Midweek 8-10-16

PRS RT S TD U.S . PO S TA G E PA ID

Little Rock, AR 72202 Permit No. 471

Wednesday, August 10, 2016 Number 32, Volume 37

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Servin g th e H ot Sprin gs / G a rla n d C ou n ty a rea s in ce 19 77

Jessieville resident publishes ‘Braverman Tablet’ ELISHA MORRISON The Sentinel-Record

What if someone from the eastern hemisphere found their way to South America two millennia before Christopher Columbus and left behind an artifact that could alter history?

That is the central question in Jessieville resident Denny Lee Penticoff’s first published work of fiction, “The Braverman Tablet.”

According to the website for the book, it follows the story of an Indiana Jones-like archaeologist and professor after he and his colleague and lover, Teresa Vega, an anthropologist, are given an obsidian tablet engraved in Biblical Hebrew. The tablet was found by two American tourists, Aaron and Betty Braverman, and their Mayan guide while visiting the Yucatán.

“The inscription may be a new revelation from God but is incomplete,” the site said. “Its discovery ignites worldwide interest, particularly from the Mormon church, desperate for archaeological evidence to prove the historicity of the Book of Mormon. Josh and Teresa are plunged into intrigue, corruption and are nearly torn apart when a Mexican crime syndicate tries to murder them and sell the tablet in the black market. They might find salvation from a Japanese industrialist, but don’t trust his motives or his omniscient abilities.”

Penticoff was inspired by a mixture of his own visit to the Yucatán 20 years ago and his interest in history, which he said he “salt and peppered” throughout the book. Penticoff said the places and historical facts are accurate, but the story is completely fiction.

“I tried to bring (the history) in a way that is completely plausible,” Penticoff said.

Penticoff said he originally wrote the book after visiting the Yucatán two decades ago. He decided this past Christmas to pull the manuscript out and update it for 2016.

While there is a romance in the story, Penticoff said there is no sex, other than implied. The book also has no profanity in English, though there is a little in Spanish. Penticoff said the espionage in the book was inspired by his own real-life experience working for the Army Security Agency from 1971-74. He said the agency worked with the National Security Agency.

In addition to his work with the ASA, Penticoff has worked as an attorney, a district manager for Federated and owned his own mortgage company.

He retired in 2002 and moved from Florida to Mountain Home. In 2007, he and his wife, JoAnn, built a home near Jessieville.

“The Braverman Tablet” was self-published in May of this year and is intended to be the first of a trilogy. He is currently working on the second book, “Quest for Eden,” and hopes to have it out by Christmas.

He said the timing of the second book depends on his editor, Carol McKibben, who he said is superb.

“She helped me turn a good story into a great book,” Penticoff said.

According to Penticoff, “The Braverman Tablet” can be purchased through special order at any major book store or online through Amazon, Create Space and Kindle.

Submitted photo

FIRST WORK: “The Braverman Tablet” is the first work of fiction published by Jessieville resident

Denny Lee Penticoff. The book is available through special order at major book stores and online through Amazon, Create Space and Kindle.

Vendors at gun show discuss national issues MAX BRYAN

The Sentinel-Record

The Sentinel-Record/Richard Rasmussen

DOWNTOWN IDEAS: Oaklawn Rotary Club members Tommy

Truett, left, and Chuck Hannah, right, chat with Rex Nelson at The Hotel Hot Springs & Spa before he spoke at the club’s weekly meeting about suggestions for revitalizing downtown.

Columnist: Residents needed downtown COLBIE MCCLOUD The Sentinel-Record

Vacant rooms above historic Central Avenue shops could provide housing for young residents looking for a cultural environment within walking distance of retailers, restaurants and entertainment, according to a longtime champion of downtown Hot Springs development.

Rex Nelson, a freelance columnist and director of corporate community communications at Simmons Bank, spoke Monday to Oaklawn Rotary Club at The Hotel Hot Springs & Spa. Nelson gave his thoughts about how to increase population within Hot Springs, since the 2010 census had shown a decrease in the city’s population over a 40-year period.

“In the 2010 census, even though the county has continued its growth, the city of Hot Springs had a smaller population that what it did in 1970. The 1970 census listed Hot Springs with a population of 35,631; the 2010 census was 35,193. So, over a 40year period, the city had virtually no growth,” Nelson said.

Since the 1950s, Garland County’s population has more than doubled from 47,102 to 96,024 residents. High-growth locations within the county include those around Lake Hamilton, Lake Hamilton School District and Hot Springs Village, according to Nelson.

“Obviously, we saw heavy growth in the county and Hot Springs Village, near Lake Hamilton School, and the areas around the lake that are not part of the city. We saw tremendous growth,” Nelson said.

Whereas economic developers stay in the mindset of bringing larger corporations and manufacturing plants into a community, Nelson suggested developers should broaden it by turning toward development around schools, stores, roads and recreational locations and maintaining all of them within Hot Springs.

“You have to be worried about

your school development; your downtown that its not filled with empty store fronts; your roads that lead into town and that they are clean; the hiking and biking trails that you offer,” Nelson said.

“The fact is, in a knowledge-based economy, the 21st century, this is what economic development has come down to. It’s come to attract talented, young people who could live about anywhere that they wanted to live. The community’s quality of life has to be such that it attracts those people.”

Farmers were able to come to town late on Saturday evening and purchase their supplies for the week, go out to dinner or attend a movie. With the early to mid 1900s sharecroppers gone, downtown stores now lock up between 5 and 6 p.m. daily, creating a lack of entertainment for residents and tourists.

“I love talking to Old Timers and they’d say, ‘You should have seen it on Saturday night. You couldn’t walk up and down the street. You couldn’t find a place to park. Stores stayed open until 10 p.m.,’” Nelson said.

With a downtown that offers galleries, live music, restaurants, breweries and a dinner theater, Nelson said there is potential to intermingle 24-hour residents downtown by converting and opening loft apartments above shops. Creating apartments could give younger residents an urban scene within walking distance and raise the city’s population.

“The dreamer in me kicks in and I say, ‘What if downtown Hot Springs could fill up all of the upper stories up and down Central Avenue? What if we were somehow able to fill up the Medical Arts building, the Wade building, the House/DeSoto building, the Velda Rose Hotel with residents?’

“What kind of scene would that be? Tourism is great right now, thankfully, but we mix in 24-hour residents to that mix.

The potential is absolutely there,” he said.

Vendors at this year’s South Hot Springs Lions Club’s Semiannual Gun & Knife Show at the Hot Springs Convention Center weighed in on national issues ranging from open carry laws to assault weapons while selling their wares this weekend.

The club’s Semiannual Gun & Knife Show, now in its 31st year of existence, was held July 31 and Aug. 1 at the convention center. The show brought droves of Arkansas residents to the convention center to buy and sell firearms and accessories, including sidearms, hunting rifles, semi-automatic rifles and crossbows, along with hunting knives and leather straps.

The show comes just two weeks after the Cleveland Police Union called on Ohio Gov. John Kasich to temporarily ban the state’s open carry law during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

The ban, though not granted, was requested in the wake of the shootings of law enforcement officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, La. Kasich, The Associated Press reported, said that Ohio governors don’t have the power to arbitrarily suspend federal and state constitutional rights or laws.

Some of the vendors at this year’s show said they agreed with the decision to not grant a ban on the firearms. They said that since Ohio is an open carry state, the call for a ban was moot.

“If you’re certified and are trained with a concealed carry permit, there’s no reason why you can’t carry it,” said Ernie King, a gun show vendor and former U.S. Marine. “I personally wouldn’t have carried it, but if you choose to, I support your right to do it.”

Michael Jones, owner of Dixie Sports and a National Rifle Association instructor and range safety officer, said that the only thing he disagrees with is the fact that

The Sentinel-Record/Mara Kuhn

FOR SALE: Travis Nation, left, and Kent Nation, of Nation’s Small Engines and Guns,

visit with customers during the South Hot Springs Lions Club’s Semiannual Gun & Knife Show on July 31 at Hot Springs Convention Center.

Ohio is an open carry state. While he was not at odds with the open carry practices of the convention goers, as they were acting within their state’s laws, he believes that concealed carry laws, like the ones in place in Arkansas, are a safer option.

“We’d like to see it concealed,” Jones said. “Here’s a threshold of liability. If somebody snatches the gun that you have exposed and commits a crime with it, you are sharing in the culpability of that crime.”

As far as the national conversation about semi-automatic weapons is concerned, the vendors would like the term “assault weapons” to be limited to fully automatic firearms. They expressed disagreement with the government’s current classification of “assault weapon” as was officially defined by the U.S. Senate in

2000. This classification includes semi-automatic rifles.

King said that the term promotes a misconception about semi-automatic weapons.

“It’s no different than any gun you carry out there,” King said. “To call it an assault weapon is a misclassification in my opinion.”

Jones agreed with King, calling the term “assault weapon” a misnomer. He went on to say that the guns’ militarized appearances are what often lead people to call AK rifles and other semi-automatic firearms as such.

“By cosmetically changing something, you can call it something entirely different,” Jones said. “It’s really just political misspeak. I can put racing tires on my car, but it doesn’t make it a race car.”

Detention center crop feeds local charities COLBIE MCCLOUD The Sentinel-Record

Some Garland County Detention Center inmates were able to combine learning a new skill with giving back to the community during their time behind bars last week by donating their bountiful crops from the center’s horticulture program to feed the homeless.

“This is one example of the great things that we have going on at the detention center and how it is affecting the rest of the community. The inmates are learning skills on how to better survive in the outside world when they get out,” Sheriff Mike McCormick said. “I’m glad that they are doing something productive that is not only doing something that helps them, but also helps out the community.”

The horticulture program donated approximately six bushels of corn that could feed approximately 200 people to Samaritan Ministries, Ouachita Children’s Center and Potter’s Clay. The program previously donated onions and radishes to Samaritan Ministries.

“They were very happy to see and be able to harvest the garden. For some, it was the first

The Sentinel-Record/Richard Rasmussen

SHARING THE CROP: Garland County Detention Center Horticulture Program Director Sarah

Harmon, left, and GCDC Program Service Director Lt. Belinda Cosgrove, right, present Samaritan Ministries Executive Director Jan Laggan baskets of corn on July 29. Corn was also donated to Ouachita Children’s Center and Potter’s Clay. time for them to see something through from start to finish,” Lt. Belinda Cosgrove said. “My entire trunk (on a Chevrolet Impala) was full. The inmates were very surprised to see how much corn was produced.”

Outside inmate workers learned to test the soil, what crops to plant during what season, what to plant in what type of environments and other skills before putting them to use outside in their garden. The de-

• 300 Spring St. Hot Springs, AR 71901 • To subscribe or place an advertisement, call 501-623-7711 or 922-0979 in Hot Springs Village •

tention center’s gardens started out with five raised beds, but eventually grew to be more than a quarter of an acre in size. Since the program started, approximately 30 to 40 inmates have

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2 The Sentinel-Record Mid-Week Extra, Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

Matured Allen ready to take QB reins at Arkansas KURT VOIGT

The Associated Press

FAYETTEVILLE — Austin Allen was talking with teammate Frank Ragnow ahead of preseason camp when a thought about the last few seasons occurred to the first-year starting quarterback of the Razorbacks.

“You know, I can’t even remember the last time I’ve been hit,” Allen said.

Yes, it’s been that long — four years, actually — since Allen entered a football season as his team’s projected starting quarterback.

However, after three seasons of largely backing up his older brother, Brandon, the younger Allen knows expectations won’t be diminished in the slightest because of any rust he might have. And that’s just fine with the 6-foot-1, 209-pound junior, who has used his time away from the field to transform his usual fun-loving ways into more of an all-business approach.

Well, nearly all business.

“I can’t really wait to get just decked one time,” Austin Allen said, unable to contain his excitement about the season opener against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 3.

If Allen’s outgoing personality is a bit of a shock to Razorbacks fans this season, it will largely be because they are expecting the more-reserved style they have become used to over the last three seasons from Brandon Allen.

It was the same adjustment coach Bret Bielema had to make three seasons ago when Austin Allen showed up on campus. Back then, the quarterback — fresh off

NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe

AIR AUSTIN: Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen (8) throws a deep pass during the Red-White spring game April 23

at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. Allen, succeeding older brother Brandon, is the Razorbacks’ first-team quarterback. The Hogs began fall camp Thursday. leading nearby Fayetteville High School to back-to-back state championships — made his mark by cracking jokes during practices and occasionally giving his social life the same priority as football.

It was an approach that rankled

Bielema from time to time, and he made a point to mention his frustration with the quarterback.

And of course, the Allens are very different.

“You wouldn’t even know they are brothers,” Bielema said. “(Bran-

don) was kind of a more laid back kind of guy. Austin, on the other hand, is very competitive.”

From the younger Allen’s perspective, one cause of the early growing pains was simply a matter of growing up. Another was the

realization that playing time was doubtful early in his career.

He finally turned more serious prior to last season, when he was set to serve as the primary backup. And the extra work — from studying game plans, doing extra film work and mimicking his older brother’s work ethic — paid off in the form of repeated compliments from Bielema and Arkansas’ other coaches.

“The first year was on me, just not being mature enough,” Allen said. “It happens for every freshmen, I feel like, who thinks, ‘Oh, I don’t need extra film. I’ll be fine.’

That just doesn’t happen in college.

You have to do extra.”

Because of the durability of his older brother, Allen attempted only three passes last season. However, he did see limited action in four games two years ago — including playing the entire second half of a 30-0 win over Mississippi after Brandon Allen was injured.

That experience played a role in helping Austin Allen earn the starting job during the spring, when Bielema said he was the “unquestioned” top quarterback on the roster. It was a position Allen continued to earn throughout the summer while working out with teammates five days a week.

“One of the things I always urged him to do was take advantage of the experience his brother was having, and I think he tried to do that the best he could,” Bielema said. “It’s never the same, but I like the way his leadership has continued during the summer. I’m excited to see him take the reins.”

‘Water Works’ on display at Justus Fine Art Gallery During a month when the temperatures traditionally soar, Justus Fine Art Gallery will offer a cool respite with an exhibit entitled “Water Works.”

The August exhibit will showcase a selection of paintings that include water in the subject matter from selected artists including Mike Elsass, Matthew Hasty, Dolores Justus, Gerri Much, Laura Raborn, Tony Saladino and Rebecca Thompson. From the detailed, luminous paintings of Memphis artist Hasty, to the loosely rendered abstractions of Texas artist Saladino, the show will feature a wide range of interpretations on the theme, a news release said.

The exhibit opened with a reception on Aug. 5 in conjunction with the monthly Hot Springs Gallery Walk. The show will be displayed until Aug. 31.

Suggestive of land, sky and water, Elsass’ strong abstracts are rendered on rusted sheets of steel. To Elsass, the steel represents “strength, life’s elements, aging, imperfection and beauty,” the release said.

Many pieces have more than 40 coats of paint and glazing. The artist approaches his work with a spiritual and meditative mindset.

Drawing inspiration from nature, Elsass travels throughout the country painting in pleinair, and his work has been widely exhibited and collected.

Hasty creates hauntingly beautiful landscapes of the South, the release said. His mastery of the effects of light in the landscape yields paintings that seem to emanate their own light. Hasty considers his paintings to be influenced primarily by landscape painters working in the 19th century, including prominent landscape and marine painters of the Hudson River school, the Luminists, the Barbizon school, the Düsseldorf school and notable Russian painters. Hasty’s paintings can be found in collections throughout the United States, as well as Russia, Germany, France and South Korea.

Inspired by the natural world, Dolores Justus’ paintings reflect a sensitive and intuitive view that distills patterns of light and form into compositions that engage and inspire, the release said. Her painterly style also contributes to the interactive quality of her art. In her exploration of the confluence of optics and painterly abstraction, her work belongs to the “new landscape” movement

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of contemporary American art. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group shows throughout the nation and abroad for more than 20 years.

“I’ve always had a strong identification with nature and am continually in awe of the depth of inspiration that it offers,” Justus said. “Despite all its variety, there are essential elements in it and in us all, that we respond to. It is those universal, underlying truths that I seek to communicate in my own work.”

A selection of Much’s energetic abstracts that are suggestive of the waves that she watches from her Florida home on Sanibel Island are also included in the exhibition.

Dividing her time between Arkansas and Florida, Much’s expressive paintings has been included in many corporate and private collections.

Raborn’s paintings have been exhibited throughout Arkansas and are in private collections across the United States, including the new CARTI Collection in Little Rock.

Her work has earned numerous awards, such as the Wilma and Jack Diner Purchase Award at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the Juror Award at the Rosenzweig Biennial Juried Exhibition. Raborn was also awarded the Arkansas Arts Council’s Sally A. Williams Study Grant and completed an artist residency in Noepoli, Italy.

“I paint and draw the human figure and places as a way to explore modern life,” Raborn said. “Formal contrasts are important elements in my work. For example, there is representation contrasting abstraction.

The abstract layers interrupting the body or place allude to the idea of time, or a frozen moment in time, which is difficult for us to recognize in a visually inundated and fastpaced world. Recognizable forms emerge from obscured layers of paint, which refers to the vast amount of unknown information in everything we see.”

Saladino is highly respected for his expressive abstracts, landscapes, still-life constructions and printmaking, the release said.

His work has been included in public and private collections including the collections of Tyson Foods, Bicardi Limited, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation of Austin, Texas, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Dallas, the Museum of Art and Archae-

THE FLOW: The piece “Come Sit with Me” by artist Rebecca Thompson will be one of the paintings

on display at Justus Fine Art Gallery during the month of August as part of the exhibit entitled “Water Works.” All the works on display will feature water in the subject matter. ology of the University of Missouri, and the Museum of International Art in Brazil.

Saladino has also been featured in The New York Times, Southwest Art Magazine, The Artist’s Magazine, American Artist Magazine, the Best of Sketching and Drawing by Rockport Publishers, Enrich Your Paintings with Texture by David Band of North Light Books, and other publications.

“Art is about more than beauty,” Saladino said. “An artist communicates an idea, or feeling, or tries to make connections. I want each piece to possess a spatial energy that compels a viewer to look. I want the images to be universal enough to be compelling.

The viewer is either repulsed, pleased, made interested, or stimulated in such a way that they are made to consider other ideas that are not so easily conveyed by printed media.”

Thompson’s paintings are inspired from her travels, from ordinary objects that catch her eye in a new way, and from people caught in a pivotal moment. Her atmospheric strokes of color, her washes of light and her

sense of place engage the viewer and invite lingering, the release states. Thompson prefers to paint on-site. If this is not possible, she relies on site-made sketches, color notes and journal entries to supplement photographic records. Along with many solo and group exhibitions, Thompson’s paintings have also been included in numerous public and private collections, including UAMS, Little Rock; CARTI, Little Rock; St. Vincent P. Allen Smith Garden Home, Little Rock; and the William J. Clinton/Thea Foundation Art Across Arkansas Collection.

Justus Fine Art Gallery offers a wide range of original art including sculpture, paintings, ceramics, photography and more by recognized artists. Opening receptions are held in conjunction with Hot Springs Gallery Walk from 5-9 p.m. the first Friday of every month in downtown Hot Springs. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday or by appointment. Call 321-2335 for more information.

Issue 3 could bring companies and jobs to state

From Page 1

worked on the gardens and will soon harvest okra and watermelon.

“We hope that it continues to grow. Several inmates didn’t know that you didn’t have to have a farm to have a garden,” Cosgrove said. “They learn a skill that can help them be able to get a job and be productive in the community.”

Alan Bates, county agent for the Garland County Home Extension Office, and Susan Hale, a master gardener, assisted with the program, teaching inmates in the classroom and outside.

Inmates gave Bates a list of vegetables they wanted to plant, and

Submitted photo

soon they were telling Cosgrove what daily tasks they knew they needed to do on the garden.

“We could not do this project without Alan Bates and Susan Hale,” Cosgrove said. “The inmates really did learn a lot. I think some will definitely use those skills whether as a job or have their own garden.”

“The inmates are learning skills on how to better survive in the outside world when they get out. The staff out there are doing a tremendous job and I am very proud of them. The inmates are doing a great job too and I’m proud of the achievements made out there,” McCormick said.

COLBIE MCCLOUD The Sentinel-Record

Issue 3, if approved by the state’s voters in November, will help Arkansas compete with other states and appeal to large automotive assembly plants that would move in and create additional revenue and jobs, Randy Zook, CEO of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, said Aug. 3.

“The going price tag for participation in an auto assembly plant is somewhere between $300 million to $400 million,” Zook told Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club at its weekly meeting at the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa. “That’s cash. So you have to issue the bonds. We are not competitive with states like Mississippi.”

Issue 3 would amend the state Constitution to remove the limitation on the principal amount of general obligation bonds set by Amendment 82 in order to attract large economic development projects. The state has already issued $125 million in bonds to assist in the Big River Steel project located in Mississippi County.

The mill, once operating, will provide more than 600 jobs.

“The bad news is that $125 million means that we only have a capacity to issue about another $145 million in bonds for new projects,” Zook said.

In past years, Amendment 82 and another amendment set forth the opportunity for the state to issue bonds and underwrite the cost of large companies in an effort to bring a Toyota manufacturing plant in. The plant would have created approximately 500 jobs with an investment of $500 million.

“We realized that it was kind of ridiculous to have those two very high thresholds,” Zook said.

“We came back a couple of years later to reduce those thresholds, but we did not eliminate the limitation of 5 percent of general revenue of being capped on the amount of bonds that can be issued for these projects.”

The state chamber hopes Issue 3 will add Arkansas into the mix of Southern states with an auto assembly plan. The issue would allow counties and cities to determine what their tax revenues go toward, such as bringing in large companies as Clark County did with Chinese paper mill Sun Paper.

The Sentinel-Record/Mara Kuhn

ISSUE 3: Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce CEO Randy Zook

speaks Aug. 3 at the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club’s weekly meeting at the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa. “We are one of two Southern states left that do not have an auto assembly plant, Arkansas and North Carolina,” Zook said.

“It will allow regional compacts to be formed so that counties and cities can combine their potential resources and investment in these types of projects.

It wouldn’t be hard for two, three or four counties along with the cities to come together to support and participate in a major auto plant.”

Facilities in other states that are hitting their capacity and need to expand are looking for other locations to expand operations. Zook said Issue 3 could help these companies see Arkansas as an opportune state.

“Question is, where will they go? We need to be in that fight.

We need to be in that competition,” Zook said. “We are not in this Southern automotive corridor and we need to get ourselves in it as soon as possible.”

The Sentinel-Record Mid-Week Extra, Wednesday, August 10, 2016 3

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

‘Study of Light’ on display at The Fine Arts Center

Submitted photo

GENERATION: The piece “New Generation” by featured artist Andrew Williams will be included in

a silent auction during the Cutwell 4 Kids fundraiser “Birth of an Artist” from 7-10 p.m. Aug. 13 in the Grand Lobby of the Hot Springs Convention Center.

‘Birth of an Artist’ to raise funds for Cutwell 4 Kids Cutwell 4 Kids will hold the fundraiser “Birth of an Artist” from 7-10 p.m. Aug. 13 in the Grand Lobby of the Hot Springs Convention Center.

The third annual event will celebrate young new artists as well as young established visual artists from across the state, according to a news release.

Distinguished

Andrew Williams will be the featured artist for the event. His piece “New Generation” will be part of a silent auction.

All the art was created by artists 24 years old and younger.

“I try to showcase their art on the highest level I can afford,” said Anthony Tidwell, founder of Cutwell 4 Kids. “I want it to

be more than just hung on the refrigerator.”

Tidwell said this event is like the Super Bowl for the young artists whose work will be on display and available for purchase.

There will be live Jazz music from Rodney Block and the Collective. Cutwell 4 Kids young

CUTWELL, PAGE 5

citizen

Submitted photo

Elks Lodge 380 presented to Garland County Sheriff Mike McCormick, center, the Grand Lodge Elks Distinguished Citizenship Award. He stood for a picture with Trustee Herb Carey, left, and Exalted Ruler David Ross.

The Sentinel-Record/Richard Rasmussen

SELFIE TIME: Hot Springs police Officer 1st Class Joey Williams,

left, takes a selfie with Bricn Smith, 9, on Aug. 3 at the Back the Blue rally at the Hot Springs Farmers & Artisans Market.

Community ‘Backs the Blue’ at rally COLBIE MCCLOUD The Sentinel-Record

Community members rallied around law enforcement and emergency personnel the morning of Aug. 3, sending prayers and offering words of support at a Back the Blue rally.

Patrol units paraded to the Hot Springs Farmers & Artisans Market for the rally, which kicked off the Arkansas Municipal Police Association’s annual convention, which is being held this year in Hot Springs.

Agencies from Waldron, He-

ber Springs, Magnolia, Rison, Hot Springs police and fire departments, LifeNet and Garland County Sheriff ’s Department were among the several emergency agencies present.

Since January, 70 law enforcement officers lost their lives in the line of duty, including 20 in July alone. A list of the fallen officers was read aloud followed by a moment of silence.

“These are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters who won’t make it back

POLICE, PAGE 4

The curated art exhibit “A Study Of Light” opened at The Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs, 626 Central Ave., on July 30 and be on display through Oct. 1.

“A Study Of Light” focuses on plein-air paintings that interpret light, shadow and subject in open air places, according to a news release.

Plein-air is a French term that describes art created in “open air,” where the artist paints what they see at a given moment, the release said. The paintings are usually completed on site within a couple of hours, creating artwork that is more spontaneous than work created in the studio.

A variety of mediums are represented in the exhibit, producing diverse moods.

Richard Stephens creates movement in his watercolor “A Carpet of Gold,” with diagonal streaks of light and shadow through a tree-filled park. Shirley Anderson focuses on the sparkling reflection of light in a creek in her pastel, “DeSoto Spillway.”

Hugh Dunnahoe’s oil painting “Painting By The Creek” captures two subjects, the light on the bridge and another plein-air painter creating her own painting.

The artists in the exhibit also include Daniel Mark Cassidy, Nancy Farrell, Bill Garrison, Gloria Garrison, Gabriela Hogue, Steve Hogue, June Lamoureux, Nita “OVE” LoRe, Nina Louton, Cynthia Schanink, Gary Simmons, and Don Watson.

An artists reception will be held during Gallery Walk from 5-9 p.m. Friday. Poet Karen Hayes will be in the

ART AND LIGHT: “Painting By the Creek,” an oil painting by

Hugh Dunnahoe, below, and “DeSoto Spillway,” a pastel painting

by Shirley Anderson, above, will be two of the pieces on display during the curated art exhibit “A Study of Light” at The Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs opening Friday.

gallery writing poetry on demand. “Give her (a) subject and she will write a poem within five minutes,” the release said. The FAC Artist Members Salons feature 2-D and 3-D artwork created by local artists.

The Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and by appointment on Monday and Tuesday. Call the gallery at 624-0489 or email info@hsfa. org for more information.

4 The Sentinel-Record Mid-Week Extra, Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

Medical benefits of using dental floss remains unproven JEFF DONN

The Associated Press

HOLMDEL, N.J. — It’s one of the most universal recommendations in all of public health: Floss daily to prevent gum disease and cavities.

Except there’s little proof that flossing works.

Still, the federal government, dental organizations and manufacturers of floss have pushed the practice for decades. Dentists provide samples to their patients; the American Dental Association insists on its website that, “Flossing is an essential part of taking care of your teeth and gums.”

The federal government has recommended flossing since 1979, first in a surgeon general’s report and later in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans issued every five years. The guidelines must be based on scientific evidence, under the law.

Last year, the Associated Press asked the departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture for their evidence, and followed up with written requests under the Freedom of Information Act. When the federal government issued its latest dietary guidelines this year, the flossing recommendation had been removed, without notice.

In a letter to the AP, the government acknowledged the effectiveness of flossing had never been researched, as required.

The AP looked at the most rigorous research conducted over the past decade, focusing on 25 studies that generally compared the use of a toothbrush with the combination of toothbrushes and floss. The findings?

The evidence for flossing is “weak, very unreliable,” of “very low” quality, and carries “a moderate to large potential for bias.”

“The majority of available studies fail to demonstrate that flossing is generally effective in plaque removal,” said one review conducted last year.

Another 2015 review cites “inconsistent/weak evidence” for flossing and a “lack of efficacy.”

One study review in 2011 did credit floss with a slight reduction in gum inflammation — which can sometimes develop over time into full-fledged gum disease. However, the reviewers ranked the evidence as “very unreliable.” A commentary in a dental magazine stated that any benefit would be so minute it might not be noticed by users.

The Associated Press

RECOMMENDED: Dr. Wayne Aldredge, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, demonstrates how dental

floss should be used in Holmdel, N.J. It’s one of the most universal recommendations in all of public health: Floss daily to prevent gum disease and cavities. Except there’s little proof that flossing works. When the federal government issued its 2016 dietary guidelines, the flossing recommendation had been removed, without notice.

The two leading professional groups — the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Periodontology, for specialists in gum disease and implants — cited other studies as proof of their claims that flossing prevents buildup of gunk known as plaque, early gum inflammation called gingivitis, and tooth decay. However, most of these studies used outdated methods or tested few people. Some lasted only two weeks, far too brief for a cavity or dental disease to develop. One tested 25 people after only a single use of floss. Such research, like the reviewed studies, focused on warning signs like bleeding and inflammation, barely dealing with gum disease or cavities.

Wayne Aldredge, president of the periodontists’ group, acknowledged the weak scientific evidence and the brief duration of many studies. In an interview at his private practice in New Jersey, he said that the impact of floss might be clearer if researchers focused

on patients at the highest risk of gum disease, such as diabetics and smokers.

Still, he urges his patients to floss to help avoid gum disease. “It’s like building a house and not painting two sides of it,” he said. “Ultimately those two sides are going to rot away quicker.”

Aldredge also said many people use floss incorrectly, moving it in a sawing motion instead of up and down the sides of the teeth. Pressed about the origins of his organization’s endorsement of flossing, he said it may simply have “taken the ADA’s lead.”

When the ADA was asked for proof of its claim that flossing helps prevent early gum disease and cavities, the group cited the 2011 review and a 2008 two-week study that measured bacteria and did not even consider gum disease.

In a later statement to the AP, the ADA said flossing “removes plaque” and “is proven to help remove” debris from between teeth. A video on its website proclaims that flossing “helps prevent gum disease.” When pressed,

POLICE

Matthew J. Messina, a practicing dentist and spokesman for the dental association, acknowledged weak evidence, but he blamed research participants who didn’t floss correctly.

Even companies with a big market share of the flossing business — by next year, the global market is predicted to reach almost $2 billion, with half in the United States, according to publisher MarketSizeInfo.com — struggled to provide convincing evidence of their claims that floss reduces plaque or gingivitis. Yet the industry has paid for most studies and sometimes designed and conducted the research.

Procter & Gamble, which claims that its floss fights plaque and gingivitis, pointed to a two-week study, which was discounted as irrelevant in the 2011 research review.

Johnson & Johnson spokesman Marc Boston said floss helps remove plaque. When the AP sent him a list of contradicting studies, he declined comment.

The floss-making companies partner with the ADA through its Seal of Acceptance program. The ADA promotes the seal to companies as something that “directly affects the purchase decisions of consumers;” each manufacturer is charged $14,500 for the evaluation. If it approves the product, the ADA then charges an additional annual fee of $3,500.

The ADA says it rigorously evaluates products and makes no profit from the program. However, floss companies themselves are allowed to design the studies.

“The funding can come from companies — no problem at all,” said dentist Marcelo W.B. Araujo, vice president of the ADA’s Science Institute, who joined the organization after serving as an executive for Johnson & Johnson. “The design can start from the company.”

When flossing first gained acceptance, no proof was required of remedies. Dentist Levi Spear Parmly is credited with inventing floss in the early 19th century. By the time the first floss patent was issued, in 1874, the applicant noted that dentists were widely recommending its use.

The ADA has been promoting floss universally since 1908. “They just looked into what they did every day in their clinical practice and what they would recommend for patients,” said Araujo.

Count dentist Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, among the skeptics. “It’s important to tell people to do the basics. Flossing is not part of the basics.”

Floss can occasionally cause harm.

Careless flossing can damage gums, teeth and dental work. Though frequency is unclear, floss can dislodge bad bacteria that invade the bloodstream and cause dangerous infections, especially in people with weak immunity, according to the medical literature.

National Institutes of Health dentist Tim Iafolla acknowledged that if the highest standards of science were applied in keeping with the flossing reviews of the past decade, “then it would be appropriate to drop the floss guidelines.”

Regardless, he added, Americans should still floss.

“It’s low risk, low cost,” he said.

“We know there’s a possibility that it works, so we feel comfortable telling people to go ahead and do it.”

From Page 3

home,” said Ricky Riggins, AMPA associate director and retired Pine Bluff Police Department officer. “That is way too many.”

Several ministers and a police chief gave brief sermons and spoke of their interactions with law enforcement and prayed over emergency personnel and their families.

John McCallum, senior pastor

of First Baptist Church, told of his grandfather, an officer who was fatally shot by a drunk man who ambushed him while responding to a disturbance call. McCallum’s family moved to Branson, Mo., in the 1960s and he recalls the demeanor of the police, “if you got in trouble they treated you more like a friend than a felon.”

After growing up watching

police intervention with civil rights protesters and the recent police shootings, McCallum said he has realized that police face problems daily like everyone else.

On top of their home stress, they and their families face the fear of not knowing if they will return home at the end of their shift.

“I learned something about myself today: I take police for

granted. I need to express more appreciation and offer more prayers,” McCallum said in response to the recent Dallas police shootings.

“Don’t you long for the day when black and blue won’t be viewed as a bruise on society but the very colors of justice that rolls down like mighty waters and cleans up all of our acts?”

The Sentinel-Record Mid-Week Extra, Wednesday, August 10, 2016 5

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

Local Eagle Scout installs habitat boxes for bats

Submitted photo

ROTARIAN HONOREE: Frederick Kalsbeek was recently presented the 2016 Clark Deem Award by

Hot Springs Village Rotary Club. Kalsbeek has been a member since 2008, and his service includes five years of being on its board of directors.

HSV Rotary presents Deem Award for service HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — At the annual Hot Springs Village Rotary Club’s “Change of Gavel” dinner, the special Clark Deem Award was presented to Frederick Kalsbeek. This prestigious award was named for a beloved former member who was both a founder and longtime member of the club.

The Clark Deem Award honors the man who had previously served in many leadership roles as a Rotarian when he moved to Hot Springs Village in 1978.

When Deem found that there was no Rotary Club in the Village, he joined the historic National Park Rotary Club in Hot Springs, and began working to establish Rotary where he lived. His efforts succeeded in 1985 with the chartering of the HSV Rotary Club, in which he became very active.

Veteran members say that Deem’s sense of community helped make Hot Springs Village a better place to live and call home.

Kalsbeek joined HSV Rotary in 2008. He said in a news release, “I am very honored to have received this award named for our club’s founder.”

The honor was given to him in recognition of his service as chair of the club’s Foundation Program for the past four years, plus his service on the board of directors for five years.

Kalsbeek said, “In fiscal year 2016, our club donated a record $16,300 to support the charitable work done by Rotary International. This includes both the Polio Eradication Program and many other activities that improve the lives of needy children and adults worldwide. The real credit for the Clark Deem Award goes to our club members who donated so generously, and continue to do so.”

Membership in HSV Rotary Club is open to all, and guests are always welcome to attend weekly meetings, held at 7 a.m. Thursdays in the Fireside Dining Room of the Good Samaritan Society, 121 Cortez Road.

Local Eagle Scout Andrew Pequignot and 10 fellow members of Troop No. 57 recently installed bat boxes on the grounds of Mid-America Science Museum as part of an annual Eagle Scout Service Project.

The project requirements called for the scouts to learn about planning, developing and providing leadership to others by being helpful and by benefiting the community, according to a news release.

By building and erecting the bat boxes, the troop also provided the bat population with an area to inhabit. The bat boxes are made with cedar and may be seen around the grounds of the museum.

The plans for the bat box habitats were courtesy of Bat Conservation International in Austin, Texas, and the materials were donated by the local Hot Springs Lowe’s Home Improvement store.

Arkansas bats can be found throughout Hot Springs National Park, located just less than a mile from Mid-America Science Museum.

“We are so happy that Drew chose Mid-America for his Eagle project. The bat houses are a much-needed improvement to the museum grounds, providing a home for animals that are a part of our diverse local ecosystem,” said Doug Herbert, director of Education at Mid-America Science Museum. “We enjoyed working with Drew and his scout partners and appreciate all of the time and effort that went into the project.”

Pequignot is helping to teach younger children about

Submitted photo

EAGLE SCOUT: Local Eagle Scout Andrew Pequignot constructed

and installed bat boxes for Mid-America Science Museum as part of his annual Eagle Scout Service Project. mountain biking at Boy Scout Summer Camp, and was recently accepted as a student

to the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts.

Small town New Hampshire post office celebrates 200 years KATHLEEN RONAYNE The Associated Press

HINSDALE, N.H. — When the small town of Hinsdale’s post office opened in 1816, it didn’t need all the space in the two-story wooden building on Main Street.

Through the years, it has shared space with telephone operators, a general store and even a barbershop. As the town grew bigger, the post office grew larger, eventually taking up the building’s entire ground floor. And as the other businesses came and went, the post office stayed.

Now, it’s the nation’s oldest post office to continuously operate in the same building. Hinsdale marked the 200th anniversary Tuesday with a celebration at the town hall.

These days, the post office is a bright spot in a town where the paper mills, local movie theater and even the downtown gas station have closed.

The building and its history give this town of 4,000 in this southwestern New Hampshire something to brag about.

“People take pride in it. It’s a great reminder of how things used to be,” said Donna Suskawicz, who grew up in Hinsdale and moved back to town just last week.

Much of the building’s original character reThe Associated Press mains. The hundreds of brass mailboxes that line 2016: The oldest continuously operating post office in the U.S., the Hinsdale Post Office is seen Aug. the front walls are originals from the 1800s, with letter combination locks. When it’s humid, the 4 in Hinsdale, New Hampshire. The post office is celebrating it’s 200th birthday.

Time

wooden boxes get stuck and won’t open, employee Brenda Martin said.

Martin, a lifelong Hinsdale resident who has worked at this post office for 20 years, said she firmly told people not to polish the boxes’ tarnished brass doors in preparation for the celebration.

“They wanted to clean it all up so it looks shiny, and I said, ‘No, you leave it the way it is, it’s 200 years old,’” Martin explained with a laugh.

In the early 1900s, Hinsdale’s town hall burned down. The fire didn’t spread next door, leaving the post office standing and cementing its place as one of the few original town monuments. It has managed to avoid destruction since, even withstanding two attempts by burglars to blow up the safe in the early 1900s, Postmaster Cindy Mason said.

Like post offices nationwide, Hinsdale’s is learning to adapt to a world where fewer letters are mailed. First class letter service is down, but package delivery is up, keeping the post office as busy as ever, Mason said.

The office also still serves as a central gathering spot for townspeople, whether they’re picking up mail or simply want to know what’s going on.

“We call this the information highway,” Martin said. “People come in to ask what happens.”

Sean Leary, a former Hinsdale post office employee, said he often reflected on all the letters that have traveled through the building and all the workers who took them where they needed to go.

‘Big Al’ eludes anglers, escapes once again

and space

MAX BRYAN

The Sentinel-Record

Submitted photo

More than 150 people were on hand at the Garland County Library Aug. 4 for the unveiling of the TARDIS replica created by local artist Zack Dryden. The TARDIS, the time machine and spacecraft from the long-running BBC sci-fi television series “Doctor Who,” is expected to appear in various locations around Hot Springs to promote the upcoming Spa-Con, which is scheduled for Sept. 23-25 at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

CUTWELL

From Page 3

artists creating art on mural walls with markers with adults being able to take part for a donation.

Visual artwork will be for sale.

Beverages and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

Admission for the event will be $20 per person. Proceeds from tickets, the sale of artwork and tax-deductible donations will go to support Cutwell 4 Kids.

Dress for the event is cocktail attire.

Tidwell said the funds will be used to “continue our efforts in the community.”

Cutwell 4 Kids is a “community nonprofit based on providing a positive alternative to youth to decrease involvement in negative

activities and reckless behaviors.

C4K uses the idea of art and talent to focus on the strengths and positives of youth and increase their efforts to preserve the positive aspects of their individualism and build on them throughout adulthood,” the release said.

Throughout the year, Cutwell 4 Kids holds free Paint Parties in the Maurice Bath House on the first Saturday of each month.

Children who attend are given the chance to paint murals on temporary walls provided by the organization. Tidwell said the parties are a chance for young artists to “express themselves with paint.”

From May through July, Cutwell 4 Kids offers free art lessons

every Saturday, except Paint Party days, at the Cutwell 4 Kids studio, 247 Silver St. The students and their parents are not charged for art supplies. “(Art) is what saved me,” Tidwell, who was born in Hot Springs, said in the release. “My mom put me in a private art lesson outside of my normal school in Atlanta during the Atlanta child killings spree. After seeing my classmates missing, I used to have bad dreams, but my art teacher used to make me draw what I felt. I would leave all my frustration and lack of understanding on my paper and go home relaxed.”

Tidwell returned to Hot

Springs four years ago to renovate his grandfather’s barbershop, which now serves as the Cutwell 4 Kids studio.

Tidwell said his organization is using art to mentor children.

He wants to provide a place for them to be themselves and express themselves positively.

Sponsors and collaborating organizations include The Morris Foundation of Hot Springs, Hot Springs National Park, The Springs Magazine, Linda Morrison Insurance, Tim’s Barber Shop, Heather Powell with State Farm Insurance, Ray Owen Jr. and Kerry Lockwood Owen, Emergent Arts, YPOA, AAC and the Hot Springs Cultural Alliance.

For the fifth-straight year, “Big Al” eluded anglers, but there’s always next year.

The 2016 Hot Springs Fishing Challenge, sponsored by Visit Hot Springs, kicked off the month of May with a surplus of $86,000 in award money to give away to anyone who caught one of the 71 tagged fish that were released into lakes Catherine and Hamilton.

Visit Hot Springs awarded a total of $10,000 to those fishing on the lakes — nine $1,000 prizes and two $500 prizes — during the three months of competition. Along with “Big Al,” none of the $5,000 fish were caught.

As is the case every year, one of the prized fish was dubbed “Big Al,” with a prize of $10,000. This year, “Big Al” was a channel catfish that was released into Lake Hamilton.

In the contest’s previous years, no one has been able to get “Big Al” on their line. This year was no exception, and when the challenge ended on July 31, the grand prize-toting fish had managed to stay away from anyone trying to cash in on his capture.

Of the 70 other fish that were released into the lakes,

20 were tagged for $500, 46 for $1,000 and four for $5,000.

Of the fish released this year, a smaller percentage were caught than those of the previous four years.

Only 15 percent of the fish released this year found the lines of fishermen, a 6-percent drop from the 21-28 percent range seen in previous years, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

To increase the percentage of tagged fish caught during the competition, Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, said that he and his agency have considered starting the competition at the beginning of April and ending it at the end of June — one month earlier than the current May-through-July duration.

He said the pressure that lake goers put on the water, which increases with summer’s heavy tourism, makes it harder to catch fish.

Though actually catching the fish this year presented more of a challenge than usual, the AGFC officials said they have not seen a drop in participation.

Arrison formally announced in a news release on Monday that the $86,000 Hot Springs Fishing Challenge will return in 2017.

6 The Sentinel-Record Mid-Week Extra, Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

The Sentinel-Record/Corbet Deary

GREAT LAKE: Located on the banks of a 1,400-acre reservoir, Lake Fort Smith State Park is a great destination for those who enjoy pleasure boating and those with a passion for fishing.

Beautiful Lake Fort Smith State Park offers world of opportunities Corbet Deary Outdoor writer and photographer

Outdoor writer and photographer Corbet Deary is featured regularly in The Sentinel-Record. Today, Deary writes about Lake Fort Smith State Park.

I embark upon journeys to the northwestern corner of the state, and for good reason.

The scenery is beautiful, and there’s plenty to keep an outdoor enthusiast busy for sev-

eral days. And let’s certainly not forget the roar resonating from Reynolds Stadium during the fall and early winter months when the Hogs are playing at home.

I can recall a time when these journeys consisted of very few detours along the way. We might stop at a convenience store just long enough for a rest break and to grab a quick snack and beverage. But then it was back on the road to our predetermined destination.

However, there were occasions when we would leave with ample time to do a little roaming around. And it only took one excursion in the vicinity of Fort Smith to figure out that we had been missing a couple of great destinations.

Nestled in a draw of the Boston Mountains, Lake Fort Smith State Park is such a place. The setting is beautiful and opportunities are galore, as the facility is situated on the banks of Lake Fort Smith.

The 1,400-acre reservoir is not without very specific restrictions, as it also serves as a water supply for the city of Fort Smith. As a result, swimming is not allowed in the body of water, along with skiing or personal watercraft.

However, fishing boats are allowed, as are canoes, kayaks, party barges and other recreational craft. So what to do if swimming is restricted?

Well, that’s an easy one. Of course, one can simply paddle or putt around and enjoy picturesque scenery while possibly catch a few glimpses of native wildlife going about their everyday rituals.

But Lake Fort Smith is also a good fishery and proves a great destination for those wishing to wet a hook. Largemouth bass are plentiful in Lake Fort Smith. In fact, the reservoir has been known to cough up some dandies.

The lake is also known for a healthy population of catfish. And those with a fancy for this whiskered species might find it interesting that catfish in the 20- to 25-pound range have occasionally been coaxed from its waters.

Panfish swim within the perimeters of the lake, as well.

Limits of crappie have been known to fill live wells, and one would only suspect that bream can be caught in impressive numbers, too.

As we all are aware, the brunt of summer is upon us.

So those trying their luck on this body of water while the water temperature is still warm should bear in mind that activity might be slow.

However, one’s odds of success will increase if they focus on river channels and deeper water.

The Sentinel-Record/Corbet Deary

INTERESTING FACTS: The Lake Fort Smith State Park Visitor Center shares worlds of interesting

facts about the section of Arkansas where the facility is located.

A launching ramp is located at the facility, allotting anglers the luxury of fishing from their personal boats. But non-boat owners, need not feel left out — the state park marina offers rentals of fishing boats, canoes, both single and tandem kayaks and party barges.

Folks can also choose from a small selection of artificial lures and live bait at the marina, as well as grabbing ice or a few snacks before getting on the water. And one would figure that the staff can give them the most up-to-date fishing report.

Swimming restrictions on the lake are but a small bump in the road for those who enjoy this particular water activity. In fact, most swimming enthusiasts visiting the state park would not likely gravitate toward the lake, anyway, as a pool is located on the premises.

As far as hiking, while the park does not offer an abundance of individual, short trails, that’s no indication they have failed to provide folks with a means of traipsing along a designated path through the woods.

In fact, the park is the western terminus of the Ozark Highlands trail. This path is one of the longest in the state, as it traverses 165 miles through the heart of the Ozarks. As one might suspect, sections of the Ozark Highlands Trail provide a diversity of challenges. Some sections lead to an easy walk.

But the path is also known for traversing strenuous terrain.

Since Fort Smith is only a couple of hours from Hot Springs, the state park is a destination where one can spend the portion of a day and easily drive back home.

Those wishing to sleep in their own beds will likely appreciate picnic sites located at the park. And large groups will likely appreciate the pavilion.

Of course, there are also those of us who fancy spending the night under the stars and waking to the sound of birds singing. Fortunately, the facility also offers its fair share of campsites.

The facility sports 20 Class AAA sites complete with 50amp electrical service, potable water, showers and dump stations nearby. There are also 10 Class B sites located at the facility, all of which sport 30-amp electrical service. Potable water, showers and dump stations are also perks that are available with these specific sites.

It just so happens that those who are more into the amenities of home are also in luck, as 10 rental cabins are located within the perimeters of the facility. One can choose from one- and two-bedroom cabins. Each structure provides a private bath for each bedroom, and a great room with a fireplace.

The cabins also sport high-definition satellite television, a kitchen and dining area.

And what better location to experience the beginning of a new day from their elevated covered decks?

As those who have visited very many state parks are aware, impressive visitor centers are becoming more and more common. Lake Fort Smith State Park is no different, as it was relocated to its present location only eight years ago. In turn, its visitor/ education center is very up to date.

Those stopping at the 8,000-square-foot visitor center, which I strongly encourage, will find themselves surrounded by interesting exhibits. The exhibit gallery focuses on explaining how an abundance of good water deemed their location as “a place of hope.”

However, I was most intrigued with a couple of other exhibits. A small log cabin has been erected inside the visitor center. And one can’t miss a covered wagon, a recreated Shepherd Spring and a diorama of the lake.

Heavy rains fell during our most recent visit to the state park, putting somewhat of a damper on our outdoor activities. But thanks to a nice view of the lake from the cover of the visitor center, short video showing in their small theater and worlds of interesting exhibits, we still considered our excursion a smashing success.

And I suspect we’ll soon be returning to get even better acquainted with the facility on a day when the weather is more conducive to kicking around in the midst of Mother Nature.

The Lake Fort Smith State Park is located 8 miles north of Mountainburg on Highway 71.