March 2014
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Helping Hands Eleanore Tebbetts ‘ Time in Tinseltown Bob and Judy Pest / The 13th Annual Ozark Foothills FilmFest A Publication of Meadowland Media, Inc.
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In This Issue 6/ Editor’s Note Busy Being
9 /Lyon News
Pastor shows no sign of slowing service in retirement
11/ The Myopic Life
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Hands
12/ Cover Story
A Dynamic Duo
14/ Feature
Eleanore Tebbetts’ Time in Tinseltown
18/ I Do
Williams-Harris Wedding
20/ Smith’s Verdict ***1/2 Safety Not Guaranteed
23/ Tales Of a Transplanted Fashionista Roscoe
24/ Things To Do 25/ Notes from the Clearing One of Those Days
26/ Faces 32/ Experiencing God in the Everyday One Another
33/ Batesville Area Arts Council 34/ Downtown Guide
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Cover Photography by Robert O. Seat Cover Design by Joseph Thomas
Meet Your Writers... Chad Grigsby is a 32 year old native of Tennessee but now calls Arkansas home. He is the Pastor for Teaching & Shepherding at the Compass Church. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. He is married to Jessica and they have one son, Ezra.
Leigh Keller is a high school guidance counselor and colorguard instructor at Batesville High School. She is the director of the BHS Glass Slipper Project. Leigh lives in Batesville with her son, Cole, and a pack of dogs.
Alisa R. Lancaster is an advanced practice nurse for the U of A Medical Sciences North Central. She has been in healthcare since 1983, the last 18 years with the UAMS system. Alisa and husband, Scott, have four children, two grandchildren, and two spoiled puppies. Alisa’s mission is to improve the health and wellness of others through education and practice. She welcomes feedback or comments at AlisaAPRN@gmail.com or 870.698.1023 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.
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. 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 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.
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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 Busy Being
Joseph Thomas Well, we have been busy with an upcoming wedding for our oldest son, Coleton Edwards and his lovely bride to be, Laura Gates. We are also remodeling a bathroom, so between Joseph and Kimberlee Thomas crawling under the house to change plumbing, running to and fro and attending all the great events we could in the area, February was a blur. Please read on to find Hannah Keller’s articles about all things Lyon and Pastor William Branch. Kristi Price engages our thoughts on Hands, Chad Grigsby discusses the One Another ethic and Leigh Keller remembers Roscoe. Tanner Smith reviews Safety Not Guaranteed while we talk Ozark Foothills FilmFest, WRMC upgrades, Citizen Bank contributions and so much more. Hannah Keller features Eleanore “Nell” Tebbetts and her adventures in Hollywood! We cover Bob and Judy Pest and what we can look forward to in the upcoming filmfest. Find us at www.eyeonmag.com and look for us on facebook...oh, and please enjoy. N
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Pastor shows no sign of slowing service in retirement Hannah Keller
William “Bill” Branch believes the road that led him to Arkansas and eventually Lyon College was guided by providence. Branch had served as pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Victoria, Texas for 25 years when a parish associate in the congregation needed to attend training to become an interim pastor. In support of one of his flock, Branch offered to attend the training as well. While there, Branch met a fellow student from his seminary school, Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Va., who was now living in Arkansas. “It wasn’t long after that I was contacted and asked to be an interim for the church he attended,” Branch said. “But after talking it over with the leaders of the church, we just decided it wouldn’t be a good fit for me to come there.” Branch’s former classmate wasn’t giving up on bringing him to Arkansas, though. He recommended Branch to a search committee that was looking for a new general presbyter for the Presbytery of Arkansas. Branch said he was still reluctant, but he met with the committee, which eventually narrowed down their choice between him and three other candidates. “I still felt fairly safe even at that point that they wouldn’t select me,” Branch said. After an initial vote, Branch received one vote and another candidate received seven votes from the eightmember committee. “The chair of the committee told them all to go home that night and not speak to anyone. He told them to do just one thing — pray,” Branch said. The committee reconvened the next morning and voted again without any discussion. Branch received a unanimous vote to be installed as the new general presbyter. “Seven people independently changed their vote overnight without any discussion with each other,” Branch said. “That was a pretty clear message.” Branch was installed as general presbyter in February 2000 during a ceremony on the steps of Brown Chapel at Lyon College. During his service with the Presbytery of Arkansas, Branch said he frequently worked with Lyon. He was instrumental in urging the state presbytery to provide some financial aid to the college when the Synod of the Sun was unable to provide as much support from a regional level. “I saw to it that the presbytery gave whatever they could to help the college maintain its connection with the church,” he said. Branch retired from the Presbytery of Arkansas in 2008, and since that time, he said his colleagues tell him he has “shown them how to fail at retirement.” He has served as interim pastor at Second Presbyterian Church and Westover Hills Presbyterian Church, both in Little Rock, and at St. Giles’ Cathedral in Ediburgh, Scotland. Branch said his time at St. Giles’ was almost surreal.
“I was there when the Scots Guards returned from Afghanistan and watched them march up the street and to the cathedral for a ceremony to honor those that had died. There was a lot of pomp and ceremony, and I got to be a part of that,” Branch said. Branch said it was amazing to be able to preach in the same place where John Knox, leader of the Scottish Reformation, preached and where members rioted when Jenny Geddes supposedly threw her stool at Dean James Hannay in opposition of an English prayer book being used in services. “It’s amazing to think there was a time when the way people worshipped was so significant to them that they would riot,” Branch said. His experience with the Presbytery of Arkansas was not the first time in his life that Branch’s path was guided by a higher calling. After seminary school, he began working at a small church in Spencer, W. Va. During his time there, he also served as chaplain at Spencer State Hospital and chaplain and therapist at the West Virginia Alcohol Treatment Unit. When members of a congregation in Falls View, W. Va. heard of Branch’s experience working with alcoholics, they requested he come serve as their pastor. “They said, ‘We have a member that needs you.’ I said, ‘You would call me to be your pastor for just one person? I can serve a church like that,’” he said. A few years after that, Branch received a phone call. “The person on the phone said just one word — help. I knew exactly who it was. I went to her house that night, and she never took a drink again. She helped me start an AA program at the church,” he said. Born in Atlanta, Ga., Branch grew up in Birmingham, Ala. during World War II, a time when smog was thick from the coal and steel factories and racial tension was at its peak. During his undergraduate years at Auburn University, Branch said he was among Pastor Shows no sign... continues on page 16
William "Bill" Branch serves as interim chaplain at Lyon College in Batesville. He has served congregations in West Virginia, Texas, Arkansas and was interim at St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland.
March 2014 9
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The Myopic Life Hands
Kristi Price It used to be that, while many may have desired fame and spotlight, only a very few actually attained it. Most people lacked the entrepreneurial skills or necessary connections to get noticed, land a contract, sell out seats, or be invited into the homes of millions of Americans via radio and television. These days, any seventh grader with a YouTube account can “go viral.” Viral. It is the pursuit of too many Americans to create something that goes viral. To get a million likes. To have a million followers. The Millenials (and whatever we’re naming the generation behind them) have been raised with the notion that fame is an attainable pursuit. Go big or go home. That used to just be a wisecrack printed on a t-shirt. Now, it seems to be a general philosophy. Sure, we need to do our best, but what if prominence and wide-reach is out of the question? Then do nothing? And if we all live that way, then who’s going to do the billion necessary small things that create life and civility around us? While millions are brooding over how to gain national or even global attention, while they are seriously investing time into this pursuit, who is tending to the community around them? Our population is aging, and those who have generally served and volunteered without attention will not always be with us. We need a new generation of humble servants.
I heard two songs nearly back-to-back recently (thanks to the magic of Pandora) that threw this conundrum into sharp clarity. In Avicii’s recent release “Wake Me Up,” he sings this line: I tried carrying the weight of the world, but I only have two hands. It’s a compelling thought, and I appreciate the expression of the artist’s desire to serve, but my complaint is his negative view of his limitation. Must he carry the weight of the world? Perhaps just the weight of his neighbor’s burdens. For that, two hands are a lavish blessing. Contrast that with a song from my youth, Jewel’s “Hands.” She sings of the world’s hurts, but cautions the listener to not be made useless and idle with despair. I will gather myself around my faith/For light does the darkness most fear/My hands are small, I know/But they’re not yours, they are my own/But they’re not yours, they are my own/And I am never broken. It is my sincere hope that generations to come take the latter view to heart. There is power in the small effort. Rather than a million people noticing one person’s effort, let’s join together a million small attempts at bringing beauty and kindness into the world. Jennifer Kennedy Dean writes “everything we call big is just a whole lot of small.” Embrace your small, and let’s weave big change. N
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Eye On Cover Story A Dynamic Duo Joseph Thomas
Bob and Judy Pest are hard-working people with a vision. They are the founders of the Ozark Foothills FilmFest (OFFF). They have helped progress the community on various boards and committees and are concerned with the success of this area. Bob has been president and vice-president of the Ozark Gateway Tourist Council and has helped with Main Street Batesville events. Bob and Judy both put together the Antique Festival on Main Street and Judy is executive director of the OFFF. They have collaborated a great deal with the Ozark Foothills Literacy Project and Director Nicole Stroud, getting movies from Mexico for the Literacy Council and recruiting Hispanic children for T Tauri Movie Camp. They agree that this community involvement is all about growing the FilmFest, but the Independence community remains a better place because of their efforts. The power couple attributes the idea for the OFFF to a Kansas City Media Arts Center they founded and oversaw for seven years from 1980 to 1987; they aired Independent Films. Judy says, "At that time, you had to go to a theater to see Indie Films. Now there are movie channels that make them more accessible for home viewing, but you don't have the interaction with the artists you'll get at the filmfest." Judy says the industry began innovating in the '80s and it is amazing how the process has changed and how inexpensive it really is. Bob says they were very fortunate in the relationships they made with many in the industry, like Filmmaker Les Blanc, Movie and Art Critic Carrie Rickey and Arkansas Democrat Gazette MovieStyle Editor and Columnist Philip Martin. These and many others have shaped this filmfest and how it has grown. Judy says of all the wonderful people who have helped, Martin stands out as their champion supporter. It was also a tough beginning. Many told Bob and Judy they were crazy for even trying to set up a filmfest in Batesville, Arkansas. One called it a fevered dream. "It felt a bit defeating to sit in on a film we were showing with six people in attendance," says Bob, "But, then we would find ourselves in a Chicago filmfest with six people and knew it wasn't a rural area issue as much as society trying to catch up to us." The Pest's are cultivating a spark for this art to leave behind a group that can carry on with the OFFF, so it doesn't die away in their absence. The couple have a home in Waynesville, North Carolina that they look forward to retiring to in a few years with their dogs, Tessa, Susanna and Sophie. The 2014 OFFF is off to a progressive start thanks to a grant from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, and of course, Judy's brilliant grant writing. This money will allow for elevating the standing of visiting artist. The OFFF non-profit was one of 12
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twenty-three out of roughly a hundred to be awarded this grant. "The academy also lends inclusion inside the industry for filmfest like ours," explains Judy. "We have also applied for a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and if we get that grant, it will allow for a days worth of free screening to the public." Two documentaries that will be showing this year are about the recovery of Sierra Leone and Rwanda from the civil unrest both areas saw. The Rwandan story, Sweet Dreams, is about a woman that starts a female theatre troop. With a need for funding the troop, she sets up Rwanda's first ice cream shop. It is said to be a truly delicious film. The Sierra Leone movie centers around a forgiveness ceremony, or Fambul Tok (also the title of the film). It shows the real ceremony where the victims and perpetrators of the brutal war come together for fambul tok or "family talk." A third film is I Learn America which focuses on five students at the International High School at Lafayette, a Brooklyn public high school dedicated to newly arrived immigrants from all over the world. Detroit Unleaded is a narrative airing this year about this Arab American capital and the immigrant culture there. "I feel like this movie really reflects the struggle of teens of any nation or culture to find their own path and how alike we all really are," Judy explains. 2014 marks the thirteenth anniversary of the Ozark Foothills FilmFest, the tenth year of T Tauri Movie Camp and the seventh anniversary of the Screen Writing Contest. One former T Tauri student, Tanner Smith, will be showcasing a movie in this years filmfest. Kelby Jones, a producer at UCA Film Depart is a former student, as well. The Pests began T Tauri as We Grow Our Own because Arkansas is so far removed from the industry scene but, they now feel the Independent scene in Arkansas has flourished as of late. Judy says the focus of the last three years has been films from and about Rural America and this year is no exception with Medora and Lost On Purpose. The OFFF poster reveal was February 25 at the Batesville Area Art Council's Art Gallery on Main Street and the full schedule has been posted on the website at www. ozarkfoothillsfilmfest.org. For nineteen years the Pests have lived at the top of Brock Mountain, what Bob refers to as, "the Capital of Ice." The birth of Ozark Foothills FilmFest, Inc. as a non-profit organization was June of 2001 and the first FilmFest was in 2002. Bob and Judy visit many film festivals to see what is being done and what can be done better. They meet filmmakers and share films with festivals. The couple have surmised that the last twelve filmfest have brought over six hundred thousand dollars to Independence County. They attribute this to their amazing and consistent sponsors, whom without,
none of this success would be possible. The sponsors are: Cash sponsors Tier 1: First Community Bank FutureFuel Chemical Company Citizens Bank White River Distributors Mark Martin Ford Suddenlink Kent’s Firestone Bryant’s Pharmacy Entergy Flowers Baking Company of Batesville Cash sponsors Tier 2: Batesville Cold Blair and Stroud
Thompson’s Jewelry Wilson’s Pharmacy Midwest Lime LaCroix Optical Merchants and Planters Bank Jonathan’s Fine Jewelry Batesville Cardiology White River Diagnostic Clinic Liberty Bank In-kind sponsors: UACCB Lyon College Batesville Area Arts Council Fellowship Bible Church of Batesville
Old Independence Regional Museum Keith Sturch Photography WRD Entertainment KFFB 106.1 FM Eye on Independence Ozark Gateway Tourist Council Esta’s White River Retreat Comfort Suites Elizabeth’s Daylight Donuts Tommy’s Famous Pizza George’s Liquor Pepsi Beverages Company
A Shadow Of Blue
Detroit Unleaded
Folk
Medora
The Retrieval
Tuurngait
Detroit Unleaded tells the story of Sami, a LebaneseAmerican who reluctantly takes over his father's gas station after he's murdered in an armed robbery. It is an extremely lovable romantic comedy that adds a human face to the everyday plight of Arab-American immigrants. Screening sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. On the outskirts of the Civil War, The Retrieval follows a fatherless 13 year-old boy sent north by his bounty hunter gang on a dangerous mission to retrieve a wanted man under false pretense. During their journey towards the unwitting man’s reckoning, the initially distant pair develops unexpected bonds. As his feelings grow, the boy is consumed by conflicting emotions and a gut-wrenching ultimate decision. DOCUMENTARY FEATURES: Years ago, Medora, Indiana was a booming rural community with prosperous farms, an automotive parts factory, a brick plant, and a thriving middle class. The factories have since closed, crippling Medora's economy and its pride. Medora follows the down-but-not-out Medora Hornets varsity basketball team over the course of the 2011
season, capturing the players’ stories both on and off the court. Folk captures three singer-songwriters, ages 30 to 60, as they navigate the quirky sub-culture of American folk music. A musical tradition that once saw the likes of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan reach stardom, folk today rarely breaks into the mainstream. Instead, folk is heard at house concerts where would-be stars trade social networking tips by day and gig at night in tiny bars and the occasional festival, set well back along the blue highways of America. INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION: A Shadow of Blue is A touching film about the intersection of fantasy and reality in the active imagination of a young girl. (Country: Spain). Tuurngait follows an Inuit child who wanders away from his village, fascinated by a wild bird. His father follows his trail, determined to find him before he gets lost on the ice flow. Tuurngait is a graduation film directed by five students from the Supinfocom school in Arles, France. One year of work, 20 computers, and more than one month of machine calculations were required to generate the approximately 17,000 comprising the movie. (Country: France). N March 2014 13
Eye On Feature Eleanore Tebbetts’ Time in Tinseltown Hannah Keller
Eleanore “Nell” Tebbetts sat curled up under a table Tebbetts again. reading Ian McEwan’s Atonement on the set of Four “That was my first paid film job,” she said. Christmases as she waited for the next moment she was She worked on the pre- and post-production of needed to prep the set for another take when an older, Surrogates. She and Kremer would go on to work dressed-down gentleman came over and asked what she together on the first season of Castle, a crime drama was reading. The pair had a brief conversation about the television series, and the pilot for 2009 TV series book, and the gentleman bid her farewell. Eastwick. She took small jobs in between her work on When she was called onto the set, she noticed the major productions, doing commercials for J.C. Penney gentlemen there along with the other film stars, Reese and Burger King, working on student films and a horror Witherspoon and Vince Vaugh. web series called Buried Alive. She also worked on the “I thought, ‘Oh wow, that was Robert Duvall,’” production of a music video for Jennifer Lopez’s “Do It Tebbetts said. “I saw a lot of famous people while I Well.” was in Hollywood, but that was my closest personal “I’m best at making paper props, which in a way is interaction with someone famous,” she said. very similar to the graphic design I do here at Lyon,” After she graduated from Lyon College with a degree Tebbetts said. in theater with a technical concentration, Tebbetts For example, Tebbetts would design newspapers to made the bold choice to pursue her dream of working in be used in Eastwick. film and moved to Los Angeles, Calif. in June 2007. “One of the characters was a reporter, so I would “I didn’t have a job lined up when I went out there, design the outside cover or a specific inside page that but I wanted to work in film, and that’s where you have was going to be visible in the scene. The rest of the to be, so I decided to try,” Tebbetts said. paper we filled out with pages from the Batesville Daily In the beginning, Tebbetts took on many small, Guard,” Tebbetts said. “They wanted a small-town paper unpaid jobs. Her first job was working on an indie film look, and you just can’t find that in Los Angeles, so I’d called The Watermelon. Originally brought onto the have my parents send me copies of the Guard.” project as a production assistant, she was promoted to More of Tebbetts’ hometown influence can be seen art director by the time the film was complete. in Four Christmases when a particularly rustic character “I had done a lot of work with props and set dressing wraps presents in John Deere wrapping paper Tebbetts in theater,” she said. took back with her after a visit home. N Tebbetts saw her work on the big screen for the first time when The Watermelon screened at the San Diego Film Festival. Her first job on a major production, Four Christmases, came after her mother, who had written a successful grant for West Los Angeles Community College, told members that worked with the college and the Hollywood CPR program that Tebbetts was trying to break into the industry. Hollywood CPR partners with the college and provides students with the skills needed for a job behind the scenes in the entertainment industry such as set dressing, costume manufacturing, and editing. Ritchie Kremer, the prop master at the time for Four Christmases, needed assistants to help with props for the film. Members at Hollywood CPR told Kremer to contact Tebbetts as they did not have any students who could help with props at the time. “It was still unpaid, but it was a much higher level than I had worked at before. Their budget was unbelievable. I was very excited to be a part of it,” she Eleanore "Nell" Tebbetts, assistant director of marketing and said. Toward the end of filming Four Christmases, Kremer, communications, worked behind the scenes on some major film who had taken a job with the film Surrogates, called productions including Four Christmases and Surrogates. 14
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Pastor Shows no sign... continues from page 9
the “radical” students that fought for racial harmony. He led a group of students to a press conference in Athens, Ohio dealing with racial integration. During that conference, Branch made a statement that picked up national attention. “One of the reporters asked me what I thought about integration. I said it was the Christian thing to do, and it was inevitable,” Branch said. “I never dreamed that quote would hit the AP [Associated Press Wire]. When I returned to Auburn, the dean called me in and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was stating my mind and intended to continue doing so. He told me to state it quietly.” Branch gained radio experience in West Virginia where he did the play-by-play for the West Virginia Tech Golden Bears. It was his experience in radio that led him to Victoria, Texas, where he served as sports director for a local radio station and for a short time was sports director for a weekend television program while he pastored at Grace Presbyterian Church. He also taught courses in ethics, philosophy and logic at Victoria College. During his time at Lyon, Branch worked toward an increase in students attending chapel. “In my first week here, we had five students in chapel. The chapel will seat 80. The next week, after I had had a chance to be out on campus, we had 75 attend,” Branch said. Branch said he and his wife of 51 years have two sons. He and his wife are both involved with the national response team in the church, which provides aid in the event of a disaster, whether it’s a school shooting or natural disaster. They also serve as peacekeeping accompaniers with La Iglesia Presbiterana de Colombia where they minister to families in Colombia that have been displaced by paramilitary groups or have had family members kidnapped. When asked what was next for him, Branch smiled and said, “Who knows?” N
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I Do
Williams-Harris Wedding Kimberlee Thomas
Alicia Harris and Joel Williams first met on the campus of Southern Arkansas University. Alicia was rooming with Joel’s cousin Mandy. The ladies were in need of some muscle power to move their furniture up three flights of stairs into their dorm room and Joel was happy to help. There was an instant connection between Alicia and Joel. They both loved movies and theater and spent a lot of time together seeing movies and cultivating a strong friendship. When their college days came to an end, the friends packed up and parted ways. Joel moved to New Orleans and Alicia moved to Batesville. Through the passage of time the two continued to stay in touch as good friends often do. When I asked Alicia if it had been love at first sight she explained, “Joel and I had been friends for the better part of ten years. So when he shared his true feelings for me I was afraid he had ruined our perfect friendship. I was actually a little mad. But, it didn’t take long for me to realize that I had some pretty strong feelings for him as well.” Once their true feelings were out in the open the two began to date. Three months into their dating relationship Joel, who is a professional Screen Actors Guild actor, secretly made a movie trailer for Alicia. He took Alicia and her son to see the movie “Planes”. Joel had arranged to have his movie trailer play during the previews. “It was a silent film where Joel was looking at pictures of me and practicing his proposal. It was so sweet. At the end of the film the screen read, “Will you marry me?”, of course my answer was yes,” Alicia explained. The couple wed on September 28, 2013 at the Old Mill in North Little Rock surrounded by a small gathering of family and friends. Joel’s father, Keenan Williams, officiated the double ring ceremony. Before this writer can go any further I need to back up and share a few interesting tid-bits. At the end of 2012 Joel was planning on moving from Hope, Arkansas to Los Angeles to further his acting career. He had made a few short trips to see friends one last time before moving more than 1,800 miles away. Alicia was one of those trips. It was during that visit that he shared his true feelings for her and the two of them decided they could make a long distance relationship work. Joel moved to L.A. in April 2013. During one of his off days from job searching Joel went to see the Price Is Right and actually made it on stage, and if that is not exciting enough he got to play a game and won a couple of small appliances and a brand new 2014 Chevy Camaro! It seemed he was on a winning streak because soon after he
landed a job at The Queen Mary, things were falling into place. The only problem was Joel missed Alicia and her son terribly. During one of their regular phone calls he told her he was coming home. He packed his car, gave notice at his job, settled up with his landlord, and headed east for Arkansas and those he loved. The movie trailer proposal came soon after his return and the wedding planning began in earnest. The Camaro was sold and the proceeds used to cover wedding expenses. Joel moved to Batesville and lived with Alicia’s mother so that he could job search locally as they prepared for their big day. On September 26, just two days before the wedding, Alicia and her mother were out for a day of pampering and time together before everyone headed to Hot Springs for the wedding. While Alicia was enjoying a pedicure she received a text from Joel explaining he was sick with a very nasty stomach virus and that he felt they should postpone the wedding. “I thought he had to be joking,” recalls Alicia. Unfortunately he was truly sick and Alicia spent the rest of the day cancelling all their beautiful wedding plans. “I had to cancel the bed & breakfast, the cake, the flowers, the hotel, dinner reservations, everything,” explains Alicia. There was one thing that could not be cancelled and that was the arrival of friends from California, they were already on their way. On the morning of September Photography: Katie McLean
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Smith’s Verdict ***1/2
Safety Not Guaranteed Reviewed by Tanner Smith
“Safety Not Guaranteed” takes a neat idea and uses it for an independent film that starts out as cynical as its characters (and as many other smart-aleck indie films I’ve seen lately), but then turns into a pleasant, involving experience once the characters have become more involved in the mystery of the situation. What is the situation, the neat idea? It’s a “classified” ad in a newspaper. And a most unusual one at that—it reads: “WANTED: Someone to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You will get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED.” How can you ignore an ad like that? You can’t help but be the least bit curious about the person who placed that ad in the paper. Sure, you wouldn’t actually try and track him or her down; you’d think about doing it, but you’d never actually do it. “Safety Not Guaranteed” plays that angle, as three Seattle magazine employees decide to track down and report on whoever placed that ad—is it a joke or is it for real? The slacking reporter, named Jeff (Jake Johnson), volunteers to take this story and brings two interns with him to Ocean View, Washington. The interns are Darius (Aubrey Plaza) and Arnau (Karan Sonl). Darius is a disillusioned college grad and Arnau is an IndianAmerican studious biology major. They all drive down to Ocean View to do some digging, but since Jeff is more focused on hooking up with a high-school girlfriend, the interns do most of the investigative work. Finding the guy comes off as pretty easy—Darius and Arnau spy on the post office until someone opens the Box posted in the ad. The man who placed the ad is a mid-30s grocery clerk named Kenneth (Mark Duplass). Darius has her own simple way of approaching him— by answering his ad, convincing him that she’s the right one for him to “travel back in time with,” and find out what his deal is. It turns out that Kenneth is dead serious about time travel and Darius manages to get him to trust her because she’s quirky, aggressive, challenging, and quick. And as Darius finds out more about Kenneth, she finds herself more intrigued and fascinated and just wondering, just like us, what exactly is going to happen with this time travel plan. Who is Kenneth? Why does he want to travel through time so bad? Why does he want a partner? Can he really create a time machine? Is that what’s going on in his secretive shed? Is there really someone following him, like he says? All of these questions aren’t given simple answers. There are some answers, mind you, but director Colin Trevorrow and screenwriter Derek Connolly handle them subtly and impeccably. But more importantly, they make us care for the characters involved. A crucial example is the scene in which Kenneth reveals why he wants to travel back in time— we can easily relate to his reasons. 20
Hello Independence!
“Safety Not Guaranteed” starts out as an oddball road comedy with these three diverse people looking to find something unusual. But once we get into Kenneth’s characterization, whatever it may be, and further into the sweet relationship that develops between Kenneth and Darius, the movie does become a more involving, more pleasant movie that deals with its characters and their situations in a paranoid and quirky yet intriguing and investing way. Darius becomes less of a deadpan cynic and shows moments of vulnerability that really make us care about her. The same can be said for Jeff and Arnau. Jeff, in particular, starts out as a typical unlikeable jerk, looking to hook up and also to get Arnau laid before the trip is over, until we go through a subplot involving him and his old girlfriend (Jenica Bergera). When he notices that the years haven’t been kind to her, he still enjoys being with her and realizes that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Arnau becomes less of a stereotypical Indian-American sidekick and has his own life-changing moment as well. Actually, the whole movie could be like these three, particularly Darius—sardonic on the outside, sweet on the inside. It starts out as a grim, cynical indie flick and turns into a pleasurable story. “Safety Not Guaranteed” can be seen as a star vehicle for Aubrey Plaza. Usually known for her deadpan-sarcastic, comic supporting roles on TV’s “Parks & Recreation,” as well as movies “Funny People” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” Plaza tries a lead role this time and succeeds. She proves a real acting talent when she’s calmed down and displays a true sense of vulnerability. Mark Duplass, as Kenneth, hits the right notes with his performance. He’s a misfit and an oddball, but also earnest and somewhat relatable. You can tell he means everything he’s saying and just wants things to go well for him. Even when it seems like he’s possibly gone off his rocker, it’s hard not to empathize with him. What should also be noted is that not once does the movie make fun of him—even in the “training montage” in which Kenneth gets Darius prepared for their trip through time, we’re still with him instead of making fun of him. He’s taking this whole thing seriously, and we have to know if he’s on the right path. Is time travel possible? I’m not saying. Though I can tell you this—“Safety Not Guaranteed” is not about time travel. It’s about right here, right now. It’s about these characters who become people we care about and these ideas that we’re fascinated by. The end result is quite satisfying—showing little, but leaving a lot to the imagination. I did not correctly guess the ending to “Safety Not Guaranteed” and I find myself thinking about what I’d just seen. As I continue to think about this movie, I find myself liking it more and more. That is the sign of a terrific movie. NOTE: By the way, is it a coincidence that Darius resembles MTV’s “Daria?” Just askin’. N
Coop Cooper to Lead Screenwriting Workshop at the 13th Annual Ozark Foothills FilmFest Submitted
The 13th Annual Ozark Foothills FilmFest takes place April 2-6, 2014 at multiple venues in Batesville. This year’s festival will include a day-long screenwriting workshop, “Breaking Into Screenwriting: Indie Film vs. Hollywood,” to be conducted by director/script writer Coop Cooper. Cooper holds a BFA in Cinema from Southern Methodist University and an MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Hollywood. He has collaborated on numerous screenwriting projects in both the commercial and indie film spheres, including working with Academy Award-winning Director Seth Winston on a Civil War-themed screenwriting project. The highly versatile Mr. Cooper, who currently resides in his hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi, is a screenwriter and screenwriting instructor, filmmaker, and film critic whose reviews appear on his website, www.smalltowncritic.com. As a graduate of the American Film Institute in Hollywood with a Masters in Screenwriting, Cooper learned the ins-and-outs of writing for the Hollywood establishment. As an independent filmmaker, he learned how unwritten Hollywood rules and techniques can benefit writers and creators of independent film. In this day-long session, he will break down the differences between writing for each film market and how learning from one can benefit the other. The workshop will be held in the Maxfield Room on the ground floor of Edwards Commons on the campus of Lyon College in Batesville from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm with a one hour lunch/networking break. Tuition is $40 for participants who submitted an entry to the 2014 Ozark Foothills FilmFest Screenwriting Competition and $50 for others. Enrollment is limited to twenty. To enroll, mail a check or money order by March 1 to: Ozark Foothills FilmFest, 195 Peel Road, Locust Grove, AR 72550. Call 870-251-1189 or email ozarkfilm@wildblue.net for more information. Ozark Foothills FilmFest, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization dedicated to
excellence and accessibility in the media arts. The organization presents the annual Ozark Foothills FilmFest and the annual T Tauri Movie Camp, which offers video production workshops for kids and teens. The 2014 Ozark Foothills FilmFest is sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Independence County Recreation Fund, and numerous businesses and organizations. A complete sponsor listing can be found at www.ozarkfoothillsfilmfest.org/sponsors. N
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March 2014 21
Williams - harris wedding continues from page 19
28 Alicia tried her best to hide her disappointment from everyone. This was to have been her wedding day and now everything had been cancelled. When Joel awoke he felt amazingly better and realized he might have been a little hasty in his decision to call everything off and that the wedding “must go on”. Joel, along with Alicia’s mother began to toss around options available to them at such short notice. Alicia recalls, “They threw out some terrible ideas and I was just about to give up when it occurred to me that there was ONE place I would agree to get married that day, The Old Mill in Little Rock.” It was eleven in the morning when the hurried phone calls started and by four that afternoon everything was in place. The Old Mill was available and in five short hours they managed to secure the cancelled bed & breakfast for their honeymoon, find friends to take photos, made reservations for forty guests
at a local restaurant, pack honeymoon bags, and get married! The only thing missing was the wedding cake. “Joel and I were so excited that we didn’t even notice we had forgotten about the cake until we were on our way to Hot Springs after sharing dinner with our families,” recalls Alicia. When the couple checked into the honeymoon suite at the 1890 Williams’ House Bed & Breakfast they noticed the innkeeper had left a handwritten note, two champagne flutes with sparkling cider, and one small beautiful wedding cake. Their day was indeed complete. Alicia is the worship arts director for the First United Methodist Church in Batesville. Joel is the executive director of Main Street Batesville. They reside in Batesville and when asked about future plans Alicia shared, “We plan to both work for the continued success and improvement of the wonderful organizations we work for and for downtown Batesville.” N
Trivia Game Night To support the Humane Society of Independence County
Saturday, March 8th, 2014 Doors open @ 5pm ~~ Trivia starts @ 6:00pm Location: Fellowship Bible Church, Main Street Batesville
* Lasagna supper and beverage included in registration fee of $15
* FOOD * FUN * PRIZES * Highlights of Event Wow! A night of Food and Fun for only $15!
*Tables of 8 people will compete in six rounds for Grand Prize *New improved format * Family Fun *Bake Sale items available for a $$ donation *Team Theme Costume and/or Table Decoration Contest RESERVE Your Spot Today!! $15 per person. Space is limited and tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis. If your group or organization would like to purchase an entire table (8 seats) fee is only $120. Individuals and smaller parties will be grouped at event. Come out and have a great time!!
------------------------------------------------------------Cut along dotted line---------------------------------------------------------Trivia Night Registration Call Bev Finch (870-613-3045) ; Sue Augustus (870-307-5305) or you can return this completed form along with a check made payable to HSIC to PO BOX 3477, Batesville AR 72503 Name(s): _____________________________________________________________________ Business: _____________________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________ Email: ________________________________________Phone: _______________________ Number of People you are paying for _________ X $15 = $___________ (total check amount) (Please list names on back of this registration form)
All Proceeds will benefit the Humane Society of Independence County a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization.
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Hello Independence!
Tales Of a Transplanted Fashionista Roscoe
Leigh Keller It’s safe to say that we are dog people. We love dogs, and cats, and birds, and squirrels....and if a random stray elephant wandered into our backyard needing a meal, we would probably take him in too and give him a squishy bed and a sweater. While our animals are members of our family, I understand that not everyone feels exactly the same way. I recently made a trip to the Independence County Humane Society to pick up a kitty to help police the mouse population at our home (please reference my ordeal in the February Eye On issue, blech) and of course Cole wanted to look at the doggies. Since I could be considered a doggy hoarder I know my limitations. I did not want to go back to see their sad eyes, to see them leap up into the air, hoping that Cole could be their little boy, and that we could be their forever home. But, of course, since we are raising another little animal lover, I couldn’t tell him no. I managed to make it through to the door to come back into the kitty part of the shelter and held it together, trying desperately not to make eye contact with some of the sad eyed sweeties. At the time, we owned four sweet dogs, all rescues of some sort. Isabel is the eleven year old matriarch, who I adopted from the Poteau, Oklahoma humane society, because they had dogs at the Fort Smith Petco, and I had gone to get dog food for Emi, another rescue. Isabel used her gift of sad eyes. Emi was not amused, but Isabel quickly became a part of our family. We also have Sofia, who randomly showed up at our home after someone had nudged her out of their car (since domesticated dogs do so well when left to find their own food in the wild, right?). Sofia was, of course, pregnant, and quickly gave birth to several large puppies. We let Cole decide to keep one, and he chose the biggest one of the litter, Rhino. Around the same time Sofia appeared, sweet Roscoe became a part of our family. We didn’t think we needed another dog, but Roscoe was so sweet and so gentle with Cole, he rounded out our small herd of dogs nicely. Now I know, again, that not everyone loves their animals like we do. Not all pets have special beds, get specific treats, or change their collars with the seasons (do not judge me. I have calmed down significantly with the dog business since having a real, human child). In the country, the dogs roam around on the property, staying mostly close to the house. In the “city”, they are fenced, mostly to keep them out of the busy street, but more because my neighbors have a fluffy little white dog Rhino would love to play with (not sure the tiny dog would think it was as fun as my 100 pound baby boy, Rhino). It so happens that Allen had shoulder surgery and that left me wrangling four huge dogs, two cats and a three year old until he could get up and around again. I had ran with Cole to go and get a few things from Walgreens and got the horrifying phone call that one of our dogs, Roscoe, had been shot by a neighbor. Stunned, but not willing to let Cole see me upset, since, call me a horrible mommy, but I am not about to tell Cole that his favorite sweet dog had been killed by a neighbor, I raced back to try and handle the situation. As someone who helps other people (teenagers) find solutions to their problems on a daily basis, I struggle with
figuring out solutions to my own, and this one was a biggie. This was such a difficult situation, because I didn’t know how we would explain it to Cole without making him terrified of the neighbors, or if we opted to tell him that Roscoe ran away, how he would deal with his favorite dog abandoning him (this was my parents’ solution to our dogs when I was a kid, and I always wondered why they ran away from me. I mean I could see it, I talked to them all the time, or always had a cat squashed into my bike basket, wearing a doll dress. You would run away too). While the story didn’t end well, and Cole thinks Roscoe is at the doggy park playing, I still haven’t figured out a lesson to be learned here. Sometimes horrible things happen to good people and good dogs. We are hoping to adopt another dog soon, after our other three, and we, have had a chance to grieve this loss. N
Independence County Recycle Center We Recycle: Plastic Bottles Steel Cans Aluminum Cans Cardboard Newspaper Glass Magazines
870 793 8892
110 Environmental Drive Batesville, AR Call to receive your FREE RECYCLING BIN today! March 2014 23
Things To Do Salsa and East Coast Swing for Beginners Learn the basic steps for salsa and east coast swing. A partner is not necessary and any skill level is welcome. In this class, as a gentleman you will learn how to lead a lady on the floor and as a lady you will learn how to follow using different techniques whether you have experience or not. Please wear shoes that will stay on your feet and learn to dance the night away! Patricia Perez, instructor. Fee: $30. Dates: March 1, 8, 15, 22, 9:00-11:00 a.m. Annex Building, Room 404. To register, contact 870-612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb. edu. Rumba and West Coast Swing for Beginners Learn the basic steps for rumba and west coast swing. No partner necessary, but please wear shoes that will stay on your feet and learn to dance the night away! Patricia Perez, instructor. Fee: $30. Dates: March 1, 8, 15, 22, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Annex Building, Room 404. To register, contact 870-612-2082 or email katrina. stevens@uaccb.edu. Conversational Spanish for Beginners Arkansas is one of the leading states for Hispanic population growth. As more Hispanics enter Arkansas’ workforce, the demand for bilingual employees increases. This class concentrates on conversational Spanish, pronunciation and correct grammar for effective communication. Tim Bennett, instructor. Fee: $65 plus two paperback books to be purchased at the UACCB Bookstore,one reference resource and the other, a short novel. Dates: Mon/Wed, March 3 - April 16 (No class Mar 24, 26) 5:30-7:00 p.m. Row Johns Building, Room 814. To register, contact 870-612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu. Intro to Microsoft Excel 2010 Learn to use the ribbon, toolbars and menus; open, create and modify simple workbooks and worksheets; manage files in backstage view; work with data tables; and perform simple calculations. You must be able to navigate your desktop and have basic computer skills. No textbook required. Gayla Dahl, instructor. Fee: $55. Dates: March 4, 6, 11, 13, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Main Campus Building, Room 223. To register, contact 870-612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu. Learn How to Coupon Who doesn’t love to save money? Learn the ins and outs of extreme couponing. Deann Castleberry, instructor. Fee: $15. Date: March 11, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Row Johns Building, Room 814. To register, contact 24
Hello Independence!
870-612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu. Basic Knitting By the end of this class, you will be able to knit a simple scarf, cowl (neckwarmer) or afghan. Bring one skein of knitting worsted weight yarn in a color that is neither too dark nor too bright. Knitting needles will be provided. Lisa Krause, instructor. Fee: $20 plus supply fee: $7, payable to instructor on first night of class. Dates: March 13, 20, April 3, 10, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Main Campus Building, Room 240. To register, contact 870612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu. 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. Fee: $20. Date: March 15, 9:00 a.m.-Noon. Row Johns Building, Room 816. To register, contact 870-612-2082 or email katrina. stevens@uaccb.edu. Hunter Education This class, sponsored by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, is required for anyone born on or after January 1, 1969 to hunt. Youths under age 16 may hunt without hunter education as long as they are under the direct supervision of an adult who is 21 years old. There is no specific age requirement to enroll in hunter education. However, the educational reading material is based on a sixth-grade reading level. Mary Zirkle, instructor. Fee:FREE. 2014 Hunter Education Classes: Date: March 15, 2014 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Nursing Allied Health Building, Room 902 Date: June 28, 2014 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Nursing Allied Health Building, Room 902 Date: August 16, 2014 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Nursing Allied Health Building, Room 902 Date: October 4, 2014 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Nursing Allied Health Building, Room 902 To register for Hunter Education, contact Mary Zirkle at 501-345-0367. Business Etiquette and Professionalism This class will cover business etiquette and professionalism from personal presentation to cell phone usage to networking. Beth Bruce, instructor. Fee: $29. Date: March 18, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Main Campus Building, Room 240. To register, contact 870-612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu. Intro to Microsoft Word 2010 Learn creating, editing, formatting and adding graphic elements to your documents. Keyboarding skills are an asset but not a requirement for registration. No textbook required. Elizabeth Turner, instructor. Fee: $55. Dates: March 18, 20, April 1, 3 (No class March 25, 27), 5:30-7:30 p.m. Main Campus Building, Room 223. To register, contact 870-612-2082 or email katrina. stevens@uaccb.edu.
Back On Broadway In this fabulous new production, ten star-struck performers arrive in the Big Apple looking for their big break on Broadway. With their newfound book, How to Succeed on Broadway, how could they possibly fail? Friday, March 7 at 7 p.m. in UACCB’s Independence Hall.
Juried Student Show Through March 21, Kresge Gallery, Alphin Building. Requiem by Guiseppi Verdi The Lyon College Concert Chorale joins The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Saturday, March 1 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 2 at 3 p.m. at the Robinson center Music Hall in Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, contact Michael Oriatti at 870-307-7259. Tony Earley/Writer’s Life Public Interview Tuesday, March 4 at 11 a.m. in the Brown Chapel Bevens Music Room. For more information, call Donna Baxter at 870-307-7332 or email her at donna.baster@ lyon.edu. Rwanda Program Information Session Blake Hart comes to campus to speak about the Rwanda Semester Abroad Program through the Hendix Consortium in the Derby Science Center #016, Thursday, March 20. For more information, contact Monica Rodriquez at 870-307-7448. Log onto www.lyon.edu for more information.
All Over Independence Miller’s Gym Community Center Fundraiser Terrence Ford, also known as Godframe, will be in concert benefiting Miller’s Community Center (formerly known as Miller’s Gym). Concert will take place on Sunday, April 27, 2014. Doors open at 6:30 concert starts at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $5.00 Humane Society FUNdraiser On Saturday, March 8th, the Humane Society of Independence County (HSIC) is having their 4th Annual Trivia Game Night FUNdraiser and Lasagna Dinner at the Fellowship Bible Church on Main Street. The doors will open at 5:00pm, they will be serving lasagna, garlic bread, salad, sodas/water and will have bake sale items available. Trivia begins at 6:00pm; this year they have changed the format somewhat, emphasizing more Trivia questions, and offering special questions and options to help teams improve their scores in the latter rounds. Folks had been wanting more questions, and not quite so late of a night. There will be a few silent auction items, some door prizes, a couple of package deals for Tunica and Branson get-a-ways, and more! They will have round tables of 8 people again this year and there will
be a “Team Spirit” theme for the table/costume contest. Feel free to improvise in whatever fashion you choose to catch the judges eyes! Cost is $15 per person ($120 per team/table of 8). Get your co-workers, your friends or your family to form a team! Challenge others! If there aren’t enough people for a full table/team, they will combine people to make full tables. This FUNdraiser has been a blast the last three years. Everyone had such a great time, and talked about it for days! So consider joining in the fun on Saturday, March 8th. Please spread the word so they can again have a full house. Call Bev (870-6133045) or Sue (870-307-5305) for more information or to sign up! Chamber Trap Tournament Friday, March 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Independence County Shooting Sports Complex. 13th Annual Ozark Foothills FilmFest Wednesday, April 2 at Noon kicks off this yearly FilmFest. Monthly Fish Fry and Chicken Dinner The Hutchinson Mountain Community Center at 3370 Camp Tahkodah Road will be hosting their monthly Fish Fry and Chicken Dinner on Friday, March 7 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Cost for adults and children 12 and up is only $10.00. Children 11 and under eat FREE. Buffet, drink, and dessert are included. Take-out is available $10.00 for adult and $5.00 for children. For more information you may call 870-251-3458. The center is also available for rental by contacting Lea Barber at 870-612-4718. N
Notes from the Clearing
One of Those Days Joseph Thomas
The ice fell in shards of broken dignity, as it sliced through the last of my hope. Broken down, quilt-less, with no flares to beacon distant heroes. Mom always warned me about being prepared for such instances, clean underwear and what not; and did I listen? Five panicky minutes feels like hours in the spiked rain and my mind races with possibilities, good and bad. Okay, I got this, but what if I don’t, I might be here all night. I could freeze to death, but I won’t; what do I need to do? Flashers on, set the parking brake, change the tire while blocking out the cold. Fingers go numb with melted ice and slightest breeze, but action is unfolding and turning this impossible situation into a deal-able, laugh-able story for better days. Driving home in the car that was just a moment ago, limping along in despair; that feels good; successful! One more winter day in Arkansas down. N
INDEPENDENCE COUNTY LIBRARY 368 East Main Street, Batesville, Arkansas 72501 (870) 793-8814, www.indcolib.com Hours of Operation: Sun. 1:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Mon. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tues. - Sat. 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. March 2014 25
Faces
Students enjoyed visiting with a variety of exotic animals from Valley Exotics Zoo from Eaton, OH Feb 7 in the Maxfield Room of Edwards Commons.
Hope Millington holding a bearded dragon.
Josh Tate and David Burney visit with Baxter.
Katy Nalven with a Dumeril python.
Austin Johnson holds a bluetongued skink.
Kayla Ashley looks at tortoises
Katy Nalven and Kenneth Wilson with Baxter the kangaroo.
Nathaniel Covey holding a hedgehog.
Amber Witcher with a Brush-Tailed Bettong, also known as a Rat Kangaroo.
Changing of the Art Chuck Jones
Alex Gillins holding Scooby-Roo the kangaroo.
Paige Dirksen, Executive Director of the Batesville Area Arts Council, changes out a piece of art on display in the “Josephine Raye Rogers Art Gallery” at Citizens Bank. The Arts Council regularly displays the works of local artists in the art corridor of the bank’s Main Branch in downtown Batesville. Most of the artwork is available for purchase. Here, Ms. Dirksen hangs a watercolor entitled “Shack in Field,” which was produced by artist Ruby Schaaf. The art corridor was dedicated last year for Mrs. Rogers, wife of the bank’s late Chairman Doyle R. Rogers, in recognition for her contributions to the Batesville area and to Citizens Bank. The public is invited to visit the art corridor at any time. N Paige Dirksen, Executive Director of the Batesville Area Arts Council, changes out a piece of art on display in the “Josephine Raye Rogers Art Gallery” at Citizens Bank.
The Best of Modern Praise and Worship Independence Counties very own local, contemporary worship station
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Citizens Bank Employees Provide Support to Humane Society Chuck Jones Employees of Citizens Bank recently visited the Humane Society of Independence County shelter, which became the latest recipient of a $500 donation from the employees’ series of “Blue Jeans Fund” charitable contributions. The Humane Society shelter, located at 5 Environmental Drive in Batesville, is open for pet adoptions from noon until 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The shelter currently has available “lots of happy, healthy dogs, puppies, cats and kittens that would love to find a loving ‘forever’ home.” Citizens Bank’s Blue Jeans Fund has surpassed
$6,500 in financial support to worthwhile causes and organizations in the past two years. Money in the fund accumulates as bank employees donate $1 per week to be allowed to wear blue jeans to work on Fridays. When the fund reaches $500, bank employees select a charity to receive a donation. In December, Southside High School students thanked Citizens Bank for furnishing the school’s new “Quad” commons area by contributing $251 to the Blue Jeans Fund; the money came from individual students who contributed $1 each to be allowed to wear caps to school. N
WRMC News Annie McCallister-Solis
Visiting the shelter of the Humane Society of Independence County are (from left) Jeff Mead, Kim Schreiner, and Julie Grady, all of Citizens Bank; Shelter Manager Michelle Hanson; Human Society Board Member Sue Augustus; and Angela Wilcoxon of Citizens Bank.
Jody Smotherman, PharmD, Director of Quality at White River Medical Center, was featured on the cover of the January issue of Pharmacy Today, the national journal of the American Pharmacy Association (APhA). The cover story highlighted WRMC’s Quality Program and the advantages of utilizing pharmacists in a non-traditional role to improve patient care. Photo Copyright American Pharmacists Association (APhA). Reprinted by permission of APhA. N
March 10 / Gold Rush Jewelry / 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. / HH Community Room March 11 / Bingo / 9:30 a.m. / HH Community Room March 11 / Murray Dinner Theater / Van Dells March 15 / Tunica Trip / Fitzgeralds Casino March 17 Bingo / 11:30 p.m. / Tuckerman Sr. Center March 19 / Lunch N Learn / Noon /“Stroke Awareness” / HH Community Room March 20 / Movie Day / 2 pm / HH Community Room March 21 / Books R Fun Fundraiser / 7 a.m. to 4 p.m./ HH Community Room March 28 / Bingo / 11:30 a.m. / Bald Knob Senior Center For more information, contact Margaret Goodman, Senior Circle Advisor and Volunteer Coordinator at Harris Hospital in Newport, 870-512-3030. N See more of our FACES at www.eyeonmag.com/photo album.
Imaginations ribbon cutting. The 2014 Red Hot Ladies Luncheon was a Valentine’s Day treat for all of the ladies in attendance. More photos can be found at www.eyeonmag.com. Batesville Sweethearts (Standing, from left) Tressie Nye; Southside Sweethearts (Standing, from left) Sarah Payne; Kayla Abbott; Olivia Looney; Abby Edwards; Alicia Stevens; Mary Jeffrey; Victoria Hubbard; Cheyanne Moore (Seated, Emmy Karschner; Emily Isley; Julie Rogers (Seated, from from left) Kelsey Wilkerson; Katelien Clem; Emily Davis; left) Victoria Davis; Jessica Shell; Lindsey Barrett; Hannah Adralyn Elliot. Grace; Ellie Tidwell.
Dr. Jeanne Y. Wei
Batesville Sweethearts
Southside Sweethearts
Has your bank decided to leave our community? Or are you just not happy with your current bank? If you’re thinking about choosing a new bank, choose Citizens Bank. Your friends and neighbors have trusted us for more than 60 years. Citizens Bank offers exceptional customer service, with the professional expertise you expect from a market leader. We have the latest mobile banking technologies, including Remote Deposit Anywhere, so you can bank wherever you are. Citizens Bank has a variety of accounts tailored to your specific banking needs – some with a 50 percent discount on a safety deposit box. When it comes to banking, we know you have a choice. Let us make your decision easy. Choose Citizens Bank as your bank.
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See uS for a Safe depoSit box!
WRMC Cancer Care Center Makes Upgrade Annie McCallister - Solis
When it comes to cancer, the best in treatment is expected. And the best is what the White River Medical Center (WRMC) Cancer Care Center plans to give after undergoing an upgrade that will improve the way cancer patients receive radiation therapy. Plans for installation of the new linear accelerator, called the Varian TrueBeam accelerator, began on January 31, and will last roughly six weeks. During that time, the WRMC Cancer Care Center will still be open, and Dr. John Allgood, Radiation Oncologist, will still be seeing patients. Arrangements have been made for those who require radiation therapy until the new equipment can be installed. Radiation therapy is used in some form on two out of three people with cancer, according to the American Society for Radiation Oncology. During the treatment, a machine, generally referred to as a linear accelerator, targets the tumor and uses radiation beams to kill the cancer cells. The digital linear accelerator uses a completely re-engineered control system that greatly improves treatment delivery. This powerful, advanced, state-ofthe-art technology can deliver treatments up to 50% faster. Some patients can complete a dose of treatment in minutes. Through TrueBeam’s sophisticated technology, physicians can customize treatment for each patient based on the complexity and location of the tumor. Treatment sessions can be specifically tailored to meet the needs of each and every patient, even though each case is different. “After this machine is installed, we will be able to provide the most up-to-date radiation therapy to our patients, friends, and neighbors,” said Dr. Allgood. Patients will also benefit through the equipment’s advanced precision technology. A patient’s tumor can be more accurately targeted and treated without heavily damaging the healthy cells surrounding the tumor. “We strive to provide the best in quality care to our patients, and this machine really improves our method of providing radiation therapy to those who need it,”
said WRMC Associate Administrator, Robert Wright. The WRMC Cancer Care Center is the only center within 40 miles that offers radiation treatment. The Center is open Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Anyone with questions should call (870) 262-6200. WRMC has many cancer treatment services available that focus on the medical, emotional and spiritual needs of patients during their treatment journey. The treatment teams consist of board certified medical and radiation oncologists, pathologists, primary care physicians, radiologists, and surgeons. Cancer treatment plans vary depending on the type and stage of cancer as well as the age and health of the patient. WRMC is a 235-bed regional referral center and the flagship facility of White River Health System (WRHS). WRHS is a not-for-profit healthcare system serving residents throughout North Central Arkansas. The system includes hospitals, outpatient facilities, primary care and specialty physician office practices. White River Health System is a member of the Premier Alliance, the American Hospital Association, and the Arkansas Hospital Association and licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health. N
Members of the Varian crew disassemble the former linear accelerator at the WRMC Cancer Care Center to prepare for the installation of the Varian TrueBeam accelerator. Installation is expected to be complete in four to six weeks. The Cancer Care Center is still open and seeing patients.
Daisy Award Recipient
Mary Bishop
Annie McCallister-Solis Mary Bishop, a registered nurse in the White River Medical Center Women’s Unit, has been chosen as the most recent recipient of the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Mary has been at WRMC for 12 years. “I am deeply honored to receive this type of recognition for my patient care. The most rewarding part of nursing is being able to develop a relationship with the patient and their family, and knowing you have made a difference in their stay,” said Mary. The Daisy Award is a bi-monthly award that recognizes nurses for excellence. Daisy Award recipients are first nominated by patients and ultimately chosen by the WRMC Staff Nurse Advisory Council (SNAC). N See more of our FACES at our PHOTO ALBUM at www.eyeonmag.com
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 Chamber Attends State Festival Conference Submitted Mandi Curtwright with the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce recently attended the 2014 Arkansas Festivals & Events Association Annual Conference & Trade Show, held January 30-31 in Little Rock, AR. More than 100 event planners attended the conference, an annual meeting that offers education on advanced social media practices, branding, and total event management. Attendees selected sessions for their education and development that focused on social media and strategic planning; emergency management for parks and mass gatherings; event insurance 101; pricing and fees; selecting and working with outside vendors. The White River Water Carnival was nominated for Festival of the Year and Afterglow 5K had a photo submission for Event Photo of Year. “Several ideas were taken away from the meeting and key connections with other planners were made.� Curtwright stated. N
Quite the crowd attended The Course at Eagle Mountain's After Hours and Mayor's Meeting February 6, 2014.
See more FACES from the 2014 Red Hot Ladies Luncheon and the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce Award Ceremony and Business Expo at our facebook and PHOTO ALBUM at www.eyeonmag.com.
Scott Lancaster nominated 2014 Batesville Area Chamber board chairman.
MARCH 28, 2014 At the Independence County Shooting Sports Complex
TEAM REGISTRATION NOW AVAILABLE WWW.MYBATESVILLE.ORG
Presented by: The 2014 Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo and Award Ceremony was fun for all in attendance. March 2014  31
Experiencing God in the Everyday One Another
Pastor Chad Grigsby When we think about Christianity or church, what is the first thought that comes to mind? Sunday morning worship? The character and nature of God? The Bible? Many valid answers to this question rise to the top but often we neglect one of the central aspects of Christianity. What is this often ignored but essential theme of the Bible? "Love one another." When we think about Christianity we mostly think about our personal relationship with God. We even use language to affirm this in the Christian community by saying things like, "Come to know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior." And that is tremendously important but that is not all there is to following Jesus. We live in a world that is so individualistic that our Christian experience is almost exclusively lived alone. But the Bible teaches something altogether different. Six of the 10 Commandments have to do with our relationship to others verses four that have to do with our relationship to God. Jesus himself summed up the whole Old Testament in this way, "Love the Lord your God...and your neighbor as yourself." 32
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So loving God is crucial and our first priority but loving others is just as crucial. In fact, the two are linked. John wrote that we cannot love God who we cannot see if we don't love others who we can see. Our love for God is expressed and demonstrated in our love for others. But the clearest picture of this "one another" ethic we see in the Bible is in the New Testament. Over 55 times in the New Testament we see this phrase "one another." We see that we are to love one another, forgive one another, bear one another's burden, care for one another, and so on and so forth. And this is why many people's Christian experience remains empty. We don't practice this "one another" ethic. We don't live life with one another. We don't love our neighbor as ourselves. We don't bear one another's burdens because we are too wrapped up in our own. But maybe, just maybe, our healing, our freedom, our need to love and be loved, know and be known will not be complete until we live in Christian community with one another. So as messy as living life with other followers of Jesus can often be, it may just be the thing that our lives are really missing. We will never be who God wants us to be alone. "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32 ESV) N
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Citizens Bank Furnishes Chapel at Wood-Lawn Heights Chuck Jones
Judy Belcher, director of Wood-Lawn Heights, recently accepted a $5,000 contribution from John Dews, Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Bank, which helped furnish the chapel at the new WoodLawn Heights nursing home and rehabilitative facility at 2800 Neeley Street in Batesville. The bank’s donation helped pay for pews, lighting fixtures, carpeting, a podium and even a grand piano. The $14 million, 83,000-square-foot state-ofthe-art nursing home opened in early August of 2013 and reports full occupancy, accommodating 140 patients, Belcher said. Citizens Bank led a financing consortium for construction of WoodLawn Heights. In addition to the chapel and the patient rooms, Wood-Lawn Heights features rehabilitative services, four dining rooms, courtyards, activity room, beauty shop and even a theater room. The facility also has already hosted a “Business After Hours” event in conjunction with the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce. N
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Judy Belcher (right) of Wood-Lawn Heights and John Dews of Citizens Bank visit in the chapel of the new nursing and rehabilitative facility. A $5,000 contribution from Citizens Bank helped furnish the chapel.
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Committee of 100 Celebrates 40 Years of Service to the Ozark Folk Center State Park Barbara Satterfield
The Committee of One Hundred announces its 40th anniversary of service to the Ozark Folk Center State Park. Known as COOH, this volunteer advocacy organization began in 1974 with representatives from each of the 75 counties and 25 members at large to help publicize and promote the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas. This forty-year collaboration has included ongoing COOH support for educational programs at the state park including the Ozark Cultural Resource Center, the Heritage Herb Program, Craft Apprenticeships and Craft Village Programs, and the Music Roots Program. COOH raises funds to support the Ozark Folk Center educational programs by sponsoring Ozark Mountain music concerts in local communities and selling an Ozark-themed cookbook titled, “A Taste of the Mountains” that is available in kitchen and gift stores, and state park shops, across the state. Members of the Committee meet spring and summer in Little Rock, and gather at the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View for a workshop weekend in the fall. “Along with our tradition of service, there is an ongoing history of fun and fellowship within the Committee,” says newlyelected COOH chair Mary Vandiver. Additional Executive Board officers include Leisha Callan of Charleston, ViceChair; Barbara Satterfield of Conway, Second Vice-Chair; Karen Hunter of Alma, Secretary; and Pam Setser of Mountain View, Treasurer (Setser not shown in photo to right.). The Ozark Folk Center State Park is America's only facility that works to preserve the Ozark heritage and share it in an entertaining way. Find The Committee of One Hundred for the Ozark Folk Center on Facebook, or call the Ozark Folk Center for more information or a referral to a COOH member at 1-870-269-3851. For more information about the Ozark Folk Center programs, concerts, and events, go to www.ozarkfolkcenter.com. For Additional Information on COOH and its programs: The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entrydetail.aspx?entryID=1245 Music Roots documentary clip shown on NBC News "Making a Difference" by correspondent Chelsea Clinton: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz-CDSoLO2c YouTube COOH Segments: search “Arkansas Committee of 100 for the Ozark Folk Center” HERBS Segment: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DByuGg0sZo Facebook Page: The Committee of One Hundred for the Ozark Folk Center, Letitia King Administrator, letitiaking@ att.net For Additional Information on the Ozark Folk Center: www.ozarkfolkcenter.com OFC Park Superintendent: John Morrow, 870-269-3851 Governor Mike Beebe and First Lady Ginger Beebe will host COOH’s 40th anniversary celebration with a special event at the Governor’s Mansion on Saturday, April 12, 2014, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Tickets are $50 a
person by reservation through a COOH member, or the COOH chair, Mary Stroud Vandiver (msvdesha@gmail. com). The event, titled “Hand-in-Hand for 40 Years”, will feature refreshments, live and silent auctions of Ozark and Arkansas-themed products and fine art, and entertainment by the popular Ozark musical group Leatherwoods, and an ensemble of youth musicians known as Twang. Proceeds benefit the educational programs at the folk center.
Committee Of One Hundred members celebrate forty years of service to the Ozark Folk Center State Park at top with two photos of craftsmanship just above, a beadmaker left and a gunsmith shown right.
COOH’s 40 Years continued on page 39
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Lyon professor’s research delves into body’s detoxifying process Hannah Keller It’s no secret that we are exposed to a barrage of toxins in our environment. Our own metabolism generates toxins. But how does our body rid itself of these toxins? That is the question at the core of Dr. Tim Lindblom’s research. Lindblom, associate professor of biology, began a research project as a graduate student to explore the impact of toxins on the body’s detoxification system by examining a soil nematode, or worm, called C. elegans. “We feed toxic molecules to the worms and then analyze their genomes to see how they respond on a genetic level,” Lindblom said. “We’re looking to see which detoxifying enzymes are turned on by which toxins.” Lindblom explained that when these toxin-sensing proteins, known as PXR in humans, detect toxic molecules they produce cellular machines that eliminate the toxin. Often, this is problematic for people taking multiple prescription drugs or herbal supplements. For example, a patient may find a medication becomes less effective or produces harmful side effects if they introduce a second drug or herbal supplement. The reason is the body’s PXR protein senses the second drug as a toxin and produces enzymes that eliminate both drugs or in some cases, the detoxification system can modify the first drug in a way that produces dangerous side effects. “We know the basics of the body’s detoxification mechanism, but we don’t know how broad it is,” Lindblom said. “If we can gain a better understanding of how this process works, we could see a reduction in drug-to-drug and drug-to-environment interactions.” Over 12 years of study at Lyon, Lindblom has had 23 students assist him with his research and has gained more than $500,000 in grant support. Students that participate in Lindblom’s research work 10 weeks fulltime and earn a stipend for their work. They are also required to attend a scientific meeting and present their findings from their work in the lab. “We want to do high-quality research, but we also want to give them a valuable undergraduate research experience, particularly the students interested in working in research. I’m really proud that several of my students have gone on to do research at the graduate level,” Lindblom said. Drew Davidson, a graduate student studying cellular neuroscience at Tulane University in New Orleans, La., worked in Lindblom’s lab from March 2012 to August 2013. “The goal of my project was to use mathematical modeling of a population of C. elegans to understand how particular genes flow through a population, from generation to generation, and to better characterize often-obscure gene functions,” Davidson said. Davidson said the experience he gained in Lindblom’s lab taught him how to conduct research 38
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independently, which has been invaluable to him in graduate school. “The many hours I spent working in Dr. Lindblom’s lab were among the most valuable of my time spent at Lyon College. Since high school I had been taught to think analytically, but Dr. Lindblom gave me my first chance to put these lessons into practice. Working in his lab both prepared me for graduate school and made me realize graduate school was the right path for me. I absolutely enjoyed it, and I’ll always be grateful to Dr. Lindblom for giving me the opportunity,” Davidson said. Amanda Marra, one of Lindblom’s students who is now studying developmental biology at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Ind., said she may not even be in graduate school had it not be for the experience she had working with Lindblom. “I started college thinking I was going to be a dentist. I never considered research until Dr. Lindblom talked about it pretty early in our cell biology course. As soon as I started, I knew this was what I wanted to do,” Marra said. She credits Lindblom’s guidance and trust to give her the freedom to conduct her own experiments with her ability to jump into research at the graduate school level. She is now part of a lab that works with zebrafish and kidney development. N
Jonathan Wirges, a junior biology major, looks at a plate of C. elegans in Dr. Tim Lindblom's lab at Lyon College.
cooh’s 40 years continues from page 37
Popular programs at the Ozark Folk Center were initiated by and continue to receive financial support from, the Committee of One Hundred. COOH funded the first Craft Village Apprenticeship, encouraging new artisans to learn, demonstrate, and teach their craft such as broom making, basket weaving, blacksmithing, wood carving, weaving, quilting, herb gardening, glass blowing and bead making, coopering, press printing, soap and candle making, and the process of creating pottery, knives, jewelry, and dolls. The historic Heritage Herb Gardens began with a COOH-funded apprenticeship and now include an organic greenhouse to propagate herbs and old-time pass-along plants. Chief herbalist Tina Marie Wilcox organizes a variety of activities, including annual seed swaps and a nationallyrecognized herb workshop with renowned experts in the field. The Committee of One Hundred’s financial support extends to the Music Roots Program. COOH donates annually to program costs, and also inaugurated the Bess Wolf Award cash prize that is given at the end of the school year to the most improved student musician. Music Roots was originally the idea of Stone County school superintendent Danny Thomas. The program provides instruction in traditional Ozark mountain music and acoustical instruments free of charge to young people 4th - 12th grades as part of their regular school curriculum. The Committee of One Hundred organizes concerts around the state to contribute towards the $30,000 annual costs of the program, which supports over 175 students in Stone County schools each year. N
Potter and Quilter craftsmanship are shown above.
Here! Let us introduce you! in the pages of EYE ON INDEPENDENCE and EYE ON JACKSON email kthomas@eyeonmag .com or call Kimberlee at (870) 503-1150
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