AY About You July 2022

A R K A N S A S ’ L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E | J U LY 2 0 2 2 | AY M A G . C O M

Bob Robbins | Men of Distinction 2022 | BBQ Bucket List $5.00 U.S.

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WHAT’S INSIDE 10 12 14 174 176

Publisher’s Letter Connect

Top Events Murder Mystery Arkansas Backstories

HOME&GARDEN 18

Cutting-edge, Custom-made

FOOD&DRINK

he Art of Barbecue T ummer-y Side Dishes S FAlicia ace Behind the Place: Watson

26 32 34

ARTS&CULTURE

Remembering Bob Robbins attoo Arts Festival T Adventure U ndammed: A Buffalo River 128 ' 90s Bald Eagle Mystery Solved 48 60 122

TRAVEL 40 100 Places to Visit in Hot Springs

AGING IN ARKANSAS 134 142 148 152

lanning for Retirement P he Natural State for Retirement T RV'ing in Arkansas Best Places to Retire

HEALTH 184 The Difference in Retirement Living

ABOUT YOU 41 AY’s 2022 Men of Distinction 152 Beyond Sports Lab 178 This Side of Seven: 30 Years, and Finally

BBQ Bucket List, page 26

ON THE COVER We were counting on Count Porkula on the Boulevard to serve up our favorite barbecue with a twist, and they delivered.

Read more: page 26.

Photo by Heather Baker.

CORRECTION: For our June cover, we credited ADPHT for providing the

photo of the fantastic mural, but forgot to credit the artist, Olivia Trimble of Sleet City Art + Supplies in Fayetteville.

6

How to Avoid the Summer Slide THE PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT boasts many dedicated educators and administrators from 26 schools across central Arkansas, which now includes the DRIVEN Virtual Academy. These educators have dedicated their careers to investing in young people. With summer in full swing, some PCSSD principals are offering tips to students and families to avoid the summer slide.

Yolanda Harris, Chenal Elementary Principal Find engaging activities that students are interested in. One thing I like that is fun for students are board games. Board games are a great strategy for learning many useful things. But, why not design a new board game? All we need are game pieces, dice, and an idea. The best quality of such games is the fact that not only do they help introduce children to various areas of learning, but they also teach them patience and competitive spirit.

Masako Christian, Daisy Bates Elementary Principal I encourage students to experience new and fun places in Arkansas like museums, state parks, water parks, and others. Students also learn a lot by participating in outdoor learning experiences like golf, fishing, hiking, skating/ skateboarding, etc.

Dr. Lisa Watson, Mills Middle Principal Read at least 15 to 20 minutes a night to keep your reading levels progressing.

Keep a journal of your reading by writing what you read about.

Yvone West, Sylvan Hills Junior High Principal Parents can involve students in vacation planning: Calculating distance, mapping out directions, times, etc. This helps critical thinking skills while also allowing them to play a part in planning. For those who go to summer camps, find camps that have a curricular focus. There are math and science camps that have a curricular focus but are project based with hands-on experiments and activities.

ABOUT PCSSD

REGISTER NOW www.pcssd.org/register

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 26 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.

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Heather Baker hbaker@aymag.com EDITORIAL OPERATIONS MANAGER

Lindsey Castrellon lcastrellon@aymag.com

ONLINE EDITOR

Jim Miller jmiller@aymag.com

STAFF WRITERS

Emily Beirne ebeirne@aymag.com Sarah Coleman scoleman@aymag.com Katie Zakrzewski katie@aymag.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Mike Bedgood mbedgood@aymag.com

DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Kellie McAnulty kmcanulty@aymag.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Lora Puls lpuls@aymag.com

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

David Yerby david@aymag.com

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.

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

Janie Jones has been a journalist for more than 20 years. She and her husband, Wyatt, co-wrote two books: Hiking Arkansas and Arkansas Curiosities.

She is also the author of The Arkansas Hitchhike Killer: James Waybern “Red” Hall, a book that originated from a two-part article she contributed to AY About You.

Julie Craig began her magazine career while living in New York City as an intern at Seventeen. With fashion and home design as her forte for the past 15 years, Julie is a blogger, writer and editor who has reported stories for Us Weekly and written about and photographed New York Fashion Week.

Nic Williams, an Arkansas native, is a practicing lawyer and contributor to AY About You. He has developed original recipes for more than half a decade and considers Ina Garten as his inspiration.

Most importantly, he’s a proud doggy dad and is grateful for his supportive friends and family.

Becky Gillette is a freelance writer/ photographer based in Eureka Springs whose work has been published in about 50 magazines and in newspapers nationwide. Her articles have appeared in Ladies Home Journal, Organic Gardening, Utne Reader, E, The Environmental Magazine, Arkansas Medical News, BioScience, and Stockman Grass Farmer.

Angela Forsyth lives in Northwest Arkansas.

Her articles have been published in AY About You, Arkansas Money and Politics, Food & Drink, Modern Home Builder, Manufacturing Today, Inside Healthcare, Retail Merchandiser and many more magazines.

She’s a happy wife and mom to four kids and a dog.

Jason Pederson spent 20 years as KATV’s Seven On Your Side reporter.

He is now Deputy Chief of Community Engagement for the Arkansas Department of Human Services.

He and his wife, Mary Carol, have two biological children and one bonus son. They are long-time members of Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock.

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Linda Burlingame lindaaymag@aol.com Tonya Higginbotham thigginbotham@aymag.com Mary Funderburg mary@aymag.com Tonya Mead tmead@aymag.com Amanda Moore amoore@aymag.com Colleen Gillespie colleen@aymag.com

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Jessica Everson jeverson@aymag.com

ADVERTISING COORDINATORS Austin Castrellon ads@aymag.com Rachel Mercer ads@aymag.com

CIRCULATION

Ginger Roell groell@aymag.com

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Kaitlin Barger, Jenny Boulden, Kenneth Heard, Brittany Trabbic, Becky Gillette, Philip Thomas, Terrance Armstard

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

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AY Magazine is published monthly, Volume XXXV, Issue 3 AY Magazine (ISSN 2162-7754) is published monthly by AY Media Group, 910 W. 2nd St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Periodicals postage paid at Little Rock, AR and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to AY Magazine, 910 W. 2nd St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Subscription Inquiries: Subscription rate is $20 for one year (12 issues). Single issues are available upon request for $5. For subscriptions, inquiries or address changes, call 501-244-9700. The contents of AY are copyrighted ©2021, 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.

8

NOW E L B A L I AVA -DAY TWO TS TICKE Purchase

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publisher's letter

Some Things Get Better with Time There are certain things that only get better with each passing moment: whiskey, a good pair of blue jeans, friendships –– and here in the South –– barbecue.

July has arrived quickly in Arkansas, and we are already halfway through the year. For me, it's time to take a moment from the go go go of it all to sit, breathe, and reflect with gratitude on all that life has given me.

Of course, July also brings Independence Day, a time for us to remember the foundation of our nation and how over time, we have grown and prospered into the United States of America.

In this month’s issue, we remember my dear friend, Bob Robbins, a distinguished gentleman, who without a doubt, only got better with time. Over the course of his storied career, the radio legend built his career up from local AM radio to an induction into the Country Radio Broadcasters' DJ Hall of Fame in 2008.

Speaking of distinguished gentlemen, we also reveal our 2022 Men of Distinction list, which is made up of 50 timeless examples of the most influential and interesting men in the state of Arkansas –– from financial gurus to lawyers, to doctors, to politicians and musicians –– and everything in between.

AY’s July Arkansas Bucket List includes Count Porkula, founded by two gentlemen who shared one idea –– to serve some of the best BBQ in Arkansas –– a reputation that is well-deserved, but surely didn’t happen overnight. The story of Count Porkula is as interesting as its name, and I cannot wait for you to read it. Make sure and follow me on Instagram for amazing giveaways to some of my favorites on the BBQ Bucket List, including the all-new Count Porkula on the Boulevard.

We also have an extensive section dedicated to those who are ready to reap their hard-earned rewards in life and prepare to retire in The Natural State. From the best places to retire in Arkansas to travel tips for those who prefer to roam, we’ve got you covered.

Hopefully this issue inspires you to find your personal gratitude, reflect on all of the things that matter in life, and be the best version of yourself you can be. It just takes a little time.

That’s it from me, and us, this time. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy.

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

10

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TRENDING ON AYMAG.COM Braum’s Continues Southward with Hot Springs, Arkadelphia Locations Arkansas ‘Uncle Sam’ Diamond to Be Displayed at Smithsonian 2022 Arkansas Country Music Awards: The Winners Wright’s BBQ Teases Little Rock Location with a Tasty Tweet Raising a Glass to Cheers in the Heights’ Chic Patio

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READER FEEDBACK A PARTY WITH A PURPOSE: FOUNDATION TO HOST SECOND JUNETEENTH FEST “Congratulations Ebony, Brandon and everyone! So proud of you all!”

Stephanie Keet LEMON ICE BOX PIE RECIPE FROM SANDY BRADLEY BAKES “She’s amazing!”

Michele Ballentine-Linch IT’S OK TO BE A LITTLE ‘SELFISH’ AT SELFISH HOUSE OF SELFIES “Yesss! A great, fun spot! We took my daughter’s pre-prom photos there in May and absolutely loved the experience. 14/10 recommend.”

Amber Hamilton Henson

BY LAND AND SEA: LOCAL RESTAURATEUR JERRY BARAKAT CELEBRATES 15 YEARS “Happy Anniversary Jerry and staff!”

Cherie Abston

INSTAGRAM

CONTESTS

President/Publisher Heather Baker accepts Arkansas Country Music Award for ‘Best Publication’ on behalf of AY Media Group.

Fayetteville will soon be home to the new brightpink ice cream eatery, Icescreams, which is expected to open this July

From Bistro to Bar: The Grind Grinds On.

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

1. ROCK N ROLL SUSHI Little Rock has two locations where you can rock (to the jukebox) and roll (with some sushi). Try out some of Rock N Roll Sushi’s flare and flavor on the house with this gift card to either of its capital city locations.

CODE: SUSHI

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Take a walk on the wild side at Turpentine Creek.

This Eureka Springs refuge provides a home for abandoned and neglected big cats, from tigers to lions to leopards. Win two tickets to tour the refuge and see all the amazing animals!

CODE: CATS

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

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The Wings Over Bryant Airshow is taking over the skies above the Saline County Regional Airport.

!

Follow heatherbaker_ar on IG for weekly Bucket List restaurant giveaways.

agenda

5

Top

you just can't miss!

FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR — AN AMERICAN SALUTE July 4

Walmart AMP — Rogers The Walmart AMP is hosting the Fireworks Spectacular – An American Salute on July 4, featuring the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA) under the direction of Paul Haas.

RUN THE JEWELS AND BIG BOI July 16

The Momentary — Bentonville It’s a whole vibe. Hip-hop super-duo Run the Jewels, featuring rapper and producer El-P and rapper Killer Mike, and Grammy award-winning artist Big Boi (one-half of OutKast) take the stage at the Momentary as part of a weekend-long celebration of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art's current exhibition The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse.

2ND ANNUAL BIG GRASS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL July 21-23

Collins Theatre — Paragould It's time for the 2nd Annual Big Grass Bluegrass Festival at the historic Collins Theatre of Paragould! Opening Thursday night with The Hillbenders present "Who-Grass" and The Cleverlys, then wrapping up on Saturday with The Lonesome River Boys and Nothin’ Fancy.

THE ROCK CITY MARGARITA FESTIVAL & THE GREAT ARKANSAS BEER FESTIVAL July 23

Statehouse Convention Center — Little Rock The Rock City Margarita Festival is teaming up with The Great Arkansas Beer Festival to bring you the biggest party of the summer!

ROBERT EARL KEEN (FAREWELL TOUR) July 31

Robinson Center — Little Rock After 41 years on the road, Robert Earl Keen is bringing his farewell tour to the Robinson Center's Performance Hall on July 31st. Don’t miss your chance to see the legend live for the final time.

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events 1

1

2

Outlaw Music Festival Walmart AMP, Rogers

David Adam Byrnes Beebe City Park, Beebe

Cardboard Boat Races Heber Springs

2-4

3

All-American 4th of July Weekend Graceland, Memphis

Freedom Fest Beaverfork Park Lake, Conway

4 The Mayor’s 4th of July Celebration Harry E. Kelley River Park, Fort Smith

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7

9

12

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July 4th with the DCC Cherry Street Pavillion, Helena

U-Pick Flowers Date Night w/ Live Music Sacred Hollow Farm, Lowell

NWA Kids Fest Rogers Convention Center, Rogers

Santana Walmart AMP, Rogers

2022 International Trombone Festival University of Central Arkansas, Conway

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15-17

James Taylor Walmart AMP, Rogers

2nd Annual Little Rock Tattoo Arts Festival Statehouse Convention Center, Little Rock

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21

Arkansas Elvis Festival James Ranch Event Center, Pocahontas

Josh Groban Walmart AMP, Rogers

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Darius Rucker Walmart AMP, Rogers

Comedian David Koechner The Grove Entertainment Complex, Lowell

22 Sippin' At Sunset Music Series: Emily Rowland Lambeth Lounge, Fayetteville

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22 Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella Arts & Science Center, Pine Bluff

23

21

Chris Stapleton Walmart AMP, Rogers

23

Justin Moore The Rock City Margarita First Security Amphitheater, Festival & The Great Little Rock Arkansas Beer Festival Statehouse Convention Center, Little Rock

29-30 Peacemaker Festival Riverfront Park, Fort Smith

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home

Tracie J. Kelley

is the president and CEO of KellCo Custom Homes, Inc., Energy Air, Inc. and KellCo Real Estate, Inc. Since 1992, Kelley has been in custom home building and the real estate industry, serving all of Central Arkansas.

“The most important task for me right from the start is establishing a solid relationship and a good understanding of my clients’ best interests of

Custom-made Cutting-edge

By AY Staff

their new home, which includes an excellent level of communication,” Kelley says. “Once a budget and approval process has been established, I then start the planning and architectural design phases. For me, it’s much more than just building a home. My greatest passion in custom home building is having the ability to build with a unique vision that adds personal testimonies to each project within the communities of Arkansas.”

Kelley’s overall goal is for the homes she builds to be a reflection of its owners and their aspirations.

stunning

Stonehill In the heart of Sherwood sits this one-of-a-kind custom home, which was crafted to be an exquisite abode with an abundance of amenities. Kelley combined the purity of her design with a whimsical use of glass and metals.

Multiple floor-to-ceiling windows allow natural lighting within many areas of the home, while a heavy use of modern-natural materials around the home’s exterior creates a powerful

aesthetic bond.

The two-story, switchback staircase offers a striking and clean flare, with black iron and solid stainless spindles, while showing off the dazzling glass chandelier perched directly above. This sleek design echoes the large windows and blends seamlessly into its contemporary surroundings, adding originality to the home, both inside and out.

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Kelley has a soft spot when it comes to master suites. This one was designed using luxurious porcelain materials on the bath wall and shower.

The dazzling chandelier immediately catches the eyes of all who enter.

Kelley has a soft spot when it comes to master suites. This one was designed using luxurious porcelain materials on the bath wall and shower.

The shower is a double walk-in and was designed with champagne trim lines and waterfall tub filler. These streamlined and striking contrasts are what Kelley refers to as “bold movements.”

The stark-white spa bathtub is centered elegantly, encapsulating serenity and simplicity.

The home also has an open floor plan and luxury features, including

profile lighting within the stair treads.

“People often hear that every home that I design and build is my favorite,” Kelley says. “Each home has a special uniqueness that I find myself falling in love with, each and every time. I build homes to reflect the lifestyle of today and carry your expectations forward — where families can grow and make memories.”

Kelley strives to deliver a dreamhome reality with each new project she begins. Every home has a story, and she loves building those, too.

charming Cliffside

The Porte Cochere Estate House at Cliffside is a stunning and uniquely inspired home. The porte-cochere style is an echo of the 19th Century and features a grand entrance to a private courtyard. This private residence also has a motor court that accommodates added parking.

Kelley had several goals while designing and building this home, such as embracing traditional styles while also incorporating modern originality; combining timeless elements to create an eclectic sense of wonder.

The double drive leads to an artfully designed landscape with rusticstyle amenities. Its large windows frame the picturesque views and absorb lots of natural light which further highlights the coffered ceiling within the hearth room, handcrafted brick arches and woodwork. The chef ’s kitchen is perfectly appointed with a large, culinary island and is accompanied by a double butler’s pantry. Italian porcelain splash tiling and acacia hardwood flooring accent the area built for entertaining, with plenty of space for family and friends.

“As a custom home designer and builder, I am driven to new levels of uniqueness and architecture that continue to be the driving force for all my endeavors within the real estate industry,” Kelley says. “The responsibilities of a good contractor are hefty and, to say the very least, exhausting. Working with each individual needs of my clients is important to me, and it’s equally important that I get it right. Throughout the entire build process, I am fully committed and engaged.”

The exterior of the home features natural stone which amplifies its rustic, yet charming attributes.

The rear patio area features an enclosed sunroom with beautiful views of the private greenspace.

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The

t r A of

el

a e u Sq I

By DWAIN HEBDA // Photos By DAVID YERBY

come from a land devoid of barbecue. It’s true and it’s sad, but that’s the burden I have long carried as a carnivore.

In the place where I grew up, we produced what we called barbecue, but it was stuff that time and experience would lead me to understand was actually “grilling.” My dad wasn’t a cook – his virtues lay elsewhere, and he knew it – nor was he a paragon of patience. My mother would cook on the grill, but it was an exercise in efficiency, blistering hot dogs or browning burgers over white-hot Kingsford charcoal, brought dramatically to life in a conflagration of briquette, match and lighter fluid.

It was good and it felt like summer but, as I would one day discover, it wasn’t barbecue.

The first time I ever tasted something akin to the real thing was when my sister’s husband smoked ribs once in a converted oil drum. He’d cut a hatch at the base where he’d tend the coals and rigged grates on the inside.

It took all day to cook the meat he’d had specially butchered and while he was a no-sauce devotee, the end result was as glorious and exotic as anything I’d eaten at that point in my life. I had begun a quest that’s lasted to this day.

I suppose if I had those ribs again, they’d be OK, but you can’t keep ‘em down on the farm once they’ve seen Paree and I’ve been in the South too long to be that easily impressed by any old ribs. There’s something we do down here that’s less kitchen chores and more of a culinary event. And nowhere does the crown shine brighter than upon the brow of a prizewinning pitmaster.

So you can imagine my delight when I learned one of the most interesting joints in town, Count Porkula, was in the process of building a restaurant

y h w s ' t a h T . t i e v o l e “W

” . t i o t n we got i

this year, they opened their first brickand-mortar in Maumelle and soon they will be christening location number two on my turf, just north of Mississippi and Markham.

Todd says the first dish the duo perfected was ribs, and “perfected” is an apt term. They favor baby backs over spare ribs, apply their own proprietary seasoning and smoke it over a blend of oak, pecan and cherry. Mastering brisket came next and remains the meaty measuring stick against which Todd compares any competitor.

Count Porkula’s fare is unique in flavor, and doesn’t invite easy comparison to any of barbecue’s established taproots of Kansas City, Memphis, Carolina and Texas. That’s intentional, Todd says, the better to define “Arkansas style” barbecue.

“I don’t know if we’re considered the Arkansas style, but we hope we’re in the discussion,” he said. “Where we’re geographically located, we get to sample influences. We do a Texas brisket. We put a white sauce on our chicken like they do in Alabama. We do a sweet vinegary sauce like Memphis, Kansas City and St. Louis. We draw from different regions and use those influences in what we make. We feel like we’re not really copying, we’re just bringing in stuff from different regions and making it our own.”

When and where barbecue began depends on how malleable your definition is. In some cases, the smoke was used as a deterrent against insects on drying meat.

In other cases, such as with Caribbean barabicu, the smoke was the whole point.

A colorful, if less-believable tale, concerns a native person tethering a goat to a tree only to have said tree struck by lightning in a sudden storm, cooking the beast on the spot.

But for all that’s unknown about the dish’s origins, its importance as a culinary art form is without question. Not unlike the blues or the yardbird, barbecue was perfected by the poor and enslaved. People allotted cheaper and tougher cuts of meat and were left to do with it what they could. There’s a reason it takes so damn long to cook a brisket or ribs–– it’s to break down the meat into the succulent joy that we know today. Do it too fast – as I did one ill-fated Father’s Day, a victim of my upbringing – and you’re left with a slab of kevlar.

“Number one thing; you better really, really, really pay attention to your meat. How it’s cooked. How it’s smoked,” said Joe Kleine, former

right up the street from my house, thus proving God still held a good thought for me now and then.

“Love, man. We love it. That’s why we got into it,” said Walt Todd, who with Kelly Lovell, launched Count Porkula a few years back. “We didn’t start doing it as a business; we did it because we just like doing it.

It’s always been part of my family’s life: every Saturday and Sunday we were cooking on the grill outside. We started it for fun and it just grew.

Really, we do it because we just like it.”

Todd and Lovell met through mutual acquaintances and bonded over their shared passion for barbecue. Bouncing ideas and cooking techniques off of each other, they moved from the minor leagues of their own backyards, to competition cooking, to a food truck, to being the anchor tenant at The Railyard in Little Rock’s East Village. Earlier

28

“It’s always been part of my family’s life: Every Saturday and Sunday we were cooking on the grill outside.”

NBA star and co-owner of Corky’s in Little Rock and North Little Rock. “It’s not complicated at all, but it requires attention. You know what I’m saying? You have to be attentive to what you’re doing if you want your meat tender.”

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put a piece of lumber on a rotisserie. But if you forget, or if you cook it too high or cook it too long, then it’s extremely noticeable. That’s the thing you learn really quick; you’ve got to pay attention to what you’re doing.”

Kleine, who’s been in the barbecue business nearly 30 years, didn’t come out of basketball with a burning passion for opening a restaurant.

But with the right encouragement and the right business partner, he’s turned the Memphis-based franchise into a household name in Central Arkansas. It’s an exhausting task and never more difficult than it is today; barbecue might have started out a simple man’s dish, but in today’s economy that’s far from the case.

“You think you’ve seen it all and we’ve come to find out we haven’t seen Jack, you know?” Kleine said. “Yesterday I was up in the kitchen and

our freezers are full of sausage. I’m like OK, what’s going on? Our food distributor was like, ‘This stuff ’s getting ready to almost double in price.

So, you better load up.’ We had the same situation with chicken recently; one day I walk in there, and there’s hundreds of boxes of chicken. You’re just kind of sitting there going, ‘Good Lord.’”

In the face of such challenges, Kleine (whose favorite dish, by the way, is dry ribs which he sauces to taste) says the loyalty of the clientele, shown through thick and thin, are what sustains him. And barbecue fans are nothing if not loyal to the point of obsessed.

“I have people come up to me all the time and they’re like, ‘I like your barbecue, but you know, my ribs are better,’” Kleine said. “And I look at them and say, ‘You’re sitting on your patio cooking two slabs with a cold beer. If you can’t make better ribs than me, who’s trying to get out hamburgers and wraps and everything else, then something’s wrong.’

“I don’t take offense to that whatsoever, you know. Barbecue is like religion to a lot of people. We’re just blessed that they keep bringing us along and that we’ve been able to

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Barbecue AY’s ARKANSAS

Bucket List

PRESENTED BY Count Porkula

l Backyard Barbeque Co. Magnolia l Benny Bob’s Barbecue Blytheville ig Jake’s BBQ l B Texarkana

l Smokin' Buns BBQ & Catfish Jacksonville

rothers BBQ l B Heber Springs

l Smokin' Joe's Ribhouse Bentonville, Rogers

apitol Smokehouse & Grill l C Little Rock l Corky's Ribs & BBQ Various Locations

l Kibbs BBQ Stuttgart

ouch’s Log Cabin l C Trumann

indsey’s Hospitality House l L North Little Rock

l Count Porkula Little Rock, Maumelle

ucky Luke’s BBQ l L Fayetteville

raig’s Bar-B-Q l C De Valls Bluff

cClard’s Bar-B-Q l M Hot Springs

ixie Pig l D Blytheville

ick’s Bar-B-Q & Catfish l N Carlisle

ene’s Barbeque l G Brinkley

enguin Ed’s BBQ l P Fayetteville

.B.’s Bar-B-Q l H Little Rock

ivertowne BBQ l R Ozark

l Hog Pen BBQ Conway

l Sassy’s Red House Fayetteville

oots BBQ & Steaks l H McGehee

l Sauced Fayetteville

l J ones’ Bar-B-Q Diner Marianna

l Smokin' In Style Hot Springs

3

l Southfork Smokehouse Cave Springs tubby’s BBQ lS Hot Springs l The Mean Pig Cabot l Three Sam’s Barbeque Joint Mabelvale hole Hog Café l W Various Locations right’s Barbecue lW Fayetteville

Check off the Barbecue Bucket List as you visit a small sample of our favorite new places.

AY About You

Arkansas Bucket List Every Wednesday morning on KARK 4

aymag.com

recipes You will need

Smoky Crawfish Dip There’s something quintessential about crawfish in the South. This easy dip, which can be assembled in just half an hour, combines smoky crawfish, gooey cheese, and the sharp bite of scallions— perfect for barbecues and family get togethers all summer long!

By Nic Williams

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

1 lb. full-fat cream cheese, room temperature ¾ cup mayonnaise Juice of ½ lemon ½ tsp. garlic powder 2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning 2 drops liquid smoke (about 1/16th tsp.)

3 scallions, sliced crosswise and divided 8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded and divided 1 lb. crawfish tails, pre-cooked and shells removed Crackers, for serving

1. H eat oven to 350 degrees. Using a mixer or wooden spoon, beat the cream cheese,mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, and liquid smoke until well combined.

2. Using a rubber spatula or spoon, fold in 2/3 of the scallions and 5 oz. of cheese. Then fold in the crawfish tails. Pour dip into a 9x13-inch pan and top with the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted and begins to bubble, about 12-18 minutes.

3. Remove from the oven and lightly stir with a spoon. Top with the remaining scallions.

4. Serve with crackers.

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You will need

Potato Salad with Bacon Crumbles If I had to pick a favorite side dish for summertime grill sessions, this would have to be it.

The recipe can be doubled, or tripled, to suit whatever size crowd you are feeding!

By Kaitlin Barger

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

6-8 potatoes of your choice (I recommend gold or red) 1 cup mayo 1 tablespoon yellow mustard 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 bunch sliced green onions Dash of salt and pepper Paprika for garnish Handful of crumbled bacon

1. Add potatoes to a large pot, and enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are cooked well. (You should be able to stick a fork into them easily). Drain and let cool.

3. Cut cooked potatoes into quarters 4. In a bowl, mix mayo, mustard, garlic powder and green onions with potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Serve cold and top with paprika and crumbled bacon.

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food

Face Behind the Place:

n o s t a W a i c i l A with Vito & Vera

T

By JENNY BOULDEN // Photos By DAVID YERBY

here’s an appealing energy and authenticity to Chef Alicia Watson, owner of Little Rock culinary wellness business Vito and Vera, who in May, won the Food Network competition series, “Big Restaurant Bet.” What’s readily apparent about the charismatic Watson, whose brassy, alto speaking voice is edged with a holdover Chicago accent, is that she is a woman not just of impressive talent, but of deep convictions.

Chief among her convictions is that food is medicine. Watson firmly believes that plant-based eating is both optimal and delightful, that eating plant-based foods should be accessible, and a flexible approach that allows people to develop tastes for plant-based eating at the pace and level of commitment that feels best to them is going to be the most sustainable one.

“I’m always saying, ‘Change your plate. Change your life,” she says.

“We meet people where they are,” Watson explains. “Lately I’ve been getting a lot of pushback with people trying to educate me that plant-based eating is this or that, that we’re doing it wrong. But, we go with the Wikipedia definition of plant-based eating as ‘a diet of mostly plants.’ If that way of eating is intimidating to take on, we say, ‘Just order one lunch a week, then see how you feel afterwards, if you feel better or not.’ You don’t have to be hardcore about it. Just eat more plants.”

As a chef, Watson is a bit of a late bloomer. For 20 years, she’s worked as an occupational therapist. She didn’t even attend culinary school until she was 58, and her business is barely over two years old. And yet, already she has won a Food Network national competition. How that happened is an interesting story that speaks to her core mission and passion for changing lives.

Watson grew up in Chicago, heavily influenced by her grandparents, Vito and Vera Damiani, for whom her business is named.

Vera always had a flourishing garden, and Vito was a Chicago chef. The couple believed in enjoying lingering conversation over family dinners of fresh food prepared well. She says if, for instance, she brought her friends over and they requested hamburgers for dinner, Vito would first take a nice steak and put it through the meat grinder to do it right. “It might take seven years for dinner to be ready,” she says with a laugh, “but then it would be

Chef Alicia Watson proudly provides healthy dishes, full of color and flavor.

“I’m always saying, ‘Change your plate. Change your life.’”

of 2020. The idea was still considered “weird,” she says. No one else she knew was doing locally sourced, plant-based meals via a website. Then, the week after the site launched, restaurants began shutting down due to the pandemic. And surprisingly, this nascent culinary endeavor was just what people were suddenly demanding. “I didn’t have supply chain issues, because everything is local, and I can make meals out of whatever the farmers have available. I didn’t have to worry about an infected kitchen, because it was just me. The farmers met me outside. And we had contactless delivery.”

Plus, she says, as people looked for ways to enhance their health to be more resistant to the virus, the idea of eating a plant-based diet stopped sounding so foreign, and more health providers began recommending it.

Still, Watson’s schedule was brutal, and the work was unrelenting.

the best hamburger you ever tasted.”

It’s an attitude toward food and family that is ingrained in Watson’s core. She longs for a culture of unhurried meals and delicious food, shared among friends and loved ones. “Often in my private cheffing or catering, I’ll put together a kind of tapas meal, or charcuterie — foods that are shareable.”

Her Vito and Vera meals are proportioned to generally serve “oneand-a-half to two people,” she says.

Watson’s work in occupational therapy is what inspired her to become a chef in the first place. “I’d see my clients, especially the seniors, getting PT and OT and speech therapy, yet they still had comorbidities stacking up. I began to get really interested in reading the medical journals,” she explains. “That’s when I realized that food is medicine, and I became entranced with the whole plant-based idea.”

She dreamed of being able to educate more physicians and medical students on principles of culinary medicine. “If someone has inflammation, a doctor could suggest eating more pineapple, for instance.

Patients might resist, but why not give them a recipe that could help?” she asks.

Realizing the ways she could affect dietary changes as an occupational therapist were limited, Watson decided to get a culinary degree while working full time. So, she enrolled in the Culinary and Hospitality Management Institute at the University of Arkansas - Pulaski Technical College in Little Rock. The program didn’t have any classes about plant-based cooking (though Watson now teaches one), but she learned everything other chefs study to give her solid ground to innovate in plant-based cuisine on her own.

Vito and Vera offers freshly prepared, locally sourced, sustainable plant-based meals delivered each Sunday to patrons’ doorsteps. A recent week’s menu included a ‘Summer Bowl’ with Smashed Chickpea Salad (mixed greens, including spinach and kale; tomatoes; cucumbers; pickled beets; chickpeas; scallions; celery; fresh dill and plant-based mayo); ‘Longevity Soup’; ‘Edamame Dynamite Salad’ with Cashew-Lime Dressing; a plant-based ‘Crusade Burger’; Kimchi Fried Rice; several brownies and other salads and veggie dishes. While there is no meat in her products, occasionally she’ll use something that isn’t plant-based, but will put a “Dark Side” (she says with a wink) asterisk next to it to highlight that ingredient.

Orders for the week cut off at noon on Thursday. That afternoon, Watson places orders with farmers, all within a 60-mile radius of Little Rock, to pick up the next day. On Saturday, she and her part-time sous chef cook the meals, and on Sunday they deliver them. The rest of the week, Watson works as an OT full time.

She stays busy. It’s been, as most restaurateurs can attest from their own experiences, a trial by fire getting through her first year, though things are running smoother now.

Watson launched Vito & Vera as an e-commerce site in the spring

Burger and fries, Vito & Vera style

She had setbacks and occasional doubts about whether her endeavor had been a mistake. Then about a year after she opened the business, she got a call out of the blue. She calls it a gift from God. “I got a call from a producer in New York,” Watson says. “She was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m on your website, you’re talking about your grandparents, and I love your story!’ She asked me, ‘How would you like to go on a cooking competition?’”

Despite the fact that Food Network had no plant-based shows, including “Big Restaurant Bet,” Watson kept advancing through the selection process until finally, she was cast on the show which filmed for two weeks in November in Fort Myers, Florida. Watson declined the show’s hotel in favor of renting an Airbnb and driving down with her two “sanity” dogs and a friend to care for them while she was on set.

“All the other chefs were really young to me. They were really invested and had cajones, you know? Here I was, the little plant-based chef from Little Rock who drove down here with two dogs. I kept saying, ‘I want to showcase plant-based eating. I want to be on TV as long as possible, because I want people to see a different way.’ I didn’t think I would win.”

Yet Watson kept surprising everyone with her talents –– even herself.

“Every day, I was convinced I was going home. Our second challenge

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was the chicken challenge. Honestly, chicken makes me gag, so I was sure I’d be in the bottom two. But I spatchcocked the chickens to cook them quickly to the safe temp, then I made an amazing spicy-sweet lacquer sauce and got a nice crunch on the skin. And I ended up winning that challenge.”

Watson says the best thing to come out of the experience was that she evolved as a chef and feels more confident about having the skills to accompany her vision. And she’s getting more respect from her peers.

She also received the grand prize, $250,000 in Zakarian Hospitality services to be used to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant. On the show, she pitched a plant-based deli. But she says that given the current inflation and supply chain issues, those plans are back-burnered. “There’s a misconception I’m sitting on $250,000 in cash,” she says. “I’m not. At first, there was a flurry of calls, but now she says they’re discussing a different, more measured business plan that involves expanding into Northwest Arkansas, getting her products into local stores like Whole Foods and eventually launching a line of frozen meals. The Zakarian prize will be available down the road at what she hopes will be a better business climate for launching a restaurant.

“I sleep in the same bed. I still do OT every day; I have to keep the lights on. I didn’t wake up one day as a ‘Super Chef.’ But I do want to wake up one day and have Vito and Vera be my job every day.

For now, Watson is focused on serving the increasing number of Little Rock customers eager to try her food and give plant-based eating a go.

Watson says what’s most important for her to impart is that culinary wellness is a lifelong journey.

“There’s no perfect path. And everyone makes mistakes, but they don’t matter. The simplest things can make the biggest outcomes. And please don’t judge yourself by your failures, but by your success. I want everyone to be able to come and try to get a better health outcome, yet still love eating good food and enjoy life.”

Woods Place

in Camden is THE Place for

Southern Comfort & Hospitality

W

oods Place in Camden, Arkansas, is the perfect stop for a bite to eat on your next summer road trip, for gathering with family and friends on your next “staycation,” or simply for your Southern comfort food fix on date night.

Woods Place was founded in 1984, when owner James Woods purchased the establishment formerly known as Kreg’s Catfish in Camden. James changed the name to Woods Place, and the rest is history.

Now, nearly 40 years later, Woods Place continues its success as an award-winning restaurant and catering business, winning various awards including “Best Catfish” and “Best Plate Lunches” from local media.

With a staff including owner James, son Bryce & Weston Woods, and dozens of other friendly faces, each guest at Woods Place is treated as part of the family.

The award-winning menu features everything from fan-favorite fried pickles and fried jalapeño slices –– which are always served with Woods’ homemade ranch –– to delicious and filling catfish plates and their 10-piece oyster dinner.

Woods even offers a selection of “Southern Fa-

vorites” including chicken fried steak, hand-battered and breaded, deep fried and topped with their own creamy gravy, served with coleslaw, french fries or made-from-scratch mashed potatoes and gravy, and homemade yeast rolls.

And in true Southern fashion, be sure to order their refreshing sweet tea and top it all off with one of their homemade peach, chocolate, or apple fried pies.

Woods Place also has a private property called River Woods which is available to rent for weddings, class or family reunions, corporate functions, etc.

Located in the Garden Oaks Shopping Center at 1173 W. Washington St. in Camden, Woods Place conveniently offers dine-in, curbside pickup, catering, and even no-contact delivery to help satisfy all of your cravings.

870-836-0474 visit http://www.woodsplace.com

or stop by to order today!

arts & culture

THE TOURIST

becomes the

TOUR GUIDE

By Sarah Coleman

Cassidy Kendall

F

or those who enjoy traveling and visiting destinations that are well-known and wellworth it, it’s not uncommon to pick up books such as Kristy Owen’s “100 Things to Do in Austin Before You Die,” or Karen Nelson’s “100 Things to Do in Branson Before You Die,” or any of the rest of the Reedy Press series. Now, Arkansas’ own Cassidy Kendall has introduced the state and travelers to “100 Things to Do in Hot Springs Before You Die.” It’s Kendall’s inaugural book and one of the latest travel destination books in the “100 Things to Do Before You Die” series. As a travel guide, it introduces wanderers, Hot Springs locals, and Arkansans to the destination tucked into the heart of the Ozark Mountains.

Kendall, who is the publisher of The Hot Springs Post, didn’t grow up in Hot Springs, but she has been familiar with the familyfriendly vacation spot for most of her life. Hot Springs was introduced to Kendall as a vacation destination, somewhere she visited with her grandparents, to whom she dedicated the words within the pages of her first book. Prior to living in Hot Springs, she had many cherished memories of visiting the Spa City, including making stops at Pirate Cove (No. 48 in the book) and eating at Cafe 1217 (No. 17 in the book).

“I remember going to Pirate Cove, choosing the color of the ball and picking a prize at the end of the game. I remember coming on vacation here and just having the best memories with my grandparents,” Kendall said, emphasizing the role her grandparents played in making Hot Springs memorable.

As a south Arkansas native, Kendall attended the University of Central Arkansas, where she studied journalism. Upon graduating in Dec. 2018, and unsure about her next steps in life, she moved to Hot Springs where she began her career in journalism and became part of the community she once saw as a vacation destination.

“After working in local journalism, I decided that I wanted to freelance full time, and shortly after, I was put into contact with Reedy Press, who wanted a book for Hot Springs as part of the series that features tourist towns.”

To Kendall, Hot Springs was all things fun, the place where she formed unforgettable family memories.

“Growing up I had fond memories of Hot Springs, but I never knew it on the community side,” she said. Now, as a resident,

Courtesy of Casey Crocker

Kendall knows and loves the community-based factor that Hot Springs maintains.

“Living here has been really great. I love that I get to know it as a community that works so hard in preserving our history –– this is such a driven and caring community; they help make it great for the tourists and in return, the locals,” she said.

Reedy Press, the St. Louis-based publishing company, has published several books relating to travel. The national series includes more than 100 titles in print for “100 Things to Do Before You Die,” which features popular destinations laid out in guidebookstyle. According to Reedy Press, the bestselling local guidebooks are perfect for locals and tourists and contain ideal destinations for food and drink, music, entertainment, sports, recreation, culture, history, shopping and fashion.

In her book, Kendall describes her relationship with the popular tourist destination. “I had the rare opportunity to be reintroduced to the most magical place I had ever been, and while I still got to enjoy all the things I had before –– like the lake, nature and yes, still games of putt-putt at Pirate’s Cove –– I found there was a whole other world of beauty and magic to be experienced in Hot Springs, year-round.”

Reedy Press has published several new destinations within the series, with Hot Springs among the latest to be released. While Kendall viewed Hot Springs as a tourist destination with her own memories of the city, the destination has long been sought out by

42

Pirate’s Cove in Hot Springs

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aymag.com

From left, clockwise: Quapaw Baths; Oaklawn horse races; bike trails; Cafe 1217; World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Hot Springs

“I found there was a whole other world of beauty and magic to be experienced in Hot Springs, year-round.” others for a plethora of reasons.

The book features several places Kendall and fellow tourists and locals enjoy in the city, along with plans and suggested itineraries.

Among these itineraries are detailed plans for spending a day at the lake, immersing yourself in the local history, exploring the scenery, going out for a date night and more.

Nature lovers can take a dip in one of the many swimming holes at Lake Hamilton, drive through the picturesque mountains, see the city from new heights on a ropes course or find a trail to bike.

With Lake Ouachita and Lake Catherine nearby, renting a boat and enjoying a day on the water is also easily attainable.

Summer, fall, winter or spring — no matter the season, there are a multitude of reasons (100, to be exact) for anyone and everyone to make a trip to Hot Springs. As a tourist destination, there is seemingly always something happening in the Spa City, with annual events such as The Hot Springs Film Festival or The World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade drawing in locals and tourists.

“I love the film festival; I go every year to see as many film blocks as possible, and I already love fall, so the film festival gives me another reason to look forward to that time of year,” Kendall said. “It’s a

great time to go to the theater and view films and interact with each other in really glamorous ways. It’s a great experience.”

She also included helpful tips for travelers, such as pre-planning a gallery walk on First Friday Art Walk days and making time to visit the Josephine Tussaud Wax Museum.

Thermal waters have been a longstanding draw for tourists, with visitors traveling far and wide to take a dip in the thousands-ofyears-old waters, which are often regarded as having healing or magical properties.

As a tourist-turned local, Kendall says she has a great appreciation for the community-oriented aspect of Hot Springs.

“Everyone has seen the large tourist advertisements, and every time there’s something going on in Hot Springs, but if it wasn’t for our super great community, we would not have all these things that have existed for years and years, which is all made possible by the community members who strive and work to make this all happen,” she said.

The book, a touristic endeavor, was one that Kendall never expected to do, but had fun writing. “It was my first huge project as a freelance writer. It was a lot of fun and required lots of self- and

44

Courtesy of Casey Crocker

Courtesy of Casey Crocker

time-management,” she said.

Hot Springs means something different to everyone who lives or frequently vacations in the city that offers so much. From the horse races to the bathhouses, to the annual events such as Arts in the Park, the Spa City offers fun for family and friends, young and old. Whether you live, work, or just visit Hot Springs, “100 Things to Do in Hot Springs Before You Die,” is well worth diving .

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travel

Happenings HOT SPRINGS

JULY 2022

COMEDIAN BARRY WHITEWATER AND FRIENDS July 1 The Vapors Live

SPA CITY CLASSIC PICKLEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS July 7-10 Bank OZK Arena JORDAN DAVIS W/ SPECIAL GUEST GABLE BRADLEY July 16 Magic Springs Theme & Water Park

SONIC SLAM FT. CINDERELLA’S TOM KEIFER BAND, L.A. GUNS & FASTER PUSSYCAT July 2 Magic Springs Theme & Water Park

TOBYMAC LIVE July 9 Magic Springs Theme & Water Park

VANILLA ICE LIVE July 23 Magic Springs Theme & Water Park

INDEPENDENCE DAY FIREWORKS July 3 Lake Hamilton

HOT SPRINGS CONCERT BAND SUMMER SERIES | WHAT’S IN A NAME? July 11 Whittington Park

46

STUDDUCK BEERS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL July 23 & 24 128 Basset Tr., Lonsdale

HOT SPRINGS CONCERT BAND SUMMER SERIES | DANCE MUSIC July 25 Whittington Park

Meet us on The Rooftop at the best Hotel in Arkansas!

C

entrally located in the heart of downtown Hot Springs, The Waters Hotel offers luxury accommodations perfect for you to relax, explore and escape. The hotel features The Avenue, a full-service restaurant and a lounge overlooking Bathhouse Row and The Rooftop, a restaurant and bar where you can enjoy breathtaking mountain views. Our historic boutique hotel will leave you refreshed and eager to come back!

The Waters / 340 Central Avenue / Hot Springs, Ar. 501-321-0001 / www.TheWatersHS.com

aymag.com

FORGOTTEN SPACE– GRATEFUL DEAD TRIBUTE July 29 The Legendary Vapors

what’s happening in

HOT SPRINGS? Every month, AY About You will highlight the “happenings” of Hot Springs for our readers’ travel considerations. From Oaklawn to Bathhouse Row, live music to annual festivals, and the most delicious food to the coldest cocktails, we’ll have it all in this recurring travel guide to America’s First Resort.

FOR KING & COUNTRY W/ SPECIAL GUEST JONATHON TRAYLOR LIVE July 30 Magic Springs Theme & Water Park

To advertise in the next isue of AY, Call Amanda Moore at 501-282-5024 47

aymag.com

arts & culture

the

Unbroken Circle

By DWAIN HEBDA

Bob Robbins, 1944-2022

“There’s a blacktop road, a faded yellow center line; It can take you back to the place, But it can’t take you back in time.”

S

o goes a stanza from “Flies in the Butter” by The Judds, a wistful tune of lost innocence and fleeting youth.

It’s a deeper cut by the duo in more ways than one, recalling to memory happy experiences that faded too fast.

The tune was a favorite of legendary Arkansas radio personality Bob Robbins, and the fitting soundtrack for the thousands who mourn in the wake of his May 21 passing.

“I’d never heard [the song] before he introduced it to me. It was a song that always reminded him of his childhood,” said Jennifer Trafford-Hines, one of his on-air sidekicks and close friend. “Every

once in a while he’d say, ‘Put that song on,’ and we’d just listen to it. Sometimes, when we’d play it on the air, we’d sit in silence and both of us would just cry because it’s such a great song.

“The day he passed away I listened to that song. I listened to that song a ton that week because it always reminds me of him. A song like that, it just sums him up.”

Robbins’ oaken barrel of a voice graced the Arkansas airwaves for decades – with 1090 KAAY, then KSSN 96 for 30 years, and then since 2017, on 105.1 The Wolf. During that time, he became one of the most recognized and respected people in the music and broadcasting business, but the professional acclaim paled in comparison to the love his audience held for him.

“People in radio, our competition, would tease him sometimes and tell

“Bob was the hardestworking man in radio, and I know people always say that, but it was the truth.”

Trafford-Hines

Courtesy of Encyclopedia of Arkansas/Cody Lynn Berry

50

him, ‘You’re just a “Hello Darlin’, happy birthday” kind of show,’ but Bob really cared about people,” Trafford-Hines said. “Bob was the hardest-working man in radio, and I know people always say that, but it was the truth.

“The last go-around where we worked together, he had a car wreck that put him in the hospital, but by golly, he was at work the next morning. And one time, he had Bell’s palsy for a little while and it was really hard for him, but he did not miss a day of work. I was like, ‘Bob, you know you can take a day off.’

He said no, because radio really meant something to him.”

Robbins, born Bob Spears, knew his share of hardship and loss in life, which goes a long way in explaining his galvanized connection to his audience, whom he considered family. It also explains his many charitable causes, particularly those that benefited children. He was so closely associated with the annual Toy Hill drive supporting the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots program, that all who attended his visitation and funeral were asked to bring an unwrapped toy for the cause in his honor.

And that barely scratched the surface of the many ways in which he returned the love shown unto him by his adopted home state.

“Family and kids,” said fellow broadcast legend and contemporary, Tommy Smith, explaining Robbins’ passions.

“And as every good Arkansan should be, he was a fisherman, a hunter, all that stuff. He liked the great outdoors.”

Smith, whose friendship with Robbins goes back decades, at first seems an odd Pancho to the other’s Lefty.

Smith’s career was in rock and roll and he lived a lifestyle to match, complete with epic falls and gallant comebacks

Courtesy of Stephanie Spears

“He was a classic country guy, one of the old-school ones.” from various well-documented vices.

Robbins escaped a lot of that controversy, as his career played out in the perceived cleaner-cut confines of country music. But in reality, Smith said, there was more in common between the two than met the eye.

“Bob and me, we weren’t easy to put up with 20 years ago,” Smith said. “Bob and I were rascals. We were rascals who slowly but surely time caught up with.

But he was always just Bob. He never tried to impress anybody. I know you hear it all the time, but I never saw Bob mad at anyone. And I’m sure he was at times, but he was just a good ol’ boy, an Arkansan.”

“Whenever I needed advice on my

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Courtesy of Stephanie Spears

career, he gave it to me. He told me a long time ago, ‘You don’t drive a pickup truck, you don’t fish, you don’t hunt, you don’t own a gun, but half your listeners do. Remember that.’ I always stuck to that.”

Robbins’ what-you-see-is-what-youget authenticity never changed, even as he grew to first-name basis with the biggest names in country music or and was recognized by the industry. Among his many awards was Broadcast Personality of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1996 and a 2008 induction into the Country Radio Broadcasters’ DJ Hall of Fame.

The only thing he couldn’t do gracefully was accept the changes that came to radio, and the country music genre in particular, Trafford-Hines said.

“He was a classic country guy, one of the old-school ones,” she said. “He was

Among his many awards was Broadcast Personality of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1996 and a 2008 induction into the Country Radio Broadcasters’ DJ Hall of Fame.

52

“He was just a good ol’ boy, an Arkansan.”

Tommy Smith

Courtesy of Stephanie Spears

so excited to go to The Wolf, for the music. Once country singers started wearing baseball caps turned around backwards, he was just livid about that. He’d say, ‘I can’t stand that they wear their hats backwards. It’s just not right.’

“Even when everything was changing behind the scenes and our bosses would bring in consultants, Bob never listened to them. They’d be like, ‘Bob, it’s ridiculous that you feel the need to say ‘Happy Birthday’ to anybody that calls in.’ Bob said, ‘Well, too bad because I’m not going to stop doing that.’ And he

would say happy birthday to whoever was calling in. They’d start calling at five in the morning, ‘Bob, can you say happy birthday?’ And he made sure that he got every single person’s name because he thought, ‘You know what? That may not matter to anybody else listening, but it matters to them.’”

With the announcement of his passing, tributes from fans poured in from everywhere. People told of the deep connection they felt with the man who reached millions over his career, yet still somehow talked directly to them, one at

53

a time. Co-workers like Trammel, and competitors like the nationally syndicated Bobby Bones, all said there’d never be another like him – that there goes, in the words of Tom Petty – the last DJ. “He was the last of my kind,” Smith said. “I learned, learned, learned so much from that guy. One of those things was even if you don’t like someone, be nice to them and move on. He was just that kind of guy. You’ll never hear me say anything bad about Bob, and if I hear anybody say anything bad about Bob, I’ll want to know why.”

aymag.com

sports

TOUCHING

all the

Bases

By DWAIN HEBDA Photos By DAVID YERBY

New business seeks to harness power of sports to teach life lessons

L

ike a lot of kids from their generation, Jason Bradley and Jerry Bruce grew up on the ballfields of their youth. Whatever was in season, or whatever the group assembled to do, that was the game of choice. Both were talented enough to graduate from the playground to the ranks of organized sports, excelling at the high school level and beyond.

But ask either of the Pine Bluff natives today what the real value of their athletic competition was, and they don’t talk of batting averages, touchdowns scored or trophies won. Instead, they preach on the work and discipline required to excel, and the unique blend of individual accountability and commitment to teamwork that sports require.

“If we did percentages on presidents, doctors, any leader in the country, no matter what race, ethnicity or gender, sports are a driving force in helping build those leadership skills,” Bruce said. “I have a saying with the teams that I have: ‘We’re using the game of baseball.’

We’re using it to build professionals within the youth so when they’re adults, they’ll have

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quality character; they’ll know how to handle adversity; they’ll know how to be a part of a team; they’ll know how to have commitments and stick to those commitments and follow through.”

If that sounds like a coach talking, that’s precisely what Bruce has been throughout his professional life. And if it sounds like a noble cause, that’s exactly what he and Bradley have built their new venture around with Beyond Sports Lab. The North Little Rock training facility, which opened at the first of the year, seeks to reinforce life lessons while training young athletes to be their best.

“I can teach a kid how to hit, I can teach him how to pitch, I can teach him how to field, but it’s just amazing what sports can do with those same attributes,” Bruce said. “We’re looking at things that can win games but ultimately what we’re trying to do is and the big picture is, in my opinion, we’re trying to help build Major League citizens.”

The business comes online during a shaky period in baseball’s history insofar as attracting young participants and fans. USA Today reported in 2017 that less than 7% of its viewers are under age 18, and the Great American Pastime has had similar struggles attracting players as it once did. This is particularly true among inner-city youth, who once saw baseball as a way out of dire circumstances, but now have left in droves for football and basketball as a way up.

The struggles of Little League and schoolbased baseball teams in attracting athletes has been blamed on everything from the pace of the game being too slow for today’s youth to the fears parents have of the safety of their kids playing outdoors. Bradley and Bruce have another, more direct explanation as to why the game has lost its hold on key demographic groups of players.

“It’s a conversation that a lot of people don’t want to talk about,” Bruce said. “Minority youth don’t have the opportunity to get pitching lessons, hitting lessons. They don’t get a chance to really learn the right way to play baseball, which turns into lack of a skill set. This isn’t just within this community or Arkansas, but really all across the country.

“It’s like anything else in life, if you don’t have the proper resources or if you don’t have the proper knowledge or wherewithal to know how to do something, then you won’t be able to grow a love for it, and you won’t feel like it’s for you.”

Bradley said the situation in baseball is a vicious cycle: As fewer young Black players get in, fewer advance to the upper echelons of the sport. Even the Razorbacks’ success of late doesn’t hold an inner-city kid’s attention like the NBA or NFL, where Black athletes are far

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I know that we’re supposed to do our part. I know that there are hundreds or thousands of kids that we can impact. more prominent, Bruce said.

“Growing up in Pine Bluff, we loved baseball. Baseball is like the thing to do,” Bradley said.

“We’d go outside and play catch, play ball. When we watched TV, Major League Baseball, minorities were featured in the advertisements and commercials — from Deion Sanders to Marquis Grissom to David Justice to Fred McGriff and Barry Bonds and Rickey Henderson. We knew those names. Those were household names. I was able to see those guys and be like, ‘Oh, that guy looks like me.’ Our kids now, they don’t see that.”

These realities led the entrepreneurs to their current business venture, a facility that not only provided excellent coaching and strong male role models, but a minority-owned business that understood the background and challenges of its clientele, starting with economics. One-onone coaching is far more affordable here than at other training facilities, where fees can run upwards of $100 an hour, or even by the half-hour, well out of reach for most single-parent and low-income households.

But even charging less doesn’t reach everyone, and so the partners are working to secure sponsorships by which any kid can afford to get lessons and develop a love for the game. This missiondriven approach to a for-profit business is another way Beyond Sports Lab sets itself apart.

“We live off sponsorships,” Bradley said. “That’s our bread and butter. We sell sponsorships in order to basically adopt kids to come out and train. We definitely push that when talking to big corporations or small corporations.”

Though still in its early stages, the partners have big plans for the future of the company by

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We’re using it to build professionals within the youth so when they’re adults, they’ll have quality character. expanding its focus to other sports. Softball is the most logical next step, but they’d also like to eventually cater to other athletes to work on specific skills or general athletic attributes like speed and explosiveness.

“We don’t want to count our eggs before they hatch, but at the same time, in terms of softball, softball is the same exact setup. So just copy and paste what we’ve done for baseball,” Bradley said. “With other sports, our goal is to make it an all-inclusive thing where maybe soccer teams come in and rent the facility or even maybe a track team, if it’s too wet outside and they want to come in and work on explosiveness, etc.

“That’s why our name is what it is, Beyond Sports. We want to be able to allow our facility to bring kids in and help them train on their skills within their sport, so they have an environment and a culture that builds them up kids beyond just sports.”

Bruce added, “The response has been great.

We’re taking it slow. This is a marathon for us.

We don’t have to do everything in one month and two months and six months. We’re taking our time and continuing to work on building the foundation first.

“I may not be here to see all these kids grow up and be all they can be, but I know that we’re supposed to do our part. I know that there are hundreds or thousands of kids that we can impact. And I know that they’re going to be better off from being around and involved in what we’re doing.”

Beyond Sports Lab 1600 E. 5th Street, North Little Rock (501) 310-2524 Find them on Facebook

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FREE LIVE MUSIC | OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | FOOD TRUCKS | DOG-FRIENDLY | ALL AGES WELCOME

featuring Gina Chavez July 24, 2022, 7 p.m. northlittlerock.org Argenta Plaza @exploreNLR 510 Main St., North Little Rock #explorenlr Food trucks and Flyway Brewing will serve at 5:30 p.m. No outside alcohol allowed unless purchased at an Argenta restaurant or bar. No coolers.

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f you’ve ever thought about getting your ink, your time will soon be here, Arkansas. This month, the 2nd Annual Little Rock Tattoo Festival will roll into downtown, bringing with it some of the best and most skilled tattoo artists from across the United States, turning human canvases into living, breathing vibrant works of art.

Stephen “Mo” Monnet, owner of The Electric Panther in Cabot and Little Rock and one of the featured artists at the upcoming show, said it’s good to see so many conventions getting back on track, including in Arkansas.

“As a tattooer, if you are from out of town, [conventions] let you travel around and help get your name out there, so that maybe one day you might get sponsors or even network and meet other good artists and learn from them or go work for them,” he said. “Also, when I go to New York or Chicago, I can charge the going rate, which is double there what it is here. And all that money is cash money in your hand.

“Corona stopped the shows for a little bit. In 2019, I did 24 shows. In 2020, I had 20-something shows scheduled and corona happened, and then no conventions really happened again until mid 2021. I did a few, and then this year, I’ve tried not to do any, and I’ve already done 10.”

The Little Rock show, which will be held at the Statehouse Convention Center, comes at a time when the $1.1 billion domestic tattoo industry is running at, or near, alltime highs when it comes to people seeking their designs. IBISWorld reports there are more than 25,000 tattoo parlors in the U.S. and more than 30,000 artists and still, bookings are filled for months, even a year in advance at many locations.

“I’ve been tattooing for 12 years, and when they let us go back to work, I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Dylan Clark of The Old Rose in Arkadelphia, who will also be a featured artist in Little Rock. “I mean, we usually have a busy season and a slow season, and that’s all really shifted and very strange now. As far as a pick up in business, it’s probably better now than it was before COVID. I don’t have a reason for that, but that seems to be the going rate.”

Monnet said, “I feel like people are getting way more comfortable and going to way more shows and events, and it’s way more packed than it has been in the last two years. So, things are definitely getting back to normal, and I would assume that this show is going to be busier this year. I know there’s a lot more out-of-town talent and really good reputable artists that didn’t attend last year, so this year there’s going to be some really talented people there, and it should be worth going to.”

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Stephen “Mo” Monnet @monnet_tattoo

Dixie Deyné @dixiedeyne

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The tattoo market is a far cry from what it was in 2020, when tattoo shops were among the first to get shut down over health concerns, placing the future of many of these businesses in grave jeopardy. And the current boom is a stunning about-face from January of last year, when officials were so slow to reopen tattoo parlors, some shop owners sued for the right to go back to work, the case of Black Raven Tattoo in California being one of the more famous examples.

“The heart of it was our First Amendment right,” Black Raven’s owner Tiffany Garcia-Mitchell told NPR last year. “Tattooing is a protected art form under the Constitution, and so that’s what we were targeting to ensure that we can continue to, you know, maintain and operate under our, you know, protected constitutional rights.”

As part of this tattoo revival, conventions are springing up all over the United States. Villain Arts, the Philadelphia-based promotions company behind the Little Rock event, lists 24 events for 2022, throughout the South, Midwest and Eastern seaboard. The conventions are one part traveling road show, one part living classroom, one part trade show and one part competition, with awards given for the best day’s artwork as well as best of show.

The biggest advantage for prospective clients, said Tony Henson of The Old Rose in Arkadelphia, is getting to experience different styles of ink masters from all over the country, under one roof.

“A convention is a great way for clients to be able to come in and kind of see what tattoo artists are doing out there,” he said. “There’s so many great tattoo artists right now in this industry. It really gives people a chance to see it. Maybe they only go to one shop and one tattoo artist, and that’s what they’re used to seeing every day or whenever they go get work done.

“If they get a chance to go see a hundred different artists, they get to see a variety of what people are doing out there and what’s possible. The possibilities of different tattoo artists and different

styles are showcased. It’s really a great thing for both artists and customers.”

Similarly, most artists enjoy the opportunity to talk shop and soak in the techniques of colleagues from across the country and, depending on the show, with international artists as well.

“For me as an artist, it gives me an opportunity to be inspired by other artists because what’s going to happen. You’re going to have artists coming in from all over the country and sometimes other parts of the world for these events,” said Dixie Deyné, tattoo artist with Flipper’s Skin Flix in Bridge City, Texas.

“It gives you a chance to network with other artists and other shops. Some of us do enjoy traveling so we might like to do guest spots, and we might meet somebody from another part of the country that we might go visit. Also, it gives us an opportunity to see other styles of tattooing. The art form is really exploding right now, and there are so many different styles and amazing artists coming into the field.”

There was a time when an event such as the Little Rock Tattoo Festival would be described as celebrating the counterculture, but that’s hardly accurate anymore. While it’s true that tattoos have their roots in the marginalized and socially outcast populations of bikers, criminals and circus sideshows, much of the shock value of tattoos is long gone. According to ModernGentleman.net, 40% of 18- to 34-year-olds have a tattoo, and 33% of that demographic pool have more than one.

“It just continues to grow, despite COVID,” Henson said. “I mean, when I first started tattooing in the early 2000s, you would look at magazines, and you pretty much saw the same thing over and over and over again. A lot of American traditional. And then you saw the guys who were venturing outside of that and doing realism, color realism, people who were bringing traditional Japanese over here and bringing that into the limelight.

“Now you have a generation of just amazing artists out there who have picked up on those little tidbits here and there and just expanded. I think that’s where we’re seeing our industry grow, is because of so many good artists out there, and they’re all putting their own twist on some of the older style stuff. Also, with social media and the internet being as powerful as it is right now, it forces tattoo artists to get better because if you don’t continue to push yourself, you’re going to get left behind.”

The single largest age group to have a tattoo are Millennials, the vast numbers of whom might explain why tattoos have gained such rapid acceptance in the workplace and society in general. Consider, even though 63% of

Tony Henson @tonyhenson_rebelsouls

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people over 60 don’t approve of tattoos in the workplace per ModernGentleman.net, 70% of Millennial parents approve of a tattooed person in a professional or service role, including childcare.

This new acceptance has brought in a generation of clients who approach tattoos from a different perspective.

“When I started, there was flash [sample tattoos] all over the walls and people would walk in and actually look at it and be interested in some of it. That’s not so much a thing anymore,” Clark said. “Most of the time, they pull their phone out and show it to you. It’s like your phone has unlimited flash in it, you know?

“I would like to see a shift back towards designs that are just like, little handwritten words and stuff like that. I’m not knocking anybody; if that’s their thing and they like that, that’s cool, but I think some of the stuff is a little tacky. Like this trend of upside-down tattoos, I want it to face me. Some of that stuff, I’m not real crazy about, but again, to each their own.”

The industry itself has spurred this new acceptance by operating shops that are cleaner, brighter and more customer-centric than a generation ago. Once relegated to seedy areas along the docks or sketchy bar districts, shops have improved their image by locating in ordinary strip malls or stand-alone shops in retail areas and business districts. What’s more, reality and competition TV have spawned several tattoo-themed shows, and legions of top college and professional athletes’ have continued to push the art form into the mainstream.

One additional trend within the ranks of tattoo artists is diversification.

According to career website Zippia.com, women represent 25 percent of tattoo artists in the U.S., a nearly 10% jump between 2010 and 2019, led by a 14% jump between 2014 and 2015 alone.

“It definitely seems like more and more women are coming into the industry,” Deyné said. “It seemed to be very male-dominated when I started, but times change, people change, people shift. There are a lot of women that are starting their own shops and really pushing the industry forward now.

And it could have just seemed that way because of where I was. I didn’t necessarily have a sampling of the world of artists at the time. But I see a lot of amazing women really reaching the top ranks, which is awesome.

“I learned how to tattoo in a military town with busy street shops. I was very much taught every style and that you needed to be versatile in every single style because it was walk-in traffic. So, you needed to be able to accomplish whatever that walk-in wanted. Moving forward in my career, what I love about that is now I can create sort of mixed pieces. I can play with different styles and put them together, which really opens up the artistic side of things.”

Whatever is driving the traffic and trends, one thing has remained constant — the tattooer’s art is an intensely personal one, both for the client and for the artist.

“I did my first tattoo at 13 years old,” Monnet said. “I was part of some group homes and orphanages in Little Rock. It was kind of like I was a weird white kid who can draw, and everybody would be like, ‘Yeah, do a tatt on me, bro.’ I would do tattoos as kind of like my little side hustle or hobby.

“It wasn’t until I was a little older, actually 18, and a girl downtown [Little Rock] named Brittany at the Dark Side on Third and Main did a really sick tat on me. Like, a really nice tattoo, and I was like, ‘Wow, man!

You can do really good art and do tattoos.’ I just kind of changed my mind and started to apply myself and kind of chased that dream. Still chasing that dream, bro.”

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Dylan Clark @honestdylan.ftw

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By Emily Beirne, Sarah Coleman, Katie Zakrzewski and Lindsey Castrellon.

Photos by Terrance Armstard, Ebony Blevins, Austin Castrellon, Philip Thomas, Brittany Trabbic and David Yerby.

For years, AY About You has produced an annual listing of accomplished Arkansas women every October, known simply as AY’s “Intriguing Women.” In 2022, AY is proud to once again present its brother to Intriguing Women: AY’s “Men of Distinction.”

This exclusive listing highlights Arkansas men who have distinguished themselves from the crowd. It is both a celebration and elevation of the original talents and traits that the men of Arkansas possess, no matter the vocation. They could be financial and marketing gurus, health care professionals, pest control experts and so on.

The broad brush serves as an example that there is not only one way to find success in a state as diverse and rich with talent as Arkansas, nor is there one mold to fit to distinguish yourself from the crowd.

AY is proud to present our 2022 Men of Distinction.

We Would Like to Express a Special Thanks to This Year’s Sponsors:

GEORGE B. MCGILL |OCCUPATION| Mayor, City of Fort Smith |EDUCATION| B.S. in Education and M.A. in Business, University of Arkansas |HOMETOWN| Fort Smith |FAVORITE BEER| George McGill Amber Ale

George McGill was elected as the first African American mayor of Fort Smith in August 2018. McGill is a trailblazer who has used his dedication to public service to advance the common good at the federal, state and local levels. Prior to his election as mayor, McGill represented Fort Smith, his hometown, in the Arkansas House of Representatives for three terms. As a state representative for District 78, he earned the respect of his legislative peers on both sides of the political aisle.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? My silver hair. People will tell me, ‘I saw you the other day, and I knew it was you because of your hair.’ That, and I don’t meet many strangers.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” A good man gives his spare time to those in need. We don’t have much spare time, but a good man will give whatever spare time he has to make a difference.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? Certainly, becoming the first African American mayor of Fort Smith, Arkansas, the third-largest city in the state. And the fact that they gave me second term without any opposition.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? I can walk into any place in Fort Smith, or the River Valley, and be whole-heartedly welcome simply because I’m the mayor. My goal is to make people proud of the city they live in, the city they call home.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My mother was a major force in my life, and my dad was an amazing man. He had the demeanor of a saint, but the strength of an ox. He worked hard and was the protector of his family and everyone in our community. He was a minister and spiritual leader.

He always put his family first. He would buy his clothes from the thrift store so that he could take us to the department store to pick out something new.

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WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE. WHEN WE SERVE, IT MAKES OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, CITIES, AND OUR NATION BETTER.

2022

JUSTIN MINTON

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|OCCUPATION| Attorney, Minton Law Firm

WE SUFFER MORE OFTEN IN IMAGINATION THAN IN REALITY.” -SENECA

|HOMETOWN| Story, Arkansas |FAVORITE BEVERAGE| Sweet Tea Justin Minton was born in Fayetteville in 1977. Passionate about being a lawyer, Minton is also a dedicated conservationist and enjoys hunting in his spare time. He is married with four kids, three dogs and a cat.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? I am a former insurance adjuster turned personal injury attorney, so I’ve seen behind the curtain, so to speak.

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? When I was fresh out of law school, after a contested hearing, the opposing attorney, Gary Eubanks, approached me about taking over his Hot Springs practice. It was very flattering because he had been practicing longer than I had been alive. We became partners for several years until he retired. He was a great mentor, and we are still friends to this day.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN” ?

Someone who I can trust with my money and my wife.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Quiet confidence.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? Don’t commit to it just because you like to argue. Go shadow an attorney or intern at a law office to see if you truly enjoy it. Practicing law can be very stressful.

You’ve agreed to make another person’s problems, your problems (in addition to your own life stresses), and that many problems can be very hard to deal with sometimes.

Make sure you truly love it before committing to it.

DUSHUN L. SCARBROUGH, SR. |OCCUPATION| Executive Director, Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission |EDUCATION| Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas Master of Counselor Education, Florida A&M University; Master of Business Administration, Webster University in Orlando, Florida; J.D., Juris Doctorate Law, Western Michigan University School of Law |HOMETOWN| Little Rock, born and raised |FAVORITE RESTAURANT| The Cheesecake Factory |FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Lemonade (without alcohol) DuShun has a positive attitude and is a team player. He likes empowering communities with different ideas, which is sometimes difficult, he says, because people don’t like change and unfamiliarity. He grew up in a gang-ridden area of Little Rock, but says he was able to overcome by not becoming a statistic but becoming a productive product of his environment.

The Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission serves all people, DuShun emphasizes, because Dr. King was for all and invited all to be a part of his work regardless of race, creed, color or religion.

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? My first taste of success came as a teenager. I had a brief stint as a rapper, musician and made my first tape/record.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? I received the Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major Award from the United States Department of Education on the 50th anniversary of his passing.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? I learned that life is precious and uncertain – things can change in an instant. We take small things for granted, such as time with family and the privilege to wake up every day.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. because he made courageous decisions and was not afraid to go against the grain and the social and cultural mores of his time. Today, his principles of nonviolence are lauded worldwide even though people said they would never work.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? My advice is to work hard. If you’ve ever watched a track meet, you’ll notice that the runners slow down when they keep looking back, even when they’re winning. When you look back, you start falling behind. Don’t look back, don’t look at the person in the other lane. Don’t be afraid to work outside of the box. If there isn’t a box available, create one. Don’t panic, pivot.

2022

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IT’S NOT WHAT PEOPLE SAY OR DO, IT’S HOW YOU RESPOND.

JARED R. SPENCER, MD |OCCUPATION| Founder, Ozark Facial Plastic Surgery and Aesthetics |HOMETOWN| Pocatello, Idaho; Moved to Arkansas in 2009 as the first and only board-certified and fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon in NWA. For Dr. Jared Spencer, the most important endeavor in his life is to be a good father. He says if he is remembered for anything, that is what he would want it to be. He loves his children dearly. Dr. Spencer has four children — three boys (ages 14, 12 and 6) and one 10-year-old daughter. He is generally fun-loving and enjoys going on adventures with his family.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? I completed the St. George Utah Half Ironman in just under six hours which was my goal. I am mainly proud to just have survived. It was a great experience, and I made many lifelong friends who I trained with and keep in touch with.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I was in a clogging and singing group as a young teenager called “KC and the Sunshine Kids” in Pocatello, Idaho. I still do not know how my mother convinced my brother and me to participate, but I think it had something to do with the fact that there were some cute girls in the group as well.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? I love helping people look and feel their best. What I do can be truly transformative for my patients. Most patients do not want a drastic change, but instead want to feel refreshed. I help my patients look rejuvenated and natural, but most importantly, I help restore their confidence.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? The most important thing to remember is to treat everyone who is sharing and contributing to your life and career with as much kindness and respect as possible. I hope everyone I work with feels very appreciated for their contributions to our growing, successful practice and I hope my patients feel how thankful I am that they chose me as their preferred surgeon.

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STAND FOR SOMETHING.

2022

JASON ALLEY |OCCUPATION| Owner and Area Developer of Rock n’ Roll Sushi |HOMETOWN| Little Rock |FAVORITE RESTAURANT| The Pantry Jason Alley’s first taste of success was in 2014 when he bought his first restaurant. A muscle car and exotic car enthusiast, Alley wants to open a shop that restores and customizes relics from the past when he retires. Alley offers a few pieces of advice to those who want to follow in his footsteps: A strong work ethic and good communication skills can be your greatest assets in business. Building relationships within your field of passion can lead to huge opportunities down the road. And take care of the people around you.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? I admire men who are well-rounded in their lives. The ability to be knowledgeable about many things across a broad spectrum has always intrigued me.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? My greatest accomplishment was when I learned that mistakes and failures are necessary for growth. My greatest success came when I was able to get past my failures and use them to learn and build.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? I love having the ability to change others’ lives by offering opportunities for them to grow within my business. It gives me great pride when a co-worker is able to provide a better quality of life for their family because of something I helped create.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? Patience. I watched to see what my fellow industry leaders were doing well, or not so well, and based my business decisions on my observations. Little Rock is lucky to have so many talented business owners. I took a lot of advice from many of them, and I am grateful for their insights.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR? I want to be remembered for being a loving and caring husband to my wife, Amanda, and a great father to my two children, Elias and Giuliana. My family is the most important thing to me, and I want to be remembered for doing everything I could to show my dedication and love to them. Everything I do is for them!

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AND WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE .

-ROMANS 8:28

2022

BOB BUSHMIAER |OCCUPATION| Associate Broker The Janet Jones Company |HOMETOWN| Little Rock |FAVORITE BEER| Lost Forty 2nd Rodeo Bob Bushmiaer has been in the residential real estate industry for over 18 years. He is a Sales Associate and Associate Broker at The Janet Jones Company in Little Rock. As a local, he has unsurpassed familiarity with trends that shape neighborhoods, schools and local businesses.

Bushmiaer has provided the utmost professional and individualized attention to all of his clients throughout his distinguished career, helping clients buy and sell more than $100 million in total volume.

His clients frequently trust him with repeat and referral business, and he finds returning customers to be his highest compliment. Bushmiaer has been married to his wife, Katie, for 11 years, and together they are proud supporters of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and enjoys supporting local shops and restaurants.

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? Obtaining my Broker’s License in 2011 and being asked to assist other agents at The Janet Jones Company with their contracts and transactions.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” A good man is someone who can be trusted and counted on to do what he says he will do.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? The friendships and lifelong relationships made throughout my career as a Sales Associate and Associate Broker at The Janet Jones Company.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? Don’t be afraid to try something new or different as long as you are committed to putting in the hard work necessary to be successful.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Playing golf and traveling with my beautiful wife, Katie.

2022

CHASE CALHOUN |OCCUPATION| Owner, Apex Real Estate Investments and Calhoun Custom Construction |HOMETOWN| From the San Francisco Bay area; moved to Little Rock five years ago.

According to Chase Calhoun, people have long believed that he is crazy. People thought he was crazy when he told them he was moving to Arkansas to invest in real estate, and people thought he was crazy for the properties he took a chance on restoring. Now, Calhoun is a “selfmade” millionaire and the only Arkansas member of the “Tribe of Millionaires” GoBundance, so it’s safe to say he did something right. When he’s not revitalizing properties and bringing new life to communities, Calhoun enjoys spending time and traveling with his family.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? 1. I sold everything to move here and invest in real estate. I camped out on the floor (with my now wife, son and dog) to remodel my first rental property that I had bought from California, sight unseen.

2. I dropped out of high school my junior year to go to work full time.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? Take action even when it’s overwhelming or stressful; don’t give up; work on yourself as much, or more, than your business. You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with, so choose wisely.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Brazilian jiujitsu.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? To keep pushing forward even when others are scared.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Discipline, integrity and hard work.

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2022

CARL CARTER, JR. |OCCUPATION| Account Executive, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield |HOMETOWN| Little Rock |EDUCATION| MBA, UALR; Executive Master of Public Service from Clinton School |FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Cabernet Sauvignon Carl is proud of his strong work ethic and the level of ownership he brings to his projects.

He is grateful for the opportunity to help people navigate their health care journey.

The health care system is complex, and he strives daily to help make it easier for those he is honored to serve.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” A “good man” accepts responsibility and holds himself accountable. He loves and protects others and boldly faces those seeking to do harm. Additionally, while he may have a personal belief system, he recognizes it should not be forced upon others.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I absolutely loathe the saying, “Everything happens for a reason.” I’ve been on the receiving end of that wellintended phrase hundreds of times since my mother’s murder, and it offers me zero solace.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? I learned the value of a good hug. Virtual meetings are fine but, when given the chance, I will choose a face-toface meeting every time.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR? The greatest legacy I can leave is if my three children maintain their sweet, kind spirits and make a positive difference in the world.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My mom, Beverly, is my greatest source of inspiration.

She lived her life with such grace, energy and enthusiasm. I’m in awe of the educational, financial and emotional challenges she overcame with her resilient, positive spirit.

“

THERE’S TWO BUTTONS I NEVER LIKE TO HIT, ALRIGHT? AND THAT’S ‘PANIC’ AND ‘SNOOZE.’ ” -TED LASSO

2022

TOM CHANDLER |OCCUPATION| Interior Designer/Owner, Tom Chandler and Associates |HOMETOWN| Born in Jonesboro |EDUCATION| Oklahoma Baptist University |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Cache |FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Dirty vodka martini with blue cheese olives, shaken not stirred Something that distinguishes Tom from others is his ability to be open-minded and receptive to new ideas and others’ suggestions. To him, a “good man” is a good provider for his loved ones, has faith in God, and is willing to help others. He hopes to be remembered for treating everyone equally, no matter their financial or social status. Tom says it is important to believe in miracles because they do happen, and firmly believes that life is better when you have learned to laugh at yourself.

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? When I realized my God-given ability for design, success was inevitable.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? My Tuesday night job in the fall is teaching Interior Design. More than 12,000 students have taken my class over the last 40 years.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? My work is my hobby.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I only have one pair of shoes: I buy one pair of Birkenstocks each year on my birthday.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? Working with a great team, and the reveal with my clients and seeing their reaction to our design.

2022

JOE COOK |OCCUPATION| Jonesboro Store Manager & Board Member; Sissy’s Log Cabin |HOMETOWN| Rison |EDUCATION| University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; Gemological Institute of America |FAVORITE RESTAURANT /BAR| Omar’s Uptown |HOW DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER YOU?| My faith in Christ is everything to me.

My wife and I go to Central Baptist Church in Jonesboro and being connected to our church family is very important to us.

Joe Cook’s drive for success is something that has always made him stand out from others. He believes that achieving success is ongoing – there are always opportunities to strive harder. Thomas J. Watson once said, “Whenever an individual or a business decides that success has been attained, progress stops,” and that’s something Cook keeps in mind every step of the way.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” I believe there is so much value in treating everyone with respect, and a large part of that is being a man of your word.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? Working at Sissy’s enables me to help people through all seasons of life. Whether it’s helping them pick out a new piece of jewelry or our customers trusting us to reimagine a family heirloom – we truly love serving our community. Because of the legacy that Sissy has built, we are able to do so much for people who visit our store and that really is one of the best parts of this job. Sissy always said, “You have two hands for a reason. One is to receive, and one is to give.”

WHAT IS YOU PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? My family is my proudest accomplishment. I’ve been married to my wife, Blair, for 10 years, and we have two beautiful children, Knox and Khloe.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? I am an avid hunter. I enjoy deer, duck and turkey hunting in Arkansas as well as outside the state. My wife and I just took our first elk hunting trip, and we have another planned for next year. Outside of hunting, I enjoy the outdoors, playing golf and spending time with my family.

2022

JUSTIN DUBAR

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WHAT IF IT CAN TURN OUT BETTER THAN YOU IMAGINED?

|OCCUPATION| Realtor Century 21

J

ustin DuBar prides himself in growing from the experiences he’s endured, win or lose, and becoming the best version of himself. At only 28 years old, DuBar has acquired many awards in his career as a realtor. He remembers his first taste of real success in his career being in April of 2020, when he sold an apartment complex after many months of working to make the deal happen. DuBar loves what he does and tells people, “I don’t work, I just have a lifestyle.”

When he isn’t “working,” DuBar enjoys spending time with his family and traveling.

|HOMETOWN| Jonesboro

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR? Someone who was always there when needed; someone with dedication, hard work and persistence, who turned all their dreams into reality.

HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU INTO THE MAN YOU ARE TODAY? I’ve taken lessons from every experience I’ve had (win or lose) and applied those lessons in the future to be the best version of myself I can be.

|FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Old Fashioned

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? If there is something you want to do, don’t wait — just go for it. Work hard, and if it’s meant to be, it will happen for you.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Spending time with my family and traveling.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” Taking care of your family, keeping your word, loyalty and helping when you can.

2022

RICK ELUMBAUGH |OCCUPATION| Mayor of Batesville |EDUCATION| Batesville High School, Bachelor of Science, ASU Rick Elumbaugh is a lifelong resident of Batesville. Prior to becoming mayor, Elumbaugh served at the municipal pools for 32 years, and is a Red Cross certified lifeguard and swim instructor.

He also spent 30 years as an educator in the Batesville School District, and was honored to be named Governor’s Council Physical Education Teacher of the Year and Educator of the Year by AAHPERD. Elumbaugh also started one of the first mountain biking classes in the state. He is the city’s longest-serving mayor, in his 16th year and going on his fifth term. He has the honor of serving on the White River Health Systems board of directors, on the Executive Committee of the Arkansas Municipal League Past Presidents, and as a board member of Arkansas Center for Health Improvements. Mayor Elumbaugh is married to the love of his life, Margaret, and has two children, two grandsons and a goldendoodle named Max. In his free time, Elumbaugh enjoys being on the lake, mountain biking and road-tripping with his wife in the convertible.

“

CHOOSE A JOB YOU LOVE, AND YOU WILL NEVER HAVE TO WORK A DAY IN YOUR LIFE.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? Other than my family, some of my most cherished accomplishments include seeing my vision of a 105,000-square-foot Community Center & Aquatics Park built in my city; Batesville being named Christmas Capital of Arkansas; and the opportunity to serve as Arkansas Municipal League President.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? The person I most admire would be the late Don Zimmerman, executive director of the Arkansas Municipal League. He had a passion for each municipality in the state of Arkansas. I would like to serve with that same passion.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I am somewhat of a “gearhead.” I have a Harley Davidson and a C8 Corvette convertible that I love to drive.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? Every day I get the opportunity to serve my community and try to make Batesville a better place to work and raise a family.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? Surround yourself with good quality employees and a progressiveminded council. These two things will go a long way in making your job easier.

2022

DANIEL FRAZIER |OCCUPATION| Special Events Coordinator, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute/ Team Member, Domestic Domestic |FAVORITE RESTAURANT| Colonial Steakhouse in Pine Bluff

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MAY YOUR HEART ALWAYS BE JOYFUL, MAY YOUR SONG ALWAYS BE SUNG, AND MAY YOU STAY FOREVER YOUNG.” –BOB DYLAN

HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU INTO THE MAN YOU ARE TODAY? Being a cancer survivor has sort of become my identity in many aspects — I’ve learned to accept that. While I 10/10 would not recommend chemo, radiation and a stem cell transplant, I think I’ve got a unique perspective on life, mortality and survivorship that makes me who I am today.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? I would have to say my social security number, but also, my people skills and energy. A boss once described me like this: “He can talk to anyone from any background,” which really resonated with me. I like to think it’s true. I’ve also been described as “the most charismatic person I know” by a co-worker. Together, I think this combination of traits — the gift of gab and enthusiasm — set me apart from others.

Fresh out of college at 23 years old, Daniel Frazier found out he had stage 4 Hodgkin’s Disease. While the appointments were many, Frazier’s condition was treatable. In May 2014, after two years of chemo, radiation and a stem cell transplant, Frazier finally closed that chapter of his life. With education and a solid work ethic, he was ready to conquer the world. Finding appreciation in the menial things, he values the ability to be empathetic and relatable to others. Taking pride in many different aspects of his life, Frazier is proud of his whole family — grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, nieces and his nephew — who make him smile daily. Surrounded by top-notch people, Frazier is also proud of his network who supports him, challenges him and makes life worth living. As a Pine Bluff local, he is proud of the work being done in his hometown. As a Little Rock resident, he is proud to call the best little big city, home. Working at UAMS, Frazier is proud of the dedicated people he gets to work with, and at Domestic Domestic, he is proud to have a strong bond with his team.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? After being a patient at the Cancer Institute, the fulfillment of being on the team at UAMS cannot be overstated. Being able to relate to patients and provide a sense of hope is an unparalleled catharsis for me.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? You know, my dad is a great fella. He’s worked hard for everything he has. I admire him because of his work ethic, his efficiency and (believe it or not, Pops) for all the to-do lists.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? 1.) Empathy is essential. 2.) What might be inconvenient or trivial to one could literally be the difference in life or death for another. 3.) Life behind a screen is a real doozy.

2022

MARK GOODSELL

|OCCUPATION| CEO/Owner, Goodsell Truck Accessories |HOMETOWN| North Little Rock |EDUCATION| University of Arkansas at Little Rock Mark Goodsell was born in Jacksonville and now lives in North Little Rock. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Leah, for 33 years and has a son, Grant, in the business, with plans to take the reins in a few short years. Goodsell also has a wonderful 3-year-old, red-headed granddaughter, and is a deacon at the Somers Avenue Church of Christ.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? My work ethic: My father taught me to get there early and give it all you’ve got!

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? When my wife said “Yes,” 34 years ago.

WHAT IN YOUR MIND DOES IT MEAN TO BE A GOOD MAN? Always do the right thing — even when no one is looking.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I play guitar in a small country band called The Cabinet Shop Boys.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? After 37 years, I still look forward to coming to work with our amazing staff and wonderful customers. It is still fun!

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Church, family, fishing, old cars and music.

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I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME. -PHILIPPIANS 4:13

2022

TIM GRIFFIN |OCCUPATION| Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas; Colonel in U.S. Army Reserve, Fort Jackson, South Carolina |HOMETOWN| Born in Charlotte, North Carolina; moved to Magnolia at age 11. |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Anywhere that serves good Southern/New Orleans food. Places like Jones Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna; Chick-A-Dilly in Magnolia; Oyster Bar, Faded Rose, Maddie’s Place and Walter’s Green Room in Little Rock; Old South Restaurant in Russellville; and Galatoire’s and Mandina’s in New Orleans Magnolia native Tim Griffin is a fifth-generation Arkansan and the youngest son of a minister and teacher.

Griffin was elected lieutenant governor of Arkansas on November 4, 2014, and was re-elected for a second fouryear term in 2018. He is focused on growing jobs through aggressively pursuing economic development, more parental choice in education and boldly reforming state government. In 2019, Griffin served as Chairman of the Republican Lieutenant Governors Association (RLGA).

He has served on the boards of Pathway to Freedom, a faith-based prison ministry focused on reducing recidivism; Our House shelter for the working homeless; the Florence Crittenton Home for unwed mothers; and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Strong faith in Jesus Christ, demonstrated by my father as well as Billy Graham, C.S. Lewis, Dr. Charles Stanley, the Apostle Paul, Martin Luther, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — all flawed, imperfect men God used/is using to do great things.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? My family: my wife, Elizabeth, and our kids, Mary Katherine, John and Charlotte Anne.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? In my 20s, I spent months living out of a backpack in Europe. I was able to visit East Berlin before the Berlin Wall came down and ride a bicycle to the Normandy beaches and the U.S. cemeteries.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? I encourage people to pursue careers that they are passionate about. Public service is no different because it will require an extraordinary amount of work, and you must make yourself available 24/7 — so be ready to work hard.

Paid for by Tim Griffin for Attorney General

2022

AARON GRIMES

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TODAY IS THE DAY THAT WORRIED YOU YESTERDAY, AND ALL IS WELL.

|OCCUPATION| Co-owner/Manager, Capitol Glass Company Inc. Pharmacist, CHI St. Vincent Infirmary Market/Social Media Director, Shiloh Marina on Greers Ferry Lake |HOMETOWN| Greenbrier Aaron Grimes is a man who wears many hats.

He spent his high school summers working at the family business, Capitol Glass Company, but while attending college at the University of Central Arkansas, he focused his time on wakeboarding and other watersports. Grimes competed in wakeboard competitions throughout most of the 2000s and was sponsored by Hyperlite Wakeboards. Once he graduated from UCA, Grimes helped his father get involved in the boating industry to open S&G Extreme Marine, and he opened his own skate shop with locations in Little Rock and Kansas City. The recession of 2008 resulted in the closing of both skate shops and, Grimes returned to the family business.

In the years that followed, Grimes attended pharmacy school at UAMS, worked full time at CHI St. Vincent as a pharmacist and now balances his time between Capitol Glass Company, the hospital and helping his father when he can. He says,“My main day-to-day focus right now is continuing to grow Capitol Glass Company and make sure that it is still the No. 1 auto glass company in the state.”

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My father, Glenn Grimes, who is the hardest worker you will ever meet and who, over the past 50 years, has built Capitol Glass Company into what it is today. And my grandfather, Jack Grimes, who is a World War II veteran and started Capitol Glass Company with a few other partners in 1950, right after he got home from the war.

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? In 1994 when my 12-year-old travel baseball team, the Little Rock Royals, won the 12-and-under AAU National Championship in Burnsville, Minnesota.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? I’m a full-blown adrenaline junky, so anything that goes fast or jumps high, I’m in — which covers pretty much all board sports and bikes. I grew up on a lake and got into all different watersports: waterskiing, wakeboarding, wake surfing, paddleboarding, etc. I also skateboard, snowboard, ride dirt bikes and motocross, float rivers, hike, mountain bike and play golf.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? Going back to school at 30 years old and earning my Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

2022

RAY HANLEY |OCCUPATION| President and CEO, Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC) |HOMETOWN| Malvern; Little Rock resident since 1973 |FAVORITE RESTAURANT| Down Home Diner on Stagecoach Road in Little Rock |FAVORITE BEER| Blue Moon Ray grew up in Malvern, Arkansas, in a lowermiddle-class family, with parents whom neither finished the eighth grade, but who but were smart and well-read, with at least one newspaper daily and countless books around the house. He was a mediocre student, he says, who went to college because he didn’t really know what he wanted to do. He would have quit after the first year to keep a factory job he had over the summer, but his mother would have none of that, he says. After college, Ray sold tires at Firestone and took the civil service test for the state at the suggestion of a friend.

This started a 28-year career with Arkansas DHS, capped off with 16 years as the Medicaid director under three governors, followed by eight years with EDS, a global IT company, working on health care technology. He next had the chance to come to AFMC as its CEO and he says it’s been the highlight to cap his career. He has been married to wife, Diane for 40 years and is the parent of two wonderful daughters who have given them six grandchildren, and an adopted son. Ray has worked in 45 states and Canada and had the chance to travel the world, but says Arkansas will forever be home.

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BELIEVE YOU CAN, AND YOU’RE HALFWAY THERE.

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? Making my first money selling GRIT newspapers door-to-door when I was in grade school.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Loyalty — to family, to friends and to your country.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? Serving as the Arkansas Medicaid Director for 16 years and having the chance to stand up programs like ARKids First, which extended coverage to over 200,000 kids.

-THEODORE ROOSEVELT

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I’m actually a shy person.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? Leading a great team of professionals who work to improve health care in the state of Arkansas.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? I research and write Arkansas history around old photos and postcards, 21 books and a daily feature in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. I also love the outdoors; I’ve biked thousands of miles through 22 countries over five continents — places like Cambodia, Burma, Albania, Cuba and South Africa.

2022

RICHARD E. HARPER, EdD |OCCUPATION| Dean of Students, University of Arkansas at Little Rock |HOMETOWN| Born in Austin, Texas; Moved to Arkansas in 1994, but calls North Little Rock home |FAVORITE RESTAURANT / BAR | Samantha’s Tap Room |FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Old Fashioned Richard Harper is a higher education administrator with 10 years of experience. He enjoys cooking, eating, watching sports, listening to music, outdoor activities and spending time with family and friends. Outside of work, he is passionate about his family, his faith, education and serving in his community. He serves as a trustee at First Baptist Church of North Little Rock, and is a member of the Conway Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

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THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT.” -DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? I’m a good listener, very supportive and a caring individual. I love connecting others and inspiring people to reach their maximum potential. I have the privilege and opportunity to utilize these characteristics daily in my professional role as dean of students.

Connecting with students, meeting them where they are and supporting them as needed is a passion of mine.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN” ?

Love your family and friends, provide for the ones you care about and treat everyone with dignity and respect.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? I am most proud of earning my doctoral degree. Earning a terminal degree has always been a goal of mine. So many in my family, as well as teachers, mentors, church and community members have invested in me, so it felt great to accomplish it.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? I get the opportunity to help shape and mold tomorrow’s leaders through my work in higher education. I love engaging with college students and find joy in helping them reach not only their educational goals, but also success in life.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? Two lessons: First, life is short, and tomorrow is not promised. Second, you must be able to adapt and overcome the challenges life brings you.

2022

PATRICK HENRY HAYS |OCCUPATION| Attorney at Patrick Henry Hays, Attorney at Law |HOMETOWN| North Little Rock, born and raised |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| All NLR downtown restaurants in Argenta.

In March of 1988, Patrick Henry Hays was elected to the best job he ever had, being the mayor of his hometown of North Little Rock. Hays took office in 1989, remaining there for 24 years. The first thing he did was work with the city council on changing the city’s main street from one way, coming off the Main Street Bridge to 7th Street, to traffic going in both directions. Hays felt that Main Street being one way was holding the development of downtown North Little Rock back (or Argenta, the original name of North Little Rock).

Years later, further north of Main Street, a new Senior Center called The Patrick Henry Hays Center opening in February of 2003, providing activities for senior citizens in the city.

Hays says the joy of seeing the public, and especially the residents of North little Rock, enjoying the public projects he helped develop is unsurpassed by almost anything he has ever experienced. All of which, he adds, could not have happened without the voters of North Little Rock approving the funding elections that made most of it happen. Also, the cooperation of Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines and Little Rock Mayor Jim Dailey was essential.

HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU INTO THE MAN YOU ARE TODAY? First, being raised by my two parents who loved me and my sister and brother, and taught us right from wrong. Second, the public school system that introduced me to learning, along with the friends that I made along the way. Finally, that the first thing we are given in life is our name, and how important it is that when we leave this place, that name when mentioned, gives a good feeling.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Riding my bicycle on the River Trail, on both sides of the Arkansas River.

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? Watching traffic going two ways on our city’s Main Street for the first time back in 1989.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? First, my wife Linda, along with my father, Arthur and my mother, Linnea. Also, Abraham Lincoln and Bill and Hillary Clinton.

2022

JEREMY HOLDEN

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SINK OR SWIM

|OCCUPATION| Entrepreneur and Owner of TOPDOG Hot Dog Company

A

|HOMETOWN| McRae, born and raised

nything that Jeremy Holden sets his mind to, he achieves. Holden owns an automotive detailing company for dealerships throughout the state. He also owns a photography company and works for multiple dealerships statewide, taking pictures of dealership inventory. Holden just recently opened a restaurant in downtown Little Rock called TOPDOG Hot Dog Company. He shares that he’s worked hard all his life and that he’s a self-made man.

“I’m a family man, and I work hard for my family so they can have a good life,” he says.

“Everything I’ve done in life is for the smiles on other people’s faces. There may be a stress on my shoulders, but I love to see people happy.”

|FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Four Quarter

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? Making it to where I am today — it’s been a long, hard journey, and some goals have been reached, and some have not. I’m proud to be where I am.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? Everything is an obstacle. I love a challenge and achieving the challenge.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? My advice would be to not care what people think, and do what you believe you can do. If you’ve got a dream, chase it. Because when you stop dreaming, it’s time to die.

|REMEMBER ME FOR:| I’m a dream chaser. I hope people remember me for the things I made possible for myself.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I’m a musician: I can play guitar, drums and bass, and I try to sing! I record a lot of music in my spare time. I have two projects: one is a rock band called “Rad Relic,” and another solo project I do is called “H-punk.” You can listen to me on all streaming platforms. I also work on films: I have acted in a couple of things, and I’m working on writing a script.

My next move and goal is to write, compose and direct a movie for the Arkansas Film Festival.

2022

TURNER JAMES |OCCUPATION| Chief Operations Officer, Birch Tree Communities |HOMETOWN| Searcy |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Arthur’s (my friend Jerry Barakat knows how to cook a steak) |FAVORITE BEVERAGE| Unsweet Tea Turner James is a licensed clinical social worker, as is his wife, Kathy, who operates a private practice in Little Rock. They have three children, Tripp, Jake and Jordan. He enjoys traveling with his family, walking his dogs, spending time outdoors and being able to work for Birch Tree Communities.

His job is not even a “job,” he says, because he has a passion for what he does, and loves working with individuals who suffer from a diagnosis of Mental Illness. He fully believes his company, by far, provides the best environment for these individuals to recover and become independent, and says each day is inspiring and awesome. Turner has worked at Birch Tree for 15 years and started out as an overnight staff member.

Over time, he has worked as a case manager, therapist, director, and is now the COO. He says everyone that he has been able to work with has shaped his career, and he is truly appreciative of them. “I am blessed to work with the best people, and we are able to help people that are truly amazing.”

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MY DAD ALWAYS SAID, TIME IS YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET; SPEND IT WISELY!

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? I don’t think I have ever allowed myself to taste success because there is always a new goal to reach or a new fight to fight. I think stopping and enjoying success would lead me to a bit of complacency, and I am not about that.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? The ability to treat everyone the same. He can treat a CEO the same as he does any other person in society. He does not treat anyone differently and treats everyone with kindness and compassion.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? My family: my wife, Kathy (who, in my eyes, is the best therapist in LR); my son, Tripp (4th year medical student); my son, Jake (1st year law student); and my daughter, Jordan (soon to be President of the United States).

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? The ability to be patient and enjoy the moment. I think I also learned a lot about gratitude and what an extraordinary life I live.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My parents: S.T. James, Sr., the greatest man I ever knew and best dad a guy could ever have, and Marian James; God bless her because of all the shenanigans she had to put up with!

2022

MIKE KIRBY |OCCUPATION| Owner, Made in the Shade |HOMETOWN| Oskaloosa, Iowa |FAVORITE BEER| Nativ IPA from Lost Forty Brewing Mike Kirby proudly represents Service-Disabled Veteran Business Owners from Arkansas as a member of the advisory council at the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Serving on the executive council for Airpower Arkansas, Mike has a passion for air shows and directed the 2012 Little Rock Air Show, which over 250,000 people attended. Mike and his business partner, Ron Carter, have grown the business by 32 percent per year since opening and have achieved Million Dollar Club status for the past three years. Made in the Shade Blinds is franchised across the U.S. and Canada, with Mike’s team ranking No. 5. of 175 locations.

Team Little Rock is currently on track for another 38 percent growth in sales for 2022.

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? When I graduated with a four-year scholarship from the U.S. Air Force.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I was once a partner in a Thai restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? I love the final results and the reaction of the homeowner when they see the transformation.

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I NEVER WORRY ABOUT ACTION, BUT ONLY INACTION.” -WINSTON CHURCHILL

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR? Service to our nation, leadership, and integrity.

HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU INTO THE MAN YOU ARE TODAY? The Air Force has a legacy of training problem solvers. Every Airman tries to show others how to accomplish what “can’t” be done. Military service and exceptional leaders who never give up have shaped my perspective in everything I do.

2022

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NATHAN “COACH” KIRBY

BUT DID YOU DIE?

|OCCUPATION| Motivational Speaker/Owner and Head Coach, Rock City Mixed Martial Arts - WLR

N

|HOMETOWN| Burlington, IA; moved to Arkansas in 2008

athan’s passion and positivity is what he believes distinguishes him from others.

He has immense passion for life, living, experiencing new things, and helping others achieve their goals and their dreams. What he does every day at his MMA school is what feeds his soul. He is a coach, but to most, he is a mentor, a father, a friend, a counselor, a pastor, an ear to listen, a shoulder to lean on, and a foot to kick their backside when necessary. He loves his students. All of them.

Even the loud obnoxious troubled ones, he says, because sometimes they need him the most. He is most grateful for the roles he plays and hats he wears. He’s crested hundreds of champions, he says, but knows when the lights fade and the medals don’t shine anymore, he’s created unbelievable, successful, competent, confident, strong human beings. Rock City for life.

|FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Love, love, love Ocean’s at Arthurs

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? As a professional MMA fighter, my first win was the most unbelievable, mind-blowing experience ever. Getting my hand raised and getting the nickname, “The Tasmanian Devil” was amazing.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” My wife and my kids are the litmus test–– everything else is secondary. If I fail them, but succeed in business, I am an utter and complete fake and a failure. I had one job when I said, “I do,” and the moment my boys took their first breaths.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? Staying married for 26 years. And one of my sons is an officer and pilot in the Navy, and my youngest son was a #1 ranked fighter.

|FAVORITE BEER| Been sober for 21 years. No alcohol, no tobacco, no drugs, some Ibuprofen now and then.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? 2008 World Champion - I was inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame. I also was on national television for a game show, “Family Feud” with Steve Harvey.

HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU INTO THE MAN YOU ARE TODAY? Sadly, over the course of my life I had three dads; I was abused, had an alcoholic stepdad, and ended up homeless and in jail.

But I blame nobody. I am thankful I found God and changed my life. I’ve since been able to save others from suicide and divorce.

I’ve married 10 couples and baptized 6 people. I love my life.

2022

STEPHEN LAFRANCE, JR. |OCCUPATION| Vice Chairman, Good Day Farm |HOMETOWN| Pine Bluff An Arkansas native, born and raised in Pine Bluff, Stephen learned from a young age the power of persistence and hard work from his father. Stephen’s father, who was born in New Orleans and grew up in humble beginnings in Monroe, Louisiana, through perseverance was able to start the successful USA Drug Pharmacy chain. Stephen says being raised by and working alongside his father taught him so much, and he’s able to honor him through the business practices at Good Day Farm, a medical cannabis dispensary. When he’s not working, Stephen enjoys golfing, traveling, or trying out new and unique restaurants. He says he is blessed to share these passions with friends, his amazing wife, and his talented daughter.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MEDICAL CANNABIS? The list is extensive and ever-growing, which is a reflection of the impressive genetic variety of the cannabis plant. It’s one of the reasons Good Day Farm cultivates so many varieties — each have their own place. It’s used as a pain reliever, sleep aid, anxiety reducer, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, seizure reduction aid, muscle relaxant and so much more.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THC AND CBD? In simple terms, THC creates the experience of being “high,” while CBD, in contrast, offers clear-headed anxiety and pain relief. Both THC and CBD interact with the endocannabinoid system to naturally alleviate ailments and heal. These two cannabinoids can be used separately or together to offer a wide range of benefits.

“

DO THE RIGHT THING AND YOU WILL NEVER HAVE TO LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION ABOUT MEDICAL CANNABIS? The biggest misconception is that this is a highly addictive substance with no medicinal value — when it’s quite the opposite. Cannabis has about the same chemical dependency as caffeine and offers a tremendous amount of medicinal value while being a safe recreational substance. It’s not possible to overdose from cannabis, although we don’t recommend eating too many edibles at once!

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? I’m passionate about breaking the stigma that surrounds medical cannabis. My background in pharmaceuticals taught me that there is power in natural medicine, and it’s an honor to promote the “plants over pills” movement. Providing financial and employment opportunities to my home state is also of the utmost importance to me. I try to keep our motto at the center of all we do: Good People. Good Cannabis. Good Days. Across our three states, we proudly employ over 800 good people.

2022

FRANK LAWRENCE |OCCUPATION| CEO, The Athletic Clubs |HOMETOWN| Russellville and Dardanelle |FAVORITE BEER| Lost Forty 2nd Rodeo |FAVORITE COCKTAI | Old Fashioned With goals incorporating fitness, faith, family, firm, finances, friends and fun, Lawrence wishes to add value, insight, coaching, learning, developing and basic quality to each personal interaction he encounters. He has many hobbies and loves spending time with his wife and two kids.

In everything, he tries to lead courageously and reject passivity.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? I am a generalist, and I can connect with most people because I know a little about a lot of things.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” Accept responsibility, reject passivity, lead courageously and expect the greater reward.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? My marriage of 29 years (we’ve been together for 35 years) and our two children, who are 23 and 18.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I do not like to work out, but I love the way I feel and the relationships I’ve developed as a result of doing so.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My parents. They are great role models for life and relationships.

“

THE MASTER IN THE ART OF LIVING MAKES LITTLE DISTINCTION BETWEEN HIS WORK AND HIS PLAY, HIS LABOR AND HIS LEISURE, HIS MIND AND HIS BODY, HIS INFORMATION AND HIS RECREATION, HIS LOVE AND HIS RELIGION. HE HARDLY KNOWS WHICH IS WHICH. HE SIMPLY PURSUES HIS VISION OF EXCELLENCE AT WHATEVER HE DOES, LEAVING OTHERS TO DECIDE WHETHER HE IS WORKING OR PLAYING. TO HIM HE’S ALWAYS DOING BOTH.” -JAMES A. MICHENER

2022

BRENT LENNERS |OCCUPATION| Operating Partner, Petit & Keet and Cypress Social restaurants |HOMETOWN| Grew up in Great Falls, Montana; moved to Cabot in 1996 |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| I love Petit & Keet and Cypress Social equally. |FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Lagavulin 16 with a big rock When Brent Lenners was 25 years old, he landed a job creating a restaurant and bar concept for a Native American tribe in Oklahoma. He was way in over his head, but the project was a success, and the place is still in operation to this day. The experience gave Lenners a taste of the food industry and cuisine world, and it’s a rush he’s pursued ever since. Lenners is proud to have had the opportunity to create restaurants with his wife, Tyler. “Our bond permeates every aspect of the places we’ve built together,” Lenners shares. The restaurant industry and the pandemic have taught Lenners a valuable lesson: Be there for your people. You will never rebuild what once was, without a family of individuals working as a united front towards the same goal.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? I tend to see strengths in people that they don’t yet see in themselves.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? I love the rush. I love the feeling at the end of a monster Saturday night when you and your team have literally willed the night into submission, knowing you left it all out on the field.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? Jim ‘The Cobra’ Keet.

DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL MOTTO? “We’ll figure it out.”

“

SKILLS CAN BE TAUGHT. CHARACTER YOU EITHER HAVE OR YOU DON’T HAVE.” - ANTHONY BOURDAIN

2022

DOMINIC MICHAEL MAGGIO, MD |OCCUPATION| Neurosurgeon and Partner, Legacy Neurosurgery |HOMETOWN| Miami, Florida; moved to Arkansas in 2021 |EDUCATION| MD/MBA at University of Miami; Neurosurgery Residency at University of Virginia, National Institutes of Health; Fellowship in Comprehensive Spine Surgery at Ohio State University Dr. Dominic Maggio was born in Miami, Florida where he went to high school, college, business school and medical school. During medical school he met his amazing wife.

Dr. Maggio was accepted into neurosurgery residency at the National Institutes of Health-University of Virginia dual program, and moved to Charlottesville, Virginia.

During the 7-year residency, he got married and had three incredible boys: Gianluca, Francesco, and Davide.

He spent a year in Columbus, Ohio, learning advanced surgical techniques before moving to Little Rock. Dr. Maggio has loved living here and enjoys exploring the different state parks around Arkansas. He is passionate about helping others improve their life by decreasing their amount of pain. He specializes in performing minimally invasive spine surgery. Dr. Maggio cares deeply about his patients and enjoys helping people get their lives back. On the weekends he enjoys spending time with his family and traveling around the state.

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? Winning the Alving Endowed Biomedical Research award for Best Research Achievement of the Year in the first year of medical school.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? It takes a lot of sacrifice to become a neurosurgeon, but helping people is well worth the journey.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? Having an amazing wife and three beautiful boys, ages 5, 3 and 2. They are the loves of my life.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I was the Connect 4 champion in third grade- and I’m still hard to beat.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My grandma. She’s phenomenal. She’s still helping others daily at 90+ years old.

“

IF YOU CAN’T EXPLAIN IT SIMPLY, YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND IT WELL ENOUGH.

Styled by Bauman’s Fine Men Clothing

2022

ANTHONY MANNING, MD |OCCUPATION| General Surgeon, Conway Regional |HOMETOWN| Born in Little Rock, grew up in Malvern |EDUCATION| Bachelor of Science, UCA; Doctor of Medicine, UAMS; Residency in General Surgery, Texas A&M Scott and White |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Cypress Social |FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Bourbon or an Old Fashioned Dr. Anthony Manning has been married to his wife, Hanna, for 14 years. Together they have two amazing sons: Campbell, 9, and Knox, 7. Hanna and Anthony both attended UCA, and say they have found true community since moving back to Conway in 2018. They attend Summit Church in Conway, and hope to begin foster care in the next 2-3 months.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Empathy. Placing others above yourself.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I love to play music, although I’m a bit rusty. I played the drums in various bands/churches throughout high school, college, and even medical school. I’m also a huge fan of theater, musical or otherwise.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? Having a lifelong impact on patients’ health. Whether through weight loss surgery, or any of the other procedures we do, I love getting patients back to living a full life.

HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU INTO THE MAN YOU ARE TODAY? I was blessed with incredible mentors, including Drs. Mike Stanton and Brock King, who are now my partners in practice. And I hope to do the same for others during my career.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Any summer weekend, you’ll find me at the lake. My family and I enjoy wakeboarding and wakesurfing. I also enjoy a good game of golf, but I am far from the best player.

2022

ROY LEE “BUDDY” MCADAMS |OCCUPATION| Business Owner; Co-Owner/Partner of Mac’s Tree Service, Diversified Construction & Design, Mac’s Rental Properties LLC and Onsite Storage LLC |HOMETOWN| El Dorado |EDUCATION| El Dorado High School, Class of 1984; Business technology degree from Louisiana Tech University, 1989 Buddy McAdams was born July 7, 1966, in El Dorado, Arkansas. He graduated from El Dorado High School in 1984, then graduated from Louisiana Tech in 1989.

He worked for Evers Electric for three-and-a-half years, and as an EMT and firefighter for the El Dorado Fire Department for five years. Buddy began running the family business in 1994 and has been married to wife Debbie Wells McAdams for 34 years. He is a “girl dad” to three beautiful daughters, Jordan Longnecker, Montana Knight and Riley McAdams. He is also a “girl pops” to three granddaughters, Mary Leighton and Emma Longnecker and Harper Jane is scheduled to arrive November 2022.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? I am self-driven and strive to do my best at everything I pursue. I focus on the good in each individual and try to guide people to do their best at work and with family.

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? I managed the school store for three years at Barton Junior High School. I earned enough money each week to buy fresh spudnuts in the teacher’s lounge each morning.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? I take great pride in being a successful thirdgeneration business owner in El Dorado. I have helped grow and expand our small business into a diverse organization, providing several key employees with lifelong careers. It is very rewarding.

We have also renovated three buildings into executive apartments, which benefit everyone in the downtown area.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? I enjoy snow skiing and hanging out with family and friends around the grill or on the lake.

2022

MICHAEL MCCRAY |OCCUPATION| New CEO, Arkansas Delta Informer; Co-founder and co-host of Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival |HOMETOWN| Pine Bluff Former federal whistleblower Michael McCray helped found the annual Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival. The conference originally started meeting in Washington, D.C. in 2007, during national whistleblower week, leading up to “National Whistleblower Appreciation Day,” which is observed nationwide on July 30.

“Going through that conference was lifeaffirming for me,” says McCray, who hosts the conference to give back to the whitleblower community.

The annual summit began as a gathering of whistleblowers and supporters of civil and human rights to convene and discuss the topics of public health and safety, with studies of past prominent figures in the whistleblower community, such as Daniel Ellsberg, “Deep Throat,” Arkansas’ Martha Mitchell, security guard Frank Willis, etc.

“When we first started, we had a lot of policy days and a big social event called Movie Night with the Whistleblowers where we would all go down to the tavern and watch popular films like, All the President’s Men, Erin Brockovich, etc. More people started coming to the social events than the policy events. So, we thought, ‘Wow, what else can we do with this platform?’ Then we started to screen whistleblower films, documentaries, etc. Now, filmmakers like to participate.”

Together with Festival Director Marcel Reid, McCray co-founded and now co-hosts the annual Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival, which takes place the week leading up to National Whistleblower Day on July 30, in Little Rock.

The theme for this year’s summit is “Does the Truth Still Matter? 50 Years After Watergate.”

During this year’s summit, awards will be given in honor of Martha Mitchell and Frank Willis, in honor of minority whistleblowers.

2022

SCOTT THOMAS MCGEHEE |OCCUPATION| Yellow Rocket Concepts (Central and Northwest Arkansas) |HOMETOWN| Born in Fayetteville, raised in Little Rock |FAVORITE BEER| Snake Party, Lost 40 Brewing For Scott McGehee, his first taste of success came from opening his first restaurant, Boulevard Bread Company, in September of 2000. McGehee is a founding partner and chef with Yellow Rocket Concepts, which includes ZAZA Fine Salad & Wood Oven Pizza Co., Big Orange, Local Lime, Heights Taco & Tamale, Bentonville Taco & Tamale Co., Lost 40 Brewing, and Camp Taco. McGehee donates a significant amount of his time and energy towards helping several hunger relief organizations and helping with disaster relief with World Central Kitchen.

Working with local farmers and foraging locally grown produce to disburse to his restaurants is a top priority and passion. He hopes to be remembered for being a good dad and someone who learned from a heap of mistakes.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? My three kids — they are extraordinary. I have always loved them unconditionally every second.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I am crazy about my five cats, and I am obsessed with fig trees.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Kindness WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? I only wear Jordan 1’s. No other shoe will do.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My mother, Linda Brown. She has always shown me the importance of treating people with kindness and respect, which has influenced me profoundly. She is also unconditionally loving and supportive of the people around her and me. She has always been an amazing example when fighting for critical political causes, often centered on equal rights and justice.

“

FOR SMALL CREATURES SUCH AS WE, THE VASTNESS IS BEARABLE ONLY THROUGH LOVE.” - CARL SAGAN

2022

CHARLES “CHARLIE” LOUIS MCGREW, JR.

“

DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.

|OCCUPATION| President, Mud Connection 4x4

M

cGrew sums up his life in one word: blessed. As the president of Mud Connection 4x4, McGrew has found success in business by working hard and never giving up. For hard work, he looks at what needs to be done and works like he’s the only one that can make it happen. Appreciative of his customers, friends and family, he strives to make his actions right to the best of his abilities. For 25 years, McGrew has coached youth baseball, enjoys hunting and fishing and his grandchildren.

|HOMETOWN| Little Rock

|FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Buffalo Grill

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? My first taste of success in business was having my own paper route at 12-years-old. When I was young, the paper was a very important start to a lot of people’s days. A commitment every day to wake up on time, deliver the paper and complete daily tasks was a good lesson. I also collected money from subscribers so I could pay for my own paper bill.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? My family. My wife Cia and my boys, Justin and Taylor, have put up with my going and going for the business, coaching baseball and my hobbies all these years. I love and I am blessed to have my family.

|FAVORITE BEER | Bud Light

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” There are many aspects, but I think how you treat others when they cannot do anything for you is a good indicator. Being kind and courteous, even when others aren’t doing the same to you, and being honest to everyone you meet are important qualities. Seeing the good in people even when they don’t see it in themselves is also good.

2022

ADAM MITCHELL |OCCUPATION| President and CEO Citizens Bank |HOMETOWN| Little Rock |EDUCATION| Hendrix College |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Razorback Pizza Adam Mitchell leads with the conviction that collaboration is the key to success. He believes working together enables new ideas to be brought forth, which creates opportunities for innovation and creative problem solving. Adam has dedicated a significant portion of his career to giving back to the community. He is an advisory board member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Together with his wife, Kristie, he was honored with the Foundation’s Living & Giving Award in 2017 and served as co-chair of the Central Arkansas Heart Ball in 2014. He also serves as a board member for USAble Life Corporation and Arkansas Health Group, and has held various roles with Hendrix College, the Arkansas Bankers Association, Baptist Health Foundation, and Junior Achievement of Arkansas.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? I admire men who are genuine and put others first.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? My family. They are the lifeblood for me.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? I learned that we are often at our best when we have never been there before. You can never underestimate the power of mankind and how resilient we are.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My parents are who I admire the most.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? You need a solid work ethic if you want to be successful. Surround yourself with people who are better than you. Life is about relationships, and don’t take them for granted.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Playing tennis with my wife, Kristie, and our two daughters, Quinn and Peri, bass fishing and going to Greers Ferry Lake.

2022

GARY RAY MORRISON, SR. |OCCUPATION| Chief Deputy, Yell County Sheriff’s Department; Licensed Auctioneer, True Grit Auction Services |HOMETOWN| Ola, Lifelong Arkansan! |EDUCATION| Studied emergency administration management, Arkansas Tech |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Texas Roadhouse |FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Simply Peach, Crown and Sweet Tea Gary Morrison is Chief Deputy for the Yell County Sheriff’s Department and has been with the Department since January 1999. Prior to that, Gary worked for the 15th District Drug Task Force and Ola Police Department as Chief of Police. He and his wife Cindy started True Grit Auction Services in 2015, and he is an Arkansas state licensed auctioneer. Gary says that in law enforcement and in business, he has always treated everyone fairly, spoken to them honestly and treated them with respect.

He firmly believes that when working with and for the public, you must be accessible to them when needed.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? I have been in public service for many years — I have always tried to know the people I work for and serve them to the best of my ability.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? In law enforcement and our business, we had to provide services that people still required so we had to adjust to provide these services while maintaining social distancing and making people feel comfortable when dealing with them.

DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL MOTTO? ?

“Do what you say and say what you’ll do!”

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR? Always trying to help everyone when needed, no matter who they were or their circumstances. I would like to think I’ve been a friend to many.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My father, Junior Morrison; he grew up simply in Searcy County, Arkansas. With an 8th grade education, he went to work to help support his family. He often impressed me with his quick math skills and business prowess.

2022

BRUCE MURPHY, MD, PHD

|OCCUPATION| CEO, Arkansas Heart Hospital

D

r. Bruce Murphy was raised in a small town of about 1,500 people. His upbringing provided a great advantage to the fundamentals of survival and the ability to get along with other people, he says. Even though he was not equipped with some of the higher levels of skills that others receive from a larger, stronger educational system, he believes he was well-equipped for solving a lot of life’s problems because of the advantages from growing up in a very small town.

He isn’t sure there is one particular trait that distinguishes him from others, aside from his strong capacity for perseverance and a “don’t give up” attitude.

|HOMETOWN| Stephens

|EDUCATION| BS, Air Force Academy/UALR; PhD in Biochemical Pharmacology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Doctor of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? When I started my private cardiology practice and was able to provide patients with individualized care, I found that to be very rewarding.

Throughout that experience, I learned that physicians are essential to the patient’s emotional well-being.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” To be a good man, you must be intrinsically honest, and you must abide by the responsibility that everyone must help others. As a health care provider, we feel a moral obligation to help our fellow man through our respective specialties. To me, if you live your life with an obligation to help others, that defines a good man.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? The quality I admire most in other men is the ability to make people laugh. Laughter can be powerful medicine, and I appreciate someone who can provide that to others.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I think people might be surprised to know that my college degree was in botany. I have a tremendous love for gardening and love to be around wildlife.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? My favorite hobby is studying the Japanese language, at which I am currently at a third grade level.

2022

GREG PAYNE |OCCUPATION| Attorney, Story Law Firm PLLC |HOMETOWN| Bentonville |FAVORITE RESTAURANT| Crackerjack Gastro Lab at Osage Park |FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Bloody Mary at Tusk & Trotter When asked about his first taste of success, Greg Payne reckons that if success means the attainment of a long-sought goal, he’d have to say leaving a solid job at age 35 to attend law school. Graduating from law school put Payne on a new, somewhat unexpected path, that for the last 24 years has been nothing but intellectually challenging.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Loyalty.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” A good man is honest, loyal, dependable, trustworthy and selfless. That sounds “perfect,” but he doesn’t have to be perfect — just aware of his imperfections with the desire to improve.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Also, that I’m pretty OK with isolation.

HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU INTO THE MAN YOU ARE TODAY? I’ve been able to maintain composure through some pretty dramatic life events that have shaped me into somewhat of a stoic in order to maintain emotional equilibrium. But stoicism can often be confused with being dispassionate, which I’m not.

WHO HAS BEEN A BIG INFLUENCE IN YOUR LIFE? My dad was an absolute genius. After leaving the Navy in 1945, he attended Texas A&M and received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering. But to me, as a child, he knew everything about everything. When not engineering, or playing online chess, he dabbled in nuclear physics. More than once I heard him say, “Einstein was wrong,” and I really didn’t know what to do with that. He created an alternative periodic table with 3D models.

One day, I came home to find him drawing the moon’s orbit as he contemplated orbital decay and the possibility of the moon crashing into the Earth as it swung around the far side. I say all this to somehow justify my worldview, that there is a deeper meaning to the world around us — not just in the spiritual sense, but for further definition, my reach always seems to exceed my grasp. In law, that means to me that there is a level of perfection that can be achieved, such that all societal problems can be solved, and that leads me to make arguments sometimes that are considered by others to be a little outside the box.

“

BE THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT PEOPLE TO THINK YOU ARE.” -SOCRATES

2022

JASON PRATHER |OCCUPATION| Managing Principal, Legacy Capital |HOMETOWN| Little Rock Jason Prather is a Little Rock native and Catholic High School graduate, class of 1984.

After venturing to Fort Worth to attend Texas Christian University and graduated in 1988, Prather returned to Arkansas to attend the U of A School of Law and graduated in 1991. He went on to graduate from SMU School of Law with an LLM in Taxation in 1992. Previously, Prather was a partner at Cantey Hanger Law Firm in Fort Worth before returning to Little Rock in 2003, when he joined Legacy Capital.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? That is an easy one: my family. My wonderful wife, Rosemary, and I have been married for over 28 years and our two sons, Jacob and Jackson, are exceptional and honorable young men.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I am a pretty big Cubs fan.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? The relationships that I have developed with the families we have had the privilege of working with over the years. It is also very rewarding to see the end result of transitioning the wealth that they have spent a life time accumulating from generation to generation.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? That I really prefer to be in my office with my team as opposed to remote or over Zoom. It helped me realize how much of a family we really are at Legacy Capital.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? That would be my parents. They are absolutely the people that inspired me to be who I am as a person and a professional. They made sure I had every opportunity to succeed.

“

WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU ARE DOING, DO IT TO THE ABSOLUTE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY.

2022

CLIFF PROWSE |OCCUPATION| Owner/Producer, Big Red Dog Productions |HOMETOWN| North Little Rock mostly; born in Biloxi, Mississippi |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Willy D’s, where I met my incredible wife!

“

EVEN IF SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE, AT LEAST YOU CAN WRITE A SONG ABOUT IT.

|FAVORITE BEER| Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Ale Cliff Prowse’s first taste of success was being able to quit his day job to pursue and sustain a full-time music career. His personal motto is, “Don’t practice until you get it.

Practice until you can’t get it wrong.”

He hopes to be remembered for his artistry and to be remembered by the ones he inspires and teaches along the way.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? (a) Devilishly handsome. (b) Impeccable sense of humor — see (a). (c) I have a gift for music, for which I am very grateful.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” I think if marriage has taught me anything, it’s to be able to stand strong for what you believe, but at the same time, be able to admit when you are wrong.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Hard-working, driven, genuine.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? Owning and operating my own music production company alongside my wife.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I placed 3rd place and won $5,000 in Wahl Grooming’s Most Talented Beard in America contest during the pandemic.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? Resilience and the importance of human connection. We pivoted to online shows, and the connections we made were invaluable. Also, buy Ramen noodles.

2022

NATHAN RAY |OCCUPATION| SVP of Business Operations, Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC) |HOMETOWN| Conway |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Janssen’s Lakefront Restaurant |FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Pine Ridge Cabernet Nathan Ray is eager to accept challenges, think outside the box, and extensively use data to drive policy and decisions–– all qualities he believes distinguishes him from others. He is 34 years old and lives an adventurous life with his partner of seven years, Jerrod. Together, they love to travel (as do their two dogs) and spend time with friends and family, which includes four spirited nieces. He loves his job and says he is grateful to work with incredibly supportive teams.

“

LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT.

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? In 2013, I was the director of operations for a federal grant to support health care providers with the implementation of electronic health records. Our team served more than 1,200 health care providers across the great state of Arkansas.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? Serving all Arkansans with our dedicated teams; I believe in the quality work we do at AFMC. During the pandemic, we supported the Arkansas Department of Health with contact tracing, testing and vaccine services across the entire state.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I’m an ear-trained musician and can play a Hammond organ and piano.

I also have my private pilot’s certificate and love flying.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? Adapt, leverage technology, communicate and support your team regardless of the circumstances. Most employees worked from home, while others worked on the front lines through testing and vaccination services. Being adaptive, leveraging technology and communication was vital during these times.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR? Listening, leading by example and making a measurable difference.

2022

MICHAEL ROBBINS |OCCUPATION| Human Resources, Briarwood Nursing and Rehabilitation |HOMETOWN| Born and raised in Arkansas; attended college in Lincoln, Nebraska |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| Faded Rose |FAVORITE BEER| Peregrine Pale Ale at Flyway Michael Robbins is never afraid to be himself, no matter whose company he’s in, which is something he believes distinguishes him from others. In his mind, to be a “good man” means to live by your word. He hopes to be remembered for simply being a good person. His advice to others who want to follow in his footsteps is to always be respectful and kind-hearted.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? My son, Avery. He is my life.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I write screenplays and short stories in my spare time.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? The residents! I feel like I have 100 grandparents!

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? That my co-workers are not just health care workers but instead, true heroes who risked their lives to save the lives of our residents.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My grandfather.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Swimming with sharks and breaking in horses.

“

LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE BUSY MAKING OTHER PLANS.” -JOHN LENNON

2022

WENDELL SCALES, JR. |OCCUPATION| Deputy Director of Innovation, Arkansas Lighthouse Academies |LIVES IN| Little Rock |FAVORITE BEER| Lord God from Flyway Wendell Scales Jr. spent the last decade in education and the early part of his career supporting scholars through personalized and supplemental college counseling. These scholars would go on to achieve a 97 percent graduation rate, a 95 percent acceptance rate and nearly $20 million in grants and scholarships. Scales is an alumnus of several leadership programs, such as SCOP (Stanford College Outreach Program), a college-access immersion program; Cato Sphere Summit, an immersive public-policy program with an emphasis on civic education; and he is a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXXV. Scales also served as a statewide facilitator for a previous nonprofit education improvement group called Noble Impact.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? I’d like to think my ability to connect with people and create meaningful relationships distinguishes me from others. It’s opened doors I couldn’t imagine and given me an opportunity to impact my community.

“

YOUR NETWORK EQUALS YOUR NET WORTH.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? I truly enjoy making a difference in the lives of our youth. They play a significant role in the future workforce, and I want to ensure they are empowered and prepared when the opportunity arises.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? There is nothing wrong with resetting while you have the time. Having time to self-reflect rejuvenated me both personally and professionally.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My father: He passed away five years ago, but was a visionary ahead of his time. He spoke so much life into me at an early age. He truly believed in me, and I’m forever grateful.

DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL MOTTO? The Lord makes room for your gift.

2022

VERNON SCOTT |OCCUPATION| Regional President, Citizens Bank |HOMETOWN| Batesville |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| The Pantry |FAVORITE COCKTAIL | Old Fashioned Vernon Scott is Arkansan through and through. He was born in Northeast Arkansas, in Batesville, and his family has a row crop farm in Southeast Arkansas (Tillar), where Scott spent many summers growing up. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and now lives, works, and raises his family in Central Arkansas. A regional president for Citizens Bank, Scott has been in the banking business for 19 years. He has served in several different capacities for multiple civic organizations, including the UAMS Consortium, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the American Heart Association and most recently, Habitat for Humanity.

He has been married to Susan Scott for 16 years and together they have four children, Anderson (11), Oliver (10), Isaac (7) and Estelle (5).

“

WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF SUCCESS? Selling the Democrat-Gazette door to door in college. I had a list and had to randomly knock on the doors of strangers in rural Arkansas. I was told “no” (and worse) probably 100 times before my first sale. It made it all worth it.

DO NOT TAKE LIFE TOO SERIOUSLY. YOU WILL NEVER GET OUT OF IT ALIVE.” -ELBERT HUBBARD

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My grandfather. Though he passed in 2010, he was the single biggest influence on me growing up. I always thought if I could be half the man he was, I would be a huge success.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Humility.

DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL MOTTO? I tell my kids you don’t control what the day will bring, but you control how you start each day. Always begin your day optimistic that it will be a great day, and it will be, more often than not.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? I learned how a crisis can bring people together. While I would never want to go through it again, our company grew stronger, closer and better because of it.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Whatever my kids are into. I can’t do anything these days without taking at least one little human with me. I also love watching my children play any sport, but football is my passion.

“

2022

EVERY MAN DIES, BUT NOT EVERY MAN TRULY LIVES.

BLAKE SMITH

|OCCUPATION| Founder, SQRL Holdings

B

lake Smith believes that he can be distinguished from others in his ability to connect with others.

To him, everyone has a story, people just need to find a way to relate their stories to the stories of others. Smith’s story is one filled with hard times, tragedy, and perseverance. The motto he lives by is 51/49 — he vows to give more than he takes in every situation.

|HOMETOWN| Born and raised in the 501 (Little Rock)

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” To be a good man is to be honest. To be honest is to be willingly vulnerable. I have four daughters and an amazing wife. Honesty, above all in our household, is the most important virtue.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? You are going to fail, so fail forward. Forward. Always forward.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You never saw that man without a smile.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? You might catch me crying during a sappy movie.

HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU INTO THE MAN YOU ARE TODAY? The hardest times are what have shaped me the most. I lost my mother to suicide when I was 20 years old. I lost my father eight months later to cirrhosis of the liver. I am an only child. Picking myself up then afforded me the preparation for picking myself up later in life. I was dishonest in a business partnership several years ago. This resulted in a shameful business litigation, which in turn resulted in me losing everything — almost my life. I want to tell others that no matter where you are, what has happened, or what is about to happen, you MUST keep going.

2022

DON STEELY, MD |OCCUPATION| Interventional Cardiologist, Conway Regional Health System |EDUCATION| Bachelor of Science, Hendrix College Doctor of Medicine, UAMS Residency in Interventional Cardiology, UAMS Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology, UAMS |FAVORITE RESTAURANT| Mike’s Place Dr. Don Steely doesn’t mind working harder than most people, a trait he believes distinguishes him from others. His favorite thing about what he does is the relationships he establishes with his patients and staff.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Work ethic WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? My kids.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR? Helping people.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My dad is the perfect example of a lifetime of service to others and love for his family.

HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU INTO THE MAN YOU ARE TODAY? They have made me more patient. I believe God will deliver the solution as long as you are patient.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? Always be an advocate for the best solution for the patient on an individual level because not all patients are alike.

“

THE WORST THING IS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.” -MY DAD

2022

JEFF SMITH

“

ACT AS IF IT WERE IMPOSSIBLE TO FAIL.” -DOROTHEA BRANDE

|OCCUPATION| Owner/CEO, Smith Family Funeral Homes & Cyrus Life Insurance Company

|HOMETOWN| Lifelong resident of North Little Rock

|FAVORITE BEVERAGE| Coffee

|EDUCATION| University of Memphis, MBA; University of Arkansas, BSBA; Catholic High School

J

eff Smith loves his life. He is flawed, he says, but is at peace with who he is. He firmly believes if he keeps God and his family first in life, all else is good. He loves to live life to the fullest, enjoying every day.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? Because I work in the funeral profession, I am more in touch with my mortality than most. I try to lead with love always, live with no regrets or fear, make quick amends and tell my family I love them every time I see them.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” Love and serve your family: My greatest joy is my family. If I achieve great things, but lose my family, I have nothing.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I try to start all my meetings with prayer. God is a lot wiser than me.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? My joy is to know people’s lives are better because they work with us.

Through my actions, I can minister to my co-workers, customers and vendors by sharing the love of Christ.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? When all of life is stripped away, family is what matters most.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? David from the Bible. He was a man after God’s heart.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Courage and Servant Leadership.

2022

MAURICE R. TAYLOR |OCCUPATION| Council member, City of North Little Rock; Real Estate Broker, Coldwell Banker RPM; Educator, Vivid Real Estate Learning Center |EDUCATION| Ole Main High School, Little Rock |FAVORITE RESTAURANT/BAR| BJ’s |FAVORITE BEER/COCKTAIL| Bud Light, Crown Royal A broker at Coldwell Banker RPM in North Little Rock, Maurice Taylor is also a member of the Realtors Multi-Million Dollar Club, which recognizes him for outstanding sales performance.

Maurice has over 20 years of experience in the real estate business, was named ‘Realtor of the Year’ by the North Pulaski Board of Realtors in 2008, and ‘Realtor of the Year’ by the Little Rock Board of Realtors in 2011. He is a past president of the Arkansas REALTORS® Association, a member of the National Association of Realtors, and serves in leadership.

Principal Instructor at Vivid Real Estate Learning Center Maurice is Passionate about education, Maurice holds the following real estate certifications and designations: GRI, ABR, SRES, CRS, CRB, SRS, GREEN, At Home with Diversity, Military Relocation Professional, Pricing Strategy Advisor, Short Sales and Foreclosure Resources, and Real Estate Negotiations Expert.

As a licensed real estate instructor, he teaches agents pre and post license, brokers pre and post license, and continuing education throughout the state of Arkansas and across the country. An elected official, Maurice is currently a member of the North Little Rock City Council.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? My dad.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS? Education is the absolute key to success. Get all the education you can, whether traditional or nontraditional. Read everything you can get your hands on, especially involving your profession.

DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL MOTTO? Live like it’s your last day; plan like you’ll live forever!

HOW HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOU INTO THE MAN YOU ARE TODAY? Working for my dad in my youth building houses gave me my work ethic, the drive to succeed, and a thirst for knowledge.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Cooking, music, working out.

2022

ALONZO WILLIAMS, MD |OCCUPATION| Gastroenterologist, Arkansas Diagnostic Center |HOMETOWN| Little Rock Dr. Alonzo Williams is married to Susan (Holley) Williams, a phenomenal artist whose medium is bronze sculpture. Together they have six children, five grandchildren and one due in July 2022. To Dr. Williams, being a “good man” means always striving to be more Godly, keeping his wife happy, taking care of the elderly and focusing on helping the less fortunate.

WHAT QUALITY DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? The qualities I admire most in other men are consistency of performance, bravery and integrity.

WHAT’S SOMETHING OTHERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? People would be surprised to know how much time I spend on spa services such as manicures, pedicures, facials and massages. I shave my bald head daily and enjoy great grooming products. Also, my guiltiest pleasure is watching The Wendy Williams Show’s hot topics show.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? What I like most about being a physician is the interaction with my patients and helping them to make good health care choices. It is especially rewarding when those good decisions yield an improved quality of life for the patient and their family.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? I learned to appreciate the present. Life is unpredictable, and God is in complete control. I also learned to stay consistent in my workout regimen, basing it on maintaining good health instead of an occasion.

WHAT PERSON, PAST OR PRESENT, DO YOU ADMIRE MOST? The person I admire most is he person who raised me, loved me and taught me to be a man. That is my father, John Henry Williams. He dropped out of elementary school to help his parents make a living. He couldn’t read and became blind when I was a young man. In spite of these deficiencies, he built his own home, ran many businesses, drove a bus to the cotton fields near Helena, owned a grocery store and insisted all of his children attend and graduate from college. All of us did graduate, with bachelor’s, master’s, Ph.D.s and I graduated with an M.D. I truly admire this man.

2022

DARRIN L. WILLIAMS |OCCUPATION| CEO, Southern Bancorp, Inc. |HOMETOWN| Born in Danville, raised in Little Rock. |FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Arnold Palmer (nonalcoholic) Darrin Williams’ career is a unique combination of business, law and politics. As CEO of Southern Bancorp, Williams oversees the strategic direction and operations of each of Southern’s three Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI): Southern Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company; Southern Bancorp Bank, one of America’s largest rural development banks; and Southern Bancorp Community Partners, a 501(c) (3) development finance and lending organization — collectively known as “Southern.” Williams joined Southern in 2013, and under his leadership, Southern has experienced significant growth, attracting over $300 million in equity capital, increasing its assets by more than $1 billion dollars and expanding its geographic footprint and product offerings.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM OTHERS? ?

I am blessed to be the son of Warren and Catherine Williams, who demonstrated servant leadership to me virtually every day of their lives. Most everything positive I have accomplished is because others invested in me — starting with my parents, who adopted me as an infant, as well as so many more people including my wife, Nicole Williams, who is my best friend and my rock.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” To treat others like you want to be treated and to intentionally serve others, particularly those with fewer opportunities than I have been blessed with.

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER MEN? Being faith-centered and honest. Servant leadership is also important.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? I have learned to embrace remote working as a way to attract talent that our financial institution may not otherwise have had an opportunity to attract.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR? I hope people will remember me as someone who made a positive difference in people’s lives.

“

TREAT OTHERS LIKE YOU WANT TO BE TREATED.

2022

ZACHARY T. YOUNG, MD |OCCUPATION| Plastic Surgeon, Arkansas Plastic Surgery |HOMETOWN| Jonesboro; resides in Little Rock |FAVORITE COCKTAIL| Dirty Martini |REMEMBER ME FOR:| I hope to be remembered as a great father, husband, son, and surgeon.

Dr. Zachary T. Young was determined to be a physician at the age of four. Since then, he’s spent almost his entire life working to obtain the knowledge, ability and tools required to best serve his patients. Young shares that he is half Chinese, and that his father’s parents came to America in the 1900s to escape the brutality of the Communist regime. Young’s past, as well as the dedication of his present, has made him all the more determined to be the best doctor possible for his patients.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? I am most proud to be the father of two amazing children, Jackson and Ella.

WHAT, IN YOUR MIND, DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “GOOD MAN?” A man that gives his best in all that he does.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? I get to help patients achieve a sense of improvement in aesthetic surgery and a sense of physical restoration in reconstructive surgery.

WHAT LESSONS DID YOU LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC? Healthcare workers, on all levels, are resilient.

“

YOU HAVE BRAINS IN YOUR HEAD. YOU HAVE FEET IN YOUR SHOES. YOU CAN STEER YOURSELF ANY DIRECTION YOU CHOOSE.” -DR. SEUSS

section header

Buffalo River, (photo courtesy of ADPHT)

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The Making of

“UNDAMMED:

A Buffalo River Adventure”

A

By KENNETH HEARD

ndrew McNeece’s documentary film “Undammed: A Buffalo River Adventure” opens with aerial shots of the Buffalo River obscured beneath clouds and fog. As the camera dips lower, though, the mist clears and the majestic river is seen winding through the lush forests and hills of the Ozark Mountains.

The 50-minute film celebrates the Buffalo National River’s 50th anniversary this year and features the myriad of activities along the 135-mile river. It debuted in special showings across Arkansas and Missouri in June and should soon be available on Amazon Prime.

A 10th grade history teacher at Bentonville High School, McNeece, 37, wasn’t really a filmmaker at first. He enjoyed snapping pictures of the outdoors and realized teaching history to teenagers at his school was basically a storytelling technique.

He combined his photography and his teaching skills in what he thought was merely a hobby. McNeece would shoot pictures during summer jobs at Glacier National Park in Montana and Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah while attending the University of Mis-

Map of the Buffalo River.

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sissippi in the mid 2000s. He’d then display them on what he calls the “early days” of Instagram.

“I took pictures of the places,” McNeece said. “I picked up a used camera that took film. I couldn’t afford a digital camera.

It began as a hobby.”

He gained a following of his photographs on the social platform and then, like the parting clouds in his documentary’s opening, his focus became clearer.

McNeece met Jeff Rose, an Arkansas photographer whose work has appeared in National Geographic, Southern Living, Garden and Gun and other publications, and the two became friends.

Meanwhile, McNeece’s teaching was taking off. After graduating from the University of Mississippi, he began teaching social studies in the Water Valley School District in Water Valley, Mississippi, in 2011.

In 2016, he fell in love with Northwest Arkansas after visiting the area and he and his wife, Courtney, moved to Bentonville where they both teach. Courtney McNeece teaches first graders at the Garfield Elementary School in Rogers.

“We were looking at places to relocate,” McNeece said. “We wanted a place with good standards of living and an outdoors culture. Mississippi had the outdoor culture of hunting, but not all the other out-

aymag.com

door things.

“We kept coming up with Northwest Arkansas,” he said. “This area is hard to beat.”

McNeece bought a fly fishing rod, and he and Rose went to the Buffalo River to fish.

The two would take trips to various rivers and created “Fly Fishing in Arkansas,” a 30-minute film about fly fishing in the Buffalo, White, Little Red and Missouri rivers. He also made “Ozarks on the Fly,” a seven-part series about the state’s rivers.

“I thought I wanted to keep doing that,” McNeece said of his budding film hobby.

He created Bluff Line Media, his filmmaking company, in 2018, and eventually made seven short documentaries that feature the outdoors culture he likes. McNeece and his family took vacations to rivers and parks where he continued to hone his photographic skills.

On weekends, he and Rose would float and fish the Buffalo River and talk about making a documentary about the river in the fall of 2019.

Then, COVID-19 hit, and the two put the project on the backburner, he said.

But, unlike for most, the pandemic was actually beneficial to McNeece.

“It gave me more time to think and put it all together,” he said.

He talked with his wife about the time he’d need to complete the film.

“Can we do this?” he asked. “Are you sure?”

The couple just had a son, and McNeece wasn’t too keen on leaving his wife on the weekends to shoot video and spend long weeknights editing his work.

“She said I’d regret it if I didn’t go ahead,” he said.

So he and Rose made frequent jaunts to the river, photographing people boating and fishing and talking to them about their adventures.

Once, McNeece scored an interview with renowned wildlife photographer Tim Ernst who lives in Newton County. Ernst’s work has appeared in National Geographic, Outdoor Photography, Audubon, Natural History, Outside and other publications. He’s also been featured in Sierra Club and Hallmark calendars and in National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service maps and brochures, and he’s published 18 books of his photographs.

Ernst knows the techniques of getting a good shot.

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McNeece completed the interview and returned home to watch it, excited about the addition to his documentary “I watched it and saw the lighting was terrible,” McNeece said. “It was unusable. I had to call him back and tell him that and ask if we could do it again.

“It was a tough call to make,” he said.

Ernst granted the second interview, and McNeece ensured the lighting was better.

Most of the film shows the opportunities for boating, kayaking, fishing and hiking on the river. There are also scenes of bike riding and rock climbing, but those activities are mostly prohibited on the Buffalo National River Park grounds.

The documentary also presents the history of the river.

Tim Ernst

Andrew McNeece

Buffalo River, (photo courtesy of ADPHT) The passage of the Flood Control Act of 1938 let the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam rivers in the state to create lakes that reduced flooding and provide means for creating hydroelectric energy. The Corps dammed section of the White River to create the Beaver, Bull Shoals and Table Rock lakes.

The Corps also set its sights on the Buffalo River, but locals balked, realizing a dam would completely change the beautiful river and its scenery. They countered, saying the river would draw visitors which meant more revenue for the state.

In 1972, federal law designated the Buffalo River as the nation’s first national river.

The 98,000-acre park includes 135 miles of the 150 miles of riverway. The river cuts through Newton, Marion and Searcy counties before converging with the White River in Baxter County.

“We touched on the fight to save the river,” McNeece said of his film. “But we didn’t get too much into it. This is a celebration and we didn’t want it to be too political.”

The documentary has received quite a bit of accolades during its recent showings. More than 250 showed up at its debut in Harrison, another 250 attended a showing in Fayetteville, and McNeece had to schedule two showings of his movie in Springfield because of the crowd.

“I was impressed,” said Terrie Martindale, board president of the Buffalo National River Partners. The group, made up of volunteers, provides support and education for the national park and helps raise money for renovation projects within park boundaries.

“The perspective he took was just amazing,” she said. “His movie is so engaging.”

She was concerned, however, that the film may draw too many to an area that already sees an average of 1.5 million visitors a year. The additional crowd could add stress to the river.

“It’s easy for humans to damage in only a few months what took millions of years to establish,” she said.

She added that casual visitors may not be aware of just how rough parts of the river are. The national park status protects the river, but does not always manage it.

“The river is wild,” Martindale said. “You have to know what’s going on.

Educating yourself about it is very important.

“This is an incredible river tucked in the northcentral part of the state.

Our state has this national gem. There’s not another one in the nation like it.”

Cassie Branstetter, chief interpreter of the Buffalo River National Park,

125

said because of her job she’s not allowed to openly speak about the movie. Instead, she said she will help educate the visitors who come to the river after seeing “Undammed.”

“There’s been a lot of response to the film,” she said. “There’s also been attention because this is our 50th anniversary. There’s been a lot of articles in national newspapers and magazines.”

McNeece said his 10th grade students at Bentonville are also impressed with his work, jokingly calling him “Ken Burns,” referring to the documentarian who has made epic-length films about baseball, country music and Ernest Hemingway and other historical topics.

He said the “established order of chaos” in teaching high school helped him manage time with shooting, editing and then promoting his film.

“I’m proud of the way it turned out,” he said. “There are things I could do better. We were out in the elements dealing with wind and cicadas hatching all around. These were all challenges and I learned from it.

“We live in the age of the internet,” McNeece said. “With just a few clicks on Google, you can find out anything about the river. With this documentary, I wanted more control about the discussions of the river, not just the places.”

aymag.com

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The Bald Eagle

COMEBACK Mysterious ‘90s Eagle Deaths in Arkansas Provide Important Lesson Regarding Invasive Species

By BECKY GILLETTE

T

he majestic bald eagle has been the national bird of the U.S. since 1782, just six years after the country’s founding. Back in the 1990s, bald eagles were endangered, and there was particular concern about the mysterious deaths of a large number of bald eagles at DeGray Lake and Lake Ouachita in Arkansas.

“It was the only known massive eagle die-off to occur in the continental U.S. and the only one for which they had no answers until fairly recently,” said ornithologist Karen Rowe, who is nongame bird program coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC). “It consumed a great many people’s time and efforts. For our Game and Fish biologists, officers and myself, it became a 24/7 operation. This went on in the mid-1990s for years.”

The die-offs always seemed to start right before Thanksgiving, Rowe said.

“We started to theorize it was water temperatures and in some ways that affected the ability of toxic algae to reproduce,” Rowe said. “It appeared early on that the algae were contributing to deaths of the eagles, but we didn’t have information about what was allowing the toxic algae to grow.”

In 2001, Dr. Susan Wilde, an aquatic researcher at the University of Georgia, identified a new species of cyanobacteria, a type of blue-green algae, after investigating spots on the leaves of a nonnative water plant called hydrilla that had infested the lakes. Wilde immediately recognized this was important to the case of the bald eagles’ deaths.

The disease that killed the eagles and other water birds was identified as Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy (AVM). A report prepared by Dr. John Fischer in 2002 for the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study said that in addition to 29 bald eagles killed at DeGray Lake in the winter of 1994-1995, AVM had killed at least 85 eagles in Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina since then.

“Eagles with AVM exhibit difficulty or inability to fly or walk and have extensive vacuolar le-

“

It is a huge win that bald eagles are no longer endangered.

Karen Rowe, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

sions in the white matter of the central nervous system,” Fischer wrote. “AVM can be confirmed only by microscopic examination of brain tissue from a fresh specimen. The cause of AVM remains undetermined despite extensive diagnostic and research investigations. A natural or manmade compound is suspected because there has been no evidence of viruses, bacteria, prions or other infectious agents, and the lesions are consistent with toxicosis.”

According to Rowe, it is now known that it was a perfect storm of negative factors that caused the AVM. The hydrilla allowed the growth of the toxic algae, but not all lakes with hydrilla infections had problems with AVM. Another factor was the presence of bromine, which was found in unusually high concentrations in the hydrilla. While it wasn’t known how bromine was getting into the lakes, it was being concentrated greatly in the hydrilla.

Rowe also said that coots, which developed AVM from eating hydrilla, were eaten by eagles, which concentrated the poison leading to AVM killing the eagles.

“When water conditions were right to release toxins, the coots got sick with AVM,” Rowe explained. “Bald eagles go for soft body tissue in their prey, which is often the digestive tract. The bald eagles were literally consuming the toxins through the coots. It took certain water conditions,

130

chemical compositions, and other complex water hydrology changes to cause the algae to become toxic. When coots fed on it, they got sick. When eagles fed on coots, they got sick and died.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages DeGray Lake, began a program to eradicate hydrilla from the lake through the introduction of a sterile grass carp and a larva from Pakistan (Hydrillia pakistanae), both of which eat hydrilla.

“At the time, the Corps was just trying to get rid of an invasive, non-native plant,” Rowe said. “By doing so, they eliminated the algae that could create the toxin. Through the elimination of the algae growing on the hydrilla, we stopped the disease in DeGray Lake.

We have had no more AVM positive eagles since the large, dense stands of hydrilla were eliminated.”

Rowe said hindsight is a wonderful thing. The takehome message from the bald eagles’ deaths is that it all came about because of an invasive, nonnative plant. She said this underscores the importance of restoring native vegetation, which the Corps and AGFC’s fisheries biologists are currently doing.

“Nonnative invasive species displace the native vegetation and the aquatic invertebrates that fish and water birds feed on,” Rowe explained. “The whole food chain is dependent on the vegetation in the lake. If you insert a nonnative plant that has the ability to displace native vegetation, you disrupt the food chain because the nonnative plants may not be edible or provide the nutrients needed for invertebrates, waterbirds or certain species of fish to survive.

“Our agency is dealing with a variety of nonnative plants that are reducing habitat for wildlife, whether aquatic or terrestrial. We are trying to limit the impact of invasive nonnative animals that can be damaging such as feral hogs that harm habitats needed by native

“

There are many not as well-known bird species that are in even more dire straits than were the bald eagles. We are working to protect those that are listed endangered and being proactive on those who are not yet endangered by providing habitat for everything from grassland birds to small, secretive wetland birds.

wildlife. The agency has an emphasis on preventing the establishment of any more nonnative species. We have a captive wildlife program, which prohibits the release of nonnative species and captive raised wildlife into the wild. Our objective is to prevent any more invasive species from becoming established.”

Bald eagles nationwide have now made a comeback that is credited to protections against destroying their nests and the banning of pesticides like DDT. “It is a huge win that bald eagles are no longer endangered,” Rowe said. “Now we have so many bald eagles in the state that they are doing things like nesting on cell towers. We have to mitigate the problems they are causing.”

Bald eagles, which are very charismatic, are considered the poster child for the success of the Endangered Species Act. But Rowe said that at the same time, there are many not as well-known bird species that are in even more dire straits than were the bald eagles.

“We are working to protect those that are listed endangered and being proactive on those who are not yet endangered by providing habitat for everything from grassland birds to small, secretive wetland birds,” Rowe said.

Rowe, who has been employed with Game and Fish for 38 years, has put off retirement because she finds it an exciting time to be involved in bird conservation. Despite the challenges, there are real opportunities to make a difference in preserving bird species that are vital to biological diversity and maintaining the intricate web of life on Earth.

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At Good Shepherd Nursing and Rehabilitation 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.

NURSING & REHABILITATION CENTER at

GOOD SHEPHERD Chad Curtis, Administrator 3001 Aldersgate Road, Little Rock AR 72205 • Phone 501-217-9774 • Fax 501-217-9781 www.goodshepherdnr.com

retirement

AY’s Guide to

Aging in Arkansas R

etirement is a word that evokes several different emotions, all of which vary from person to person. For the young, retirement can seem a distant vision. For the middle-aged, an exciting yet daunting step. But, for those who are at or nearing retirement age, the prospect of retirement can feel like the edge of glory. There are so many different routes to take, all of which promise an eventful journey –– but first, you must decide where to start.

In this issue, we will lay out your map to retirement. Whether you choose a more traditional route of staying put and enjoying what you’ve built, to those who dare to try something different and go wherever the winds of change blow, we’ve got you covered. From the very early stages of planning financially, to how you will get there, to choosing your ultimate destination, our retirement guide will help you on every step of your retirement journey.

FINANCES:................................................ 134 Setting Up for Retirement at Any Age

DESTINATION:.......................................... 152 The Best Places to Retire in Arkansas (according to Niche)

TRAVEL:.....................................................142 A World Between Four Corners & The RV Guide

LIVING:....................................................... 162 The Different Types of “Retirement Living”

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retirement

By ANGELA FORSYTH

H

olding on to your money in savings accounts, bonds or CDs might feel safe, but most financial advisors will agree it’s not the smartest way to store your money. These traditional accounts accumulate almost zero dollars in interest, even if you have millions of dollars in the account. When it comes to saving for retirement, a little bit of basic knowledge, a trusted advisor and a small sum of money make up the solid foundation you will need to set yourself up for a comfortable future.

The Basics

Step one in investing money for retirement is to do your research. You don’t have to know all the ins and outs of investing before you begin; but you do need to make sure you understand the basic principles of whatever type of account you’re interested in opening.

Financial Advisor Kyle Moore has worked with Edward Jones for more than 10 years and is a limited partner working out of the Rogers office in Northwest Arkansas. He recommends talking to a variety of trusted sources to gather investment knowledge.

Trusted sources include friends and family members who have more experience saving for retirement. Ask them where they invest their money and how they got started. For more in-depth conversations, you can also talk to a financial advisor. Look for one who has a good reputation. Most advisors are willing to engage in a phone conversation for free and offer investment guidelines.

Moore especially stresses the importance of knowing what you’re doing before you hand over your money. “Don’t invest in something that you don’t know or that you can’t repeat back to an advisor,” he insists. “If you can’t say it back, do not do it. Don’t just go off of a recommendation someone has given you. Have an understanding of what it is before making that decision.”

Finding a Financial Planner

One major misconception is that financial advisors are for the rich. You don’t have to have a large sum of money to talk to a financial planner. And you shouldn’t have to pay to talk to a professional either. Most reputable advisors are happy to talk to anyone for free. If you have $100 and you want to get started planning for retirement or you just got your first job and need advice on how to maximize your 401k, you can seek out an advisor.

Before you pick an advisor, check their professional background. Go to BrokerCheck.com, a free online tool for the public.

BrokerCheck.com is informed by FINRA, the regulatory body for this industry. You can look anyone up and see their record. Moore suggests checking for: How many years of experience does the person have? How long has the person been with their current company? In what states is the advisor licensed? Does the person have any disciplinary actions or complaints against him or her?

Retirement Plan Options

When it comes to retirement options, the big three investment choices are 401(k), IRA and Roth IRA. Those are the most common, but not the only choices. Each type of account has its own unique benefits.

401(k) – Many companies offer 401(k)s to employees as part of a benefits package. Most of them will match your contributions up to a certain percentage or dollar amount. In most cases, your 401(k) is held at an investment firm of your employer’s choice and may have certain investment options.

403(b) – A 403(b) is similar to a 401(k), but it’s a pre-tax retirement account that’s specifically offered by schools and tax-exempt organizations.

IRA – An IRA is a retirement account that allows your personal investments to grow tax-free. Contributions are made pre-tax, and you may be able to deduct some or all of your traditional IRA contributions on your tax return.

Roth IRA - A Roth IRA is a tax-advantaged retirement account.

You contribute money to a Roth IRA from your earned income

after you pay regular income taxes. Unlike an IRA, there is no upfront tax break. Instead, the tax benefits come later since you pay no income tax on qualified withdrawals.

Roth 401(k) – The lesser-known Roth 401(k) is similar to a 401(k) in that it is employer-sponsored. Like a Roth IRA, contributions are made with income that’s already been taxed, allowing investments to grow and be withdrawn in retirement without being taxed. Unlike traditional 401(k)s which reduce your taxable income because contributions are taken directly from your paycheck, Roth 401(k) contributions do not reduce taxable income.

Where to start

Moore recommends beginning by maxing out the 401(k) first. The maximum 401(k) contribution in 2022 is $20,500 ($27,000 for those age 50 or older). Of course, this is only if you’re in a safe state of current funds. Most financial planners advise people to have six months’ worth of income that is easy to reach in a traditional savings account. That way if you find yourself in an unexpected situation such as losing your job or a medical issue, you have that safety net. A 401(k) is a golden opportunity to take free money from an employer who matches your contribution. A common match might be 50% of the first 6% of pay you save. Even if the employer doesn’t match contributions, a 401(k) is good to have because It’s going to lower your taxable income regardless.

Next to maxing out a 401k, Moore’s favorite types of investments are Roth IRAs and IRAs. “Basically, think of these just as different buckets of money where your dollars are going,” he explains. “Whatever you put in, it’s going to grow completely taxdeferred and tax-free.” He recommends these types of investments as a good place for younger people to begin. The Roths are 100% tax-free and they can be passed down to a beneficiary who will also not pay taxes on it. “So, it’s another arrow in your quiver,” Moore says.

How much will you need?

Of course, how much each person will need for retirement differs from person to person. You have to factor in how much of a monthly income you will need later in life. Consider inflation and different costs of living. You may want to retire in a part of the country that has a lower or a higher cost of living than where you currently reside. You may want to plan for the expense of living in a retirement home, or an assisted living facility or for paying for at-home care.

The costs of retirement life are hard to predict, especially if you’re still young. Moore believes a good rule of thumb to start with could be to set aside 10%-15% of your current annual income. Retirement savings calculators can also be found online.

EdwardJones.com has one. If you enter a few metrics (current age, desired retirement age, monthly contribution, interest rate, etc.) the calculator will inform you where you stand.

When to start

You probably thought the answer was – when you get your first job. Actually, even kids can open an IRA or a Roth IRA. If they do odd jobs around the house or pet sit for neighbors, they can put some money aside and a parent can open up a retirement savings plan in the child’s name. Since they won’t have a W-2, you’ll need to keep track of their earnings –– how much they were paid and who paid them –– just in case you have an audit.

As a father himself, Moore is a huge proponent of this idea. “I think once a child gets interested in saving money, talk to [them] about it and then take that step. Find a Vanguard or Fidelity and lead them in long-term savings planning,” he says.

The bottom line when it comes to retirement planning is: Spend a little bit of time researching the basics. Ask people you trust for advice, and don’t hesitate to call a professional.

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5 STAR Ratings Skilled Nursing Facility • 2 Courtyards • Cable System • Modern Furnishings • Private & Semi Private Rooms • State-of-the-Art Rehab Gym

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Medicare • Private Pay • All Major Private Insurance We are an 80 bed facility with both private and semi-private rooms. We offer Rehab services (PT, OT, and ST) as well as Long-Term Care.

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is a skilled nursing facility offering resident-centered care in a convenient and quiet location. Cabot Health & Rehab, LLC is located in beautiful Cabot, AR near the city center, medical offices and hospitals. Our team consists of licensed nurses, physicians, therapists and other medical specialists who believe in building strong relationships with our residents and their families. We believe this is essential to the healing process.

ACCOMMODATIONS & SERVICES

Cabot Health & Rehab, LLC offers both semi-private and private rooms (when available). Our staff is dedicated to ensuring that our residents are provided a robust activity calendar, a superior dining experience in a warm, family-like setting. When recuperation and convalescence is needed, our staff works as a multi-disciplinary team to develop a comprehensive rehabilitation program to facilitate a return to home.

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CABOT HEALTH & REHAB, LLC 200 North Port Drive Cabot, AR 72023 Phone 501-843-6181 Fax 501-843-6736

When indicated, our team of therapists work with residents to customize a rehabilitation program which can include physical, occupational and speech therapy with a focus on improving mobility, endurance, safety and facilitating a return to home. A tailored treatment plan will allow residents to recapture health and an independent lifestyle when possible. The enrichment of daily physical function can significantly improve a resident’s self-reliance and overall happiness.

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NURSING & REHABILITATION LIVING PROFILE

Briarwood 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!

501.224.9000 • 516 S. Rodney Parham Rd., Little Rock • briarwoodnursingandrehab.com

Overall health and hearing health go hand in hand.

However, many people don’t associate hearing loss and its related issues with dementia.

In a study that tracked 639 adults for nearly 12 years, Johns Hopkins expert Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D, and his colleagues found that mild hearing loss doubled dementia risk. Moderate loss tripled risk, and people with a severe hearing impairment were five times more likely to develop dementia.

Hearing aids have been shown to: • Improve cognitive functioning • Preserve Brain tissue and nerve cells • May reduce risk of dementia • Happier, calmer living • Reduce depression & anxiety • Increase confidence & Optimism For more information on the study scan the code, or call 844-203- 6674 to book your free hearing exam.

miracle-ear.com | 501-227-4327 Little Rock | Morrilton | Hot Springs | Fayetteville | Bentonville

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Stella Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation provides skilled professional care in a compassionate, supportive and comfortable atmosphere. Our staff takes pride in their jobs and it shows by their caring nature; by striving to find more innovative ways of caring for our residents as well as providing 24 hour skilled nursing care, inpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy to our residents.   400 N. vancouver russellville, Ar 72801 479-968-4141 | StellaManorNr.com

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We offer a warm, home-like environment, encouraging each resident to achieve the maximum level of activity and independence.

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Oak Manor is a licensed healthcare facility inspected and federally regulated by the Arkansas Office of Long Term Care. 24 hour skilled nursing care, inpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy are available to the residents of Oak Manor. This 120 bed facility provides Medicare/Medicaid certified care with private and semi-private rooms.

150 Morton Avenue, Booneville, AR 72927 479.675.2689 oakmanornr.com

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Serving Seniors For Over 35 Years 1st Nationally Accredited Caregiver Registry in Arkansas. Thoroughly screened, experienced caregivers can provide: •Housekeeping

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Call Today To See If You May Qualify For These Services At No Cost To You! Faulkner, Perry and Van Buren Counties • 501-329-4663 Licensed personnel referral service | superiorseniorcare.com

Perry County Nursing & Rehabilitation Center Skilled, long-term care facility and spacious living areas, with rehabilitation services including speech, physical therapy and occupational therapy.

We are a comfortable “home in the country” in the small, historic city of Lonoke.

Our staff of trained professionals help residents to attain optimal health, maintain independence and dignity and when possible, to assist them in returning home.

Lonoke Health & Rehab 1501 Lincoln Street, Lonoke, AR • 501.676.2600

PerryCountyNursingAndRehab.com | 501-889-2400

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e t a t S l a r u t a N e Th t n e m e r i t e R r fo

I

By JENNY BOULDEN

t was love that brought New York natives Jill and John Bowman to Arkansas for the first time––albeit not their own.

The two were no strangers to the South. The Bowmans had been in Atlanta for 33 years, where they raised their sons. John is a former Air Force pilot who went on to a commercial career flying for Delta Airlines. Jill is a retired librarian.

“About 12 years ago a good friend of mine from Atlanta met a man from Northwest Arkansas, got married, and moved here,” Jill explains. “We flew here to visit them and immediately fell in love with the area, the amenities and the people we met. They took us for breakfast to the Rolling Pin for our first stop. We just felt at home.”

After thoroughly researching the area, nine years ago the Bowmans purchased a scenic piece of land in the hills of Northwest Arkansas, between West Fork and Devil’s Den, intending to move to Arkansas once John retired in June 2022. There was just one problem with their plan.

“The more we visited, the earlier we wanted to get here,” she says.

So, John opted to retire early.

“Four years ago, we purchased a small place on Beaver Lake and lived there for a year while our house was being built. We’ve now lived here in our house for three years and are very happy with our decision.”

Joe David Rice, who retired a few years ago from his job as Arkansas’ tourism director, says that’s often how people discover Arkansas.

“I think sometimes what happens is people move here, as we say, ‘from off.’ They come for the employment opportunities, and they fall in love with the state and decide to retire here,” Rice says. “Then, when their other relatives and friends come to Arkansas, they introduce them to The Natural State. People come here a time or two and John and Jill Bowman discover that there’s a lot more to the state than they ever appreciated.”

Rice says there’s “a pretty long list” of reasons Arkansas has retirement appeal. Among them: a four-season climate, wonderfully friendly people, one of the best state parks systems in the country and several national parks. “Our location works to our advantage,” he says. “We’re a beautiful state, and in most places still rural, but we’ve got these huge urban areas just beyond our borders— Memphis, St. Louis, Dallas, Oklahoma City.

“When I was in the tourism business, we said, ‘all we have to do is get them here one time, and

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SEE WHY ARKANSAS

the state will sell itself.’ I think that’s true not just with tourism, but retirement as well.”

MORE FOR LESS Rice says while property and house values have gone up in recent years, Arkansas is still a bargain. “I know people who sold out of some neighborhood in California, then come to Arkansas and are able to buy six to eight times the real estate they had out west.

And despite complaints, I think our taxes are reasonable.”

One reason: Arkansas property taxes are “frozen” after people hit age 65. In other states, property taxes and insurance can rise after retirement, to the extent that people sometimes can’t afford to stay in their own, already paid-off homes. Arkansans don’t have that concern.

Largely because of the low cost of living and taxes, moneyrates. com’s list of the ‘Best Places to Retire 2022’ ranks Arkansas as third in the U.S. The entry reads, “Arkansas has the second-lowest overall cost of living in the nation and the tenth-lowest average property tax burden. Arkansas also did well in the healthcare category, ranking tenth in nursing care capacity and first in healthcare affordability.”

Stacy Hurst, Director of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism (ADPHT), says Arkansas’ affordability has meant that in addition to retirees moving to the state, since the pandemic, there’s been an influx of remote workers from across the country looking to maximize their salaries by taking advantage of the state’s remarkably low cost of living.

“We do have a very attractive state for retirement and relocation,” Hurst says. “We have a very low cost-of-living, a high quality of life, access to outdoor recreation, culture, and a superb medical community. All of that adds up to a really great place for retirees to consider.”

ADPHT, as directed by the Arkansas Legislature, directs $1 million each year from the 2 percent tourism tax to promote retirement and relocation to Arkansas. “Right now, we have had a campaign called ‘See Why Arkansas’,” says Hurst. “It is a series of testimonials from people who maybe grew up in Arkansas but went away for college or opportunity, but have decided to come back. Also, people who are not from here but who learned about Arkansas and thought, ‘You know what, we’ll give that a try,’ and have been wellpleased. That campaign has been very successful.”

Bowman says she and her husband researched Arkansas carefully before making an informed decision about their move. “We decided to retire here after looking into the cost of living, the number and quality of medical services, and the availability of getting out in nature to hike, bike, and be on the water,” she says. “And I was particularly excited about the libraries,” the former librarian adds.

Hurst says at a recent gathering of tourism industry professionals across the nation, hosted by Arkansas, she asked the room of about 50 how many of them were on their first trip to the state.

“Probably two-thirds of the room raised their hand. That always surprises me, but it’s also a great opportunity,” she says. “Because when people actually visit here and experience it, they are almost always very pleased. They like our beautiful nature. They love our hospitality. For us, the challenge is just to invite them and get them here.”

THE USUAL AND LESS USUAL SUSPECTS Whenever a list comes out of the best places to retire within Arkansas, the order may change, but there are some major names that pop up every time because of the years and campaigns they’ve dedicated to recruiting retirees and building amenities to keep them happy. Bella Vista, Hot Springs, Hot Springs Village, Cherokee Village, Mammoth Springs, Horseshoe Bend and Mountain Home frequently appear, and being a retirement community is a large part of each community’s identity.

Rice and Hurst mentioned some others they’ve seen making a

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When people actually visit here and experience it, they are almost always very pleased. strong effort to attract retirees, including Mena, Mountain Home, Mountain View, Jasper, Heber Springs, Paragould, Jonesboro, Bentonville, Siloam Springs, Arkadelphia and Central Arkansas in general. The list of ‘2022 Best Places to Retire in Arkansas’ on niche.com also includes Cave Springs, Johnson, Lake Hamilton, Prescott and Dumas.

“Arkadelphia is an example of a place with a small-town feeling people like,” Rice says. “They have two universities, an interesting downtown, and great quality of life. They’re right off Interstate 30 and have a nice state park at Lake Degray. Arkadelphia has a lot of interest in people retiring there.”

Anecdotally from posts in a Buffalo River Facebook group he joined, Rice says he’s also noticed an uptick in people retiring around Jasper. “A lot of people are trying to track down their piece of paradise up there, get some land around the Buffalo and the Ozark National Forest.”

Hurst points out Arkansas’ abundant access to a variety of musical performances retirees typically enjoy, from arena concerts by favorite artists to small, home-grown music like the fiddlers on the square in Mountain View and the steady roster of talented performers at the Ozark Folk Center. “I was in Paragould not too long ago, and they have a historic theater they have redone. They host a popular night of bluegrass music that is an interesting addition to that cultural scene in northeast Arkansas.”

Rice says that area has growing appeal to retirees. “They have ASU up there, and lots of growth. Jonesboro has been keeping up with Northwest Arkansas in terms of new jobs and development.”

Hurst says she’s been impressed with efforts to draw retirees in western Arkansas. “We were just over in Mena, another community that has a great arts scene and a very cute historic district,” she says, speaking of ADPHT. “We are working with the US Forest Service and the Walton Family Foundation on developing a system of trails that will go up Rich Mountain to Queen Wilhelmina State Park. That, I think, is going to be a community that will see an influx of retirees. They’re already seeing heightened interest in land in that count.”

CLASS ACTS In another show of support for the aging in Mena, Rich Mountain Community College offers a program of lifelong learning courses specifically for people aged 55 and older, with waived tuition for credit courses.

In fact, post-retirement education opportunities are another

rare and excellent benefit Arkansas offers. Because by law, Arkansas public universities waive tuition and fees for residents 60 or older.

“I have several friends who are doing just that, taking classes at UALR or Fayetteville,” Rice says. “For instance, I have a friend who is doing sculpting at UALR. Prior to retiring, she wouldn’t have had time. As it is, she gets a lot of personal attention from her instructor.”

As better health care has extended lifetimes, seniors often go into retirement expecting to enjoy years of active excursions. “One thing we’re seeing among our retirees: 70 is the new 50,” Rice says.

“That demographic group is looking to stay active.” He credits paved, multi-use trails like Central Arkansas’ 88-mile River Trail and Northwest Arkansas’ 37-mile Razorback Greenway. “Besides the Ozarks, Arkansas is fairly flat. I think those bike trails and other quality-of-life amenities are going to be a big factor in people’s retirement decisions in the years to come,” he says.

PARKING IT Rice says Arkansas has one of the best state parks systems in the nation, as well as being a top destination for fishing, cycling, boating, hiking, camping and other scenic outdoor recreation.

Hurst agrees. “In Arkansas, we have 52 state parks scattered across our landscape of the state. Virtually from any location in Arkansas you can get pretty easily to a state park. And that state park will offer access to outdoor recreation, a museum, or something to enjoy. We have a lot of very nice amenities available through our state park system, plus abundant public land that has recreational access.”

Then there are the retirees who have a keen sense of wanderlust.

Many retirees opt to retire on the road for as long as they can, living out of RVs or fifth-wheel campers, vehicles that in recent years have

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Jill and John Bowman are enjoying their slice of paradise in Northwest Arkansas.

seen major upgrades in terms of space, luxury and amenities. And Arkansas is making it easier for them to enjoy The Natural State.

“We continue to see increased activity in the RVing community,” Hurst says. “We’ve always had nice opportunities for camping, but we are recognizing that these days, people have larger RVs and they want more sophisticated hookups. So, we are upgrading and expanding our collection of RV hookups in our state parks. For instance, we are about to open one at Petit Jean State Park that will offer more robust hookup opportunities.”

EXPLORING ARKANSAS Bowman says the state parks and area hiking and biking trails have been excellent places to stay active. Other activities she’s

enjoyed include spending time on the lake and visiting Eureka Springs. She also compliments the local music scene, coffee shops, libraries (including book clubs) and the excitement of exploring her new state.

“If you drew a curve from Eureka Springs down to Hot Springs, passing through Van Buren, we’ve covered a fair amount: Music in Chester; The restaurant and butcher shop in Van Buren,” she says.

“Before visiting my friend in 2010, I’d never been to Arkansas and knew absolutely nothing about it. But I’ve since shared the pride in our new home with friends and family.

“We used to fly around the world,” the pilot’s wife says. “It was so easy with John’s job. Now, we never seem to want to leave home.”

Except, she says, to go on trips back to Georgia to see the one major attraction Arkansas doesn’t have: the grandkids.

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RV-ing in Arkansas

By KATIE ZAKRZEWSKI

W

ith summer upon us, many Arkansans are planning vacations. And that means that many RV owners are tidying up their recreational vehicles and planning a trek through the Natural State.

But, what if you’re looking at buying an RV? Where do you start?

What if you own an RV and want to know where to take it? Fortunately, experts across the state shared some advice with AY to help make your summer one to remember.

Monika Rued, with Arkansas Parks and Tourism, advises that 32 of Arkansas’ state parks have campsites — making some of these parks perfect destinations for RV owners.

Of course, Rued’s list of campgrounds proves that it’s important to do your research first, as Arkansas campgrounds range from primitive, hike-in tent sites to the high-end type with easy accessibility and modern conveniences such as water, electric and sewer hookups for RV campers. Most Arkansas campgrounds include modern restrooms with hot showers and flush toilets. Many parks have designated group camping areas, and you’ll need to contact park staff in order to make reservations.

As RV-ing has grown more popular in recent years, more cities have devoted spaces and areas labeled as RV parks, with Wi-Fi, washer and dryer hookups, and other amenities available to RV owners.

Some state parks even have Rent-a-RV options available. For example, Rent-a-RVs are available at Bull Shoals-White River State Park and Cane Creek State Park. These recreational vehicles, like many others, offer comfortable living, with heating and airconditioning, a private bath with shower, refrigerator, microwave, stove, TV, and an outdoor deck with gas grill.

Arkansas Parks and Tourism’s rental RVs are permanently set up at campsites, offering electric, water, and sewer hookups. These Rent-a-RVs accommodate up to eight people.

In addition to these state parks, Arkansas Farm Bureau even identifies a few growing RV-friendly areas across the state to stop on your road trips, such as Hot Springs, Little Rock, North Little Rock, Heber Springs, Eureka Springs, and Mountain Home. The Bureau points out that all of these areas have RV parks and amenities while also having a plethora of hobbies for naturalists and urbanites, foodies, and fitness enthusiasts.

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Nursing &Rehab

400 West 23rd street Hope, Ar

Occupational Therapy • Physical Therapy Speech Therapy • Spacious Living Area Secured Unit • Hospice & Respite Care Semi-private or private beds available for long-term care & rehab services

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Legacy Heights Nursing and Rehabilitation offers modern conveniences in a gracious setting. We proudly provide a comfortable, home-like atmosphere to each and every person who enters our facility.

• Private and semi-private rooms available • 24-hour nursing services by specialized staff • On-site physical, occupational, and speech therapy services

• State-of-the-art rehabilitation gym • Superior dining experience • Outside & garden courtyard, wheelchair accessible

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Atkins Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

Feels Like

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C

hapel Ridge Health and Rehab is a place residents can feel like home. A place of their own with staff and friends nearby.

We are here to provide a loving supportive home for our residents. One where they are cared for physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally while they are afforded the attention, respect and dignity they deserve.

It is our goal to provide the highest quality of healthcare services and the greatest variety of healthcare options to the residents of this community.

4623 Rogers Ave. Fort Smith, AR 479.452.1541

Chapel Ridge

Health & Rehab

Atkins Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is a newly remodeled rehabilitation and long-term care facility offering skilled therapies, a restorative program, as well as multiple amenities.

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Our mission is to provide our residents with extraordinary healthcare services and ensure families peace of mind by delivering compassionate care in a home-like setting.

605 NW 7th Street • Atkins, AR 72823 479.641.7100 • Fax 479.641.1285 WWW.ATKINSNR.COM

2018

BRONZE

At the Dardanelle Nursing & Rehabilitation Center we are committed to providing the highest quality patient care, while maintaining a dignified atmosphere. Our qualified staff is here giving their loving support for the tasks of day-to-day living, allowing our guests to enjoy more pleasant and carefree activities.

At Greenbrier Nursing & Rehab Center, we are committed to being a premier provider and facility of choice throughout Faulkner County and the communities that surround us.

W

e serve many types of patient and resident needs from short-term to long-term care. Our programs, services, and facility strive to serve and operate with superior quality in order to satisfy the needs of our residents, their families, and our communities.

Residents enjoy a range of amenities and activities, including room service, laundry, Wi-Fi, restaurant-style dining, public parks, fishing, shopping, museums, libraries, and community events. Occupational, Speech, and Physical Therapy are also offered, as well as an all-female observation unit.

We invite you to visit our website at greenbriernr.com, call us, or come for an appointment-free tour.

Dardanelle Resident Room Amenities: • Free Wireless Internet Dardanelle Features: • Flat Screen TV’s • State of the Art Rehabilitation Gym • Individual Climate Controls • Outside covered patio area.

• Private Telephone Hookups • Outside garden, wheelchair accessible.

• Offers both semi-private and private rooms • Physician Services 24/7 • Residents are provided with social services, daily • Our Activities Room can be reserved for family activities, housekeeping and a superior dining gatherings experience.

• Our library filled with books & magazines for • Residents are encouraged to personalize their residents & families rooms • Beauty Salon Services • Wonderful Activity Program • 24-hour Nursing Services by specialized staff • Daily Housekeeping and Laundry Services

2199 Hwy 7 North, Dardanelle, AR (479) 229-4884

GREENBRIER NURSING & REHAB CENTER

DardanelleNR.com

1 6 W I LSON FAR M ROAD

|

G R E E N B R I E R, AR

|

5 0 1-679-0 8 6 0

Northwest Arkansas’ only all-private room facility State-of-the- art therapy gym 2 beautifully maintained outdoor courtyards for residents and their families to enjoy Daily activity calendar Restaurant-style food plus snacks served daily

Apple Creek Health & Rehab is located in quiet, Centerton, Arkansas. We are the newest all-private room long term care/ skilled nursing facility in Northwest Arkansas, and we are Medicare and Medicaid certified. Our staff includes Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Licensed Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapists, and Certified Nursing Assistants.

• State-of-the-Art Rehabilitation Gym • Private Speech Therapy Room • 24/7 Physician Services • 24-Hour Nursing Services by Specialized Staff • Treatment Nurse • Specialized Occupational Therapy • Return-to-Home Training Area • Beauty Salon Services • Daily Housekeeping and Laundry Services • Outside Covered Patio Area in Courtyard

• Semi-Private Rooms with a Dividing Wall, Access to a Window, and Heating & Air Unit • Free Wireless Internet • Private Rooms • Superior Dining Experience • Flat Screen TV’s with Direct TV • Private Telephone Hookups • Short-Term Rehabilitation • Long-Term Care including Respite and Hospice 1451 East Poplar Street Clarksville, AR 72830 479-754-2052 www.johnsoncountyhr.com

1570 West Centerton Boulevard | Centerton, ar | 479-224-4817

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aymag.com

retirement

Best Places to

Retire in Arkansas

According to Niche

Explore the best places to retire in Arkansas based on number of retirees, weather, and access to healthcare and entertainment. Ranking based on data from the U.S. Census, FBI, CDC, and other data sources.

#1: Bella Vista

#13: Highland

#2: Mammoth Spring

#14: Maumelle

#3: Hot Springs Village

#15: Tontitown

#4: Cherokee Village

#16: Rockwell

#5: Lake Hamilton

#17: Bryant

#6: Cave Springs

#18: Walnut

#7: Johnson

#19: Mayflower

#8: Mountain Home

#20: Lowell

#9: Heber Springs

#21: Brinkley

#10: Prescott

#22: Sheridan

#11: Hot Springs

#23: Mena

#12: Dumas

#24: Little Rock

#1

#26

#25: Fordyce

#32

#26: Judsonia #27: Sherwood #28: Elm Springs #29: Lonoke #30: Harrison #31: Paris #32: Bentonville

#30

#36: Newport

#33: Ozark

#37: Barling

#34: Fort Smith

#38: Manila

#35: Monticello

#39: Farmington

#11

#40: White Hall #41: Van Buren #42: Pocahontas #43: Salem #44: Prairie Grove #45: Lake Village

#14

#46: Searcy #47: Cabot #48: Benton #49: Magnolia #50: Ashdown

Customized physical, occupational and speech therapy programs are conducted by licensed therapists who focus on improving mobility and motor skills following an injury or illness. The enrichment of daily physical function can significantly improve a resident’s selfreliance and overall happiness.

Our staff provides residents with specially tailored treatment plans designed to recapture health, independent living and facilitate a return home.

Jamestown features separate rooms and private suites with a private entrance for the comfort and convenience of shortterm residents and their families focused on returning home. A full meal service with snacks is prepared daily.

A H O M E AWAY F R O M H O M E Innisfree is a unique family-oriented facility offering skilled care in a loving, supportive atmosphere. Our licensed nurses, general practitioners, and other specialists believe that building strong relationships with their families is key to the healing process.

♥ 24-Hour Nursing Care

Spacious Rooms

Skilled Medical Staff

Short-Term Rehabilitation • Long-Term Care • Respite Care Our home is conveniently located just off Walnut in Rogers close to Wal-Mart, under the medical direction of Dr. Kimberly Burner.

301 S. 24th Street | Rogers, AR 72758 | 479-636-5545 innisfreehr.com 154

SHORT-TERM REHAB, LONG TERM CARE & RESPITE SERVICES We specialize in Short-Term Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care services. From the moment you enter our facility, we want you to experience the difference our facility has to offer. From our light-filled common area to our beautiful outdoor patios, we want you and your loved one to feel comfortable and safe when staying with us.

#3 CHENAL HEIGHTS DRIVE, LITTLE ROCK, AR

n

501.830.2273

n

HICKORYHEIGHTSHR.COM

L

L

akewood Health and Rehab offers skilled professional care in a supportive and compassionate atmosphere. akewood Health and Rehab

offers skilled professional care in a supportive and compassionate atmosphere.

We invite you to experience the difference We invite you to experience the difference our facility has to offer from the moment our facility has to offer from the moment you walk through our door. you walk through our door.

Call us to today to schedule your tour!

CallSPECIALTY us to today toSERVICES schedule your tour!

IN-HOUSE Lakewood Health and Rehab, LLC. offers an inhouse team of professionals providing specialty services to better serve the specific needs of our & Rehab Lakewood Lakewood Health Health residents.

2323 McCain Blvd, North Little Rock • 501.791.2323 and Rehab, LLC. • Rehabilitative Services providing Physical, provides exceptional Speech and Occupational Therapy. skilled care in a compassionate Our team is passionate about bringing the and luxurious latest programs and techniques to our patients. environment They utilize therapy modalities combined with a comprehensive therapy program for strengthening, balance training, pain reduction, wound healing, and increasing range of motion.

Lakewood Health & Rehab • IV Therapy • Wound Care provided by our Wound Care specialists

2323 McCainakewood Blvd,Health North Little Rock • 501.791.2323 and Rehab

L

offers skilled professional care in

FACILITY AMENITIES a supportive and compassionate atmosphere.

• State of the art Rehabilitation Gym

• Wonderful Activity Program

We invite24/7 you by to experience difference • Physician Services Specializedthe Staff • Beauty Salon Services

our facility has to offer from the moment • 24-hour Nursing Services • Daily Housekeeping and Laundry Services you walk through our door.

Call us to today to schedule your tour!

Lakewood Health & Rehab 2323 McCain Blvd.

North Little Rock 501.791.2323

home!

Welcome

Quapaw Care & Rehab Center offers modern conveniences in a gracious setting.

Nestled in a quiet neighborhood, Quapaw Care & Rehabilitation Center is a unique, family-oriented facility offering skilled care in a loving, supportive atmosphere.

Our licensed nurses, physician assistants, dentist, podiatrist and other specialists believe that building strong relationships with their families is key. Our home is conveniently located just off Hwy 7 South, past Hot Springs Mall, on Brighton Terrace, under the medical direction of Dr. Hosam Kamel.

138 Brighton Terrace, Hot Springs

quapawcr.com

Call us today! 501-525-7140

Specialized Rehab | Long Term Care | Respite Care

Best of

2018

When you you walk walk into into the the Robinson Robinson Nursing Nursing && Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Center Center you you will will feel feel aa comfortable comfortable atmosphere atmosphere different different When from any other facility you have visited.

We feature tall ceilings and an open floor plan.

We have a lovely dining room and 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. a covered outdoor patio area.

We specialize specialize in in short-term short-term rehabilitation rehabilitation and and long-term long-term care care services. services. The The short-term short-term rehabilitation rehabilitation area area has has its its own own We dining area and day room.

From the moment you enter our facility, we want you to experience the difference our facility has dining area and day room. From the moment you enter our facility, we want you to experience the difference our facility has to offer. offer. From From our our light-filled light-filled day day areas areas to to our our beautiful beautiful outdoor outdoor areas, areas, we we want want you you and and your your loved loved one one to to feel feel comfortable comfortable to and safe safe when when staying staying with with us. us. You You will will also also notice notice the the pride pride we we take take in in our our facility facility by by keeping keeping our our building building sparkling sparkling clean clean and from the the inside inside out. out. from Our team team isis dedicated dedicated to to providing providing aa safe safe and and comfortable comfortable environment. environment. Robinson Robinson Nursing Nursing and and Rehab Rehab offers offers modern modern Our conveniencesin inaagracious gracioussetting. setting.We Weprovide providedaily dailyplanned plannedactivities activitiesled ledbybyCertified certifiedActivity activityDirectors, directors, like like social social events events conveniences and outings outings and and pastoral pastoral services services with with spiritual spiritual care care for for all all religions. religions. We We strongly strongly encourage encourage family family participation participation in in group group and activities, meals meals and and celebrating celebrating family family birthdays birthdays and and special special days. days. activities, To help help you you plan plan your your visits, visits, we we provide provide aa monthly monthly event event calendar calendar and and aa monthly monthly meal meal planner. planner. Robinson Robinson Nursing Nursing and and To Rehab does does not not have have set set visiting visiting hours. hours. We We view view this this facility facility as as the the “home” “home” of of each each resident. resident.

Rehab We try try our our best best to to communicate communicate with with patients patients and and families families to to help help alleviate alleviate the the anxiety anxiety that that accompanies accompanies this this journey. journey.

We Our team team of of nurses, nurses, therapists therapists and and support support staff staff work work closely closely together together to to develop develop aa plan plan based based on on the the individual individual needs needs of of Our each person.

We recognize that rehabilitation involves not only the patient but the entire family. each person. We recognize that rehabilitation involves not only the patient,

501.753.9003 •• 519 519 Donovan Donovan Briley Briley Boulevard, Boulevard, NLR NLR •• www.robinsonnr.com www.robinsonnr.com 501.753.9003

Connecting Families with Residents

with

Alma Nursing and Rehabilitation Center’s residents and staff are ready to roll up their sleeves so they can do away with FaceTime visits and visits through the windows, and get back to life as normal with friends and family.

Alma Nursing and Rehabilitation Center 401 Heather Lane • Alma, AR

We specialize in Short Term Rehabilitation and Long Term Care services. Our team is dedicated to providing a home-like environment with a 5 star hotel accommodations.

Short Term Rehabilitation • Long Term Care • Respite Care 318 Strozier Lane // Barling, AR 72923 479-452-8181 // ashtonplacehr.com 160

479-632-4343

Bradford House provides skilled professional care in a compassionate and supportive atmosphere. Our licensed nurses, physicians, optometrists, dentists and other specialists believe that building strong relationships with residents and families is essential to the healing process. The entire staff is devoted to providing the quality of care which celebrates the dignity and grace of every single resident.

We are a skilled nursing facility with a state-of-the-art rehab center offering person-centered care in a quiet and serene setting.

Awarded Bronze National Quality Award by the American Health Association.

1202 SE 30th Street | Bentonville, AR 72712 | 479.273.3430 BradfordHouseNR.com

1092 West Stultz Road, Springdale | 479.750.3800 | ShilohHR.com

Where

you live matters!

Want to know what’s happening for the weekend?

We are here for you!

Call today for a quote.

(479) 876-1847

Tune in on 103.7 The Buzz every Friday morning when AY Media Group President & Publisher Heather Baker is their guest!

670 Rogers Road • Bella Vista

161

aymag.com

retirement

The Different Types of

‘RETIREMENT LIVING’

By KATIE ZAKRZEWSKI

A

ccording to the Pew Research Center, 50.3% of U.S. adults 55 and older decided to retire during the pandemic. As a result, many of these adults were left to wonder — what comes next?

Retirement in America looks quite different now than it did just 10 years ago, and Arkansas is no exception.

Many Arkansans may feel their heads spinning at all the different terms used for the various types of retirement living situations and provided care. Some Arkansans may choose to retire and live at home, buy an RV and travel across the U.S. or visit their grandchildren. But what if you’re looking for something a little different?

162

INDEPENDENT LIVING Independent living senior communities have more of a hands-off design and aim to help healthy, independent older adults enjoy recreational, educational and social activities with others around the same age. These communities are often age-restricted, with no health care services provided on-site. Independent living communities primarily focus on serving the social needs of residents, as many are able to live independently without much support.

ASSISTED LIVING Assisted living facilities provide a combination of residential housing and supportive healthcare services to adults who are no longer able to safely live independently. Residents of assisted living facilities typically need some assistance with meals, bathing and medication.

These communities offer assistance with daily activities as needed while allowing residents to live as independently as possible. Assisted living communities are designed to feel like home, with residents typically living in their own apartments or suites with private baths and kitchenettes.

NURSING HOMES AND FACILITIES Nursing homes are more designed for intensive medical care and assistance of residents. This senior living option provides 24hour nursing care for residents who need more direct daily care than is provided in a supportive, assisted living type of arrangement. These facilities usually have specialized care for illnesses and diseases that older individuals are more likely to be susceptible to, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. Nursing homes have more of a clinical environment, and residents typically live in a private or semiprivate room that does not include a living room or kitchen.

RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES A retirement community is a residential community or complex designed for older adults who are able to care for themselves.

Generally, these communities allow assistance from home care agencies, and activities and socialization opportunities are often provided.

Most retirement communities provide meals and apartment cleaning, as well as meeting other needs. These communities help seniors safely explore new interests and activities while keeping them actively engaged in community life. Senior living communities offer more independence and life enrichment opportunities, while many nursing homes focus more on around-the-clock monitored support.

IF YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT RETIRING, CONSIDER YOUR OPTIONS AND WHAT YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF YOUR RETIREMENT — AND MAKE SURE YOUR LOVED ONES KNOW YOUR WANTS TOO, SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TWILIGHT YEARS. PREPARING FOR THE TWILIGHT YEARS Regardless of your retirement plan, it’s essential to think about medical arrangements and funeral desires. David Edwards, director of communications at Arkansas Hospice, explains more about the role of health and preparation in the retirement years, as Arkansas Hospice expands its services to meet patients where they are: “Our continuum of care is in the process of expanding. We offer palliative care, and we offer senior care for nonmedical home care. This means that we’re expanding our services to better meet patients where they are–– not only where they live but where they are in their health care journey,” Edwards says. “We offer palliative care, for when a patient has a chronic disease, but they still have a lifespan of months or years. We help patients manage their symptoms and have a better quality of life when dealing with chronic disease or illness. We provide hospice care in a situation where a patient has a prognosis of six months or less. We help the patient have the highest quality of life possible, keep them comfortable, and help them where they’re at or where they want to be.”

Edwards explains that over the last few years, primarily due to the pandemic, many patients want to remain at home as much as possible. This presented both challenges and opportunities for Arkansas Hospice.

“One of the things we did see was an uptick in Arkansans wanting to receive hospice care at home rather than in a facility. Families did not want to risk admitting a patient into a facility and then not being able to see them. Because we focus on meeting a patient where they are, this is one of the things that we were able to overcome during the pandemic,” Edwards says. “We contract with area hospitals for inpatient care, but we see the trend going towards patients wanting to receive care in their primary residence, wherever that may be. We bring the majority of our care to patients where they are, and we see that trend continuing.”

Edwards emphasizes the importance of advanced directives for all Arkansans, especially older ones.

“Make your health care decisions known in the event that you are no longer able to communicate them,” Edwards advises. “Our website has an entire kit on making this decision. As far as senior living goes, making your medical and end-of-life wishes and desires known is a very important step that needs to be taken for the betterment of the patient and the family.”

If you’re thinking about retiring, consider your options and what you want to get out of your retirement — and make sure your loved ones know your wants too, so that you can make the most of your twilight years.

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aymag.com

Flexible treatment for an unforgiving disease

The BridgeWay is more than a hospital-it’s a place of hope and recovery from substance use disorders and mental illness. With the belief that each person can change and heal, we offer a program and treatment plan unique to each patient.

Our outpatient treatment represents our least restrictive and most flexible care options. Our Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) offer either day or evening schedules.

These options allow patients to receive recovery-focused treatment that addresses a full range of psychiatric and addictive issues while attending to daily family and work obligations. In addition, our outpatient programs provide specialized group therapy for adults 18 and older with specific mental health or substance use disorder needs.

PHP vs IOP: What is the difference?

Quality Care Rooted in Arkansas

While each program is different, they are similar in some ways

INPATIENT CARE

PHP PROGRAM

21 Bridgeway Road North Little Rock, AR 72113

1-800-245-0011 thebridgeway.com

IOP PROGRAM AFTERCARE

Inpatient Care - Outpatient Care - Aftercare Continuum

to

SUBSCRIBE aymag.com

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Only $24 a year!

LIVE WELL. BE HAPPY. Presbyterian Village offers independent living in a cozy, established community with beautiful courtyards in the heart of Little Rock.

Start your day with an exercise class or a game of bingo. Then, head to the beauty salon, pick up a paint brush, experience a wine social with live music, or enjoy delicious southern style meals, daily, in our private dining room.

501.225.1615 www.presbyvillage.org

164

Hot Springs’ newest, premier skilled nursing and long term care facility.

eatures all private rooms for o well as, private short term reha creen televisions and telephon nvenience.

We have a dedicat Our facility features all private rooms for our long term residents, as well as, private short term rehab rooms with ivate rooms andandan enclosed 42-inch flat screen televisions telephones for family and friend convenience. We have a dedicated secure unit with 23 private rooms and an enclosed courtyard.

Park Ave | Hot Springs, ARAR 71901 |71901 501.321.4276 | ve |2600 Hot Springs,

When considering a facility for short-term rehabilitation services, families want the best they can get for their loved ones, and they have to look no further than Superior Health and Rehab in Conway.

Our rehabilitation gym offers state-of-the art rehab and features interactive equipment to enable our licensed therapists to create a comprehensive therapy program designed to get our residents back to their prior functional level, regain their self-reliance and facilitate a return to home as quickly as possible.

625 Tommy Lewis Drive • Conway, AR• 501-585-6800 • superiorhrc.com

Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

• SHORT-TERM REHABILITATION • LONG-TERM CARE • RESPITE SERVICES

Russellville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is nestled in the heart of the River Valley in Russellville, Arkansas.

Our staff provides skilled professional care in a compassionate and supportive atmosphere. Russellville Nursing & Rehabilitation Center not only provides long-term care services, we also offer a wide range of rehabilitative services.

Our physicians, nurses and staff all believe strong relationships with residents and their families is essential to the healing process. The entire staff is devoted to providing quality care, which celebrates the dignity and grace of every single resident.

215 S. PORTLAND AVE. RUSSELLVILLE, AR

479-968-5256 • russellvillenr.com

Colonel Glenn Health & Rehab is central Arkansas’ newest premier-skilled nursing and long-term care facility. Our skilled team is focused on serving you and your family with excellence.

LONG-TERM CARE

REHABILITATION

RESPITE CARE

13700 David O Dodd Rd, Little Rock, AR 72210 501.907.8200 • colonelglennhr.com

SHERWOOD

NURSING & REHABILITATION CENTER, INC

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.

SHERWOOD

NURSING & REHABILITATION CENTER, INC

245 Indian Bay Drive Sherwood, AR 72120 Phone: 501.834.9960 Fax: 501.834.5644

AY ABOUT YOU READERS ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS! The Circulation Verification Council Audit shows the FACTS.

Serving Arkansas for 34 years.

78.3% of AY Readers will purchase products or services from ads they see in AY Magazine!

HOW MANY AY MAGAZINE READERS WILL PURCHASE MEDICAL SERVICES/ PHYSICIAN SERVICES?

AY READERS TRAVEL AY Readers are Planning to Travel and Purchase Vacations.

61%

of AY readers reported that they intend to purchase vacations/travel during the next 12 months.

That’s 110,943 vacation/travel purchases. AY readers will spend $221,775,057 over the next twelve months on travel. *

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AY readers are looking for medical services/physician services during the next twelve months. *

Arkansans intend to purchase real estate in the next twelve months.

AY Magazine readers will spend $5.46Billion on real estate over the next twelve months. *

AY MAGAZINE HAS 152,775 CUSTOMERS READY TO DINE OUT PER MONTH

84%

70,195

who read AY Magazine reported that they plan to make dining or entertainment purchases. At a median price of $150 AY readers will spend $22,916,250 over the next 12 months in restaurants and entertainment. *

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119,575 of AY readers PER MONTH plan to buy new/used car, truck, suv, RV and auto accessories which includes tires, brakes and/or service. * ARKA NSAS

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Salem Place NURSING & REHABILITATION, INC

You must approve this artwork before production will begin.

Send approval with order number to service@moxyox.com

479.419.5879 moxyox.com

Salem Place offers Memory Care for your loved one with cognitive decline, dementia or Alzheimer’s, including dedicated male and female units. Version 2.1 | 1.16.20

• Dedicated Male and Female Memory Care Observation Units • Proactive approach • Person-centered • Focus on strengths vs. individual decits

2401 Christina Lane | Conway, Arkansas 72034 | Phone: 501.327.4421 | Fax: 501.329.8997 www.salemplacerehab.com | We accept: Medicaid, Medicare, Private Pay.

30

This side of SEVEN – By Jason Pederson

Years, and

FINALLY

This spring, two former law enforcement officers met privately with Gov. Asa Hutchinson at his office inside the state Capitol. Both made the same request: Set Lowana Carroll free. They weren’t the first to make the request, and Hutchinson wasn’t the first governor to hear it. But, it appears he will be the last.

“The Governor has given notice of his intent to commute the sentence of Lowana D. Carroll/Cooper, who was convicted in Hot Spring County in 1992 of Aggravated Robbery, from Life in the Arkansas Department of Correction to making her immediately parole Lowana Carroll eligible.” So reads a May 4 press release from the governor’s office.

For justice to be just, it has to be fair.

“She committed a crime, but I’ll be damned if her sentence is commensurate with her crime,” says 69-year-old Joe Paul Owens. Owens was the first officer on the scene following Carroll’s crime in 1992.

“It’s just … she needed to serve time,” says 60-year-old Michael Johnson, the second officer on the scene. “But 30 years is just … I don’t see why she should have that kind of a sentence.

Right is right, wrong is wrong. This is wrong.”

Lowana Carroll grew up in poverty in Malvern. She didn’t graduate high school, and she spent her early 20s serving as the primary caregiver for her father. His death from cancer was slow and torturous. When he died, Lowana fell into addiction. In the early ῾90s, that meant crack cocaine.

On March 13, 1992, Lowana and her boyfriend were in need of a fix and low on funds. He had a criminal record, and she did not. So, 28-year-old Lowana was picked to rob the B & V Grocery Store in Malvern. They parked the car, and she walked across the street towards the store, without a weapon and without a plan.

“I had been ‘high’ and without sleep for at least four days when I committed the crime,” Carroll told the Arkansas Parole Board in 2007. “I was literally out of my mind. I was a first-time offender with no history of violence before or since this horrible act.”

While being waited on by store owner Virginia Worthen, Carroll picked up the entire cash register and started to walk out of the store. When Worthen told her to stop, Carroll put down the register, picked up a tack hammer that was sitting on the counter and began striking Worthen. Worthen screamed and ran to the family’s living quarters at the back of the store to get her son. Carroll picked up the cash register and exited the store, heading back across the street.

“When I arrived on the scene, the son (David Worthen) had Lowana Carroll facedown in the street with a rifle pointed at her head,” Owens recalls. “She was begging for her life. I worked to calm the man down, and eventually he put down his weapon. I handcuffed Ms. Carroll and put her in my squad car.”

Ms. Worthen was taken by ambulance to Hot Spring County Memorial Hospital where she was treated for her injuries and released two hours later.

Carroll was charged with aggravated robbery, and her case was assigned to Public Defender Larry Horton. Carroll had been under the influence of drugs; all the money was quickly recov-

172

ered; no one was mortally injured; and she had no criminal history – not even a traffic ticket. It seemed like a good defense could be made on her behalf. But Horton encouraged his client to plead guilty in order to get a lesser sentence.

So she did, expecting to spend, at most, the next 10 years of her life in prison.

This was not a case where the death penalty was an option. So, the worst possible sentence Lowana Carroll could receive for her crime was life. And that is exactly what Prosecutor Dan Harmon argued for, and exactly what Judge Phillip Shirron gave her. Virginia and David Worthen testified against her at a sentencing hearing, but no one spoke up on behalf of Carroll, including her lawyer. She was alone and defenseless and on her way to prison before many of her loved ones knew what happened.

Over the years, Carroll has applied seven times to have her sentence reduced (an inmate can only apply once every four years). Family members, law enforcement officers, religious leaders and elected officials have all written letters of support. Even Judge Shirron, who retired in 2011 after 23 years on the bench, wrote a letter to the parole board.

In 2001, Shirron wrote, “As I reflect back on 13 years handling criminal cases, compare this case to those, and to those reported in legal journals and newspapers discussed in judicial circles, the sentence Ms. Carroll is serving is maybe higher than a majority of others more recently committed and sentenced under similar circumstances.” Also in 2001, fellow Judge John Cole wrote “... her sentence was greater than that normally imposed for aggravated robbery.”

That was now over 20 years ago. July marks the completion of Carroll’s third decade behind bars. By all accounts, she has been a model prisoner. Since 1993, Governors Mike Huckabee, Mike Beebe, and Hutchinson have all had opportunities to set Lowana Carroll free – and they have all declined.

Not surprisingly, Virginia Worthen always opposed any reduction of her attacker’s

sentence. In 1997, Worthen told the board, “My injuries included four gashes to the head that had to be sewn up, as well as many knots and bruises. I know if Ms. Carroll is released, I would live in fear, daily, of her return. Ms. Carroll was sentenced to life in prison, and I pray that you will see to it that she continues to serve her sentence.”

Ms. Worthen died in 2015 at the age of 88. But her family has continued to oppose Carroll’s applications for mercy. So have some elected officials. Last year, Hot Spring County Sheriff Mike Cash and Judge Stephen Shirron, the son and successor of Judge Phillip Shirron, objected to any modification or reduction to Carroll’s life sentence. But the parole board voted to recommend commutation anyway, just as it did in 2008, 2013 and 2016. And for the first time, a governor has agreed to do it.

“I never lost hope … no, never,” says Carroll’s 79-year-old mother Mary Cooper. “The Lord is always good. He’s good all the time.

He’s going to bring her home to us…finally.”

“Us” includes Carroll’s now 41-yearold son, Edward, and her 38-year-old son, Chris. “Us” also now includes grandchildren, 22-year-old Eryka and 12-year-old Jayden.

“Us” no longer includes Carroll’s older sister, older brother, aunts, uncles, a niece and many others close to Carroll who have died during her incarceration.

Here are some of Ms. Carroll’s own words, shared in a letter to the parole board that was

submitted with her executive clemency application in 2007: “I am not the same person who was incarcerated on July 17th, 1992. I have grown into a mature woman who would do anything to right the wrongs she has committed. However, I cannot undo the things I have done in my sick and anguished youth. I can only go forward; I can only be what you allow me to be. My hope and prayer is that you will allow me to once again become the mother I was intended to be and the grandmother I have only dreamed of being. Please, I implore you from the very depths of my soul, grant me the opportunity to become these things. Allow me the opportunity to redeem myself to my family and community. Please, I beg of you, grant me the freedom to return home to my family.”

Thirty years after her crime, Lowana Carroll is finally returning home.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: At the time of publication, Lowana Carroll was scheduled to appear before the parole board in person on July 12, 2022, to discuss her release plan. Her plan will be sent to Hot Spring County on July 19 for a review that will take up to 14 business days. If everything is approved, Lowana Carroll should return home to Malvern in August 2022.)

JASON PEDERSON For two decades, Jason Pederson served as KATV-Channel 7’s Seven On Your Side reporter. Now on the other “side” of his award-winning time on the news, he now serves as Deputy Chief of Community Engagement for the Arkansas Department of Human Services.

His perspective-filled and thought-provoking column, “This Side of Seven,” publishes exclusively in AY About You magazine monthly.

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MURDER MYSTERY: TERROR IN TULSA,

CONCLUSION – By Janie Jones

I

n 1975, Texas and Oklahoma lawmen were investigating a rash of animal mutilations, particularly cattle mutilations. Farmers and ranchers were having the same problem in other states, too. Colorado experienced almost 200 such incidents between April and October of that year. The Tulsa Police Department (TPD), however, reported mutilations of a very different nature. Those mutilations were performed on humans.

In February, Geraldine Martin, 28, was the first Tulsan to suffer a grotesque death at the hands of a serial killer with such a sickening signature. He disfigured Martin’s breasts.

Three months later, Marian Hope Rosenbaum, 16, met a similar fate. In August, Suzanne Oakley, 24, was the only one of the three victims not mutilated, but cops thought the killer might have been scared off. Then, the murders ended–– at least in Tulsa. TPD Detective Mike Huff spent the next 27 years of his professional life hoping to find justice for Martin, Rosenbaum, and Oakley.

Nov. 1, 2002, in Tulsa began with fog and drizzle, the sky as thick and gray as mushroom soup, but by day’s end the gloom had departed.

“I … remember [that] Friday afternoon,” Huff said. “Bob Anderson called from El Cajon, California, and said, ‘Hey, I think we’ve got a suspect for you in your Geraldine Martin case.’ That was an extraordinary day. After the adrenaline finally drained, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief.”

Detective Bob Anderson had been working several cold cases when he came across a series of burglary/homicides linked to a suspect named Clyde Carl Wilkerson, who was a long-haul truck driver.

Anderson created a timeline showing where Wilkerson had lived and worked through the years. DNA had already proved Wilkerson’s guilt in the El Cajon murder cases. Anderson conducted research on the internet and contacted any towns that had unsolved murder cases matching Wilkerson’s modus operandi and occurring when he lived or worked in the vicinities of the crimes there. Cases that had obtained and kept DNA samples from victims and crime scenes were solved amazingly fast.

“We were fortunate to still have Geraldine’s father alive,” Huff said. “He lived in Conway, Arkansas, and had struggled every day [of ] his life from 1975 ῾til 2002 when we made that arrest, trying to

understand what happened to his daughter. His life was just in shambles. And we went to his bedside, where he was literally on his deathbed, and gave him the news. Shortly thereafter, Geraldine’s father passed away.”

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“Authorities looked at an almost exact replica of the Martin and Rosenbaum cases in Indiana during an era when Wilkerson was there,” Huff said.

As a truck driver, Wilkerson had been through all the continental United States. Huff and other detectives believed he had murdered at least 15 people. If there was pin placed on a map for every place Wilkerson had been when a torture/mutilation slaying occurred while he was there, you would need an enormous supply of pins. Wilkerson had a record, going back to his youth, when his crimes were mostly break-ins and thefts. Once he started killing, he escalated quickly. He was a sexual sadist, raping his female victims and then mutilating their genitalia or leaving their bodies in degrading, obscene positions.

In El Cajon, California, in 1965, he raped and strangled 19-year-old Cheryl Burnett with a curtain cord, while her infant son was asleep in the next room. Wilkerson had covered her face with ladies’ underwear that didn’t belong to her. He rummaged through the place before leaving last rite candles burning around the victim’s body. As a final gesture of contempt, he inserted a candle in the woman’s vagina. Unaware that DNA evidence would exist in the future, he left a little of himself at the crime scene.

Two weeks later, Wilkerson was burglarizing an El Cajon apartment where he struck and killed the 62-year-old tenant, Louis Mercer, and sexually assaulted Mercer’s 57-year-old wife, Lola. She suffered brain damage, and her husband succumbed to massive head trauma. Wilkerson had hit the man over 20 times with a wrench. Neighbors heard Lola Mercer’s screams and intervened, which undoubtedly saved her life. DNA evidence was retrieved again.

In July 1965, Wilkerson attacked a nurse in her home in La Mesa, California, near El Cajon. As in his previous assaults, the violence was extreme, and the victim barely survived. A neighbor jotted down the license plate number of Wilkerson’s vehicle because the neighborhood had been plagued by prowlers in recent weeks. Police traced the tag number to Clyde Carl Wilkerson, who was later identified in a lineup. He was sentenced to five years in prison.

On Jan. 25, 1976, Wilkerson raped a young woman at knifepoint after she had stopped at a telephone booth in Judsonia, Arkansas. For some reason, he let her live. She was able to give police a description of Wilkerson and his car, and they caught him. He was incarcerated for about eight years before being paroled. Two years later, he was arrested again for assault in Texas. He was back behind bars in July 1987 for selling a controlled substance.

Altogether, Wilkerson served stretches in prison totaling over 15 years. His known crimes at that time included rape, burglary, assault, selling drugs and violating parole.

But no one knew – no one could imagine – he thoughts that dwelled in the deepest, darkest depths of his deranged mind, nor that he had acted out those thoughts. Some serial killers hang onto trophies, and Wilkerson was fixated on women’s breasts. He cut off and kept the areolas and nipples of some of his victims.

In 2002, FBI agents nabbed Wilkerson in Little Rock and obtained a saliva sample by collecting envelopes he sealed during his work for a trucking firm. DNA from his saliva linked Wilkerson to the 1965 killings. At the time of his arrest for the El Cajon murders, he was running a meth lab in his Benton, Arkansas, home. Aged 63, he waived extradition to California where he pleaded guilty to the slayings of Burnett and Mercer. After later confessing to strangling Geraldine Cornwell Martin, he received two life sentences and died in prison on July 12, 2016.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: My dear readers, this is my last article for AY. I have enjoyed bringing you true stories of mild-mannered murders and mysteries of the macabre. I’ll miss you. Good luck, so long, and remember … don’t walk down any dark alleys alone!

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Barns

By Joe David Rice

I

n 1900, Arkansas’ population of horses and mules stood at approximately 500,000, most of which were used to plow land each spring for the next crop. Fifty years later, following the mechanization of agriculture, the number had plummeted to 80,000 – a level more or less maintained today. While nobody will argue that horses and mules are endangered species in this state, they certainly aren’t as common as they were a century ago.

One doesn’t have to be a mathematician to realize the demand for barns has also dramatically declined in recent decades. Those that have survived now face additional challenges: termites, tornadoes and timber-salvagers. The end result is that wooden barns are quickly disappearing from the landscape, with the repurposing of barn wood for picture frames, shelving, cabinets, tables and even headboards Courtesy of Marion Haynes a major factor. In one of the more interesting examples of recycling, a funeral home in Saline County offers a $3,895 casket made of rough barn wood, complete with original knots and nail holes.

When it comes to barns, I’m an unrepentant sentimentalist. I remember the fun of gathering eggs in my grandparents’ barn, a couple of miles north of Corning, as a kid. Climbing up into its hayloft, I looked out over the chicken yard and the rest of the farm. The distinctive earthy smell that permeated the building and the sound of raindrops drumming against the tin roof remain in my mind decades after the fact.

Back in those halcyon days, barns provided me with special places for adventure and exploration.

I also fondly recall taking shelter in an abandoned barn during a late summer canoe trip on north Arkansas’ Buffalo River. With threatening thunderheads bearing down on us, my paddling buddies and I left our canoes on shore and quickly hauled food and other gear to the barn, beating a torrential rain by seconds. With clatter from huge raindrops making conversation impossible, we gathered just inside the barn doors and watched Mother Nature’s furious assault. After the storm passed, a friend sat in the straw and played his guitar while wisps of fog floated up the hillsides. It was a barn experience I’ll never forget.

Years later, the remaining structures still hold a strong fascination, but

my relationship with barns has changed. Rather than clambering through them like Indiana Jones on a mission, I’m on the outside with my camera, struggling to find something close to a perfect composition. I figure it must be genetic, given my mother’s ability to capture the stories of aging barns with her watercolors.

Driving the rural highways of the state is the best way to discover these classic relics. The old traditional wooden barns have pretty much vanished in eastern Arkansas, although some can still be found along Crowley’s Ridge. In south Arkansas, for the most part, they’ve been replaced by decidedly unaesthetic metal pole barns. My advice is to check out the back roads in the Ozarks, especially on crisp fall days when Mother Nature might enhance your photographs with a touch of brilliant foliage.

As for my grandparents’ barn in Clay County, progress caught up with it years ago. A soybean field now occupies the site where that venerable structure once sat. To the best of my knowledge, not a single photograph of it exists in our family archives, although my mind still retains a hazy but comforting image.

The state is home to about half a million kids these days. My guess is that maybe 1% – and certainly less than 5% – will ever have a chance to let their imaginations soar as they explore the horse stalls, haylofts, chicken coops and corn cribs of a vintage Arkansas barn. And that’s a shame.

Joe David Rice, former tourism director of Arkansas Parks and Tourism, has written Arkansas Backstories, a delightful book of short stories from A through Z that introduces readers to the state's lesser-known aspects. Rice's goal is to help readers acknowledge that Arkansas is a unique and fascinating combination of land and people – one to be proud of and one certainly worth sharing.

Each month, AY will share one of the 165 distinctive essays. We hope these stories will give you a new appreciation for this geographically compact but delightfully complex place we call home. These Arkansas Backstories columns appear courtesy of the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. The essays have been collected and published by Butler Center Books in a two-volume set, both of which are now available to purchase at Amazon and the University of Arkansas Press.

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