Volume 10 - No. 4

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South Arkansas

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March 19, 2014 Volume 10 – No. 4 WANT MORE?

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Don’t get Flocked!

Driving down West Avenue or Main Street, passers-by may see a flock of flamingos that have landed on the grounds of First Baptist Church. The birds will take flight to a new location on Tuesday, April 1 as a part of the Flock for CASA campaign by the 13th South Judicial District CourtAppointed Special Advocates.

To help promote Child Abuse Awareness month in April, the 13th South CASA will be “flocking” El Dorado. Individuals, groups or businesses can pay a fee to have their friend, neighbor or competitor “flocked.” Those who would like to avoid having their yard or business decorated with pink flamingos can even purchase anti-flocking insurance to prevent a visit from the plastic birds.

To place an order or for more information, contact the 13th South CASA office at 870.862.2272.

Follow the birds’ flight path at facebook.com/13thSouthCasa.

The 13th South CASA is a nonprofit organization that advocates for abused and neglected children in Union and Columbia counties in the juvenile court process through trained community volunteers. For more information, call 870.862.2272 or visit www.13southcasa.com.

‘Invisible Wounds’ workshop on p. 5

Inspired by Nature: Students create art for SAAC project, ‘ARTboretum’ Tomorrow night, the South Arkansas Arts Center Visual Arts Committee will host an artist reception for “ARTboretum: A View of the South Arkansas Arboretum”

by Washington Middle School sixth-graders.

The reception will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Lobby Gallery of the South Arkansas Arts Center, located at 110 East Fifth St. in El Dorado, and is free and open to the public.

The original works of the Washington Middle School sixth-grade Studio Art Class were inspired by a visit to the South Arkansas Arboretum, located on Timberlane adjacent to the old high school.

From experiencing nature to learning more about art, several students expressed an appreciation for the practice and their teacher and AIE artist Maria Botti Villegas. » “I’ve seen leaves that I haven’t seen before. I also saw branches in a beautiful tree. I saw birds and bird houses. I saw caterpillars that were different colors.

“I loved the cool breeze of the fresh air and I also loved it when Mrs. Maria helped me draw nature.”

— Cordell Johnson

Arboretum continued on Page 9

All the bAnk you’ll ever need. w w w. f i r s t f i n a n c i a l b a n k . c o m

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Poor game-to-movie adaptation lives on in ‘Need for Speed’ Derek DiCiccio Red Carpet Crash

It is borderline impossible to dislike Aaron Paul. If Paul was able to be loved while playing a meth cook with poor to extremely poor English skills, well, it’s easy to root for him while he plays a blue-collar illegal street racer.

Unfortunately, the movie wrapped around Paul’s racing wunderkind is a disastrous, bloated mess.

“Need for Speed” is based on a highly successful video game from Electronic Arts. Once again, this proves to be a terrible idea. In fact, the gap between the amount of style and substance is so wide that not even the real star of this movie – a gorgeous, souped-up Shelby Mustang – could clear it.

This 130-minute (you read that right) movie about street racing shifts gears about 30 minutes in.

Initially, we meet Tobey Marshall (Paul) and his crew of mechanics, as they fix cars and participate in illegal street races. As with most flimsy plot points, their reason for doing this is money that they need to try to keep Tobey’s garage open.

Once Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper) shows up, Tobey’s troubles start. Dino is oozing bad-guy sleaze

Need for Speed Fresh from prison, a street racer, who was framed by a wealthy business associate, joins a cross-country race with revenge in mind. The stakes are raised even higher when his ex-partner puts a bounty on his head just as the race begins. » Release date: March 14. » Run time: 132 min. » Rated: PG-13 for sequences of

out of every pore and this is further hammered home when you learn that he is dating Tobey’s old flame, Anita (Dakota Johnson). Not only is Tobey downright sweet to Anita, he employs her younger brother, Pete (Harrison Gilbertson), and treats him like a little brother.

Need another reason to hate Dino?

Dino hires Tobey’s crew to restore a Shelby Ford Mustang and offers him one-quarter of its selling price as payment. Everything goes without a hitch until Dino tempts Tobey by offering up his share as the prize in a three-car street race. Tobey agrees and he and Dino hop into a few cars to race with Pete (for no apparent reason) in tow.

Downtown art studio to host final exhibit through end of month Downtown art studio, Studio 207 will host winning student works from the South Arkansas Arts Center’s 2014 Student Art Show and Competition before closing its doors at the end of the month.

The competition works will be on display at the studio, located at 207 Main St. in downtown El Dorado, through the end of March.

Two of the winning pieces will be represented by a print of the work, as the originals are currently in Little Rock in the Young Arkansas Artists competition. One of the winning works is also represented by a print, as the original is currently

Arts Center Student Show on display through March

hanging in the Lobby Gallery at SAAC. The biannual exhibit was hosted in the SAAC in February with award-winning artist Sandy Bennett serving as judge for the competition.

Inquiries about the available space at Studio 207 should be directed to Corinne Management at 870.862.5155. For more information about the exhibition, call the SAAC office at 870.862.5474.

reckless street racing, disturbing crash scenes, nudity and crude language. » Director(s): Scott Waugh. » Stars: Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Dakota Johnson, Harrison Gilbertson, Imogen Poots, Michael Keaton, Rami Malek, Ramon Rodriguez, Scott Mescudi and Stevie Ray Dallimore.

Things do not end well in the race and Tobey ends up in prison for two years while Dino escapes arrest.

This is when “Need for Speed” goes from a group of guys trying to earn cash to save their garage to yet another tired plot point: revenge.

For reasons unknown, the purchaser of the Shelby Ford Mustang offers up the car to Tobey to race in an infamous illegal street race and sends his assistant, Julia (Imogen Poots), to babysit the vehicle. The race is taking place in California and coincidentally starts 48 hours after Tobey is released from prison.

Thus begins the “Cannonball Run” portion of “Need for Speed.”

Tobey and his crew must get from

New York to California in two days. The car chases and vehicle stunts are truly amazing to watch, with one stunt in particular as a standout. It looks as though a Mustang jumps two entire lanes of traffic without the aid of special effects. If 15 seconds of a movie can justify a ticket price, this would be those 15 seconds.

It would be remiss to not mention Michael Keaton’s bizarre role.

He plays a mysterious web caster named Monarch, the organizer of the street race. He never leaves his office, never actually interacts with any other characters, and it almost seems like his role was added months after the rest of the movie was completed. It’s actually a manically funny and animated performance from Keaton that kind of makes you wish he had more to do in the movie.

There is no doubt that Scott Waugh can direct an action sequence. The racing is just as nervewracking as the unbelievably nailbiting scenes in the underrated and under-seen “Rush,” but the stakes seem much higher here. There’s something about watching people in cars on real streets and highways

SPEED continued on Page 8

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Family members do not inherit debt of irresponsible relatives Dear Dave, My in-laws have lots of debt. In fact, they’re always joking that the debt they’ll leave us is more than the inheritance. How will this affect my wife and family if they die with all their debt still in place?

— Matthew

Farm Safety: Retta Brown Academy students Omare Lottie (from left) and Gabriel Moore took first and second place respectively in the Arkansas Farm Bureau poster contest to promote agricultural safety. Art teacher Suzy Allen holds up the third place entry from Eric Stevens. — Courtesy photo

Safety first wins Retta Brown students win cash for Farm Bureau safety poster contest

The Union County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee recently sponsored a safety poster contest in conjunction with Farm Bureau’s Agricultural Safety Awareness Week the first week in March.

Students from Retta Brown Academy of Communication and Technology elementary school participated in the contest with the theme, “Farm Safety: Your Only Passenger.” The winners included: first place Omare Lottie, second place Gabriel Moore and third place Eric Stevens. Each student received cash prizes presented by the Farm Bureau Women’s Committee.

Lottie’s first-place poster will go on to compete at the state level.

Throughout the country, Farm Bureaus highlighted the Agricultural Safety Awareness Program by designating the first week of March as Agricultural Safety Awareness

Week. The theme, “Farm Safety: Your Only Passenger,” was geared at emphasizing making farms and ranches safer for farmers, their family members and employees, but especially children.

People of all ages, but particularly children, are at risk of injuries as passengers on farm equipment, said Amanda Williams, safety coordinator for Arkansas Farm Bureau. Educating adults about reducing risks to the children in their care is critical to preventing farm and ranch incidents and fatalities, she added.

For more information on the Union County Farm Bureau, call 870.863.4592.

More information on the ASAP or programs offered by the Arkansas Farm Bureau, can be found online on the “Education & Youth” section of the Arkansas Farm Bureau website at www.arfb.com.

Dear Matthew, You do not inherit debt. Either your in-laws are misinformed, or it’s just a bad joke on their part.

Now, if you were foolish enough to co-sign on a loan with them, then you’d be liable for the remainder of that loan. But if they ran up $100,000 in credit card debt on their own before they died, then the credit card companies just don’t get paid.

It wouldn’t cost you a dime, except that you might get no inheritance from them, because what they left behind would be sold to pay off as many creditors as possible.

Here’s an even bigger example: Let’s say they owned a home, and they’re behind on the mortgage or upside down on the house – meaning that they owed more on it than it’s worth. You can just hand it back to the mortgage company.

You’re not legally or morally obligated to accept the house and the situation surrounding it because it was left to you in a will. Just because it’s family doesn’t make it jump over onto your plate!

Let me say it again, Matthew.

You don’t inherit debt. Don’t let creditors, or anyone else, tell you differently.

— Dave Dear Dave, What do you think about land as an investment?

— Tara Dear Tara, I’m okay with the idea of raw land as an investment. Someone has to buy the dirt that holds the earth together, right?

The only problem with this kind of investment is that it doesn’t really create cash flow, unless it’s farmland. In the real estate world, we call raw land an alligator

DAVE Says

because it eats. You have to pay taxes on it every year, plus you have upkeep and maintenance of some form or fashion, and it doesn’t create an income. The only time it creates income is on the back end, when you sell the land.

It’s not a terrible investment, Tara. But it’s not a great one, either. I buy pieces of raw land here and there, every once in a while.

But mainly I stick with incomeproducing investment properties.

— Dave Dear Dave, I recently traded in my old truck for a much newer one. I purchased an extended warranty at the time, and now I feel like I was pressured into buying it and that it was a mistake. What do you think?

— Laura

Dear Laura, Cancel it, if you still can. The reason you felt pressured is because you probably were pressured by a pushy salesman. Seventyfive percent of what you paid for that plan went straight into the dealership’s or salesman’s pocket as commission. There’s even a chance they made more off the extended warranty than the sale of the truck!

Extended warranties are only about 12 percent actual, statistical risk. The other 12 to 13 percent goes to miscellaneous overhead and profit. On top of that, the company that wrote the warranty probably didn’t make as much on it as the dealership did. It’s weird, but that’s how a lot of those models work.

I don’t buy extended warranties, Tara. In my mind, they’re just crap. Besides, if you buy something and can’t afford to fix it if something goes wrong, then you couldn’t really afford the purchase in the first place!

— Dave Follow Dave Ramsey on Twitter @DaveRamsey and at daveramsey.com.

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Looking back South Arkansas Arts Center releases film, ‘50 Years at SAAC’ The South Arkansas Arts Center will delve into its past with a new film, “50 Years at SAAC,” as part of its 50th Anniversary Celebration. The film premiere will be held at SAAC on Friday, March 28, with a reception at 5:30 p.m. and the film debut following at 6:30.

For five decades, the South Arkansas Arts Center has educated and entertained the surrounding communities of south Arkansas and northern Louisiana through the arts. As members of SAAC researched the project, they said that it soon became apparent that SACC’s most important aspect is its patrons a n d

South Arkansas Arts Center 110 East 5th St. El Dorado

Friday March 28 reception: 5:30 pm debut: 6:30 pm

the impact of the arts on the community.

Laura Barrow, SAAC’s Film Commission chair, contacted filmmaker Gerry Bruno of Let’s Think Productions in Little Rock to create a film that focuses on the people who have helped create SAAC’s legacy. Bruno, whose creative team previously filmed “The Bloodstone Diaries” in El Dorado, spent numerous weekends with his director of photography Guy Gallaway and Kelly Griffin interviewing patrons and artists about their connection to SAAC. The film team asked community members to identify the reason why art is so important and the impact it has in changing lives.

To assist Bruno in his endeavor, Austin Barrow, Joanna Benson and David Cawton served as secondary unit on the film collecting “B Roll,” additional interviews and footage to be incorporated into the final cut by David Craft, the

film’s editor.

What Bruno discovered during the filming surprised him, he said.

“The first founding members were so humble about what they had created and the enormous transformation that has happened over the years and the fact that this place has definitely changed lives and will continue long after we are gone,” Bruno said. “The passion with which the people spoke about how art is a reflection of our lives and the influence of SAAC on our community could be told through millions of stories in itself. The stories peel back the layers to reveal the heart and soul of the art center and the gratitude for its existence and the perseverance for staying

‘50 Years at SAAC’ film premiere

t h e course.

For generations, SAAC has been a vital part of this community and it shows no sign of slowing down.”

Over the past few months SAAC’s Film Commission members Austin and Laura Barrow, Joanna Benson, Beth Compton, Darrin Riley, Richard Wharton and Jack Wilson have searched through archives of scrapbooks, programs, photographs and news clippings to showcase the rich history of SAAC and the lasting influence it has on the people within the community. The memorabilia has been included in the film and will be on display in the lobby during the premiere in the Callaway Theatre on Friday, March 28.

The film is sponsored by El Dorado Chemical and is free and open to the public.

For more information about the premiere of “50 Years at SAAC,” contact the SAAC office at 870.862.5474.

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Anything goes for SAAC’s 50th Anniversary member showcase South Arkansas Arts Center members invited to submit any of their original artwork by March 28

The South Arkansas Arts Center Visual Arts Committee is now accepting entries for the 2014 Membership Showcase. Deadline for entries is Friday, March 28.

The Membership Showcase, sponsored by William P. Cook and Associates, will be on display in the Merkle and Price galleries at the South Arkansas Arts Center April 1-28.

“In keeping with SAAC’s 50th Anniversary yearlong celebration of the best of SAAC, member artists have the opportunity to exhibit what they consider to be their all-time best work,” said Richard Wharton 50th Anniversary committee member. “These works could have been previously exhibited at SAAC, or be new, neverbefore-seen works.”

Since this year’s exhibit is a showcase and not a competition, anything goes, Wharton said.

Those interested in entering the showcase are invited to select two favorite works created at any time in the artist’s lifetime. Since the exhibition is not a competition, cash awards will not be awarded but artists are encouraged to sell their work if they like.

Entry is limited to two pieces per member with the first entry free and the second entry $10. The exhibit is open to any SAAC member. All two-dimensional and 3D fine arts media will be accepted, including photography and computergenerated work. Artwork completed under classroom supervision or reproduced from published material or work by other artists will

not be accepted.

A full prospectus, which details the eligibility and rules of the 2014 Membership Showcase, is available at the SAAC office, located at 110 East Fifth St. in El Dorado.

For more information, contact SAAC at 870.862.5474 or go online to saac-arts.org.

Special Thanks to . . .

And a big thank-you to our KIX Country fans and Lucky the Leprechaun!

South Arkansas Leader

April 1 –28 South Arkansas Arts Center Merkle & Price galleries 110 East 5th St. El Dorado

SAAC 2014

Membership Showcase

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Lending a Hand: Area organizations reach out to help Earlier this week two local organizations in El Dorado came together to share support with fellow nonprofits in the area.

Boys and Girls Club

At its regular meeting, the El Dorado Rotary Club presented the El Dorado Boys and Girls Club with a check to support the youth baseball program.

The Boys and Girls Club recently extended the sign-up period for its youth baseball leagues until Friday, March 21.

Evaluations will begin March 31 at 5:30 p.m. for B League, followed

by C League at 5:30 p.m. on April 1 and Pitching Machine at 5:30 p.m. on April 3. All evaluations will be held at the baseball fields located on the grounds of the Club’s North West Unit on North West Ave. Opening day ceremonies will take place for all leagues at 9 a.m. on April 26 at War Memorial Stadium in El Dorado.

Baseball is open to all youth ages 4 to 15. Age groups include:

Support: (left) The United Way Board of Directors donates paper towels to the HOPE Box. Pictured are (from left) Julie Mathews, Leslie Carroll, Debbie McAdams, HOPE Box coordinator Randa Stevens, Melody Morrow, Teresa Swint, Alexis Alexander, Shari Terry, David Gasper and Rodney

tee-ball ages 4 to 6; pitching machine 6 to 8; C League 8 to 10; B League 10 to 12; and A League 13 to 15. The fee for tee-ball and pitching machine costs $55 plus $5 for Club membership, and the fees for C, B and A League costs $60 plus the $5 membership.

For more information, con-

Milam. (right) Rotary Club donates a check to the Boys and Girls Club baseball program. Pictured are (from left) David Skinner, Cynthia Reyna, Jay Brooks, Boys and Girls Club executive director David Lee, Bill Luther, Rotary president Greg Harrison and Donna Bradshaw. — Courtesy photos

tact Billy Lester at 870.863.8753 towels to its partner agency, HOPE ext. 106. More information about Landing’s HOPE Box. Rotary Club can be found online at Launched by parent Randa eldorado.rotary-clubs.org.

Stevens, the HOPE Box is a donation box set at various locations The HOPE Box around Union County to collect On Tuesday, March 18 the United cleaning supplies for the nonprofit Way of Union County’s Board of SUPPORT continued on Page 8 Directors made a donation of paper

AdoptMe Pet adoptions are available at the Union County Animal Protection Society shelter, 1000 Sunset Road, El Dorado. UCAPS’s hours are noon to 5 p.m.

Wednesday through Saturday. For information about adopting or sponsoring a pet, call 870.862.0502.

BARTON PUBLIC LIBRARY » Adult Reference » Fiction and Nonfiction » Teen and Children Titles » Cookbooks and MORE! » $2 reference works » $1 hardbacks » 50¢ softbacks, CDS, etc. » 25¢ paperbacks » 10¢ magazines

Book Sale March 19 - 26 noon to 6 p.m.

TAC House

1101 North West Ave. El Dorado

Help UCAPS help them Donate Online » Go to donation site on FundRazr at bit.ly/18nP6qv. » Select your donation amount. » Pay with your PayPal account or a credit or debit card.

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‘Invisible Wounds’ Free workshop invites community to learn about issues veterans face when they return home

Local nonprofit group Project SOUTH (Serving Our Units aT Home) will present the “Invisible Wounds” workshop on Tuesday, April 1 for veterans, community leaders, business owners, church members or anyone who knows a veteran or military personnel.

The two-hour workshop will discuss issues servicemen and women face, including posttraumatic stress and other disorders; readjustment; moral injuries; traumatic brain injury; relationship issues, including divorce; and substance abuse.

According to statistics provided by Project SOUTH, the

returning home experience severe depression or posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms six months after they get home. » Roughly one-third of veterans returning home suffer from some “moral injury,” which can include feelings of guilt and shame. » Veterans are committing suicide at an average rate of United States has deployed 22 per day, according to a 2.5 million troops since 9/11, 2012 Veterans Affairs report. » Divorce rates for Iraq and and the statistics indicate that Afghanistan veterans is as high many of those veterans are in as 90 percent. need of support to address the The free workshop will take non-physical wounds of war: » One-fifth of all soldiers WOUNDS continued on Page 12

Mostly unknown minister launches School for the Blind in 1800s Ken Bridges

South Arkansas Historical Foundation

After his disciples had asked about the blind man, Christ answered: “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

In many ways, this verse embodies the story of the Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

In ancient times, little was known about the causes of blindness and very few tools or facilities existed for helping the blind.

This posed a difficult social problem in a world dependent on sight.

Into the 1800s, conditions had not advanced in frontier America.

In 1859, a minister named Reverend Haucke founded the Institute for the Education of the Blind in Arkadelphia. Not much is known about Haucke, save that he was a Baptist minister, blind himself and dedicated to the mission of helping the blind lead fulfilling lives.

Otis Patten was soon brought in as the superintendent of the residential school. The facility was the only one for hundreds of miles to help the blind and only the fifth such school west of the Mississippi River.

The chaotic aftermath of the Civil War forced the school to move to a more centralized location in the state in order to reach more children and to gain access to more resources. In 1868, the school moved to Little Rock, and it would change its name to the current Arkansas School for the Blind in 1877. Eventually, the state would start financing the school to keep its services available for the blind and visually impaired of Arkansas.

The new Little Rock campus gave the school the stability it needed to solidify its services and expand. In 1939, the school moved to its current location.

The former site, however, would become the site of the Governor’s Mansion in 1947.

By the 1960s, the school began working with students with

H

South Arkansas Historical Foundation presents

ist o ry minute

other disabilities in addition to blindness. And with the 1970s, the school embarked on an ambitious plan to expand its curriculum.

Computer technology became a new course of study for the students. By 1976, the school was providing services to the blind and visually impaired off-campus, as well as providing Braille textbooks, education resources and vision screenings to students statewide.

The campus provides a thorough education for students, including athletics, art, music, skills for every aspect of running a household, and early intervention programs for visually impaired children under age 3. The facility has its own seven-member school board appointed by the governor,

which by law includes two parent representatives.

A report by Cornell University stated that in 2011, about 2,000 children in Arkansas up to the age of 4 have some kind of significant visual impairment, with 5,100 children between the ages of 5 and 15 with similar vision problems.

Today, the Arkansas School for the Blind has 94 students residing on campus, but the reach is statewide and its impact is inspiring.

Modern science has produced many breakthroughs for the blind with new technological tools to help the blind live a life of independence and medical techniques to treat the condition, and the Arkansas School for the Blind continues with its dedication to helping the blind and visually impaired.

Organized in the 1970s, the South Arkansas Historical Foundation has been dedicated to educating the public about Arkansas’s rich history for over 30 years. The SAHF offices are located at 422 North Jackson in El Dorado. For more information, about SAHF call 870.862.9890.

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Magnolia and Columbia County Literacy Council to hold spaghetti supper MAGNOLIA — The Magnolia / Columbia County Literacy Council will sponsor its annual spaghetti supper from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1 at the Magnolia High School Panther Café, located at 1400 High School Drive in Magnolia.

A live auction of items donated from local businesses and individuals will begin at 6:30 that night. In addition to the live auction and dinner, attendees will have the chance to win an Ivan Smith Recliner. Meal tickets cost $10 per person and include: chicken or Italian spaghetti, green beans, salad, roll, dessert and a drink. Patrons are welcome to dine in or carry out.

For tickets or more information, call 870.901.6028 or 870.234.6064, or visit the website at www.mcc literacy.com.

The Magnolia / Columbia County

literacy council fundraiser April 1 • 5 – 7 p.m.

Magnolia High School

Buckle Up: Law enforcement agencies are emphasizing the importance of buckling up, especially for teen drivers, with Click It or Ticket. — Courtesy image

Literacy Council is a nonprofit organization that is geared towards helping adults and teens to improve their reading, writing and math skills.

The council also aims to improve life skills and increase employability by breaking the intergenerational cycle of illiteracy.

SUPPORT

to get The Hope Box setup at a local business or make a donation, continued from Page 6 find The Hope Box on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/1f7olto or contact HOPE Landing.

HOPE Landing services children HOPE Landing at 870.862.0500.

The United Way of Union County from birth to 21 years of age who supports 14 nonprofit partner agenhave developmental needs, a disability or both. More information cies throughout the county. For more about HOPE Landing can be found information, call 870.862.4903, email liveunited@uwucar.org or online at www.hopelanding.com.

For more information on how visit unitedwayunioncounty.com.

SPEED

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that cranks the danger up to 11.

Waugh just can’t turn this brutal dialogue and these flimsy characters into anything of substance. The script by George Gatins gives no real reason to become emotionally invested in anyone involved, and every single plot point can be seen from miles away. If only the story had as many twists and turns as the California road on which the finale takes place.

It’s tough for actors to compete with unbelievably loud engines and gorgeous vehicles, but they are

really trying.

Poots gets to be the snarky, cheeky British girl that knows more about cars than she lets on, while the rest of Tobey’s gang is even more stereotyped. There’s the zany guy (Rami Malek), the serious, deadpan guy (Ramon Rodriguez), and, most insultingly, the goofy, wisecracking black guy (Scott Mescudi).

It’s essentially a cavalcade of typical action-movie characters, with Cooper as the lead one-dimensional villain. There is literally no reason provided as to why he’s such a creep, other than he loves money a whole bunch. Cooper is good but this is the kind of role and acting

Click It or Ticket focuses on those least likely to buckle up LITTLE ROCK — Leading into spring break, law enforcement agencies across the state are utilizing the Click It or Ticket campaign to warn young people that they risk getting a ticket if they don’t fasten their safety belts.

According to the Arkansas State Police Highway Safety Office, while state, county and city officers have been stepping up enforcement of safety belt laws, the goal is not to write tickets, but to get people buckled up – especially teen drivers and their passengers.

The safety office reports that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens. During the that can get an actor typecast for quite some time.

If you’re expecting to see Aaron Paul act like Jesse Pinkman, you are going to be sorely disappointed.

Paul is nothing like the motormouthed meth cook from AMC’s “Breaking Bad” and is more like Ryan Gosling from “Drive.” Paul is brooding, quiet and stoic. He’s definitely channeling his inner Steve McQueen, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Paul definitely can act and he proves this by making you care about a character that is written so poorly that there’s no legitimate reason to care about him.

“Need for Speed” will probably

2012 calendar year, records indicate that 73 percent of young people ages 16 to 20 who died in traffic crashes in Arkansas were not buckled up, said Col. Stan Wit, director of the Arkansas State Police and the Governor’s Highway Safety representative.

“Teens and young adults are killed at far higher rates than older adults in crashes because they are caught in a lethal combination of inexperience, risk taking and low safety belt use,” Witt said.

Research shows that teens are not as concerned about injury or death

BUCKLE continued on Page 12 earn a ton of money. This is essentially a “Fast & Furious” movie with new characters and the general public eats this stuff up with a spoon. While there’s nothing wrong with being viscerally entertained for two hours, it would be great if some actual thought went into movies like this.

The action in “Need for Speed” is firing on all cylinders but the story is running on empty.

Red Carpet Crash provides review writing on films, DVDs and television; news and updates on all things entertainment; and the occasional free stuff.

Find RCC at www.redcarpetcrash.com or facebook.com/RedCarpetCrash.

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Boy Scouts ready to run

ARBORTEUM continued from Page 1

» “I learned a lot of things in art but the most important thing I learned in art is to pay attention to your art. I used to compare my art to other people’s art. You shouldn’t do that because you are one of a kind.

You love what you draw; even if it isn’t the best thing in the world, it’s still beautiful.

“Mrs. Maria taught that it doesn’t matter what other people say about your art. Mrs. Maria is a wonderful painter and drawer so I admire her a lot.”

— Grace Morgan » “I learned about how to mix colors. I learned how to make my birds, flowers and branches in my drawings to look realistic. I learned to turn the foreground and the background smaller and bigger.

“I learned a lot while Mrs. Maria was here but my favorite would

Ready to Run: (above) Mayor Frank Hash (far left) stops by to help De Soto Area Council Boy Scouts sign people up for the BSA 5K Walk / Run. (bottom left) Some Cub Scouts take a break after last

year’s race. (bottom right) A pair of last year’s participants finish the race. The race is open to the public, as well as Scouts, and is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday March 22. — Courtesy images

De Soto Area Council 5K Run/Walk slated for March 22, open to public This Saturday, March 22, the Boy Scouts De Soto Area Council will host a 5K Run/Walk beginning at 8 a.m. at the Union County Fairgrounds.

The cost is $10 per registered Scout ages 6 to 18 and $20 for other entrants. All proceeds from the 5K go toward the construction and upkeep of the obstacle course at Camp De Soto.

Medals will be awarded for the following categories: first, second and third places for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts; and first, second and third for fastest overall males and females in the run and walk.

Packets may be picked up on location beginning at 7 a.m. on race day.

For more information or an entry form, please contact the Boy Scout office at 870.863.5166.

Union United is a section showcasing the news and happenings of the 14 nonprofit partner agencies of the United Way of Union County.

For more information, call 870.862.4903, email liveunited@uwucar.org or visit unitedwayunioncounty.com.

South Arkansas Leader

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have to be working with watercolors in the arboretum photos. Pen and ink was a nice experience that was taught to us. I liked the small things, like drawing random things.”

— Madison Hogbin According to SAAC, “ARTboretum” is a preview of a bigger Arts In Education project still yet to come. Villegas is working with Katie Harwell and her sixth-grade Studio Art Class students to create a banner installation at the South Arkansas Arboretum.

Part of the collection created for the project is on exhibit along with a series of studies of birds, plants and flowers rendered in a variety of techniques like pen and ink, pastel, acrylics, and watercolors.

The banners will be on display during the fundraising event “A Night at the Arboretum,” which will be hosted next month.

For more information about the reception, contact the SAAC office at 870.862.5474.

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COMMUNITY calendar

» ELEMENTARY EDUCATION MEETING — Current elementary and middle education majors or those interested in pursuing careers in these areas are invited to attend a joint informational meeting with South Arkansas Community College and Southern Arkansas University.

When: March 20 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Where: Whitfield Building, SouthArk West Campus, 311 South West Ave., El Dorado

» HISTORY SPEAKER SERIES — South Arkansas Community College and South Arkansas Historical Foundation will present the sixth installment of the partnership’s history speakers series. The spring 2014 series will begin with the lecture “Changing Historical Perspectives on Slavery in the American South” from Dr. John B. Boles. The lecture is free and open to the public.

When: March 20 at 6:30 p.m.

Where: SouthArk Library auditorium, on the college’s West Campus in El Dorado Contact: For more information, contact the South Arkansas Historical Foundation at 870.862.9890. » NIGHT AT THE OPERA — Shreveport Opera resident opera stars and the South Arkansas Symphony will perform selections from “La bohème,” “Rigoletto,” “Don Giovanni,” “Carmen” and more. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, $10 for college students and $5 for children in kindergarten through 12th grade.

When: Saturday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Where: El Dorado Municipal Auditorium, 100 West Eighth St.

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Your guide to events happening in communities in and around Union County.

Contact: For more information or tickets, call the Symphony ticket office at 870.862.0521 or go online to South ArkansasSymphony.org.

» CHILDREN’S GOLF CAMP — South Arkansas Community College will offer a Spring Break Golf Camp with Art Noyes of KidsNGolf. Noyes will provide an introduction to the game, skills, equipment, field of play, values, strategies and traditions with classroom instruction and hands-on training. The camp is open to youth ages 8 to 18, and costs $59 per person.

Registration is required.

When: March 24-28 from 9 a.m. to noon Where: Center for Workforce Development, SouthArk East Campus, 3698 East Main St., El Dorado Contact: For more information or to register, call 870.864.8456. » HISTORY of BEEKEEPING NOON SYMPOSIUM — South Arkansas Community College will host the Noon Symposium “The History of Beekeeping in the United States” with James and Rita Lamb of Southwest Arkansas Beekeeping Supplies. Attendees will learn about beekeeping and its importance for the food chain. As well, limited goods (including honey) will be available for purchase. Refreshments will be available but attendees are invited to bring lunches with them.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested.

When: Wednesday, March 26 at 12:15 p.m.

Where: Center for Workforce Development, SouthArk East Campus, 3698 East Main St., El Dorado Contact: For more information or to

Tell Us Something Good!

Submit your event, announcement or story idea to the South Arkansas Leader at leader@noalmark.com at least one week before the date of the event. All material must be received by noon Monday the week of publication. For more information, contact the Leader staff at 870.863.6126 or by email.

register, call 870.862.7192 or email ce@southark.edu. » WOMEN WOODLAND OWNERS — The University of Arkansas Community College at Hope will host the Women Woodland Owners workshop, which will include discussion on how to keep forest land in the family, as well as a tour of forest land near Prescott. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and costs $20, which includes lunch, breaks and materials.

Registration is required.

When: Wednesday, March 26 at 9 a.m.

Where: University of Arkansas Community College at Hope, 2500 South Main St. Contact: For more information or to register, contact Tamara Walkingstick at 501.671.2346 or Caroll Guffey at 501.672.2147. » arkansas CHAMPION TREES EXHIBITion — The traveling exhibition, “Arkansas Champion Trees: an Artist’s Journey” from Hot Springs artist Linda W. Palmer is on display in the Merkle and Price galleries. The exhibit showcases reference to history and science, as well as the artist’s appreciation for natural resources, in regards to the state’s champion trees, defined as those trees that are the largest of each species.

When: Now through March 28 Where: South Arkansas Arts Center, 110 East Fifth St., El Dorado Contact: For more information, contact the SAAC office at 870.862.5474 or visit saac-arts.org. » HEALTH INSURANCE SIGN-UP ASSISTANCE — The Medical Center of South Arkansas is providing sign-up assistance for the Health Insurance

Marketplace, through the March 31 enrollment deadline. Based on household income and dependents, you may be eligible for health insurance coverage at no cost through Medicaid; or you may be eligible for health insurance on the Health Insurance Marketplace.

When: Now through March 31 Where: Medical Center of South Arkansas, 700 West Grove St., El Dorado Contact: For more information or to make an appointment for sign-up assistance, contact MCSA at 870.864.4185. » ADMIN PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR — Businesses are invited to nominate administrative professionals for the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce’s Administrative Professional of the Year Award, now in its second year. Individuals can be nominated by their colleagues for their outstanding service, superior performance, exceptional efficiency, integrity and dedication to their company and to fellow employees. The applicant must have been in his or her position for at least one year and work in Union County to be eligible. A committee will review all nominations and select three finalists. One winner will be selected to receive the Admin Cup, which they can keep for one year. The winner and finalists will be recognized at a luncheon April 23.

When: Nominations are due by Wednesday, April 9.

Where: Forms are available online at goeldorado.com under Quicklinks toward the bottom of the page, or at the Chamber at 111 West Main St. in El Dorado.

Contact: For more information, call 870.863.6113 or email chamber@ goeldorado.com.

Crossword and Sudoku Answer Keys

March 12

03•19•14

... for hundreds of FREE classifieds!

L

SUDOKU

EADER

To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box.

You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.

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WEEKLY RECIPE Enjoy a St. Patty’s Day staple Those who want to continue their Patty’s Day revelry, the following recipe for “Corned Beef-Stuffed Cabbage” from Andrew Schloss’ “Cooking Slow” is a delicious variation of a St. Patrick’s Day staple.

Brooke Burger brooke.burger@noalmark.com

Serves 10 » 1 large head green cabbage, about 2 1/2 pounds » 2 corned beef briskets, each about 2 1/2 pounds » 2 large yellow onions, each cut into 8 chunks

Directions:

Advertising Harry Dyer harry@noalmark.com Stacey Turner stacey.turner@noalmark.com

The South Arkansas Leader is owned and operated by Noalmark Broadcasting Corporation. The views and opinions expressed in the South Arkansas Leader are those of the staff and contributing writers and do not represent the official views of Noalmark Broadcasting Corporation. All material published in this newspaper and on its website is copyrighted.

The South Arkansas Leader publishes every Wednesday.

All materials for publication must be received no later than noon Monday the week of publication. For more information on submitting news releases, photos, event announcements, story ideas or photo opportunities, please contact the editor.

The South Arkansas Leader is a weekly communityinterest newspaper serving Union County, Arkansas.

CLUES ACROSS

Corned Beef-Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients:

Editor

CROSSWORD How It Works

South Arkansas

2525 North West Ave. El Dorado, AR 71730 Office: 870.863.6126 Fax: 870.863.4555 leader@noalmark.com

South Arkansas Leader

» 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs » 1/2 cup white rice » 1 teaspoon dried thyme » 3 cups dark beer » 1 cup ketchup » 1 teaspoon sea salt » 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper » 1 bay leaf

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Remove the core of the cabbage with a paring knife. Immerse the head of cabbage in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove all outer leaves that have become flexible. Repeat until you have 20 good-size leaves for stuffing. Slice one of the corned beef briskets thinly, then chop finely. Chop four of the onion chunks finely.

Grind the chopped corned beef and chopped onion with a meat grinder, or pulse in a food processor in small batches.

Try not to chop the meat too finely; you don’t want a meat puree. Put the beef and onion mixture in a bowl. Add the bread crumbs, rice and thyme.

Remove the hard triangular rib from the base of each cabbage leaf. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the filling in an oval mound near the end of each leaf where the rib was and roll up toward the far edge, tucking the sides in as you roll. Arrange the remaining onion pieces in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Put the other corned beef on top of the onions and nestle the cabbage rolls, seam-side down, around the corned beef.

In a bowl, stir together the beer, ketchup, salt and pepper and pour into the pot. Tuck in the bay leaf. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer (make sure the heat is as low as possible), cover, and cook slowly until the corned beef is easily pierced with a fork, about 6 hours. Discard the bay leaf. Lift the corned beef onto a cutting board and cut into slices crosswise against the grain.

Arrange a few slices on each plate and tuck a stuffed cabbage roll or two alongside. Moisten everything with some of the cooking liquid and serve.

Variation – In a Slow Cooker: Follow the recipe, but instead of arranging the onion chunks, while corned beef and stuffed cabbage rolls in a Dutch oven, layer them in a 6-quart slow cooker. Reduce the beer to 2 cups and the ketchup to 3/4 cup. Cook for 4 to 5 hours on high, or 8 to 10 hours on low.

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CLUES DOWN 1. Someone who takes part 2. Relating to Homer 3. They __ 4. Helicopter 5. Coagulated milk 6. This (Spanish) 7. Moved on a log track 8. Closed hermetically 9. Nautical rope fastener 10. __ Romeo, car 11. All peoples of the Earth 12. “Three Weeks” author Elinor 14. Hairstyle 15. Moved along 18. UCB Business School 20. Paddling 24. Tibetan Buddhist monk 26. E. Timor cloth

27. Latin for witness 29. Dog sound 31. 13-19 33. Involving the mind 35. Washington city 36. Beloved 38. One who yells 39. Whalebone 41. The Phantom of the Opera 43. Cut 44. Bent away from vertical 45. He killed A. Hamilton 47. Digits 50. Public violence 51. Freshwater duck genus 52. Angry 53. Amounts of time 57. Cuckoo

Answer key on page 10.

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South Arkansas Leader

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Log on to www.eldoark.com ...

— Courtesy images

El Dorado Chamber of Commerce celebrates opening of new businesses

WOUNDS

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place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the El Dorado Conference Center, located at 311 South West Ave.; reservations are requested. For more information or to register, contact Project SOUTH at 870.814.4101 or projectsouth@ymail.com.

Project SOUTH’s mission is to

BUCKLE

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as much as they fear getting a ticket, he added.

“We want to reach those least likely to wear seat belts and most at risk to die in traffic crashes with this message: ‘If you don’t buckle up to save your life, then buckle up to save yourself a ticket,’” Witt said.

While national seat belt use stands at 84 percent, Arkansas’ seat belt use rate is only 77 percent. Further statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicate that safety belt use for teens and young adults continues to lag behind the rest of the population.

on Thursday, Feb. 27. Attending the ribbon cutting were (from left) Jennifer Robinson, Alexandra Bell, Marsha Robertson, Marsha Cowling, Donna Bradshaw, Bill Luther, financial adviser Janet Walker, financial adviser Heather Crake, administrator Chanel Hicks, financial adviser John Shrewsbury, enhance the lives of veterans and military personnel by providing Union County and the surrounding community with education, resources and awareness, as well service opportunities. The organization works to assist in the physical, emotional, spiritual, mental and social needs of all who have served.

For more information on the organization, go to projectsouthus.com.

Arkansas law requires: » Seat belt use for drivers and front-seat passengers. » Everyone to be buckled up if a driver has a learner’s or intermediate license. » All children under 15 years of age to be properly restrained. » Children younger than 6 years of age and weighing less than 60 pounds to be properly restrained in approved child safety seats.

More information on teen driving safety can be found online at Safer TeenDrivingAR.org. For more information on Click It or Ticket, contact the Arkansas Highway Safety Office at 501.618.8136.

Mayor Frank Hash, Ray Nolan, Jeff Pearce and Carrie Zinn.

New Hope Prosthetics & Orthotics Services cut the ribbon onits El Dorado office, located at 416-B West Main St., on Tuesday, March 11. Attending the ribbon cutting were (from left) Donna Thurman, Jennifer Robinson, May-

or Frank Hash, New Hope president and CEO Gabe Galster, clinical manager Scott Irwin, Chamber president and CEO Jeremy Stratton, Kathy Cavanaugh, Donna Bradshaw and Catherine Noyes.

For more information on the Chamber, call 870.863.6113 or email chamber@goeldorado.com.

HOPE

the

Recently the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce welcomed two new members and celebrated the openings of New Hope Prosthetics & Orthotics Services (pictured left) and GenWealth Financial (right).

GenWealth Financial celebrated the opening of its office in El Dorado at 311 East Main St.,

a do

nation box benefting HOPE Landing

Donate rolls of Paper Towels at any HOPE Box to help HOPE Landing, a nonprofit serving kids in Union County with disabilities! » Poppy’s Pizza » Regions Bank » South Arkansas Collision & Repair » Gallery of Shops » Yocum Primary School » North College Salon » Brookshire’s (South)

box

» Teague Auto Group » Timmins Hardware » First Financial Bank » Laney’s Collision Center » BancorpSouth (all 4 locations) » Courtyard Rehabilitation

Get updates on new locations and donation drives @ facebook/The HOPE Box!