RVL June 2016

RVL

SUMMER ISSUE JUNE 2016

Magazine

Inside

• Make your garden grow - pg 18 • Healthy, yummy recipes - pg 24 • Natural State day trips - pg 32

Course work

Oxendine leads in school and on the green —Page 6

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Publisher/Editor David Meadows Circulation Mike Geiss Production David Weaver Design Marissa Ferreira

Writers Jenn Terrell Travis Simpson Patricia Spears Sean Ingram Photography Joshua Mashon Jenn Terrell

Advertising Director Michelle Harris Account Executives Jim Kelley Ashlee Ennis Judy Manning Meagan Wilson

Published quarterly by The Courier, Russellville, Ark. June 26, 2016

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Julie Oxendine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Didn’t pick up a club until college, but that didn’t stop her from being inducted into the 2016 ASAG Hall of Fame.

Beekeeping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Local beekeepers share advice on how to start a rewarding hobby

Summer top items. . . . . . . . 15 Local businesses share some of the most anticipated items of the summer

Plant talk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Pope County Master Gardeners give insight to successful gardening

DIY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Bring the ocean home with this cute wind chime made of sea shells.

Recipes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 ATU chef Rob Kimmer share a few healthy recipes perfect for summer

Tina Crouch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Crouch reflects on her time with 911

Arkansas vacations. . . . . . 32 Find places to visit right here in the Natural State

Grilling Master. . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Josh Jones reveals some tips and tricks for the perfect BBQ

Photo finish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Photos from Night of 1,000 Stars and Taste of the Valley

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Oxendine to enter Arkansas Golf

Hall of Fame

BY TRAVIS SIMPSON

PHOTOS BY JOSHUA MASHON

J

ulie Oxendine didn’t pick up a golf club until college, but that didn’t stop her from earning myriad accolades and a soon-to-come induction into the Arkansas State Golf Association Hall of Fame.

Oxendine, who is the physical education teacher at Sequoyah Elementary School, has been playing golf for 25 years. Oxendine is also a Russellville High School alumnus, where she earned All-Conference in basketball and AllState in tennis. Oxendine said her time involved in sports at the high school carried over to her golf game.

“It taught me how to practice,” she said. “I knew that if you want to get good at something, you have to practice. You can’t just play and get good, so I practiced.”

Practice paid dividends in less than 10 years. Oxendine won the 1998 Arkansas Women’s Golf Association match play championship and again in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2013, as well as taking runner-up four times during that period.

“It’s summer time, so I practice just about every day,” she said. “I might play on the weekend. I don’t pick the good days and the bad days. For me, it’s never too hot, but sometimes it’s too cold. Usually, it’s not hot enough for me.”

Oxendine is a three-time AWGA stroke play champion (2001, 2003, 2006), a two-time ASGA stroke play

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ing down the door.�

Oxendine said her ultimate goal is to be a USGA champion, although she admitted that door might close soon. “The next goal is to be a senior women’s champion,� she said. “I have lofty goals, but you have to have them to compete.�

Oxendine’s first foray into competitive golfing saw her reach the semifinals of the 1992 ASGA state tournament. “This isn’t too bad, I thought. I qualified with an older lady and she told me if I ever figured out where the ball was going, I would be good. Back then, I could hit it far, but not straight,� Oxendine said.

Oxendine is being inducted alongside Warren Stephens and Jack O’Keefe.

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champion (2010, 2012) and a nine-time runner-up in state stroke play. She has been honored as Arkansas State Player of the Year 12 times and played on 14 AWGA Cup teams.

While raking in the golfing honors, Oxendine has spent the last 10 years with Sequoyah Elementary and the last 24 years teaching.

She has coached junior high basketball and has been the assistant high school coach.

Oxendine said she jumped at the chance to teach physical education at Sequoyah. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being a P.E. teacher is my dream job,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I did the things I did before that, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad I did them, but my love is in elementary P.E. When I heard there was a position available, I was knock-

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Saint Mary’s Cardiology & Vascular Services team (left to right): Drs. Shuja Rasool, Dai-Yuan Wang, Sastry Prayaga, and Ravishankar Kalaga.

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RVL Magazine 9

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B PHOTOS AND STORY BY JENN TERRELL

buzzing beekeepers

with wisdom

eekeeping has sparked the interest of several Pope County residents. Some do it for profit, others just enjoy a hive or two in their backyard.

Along with beekeepers comes honey. Go to any farmer’s market or a local grocery store, and you’ll find a variety of local honeys to choose from.

If you talk to any seasoned beekeeper, they will tell you it wasn’t an easy hobby or business to start.

Among a group of local beekeepers, there is an endless array of knowledge and tips to be offered.

Take Dale Hunter, for example.

Hunter is a beekeeping mentor for the River Valley Beekeepers and has been beekeeping in Russellville since 2011. He understands beekeeping is a difficult hobby to start and serves new beekeepers as a guide through the process.

The first piece of advice Hunter offered is “don’t panic.”

“If you are going to keep bees, you are going to get stung,” he said.

“You can’t panic around the bees because they are like any other wild creature. They can tell when you are freaking out.”

It is best to spend some time around bees and even to get stung once or twice before committing to beekeeping as a hobby or career.

Second, Hunter advised it is important to do your research but not to worry too much.

“For the most part if you mess something up in the hive, the bees

RVL Magazine 11

will fix it,” he said. “Naturally, you can mess it up so bad they can’t fix it, but new beekeepers are generally a little more timid about doing things in the hive, so they aren’t going to mess up too much.”

To be sure you are ready to start beekeeping, John Smith, owner of Central Beekeeping Supply, LLC., recommended a beginner’s class.

“Anyone thinking about getting bees needs to go to a beginner’s bee

class of some form,” Smith said. “The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers an excellent beginner’s course taught by Jon Zawislak.”

Classes are offered periodically around the state.

“Beginners should also join or at least visit a bee association club,” Smith said. “The River Valley Beekeepers is a good one here in Russellville.”

The River Valley Beekeepers is a group open to anyone involved in beekeeping or is interested in learning more about beekeeping. The group meets the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Western Sizzlin’ in the meeting room at the back of the restaurant.

Kenny Drewry, a commercial beekeeper from Dover who has been beekeeping for 16 years, has a bit more technical advice.

“My advice is to keep the bees healthy,” Drewry said. “That is where people really mess up.”

You must feed your bees, keep a healthy queen and prevent or get rid of mites, he said.

“If you ever hear a guy say, ‘Oh, I don’t feed my bees,’ he is going to be replacing some hives,” Drewry said.

Bees don’t always produce enough food to keep them fed throughout the winter, he said.

Keeping a healthy queen is also of

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utmost importance, according to Drewry.

“You need to make sure your queen is good,” he said. “If she is not good, you get a new queen. You can get one from another hive if the queen is really young.

But the best way to do it is to get one from a queen breeder.”

Both Drewry and Ric Holland, of the Holland Family Honey Farm in Hector, said you have to keep mites out of your hives.

Drewry suggested getting hygienic bees to keep the boxes clean.

“If you get rid of the mites, you get rid of a lot of the diseases,” Drewry said. “If you don’t do it with breeding, you have to do it with chemicals. There is a new product coming out this year for this problem. It is a (oxalic acid) vapor that is harmless to bees but paralyzes the mites and they fall off.”

Holland shared similar advice regarding mites.

“Make sure you medicate your bees for mites if you have them,” Holland said.

“There are different methods of checking the bees for mites and treating them. If you don’t, you won’t keep your bees.”

Many beekeepers keep bees just for

the honey they produce. Another piece of advice from Holland is “don’t stop there.”

“Don’t just think of bees to be for honey only,” Holland said. “There are other products that can come from the bee hive. There is pollen, propolis and the beeswax.”

Holland and his wife, Rhonda, have used beeswax to make skincare products for five years.

“We have a tremendous amount of beeswax,” Holland said. “For every 100 pounds of honey I produce, we have a pound of beeswax. Last year we produced 6,600 pounds of honey. We had 66 pounds of beeswax, so we wanted to do something with it other than just shipping it in and having it converted into foundation for the bees.”

The Hollands make several products including flavored and natural lip balms, lotion bars and tubes of lotion.

The products aren’t too hard to make, Holland said.

“It is not that complicated,” Holland said. “It is doing a lot of homework and studying. You can find basic recipes on the Internet, but then you adjust them to suit your needs.”

While the process of making the products is easy, perfecting them isn’t.

“It took three years just to come up with the formula for their lotion bars,” Holland said. “It is a mixture of coconut oil, almond oil and beeswax. Getting the formula just right was difficult. We had to find the right balance of the oils and waxes so when you put it on your hands, it didn’t leave them feeling greasy.

“A good starter is the chapstick because it is a pretty basic recipe on the Internet.

You just have to adjust it a little bit to suit your liking. If you get too much wax in it, it is too hard and too dry. If you get too much oil in it, it is too soft and it smears.”

For more information about beekeeping in the Arkansas River Valley visit rivervalleybeekeepers.org.

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RVL Magazine 13

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RUB A DUB, DUB Joe Mac’s Beach Shack is making everyone look forward to bath time this summer. They have a new variety of bath bombs that include a surprise in the middle.

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SUMMER TANKS FOR THE LADIES Small Town Girls at the City Mall has colorful and witty tanks for all of the ladies in your life including toddler, teen and adult sizes.

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W

hile the saying, “April showers bring May flowers” may have some truth, planting a specific variety, including vegetables, is what brings joy to many gardeners. However, not has a green thumb when starting their gardens.

Libby Davenport, a Pope County Master Gardener since 2008, stressed that education and research is vital to a successful garden.

“One tip I have that I was guilty of when I was first began is that you don’t just start a garden,” Davenport said. “You need to get everything ready in advance so you have time to test your soil, study the sun and figure out what it is that you want.”

Meg Fox, a Pope County Master Gardener of 17 years, said you really have to know your three conditions: light, soil and water.

“Those are the three basic things that plants need to grow,” she said.

Soil

rinds, coffee grounds, shredded newspaper and egg shells. Fox mentioned compost should not contain meat or fats.

Water

Russenberger said one of the main causes of death to new gardeners’ plants is overwatering.

He suggested watering the ground without getting the foliage wet.

Another tip Russenberger suggested was to not water the plants late in the evening or before dark.

“So many people work all day, it may be almost dark before they get outside to water,” said Russenberger. “Watering just before dark is one of the worst things you can do to the foliage on a plant. It stays wet all night and that’s when it starts developing funguses.”

Fox suggests using an irrigation system or soaker hoses to water up the soil line.

green thumb How to create a

According to Davenport, anyone needing a PH test to determine fertilizer conditions and needs in a garden can have the soil tested at the

BY PATRICIA SPEARS Pope County Extension Office (PCEO) at no charge.

“A lot of other states charge but in Arkansas it is free,” she said.

The PCEO offers cartons to gather samples of soil in. A separate carton will be needed for each area tested.

Fox suggested having your soil tested in the fall to allow time to make adjustments to your soil for the spring. On average it takes two to three weeks to get the results back.

Davenport said raised beds are generally the easiest for beginners because you have more control over what soil and contents are in your bed.

Frank Russenberger, a Pope County Master Gardener since 2004, suggested not making raised beds more than 6-8 inches in height. He explained if they are much higher than that, the beds will get too hot.

“In Arkansas, the summer is what kills plants,” he said.

Fox added beds that use stone blocks as walls tend to hold heat too.

Another advantage of raised beds are they are almost always good at draining water.

Mulching is an important key to keeping water levels consistent and to preventing weeds.

Fox suggests using an use organic mulch, such as bark, to keep it away from the base of the trees and plants and to make the layer of mulch 3-inches deep.

Compost, a combination of kitchen and garden waste can also be used as mulch or dug directly into the soil to be used as an additive.

“Gardeners should really think about having a compost pile,” Russenberger said.

Items that can be used in a compost include raked leaves, the hull of strawberries, tips of green beans, chopped watermelon

Seeds and plants

According to Fox, as far as vegetables, lettuces and radishes are easier for beginners.

She warned both are a cool season crop and soon their particular season will be over for the year.

Tomatoes, green peppers and okra are examples of warm season crops. If you plant them too early before the ground has warmed to a sufficient temperature, they will possibly rot. Fox said the first week of May is usually a safe time to assume the ground is warm enough.

“If you plant vegetables when you first see them in the bigbox stores, you are probably going to lose them because they like to start putting plants out in March,” said Russenberger.

“People forget those plants have been in greenhouses. Then you take them home, stick them in the cold ground and they say nuh uh.”

Perennials and shrubs can be planted in the fall. This allows them to establish a root system before battling the hot summer the following year.

“There is an old saying for perennials that says, the first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year they leap,” said Fox. “So if you plant them in the fall you have year one done and next spring your plants will be on to creeping.”

Russenberger said the general goal of most plants is to make seed and reproduce. To encourage the plants to bloom again he suggests cutting the old blooms off so the plant doesn’t waste a lot of energy making seeds.

Pollinators

“Pollinators is the big word this year all over the United States, not just in Arkansas,” Davenport said.

Hummingbirds like plants with long tubular flowers. Butterflies and bees are attracted to cone flowers or those with flat surfaces they can land on.

Milkweed is the only plant Monarch butterflies will eat and Swallowtail butterflies like parsley and fennel.

RVL Magazine 19

Bad bugs vs. good bugs

Ladybugs and dragonflies are some examples of good bugs for the garden Fox said.

Russenberger explained ladybugs are most beneficial in their early stage of life when they are larva.

“It (the larva) is scary looking, like a miniature alligator. That’s the phase of life that really eats aphids,” he said. “The ladybugs will lay eggs on the plants that

are infested with aphids.”

Colorado potato bugs, squash bugs and tomato hornworms are a few “bad bugs” that gardeners want to keep out.

“If you ever see a tomato hornworm that looks like it has little white grains of rice standing up on its back, don’t mash him,” said Russenberger. “Those are tiny wasp eggs on him. Those eggs will hatch, digest the worm from the inside and go lay eggs on other worms.”

Fox suggested to be careful when using insecticides for pests.

“More is not better. It should be a last resort. It’s not going to just kill one thing,” she said.

If gardeners ever have an issue with their plants Fox said they can bring part of the plant to the PCEO in a plastic bag (to prevent spreading the disease or distribution of bugs in the office) and they will diagnose the problem.

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RVL Magazine 23

DIY

Shell Wind Chimes

BY TRAVIS SIMPSON

Shell wind chimes are the perfect way to remember your beach vacation, or just a fun way to bring the beach to your lawn. Shells can be scavenged from the beach or purchased from hobby shops — a perfect summer activity for kids.

You will need: One 3-6 inch stick, driftwood preferred Sea shells beads and/or sea glass Step 1 Find sticks anywhere between 6-3 inches long, depending on how large you would like your chime to be.

Driftwood is perfect, but any stick will work. Sticks can also be purchased at any hobby store.

Step 2 Use cotton string of varying lengths. Feed the string through the shells, beads or a piece of sea glass and then tie the other to the stick. Repeat until happy with result.

In our model we used three strands.

Step 3 Tie a longer string to either end of the stick to create a hanger.

Step 4 Secure in a breezy location.

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RVL Magazine

summer R

ob Kimmer, chef at ATU Chartwells, never thought he would be pursuing a career doing what he loves.

Originally from Mountain Home, Kimmer was introduced to the art of cooking at a young age in order to provide dinner for his brothers while his parents worked late hours.

Little did he know that it would soon transform a passion into a career in the culinary field.

“It was always a passion, but I never thought I could make a career out of it,” said Kimmer.

The last five years Kimmer has dedicated his time to doing just that.

Kimmer began his culinary journey at the River Rock Grill located on Petit Jean Mountain, where he worked under Sous Chef Phillip Schaaf, a successful chef known throughout Arkansas, as the garde manger and line cook.

He later graduated Arkansas Tech with a B.S. in Hospitality Administration and began working for Chartwells at Arkansas Tech as a line cook, supervisor and catering cook. He was offered more opportunities to expand his knowledge, and spent his time taking online classes with Rouxbe Cooking School to further his education. Kimmer has worked with Chartwells for three years and is now the production manager.

“There is no right or wrong answer with cooking. You can make anything your own, and everything you make has your own influence,” Kimmer said.

“And being able to see everyone’s face as they experience your food and the joy that it brings is really exciting.”

Grilled Cauliflower 1 head of cauliflower 1 cup soy sauce 2 cups pineapple juice 2 tbsp. sesame oil 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger Wash the head of cauliflower and remove the greens from beneath. Using the florets as a guide, take your knife and cut the stem of the cauliflower making the bottom of the head even.

Then cut the head of the cauliflower into ¾-inch “steaks” by cutting vertically down the head all the way across.

Put the cauliflower steaks into a pan and pour the rest of the ingredients in with them. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge.

After the steaks have marinated put on a hot grill for 3-5 min per side or until the desired tenderness has been reached. Makes 3-4 steaks.

RVL Magazine 25

recipes

Red Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad

BBQ Tofu Bites 1 package extra firm tofu 1 bottle favorite BBQ sauce 1 tbsp. sesame oil Take the tofu out of the package and drain off excess water. Then wrap the tofu in a dish towel and apply light pressure for 20 seconds pressing out additional water. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Put the tofu cubes in a bowl and pour the sesame oil on top. Lightly mix being careful not to break the tofu.

Marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the fridge.

On a hot grill sear marks into each side of the tofu by leaving in place for 1-2 min per side. After a side has been seared brush with your favorite BBQ sauce. Serves 5-6

1 cup red quinoa dry 2 scallions ½ cup red onion 1 large sweet potato 1 lemon 3 tbsp. olive oil 2 cups vegetable stock Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add quinoa and vegetable stock together in a pot and put on high heat to bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook until the quinoa breaks open about 30 min.

Skin the sweet potato and cut into 1/4-inch cubes. Toss in the cubes with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt

and pepper. Lay the sweet potato cubes out onto a baking sheet making sure none of the cubes are touching. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes flipping the cubes half way through.

While the sweet potato and quinoa are cooking, chop your red onion and scallions into small pieces and put in a mixing bowl.

After the quinoa and sweet potato are done, put them in the bowl with the other ingredients and add the 2 tbsp. of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.

Mix well and put in fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Serves 4-5

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Blueberry-Ginger Spritzer ½ cup fresh blueberries 2 tbsp. fresh grated ginger root 8 oz. pomegranate juice 16 oz. lemon lime soda 6 fresh mint leaves Taking the flat side of your knife mash the fresh blueberries and put them in a pitcher. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and let set in fridge for 30 min before pouring over ice and serving. Serves 5-6.

RVL Magazine 27

Grilled Vegetable Skewer 1 red onion 1 package button mushrooms 2 zucchini squash 1 package baby heirloom tomato 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar Cut the onion and zucchini into ½ inch cubes. Put the cut vegetables and the whole mushroom and tomatoes into a bowl and toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Let marinate for at least an hour before loading the vegetables onto skewers.

Place the skewers onto a hot grill to sear marks into the vegetables. Turn the skewers after 3-4 min. After both sides of the vegetables are seared remove from grill and enjoy!

Makes 4 skewers.

Garlic Green Beans ½ lbs. fresh green beans 4 bulbs garlic 2 tbsp. olive oil

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake For the crust: 2 cups dry oats 1 package pitted dates 1 tbsp. cocoa powder For the Filling: 4 bananas 1 cup peanut butter ½ cup (your favorite) nut milk 1 tbsp. vanilla extract For the Crust: Put all ingredients in food processor and let run until it starts to clump. After clumping occurs press into the bottom of your spring form pan and use the extra to work up the sides.

For the Filling: Put all ingredients together in food processor and mix until smooth. Pour into the pan on top of your crust.

Put in freezer overnight and remove 1 hour before serving.

Serves 10.

Put a heavy skillet on the stove on medium-high heat.

Wash your green beans and dry well.

Finely mince the garlic bulbs.

Once the pan has heated add the olive oil. Once the oil starts to shimmer add in the green beans and let cook for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally. After 2-3 minutes, add in the garlic and finish cooking 5-6 minutes keeping stirring.

Serves 4-5

Herb Roasted Potatoes 4 golden russet potatoes 1 yellow onion 2 tbsp. olive oil 3 rosemary sprigs Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash potatoes and cut into ¾-inch cubes. Peel the onion and cut into ¼-inch sections.

Put your potatoes and onion into a mixing bowl and add the olive oil. Remove the leaves from the sprigs of rosemary and chop up to a fine consistency. Add the rosemary leaves into the bowl and mix well.

Dump the bowl onto a baking sheet and put in the oven for 20 minutes turning the potatoes over about half way through.

Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4

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RVL Magazine

Pope County 911 retiree reflects on lives saved, years gone by

BY RYAN SMITH

On Tina Crouch’s first shift as a corrections officer at the Pope County Detention Center in 1983, a disturbing event occurred that made her think she might have chosen the wrong career path.

“There was a man that had to be put in a padded cell because he was a danger to himself,” Crouch said. “He started screaming uncontrollably, and he sounded like a wounded animal. That was my first night at work. I thought, what have I got myself into?”

Crouch stuck with it, though, and moved into a dispatcher position with the Russellville Police Department in 1987, where she quickly found her calling in emergency communications.

In 1994 she got hired on at Pope County 911, where she worked under five directors during her tenure. She retired on April 29.

“Despite that first night as a corrections officer, here I am 33 years later,” she said. “You have to work through a lot of things in this line of work. When you step into that room, you feel like you’re helping people, but there’s aspects of certain calls that no matter what you do, it won’t be enough to help that person.”

Crouch has worked 5,720 shifts, which adds up to 45,760 hours, not including overtime.

When she spoke just outside the 911 call center, she was down to seven remaining shifts. She looked wistfully toward the room in which she had spent the majority of her professional life and told me she considered her co-workers — all of whom she had a hand in training — like her kids.

As a shift supervisor and training officer, Crouch trained 99 employees and taught them everything from how to treat callers in distress to call-specific protocols.

One story she often told her trainees is from her first year she took emergency calls, when a woman called 911 and said her husband wasn’t breathing. Crouch got the woman’s address to send an ambulance, but she said she didn’t want one and hung up.

“A lot of things go through your head during something like that,” Crouch said. “Is she trying to hurt him, or what? I sent an officer and called my director, and he later told me that the husband was DNR, and she just wanted someone to be with her. It turned out the woman knew the responding officer personally, so it helped calm her down.”

Crouch said that call helped her learn not to judge people over the phone because they’re dealing with traumatic experiences, to which people react in often unexpected ways.

She’s taken calls during which the caller didn’t want to perform CPR on someone who was not responsive. But one of the most heartbreaking calls she received was from a son who did try to perform CPR on his father.

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RVL Magazine

“He kept saying ‘Come on, Dad,’ but his dad didn’t make it,” she said, looking down and shaking her head. “Sometimes you’re able to help and sometimes you’re not. One thing this job does do is make you better respect your own family and cherish them. You have to shake some of these calls off or you’d get burnt out so quick.”

Crouch said the hardest part of her job is when distraught mothers call and say they have an infant who isn’t breathing.

She said nine times out of 10, you can’t calm them down enough to actually help their own child, but usually EMS responds in time to save them.

“It’s these kinds of calls that you can’t take on your shoulders when you leave here, because you wouldn’t come back the next day,” she said. “You don’t go into this job to be patted on the back.”

Some of her achievements are worth more than a pat on the back. While she was still green to the job, a girl called and said her brother held her hostage with a rifle. She immediately sent deputies to respond, but then Crouch did something

unexpected.

“I asked her to let me talk to her brother, and I told him he needed to put the gun down because it was going to escalate, and it could get worse if he didn’t,” Crouch said. “After I kept talking to him, he put the gun down and walked outside to the officers without incident. It could have turned out so much worse.”

The job isn’t for everyone, and she said she’s had trainees not make it through an eight-hour shift. A strong backbone and assertiveness are key.

Crouch said day shift usually answers about 300-400 calls among about four operators. The day before, she took 140 calls. So her main stress relief may come as a surprise to most: She has another job.

During her 42-year work career, there’s not been five years when she hasn’t had two jobs. She works at WalMart now, usually squeaking in about 60-plus hours a week between both jobs.

“My parents instilled in their children a good work ethic,” she said. “They told us if you want anything in this life, then you’re going to have to work to get it. I

took that to heart.”

She said what most people don’t realize about those who work in emergency communications is that during holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving, someone is always working, missing out on time with the family.

Crouch said her great nephew and nieces, whom she treats as her own grandchildren, played a major role in her decision to hang it up. A trip to Universal Studios is already in the works.

“There comes a time when you know you’ve had enough, and I’ve seen a lot of people not make it to retirement,” she said. “I want to still be able to enjoy my family, have my health, travel and garden. I want some time for me. You just know when it’s time.”

Although Crouch has retired from Pope County 911, she plans to stick around at Wal-Mart, where she works in the jewelry department.

“It’s been a great career for me, and I’ve made a lot of friends,” she said, looking back to the 911 call room. “I wish all these kids health and happiness.”

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RVL Magazine

Arkansas vacation Find everything you want or need during your

A

BY SEAN INGRAM

few years ago when gasoline prices went over $4 at the pump, Americans decided to scale back on their vacation time. Instead of flying out of the U.S. or driving to another part of the country, they decided to stay closer to home.

Thus, the term “staycation” was born.

Today, with gas hovering around a little more than $2 in the Natural State, more people can come to Arkansas from another state and enjoy a vacation at a lower cost. Arkansans as well as visitors can travel across the state and have everything available here that you would find in every part of the country or even across the globe.

The state can be broken up into regions for vacationers. Since we live in the Arkansas River Valley, we’ll go through all the options we have in the northwest part of the state.

Depending on the calendar, the River Valley offers several community festivals that offer parades, pageants, live entertainment and anything from fried dill pickles to peaches. The Free State of Yell Fest, Picklefest, Johnson County Peach Festival and the Downtown Fall Fest and Chili Cook-off are just a few examples.

Russellville has one of the top fishing destinations in the country, Lake Dardanelle, and the Lake Dardanelle State Park Visitors Center is a center, museum and learning tool all in one. A renovated Depot Park will host musical entertainment and events, and the Downtown Art Walk each quarter greets visitors to art and businesses.

Arkansas Tech University is the third-largest university in Arkansas and offers a museum and several summer camps for youth. Russellville’s Center for the Arts hosts live singing, plays and musicals, and the city has recently hosted an annual Balloon festival and the RussVegas Half Marathon that continues to grow in the number of runners and the number of events every year.

Travel west on Interstate 40 to Fort Smith, where its history can be traced back to its establishment as a military post in 1817. The U.S. Marshals Museum will be a 20,000 square foot national facility that is expected to open in 2018. Until then, go back in time on the Arkansas-Missouri train ride.

Take a right before you get to Fort Smith and head up Interstate 540 to one of the fastest-growing parts of the country — Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville. There’s fishing and boat waters, golf courses, recreational and youth facilities, and another fast-growing

RVL Magazine 33

attraction becoming known throughout the country — the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.

Northwest Arkansas has 16 arts centers and theaters, including Opera in the Ozarks and the Great Passion Play, and six historical sites and museums.

Let’s head to North Central Arkansas, which offers some of the best fishing in the nation on the White River, the Buffalo River and Greers Ferry Lake. One magazine named Mountain Home the second best fishing town in the country. Greers Ferry also hosts the annual World Championship Cardboard Races at Sandy Beach.

The town of Fifty Six includes one of the most developed caves in the country, Blanchard Springs Caverns. Mountain View is the folk music capital of the world and home to Ozark Folk Center State Park. Batesville native Mark Martin, recently elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, has the Mark Martin Museum in Batesville.

Clinton hosts thousands every year when the National Championship Chuckwagon Races take place in September, while others come to see the Natural Bridge.

“Hello. I’m Johnny Cash.” The Upper Delta is home to the annual Johnny Cash Music Festival in Jonesboro and the country music legend’s childhood home turned into the Johny Cash Boyhood Museum in Dyess.

The region is also home to Arkansas State University, Southern delights and Delta soul food, historical landmarks and recreation, including the Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center. Go back in time on the Civil War Trail or Crowley’s Ridge Parkway.

Vacationers can also remember the Fab Four when they landed their plane in Walnut Ridge in 1964 and the annual Beatles Music Festival in Walnut Ridge, or travel to Piggott, where Ernest Hemingway worked on “A Farewell to Arms.”

Need some more author and Arkansas trivia? John Grisham was born in Jonesboro.

Now we’ll head south to the Lower Delta, where agribusiness is the main industry and the blues is the main, and only, music to hear live either during a festival or inside a bar or tavern. Oh, it’s also a fantastic place to go duck hunting, but you probably already knew that.

Thousands flock to the Mississippi Flyway every year, with home base being Stuttgart, also known as the duck hunting capital of the world. There you will also find the Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie.

In Pine Bluff, you’ll find the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame, Arkansas Railroad Museum and Delta Rivers Nature Center. Nearby Gillett is the state’s first capital city, Arkansas Post, as well as the first European settlement in the lower Mississippi River Valley.

But if you get the blues, head to Helena-West Helena for the annual King Biscuit Blues Festival. It’s part of the ArkanContinued on Page 36

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It’s grillin’ time

BY PATRICIA SPEARS

RVL Magazine 35

W

ith spring in full swing and summer right around the corner, grills are lighting up everywhere by novice and expert grillers alike.

Joshua Jones, a Senior Reactor Operator at Arkansas Nuclear One and 12-year resident of Russellville, is known among his friends as a grilling expert. He is frequently asked for his recipes and tips on cooking.

Jones, husband to Sarah and father of Savannah, 2, and Addison, 1, said he first began cooking while working in the restaurant industry from age 15 to 22.

“Restaurants is where I learned the most (cooking),” he said. “But my mom also taught me quite a bit.”

Jones said he will generally grill twice a week, regardless of the season.

“I use a ceramic charcoal grill. That is my preference,” he said. “I use lump charcoal and start the fire with weber cube flame starters.”

Though steaks are his favorite thing to cook and what his wife and daughter love for him to make, he said he gets the most compliments on his grilled chicken breasts.

When grilling, Jones said he uses marinades.

To keep the meat tender he suggests letting the meat stand at room temperature for an hour in a marinade before cooking.

“I like to get the meat marinating an hour before lighting the grill at a minimum,” he said. “Oil based marinades also help keep the meat moist.”

Once the meat has been marinating for an hour, he said he lights the grill to let the charcoal heat up, then closes the lid until the grill heats up and cleans it.

“Cuts can vary by each person’s taste,” said Jones. “My preference is a lean meat (such as) filet or trimmed chicken breast.

I generally buy my meat from Kroger.”

Jones said he usually puts the veggies on first once the grill is heated because they take a bit longer to cook.

“I like to grill vegetables such as asparagus, squash and broccoli,” he said.

“Finally, I put the meat on and flip it frequently to keep it from drying out.”

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Continued from Page 34 sas Delta Music Trail, another beautiful Arkansas scenic drive.

Southwest Arkansas will feature some of the best mountain views and drives in the Ouachita Mountains. You can do almost anything at Hot Springs, from horse racing at Oaklawn to the classic bathhouses on Bathhouse row. In case you’re ever on “Jeopardy,” here’s a useful tidbit: Hot Springs was named for the mineral waters that bubble up from 47 underground springs and maintain a consistent temperature of 143 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Diamond Lakes offer fishing, boating, scuba diving, camping and watersports. Head over to the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro and see if you can strike it rich when you dig for diamonds. There are also quartz crystals at mines in Jessieville and Mount Ida. Washington State Park in Washington features Civil War milestones, while you can go to Brickfest in Malvern.

The heart of Arkansas features the capital city Little Rock, which features the William J. Clinton Presidential Center. If you’re hungry after that, downtown Little Rock features the River Market and a

plethora of dining options. There are also many museums ranging from presidents in Little Rock to the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum and USS Razorback Submarine in North Little Rock, the Museum of Discovery and Donald W. Reynolds Science Center in Little Rock and the Museum of Automobiles on Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton.

When they say it’s the Big Dam Bridge, they mean it — the longest pedestrian and cycling bridge of its kind in the world at 4,226 feet across the Arkansas River. If you want a near-perfect vacation getaway, head to Petit Jean Mountain State Park.

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RVL Magazine 37

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