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“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
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The
Daily Citizen
TheDailyCitizen.com
Serving Searcy Searcy and and White White County, County, Ark., Ark., since since 1854 1854 Serving
HU alumni produce superheroic art
www.thedailycitizen.com
Disc Golf gaining Local popularity
Veterans Area vet defended freedom recount 1954 The spirit boot camp of our Two Harding University graduates are living out their dream of drawing for Marvel Comics. — Page 2A
A Searcy disc golf course is attracting athletes from across the state to play 18 holes. — Page 1B
Our view
Searcian helped liberate An Arkansas boy Born in Wynne on July 21, 1942, Holland McCain from POW camp was drafted in December 1967, only months By Warren Watkins warren@thedailycitizen.com When Bobby Holland arrived at a prisoner of war camp in North Vietnam, he was part of an elite group of highly-trained soldiers with one objective in mind: Find and set free one high-priority, well-known prisoner, Lieutenant Commander John McCain. That mission didn’t turn out as planned, but things worked out in the end.
after winning the state championship in cutting horses. He went through basic training at Ft. Polk, La., before being sent to Washington, D.C. to learn how to handle classified information. Arriving in the country in 1968, Holland served in Vietnam with the U.S. Army’s First Infantry Brigade, Fifth Infantry Division Mechanized, using his training to process communications to General Creighton Continued on Page 3A
Holland
McCain
Freeing McCain
Bobby Holland, left, helped free now-U.S. Sen. John McCain during the Vietnam War.
Judsonia celebrates nation’s freedom Help for jobless From: The Governor’s Dislocated Worker Task Force Resources: Retraining, job opportunities, filing for unemployment insurance benefits, other government services Information: state.ar.us
Task force available for Yarnell’s workers
White County celebrates Independence Day — Page 3a
U.s. army national Guard members, from left, sgt. jerry smith, Cpl. Kenneth Britton and sgt. john Corbett present the colors saturday morning at the beginning of the Pangburn 4th of july Celebration parade. View more photos from saturday's Independence Day festivities in White County on Page 3a. jacob Brower/jbrower@thedailycitizen.com
Law forbids public announcement of workshop
Marker often overlooked
By Warren Watkins warren@thedailycitizen.com A state website says help is available for former Yarnell’s Above: Billy Sanders grills up employees who lost their job some burgers at Judsonia’s when the ice cream factory Independence Day celebrashut down Thursday. tion at Friendly Acres Park According to state.ar.us, the Saturday evening. Governor’s Dislocated Worker By Warren Task Force Watkins assists workers Right: Kaelyn Pettiet, 11 warren@thedailycitizen.com who lose their jobs because of months, explores the playA shaded spotorinworkforce east Searcy stands business closures ground area at Friendly as an example ofthe oureconomic tendency to forget reductions due to veteransorwho have fought for our freeAcres Park. Pettiet is the climate because of natural dom, some say. daughter of Jacob and or man-made disasters. Under a stand State law forbidsofthepine pub-trees just Sarah Pettiet of Judsonia. a few hundred yards lic announcement of from whenthe county’s busiest will commercial workshops be held district for is the Turn to page 3A for more marker, often overlooked Yarnell’s employees in orderby passphotos from Saturday's event. ersby. to protect their privacy. White County Veterans A part of the task force, Officer Jacob Brower/ LarryBusiness Robinson visited and the marker the Retention jbrower@thedailycitizen.com Friday with Transition a reporter from Workforce TeamThe Daily Citizenemployees and was surprised. helps during busipassedor by workforce here all my life and ness“I’ve closures did not know by this was here,” Robinson reductions providing White County Veterans Officer Larry Robinson looks at a marker desigsaid. information about retrainnating Highway 367 as a Blue Star Memorial Highway. The marker was fieldstone andfiling wrought iron, ing,Built job of opportunities, Log onto TheDailyCitizen. installed the from Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs. Warren Watkins/warren@ the marker supports a metal plaque for unemployment insurance com tonight for by photos thedailycitizen.com designating 367 asstate a Blue Star Higginson's Independence Day benefits and Hwy. other local, Memorial celebration. An unknown person or persons is able, flowers could be added along with and federalHighway. services. The marker was installed by the Arkansas Federation of apparently doing the upkeep of the a flagpole. If the five-acre site, which Garden Clubs and the Arkansas State marker — putting shrubs around its sits on land owned by the Arkansas Highway Department and bears the base — but no one in the current gar- Highway Transportation Department, seal of the National Council of State den club seems to know whom. is developed into a “veterans park,” Garden Clubs. “It’s probably just a good citizen an entrance marker could be added as Star Memorial Highway” the operations, who valuessaid the the contribution of veterwell. federal Centers for es that need to be made and we are going The“Blue Assocaited Press marker states. “A tribute to the nation’s ans,” said Liz Howell, a member of Entrance to the by vehicle is Medicare and Medicaid Services will to move forward andarea do that." LITTLE ROCK — State Hospital Armed Forces who served in World work Garden Club,out alsoa easy by following toward with the hospital to carry During a June 13the visit,curve site reviewofficials are pledging to work with feder- the Greenkeepers War II.” affiliated with the Arkansas Federation Judsonia, then turning right on a short "System Improvement Agreement." ers from the federal agency found the al monitors in an effort keep Medicare The marker was toinstalled “long of Garden Clubs. access road, then right again into the Millions of dollars in federal fundhospital violated standards for Medicare funding for Arkansas' only public hosago” by the Searcy Garden Club, a Robinson, grateful for the help park. for patient care could expire July providers in the areas of patient rights pital for the mentally ill, the the Arkansas Arkansas ing now-defunct chapter of of ifthe gardener,” just need to lethospital the community 18 the“mystery parties cannot agree onsaid howthe to and“We recordkeeping. The also had Democrat-Gazette reported Saturday. Federation of Garden Clubs, according marker could use even more attention. know about this and they’ll step up,” problems the hospital. of unfavorable findings Amy Moore. Webb, a spokeswoman for resolve to Joyce Although a waterat supply is not avail- received Robinsonmonths predicted. "We are ready to make changes," by Medicare site reviewers, putting the the Arkansas Department of Human Services, which oversees the hospital's Webb said. "We feel like there are chang- federal funding in jeopardy.
Site could be spruced up, official says
Higginson festival
Arkansas hospital to work with federal monitors
WEATHER Today: Mostly sunny. Highs WinElower A T H E90s. R South winds
Today: Mostly sunny. Highs 5-10 mph. in the upper 90s.cloudy. Lows Tonight: Partly Tonight: Lows in upperPartly 60s. cloudy. Southeast in the lower winds 5-1070s. mph. Vol. 156, No. 159 ©2010 The Daily Citizen Vol. 157, No. 159 ©2011 The Daily Citizen
INDEX I N D OPINIONS, EX LOCAL, 3A 4A
CALENDAR/OBITUARIES, 5A LOCAL, 2A LIFESTYLES, 7A SPORTS, 1B OPINIONS, 4A LIFESTYLES, 5A CLASSIFIEDS, 5B 6A CALENDAR/OBITUARIES, SPORTS, 1B CLASSIFIEDS, 5B
community remains strong Old friends reunite after 56 years
By Luke jones ljones@thedailycitizen.com Even after over half a century, former congressman Ed Bethune can Bethune GiBBins remember boothard campfor like t's still us itto believe that a company that was yesterday. has become woven intonthe ofMarine our comEd fabric Bethune, Corps Bethune had already n Joe Gibbins, Air Force 80 years could just disappear begun munity collegefor nearly at the University of Arkansas so suddenly, without any warning whatsoever. when he realized he was through. But Gibbins turned A hit TV show goes off the air with a farefinancially unable to con- him down. however, well episode. seasons withclaimed, a championship tinue. AroundSports that time a endHe that if the recruiter could perfriend his hometown of game.from Yarnell's — a company that was as much a part suade his friend J.D. Putts to Pocahontas told him about of Arkansas as the Razorbacks, hot summers and sweet an all-Arkansas Marine go, he would too. A few days tea — left withthat no was notice, No Gatorade later, thetour. recruiter returned Corps. platoon stillno farewell with Putt’s paperwork. He showers or confetti, only unceremonious pink slips and looking for members. After had joined. some deliberation, Bethune a press release. “Pop always told me to decided to go. Certainly, the 200 workers who lostmy their jobs Gibbins three stick to word,” Bethune remembers flygotup. ready to ship daystoago could have of aand heads A little ing California in aused hugea bitsaid, off. for customers whose four-motor airplane. notice would have also been nice The two have vivid “We towere excited brand and dates loyalty the Yarnell's back toofchildhood memories their drill scared,” he said. “Nobody — many of whom are now well into retirement instructors. Gibbinsage. recalls flew back in those days.” one from Ideally, employees would had athe fewMidwest monthswho The platoon was made up have claimed to be “205 pounds of abouta good 70 Arkansans, all and to find spot to land, customers would have of whom Bethune would get of blue twisted steel,” he been able to give their favorite ice company a “He ran the daylights to know very well over the said. cream out of us.” proper farewell. Butwas thisJoe situation was obviously far coming weeks. One Gibbins recalled Gibbins. from ideal. The company's finances had been in direonce when the instructor forced Gibbins had been workstraits for a while. Perhaps officials felt they could make ing at a Des Arc service sta- them to rear march for an theirwhen dollarsa stretch more quarterCoNTiNuED in hopes oN thatPAGE sum2A tion recruiterone came
I
LocaL veterans
mer sales would be strong enough to reverse the company’s fortunes. Perhaps the lack of notice was for far less noble reasons. We will learn the answers to those questions in the days and weeks ahead. But what we do know for now is this: About 200 jobs and a huge part of our community identity are now gone. So, whereannounces do we go from here? Entergy eLectric rate Asdecrease we stated inas Friday's paper, nothing will replace decrease Yarnell's as a local icon — at least not in most of our summer heat amount: 22 percent lifetimes. But some are taking itWhen: a stepJulyfurther by saying 1 begins that nothing will replace the 200 jobs lost, either. That By Warren Watkins July, residential customers part of the Searcy and White County economy is gone, warren@thedailycitizen.com were paying $110.03. Entergy customers willargument goes. never to return again, the “This is good news for our notice a decrease in their elecHogwash. tric bills for July as a rate customers as we move into theithot summer months,” Frombegan the outside looking in, is easy to view thissaid decrease Thursday. Oscar Washington, customer Local company spokesman closure as a harbinger of doom for the local economy. Paul Ford said the announce- service director of Entergy But the view a distance be deceiving. Arkansas, Inc. “TheAs reduction ment would be from good news for can in rates comes at the William Wattbeen onceusing said, "Do not put your faithtime in of those whoW.have year when electricity bills are their conditioners as sumwhatair statistics say until you have carefully normally theirconsidered highest. The mertime temperatures climb. what they notnews, say."espe- lower rates will bring wel“This is do good comenorelief during themeacoming cially during a the hot one timething of that In this case, statistic can months.” the said. “Itresilience really sureyear,” is theFord spirit and ofThe thereduction people who make in electricity helps in terms of your budget. rates is the result of a combinathis community great. It’s a good time to be impletionwith of lower costs in 2009, menting it.”we even went to press Before ourfuel first edition A 22-percent decrease in continued efficient operation after the Yarnell's closure,tobusinesses calling of powerwere plants, and our a sizelectricity rates as compared able reduction in the office to place ads in hopes of snatchingamount up July 2009 kickedclassified in Thursday, the line item on according a pressemployees. release. collected the plant'stoformer This wasinnot surprising. The lower rates will result in a customer bills described as These companies just doing what any goodPayment busi“FERC-Imposed $24 savings on a billwere for 1,000 (System Agreement).” kilowatt-hours electricity. ness would do.ofMake no mistake — Yarnell's produced The 22 percent rate The rate product, decrease is a result a great and greatofproducts don't just make lower fuel costs, both current decrease includes the $63.7 themselves. Theythrough have to by great million base rate workincrease and as projected thebe produced the Arkansas Public Service end of 2010. ers. We hope that every local business sees this closure A residential customer Commission approved in a as the 1,000 goldenkilowatt opportunity it is to instantly on May improve 28. using hoursthatsettlement For more information, theirpay workforces. will $85.39 starting July persons visit years Entergy1, about customers were who And,what to those businesses have may in recent paying in July of 1986. Last Arkansas.com. eyed Searcy as a place to possibly open a new plant, what are you waiting for? There are many hard workers who committed excellence at your Doareyou wanttoto knownow who youdisposal. are? We will bounce back from this economic hurdle. It Don't ask. Act! Action will may take some time, but we will come back stronger delineate than we were before. and define you. Thomas The spirit and resolve ofjefferson our community is too strong American President, 1743-1826 to accept anything less.
Electric rates decrease 22 percent
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Contact us: 3000 E. Race, Searcy, AR 72143, (Phone) 501-268-8621, (Fax) 501-268-6277 — The Daily Citizen Contact us: 3000 E. Race, Searcy, AR 72143, (Phone) 501-268-8621, (Fax) 501-268-6277