Avenues October 2023

Compassionate care beyond measure

Since 1963, it’s been our mission to provide patients with care that’s compassionate and comprehensive. The physicians of Baxter Health continue this tradition for patients and families throughout the communities we serve. This commitment to compassion remains at the heart of everything we do. Because when it feels like home, it heals like home.

ALLERGY/IMMUNOLOGY

Dr. Alison L. Humphrey (870) 424-4200

ANESTHESIOLOGY

Dr. Jon Connelley (870) 424-7070

Dr. Jeff Constantine ................(870) 508-6700

Dr. Andrea Correll....................(870) 508-6700

Dr. David Kelley

Dr. William R. King

(870) 508-6700

(870) 424-7070

Dr. Benjamin Mathews (870) 508-6700

Dr. Leonard Dale Morgan

(870) 424-7070

Dr. Charles Zehm (870) 424-7070

CARDIOLOGY

Dr. Michael Camp ...................

(870) 425-8288

Dr. Akihiro Kobayashi (870) 425-8288

Dr. Jamon Pruitt (870) 425-8288

Dr. Ron Revard

(870) 741-6065

Dr. Patrick Tobbia (870) 425-8288

Dr. Otis Warr IV

(870) 425-8288

CARDIOTHORACIC/VASCULAR SURGERY

Dr. James Munns

DENTISTRY

Dr. Jonathan Hart

(870) 508-3200

(870) 425-4777

Dr. Bernard Petkovich (870) 425-9757

Dr. John V. Sullivant (870) 425-4242

Dr. Stephen Vester .................. (870) 425-7645

DERMATOLOGY

Dr. Mark Hammonds

(870) 425-5464

Dr. Mark King (870) 425-5464

EAR, NOSE & THROAT (Otolaryngology)/

FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY

Dr. John Neis ........................... (870) 424-4200

Dr. Paul R. Neis (870) 424-4200

Dr. Eric S. Rosenberger (870) 424-4200

EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Dr. Billy Bisswanger (870) 508-1139

Dr. Kolton Fraser (870) 508-1139

Dr. Michelle Godfrey ................

(870) 508-1139

Dr. Dana Kinney ........................ (870) 508-1139

Dr. Caleb Pingel

Dr. David Stills............................ (870) 508-1139

Dr. Mark West ............................ (870) 508-1139

FAMILY MEDICINE

Dr. Bradley Bibb (870) 994-7301

Dr. Shawn D. Bogle (870) 449-4221

Dr. Andrea Bounds (870) 425-6971

Dr. Ronald Bruton ..................... (870) 492-5995

Dr. Victor Chu ............................(870) 741-6111

Dr. Cathy Clary ......................... (870) 425-3131

Dr. Mary Depper (870) 425-6212

Dr. Geoffrey L. Dunaway (870) 741-3252

Dr. J. Gregory Elders (870) 425-6971

Dr. Brittney W. Frisby (870) 508-7600

Dr. Adam Gray (870) 916-2150

Dr. Michael S. Hagaman ......... (870) 492-5995

Dr. Michael Hodges ................ (870) 425-3131

Dr. John D. Irvin (870) 269-7414

Dr. Kevin Jackson (870) 741-6111

Dr. George Lawrence (870) 425-6971

Dr. Timothy A. McNamara (870) 425-3131

Dr. Timothy C. Paden (870) 425-3030

Dr. Jamie Pritchard (870) 492-5995

Dr. Lonnie Robinson................ (870) 425-6971

Dr. John H. Scribner ................ (870) 895-3238

Dr. Eric G. Spann (870) 269-3447

Dr. Benjamin R. Stevens (870) 508-7600

Dr. James Warr (870) 425-3030

Dr. Edward L. White (870) 425-3131

Dr. Donald O. Wright (870) 916-2000

FAMILY MEDICINE/SPORTS MEDICINE

Dr. Heather Hammonds (870) 425-5464

GASTROENTEROLOGY

Dr. Bodunrin S. Badejo (870) 425-4416

Dr. William S. Dyer Sr. (870) 425-4416

GYNECOLOGY

Dr. Corey Smith ........................ (870) 232-0948

HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY

Dr. R. Bruce White (870) 580-5280

Dr. Dmitriy Zak (870) 580-5280

HOSPITALIST

Dr. Almas Chughtai ................... (870) 424-3181

Dr. Melissa Dirst-Roberts (870) 424-3181

Dr. Daniel Goodwin (870) 424-3181

Dr. Arlene Johnson (870) 424-3181

Dr. Richard D. Schmidt (870) 424-3181

Dr. EJ Scott (870) 424-3181

Dr. Michael Elkins (870) 424-3181

Dr. Steve Wilber ......................... (870) 424-3181

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Dr. Bethany L. Knight (870) 916-2000

Dr. Lance R. Lincoln (870) 425-3030

Dr. Shelley Warr (870) 425-3030

INTERNAL MEDICINE/INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Dr. Raymond Bandy Jr. ......... (870) 508-7450

INTERNAL MEDICINE/PEDIATRICS

Dr. Michael Adkins (870) 424-3824

NEPHROLOGY

Dr. Grant Mathews................... (870) 425-1787

Dr. Daniel Valach ..................... (870) 508-5010

Dr. Allan Gocio ........................ (870) 508-7080

Dr. Adam Smitherman ........... (870) 508-7080

OBSTETRICS/GYNECOLOGY

Dr. Harley Barrow (870) 425-7300

Dr. Maureen Flowers (870) 508-3260 OPHTHALMOLOGY Dr. Allison Booth ..................... (870) 425-2277

Dr. William D. Hill..................... (870) 425-2277

Dr. Kenneth M. Kilgore (870) 424-4900 Dr. Douglas Marx (870) 424-2020

Dr. J.Y. Massey (870) 424-2020

Dr. Ethan J. Wright (870) 424-4900 ORTHOPAEDICS Dr. Donald B. Franklin III ....... (870) 424-3400 Dr. Thomas E. Knox (870)

(870) 508-1139

Dr. Melissa Quevillon (870) 508-1139

Dr. Bradley Schulz (870) 508-1139

NEUROSURGERY

Dr. Lucas Bradley (870) 508-7080

The physicians included on this list are associated with or on the active Medical Staff of Baxter Health. This list is subject to change.

October Cutie Hazel Hicks

Hazel Hicks is the year old daughter of Ross and Abbey Hicks of West Plains, MO

ommunity Cuties

e all have them - those precious pictures of our venues would like for you to share them with our readers.

Each month we will randomly choose a picture to be published in Avenues. Email your picture in a high resolution jpeg format to news@areawidenews.com. Remember to include along with the picture, the child’s name, s name, age, city and contact information.

Milestones Milestones

50th WEDDING ANNIVESARY

Jim and Patricia Watkins celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on Sat. Sept. 2, 2023, at the Salem Church of Christ.

Renee Janes

VENUES

SALES STAFF

Sales

SHERRY HARPER

TAYLOR MIXON

417-274-8618

870-895-3207

WRITERS

Renee Janes

Elaine Brown

Vincent Marshall

John Norberg

Cheri Lynn Quattrochi

RENEE JANES

Editor

Graphic Designer

DEBBIE DOWNUM

Graphic Designer

Renee Janes, Editor

rjanes@cherryroad.com

870-895-3207

Salem, Ark.

If you have been through downtown Thayer lately, you may notice some work taking place at the old Colonial Hotel. This month, Molly Cotner-Pitch shares with us she how discovered the building and the journey to working on renovating it as well as the history that she has learned about it and the town of Thayer.

For those who may be interested in a walking tour of Hardy that includes history of the town as well as some spooky stories Vince’s story shares information about this first year of the Haunted Hardy Tour.

Elaine shares with us the history of a local place for artists to hone their talents, the Arts Center of North Arkansas, which recently celebrated its 10th year anniversary.

We hope you enjoy this month’s issue of Avenues!

388

P.O. Box

Salem, AR 72576

Office 1-800-995-3209

Fax 870-895-4277

news@areawidenews.com

Gardening in the Ozarks Even “Old Dogs” Can Learn New Tricks….

John Norberg Sharp County Master Gardener

] I grew up on a farm in Illinois, from age three, and we still have it. My Mom and Dad taught us how to plant everything from flowers to vegetables and even field corn and soy beans. I took a little detour and got “real” jobs, but after working two full-time jobs, I knew I was missing something. Working with plants.

Once I was bitten by the garden ing bug, that was all it took. We are talking about 60 years learning first hand all about plants. I thought I had researched and learned all that I needed to know about plants and garden ing.

Well, I had no luck at all with one plant. The common Milkweed. Even we had them growing along the edges of our fields with little to no care. Each year I would collect

the seed pods when they turned brown and split open. Kept them in a paper envelope labeled and ready to plant in the spring. But spring would come and the seeds I planted never grew. Nothing seemed to work. But then it hit me like a light had been turned on. In the

tant to bees, tussock moths, milkweed bugs and butterflies. Especially the Monarch butterflies. They are in the Asclepius family and is the host plant for the Monarch butterfly. They will lay their eggs on it giving the hatchling caterpillar and larvae a food source. Monarchs will exclusively eat the leaves of the milkweed. So, if we have no more milkweed, we will have no more Monarchs.

They will grow between two and four feet tall with leaves that will be around 8 inches long in an oblong shape that are thick and green. Their flowers are a roundish white to light pink ball. They are hardy in zones 3-9. They also have underground rhizomatous roots that will help them quickly spread.

Even though Monarchs need these plants to survive, they are toxic to people and animals. Especially dogs and cows. This is why farmers do not like them growing near their pastures. So before planting think of a good, out of the way place and then sit back and enjoy the activities the Monarchs will entertain you with.

So, after all these years of trying, this “old dog” has learned a new trick.

LocatedinthehistoricalCastleberryBuilding ontheSquareinSalem.

MEDICAL DIRECTORY

COUNSELING SERVICES

Families, Inc. Counseling Services

Ash Flat - 870-994-7060

75K Hwy. 62/412, Ste. J

Ash Flat, AR

Mountain Home - 870-425-1041

700 S. Main, Mountain Home, AR

DENTISTS

Sonya Hames Wiles, D.D.S. Family Practice Dentistry

28 E. Court St., Melbourne, AR 72556

Telephone: 870-368-6666

Most insurances accepted

MCNA Dental & Delta Dental Smiles

HOME HEALTH

Elite Home Health

111 N. Main St. • Ste. 1, Salem, AR 72576 Phone: 870-895-2273 • Fax: 870-895-5515

www.lhcgroup.com

Hours of operation: 8:00-4:30 Monday-Friday RN on call 24/7

We provide home health services of nursing, physical, occupational, and speech therapy and in-home aid services in the comfort of your home.

“It’s all about helping people.”

Preferred Home Care

Trained and Professional Staff Offering Personal Care, ARChoices, PASSE, Veterans Aid and Attendance and Private Pay/Insurance

24/7

Mammoth Spring: 870-710-7053

Pocahontas: 870-248-1031

Rector: 870-595-2100

Spring River Home Health

1323 Hwy. 9 North Salem, AR 72576

870-895-2627

Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, Personal Caregiver Program

HOSPITALS

Fulton County Hospital 679 N. Main Street Salem, AR 72576 870-895-2691

On-Site Hospitalist

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

Delta Medical Supply

www.ARdeltamedical.com facebook.com/ARdeltamedical

15 Choctaw Trace, Cherokee Village, AR 72529 870-257-4445

916 Sidney St., Batesville, AR 72501

870-612-0049

401 Hwy. 5 N., Mountain Home, AR 72653 870-656-4140

Tri-County Medical Supply

We’re Here To Serve You” 260 Hwy. 62 E. Salem, AR 72576 Toll Free: 888-476-2234

www.tricountymedicalsupply.com

MENTAL HEALTH

Southern Missouri Community Health Center

West Plains • 417-255-8464

1137 Independence Dr., West Plains

Thayer • 417-264-2990

U.S. Hwy. 63 North, Thayer

NURSING/REHAB

Shepherd’s View ALF Alton, MO 65606 417-778-7959

Level 2 Assisted Living for Seniors Activities of Daily Living

Diabetic Care • Restorative Care • Rehab Care

SouthFork River Therapy & Living 624 62/412 West, Salem, AR 72576 870-895-3817

Kathy Speaks - Administrator

Cassandra Stafford - Director of Nursing

Deb Jeffery - Admissions

PHARMACIES

Alton Drug Store

201 State Hwy. 19, Alton, MO 65606

417-778-7000

Mon.-Fri. 8 am to 5 pm • Sat. 9 am to noon

Becky Peace RPh

Matthew Combs RPh

RX--drive thru--mail--delivery Home Health Services Gifts Available

THERAPY SERVICES

Spring River Therapy 1323 Hwy. 9 North, Salem, AR 72576 870-895-2627

Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy

Beyond the Ruins: Breathing New Life into the Colonial Hotel

Story by By Molly Cotner-Pitch

photos By By Molly Cotner-Pitch and submitted

“Are you sure you want to come see it?” Mindy, the realtor, repeatedly asked. “You’ve seen the pictures, right? There is a literal hole in the back wall and that’s a long way to drive.”

One week, 813 miles later, with my mother as my co-conspirator and Mindy’s resounding warnings still fresh in my mind, I pulled into Thayer, Missouri — a small railroad town that teeters the edge of

the Missouri/Arkansas border in the heart of the Ozarks. My mission was to follow my half thought out dream to buy the abandoned 1900s Colonial Hotel.

I had discovered the building on the Facebook page Cheap Old Houses. This niche group tantalizes its thousands of members with a type of renovation porn appropriate to its name. I had long been a

voyeur of the group, scrolling through the daily posts as a background figure. Rarely did I engage, rather watching and dreaming of what could be if only I had the time and resources to renovate an old building. Then I saw the Colonial. Captioned, Own a piece of Thayer, Missouri!, it was listed for less than the price of a used car…and I knew it had to be mine. Driving through the Ozarks that warm October day, windows down, watching the changing leaves flying by, I knew I was headed for the journey of a lifetime. What I wasn’t expecting was the profound truths I would be taught, the humility I would be shown, and the community I would discover along the way. With a population of around 1900, a Wal-Mart, one grocery store, and a smattering of restaurants, Thayer hardly qualifies as a city. Abandoned buildings dominate the once busy main streets, taunting monuments of what once was. Moss-covered walls and humid air mask the rocky hills and steep inclines that make the land ripe for industry. But even that seems to have left Thayer behind. Steeped in poverty and stunted in growth, it is a town that has struggled. Driving up to the Colonial that day it was clear it had too.

Dilapidated would have been welcome, even exciting. Grayed and peeling wood shrouded the hotel in a sense of haunted mystery. Located on Front Street across from the railroad tracks, an old white bench sat on the step with a faded and tattered American flag hanging behind it. The Colonial wasn’t in disrepair, it was derelict and decaying. The musty smell of mold, age, and rot greeted us as soon as we stepped inside. The floor felt spongy, like old rusty mattress springs. It was confirmed that the back wall was rotted out, with the first couple of feet destroyed. Floorboards were missing in some places, and plank hopping was necessary to get from one room to another. We found old ramen noodles, a blackened onion left to decay, and rodent feces upstairs. My hippie mother worried about spirits in the halls, while I worried about asbestos. Angela Toomey owned the property. She had purchased it two years prior from a husband-andwife duo who ran it as an antique junk shop called Creative Poverty. With her tattoos, blond hair, and blunt way of talking, Angela is best described as a human stick of dynamite — powerful, blowing up anything that stood in her way. We instantly hit it off. She owned several buildings along Front Street, each

in different stages of disrepair, and secretly my mom and I wondered if she was some sort of mob boss. In reality, she’s a clinical social worker who is known for taking in the town’s riffraff and running her side business selling unclaimed cargo. Angela would become the first of many in a cast of characters that I have come to know and appreciate in Thayer. As my mom negotiated prices, I stood under a bowing ceiling beam in the hotel’s front room dreaming. Ideas formed as if divinely given. I knew the Colonial was where I could embark on something creative and new. It would be the place my sister — who has Down Syndrome —could have ownership in, and where I could teach my son about going for the crazy dream. It would also feed my wandering and restless soul, one that is always searching for adventures even in the most desolate of places. It was never my intention to research the hotel’s history beyond architectural elements. I was hoping to come in quietly and renovate under the radar. But as the key turned the lock on the front door, stories began swirling through the air (less dramatically, it could have also been my morbid curiosity and a draft

created by broken windows). Whatever the reasons, as paneling that someone overenthusiastically installed in the 1970s began to come down and newspaper insulation was uncovered, digging deeper seemed to be the right move. It was that intention that led me to sit across the table from Jenny Underwood — a local historian — at the town’s senior center. It was Thursday and they were having meatloaf, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, and two kinds of pie. Anyone could eat, but it would cost you $7.50 a plate if you weren’t a senior. Jenny was in her seventies, but still volunteered to deliver meals to those who couldn’t make it in.

Short, plump, and with white hair, Jenny was a friendly face in a sea of strangers. Designating herself as the town’s liberal, she had a smile that warmed you on contact and her enthusiasm about us owning the hotel made me feel like anything was possible. She offered to provide some background on the Colonial, but also advice on renovations. Jenny had headed up a committee to restore another railroad hotel, just two blocks down from the Colonial, into a domestic violence crisis center. “We don’t have much but we take care of each other,” Jenny said. It was this nugget of information that offered me my first glimpse into a community that stood together despite resounding differences.

“You have to know the history of Thayer to understand the Colonial,” Jenny told me. Before becoming a town, it was home to the Indigenous peoples of the Osage, Quapaw, and the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ nations. The town was founded in 1882 as a railroad junction between Springfield and Memphis, but it was with the arrival of the post office in 1886 that the city was renamed Thayer after railroad tycoon Nathanial Thayer. It flourished during the late 1800s through the 1920s, with the Colonial and other hotels designed to accommodate railroaders and passengers. Although assessor records indicated that the Colonial was built in 1911, it may have been constructed years earlier. The Colonial was a respected hotel where the local choir would perform, and the Rotary Club would meet. In the 1940s, Lula Greene owned a diner on the bottom floor that served delicious lemon chess pies and egg custard that locals still remember today. During the 1950s and 1960s, a local doctor and the school district’s superintendent took over the hotel.

In 1967, newly divorced Merle “Blondie” Peebles, convinced her ex-husband into buying the hotel for her to run as a rooming house. Rumors circulated that the Colonial served as the town’s brothel under her care, but in talking with her son Jimmy, I was never able to confirm this to be true. In 2015, Merle passed away at 92, leaving the real story of the hotel and its secrets locked away as folklore. The Colonial’s history blurs after Merle sold it in the early 1990s, until Creative Poverty established itself in 2011, and when Angela sold it to us in 2022. As the town around it changed, so did this portal to

history. Thayer is etched into the Colonial’s roughcut wood. Like a silent guardian, it watched on as passenger trains stopped running, the once popular bus station and diner next to it burned down, Main Street slowly dwindled, the cheese factory across the street dried up, and mass flight for better economic opportunities went to places like Kansas City and St. Louis. Drugs devastated the community, and the poverty level soared to its current 32%. Every cut now shows in the Colonial’s bones. Its once gorgeous surface has been marred by the devastation of the town it holds sentry over. It tells the story of a people and America long forgotten. But through this adventure, I’ve also realized it isn’t a story of pity either. There is hope and ingenuity here. A resilience to keep standing against all odds. And the Colonial was going to make me prove that I was worth it.

After hiring an inspector, I was elated to learn that a few strategically placed supports would stabilize the structure. From there, we could add some plumbing, interior and exterior cosmetics and be done. That excitement came to a plunging crash when the contractor informed us that our inspector was way off. Most floor joists needed to be replaced, the back wall was 60% destroyed, the electricity was a fire hazard wrapped in newspaper, and the back of the hotel needed to be jacked up nine inches. It also appeared as if my mother’s worries of spiritual guests might have been true. A group called Missouri Paranormal Investigations came to the Colonial in the summer of 2021 and found the hotel to be “active”. Two months after closing, we were informed by our neighbor on the hill, that a man named Kenny had committed suicide in the hotel in 2020. I’m not sure if Kenny is still there, but I

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

graciously say hi every time we walk in. From the get-go, we planned to do most of the work ourselves. I am a college professor, and my husband is a social worker. We do not have an excess of money. But as we began demolition with our heads covered in dust suits and ventilators strapped to our faces, we quickly realized we were in over our heads. Our contractor is now helping us accomplish projects. As renovations continue, we set aside any extra money to buy one more board and one more inch of plumbing.

Buying the building has also come with culture shock. Coming from Colorado, we are used to clear

boundaries on property and privacy. In Thayer, this resonates a bit differently. Whether you ask for it or not, you become family almost instantly. If your front door is open people will walk right in, ask what you are doing, and look through your stuff. The first time this happened my husband—known for his calm and easy going demeaner — silently whispered under his breath, “What the hell?” Advice is often given unsolicited, and people do things at their own pace. Several calls to get the hotel insured have resulted in “We’ll call you back later” —Thayer lingo for never returning the call. Even our contractor gets things done when he can. Taking on more work than

he has time and crew to accomplish quickly. I’m not sure if I will ever get used to the way things work around Thayer, but I now question if some of our modern obsessions with being anonymous and private have destroyed our connectedness to each other. Something that the people here seem to possess organically.

I also had preconceived notions about the Ozarks before coming here—mostly driven by popular culture stereotypes of moonshine and strange backwoods people. But our monthly trips have exposed my ignorance and prejudice, shattering the perceptions that had been engrained in my mind. Perhaps this is what the hotel wanted all along, for someone to see beyond the superficial and into the heart.

In Thayer, people watch out for one another. I get consistent texts and emails telling me what’s going on with the Colonial, and neighbors investigate anything suspicious immediately. They are kind and help where they can. Poverty means that money doesn’t flow like the local Spring River, but help

Where Families Come First

shows up when you ask for it. From borrowed tools to offers of couches to sleep on-these people care. Where I once felt a sense of sadness and empathy for this community, I now see resourcefulness and happiness in the survival of it all. I’ve also learned that the black walnuts on the property are a local delicacy, water runs in deep aquifers beyond the rocky surface, and getting my hands on Ms. Green’s famous lemon chess pie is its own treasure hunt.

Piece by piece the Colonial is undergoing a resurrection. Slowly but surely, it is shaking off years of neglect and hibernation. Despite daunting financial constraints, we persevere through this challenging and seemingly neverending journey. Every day, we reinforce our commitment to the passage of time and the power of patience. While the enigmatic secrets of the hotel may forever remain elusive, this extraordinary experience has taught me to wholeheartedly embrace the invaluable lessons learned along the way. One day, the Colonial will proudly stand as a reflection of Thayer’s indomitable spirit, shedding its status as a decaying relic of a distant era. As for my restless soul, I can’t say if it will ever be fully tamed, but in this moment, it finds contentment and profound gratitude for each and every step taken on this unique and exciting path.

Hop on the Haunted Hardy History Tour

Story by Vincent Marshall

Spooky season is right around the corner and with it will be a new event to the Hardy area for the first time running throughout October right up to Halloween.

The Haunted Hardy History Tours will be held on Oct. 13, 20, 21,27,28 and 31 at 7 and 8:30 p.m. There will be 10 people per tour and more dates may be added.

The Hardy Haunted History Tour is put on by the staff at Wholistic Healing Arts and Spa, their families and some friends from the local community from organizers Carl and Angelia Heringer and Rick Church.

“We have been spending summers in Hardy since we were kids and are now full-time residents and local business owners,” said organizer Carl Heringer. “We wanted to give locals and tourists something fun to do during the fall season involving the rich history of downtown Hardy and we love Halloween so we thought it would be fun to throw in some spooky stories of times past to make it appropriate for the season.”

The Haunted Tours will consist of a walking tour of downtown Hardy with brief historical overviews of several buildings and some spooky stories of times past and last one hour. “We may even see some local historical figures, a ghost, aliens, Bigfoot, who knows?

All tours will start at Dr. Thompson Park in downtown Hardy (located at the corner of Main and Johnson Streets),” Carl Heringer said.

Cost will be $15 for adults. $10 for kids under

12. Tickets can be purchased at Wholistic Healing Arts and Spa, 2423 HWY 62/412 next to the movie theater from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Or call 870-316-0675 or 870-243-5203 during those hours to purchase over the phone. Advanced purchases are required due to high demand. Tickets are already selling fast. “People can expect to learn fun, historical facts about downtown Hardy and the surrounding area, including a few fun ghost stories known to the area, and maybe a few

surprises along the way,” said Carl Heringer. “We would love to do it again next year if the community seems to enjoy it and possibly make it a permanent attraction in downtown Hardy sometime in the future.” Since it will be during Halloween season, Deringer said that tourists are encouraged to dress in costumes as the tour guides will be wearing attire from the 1900s. For more information, contact Wholistic Healing Arts and Spa at 870-316-0675, 870-243-5203 or through its Facebook page.

Local Taste

191 HWY 62/412

ASH FLAT, AR

(870) 994-2101

Tues - Thurs 11-8; Fri -Sat 11-9

Dine-In & Carry-Out

Facebook.com/meachamsashflat

ARTASIA MAIN ST. BISTRO / TWILIGHT APOTHECARY

112 E. Main St. | Hardy, AR

(870) 209-7606

Espressos, Teas, Homemade Baked Goods,Sandwiches and Wraps

Sun 9-3; Mon 7-3; Thurs.-Sat 7-3

Facebook.com/artasia

BUTTERCUP’S KITCHEN

922 N. Main St.

Cave City, AR

(870) 283-5000

Mon. - Sat. 6 am - 3 pm

Breakfast till 10:30 am

Facebook.com/Buttercups-Kitchen

SWINGLES FAMILY DINER

126 Locust St.

Salem, AR

(870) 895-5008

Mon - Sat 6 am - 2 pm

Facebook.com/pages/Swingles

What’s Cookin’ in the Ozarks? What’s Cookin’ in the Ozarks?

Apple Dip

By: Jane Ragsdale

Ingredients

2 8-oz. packages Cream Cheese

1-1/2 cups light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 package Toffee Brickle Bits

Soften cream cheese. Mix in brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Chill. When ready to serve, add package of toffee brickle bits. Serve with sliced apples that have been dipped in pineapple juice.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church

3612 Best Circle, Thayer, MO 65791

Office - 417-256-2556

Sacred Heart Schedule:

Weekday Mass: Thursday 11:30 a.m.

Weekend Mass: Sunday 8:30 a.m.

Confession: First Sundays at 8:00 a.m.

Rosary: Sundays at 8:00 am.; Weekdays before Mass

Mammoth Spring Church of Christ

110 S. 3rd St. / P.O. Box 251

Sunday 10:00 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Wednesday 7:00 p.m.

Barry O’Dell - Preacher

Find us on Facebook or YouTube

Ash Flat Church of God

124 Arnhart St. • Ash Flat, AR 501-574-8294

Sunday School 10:00 a.m.

Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m.

Sunday Evening 5:00 p.m.

Thursday Bible Study 6:00 p.m.

Pastor CL Abbott

Salem United Methodist Church

205 Church St., Salem, AR 72576

Sunday School 10:00 am

Worship 11:00 a.m

870-847-6030 • 870-895-5157

Pastor Ken Anderson

Welcome Hill Church of Christ

Church Directory

Church Directory

Peace Lutheran Church

4 Iroquois Dr. • Cherokee Village

870-257-3957

Pastor Brian Pummill

9 a.m. – Traditional Worship

10:15 a.m. – Adult Bible Study & Sunday School

11:15 a.m. – Contemporary Praise Service

Hardy Church of Christ

Cherokee Village United Methodist Church

21 Otter Drive, Cherokee Village, AR 72529

Sunday Worship - 8:30 a.m. & 10:45 a.m.

Sunday School - 9:45 a.m.

Wednesday Night Meal - 5:15 p.m.

Wednesday Night Faith Infusion - 6:00 p.m. Phone: 870-257-3869

Website: cherokeevillageumc.org

Pastor Boyd Savage

Adoration: 3rd Thurs. & 1st Fri. 11:30 a.m.

305 Johnston, Hardy, AR

870-847-6024

Sunday Morning Bible Study 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Evening Worship 5:00 p.m.

First Baptist Church of Mammoth Spring 16600 Highway 9, Mammoth Spring, AR 625-3273 • www.mammothspringfbc.com

Chris Powers, Pastor

Sunday School 9:30 a.m.

Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.

Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday Evening Service 6:30 p.m.

St. Michael’s Catholic Church

Corner of Tekakwitha Dr. & Hwy. 62/412

Cherokee Village, AR • 870-257-2850

Email: stmichaelcv@yahoo.com

www.stmichaelscv.org

Daily Mass: Mon., Thur., Fri. - 9 am; Wed. - 6 p.m.; Saturday Vigil - 4 p.m.

Sunday - 9 a.m.

Rev. Amal Punganoor • 870-257-4456

First Christian Church

St. Paul United Methodist Church Business Highway 63, PO Box 241

Thayer, MO 65791

Sunday School - 10:00 a.m.

Sunday Worship - 11:00 a.m.

Email: stpaulumc@centurytel.net

417-264-3296 • Pastor Mark Coffey

Faith Presbyterian Church

1001 Third Street, Horseshoe Bend, AR 72512

Sunday School - 9:00 a.m.

Sunday Worship - 10:30 a.m.

2nd Day Bible Study - Monday, 10:30 a.m.

Email: faithpresby@centurytel.net

www.horseshoepresbyterian.org

Rev. David Schaller – Call 870-670-4103

Horseshoe Bend United Methodist Church

600 West Church Street

870-670-5392

Christian Conversation Wednesday - 12 noon

Sunday Worship - 9:00 a.m.

Pastor Ken Anderson

16309 Highway 9 South, Mammoth Spring, AR

PO Box 495 / 417-293-6355

Sunday Morning Bible Study 10 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship 10:45 a.m.

Sunday Evening Worship 5 p.m.

Wednesday Evening Bible Study 7 p.m.

Minister: Erman Croney - 417-264-3371

“Disciples of Christ”

7th & Archer Street, Mammoth Spring, AR

Sunday School - 10:00 a.m.

Sunday Worship - 11:00 a.m.

Bible Study Wednesday Evenings - 6:00 p.m. www.fccms.org

First Missionary Baptist Aba

Highway 62 West At Spruce, Salem, AR

Sunday School-9:45 a.m.

Sunday Worship-11:00 a.m.

Sunday Night Services - 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday Services - 6:30 p.m.

Call 870-895-2634 or 371-2067

Pastor Holden Phillips 870-834-5852

To reserve your church’s listing in Avenues’ Church Directory contact Areawide Media at 800-995-3209

First Baptist Church of Hardy

Highway 63-412, Hardy, AR

Sunday School-9:30 a.m.

Worship-10:45 a.m.

Evening Worship - 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday Prayer Meeting - 6:00 p.m.

Dr. Larry Kindrick, Pastor - 870-847-0897

Hardy United Methodist Church

Fourth & Spring / Every Sunday

Sunday School 9:30 a.m.

Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.

Open Hearts ~ Open Minds ~ Open Doors

Need to express yourself freely?

Arts Center of North Arkansas offers limitless opportunities

The Arts Center of North Arkansas (ACNA), located in Cherokee Village, Ark., is a special source of rejuvenation for the underlying artist in each of us. For some, that may be reviving a talent that had already surfaced at some point in our lives. For others, it may be the initial spark of an inner twinkling of curiosity in painting, sculpting, singing, writing, strumming or whatever method we find to express ourselves in ways that we’ve never expressed before.

The idea for ACNA originated in 2013 when writer Adele Kurtz, a newcomer to Cherokee

Village, set up a table at the local farmers market to reach out to any artists in the area interested in forming a group of mutual sharing, expressing, teaching and learning different arts.

As a result, a team of local artists of writers, painters, wood carvers, whittlers and jewelry makers under the guidance of Kurtz established the Village Art Center in 2013. With the help of Jonathon Rhodes, a realtor and supporter of the arts, Kurtz was able to get a physical location for the center set up in Cherokee Village Town Square.

Story by Elaine Brown

Photos by Elaine Brown and Submitted

All kinds of art classes were held at the center and it attracted a lot of people. “It was a happy place,” said Marty Williams, one of the charter members of the Village Art Center. “Anybody who had artistic talent, [Kurtz] wanted them to come to the arts center and share their talent and learn and take classes,” Williams added. Williams shared a story about one charter member named Willard Savage, a wood carver who carved birds, especially eagles. Savage carved a beautiful eagle that was so large it could barely fit through the door of the Village Art Center. This huge wooden eagle filled the room where it stood to the left as you entered the center, Williams recalled. “That’s what people remember who had been there from 2013 until about 2018.” The word about the Village Art Center spread quickly. People came from Salem, Horseshoe Bend, Williford, stretching along northern Arkansas and up into Missouri, to take classes at the center. As more artists joined in the fun, more arts were added to their offerings, including music, pottery and ceramics. When Kurtz moved away and the locations of artist members became more widespread and the variety of arts grew, the Village Art Center became the Arts Center of North Arkansas, aka ACNA. The goals of the original art center

remained, with the addition of becoming an official 501(c)3 nonprofit organization encompassing a wider range of arts with a larger geographic following.

The ACNA mission statement reads: The Arts Center of North Arkansas is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization whose mission is to provide an inclusive place that seeks to enrich the greater regional community through collaborating and nurturing opportunities for creative expression.

One of the purposes of ACNA is to encourage and promote the artwork of local artists. In this interest, artists may display their art in the gallery at the center where the public can view and purchase it, if so desired. The art center takes a

small percentage of the price and the majority goes to the artist.

As a nonprofit, any income ACNA receives is solely for the purpose of its operating expenses and supplies for the center. ACNA has received grant support through the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, as well as funding from the National Endowment of the Arts. Donations are accepted at the gallery and ACNA is always seeking sponsors for their events.

Music is held on Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the gazebo in Cherokee Village Town Square through the fall. There is no admission fee; musicians are currently paid by ACNA.

An Open Studio is held every Tuesday evening from 5 – 7 p.m. This is a bring-your-own-project or want-to-try-something-new weekly event open for anyone, member or nonmember, who wants to be around other artists, amateurs to professionals, who just want to dabble or work on an existing project. Bring your own or use

the art center’s supplies and enjoy the spirit and camaraderie of those of like minds…the freedom of expression!

New artists and teachers are always welcome.

ACNA has a new potter who does wheel throwing and a new spinner and weaver. Williams expressed a personal interest in learning how to do stained glass. Curiosity and exploration of new kinds of art are encouraged. It’s truly a place to open up your mind and express yourself!

ACNA currently offers classes in painting using

various mediums, photography, writing, drawing, ceramics, pottery, tai chi, among many others. They hold a monthly drum circle and a weekly dulcimer group as well.

Most of the classes offered by ACNA are free to members and for a minimal fee to nonmembers. Memberships are $30/year for individuals, $50 for families, $15 for students. A business membership is $75.

The art center is open Thursday, Fridays and

Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The center is located at 1 West Cherokee Village Mall (upper level next to the gazebo) in Cherokee Village Town Square. The arts center is celebrating its 10th birthday anniversary in October. Stop in and say hello!

For more information, please call 870-751-3793 or visit www.artscenterofnortharkansas.com. ACNA is also on Facebook under “Arts Center of North Arkansas.”

Fresh meat & custom butchering - deer included!

Monday - Friday: 8am-6pm

Saturday: 8am-2pm

908 US Hwy 167 Cave City, AR

WIN A DINNER FOR TWO

FRED’S FISH HOUSE

RULES: To register for the drawing, fill out a card on location at Fred’s Fish House in Mammoth Spring, Ark. Look for the pictured box to drop your card in to be registered. The drawing will still take place around the end of each month at the restaurant.

LAST MONTH’S WINNER: Sylvia Childers

NEXT DRAWING FOR A FREE DINNER GIVEAWAY FOR TWO WILL BE OCTOBER 18.

THE

Kayak fishing 101

By: Dewayne French

As the days begin to cool down from the hot summer heat and it gets to a manageable level to be outside now is the perfect time to go Kayak fishing. If you have never been it is relatively easy to get started in and cost is minimal compared to owning a bigger fishing boat. You can get your exercise and enjoy the great outdoors all at one time. After you start with a kayak you may want to expand to a bigger fishing boat.

Fishing from a kayak is not that difficult and even a novice angler can pick-up on it pretty quick. Just remember you will get wet and even the most accomplished kayak angler will get wet. Just prepare for it and you will be fine. Some anglers fish standing up and some remain seated. Either way will work just find your comfort level and go with it. A fishing kayak is usually wider than a normal kayak and is less prone to tipping over. Although when it does happen just remain calm and use you’re plan to get out of the kayak if it turns over and you will be fine. Always have a PFD that fits proper and sometimes you can even just stand up, so don’t panic.

Kayaks come in paddle, pedal, and motor versions and whichever you chose to start out with they each have they own advantages and disadvantages. So which ever you choose to start with it still takes some skill to get it all going right. Some skills you have some you will develop over time on the water. Don’t overload you kayak with all the latest lures and fishing equipment. Keeping it simple and less complicated will be better as you get started and it will save you money in the end.

Wear sunscreen along with a wide breamed hat and polarized sunglass along with a long-sleeved sun shirt and it will keep from getting a bad sunburn. As you set closer to the water you also get more of the sun pointed back in your direction from the surface of the water and we need to take precaution. Most of the kayak anglers I know fish the streams and smaller rivers we are blessed with here in the Ozarks. A big boat just can’t get into some of these areas.

Less access usually means the fishing can be great and you might have it all to yourself. More people are getting into kayak fishing and you might even pick up a new buddy along the way.

Some other items to remember along your kayak journey. Get to know your river or steam access points, which are public and which are private. What are the regulations where you plan on fishing? How many hazards are along the fishing area, are there trees across the river, is there rocks and shallow shift running areas. What type of fish will you be catching? All kind of questions for you to research. The biggest one is WHEN??? When will you start exploring our Ozarks lakes, rivers, and streams that we have right in your front door?

Remember we all “Live Downstream” so please pick up your trash and any other trash you see out floating around! Never discard old fishing line in the river or lake! Wear your life jacket and tell your family your expected return times and a general location of where you plan to fish.

Check out my social media pages and follow my fishing adventures around the Ozark waters we call home, as we prepare for fishing.

Facebook: Dewayne French Fishing

Twitter: @French_fishin

Instagram: french_fishin

Youtube: Dewayne French or French fishing

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“There is always time for one more cast”

Dr. Rebecca Phillips

Casey Duncan, APRN

Haley Tyler, APRN

Christina Cooper, APRN

Amy Hodges, Pediatric APRN