Volume 10 - No. 8

L

Union County’s source for community news and more

South Arkansas

EADER

April 16, 2014 Volume 10 – No. 8 WANT MORE?

facebook.com/saleader

Starry Night Astronomer takes local stargazers on journey of night sky Brooke Burger Editor

As the sun began to set and the lights dimmed inside the South Arkansas Arts Center’s Callaway Theatre last night, audience members prepared to take a journey into the vastness of space.

“May I have your permission to take you from this world to another?” retired astrophysicist Dr. Kevin Manning asked the audience.

Manning presented “Road Map to the Stars: The Night Sky Explained” to about a dozen community

members, courtesy of Barton Public Library.

An international awardwinning astronomer, Manning has worked as a consultant with NASA, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory launched on the space shuttle with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and other ground-based observatories, as well as with Brookhaven National Laboratory.

His acumen and passion for exploring the night sky were evident as he rattled off technical information, spiced with a little humor,

SKY continued on Page 4

Gov. Beebe to speak at EHS – p. 5

New state program to help consumers find locally grown food SPRINGDALE — An “Arkansas Grown” branding program has been launched by the state to help consumers identify locally grown food, Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Butch Calhoun told the Ozark Food Processors Association convention earlier this month.

“This program is going to grow,” Calhoun said during his address to the OFPA’s 108th Annual Convention and Exposition with the theme of “Farm to Fork: Going Local.”

Calhoun said the branding is being used by producers, retailers and restaurants statewide. Starting in May the program will be featured both in a mobile app and a state food and farm guide to be published.

The program’s website, arkansas grown.org, provides details on how Arkansas residents may list their marketing information there and enable potential buyers to locate producers in the state. It also has a form so producers may apply to use the Arkansas Grown branding logo. The department also publishes an annual magazine, Arkansas Grown, that highlights local producers’ efforts.

Calhoun said Arkansas agriculture is poised to help meet world agricultural demands in coming

FOOD continued on Page 7

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

|

2

South Arkansas Leader

04•16•14

Log on to www.eldoark.com ...

‘Rio 2′ is a colorful treat with great soundtrack for all ages Monique Thompson Red Carpet Crash

Set back in the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro, “Rio 2” is a colorful treat just in time for spring.

A family of blue macaws, Blu Rio 2 (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) and Jewel (Anne Hathaway), are living It’s a jungle out there for Blu, Jewel a domestic life in Rio with their and their three kids as they find three kids, thanks to their owners themselves in the wilds of the Amazon. Blu goes beak-to-beak with Linda and Tulio. While on an exNigel and meets the most fearsome pedition to the Amazon, Linda and adversary of all ...

Tulio are on a hunt to find a hidden macaw hideout but are kidnapped » Release date: April 11. right as they are getting closer to Run time: 101 min.

Your El Dorado, Arkansas »Community Guide the hideout. » Rated: G, suitable for all ages.

Meanwhile back in Rio, Blu and Jewel witness Linda and Tulio’s Director(s): Carlos Saldanha.

Eldoark.com: A hideout 10-Million+»»Hits a Month Website discovery of the possible Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne and realize they may not be the Hathaway, Jemaine Clement, world’s only blue macaws after all.

Jamie Foxx,Eldoark.com Bruno Mars, George helps The family of five, along with a Lopez, Will.i.am, Tracy Morgan, Leslie Mann, Jakeyou T. Austin, Kristin few of their other friends, pack up keep and your Chenoweth, Pierce Gagnon, Andy and head to the Amazon to find out Garcia andfamily Bebel Gilberto. up to date on for themselves. On their journey, they encounter an old enemy, things in pictures Nigel the cockatoo (voiced by it progresses.all The colorful Jemaine Clement), and must overand music make for a simple, feelEl Dorado and come his devious plan of sabotaggood family film. ing their mission.

“Rio 2” features

by Jesse Southvoices Arkansas.

Thanks to the first film’s sucEisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Jamie cess, “Rio 2” will definitely get Foxx, Bruno Log Mars, on George today! Lopez, the Rio franchise back ablaze. The Will.i.am, Tracy Morgan, Leslie perfect film for toddlers and school- Mann and more. agedVisit young children, to this Eldoark.com besequel part of a community website that receives 12 Red Carpet Crash provides review writis packed with vibrant colors and ing on films,with DVDs television; news very million entertaining numbers hits permusical month. Stay up to date onand El Dorado theand community updates on all things entertainment; throughout. Opening with Janelle and the occasional free stuff. calendar, Sandy’s Blog and more! Also,Find enterRCC ouratweekly nibbler trivia Monae’s “What Is Love,” musicalwww.redcarpetcrash.com or ly, the film gets better and better as facebook.com/RedCarpetCrash. contests for a chance to win every week!

ELDOARK.com

ELDOARK.com

Your One Stop For Everything EL DORADO! Your El Dorado, Community Guide Visit Arkansas Eldoark.com For:

Classifieds, Business Directory, News, EstateDorado!

Your one stop for everything El Eldoark.com: ACalendar, 10-Million+ Hits a Real Month Website Eldoark.com for: News Video On Demand, Visit Employment, Movies, Contests, Pets: Lost & Found

Eldoark.com helps • Classifieds • Calendar of Events • Business Directory • Weather The South Arkansas Leader Online &•Much More!

• Real Estate • Employment • Contests Pets: Lost you & Found keep and your • The South Arkansas Leader Online and MORE! family up to date on

Eldoark.com has something for

all things in

everyone.

www.eldoark.com

El Dorado and

South Arkansas.

Log on today!

Visit Eldoark.com to be part of a community website that receives 12

Change Arkansas asks student to collect coins

LITTLE ROCK — As part of the ongoing Greeniversary event, the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Foundation invites local elementary schools in Arkansas to participate in a Change Arkansas coin-collection drive from May 5 through May 16. The deadline to sign up is April 28.

“By donating one quarter at a time, this is a great opportunity for children to learn how small actions can lead to a big impact,” said Maria Matoska, volunteer coordinator for Change Arkansas. “Each

25 cents that is given will help keep Arkansas beautiful for another 25 years. This coin collection encourages our youth to give their green to keep Arkansas clean.”

Teachers and youth leaders across the state are encouraged to involve all elementary students in this educational coin collection.

Classrooms will collect quarters in creative containers made from reused and recycled materials.

Keep Arkansas Beautiful directs

COINS continued on Page 5

04•16•14

... for hundreds of FREE classifieds!

South Arkansas Leader

3

Check out your bank’s investment advice before taking it to the bank Dear Dave, I want to roll over a 401(k), and my bank is encouraging me to roll it over to fixed annuities. Is this a good investment?

— John

Tuskegee Airmen: Pilots of the “Tuskegee Airmen,” the elite, allAfrican American 332nd Fighter Group shown here in Italy in 1944, have been immortalized in film, including the 1995

TV movie, “The Tuskegee Airmen.”

South Arkansas Community College will hold a free screening of the film with popcorn and sodas next Thursday.

Audiences will be offered free popcorn and soft drinks during a free screening of “The Tuskegee Airmen,” a 1995 movie filmed at Fort Chaffee in Fort Smith, at the El Dorado Conference Center at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 24.

The film screening is sponsored by the performance and media arts program at South Arkansas Community College and is open to the public.

The historical drama concerns the first black pilots in the U.S. military. In 1942, a group of college graduates were selected for training as pilots in the Army Air Corps at the Tuskegee (Ala.) Army Air Field.

The movie follows Hannibal Lee (Laurence Fishburne) through training to impossibly-high standards, Congressional maneuvering, months of no air-combat action and finally acceptance and decoration as one of the 332nd Fighter Group, who never lost a bomber to enemy action.

The HBO film won the

NAACP Award for Outstanding TV Movie and three Emmy Awards. Parental discretion is advised because of strong language.

The performance and media arts program includes concentrations in drama, music and film. Film production courses are on the schedule for the summer and fall.

For more information, go online to www.southark.edu or follow the college at facebook.com/southark.

— U.S. Air Force photo

Free movie, popcorn at the conference center

Dear John, More times than not, when you go to a bank for investment advice, what you’ll get in the bargain is bad advice.

And that’s the case here.

I’d move toward a traditional IRA, in a series of good-growth stock mutual Ramsey funds. Put it across four types of accounts: growth, growth and income, aggressive growth, and international.

What you’re looking for, John, is a great track record for your investments. You want a track record so ridiculously good that it gives you a great sense of comfort, even though there’s no guarantee of what’s to come. And there are mutual funds out there that can do just that for you. I own one that’s over 70 years old, and it has averaged nearly 12 percent over that time.

Lots of people talk in “what ifs” when it comes to investing.

Well, you can play that little game all day. But if the economy goes completely down the tubes, and the government destroys things like mutual funds and real estate completely, your little bankrecommended annuity isn’t going to make it, either. The banking system as a whole will fail if all the mutual funds close because they’re all based in publicly traded companies. And that means virtually every business you drive by on your way to work would be out of business. A bank’s not going to survive that kind of thing.

If you’re looking for things to help you survive the apocalypse, you’re talking about food and

DAVE Says

water. But if you want rational, well-reasoned investments, you need to look at growth stock mutual funds and paid-for real estate.

That’s what I do!

— Dave Dear Dave, Why do you think debt consolidation is such a bad thing?

— Tessa

Dear Tessa, Debt consolidation is a bad thing because it makes you feel like you really did something to get out of debt and change your financial world when you didn’t.

People come to me all the time saying stuff like, “Dave, I got a second mortgage. I paid off all my debt!” Well, no you didn’t pay off all your debt. You just moved it around.

That’s part of the catch when it comes to debt consolidation. If you get a lower payment and move things around a little bit, you feel like you actually accomplished something. The problem with that is you don’t do anything to address the real problem, which is you.

Interest rates aren’t your problem, and the number of payments isn’t your problem. Your problem is the person you look at in the mirror every morning, Tessa. Until you fix that person and get mad enough at your financial situation and the real cause of it, you’ll never make any progress toward getting control of your finances.

Trying to borrow your way out of debt is not a good plan!

— Dave Dave Ramsey has authored four New York Times best-selling books: “Financial Peace,” “More Than Enough,” “The Total Money Makeover” and “EntreLeadership.”

The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 5,000,000 listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations.

Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the Web at daveramsey.com.

4

South Arkansas Leader

04•16•14

Log on to www.eldoark.com ...

» The Night Sky: Dr. Kevin Manning points to a specific constellation on the map during his presentation on April 15 in El Dorado.

— Brooke Burger / South Arkansas Leader

SKY

“How many want to see the invisible?” he continued asking for a continued from Page 1 show of hands. As hands went up around the room, he added, “That’s effortlessly. Even Manning joked why we astronomers build bigger that he was more familiar with the and bigger telescopes.” map of the constellations than his Astronomy is filled with big teleown house. scopes and even bigger numbers, but And while his love for astronomy Manning noted that even the largest showed, Manning said even the units of measurement are dwarfed most novice stargazer can access the by the size and scale of our universe.

He pulled up an illustration, same passion for the night sky.

showing just how tiny our own sun is compared to other massive giants, like VY Canis Majoris, the largest star discovered to date and 1 billion times larger than our sun.

Through illustrations and explanation, Manning began to create a “road map” of sorts for the audience through the 88 official constellations dotting the night sky. Constructs such as constellations and the celestial sphere help stargazers

3 locations

items accepted

» El Dorado Police Department » Smackover Police Department » Union County Sheriff’s Office

prescription medications, patches and ointments; over-the-counter medications; vitamins; samples and pet medications

of all levels to navigate the night sky, he said.

Thanks to clear skies and a full moon last night, the audience had the opportunity to put what they learned during the presentation to work, as Manning took them out to view the sky through a telescope following his presentation.

For more information on Manning, go online to lookuptothestars.com.

04•16•14

... for hundreds of FREE classifieds!

South Arkansas Leader

5

Governor to address students at Academic Signing Day Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe will be this year’s keynote speaker during Academic Signing Day for recipients of the El Dorado Promise scholarship program.

The eighth-annual event will take place Monday, April 28 at 1:30 p.m. in the El Dorado High School Wildcat Arena. The signing day will celebrate almost 300 graduating seniors, each of whom will receive El Dorado Promise scholarships, as well as other awards. Also present will be Murphy Oil Corporation Chairman of the Board Claiborne Deming, Murphy Oil President and CEO Roger Jenkins, Arkansas Commissioner of the State Department of Education Dr. Tom Kimbrell, and El Dorado Mayor Frank Hash.

Gov. Beebe has made improving education one of his top priorities.

His education policies and initiatives have garnered nationwide attention. To build a better-trained workforce, Beebe has worked to match colleges and universities with local businesses and has led changes in the way schools teach science, math, engineering and technology.

He currently serves as the chairman of the Southern Governors’ Association, and in 2011, was honored

by Governing magazine as Public Official of the Year.

“We are thrilled to have Gov. Beebe as our keynote speaker,” said EHS principal Alva Reibe.

“His work in Beebe education has done so much for the state of Arkansas and perfectly aligns with our goals of the El Dorado Promise.”

The El Dorado Promise is a $50 million scholarship program funded entirely by Murphy Oil Corporation for EHS graduates. Over the past seven years, the Promise has provided funding to 1,367 EHS graduates attending 60 colleges and universities. The Promise reaches beyond the boundaries of economic need and academic ability to pay up

COINS

Arkansas Beautiful organization to implement a statewide litterprevention and recycling program.

Keep Arkansas Beautiful is celebrating 25 years of service this year with a “Greeniversary” virtual event. KAB is inviting the entire to state to take part in the celebration by supporting KAB’s efforts to keep Arkansas clean and green into the future.

All contributions to the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Foundation are tax-deductible.

As a certified state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Keep Arkansas Beautiful works to inspire and educate individuals to reduce litter, recycle and keep Arkansas beautiful. The KAB Foundation is a charitable organization committed to enhancing Arkansas’ environmental quality of life.

For more information, visit Keep Arkansas Beautiful at keep arkansasbeautiful.com. More information about KAB’s Greeniversary can be found at greeniversary.org or at facebook.com/greeniversary.

continued from Page 2

participants to visit its Pinterest page at pinterest.com/keeparbeautiful for inspiration.

The Keep Arkansas Beautiful Foundation will recognize three schools as first-, second- and third-place winners. The first-place school will receive a trophy, make a television appearance and be able to participate in a check presentation with Keep Arkansas Beautiful Foundation board members. Second place will receive a trophy a “fun lunch,” and third place will receive a trophy and Yarnell’s ice cream party.

Participating schools will receive a tax receipt for the amount donated.

For more information about how to get involved, email Maria Matoska at Maria_Matoska@hotmail.com.

On June 13, 1989, then-Gov. Bill Clinton signed an executive order creating the nonprofit Keep

to 100 percent of college tuition and mandatory fees.

It is for all students graduating from EHS who have been El Dorado Public School students since at least the ninth grade. The Promise also applies to transfer students who enroll, under school choice, into the El Dorado Public Schools. When combined with the Arkansas Challenge Lottery Scholarship or others, it may be used for other college expenses, such as room-and-board.

According to Sylvia Thompson, EDPS Director of El Dorado Promise, about 90 percent of last year’s Promise-eligible class have gone on to attend college.

“Many Promise recipients are first generation higher-education students, making this program even more important,” she added.

According to Deming, Murphy Oil Corporation decided to fund the El Dorado Promise based on the farreaching impact education can have on an individual’s future.

“Education is one of the few things you can provide a person that can permanently change their

lives,” he said.

In the latest El Dorado Promise report, studies show that higher education makes a difference in the quality of life and economy of a region. The report illustrates a direct correlation between the percentage of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher and the Gross Domestic Product per capita in the state. Arkansas falls far below average in both respects.

“We have been pleased to see the impact the El Dorado Promise is making each year in increased college enrollment and retention,” Deming said. “We are also seeing now that the program’s impact reaches even further as younger students, understanding that they can attend college, are pursuing a more rigorous curriculum with resultant improved standardized test scores.”

A University of Arkansas study showed that students in the third grade when the program was announced outperformed peers in other districts by 14 points in math

PROMISE continued on Page 12

$

Down Payment

+

‘$0’ Down, 0% interest + up to 48 mos.

interest

Financing on zero-turn mowers!* * except ZG100 Kommander Series

ZG100 Kommander

Series Zero-Turn Mowers * 4-Year Warranty * Up to 36 Mos. Financing W.A.C.

60 months on tractors with approved Credit

jimmy’s cycle, tractor & marine, inc.

Credit Applications

by Phone

2045A California St. • Camden • 870.836.2502

We Have a Full

Tues.-Fri. 8am - 5pm • Sat. 8am - 2:30pm • Closed Sun.-Mon. Service Department

6

South Arkansas Leader

04•16•14

Log on to www.eldoark.com ...

Finalists for Admin Professional of Year announced Three finalists have been selected for the Administrative Professional of the Year Award, which will be presented by the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce at the upcoming Administrative Professionals Appreciation Luncheon on April 23 at the El Dorado Conference Center.

The three finalists are: Shelli Bounds with DaVita South Arkansas Dialysis; Allison Lusby with Systems Contracting; and Carolyn Waller with the City of El Dorado.

“We received more nominations than we expected, which is a great problem to have,” said Kay Smith, the Chamber’s director of Member Services. “A committee consisting solely of our colleagues from outside Union County reviewed all nominations and narrowed down the nominees to these three outstanding finalists. The goals of this award are to recognize and honor an outstanding Union County administrative professional and to pass the Admin Cup on to the next winner.”

Individuals were nominated by their colleagues for their

El Dorado Chamber of Commerce to host awards luncheon April 23

Bounds

Lusby

outstanding service, superior performance, exceptional efficiency, integrity, and dedication to their company and to fellow employees.

To qualify, an administrative professional had to be in his or her position for at least one year. Criteria included showing concern for and helpfulness to others; having pride in his or her job; consistently exhibiting excellent job performance;

Waller

performing actions above and beyond the call of duty; having a cooperative attitude; and displaying company involvement.

The winner will receive the Admin Cup, a traveling cup that will remain in the possession of the winner for one year. The winner will also receive a gift and a $100 gift certificate. The remaining finalists will each receive a commemorative

award and $50 gift certificate.

The cost to attend the luncheon is $17.50 per person. Reservations are required by Monday, April 21, and can be made by contacting the Chamber at 870.863.6113 or email chamber@goeldorado.com. Companies may reserve tables for $180.

Each administrative professional who attends the luncheon will receive a gift and will be eligible for door prizes and the grand prizes. The luncheon will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The luncheon is sponsored by El Dorado Chemical Company and supported by El Dorado Printing, South Arkansas Arts Center and Young’s Funeral Directors of Distinction.

The El Dorado Chamber of Commerce provides leadership in economic and community development for El Dorado and Union County in order to improve the quality of life for all its citizens.

For more information on the Chamber, call 870.863.6113 or visit goeldorado.com/chamber.

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.

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.

04•16•14

... for hundreds of FREE classifieds!

South Arkansas Leader

7

April weather and a wagonload of corn bring down Steele in Camden Ken Bridges

County but found itself increasingly unable to communicate with troops or communities or Gen. Frederick Steele had made manage the growing problem the U.S. Army his life. During the of refugees fleeing the war.

Civil War, he would rise through Steele had misgivings about the ranks quickly, but when the the Red River Expedition but time came to lead a campaign, went ahead anyway. Steele and his career and the entire Union his 8,000 men headed out from Army effort in Arkansas almost Little Rock on March 23 as spring disintegrated because of a wagon- began to bloom. Like most springs load of corn. in Arkansas, it started to rain. And Steele had been born in New it rained and rained. The grassy York in 1819 and graduated from trail leading from Little Rock to West Point in 1839. He had served Texas turned to mud, a thick mud well enough during the Mexican the consistency of molasses that War and in the Vicksburg and Pea trapped horses and wagons as they Ridge campaigns during the Civil trudged along.

War. In spring 1864, Gen. Henry

By April 9, they had reached Halleck placed Steele in command Arkadelphia, just 70 miles away. of Union troops in Arkansas and Never accounting for weather or ordered him to take out Confeder- roads, Steele lost precious days ate positions in Shreveport, La., and precious food supplies. What on the Red River, an effort mircould take a little over an hour on rored by advancing Union troops a modern interstate highway had in Louisiana. taken Steele more than weeks. ReBy spring 1864, Confederate inforcements some 4,000 strong forces were on the run in Arkanarrived from Fort Smith, but with sas, pushed into the south-central their own supplies exhausted. and southwestern reaches of the

By April 15, almost another state. The state government had week, he reached Camden. Steele fled to Washington in Hempstead watched helplessly as his supplies

South Arkansas Historical Foundation

FOOD

continued from Page 1

decades as global population increases. The state’s climate, water, infrastructure, research efforts and producers are all assets, he said.

“We’re in a great position,” Calhoun added. “We just need to keep doing what we do.”

Mark Cochran, UA System vice president for Agriculture, welcomed the audience to the convention and noted the theme of local foods.

Farm-to-fork agricultural issues comprise an emerging area in which the Division of Agriculture is adjusting its programs, he said. Cochran cited figures from the 2012 federal Census of Agriculture that showed direct sales of product by state farmers had reached about $2 million.

“It’s a growing entity and an area with promise,” Cochran said. He also pointed to the Food Innovation Center operated by the Division of Agriculture through the Food Science Department as an example of providing services to small startup

H

South Arkansas Historical Foundation presents

ist o ry minute

ran out and his army succumbed to the bitter weather. Camden was an important port city on the Ouachita River, and the city had built an impressive series of defensive positions, but Confederate troops had been pulled out to help defend Shreveport. Hungry Union troops poured into the town instead, ransacking the city and countryside for whatever they could find.

Steele managed to locate corn to the west, enough to fill more than a hundred wagons. Desperate, he quickly sent a foraging party after it, not waiting to see if any Confederates were still in the area.

But a group of Confederate troops and their Choctaw allies were waiting for them.

At Poison Springs, in the thick trees about 10 miles west of Camden, on April 18, Confederates

New, local Farmers’ Market to open in May Local producers and craftsmen have organized into a formal group and will open the new El Dorado’s Farmer’s Market at the beginning of next month, weather and produce willing.

The new market plans to open for the season on Tuesday, May 6. It will be located in the TAC House parking lot on the corner of North West Avenue and Fifth Street. The official hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; though the market will close in the event food businesses.

Wal-Mart Stores defines “local” as a product grown and sold in the same state, said Lea Jepson, the company’s senior director for temperate vegetables and floral. Some farmers deliver their products directly to a particular store and others deal through one or more of the 42 distribution centers across the na-

of inclement weather.

Consisting of members who sold previously in front of Memorial Stadium and new members, the new group will offer a variety of locally grown produce and homemade artisan crafts.

Different members will sell each day as their produce or crafts become available.

For more information, follow the El Dorado Farmer’s Market on Facebook at facebook.com/ eldoarkfarmers.market. tion. It’s a challenge for Wal-Mart to buy from thousands of farmers but customers appreciate it, Jepson said.

Much of the agricultural product that Wal-Mart buys from farmers comes from Washington, California, Arizona, Texas and Florida.

Jepson said the company hopes to get more products from farmers who are closer to its stores and

ambushed Union forces, leaving 301 dead and capturing all the corn supplies for themselves at a cost of 114 Confederate lives.

Hearing of the disaster and the loss of nearly half the foraging party, Steele quickly abandoned Camden.

Catching wind of the exposed Union army, Confederate Gen. Sterling Price and the colorful Gen. Kirby Smith leapt at the opportunity, chasing Steele’s troops back to Little Rock. Other small battles would be fought, but Price and Smith could never capture Steele. It did not take Union troops nearly as long to get back to Little Rock on their retreat.

Gen. Steele now had to face his humiliation in front of the nation.

The Camden Expedition, as it would be called, was a tremendous failure for Union efforts in Arkansas. Steele was never again trusted with a major command.

And Shreveport would never fall to Union troops.

For more information on the South Arkansas Historical Foundation, call 870.862.9890 or email info@soarkhistory.com.

distribution centers.

One such farmer who began that way was Dave Sargent, who grows produce at Sargent Farms in Prairie Grove. He told the OFPA that he started 14 years ago by selling to one Wal-Mart; then he got a request to sell to two more. The company headquarters later asked him to sell to all 13 stores in the district. Then he expanded to supply the Clarksville distribution center, as well.

“I just kept plowing more ground,” Sargent said. Last year he shipped his produce to one-fourth of WalMart’s distribution centers.

Sargent said he hoped for further development of environmentally controlled underground growing areas in which a one-acre plot with controlled lighting can produce more than the output on multiple acres above ground. Such advancements will be necessary to feed the world in the future.

“We can do it larger, faster and safer,” he said.

For more information, contact Arkansas Grown at 501.225.1598 or go online to arkansasgrown.org.

8

South Arkansas Leader

04•16•14

Log on to www.eldoark.com ...

Urban tree care on forestry field day agenda Early-bird registration open through Friday, April 25

Cooperative Extension Service U of A System Division of Agriculture

HOPE — Caring for trees in urban settings and the effects of severe weather on the state’s woodlands are part of the 2014 Forestry Field Day set for May 1 at the Southwest Research and Extension Center in Hope.

“With the terrible winter we’ve had and the effects of ice and wind on trees, many homeowners are wondering what to do for the trees on their property,” said Jon Barry, extension forester with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “This field day will focus on forest and tree health.”

The event begins at 8:30 a.m. with registration and will adjourn at 2:30 p.m.

Vic Ford, director of the Southwest Research and Extension Center, will discuss environmental factors such as drought and flooding that impact tree health. Kyle Cunningham of the Arkansas Forest Resources Center and Barry will discuss pests and diseases of pines and hardwoods.

The morning session will conclude with a field walk to examine diseased and infested trees so landowners can learn first-hand how to recognize symptoms.

After lunch, Alison Litchy, urban forester with the Arkansas Forestry Commission, will discuss factors that cause stress for urban trees and urban tree care.

“Tree care is one of the greatest home-related maintenance problems faced by urban landowners,” Barry said. “Often a few simple steps can add decades to the life of a

On the Agenda Tree Care: Harsh winters and frequent rains can be major stressors to tree health. The upcoming forestry field day in Hope will discuss those and other issues, such as pests. Registration is now open, with early-bird fees ending on Friday, April 25. — Courtesy image

tree. Come find out how to take care of your trees.”

For those who register by Friday, April 25, the fee is $10 per person. Registration at the door costs $15 per person. Those who register ahead will be provided a lunch.

A registration form, schedule and more information can be found on the SWREC website at swrec.uark.edu. To receive a registration form by email, contact Jon Barry at 870.777.9702 ext. 112 or email jbarry@uaex.edu.

The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. For more information, visit www.uaex.edu.

Early-bird Registration » Register by April 25 to pay $10 per person and receive a free lunch.

Regular Registration » Registration will open at 8:30 a.m. and will cost $15 per person the day of the event, May 1.

Programs Programs begin at 9:15 a.m. » Environmental Stresses that Affect Trees by Vic Ford, director of the Southwest Research and Extension Center. » Pests and Diseases of Pines

by Dr. Jon Barry, extension forester with the Arkansas Forest Resources Center.

» Pests and Disease of Hardwoods by Kyle Cunningham, extension forester with the Arkansas Forest Resources Center.

Field Tour » Pest and Disease Field Tour by Barry, Ford and Cunningham at 11:15 a.m.

Lunch » Break for lunch. Those who pre-registered will be provided lunch.

Urban Tree Stress » Urban Tree Stress and Care with Alison Litchy, Urban Forestry Partnership coordinator with the Arkansas Forestry Commission at 1:45 p.m.

at your finger tips ... ... http://bit.ly/1eE1IhS

04•16•14

... for hundreds of FREE classifieds!

How do you Live United?

South Arkansas Leader

9

SouthArk hires new fiscal affairs VP South Arkansas Community College has hired a new vice president of fiscal affairs – Dr. Belinda Powell Aaron.

Most recently serving as the assistant vice Aaron chancellor for finance and administrative services at Louisiana State University in Alexandria,

Aaron has worked for the institution for 11 years. She is a graduate of LSU with a doctor’s degree in human resource education and workforce development.

“I am thrilled to be returning to Arkansas, closer to my family in Little Rock and Texarkana,” Aaron said.

Aaron will assume her new duties this month. She succeeds Lathan Hairston, who retired last month after many years in higher education in Arkansas.

For more information about SouthArk, visit www.southark.edu.

NOTICE: Road Closure Live United: The United Way of Union County is seeking video entries from volunteers, groups, schools, civic organizations and

churches across the county to show how they give back, serve others or support a cause (i.e. Live United) in the area. — Courtesy photo

United Way of Union County is seeking stories from the community The United Way of Union County is seeking entries illustrating how the community exemplifies its slogan, LIVE UNITED. Entries should be a video of two minutes or less showing how individuals or groups, schools, civic clubs or churches LIVE UNITED in Union County. Cash prizes of $50 and $25, respectively, will be awarded for first and second places. The third place winner will receive a LIVE UNITED prize package.

“We are really looking for Union County residents to share their stories of how they give back, serve others or support a cause,” said Alexis Alexander, executive director of the United Way of Union County. “We want to use these videos to remind people in our community that there are others who are working to build our neighborhoods, bolster the health of our community and change the lives of those who walk by us every day.”

The videos will be posted on the United Way of Union County’s Facebook page at

facebook.com/UnitedWayof UnionCountyAR and the winner will be determined by the most number of “likes” on their video.

Entries should include a contact name, address and phone number and can be emailed to liveunitedvideo@gmail.com.

The deadline to enter is noon on Friday, May 9.

Voting will begin once all entries are received. The winner will be announced on Friday, May 16. The contest is only valid for residents of Union County. All entries become property of the United Way of Union County.

For more information, call Alexander at 870.862.4903.

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

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

According to a notification from Union County Judge Mike Loftin’s office, Mount Holly Road is closed now and will remain closed for two and a half weeks beginning Tuesday, April 8.

The road is closed for bridge replace, which will take place on the first bridge coming out of El Dorado city limits, northwest of West Hill Drive.

Alternate routes are Morning Star Road, West Hillsboro and North Wyatt Drive. For more information, call 870.864.1900.

10

South Arkansas Leader

04•16•14

COMMUNITY calendar

» LIVING LAST SUPPER — First United Methodist Church of El Dorado will host a Living Last Supper prior to Easter. Thirteen men will recreate the moment in the painting when Jesus told his disciples about the coming crucifixion. The event is open to the public. A nursery will be provided, and an elevator is available.

When: April 17-18 at 6:30 p.m.

Where: First United Methodist Church, 201 South Hill Ave., El Dorado Contact: For more information on the program, call 870.665.2985 or email s-cb@sbcglobal.net. » OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will host a free outdoor photography workshop, teaching basic photography techniques, including how to approach wildlife, the use of blinds and more. The program is free but registration is required. Students must bring their own cameras.

When: April 17 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Where: Center for Workforce Development, South Arkansas Community College East Campus, 3698 East Main Contact: For registration or more information, call 870.864.7192 or email ce@southark.edu. » MAYHAWLIN’ RACE REGISTRATION — Registration is now open for the Seventh Annual Mayhawlin’ 10K Run and 5K Walk/ Run, a part of the South Arkansas Historical Foundation’s 22nd Annual Mayhaw Festival. Cash prizes and participation medals will be awarded. FitRight Racing will track participants’ times and post them online. Pre-registration is available

Log on to www.eldoark.com ...

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

through www.fitrightracing.com, and costs $25. On-site registration will be from 7 to 7:45 a.m. on race day.

Register by Friday, April 18 to receive a 2014 Mayhaw Festival T-shirt.

When: Saturday, May 3 at 8 a.m.

Where: North parking lot, Murphy Oil, 200 East Peach St., El Dorado Contact: For more information on this year’s Mayhaw Festival, contact the South Arkansas Historical Foundation by calling 870.862.9890 or email info@soarkhistory.com.

» STUDENT RECOGNITION CEREMONY — South Arkansas Community College will hold its semi-annual Student Recognition Ceremony, giving awards for Outstanding Academic Student, Exemplary Student Leadership and Outstanding Student Worker. The event is free and open to the public.

When: Friday, April 18 at 6 p.m.

Where: El Dorado Conference Center, 311 South West Ave. Contact: For more information, visit southark.edu. » WING DING Chicken wing COOK-OFF ENTRY — The South Arkansas Historical Foundation invites cooking teams to register for the Mayhaw Festival’s fourth annual Wing Ding Chicken Wing Cook-off, with a $1,000 grand prize. The cook-off will take place during the festival on May 3. Entry fee costs $50 per team.

Deadline: Registration is due by Friday, April 18.

Where: Registration forms and rules are available on the website at mayhawfestival.com/Wing_Ding.html.

Contact: For registration information and contest rules, email info@soark

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.

history.com or call 870.862.9890. » HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION — Clean Harbors will hold its Household Hazardous Waste Collection program on the third Saturday of each month from April through September. Appointments are required and can be scheduled for any time between 8 a.m. and noon the day of the event. The event is free and open to all households in Union County. Wastes such as paint, cleaning fluids, herbicides, pesticides, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, out-ofdate non-prescription medicines, used oil and filters, propane and butane cylinders are accepted. Residents that participate will receive a free, reusable shopping bag.

When: Saturday, April 19 from 8 a.m. to noon (by appointment only) Where: Drop-off location (next to Clean Harbors facility), 2300 Short Hillsboro St., El Dorado Contact: To schedule an appointment or for more information on what types of waste are accepted, call Clean Harbors at 870.863.7173. » EASTER EGG HUNT — The Smackover community will host its Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt, open to youth 12 years old and younger. Prizes will be awarded for each age group, and the first several children to arrive will receive a basket.

When: Saturday, April 19 at 11 a.m.

Where: Smackover Preschool, 1406 Lisbon Road Contact: For more information, call Ronneesha Williams at 870.562.1497. » HUNGER RELIEF ALLIANCE MEETING — The Union County Hunger Relief Alliance will meet to

continue creating solutions in the areas of childhood and senior hunger and expand the resources of food pantries in the area. The meeting is open to anyone interested, including churches, civic groups, food pantries or other volunteers. The UCHRA is a joint venture of the Arkansas Foodbank and the United Way of Union County.

When: April 23 at 10:30 a.m.

Where: Charles H. Murphy Jr. Board Room, El Dorado Chamber of Commerce, 111 West Main St. Contact: For more information, contact Alexis Alexander at 870.862.4903. » SOUTHARK SPRING STUDENT RECITAL — As a part of its annual Arts and April celebration, South Arkansas Community College will host a spring recital for its music students.

When: April 24 at 12:15 p.m.

Where: El Dorado Conference Center, 311 South West Ave. Contact: For more information about Arts in April, contact liberal arts dean Phil Ballard at 870.864.7156. » SPIRIT OF SOUTHARK AWARD — South Arkansas Community College is seeking nominations for its annual President’s Award, the Spirit of SouthArk. The award seeks to honor any individual, group or organization that has advanced the college’s efforts to deliver on its stated mission to provide educational opportunities and cultural enrichment to the region.

When: Nominations must be submitted by April 25.

Where: Submit nominations to President at P.O. Box 7010, El Dorado, AR 71731.

Contact: For more information, go online to www.southark.edu.

Crossword and Sudoku Answer Keys

April 9

04•16•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.

Union County's free source for community news and more

Noalmark Broadcasting

General Manager Jay Helm jay_helm@noalmark.com

Editor Brooke Burger brooke.burger@noalmark.com 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.

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

WEEKLY RECIPE Citrus salad ... for breakfast Like Mom always said, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But breakfast can also be the most boring meal of the day for those people unwilling to spice up their morning routine. For those unafraid to try something new at the breakfast table, the following recipe for “Citrus Salad with Vin Santo and Mint,” from Norman Kolpas’ “Buongiorno! Breakfast and Brunch, Italian Style” (Contemporary Books), combines a famed central Italian dessert wine with popular morning fruits.

Citrus Salad with Vin Santo and Mint Ingredients:

Serves 4 to 6 » 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves » 1/2 cup Vin Santo

Directions:

» 4 sweet seedless oranges » 1 whole ruby, pink or white grapefruit » Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

With your hands, firmly crush the mint leaves. Put them in a small nonreactive bowl or a large glass and pour the Vin Santo over them. Leave to soak for at least 30 minutes.

With a citrus zester, remove the zest from one of the oranges in thin strips or remove the zest using a swivelbladed vegetable peeler, taking care to avoid any of the bitter white pith; then use a small, sharp knife to cut the zest crosswise into thin strips. Reserve the zest.

To segment the oranges and grapefruit, first cut a slice off the top and bottom of each fruit just thick enough to expose the pulp beneath its membrane. Then, steadying a fruit on a cutting board on one of its cut ends, carefully slice off the peel in strips just thick enough to remove the outer membrane from each segment, following the fruit’s contour. Holding the fruit over a mixing bowl, carefully use a small, sharp knife to cut down along the membrane on either side of each segment, freeing the segment and letting it drop into the bowl.

Hold a strainer over the bowl and pour the Vin Santo through it to remove the crushed mint leaves; discard the leaves. Add the reserved orange zest and stir gently to mix.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Garnish the salad with mint sprigs before serving.

CLUES ACROSS

1. A braid 5. Print errors 11. Any of three avatars of Vishnu 12. Odor masking toiletry 16. Abba __, Israeli politician 17. An enlisted person 18. Any speed competitor 19. Manitoba hockey team 24. The Bay state 25. Trees with cone-like catkins 26. Central area of a church 27. Two year old sheep 28. Interpret written words 29. Greek goddess of youth 30. Bullfighting maneuver 31. Shapes 33. Decreased 34. Fly 38. Unbelief 39. Traditional Hindu

CLUES DOWN

1. Existing before a war 2. Open to change 3. Gunsmoke actress Blake 4. Converted into leather 5. Boundary 6. Predominated 7. Royal Observatory 8. Promotion 9. Rich multi-layered cake 10. River between Iran and Armenia 13. Carrier’s invention 14. Banes 15. Catastrophe 20. Atomic No. 77 21. A note appended to a letter 22. Licks 23. Adam’s wife 27. Counterbalance 29. Brokeback star’s initials 30. Golf score 31. Manuscripts (abbr.)

32. Old English

rhythms 40. Yemen capital 43. Prayer leader in a mosque 44. A sheep up to the age of one year 45. Soldier in an airborne unit 49. What a cow chews 50. K particle 51. 50 cent pieces 53. Trauma center 54. 2011 Stanley Cup winners 56. Inner bract of a grass spikelet 58. The Show-Me State 59. Self-immolation by fire ritual 60. Offshoot interests 63. Amounts of time 64. Salty 65. Guinea currency 1971-85 33. Pod legume 34. Upper arm muscle 35. Japanese warrior 36. Oh, God! 37. A Scottish cap 38. Expresses surprise 40. Carbon particles 41. Fourth cognomen 42. “Joy Luck Club” actress Irene 44. Holds 45. Favorable factors 46. Bird enclosure 47. Act of pay for usage 48. St. Francis of __ 50. Aussie bear 51. Day-O singer’s initials 52. One of the six noble gases 54. Apiary inhabitants 55. Proboscis 57. “Titanic” star’s initials 61. Lincoln’s state 62. Atomic No. 28

Answer key on page 10.

11

12

South Arkansas Leader

04•16•14

Log on to www.eldoark.com ...

Winners in first state chemistry student competition announced El Dorado’s first-ever Union County student competition in chemistry, the You Be the Chemist Challenge, took place recently at the El Dorado School District TAC House.

The Grand Champion, Michaela Matocha, an eighth-grader under teacher Tammy McCloy of Barton Junior High School, won an iPad Mini. She has qualified for further competition for the National You Be the Chemist Challenge in Philadelphia, Penn., this June. First runner-up was Prestianna Braggs, also of Barton.

Open to qualifying fifth- and eighth-graders, the competition followed several interactive rounds, featuring knowledge of chemistry concepts, important discoveries and safety awareness, among other topics.

Participants from Barton and Washington Middle School advanced from earlier, school-based regional contests. They included: Lacy Allen, Amani Amos, Wyatt Ball, Lydia Conley, Alexander Ellis, A’mya Evans, Noah Gaul, Skyler Greeson, Micah Haney, Stormie

PROMISE

continued from Page 5

and 12 points in literacy on the Arkansas Benchmark Exam four years later. Additionally, Bonnie Haynie, EDPS Director of Professional Development/Federal Programs, stated that last spring over 600 EHS students took college-level Advanced Placement classes.

In 2012, Gov. Beebe recognized the district for outstanding achievement statewide, as the number of AP exams given since the Promise began had gone up 68 percent.

Currently, EHS offers up to 20 AP courses, up from only three 15 years ago. The College Board also has recognized EHS for achievement two years in a row.

Recently, the Promise was featured in both Politico and American Airlines magazines.

El Dorado Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jeremy Stratton said he sees the scholarship as a great tool for retention of the area’s youth.

“Creating a skilled workforce is one of our most important tasks,” he said. “As Promise graduates

succeed and return, the program helps provide highly-skilled and valuable residents. The Promise continues to be an amazing example of both educational and economic leadership.”

EDPS Superintendent Bob Watson noted that about only 1 in 5 Arkansans holds a bachelor’s degree, emphasizing Gov. Beebe’s goal to double the state’s college graduation rate by 2025. As the Promise helps send more students to college, Watson said Academic Signing Day is a time to recognize their achievement.

“The El Dorado Promise has touched the lives of students and families in our school district in a life-changing way. Students are realizing the real value of this scholarship program and how it can help in the design of their future,” Watson said. “Academic Signing Day is designed to celebrate the hard work of these Promise graduates – especially for their parents, other students, and their invited guests.”

Promise students can attend any accredited two or four-year college or university in the United States, and the Class of 2014 will sign EHS letters of intent for 34 separate institutions on April 28.

HOPE

the

» You Be the Chemist: (top) Barton Junior High School principal Sherry Hill (from left), Grand Champion Michaela Matocha, El Dorado Science Chair Carolyn Smith and BJHS science teacher Tammy McCloy stop for a photo following the You Be the Chemist Challenge in El Dorado. » Runner-up: (left) First runner-up Prestianna Braggs accepts her award from El Dorado Science Chair Carolyn Smith. — Courtesy photos

Johnson, Ella Langridge, Adrianne Larry, Logan Lyons, Riley McAdams, Sophia Meyer, Rachel Morgan, Rachel Murphree, Mace Nokes, Scott Ratchford, Erinn Roblee, Jonathan Sandy, Hunter Seeman, Zoveaire Thomas and Theresa Woolhiser.

Industry representatives and area educators volunteered during the You Be the Chemist event, including: Dave Bartley, Patty Cardin, Shelley Forbess, Nathan Henry, Bob McKinney, Tami Philyaw, Sheri Rankin, Craig Sheek, Preston Spires, Colleen Taylor, Bao Trannguyen, Greg Withrow and Mark Young.

You Be the Chemist was begun in 2003 as an initiative of the Chemical Educational Foundation, to help foster a greater understanding of the science of chemistry.

Sponsors for the local event were El Dorado Chemical Company, Clean Harbors and Great Lakes Solutions. Additional support came from Tetra Technologies, the El Dorado Public School District and the El Dorado Education Foundation.

a do

nation box benefting HOPE Landing

You can help!

Donate cleaning supplies at any HOPE Box to help HOPE Landing, a nonprofit serving kids in Union County with disabilities!

box

Follow The HOPE Box on Facebook!

• Find a location near you!

• Get details on donation drives!

• Be inspired by the kids of HOPE Landing!

20 + Lo

n County! o i n U cations Across