Bald Knob man by Jacob Brower

75¢

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The

Daily Citizen

TheDailyCitizen.com

Serving Searcy and White County, Ark., since 1854

Governor calls for road bond vote

Gov. Mike Beebe on Monday called for a special election to ask voters to approve highway bonds. — Page 3A

SHS boys golf team improves at home After sluggish outings at the country club, Lion golfers have improved their home-course play. — Page 1B

Yarnell’s files for bankruptcy Company officials: Offers have been made to buy company

By Molly M. Fleming mfleming@thedailycitizen.com Yarnell’s Ice Cream Co. filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection Monday, listing $15.7 million in debt and $8 million between 151 assets. The family-owned company — which opened its doors during the Great Depression — closed unexpectedly in June, laying off 200

Yarnell’s bankruptcy

n More than $15 million owed in debt n Only has $8 million in assets n Some local companies owed

employees. According to a press release sent out Monday morning, Yarnell’s has received offers to purchase the company’s assets, including property, the Yarnell’s brand name and recipes, as well as inventory. “Some of these offers are from entities that have expressed their desire to recommence manufacturing Yarnell’s ice cream in Searcy,” The press release stated. “All these offers are subject to non-disclosure agreements, which prohibits Yarnell’s management from commenting.

Yarnell’s intends to provide all offers to the bankruptcy trustee.” According to the 178-page bankruptcy file, the company owes money to 240 different businesses, including 15 businesses located in White County. Of the White County businesses, Yarnell’s has the largest debt to F&M Services, Inc. of Searcy, which is expecting $103,164 from Yarnell’s. Other local companies that are owed money include Arkansas Test Laboratory in Searcy, with a debt Continued on Page 3A

Earl Strickland, former mayor of Bald Knob and owner of Strickland Sawmill in Judsonia, points out stacked lumber as he drives around the mill in a Kubota. Strickland turned 90 years old on Saturday, Aug. 20. Marisa Lytle/mlytle@thedailycitizen.com

Strickland once served as BK mayor J 90 and counting

Earl Strickland, 90, looks off toward the mill that he owns and operates with his two sons. Strickland’s family has been in the lumber business for more than 100 years. Marisa Lytle/mlytle@thedailycitizen.com Strickland was born in had a dog, and I had a shotgun. of bad about that, but it didn’t Griffithville in 1921. He has Our parents didn’t know where keep us from buying some ice many stories about life back we were. One time we bought cream at the parlor. then and about how mischievous some whiskey with the 25 cents “We also played hooky as he was as a boy. we had between us, mixed it much as possible. We weren’t “I went coon hunting with my with water and then sold it to a learning much from school, but friend Chapman,” he said. “He man for 50 cents. We felt kind Continued on Page 3A

WEATHER

Today: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 90s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Tonight: Cloudy. Lows around 70. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph in the evening...becoming south after midnight.

INDEX NATION & STATE, 2A OPINIONS, 4A LIFESTYLES, 5A CALENDAR/OBITUARIES, 6A SPORTS, 1B CLASSIFIEDS, 6B

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Victim: Michael Cunningham, 46, of Heber Springs Status: Stable When: Around 5 p.m. Saturday Suspect: None at this time

Man, 46, shot near Lion Stadium Searcy police: No suspect at this time

Bald Knob man still operates business at 90

By Marisa Lytle mlytle@thedailycitizen.com UDSONIA — Former Bald Knob mayor Earl Strickland recently turned 90, but that doesn’t stop him from working at the Judsonia sawmill he owns Who: Earl with his two Strickland, sons. former Bald The Knob mayor Strickland and current owner of Sawmill, Strickland located along Sawmill in Highway 367 Judsonia in Judsonia, What: Turned operates on 90 on Aug. 20 100 acres of land not only as a sawmill, but also as a lumber and wood merchant company. Strickland’s family has been working in the timber, logging and sawmill business since Strickland’s grandfather, Robert Clinton, moved from Poplar Bluff, Mo., to Arkansas in 1896. “The base product in Arkansas is timber, not farming,” said Strickland, who celebrated his milestone on Saturday, Aug. 20. “The wood goes into paper and home-building.”

Weekend shooting

By Molly M. Fleming mfleming@thedailycitizen.com A shot was fired on Saturday near Lion Stadium resulting in one known victim, according to the Searcy Police Department. Around 5 p.m. Saturday, Michael Cunningham, 46, of Heber Springs, walked into the police department and told the officer he had been shot. Cunningham told the police that he was near the high school football stadium when he heard someone yell and a gun was fired. A description of the suspect was not available, according to the initial police report. “The case is still under investigation,” said SPD Public Information Officer Terri Lee. “We are still trying to find the facts of the incident.” Cunningham had one gunshot wound to his lower back. He was transported by NorthStar EMS to White County Medical Center, where he was in stable condition as of 3 p.m. Monday. The Criminal Investigation Division was called to the scene and Detective Scott Thomas is working on the case. Anyone with information about the incident can call the SPD at 268-3531.

Town meetings

Who: U.S. Rep. Mike Ross What: Will reschedule meetings for today in Lewisville and Texarkana to Sept. 28.

US Rep. Mike Ross reschedules meetings

The Associated Press LITTLE ROCK — Congressman Mike Ross is rescheduling two town hall meetings following the death of Lafayette C o u n t y Judge Frank Scroggins. The meetings sched- Ross uled for today in Lewisville and Texarkana are being moved to Sept. 28. Other town hall meetings scheduled for Tuesday in Glenwood and Murfreesboro are still planned. Scroggins' funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. today. Ross says he plans to attend.

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy

Novelist, 1828-1910

”

The Daily Citizen

From Page One

Proceeds from Bibles support literacy

Tuesday, August 30 2011 • Page 3A

Beebe: Road bond vote set

The Associated Press LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Mike Beebe called Monday for a special election this fall to ask Arkansas voters to approve up to $575 million in highway bonds, a compromise reached after a key group pulled its support for a larger package with a tax increase. Beebe signed a proclamation at a press conference that sets the special election for Nov. 8. He repeated several times that the special election was to renew an existing program and wouldn't raise the state's diesel tax from its current 22.5 cents per gallon.

"This is not a new tax," Beebe said. "The passage or the failure doesn't increase or decrease anybody's taxes." Beebe and other officials once supported a 5-cent diesel tax increase and wanted a special election to raise the tax. But the Arkansas Trucking Association backed out of an agreement to support the hike after its internal polling suggested voters could not be persuaded to support it. If approved, the increase would have authorized the state to issue up to $1.1 billion in bonds, nearly double the current package.

Yarnell’s: Files Chapter 7

Continued from Page 1A

Searcy, with a debt of $840; $3,342 in flex wages to 15 BBL Oil Co., LLC with a former employees. Every debt of $14,150; Knight’s name and amount owed is Inc., with a debt of $600; listed on the file. One forAnn Nieto of the White County Literacy Council looks through some of the Bibles available through the Second and The Daily Citizen in mer employee is owed as Time Around bookstore. Nieto said the council have a surplus of Bibles and some will be given away while others care of Paxton Media Group much as $5,000, with other will be sold for $1. The bookstore is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week and from noon until 4 p.m. with a debt of $55.50. amounts being in the $1,000 on Saturdays. Proceeds from the bookstore benefits the WCLC, which teaches adults who to read and write in The 15 White County to $2,000 range. English. The bookstore is located at 109 E. Center Street in Searcy. Molly M. Fleming/mfleming@thedailycitizen.com businesses are not the only The company also owes entities owed money from $2.1 million to the Arkansas the company. The bankruptcy Development Finance file also lists the employees Authority and $1.9 million who are still owed money for to the Arkansas Economic their vacation time they did Development Commission. Continued from Page 1A not get to use because of the The ADFA debt is secured learned a lot from listening sky blue Harley Davidson,” Jed, Strickland still works Regarding his birthday, company’s abrupt closure. by the company’s equipto older people.” he said, grinning. “All the at the mill everyday, haul- Strickland said, “I turned In total, Yarnell’s owes ment while the AEDC debt When he was 12, his girls loved it.” ing wood when feels up 90 years old Saturday. And $228,221 to 142 of its former is secured by the company’s family moved to Bald He served at many to it. it wasn’t my fault.” employees, which includes property. Knob. That is when he military bases around the started doing some work globe, including some in Y- CE! th with a saw. Although it was California, New Jersey, R R AN dangerous work, he said, he Australia, New Guinea and U H CH got paid $5 a week, which the Philippines. He said he ST was enough to buy a pair of was about to be shipped A L shoes and some groceries. to Japan in 1945 when the Strickland said his fam- atomic bomb was dropped. ily had a car at that time, “I was never under attack but his dad didn’t drive it but twice,” he said. “I wrote much because gas was so my own orders to come back expensive — about a nickel to the United States for a a gallon. brief time. I was home for When Strickland was 17, 16 days, and that felt good. he spent a lot of time with When I came home for good Red Fry, who would later was in 1946. I joined the become his brother-in-law. Reserves at Camp Jaffey, but “Red and I decided we then I got out of it. I didn’t would join the military want full-time duty and halftogether,” he said. “So, time pay.” when the train came by, I Strickland had married hopped on it while it was Bernice Fry on Sept. 22, moving, but he changed his 1942, and they started raismind and just stood there ing a family after he came waving at me. Since I didn’t home from military duty. HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: have a ticket, I got thrown They had two sons, Phillip, off the train, so I had to now 59, and Jed, now 57. Submit a really good photo of your pet walk the rest of the way to Bernice died in 2003. digital photos only. Photos can be emailed Little Rock, where I took a Strickland now has several digital files, photos on CDs, or we can physical and waited. About grandchildren and greatdownload the photos off your memory card. a week later, I got a let- grandchildren, whom he (Process any non-digital photos at a photo ter asking me to join the said are a real handful. processing store that will put your submitted Army.” He was elected mayor photo or photos on a CD). He spent eight years of Bald Knob in 1985 and in the army, from 1938 to served off-and-on over the Complete the entry form below and include 1946. His first placement span of two decades. He a $5.00 contest entry fee with each photo was at Fort Riley, Kan., joked that the first written submitted. Bring your digital photos to where the recruits learned, line of the municipal manThe Daily Citizen office or email photos to: how to ride horses, among ual was “Get dead animals pets@thedailycitizen.com other things. off the street.” “Well, that was made for Although he retired from All entries will appear in the 2012 HSS Pet me,” Strickland said. “I was city government, he still Calendar. 12 winning photos will be featured a country boy and could operates the sawmill busifor all 12 monthly covers. All other entries ride at a gallop bare-backed ness with his sons. will be pictured on additional calendar without falling off.” “Jed has learned to saw pages. Winners will be announced at a future He also knew how to from watching me,” he said. date in The Daily Citizen featuring all ride a motorcycle, so in “We have two mills side by pet entries and winning photos. 1939 he was given a new side, and everyone works Army motorcycle and was when we have both of them Winning Tips: placed on traffic patrol with going. We also have a cutPicture quality will affect judging – the Military Police. stock operation.” prefer large file closeup, high resolution, “In 1941 I bought my own According to his son

Strickland: Bald Knob man still working at age 90 s or hoto pt. 9 f e ld in Pet P y, Se a a De tting Frid mi d to b Su nde te Ex

Annual

Love My Pet C O N T E S T

12 lucky pets will grace the months of the Humane Society of Searcy’s

2012 Pet Calendar

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