ABOUT | June 2017

Jamie Lou & The Hullabaloo

Reflecting the Character of the Arkansas River Valley JUNE 2017

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JUNE 2017 EDITION

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8 Jamie Lou and the Hullabaloo

There’s a sound forming in the River Valley. It’s a smooth bluesy rhythm infused with folk and old country lyrics. And it slides along the raspy edge of power rock distortion. It’s the new sound of genuine Arkansas music, and leading the way in this Southern sonic revolution is Jamie Lou and the Hullabaloo.

ABOUT THIS MONTH’S COVER The inspiration for this month's cover was a direct result of a collaboration between Kaleidoclasm Art Gallery and photography editor Liz Chrisman. Daniel Freeman designed the artwork for the album which is projected behind the band and the location of this set is his gallery/studio downtown.

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

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16 Fight Like Bryce

There is hardly a person who hasn’t been directly or indirectly affected by cancer. This is a story about a three-year-old boy who lost his battle to cancer and how community members have come together to support the cause, raising money in his memory for Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

26 Juiced

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34 Get to know your native neighbors

36 It’s not a sport

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JUNE 2017 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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A PAGE FROM

The Editor’s Notebook

Humility, honor, nostalgia, and duty

So I’ve taken yet another job. Or perhaps, more appropriately, another job has taken another slice of me.

But this one is an easy fit alongside my duties at ABOUT and the other writing opportunities I enjoy, particularly those within Arkansas. It’s not really even a job but more along the lines of a calling. By the time you read this, I’ll be trying my hardest to fill the huge and unfillable shoes of Van Tyson as managing editor of The Atkins Chronicle and The Dover Times.

The logistics will work. I’m going into this with frequent ABOUT contributor and Arkansas Tech University journalism instructor Billy Reeder and his wife Paula. We’re hanging on to core members of the papers’ staff and have brought along a few talented folks to fill in gaps. My job will be much like it is here at ABOUT — managing content, contributing some content, and handling the rudder, steering the publications toward continuing their combined 100-plus year legacy while finding more ways to connect and report on the people and happenings in rural Pope County and even a little beyond. The papers will continue to inform, represent, and speak for their readers. This is a guarantee.

Many of you know that except for a couple of years lived north of Morrilton, a few months outside of Centerville, and my days in the hospital after birth in Dardanelle, Pope County is where I’ve called home. I had an Atkins address for 17 years and a Dover address for nearly 20. I’m what you’d call a local. And because of this, there is a tremendous amount of humility, honor, nostalgia, and yes, duty, wrapped up in the decision.

As we roll along this new path and things naturally fall into place, look for a little bit of ABOUT in the papers and a little bit of the papers in ABOUT. It’s an organic action that is just going to happen when you’ve got the same fellow sitting at the helms of three publications and all kind of focused on the same things. It’s an opportunity for diverse ways to tell the stories of our place. It will also be a good thing for the people here in the River Valley. The little bit of connection, the energy that flows between these publications will offer some perspective to both that neither enjoyed before. It’s a win-win for all involved and I’m looking forward to wherever it takes us.

Johnny Carrol Sain, Editor johnny@aboutrvmag.com

Reflecting the Character of the Arkansas River Valley since 2006 A Publication of One14 Productions, Inc Vol. XII, Issue 5 – June 2017

DIANNE EDWARDS | founding editor JOHNNY CARROL SAIN | managing editor johnny@aboutrvmag.com LIZ CHRISMAN | photography editor lizchrismanphoto@gmail.com BENITA DREW | advertising benita@aboutrvmag.com CHRISTINE SAIN | advertising christine@aboutrvmag.com MIKE QUAIN | creative content producer mike@aboutrvmag.com MEREDITH MARTIN-MOATS | freelance meredith@aboutrvmag.com SARAH CHENAULT | freelance sarah@aboutrvmag.com LYDIA ZIMMERMAN | columnist lydia@aboutrvmag.com CHRIS ZIMMERMAN | layout/design chris@aboutrvmag.com CLIFF THOMAS | illustrator maddsigntist@aboutrvmag.com

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS: JUNE 2017 June 2 & 23 — Sunset Cinema: Moana at Lake Dardanelle State Park from 7-10 p.m. Sunset Cinema is an outdoor movie theater which operates on the lawn of the Lake Dardanelle Visitor’s Center.

The cost is $1 per person, children under 12 are free. These family-friendly events brought over 650 attendees last year. The two showings scheduled this summer are on Friday, June 2, Moana, and Friday, June 23, Sing. Each showing will begin at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Activities will take place prior to each showing starting at 7 p.m. For more information contact 968-2530.

June 2 — Summer Art Walk in Downtown Russellville from 6 - 9 p.m. For more information contact 967-1437 June 8 — safeTALK Suicide Awareness Training from 4 - 7 p.m. at All Saint’s Episcopal Church 501 S Phoenix Ave Russellville. safeTALK is an alertness training that prepares anyone over the age of 15, regardless of prior experience or training, to become a suicide-alert helper. Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t truly want to die, but struggle with pain in their lives. Through their words and actions they invite help to stay alive. safeTalk-trained helpers can recognize these invitations and take action by connecting them as life-saving intervention resources such as caregivers trained in ASIST. This presentation is sponsored by Arkansas Department of Health. Instructor is Cindy Jones. For more information or to register contact

ABOUT...the River Valley

Melissa Simpson at CASA of the 5th Judicial District at casa5cw@suddenlinkmail.com or 880-1195. Registration is free, please contact us by June 5th if interested. Class size is limited to 40 participants.

June 13 — Tweet Me a Story at Lake Dardanelle State Park from 9 - 11 a.m. Lake Dardanelle State Park and the Pope County Library Bookmobile are partnering to bring you story time in the park this summer. After reading stories about some of our feathered friends, we will try out the binoculars and see if we can spot any birds around us. Everyone is welcome to attend, even if you are not a Pope County resident. We will meet at the open air pavilion. Admission is free.

For more information contact 967-5516.

June 13 -17 — 59th Annual Auto Show and Swap Meet Museum of Automobiles on Petit Jean MountainThis annual antique car show is co-hosted by the Mid-America Old Time Automobile Association and the Museum of Automobiles on Petit Jean Mountain. Classic and vintage automobiles from all over the region are on display. Call the museum at (501) 7275427 for more information. Admission is free.

June 23 — Barn Swallow Survey at Mt. Magazine State Park from 9 - 9:45 am Lodge Lobby Circumnavigate the lodge to tally nesting birds, especially barn swallows. These amazing flying bug zappers are raising families in almost

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*Unless otherwise indicated, all area codes are 479. To have your event included in the ABOUT Calendar of Events, email: editor@aboutrvmag.com or fax to (479) 219-5031. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication.

every nook and cranny around the complex. Explore barn swallow life history and watch amazing aerobatics. Admission is free. For more information contact 963-8502.

June 24 — Music Downtown @ Sundown.

Lineup includes Jason Campbell and Cody Belew.. Concert begins at 7:30 and will include additional surprise performers. Local and regional musicians and performance artists. Admission is free.

Concessions will be available. For more information contact 967-1437.

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JUNE 2017 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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Jamie Lou and the Hullabaloo Story by MIKE QUAIN | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

There’s a sound forming in the River Valley. It’s a smooth bluesy rhythm infused with folk and old country lyrics. And it slides along the raspy edge of power rock distortion. It’s the new sound of genuine Arkansas music, and leading the way in this Southern sonic revolution is Jamie Lou and the Hullabaloo.

This is the story of a band turning out original music with a sublime auditory aesthetic.

JUNE 2017 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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I

Jamie Lou Connolly, Vocals

A good portion of the group’s influences are local and their sound is truly Arkansan.

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f you haven’t seen or heard Jamie Lou & The Hullabaloo, a five-piece rock band based in Russellville, you’re missing out on one of the best bands to come out of the Arkansas River Valley. Their new extended play (EP) recording “Femi-Socialite” paints a sonic landscape full of dark moody valleys and colorful, reverb-drenched mountaintops. It’s a pleasing mix of rock and folk drawing influence from bands like Iron and Wine, My Morning Jacket, and Radiohead as well as local flavors like Sound of The Mountain and Adam Faucett & The Tall Grass. With haunting lyrics and soulful guitar, they’ve been compared to Fleetwood Mac and Wilco. Songs on the EP are drawn out in a pleasing way, reminiscent of jam bands of old with roaring crescendos, quiet lulls, and more than their fair share of lead guitar.

Jamie’s gorgeous voice ties it all together and gives the group focus. They are a local supergroup.

Most members have been involved with various other area bands and projects of the River Valley music scene. Drummer Matt White has performed with Sound of The Mountain, Uncle Fatty & Freeloaders, and The Filthy Kind. Lead guitarist Garrett Broland played with Magnolia Brown and Opal Agafia. Guitarist Tim Pelton was a frequent open-mic performer. Bassist Anthony Oswalt played with Uncle Fatty and the Freeloaders and learned guitar alongside Tim in high school. Lead vocalist and guitarist Jamie Lou began performing at Bugsy’s in 2012.

Back in 2012 and through 2013, before The Hullabaloo was a thing, the current lineup often ran into each other at Bugsy’s Wings N Things, a popular but now closed Russellville bar and grill. Each member had been coming to Fatty and Friends, an open mic that focused on original music, playing their own songs. During their time performing together, they became friends and eventually decided to form a band.

Influences for the band come from all over the musical spectrum. Jamie’s favorite musician growing up was Iron & Wine, a bearded singersongwriter with a powerful voice and intricate guitar parts. Fleetwood Mac and My Morning

Jacket also draw the canvas upon which she writes music. Matt cites his time as a drummer in school bands growing up as well as his time in the Arkansas Tech Band of Distinction as big influences for his style. The rudimentary techniques and precise timings taught through scholastic music translate well to his set drumming.

Garrett takes his lead guitar style from 60s and 70s classic rock guitarists. You can hear the echo of icons live on, both tone and technique, in his incredible playing style. Tim’s love for Radiohead and “noisy rock” shapes the band’s sound, and Anthony’s Pink Floyd and MewithoutYou (a Philadelphia based indie-rock band) inspired bass lines bring everything together.

A good portion of the group’s influences are local and their sound is truly Arkansan. “All the bands here [in the River Valley] are sort of intertwined,” says Jamie. Likewise, Russellville makes a good location for a band. “Our central location makes it really easy to play a show in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Conway, or Hot Springs, without having to stay overnight,” says Jamie, “If you live in Fayetteville and have a show in Little Rock, that’s a two and a half hour drive.”

Jamie Lou & The Hullabaloo hasn’t always been called Jamie Lou & The Hullabaloo. They’ve used names like Jamie Lou & The Whiskey Too and, as they’re embarrassed to admit,

Guitarist Tim Pelton

You’re not just playing for yourself, you’re creating a moment for your audience.

Acceptable Karate. Eventually they settled on Hullabaloo because of the massive sound they became known for.

Likewise, the lineup hasn’t been the same since the beginning.

Matt was added after the first drummer moved away, and Anthony started playing bass when Tim moved from bass to guitar. The current lineup and name has been more or less consistent for the past two and a half years.

In those two-plus years, the band has made a splash in the River Valley. They started playing at local venues in Russellville, Little Rock, and Fayetteville. The band gives off an incredible energy that wins fans left and right. As word began to spread, they began playing bigger venues and music festivals like Foothills Festival in Missouri and Homegrown

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Stribling. “We really learned how to record there,” says Jamie. She explains that they learned how to correctly play with a click track, and about the organization of a good recording session.

Matt adds that he learned the importance of recording comfortably while wearing a Wookie onesie while playing. The session wasn’t without issue; Jamie had the flu during the four days of recording and passed it on to the rest of the band. “Vocals were a little difficult,” Jamie recalls. But listening to the EP, you can’t tell that anyone was under the weather. Jamie’s voice still rings true.

The six-track EP covers love and loss with a grace that can only be achieved by a band that has honed their craft on the stage.

“They were written over the period of four years,” Jamie says, referring to songs on the EP. Jamie sets the theme for most songs with her poetic lyrics and dark guitar riffs.

Bassist Anthony Oswald

Music Festival near Ozark, Arkansas. “Homegrown Music Festival held a competition with local bands to win a spot in their lineup. We won that competition,” says Matt.

Live performance can be difficult and is something many of us fear. The Washington Post conducted a survey that proclaimed public speaking as America’s greatest phobia, and playing in a band isn’t much different. “When you’re playing live you’re not only playing the song, you’re also having to connect with people. You have to have both,” says Jamie, “You’re not just playing for yourself, you’re creating a moment for your audience.” Matt learned a valuable lesson from his older brother who also plays drums: “If you’re nervous, just beat the crap out of the drums, just really lay into them,” he says, “You’ll sound bad at first, but it will help you slow down and get over the fact that you’re playing for people.” He says that after you’ve gained the confidence, you can begin paying attention to dynamics and playing softer.

The band attracted fans quickly, but had one major shortcoming: no properly recorded music. Last year they launched a successful Kickstarter that far surpassed their goal, raising $3,500 for the recording of “Femi-Socialite.” The recording took place over four days at Blue Chair Studio in Austin, Arkansas, in the hands of Darian

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

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Lead Guitarist Garret Brolund

The band members each write their own part in a constantly changing process, hammering out details in practice. “The songs really evolve over time,” says Tim. Jamie says, “The Hullabaloo isn’t a conventional band,” referring to their age and families. “We’re not a bunch of young kids ready to go out on the road who can practice every day and live and breathe their band.” Each member, except Anthony, has children, and each member was born in 1988. This makes them a little older than many touring bands. Balancing life and music has been a challenge, but Jamie says the challenge just keeps them working harder. “I’m constantly amazed that we’ve found ways to keep it all going,” says Tim. “Finding days we can all get together without our kids is hard.” The band thanks friends, family, and grandparents for help watching the children during weekly practices and shows. “We’re incredibly grateful for the support,” says Tim, “It’s the large, unseen part of the Hullabaloo… all the kids running around.” l

Drummer Matt White

Jamie Lou and the Hullabaloo will bring their new EP “Femi-Socialite” and fresh new merchandise along on their busy summer show schedule. Highlights include Solar Flux on June 10th and Homegrown Music Festival on August 3rd. For more information about show dates, purchasing the EP and such, check out Jamie Lou and the Hullabaloo on Facebook.

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JUNE 2017 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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EVERY DAY LIFE

ABOUT...the River Valley

Please replace nozzle

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m other’s work is never done. There is always a mess to clean, a boo boo to kiss, an errand to run, etc. The list of to-do’s grows longer every week and never gets completely accomplished.

One afternoon, after a particularly hectic day at work, I picked up my son from school and was elated at the thought of heading home and resting on the couch. I had just pulled into the driveway when my phone chimed. “Can you bring Gatorade to practice tonight?” the text message read.

Shoot! Raff had baseball practice that evening and I had forgotten all about it. The practice didn’t start for another two hours, but I still had to make dinner, oversee homework, gather up his baseball equipment, run to the store to buy Gatorade, and drive to the ball fields. So much for resting on the couch.

After a quick dinner and homework finished, I loaded baseball gear in the car, rushed my son out the door, and we hit the road.

Fortunately, there was a Dollar General store on the way to the ball fields. I zipped in, placed enough Gatorade in my cart for all the kids on the team, and got in line at the checkout.

I stood there for a few minutes before I realized the line wasn’t moving so I leaned out slightly to see what was going on. An older woman was buying milk. A large Ziplock bag in front of her was

Story by SARAH CHENAULT | Illustration by CLIFF THOMAS

filled with pennies. She was slowly counting them out one at a time. I waited a few more minutes until my grip on sanity was slowly slipping away, walked up to the counter and whisked my card through the debit card machine.

I turned back to the woman who had a shocked look on her face. “I’m sorry, but I’m in a hurry.” The cashier handed the woman her milk and I took my place in line again. Several people breathed sighs of relief that the penny ordeal was over. It finally became my turn, and I quickly paid for my Gatorade and hopped back into my car.

“What took you so long?” Raff exclaimed.

“Pennies. Long story,” I answered, just as I looked down at my dashboard and saw my gas light come on. I sighed and laid my head against the steering wheel. I was never going to make it to the ball field on time.

I pulled into the parking lot of the nearest gas station and eased my car up to the gas pump. I hopped out, swiped my debit card and started filling up my tank.

“Mom!” Raff said from the back seat. “Your cell phone is ringing!”

I got back into the car to answer my phone. After my brief phone call, I noticed the gas pump had shut off, so I turned on the ignition again, put my car into drive, and pulled out of the parking lot.

Continued on page 25...

“The cops are here mom! Are we in trouble...are you going to jail? I can’t wait to tell everyone on my team about this!”

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

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Story by KAREN RICKETTS | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

THERE IS HARDLY A PERSON WHO HASN’T BEEN DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AFFECTED BY CANCER. We all know someone who has battled cancer: a loved one, a close friend, a neighbor, or your co-worker. Perhaps you are a cancer survivor. Among the horror stories of chemo and radiation treatment, we hear of the men and women who treat and care for patients of all ages day in and day out. We hear about the facilities that shine like beacons of hope, running like clockwork to provide the latest in medical research. But most of all we hear of strong families who have endured their worst nightmare, thrown into a situation they didn’t ask to be in, faced with losing a loved one too soon. This is a story about a three-year-old boy who lost his battle to cancer and how community members have come together to support the cause, raising money in his memory for Arkansas Children’s Hospital through the annual RussVegas Half Marathon.

Let me tell you how to fight like Bryce.

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Bryce Bowden passed away in July of 2016 after a long fight with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). His parents, James and Nkaujtsim Bowden, said the RussVegas Half Marathon could not have picked a better inspiration for the Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) Angels program. “Bryce was the perfect example of everything that you do in a marathon — endurance, strength, overcoming adversity. That’s who he was,” James said. “I mean the kid had half a lung and we’d take him out to the Bona Dea trail and he ran like two miles on half a lung.”

James and Nkaujtsim described Bryce as a strong, caring kid who loved sports. “He brought out the good in everybody,” Nkaujtsim said. “He would always feel so sorry for the other kids if they were hurting or if their mommy wasn’t there, and he didn’t realize he was the sickest one in the room. He was worried for everybody else.”

“He was playing golf and baseball by the time he was one and a half at a level he should not have been playing at,” James said.

“He had [equipment for] every sport there was — soccer goals, golf clubs he would drag around, and he could dribble a real basketball before he was two.”

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

“You have to realize that you are taking have to have healthy parents to take I know it’s the smallest things but those James’ parents, Jim and Marilyn Bowden, shared stories about their grandson. “As soon as you walked in the door he would grab you by the hand and want to run down the hall,” Jim said. “You’d drag the machine with him and try to keep up.”

“Everybody would always ask me and Nkaujtsim, ‘how were you so strong?’ and that was just a stupid question,” James said. “We didn’t have an option. Trust me, if you were put in that situation you would be incredibly strong. Bryce just made it so easy.”

Stories like these are why “Fight like Bryce” is a fitting slogan.

As part of the ACH Angels program, participants can sign up to raise money for Arkansas Children’s Hospital in exchange for a free race registration in the Russ Vegas Half Marathon. This year the Angels raised approximately $75,000

care of a family, not just the child. You care of the child and in that situation are the things that make a difference.” toward the cause. Much of that money is used to ensure better training for hospital staff . “One of the biggest problems we saw when we were in the hospital was that nurses were not being trained on the specific field they were in,” James said.

“Nurses get a broad spectrum on what they are trained on and now they are getting training on that one specific thing that has to do with childhood cancer.”

Bryce received his cancer treatment while the family lived in Birmingham, Alabama. Later he was treated at a hospital in Texas before the family eventually moved back to Arkansas.

The Bowden family said there are significant differences in the facilities out of state compared to Arkansas Children’s Hospital and hope the money raised each year through the RussVegas Half Marathon can go to improvements. “Little Rock is so behind on the things they need compared to Birmingham,” Jim said.

Better equipment is also a spending priority. “The biggest thing that kills kids is not the cancer it’s the infections,” James said. “With the new machines they don’t have to do a lot of disconnecting and connecting. They don’t have to expose a line here and there. Those little things are going to be what saves a kid’s life. Out of all the people we’ve met, I don’t know of a kid yet that has died from the cancer. It’s usually the infection. The treatments they received knocked down their immune systems so much that they get an infection they can’t fight off.”

James and Nkaujtsim also mentioned the little things hospitals can do to make comfortable for families in their situation. They shared that families including themselves often had to find food outside of the hospital, pay for parking blocks away and walk back to the hospital, and how it was almost impossible to get uninterrupted sleep when doctors and nurses would come into the room every 30 minutes. “You have to realize that you are taking care of a family, not just the child,” James said. “You have to have healthy parents to take care of the child and in that situation I know it’s the smallest things but those are the things that make a difference.” >>

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JUNE 2017 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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Andy McNeill of Denali Water Solutions

James also recounted how the family had lived off of savings while in Alabama. When they moved back to Arkansas Bryce relapsed two days after they bought a house. After not working for a year, James made the difficult decision to go back to work.

“It was a decision that we looked at for quite a while and Bryce looked like he was making good progress,” James said. But I can tell you that I would work the rest of my life to ensure that a family didn’t have to take one day, one hour or one minute away from their child while going through a situation. Looking back I don’t think I should have ever done it.”

But family and community support can help ease the financial burdens for parents. “I would say that we were really fortunate we had people set up fundraisers for us after we were back in Arkansas because there are a lot of families out there that don’t get that,” Nkaujtsim said.

The ACH Angels program provides a unique opportunity for people to connect with a family’s story and motivate others to support the cause. RussVegas organizers were searching for an inspiring story for the Angel’s program when they heard about Bryce.

“It’s a pretty small world here with landscaping and construction 20

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

and all of that,” James said. “And from what I gathered it was right after he passed that they found out he was Jim’s grandson. People see “RussVegas” and it’s just “RussVegas,” but a story is what gets people involved.”

Members of the community can get involved in several ways. They can make a monetary donation, volunteer time to help at the event or just show support. “The thing that my company did was send 14 people down town to set up all the barrels and take all the barrels in,” Jim said. “It was a major undertaking. RussVegas needs that type of physical support.”

Other businesses across town have contributed to the RussVegas Half Marathon as well. Mobley Concrete has a couple of what they call “moving billboards.” Two concrete trucks, one painted pink for Susan G. Komen and one painted blue and white for Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

A percentage of the trucks’ gross income goes toward their respective organizations. I spoke with Mike Ellington, sales and operations manager, and owners Luke and David Duffield about why it is important for Mobley Concrete to support the Russ Vegas Half Marathon. “The trucks are also for our friends, family and employees who are dealing with cancer, have lost loved ones or friends to cancer,” Luke said. “I think we are all subject to that.”

Luke said the trucks are not an original idea. There are different Komen trucks across the country, but added that as far as he knew the Children’s Hospital truck was the first and only one. “Mike met with Russ Vegas organizers and the ACH Angels for the approval of the design and then the Mobley employees took that truck and completely rebuilt it,” Luke said. “There are pictures of it where it is literally down to a steering wheel and the frame.” The quote on the side of the concrete truck drum reads, “Until they don’t need us, we need you. It starts off with baby hands prints and as the drum rotates the hands get bigger,” Luke said. “There’s an amazing amount of thought that was put into it and one our guys designed and painted it.”

Though it was a time crunch to get the truck done, teamwork made it happen. “It was about two and half weeks from the day of the RussVegas Marathon when we went ahead and made the call to make that truck,” Mike said. “The amount of work that went into it was probably more than two and half weeks worth of hours. But by having so many people get involved with it, we literally just finished polishing the wheels for its first run out on the day of RussVegas last year.”

“The pictures of them building the truck are pretty amazing,” Luke said. “They were here in the middle of the night, nobody wanted to leave. Everyone stayed until it was done because a lot of them have been affected.”

According to Mike, this year the Arkansas Children’s truck has raised roughly $6,000 for the hospital.

Along with the trucks, company employees donate their time to volunteer the day of the race. “Our other companies do all of the traffic control for the marathon, Luke said. “If everyone does a little bit then the task is not that big.”

For the men, it means a lot to give back to a community where they grew up and are now raising their own families. “We grew up here and our kids are here, and it’s something that you hope you never have to deal with,” Luke said. “You hope you are never there but you understand that to have a facility like that in Arkansas is a real blessing.”

“It gives us a sense of pride to know that we are spreading some of that money to places that need it and helping people that need help,” David said.

Denali Water Solutions in Russellville is another business supporter to the Russ Vegas Half Marathon and has been making donations since its inaugural year. “We do it because it’s the right thing to do,” said CEO of Denali Water Solutions, Andy McNeill.

“We do it because there are friends and family members that participate in these things,” Andy added. “But one of the most important things and the reason why we do it is because we are really invested in the community.”

Denali Water Solutions is supportive in the behind the scenes kind of way. “In terms of the Russ Vegas half marathon, one of the things we did was early on to get a jump-start we basically said we would match funds,” Andy said. “So there was an initial day that said if you can get money by this date we would match any thing that you do and we really go into that not knowing if we are going to write a small check or a big check. We hope a big check, but it really puts the pressure back on them to do those things.”

Employees also give their time to volunteer at the event and some even participate in the race. Andy added that one of the cool aspects about the marathon is that it promotes things that are positive, like good health. “We are just happy to be a part of it and are happy to see them do it,” Andy said. “Really, the hard part is not for us, the giving is easy. The hard part is all of the energy

and momentum that they create. We want to support anybody who does things like that.”

I asked James and Nkaujtsim what it was like to see thousands of people running in memory of their son. “It is super sweet,” Nkaujtsim said. “Marilyn and I got to experience people coming up to us and ask, ‘are you Bryce’s mom?’ and that made me really sad, but it also made me feel good that they paid attention behind the ACH Angels and watched Bryce’s video that RussVegas had made.”

“We had one guy come up to us after a lady that ran past us said ‘way to go Bryce’s mom!’ The guy stopped running and said, ‘wait a minute, you’re Bryce’s mom?’ and when he heard that Nkaujtsim was Bryce’s mom he just gave her the biggest hug and got teary eyed,” Marilyn said. “He basically said that he did the marathon because of Bryce’s story.”

“We just tell everyone just how proud we are of him,” James said. “He took on things grown men can’t take on and he did it with a smile on his face. I’m extremely proud of him.

To this day I try to live up to half the man that he was and I can’t even do it. That kid ran for 3-4 weeks with a heart rate over 160.

I tried running for 20 minutes outside with a heart rate of 160 and couldn’t make it. And he did it for 3-4 weeks. I always try to look for Bryce in everything that happens to me now.” l

“You hope you are never there but you understand that to have a facility like Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Arkansas is a real blessing.”

CAREER SPECIFIC

The 2016 RussVegas Half Marathon raised $50,000 for Arkansas Children’s Hospital and topped that amount in 2017 by raising in excess of $70,000. More than 300 volunteers along with local businesses pitched in to make RussVegas 2017 a spectacular success. If you would like to volunteer your time or your company’s resources for RussVegas 2018, contact Chis Olson at chris@russvegashalf.com

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JUNE 2017 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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COMMUNITY PAGES

ABOUT...the River Valley

Music Downtown @ Sundown returns to Depot Park

The Music Downtown @ Sundown summer concert series returns to Depot Park this summer on the last Saturday of June, July and August. The music lineup for the June 24 concert includes Jason Campbell, and Cody Belew. July 29 performances by Jamie Lou & the Hullabaloo, and Arkansauce. The final concert on August 26 includes The Flat Five, and Leah 7 the Mojo Doctors. Each concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will include some additional surprise performers. Invite a friend and grab a quilt or your lawn chair and get Downtown for an evening of great music by local and regional musicians and performance artists. Concessions will be available. The concerts are a gift to the community with free admission thanks to the generosity of Little John Transportation Services, Orr Automall, and Saint Mary’s Regional Health System. Music Downtown @ Sundown is another project of Main Street Russellville, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit downtown revitalization organization. For concert schedule updates and additional information contact the Main Street Russellville office located in the Russellville Depot, 320 W. C Street/P.O. Box 694,

Russellville, AR 72811, 479-967-1437, msrsvl2@centurytel.net , or go to www.mainstreetrussellville.com.

ANNIE COMING TO TOWN

Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has become a worldwide phenomenon and was the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The beloved book and score

by Tony Award winners, Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, features some of the greatest musical theatre hits ever written, including “Tomorrow.”

With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone’s hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City

Happy Father’s Day! Dad always had the coolest toys.

1903 SOUTH ARKANSAS • (479) 968-3991 22

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

Orphanage that is run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan.

With the help of the other girls in the Orphanage, Annie escapes to the wondrous world of NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil machinations... and even befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt! She finds a new home and family in billionaire, Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.

The theatre performances of Annie will be in the Center for the Arts on the campus of Russellville High School June 23-25, June 30, July 1-2. To purchase tickets or any information, please call 968-2452.

FLOWER POWER HAPPY HOUR

Gallery 307 at 307 West C St. in downtown Russellville invites the public to a special event held during the scheduled art walk Friday, June 2, 6-9 PM. Dubbed the Flower Power Happy Hour, a special exhibit of impressionistic flower paintings created by artists of the gallery’s Lori’s Loft will be featured in the gallery; artists will be demonstrating their painterly talents on the sidewalk and offering complimentary Hippy Dippy Drinks.

The recent fascination with loosely-painted flowers was inspired from a recent art pilgrimage to Fredericksburg, Texas, where the friends explored galleries, attended an art walk, and toured the countryside in search for bluebonnets and poppies.

Participating artists are Paula Steele, Jeannie Stone, Carol Watson, Bonnie Haines, Debbie Weibler, and Rita Goodman.

Art lovers are encouraged to dress in vintage hippie clothes. All paintings will be available for purchase. For more information contact the gallery at (479) 223-7351.

SYMPHONY GUILD OFFICERS ELECTED

The Russellville Symphony Guild recently held their annual membership brunch and officer election at the home of Mrs. Cynthia Blanchard. New officers elected include: Mary Davis president, Kathy Westmoreland - vice president, Judy Murphy treasurer, Aldona Standridge - secretary, Paula Stamps - publicity, and Patty McCutchen - historian. Sue Ann Strait and Nancy Duaughon were voted in as new board members.

If you did not attend the brunch, you may still join by sending $25 to Judy Murphy at 126 Lakeview Circle in Russellville, 72802.

FIRST DOCTORAL GRADUATES IN ATU HISTORY RECEIVE DEGREES

Eight educational professionals from across Arkansas are the first doctoral graduates in Arkansas Tech University history.

The following individuals received the Doctor of Education degree in school leadership at the completion of the spring 2017 semester: *Tiffany Bone, visiting assistant professor of educational leadership, Arkansas Tech University *Cody Chatman, principal, Greenwood Junior High School and Freshman Center >>

Thank you Dad.

Any man can be a father but it takes a special someone to be a Dad. RPAC salutes our dads and yours this Father’s Day.

Neylon S. Pilkington, M.D. | Robin Kirby, M.D.

220 N. Sidney, Russellville www.rpa.clinic 479.498.0858 Open 8am to 5pm Monday thru Friday Saturdays from 9am to 11am JUNE 2017 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

23

Reuse.

Recycle.

Restyle.

Custom design by YOU!

*Christopher Johnson, assistant principal, Jacksonville High School *Keith McGee, principal, Mann Magnet Middle School (Little Rock) *Ivy Pfeffer, assistant commissioner, Arkansas Department of Education *Keri Rathbun, principal, Kimmons Junior High School (Fort Smith) *Cindy Rice, academic facilitator, Heritage High School (Rogers) *Mary Ann Spears, superintendent, Lincoln Consolidated School District The formal steps involved in creating the Doctor of Education degree in school leadership began in July 2010, when the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees approved a letter of intent notifying the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE) that the university was developing a Doctor of Education program.

One month later, the board approved a letter of intent to ADHE concerning the change in role and scope necessary to allow Arkansas Tech to offer doctoral programs.

In November 2010, the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees approved the program proposal that outlined the Doctor of Education degree as developed by the faculty in the Arkansas Tech Center for Leadership and Learning.

The following years saw a site visit by an out-of-state review team in March 2012 and program reviews by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board (AHECB), all of which led to a decision by the AHECB on July 25, 2014, to grant Arkansas Tech a change in role and scope and permission to begin offering a Doctor of Education degree in school leadership.

The final piece of the puzzle was put

in place in May 2015 when the Higher Learning Commission, a commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, granted accreditation for the Arkansas Tech Doctor of Education degree.

The program is designed for K-12 education professionals who currently serve or wish to serve in school district leadership positions.

For more information about the ATU Doctor of Education degree in school leadership, visit www.atu.edu/gradcollege/ degree-EdD.php.

Clinic practice manager Brandi Edmunds is shown with 11-month-old Jude Maxwell of Atkins who just happens to be her grandchild.

POTTSVILLE WELLNESS FAIR FOCUSES ON FAMILIES

The Conway Regional Medical ClinicPottsville staff greeted families from throughout the River Valley area during a health and wellness fair at the clinic on May 11. Free cholesterol and glucose screenings were provided, several teddy bears got a clean bill of health and healthy food was prepared by a Conway Regional dietitian and diabetes educator during the fair. The fair was sponsored by the Conway Regional Women’s Council. The families also toured the clinic and met Leslie Ward, MD, a new family medicine doctor at the Pottsville clinic. She is accepting new patients. l

From our store TO YOUR DOOR! (or DESK!) Free delivery service available. Can’t get out of the house, away from work or have too many errands to run? We will come to you!

CandDDrugStore.com

(479) 968-3117 www.joshuasfinejewelry.com 24

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

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Hours: M-F 8:30am to 6pm • Sat: 8:30am to 1pm Downtown Russellville

(479) 968-2456 • 121 North Commerce Ave., Russellville

...cont. from page 14 As I was pulling away I heard a faint popping sound. I glanced into my rear view mirror but didn’t see anything askew. I turned my car onto the highway and drove toward the ball fields.

Barely two miles away from the gas station, I caught a flashing blue light in the corner of my eye. A police car with its lights on was behind my car. I pulled over to the side of the road to let the officer pass, but instead he pulled up right behind me!

Raff, who was curious as to why we were stopping, looked out of the back windshield. “The cops are here mom!” He exclaimed.

“Are we in trouble?” he asked nervously.

“No we aren’t honey, calm down.” I reassured him. “I’m not sure why he pulled me over, I wasn’t speeding…” I said, more to myself than to anyone.

I rolled down my window as the officer walked up to my window.

“Hello, ma’am. Do you know why I pulled you over?” the officer asked, as he peered down through dark sunglasses.

“No, I’m not sure why. Did I do something wrong?” I asked. I reached for my wallet and started pulling out my driver’s license and insurance card.

“Well, I believe you took something from the gas station just now, and they would like it back,” the officer said, in a very serious tone.

“What?” I exclaimed. I didn’t even go into the gas station! And I knew I had paid for my gas!

The officer glanced toward the back of my car. I leaned out my window to look in the same direction and gasped with horror. “Oh my gosh! I can’t believe I did that!” To my complete embarrassment, I stared at the gas hose still hanging out of my gas tank. I had forgotten to remove it after pumping gas!

“I’m so sorry! I was just so distracted with trying to get my son to baseball practice on time. I just completely forgot to take it out!”

I gushed.

The officer started chuckling. “It’s ok, it happens more than you think. But the gas station does want their pump back.”

“Is my mom going to jail?” Raff asked from the backseat.

“No, she doesn’t have to go to jail!” The officer laughed. “Do you want me to return the hose for you?” he asked.

“Yes, please! I’m so embarrassed!” I said. He instructed me to be a little more careful and pay more attention at gas stations, removed the hose I had driven off with, and drove away to return the looted item. I was so relieved!

I sat on the side of road for another moment, trying to recover from my humiliation. I finally put my car into drive and started toward the ball fields once more. Raff piped up from the back seat “I can’t wait to tell everyone on my team about this!” l

JUNE 2017 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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VALLEY VITTLES

ABOUT...the River Valley

Juiced

Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN | Story by JOHNNY CARROL SAIN DAILY PRESS JUICERY | 1230 West Main Street, Russellville

The life force pulses through this little blue and green planet in liquid form. Sure, we terrestrial aerobic organisms require air transport for our oxygen, but liquid is the medium through which all the building blocks required for organic life move, breakdown, bond, and transport nutrients throughout our carbon-based forms.

Fruit and vegetable juices are packed with these building blocks — minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients — used by the plant, and our bodies were designed to use these nutrients, too. It’s why the deep purples, enticing reds, and vibrant fuchsias of berries and fruits catch our eye. It’s why we crave the piquant sweetness of a plump June strawberry and the zesty zing of citrus. It’s why that first snapping bite of 26

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

crisp apple sounds as good as it tastes.

Though we are omnivores, fruits and veggies were likely our most primal source of food. So if you want to feed your carbonbased form the very best fuel, it makes sense to eat a diet heavy on the plants. We found a place in the Russellville that can supply this goodness in a refreshing and delicious way.

The Daily Press Juicery is a brand new concept in the River Valley. Offering freshpressed gourmet juices, nut milks, and a variety of other healthy and tantalizing selections. All are prepared and served with an understanding that food and drink should be more than an afterthought, and that the life force pulses through you in liquid form. l

JUNE 2017 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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COUNTERTOP CREATIONS

ABOUT...the River Valley

#

Happy Father’s Day! Story by LYDIA ZIMMERMAN, Food Editor

A

s June approaches we get ready to honor the fathers, daddies, and dad’s in our lives. My dad passed on some time ago, but I remember my mom always baking Dad’s favorite cake — white cake with white icing topped with coconut and served with fresh strawberries.

I am sure all of us remember a favorite dish our mother prepared for our dad just as I now prepare Chris’ favorite dishes for him on or around Father’s Day. So in honor of the father figures in my life — my father, husband, and father-in-law — I’ve compiled a few of their favorite recipes to share with you. You might find a new favorite recipe for the man in your life!

As always, enjoy!

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ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

CHRIS’ FAVORITE COOKIES 1 c butter, softened (the key to the rise of these cookies is to let the butter set out overnight to soften) 1 1/4 c brown sugar, packed 1/2 c granulated sugar 2 eggs, room temperature 2 T milk 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 3/4 c all purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 3/4 c oatmeal 2 c milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet, your preference 1 c pecans, chopped and toasted (I place mine on a foil lined cookie sheet under the broiler for a couple of minutes, but watch closely or they will burn) Preheat over to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl cream together the first 3 ingredients.

Add eggs, milk and vanilla to the bowl mixing well.

Stir in flour, baking soda and salt.

Remove from mixer and stir in oatmeal, chocolate chips and pecans by hand.

Scoop by the tablespoon full and place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 16-18 minutes or until lightly brown. Times vary depending on your oven.

NELLIE & JOE’S KEY LIME PIE 9 in graham cracker pie shell 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk 3 egg yolks (whites not used) 1/2 c Nellie and Joe’s Key West Lime Juice Combine milk, egg yolks and lime juice.

Blend until smooth.

Pour filling into pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Allow to stand for 10 minutes before refrigerating. Just before serving, top with freshly whipped cream and garnish with lime slices.

Key lime pie is actually yellow in color.

For a nice green color just add a few drops of green food coloring to filling and mix well before pouring into pie shell.

Leave in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out Recipe courtesy of Nellie and Joe’s onto a cake plate and cover with a cake Famous Key West Lime Juice cover or bowl while still hot. This is very LEMON SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE important for a moist cake!

1 box Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Golden PORCUPINE MEATBALLS Cake Mix (no substitutions) 1 lb ground beef 1/2 c sugar 1/2 c uncooked rice 3/4 c oil 1/2 c milk or water 4 eggs 4 T chopped onion 8 oz sour cream 1 tsp salt 1 T pure lemon extract Mix cake mix and sugar together well.

Add the remaining ingredients and beat well. Pour into a well greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake for 45 minutes at 325 degrees or until done.

1/2 tsp celery salt 1/4 tsp garlic salt dash of pepper 1 T shortening or oil 8 oz can of tomato sauce

1/2 c water 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (or A-1 or 57 sauce) Mix together the first 8 ingredients and form into medium balls. Melt shortening or heat oil in a skillet and place meatballs in skillet. Brown meatballs on all sides, turning frequently.

Combine tomato sauce, water and Worcestershire sauce and pour over meatballs. Cover and simmer 45 minutes over low heat. Add a small amount of water when and if liquid begins to cook down.

Serve over rice.

Recipe courtesy of Mrs. Dottie Zimmerman (Chris’ mother) >>

Your Neighborhood Drugstore • Complete Prescription Services • Drive-Thru Window • Fast Prescription Service • Free Delivery • Easy prescription transfers • Competitive pricing

• Front Door Parking • Old Tyme Soda Fountain • Daily Lunch Specials

(479) 968-1157 • 715 W. Main, Russellville, AR Serving the River Valley Since 1970 JUNE 2017 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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GREAT BREAD FOR BREAD MACHINE Mix in a bowl: 4 c flour 1/2 c instant potato flakes 2 tsp salt 4 T sugar Place 1 1/2 c warm water (110-120 degrees) in the bottom of the bread machine container.

Add the flour mixture from the bowl.

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add Rapid Rise Yeast (1 packet) into the well (middle) of the flour mixture.

Soften 2 T of butter (not hot) and add to the corners of the container.

Set your bread machine to make bread!

ENCHILADAS (father-in-laws favorite) 2 sm cans tomato sauce 1/4 c catsup 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 onion 1 pkg corn tortillas 1 can kidney beans 1 tsp chili powder 1/4 pkg Chili-O-Mix 1 lb ground beef Grated Cheddar Cheese Cook all ingredients (except cheese and tortillas) in pan on top of stove for about 45 minutes. Then layer over tortillas in a pan and sprinkle on cheese. Bake @ 350 degrees in oven for 20-30 minutes Recipe courtesy of Mrs. Dottie Zimmerman THE BEST EVER COCONUT CAKE YOU’LL EVER MAKE Cake 2 box White Cake Mix 16 oz sour cream 1/2 c vegetable oil 6 eggs 15 oz can Cream of Coconut (such as Coco Lopez) Frosting 16 oz cream cheese 4 T milk 2 lbs powdered sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 4 bags (24 oz) shredded coconut 30

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Mix cake mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs and cream of coconut into a large bowl.

Pour cake batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

Bake approx. 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into cakes.

Cool completely.

To make frosting: Mix all ingredients in a mixer except shredded coconut.

Frost cake.

Press coconut onto the sides and top of the cake.

Serve with fresh strawberries or peaches.

Recipe courtesy of homemadeinterest. com MOTHER’S CORNBREAD 1/4-1/2 c sugar 1 1/2 c self rising corn meal mix 3/4 c self rising flour 1 egg or 1 T mayonnaise 1 1/2 c milk or water Combine first 3 ingredients and stir. Add milk, then egg and stir. Pour into a greased pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350-400 degrees.

Recipe courtesy of Mrs. Dottie Zimmerman

EASY CHICKEN TACOS 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 2 T olive oil 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp chile powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/4-1/2 c water 8 to 12 (4-inch) tortillas, flour 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese Combined salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, chile powders,garlic powder and onion powder in a bowl. Place chicken in a pan of boiling water and cook until done. Take pieces out of water and place on a cutting board to spread. Heat olive oil in a skillet. place shredded chicken into the skillet and sprinkle combined ingredients over the chicken. Add 1/4-1/2 c of water and stir. cook over medium heat until it starts to simmer, then turn to low heat and cook an additional 5-10 minutes. stir frequently. Add additional water as needed to keep from drying out.

Serve over warmed tortillas and top with shredded cheese Serve with sour cream, shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes if desired.

room temperature and ensure your cooking times are more accurate. Season both sides liberally with salt and pepper.

Add the olive oil and plain butter to an oven safe cast iron skillet and turn up high, allow the skillet to become hot first. Place the ribeye face down and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip the ribeye and sear for an additional 2 minutes. This will give your steak a nice seared edge.

Add rosemary and then transfer your skillet directly to the oven. [WARNING] skillet may be hot, handle with oven mitts. For rare, bake for 4-5 minutes. Medium rare, 5-6 minutes. Medium, 6-7 minutes. Remember, depending on the size of the steak, the more or less time it will take. This recipe is ideal for a 20-24 ounce bone-in ribeye. Drizzle ribeye with melted rosemary butter from the skillet. This is to add rosemary flavor to the steak. Transfer ribeye from the skillet and set on a plate, top with a slice of blue cheese butter and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. This is important to bring your steak to its final serving temperature.

Recipe courtesy of kitchenswagger.com PAN SEARED RIB EYE WITH BLUE CHEESE GARLIC BUTTER 1 20 oz bone-in ribeye steak 1 t fresh rosemary, removed from sprig 2 t extra virgin olive oil 2 t butter salt and pepper to taste Blue Cheese Butter: ½ stick butter 2 t crumbled blue cheese 1 t minced garlic

(479) 967-5575 3115 E. Main St. Russellville, AR 72802

For the blue cheese butter: Soften the butter in a microwave safe bowl until malleable, 10-15 seconds. Using a fork, mash in and combine blue cheese and garlic until fully mixed. Spoon the butter onto tin foil, doing your best to reshape it to resemble a stick of butter. Roll and place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes and remove 5 minutes before serving.

For the ribeye: Preheat the oven to 415° F. Remove steak from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, this is to bring the steak to

America’s Longest Lasting Pick-ups.

JUNE 2017 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

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COMMUNITY COMMERCE

Meadow on the Mountain

N

ABOUT...the River Valley

Story by KAREN RICKETTS

estled in the crest of Atkins’ hillsides, Meadow on the her husband own Byrd Masonry and Kids’ Stuff Daycare in Mountain is a wedding venue that will take your breath Russellville. “Being in business is not something that is new away. A two-story structure overlooking the natural beauty of the to us,” Sandy said. “This is brand new to us, we’ve never done River Valley and banked by a rolling meadow, it has a welcoming weddings before and we are learning lots. It’s been fun so far.” southern charm. “Rustic elegant is the theme that we’ve been The vision for Meadow on the Mountain is not only providing going with,” said owner Sandy Huie. “It has the barn look, but a scenic location for couples in the Natural State but to make once you step inside you lose that and you get more of the elegant wedding planning an easy process. “We make it simple for the feel. It’s not your typical barn.” brides,” said Sandy. “We provide the place, the tables and chairs The Huie family had the idea to enter the wedding venue and linens as far as white tablecloths or black tablecloths. business when they couldn’t quite find the Meadow on the Mountain also provides ideal venue for their daughter’s upcoming numerous options for indoor or outdoor wedding. “When we were looking for a weddings, welcome versatility for brides Meadow on the Mountain venue we found a beautiful location, but with different tastes. “We like that the (479) 886-2481 or (479) 857-6100 we wanted to know what it would look like bride has options,” Sandy said. “You can 3932 Saint Joe Rd, Atkins inside in case of rain,” said Sandy. “And it get married outside here on the patio facing just wasn’t pretty for pictures. So that’s why the view and we have an outside arbor over we created something pretty inside too, just to make sure.” there as well. If it rains you can pull the wedding inside. Right During the planning process Sandy said it was important to now we can seat 350 people inside and can fit more people include the necessities. outside if you want an outside wedding. We have an overflow “Most places have a bridal suite but not a place for the groom area upstairs as well where 100 more people can be seated. to get ready so we made sure that we had a room for the groom, There are so many options.” he’s just as important,” Sandy said. “And as far as a kitchen, So far Sandy said they have received positive feedback from we talked to a couple of caterers to see what exactly they would brides that have come by to look at the venue. “Most of our brides want in the kitchen, like counter space and warmers. That was that have seen it said they love it because they aren’t going to have the main thing.” to spend a lot of money to decorate,” Sandy said. “It’s already Business is nothing new to the Huie family. Sandy and pretty and they are really just going to spend the money on the 32

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

tables for decorating. So that’s a plus that we’ve seen so far. And it’s helpful because decorations can add up.”

Sandy shared that one fun aspect about the business is meeting people. “It’s interesting to listen to all the different brides and their families, and it’s funny that they all have different ideas,” Sandy said. “I think it’s neat that we can accommodate pretty much all of it.”

Currently Meadow on the Mountain does not have any contracts with vendors so brides have their choice of just about anything else they need for the big day. “It’s not for everybody, but there are lots of choices and this is something that is not found in the River Valley,” Sandy said. “You’ve got several

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places with gorgeous views but not all the way around plus the seating capacity and the fact that it is heated and cooled. Not all the other places are heated and cooled, and you know what Arkansas summers are like.”

For advertising, Meadow on the Mountain has relied mainly on people learning about the venue by word of mouth and placing ads in ABOUT the River Valley Magazine. For the Huie family this is just the beginning for their new endeavor.

“It turned out way better than what we ever dreamed,” Sandy said. “I mean we expected it to be nice. We wanted nice rooms for the brides and stuff, but it’s just fabulous. You have l to see it to believe it.”

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BACKYARD LIVING

ABOUT...the River Valley

Get to know your native neighbors Story by MEREDITH MARTIN-MOATS

The Boiled Down Juice

W

Read more from Meredith at www.boileddownjuice.com

hen my sons were around four years old they started to learn how to distinguish the differences in plants. They would get excited about the coming of spring and ready to work in the garden. After spending a great deal of time with the leaves in the fall, they began to notice the subtleties and different shapes, a far cry from when I first started taking them to the garden as toddlers. I figured they wanted to pull up plants so I’d find a way channel their energy. I plopped them down in front of some weeds

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and told them to have fun. I turned my back to work on other tasks. Several crushed flower and tomato seedlings later, I realized there’s more to weeding than just pulling up something by its roots. It takes a bit of discernment not to mention restraint.

When I first started gardening, I thought of growing mainly in terms of cultivated plants, the kind I found in packages and in seed catalogs. But over time I’ve become more and more interested in wildflowers and native tree species and the instrumental role

But you can always plan for next year.

Thankfully there are numerous resources out there to help us identify the varieties of wildflowers and native trees, including an extensive list of publications that can be found online via the Arkansas Native Plant Society. Examples include “Weeds of Arkansas, A Guide to Identification,”

by Ford Baldwin and Edwin Smith; Carl Hunter’s Trees, Autumn Leaves & Winter Berries in Arkansas and Wildflowers of Arkansas, both published by the Ozark

With spring in full swing and summer just around the corner, it’s past time to start thinking about wildflowers and striving to make space for them in our own yards and gardens. But you can always plan for next year. they play in keeping our ecosystem healthy.

Far too often we consider these plants weeds, mowing them down or pulling them up to make room for the plants we buy in nurseries. But native plants and wildflowers are specifically tailored to our local environment and are perfect food sources for the butterflies and beneficial insects we desperately need to ensure our own survival.

So I’ve made it a goal to learn more about native Arkansas plants and to pass on this knowledge to my young children who get a special kick out of the vibrancy and storybook quality of the names: Papaws, venus looking glass, prairie blazing star, and butterfly weed. With spring in full swing and summer just around the corner, it’s past time to start thinking about wildflowers and striving to make space for them in our own yards and gardens.

Society. Arkansas Wildflowers by Don Kurz is also an excellent resource.

This past Christmas I was gifted with a small pamphlet entitled Arkansas Trees and Wildflowers: An Introduction to Familiar Species. Created by Waterford Press, this handy guide easily fits into a back pocket or bag and is light enough to carry anywhere. With it’s colorful illustrations it’s also appealing to young children who can use the color-coded guide to look up any flowers they might find in the woods or in home yards including varieties like queen anne’s lace, wood sorrel, culver’s root, closed gentian, and jack-in-the-pulpit.

With wildflowers in bloom across the River Valley, now is the time to take a hike with field guide in hand and identify what you’d like to see popping up in your native wildflower garden next year. l

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OUTDOORS

ABOUT...the River Valley

It’s not a sport B

Read more from Johnny at www.aviewfromthebackroads.com

36

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

Story by JOHNNY CARROL SAIN

ullfrog tadpoles are big, easily fat as my thumb and a little longer. They’re obvious while resting on a pond’s mud flat or among the rocks in a tumbling creek. They wear the typical cryptic olive-brown camouflage you’d expect to see on an aquatic creature that can easily slide down any number of gullets, but their sheer size makes them conspicuous, or at least to me it does.

I don’t see how any green heron or kingfisher could ever miss them.They look like plump, lazy little morsels, easily captured by even the sloppiest of attempts.

But they ain’t.

“I don’t like the word “sportsman.” It became synonymous with modern hunting and fishing to mark a clear difference market hunters and those that hunted for reasons beyond capitalism. At the time, it was a fine choice for outdoor writers to label hunters and anglers. But now, it just doesn’t work. It doesn’t work because it lacks honesty.”

Bullfrog tadpoles are deceptively elusive with a quickness that contradicts the sluggish form, and they know exactly where the closest shelter is found. Then, if you are so lucky as to lay a finger on that muscular tail or gelatinous body, you’ve got to contend with their serious slickness. It’s like trying to catch a wad of animated snot.

As a writer, grabbing hold of the best word is akin to catching a bullfrog tadpole.

I struggle with this to the point of obsession. It seems easy.

You’d think that surely a writer by profession would always be able to capture the right word. But, as German scribbler Thomas Mann said: “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”

Finding the right word is often like trying to catch a wad of animated snot.

This thought struck me as I was editing a press release and again saw the word “sportsman” as a term lumping hunters and anglers into a neat pile as distinct from “outdoorsman” which has taken on a bro-culture/flat-bill/Pabst-drinking/rock climbing/cycling/ kayaking persona. Personally, I think we’re all — “sportsmen” and “outdoorsmen” — much closer than we are apart. But for the sake of clarity and our unending need to categorize, that’s how it breaks down.

I don’t like the word “sportsman.” It became synonymous with modern hunting and fishing to mark a clear difference market hunters and those that hunted for reasons beyond capitalism. At the time, it was a fine choice for outdoor writers to label hunters and anglers. But now, it just doesn’t work. It doesn’t work because it lacks honesty.

Hemingway said there are only three sports: bull fighting, auto racing, and mountain climbing (there ya go, bros). Inherent in

each of these pursuits is the element of danger for the participant as well as a sense of conquest when the pursuit is over. Though I’ve had an alligator on the fishing line, though I’ve stepped over too many cottonmouths to count, and though I’ve slipped on a treestep once or twice, I generally don’t feel like my life is on the line while hunting or fishing. I’ve also never hunted or fished in the name of conquest. And frankly speaking, if you have then I don’t care to know you.

This is not to say that Hemingway has the term locked down, but I get his point. I can see how his treble of sports are “sporting.”

Hunting and fishing are something more.

Hunting and fishing transcends sport. They transcend our modern definitions of humanity. Hunters and anglers were the default form of the Homo genus for eons. It seems demeaning, beneath us, to attach an Industrial Age label to Stone Age actions.

It’s a title that separates us from what we really belong to. It’s not who we are and “sport” is not what we do. It’s not an honest word.

Going back to our rock-climbing bros, some of whom are my good friends, there is a difference between what they seek in the wild and what I seek, which is to become the wild. I want blood — sometimes literally, sometimes only metaphorically — but what I crave can only be satiated with blood. It’s a primal thing.

It’s a predator thing. It’s a Pleistocene thing. It’s not a sport.

So I’ve started a personal and professional campaign in search of the perfect word to describe what I am as a hunter and angler, a student of the savage who very much seeks a return to his savage roots. It’s been a month or so since I first dove into this quest, but I’m nowhere close to an answer.

What is the word for who we were and who we really are at the core? l

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37

On a Personal Note The Goold Old Days Guest Written by Cliff Thomas

Not understanding young people doesn’t make them wrong, it makes them different. Being different doesn’t mean they need to change, it means the world has changed, and we can’t see it because we’re old.

38

“I just don’t understand kids these days”.

The first time this thought occurred to me was when my daughter was a teenager. She had some friends over and we were all playing a video game in which you take down rival gangs by being a more successful criminal.

The topic of who in the group had and had not broken laws came up and Summer said, “oh dad broke the law all the time when he was young.”

Now, that isn’t exactly true, at least not the all the time part. What is true is that when you live in the town you grew up in, and old friends meet your kid, they like to tell her about the time that, “Me and your dad used to (insert something you don’t want your kid to know here) when we were kids” My policy was always to be honest with Summer about anything I’d done when I was young and then explain why she should not repeat the activity.

The kids wanted an example. I find it best not to go too deeply into the boredom-avoiding activities my friends and I engaged in during summer months of the late 70s and early 80s. I know the statute of limitations on any mischief we created has long since elapsed but the “that was YOU! I’m going to kill you!” principle lasts until they put you in the dirt. “Ok,” I said, “here’s one,” thinking that the example that follows would give them a laugh.

I had a friend named Bryan Baird who lived in Ray Lee Addition. His house was ground zero for a lot of the things kids did with an abundance of youthful energy and certainty that nothing could significantly harm them. We would tell our parents we were sleeping over at Bryan’s. We would tell his parent’s we were camping out. We would load our bikes with sleeping bags and sandwiches, dump our gear at the old archery range, and spend the entire night riding around town doing whatever we wanted. There was nothing like the exhilaration of being 12 years old and free of parental supervision at 3 a.m.

One Friday night we decided to prank a teacher who lived a few blocks from Bryan’s house. I can’t remember his name, but we liked him and didn’t want to cause any real trouble, just do something funny. We did some creative writing with his garden hoses and turned his lawn furniture upside-down.

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ JUNE 2017

There was nothing else light enough to upend so we decided to move a neighbor’s For Sale sign to his yard. “Hey,” Bryan said, “I know where there is another house for sale. Let’s go get that sign too.”

We gathered every lawn sign from blocks around, creating a maze of notifications surrounded his house. Everyone in the neighborhood was talking about it the next day — instant celebrities.

When I finished my story, the response from the kids was not the, “Oh, Cool!” I’d expected. It was more like, “Why would you do that?” “What if you lost someone a sale on their house?” “Who had to clean that up?”

These kids, who are often criticized for their inactivity, couldn’t imagine doing something like that.

TP-ing houses, ghost knocking, bashing mailboxes, drag racing, and fighting were weekly occurrences when I was a teen. Even if you never did that type of thing, I’m sure you had friends who did. At the very least you watched movies like American Graffiti, Animal House, or Porky’s and thought the kids in those films who caused trouble just for fun were cool.

I’ve been thinking about this recently because some interesting studies have shown that physical bullying and violence among students has been dropping significantly for a few decades. A lot of the aggressive and dangerous things we did for fun 35 years ago don’t even come up today. I’ll be honest, some of the kids at my house that night seemed a bit lazy and unmotivated to me at the time, but the ones we still know have turned out well.

Not understanding young people doesn’t make them wrong, it makes them different. Being different doesn’t mean they need to change, it means the world has changed, and we can’t see it because we’re old. If understanding young people is a challenge for us, it might be that the passions that drove us just aren’t in them. But that’s OK. They also lack much of the aggression, cruelty, and intolerance that was common in my generation.

Maybe they seem so different because they are better people than we were at their age.

Look for more interesting features and tidbits in "On a Personal Note" each month in future issues of ABOUT...the River Valley.

You'll find short stories, interesting pieces and other great reads from people you know, or would like to know from around the River Valley.

ENGAGEMENTS

ABOUT...the River Valley

Save the Date!

Calendar listings of engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements on the pages of each issue of ABOUT…the River Valley are available at no charge. They may be mailed to: ABOUT Magazine, P.O. Box 10176, Russellville AR 72812 or sent via email to: editor@aboutrvmag.com. (A phone number must be included for verification.)

June 2

July 1

Lexie Mortimore & Jake Fowler

Lacey Mayer & Chris Isbell

June 3

Meredith Smith & Derek Birginske

Alaina Harpenau & Thomas Meares Erica Whorton & Brett Creekmore Lori Wilson & Brandon Hanlon

June 7 Shelly McCraw & Zac Tippin

June 9 Riley Smith & Kyle Ahern

June 10

July 7 Samantha Smith & Joseph Chapman

July 8 Paxton Goates & Hunter Anderson Jordan Webb & Brandon Sorrels

July 15 Brittany Crosby & Zachary Louden

July 21

Sarah Palmer & Todd Robinson Aleksi Stinnet & Hayden Hipps Brennan Quinn & Matthew Duffield

Haley Link & Matt Piker

June 11

Kendall Werner & Timothy Hoyt

Amber Tomlin & Blake Martin

June 24 Alex Carter & Zach McKinney Amy Campbell & Nik Kirby Colleen Perkins & Luke Hoelzeman

September 16 September 30 Abbey Clark & Paul Eddy

October 14 Kaitlin Short & Jonathon Spikes

Photo by Benita's Photography

October 28 Kirbi Allen & Kyle Carter

November 4 Allison Duke & Patrick Long Stacia Martin & Kenneth Mazzia

November 18 Scott Arnold & Ben Stevens

December 16 Leighton Babb & Hunter Gately

December 17 Moira Murdoch & Judd Moore

To have your engagement or wedding published in a future issue of ABOUT Magazine, send your information, photo* and a check for $57.50 to: ABOUT Magazine, PO Box 10176, Russellville AR 72812, or visit www.aboutrvmag.com/forms.html. Word count is limited to 225 words. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication. For additional information, call (479) 857-6791. *Digital files are accepted and will be published upon receipt of payment.

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