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Flag the Technology The Real Harris Hospital 63rd National Square Dance Convention速 A Publication of Meadowland Media, Inc.
June 2014
Faster.
The 30-Minutes-or-Less E.R. Service Pledge. Only at Harris Hospital. Emergency medicine is about three things: compassion, skilled care and speed. You’ll find these at Harris Hospital. The experienced E.R. physicians and the entire team are committed to working diligently to have you initially seen by a clinical professional* within 30 minutes of your arrival. If you need an E.R. fast, try our fast E.R. Once you do, you won’t want to go anywhere else.
*Clinical professional is defined as a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.
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All loans are subject to verification, underwriting aprovl, documentation & other lender requirements.All information is subject to change & revision & nothing herein is or should be interrupted as an obligation to lend.
New Location 920 Harrison St., Suite A Batesville, AR
Accepting New Patients (870) 569-4909
Call to Schedule your FREE Consultation
Dr. Dustin Taylor , D.C., CCEP
In This Issue 6/Editor’s Note And June Walks In
7/Great Tastes
We All Scream For Ice Cream
8/County Extension News Flag the Technology
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9/Naunee’s Thoughts 10/Cover Story
The Real Harris Hospital of 2014
12/Seniors, can we talk? Poor Ruth
13/Faces 16/Feature
The 63rd National Square Dance Convention®
18/I Do
Gates-Edwards Wedding
20/Notes from the Clearing Compute
21/Things To Do
June 2014 om
www.eyeonmag.c
Flag the Technolo
gy
The Real Harris Hosp 63rd National Squa A Publication of
ital
re Dance Conventi
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ia, Inc.
Meadowland Med
Cover photography Cheryl Mauldin / Studio 1910 Cover design by Joseph Thomas
Meet Your Writers...
Fishing for a Home Loan?
Julie Allen has served as the executive director of the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce since 2002. She is a 1994 graduate of Arkansas State University with a degree in Communications - Radio/Television.
Caroline Beauchamp is a local insurance agent for M & P Insurance & Investment Services. She offers personalized life and health insurance solutions and is known for her widely-published informational column, ‘Caroline, Can We Talk?’.
Jon Chadwell is the executive director of the Newport Economic Development Commission (NEDC). The NEDC is funded by a ½ cent sales tax collected in Newport and works to assist in the development of business and industry in Jackson County.
Randy Chlapecka is county extension agent – staff chair with the Jackson County Office of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service. He provides educational information and programming in the areas of agriculture, 4-H, and community development. THIS PUBLICATION IS PRODUCED BY: Adrienne Freeman is a Jackson County based food writer whose work is published statewide. When not at the keyboard, she can be found in the kitchen, focusing on recipes and techniques that can be easily replicated by fellow enthusiastic home cooks. She always welcomes reader response at newport.foodies@yahoo. com.
Rebecca Pearrow is marketing director at Harris Hospital. She attained an AA at Central Baptist College followed by a BS at Arkansas Tech University. She will complete an MBA from Harding University in December 2014. She was employed 12 years at White County Medical Center before her success in Community Relations brought her back to Newport. She spends her free time traveling to support her kid’s athletics, gardening, raising chickens and scrap booking.
MeadowLand Media, Inc. P. O. Box 196, Grubbs, AR 72431 870.503.1150 kthomas@eyeonmag.com PUBLISHER: Kimberlee Thomas Associate EDITOR: Kimberlee Thomas MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Thomas ADVERTISING: Kimberlee Thomas Creative Director : Joseph Thomas AD DESIGN Department: Kimberlee Thomas Joseph Thomas PROOFING Department: Joseph Thomas Kimberlee Thomas
Eye On Jackson 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 © 2013 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.
Staff PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kimberlee Thomas Joseph Thomas COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Cheryl Mauldin PRINTING COMPANY: Rockwell Publishing
Eye On
Jackson
Editor’s Note And June Walks In Joseph Thomas
A new month is upon us and time is flying ever faster past our watchful eyes as we wonder when we when it was we began standing still. We hope everyone is well and that you all stay that way. The pollen seems to have taken its toll on Kimberlee and Joseph Thomas everyone. Photo by Cheryl Mauldin Adrienne Freeman starts us off this month with my favorite...Ice Cream. Randy Chlapecka explains the Flag the Technology Program and Kimberlee brings us the Cover Story on Harris Hospital, as well as our oldest son’s wedding. I Feature the 63rd National Square Dance Convention® with Royce and Cathy Beesley and drop another installment of Notes from the Clearing. Caroline
Beauchamp brings us another update on Ruth. Our Faces and Things To Do will let you peek at what you might have missed recently and keep you informed on upcoming events. We will see you around town, but for now, enjoy your magazine. N Se r v ing Jacks o n Co unty Ove r 20 Ye ars ! A UTHORIZED D EA LER
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Mark Manning,
LUTCF
- Agent
1400 Malcolm Ave., Newport, AR 72112 MManning@Shelterinsurance.com ShelterInsurance.com 870-523-6514 - Phone 870-523-6743 - Fax
AUTO HOME LIFE
Great Tastes We All Scream For Ice Cream Adrienne Freeman
Ice cream is an American favorite to celebrate holidays and to cool down after an Arkansas’ sizzling summer day. According to icecream.com, a website maintained by Nestle Corporation, Americans lick and scoop their way through more ice cream than any other country, an average of 48 pints of ice cream per person annually! Researching ice cream’s invention on the internet, one finds that frozen treats, including fruit flavored ices, too, go back as far as the Persian Empire in 400 BC. But until the appearance of affordable and reliable refrigeration in the latter half of the 20th century, all frozen desserts were a treat for primarily the upper class. The transport and preservation of the ice itself was quite an expense. Dolly Madison pulled off a hostess homerun when she served ice cream at the 1913 inauguration of her husband, President James Madison. Records show that it wasn’t until 1834 that the first patent was approved for a small, home based, hand cranked ice cream freezer. Making the sweet treat at home is easier than ever. The basic recipe for ice cream is just cream, milk, sugar and vanilla (or other flavoring as desired.) Home freezers come in hand crank, electric crank, and containers filled with cooling gel that are pre-frozen and need no ice whatsoever are just a few examples. Rock salt added to the ice reduces the cooling point of the water to below zero, and the cranking, or manipulation, of the cream mixture maintains the products smooth and creamy texture, keeping it from forming uneven ice crystals. The recipes below aren’t that evolved – just a cool way to enjoy America’s celebrated love story with ice cream. Everyone enjoys watching the simple cream base being shaken in two ziptop bags for less than ten minutes for a rewarding make-it-yourself, eat-in-thebag treat.
container with a spout (this will help when filling the bag.) Stir until sugar or sweetener is fully dissolved and pour into quart size ziptop bag. Remove as much air as possible and seal. Insert cream filled bag into larger gallon size bag. Fill with ice, making sure ice surrounds the smaller bag. Sprinkle rock salt over the ice and seal the large bag. Using dishtowels to handle condensation shake bag for five to eight minutes until cream freezes. Discard ice and salt, wipe traces of salt from ice cream bag, top with desired toppings and eat! STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM PIE With Arkansas strawberries still in season, this refreshing pie takes advantage of the fresh fruit while using the convenience of store bought ice cream and pie crust. Ingredients 2 - 3 cups strawberries, halved and capped ½ cup sugar (add more to taste if desired) 1 prepared graham cracker crust pie crust 1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened 1 citrus zest, orange, lemon or lime Directions Place prepared strawberries in bowl, reserving about ½ cup for garnish. Sprinkle with sugar and set aside to macerate. Stir occasionally. In a large bowl mix together the softened ice cream with the citrus zest and strawberries with juices. Stir until berries are evenly distributed. Pour into pie crust. Freeze about 3 hours until firm. Serve each slice of pie with some of the reserved berries for garnish. N
INSTANT ICE CREAM IN A BAG This is a super recipe for the young and the young at heart. It’s educational, fun and delicious! Set up a simple topping bar, add spoons and eat right out of the bag! Ingredients ½ cup milk ½ cup heavy cream ¼ cup sugar (Splenda or other sweetener is fine) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 quart size ziptop bag 1 gallon size ziptop bag 3 – 4 cups ice ½ cup rock salt Directions Combine milk, cream, sugar and vanilla in a June 2014 | 7
County Extension News Flag the Technology Randy Chlapecka
Many of you may have noticed white, green, yellow or red flags conspicuously placed in crop fields over the past 3 years and wondered what the purpose was. These are all part of the Flag the Technology program. For those not familiar with the program, here’s how it works. Colored bicycle-type flags that represent a particular herbicide technology are placed at the field entrance or in conspicuous locations in the field visible from ground or air. The color of the flag represents the technology. Of course, the whole purpose of the program is to prevent applying the wrong herbicide to a field or applying a herbicide to a field when that herbicide could potentially damage an adjacent field when conditions are favorable for herbicide drift. Red signifies conventional varieties with no herbicide technology traits. White represents the Roundup Ready technology that is tolerant to glyphosate (Roundup) herbicide. Bright green indicates the Liberty Link technology. This technology is tolerant to Liberty herbicide. Bright yellow is the color chosen for Clearfield technology. This technology is tolerant to Newpath and Beyond herbicides. We have flags courtesy of the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board available at the Jackson County Extension Office for those wanting to participate in the program. These are available on a first come, first served basis at the Extension Office during normal business hours. A new way to utilize the program called the Flag the Technology Cloud has recently been introduced. FTTCloud is based on Google Maps and allows users to map out what crop technology they’re using on which fields. This new way to utilize the Flag the Technology program is basically being utilized on a trial basis this year. The ultimate goal is that at some point in time we can eliminate the need for physically placing flags in fields. FTTCloud can be found at https://fttcloud. uaex.edu. For more information, feel free to contact me at the Jackson County Office of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service at 523-7450 or by e-mail at rchlapecka@uaex.edu. N
8 | www.eyeonmag.com
Naunee’s Thoughts
Kimberlee Thomas Summer is finally here. The children are out of school, or will be shortly thanks to all those added snow days, and will soon be complaining that they are BORED! Whatever shall we do? How about spending the month of June celebrating all the bizarre and unique holidays that fall within the thirty days that comprise this first month of summer! First we can pick which monthly holiday we want to celebrate, and there are plenty. They include: Aquarium Month, Candy Month, Dairy Month, Fight the Filthy Fly Month, Gay Pride Month, National Accordion Awareness Month, National Adopt a Cat Month, National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, Rose Month, and Turkey Lover Month. The last ones seems a bit out of place to me. I’m thinking November might be a better fit. The first week of the month gives us a great excuse to grab our fishing buddies and get outside, it’s National Fishing Week. The second week of June brings us back inside as we celebrate National Email Week. I might have to celebrate Email week by stretching that first week of fishing right on through the middle of the month. If that is not enough celebrating and recognizing for you, there are actually special and wacky days throughout the month that you can choose from. June 1 – Dare Day and Flip a Coin Day / June 2 - National Bubba Day and National Rocky Road Day / June 3 – Repeat Day / June 4 – Applesauce Cake Day, Hug Your Cat Day, and Old Maid’s Day / June 5 – World Environment Day / June 6 – National Doughnut Day,
National Gardening Exercise Day, and National Yo-Yo Day / June 7 – National Chocolate Ice Cream Day / June – 8 Best Friends Day and Name Your Poison Day / June – 9 Donald Duck Day / June 10 – Iced Tea Day / June 12 – Red Rose Day / June 13 – Blame Someone Else Day, Sewing Machine Day, and Friday the 13th / June 14 – Flag Day and World Juggler’s Day / June 15 – Father’s Day and Smile Power Day / June 16 – Fresh Veggies Day / June 17 – Eat Your Vegetables Day / June 18 – Go Fishing Day, International Panic Day, and National Splurge Day / June 19 – World Sauntering Day / June 20 – Ice Cream Soda Day and Take Your Dog to Work Day / June 21 – Go Skate Day, Summer Solstice, National Hollerin’ Contest Day / June 22 – National Chocolate Éclair Day / June 23 – National Columnists Day and National Pink Day / June 24 – Swim a Lap Day / June 25 – Log Cabin Day and National Catfish Day / June 26 – Beautician’s Day and Forgiveness Day / June 27 – Sun Glasses Day / June 28 – Insurance Awareness Day and Paul Bunyan Day / June 29 – Camera Day, Hug Holiday, and Waffle Iron Day / June 30 - Meteor Day. Whew! No time for boredom here! Mark your calendar and grab up your party supplies there is a ton of stuff to celebrate this month! Oh, and Happy Birthday if you happen to have one of those to add to this crazy list. Check out www.holidayinsights.com for more monthly holiday information. N
June 2014 | 9
Eye On Cover Story The Real Harris Hospital of 2014 / A Story of Transformation Kimberlee Thomas
As I ponder just how much my life has changed in the last twenty-five years since I had my first child, I am amazed at how my perspective and priorities have also evolved. So many things that once seemed important now seem trivial or ordinary because they have been replaced by concerns I could not have fathomed so many years ago. One of those new concerns is quality health care close to home. In my twenties and early thirties my biggest health care concerns were pregnancy and the random ER visits associated with having two rowdy children. My first child was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and my second was born right here at Harris Hospital and has seen the inside of the ER on a couple of occasions. Three years ago I stood at my mother’s side in Shawnee, Oklahoma and witnessed the damage a stroke can cause. I also witnessed the power of quality health care in a rural setting. I am proud to say she has fully recovered. Today my mind is flooded with all kinds of health care concerns; heart attacks, strokes, mammograms, cholesterol, diabetes, and the list goes on! I am sure I am not alone in pondering all these new concerns. So I am excited that while much has changed in my life, much has also changed at Harris Hospital. Today’s Harris Hospital stands looking ahead into a bright future for health care in the Jackson County community. The hospital has had a long history of providing patient care since being established by Dr. M.L. Harris in 1947. The original hospital located on 3rd Street had only 36 beds. In November of 1965, Dr. Haymond Harris moved the hospital to the existing hospital building on McLain Street where is continues to serve residents today. The past three years have seen a tremendous evolution at the hospital. With the arrival of present CEO, Robert Rupp, came significant progress in terms of quality patient care. When Rupp took leadership in 2011, he made patient experience and safety his primary focus and it remains number one on his agenda today. “Throughout the hospital’s history, the focus has always been to meet the health care needs of our community by providing quality medical care they deserve. We have expanded this philosophy and made it our goal for this organization to be the greatest little community hospital in the State of Arkansas,” says Robert Rupp. Rupp hit the ground running in his first two years at Harris Hospital. He has successfully created a revolutionary focus on the mission, which is to provide safe, quality care for patients. “My role is to improve the health of our community by managing the resources entrusted to me. With all the challenges and sweeping changes we are facing in healthcare today, it can be easy to lose focus of our mission…our patients. But I try to keep our leadership team, physicians and employees 10 | www.eyeonmag.com
focused on sticking to the basics of patient care,” Rupp explained. “Take care of the people and the people will take care of the mission.” Rupp says that his key mission is to focus on his staff. “I need to ensure they have the tools and equipment they need to do their jobs every day. Having happy employees who are engaged and take pride in what they do and where they work will ensure we provide safe, quality care for our patients. Mission first; people always.” Rupp’s underlying philosophy is that without the people the organization absolutely could not accomplish its mission. And the mission has been accomplished! Evidence of this has been numerous awards, achievements and recognition by nationally recognized and respected healthcare organizations in the past two years. You may have heard that in 2013, the hospital was awarded the Joint Commission Top Performer award from ratings that were based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the 2012 calendar year. Just the fact that a hospital has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for accreditation is a distinction that assures compliance with standards for health care quality and safety. The hospital undergoes rigorous unannounced on-site surveys to maintain this voluntary accreditation that is proof in itself of the hospital’s commitment to standards of care. Surveyors evaluate for needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management. “In achieving Joint Commission accreditation, Harris Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients,” says Mark Pelletier, R.N., M.S., executive director, Hospital Programs, Accreditation and Certification Services, The Joint Commission. “Accreditation is a voluntary process and I commend Harris Hospital for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.” Robert Rupp was also quick to point out that, “With Joint Commission accreditation,
we are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down. Joint Commission accreditation provides us a framework to take our organization to the next level and helps create a culture of excellence.” The hospital’s 2013 recognition as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures was based on exemplary performance in using evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions. These conditions included heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care. Since this particular Joint Commission award was only given to 13 hospitals in the state of Arkansas, Rupp is confident that his vision of excellence is being realized. “Harris Hospital’s first priority is providing patients with high quality, safe and effective care through proven practices that improve outcomes and the patient experience. We are proud to be named to The Joint Commission’s list of Top Performers. The credit goes to our medical staff, employees and volunteers whose hard work every day make this possible,” said Robert Rupp. Another recent addition to the hospital is Rebecca Pearrow, who joined the team in 2012 as Director of Marketing. “In any career move, a wise professional will do their due diligence and research facts about a potential new employer. So before even considering coming on board with Harris Hospital, I conducted my own evaluation of the current state of quality, safety and patient satisfaction measures to assess what exactly I had to work with. Delivery of patient care and quality
of that service delivery is the most basic product of a healthcare facility. Without that foundation in place, any marketing and business development endeavor would be futile. One resource I used was Hospital Compare and found that Harris Hospital ranked very favorable with HCAHP scores equal or higher to other local hospitals and against national norms.” It is noted that the most recent report on this particular site ranks the Emergency Department wait times dramatically lower than state and national averages as well as other hospitals in the area. Rupp points out, “This a result of processes put in place between 2011 and 2012 that allowed us to effectively launch the 30-Minute ER Service Pledge. This assures patients that we are dedicated not only to offering the best quality care, but also to providing that care as efficiently and quickly as possible. The fact that we have four ER physicians who are specially board certified in emergency medicine as well as our Trauma Level IV designation is an exceptional achievement for a rural hospital.” Pearrow believes this service pledge distinguishes Harris Hospital from other health care providers in the area and underlines the commitment to the people who live and work in the Newport community. Pearrow also noted additional evidence of today’s Harris Hospital with recognition from many other notable regulatory organizations. “Most recently the Arkansas Foundation for Medical The real harris hospital continues on page 22
June 2014 | 11
Seniors, can we talk? Poor Ruth
Caroline Beauchamp Ruth has now received the money from Bob’s life insurance policy. Now what does she do? Ruth gave me a big hug and told me she didn’t know what she would have done without Bob’s critical illness and long term care policies. These policies protected the monies and assets they had saved so she would not be in a financial crisis, if he died first. With all the thoughtful and caring plans Bob had made to help Ruth, he did one huge disservice. Ruth has never written a check. She has never filled out a check and doesn’t know how to. She always paid cash and never used a credit card. Ruth didn’t know what bills were being paid on bank draft. How do you balance a checkbook? How long should she keep bank records? Will their banker be willing to help her as a “valued, appreciated customer” or treat her as a “bank depositor”? Since Ruth has a lot of basic questions and concerns, she visited Shirley, the banker Bob used. Shirley walked her through all her questions. Now Ruth knows her utilities are being paid on bank drafts. She knows how to write a check and balance her checkbook. She knows to keep bank records seven years. Most importantly, Ruth knows she has a friendly banker who cares about her when she needs help. (Bob had always preferred a small, local bank. Now Ruth understands why.) Her banker then referred her to the bank’s investment advisor, Rick. Rick listened to her, asked questions and then they talked about investment options. How much “risk” is she willing to take or can she afford to take? Ruth knew nothing about investments and only knew a little about savings accounts. Rick showed her various investment options that fit Ruth’s “risk tolerance.” She was thrilled to meet Rick who was not only knowledgeable but sincerely cared about her and her future. Even though Ruth was initially reluctant to open up and tell Rick about all her assets and liabilities, she was glad she did and was totally honest when she confided in him. Ruth now has to decide what to do with the life insurance monies she received. She knows what her monthly financial needs are. Ruth knows how much
is needed to replace Bob’s Social Security check and retirement check that has reduced. She is now familiar with investments that she’s comfortable with and are not too risky. She was honest about her feelings and knows she is not willing to take much risk even though that means she may not earn as much. Now she knows what decisions she needs to make. Based on the extension financial plan Rick prepared for her, Ruth is comfortable making those decisions. Someone told Ruth that 92% of all heirs spend 100% of their inheritance in 19 months! Can that be right? Ruth certainly does not want to be one of those! Do you? Want to talk? call me at 870-523-6771 and say “Caroline, can we talk?” N
Its okay...We’ll let you play too! Join in on the fun of Eye On! kthomas@eyeonmag.com 870-503-1150 We are word of mouth for your eyes! 12 | www.eyeonmag.com
June 2 - Newport Bingo June 3 - Jewelry R Us – Auxiliary fundraiser June 5 - AARP presentation – Bald Knob Sr. Center June 9 – 20 MASH program June 23- Bingo – Tuckerman Sr. Center June 24 - Supper Club – KFC June 26 - Movie Day June 27 - Bingo – Bald Knob Sr. Center June 30 - Lunch N Learn For more information, contact Margaret Goodman, Senior Circle Advisor and Volunteer Coordinator for Harris Hospital at 870-512-3030. N
Faces
o! o t e r he e r e w ag.com u o y h s i onm w e u! y o e e y r W mas@ 0 fo . . . o o 5 d h kt 503-11 at we 870- us do wh Let
We are always looking for more local FACES for Eye On Jackson. We learn about and attend more events as we go, but if you have any candid photos you’d like to submit for our FACES, email us your JPEGs with a description of who , what, when and where. We love to show off our FACES!
kthomas@eyeonmag.com
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June 2014 | 13
PRACTICE SAFE SUN
I See You!
The sun is the #1 cause of premature signs of aging a n d t h e r i s k o f s k i n c a n c e r. W e a r s u n s c r e e n d a i l y, a n d w h e n y o u w a n t t o g l o w, m a k e i t f a u x!
in the pages of
EYE ON JACKSON and EYE ON INDEPENDENCE
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M & P Bank Expands
Tara Salinas M&P Community Bancshares, holding company of Merchants & Planters Bank and M&P Insurance & Investment Services, proudly announces the expansion of their secondary mortgage department into the Searcy market. Merchants & Planters Mortgage Lending opened its doors at 904 East Race Street in Searcy on Monday, February 3, 2014, and is currently serving the residential lending needs of consumers by offering long term fixed rate loans for home purchase and refinance transactions. These
loans include USDA RD, FHA, VA, and conventional financing. Expanding the footprint has always been a goal of Merchants & Planters Mortgage, and the time and conditions in Searcy were right. “Our mission is to become the mortgage lender of choice by offering competitive loan products and superior customer service,” states Jerry Henderson, Vice President of Mortgage Lending. “We are looking forward to serving our newest community.” The new location hosts a familiar face, Tammara Pettit Magness, a life-long Searcy resident. Tammara has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the office and will be originating all of our real estate loans in the Searcy area. After graduating from Searcy High School, she attended Arkansas State University and began her lending career in 1999. She is a home-town enthusiast and is active in numerous clubs and community organizations. Tammara’s hobbies include, playing piano, guitar, archery
hunting, fishing and spending time outdoors with her three children, Christopher, Kierstin and McKenzie. “I am honored and excited to join the Merchants and Planters Family. I am proud of my hometown and am looking forward to helping everyone here and in the surrounding areas with their mortgage lending needs,” states Tammara. Tammara is currently available full-time at the Searcy Office of Merchants and Planters Mortgage Lending, 904 East Race Street. You may also reach her at tmagness@ mandpbank.com or by phone at 501 380-8424. M&P Community Bancshares, Inc. currently has assets exceeding $250 million and is the holding company for Merchants and Planters Bank and Merchant and Planters Insurance and Investment Services. Merchants and Planters Bank has offices serving the communities of Batesville, Southside, Newport, Tuckerman, Swifton, Newark, McCrory and Des Arc. www. mandpbank.com. N
Newport Chamber News Our Newest New Vision!
Julie Allen, Chamber of Commerce Director A graduation dinner honoring the 2013-2014 New Vision Newport graduates was held last month at the Newport Country Club. Sponsors, past graduates and the general public were in attendance to congratulate the following class members who committed their time to the nine-month leadership development program: Lisa Banks, Wal-Mart; DeAnna Bowers, Jackson County Learning Center; Josh Brandt, Merchants & Planters Bank; Chris Clark, Farmers Electric Cooperative; Scott Cooper, George Kell Motors; Jarrod Eddington, Eddington Contruction; Bo Ellis, Jacksonport State Park; Jessie Emery, Harris Ford; Sherrie Hanley, Lindley Health & Rehab; Brittany Johnston, Purdy’s Flowers & Gifts; Ryan Lloyd, Highway Church; Lindsey McClellan, City of Newport; Sara Michael, ASU-Newport; Dallas Neal, Acxiom; Jorge Salinas, Newport Country Club; Sam Smith, Arkansas Steel Associates; Tristan Sweatt, Newport High School (student); Tim Watson, Jr., Watson & Watson; and Jessica Whitten, Harris Hospital. In addition to the monthly sessions, the class was assigned to one of three community projects in conjunction with a partner organization. With their hard work, the following projects have been completed or will be completed in the coming weeks: * Preservation of a well found underneath the Wishon building on the corner of Front and Hazel Streets in downtown Newport. The team is in the process of installing a fountain, concrete pad and stone wall around the well using a grant from Sears Hometown Store and funds raised locally. The partner organization was the Downtown Revitalization and Improvement Volunteer Effort. * Completion of a Merchants in May event to promote local businesses in partnership with the
Newport Area Chamber of Commerce. This team had dozens of participating businesses showcasing their products or services at the Village Mall parking lot on May 31. The event included food and activities for children and was free for the businesses. * Addressing old or damaged signs at businesses in Newport. Partnering with Keep Newport Beautiful, this team secured commitments from many local businesses who will either have their signs removed by the city or will apply for a ReNewport Grant through the Newport Economic Development Commission for a new sign. We are very proud of these accomplishments by a great group of people! New Vision Newport is an adult leadership development program of the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce. It offer class members leadership skills, a greater knowledge of various aspects of our community, on-site visits to local businesses and manufacturers, a trip to Little Rock, team building and relationship building skills. The goal of participants is to gain selfconfidence, to achieve personal goals and to be a better and more productive citizen in the workplace and the community. N
The 2013 - 2014 New Vision Newport class celebrated their time and achievements in a graduation dinner May 6 at the Newport Country Club. Photo submitted by Mark Ballard.
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Eye On Feature The 63rd National Square Dance Convention® Joseph Thomas
Royce Beesley was born and raised in southwest Kansas and relocated to Arkansas twenty-five years ago. His wife of four years, Cathy, tried and tried to get him to try Square Dancing. Royce was very reluctant and quickly declined. He took her to dances on weekends because she enjoyed it so much, but it wasn’t for him. He noticed, however, there was a gentleman (Homer Smith), who was easily fifteen years older, dancing every dance and getting around better than he was. “I work at the Steel Mill and have a slipped disc in my back, but this guy had me wondering about the health benefits of dancing,” admits Royce. “I researched online and discovered that Square Dancing can add ten years to your life.” There are obvious physical benefits, but there is also a mental skill needed to decipher calls. “Now I’m having fun with it,” admits Royce, “but, there at first I told her ‘not no, but heck no.’” Cathy began dancing in 2002 in Judsonia and Heber Springs. She comes from Walnut Ridge, Arkansas and you can see it in her grin that she loves even talking about dancing. Cathy credits Lura Wade, the General Chairman of the National Square Dance Convention®, for actually getting Royce up and dancing, “We were in Batesville dancing. You need eight people to make a square and we were short one. Lura told Royce, ‘If you don’t dance, we don’t dance.’” Royce joined the square and hasn’t looked back. He was worried about breaking a square with a misstep, but Cathy says that is part of the fun. The Beesleys attended a meeting in Little Rock four years ago, with Wayne and Lura Wade, about the 63rd National Square Dance Convention®. Wayne Wade, a Newport native, asked Royce what he could do to help. “I was new to Square Dancing,” says Royce, “and didn’t know nothing about nothing. I told Wayne ‘whatever you need.’” Wayne is the General Chairman and asked Royce if he would take over social and special events. Royce agreed and he and Cathy were flown out to the pre-convention in Spokane, Washington as the Social and Special Events Chairman. While at the preconvention, finding out the Assistant General Chairman had to step down, Royce was asked to step up. Again, Royce agreed and he and Cathy were flown to Detroit, Michigan for the 2011 60th National Square Dance Convention® as Assistant General Chairman. Royce says it has been fun speaking at the national conventions and representing Arkansas in full regalia. The couple attended the 2012 nationals in Spokane, Washington and the 2013 nationals in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Royce has put in many hours helping to get this years national convention together and Royce and Cathy both have had a blast dancing all over the country. Since 2010 the couple has danced in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan, 16 | www.eyeonmag.com
Washington and Massachusetts. The Beesleys are excited about the 63rd National Square Dance Convention®, which is actually international. “We have people coming in from all over the world,” says Royce. The 63rd National Square Dance Convention® is a convening or gathering of a large number of dedicated square dancers, round dancers, Contra dancers, cloggers, folk dancers, country western dancers, callers, cuers, leaders, organizational officers, and suppliers, at a convenient location for the purpose of discussing common objectives, exchanging ideas, trying out new techniques and dancing together. All aspects of the total square dance movement are normally present at the National Square Dance Convention®. Royce explained, “From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. there is something going on. Ronnie McDowell will be the Wednesday night entertainment, we have tours to Graceland, the Crater of Diamonds and a tour of Little Rock. We try to have something for everyone. This has been an exciting culmination of five years of work to bring this to Arkansas.” Dancers can register for the convention and we welcome visitors to come by and get a visitor’s Pass for $5 so they can attend most functions, but not dance. There are sewing classes, educational classes and much more. The Parade of States will parade in front of the Marriott and end at the Robinson Music Hall. The Beesleys are interested in revitalizing Square Dancing in Jackson County and would love to hear from anyone who would like to be involved. You can call them at 870-503-2674 or email them at asstgeneralchairman@63nsdc.com. N
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June 2014 | 17
I Do Do
Gates-Edwards Wedding Kimberlee Thomas
Laura Elizabeth Gates and Danny Coleton Isaiah Edwards met for the first time in 2009. “I was fourteen and he was sixteen and had just gotten his driver’s license,” recalls Laura. The couple had many friends in common even though they attended different schools. “He was my first boyfriend and I knew I was head over heels about him.” The couple dated for a little over a year and then decided they were just as happy being friends and both wanted the freedom to experience high school and being teenagers without the drama of being in a relationship. Laura shared, “We never did stop hanging out. We told each other everything, sharing the ups and downs of our daily lives and high school with each other. We have always been best-friends.” In February of 2013, after spending three years being just friends, Coleton once again asked Laura to be his girlfriend. “I was a little nervous that it might ruin our friendship. But I thank God every day that I said yes.” October rolled around and with it deer season. Both Laura and Coleton enjoy hunting and were taking advantage of a free afternoon to try their luck at a big buck. As the afternoon slipped away into evening the two sat quietly perched high above the ground in Coleton’s tree stand watching the sun go down. Laura recalls, “All at once he turned
to me and asked, ‘Do you love me?’ I looked at him real funny and said yes, now be quite you’re going to scare the deer.” It wasn’t long before Coleton broke the silence once more, “I remember how nervous he looked and then he asked, ‘Will you marry me?’ I was so shocked and so excited at the same time.” Her answer was “yes” three times over. She recalls being overwhelmed with excitement, “I told him I can’t be quite anymore we’ve got to get down so I can call everyone. The moment was absolutely perfect and so romantic.” The couple married on March 8, 2014 at Sunset Ridge Retreat in Judsonia. Family friend and Jackson County Judge, Jeff Phillips presided over the double ring ceremony. Coleton’s sister, Lindsay Wolf, served as Laura’s matron of honor and Hailey Clark served as her bridesmaid. Chance Daniels, cousin of the groom, stood as Best Man and Hunter Wolf served as his groomsman. Aubry Daniels and Lucy King, niece of the groom, served as flower girls. Will Massey, brother of bride, and Gage Wolf, nephew of the groom, served as ring bearers. Zedden Thomas, brother of groom, along with Cody and Justin Gates, cousins of the bride, served as ushers. Cousins of the bride, Graham Adams and Ben Nelson, were on hand with programs for family and friends. Lindsay sang “I Won’t Give Up” while the couple poured sand into a frame holding their engagement photo. Tresa Elms with Imaginations Events coordinated the entire affair from the rehearsal dinner catered by Natalie’s Café & Catering, to the flowers and decorations for the wedding and the reception that followed catered by Elizabeth’s Restaurant. Tresa and her staff turned the open venue hall into a stunning back drop for the event. Danny Dozier of Batesville was on hand to ensure the music for their special day was perfect. Divine Studios
captured every special moment providing lasting memories of the day. “Everything about the wedding was perfect. It was everything I wanted,” shared Laura. The reception was held directly following the ceremony. Family and friends gathered to celebrate with punch, cake and heavy horderves. Lana Zirbel of Waldenburg designed the wedding and groom’s cake from images the couple had shared with her. The traditional bouquet and garter toss were shared along with the couple’s first dance. Laura shared, “The song choice for our first dance as husband and wife was an easy one for us, ‘You Had Me From Hello’ by Kenny Chesney says it all.” The couple honeymooned in Hot Springs before returning home. “As we were leaving for our honeymoon, Coleton told me, ‘I love you and I am so happy I married you.’ I got butterflies in my stomach and I knew right then that we had made the right decision,” Laura shared. Laura is employed at Under the Rainbow Daycare and Coleton is an employee at Eagle Lake Farms. The couple recently purchased their first home they share with their lab, Drake. The two agree they are happy to call Tuckerman home as they anxiously await the arrival of their little Natalee Hope this September. N Divine Studios Photography
Toll Free: (800) 250-3664 Sales & Service: (870) 523-2792 501 Hwy 367 North Newport, AR 72112 Visit us today, and test drive one of our new or used cars, trucks or SUVs, and see how easy it is to buy from George Kell Motors.
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201 Hazel, Newport 870-523-1009
Notes from the Clearing Compute Joseph Thomas
Processing the data in the overexposed mind, the overblown tender tissue in need of rest. Pushing ever onward even behind closed eyes ever dreaming, creating the landscape we fly above as reality unfolds around us like the blanket of the night encasing the chance that the world is what we make it. And so we make it. N
Everyone’s Looking! in the pages of
EYE ON JACKSON and EYE ON INDEPENDENCE!
email kthomas@eyeonmag .com or call Kimberlee at (870) 503-1150 20 | www.eyeonmag.com
Happy Father’s Day
Things To Do The Jackson County Humane Society is in need of the following supplies: water buckets, dog houses, Clorox, laundry detergent, paper towels and blankets (without backing). Items can be dropped off at the Newport Area Chamber office at 201 Hazel Street. 33rd Annual Portfest Mark your calendar for the 33rd Annual Portfest Festival on June 6-7 at Jacksonport State Park. For the most up-to-date information and announcements, like Portfest Festival on Facebook or find us on Twitter @ portfest. For entry forms, a schedule of events and ticket outlet locations, go to www.portfest.org. Summer Camp ASU-Newport Summer Camps get underway June 9-13 with Drama Camp for students entering grades 4-6. Participate in activities leading up to a theatrical production, including costume and prop design, makeup application and play production. Discovery Camp is set for June 16-20 on the Newport campus, and is also
designed for students entering grades 4-6. It will focus on activities related to the STEM courses of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Students will also explore health professions, arts, foreign languages, graphic design, renewable energy and history. Camps will run from 8 to 11:30 a.m. each day, and the fee for each camp is $75 for the first child and $25 for each additional child from the same household. Call 870-512-7844 for more info. Registration forms may also be obtained by emailing Debbie Snetzer at Debbie_Snetzer@asun.edu. The registration deadline is June 1. Newcomers Salad Luncheon Newcomers Club will host a Salad Luncheon on Tuesday, June 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the First United Methodist Church fellowship hall. Pioneer Days Day Camp June 25 -27 from 9 a.m. to noon at Jacksonport State Park. Call the park at 870-523-2143 or email jacksonport@arkansas.com . N
Family Medicine Cardiology
Roddy Lochala, DO • Matthew Jackson, MD • Matthew Haustein, MD
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NEA Baptist Clinic Brings Heart Care to Newport Danial Reed
NEA Baptist Clinic continues its expansion into regional communities by adding cardiology care at its new NEA Baptist Clinic family practice location in Newport. Dr. Matt Haustein, will see patients at the Newport clinic on a regular basis while also continuing his practice in Jonesboro. Dr. Haustein is a comprehensive general cardiologist that treats all cardiac conditions and specializes in interventional (non-surgical) cardiac procedures to treat and prevent heart attacks. Dr. Haustein obtained a medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, Arkansas. He went on to complete a residency in internal medicine at UAMS, followed by a fellowship in Cardiology. Dr. Haustein continued his training at Albany Medical College in Albany, New
Family Medicine Newport Family Medicine
York where he completed a fellowship in Interventional Cardiology. He is board certified in InternalNewport Medicine. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Family Haustein at NEA Baptist Clinic Newport, located at 1500 McLain Medicine Street, please call 870-523-9337. NEA Baptist Clinic is the largest and most comprehensive physician-led and professionally managed multi-specialty group practice in the region. NEA Baptist Clinic is made up of over 100 physicians providing care in more than 35 medical specialties. The mission of NEA Baptist Clinic is to provide comprehensive, personalized, quality healthcare for patients throughout the Northeast Arkansas region. For more information on NEA Baptist Clinic, visit www. neabaptistclinic.com. N
June 2014 | 21
The real harris hospital continued from page 11
Care saluted our OB department and physicians with the Early Elective Delivery Improvement Award. We have also earned recognition by meeting the requirements for bonus payments or recognition under the Arkansas Medicaid Inpatient Quality Incentive (IQI) program.” Harris Hospital is one of 27 Arkansas hospitals to earn statewide recognition for improving care for care coordination, obstetrics, venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, and prevention of surgical infection. The requirements included meeting specific goals for at least 80 percent of the eligible 8 quality measures, which are specific aspects of care proven to improve outcomes for patients. The hospitals also had to pass validation to receive payment or recognition. “Levels of achievement are based on hospital data submitted to the QualityNet Clinical Warehouse, which is a national repository that stores information about quality of care and the Arkansas Medicaid Reporting and Abstraction Tool (AMART),” says Pearrow. When questioned about various reporting models, Pearrow explained by saying, “We are in an awkward and somewhat tricky phase in terms of how hospitals are evaluated. Various reports like Hospital Compare, the Joint Commission, Leapfrog or even hospitals themselves all have different methodologies. Performance management in health care is in the early stages and the industry has not all agreed on a consistent and valid evaluating system. No single measure captures all the dimensions of hospital safety. A hospital may be ranked very low from one source while simultaneously scoring favorably on another. If a rogue report generates scores based on data that is usually suppressed according to low volume, that can inaccurately skew the findings. This can be confusing and misleading to patients as consumers.” So Pearrow recommends the following in considering a quality check of a hospital, look for one that: Has the best experience for your condition. Continuously checks and improves the quality of its care. Performs well on measures of quality, as published in Hospital Compare, Joint Commission or others that are nationally respected by the health care industry. Participates in Medicare, accepts your Medicare Advantage Plans or is covered by your insurance health plan. Meets your needs in terms of location and other factors like visiting hours or amenities. As Rupp reiterated, the hospital is in a pattern of continuous improvement and progress. To ensure that his vision continues, the hospital participates in the Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) program, which operates under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The HEN focuses on improving care in eleven areas and lowering preventable readmissions. The hospital’s participation accelerates improvement and patients are benefited every day from implementation of best practices. Another initiative that promotes continuous quality and safety is the facility wide Highly Reliable Organization (HRO), which is a culture of safety that began back in early 2013. 22 | www.eyeonmag.com
“Every day starts with a safety huddle within every department, and every meeting begins with a safety moment so that it is always in focus,” says Rupp. It becomes clear that the Harris Hospital of 2014 has a clear objective with a bright future. As a cornerstone of this region, Harris Hospital provides valuable community contributions and benefits. In 2013 the hospital had 9,732 Emergency Room visits, 28,266 outpatient visits, 363 births, 1,322 surgeries and 1,935 inpatient admissions. It takes about 200 employed positions to provide these necessary services with salaries and benefits of $11,972,520. $1,070,688 was paid in property, city and county taxes. Additionally, the hospital provided $7,525,709 in uncompensated charity care to residents who were in need of services. These contributions were recognized in 2013 as a first time award winner of “Large Business of the Year” by the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce. Robert Rupp’s 2013 election to the Arkansas Hospital Association’s board of directors will assist with resources, education and up-to-date information on the changing landscape of healthcare to help this dynamic CEO continue to tackle issues that are most important to the facility. The Harris Hospital of today is one of dedication to dependable, efficient and safe hometown health care. So as we continue to evolve in our own lives it is reassuring to know that the concern of quality health care close to home is one that we can check off the list. N
NEW
793-3303 755 St. Louis Street Batesville
Support Our Advertisers Batesville Spine & Health Solutions----- 3 Bradford’s Auto Sales, Inc.--------------- 17 Dairy Queen-------------------------------- 22 D & D Collision and Repair--------------- 17 Debra Thompson, CPA------------------- 17 Eagle Pest---------------------------------- 17 ENG Lending------------------------------ 5 George Kell Motors, Inc------------------ 19 Harris Hospital---------------------------- 2 H & R Block Tax Services----------------- 3 Jim’s Furniture---------------------------- 17 Kent’s Firestone--------------------------- 6 Lindley Health & Rehab Center, LLC--- 8 Living Spaces-------------------------------9 Merchants and Planters Bank------------ 3 Modern Woodmen------------------------ 17 NEA Baptist Clinic------------------------ 9 N E D C------------------------------------- 20 Newark Furniture, Flowers and More-- 14 Newport Cable 15-------------------------- 17 Newport Construction-------------------- 6 Purdy’s Flowers and Gifts---------------- 6 Shelter Insurance-------------------------- 6 Something Extra--------------------------- 14 Southern Tire Mart------------------------ 12 St. Michael’s Place------------------------- 24 Studio 1910 Photography----------------- 11 T-L Irrigation Company------------------ 8 Welcome To Jackson---------------------- 17
County Economic Report The Leadership Key!
Jon Chadwell, Economic Development Director How important is leadership to a community? Most people would say that good leadership is vital to the success and growth of any community. Yet, in a community there are so many leadership positions that it can be a challenge to find leaders, who are willing to work with each other, pull for the best of the community and understand issues outside of their specific area of influence. You don’t have to look very far to find communities in America that are not functioning with effective leadership. Maybe county administration is fighting with city administration. Perhaps the Chamber and the Economic Development Organization are unable to cooperate on projects. Sometimes law enforcement can be at odds with community neighborhood leaders. And the list can go on and on. Read statewide papers about Quorum Courts and City Councils with members at odds with each other and you began to realize that many communities struggle with leadership issues. Now, look at Newport and Jackson County. Leadership from the County to the City, from Economic Development to the Chamber, from civic organizations to neighborhood groups, all pull together for any project that will benefit the citizens of the area. Even when there are differences of opinion, rather than fighting and making issues personal, leaders get together and discuss the issue and either find a compromise or find a consensus solution that is even better than the first one imagined. A high level of personal respect exists among the leadership. Quorum Court members and City Council members work together and look toward positive solutions rather than using divisive issues to keep things in turmoil. Newport and Jackson County are very blessed to have
great leadership throughout the community. Not willing to just sit back and take a chance that future leadership will be as good as our current leadership, the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce started the New Vision Newport program to help develop new leaders for the community. With over 200 alumni who have served on a multitude of civic organizations, been elected to Quorum Court, City Council, County Judge, School Board and more and who are developing new community groups to deal with problems, New Vision Newport has made a huge difference in Newport and Jackson County. Would you like to be part of the leadership team that helps take this community into its bright future? One of the best ways to find your niche and to gain the information and skills to help you become an effective community leader is to join the next New Vision Newport class. Applications for the 2014 – 2015 class will be accepted in July and August with the class starting in September. Not only will you learn more about the community, you will also make twenty new friends that will be great resources for you in the future. Leadership is the key for any community. And the leadership in Newport and Jackson County is opening the door to our bright future! Why don’t you join the team and see how far you can help take us? N
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