AY About You December 2021

ARKANSAS’ LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2021 | AYMAG.COM

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SEASONS OF

View our SEAsons of Wonder activities happening from November 24-December 31 and purchase tickets at:

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WHAT’S INSIDE

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

HOME&GARDEN

The Spirit of Christmas More ‘Fixer to Fabulous’

16 24

FOOD&DRINK

Catered Cravings Holiday Recipes FAmy ace Behind the Place:

Counce 48 Baked 60 Christmas Charcuterie 30 39 44

ARTS&CULTURE

Light Up the Night The Night(s) Before Christmas

98 104

TRAVEL

The Town Time Forgot

114

SPORTS

The Return of Hawgball

120

HEALTH

AY’s Best Women in Health Care

128

Catering Bucket List, page 34

MENTAL HEALTH 142 What Lies Beneath 148 The Fifth Season 153 Allies of Mental Health

ABOUT YOU 67 Get to Know AY’s Best of 2021 126 This Side of Seven:

ON THE COVER This month’s home feature doesn’t lose sight of the “reason for the season.”

Read more: page 16.

Photo by Jamison Mosley.

Southern Heroes

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EXCELLENCE IN STUDENT NUTRITION In April 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the extension of the National School Lunch Program Summer Seamless Option through June 30, 2022. This program allows schools to serve free meals to all students as we continue through the COVID-19 pandemic. This announcement lifted the burden of paying for school lunches of many Pulaski County families.

Pulaski County Special School District is still required to collect free and reduced lunch applications for the 2021-2022 school year, despite the announcement from the USDA. These applications not only request a free or reduced lunch cost, but may also reduce and/ or waive school fees for other programs. The application also impacts the state and federal funding the District receives for other projects.

PCSSD understands the importance of providing healthy breakfast and lunch options to our students.

This is why we continue to evaluate and review student nutrition to ensure the best possible resources are being provided to students of all ages.

“Students need fuel in order to learn, providing them with meals assures students are not focusing on being hungry instead they can focus on learning to grow,” said Regena English, Director of Student Nutrition. “Some families are unable because of hard times to provide nutritious meals and this is available free to every student through the National School Lunch Program.”

New this school year is an exciting partnership wth Chartwells K-12. This partnership is improving the manner in which PCSSD is able to provide a new variety of fresh food options to each of our schools.

“We are so excited to partner with PCSSD in an effort to make the cafeteria the happiest place in schools,” said Tiffany Reed, Director of Student Nutrition. ”Student nutrition is so important and we are excited to bring kid-approved menus and innovative programs to the district to help support the cause. We’re dedicated to serving up ‘happy and healthy’ to every student, every day.”

About PCSSD

501.234.2000

pcssd.org

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

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

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Heather Baker hbaker@aymag.com EDITOR

Dustin Jayroe djayroe@aymag.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Mark Carter mcarter@aymag.com

STAFF WRITERS

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

FOOD EDITOR

Kevin Shalin kshalin@aymag.com

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Lisa Fischer lfischer@aymag.com

ART DIRECTOR

Jamison Mosley jmosley@aymag.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Mike Bedgood mbedgood@aymag.com

DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Kellie McAnulty kmcanulty@aymag.com

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

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

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.

Ebony Blevins After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from Arkansas State University, Ebony Blevins has worked for and with numerous publications and marketing companies around Arkansas.

Along with freelancing, she is currently developing her fine art photography body of work.

Angela Forsyth lives in Northwest Arkansas.

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

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

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

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Lora Puls lpuls@aymag.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

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

ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER

Jessica Everson jeverson@aymag.com

ADVERTISING COORDINATORS Jacob Carpenter ads@aymag.com Virginia Ellison ads@aymag.com

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Ginger Roell groell@aymag.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Kaitlin Barger, Kenneth Heard, Michelle Hill, Gretchen Larkan, Tony Milligan, Sarah Russell

ADMINISTRATION Casandra Moore admin@aymag.com

INTERN

Maitlyn Harrison mharrison@aymag.com Vicki Vowell, CEO

TO ADVERTISE:

501-244-9700 or hbaker@aymag.com

TO SUBSCRIBE:

501-244-9700 or aymag.com

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

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

AY Magazine is published monthly, Volume XXXIV, Issue 8 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.

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publisher's letter

The Reason for the Season This is the season I look forward to more than any other every single year.

As my friends and family can attest, I am one of “those” people who begins putting up Christmas decorations literally as soon as Halloween passes (and sometimes before). It’s festive. It’s faithful. It’s familial. And I love it.

Christmas means even more to me this year, more than I ever thought possible. On a personal level, I have been through more this year than any other in recent memory. But, through it all, I am here. I am healthy, as is my family. It is for that — for life — that I am most grateful this year. Life is a fragile thing that we should not take for granted.

In parallel, it’s for all of these reasons that this issue of AY About You is exceptionally special to us.

First, have you seen this cover? (Of course you have, you’ve made it this far.) It’s a stunning west Little Rock home, designed by our friends at Tom Chandler and Associates, that is bursting with Christmas spirit. For more home-related fun, we also sat down with Jenny and Dave Marrs again to talk about their newest season of HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous, and that “fabulous” holiday special that’s coming up this month.

And it wouldn’t be a holiday issue of AY without plenty of food to make you hungry. Our latest iteration of the AY’s Arkansas Bucket List is on local caterers (’tis the season), and our food editor, Kevin Shalin, tracked down a few local bakers who have long been gearing up for the holidays. We also have some delicious recipes for you and yours to make at home and a couple of stunning charcuterie boards from the equally stunning Michelle Hill and Gretchen Larkan.

Then there are the gifts, for which we brought back our annual 25 Days of Christmas Giveaway. Don’t forget to enter your chance to win at aymag.com!

We know you’ll enjoy all of the above, because we all have to get our eating and shopping fixes out of our system this time of year. But you should also be sure to make time to unwind and spend quality time with the ones you love. For that, we have extensive listings of upcoming holiday performances, as well as a list of holiday lights shows.

With the pandemic at our heels, I hope that we can all find at least a few moments this month to reflect on what the season is really all about. Friends. Family. Faith. It’s about us; it’s about Him. As for me and my household, we are blessed.

Happy Holidays,

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

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TRENDING ON AYMAG.COM Thanksgiving PreOrders and Restaurant Openings 2021 50 Favorite Sandwiches Intriguing Women 2021 Benton’s RŌBER Set to Open in Early 2022 NLR’s Tommy Norman to Receive Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award

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READER FEEDBACK SERVER SAYS: MAILYN ANNE SCHNEIDER OF CIAO BACI “Big thank you to AY Magazine and The Mighty Rib for featuring our favorite girl.”

Ciao Baci FACES OF ARKANSAS: THE FACE OF INTERIOR DESIGN, DEBI DAVIS “Fun times as always with AY Magazine! Thank you for the feature.”

Debi Davis FOOD BITES: MORE CRUMBL COOKIES, DUCK SEASON WITH FLYWAY, AND MORE “Thank you so much for sharing! Glad to be a part of this!”

Crumbl Cookies PINING FOR TRADITION: MOTLEY’S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM CREATES FAMILY BONDING “Thanks to AY Magazine for the article.”

Mike Motley

INSTAGRAM

CONTESTS

Don’t forget to check out our top events listing every weekend at aymag.com.

We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.

Thank you, veterans.

Have you been to GloWILD! at the Little Rock Zoo yet?

Contest deadline is Dec. 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.

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3. TURPENTINE CREEK

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Need some game day gear? Head over to Hogman’s Gameday Superstore.

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November WINNERS Rock N Roll Sushi: HOLLY POWELL BRYANT Loblolly: JEFF PRESTON Turpenting Creek: JOANNE TREECE

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agenda

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Top

you just can't miss!

GLOWILD! Nov. 4 to Jan. 15

Little Rock Zoo — Little Rock

See the zoo in a whole new “light” this season. GloWILD! has proven to be one of the largest luminant experiences in the country this season, featuring thousands of silk-covered lanterns and more than 30 lighted displays throughout the grounds.

OAKLAWN OPENING DAY Dec. 3

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort

Horse racing is back once again — and this time, one month early. The gates open at 11 a.m. for the start of this year’s racing season.

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS Dec. 3-23

The Rep — Little Rock The whole Peanuts gang is coming to life this month at The Rep. The show features a jazz-infused score and promises to be a great program for the whole family. .

MEAN GIRLS Dec. 14-19

Walton Arts Center — Fayetteville Fetch is happening. The Arkansas premiere of Broadway’s Mean Girls is coming to Fayetteville this month. You go, Glen Coco!

KRIS ALLEN HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR Dec. 17-19

Robinson Center — Little Rock Arkansas’ own American Idol winner is home for the holidays, and he has some holiday cheer in store for his home state. Expect plenty of Christmas carols, winter-themed orchestra numbers and more.

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events Dec. 25, Christmas

Top 5 events (to do at home) BABY BOOKWORMS (VIRTUAL) Dec. 6, 13, 20, 27 faylib.org

FINDING FAMILY FACTS (VIRTUAL) Dec. 13

cals.org

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS Dec. 19, 6:30 p.m.

PBS

SANTA TRACKER All month

santatracker.google.com

AGFC VIRTUAL NATURE CENTER www.agfcnaturecenter.com

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home

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By JULIE CRAIG // Photos By JAMISON MOSLEY

Little Rock interior design firm Tom Chandler and Associates spruces up a west Little Rock home with timeless traditions that evoke the true holiday spirit.

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S

etting foot outside the grand entryway of an already striking home, located in a gated community in west Little Rock, the spirit of Christmas is overwhelmingly present, adding to its charm.

Renowned interior designer Tom Chandler and his “dream team” — composed of Martin Potter, Edwina Lieblong and Shawn Sullivan — have worked their expert magic on this home time and time again, continuing to build a trust in design that they are known for in the community. After all, Chandler’s business has been around since 1980, with clients that span the country and a business that also includes the Chandler School of Interior Decorating, fully accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Career Education.

“This particular design is all our planning, and we’ve worked with this client for years, so they totally trust us and let us do what we want to do,” Chandler says. “We don’t ask for a lot of input, and we don’t really need it because most people we work for have worked with us for years — and they simply trust our team and let us do what we are there to do.”

Beautifully crafted, stunning and high-quality outdoor marble statues, a favorite possession of the homeowners, surround the home entrance and showcase an awe-inspiring nativity scene, imported

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from Italy by renowned designer Fontanini. Grand, yet genuine.

Spectacular, yet not one bit ostentatious. The gleaming collection is perhaps a reflection of the compassionate and giving heart of the homeowners, and the perfect foreshadowing for what is to come inside the home.

“The homeowners like telling the story of the real ‘reason for the season,’” Chandler says.

Two eye-catching, 9-foot-tall-trees flank a set of formal doors leading inside the home, and that’s “just the beginning of the Christmas decorations,” Chandler says. Once inside, the theme of religion is apparent with ornate angels scattered throughout, including the first set of two on a round entryway table. The “angelic theme” elicits a mix of a soothing and inviting aura, along with a regal and stately tone that mirrors the formal style of architecture complete with elaborate crown molding. Yet despite the rich look of the architecture, the interior design remains comfortable and classic, fitting in seamlessly with the overall muted day-to-day color palette of the home.

The mood is pure beauty and not at all stuffy, thanks to many traditional pieces incorporated over the years, like the snow village the homeowners treasure and have collected over time.

“The client has collected these over the years and truly cherishes the collection,” Chandler says. “It hasn’t always been used because they didn’t have a place to present it like now. The layout of the kitchen and breakfast rooms combined with the architecture allows for the perfect place” [for display].

Walking into the living room is quite an astonishing experience.

A white flocked Christmas tree sits elevated atop a 30-inch-high stand, which is a method the Chandler team uses “more often than not” for Christmas trees. So what else is the secret to a tree this beautiful? Tiny white, non-flashing lights in all of the formal areas with oversized ornaments, pushed way back into the tree.

“The first step is to fill in any voids with large decor,” Chandler says. “And if the client has collections of really small ornaments, we wire those together in groups of three or five and then hang that on the tree, as opposed to small, individual ones. We like adding sticks or foliage to give dimension as well.”

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The more formal “adult” areas of the home, such as the living and dining rooms, incorporate the religion theme, but “graduating to the breakfast room and den, it gets more casual, and sometimes more childlike with [a bit of ] Santa and reindeer that we wouldn’t mix with the adult things in the rest of the home,” Chandler says. “We’re really not into Santa as a major focal point.” More traditional hues of red and green are used in the den tree, and a timeless plaid pattern is used in the breakfast room.

With many different areas throughout the home incorporating pieces of holiday decor — big and small — it’s easy to wonder just how to eliminate possible clutter. It seems the strategy is quite simple.

“We would rather do a major presentation in each important room rather than lots of little presentations in each room,” Chandler says, adding the technique is one grand one as opposed to half a dozen little ones.”

It’s obvious that each room in this piece of holiday heaven was carefully curated with just the right amount of Christmas cheer, fulfilling all of the wishes of the homeowners’ beliefs, styles and traditions. It’s what Christmas dreams are made of, and a true magical sight to see, perfected to a tee in just one day and a half.

“We don’t ever leave a project until we are totally satisfied with it to the nth degree,” Chandler says. “Every project — big or small — is very fulfilling, and we always feel like it should be the best it can be.”

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home

Jenny and Dave Marrs.

More ‘Fixer to Fabulous’ Bentonville HGTV Stars Back for Season Three

By ANGELA FORSYTH // Photos courtesy HGTV

M

More fixing, more fabulous, more family and (perhaps) a furry addition — is what fans can expect from HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous this fall. After two successful seasons of renovating homes in the Bentonville area, Arkansas’ own Jenny and Dave Marrs are coming back for number three. Last season, more than 35 million viewers tuned in to watch the couple surprise homeowners with amazing remodels while getting a glimpse of their five adorable kids and their family farm.

In response to the show’s success, the network is rolling out more Marrs content. A one-hour Christmas special, Fixer to Fabulous Holiday Surprise, will air in December. Fixer to Fabulous Welcome Inn will premiere exclusively on discovery+ in early 2022, and Jenny and Dave will also appear on Rock the Block early next year.

Despite the show’s increasing popularity and their growing recognition, the Marrses continue to “hold it very loosely with open hands,” as Jenny says.

AY About You checked in with the duo to learn more about the upcoming season and hear what it’s like to go from small-town business to hit show.

What can we expect from season three?

Dave: There are so many feel-good stories in season three. It really has been a feel-good kind of year. With the remodels, we’re trying to go bigger and better and do the unique spaces as much as we can.

Like last year, we don’t stick to a specific style. It’s not just historic houses or just modern houses. It’s really a good variety of different styles. I don’t know how Jenny does it, but she can just flip from midcentury model to modern to historic to Craftsman and juggle all three of them at the same time. So, there’s a bunch of different styles this season.

Will we see more of your kids this season?

Jenny: The kids will still pop in every so often. We don’t want the show to be something that is too much a part of their lives. If they’re home and they want to pop into the barn while we’re working on something, that’s great. They appear on the show sometimes because the show is just part of our lives. But we try to not make too big a portion of the show be the kids.

Dave: We’ve been doing this for four years, so our kids just think of it as we’re going to work. We leave it up to them most of the time. With kids, it changes on the day.

Sometimes they like coming out to work in the shop with me. Lately, it’s been more the girls, Charlotte and Sylvie, who are coming out to help with the jobs. This season will probably show more of them than the boys, which is different from previous years. The boys are getting older, and they have other activities they’re involved in.

Your Christmas special sounds exciting. What can you tell us?

Dave: We’re really excited about it. It’s a communityled project where we worked on upgrading the Bella Vista

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animal shelter. It will air right around the holidays, and it is all great. It’s all really cool stuff. This is the first time Jenny and I have renovated a house for animals. A bunch of people in the community came together. They donated their time and their talents and made a great transformation of a place that is already doing great things. It was a lot of fun to be a part of that.

Jenny: (laughing) We may or may not have added to our fur family through this process. Some people can’t possibly renovate an animal shelter without coming home with an animal. I’m not going to say who that is.

By now people are surely starting to recognize the two of you. How do you handle that, and what is that like for you?

Dave: We’re very fortunate in our community that everyone is generally really nice.

Sometimes, when you’re out, there’s that odd stare where someone is staring at you, and they know they know you from somewhere, but they just can’t place it. And I’ve done that before too. So usually just by saying, “Hi,” and we start to talk, they realize it. Now, when we’re all together, people know because we are a unique-looking family. But Bentonville is small enough that, for the most part, people are really respectful of our privacy. They just say, “Hi, love the show,” and I love that. That’s the reason we did this — because we love our town, and we want to highlight what a great area we live in. For people to come up and say, “Hey, I love the show; you guys are doing great,” — I love it! That’s such a compliment.

We really appreciate that.

You were already very well-connected in Northwest Arkansas through your kids, your construction business and friends. Does this level of recognition feel like a natural extension of that?

Dave: Definitely. We were already con-

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nected to a lot of people in our neighborhood. It’s one of the reasons people are drawn to the show and are drawn to other HGTV shows that are about these small towns. It speaks back to a time where you knew your neighbor and you were in your community, and you talked with people. I think there are so many people in America who are longing for a place like that. That was our real life before we ever filmed the show. There isn’t a day that goes by that you don’t see several people you know. I love that about our town.

Jenny: I totally agree. We have a really great community of friends and people at our school. For me, it’s been really fun to see how our tribe of friends and our family have been super protective of us. If we’re out and people recognize us, we enjoy saying, “Hi,” to everybody, but our friends are very protective of us. It’s been really sweet to see that in this world of weirdness that we never expected. They’ve been along the entire ride with us since day one. We have several friends who now work with us on the show, and the show has become very much a part of our community and our people. It is part of all of our lives, not just Dave and I. How long do you see yourself doing this show?

Dave: I think that answer changes based on the day, based on the job, based on where we’re at. Again, the only reason our show exists is because people are willing to watch it. I think it’s the viewers who make it possible for us to be on this show. Regardless of the contract we have or how long

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS Fixer to Fabulous: Tuesdays, starting Nov. 16 8 p.m. CST Fixer to Fabulous Holiday Surprise: Dec. 14 8 p.m. CST Fixer to Fabulous Welcome Inn: Early 2022 Rock the Block: Early 2022

we stay, it’s based on ratings. If we don’t perform in ratings, then I guess that’s a good indicator that people are over us, and maybe we should hang it up.

Jenny: For me, it’s a matter of our kids.

If our kids ever say, “I don’t want to do this anymore,” then we would stop this immediately because our family comes first.

Dave: I agree. That’s true.

Jenny: This is what we consider when we go forward — our balance. Our production company does a really good job of helping us create some boundaries for our kids, but it’s really hard for me as a mom — especially with Luke being so little — to miss so much of these years. I want to figure out a better way to balance a little more, so that we can do this and be more sustainable long term. But I do really believe that this show is our ministry. It reaches out to people in a time when our world is increasingly scary and dark, and people have fewer options of turning on the TV and watching something together as a family that’s positive and lighthearted. That’s what our show is, and that’s what we want it to be.

We want it to be a place that people can feel is a safe place for the whole family. I love when people say their kids watch this show. For our family, it is our ministry that God has given us in this season of life. As long As God is asking us to do this, we’re going to figure out how to do it. Unless for some reason our kids say they don’t want to have anything to do with this, then we’ll stop. But for now, we don’t really have a known timeline on any of it. None of it was expected, so nothing is expected going forward either. It could all end tomorrow or it could last 10 years. We have no idea, and we’re holding it very loosely with open hands.

Dave: We’ve learned through adoption and through so many other experiences in life that whenever we try to put our timetable on something, it never seems to work out how we thought it would. So, we just take it episode by episode, season by season right now. Like Jenny said, this is such a big part of our community. We have our production family, and there are a lot of people who are impacted monetarily who work on the show, and so many more who send us such great messages and are impacted in other ways. When you talk about a great feeling, that is a great feeling. That’s something we never thought or expected to have that kind of response. It’s been wonderful.

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Catered

CRAV NGS: Earthbound Angels Spread Divine Deliciousness for the Masses

By SARAH RUSSELL Photos by JAMISON MOSLEY

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It’s all about the comfort food at DownHome Restaurant & Catering.

Thank goodness for the angels who have made it their business to take good care of us. With all due respect to the celestial sort, we’re talking the earthbound kind at the moment. Long before there was Door Dash, curbside pickup, fast-food platters and grocery store holiday meals, there was — and still are — our hometown caterers. Such hardworking, patient souls are indeed a very special breed. These small local businesses are still here to provide us some peace on earth this holiday season. So let your tootsies snuggle into your slippers and just focus some goodwill toward the egg nog. These girls have got it all covered.

The new kid on the block is Michelle Hill, the force behind the catering establishment Good Eatin’ Arkansas. Hill brings to the table a solid corporate background as well as a passion for all things edible. Her Mississippi roots are well reflected in her “Simply Delectables” assortment — chicken and pimento cheese salads that only a true Deep South cook can lay claim to. It’s wellknown that one toe over the Mississippi border means you’ll have to endure two weeks of Spanx when you return — exceptional cooking is in the genetics down there. Few have the will to resist and even fewer want to.

In Mississippi, the running joke among her pals was “sausage and cheese, sausage and cheese,” because every encounter among them had to include a tray of those two items. Hill packed that entertaining inclination up with her when she relocated to Arkansas, along with her infatuation for wooden cutting boards. A tinkerer of all things food, she began to think that she could make those sausage and cheese trays even prettier, even tastier for her new Arkansas friends and associates. And so it began.

While many women swear by retail therapy, Hill is the sort who finds happiness in the kitchen, trying new recipes, bingeing on the Food Network, following the likes of the Pioneer Woman and Paula Deen. So, when the concept of charcuterie crossed her radar, it was true clarity for her. She just knew she was going to be really, really good at this. She was right. Since Good Eatin’ began in January, her charcuterie and Simply Delectables orders are, she happily relates, keeping her “covered up.”

Until that point, Hill’s energies were focused on building her LLC, named Southern Inspirations, which consists of video storytelling based on three areas — “Making a Difference,” “Home Base” and “Good Eatin.” Each area reflects an area that is of key importance in her life. “Making a Difference” is focused on supporting our communities, the segments of “Home Base” offer design information and “Good Eatin’” is where her inner foodie shows out. And while Southern Inspirations was and continues to be rewarding to her, something just kept whispering to her that she wasn’t dead center in her sweet spot just yet.

The concept of charcuterie hit her like a meteorite. Instantly, she knew she could fulfill her love for food, satisfy her design goddess and make a difference in the community of Maumelle, where she lives, and in Little Rock where she has aligned with the Arkitchen. Created by Jon Lamb, Arkitchen is a commercial kitchen space

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set up in support of small-business owners in the food industry. With both of her endeavors, Hill continues to partner with both nonprofits and other small businesses on projects, all of which are purposely chosen to keep entrepreneurship and the community thriving.

Just as she did with Southern Inspirations, Hill incorporates the use of social media to promote Good Eatin’ as well. Her videos might show you how to make a salami rose for your own trays or she might just riff on her favorite tomato gravy recipe. Our favorite? “How to Pronounce Charcuterie.”

Boxes, jars, “grazes,” charcuterie — hers are becoming known not only for her instinctive take on seasonings and food combinations, but also for the impressive presentation they make. Normally ordering client gifts from national distributors, many of Hill’s corporate clients have pivoted instead to Good Eatin’ this year, knowing they, as well as her private clients, can trust she will deliver the best impression for them. You’ll want to make sure you include Good Eatin’ for your hostess gifts too. They’re especially good when you aren’t sure who partakes of the proverbial bottle of wine. Charcuterie is consistently meat, cheeses, fruits, but know that Hill is happy to work in your ideas too, or suggest a seasonal item. Special dietary needs? No problem at all — be it vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or keto.

On top of being able to create great food, this girl is smart, blonde, bubbly, self-described as “loud,” and tons of fun. Arkansas might just be sending our own out into the national food scene. “I’m just waiting for the networks to call,” she laughs with delight. In the meantime, we locals can stay busy happily nibbling our way through that nirvana she’s creating for us.

Need more — much, much more in the way of food — as in full dinner for 20 or 500? There’s an earthbound angel for that, too, and her wings have been spread wide and far for almost two decades now. That would be Tori Tisdale-Morehart,

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The DownHome parking lot was a field of umbrellas, tables, chairs, cheerfully brought and set up by her customers who came to eat again and again. the owner of DownHome Restaurant and Catering, located in Little Rock.

“This is a tough, tough business,” she laughs. “Someone can not like your salt shaker and off they go.”

That said, Tisdale-Morehart’s alarm keeps going off at 3 a.m. on weekdays because her heart won’t have it any other way.

Her devoted community of customers wouldn’t have it any other way either. Her sweet sincerity, her incredible work ethic and attention to detail have not gone unappreciated. And so, as the pandemic took the food industry down like dominoes, it was this group, her community, that rallied for her, just as she always has for them.

Suddenly the DownHome parking lot was a field of umbrellas, tables, chairs, cheerfully brought and set up by her customers who came to eat again and again. Her cellphone (yes, you actually get her cellphone when you call for catering) began buzzing with activity.

With the isolation of the pandemic, the catering end of the business seemed dead on arrival — who has meetings, who has big gatherings? Nevertheless, her customers wanted her food, and COVID-19 be damned. So, the catering calls began stacking up — large orders for items such as box lunches were being delivered to her “communities” in Monticello, Magnolia … well, just about everywhere she has her fandom. “Just bring the food,” those customers said, “we’ll make sure it gets distributed.” And so they did, being of immense help to a small business in a troubled time.

Yes, you have read that right. DownHome might just be a national first in the range of its delivery area. Arkadelphia, Warren, Hot Springs, Batesville … if it’s got a road leading into it, DownHome’s team will get it to you still fine and dandy.

What to order? Well, a lot of her regular catering customers don’t even bother with that little detail. They just tell her the date, the location, the number of meals needed, knowing that she’ll conjure up the perfect menu for them.

Thinking of the holidays, future events, but have never used DownHome before? For starters, she suggests, “Just look at my menu and use it like a guide, but if you don’t see what you want, just let me know.” The mantra at DownHome is “anything and everything,” so if you’re the creative type, you’re going to find a fun partner with Tisdale-Morehart. The standard holiday selections are now online. Did we say thoughtful? This girl even has a tutorial for the order form if you like.

You may very well need to partner closely — and may we emphasize quickly! — with her over these holiday dinners. Looks like a lot of turkeys have flown the coop already this year. She relates, already having to shop at multiple grocery stores to get enough birds for one of her orders; her normal distributors being ground

zero. What type of fluctuations we might see with supply is the biggest unknown factor of the season. What is certain is that DownHome has plenty of options already in place for you — hams, briskets, chicken, pork roasts — and then there’s also that mantra — “anything and everything” — if you’re thinking outside the boundaries.

If you want to be a real holiday angel yourself, you’ll spare someone the heartburn and just order the whole kit-and-caboodle delivered to them.

Don’t forget the Arkansas Possum Pie! The caterer who gave that presentation to the Gluten-Free Society of Central Arkansas a few years ago on hosting a holiday dinner for those who have food allergies? Yep, that was Tisdale-Morehart, who has food allergies herself. Need vegan, vegetarian, keto? This ex-nurse will make sure any dietary issue is served up right with heapings of (allowed) yum.

Wings might be drooping by the time these earthbound angels in catering reach the holiday finish line. Their joy will be in knowing all of us are enjoying the gifts of their labor. To them, we wish happy toes snuggled in slippers, someone to cater to them, and the goodwill only a hearty libation can deliver. Peace on Earth, everyone! Yeah, you can get back to being bad tomorrow. Right now, just pass the eggnog, please.

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g n i r e t Ca AY’s ARKANSAS

Bucket List Presented by

l Big Sexy Food

l Glee! Festivities & Confectionaries

abbit Ridge Farms l R

l Blue Cake/Honey Pies

l Good Eatin’ Arkansas

ays Rump Shack l R

obbie D’s Southern Cuisine l B

l Gretchen Larkan Events

oulevard Bread Co. l B

l Heritage Catering Little Rock

Springdale Little Rock

Little Rock

Little Rock

urge’s Hickory Smoked l B

Turkeys and Hams Little Rock

l Capitol Smokehouse and Grill Little Rock

hicken Salad Chick l C

Various Locations

ommunity Bakery l C

Little Rock

rave Catering Company l C

Central Arkansas

l Cross Creek Sandwich Shop Conway

l DownHome Restaurant & Catering Little Rock

at My Catfish l E

Various Locations

l Etcetera

Stuttgart

l Events! Catering

North Little Rock

l Fire Dancer BBQ Benton

l Gina’s Catering Benton

Little Rock

Central Arkansas

Central/Northeast Arkansas

l Hogg’s Meat Market & Catering North Little Rock

l Homer’s Restaurant Little Rock

oney Baked Ham Company lH

Bentonville, Fayetteville, Jonesboro, Little Rock, North Little Rock

l IDK? CAFE + Catering Rogers

Bee Branch Lake City

iverside Grocery & Catering l R

Benton

l Scallions

Little Rock

l Simply Divine Catering Bentonville

outhern Food Company l S

Fayetteville

l Taylor’s Made Cafe Conway

l Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe Various Locations

l Jimmy’s Serious Sandwiches Little Rock

l The Croissanterie Little Rock

l L indsey’s BBQ and Hospitality House North Little Rock

l Loca Luna

hree Sams BBQ l T

and Catering Mabelvale

rio’s Restaurant l T

Little Rock

l Low Ivy Catering Little Rock

yrtie Mae’s Cafe l M

Eureka Springs

attiCakes Bakery l P

Conway

ea Farm Bistro l P

Cabot

Little Rock

wo Sisters Catering l T

Sherwood

ibrant Occasions lV

Catering Benton

hole Hog Cafe l W

Various Locations

l Petit Jean Meats

right’s Barbecue l W

ostmasters Grill l P

GFBFKitchen l Y

Morrilton

Camden

Bentonville, Johnson Restaurant & Catering Conway

3C heck off the Caterering Food list as you visit a small sample of our favorite places.

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Let us cater your next event... feed your

CRAVINGS

501-319-5270 contact @ cravecateringlr.com @cravecateringlr • cravecateringlr.com

“Start thinking of your holiday menu and baking needs for the holidays!

Honey Glazed Ham, Honey Glazed Carrots, Candied Yams and don’t forget dessert

Honey Pecan Pie, and Fischer Honey!”

2001 N Poplar Street • North Little Rock, AR 72114 501-758-1123 • fischerhoney.com 35

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e h T

n o s i o

P

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Rock Town Distillery 2 ounces Rock Town Arkansas Bourbon 1 ounce House Made Apple Butter .25 ounce Rock Town Triple Sec .25 ounce Cognac Shake with ice in a shaker. Strain into a lowball glass with chunky ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and dried apple.

1201 Main Street • Little Rock • 501.907.5244 rocktowndistillery.com

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Pie

s t a E aymag.com

•

PEPPERMINT MOCHA

S • R ECIPE

By Nic Williams

For those of us who love peppermint and chocolate, there’s no better pie during the holidays! With a balanced ratio of chocolate, espresso and peppermint, this pie is easy to make, stores well, and gives your guests a break from the traditional apple and cherry pie.

DIRECTIONS 1. H eat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch pie pan with unbaked crust. Prick bottom of crust with a fork eight to 10 times evenly over bottom, and set crust in refrigerator.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks, and beat until combined.

INGREDIENTS 9-inch pie crust (store-bought or homemade) 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar 3 egg yolks 3 ounces milk chocolate 12 ounces evaporated milk 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder 1 teaspoon peppermint extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (omit if using salted butter) 1 cup whipped cream 2 ounces crushed candy canes or peppermints

3. In a small bowl, melt chocolate in 15-second intervals in microwave, until just melted, stirring between each interval. Set aside to cool.

4. W hisk evaporated milk and espresso powder in measuring cup until powder is dissolved. Add milk mixture to bowl with chocolate, along with peppermint extract, vanilla extract and kosher salt.

Blend until well-combined, and use a rubber spatula to incorporate any ingredients that fell to bottom of bowl.

Batter will be thin.

5. P our batter into pie crust, and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until crust is set. You can cover crust with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning.

6. Cool at room temperature for at least two hours. Garnish with whipped cream and crushed candy canes.

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s t a E •

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S • R ECIPE

Soup

CAJUN CHRISTMAS EVE

By Jacob Carpenter

INGREDIENTS 1 14-ounce package Johnsonville New Orleans Andouille Smoked Sausages 1 rotisserie chicken, bones removed 1 4.5-ounce can diced green chilies 1 10-ounce can tomatoes with chilies 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes 1 15.25-ounce can southwest whole kernel corn 1 15-ounce can southwestern-style pinto beans 1 16-ounce can chili beans 1 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup 1 14.5-ounce can chicken broth 1 15-ounce can ranch-style beans 1 cup water 2 cups onions, diced 1- ounce packet Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning 1 1-ounce taco seasoning packet 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon chili powder 2 teaspoons of Louisiana Hot Sauce (optional) FOR GARNISH Jalapeños Sour cream ½ cup sliced black olives

DIRECTIONS 1. S lice smoked sausage to your desired size, and place into slow cooker.

2. Add pulled chicken, along with all undrained canned goods and water.

Once cans have been emptied, add diced onions and seasonings.

3. Give everything a good stir, then turn heat to low setting, and let soup cook for at least 1 hour. Make sure to stir about every 15-20 minutes to keep ingredients from sticking to pot.

4. L et cool for 4-5 minutes before digging in.

Cajun Christmas Eve Soup is a nontraditional recipe that is sure to wow your family and friends at your next holiday gathering. And because it is a one-dish recipe, cleanup is that much easier.

Bread

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PULL-APART CRANBERRY BRIE

S • R ECIPE

By Kaitlin Barger

This dish changed how I felt about brie a few years ago. It wasn’t always at the top of my favorite cheese list, but after pairing it with cranberry, I was hooked.

If you like a decadent, gooey appetizer (or a snack), this recipe is for you. The whole process only takes about 30 minutes, so it’s easy to throw in the oven right when guests arrive so they can enjoy it warm!

INGREDIENTS 1 round loaf of rustic bread 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 12-ounce wheel of brie, top of rind removed ½ cup cranberry sauce Fresh rosemary or thyme

DIRECTIONS 1. H eat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

2. Slice off top quarter of bread.

Place wheel of brie (with rind removed) on top of bread, and use a knife to trace a circle around it.

Scoop out inner circle of bread.

3. Place loaf on baking sheet. Brush olive oil inside of bread. Cut slices all around edges of loaf, about 1-2 inches apart. Be careful not to cut all the way down to the bottom. This will create removable slices.

4. P lace brie in emptied-out loaf.

Add cranberry sauce, and sprinkle with rosemary or thyme.

5. B ake until bread is toasted, about 25 minutes.

6. Serve warm while cheese is extra melty.

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#3 CHENAL HEIGHTS DRIVE, LITTLE ROCK, AR 43

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501.830.2273

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HICKORYHEIGHTSHR.COM aymag.com

Amy Counce.

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Face Behind the Place:

Amy Counce OF NEXUS COFFEE & CREATIVE

By KEVIN SHALIN // Photos By JAMISON MOSLEY

A

my Counce exudes a confident determination, that much I can tell while sitting across from the co-owner of Nexus Coffee & Creative one morning. She’s ready for my questions, excited to tell me about her journey and what the future holds. That journey started with an idea written on a napkin in 2016 and later came to fruition with the July 2017 opening of Nexus in the heart of downtown Little Rock.

Amy speaks mostly in “we’s,” constantly deflecting credit toward her co-workers and mentors, like her father, Matthew Moorehead, and coffee-industry aficionado, Fidel Samour of Fidel & Co. This “village,” as she refers to it, along with a fueling of the mind by reading books on leadership and various other business practices, have helped guide her. “I have to be a sponge,” Counce says.

From the beginning, her goal for Nexus Coffee & Creative was simple.

“I wanted to create a gathering place,” she says. “I spent so much time in college at different coffee shops, and I just loved the atmosphere.”

Now, more than four years into this venture, Counce is right where she wants to be, growing a business she loves and surrounded by a village she loves, all taking place in a building she loves. The owner even met the love of her life, Reid, inside Nexus, just two weeks after opening the shop. The two married in 2019.

But make no mistake, Counce isn’t resting on her laurels. She is driven to improve the business, not just for personal fulfillment, but for the growth of her teammates and the community as a whole.

“We want to build a coffee culture,” she says. “I realized that we had to have multiple revenue streams in order to provide sustainable pay for our team, a career path that offers ways to build and grow within the company.

So now we offer different leadership roles. Serving coffee all day isn’t going

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She is determined to help build a coffee culture in Little Rock, but knows it takes a village. aymag.com

Our goal is to be more accessible “within the coffee community.” to pay the bills and take care of our village and really get to grow in the way we want.

So, we decided to add on. We doubled in space. We added on a roastery business that we started this summer. We added on a bakery partnership with Nona [Pruitt] that we officially launched this year. From there, we also have retail. We added a local mercantile that supports about 15 local businesses throughout Arkansas, which is very exciting for us.”

Over the past year — and throughout much of the pandemic, for that matter — Counce has made it a priority to empower those team members. That includes offering employee benefits, holding weekly team meetings and working in more offsite meet ups at places like bowling alleys and restaurants. It has all helped build a camaraderie among the staff.

“That’s just as important as making sales. If you don’t have a healthy culture, you’re not going to hit your numbers.” Counce goes one step further about her co-workers,

The Nexus family.

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Quick bites Amy!

“Their dreams can happen within this dream. That is possible.”

Recently, Nona Pruitt, who has long been responsible for the tasty baked goods at Nexus, officially became a partner in the business and introduced her side project under the Nexus umbrella, Nona Bakes.

“She is my back-of-the-house, my right hand,” Counce says. “She is that strong voice, the mother of the ship, and she has always wanted to have a bakery.”

Nona Bakes plans to dive into catering, custom cakes and pastry boxes. People can customize orders or take items to-go from the shop.

On the coffee side, Counce hired Chace Brooks as roaster and wholesale manager. He’s operating the roastery like its own entity, with plans on ramping up wholesale and coffee box subscriptions.

As Counce says, “Our goal is to be more accessible within the coffee community.”

And as the name suggests, Nexus Coffee & Creative is not just about java. The space, which doubled in size in 2020 after Counce took over the other half of the building, is now home to multiple stages and increased square footage for gatherings.

“We’ve brought back events, but we’ve sort of recreated and focused in on what people are needing and asking for right now,” Counce says. “It’s not just about what works for us, but what is helping the community.”

That includes Saturday brunch shows with local musicians, Thursday Trivia, Second Friday Art Night, Meet the Makers, and music nights.

As for the future, things look bright for Nexus. And while it is easy to envision this concept excelling in multiple locations, Counce is hesitant to expand in that manner. Instead, she wants to grow in the current space.

“This is a historic building,” she says. “It’s over 115 years old, and there is more room. Instead of spreading ourselves thin with multiple locations and not being present, we’d like to have a mothership location where we’re utilizing the entire square footage of this location.”

Just what does that mean? More workshare space, co-working rooms and studio spaces.

As we wrap up our conversation, I ask Counce a question for which I already knew the answer: “Do you love what you do?”

“I really do,” Counce says. “It’s not easy. It’s not always perfect.

There are going to be challenging times and hard conversations and tough situations to deal with, but I can genuinely say I am in that dream job. I’m in that dream job in my late 20s. To me, I never need to take that for granted.”

How many people can say they’re in their dream job? Well, according to Counce, “I want more people to say it. I want it to be me and everyone in the room.”

I’ll raise my cup of cold brew and cheers to that.

with

What is your favorite book?

Start with Why by Simon Sinek.

Who has inspired you from a business standpoint?

I have been inspired by our local makers, the Arkansas artisans, but I’m also grateful for Fidel Samour of Fidel & Co. From the beginning, he’s always been so willing to help. He wants to build a coffee culture in Little Rock, just like I do. He’s been a great business mentor.

Where in Arkansas do you enjoy spending time outdoors?

I really love the Ozarks. Arkansas has 52 state parks, and I am doing the passport right now, where you can go to all the individual state parks and check them off.

What was your favorite Christmas gift as a kid?

Ahh, a trampoline. I was 8 years old. We jumped on that trampoline for probably a decade.

Do you cook?

Yes! I like to bake when Nona is not around, but I also like to cook for my husband, Reid. He loves my turkey spaghetti. We’re big pasta eaters. We love Italian food, so I am always experimenting with lasagna.

How many cups of coffee do you drink each day?

You would be surprised. I try to have only one or two cups in the morning. After lunch, I usually switch to green tea.

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Area bakeries are ready for the holiday rush with a variety of offerings to satiate any sweet tooth.

By KEVIN SHALIN // Photos By EBONY BLEVINS, JAMISON MOSLEY AND DAVID YERBY 48

he bakery life is often hectic, but things get especially crazy during the holiday season when friends and family are together. Hey, we love to eat, and fortunately, several area bakeries are prepared for the busy time.

“It is quite busy at the bakery around the holiday season, and we recommend coming early in the day for things you want or call ahead for something on our daily menu. It is not uncommon for us to sell out,” says Lorraine Mcswain, owner of Ludwig’s Bakery in Arkadelphia.

Lorraine Mcswain.

Stollen bread at Ludwig’s.

Colorful Rum Balls at Ludwig’s.

Mcswain’s shop is one of the very few German bakeries in Arkansas. During December, expect to see items like Stollen, Nussgebackenes, Linzer cookies, rumballs and Lebkuchen, just to name a few. She will also have imported items from Germany for the season like chocolates, Advent calendars, Christmas tree candles and holders, and many others that are traditional in Germany.

“These are all things that I grew up with and am excited to share with the community,” says Mcswain.

Ludwig’s Bakery has been open fewer than two years, but the lessons learned from the past December will help during the 2021 holiday season.

“There were so many questions last year being our first year, and the pandemic in full swing. It turns out that there are a lot more Germans in the area than I ever knew, and we seem to have found a niche,” Mcswain says. “We were much busier than we anticipated, so you can bet we will have more help over the holiday as well as more product. We also learned what specific items people were interested in and what items didn’t do well. I think we have a better understanding of our clientele and their needs and will be able to anticipate and plan much better.”

Mcswain recommends pre-ordering, as Ludwig’s is not a large operation and does not keep pre-made stock on hand. A two- or three-day advanced notice for special orders is very much appreciated.

“We take great care to ensure everything we make is baked fresh

when ordered so our customers get the best quality possible,” Mcswain says. “You can pre-order any item we offer on our full menu. Our daily menu rotates, and we post our offerings for the day every morning on Facebook.”

The cutoff date for Christmas orders for Ludwig’s Bakery will be Wednesday, Dec. 22 at noon, with pickups no later than Friday, Dec. 24 by noon. The shop’s hours of operation are Wednesday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. They will be open on Christmas Eve from 7:30 a.m. to noon and closed on Christmas Day.

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Lebkuchen.

PattiCakes Bakery.

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n the capital city, Blue Cake has long been a go-to spot for baked goods, and I’m not just talking about cakes. You might want to keep an eye out for a special holiday treat.

“Yule logs!

My favorite flavor is Tipsy Trifle. It comes with Grand Marniersoaked cake, whipped cream, and red berry compote,” says Blue Cake co-owner, Jan Lewandowski. “We are also planning to offer a Black Forest version this year. All yule logs are festively decorated with meringue mushrooms and holly. On the pie side, we’ll be bringing back the Pink Peppermint Pie with a chocolate cookie crust, peppermint mousse, chocolate ganache.”

Pre-orders are recommended, and most of Blue Cake’s menu can be ordered online. Its specialty is custom-decorated cakes, and, during the holidays, they recommend ordering celebration cakes at least two weeks in advance for weekend pickups. Per usual, Blue Cake’s signature item, the petit four, will be wildly popular during the holidays.

“We keep over 20 flavors in the case daily at both locations,” Lewandowski says. “And our rum cake is especially popular at Christmas. It’s a vanilla bundt cake soaked in a rum glaze with pecans and a drizzle of icing.”

And yes, as most people know, Blue Cake has two locations in Little Rock, which can pose a separate challenge during busy times.

Lewandowski says, “It’s always a challenge to stay organized and keep up with production when you have increased orders and walk-in customers. We are fortunate to have an amazing staff.”

Blue Cake’s Christmas pickup deadline is on Thursday, Dec. 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the shops will be closed for a short break on December 24-27.

Petit fours and yule logs are among the holiday offerings at Blue Cake.

Patti Stobaugh.

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f you crave cookies and gooey brownies during the holiday season, there is a little shop just north of Little Rock in Mayflower that is a must-visit. Kassi’s Cookies is a vibrant, fun bakery that offers a unique variety of baked goods and gourmet coffees. And during December, owner Kassi Posey is all about the peppermint.

“I love the combination of white chocolate and peppermint,” Posey says. “I feature cookies, brownies, and coffee in that flavor. I’m also looking forward to peppermint hot chocolates.”

Unfortunately, Kassi’s Cookies will not be taking pre-orders this year like they did last year. Instead, they will be using all that time to make sure there is a wide variety of Christmas-themed goodies every day for walk-in purchases.

“If you need last-minute super cute Christmas desserts for a party or gathering, then come see us,” Posey says. “We can fix you up,” PattiCakes Bakery is just 15 minutes north of Kassi’s Cookies and is one of the leading bakeries throughout the Conway area, with two locations in town. During the holidays, it offers many Christmas items for grab-and-go, including cookies, cakes, fudge, candied pecans, almonds and cashews. The shops also offer online holiday ordering and curbside pickup. And as you might expect, both locations get pretty crazy during December.

“We love it,” says owner Patti Stobaugh.

“We love to see the holidays come and love taking a breath when it’s over.”

Much like Blue Cake, PattiCakes’ multiple locations do pose challenges during a particularly busy holiday season, but, as Stobaugh notes, there is a secret ingredient to their success.

“We could not accomplish it without our team working so well together,” she says.

PattiCakes Bakery will be open Christmas Eve until 2 p.m. and closed December 25-26.

It will be nice for the staff to get those two days off after such a busy time, but like most bakeries, they will be right back at it on Monday.

New Year’s is right around the corner, and folks like to celebrate that holiday as well.

Any excuse to eat sweets is a good one.

aymag.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 52

March 12, 2022 benefitting

The 20th Century Club’s Lodge The 20th Century Club raises funds to provide no-cost housing to medically and financially qualified patients receiving cancer treatment in Central Arkansas. Patients from all 75 counties within Arkansas and 26 other states have stayed at the Lodge since it opened in April 2011.

Photography by Melisa

Ball Co-Chairs Miguel Newberg and Kelly Fraiser Corporate Sponsorships are available.

Please contact executivedirector@hopeawayfromhome.org

www.HopeAwayFromHome.org

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Club’s lodge H O P E AW AY F R O M H O M E

4011 MARYLAND AVE. | LITTLE ROCK, AR 72204 | 501-907-1760

2GIVEAWAY 5 DAYSof

Christmas

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

I

t’s already the most wonderful time of the year, but AY About You hopes to make it even more so for a few lucky readers. During our 25day countdown to Christmas, we will be giving away one item per day from one of the Natural State’s many wonderful local businesses. From clothing to candles and jewelry to seasonings, these stocking stuffers and belly-fillers are the perfect addition to anyone’s gift list.

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day MURRY'S DINNER PLAYHOUSE

It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play 3 Tickets Nov. 23 – Dec. 31 ($111) 6323 Colonel Glenn Road Little Rock, 72204 501-562-3131 murrysdp.com This holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast.

The story of idealistic George Bailey and his affable helper angel, Clarence, unfolds one fateful Christmas Eve as you’ve never heard it before. A perfect Holiday treat for the entire family!

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The Crown Shop —

Gift Card ($100) 10700 N. Rodney Parham Road, Suite B1 Little Rock, 72212 Mon-Sat 9:30-6, Sunday 12-5 501-227-8442 thecrownshop.com Handmade pottery, plush throws, luxurious candles, gourmet goodies and more. We have the best gift selection in town, only at The Crown Shop.

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TOWNSEND SPICE & SUPPLY –

12 Spice Containers ($100) 725 E. Main Street Melbourne, 72556 870-368-3688 townsendspice.com

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Pamper your food. No dish is complete without the right concoction of spices. For that, our friends at Townsend Spice & Supply have you covered with this gift that keeps on giving every time you step into the kitchen.

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day MCCLURE FITNESS —

Lululemon Leggings and Tank Top ($175) 1200 Library Drive, Benton, 72015 501-269-1662 mcclurefitness.com McClure Fitness has the direction, accountability and motivation you need to rewrite your fitness journey. Workout with us in Benton or On-Demand anywhere, anytime!

OOH LA LA SALON – Gift Basket ($230) 14710 Cantrell Road Little Rock, 72223 501-868-4111

We want you to feel and look your very best.

Come visit our salon and let us help you feel OOH La La beautiful!

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Molly Maid —

Roomba 692 and Complimentary Cleaning ($644.95) 501-758-9996 (Greater Little Rock) 479-372-6204 (Northwest Arkansas) mollymaid.com Arkansas' most trusted house cleaning service is not only offering up a free, three-hour, two-person team cleaning this holiday season, but they are also giving away a free iRobot Roomba to help make sure your home stays clean well after the team of two uniformed and insured Home Service Professionals™ clean your home.

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HEIGHTS APOTHECARY & HEMP CO. Gift Card ($100) 5711 Kavanaugh Boulevard Little Rock, 72207 501-747-1516 heightsapothecaryandhemp.com

Whether you're looking for oils, edibles, bath bombs, candies, tinctures, vapes, or have no idea what CBD even is, their knowledgeable staff is happy to help.

9 BODY SCULPTURE OF LITTLE ROCK –

FORT THOMPSON SPORTING GOODS – Gift Card ($200) 5802 Warden Road Sherwood, 72120 501-835-3006

Hunting and outdoor gear and firearms and ammo are plentiful at Fort Thompson. Find all the major brands, like Sitka, Drake, Banded, Kuhl, Patagonia, Duck Head, Muck and Lacrosse.

COY'S SOUTHERN EATS —

$100 Worth of Product (your choice) 5206 AR-5, Suite 106 Bryant, 72022 501-517-2381 coyssoutherneats.com Want to know what a pinch of Coy's amazing seasonings will do for your meals? Go on and try ya some. Your family and friends will thank ya!

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6 Laser Hair Removal Treatments of a Medium Area ($1,050) 16900 Chenal Parkway, Suite 140 Little Rock, 72223 Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

501-503-1772 Have you grown tired of shaving and waxing?

Or perhaps you’re sick of nicking yourself while trying to remove unwanted hair. With the advanced technology of the Splendor-X Laser, removing hair from the face and body has never been easier, faster, and more effective on all skin types.

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Gift Card ($100) Pavilion in The Park Little Rock, 72227 501-221-3330

Trio’s has been pleasing many distinguished regular guests in its fine-dining, casually elegant restaurant and delighting countless others outside the restaurant with its catering business since 1986. The professional staff provides a diverse array of menu selections and services.

HOCOTT'S Garden Center — MAD ON ICE

El Dorado, Arkansas — ($140) Enjoy unlimited skating for two, from Nov. 20 to Jan. 2 at the annual holiday favorite Mad on Ice.

Gift Card ($100) 3612 Kavanaugh Boulevard Little Rock, 72205 501-663-8376 hocottsgardencenter.com

Freshly cut Fraser Firs delivered to your door ... or you can pick one up! Hocott’s does it all, including a full service garden center — filled with gifts, decor items, rare houseplants, annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs; also providing lawn care, landscaping, irrigation services and more.

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SWEAT Little Rock Sauna Studio — 12 Free Sweat Sessions in SWEAT Infrared Sauna Pods ($350) 12400 Cantrell Road, Suite 2 Little Rock, 72223 501-837-9328 sweatlittlerock.com

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SWEAT Little Rock Sauna has 6 Infrared Sauna Pods that help de-stress your mind, boost your immune system, burn up to 600 calories in 30 minutes, improve circulation and detoxify your body! Infrared heat is just heat from the sun without the harmful UV Rays and is used in NICUs to warm newborns.

Come visit us for a soothing experience!

PIZZA CAFE —

Gift Card ($100) Pizza Cafe: 501-664-6133 Pizza Cafe West: 501-868-2600 pizzacafelr.com What's the holiday season without a good pie? Pizza pie from our friends at Pizza Cafe, that is.

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LITTLE ROCK ZOO —

Family Plus Membership ($119) 1 Zoo Drive Little Rock, AR 72205 501-661-7200 Little Rock Zoo memberships make excellent gifts for the young and young at heart. With year-long discounts at Café Africa and the Safari Trader Gift Shop, admission to members-only events and free parking, a membership can make someone’s great day at the Zoo even better. Members enjoy great benefits all while supporting conservation!

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TIPTON & HURST – Gift Card ($200) 1801 N. Grant Street Little Rock, 72207 501-666-3333 Mon-Fri: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sat: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

SHADE SUNLESS SPA –

Treat yourself to a custom floral arrangement, plants, or a gift basket. Experience firsthand the generations of joy that Tipton & Hurst provides.

Lash Lift & Tint Esthetics Service + a Hand-Held Spray Tan ($120) 3001 Kavanaugh Boulevard Little Rock, 72205 501-436-0505 I’m dreaming of a bronze Christmas, no problem! With this beauty package from the aptly named SHADE Sunless Spa.

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STUDIO 2121 –

Haircut, Blow-Out and Product (Over $150) 8214 Cantrell Road Little Rock, 72227 501-219-1086 studio2121.com

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Whether you’re experimental to go for the season’s latest look, or choose to stay on the conventional with THE look that shows off your best angles — our Studio2121 stylists know how to get you the look you always dreamed of having, and keep it looking great!

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MAIN STREET, EL DORADO Shopping Spree ($100)

Enjoy a wonderful shopping spree in historic downtown El Dorado.

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GOOD EATIN'™ –

BoxCuterie™ ($100) 501-515-9752 michelle@goodeatinar.com Delightful charcuterie creations and delectable Southern dishes.

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CIGAR REPUBLIC —

KEMURI Japanese Restaurant —

Gift Card ($100) 1315 Breckenridge Drive Little Rock, 72227 501-615-8040 info@cigarrepublic.com

Gift Certificate ($100) 2601 Kavanaugh Boulevard Little Rock, 72205 501-660-4100 kemurirestaurant.com

Arkansas' Largest Walk-in Humidor & Whiskey Selection.

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The light and fresh (and delicious) food at Kemuri is the perfect refresher after holiday meals weigh you down.

SOMETHING SWEET –

PARK LANE –

Tennis Bracelet, 40 ct dye injected Russian CZ’s ($182) Amanda Benson (Area Leader) 501-350-3114

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agbenson501@gmail.com parklanejewelry.com/rep/amandabenson

Nothing says “I love you” more during the holiday season than the 40 carats of mega bling crafted into this beautiful bracelet from Park Lane Jewelry.

Gift Card ($100) 221 S. Pruett Street Downtown Paragould 870-565-5169 paragouldsweets.com

Something Sweet opened in the Historic Downtown Paragould in December 2011 as Paragould's first sweet shop with a focus on cupcakes and custom decorated occasion cakes.

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SweetCuterie™ is perfect for: The return of Elf on the Shelf, Christmas movie night, a fun sleepover surprise, a treat after putting up the Christmas tree or riding to see Christmas lights, and so much more!

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™

Photography by Jamison Mosley When asked what ingredients “go together” or “to include,” I always encourage others to start with what they like but also be Designed by willing to try something new/different to expand Michelle Hill, their palate.

When designing any of my “cuteries” I think about texGood Eatin’ Arkansas tures, colors, sizes and patterns — and, of course, flavors.

My main advice when building a “cuterie” is to HAVE FUN with it.

There are no “rules,” per se.

It’s a GREAT family activity (especially SweetCuterie™)! From the in gredients shopping to the building to the eating, it is a fun holiday activity @goodeatinar for all (kind of like building a Gingerbread house). www.goodeatinar.com

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y r o v a AS d r a o B ’ t e e r ‘T arkan Events L n e h tc re G , n retchen Larka Designed by G

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Do It Yourself

Use a cookie cutter to decorate your ‘tree’ with festive-shaped cheeses.

Sprigs of greenery make for the perfect garnish.

When slicing your strawberries, keep the tops intact to keep with the theme.

Assorted chocolate truffles make for delicious edible ornaments.

Customize: Use any combination of fruits, cheeses and meats you prefer.

What’s a Christmas tree without a star on top? Simply cut a star shape into a block of Brie and fill with cranberry sauce. @gretchenlarkanevents // www.gretchenlarkanevents.com

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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

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. 65

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Nestled in the center of a quiet neighborhood, Innisfree Health & Rehab is a unique, family-oriented facility offering skilled care in loving, supportive atmosphere.

Our licensed nurses, physician assistants, dentists, podiatrist and other specialists believe that our residents need strong relationships with their families and is key to the healing process.

The entire Innisfree staff is devoted to providing the highest quality care possible, in a manner which celebrates the dignity and grace of every resident.

Our home is conveniently located just off Walnut in Rogers close to Walmart, under the medical directions of Dr. Kimberly Burner.

Our home is conveniently located just o to Walmart, under the medical direction 301 S. 24th Street | Rogers, AR 72758 | 479-636

301 S. 24th Street | Rogers, AR 72758 | 479-636-5545 | www.InnisfreeHR.com

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 the Bradford House provides skilled professional care toinproviding a quality of careOur which celebrates the dignity compassionate and supportive atmosphere. licensed and grace of every single resident.

nurses, physicians, optometrists, dentists and other specialists believe that building strong relationships with 1202 SE 30th Street The residents and families is essential to the healing process.

Bentonville, AR 72712 entire staff is devoted to providing the quality 479.273.3430 of care which celebrates the dignity and grace of every BradfordHouseNR.com single resident.

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 1202 30th | Bentonville, celebrates theSE dignity andStreet grace of every single resident. AR

72712 | 479.273.3430 BradfordHouseNR.com 66

GET TO KNOW...

By Sarah Coleman, Emily Beirne, Katie Zakrzewski and Dustin Jayroe

T

he time has nearly arrived for all of our faithful readers to nominate and vote on the recipients of AY’s Best of 2022 honor. But before we get ahead of ourselves in that regard, we wanted to bring you a little something special this time around — a way to “get to know” the winners and finalists from AY’s Best of 2021.

As you flip through these pages, you’ll quickly realize what makes each of these professionals and organizations special, and why our readers chose them as some of the best in the state at what they do. And, who knows — maybe you will take some of this newfound and behind-the-scenes knowledge to the voting booth in 2022.

Stay tuned at aymag.com! The nomination round for AY’s Best of 2022 will be here very soon.

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EXPERIENCE THAT COUNTS Our Team Has Treated Over 50,000 Patients In Our Surgery Center Alone.

It’s Our Doctors’ Experience And Our Outstanding Patient Service We Provide That Keep Our Patients Coming Back.

THANK YOU For voting BoozmanHof Regional Eye Center one of AY ’s Best Ophthalmology Clinics in the state of Arkansas!

3737 W Walnut St. • Rogers / 25 Cunningham Court • Bella Vista

(479) 246-1700 • boozmanhof.com

GETTING TO KNOW...

DR. DAVID M. RHODES, BOWEN HEFLEY ORTHOPEDICS Top 3, Best Surgeon (Upper Extremity)

Bowen Hefley Orthopedics, founded more than three decades ago, is committed to the care, improvement and quality of life for all of those it serves. The practice provides state-of-the-art, comprehensive musculoskeletal care in a compassionate manner, improving the quality of musculoskeletal medicine through diagnosis, treatment, education and research.

The physicians at Bowen Hefley are top professionals in their respective fields. All of its staff, without exception, are devoted to excellence in the attention and care provided. Simply put, their standard of patient care is the same standard they would use for their own families.

David M. Rhodes, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon specializing in Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery, is from Calgary, Canada, and joined Bowen Hefley Orthopedics in 1999. He is a practice partner.

“It is always gratifying to see patients experience relief from the care we provide and be able to return to their normal daily activities whether that be high school or college athletics, gardening or just playing with their kids or grandkids,” Rhodes says. “Being a specialist in orthopedic surgery of the upper extremity with a focus on elbow and hand surgeries allows me to focus on and treat cases that are more complex.”

Bowen Hefley Orthopedics specializes in orthopedics and sports medicine, as well as arthroscopic and reconstructive surgeries of the hip, knee, shoulder, foot and ankle, hand and upper extremity, including minimally invasive techniques. The practice has received numerous annual “Best of the Best” awards and is affiliated with Arkansas Surgical Hospital, which has received double 5-star ratings for excellence.

Rhodes says that it is an honor to be chosen for AY’s Best of 2021, a recognition that the folks at Bowen Hefley Orthopedics have become familiar with.

“This award is a true representation of the patients throughout Arkansas that vote and who I encounter in my practice every day,” he says.

5 St. Vincent Circle, Little Rock • (501) 663-6455 4200 Landers Road, North Little Rock • (501) 771-1600 bowenhefleyortho.com

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GETTING TO KNOW...

BRIARWOOD NURSING & REHABILITATION Winner, Best Assisted Living Facility Winner, Best Nursing Home

For more than 30 years, Briarwood Nursing & Rehabilitation Center has prided itself on being a place and a face that its community can trust and its residents can feel comfortable in.

Briarwood is a 120-bed facility that specializes in both shortterm rehabilitation and long-term care, providing the flexibility to meet each and every client’s needs, without sacrificing care quality — of which the team at Briarwood aspires for the highest of standards.

Be it transient rehabilitation or extended stay retirement, the staff is committed to creating and maintaining a supportive relationship that reinforces the dignity of every resident. This relationship-building transcends the here and now and translates to generational resident care. There is, perhaps, no better example of this

embodiment than the center’s administrator, Joan Robbins.

Robbins was literally raised in a nursing home, by her mother, who also worked in the profession. Robbins became a nursing assistant at age 13 and has dedicated her entire life since to the practice. After attaining her LPN and RN designations, Robbins became the director of nurses at Briarwood. When her mother retired from the administrator position at the center, Robbins was next in line, and the torch was seamlessly passed to the next generation of leadership at Briarwood.

“Our organization is special because we are third-generation employees providing care for, oftentimes, third-generation residents,” Robbins says proudly. “We are like a family with everyone — staff and residents.”

(501) 224-9000 • briarwoodnursingandrehab.com

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GETTING TO KNOW...

CARELINK Top 3, Best In-Home Care

With a foundation laid by the Older Americans Act of 1965, CareLink opened its doors on June 12, 1979. CareLink has dedicated its existence to helping others for 42 years, with ambitions to do it for at least 42 more.

A lot of times, people call CareLink because they don’t know where else to go, but they know they need help. Even if it’s over the phone, you can hear the relief people feel when they realize someone has heard them and is working on a way to help. For CareLink, there is fulfillment in reading a card from a son or granddaughter letting the staff know how much they were able to help family members when they needed it most.

CareLink is a group of people committed to serving those who need help, however that may be. While some services can be offered directly,

CareLink knows that age is not one size fits all, so they will work to identify the organizations to best meet someone’s needs.

CareLink was thrilled and honored to be part of AY’s Best of 2021.

“Even before the pandemic, our team came in every day focused and ready to serve those in need,” the facility’s administration says. “Once life as we knew it was turned upside down, they worked harder. To receive this recognition was letting them know the community saw them and their wonderful efforts.”

As we head into the new year and AY’s Best of 2022 events, CareLink offers words of thanks to those who think about them.

“We don’t do this for the awards, but for the people who need us.

Voting for CareLink is another wonderful way our team knows the hard work they put in day in and day out is being noticed.”

(501) 372-5300 • CareLink.org

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GETTING TO KNOW...

CONWAY REGIONAL GASTROENTEROLOGY CENTER Winner, Best Gastroenterology Clinic

Vast experience and innovation are staples for the Conway Regional Gastroenterology Center, voted AY’s Best Gastroenterology Clinic for 2021.

Gastroenterologists treat diseases of the digestive tract — esophagus, stomach, colon, small intestine, pancreas, gallbladder and liver. An interventional gastroenterologist does advanced procedures like ERCP, stenting of the esophagus/duodenum/colon/bile ducts, endoscopic suturing, endoscopic mucosal resection, and others.

The center’s founder, Martin Moix, MD, is a gastroenterologist with more than 25 years of experience in treating diseases of the intestinal tract. His physician partner, Owen S. Maat, MD, has more than 28 years of experience as a gastroenterologist. They are joined by Brandy Eason, APRN, Sarah Atkins, APRN, and Lindsey Sierra, APRN. Being a gastroenterologist means doing numerous, repetitive tests, such as colorectal screenings, but it can save lives. Recalling an experience in which he was able to remove a polyp and prevent a woman from contracting cancer, Moix says, “The times that we can prevent somebody

from getting a horrible illness make it all worthwhile. In GI, we are fortunate to be on the preventive side of things, knowing that somebody is not going to have to suffer through surgery and chemotherapy.”

“A colorectal screening for people over age 50 can be a lifesaver. It’s the biggest takeaway that I can give you,” says Maat, who has performed about 40,000 GI procedures. “Ninety percent of colorectal cancer can be detected with the screening.” Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women.

Moix and Maat are also bringing many innovative procedures to Faulkner and surrounding counties. The Conway Regional Gastroenterology Center has implemented PH studies, which measure acid reflux in the esophagus, and esophageal manometry studies that test whether a patient’s esophagus can properly move food into the digestive system.

Moix says the future may include non-invasive scanning of the liver, gastric pacemakers, collaborative endoscopic work ups for bariatric surgery patients, ERCP to relieve bile duct obstructions, fibro scanning to assess scaring of the liver, and other innovative procedures.

2200 Ada Avenue, Suite 201, Conway • (501) 852-1360 • ConwayRegional.org

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GETTING TO KNOW...

CONWAY REGIONAL NEUROSCIENCE CENTER Top 3, Best Neurologist Top 3, Best Neurosurgeon

Conway Regional Neuroscience Center in Conway is one of AY’s best neurology clinics in 2021. The Conway Regional Neuroscience Center’s physicians treat illnesses of the brain and neurological system, including multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, neuropathies and sleep disorders, as well as treat the side effects of strokes.

Tim Freyaldenhoven, MD, and Keith Schluterman, MD, combined their practices into a partnership with Conway Regional Health System in 2017 to form the Conway Regional Neuroscience Center. Freyaldenhoven and Schluterman have shared the same office space since 2004 and have been friends since medical school at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. They have provided neurological care to Faulkner County and the surrounding region since 2002 when Freyaldenhoven

joined the Conway Regional medical staff. Schluterman followed in 2004.

Freyaldenhoven says, “A major change for us was that we got to focus more time on clinical care and less on business operations. The partnership secured neurology coverage for Conway Regional and enabled them to recruit additional neurologists to help us accommodate the needs of the communities that we serve.”

The center’s medical staff has expanded since it was formed. In 2017, Regan Gallaher, MD, joined, an experienced, board-certified neuro/spine surgeon. Gallaher is a former neurosurgery chief resident in the Baylor College of Medicine. He also completed a residency in Neurosurgery at the University of New Mexico. A neuropsychologist, Mark Clark, PhD, along with Savannah Bradbury, PA, and Elana Russell, APRN, complete the staff.

2200 Ada Avenue, Suite 305, Conway • (501) 932-0353 • ConwayRegional.org

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GETTING TO KNOW...

CONWAY ORTHOPEDIC & SPORTS MEDICINE CENTER Top 3, Best Orthopedic Group

Conway Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center (COSMC) brings innovation and expertise in orthopedics and sports medicine care to north-central Arkansas. Voted as one of AY’s Best Orthopedic Groups for 2021, COSMC has provided comprehensive orthopedic care to Central Arkansas since 1988.

The center is anchored by the experience and expertise of orthopedic surgeons Scott Smith, MD, Grant Bennett, MD, Jay Howell, MD, J. Tod Ghormley, MD, James Head, MD, and Robert McCarron, MD, who provide comprehensive orthopedic care for north-central Arkansas and the River Valley. The center offers a wide range of services, including specialized care for the hand, upper extremity, foot and ankle; minimally invasive surgeries of the knee and hand; total hip, knee and shoulder replacements; and sports medicine services.

The talented group of orthopedic surgeons, surgical specialists, nurses and therapists offer a wide array of bone and joint disease evaluation, treatment and surgeries, including: • Total joint and partial joint replacement of hips, knees, shoulders and elbows • Arthroscopic joint surgery of knees, elbows, shoulders, wrists and ankles

• Hands (carpal tunnel release and reconstructive surgery) • Pediatric orthopedics (clubfeet, bowlegs and pediatric fractures) • Foot and ankles (sprains, strains, fractures and reconstructive surgery) • Sports medicine (all sports-related injuries for athletes of all ages) Additionally, orthopedic surgeons Grant Bennett, Scott Smith and Tod Ghormley utilize the Mako robotic arm-assisted technology in many hip and knee replacements. Conway Regional was one of the first health systems in Arkansas to offer the state-of-the-art service.

Mako is a new approach to joint replacement that offers assistance to the surgeon for a more precise, customized positioning of implants for each patient. A CT scan of a knee or hip is uploaded into the Mako system software, where a 3D model is created. This 3D model is used to pre-plan and assist surgeons in performing a hip or knee replacement.

From a surgeon’s perspective, the advantages are the precision and intraoperative customization provided by Mako. Many times, that precision enables orthopedic surgeons at COSMC to remove less bone or decrease the amount of soft tissue trauma. “For many patients, this may translate into improved range of motion and less time on crutches or a walker,” Dr. Bennett says. He adds that the majority of his patients return home the day after surgery.

550 Club Lane, Conway • (501) 329-1510 • ConwayRegional.org

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GETTING TO KNOW...

CONWAY REGIONAL ADVANCED PAIN MANAGEMENT CENTER Winner, Best Pain Specialist

Pain is the most common reason for seeking medical care in the United States, according to the National Institute of Health.

“Everyone has pain somewhere, of some kind, and it can be treated,” says Heath McCarver, MD, a pain management specialist with the Conway Regional Advanced Pain Management Center. McCarver and his colleagues, Chris Maranto, MD, and Mikio Ranahan, MD, are recognized as the state’s Best Pain Specialists by AY About You in 2021.

They find purpose and satisfaction in helping patients discover relief from their pain.

The physicians at the Conway Regional Advanced Pain Management Center specialize in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of different types of pain, including acute and chronic pain. In addition to pain in joints throughout the body, they also treat migraine headaches, fibromyalgia and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) syndrome. They also provide nerve blockers and medication management for cancer-related pain.

The Conway Regional pain management specialists describe pain management as much more than medication. They believe in a multidisciplinary method of treating all types of pain, often teaming up with orthopedic surgeons, oncologists, neurologists and neurosurgeons, therapists and counselors as part of an individual pain management plan.

“There is rarely ever one way to get rid of pain,” McCarver says. “It

usually requires a combination of techniques including medication. If you approach it from several different angles, usually you can find a combination that gives relief.”

Part of developing a pain management plan is interviewing each patient to determine their medical history. Maranto says, “We want to know whether they have had injuries, surgery, and specifically look at X-rays, CT and MRI images. We need to know what has already been done before we make our plans.”

“There is no magic pill. If someone has one solution to all your problems, that is a red flag because pain is all-encompassing,” advises Ranahan. “It affects all aspects of your life. For most patients suffering from chronic pain, one pill or one procedure is not going to make everything better. It takes several routes to manage pain.”

McCarver adds, “Another myth is that people are stuck with pain.

Pain is very common, but it is also uncommon that we can’t find relief.

We can get rid of pain, at least to a much more functional level.”

Ranahan advises that low-impact exercise and smoking cessation can help people avoid the pain that sends so many people to the pain management center. “Staying active is the most important thing to do, under the advice of your physician. Low impact exercise and sports such as cycling, swimming, running and walking, are generally helpful.

2200 Ada Avenue, Suite 301, Conway • (501) 358-6560 • ConwayRegional.org

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CONWAY REGIONAL WOMEN’S CENTER Winner, Best Place to Have a Baby

The Conway Regional Women’s Center was voted AY’s Best Place to Have a Baby in 2020 and again in 2021.

Twelve of Conway’s most highly skilled obstetrician-gynecologists, representing three different clinics, deliver babies exclusively at the Conway Regional Women’s Center, and the staff provides exceptional, familyfocused care. Parents are offered childbirth education classes, nutrition and lactation counseling, support groups, and a number of options for delivery.

The labor and delivery unit consists of 16 birthing suites with eight additional rooms available when needed to accommodate the growing number of families delivering at Conway Regional. Suites are equipped with all the equipment necessary for a traditional delivery as well as showers, refrigerators and other hotel-like conveniences.

The center also features two surgical rooms and 24-hour staff and an-

esthesia coverage if a cesarean birth becomes necessary. Internationally certified lactation counselors and support nurses are available throughout the stay and after the mother goes home to provide breastfeeding support.

Local, highly qualified pediatricians support the Women’s Center nursery. The nursery was the first in the state to join the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Nursery Alliance. The nursery alliance coordinates care between neonatologists at Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and physicians in Conway Regional’s NICU and newborn nursery to help improve the quality of care.

Above all else, it is the warm, personal relationship with their delivering nurse and physician that parents praise most often when recounting their delivery experience at the Conway Regional Women’s Center.

When your family is growing, Conway Regional will be with you every step of the way.

2302 College Avenue, Building 2, Conway • (501) 513-5240 • ConwayRegional.org

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CONWAY REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER Winner, Best Hospital

For the past 100 years, Conway Regional has provided high-quality, compassionate care to the communities it serves. What started in 1921 with a donation of land to the city of Conway to establish a new hospital grew into a not-for-profit medical center with 60 beds by 1957.

Today, Conway Regional Health System provides comprehensive healthcare services to the growing communities of north-central and Central Arkansas and the River Valley. Conway Regional is an economic force in the community as one of Conway’s largest employers.

Centered on a 150-bed, acute care medical center, the health system provides patients with a variety of services including primary care, heart health, orthopedic care, neuro-spine surgery, vascular surgery, gastroenterology services, women’s health and surgery services. Additionally, the health system operates a Rehabilitation Hospital and a 70,000-squarefoot Health and Fitness Center. In June 2019, Conway Regional an-

nounced a management agreement with the Dardanelle Hospital, and has since renamed it as Dardanelle Regional Medical Center.

In 2020, Conway Regional Medical Center became the third hospital in Arkansas to receive Magnet designation by the American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC). Magnet recognition is the gold standard for nursing excellence and only 8 percent of hospitals nationwide achieve Magnet recognition status.

Conway Regional is an economic force in the community, with more than 225 physicians on the medical staff, more than 1,700 employees, and 100 community volunteers. Conway Regional team members and their families make Conway Regional one of Conway’s largest employers. The dedicated team members at Conway Regional uphold the organization’s mission by providing high-quality, compassionate care to those in the community, and they also work tirelessly to support their community outside of the hospital walls.

2302 College Avenue, Conway • (501) 329-3831 • ConwayRegional.org

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ELDER INDEPENDENCE HOME CARE Winner, Best In-Home Care

Founded in 1999 by Mike Gross, Elder Independence Home Care has been serving Central Arkansas for 22 years.

Kim Clatworthy partnered with Gross in 2012 and has owned Elder Independence Home Care since 2014.

At Elder Independence, the staff offers nonmedical home care, medication reminders, bathing, incontinence and dressing, light housekeeping, hygiene and grooming assistance, companionship and cheerful conversation, grocery shopping, transportation, meal preparation, after surgery care, hospice support, veteran care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, hospital sitting and disability care.

No two days are the same in Clatworthy’s line of work, which is part of the reason why she loves it. Clatworthy also takes pride in being able to make sure that people can be independent, at home, for as long as they want to and can be.

This focuses around Clatworthy offering solutions to families, because no situation is the same.

“If they do not need home care yet, or they need more than home care — I love collaborating with them to reach solutions that make sense for their unique situation,” she says.

Clatworthy, a self-described old soul, has a deep passion for caring for others. This passion was kick-started in her youth.

“I learned at an early age the value of caring for others, not just the customers at my parent’s lake resort, or family, but people in need who crossed our paths for other reasons,” she says. “Caring for people has always come naturally to me.”

Among Clatworthy’s greatest achievements is cofounding the Arkansas Hospice Angels program in honor of a friend who passed away. Clatworthy’s friend expressed concerns about not having a legacy. The Arkansas Hospice Angels program provides opportunities for caregivers and hospice patients to experience a last wish or a dream.

Honored in AY’s Best of 2021, Clatworthy says she feels privileged to be recognized for doing what she loves and hopes to continue that recognition.

“It would be an honor to be nominated for AY’s Best of 2022,” she says. “Caring is our calling at Elder Independence Home Care, and I am grateful to be recognized for my passion for helping others. Providing peace of mind is so rewarding.”

(501) 847-6102 • elderindependence.com

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HEATHMAN FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY Winner, Best Family Dentist

olidays

Dr. Montgomery “Monty” Heathman is the owner and founder of Heathman Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Little Rock and The Dental Clinic at Stuttgart. Heathman has been in practice for more than 21 years and has won AY’s Best of for five consecutive years. He is a second-generation dentist, following in his father’s footsteps, the late Dr. N.D. “Dwight” Heathman Jr. Heathman grew up in Springdale and graduated from the University of Arkansas. He graduated with his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry, Memphis, in 2000. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Arkansas State Dental Association, the Central Arkansas Dental Association, and the Xi Psi Phi dental fraternity. In addition, he has served in numerous local, state and national organizations.

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

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

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

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

12501 Cantrell Road, Little Rock • (501) 223-3838 • heathmanfamilydentistry.com

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Your Plans. Your Progress. Our Priority.

Thank you for naming us one of Ay’s Best! Our business is knowing your business. Your team of bankers work together with you to customize solutions to meet your unique needs, both short and long term. Our relationship-based approach to doing business empowers our associates to make decisions locally, close to our clients.

Two relationship-driven banks, both leaders in the industry, have officially joined forces. The combination of IBERIABANK and First Horizon creates a leading financial services company dedicated to enriching the lives of our clients, associates and communities. Together, we will deliver better technology, broader lending capabilities and an expanded financial network powered by a team you know and trust.

Joel Jewell 479-695-3702 Joel.Jewell@iberiabank.com

Trish Thompson 479-878-6301 Trish.Thompson@iberiabank.com

Matt Kaczor 501-661-7321 Matt.Kaczor@iberiabank.com

Trent Armstrong 479- 878-6493 Trent.Armstrong@iberiabank.com

Ryann Thornton 479-878-6308 Ryann.Thornton@iberiabank.com

Marc Luker 501-661-7328 Marc.Luker@iberiabank.com

Conrad Eberhard 479-695-3709 Conrad.Eberhard@iberiabank.com

Lawana Backus 501- 661-7759 Lawana.Backus@iberiabank.com

Josh Taylor 501-537-8424 Josh.Taylor@iberiabank.com

Tyler Spoon 479-695-3704 Tyler.Spoon@iberiabank.com

Frank Hall 501-537-8415 Frank.Hall@iberiabank.com

Carol Parham 501-661-7364 Carol.Parham@iberiabank.com

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GETTING TO KNOW...

LAW OFFICES OF KATHERINE E. BLACKMON Winner, Best Law Firm

Katherine Blackmon Carroll is the owner and managing attorney of the Law Offices of Katherine E. Blackmon, which is a trauma-informed family law firm with an emphasis on helping clients navigate difficult times with empathy and expertise.

After Carroll passed the bar exam and received her license to practice, she began renting a one-room office in the Centre Place building in downtown Little Rock. “I asked God to send me clients in the area of law where I was most needed, and my first custody case walked through the door,” Carroll says. “More than two decades later, I own the 11th floor in that same building, and I am still practicing family law.”

For as proud as Katherine Blackmon Carroll is of her own accomplishments, she is even more proud of and thankful for her team — the people who truly make her law firm thrive.

Senior associate attorney Allison Koile has practiced law since 2011 and attributes the biggest break of her professional career to date as joining the Law Offices of Katherine E. Blackmon. “I was attracted to Katherine’s tenacity, dedication to her clients, and the close-knit group she has created of exceptional attorneys and staff. We are a collaborative team and quick to respond to emails or answer a phone call, even on the

weekends or at night.”

Associate attorney Alexandra Waddell believes that their firm is special. “The expertise, dedication, and hearts of the attorneys and staff is unique as are Katherine’s fantastic litigation skills and the willingness and ability of the firm to adapt to best serve our client’s needs on a case by case basis.”

Associate attorney Jalen Toms wanted to work in an area where she felt as if she was helping people. “I love being there for the people in my community and making sure they feel like they have a confidant to help them through this difficult time in their life.” Toms feels that she works with a truly one-of-a-kind law firm.

Under Carroll’s leadership, the team at the Law Offices of Katherine E. Blackmon fights aggressively for their clients and just as frequently talks their clients through the emotions that go hand-in-hand with experiencing a divorce or custody matter. “I think people would be surprised to know that while we are a tough group of attorneys, we are also a very sensitive group of people,” Carroll says. “We genuinely care not just about the case but how our clients feel while going through it and, ultimately, how they feel when their case is over.”

(501) 372-7636

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ROOTS RESTAURANT Top Top Top Top

3, 3, 3, 3,

Best Best Best Best

Brunch Fine Dining Restaurant Special Occasion

The stars have almost literally aligned for Paula and Karl Lowe, the husband-and-wife duo behind Roots Restaurant. The pair have extensive culinary backgrounds between them but had never dreamed of opening a restaurant in Jonesboro.

“One day, we were looking at an apartment, and the next we were buying a restaurant,” they say jokingly.

Roots Restaurant officially opened in the summer of 2019, and the Lowes haven’t looked back since. The revolving menu changes every three months, each time a painstaking crafting that involves not only the two and their staff, but the farmers who provide Roots with quality, fresh ingredients.

“We are very proud that our Roots community nominated us for these awards,” the owners say. “We couldn’t believe it; it was too good to be true. We are very grateful.”

The restaurant’s culinary accomplishments also netted it a spot on AY’s Farm Fresh Bucket List last year, as well as recognition on AY’s Best of 2020. But the Lowes aren’t complacent to merely rest on laurels. They are excitedly awaiting next year, and can’t wait to show their faithful customers what else they have in store.

“We like to challenge our team and, as always, we are very thankful to have the opportunity to do what we love.”

303 S. Main Street, Jonesboro • (870) 336-1212 • rootsrestaurant303.com

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DR. ERIC WRIGHT, WRIGHT PLASTIC SURGERY Winner, Best Plastic Surgeon Winner, Best Plastic Surgeon

Wright Plastic Surgery was started in 2018 after Dr. Eric Wright transitioned from academic practice at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Hailing from Quitman, Wright received his medical degree from UAMS, has completed a Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Residency at Stanford Hospital and was part of an Aesthetic & Reconstructive Breast Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

“I love that plastic surgery is the combination of aesthetically restoring and improving the function of the human body,” Wright says. “I am committed to providing personalized and comprehensive patient care to achieve the patient’s desired surgical outcome.

My goal is to listen to each patient and develop a plan to meet individual goals so that our patients look and feel their best. My staff and I strive to offer an exceptional patient experience, hopefully developing relationships with our patients that extend beyond their surgical experience.”

Wright describes how he felt when he was named to AY’s Best of 2021 list.

“It was an honor to be voted AY’s Best of 2021 for plastic surgery,” he says. “While we are constantly working to improve, being recognized by my patients is certainly an honor that affirms the direction Wright Plastic Surgery is headed.

“I want to thank all of those who voted for me in the past. I am excited for the future of Wright Plastic Surgery. I encourage AY readers to reach out to our practice to see the many exciting products and services we have to offer.”

1701 Center View Drive, #201, Little Rock • (501) 575-0088 • drwrightplasticsurgery.com

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CHARLOTTE’S EATS AND SWEETS Top 3, Best Dessert In 1993, Charlotte Bowls founded Charlotte’s Eats and Sweets with a collection of family and friends’ special recipes and created a one-of-a-kind dessert and lunch menu.

The current staff says the best part of their jobs is seeing customers enjoy homemade delicious food and fellowship. Charlotte’s Eats and Sweets desserts are all completely homemade and fresh while using time-honored techniques and recipes.

One of the things that makes Charlotte’s stand out is the menu, with the signature tall meringue topped on homemade pies.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Charlotte’s, like all restaurants, went through many hard times.

“We are thankful to all our customers for their support during this time,” they say.

The Charlotte’s crew was ecstatic to be honored in AY’s Best of 2021.

“We’re so happy that so many people enjoy our food,” they say. “We hope everyone comes to try our restaurant, and we hope that they leave happy and full.”

290 Main Street, Keo • (501) 842-2123 • facebook.com/Charlottes-Eats-and-Sweets

2.

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25% MORTGAGE APR

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afcu.org/local | 800.456.3000

1. APR is Annual Percentage Rate. Mortgage rates are valid as of 11/15/2021 for a 15-year fixed rate loan. Interest rates quoted assumes a 95% loan-to-value (LTV) and a minimum credit score of 740. The actual interest rate, APR and payment may vary based on the specific terms of the loan selected, verification of information, credit history, and the location and type of property. Offer subject to change without notice. Restrictions may apply. Membership with Arkansas Federal Credit Union is required for this offer.

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CHICKEN SALAD CHICK Top 3, Best New Restaurant Owned by Emily Gray and business partner Hudson Sandefur, Chicken Salad Chick has three Arkansas locations — in Benton, North Little Rock and Little Rock.

Chicken Salad Chick was born from Stacy Brown’s kitchen in Auburn, Alabama, in 2007, when she found herself newly divorced with three small children. She couldn’t imagine putting them through another life change in having their mother go to work full time and sending them to daycare. So Brown worked on making the best chicken salad any of her neighbors would ever have, eventually selling it out of her home.

Gray found herself in Brown’s very first restaurant in 2011 as a freshman at Auburn.

“My dream was always to have my own community to bring my own store(s) to,” Gray says. “Through friends, my business partner Hudson and our corporate office identifying Central Arkansas as a prime new market, I found my new home — a home I am so grateful for and humbled to have found.”

Chicken Salad Chick features all of their great, handmade chicken salad, sides and more on their catering menu. They deliver all over the Little Rock and Hot Springs areas. Their box lunches make for great business luncheons, and their gorgeous fruit platters, pimento cheese ball platters, mini croissant platters and strawberry trays add to any gathering.

Gray recalls how she felt when she found out about their nomination in AY’s Best of 2021.

“We were shocked and so grateful,” she says. “I know that those who come here love us — I mean, obsessed — but I didn’t realize the number of individuals who would have felt this way! We are so grateful, excited and encouraged!”

The folks at Chicken Salad Chick are grateful for this designation as one of Arkansas’ top favorite new restaurants.

“As we grow to new locations, expand our catering and introduce new flavors, we would be honored to be your favorite restaurant in 2022,” Gray says. chickensaladchick.com

Changing the Lives of More Arkansans.

When the whole world stopped, they kept going.

Working through extraordinary challenges and against countless odds to create a healthier tomorrow.

Congratulations to our Best of 2021 Winner!

Neurosurgeon Dr. Ali Krisht Arkansas Neuroscience Institute

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DAVE CREEK MEDIA Top 3, Best Advertising Agency Making it in the media market is no easy task, but Dave Creek Media has set an example on how to come out on top.

Founded in 2017 by two corporate executives with experience in assisting Fortune 500 companies and helping mid-sized companies grow revenue, increase profits and scale in the United States and internationally, Dave Creek Media was set up for success with a strong team.

“We have executed hundreds of digital campaigns for companies across the United States,” says co-founder and CEO Glenn Crockett. “Our combination of business savvy, data intelligence and marketing strategy gives our clients a distinct advantage and revenue growth to match.”

In the four years that Dave Creek Media has been in existence, the company has also experienced substantial growth and has recently moved forward to the next step in expansion.

“During the summer of 2021, we announced that we are going to be franchising our digital agency concept,” Crockett says. “We are launching our first franchise that will be located in Northwest Arkansas in January. We are looking for franchisees in other parts of Arkansas as well and most of the other states.”

Dave Creek Media is respected not only for its experience and results in taking businesses to the next tier but also for the “success team” that makes it all come together.

“Our mission is to create a place that people want to be a part of,” Crockett says. “People want to work ‘for’ us because of the culture and opportunities that we provide, and people want to work ‘with’ us because of our desire to help their business grow.”

1061 Front Street, Conway • (501) 499-9610 • davecreekmedia.com.com

We are honored to be voted among AY’s Best of 2021!

At Cowboy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, car shoppers can find rugged SUV and truck models like the Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Renegade and the Ram 1500.

2799 Highway 65 South, Clinton 501-214-0908

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EBERLE INSURANCE AGENCY Finalist, Best Insurance Firm Mike W. Eberle prides himself and his business, Eberle Insurance Agency Inc., on simply caring.

Founded on Feb. 3, 1985, Eberle Insurance Agency offers policies for business, life, home and auto.

“We care, we still answer the phone,” Eberle says. “And with employees being here over 30 years, we have already experienced life issues, so we can relate to all of our clients in any stage of life, with any issue they might be experiencing.”

When faced with the issue of COVID-19, Eberle says his company was able to change to meet clients where they were with uncertain needs.

“We adapted basically overnight,” Eberle says.

Eberle may be the owner and president of Eberle Insurance Agency, but he stands strong on employees being a big part of what makes the business run smoothly.

Upon finding out he was being honored in AY’s Best of 2021, Eberle was grateful. “I felt honored, but this was a team effort, not me,” he says.

Eberle Insurance Agency Inc. operates in both Arkansas and Texas as a full-line independent agency, placing businesses and individual families in custom-designed policies.

“We really try to take the confusing language of insurance and make it easy,” Eberle says. “Our tagline is: meet, call or click, insurance made easy.”

9623 AR-107, Sherwood • (501) 835-3436 • eberleinsuranceagency.com

GETTING TO KNOW...

FREYALDENHOVEN HEATING AND COOLING Winner, Best Heating and A/C Service John and Scott Freyaldenhoven purchased the family business — Freyaldenhoven Heating and Cooling — in 1998.

Freyaldenhoven Heating and Cooling was founded by brothers Ken “Buck” Freyaldenhoven, John’s dad, and Bob Freyaldehoven, Scott’s dad, in 1970 on values of quality, dependability, great service and professionalism.

“They instilled values in us that no doubt helped us remain successful and continue to build upon and enhance the foundation they so richly blessed us with,” John and Scott say. “It is humbling that so many people are able to work and provide for their families through a business started by our fathers. Our employees are all family to us, and we enjoy the relationships we are able to build and forge along the way.”

John and Scott agree that the best part of their job is the people, from customers to their work family.

“It was extremely humbling to learn of the AY recognition in the Best of, and we sincerely thank AY readers and followers for trusting Freyaldenhoven as your heating and cooling contractor,” they say. “We will continue to work hard to remain top of mind and brand awareness when it comes to serving Central Arkansas’ heating and cooling needs.”

1101 Front Street, Conway • (501) 329-2951 • freyaldenhoven.com

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GOOD SHEPHERD NURSING AND REHABILITATION Skilled Nursing and Long-Term Care Facility AY’ s Top 3 Good Shepherd Nursing and Rehabilitation is committed to providing the highest quality of patient care. The highly qualified staff provides support for the tasks of day-to-day living, allowing for the enjoyment of more pleasant and carefree activities.

“We are devoted to providing high-quality care which celebrates the dignity and grace of every person who enters our home,” says Bobby Lamb, administrator.

Good Shepherd’s tall ceilings, open floor plan and friendly faces make for an exceptionally comfortable atmosphere. And the amenities are second to none, including a lovely dining room, covered outdoor patio area, a state-of-the-art gym, beautiful garden, and more.

“From the moment you enter our facility, we want you to experience the difference our facility has to offer,” Lamb says. “From our light-filled day areas to our beautiful outdoor areas, we want you and your loved one to feel comfortable and safe when staying with us.”

3001 Aldersgate Road, Little Rock • (501) 217-9774 • goodshepherdnr.com

GETTING TO KNOW...

THE JANET JONES COMPANY Winner, Best Real Estate Company Janet Jones founded The Janet Jones Company in 1980 with the Golden Rule serving as the company’s guiding philosophy.

Jones says she believes the biggest difference between her business and others is the people who make up The Janet Jones Company.

“The best part of our job is the strong relationships we have built with our customers and the professionals involved in real estate transactions,” Jones says.

The Janet Jones Company has consistently ranked as the top real estate agency in Central Arkansas while remaining family-owned and proudly independent.

“Our agents collectively list and sell more homes per agent than anyone else in town, approximately five times the Little Rock Market Area average,” Jones says. “This ranks The Janet Jones Company agents in the top 1 percent of sales in the nation.”

Among the more than 100 real estate companies in Little Rock, The Janet Jones Company consistently maintains the largest market share, the largest number of transactions and the highest dollar volume sold.

“The Janet Jones Company is proud to have been the gold standard of Central Arkansas Real Estate for over 40 years and is thrilled that readers of AY Magazine recognized their commitment to excellence and legendary service in being honored as AY’s Best of 2021,” Jones says. “We are still the same company that you have consistently voted as the best, and we invite you to join the Janet Jones family of satisfied clients.”

7915 Cantrell Road, Little Rock • (501) 224-3201 • janetjones.com

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OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY Top 3, Best Private College At Ouachita Baptist University, they love big numbers.

This fall, the university welcomed 486 first-time freshmen to campus — its largest class on record. Of those freshmen, 38 percent earned a 4.0 or higher high school grade point average, 25 percent are the first in their families to pursue higher education and 26 are Arkansas Governor’s Distinguished Scholars. Students of color compose 20 percent of the class, making it the most diverse cohort in school history.

Ouachita is excited about its freshman-to-sophomore retention rate (84 percent) and four-year graduation rate (63.5 percent — nearly double the state average of 32 percent). During the past five years, total university enrollment in Arkansas decreased 12 percent, while Ouachita’s enrollment increased 9 percent. In fact, total enrollment this semester — 1,764 — is its highest in 55 years.

The university is keeping the momentum going, too, expanding existing programs and launching new ones. Plans for next fall include a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice, a Master of Education degree in curriculum and instruction and a fully residential Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, which has received prerequisite approval and is pending initial approval from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.

But the number Ouachita loves most is one.

They care about big percentage points and record-breaking stats because each represents one Ouachita student who has a name, a story and a purpose. A student with distinct interests and goals, who trusts the school to offer outstanding academic training and career preparation, a vibrant campus community and opportunities for spiritual growth.

Come see for yourself how Ouachita can invest in you or a student you know.

They look forward to meeting you!

(870) 245-5000 • obu.edu

VOTED ONE OF AY’S BEST

LOCAL MEN’S CLOTHING

Mr. Wicks Gentleman’s Shop 5924 R St, Little Rock, AR 72207

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PREMIER DERMATOLOGY Top 3, Best Dermatology Clinic Premier Dermatology was founded in 2004 by Dr. Missy Clifton, a double boardcertified dermatologist and laser surgeon. Clifton says, “My dream was to establish a skin health destination where all concerns could be addressed and treated using the most clinically advanced technologies available. That’s how our motto, ‘All Things Skin Under One Roof,’ came into being.”

From dream to reality, Premier Dermatology provides patients with an all-inclusive approach to skin health. Whether treating medical concerns of the skin such as acne, eczema and skin cancer or cosmetic concerns such as wrinkles, skin texture and unwanted fat, the team of dermatologists, physician assistants, laser technicians and aestheticians across three Northwest Arkansas locations is certain to have the solution. Co-owner, Dr. Kattie Allen explains, “Because there are so many smaller sub-specialty areas within dermatology, we each have our own areas of focus and can then be utilized in those areas to best serve our patients.”

Aside from variety of care available at Premier Dermatology, the real feedback from patients is about the quality of care. Co-owner, Dr. Blake Williams elaborates, “Premier is ‘premier’ because of the level of engagement of all our staff at all levels. From front office to nurses and physicians, we all care about our patients and are passionate about having a substantial impact on their quality of life.”

The staff sees being recognized in AY’s Best of 2021 as a true honor. Premier Dermatology started with small roots in Bentonville and has gradually grown to serve most of the Arkansas. The team at Premier Dermatology know that word-of-mouth travels far, and are beyond grateful for the recommendations over the years. Receiving statewide accolades from the readers of AY Magazine motivates the team to continue offering the best dermatologic care in the state.

901 SE Plaza Ave, Bentonville • (479) 273-3376 • premierderm.net

Back-To-Back Years Of Being One Of

AY’S Best!

Thank you for voting The Promenade at Chenal in AY’s Best of 2021 chenalshopping.com 17711 Chenal PKWY, Little Rock, AR 72223 The Promenade at Chenal @chenalpromenade

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GETTING TO KNOW...

RENEW MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS Top 3, Best Mental Health Facility Stacey Danielle Lynch, an advanced practice nurse, started Renew Mental Health and Wellness in 2019.

“I saw a need for mental health assistance in Jonesboro, and I wanted to fill that need by starting my small business,” Lynch says. “I had no idea how fast this business would grow in under two years, and I am overjoyed that my once small idea has grown into a successful business who has helped so many people.”

Lynch loves meeting new patients and getting to learn about their history and life.

“Everyone has different backgrounds and stories to tell, so I always find it fascinating to learn how we can help with their past, present and future,” Lynch says. “I love to help people discover the best version of themselves, and I am a big advocate for equality.”

Renew Mental Health and Wellness strongly promotes inclusivity.

“No one is left out or casted away for beliefs, views or needs,” she says. “We welcome everyone with open arms, and we are excited to see how we can continue to help.”

Lynch also just started a nonprofit, Magnolia Mental Health Inc., in order to continue to grow in community outreach.

Honored in AY’s Best of 2021, Lynch was excited and expressed thanks to her staff and patients.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without [my staff ],” Lynch says. “Every day is a new adventure and we are so thankful. Our business is constantly growing, and that would not be possible without our patients.”

2815 Longview Drive, Jonesboro • (870) 243-0424 • renewmentalhealthandwellness.com

GETTING TO KNOW...

RIVERSIDE GROCERY Top 3, Best Catfish Rick Bellinger and his wife, Mattie, founded Riverside in 2004 and added the “Catering” side of the marquee in 2012. Since then, Riverside Grocery & Catering has been a favorite of Central Arkansas’ taste buds, perhaps most notably for its catfish.

“The best part of my job is I get to do something a little different each day,” Rick says. “Even if I am cooking, I am cooking something different, or for someone different, at a new location. I also love the feeling you get when you are all done with a big catering job and everyone is telling you how great it was. That will never get old to me.”

Part of what makes Riverside special is that nearly all of the food is cooked from scratch (with old family recipes) every single day.

“We go out of our way to make our customers feel they are the only ones we are working for at that time,” Rick says, going on to speak to how honored he and the rest of the Riverside team feel for the “Best of ” distinction. “I knew we had good food, but when other people recognize you in a statewide publication, that can only make you smile.

“I hope we can carry this tradition over into another year. Since some of the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, we are having a great year in catering. The more people try us, the more people want to have us — again and again.”

(501) 794-0329 • riversidegrocery.com

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GETTING TO KNOW...

RUSSELLVILLE NURSING AND REHABILITATION Finalist, Best Assisted Living Facility Russellville Nursing and Rehabilitation is nestled in the heart of the River Valley in Russellville. Its staff provides skilled professional care in a compassionate and supportive atmosphere. Russellville Nursing and Rehabilitation not only provides long-term care services but also offers a wide range of rehabilitative services.

The entire staff believes that building strong relationships with residents and their families is essential to the healing process. The staff is devoted to providing quality care, which celebrates the dignity and grace of every single resident.

“That is what this is all about – loving and caring for the residents,” says Deanna Fears, administrator. “We truly love our residents, and are truly a family environment.”

And while the past year amid the COVID-19 pandemic presented many challenges, it also provided just as much perspective for the team at Russellville Nursing and Rehabilitation.

“Long-term care is a tough place to be, especially because of the pandemic,” Fears says. “But long-term care is so rewarding — to have residents that love us and that we are privileged to care for.”

215 S. Portland Avenue, Russellville • (479) 968-5256 • russellvillenr.com

GETTING TO KNOW...

SOWELL ARCHITECTS Finalist, Best Architect Rik Sowell has lived by a motto he saw written on the back of a “No Fear” T-shirt that read, “You can’t steal second with your foot on first.” He started to plan the opening of Sowell Architects, located in his hometown of Conway, the next day — after buying the same shirt and framing it. The same shirt still hangs in Sowell’s office, after 26 years in business.

Founded in October 1995, Sowell Architects is a small firm, focused on hiring and retaining the best staff possible, and in doing so spending as much time as possible producing projects. Sowell recently took on Emily and Cody Ferris as partners. With their help, he believes that Sowell Architects will continue to remain sharp and in touch with younger decision-makers.

Sowell is passionate about meeting the needs of clients while providing what the client wants and envisions.

“I enjoy the combination of creativity and practicality, which results in a tangible product that one can physically and mentally experience,” Sowell says. “The two best parts of my job are walking through a completed project and knowing it was conceived in my mind, and two, the smiles and approval of a satisfied client.”

Honored in AY’s Best of 2021, Sowell says he is grateful to those who saw fit to vote for Sowell Architects.

“We do not take our blessings for granted, which includes the support of our clients, friends and acquaintances,” Sowell says.

1315 North Street, #100, Conway • (501) 450-9633 • sowellarchitects.com

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THANK YOU for nominating us as one of AY’s Best of 2021!

Contact us today to schedule a visit.

625 Tommy Lewis Dr. Conway, AR 72034 501-585-6800

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GETTING TO KNOW...

THE BRIDGEWAY Winner, Best Mental Health Facility The BridgeWay opened its doors in 1983, co-founded by a group of community-based physicians and Universal Health Services. Through local leadership and the support of corporate resources, The BridgeWay has been serving the mental health needs of the community ever since.

The BridgeWay’s longevity in the mental health field in Arkansas makes the institution stand out. The BridgeWay has served generations of Arkansans and continues to improve and deliver strong patient outcomes.

The pandemic created an unprecedented change in the institution’s business practices, but The BridgeWay’s adaptability is a great example of its resilience.

“Mental health professionals, like others, were overwhelmed by the pandemic, but we recognized that mental health symptoms were surging,” says CEO Megan Miller. “Our services continued to be needed more than ever.

We chose to use that challenge to evolve, grow and enrich our programs. Even now, with new challenges in infection prevention and staffing, The BridgeWay is adapting to serve.”

Miller says that it’s hard to determine which part of her job she loves most.

“Certainly a top pick is interacting with our staff and patients,” she says.

“It’s their ideas, knowledge and strategies that keep us advancing our programs to what our community needs right now. I like to focus on the future and evolve with new medical advancements.”

The staff at The BridgeWay shares that they are deeply flattered the hard work their team has accomplished throughout 2021 is recognized and honored by those whose opinion means the most to them — those they serve.

(501) 771-1500 • thebridgeway.com

one of ay’s best places to

WORSHIP Rock Creek is a place where people from all walks of life fit in and find opportunities to grow. The church’s primary purpose is people... to meet the needs of people and to show them how to establish and develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.

11500 West 36th Street, Little Rock, AR 72211 On-campus Sundays at 9:00 am & 10:45 am Online Sundays at 9 am (all week) churchatrockcreek.com

Senior Pastor, Mark Evans

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GETTING TO KNOW...

TODD AND ASSOCIATES CPAS Winner, Best Accounting Firm Todd & Associates CPAs was founded by Mark Todd, CPA, in 2019 with the motto, “No client left behind.”

As Todd explains, “No matter how big or small your accounting or tax issue, we are here to help.” Although a small firm, the associates at Todd CPAs have deep experience at every level of accounting. They provide routine monthly accounting and payroll service to many top localbrand restaurants in Central Arkansas, while at the same time providing CFO Consulting services to support the corporate finance team of a $1 billion, private-equity backed health care company.

“If you are starting a business, or buying or selling a business, and you need finance or transaction support, we are your firm,” Todd says. “If you and your partners need income tax planning for a multi-entity farming operation, we have the leading agri-CPA in Arkansas on staff. We serve the entire spectrum.”

On being honored in AY’s Best of 2021, Todd describes the feeling as humbling.

“It was our goal all along to provide best-in-class personalized client service, and I was pleasantly surprised that our concept is earning recognition this soon after launch,” Todd says. “I know we can do better, and with this staff are well-positioned to really take off.”

11220 N. Rodney Parham Road, #4, Little Rock • (501) 224-0610 • toddcpas.com

GETTING TO KNOW...

TOP NOTCH HOME SERVICES Winner, Best Home Contractor/Repair/Remodeling The highest quality of service is right in the name of Top Notch Home Services LLC. Fairly new in the world of home services business, Top Notch has quickly worked its way up the ladder.

“We began our journey in the middle of COVID-19 to better support and provide for our kids,” owners Sara and Steven Long say. “We quickly found out that many homeowners needed a reliable handyman and a licensed contractor that could handle their home project, show up on time and treat the home as if it were their own.”

With a client-first mindset, it’s hard to go wrong. The Top Notch owners have built their business on not cutting corners in any areas — from professional work to building lasting relationships.

“The best part of Top Notch is serving our customers,” they say. “We’ve had hundreds of customers tell us their previous awful experiences. They’ve been ghosted. They’ve been scammed. They’ve had awful work. Top Notch is here to change that for our customers. Providing our customers with a job well done is directly related to our success.”

Earning the title of AY’s Best of, Top Notch once again turns to their customers in appreciation for their accomplishment.

“We cannot thank you enough. Your support of our small business is incredible.

Your kindness helped Top Notch grow and your voting will help us continue to grow. We can’t wait to help with your home projects!”

Top Notch Home Services • (501) 545-5410 • facebook.com/topnotchservicesar

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Giving theGift of the Outdoors

T

he popularity of stocking stuffers has necessitated the small gifts as borderline requirements during the holiday season. Sure, the large presents will always win the day — a diamond pendant for her, a new pitching wedge for him, or the latest gaming console for the kiddos. But the mantel ought also be dangling boot-looking gift holsters, filled to the brim with lagniappes of all varieties.

And everyone has a supposed guide to stuffing your loved one’s stockings, from Country Living to the New York Times. A virtual trip to Amazon will even feature a seasonal

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subcategory on its homepage centered around the fireplace hangers, “Best Stocking Stuffers 2021.” But there’s something missing from nearly all of these idea lists, something that will reward you with much more appreciation from your recipient than tabletop bowling or a coffee mug warmer: the gift of the outdoors.

Fortunately for us Arkansas folk, we live in a Natural State that is rife with opportunities for outside entertainment, and we have the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) from which to give and get our gifts from — both literally and figuratively.

HUNTING LICENSES We’ve gone without a lot of our usual traditions this year, but hunting was not one of those things. It roared back into scope last month while both deer and duck hunters breathed a collective sigh of relief that it did not succumb to 2021 like (almost) everything else.

While the hunter in your life is perched silently in a blind or waist-deep in a frigid pond, there’s no better time to ensure a next season for them than by getting a jump start on a 2022 hunting license.

For enthusiasts under the age of 16, the fee is free; you need only obtain an officially licensed ID for them on agfc.com (which is also free). For everyone else, there is a wide range of options to stocking stuff.

There’s the Resident Sportsman’s License ($25), which allows the holder to hunt with modern gun, muzzleloader or bow, and also includes two turkey tags and six deer tags; a waterfowl stamp ($7), which entitles all holders of hunting licenses to skyward prey; or even a Nonexpiring Lifetime Resident Hunting and Fishing Sportsman’s Permit ($1,000), providing both hunting and fishing licenses for life. Visit agfc.com/en/resources/licensing/huntinglicenses/ for more information.

FISHING LICENSES The art of angling has played out similarly to that of hunting this year; as most of the events inside four walls became causes for health concerns, activities spent with Mother Nature were given the green light.

The AGFC offers a plethora of fishing license options, such as the general, Resident Fisheries Conservation License ($10.50), entitling Arkansans to fish with sport fishing tackle; a Resident Trout Permit can be tacked on ($10) to fish and retain those species; or a Combination Sportsman’s License ($35.50), providing the privileges of both the generic hunting and fishing licenses.

Visit agfc.com/en/resources/licensing/fishinglicenses/ for more information.

COMMERCIAL LICENSES Outside of the standard-issue fare, the Commission also offers various Commercial Licenses, such as a Resident Fur Dealer ($50); Resident Trapper’s Permit (free); Wildlife Breeder/Dealer’s Permit ($75); Commercial Wildlife Hunting Resort Permit ($600); and the Game Bird Shooting Resort Permit ($250).

Visit agfc.com/en/resources/licensing/ commercial-licenses/ for more information.

THE GIFT OF GIVING

The best part about giving the gift of the outdoors is that you are essentially buying two presents — one for the recipient, the other for the AGFC. Only a small segment of the Commission’s annual budget comes from the Conservation Sales Tax implemented in 1996.

For the remaining sums, the AGFC has to pool resources from a variety of mediums, including a sizable share from licenses.

But recently, those monies have fallen into a consistent decline. Over the past five years, fishing license sales have decreased significantly, from 519,816 to 432,505. Hunting licenses tell a similar tale.

With each license sold, the Commission can fulfill its vital mission — to protect, conserve and renew the many resources that make up our Natural State, ensuring that outdoor enthusiasts of all types have bountiful opportunities available to them, from this generation to the next.

So, step outside the box this holiday season and give the gift of the outdoors. Like cousin Eddie says in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, “That’s the gift that keeps on giving the whole year.”

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Light Up

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the Night

Little Rock Zoo Unveils Innovative New Event — GloWILD!

By DWAIN HEBDA Photos By JAMISON MOSLEY

Coming off one of the most challenging periods in its history, the Little Rock Zoo has been reminded of just how much the community values the attraction. Not only have individual ticket and patron sales rebounded nicely from the zoo’s pandemic-related closure in 2020, but new events are now back on the calendar. The latest, and one of the more ambitious in recent memory, is GloWILD, an illuminated extravaganza that opened Nov. 4.

“This is the first time we’ve ever done something like this,” says Susan Altrui, zoo director. “We’re always looking for new and exciting events to bring to the families of Arkansas, and this idea presented itself to us after we did some research around the country.

“We visited a couple of places, one, in particular, was Louisville Zoo, who was hosting a similar style of event. We saw the success that they were having, and also saw the success of similar events in other botanical

gardens and zoos, and thought that this would be something that would also have similar success in our market.”

GloWILD features more than 30 displays of various creatures, captured in intricate lantern sculptures placed throughout the zoo. Presented in partnership with Tianyu Arts and Culture, which makes the displays, the event provides a unique twist on a season of year known for lights displays.

“They are a company that specializes in making Chinese lanterns, a concept of the Chinese New Year Festival based in the celebration of light,” Altrui says. “Fire used to light the lanterns, but that has been replaced with electricity, and in our case LED lights. So what you’ll see are these beautiful architectural sculptures, lit up with LED lights. “[The display] is conservation-focused as well as animal-focused. The lanterns are large, interactive, they’re beautiful and very striking. It’s re-

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ally unlike anything that anyone in Arkansas has ever seen before. Some of the displays are static, and some of them move. We have some that have some pretty cool features, like, we’ve got a crab that blows bubbles.

There are also interactive pieces that make it really unique, such as in our nature play area. We’ve set up some features where kids can step on different things, and they light up and make different sounds. Those interactive elements are a lot of fun.”

Visitors to the display wind through the zoo’s pathways at their own pace to visit the various vignettes and other live features. Thus far, GloWILD has enjoyed positive reviews from patrons, Altrui says, in part due to the customized experience the zoo and Tianyu designed.

“The customization to our location is really important because you want the show to be unique to your facility,” she says. “That’s the benefit that we have with working with Tianyu; they put a lot of time and effort and energy into looking at your facility and working with you as a partner in what makes sense for your zoo.

“We got the idea for GloWILD earlier this year, and we’ve been working on it for, really, all of 2021 to execute it. [Tianyu] looked at what animals we have and reflected those animals in the display. They also looked at what might be an enhancement that would be fun for our community. For instance, we have a whole section of this show that celebrates sea creatures. Even though we don’t have an aquarium and don’t have a lot of sea animals, we thought it would be fun for our guests to be able to enjoy those and learn more about them. So, that’s something fun we were able to offer to the public through this show.”

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The Arkansas Zoological Foundation and presenting sponsor, Keep Arkansas Beautiful, have made the show possible. Altrui also cites, again, the partnership with Tianyu Arts and Culture, which helped bring the event to Little Rock without breaking the zoo’s budget. The Chicago-based company is a subsidiary of Sichuan Tianyu Culture Communication Co., Ltd., headquartered in Zigong in China’s Sichuan Province.

“Tianyu Arts and Culture is world-renowned for developing, designing and making these custom larger-than-life lantern exhibitions. They host festivals around the world and are co-hosting this event with us,” she says. “They’ve been just an absolutely fantastic partner for this GloWILD event, including as a partner in the cost-share. If we were to pay for something like this, it would probably be close to a half-million-dollar investment.”

The show comes at a time of great renewal at the Little Rock Zoo. Altrui says the attraction has made a handsome comeback from the extended COVID-forced closure it experienced in 2020, decimating revenue. In 2021, attendance has bounced back to 2019 numbers, and membership sales have hit an all-time high.

“I think a large part of that is because families are really excited about getting outside,” she says. “One of the silver linings of COVID is that we started to rediscover the outdoors as families started to understand the benefits of being outside more. So, the zoo has become a very popular outing. They’ve come back and realized the value of the zoo as an important family attraction.

We are just thrilled about that and hope that continues into the next year.”

Altrui says events are likely to be an important part of the zoo’s operations well into the future, and shows like GloWILD particularly so, as it checks many of the boxes for safety as they make their way through.

“COVID has changed the event landscape for the foreseeable future,” Altrui says. “We’re always going to be looking for events that are safe, that allow for flexibility and that have a tremendous number of low-contact areas. For us, that means an event that is outdoors and allows for people to go through the different areas how they choose to go through them, where you stay on a pathway and continue walking as you feel comfortable.

“I think when you have an event where people can get out of crowds and spread out, that’s very important, and that’s what this event offers. It’s incredibly important to people, and it’s what we will continue to look for now and for the foreseeable future.”

GloWILD is open selected nights Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and every Friday and Saturday night between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. through Jan. 15. The display is closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Tickets are $17 for members and $20 for the general public; kids under age 3 are free, as is parking during the event. Tickets may be purchased at the door or in advance online at littlerockzoo.com/extra-fun/ glowild.

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Arkansas Light Displays There are many ways to “light up your night ” in Arkansas this holiday season.

Arkansas State Capitol Little Rock

Garvan Woodland Gardens Hot Springs

Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Little Rock

Bentonville Heart Lites Bentonville

GloWILD! at the Little Rock Zoo Little Rock

Historic Downtown Holiday Lights Display Hot Springs

Lighting of the Square Bentonville

Reverse Christmas Parade Jacksonville

Lights of the Delta Blytheville

Stewart Family Christmas Lights Fayetteville

Lights of the Ozarks Fayetteville

The Heights and Hillcrest Neighborhoods Little Rock

Edgewater Neighborhood Maumelle

Emma Avenue Christmas Parade Springdale

North Forest Lights Bentonville

North Hills Neighborhood North Little Rock

White River Wonderland Batesville

Enchanted Land of Lights and Legends Pine Bluff

Pleasant Ridge Town Center Little Rock

Christmas at the Park Jonesboro Conway Christmas Lights Extravaganza Conway

Creekmore Holiday Lights Fort Smith

Downtown Eureka Springs Eureka Springs

Finney’s Christmas Wonderland Crossett

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Searcy Holiday of Lights Searcy Sherwood’s Enchanted Forest Sherwood

Winter Nights and Magical Lights Camden

Season of Giving Thank you for all you do in support of Arkansas Hospice. Your generosity helps so many in need face the end of life with dignity and comfort through world-class compassionate care from the state’s largest nonprofit hospice provider.

As we celebrate this season of giving, please consider investing in the lives of Arkansas Hospice patients and their families. Your kindness will bring comfort to those facing serious illness.

There are a variety of ways you can donate to Arkansas Hospice • CALL: We would love to talk with you! Call us during regular business hours at 501.748.3333 • TEXT: It’s easy from your smartphone. Just text SEASON to 501.382.1010 • MAIL: Please mail your check to the address below • ONLINE: Scan the QR code with your smartphone or visit us online at www.ArkansasHospice.org/SeasonOfGiving

Arkansas Hospice Foundation 14 Parkstone Circle • North Little Rock, AR 72116

s a m t s i r Ch The Night (s) Before

2021 Holiday Shows in Arkansas

By EMILY BEIRNE

t’s the holiday season. A time when adults are supposed to feel like children once again — just with the addition of gift buying, limited holiday breaks and seasonal stress. Luckily, there are a few ways to forget about the baggage of adulthood, if only for a few hours.

Holiday traditions have grown as large as Santa’s belly, and among those traditions is the jolly nostalgia of Christmas music, movies and seasonal productions. It would be nice to be “rockin’ around the Christmas tree” with Charlie Brown every month of the year, but that’s what makes the month of December special.

As fast as a bell rings and an angel gets its wings, the holiday season is over and the next year has begun.

Arkansas is all about the holidays, and the number of holidaythemed shows coming up is as long as Santa’s “Naughty and Nice” list. There is a show or concert for every Cindy Lou Who, and even something for the Grinches out there. Get as much as you can out of the holiday season with this stocking-full calendar of upcoming concerts, plays and movie screenings.

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Delta Symphony Orchestra Christmas Program

It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

Dec. 5 Fowler Center, Jonesboro

Nov. 23- Dec. 31 Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, Little Rock

Home for the Holidays with the Saline Symphony Orchestra

Elf the Musical

Dec. 5 Bryant High School Fine Arts Building

Dec. 2-5, 9-12 The Royal Theatre, Benton

A Christmas Carol

Arkansas Craft Guild’s Christmas Showcase

Dec. 5 Fayetteville Public Library

Dec. 3 Arkansas State Fairgrounds, Little Rock

Christmas in the Village with Arkansas Symphony Orchestra

Dec. 5 Ponce De Leon Center, Hot Springs

Holiday in the Wild with Rodney Block & Friends

Season’s Greetings Concert

Dec. 3 Wildwood Park for the Arts

Dec. 6 ArcBest Corporation Performing Arts Center, Fort Smith

A Christmas Carol

Dec. 3-12 The Pocket Community Theatre, Hot Springs

A Christmas Carol

Dec. 3-23 Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Little Rock

Ballet Arkansas’ Nutty Nutcracker

Dec. 8-18 Argenta Community Theatre, North Little Rock

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Dec. 9 Robinson Center, Little Rock

A Christmas Carol

The Holiday Channel Christmas Movie Wonderthon

Dec. 3-26 TheaterSquared, Fayetteville

Dec. 9-11 Fort Smith Little Theatre, Fort Smith

Nexus Holiday Concert

Dec. 4 Nexus Coffee & Creative, Little Rock

Ballet Arkansas’ Nutcracker Spectacular Dec. 9-12 Robinson Center, Little Rock

Million Dollar Quartet Christmas Dec. 4 Robinson Center, Little Rock

Christmas with CeCe Winans

It’s a Wonderful (Conway) Life

Dec. 10 Reynolds Performance Hall, Conway

Ken Goodman Christmas Show

Conway Community Christmas Caroling

Dec. 4 Reynolds Performance Hall Dec. 4 Vapors Live, Hot Springs

Dec. 10 Red Curtain Theatre, Conway

It’s Christmas Time with the Fort Smith Symphony Dec. 4 ArcBest Corporation Performing Arts Center

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Food for the Hungry: Zach Williams Christmas Tour

DTR Holiday Movie: The Polar Express Dec. 11 Arkansas Public Theatre, Rogers

Dec. 10 Griffin Music Hall, El Dorado

A Very SoNA Christmas

Martina McBride: The Joy of Christmas 2021

Dec. 10-11 Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, Hot Springs

Dec. 11 Walton Arts Center,Fayetteville

Christmas at the Old State House Museum

The Heart Of Christmas

Dec. 10-12 Old State House, Little Rock

Dec. 11-26 TheaterSquared, Fayetteville

Mark Lowry Christmas Concert & Comedy

The Snowman: A Family Concert

Dec. 11 Twin Lakes Baptist Church, Mountain Home

Dec. 12 Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville

Cirque Noel: Winter Show & Shop

Martina McBride.

Zach Williams

Dec. 11 Argenta Plaza, North Little Rock

Dec. 15 The Center for the Arts, Russellville

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas with Little Rock Wind Symphony

Christmas Comedy Edition Murder Mystery Dinner

Dec. 16 Second Presbyterian Church

Dec. 11 Riverside Entertainment, Siloam Springs

Celtic Angels Christmas.

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Zach Williams

Dec. 16 First National Bank Arena, Jonesboro

Celtic Angels Christmas

Dec. 16 Reynolds Performance Hall, Conway

Family Christmas with Doug Cameron Dec. 17 El Dorado Municipal Auditorium, El Dorado

SoNA.

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra: Kris Allen Holiday Spectacular Dec. 17-19 Robinson Center, Little Rock

Who’s Holiday

Dec. 17-20 The Studio Theatre, Little Rock

The Prophecy Show: Music of Trans Siberian Orchestra Dec. 21 Robinson Center

The Polar Express

Dec. 23 Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville

The Polar Express.

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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 108

479-968-5256 • russellvillenr.com

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

479-632-4343

CABOT HEALTH & REHAB, LLC

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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ab reh

cabo t

REHABILITATION

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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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Hot Springs Happenings Wonderland Nov. 20-Dec. 31 Garvan Woodland Gardens

4th Annual Dino-Lites Nov. 26-Dec. 27 Mid-America Science Museum

Ken Goodman Christmas Show at the Vapors Dec. 4 The Legendary Vapors

6th Annual Arts and Craft Fair Dec. 4 Village United Methodist Church

Love & Theft featuring Michael Ray and Trent Tomlinson Dec. 4 The Historic Malco Theatre 110

Festival of Lights Walking Tour Dec. 5, 12, 19, 26 The Reserve

Reindeer Games

Hot Springs Holiday Traditions Christmas Parade

Dec. 21, 22 Garvan Woodland Gardens

Christmas Day Feast

Dec. 6 Downtown Hot Springs

Dec. 25 Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa

The Muses “Voices of Angels” Christmas Concerts

Motown & More New Year’s Eve Special

Dec. 9-12 Hot Springs Village & Muses Cultural Arts Center

Dec. 31 The Legendary Vapors

r e d n o w d lan IPS MEMBERSGHAT STARTIN $65 PER YEAR

550 ARKRIDGE ROAD | HOT SPRINGS | 800.366.4664 | WWW.GARVANGARDENS.ORG | OPEN DAI 10-6PM 111

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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

Our facility fe residents, as w 42-inch flat sc and friend con with 23 pri

2600 Park Av

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.

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travel

Gilbert:

A Town That Time Forgot

By JOE DAVID RICE // Photos courtesy ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, HERITAGE AND TOURISM 114

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here are exactly 500 cities in Arkansas larger than Gilbert. With its 24 residents (down from 28 in the 2010 census), this Searcy County town’s not likely to move up in the population rankings anytime in the near future. But that doesn’t faze Mayor Alvin “Chip” Johnson. Three years ago, Johnson and his wife, Jamie Craddock, moved to Gilbert from Texas and haven’t looked back.

The 44-year-old Johnson has been in office about 15 months, following his appointment by the city council following the resignation of his predecessor. When questioned about the best part of being mayor, Johnson has a ready answer: “I really enjoy it,” he says. “I get to see everybody in town two to three times a week.” His constituents appreciate the new culverts that have been installed and also the recent repaving of the local streets. As for his next priorities, Johnson is clearly excited about the prospects of Gilbert being designated the first “Dark Sky” community in Arkansas, a title that will appeal to folks interested in observing the stars and planets free from light pollution.

That isolation from the excesses of 21st-century civilization makes Gilbert a favorite for those seeking quiet and solitude. Gilbert’s location in the middle of the Ozarks, at the far end of Arkansas Highway 333, and along the Buffalo River contribute to its reputation as a place to get it away from it all.

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Isolation from the excesses of 21st-century civilization makes Gilbert a favorite for those seeking quiet and solitude.

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“A trip to this quaint community should include a Buffalo River experience.”

But that hasn’t always been the case. Founded in 1902 as a railroad town and named after the secretary/treasurer of the company laying the tracks, Gilbert soon claimed a post office, cotton gin, two hotels, four stores, a gristmill, several wood mills and a saloon — the latter of which was swept away by the raging current of the Buffalo River in the great flood of 1915.

One of Gilbert’s wood mills produced 7-inch cedar slats for shipment by rail to the Eagle Pencil Company, a Danbury, Connecticut, firm that manufactured millions upon millions of pencils annually for the country’s students. Hundreds of men cut cedar trees on the steep hillsides for miles upstream from Gilbert, shoved them into the Buffalo River when water conditions were right, and then rafted them down to the mill. One flotilla, consisting of 185,000 logs, drifted down the Buffalo for 22 days before arriving at Gilbert. Stacked on shore, the 12-foot logs were later processed by the slat mill.

Gilbert was also the site of an unusual social experiment — the Incoming Kingdom Missionary Unit, a millennialist group led by Rev. John Adams Battenfield, a minister from Ohio. After a year spent scouting sites (to include seven preliminary trips to Gilbert), the sect’s leaders in late 1920 bought property in the town for their religious colony. Within a few months, the group had about 70 members living in Gilbert — and preparing for a coming holy war between Catholics and Protestants and then the world’s end.

Despite Battenfield’s charismatic personality and extraordinary speaking skills, the colony had its problems. Plans for a shoe factory, textile mill and community sawmill never materialized, and the concept of communal ownership didn’t work because some members, as one wrote, “are inclined to want a share in what possessions others have, but to keep to themselves their own possessions.” But the biggest challenge was Rev. Battenfield’s total nervous breakdown following his repeated but unsuccessful attempts in February 1925 to resurrect a dead member of the congregation. Battenfield quickly left town, and most of his

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For a place so small, the opportunities are as vast as the nature in Gilbert and the surrounding area.

followers eventually abandoned their utopian project in Gilbert.

The demise of the Incoming Kingdom Missionary Unit didn’t signal the end of Gilbert, but the loss of the Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad came close. The M&NA (sometimes known as the “May Never Arrive”) went out of business in the mid-1940s. The steel tracks were removed to aid in World War II efforts, and the Gilbert depot was sold in 1945.

One of Gilbert’s main claims to fame was in dispute until fairly recently.

For decades, the town regularly appeared on weather maps as Arkansas’ coolest town. When Ida Killion retired as Gilbert’s official National Weather Service observer, her monitoring station was relocated to a new observation post 100 yards away and a good 30 feet higher. The horizontal change wasn’t a factor, but the difference in elevation meant that temperature readings were 2 to 3 degrees higher than previously. As a result, Calico Rock, located on the banks of the White River some 35 miles east of Gilbert, and Mammoth Spring, 75 miles to the northeast at the source of the Spring River, suddenly began competing with Gilbert for this highly-coveted distinction. But in recent months, Gilbert’s official weather reporting station has moved downhill to the historic Gilbert General Store (circa 1901) — and the town has reclaimed its title as Arkansas’ coolest town, a fact proudly noted on signage along the quiet highway welcoming visitors to the community.

Ben Fruehauf, longtime owner of the Gilbert Store, dutifully submits his reports to the National Weather Service each and every day. Fruehauf got his introduction to the Buffalo River as a youth way back in August 1970, when his father brought the family from their Oklahoma City home to the river for what the elder Fruehauf thought would be a three-day excursion from Carver to Gilbert. The Buffalo is typically low in August, and 1970 was no exception, turning the Fruehauf family’s planned three-day adventure into a four-and-a-half-day ordeal. At the end of their long float trip, Fruehauf recalls telling his dad that he never wanted to see the Buffalo again.

Despite this rather inauspicious introduction to the river, his father determined that Gilbert was the place to raise his family. He established Buffalo Camping & Canoeing half a century ago (in 1971) and then bought the Gilbert General Store in 1988. Today, in addition to renting canoes, kayaks

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The holiday season in Gilbert.

(Jamie Craddock)

and rafts, the business offers a variety of lodging options (cabins, cottages, guest homes, tent camping, horse camping, RV camping), shuttle services, a nicely-stocked store and outdoor dining/entertainment at Ben’s Place (named in honor of the late elder Fruehauf ).

In addition to running one of the oldest concessionaire operations on the Buffalo National River, Fruehauf ’s found time to honor his civic obligations, serving 11 years on Gilbert’s city council and another nine years (1997-2005) as mayor. As you might expect, he’s a staunch advocate of this small Ozark community, in particular, noting “the cleanliness and pristine look” as visitors enter the town. “Gilbert,” he says, “is just like a Norman Rockwell painting.”

Which provides an ideal segue to the Buffalo River Art Gallery, a business opened a couple of years ago by Jamie Craddock. Not only does the gallery feature the work from dozens of Ozark artists, it regularly offers a variety of art classes, lessons and events, such as the monthly paint parties. It’s currently filled with a delightful assortment of handmade Christmas ornaments and décor. On Saturday, Dec. 4, the gallery will host its “Christmas in Gilbert” extravaganza featuring Miss Arkansas, live music and Santa Claus himself.

Given that Gilbert is the only town in Arkansas whose city limits butt up against the Buffalo National River, a trip to this quaint community should include a Buffalo River experience. The big gravel bar on the southern edge of town offers an ideal place to sit back and watch the water flow or perhaps skip a rock or two toward the steep hillside on the opposite shore.

There’s an easy walking trail heading downstream that leads to the towering piers of the old M&NA bridge over the river. And one of the best views on the entire river is located a few miles east of town.

Known as the Red Bluff overlook, it provides a great photo op of the river’s beautiful horseshoe bend.

Stop in at the Gilbert General Store, and ask Ben Fruehauf or one of his associates for directions. But remember that Red Bluff is a steep spot, so watch your footing, and keep a close eye on any youngsters.

With its location on the Buffalo National River, a fascinating history and a growing popularity with the arts community, Gilbert is a pretty special place in the Natural State. Ben Fruehauf totally agrees, calling his hometown “the Aspen of the Ozarks.”

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THE RETURN OF HAWGBALL UNDER MUSS, RAZORBACK BASKETBALL PRIMED TO REVISIT PAST GLORY

By Mark Carter Photos courtesy of Arkansas Athletics

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Eric Musselman.

C

oined in the Nolan days of Arkansas basketball, the term “Hawgball” has become synonymous with prosperity for the Razorbacks, cries of “Hawgball is back, baby!” reverberating through Arkansas households on those sometimes-long winter nights over the past two decades when the Hogs invariably flirted with success — and their fan base would attempt to exhume the spirit of 1994 — but otherwise were mired in mediocrity.

It appears, however, that Hawgball indeed is back. Let that soak in a little more: Arkansas basketball is coming off an Elite 8 run and a top 10 finish; it is ranked 16th in the AP preseason poll, its first preseason ranking since 2007, and Bud Walton Arena, all 19,200 seats of it, is sold out for the entire 2021-22 season. That’s every ticket, for every game. Sold.

Yes, Hawgball is back, baby.

From the get-go, Eric Musselman has been enthusiastic about his fondness for it and his desire to bring it back. Growing up and into his early adulthood, he followed three teams, he’ll tell anyone who asks, as I did back in 2019 at a Little Rock Razorback Club event, not long after his hiring.

“Believe it or not, it was Arkansas, UCLA and UNLV,” he told me. UCLA, because of its pedigree and his connections to Southern California. The Runnin’ Rebs because, well, a lot of folks adopted Tark and his high-flying band of “men” after they arrived on the national scene with a trip to the 1977 Final Four.

And the Hogs? Once Eddie Sutton placed modern Arkansas basketball on the national stage through a 1978 Final Four run and continued success, and Nolan Richardson took that foundation and built a monster, Hawgball was a national brand.

And Musselman jumped at a chance to be a part of it. Though he had a good thing going at Nevada, the chance to guide a high-level Power 5 program with resources, and at which basketball was prioritized, was

Musselman, it appears, has fully his logical next step. After all, the son of a roused the sleeping giant, now shaking college and pro head coach, he almost quite off two decades of slumber. Given his freliterally had filled every other possible role netic energy, how could it be anything but related to basketball. Arkansas just might fully awakened? represent his chance to finally reach the The Hogs, though, lost a lot from last mountain top. year — 52 points a game and more than a Entering Year 3 of the Muss Bus tour, third of all minutes played. One-and-done Arkansas basketball has returned to the naSEC Freshman of the Year Moses Moody tional stage. This resurgence is driven by the took his 17 points and six rebounds a game coach’s Energizer-bunny work ethic, enthuto the NBA lottery. Fan favorite and worksiasm and complete embrace of the program’s history and traditions.

In just two seasons (one a pandemic-shortened season), ENTERING YEAR 3 OF THE MUSS Musselman has guided the program back to a status it BUS TOUR, ARKANSAS BASKETBALL last enjoyed in the 1990s unHAS RETURNED TO THE NATIONAL der Richardson. Twenty wins in year one with a possible/ STAGE. THIS RESURGENCE probable NCAA berth awaiting before the tournament IS DRIVEN BY THE COACH’S was canceled due to COVID and in year two — 25 wins, ENERGIZER-BUNNY WORK ETHIC, an SEC second-place finish, ENTHUSIASM AND COMPLETE a top 10 final ranking and an Elite 8 run that included draEMBRACE OF THE PROGRAM’S matic wins over Texas Tech and ORU now cemented into HISTORY AND TRADITIONS. Razorback lore.

For Hog fandom of late, rarified air.

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LOST, RETURNING, INCOMING LOST: • Moses Moody, NBA lottery pick — 16.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, SEC Freshman of the year, 2nd team all-American, SEC Newcomer of the Year.

• Justin Smith, grad transfer from Indiana — 13.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2nd team all-SEC. • Jalen Tate, graduated — 11 PPG, 3 APG, 2RPG, NCAA all-South Region team.

• Vance Jackson, graduated — 3 PPG, 2 RPG. • Desi Sills, transferred to his hometown Arkansas State — 7 PPG, 2 RPG; preseason all-SEC second team his junior year.

• Ethan Henderson, transferred to Texas A&M — 1 PPG, 1 RPG.

RETURNING: • Devo Davis, 6-4, 180, SO, G — 8 PPG, 4 RPG, 2 APG. • JD Notae, 6-2 190, SR, G — 12 PPG, 3 RPG, SEC 6th man of the year.

• Jaylin Williams, 6-10, 240, SO, F — 3 PPG, 4 RPG. • Connor Vanover, 7-3, 215, JR, F/C — 6PPG, 4 RPG. • K halen “KK” Robinson, 6-0, 180, SO, PG — Missed last season after season-ending injury early, will likely get year back; scored 15 in collegiate debut with three assists, three rebounds and a steal; averaged 11 PPG, 8 APG, 5 RPG, 4 SPG at Oak Hill.

• Kamani Johnson, 6-7, 235, JR, F — redshirted last year after transferring from Little Rock; 11 PPG, 7 RPG his final season at LR.

INCOMING: • Stanley Umude, 6-6, 210, G, grad transfer from South Dakota — 21 PPG, 7 RPG, 3 APG, 3x all-Summit League.

• Chris Lykes, 5-7, 160, PG, grad transfer from Miami — 15 PPG, 5 APG, 4 RPG. • Au’Diese Toney, 6-6, 206, G, transfer from Pitt — 14 PPG, 5 RPG. • Trey Wade, 6-6, 220, F, grad transfer from Wichita State — 6 PPG, 5 RPG. • Chance Moore, 6-5, 195, G — 2020 HS signee, 4-star recruit from Brookhaven, Ga. — 19 PPG 9 RPG in HS. • Jaxson Robinson, 6-6, 185, G, transfer from Texas A&M, 2 PPG, 1 RPG.

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horse grad transfer Justin Smith quite simply willed the Hogs to numerous wins, averaging 14 and seven.

(His value to last year’s team is almost immeasurable. With him in the lineup, the Hogs were 24-4. If MVP awards were given to the players who truly were the most valuable to their respective teams, Smith would’ve been the league’s MVP. Instead, he was named a second-team all-SEC selection, a clear snub.)

And de facto point guard Jalen Tate, another senior grad transfer, was one of two Hogs to play every game. He averaged 11 points, four assists and two boards a game and made the NCAA All-South Region team.

Also gone are guard Desi Sills and forward Ethan Henderson to the portal and big man Vance Jackson to graduation, a combined 11 points a game.

Thanks in large part to their work, anticipation for Hawgball is perhaps as high as it’s ever been.

But that anticipation borne of postseason success was only fueled by Musselman’s October signing of two five-star recruits to the 2022 class — Nick Smith, a 6-4 combo guard from North Little Rock, and 6-7 man-child Jordan Walsh from Cedar Hill, Texas. The Hogs beat out bluebloods for their commitments and currently hold the No. 2 class in the 2022 cycle, according to ESPN. It’s the highest-rated class for Arkansas in the roughly 20 years that recruiting classes have been ranked.

Smith is the No. 6 overall player in the country for ’22, and Walsh is No. 7. They join three ESPN 100 four-stars already committed — 6-3 shooting guard Derrian Ford of Magnolia, 6-6 shooting guard Joseph Pinion of Morrilton and 6-6 small forward Barry Dunning of Mobile, Ala. And as of late October, the Hogs were in the mix to land another five-star in the 2022 class, 6-7 combo guard Anthony Black of Duncanville, Texas.

Hog fans couldn’t have asked for a better coach to navigate the dawning of the transfer portal, but Musselman is proving his chops as a traditional recruiter as well.

The portal, however, indeed will help propel the ’20-21 Hogs and complement a solid returning foundation.

Returning for the team that gave eventual national champion Baylor its closest

Players joined in on a post-game Hog call after the Sweet 16 win over ORU.

game of the tourney (and the only one to seven boards for the Trojans in 2019-20 beplay the Bears within 10 points) are 6-4 fore his traditional transfer to Fayetteville. sophomore guard Devo Davis, 6-2 senior He’s a banger at 235 pounds. guard JD Notae, 6-10 sophomore forward/ Musselman brought in four from the post Jaylin Williams and 7-3 junior forportal, each of whom could be immediward/post Connor Vanover, all but Notae ate contributors. The biggest portal prize homegrown. might be Stanley Umude, a 6-6 highly Davis displayed a high motor and elite sought swingman from South Dakota who perimeter defense from the get-go, but his averaged 21 points, seven boards and three play down the stretch and 14 points a game assists a game last year for the Coyotes. in the tournament helped elevate him to Umude is a three-time all-Summit League cult status among the fan base. (He was the performer who can score from any spot on first Razorback basketball player to sign an the floor.

NIL deal.) Notae, the SEC’s 2021 Sixth He’s actually played in Bud Walton, Man of the Year and a spurt scorer in the when South Dakota visited in December Al Dillard mold, averaged 12 points a game and was Mr. Reliable when the Hogs had to have a bucket.

Williams, aka “Tall John Legend,” may have the highest ceiling on the team; he averaged three points and four boards but proved clutch in the home stretch. And, of course, Vanover (six points, four rebounds) is back, the slender giant of a man who actually requires high Devo Davis JD Notae ceilings. His 3-point touch is a legit weapon and his wingspan — at the elbow on offense and under the basket on D — can cause problems.

Also back are 6-0 PG Khalen Robinson, the Little Rock native who prepped at Oak Hill and suffered a season-ending foot injury in December, and UA Little Rock transfer Kamani Johnson, a junior 6-7 power Khalen Robinson Kamani Johnson forward who averaged 11 points and

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2019; Musselman essentially got to scout him. The Hogs won that night 77-56, but Umude had 13 and eight.

Chris Lykes is a 5-7 grad-transfer point from Miami who averaged 15 points, four rebounds and five assists for the Hurricanes.

Remember, that’s against ACC competition. Though short in stature by D-1 basketball standards, Lykes was named to the preseason all-ACC first team last season.

An ankle injury ended his season just two games in, and Lykes is eager to make his final collegiate season count.

Another 6-6 swingman with a motor (and another ACC grad transfer to boot),

Jaylin Williams

Connor Vanover

Stanley Umude

Chris Lykes

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Cade Arbogast (21), Kamani Johnson (20) and Stanely Umude (0) battle on the boards during the Red-White game held in Barnhill Arena.

Au’Diese Toney

Trey Wade

Chance Moore

Jaxson Robinson

Lawson Blake

Cade Arbogast

FOR YEARS, ARKANSAS KIDS LISTENED AS THEIR MOMS AND DADS TOLD TALES OF HARDWOOD GLORY DATING BACK TO THE TRIPLETS...

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Au’Diese Toney put up 14 and five for the Pitt Panthers last season. The portal also delivered Wichita State’s Trey Wade — you guessed it, a 6-6 swingman. Wade averaged just seven points but grabbed six boards a game for the Shockers in 2020-21.

Four-star high school signee Chance Moore, a 6-5 swingman from Brookhaven, Ga., was rated the 84th best player in the nation by ESPN. And 6-6 sophomore guard Jaxson Robinson, a budding 3-point threat, transferred over from Texas A&M. Filling out the bench are walk-ons Lawson Blake of Fayetteville, a 6-10, 225-pound forward who averaged 13 and seven prepping at Link Year in Branson, and redshirting Cade Arbogast, a 6-3 guard from California, who played high school ball at De La Salle for Justin Argenal, brother of new Razorback assistant coach Gus Argenal.

Vanover and Williams, of course, will fill space in front of the basket, and both are capable shot blockers, but Musselman’s third installment mostly will be a mid-sized team of bangers that scores from multiple spots — a team of Tony Browns, Lenzie Howells and Ron Huerys, if you will.

Notae will continue to stroke from long range, and others are capable, but the Hogs

2021-22 Schedule likely won’t rely on 3 balls as much, despite Musselman’s taste for them (three points are more than two, after all).

SEC media picked Arkansas third behind Kentucky (expected to return to its normal self after a bizarro-world 9-16 campaign) and Alabama. Look for the Hogs and Tide to jockey for that No. 2 position behind the Wildcats, and possibly even supplant them, in the years to come.

It feels like Razorback basketball might actually have cleared a symbolic hurdle, one that plagued it for two decades. Mike Anderson’s final season in Fayetteville, a milquetoast 18-16 campaign in 2019, mirrored most of the last 20 years — blips of hope notwithstanding, rather pedestrian overall. Anderson’s record of 169-102 overall and 78-64 in conference play, winning percentages of .624 and .549, might be good enough at places like Georgia but at Arkansas, cracks of apathy were starting to show from what had always been considered one of college basketball’s best fan bases.

Bud Walton Arena, however, is no longer crying out through the echo of empty seats. (Although to be fair, 95 percent of college basketball programs would kill to average home crowds of even 10,000, very much an off night in Fayetteville.)

For years, Arkansas kids listened as their moms and dads told tales of hardwood glory dating back to the Triplets, of beating mighty UCLA on the way to the ’78 Final Four; of US Reed getting tripped against Indiana State; of Eddie and Abe and Joe and Akeem; of MayDay and Big O; of Big Nasty and Scotty’s rainbow 3. “I wish you could experience that,” they’d tell their eager young fans.

“But just wait. It’ll be that way again.”

It looks like “again” may have arrived.

It looks like Hawgball is back, and it’s taking the Muss Bus. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Tues., Nov. 9

Mercer

7 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 13

Gardner-Webb

TBA

Wed., Nov. 17

Northern Iowa

7 p.m.

Mon., Nov. 22

Kansas State (Hall of Fame Classic in KC)

8 p.m.

Tues., Nov. 23

Cincinnati or Illinois (Hall of Fame Classic in KC)

TBA

Sun., Nov. 28

Penn

3 p.m.

UCA

7 p.m.

Little Rock

TBA

Charlotte

8 p.m.

Wed., Dec. 1

Sat., Dec. 4

Tues., Dec. 7

Sat., Dec. 11 Sat., Dec. 18

Oklahoma in Tulsa

Hofstra in LR

Tues., Dec. 21

Elon

Wed., Dec. 29

at Mississippi State

12:30 p.m.

TBA

6 p.m.

8 p.m.

Tues., Jan. 4

Vanderbilt

7:30 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 8

at Texas A&M

12 p.m.

Missouri

8 p.m.

at LSU

TBA

6 p.m.

Wed., Jan. 12

Sat., Jan. 15 Tues., Jan. 18

South Carolina

Sat., Jan. 22 Wed., Jan. 26

Texas A&M

7:30 p.m.

at Ole Miss

6 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 29

West Virginia (SEC-Big 12 Challenge)

1 p.m.

Wed., Feb. 2

at Georgia

6 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 5

Mississippi State

7:30 p.m.

Tues., Feb. 8

Auburn

6 p.m.

at Alabama

11 a.m.

at Missouri

8 p.m.

Tennessee

TBA

at Florida

6 p.m.

Kentucky

1 p.m.

Sat., Feb. 12 Tues., Feb. 15

Sat., Feb. 19

Tues., Feb. 22

Sat., Feb. 26

Wed., March 2

LSU

8 p.m.

Sat., March 5

at Tennessee

TBA

SEC Tournament in Tampa

TBA

March 9-13

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This side of

SEVEN – By Jason Pederson

Southern Heroes O

ne Saturday last summer, my wife, Mary Carol, and I went antiquing in Hot Springs. This was about the same time that statues erected to memorialize or glamorize Southern military leaders and the Confederacy were coming down across the nation in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

I spotted an old book titled Southern Heroes. Published in 1895, it was not surprisingly in poor shape and, at $55, priced a little steep in my estimation. But inside I found a small card with the signature of “Mrs. Thomas Leggett” on one side, and on the other side, this message: “This book is authentic history. We are well acquainted with the author and know many of the persons, some are still living. We have been in their houses. We hope you will find it helpful.

H H L.” I purchased the book, intending to learn why, 30 years after the Civil War, author Fernando Gail Cartland and the people he interviewed thought the likes of Robert E. Lee, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, Jefferson Davis, and others were worthy of being hailed as “Southern heroes.”

Much to my surprise, the book wasn’t about Southern military leaders at all. It is about members of the Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, living in the South.

Quakers, devout Christians, opposed slavery, opposed secession, and refused to fight for the Confederacy. They were conscientious objec-

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tors. Needless to say, this did not make them popular with their neighbors. As Cartland recounts, “They had good cotton plantations and were substantial citizens, but were much ostracized by their slaveholding neighbors, and were thoroughly disliked by them.”

The book largely focuses on the Civil War years of 1861-65, and because it was written fewer than 30 years after the war’s conclusion, many of those quoted were interviewed personally by the author. The book also includes journal entries, letters, statistics and the minutes taken at meetings.

The Religious Society of Friends was a fixture of Colonial America. While the most famous Quaker colony was Pennsylvania, founded by Wiliam Penn in 1681, Quakerism and its call to peaceful coexistence, equality and Christian activism had a presence in every emerging state. Many Southern Quakers moved northwest prior to the Civil War to states like Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. Those who remained in the South were concentrated in North Carolina, Virginia and east Tennessee.

Friend Himelius M. Hockett explained, when asked

by Cartland, why the Quakers so firmly held to their beliefs: “It was in obedience to a higher authority that we felt we must refuse to obey orders that conflicted with the laws of God.” Their convictions were not without consequence.

Many Quakers who refused to take up arms for the Confederacy were sent to military camps or prisons. For example, when Jesse Milton Blair refused to serve in the military, he was tortured. Blair was beaten, lashed 100 times, and hung up by his thumbs out in the sleet and

snow for hours. “But our friend replied that he recognized the authority of no other captain save Jesus Christ, and his orders were, ‘Thou shalt not kill,’ and that he should do nothing to advance the interests of war.”

Lazarus Pearson, after visiting the North and seeing firsthand the superiority of firepower and manpower, tried to warn his fellow Southerners that defeat was inevitable.

His reward? A letter left at his home: “We see from your actions that you are against us.

You must either change your opinions, leave the country, or abide by the consequences.

Signed, Many Citizens of Fork Township.”

W.C. Outland faced hanging simply for stating that the South was in rebellion against the government. Southerners claimed they had a right to secede, and that such action was not a rebellion.

Cancel culture existed long before social media.

But while Quakers were pacifists when it came to war, they were very much activists when it came to helping the victims of war, on both sides. And they certainly were Friends to the slaves. Quakers were the first organized group to actively help enslaved people in America.

Cartland shares the story of Quaker Thomas Kennedy: “Kennedy became owner, by inheritance, of about 80 slaves. What to do in the matter became a grave question. Should he refuse to accept them, they would be passed to other heirs of the estate.

He could not, for conscience sake, hold them as property. To release them in a slaveholding community would expose them to the liability of being kidnapped, and besides, it was contrary to the law to set a slave free in a slave state.” Kennedy accepted them as property but shortly thereafter, in the middle of the night on an “errand of love,” took them all to freedom.

For thousands of slaves, the Underground Railroad was their path to freedom.

It was a network

of schools, churches and homes (many of them owned by Quakers) that stretched from Southern states all the way to Canada, where slavery was outlawed in 1834.

For 30 years, Society of Friends member Levi Coffin served as president of the Underground Railroad. At the age of 15, Coffin began helping slaves in North Carolina. Later, he and his wife (known as “Aunt Kate”) moved to Indiana and Ohio where they sheltered and fed more than 3,000 fugitive slaves.

Coffin explained his actions to his neighbors: “As a boy in North Carolina, I read in the Bible that it is right to take in the stranger and administer to him in distress. And that in the Bible, in bidding us to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, it says nothing about color, and that we should try to follow out its teachings.”

Little Rock has been home to a Society of Friends Meeting since 1959. In 1995, the Quakers purchased the old Anderson home at 3415 Markham Street. Quakers gather there Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings.

John Coffin currently serves as the group’s clerk, and his wife Tina publishes The Carillon, a newsletter for Quakers in Arkansas.

John Coffin tells me that yes, he is distantly related to Levi Coffin. The Coffin family were originally whalers who settled on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. Another famous family member that Coffin says he is more closely related to is Lucretia Mott (formerly Lucretia Coffin). In 1833, Mott helped found the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. And in 1866, she became the first president of the American Equal Rights Association.

There are three active Religious Society of Friends Meetings in Arkansas: in Little Rock, in DeWitt and in Fayetteville. The DeWitt Monthly Meeting is the oldest, founded in the 1930s.

But even before then, Quakers were helping people in Arkansas.

According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, “The first evidence of Quakers in Arkansas is Charlotte Stephens’ memory of attending a Quaker school during the Civil War. The school was founded by a former slave, William Wallace Andrews (Stephens’ father), whose former owner, Chester Ashley, gave him a parcel of land on which to build a church and a school.”

Cartland shares in his book that the first school in America that welcomed and educated both Black and white students equally was started by Quakers in 1839, in Raisin Valley, Michigan.

The Encyclopedia of Arkansas also shares that Society of Friends member, “Robert Wixom tutored Little Rock Nine member Ernest Green in physics once or twice a week and attended his graduation.” Friends worked hard during the turbulent ’50s and ’60s to bring Black and white citizens and leaders together.

Quaker worship is notable for its silence and connection to an Inner Light, or God’s presence within. But when causes present themselves, Friends can get vocal. Most recently, Quakers in Little Rock wrote a letter to Gov. Asa Hutchinson in March 2017, opposing the plan to execute eight death row inmates in a 10-day period.

What can we learn from the Southern Heroes of the Civil War era? Believe in a power greater than yourself. Do the right thing, even if it costs you. Do not follow the culture or government if it conflicts with the teachings of your faith. Be kind, generous and loving to your neighbors and fellow Americans. Be a champion of the disenfranchised. Praying for those in need is good, but actually helping those in need is better.

True Southern heroes are not military leaders or football coaches. They are not politicians or race car drivers.

They are everyday people who are willing to do the right thing, even when it is inconvenient. Even when making life easier for someone else might make life harder for you. That was the opinion of Fernando Gail Cartland in 1895, and it is an opinion I share as we close out 2021.

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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As a woman-led organization since day one, AY About You knows firsthand the importance and expertise of women in the workplace. That’s why we take every opportunity possible to highlight female accomplishment, and we are proud to have found another way to do so — AY’s Best Women in Health Care.

We hope you’ll enjoy this second-annual listing featuring some of Arkansas’ best women in the industry, voted on by our readers.

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Dana Abraham, MD, FACS Abraham Breast Clinic Shannon Pogue, APRN Access Medical Clinic Melissa Graham, MD Advanced Allergy & Asthma Montana Chapman, DPT Advanced Physical Therapy of North Little Rock Mitzi Gibson, MSPT Advanced Physical Therapy of North Little Rock Nadine Alex, MD Alex Endocrine Associates Ashley W. Halpain, MD All for Kids Dawn Martin, MD All for Kids Marsha Salman, MD All for Kids Kim Skelley, MD All for Kids September Westbrook, MD All for Kids

List published by facility, in alphabetical order.

Tina Merritt, MD Allergy & Asthma Clinic of Northwest Arkansas Liz Kwo, MD, MBA, MPH Anthem, Inc. Alexa Medlock, RN Arkansas Aesthetics Katherine Thomas, RN Arkansas Aesthetics Kelly Burks, MD Arkansas Allergy & Asthma Clinic Lori Kagy, MD Arkansas Allergy & Asthma Clinic Lindsay Still, MD Arkansas Allergy & Asthma Clinic Nancy Zuerlein, MD Arkansas Allergy & Asthma Clinic Amanda Bailey, MD Arkansas Children’s Hannah Beene-Lowder, MD Arkansas Children’s Rebecca Cantu, MD Arkansas Children’s

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Kaitlin Cockerell, MD Arkansas Children’s

Anita Aebersold, DDS Arkansas Dental Centers

Sue Faulkner, AUD Arkansas Children’s

Jennifer Shuler, APRN Arkansas Department of Human Services

Jill Fussell, MD Arkansas Children’s

Katlyn Anderson, PA-C Arkansas Dermatology

McKinsey Jansen, BSN, RN, CCRN Arkansas Children’s

Annaleigh Harper, PA-C Arkansas Dermatology

Stacie Jones, MD Arkansas Children’s

Rebecca Lee, APRN Arkansas Dermatology

Rebecca Latch, MD Arkansas Children’s

Emilee Odom, PA-C Arkansas Dermatology

Tamara Perry, MD Arkansas Children’s

Melanie H. Smith, MD Arkansas Ear, Nose, & Throat, P.A.

Kristi Porterfield-Pruss, RRT, RPSGT Arkansas Children’s

Kelly Hall, APRN Arkansas Heart Hospital

Arundathi Reddy, MD Arkansas Children’s

Sarah Jones, APRN Arkansas Heart Hospital

Amy Scurlock, MD Arkansas Children’s

Irina Lendel, MD Arkansas Heart Hospital

Emily Smith, MD Arkansas Children’s

Monica Lo, MD Arkansas Heart Hospital

Jay White, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC, CPN Arkansas Children’s

Shea Oxford, APRN Arkansas Heart Hospital

Congratulations Jennifer Gabbard, on being named one of AY’s Best Women in Healthcare.

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Conway Regional has been the community’s hospital for 100 years, providing high-quality, compassionate care. As our community continues to grow, we are growing alongside you to ensure all of your healthcare needs are met right here in Conway. When your family needs medical care, you can trust our award-winning team to provide the award-winning comprehensive care you deserve.

2nd Consecutive Year Best Place to Have a Baby Best Hospital Best Overall Company

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Julia Ponder, DNP, APRN Arkansas Heart Hospital

Tess Smith, APN Arkansas Urology

Stephanie Stanley Moss, OD, FAAO BoozmanHof

Katherine Baltz, MD Central Arkansas Ophthalmology

Angela Simmons, APRN Arkansas Heart Hospital

Wischelle Williams, APRN Arkansas Urology

Mary Sullivan, OD BoozmanHof

Rebecca Young, APRN Arkansas Heart Hospital

Joyce Kinney, MD Ashley County Medical Center

Lisa Sallings, PT Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Megan Gardner Adams, PHARM.D. Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

Meredith Dilley, MD, MPH Arkansas Otolaryngology Center

Ashley Plummer, DDS Ashley Jackson Plummer, PA

Debbie Williamson, MSPT Bowen Hefley Orthopedics

Barbara Morris, MD Arkansas Otolaryngology Center

Dana Coker, MD Associated Radiologists, LTD.

Kathleen Wong, MD Bridges to Wellbeing, LLC

Ashleigh Henry, LPN Arkansas Pediatric Dentistry

Jennifer Hall Hill, DDS Austin Family Dentistry

Cara Jones, MD Arkansas Pediatric Dentistry

Erin Hekmatpour, MD Autumn Road Family Practice

Karen Martin, APRN Arkansas Pediatrics of Conway Leigh Anne Bennett, MD Arkansas Psychiatric Clinic Lisa McAdams, APN Arkansas Renal Group

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Susan Darnell Baptist Health Grace Marable Baptist Health Amanda Novack, MD Baptist Health

Taylor Davis, LCSW Arkansas State Hospital

Julie Turner, DNP, APRN Baptist Health

Leslie Ann Wilcox, RNP Arkansas Urology

Emily Neal, APRN Baptist Health Clinic-England

Stephanie Bartlett, APRN Arkansas Urology

Stephanie Cody, MD Baptist Health Family Medicine ClinicHillcrest

Shawn Clawson, APRN Arkansas Urology Christie Dumboski, APN Arkansas Urology Lauren Hendrix, MD Arkansas Urology Iris Kennedy, APN Arkansas Urology Allison Morrow, APN Arkansas Urology Gail Reede Jones, MD Arkansas Urology Nicole Shaw, APRN Arkansas Urology Toronsa Simpson, APRN Arkansas Urology

Julie Goodwin, MD Central Clinic for Women

Carmella Knoernschild, DDS Carmella M. Knoernschild Orthodontic Clinic

Lydia Carter Hunjan, MD Baptist Health

Donna Mcghee, APRN Arkansas Renal Group

Diana Braziel, PA-C Arkansas Urology

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Ashley Deed, MD Central Clinic for Women

Amy Wiedower, MD Central Clinic for Women Saadia Haneef, DO Chenal Family Therapy

Rhonda Gentry, MD CARTI Cancer Center

Rachel Pinto, LPC Chenal Family Therapy

Marianne Lotito, MS, LCGC CARTI Cancer Center

Faiza Samad, LPC Chenal Family Therapy

Grace Raja, MD CARTI Cancer Center

Michelle Chapman, LPC CHI St. Vincent

Jerri S. Fant, MD, FACS CARTI Cancer Center

Carla LeMay CHI St. Vincent

Diane Wilder, MD CARTI Cancer Center

Heather Owens, MD CHI St. Vincent

Being the Best is Something We Work Toward Everyday.

Dr. Bev. Foster

Sarah Stagg, PT Baptist Health Therapy Center-Saddlecreek Clinic Rachael Rickford, APRN Baptist Health Women’s Center Cindy S. Beemer, DC Beemer Back Center Gwen Davis, NP Bell Winston Clinic Dr. Bev. Foster has been one of Central Arkansas’ favorite Chiropractic physicians for 30 years and has been continually voted “Best Chiropractor” by readers of Arkansas Democrat Gazette, the Arkansas Times and AY Magazine. Board certified in Chiropractic Orthopedics, Dr. Foster has been a guest lecturer at UAMS and has served the Arkansas and National Chiropractic examining boards in various capacities.

Carol Reynolds, DC Bella Vista Back Center Amanda Bledsoe Bledsoe Chiropractic Constance Crisp, MD BodyLogicMD

CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH AND REHABILITTION 2701 W. Markham Street Little Rock, AR 501.371.0152 • drbevfoster.com

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Congratulations to our amazing boss on this wonderful achievement!

Feather, Michelle, Tonda & Ginni.

Call Elder Independence at (501) 847-6102 today for a complimentary consultation.

Kim Clatworthy, Owner info@elderindependence.com Online at: ElderIndependence.com

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Kristy S. King, MD CHI St. Vincent

Kathryn Chenault, MD CHI St. Vincent North Neurology Clinic

Mary Jo Shaver, MD Conway Regional Health System

Rachana Yendala, MD Conway Regional Multispecialty Clinic

Nidhi Jain, MD Beverly Foster, DC CHI St. Vincent Diabetes and Endocrinology Chiropractic Health & Rehabilitation Clinic Abby Forbes, RN Archana Jarathi, MD CHRISTUS Health CHI St. Vincent Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinic Carol Angel, MD Conway Anesthesiology Consultants Tena Murphy, MD CHI St. Vincent Heart Clinic Ayisha Canant, PhD Conway Counseling & Wellness Center Beverly Beadle, MD CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic Sarah Atkins, DDS Conway Family Dental Jennifer Co, MD CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic Sue Tsuda, MD Conway Hematology Oncology Laura Otter, MD CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic Misty Birdwell, APRN Conway Regional Greenbrier Family Zainab Siddiqui, MD Medicine CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic Lauren Blansett, APRN Laura Trigg, MD Conway Regional Greenbrier Family CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic Medicine

Sarah Robertson, MD Conway Regional Health System

Savannah Bradbury, PA Conway Regional Neuroscience Center

Mary Burgess, MD Conway Regional Infectious Disease Clinic

Courtney Sick, MD Conway Regional Renaissance Women’s Center

Mallory Smith, MD Conway Regional Infectious Disease Clinic

Angela Foster, APRN Conway Regional Mayflower Medical Clinic Brandie Martin, MD Conway Women’s Health Center Blair Greenwood, MD Conway Regional Mayflower Medical Clinic Theresa J. Moix, APRN Conway Women’s Med Spa Blair Greenwood, MD Conway Regional Mayflower Medical Rachel Ashcraft, APRN Group Cornerstone Clinic for Women

Rachel Wayne, MD Annette Anderson, MD CHI St. Vincent Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic Conway Regional Health System Elaine Wilson, MD CHI St. Vincent Neuroscience Institute

Amy Johnson, MD Conway Women’s Health Center

Amelia Fleisher, RN Conway Regional Health System

Hannah Ray, RN Conway Regional Medical Center

Kay Chandler, MD Cornerstone Clinic for Women

Suzanne Harris, RN Conway Regional Medical Center

Lisa Grummer, APRN Cornerstone Clinic for Women

Rhonda Dixon, APRN Conway Regional Medical Clinic

Jaclyn Piasta, APRN Cornerstone Clinic for Women

Meghan Mallett, APRN Conway Regional Medical Clinic

Megan Tucker, APRN Cornerstone Clinic for Women

Congratulations Tina!

for being voted one of AY Magazine’s Best Women in Healthcare

“Dr. Merritt is determined to get you the help you need and not leave you wondering what will happen next. She has ALWAYS been available anytime I need her.”

-Patricia P.

Tina Merritt, MD, is the sole owner of the Allergy & Asthma Clinic of Northwest Arkansas. She attended the University of Arkansas and obtained medical school training and pediatric residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. She also earned an allergy fellowship at the University of Virginia. Among her accomplishments is a part ownership on the patent for a red meat allergy test, called Alpha-gal allergy. She is also participating in clinical trials for a rare disease and a clinical trial looking at an antibody used to treat COVID-19 in longterm health care facilities.

“We have a busy allergy clinic and have had to adapt to the changing medical environment. The clinic schedules allergy injections and utilizes telemedicine visits as often as possible for the safety of our patients and staff.”

1900 S. Walton Blvd, Bentonville, AR • 479.254.9777

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Jennifer Wilson, APRN Cornerstone Clinic for Women Suzanne Yee, MD Cosmetic & Laser Surgery Center Samantha Corral, CNM, DNP, IBCLC Creekside Center for Women Ashley Mason, MD, FACOG Creekside Center for Women

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Meenakshi Budhraja, MD Digestive Wellness Clinic

Haley Endacott, APRN-BC, AE-C ENT and Allergy Center

Lauren Harmon-Grantham, DDS Dental Solutions

Felicia Johnson, MD ENT Center of the Ozarks

Leslie Dickinson, DDS Dickinson Dental

Angela Nutt, MD GastroArkansas

Kim Clatworthy Elder Independence

Danielle Collie Delta Dental of Arkansas

Ginger Johnson Bogy, EMT DeWitt EMS & Crestpark NH

Debra Morrison, MD GastroArkansas

Lori Saveall, PHARM.D East Gate Pharmacy

Sarah Hays, DC Elite Chiropractic

Nan Means, APRN Dermatology Clinic of Arkansas

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Jacqueline Brown, MSN, APRN East Arkansas Medical Group

Sarah Davis, OD DeBlack Eye Care Center

Leslie Monroe, DDS Dental Solutions

Teresa Jeffers, MD Four Seasons Allergy and Asthma Clinic

Leticia Jones, MD Genesis Women’s Clinic Rachel Deal, DDS Greenbrier Dental

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Steffany Calloway-Benton, DNP, APRN HealthTech Arkansas

Cheryl A. Hull, MD, FAAD Hull Dermatology & Aesthetics

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Kerry Murphree, APRN Interfaith Clinic Jennifer Jacks, MD, FAAD Jacks Dermatology Julie Dolven, OD James Eyecare & Optics Gallery Rebecca Aleck, DO Jefferson Regional Medical Center Amy Boast Cahill, MD, FACOG Jefferson Regional Medical Center

Brooke Brander, DO Highlands Oncology Group

Mollye Jenay Koonce, APRN, FNP-C Jefferson Regional Medical Center

Lynsay Brautnick, MD Highlands Oncology Group

Amanda Duch, APRN Jonesboro Pediatric Clinic

Kelly-Gwynne Fergus, DDS Fergus Orthodontics

Megan McDonald Moll, OD Hilltop Eyecare

Summer Tyson, DDS Jonesboro Pediatric Dental Group

Lindsey Smith, APRN Flawless Med Spa

Dana Treat, APRN Hope Medical Clinic

Caitlyn Sweet Forrest City Medical Center

Ashley Powell, DDS, MDS Hopkins Braces

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Vanessa Barnes, APRN Family Care of South Arkansas

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Holly Miguet, MS Kids Being Kids Therapy Jennifer Acklin, MS, OTR/L KIDSource Therapy

Kassi Lowry, RN Kindred Healthcare

Jennifer Doyle, MD Little Rock Eye Clinic

LaDonna Young, NP Medical Center of South Arkansas

Angela Woods New Hope Prosthetics & Orthotics

Kristin Christian, OD Kinslow Eye & Laser Center

Christie Cobb, MD Little Rock Gynecology and Obstetrics

Angela Case, RN Melanie Prince Plastic Surgery

Shannon Combs, SLP New HOPE Therapy

Ivory Kinslow, MD Kinslow Eye & Laser Center

Jenny Gregory, MD Little Rock Gynecology and Obstetrics

Melanie Prince, MD Melanie Prince Plastic Surgery

Samantha Oates, OT New HOPE Therapy

Kristi Mitchell Elia, DDS Kristi Mitchell Elia Dentistry

Natalie Burr, MD Little Rock Pediatric Clinic

Kerri Garrison, LPC NextStep Counseling

CJ Cobb Legacy Spine & Neurological Specialists

Roxann Hughes, APRN, CNS Little Rock Pulmonary Clinic

Jennifer Schroeder, MD Mercy Clinic Family Medicine and Obstetrics

Kelli Schlesinger, MD Legacy Spine & Neurological Specialists

Julie L. Tate, MD Living Tree Pediatrics

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Brandi Alexander, APN Lifespring Women’s Healthcare Lorie Oswalt, APN Lifespring Women’s Healthcare Tracy Van Es, AUD Little Rock Audiology

Tiffany Weathers, MD Mercy Clinic Obstetrics and Gynecology Allyson Mertins, OD Mertins Eye & Optical

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Mary Batie McDonald, RN MAC Healthcare Solutions

Shannon Greenway, PT Milestone Services, Inc.

Ann-Marie Magre, MD MANA Family Medicine

Shelly York, MBA Miracle-Ear

Althea Conley, MD Medical Center of South Arkansas

Karen Spruell, RN Little Rock Dermatology

Sonya Justice, RN Medical Center of South Arkansas

Laurie Barber, MD Little Rock Eye Clinic

Ezinne Nwude, MD Medical Center of South Arkansas

Sylvia Simon, MD Monticello Medical

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Traci Kiernan, DC, DNM Natural State Health Center Katie Murph New Hope Prosthetics & Orthotics

Elevation Med Spa is a full-service medical spa that helps women like you look your best. We offer a variety of cosmetic treatments that help you achieve your desired results. We believe that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether you want dermal fillers, BOTOX® injections or microneedling, we can help you look great.

Karen Reynolds, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC North Arkansas Hospice Sunita Bonde, MD North Metro Medical Center Nicole Scally, MD Northwest Arkansas Family Medicine & Obstetrics Laureen Benafield, MD Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics, A MANA Clinic Meredith Denton, MD Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics, A MANA Clinic Stacy Furlow, MD Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics, A MANA Clinic

Congratulations Dr. Angela Nutt and Dr. Debra Morrison on being among the best women in healthcare! You are trailblazers, and we’re proud to work with you.

Conway OB-GYN Clinic Elevation Med Spa 2180 Ada Avenue 300, Conway 501-327-6547 elevationmedspaconway conwayobgyn.com/elevation-med-spa

DEBRA MORRISON, MD

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ANGELA NUTT, MD

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Meredith Mahan, MD Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics, A MANA Clinic Virginia McCord, MD Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics, A MANA Clinic Rebecca Aleck, DO Northwest Health Amy Irwin, MD Northwest Medical Center Michelle Ang-Poland, MD Northwest Medical Plaza

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Mary Frances Daut, MD Optimal Pain and Wellness Regina Thurman, MD Optimal Pain and Wellness Dede Cravens, PT Ortho Surgeons Jeanine Andersson, MD OrthoArkansas Kathryn McCarthy, MD OrthoArkansas

Jamie Abbott, MD Ozark Dermatology

Lacey Parker, MD Pain Treatment Centers of America

Stephanie Lowry, MD Parkhill Clinic for Women

Diane Lyddon, MD Ozark Guidance

Noemi Ramsay, MD Pain Treatment Centers of America

Paige Partridge, MD Parkhill Clinic for Women

Tonya Sook, APRN Ozark Dermatology

Nicole Rinewalt, MD Pain Treatment Centers of America

Lindsey Seale, MD Parkhill Clinic for Women

Danielle Williams, RN Ozark Dermatology

Angel Samuel, APRN Pain Treatment Centers of America

Penny Freshour, OD Penny Freshour, OD, P.A.

Dana Browning, DC Pain Care Associates

Katrina Scott, APRN Pain Treatment Centers of America

Andrea Mabry, MD Pinnacle Dermatology

Gena Woodward, MS, PT Pain Care Associates

Stacie Smith, PA Pain Treatment Centers of America

Kayla Mohr, MD Pinnacle Dermatology

Chanel Bullock, APRN-FNP-C Pain Treatment Centers of America

Kristy Thompson, APRN Pain Treatment Centers of America

Marla Wirges, MD Pinnacle Dermatology

Jaclyn Cooper, APRN Pain Treatment Centers of America

Heather Whaley, MD Pain Treatment Centers of America

Kimberly Hill, APRN Pinnacle Health Partners

Adrienne Friedly, APRN Pain Treatment Centers of America

Sara Brown, CPNP Paragould Pediatrics

Siobahn Hruby, MD Pinnacle Internal Medicine

Honey Hull, APRN Pain Treatment Centers of America

Kristina Wenger, MD Paragould Pediatrics

Kattie Allen, MD Premier Dermatology

Venecia Johnson, ACNP-AG, BC Pain Treatment Centers of America

Emily Hinton, MD Parkhill Clinic for Women

Rebekah Baltz, MD Premier Dermatology

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Call or Text 479.273.3376 premierderm.net shoppremierderm.com

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Missy Clifton, MD Premier Dermatology

Jan Risinger SAMA HealthCare Services

Brenda Ketcher, MD South Central Gastroenterology

Shelby Brogdon, OD Teague Vision/Simmons Eye Care

Betsy Day, MS, RDN, LDN Premier Gastroenterology

Anne Trussell, MD Sei Bella Med Spa

Kelly Evans Chronister, RN, MBA, COE Southern Eye Associates

Danna Grear, MD The Breast Center, A MANA Clinic

Mitzi Washington, MD PrimeCARE Medical Clinic Searcy

Trudy Forbush, PT Select Physical Therapy

Jami Veal, OD Southern Eye Associates

Kelly Pierce, MD The Breast Center, A MANA Clinic

Angela Chapman, MD Psychology and Counseling Associates

Ashley Davis, MD Sherwood Family Medical Center

Vanessa Wall, OD Southern Eye Associates

Angela Lovett, MD The BridgeWay

Stephanie Harrington, PhD, LCSW Rice Clinic

Laura Wilson, MD Sherwood Family Medical Center

Mallory Hurst, MD St. Bernards Healthcare

Crystal Lackey, PT, DPT The Center Health & Wellness

Ashley Martindale, PA Saline Med Peds

Jennifer Gabbard, RN Shewmake Plastic Surgery and The Skin Retreat

Kathryn Smith McClurkan St. Bernards Healthcare Clopton Clinic

Angela Edwards, MD The Children’s Clinic

Devi Gopinath Nair, MD St. Bernards Heart & Vascular

Kellye McElroy Smith, MD, FAAO The Eye Center

Jennifer DiCocco, MD St. Bernards Medical Center

April Turner, DO The Surgical Clinic of Central Arkansas

Sarah Swetnam, RN, BSN Swetnam Cosmetic Surgery

Jill Jennings, MD The Woman’s Clinic

Kathryn Wagner, DDS Taylor & Wagner Family Dentistry

Rachel Browning, RDA Tortorich Oral Surgery

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Deanna Hopson, MD SAMA HealthCare Services Lynsay Lee, LPN SAMA HealthCare Services Lauren Monteith, MD SAMA HealthCare Services Nancy New, LPN SAMA HealthCare Services Jan Porter, APRN SAMA HealthCare Services

Anita Burleson, ANP Skinner Family Practice Alyssa Lambert, DDS Smile Arkansas Randi Rodgers, APRN, FNP-BC Sona Dermatology & Medspa Tiffany Lucas, APRN South Arkansas Adult Medicine Clinic Donya Watson, MD South Arkansas Women’s Clinic

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U

Margaret Taylor, MD Sheva Chervinskiy, DO Taylor Functional and Integrative Medicine UAMS

Thank you for this honor AY ’s Best Women

in HEALTHCARE Our Hearing Care Specialists will carefully examine your hearing and suggest an appropriate solution.

Shelly C. York, BC-HIS

We’re proud to carry a wide range of products that have helped individuals and families live life to the fullest.

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Rachel Dooley UAMS

Romona L. Davis, MD UAMS Jones Eye Institute Clinic

Myra Grantham, MSN, FNP-BC UCA Student Health

Amanda Brock, APRN White River Health System Women’s Clinic

Amy Jo Ray, RN UAMS

Rebecca Amik, APRN UAMS Neighborhood Clinic

Mimi Lee, MD, PA Vein & Aesthetic Care

Cori Dyson, MD Woodridge Counseling Center

Kristi Brannon Rainwater, RRT UAMS

Olivia Xu-Cai, MD UAMS Neighborhood Clinic

Geetha Ramaswamy, MD, FACC Sarah Yarnell, DDS Walker Heart Institute Cardiovascular Clinic Woodsprings Family Dentistry

Jeanne Wei, MD UAMS

Theresa Wyrick-Glover, MD UAMS Orthopaedics Clinic

Brittney Sharp, MS, RD, LD Washington Regional Medical Center

Jennifer Laudadio, MD UAMS - Lab & Pathology

Rani Lindberg, MD UAMS Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic

Jessica Short, MD Washington Regional Rheumatology Clinic

Ronda Henry-Tillman, MD UAMS Breast Cancer Clinic Daniela Ochoa, MD UAMS Breast Cancer Clinic Blakely Edmund, APRN UAMS Cancer Institute Shelby Johnston, APN UAMS Center for Gynecology Sara Tariq, MD UAMS Internal Medicine Clinic Kathryn Brown, OD UAMS Jones Eye Institute Clinic

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Burcu Ozdemir, MD UAMS Thomas and Lyon Longevity Clinic Ann T. Riggs, MD UAMS Thomas and Lyon Longevity Clinic Betty Everett, Ph.D. UAMS Walker Family Clinic

Jennifer Wolverton, RN WRMC Medical Complex Cherokee Village

Julia Watkins, MD West Little Rock Women’s Center Kimberly Reynolds, MD West Little Rock Women’s Center Sarah Holland, APRN West Little Rock Women’s Center Holly Bartlett, RDH Westport Dental Associates

Alexis White, MD UAMS Women’s Center

Jocelyne Benitez, RDH Westport Dental Associates

Tesa Ivey, CNP UAMS Women’s Health Clinic

Blythe Joyner, RDH Westport Dental Associates

Jennifer Cox, MSN, FNP-BC, APRN UCA Health Center

Congratulations for being recognized as the Best Women in Healthcare

Chanel Bullock APRN-FNP

Jaclyn Cooper APRN

Adrienne Friedly APRN

Honey Hull APRN

Venecia M. Johnson ACNP-AG, BC

Lacey Parker MD

Nicole Rinewalt MD

Angel Samuel APRN

Katrina Scott APRN

Stacie Smith PA

Kristy Thompson APRN

Heather Whaley MD

Bentonville • Conway • Ft. Smith • Little Rock • North Little Rock Searcy • Hot Springs • Jonesboro • Texarkana • White Hall

(844) 215-0731 • PTCOA.com 138

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR BEST WOMEN IN HEALTHCARE For another year in a row, we are proud to recognize a few of our top women in healthcare. All of our AU providers work day in and day out to improve the lives of Arkansans, and we are grateful to have them on our team.

Thank you for all you do!

Book an appointment online with one of our outstanding providers at www.arkansasurology.com Stephanie Bartlett, APRN

Shawn Clawson, APRN

Lauren Hendrix, MD

Iris Kennedy, APRN

Diana Braziel, PA-C

Christie Dumboski, APRN

Gail Reede Jones, MD

Toronsa Simpson, APRN

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Tess Smith, APRN

Ann Wilcox, APRN

Wischelle Williams, APRN

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2021

Left to right: Jesse D. Abeler, D.O.; David M. Rhodes, M.D.; Samuel A. Moore, D.O.; William F. Hefley, Jr., M.D.; Jason G. Stewart, M.D.; W. Scott Bowen, M.D.; Jesse B. Burks, D.P.M.; Larry L. Nguyen, M.D.; Paul K. Edwards, M.D.

The Best Surgeons.

The Best Treatment.

All Focused On You. Our skilled physicians are committed to the care, improvement and quality of human life. We provide state-of-the-art, comprehensive musculoskeletal care in a compassionate manner — greatly improving quality of life for our patients. Our emphasis on patient education and rehabilitation helps motivate, encourage and support patients and their families before, during and after surgery.

Call 800-336-2412 To Schedule An Appointment

We’re also pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Paul Edwards and Dr. Jesse Abeler.

Dr. Edwards is a Fellowship Trained Hip & Knee Joint Replacement surgeon and Dr. Abeler is Fellowship Trained in Orthopedic Hand Surgery. Dr. Edwards is joining us in July and Dr. Abeler in August.

Hand Surgery David M. Rhodes, M.D. Orthopedic Surgeon Paul K. Edwards, M.D. William F. Hefley, Jr., M.D. Podiatrist Jesse B. Burks, D.P.M. Orthopedics/ Orthopedic Surgery Jason G. Stewart, M.D. Larry L. Nguyen, M.D. Samuel A. Moore, D.O. W. Scott Bowen, M.D. William F. Hefley, Jr., M.D. Physical Therapy Debbie Williamson, M.S.P.T. Matt Thornton, M.S.P.T. Steve Longinotti, M.S.P.T. Lisa Sallings, M.S.P.T.

LITTLE ROCK | NORTH LITTLE ROCK | JACKSONVILLE | CABOT | RUSSELLVILLE | HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE

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hope Is The Foundation. recovery Is The Journey.

Quality Care Rooted in Arkansas

The pandemic has caused people to consume alcohol at unprecedented levels. The BridgeWay offers hope and recovery for adults struggling with alcohol or other substances. Led by Dr. Schay, a board-certified psychiatrist and addiction specialist, our continuum of care includes: • Medical detoxification • Partial hospitalization • Intensive outpatient program To learn more about our continuum of care for substance use disorders, call us at 1-800-245-0011.

Physicians are on the medical staff of The BridgeWay Hospital but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of The BridgeWay Hospital. The facility shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. Source: Journal of the American Medical Association.

Dr. Schay

Medical Director of Substance Use Disorders

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mental health

WHAT LIES

BENEATH:

PTSD Not Singular to Service

M

elanie Taylor sat at a restaurant table as the familiar tightening in her stomach and throat began to take hold. It had been an ordinary evening out; nothing unusual or remarkable at all, really. She’d eaten here before, knew the

owner, felt comfortable.

Until, that is, the incident at the next table and the man and woman who’d entered into an argument. It was over some nothing little topic, but the situation was escalating, she could feel it.

“Oh my gosh,” she thought. “His voice is getting higher. She’s not backing down. It’s about to get violent.”

Glancing about, Taylor was shocked to see no one else was taking notice. The patrons kept digging into their meals as the staff circulated with refills, but none were visibly concerned by the violence that was about to erupt in their midst, much less doing anything about it.

“Why doesn’t anyone say something? Or do something?” her mind wheezed, her guts in a vise. And then, a chilling thought.

“Did I do something to make this worse? Why did I look over at them? Dear God, what did I do?”

“It feels like I suddenly stop thinking, and my mind just starts

racing,” Taylor says to further explain what it’s like to live with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), illustrated by the preceding dramatization. “It’s very much an emotional reaction of fear. If a couple is arguing, in my mind, an escalating argument means somebody’s going to get hurt.

So, I start experiencing the internal reaction of, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s going to hit her,’ when really, it’s just two people disagreeing.

“Then there’s those beliefs that come with it which is, ‘I’m not as good as everybody in this room, I have to earn my way in.’ It’s almost like you slip down into lower-level thinking, and it takes a little while to climb out of it, because you have to start recognizing that that’s what’s happening.”

According to PTSD United, around 8 percent of the U.S. population lives with PTSD. While that may not sound like much, in America it equates to 24.4 million people, roughly the population of Texas. Most commonly associated with military men and women and veterans, PTSD can affect anyone at any age, the residual byproduct of witnessing or experiencing trau-

PTSD can occur at any age and does take a while to pinpoint. Sometimes,

you can’t really pinpoint when it started

at all, but all of those little microtraumas add up and equal PTSD.

By DWAIN HEBDA

Most people think of PTSD as one of

after study, children who live in poor, high-crime neighborhoods are found to develop PTSD at significantly higher rates than peers who live those know-it-when-you-see-it kinds in better neighborhoods. In 2018, HuffPost reported on New Orleans, where a 2015 survey of 1,200 kids, of conditions, but ages 10 to 16, revealed 40 percent had witnessed domestic violence, a stabbing, beating or shooting. Just from a clinical under 20 percent had witnessed murder, and more than half of respondents said someone close to them standpoint, it can had been killed. As a result, the researchers concluded, children in New Orleans displayed PTSD symptoms be decidedly more at roughly three times the national average.

Most people think of PTSD as one of those knowcomplicated. it-when-you-see-it kinds of conditions, but from a clinical standpoint, it can be decidedly more complicated. After decades of being dismissed by the public and mental health professionals alike, PTSD’s codification by the American Psychiatric Association as a disorder with specific symptoms that could be reliably diagnosed only goes back to 1980. (By comparison, schizophrenia was identified thusly about a century matic events. earlier). In medical terms, this makes the expertise Taylor, the founder of Healing Tree around the condition a very young body of underWomen’s Counseling Center in Fort standing indeed.

Smith, developed PTSD as a result of “The first criteria is: Does the traumatic event meet years of abuse dating back to her childcriteria for PTSD?” says Maranda Leonard, PhD, Melanie Taylor. hood that continued in one form or outpatient clinical therapist with Methodist Family (Lisa Schwerin,Picture Perfect another through her first marriage in Health in Little Rock. “Then, there are four different Photography) her 20s. Coming to grips with her own clusters of symptoms, and a person would have to have condition, combined with a lot of formal to display symptoms from each of these four areas to training and therapy, has helped her harbe diagnosed with PTSD. ness her experiences as a reference point for others who seek her help.

“The first cluster is intrusive symptoms, meaning recurring or un“PTSD is labeled as chronic or acute, and it’s fear-based. Acute wanted images, thoughts or recurring dreams of the event. The secPTSD generally occurs after a single traumatic experience while chronic ond cluster of symptoms would be avoidance symptoms, avoiding any PTSD is something that happens over a long period of time,” she says. memories, thoughts, feelings or reminders of the event. I’ve seen many “In the mental health world, we’ve gone to calling ‘complex PTSD’ to clients who don’t want to go to certain places or be around certain things mean trauma that’s occurred over childhood. It’s very shame-based bebecause that’s a reminder. cause you’re coming out of situations where you have to sacrifice yourself “Third cluster of symptoms would be changes in mood and thought, in order to stay safe in a relationship. such as shame, self-blame, feelings of detachment. The fourth cluster “So, the difference is, shame-based is like, ‘This is happening because I’m bad. They’re hurting me because there’s something wrong with me.’

Other PTSD, like in war, is like, ‘These things are happening in front of me, but it’s not because of me.’”

The trauma that causes PTSD can take many forms. Violence on one’s person, such as abuse, combat or being the victim of a violent crime, is certainly one key element. But, so are natural disasters, automobile accidents, fire or a life-threatening medical diagnosis, per the Mayo Clinic. Humans are so individually wired when it comes to dealing with upsetting situations and events that in some cases merely observing a violent event or aftermath, such as a paramedic or first responder would, can lead to PTSD. In fact, one’s address can affect the odds of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Michigan Public Radio, in a 2017 investigative series called “State of Opportunity,” reported findings of a study in the Journal Graphic of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities that followed Black women who courtesy The lived in the Oakland neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. It found Recovery 29 percent of the women suffered from PTSD, and an additional 7 perVillage. cent exhibited many of the symptoms common to a PTSD diagnosis.

In children, the ‘neighborhood effect’ is particularly acute. In study

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Graphic courtesy Physiopedia.

would be changes in arousal and reactivity such as anxiety, hyper-vigilance or problems with sleep.”

Even with this, a diagnosis must allow for a range of extenuating variables. Onset of symptoms within three months of the traumatic event is considered acute stress disorder not PTSD, for example, while failure to register symptoms from one cluster today doesn’t mean those symptoms won’t develop months or years down the road. And, of course, the entire diagnostic premise relies on the patient providing accurate feedback on the nature and occurrence of the event itself, something often missing in children.

“That can be difficult to tease out in children; we may see them acting out in play some things that they have experienced,” Leonard says. “Obviously, we would want to get a really good history from the parent or caregiver when that is available, but there are times that’s not available.

“It definitely can be misdiagnosed as ADHD; because of the impact on the nervous system, it can present itself as hyperactivity where the child has problems with focus and concentration. As clinicians, we have to take as much of a comprehensive history as we can get, and then really be traumaaware as we are treating the client and working with the family. I think clinicians have gotten more and better informed about that, I really do.”

PTSD is a common ride-along with other mental conditions, says Angela Shy, MD, chief medical officer with Behavioral Health Services of Arkansas (BHSA), part of Youth Home. She cites industry sources that put the likelihood of PTSD patients to have symptoms of other mental disorders as high as 80 percent. But it’s equally important for clinicians to recognize what PTSD is not, as part of effective diagnosis and treatment. This concept has been brought into clearer focus during the pandemic.

“Our diagnostic criteria basically says a loss, an illness or debilitating medical condition is not necessarily considered a traumatic event,” Shy says.

“A traumatic event would be something like if you wake up during surgery or anaphylactic shock reaction, something traumatic that was medically oriented.

“COVID-19 by itself, therefore, wouldn’t be

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considered a traumatic event. But, on the other hand, if someone witnessed their family member die on the vent from COVID-19, that would be different.”

Treatment for PTSD falls to medications, therapy and learned coping methods for when attacks are triggered. Having treated patients of all ages through BHSA and UAMS in her career, Shy has seen how adaptive and resilient the mind can be in handling undiagnosed cases, even over the course of many years. But, she says, proper treatment protocols are undoubtedly an easier road to walk.

“Research shows that, over time, symptoms in an older person naturally mellow or become milder versus a young adult, or even a middleaged adult, who experiences trauma,” she says. “However, I do think it’s more of a miserable kind of existence overall, and people probably have suffered alone quite a lot before they got diagnosed.

“The other thing to remember is: PTSD can occur at any age and does take a while to pinpoint. Sometimes, you can’t really pinpoint when it started at all, but all of those little microtraumas add up and equal PTSD. So that’s really important to remember. I think a lot of times, we think of it only in terms young adults or adults being affected, but PTSD can occur from age 1 to 100.”

Graphic courtesy Clearvue Health.

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Navigating the Return of Seasonal Depression

By SARAH COLEMAN

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As

the temperature drops, songs become cheerier, the sun sets earlier, and the anticipation of the holidays begins to rise, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — known commonly as seasonal depression — also begins for about 5 percent of adults, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

The holidays bring joy and excitement to the lives of many, but along with the exhilaration surrounding the holidays, there’s also less light, typically more sleep, loneliness and, for some, financial burden. All of these factors can impact mental health, creating less than ideal situations.

While SAD is a form of depression, there are many environmental causes that lead to the condition. The Cleveland Clinic lists biological clock change (your body’s internal clock that regulates mood, sleep and hormones), brain chemical imbalances (such as serotonin, a “happy” hormone, levels dropping), vitamin D deficiency due to less sunlight, natural melatonin boost or the overproduction of melatonin and negative thoughts, often from stress and anxiety, as reasons for SAD occurring.

Lauren English, a licensed professional counselor with Pinnacle Pointe Hospital, compares SAD to an inactive state.

“Think of SAD like a bear in hibernation; [it] might feel like right after work you want to jump into PJs,” English says. “You see yourself in more of a hibernated state — more of this can lead to a toll on people mentally.”

English explains some of the key symptoms of SAD to watch for, not only in yourself but also in your family, are increased cravings of carbs, late-night eating and lack of exercise.

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According to the Mayo Clinic, it is normal to have periods of time when you don’t feel like your usual self, especially with outside stressors. However, English emphasizes the importance of being self-aware and noticing when patterns arise.

“The first step is recognizing signs and looking for the patterns in your own behavior. [People] might start to think, ‘I don’t feel great around this time,’ but don’t take the time to recognize [their] own patterns, and recognizing patterns is so important,” English says. “If you start seeing patterns year after year where you notice mood changes in the winter months but return to a more positive mood in the spring and summer and have experienced this for two or more years, you may be experiencing SAD.” Self-awareness can be difficult for many, but English lists a few components for reflection. Since there is a genetic component to SAD, it is important to ask your family members if they notice any particular changes around the holidays. It’s also advisable to check in on your eating and sleeping habits by asking yourself what time you’re eating, what quality of food you’re eating and how much you’re sleeping.

Arkansas consistently ranks among the most depressed states, ranking the fourth-most depressed state with a depression rate of 23.2 percent in 2021, according to the World Population Review (WPR). While there are many contributing factors to this, a large part may be attributed to the accessibility of mental health care. WPR ranks Arkansas 34th in the country in access to mental health care in 2021.

“Arkansas is in the top 10 for suicide. In general, our state struggles, not just with SAD, which is why we want access to mental health care,” English says.

While the effects of depression can last for extended periods of time, the effects of SAD can impact people for months, making preventative measures just as important. Although you may not be able to control hormone production, there are things you can do to combat feelings of seasonal sadness.

“Let there be light!”

This is English’s No. 1 tip in combating seasonal changes. Being in the sun is an important part of mood.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), soaking up as much sunlight as possible is important for everyone in the winter months. However, this can be a difficult task when taking into consideration the return to standard time and the consistently dreary weather. For this reason, English recommends purchasing a seasonal mood light.

“Light gives us light, and some people need light more than others,” English says, emphasizing the importance that simple sunlight can have on our moods. These lamps help in a phenomenon called light therapy.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, light therapy works because it is about 20 times brighter than regular indoor light.

The Cleveland Clinic also includes that, while light therapy is a great option for some, it can produce risks for others. Light therapy tends to be contraindicated if you suffer from diabetes or retinopathy, take certain antibiotics or anti-inflammatories, or have bipolar disorder. For some with bipolar disorder, intense light can trigger mania.

While summer is typically the ideal time of year for many Americans to vacation, English has a different suggestion: a winter vacation.

“Another preventative measure I urge is to make plans and follow through with them,” English says.

Not only is planning a vacation a good way to look forward to something, but it can also be helpful to spend time somewhere sunnier when you’re feeling the impact of sterile weather.

However, a vacation isn’t the only way to create a future of excitement — even small plans can create a sense of elation.

“I know we’re in a time where we’re kind of coming out, or might be coming out, of a pandemic, so plans may seem daunting, but make little plans to look forward to — whether it be meeting a friend for coffee or waking up with the plan to enjoy your morning coffee,” English says. “If you’re not comfortable throwing all precautions to the wind, find little things to look forward to.”

English also offers the advice of decorating to make your space happier — whether it’s for the holidays or year-round — meditating, eating healthy and balanced meals and exercising, even if you don’t feel like it. All of these are in addition to the advice to see a therapist

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to treat SAD. “[We all should] add some things to schedules to bring joy and look forward to them,” English says.

In addition to these suggestions, the Mayo Clinic also suggests making comfort foods healthier in order to avoid the tendency to overindulge on carbs, spending time with family to lift spirits and creating a schedule in order to stay active.

English also stresses the importance that treatments are not “onesize-fits-all.” Different things work better for different people. For some, medication is needed during these times. “In more severe cases, people could seek help year-round or take prescribed medication,” English says.

Major depressive disorder, or depression, can also have seasonal impacts. So for those already struggling with depression, the winter can be a particularly difficult time. According to the Mayo Clinic, while the symptoms of depression and SAD are the same, the defining difference is the return to normalcy of those with seasonal afflictions after the winter months.

SAD is commonly associated with the winter, but according to the APA, it can also arise with a summer onset, meaning some may experience seasonal depression in the spring and summer months. This form of SAD is often referred to as summer depression and has almost inverse symptoms of winter-onset SAD, including insomnia, poor appetite, weight loss, agitation and anxiety. This only further stresses the importance of checking in on yourself and taking note of changes you experience in mood around the year — as advised by English.

SAD must be diagnosed by a licensed professional. For more information on mental health services visit humanservices.arkansas.gov.

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allies OF MENTAL HEALTH

AY About You is proud to present its 2021 Allies of Mental Health, a special section to provide resources and further the discussion around this important subject.

Each of these talented individuals and esteemed organizations has left a lasting imprint on Arkansas, and we are grateful for their selfless service.

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allies

OF MENTAL HEALTH

FACES

Quality Care Rooted in Arkansas

Megan Miller, LCSW, began working in the mental health field in 2003, but she’s been an ally for much longer than that.

“My mother was a great influence on my compassionate view,” Miller says.

“She worked with the juvenile justice system and saw the impact of mental health on the youth she interacted with. She was a strong treatment advocate and ally. She made sure that I understood how important it was to listen to others’ needs and to speak up for those whose voice was quiet.”

Miller is clinically trained as a social worker and spent the first few years of her career providing mental health services to individuals and families. She feels that this “micro approach” to mental health formed a pathway for her to move into leadership positions, such as with her current role.

“As the CEO at The BridgeWay, I use my social work knowledge and skills to promote social change and social justice both within the organization with the people we serve and outside our organization, as we partner with others to make mental health care accessible to all Arkansans,” she says.

Two decades in, Miller is heartened that the conversations surrounding mental health have become more useful, and some of the stigmas have slowly — but surely — been whittled down, especially amid the ongoing pandemic.

“I believe people are taking a second look at mental health,” Miller says.

“While I can attest that we are really fighting a dual pandemic, the conversations are different. People are receptive to opening a new discussion about mental health symptoms, they are more compassionate toward solutions that meet the needs of those using mental health supports and the stigma feels lessened.”

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MURDER MYSTERY:

THE ASSASSINATION OF JOHN MIDDLETON CLAYTON – By Janie Jones

T

he light from the oil lamp through the window shone brightly against the dark of the moon outside. It illuminated the two men in the Plumerville house so well that the shooter waited patiently in the cold night air for the most opportune time to strike. When his target sat down at a table to write a letter, the assassin fired his weapon. Buckshot shattered the glass window and almost blew the victim’s head clean off. Blood, hair and brain matter went all over the room. Thus did the life of John Middleton Clayton come to an end. The gory spectacle made the other man inside lose his senses temporarily.

Clayton was the brother of Arkansas’ ninth governor, Powell Clayton, a Republican who served in office during Reconstruction and then as a member of the U.S. Senate. It was a time when Conway County constituents were as divided as the nation had been in the Civil War. Clayton’s assassination on Jan. 29, 1889, is a testament to just how dirty politics can be.

The northern part of the county had been more sympathetic to the Union because, under the Confederacy’s conscription law, the only way a draftee could avoid service was to hire someone who was exempt from the draft to replace him. The cost of hiring a substitute was usually around $200 but could be as high as $3,000, so rich men were the only ones who had the means to stay home. Many draftees deserted, and some joined the Union army.

Arkansas’ Republican Party, formed in 1867, dominated the state’s politics in the years of Reconstruction, and was popular in northern Conway County with poor white residents and with Black residents after the 15th Amendment granted them the right to vote in 1870.

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The southern part of Conway County, nearer to the Arkansas River, had rich bottomland and cotton plantations, and prior to and during the war, it had slaves and the Democratic Party. With the end of Reconstruction, Democrats sought to regain government control, and the stage was set for the beginning of a century of political corruption in Conway County.

In the 1886 election, three Democrats tried to stuff the ballot box in Plumerville but were unsuccessful. The alleged culprits were Tom Hervey, Ben White and Bob Pate. Despite such skullduggery, G.E. Trower became the first person of color to be elected to the Arkansas state legislature. After the 1887 General Assembly, however, two men took Trower at gunpoint off the train that was carrying him home, and he was never seen again.

Some sources suggest he was murdered and thrown into the Arkansas River, while others say he was forced to relocate to another county. The grandson of a witness to the kidnapping said one of the men who forced Trower off the train was Hervey.

Center Ridge was a Republican stronghold, and by 1888, its numbers had multiplied with an influx of African Americans formerly from Georgia. The political opposition knew they couldn’t win that year’s election fairly, so they resorted to chicanery. In the September election, to fill seats in the local and state government, an armed Democratic militia, led by W.J. Stowers, made their presence known at the polling place in Morrilton. And if intimidation wasn’t enough, a Democratic constable arrested George Baker, a Republican election judge, and replaced him with a Democrat. Similar trickery took place in Plumerville. Among the men who counted votes were Hervey, White and Pate.

John Middleton Clayton.

John M. Clayton, a former Union officer, was married with six children. He was an active member of the Republican Party and had held office as the state representative for Jefferson County.

He also served in the state Senate. In 1888, Clayton announced he would run for the United States Congress from Arkansas’ Second District, a contest to be decided in the November election.

The Democratic candidate was Clifton R. Breckinridge.

Because of the irregularities in September’s election, a federal judge assigned a special poll watcher, Charles Wahl, to ensure the integrity of the ballot counting in Plumerville. But Wahl could do nothing when four masked, gun-wielding men entered the room and stole the ballot box and poll books. Clayton lost the election by 846 votes.

Wahl said he recognized the voice of one of the thieves as that of Deputy Sheriff Oliver Bentley, so Oliver and his brother, George, were chief suspects in the ballot heist. Fearing a federal investigation, George considered turning state’s evidence. One

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morning in late November, Oliver shot and killed his brother. A witness said Oliver’s revolver accidentally discharged, but someone who saw the body claimed the gun must have “accidentally” discharged five times. Nearly three weeks after the fratricide, an attempt was made on Wahl’s life when an unknown gunman wounded him, shooting off part of his ear.

The following month, John Clayton announced his intention to contest the election results and said he would be taking depositions from Black voters in Plumerville. Carroll Armstrong, chairman of the Conway County Democratic Committee, would question voters on Breckinridge’s behalf. Arriving on Jan. 25, Clayton ordered his bags be taken to the Simms Hotel, a two-story building in town. The owner, a Democrat named John Simms, turned Clayton away, directing him to a one-story boarding house run by a Mrs. McCraven. Clayton was accompanied by W.D. Allnutt, a lawyer and notary public.

While Clayton was in Plumerville, Oliver was trying to negotiate a deal in which Clayton would get the stolen votes back in exchange for the feds dropping all indictments. He seemed to be doing what he killed his brother for doing. Talks failed when Oliver would not agree to all conditions stipulated by the Republicans. That sealed Clayton’s fate.

George’s grandson, John Mason, told Arkansas journalist Ernie Deane that 19 men in the conspiracy to kill Clayton drew straws, and Bob Pate drew the short straw. Pate’s brother, Charles, went with him to Mrs. McCraven’s rooming house, and the two watched Clayton through a gap between the window curtains in the parlor. The politician was pacing the room as he talked to Allnutt. After he sat down at the desk, the deadly shot rang out.

More than 5,000 people attended Clayton’s funeral in Pine Bluff. Still in mourning, Powell Clayton and John’s twin brother, William, hired Pinkerton detectives to investigate the murder, and the Arkansas governor and state legislature offered a $6,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who assassinated Clayton. On March 30, a local Black man, Joe Smith, told the Pinkertons he knew a fellow who could identify the murderers but was afraid to talk. That night, 18-year-old David Richmond reportedly shot Smith to death, but a grand jury let him off the hook, saying the case was justifiable homicide.

Cyrus McCullough was the source of John Mason’s account that named Bob Pate as the assassin, but when the investigation turned toward him, McCullough testified he was playing cards with Pate in Pate’s saloon at the time of the crime, providing an alibi for each of them.

Clayton’s slayer or slayers never faced a judge and jury.

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Yurts

By Joe David Rice

T

hat’s right, yurts. You know, those portable, round, tent-like dwellings developed and used by nomads in Central Asia for better than 3,000 years now. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus left a written description of yurts half a millennium before Christ. When Marco Polo, the celebrated merchant and world traveler from Venice, visited Mongolia in the 14th century, he noticed the peculiar structures, writing, “They (the Mongols) have circular houses made of wood and covered with felt, which they carry about with them on four-wheeled wagons wherever they go. For the framework of rods is so neatly and skillfully constructed that it is light to carry. And every time they unfold their house and set it up, the door is always facing south.”

That southern orientation typically continues through today in Asia, primarily due to feng shui traditions and weather patterns. While the interior is open, hanging partitions are used to divide the space. The stove is positioned in the middle of the yurt for a couple of reasons: 1) it heats the structure more efficiently from that location; and 2) smoke can escape from the hole in the center of the yurt’s top. Floors are often covered by fleece carpets or rugs, while tapestries and quilts frequently drape from the walls.

Yurts were largely unknown in America until the 1960s. Most enthusiasts credit their arrival to a 1962 article in National Geographic covering Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas’ trip to Mongolia, an area seldom visited by Westerners at the time. Photographs of the indigenous yurts caught the attention of William Coperthwaite, a teacher at a Quaker school in New Hampshire where he and his pupils experimented with their own designs. Later, while working on a doctorate at Harvard, he continued his research on these unusual shelters, building yurts with other students. In 1971, Coperthwaite published a piece on “The Modern Yurt” in Mother Earth News, noting the unique spatial quality made possible by this atypical approach to construction. Then, in an extensive interview with the same magazine two years later, Coperthwaite expanded at length about his concept of “working with an ancient principle to design a modern structure using modern materials.” His message of using folk knowledge to deal with contemporary problems resonated with an eager and receptive audience. Shortly thereafter other creative entrepreneurs began offering plans and kits using high-tech materials — and a new concept in alternative housing was born.

We’ve had yurts in Arkansas for about 30 years now — and many are available for use by the curious traveler. A quick search on the Internet reveals that a surprising number of private operators in the state

(ADPHT)

have constructed yurts specifically aimed at the tourism trade. In addition, at least five Arkansas State Parks — Daisy, DeGray, Lake Catherine, Lake Charles and Petit Jean — offer yurt opportunities at truly affordable rates, usually less than half the cost of renting a cabin or staying in a lodge. Each of these Americanized yurts is furnished with a double-burner gas cooking stove (with fuel), an ice chest, a folding table with chairs, a lantern and cots or bunk beds. Screened windows, a locking door and solid wood floors are the norm, and the exterior walls are a fabric made of an industrial-strength three-layer vinyl laminate.

Guests will need to bring ice, food, bed linens and cooking utensils.

Although not equipped with bathrooms, they’re all located near bathhouse facilities with flush toilets and hot showers.

The obvious question, of course, is this: Why would anyone want to spend the night in a yurt? Fervent yurt devotees insist that overnighting in a yurt is nothing short of a mystical happening, something everyone should experience at least once. It’s not uncommon to hear that people rest more soundly in yurts and have better dreams. Another argument is that yurts provide a welcome relief from the regimentation of modern society, that their circular form subliminally reminds us of the unity and interconnectedness of all things. Coperthwaite was of the opinion that yurts are critically important in developing an individual’s sensitivity to environmental quality. If nothing else, there are the bragging rights. Just how many of your friends and acquaintances can claim a yurt adventure?

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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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.

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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

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offers skilled professional care in

FACILITY AMENITIES a supportive and compassionate atmosphere.

• State of the art Rehabilitation Gym

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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.

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Lakewood Health & Rehab 2323 McCain Blvd.

North Little Rock 501.791.2323

Lakewood Health & Rehab

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Left to Right: Mark Clark, Ph. D, Tim Freyaldenhoven, MD, Ph. D, Keith Schluterman, MD, and Regan Gallaher, MD

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Faulkner County’s Only Neuroscience Center The Conway Regional Neuroscience Center is the only of its kind in Faulkner County and has a proven record of excellence. Neurologists provide comprehensive services to diagnose and treat illnesses of the neurological system, including multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s disease. Visit conwayregional.org for more information.

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