nursing track, but Nix is reminded daily that she made the right career choice

“I love having the opportunity to constantly look across the U.S. to ensure that Baptist Health is offering patients in Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma the best of the best treatment options available, the latest technologies and the best physicians,” Nix said. “Specifically in the women’s health service line, we have made investments to improve infant and maternal mortality and will be able to quantify success when looking at the health outcomes of those mothers we are serving.”

Last year, Baptist Health introduced The Tea, a health blog for women that utilizes the knowledge of the system’s female health care professionals to provide relevant, useful and timely information.

“This was a collaborative idea along with our amazing marketing team,” Nix said. “We wanted a place to talk about women’s health issues that provided a platform for women to

By TODD TRAUB

seek out real health care advice — not just searching on the internet — in a comfortable, safe environment. This format allows women to be empowered to take control of their own health.”

The Tea’s goal, Nix wrote in the blog, is “to make sure you have exactly what you need to be your best self and to advocate on behalf of what you and your body need at any stage of life.”

The firsthand expertise supplied by Baptist’s female staffers — sharing the “latest and greatest, the tried and true” — pertains to every aspect of women’s health while also bringing attention to women’s health awareness.

Each month, The Tea covers top-of-mind subjects important to women of all ages. Whether it is a woman in her early 20s curious about scheduling a Pap smear, Nix wrote, someone thinking about starting a family, a woman wondering what pre-menopausal signs are or someone anxious about their first mammogram, The Tea is there to provide the information.

A wife and mother herself, Nix wrote in the blog that she can even recognize how challenging it is to navigate a health care system. The Tea, Nix said, is an important and complementary part of Baptist Health’s work.

“All of our outreach efforts help to engage our patients, which is so important in building relationships,” she said. “In turn, it helps to promote all other areas of service available across our system.”

At Conway Regional, we provide all women and their newborns with the dignity and respect they deserve. Our Women's Center cares for mothers and newborns from admission to discharge, offering reassurance and support as you welcome your baby.

Parents can rely on Conway Regional to care for their babies with the highest quality of care. With the advancement of telemedicine, neonatal physicians can assess your baby alongside our neonatal nurses right here in Conway.

Conway Regional is proud to be the community’s provider of high-quality, compassionate care for more than 100 years.

We want to thank all of our patients who voted for us for BEST WOMEN IN HEALTHCARE!

Without you, there wouldn’t be a Sei Bella Med Spa! We look forward to seeing you soon!

Whether it’s bioidentical hormone pellets, Botox/Dysport, fillers, laser treatments or body contouring you’re looking for, Sei Bella Med Spa is very excited to offer you the best in Health|Wellness|Beauty. Our entire staff takes pride in offering you the best care possible. Our patients become family to us and we are honored to be included in Best Women in Healthcare.

10310 West Markham, Suite 202, Little Rock | 501-228-6237 | www.seibellamedspa.net

Congratulations to our providers, Michele Clark, MS, LPC, LMFT and Kellie Fugere, LCSW!

Congratulations for being named BEST WOMEN IN HEALTHCARE!

Practicing APRN for six years. Received Masters in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner from Samford University. Member of AANP, ACOG, and AWHONN. Accepting Patients for same day appointments for new patients, problem visits, OBGyn, and Annual Visits.

Monica Sumner, APRN

WRIGHT PLASTIC SURGERY & MED

SPA

Winner, Best Medical Spa/Nonsurgical Cosmetic Clinic Winner, Best Plastic Surgeon

Since 2018, the motto of Wright Plastic Surgery has been “Your Beauty, Our Expertise.” That expertise is just one reason among many that Dr. Eric Wright was voted AY’s best plasticsurgeon of 2024. As a board-certified plastic surgeon, his goal is to listen to all patients in order to develop a plan that meets their individual goals.

“I love that plastic surgery is the combination of aesthetically restoring and improving the function of the human body,” Wright said. “At our practice, it is rewarding to see the longevity of care provided, whether it is a surgical or nonsurgical procedure.”

The clinic opened a new and expanded location in 2023 and a new private surgical suite in 2024, allowing Wright and his handpicked team to provide exceptional care to even more patients.

Each person Wright sees receives personalized attention to help them look and feel their best, and his unmatched staff support patients from beginning to end.

“I am very thankful that I can continue to provide the care and attention our patients need, and receiving this honor affirms the direction our practice is headed,” Wright said. “Thank you to the AY readers. Our practice’s growth is due to your continued support.”

1811 Rahling Road, Suite 100 • Little Rock 501.575.0088 • drwrightplasticsurgery.com

Delaney Fogle Lauren Shelnut Dr. Kirstan Hyser

Kristen Jones

Eric J. Wright, M.D.

Jamie Irwin, D.O.

Saline Pediatric Associates

Ajitha Yeluru, M.D.

Saline Pediatric Associates

Payal Gandhi, M.D.

Saline Primary Care

Laura Hardin, M.D.

Saline Primary Care

Kristin Patton, M.D.

Saline Surgery & Weight Loss Clinic

Wendy Bennett, APRN

Saline Women’s Clinic

Ralynn Brann, M.D.

Saline Women’s Clinic

Christina Green, M.D.

Saline Women’s Clinic

Maggie Hicks, RNP

Saline Women’s Clinic

Angela Myles, M.D.

Saline Women’s Clinic

Stephanie Burnett, APRN

Salt + Light Holistic Health

Monica Cooper, LE

Sei Bella Med Spa

Anne Trussell, M.D.

Sei Bella Med Spa

Laura Wilson, M.D.

Sherwood Family Medical Center-A Baptist Health Affiliate

Jennifer Gabbard, RN

Shewmake Plastic Surgery and the Skin

Retreat

Jennifer Zierlein, O.D.

Simmons Eye Care

Rachel Sims, RN, BSN

SKN at Franks Dermatology

Erin Bailey

Smile Arkansas

Delaney Fogle

Smile Dailey

Kirstan Hyser, DDS

Smile Dailey

Kristen Jones

Smile Dailey

Lauren Shelnut

Smile Dailey

Miranda Kuykendall, RN

Solux Aesthetics

Kristyn Wethington, Au.D.

Southern Arkansas Audiology

Janelle Douglas, Pharm.D., CPS

Springwoods Behavioral Health

Danielle Griffin, PRN

Springwoods Behavioral Health

Erin Melton, APRN

Springwoods Behavioral Health

Rianna Rowland

Superior Senior Care

Lindsey Faulkner

Surgical Pavilion

Tonya Sook, FNP-C, BSN

Swetnam Cosmetic Surgery

Lacey Strobel, RN, BSN

Swetnam Cosmetic Surgery

Sarah Swetnam, RN, BSN

Swetnam Cosmetic Surgery

Kristi Jones, APRN

SYNOLO Wellness

Callie Taylor, APRN

Taylor Made Clinic

Jessica L. Coker, M.D. UAMS

Kelly Conroy UAMS

Kasa B. Cooper, M.D. UAMS

Anndi Cranford, APRN UAMS

Jordan Ford UAMS

Rani Gardner, M.D. UAMS

VValerie Rankin, RN Vanderpool Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Wendy Smith, RN, RNC Vanderpool Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Meredith Green, MSN, APRN

WWashington Regional

Stacy Armstrong, D.O. Washington Regional Harrison Family Practice

Cari Addington, APRN-CNP Washington Regional Women and Infants Center

Kasia Kania, M.D., MPH

Taylor Plastic Surgery

Kelly Pierce, M.D.

The Breast Center, A MANA Clinic

TJan Alexander, M.D.

The BridgeWay

Kathryn Chenault, M.D.

The Neurology Clinic & MS Clinic of Arkansas

Kim Dixon, LPN

The Neurology Clinic & MS Clinic of Arkansas

Brenna Fitzgerald, APN

The Neurology Clinic & MS Clinic of Arkansas

Katherine Thornsberry, RN

The Neurology Clinic & MS Clinic of Arkansas

Lourie Battles, M.D.

The Pediatric Clinic

Kimberly Clinton, M.D.

The Pediatric Clinic

Kimberly Hurlbut, M.D.

The Pediatric Clinic

Holly Montgomery, M.D.

The Pediatric Clinic

Shelly Gibbs, M.D.

The Woman’s Clinic

Jill K. Jennings, M.D.

The Woman’s Clinic

Leticia Jones, M.D. The Woman’s Clinic

Elizabeth Paladino, WHCNP

The Woman’s Clinic

Amanda K. Payne, APRN

The Woman’s Clinic

UMarielie Heidi Agesilas, M.D. UAMS

Alice P. Alexander, M.D. UAMS

Audra Arant UAMS

Ashley Bean, RN UAMS

Debbie Brady, LCSW, ACSW UAMS

Jennifer Dukes Casey, M.D. UAMS

Lauren E. Gibson-Oliver, M.D. UAMS

Amy Grooms, M.D. UAMS

Leslie Harrell, D.O. UAMS

Ronda Henry-Tillman, M.D. UAMS

Laura Hobart-Porter, D.O. UAMS

Sarah V. “Tory” Hunton, M.D. UAMS

Rajani Jagana, M.D. UAMS

Mary K. James, O.D. UAMS

Krista Langston, MBA UAMS

Philmar Mendoza- Kabua UAMS

Daniela Ochoa, M.D. UAMS

Sonia T. Orcutt, M.D. UAMS

Sara Peeples, M.D. UAMS

Rosalyn Perkins, MNSc, APRN UAMS

Shona L. Ray-Griffith, M.D. UAMS

Lei Ross, Au.D. UAMS

Kristen J. Shealy, M.D. UAMS

Marla Vance UAMS

Misty L. Virmani, M.D. UAMS

Mara E. Whiteside, Ph.D. UAMS

Joanna Hall, MNSc, RN University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Gina Fedorchak, RN, BSN, MBA Vanderpool Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Brittani Arnold, APRN-CNP Washington Regional Women and Infants Center

Bernadette Alberty, M.D. Washington Regional Wound Care Clinic

Julie Goodwin, M.D. West Little Rock Women’s Center

Sarah Holland, APRN West Little Rock Women’s Center

Kimberly Reynolds, M.D. West Little Rock Women’s Center

Julia Watkins, M.D. West Little Rock Women’s Center

Michele Clark, M.S., LPC, LMFT West Rock Counseling

Kellie Fugere, LCSW West Rock Counseling

Julia Lee Allen, M.D. White River Health

Katherine Appleget, M.D. White River Health

Stacy Pollack, M.D. White River Health

Amanda Smith, M.D. White River Health

Ragda Ahmed, M.D. White River Health Family Care - Harrison Street Internal Medicine

Suzanna Blackburn, APRN White River Health Family Care - Sugarloaf

Caroline Carlton, M.D. White River Health Women’s Clinic

Natalie Eiland, M.D. Women’s Health Associates

Rachel Mevissen, M.D. Wound Evolution

Paige Kelly, BSN, RN Wright Plastic Surgery & Med Spa

Maegan Whitehead, LE

Wright Plastic Surgery & Med Spa

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• Medical and psychological evaluation

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• Coping and life-skill training

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All Things are Possible Becky Young APRN

Becky Young, APRN, never gave much credence to the circumstances life deals a person, choosing instead to focus on the unlimited possibilities that exist for someone with the right attitude and work ethic. That philosophy has not only been the cornerstone of her life; it shaped every day she spent in the health care field over nearly a quarter century.

Yet even as she steps into retirement from the Arkansas Heart Hospital, Young’s greatest pride in her career has less to do with personal accomplishments and everything to do with what she gave others.

“Making a difference in a patient’s life at whatever point they are in their life, whether it be sharing their joys or sharing their sorrows, that’s the best part of my career,” she said.

Born in Prescott, her mother died shortly after her birth. That led to nearly a decade of living with various family members until ultimately being adopted at age 8. Her adoptive mother died of cancer when Young was 15, and upon graduating high school, Young was unable to attend college due to the family’s financial situation.

Young did not let such setbacks deter her from creating a successful and happy life, however. She married her husband, Lynn, in 1975 and worked a string of jobs to bolster the family’s resources, ultimately operating an inhome daycare for 16 years to be able to stay home with her own children while continuing to work.

Throughout, she never saw her dreams and goals as having been denied, only deferred, something she proved in 1997 when she sat for the ACT test. She entered college in 1998 at age 41. Two years later, she was accepted into the University of Arkansas at Little Rock associate degree nursing program, from which she graduated in 2001.

“I’ve always worked in jobs and careers that were providing a service to people, and I just felt like [nursing] was a service I could provide at the bedside,” she said. “My dad had a really bad heart attack, and I was in the ICU [intensive care unit] with him when he was sick. I watched the nurses and watched what a difference they made. That was when it kind of hit me that this is what I wanted to do. I wanted to be able to help people in that way.”

Joining Arkansas Heart Hospital as a nurse assistant in 2000, Young steadily added to her education, studying to earn her registered nurse credential and her bachelor’s degree in nursing, all while working at the hospital. She enrolled in the adult acute care program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, still working nights and weekends at AHH, and graduated in 2005.

In 2006, she joined Dr. Wilson Wong, a cardiologist and electrophysiologist at the hospital, and worked with him until her retirement this fall. In addition to providing exemplary clinical care, Young is also the only advanced practice registered nurse at Arkansas Heart Hospital to have presented a scientific research abstract as a first author at an international medical conference.

Her expertise, intellect and compassion made her an ideal mentor, by

By AY Staff

which she became known for constantly preaching her one inviolate rule of nursing.

“Get up every morning with the full intention of making a difference in one patient’s life,” she said. “If you show love and compassion for those around you, that’s a good, successful day.”

“Becky is the best APRN I have ever worked with,” Wong said. “Some people with her achievements become arrogant, entitled or controlling. To the contrary, Becky is humble, gentle and kind. She patiently mentors new APRNs and treats her colleagues with respect and encouragement.

“She is always willing to help people in need; in fact, I’ve seen her secretly giving money to colleagues who were dealing with financial difficulties. In my book, Becky is a rock star.”

Now, as she enters yet another phase of life in retirement, Young looks back on her career with pride. Asked what she wanted her legacy to be, she paused.

“I would want my legacy to be that there is no impossible dream. You can be whatever you want to be,” she said. “You have to set your mind and your heart to it. You have to work hard at it, but there’s nothing that’s impossible to accomplish in life.”

Becoming Crone

Energy, science and community redefine midlife for women

By KATHERINE BLACKMON CARROLL // Photos submitted

Welcome to midlife. You have lived through the highs and lows, the first marriage, and maybe even the second. Your kids are out of the house or back in it. Your skin care routine is as highmaintenance as your last relationship, and your hormones have decided to take you on sweaty roller coaster rides. As women, what we are up against in midlife is not just wrinkles or emptynester syndrome; we are battling a much bigger misconception — the cultural myth that says we are meant to slow down and settle for less as we age.

For the past 27 years as a family law attorney, I have witnessed firsthand what happens when women internalize these crone stereotypes. After divorce or a life shakeup, they are told to accept a “new normal” that involves being less vibrant, less relevant and less everything when what they often do not realize is they are actually on the cusp of an incredible new life chapter.

Enter Becoming Crone, my solution for rewriting the midlife story and bringing science, energy, spirituality and fun together. I started these retreats to help women reconnect with their innate power, gain practical tools for moving through midlife with purpose and recognize midlife as a new beginning, not an ending. By learning to utilize these tools, I help clients identify and release energy blockages that inhibit mental and emotional growth at any age.

Becoming Crone was born as an effort to help women push back against negative myths, rediscover their voices and connect with each other through authentic, transformative practices. It is a space where women can come together to rewrite their own midlife stories.

work on activities to tap into their inner

The name is intentional. Across other cultures and in myth, the crone represents women of wisdom, strength and resilience — qualities that midlife women possess in abundance.

The name is intentional. Across other cultures and in myth, the crone represents women of wisdom, strength and resilience — qualities that midlife women possess in abundance. Here at home, however, the crone has long been a stereotype laden with negativity, cast as old, irrelevant and even witch-like. The trope often evokes images of isolation, loss of purpose and a perceived decline in worth.

By reclaiming this title, we challenge outdated stereotypes and celebrate midlife as a powerful period of transformation, learning and connection. Midlife is not the beginning of the end; it is just the middle, and it is a middle with a lot of potential.

Women

crone.

Becoming Crone provides programming to help women embrace middle age.

What makes Becoming Crone unique is the use of science-based approaches alongside energy-based practices. Becoming Crone draws on spirituality, neuroscience, psychology and physiology to ensure that the methodology is rooted in science while still being responsive to individual needs. My background as an energy coach complements this focus by helping women recognize and release energy blockages, creating space for growth.

When I talk about energy, it is not the “more coffee” type of energy but real foundational energy, the kind Albert Einstein said makes up everything around us. Einstein’s theory of energy shows us everything we see, touch or feel is vibrating, moving energy. That means we are energy, too, and constantly interact with the energies of the people, places and even thoughts around us. When you see life that way, the crone years look a lot less like a decline and more like a new energy shift we can embrace and direct.

The work of Japanese researcher Masaru Emoto shows how powerful the flow of energy is and how much our surrounding energies influence us. Emoto’s experiments with water reveal how positive sounds and words create beautiful, symmetrical water crystals, while negative words lead to chaotic, disordered shapes. Considering our bodies are more than 60 percent water, the implications here are striking; the energies we surround ourselves with — and the thoughts we feed ourselves — are literally shaping us from the inside out.

We all carry subconscious beliefs that act like energy blockages, everything from toxic relationships to habitual negative self-talk that impacts our mental and physical health. For too long, midlife has been framed as a kind of energetic dead end. We are told our brains, personalities and outlooks are cemented when we are children, and by the time we are middle aged, it is too late to change, a lie woven into the fabric of our culture.

Without a deliberate effort to reframe this stage of life, we risk becoming a product of those negative energies, held back from creating lives aligned with who we truly are. That is what lies at the heart of Becoming Crone, the principle that our minds and bodies are not stagnant and that our brains are capable of incredible growth throughout life.

This belief is rooted in a concept called neuroplasticity that shows how the brain, with the right types of stimulation, has the ability to form new neural connections that allow for fresh perspectives and even rewiring old patterns at any age. Methods that stimulate neuroplasticity involve more than just traditional learning. Activities that engage the senses, challenge the mind and body, and encourage creativity can all spark new neural pathways and keep the brain supple.

joyful and vibrant.

This approach opposes the stereotype that as we age, we lose our capacity for learning, curiosity or creativity. Instead, we embrace the idea that our minds can become more agile and receptive over time. For example, journaling has proven to be a transformative practice for many of my clients, allowing them to explore their thoughts, process emotions and clarify goals. Journaling has also been shown to improve mental health by reducing stress, helping manage anxiety and even boosting immune function.

Becoming Crone is not a cookiecutter self-care routine; it is a holistic approach that recognizes the power of energy in all its forms — physical, mental and social.

Energy work is a key part of the program.

Becoming Crone is not a cookie-cutter self-care routine; it is a holistic approach that recognizes the power of energy in all its forms — physical, mental and social. We are tapping into ancient practices, modern science, spirituality, and the deep human need for connection and purpose. By consciously curating our relationships, our environments and even our thoughts, we create a life that is not just meaningful but

Other activities, like chanting, drumming, singing, praying and creating art projects are not simply feel-good activities; they are powerful tools to engage different parts of the brain to form new synapses, fostering the creativity and selfexpression many women feel they have had to suppress.

By surrounding ourselves with affirming, joyful practices, per Einstein’s theory, we are literally reshaping our internal energies. For Megan Witzke, this meant seeing the power of what could be.

“I thought I was too young for the retreat, and I thought my life circumstances were too hectic for me to step away for a weekend,” she said. “Honestly, the retreat challenged pre-

“Just seeing so many beautiful, strong women learning and growing and making community cracked my heart open to what could be instead of hanging on to what I thought should be.”

— Megan Witzke

conceived programming I didn’t even know I had. It was incredibly powerful and life changing for me.

“Just seeing so many beautiful, strong women learning and growing and making community cracked my heart open to what could be instead of hanging on to what I thought should be.”

Becoming Crone retreats include movement practices like qigong, which is as much about moving energy as it is about moving muscles, and other tools that help clear inner blockages. That gives women physical ways to ground themselves, improve mental clarity, align the body’s energy flows, and bring a sense of ease and connection. Such practices also help access the parasympathetic nervous system, reduce stress and activate the body’s natural healing abilities, leaving us not only relaxed but also empowered to take on life with a fresh perspective.

Becoming Crone also emphasizes the energy of community. The people we surround ourselves with matter profoundly. Many of the women who attend our retreats are not just facing menopause but are navigating the transitions that often coincide with midlife. For some, it is divorce or the death of a loved one. Others might be adjusting to an empty nest, a career change or the realization that their lives look different than they once imagined. These shared experiences form a foundation of mutual understanding, allowing each woman to feel seen, understood and supported.

Studies show close friendships among women have a profound impact on health and longevity. By contrast, simply having a spouse or children, while fulfilling, does not show the same correlation with longevity and quality of life. In fact, in the blue zones — regions with the longest-living people in the world — strong social connections are one of the most common longevity factors.

At our retreats, women bond over shared experiences, break free from isolation and walk away with a supportive network of friends. The community energy reinforces the powerful internal shifts each woman experiences on her journey. Women who come in feeling isolated often leave with a renewed sense of belonging and support.

“I left the retreat filled with so much love and peace,” said Janice Carter, who arrived feeling guilty about being away from her husband and kids and in the midst of teenage drama issues. “I came home able to relate to my daughter and with tools to help her cope. I also gained seven new best friends.”

Our community also brings together women across generations. Some younger women attend our retreats, eager to learn from those who have navigated similar life changes, creating interactions that foster a mutual exchange of wisdom and inspiration. The younger women gain insight and strength, while the older women are often reminded of the depth of their experience and knowledge. This process is at work on all manner of topics women face, from the emotional to the psychological to the physical.

For example, hormonal health is more than just hot flashes and night sweats. It is linked to our mental health, energy levels and overall quality of life. Balancing hormones is not about turning back the clock. It is about helping us thrive at every stage, but for too long, society has either ignored or stigmatized women’s midlife physiological changes, leaving them to navigate them in silence.

By understanding and embracing these changes, women are empowered to take control of their health, make informed choices and reframe these natural processes as something to respect rather than fear. Conversations about menopause, sex, hormonal shifts and the physiological effects of aging are not just welcome; they are necessary, practical ways for us to stay in harmony with our bodies.

The transformative nature of these retreats has inspired me to create an online program for Becoming Crone. The digital curricu-

Becoming Crone retreats help facilitate a sense of community among participants.

lum will include a series of courses integrating the same methods I use in person — brain-stretching activities, energy practices, community-building exercises and guidance on hormone health. With this platform, I hope to bring these techniques to a wider audience, helping more women embrace midlife with joy and helping retreatgoers continue their transformation at home.

The ultimate goal of the program is to help women reclaim their narrative and honor their journey. Instead of seeing midlife as a slow descent into irrelevance, it is reframed as a powerful time to connect with wisdom, embrace change and find community. The approach does not sugarcoat challenges but offers tools to navigate them with grace, humor and the deep knowledge that energy — both within and around us — is something we can influence.

After all, becoming a crone is not about becoming old; it is about becoming wise, powerful and fully engaged with the energy of life itself, embracing the journey, owning our quirks, supporting one another, laughing, and continuing to evolve. There is no expiration date on growth, no age limit on transformation and no phase of life where we cease to matter. We do not have to accept a one-size-fits-all version of aging. Midlife is ours to shape.

Crafts, yoga and other activities help balance the body’s nervous system and promote wellness.

“

“I

left the retreat filled with so much love and peace. I came home able to relate to my daughter and with tools to help her cope. I also gained seven new best friends.”

—

Janice Carter

Learn more at:

Website: www.becoming-crone.com

Email: katherine@becoming-crone.com Or find the Becoming Crone Facebook group

is Health ealth

By SARAH COLEMAN

Pros offer real talk about common women's health issues

Women’s health care issues are many and varied, including concerns with pelvic floor health, hormone imbalances, elective health procedures and more. Throw in myriad elective procedures such as breast augmentation and hormone replacement therapy, and the Natural State has many health care providers focusing on providing the best care possible.

Despite that, many women struggle silently with health issues, making it more important than ever for women to be their own health advocates when seeking care.

HORMONE HEALTH

When thinking about hormone health — or rather, the lack thereof — the discussion of menopause is usually not far behind. While the “big change” is important to the health of women, it is not the only reason or the only demographic that should be concerned about hormones. At its core, a hormonal imbalance happens when there is either too much or too little of one or more hormones in the body.

Many women may feel the effects of hormone imbalances without knowing the specific root cause, making it somewhat difficult to know when and where to seek help. According to the Cleveland Clinic, some of the most common symptoms of hormonal imbalances include changes in metabolism, homeostasis (the constant internal balance), growth and development, sexual function, reproduction, sleep cycles, and mood. Hormone imbalances can also include issues with acne, hair loss, heavy periods, excessive body hair, hot flashes, infertility, irregular periods and more.

According to numerous health care professionals, the first step in addressing those potential issues is to order extensive lab work to determine what may be causing the symptoms or to determine the best way to treat symptoms. That may require patients advocating for themselves.

“No one knows your body better than you. You live as you 24/7, and health care providers get a snippet of time with you,” said Christa Jackson, advanced practice registered nurse at Beyond Wellness, which has locations in Lonsdale and Little Rock. “Self-advocacy empowers women to take control of their health, fosters better communication with health care providers and encourages a culture of prioritizing well-being.

“By being their own advocates, women not only enhance their own health outcomes but also contribute to a more informed and responsive health care environment for all.”

Anne R. Trussell, M.D., owner and physician at Sei Bella Med Spa in Little Rock, said it is important to receive bioidentical hormone replacement therapy instead of synthetics to avoid increasing the patient’s risk of stroke, heart attack or breast cancer. Trussell has offered bioidentical hormone pellets for 14 years and has programs to replace estrogen, testosterone and progesterone, as well as a full thyroid profile, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and metabolic labs.

“Dosages are individualized for each patient and can be adjusted as one progresses through the menopause phase,” Trussell said. “Importantly, it treats hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog, low libido, fatigue, mood swings and other menopausal symptoms, as well as protecting against osteoporosis.”

When determining whether this treatment is right for patients, Trussell said lab work is an obviously important tool used to help calculate dosages, but symptom severity is also taken into account during diagnosis and treatment.

No one knows your body better than you. You live as you 24/7, and health care providers get a snippet of time with you.

— Christa Jackson, APRN Beyond Wellness

“What patients tell me is often more important than what labs show me,” Trussell said.

While all women are aware of the changes associated with menopause, they might not be aware that menopause symptoms begin long before menstrual cycles stop, Trussell said, adding that that makes it all the more important to begin treating symptoms as they arise, beginning with the hormones that are lacking and then adjusting and adding hormones as time continues.

That form of hormone therapy works wonders for a lot of women; however, the service is inadvisable for women with a history of breast cancer and a few other uncommon medical conditions, Trussell said.

“I feel the most important part of patient care, whether it’s for bioidentical hormone pellets or their aesthetic concerns, is to listen to the patient and understand their expectations while also being very honest about how much we can improve and treat their concerns,” Trussell said.

Christa Jackson, APRN

Anne R. Trussell, M.D.

Among several hormone replacement therapy treatments, APRN Jourdan Quinn at Revive Lifestyle Medicine in Little Rock said her favorite way of administering this treatment is also via pellets.

“With pellets, it basically means the hormone replacement is the same thing that your body naturally makes. We’re just giving it back to the patient,” she said.

Quinn said many patients may have issues with synthetic forms of hormone therapy, meaning pellets are often considered a safer way of administering this treatment.

“With pellet therapy, we’re going to see improvements in all kinds of areas of the patient’s life,” she said. “We’re going to see improvements in the energy levels that drive the ability to get up and go, with sex drives, with the body’s ability to tone up muscles, sleep quality, mood improvements, and even the decrease of inflammation within the body.”

Quinn also said patients may see improvement in conditions such as vaginal dryness, hot flash frequency, night sweats and skin quality. She said while menopause is a major concern for women’s health, pellet therapy is not only for women at that life stage.

“You don’t necessarily just have to be menopausal,” she said. “There are so many women that think if they’re not having hot flashes and night sweats, they’re not really menopausal or that they really didn’t have a problem with menopause.

“Menopause can be so much more; it can be just not feeling like yourself anymore or not having the get up and go like you used to. These treatments can help bring you back to yourself again.”

A quick and easy procedure that lasts about five minutes, pellet therapy is administered by making a tiny incision on one side of the upper buttock, placing the pellets in, and allowing them to slowly dissolve and release over the next three to four months. Quinn said after that time period passes, patients come back to have the same thing done on the other buttock.

On average, patients begin seeing results in about two weeks, and recovery following the dosing is minimal.

“Recovery isn’t necessarily recovery with this treatment,” she said. “We just ask that you kind of take it easy on exercising for about three days after the procedure and to avoid hot tubs and bathtubs for a couple of days.

Quinn said another demographic of women who benefit from the procedure are women with polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition in which hormonal imbalances can be common.

The implant really needs to fit the woman’s frame, so we assess how much tissue is already there and what implant will fit. For the most part, we try to fill out the skin, not stretch it out too much.

— Dr. Gene Sloan Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

“In determining whether this treatment is right or not for the patient, a lot of it comes based on the consultation, where we really dive into how a patient is feeling in detail,” Quinn said. “Patients fill out a questionnaire, which I go over with them. A lot of people don’t even realize that they don’t feel good anymore.”

For example, Quinn said it is not unusual for patients to believe they are sleeping fine and then explain they go to bed at midnight, wake up at 6 a.m., and wake up several times throughout the night. While that does not constitute a good night’s rest, it’s a pattern that many women have faced for years on end, making it a normal part of their life.

“Being that we’re a little bit more on the functional medicine side of things, we don’t necessarily look at lab work the same way a general practice does,” Quinn said. “General practice is going to use that reference range as the norm, but that reference range is found by taking the average of all the blood work that’s been drawn. It doesn’t take into account if a person was 200 pounds overweight or felt bad every day of their life. Just because the lab is normal doesn’t mean that it’s optimal.”

Beyond Wellness is focused on root-cause medicine, which Jackson said is revolutionizing the way health care providers think about health and wellness by shifting the focus from masking symptoms with bandaid approaches to uncovering the underlying causes of illness.

“Beyond Wellness practitioners believe that hormone therapy is not just about prescribing hormones to alleviate symptoms but that it’s also about understanding the broader context of an individual’s health,” she said.

Jackson said the major benefits to hormone replacement therapy include relief from symptoms, bone health, cardiovascular benefits, mood and cognitive stability, improved skin and hair, personalized approaches, and long-term health benefits.

“Hormone replacement therapy can play a vital role in improving women’s health and well-being during transitional phases of life,” Jackson said. “It is essential for women to engage in open discussions with their health care providers to weigh the potential benefits and risks, ensuring that HRT aligns with their individual health needs and goals.”

PELVIC FLOOR HEALTH AND VAGINAL REJUVENATION

Another huge concern for women as they age is pelvic floor health, which is centered around the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder, bowels and uterus. Over time, the pelvic floor can be weakened by such things as pregnancy, childbirth and obesity.

Jackson said pelvic health is an essential yet often overlooked aspect of women’s well-being, and many women face challenges related to pelvic floor dysfunction. To help address those issues, Beyond Wellness offers VTone, an emerging solution that offers a modern approach to improving pelvic health.

“VTone employs advanced technology to deliver targeted electrical

Jourdan Quinn, APRN

stimulation to the pelvic floor muscles, effectively strengthening them and enhancing function,” Jackson said. “This innovative treatment is noninvasive, allowing women to benefit without the need for surgery or other invasive procedures, making it a comfortable option for addressing pelvic health issues.”

She added that one of the more significant advantages of VTone is its ability to improve bladder control by retraining pelvic muscles and reducing symptoms among women who experience urinary incontinence due to pelvic floor dysfunction.

Sei Bella Med Spa offers Emsella, a painless, noninvasive and FDAcleared treatment for urinary incontinence. Emsella works by employing high-intensity, focused electromagnetic technology that induces thousands of pelvic floor muscle contractions a session.

“It works by strengthening the pelvic floor muscles,” Trussell said. “Women report increased improvement in sensitivity and orgasms during intercourse, as well.”

Sei Bella also offers EmFemme, a painless vaginal rejuvenation service that improves the walls of the vagina, as well as the external appearance.

At Revive Lifestyle Medicine, vaginal rejuvenation is a medical procedure designed to restore the appearance and function of the vaginal area. By addressing issues such as vaginal laxity, dryness and discomfort, patients may see benefits in the restoration of vaginal tightness, the reduction of vaginal dryness, enhancement of sexual pleasure and bladder control improvement.

Revive Lifestyle Medicine offers CO2RE Intima, a nonsurgical feminine rejuvenation treatment administered by laser. This treatment usually consists of three rounds and can help resurface the tissue to bring back pliability, collagen and help with urinary incontinence, Quinn said.

“It’s definitely a game changer if you have any of these issues. It’s fairly minimally invasive, it’s an hour-long procedure, and it’s pretty easy,” Quinn said, noting there is not a lot of downtime required after treatment.

BREAST AUGMENTATION

The National Institutes of Health estimate there are between 1 million and 2 million women in North America with breast implants. While there are several reasons why women choose breast augmentation surgery, it is important to pick a surgeon that matches the patient’s desired outcome and preferred method.

Dr. Gene Sloan at Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Little Rock has been in practice for 30 years, and during his career, he estimated, he has completed about 7,000 breast augmentations. He said one of the primary decisions that must be made during the initial consultation comes down to implant size.

“The implant really needs to fit the woman’s frame, so we assess how much tissue is already there and what implant will fit,” he said. “For the most part, we try to fill out the skin, not stretch it out too much, as when the skin is stretched, it thins the tissue and weakens it.”

Sloan encourages patients to think about the additional weight they will carry around in a bra 24/7 for a few decades.

Sloan’s preferred method of going above or below the muscle.

“Going below the muscle is the way I do it 95 percent of the time because you get a better mammogram, and that way, you’re less likely to see a wrinkle in the implant,” he said. “There’s also less risk of a capsular contracture, which is the firmness of the implants.”

Of all complications, Sloan said capsular contracture is the most difficult to treat because with any treatment, there is a higher risk of the condition coming back.

“In most patients, it doesn’t come back, but there’s a high enough percentage that it will come back to make it really frustrating for the patient and surgeon alike,” Sloan said.

Sloan said he uses silicone gel implants most of the time. However, he still uses saline implants depending on what is best for the patient. The outer shell of all breast implants is made out of silicone.

“I’m always looking at the ratio of implant to patient tissue, and if the end result is half-patient, half-implant, then saline works fine,” he said. “If the ratio is 80 percent to 90 percent implant, then silicone gel really does better.”

After taking measurements, patients try the implants on the inside of a bra to make sure of the desired size. Sloan also recommended patients look at plastic surgeons’ before-and-after photos on social media, since it is helpful to see exactly what the contrast looks like.

Gene Sloan, M.D., FACS

“We really focus on making sure that they understand what they’re doing and what direction it’s going to go over time,” Sloan said.

Several women also discover, upon consultation, they are able to get their desired result with a breast lift, rather than a complete augmentation. However, for patients seeking larger breasts, implants are the most efficient way to achieve that goal.

There are many incision approaches to breast augmentation, including going underneath the breast, which is associated with the fewest complications and risk factors; under the arm; around the nipple; and

“If [the outcome] has to be perfect for you to be happy with it, then don’t have plastic surgery,” Sloan said.

The key thing regarding breast implants is to not fix what is not broken. While breast implants last for a couple of decades, Sloan said the most important thing to remember is that they will not last for the rest of a patient’s life.

“Typically, I tell patients that they should expect them to last 20 to 25 years,” he said. “Patients have to realize that they’re going to have to have another operation for those implants later on. … Sometimes it’s a revision to the implant, and sometimes it’s to remove the implant.”

Sloan said when choosing a plastic surgeon, most women who come to him are referred by a former or current patient. He also noted the satisfaction rate regarding breast augmentation typically runs high.

“Regardless of who did the surgery and who the implant manufacturer is, for most patients, it’s a very gratifying procedure,” Sloan said.

on

Baby Board

Experts weigh in on ensuring health before, during and after pregnancy

By SARAH DECLERK

Women planning on having a baby in Arkansas have not heard a lot of good news lately. According to the University of Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas has the highest maternal mortality rate in the U.S. at 8.6 deaths per 100,000 live births. The national average is 5.4. In addition, Arkansas has the third-highest infant mortality rate in the nation at 7.67 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

Mothers-to-be are also faced with a dearth of options when it comes to care. The health system reports that more than 60 percent of Arkansas counties have limited maternity care, and nearly half have no maternity care at all, leading to maternity deserts that can severely impact the health of

mothers and babies. According to the health system, 9 in 10 maternal deaths could be prevented with timely access to quality maternal care.

What follows are snapshots of two innovative programs at UAMS set to enhance maternal health care, as well as steps women can take to ensure the health of themselves and their babies.

MAKE WAY FOR MIDWIVES

The UAMS College of Nursing is working to start a nurse midwifery master’s degree program that could improve the state’s maternal health, said Dean Patricia Cowan.

“Our hope is that we have a positive impact on the health of women in childbearing years, that we go ahead and reduce maternal morbidities and mortality, and that we end up promoting health outcomes,” she said.

Pending accreditation, the program could begin accepting applications in July 2025 for enrollment in the fall 2026 semester, she said.

Certified nurse midwives care for women during pregnancy and perform deliveries, in addition to caring for mothers and newborns for the first 30 to 60 days of a child’s life, Cowan said, adding that nurse midwives also provide routine and acute women’s health care, as well as care during menopause.

“It’s a low-intervention, holistic approach to health care that nurse midwives go ahead and do,” Cowan said. “The goal is, really, to go ahead and be partnering with the mother in the birthing plan and the whole process within that, so it’s a little bit different focus [than traditional OB-GYN care].”

While midwives tend to encourage natural births, it is a common misconception that women who use midwives cannot receive epidurals or pain medication, she added.

There are various kinds of midwives, Cowan said. The nurse midwives trained at UAMS will receive graduate-level education and become certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board. There are currently 43 nurse midwives licensed to practice in Arkansas, 33 of whom are Arkansas residents, Cowan said.

Certified midwives are not nurses but complete a graduate program and pass a certification exam. The midwives give the same level of care as certified nurse midwives but are not licensed by all states. There are also certified professional midwives, or lay midwives, who have some education but not at a graduate level.

The midwives licensed in Arkansas work with low-risk women and primarily provide deliveries outside the hospital setting at homes and birthing centers, Cowan said.

She added that she hopes the program will help address the health disparities among women in rural areas by providing better access to care.

“We know that it’s important for women to go ahead and have prenatal visits early in their pregnancy, and while we have 84 percent of women in Arkansas who begin prenatal care during the first trimester, we have 16 percent that don’t, and many of these just get care at the end of their pregnancy,” she said. “There’s many, many opportunities to identify risk earlier on in the pregnancy and intervene, and that is one way to, certainly, affect the infant mortality.”

Based on data from 2023, the states with the highest number of nurse midwife-assisted births are New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and New Hampshire, she said. At 1.1 percent, Arkansas has the lowest number of nurse midwife-assisted births, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

“We have very low nurse midwifery-assisted births available,” she said. “This is another type of provider to go ahead and help with these services, so we’re looking at increasing access to high-quality care.”

In 2022, 435 Arkansas women contracted lay midwives for home

“

The goal is, really, to go ahead and be partnering with the mother in the birthing plan and the whole process within that, so it’s a little bit different focus [than traditional OB-GYN care].

— Patricia Cowan dean of the UAMS College of Nursing

births, Cowan said. Of that number, 316 actually delivered outside a hospital setting.

“The remainder ended up delivering elsewhere because of a decision on their part to do something different,” Cowan said. “Their health status indicated that they came from being low risk to being at risk for developing medical or obstetrical complications, but still, 316 births in Arkansas at home with lay midwives is a pretty high number.”

Health insurance generally does not cover the use of lay midwives, and some private insurance companies do not cover the use of certified nurse midwives, particularly for services performed outside a health care system, she said.

DOULAS ON THE RISE

Another UAMS program focuses on increasing the number of doulas, or nonclinical professionals who support and educate women before, during and after pregnancy. The health system announced in March that it is committed to training at least 80 doulas over the next two years.

“We have the highest maternal mortality rate in the country, and we know that doulas are a proven way to improve birth outcomes,” said Sarah Moore, assistant director of the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation. “It’s one of the easier, earliest things we can do to try to move the needle on maternal health. Getting more birthing hospitals and more OB-GYNs and improving our population health are going to take more time, but doulas we can train now and get them available in the community now.”

Doulas do not deliver babies but teach women what to expect during childbirth, promote healthy behaviors during pregnancy and help women develop a birth plan, in addition to providing expectant mothers with physical comfort measures during pregnancy

“

Women who work with doulas tend to have better outcomes during their pregnancy and during their delivery.

— Sarah Moore

assistant

director UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation

and childbirth. They also provide support, including with breastfeeding, after the baby is born.

The institute has a focus on rural communities with limited access to maternal health care, as well as underserved and minority communities, Moore said.

“Everyone should get a doula, but traditionally, women who aren’t able to seek regular care for whatever reason, any kind of barrier or language difference, cultural difference, whatever it is, they really have an opportunity to move the needle for outcomes,” she added. “Women who work with doulas tend to have better outcomes during their pregnancy and during their delivery.”

Women who use doulas tend to have reduced labor times, fewer cesarean sections and more success with breastfeeding, she added.

The institute provides scholarships to help interested women receive doula training and has recruited nearly 30 women for training so far, she said.

The training takes a minimum of 40 hours, and UAMS partners with the Ujima Maternity Network, the only doula training organization in Arkansas, and Birthing Beyond in the Kansas City metro to provide training. The cost to receive training without a scholarship averages about $2,000, she said.

Currently, only one employer — Walmart — provides reimbursement for doula services in Arkansas, and women usually pay out of pocket for doula services, Moore said. Doula services may cost $1,500 to $2,000, she said, but doulas often barter or offer reduced rates to clients.

Doulas generally work with clients three to four times prenatally, attend the delivery, and visit clients three or four times postpartum, she added.

She said the institute is working with the Doula Alliance of Arkansas to help promote the role of doulas, integrate doulas into care teams and provide a certification pathway so more doulas can receive better reimbursement for their services.

HEALTHY HABITS FOR MOMS

For women who are ready to start a family, a healthy pregnancy begins with an annual wellness visit, said Dr. Holly Cockrum, an obstetrics and gynecology specialist at North Little Rock Women’s Clinic. Start taking prenatal vitamins with 400 micrograms of folic acid, discontinue tobacco and/or drug use, and limit caffeine and alcohol intake while trying to conceive, she said.

During pregnancy, women should limit caffeine, begin a healthy diet and avoid alcohol. Cockrum advised women to avoid fish with high mercury levels, including tuna, and avoid raw or undercooked meats, as well as unpasteurized foods. Pregnant women also benefit from drinking eight glasses of water a day and about 30 minutes of lowimpact exercise such as walking every day, she added.

“It’s one of the easier, earliest things we can do to try to move the needle on maternal health. Getting more birthing hospitals and more OBGYNs and improving our population health are going to take more time, but doulas we can train now and get them available in the community now.

— Sarah Moore assistant director UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation

“I fully expect to see an improvement in our maternal health, maternal mortality rate and increased access to care for women because while it’s not clinical care, it is a support network that can help them find ways to access the clinical care that they do need,” she said. “I’m very confident that we will get to start seeing numbers and improvements in terms of outcomes and the patients’ experiences of going through birth.”

“Keep scheduled prenatal appointments,” she said.

“Women should be seen in their first trimester of pregnancy and followed every four weeks initially. Early prenatal appointments and testing can improve pregnancy outcomes and keep Mom and Baby healthy.”

Infertility affects men and women around the globe, Cockrum said. Up to 20 percent of women younger than 35 can have some component of fertility problems if they have tried to conceive for more than a year without success, and fertility issues can affect men in 30 to 40 percent of cases, she said.

Polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal condition that causes women not to ovulate, or anovulation, is one potential cause of infertility, she added. The condition is diagnosed with

lab work, a physical exam and an ultrasound. PCOS can be improved with weight loss, dietary changes and medication.

Tubal occlusion, or blocked fallopian tubes, are another cause of infertility and can be treated with surgery or in vitro fertilization, she said, and low sperm counts are another fertility problem. Men with low sperm counts can visit a urologist to discuss options for increasing fertility.

Cockrum said women younger than 35 have the highest success rates with IVF, and success rates decrease with age. IVF is only one option for improving fertility, she added. Other options include surgery and medication.

“Women can be so anxious and excited to conceive that stress can lead to ovulation difficulties,” Cockrum said. “This is a major factor.”

The chance of a miscarriage decreases after 10 to 12 weeks, she said. Fetal movement can be perceived at 16 to 18 weeks, and at 24 weeks, a fetus can usually survive if delivered. A pregnancy is considered full term at 38 weeks, she said.

Pregnancy health warning signs include cramping or bleeding in the first trimester, bleeding at any point during the pregnancy, no fetal movement for two to four hours beginning in the third trimester, contraction for 10 minutes or less for two hours, bad headaches, blurry vision, severe right upper quadrant pain, and epigastric pain, she said.

Important considerations about childbirth include the mode of delivery, the use of anesthesia during labor, whether an episiotomy will be needed and the mother’s birth plan, she said, adding that mothers-to-be should also gather information about pediatricians.

She advised expectant women to discuss what to expect during labor and delivery with their providers and compile a checklist of everything they need to be ready.

“Questions and answers are important,” she said. “Have a support person with you.”

Lactation consultants at the hospital can address questions and concerns about breastfeeding, she said, adding that Baptist Health’s Expressly for You program can provide additional support.

can be started that are safe for Mom and Baby.”

There are plenty of misconceptions regarding pregnancy and childbirth, and Cockrum shared a couple of the myths she hears most often. One is that heartburn causes a hairy baby. The other is that raising one’s arms above one’s head causes the umbilical cord to wrap around the baby’s neck.

“These are absolutely false, just old wives’ tales,” she said.

“Postpartum depression should be taken seriously, she said, adding that doctors have screening tools available. A history of depression prior to pregnancy is a risk factor, she added. Symptoms of postpartum depression include excessive sleep, decreased bonding with the baby, decreased breastfeeding, lack of appetite, mood changes and discussing harmful behavior, Cockrum said, and symptoms can last for months after delivery.

“Family and friends need to be aware of these changes so they can notify the provider or take the patient to the [emergency room] in an emergency situation,” she said. “Treatments

Women can be so anxious and excited to conceive that stress can lead to ovulation difficulties. This is a major factor.

— Dr. Holly Cockrum North Little Rock Women’s Clinic

A Beacon in the

Magnolia Recovery Community blossoms after first year

By LANCE BROWNFIELD // Photos provided

agnolias are a genus of trees and shrubs that usually bear large, fragrant flowers in the springtime. After even the hardest winters, they burst forth with life to signify a new beginning. It is a fitting name for an old motel that is getting new life as an addiction recovery center in an area that is in desperate need of change.

The bus stops along Asher Avenue and down through Roosevelt Road in Little Rock seem to cry out for help as huddled masses wait for the No. 14 going to and from Rosedale almost every half hour. The route takes its travelers past the Little Rock Compassion Center, the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office and several other destinations frequented by those down on their luck. One of the 72 stops lets out directly in front of Magnolia Recovery Community at 3601 W. Roosevelt Rd.

Magnolia was founded last September when founder and CEO Kasia Pabian and her husband, Carl Caple, purchased an old motel facility that was previously used as a retirement home for those with mental disabilities. Magnolia welcomed its first residents in November 2023.

“This area is heavily populated with individuals who have substance use disorder and who have mental health issues,” Pabian said, “so we felt like why not have a facility that’s right in the heart of where all the issues are?”

Magnolia is about building trust and letting residents live their lives, able to make mistakes. Many of them have been offered drugs on the bus, at bus stops and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Still, the idea is to give them freedom of choice, which allows them to decide for themselves whether they will do right or wrong.

Retired news anchor Craig O’Neill visits residents and staff at Magnolia Recovery Community in Little Rock.

With a medical background, Pabian feels equipped to deal with her clientele, who, in her words, can be a “very difficult population to work with.” She saw firsthand the need in the area for transitional housing for those living through the post-incarceration and post-treatment phases of institutional reformation.

Pabian studied at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and worked as an intensive care unit nurse for several years before going back to school for a master’s degree in anesthesiology. She has been a practicing nurse anesthetist for 20 years.

“In all of my years in nursing, I’ve come across these patients every day,” she said, “and one of the biggest challenges is post-care and how to help them and where do they go because historically mental health and substance use has always had a stigma.”

She said people often avoid talking about such issues and try to deal with them on their own without seeking the treatment they need.

“That’s what we’re working on,” she said. “We’re working on destigmatizing mental illness and substance use disorder because it’s no different than high blood pressure or diabetes or any of the other issues that affect our bodies, minds and spirits.”

The multibuilding compound takes up 55,000 square feet on 6 acres and features a slew of individual motel-type units, nine duplexes and 26 cottages. The cottages are complete with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen and a living room. In the individual units, there can be anywhere from two to four people.

“In addiction, substance use, you always want an accountability partner,” Pabian said. “You don’t want to be in a room by yourself.”

Naloxone, a drug used to reverse opioid overdose, is available in every room, and the staff at Magnolia have been trained and designated through the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership Hero Project.

Still undergoing an extensive remodel process, the facility will be able to house more than 300 men at a time once complete.

“I quickly learned that we had to provide more resources,” she said. The organization now offers resources such as case management and on-site therapy with counselors who visit regularly. Magnolia hosts Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous and faith-based meetings. Through the services, residents are required to continue to “work their recovery, ” although the program does not mandate a particular pathway, since everyone’s journey is unique.

Magnolia Recovery has also built relationships with local physicians, psychiatrists and area facilities, and eventually, Pabian plans for the program to offer all the services internally, creating a “one-stop shop.”

In addition, peer support specialists have begun teaching financial skills and how to build a career, not just land a job. The center has partnered with Shorter College in North Little Rock, allowing residents who wish to enroll to take classes. According to the college, recidivism rates drop from about 50 percent down to 12 percent with an associates degree. The school has created a pipeline to take students from the Prison Education Program to their reentry program, Altering Negative Conduct and Habits for Offender Reentry.

Founder and CEO Kasia Pabian saw firsthand the need in the area for transitional housing for those living through the post-incarceration and post-treatment phases of institutional reformation.

“Transitional housing doesn’t mean you just provide a bed for people to sleep in,” Pabian said. “That’s what I thought initially. These people come to us, wherever they’re coming from — whether it’s rehab, detox, prison — no money, no job, no food, no transportation, no clothes, nothing.”

She said that a longtime habit can be hard to break with a 30-day program, which is often all that insurance will pay for.

Living at Magnolia costs $150 per week plus a $25 linen fee. Without offering anything “billable,” insurance currently does not cover treatment at Magnolia. Magnolia is accredited by the Arkansas Division of Community Correction as a non-vendor, meaning the ACC does not pay Magnolia, but the residents pay for themselves.

The effort so far has been fully funded by Pabian and Caple, although they hope to secure outside funding in the future through grants and partnerships. It is the couple’s first time in a nonprofit role, but they have been figuring it out as they go.

“With money, we can move a lot faster and help a lot more people,” she said.

Even with all the resources and partnerships, the challenges ahead can be tough to swallow. In 2023, Arkansas became the state with the highest opioid dispensing rate in the nation, rising from the No. 2 spot the previous year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and

Kasia Pabian

Prevention, the state’s dispensing rate decreased slightly from 72.1 to 71.5 per 100 people.

“That’s how a lot of this starts, right?” Pabian said. “You hurt your back or you break your toe, and providers will overwrite [prescriptions]. Then people get used to the medication and like the medication, and then it leads to meth or heroin or other things.”

While finding a solution for a systemic problem takes a collaborative effort, Pabian is looking for ways the Magnolia can stand apart by fostering a “community, not just a place to lay your head,” Pabian said.

Traveling outward bound on the Rosedale Line, there is another project in which Pabian and her husband recently invested. They bought another facility on Asher Avenue in June, opening a women’s unit.

“It wasn’t in the plans, but after I opened here, we kept getting multiple phone calls for women, and there was a shortage, again, for transitional housing for women,” she said.

In addition to providing a place and live, Magnolia Recovery Community helps residents on the road to recovery.

“Recovery Community lives up to what it claims to be — a community.

“I see this place growing into a true community where people want to come here,” she said.

Further down the line, she plans to turn a third property between Magnolia Recovery and the female facility into a “sober community,” a place for former residents to hang out and stay connected once they have gained some measure of control over their addictions.

The organization also benefits from a host of other groups nearby looking to tackle similar issues, including Immerse Arkansas and Serenity Park Recovery Center in Little Rock.

We’re working on destigmatizing mental illness and substance use disorder because it’s no different than high blood pressure or diabetes or any of the other issues that affect our bodies, minds and spirits.

— Kasia Pabian founder and CEO

The property can house 36 women, a good start considering women are far less likely to struggle with homelessness and men are eight times more likely to be incarcerated over their lifetimes compared to women, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.

However, the rates at which women are being incarcerated continues to grow faster than the rate of men, rising by 4 percent from 2020 to 2022 compared to a 2 percent decrease for males over the same period, the Council on Criminal Justice states. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, 93.3 percent of the nearly 160,000 federal inmates are male. There are also about 1,500 transgender women and 771 transgender men currently in BOP custody.

Addressing both sides of the equation, Pabian hopes to ensure Magnolia

“I’d love to have the place full, 300 people living here,” she said “That’s what I would love to have because the goal is not to come here for 10 days.”

Pabian said Magnolia Recovery teaches life skills through a 16-week program. Already, Magnolia has worked with residents from all over the state, including people sent from drug court. The facility also works closely with parole officers to make sure nothing stops their clients’ progress.

“We want people to stay here for at least four months because we feel like we can at least make a difference in four months,” Pabian said. “I can’t make a difference in a week or a month. I just don’t feel like there’s enough time working with an individual.”

Some of the former residents have been able to return and make an impact on others after getting clean.

“We have lots of success stories,” Pabian said, “and that’s what makes it worthwhile.”

After caring for patients battling substance abuse for decades, Pabian has dedicated herself to the work of helping them loose the bonds of addiction. She is in it for the long haul, building a community and walking alongside them step by step until they break those chains.

“A lot of the residents call me Mama,” she said. “I’m hard on them, but I don’t expect anything that they can’t do.”

For more information or to donate to Magnolia Recovery Community, visit magnoliarecoverycommunity.com.

nonprofit Beasts

the BLESS

By DWAIN HEBDA

Dr. Ashley Smith cares for thousands of animals that would otherwise lack proper medical care.

// Photos courtesy of ASHLEY SMITH, DVM

Strays and low-income pets alike are in good hands with Dr. Smith.

In the world of veterinary medicine, Dr. Ashley Smith is a groundbreaker. No, she did not discover a new vaccine or find a cure for canine cancer or even teach domesticated animals to communicate with their families, yet she is as unique and different from 99 percent of her peers as if she had.

Smith is the only full-time veterinarian at the nonprofit Kitties & Kanines Pet Resource Center, a nonprofit animal clinic in Fort Smith. As such, she sees hundreds of animals a month from a variety of backgrounds, ranging from those whose owners cannot afford veterinary care elsewhere to homeless individuals for whom the pet is both family and protection, as well as sick and injured stray animals who are found and brought in by good Samaritans almost every day.

Just to hear about Smith’s caseload is to understand the staggering level of need among the populations the clinic serves.

“Patient-wise, we see about 800 to 850 animals a month in surgery, or about 10,000 a year, and we see probably over 1,000 a month when it comes to our wellness patients,” she said. “My first year here, I probably did about 5,000 surgeries.”

Despite these numbers, nonprofit veterinarians are a rarity in the marketplace, and the shortage is getting worse. A new study by Petco Love and the Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida reported in March just how dire the situation is becoming for medical care for animals outside of traditional for-profit clinics.

The report surveyed 200 shelters and nonprofit veterinary clinics across the country, which collectively took in 1.2 million cats and dogs in 2022, or about 25 percent of the national shelter intake. The report found that while 82 percent of the facilities had their own in-house vet clinics and nearly 6 in 10 operated public-facing veterinary clinics for community animals, staffing such facilities was growing increasingly difficult, resulting in delays in even the most basic animal care.

In all, nearly 75 percent of the facilities reported being understaffed, and more than 9 out of 10 experienced backlogs of spay and neuter surgeries. More than half had a wait time of two months or more, while some reported waits as long as six months to receive treatment.

“One would think that with such a level of need, more young vets would set their sights on working in the nonprofit space, but as Smith’s story illustrates, the concept is still a foreign one among many in the veterinary community.

Patient-wise, we see about 800 to 850 animals a month in surgery, or about 10,000 a year, and we see probably over 1,000 a month when it comes to our wellness patients. My first year here, I probably did about 5,000 surgeries.

— Dr. Ashley Smith

“I never really knew that vets could be in nonprofits. I didn’t know that existed,” Smith said. “In college, I was looking for something to do community service-wise, and I found this group that rescued cats, and they would take those cats to get spayed at this low-cost nonprofit clinic. I started volunteering there throughout college and learned that this is definitely what I wanted to do.”

After graduating from Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock and the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Smith attended veterinary school at Mississippi State University, where her goal

“Increasing demand for vets in nonprofit settings makes Smith a rare breed.

of working in the nonprofit veterinary space never wavered. Her classmates, meanwhile, did not know what to make of her career ambitions — she recalled that out of a class of 92 veterinary students, she was the only one who had her sights on providing nonprofit care.

“Most of them said, ‘You’re never going to make any money. How are you ever going to pay your debt back?’” Smith said. “Luckily, the government has a program called Public Service Loan Forgiveness. If you work for a nonprofit for 10 years, all of your student loans are forgiven.”

Knowing the demand that awaited her after graduation, Smith made the most of her educational opportunities to be as technically prepared as possible.

“I wanted to be the best surgeon I could be so I could provide resources to people who couldn’t afford to go to a specialist,” she said. “I thought if I could get really good at it, I could provide those services for them. I set a goal to get 100 surgeries before I graduated — most students do 20 or 30 — and I surpassed that goal. In fact, I got to 500 surgeries before I graduated.”

I wanted to be the best surgeon I could be so I could provide resources to people who couldn’t afford to go to a specialist. I set a goal to get 100 surgeries before I graduated — most students do 20 or 30 — and I surpassed that goal. In fact, I got to 500 surgeries before I graduated.

—

Dr. Ashley Smith

Arkansas’ veterinary landscape for low-income owners and indigent animals is a mix of shelter care, organizations issuing vouchers for use at participating for-profit animal clinics, and nonprofit animal hospitals, of which Kitties & Kanines was the first of its kind in the state when it opened in 2009. Smith serves a clientele split evenly between animals brought in by 17 local rescue organizations and countless walk-ins.

“We charge a greatly reduced scale for our services,” Smith said. “Our rescue partners get a discount, and our general clients pay an incredibly reduced amount. We don’t ask for proof of income or anything. If someone comes in with a dog or cat that needs help, we just treat them.”

The practice, which rebranded this year, has also expanded other services during its history by including public education on responsible pet ownership and establishing a community pantry for pet food and supplies,

something Smith is particularly excited about.

“Keeping our pet food pantry stocked is a personal mission of mine because I hate seeing animals go hungry,” she said. “I am constantly keeping my eyes on our pantry and begging people, even my family, to donate. When it gets low, if we haven’t had any recent donations of food, I’m calling up my mom and my sister, and I’m like, ‘Hey, can y’all Amazon me a couple of bags?’ They’re always like, ‘Yes, of course.’

“Obviously, we make food available, but we also stock other things, like collars, leashes bowls, beds — anything a pet owner would need. Our goal is to keep pets in homes, whether that means giving them food, giving them a bed, giving them a leash. We try to keep that pantry stocked, and we’ve got it almost to 100 percent donations to save on costs. We’re really grateful because a couple of local businesses, if they have bags of food that are busted or returned items they can’t put back on the shelf, they’ll sometimes contact us.”

To all outward appearances, Smith’s career mirrors that of thousands of veterinarians around the state and across the country as she and her raft of medical assistants treat animals in various states of distress. Almost anything can and does walk through the door, making for long hours, and Smith said the nature of the work and the toll it takes remain unchanged whether in the nonprofit or for-profit environment. The real difference, she said, is the satisfaction she feels while helping people and pets who would otherwise suffer for lack of funds to pay for proper veterinary care.

“No matter what you’re doing, this is hard, emotional work,” she said. “There’s not always a great outcome, but you can’t just see the negative every time something like that happens because you’re going to get burned out fast. I see it as a blessing that these animals end up in my clinic because I am able to help them.”

When you walk into the Robinson Nursing & Rehabilitation Center you will feel a comfortable atmosphere different from any other facility you have visited. We feature tall ceilings and an open floor plan. We have a lovely dining room and a covered outdoor patio area.

When you walk into the Robinson Nursing & Rehabilitation Center you will feel a comfortable atmosphere different from any other facility you have visited. We feature tall ceilings and an open floor plan. We have a lovely dining room and a covered outdoor patio area.

We specialize in short-term rehabilitation and long-term care services. The short-term rehabilitation area has its own dining area and day room. From the moment you enter our facility, we want you to experience the difference our facility has to offer. From our light-filled day areas to our beautiful outdoor areas, we want you and your loved one to feel comfortable and safe when staying with us. You will also notice the pride we take in our facility by keeping our building sparkling clean from the inside out.

We specialize in short-term rehabilitation and long-term care services. The short-term rehabilitation area has its own dining area and day room. From the moment you enter our facility, we want you to experience the difference our facility has to offer. From our light-filled day areas to our beautiful outdoor areas, we want you and your loved one to feel comfortable and safe when staying with us. You will also notice the pride we take in our facility by keeping our building sparkling clean from the inside out.

Our team is dedicated to providing a safe and comfortable environment. Robinson Nursing and Rehab offers modern conveniences in a gracious setting. We provide daily planned activities led by certified activity directors, like social events and outings and pastoral services with spiritual care for all religions. We strongly encourage family participation in group activities, meals and celebrating family birthdays and special days.

Our team is dedicated to providing a safe and comfortable environment. Robinson Nursing and Rehab offers modern conveniences in a gracious setting. We provide daily planned activities led by Certified Activity Directors, like social events and outings and pastoral services with spiritual care for all religions. We strongly encourage family participation in group activities, meals and celebrating family birthdays and special days.

To help you plan your visits, we provide a monthly event calendar and a monthly meal planner. Robinson Nursing and Rehab does not have set visiting hours. We view this facility as the “home” of each resident.

To help you plan your visits, we provide a monthly event calendar and a monthly meal planner. Robinson Nursing and Rehab does not have set visiting hours. We view this facility as the “home” of each resident.

We try our best to communicate with patients and families to help alleviate the anxiety that accompanies this journey. Our team of nurses, therapists and support staff work closely together to develop a plan based on the individual needs of each person. We recognize that rehabilitation involves not only the patient but the entire family.

We try our best to communicate with patients and families to help alleviate the anxiety that accompanies this journey. Our team of nurses, therapists and support staff work closely together to develop a plan based on the individual needs of each person. We recognize that rehabilitation involves not only the patient, but the entire family.

By AY STAFF // Photos provided

Highlighted by auctions and raffles, the Arkansas Duck Derby Banquet is almost as popular as the derby itself.

NNew Year’s is traditionally thought of to be the biggest celebration of the year, but those in central Arkansas know the real party that puts even the holiday revelry to shame is the Arkansas Duck Derby Jan. 10.

Combining the best of Arkansas culture — duck hunting and an abundantly generous spirit — the Arkansas Duck Derby will return for its sixth year and benefit the Conway Regional Health Foundation. The event includes a competitive duck hunting competition event followed by an evening awards banquet.

The Arkansas Duck Derby is unique among fundraisers in that it pits teams of four against each other, as well as the wily quacker. Teams are paired with local landowners on land in a roughly two-hour radius of Conway. Ducks taken during the morning hunt are then scored at the evening’s banquet.

To lend intrigue, the point value per species is determined by dice roll at the event, which keeps more teams in the running for big prizes until the very end, making for an exciting and fun-filled evening.

Over its history, Arkansas Duck Derby has raised more than $2 million in support of the foundation, which helps the hospital meet the costs of medical equipment, capital improvements and other funding needs. The event has been a success since its very first installment; the first Arkansas Duck Derby raised more than $525,000 and welcomed 25 teams of hunters and a line of 550 banquet attendees that stretched out the door. Each subsequent year has operated in the black and culminated with a record breaking 2024 event that netted $580,000 and welcomed between 900 and 1,000 people to the evening affair.

“The trajectory of where this thing is going is what really has me excited,” physician Thad Hardin told AY About You during the run-up to the 2024 event. The Conway Regional Health Foundation board member was among those who helped hatch the idea for the Arkansas Duck Derby and get the event off the ground.

tion. Participating landowners receive a $1,500 tax deduction, as well as additional tax deduction if they provide overnight accommodations. They also get an equal share of the prize if they host the winning team, as well as four tickets to the evening banquet.

Over its history, Arkansas Duck Derby has raised more than $2 million in support of the foundation, which helps the hospital meet the costs of medical equipment, capital improvements and other funding needs.

The four-person competitive teams made up of hunters 18 and older pay a $1,500 entry fee per team and receive a gift package and four tickets to the evening banquet. The banquet itself is a ticketed event open to the general public that features live entertainment, live and silent auctions, raffles for men and women, and food from Ol’ Bart’s Southern Eats in Conway.

A key element of the current success and sustained growth of the event has been the participation of landowners allowing teams to shoot on their land for the competi-

“People should know you don’t have to be a duck hunter to come here and have a good time,” Hardin told AY About You. “It is literally an event that it is OK to bring people to.”

The banquet will be at the University of Central Arkansas HPER

Center in Conway. Doors open at 6 p.m. Among the many items up for bid that night will be the much-anticipated premiere gun raffle.

“Our banquet and auctions are very popular among the community, including non-hunters and hunters alike,” Matt Troup, president and CEO of Conway Regional Health System, told AY About You last year.

“The funds raised through the Arkansas Duck Derby are instrumental in our pursuit of high-quality health care for the communities we serve. Our gratitude extends not only to our dedicated duck hunters but also to those who contributed prizes, provided hunting grounds, sponsored teams and attended the banquet. Their generous contributions make the duck derby a resounding success year after year.”

Of critical importance are the many businesses and organizations that step up to sponsor the Arkansas Duck Derby. At writing, that list is headlined by Centennial Bank and Kuche, the Conway Regional Health Foundation states, and also includes the Conway Convention and Visitors Bureau, Nabholz Construction and Tanglefree.

Other sponsors include Car-Son Construction in North Little Rock, Farris Agency in Conway, Suspended Systems II in Conway, First Security, American Hunting Doodles, Arvest, Bull Creek Outdoors in Beebe, Conway Outpatient Pharmacy, Engage Management in Conway, Greenhead magazine, Qualcomm Health Insurance, the Rogue Roundabout in Conway, the University of Central Arkansas, U.S. Bank, Weatherby and Wilson Auctioneers in Hot Springs.

Enjoying food and friends in the name of a good cause has boosted the popularity of the Arkansas Duck Derby.

Flyway Brewing, H+N Architects in Conway, Ol’ Bart Southern Eats, Remington, Steve Griffith, Wells Land Development, Haynes Ace Hardware in Conway, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Cigna, Dive Bomb Industries, Echo Duck Calls, Point Remove Brewing Co. in Morrilton, and Stone’s Throw Brewing in Little Rock round out the current list of sponsors for the event.

For more information about tickets, entering a team, donating prizes and more, visit the foundation website, conwayregional.org/foundationhome, and click the events tab.

• 4 hunters per team on private land

• Teams will be randomly paired with landowners and hunting locations

• Winning team members and landowner will share equally in grand prize

• Each hunter will receive a gift package

• Dinner and Drinks

• Silent and Live Auctions

• Gun Raffles

• Men’s and Women’s Raffles

• 2024 Fully-Loaded Polaris Ranger

• Other Big Ticket Raffle Items

tudent oldier

Mount St. Mary student holds unusual distinction among classmates

By DWAIN HEBDA // Photos By CHRIS DAVIS

Elvira Huerta is, in some ways, just like every other teenager halfway through their final year of high school. The senior at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock laughs with her friends, sweats tests, and balances a full schedule of family, church and school obligations.

In other ways, Huerta could not be more different from the hundreds of the school’s other students, even clad daily though she is in Mount’s familiar houndstooth uniform. Unlike the girls that swirl around and alongside her every day, Huerta has taken a bold stride into her future after graduation. She is a United States soldier.

“I have always been intrigued by the military,” she said. “The promise of a free education was a good benefit, but I always wanted to do something in the military.”

According to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, the military is facing the same dire staffing challenges as every other industry and with the added existential consequences of affecting national security. Since fiscal year 2020, when the general Army recruited about 60,000 and Army Reserve landed nearly 14,000, numbers have been way down annually, bottoming in 2022 with less than 45,000 Army and 10,000 Army Reserve recruits.

What is more, the Command reports half of today’s youth admit they know little to nothing about military service, and nearly 3 out of 4 do not qualify for the armed forces due to obesity, drug use, physical and mental health problems, misconduct and aptitude.

Over the past two years, numbers have slowly increased overall, and women have held their own in that mix. In 2019, the number of active Army enlistments among women was the highest since 2004, and female Army Reserve enlistments were the highest since the early 1990s. In 2022, 18 percent of general Army recruits were female, as were 33.5 percent of new Reserve personnel.

Still, escalating threats around the world have put renewed emphasis on increasing headcount in the U.S. Armed Forces as a priority of national importance. That makes young

patriots such as Huerta worth their weight in gold to Uncle Sam.

“Less than 1 percent of people in the U.S. are in the military or join the military. There are plenty of people doing small acts of service, but I know there’s a calling for people to join the military. There’s a need for people who are willing to step up and defend our country.

— Elvira Huerta senior at Mount St. Mary Academy

because none of her family had served before her. She also said she did not know if she was officially the youngest one there but was surprised at the number of other females in her basic training group.

“There were a few more teenagers there who were 17. There were probably, like, 10 17-year-olds there,” she said. “The ratio of male to female was three males to one female, so I was outnumbered in that aspect.

“My drill sergeants treated us all pretty equally regardless of age. There were a lot of older people there too. I know there was a high school teacher there from Texas. He taught [advanced placement], and he was going active for four years. He quit his job to go active. He was 34, and he was treated just like all the rest of the trainees.”

It is hard for some to square the image of the joyful yet softspoken Huerta, who blends in so naturally with her classmates, with someone who has been trained in the art of war. The contrasting image even drew a chuckle from Huerta.

“Less than 1 percent of people in the U.S. are in the military or join the military,” she said. “There are plenty of people doing small acts of service, but I know there’s a calling for people to join the military. There’s a need for people who are willing to step up and defend our country.”

In a school known for its community service program, Huerta takes the olive drab cake, enlisting at age 17 and spending her summer break between junior and senior year at basic combat training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina.

When her classmates were lounging by the pool, Huerta was on the shooting range. As others enjoyed summer vacations with their families, she was humping it through physical training under the unrelenting Southern sun.

“I just don’t intimidate easily, and I wanted to do something that not a lot of people were going to do,” she said. “I wanted to do something that was actually helping people, not just adding another number to a career that was already popular.”

Many people do not realize that enlistees can sign up as young as Huerta did, which allows recruits to do some of their training while still in high school then report for duty after graduation, as she will.

“My recruiter told me that I could enlist at 17, go to basic and come back to finish high school, which is called the split ops option,” she said. “I did basic this summer and then have advanced individual training next summer once I graduate.”

Huerta said she did not know what to expect from military training

“Marksmanship, I think I was pretty average. Yeah, I was average, actually,” she said. “I think our company average was 28 out of 40, and that’s what I scored. I think I liked the obstacle courses the most out of everything.”

She paused and gave a shrug. For everything that seems out of place about her unconventional decision, there is plenty that makes sense, like how the military will help her get the college education in computer science she has dreamed about without financially burdening herself or her family. She has also decided to train as a chaplain’s assistant, which will give her another outlet for using her time in the service to help people dealing with their own spiritual battles or the personal scars of war.

Beyond that, her six-year hitch is rife with variables, including whether to go active duty or remain in the Reserve, though she said she is ready for whatever comes to pass. For all of the unknowns that lie before her on the adventure, there is one thing about her decision she has never doubted, even during the long summer of basic training hundreds of miles away from her loved ones. Huerta sees her country, like her family, as something special, something worth defending.

“I appreciate things a lot more now. I realize the sacrifice everybody makes by going through training and by giving up time with their family,” she said. “I was only gone [to training] for two months where I didn’t see my family, and I now realize how hard it must be for people who are going active or who get deployed for months on end in different countries.

“This whole experience just made me see how much we take for granted and how much we truly have in this country. I value everything a lot more now.”

SHERWOOD

We are devoted to providing high quality care which celebrates the dignity and grace of every person who enters our facility.

At Sherwood Nursing and Rehab we are committed to providing the highest quality of patient care. Our qualified staff is here giving support for the tasks of day-to-day living, allowing for the enjoyment of more pleasant and carefree activities.

We specialize in Short-Term Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care services. 245 Indian Bay Drive Sherwood, AR

Phone: 501.834.9960 Fax: 501.834.5644

Murder Mystery

Death on the JASPER BRIDGE

By SARAH RUSSELL

Riding shotgun with Trailways bus driver Bill Carney on a hot summer day was his 8-year-old son, Kore. As a single parent, Carney liked to be able to keep an eye on Kore, but today, nothing was going to shield the boy from the experience he would wear like a tattoo for the rest of his life.

At the Little Rock terminal, a young couple boarded, the guy rocking head-to-toe Harley-Davidson gear. Carney was amused at the dude climbing on, since he was on a bus instead of a Hog. Glancing in his rearview mirror, Carney noticed the couple was arguing. He would have been stunned to know the rift was about Kore.

Having seen the boy, the biker wannabe Keith Haigler wanted to abort the duo’s mission. However, his wife and companion pushed back. Ever since she had miscarried, her kind heart had hardened into a ball of anger. In a steely whisper, she refused his objections. July 3, 1982, was to be the day.

When Haigler was Kore’s age, he was a sweet, articulate boy already drawn to the Bible. Despite that, he flew into rages if he felt others did not accept what he had to say. Regret always followed, but he could not or would not control his behavior, and he ended high school at a youth behavioral care facility.

By December 1976, the 22-year-old had emerged from the structure of the Marines, which he oddly missed, but he did not want any part of the structure of civilian life. Riding a Harley-Davidson cross-country, playing music — that is how he seemed to think a free soul should live. There was no Harley — not then, not ever — but the image and its free spirited ethos held sway on him nonetheless.

In Missouri, a buddy encouraged him to visit Jasper, the Arkansas town perched on the banks of the Little Buffalo River. The town’s name resonated with Haigler, the namesake stone being the foundation of New Jerusalem. Haigler, who liked to take God’s messages as they came, headed south.

In search of coffee, Haigler headed into a store on Jasper’s town square, where he was greeted by owner Emory Lamb. Keith’s first thought was that Lamb’s countenance hearkened back to one of the Biblical wise men — if wise men wore black Harley-Davidson T-

shirts. Just south of 50 years old and with a slight stature that was almost overcome by his long beard, Lamb was also a man of God, it seemed, and he offered Haigler self-published pamphlets based on his interpretations of various Bible verses.

Haigler found other kinship in the fact that earlier in the year, Lamb had also gotten itchy feet. Leaving the Virginias, he bought the Jasper business and founded a strange kind of ministry on the side. Almost every bare spot in town flaunted a FOU sticker, the acronym standing for “Foundation of Ubiquity.” Lamb explained to the inquisitive acolyte “ubiquity” meant omnipresence, i.e., the Father is everywhere, in and around his children. Haigler found him a bit quirky but harmless enough.

Haigler was not long for Arkansas. To fatten his wallet back up, he detoured to Alabama to work in a buddy’s club. He had not intended to come back to Jasper, but after a few weeks, there he was, reappeared at the store. He told Lamb some star, a star bright as that in Bethlehem, guided him back, and he was sure the wise man was behind that. No, Lamb gently responded, he had no such powers.

The duo crossed over the square to the Ozark Cafe, which Lamb had adopted as his anointed community center. The cafe’s owner had been firm — no stickers allowed — but Lamb persisted in laying hands on and blessing everything that did not move, including the jukebox.

Around him usually gathered a small group of younger guys — bikers and/or musicians, mostly — some of whom shared his interest in religion and others, not so much.

Haigler certainly did. No sooner had the old man explained FOU

Keith Haigler and Kate Clark Haigler walk away from the hijacked bus in Jasper in 1982.

and the subsequent spiritual fellowship built on it than Haigler asked to join the group. Quite respectfully, he also asked if he could refer to Lamb as “Dad.” Haigler got a new name, as well, dubbed by locals as “Baby Fou” as he took up residence, sleeping in a van at Lamb’s place.

Although both men were professed believers, neither had ever found a church pew that fit. Instead, around a nightly fire, the two held their own Bible studies. In the words of Revelation, Haigler finally began to find holy direction, assigning the personas of the two witnesses in Chapter 11 to himself and Lamb.

Within that passage, the witnesses are instructed to go forth to bring others into the fold. Lamb insisted that the words were not literal; his recruitment for FOU consisted of ads in biker magazines and waiting around for would-be followers to show up in Jasper, which was about as much activity as he wanted. Haigler was not only undeterred by this but he had a personal epiphany: Lamb was not the witness. He was the Messiah. Haigler set out to find his second witness.

He found her in California. Kate Clark was the daughter of Ellie Clark, mayor of Pacifica, a surfing town that hung like a teardrop down the coast from San Francisco. A noted swimmer, Clark was training for the 1980 Olympics, but soon after Haigler came into her life, she was gone. It was as if she swam to the edge of the earth and dropped off.

Despite her friends’ warnings that Haigler was crazy — or fou, as the French say — she headed east with him. They ate out of dumpsters, pitched a tent at night and got married in a courthouse on the way. His message was the least of what attracted her, and Haigler knew that, but he was convinced that, ultimately, she would do what had to be done.

Now Kate Clark Haigler stood in the back of a Trailways bus holding a .38-caliber pistol on the passengers while Carney felt Keith’s .22 on his neck. Under Keith’s orders, he turned the Wichita-bound bus toward Jasper instead. Once there, on its bridge, he parked as instructed, blocking holiday traffic in both directions, which guaranteed quite an audience for the message.

said it was a police matter. Even if he were to go, he said, nothing he said would change their minds.

Once Caldwell had his story, the sheriff sternly reminded Keith of the terms of the deal — the passengers were now to be released. Once that happened, Keith and Kate, guns tied to their wrists, disembarked. Eyes down, they walked 30 feet from the bus, then dropped to their knees. It was by no means an act of surrender.

The couple kissed, then raised their arms to fire. Snipers were prepared; both Haiglers were hit by a single shot to the shoulder. Keith never got a shot off, and Kate was struck in the left shoulder. Contorted by pain, she raised her gun, which fired wildly before she got control of it. Before law enforcement could react, she shot Keith in the heart, killing him instantly, and shot herself in the chest next.

Pointing to the courthouse on the square, Keith handed Carney a note to be taken to the sheriff. Carney reached for Kore, a move Keith intercepted in accordance with Kate’s insistence to hold the boy as leverage. Thinking twice, Keith ultimately stepped aside, letting Carney take the boy. After a few hours, there would be nothing a child should see.

As he ran across the square, Carney saw a deputy having lunch at the Ozark Cafe and handed off the note, setting off a rapid-fire chain of events. Local and state law enforcement converged on the scene, and a KY3 news chopper was quickly dispatched from Springfield, Missouri. Keith had been specific: Veteran reporter Jim Caldwell had two hours to get to Jasper. Otherwise, a hostage would be killed every half hour.

Upon his arrival, Caldwell was filled in by law enforcement and escorted to the bus. Keith Fou Haigler, as he introduced himself, had chosen Caldwell to deliver his message as written in Revelation 11.

Keith explained the two witnesses had been given 1,260 days to fulfill their mission, and the final day had arrived. Now it was time for the witnesses to die, and upon their deaths, they were to be laid on the Messiah’s land where, in 3 1/2 days, they would be resurrected. Today, the “witnesses” would use any means — including shooting the passengers — to force the law to kill them.

Law enforcement had none of it. They had already refused to shoot the Haiglers, and they would do their darndest to make sure the Haiglers did not go cowboy. As for Lamb, a biker had been dispatched to his place to see if he could come talk the Haiglers down, but Lamb

The two witnesses did indeed die that day, but neither lay on Lamb’s land, nor did either arise. Within 3 1/2 days, Keith was laid to rest by his family in North Carolina, while in California, Kate’s mother received her daughter’s ashes by overnight mail. Some media chose to relay their message, but it was not the headlines the athlete Kate once dreamed of, nor was it of the everlasting impact Keith envisioned.

It was over for the couple but not for Lamb. His unwillingness to intervene angered many people, their feelings intensified by the belief that his influence over Keith and Kate caused the episode to begin with. Others had reason to believe Lamb had known the event was impending but chose to let it happen.

In the way small towns can make a point, Lamb was refused service at many businesses and forbidden to cross the threshold of his beloved Ozark Cafe ever again. Locals talked about spotting him in the square, mournfully looking in its windows.

Several years later, Kate’s mother came to Jasper, seeking answers, but Lamb would not meet with her. In time, he died of cancer alone, left years before by his wife and daughter.

A few years ago, the Ozark Cafe welcomed a new customer — Kore Carney. He was joined in his visit to Jasper by Molly May, author of Witnesses for the Lamb: The True Story of Hijacking, Murder and Suicide in the Ozarks, the book upon which this article is based.

Kore shared the memory of finding one of Kate’s wayward bullets embedded in the baggage hold of the bus. No, he did not witness the actual incident, spared as he was, but he spent years sleeping with his lights on anyway.

Now he wished his father, Bill, who continued to drive for years afterwards, was alive to walk the bridge with him. There had been mercy that day for the Carneys and the passengers, to be sure, but for Kore and many others, the memory of the incident on the Jasper bridge has been worn like a tattoo for life.

Witnesses for the Lamb

Briar wood Nursing and Rehab is a 120-bed skilled facility located in an urban setting within the heart of Little Rock, in the neighborhood of Briarwood. We are located just minutes from downtown Little Rock and are only one block off interstate 630.

We provide long-term care and short-term rehab care. All residents are monitored throughout the day with assistance in providing daily care as is needed: bathing, dressing, feeding and providing medications. Briarwood staff also work at ensuring the best care for residents through individual care plans of residents' needs, as well as daily activities, which allow for a variety of interests and abilities.

Nearly all - 98 percent - of our rehab residents return to the community as a result of positive, caring therapists. Briarwood's approach has provided healing to many people in the community.

At Briarwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, we are committed to ensuring that the best possible care is given to you or your loved one in an atmosphere that is calm, quiet and focused on healing. We endeavor to ensure that all aspects of your well-being — mental, physical and spiritual — are cared for in a peaceful and safe environment. Our staff strive to promote dignity, respect, and independence as much as possible, in a beautiful, soothing enviornment that was designed with our residents' comfort in mind.

Briarwood's service-rich environment is made possible by its dedicated staff, from our nursing staff and therapists, to our operations and administrative employees. At Briarwood, our residents enjoy three generations of staff and families. That is over 30 years of service to the community!

Fay Jones

By Joe David Rice

While a student in the El Dorado public school system, Fay Jones would bring home notes from his teachers — missives that recognized and encouraged his growing creative talents. Even so, his parents were probably surprised when their son constructed an elaborate tree house, an ambitious design complete with roll-down canvas blinds, a balcony and, get this, a wood-burning fireplace. When the latter innovation failed, the structure and its tree went up in flames, the plume of smoke allegedly visible 10 miles away in Smackover, and required professional services from the El Dorado Fire Department.

During Jones’ senior year in high school, the young man experienced an epiphany at the local Rialto Theatre. Between featured presentations, he saw a short film on Frank Lloyd Wright’s new and revolutionary Johnson Wax Co. building in Racine, Wisconsin.

“There was something about that film and seeing that building,” Jones recalled years later. “All of a sudden it came together. ... I walked out of that theater knowing that it’s an architect that I want to be.”

That is exactly what happened, although it took some time. He enrolled at the engineering school at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, but World War II intervened, and Jones joined the U.S. Navy, for which he flew dive bombers and torpedo bombers in the Pacific Theater. After his 1945 discharge, he returned to Fayetteville and entered the university’s new architecture program.

and annual visits to Wright’s Arizona studio through 1959 no doubt had an impact on Jones’ vision and style.

While Fay Jones enjoyed his close relationship with Wright and is often described as a disciple of the master builder, Jones clearly developed his own creative philosophy. He advocated organic design, making sure that his buildings “fit” meaning that his structures and their materials were appropriate for the site. The American Institute of Architects described his work as “an exquisite architecture of gentle beauty and quiet dignity.”

A fortuitous field trip in 1949 took Jones to Houston, where he bumped into Frank Lloyd Wright outside a cocktail party. That chance encounter eventually led to a remarkable friendship. Following his 1950 graduation — Jones and four other students were the program’s first alumni — he accepted a fellowship at Houston’s Rice University where he earned a master’s degree in architecture.

Jones’ next stop was a teaching stint at the University of Oklahoma’s school of architecture, where he had another occasion to talk with Frank Lloyd Wright at a faculty dinner. The conversations that evening resulted in a personal invitation for Jones to visit Wright at his famed Taliesin West complex in Scottsdale, Arizona, over Easter weekend in 1953.

The men most certainly got along well, since Wright then asked Jones and his family (his wife, Gus, whom he married in 1943, and their two daughters) to spend that summer with Wright at the original Taliesin in southwestern Wisconsin. That four-month apprenticeship

Wright also influenced Jones’ career via some advice he dispensed in 1953. When Jones was mulling over an offer of a professorship at the University of Arkansas, Wright encouraged him to take the job.

“Why not go back to Arkansas?” Wright asked. “It is not as spoiled as the rest of the country. You can build there.”

Jones accepted the position, and build there he did. He built the university’s architecture school into a strong program, and he also built up his private practice, although his initial outside project did not begin until he had been on the faculty two years. That first private assignment was to design his own house. That success led to another house, which led to another and another. Ultimately, Jones designed more than 200 private residences, each one a unique blend of light, materials, space, environment and details.

In addition to individual homes, Jones later developed another specialty: chapels. His most recognized work is Thorncrown Chapel, a magnificent structure perched on a hillside west of Eureka Springs. Rising 48 feet into the forest above a base of Ozark stone, the 24-foot-by-60-foot chapel is constructed almost entirely of wood and glass and features 425 windows.

This small but inspiring building — about half the size of the average American house — has been visited by millions of awestruck guests since opening in 1980. Thorncrown Chapel has received a long list of architectural awards, including its selection by the American Institute of Architects as one of the top 10 buildings of the 20th century.

Fay Jones won many other individual awards before his death in 2004. Chief among them was the AIA Gold Medal, the highest recognition given by his peers, in 1990. Yet the humble and unassuming Jones would likely insist his biggest accomplishment was the advancement of architectural education at the University of Arkansas.

Joe David Rice, former tourism director of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, wrote 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 — a story 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 readers 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 on Amazon and at the University of Arkansas Press.

Thorncrown Chapel

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Voted one of AY’s Best Hospitals

FIVE YEARS IN A ROW! 2023

Conway Regional has been the community’s hospital for more than 100 years, providing high-quality, compassionate care. As our communities grow, we are growing alongside you to ensure all of your healthcare needs are met right here in Conway. When your family needs medical care, you can trust our board-certified providers to provide you with the comprehensive care you deserve when you need it most.