Quality Care Rooted in Arkansas
hope Is The Foundation. recovery Is The Journey. In response to the growing needs of our community, The BridgeWay has expanded its continuum of care for substance use disorders. The acute rehabilitation program will provide hope and recovery for adults struggling with substance use disorders. Led by Dr. Schay, and a Board Certified Psychiatrist and Addictionologist, the Substance Use Disorder Rehabilitation Program is for adults at risk of relapse. Rehabilitation requires the supportive structure of a 24-hour therapeutic environment. To learn more about our continuum of care for substance use disorders, call us at 1-800-245-0011. Physicians are on the medical staff of The BridgeWay Hospital but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of The BridgeWay Hospital. The facility shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.
Dr. Schay
Medical Director Of Substance Use Disorders & Patriot Support Program
Know the Doctor behind your Injector Not all nurse injectors are created equal and not all are backed by a qualified plastic surgeon. Your facial procedures deserve to be held to the highest standards for quality, technique, education, and experience. This team of nurse and plastic surgeon is best suited to guide you on the process of facial rejuvenation, maximizing your results and investment. At Little Rock Plastic Surgery our focus is you.
New injection patients to Little Rock Plastic Surgery™ get
50 units*of Botox
FREE!
Dr. Michael Spann
*restrictions apply
Hailey, Nurse Injector ™
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Spann and nurse Hailey today 501-219-8000. 2200 N Rodney Parham Rd, Ste 200, Little Rock, AR 72212 501.219.8000 www.littlerockplasticsurgery.com My Passion. Your Results.™
M Y L A G O S M Y W AY
C AV I A R C O L L E C T I O N S
We Keep People All
Haley Pontius, Miss Arkansas USA Invisalign patient at Smile Arkansas
Make 2021 Your Year For A Beautiful...
Over Arkansas Smiling
People all over Arkansas trust Dr. Lee Wyant with their smile. As Arkansas’ only Fellowed Cosmetic Dentist and providing over 35 years of excellence you can be sure you’re in good hands. His credentials, experience and caring concern for each individual patient allows him to provide exceptional esthetic results regardless of the challenges presented. To learn how Dr. Wyant can help you have an incredible smile, call today to schedule your complimentary smile consultation.
501.819.3608
ACCREDITED FELLOW
COSMETIC SERVICES Porcelain Veneers & Crowns Dental Bonding Zoom® Whitening Invisalign • Dental Implants
C. LEE WYANT, DDS 16524 Chenal Pkwy Little Rock, AR 72223 501.819.3608 smilearkansas.com
All photos are of beautiful smiles created by Dr. Lee Wyant.
Dr. Lee Wyant Smile!
WHAT’S INSIDE
Publisher’s Letter Connect Top Events Murder Mystery Arkansas Backstories
10 12 14 142 144
HOME&GARDEN
Stylish. Sustainable. Everything’s Coming Up Roses
16 24
FOOD&DRINK
Black-owned Restaurants 30 Ragin’ for Cajun 36 Arkansas Food Hall of Fame 41 Super Bowl Recipes 48 The Greatest Baker 26
52
Valentine’s Charcuterie Boards
TRAVEL ARKANSAS
Romantic Getaways The City of Progress New at the Zoo
60 64 72
ARTS&CULTURE 100 Hidden No More 110 This Side of Seven 112 The People Behind Your News: Donna Terrell
120 Woman of the People 126 The Dudes of the Moment
Cajun Bucket List Pg. 34 Photo by Jamison Mosley
HEALTH 134 With All ‘DO’ Respect
ABOUT YOU
56 Valentine’s Day Giveaway 78 Ask an Expert
ON THE COVER A delectable spread of gameday food. Styled by Andrea Patrick. Photo by Jamison Mosley. Read more: Page 41
6
2 Hours,
1 MILE, for 1/2 a
HEART
6th Annual Sunday, February 21, 2021 Walk for Wheezy is a non-profit organization created with the sole purpose of raising funds and awareness for Arkansas Children's Hospital during a community-wide event all in memory of Eloise Ann Owen. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, @walkforwheezy, for more updates and notifications.
www.walkforwheezy.com
PUBLISHER
Heather Baker hbaker@aymag.com EDITOR
Dustin Jayroe djayroe@aymag.com
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Mark Carter mcarter@aymag.com
ONLINE EDITOR
Tyler Hale thale@aymag.com
EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Lisa Fischer lfischer@aymag.com
FOOD EDITOR
Kevin Shalin kshalin@aymag.com
STAFF WRITERS
Katie Zakrzewski katie@aymag.com Emily Beirne ebeirne@aymag.com
ART DIRECTOR
Jamison Mosley jmosley@aymag.com
PRODUCTION MANAGER Rebecca Robertson rrobertson@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.
Ebony Blevins After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from Arkansas State University, Ebony Blevins has worked for and with numerous publications and marketing companies around Arkansas. Along with freelancing, she is currently developing her fine art photography body of work.
Andrea Patrick has spent most of her childhood and adulthood in Little Rock. She loves the local food scene and believes that we all eat with our eyes first. This led her to a passion for experimenting with recipes, designing and plating at home. Find her on Instagram, @DishedbyDrea.
Angela Forsyth lives in Northwest Arkansas. Her articles have been published in AY About You, Arkansas Money and Politics, Food & Drink, Modern Home Builder, Manufacturing Today, Inside Healthcare, Retail Merchandiser and many more magazines. She’s a happy wife and mom to four kids and a dog.
Jason Pederson spent 20 years as KATV’s “Seven-On-Your-Side” reporter. He now heads up the Office of the Ombudsman for the Arkansas Department of Human Services. Jason and his wife, Mary Carol, have two biological children and one bonus son, all now adults. They are long-time members of Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock.
DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
Kellie McAnulty kmcanulty@aymag.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Lora Puls lpuls@aymag.com
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Stephanie Wallace swallace@aymag.com Linda Burlingame lindaaymag@aol.com Tonya Higginbotham thigginbotham@aymag.com Mary Funderburg mary@aymag.com Tonya Mead tmead@aymag.com
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Jacob Carpenter ads@aymag.com
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Ginger Roell groell@aymag.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Kaitlin Barger, Jordan Knight, Meredith Mashburn, Tony Milligan, Sarah Russell, Philip Thomas
ADMINISTRATION Casandra Moore admin@aymag.com Vicki Vowell, CEO
TO ADVERTISE:
501-244-9700 or hbaker@aymag.com
TO SUBSCRIBE:
501-244-9700 or aymag.com
Nic Williams, an Arkansas native, is a practicing lawyer and contributor to AY About You. He has developed original recipes for more than half a decade and considers Ina Garten as his inspiration. Most importantly, he’s a proud doggy dad and is grateful for his supportive friends and family.
AY Magazine is published monthly, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9 AY Magazine (ISSN 2162-7754) is published monthly by AY Media Group, 910 W. 2nd St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Periodicals postage paid at Little Rock, AR and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to AY Magazine, 910 W. 2nd St., Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201. Subscription Inquiries: Subscription rate is $20 for one year (12 issues). Single issues are available upon request for $5. For subscriptions, inquiries or address changes, call 501-244-9700. The contents of AY are copyrighted ©2020, and material contained herein may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. Articles in AY should not be considered specific advice, as individual circumstances vary. Products and services advertised in the magazine are not necessarily endorsed by AY. Please recycle this magazine.
8
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Trellis Square • 10720 Rodney Parham Road • Little Rock, AR 72212 • 501.225.5068 • 800.453.9579 • CecilsFineJewelry cecilsfinejewelry.com • www.facebook.com/cecilsfinejewelry
publisher's letter
all you need is love
I don’t know that there is a better song for our current state of affairs than The Beatles’ bop from 1967: “It’s easy, all you need is love.” The catchy chorus was ringing through my ears as we put the finishing touches on this issue, and I hope that the same inspiration finds you as you read through it. Of course, there is Valentine’s Day, and we brought back our annual Valentine’s Day Giveaway for the occasion. And since this year’s holiday will be amid this ongoing pandemic, we came up with a few “new normal” options for you and yours. Our Romantic Getaways special section includes a few off-the-beaten-path places to take your special someone, well away from the anxieties of the “real world.” We also have a themed charcuterie spread for those of you who want to stay at home (or are in quarantine), styled by the wonderful Andrea Patrick — known on the web as DishedbyDrea. This month also brings the reflecting time of Black History Month, and our food editor, Kevin Shalin, shares his personal perspective with Black-owned restaurants — how this past year moved him to find a better awareness of what is out there and how such establishments often go overlooked. Joe David Rice takes us on a journey to Pine Bluff, a place as rich with history and culture as it is with entertainment and dining options. And speaking of Pine Bluff, our editor, Dustin Jayroe, brings you the story behind the late Raye Montague’s biography, Arkansas’ own Hidden Figure who spent much of her youth in the city. Jayroe also tracked down a couple of dudes you’ll definitely want to meet: Leo Cummings III and Todd Cate, hosts of the Black Dude White Dude podcast. They represent different races, backgrounds and political opinions, but their love and respect for each other transcends all that other stuff. We could all learn a few things from the duo. And it wouldn’t be right of me to discuss the topic of love without talking about food. This month, we’ve created a Cajun Bucket List and are also featuring the finalists of this year’s Arkansas Food Hall of Fame class. You don’t want to miss it! As usual, the list goes on and on, and this issue is packed with great content that we are all proud to bring you. Enjoy!
Heather Baker, Publisher hbaker@aymag.com
10
AYISABOUTYOU
|
TRENDING ON AYMAG.COM Top Five Restaurants to Visit in Fort Smith, Arkansas Top Five Restaurants to Visit in Russellville, Arkansas Top Five Restaurants to Visit in Benton, Arkansas Recipe: Sesame Chicken
Minute Man Returns to Little Rock Wow Factor: EyeCatching Exteriors
CONNECT AYISABOUTYOU
|
AYISABOUTYOU
|
AYMAGAZINE
|
AYMAG.COM
READER FEEDBACK CHEERS FOR SOUP: HEATHER BAKER AND HILARY HUNT CHOW DOWN ON SOUP AT CHEERS IN THE HEIGHTS “Love this! Thank you. Relocated here a year ago and the reviews help. You guys, I mean y’all, do a great job. Keep up the great work.” Ray Ferralez HOMETOWN HEROES: KESHA COBB AND PASTOR RYAN SUMMONS LEAD THE C.E.N.T.E.R “Wow! This was an honor.” Kesha Cobb MADE IN ARKANSAS: FISCHER’S HONEY COMPANY HAS BEEN A SWEET NEIGHBORHOOD TREAT “I have bought their products for years. Always excellent quality!” Bessie Cockrell THIRSTY THURSDAY: BASECAMP COFFEE IS A SAFE PLACE FOR DELICIOUS COFFEE “Love this! Thank you so much!” Basecamp Coffee Company
CONTESTS
Great biz partners! AY Media Group Publisher Heather Baker and Michael Morton.
Check out Valhalla Restaurant & Axe Throwing, one of the top five restaurants to visit in Benton.
Stopping by Baja Grill for the weekly Bucket List segment.
Contest deadline is Feb. 14! Go to aymag.com and click on the “Contests” tab.
1. HOMER’S WEST
Looking for some delicious cooking? Look no further than Homer’s West restaurant in Little Rock, where you’ll find a huge menu of tasty options, from burgers to Omaha strips to home favorites, like countryfried steak. Win a gift card to Homer’s West, and head over for some food! CODE: HOMERS
2. LOBLOLLY
There’s nothing like a scoop of delicious ice cream, no matter the season. When it comes to ice cream, you can’t beat Loblolly Creamery. This Little Rock favorite serves up mouth-watering smallbatch ice cream, using fresh ingredients and unique flavors. Come and get your favorite flavor, on us. CODE: LOBLOLLY
12
3. TURPENTINE CREEK
Take a walk on the wild side at Turpentine Creek. This Eureka Springs refuge provides a home for abandoned and neglected big cats, from tigers to lions to leopards. Win two tickets to tour the refuge and see all the amazing animals! CODE: CATS
AY About You talks with Elizabeth Pulley, executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Arkansas.
!
January WINNERS Gadwall’s Grill: MARTHA CHILDERS Loblolly: COLBY LEE Turpentine Creek: TAMI DARR
Heart of the Home Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in Arkansas, but they’re not the only ones impacted. Wives, mothers, daughters and sisters often serve as the health care decision-maker for their home and family. As a woman, you are the heart of your home - and your family’s health often starts with you. Take care of your heart so that you can take care of theirs. Take the CHI St. Vincent Heart of the Home pledge today: chistvincent.com/moreheart
agenda
5
Top
you just can't miss! LIFT EVERY VOICE: AFRICAN-AMERICAN POETRY Feb. 3, 9 a.m.
www.faylib.org The Fayetteville Public Library is putting on this Lift Every Voice event virtually this month, which includes archivists from the University of Arkansas.
VALENTINE’S DAY POP-UP SHOP Feb. 6, 10 a.m Forrest City A special pop-up will touch down in Forrest City this month, providing the perfect opportunity for some last-minute holiday shopping before the big day of romance arrives.
RHEA LANA’S OF CONWAY SHOPPING SALE Feb. 7 - 13
Conway Expo Center — Conway Rhea Lana’s first shopping spree of 2021 is this month. The event organizers promise that the experience will be just as safe as it is exciting.
HAUNTED HEARTS Feb. 12, 13
The Fee House — Little Rock You’ve probably celebrated Valentine’s Day numerous times up to now, but have you ever combined spooky and sentimental? That’s exactly what The Fee House is promising this month.
CREATING BLACK AMERICANS Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m. www.cals.org Nell Irvin Painter, the author of Creating Black Americans, will present as part of this special event via Zoom, hosted by CALS’ Six Bridges Book Festival.
14
events
Top 3 events to do at home Editor’s Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the events and information listed are subject to change. For the events you do attend this month, please remember to be safe and abide by the most current guidelines set forth by Gov. Asa Hutchinson and the Arkansas Department of Health.
FINDING FAMILY FACTS (VIRTUAL) Feb. 8; 3:30 p.m. www.cals.org
RACE, RAGE AND RESISTANCE (VIRTUAL) Feb 1, 8, 15, 22; 6:30 p.m. www.cals.org
AGFC VIRTUAL NATURE CENTER www.agfcnaturecenter.com
15
aymag.com
ENERGY EFFICIENT | DURABLE | TESTED & VERIFIED
Creating a more comfortable and resilient home. Green building is fundamentally about living with clean air in a healthier environment, using sustainable materials, and lowering energy costs.
5 01- 416 - 89 8 6
RiverRockBuilders.net Little Rock, Arkansas
home
stylish. sustainable. By Julie Craig // Photos Provided By River Rock Builders
SINCE 1999, RIVER ROCK BUILDERS OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS HAS BROUGHT DREAM HOMES TO LIFE THROUGH STATE-OF-THE-ART VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY AND SUPERIOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY. 17
aymag.com
PATTY AND KEITH WINGFIELD ARE CERTAINLY NO STRANGERS TO THE HOME BUSINESS. After all, Patty’s father was one of the founding members of the Arkansas Home Builders Association in the early 1950s, making the shift into commercial appraising in the 1960s. About the time Patty and Keith were married, he was the developer of a large single-familyhome-subdivision in Sherwood. “He understood so much about the entire real estate and construction industry,” she says. Keith, the son of a full-time design engineer for Alcoa and a parttime builder in the ’60s and ’70s, credits his father for much of his career path as well. His father began building full-time until the recession of 1980-81 when interest rates rose to 20 percent. “He taught me a lot and helped me after he retired from 1999 until his death in 2006.” In 1999, Keith and Patty started River Rock Builders.“We were not strangers to home building,” he says, crediting both his and Patty’s home building family background. “We built our first house for ourselves in 1983, and our second in 1997. You can’t do that unless you have some experience or help.” These days, we all know “going green” is of utmost importance, and River Rock focuses on custom home building with an emphasis on energy efficiency. “Energy is not a cliche topic for us. I mean, we don’t just talk the talk. We walk it — all the way,” Keith says. “We understand the building science of energy efficiency where others really don’t. We energy model and test all our homes. That sets us apart from every other builder.” What also sets the company apart is its in-house 3D design capabilities that enable the team to give clients a unique experience where they can virtually walk the space of their dream home before it becomes
18
heaven little slice of
reality. The team, also composed of project manager and designer Ryan Renard as well as interior designer Bridget MacKenzie, showcases its building mastery with the Ferndale home featured here — or “little slice of heaven,” as homeowners Mary Jane and Mike Cole like to call it. Once you arrive and soak up the spectacular view from the very high ridge that looks both north and south, it’s clear to see how it gets this name. “When Mike met me to look at the site and the plans, the first thing I said was, ‘We need to change the plans to fit the ridge,’” Keith says. “We did, and still have some topography challenges to deal with now. It was a challenge just to go on the roller-coaster road to get to the top.” The entire project took about 19 months, but as Keith says, “You have to see the environment to understand that.” The team could only bring in fill materials in half loads and concrete in 6 cubic yard bunches. “The logistics were really problematic throughout the project,” Keith adds. But the tough logistics turned out to be one of greatest assets of all — the exterior. The landscaping has many features that highlight the scenery from the outcropping of rock placed on the embankment of the cut in the ridge to the running stream and small pond that makes for a peaceful feeling. The view at sunset is simply stunning and really sets the house apart. The owners wanted a stone and wood siding look but with a modern exterior, so the team combined natural stone from Schwartz Stone, from Scranton, with a new reverse board and batten siding product from Louisiana Pacific, called Smart Siding. The Smart Siding came pre-finished with a wood stain and the reverse board and batten mirrors a cool, lapped horizontal siding. The thin veneer stone was cut into various rectangular shapes and then tumbled to take off the sharp edges. The blend of the two products looks like nature pulled it all together. But the home isn’t just all natural in its looks. It is sustainable at its finest. “If it’s not sustainable, River Rock doesn’t do it,” Keith says. “We use
high-performance materials like the Smart Siding, which is an engineered wood (sustainable) siding with a 50-year warranty. The stone is a natural product and extremely durable.” The entire building assembly from the foundation to the tip of the roof is foam-filled to provide the maximum efficiency to the walls and attic. “This home is built to be a high-performance home with all the materials selected to be some of the best available,” Keith says. The team used an exterior sheathing product manufactured by Huber Engineered Woods called Zip-R. It has an integrated moisture and air barrier membrane that is attached to the exterior surface of the sheathing. In addition, a half-inch closed-cell foam board insulation is laminated to the interior side of the sheathing, providing a thermal break between the wood studs and the wood. “This thermal break not only adds the wall R-value but substantially reduces the thermal transfer that a wood to wood connection allows.”
19
aymag.com
20
eco-friendlyat its finest
Homeowners Ann and Dr. Rick Owen researched their share of environmental homebuilding components before embarking on a dream journey with River Rock Builders to update their historic Heights home of 12 years. It not only showcases eco-friendly at its finest, but it truly exemplifies how sustainable design enhances comfort and livability in any home. In this instance, “update” means the home was completely torn down and rebuilt from the ground up to include a plethora of features meant to reduce its carbon footprint. From landscaping and irrigation to countertops and lighting, many aspects of the home received a gorgeous, green makeover. The Owenses installed 42 solar PV panels to produce enough energy to power the 2,662-square-foot residence. The interior green features include: Energy Star appliances; WaterSense plumbing fixtures; recycled glass countertops; LED lighting (of which builder Keith Wingfield says, “If you aren’t using LED everywhere, you are missing the lighting boat.”); locally sourced glass and mirrors; cast-iron sinks and tubs; vintage and upcycled light fixtures; and no-VOC paint from Sherwin-Williams. In fact, the couple’s drive to build the healthiest, most sustainable home they could led them to certify their home in 2018 and go on to win “Project of the Year” in the 2018 LEED Homes Awards. “I wanted to do something that was energy-efficient and provided economy as a good investment in a personal home,” says the president of River Rock Builders, Wingfield, who became Arkansas’ first Certified Green Builder in 2007 and then went on to earn his LEED AP with the USGBC in 2010. “I wish more Arkansans would wake up and understand what a more clean,
energy-efficient and healthy home they can live in by practicing just a few of these principles while building a new home.” The Owenses had a goal of achieving a LEED Platinum rating through the United States Green Building Council. “I explained the difficulty to achieve this rating; it’s only given to the best of the best green homes and buildings in the country,” Wingfield says. “When I found out we would get the Platinum rating and told Ann, she was beyond excited to know that their home had made it to the top of ratings. What we didn’t expect was how far we would go with the project, winning Arkansas Green Home of the Year and then finally the National Award for Project of the Year.” One green “principle” featured in this American Craftsman-style residence is that of recycling. When replacing their existing home, the homeowners took great care in reusing salvageable fixtures, appliances and materials. These materials were then collected and sold by the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Another principle? Restore. During the landscaping process, to reduce water and chemical usage, the family decided to forego a lawn in favor of permeable surfaces. That means there is no grass sod on the entire landscape since grass is the No. 1 demand for water. Native plants adorn the property, and eight rain barrels are used for irrigation. In a process of restoration, the property’s grass was reallocated to a local preschool playground after de-sodding. In addition, the driveway is filled with porous concrete to eliminate any excessive runoff for stormwater and to get the stormwater filtered into the ground quickly. Perfect for entertaining, the Owens’ home includes a fantastic screened porch with a huge sliding door and a separate outdoor deck, allowing for large gatherings to mingle inside and out. “The owners love to show off the house, but not in the normal sense. They want everyone to see that sustainability and green is a way to live efficiently, economically, healthy and comfortably,” Wingfield says. Much like them, homeowners can research before deciding how to go green. Wingfield mentions that anyone living in an existing home more than 20 years old should contact utility providers to see what incentives are offered to help reduce utility bills through energy savings. “The simple things of caulking, sealing and weather stripping are easily done. A little more difficult is the sealing of the duct system,” he says. “Would you be surprised if I told you the average home in Arkansas loses almost 40 percent of their conditioned air (either hot or cold) through duct leakage? It’s a documented fact by our utility providers, and even new homes have duct systems that leak up to 25-30 percent because they don’t have proper filtration, provide fresh air and are much less healthy than a LEED-certified home or Energy Star home.” In the end, building an award-winning green home is always a fulfilling process for Wingfield. “I’m very satisfied to know that I have one more customer who understands the efficiency and sustainability in their home,” he says. “I want them to tell everybody they know that you can live in comfort, with clean air, at a fraction of the cost of your neighbor. It takes an investment — but really, what doesn’t?”
21
aymag.com
THIS SAME STANDARD OF SUSTAINABILITY MET A DIFFERENT STYLE IN AN UPDATED HOME IN THE HEIGHTS.
Distinctly comfortable.
19650 I-30, Benton •
congofp.com •
501.316.4328
22
When considering a facility for short-term rehabilitation services, families want the best they can get for their loved ones, and they have to look no further than Superior Health and Rehab in Conway.
Our rehabilitation gym offers state-of-the art rehab and features interactive equipment to enable our licensed therapists to create a comprehensive therapy program designed to get our residents back to their prior functional level, regain their self-reliance and facilitate a return to home as quickly as possible.
625 Tommy Lewis Drive • Conway, AR• 501-585-6800 • superiorhrc.com
garden
EVERYTHING’S COMING UP
(VIRTUALLY) By Emily Beirne
THE PANDEMIC HAS NOT ‘SOILED’ THE ARKANSAS FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY
ush botanicals and exquisite rock formations haven’t earned Arkansas the title of “The Natural State” for nothing. This is proven by the dedicated work and attention presented by the annual Arkansas Flower and Garden Show (AF&GS). Celebrating its 30th anniversary during an unfortunate year for large events, the nonprofit organization behind the spectacle has sowed a new event to meet the health and safety precautions currently in place. While planning and preparation for the AF&GS is extensive in a normal year, COVID-19 has caused the nonprofit organization to adapt. “Our board members really are dedicated. Each one of us has a position and [you] hold that position for a year,” says Patti Womble, board president of AF&GS. “However, all the board members agreed that they would hold their position for two years because we aren’t having a traditional show for 2021. That’s a lot of dedication.” After extensive debate on how to conduct the show for this year, not wanting to cancel on their 30th anniversary, a plan was constructed for a socially distanced event that will likely intrigue Arkansas gardeners. “We’ve got our fingers crossed. It’s a great idea for a year that we can’t all get together, and maybe people will want to do this in addition to our traditional show in the future,” Womble says. Rather than a three-day event featuring beautiful garden displays
Johnson County Courthouse.
24
“
together. WE’LL GET THROUGH
Johnson County Courthouse.
and educational seminars, the event will now take place from February 1 to May 31 as the Arkansas Best Gardens Competition. To enter, participants must submit a video of their garden to the organization through a link found on any of the AF&GS’s social media pages or website. This video should include information on why this particular garden was constructed, how it was designed and features that make it one of the best in the state. “I want to see what they can do with their videos,” Womble says. “There are over 3,000 Master Gardeners in Arkansas, so there’s a lot of pride there. We want people to show us what they’ve been working on. Start a video now, and then show your progress throughout the next few months.” The competition contains two divisions for participants to submit their videos to: professional design or non-professional design. These two divisions allow professional landscape and garden designers to feature their hard work, as well as allow garden hobbyists to showcase their passion. In June 2021, committees will watch the submitted videos and choose the top five from both divisions, with P. Allen Smith as a guest judge. The winning gardens will be announced in July 2021 and will be available for the public to view on the organization’s Patreon page for $10. Quarantine, while an unfortunate time during 2020, allowed many people to focus on their yard and garden upkeep. More and more people spent time around the outsides of their homes because there was nowhere else to go. The organization believes this is the perfect opportunity for people to showcase what they have been doing the last year and really make the best of the situation. The 30th anniversary of the AF&GS might fall on a strange year, but that’s not letting the people behind the nonprofit organization forego the mission behind the event. “While it’s a great and fun event to attend, it’s also raising money for really good causes,” Womble says. Each ticket bought, each application submitted and any other revenue generated is put toward the nonprofit’s Greening Grants of Arkansas program and scholarships. The grant money goes toward Arkansas communities looking to revitalize their public spaces through landscape initiatives, and scholarships are awarded to nominated university students studying horticulture or related fields. With more than $200,000 in awarded grants through the years, communities have used the funding for several projects revitalizing parks, community gardens and public spaces in need of extra care and a green thumb. “One of the reasons [we] started the grant program was to help move financial support to all parts of the state,” Womble says. “This isn’t just a
25
THIS
Little Rock or Central Arkansas mission but statewide.” The Arkansas Veterans Cemetery and the Johnson County Courthouse are two examples of how communities saw a need in their public spaces and used the Greening Grant to add some botanical and landscaping beauty. Because of the grant and the work of volunteer community members, these spaces have received the adornments they deserve. The grant has also been used in public schools to support educational gardening programs for students. Pulaski Heights Elementary was awarded a Greening Grant in 2018 to help establish a green space for students and members of the community to use. Students learn about the process of plant growth and take pride in their ongoing project. Grants can be applied for on the Arkansas Flower and Garden website. Wanting to support the next generation and generations to come of horticulturists, the AF&GS awards scholarships to full-time students attending any university or community college in Arkansas studying horticulture or a related field of study. In the last 10 years, more than $60,000 in scholarships has been awarded to students studying in Arkansas. “We usually give away one scholarship, and, in past shows, we had a silent auction at the event, and all the money from the silent auction went toward the scholarship,” Womble explains. Students hoping to be awarded a scholarship must apply through the Arkansas Flower and Garden Show website. “We want people to know that the money we raise all goes to good places. That, along with exposing our wonderful gardeners, is the reason that we do this,” Womble says. “It also connects the gardening community to each other. At the traditional show, the nurseries in Little Rock and North Little Rock, and others statewide, set up the gardens together.” Throughout the past year, “together” has taken on a new meaning: “We’ll get through this together.” Even though they are not physically together, the gardening community in Arkansas still has the opportunity to share their masterpieces and support the AF&GS’s mission in giving back to the Natural State. For questions regarding the competition, Greening Grants of Arkansas or scholarship applications, go to www.argardenshow.org or call 501-258-4242.
Arkansas Veterans Cemetery. aymag.com
BLACKMeMe’s Twisted Potato. (Courtesy) Jasper Lee of Lee’s Fresh Fish. (Courtesy)
Elihue Washington Jr. of Lassis Inn. (Jamison Mosley)
Walker’s Restaurant. (Jamison Mosley)
26
-OWNED RESTAURANTS MATTER By Kevin Shalin
It is time to support the restaurants that have so often been overlooked. ust after the George Floyd story rocked the news and with our country in turmoil, a reader on my personal food blog messaged me, asking if I had a list of Black-owned restaurants in Central Arkansas for her to support. I quickly responded with a couple names of the more wellknown establishments like Lassis Inn, K Hall & Sons Produce and Sims Bar-B-Que. Honestly though, I did not give her enough options. So, I went back to the blog and asked readers what were their favorite Black-owned restaurants in Central Arkansas. We received 35 suggestions within an hour. Thirty-five quickly turned into 50, and by day’s end, we had 100 businesses — and not just brickand-mortar restaurants. The list included food trucks, bakers, chocolate makers, coffeehouses, caterers and even a sauce entrepreneur. My mind was blown. A kind soul even offered to design an image with all 100 places, perfect to save to one’s cellphone and have as a reference always within grasp. Until then, I thought I was doing a good job of covering Little Rock’s diverse food community, and included in that, our Black-owned restaurants. Nope. I had not eaten at many of the recommended places, nor had I even heard of several of them. How was this possible? How did I miss so many spots? With my new list in hand, I was ready to hit the ground running.
27
aymag.com
Walker’s Restaurant. (Jamison Mosley)
28
Lee’s Fresh Fish. (Courtesy).
They matter, and visiting these businesses on a regular basis needs to be top of mind, now and in the future, so that they become firmly sewn into the tapestry of the Central Arkansas food community.
Lindsey’s BBQ & Hospitality House. (Jamison Mosley)
Rather than dwell on the restaurants I had missed up until that point, my mission was to make a concerted effort to visit and regularly report on these Black-owned businesses. Doing so required a planned, intentional effort, and not just for the immediate future but for the long haul. Over the course of the next several months, the restaurants I found and the food I ate did nothing but make me want to continue the search. One outing after another impressed, leading to a personal, newfound inspiration in reporting on food, and made me realize that what I had thought was my broad network of food eateries had been too limited. Food trucks proved to be a huge draw. The appropriately named Lee’s Fresh Fish served fried catfish, line-caught just a few hours prior to my consumption. Jude’s Delight on University Avenue had one of my very favorite cheeseburgers in town, as well as a stuffed salmon dish that could practically feed an army. I returned to the truck a few weeks later just to make sure that the burger was as good as I remembered. It was. Cheesecake on Point, with its playful, cheesecake-on-a-stick take on a dessert classic, was so good that I came back four times within five weeks for strawberry crumble cheesecake and apple crisp cheesecake cupcakes. Afrobites, a fairly new truck, specializes in African cuisine. A delightful lunch comprised of two dishes, a tender lamb shank over fried rice and sides of stewed purple-hull peas and cabbage, along with jollof rice and chicken kebabs, had me yearning for a return visit. Brick-and-mortar restaurants, both old and new, impressed time and time again. At the top of that list was Lindsey’s BBQ & Hospitality House. This restaurant has been churning out signature barbeque for decades but also serves up some of the very best fried chicken, along with an array of sides like greens, candied yams, steamed cabbage and fried okra. The award-winning sweet potato pie might just be the crown jewel of the menu, which is really saying something. Another longtime establishment, Uncle T’s Food Mart on the corner of Daisy Bates and Martin Luther King Jr., has built a loyal following of patrons who adore its fresh-sliced deli meat sandwiches like roast beef and Cajun turkey on hoagie rolls. Returning to the topic of cheeseburgers, takeout experiences from Mama’s House of Burgers, Too Sweet Bar & Grill and the aforementioned K Hall & Sons were all met with rave reviews. These three establishments, much like Jude’s Delight, produced simple, no-frills, juicy
burgers that easily inspire return visits. Try wolfing down a double cheeseburger from K Hall inside your car on a lunch break, and tell me that is not a memorable experience. I got my soul food fix in Hot Springs with a trip to Emma Lee’s along Park Avenue for some fried catfish, mac and cheese, purple-hull peas and banana pudding. Back in Little Rock, the HallBros2Go food trailer proved that its Soul Food Sundays not only excelled with staples like fried okra, chicken wings, fried pork chops and peach cobbler, but also with a lasagna that rivals any Italian restaurant in the area. Just make sure to arrive early, as the line forms a good 15 minutes before opening. Down on Asher Avenue, vegetarians and vegans will love Meme’s Twisted Potatoes’ Dirty Bird sandwich loaded with seitan tenders, kale, red onion and guacamole, while those of you with a sweet tooth will be blown away by the beauty and taste of special occasion cakes from Sugar Joint Bakery. (I may have ordered one for my daughter’s 16th birthday.) And one of my favorite personal discoveries came in the form of a barbeque chili sauce called Truth Sauce. Made by Keith Tucker Jr., of Little Rock, the sauce happens to be great on just about anything from wings to ribs to roasted pork to egg rolls. Two bottles currently reside in my refrigerator. Truth be told, as much as I have made covering Black-owned restaurants and businesses a priority over the past six months, there are so many places still to discover, not to mention returning to standout restaurants like Walker’s, Brewsters 2 Café and Flint’s Just Like Mom’s. Walker’s chicken and dressing with gravy and cranberry sauce is like Thanksgiving all year long, while Brewster’s fried catfish and Flint’s fried chicken are divine. What makes food writing so gratifying are those opportunities to discover new restaurants — often because of tips or direct messages from readers — and then to share those discoveries with the broader community. Those of you who have followed my writing know that my philosophy is that we become a richer community by sharing and supporting our local food gems. Black-owned restaurants are an integral part of this. They matter, and visiting these businesses on a regular basis needs to be top of mind, now and in the future, so that they become firmly sewn into the tapestry of the Central Arkansas food community.
29
aymag.com
r o f ’ n i g a R Cajun
30
Little Rock’s love for Cajun and Creole food shows no signs of letting up By KEVIN SHALIN Photography by JAMISON MOSLEY ittle Rock is absolutely gaga about all things associated with New Orleans, from its culture and celebrations to the lifestyle, and, of course, food. Included in this vast gastronomic spectrum is a love for Cajun and Creole cuisines, as evident by our area’s plethora of restaurants. Our options seem almost endless, but I would be remiss to start off an article like this without recognizing The Faded Rose, which is not only one of the most beloved restaurants in town, but a place that truly introduced us to bold flavors more than 38 years ago. For management, there is an easy explanation as to why we continue to be so passionate about Cajun cooking. “There is a comfort level to Arkansans with the food. I also think there has been a nationwide trend for the last 20 to 30 years towards New Orleans and south-Louisiana food,” says Zac David, general manager at The Faded Rose. “Hurricane Katrina brought a lot of people up from Louisiana that appreciate the food and know it really well. This led us to up our game because the customer is much more knowledgeable about the food. We have to stay focused on giving people the best product we can.” And they have done that with popular dishes Copper Mule Table & Tap. like their okra, andouille sausage gumbo, red beans and rice, shrimp Tchoupitoulas and crawfish etouffee, just to name a few. The crawfish etouffee, with its rich roux and plentiful crustaceans, happens to be one of my favorite plates of food in town. The restaurant’s seasonal Wednesday crawfish boil, viewed by many as an event unto itself, routinely fills The Faded Rose with diehard mudbug lovers. In one of Little Rock’s stranger restaurant anomalies, another wildly popular Cajun and Creole restaurant, Maddie’s
31
Place, is right next door to The Faded Rose. While each spot possesses similarities to the other, differences remain, and in the end, both are cherished by loyal patrons who adore the personable service and authentic eats. Brian Deloney, owner of Maddie’s Place, says, “I grew up going to New Orleans on family trips and just got to love the feel down there. When we moved to the city as an adult, I wound up at Emeril’s New Orleans working for Emeril Lagasse and started learning and cooking new New Orleans
dishes. I loved being able to take the basics of Creole/Cajun dishes and adding our spin to them. I think that is what people enjoy about Maddie’s Place. It is that kind of new take on some classics. Knowing how to build layers of flavors for a dish is what I love about the style that comes from Creole/ Cajun cooking.” At Maddie’s Place, take your pick of dishes that tickle the taste buds with unmistakable Cajun seasonings and aymag.com
takes on Cajun dishes have helped vault YGFBFKitchen’s popularity in a relatively short period of time. Her irresistible shrimp and grits, among other entrees, is a must-order. “Our shrimp and grits allow each element of the dish, from the creamy cheesy grits to the spicy gravy to the blackened seasoned shrimp in our homemade tomato compote, to be present but also pair together so well,” she says. “It is a burst of Cajun flavors in your mouth.” In fact, shrimp and grits, a dish that often marries Southern and Cajun cuisines, is found on brunch, lunch, and dinner menus all over Central Arkansas. South on Main does a “Tuesday Shrimp and Grits,” and the entrée is served up at restaurants like Capers, Table 28, Red Door, Lazy Pete’s Fish and Shrimp and Copper Mule Table & Tap, the latter of which is a new restaurant in Bryant. While the menu at Copper Mule is technically a Southern concept, it has a Cajun and Creole lean. Voodoo Pasta, red beans and rice, shrimp and grits, gumbo, and even a white chocolate bread pudding make sure of that. For executive chef Mindy Mitchell, a Louisiana native, being at Copper Mule gave her an opportunity to bring a cuisine she loves to an area in need of it. “Authentic Cajun and Creole cooking is very hard to find outside of the Greater New Orleans
Above: Fried green tomatoes at Maddie’s Place.
flavors. Po’boys with grilled shrimp or fried catfish with remoulade, lettuce and tomato on Leidenheimer bread are lunchtime favorites. Entrees like the andouille sausage jambalaya with Creole tomato glaze and seared redfish with garlic grits, green beans and crawfish etouffee sauce also keep the folks coming back time and time again, as does the insanely addictive bread pudding with spiced rum sauce. Joining these established restaurants are two relatively new kids on the block, North Little Rock’s Mr. Cajun’s Kitchen & Catering and area food truck The Cajun Trouxth. I am planning to dive into more of the menu at Mr. Cajun’s beyond the fried chicken tenders from my one visit. At The Cajun Trouxth (pronounced truth, a roux is added to the traditional spelling), the Down & Dirty is an absolute hit, somehow seamlessly combining three dishes into one with its hearty portion of dirty rice topped with a golden fried catfish, then smothered in shrimp etouffee. The warm, friendly service is just as good. “The Cajun Trouxth has been in business since August 2020,” says owner Charles Gilmer. “My catering business, Martha’s Bon Appetit LLC, is where I started cooking Cajun dishes. When the demand grew, I figured it was time to give the food truck a try. Our most popular dishes are the Down & Dirty, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, and the Jambalaya egg rolls.” Just a short, 30-minute drive from Little Rock in Conway is YGFBFKitchen, the former food truck that has transitioned to a brick-and-mortar restaurant over the past year with a prime, downtown location. Chef and owner MaryAnn Strange’s creative
32
area, so when given the opportunity to create a Southern-style menu, it was a no brainer for me,” she says. “And as a bonus, I get to bring something new and unique to the Saline County community and food scene.” The Oyster Bar, while not new, did recently receive a complete revamp to the restaurant. Menu changes, including an unparalleled selection of fresh oysters to go along with Cajun and Creole classics like fried alligator po’boys, shrimp Creole and wood-grilled oysters are a welcome sight. Even restaurants that may not technically be Cajun-focused have embraced the popular cuisine with several menu offerings. Petit & Keet has duck gumbo and BBQ shrimp and shiitake leek risotto, while its sister restaurant, Cypress Social, in North Little Rock, serves chargrilled oysters, red beans and rice, redfish Pontchartrain and an alligator sausage roll. It is a flair shared by so many chefs around the city. Our community’s intense interest in New Orleans, combined with a variety of restaurants providing such stellar dishes, leads me to believe that Central Arkansas’ love for Cajun and Creole food will not be waning anytime soon. And like other folks, I am completely fine with it.
Above and left: Mr. Cajun’s Kitchen & Catering.
33
aymag.com
Cajun Bucket - Creole Food List AY’s ARKANSAS
Presented by
l Beau’s Bayou Smokehouse
l F loyd’s Meat & Seafood
l Red Door
oudreaux’s Grill & Bar l B
l Juicy Tails
J’s Crawfish Shack l R
ourbon Street Steakhouse & Grill l B
l L azy Pete’s Fish and Shrimp
andra Rose Kitchen l S
afe Rue Orleans l C
l L eon’s Catfish and Steak House
l South on Main
ajun Boilers l C
l Louisiana Influence Cajun Food
l T-Mo’s Cajun Cookin’
Farmington
Maumelle
West Memphis
Fayetteville
Hot Springs
l Cajun Express Wheatley
ajun Kitchen l C
Fayetteville
apers l C
Little Rock
ooyons l C
Mountain Home
l Copper Mule Table & Tap Bryant
rawPappy’s Cajun Cuisine l C
Alma
ypress Social l C
North Little Rock
l Delta Crawfish and the Cajun Cafe Jonesboro
l Dondie’s White River Princess Des Arc
l Eat My Catfish
Sherwood
Fayetteville, Rogers Little Rock Pine Bluff
Truck Siloam Springs
l Lulu’s Seafood Kitchen Little Rock
l Maddie’s Place Little Rock
l Meomyo’s Bayou Cafe Texarkana
l Mike’s Place Conway
r. Cajun’s Kitchen l M
North Little Rock
l Petit & Keet Little Rock
l Purple Onion Cabot
Little Rock Bryant
Little Rock
Little Rock
Springdale
l Table 28
Little Rock
he Cajun Trouxth l T
Central Arkansas
l The Creole Girls Cafe Eureka Springs
he Faded Rose l T
Little Rock
he Oyster Bar l T
Little Rock
l Who Dat’s Cajun Restaurant Bald Knob
GFBFKitchen l Y
Conway
l R Landry’s New Orleans Cafe Fort Smith
agun Cajun Crawfish & Seafood l R
El Dorado
Benton, Fayetteville, Little Rock, North Little Rock
3C heck off the Cajun/Creole Bucket List as you visit a small sample of our favorite places. 34
AY About You
Arkansas Bucket List
Every Wednesday morning on KARK 4.
aymag.com
35
aymag.com
2 0 2 1
FINALISTS
Arkansas Food Hall of Fame
By DUSTIN JAYROE
O
n Jan. 25, the Division of Arkansas Heritage announced the finalists for this year’s class of the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame. Now in its fifth year, the program was created in 2016 to recognize and dignify the legends of the state’s food scene with this highest honor. The Arkansas Food Hall of Fame is broken down into the following categories:
• • • • •
Arkansas Food Hall of Fame Proprietor of the Year Food-Themed Event People’s Choice Gone But Not Forgotten
Nominations for this year’s class poured in from around the state in October, tallying more than 2,000 in total. Since then, a special committee has been hard at work to decide who takes the next step into “finalist” status. That committee includes Paul S. Austin, Jimmy Bryant, Chip Culpepper, Cindy Grisham, Stacy Hurst, Montine McNulty, Rex Nelson, Tim Nutt, Kat Robinson, Christina Shutt, Donna Uptigrove, David Ware and Stanley Young.
36
The winners from this group, this year’s official inductees into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame, will be announced in a virtual ceremony in February. Notable winners and finalists from past years include Lassis Inn, Scott McGehee of Yellow Rocket Concepts, the International Greek Food Festival, Bruno’s Little Italy and Murry’s Restaurant, just to name a few. “There were many unknowns for each Arkansan in 2020. Celebrating food people and places is more important than ever. We are so pleased to honor these special entities as a special part of Arkansas’ heritage and culture.” — Stacy Hurst, Secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism
GONEThis award BUT NOT FORGOTTEN remembers the collective culinary legacy of a once-and-always influential Arkansas restaurant that has since ceased operations.
BROWNING’S MEXICAN GRILL Little Rock 1946 - 2010
The historic spot for Hispanic fare occupied a spot on Kavanaugh Boulevard in Little Rock for more than 60 years; the same place that Heights Taco and Tamale Co. operates out of now.
HABIB’S CAFÉ AND DELICATESSEN Helena 1888 - 1984
Habib’s was a mainstay of the Delta for nearly 100 years. Founded by brothers Antoine and Habib Etoch, the cafe stood on Cherry Street in downtown Helena from the ‘80s to the ‘80s, itself outliving the two brothers.
UNCLE JOHN’S RESTAURANT Crawfordsville 1984 - 2018
DAIRY HOLLOW HOUSE Eureka Springs 1979 - 1998
For two decades, the humble Dairy Hollow House was talked about for miles. Despite its quaint size and location, it was acclaimed by the likes of The Washington Post, USA Today, The New York Times and CNN.
FISHER’S STEAK HOUSE North Little Rock
For years, Uncle John’s was a hidden gem of delicious Italian food in Crittenden County. Sadly, a fire overtook the building in 2018, but its memory lives on in many of its former patrons’ hearts.
1947 - 2005
Fisher’s was a landmark on Broadway in North Little Rock for the better part of a century, where many memories were made and even a movie was filmed.
37
aymag.com
FOOD THEMED EVENT This award honors a community food-themed event or festival that makes our state a great place to live and visit.
ARKANSAS CORNBREAD FESTIVAL
Pulaski County - Little Rock Since 2011, the Arkansas Cornbread Festival has delivered music, entertainment and, of course, cornbread by the droves to the SoMa district of Little Rock.
BRADLEY COUNT Y PINK TOMATO FESTIVAL
Bradley County - Warren
Now in its 65th iteration, the Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival is an annual celebration of the area’s favorite red berry.
MAGNOLIA BLOSSOM FESTIVAL & WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STEAK COOK-OFF
Columbia County - Magnolia
The festival and its subsidiary steak cook-off have drawn crowds to the town of Magnolia for three decades.
TONTITOWN GRAPE FESTIVAL
Washington County - Tontitown
Speaking of historic traditions, the Tontitown Grape Festival is the longest-running community gathering in Arkansas, with recognition from the Library of Congress as such.
OUR LADY OF THE LAKE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S ANNUAL SPAGHETTI DINNER
Arkansas County - Stuttgart
This event is one of the oldest events in the state’s history, as the church has been churning out homemade spaghetti dinners at this traditional gathering for more than 100 years.
The World Championship Duck Gumbo Cookoff is part of the most popular annual attractions in the entire state, connected to the Wings Over the Prairie Festival and World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest.
Chicot County - Lake Village
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DUCK GUMBO COOKOFF
PROPRIETOR OF THE YEAR This award honors a chef, cook and/or restaurant owner in Arkansas who has made significant achievements in the food industry.
SAMI LAL Executive chef/Owner, Star of India
MATTHEW MCCLURE Executive Chef, The Hive
ANTHONY VALINOTI Proprietor, Deluca’s Pizza
Since 1993, Sami Lal and the rest of his staff at Star of India have been serving up fresh, authentic Indian cuisine.
Matthew McClure was named “The People’s Best New Chef” for the midwest by Food & Wine magazine in 2015. These days, you can find him at The Hive, located in the 21c Museum Hotel in Bentonville.
From Brooklyn to Hot Springs, Anthony Valinoti has created one of the most notable and acclaimed pizza joints in Arkansas history.
JAMIE MCAFEE Owner, Chef ’s Table by Jamie
CAPI PECK Executive Chef/Owner, Trio’s Restaurant
After more than 30 years in the country club culinary scene — in McGehee and Pine Bluff — Jamie McAfee now has his own food truck, Chef ’s Table by Jamie.
In addition to her role at the stapled restaurant Trio’s, Capi Peck has also served as the president of the Arkansas Restaurant Association and is a recipient of the Salut au Restaurateur Award from the Arkansas Hospitality Association. Photos By JAMISON MOSLEY
ARK ANSAS FOOD HALL OF FAME This award recognizes those long-standing restaurants that have become legendary attractions in Arkansas.
AQ CHICKEN HOUSE RESTAURANT 1207 N. Thompson St. Springdale, 72764
FELTNER’S WHATTA-BURGER 1410 N. Arkansas Ave. Russellville, 72801
MONTE NE INN CHICKEN 13843 AR-94 Rogers, 72758
COLONIAL STEAKHOUSE 111 W. 8th Ave. Pine Bluff, 71601
HERMAN’S RIBHOUSE 2901 N. College Ave. Fayetteville, 72703
NEAL’S CAFÉ 806 N. Thompson St. Springdale, 72764
OHIO CLUB 336 Central Ave. Hot Springs National Park, 71901 DAIRY KING 103 E. Front St. Portia, 72576
DIXIE PIG 701 N. 6th St. Blytheville, 72315
K HALL & SONS PRODUCE 1900 Wright Ave. Little Rock, 72202
STAR OF INDIA 301 N. Shackleford Road Little Rock, 72211
KREAM KASTLE 112 N. Division St. Blytheville, 72315 TRIO’S RESTAURANT 8201 Cantrell Road, Suite 100 Little Rock, 72227
SUPERBOWL RECIPES
Styled by DishebyDrea // Photo by Jamison Mosley 41
aymag.com
w
recipes
Italian Meatball Sliders By Nic Williams INGREDIENTS 1½ pounds lean ground beef ½ pound ground pork 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon pepper 3 eggs, beaten 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pack slider buns 8 ounces mozzarella, shredded 1 jar good marinara sauce, such as Rao's 2 cups of arugula 2 tablespoons butter, melted Flaked sea salt (for garnish) Minced thyme (for garnish) INSTRUCTIONS 1. H eat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Using clean hands or a wooden spoon, combine beef, pork, garlic, herbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Then mix in eggs until all ingredients are evenly distributed. 3. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Roll meatballs into 1½ inch balls, and place on the sheet pan about 1 inch apart. 4. B rush meatballs with olive oil, and bake 35-40 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through. 5. C ut meatballs in half and arrange on slider bun bottoms. Top with mozzarella and broil until melted, about 30 seconds. Add marinara and arugula. 6. Lightly brush bun tops with butter, and sprinkle with flaked sea salt and thyme.
Spinach and Cheese Pinwheels By Kaitlin Barger INGREDIENTS 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained 1 egg 1 tablespoon water ½ cup feta, crumbled ½ cup mozzarella, shredded 1 green onion, chopped ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg Flour INSTRUCTIONS 1. Thaw pastry sheet and spinach for about 40 minutes 2. Heat oven to 400 degrees. 3. Whisk egg and water together, and set aside. 4. Mix cheeses, onion and spices in a bowl. 5. U nfold pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and roll to flatten seams. 6. Brush pastry with egg mixture. 7. Top with cheese mixture and spinach (leave about 1 inch free of toppings on one of the short sides to prevent overflow). 8. Starting on the short side that’s covered with filling, roll up pastry like a jelly roll. 9. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. 10. C ut roll into 1-inch slices and lay them flat on baking sheets (about six per sheet). 11. Brush with egg mixture again. 12. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Note: This recipe makes about 12 pinwheels. You can cut roll into ½ inch slices for smaller pinwheels, or you can double this recipe and use the second pastry sheet in the package to make 24.
Cajun Popcorn Chicken By Nic Williams INGREDIENTS 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup pecans, finely chopped 1 tablespoon dried oregano 2 teaspoons cumin 2 teaspoons dried thyme ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces Vegetable oil Fresh thyme or parsley (for garnish) INSTRUCTIONS 1. C ombine flour, pecans, herbs, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. 2. Melt butter in a separate shallow bowl. 3. Pour Ÿ inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet. 4. D redge chicken in butter and then flour mixture. 5. W orking in batches, fry chicken until golden, making sure to not crowd the pan. 6. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley, and serve with your favorite dip.
Easy Crockpot Meatballs By Kaitlin Barger INGREDIENTS Cooking spray 26 ounces frozen meatballs 1 cup ketchup ½ cup soy sauce ½ cup honey 6 cloves minced garlic ½ teaspoon thyme ½ teaspoon oregano ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper Sesame seeds INSTRUCTIONS 1. S pray crockpot with cooking spray. 2. Add frozen meatballs to crockpot. 3. Mix ketchup, soy sauce, honey, garlic, thyme, oregano and cayenne pepper in a bowl. 4. Pour sauce over meatballs and mix. 5. C ook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. 6. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Best of
2018
When you you walk walk into into the the Robinson Robinson Nursing Nursing && Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Center Center you you will will feel feel aa comfortable comfortable atmosphere atmosphere different different When from any any other other facility facility you you have have visited. visited. We We feature feature tall tall ceilings ceilings and and an an open open floor floor plan. plan. We We have have aa lovely lovely dining dining room room and and from covered outdoor outdoor patio patio area. area. aa covered We specialize specialize in in short-term short-term rehabilitation rehabilitation and and long-term long-term care care services. services. The The short-term short-term rehabilitation rehabilitation area area has has its its own own We diningarea areaand andday dayroom. room.From Fromthe themoment momentyou youenter enterour ourfacility, facility,we wewant wantyou youto toexperience experiencethe thedifference differenceour ourfacility facilityhas has dining to offer. offer. From From our our light-filled light-filled day day areas areas to to our our beautiful beautiful outdoor outdoor areas, areas, we we want want you you and and your your loved loved one one to to feel feel comfortable comfortable to and safe safe when when staying staying with with us. us. You You will will also also notice notice the the pride pride we we take take in in our our facility facility by by keeping keeping our our building building sparkling sparkling clean clean and from the the inside inside out. out. from Our team team isis dedicated dedicated to to providing providing aa safe safe and and comfortable comfortable environment. environment. Robinson Robinson Nursing Nursing and and Rehab Rehab offers offers modern modern Our conveniencesin inaagracious gracioussetting. setting.We Weprovide providedaily dailyplanned plannedactivities activitiesled ledbybyCertified certifiedActivity activityDirectors, directors, like like social social events events conveniences and outings and pastoral services with spiritual care for all religions. We strongly encourage family participation in group and outings and pastoral services with spiritual care for all religions. We strongly encourage family participation in group activities, meals and celebrating family birthdays and special days. activities, meals and celebrating family birthdays and special days. To help help you you plan plan your your visits, visits, we we provide provide aa monthly monthly event event calendar calendar and and aa monthly monthly meal meal planner. planner. Robinson Robinson Nursing Nursing and and To Rehab does not have set visiting hours. We view this facility as the “home” of each resident. Rehab does not have set visiting hours. We view this facility as the “home” of each resident. We try try our our best best to to communicate communicate with with patients patients and and families families to to help help alleviate alleviate the the anxiety anxiety that that accompanies accompanies this this journey. journey. We Our team of nurses, therapists and support staff work closely together to develop a plan based on the individual needs of Our team of nurses, therapists and support staff work closely together to develop a plan based on the individual needs of each person. person. We We recognize recognize that that rehabilitation rehabilitation involves involves not not only only the the patient, patient but the entire family. each
501.753.9003 •• 519 519 Donovan Donovan Briley Briley Boulevard, Boulevard, NLR NLR •• www.robinsonnr.com www.robinsonnr.com 501.753.9003
At Good Shepherd Nursing and Rehabilitation we are committed to providing the highest quality of patient care. Our qualified staff is here giving support for the tasks of day-to-day living, allowing for the enjoyment of more pleasant and carefree activities.
NURSING & REHABILITATION CENTER at
GOOD SHEPHERD Bobby Lamb, Administrator 3001 Aldersgate Road, Little Rock AR 72205 • Phone 501-217-9774 • Fax 501-217-9781 www.goodshepherdnr.com
Bake It
‘Til You Make It
How an Arkansan Found International Acclaim as ‘The Greatest Baker’ By Katie Zakrzewski • Photos by Jamison Mosley
48
Sandy Bradley has held many titles in her life, from daughter to mom to faithful employee. Now, she can add “the Greatest Baker” to that list. In December 2020, Bradley was named the top baker out of 20,000 contestants internationally. As a grand prize, Bradley will receive $10,000 cash, a feature in the July/August 2021 issue of Bake From Scratch magazine, and a trip to Stuffed Puffs headquarters to meet CEO Michael Tierney. The competition collected $368,757.70 in donations for the organization No Kid Hungry, which was then dispersed to every state. Bradley says that the charity aspect is what pushed her to promote herself more. But the journey to being crowned the Greatest Baker has been a long one, full of valuable lessons, sweet victories and constructive defeats. Bradley has been baking since she was 4 years old when she received an Easy-Bake Oven. Born and raised in Valley View, just south of Jonesboro, Bradley had grown up with a deep love and admiration for her mother and her mother’s culinary talents. But it’s Christmas of 1965 that is most vivid in her memory. “My mother, who was an excellent cook and baker, was a stay-at-home mom,” Bradley recalls. “She set up my oven in the kitchen, pulled up a step stool to our kitchen island, gave me a bowl, and said that she was going to show me how to make cornbread in my oven. I was game for that, and I watched her, and I was trying to copy what she did.” Bradley recalls her first cooking lesson with a laugh. “My dad came home from work and was upset and puzzled as to how I was allowed to play with a 5-pound bag of cornmeal,” Bradley says. “Meanwhile, I was watching the little oven as Mom and Dad are talking, and mom is cleaning up my mess. My mom explained that the only way that I would learn properly was to experiment and try again. My mom let me bake and learn from my mistakes.” As Bradley grew up, baking gradually fell to the wayside. But as an adult, she fell in love with baking again. Bradley moved to Little Rock in the 1980s to work on a political campaign. That’s where she met Roy, the love of her life. Soon, they were married, and Bradley stayed in the capital city. Bradley notes that when the two were newlyweds, they lived paycheck to paycheck. But an advertisement for a cooking competition in the then Arkansas Gazette caught Bradley’s eye — especially the $500 prize. “At that time, I was trying to come up with more ways to bring in income for our household,” she says. “I figured that if there was something that I was good at and there was a chance that I’d make money with it, then it was worth a try.” Bradley, however, had no previous competition experience. She took to reading the rules repeatedly in earnest. Upon walk-
ing through the door, however, Bradley recognized that she was in trouble. “When I walked in to turn my dish in, I quickly realized that I was out of my league. Folks were elaborately decorating their spots and had beautiful typed recipe cards. I promptly found the nearest trash can and threw my recipe away. But it wasn’t the end of the world for me. There was still something to be gained from this,” she recalls. “I went around with my notebook and started looking at every single entry so I could better understand this cooking contest world. People took things to another level. I realized from that day that the rules are just a starting point in a cooking contest. You really have to read between the lines. I listened to the judges' critiques and came away inspired to do another cooking contest.” Bradley began entering into local cooking contests with the Arkansas State Fair. She walked away with several prizes. With more wind in her sails, she made her entry for the third and final day of competitions at the State Fair and continued winning. Bradley moved on to winning state contests and traveling all over the country. She says that it didn’t matter to her whether or not she won the national contests — she was just glad to have the opportunity to travel with her husband. “I was able to fulfill bucket list goals and places to see by traveling for competitions,” she says. “I went to a competition in California. I’d always wanted to see the Sequoia National Forest, and they took us there when we went. When you’re young, it is an incredible way to be hosted and to get around.” Bradley won the state chicken recipe contest and went to Atlanta. She began participating in international competitions. She won the Williams Chili Seasoning contest and won an egg recipe contest, despite the fact that she doesn’t eat eggs. But from 1995 to 1996, Bradley’s whole world suddenly changed. “My mom passed away very suddenly when she was 68. Then, I learned two months after that, that I was pregnant. I had been married for seven years — we didn’t think that we could have kids,” Bradley shares. “I still worked in the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce. Cooking contests took a backseat to family. I hadn’t really done anything in the cooking contest world, and it had changed a lot.” Bradley made another big life change and joined the McLarty Companies, where she has been for 14 years. Bradley describes the job as “probably one of the best things in my life that’s ever happened.” As her daughter, Lauren, grew up, Bradley would occasionally enter cooking contests with her as a team. They always placed well, but Lauren found cooking competitions to be stressful, citing that cooking in front of people while being closely watched made her uncomfortable. The family competitions didn’t reignite Bradley’s desire to cook competitively, since it was no longer about the money. Rather, they were great
"I went around with my notebook and started looking at every single entry .."
49
aymag.com
ways to spend time together. Cooking with her daughter helped Bradley pass on the important lessons that she once had to learn. Having an idea, testing it, tweaking it and remaking it was a process that had been cultivated in Bradley's family for generations. Just as they had picked up steam, 2020 happened. “I started posting pictures of my Great Dane, Jake, on Facebook to cheer people up and let them know that I was doing OK. Then, I’d post pictures of whatever I’d baked,” she says. “People would show me a picture of something and challenge me to bake it. I would, and I’d leave it on the porch for them to pick up.” She began to relax in the evenings by accepting the challenges of her friends by baking salted caramel cheesecakes, lemon blueberry cakes, chocolate raspberry cakes and other delicacies. One day, everything changed when a friend sent Bradley a link. “Someone sent me a link to the Greatest Baker,” she says. “They had nominated me. The next thing I know, I get an email requesting that I fill out an application.” Bradley didn't think that the application was real and that if it was, didn’t think that it would end up being that big of a deal. She filled it out quickly before bed, included a few pictures, and sent it off. “I didn’t read the fine print. I didn’t know that more than 20,000 people had been chosen, and that it was international,” Bradley admits. The virtual competition broke down all of the competitors into groups with several hundred people. Bradley never really told anyone that she was in the competition. Her daughter knew, and her daughter promoted it on Facebook, but it was a busy time of the year for Bradley, so she was more concerned about work than the competition. As Bradley moved further up the leaderboards, though, she began to pay more attention. “It didn’t get serious with me until I got notified that I was
50
in the Top 32 out of 20,000. My daughter came down the stairs and told me about my placement. I hate promoting myself, so she and our friends began promoting me,” Bradley says. Then, her coworkers got wind of the competition. “A few of my coworkers saw the Facebook posts and picked up on it and started sharing it,” she says. “It made a huge difference. I got into the Top 8, and it started going viral among friend groups.” When Bradley realized the potential impact that her promotion and winning could have, she began to work hard toward victory. “Someone local picked up on the fact that it [the Greatest Baker competition] benefits the local hunger alliance. The federal one grants money to each state. I want to say that in 2020 they received $1.3 million in grants from this entity. It’s hard for me not to love an organization that helps hungry kids to be fed. This contest turned into a mission for me. People embraced the idea, and I got into the Top 4.” Bradley ended up sharing the news with her boss when she needed to schedule a time slot for a photographer to come visit in the event that she won. “I had not brought this up to my office and Mr. McLarty,” she says. “I didn’t think that I was going to win. I didn’t even think that I was going to place. I got an email, and it said that we need a photographer to come to my house next week to take a picture of me and some items that I make in case I win. I needed to let Mr. McLarty know. He said that he didn’t know that I liked to bake. I said that I do, it's just not what I do here. We laughed, and he was so congratulatory, wanting to know what he could do to support me. The company was extremely supportive and nice.” Bradley says that the final week of the competition was very intense.
“I was flip-flopping between first and second all night,” she remembers. “The community and friends and coworkers all started sharing and went into overdrive — it was mindboggling. I couldn’t see everyone that was voting and donating, but I could see glimpses of it. I didn’t know who I was really competing against. I started looking at the profiles — two of the four were professional bakers, very highly trained, with beautiful work. Another girl was a superstar on TikTok. She was a sweet little lady from Orlando. I really liked her. One of the ladies was extremely artistic. And I was thinking, ‘What in the heck am I doing here with my turtle cheesecake?’ Mentally, I went back to my first contest: I’m out of my league.” Bradley was content to be in the Top 4, but her family and friends wouldn’t settle after coming so far. It was “Team Sandy” that took it to the next level. When the contest reached its final hour and everything was settled, Bradley was crowned the Greatest Baker. But Bradley doesn’t consider the victory to be hers alone. “I didn’t win — the team won. Most importantly, No Kid Hungry was the winner of this contest. I think about the number of children that will be touched by this, and they are the winners,” Bradley says, tearing up before adding with a laugh. “I owe a lot of people cookies and cakes and pies.” Kathy Webb, executive director of the Alliance, says, “As the lead No Kid Hungry partner in Arkansas, the Alliance is very grateful for the support of Sandy Bradley and the Greatest Baker competition in the fight against childhood hunger. The $368,757 donation to the No Kid Hungry campaign, raised during the competition, will allow No Kid Hungry to continue helping children and their families access healthy meals and nutrition education during an incredibly difficult time.” Bobbi McDaniel, Alliance SNAP outreach advocate, says, “I am excited for Sandy and for the awareness this brings to issues of hunger.
51
The No Kid Hungry campaign connects families and kids who need meals with the federal nutrition programs that provide them, and I'm grateful that the Alliance's SNAP Outreach team has been able to facilitate connections to SNAP and P-EBT for families in need during the pandemic.” Bradley doesn’t know where her love of cooking will take her from here, but she looks forward to receiving the prized opportunities from winning the contest and helping nonprofits, which took a serious hit during 2020. Additionally, she looks forward to continuing to bond with her family and the community that has played such a pivotal role in her life over these last few months. And she especially looks forward to carrying on the legacy that her beloved mother passed down to her. Bradley was just a young child when she and her family squeezed through a packed church in Jonesboro. The family had joined the rest of the townsfolk for the funeral of a notable member in the community. “This person wasn’t a politician or a preacher. This person was a middle-class, normal person who worked hard every day, who had a wonderful family and was a good soul. The church was just packed, and there were almost more flowers than people,” Bradley recalls. “We sat there, and Mom glanced around as they were bringing in chairs. Mom leaned over to Dad and me and said, ‘I so wish this person knew just how much they were loved.’ I quickly replied, ‘I
hope they do too.’” Bradley pauses to reflect. “I can honestly tell you, from this contest, just how much I am loved. I am just humbled by this experience. It makes me know that, even in 2020 when things were bad, people were still good and able to come together and care. Nowadays, more often than not, I remember when my mom told me that. And I can only think, ‘I know,’” Bradley whispers. “I know.”
aymag.com
food Pumpkin spiced everything is the ruler of taste buds.
Nothing says love like a heartshaped box full of chocolate.
Like it or not, it’s candy corn season.
Nestling florals in with your treats evokes the romantic spirit of the holiday. For the chocolate lover in your life, throw in some variety. Include their favorites and also something for “wow factor,” like macarons. When shopping for the sweet board, I wanted cheerfulness and consistency.
Sweet Board 52
s ’ e n i t n e l a V e i r e t u c r a h C oards B
Styled by Andrea Patrick Photography by Jamison Mosley
Love. It’s a great thing. Lucky for many of us, it has its own day. Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday by far. Hopeless romantics unite! Feb. 14 will be a little different this year. Treating your loved one to a meal out might be an option for some. Others may find that staying in is their best bet. I created these boards as a reminder that you can absolutely go big while still staying home. I chose to change up the traditional charcuterie experience by creating a box of chocolates and an extra-large fondue board.
Enjoy!!
53
@dishedbydrea www.dishedbydrea.com
aymag.com
Cheese is beautiful. Gooey, luscious cheese fondue is love.
Blistered shishito peppers, carrots and Brussels sprouts are tasty ways to add color.
Bread and apples are tried-andtrue dippers for this cheesy goodness. 54
Savo
Tender, juicy beef short ribs help to round out your meal. 55
ry Bo a
rd
aymag.com
4 Giveaway 1
DA YS
of Valentine's
How To Win
Each day of February leading up to Valentine's Day, 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.
W
e know that Valentine’s Day may look a little different for many of us this year, but we still want to give you, our readers, the opportunity to make it a memorable one. That’s why we’ve brought back our annual Valentine’s Day Giveaway to help you spice up your special day.
1
day
2
day
Lasercare Skin Clinic — EMK Beverly Hills Package 500 S. University Ave. Little Rock, 72205 501-664-5119 lasercareskinclinic.com
Dr. Bruce Sanderson and the team at Lasercare Skin Clinic are giving away this package of EMK Beverly Hills procucts, including the Stem Cell White Caviar, Rescue Serum and Alpha Mask.
3
4
day
Staycation Package ($350) 1501 Merrill Dr. Little Rock, AR 72211 501-224-2828 table28lr.com
Woo your boo with this one-night stay at the Burgundy Hotel in a king suite. The package also includes two three-course dinners from Table 28, champagne, breakfast in bed and complimentary robes and slippers.
Enter for your chance to win this one-month unlimited yoga package to Blue Yoga Nyla and all the gear to start your practice. The prop kit includes a yoga mat, bolster, block, strap, blanket and eye pillow.
hug 5
day
day Table 28 —
Blue Yoga Nyla — 1 Month Yoga Package ($99 value); Yoga Mat and Prop Kit ($120 value) 3801 JFK Blvd., North Little Rock, 72116 501-753-9100
Coker Hampton —
Corkcicle Tumbler($32) 218 S Main St. Stuttgart, AR 72160 870-673-2691 shop.cokerhampton.com This is a perfect Valentine “happy” for a sweetheart or someone that is sweet to you, in a Pucci-inspired print called “Shout.” Corkcicle offers a number of stunning colors and finishes. All drinkware products are vacuum-sealed, triple-insulated, BPA-free and made from stainless steel. The designs feature signature easy-grip flat sides and a non-slip bottom. They are perfect for personalization, too, which will be offered to the winner of the tumbler.
Local Lime —
Gift card ($100) 17809 Chenal Parkway Little Rock, AR 72223 locallimetaco.com Your local taco and margarita purveyor. We invite you to relax, share food, share drinks and share time.
6
day
Little Rock Zoo —
$89 Family Pass 1 Zoo Drive Little Rock, 72205 littlerockzoo.com
Whether it’s an out of the box day with your Valentine or an adventure with the whole family, the state’s only accredited zoo is ready to host you and yours.
7
day
HOTWORX —
3 Month Membership ($180) Benton, Little Rock hotworx.net
8
day
day
9
HOTWORX is a virtually instructed exercise program created for users to experience the many benefits of infrared heat absorption while completing a 30-minute isometric workout or 15-minute HighIntensity Interval Training session.
10
day
Heights Taco and Tamale Co. — Gift card ($100)
Kemuri Japanese Restaurant —
Gift card ($75) 2601 Kavanaugh Blvd. Little Rock, AR 72205 501-660-4100 kemurirestaurant.com
The season of romance is here, and this year we wanted to help you give the gift of deliciously healthy Kemuri!
5805 Kavanaugh Blvd. Little Rock, AR 72207 501-313-4848 heightstacotamale.com
love Heights Taco & Tamale Co. is ready to prepare your favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex inspired dishes with a local, seasonal and Arkansas influence. The vibrant dishes are a true Southern/ Mexican mashup.
Tacos Godoy —
Gift card ($75) 501-779-0806 tacosgodoyfoodtruck@gmail.com One of Central Arkansas’ favorite food trucks is giving away this gift card for you and yours. Whether it’s the tacos, quesadillas or tortas, it’s always homemade and delicious at Tacos Godoy.
11
day
12
day
Don't Forget! Lost Forty Brewing — Gift card ($100)
501 Byrd St. Little Rock, AR 72202 501-319-7275 lost40brewing.com
For a special locally made treat, pick up Limited Edition Rocktown Bourbon Barrel-Aged Double Love Honey Bock or fruity PUNCHY Hard Seltzers.
Cheers in Maumelle — Gift card ($100) 1901 Club Manor Drive Maumelle, 72113 501-851-6200 cheersmaumelle.com
Nothing says Valentine’s Day like a delicious dinner, and the local favorite Cheers in Maumelle has you covered with this gift card.
13
day
Each day of February leading up to Valentine's Day 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.
Fischer Honey — Honey Pack 2001 N. Poplar St. North Little Rock, AR 72114 501-758-1123 www.fischerhoney.com Bring a little extra sweetness to your Valentine with some natural honey from the Natural State. Fischer’s has been a favorite of Arkansas households since 1935.
Myers Mercantile —
Gift basket ($122) 1022 West Oak St., Conway, 72032 501 327-6978 myersmercantile.net “LOVE” LED neon wall light by Amped & Co. • CC beanie/red & black Buffalo plaid • Fashion red & black Buffalo plaid Mask • Handmade Local Dough Bowl/heart shaped • Gourmet Hot Cocoa Bomb by Mama Girl Custom Cakes • Taste Buds Coffee/Sample Pack • Belgian Boys Stroopwafel/Dutch Carmel (2) • Gourmet Valentines Crispy Cake by The Crispery • Much Love From Downtown Conway’s newest marketplace-PRICELESS
14
day
romantic getaways
Hot Springs Treehouses
The way things have been going lately, we might be feeling the urge to get away from it all. And with the most romantic weekend of the year quickly approaching, there’s no better time to do so; to get off — and above — the beaten path. For those of us, the Hot Springs Treehouses are waiting. It’s the best of both worlds during a stay in a Hot Springs Treehouse. Guests can relax and unwind in a quiet canopy of trees in the Ouachita Mountains, without giving up all of the tourist amenities that Hot Springs has to offer. Tucked away in the woods, the treehouses are also mere minutes away from Bathhouse Row and all the other fun adventures of downtown Hot Springs. Its treehouses are also well acquainted for hiking and biking. But of course, you can always just spend your entire stay holed up in the romantic ambiance of a treehouse among the woods. The Hot Springs Treehouses have six treehouses to choose from, each of which is fitted with all the bells and whistles — a small kitchen, fireplace, king size bed, balcony, grill, porch swing and hot tub. The hardest decision on your plate is which treehouse to pick; the rest, as naturally as the setting, comes easily.
hotspringstreehouses.com
Bentonville, AR The place traditionally known as the “City of Love” might be an ocean away from us, but there’s another town much closer to our homes that would like to take the Natural State version of that title: Bentonville. And for good reason. The Northwest Arkansas city is one of the most beautiful and exciting places in the state as of late, some might say even the entire South. For starters, the scenery is immaculate — from the downtown square to the numerous hiking and biking trails in and around town, that even connect via quick and easy access. Then there are, of course, the art-filled adventures of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary, as well as various other art museums and public art throughout the city. But a night or two of romance is nothing if not for a place to stay and eat, and Bentonville has plenty of luxurious options as far as that’s concerned. The modern boutique 21c Museum and Hotel is one-ofa-kind and the fine dining options are nearly endless, including the likes of The Hive, The Preacher’s Son and Tusk & Trotter American Brasserie. Who needs Paris, anyway?
www.visitbentonville.com
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge Imagine relaxing on the private back deck of the opulent Okavango Lodge, one of ten comfortable accommodations available to overnight guests at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. You sip nonalcoholic cider from a keepsake wine glass while blissfully consuming the luscious ganache dipped fresh strawberries, wrapped snuggly in the plush bathrobe included in the Chuffs and Purrs Romance Package. You feel a bit like purring yourself.
The sun sets in a beautiful blaze of red on the distant Ozark Mountain horizon. As the day fades to dusk, a doe and her fawn forage in the field below. The air is crisp. Suddenly, the doe’s ears arc forward, and the protective mother stands alert as the adjacent valley begins to echo. It is a hauntingly beautiful sound, and others soon join. The lions have begun to speak. This is known as “caroling.” Lions are one of the loudest animals in nature. A lions' roar can carry up to 5 miles and reach above 110 decibels. After the sun sets, the hot tub nearby will be inviting and steaming. It sits across the large deck encircling the covered gazebo and fire pit the other adult-only lodges share. The rumble of lions while blanketed by billions of twinkling stars is enchanting. The Refuge is nestled far away from night sky pollutants, and the sky is clear. It is easy to believe you are somewhere in Africa without the side effect of jet lag and the expense of international travel. You will sleep well in the comfortable queen-sized bed, snuggly warm as the nighttime temperature dips. Oatmeal, fruit cups, muffins, juice, bottled water and coffee are there to enjoy and begin the day. Each room has a well-appointed kitchenette with a small refrigerator, coffee maker and microwave. Isn’t it time to stop dreaming? So go WILD for wildlife! Book your romantic getaway today and experience Africa in the Ozarks at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge! Visit www.TCWR.org for more information about this amazing sanctuary and unique lodging destination.
Eureka Springs • 479-253-5841 • www.TCWR.org
VISITGREENWOOD.COM
Talk
of the town 62
Travel with AY About You and show our readers all of the great things to do in Arkansas!
#A RS tate Pa rks
Y A W A T E AG
PETIT JEAN STATE PARK
D ID E A IS A LWAYS A G O O
STATE PAR K MO UN T MAGA ZIN E
HISTOR IC WAS HIN GTO N STATE PAR K
QUEEN
Pick up your FREE PASSPORT at the nearest state park today.
W IL H E L
M IN A ST AT E PA R K
Choose from six Arkansas State Park lodges that offer first-class accommodations in the most scenic settings in the state. Whether it’s a private getaway or corporate retreat, we can help personalize your experience. Discover the possibilities at LodgesofArkansas.com 63
aymag.com
of
travel
THE CITY PROGRESS
UAPB.
By Joe David Rice
Photos by Casey Crocker
Pine Bluff Lives Up to its Motto Early in the summer of 1819, a flood on the Arkansas River inundated the few isolated settlements along the stream in southeast Arkansas. Among the original pioneers displaced by high water was a hearty soul named Joseph Bonne. According to the definitive 1941 book, Arkansas: A Guide to the State, Bonne “took his rifle and a few possessions and paddled his canoe up the Arkansas [River] toward higher ground. He pitched camp in a forest of giant pines, and after the water receded, found that he was perched on a bluff above a southward bending curve of the river.” On that land Bonne built a cabin, later brought his wife and small children to join him, and soon opened a trading post. That modest center of commercial activity grew into Pine Bluff, the Jefferson County seat and one of Arkansas’ most historic communities.
Harbor Oaks Golf Club.
Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame.
h
History is just one reason to visit Pine Bluff. The town contains more than 50 properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, many of which can be seen in the Fifth Avenue Historic District or the Pine Bluff Commercial Historic District. Of particular note is the Arkansas Railroad Museum, which alone has a number of locomotives, rolling stock, or auxiliary items included on the National Register. Although presently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this hands-on facility is worth a visit. A highlight is the St. Louis Southern Railway Steam Locomotive #819, a massive engine built by Cotton Belt’s Pine Bluff shop in 1942 and magnificently restored in the 1980s. Clearly, history is a major reason that Pine Bluff ranks among Arkansas’ most fascinating cities. But there are at least half a dozen more that should be mentioned: nature, technology, education, sports, dining and entertainment. Let’s start with nature, specifically the Governor Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center, a kid-friendly complex owned and operated by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Soon to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the center occupies 130 acres between Black Dog Bayou and Lake Langhofer. Hikers and walkers will enjoy the 2-plus miles of trails (about half of which are paved) that meander through a prairie, along a wetland and into the bottomland forest. Inside the visitor center are stimulating exhibits, a theater and two aquariums (together holding 22,000 gallons) that house fish and other aquatic creatures native to the area. Souvenir enthusiasts will appreciate the center’s gift shop. Located north of downtown at 1400 Black Dog Road, the Delta Rivers Nature Center can be reached by turning north off U.S. 65B onto Cecil Moseley Drive, then right on Black Dog Road. Admission is free. For information about hours during these strange times, visit the www.deltarivers.org website.
Bayou Bartholomew.
65
aymag.com
history
History is just one reason to visit Pine Bluff.
A second nature-oriented option for visitors to Pine Bluff is the Byrd Lake Natural Area, a 144-acre site owned by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. The small oxbow lake, an offshoot of Bayou Bartholomew, is surrounded by an impressive stand of bald cypress trees. The paved hiking trail is relatively flat (wheelchair- and stroller-friendly), and leashed dogs are welcome. From I-530 on the city’s south side, take exit 43, and then travel north on Olive Street for about half a mile to Main Street. Turn right on Main and then drive roughly 0.2 miles to 52nd Street and turn right. Travel another couple of hundred yards, and the parking lot will be to your right. Then, there’s the culture — and Pine Bluff has as much of that as any. Jimmy Cunningham is one of the focal figures behind the finding and telling of these stories, between his two hats as the interpretive coordinator for the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission and the director of the Delta Rhythm and Bayous Alliance. Among many other avenues, his passions involve celebrating and creating interest in the city’s rich history of civil rights, music and cinema. One such example of this extensive web is how the blues music of Pine Bluff was influenced by slave runaways — the “social blues,” as he says — which is showcased at the new Freedom & Blues Exhibition. Cunningham’s organization was also responsible for enacting legislation in both Arkansas and Mississippi to create the Delta Rhythm & Bayous Highway, a cultural corridor between Pine Bluff and Greenville, Miss. It became the first interstate music highway in the entire country. “Part of that is trying to build out the story of the music, the arts and the waters,” Cunningham says. “We’re trying to work with communities up and down the highway to develop out their story about music, art and their waters. In Pine Bluff, we’re doing a whole lot of stuff.” Another factor contributing to Pine Bluff ’s prominence is technology. About 20 miles northwest of the city is the National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR), a facility operated by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Once part of the U.S. Army’s Pine Bluff Arsenal, the 496-acre site houses a large number of buildings and laboratories where some 600 workers — to include many top-level scientists — are employed. Their responsibilities include determining the toxicity of various chemicals and pharmaceuticals, assessing risks of food contamination and identifying pathogens that could be used by terrorists. In recent years, the FDA has pumped several hundred million dollars into NCTR, making it one of the country’s leading research organizations. Now, to education. Founded in 1873, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is Arkansas’ second-oldest public education institution. A major player in the regional econo-
Byrd Lake Natural Area.
UAPB Museum and Cultural Center.
66
Left: Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas. Below: Saracen Casino Resort. (Courtesy)
my, the school was originally known as the Branch Normal College and was established during Reconstruction days to educate African-American students to serve as instructors in Arkansas’ Black schools. Renamed Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal College in 1927, it joined the University of Arkansas system in 1972. The largest and oldest historically Black college or university in the state, it now has an enrollment of some 2,600 undergraduates and graduates. Given the importance of fish farming in southeast Arkansas, it’s no surprise that the school offers Arkansas’ only comprehensive aquaculture program to include a doctorate in the field. The University Museum and Cultural Center holds a large collection of fascinating ephemera chronicling the lives of those who helped shape the history of the university. Please check the website before visiting; the museum is currently closed due to the pandemic. As for sports, fishing cannot be ignored. Serious fishing tournament fans might recall the 1984 Bassmaster Classic held on the Arkansas River near Pine Bluff. Not only did Ricky Clunn bring in a record catch (75 pounds, 9 ounces), two future presidents (Vice President George H. W. Bush and Gov. Bill Clinton) shared the stage with Clunn at the Pine Bluff Convention Center at the final weigh-in. The Arkansas River both above and below the city remains popular with largemouth bass and catfish anglers. Golfers will enjoy Harbor Oaks Golf Club & Restaurant. The course, a charter member of the Arkansas Golf Trail, stretches a little over 7,000 yards with Tifton Bermuda fairways and Mini Verde greens. Harbor Oaks, conveniently situated on the north side of town, has been recognized as one of the top 10 public courses in Arkansas. Likewise, Pine Bluff has several top dining locations, and I’ll mention a handful: The Colonial Steakhouse has been a local institution since 1974 and is known for its signature dessert, the black bottom pie. Leon’s Catfish & Shrimp Restaurant has also developed a devoted following. Meanwhile, fried chicken fans will do well to visit the Grider Field Restaurant southeast of town at the airport. RJ’s Sports Grill and Bar has been serving delectable southern favorites for a decade in the historic “Bank of Pine Bluff ” building. Unique Cakes by Miss Margaret is the place for handcrafted desserts, while next door is another local favorite, Indigo Blue Coffeehouse. Which brings us to entertainment. The Art and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas has added a vibrant arts and events venue called The ARTSpace on Main to the community. This multipurpose renovation, lo-
67
cated across the street from the center, was made possible by a $2.5 million grant from the Windgate Foundation. Only a couple of blocks to the east is the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame. Housed in the Pine Bluff Convention Center, this free museum traces the history of the many talented Arkansans who’ve made a lasting impact on America’s entertainment industry. But the big entertainment news in Pine Bluff is the recent opening of the Saracen Casino Resort, a $350 million casino, hotel and event project located on the east side of town at 3512 Market St. Opening just months ago with 2,200 slot machines, 35 gaming tables, six restaurants and its own micro-brewery, the casino already employs more than 800 folks. Construction on the convention center, a 16-story hotel and theaters should begin later this year. Owned and operated by the Quapaw Nation of Oklahoma, the resort’s dining operations incorporate a “pasture to plate” theme, using beef and buffalo from the tribe’s own herds. Delta Farms, one of the dining venues, features Arkansas grains and aymag.com
produce. Todd Gold, a name well-known to Arkansas foodies, is the resort’s food and beverage director and is eager for his many friends to check out the various culinary possibilities. As one might expect, Sheri Storie, director of Pine Bluff ’s advertising and promotion commission, is delighted with Saracen’s opening. “Our railroad museum attracts visitors from around the world,” she says, “and the Entertainers Hall of Fame is the only one of its kind in the state. Saracen is one more reason to come and explore Pine Bluff.” Likewise, Mayor Shirley Washington is pleased with the casino project, noting that it’s providing critical tax revenues and important jobs for the city. But she also is proud of the brand new Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library, the city’s $12 million aquatic center (with its kiddie pool and two-story waterslide), a new community center opening next month and ambitious revitalization plans for downtown. Modeled on the success of North Little Rock’s Argenta District, the downtown transformation will include an 84-unit apartment complex, mixed-use developments, restaurants, wider sidewalks, streetscaping improvements (“I’m a landscape nut,” she says), and possibly even a downtown school. She’s also a vocal advocate for Pine Bluff ’s parks, working with a regional consulting firm on a system-wide master plan. The parks should, in her words, serve as “neighborhood centerpieces,” but many are in need of major upgrades. The city’s close ties with UAPB is another thing that Washington appreciates, particularly the strong working relationship with Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander. Citing the success of workforce programs, she hopes to develop new partnerships with the university that will help adolescents establish goals and move forward into productive lives. Washington, a Jefferson County native (she was born in Gethsemane), is now entering her second four-year term. A retired public-school educator/administrator, she is the first AfricanAmerican woman to serve as Pine Bluff ’s mayor and enjoys the role. “I’ve always had a service mentality,” she says, “wanting to help others. I really like the fact that I can connect with so many people from all walks of life.” Her vision for Pine Bluff ? “A glowing, prosperous community that will attract many people looking for a place to call home.” Pine Bluff, with Mayor Washington at the helm, seems to be on the right track. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching and some of AY’s readers perhaps struggling for gift ideas, I’ll conclude with a mention of Sissy’s Log Cabin. Now Arkansas’ largest independently owned jewelry store, it began more than half a century ago when Sissy Jones rented a log cabin on the edge of Pine Bluff for $50 a month to sell antiques. Now located at 2319 S. Camden Road, the shop’s ambiance has more of a 21st-century flavor.
Mayor Shirley Washington has a bold vision for the continued forward progress of her city.
Visit explorepinebluff. com to see for yourself what makes Pine Bluff a worthy destination for your next in-state adventure.
68
A P
ASHTON PLACE
HEALTH & REHABILITATION, LLC
You only want the best for your loved ones.
Now Accepting Reservations for Short Term Rehabilitation and Long Term Care To To schedule schedule aa tour tour before before admission, admission, call call René René at at 479-831-6518. 479-831-6518. 318 318 Strozier Strozier Lane Lane • • Barling Barling • • 479-452-8181 479-452-8181 Visit Visit www.ashtonplacehr.com www.ashtonplacehr.com to to take take our our virtual virtual tour tour 69
aymag.com
THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING When you buy a hunting and
ARKANSAS GAME
AND
FISH COMMISSION
Licenses and Permits
fishing license, you are giving the gift of the great outdoors. Hunting and fishing licenses fund conservation, so that wildlife and wild places are available for everyone to enjoy.
Bo Archer CID: #000-000-001 HE Verified DOB: 05/24/1972
BUY A GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR A HUNTING OR FISHING LICENSE AT AGFC.COM
A NEW AT THE THE LITTLE ROCK ZOO CLAWS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC By Emily Beirne
An Arkansas staple and beloved attraction, the Little Rock Zoo, has been making huge strides in its return to normalcy amidst the pandemic. After shutting down from March to June 2020, the Zoo has made the necessary adjustments to accommodate for COVID-19 safety precautions as well as taken the time to enhance several features within the grounds. To maintain the health and safety of attendees, staff and, most importantly, the animals, enhanced cleaning protocols have been put in place. Common gathering areas, bathrooms and the playground receive constant sanitation while masks are required for those above the age of 10. Reservations to visit must be made on the Little Rock Zoo website in order to follow limited capacity guidelines. Behind the scenes, staff follows mandated sanitation measures and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines during the upkeep of habitats and feedings. The Zoo plans to maintain these same measures throughout 2021 to allow visitors to feel safe and well-cared for during their trips to the Zoo. “We’ve been super fortunate since we reopened. The Zoo has had great attendance, and I think that’s because families have come to rely on the Zoo as a safe place for a family outing,” says Susan Altrui, director of the Little Rock Zoo. “We are an outdoor venue,
Sponsored Content
and we’ve taken lots of precautions to keep families safe, to keep our staff safe and to keep our animals safe.” Taking advantage of a little bit of downtime, some exciting renovations have been made, while some others are still works in progress for the public to enjoy. Families with strollers and individuals in wheelchairs can now enjoy smooth pathways as they journey through the many exhibits the Zoo has to offer. “Our stroller moms and dads are really happy about that,” laughs Altrui. “If you’ve ever pushed a stroller or wheelchair through our Zoo, then you know that redoing the pathways is extremely important.” The pathways not only provide smooth terrain but also a pristine aesthetic with the addition of horticulture lining the paths and revamping the general look. Joining in on the fun are a couple of new habitats debuting in April. Colobus monkeys are joining the Little Rock Zoo family with a new exhibit featuring a climbing structure that allows them to crawl up and over guests on the path below. These active monkeys enjoy hopping around and showing off their long, fluffy tails to the crowd. With plenty of new climbing structures, these new monkeys will get ample opportunity to show off their beauty and allow guests to admire them. Not quite so new to the Zoo like the colobus monkeys but also
receiving a home renovation are the serval cats. These playful felines with signature big ears will be more visible to guests in their new habitat. Renovations are being made to allow the cats to be easier to spot while also giving the cats more room to play and roam around. “This enhanced habitat will be better for the animals and for our guests as well, so it’s a winwin for everybody,” Altrui says. Through a partnership with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), the University of Central Arkansas and the University of Arkansas, the Zoo will introduce a lesser-known Arkansas indigenous reptile: the eastern collared lizard. This species of lizard — with looks most would associate with tropical regions — will find a new home at the Little Rock Zoo in the summer of 2021. “The intent is that we will be breeding these lizards to be re-released back into the wild,” Altrui says. “But along with that, we’re going to have our own habitat exhibit where the public will be able to see this beautiful lizard up close, and they’ll be able to learn more about the re-release program.” This new exhibit will be featured in front of the Conservation Learning Center. “[It’s] a species that not many Arkansans know about, but [it’s] right here in our backyard. Found mostly in the Ozark mountains, [it’s] something Arkansans can definitely be proud of. We’re very excited to
work with Arkansas Game and Fish in helping to save these beautiful lizards.” While waiting for the chance to learn more about the Little Rock Zoo and AGFC program, the Zoo offers other educational opportunities for both kids and adults. Starting last summer, Zoofari virtual camps were available for children to tune in at home and feel like they were at the Zoo. These camps will continue in March during spring break for families that either cannot make it to the Zoo or still don’t want to take the chance to get out in public right now. Virtual classrooms that teach about animals and habitats are also available for teachers to use in their classrooms and for anyone who is interested to learn more about the many beautiful animals that call the Little Rock Zoo home. Registration for the virtual access is available on the Little Rock Zoo website. “If you go to [our website], there are lots of opportunities for enhanced virtual learning for all kinds of topics, including our conservation mission,” Altrui says. The stars of the show, both virtual and in the “wild,” have thankfully been doing well amidst the pandemic. With staff following proper protocols while caring for the animals, all have stayed healthy — both staff and creature. However, some animals seemed to miss their two-legged friends. “When we were closed, it was
actually kind of interesting. We noticed that it seemed as though some of our animals missed seeing the public. Now that we’re open, [you] can tell that things are good again,” Altrui says. Visiting the animals and showing support for the Little Rock Zoo is important in numerous ways. The animals get to see their favorite, odd-looking visitors, and the Zoo is able to maintain revenue to care for its inhabitants. “Support is always important. It comes in the form of gated admimissions, donations, support from special events, etc. The act of buying a membership is hugely
Sponsored Content
important,” Altrui says. “I always tell people that just [by] coming to the Zoo and spending money at the Zoo, [you’re] helping us to care for our animals and to spread our conservation mission.” During the Zoo’s shutdown, a large amount of revenue was lost, and they are still recovering. Participating in the virtual events or going to the Zoo are small ways to show not only the Zoo, but the animals as well, how much the community cares. You can learn more about what’s happening at the Zoo and what’s upcoming at littlerockZoo.com.
65
A FIRST-CLASS TIME ... EVERY TIME ... FOR 60 YEARS. For the past 60 years, there’s been one name in trout fishing, and that’s Gaston’s. We’ve got everything you need for a family vacation, romantic getaway or group gathering, year-round. From world-class trout fishing to fine dining and drinks to just watching the river roll by, Gaston’s gets it right, every time.
TH
ANNIVERSA
RY
Your Invitation to a Romantic Escape 65
YRS
CALL OR VISIT MOUNTAINHARBORRESORT.COM TO INQUIRE ABOUT OUR ROMANCE PACKAGES TH
65 NIV. AN
Premier Lodging • Full Service Marina • Lake View Dining • Turtle Cove Spa Mountain Harbor Resort & Spa on Lake Ouachita 870-867-2191 • 800-832-2276 • MountainHarborResort.com
1777 River Road Lakeview, AR 72642 870-431-5202 Email gastons@gastons.com Lat 36 20’ 55” N Long 92 33’ 25” W
HOME & GARDEN FOOD & DRINK ARTS & CULTURE TRAVEL • HOME
Follow us on
www.gastons.com
Subscribe • aymag.com
74
75
aymag.com
Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
• SHORT-TERM REHABILITATION • LONG-TERM CARE • RESPITE SERVICES
Russellville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is nestled in the heart of the River Valley in Russellville, Arkansas. Our staff provides skilled professional care in a compassionate and supportive atmosphere. Russellville Nursing & Rehabilitation Center not only provides long-term care services, we also offer a wide range of rehabilitative services. Our physicians, nurses and staff all believe strong relationships with residents and their families is essential to the healing process. The entire staff is devoted to providing quality care, which celebrates the dignity and grace of every single resident.
Winner of the
GOVERNOR’S QUALITY AWARD FOR 2019
215 S. PORTLAND AVE. RUSSELLVILLE, AR
479-968-5256 • russellvillenr.com
Colonel Glenn Health & Rehab is central Arkansas’ newest premier-skilled nursing and long-term care facility. Our skilled team is focused on serving you and your family with excellence.
LONG-TERM CARE
REHABILITATION
RESPITE CARE
13700 David O Dodd Rd, Little Rock, AR 72210 501.907.8200 • colonelglennhr.com
aymag.com
ASK AN EXPERT AY About You is proud to present the 2021 edition of its annual special section, “Ask an Expert.” We’ve gathered several of Arkansas’ influential, unique and knowledgeable leaders and asked them the questions that you want answered. From health care to homebuilding and finances to cosmetic surgery, we’ve got the answers and insights from those who know best — experts.
HEARING CARE
MIRACLE EAR WHAT ARE THE MAIN SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE?
At Miracle-Ear, we provide help for anyone who does not seem to be hearing as well as they once did. During our free hearing aid evaluation, we can uncover if the reason the television is so loud is something that would need medical attention or if it is as simple as hearing aids. Shelly York, BC-HIS*
Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences
IS THERE A DISCRETE OPTION TO HELP WITH MY HEARING IMPAIRMENT?
Having a hearing aid that is not visible is important to many users. At Miracle-Ear, we have small and nearly invisible instruments to choose from. Our hearing aids are designed to be virtually unnoticeable. WHAT ARE SOME OTHER MODERN ADVANCEMENTS THAT MIRACLE-EAR PROVIDES?
For the first time ever, our hearing aids are equipped with a
motion sensor that can detect your movement. The hearing aid can tell if you are walking, running or sitting and consider that information to deliver the most personalized hearing experience. WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON EARLY SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS, AND WHEN SHOULD I THINK ABOUT SCHEDULING A CONSULTATION?
Hearing loss often occurs gradually over time; therefore, early signs may be subtle or easy to miss. Here is what to watch for: others complain about volume levels; you can’t understand what people are saying; you have trouble listening in crowds; you hear ringing in your ears; “What?” has become your catchphrase. If several of these early signs and symptoms of hearing loss sound familiar, you may have hearing loss. It is OK—you are not alone. The first step you should take if you feel you may be suffering from hearing loss is to have your hearing checked by a Miracle-Ear Hearing Instrument Specialist. They will help determine the degree of hearing loss, if any, and whether hearing aids could help. Thanks to the wide availability of hearing aid technology, hearing loss does not have to control your life.
Little Rock, Hot Springs, Morrilton • 501-227-4327 • miracle-ear.com
78
MENTAL HEALTH
ARGENTA COUNSELING WHAT SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF MENTAL HEALTH DOES YOUR FACILITY REVOLVE AROUND? Argenta Counseling is a client-focused private practice providing affordable, compassionate and specialized counseling to children, teenagers, adults, couples and families in Central Arkansas. We currently offer phone and video telehealth sessions as well as socially distanced, in-person sessions at our three convenient locations in downtown North Little Rock, West Little Rock and Saline County. WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT YOU ALL SEE? Some of the more common mental health issues we treat involve anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, addiction, relationship issues, grief, difficulty adjusting through a life transition, PTSD and severe mental illness. DURING THE PANDEMIC, MENTAL HEALTH AFFLICTIONS HAVE BEEN ON THE RISE. HOW HAVE YOU ALL DEALT WITH THIS INCREASE? During this pandemic, every therapist in the nation has had to pivot due to an increase in mental health issues and a decrease in the ability to provide face-to-face services to clients. Fortunately, our practice was able to make that adjustment very quickly. Our therapists rose to the challenge of promptly transitioning to telehealth counseling over phone and video. Some of our therapists still only provide telehealth services, while others provide both telehealth and socially-distanced in-person counseling. Over the past 10 months, therapists have opened their schedules to accommodate our increasing call volume and number of daily intakes. As the owner, it has been an honor to provide a supportive environment for our therapists, so they can be effective helpers and avoid burnout. EVEN STILL, STIGMAS REMAIN. WHAT IS THE BEST REMEDY FOR THAT? With the pandemic continuing to loom and everyone experiencing changes to their day-to-day lives, it’s more important than ever to normalize talking about and seeking help for things like depression, anxiety and other extreme feelings.I encourage every individual to become a mental health advocate. The more people we have pointing those in need to appropriate resources and increasing awareness about mental illness, the more we are all helping to eliminate stigma barriers around seeking out mental health care. BEYOND PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS I CAN DO AT HOME TO HELP WITH ANXIETY, DEPRESSION OR OTHER CONDITIONS? I believe the number one thing you can do to boost your mental wellness and decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression is to get adequate sleep. Along with that, it is important to develop a Self-Care Plan. Your Self-Care Plan could include activities such as mindfulness, breathing exercises, progressive relaxation, socialization with friends, daily meditation or prayer, journaling, weekly yoga classes, taking daily lunch breaks, using your vacation time, regular walks, getting a pet or practicing gratitude daily.
WHAT SETS THE SERVICES AT ARGENTA APART? Our highest value is to be client-focused. To us, this means putting our clients’ needs first, from the intake process to the therapy room. We do this by letting them take the lead and have a say in their treatment, and also by providing the kind of go-the-extra-mile care to support their wellbeing inside and outside of the therapy room. One thing our facility prioritizes that we are really proud of is maintaining a diverse group of providers. When clients come to us, we take every measure to place them with the therapist that can best serve them and make them feel safe and understood. Argenta Counseling casts a wide net into the community and has become a trusted and safe resource for the LGBTQ+ community, local churches, law enforcement agencies, public and private schools, and individuals with varying ethnic, cultural, political, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. WHAT SHOULD I DO IF A LOVED ONE NEEDS ASSISTANCE BUT IS NOT GETTING IT? Validating emotions and thoughts is the first step in connecting loved ones with the resources they may need, particularly when the recommendation is to seek professional help, like finding a counselor or therapist. An effective method to use is active listening, which involves restating what the other person is saying so that THEY know that YOU know what they are feeling. An example of active listening might be, “what I hear you saying is that you feel hopeless and overwhelmed; is that right?” Another response could be easy as “I hear you and understand how you would feel that way.” We’ve seen many times that when a person feels understood, they are more open to accepting influence and further down the line, taking their loved one’s advice to go seek out help from a professional.
513 Main St, North Little Rock • 501-777-5969 • www.argentacounseling.com
SOLAR
STONE CREEK SOLAR JOHN SAWYER, CEO
WHY SHOULD I THINK ABOUT SOLAR FOR MY BUSINESS? The benefits of installing solar panels for your business are really endless. Right now, the federal government offers a 26 percent tax credit for installing solar. This benefit alone will save you thousands. Solar can also lower your monthly utility costs and it’s a 100 percent clean, renewable energy source reducing reliance on oil, coal and natural gas for electricity production. WHAT IS NET METERING? Net Metering is a means of crediting customers for energy they supply to the grid. For the next 20 years, energy used by the customer will be credited at a 1:1 full retail credit for net excess energy produced by the customer’s solar array. WHAT IS THE LIFESPAN AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS OF A SOLAR ARRAY? Our solar panels have a 25-year warranty and Stone Creek Solar offers an annual maintenance program to improve the longevity and productivity of the system. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO RECOVER MY INITIAL INVESTMENT? The true return on the net cash investment is typically 6 to 9 years. For example: The amount of money not sent to the utility company over the next 5.5 to 8 years (depending on the utility rate) will typically equal the net cash outlay for the construction of the system. IS IT TRUE THAT IF MORE PEOPLE “GO SOLAR” THEN THOSE NOT UTILIZING SOLAR WILL PAY MORE IN UTILITY COSTS? This is the biggest misconception with solar. The solar industry builds arrays that attach to an energy grid. Thus, the power the array creates can be used by anyone on that grid. Solar is the perfect tool to help utility rate payers pay less — not more — for power. By nature, the energy pushed onto the grid by the solar array reduces the amount of expensive “peak power” to be purchased.
WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF SOLAR? We foresee solar to continue to grow exponentially over the next decades. Already, states are declaring annual rates of renewable energy to be produced. In 2019, more than 2 million solar PV systems were installed, totaling 71,300 MW of solar capacity, and generating more than 100 TWh of electricity. Of all renewable energy generation, solar PV is expected to grow the fastest from now to 2050. Arkansas is allowing great incentives to install solar panels and large utility companies are installing solar panels, so you know they actually work. People who take advantage of solar now in Arkansas will benefit the most in the future both financially and sustainably. WHY SHOULD I HIRE STONE CREEK SOLAR FOR MY SOLAR ARRAY? We are the only in-house full-service solar provider in Arkansas. We design, develop, construct, interconnect and maintain all of our solar arrays. We are the “one-stop-shop” solar company in the state and we have more than 20 years of experience in the industry. We keep solar panels in stock in Arkansas so there is no wait time to get your solar panels installed. We do the job right and we make it streamlined and easy for our customers. I truly believe in the power and future of solar energy and I want to help our customers and the state of Arkansas continue to be leaders in renewable energy generation.
1806 Executive Square, Jonesboro • 870-393-0002 • www.stonecreeksolar.com
FINANCIAL ADVISOR/WEALTH MANAGEMENT
GADBERRY FINANCIAL GROUP Jay Gadberry is a registered representative with National Securities Corporation, member FINRA/SIPC. Investing involves risk including loss of principal. This is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice or an offer or solicitation of any products or services. Opinions are subject to change with market conditions.
WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE THINGS YOU’RE WATCHING AS 2021 KICKS OFF? One, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. We need to avoid hiccups to prop up optimism in our battle against this virus. Two, we need the service economy to return. For example, The National Restaurant Association reported in December that 110,000 restaurants have closed permanently with another 400,000 in economic free-fall. Three, we need job numbers to improve. See the response above. If rising joblessness continues, more stimulus will be expected. If no stimulus comes, optimism wanes. If new stimulus comes, we face the burden of paying for it. WHAT IS THE CASE FOR OPTIMISM IN THE MARKETS IN 2021? The existing combination of recovering growth, low inflation and loose monetary policy are good macro backdrops and we hope the emergence of multiple vaccines will mark the beginning of the end for the COVID-19 pandemic. WHAT IS THE CASE FOR PESSIMISM IN THE MARKETS IN 2021? The fight against the coronavirus may hold the key. We must stay in front with vaccines and responsible behavior so that our economy can continue to open. Investor attitude will play a huge role. A little less divisive rhetoric would probably help! SHOULD I PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A PULLBACK IN THE FINANCIAL MARKETS? Pullbacks are part of healthy investment cycles. The markets seem to have priced in a stronger economy and the arrest of the pandemic, but disappointment in the recovery could rattle investors. We prepare with rigorous asset class diversification, a disciplined approach to our investment decisions, and as always, looking for opportunities in a pullback. I’VE ALWAYS HEARD THAT THE MARKETS PREFER A DIVIDED GOVERNMENT MOST. NOW THAT THE DEMOCRATS CONTROL BOTH THE LEGISLATURE AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT WHAT ARE YOU MOST CONCERNED ABOUT? That is certainly a popular refrain, but the facts don’t necessarily support it. The Democrats will have the ability to pursue a progressive agenda many fear could be considered anti-business. However, there are
many forces beyond political parties that bear influence on our financial markets. It’s our responsibility to navigate on behalf of our clients. COMING INTO 2020, THE TRADE WAR BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA WAS A BIG CONCERN FOR INVESTORS. WILL THAT COME BACK IN 2021? Many feel that The Biden administration will probably not be as confrontational and does not seem as keen on tariffs. However, the two countries’ economic and political interests will continue to diverge. Sentiment remains negative on both sides. The tensions aren’t going away 2020 CERTAINLY FOCUSED ON THE TOPIC OF POLITICS, WILL WE BE TALKING ABOUT ELECTIONS AS MUCH IN 2021? Short answer, I hope not! I do feel politics will be an important topic through 2021. We appear deeply divided, and I do think healthy, bipartisan discourse is important. It is our job to navigate the markets, no matter how turbulent, on behalf of our clients, understanding that volatility creates opportunities. SO ARE YOU BULLISH OR BEARISH? I wish it were that easy! We are bullish in certain areas and anytime opportunities arise, even in the midst of bearish sentiment. And we must remain vigilant and disciplined, exercising caution even when everyone around us is chasing excess return. Securities offered through National Securities Corporation (NSC), Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services provided through National Asset Management, Inc. (NAM), an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Fixed Insurance products offered through National Insurance Corporation (NIC).
425 W. Capitol Ave., #3500, Little Rock • 501-975-7100 • www.gadberryfg.com
WINDOW TINTING
SUNSTOP WINDOW TINTING WHAT IS AUTOMOTIVE WINDOW FILM? Automotive window film is a layered polyester film that is created using various methods. We use only the highest grade window film constructed with color stable dyes and industry-leading ceramics. WHY SHOULDN’T YOU USE A MOBILE WINDOW TINTER? Window tinting outside or in an uncontrollable environment is extremely risky. You are likely to be left with a poor installation that was done with little attention to detail and full of debris. WHY DO I NEED AUTOMOTIVE WINDOW TINTING? Automotive window tint is much more than a want, it’s a necessity. Protecting your skin should be a high priority for you and your loved ones. Our industry-leading products will reduce the cancer-causing UV rays from entering your vehicle, and also help reduce the usage of your A/C by blocking out the heat causing rays keeping your vehicle cool. It’s an easy way to take the necessary precautions to prevent the unthinkable WHY DO I NEED ARCHITECTURAL WINDOW TINTING? Architectural window tint applied on your home or business solves a myriad of problems. Its most well-known property is UV reduction for fade control but it can do so much more. Heat reduction for energy savings, light reduction for glare problems, UV rejection to protect your family, glass breakage control and privacy. It’s the only product on the market that you can have installed to fix one problem, but really fixes six problems you didn’t even know existed. CAN I GET A CLEAR FILM THAT STILL BLOCKS HEAT? Yes. We are proud to be the only dealer in our area that offers Huper Optik window films that can reject up to 54 percent of the total energy coming through a window and still be virtually clear. We also have the most optically clear films on the market, so if you wanted to go with a darker series and reject up to 70 percent of the total energy you could and will still be able to see like there’s no film applied.
WHAT IS A CERAMIC COATING? The formulas are molecularly designed for surfaces such as paint, vinyl, polymers, glass and more. Ceramic Pro coatings bond to surfaces at a molecular level, filling in any nanopores and creating a hydrophobic surface that is impervious to contamination. This makes our products ideal for critical applications across all industries. No other product in the world performs quite like this. WHAT IS PAINT PROTECTION FILM? Paint protection film is a 6 millimeter, thick, clear film that goes over the paint to protect the surface from rock chips, heavy scratches, stains, fading, bugs, acid rain, bird droppings and any other substance that can damage paint. HOW DO I DECIDE BETWEEN CERAMIC COATINGS AND PAINT PROTECTION FILM? The major difference between these two options is going to be rock chips and heavy scratch protection. Paint protection film (PPF) will protect your paint better in that regard. We recommend using both products to give your vehicle the ultimate protection. Using PPF on all high impact areas, and then going over the entire car with Ceramic Pro to give it additional protection and ease of maintenance.
13120 Crystal Hill Road, North Little Rock • 501-708-0903
GEOTHERMAL
PRESTON ROOD Rood Heating & Cooling
WHAT ARE THE MAIN SERVICES THAT YOUR COMPANY OFFERS? We are a full-service heating and air company offering preventative maintenance, service and new installations of both conventional systems as well as geothermal systems. We also offer plumbing service and spray foam insulation. My great grandfather started plumbing in 1955 and we have evolved since then to Rood Heating and Cooling, Inc. We incorporated in 1977. WHAT IS GEOTHERMAL? A geothermal heat pump is the greenest, most efficient and most cost-effective heating and cooling system available today. A geothermal system uses the earth’s renewable energy instead of fossil fuels to heat and cool your home. WHY SHOULD I GO GEOTHERMAL? Geothermal systems are the most efficient systems on the market and have a lifespan that is typically double that of a conventional system. Geothermal systems are the most cost-effective, comfortable and environmentally friendly systems on the market. A geothermal system can make a large portion of your domestic hot water for free; the system will make free hot water any time it is running, heating or cooling. WHAT SORT OF UP-FRONT COSTS AM I LOOKING AT? Geothermal up-front costs are more than a high SEER conventional system because the earth loop has to be installed. The loop can be drilled vertically, trenched horizontally or installed in a lake/pond. The
geothermal loop piping typically has a pipe manufacturer’s warranty of 50 years, so this is a one-time expense. IN GENERAL, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE MY SAVINGS TO “PAY BACK” THE INITIAL FEES? Typically, you are looking for the payback between a high SEER system and a geothermal system. In most cases, you need a new system because you may be building a new house or you have a system requiring replacement. According to WaterFurnace International, the payback period between the two is estimated at around three to eight years. (Each home is constructed differently and can require more or less energy to heat and cool). ARE THERE ANY TAX INCENTIVES FOR MAKING THE SWITCH? Yes, there is a 26 percent tax credit for 2021 and 2022 and a 22 percent tax credit for 2023. DOES THE SIZE OF MY HOUSE MATTER? The size of the house does not matter. We have geothermal systems installed in 800-square-foot apartment buildings and 8,000-squarefoot houses. We even have geothermal systems in the USS Razorback submarine located on the Arkansas River in Little Rock. WHAT IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF GEOTHERMAL? The environmental impact of a geothermal system is huge. In fact, a geothermal system is estimated to be equal to planting more than 700 trees. Geothermal systems are linked to reducing threats like global warming, as geothermal systems reduce the use of fossil fuels.
4810 W. Main St., Russellville • 479-968-3131 • www.roodarkansas.com
UROLOGY/ PROSTATE CANCER
ARKANSAS UROLOGY “Since first being founded in 1996, Arkansas Urology has been and will continue to be transformative leaders in the delivery of prostate cancer care by providing first in class diagnostic and therapeutic options, along with cutting edge research,” Dr. Tim Langford. DOES ARKANSAS UROLOGY TREAT PROSTATE CANCER? Yes. We are the leader in urology and prostate cancer care in the state, as well as the surrounding region. Since 1996, we have been providing worldclass care right here in Arkansas. During this time, we have expanded to 14 locations across the state, which includes opening the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Center on our main campus in Little Rock, back in 2009. WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS AT THE ARKANSAS PROSTATE CANCER CENTER? At the APCC, we work with our patients and their families to determine the best prostate cancer plan for their specific health conditions and individuals needs. This can include: • Surgery •E xternal beam radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, which involves a series of daily treatments to accurately deliver radiation to the prostate. A carefully focused beam of radiation is delivered from a machine outside the body. • Prostate brachytherapy • Hormone therapy • Cryosurgery • Active surveillance “Our focus is Prostate Cancer. Nothing more, nothing less,” says Dr. Jack Wang, who leads the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Center. Last year, Dr.
Wang gave approximately 11,261 treatments — which means, on average, he treated 46 patients a day, at the APCC in 2020. WHY CHOSE ARKANSAS UROLOGY? No one has performed more prostate cancer radiation treatments in Arkansas than the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Center. That’s one of the reasons why we are the best choice for patients. We have top-notch urologists and surgeons who do nothing but prostate cancer. We have invested in the best equipment and latest technology. Our focus is Prostate Cancer. Nothing more, nothing less. The name Arkansas Urology is synonymous with quality and we have some of the most respected physicians across the country. The best days for us are when we hear a patient walk down the hall and ring that bell on the way out the door. What a win! They’ve beaten cancer and won’t be back until it’s time for their annual check-up. We love to see the smiles on their faces — and their family’s faces. WHAT IS ARKANSAS UROLOGY DOING TO HELP? In 2020, we launched the Arkansas Urology Foundation, led by Chris Shenep. The mission of The AU Foundation is to connect Arkansans of all ages to comprehensive healthcare and wellness through education, collaboration and advocacy, inspiring and empowering all men and women to live longer, healthier and happier lives thanks to the world-class care offered at Arkansas Urology. We raise funds and heighten awareness for programs and services we provide across Arkansas. A major aspect of The AU Foundation is providing men with access to health care with free 10-point health screenings at our men’s health clinics across the state.
arkansasurology.com 84
DENTIST
DELTA DENTAL GOING TO THE DENTIST DURING COVID-19? HOW SAFE IS IT? SHOULD YOU KEEP OR POSTPONE YOUR REGULAR DENTIST VISITS DURING THE PANDEMIC? Healthy patients should continue to make their preventive dental care appointments every six months. Medically compromised children and adults are advised to talk to their dentist to determine if a preventive care visit is appropriate during the pandemic. The importance of regular preventive dental care: • Your dentist is often the first to spot developing health conditions and diseases, even cancer. Think of your mouth as the window into your overall health. • Your dentist can detect and treat dental problems such as cavities and gum disease. Working from home and homeschooling have led to more snacking in between meals and an increase of cavities and gum disease. Did you know cavities are the most common chronic childhood disease? And yet, it can be largely prevented with early detection and good oral hygiene. • For young children, a healthy mouth is crucial to learn how to smile, speak and eat properly. A dentist monitors that everything develops on track. • Broken teeth and gingivitis have been on the rise due to pandemicrelated clenching, grinding or vaping. Your dentist can help prevent further deterioration. HOW DO DENTAL OFFICES ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THEIR PATIENTS AND STAFF? Dental offices across Arkansas have taken many additional precautions as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as: • Increased use of personal protective equipment. • Expanded cleaning and sanitation. • Pre-appointment patient screening. • Modified check-in procedures to allow for maximum spacing among patients. Dentists and dental staff are eligible to participate in Phase 1A of the COVID-19 vaccination plan.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO MAINTAIN KEEP MY TEETH AND GUMS HEALTHY DURING THE PANDEMIC? If you take good care of your mouth, your teeth and gums will last a lifetime. Besides seeing your dentist regularly: 1. P ractice good oral hygiene: Brush your teeth in the morning and before you go to bed for two minutes each. Floss once a day. 2. E at a healthy diet that’s rich in vitamins and fiber to boost your immune system and reduce inflammation. Avoid sugar. 3. Manage your stress level. Even a quick smile can unclench your jaws and make your heart rate and blood pressure go down. I LOST MY JOB BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS FOR PRIVATE DENTAL INSURANCE? Delta Dental provides dental and vision insurance for individuals and families. We offer different plans at affordable rates, low deductibles and access to a large network of dentists and eye care providers. Visit DeltaDentalAR.com to learn more about our dental and vision insurance plans and to sign up to receive monthly oral health tips.
www.DeltaDentalAR.com
DERMATOLOGY
PREMIER DERMATOLOGY WHAT SERVICES ARE OFFERED AT PREMIER DERMATOLOGY? Founded on the concept of providing “All Things Skin Under One Roof,” Premier Dermatology offers solutions for treating all conditions of the skin. Medically, the team of board-certified dermatologists and physician assistants treats acne, eczema, excessive sweating, hair loss, melanoma, nail problems, psoriasis, rashes, rosacea, skin cancer and warts. Premier Dermatology is also home to a Mohs surgical center. With a 99 percent cure rate, Mohs is a surgical technique that removes cancerous cells from the skin while sparing as much healthy tissue as possible. WHAT IS RECOMMENDED FOR HEALTHY SKIN? Premier’s dermatologists recommend an annual skin exam for all patients after puberty — or any age if a suspicious lesion is present. If anyone has a family history of melanoma (the most life-threatening form of skin cancer), more frequent skin exams may be suggested. On a day-to-day basis, wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30 is key. Protecting your body’s largest organ starts with good daily defense against harmful UVA/UVB rays. Additionally, Premier providers take a strong stand against tanning bed usage. Tanning beds emit primarily UVA rays which penetrate deeper into the skin, causing substantial, often irreversible, damage to skin cells. WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO KNOW IF A “SPOT” IS SUSPICIOUS? “Spots” or lesions can appear all over the body — especially in sunexposed areas. Some spots are harmless while others may be cancerous. By having an annual body exam with a board-certified dermatologist, your skin expert will map and keep track of all changes in the lesions on your body. However, we also recommend checking your own skin once a month. Look for lesions that are scaly, shiny, or for those that appear to be wounds that never heal. Additionally, the ABCDEs of Melanoma is a great guide for identifying potentially life-threatening spots that often look like moles. “Spots” that fall into these categories should be checked by a dermatologist: Asymmetrical, irregular Border, more than one Color, larger than a pencil eraser in Diameter and changing or Evolving over time. WHAT SERVICES DOES PREMIER OFFER TO HELP WITH THE APPEARANCE OF SKIN? The aesthetic side of Premier is staffed with dermatologists, physician assistants, nurse injectors, certified laser technicians and clinical aestheticians. This team of specialists offers solutions for wrinkles, facial
volume loss, congested skin, broken blood vessels, uneven skin tone or texture, skin laxity, unwanted hair, unwanted tattoos and fat reduction. In addition to in-office treatments, Premier offers clinically-proven, medicalgrade skincare so that patients can address and correct skin concerns beyond the walls of the practice. WHAT TREATMENTS ARE TRENDING AT PREMIER? Among the many services offered, some of the most popular ones are BOTOX® Cosmetic injections, lip filler, cheek filler, jawline and chin filler, laser hair reduction, Hydrafacial®, DiamondGlow®, Coolsculpting®, Morpheus8 and BodyTite + Lipo. As our newest treatment offering, BodyTite + Lipo combines the skin tightening benefits of radiofrequency with the fat removal of liposuction. A minimally invasive procedure, BodyTite + Lipo is performed in-office with local anesthesia only. This procedure is incredibly flexible and can be performed on most areas of the body — abdomen, love handles, back, inner and outer thighs, arms, knees — with little downtime, no scarring and surgical-like results. WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO GET STARTED WITH COSMETIC TREATMENTS AND SKINCARE? A complimentary consultation is the perfect way for the Premier team to get to know you and your unique facial or body goals. In addition, Premier offers complimentary VISIA Complexion Analyses. The VISIA camera takes pictures of your skin to reveal concerns that may not yet be visible to the eye such as underlying sun damage, redness, and bacteria. A VISIA appointment is our most recommended path for determining the right skincare for your skin as well as cosmetic procedures.
479-273-3376 • www. premierderm.net 86
HAIR TRANSPLANTS
MD HAIR LABS WHAT CAUSES HAIR LOSS? Hair loss affects more than 80 million Americans — approximately 50 million men and 30 million women. There are many different types and reasons for hair loss; genetics, medications, medical conditions, stress and aging can all cause hair loss. The good news is most of these can be reversed with medical management. Those who are the best candidates for hair transplant have a specific type of hair loss called androgenetic alopecia (also known as male pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss). Female pattern hair loss affects approximately 40 precent of women by age 50. For about 25 percent of men, the balding process begins in their 20s and almost 85 percent will experience noticeable hair loss by their 50s. WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO RESTORING HAIR WITH A HAIR TRANSPLANT? At MD Hair Labs, we use a state-of-the-art robotic hair transplant system that utilizes specialized technology and a robotic arm to precisely extract “donor” hair from your own head. Patients will have a risk-free, no-charge consultation with scalp analysis from our expert physicians. Prep for the hair transplant includes a haircut prior to the procedure by our experienced cosmetologist hair technicians. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is drawn for the procedure and donor hair is robotically harvested. We then transplant the donor hair follicles by hand for the most custom and natural-looking results. Post-op care is provided by physicians and hair technicians — our team will be there for you every step of the way. WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA TO BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR A HAIR TRANSPLANT? If you are seeking hair restoration due to thinning hair, bald spots and/or a receding hairline, then you could be a candidate for a hair transplant. However, if you’ve lost hair as a result of medication, stress or medical treatment, that hair loss can often be reversed without a robotic transplant. You must have an adequate amount of hair growth or follicles to use for transplantation. WHAT IS PRP? Platelet-rich plasma, also known as PRP, is blood that contains five to 10 times the normal amount of platelets, reversing hair loss and stimulating natural hair growth. MD Hair Labs includes PRP treatments in the hair transplant package as well as a stand-alone treatment for medical management of hair loss. PRP is created by drawing the patient’s blood then separating the platelets by a spinning technique in a centrifuge. We will then carefully and precisely inject the PRP in the prescribed place for hair growth. HOW DO YOU UTILIZE THE ROBOT FOR THE HAIR TRANSPLANT? MD Hair Labs uses the ARTAS® Robotic Hair Restoration System, which is the world’s first intelligent hair transplant platform to utilize state-of-the-art robotic and artificial intelligence technology. This robotic
hair transplant machine offers precise, efficient and repeatable harvesting with simultaneous recipient site making and implantation functionalities in a single, compact platform. The robotic platform includes an advanced multi-camera stereoscopic vision system with 44-micron resolution. This system, along with the device’s seven-axis robot arm, enables our physicians to deliver automated procedures with the greatest accuracy. The ARTAS® robotic hair transplant machine is able to intelligently analyze and select the appropriate grafts from the donor area without the risk of linear scarring. By protecting the patient’s existing hair, the ARTAS® robotic hair transplant system works to maintain a more natural appearance in both the donor site and the thinning area where the new hair will be implanted. WHAT MAKES MD HAIR LABS THE BEST CHOICE FROM OTHER HAIR TRANSPLANT PROVIDERS? MD Hair Labs is bringing cutting-edge robotic hair transplantation and restoration with world-class care to Northwest Arkansas. Founded by well-respected and talented local physicians with great national reputations, Drs. Lance Manning and Missy Clifton are passionate about improving not only one’s appearance but also confidence with this cutting-edge technology. Their approach to hair restoration is two-fold: addressing the root of the hair loss and helping restore it with incredible precision. They ensure that each treatment plan is completely customized for each patient as every patient is different. The end result of the hair transplant is age-appropriate and natural. The MD Hair Labs team has been carefully selected to ensure patient satisfaction and a world-class experience.
4100 S. Grand Ave., Suite B122, Rogers • 479-721-1228 • www.mdhairlabs.com
WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT
CRAFT SEO JOSH THRONE
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES THAT BUSINESSES MAKE WHEN DEVELOPING THEIR WEBSITES? HOW CAN CRAFT SEO HELP ME IF I’VE MADE ANY OF THOSE MISTAKES? When it comes to developing a website, the most common mistake is that businesses tend to just focus on aesthetics rather than functionality, accessibility and technical details. Having a pretty website is great, but what good is it if it doesn’t boost conversions and generate revenue? Your website needs to be visually pleasing, but it also needs to help you make money. WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FOR WEBSITE BUILDING, AND HOW MUCH OF A SAY CAN I HAVE IN THAT? Our clients get a lot of input. We start with a discovery meeting. We want to learn about your company, what makes you different or unique. We help you define your goals for your new website. Most business owners already have an idea of what they might like artistically, so we combine those ideas with our best practices. IF I LIKE THE OVERALL LOOK OF MY WEBSITE BUT JUST NEED SOME HELP WITH FUNCTIONALITY, IS THAT ALSO SOMETHING YOU CAN HELP ME WITH? Absolutely! This is something we do with clients all across the country. CAN CRAFT SEO ALSO HELP ME GET ON THE FIRST PAGE OF GOOGLE SEARCH RESULTS? We help companies from Arkansas to New York with Local SEO. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and as a business owner, you want to optimize your website for search engines. Particularly, the goal is for your company to show up before your local competition when someone is searching for keywords that are relevant to your service or product.
IF TECHNOLOGY IS NOT MY STRONG SUIT, CAN YOUR TEAM ALSO HELP ME WITH RUNNING MY WEBSITE AFTER THE FACT? Not only do we help you manage your website after it’s built, but we also offer hosting services. This is beneficial to business owners because we’re local and you have direct contact with us. No more “1-800-waitfor-two-hours” phone calls. We make ongoing support convenient for local owners. DOES IT MATTER WHAT BUSINESS I AM IN OR WHAT TYPE OF WEBSITE I’M LOOKING FOR? Our focus on helping business owners who offer a service or product to a local market. This is what I would call our bread and butter. THERE ARE A LOT OF PLATFORMS AVAILABLE TODAY THAT BOAST A DO-IT-YOURSELF ABILITY (WIX, WORDPRESS, SQUARESPACE); WHY IS CRAFT SEO A BETTER OPTION? I don’t like to discredit anyone or any of our competition because, depending on your company’s goals, there can be a wide range of great options. However, I think it’s undeniable that there is incredible value in working with a professional agency that has dedicated years to its craft of driving intentional customers to your website.
Little Rock • 443-470-9115 • www.craftseo.com
ENERGY
ENTERGY ARKANSAS WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY OLD ELECTRIC METER AND THE NEW “ADVANCED” ONE? Entergy Arkansas is in the process of converting to an advanced meter system. Where the old meters required a monthly in-person reading, the new meters communicate usage information to the company through a new wireless system every 15 minutes. Customers can access this almostreal-time data online. Advanced meters also provide quicker and more accurate detection of outages. AFTER A STORM LAST SPRING MY POWER WAS OUT, BUT THE NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET HAD ELECTRICITY. HOW CAN THIS BE? While electrical circuits sometimes run parallel to roadways, this is not always the case. When your neighbor’s power is on but yours is not, it is because you and they are on different circuits, and linemen are still working on repairing yours. DOES ENTERGY ARKANSAS OFFER SOLAR POWER? Entergy Arkansas actually is the largest provider of solar power in Arkansas with utility-scale solar centers online in Stuttgart and Lake Village and others on the way. All customers receive power from these plants, but we also offer limited subscriptions for specific blocks of solar power, helping customers save money and meet renewable-energy objectives. I HEAR ENTERGY ARKANSAS HAS A PROGRAM THAT WILL HELP ME USE LESS ELECTRICITY. TRUE? Entergy Solutions has 14 energy efficiency programs for customers from residential to large industrial. We offer services and incentives to help customers save energy. To inquire about a no-cost energy audit of your home, visit EntergySolutionsAR.com or call 877-212-2420. WHY DON’T YOU BURY ALL THE POWER LINES? Installing new lines underground costs up to 14 times more than overhead. Converting overhead to underground costs considerably more than that, and doing so would result in dramatically higher electric bills. Also, while underground lines are protected from weather, they are vulnerable to other threats, such as digging. Finding and repairing faults underground is considerably more difficult than with overhead lines, so underground-related outages tend to last longer.
HOW DOES LEVEL BILLING WORK? Level Billing is based on a rolling average of 12 months of usage. Every month that average is re-calculated and adjusted slightly based on your usage trends. The result is that all bills are roughly the same throughout the year. No surprises! I’M A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR WHO DOESN’T PLAN ON GOING TO COLLEGE. ANY CHANCE I COULD BECOME AN ENTERGY LINEMAN? Yes. We frequently have openings for line workers throughout our service territory. We train on the job through a four-year apprenticeship program. Great pay, great benefits, great company. If interested, check for openings at entergy.com/careers.
www.entergy-arkansas.com
DR. MICHAEL DEVLIN
FACELIFT SURGERY
DEVLIN COSMETIC SURGERY Dr. Michael Devlin is committed to helping you achieve your cosmetic surgery goals while providing you with compassionate, personalized care. His team of carefully selected and experienced professionals will help you through the surgery process. HOW OLD ARE TYPICAL PATIENTS FOR A FACELIFT? Some patients seeking facelift surgery are seen as young as the early 40s. Patients as old as 85 to 90 years old also are seen for a facelift, though many have had previous facelifts. CAN OTHER FACIAL SURGERIES BE PERFORMED WITH A FACELIFT? Yes, facial procedures such as eyelid surgery, brow lift, cheek and chin augmentation as well as skin resurfacing are often combined with facelift surgery. WILL I HAVE MUCH PAIN AFTER A FACELIFT? As a general rule, there is not much pain associated with a facelift. Your face will be wrapped in a bandage for the first 24 hours after surgery. This compression could cause a little bit of discomfort but is well controlled with the pain medication that is given. WHEN CAN I WEAR MAKEUP? If you do not have any skin resurfacing at the same time as your RestoreLift®, most people can resume wearing makeup within a matter of days after surgery. HOW LONG WILL A FACELIFT LAST? The results will vary from person to person based on skin tone and health. Most people can expect their results to last between five to seven years. I like to use the analogy that a facelift sets the clock back a few years. There is no way to stop the aging process. That being said, you will always look younger after your facelift than if you had never had one before. It is difficult to say how long the RestoreLift® will last, since everyone ages differently. WHAT IS RESTORELIFT®? The RestoreLift® facelift is a modification of the traditional facelift and was developed by Little Rock cosmetic surgeon Dr. Michael Devlin. He designed the RestoreLift® facelift for men and women who want to restore a more youthful and rested appearance while maintaining a natural look. The RestoreLift® facelift utilizes the patient’s own growth factors to help regenerate collagen lost by the aging process. This process involves utilizing a small amount of the patient’s own blood. The blood is then processed to yield PRP (platelet rich plasma). PRP contains several growth factors that stimulate collagen production which works over several months to achieve even better results after surgery. The RestoreLift® facelift also utilizes special factors that help with swelling and the bruising process. This allows for a faster recovery than a standard facelift.
Before
Before and after RestoreLift® After Facelift.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TRADITIONAL FACELIFT AND RESTORELIFT® FACELIFT? The RestoreLift® is very much like After a facelift in many Before ways. The difference is with the RestoreLift® the neck and jowls are addressed more aggressively. In the neck, special sutures are used to treat the platysmal band that separates as we age. This gives you a more refined and defined neck and jawline. In addition, the RestoreLift® uses growth factors using your own blood. It is then placed in a special machine to prepare your blood. These growth factors are then re-injected into the face and neck during your surgery. This has significantly decreased the recovery time as well as swelling and bruising. These growth factors also produce collagen that helps to promote healthy regenerated skin as you heal. Oral sedation can be used for the RestoreLift® and no general anesthesia is needed. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A RESTORELIFT® FACELIFT? • No general anesthesia required • Lifts jowls and cheeks • Enhances neck definition • Uses patient’s own growth factors • Allows for a faster recovery • Immediate and lasting results • Less bruising and swelling Dr. Michael Devlin was voted best cosmetic surgeon in Little Rock by AY Magazine in 2016, 2017 and again in 2018. Dr. Devlin’s artistic eye and refined surgical skills can help provide natural-looking results that complement your best features. To ensure high-quality care and patient comfort, he uses the latest technology and techniques in each of his procedures. If you have facelift questions, request your consultation or contact our office at (501) 227-8811 or visit us online at drdevlin.com
10801 Executive Center Dr., Ste. 303, Little Rock • 501-227-8811 • www.drdevlin.com 90
REAL ESTATE
CAROLYN COBB VICE PRESIDENT, COLDWELL BANKER RPM GROUP
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY? I have been a REALTOR since 2002. I became a broker in 2005. ARE WE CURRENTLY IN A BUYER’S OR SELLER’S MARKET? We are in both a buyer’s and a seller’s market. The interest rates are historically low, so buyers are interested in finding a home they both want and can now afford due to the low rates. Sellers are in a great position if their home is priced correctly, and their home is in top condition to sell. AS THE PANDEMIC NEARS ITS END, DO YOU SEE THE REAL ESTATE MARKET CHANGING WITH IT? I do see some changes in our industry as COVID-19 draws nearer to its end. However, I see the change as positive. People do like to view the home several times before they purchase (which is a bit more challenging now) and when jobs are restored. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES YOU SEE SELLERS MAKE? Not having their home “show ready.” By this I mean, they should meet with their REALTOR to do a market analysis and to allow them to make suggestions regarding their position on the market. Their agent will suggest things like having a home inspection before it hits the market so they will know what repairs will need to be addressed. REALTORS will advise the seller on what to expect the first week or two of showings. There are so many details to consider in this market and we want sellers to find the best outcome. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES YOU SEE BUYERS MAKE? Buyers need to first meet with their lender or financial advisor. This is critical, especially in this market because of the low inventory available. There could be three offers or more on a home the first morning it goes into our multi-list system. The buyers need to be prepared to make their strongest offer in order to secure the home they want and this cannot happen unless they know how much they can afford. There are many other considerations in purchasing a home, but your REALTOR will guide you through the process. LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD TO THE NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS, WHERE DO YOU THINK THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IS HEADED? I wish I knew what the next five years have in store in the real estate market. No one could have predicted the pandemic or that
interest rates would remain low for as long as they have. I just know that homeownership has shaped our economy and it always will. The American Dream of belonging to a community, with schools and parks nearby is as vital as it has ever been. We all understand how important owning a home is to building wealth, as well. Owning a home gives us all a sense of stability. IF I AM THINKING ABOUT PUTTING MY HOUSE ON THE MARKET IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BEST THINGS I CAN BE DOING NOW TO PREPARE? I suggest you find a REALTOR who you can trust and consult with on every aspect of selling. Go look at homes that may be on the market in your neighborhood and look at them from a buyer’s eyes. Buyers want a clean, well-maintained home at a fair price. SOME PEOPLE ELECT TO SELL OR BUY WITHOUT AN AGENT; WHY WOULD YOU ADVISE OTHERWISE? There are so many reasons you need a REALTOR to navigate the process of buying and selling your home. REALTORS abide by a Code of Ethics and are licensed and are governed by the Arkansas Realtors Association and their rules and regulations. There are safety issues you must consider before opening your home to the public if you are selling. Agents make certain to bring buyers that are qualified and are serious about purchasing a home. We make certain to explore every option to position your home for a successful sale that benefits the buyer and the seller. Buyers and sellers may think they can navigate the process easily but statistics show that those who use a REALTOR realize more money on the sale of their home and buyers save time and money. REALTORS have expertise in buying or selling your home, which requires dozens of forms, reports, disclosures and many other documents. You want an agent on your side to assist you in all the processes during your transaction. Your real estate agent has your back whether you are a buyer or a seller. We have a fiduciary responsibility to our clients. We are legally obligated to put our clients’ interests first in each transaction.
1501 N. University Ave., Little Rock • 501-916-8211 91
aymag.com
HEMP/CBD
HEALING HEMP OF ARKANSAS WHAT IS CBD AND HOW DOES IT WORK IN YOUR BODY? CBD, cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring compound found in hemp plants. CBD works by interacting with a set of receptors in your body called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). Your ECS is involved in regulating stress levels, sleep schedules, pain perceptions, anti-inflammatory response, immune system, mood and more. Your ECS works to keep your body in homeostasis, its optimal state. IS CBD LEGAL? Under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-derived CBD is legal if it contains less than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the substance responsible for the psychoactive high. At Healing Hemp of Arkansas, all of our products are third-party tested to ensure their safety, purity and legality. CBD VS THC; WILL CBD GET ME HIGH? As naturally occurring compounds derived from the hemp plant, CBD and THC share some similarities, yet there are key differences. CBD and THC affect different receptors in the brain. CBD has nonpsychoactive properties while THC has more of the psychoactive effects. Not to worry, the small amount of legal THC in CBD products is not enough to cause a “high.” WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES IN ISOLATE/BROAD/FULLSPECTRUM? Isolate uses only the isolated CBD cannabinoid. Broad-spectrum made with a broad range of cannabinoids, terpenes and other beneficial compounds found in hemp plants, but with essentially no THC. Full-spectrum is made with the full range of cannabinoids and includes up to the federally legal limit of THC.
HOW DO I TAKE CBD? CBD is available in many different dosages and delivery methods. This allows people to tailor their method of use to their specific needs. Some of the most common forms of CBD are: oils/tinctures, capsules and gel caps, edibles, topicals, and vapes, all of which come in varying dosages of CBD. Everyone’s body metabolizes each form a bit differently. It is important to work alongside someone with extensive product knowledge to ensure the proper forms and dosages are used. WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS HOW DO I KNOW WHICH CBD PRODUCT IS RIGHT FOR ME? The CBD specialists at Healing Hemp of Arkansas are dedicated to helping you find the right product and dosing to suit your needs. The product you choose may depend on the results you are trying to achieve. In getting to know you and your needs we will work together to find your unique regimen for optimal results. CAN I GIVE CBD TO MY PETS? CBD for pets offers the same benefits to animals as it does to humans. Because animals and humans are similar in physiology and both have an endocannabinoid system, both bodily systems can be positively affected by CBD in the same ways. Both can enjoy a wellness regimen to ease daily discomforts and support an overall sense of wellness. WHY SHOP AT HEALING HEMP OF ARKANSAS? We strive to have the most comprehensive inventory, up to date knowledge and offer an environment of care and compassion. Creating personal relationships, built on trust, allows our CBD specialists to further understand and fulfill the needs of our customers.
8210 Cantrell Road, Little Rock • 501-313-5243 • healinghempofarkansas.com 92
MAKING A MOVIE IN ARKANSAS
ROCKHILL STUDIOS WHY DID YOU START A MOVIE PRODUCTION COMPANY IN ARKANSAS? After successfully producing several feature films here in Arkansas, we approached the Film Commissioner, Christopher Crane, to ask how we could help develop the film industry here. He confirmed that the biggest need was infrastructure, so we invested in a brick-and-mortar studio in 2017 and began building relationships with the top industry professionals in the state and around the country as well. HOW MANY MOVIES HAS ROCKHILL PRODUCED? Since 2010, we have produced 10 feature films, and we are proud that 7 of those were shot here in Arkansas. We have 5 films currently in development for production. We have been working to build successful relationships with out-of-state production companies and attract them to shoot here. The last several films we have produced have been great examples of just that. We’ve had films that have gone on to be official selections at Sundance and SXSW, and were acquired by major distribution companies, including Lionsgate and Samuel-Goldwyn.
have a village that has to be fed and housed and entertained. As a result, Rockhill has been able to bring millions of dollars to the state-wide economy and provide hundreds of jobs. HOW CAN SOMEONE GET INVOLVED WITH THE FILM INDUSTRY? There are many ways to get involved. We have supported and been excited to see the growth of the film festivals here in Arkansas. Festivals aren’t just a place to watch movies, they also include really informative panels, and great opportunities to get connected with others working in the industry here. There is also a growing culture of student films, indie projects, and great resources that can help you get started.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE MAKE THEIR FILMS IN ARKANSAS? We started this company because we knew Arkansas was a hidden gem for film production. We have a competitive state incentive, incredible locations, and an experienced network of crew along with award-winning talent. With the studio infrastructure we now have the ability to compete nationally as a cost-effective production destination. Filmmakers are always pleasantly surprised to find the exceptional resources and hospitality we have to offer.
DO YOU PRODUCE ANYTHING BESIDES MOVIES? One of the great things about having filmmaking resources is that we are able to offer world-class commercial and corporate video production services as well. A large part of our business is commercial production. We love being a production resource for our community, from small businesses to fortune 500 companies. We’ve also produced documentaries and short films. With content high in demand, we are excited for what the future holds for the media production industry here in Arkansas.
HOW DOES THE FILM INDUSTRY IMPACT THE STATE? Two words: revenue and jobs! The great thing about this industry is that the impacts are felt by the whole region in which the film is being produced. When we have a film in production, we essentially
HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND OUT MORE? We encourage you to visit our website at www.rockhill.studio. You can write us with questions, and even register online to be on our crew list. We are happy to be a resource.
240 E. Township St., Fayetteville • 479-435-6392 • rockhill.studio 93
aymag.com
NWA REAL ESTATE
NWA METRO GROUP REALTORS WITH COLDWELL BANKER HARRIS, MCHANEY & FAUCETTE
HOW IS THE MARKET IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS? The market is FAST! Right now is a wonderful time to sell your home and if you’re looking to buy, interest rates continue to remain historically low. It’s a win-win for both buyers and sellers alike. WHEN IS A GOOD TIME TO SELL MY HOUSE? In this market, there isn’t a “bad” time to sell your home. People often wait for warmer weather to put their home on the market. However, there are plenty of buyers in the winter months and not a lot of homes for sale. So if you list now you can take advantage of the competitive market and get a great price for your home. IS NOW A GOOD TIME TO BUY PROPERTY IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS? Absolutely. Interest rates are at record lows for mortgages. So while you might be paying a higher price for a home due to the competitive market, you’re saving significantly on the interest you would pay over the length of your loan. Additionally, our area is continuously growing. With that growth, property values increase. WHERE ARE THE UP-AND-COMING AREAS IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS? We love every area in NWA! Our four major spots are Fayetteville, Bentonville, Springdale and Rogers. This is where the most action happens with dining and entertainment. Farmington, Lowell, Cave Springs and Centerton are all very convenient and you can stretch your dollar a little farther here. WHAT ARE FUN THINGS TO DO IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS? We are so lucky to have it all here in NWA. You’ll find plenty of outdoor activities such as mountain biking, hiking, floating and boating. We have a fabulous dining scene with casual dining, food trucks and fine dining. I’m sure you’ve heard of our wonderful art museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. You can also enjoy live theater at the Walton Arts Center and Theatre Squared or modern art at the Momentary or pop into local art galleries downtown. Finally, you can’t forget about the Razorbacks. Enjoy basketball, football, baseball and more either at the stadium or on Dickson Street. WHY SHOULD I HIRE NWA METRO GROUP TO HELP ME BUY A HOUSE? Buying a home can be one of the most stressful events you’ll face. We’re here to eliminate as much of the stress as possible by making sure you’re informed every step of the way. We will negotiate price, repairs and concessions on your behalf to make sure you get the best deal for your ideal space.
Left to right: Alice Honea, Alisa May-Horgan, Chris May and Jessica Mefford. WHY SHOULD I HIRE NWA METRO GROUP TO SELL MY HOUSE? You might consider selling your home as a “For Sale by Owner.” Our statistics show that we are able to get sellers a higher price than if they sold on their own. This is because we will market your home to give it the most visibility possible. More money and less of a headache — can’t go wrong hiring us. Contact us for a free market analysis and an in-depth look at our marketing strategy. WHAT SHOULD I DO TO GET MY HOUSE READY TO SELL? There are two options here: you can sell your house at “retail price” or “wholesale price.” If you’re willing to make repairs and get your home show-ready, we are able to price it higher. If you want to sell without going through the trouble of getting your home in tip-top shape, we’ll list it slightly lower at wholesale price. Whatever you decide, we’ll be there to help you every step of the way! IF A HOME WARRANTY IS PROVIDED WITH THE HOUSE I’M CONSIDERING PURCHASING, DO I STILL NEED TO HAVE A HOME INSPECTION? Yes. An inspection will probably be one of the most important investments you will make throughout the purchase process. It will help you identify potential problems and help to negotiate repairs with the seller or adjust the price. A home warranty is a service agreement that covers many repairs or replacement of home systems and appliances that break down due to normal wear and tear.
3589 N. College Ave., Fayetteville • info@nwametrogroup.com • www.nwametrogroup.com
NON-SURGICAL COSMETIC INJECTIONS AND PROCEDURES
KATHERINE THOMAS, RN ARKANSAS AESTHETICS
WHAT ARE THE MOST POPULAR TREATMENTS THAT YOU PROVIDE?
Neurotoxins (BOTOX®, Dysport®) and dermal fillers.
GENERALLY, HOW LONG IS THE RECOVERY TIME AFTER ONE OF YOUR PROCEDURES?
After a neurotoxin treatment, there isn’t any recovery or downtime at all. Fillers are more invasive and you can have bruising or swelling, but recovery is patient dependent. It could be a few days or a few weeks, depending on the area of treatment. HOW OFTEN DO I NEED TO RETURN FOR TREATMENTS?
My patients usually come in every eight to 10 weeks for a neurotoxin maintenance treatment. This way, the neurotoxin stays in your system and will keep your muscles relaxed. It’s really the
only way these treatments are effective. If you go in every three to four months when your wrinkles have returned, you are basically starting from square one. In my opinion, the reason you are getting a neurotoxin is to prevent or correct skin damage that you have (wrinkles at rest). The only way to do this is to stay in a maintenance phase. Keep in mind: you don’t have to be frozen, we just want your muscles not to work so hard that they crease your skin. Filler patients usually come in every three months for a touchup. As the filler disintegrates, we add a layer on top to keep the filler in place. When trying to decide where to go for your aesthetic needs, keep this in mind. You want to go to a provider that specializes in facial aesthetic medicine. We are the only aesthetic practice in the southeast with a sole focus on neurotoxins and dermal Fillers in all three of our locations. We don’t offer many different services for a reason. We don’t want to be good at many different treatments; we want to be the best in the treatments we do every day.
10301 N. Rodney Parham Road, C7, Little Rock
OPTOMETRY
SHELBY BROGDON, OD OPTOMETRIC PHYSICIAN
WHAT ARE COMMON MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE WITH THEIR CONTACT LENSES?
Contact lens wearers are at a higher risk for eye infections, especially if they do not properly care for or dispose of their contacts. One of my favorite things to tell my patients is that their contacts are like underwear: Don’t over wear, avoid those sketchy pairs and always carry a spare.
AT WHAT AGE SHOULD A CHILD RECEIVE THEIR FIRST EYE EXAM?
The American Optometric Association recommends children receive their first eye exam at 6 months to 1 year of age and their
next exam between 3 and 5. All school-aged children should be seen annually. Regular eye exams are important for students because up to 70 percent of what children learn in school is presented visually. WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BLUE LIGHT GLASSES? WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO PROTECT MY EYES WHEN WORKING ON THE COMPUTER?
Concerns about increased time on digital devices have increased with distance learning and remote working. Blue light is more likely to disrupt your sleep cycle than damage your eyes. There is currently no evidence that device-derived blue light exposure increases risk of ocular damage but many patients report reduced glare and eye strain. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to follow the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes on digital devices, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
www.facebook.com/drshelbybrogdon/ • INSTAGRAM: @eye_brog_doc
95
aymag.com
HEAT AND AIR
ENERGY AIR INC. AM I COVERED BY A WARRANTY IF I USE ENERGY AIR?
Although warranties may vary on each product, Energy Air continues to focus and provide only the best in workmanship and manufacturer warranties around, such as lifetime and 20-year warranties. Our primary product line of the Amana and Daikin systems are supported by a multitude of superior indoor comfort systems with outstanding warranties. GIVEN YOUR CONNECTION TO KELLCO CUSTOM HOMES, DO YOU ONLY PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL SERVICE?
Energy Air provides both commercial and residential services. Our services include new construction, new installation of existing systems, duct install and repairs, and refrigeration, such as commercial units.
I DON’T NEED A NEW SYSTEM BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FIND SOME WAYS TO SAVE MONEY. HOW CAN YOU HELP?
There is never a better time than now to save money on your heating and air system. Energy Air provides a preventative maintenance program to help each customer with saving money and making sure their system is running at peak performance which helps in optimal energy efficiency savings. WHY ENERGY AIR?
Since 1992, Energy Air has maintained its primary focus on its customers’ needs, continuing education of the heating air advancements within the industry, and providing only the best in energy-efficient, high-quality HVAC equipment which is backed by exceptional warranties and customer service. Energy Air knows the importance of not only maintaining your system’s overall health maintenance but the knowledge of proper installation and repairs to each system. Having a licensed, educated and certified HVAC contractor is extremely important and is dependent for the system’s performance.
930 E Kiehl Ave, Sherwood • 501-913-8001 • www.energyairar.com
Custom Homes specializes in taking a build vision to the next level and creating a unique, one-of-a-kind home that will provide your family with the day-to-day demands and for years to come. Take time to share with your builder your overall desires for the home and your builder can take it from there. I’D LIKE TO KEEP THINGS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE. DO I HAVE TO CALL SOMEONE ELSE TO HELP ME WITH THE INTERIOR DESIGN?
HOME BUILDER
KELLCO CUSTOM HOMES I WANT TO HAVE A NEW HOME BUILT, WHERE DO I START?
The first order of business would be to look at your overall financial stability. Talk to a local lender and see what your approval process involves and how much you are able to budget for your new home build. Every process is different and based on each individual’s unique situation. Second, choose a builder — wisely! Make sure the contractor you are seeking is properly licensed. Each builder is different and offers different perspectives, design approach and services. In addition to the normal process of searching through online platforms, do your own homework. Don’t be afraid to look at that builder’s work. WHAT IF I AM HAVING A HARD TIME SOLIDIFYING MY VISION, BUT HAVE A GENERAL IDEA OF WHAT I LIKE?
This is where having an experienced builder comes in. KellCo
Many builders are able and appreciate the opportunity to help their clients with a concise plan, up front, on an interior design. KellCo Custom Homes delivers a complete design package to help you execute the design starting with the architectural phase. Having a strong team on every level during construction is critical.
AM I NUTS OR IS NOW A GOOD TIME TO BUILD A NEW HOME?
The new home building industry is at an all-time high. With interest rates at unprecedented lows, the demands of new home building is remarkable and the housing market is stable, while the supply of existing homes is tight. Exercise patience while the industry continues to successfully manage the shipping of building materials which may have a slighter delay in some areas. It’s not business as usual, but business in our new normal. Overall, KellCo Custom Homes knows how to make it all happen. Now, more than ever, people are working from home and want more space. KellCo builds custom homes to accommodate in-home offices, study spaces for the kiddos, home gyms and outdoor living for backyard activities, such as outdoor kitchens, inground pools and spas.
Sherwood • kellcocustomhomes.com • 501-993-5232
96
GASTROENTEROLOGY
GASTRO ARKANSAS AT WHAT AGE DOES A PERSON NEED TO HAVE A COLONOSCOPY TO SCREEN FOR COLORECTAL CANCER?
The American Cancer Society recommends for most patients their first screening colonoscopy should start at age 45. However, screening may need to happen sooner in Dr. Bobby Kakati, M.D. patients with health conditions that make them more susceptible to colorectal cancer, or if a patient has a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A COLONOSCOPY?
Colon cancer is preventable via high-quality colonoscopy. Colon polyps and colorectal cancer might not cause symptoms initially. With colon cancer screening through a colonoscopy, we detect and subsequently remove precursor lesions (polyps) in the large intestine
thereby preventing that abnormal growth from becoming colorectal cancer. WHY IS EARLY DETECTION OF COLORECTAL CANCER IMPORTANT?
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. A colonoscopy also allows early detection of colorectal cancer, and when found at an early stage the 5-year survival rate is approximately 90 percent. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF COLORECTAL CANCER?
Colorectal cancer might be asymptomatic at first; consequently, screening is essential. However, it may cause some of the following symptoms: a change in your normal bowel habits or stool size, diarrhea, constipation, incomplete evacuation, rectal bleeding with red blood, black stools, abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue and unintentional weight loss.
gastroarkansas.com
INSURANCE
BROOKE BROLO ALLSTATE
WHY SHOULD I CARRY MORE THAN THE STATE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR AUTO INSURANCE?
The state only requires $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident and $25,000 in property damage. If you have an accident and injure someone, your policy will only pay up to $25,000. If more than one person is injured, the maximum payout is $50,000. At that point, your insurance company is off the hook and you could be left holding the bag for the remaining damages. Also, think about all the tech-savvy cars and SUVs on the road today; $25,000 is not near enough if you total someone else’s vehicle. Carrying higher liability limits protect your out of pocket expenses. DO I NEED LIFE INSURANCE IF I’M YOUNG, SINGLE, NO KIDS?
Yes! You may think just because no one is relying on our income you don’t need life insurance. Wrong. Who’s going to pay for your final expenses? A loved one? The average funeral cost is between
$8,000 to $10,000. Also, when you are young you have age and health on your side and can lock in a low rate. Remember this: Leave a legacy, not a burden. WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO SAVE ON MY INSURANCE?
Bundle your policies. The more policies you have with one insurance company, the better rate you will receive. At my agency, you can get 35-40 percent overall savings for having your home, auto and life bundled together.
WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE YOUR AGENCY?
My team and I have worked hard to earn a solid reputation of getting to know our customers and understanding their needs. We cater to you and provide you with the best customer service experience we can possibly give you. Our goal is to leave you better off than you were before coming to us. That includes making sure you have the best protection at the best price we can offer. We provide one-stop shopping for a full range of products, including home, renters, auto, life, business, supplemental group plans and a large portfolio of retirement products.
4702 W. Commercial Drive, Suite A, North Little Rock • 501-945-0899
97
aymag.com
DESIGN CONSULTANT
BRASHEARS FURNITURE WHAT ARE THE MAIN SERVICES THAT YOUR COMPANY OFFERS?
tasteful furnishings at different price points. Working with a highly trained and experienced consultant is aimed at being a positive experience that can efficiently provide ideas and solve any design problems. Once everything has been selected and the project is ready to move forward, we hope to provide top-grade customer service throughout the process.
Brashears Furniture has been locally owned and operated here in the Ozarks for three generations, with stores in Springdale, Berryville and Branson. We offer a wide selection of quality furniture and accessories for every room in the house, and have unique items you won’t find in other places. We have a huge selection of styles and fabrics to choose from and are happy to let you browse in a comfortable shopping environment. However, if you need help with your selections, our experienced staff would love to help make your home inviting, comfortable and reflect your taste and lifestyle. We provide complimentary in-store design consultations.
Now more than ever, families are spending more time at home and want comfortable living room furniture to relax in. Plush sectionals and reclining sofas are more popular than ever. You can customize the style, fabric and sectional pieces to get just the right fit for your room and the look you what. Reclining and motion furniture can be comfortable and beautiful, with many great comfort features and power controls.
HOW CAN YOUR DESIGN CONSULTANTS HELP BRING MY VISION TO LIFE?
SPEAKING TO FURNITURE TRENDS AS A WHOLE, ARE THERE ANY “FADS” AT OR NEAR DYING OUT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD AVOID?
Our design consultants can help guide you through the process by providing pictures, fabric samples and catalogs to help visualize how the space will look. We can work within a range of different budgets, providing
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON DESIGN TRENDS IN LIVING ROOM FURNITURE?
We love that style trends continue to be eclectic. We enjoy finding unique pieces that reflect the client’s personality. You can mix and match furniture styles or add a pop of color to make your home interesting and inviting.
www.brashears.com
POWER of the road, are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Like other green technologies, such as solar power and battery energy storage systems, EV technology is continuously evolving as prices fall. ARE THERE ANY TAX CREDITS AVAILABLE TO ME FOR SWITCHING HOW I POWER MY LIFE?
TODAY’S POWER, INC. RENEWABLE RAYNA
WHAT AREAS OF “POWER” DOES TODAY’S POWER SPECIALIZE IN?
Today’s Power, one of the nation’s most qualified renewable energy companies with more utility-scale projects than any Arkansas-based company, specializes in solar and emerging technologies, developing innovative renewable energy systems for residential, commercial, industrial, public sector and utility customers of all sizes.
The Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for solar energy, recently extended, currently stands at 26 percent for another two years before decreasing to 22 percent in 2023. What many do not know about the solar investment tax credit is that if combined with solar, battery energy storage can be included under the ITC. Another expanded investment tax credit is for electric vehicle chargers. This credit gives your business 30 percent of the overall cost of buying and installing a charging station for an electric vehicle. But do not wait — this tax credit is only available for the rest of the year! IS THIS THE PERFECT TIME TO GO SOLAR? IF SO, WHY TODAY’S POWER?
WHAT IS THE NO. 1 THING HOLDING ELECTRIC VEHICLES BACK TODAY, AND HOW HAS TODAY’S POWER WORKED TOWARD PROGRESS ON THAT FRONT?
The classic electric car myths, such as that the range isn’t great and you may find yourself stuck with a dead battery on the side
It is always the right time to save money and the environment but choosing the right energy partner is the main thing to be considered when going solar. When installing solar on your home or your business, you’re making a 20-year or more investment, and having the right partner in place for the lifetime of your system is vital to ensuring that your system performs at its peak potential.
7300 Industry Drive, North Little Rock • www.todayspower.com
98
KITCHENS
KITCHEN TUNE-UP WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAIN SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE?
We offer a variety of options to update your kitchen space. For stained wood cabinets that need refreshing, we provide our original one-day Tune-Up service. To update the look of existing cabinets, our redooring and refacing options are endless. And, if your kitchen needs an entirely new layout or updates, we offer custom and semi-custom cabinets. AS IT RELATES TO CABINETRY, WHAT ARE THE MOST POPULAR DESIGNS YOU TYPICALLY WORK WITH?
Whites and grays continue to be popular finish options with our clients. Simple lines found with shaker style doors are predominately selected. We are seeing more homeowners mixing in bolder options of blues and navy on base cabinets and islands.
WHAT ARE SOME EASY WAYS I CAN IMPROVE MY KITCHEN ON A BUDGET?
Replacing the doors and drawer fronts will give existing cabinets the most bang for the investment. Along with that would be updated concealed hinges. At a minimum, new hardware can add a fresh look. There are also really good retrofitting organizational options available to help with the overall storage and functional aspects of your kitchen.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE WHEN REVAMPING/RENOVATING THEIR KITCHEN?
Not hiring a professional that communicates well and that can assist them with the steps involved when updating a kitchen. We offer a guidebook for remodeling your kitchen as well as in-home and showroom consultations. For almost anything that falls outside our area of expertise, we have relationships with other professionals in the trade to whom we can refer. Be it large or small, working with a reputable professional is the key to a successful project.
9710 Maumelle Blvd., Maumelle • 501-223-8888 • www.kitchentuneup.com
BARIATRIC SURGERY
SALINE SURGICAL ASSOCIATES DR. LEWIS PORTER
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON PROCEDURES THAT YOU PERFORM ON A REGULAR BASIS?
Colonoscopy/EGD; hernia repair; gallbladder removal; colon resection.
THE THOUGHT OF SURGERY CAN STILL CAUSE A FAIR AMOUNT OF ANXIETY FOR SOME PEOPLE; HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT CALMING SUCH FEARS?
Firstly, you have to have empathy for patients as they fear the unknown. So you must assure patients that you will provide your best service and care. Secondly, you must thoroughly explain to the patient the procedure or expectations in order to instill their confidence in you as their surgeon. Lastly, be truthful about expectations and outcomes.
HOW HAVE SOME OF THE MODERN MINIMALLY INVASIVE TECHNIQUES AND PRACTICES HELPED YOUR CAREER AND YOUR PATIENTS?
Minimally Invasive Surgeries are one of the greatest advancements in modern medicine. It allows less tissue trauma, less patient pain & a quicker recovery. Also it has allowed the conversion of many of our major operations into Short Hospital Stays or Outpatient Procedures. WHAT TYPE(S) OF WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY DO YOU PROVIDE?
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy & Lap Band are my most common performed Weight Loss Surgeries. I have previously performed many Gastric Bypass Surgeries but this is not as commonly performed in my practice.
5 Medical Park Drive, Benton • 501-778-4862 • salinesurgical.org
99
aymag.com
HiDD 100
E DD N no more Overnight Code Chronicles the Life of Raye Montague By Dustin Jayroe
Photos courtesy of Paige Bowers and David Montague
101
aymag.com
T
he 2016 drama Hidden Figures really opened a lot of American eyes to a side of history that for a long time remained untold, that women — specifically, Black women — were behind some of the historic technological achievements of the previous century. This particular film (based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly) tells the true story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson and their integral role in launching John Glenn into outer space, making him the third American to do so, and the first to orbit the Earth. Too often, the story of the Space Race highlights only the likes of Glenn, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, neglecting the other heroes of the moment, concealed behind a curtain. But the eyes of many Arkansans may not know of our own hidden figure, the late Raye Montague, who was just as essential to the U.S. Navy as Johnson, Vaughan and Jackson were to NASA. Her incredible journey is recounted in the recently released biography, Overnight Code: The Life of Raye Montague, The Woman Who Revolutionized Naval Engineering, co-authored by Paige Bowers and Raye’s son, Dr. David Montague. ***
Raye Montague.
She lived a full life, one of personal accomplishment but also one where she inspired others to live beyond the expectations they had for themselves or that others had for them. She saw herself as just one of many to do this work, and in her final years told everyone that despite her declining health, God kept her here for a reason: to inspire as many people as she could. This became more difficult for her as time wore on, but she once told me that she wanted to leave this world doing what made her happy. She found it a pleasure and an honor, and it gave her real purpose. She was amazed that she had the opportunity to touch lives on such a grand scale. I can still hear her say, “Can you believe it? This is really happening.” Everything in her life had come together, and I’m glad that she took advantage of the opportunity to spread her message globally in her final years and that so many people made that possible for her. Now, her fight is done, and she literally gave it her all. Yes, she was an internationally recognized engineer who revolutionized the way the US Navy designed ships. But she was also a little girl from Little Rock, and my mother, too. This is her story. May it plant a seed in your mind and heart. — David Montague’s foreword; taken from Overnight Code by Paige Bowers and David Montague, published by Chicago Review Press, 2021, www.chicagoreviewpress.com. ***
102
Practically every homegrown license plate seen on the streets of Arkansas today is fitted with the nickname: “The Natural State.” It’s a simple combination of three words that represent so much of the fabric that makes the state a special place to live for its citizens and a surprising oasis to visit for tourists across the country. Naturally speaking, Arkansas is a state that has it all: the flatlands of the Delta mixed with the rolling hills and mountainous terrain of the Ozarks; plenty of rivers run through us, and just as plentiful are the lakes and ponds; trekkable caverns plunge deep beneath the surface, littered with ancient stalactite decorations. But throughout much of Raye Montague’s (née Jordan) upbringing — first in Little Rock, then in Pine Bluff — the state was officially known as “The Land of Opportunity.” Contrasted against “The Natural State,” this motto erected in the mid-1900s was far more inspirational, but, for people who looked like Raye, much further from the truth. As is reported brilliantly in Overnight Code, Raye lived through some of the most historyrich but socially tumultuous times in our nation’s history. Born in 1935, as soon as she was able to comprehend the world around her, that world was amid the catastrophic destruction of World War II. (In fact, one of her earliest and most vivid memories would be visiting the WWII Imperial Japanese submarine, HA-19, in Little Rock. Seeing it, and learning about the engineering that
Raye and a colleague working at a computer.
Raye in her office.
crafted it, fueled her fire to become an engineer and ultimately led her to the Navy.) Like the war, many of her greatest achievements were, both in her life and as told in the book, set against the backdrop of some of the country’s most memorable moments. She lived through Jim Crow, segregation and integration, but also witnessed Martin Luther King Jr.’s passion for change and lived within the civil rights era when much of that came to fruition. She was working in Washington, D.C., when John F. Kennedy was assassinated, as well as during the Watergate scandal. Despite the consistent plight of the world around her, she became a trailblazer, constantly shattering glass ceiling after glass ceiling. Most notably, she is now credited with creating the first computer-generated naval ship in United States history (earning her a Meritorious Civilian Service Award), which she remarkably created in 19 hours despite it being a one-month assignment. And, she was the first female program manager of ships in the Navy. This, while living a life encapsulating the very definition of “self-made.” She was barred from attending the University of Arkansas, in Fayetteville, where she might have studied her dream vocation of engineering; instead, she attended Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal College (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff ) and graduated with a B.S. in business. When she encountered her first opportunities with the Navy, she had to quite lit-
erally, “fake it” to “make it,” teaching herself as she went the ins and outs of some of the world’s first computers without the education and experience of the Ivy Leaguers around her, eavesdropping her way into learning how to do the jobs of the men above her until her moments arose. When they did, she took advantage of them. Despite the obstacles that were more often in front of her path than most people, she never faltered — plugging and learning and working her way through it all, sometimes having to brute force her way through the slenderest of cracks in the doorway. And even as she made history — the first for this and the first for that — a true appreciation for her merits and achievements would not come until much, much later in her life. As worthwhile her story is of being told in any medium, this recent telling via the biography almost didn’t happen. According to her son, David, people urged Raye for years to write a book detailing her life story. But just as soon as she’d come around to the idea of a memoir, her physical journey on this humble rock came to an end. Raye passed away on Oct. 10, 2018, at the age of 83. *** Raye’s teachers understood that they needed to go beyond the average expectation of teachers to reverse this disturbing trend. That’s not to say that their
103
Raye speaking at a school in Maryland.
work could rid Pine Bluff of racism, but it definitely went a long way toward showing a generation of Black children that they could overcome it by dreaming big, working hard, and never giving up. Raye said that it was hard to remember that advice from time to time. On her first day at Merrill, she remembered walking into a classroom where it seemed like nearly all the desks were taken. She walked to one girl and asked her if the seat near her was taken. The girl pointed across the room and said, “There is an empty desk over there.” Every day Raye walked past the White high school and elementary school to get to Merrill. She was a chubby youngster who only fit in adult clothing, she said, and because of that she didn’t have as many outfits as other girls did because of the cost it took to dress her. She was self-conscious as a result, and said she often felt bad when she heard other girls whispering about her wearing “that same green dress again.” She was also younger than most of her classmates. And the only time she saw these other Black children was when she was at school. “My family didn’t have a car, so when I walked home, I never saw another Black child until I went to school the following day,” Raye said. “I was an outsider. No one came to see me unless my mother had a aymag.com
Raye receiving a Society of Manufacturing Engineers Award.
party for me.” However, Raye eventually befriended some of the White children in her neighborhood. “We would head down into Pine Bluff and go to eat lunch together, but White people and Black people could only sit on opposite sides of the lunch counter,” Raye said. “So we’d do that, and we’d talk to each other across the counter and the waiters would walk between us. We were integrating things then whether they knew it or not.” But not all of the White children were welcoming and open. Raye recalled passing by some White kids in downtown Pine Bluff who told her to go back to her own country, which she took to mean Africa. — Taken from Overnight Code by Paige Bowers and David Montague, published by Chicago Review Press, 2021, www.chicagoreviewpress. com. *** In February 2017, just a few weeks after her 82nd birthday, Raye was invited to ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) to share her story with the country. Show co-host Robin Roberts interviewed her for the 10-minute long segment, which brought the audience at home and in the studio to tears. Surprising Raye, Janelle Monáe, who played Mary Jackson in the film Hidden Figures, visited her on the set. After that, David says that the interest surrounding her hypothetical book started to intensify. “She kept saying, ‘There are a lot of people that have great careers, and I don’t know if people are really going to be interested in something like that,” David recalls. “But then people would say, ‘You really have an interest in just trying to motivate and help and inspire people, generally, with your career story. But also, what about the other
things you’ve had to overcome that connected with your career, but were about you as a person?’ After the Good Morning America interview, that’s when I think she started to take those comments much more seriously. “That’s always been a huge passion for her, is for people being able to overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams. She just considered herself a vessel for helping spread that message.” As fate would have it, David explains, a literary agent from New York was among those watching GMA on that inspiring February morning. That quickly turned into a connection between the agent and David, propelling Raye’s book from mere aspiration to reality. But it was also around this time that Raye’s health began to deteriorate, so David promised to help his mother with this endeavor. But she passed away amid the early stages, so it would not be a memoir — instead, a biography. “One of the last things my mother told me is that she wanted me to finish the book, and made me promise to finish it,” David says, fighting through the words as tears begin to form in his eyes. “So I did. I told her whatever she wanted, we would get it done.” *** Raye said she pursued a business degree instead of a math or science degree because that was what her school counselor advised. When asked why her counselor steered her in this direction, Raye said, “I don’t know. That’s just what they said to do.” David Montague said that his mother told him that she followed the advice because if she couldn’t work in the hard sciences, she wanted to be able to work in a field that could be just as exacting. Raye’s mother and aunt Gladys were both entrepreneurs, so she believed she could become one too. As a backup plan, she obtained
104
a secondary education license, “because everyone who graduated from college had one.” It wasn’t necessarily what she wanted to do, she admitted. But Raye knew there were opportunities for young Black women to become teachers, and she wanted to be sure she had options. Raye believed in having options, after all. On the bottom of a school transcript, she imagined what her future might look like if she wound up teaching. “I am best qualified to teach Business Education, Arts and Crafts, Psychology, and History Courses,” she wrote, pointing to the classes in which she had some of her best grades. She made no mention of teaching math and science, perhaps because she harbored grander ideas and aspirations for herself in those fields, regardless of the degree she would ultimately earn. As pragmatic as Raye tried to be about being steered away from her fields of interest, deep down she had to be frustrated. She grew up being told that she could do or be anything she wanted to be, and now a perfect stranger was steering her away from a future in science and math. Granted, college is often an adjustment for anyone, even stellar achievers like Raye. But in the beginning, so much felt beyond her control. Her stepfather had died, her mother was struggling to send her to school, and her boyfriend was living out of state. As much as she loved to learn new things, it’s easy to see how Raye could have been distracted, overwhelmed, and even frustrated. — Taken from Overnight Code by Paige Bowers and David Montague, published by Chicago Review Press, 2021, www.chicagoreviewpress. com. *** As she told it on GMA, even Monáe — who brought a hidden figure back to life on the big screen — did not at first know the true history behind these women, or the “colored computers” as they were less than affectionately referred to at the time. The same was true for Overnight Code’s coauthor Paige Bowers, at least of Raye herself. Bowers was familiar with the Hidden Figures story but would not come to know about Raye until after her agent (the same who was moved to calling David after GMA) connected her with the Montagues. At first, Bowers was to join David in providing Raye assistance in crafting her memoir — David had written a textbook, but never something like this; Bowers is an accomplished and polished writer, her byline appearing in the likes of TIME, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and People. But after Raye’s death, Bowers was thrust into the primary author’s seat. “She had experience in really digging and asking questions and telling stories,” David says of his co-author. “She’s really great. She just jumps right on everything. So we formed a really good
‘‘
I don't pass judgment on people — where they're from, their nationality, what language is their primary language, what their orientation is, what religion they are. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. What matters is: What do we need to do to work together, to be together and survive together?”
Raye tells her story on GMA with Janelle Monáe and Robin Roberts.
partnership.” As the pair began to plunge headfirst into the depths of Raye’s life, each began to feel a sense of surprise at what was found — even David, who had known his mother his entire life. For him, a new perspective and even greater appreciation for his mom arose. Part of that journey of his began at her funeral, when countless people showed up to celebrate her life. Of those, many did not even realize that Raye was a hidden figure; she had simply touched them or helped them in some way, or guided them along their own path years before. He quickly began to learn that to most of the people she encountered in her life, she was just Raye — a biological mother to David, but a spiritual mother to too many to count. One of the most incredible things David found along the way was that his mother used to write obituaries for people when they’d lost a
loved one — hundreds of them, as a matter of fact. Back in this time period, most people didn’t have access to a computer, let alone a printer, and Raye knew that she was blessed to have plenty of access to both through her job. She received no notoriety or awards or morning television specials from this act of kindness, nor would she have accepted it. “That was just something she considered her form of service to help people in a time of need,” David says. *** Then Raye addressed a subject that was taboo for its time: mental health. “ Your emotional strength peaks at approximately age twenty-six, as does your physical strength if you keep in good shape,” she told her audience. “But while demands on your physical strength diminish after age twenty-six, the demands
105
Raye’s college graduation photo. (1956) aymag.com
on your emotional strength usually increase. If you are not careful, the emotional demand line and your emotional strength line may cross. If that happens, the emotional overload will cause you to collapse.” Aside from the stress and strain in the workplace, there were the quieter challenges at home: The husbands. The son, frail at birth, who grew into an accomplished young man. The neighbors she had to win over because they thought single women were a recipe for trouble. Trying to be a good worker, boss, mother, daughter, friend, girlfriend, neighbor, while keeping a smile on her face as she did the work of showing up, day in and day out. She could go out dancing or play bridge and forget about some of her troubles, at least for a moment. But Raye knew that some things just lingered, and it was important to address those before they brought you to your knees. — Taken from Overnight Code by Paige Bowers
and David Montague, published by Chicago Review Press, 2021, www.chicagoreviewpress. com. *** For Bowers, the project was just as influential. “It impacted my life in a lot of different ways,” she says. “Speaking specifically to the gender part of this, I think it’s shown how much harder women have had to work — they have to work twice as hard to get as far as a man. And while we’ve made gains in some respects, there’s still a long way to go. To see what Raye Montague had to fight against as a woman, and even more than that a woman of color, it gives you a great appreciation for her and for women who continue to fight against expectations of what we should or shouldn’t be doing.”
Left: Raye’s portrait as the U.S. Navy’s deputy program manager of ships. Below: Raye receiving the Meritorious Civilian Service Award with her son, David. (1972)
106
As it relates to this, one particular moment from the book stands out. In the ’60s, Raye found herself amid ferment at home and at work. Not only dealing with the societal barriers of the time, she was also going through a divorce from her first husband. But, she would not let this vulnerability show around anyone other than her mother. She had to force an exterior of strength and capability — unemotional. Disconcertingly, many women today still feel this same struggle. “She went back to the Navy to speak later in her life, and she acknowledged the progress that had been made, putting women on equal footing,” Bowers says. “And yet there were still women at the talk who came up to her and said, ‘Yeah, but these are things that are still going on.’ And so, maybe it’s a couple steps forward and one step back. Progress isn’t always forward, sometimes it kind of veers off to the side, takes a u-turn, gets back on track. Specifically, with race, we see that.” David echoes a lot of that sentiment, himself having dealt with both “overt and covert” discrimination during his life, sharing that his mother would often tell children, “Don’t assume that just because the calendar moves forward, that people’s ideas move forward.” And just because she was judged throughout her life, she wouldn’t retaliate or become jaded with the same bigotry. “She told me, ‘I don’t pass judgment on people — where they’re from, their nationality, what language is their primary language, what their orientation is, what religion they are,’” David goes on to say. “She said, ‘At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. What matters is: What do we need to do to work together, to be together and survive together?’” David also notes that working on the book has been a healing process for him, a remedy to soften the blow of grief that hit him whenever Raye passed away. And what a right hook that loss was. Growing up, David’s father was out of the picture more than he was in it. So his mom occupied the place of both parents in him, so to speak. Losing her might have felt like a two-inone loss, creating a void as larger than life as her legacy. “One of the most amazing things I learned going through this … is she had all these different strikes against her, but she never saw that as a reason not to want to help anyone,” David says. “Now, she never forgot what people did to her, but she always used whatever opportunity she had to provide a step forward for someone else. I think that’s something that I learned from her over the years; I try to do the same thing. But it didn’t come to such a point of clarity for me — the scope of which she did this — until we
started writing the book.” Over the years, David has come to carry the family name just as well as his mother did, a credit to how he was raised — which he will be the first to preface. He earned his undergraduate degree at Morehouse College, master’s at George Washington University and his Ph.D. at Howard University. Currently, he serves as the Executive Director of Online Learning and Faculty Mentoring at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, as well as a tenured professor of criminal justice. Previously, he spent more than a decade with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and served as senior investigator on the United States JFK Assassination Records Review Board. He also volunteers as a reserve police officer in Bryant. “She wanted me to feel like I could be anything I wanted to be, as long as I’m qualified for it, and I’m willing to work toward it and put the effort in,” David says. “That’s something that my mother instilled in me, is to just keep pushing and pushing. Don’t ever just try to do the status quo — go above and beyond at whatever you do.” *** Human beings do the best they can, and the results are rarely perfect. Raye was one for likening life to a boxing ring. She said everyone gets knocked down from time to time. You should never be surprised by that, but you should always be prepared to get back up when you hit the ground. “If you refuse to lose, then you become very difficult to defeat,” she said. “On the other hand, the first time you accept defeat, you become a loser. You cannot become a loser until you decide to quit trying. If you are not really trying to be all you can be . . . you can change that. The key question is whether you will do it. It is your choice.” All her life, Raye chose to keep getting back up, no matter how hard she got hit. Later in her career, she wanted others to see that if she could get back up, they could too. By sharing her story, she was cultivating another generation of people who would share her resiliency and then nurture it in others. — Taken from Overnight Code by Paige Bowers and David Montague, published by Chicago Review Press, 2021, www.chicagoreviewpress. com. *** The most impressive part that makes Overnight Code an honorable tribute to such an extraordinary figure is its balancing act. Sometimes, when we hear stories about past or present fig-
ures who moved the societal needle, their legacies become based on that one-dimensional aspect. Think of Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, or, another close-to-home example for Arkansans, Dorothy Shaver. As time passes and memories fade, such instrumental figures can lose their personhood, known only for that one thing you remember about them. But in telling Raye’s story in such a thorough way — Bowers using her skills as a journalist, interviewing and digging deeper; David channeling his former practices as a federal investigator for the DEA, probing and searching for more, leaving no stone unturned — the duo perfectly captures everything that Raye was, both personally and professionally, and lay it out in black and white; forever bounded and published, ensuring her true legacy. So that every part of her journey, every dimension of her, would continue to have breath, not just the top line of her Wikipedia page as the “first” for her many achievements. Rather, a single mother who navigated three divorces; a friend to many and family to more, even beyond her blood relatives; a motivation for anyone she came in contact with; a fierce competitor but a nurturing presence; a big dreamer with an even larger work ethic, two dangerous assets for anyone or anything in her way. *** “The United States flag was flown over the nation’s Capitol and presented to me at my retirement with a certificate from the architect of the Capitol saying that the flag was flown in my honor. Can you imagine that, from a grateful nation? A little girl from Little Rock?” — Raye Montague to Robin Roberts on GMA *** After reading, and reading again, the pages of her biography, one arrives at a conundrum of a crossroad: there was both no one like her and yet so many like her. She was original in triumph and spirit, but faced some of the same hurdles that thousands before and after her have encountered. How she handled them — the grace, the tenacity — was exemplary; Raye was a definitive inspiration for all. In Bowers’ mind, Overnight Code is, above all, a story about overcoming obstacles and the power of a mother’s love, all wrapped up in this figure who was, for too long, hidden. But not anymore. Like Monáe told Raye on Good Morning America in 2017, “You are an American hero. And you are hidden no more.”
107
David Montague.
Paige Bowers. aymag.com
Hot Springs’ newest, premier skilled nursing and long term care facility.
eatures all private rooms for o well as, private short term reha creen televisions and telephon nvenience. We have a dedicat Our facility features all private rooms for our long term residents, as well as, private short term rehab rooms with ivate rooms andandan enclosed 42-inch flat screen televisions telephones for family and friend convenience. We have a dedicated secure unit with 23 private rooms and an enclosed courtyard.
Park Ave | Hot Springs, ARAR 71901 |71901 501.321.4276 | ve |2600 Hot Springs,
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.
health &
C si n
ce
ab reh
cabo t
REHABILITATION
198
5
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.
5 STAR Ratings Skilled Nursing Facility • 2 Courtyards • Cable System • Modern Furnishings • Private & Semi Private Rooms • State-of-the-Art Rehab Gym
• Restaurant Style Dining • Separate Rehab Dining • Hospice & Respite • Physical, Occupational, Speech Rehabs Offered
Medicare • Private Pay • All Major Private Insurance We are an 80 bed facility with both private and semi-private rooms. We offer Rehab services (PT, OT, and ST) as well as Long-Term Care.
121 Spring Valley Rd., Cabot, AR 72023 (501)605-1545 | Fax: (501)605-1505
Greystone
Nursing and Rehab, LLC
109
Tours available daily—call today to schedule yours!
www.GreystoneNursingAndRehab.com
aymag.com
This side of
SEVEN – By Jason Pederson
Ashes to
Ashes F
ive minutes before the flames, I was driving our 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan home from work on Interstate 630 in Little Rock. Five hours earlier, I had been one of about a dozen vehicles inching through the drive-thru at McDonald’s. One day earlier, that minivan pulled a U-Haul to Fayetteville, jam-packed with all of our daughter’s worldly possessions. One week earlier, it was used to drive around five of the people who matter most to me in this world, looking at Christmas lights. And now … it had become quite a light show of its own. It almost caused two accidents as people driving home from work slowed down to get a look. I was traveling past Arkansas Children’s Hospital when the first hint of electrical smoke smell hit my nostrils. Then, the ABS and brake lights came on, soon followed by the windshield wipers. Then, I not only smelled smoke but saw smoke. It was coming out of the speaker on the dash. I tried to roll down the windows, but nothing happened. I cracked the door so the smoke could escape and exited at Woodrow Street. I parked on a vacant lot at 7th and Woodrow and had about 60 seconds to get all of my possessions out before the first
110
flames emerged down by the gas pedal and brake. After that, all anyone could do was stand back and watch; a sudden and unexpected end that in hindsight was years in the making. Did I mention the 280,000 plus miles on the odometer? Our minivan had 107,000 miles when we bought it in 2012. Its first owner was Karen Smallidge, mother of one of my college roommates. We weren’t really looking for a vehicle at the time, but it was five years old and in great shape. Smallidge had taken very good care of it. And she was asking a reasonable price. It was in pristine condition. By 2020 though, the Grand Caravan was really starting to show her age. Rust patches were creeping up the tailgate and the sliding driver’s side door. Both sliding doors no longer operated electronically; you had to open and close them manually. (Oh, the humanity!) The sun visor, also on the driver’s side, was gone and most of the interior lights no longer worked (including the all-important make-up mirror light on the passenger side). One of the stow-andgo seats was now permanently stowed, no longer able to lock in place and accommodate a passenger. I just used the term “no longer” three times. And our faithful vehicle as well is … no longer. The decline mirrors the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which basically states that the natural tendency of all closed systems is to deteriorate towards disorganization. In even simpler terms: most everything goes downhill. The food you left out on the counter doesn’t get fresher over time. The new building doesn’t get stronger or shinier. The 12-story building at the corner of Capitol and Main in downtown Little Rock was, when it opened in 1910, the tallest building in all of Arkansas. The September 4 headline in the Arkansas Gazette declared, “Big Skyscraper Opens Tomorrow.” The article went on to say that the construction of the building was due to the “... efforts of a few men who are striving to make the city of Little Rock the center of commerce and industry which it ought to be.” Those few men, leaders of State National Bank, saw their bank go bankrupt the next year. In 1916, the building was bought by real estate tycoon and cotton trader, Jimmy Boyle. In 1925, a taller building was erected (the LaFayette Hotel), and, in 1926, the Donaghey Building reached an even higher peak.
Today the Boyle Building sits gutted and vacant, boarded up at street level, and for years the subject of renovation speculation. But plans have not materialized. Without intervention, the process of deterioration towards a possible extinction will continue. More than a century later, it is the new Bank OZK headquarters that is now the object of modern-day awe and admiration. Far from downtown in far west Little Rock, this impressive, five-story, 248,000 square foot structure rises from The Ranch on 44 acres along Highway 10. What will it look like 110 years from now? Time will tell. And 110 years from now, I will look a lot like our minivan: ashes. For I also seem to be in a continual state of decay. I’m not sure when I reached my physical peak. Our honeymoon maybe? I was part of a Little Rock marathon relay team at age 30; maybe that was my peak. But now 51, I’m well past 100,000 miles on the odometer. Thankfully, my wife isn’t looking to trade me in for a newer model.
There are many who believe that all the complexity we observe in this world — from the optics of the eye to the feathers that allow birds to fly — originated with simple cells. These primitive nucleic acids, amino acids and other building blocks of life, with the help of energy from the sun, progressed and advanced over millions of years into humans, animals, insects, plants and all other forms of life. By my observation, things seem to retreat much more readily than they advance. Creationism, or intelligent design, cannot be proven by scientific methods and requires a faith that many don’t or refuse to possess. But it seems a more reasonable explanation as to how and why such an incredible variety of life exists on this planet. Despite such variety, we have replaced our 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan with a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. 138,000 miles. The previous owner took very good care of it and was asking a reasonable price. It’s in pristine condition. At least for now.
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 leads the Office of the Ombudsman for the Arkansas Department of Human Services. His perspective-filled and thoughtprovoking column, “This Side of Seven,” publishes exclusively in AY About You magazine monthly.
111
aymag.com
T
THE PEOPLE BEHIND YOUR NEWS:
Donna
TERRELL
By Dustin Jayroe • Photos by Jamison Mosley
112
Donna Terrell.
Terrell in the FOX16 studio, where she anchors the weekday news at 5:30 and 9 p.m.
T
he name and face of Donna Terrell has become one of the most recognizable in all of Arkansas media, her stature stretching far beyond the FOX16 viewing range to all four corners of the state. But, despite the ease and grace with which she carries herself, her arrival to this mountaintop did not come easily. It took strength, determination, resolve and, perhaps most importantly, faith. In her wake, a path that anyone can draw inspiration from. For nearly 20 years, Terrell has proudly called Arkansas home. But her story actually began far from the Natural State, in Albion, Mich., a town of about 10,000, south of Lansing and west of Detroit. Her parents, Bessie and Rollo Terrell, adopted her as an infant. The call to journalism was present a little earlier for her than others, a parallel to the fact that “life” happened more quickly for her. When Terrell was in the 10th grade, her daughter, Queah, was born; in the 11th grade, she locked in on what she wanted to do for a living. But not before a brief stint when she thought her goal of graduating and going to college had unraveled. She briefly dropped out of high school for two weeks after she became pregnant. “That was a very difficult period in my life, when I got pregnant,” Terrell shares. “I was embarrassed. I just didn't want to go back to school.” If not for the swift action of one of her teachers, Mrs. Henry, she might never have gone back. “She got wind of it and went to my counselor and said, ‘You gotta call Donna’s parents, and we gotta get her back in school.’” Terrell goes on to say, “Had it not been for her, I would have dropped out [permanently].” As fate would have it, Henry was her journalism teacher and helped Terrell not only find the courage to come back and complete her education but also find the career path that led her to where she is today. After taking this
114
class, she began writing for the school’s newspaper and annual yearbook. She was also a member of the forensics and debate team, but she recalls being “more of a public speaker than a debater.” At Henry’s direction, Terrell attended a journalism workshop. “At that time, I was pretty sure that I was going to be a print journalist,” Terrell recalls. “And during this workshop was where I discovered that I could actually combine the public speaking and the journalism together and work in television news.” Life for a single mom is hard enough on its own; for a teenager, it’s even more difficult. Now in the 11th grade, life had come at her fast by way of her daughter. But at the same time, things were also falling into place. Queah may not have determined her career trajectory, but she definitely solidified the decision-making process. “In my mind, it was imperative to make a decision and go with it, because I didn't feel like I was going to get a whole lot of chances,” Terrell says on the complicated course of a teen mom. “It was like, ‘OK, this is what you're going to do. You're going to get the opportunity to go to college. You're going to major in this. There is no turning back. There is no deviating — just do it.’ “[Queah] was truly a motivating factor. [But] do I feel in my heart I would have gone to college had I not gotten pregnant? Absolutely. My mother always told me that I was going. … So that was always instilled in me. But after having this child, my fear was, ‘It's not going to work out.’ All of these years of planning and believing that this was going to be my destiny, it's like, ‘I've almost blown it, and I can't risk not fulfilling this thing that I've always been told that I was going to do, and I always wanted to do.’” Fortunately, Terrell had a solid foundation at home in her parents, who were always happy to help with Queah while she navigated her way through school. This, along with her grit and competitive spirit, also helped motivate her and keep her far away from her newfound fear of becoming a “statistic.” “All of the teenage moms around me, the vast majority of them anyway, were on public assistance,” she says. “I didn't want to be one of them. I wanted to
Terrell delivering the commencement speech to the UAPB fall 2019 Volunteering with the Salvation Army. (Courtesy) graduating class. (Courtesy)
be successful and also raise my daughter.” Terrell furthered her education at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Mich., just under two hours from her childhood home in Albion. With Queah by her side, she earned a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts. (And yes, her daughter was literally by her side; Terrell has often retold the stories of Queah attending class with her at times, acting with her crayons as if she was taking notes, just like mom.) And then it was on to chasing her dream across the Midwest throughout the ’90s. Her first stop was at a station closer to home than even college, in Battle Creek, Mich., which was quickly followed by reporting stints in South Bend, Ind., and Cleveland, Ohio, which is where she would also earn her
being unemployed in what felt like a matter of moments. Her job hunt led to a number of interviews and offers from around the country, but something stood out about a little startup in Little Rock. KLRT-TV was launching a novel news endeavor on FOX16, and they wanted Terrell to be a lead anchor. She knew of the South at this point, to be sure — her mother was from Mississippi, her father from Georgia. But she’d never lived there; never been so far away from friends and family. “I said, ‘OK, everybody … I'm going to go down there to Arkansas, and I'm going to fulfill this three-year contract, but I'll be back,’” Terrell says, not able to contain a laugh at the hindsight — that was February 2004. “They used to ask me, ‘So, when are you coming back?’ And, I’m like, ‘Well, I’m
During this workshop was where I discovered that I could actually combine the public speaking and the journalism together and work in television news. first gig as an anchor. Her ultimate aspiration, however, was to work a major market that was close to home. Cleveland fulfilled the former but lacked the latter. She wanted to be in Detroit. She wouldn’t have to wait long for that goal to come to fruition, taking an anchor slot at WKBD-TV and WWJ-TV in Detroit shortly thereafter. But just as soon as she’d arrived at the place and the position she had worked so hard for, it disappeared. “I get back home and what happened — they canceled our news. They canceled all news on the station where I was working,” Terrell says. She went from being the main anchor for a station in a major market to
115
not.’” To her surprise, everything about Arkansas just lined up. She grew to love her network, her colleagues and her bosses; she loved the weather, much warmer and milder than the bitter cold of a Michigan winter; and she loved the people who make up the state, each of whom is bred by the charm of Southern hospitality. As she recalls, every time a contract would be at or near its expiration date, there was always a good reason to sign another. And another. And another. Most important, however, was being close to her daughter when she got sick. Just a few years after Terrell took the job in Little Rock, Queah was di-
aymag.com
There is nothing wrong with grieving. To this very day, I am grieving my child, and I will grieve her for the rest of my life. And there's nothing wrong with that.
agnosed with colon cancer at only 27 years old. At the time, she was living in Houston, which allowed Terrell to be there for her much easier than if she were still in Michigan. “I think part of the endearment that I have with FOX16 is, during her battle, they made it easy for me to be her caregiver when she was here [in Little Rock], as well as before she arrived — to be able to get to her at a moment’s notice,” Terrell says. “If I called up and said, ‘I’ve got to drop everything and go to Houston,’ they were like, ‘Go, take care of your daughter.’” Queah passed away in 2011. Words alone can’t adequately express the toll that took on Terrell. Like the compounded difficulty of her not only being a single mother but a teenager, burying a loved one is always a time of grief and sorrow; burying a child is an unnatural pain. “I had to be counseled,” she says without hesitation. “I had to find a grief counselor because I was pretty bad off. I was the walking wounded; I’d come to work every day, function and do what was required of me, and then fall apart after it was over. “I remember thinking — and really, truly believing this — that in 10 years she was going to come back, and she was going to say, ‘Mom, I’m sorry I left you, but I had to go and get well.’ I truly believed it.” At that, Terrell’s usual level and steady pitch is sharply broken. Fighting tears, the words become harder to find. Because this year marks the 10-year anniversary of her passing, the very year that the mourning mother once felt Queah would miraculously return to her, for the thought of that was much easier to bear than her being gone forever. “It still affects me when I want to talk about it, because I knew that I needed help. So I got it,” she recalls. “I remember telling [the counselor], ‘The only reason I keep coming back here is because I know you know the secret
116
Terrell founded Yoga Warriors to help others who are fighting the same disease as her daughter. (Courtesy)
to help me get my daughter back.’ “She told me that there was no secret … ‘but you will connect with your daughter. Relationships never die. … There will be things in your life [that connect you to her.] It’s hard for me to explain it, but you will know.’ And so as time passed, I began to recognize these things that made me feel connected even more to my daughter and made me realize that she really was with me.” Throughout her illustrious time as a broadcast journalist, Terrell has been a readied role model because of her career — not only being a woman holding down the anchor’s desk but a Black one, at that. Her mantle is adorned with a litany of awards, from regional Emmys to a National American Legion Fourth Estate Award and an Associated Press Award. All this, while overcoming the tremendous obstacle of teen pregnancy. She’s the perfect embodiment of a personality any parent would want to come speak at their child’s school. But it was in losing her daughter so tragically that she became even more of a role model for honestly and vulnerably getting help, even as a public figure. In the United States and in Arkansas, there is too often a stain
of shame attached with seeking mental health help, sometimes especially among particular demographics, such as age groups or ethnicities. “As an African American, there is a stigma around getting help — at least, where I grew up and when I grew up,” Terrell says. “It’s the thing that I tell people all the time and when I speak at different events. I tell them, ‘There is nothing wrong with grieving.’ To this very day, I am grieving my child, and I will grieve her for the rest of my life. And there’s nothing wrong with that. There is no getting over it, but when your grief gets to the point where you can’t function or where it’s the only thing you think about, and you can’t allow yourself the freedom that you need to be happy and to make other people around you happy, then there’s a problem. Something’s got to give. “And that is where I say, ‘Get help.’ And people find help in different ways, whether it’s speaking with clergy, whether it’s support groups in their church or outside of their church. I chose to find a therapist, basically … and she was very instrumental in helping me.” Because of her resolve, Queah will not soon be forgotten. Shortly after her passing, Terrell founded Yoga Warriors. During her daughter’s bout with colon cancer, she found that the physical activity of yoga was a helpful remedy. In her memory, Terrell’s nonprofit organization, a 501(c)(3), raises money so that cancer survivors, patients and caregivers can have access to that same opportunity. Yoga Warriors also provides financial assistance for those with a cancer diagnosis who are in need of help. This past August, Terrell’s Yoga Warriors supplied a $48,000 grant to Baptist Health Foundation for a state-of-the-art device — an ERBEJET2 — that can remove cancer lesions from various places on the human body, including the colon. It is the first of its kind in the state of Arkansas. Just as this year marks a difficult one for Terrell, as it concludes a full decade without her beloved daughter, she has plenty of her own medicine to help her through it — happiness. This very month strikes the clock on her 17th year at FOX16. It is also the month of her birthday, Feb. 20, which will be her second personal holiday as a married woman. On Jan. 18, 2020, she married the love of her life, Dr. Kenneth Lambert, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Pine Bluff. A mutual friend set the pair up five years ago, and, well, that was as simple as it was and as simple as it’s been. “[Being with] him has always been easy,” she says, a glowing smile behind her every word. “This first year of marriage has been so easy. Everyone talks about, ‘Oh, marriage is hard.’ And when they say, ‘Oh, marriage requires a lot of work,’ I am still trying to figure out: What is the work that I’m supposed to be doing? I am so happy. … Kenneth is my best friend. I just love him.” So much of Terrell’s life is filled with checkmarks, some she probably didn’t even know were on the agenda. Between the awards and accolades, she’s found fulfillment through community service, through Yoga Warriors, volunteering and board positions with various organizations, such as Women and Children First, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Ronald McDonald House. But, it’s hard to shake the feeling that so much still lies ahead. Her story’s not over yet; plenty of chapters remain, and she finds peace that what’s left will continue to play out in Arkansas. “I am open to whatever God has in store for me, and I will accept it with open arms,” she says.
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 Bradford House provides skilled professional care in athe dignity quality of care which celebrates compassionate and supportive atmosphere. licensed and graceOur of every single resident.
nurses, physicians, optometrists, dentists and other specialists believe that building strong relationships with 1202 SE 30th Street residents and families is essential to the healing process. The Bentonville, AR 72712 entire staff is devoted to providing the quality 479.273.3430 of care which BradfordHouseNR.com celebrates the dignity and grace of every 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 118care which 1202 30th Bentonville, AR celebrates theSE dignity andStreet grace of|every single resident.
72712 | 479.273.3430
Woftheoman the
People By Dustin Jayroe • Photos by Jamison Mosley
By Dwain Hebda
Photos by Ebony Blevins
For a walking, talking piece of El Dorado history, Mayor Veronica Smith-Creer sure sounds like a normal person. Caught between appointments, she apologizes for conducting an interview from the drive-through lane at the local Burger King. Her Honor hasn’t yet had lunch, and the day is growing late. In between her upbeat answers on the state of the city and deferential descriptions of her entry into politics, she’s just another person in line waiting on an Impossible Whopper on her way back to the office. Which, you quickly get the distinct feeling, is exactly how she likes it — being a productive citizen trying to make her hometown a better place. “I was born and raised in El Dorado. I’m the third of five children. I went to elementary school at Hugh Goodwin. Went to Rogers Junior High School, which is no longer a junior high school, it’s now Washington Middle School,” she says, ticking off the institutions that came with her upbringing like street cred. “And I graduated from high school in 1988. I had aspirations to be a teacher. I tell people I got out of that because I said there was too much politics in education.” She laughs. “And now, here I am.” Here she is, indeed. A scant 12 years after she got her first taste of the political process and a decade after her first run at public office, Smith-Creer landed in the mayor’s chair in 2018, the first woman and first person of color to hold the office in the city’s then-175 year history. It’s an accomplishment she wears proudly, even if it doesn’t impress everybody. “I guess it’s part of my makeup, being the middle child. I guess I saw [the mayor’s race] as a challenge,” she says. “People told me, ‘Either you’re really crazy or you’re really courageous.’ And I said, ‘I guess it takes a little bit of both.’”
120
Veronica Smith-Creer.
As much as just about anywhere in the state, El Dorado is known for making the most of its opportunities. People tend to expect big things from a place named after a fabled lost city of gold, as evidenced by its retinue of historical nicknames including “Queen City of South Arkansas” and “Arkansas’ Original Boomtown.” Such talk is cheap, but El Dorado backed it up, rising time and again to the challenge of greatness. In 1921, oil was discovered here for the first time, changing the isolated farming community overnight. Seventy years later, in the 1990s, the first internet service also rolled out here. Hometown heroes include the late legendary writer Charles Portis and equally elite baseballer Lou Brock, who were both born here. The city has shown remarkable resilience and a penchant for bold thinking through the years. When many communities throughout the Delta languished with population and job loss, the resident Murphy Oil launched the El Dorado Promise, which guaranteed a college scholarship to graduates of El Dorado High School. And, building on the success of the city’s annual music festival, the community doubled down on chasing the entertainment and festival dollar with the creation of Murphy Arts District (MAD), a $100 million endeavor that spawned performance venues, galleries and restaurants to boost tourism. But like every town, El Dorado also had its more sobering chapters. A long-simmering feud between the Tucker and Parnell families, touched off by disputes that led to a lethal public gunfight in 1902, yielded years of ambush, assault and murder. The residue of the Civil War era — when area cotton farms held slaves to work the fields and Confederate troops mustered here to meet Union forces — was equally slow to dissipate. In 1883, a young Black man, Albert Williams, was lynched here and in 1910 a race riot damaged a number of Black-owned businesses. Smith-Creer’s campaign platform implicitly or explicitly touched on these historical markers — the glorious and the sorrowful — alongside the more mundane aspects of streets and sewers that fall under the chief executive’s governance. “My platform included education, because at the time I was still serving on the South Arkansas Community College board of trustees,” Smith-Creer says. “Entrepreneurship and industry, because my husband and I are small business owners, and with MAD coming to town, it was something that I thought was important for entrepreneurs. And as far as industry is concerned, we’d had a lot of industries leave, but we also had a lot
of strides going on. “Also, infrastructure, looking at our streets and all of the buildings. Getting people informed about how to make things better. And then the last one was quality of life; there are a lot of things that go with that.” Smith-Creer didn’t make race a plank in her platform, but she didn’t have to. The relationship between various communities, such as it is, has always bubbled beneath the surface here. Smith-Creer's goal on the campaign, as it is in office, was to give everyone a voice in the process. “I would give [race relations] a C because a C is average,” she says. “Even growing up here, you could tell there was a lot of work to be done. When I look at growing up here and I look at now, I know we’ve made a lot of strides. And when I say ‘we’ I mean the whole community, across the board. “But it almost feels like we’ve gone backward in some areas. I don’t think there’s enough dialogue going on because I feel like there are a lot of issues that, instead of making change, too many times we feel that’s the way it’s always been, and that’s on both sides. I don’t think enough dialogue has happened for people to really understand why certain people act the way that they do.” Dialogue and discussion have always been Smith-Creer's strong points and the hallmark of her career, both within and outside of politics. After graduating from Southern Arkansas University-El Dorado (now South Arkansas Community College), she worked as a substitute teacher as well as the local Walmart and funeral home simultaneously. While she would step back from that to raise her family and join her husband’s small business, she remained vocal and involved in local issues. “All throughout my daughter’s days in school, I was on the PTO. I always worked with the youth group in my church,” she says. “Then, I joined the NAACP, and I was the president there. Then I started hosting a radio show that aired every Sunday.” In 2006, she joined the local effort for Mike Beebe’s gubernatorial campaign through the state Democratic party. It was an education she would put to use in her own unsuccessful bid for city council in 2008. Even in defeat, the seeds of something bigger were being sown. “I continued to work for different candidates, I continued to work for the Arkansas Coordinated Campaign whenever there was an election going on,” she says. “Then, I worked for some individuals as part of their consulting and doing outreach for them because I knew a lot of people in El Dorado. “Whenever there was something going on and they needed
"When I look at growing up here and I look at now, I know we've made a lot of strides."
122
to get to different people, I was kind of a go-to person. People nicknamed me ‘Mayor’; they started calling me Mayor Creer because I always knew what was going on. “I will say that my aunt told me, ‘When you run again, don’t run for city council again. Next time run for mayor.’ I was like, ‘Really? I didn’t even win city council, and you want me to run for mayor?’” Smith-Creer might have been disbelieving at that time, but as 2018 approached, she became more consumed with the idea. A deeply religious person, she started to notice signs around her that indicated her time had come. “My mother passed away in 2016 from multiple myeloma cancer, and my baby sister passed away in 2017 from sickle cell disease,” she says. “Somebody spoke with me about running for mayor then. They said, ‘I know the timing may seem off.’ I prayed about it and thought, ‘If I don’t do it now, when will I do it?’ My mother was taken care of, she was in Heaven. My baby sister had always told me, ‘You’re not doing as much as you can do.’ It was kind of like her voice was speaking to me too. “So, Christmas Day, I told the rest of my family members that I was going to run. [I] kind of wanted to get their take on it, and they were in agreeance, so I made my formal announcement on January 5, [2018], because five is my magic number.” Not everyone in her community was as supportive of her candidacy as her family, something Smith-Creer found to be strangely motivating.
123
“I’m the first woman of color to ever run that I could find. There have been women to run before, but never a woman of color,” she says. “I got all of that; I got some encouragement, and you get the naysayers too. ‘It’s never happened before.’ ‘The men have run before, and they didn’t win.’ ‘What makes you think it’s going to be different for you?’ I even got some women of color that I talked to who told me that people had asked them to do it before, and they wouldn’t do it. So, it was almost like if they didn’t do it, then I shouldn’t even attempt to do it. “And I have to tell you, it was encouraging; even the negative part of it was encouraging, because you have to understand — I’m in this for a reason. There has to be a reason behind this. Like I said before, I prayed. I said, ‘God, if this is for me to do, there’s a reason behind doing it.’ So, either I’m supposed to win or I’m supposed to win something in the process, even if it’s just people understanding what goes into the run of it, or just shining a light on what it is.” On Election Night, Smith-Creer made history by a margin of just 87 votes more than challenger Bill Luther. Despite the close finish, Luther was gracious in defeat to cap what had already been a positive and respectful campaign between the candidates. To this day, Smith-Creer credits her opponent, now president of the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce, for his professionalism. “Bill and I had known each other already. We had worked on different boards together. We are as different, I guess, as we
aymag.com
could be,” she says. “Bill is an older white man, worked for Entergy, a professional person. I’m a small business owner, a Black Democrat. But, Bill and I were able to have one of the best races. There was never any animosity between the two of us. “Both of us maintained that whoever won, El Dorado was going to get a good mayor and that he and I would continue to work together. We love telling that story.” Like any sitting mayor, Smith-Creer can use all the friends she can get. Her first term in office has had its share of challenges, from COVID-19 to a segment of Murphy Oil operations leaving town to crossing swords with the city council. “We have eight council members, and sometimes it’s just that balance of making sure that everybody understands what’s really beneficial for this city,” she says. “I continue to say that this is a calling for service, it’s not about power. All people in elected positions don’t see that. Sometimes we forget that it takes all of us working together. One of my biggest challenges is getting all of us on the same page.” Smith-Creer takes the occasional disagreement in stride as she continues to battle for better city worker wages, more transparency at city hall and fulfilling her promises to improve infrastructure, education and all the rest. Even through the challenges of COVID-19, she’s quick to show the positives that have been accomplished by turning the conversation, and her face, to the future. “You want people to be made aware of different issues that we already have here in El Dorado. A lot of people just aren’t aware of everything that El Dorado has to offer,” she says. “And that’s what it takes — that, and working together. Again, it’s not about power, it’s about service, and for me, this is ministry. “When I decided to run, it just came to my mind that you can’t run a campaign, you have to launch a movement. Everybody has to see we need each other to be able to work together to make things better. So, I launched a movement.”
Smith-Creer is in this for a reason. And the movement she's launched has made waves across the state.
124
Customized physical, occupational and speech therapy programs are conducted by licensed therapists who focus on improving mobility and motor skills following an injury or illness. The enrichment of daily physical function can significantly improve a resident’s selfreliance and overall happiness. Our staff provides residents with specially tailored treatment plans designed to recapture health, independent living and facilitate a return home. Jamestown features separate rooms and private suites with a private entrance for the comfort and convenience of shortterm residents and their families focused on returning home. A full meal service with snacks is prepared daily.
We are a skilled nursing facility with a state-of-the-art rehab center offering personcentered care in a quiet and serene setting.
Awarded Bronze National Quality Award by the American Health We are a skilled nursi Association.
center offering person-c Awarded Bronze National
1092 West Stultz Road, S
1092 West Stultz Road, Springdale 479.750.3800 ShilohHR.com 125
We are a skilled nursing facility with a state-of-the-art rehab
aymag.com
THE CITY PROGRESS By Joe David Rice
Photos by Casey Crocker
Pine Bluff Lives Up to its Motto
Early in the summer of 1819, a flood on the Arkansas River inundated the few isolated settlements along the stream in southeast Arkansas. Among the original pioneers displaced by high water was a hearty soul named Joseph Bonne. According to the definitive 1941 book, Arkansas: A Guide to the State, Bonne “took his rifle and a few possessions and paddled his canoe up the Arkansas [River] toward higher ground. He pitched camp in a forest of giant pines, and after the water receded, found that he was perched on a bluff above a southward bending curve of the river.” On that land Bonne built a cabin, later brought his wife and small children to join him, and soon opened a trading post. That modest center of commercial activity grew into Pine Bluff, the Jefferson County seat and one of Arkansas’ most historic communities.
UAPB.
The
Dudesthe of
MOMENT By Dustin Jayroe • Photos by Jamison Mosley
Few phrases from modern popular-culture resonate as well as this line from 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises: “A hero can be anyone, even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat on a young boy's shoulders to let him know that the world hadn't ended.” In the film, it was climactic because it served as Batman’s way of telling his longtime ally, Commissioner Gordon, that he was Bruce Wayne; for viewers, it represents a reminder that it doesn’t take a cape and cowl to be a hero, to make a difference, no matter how small. Today, in a world so plagued by poisonous polarization, heroes might also come in the form of two dudes — one Black, Leo Cummings III; one white, Todd Cate — with a couple of microphones and a podcast with a concise and catchy name: Black Dude White Dude. On islands, they represent a lot of contrasting perspectives — different races, political beliefs, sports and entertainment opinions. At the same time, they also agree on much more — most importantly, their respect for each other, which is fundamental to their friendship. Together, as co-hosts of the Conway-based podcast, they prove the dualism concept — a yin and yang. But making it through a disagreement with someone these days to only end up better for it on the other side is one thing. Doing that, while also discussing a myriad of other topics along the way (like parenthood, good beer and Netflix queues), and wrapping that up in a bow of a podcast episode that’s as long as a feature film and just as entertaining? Well, that’s these dudes’ specialty. Bayou Bartholomew.
Black Dude
Leo Cummings III, Black Dude Other Podcasts in Your Queue: The Joe Rogan Experience Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard Jemele Hill is Unbothered Code Switch The Fighter and the Kid What Are You Streaming? Fargo Cobra Kai Marvel or DC? Marvel
Favorite Vacation Spot: New York City
Favorite Beer:
East Sixth Haze (RIP) Lost Forty’s Love Honey Bock
Sports Teams:
UCA Bears Arkansas Razorbacks New York Yankees New Orleans Saints
128
By day, Cummings serves as the director of sales for the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce; at night, he’s the podcast’s resident “Black dude.” In between, he’s happily wed to his wife of nearly eight years, and a proud father to two girls, 3 and 5, who he describes as “sassy and beautiful and amazing.” Whether when listening to the podcast or chatting with him one-on-one, it’s hard to miss his passionate inflection and loving tone, no matter the subject at hand. Boiled down simply: he loves people and loves the city, Conway, that he has called home for his entire life — from preschool to the University of Central Arkansas (UCA). For the past 20 years, he has spent most of his time in sales because of this, and it set him up nicely for the novel endeavor of podcast host. “I enjoy getting to know people,” Cummings says. “I like the podcasts when we have guests on; I enjoy their origin story and what brought them here and what makes them tick and why they do what they do.” The podcast, he says, is often an outlet for him to express himself and maintain some semblance of sanity in a world that often lacks it, as is working out. (If you see him, you’ll wonder why his family refers to him as “Little Leo.”) During a conversation, he easily follows a rabbit hole or two, explaining that his workout regimen lately has featured exclusively rowing, because his “foot is all jacked up” so he can’t do all the running and lifting he’d like. Another breadcrumb leads to another trail talking about why he’s been affectionately monikered the “Little” of the Leo lineage. (“My dad, Leo Cummings Jr., is a large man.”) That sets him up for a seamless segue to his dad being in the first Conway High School class to integrate, his self-professed status as a “mama’s boy,” that both his mother and father have battled cancer in recent years, and that he, his wife and their children personally battled COVID-19 in December. Just as easily as he goes from talking about workouts to things so personal, he brings all the latter points home with talk about how his life’s recent developments made those others more difficult to navigate: Within a month time span a half-decade ago, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, his father with prostate cancer and he and his wife found out they were pregnant with their first child. “That's an odd dichotomy of all of the emotions,” he says. “As we're preparing to be parents, to bring this little person in the world, you realize the mortality of your parents is very, very real.” And this year, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it’s meant Cummings not only finding his way through parenthood but also childhood, so to speak. He and his mother still talk multiple times per week, but with her health issues as “immunocompromised” and his own demands — in the workforce and as a husband and father — he continues to try and find the right balance. “As present as I am, I would love to be present more,” he says. “The balancing act of having a wife and two kids who often need attention, and then trying to also make time for your parents who are aging is something that I struggle with on occasion.” It’s a conclusion with such depth and relatability that arose from just a general conversation. There’s no wonder Cummings ended up as a podcast host: He’s a long-form storyteller by nature. (He jokingly calls it rambling — but it’s more than that.) The very conversation he might have readied for a Thursday afternoon in January could just as well take place between him and an old friend at the grocery store or a colleague at work … or on a podcast episode with his best friend.
White Dude
Todd Cate, White Dude Podcasts in Your Queue: The Joe Rogan Experience Cleared Hot Binge Mode Cleaning up the Mental Mess What Are You Streaming? Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events Bridgerton Friday the 13th franchise
Marvel or DC?
Characters: DC; Movies: Marvel
Favorite Vacation Spot: The beach
Favorite Beer:
East Sixth Haze (RIP)
Sports Teams:
Arkansas Razorbacks Lebron James’ team Tom Brady’s team
129
Like his co-host, the white dude, Cate, has spent practically his entire life in Conway. Also a UCA alum, he juggles a lot of travel to and from the rest of the United States as a field engineer for Squan, designing fiber routes for rural communities. But no matter where in the field his day job takes him, the constant is always his home in Conway. That, and his wife of 22 years (his high school sweetheart) and their five children. Therein lies the first of the many ways the pair complement each other; while each brings the topics of marriage and parenting to the table, they are at different stages of both. Cate’s children, three boys and two girls, range in age from 12 to 21. And with the seasonal line of work that he’s in, Cate is grateful for the opportunity to spend plenty of time with his family, and as much as possible following his other passions and commitments — such as, of course, the podcast, as well as physical fitness. Cate also serves as a personal trainer, a gig he has performed for nearly a decade now. At present, he utilizes the space at Refine Active Health, a CrossFit gym in Conway, for those duties. But, he’s excited at the potential to expand this realm of his life into a change of scenery this year. “We just bought a pretty cool place right outside the city limits with a lot of land and a barn that I'm going to transition into my home fitness facility,” Cate says. “I'm so pumped about that.” With every word — be it about his family, work, side hustles or India pale ales — an infectious and charming charisma flutter beneath a voice that was made for radio, even if it took a while to find it. As Cate recalls, he and Cummings were proximal acquaintances as far back as junior high, when the pair attended the same church. After a decade following separate paths in different directions, they ran into each other during one of their most common threads — working out. As time went on, they’d start spending more of it together, meeting up to workout at the same time and attending the same fitness classes. It was also around this time that, as fate would have it, Cate became interested in podcasts, which by today’s standards designates him as a “hipster” — he liked them before they were “cool.” “I hate to be that guy, to be the guy that's like, ‘Yeah, before it was cool,’ but legitimately [I did],” Cate says behind a laugh before trailing off. “I found out about podcasts back in 2008 or 2009 — I mean, a long time ago, when everybody was still listening to iPods.” On his own, Cate created a few solo podcast episodes talking about himself or subjects that he was interested in. (“Hopefully no one will ever hear those,” he laughs again.) “I’ve always been interested in it, and I’ve always wanted to do it,” he says of hosting a podcast. “When Leo and I were hanging out, we would ask each other, ‘Hey, have you listened to this podcast?’” Drawing inspiration from people like Joe Rogan and Tim Ferriss, who Cate says were ahead of their time and against the grain of the mainstream in having long, drawn-out conversations about various subjects, he thought, “Why not us? We could do this.” So, they did — launching episode one of the Black Dude White Dude podcast in February 2016. “I don't think either of us really ever thought we'd be doing it four years later after the first one,” Cate says. “But, the idea, of course, was that we like a lot of the same stuff. At the time, Leo wasn't a father, but now we're both fathers, and there’s marriage and fitness and fighting and all this other stuff. But sometimes his perspective is slightly different on it than mine, or even majorly different than mine, because of race, because of our background or upbringing, that sort of thing. So, we thought that would be interesting.” aymag.com
Cate and Cummings with 103.7's Justin Acri. (Courtesy)
For five years this month, Cummings and Cate have trudged through murky waters of debate that typically result in “unfollows” and “blocks” on social media: Lebron vs. Kobe, President Donald Trump, police protests, Starbucks, Colin Kaepernick. And yet (last we checked, anyway), they still follow each other on all the major hubs and have made it through such discourse for nearly 100 episodes (when most podcasts fizzle out before episode 10). And if you ask for the secret recipe for that amicable cocktail, each will provide the same answer. They begin every difficult conversation with a mantra: “I respect you. I will listen to you. I’ll do my best to understand. I’ll be respectful. We will leave here as friends.” Or, like another “dude” once said: “This aggression will not stand, man.” No matter the episode, whether it’s just the duo or if they’ve brought in a guest like Justin Acri from 103.7 The Buzz, Tacos 4 Life’s Austin Samuelson or KARK-TV’s Susanne Brunner, that’s the gold standard for disagreement. They set it for themselves first, and it’s trickled out to their growing community of followers. And as the podcast’s faithful band of listeners has grown beyond just Central Arkansas to include viewership across the South, so too has the two dudes’ set up — from an original spot in Cummings’ father-in-law’s shop to now in a swanky studio “man cave” above Cummings’ garage. It’s perfect for the two fathers with day jobs because the pair can record episodes late at night without disturbing their loved ones.
130
This past year, the world entered a tipping point of tension. A presidential election year (in the modern political climate) met a worldwide pandemic and one of the most significant protest movements since the civil rights era after the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of law enforcement. Like poetry, the Black Dude White Dude podcast was well placed for these moments, having begun their journey in 2016, the year of the last presidential election. And when the other obstacles arose, Cummings and Cate did not shy away, bringing in Major Chris Harris of the Conway Police Department during the Floyd protests, promoting local small businesses and safe practices during the pandemic and sharing their personal perspective when the Cummings family contracted COVID-19. “We love what we do,” Cummings says. “It's fun, it's entertaining, [and] I think it's needed. … That is needed in Conway, in Little Rock; it’s needed in New York and California; it’s needed in Russia. It's needed everywhere.” And just like the balancing act of life and relationships that both have plenty of experience in chartering, the show also incorporates its fair share of comedy (in fact, often) to blend with the culture. It’s a podcast for anyone. But its hosts? Well, they’re quite original, indeed; proof that not all heroes wear capes. Some just need a microphone. “To me, in a happy world, we're all unified together,” Cate says. “We can respect each other as individuals while still maintaining different opinions about things.”
“I respect you. I will listen to you. I’ll do my best to understand. I’ll be respectful. We will leave here as friends."
SUBSCRIBE to
aymag.com
Our mission is to inform and entertain you by providing accurate information that enriches lives. Did we mention it’s about you? Go to aymag.com and click on the subscribe tab.
Only $20 a year!
132
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
health
134
With All
‘DO’ Respect By Angela Forsyth
135
aymag.com
hen it comes to choosing a primary care physician, there’s another option besides the traditional MD — a DO. Unknown to some and misunderstood by many, doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) are more like doctors of medicine (MDs) than you might think. One common misconception is that DOs are not fully trained physicians, but the fact is that a DO goes through the same medical coursework as an MD, plus additional training in the musculoskeletal system and osteopathic manipulative treatment. If choosing between an MD and a DO, rest assured that both types of doctors are highly qualified and capable of providing medical care. So, what sets the two apart? The main difference between DOs and MDs is their philosophies. “The underlying philosophy of osteopathic medicine is to treat the patient as a whole and not just treat an injury or disease process,” explains Rance McClain, DO, FACOFP, FAOASM, dean of the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM). “This philosophy is now very much in the forefront of MD education as well. However, the difference of incorporating osteopathic medicine is something that still only occurs in the osteopathic education system.” Shane Speights, DO, campus dean of the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) at Arkansas State University, shares the same view, adding that the core belief in osteopathic medicine is that “the human body has the ability to heal itself if given the chance and that, for the most part, it does an excellent job at maintaining health with the proper diet and activity.” Before graduating, osteopathic medical students complete an additional 200 hours of coursework on the musculoskeletal system, learning the interconnection of nerves, muscles and bones and how the connection between them affects overall health. Students are also trained to perform osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). This entails examining, diagnosing and treating patients by physically manipulating their muscles and joints. It can be done through stretching, gentle pressure and resistance. “The average patient has described it as a combination of chiropractic medicine, acupressure and physical therapy,” Speights says. Through this hands-on approach and with the objective to treat the “whole” patient, DOs offer the same level of expertise as their MD colleagues, but in a different form. Carolyn Reeves, DO, internal medicine physician at ReevesMed in Northwest Arkansas, believes her patients look to her for the distinct care a DO can offer. “I feel my patients appreciate that when they come to the clinic, they get a visit that includes consideration of multiple aspects of their health and how these may interact to benefit or harm them,” she says. “Plus, they see a sincere effort to understand and support their unique challenges, treating them as individuals not just a collection of symptoms.” In “DO” Time
While osteopathic medicine is still relatively unknown to many, this form of practice is gaining respect and steadily growing. According to the American Osteopathic Association, DOs account for approximately 11 percent of physicians in the country, a number that has more than tripled since 1990. And that number will continue to climb as approximately 25 percent of all medical students in the United States are currently osteopathic medical students. In Arkansas, we’re seeing the same trend. Speights credits the state’s rising number of DOs to the strategic placement of two newly established osteopathic medical schools. ARCOM in Fort Smith and NYITCOM in Jonesboro perfectly cover the east and west regions of the state “allowing for a larger geographic footprint for which to expand the profession and outreach to communities all over Arkansas.”
According to Frazier Edwards, executive director of the Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association (AOMA), more than 1,000 students are currently studying to become DOs. With four full classes, ARCOM hosts 150 students per class and NYITCOM has approximately 115 in each class. AOMA works to promote and support the osteopathic profession, physicians, students and patients in Arkansas. Whether MD or DO, more doctors is definitely a good thing. As the population continues to grow in the state, there has been an increased demand for health services. The problem is that when students leave Arkansas to attend medical school in larger cities, they often don’t come back. Providing opportunities closer to home is key. “We start by focusing on partnerships and recruiting efforts at undergraduate institutions in Arkansas and the region,” McClain explains. “By recruiting students from this region, we know that there is a significantly higher likelihood that they will want to remain in this region to practice when they are done with their training.” With this strategy in mind, ARCOM purposefully integrates students to work with the community throughout their four years in college. The school is also working with hospitals in the region to develop residency programs that will keep med students near once they graduate. “We have a particular focus on developing primary care residency programs, as that is where we believe we can have the most significant impact on access to care for the people of Arkansas,” McClain says. The rise in osteopathic medical studies and the growing number of DOs is certainly encouraging as we hope to fill the gaps where doctors are limited in underserved regions. NYITCOM joins ARCOM in efforts to meet that need. “The citizens of Arkansas can expect to see positive changes in the health care system as these institutions not only graduate doctors to help fill the physician workforce shortage in Arkansas but also directly contribute to the success of the communities they serve,” Speights says. “We will impact the health of those communities through education, outreach and policy change. That is our mission, that is our north star.”
Notable DOs HOW MDs AND DOs ARE THE SAME • Both pass the MCAT to enter medical school. • Both complete four years of medical school. • Both complete residencies, fellowships and internships. • Both can choose to specialize in a medical field, including surgery. • Both can prescribe medicine.
Dr. Sean Conley, physician to former President Donald Trump
HOW MDs AND DOs ARE DIFFERENT •M Ds graduate from a conventional or allopathic medical school. DOs graduate from a school of osteopathic medicine. •D Os complete an additional 200 hours of training on manipulation techniques of the musculoskeletal system.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor, physician to President Joe Biden
•D Os take the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX). MDs take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) •M Ds focus on making a diagnosis and treating the symptoms and illness. DOs focus on the whole person and their lifestyle for treating a condition.
Dr. Ronald Blanck, the 39th Surgeon General of the United States Army
Dr. Richard Scheuring, NASA flight surgeon team lead
Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, the first African-American woman to be named dean of a United States medical school
SHORT-TERM REHAB, LONG TERM CARE & RESPITE SERVICES We specialize in Short-Term Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care services. From the moment you enter our facility, we want you to experience the difference our facility has to offer. From our light-filled common area to our beautiful outdoor patios, we want you and your loved one to feel comfortable and safe when staying with us.
#3 CHENAL HEIGHTS DRIVE, LITTLE ROCK, AR
n
501.830.2273
n
HICKORYHEIGHTSHR.COM
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.
MURDER MYSTERY:
THE PATH OF A PSYCHOPATH, CONCLUSION – By Janie Jones
I
s there really such a thing as born bad or a born killer? The Bad Seed was first a novel, then a play, followed by a movie. It’s about 8-year-old Rhoda Penmark, who appears to be the perfect, precious little girl anybody would adore but is, in fact, a cold-blooded killer. Mark Alan Smith was such a child. Born in Illinois in 1949, Smith was still a baby when his parents divorced, and his mother remarried a short time later. His stepfather was distant and never had time for him, according to his mother. Smith himself would later say he “had a pretty average childhood.” He was a Cub Scout and enjoyed fishing and other outdoor activities. After his mother enrolled him in St. Mary’s Catholic School, however, he began to have problems. He hated the nuns with their strict disciplinary code. Whatever punishment they meted out caused Smith to wake up screaming in the middle of the night. The matter became serious enough that his mother took him to see the family doctor, who suggested putting him in a public school. When his mother took the doctor’s advice, the nightmares stopped, but something else, something scarier, took hold of him. He relished killing birds and other small animals. Then one day in third grade, during lunch recess, Smith tried to strangle a classmate. The little girl broke free, and the incident was never reported. When he was about 9 years old, he attacked a younger playmate with a penknife. He inflicted more than 20 stab wounds on the boy before throwing the knife down on the ground and helping his victim get home. He wasn’t charged with a crime, but school and court officials mandated psychiatric counseling, and after a year of therapy, he had made enough progress to satisfy the psychiatrists that he would straighten out on his own. They didn’t realize that the counseling hadn’t affected him at all. Smith flunked the seventh grade. He was smart but bored and wouldn’t do his homework. He dropped
142
Mark Alan Smith, age 11.
out of high school during his sophomore year and got a job as a cook’s assistant. Something that should have set off alarm bells was the discovery by his mother and stepfather of butcher knives that he had hidden under their mattress. “Tools of the trade,” he said. In August 1966, Smith enlisted in the Army and was sent to Vietnam where he was a helicopter door gunner. When he returned home, his mother said that he had changed. To paraphrase Lynn Hall, it could be that Smith didn’t change but became more clearly himself, the disturbed child turned soldier, his violent tendencies heightened by the war. He would never discuss his time in Vietnam with anyone. Transferred to South Korea, he was court-martialed and spent three months in the stockade for fighting his fellow servicemen. He was also engaged in black market activities and was heavy into drug use, which intensified when he was stationed in Germany. Prone to starting barroom brawls, he was court-martialed again for fighting. According to his
own confessions, he officially became a serial killer while in Germany. The first stateside murder Smith carried out was the slaying of Obie Fay Ash in Arkansas, but that was followed quickly by the murders of three Illinois women: Jean Bianchi, Janice Bolyard and Jean Ann Lingenfelter. In the cases of Bolyard and Lingenfelter, Smith joined in the searches for them after they were reported missing. Both times, he led authorities to the bodies. A witness saw Lingenfelter get into his car shortly before she disappeared, so he became the chief suspect and was arrested. Officials drew parallels between the Lingenfelter case and the other two in Illinois. Arkansas State Police Detective Sergeant James D. Lester obtained a warrant to collect hair samples from Smith to compare them against evidence retrieved during the Ash investigation. The McHenry, Ill., court had appointed Harold C. McKenney as attorney for the suspect, but his lawyer didn’t have a chance to mount a credible defense for a plea of innocence because Smith confessed not only to the murders for which he was charged but to more slayings he committed in Germany in 1969. The prosecution couldn’t ask for the death penalty since a moratorium existed on capital punishment, but Smith pled guilty, and the courts imposed the harsh penalty of 200 years each for the murders of Bianchi and Lingenfelter and a minimum of 50 years for the Bolyard killing, with the sentences to run consecutively. Smith waived extradition to Arkansas, and in March 1971, he appeared in the Baxter County Courthouse to answer for the murder of Ash. In the unlikely event that the state of Illinois ever paroled him, he would be transferred to Arkansas to serve a life term for murdering Ash. While he was back in Arkansas, he was questioned by Missouri police about the unsolved murder of 20-year-old Neva Carol Blades, whose body was found in a shallow grave in Stone County Missouri, about an 8-hour drive from Mountain Home, where Smith was living with his grandmother at the time of the murder. The medical examiner could not determine the cause of death due to the decomposition of the remains. Like Bianchi, Blades had disappeared from a laundromat. That and other similarities in the two cases, such as victim type, caused the investigators to suspect Smith, but he denied the accusation, and without a confession, the Missouri officials knew they couldn’t make a murder charge stick. After his imprisonment, Smith told his life story to his attorney, McKenney, and a writer, Jon K. Hahn, and described his sadistic crimes matter-of-factly in gory detail. He claimed he had killed nine women when he was stationed in Germany. He left a tenth victim for dead, but she survived. He would usually approach his victims from behind, choke them by wrapping his arm around their throats, and then he stabbed them. After they were dead or near death, he would perform perverted sexual acts on them and mutilate them. Dr. Joseph Wepman,
143
Jean Ann Lingenfelter, Smith’s last known victim.
Smith’s mugshot. a psychologist who analyzed Smith, classified him as a lust murderer who attained sexual satisfaction by killing his victims and equated this conduct to necrophilia, which is defined as erotic interest in or stimulation by corpses. A necrophiliac fears rejection by live women, so he takes their lives. By all accounts, Smith had a normal relationship with his mother, so the source of his aberrant behavior with other women is a mystery. Though he never blamed his actions on drugs, he admitted to using large amounts of marijuana, hashish, amphetamines, psychedelics and all types of alcohol, often at the same time. He went for long periods without sleep, which was how he could perform his military duties during the day and go out at night, stalking and attacking women like a ravenous, rabid wolf. German authorities interviewed Smith but never prosecuted him. Smith’s biography, Legally Sane, by McKenney and Hahn, was released in 1972. Since then, Smith hasn’t sought the limelight, though he has come up for parole several times over the years. He remained a sexual predator in prison. Still incarcerated, he is 71 years old.
aymag.com
By Joe David Rice
Bayou Bartholomew
L
ike most people, Arkansans are not above boasting a little now and then. The biggest, oldest, tallest, fastest sort of thing. One of our bragging points is Bayou Bartholomew, the world’s longest bayou. Originating in pine forests west of Pine Bluff, the bayou meanders in a southerly direction for 359 miles, adding tributaries as it goes, and eventually flows into north-central Louisiana where it merges with the Ouachita River. Along the way, it drains nearly 950,000 acres of southeast Arkansas countryside. Hydrologists speculate that Bayou Bartholomew occupies a streambed left by the Arkansas River when it changed course about 2,000 years ago. Native Americans lived along Bayou Bartholomew for centuries and often constructed mounds near the water. Much of the original research on these Photo by Casey Crocker. archaeological sites occurred in the early 1880s when the Smithsonian Institution received funding from For one thing, Bayou Bartholomew remains a haven for wildlife, congress to form a Mound Exploration Division. An excerpt from the with more than 100 fish species found in its waters giving it, according Dec. 5, 1882, issue of the Arkansas Gazette reported: Mr. Edwin Palmer, of the Smithsonian Institute, returned from Drew to some experts, the most diverse collection of freshwater fish of County Saturday. Near Tillar Station he uncovered a small mound, situated any stream on the continent. Locals claim it’s one of Arkansas’s on Bayou Bartholomew, and exhumed seventy skeletons and about sixty undiscovered angling hotspots. Likewise, for decades hunters have vessels, of all shapes and sizes, such as were used by the mound-builders. pursued a wide variety of game in the rich bottomland hardwoods They seem to have all been buried at once, and without any system or design, adjacent to the stream. as they were found in one confused heap. The skeletons and pottery, together But there’s more. Biologists have found 35 varieties of mussels with numerous sketches of this and other mounds in the vicinity, made by H. in the basin and birdwatchers are also fond of the bayou. Alligators J. Lewis, have been forwarded to Washington. inhabit its waters, and Spanish moss dangles from overhanging trees Those mounds that weren’t destroyed by the Mound Survey fell along its southern reaches. prey to amateur relic hunters, construction projects, or agricultural For a quick and easy introduction to Bayou Bartholomew, check land-leveling. Even so, Native American artifacts are occasionally out Byrd Lake, a 144-acre natural area located within the city limits of discovered along the banks of Bayou Bartholomew. Pine Bluff. The easy, half-mile trail is wheelchair-friendly. Until fairly recent times, Bayou Bartholomew was a clear stream, For years now, I’ve driven through the Bayou Bartholomew country. often the site where rural church congregations performed baptisms. I’ve crossed almost every bridge spanning the stream, and I’ve taken The waterway even provided a valuable yet challenging corridor for many photographs of the ancient and majestic cypress trees towering steamboats up to and through the Civil War. Although competition over the waters. But I’ve yet to experience the bayou from a boat — from railroads eliminated commercial boat traffic and urbanization which is the only way one can get truly acquainted with this special and agricultural practices have degraded and polluted the watershed, waterway. It’s on my bucket list. it’s still an important part of southeast Arkansas’ culture. 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.
144
BECOME AN
Ocean HERO
Your adoption supports our all-new Sea Turtle Center where we rescue, rehabilitate and release endangered loggerheads. To adopt an animal, visit our website at: WWW.WONDERSOFWILDLIFE.ORG
A Growing Health System for a Growing Community
Left to Right: Dr. Don Steely and Dr. Rimsha Hasan of Conway Regional Cardiovascular Clinic
Expanded Access
More Specialists
Innovative Services
All That Your Heart Needs, All in One Place At Conway Regional, we strive daily to exceed the standards in heart care. Led by a highly-skilled group of interventional cardiologists and emergency department physicians, we have one of the state's best door-to-balloon times for providing emergency heart care.
We’re not just growing—we’re growing together.
New Medical Offices