Eye On Independence for September 2011

Eye On Independence www.eyeonmag.com

Judge Robert T. Griffin / The Process Team Depot Renovates Our Community Desert Birds and Cupcake Wars A Publication of MeadowLand Media, Inc.

September 2011

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In This Issue 6/Letter from the Publisher Falling Into Season

7/Fork in the Road FoxCreek BBQ Finds a Home at the Depot

9/The Morning Line Cupcake Wars

9

24

11

31

19

32

22

35

11/Feature Independence County Judge, Robert T. Griffin

17/Main Street Etta’s Attic

18/Wandering the White River Valley Rocky Bayou “Lunenburg” Saloon

20/Eye On Events 22/I Do The Cox Wedding.

24/Birds, Bees, Flowers and Trees Desert Birds Move East

27/The Arts 28/The Myopic Life What Makes the Right Teacher

30/The Perfume of Cooking Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers

31/Team Depot Lends a Helping Hand 32/Homes Home in the Badlands

35/Notes from the Clearing September Lightning Bugs

For advertising, distribution, or editorial contribution, contact Kimberlee Thomas 870.503.1150 kthomas@eyeonmag.com.

38/EOI Movie Review 39/The Arts Continued

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4 | Word Of Mouth....For Your Eyes!.

Cover Photo by Robert O. Seat Cover Design by Joseph Thomas

Eye On Independence THIS PUBLICATION IS PRODUCED BY

Creative Director: Joseph Thomas

MeadowLand Media, Inc. P. O. Box 196, Grubbs, AR 72431 870.503.1150 kthomas@eyeonmag. com

AD DESIGN Department: Kimberlee Thomas:

PUBLISHER: Kimberlee Thomas Associate EDITOR: Bob Pest MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Thomas ADVERTISING: Kimberlee Thomas

Staff PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kimberlee Thomas Joseph Thomas CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Julie M. Fidler Robert O. Seat CIRCULATION: Kimberlee Thomas Joseph Thomas PRINTING COMPANY: Rockwell Publishing

Eye On Independence is a publication of MeadowLand Media, Incorporated. Editorial, advertising and general business information can be obtained by calling (870) 503-1150 or emailing Kimberlee Thomas at kthomas@eyeonmag.com. Mailing address: P. O. Box 196, Grubbs, AR 72431.

Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements, unless otherwise noted, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Publisher or the staff. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information presented in this issue is accurate and neither MeadowLand Media or it any of its staff is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Copyright Š 2010 MeadowLand Media, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the Publisher.

All pictorial material reproduced in this book has been accepted on the condition that it is reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the photographer concerned. As such, MeadowLand Media, Incorporated, is not responsible for any infringement of copyright or otherwise arising out of publication thereof.

September 2011 |  5

Letter from the Publisher Falling Into Season

Kimberlee Thomas The Thomas household has made it through another summer and we are anxiously awaiting the magic that is fall. I am eager to witness the cool breeze and crisp air tunneling orange and yellow leaves from the sky; as well as the orange and black and blue and gold filing into the stands as our high school football teams fill their respective stadiums.

I hope the heat has prepared you for the cool that is coming and that you enjoy the articles and events we have to share with you this month. Autumn speaks of Road Runners (Joseph’s favorite winged thing), Bob visits Fox Creek Barbecue, Janine tackles Garlic, and Mark explains cupcake wars! I invite you to join us as we travel from the “Badlands” of the Wood home to Main Street for a one of a kind hometown wedding, and then on to the restoration of the Rocky Bayou Saloon.

I am excited to introduce you to Kristi Price. She is a brilliant writer and will be bringing her blog, The Myopic Life, to the pages of Eye On. Joseph and I agree that this is the time of year when we all seem to begin again, to start a new as our children step up another level in their academic careers. So, strap in for the mad dashes from home, to school, to field, to home again. Travel safe, and be sure to carry along a copy of Eye On to read in between bites of your missed lunch that is now dinner as the high school band serenades your effort from the practice field. Happy September! N

Kennadi at the Special Olympics 2011 Photo by Stacy Pretty

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Fork in the Road Bob Pest FoxCreek BBQ was chosen Best BBQ by Eye on Independence readers who participated in the first annual Best of Batesville restaurant survey last spring. Interestingly, FoxCreek was closed during that period of time as the Daum family began work on renovating and restoring the historic railroad depot at 129 Lawrence Street in preparation for their move. So apparently, people are so satisfied with their ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, BBQ nachos, and other menu items that they were willing to be patient for a few months during the move from the parking lot on St. Louis Street.

The wait was well worth it. The “new” Fox Creek BBQ at the Depot is a welcome and impressive addition to the dining options in and around downtown Batesville. The Daums and their energetic staff have given the long-neglected depot a fresh start: the brick columns look like new after a painstakingly meticulous cleaning; the walls are decorated with colorful posters, classic country album covers, railroad memorabilia, and fascinating photographs from a simpler era; and while the renovation has created a bright, cheery dining environment, the building itself retains its historic integrity.

The “new” FoxCreek menu offers a total of seven BBQ dinner options, all served with beans and either cole slaw or potato salad. The pulled pork is exceptionally lean and rich in smoky flavor. The sliced beef brisket is equally flavorful and moist. Other dinners options include pulled chicken, a half BBQ chicken, 100% beef bratwurst or smoked sausage, and a combo plate with a choice of two meats. Dinners are priced surprisingly low at $7.99, except for the half BBQ chicken at 8.99.

Baby Back Rib dinners are also served with beans and either slaw or potato salad. Three choices are available—a “regular” order for $8.99, a full rack for $18.99, and ribs for two for $17.99. Bill Daum’s ribs are almost legendary and certainly rank among the best in the region. His homemade sauces, both mild and hot, provide the perfect complement to his

FoxCreek BBQ Finds a Home at the Depot succulent, “meat falling from the bones” ribs.

Lunch selections are built around the BBQ meats.

Sandwiches include pulled pork, sliced beef brisket, pulled chicken, brats, and smoked sausage. Both regular and jumbo sizes are available, also reasonably priced from $3.99 to $5.49. Sandwiches are served with fresh, homemade chips. Among the other choices are hamburgers and cheeseburgers, both priced at $5.25 and served with chips; BBQ salad; and BBQ nachos, with a choice of pulled pork or chicken.

Family packs of BBQ are available for those evenings when nobody in the family wants to cook.

They include a pound of meat, either pork or chicken; two sides (pint of beans, potato salad, or cole slaw); six buns; and BBQ sauce. The family packs are quite affordable at $17.59, and the takehome convenience is priceless. FoxCreek also does catering. For groups of fifty or more, a two-meat plate (pork, chicken, or beef) is $15; one meat selection is $10. Beans, potato salad, cole slaw, and iced tea are included. Call 698-0034 for pricing for fewer than fifty people.

In closing I must add that I have been impressed with Bill and Jane Daum and their approach to this new venture. Their staff is well-trained, cordial, and helpful. Their future plans include live music on weekends; the piano and small stage are ready and waiting. Their menu is a work in progress, likely to evolve as regular customers express their dining interests. For now they are moving forward deliberately, with their ears and eyes open. I appreciate the time they have taken to answer my questions and share their vision. Batesville is extremely fortunate to have FoxCreek BBQ at the Depot. FoxCreek is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. I hope to see you there soon. N

September 2011 | 7

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8 | Word Of Mouth....For Your Eyes!.

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The Morning Line Mark Lamberth I’ll probably ruffle more than a few Razorback loyalists’ feathers with the following piece, but as a Razorback alumnus, Razorback Foundation member, and a Razorback season ticket holder for both Fayetteville and Little Rock football games for several years – I feel justified.

It was reported in the statewide newspaper in early August that Arkansas was already preparing for its September 24th SEC Conference opener with Alabama at Tuscaloosa.

Huh?! – Isn’t that the fourth game of the 2011 season? Indeed it is! The Hogs open the season on September 3rd at Fayetteville with Missouri State, travel to Little Rock the next week to take on New Mexico, and return to Fayetteville for a week 3 game with Troy.

And what do all three of these games have in common? In Division I vernacular, they are all described as “cupcakes” – a team which a powerful Southeastern Conference team such as Arkansas should be able to overwhelm easily. In addition, they are all out of state institutions. Now granted these potential blowouts don’t always happen as evidenced

by Arkansas’s loss to The Citadel in 1992 and the loss by Ole Miss to

Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium

Cupcake Wars Jacksonville State in 2010. However, they occur about as often as a blue moon. One might ask why a weaker school would subject their players to such a beat- down? The answer is $$$$$. These teams are paid six figure contracts to become cannon fodder for a team like Arkansas.

If I were a parent of one of these players, I certainly wouldn’t be happy with the potential for injury to my son from bigger and faster players in order to enrich the coffers of the school’s athletic department. And most big time football programs schedule the same way – Arkansas is not alone. Alabama has the likes of Kent State, North Texas State and Georgia Southern on its schedule while Florida will manhandle Florida Atlantic, Alabama-Birmingham and Furman this year. A cupcake nonconference schedule enables a team to pad its record and play the entire roster, though it doesn’t exactly make for riveting football for its fans. But there is a difference in every SEC schedule and the Arkansas schedule.

Every SEC team with the exception of Arkansas plays at least one in state team.

Here’s the question – Why do we pay non conference out of state teams hundreds of thousands of dollars to come and make a profit to be taken back to Missouri, New Mexico and Alabama? Doesn’t it make more sense to keep those Arkansas dollars in our state during these harsh and unpredictable financial times? How about replacing one of those cupcakes with a Division I opponent – the Arkansas State Red Wolves. Can you imagine the interest and money that would be generated each year in an Arkansas – Arkansas State matchup played in War Memorial Stadium in

Little Rock? The old cliché arguments against the game just don’t apply anymore and the Arkansas economy would get a boost each year while keeping Arkansas money in Arkansas.

Every team in the SEC has an in state rival on their 2011 schedule that generates millions of dollars for the local economy – except Arkansas.

The list includes games between Florida – Florida State, Florida – Florida Atlantic, Georgia – Georgia Tech, Alabama – Auburn , Auburn - Samford, Mississippi – Mississippi State, LSU – Northwestern State, Tennessee – Vanderbilt, Tennessee - Middle Tennessee State, South Carolina – Clemson, South Carolina – The Citadel, Kentucky – Louisville, and Kentucky - Western Kentucky . This game has been long overdue.

We should take care of our own. IT’S TIME! N

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September 2011 | 9

Welcome to Independence

Southwestern Bell

10 | Word Of Mouth....For Your Eyes!.

Feature Joseph Thomas

Photo by Robert O. Seat

Robert T. Griffin was born in Mount Carmel, near Newark. He attended Newark Public Schools and at the age of sixteen was one of two Newark students out of one hundred Arkansas students selected to participate in a new program at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He spent a summer at U of A gathering college credits. He was able to count those college credits and could have been done with high school at the end of that summer, but returned to experience his senior year at Newark High. After graduating from Newark in 1972 he returned to U of A for another semester, but feeling that there were too many distractions there he returned home and enrolled in Arkansas College, now Lyon College. He began farming as a young man and later bought into his father’s company, Griffin Seed and Grain Company. He and his brother Frankie (who passed away in 1999) ran the company successfully for thirty-three years before selling it to the Arkansas Sand Company in 2008. Judge Griffin and wife of thirty-six years, Gayla, have a beautiful daughter, Natalie, and continue to live in the Newark area.

When asked why he wanted to join the world of politics Griffin stated, “I became Independence County Judge for the same reason I ran for the Newark (now Cedar Ridge) School Board eighteen years ago, to try to improve the state of things. If you want to understand what makes me tick, go to the Legislative Audit and review the Cedar Ridge School District’s financial records prior to my entering the race for school board and the results after my term. I was also seeking a challenge and wasn’t ready to retire. My interest is always to fix something. I saw a need for repair in Independence County in

Independence County Judge, Robert T. Griffin Serving The Citizens

many areas and I sought to do just that. I continue to seek that improvement and intend to leave the state of this county better than it was prior to my election.”

Griffin is a practical and progressive thinker always looking for feasible ways to improve the status quo. He explained that the County Judge deals explicitly with the county road system and shared some of his plans.

“I intend to have a listing of County Roads before my time is done here, because there isn’t a listing in use today. The listing will help to quickly identify which are truly county roads and which are not. We are also currently using materials that have never been used before to repair our roads; such as fly ash from the Independence County Steam Plant. This fly ash is a third of the cost of materials used previous to my position and it is a readily available local resource.

Also, we are using a lime stabilization process that secures the underlay consistency. We are now using this process to prepare the roadbeds in the county for repair. We are stretching Independence County tax dollars so we can do the most with less.

We need more business principals and common sense in our Government at the national, state, and local level.”

The red tape or “process” as Judge Griffin calls it, is what he considers to be the hardest part of his job. “There has to be a process in order to do things fairly, but it does become time consuming. I know how to fix things and can get most things done in a reasonable amount of time if the process doesn’t catch me.

One project we started could have been complete within a week, but due to the process it has taken over two months. One thing I told my people when I came into office, we will do things right and within the law. That would be what I want your readers to understand most clearly.

We are listening and we are pushing to improve, the hold up is always the process. It is indeed frustrating, but until the process is improved, that is how things are done.”

Eye On Feature continues on page 13 September 2011 | 11

Leo Sutterfield and First Service Bank become the first “Friends of the Arkansas Craft School” Member Leo Sutterfield, president of First Service Bank in Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Mountain View has become the first “Friends of the Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment of the Arkansas Craft School” member. Leo and First Service Arts.

Bank showed support for the Craft School by signing on at the ‘Corporate Gold’ level.

Terri Van Orman, Executive Director “Friends of the Arkansas Craft School” is a new Arkansas Craft School member program that encourages charitable giving to the Craft School and rewards donors with perks such as P.O. Box 2694 percentage off of Craft School classes, free hand-made 104 E. Main Street pottery mugs and free tickets to the November Gala Mountain View, AR Fundraiser. Individual donors can enroll at the ‘Associate’ level for as little as $25.00. Contributors at this level 870-269-8397 receive a certificate for 10% off an Arkansas Craft School arkcraftschool@mvtel.net class of choice, along with a quarterly newsletter and a copy of our Annual Report. Businesses and Corporations www.kansascraftschool.org N can join for as little as $250.00. Donor perks increase as the giving levels increase. Not interested in taking a class or attending the Gala? Percentage off certificates and Gala tickets are transferrable and make great gifts. All donors will be listed in our Annual Report.

Further information on the “Friends of the Arkansas Craft School” program can be found on our website:

www.arkansascraftschool.org.

The Arkansas Craft School, located in Mountain View, Arkansas is dedicated to the education of aspiring and practicing craft artisans for success in the Creative Economy. The Craft School partners with the Arkansas Craft Guild and with Ozarka College, which offers Continuing Education credits for all of its courses. Support for the Arkansas Craft School is provided, in part, by the Leo Sutterfield photo taken by Ozarka College staff

12 | Word Of Mouth....For Your Eyes!.

Eye On Feature continued from page 11

Judge Griffin explained that he has no time or desire for what some may call a hobby during what might be considered his off-hours. He has over three hundred head of cattle that he hasn’t even looked in on personally since he took office. He has his cattle being looked at by other area farmers. “I decided before I ran that I was going to devote my time to this county. I try to be at a different coffee shop around the county at six o’clock every morning to hear the concerns of the taxpayers. I am seriously amazed that I get paid to try and find fixes for my home county. I enjoy doing that and feel very fortunate to hold this position.” Griffin also explained why he was not involved currently in any civic groups or organizations stating. “I fear that I would be slighting all of the ones that I didn’t have time for. I serve the citizens of Independence County and don’t ever want there to be any doubt about that.” N Photo by Robert O. Seat

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September 2011 | 13

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September 2011 |  15

Main Street

Kimberlee Thomas

Name of Business: Etta’s Attic Address: 143 East Main Street Phone: 870-793-3100

Etta’s Attic

dead! I believe if there were a few more businesses in the empty buildings, Main Street could really rev up! Being on Main Street gives me a further sense of belonging to Batesville. The nearby shop owners are friendly, supportive, helpful and like Owner: Jennie Lee Stobaugh family. I love hearing the train whistle when I Manager: Tim Davis am working at the store. Combining that with When did Etta’s Attic open for business on Main being surrounded by such stately grand old buildings really gives me a feeling of being home Street? October 2009 in downtown historical Batesville! N When did you take ownership? June 1, 2011 What does your business offer the public?

A unique shopping experience! We have antique furniture, glassware, books, collectibles, primitives, vintage items, jewelry, indoor and outdoor ironworks, baseball cards, vintage records and some new items; items that bring back childhood memories to our customers. Etta’s Attic is a great place to shop for that special gift, or to find something for every room in the house!

What do you like about being on Main Street?

I love being on Main Street! It is fun to watch all the activity going on. Main Street is not Etta’s Attic

Wandering the White River Valley Freda Cruse Phillips In 2009 the Exploring Izard County Crew located the first saloon in Izard County not far from its original location at Lunenburg. Since it’s discovery it has been dismantled, moved back to Lunenburg, and restoration has begun.

The area between Batesville, the oldest surviving city in the state, and Buffalo City, where the White and Buffalo Rivers converge is the oldest continued settled area of the state, thus making the White River Valley the Jamestown, Virginia of Arkansas if not the entire Ozarks.

Arkansas was declared a territory in 1819 with Lunenburg founded as the settlement of Rocky Bayou a year later by Adam Walker. Walker had to prove he had continuously lived on the land and improved it for ten years in order for the homestead to be granted. It is believed that Walker built and operated the Rocky Bayou Saloon, later known as the Lunenburg Saloon, sometime between 1810 and 1815.

By the time Izard County was formed on October 27, 1825, Rocky Bayou had a sawmill, two cotton gins, a gun powder mill, a blacksmith and livery, a tannery, a cider mill, three general stores, and a school. Because Rocky Bayou also had a saloon, the place where men that mattered met, it became an important location in the area and in 1900 had a larger population than nearby Melbourne.

After the Civil War many strategic towns with Southern sympathies had their names changed by the Union.

Riggsville became Mountain View, Fair View became Pleasant Plains, Buckhorn became St. James, and Rocky Bayou became Lunenburg.

I can see the gathering now, men of prominence sitting about on the hand-made stools, benches, and whiskey barrels singing ballads in their baroque Irish, Scottish, English and German. A very large man comes sauntering in, John Paxton Houston 18 | Word Of Mouth....For Your Eyes!.

Rocky Bayou “Lunenburg” Saloon

The place where men that mattered met

perhaps, with his visiting brother General Sam Houston. They might be arguing between themselves or be in the company of a rowdy Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, cohorts of both Houstons and Abraham Ruddell. One of the earliest settlers of Batesville, Ruddell lived nearly 20 years as a brother of Tecumseh after having been captured when he was six years old by the Shawnee at Ruddell’s Fort, Kentucky. Certainly Jehoiada Jeffery, first settler of Mt. Olive who served in the Arkansas Legislature and as judge would be here. Sam Houston later secured Jeffery’s services as a surveyor on portions of the Old Military Road (Southwest Trail), which runs through Batesville.

A nephew of both Jehoiada Jeffery and Abraham Ruddell, Daniel Culp, served as Houston’s personal secretary. Thomas Riggs was the first settler of Riggsville and served in the Arkansas Legislature, he was also witness to the will of Jeffery.

Riggs would have certainly met his friends here perhaps bringing along his wife’s cousin, a visiting Samuel Clemens a.k.a. Mark Twain.

Taverns, watering holes, and places to get a bite of food dictated the routes people took. Frank and Jesse James and Cole, John, Jim, and Bob Younger were no exception as they traveled the Wild Haws Landing route from the Buckhorn (St. James) to Missouri. The movers and shakers met here, the un-named frontiersmen who toiled the earth, bartered and traded, established homesteads, and raised families all met here.

By the time I arrived to help

Denny Elrod and Rick Dowdle, of the Exploring Izard County Crew, they were water and sweat soaked from power washing the nearly 200 year old hand hewn timbers that once were the walls of the Rocky Bayou Saloon. This place where songs were sung, tempers flared, fists flew, prayers were said and men that mattered made plans, legal or not, shaped our county, state and nation. ***Phillips, author of Places of Our People which is available at Hastings in Mountain Home and Batesville, is a member of the Exploring Izard County Crew. She will be signing books October 1st at Lunenburg during the fundraising event to help fund the restoration of the Rocky Bayou Saloon. Musicians and bands include: Don’t Stop Please, Ozark Traditions, the incredible Connie Evans Powell, and others visit EIC.com for more details*** N

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Starting A New Tradition NEWARK -- For the first time in annual festival, sponsored by the its 17-year history, Newark’s Times- Newark Chamber of Commerce.

N-Traditions Festival will donate The annual picnic and Old Settlers part of the money raised from the Reunion dates back to three days in event to the Muscular Dystrophy August 1913 when annual picnics Association to benefit two local attracted large crowds, according to children with the disorder. Newark the Newark Journal newspaper.

Chamber of Commerce member and According to a news release, entertainment coordinator, Ernie Highway 101’s blend of country Pectol said $1 of each $6 entry fee will roots and tradition with rock ’n’ roll be given in honor of Austin Simmons energy helped catapult the country and David Carter McClain to MDA. genre forward, tapping a whole new The T-N-T Festival will be audience and paving the way for such Saturday, Sept. 10, at mass appeal artists as the Newark City Park at Garth Brooks, Alan 10th and Long streets.

Jackson and Tim The event will feature McGraw. a parade, a karaoke The group contest, concerts, consists of Cactus fireworks, vendors and Moser, Curtis Stone, craftsmen. The headline Justin Weaver act for this year’s and Nikki Nelson. events is Highway 101, Although Highway a country/rock band.

101 has been through Opening for Highway several incarnations 101 will be The Jokers. since its original Austin, 11, is the conception, the son of Matthew and group has always Carolyn Simmons. He Austin Simmons enjoyed success, both was diagnosed with Becker muscular in records and live performance, the dystrophy when he was between 4 news release states. and 5 years old. The disorder occurs Drummer Cactus Moser in approximately three to six of every said, “One of the reasons we have 100,000 males. It is less common continued to be successful over the than Duchenne muscular dystrophy. years is because we always strive to Symptoms usually appear in boys at maintain the same musical integrity about age 12, but may begin later. in our live shows as on our records.

Austin is the Muscular Dystrophy For that reason, we tend not to record Association’s 2011 Arkansas things that cannot be reproduced Goodwill Ambassador. live. Plus, we have always been an Pre-schooler David Carter extremely entertaining group on McClain is the son of David McClain stage.” of Newark. Pectol said young David The critically acclaimed album was recently diagnosed with MD. The New Frontier, produced by Stone Times-N-Traditions is Newark’s and Moser, was released in 1993 on Liberty Records. Highway 101 was again nominated for “Vocal Group of the Year” by the ACM and CMA. The Jokers have played for T-N-T twice. This year they will be joined by Sarah Jo Roark and Penny Wolfe for a mix of oldies.

The Jokers started in 1957 and broke up in ’59 when Jim Bone, the lead singer, went to college. They did Highway 101

not play again until around 1983 when they played one time for a Junior Auxiliary fundraiser. They reunited in 2007.

Jim Bone will be on rhythm guitar and vocals, Vaughn Riley on lead guitar, “Butch” Ketz on keyboard, John Parks on bass and Jason Moser on drums.

Sarah Jo Roark and Penny Wolfe have been singing with the group when their music schedules permit.

Others over the years who have played in the group are Larry Cartwright, Jon Healey and Al Rhodes on bass, Don Howard, Danny Dozier, Josh Parish and Judy Garcia on lead guitar, Tommie McDonald on harmony vocals, Tommy Henderson on sax and Clarence Cash, Kale Riley, Kenny Loggains, Gary Whisnant and Rog Rogers on drums.

The festival will offer more entertainment for youngsters this year as well. “We’ve been trying to think of a way to build the festival and to help kids,” Pectol said. “We’re going to have more activities for children this year, including a dunking booth, a petting zoo and bounce houses.”

The Jokers will play for the 17th annual Times-N-Traditions Festival in Newark September 10. Pictured (left to right) are back row—Vaughn Riley, Wesley Martin, (John Parks not pictured), Tommy Henderson (will not play at TNT), Butch Ketz and Jason Moser and front row—Sarah Jo Roark, Jim Bone and Penny Wolfe.

Photo by Jan Rorie

TNT (Starting A New Tradition) continues on

page 39

September 2011 | 19

Even s 5th Annual Fal l Golf Classic August 18, 20 presenting sp 11 -- The Batesville Area Ch Annual Fall G onsor Citizens Bank are proamber of Commerce and Course at Eagolf Classic to be held Friday ud to announce the 5th forms are curr le Mountain. Team registr, September 30th at The ently available at at the chamberion and sponsorship The Fall Golf .

The ambassadClassic is coordinated by th visitors of sp ors provide a special welco e BACC Ambassadors. welcome new ecial functions and events me and hospitality to at ribbon cutt members to the chamber, in the Batesville area, an ings, grand op enings and sp d represent the BACC The Fall Golf ecial events. all proceeds bClassic is the BACC ’s main community ev enefiting business in Ind annual fundraiser with ependence co ents. unty and Crystal Johnso n , ch amber Presid has always su ent/CE business envirpported the chamber in o O, said “Citizens Bank their continuedonment in Independence ur goal to enhance the co support and p artnership.” unty. We appreciate John Dews, C excited about itizens Bank President/CE in the Annualour fifth opportunity to parO, said “Citizens Bank is the Chamber Fall Golf Classic at Eagle tner with the Chamber entire commu and the work of the Amb Mountain. We support nity will come as out to play.” sadors and hope the There will be and prizes w a noon registration and lun team fee is $3ill be awarded at the end ch. Tee time is at 1pm, sponsorship, 50 and individual player fe of the tournament. A 15th. All playand player fees must be paie is $100. Registration, ers are invited d to participate. in full by September For additional mybatesville.o information contact Angel rg. a Connell or v isit www.

About The Bat esville Area Ch amber of Com The Batesville merce: A re a C h am ber of Commer business in In and resourcesdependence County, provid ce is the leading voice of sets the stand for chamber members. Theing advocacy, promotion collaboration, ard for excellence in mem Chamber of Commerce life in the Bat business growth and ach ber service, community esville Area. ieving a high quality of Contact: Angela Connel l, Membership Director Batesville Are a Chamber of Commerce 870.793.2378 angela.connel l@mybatesville .org www.m ybatesville.o

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20 | Word Of Mouth....For Your Eyes!.

Let us know what you have going on; Church Picnic, Ice Cream Social, Wedding, Quiceanera, etc...

Make our Community Calendar in our Eye On Events listings.

11 September 10, 20 ” Days “Time-N-Tradition Newark Newark City Park erce Chamber of Comm PO Box 222 72562 AR Newark, 870-834-9712 vendors, Food, music, is had by crafts, a good timedmission: all in the park. Aes 5-18, 4 $10 adults, $5 ag and under free

10th annual Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour in Mtn View - Sept 16-18

Becki Dahlstedt, potter discusses new displays at the Arkansas Craft Guild in Mountain View with photographer Ed Alexander, whose photography studio will again be featured during the 10th annual Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour in Mtn View - Sept 16-18 for more information visit www.

ArkansasArtistStudioTours.com

with ORKPL ACE erce has partnered el to m m Co SAFETY IN THE W of r be am Ch tureFu The Batesville Area ty engineers at Fu August 19, 2011 -- and Technical Education and safeFriday, September 16, 2011 at UACCB Communityinar on safety in the workplace on offer a one day semsing & Allied Health building.

UACCB in the Nur te Registration tal Breakfast and La en in nt Co

by OSHA 8:30-9:00 ation #1 cited item ic un m m Co d ar az Session I: H 9:00-10:15 al list Workplace chemic the workplace rdous chemicals in MSDS’s on all haza ess Break eral Hazard Awaren 10:15-10:30 en G : ty fe Sa al ri d Driving Session II: Indust otection, Distracte 10:30-11:45 Pr re Fi d an ss re Eg ips and Falls, Electrical Safety, Tr Lunch for injuries 12:00-1:00 eping: OSHA log Ke rd co Re A SH O ption Session III: are not on the exce ho w d an 1:00-2:30 s ee oy pl em with more than 10 record keeping and Q & A. r Only for companies fo ts en m ire ember 6th, of Requ on and after Septper person. rs pe list. Presentation r pe 0 $4 h, 6t tion - September e company is $30 Early bird registraiscount for five employees from on nch. $65 per person. D cludes continental breakfast and lu or email ce at 870-793-2378 er m Registration fee in m Co of r be am Batesville Area Ch To register call the ybatesville.org cr ystal.johnson@m Contact: embership Director Angela Connell, M ce amber of Commer Batesville Area Ch 870.793.2378 ybatesville.org angela.connell@m .org www.mybatesville

2011 Friends of NRA Dinner Thursday, September 8th, 2011 University of Arkansas Community College Doors Open at 5:30pm at Batesville, Independence Hall

The Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the 68th White River Water Carnival Parade float winners. The parade took place on Main Street in downtown Batesville Saturday, August 6th. In the commercial group winners are: First Community Bank- 1st place, and Subway Eagle Mountain - 2nd place.

In the non profit/civic organizations/religious group winners are: Humane Society of Independence County- 1st place, and Batesville First Church of the Nazarene (Vacation Bible School) - 2nd place. Trophies were provided by VanWinkle Sports.

Carlee’s Crown Shop

682 Harrison Street Batesville, AR 870-793-8086 September 2011 | 21

I Do

Joseph Thomas

Photography by Danielle Davis

Casey Cox and Mary Wood found each other in the Summer of 2008. Casey‘s brother and Mary‘s best friend, Natalie Estes made the match while the young sailor was home on leave from the Navy. It was an immediate attraction that grew stronger with each moment shared.

In April of 2010, after Mary’s graduation from college, the couple picked out the perfect antique ring from Skinner’s Jewelry. Casey bought it the following Monday.

Not knowing the ring was purchased Mary grew anxious and longed for the proposal by September 10th. One night after a Pioneer Football game, Casey pulled Mary into her parents driveway and placed the blue box upon the dash. “It’s an engagement ring, Mary, will you marry me?” Miss Wood’s was speechless but never the less agreed to become Ms. Cox with an eager, “Yes.” The Cox’s were wed in the historic Lander’s Theater and a reception in their honor was held across the street at the Main Street Pocket Park; a true downtown Batesville wedding. Their officiant was Chad Grigsby, their preacher at The Compass Church.

22 | Word Of Mouth....For Your Eyes!.

The Cox Wedding

Mary describes the ceremony as vintage inspired.

She loves the Beatles, so every song was a Beatles tune elegantly performed acoustically by Danny Dozier. Mary also shares a love for antiques with her mother, Myra Wood, so “antique” was the style of the day. Mary’s dress was vintage style and all of her bridesmaids carried a vintage hankie with their bouquet.

The Honeymoon consisted of a Mediterranean Cruise with 5 ports, Bari, Italy, Santorini, Greece, Katakolon, Greece, Rhodos, Greece and Dubrovnik, Croatia. “It was perfect!” shares the newly wed bride.

Mary, daughter of Scott and Myra Wood is a PACS Administrator at White River Medical Center. Casey is a Navy Veteran and a current student at UCA studying Environmental Science. He is the son of Sharon and Melvin Gage and Tim Cox. Casey and Mary Cox happily reside in Batesville. N

290 S. Central Ave. “Downtown” Batesville 1-800-336-WOOD WWW.SWOOD.COM

Birds, Bees, Flowers and Trees Autumn Hunter

Photos submitted

I rented Rango recently and thought it a wise choice that the main characters rode Roadrunners in the same manner cowboys ride horses. You may have noticed increased sightings of this terrestrial bird in our state over the last few decades. I’ve spotted them often near my dad’s house, far from town. However, it’s most obvious when one crosses traffic at the corner of St. Louis and Eagle Mountain Blvd. In early summer I was waiting at the front of a red light when a roadrunner navigated the intersection and ducked into the manicured bushes at First Community bank. I found myself wondering about the current range of what I thought to be a mainly desert dwelling bird.

Roadrunners do not migrate but maintain a residence or territory all year round. The Greater Roadrunner is found from California east into southern Missouri, throughout Arkansas, parts of Louisiana, and south through Mexico. Only one other species, the Lesser Roadrunner, is known to reside in Central America. The desert has many cold nights and Arkansas has several consecutive days of freezing temperatures each year. In order to combat the cold nights, road runners can enter a mild torpor where they lower their body temperatures to conserve energy and body fat. Another interesting behavior common for birds is called sunning. Many birds, like raptors, face the sun and hold their wings open. This allows them to warm up by collecting heat directly through their skin. The roadrunner has black skin on its back. So these birds face away from the sun, drop their wings, and expose their black skin for optimal heat absorption.

This species remains solitary until a mate is found. A pair will remain together in all seasons until one of them dies. Roadrunners make a platform nest.

Think of a wreath you hang on your door at Christmas decorated with snake skins, leaves, and dung. Except the “wreath” is laid flat in the lower portion of a tree or shrub. It is usually toward the middle of a thicket and not very easy for predators to spot, much less access the nest. Two to six eggs are laid in a nest. Both parents are active in incubating eggs and the raising of young. Like all birds, chicks grow fast. Roadrunner chicks are full size in only two or three weeks. A parent remains with them at the nest at all times during this growth stage.

Afterward, parents and offspring leave the nest and The Greater Roadrunner in flight

24 | Word Of Mouth....For Your Eyes!.

Desert Birds Move East

forage together. The young never return to the nest but the parents may use this site again as a winter roost.

These birds are omnivores, like us.

They will eat anything available to sustain themselves. However, Feeding a Roadrunner in the Zoo meat makes up the majority of their diet and fruits or seeds are consumed in season. They also scavenge but prefer live prey.

This chicken size bird has lots of prey items available for their diet. Insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and scorpions are staple dietary components. Lizards and snakes are also favorites. Roadrunners are well known for devouring rattlesnakes and will slam smaller reptiles repeatedly on the ground or a rock to crush and soften the bones before swallowing them whole. It’s not unusual to see a tail sticking out of their mouth. A study by the California Partners in Flight Coastal Scrub and Chaparral Bird Conservation found that these birds “appear to be quite opportunistic and creative in their foraging strategy. Observations have noted them gleaning arthropods from leaves, jumping up to knock down low flying birds, moving sporadically to flush prey, ambushing grounded bats or prey at feeders, nesting boxes, and mist-nets.”

Most people wouldn’t associate a road runner with the Cuckoo family. They do not make the “Beep-Beep” noise made famous on the Looney Tunes cartoon.

Cornell University website www.allaboutbirds.org provides this description, “Call is a downward slurring “co-coo-coo-coo-cooooo.” Also a clattering “whirrrr” call.” Underneath the tail feathers are white rounded crescents, or ovals, typical characteristics of the Cuckoo family. This species can reach speeds of up to 18 miles per hour. As they run they lower their head and tail to evenly flatten their bodies to reach greater speeds. These ground birds prefer to sprint rather than fly. They are able to fly short distances to avoid a predator. The cunning coyote is indeed an adversary in real life.

Other predators include hawks, fox, skunks, raccoons, crows, and large snakes.

Roadrunners have not always been native to Arkansas.

The first documentation came in the mid 1930s. It wasn’t until the 1970s that roadrunners were found closer to our part of the state. In June of 2010 Keith Sutton A Roadrunner Sunning

wrote a funny and informative article in the Three Rivers Edition of the Democrat-Gazette about his road runner sightings in the Arkansas River valley. In this article I learned that “Biologists believe land clearing, grazing. and increasing scrub habitat allowed the eastward spread of the roadrunner” http://www. arkansasonline.com/news/2010/ jun/20/roadrunner-20100620/.

These birds have brightly colored, exposed skin around their eyes and a shaggy crest of head feathers that draws your curiosity and makes you want to know more about this entertaining creature. As roadrunners adapt to our climate and become more common, we will continue to notice their presence and learn more about them. N

Kallsnick, Inc. A Coleman Dairy Distributor 423 Lawrence Street, Batesville, AR (870) 793-3924

Serving Batesville and the surrounding area for over 48 years Dairy Products, Deli Meat, Frozen Foods, Fresh Produce Paper Products, Concession Items . . .and More Walk-Ins Always Welcome Open Mon.-Fri. 8-5 and Sat. 8- 1

Family owned and operated Scott Kallsnick , Vickie Kallsnick Moser, Joan Kallsnick

Charlie’s Angels 243 E. Main St. Batesville

870-307-0708 / 9 - 5:30 M-F / 9 - 5 Sat

The Greater Roadrunner vocalizing

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September 2011 | 25

Come Try our Smoothie of the Month!

2080 Harrison Street, Batesville 870-793-2161 Convenient Drive-thru service for drop off and pick up.

26 | eyeonmag.com Check out our Photo Album.

Come and visit with our friendly, knowledgeable, and courteous staff today.

The Batesville Area Arts Council is providing the 2011 White River Juried Art Exhibition that will be open for exhibit at the BAAC Art Gallery on Main from October 3rd through October 28th. A public reception will be held on Friday, October 21st from 5 – 7 p.m. All works included in this exhibited will be offered for sale. Citizens Bank is providing the purchase prize award of $500.

An additional $1,000 will be awarded for Best of show, first, second and third prize winners. The Best of Show, in addition to the cash award, will also receive a solo exhibition at the BAAC Art Gallery on Main in 2012.

Melissa Gill, professor of Art at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, is the juror for this show. She is a member of the Mid-America Print Council, Southern Graphics council and the college Art Association. Her work has been exhibited nationally in both juried and solo exhibitions. She specialized in traditional and digital printmaking techniques, including intaglio, serigraphy, and lithography. She is currently working on a collaborative project with the National Print Exchange Portfolio entitled Transitory Impressions.

tdoor Summer BAAC 2011 Ou edule Movie Sch S,

FREE MOVIE THESE ARGE LAWN CHAIRS IN ATHER JUST BRBL ANKETS…..WE R O PERMIT TING. MMER 4TH – SU L BE SEPTEMBERMO IL W VIE OUTDOOR “UP” DISNEY ’S FIELD D SIDE AEND BEING THE BLINM R A DREA S OF RESCHEDULED N

This juried show has received a large number of entries and the organization is looking forward to letting the artists know what works will be included in Batesville’s 2011 White River Juried Exhibition.

BAAC is currently looking for financial sponsorships for this project. Individuals or local/ area businesses that are interested in helping sponsor this event, please contact BAAC at www.batesvillearts.org or Colleen Jackson at (870) 793-3382.

Diane Ziemski’s Beginning Watercolor Class at the BAAC Art Gallery

upcoming workshop with Judy Cooper that will be held on September 24th from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the BAAC Art Gallery on Main.

The class fee is $50 per person. This fee includes materials and supplies. Preregistration is required with a $25 deposit upon registration. Attached is a photo and the following is information that she sent to me regarding her artist statement and personal information which she sent for us to use.

Judith Jesse Coop er

JUDITH JESSE COOPER “JUDY” My life to this point, age 68, has been a come and go experience to create. So many mediums have I tried and each brought a time of pleasure and peace.

The goes have been family, marriage, childbirth, divorce, remarriage, death, grief, loss. The comes have been sewing, folk painting, craft shows and now bead weaving.

There have been big spaces between my creations. And I can see now that those latent times were very valuable and only added to the quality of art I created when I could return.

All my life since young childhood has involved creating something, not necessarily wonderful art, just creating..And throughout, a search for SELF. So I find myself, in my “golden years, returning to things that bring me the most happiness, folk painting, bead weaving and my grandchildren. It is so wonderful to reach this passage and reflect on my terrific adult children, their lives, our successes and failures.

My life has been like a crazy patch quilt, so many different directions, so many different shades and yet when it’s all put together, it’s a wonderful, colorful collage of beauty.

I thank God, family and friends for their various times of influence in what I have been able to achieve and there is still more to come……..

I have been beading for 15 years and presently have a shop in Heber Springs.

I learned to bead with Eleanor Lux in Eureka Springs.

I am also a folk artist and have painted for many years.

When I was younger my father and I did several craft shows in the State including War Eagle.

I have sold my paintings successfully over the years and continue to paint. I have recently completed a collage painting for a local business “the dancing cranes”, which is on display. I am self taught and my work is considered “primitive” folk art.

The Myopic Life Kristi Price In my opinion, the best in classic television comedy is the Cosby episode where Cliff counts down the minutes to the First Day of School. His singular goal is getting all the kids out of the house and back to class. Short of physically tossing the Huxtable children out onto the street (though seriously considering that option), he does everything in his power to end the hair-pulling, semi-crazy event called Summer Break.

As of this writing, I am so there with my three kids. We have swum, vacationed, toured, lazed, fought, bickered, whined, and complained until I am starting to sound like my own mother. You children will miss me when I run away! Shut the door – you weren’t born in a barn! I’m not paying to cool your closet! Does ANYONE turn the lights off in this house? And really – when we start sounding like our parents, the fun is over.

I’ve been talking up school until the kids actually seem convinced they’re ready to go. This was helped when my first grader got the post card announcing who

Ribbon Cutting

Charles Stice, owner of Charles' Lil Shop of Coffee, is joined by area business owners and community leaders at a recent ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of his new business. Charles' Lil Shop of Coffee is located inside Natalie's Restaurant at 1335 College Street in Batesville 28 | Word Of Mouth....For Your Eyes!.

What Makes the Right Teacher his teacher is. This particular rite of passage – getting a teacher – has been fraught with anxiety for me. Yes, they’re all good, but kids are different…some gel with one teacher better than another. I prayed, sought advice, hoped, requested…everything one can humanly do to control an uncontrollable situation. This teacherquestion dominated my every thought.

My son, though, piped up this morning over a bowl of cereal with the following sage observation: “Mom? I got the right teacher. You know why?”

Thinking maybe he’d had a sign from God, I stared at him and asked, “Why?” “Because Mrs. Cowden doesn’t have an ‘r’ in her name, and I can’t say my r’s. So I got the right teacher.”

And really. Who can argue with that? May all our children have a blessed school year.

Kristi B. Price holds a BA in English from the University of Central Arkansas and is the mother of three. Kristi and her husband Erin reside in Batesville. She blogs weekly at www.themyopiclife.wordpress.com. N

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RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL REPAIR SERVICE WORK September 2011 | 29

The Perfume of Cooking

Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers

Janine Winters August certainly has been a hot month for Arkansas with triple digit temperatures going through the roof.

Now, the weather is cooling down, the children are back in school, appetites are rising, and it’s the perfect time to prepare healthy meals. As temperatures cool appetites rise and we welcome home made stews and soups.

I love to feed my family when it’s cold outside. Perhaps it comes from my childhood when I used to run home from school and enjoyed the smell of my mom’s dinner brewing gently on the stove.

Our Mediterranean cooking always included that glorious little bulb GARLIC. The Chinese call it the “Jewel among vegetables.” The residents of China’s Gang Sham province eat up to seven fresh cloves of garlic a day as part of their diet. Pyramid builders and Roman soldiers were fed large amounts of garlic to protect them from disease and black magic.

Garlic originated in Central Asia and was loved by the Greeks and Romans. Hippocrates named it “a hot laxative and curative.” The crusaders made it known throughout Europe and used it to cure everything from plagues to devils eyes. Today, studies conducted by eminent scientists agree that GARLIC holds therapeutic properties.

Garlic is used today as a condiment and it is available in every market. The bulb, or head of garlic, is formed by a number of small cloves. Each clove is wrapped in its own white paper-like membrane.

We find several varieties of garlic throughout the world: Chilean, Chileno, Egyptian, Elephant, Italian, Rocambole, Spanish Rojo.

To use garlic you must first break the wide membrane and separate the cloves. To peel garlic easily, dip the cloves for a few minutes in boiling water to loosen the skins and drain. I do not recommend putting the prepared chopped

garlic in containers. I tried it several times and could not digest it....and it did not taste anything like fresh. I prefer the dry granules if I run out of fresh bulbs. I’ve used them with great results on meat and fish.

I found an awesome recipe in the July issue of The Herb Companion magazine. Try it, I think you’ll love it GARLIC LOVERS’ TOMATILLO JAM Ingredients 1 3/4 pounds tomatillos 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, crushed 1 bay leave 1 tablespoon concentrated apple juice 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Directions

1- Remove husks from tomatillos.

Wash and core.

2- Plunge tomatillos in boiling water for three minutes.

Remove with slotted spoon. Let cool, slip off tomatillo skins and coarsely chop.

3- Combine tomatillos, garlic, bay leaves, apple juice,

honey, and red pepper flakes in a skillet.

4-Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat. Simmer, stirring constantly and mashing with a spoon five to fifteen minutes.

Discard bay leaves.

5- Refrigerate jam in a bowl for one hour until chilled.

Add salt and pepper to taste. N

World Mission Outreach Hosts Second Annual “From Batesville with Love” Benefit Concert The World Mission Outreach, led by Quebec Miya, will hold its second annual benefit concert on Saturday, September 17 at the Landers theater building, home of the Freewill Bible Church, at 276 E. Main Street. World Mission Outreach (WMO) is a global mission organization currently operating in the United States, South Africa, Mozambique, and Swaziland.

The organization is currently focused on connecting churches in the United States with churches in the southern part of Africa.

Revivals, crusades, youth rallies, and mission conferences are mechanisms for accomplishing the mission. “From Batesville with Love” is a benefit concert to support the work of the mission.

The concert will feature a number of musical acts, including Godframe, Anointed Ones, the LiveLoveChange Project from Dallas, Impact, and World Sound. The concert begins at 7:00 p.m. and will continue until 10 p.m. Admission is $5.00 for adults, $2.00 for students, and free for children 8 and under.

30 | eyeonmag.com Check out our Photo Album.

Tickets available at the door.

Batesville’s Godframe, aka Terrence Ford, has become an extremely well-known Contemporary Christian Artist, incorporating Rap, Pop and R&B into his inspirational music.

LIVE LOVE CHANGE was created in 2010 by Justin Lee Hodges. Starting his music career in 2002, his first band, Gazer, was a successful independent Christian Alternative-Rock band.

Justin began working on LIVE LOVE CHANGE in 2010 and recording the first album with Brenton Clarke Little (former member and drummer in Gazer). Justin began working on LIVE LOVE CHANGE in 2010 and recording the first album with Brenton Clarke Little (former member and drummer in Gazer). Using its own website as well as social media to help distribute its creations, LLC also tours regionally. With its debut album “The Awakening” released in June of 2011, the future looks very bright. N

Organization Team Depot Lends a Helping Hand During a recent excursion to the local Home Depot, Kimberlee and I bumped into our friend and department head, Shannon Box. He invited us to attend the Batesville store’s first Team Depot project, which was to be at the home of Penelope Kourakis in Cave City.

Upon arrival at the Kourakis home we found a large crew of Home Depot volunteers already hard at work. Box was busy manning the grill, cooking up the beef patties that had been donated by Sonic to feed the volunteers for the day. He was also quick to entertain the three Kourakis grandchildren with his tales of Square Bob Sponge Head, which were met with many giggles and adamant corrections. Kimberlee and I grabbed some pictures and caught up with Penelope about her family and the struggles that they have endured.

For the past seven years Penelope Kourakis has been raising her three grandchildren: Terry Samantha, age nine; Stella Marie, age eight; and Billy A. J., age seven. Tending to all of their needs on her disability income has been challenging to say the least.

Penelope admits to buying one board a month from Home Depot to build the children’s tree house simply because the extra money wasn’t there to do it all at one time.

community projects from time to time and offered to see what she could do. She immediately got with the Store Manager, Kenneth Paul, and he said they would come out and take a look. They came out that afternoon and offered their expertise and manpower to build Terry a wheelchair ramp to get her in and out of the house. It will also provide the correct access for the school bus to get her aboard. They also said they would put in a handicap accessible shower since Terry can no longer safely get over the sides of the tub.

She is a growing girl. I can no longer lift her due to injuries I received several years ago in an auto accident.

Team Depot also committed to reworking the tree house to make it sturdy and safe for the kids. Benny Leonard with The Law Dogs became involved at that point and they actually paid for the new shower base. Team Depot is also adding stairs to the front deck to give us a second access out of our home in case of fire. We were just trying to get this all done before school starts so Terry doesn’t have to miss anymore.

It was all totally unexpected; they have been great. I feel blessed.

Now that Terry is losing her mobility, I am just trying to make anything I can easier for her. She just wants the chance to be like everybody else and I want her to have that as much as possible. I recently found Terry a motorized wheel chair that is like new it, only needed the batteries.

I posted on FaceBook for anyone that wanted to help to please send their checks directly to Access Medical in Searcy or at least make the checks payable to them because this is all for Terry, not me. We have actually had people sending checks to us to help pay for the batteries. One gentleman sent us one hundred dollars, all of which will go towards the batteries.

The kids and I can’t thank everyone enough for all that has been done for our family.

Kimberlee met with the Batesville Home Depot Store Manage, Kenneth Paul, a few days after the project was complete.

Eye On: Tell me about Team Depot and the Kourakis project.

Paul: Team Depot stems from our Home Depot Foundation, which is for larger community wide projects.

Team Depot allows each district to help individuals within their community with projects that are too small to make the Foundation’s radar. This is our first Team Depot project in Independence County but we look ahead to many more in the future.

The first thing we did concerning Penelope’s home was to make a site visit. This lets us see first hand what the need is and what will be involved in the renovation. Upon arriving at Penelope’s I saw the need for the wheelchair ramp and the handicap accessible shower.

I returned to the store and called in my local store experts. Perry Crawford is not only a part time employee with Home Depot, he

Eye On: I noticed that Terry has both of her legs in casts from the knees down. She seems to be in good spirits considering the summer heat.

Eye On: What set all of today’s What is Terry’s disability? events into motion?

Kourakis: She has Cerebral Palsy Kourakis: I am always looking for and is a Progressive Paraplegic. things that I can do with the kids. Terry was actually born with her feet The first Saturday of every month backwards. I was a nurse before my Home Depot offers a free children’s auto accident and I knew something workshop and so the last time we was wrong. But every doctor we ever were there I talked to Marilyn Higgs saw or talked to told us that she in the Human Resource Department would grow out of it. The Shriner’s to see if I could get my grandchildren Hospital has helped her a lot and involved. While talking to Marilyn, now Children’s Hospital has stepped I explained to her about what Terry in and done a wonderful job making was going through and some of sure she gets the surgeries that she the brick walls we were hitting needs. She will have her cast for trying to get her mobile for school. several more months.

Marilyn said that Home Depot did Eye On Organization continues on page 37 September 2011 | 31

Homes Joseph Thomas

Photos by Joseph Thomas

It was a drive we make often on our way to gather interviews, take pictures, drop off magazines, and shop and eat on Main Street. It was our destination that set this pleasant August evening apart. We were headed for The Badlands. As we turned the final corner and the trees opened up I was amazed to see what had been hiding just beyond the edges of our comfortably familiar route.

The gates of The Badlands were swung open wide, awaiting our arrival. Four beautiful horses stood grazing in the small, tree-lined pasture. Just beyond this beautiful scene Scott and Myra Wood and their daughter Mary stood waiting our arrival on the front porch of their amazing Craftsman style bungalow home.

The Wood’s home sits on a piece of property that was once

Scott and Myra Wood - Home in the Badlands owned by Jim Barnett. When Scott was a young boy he had a horse that was stabled there. Scott and Barnett’s son Jimmy dubbed it “The Badlands.” They spent their boyhood days roaming the area playing Cowboys and Indians and other such glorious pastimes mimicking their childhood heroes, Roy Rogers and The Lone Ranger.

To anyone with a sentimental bone in their body, that sounds amazing: to grow up and be able to not only return to but purchase the very place where so many of your childhood memories were created. What multiplies the glory of The Badlands today is that the property also encompasses Myra’s childhood memories and dreams.

Myra‘s father was an E3 in the Air Force in Savanna, Georgia. They lived in a small cinder block and aluminum duplex that was built for purpose, not aesthetics. “We rented a Craftsman style Bungalow house when I was seven and to me it was a palace. It was the most beautiful, Home continues on page 34

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290 S. Central Avenue, Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-8450 WWW.SCOTTWOODCHRYSLERDODGEJEEP.NET

Home continued from page 32

amazing, and functional home to me. We only lived there for eighteen months before we were moved to France, but I never forgot that place. Also, my grandmother and grandfather Looney, who lived in Chattanooga, lived on a street full of front porch bungalows. Between the two experiences I fell in love with the style.” Myra reminisced.

Scott and Myra bought the property in 2001 hoping to someday build there. In 2003 Scott was in a board meeting at White River Medical Center when the hospital was trying to rid its self of an older house that sat on some recently acquired property. They offered to give it to whoever would move it, so Scott did just that. The Woods had the little home moved to their newly bought Badlands and set it off to the side of where their dream house would one day be. They moved into this little house, affectionately referred to as the “Shack,” on Halloween of 2003 with the intention of residing there for eighteen months while their dream home was being built. Scott and Myra both laugh as she recounts all that took place while the project was delayed. “Mary graduated high school, then college, and we went from one to eight grandchildren.” All the while, Myra was sketching drawings for the new house.

Her brother, Carson Looney, an architect with LRK Inc. in Memphis, TN., finalized the plans. They agree that not having a house note and settling in were what held up the job, but going from thirteen at family gatherings to twenty finally pushed them to start the house that is now their home. Scott and Myra did some painting in the new house and cleaned up after each day’s construction so the crew’s expertise and time was spent doing what they did best. John Henegar of Wood Magic in Prim custom built all of the cabinets and built-in furniture. McBride’s Stone Quarry in Bethesda furnished all of the sandstone for the fireplaces. The Woods moved into their new home July 11, 2009 as they left the “Shack” to the dusty ways of the Badlands; actually Mary and her new husband, Casey, now reside in the “Shack” and say it is perfect for their beginning family.

The Woods talk about how clean and functional the bungalow style is and how well it works for them. The 34 | Word Of Mouth....For Your Eyes!.

open layout is inviting and extremely comfortable. The chalkboard hallway wall, coin operated car, and Nonee Land out back are more than welcoming to the eight grandchildren. When asked how they accommodate such a large crew overnight, Myra led us upstairs where there is a masterful use of space for the boys of the Wood gang, a bunk room fit for the most discerning cowboy. For the Southern Belles of the group there is the gray South room with its three white wrought iron beds and frills while across the hall is the blue North room. The historical accuracy of color usage in correlation to room placement garners a chuckle as we continued on our tour.

Myra has a project room just off the living room so she can work on her many creations and still be close to Scott as he enjoys a bit of television. The quarter-sawn family table in the formal dining room was made by a company in Van Buren. Quarter-sawn wood is the mark of an old trade that is no longer a common practice. The technique showcases the color and grain of the wood in a stunning and unique way. This technique can also be found in the window and door trim throughout the home as well as on many of the built-in furniture pieces. Thad Franks, owner of Rock Hard Powder Coating in Oil Trough, powder coated the wrought iron stair railings that were salvaged from the Coca-Cola Bottling Company building, which sat where the Wood’s Chrysler car lot is today. The railings are just one of the many things that make the Wood home unique and inviting. There are tiny touches scattered here and there that speak of family, faith, and love. Kimberly really likes the bible verses stamped into the driveway to greet all those who come and go from this amazing home: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1) and “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

(Joshua 24:15) I think Roy Rogers himself just might feel a longing for his Silver Screen home if he were to ride Trigger through these Badland gates. To quote the King of the Cowboys, “Until we meet again, may the good Lord take a liking to you.” N

Notes from the Clearing September Lightning Bugs

Joseph Thomas

September was the season of my brothers birth and so is dear to my heart, as is the breeze that wraps around me and carries your sent in its art; an ember of panic secured by a lack of confidence and jacketed within your flawed perfection.

How it wears upon your face like a sweet morning surprise when most deserved and least expected.

A Shakespearian moment full of soft words unspoken but very well felt and shone within the aged eyes that patiently search and touch and dwell.

The unspoken find purchase upon eager tongues to fall and sail upon the shaken air of a room that expected more of its life and far less of such an unassuming pair.

Lost as all moments are and sealed within a small, dusty, blazer pocket and halved again in the clasp of a golden, chest warmed locket.

The locket worn with fingers at play during moments of deep thought and the tiny inner pocket tattered, sold, forgotten, and bought.

Very much like the planets and stars that spin and shoot and inspire dream, molecules move away from center until we are all stringy at the seams.

But no matter, no fuss, no splinters, no rust; we merely slow to deeper thought remembering the shade of light reflected upon a cheek flushed and caught within a memory frozen but as lively as the garden hose laughter that never dies.

It flitters and flies with a light all its own trapped in a jar, held in hands of childish size.

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September 2011 |  35

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Eye On Organization continued from page 30

Terri, Stella, and AJ Scarber

is an independent contractor as well; I felt certain he could handle the construction Back row, L to R. Zach Williams, Rick Rothenburger, Tim Harvell, Calvin of the ramp and deck. I then called in our Wright, Marilyn Higgs, Shannon Box, Perry Crawford, Ian Sands and Norma Middle Row Caitlin Kurck, Terra Ciamaricone, Kelly Ivey, and Tara Talley.

Master Trade Specialist, Tim Harvell, for the Li. Front Row, Joe Moss, Stella Scarber, Ken Paul, AJ Scarber, Terri Scarber, Taylor bathroom renovation. It was on Tim’s advice that we replaced the bathroom floor, shower involved in a Team Depot project are volunteer hours. The surround, and replaced the trim work to finish it all out. week before we finished the Kourakis home all the store Because this was a much larger project than I had managers from our district helped to complete a Team originally anticipated I called my boss, Jimmy Lewis. He Depot project at the Rice Depot in Little Rock. We do a lot helped to get all eight stores in our district involved. This of projects in this area, but Penelope’s home has been the allowed us to spread out the cost of material out over all biggest local project so far. This community is our home eight stores and gave us a larger number of experts and too and we want to help make a difference when we can. workers. This was wonderful because all of the man-hours N September 2011 | 37

EOI Movie Review Reviewed by Tanner Smith Smith’s Verdict: *** “Fireproof” is a movie drenched in sentimentality, and yet it worked for me because it remained consistent in tone. Somehow when the message in “Fireproof” draws itself even clearer than it already has, the movie became more touching. It comes close to the edge of becoming too sentimental for its own good, and I think other people who see this movie will believe it had already reached the edge, but it still worked for me. It touched my heart, and that’s what it was trying to do in the first place.

The film, made by a Christian film company called Sherwood Pictures (based upon the Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany,

Georgia), is a drama with this message: be true to your spouse.

It also coins a process for married couples to use when it seems like their marriages are falling apart. This process is called “The Love Dare.”

It’s a 40-day procedure that the main character in “Fireproof” has to perform in an attempt for his wife to love him again.

Caleb Holt (Kirk Cameron) is a fireman whose marriage with Catherine (Erin Bethea), a nurse, is falling apart. Catherine hates Caleb’s addiction to Internet pornography and his large savings for a boat he intends to buy. She would rather use the money to buy a better hospital bed for her sick mother.

Catherine says she wants out, and then files for divorce.

Caleb turns to his father (Harris Malcom) and tells him about the impending divorce. His answer is “The Love Dare.” Caleb isn’t so sure about this at first, but soon he’s going through this procedure day by day. In the meantime, Catherine isn’t buying her husband’s sudden niceness and just ignores his offers, 38 | eyeonmag.com

Fireproof

while also possibly having an affair with a handsome doctor she works with. But the truth of the matter is that Caleb has indeed changed and he realizes that his motto—“Never leave your partner behind”—doesn’t just count at the firehouse or on rescue missions, but also, and arguably most importantly, with your spouse.

“Fireproof” handles this plot by making me think that it’s going one way, while really, some of the time, it’s going another. I won’t even go into the point where the divorce papers come in—and that was a surprise.

I’m not sure that audiences will notice the surprise-Christian audiences, mainly—but I am certain that the film’s weepy ending will sincerely move them.

And I need to be honest here . . . I came so close to crying. The film’s ending did indeed touch me and that counts for this review.

The film isn’t entirely based on those moments that make people want to weep, however. There are comic antics performed by the other firemen. I love the scene where Caleb challenges a rookie to a tobaccohot sauce drinking contest. And there are two rescue scenes—one involving a car on train tracks and the other involving a burning house. This is a surprise, too. The action is well-directed (by Alex Kendrick, pastor at Sherwood Baptist Church) and well-paced.

“Fireproof” doesn’t feature acting that would cause consideration for awards, but there are some decent performances, especially from Kirk Cameron as the lead character and Ken Bevel as a fireman who encourages Caleb to become a born-again Christian.

Erin Bethea is adequate as Catherine, but her shouting scenes are a little off.

I understand whom “Fireproof” will appeal to and I believe that other people—especially those with marriages that are falling apart—should see it too. It’s a sweet, sentimental film with a positive message—what’s wrong with that? N

TNT (Starting A New Tradition) continued from page 19 The day will kick off with a parade in which anyone may participate for free. Prizes will be given in several divisions by the Newark Area Chamber of Commerce. Those wishing to be a part of the parade may line up at 9:30 a.m. at the old ball field. The parade begins at 10.

Last year, it rained on Newark’s parade, said Pectol. “We went on anyway,” he said. The parade will continue if it rains. However, other activities will be relocated to Newark schools in case of inclement weather.

Those who may want to enter the parade include antique car owners, fire departments, scouts, church groups, motorcycle enthusiasts, politicians and beauty pageant winners, said Pectol.

After the parade, a karaoke contest will begin. The cost to enter the contest is $5. Prizes will be

given in various brackets, Pectol said. Registration forms for the contest are available at the school in Newark. For more information, call 870-799-3808.

Food vendors will include Foxcreek BBQ and hot dogs, funnel cakes, lemonade, shaved ice and more, according to Donna Smith, in charge of vendors and crafters. Smith said there is still room for more non-food vendors. Those wishing to set up a booth may contact her at 870-613-2840.

Other performers include Aunt Minnie of the White River Hoedown at 1 p.m.; White River’s Got Talent finalist Kristen Nicole at 1:45; Bill and Debbie Goodwin at 2:30; Super Swine Band at 3:15; the Cummins Prison Band at 4:30; and Nick Fudge and Ernie Pectol at 5:30. The Jokers play at 6:30 with Highway 101 taking

Troupe d’Jour’s Shakespeare Camp held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church August 8th - 12th was funded in part by 2011 Independence County Recreation Grant and the Batesville Area Arts Council. Photo submitted by photographer, Kathy Clements.

BAAC Collage Workshop with Aline McCracken Aug 1st Pictured from left to right is Ruby Schaaf, Aline McCracken, and Trish Boylan

the stage at 8:30.

The evening will wrap up with one of the largest fireworks shows in Arkansas. Door prizes will be given to festival-goers throughout the day and evening. You must be present to win.

Festival sponsors include Merchant and Planters Bank, WalMart, First Community Bank, Citizens Bank, Jeff Showalter Edward Jones, D&L Hays Trucking and Newark Pizza Express.

A community event calendar in the August issue of Eye On Independence gave the incorrect amount for admission to the festival.

The cost for a full-day pass is $6 per person. Children four and under will be admitted free. N

BAAC’s Kid’s Summer Art Program - Troupe d’Jour Shakespeare Camp.

Photos by Colleen Jackson

Cathy Demko will provide a Palette Knife Painting Workshop for beginners and Intermediate painters to add depth and texture to their work at the BAAC Art Gallery on Main Street Saturday, September 10th from 9am - 4pm. These Classes are $50 per person and materials will be available for purchase at the time of the class. Preregistration is required with a $25 deposit.

Cathy Demko’s art career spans thirty years. Her portrait of Governor Mike Beebe is now part of the Arkansas Governer’s Mansion’s permanent collection She is an Official United States Coast Guard artist and a United States Post Office Cancellation Stamp artist. Oil Painters of America juried her in the top 18 percent of oil painters in America. In addition, National Arts for the Parks juried her in the top 200 American artists. Cathy now resides in Hardy, Arkansas, and continues to travel, teach painting in all mediums, and jury art shows. Visit www.cathydemko.com. Cathy will also be providing a gallery demonstration on Friday evening September 9th at the BAAC Art Gallery during our Second Friday starting at 6pm..

O n e o f A r k a n s a s / O k l a h o m a R eg i o n ’s L a r g es t V o l u m e K i a D ea l er s !

# 100 Janice Estes

# 300 The Dulin’s

# 200 The Franks’

# 400 The Brogdon’s

# 500 Larry Hodge presents the Mergy’s the keys to their new Kia Rio. markmartinkia.com 1601 Batesville Blvd. Batesville, AR