March 2013 Eye On Independence

Eye On Independence www.eyeonmag.com

The Dovekeepers Review Home Is Where The Heart Is 12th Annual Ozark Foothills FilmFest A Publication of Meadowland Media, Inc.

March 2013

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In This Issue 6 Editor’s Note

March, March, March...

7 Fork in the Road

Return of the Anderson House

8 We’re Still Out Here

What’s the Problem with Rural Health?

11 The Morning Line

18

7

Habitat for Humanity Presents

11

25

A Day at the Races

12 Batesville Area Arts Council 14 I Do West Wedding

16 Your Health

Antibiotic Misuse

18 Cover Story

Date: Saturday, March 16, 2013 Time: 6:30 PM Place: UACCB, Independence Hall Cost: $25.00 Per Person; $50.00 Per Couple; $300.00 for Corporate Table

FilmFest Celebrates 12th Anniversary

For more information please call: Econo-Mart Pharmacy at 870-793-4179 First Community Bank at 870-612-3418 Citizens Bank at 870-793-4441

21 Faces 25 Feature

Come and enjoy a wonderful evening along with a live auction.

All proceeds go to benefit Habitat for Humanity

Home Is Where the Heart Is / HFHIC

26 Things To Do 28 Read On

The Dovekeepers

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33

16

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31 The Myopic Life License to Read

33 Tales Of a Transplanted Fashionista College Student Style on a Budget

35 Notes from the Clearing Between and Beyond

36 Smith’s Verdict **** Life of Pi

Eye On www.eyeonmag.com

March 2013

Independence

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The Dovekeepers Review Home Is Where The Heart

Mon. - Thus. 10am to 10pm Fri. & Sat. 10am to 11pm Sunday 11am to 9pm

60 Batesville Blvd.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Really Great Pizzas, Salads, and Sandwiches MAKING THE VERY BEST PIZZA, SALADS, AND SANDWICHES SINCE 1972

Is

12th Annual Ozark Footh

ills FilmFest

A Publication of Mead

owland Media, Inc.

Cover photography by Keith Sturch Photography Design by Joseph Thomas

Meet Your Writers...

Vanessa Adams is a Jonesboro, Arkansas native and became the Independence County Librarian in July 2011. She holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in English from Arkansas State University. She also holds a Master of Arts degree in Library Science from the University of Missouri.

John M. Belew is a local lawyer in the firm of Belew & Bell located at 500 East Main, Suite 301, Batesville, Arkansas 72501; 870.793.4247. A seasoned attorney, Belew has been practicing in Batesville for 38 years. He handles cases involving medical malpractice, professional negligence, personal injury, banking law and products liability. He was admitted to practice in Arkansas in 1973, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western District of Arkansas and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit in 1975.

Leigh Keller is now a high school Spanish teacher. She is also a colorguard coordinator for Batesville Public Schools. She received her BA in English, Spanish and ESL from Arkansas Tech University, and an MS in Counseling from John Brown University. She is married to Allen and they have one son, Cole.

Tanner Smith is a native of Manila, Arkansas. He has written movie reviews for the T Tauri Galaxy (www.ttauri.org/galaxy) for several years and is a five year veteran of the T Tauri Movie Camp. He has made a number of films, ranging from horror to documentary, and has won awards in filmmaking and screenwriting.

THIS PUBLICATION IS PRODUCED BY: MeadowLand Media, Inc. P. O. Box 196, Grubbs, AR 72431 870.503.1150 kthomas@eyeonmag.com PUBLISHER: Kimberlee Thomas

Mark Lamberth is the Voice of the Pioneers on KZLE 93.1 FM Radio and Suddenlink Cable Channel 6 for Pioneer Football. He is President of Atlas Asphalt, Inc., a Member of the Arkansas Racing Commission, Member of the Board of Racing Commissioners International, and a graduate of the University of Arkansas.

Photograph by Keith Sturch.

Alisa R. Lancaster is an Advanced Practice Nurse for the U of A Medical Sciences Area Health Education Center. She has been in health care since 1983, the last 17 years with the UAMS system.

Alisa and husband Scott have four children and a granddaughter. Alisa’s mission is to improve the health and welfare of others through education and practice. She welcomes feedback at AlisaAPN@gmail.com or 870.698.1023.

Associate EDITOR: Bob Pest MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Thomas ADVERTISING: Kimberlee Thomas Creative Director : Joseph Thomas AD DESIGN Department: Kimberlee Thomas Joseph Thomas PROOFING Department: Joseph Thomas Kimberlee Thomas Staff PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kimberlee Thomas Joseph Thomas Robert O. Seat 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 © 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.

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

Visit us @ www.eyeonmag.com

Bob Pest is the president and Co-founder of Ozark Foothills FilmFest and the T Tauri Film Festival and Movie Camp. He works as a community development consultant for First Community Bank, teaches film classes at UACCB, and currently serves as vice-president of the Ozark Gateway Tourist Council. He has most recently become a member of the board of the new Arkansas Motion Picture Institute, formed to support the three major film festivals in Arkansas-Little Rock Film Festival, Ozark Foothills FilmFest, and Hot Springs Docs.

Kristi Price spent all her life as a transplant, having grown up military. The Ozarks have always been in her blood though, and she’s proud to call Batesville her home after many years on the move. Kristi holds a BA in English and blogs about family and other mishaps at www. themyopiclife.wordpress.com. She is married to Erin and mother to Ethan, Emily, and Maggie.

Eye On Independence received the 2012 Innovative Project award, which is presented to an agency or organization for outstanding, innovative, continuous or effective coverage of literacy issues, resulting in positive change or improvement.

Editor’s Note

March, March, March...

Joseph Thomas

March is a month of many things. As much as we may try, we can never fit it all in. There are so many things going on, whether it’s organizations or people helping others or improvements county wide with new buildings being erected or even fundraising events that are fun for the whole family. See our THINGS TO DO section for all that we could fit in.

Bob Pest is back with a special Fork in the Road featuring the re-opening of the Anderson House Inn in Heber Springs; our Cover Story, which talks about the anticipated Ozark Foothills FilmFest coming in April, and he also delves into the problems with rural health care. Kimberlee visits with Habitat for Humanity as they seek

Photo by Robert O. Seat

future home owners and this month she covers the West Wedding. Kristi Price breaks out her Library Card and Leigh Keller visits college fashion on a budget. Alisa R. Lancaster discusses antibiotic misuse and Mark Lamberth revisits the perfect day at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. Vanessa Adams honors us with her first (hopefully of many) book review as she opens The Dovekeepers. Our dedicated movie critic, Tanner Smith, reviews the Life of Pi. There are many beautiful faces to see, many things to do, and lots to read...So, please join us as Spring unfolds around our comings and goings.

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EYE ON INDEPENDENCE

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Fork in the Road

Return of the Anderson House Bob Pest

Those of you who have followed this magazine since the early days know that I have written two reviews of the Anderson House Inn in Heber Springs. Unfortunately, in both cases the chef left and the restaurant closed. The food was outstanding, but management and personnel issues led to both chefs' exits and the closings. Some of you may remember chef Ira Mittleman. Ira is now the manager of the historic Gibson Inn in Apalachicola, St. George's Island, Florida.

The Anderson House re-opened in early January under the leadership of Chef Chris Platt. Chris has outstanding references; he worked for eight years for Pro Dentec in Batesville, where his job included preparing meals for international visitors as well as employees.

He also served a stint at the Red Apple Inn in Heber Springs.

My wife Judy and I have driven to Heber Springs three times to sample Chris' cooking and all three visits were well worth the drive. The “new” Anderson House menu is eclectic, prices are reasonable, and a good selection of wines is available. A soup and salad bar comes free with dinner; I've tried two of their soups—a creamy mushroom soup and an impressive corn chowder. I've also enjoyed their crab cakes. Judy was very happy with the Chicken Fettucine Alfredo, her favorite dinner.

The service is impeccable and the dining area is spacious and relaxing; free parking is available on two sides of the inn. Chef Chris has exciting goals for the Anderson House, including a new kitchen, an outdoor patio for dining in spring and summer, and live music.

I have not had enough visits there to write a fulllength restaurant review, but I am planning to do one sometime in the next few months when I have sampled a wider range of the menu. In the meantime I feel comfortable urging you to give the Anderson House a try. It is open for lunch and dinner six days a week and serves a Sunday Brunch I have also yet to try. The Anderson House is located at 201 East Main Street in Heber Springs. Reservations are available, although not often necessary during the week. Call 501-362-2150.

Hope to see you there.

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Independence County: 1-877-612-3652 or 870-793-5358 March 2013 7

We’re Still Out Here

What’s the Problem with Rural Health?

Bob Pest

The mission and vision of the National Rural Health Center are inspiring. Its mission statement is clear: “The National Rural Health Resource Center provides technical assistance, information, tools, and resources for the improvement of rural health care. It serves as a national rural health knowledge center and strives to build state and local capacity.” Its vision statement is even more ambitious: “The National Rural Health Center will be the premier national resource for rural health information, education, and technical assistance and serve as a catalyst for improved health care delivery in rural communities.”

The organization's Core Values reveal a comprehensive approach to improving rural health: Awareness: Identify rural health issues and trends and convey appropriate urgency and understanding.

Innovation: Develop cutting edge ideas, tools, and solutions to address rural health needs.

Integrity: Adhere to ethical values, principles, and practices.

Collaboration: Develop partnerships and alliances to create synergy and improve effectiveness.

Excellence: Strive for the highest quality processes, products, and customer service.

Impact: Forge measurable, sustainable outcomes with our customers and rural communities.

Putting those values into action is quite a challenge and the center is the first to recognize that “the obstacles faced by health care providers and patients in rural areas are vastly different than those in urban areas.” Rural Health Innovations (RHI), a wing of the center, outlines the problem and offers the first step toward a solution.

The Problem: Health care vendors must both design products and services that address their client’s needs and market effectively to those clients. Vendors also have to deal with health care facilities that are “extremely sensitive to cost,” although reimbursements are improving, and many vendors continue to use marketing techniques appropriate for large urban areas but require a different approach in rural areas.

The Solution: Rural Health Innovations works with vendor clients to identify the needs of rural health care facilities, and ways to assist them in marketing their products and working with purchasers. RHI also help vendors get a sense of the landscape and how rural facilities receive funding.

The Challenges: The differences between rural and urban health care are significant. Economic factors, cultural and social differences, educational challenges, negligent legislators, and isolation make it difficult for rural citizens from leading normal, healthy lives. Some of the factors and their impacts include: Only about ten percent of physicians practice in rural areas despite the fact that 25% of Americans live in rural communities. Rural residents tend to be poorer. Average per capita income in rural areas is about $8,000 lower than in urban areas, even greater for minorities. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) points out that “Nearly one quarter of rural children live in poverty. Research has shown that the poor living in areas where poverty is prevalent face impediments beyond those of their individual circumstances. Concentrated poverty contributes to poor housing and health conditions, higher

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Karen Gardner / Lesa Dame / Jason Gillihan Gary L. Ennis / Mike Ennis

446 Harrison Street - Batesville, AR 72501 870-793-6891 email: ennisrealty@suddenlinkmail.com 8

EYE ON INDEPENDENCE

We are word of mouth for your EYES!

crime and school dropout rates, as well as employment dislocations. As a result, economic conditions in very poor areas can create limited opportunities for poor residents that become self-perpetuating.” According to research conducted by the Casey Institute at the University of New Hampshire, people who live in rural areas rely more heavily on Food Stamps and make up about 40% of recipients. There are sixty dentists per 100,000 population in urban areas and forty per 100,000 in rural areas.

There is little rural citizens can do about the lack of doctors and dentists or the long rides to see their family doctors, but there is evidence that demonstrates that people who live in rural America can take control of some of the health challenges. Alcohol abuse and the use of tobacco is a significant problem among rural youth. The rate of DUI arrests is much higher in non-urban counties. 40% of rural 12th graders reported drinking while driving, compared to 25% of urban youth. Rural 8th graders also are twice as likely to smoke cigarettes as their urban counterparts. Death and serious injury accidents, no matter who is driving, are often caused by prolonged delays waiting for an EMS and by the distance to a hospital or other medical provider. The average national response time from motor vehicle accident to EMS arrival is ten minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural areas.

Batesville and the surrounding communities are fortunate to have access to White River Medical Center and its Drasco Medical Clinic, VitalLink EMS, Bryant's Pharmacy and Health Care Center, Walgreen's, Wilson's Pharmacy, and a number of dentists. My own physician's office is in rural Stone County.

The work of the National Rural Health Resource Center and other organizations and physicians is helping break down the walls that separate rural Americans from adequate health care. There is, of course, much that rural residents can do on their own—stop smoking, drink alcohol in moderation, get regular check-ups, exercise, and eat healthy. But until the medical community is willing to provide the same high quality medical services to rural communities that are available to urban and suburban residents, rural America will suffer from hypertension, earlier death rates, unnecessary diseases that could have been stopped with simple vaccinations, and frantic trips to emergency rooms, rural Americans will be second-class citizens in a nation which provides first-class medical care to their urban counterparts. Only when the gap closes can we say with certainty that we are truly a nation “for the people.”

Thanks to the National Rural Health Resource Center for making this information available. For more information visit www.ruralcenter.org/about/mission and www.ruralcenter.org/rhi. I also recommend Amber Waves, an online USDA magazine that presents the broad scope of ongoing research and analysis. The free magazine covers the economics of agriculture, food and nutrition, the food industry, trade, rural America, and farm-related environmental topics.

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793-3303 755 St. Louis Street, Batesville March 2013 9

Welcome to Independence

Owner

The Morning Line

A Day at the Races Mark Lamberth

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs is now in full swing through mid April and I’ve put together a few rules to ensure that you and your party have an enjoyable time.

These are to be strictly adhered to with no deviations and are a direct result of years of painstaking research and experience at race tracks I have visited. Keep this in mind. How do you make a small fortune at Oaklawn?

Start with a large one.

1. Never go alone. Always take your spouse and a group of friends with a designated driver. Besides, you will look weird sitting by yourself. Remember-if you treat your spouse like a thoroughbred, you’ll never end up with a nag.

2. Before you enter the track, separate your “eatin money” from your “bettin money”. This also includes gas money to get you home.

3. Buy a program and a Daily Racing Form and place “the form” gently under your arm. Never look at it again, especially the Oaklawn past performances. With the “form in hand” at least you will look like you know what you’re doing. The “form” is a perfect example of having too much information.

4. Don’t buy a “tout sheet”. That is a dead giveaway that you have no clue of what you are doing or how to wager. If you must have a tout, buy an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and use the public handicapper, Rick Lee. 5. Before you even get settled in, enjoy the track’s outstanding prawns, or oysters on the half shell. They are flown in daily.

6. Start a show parlay with your friends starting with the 5th race. Bet the post time favorite to show and continue to reinvest all of the winnings. You might lose the first bet or get lucky and win enough for the group’s dinner that night. If you lose the first race, start another, you’re not alone. “When you go in search of honey, you must expect to be stung by bees”. It keeps everyone in your group involved.

7. Bet a Gray. Yes, just bet a gray horse; any gray horse in any race just because it’s gray.

8. Bet one of the leading jocks riding a longshot (6-1 or more). If he didn’t go through that “hole” between the horses in front of him maybe it was because that “hole” was going faster than he was. Jocks get too much credit when they win and too much blame when they lose.

9. Bet one of the leading trainers that has a longshot in a race (6-1 or more) especially if it’s the horse’s second start after a layoff of 60 days or more.

10. Place a small wager on any horse with odds at 50-1 or more. If it wins proceed immediately to Central Avenue and begin searching for lost billfolds. Also, play the Lottery’s Powerball, good luck is fleeting.

11. Take a stroll through the gaming area and play a game of skill. It helps support the racing purses. Horses have to eat, too.

12. Play your own selections. Pay no attention to the advice of the patrons standing in the mutuel line.

Just shake your head and give them that “You’re an idiot” look. They are flying blind too. If you stand there long enough, every horse in the race will be touted at least twice.

13. Do not try to handicap races with “cheap horses”. These are horses running for a claiming price of $10,000 or less. It’s a waste of time. Just pick a number such as your kid’s age or birth date. If you have more than one kid, expand your bet to an exacta, trifecta, or even a superfecta. That large family might just pay off.

These horses just take turns beating one another.

14. Wander down to the paddock and watch the horses get saddled and then to the finish line for one of the longer races and watch them break from the gate. There’s nothing more exciting in sports as the gates spring open and the horses and jockeys fly past.

And there’s nothing more disheartening than watching “your horse” lope past the finish line last.

15. Enjoy the world famous corned beef sandwich.

Be sure to ask for lots of sauerkraut and add a dollop of horseradish.

16. As you munch on the corned beef and sip your adult beverage, take a few minutes to “people watch”.

This is good for a few laughs and extremely entertaining – especially on Saturdays.

17. Don’t be afraid of the exotic bets such as the superfecta. Horse racing is animated roulette.

18. Never bet the “chalk” (the favorite) if the odds are 6-5 or less. There are a lot of ways to lose a horse race but only one way to win one. You will eventually go broke betting favorites.

19. Always bet “a hunch” – your kid’s, spouse’s, or pet’s name is somehow integrated in the horse’s name.

If you don’t and the horse wins, you will never hear the end of it.

20. If you win, don’t come back and gloat to your friends whether you revealed your pick beforehand or not. Placate them by buying a round from your good fortune.

21. Stop by our box for a visit. Completely ignore all my picks and advice. The only people at the track that know less than owners are trainers. The last horse I bet was so slow, the jockey kept a diary of the trip.

22. Have dinner at Luna Bella’s and try the wilted salad along with the eggplant parmesan.

23. Finally, if you walk out with as much money as you walked in with – you’re a big winner!

Follow these rules for “the perfect trip” to Oaklawn.

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March 2013 11

The Arts in Education program is provided through a partnership with Southside School District and the Batesville Area Arts Council as well as supported in part by the Arkansas Arts Council, which is an agency of the Arkansas Department of Heritage and the National Endowment for the arts.

2013 BAAC National Juried Exhibition The Batesville Area Arts Council Gallery on Main is proud to host the 2013 BAAC National Juried Exhibition from March 19 through April 20, 2013. The exhibition consists of work from artists from across the United States. There is a reception for this exhibition on April 12 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. during Main Street’s Friday Frolic. This event is free and open to the public.

The juror of this year’s exhibition is David Bailin. Bailin is an artist working in Little Rock. He received Arts Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Arkansas Arts Council and the MidAmerica/NEA and has had critical reviews in Artnews, the Los Angeles Times, the Oxford American Magazine, the Arkansas Times, art Ltd and other prestigious periodicals. His works can be seen in public and private collections throughout the country. Bailin currently teaches at the University of Central Arkansas and Hendrix College. A complete listing of his work can be found at his website: www.bailinstudio.com.

Jennifer Perren, a 10th grader from Little Rock Central High School presents, Tommy Pen and Ink, on loan from the artist.

Arkansas Young Artists Exhibition The BAAC Gallery on Main is pleased to present a selection of eighteen works from the 46th Annual Young Arkansas Artists Competition and Exhibition. These works demonstrate a great range, from the outpouring of youthful expression to the more sophisticated artwork from the higher grade levels. This exhibition will be on view April 29 through May 17 at the BAAC Art Gallery on Main.

The Batesville Area Arts Council launches a new website!

BAAC is pleased to launch our new website at www. batesvilleareaartscouncil.org, offering greater ease of use and expanded resources for Batesville’s creative community. If you are interested in exhibiting your artwork in our gallery, click on “Gallery” to learn more about showing your work and the BAAC Gallery Policy. We would like to thank Morgan Page for designing this great new sight!

BAAC 2013 Historical Calendars are now 50% off!

2013 Calendars with photomontages of historical sites in Batesville are now only $5.00. You can purchase a calendar at the BAAC Art Gallery on Main or the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Batesville Community Theatre Batesville Community Theatre will host the production of Oliver on June 28, 29, and 30 and July 5, 6, and 7 at the Batesville School Auditorium on Water Street. Ginger sandy is directing with set and costume design and construction by Suzanne Magouyrk.

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EYE ON INDEPENDENCE

Images above show the Souper Bowl Saturday and what a great turn out!

The Batesville Area Arts Council would like to thank the following individuals and businesses listed at the top of the next page for their support and contributions to BAAC’s Annual Souper Bowl Saturday fundraising event held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on February 2nd.

A special thank you to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for their support and use of their facilities. The success of our funding efforts are due to the continued support of not only the following businesses and individuals, but also to the community at large who purchased tickets and soup.

Thank you all so very much!

We are word of mouth for your EYES!

Arkansas Weekly Batesville Chamber of Commerce Bryant’s Pharmacy Trish Boylan Diane Allgood Carlee’s Hallmark Citizen’s Bank Kathy Clements Deann Coleman Colton’s Steakhouse Sylvia Crosby

Elizabeth’s Restaurant Eye on Independence First Community Bank Fox Creek BBQ Fred’s Fish House Sean Gibson Italian Grill Stacy Gunderman Robin King Liberty Bank Polly Livingston

Suzanne Magouyrk Pat Mason Whitney Massey Aline McCracken Alan & Kathleen McNamee Nancy McSpadden Marion Milum Merchants & Planters Bank Morningside Coffee House Natalie’s

Ozark Gateway Tourist Council Ann Ramsey Scenic View Restaurant Shara Reinheardt Suddenlink JT Skinner Southside Grill Nicole Stroud Wendy’s WRD Entertainment BAAC Board Members

Physician joins staff at WRMC Pain Management Clinic Dr. Meraj Siddiqui has announced the association of Dr. John Larson to the White River Medical Center (WRMC) Pain Management Clinic in Batesville.

Dr. Larson is a member of the medical staff at WRMC. As a Pain Management physician, Dr. Larson provides outpatient treatment to relieve chronic pain, restore function and decrease or eliminate the need for prescription pain medications.

Chronic pain is ongoing pain lasting beyond the normal healing time for an injury or an illness, which adversely affects the well-being and quality of life.

In addition to Dr. Siddiqui, Dr. Larson joins Dr. Majid Saleem at the Pain Management Clinic.

“I am excited to be part of the

White River Health System and its progressive Interventional Pain Management Center here in Batesville. The community is very lucky to have this type of facility and I look forward to working with Dr. Siddiqui and Dr. Saleem in offering effective help for chronic pain,” said Larson.

Dr. Larson received his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He completed an Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at Cooper Hospital in Camden, New Jersey and completed Anesthesia Residency training at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Larson is certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology.

The Pain Management Clinic is located at 1215 Sidney Street, on the second floor of the WRMC Professional Building. New patients are accepted by referral from their primary care physician or attending specialist. To contact the Pain Management Clinic, call (870) 2626155.

N March 2013 13

I Do

West Wedding

Kimberlee Thomas

14

EYE ON INDEPENDENCE

Brandon West and Brandi Henley seem to be cut from the same cloth. They are both highly competitive, enjoy spending time outdoors hunting or playing sports, and they agree that while they are great on their own they are definitely better together.

It was December 2007 when Brandi first set eyes on Brandon. He had come to visit a friend of his at the University of Central Arkansas; his friend happened to live in the same dorm as Brandi. “I can still see him walking down the hall, our eyes locked and I just knew I had to get to know him better. I think it is safe to say it was love at first sight,” Brandi recalls. The couple spent the evening “hanging out” together and talked almost continuously over the next few weeks. They’ve been together since that first chance meeting.

Flash forward four short years. It is now June 24, 2011 and the young couple has traveled to St. Louis to take in a Cardinals game. Like so many others have been known to do they have decided to take a few pictures underneath the Gateway Arch before the game. “I turned to look for Brandon and there he was, down on one knee with a gorgeous ring in his outstretched hand. He was telling me how much he loved me and that he wanted to marry me. As the people around us cheered, I said “YES!” She confides that Brandon is not overly romantic and that made the proposal that much more special. “He did a wonderful job planning the proposal. I couldn’t be happier!”

Take a short skip in time and it is now June 10, 2012. It is a beautiful summer evening and the young couple along with family and friends are gathered at the University of Arkansas Experiment Station in Bethesda. Reverend Roger Hook and Brandon are awaiting the arrival of the Bride beneath a beautiful arbor which has been constructed by Brandi’s father.

The arbor is draped with white fabric, white wisteria and is adorned with a crystal chandelier hanging from its center. Brandi is being escorted down the aisle by her father. As they pass through the French doors that have been removed from Brandi’s great grandmother’s home and set up here for the special occasion Kenny Chesney’s “You and Me” begins drifting out across the gathering. Half gallon mason jars filled with silver stones and Queen Anne’s lace line the path the bride is walking. It is a magical and romantic scene full of love and happiness. After the vows were exchanged the newlyweds constructed a silver unity cross to signify the joining together of man and woman as one in the eyes of God. The couple honeymooned at the Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort and Spa in Lucea, Montego Bay Jamaica. Brandon is an electrical journeyman and Brandi is currently a student at Harding University College of Pharmacy. She will graduate with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in May 2014. The couple has built a home in the North Park subdivision in Batesville and has plans to remain in the area.

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We are word of mouth for your EYES!

Photography: Zoe Weddings – Kim Boyd

March 2013 15

Your Health

Antibiotic Misuse Alisa R. Lancaster

Many people believe or assume that they need an antibiotic when feeling sick. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) antibiotics are unnecessary 50% of the time. The CDC reviewed charts of patients diagnosed with an acute respiratory tract infection.

68% of those patients received a prescription for an antibiotic. After applying the guidelines used to monitor best practices, 80% of those prescriptions were unnecessary. Another study looked at pediatric patients and the doctors prescribing practices. If the physician perceived that the parents expected an antibiotic, one would be written 62% of the time. Yet only 7% of the time if they felt the parents were not expecting an antibiotic.

Why should you be worried? The misuse of antibiotics is being called one of the world’s most pressing public health concerns. Antibiotic abuse and overuse leads to antibiotic resistance. This resistance means that antibiotics won’t work when we need them or be as effective. Illnesses will be longer, hospital stays extended, and more expensive and more toxic antibiotics will have to be used. Even death can result.

It is estimated that $1.1 billion is spent annually on unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions for adults with a respiratory infection. And that’s just one diagnosis.

ClassiC

Antibiotics work against bacteria, certain fungal infections, and some parasites. The majority of illnesses we experience are viruses. So, the next time you are feeling sick, drink some extra fluids, get plenty of rest, and use over the counter medications to treat your symptoms such as a pain reliever, fever reducer, or possibly even a decongestant. It takes 7-10 days to get over the common cold; with antibiotics it takes 7-10 days.

Here are some common infections under the appropriate column: BACTERIAL (need an antibiotic) VIRAL (don’t need an antibiotic) Bladder infections Bronchitis Colds Flu Many wound and skin infections, such as staph Severe sinus infections lasting longer than 2 weeks Some ear infections Most ear infections Strep throat Most sore throats Most coughs Stomach flu N

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Big Brothers Big Sisters NEEDS female mentors!

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest and largest one-to-one mentoring organization in the US. The local BBBS chapter has 12 Little Sisters waiting for a Big Sister to hang out with them and make them feel loved and special. These sweet girls just need someone to encourage them and let them know they are important and can achieve anything they want in life.

We require a minimum year commitment to serve as a Big, but most of our matches last a lifetime! Our Littles don’t get to experience the everyday events we take for granted. They need someone that will open their minds and hearts up the thousands of possibilities that await them outside of their very closed world. All our mentors receive training and ongoing support during their match. We conduct a series of background checks and interview with each mentor before matching them with a Little. Here are just a few of the girls waiting for a mentor (names have been changed to protect the child/ youth and their families): Jessica is a 12 year old wanting a Big Sister who will help her with cheerleading and sports. She is shy at first but warms up quickly. Jessica has been raised by her grandparents who are now having a hard time managing 4 children. They would love for Jessica to be matched with someone that can help her navigate her teen years.

She needs a Big Sister who will answer questions about

boys and all the changes she is going through.

Taylor is 8 and attends West school. She is super sweet and very sensitive. Her family is big and when there is fighting she gets very upset. Taylor needs time away from all the siblings and someone that will help build her confidence. Plus, she needs some help in MATH - not her favorite subject. Her math grade is dropping fast, but she excels in all her other classes!

Stephanie is a 16 year old who lost her dad a few years ago. She has had a hard time coping with the loss.

Stephanie is a typical teenager just needing someone to talk to and do girl stuff with. Her life has been tough but she has BIG dreams. She just needs someone to stand beside her and show her how to make those dreams come true.

Please contact Amanda Roberts at 870-612-8888 or amanda@bigbrothersbigsistersnca.org to learn how you can become a Big Sister to one of these Littles. Of course, we always need Big Brothers as well.

Don’t hesitate to call with any questions. If you feel you don’t have the time to commit to being a mentor, we have several activities throughout the year that need volunteer support.

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Eye On Cover Story FilmFest Celebrates 12th Anniversary Bob Pest

The 12th Anniversary of the Ozark Foothills FilmFest sees the return of Alloy Orchestra, a Landers Theater Celebration, and women directors are the highlight of the April festival The Ozark Foothills FilmFest will hold its twelfth annual festival April 3rd through the 7th at a number of venues in Batesville.

This year’s festival marks the return of the Alloy Orchestra, a three man musical ensemble, writing and performing live accompaniment to classic silent films. The group includes Terry Donahue on accordion, musical saw, junk, and vocals; Roger Miller on keyboards; and director Ken Winokur on junk percussion and clarinet. Working with an outrageous assemblage of peculiar objects, including their well-known rack of junk, they thrash and grind soulful music from

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EYE ON INDEPENDENCE

unlikely sources. Film Critic Roger Ebert calls Alloy “The best in the world at accompanying silent films.”

Performing at prestigious film festivals and cultural centers in the US and abroad (The Telluride Film Festival, The Louvre, Lincoln Center, The Academy of Motion Pictures, the National Gallery of Art and others), Alloy has helped revive some of the great masterpieces of the silent era. Their 2011 performance of their score for the 1926 German classic Metropolis drew a large crowd to Independence Hall. This year they will be performing their score to the 1927 film, Underworld, considered to be the first American gangster film and winner of the first Academy Award for the story by Ben Hecht. They will be performing on Friday, April 5, at 8:00 p.m.

The festival will also be celebrating the history of the Landers Theater. Built in 1907, originally known as the Gem, and renovated twice in its first four decades, it lasted under the ownership of three generations of the Landers family from 1947 until 1998. After closing, the Landers sat essentially vacant for nearly a decade until it was purchased, beautifully restored, and repurposed by the Fellowship Bible Church.

The church generously makes their facility available to individuals and area organizations, including the film festival. They have also generously decided to restore the original Landers marquee and neon sign, which we hope will be finished in time for the festival.

Our Opening Night celebration will include two films that played at the Landers: Topper, a 1937 romantic comedy, starring Cary Grant and Constance Bennett, built around a couple who find themselves in limbo after an auto accident and try to get into heaven by trying to perform one good deed for their friend Cosmo

Topper (Roland Young). The film was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Special Effects and Best Supporting Actor Roland Young.

Topper, like all feature films of that era, will follow a cartoon, Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor, a 1936 Academy Award Nominee for Best Short Subject/ Cartoons. The program will screen at the Landers on Wednesday, April 3, at 7:00 p.m. The evening will be enriched with a period look and feeling and attendees are invited to dress in period style.

“The Female Face of Indie Film” all-day program on Saturday, April 6, will feature the work of women directors from a number of states.

The program begins at 10:00 a.m. at Nucor Auditorium on the campus of Lyon College with a panel discussion of the opportunities and challenges facing women directors. The panel will be moderated by Sarah M. Chyrchel, 2009 recipient of the Arkansas Arts Council Fellowship Award for Film and Video.

Participants include Kris Swanberg from Chicago, director of Empire Builder; Martha Stephens from West Virginia, co-writer and director of Pilgrim Song; Sarah Ledbetter from Memphis, co-writer and director of The Romance of Loneliness; Kate Siegenthaler from Missouri, director of No Trespassing; and Juli Jackson, a Paragould native and writer, producer, and director of 45RPM. Empire Builder, Pilgrim Song, The Romance of Loneliness, and No Trespassing will screen in Independence Hall on the campus of UACCB along with a program of short films by Sarah M. Chyrchel.

45RPM enjoyed its world premiere before a packed house October 27 at the Landers. Short films by other female filmmakers will be screened before other feature films on Thursday and Sunday. Hearts of the Dulcimer, a documentary We are word of mouth for your EYES!

by Californians Patricia Delich and Wayne Jiang, will screen on Sunday evening as part of the Music Film Showcase. Both No Trespassing and Hearts of the Dulcimer are also enjoying their world premieres at the festival.

The festival includes feature films by award-winners Ya’Ke Smith and the Renaud Brothers and a program of Indie Film Shorts by Arkansas filmmakers.

Reconvergence, also screening, is a widely acclaimed documentary

by Edward Tyndall, a two-time entrant in our festival, that offers an intriguing exploration of mortality, consciousness, and identity and opens up the viewer to distinctive ideas and new ways of thinking about humanity and its place in the universe. Reconvergence has been shown at the Maryland Film Festival, Indie Memphis, Oak Cliff Film Festival, and many others.

Black Marks on White Paper, a documentary by Arkansan Bob Sager and world premiere, tells the life story of Bennie Dee Warner.

Warner began his life in Liberia and worked his way up to Bishop of the United Methodist Church in Liberia, then became the country’s vice-president. He also attempted to form a government in exile in the Ivory Coast after a military coup overthrew the Liberian government in 1980. Warner’s amazing life is both amazing and inspiring. In his later years he established residence in Oklahoma City, where he taught at Oklahoma City University, a United Methodist School. He and his wife Anna will be attending the

world premiere on Friday, April 5, at 6:00 p.m. at Independence Hall.

Special arrangements are being made for interested attendees to have special time to talk with Warner after the screening.

An eclectic collection of short films will be screened at the Old Independence Regional Museum on Wednesday, April 3, and Thursday, April 4 at noon. The noon “Brown Bag” program lasts about an hour.

Participants are welcome to bring a “Brown Bag” lunch; bottled water will be provided. The screening include comedies, artistic shorts, a short drama from Austria, and a documentary about the legendary Dyess Colony, birthplace of music icon Johnny Cash.

For complete information about the 12th annual Ozark Foothills FilmFest, including the film schedule with times, locations, and maps to venues; Foothills Film Society membership opportunities; ticket prices; and other information visit www.ozarkfoothillsfilmfest.org; pick up a copy of our festival program at Daylight Donuts, the Batesville Area Arts Council, Comfort Suites and Holiday Inn Express hotels, the Independence County Library, Elizabeth’s Restaurant, Kent’s Firestone, other local businesses with festival posters in their windows, Tommy’s Famous Pizza in Mountain View, and George’s Liquor in Newport; or call 870-2511189 during regular business hours.

The programs should be available in mid-March.

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KEEPING YOU CONNECTED TO THE ROAD Locally Owned / Stop by and visit with New Owner Brad Cook

66 Batesville Blvd., Batesville / 870-793-9183 March 2013 19

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Is your medicine cabinet filled with expired drugs or medications you no longer use? Wondering how you should safely dispose of them?

2080 Harrison Street, Batesville 870-793-2161

is now an authorized drop off location for expired or unused medication.

Faces

On January 31 and February 1 officers from the Independence County Sheriff’s Office, reserve deputies, 16th Judicial District Drug Task Force, local school resource officers, and the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission trained for the possibility of an “Active Shooter Event.” The Active Shooter Training was conducted in a vacant school building on the Cushman campus.

These training sessions are designed to prepare officers in response measures in the event there is a mass shooting, such as the one at Sandy Hook Elementary, in our area. Citizens Bank of Batesville provided funding for the simunition (chalk bullet) used during the training event.

Other area businesses that helped to make the two day training event possible were; Pepsi Americas, Flowers Baking Co., Meacham’s, Randy Reichardt Insurance, and Kroger. Active Shooter Trainer, Mike Altman, volunteered his time to train those in attendance. N

The Black Students Association at Lyon College held its annual banquet commemorating Black History Month on Saturday, Feb. 9. Dwayne Errick Reliford, ’94, was the keynote speaker. Reliford is from Houston, Texas, where he works as a database marketing manager for Reliant Energy.

There were also musical selections by the choir from Friendship Baptist Church. Academic achievement awards and the Jane Fagg Award for Senior Leadership within BSA were presented.

Choir members from Friendship Baptist Church of Batesville sing for the crowd at the Black Students Association Banquet.

Dr. Paul Bube, BSA faculty advisor, presents freshmen Tiffany Angotti with an academic achievement award.

John and Diane Ellis with the banquet's keynote speaker, Dwayne Reliford.

Lyon College President Dr. Donald Weatherman and wife Lynn talk to junior Jahnette Epperson.

Lyon College Black Students Association President, Raylon Wilson, welcomes and thanks everyone for coming to the annual banquet.

Lyon College President Dr. Donald Weatherman congratulates BSA members Jarret Franklin (left) and Daniel Ritchie (right), both juniors, on the successful banquet event.

Dwayne Reliford, a 1994 graduate of Arkansas College, speaks on the banquet's theme of a Bright Future ahead for those who continue to struggle with oppression and prejudice.

Seniors Raylon Wilson and Debbie Onukwube receive the Dr. Jane Fagg BSA Alumni Scholarship Award for their dedication to the association and overall grade point average.

Lyon College Dean of Students Dr. Bruce Johnston with the Dr. Jane Fagg Scholarship Award recipients, Raylon Wilson and Debbie Onukwube. BSA banquet photos were taken

by Lilly Hastings.

At WRHS, the Board of Directors is a group of community leaders that provide leadership to administrators as they carry out the mission of the organization. The Board has elected the following officers whose terms began in January. (L to R) Leslie Frensley, Secretary; Boris Dover, Vice President; Charlie Schaaf, President; and James Mack Street, Treasurer.

Wood-Lawn Heights progression to the future continues on Neely Street. New Amenities include: Private rooms, Full bathroom with showers in every room, Technologically advanced Media Theater, Full Church, Physician Office, Snack Bar, 4 Dining Rooms with full kitchens and buffet dining, 2 courtyards, Private garden rooms with courtyard direct access, 140 bed skilled nursing facility, Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy, Comprehensive Care Plan, Well trained caring staff, Medicare A services, and Hospice availability.

Doc� Spurlin, Pastoral Care Chaplain at White River Medical Center, has recently become a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) with the International Association of Trauma Professionals (IATP). As a Clinical Trauma Professional, Spurlin will provide emotional and psychological after-care for patients, families, and staff in times of crisis, stress, and trauma.

To acquire the base level certification of CCTP, the applicant must complete a five step course. Upon completion, the applicant must demonstrate knowledge of the history of trauma and learn the identifiers of traumatic stress in adults and children and how to treat it.

Spinal Decompression

White River Chiropractic Life Center Dr. Thomas D. Taylor, D.C., FICA & Dr. Dustin Taylor, D. C., CCEP

1361 White Drive, Batesville, AR 72501 Call 870-698-1650 to Schedule Your FREE Consultation

The 2013 Red Hot Ladies Luncheon, presented by Citizens Bank, was held Thursday, February 14 at UACCB. There were over 300 in attendance. Doors opened at 11:00 a.m. and bidding on the silent auction items began. At noon, John Dews, President and CEO of Citizens Bank welcomed those whom had gathered for the event. The beautiful music of The White River Ensemble; Barbara Reeve, Veronica Krogen, and Peter Kootz, provided a pleasant backdrop for the event.

Alisha Harris provided the afternoons entertainment. Dr. Jean McSweeney, professor and Associate Dean for Research at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, was the guest speaker. Dr. Julia Rouiler, of the Batesville Family Practice Clinic and Vice President of BCHC, spoke on behalf of the Batesville Christian Health Center giving an update on the new building’s progress. $14,500.00 was raised during the event and will be given to the Batesville Christian Health Center for continued construction and operating expenses. The Batesville Christian Health Center provides medical services for uninsured adults in Independence County; log onto www.chcofbatesville.com.

The White River Health System (WRHS) Foundation recently presented nursing scholarships totaling $16,000 to (shown left to right), Amanda Scribner, Jonathan Bruce, Marilyn Hall, Melonie Koch, and Toi McMullin for continuing education and professional development. The goal of the Foundation’s Scholarship Program is to help relieve the financial burden on employees seeking career advancement and encourage educational advancement to those dedicated to improving the patient experience.

The scholarships support nurses advancing their credentials to Registered Nurses (RN) and, for the first time ever, scholarships have been awarded to applicants seeking a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The program also supports the efforts of the organization to achieve Magnet designation from the American Nurse Credentialing Center. For more information about the WRHS Foundation and how your gifts can make a difference, call 870-2621225.

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Eye On Feature Home Is Where the Heart Is / HFHIC Kimberlee Thomas

Our home is our safe haven at the end of a long day.

It is our refuge against the world, it is the one place where we draw our family close and feel safe and secure.

It is the place we celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, holidays. It is a place of “firsts”: the first wedding anniversary, the first night home with the new baby, the first step of a child, the first pet, and the list goes on.

How many of us take owning our own home for granted?

Finding ourselves so lost in the daily grind, we simply don’t give it a second thought; it is simply supposed to be there. For many families in Independence County owning their own home is a luxury that feels far from their reach. These are good, solid, hardworking families that for one reason or another simply cannot attain the dream of home ownership. Habitat For Humanity of Independence County (HFHIC), is helping to make the dreams of home ownership come true for many of these families.

In early 2004 a group of Lyon College students decided there was a need in Independence County for a Habitat for Humanity affiliate. They called upon the assistance of their professor, Dr. Paul Bube. Bube had joined the Lyon faculty in 2001 after serving as professor of religion and philosophy and chair of the Division of Humanities and Fine Arts at Kansas Wesleyan University. Dr. Bube also worked with the Salina, Kansas Habitat for Humanity affiliate. He is currently vice president of Faculty Assembly at Lyon, faculty sponsor for the Wesley Fellowship, and serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity of Independence County. Dr. Bube also serves as a board member of Batesville Help and Hope. Dr. Bube incorporated the help of Mike West, who has a background in construction. West is now retired from Future Fuel and continues to be involved with the local affiliate as

Independence County, AR construction chairperson. The group worked diligently and in 2007 Independence County was awarded their own Habitat for Humanity affiliate.

HFHIC is the locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. Habitat for Humanity of Independence County works in partnership with families in need to help them build decent, affordable housing. The houses then are sold to the family in need at no profit and with no interest charged. If your family is living in substandard housing and is willing to put in up to 400 hours of sweat equity working on your house and another family's house, and can meet modest financial requirements, you may want to apply to be a Habitat for Humanity partner family.

Eye On recently visited with Molly Rummel, HFHIC Board President. Rummel explained that the local Habitat for Humanity Affiliate is currently searching for families in need and that those interested should apply. Those interested in obtaining more information may contact Rummel at 870-793-1999 or e-mail info@ independencehabitat.org. Rummel also explained that the local affiliate is in need of volunteers. “We have a great core group of volunteers but we can always use more. There are no special skills required to be a volunteer, we will teach you on the spot. There are big jobs and little jobs, from framing and painting to Home is where the heart is continues on page 32 March 2013 25

Things To Do UACCB to Offer Karate Training Course Karate Training Class will be held Mar 5, 12, 26, Apr 2 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. in Annex room 404 for ages 13 and up. A fee of $46 is required. Sensei Don Gregory, fourth degree black belt/full range close combat instructor, will teach a traditional martial arts class which offers present day applications of Shorin-Ryu karate techniques. For more information or to register, please call 870-612-2082.

UACCB to Offer Sign Language Classes Sign Language for Beginners: Feb. 25, Mar. 4, 11, 25, Apr. 1, 8, 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. in the Row Johns Building, Room 816 with instructor, Diann Anderson.

There is a fee of $45 plus textbook to be purchased through UACCB Bookstore.

Intermediate Sign Language: Apr. 15, 22, 29, May 6, 13, 20, 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. in the Row Johns Building, Room 816 with instructor, Stephanie Patterson. There is a $45 fee plus textbook to be purchased through UACCB Bookstore. Prerequisite: Sign Language for Beginners or prior experience.

Advanced Sign Language: Jun. 3, 10, 17, 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. in the Row Johns Building, Room 816 with instructor, Stephanie Patterson. There is a $35 fee plus textbook to be purchased through UACCB Bookstore.

Prerequisite: Intermediate Sign Language or prior experience. **The same textbook will be used for all three classes.** Pre-registration and full payment should be received five business days prior to the first day of class. For more information or to register, please call 870-6122082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu.

UACCB Offers Basic Outdoor Survival Class Basic Outdoor Survival, taught by professional mountain guide, Dan Nash, will take place Mar. 30, 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. in UACCB’s Nursing Allied Health Lecture Hall, Room 902. The fee is $32 per adult. Minors (under 18) may attend the class for $5 each but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over 18 years of age. Bring a water bottle or container, a bandana and a steel or magnesium fire striker. Pre-registration and full payment should be received five business days prior to the first day of class.

For more information or to register, please call 870612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu.

You can also get more information and testimonials about the course at www.hikingtheozarks.com.

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EYE ON INDEPENDENCE

UACCB offers Personal Enrichment classes Basketweaving. Create a special memory for your child or grandchild by giving them a handmade Easter basket! Your instructor will be Jennifer Dorris. A fee of $20 plus $20 supply fee is the cost. Classes are Mar 4, 11, 6:00-8:00 pm. in the Row Johns Building, Room 815.

Organic Gardening Basics. Master Gardener, Cheryl Anderson, will teach you how to prepare soil and start plants from seeds. You will take home a huge list of resources. A fee of $20 is the cost for this Mar 9 class from 9:00 to 12:00 p.m. in the Row Johns Bldg, Room 816.

Freezer Cooking. Many parents struggle with not having family time, let alone time to prepare a meal and sit down at the dinner table together. Let Jennifer Cannon show you how to plan ahead and store meals in the freezer for those hectic schedules. Participants will leave with a DIY recipe guidebook for freezer cooking.

A fee of $26 is the cost for this Apr 8 class from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Row Johns Building, Room 815.

Pre-registration and full payment should be received five business days prior to the first day of class. For more information or to register, please call 870-6122082 or email: katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu.

UACCB to offer series of Microsoft Excel training The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville’s Community and Technical Education Division will offer three levels of Microsoft Excel courses this Spring, Intro to Microsoft Excel 2010, Intermediate Excel 2010, and Advanced Excel. Ms. Gayla Dahl will be the instructor for each of these courses.

The same textbook may be used for each of these courses and can be purchased through the UACCB Bookstore. Pre-registration and full payment should be received at least five business days prior to the first day of class. For more information, call (870) 612-2082 or email Katrina Stevens at katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu or log on to www.uaccb.edu and click on “Programs & Services”, then “Community & Technical Education.”

The Excel courses will be available as follows: Intro to Microsoft Excel 2010: Annex, Room 402 with a $48 fee plus textbook to be purchased at UACCB Bookstore. Dates: March 5, 7, 12, 13, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Annex, room 402.

Intermediate Excel 2010 Moving beyond basics: March 26, 28, April 2, 4, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Annex, room 402. Prerequisites needed are Intro to Microsoft Excel 2010 or prior experience. A fee of $56 plus textbook to be purchased at UACCB Bookstore.

Advanced Excel: April 9, 11, 16, 18, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Annex, room 402. Prerequisites include Intermediate Excel 2010 or prior experience. There is a fee of $52 plus textbook to be purchased at UACCB Bookstore.

UACCB Junk Decorating Class We are word of mouth for your EYES!

Junk can be repurposed to suit any decor. Jennifer Davidson will show you how to transform trash into treasure with step-by-step junk style projects and clever junking tips. Pre-registration and full payment should be received five business days prior to the first day of class. The fee is $29 plus $20 supply fee for this March 7th and 14th class from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in room 603 of the Fine Arts Building.

Norman Hammond is Professor Emeritus of Archaeology and former chairman of the Department of Archaeology at Boston University. He began working in Maya archaeology on a Harvard University project in Guatemala, and has worked on Maya sites since 1970.

He is the author of Ancient Maya Civilization. Join us Wednesday, March 27th at 7:30 p.m. in the Nucor Auditorium of the Lyon Building.

TAP-The Show This UACCB Performing Arts Series will take place in the Independence Hall Tuesday March 12th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

All Over Independence

Career Fair

Batesville Small Business Workshop This March 13th business workshop begins at 1 p.m. will be at the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce at 409 Vine Street and cost $35 or $25 for Batesville Chamber and Main Street Batesville members and wonderfully led by Herb Lawrence of ASU SBTDC.

There will be free parking at this UACCB event on March 13th from 10 a.m. to noon.

White River Planning and Development White River Planning and Development Board to meet March 5th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Patterson Lecture The March 12th Patterson Lecture, featuring Bruce Plante from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Lyon Building’s Nucor Auditorium.

Japan Lecture Series: “Japanese Art and the World” March 14th at 7 p.m., Dr. Bruce Coates, Professor of Art at Scripps College, will lecture on Japanese art in the Derby Center in the Derby Lecture Hall on Lyon College Campus.

Writer’s Public Interview and Brown-bag Lunch The Alphin Alphin Board Room on Tuesday, March 19th from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Try-athlon Sport Club Event Saturday, March 23 from 8 a.m. to noon will see the campus wide Try-athlon Sport Club Event.

Williamson Prize Lecture On Tuesday, March 26th, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the Williamson Prize Lecture will be given by Dr. Cathy Bordeau in the Edwards Commons Maxfield Room 119.

SIT Lecture On Tuesday, March 26th, Dr. Blake Hart will give the SIT Lecture in the Nucor Auditoium of the Lyon Building from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

Convocation: Dr. Norman Hammond, Archaeologist

March Of Dimes Register at 9 a.m. on May 4th to walk with us at 10 a.m. Visit www.marchforbabies.org for more information and to sign up to walk with us at the Southside High School Track! Why we walk? When you walk in March for Babies, you give hope to the more than half a million babies born too soon each year. The money you raise supports programs in your community that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies.

And it funds research to find answers to the problems that threaten our babies.

Chamber Trap Tournament The Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce and presenting sponsor, Liberty Bank, will host the 2nd Annual Chamber Trap Tournament on March 22 at the Independence County Shooting Sports Complex from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Mountain Man from Duck Dynasty will be available for a private meet and greet from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Passes to the meet and greet, which include breakfast, can be purchased at the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce for $10 each. Tickets are limited and will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. Registration is available by viewing the chamber calendar online at www.mybatesville.org.

Family Violence Prevention, Inc. will host the 4th annual Silent No More: Dine to End Domestic Abuse Dinner and Silent Auction on April 26, 2013 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Tickets are on sale now and are available at the Outreach Office located at 192 East Main Street inside the courthouse. Tickets are $85 each, $425 for a table of 6, or $600 for a table of 8.

For more information please contact Patty Duncan at fvp2943@gmail.com or Billie Grady at safehaven2007@sbcglobal.net N March 2013 27

Read On

The Dovekeepers

Book Reviews by Vanessa Adams

I am very pleased to be writing book reviews for Eye on Independence. As your Independence County Librarian, I feel a responsibility to expose you to books and authors that will lead you to read outside your comfort zone. Pick up a book you’d never select and read its book jacket. Maybe it will spark an interest. It might even lead you to discover a new author or genre that you will enjoy for years to come. Did you know that Arkansas is chock-full of interesting writers? As a matter of fact, the South is home to some of the best writers in the country, and Arkansas claims many of them. In future book reviews, I hope to bring you southern authors, particularly from Arkansas, who are currently writing and whom I think you will enjoy.

For my first review, however, I want to present to you a beautifully-written novel by New York native Alice Hoffman. If ever there were an author who couldn’t be neatly classified as writing in a particular style, it is Hoffman. She has written over twenty novels and short story collections, and has yet to be predictable in her writing. She writes about witches, and modern families dealing with AIDS, and she’s even re-worked Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. To attempt to pigeonhole Hoffman’s style would be futile.

Set in the year 70 C.E. (Christian Era), atop what was once King Herod’s citadel, the Masada mountain in the Judean desert, Hoffman’s The Dovekeepers is a tribute to the nine hundred Sicarii rebels and Jewish families who kept the seemingly unconquerable Roman army at bay for several months before finally meeting their ill-fated demise. The only surviving written record, by a contemporary source, of the tragic events that took place on the mountain nearly two thousand years ago is a brief account attributed to the ancient Hebrew historian, Josephus. According to Josephus, there were only seven survivors of the Siege at Masada: two women and five children. Hoffman takes these abbreviated facts and spins a remarkable tale of love, war, and the determination to survive.

Hoffman weaves her story not through the threads of the generals and warriors, but through the lives of its mothers, wives, and daughters. The Dovekeepers is divided into four primary sections, each narrated by a different female character who describes her life before arriving at the sealed community on the Masada mountain. Yael is the long-suffering daughter of a Sicarii assassin, who never forgives Yael for his wife’s death in childbirth. “I was not afraid of cruelty,” she tells us. “I knew it was inside me, as it was inside the leopard who must catch his supper to survive.” Revka is the grandmother of two young boys who went mute when they saw their mother murdered by Roman soldiers.

“Just as creation began with words so, too, did our world 28

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come apart in silence,” she says. “None of us spoke. The boys because they could not, my son-in-law because he would not, myself because there were no words worth speaking aloud.

Shirah is a medicine woman from Alexandria who has a complex past relationship with the Sicarii leader at Masada. Like any good feminist heroine, she lives according to her own moral and social rules. She brings a frightened young woman through a difficult labor, and is eventually accused of witchcraft by people envious and frightened of her power. Shirah is by far the most complex character of the four heroines.And finally, Aziza, one of Shirah’s daughters, is a rebel who poses as a man and struggles to take her younger brother’s place in battle. “Although I was not in irons,” she says, “I was a slave to the truth of who I’d been born.” Aziza sacrifices love and her own life and through her character, Hoffman provides rich, powerful prose determined to keep the reader enthralled and amazed at her courage and perseverance.

Hoffman spent five years researching and writing The Dovekeepers, and the proof is in the writing.

At times, it seems as if Hoffman is determined to include every fact she has learned about civilization two thousand years ago. For every occurrence, there is a ritual, and the deeply religious characters’ beliefs and actions often appear to be overly superstitious and nonsensical. As the characters’ lives intertwine, however, the relevance of the rituals and beliefs become evident in the outcomes of their actions. It does take some patience to continue the book at times, but the reward is the experience of feeling the love, sorrow, and danger these women feel throughout Hoffman’s story.

There are two types of literature, or at least there are only two for this analogy: plot-driven, and character-driven. While both types rely on plot and characters, one provides a strong plot with little character development, and the other does the opposite. Both are worthwhile and furnish readers with entertaining and often challenging stories. Plot-driven stories, with all the action, twists, and turns, lead the reader to an exciting conclusion. Alice Hoffman’s The Dovekeepers is clearly a story about four exceptional women, and thus could be considered a character-driven novel. Since the reader knows the tragic ending before opening the book, the story lies in the thoughts and emotions of the four women. Sometimes it is more about the journey than it is about the destination, and Hoffman’s story is certainly one of the former.

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The Myopic Life License to Read Kristi Price

My kids spend years counting down to a very special birthday. With the same intensity a teenager looks forward to her Sweet Sixteen, the Price kids look forward to the Big Five. Why, you ask? Is it that Five typically marks the start of kindergarten? Five is when you no longer suffer the indignity of being too short for amusement park rides? It’s certainly not like Five carries a license to drive or anything.

I’ll tell you. Birthday #5 holds special significance in our home because the library will grant you a library card – in your own name!

I’ve escorted two children to the front desk of the Independence County Library shortly after their fifth birthdays and watched them sign their names with big elementary letters. I’ll now be escorting the smallest of my brood. It’s been especially hard for her, because her siblings have flaunted their treasured library cards for a few years now. They magnanimously offer to check out Maggie’s books under their names, but it’s not the same. Maggie longs for the freedom to select ten books, to slap her card on the counter with the authority her sister possesses, to slide her stack over, to proudly carry her books home in a sack.

Some of my earliest memories are of my own library experiences.

The freedom to choose my own tomes and lose myself in reading was powerful. I was alone in my room, but then again, I wasn’t. I shared space with Nancy Drew, Anne Shirley, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Jo March. They took up residence in my mind and vividly influenced my decisions. Now my middle daughter is working her own way through Carolyn Keene’s classic girl detective series. She stashes Nancy Drew books everywhere – the seat pocket in the van is her favorite since we seem to spend half our lives driving around. She asks me what pumps are (Nancy was forever chasing bad guys in “pumps.” All I can say is, that must have been in the days when dress shoes were still practical.)

I support public libraries, and I’m excited about the direction our library is taking under the leadership of Vanessa Adams. She is expanding more than the collection of books; she is expanding the reach and usefulness of a county library. I welcome her to our motley collection of writers in this magazine and look forward to her book reviews. And I look forward to ushering my tiniest child into the hallowed space of the public library.

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Competition Team Home of the North Arkansas Dance Theatre “A Performing Troupe” March 2013 31

Home is where the heart is continued from page 25

final clean up prior to the families move in.” Church groups, civic groups, and individuals are encouraged to volunteer. Most construction work is done on the weekends. E-mails are sent out weekly to alert volunteers as to what stage of construction the house is in. “Our volunteers really like getting the emails.

This way they know if they possess the right skill for that weekend’s project.” states Rummel. Dave Timko, owner of Daylight Donuts, provides breakfast for the volunteers each Saturday.

Lunch is also provided for those who come and work.

Volunteers provide most of the labor, and individual and corporate donors provide money and materials to build Habitat houses. “This community is really great about helping us and working with us to help the families we partner with. It is a really good community we have here, they help us with everything.” Rummel shared.

Partner families themselves invest hundreds of hours of labor "sweat equity" into building their homes and the homes of others. Their mortgage payments go into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses. Rummel explained, “When families work on their own homes it helps to foster a sense of ownership and pride. Our families agree it is worth it.”

HFHIC recently acquired property in West Side.

They have completed one home and are starting on the second. There is enough property available at the current site to build a total of four homes. The City of Batesville partnered with HFHIC and installed a city park in the midst of the four building lots bounded by Ferrell, Grace, and Boggs Streets where the four homes are being built. First Community Bank has provided a matching grant which will allow HFHIC to hire a part time director. This will be the only paid position at the local affiliate.

Home is Where the Heart Is, will be an appreciation banquet held at UACCB on Saturday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are: $25.00 Per Person, $50.00 Per Couple, and $300.00 for a Corporate Table. There will also be a raffle for a Bad Boy MZ series mower.

Tickets are $10 each. For more information concerning banquet or raffle tickets you may call: Econo-Mart

Pharmacy at 870-793-4179, First Community Bank at 870-612-3418, or Citizens Bank at 870-793-4441.

Max Hunter will emcee the live auction event at this year’s appreciation banquet. It's quick, easy and safe to support the house-building, hope-building work of HFHIC through Habitat for Humanity International's secure online donation system at www.habitat.org. You can even send a gift card announcing your donation in honor of a loved one or a special occasion. Be sure to select our local affiliate, Habitat for Humanity of Independence County, Arkansas, if you wish for them to receive the funds. You may also mail your tax deductible donation to Habitat for Humanity of Independence County, P.O. Box 3956, Batesville, AR 72503.

Current Habitat for Humanity of Independence County board members include: Molly Rummel - Board President, Tina Paul - Vice-President, Becky Coltrain – Secretary, Tim Haunert – Treasurer, Paul Bube, Shalyn Carlile, Ross Cox, Pat Dunegan, Judith Ford, Scott Henley, Paul Holifield, Adillet Lindsey, Tim McKinney, Nancy McSpadden, Mike West, Amanda Whiteacre, Mike Wilson, and Dennis Wright.

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ARKANSAS CRAFT SCHOOL SESSION III POTTERY CLASSES TO BEGIN MARCH 14, 2013

Pottery classes with David Dahlstedt will begin another nine-week session starting March 14, 2013, and continuing through May 9, 2013. Pottery classes meet once a week from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Thursday afternoons, and will be held at the Craft School’s pottery studio on Main Street in Mountain View. This will be the final nine-week winter session for the Craft School, before regular programming resumes.

Tuition for the class will be $225.00, which covers all nine weeks of instruction. Scholarships for tuition are available to financially qualifying students. Class registration forms, scholarship applications and further 32

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information on these and other class offerings of the Arkansas Craft School may be found on the website: www.arkansascraftschool.org. Students may also sign up for classes by calling Terri Van Orman at (870) 269-8397.

The Arkansas Craft School, located on Main Street 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 Ozarka College which offers Continuing Education credits for all of its courses. Support for the Arkansas Craft School is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment of the Arts.

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Tales Of a Transplanted Fashionista College Student Style on a Budget

1.

2.

Leigh Keller

I recall fondly my college years, when I was pretty happy to use my Arkansas Tech student discount to get a couple of bean burritos from Taco Bell for under two dollars. Back then, it wasn’t about being able to get that fabulous bag from TJMaxx at a steal, it was more about being able to accessorize the vintage dress I got at a consignment shop with that cute belt from Target, and still be able to put gasoline in my tiny car. Goodness knows I wouldn’t have wanted to go without looking good for say, sustenance, every college girl knows what’s really important.

While interviewing a few college students, I was pleased to find that their situations are pretty similar to what mine was, not so long ago.

Maggie Hance: senior at Lyon, graduating in May. Psychology major. Phi Mu sorority and Lyon cheerleader.

“My philosophy is dress well, test well. If I look nice for class, then I feel empowered to accomplish anything.

I don’t like wearing sweatpants or pajamas because it is unprofessional and slouchy. I try to buy outfits that no one would think of wearing. Besides dresses, I also love wearing Oxford shirts and leggings with boots because it is cute and comfortable.”

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Maggie Hance: senior at Lyon, graduating in May. Psychology major. Phi Mu sorority and Lyon cheerleader.

3.

1. Models for the Batesville High School Prom Fashion Show line up backstage for the show to benefit the high school prom on Saturday, February 9th.

2, 3. The Batesville High School Glass Slipper Project, a non profit geared towards matching high school girls in poverty with free, donated prom dresses, was recently granted a space to house our donations in the BHSgsp Boutique. The room is currently being painted and renovated in preparation for "boutique days". If you are interested in volunteering, contact me at leigh.keller@batesvilleschools.org.

March 2013 33

Arkansas Agriculture Department Announces Century Farm Program The Arkansas Agriculture Department is accepting applications for the 2013 Arkansas Century Farm program. The program recognizes Arkansas’s rich agricultural heritage and honors families who have owned and farmed the same land for at least 100 years.

The program is voluntary and places no restrictions on the land. In 2012, the first year of the program, 83 farms were certified as Arkansas Century Farms.

To qualify, farms must meet the following criteria: • The same family must have owned the farm for 100 years by December 31, 2013. The line of ownership from the original settler or buyer may be through children, grandchildren, siblings, and nephews or nieces, including through marriage and adoption.

• The farm must be at least 10 acres of the original land acquisition and make a financial contribution to the overall farm income.

Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe said, “The Arkansas Century Farm Program is designed to acknowledge the families who have contributed to our state’s traditions, but also to remind all of us that work is needed to ensure that those traditions continue for future generations.”

Nationally, over 96% of all agricultural operations are family farms. Arkansas currently has over 49,000

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farms on 13.5 million acres with the average farm size of 280 acres.

“It’s a privilege to recognize the generations of Arkansas farmers and ranchers who have persevered for a century or more to provide food, fiber, and energy” said Butch Calhoun, Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture.

Qualified applicants will be presented with a personalized metal sign and a certificate. Only the legal owners of the land may apply.

There is no cost to apply for the Arkansas Century Farm program. Applications can be obtained from the Arkansas Agriculture Department by calling 501-2251598 or from the department’s website at: www.aad. arkansas.gov/Pages/programs.aspx Applications must be postmarked by May 31, 2013 to be eligible for designation in 2013.

Questions regarding this press release may be directed to Zachary Taylor, Director of Marketing, at 501-219-6324 or email Zachary.Taylor@aad.ar.gov.

Applications should be mailed to Arkansas Agriculture Department • #1 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205 - Phone: 501-683-4851 N

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Notes from the Clearing Between and Beyond Joseph Thomas

Once upon a time, in a moment between moments, I heard and I saw and I lived. Everyone was still, frozen in the moment as I breathed in the fractured space found in a forgotten thought. Atoms vibrated and shattered from the friction of the pressured time upon the skin I wore through. I grasped the unfolded paper airplane from life as it parted the air around me and broke like water upon my mind. I questioned the intent of nothing but found myself overcome with curiosity. As the beaded drops of time and space refolded around me, the gears of time found purchase and forged ahead and I was awakened in the moment after without the lubrication of sleep to soften the blow and yet, I live on to feed upon the breathable air that nourishes my hungry lungs.

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WHO: Ozark Foothills Literacy Project WHAT: Seeks donations for yard sale fundraiser on April 20 WHEN: Now through April 19 WHERE: Drop off small items at the Batesville public library; call 793-5912 about larger items.

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Smith’s Verdict ****

Life of Pi

Reviewed by Tanner Smith It’s amazing how my expectations were only partially met and yet how much I still embrace the film “Life of Pi.” In fact, I sort of wonder what would have happened if the film did go the way I expected it to. But forget it—I love this movie!

Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” is advertised in a way that it’s expected to be a great experience such as “2001: A Space Odyssey”—random actions with excellent visuals and (here’s the expected price) very little words.

While it’s certainly talkative for the most part (sort of “showing-and-telling,” if you will), “Life of Pi” is still an unbelievably great achievement in narrative storytelling and masterful special effects. It’s based on a novel (unread by me) by Yann Martel that many readers (and critics) have thought to be “unfilmable.” When you know the premise, you know what I mean. But let’s face it—you’ve seen the advertisements, and the idea on display is enough for you to want to check out the film. The story involves several months surrounding shipwrecked survivors drifting across the Pacific Ocean in a lifeboat. Actually, there’s one human survivor—a young Indian man nicknamed “Pi.” He is alone in the vast, empty ocean with only one “companion”—a ferocious Bengal tiger. They find themselves in the same lifeboat and are forced to outwit each other so they’ll survive themselves. How can you not be interested to see how that plays out, especially when you notice the technical achievements, just by watching the trailer? Imagine what the whole film is like.

The story begins with a colorful, well-done prologue showing the childhood of Piscene, who changed his name to “Pi” because his real name sounded too much like “pissing.” He grows up in India, where his family owns a zoo. His favorite, but most terrifying, animal is the tiger—named “Richard Parker.” He feels comfortable around the animals, until his father (Adil Hussain) gives him an unforgettable lesson about the true nature of the beast, forcing Pi to watch Richard Parker as he makes a meal out of a live goat. We also see Pi go

through a time in which he explores faith and religions, including Christianity and Hinduism. He wants to know God, so he chooses all sorts of religion to try and get to Him. He goes through the next few years, growing to his late teens, with no clear answer. Then, his family announces that they are selling the zoo and moving to Canada. They pack up the animals and take a ship across the Pacific when something goes terribly wrong.

This is all narrated by a much older Pi (Irrfan Khan), telling a reporter (Rafe Spall) his own life story, and he claims that the story that changed his life will make him believe in God. And speaking of that story, the sinking of the ship, which only young Pi (played by sensational newcomer Suraj Sharma) and a few other animals survive, takes place about 45 minutes into the film. This is where the story really begins, and you would think that it would be interrupted by more narrations from the older Pi and scenes that return to the present time. But you’d be wrong. “Life of Pi” lets the next hour (the heart of the film) take over without cheating. We are always there with Pi and “Richard Parker” and wondering what is going to happen to them until they find their way to shore.

This tiger is not a family-friendly tiger. This is an untrained, carnivorous beast, as Pi saw earlier. And thus, when the tiger kills the other animals, Pi has to fight for his life out there in the ocean and only confined to the lifeboat and a small, manmade raft he made from extra parts of the boat. He manages to outwit the animal for so long before he realizes he has to learn to share the same boat with it, leading to scenes in which he attempts to train it. I don’t want to say too much about it, but trust me when I say that the surprises pile on one after the other. It’s an incredible, ingenious piece of storytelling that just gets better and more intriguing as it goes along.

“Life of Pi” is one of the absolute best films of 2012.

I’ve already praised the absorbing story outline and the effective way it’s delivered. Now I want to praise the visuals. And before I do that, I’m going to praise an aspect of film that I never thought I would again—the use of 3-D! I’m not even kidding. This is quite possibly the best use of 3-D since “Avatar” almost three years ago, and it might even be better. The 3-D isn’t merely

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used for trickery or perceptions. It’s only used to deepen the atmospheric environment all throughout the film, especially in the scenes set in the ocean. There are scenes in which the camera is placed in the sea looking up at the surface of the sea (with the lifeboat and whatnot), and the effects are so seamless that I was mesmerized by how “real” it all seemed. This film takes us to a wonderful place—that is the reason films were made in the first place. This is a gorgeous movie to watch.

“Life of Pi” is as clever a survival story as one can get, but it’s just about faith and spirituality as it is about survival. Much like “Cast Away” and “127 Hours,” “Life of PI” is about one thing that causes the central character to continue the courage to face the next day until survival. “Cast Away” featured the hero’s hope of seeing his loved one again; “127 Hours” featured the hero’s wish to never die alone; and “Life of Pi” features the hero’s search for a sign from God. Pi believes

that it is by the will of God that he has survived for months at sea, even with a tiger who could have eaten him much sooner. He takes and accepts every setback that comes his way, even if he comes close to cracking under pressure. He’s a modern-day Job. Everything pays off in the final act, which I will not give away, but it delivers a possibility in the story structure that has you wondering what it is you really believe.

I opened this review by saying that “Life of Pi” had me hooked from its trailer, even if I expected something more. Now that I think about it, a film featuring a man and a tiger alone at sea must have been very tough to market. But I have decided that the final product is majestic and tremendously well-done, and it’s one of the best films I’ve seen all year.

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We’re Open!

Harrison Street Banking Center

Liberty Bank is excited to announce that we have expanded with a new banking center in Batesville. Our Harrison Street location will provide twice the convenience for our customers and will continue to offer excellent customer service from the same friendly faces you have grown to know and trust.

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